#a date that's significant to her or something

[cazshmere]

Virgo in the Houses and What You’re Particular About 🪴

materialist🔖

DISCLAIMER: These are just my personal observations and are meant for entertainment purposes only; it may not resonate with everyone due to the nuances of astrology. Please respect my work and avoid copying or stealing it. Enjoy reading!!

🪴 VIRGO IN THE 1ST HOUSE :

You are particular about who you share your aura with, carefully selecting the people around you.

You prefer a certain level of order and precision in your environment and how things around you are done.

You value your self-knowledge and are selective about who you share it with, often opening up only to those you trust deeply.

Your first impression is crucial to you; you care about how others perceive you and make sure it aligns with your personal identity.

Your body is a reflection of how you view yourself, and you are particular about maintaining health and appearance.

Your approach to life is methodical and practical, preferring structure over spontaneity.

You are also particular about how you present yourself to the world, wanting to ensure your personality and image reflect who you truly are.

🪴 VIRGO IN THE 2ND HOUSE :

You are particular about your values (spiritual, emotional, mental, and financial) and these values guide your decisions and actions.

You place significant importance on your self-esteem and are often critical of yourself when it doesn’t align with your personal standards.

Financial matters are a major focus, and you are particular about how you spend and save money, being meticulous about budgeting and investments.

You can be stingy at times, but may also swing to overindulgence depending on the situation.

You are very selective about your food choices and may have a structured approach to what and when you eat.

You might be particular about the way you manage and value material possessions, seeing them as an extension of your personal worth.

🪴 VIRGO IN THE 3RD HOUSE :

You are particular about your intellect, valuing sharpness and precision in thinking and communication.

Education and early learning are important to you; you strive for thorough understanding and high standards in these areas.

You are also selective in your interactions with siblings, preferring clear, well-defined relationships or not communicating with them at all lmao.

Your communication, especially on social media, is something you pay close attention to, wanting to present yourself in a precise and controlled manner.

Transportation and the way you move around are areas of particularity; you tend to prefer efficiency and practicality in how you get from place to place. Can also struggle with motion sickness.

Your relationship with siblings is important, and you may have specific expectations regarding how you engage with them.

🪴 VIRGO IN THE 4TH HOUSE :

You are particular about your emotional expression, especially within the family setting, and prefer harmony and stability at home.

Family relationships, particularly with your mother, are important to you, and you may be selective about the emotional dynamic you share with her.

Your childhood experiences shape your sense of security, and you may have high expectations for the support and care you receive within your family unit.

The physical and emotional environment of your home is important; you are likely to maintain a clean, organized space that feels secure and nurturing.

You may feel a strong attachment to your roots and are likely particular about preserving family traditions or maintaining a connection with your origins.

Your relationship with your mother is central, and you may feel a strong desire to care for her or seek her approval in some aspects of your life despite her being critical towards you.

🪴 VIRGO IN THE 5TH HOUSE :

You are particular about who you date and have casual sex with, often having high standards when it comes to romantic partners.

Your hobbies and interests are selected with care, as you want to invest in activities that bring you both joy and fulfillment.

How you express yourself, particularly creatively, is something you are particular about, often aiming for precision and excellence.

You are selective about the type of entertainment or leisure activities you engage in, preferring those that are intellectually stimulating or provide meaningful joy.

Your relationship with children may be a significant theme, and you are likely particular about how you interact with them, whether they are your own or others.

You may have a strong focus on fertility and reproduction, with particular thoughts about starting or growing a family.

🪴 VIRGO IN THE 6TH HOUSE :

This is a good position as virgo naturally rules the 6th house - you are particular about your diet, exercise routines, and overall health, following a structured plan for maintaining well-being. You could take very good care of your health as well, rarely falling ill or it could bend to the other extreme where you don’t take care of yourself at all.

Your daily routine is organized, and you thrive on creating order and consistency in your work and personal life.

You are particular about the treatment and care of your pets, often following a specific routine to ensure their well-being.

You approach illness and injury with a practical mindset, often preferring natural or holistic methods of healing.

You pay close attention to your workplace dynamics, desiring an efficient and organized environment where productivity and precision are prioritized.

Your work ethic is focused on detail and efficiency, ensuring that you meet the high standards you set for yourself.

🪴 VIRGO IN THE 7TH HOUSE :

You have exceptionally high standards when it comes to romantic relationships and partnerships. You are very particular about who you date and who you are attracted to. Could attract A LOT of virgo placements too.

You can easily become disillusioned or repelled by partners who don't meet your standards lol, and you may quickly get the ick.

Your view of romance and marriage is grounded in practicality, and you are selective about the commitments you make.

You tend to be particular about how you present yourself in one-on-one relationships, always wanting to ensure your image aligns with the dynamic you're cultivating.

Your approach to your spouse or partner is thoughtful and often meticulous, with an emphasis on building a stable, reliable connection.

You are particular about your role in committed relationships and the expectations you have for your partner, including your thoughts on divorce and separation.

🪴 VIRGO IN THE 8TH HOUSE :

You are particular about your secrets, how much you reveal to others, and who you trust with your private information.

The people with whom you share intimate connections, particularly sexual relationships, are carefully chosen, and you are selective in these deeply personal areas.

Trust is a major issue; you are very cautious about whom you allow to access your emotions and personal resources.

Your approach to shared financial resources and assets is grounded in practicality, and you prefer clear, well-defined financial agreements.

You are particular about how you process transformation and deep emotional changes, often requiring a thorough, methodical approach.

Opening up emotionally or vulnerably is something you approach with caution and selectivity, as you want to ensure you're sharing with those who truly deserve it.

🪴 VIRGO IN THE 9TH HOUSE :

You are particular about the higher education you pursue, with a clear vision of which university or degree aligns with your intellectual goals.

Your beliefs are selective and are often based on practical considerations rather than blind faith though it could be the opposite too.

When it comes to travel, you are particular about the destinations you visit, preferably having an itinerary or a clear plan before travelling.

You approach spirituality with a critical and practical mindset, selecting practices and philosophies that resonate with your rationality.

Your relationship with teachers and mentors is important, and you are likely particular about how they guide or influence you.

You are selective about how you express optimism and expand your worldview, preferring approaches that feel grounded and purposeful.

🪴 VIRGO IN THE 10TH HOUSE :

Maintaining a pristine reputation is a top priority, and you are very particular about how you are perceived by others, particularly in professional settings.

You tend to be selective about who you look up to, admiring figures who embody discipline, integrity, and precision.

Your career choices are driven by practicality and a desire for stability, and you may be particular about the path you choose to ensure it aligns with your values.

You are particular about how you present yourself to authority figures, such as bosses or mentors, and are mindful of how you are seen in a public context.

Fame and public recognition are areas where you proceed with caution, carefully considering the personal cost and how it affects your private life.

Your relationship with your father, particularly in terms of authority and influence, may be another area where you're particularly discerning in how it impacts your career.

🪴 VIRGO IN THE 11TH HOUSE :

You are particular about who you share your "weird" side with, and you may reserve your more eccentric traits for close friends who accept you fully.

Friendships are important, and you are selective about the people you surround yourself with, preferring those who meet your intellectual and moral standards.

You are careful about the technology you use, being selective in the platforms and tools you engage with based on functionality and security.

The groups you associate with are important, and you may be particular about joining those that align with your values and future aspirations.

You have clear goals for your future and are particular about how your dreams align with your practical needs and long-term vision.

🪴 VIRGO IN THE 12TH HOUSE :

You are particular about isolation and how much time you spend away from the world, often seeking solitude to recharge and reflect.

You may be particular about indulging in substances, with some individuals avoiding them completely or the complete opposite.

When it comes to fears, you are methodical in understanding and addressing them, preferring to face them through rational thought rather than avoiding them.

Your approach to spirituality is careful and thoughtful, selecting practices that resonate deeply with you and align with your personal values.

You value your mental health and are selective about how much you share with others about your internal struggles.

You may experience a strong connection to your dreams and subconscious, often analyzing them with great care to better understand your own psyche.

banner and pic credits to the rightful owners <3

© cazshmere 2024 [All Rights Reserved]

[welcometogrouchland]

Hey what do you guys think the hexsquads middle names are? <- coping with despair

[pearl-kite]

So I came to the realization today that I am not going to get anymore work on this trunk done this year. I still need to finish stripping the paper inside and redoing that, but it's just. Not happening until spring. With that realization, I decided it's time to finally bring it back inside, put all the junk on my floor that used to be in it back in it, and guys

It looks good.

This is going to be a summary post of the project, so let's go back and remember what I started with. Back in, like, 2015 or something, I bought this dome-top steamer trunk at a missionary shop for $65

Yeah. Rough. But underneath that paint it was sturdy, and the only thing missing was the lock and the right-side hasp. While I lived overseas this sat in my parents' house, and when I got back I kept meaning to do something while storing all of my yarn and cat food in it. When I finally got my own space (almost a year ago now!) with my own garage, I finally decided: it was time.

Heads up, this is a long post under the cut.

Did a lot of research online, grew to hate how generative AI has even permeated niche topics like how to refinish a vintage steamer trunk, WHY is there generative AI for that, PLEASE stop, went to Lowe's and bought some supplies (I used Citristrip for the paint stripping, it worked VERY easily), and started stripping that hideous brown* away.

Almost instantly I could tell how good it could be. The tin looked amazing, and for most of the stripping process I wondered why on earth someone would cover it with any color. It took multiple layers of stripping, and I got better at it over time.

I did also start to see some oxidation issues with the tin that made the purpose behind the paint job a little more understandable.

One side was particularly bad, but I will never forgive the decision to paint the entire thing one single color.

At first, the flat metal seemed okay, but the longer I worked on stripping, the longer it was exposed to air, the rustier it started to get. I had already planned on coating it, and I ended up getting some Rust-Oleum Rust Reformer spray paint. Instead of removing the rust, it bonds to the oxide and stops the process from continuing. It also happens to leave it a nice matte black that didn't need additional painting. I taped everything off, then sprayed.

Then it was time for the tin. I looked for ideas, and the best one I found was Rub'n'Buff. It's not so much a paint as a pigmented wax, with the idea that you can buff it to a higher shine. As I was stripping paint, I found a spot under one of the slats that the painter missed, and the original tin had been painted a gold color, so I used that to decide on color. I decided on Grecian gold, though I used the antique gold as a kind of base to make sure the Grecian stretched far enough.

I originally started applying it with some craft foam brushes, but they didn't really want to work for me, so I ended up buying a pack of makeup sponges, the little disposable wedge ones, and the finer texture worked much better. I had to trim them down pretty frequently, because the wax would build up and stop applying as nicely, but there were more than enough in the pack to finish the job.

The coverage is amazing for this stuff. This side was the worst of them, and one layer of the stuff was almost perfect. The Grecian gold was almost a bit runnier, though, and ended up needing a second layer to cover some patches that were almost too thin, thus the other underneath.

This tin is so pretty though. I still kind of regret that it needed it; the places that weren't oxidized were so bright in a way that the Rub'n'Buff had no hope of emulating. There are some places you can still buy the embossed tin for rehabing trunks like this, but I haven't found one with a pattern quite like this, and this one is so much nicer than the ones I've seen. I'm very glad that it was all intact except for where the lock goes.

After the tin came the slats. I knew from sites like Brettun's Village that I wanted to use tung oil, so I had bought what I thought was tung oil. Turns out Minwax gets to call their tung oil finish that even though there's. No... tung oil. in it. ? So uh, if you want actual tung oil, do NOT listen to Minwax, they're lying, I don't understand why it's allowed. It still looks nice enough, but quite annoying.

Speaking of Brettun's Village, they not only do their own restorations AND provide a guide, they have a very extensive supply of recently furbished and original parts. They happened to have a nearly identical hasp to the one that was missing (so nearly identical I only noticed after my dad pointed it out) and an old lock also similar to my original, made in the late 1800s/early 1900s.

The next step was to tackle the inside. Instead of just adding more paper on top (like the last people did, so now there are two layers, one of which hides some original stickers ;3;), I decided to try to scrape that out, and I've found some structural issues that the metal and slats outside have held together and kept hidden.

The top split in the wood is an actual crack on the front that needs fixing. The middle split is just the gap between the planks. The bottom is also a crack, but not as extensive as the top one.

So the final steps, when I get the motivation again come spring, is to finish getting as much of the paper off as I can. Then my dad is going to help me use some bondo to hold the cracks, and I'll find a removable wallpaper I like. Then I can sort out what I'm going to do with the lock. That top split runs right through where the lock should go - you can see some of the wood filler we already put in from where the original was ripped out - so we can't try to put anything there or it'll crack worse.

But I brought it in today!

It looks so good, I glance over and get to feel so satisfied; I did that.

*I don't like to call any color hideous, because a lot of the time it really depends on the context, and it's an okay brown. But for THIS? It was probably the worst brown they could have picked. Mixed with the orange of the paint stripper it looked like I was scraping diarrhea.

[jtl07]

Vacation

oooh anon this works well with a little noodle i had recently for a coworkers/office au!

the sun is out, her hair looks great, the weather is perfect for her new outfit, she feels good, she looks good - but the one person she wants to look at her isn't here.

"Beatrice is out today," Lilith had said from across the table, not even looking away from her computer screen, "maybe you'll get some actual work done while she's gone."

Ava had rolled her eyes and accidentally tipped over Lilith's jar of pens as she'd passed by her desk but even that hadn't been satisfying as she'd stepped outside of the office by herself.

she isn't mad - really, she's glad that Beatrice was taking time off. ever since Ava had started at the company at the beginning of the year, she hadn't once seen Beatrice take a day off from work. sure there were appointments here and there, but Ava saw see her at least once a day everyday, on her way to grab a snack from the pantry, or offer to get some coffee, or ask Beatrice to look over a document that had nothing to do with her department.

Lilith always rolls her eyes when Ava comes by but the thing is, yeah people say all the time to "reach out anytime!" but Beatrice is different. when Beatrice had been assigned as her 'onboarding buddy' for her first month on the job, Ava had learned that a) Beatrice knew everything there was to know about the company and b) she actually means it when she says to come to her for anything. no matter what Ava has for her, no matter the time of day, Beatrice has never turned her away - at most has had Ava wait as she finishes an email or come back if she's on her way to a meeting, but she always, always makes time for Ava. so excuse her for feeling off for not being able to see her favorite person.

Ava huffs, pouts to herself, then decides fuck it, she has no meetings, nothing urgent this afternoon: she's taking gonna take a long lunch. so she heads for a park a couple blocks from the office, the one Beatrice had pointed out during her first week and she finds the fountain Beatrice had mentioned with that small smile that had made Ava a little breathless and a lot enamored.

she can tell why Beatrice likes this park - it's a lot like her, Ava thinks as she eats her sandwich. it's quiet but full of all sorts of beautiful things if one looks closely enough, waits long enough - the birds hiding in the trees, the sparkles in the fountain, the soothing summer breeze. she can imagine Beatrice sitting at one of the benches, maybe reading a book, or a cup of tea, or in a soft hoodie and red eyes -

Ava blinks. realizes she's not imagining things at all.

she swallows down the last of her sandwich, watches Beatrice carefully. there's a heaviness about her, a weight on her shoulders and yet she doesn't seem truly there - eyes distant and unseeing, or maybe seeing something that isn't there.

and Ava gets it. she gets needing to be alone and it feels like she's intruding, sitting here, seeing Beatrice like this. she gathers up her things as quickly and quietly as she can, turns to leave -

- and trips over the bench she'd just stood up from, introducing her face to the grass.

"excuse me, are you alright?"

Ava groans because of course Beatrice would help; of course she'd have to see her like this.

"yep, I'm good. just bruised the ol' ego."

"Ava?"

she groans again, rolls over, squints into the sun - realizes, fuck, there goes her perfect outfit - and smiles to hopefully ease the concern on Beatrice's face. "hey Bea." she gets to her feet with Beatrice's help, brushes off the worst of the dirt, holds back her sigh at the grass stain on her pants. "so uh, I thought you were on vacation."

Beatrice purses her lips together and shrugs. "not really. I just - it's easier, to just take this day off."

Ava racks her brain for all the facts and trivia she's learned about Beatrice over the past few months, but nothing comes up in connection to this particular date. "okay," she says, still watching carefully. "do you - do you want me to pretend I didn't see you?"

something bewildered passes over Beatrice's face and Ava just - keeps going. "I can if you want - because you're supposed to be on PTO and all, like, I don't know, do we need to sync our alibis like on those detective mystery shows or something?"

Beatrice raises an eyebrow; Ava tries not to swoon. "you think I'm taking time off to commit a murder?"

"shh, we're in public, you don't know who might be listening!" Ava flaps her arms as if to wave away any spying ears.

Beatrice stares at her for a moment then softens; laughs. "you're ridiculous."

"and you haven't denied it," Ava says pointedly. "but nah, you're probably the red herring character, like you're helping the victim's family by doing something not exactly totally legal but you give the investigators a really important clue that helps them find the asshole murderer, so technically you're a hero in the end."

Beatrice sighs, heavy and curling into hoodie, into herself. "I'm nothing of the sort, Ava."

Ava leans into her for just a moment, just close enough to bump shoulders. "yeah you are, Bea. you're a hero to me."

there's disbelief in Beatrice's eyes so Ava keeps her gaze as steady as she can, thinks: i know what you are. thinks: i believe it even if you can't yet.

Beatrice looks away. Ava waits, watches as her fingers play with the hem of her hoodie, listens as she takes a deep breath, feels something shift when Beatrice meets her gaze once more. "you know I -" a flash of white as teeth sink momentarily into her bottom lip; Ava again tries not to swoon - "I don't think I'm familiar with those shows," Beatrice says.

it's hesitant and indirect but Ava knows an offer, recognizes a heroic effort when she sees it. "do you wanna watch some episodes together?"

"you don't have to go back to work?" Beatrice asks but Ava is already typing out a message on her phone.

"nope. and Cam just said I'm good to take the rest of the day so I'm all yours." Ava pockets her phone just as she realizes her word choice; decides to just lean into it and waggles her eyebrows for good measure.

she's rewarded with another laugh and the faintest pink across Beatrice's cheeks. Beatrice looks away again, looks back and smiles. "thank you, Ava."

and because she can't help herself, and because she wants Beatrice to know she means it, Ava reaches out to take her hand. "anytime, Bea."

[bayetea]

just all of this from moa regarding frank/hazel/leo. the most uncomfortable romantic tension ever because nobody understands it and nobody involved wants it to be there

especially "Hazel's eyes glittered like gold. 'Gold is easy,' she said. It didn't seem that way to Leo--not when he looked at her." like we can interpret this in a few ways. what an interesting thing to think about a girl you just met

and the whole "if this is a private special thing that she's only done with her boyfriend then I either really don't want to try it or I really really do want to try it" like STOP cut the cameras. leo my boy you're dtm I'm crying

[silverview]

cataloguing obscure bits of dh lore/best gags from the live q&a posts they did in 2017 ... "sometimes people are just good friends"

[unproduciblesmackdown]

more info, via a couple of reviews:

"Is this the best, most exhilarating, most close-to-perpetual dancing ever to grace the Goodspeed Opera House stage?

It certainly could be.

The new stage adaptation of “Summer Stock” at the East Haddam theater has plenty to recommend it in terms of the canny script and the hummable songs. But it’s the dancing that leaves the biggest impression.

The show is jam-packed with choreography from Donna Feore, who also directs, that is thrillingly executed by the cast.

We’re talking: Gravity-defying kicks. Head-spinning turns. Male dancers lifting and tossing and catching the female ones. It runs the gamut from Cossack-dance athleticism to soft shoe grace, tap precision to Lindy hop energy.

How the cast manages to sing after executing these (literally) breathtaking numbers, I have no idea.

And how do they make it through two performances on some days? Amazing.

Also amazing: the fact that they do all this on Goodspeed’s small stage without making the space feel cramped.

So, yes, the dancing is phenomenal. But there’s more to the show than that.

This stage version of “Summer Stock” — which is enjoying its world premiere at Goodspeed — is inspired by the 1950 MGM movie starring Judy Garland and Gene Kelly. Writer Cheri Steinkellner, though, has reimagined the piece in many ways, making it better, stronger and propelled by a more modern sensibility. (Steinkellner’s writing credits range from “Cheers” to the Broadway adaptation of “Sister Act.”)

The foundational story, though, remains the same: A no-nonsense young woman named Jane is trying to save her family farm. Her actress sister (named Gloria in the version at Goodspeed) brings her compatriots to the farm to rehearse a show. Jane first spars with and then starts falling for Gloria’s beau Joe, the production’s director.

Steinkellner has also changed up the score, to great effect. While some tunes from the movie remain, she has pulled others that are in the public domain (such as “Accentuate the Positive,” “Paper Moon” and “It Had to Be You”), and she has woven them perfectly into various plot points and important emotional moments.

As director, Feore makes sure the whole enterprise has a dynamic spirit. It’s a story and a production that brims with optimism and cheerfulness.

Leading the cast is Corbin Bleu, who became famous with his work in “High School Musical” and has gone on to star in several Broadway shows, as Joe. Bleu is a true, and truly talented, triple-threat. He has a warm, welcoming presence as an actor; he also brings an authority to Joe so you believe he’s someone the actors respect and will follow. Bleu’s singing is strong and lustrous, and his dancing — particularly his tremendous tap ability — is … wow.

Arguably the biggest scene-stealer here is Veanne Cox, as the wealthy, snooty owner of huge property surrounding Jane’s. The way she trills dialogue can turn anything into a punchline. She can wave her arms about as her character repeats “l’amour” and generate audience laughs. When her character falls for the egoistic actor Montgomery Leach (played by J. Anthony Crane with Barrymore flair), Cox burbles with girlish romantic giddiness.

Danielle Wade does her own take on the Judy Garland role. She gives Jane a swagger and a tough façade that reveals a more human self during the course of the story. Wade’s most important feature is her voice, which is potent whether she’s finessing a ballad or powering through a big number. While she can’t compete with Garland’s renowned version of “Get Happy” (who could?), Wade does a good job in the number — choreographed and costumed in an homage to the original — that serves as the culmination of the production.

Arianna Rosario gets to play an interesting arc at Gloria. At first, Gloria seems to be a blithe, self-centered actress, but she later shows that she is quite the problem-solving producer. Rosario makes the transformation believable, as if Gloria is finally letting her real self come through.

The scenic design by Wilson Chin suggests the various elements of a Connecticut River Valley farm in the 1950s while still allowing room for the cast to burst into all of those big dance numbers. And the costume design by Tina McCartney provides a fun and functional take on country clothing of the era.

I will say that the second act could be tightened up (we don’t need to see so many beats of the rehearsal process), but, in total, this “Summer Stock” is sensational." [source]

(hooray for most directly explaining gloria's overall arc)

and the next review:

"A throwback to the golden age of Broadway and movie musicals, "Summer Stock" is a timeless, inspiring song-and-dance tale of good deeds, fairy tale showbiz, classic romance and backstage intrigue played out to such dazzling effect, you want to freeze frame it, take it home with you and watch it over and over again for pure fun and a let's-put-a-smile-on-your-face endorsement. This is Goodspeed Musicals at its best - old-fashioned musical entertainment designed to deliver by the bucket's load, stir the senses, rhythmically intoxicate you and dance up a continual storm of good cheer that's guaranteed to leave you breathless.

Animated. Airborne. Magical. Sweet-natured. Fresh-faced. Dance happy. It's all here, wrapped up in shiny gold ribbons and signature colors that complement and complete the picture with a technicolor flourish, a big bang and an internal logic that flows with appropriate style, stamina, full command and intent.

Adapted to the stage by Cheri Steinkellner, "Summer Stock" replays that popular let's- put-on-a-show conceit where everything rests of the big opening night, the box-office intake, the big kiss between the leading man and the leading lady and how a complete unknown saves the day right before the final fadeout. Here, struggling Connecticut farmer Jane Falbury decides to let her actress sister Abigail and her actor friends from New York use the family barn as a rehearsal space for their brand-new Broadway bound musical in exchange for doing the daily farm chores to raise enough money to keep the business from going completely under. One slight problem. During rehearsals, Jane finds herself falling for the show's handsome director, Joe Ross, who, happens to be engaged to the show's leading lady - her sister Abigail.

Staging "Summer Stock," director Donna Feore ("Chicago," "Billy Elliot," "A Chorus Line"), who doubles as choreographer, creates a loveable, intoxicating show that reels you in, grabs hold of you until the final curtain and lets you fall in love with every little detail, surprise, plot twist, joke, visual gag, one-liner and tilt of her jolly agenda while she articulates every element of this musical story with thrust, warmth, spin and splendid articulation. Directorially, she pulls it off spectacularly. No wrong moves here as "Summer Stock" catches fire with a spark, a gusto, a shine and a 1950s mentality infused with plenty of imagination, originality, style and flair.  More importantly, the production never loses sight of its origins, its functional plotting and its love of musicals of yesteryear despite well-intentioned doses of kitsch, takeaway humor, giddy backchat and story arcs right out of the MGM library of backlot moviemaking.  Feore, free spirit that she is, fuels the musical with a sharpened wit and sentiment that works especially well as does her decision to let "Summer Stock" remain rooted in the period from whence it came in terms of staging, development, expression and interaction. 

Moving from screen to stage," "Summer Stock" retains only four songs from the 1950 MGM musical. The addition of several new songs to the original version of the score turns the two-act musical into more of a showstopping event and adds clarity, luster and vintage spin to its already proven material, its let's launch into another song and dance routine blueprint and its firm grasp on characterization, story evolution and its happily ever after conclusion. At Goodspeed, there are 28 important, recognizable, smartly placed musical numbers. They are:  "Get Happy," "Happy Days Are Here Again/I Want to Be Happy," "Accentuate the Positive," "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows," "Always," "Always (reprise)," "It's Only a Paper Moon," "The Best Things in Life Are Free," "Dig for Your Dinner," "Me and My Shadow," "Howdy Neighbor, Happy Harvest," "Red Hot Mama," " 'Til We Meet Again," "You Wonderful You," "June Night," "Some of These Days," "Joe's Dance," "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows (reprise)," "It All Depends on You," "Always (reprise)," "Everybody Step," "Lucky Day," "How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm," "Hinky-Dinky Parlez Vouz," "It Had to Be You," "Get Happy (reprise)" and "You Wonderful You (Finale)."

Musical director Adam Souza ("42nd Street," "Cabaret," "Next to Normal," "A Grand Night for Singing," "Because of Winn Dixie," "Rags") grabs hold of the "Summer Stock" score and allows it to breathe, gesticulate, excite, envelop and rhapsodize with the golden age sentimentality of MGM movie musicals and the timeless, larger-than-life spirit of old Broadway. Here, every song matters. Every song is important. Every song travels down memory lane. Every song is tuned to the max with sweet, centered, warm-heartedness. Every song fulfills its intended purpose. All of this is complemented by the strong, flavorful sound of Souza's orchestral team, all of whom share his tremendous sense of theatricality, musical interlude, impassioned communication and delight of the actual musical itself.  They are: David Uhl (bass), Sal Ranniello (percussion), Liz Baker Smith (reed 1), Andrew Studenski (reed II), Travis Higgins III (trumpet) and Matthew Russo (trombone). As with other Goodspeed musicals, Souza doubles as conductor and keyboardist. As "Summer Stock" zings and pops, pretty music every song unfolds with a contagious orchestral musical glow, matched by the splendid musicality of the entire cast who address the catchy, homespun music and lyrics with perfect harmony, rhythm, phrasing and nostalgic commitment. These elements heighten the on-stage mode of the production, its progression from Act I to Act II, its send offs, its pastiche and its electrifying, barn-raising influence and thwack.

As with any big stage musical, choreography is key to a production's success, its fluidity of form, its artistic expression and its accompanying dance routines. Here, Feore, as choreographer, gives "Summer Stock" a highly personal touch of invigoration and speedy excitement that is tipped and generated with wonderfully elongated inspiration, stamina and determination. This is star quality choreography that peaks, shines and tilts with clever build ups, catchy dance steps and bold, concentrated rhythms, moves and beats that joyfully celebrate 1950's musicals in all their technicolor glory.   As storyteller and dance interpreter, she brings great dimension and scope to the piece using techniques, styles, descriptions and an enriched canvas of thoughts and ideas that make their mark most engagingly. Everything that happens on the Goodspeed Musicals stage has been beautifully blocked, rehearsed and staged with such thrust and individuality, no two dance numbers are alike. In fact, once "Summer Stock" catches fire, there's no stopping it.  Creating a freshly minted fusion of moods, tableaus, lifts, twirls and swirls, Feore pays homage to the actual vintage look and mindset of the musical, its dance-friendly art form and its free-flowing feel of excitement and exhilaration. Hands pop. Arms move heavenward. Dancers smile and glisten as they passionately ignite into joyful visions of sweetness, passion, frenzy and syncopation. Everyone is lost in the moment illustrating the traditions, the conscience and the power of musical theatre, giving and getting the most out of Feore's phenomenal, ovation-worthy choreography. Trained, drilled and confident, they each get a chance to shine - and shine they do - all making strong impressions that will live long in memory.

Making his Goodspeed Musicals debut, Corbin Bleu, as Joe Ross, a character originated by Gene Kelly in the 1950 film version, creates a "Wow!" song-and-dance-man factor chock full of charm, personality, self-confidence and full-beam, champagne delightness that astounds, cajoles and sparkles with leading man gait and luxury like no other. No matter what he does, he's a proverbial triple-threat (i.e., a player who excels at acting, singing and dancing) who makes everything that happens on stage feel fresh, spontaneous, real, raw and very much in the moment. It's in his eyes. It's in his moves. It's in his expressions. Exhibiting a sweet, contagious rapport that extends far beyond the footlights, it's the performance of the year and one that Bleu exudes with a Gene Kelly/Fred Astaire aura of showbiz savvy, knockabout whimsy, graceful athleticism and sterling encapsulation. "Joe's Dance," a solo dance number in Act II performed by Bleu only furthers that notion.

In the role of Jane Falbury, a role made famous by Judy Garland in the original "Summer Stock" MGM musical, Danielle Wade lights up the Goodspeed Musicals stage with a breezy, intuitive musical comedy performance of real warmth and spirit that is a constant joy to watch. Veanne Cox, cast in the role of the wickedly devious Connecticut farming magnate Margaret Wingate, is jaw-dropping brilliant, using humor, music, dance and melodrama in divinely daft and glorious ways that prompt applause and laughter whenever she's in the limelight. It's a scene-stealing performance so seamlessly entrenched in glee and fiery abandon, Cox, would be the ideal choice to play narcissistic Broadway diva Dee Dee Allen in the 2024 summer presentation of "The Prom" at Playhouse in Park in West Hartford. I'll personally deliver the contract. Other memorable performances are delivered by Arianna Rosario (Gloria Falbury), Stephen Lee Anderson (Henry "Pop" Falbury), Gilbert L. Bailey II (Phil Filmore), Will Roland (Orville Wingate) and J. Anthony Crane (Montgomery Leach). A musical escape brimming with delightful songs, engaging performances and full-beam dance numbers, "Summer Stock" is not only a bubbly tonic for theatergoers of all ages, but one that kicks nostalgia into high gear with uncomplicated bliss, fizz and vintage sparkle. It sings. It dances. It pops. It dazzles. Like "42nd Street" which played Goodspeed Musicals last season, it overflows with Kelly/Astaire lightness, punch and precision, sunny vibes and well-played exactitude. The energy displayed here is fast and furious with first-night exhilaration and thrill paired especially well with Corbin Bleu's charming star turn, Danielle Wade's joyous "Get Happy" abandon and Veanne Cox's well-prepped, icy cool villain. This is musical theatre of the highest order - infectious, irresistible, glorious. Its leave-your-troubles-at-the-door/Let's-put-on-a-show mentality accelerates with sparkle and cherry pie goodness. And boy, do we need it now!" [source]

(the reference to jane's sister abigail uses the film's names: abigail becomes gloria in this production, which is the name of abigail's actor in the film, which also mirrors how the role of herb is now phil, also the name of herb's actor in the film)

(also shoutout to providing A Full, Chronological List Of Songs. noting that according to another interview, intermission would be between "you wonderful you" and "june night")

[gaytobymeres]

if my parents dont suspect im dating someone at this point then idk when they will

[orlandospride]

Can you tell me what rodman did why some ppl hate her?

i keep forgetting what their reasons are exactly but i think i recall that apparently her boyfriend sucks, and maybe the nepo baby argument?

[razzle-zazzle]

Ramble about more Dion x Morris x Gisu plz

Okay okay so. In my other post I mentioned having a lot of thoughts on how they get together.

ahaha this got longer than i expected it to so under a cut it goes

So. We've got Dion and Gisu making googoo eyes at each other. They've kind of discussed what's going on between them, and they've kind of just mutually hooked up without really talking about it because they're both interested and soft romantics and dumb teenagers. Morris and Gisu are friends, and Morris is becoming friends with Raz and Queepie; this creates plenty of opportunities for Morris and Dion to interact.

It takes a while, for Dion and Morris' idiot rivalry to crystalize into a friendship. Takes a while for Dion's annoyance and Morris' dares to turn into camaraderie, for their challenges and arguments to become a way to let off steam and break away from their responsibilities. But once they do, they start hanging out in more casual settings, start interacting on more even ground.

It starts when Dion's going through a routine, and Morris decides to catcall him, knowing that it'll annoy Dion to no end. He's right. He's so right about how much it annoys Dion that he does it again the next day, whooping and hollering obnoxiously.

"Oh, you want a piece of this, Martinez? Not my fault if I'm making you swoon!"

...Dion responds in kind. It throws Morris off for a second—but only a second before he shoots back with a "Well why don't you come over here, and show me up close?"

Gisu finds the fake flirting hilarious. She's laughing. Dion and Morris are trying to one-up and fluster each other in the most obnoxious way possible and she's laughing. She lives for the chaos, lives for banter and bickering and fighting that isn't serious in the end. And it really isn't serious—it's two idiots reciting sappy poetry and posturing like peacocks in an effort to one-up each other. It's Gisu occasionally pitching in a comment of her own about something sweet Dion did for her just to needle Morris. It's amusing to everyone else to watch these two idiots be idiots.

But Morris and Dion are not good at deescalating. They're not good at really knowing how to stop, once they get going. Not yet. And this isn't the kind of contest with a conclusive ending.

The shenanigans continue, along with all of the other stupid dares that Dion and Morris get up to—they're not doing the fake flirting all the time, and are generally just spending more time together as friends. The fake flirting has got a definite "Oh you wanna kiss me so bad it makes you look stupid" feel to it. But ironically. Completely ironically, they swear. The other junior agents get annoyed after a while, but similarly write it off as a dumb little challenge that'll peter out eventually,,,,, hopefully,,,,

And then it isn't ironic. It hits Morris suddenly, the realization that Dion's voice makes him want to throw and kiss the acrobat in the same breath. It hits him suddenly, in the middle of an unrelated conversation, his brain making the connection.

It takes Dion a little longer to realize. A little longer to have his "oh god I want to punch him in the mouth,,, with my mouth" moment. When he does, it hits him like a truck.

This is the part where things get awkward. Oh, sure, it's hilarious that Dion & Morris essentially bamboozled themselves into Having Feelings For Each Other, but let's not forget Gisu! Morris doesn't want to ruin his friendship with her, Dion still has feelings for her and doesn't want to just break it off with her just because he went and fell for someone else at the same time. He may be a dumbass, but even he can recognize that that's a jerk move.

So. We hit the awkward awful drama part. The part where Dion and Morris both hit upon the conclusion to just. ignore the fact that there is a mutual romantic attraction between them. Except now their interactions have become stilted, awkward, edging into bitter, their bickering sliding into genuine arguments because they're angry with each other and themselves over the whole situation. Because they're teens who aren't sure how to interact with each other now—they're making a bigger deal out of this then it really is, but it still is a substantial shift in their dynamic that they're not sure how to handle.

As for Gisu? Oh, it was hilarious in the beginning. She was living for the chaos. But now it's just... awkward. The guy she likes to hang out with and impress and kiss and her best friend can't talk to each other without getting in a genuine argument or shutting down. It's no longer fun for the three of them to hang out together, and Gisu can't stand it.

She pulls Dion aside because if there was ever a time for a serious talk, this is it. He affirms that he still likes her, and Gisu's still interested in him, but—

She wonders if maybe they should just try to settle into being friends. Maybe it'd be better if the three of them all shelved romance for now. After all, she's pretty sure that her and Dion being all sappy and trying to impress each other is just going to be a summer fling in the end, right? The Aquatos will leave to travel again, and Dion will run into some other pretty guy or girl and try to impress them.

But Gisu's a romantic idealist at heart, so she just kisses Dion and tells him she'll talk to Morris. And then he and Morris will talk, and work out whatever is going on between them. And everything will work out, because Gisu would much rather everything work out.

Gisu talks to Morris. He doesn't want "whatever I've tricked myself into having for Dion" to get between them. He just wants to get back to his radio station and put all of the drama behind them.

And it looks like it'll work! The three of them hang out—it starts out awkward, but then Gisu brings up how much she wants to try skating atop the Motherlobe, and suddenly Dion and Morris are encouraging her and helping her plot her way up there and Morris mentions he'll bring the camera and it's almost exactly like how the three of them interacted before all of this drama. It's great, and Gisu's having a good time—

She doesn't quite catch the exact moment it all fell apart. In hindsight, she'll remember that something Dion said must have rubbed Morris the wrong way, and Morris snapped back a sly little insult, and it must have devolved from there. But in the moment, it felt like Gisu was on top of the world one second, and then Dion and Morris were at each other's throats the next.

Gisu intervenes. It devolves into a three-way shouting match; Morris and Dion are shouting at each other, Gisu's shouting at them both for being immature, they're yelling at her to get out of it. Dion ends up going back to his family's camp angry and bitter. Morris' shoulders are hunched, his thoughts a low, jarring static to Gisu's senses. Gisu huffs and leaves to go skate her frustration off.

But Gisu's an idealist, like I said. She's stubborn, and she doesn't want to just give up just because things got a little heated. So she goes to Otto for advice. And then Milla. And she takes the time to think, and plan, and comes to a conclusion two days of Dion and Morris outright avoiding each other later.

"Right." Gisu drags them both out to a quiet little spot in the Questionable Area. "I'm not dealing with your awkward bullshit any longer. None of us are leaving this spot until we've worked," She gestures vaguely at all three of them, "this out. So. Start talking."

And that's where it starts. The conversation meanders, at first, with Morris and Dion dancing around the real issue until Dion caves and outright says that he likes both of them. A lot.

"And shit, I'm sorry for screaming at you." Dion adds, his eyes locked on the ground as he cringes. "I don't want to be fighting with you all the time. Not like that."

And Morris returns the sentiment. He's happy so long as he's got K.L.O.B. running, so long as he's still got his friends.

"But enough of this sappy junk." Morris waves a hand dismissively. "K.L.O.B.'s not going to run itself." He shrugs, affecting as casual an attitude as he can manage. "I'm fine with losing out to Gisu on the romance front anyway—that ship has clearly sailed."

"But what if romance didn't have to be a two-player game?"

Ah, yes, Gisu's sappy little heart and it's sappy little idealism.

Dion makes a soft noise somewhere between an inhale and a squeak, looking at Gisu with a look she can't parse. Morris blinks, equally caught off guard.

Gisu wonders if maybe she should backtrack.

She doesn't.

"I mean, I like Dion, you like Dion, and—and romance is just love and communication, right?" She shrugs. "So maybe we could..." She's not sure where she's going with this, but her mouth is moving faster than her brain can keep up. "Maybe it doesn't have to be a two-player game."

Dion makes a soft noise. “So we just all date each other? The three of us?”

“Maybe not all three of us.” Morris offers. “Maybe me and Gisu both date you? We could probably work out a timetable.”

And that's how it starts :]

Obviously they're not perfectly aligned right then and there—they spend some more time talking, trying to figure out what they want. Dion and Morris go on a date atop the waterrise ("first one to the top wins!" "oh, you're on."), and then Gisu drags Dion off for a "skatedate." Morris and Gisu request permission to go out to town and then go watch a movie together, trying to figure out if they're even interested in each other. The three of them hang out like they normally do, any awkwardness lingering in the air disappearing as they settle into a comfortable dynamic.

They don't tell anyone what's going on, not right away. They're all still trying to figure everything out themselves, sort-of sort-of-not dating while trying to get their bearings. Gisu and Dion do research on polyamory at the local library together. Morris subtly (read: very unsubtly) broaches the topic to Milla, asking her what she thinks of it. Milla correctly intuits what's going on and reminds Morris that "communication and consent are the basis of a healthy relationship."

So everyone (except Milla) initially assumes that Dion & Gisu are still dating, and whatever was going on with Dion & Morris has been worked out. Everything's back to normal, no need to worry about the rest of the junior agents being dragged into the drama.

Morris and Gisu and Dion slowly settle into a relationship. They have a few small fights, early on, a few disagreements as they slowly work out their new dynamic. Every time, they return to the same spot in the Questionable Area to hash it out. They're not perfect. But they're willing to work for it, all three of them.

They're still working out how to go about announcing it—Dion does want to tell his parents, he's still looking for the words—still working out how to explain it, when Norma, looking for Gisu to get her help with an assignment, finds Gisu and Morris having a picnic together, unambiguously making out.

It goes about as well as you'd expect.

[thegoogoomuckkk]

the newlyweds -> you thought maybe your husband's insatiable appetite would cool down after the first few days of being married, but if anything, it’s getting worse -> choso kamo, kento nanami, satoru gojo, sukuna ryomen, toji fushiguro

choso's gone this long without having sex, be prepared to make up for lost time. he isn’t super familiar with human procedures & traditions, so it wasn’t necessarily his intent to wait until marriage. he didn’t even really know what sex was until he started dating you, & you didn’t want to push him into something he wasn’t comfortable with. regardless, your first time is on your wedding night. . .& your second time, & third time, & fourth. . .& so on. 

you remember faintly the first time you kissed choso, him saying that he would be happily content to kiss you & kiss you for the rest of his life. & he would’ve been, but he was too far gone know, eyes rolling back, body unable to process the immense pleasure of your cunt wrapped around him. 

his hands gripped your hips with a desperate intensity as he moved within you, each thrust sending waves of ecstasy through your joined bodies. choso's normally composed demeanor had completely unraveled, replaced by raw need & desire.

you ran your fingers through his long dark hair, marveling at how undone he had become. his lips found yours in a searing kiss, muffling the moans that escaped unbidden from both of your throats.

"never," he gasped against your mouth, his voice husky with passion. "never knew. . .never knew it could be like this. didn’t know it was this good."

nanami was not typically a risk taker in any form, especially when it came to his wife, but he couldn’t bear to be away from you that long. his work had not allowed him to take off as much time as he would’ve liked. his first few days back were pure torture. he focused on nothing else but the mental image of your tits bouncing as you rode him, or the way your cunt sucked in his fingers each night before he stuffed you full of his cock, or the sound of your melodious voice begging him, telling how good it was. 

so here he was, bending you over his mahogany desk (the blinds shut of course, he wasn’t that risky) wondering how he ever lived without you, without fucking you. sex had been on his mind so infrequently before you. he stroked himself off maybe once a month, or sometimes when he was drunk. but now, he had a hard time going any significant period of time without being balls deep in your sweet cunt. seeing that wedding ring on your finger, gripping onto the wood of his desk, does not help matters in the slightest. 

nanami's fingers dug into your hips as he thrust into you from behind, each movement sending shockwaves of pleasure through your bodies. the office was filled with the sounds of skin slapping against skin & your muffled moans. you bit your lip, trying to stay quiet, though it was a struggle with the way he was pounding into you.

"god, i've missed this," nanami groaned, his voice husky with desire. "missed my wife. your tight little cunt feels so good."

you whimpered in response, pushing back against him, desperate for more. his hand snaked around to rub your clit in tight circles, making your legs tremble.

"that's it, baby," he murmured. "come for me. let me feel you squeeze my cock."

you’re entirely unsurprised by gojo's behavior. you actually don’t think there will come a time when satoru is not desperate for you at all hours of the day. he could be mid-mission, literally killing a curse, & he’ll send some corny text asking for nudes. 

"pls :( need nudes, will die without." you suppress the biggest eye roll.

your eyes are surely rolling, though, when he gets home & shows you what he’s been thinking about all day, what had him so worked up. . .thoughts about his pretty wife & her pretty pussy.

you can't help but smirk as satoru presses you against the wall, his lips hungry on your neck. his hands roam your body with urgent need, like he hasn't touched you in weeks rather than hours; it was only that morning that he’d stuffed his tongue in your cunt before dashing off to a meeting. "missed you," he murmurs between kisses. "couldn't focus all day."

“I couldn’t tell," you tease, recalling his stream of increasingly needy texts. "begging me for nudes didn’t tip me off at all."

he chuckles against your skin, the vibration sending shivers down your spine. "can you blame me? look at you."

his hands slide down to grip your hips, pulling you flush against him. you can feel how hard he is already, his desire evident through his pants. "someone's excited," you whisper, nipping at his earlobe.

satoru groans, grinding against you. "you have no idea. been thinking about this all day. about you."

he groans, pressing his hips against yours. "those pictures kept me going. but the real thing is so much fucking better."

his fingers find the hem of your shirt, sliding underneath to caress bare skin. you gasp as he cups your breast, thumb brushing over the sensitive peak.

"satoru," you breathe, melting into his touch despite your earlier exasperation. he’s gotta make it up to his poor wife for leaving her home all day long. 

a week-long getaway to a penthouse with your new husband, suguru, had sounded like a dream, & of course it was, but you feared you weren’t making it out of this vacation without a positive pregnancy test. 

his hands gripped your hips with an intensity that would surely leave bruises, but you couldn't bring yourself to care. every thrust sent waves of ecstasy coursing through your body, leaving you gasping and clinging to him desperately. his usual composure was completely shattered, replaced by raw need and desire.

our nails digging into his back as he drove into you relentlessly. his dark eyes were wild with lust, fixed on your flushed face.

"that's it, love," he growled, his voice husky & strained. "take all of me. let me fill you up."

your body trembled, teetering on the edge of bliss. you could feel the heat of his skin, smell his intoxicating scent, hear the low groans rumbling in his chest. it was overwhelming, consuming you entirely. the intensity of his words sent a shiver down your spine. part of you wanted to resist, to remind him of your carefully laid plans—but your body betrayed you, arching into his touch & silently begging for more. his hand slid down to caress your lower abdomen, his touch gentle despite the ferocity of his thrusts. "you'll look so beautiful," he murmured. "glowing, swollen with our baby."

you were pretty sure you’d never experienced exhaustion like this before, & yet you wouldn’t have it any other way. sukuna was practically tethered to you, night & day; you knew he exceeded the stamina of typical men, but this was setting the bar a little too high. he was breaking your poor cunt. 

"‘kuna, I c-can’t, can’t take anymore, s’too much," you’d babble each morning & each night, tears staining your pillow along with your drool, nails tearing into the sheets. you were pretty sure some of the remnants of your mascara from your wedding day still remained somewhere on your eyes, you hadn’t the time for skincare. 

"of course you can, wife. you always take me so well, like you were made for me," he purrs, chest falling over your back, pressing you into the sheets, biting the lobe of your ear, ruining you. & he was such an asshole, calling you wife, as if he cared at all for your silly little human rituals, it was just another way for him to tease you. 

"please," you gasped, not even sure what you were asking for anymore. your mind was foggy, overwhelmed by sensation.

sukuna chuckled darkly, the sound reverberating through your body. "such sweet sounds you make for me, wife. I’llnever tire of them." his hand snaked around to grip your throat, applying just enough pressure to make your head swim. you felt him swell inside you, somehow growing even larger. "one more," he growled. "give me one more, & I’ll let you rest."

his chuckle rumbled through you, low & dark, watching your hips draw back & forth to meet his. "see? your body knows what it needs," sukuna murmured, his breath hot against your neck.

his hips snapped forward relentlessly, each thrust sending jolts of pleasure-pain coursing through you. you lost track of time, lost in the sensations, in the feeling of being utterly consumed by him. when you came again, it was with a broken sob, your body trembling uncontrollably beneath him. sukuna growled in satisfaction, his own release following moments later as he buried himself deep inside you.

toji is determined to christen every goddamn inch of your apartment. it’s practically a game to him. 

"no, toji, not on the table, we eat here," you whine, but your attempts at swatting him away as he pushes you over the counter so delicately, humping your ass, groaning into his fist. he hoped there came a point when his wife’s ass didn’t make him whiney & sex-brained like a teenager, but he doubted it. 

"please, baby," he groans, mouthing at your clothed pussy. "let me taste you. I need it."

you can't help but melt at his desperation, your resolve crumbling. with shaky hands, you push your panties to the side. toji lets out a guttural moan at the sight of your glistening folds, diving in eagerly.

his tongue laps at you hungrily, like a man starved. you cry out, gripping the edge of the table for support as your knees threaten to give way. toji's large hands grip your thighs, holding you steady as he devours you.

"fuck, you taste so good," he mumbles against your sensitive flesh. "never get enough of you."

married men, weak at the knees for their wife :) did you like it? -> here's my masterlist -> want something more? ask me for it

[inkskinned]

the thing about some men is that they want you to remember, at all times, that you are underneath them. that with one word or look or "joke", you will stay beneath them. that even "exceptions" to the rule are not true exceptions - the commonly cited statistic that one in eight men believe they could win against serena williams.

women's gymnastics is often not seen as real gymnastics. whatever the fuck non-euclidian horrors rhythmic gymnasts are capable of, it's often tamped down as being not a sport. some of the most dominant athletes in the world are women. nobody watches women's soccer. despite years of dancing and being built like a fucking brick, men always assume they're faster and stronger than i am. you wouldn't like what happens when they are incorrect. once while drunk at a guy's house i won a held-plank challenge by a solid minute. the party was over after that - he became exceedingly violent.

what i mean is that you can be perfect, and they still think you're ... lacking, somehow. i hope you understand i'm trying to express a neutral statement when i say: taylor swift was the possibly the most patriarchy-palatable, straight-down-the-line woman we could churn out. she is white, conventionally attractive, usually pretty mild in personality. say what you will about her (and you should, she's a billionaire, she can handle it), but a few things seem to be true about her: 1. she can write a damn catchy song, and 2. the eras tour truly was a massive commercial success and was also genuinely an impressive feat of human athleticism and performance.

i don't know if she deserves the title of "woman of the year," i'm not debating that in this post. what i am saying is that she was named Woman of The Year, and then an untalented man got onstage at the golden globes and made fun of her for attending her boyfriend's football games. what i am saying is that this woman altered local economies - and her dating life is still being made into a "harmless" punchline. the camera panned, greedy, over to her downing a full glass of champagne. congratulations taylor! you are woman of the year! but you are a woman. even her.

fuck, man. write better material.

a guy gets onstage at a college graduation and despite the fact like half the crowd is made up of women, he spends a significant proportion of it warning these people - who spent possibly hundreds of thousands of dollars on their education - that they were lied to. that the "real" meaning of femininity is motherhood. that they shouldn't rest on the laurels of that education-they-paid-for but instead throw it away to kneel at a man's heel. imagine that. sweating in your godawful polyester gown (that you also had to pay for!), fresh out of 4 years of pushing yourself ever-harder: and some guy you've never met - who knows nothing about you - he reminds you this "win" is a pyrrhic one at best. you really shouldn't consider yourself that extraordinary. you're still a woman, even after years of study.

god forbid you are not a pretty woman, but if you are pretty, you must be dumb. god forbid you are not ablebodied or white or cis or straight or good at swallowing. you must be beneath a man, or else they are not a man. the equation for masculinity seems to just be: that which is not a woman or womanly (god forbid). anything "feminine" is thereby anathema. to engage in "feminine" things such as therapy, getting a hug from a friend, or crying - it is giving up ones manhood. therefore women need to be put in their place to ensure that masculinity is protected.

this is something i have struggled to explain to terfs - they are not doing the work of feminism, but rather the patriarchy. by asserting that women and men must be (on some secret level) oppositional and in conflict, they also assume that being a woman is akin to being another species. but bigotry does not stem from observational truths or clarity - that is what makes it bigotry. there was nothing in my childhood that made me fundamentally different from my brother. we are treated differently nonetheless. to assert there is some biological drive that enforces my gender role is to assert that women have a gendered role. men do not see women as equal to them not because of biological reality - but instead because the core tenant of the patriarchy is that women aren't full, realized people.

we are told from a very young age to excuse misbehavior as a single man's choice - not all men. it is not all men, just that one guy. all women are gold-digging bitches who belong in the kitchen - but if a man is mean, bigoted, or violent to you, it's just that particular guy, and that means nothing about men-as-a-whole. it is only one guy who got mad when you gently rejected him. it is only one guy who warns her this trophy is heavy, are you sure you can hold it? it is only one guy who smashes her face into the cake. it is only one guy talking into a mic about hating our bodily autonomy.

i have just found that they often wait until the moment we actually seem to be upstaging them. you sit in a meeting where you're presenting your own findings and he says get me a coffee? or you run to the end of the marathon and are about to finish first and he pushes your kids out in front of you. you win the chess game and they make some comment akin to well, you're ugly away. we can be the billionaire and get the dream life and finally fucking do it and yet! still! they have this strange, visceral urge to say well actually, if you think you're so great -

it's not one just one guy. it's one in eight.

[bemusedlybespectacled]

proposing what I'm going to call Gaylor's Razor, which is: never explain normal shit as being part of a secret message that can only be decoded by over-analysis.

"These Taylor Swift lyrics are actually coded messages saying that she's a lesbian and is forced to stay in the closet! Any lyrics that are clearly about being attracted to a man are just to throw us off the scent!" Sometimes people, like Taylor Swift, are straight and write about being straight, because they are straight.

"The fourth series of Sherlock was deliberately bad because it was actually a coded message to us fans that there is a secret fourth episode that will make Johnlock canon and will actually be good!" Sometimes writers (even experienced writers who are normally good at their jobs) will write something that's not good, because no one is perfect. They're not going to waste everyone's time and money and energy creating something terrible on purpose as part of a grand master plan.

"Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, the Canadian Olympic ice dancers, are secretly married (with kids)! Their public relationships with people who are not each other and them repeatedly saying 'we dated as kids and now we're just friends' are just to hide the truth! Which they need to hide for some reason! Their relationship is obvious just from their physical chemistry when competing! JUST LOOK AT THIS TWO SECOND CLIP OF HIM BLINKING AT HER!" It seems counterproductive to put all that thought into hiding a relationship that doesn't need to be hidden but then also telegraph that same relationship in front of millions of people through planned choreography.

"But BB, what about times that people really are speaking in code or hiding something due to outside influences?"

If it requires huge leaps in logic, like adding all the letters in a sentence together and dividing by seventeen and that number matches the binary sequence for the color yellow so YELLOW MUST BE SIGNIFICANT, it's not a secret code.

If it requires focusing on teeny tiny details but discards huge ones, like analyzing someone's micro-expressions but handwaving away what the person is actually saying out loud with their mouth, or focusing on one specific line instead of the entire scene or song or whatever, it's not a secret code.

If both supporting and contradictory evidence are used to come to the same conclusion (ex: when Taylor says something that I interpret as gay, that means she's gay, and when she says something that I interpret as straight, that still means she's gay and just hiding it), it's not a secret code.

Trying to apply fandom meta analysis techniques to real life is a really good way of fall into conspiratorial thinking that can be easily exploited. You can totally try to predict what's going to happen in a story or choose to interpret a scene in a specific way; you can't do that in real life with real people. That way lies the kind of nonsense that leads to shit like "this image of pizza on a children's toy is actually subliminal messaging by The Cabal™ that proves that Pizzagate is real."

[zoestorm]

The manga: a college guy meets his childhood friend, who was formerly a boy but is now a woman, and has run away from home after an unspecified disagreement with her family which has left her with a significant amount of trauma; it's implied she was bullied heavily in the time since they've last seen each other.

But don't worry, she's not trans! She just got an illness which turned her into a woman!

The manga: a high school boy with an interest in make-up uses his gloomy, depressed (male) childhood friend as a model to improve his skills. This causes said friend to have an "awakening" and start dressing as a woman, and to overall be a much happier, brighter, outgoing person.

But don't worry, the friend is not trans! He's just a boy who crossdresses because his childhood friend likes him better that way!

The manga: a high school boy joins a club where the members can turn into magical girls, which in his case involves physically transforming into a girl. When in girlmode, he's much happier and enjoys his life much more, and overall prefers staying in girl mode; when the ability to transform is temporarily taken away from him, he sinks into a deep depressive episode.

But don't worry, he's not trans! He's just a boy who enjoys being a girl!

The manga: a college student loses a bet and has to crossdress for a night out on the town, and meets and hooks up with a butch girl; they fall in love and start dating. The boy always crossdressed when they meet, and starts enjoying being "treated like a girl" in the relationship and starts crossdressing even when he doesn't have to meet his girlfriend and enjoys activities such as clothes shopping and make-up and putting on nail polish.

But don't worry, he's not trans! He's just a boy who crossdresses to please his butch girlfriend!

The manga: a guy is magically turned into a girl as a result of saving his best friend, the crown prince, from an assassination attempt. The prince decides that he has to take responsibility, and asks the new girl to marry him; despite being smitten she refuses, wanting to date first. She is later offered a way to go back to being a man, but when she does turn back she's disgusted by her own appearance and depressed all the time, ultimately deciding to stay a girl.

But don't worry, she's not trans! She's just a boy who's been magically turned into a woman! And decides not to turn back when she can! Because she's not trans! Somehow!

"But we can't write trans women in manga! It's just not something that you do!"

[Image description: A one-comic panel. Gengar is glaring at a crowd of faceless characters; from the crowd, a speech balloon emerges, saying "You could if you weren't a fucking coward". End ID.]

[soupdwelling]

my favorite somewhat underrated jarchivist moments

“a COMPLAINT? i could just as easily COMPLAIN about her WASTING MY TIME”

“before i address the central point of this statement, namely the question of…. whether the sky can eat people .”

melanie: “i should have known this was a COMPLETE waste of my time” jon: “probably 🙄”

“you don’t seem like you’re in your fifties?? or- or burnt to a crisp”

“you’re serious? you’re going on a date with… the dullard of skull mountain just so you have an excuse to eat a shopska salad?”

“another startling insight from the piercing investigative mind of georgie barker”

“WHAT is my metaphorical pit???”

melanie: “i mean it’s not like you have any reason to kill me” jon: noncommittal sound

martin: “melanie seems okay but i get the feeling she’s planning something?” jon: “i- i got that feeling. Too.”

“so. kidnapped. Again.”

“like colors, but if colors hated me. got it. christ i need a cigarette.”

“MARTIN. STOP trying to TOUCH the PLASTIC EXPLOSIVE. just PUT YOUR HANDS in YOUR POCKETS or SOMETHING-”

basira: “so would you say this was supposed to be churchill or alfred hitchcock?” jon: “jowls like that, could be either”

“coma! great! let’s rearrange his office! sleeping people don’t need. pens!”

“police brutality lawsuit? :)”

[picture of edwardian offense] “I what?”

daisy: “it’s a joke, jon.” jon: “oh! hAha! yes.”

“i mean you’re not suggesting that santa works for the people’s church..”

long-suffering sigh “fuck.”

“i’m starting to feel a little. Self Conscious being a post apocalyptic google !”

martin: “did it stir any feeling in you?” jon: “Yes! Nausea! Because of the Horrible Things In It!”

“Yes the Colossal Web stretching down into an Endless Pit is a Significant improvement😑”

“‘free will’ she says, as we stand in the middle of her FUCKING WEB”

[solardrop]

beanstalk.

aaron hotchner x fem!bau!reader

summary: a loser at the local pub thinks spencer is your boyfriend. Aaron drags him. tags: fluff. creepy men being creepy. body shaming (of spencer I'm so sorry). spencer just catching strays in general. word count: ~1.7k a/n: based on an ask. I was gonna just write my thoughts or a short 500 word drabble or something but then ended up writing this until the point I forced myself to just end it lmao. I think it gets a bit convoluted and cringe at the end but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ it was fun! not proofread. divider cred @/cafekitsune

The pub was going to the rue the day they made half-off appetizers their weekly special.

The team squeezed in two pushed-together tables and binged on the greasy delights. you and Spencer had gotten into sharp back and forth about the apocalypse on the way there, which earned the both of you a quick banishing to a corner of the table where the rest of the team wouldn’t be subject to your bickering.

You rest your head against the cool concrete pillar you were sandwiched against. A table pressed against a half-wall facing outdoors was a hard sell to a bunch of field agents. However, Penelope’s animated declaration for the team to ‘live a little’ —specifically, to do so before Rossi got any greyer— landed you a wonderful view of the outdoors. You could watch all the homey, drunken people sway to the music flowing from the patio. The crisp night air flushes the overwhelming smell of burnt grease away from your nose. Maybe you could convince Hotch to grab a window seat for some date nights, you have to admit, the vibes were growing on you. While you enjoy poking the brain of your younger genius friend, you miss the solid warmth of Aaron beside you. Thankfully, he opted to sit in front of you instead. 

You took the opportunity to tease him. You kick him playfully under the table, stealing his attention away from the conversation he is having with Derek. He turns to squint at you for a moment, only to grab your food to sandwich it between the wall and his thigh in retaliation. His fingers drum a steady rhythm against your ankle, the ticklish tap tap tap making you squirm. You motion to ensnare his ankle with your other leg when Spencer turns to point his flimsy white plastic fork at you. 

“If emergency services were still in full effect during the zombie apocalypse, there would be a drastic increase in the number of people infected and a significant loss in—”

“A significant loss in medical supplies. Spoken like a true prepper Reid. What's next, gonna tell me about the importance of learning how to pickle your own food for rationing?”

“Actually, during the Great Depression housewives pickles things that lasted their families almost—”

His impending rant is cut short by the return of your server. Anticipating the bill, Rossi reached for his wallet before the woman shakes her head at him. Instead, sliding a drink and a folded up napkin on the table and nodding her head at you. 

“For the lovely young miss by the window.” She flashes a smile at you, “One of our lovely patons seems to fancy you.”

All eyes snap to you, all the color draining from your face as you stare down at the offending item. The drink was almost glowing at you, bright pink glitter swirling in the liquid with pink gummy hearts floating at the top and crystal sugar bedazzling the rim. There was no way this was actually something for the human body to consume. Even Penelope’s brows raised in shock at its extreme display. 

You glance at Hotch, his leg picking up a steady bounce next to yours after the waitresses revelation. His face is hardened, jaw rocking back and forth as he glares at the folded paper next to the drink. You clear your throat and face the woman again.

“Can you tell me who sent this?”

She juts her sharp chin over your head towards one of the outdoor tables. Hotch’s neck cranes around before your own, and you lock eyes with an older man sitting a few tables down. His face was unpleasantly square, the outdated sandy mullet crowning his head doing him no favors either. He raises his beer bottle towards you with a wink. You shiver, scooting closer to Spencer when the admirer hauls himself out of his stool to stride towards you. Aaron has turned almost fully towards outside now, his brow raised.

“Ohh this is gonna be good,” JJ whispers from the other side of Reid. The comment earns her a sharp glare from Hotch, a blush burning in her cheeks as she goes back to nursing her cheeto-crusted mozzarella sticks.

“I just don’t understand,” Spencer starts, “There are seven other people at this table including men at this table why would he be bold enough to-”

A sharp knock sounder off the ledge of the short wall. 

“Well, hello darlin’. I don’t mean to interrupt the dinner with your friends here, Hello friends, m’  names Miles!” He flashed his eyes around the table with a toothy, mustached smile. 

“But i couldn’t help but see your pretty little face in this window ‘ere and I had to buy ya’ a drink!” 

“Ah… Thank you but um-”

“Don’t even sweat it beautiful!” Small specs of saliva fly from his mouth, causing even Spencer to jump back pulling on the hem of your shirt. As if to use you as a human shield from the germs the man was spewing in his general direction. Hooray. Your hero. 

“I even wrote my number on that there lil’ napkin for ya’. My momma raised a gentleman, so I gotta buy you more than a lil liquor before I take you down.” His beady eyes shoot down to your cleavage before snapping back to your face, licking his lip. 

The fingers on your ankles pause at this. Aaron stares down the side of the mans face, lips pressd into a fine line spread across his face. You decide to jump in before your boyfriend takes it upon himself to tear the mystery man a new one.

“Listen, I appreciate the sentiment but, I’m here to have dinner with my friends and my boyfriend so… I could pay you back for the drink? No harm done-”

“Boyfriend!?” He steps back, eyes scanning the table once more before landing on Spencer and snorting. 

“This lil’ stringbean? You can’t possibly be serious” He smiles at Spencer before he continues “Jack and the beanstalk here could barely muscle steel so ya’ll stuck him with plastic,” He waves a crooked finger aimlessly around the table, “And you expect me to believe he’s wrangling a fine figure like yourself down every night?”

That seems to hit a sore spot for Reid, who finally peeps his head from around you. He takes the moment to ramble about the millions of germs and pathogens that could be found on community utensils even after a full wash cycle. Much to the dismay of the creep and team alike, so much so that Derek had to nudge him with his foot. With the conclusion of Spencer’s monologue the man continues

“Anyways, darlin’ for one night let me take you for a spin. Lil' boy like that won't do ya' any good. I promise you only a bigger, older man knows how to really take care of someone crafted as fine as you.” His eyes lower to your chest again and stay there. 

“I assure you she already knows that,” Aaron spits. 

Your eyes snap to his face. He seemd deceptively calm now, his expression almost bored. 

“Pardon?” Miles asks, half-heartedly turning his body towards him. 

“I’ll put it like this for you Miles. Stringbean over here isn’t her boyfriend,” Spencer begins to squeak out in opposition to his new pet name, but Hotch’s voice bellows out above his own, “I know you’re pathetic, that was apparent from the moment you walked up here puffing your chest after buying the cheapest drink on the menu as a gift. But I’m almost surprised you made your impotence so obvious too, considering you made eye contact with everyone you view as non threatening, the women, the man in his late years, the kid.”

Aaron lazily cocks his head towards Morgan, “But not me and my friend here in the corner. But I’m sure you thought you got away with that. Now, I’d suggest you move. The cologne you sprayed to mask the smell of Motel 8 is starting to wear off.”

Your ears warm at his words. Every sharp word honeyed by his calm, almost sweet tone. He spoke as if he was reading the well thought out profile of an elusive crimminal instead of just some ass in a sit down. God you wanted to kiss him. He’d have to let team politics go just this once right? Just a thank you peck. 

Before you can move to move ask him for one, Miles sputters out, “Talkin’ to me like I’m some dumbass— Who the hell d’ya think you are man!?”

Each syllable causes a spray of spit to launch out his mouth, forcing you to scoot even closer to spencer to evade the line of fire. His face shines with sweat and grease, red rising from his shirt collar as he barks at Hotch’s words. 

“I’m her man. Her bigger, older man. But I’m sure you already knew that, since you still refuse to look at me.” Aaron reaches down into his pockets, flipping out his credentials with deft fingers, “And I’m also an agent. As is everyone at the table including the woman you’ve spent the past several minutes sexually harassing.” He scowls, “Now, go sit down and shut the hell up.”

Miles' eyes finally rip away from you to meet his now. The angered flush erupts across his whole body now. He opens his mouth several times before closing it again, iced out by the cold stare Hotch gives him. He turns on his heel and marches back to his table without a fight. He sniffs his collar before jumping back in clear disgust.

A beat passes and the whole table erupts into laughter at the absurd happenings. Aaron’s face softens, still frowning in the general direction of the slimy man. Jolting when Derek claps him on the back and shakes him in praise. 

“Alright Hotch! Racing to defend your girl, I didn’t know you had it like that!”

“Well, I’m not surprised,” You stretch across the table to grasp his hand, kissing his knuckles before he could protest. He envelopes your hand in both of his and gives you a warm smile,  “my man is my hero in and out of the field.” He breathes out a laugh, knocking his knee against yours for your teasing. 

“Next time, you and String Bean get into it, we’re doing a different seating arrangement.”