#and Richmond was number 2 on the list

[badgopher]

One of those weeks where everything's been about a foot and a half off from where it seems like it should have been.

The surprise work dinner on Tuesday was neither good nor bad. The boss was in town to meet with people about a thing and wanted to get together for dinner, so that's what we did.

In 4 weeks I'll be in Kansas. In 4½ weeks I'll be 43; in Arkansas. In 6 weeks I'll be in Vancouver, BC. Lots of new stuff. Thinking about a trip to scope out Richmond in February. Thinking about driving into the mountains to hide from the world for a while. Options.

Wholly forgettable uptempo music that distracts the part of my brain that decides we're doing side quests today instead of, like, the actual work I need to get done. This week was a lot of digitally imported nightcore. It doesn't work all the time but when it does it's amazing. I got more work done in the last 4 days than I have in the previous 3 weeks.

💚, etc.

[bellaxgiornata]

As Luck Would Have It [1/2]

Pairing: Matt Murdock x Fem!Reader Word Count: 3.5k [Part Two]

Warnings/tags: Humor, fluff, and a charming, teasing Matty

Summary: Stressed out while working on a dead-end case at Nelson, Murdock, and Page, Matt isn't too thrilled when Foggy interrupts and asks him for a favor. Despite his annoyance at another task being added to his list of things to do, Matt is shocked when the potential client Foggy asks him to call turns out to be a wrong number. What's even more surprising is how much Matt enjoys chatting with the woman on the other end of the line.

a/n: This is going to be a short, two part piece. It's light and fluffy so I hope y'all enjoy it! Feedback/reblogs are always appreciated!

Matt Murdock One Shot Tag List: @pazii @shouldbestudying41 @kmc1989 @ebathory997 @yeonalie @shiorimakibawrites @xxdrixx @wkndwllf @leikelle @pinkratts @lazyxsquirrel @1988-fiend @marvelcinematiquniverse @carstairswife @stilldreaming666 @kiwwia-wiwwia @willwork4dilfs @will-delete-this-later-probably @mattmurdocks6thscaleapartment @theetherealbloom @yarrystyleeza @dramaholic18 @ladywholikesreading @sleepysleepymom @tartbeanpuzzles @harleycao @sunflower-tia @gamingfeline @juskonutoh @kezibear @ninacotte @withyoutilltheendoftheline @justanerd1

Matt’s fingers slid across his braille reader, his brows furrowed together in deep concentration as he focused on reading the digital document displayed on his laptop. This entire case had been draining him lately, only managing to aggravate him as he continually hit legal wall after legal wall trying to figure out how to help their client. What made things worse was that he knew what was really happening behind the scenes in this case that he, Foggy, and Karen had been working on, but he also knew that Matt Murdock wasn't supposed to know about any of that.  

With a vexed grunt he raised a hand from off his braille reader, running it through his hair in agitation as he blew out a frustrated breath. Tired of reading the same thing over and over with no new way forward, Matt pushed his chair back from the desk in annoyance. The desk lurched a few inches across the floor at the force as Matt grit his teeth together. 

He wished he could use the information he'd uncovered last night as Daredevil. That would have solved all of his problems and easily saved their client. But of course, none of that evidence was remotely admissible in court. So while he knew where the truth lay in this entire case, he was still currently helpless to use the law in his fight for justice. Though he was certainly determined to keep picking through detail after detail in search of something he could use to his client’s benefit.

The sound of footsteps approaching his office door caught Matt’s attention and his head shifted to the side. Matt pushed all thoughts of his frustrating case out of his mind as he focused on the noise. Barely a second later the sound of Foggy’s unmistakable heartbeat registered in his ears just before two knocks sounded against his door.

“What do you need, Fog?” Matt called out.

He heard the door handle twist, the door to his office opening as Foggy stepped inside. Matt didn’t have to exert much effort studying him to notice how stressed Foggy currently was. His blood pressure was quite clearly elevated this morning along with his cortisol levels–he could practically smell the stress in the faint bit of sweat on Foggy’s forehead. So apparently Matt wasn't the only one having a shitty day at the firm today. At least he wasn't alone in that.

“Hey, Matt,” Foggy began hesitantly, stopping just inside his office before shifting his weight back and forth along his feet almost nervously. “I know you're busy running yourself into the ground for the Richmond case, and I know how frustrating it's been to keep hitting a deadend. But…” he trailed off for a moment, Matt catching the faint waver in his tone. “I was actually hoping to ask you for a favor this morning.”

Matt’s head tilted curiously to the side, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses at Foggy. Leaning back in his desk chair, he lowered his hands down onto his lap and attempted to keep the annoyed fidgeting of his fingers hidden from his friend. The last thing Matt wanted right now was another task added to his agenda for the day. All he wanted was to make headway on this case before it drove him insane.

“What kind of favor?” he asked, trying to keep the edge from his tone.

Matt heard Foggy take a few more steps forward into his office, stopping just in front of his desk. The sound of something like a small slip of paper faintly rustled between Foggy’s fingers as he stood there. 

“Elliott got a call a bit ago from someone by the name of Edgar Philips who was potentially interested in hiring us,” Foggy began to explain, setting the paper down onto Matt's desk before sliding it across the surface towards him. “And the case sounded… interesting to say the least. But the thing is, Karen is out today dealing with the Rodriguez building permit thing, and I'm about to head over to the courthouse. So I was…sort of hoping you could call them back and handle the consultation? Somehow fit them in today?”

Matt could hear the way the muscles in Foggy’s face had contracted, sounding like he'd almost grimaced when he had asked for the favor. His heart rate had accelerated just a bit, meaning Fog was clearly anxious that Matt would decline to help take on even more work today. Truthfully he wanted to decline calling this possible client because he was already swamped with the Richmond case, but maybe taking a few minutes to focus on something else would benefit him. Maybe stepping away for a bit before coming back to things with a fresh mind would help him see things a little differently. Clearly he wasn’t making any progress this morning doing what he had been doing. 

With an exasperated sigh, Matt slid his hand across his desk to where he’d heard Foggy set the slip of paper. His fingers felt around the wooden surface for a second before he found it.

“Yeah, I'll make the call,” Matt told him, pulling the paper towards himself. 

Foggy let out a relieved breath, the sound of his entire body relaxing impossible for Matt's ears to miss. At least he could make Fog's day a little better.

“Great, seriously! Thank you, buddy,” Foggy said in a rush. “You have no idea how helpful that is right now. I've already got so much to do today, I really didn't know how I was going to fit that call in. And you know how bad the reception can be at the courthouse.” Foggy laughed good-naturedly, his mood already lifting. “But hey, before I go, did you need me to read that phone number off for you? Or dial it even?”

Matt's fingers ran over the indentation of Elliott's pen marks on the paper. Despite how scatterbrained their new secretary often tended to be, he at least appreciated that the man had a heavy hand when he took notes from the calls he answered. It at least made things easier for Matt to read without too much extra assistance–something he loathed having to ask for if he didn’t need to.

“No,” he answered with a shake of his head. “I can make the numbers out just fine. Don't worry about me, Fog. Just go take care of what you need to. I'll deal with this Edgar Philips.”

Foggy’s hands clapped loudly together, Matt picking up on the sounds of his feet as he already began to back out of his office. 

“Thank you, Matt, you're a life saver!” he exclaimed. “You know, more than you usually are.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Matt said with a grin. “Can you just shut the door again on your way out, though?”

“Can do!” Foggy replied. 

Matt swore he heard the air shift as Foggy sent him a salute. Chuckling lightly at his best friend's ability to lighten the mood, he heard the sound of his office door closing before he heard the muffled sound of Foggy’s footsteps as he began making his exit from the office. 

For a minute Matt sat in his chair, listening as Foggy said a brief goodbye to Elliott before leaving. Then the usual ‘silence’ of their office returned. Though it was never truly quiet to Matt because he could still hear the hum of the lights in the building, the almost constant tapping of Elliott's fingers on his keyboard in the room over, and even the incessant buzzing of a fly that had been trapped in the office since yesterday afternoon. 

Foul mood slowly returning, Matt's fingers ran over the pen marks on the slip of paper still in his hands. Glancing down towards it, he wondered what the interesting case that Foggy had mentioned was actually supposed to be about. To Matt, interesting just translated to complicated, which was the last thing he needed right now. Though whatever it was, he figured getting the call out of the way would be the best course of action for now. Afterwards he’d be free to continue working on the Richmond case for the rest of the day, hopefully without any further interruptions or distractions.

Shifting in his chair, he slipped his cell phone from out of his dress pants pocket, the electronic hum of it louder now that it wasn’t muffled by fabric. He raised it to his mouth before speaking a few voice commands into it, then he took a second to recite the number he’d been given from off the paper. Sitting back in his chair, Matt listened to the familiar dial tone as he held the phone to his ear, but surprisingly it only managed to ring twice before someone had quickly answered.

“Seriously, Lindsey, I said I’d call afterwards,” a distinctly annoyed and hushed female voice came over the line. “There’s nothing of interest for me to report yet and now you’re just making me even more nervous. At this point my armpits are going to be as sweaty as my hands.”

Sitting forward in his chair, Matt rested his elbows along the top of his desk. A small grin slipped onto his mouth as he tossed the little slip of paper somewhere among the mess of papers before himself. He hadn’t expected that to be the response to his call, but now the person on the other end of the line had captured his undivided attention.

“Maybe you should try using more deodorant then,” Matt cheekily suggested.

A surprised gasp met his ear, the sound making his smile widen further. Clearly whoever he'd gotten ahold of had just now realized they were in fact not speaking with Lindsey. 

“Oh, shit,” came your clearly embarrassed and still hushed voice as the realization that you were speaking to someone else settled in. “I'm sorry, I totally thought you were my friend calling back. I didn't check the caller ID because I didn't want my ringtone to make any more of a nuisance than it already had been making because it's so loud. I swear I don't ever hear it if I don't have the volume up so high. But now I am incredibly regretting the decision to not just have taken the two seconds to look and check the number first.” 

There was a pause where you loudly cleared your throat over the line. Matt found himself still grinning at the word vomit that seemed to keep coming from you with no end in sight, his irritation at having to make this call quickly vanishing. His left hand began to absently fiddle with a pen from his desk as he listened to you ramble on further.

“Clearly you're not Lindsey and now I'm absolutely mortified,” you continued in a rush. “But for the record, I am wearing deodorant. A lot of it actually. I'm just nervous and it makes me extra sweaty, alright? I don't like job interviews. They terrify me.” Your voice dropped to an even quieter tone as you continued on, Matt not remotely interested in stopping you because you had easily become the most fascinating part of his day. “And I dislike when you have to sit and wait in those stiff plastic chairs while the secretary keeps shooting you random smiles from their desk like you're not about to vomit all over the floor from nerves. I swear they make you sit outside the office for at least ten minutes like it's some sort of extra secret test before the actual interview takes place. Are they supposed to be judging how I sit and do nothing? Or how I handle intentionally being asked to show up at a certain time but am purposely made to sit and wait? I swear, it’s done on purpose.”

“So what I'm gathering from all of that,” Matt finally began when you had paused to take a breath, still grinning as he spoke, “is that you are not the Edgar Philips I am looking for, nor were you the one who most likely tried contacting the law firm of Nelson, Murdock, and Page earlier this morning on his behalf. Am I correct in that assumption?”

There was a very long pause on your end of the line after he'd spoken. Matt waited patiently for you to respond though, his left hand still leisurely flipping the pen back and forth between his fingers.

“Did you say…law firm?” you hesitantly asked. 

“Yes, I did,” Matt replied. 

“So you're a…?”

“Lawyer, yes. One of the partners, actually,” he answered easily. “And one who must have somehow gotten the wrong number it appears, judging by your response.”

“Yeah, I uh–” you cleared your throat again, “–I definitely didn't call your office today. And I am certainly not Edgar Philips.”

“Ahh well, my apologies,” Matt said, setting his pen back down on his desk before sitting back in his chair. “I'm sorry to have interrupted your day, especially at such an inconvenient time as right before a job interview. I suppose I shouldn’t further distract you.”

There was a small part of Matt that almost felt reluctant to end the call already, dreading having to ask Elliott for help with the clearly incorrect phone number so he could get in touch with the actual Mr. Philips before going back to that irritating Richmond case. You'd been an amusing distraction this morning at least. 

“Actually you've somehow managed to calm my nerves,” you replied. “Apparently embarrassing myself with a stranger has now made me feel less like vomiting.”

“Any less sweaty?” Matt teased, unable to help himself.

You laughed lightly over the line, the sound a pleasant one that seemed to ease the tension from Matt’s own body. Something about your voice and your way of immediately speaking to him as if you'd known him for longer than two minutes had drawn him in.

“Maybe a fraction less, thank you for that,” you answered. “You uh, you have a calming voice, whichever part of Nelson, Murdock, and Page you are.”

Matt's brows quickly shot up onto his forehead in surprise. No one had told him that before.

“I do?” he asked.

“Mhmm,” you hummed back. “You know, if you ever need money, you'd be great at calling people and talking to them until they relax before they have to do something they're nervous about–like going to a job interview. Or maybe even attending events with them to keep them calm or something. You know what I’m saying?”

Matt couldn't resist the laugh that slipped out of his mouth, his head tilting to the side. “Is that an actual thing that exists? Because it almost sounds like you're just describing a male escort,” he pointed out.

“ No !” your harsh whisper came over the line, the embarrassment in it causing Matt to chuckle again. “Oh no, that's not–no I didn't mean it like that! I swear! Is that even legal in New York City? Though I suppose maybe you don't live here since this is a wrong number and all... But no! That’s not what I meant!”

Matt relaxed further back in his chair, finding that he'd been enjoying this unexpected conversation with you this morning far more than he could’ve thought. He truly didn't want to end the call even though he knew he would need to soon. Though he found himself wishing for an excuse to talk to you again already.

“I do live in New York City actually,” he answered. “And male escorts aren't supposed to be getting paid for their time in the way that you're currently thinking about, so yes, they are actually quite legal.”

“I imagine as a lawyer that owns your own law firm, though,” you began, “you don't exactly need a side hustle as a male escort. And that–that’s a joke, by the way,” you quickly clarified. “You know what? Just forget I said that, I'm just nervous for this interview. I'm rambling.”

“You are, but I'm enjoying it,” he told you. “But our law firm tends to take on lots of cases pro bono, so truthfully, I could probably use a side hustle. I'll keep your vote of confidence as a male escort in mind if I ever struggle to continue paying my bills.”

The bark of laughter followed by your soft curse under your breath had Matt’s cheeks hurting from how wide his smile had grown. 

“Despite how entertaining this call has been, I should really go,” you said. “I imagine they should be calling me back soon and I probably shouldn’t be sitting here looking like I’m having so much fun on the phone judging by the frown the secretary just gave me. I’ve never had one frown at me before and I’d really not like to mess up my chances here. I kind of really want this job so I can actually do something with my degree.”

“Well, I’m sure you’ll do just fine, but either way, I wish you luck,” Matt replied. “I should probably get back to work myself, but I’ll admit that you’ve been a pleasant distraction from a case I’ve been struggling with myself, so thank you.”

“Then I wish you luck as well, stranger,” you replied. “I hope you make some progress on your case.”

“I suppose if I don’t, there’s always other viable career options for me that I’ve recently had my eyes opened to,” Matt teased.

He enjoyed the sound of your laugh over the line one last time before you told him goodbye. Almost reluctantly Matt ended the call, lowering his phone down onto his desk. His smile faltered as he once more overheard the sound of Elliott’s fingers typing on his computer. With a defeated sigh he pushed his chair back, rising up to his feet and accepting the fact that he’d need to ask Elliott for help dialing Mr. Philips correctly.

“Matt, this is–” Foggy began but quickly stopped himself.

Matt sat back in his chair, a triumphant smile spread wide across his mouth as he continued to listen to both Karen and Foggy rifling through the documents he’d had printed out early this morning. The three of them were currently sitting in the conference room while Matt proudly sat back, enjoying the sound of the pair of them getting excited over what he’d discovered yesterday afternoon. Apparently taking a step away from the case for a little bit had been just the thing he needed to do to come back at it with a different angle.

“Dude, this is exactly what we needed for that Richmond case!” Foggy finally exclaimed, his head darting up towards Matt. “You’re brilliant!”

“Ahh, well,” Matt said with a smug smile and a shrug of his shoulders. “Just doing my job, Fog.”

“This must have taken a lot of creative thinking,” Karen muttered, still flipping through the papers. “Hell, Matt, I think you just saved this whole case.”

Matt had been about to respond, tempted to make another cocky comment, but the sound of his phone receiving a text cut him off. Brows furrowing together slightly, he slipped his hand into his pants pocket and pulled his phone out. Holding it up to his ear and muttering out a command, he slid back his chair from the conference table before rising up to his feet and walking a few steps away from Foggy and Karen. 

He frowned slightly at the number the automated voice began to read off in his ear almost immediately. It wasn’t one he had recognized. Why would a strange number be texting him? Though when he heard that same automated voice begin to read out the text message he’d received, a small smile easily slipped onto his face.

“Just wanted to let you know that I was offered the job already this morning,” the automated voice read into Matt’s ear. “Apparently you’re my good luck charm, stranger. So thanks for the chat. Hope you made some progress on your case, too.”

For a moment Matt just stood there in shock, holding the phone to his ear and grinning like a fool. He hadn’t expected to ever hear from you again, and he certainly hadn't anticipated the burst of pride at your news. And apparently you’d also been his good luck charm because after he'd dealt with the real Edgar Philips, he finally made a break on the case that had stumped him for weeks. 

Without a second thought, Matt turned around to face both Karen and Foggy, lowering his phone to his side. “Hey, I’ve got to respond to this message,” he told them. “Do you mind if I handle this back in my office now?”

“No, no,” Foggy answered distractedly, the air shifting as he clearly waved Matt off. “Go do your thing, buddy. We've got plenty to focus on at the moment.”

Trying to fight back the growing smile on his mouth as he maneuvered his way back over towards where he'd been sitting, Matt picked up his cane that had been resting against the table. As he navigated his way out of the conference room and back to the privacy of his office, he already began thinking up a response to your message. And he also wondered how strange it would be if he called instead of texted you back.

[dw-flagler]

BLONDE WILDBOW CHARACTERS

Every wildbow character with hair color described as blonde or similar to blonde. Characters are listed in alphabetical order.

A character's category is determined by their debut appearance. Though Lisa Wilbourn appears in both Worm and Ward, she will be listed as a Worm character, and not as a Ward character.

WORM:

Ashley Stillons I (Damsel of Distress)

Ava ? (Cuff)¹

Brad Meadows (Hookwolf)

Carol Dallon (Brandish)

Crystal Pelham (Laserdream)

Dean Stansfield (Gallant)

Elijah Mathers (Valefor) (Later dyes white)

Elle ? (Labyrinth)

Emily Piggot

Eric Pelham (Shielder)

Gabriel Maxberry (King)

Glastig Uaine/Valkyrie

Greg Veder (The Worst)

Hero

Hoyden

Jaager Charles (Gasconade) (Appears ONLY in PRT Quest)

Jeanne Wynn/Brown (Citrine)

Jessica Biermann (Fenja)

Katherine Oldershaw (Grace)

Kurt Wynn (Harbinger/Number Man)

Leonid(?)

Lisa Wilbourn (Tattletale)

Marissa Newland (Sundancer)

Melody Jurist (Cricket)

Mike ? (Lightstar)

Missy Biron (Vista)

Mrs. Knott

Neil Pelham (Manpower)

Nessa Bierman (Menja)

Oliver ? (Oliver)

Principal Blackwell

Riley Grace Davis (Bonesaw)

Sam ? (Prism)

Sarah Pelham (Lady Photon)

Tammi Herren (Rune/Scribe) (last name presumed)

"Tom Moss" (Acidbath)

Victoria Dallon (Glory Girl/Antares)

"White Fairy"²

Blonde Adjacent:

Alabaster (white hair)

Kamil Armstrong (white hair)

Madeline ? (Winter) (white hair)

Paige Mcabee (Canary) (yellow feathers, hair unknown)

Polka (white hair)

Scion (gold hair)

Scrub (white hair)

The Simurgh (silver hair)

Worm has: 38 blonde characters, and 8 blonde-adjacent characters, for a total of 46.

WARD

Ashley Stillons II (Swansong)

Ashley Stillons III (Damsel of Distress)

Axehead? (Presumed)³

Bianca ? (Goddess)

Harbinger V (Limerick)

Hunter ? (Mincemaid)

Jay ?

Kathlee Rosenthal (Monokeros)¹

Lachlan ?

Lionwing

Moose

Mr. Drowsing

Nate ? (Reconciliation)

Paris

Rain O'Fire Fraizer (Precipice)

Ryan ? (Cradle)

Samuel Vasil

William Giles (Scapegoat)

Blonde Adjacent:

Anita Vera (white hair)

Christine Mathers (Mama Mathers) (silver hair)

Coiffure (silver hair)

Colt (Colt) (bleached hair)

Dino (silver hair)

Egg (yellow hair)

Engel ("glowing" hair)

Enyo (silver hair)

Foggy Idea (gray dyed hair)

Nailbiter (bleached hair)

Presley ? (gray-white dyed hair)

Vince Crowley (poorly-bleached hair)

Voltrage ("pale" hair)

Ward has: 18 blonde characters, and 13 blonde-adjacent characters, for a total of 31.

PACT:

Blake Thorburn

Chloe Duchamp

Diana Thompson

James Thorburn

Joanna Duchamp

Lea Duchamp

Lola Duchamp

Paul Thorburn

Penelope Duchamp

Peter Thorburn

Rose Thorburn Jr.

Rose Thorburn Sr.

Roxanne Thorburn

Sandra Duchamp

The Briar Girl

Blonde Adjacent

Malcolm "Fell" Atwell ("light" hair)

Pact has: 15 blonde characters, and 1 blonde-adjacent character, for a total of 16.

TWIG:

The Baron Richmond

The Duke of Francis

Duncan Lambsbridge

Emily Gage

Gordon Lambsbridge(?)

Helen Ibott

Jamie Lambsbridge

Jessie Ewesmont

Lord Carling

Lord King

Lord Leeds

Marcella

The Duke of Francis

The Twins (counts as 2)

BLONDE ADJACENT

Lady Glora ("pale of hair")

Lara (white hair)

Nora (white hair)

Twig has: 15 blonde characters, and 3 blonde-adjacent characters, for a total of 18.

PALE:

America Tedd

Anthem Tedd

Avery Kelly

Edith James

Eloise Miraz

Freak (of Freak & Squeak)

Gillian Ross

Liberty Tedd

Reggie the Composite Kid

Snowdrop

The Family Man

Ulysses Miraz

Wallace Davis

BLONDE ADJACENT

Mrs. Schaff (white hair)

Crooked Rook (white hair)

Gemma Duchamp (Grey hair)

Luna Hare (white hair)

Pale has: 13 blonde characters, and 4 blonde-adjacent characters, for a total of 17.

CLAW:

"Valentina's Mom & Sister"

Claw has: 2 blonde characters, and 0 blonde-adjacent characters, for a total of 2.⁴

Notes

¹ Both cuff and monokeros are noted to have dark hair in Ward while having blonde hair in their original appearances (Worm and WD Helena respectively).

² White Fairy is Mr. Gladly's girlfriend and a prolific redditor who is seen during the leviathan battle and the PHO greg interlude. deep cut. As a mortal enemy of greg veder, please treat her with appropriate respect.

³ Axehead is never seen in ward. However, Titan Skadi (who forms from Axehead) is described as having golden hair. I am presuming that this is from axehead the human having blonde hair.

⁴ Literally 1 person told me any characters from claw. i haven't read it. there's more than 2, but i haven't seen anything.

[laiqualaurelote]

F for the fanfic ask game 😊 You're great at getting character's voices down!

F: Share a snippet from one of your favourite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

Thank you! this is from Beard's section in the Lasso's Eleven chapter of they will see us waving from such great heists:

“Did you know that in Athens, they call the vehicles of mass transportation metaphorai?” he says to Ted on the District Line.  “So we’re riding a metaphor now?”  “Yeah. The train is a metaphor.” “I like that,” says Ted. “I find it moving.” They rattle on towards Kew Gardens. “It’s funny how they call it the Tube,” says Ted. He pronounces it as an exaggerated “choob”.  “It’s because of the method of construction. The early lines were built using cut-and-cover, but after that they went deeper and started using tube tunnels.” “Tubes everywhere,” says Ted reflectively. “If you think about it, the human body is a tube.” “A torus. Topologically speaking.” “Pretty sure I’m a Libra.” “Torus, like a doughnut. We’re all doughnuts. Just long holes encased in flesh.” “Tubes on the Tube,” declares Ted. “Metaphorically and literally.” They get off at Richmond and walk to the green. “So what’s it to be?” Ted goes on. “Trick play?” “Kansas City Shuffle,” says Beard. “They look right, we go left.” “Old school. I like it.” Ted nods. “Think I might throw in a Lasso Special, spice things up a bit.” “You’re going to use the Lasso Special for this?” Beard eyeballs him. “You’ve been sitting on that one for years.” “I feel it’s time,” says Ted, stroking his moustache with relish, like the supervillain he totally isn’t. “Now or never, Andrew Lloyd Webber.” “Your call, chief.” They stop at the top of the ridge. “Gosh darn, but it is a pretty how town,” says Ted admiringly. “Kansas City bore me, Richmond and Kew undid me.” “Weialala, baby.” Beard peers into the distance. “They say you can see Windsor Castle from here.” “You know what Windsor Castle looks like?” Beard shrugs. “Think it’s kinda round on the top. You thought about crew?” “This is a big ‘un. We gotta have the basics - a Keanu, a Travolta, a Mick Taylor. I’m thinking a Charlie Bird, too. You want we should go for a Leo or a JLo?” “JLo. Keeps things fresh. Lasso Special needs a Tom Hardy.” “Add that to the list. Rebecca says she’s got a Denzel in mind. And we should get a Stath, to be on the safe side.” “Huh. Are we expecting trouble?” “We should,” says Ted. “Let’s hope trouble ain’t expecting us.” Beard counts on his fingers. “Plus us, that’s eleven.” Ted nudges him, jocular. “It’s like we’re a football team.”

This is probably the dialogue scene that went through the most number of rewrites in any of my fics - it is extremely difficult to nail the flavour of Ted and Beard's banter, and I went through several versions before I was satisfied. I wanted this to sound like the way Danny and Rusty communicate in Ocean's Eleven, but with Ted and Beard's particular brand of psychic entanglement.

This conversation contains three things I love: 1) Tube facts (I am very nerdy about the London Underground); 2) e e cummings and T. S. Eliot poem references (in a single line, too!); and 3) that trope in heist movies where they only refer to things by their codenames, which the audience has to work out themselves. This is the full code index (which I made up).

Keanu => The Matrix => hacker Travolta => Grease => greaseman Mick Taylor => Rolling Stones guitarist on Sticky Fingers => pickpocket Charlie Bird => saxophonist Charlie "Bird" Parker => blow => demolitions Leo => Leonardo DiCaprio in Catch Me If You Can => male grifter JLo => Jennifer Lopez in Hustlers => female grifter Tom Hardy => Eames in Inception => forger Denzel => Denzel Washington => Inside Man Stath => Jason Statham => hitter

Thank you for playing this fic ask game!

[belmottetower]

fic rec fun

So wanted to get some hiatus rec lists going and encourage some self promo in my friends so how about sharing your top fics no matter how big or small - give us the links to your wonderful words with the Most hits/Most kudos/Most comments/Most bookmarks /Most words/Least words Tagged by @valonia47 Most hits:

and i'm known for giving love away The first fic in my main ot3 series, and probably the fic of mine that has been most popular since season 3. I'm not surprised really, if you left that season a fan of ot3 this might be the one for you. 26,302 hits. Summary:

Apparently this isn’t some fantasy scenario Keeley has dreamed up, and Roy is on board with the whole threesome thing. Jamie doesn’t need any more encouragement before saying yes to sex with two of the hottest people he knows. How the fuck do you cope with the beard. It’s so scratchy. Hate to think how raw you are down there. Keeley doesn’t take long to reply to his text. Shut up! Heard the second conversation went better than the first? 😏👨❤️💋👨 ------- In the first week back of pre-season training, Jamie’s misstep at the funeral finally comes back to bite him. Or does it? When Keeley and Roy approach him with a very unexpected offer — an invite into their bed — Jamie isn't one to look a gift horse in the mouth, even if he wishes it was more than just sex.

Most kudos

This is the same as above and has 1,649 kudos so I'm going to cheat and plug my second most kudosed fic too.

I Get By With A Little Help

This is the first in a Roy/Jamie, canon divergent season 2 AU that follows the events of the season fairly closely, but with one change at the start affecting Jamie's relationships and actions. 1,030 kudos. Summary:

He can’t hang out with the boys, but he hates going home too. He hates being alone in his new flat, terrified that his dad will find out where he lives now and send them after him again. He’s taken to hanging round the club after training. He’ll find a quiet place to sit, pull out his book, and settle in for as long as he can before the stadium locks up for the night and he's forced to leave. He’s onto the 34th book to read before you die — Emma — and is surprised by how much he likes it. In comparison to his own drama, gentle scandals and gossip are a nice escape. Today’s reading location is the boot room. The new kitman has some magic way of making it smell of lavender instead of sweaty feet, and if Jamie puts a couple of towels on the bench, it makes a nice pillow to sit on. Mr Knightley is in the middle of yet another stern lecture — in his head, Knightley looks a lot like Roy, but he's not sure Keeley quite fits as Emma — when the door bangs open. Jamie jumps and is surprised to see Keeley standing there instead of Will, a guilty look on her face. — After a traumatic event Jamie falls apart, then puts himself back together again. He does the hard work, but he has a little help. Most comments

Most bookmarks

Okay the first here was and i'm known for giving love away with 564 bookmarks. The second was I Get By With A Little Help with 387 bookmarks. I won't do a full summary of number three, but I'll cheat again and link to it. It's in a language that you can't read just yet, another ot3 fic with 229 bookmarks.

Most words

A Little Better, All The Time The Roy POV sequel to I Get By With A Little Help, so you'd probably want to read that first! 46,825 words. I'll be honest I think a couple of my other WIPs either are already longer, or will definitely end up longer, but not in terms of published words. Summary:

He’d known Tartt could do it, but knowing it and fucking watching that masterpiece of a goal happen with his own eyes are two very different things. And best of all, he got to feel responsible for it. He had gotten to set that in motion for Richmond, for his player. Ted grabs him in celebration, and Roy’s still roaring and oh, fuck. Careful what you wish for, Kent. Jamie’s seeking out his gaze, flipping him off from the middle of the pitch and smirking before accepting praise and hugs from the rest of the team, and Roy had wanted Jamie to spark some emotion in him, but this? This is electric, this is overwhelming. Roy wants to fucking run out there, grab him in a bear hug of his own, and not let go. This might become a new problem. ___ Roy wasn't about to admit it, but he'd been sort of excited to see Tartt again. Except when he returns to Richmond, Jamie is... different. On the pitch and off it, he’s quieter, more reserved, a shadow of the person Roy remembers from last season. He’s determined to get to the bottom of the change.

Least words

funnier than step brothers

Okay this is one of my AUgust fills, for a prompt where I was otherwise I bit stuck as to what I wanted to write. A rogue pairing for me - Colin/Isaac and very silly, but I will stick to the rules and link to it anyway. Word count 374. Summary:

“This is your fucking fault,” Isaac hisses at Colin from their place on the front pew. Colin’s not paying him any attention though, too busy wiping away his tears as he watches his dad marry Isaac’s mum. — Ted Lasso AU-gust Challenge Prompt #8: Adoptive Family

This was a lot of fun! I tag @goldiegaytime and @liesmyth to do it should you fancy it, no pressure though!

[fanficfanattic]

Got tagged by several lovely people because no one knew I’d already been tagged. Because it took me several hours to copy/paste WIP titles/first sentences into a document lolol. Super happy to finally make it happen though @orbitalpirate @kvetchinglyneurotic and @jamietarttdodododododo !

Game: put the titles of your WIPs, reguardless of how vague or uninformative they are and let people send asks about them. Tag some people, maybe the amount of WIPs you have.

A) I’m big in Ted Lasso so I’m only posting the 120 for this fandom. If someone wants the list of 50 for Dirk Gently or 2 dozen for My Hero Academia; just holler at me!

Battler

Choir Jamie

Jamie v Nate

Back’s Against the Wall, Takes the Hit For Us All

Block His Number

Sam's Dad Take 1

You've Become a Good Person

Jamie Forgives Nate

Season 2 era Dani/Jamie

"Higgins ""well I think if you care about"

Playlist Fic

Keeley Got Pregnant Season 1

A/B/O: All Roy's Headbutts Damage His Scent

James Tart Sr Plants Drugs

Jamie to Ted But Kind of Everyone.

Memories

Dad Like a Hornet

Season One or Two

Henry Calls Ted So He Can Talk to Jamie

Bus Ride Nightmare

Soulmate AU

Beard

Jamie's Coming Out Movies Playlists

Decided on LCA Because Healing Broken Ribs

Jamie's Aunties

One of the Georgie Brings a Video A..

DANI sharing his father

Patty Comes to Dressing Room to D..

RoyxJamie wedding fic

JamieDaniSam

Roy Saying Jamie Threw Away His Career

Roy Realizes Jamie is Scared at the Gala

Roy Kent's Pet

Jamie Nightmare on Bus Season 1 A..

Trust

Why He Had to Push Roy's Buttons

Why He Has to Be Great

Tom O'Brien/Paul Reynolds

James Tart Hurts Jamie Before His First Game Back

Pussy

Will Sees Jamie Injured & Hears Convo With Dad

Jamie's Trent Impression

You don't know anything about me!

Simon Shows Up to Take Jamie to A&E

Georgie The Harpoonist

Jamie's Make-a-Wish kids

"Georgie ""I taught him to fight but not how to stop"""

Poet Jamie

Jamie being overwhelmed with pleasure

Amy from LCA comes to visit s2 Jamie

Dani starts dating Jamie S1

Jamie's First Day Back Had a Responsible Meeting with Team

Jamie's Mom RE His Dad

Car Park Kid Video

Mystical Team Building

Jamie Comforts Phoebe Gets Hit By Roy

Ransom Fic

Georgie's Video Memories

Jamie & Jan

Jamie flirts with Paddy on the Pitch

Show Up: Convo with Phoebe

Nonsexual A/B/O: Sam is Jamie's Alpha

Ted Lasso and Dirk Gentle crossover

Lads Watch Porn

James & Bug Attack Jamie

Collar?

Every Text is A Crime

Roy Asks Keeley for Jamie Advice and Doesn't Ignore It

Georgie Gave Jamie to James to Protect Herself

Roy Sees Jamie’s Ass in a Mirror and Goes Gay

Family Day Positive Georgie

Season 1 Jamie has friends visit

Zava Multi-Chapter

Jamie Thinks Ted sent him back b/c injury

Led Tasso

Princesses and Dragon

Social Worker Jamie

Coach Crash: Pinned

S1 Jamie, Simon Dies

Time Loop

1.10: Will tries to stop James Tartt Sr

S2 Jamie kidnapped for fighting ring

Ted Laskmaster

Roy's Extra Special Football Baby

Gordon Ramsay Reminds Jamie of Someone

Paddy Insta Live

Touch Issues

Georgie Turns James In Season 2

James Fakes His Own Death

Someone Talks to Roy About How He Treats Jamie

Sam Learns to Top Season 1 Team

Yeah? Me old man thinks you and he are just alike

Teaching Phoebe Art Fic

Early Season 2, Team Tricks Jamie

Ted DOES Go in the Treatment Room

Isolation

S3 Declan/Jamie

1.06 Jamie Collapses on Pitch During Cone Duty

"""Roy Won't Hurt Me"""

Jamie's Issue with Dead People

Family Curse

Sold After LCA

Investigative Journalist

Group Home

Belted

James Visits S1 Richmond

Dani Checks Treatment Rooms after games

"""I like history, it’s already happened so it’s easier to understand"""

The Stands

Keeley Teaches Roy How to Teach Jamie

Trick Plays

Pacifier fic

Fresh Back S2 Jamie Helps Ted with Panic Attack

S2 Jamie Saves Girl From Getting Drugged

1.06 Jamie Panic Attack

James Beats Jamie for Getting Benched

You Told Me You Saw It

S2 Roy Breaks Tartt Silence but to Yell at Ted

Mind Games

S1 Jamie Ices Out Colin and Isaac

[bookgeekgrrl]

My media this week (21-27 May 2023)

ᵗʰᵉ ᵃᵏʳᵒⁿ ᵃʳᵗ ᵐᵘˢᵉᵘᵐ ʰᵃˢ ᵒⁿᵉ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ᶠᵉˡᶦˣ ᵍᵒⁿᶻᵃˡᵉᶻ ᵗᵒʳʳᵉˢ ᶦⁿˢᵗᵃˡˡᵃᵗᶦᵒⁿˢ ˢᵒ ᵗʰᵃᵗ ʷᵃˢ ᵃⁿ ᵘⁿᵉˣᵖᵉᶜᵗᵉᵈ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵉᵐᵒᵗᶦᵒⁿᵃˡ ˢᵘʳᵖʳᶦˢᵉ ⁽ᶦ ʷᵃˢ ᵗʰᵉʳᵉ ᶠᵒʳ ᵗʰᵉ ᵏᵉᶦᵗʰ ʰᵃʳᶦⁿᵍ ᵉˣʰᶦᵇᶦᵗ ʷʰᶦᶜʰ ʷᵃˢ ᵃˡˢᵒ ᶠᵃⁿᵗᵃˢᵗᶦᶜ⁾

📚 STUFF I READ 📚

🥰👂‍Sorcery & Cecelia: or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot (Cecelia and Kate #1) (Patricia C. Wrede & Caroline Stevermer, author; Lucy Rayner, narrator) - epistolary fantasy regency - formative & beloved and still a fave comfort read

😍Werewolves in the Workplace (leveragehunters (Monkeygreen)) - 45K, stucky AU, were!bucky, vamp!steve, SHIELD, partners-to-friends-to-lovers - fucking awesome fic!

🥰👂‍This Is How You Lose The Time War (Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone, author; Cynthia Farrell & Emily Woo Zeller, narrators) - this had been in my TBR forever but all the recent fuss with bigolas dickolas reminded me and made me bump it to the top - I genuinely loved it and am looking forward to rereading it; books with wibbly wobbly timey wimey stuff are good for a reread

🙂Politics and Animals (Kryptaria, zooeyscigar) - 73K, stucky no-powers modern AU with some D/s stuff - enjoyable enough and I don't regret finishing it but it left me kinda meh

🙂Pretty Good Neighbor (Jeffrey Ford) - freebie horror/sci fi short story

💖💖 +188K of shorter fic so shout out to these I really loved 💖💖

Relationship Goals: Have a Relationship (cleo4u2, xantissa) - MCU: shrunkyclunks, 21K - reread, fave - wrong number AU

bene castigat series (Nonymos) - MCU: no powers shrinkyclinks, clintasha, 69K - reread, forever fave - really excellent BDSM series with tiny sadist dom steve and beefy masochist sub bucky + lots of great appearances/involvement of clint, natasha & sam

Flex and Flexibility (musette22) - MCU: shrunkyclunks, 4K - adorable meet cute

Push It (thepinupchemist) - MCU: stucky+peggy, 8K - modern AU, basically 3some pwp: they're all alternative models doing a lingerie photoshoot that turns into sex. very hot

i'm so in love that i might stop breathing (i wanna brainwash you into loving me forever) (instantcaramel) - Ted Lasso: Keeley/Roy/Jamie, 4K - post 3.11, jamie's not sure how he fits in but roy & keeley reassure him

My Heart Belongs to Captain Rogers (lavenderbucky) - MCU: stucky, 2K - established relationship, super cute accidental clothes sharing leads to social media meltdown (positive)

📺 STUFF I WATCHED 📺

Um, Actually - s3, e2-7; s8, e5

Ted Lasso - s3, e11 [x2]

Ghosted

🎧 PODCASTS 🎧

The Sporkful - Comic Jamie Loftus’s Hot Dog Summer

Into It - ‘The Little Mermaid’ and the Black Princess Test

Re: Dracula - May 24: It Never Rains but it Pours

Vibe Check - You’re the Warm up Act, Honey

⭐You Are Good - Steel Magnolias w. Ali Soukovich

Re: Dracula - May 25: Mingle Our Weeps

Pop Culture Happy Hour - Tina Turner

Richmond Til We Die: A Ted Lasso Podcast - Willing a Roy Kent and Jamie Tartt Duet Into Existence (with Julie Stewart-Binks)

The Waves Plus - I Don’t Care If You Like Me

Re: Dracula - May 26: Count Me in Every Time

Into It - Are We Into the End of 'Succession' and HBO Max? (Plus: We Remember Tina Turner)

Pop Culture Happy Hour - The Little Mermaid and What's Making Us Happy

Ologies with Alie Ward - Field Trip: A Hollywood Visit to the Writers Guild Strike Line

⭐Sidedoor - The Funk List

Our Opinions Are Correct - Mini Episode: Our Favorite New TV Show of 2023!

Our Opinions Are Correct - MINI EPISODE: Are People Finally Sick of Superhero Movies?

Switched on Pop - Listening 2 Daft Punk: Discovery

99% Invisible #538 - Train Set: Track Three

⭐Twenty Thousand Hertz+ - Vocal Stratosphere

Hit Parade Plus - The Bridge: The Sun Never Set on the Britpop Empire

Shedunnit - Bonus: Julia Jones on Margery Allingham

🎶 MUSIC 🎶

Relaxing '80s Rock

my 'Likes' playlist [every song is a certified banger but it is almost 600 songs long and took me 5 days to get thru. no regrets!]

[rootingfordorks]

okay, this fic I'm writing (The Year of the Crush) is from Ted's POV. buuuut, i love me some Trent and wanted to get into his head. so here's a little cutscene from Trent's perspective. It picks up exactly where chapter 2 ends.

...

Trent fell back against his pillows with an undignified humph. The bed still smelled like sex, he was still naked, and Ted was gone.

"So it's done" echoed in his head, Ted's last words warring with "goodbye, Trent Crimm." Each was worse than the last, hammering home the severity of his mistakes. Mostly getting himself into this situation in the first place.

First, planning to write a book about Richmond as a way to get closer to his crush. Even though at the time he believed Ted was straight, what had he thought would happen? That they would build a close friendship, and Trent's feelings would deepen, and he'd somehow convince Ted to be attracted to him? Trent wasn't the kind of guy who thought you could convince someone to stop being straight.

And then, when Ted told him about his own crush on Trent, he had acted on pure instinct. He was only human, after all - a gorgeous, funny, kind man returns his feelings and he shouldn't kiss the hell out of him?

But Ted thought he wasn't interested in a romantic relationship. Ted thought that it was just about sex for Trent. Again, Trent thought, I've fucked up.

He glanced at the time on his phone, then hit the first number in his favorite contacts list. She picked up on the third ring.

"Hey babe, what's up? Isn't it kind of late there?" Sandi's voice was a balm for his frazzled nerves.

"Just past midnight, yeah," Trent agreed. He paused, unable to figure out how to start this confession.

"That's pretty late for you, old man," she teased. He could hear the smile in her voice. "Is everything alright?"

"...no," he admitted quietly. Trent heard Sandi's soft, compassionate noise, and continued: "I mean, I'm still employed, I'm healthy, no one's dead."

"Thanks for clarifying," Sandi said. "Are you laying down? Your voice sounds weird."

"Yeah, I'm in bed." He paused, and this time Sandi stayed quiet, waiting him out. "You remember when I was telling you about Ted Lasso?"

"The straight football coach you've been crushing on? Sure."

"He's not straight," Trent said. "He came out by telling me he had a crush on me."

"Hey, congrats! That's good news, right?"

"Except for the fact that I can't date him while I'm writing this book."

"Fair point."

"And that I've been sleeping with him for the last month and a half."

"Oh."

"And he thinks it's just physical, for me. And I told him no one can know, but he wants to come out publicly and we would get caught once everyone knows he's bi and..."

"Take a breath, babe."

"Right. Sorry."

"So you're secretly sleeping with your crush, but he doesn't know you're into him?" Sandi clarified. He could picture her in her Philadelphia flat, sitting curled up on the sofa and twirling her long hair around one finger. He wished she were still only a train ride away.

"Well, I was. We... he ended things tonight, and he said... That's how I found out he thought - he thinks I'm only interested in him sexually."

"Oof," Sandi said. When Trent didn't say anything more, she asked: "What are you going to do?"

"Nothing," Trent replied. He sat up in bed and reached into his bedside table for a small notebook. "I mean, journal about it and mope a bit, probably. And then do what I should've done from the start and ignore my fucking inconvenient feelings."

"Trent."

"Let him think it's just physical," Trent continued, on a roll now. He ran a hand through his already-mussed hair. "It's not like I have anything to offer him. I will not let this book be overshadowed by a scandal. Why does it matter how I feel? There's nothing to be done about it anyway. I-"

"Trent, shut up," Sandi said firmly. He shut up. "I know you're hurting, and this is a difficult situation. But you know that your feelings matter." Trent rolled his eyes. "No, listen," she continued as though she'd heard the eye roll. "You know he likes you, and you like him, but you can't date yet."

"I don't know that he wants to date me," Trent interrupted. "He wasn't going to do anything about the crush when he told me, he just..." Trent trailed off. What had Ted wanted?

"It's a safe bet, babe," Sandi said. "That's what most people mean by having a crush. Anyway, my point was going to be that you should clear things up with him so he knows how you feel. Then, see what happens. So maybe you're waiting a while, that's better than giving up before you've given it a chance."

"I dunno, Sandi," Trent said. "He's going to start dating soon... He wants to be with someone now, not in six months. Or even longer, depending on when the book's actually done and it won't be a scandal."

Sandi paused, and Trent stewed in his thoughts. He wasn't sure when it would be okay to start dating the subject (one of the subjects) of a book he wrote. When the manuscript was done? When it was published? After he'd done publicity for the book?

"I maintain that you can't know that unless you ask him," Sandi finally said, tactfully. "But I understand not wanting to take that step. You know I'm here for you either way, babe. Call and text me as much as you need to."

They said their goodbyes and hung up. Trent didn't feel any better about the situation with Ted, but he thought maybe he'd be able to weather it. He could always turn to his friends for a listening ear.

[mikegunnill]

111 years since the Titanic sank.

There are many stories about the sinking of the Titanic and the people who sailed on her. This my story; originally published in Bygone Kent magazine issue:37 Number 2, over 8 pages.

The Titanic sank on the 15th April 1912. Of the 2,223 onboard, 1517 were lost.

Many were searching for a new life in the United States. One of these was 36-year-old Kate Buss 1873-1972 from Sittingbourne, Kent. She was making the journey alone to marry her Kent-born fiancé, Samuel Willis in San Diego in California. Kate survived and they married three weeks after the disaster.

Picture: Kate Buss before leaving Kent.

Samuel Willis ran a tailor’s shop in Sittingbourne, first in the High Street and then later at 110 East Street. Kate Buss was born at 37 Shakespeare Road, Sittingbourne. In 1901 her father James Buss was listed as a grocer-postmaster at 68 Shortlands Road, Sittingbourne.

Picture: Kate Buss, birth home in Sittingbourne, Kent.

Samuel Willis sailed to America in 1908 and settled in San Diego and then opened his own grocery store. Saving enough, to send money back to Kent to pay for his wife-to-be voyage. Kate sailed on a second-class ticket for E-Deck, number 27849, which cost £13.

At 11.40pm on the 14th April she heard a crash and went on deck. Meeting a friend, she returned to her cabin and put more clothes on, then returned on deck. Along with a female friend they were escorted to lifeboat Number 9. Kate later wrote to a friend, Elsie Sparkes in Halling, Kent: “ I’d just my nightdress, my dressing gown and a long coat. It was terribly cold by the iceberg.”

“ I’ve lost everything to remind me of home, all my photographs, my letters, everything except my rings and watch.”

Lifeboat Number 9 was lowered at 1.30am and it was picked up by the Carpathia at 6.15am. The ship picked up 712 people from 13 lifeboats. The rescue ship arrived at Pier 54 in New York at 9.25pm on the 18th April.

Picture: The lifeboat arriving off the rescue ship; Carpathia.

Staying in the east side of New York at the home of; Reverend William Dalziel 1855-1935 and his wife, Emma 1856-1921, formally of Greenstreet near Faversham. Kate wrote to her mother in Sittingbourne.

“ I do hope you don’t believe most of the newspaper stories. I am well and want you to know this. I have been preserved from reporters, who have been trying to find me.”

She later left New York and started the journey to San Diego, where she was reunited with Samuel Willis. Kate wrote several letters to friends in Halling, near Rochester. “ They had to haul me up the last few steps of the rescue ladder and then someone wrapped me in a rug. I had hot brandy and water in the saloon.”

The memory of the terrifying climb, she said would stay with her for the rest of her life.

Kate married Samuel Willis as planned on Saturday, 11th May 1912.

Picture: Kate Buss and Samuel Willis.

Kate Willis never spoke in public about the tragedy but did so in private, when she became emotional. She successfully avoided the press and didn’t testify to either, to the American or the British boards of inquiry.

In one of the few public statements she made, Kate said: “ I willingly would have waited, if I had known how few lifeboats there were.”

On the 12th July 1972, Kate Buss Willis died in Independence, Oregon. On her gravestone her daughter added a,  “ Titanic survivor.”

Picture: Kate Buss Willis in 1950.

Passengers from Kent who died during the Titanic disaster were:

William Thomas Bevan,19 of 95 Richmond Road, Gillingham.

Harry Bristow, 39 of Station Parade, Shortlands, Bromley.

Richard Henry Rouse, 50, of 30 New Road, Sittingbourne.

Thomas Leonard Theobald, 34, 8 Cromer Street, Strood.

Alfred Rush,16, a friend of the Theobald family.

Bernard John Boughton, 25, of 12 Hardinge Road, Ashford.

Percival Thorneycroft, 36 of Bearsted.

Frank Goldsmith, 33 of 22 Hone Street, Strood.

A more complete version was published in Bygone Kent magazine. http://bygonekent.org.uk/

Relations of the Buss and Willis families, helped with details used in this article.

(c) Mike Gunnill 2023.

[richmondtigersblog]

Adem Yze Oozes Optimism

As the draft quickly approaches, Coach Adem Yze reflects on his first year as spearhead of the Richmond Football Club and looks forward to taking the next steps towards elevating the club to new heights.

After what was a very challenging year that was riddled with injuries, the Tigers only managed to finish with a Home and Away record of 2-21, concluding the 2024 season in 18th position, first-year coach Adem Yze wants to reassure the Tiger faithful that every cloud has a silver lining, and this cloud’s lining is the club’s future.

“I obviously understand the frustration the fans felt during this season, but I’m very optimistic about what’s to come for the club. With a strong draft hand, we’re expecting to get an influx of some very talented youth so with another year to learn the way we want to play and hopefully better luck with injuries, I can definitely see drastic improvements for the 2025 season”

Following the departure of premiership heroes Liam Baker, Jack Graham, Shai Bolton and 2024 Best and Fairest Daniel Rioli, the Tigers are heading into the 2024 National Draft with the strongest hand in the league having 8 picks within the first 24 to rebuild their young list. Despite this, Adem believes in his current list and has high expectations for his playing list:

“We can talk about age and experience all day, but the reality is that we still have a lot of experienced players leading the club. We still have a number of premiership players taking the field each week, so I don’t want to buy into the age rhetoric. Everyone at the club, including the players knows that we didn’t perform at our best this year, so everyone is pretty keen to head back out there and get a bit of that respect back, and I think that we will.”

Despite the trials and tribulations, Adem faced during his first year as coach, he reflects on his personal experiences as a head coach and looks to what the future will look like for himself and the Richmond Football Club.

“I’ve been around Football for a long time now, and you think you’ve seen everything the game can give you, but being coach offers you an experience like no other, it’s a very complex job because it’s so stressful and time-consuming, but watching your players go out there every week and give it their all and watching young players develop is just such a rewarding feeling. So, I’m overjoyed to be at a club with such a rich history and am looking forward to creating some of our own.”

The 2024 AFL National Draft takes place on the 20th – 21st of November, tune into the coverage on Fox Footy.

WATCH: https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/latest-news

[exactlycleverbread]

What Are the Key SEO Strategies for Businesses in Melbourne?

In Melbourne's lively and competitive business market, having a strong online presence is critical to success. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is an important aspect of digital marketing that allows businesses to improve their visibility on search engines. With the right SEO strategies, businesses can attract more visitors to their websites, convert leads into customers, and ultimately increase revenue. In this blog post, we'll explore key SEO strategies tailored for businesses in Melbourne, emphasizing the importance of search engine optimisation Melbourne services and digital marketing companies.

Understanding the Importance of SEO in Melbourne

Melbourne, known for its dynamic economy and diverse market, offers immense opportunities for businesses. However, standing out among the competition is a challenge. This is when successful SEO methods come into play. SEO is the activity of improving your website and online content to appear higher in search engine results pages (SERPs), increasing its visibility to potential buyers.

Given the increase of online commerce and the growing reliance on digital platforms, companies cannot afford to ignore the importance of SEO. An effective SEO strategy boosts organic traffic, which is typically more sustainable and cost-effective than paid advertising.

Key SEO Strategies for Businesses in Melbourne

1. Local SEO Optimization

Local SEO is particularly important for businesses in Melbourne. Many customers search for products or services within their vicinity, and optimizing for local search can help you attract these potential clients.

Key Steps for Local SEO in Melbourne:

- Google My Business: Create and optimize your Google My Business (GMB) profile. Ensure that all information, including your address, contact number, and business hours, is accurate. Regularly update your GMB with posts, respond to reviews, and upload high-quality images of your business.

- Local Keywords: Incorporate local keywords in your content. For instance, if you run a café in Richmond, use phrases like "best café in Richmond" or "Richmond coffee shop" throughout your website content and meta tags.

- Citations and Listings: Ensure your business is listed in online directories and review sites that are relevant to Melbourne. Consistent Name, Address, Phone Number (NAP) information across listings reinforces trust and improves local search rankings.

2. Quality Content Creation

Content is the foundation of every good SEO campaign. To attract visitors and keep them on your website, you must offer relevant, meaningful, and interesting content for your target demographic.

Content Strategies:

- Blogging: Publish blog pieces on a regular basis that address typical queries or concerns raised by your target audience. This not only helps with SEO but positions your business as an authority in your field.

- Local Insights: Focus on local topics that resonate with Melbourne residents. This could include local events, news, or cultural aspects relevant to your industry.

- Multimedia Content: Incorporate different types of content such as videos, infographics, and podcasts. These formats can enhance user engagement and improve SEO metrics.

3. On-Page SEO Optimization

On-page SEO refers to any procedures that may be used directly on your website to increase its ranking. This involves improving content quality, title tags, URLs, and meta descriptions.

Essential On-Page SEO Practices:

- Keyword Research: Identify and utilize high-traffic keywords related to your business that Melburnians are searching for. Use Google Keyword Planner or SEMrush to locate relevant keywords.

- Optimized Titles and Descriptions: For each page, create a unique and meaningful title tag and meta description. Make sure they contain your goal keywords and are appealing enough to promote clicks.

- Mobile Responsiveness: Given the growing amount of mobile visitors, it's critical that your website be mobile-friendly. Google's ranking system emphasizes mobile-responsive websites.

4. Link Building

Building a good backlink profile is critical to increasing your website's authority and search rankings. Links from credible websites increase your site's trustworthiness.

Link Building Strategies:

- Guest Blogging: Submit guest posts to trustworthy local blogs or news websites. This not only allows you to reach a larger audience, but it also generates valuable backlinks.

- Collaborations: Partner with other local businesses for promotions or events. This can lead to mutual backlinking and greater visibility.

- Local Sponsorships: Supporting local events or charity might result in backlinks from their websites.

5. Technical SEO

Technical SEO guarantees that your website fits the technical specifications of search engines. A well-structured website allows search engines to crawl and index your content more efficiently.

Technical SEO Checklist:

- Site Speed: Optimize your website's loading speed. A slow website can deter visitors and negatively impact your rankings. Tools like Google PageSpeed Insights can help you assess and improve your site speed.

- XML Sitemap: Generate and submit an XML sitemap to Google. This file assists search engines in understanding your site's structure and discovering new pages.

- Secure Your Site: Ensure your site uses HTTPS. Security is a priority for Google, and secure sites rank better.

6. Monitoring and Analytics

Analytics are critical for evaluating the effectiveness of your SEO strategies. Regularly monitor your site's performance using tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console.

Metrics to Track:

- Traffic Sources: Understanding where your traffic is coming from will help you adjust your approach.

- Keyword Rankings: Keep track of your keyword rankings to see which keywords are working well and which require further attention.

- Conversion Rates: Measure conversion rates to understand the effectiveness of your overall SEO strategy in turning visitors into customers.

In the competitive landscape of Melbourne's business ecosystem, adopting effective SEO strategies is crucial for growth and success. Local SEO optimization, excellent content production, on-page and technical SEO, and smart link building may all help businesses improve their online presence dramatically.

Partnering with a reputable digital marketing company Melbourne may help you magnify your SEO efforts since they provide specialized SEO services Melbourne that are aligned with your business objectives. As Melbourne continues to grow as a digital market, investing in robust business marketing strategies Melbourne is essential for staying ahead of the competition.

Adopt these tactics and see your business prosper in the digital era!

[jules-has-notes]

Total Vocal 2018 — a cappella concert

Beginning in 2015, a cappella legend Deke Sharon has hosted an annual concert each spring in collaboration with Distinguished Concerts International New York (DCINY). The hundreds of performers for Total Vocal include a combination of professional singers, student groups, and community groups of all ages from around the world.

For the fourth year in 2018, the featured artists were VoicePlay; Matt Sallee, who had just joined Pentatonix; Shelley Regner from the Pitch Perfect movies and the newly formed DCappella; and the Shemesh Quartet, a choral ensemble made up of opera students from the National Conservatory of Music in Mexico City.

The show was livestreamed via Facebook for the first time in its history, and the recording was later uploaded to YouTube in two parts.

.

Act 1 performances

[1:30] — "I Got the Music In Me" by the Kiki Dee Band — ensemble, feat. Lydia Browell, Gabriella Derke, Alexis DiLucia, Kat Hammock, Mary Laster, Chloe Mesogitis, Sara Parker, Alexandra Prodanuk, Carson Richmond, & Hannah Salley

[6:38] — "(Get Your Kicks On) Route 66" by Nat King Cole — ensemble

[11:58] — "Toxic" by Britney Spears (arr. from Pitch Perfect 3) — women's ensemble

[16:35] — "Don't Know Why" by Norah Jones — Room 100 (Peters Township HS, Pittsburgh, PA)

[21:15] — "Proud Mary" by Tina Turner — men's ensemble

[25:15] — "Lollipops and Roses" by Jack Jones — ensemble

[29:30] — Latin medley — Shemesh Quartet

[37:40] — "When She Loved Me" by Randy Newman for Toy Story 2 (arr. for DCappella) — ensemble

[42:00] — "Mercy" by Duffy — Evolve (Chesapeake HS, Pasadena, MD)

[47:00] — Percussion solo — Layne Stein

[49:20] — "Sing Sing Sing" by Louis Prima — ensemble, feat. Layne Stein

[53:45] — "All Night Long" by Lionel Richie (arr. from The Sing-Off, s.3,ep.5) — ensemble, feat. Matt Sallee & Layne Stein

.

Act 2 performances

[0:58] — "Use Somebody" by Kings of Leon (arr. from The Sing-Off, s.2,ep.2) — ensemble, feat. Amanda Gomma Allan, Clare Cay, Jenna Dearness-Dark, Sarah Jackson, Gwendolen James, Madeleine James, Abigail Moore, Daniel Peet, Dennis Seifert, Penelope Simpkins, Anya Small, Emily Summerling, & Jaimie Volkaerts

[5:40] — "Deep Beneath the City" / "Not There Yet" from In Transit — ensemble, feat. Kari Francis

[11:30] — "Waving Through A Window" from Dear Evan Hansen — VoicePlay

[16:40] — "Dangerous Woman" by Ariana Grande (arr. for Vocalosity) — women's ensemble

[22:05] — "Royals" by Lorde — Psycho-Chor der FSU Jena (Jena, Germany)

[27:30] — "F You" by Lily Allen (arr. from Pitch Perfect) — ensemble, feat. Candice Helfand-Rogers

[30:00] — "When I'm Gone" by The Carter Family (aka "Cups" from Pitch Perfect) — No Treble (Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bangalore, India)

[33:15] — "Walkin' On Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves (arr. for Groove 66) — ensemble, feat. Shelley Regner

[37:40] — "If I Loved You" from Carousel (arr. for the San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus) — ensemble

[40:45] — "Summertime" from Porgy and Bess — ensemble, feat. Deke Sharon & Kari Francis

[46:00] — "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" by U2 (arr. from The Sing-Off s.1,ep.4 & 2015 national tour) — ensemble, feat. VoicePlay, Candice Helfand-Rogers, Shelley Regner & Matt Sallee

[49:40] — "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" by The Tokens — ensemble, all featured guests, & audience

.

Trivia:

The show received glowing praise from Jeffrey Williams on the New York Concert Review site.

A full list of the participating vocal groups can be found on the DCINY website.

Shelley Regner was also a featured performer at the first Total Vocal in 2015.

Layne recorded a bit of the group finale number during rehearsal on the day before the concert.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Layne Stein (@laynestein)

Fellow beatboxer Kari Francis got the reverse angle.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kari Francis (@huzzahcappella)

J.None filmed a quick video at the post-show dinner with the other featured performers and friends, including some of his and Shelley's fellow DCappella members, as well as Bryant Vance and Hannah Juliano from Vocalosity. (scroll to the second-to-last slide)

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by J.None 🧈🎶 🎙📝🎬🎹🎸📽🤣 (@itsjnone)

The Shemesh Quartet documented their trip in a video, mostly the travel, sightseeing, and rehearsal parts.

The director of the Rock Vox Choir from Ely, England also recorded much of her group's journey. The VoicePlay guys can be seen during rehearsals starting at ~18:45.

.

Additional photos

[ameleco05]

In stock (5 units), ready to be shipped！

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[internationalrealestatenews]

[ad_1] Keswick, Va. | $9.995 MillionAn 1856 property with 5 bedrooms and 5 and a half loos, on a 286-acre lotThis home, listed on the Nationwide Register of Historic Locations, has been up to date by the sellers, who put in new home equipment, a brand new electrical system and new plumbing throughout renovations, and in addition uncovered authentic floorboards and an authentic kitchen hearth, which is now the centerpiece of a lower-level den.The property is a few half-hour drive from the College of Virginia, in Charlottesville. Driving to Richmond or Fredericksburg takes simply over an hour. Washington is 2 hours away.Dimension: 7,586 sq. ftWorth per sq. foot: $1,318Indoors: An extended, gated driveway leads from the street as much as the primary home, the place a paved path connects to the entrance entrance.The entrance doorways open right into a lobby with excessive ceilings and authentic wooden molding. To the fitting is a lounge with a hearth that has a easy white mantel and tall, deep-set home windows overlooking the grounds. To the left is a eating room with one other hearth, extra tall home windows and a crystal chandelier.The eating room connects to a vibrant kitchen outfitted with custom-made Officine Gullo elements and a middle island with a soapstone counter. A powder room can also be on this a part of the home.The rear corridor, accessible from the kitchen and the lobby, has a grand flying staircase that results in the three bedrooms on the second flooring.The first suite, to the fitting of the stair touchdown, has a hearth and home windows overlooking the grounds within the bed room; the lavatory, which was as soon as a visitor room, has one other hearth, a bathe with a glass door and a deep soaking tub. The opposite two bedrooms, throughout the corridor, are every large enough to carry a queen-size mattress and have en suite loos.The steps proceed to the highest degree, which holds a den, two extra visitor rooms and a full toilet.One other den and a pub with a built-in bar are on the bottom degree of the home, the place there was as soon as a kitchen. A full toilet, a laundry room and a mudroom are additionally on this degree.Out of doors house: The property consists of a number of buildings, together with a visitor cottage with a kitchen, a basic pink barn and a workshop that could possibly be used as an artwork studio or occasions house. There's a pool inside strolling distance of the primary home, together with a pool home in what was as soon as the carriage home, with a toilet and a laundry room. There may be ample house for parking within the driveway, and loads of room so as to add a storage.Nantucket, Mass. | $9.995 MillionA 2005 compound with three buildings and a complete of six bedrooms, six full loos and two half loos, on a 0.5-acre lotThis property, which features a fundamental home, a just lately constructed guesthouse and a pool home, is a few mile from the Nantucket Historic District, placing it inside a simple drive, bike trip or stroll of the city’s retailers and eating places, in addition to Kids’s Seashore, one of many island’s most liked waterfront spots. A Cease & Store grocery retailer and Cisco Brewers, a well-liked distillery, are additionally close by.In the summertime, high-speed ferries make the journey to Hyannis, on Cape Cod, in about an hour, whereas common ferries take about two hours to succeed in the mainland.Dimension: 4,045 sq. ftWorth per sq. foot: $2,471Indoors: The primary home is about again from the road, with the doorway on the finish of a coated porch.The entrance door opens right into a lobby with hardwood flooring and entry to a powder room. Past is an open residing space with a modern fuel hearth framed by white shiplap; a eating space; and entry to the facet porch and a den used as a media room.The adjoining kitchen has stainless-steel home equipment; a tiered island with house for a number of bar stools; a window over the sink looking onto the swimming pool; and stairs to the decrease degree.

A bed room with an en suite toilet that has a walk-in bathe is off the kitchen.The second degree, reached from a staircase close to the lobby, is configured as one giant major suite, with sloped ceilings, built-in cabinetry, a dressing space with a number of giant closets, and a full toilet.Two extra bedrooms and two full loos are on the bottom degree of the primary home, together with a laundry room and a lounge with French doorways that open to a sunken brick patio.Throughout the pool from the primary home is a guesthouse with two bedrooms and two full loos, together with a lounge and a kitchen.At one finish of the pool is a pool home with a half toilet, a kitchenette and an outside bathe.Out of doors house: The pool between the primary home and the guesthouse is surrounded by a bluestone deck with a built-in fireplace pit. 4 off-street parking spots are on the entrance of the property.Taxes: $31,700 (estimated)Contact: Bernadette Meyer, Maury Individuals Sotheby’s Worldwide Realty, 508-680-4748; sothebysrealty.comHinsdale, Ailing. | $9,999,999A 1913 Colonial Revival home with eight bedrooms, seven full loos and two half loos, on a 2.8-acre lotDesignated Home Lovely journal’s Complete Residence of 2023, this home was adorned by 15 design corporations led by feminine designers who collaborated with J. Jordan Properties, a builder, to create a showplace of décor. Supplies used embody English pine paneling, custom paint and wallpaper, and, in a single room, a repurposed 18th-century chimney piece.The property is half a mile from Brook Park, which has an open inexperienced house and pickleball courts, and a few five-minute drive from retailers, eating places and the practice station on the middle of the village. Driving to Chicago takes about half an hour.Dimension: 13,879 sq. ftWorth per sq. foot: $721Indoors: A brick driveway leads from the road to the portico-covered entrance on the entrance of the home.To the fitting of the lobby, which is roofed in a moody blue-and-green floral wallpaper and has entry to a powder room, is a research with a gilded built-in bar and one other powder room.Straight forward is a sitting room with parquet flooring. Off this house are a den with built-in bookshelves lined in plaid wallpaper; a eating room completed with Chinoiserie-style wallpaper and shiny blue paint; and an ethereal lounge with elaborate, white-painted woodwork and pale pink partitions. Past the lounge is a sunroom with French doorways that open to a terrace overlooking a swimming pool.To the left of the lobby is a hallway with black-and-white tile flooring resulting in the kitchen, which has Monogram stainless-steel home equipment, built-in cookbook cabinets and entry to the rear staircase and to a breakfast room with a protracted marble bar. A visitor suite with a bed room, a pink-and-green sitting room and a full toilet papered in a pink-and-green toile print can also be on this a part of the home.Six extra bedrooms are upstairs, together with the first suite, which features a bed room with a hearth that has a hand-painted border, a sitting room and a toilet with black-and-white checkerboard flooring. This bed room connects to a different bed room that could possibly be used as a nursery or workplace. The opposite 4 bedrooms all have en suite loos.One other bed room and full toilet are on the bottom degree of the home, together with a celebration room that has orange partitions, built-in banquette seating and a bowling alley.Out of doors house: The home is surrounded by manicured gardens with mature timber, low hedges and fountains. The in-ground swimming pool is surrounded by a stone deck. The hooked up storage holds three automobiles.Taxes: $97,728 (estimated)Contact: Daybreak McKenna, Daybreak McKenna Group, Coldwell Banker Realty, 630-686-4886; dawnmckennagroup.comFor weekly e-mail updates on residential actual property information, enroll right here. [ad_2] Supply hyperlink

[adarshdevelopers5]

Top Real Estate Developers in Bangalore | Best Developers in Bangalore | Adarsh Developers

Adarsh Group is one of the Best Developers in Bangalore. They are listed among Bangalore's Top 10 Builders and Developers because of the calibre of their work and their strong work ethics. They have completed a number of residential, business, and hospitality projects, and in June 2019, Times Business named them the Best Developers in Bangalore

.

A real estate developer's job begins with the very first stages of negotiating a land purchase, obtaining funding, and carrying out the project's construction and customer delivery.

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[sidewalksurgeons]

Sprint 1

Throughout the course of our teams endeavors in finding solutions to Cathedral Pl sidewalks, our findings did put us on track to narrowing in on finding proper outcomes to why this needs to be addressed and who it will benefit the most. We all found adequate information prior to the first sprint and I am happy with what my team has produced thus far, so much so that it pushes me to do some deeper digging in my own research. However, I managed to find some adequate findings while conducting my portion of the research. I managed to cross off all of my research goals throughout the first sprint through observations made on Cathedral PL. Number 1 on my research goals was if people even cared & if anyone has tried getting the sidewalks fixed? And my answer was yes there have been, Listed below is a link regarding these findings and the lawsuits of the people. 

Furthermore,  my second and third goals revolved around observation, so I took the liberty of going to Cathedral PL and observing the scene myself to understand more of what it looked like in action with people navigating the scene. I constructed a table to tally my findings along with the conditions of the observation.  The table is shown below.

Bikes

8

People walking in the street

4

Scooter

4

Cars

4

People walking on the sidewalk from Monroe Park

72

Skateboards 

2

Handicapped 

0

Rolled Ankles

3

Stray Dogs

1

I also noticed a few things throughout my findings that proved noteworthy that I took down and shared them with my group ranging from hazards and obstacles and tendencies of commuters on sidewalks.  In addition I walked the sidewalks myself and put myself in the commuters shoes and took additional notes on my own tendencies to see how Id personally navigate the sidewalk. This sprint was fun and I learned a lot about Richmond and its history, I also found interest in conducting research outside of just sitting at a computer and it was actually a good experience. Moving forward into the next sprint I’ll plan on doing more observations under different conditions as well as incorporating interviews into my body of finding with my team.