#Wiggins Park

[mebconsultsblog]

[popentertainmentconcertreviews]

XPoNential Festival – Wiggins Park – Camden, NJ – September 22-24, 2023

They say that the 10th anniversary is the tin anniversary, and the 50th anniversary is the gold anniversary. Unfortunately, for the 30th anniversary of the annual XPoNential Music Festival, it seems that it was the rain anniversary.

Mother Nature did not cooperate with the weekend of diverse musical acts jamming out at Wiggins Park in Camden, NJ. Tropical storm Ophelia was battering the East Coast that weekend, and while no major damage was inflicted on the Philadelphia tri-state area, the area was slammed with rain. This caused regular reshuffling of schedules for the Fest on Saturday and Sunday, and the cancellation of some of the acts – including Saturday night headliners Tegan and Sara.

This was particularly a shame because this was the first time in years (if not ever) that there were not at least the last few bands on a couple of the nights playing down the street at the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, which is an amphitheater and at least partially enclosed and would have provided shelter from the storms.

However, the bands and the die-hard crowds for the most part were hearty sorts – sadly far heartier than this writer – and they often played on throughout the storms. I have to acknowledge up front that while I was looking forward to an entire weekend of good music, I ended up missing the entirety of Saturday’s sets and only was able to see one of the Sunday acts.

I actually sat in my car in the parking lot for about an hour Sunday afternoon in the hope that the rain would clear up enough to catch the Bruce Hornsby and the Noisemakers and Low Cut Connie sets, but the rain just never went away. Which is a shame, I have heard that Hornsby did a fascinating complete reinvention of his 1986 number one single “The Way It Is.”  

Friday, on the other hand, was pretty exceptional. I walked into the park at the very tail end of the performance by Nik Greeley and the Operators. I heard the last couple of songs from their set from across the park, where I went to the Marina Stage to await the start of the next act. They sounded good, I’m sorry I didn’t catch the whole thing.

Next up was Philly-based Don McCloskey. (McCloskey was born in nearby Bristol.) He played to the hometown, rocking a Phillies cap (the old-school one with the fat P!) to share that he was a homeboy. In the lazily milling crowd before he came up onstage, a guy next to me promised he was pretty terrific and put on a great show. The guy wasn’t wrong.

He certainly had a big, rather tight eight-piece band, featuring himself on lead vocals and guitar, another guitarist, a bassist, a keyboardist, two percussionists and two female background singers. They were celebrating their latest album The Chaos and the Beauty, and his music was a mix of Americana, folk, rock and soul. He started out with a romp through the track “I IV V,” which opened with the evocative lyrics “There's gunshots outside my apartment / There's protests inside my head / Bullet holes in these worn-out clothes / Thank God you're in my bed.”

The drama was dialed down a bit with the more relaxed “Dre” and the somber confessional “Unbecoming.” Other standout tunes included “Kill the Lights,” “Son of it All” and “Welcome to the Fitness.”

We next headed over to the River Stage, where Margo Price was about to come on. Price came onstage looking smart rocking a lacy white and gold jumpsuit and scarf. (I only mention her outfit because in the middle of her set she changed into a different one, a frilly red-and-silver cocktail dress.) Like McCloskey – and pretty much everyone else who plays on WXPN – Price offered a gumbo of spicy tunes and musical moods, crossing genres and styles with panache.

Price brought the heat from the jump with her most recent album Strays’ atmospheric opening track “Been to the Mountain.” (She did announce that a Strays II was coming soon.) Then there was the frisky and poppy “Letting Me Down,” the bluesy “Change of Heart” (one of two songs Price played a scorching drum solo) and the sweetly devastated breakup song “That’s How Rumors Get Started.”

The guitar-based psychedelia of “Twinkle Twinkle” was another song in which Price’s playful connection with her crack band was noticeable. Then she rocked out to “Paper Cowboy” (the other song where Price shared drumming duties) and finally closed out on the alcohol-based medley of “Hurtin’ (On the Bottle)” matched with “I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink” and “Whiskey River.”

Next up on the Marina Stage was Say She She – made up of singers Nya Gazelle Brown, Piya Malik, and Sabrina Mileo and a large backing band. They refer to their sound as “discodelic,” a musical tribute to ‘70s girl groups like The Pointer Sisters, High Inergy, The Three Degrees, LaBelle, Sister Sledge and Chic. (The band name is a fun nod to that last group, “C’est chi-chi!: It’s Chic!”)

They do rock the soul and dance vibes, adding their own subtle swing vibe to the mix. Their mostly matching outfits add to the disco vibes, shiny silver minidresses and boots which look tres ‘70s, and at the same time oddly timeless. That description not only refers to their fashion sense, but their music and their whole vibe, a fun, dance-based palette of throbbing beats and sweet harmonies.

They did a terrific take on their recent single “C’est Si Bon” – a fun and frisky swinging dance track, which is NOT a cover of the Eartha Kitt jazz standard of the same name. The “delic” version of the “discodelic” descriptor shows up in “Astral Plane,” a sweet song riding on wah-wah guitars and cosmic vibes. Then there were the gorgeous Love Unlimited vibes of “Prism.”

The show also had a bit of extra, unexpected spectacle in the middle of Say She She’s set, when a random fireworks display suddenly appeared over the river, seeming to be coming from across the water in Philadelphia somewhere. I don’t believe it was specifically done for the music festival, although I’m not sure what it actually was for. (Was there a holiday that day which I forgot?) Still, it added a fun bit of pizazz to the show, although since the fireworks were behind Say She She’s audience at the Marina Stage, lots of people turned away from the performance to watch the fire in the sky. Then again, it added to the enjoyment to hear the stomping music backgrounding the fireworks.

After they ended, back at the River Stage, Old Crow Medicine Show did a fun mix of originals and classic covers. These tributes included takes on The Band’s “The Weight” (for which they brought Margo Price back onstage to harmonize with them), a fun romp through Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Proud Mary,” a combustible version of Jerry Lee Lewis’ “Great Balls of Fire,” and an inspirational take on Hank Williams “I Saw the Light.” They also did a sweet version of “Margaritaville” in honor of Jimmy Buffett, who had just died a few weeks earlier. The performance of “The Weight” earlier was also a tribute to The Band’s recently deceased guitarist/songwriter Robbie Robertson, and “Proud Mary” was a nod to Tina Turner, who famously covered the song.

Old Crow has always been an intriguing mix of influences, an Americana string band that loves bluegrass, country, folk, and even a bit of rock. Or, as Wikipedia describes them: “With an old-time string sound fueled by punk rock energy, it has influenced acts like Mumford & Sons and contributed to a revival of banjo-picking string bands playing Americana music – leading to variations on it.”

With decades of songs in their own catalogue, not to mention the aforementioned covers, the group did a deep dive into its songbook. They did a couple of songs from their current album Jubilee (the gospel tinged “One Drop” and the zydeco “Wolfman of the Ozarks). Older favorites include the frontier music of “Wagon Wheel,” the alt-country throwdown “Alabama High Test,” and the crazily entitled jug-band prison song “Brushy Mountain Conjugal Trailer.”

Sunday’s gigs (and undoubtedly Saturday’s, too) were all at the River Stage, because the Marina Stage was undoubtedly a soggy, muddy mess from all of the storms. This worked in some ways – no running around the park from stage to stage. Of course, it also had the disadvantage that it removed the constant flow of performances, because the stages couldn’t be reset for the new acts while someone else was playing. Still, this was necessary and a small price to pay. Well, it would have been a small price if not for the rain.

The sun actually poked through in the early afternoon and the rain stopped long enough for Josh Ritter to get in his set. Of course, due to the weather uncertainty, his show was completely revamped, going from a full band set into a one-man acoustic gig. According to one of the festival workers near the stage, Ritter also threw away his old setlist and decided to make up a new setlist on the fly while performing. This gave the performance a sense of spontaneity that you don’t often see, so that was a really cool bonus.

Probably not coincidentally, Ritter started out his performance with a galloping strut through “Feels Like Lightning,” which seemed a bit fitting for the weather. Other standouts were an atmospheric run through “Henrietta, Indiana” and a fun cover of The Sweetback Sisters’ “Deputy Blues No. 2.” He also impressed with the sweet, devotional love song “Kathleen,” with its hopeful couplet, “I’ll be the one to drive you home, Kathleen.” He then closed his set out with the gorgeous “Someday” and the tongue-twisting “Getting Ready to Get Down.”

After Ritter finished, while the roadies were setting up the stage for Allison Russell to start, the rain started again. At first it was just a little sprinkle, a bit annoying but definitely bearable. But soon enough it picked up speed and intensity, until everyone and everything was getting soaked. Sadly, this was pretty much the end of the festival for me, although as noted above I did shelter in place for a while in hopes that the rain would clear up again.

It never did, but while the weather shortened my weekend, it could not ruin the great vibe of music and fun that ruled the XPoNential Festival. And perhaps if I weren’t a bit of a diva (or if I were a little younger) I’d have braved the rains – like many other hardcore fans did – rather than going all Wicked Witch of the West (picturing myself shrieking “I’m melting! I’m melting!”) I would have gotten to experience more great music.

Still, even as a truncated experience, the 30th XPoNential Music Festival was a whole lot of great music and fun, I’m looking forward to year 31, hopefully with clearer skies.

Jay S. Jacobs

Copyright ©2023 PopEntertainment.com. All rights reserved. Posted: September 27, 2023.

Photos by Jay S. Jacobs © 2023. All rights reserved.

[popentertainment-concertphotos]

Josh Ritter – XPoNential Festival (Day 3) – Wiggins Park – Camden, NJ – September 24, 2023

Photos by Jay S. Jacobs © 2023

[newlabdakos]

Regular and Recurring LGBTQIA+ Characters in series on TV & Streaming Video

These are characters who have first appeared or been revealed as LGBTQIA+ during the 2022/23 season, or whom I’ve recently learned about or whom I hadn’t mentioned in previous posts of this type (that is, on my old blog). Needless to say, this list is also highly arbitrary and incomplete.

Netflix

The Sandman

the Corinthian (portrayed by Boyd Holbrook)

Johanna Constantine (portrayed by Jenna Coleman)

Desire (portrayed by Mason Alexander Park)

Hal Carter (portrayed by John Cameron Mitchell)

Carl (portrayed by Ben Wiggins)

Lucifer Morningstar (portrayed by Gwendoline Christie)

Mazikeen (portrayed by Cassie Clare)

Young Royals (Netflix)

Prince Wilhelm of Sweden (portrayed by Edvin Ryding)

Simon Eriksson (portrayed by Omar Rudberg)

Marcus (portrayed by Tommy Wättring)

Continuing the tradition from my old blog (which has been unceremoniously deleted by tumblr without much of an explanation why) I’m doing daily posts during June to celebrate LGBTQIA+ pride by showcasing openly LGBTQIA+ celebrities and various content about or created by LGBTQIA+ people such as music videos, characters on TV shows, movie trailers, …

[kwebtv]

An American Christmas Carol - ABC - December 16, 1979

Christmas Drama / Fantasy

Running Time: 97 minutes

Stars:

Henry Winkler as Benedict Slade

Dorian Harewood as Matt Reeves

Susan Hogan as Helen Brewster

Cec Linder as Auctioneer

R.H. Thomson as Thatcher

David Wayne as Merrivale

Michael Wincott as Choir Leader

William Bermender as Orphan

Brett Matthew Davidson as Orphan

Tammy Bourne as Sarah Thatcher

Chris Cragg as Jonathan Thatcher

James B. Douglas as Sam Perkins

Arlene Duncan as Jennie Reeves

Linda Goranson as Mrs. Doris Thatcher

Gerard Parkes as Jessup

Mary Pirie as Mrs. Brewster

Kenneth Pogue  as Jack Latham

Sammy Snyders as Young Slade

Chris Wiggins as Mr. Brewster

Alexander Galant as Orphan (uncredited)

[justdownthecreek]

Flint Creek Water Park, near Wiggins, MS

[local-new-kid-super]

Toolshed/Stan Marsh x GN!Reader

"Wiggin' Out!"

Featuring: Randy, Mysterion, Professor Timmy, and guest star LORDE!!!

Warnings: None! Just a bit of drinking and usual Randy shenanigans.

Synopsis: You have to make a suprise visit to the Freedom Pals hide out after a weird encounter with Mr. Marsh...

You're the New Kid, you work to protect the city because that's what heroes do. You look after the citizens, stopping robberies at City Wok and finding cat for some of the more... flamboyant members of the town. However, regardless of whether or not you work with Raccoon and Friends or The Freedom Pals, or even alone, you end up dealing with Randy more than the other citizens of South Park...

"Oh! H-hey, New Kid! I need to tell-you, urpppp..." Randy Marsh comes stumbling down the steps of his porch one night while you're trying to focus on patrol, and he puts his hands on his knees as he meets you height. "New kid, listen... I jus' wanna say, it's really fuckin' cool that you've got sssecret identity. It's important, doing good and shit-" He puts a hand on your shoulder. At least he's not actively fighting you about keeping his car keys again, he did a number on Scott.

"Thanks, Mr. Marsh, is there anything else you needed to tell me?" You ask, needing to either get back on patrol or get Mr. Marsh back into his house. He nods and stands fully, almost grave.

"Yes, I do need to tell you something, I'm glad you can tell." He looks of dramatically, and you can sense he's going to go on one of his Randy-Rants. "I understand the weight of a secret identity who does only good, and all the shit that comes with it. Having to sneak around, change outfits, hide money from fucking Sharon..."

"Sir, what are you-"

"That's right, New Kid. I am Lorde." He continues after taking another swig. "And *urp*, I'm willing to teach you, be your Mr. Miyagi, you just gotta help me out-" He stumbles over to his car, unlocking the back. You sign and post up, prepared to take his keys again, when he pulls something from the back seat. "Take ,y w-wig to the dry cleaners, I need full blow out f-for my next show. I'll start training you when you get back-" He chucks the wig at you with poor aim, and it just flops onto the ground beside you, now caked in stray hairs and snow. You pick it up with a gloved hand, sure to avoid touching your skin with it. Before you can even ask him if he'll pay you or tell him that's not what you do, he's back on his porch, asleep and mumbling "Yeah, yeah, yeah... I'm Lorde... yeah..."

Reluctantly, you make your way over to the suburb in the northeast part of town, 'Dark Meadows', and make your way over to the Freedom Pals base. The Raccoon would kick your ass if he knew you were here, but frankly, you just want to get this wig handed off to someone before it gives you some sort of disease or infection.

Ringing the doorbell of Tupperware's house, you wait until a lady with her hair up in a red headband opens it, quirking a brow before nodding. "Oh, you must be one of Tolkien's hero friends! The boys are in the basement, refreshments are upstairs."

You nod, as as you approach the basement door with a nanny cam, you can feel a harsh shiver run down your spine, as if the cold hand of the reaper just smacked you right on the ass. Turning around, the caped crusader known as Mysterion is glaring at you from the shadowed corner of the Black family living room.

"State your business, Raccoon Friend." He spits, posture tense as if preparing for battle. Even if you don't pose a threat right now, chances are Mysterion will still kick your ass. You know how he can be. Putting your hands up in a sign of surrender, you shake your head rapidly.

"I just need to talk to Toolshed, that's all. I'm not here for Raccoon, I'm not trying anything. I came alone, a-and I'm unarmed." You stammer out. Mysterion freaks you out, he was the first hero in town and clearly the most capable. It doesn't help that he's the only hero whose identity you don't at least have a suspicion about.

"I don't fucking buy it." Mysterion stands up from his leaning position, approaching with a snarl. "Get out, or I'll send you back to that fatass in a box-" Before he can get close enough to physically make good on his promise, a voice echoes in your mind, and apparently Mysterion hears it too, as he stands at attention with a huff.

"Now, now, Mysterion," Professor Timmy chides, coming up the stairs with the help of Toolshed and Tupperware, his chair clanking at the two heroes struggle to move it up. "We see the best in everyone, and I can sense the New Kid's intentions are genuine. We must grant everyone a chance to plead their case. Toolshed, take a break. Mysterion, come back downstairs for the briefing, and keep your temper in check." Mysterion casts you one last stinging glance before he heads down the stairs. Tupperware shakes his head as he motions for Wonder Tweek to help him out.

"G-gah! Can't you get a wheelchair lift, T-tupperware? You have money!" Tweak stammers as he begins to descend the stairs.

"You'd think with Professor Timmy's psychic powers he could do this himself..." Tupperware mumbles as the three disappear from view. Toolshed turns to you, giving you a once over. Ever since you prevented his dad from drunk driving, he's been a little warmer to you than the other Freedom Pals.

"Uh- hey, New Kid? What do you need?" Toolshed asks, clearly a little wary, seeing as you still have some ties to Raccoon and Friends. All you can do is hold out the gross wig, unsure how to even explain what happened with his dad earlier. Luckily for you, he understand immediately, brows flattening as he rubs his forehead. "Jesus fucking christ-" He looks back up. "He told you he's Lorde?"

"Yeah, and he gave me this wig, told me to-"

"Go to the dry cleaners and get his wig a blow out, yeah, he's always doing shit like this. And don't let him 'Mr. Miyagi' you either, he did that to me when I took Karate in third grade. He just wants you to fix the dents in the car and clean the windows before my mom notices he messed it up.Here," Toolshed flinches as he takes the wig. "I'll handle it, New Kid. Thanks for helping out my dad... again. I hope this doesn't mean I know you another favor because I'm not really interested in helping Raccoon again." He says, and you both chuckle.

"Yeah, it's no problem, is your dad like, okay though? He kind of all over the place."

Toolshed just shrugs. "Eh. He'll be fine, he always weird like that. Listen, take this." He hands you a slip of paper with his Raccoonstagram tag and his phone number. "I don't think Mysterion will like it very much if you keep showing up in case you see my dad being weird again, so just message me whenever and I'll swing by and deal with it."

You smile as you type the info into your cell. "Gee, thanks, Toolshed. Maybe I could text you even if your dad is perfectly fine?" You asks with a teasing tone, causing the raven-haired hero to go stiff.

"Uh- yeah. Yeah." He says, gulping a little as his grips his tool belt. "I gotta go, I think m' gonna be sick-" he rushes off towards Tupperware's bathroom, leaving you worried you said the wrong thing.

Later that night though, you get a reassuring text. "Hey, New Kid, sorry to rush off on you. Think I just ate something weird. Text me anytime." This is followed by a "Please."

You just laugh and shake your head as you plug in your phone, setting it on the nightstand. One things for sure, that guys just as weird as his father.

[eleanor-bradstreet]

Let Me Be Your Anchor

Chapter 12: Defenses Crumble

Benedict Bridgerton x Sophie Beckett An Offer from a Gentleman reimagined Chapter rating: G Word count: 3k

Masterpost Previous chapter Next chapter

Author's Notes: Maybe I'm still a bit salty that that line which has become so emblematic of Bridgerton was given to Simon and Daphne and not where it actually appears in the books, which is uttered by both Anthony and Benedict in their respective love stories. Idk if it was a copy/paste situation on JQ's part, or if we can head canon that Anthony taught Benedict some moves 😜 but you have to admit, it's a great line 💙

Benedict didn’t see Sophie for three days. Not really. She had obviously stopped visiting him, free as he was from his sickbed. But he also didn’t see her walking in the grounds or in the halls or anywhere that he went. He checked in with Mr. Dewitt who confirmed that he was meeting with Sophie each morning to provide her with advertisements. She hadn’t left but was cleverly avoiding him.

Toward the end of the second day, he worked up the nerve to ask Mrs. Wiggin where she was. He knew that repeating such a request could raise suspicion, so it was his only chance. He inquired as casually as he could. The cook informed him that she was helping Anne with the laundry. Benedict returned a curt smile, said something banal and wandered away. He couldn’t very well go confronting Sophie about being his mistress in front of others.

On day three he began to suspect that Sophie was deliberately tying herself to the other servants so as to never risk being caught alone. He glimpsed her briefly through a window, out in the kitchen garden with Lizzie. She was beautiful even at this distance, her short hair reflecting the sunlight. She laughed at something her companion said, making Benedict realize he had never seen her laugh before. He wanted to see it again. He wondered how fervently she was applying to new positions and how long it may take to secure one. He simply wanted to talk to her. But he couldn’t, not with others around.

The fourth day progressed cold and bleak, with rains as heavy as the night of the Cavender party. It made Benedict think of his ride with Sophie, of their night at the inn, of the wholly unexpected course he had found himself on since. Still, there was no sign of her. He was starting to grow agitated. He went to the nursery to work out his feelings on a canvas and was confronted with her half-finished portrait. Frustration building, he stalked downstairs to set up an easel in the conservatory, using the pale light from the tall windows to depict a grey, windswept moor.

He was so focused that Mrs. Wiggin startled him when she appeared with his dinner. The room had grown dark but a fire had been lit in the grate and he agreed to take his meal where he was, assessing what he had painted thus far. 

___

When Mrs. Wiggin asked Sophie to stoke the fire in the conservatory, she hesitated. She had managed to avoid being alone upstairs this long and didn’t relish the thought of going unaccompanied. But this task seemed safe enough, given that Benedict should be in the dining room in another part of the house entirely. She also couldn’t refuse without seeming rude and so she ascended.

As she moved through the house, she couldn’t help but notice how lovely Aubrey Hall was at night. With the paintings and gleaming floors softly illuminated by candlelight, it was not at all like a cold and imposing manse with secrets hiding in its shadows. It was as cozy as a cottage though its size was more akin to a palace. She thought of Benedict and his siblings growing up surrounded by such warmth and felt a bittersweet sadness that she hadn’t been able to experience something similar at Penwood Park. Her time in this house had been a gift, even though it came with such complicated pain. She loved the buildings, she loved the grounds, she loved a member of the family who lived there. But she would never be able to stay, and that was the cruelest trick of all.

Thoughts weighing heavily on her, she walked into the conservatory, its angled windows still glistening in the dark with the day’s rain. She turned to the fireplace and found herself in direct eye contact with Benedict. He was seated next to the fire, one leg dangling over the arm of his chair, studying an easel a short distance away. They both froze, holding their breaths in silence. Then Sophie instinctively spun and dashed out of the room.

“Wait!” She heard Benedict call behind her but she would not stop. Of course the one time she set out alone she had been sent directly into his path. She didn’t want to talk to him. She didn’t know what to say. She needed to get away, and away was a servant’s staircase tucked behind a door off the main entry hall.

“Sophie!” Benedict was catching up to her. The time it took her to open the door proved to be her downfall because no sooner had she ducked through then he appeared beside her on the tiny landing and shut the door firmly behind them.

He repeated her name, softer. She expected him to grab her by the arm as he had formed a habit of doing, but instead he reached out to grasp her hand, halting her in place.

“Benedict!” She whispered, worried the staff would hear them from below. “You cannot be here!” She wanted to pull away but couldn’t deny the electricity she felt at the touch of his skin.

“I need to talk to you.”

Sophie ignored his gentle tone and spat back at him, “You made yourself very clear when last we spoke.”

“I was an ass,” he declared. She stared back at him, caught entirely off guard. He continued, “I shouldn’t have said what I did. I shouldn’t have lorded money over you. It’s reprehensible. But please know, I only wish to ensure your well being.”

Sophie hadn’t expected this, but she was starting to learn that Benedict’s better nature tended to always prevail. “You have an odd and shortsighted way of showing it,” she snipped. “But I know that’s what you are doing.”

A small grin tugged at the corner of his lips. Still holding her hand, he gripped it tighter. 

She looked up at him placidly. “And you’ll be happy to learn that I believe I have found my new position.” 

Benedict’s heart sank again. Every sentence she spoke whipped him from one emotion to another. It was nearly making him dizzy. With feigned casualty, all he could manage to say was, “Oh?”

“Yes. With a home in Scotland. They are in need of an experienced maid and I believe I meet their qualifications, so I have written to them. I am just waiting for their reply.” 

This was the compromise Sophie had devised. She would find employment in a new noble house but it would be as far away as possible; so far that Benedict would never have her followed there, and hopefully so far that Cavender wouldn’t chance to visit either. With her letter of acceptance from the Stirling household, Benedict would need to make good on his arrangement, pay Sophie her wages and let her leave. Then the choice would be hers whether she wanted to follow through with the employment or use the money to start anew in some way she would feel safe. 

“Scotland?” Benedict’s voice faltered. He looked crestfallen. Sophie couldn’t ignore how it pained her, but she was resolved and nodded wordlessly.

They stood frozen in the stairwell, her hand in his, staring at each other in silence. 

At last, Benedict released her and cleared his throat. “Very well. Once you have a letter of acceptance, I will ensure that you are paid. Double what was originally agreed upon.”

Sophie’s eyes widened. “Benedict, you don’t have to…”

“May I ask a final favor?” His voice was soft. “You certainly don’t owe it to me, but I must ask nonetheless.”

“What is it?” The sadness in his eyes was going to break her. 

“Would you let me finish your portrait before you go? It is still a gift I’d like you to have, and just…” He cast his eyes down. “For an artist, it can be torturous to leave a work unfinished.” 

When Sophie did not respond for a long moment, he looked up at her warily. What little light there was in the stairwell betrayed the tears that were brimming in her eyes. 

“Yes,” She nodded briskly, voice tight. “I will sit for the rest of the portrait.”

“Thank you, Sophie.”

They agreed to meet in the nursery again after Sophie had completed her duties. She left him on the landing as she scurried down to the kitchen, managing to stave off her tears. Asking herself why she had agreed to be alone with him again, the vision of his sorrowful eyes rose in her mind as its own justification. He had meant his apology. He was a good man, just a man who had asked for too much, as men in his position were bound to do. He only wanted to finish her portrait, which was a courtesy she could extend to him before she left and never saw him again. It would be difficult to stare at him as he painted and to think of all that had occurred between them, but it would be her last opportunity to seal off these memories before a new chapter of her life began.

She completed her nightly chores in a daze. She believed some of the other staff spoke to her, but she couldn’t really remember. She was positive her answers, if any, were spoken in mumbles. She moved plates, she folded linens, but her eyes barely saw the items in her hands. After Mrs. Wiggin bid her goodnight and headed off for bed, Sophie went to her quarters. She loosened and brushed her hair, reaffixing it the way it had been for her first sitting. She removed her apron and changed again into her green dress. Then, as quietly as she could, carrying a lone candle and using the servants’ stairs, she crept up to the family wing and to the nursery door.

With an overwhelming sense of deja vu, she greeted Benedict who stood at his easel, then took her place on the window seat facing him. She moved through the same motions, feeling as if she were trapped in a repeating dream - one where she would come so close to happiness, but then watch as it slipped through her fingers. Something was different about this time though. The energy between her and Benedict was decidedly darker. Whereas before she had been filled with breathless anticipation and wonder, now she felt weighted down, heavy with frustration, confusion and sadness. 

Benedict looked much the same. His eyes were not shining as they had the first time and there was no trace of the smile he so often bore. He looked dejected and tired, like he was forcing himself to complete the portrait against his own will. Sophie held still as he painted, the air thick with an awkward, painful silence. It grew from uncomfortable to torturous. Sophie wracked her mind for something to say, something that was neither too trite or too honest, but she could think of nothing.

Eventually, mercifully, Benedict spoke. “Could you…” He looked back and forth between her and the canvas. His tone was depressed. “Could you just…”

He debated within himself what exactly he wanted to say. Would he ask her to smile and take that heartbreaking look off of her face? No, he would never be so pigheaded as to suggest that. The word he truly wanted to use whispered through his mind: stay. But he couldn’t. That plea had been made and rejected. He should honor it. It was the gentlemanly thing to do. But he simply couldn’t finish the portrait, not with her looking the way she was, so unlike the Sophie he had come to know.

“I can’t paint your eyes,” he admitted. “Not the way I want to. There is a sorrow deep within them that wasn’t there before.”

Sophie stared up at him, shaking her head slightly as if the sorrow was something solid that could be sloughed off. “Benedict…”

He put down his brush and palette and walked toward her.  “I can’t bear it when you look so sad,” he said, surprised by his own words. He hadn’t intended to say anything, but his heart was clearly controlling his tongue and it demanded honesty. 

She took a shaking breath to steady herself. She should have known this would happen. She should have known he would make her falter again, with his eyes and his words and his gentle nature. He wanted her to stay, of course he did, but her plan was to leave and she needed to see it through. Her heart was starting to pound, protesting against her mind’s resolution.

“Please don’t make this harder than it already is.”

When she said that, something snapped inside of him. He felt it palpably, a hot rush of blood, feeding the frustration that had been simmering inside of him for days. To hell with gentlemanly behavior. He couldn’t let her leave. He wouldn’t lose her like he had lost the lady in silver. He didn’t know how he could be with Sophie if she refused to be his mistress, but he couldn’t let her walk out of his life and disappear. Not when she had stirred his soul that day at the lake, and not when she had made him happier than he had felt in years. He leveled his gaze on her. “You think it’s not hard?” he growled. “You think this isn’t hard?”

“I didn’t say that!” Her voice was growing stronger. There was a determined gleam in her eye, a courage that he so admired. 

This woman, such a rare combination of strength and beauty, made him weak as she glared at him. Every cell of his body was magnetized toward her and the rush of his blood sang in his ears. He dropped to his knees before her, his every defense crumbling. He didn’t know what tomorrow would bring but he couldn’t let her leave without showing her how he felt, just one time.

“I won’t ask you to be my mistress,” he said firmly. The declaration hung in the air between them. Her eyes widened and something flickered across her face, something like hope breaking through the sorrow. It urged him on and he took her hands in his. 

“I will never ask you to do anything you do not want. I only…I only wish to show you how much I care for you, without arrangement or obligation.” He touched her chin, lifting her face until he could peer into her eyes. They seemed to glow from within, glistening with unshed tears. “Sophie, I only want you. Just you. If you’ll have me.”

A pause. Sophie found it impossible to breathe. She didn’t have the strength to fight herself anymore. Not when the man she loved was begging her, on his knees, to be with him if and as she wished to. What sort of relationship that would give them, she didn’t know. That it would still only lead her to heartbreak in the end, she was certain. But she was losing the battle for rationality. Meekly, she launched her only remaining protest.

“You deserve better than me,” she whispered, and the pain in her voice nearly unmanned him.

Benedict rose, pulling her to stand with him. She looked up, eyes unfathomable behind her tears. She had cried too much and he needed to put an end to it. Slowly, he slipped his arms around her and pulled her body against his.

“I burn for you,” he whispered, his lips touching her ear. “Every night, I lie in bed, thinking of you, wondering why the hell you’re in the servants quarters and not with me.”

Sophie felt every last shred of resistance within her fall away. At last, an honest truth crystalized within her. She wanted this. Whatever piece of Benedict she could get and for however long, she wanted it.

Benedict could feel her breath grow heavier, her back quivering beneath his hands. She uttered his name softly as her hands traced up to his shoulders, then to hold his face. She searched his eyes, a thousand emotions glittering in her own. She missed him, she wanted him, she needed him, and now she would finally allow herself to have him. It was the dream she had carried with her for years, the dream she never dared to think would come true. But here it was, in her hands, the sincerity in his gaze speaking nothing but truth. The room was dim with the glow of firelight but he stood out, radiant against it all.

Benedict captured her mouth with his, swearing to himself as he did so that if she said no, if she made any sort of indication that she truly didn’t want this, he’d stop. It’d be the hardest thing he’d ever done, but he would do it. 

But she didn’t say no, and she didn’t push him away. Instead, she positively melted into him, her hands twining in his hair as her lips parted beneath his. His heart leapt, that she was letting him kiss her -- no, that she had decided to kiss him. He seized the moment, tasting her, drinking her, breathing her. He wanted it to last a lifetime. The kiss he had wished to give the lady in silver, proof of all his affection and commitment, building up for years and unleashed at last for dear Sophie. Sophie who was here, Sophie who was real, Sophie who stoked the same fire within him, and she felt like heaven. The soft scent of her hair, the slight taste of salt on her skin -- she was, he thought, born to rest in the shelter of his arms. And he was born to hold her.  Sophie luxuriated in the feeling of Benedict’s lips, his tongue, his hands. The entirety of his body radiating heat against hers. How foolish of her to think that she could or even should, deny this desire, wherever it might lead. How self-important to think that she could be stronger than passion.

Tagging: @angels17324 @broooookiecrisp @secretagentbucky @eg-dr3amer3 @time-to-hit-the-clouds @lyta2323 @autumn-grace @sadprose-auroras @the-other-art-blog @goldrambutan @colettebronte @heeyyyou @musicismyoxygen84 @faye-tale @ambitionspassionscoffee @starchaser325 @malna4903 @sincere-sarcasm @kmc1989 @makaylan @queen-of-the-misfit-toys

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Christopher Wiggins at The Advocate:

Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland reversed on Friday a National Park Service directive that would have barred employees from participating in LGBTQ+ Pride Month events while in uniform. The initial policy, issued on May 17, led to widespread backlash from the LGBTQ+ community. The memo, first obtained by Politico, had stated that “requests from employees asking to participate in uniform in a variety of events and activities, including events not organized by the NPS,” conflicted with the agency’s policy. This move marked a considerable shift from the agency’s history of supporting LGBTQ+ visibility.

In response, Haaland sent an email to all NPS employees on Friday afternoon, reversing the directive. NPS operates under the Interior Department. “I want to ensure that every employee has the opportunity to thrive in a safe, inclusive, and respectful environment,” Haaland wrote in the message which The Advocate obtained. Haaland’s email emphasized the importance of Special Emphasis Months, which include observances for LGBTQ+ Pride. “One way in which we support and celebrate who we are at the Department is through programs organized around Special Emphasis Months, which have been identified by Presidential Proclamation, Executive Orders, and public law to ensure that federal agencies take affirmative steps to provide equal opportunity in all areas of employment,” she wrote. “In addition to events and activities organized by the Department and/or individual bureaus and offices, sometimes there are externally organized events and activities that further the same goals as those in the Special Emphasis Months.”

Thanks to Erin Reed for raising the issue of the National Park Service’s unjust ban on Pride for its employees.

Good news: Interior Secretary Deb Haaland announces that the ban on LGBTQ+ Pride for its employees has been reversed.

[sakuplumeria]

Moriarty the Patriot / Yuukoku no Moriarty Ask Game - Alternate Universe Edition

Choose a number for a character and an alphabet for a scenario, and put it in my ask box! I’ll answer the question. Feel free to reblog if you want to answer questions too :)

Pick a character:

1) William James Moriarty

2) Albert James Moriarty

3) Louis James Moriarty

4) Sebastian Moran

5) Fred Porlock

6) Zach Patterson

7) James Bonde

8) Jack Renfield

9) Von Herder

10) Moneypenny

11) Sherlock Holmes

12) John H. Watson

13) Miss Hudson

14) George Lestrade

15) Mycroft Holmes

16) Irene Adler

17) Henry Antrim (Billy the Kid)

18) Mary Watson

19) Wiggins

20) Adam Whiteley

21) Charles Augutus Milverton

22) Favorite character

23) Other character (mention in the ask)

Choose a scenario:

A) Lives in modern times. What kind of vehicles does the character ride?

B) Goes out to space. What does the character miss the most from earth?

C) Turns into an animal. What animal does the character turn into?

D) Has magical powers! What powers does the character have?

E) Creates a Tumblr account. What does the character like to post?

F) Is in the orchestra! What instruments does the character play?

G) Spends time in the theme park! What attractions does the character play?

H) Lives somewhere outside the UK. Which country/city/place does the character live in?

I) Bodyswaps with another character. With whom does the character swap with?

J) Signs up for an RPG. What is the character’s username?

K) Signs up for an RPG. The character can be a rogue, a warrior, a mage, a trickster, an archer, and a priest/healer. What class does the character choose?

L) Lives in modern times. What phone does the character use?

M) Has elemental powers (for example fire and water), Which element does the character control?

N) Is in a restaurant/bakery/coffee shop AU. What does the character do?

O) Is in a hospital/medical AU. What does the character do?

P) Goes to Hogwarts and is currently wearing the Sorting Hat! Which house does the character get?

Q) Is a serial killer in the modern world. What weapon does the character use?

R) Is suddenly the most famous person in the world. What is the character famous for?

S) Is forced to have a date for a prom. Who will the character ask to fake date?

T) Is in the Olympics sports AU. What sports does the character play?

U) Is a solo traveler. What things does the character always bring with him/her?

V) Lives in a parallel universe where London is peaceful and doesn't have social gaps. What does the character do in such a peaceful world?

W) Is born from a Greek god/goddess. Who are the character’s parents and does the character have any powers?

X) Is a mythological creature. What creature does the character live as?

Y) Is created as a droid. What does the character programmed to do?

Z) Is a YouTuber. What kind of videos does the character upload?

[morbidology]

On the afternoon of 28 January, 2012, Yvonne Johnson’s young son was playing behind their home at Brook Haven Trailer Park on Hurst St., Opelika, Alabama, when he came across a small human skull. The young boy ran back inside and alerted his mother who in turn called police.

They arrived at the scene in a matter of minutes and recovered the skull. “There was a skull that had been brought up in somebody’s yard, possibly by a dog or something. Obviously, it had been in the elements for a while because it was nothing but just bone,” recalled Coroner Bill Harris.

Investigators then fanned out in the woods and recovered more human remains. They also came across a pink, long sleeved shirt with hearts buttons and ruffles. This was found alongside a creek, but investigators weren’t sure whether it was connected to the human remains.

The bones were forensically analysed, and it was determined that they belonged to an African American girl between four and seven-years-old. The results also indicated that the little girl’s bones were under-developed, which was consistent with malnutrition. There was also evidence that she had been physically abused before her death and she had a visible deformity to her left eye; this was possibly caused by abuse.

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐞:

[popentertainment-concertphotos]

Old Crow Medicine Show – XPoNential Festival (Day 1) – Wiggins Park – Camden, NJ – September 22, 2023

Photos by Jay S. Jacobs © 2023

[rey-jake-therapist]

Sherlock fic: The One That Got Away: chapter 3

Chapter 3: "Splitting Hairs" of my Sherlock fic The One That Got Away is up!

Link AO3 ⬇️

Summary:

While Sherlock's investigation on the suicide case progresses and he acquires the conviction that it may have been assisted, John and Molly spend a lovely afternoon together at the park with Rosie. Too bad they're interrupted by a call from Greg Lestrade, who just made a very unsettling discovery in a hotel room booked by Ema Nymton, the mysterious woman who burglarized Harold Boltroy's house shortly before he died. Mrs Hudson offers John to rent the 221C Baker Street, so he and Rosie can live closer to Sherlock.

Excerpt, inspired by the February prompt 'FEAR' proposed by @sherlockchallenge :

Hearing only silence from his partner, Sherlock repeated John's name, only to be met with an echoing void—John's absence, a persistent reminder. For a time, Sherlock had tried living with Billy Wiggins, a promising young man he had found on the streets, but Billy had disappeared one day and never returned. Sherlock blamed himself for scaring him away, though he knew it was for the best considering that Billy’s interests were limited to drug taking; he had hoped to teach Billy everything he knew and turn him into a good detective, but it hadn't worked out. Now, Sherlock lived alone, and sometimes loneliness crept inside him like a cold wind. It left him feeling helpless against the voices inside his head that whispered for him to end it all. But every time those voices came, he stood up straight and refused to listen.

Someday, death would come for him, whether he wanted it or not. Like the man from Samarra, he had run away from it many times before. One day, however, it would catch up with him. There were people waiting for him behind Death's curtain, eagerly awaiting his explanation for why they suffered and died because of him. Despite knowing this, Sherlock was not afraid to die. He knew his career path would lead him to an early grave, but he didn't fear it.

The only thing that scared him was the thought that maybe the people who believed in an afterlife were right, and the ones who suffered and died because of him were really waiting for him behind Death's curtain, eager to hear his explanation for what happened to them. As Sherlock put on his coat in the lobby downstairs, a sad-looking face appeared before him, staring at him intently. Dazed for a moment, he closed his eyes and shook his head to send the vision back away to the darkest corners of his memory, where it belonged.

Just as he was going to call a cab, determined to visit the late Harold Boltroy's assistant alone, Sherlock's phone rang in his pocket. A light of joy flashed in his eyes as he saw the caller's name on the screen; it was Greg Lestrade, at last!

“Sherlock? I’ve got some news. Is John with you?”

Ships: Sherlock x OFC, John x Molly, Mycroft x OMC

TW for this chapter: brief thoughts of suicide are mentioned.

CW for this chapter: mentions of platonic Adlock and Sherlolly.

[marmiteprinter]

🍁Round 8 - Autumn 2 - Summary🍁

🍁Families Hansen-Wiggins Hudson O'Donnell O'Donnell II Turner Rossellini Rossellini II Neetor Phillips Grimsbane Phillips-Volden 🍁Population 210 (Multiplier x 6) 🍁Unlocked Ability to finance Downtown 2 Positions in Journalism (Both filled) Ability to purchase burglar alarms Law Enforcement Career 9 CAS Sims 🍁Relationship Changes Evan O'Donnell x Kenya Bryant (Engaged) Pietro Rossellini x Dudley Tomlinson (Married) Verity Rossellini x Stephanie Barnes (Dating) Nimue Grimsbane x Thomas Reid (Dating) Frost Grimsbane x Emma Allen (Engaged) Conrad Phillips x Felicity Saunders (Married) Ivar Volden x Genevieve Bolton (Going Steady) 🍁Nooboos Born Riley O'Donnell Jade Phillips 🍁Community Lots: 14 Birch Alley Playground Kyle's Craftables (Owned by Kyle O'Donnell) Rank 6 Rossellini's Robotics (Owned by Pietro Rossellini) Rank 7 PlantSim Produce (Owned by Ash Hudson) Rank 7 Witchy Wearables (Owned by Iris Grimsbane) Rank 4 Monique's Miniatures (Owned by Monique Wiggins) Rank 5 Conrad's Curios (Owned by Conrad Phillips) Rank 4 Grilled Cheese Diner (Owned by Lucas Turner) Rank 5 Wildflats Peninsula School (Part-Owned by Beth Neetor) Rank 5 Wildflats Peninsula Fire Station Main Street Park Wildflats Peninsula Town Hall Tiki Bar (Owned by Evan O'Donnell) Rank 1 Wildflats Peninsula Police Department [Main Street Apartments]* *Not really a community lot, but owned by the town and rent goes into the tax pot.

[mebconsultsblog]

Esperanza Spaulding at Wiggins Park in Camden. She gave a helluva show.

#WigginsPark #EsperanzaSpaulding

[everythingwritingg]

Pen Name Ideas

@everything.writing on IG

I know I’ve been slacking off on making posts lately, because I’ve been super busy with college applications starting. Now school has started, which is a whole other level of craziness. But I decided I’d make a post this weekend, hoping it would help someone.

• Alisha Tyler

• Andrea Bruce

• Angelo Durham

• Ann Hull

• Beau McNeil

• Cain Massey

• Carol Cooke

• Claudia Wiggins

• Damian Park

• Dora Baker

• Ed Travis

• Elaine Fischer

• Ellie Miller

• Elmer Sweet

• Forrest Whitley

• Gian Sykes

• Giovanni Watson

• Greg Brown

• Greta Bentley

• Helen Walker

• Jermaine Hawkins’s

• Juno Perkins

• Leland Witt

• Liam Wolf

• Lucas Pierce

• Lyle Howard

• Mabel Rogers

• Margie Hays

• Martin Burn’s

• Merritt Carpenter

• Nellie Jennings

• Oliver Whitehead

• Perry Morin

• Reagan Meyer

• Roxanne Potter

• Samuel Hebert

• Skye Wilkinson

• Sofia Duffy

• Stefanie Prince

• Zayd Michael

School is getting really busy, but I really want to make time to post things for you guys. It gives me a break from doing chemistry homework and writing college essays. I hope this helped someone, and have a great weekend.