#and the award for best lines in choices goes to…

[roseythorne]

jack monroe, the man that you are ❤️

[feudalconnection]

Get Ready...!!

It's the start of the 2nd Term 2024 Inuyasha Fandom Awards!

We hope everyone has had a good start to the year! A huge shout-out to everyone who participated last term and made it such a huge success! We look forward to all of the amazing new fanfiction and fanart to be shared with this beautiful community!

A special thank you goes out to @elevenharbor for donating her time and talent to creating banners for everyone! (If you have not received your award banner for last term, please reach out to one of the mods asap!)

We also wanted to let you know that the lovely @yukinon-writes has stepped down as being a moderator for FeudalConnection. She has brought such amazing elements to our awards, and we will always keep a mod-spot open should she wish to return.

With her parting, we've had a seamless transition in welcoming @the-lone-huntress into the fold, and we look forward to all of her ideas and innovations she brings with her.

At the end of last term, the voting form also included the possibilities of the Roulette Categories for this term, and we have taken the top choices for both Fanart and Fanfiction:

The Fanfiction Roulette Category for this term will be Best Rising Author. This is defined as: A piece crafted by an Inuyasha fandom creator who has not placed first, second, or third in any previous quarters. A category to recognize lesser-known authors and show them some love.

The Fanart Roulette Category for this term will be Best Underappreciated Fanart. This is defined as: An Art piece with under 100 notes or retweets, designed to highlight some of the newer or lesser known artists.

In addition, we are adding a Roulette Romance category for both Fanfiction and Fanart. This term the pairing chosen will be Inuparents (Inu no Taisho x Izayoi).

For Fanfiction, it will be defined as: Stories that have developed a believable romance between Inu no Taisho and Izayoi (aka Inuyasha's parents). "Believable" is subjective, and it is up to those nominating/voting to draw their own line on that quantifier and vote their "Best". This includes canon universe and AU/AR settings. A thruple can be included, but only if the focus is on Izayoi and Inu no Taisho's relationship.

For Fanart, it will be defined as: Any romantic depiction of Inu no Taisho and Izayoi (aka Inuyasha's parents).

The original Best Romance categories will remain, so all other pairings, including LGBTQ+, can be nominated into those categories. All other pairings will be up for voting again next term.

If it wasn't mentioned above, chances are it hasn't changed. Please be aware that the moderators always take suggestions regarding how the awards are run and category changes into consideration, and each new term may bring about new changes. You can read up on the most recent FAQs, Rules of Eligibility, and Categories for more information [these links are only available on desktop].

For ease of access on mobile, the FAQs, Rules of Eligibility, and Categories can be accessed through this link.

As nominators, please make sure that each term you take a peek at our list of creators who can’t be nominated to make sure you are staying current with who is eligible to be nominated.

Here you can find the mobile-friendly link for all current nominations for this term.

The 2nd Term 2024 nomination period will begin on May 1st and go until the end of the day May 15th. Please send your nominations in through the submit button! If you have any other questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to send in an ask or reach out to one of the mods! We are also frequently available on the FC Discord!

Mods: @classysassy9791, @ruddcatha, @dchelyst, @the-lone-huntress

Please reblog to spread the word of the start of the new term!

[xoxobuckybarnes]

December 2023 Stucky Fics

Completed

Treading Water (Rated: M, Words: 274K) by sparkagrace / @sparkagrace

Summary: Olympic swimmer Bucky Barnes always believed that when the time came to retire, he would walk away with his medals and world records firmly in the history books and never look back. He never thought the water would leave him first. ***Part of the series Lane Lines: Lane Lines (Rated: M, Words: 132K), Lumière (Rated: M, Words: 5K), & New Traditions (Rated: M, Words: 6K)***

Without You Here, We Are A Worse Version of Who We've Been (Rated: T, Words: 10K) by endlesstwanted / @endlesstwanted & art by Estelior / @estelior

Summary: Bucky has to plan how to do his physical therapy when, by chance, he finds therapist and gym owner Steve’s videos on YouTube. Located two blocks away and encouraged by his roommate, Bucky goes and meets Steve, gets the help he didn’t know he needed, and a couple of things more in the way.

you can't touch this (Rated: E, Words: 7K) by Kalee60 / @kalee60

Summary: Bucky had always been tactile, always shown his affection through touch and a closeness that generally drove Steve crazy. And it would have been totally fine - if Steve wasn’t head over heels in love with him. But he was - and Steve wasn’t sure what to do about it. Or the five times over the years Bucky touched Steve's ass and the one time Steve touched Bucky's.

For Steve (Rated: E, Words: 6K) by stuckytoyoulikeglue (malfoys_minx)

Summary: When Steve is awoken in the early hours of Christmas morning by his drunk roommate trying to literally climb into his stocking, he doesn't know what to think. After all, just because Bucky happens to be the only thing he's ever really wanted for Christmas, doesn't mean that this year his wish is finally going to come true, no matter what his friend's intoxicated ramblings might suggest...

Bucky Barnes and the Christmas Spirit (Rated: T, Words: 3K) by this_wayward_life

Summary: Bucky's never celebrated Christmas. Steve sets out to change that.

'tis the damn season by (Rated: M, Words: 10K) by captainswit

Summary: Steve Rogers is a hotshot, big-deal Hollywood actor. He’s had four indie movies released in the past couple of years, has won awards (even if they have all been People’s Choice awards, the Oscars is next!), and has a blockbuster action movie coming to theaters in a few weeks. He's home for the holidays and he's missed his hometown of Lehigh, and one inhabitant of Lehigh in particular, his former best friend and old flame, Bucky Barnes. 'Tis the season for baked goods, holiday parties, and awkward encounters.

Home is the Human Heart (Rated: T, Words: 3K) by aimmyarrowshigh

Summary: The number of people who will be crowded into the Common Room makes Bucky’s skin feel too tight. “I don’t think I want to go.” “Well, that’s okay, Buck.” Steve’s eyebrows draw in the middle like it’s not actually. “I don’t want you to feel unsafe.” He pauses. “Do you mind if I still go?” “Why would you go?” Bucky does mind, a little. He likes being alone with Steve better than being alone without him. “You aren’t Jewish.” -- Or, Bucky and Steve and two Hanukkahs: one in 1930 and one in 2015.

All I Want For Christmas Has Been You for More Than Seventy Years (Rated: E, Words: 9K) by Kellyscams / @thebestpersonherelovesbucky

Summary: It's Bucky's first Christmas back with Steve in 70 years, just a year since he's come to live with him and the Avengers. Steve's taking him away from the city for the occasion. Bucky assumes it's for his own safety; just in case the hustle and bustle of the New York Christmas Season triggers some of the Winter Soldier tendencies he's been fighting and learning to overcome. Bucky doesn't mean to take this impromptu trip personally. Doesn't want to be upset. But he's recently recalled and redeveloped his feelings for Steve. Feelings he never shared with him. Feelings he has no idea if Steve shares, so being alone with his super soldier buddy might not be something he's ready for. Only Steve's reasons for taking Bucky away might not be so black and white--or red and green as it may be. Christmas songs, snowball fights, ugly Christmas sweaters, confessions, and Bucky wrapped up in Christmas lights.

The Last Boyfriend (series) by Brenda / @brendaonao3

All Mixed Up (Rated: G, Words: 3K) Summary: Oh God, she was probably someone's wife or mother or something and he'd just made things ten times more awkward and – "Oh, I didn't mean – I mean, I didn't mean it like that, I just thought –" Then a large, masculine, warm hand slid into his, and a low, very male voice said: "Nat, you love new friends, don't be rude." "James, really?" "Yes, really." The hand in Steve's gently tugged. "C'mon, I'll buy you a coffee; you can be friends with me instead." Holiday Themed Meet Cute, based on this Tumblr prompt The Last Boyfriend (Rated: T, Words: 6K) Summary: "Oh wow, you, um..." Steve's eyes, so large and beautiful and the same dark-blue of the twilight sky, widened behind the black frames of his glasses as he stopped in front of their small group. "You're here." Bucky nodded in lieu of speaking. He didn't think he could make a sound if his life depended on it. And if he could, he was sure it would be some babbling combination of God you're gorgeous and I want to kiss you until your glasses fog up. Which probably wouldn't help his cause of trying to behave like an actual human being and not a total disaster. Or: Bucky and Steve have the fluffiest and most adorkable first date ever. Forever's A Good Place to Start (Rated: T, Words: 2K) Summary: Exactly one year after Bucky and Steve's first meeting at Gregory's Coffee, Bucky keeps his promise. AKA, the fluffy proposal fic that everyone voted for on Tumblr. :D

i've got a lot to pine about (Rated: M, Words: 6K) by cable-knit-sweater (cable_knit_sweater) / @cable-knit-sweater

Summary: Bucky loves Christmas, always has. Steve, however, his friend and fellow medical resident, struggles a little more during the holidays, especially now he doesn't have any family left. Bucky does his best to try to cheer him up a little and make sure that Steve will feel some of the holiday cheer. Thing is though, they're not just friends or colleagues. They've been hooking up for months, almost a year, and Bucky isn't sure how he's going to keep his feelings to himself for much longer. Because to him, this thing they have stopped being something casual a long time ago.

Found My Place in Time (Rated: E, Words: 12K) by humapuma / @humapuma & art by Cap_D

Summary: “Buck,” he heard Steve say, “wake up. We’re here.” Bucky opened his eyes and rolled his shoulders, trying to ease some of the tension out of his back. When Steve’s words sunk in, though, he turned and leaned forward, staring past Steve’s chest to look out the window. Beyond the wing of the plane, he found a beautiful coastline with white sand, blue waters, and palm trees, as well as rows of bungalows on the water. “Wow,” he murmured. “We’re staying in one of those, right?” - In which Steve invites Bucky on a trip to Fiji and they discover something a lot more than beautiful vistas and friendly locals.

Podfics

it's been a long, long time (Rated: NR) by semperfiona_podfic (semperfiona)

Summary: The Asset returns to the man's apartment three days after pulling him from the river.

A Place Called Home (Rated: T) by roseszain

Summary: New Years Eve. Suits. Party at Stark's place. Honesty happens.

WIP

Lost Vocabularies that Might Express (The Memory of These Broken Impressions) (Rated: E, Current Words: 82K) by dorian_burberrycanary / @burberrycanary

Summary: The worst of times, like the best, are always passing away. How’s that for some consolation on the road? A post-The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Stucky fix-it as part of the all-American road trip, detours included. ***Part of the series A Man Takes His Sadness Down to the River (The Consolation of Philosophy): The Same River, Twice (The Man Is Still Left with His Hands) (Rated: G, words: 4K), Still Left with the River (The Paradox of Motion) (Rated: G, Words: 14K), &  Not Language by a Map (The Grammar of Sensation) (Rated: E, Words: 20K)***

a league of our own(Rated: E, Current Words: 36K) by burning_brighter / @burning-brighter

Summary: Steve’s sixteen-year-old son’s one and only dream is to play in the Major League. He thinks he has a shot when the team get a new coach, retired MLB legend and Steve’s high school crush, Bucky Barnes. Steve hasn’t thought of the man in many years, but seeing him brings back many memories that push Steve to reach out to an old friend and maybe make new ones on the way. What happens when Steve gets to know Bucky properly? What happens when they open up about their darkest secrets and deepest fears? There’s really only one thing that can happen.

Every Me and Every You (Rated: M, Current Words: 5K) by deadto27 / @deadto27

Summary: Bucky Barnes is doing his best. He's getting by after the blip, after Sam became Captain America, after Steve...well, it's best he doesn't think about that. The point is, his life is different now, and he's trying his best. He just wishes the hollow feeling in his chest would go away. ----- Bucky gets blinded by a bright light as the tear seems to implode in on itself and there’s an odd little jolt as the pulling stops, and then Bucky’s blinking, trying to get his vision right again as he loosens his grip on America. “You okay?” he checks, still squinting. He’s probably not blind, he thinks. It just feels like it right now. “I’m okay,” America tells him and he sees her nod shakily as his vision starts to clear, and he carefully lets go of her, seeing that she can support herself, hands pressing onto the floor next to her. “Uh…I don’t think I am,” says another voice, and Bucky turns his head so fast he might give himself whiplash. Because he knows that voice. He knows that voice better than any other voice on the planet and he’s missed that voice, so, so much.

hey now, you’re an all star (get your game on, go play) (Rated: E, Current Words: 75K) by buckyismybicycle / @buckyismybicycle

Summary: Boston Bruins trade notorious party animal/human disaster Bucky Barnes to the Dallas Stars, and captain Steve Rogers is not impressed when Fury puts him on babysitting duties. But, as he gets to know Bucky - really gets to know Bucky - he wonders if maybe the media has got it all wrong - very, very wrong. PS - you do not need to know hockey for this, I promise.

Rereads

it always leads to you in my hometown (Rated: E, Words: 37K) by pineappleyogurt (musicforlife101)

Summary: Bucky doesn't want to talk about life in LA. Or the icy numbness in his chest. Or how shattered he is without Steve. Or how he doesn't know who he is anymore. Or the supposed choices he has to come home. But when Steve calls him babe out of habit, he decides to let him. At least for the weekend. It's a lesson in choices and consequences and finally figuring out what's important. -- You can't unmake a choice. Decisions in life aren't like making a bed or choosing a path. You made it, it's done. You don't unmake it or remake it like a do over. You just make a different choice and live with those consequences. Each day is a choice. And the consequences, good or bad, of staying here aren't the same as the consequences of coming back. Just like the consequences of leaving aren't the same as the consequences of staying gone.

[indigovigilance]

I was just reading through some of your meta, and was thinking about your one about Maggie being possessed by an angel. I was wondering if the fact that Nina is played by Nina Sosanya, who also played Sister Mary in season one, might be connected. I'm a bit late to the Good Omens series, has that ever been addressed? Seems odd to recast an actress as a different character in the same show, especially a show so detail orientated. Seeing as Maggie and Nina are mirrors for Aziraphale and Crowley, I'm idly wondering if they being secretly an angel, and former demon worshiper would simply would be to add an extra dimension, or if there is something more sneaky afoot. Like spies for each side watching the shop or some such.

Oh, my dear friend, it goes much deeper than that! Do not be bashful about arriving late to the game: I also did not watch S2 until about a month after it dropped, and didn't arrive on Tumblr until a month after that (literally made an account for the first time to join this fandom). The fact that I'm getting these asks at all is evidence enough that anyone can catch up. So here we go!

read on Ao3

(forgive the quality of some of these screengrabs, I'm having internet issues and Amazon is taking it out on the quality of my video)

Nina is played by Nina Sosanya, who in season 1 played Sister Mary Loquacious (I still love that name):

...and Maggie is played by Maggie Service, who in season 1 played a satanic nun as well, Sister Teresa Garrulous (inspired):

But the recycling of the first season's cast doesn't end there!

Shax is played by none other than the illustrious Miranda Richardson, returning after her delightful season 1 portrayal of Madame Tracy:

Reece Shearsmith plays Shakespeare in Season 1 and Furfur in Season 2:

Reece Shearsmith, Mark Gatiss who plays Mr. Harmony, and Steve Pemberton who plays Mr. Glozier, the [zombie] Nazis in both seasons,

worked together on the award-winning show League of Gentlemen. An article about it even appears on David Tennant's website (which I just found today, doing research for this response!). It's a fun little read, I recommend it for anyone who's interested in "the making of" type stuff.

Gatiss was also involved in Doctor Who, which is of course was (per my humble opinion) the crowning glory of David Tennant's career until he stepped into the snakeskin boots. The article indicates that all these actors have prior relationships with David Tennant and Michael Sheen and were very pleased to be cast for this show.

But notably, only Nina and Maggie are named after their actors. Given that they also play out a whole slew of fanfiction tropes (I don't think this connection has ever been written out in meta format but it is alluded to in various YouTube clipshows) it seems to be a Doylian *Clue* that something is a little bit wrong about these characters and their alleged romance.

Other than that, I think the fact that cast is being reused only tells us two things: First, these are wonderful actors and why go looking for new talent when you already have the best? Second, they love this work and they love working together on it, and the actors wanted to return just as much as Neil wanted them to continue bringing his vision to life.

I'm glad you enjoyed Maggie is Possessed, one of my very first metas! I can see that you are going in order along my meta index. If you would like to keep reading on this topic, others have contributed their thoughts on the subject, and I've linked some choice readings below:

Can't You Hear Them? by @vidavalor The Grand Unified Theory by @noneorother which addresses the slew of purportedly human characters that have oddly angelic/demonic traits What's Up with Maggie? - a chain started by @iammyownproblematicfave that I and others have contributed to

I hope that this line of inquiry gets more attention in the future. If you haven't already, the docs below are great resources to bookmark as they are constantly being updated by teams of dedicated clue-searchers:

Good Omens Crackpotting Theory Tracker Hunting for Clues

~~~

I love getting asks like this, thanks for giving me something to do while I wait for my laundry to finish. I'm so so happy that more people are arriving in this cuddly communal crucible of creativity, it's been a great community for me and I hope you join us on this whirlwind adventure of piecing together the million-piece jigsaw puzzle that Neil left for us to play with as we await Season 3!

[invisibleicewands]

Hello! I really love your film/series reviews! Could you provide your insightful look into "A Very Royal Scandal"?

Hi, Anonymous!

Well, thank you in advance for your trust, I'm not sure I can provide an interesting opinion to be honest, but since I've managed to watch it I'll try to tell you my random thoughts.

Honestly, when last year I first read the news of a movie with MS about Prince Andrew I was very skeptical. Not only for the topic, of course, but for the fear it could be a product like Vardy v Rooney.

Now, although I’ve found the movie not so essential (especially after another similar one at the beginning of this year), I think it's one of his best movies of the last decade. Maybe worthy of an award (finally!) with a bit of luck.

I had already seen the Netflix version “Scoop” months ago and I had found it good, well made, catchy. But compared to A Very Royal Scandal, I can say that Emily Maitlis was right saying that the Amazon version is 'another beast'. Not just because Scoop was more focused on Sam McAlister's research of infos about Prince Andrew's scandal than on the interview itself, but because in the Amazon version there is a deeper analysis of the main people involved in this interview, of their thoughts, of their worries, of their mindsets. Let's say that Scoop was more a kind of glossy "Working Girl", while AVRS is a mix of Frost/Nixon in The Crown environment, a real drama.

I really liked the suspence, the storytelling, the photography, the attention to the details. The story is never boring and goes forward flawless, with rythm, wisely built, even if the subject is delicate to handle, and this is not something that is so obvious nowadays. Then, the actors. All impeccable, not just Michael and Ruth but the supporting ones too. If I have to find a fault, I would say that Netflix probably chose actors more aesthetically resembling to the original characters (Keeley Hawes was a better choice for Amanda Thirsk for example), but fortunately this time the talent of the cast managed to compensate that part. Ruth really captured the essence of Emily, her grit, her spirit, her dedication to the work, more than what Gillian had done I think. She was really great, she gave a powerful performance not just as Emily but as a woman in general, brilliantly managing the responsibility of sending a strong message to the audience in the end.

And Michael. A professional as usual, never doubted. He played the role at 360 degrees, unsparingly, using all his art, his tricks and his experience, you can see it. He handled the part masterfully, with confidence, without wavering or shame. He portrayed the character brushing him with all those shades that only him can give. And here lays the problem, for me. The shades. Because even if it was necessary to give a certain meaning to the story, I think his character, Prince Andrew, didn’t deserve or own a so profound introspection (I know, he said he didn’t want to show his judgement about him, but I’m not so merciful, sorry). From this point of view, I found Rufus’ impersonation more suitable to describe the character attitude. Cold, superficial, creepy, rude, arrogant, egomaniac, frustrated, vapid, childish, stubborn and opportunist all at the same time. Maybe it’s because of his cute nose (a prosthetic would have been useful here, more than the weight he gained, true or false it can be…) but honestly Michael gave him a sense of compassion and a frailty that Prince Andrew doesn’t seem to have. The result is that I saw more Michael Sheen than Prince Andrew in this movie. I saw parts of his previous Bill Masters/Brian Clough/Roland Blum/David Frost/Aziraphale there (also a bit of Nye, though I didn’t really watch it) mixed together. Even parts of himself in real life, like during Staged. I could imagine him saying some of those lines in his real life, living some of those reactions for real. He felt so ‘transparent’ in some moments, and this is not a good feeling when you watch an actor in a story like this (funny, because, on the contrary, he said “the more different you look, it really does help psychologically”, so this means that he felt he looked different from himself here, which is not the case to me). I suppose it’s because I’ve seen too much of him now that I’m not able to separate him from the character anymore. Don’t know.

I don’t deny it, his performance was great, brave, perfect and everything, especially considering the effort to make a movie like this while he was preparing for a 4 months long stage tour on theatre. But I can’t say it was a part that left me mouth open, like the one in Dirty Filthy Love, Fantabulosa, Frost/Nixon or MoS, for example.

Anyway, I still hope he gets some recognition (and that Amazon decides to show the series also in Europe), because it’s a crime that international audience can’t see what an amazing quality actor Michael is.

P.S.: There are some lines that looked like easter eggs, specifically chosen by MS. "Wait and see", "Nixon"... Coincidences?

[lcv3lies]

YOUNGLUV.COM 𓂋 ᧔ enhaha ᧓

SYNOPSIS ✶ seol yn, member of NEWJEANS runs a popular fan account for ENHYPEN member sim jaeyun. what happens when yn attracts his fellow member, park sunghoon, who’s had a crush on her after seeing her for the first time in a cafe?

PARK SUNGHOON ( iceprince ) 🐧 021208

— istj , korean , visual , dancer , vocalist

introverted ex mubank mc. ranked 6th on survival show i-land. a hopeless romantic, falls quick and hard!! sees yn for the first time and is instantly in love. he used to be a professional figure skater, which earned him the nickname “ice prince.” he was chosen to be a music bank host alongside with jang wonyoung, and had his last broadcast september 2. 2022.

YANG JUNGWON ( leaderwon ) 🐈‍⬛ 040209

— istj, korean , leader , vocalist , dancer , rapper.

leader jungwon!! ranked 1st in i-land. has an obsession with his pet dog maeumi and will post him whenever and wherever he can! knows taekwondo. jungwon is definitely an all rounder!

LEE HEESEUNG ( hybeprincefrfr ) 🦌 011015

— istp , korean , center , vocalist , dancer , rapper

ranked 5th on i-land, vocal king heeseung will captivate you with his amazing voice. has an addiction to ramyeon and will eat it anytime he can with jake. is friends with tons of idols in the industry, and is a fan of newjeans!

PARK JONGSEONG ( jongseong ) 🦅 020420

— intp , korean - american , vocalist , dancer , rapper

ranked second in i-land. born in seattle, but lived to korea at age 9. jay is an amazing cook and takes so much pride in it. he also loves fashion. he always looks very expensive and put together, definitely sporting something luxury on him somewhere. he also always smells really really good?

SIM JAEYUN ( jayla4lyfe ) 🦮 021115

— istj , korean - australian , vocalist , dancer , rapper

born in south korea , jake was raised in australia. he loves playing sports , especially soccer and was known in school to be really smart, excelling in math. only training for 9 months, jakes talent was known to many as he ranked 3rd on i-land. part of aussie line, and he is friends with stray kid’s members bang chan and felix. he knows newjeans has two australian members, and once greeted their whole group at an award show.

KIM SUNOO ( slaynoo ) 🦊 030624

— enfp , korean , vocalist , visual , dancer

sunoo is definitely sunshine! always smiling and laughing and lofts the groups mood up whenever necessary . he’s super sassy and his remarks and faces often go viral. ranked 8th in final episode, he was the producers choice to debut. mint chocolate defender till the end of earth! goes absolutely insane when taking selfies (he’s very photogenic) and has no storage.

NISHIMURA RIKI ( giantmaknae ) 🐆 051009

— entj , japanese , maknae , dancer , rapper

ranked 4th on i-land, he was a fan favorite due to his amazing dance and performance skills, and for his persistent determination throughout the show at such a young age. this maknae is extremely tall, standing at 183cm and is considered the best dancer not only by the fans but also the members. loves his members dearly and would do anything for them.

ENHYPEN ( 엔하이픈) is the final 7 members of the survival show I-LAND under BE:LIFT Lab, a joint label created by HYBE and CJ E&M entertainment the group consists of heeseung, jay, jake, sunghoon, sunoo, jungwon, and ni-ki. ENHYPEN is a mix of an en dash and a hyphen that connects different words to create new meaning, members of ENHYPEN will connect, discover each other, and grow together. ENHYPEN debuted on November 30th, 2020 with their mini-album “BORDER: DAY ONE” and title track “Given-Taken”.

taglist (open ! cmt or ask to be added , bold can’t b tagged)

@ihrthni @luvhyun3 @urszn @jencthy @https-skzology @l0ve-joy @luvistqrzzz @astrae4 @noiacha @ 15yroldwholikesrockstars @sanriiolino

[calmdownandcook]

Calm Down and Cook Every Single Meatloaf

Basic meatloaf should be in everyone’s “recipes I know without looking up the actual recipe” collection. It opens the doorway to so much more and it strangely impresses everyone. Meatloaf is really just the evolution of Country Pâté (also known as Terrine De Campagne). Fancy! It is also the dish I order to judge the quality of a diner (just like I judge Mexican restaurants by their salsa). But Meatloaf is also something so easy to make at home. A meatloaf dinner also sets the stage for a meatloaf sandwich the next day, and who doesn’t love that? Meatloaf can even evolve into meatballs and then into Swedish Meatballs (so you don’t have to find yourself an Ikea).

Meatloaf can be made from almost any ground meat, eggs, and a few breadcrumbs. The seasoning can be any flavor profile or nationality that is ringing your bells at the moment. There was a trend of packaged dry Onion Soup mix instead of salt and pepper. Still a traditional and solid option. I think everyone has a packet of taco seasoning in the back of their spice cabinet, perfect time to use it. Meatloaf can be served hot or cold. It can be stuffed with almost anything, from cheese to pickles, to asparagus. Your friends will think you won the James Beard Award for Best Chef. Don’t be afraid. You’re in charge, not the meatloaf. Meat “loaf” can be done in a loaf pan or, if you prefer the crispy outside bits, shape it free form on a baking dish in an oval shape. I can remember my Mom once forming a meatloaf in a heart shape on Valentine's Day. I thought she was a magician. 

This is what meatloaf can do for you. What can you do for meatloaf? Here is a basic recipe that can be used as a springboard for endless variations. 

Basic Meatloaf

2 pounds ground meat.

1 egg

½ small onion (finely chopped)

3/4 cup milk

1 cup plain dried bread crumbs

1 teaspoon of Salt 

½ teaspoon of pepper 

½ cup of Any BBQ sauce

Instructions:

Let's start with the base. Combine all the ingredients except the BBQ sauce in a large bowl. Mix until it is evenly combined, this is your meatloaf base, your basic meatloaf. Shape the mixture into an oval loaf on a greased baking pan or in a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350°F for 45 minutes. Remove the meatloaf from the oven, spread the BBQ sauce all over the top, and bake for an additional 10-20 minutes until fully cooked (check to ensure internal temp is 165°F). Total cooking time will be about 60 minutes whether you are using the BBQ sauce or not. Allow it to rest for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

Now, let's have fun and start coloring outside the lines:

First, why BBQ sauce? If you’re not in the mood it can be swapped out for ketchup, or sweet chili sauce, or eliminate that step completely. Not a big deal.

A basic meatloaf with 2 pounds of meat should serve 8 people. In reality, I think, it serves 6 but you should have in your head that it will serve 4 people because you are a normal human being and are going to want to have meatloaf sandwiches for lunch tomorrow. 

Any ground meat will work so look in your freezer. You can use 100% ground beef or go with the classic combination of beef, pork, and veal. If you struggle with veal that's Ok. Skip it and use 50% beef and 50% pork. On the other extreme, venison is also a tasty choice and gives a slightly gamey taste. If you want to try 100% ground pork here’s a tasty idea: stir in ½ of a finely chopped apple into the meatloaf base. Just remember, you’ll need a total of 2 pounds of meat. But this can be plus or minus. 2 ½ pounds is fine, just remember you will need another 15 minutes of cooking. The same goes with using only 1 ½ pounds of meat. The cooking time will be about 15 minutes less. Check the internal temperature with a thermometer and look for 165 degrees. Kitchen thermometers are a lot more accessible, affordable, and a solid purchase. They are a great tool to have and will give you the confidence to experiment with basic recipes.

If you decide to use ground Chicken or Turkey you will see that it is “wetter” than other ground meat so you will want to increase your breadcrumbs to a total of 1½ cups. Chicken and Turkey can also be very lean. A good solution for this is to lay a few slices of bacon across the top (also, because it’s bacon) as this will add fat and flavor, a couple of pats of butter along the top works nicely too.

Herbs: fresh or dried. Do you have a favorite herb? A teaspoon of dried or a tablespoon of chopped fresh is a great way to experiment with taste. Something as simple as chives and parsley will go a long way to flavoring your base. If you are using ground lamb, try rosemary.

Of course store bought breadcrumbs can also be replaced with homemade crumbs from leftover stale bread (I do not throw things away lightly). Tear the stale bread into 2-inch chunks and pulse in a food processor. “Pulse” is when you turn your processor on and off several times so you can really chop something up finely without it turning into a paste. Make a bunch of crumbs all at once and freeze the leftovers for another use.

If you only have “Italian” breadcrumbs then, maybe skip the salt because that comes already salted. Are you all about the Italian-flavored bread crumbs? Try adding flavors that will enhance that profile. A little dried oregano, garlic powder, crushed garlic, and a pinch of hot pepper flakes are great. Any or all of these can work. A ½ teaspoon of each work but you go with your intuition, you can add more or less. Parmesan cheese (up to ½ cup) is an easy addition if you have some lurking in the back of your fridge.

Now, open your horizons and truly look around your kitchen. Do you have any vegetables that are moments away from the compost pile? Chopped them up well. They can go in the meatloaf base and stretch the dish in a very inexpensive way (just don’t use more than 25% chopped vegetables in the mix. If you do, the meat will lose its ability to hold its shape and the loaf falls apart.). My Mom would do this with sad floppy carrots, celery, and mushrooms. These all work well and add to the flavor.

Next, stuffed meatloaf. If you go this route, you are going to want to add 10 minutes to the initial cooking time and make it 55 minutes. Take about  ⅔  of whatever meatloaf base you decide to make and lay it on your baking sheet or loaf pan (whatever you are using). Form a trough (trench, channel, hollow) down the middle with your fingertips. Spoon in your filling and then use the remaining ⅓ of your base to close it up. Once this is done, dip your hands in some cold water and smooth and close any openings the loaf might have. You can fill your meatloaf with whatever you fancy. A good way to start is 4 to 5 ounces of frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry. Spinach can be combined with any cheese (mozzarella is fun). Try sauteed mushrooms and green peppers. Go crazy, use corn mixed with a couple of spoonfuls of salsa, and call it “Southwestern”. A row of peeled hard-boiled eggs would be very French. Serve while wearing a beret. A stuffed meatloaf has so many possibilities, no one is stopping you and will earn you endless accolades.

Tiny Little Balls of Meatloaf or as I call them - Meatballs.

Take your same basic meatloaf base and shape the mixture into 1½ inch size balls and bake on a cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes at 400 degrees. You can line the cookie sheet with foil or parchment paper for easier cleanup. If your base mixture feels too wet to shape nicely, add a couple of tablespoons more of breadcrumbs.  These can be served on pasta with any sauce you enjoy. Premade, store-bought brown gravy has a place in this world and combined with meatballs and served on egg noodles is a guilty pleasure of mine. If you stir a little Dijon mustard and sour cream into the brown gravy you are very close to a Swedish meatball. Serve them with a scoop of lingonberry jam and pretend you are Swedish. There’s always a meatball sub to be made with those meatballs (also a grinder, hoagie, or hero) and they freeze well.

Meatloaf is an excellent basic recipe and can be adapted once you have the confidence. What are you craving? Would it fit into a meatloaf? Did you want to sneak vegetables into your family's diet? You can do this. Remember the meatloaf police aren’t at your door.

[boysplanetrecaps]

The BUILD UP BRAPPIES, 2x2 Rivalry edition

Time to take a brief break from my MNET Build Up Recap Project to hand out some BRAPPY Awards for Excellence in the Field of Excellence! In this post, I'll be giving out BRAPPIES based on how everyone did in the 2x2 Rival Mission. Let's go!

Favorite Performance Overall:

I have to give it to River, of course. I was thinking, “Which of these do I most want to just rewatch right now?” and that’s the one. You can fairly point out that I also like the song, and that’s true. But there you go.

Honorable mentions: Sherlock, Dangerously

Favorite Performance of a Song I Don’t Like:

I’ll give this one to Moon. The song itself is whatever, but I liked Joohee and Euibin’s performance.

Honorable mention: Still Love You by Hyukjin and Inseong

Performance Helped Most By Song Choice:

I have to give this one to My Sea. The song is so incredibly emotional that it’s hard to deny, even if the performance had been a little weak. I’m not saying the performance WAS weak, but having a song like this is nothing but a boon.

Honorable mentions: End of a Day, To My Youth 

Performance Hindered Most By Song Choice:

Woong and Seokhwa’s performance. No question. Blackpink can make almost any song seem good, but I’m not sure even they can save Kick It, much less two nervous idols alone on a stage with critical judges. 

Honorable mention: Sungwon and Taehwan doing Play. 

Teammate Most Screwed Over By a Teammate:

What? What's this? There's a tie?? This is unprecedented!

The awards go to Kwon Euibin AND Kim Seongjeong.

In the case of Kwon Euibin, not only did Joohee get most of the lines in the song, he got most of the attention on the show in general. We didn’t hear a single word of feedback about how good/bad Euibin did. Then, the duo got a comparatively low score primarily because Joohee couldn’t keep it together. And yet, the damn judges saved Joohee! Someone get that fire extinguisher and keep it handy. Grrrr. 

Kim Seongjeong went through basically the same thing. His teammate Gwangseok was the problem in their performance, and yet, the judges saved Gwangseok.

Team Most Screwed Over By The Team Itself:

This award goes to Seokhwa and Woong. I think both of them would have been better off working with someone else.

I keep thinking, what if Yeo One had been obsessed with working with Seokhwa for some reason, instead of Lim Junhyeok? And then what if Woong had ended up with Junhyeok, who was his old hyung from his JYP days? I really ended up enjoying Yeo One and Junhyeok’s performance, but if Woong and Junhyeok had sung that same song together I think it would have been even better, as Woong is no question a better vocalist than Yeo One.  And Yeo One and Seokhwa could have sung a sweet, light song together; perhaps they could have done Been Through by EXO. There, I fixed it. You’re welcome. 

Biggest Discovery:

Kwon Euibin. I just loved his performance, and I never noticed him that much before.

Biggest Glow Up from Previous Round:

Kwon Euibin again. Round one, he looked like an actual robot. Round two, he looked like a slightly thicc dude. Huge improvement. 

Biggest Dimming Down from Previous Round:

Geonu, sweetie, darling, honey pie. You were a nominee for best sweater in the first round and then there's... this??? What. Is. This. Sweater.??

Biggest Coat-tail Rider:

Geonu again. I believe strongly that his team won primarily because of Soomin’s performance, not Geonu’s. 

Honorable mention: Kim Seongjeong, who *wanted* to ride on Gwangseok's coattails very badly.

Best Sweater:

This is it. This is the best sweater from this round. There wasn't a lot of competition, but this one would have won anyway.

Team That Seemed To Have the Most Fun:

Taehwan and Sungwon, Play. 'Nuff said.

Team That Cried The Most:

Donghyun and Sunyoul, I assume. We didn’t see them actively crying in the montage, but I get the feeling they were crying a lot in private. 

Song That Made Me Cry the Most:

End of a Day, but that’s kind of a special case.

Honorable mentions: My Sea, To My Youth 

Most Random Judging Moment:

The judges hating Hwanhee and Hwanji. No question. Did Hwanhee like, park in VCG’s parking spot? Did he take the last cherry danish? WHAT. HAPPENED. HERE.??

Most Spot on Judging Comment:

When VCG pointed out to Seokhwa and Woong that lowering the key to adapt a female song for males to sing it would also mean lowering the intensity and interest of the song, it was such an interesting lightbulb moment. I think there's some real truth to that.

Best Dahee moment:

Dahee had a lot of great moments, but the best was when she came up to Jeup and Suhwan after their performance of Sherlock and murmured that she enjoyed it more than the original version.

Honorable mentions: When she danced to Hmm Cheat, When she told someone she thought they were cool even though they lost

Judge Who Pissed Me Off The Least:

I was going to give an award to the judge who pissed me off the most, but I found that I couldn't make up my mind on that. All I knew is that it wasn't Wendy. So, I decided to give her this award instead. She’s also Wen-fucking-dy and I love her voice. Reveluv for life.

Ok, that's it for this round of Brappies! Is there an award I got wrong? An award you'd give out? Let me know!

I'll see you in the next post, when we gear up for the 3x3 Death Match. I don't know what it is about that name that makes me anxious. Must be all those threes.

See you soon!

[firstprince-ao3feed]

could it be mad love?

could it be mad love? https://ift.tt/EGH1trS by DuchessdePolignac Alex arrives at the Variety photoshoot overly caffeinated, grumpy about the early call time, and feeling sick to the pit of his stomach. Sure, he can blame the acids from his beverage of choice burning a hole through the lining of his empty stomach. Or he can face the reality that the stomach churning and desire to puke into the nearest trash can is due to trepidation from knowing that he’s about to spend the whole day with Oscar-winning actor, Henry Fox. Fox is the object of Alex’s unrelenting and not unwarranted hatred. While Fox is likely unaware of his status as Alex’s arch-nemesis, Fox’s innocence of the situation (and therefore his inability to do anything about it) doesn’t stop Alex from wondering if the grudge he has for the man is strong enough to accidentally on-purpose summon a demon to straight up strangle the British bastard. Or: where Alex is a veteran actor of such critically "meh" romcoms as Red, White and Revolutionary Blue and Henry is a newcomer who won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his very first acting role. A role which he stole from Alex. Alex hates Henry, but Henry is literally his biggest fan. Words: 13881, Chapters: 3/3, Language: English Fandoms: Red White & Royal Blue (2023), Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M Characters: Alex Claremont-Diaz, Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, Henry Hanover-Stuart Fox, Henry Fox, Nora Holleran, Philip Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor Relationships: Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor, Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Actors, Alternate Universe, Alex and Henry are actors, Alex is a former child star and veteran actor, Henry is a newcomer who won top awards for his first movie role, Philip is Henry's talent(ed) agent, Nora is Alex's agent but should maybe consider a different career, Mild Angst, Misunderstandings, Just like in the book/movie Alex resents Henry, sfw, Getting Together, Very liberal interpretation of what could become an Oscar contender, Happy Ending, Not Beta Read, mistakes are all mine and may or may not be fixed later, Falling In Love, Enemies to Lovers, sort of enemies it’s kind of onesided, henry goes from mildly obsessive love to real love via AO3 works tagged 'Alex Claremont-Diaz/Henry Fox-Mountchristen-Windsor' https://ift.tt/xYJzagX January 01, 2024 at 12:19AM

[girl-with-goats]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love 💙

Thanks for the ask, Mugs! ❤️

lessss goooo

a story I made up | E | 787 | Ginny Weasley/Tom Riddle

I wrote this story in one go during a train ride, and I enjoyed all the metaphors and narrative so immensely! it also won a best narrative award in @venom0usbarbie's flash comp 🤭

She barely remembers the time before, before she went blind and the world shifted, and maybe the story goes like this—

covered in your ivy | M | 1,536 | Lily Evans/Remus Lupin

it's a part of a bigger series, but I love this fic so so so much and the dynamics between the main pair!

Lily and James are about to get married during a nice ceremony in an old cottage, when the comeback of her former lover wakes up the demons of the past. Lily finds herself thrown back in the sea of doubt– and she needs to make a choice.

parti pris | E | 17,528 words | Percy Weasley/Oliver Wood

my very recent smol baby that includes a study of wizarding politics and Percy's character

Percy Weasley takes the magical politics by storm. He becomes one of the youngest Ministers of Magic, but his work is not done—his work is never done. So he still has his hands full, restructuring the Ministry, chasing Death Eaters and trying not to fall out of the grace of the public. It's like balancing a line hung over the abyss, not a big deal—but he's not as alone in the mess as he always thought, because there's also a matter of Oliver Wood.

White Supernova | G | 45,524 | Gellert Grindelwald/Albus Dumbledore

it's my oldest story written in English (ESL here, hello) and it's also the most innocent one (I have descended into depravity by now). It's still one of my favourites because of my grindeldore babies!!

Meeting Gellert Grindelwald wasn't on Albus Dumbledore's agenda, so Gellert's charm hit him with a force of supernova, tearing up all of his defenses. It was a surprise to discover that they complimented each other like white and red, both of their minds so bright and brilliant; and together they swore to save the world with the help of the Hallows, becoming a power couple along the way.

Young Rivers (in your hands) | E | 101,863 | Narcissa Black Malfoy/Lucius Malfoy

While White Supernova is innocent, Young Rivers definitely aren't. It's a study of power, patriarchy, and sexual desires. Incredibly fun to write but also heavy. Mind the tags if you dive in!

They live in a world where he's supposed to dominate her—and, sometimes, he does. But Narcissa was always meant for more—and she drags him along the way as she attempts to seize a power that has always been for men and men only, doing so while the young rivers flow with blood.

[canmom]

Animation Night 142: Shells & Dragons

Hi everyone! It’s another Thursday and thus another Animation Night. [for newcomers: Animation Night is a night where I stream animated films (short and long) on Twitch.]

It’s awards season right now, and while awards are mostly not all that important, awards shortlists tend to be a great way to find stuff you might have overlooked. For example, the shortlist for Best Animated Feature - Independent at the Annies brings us a couple of fascinating films.

First up we have Marcel the Shell With Shoes On. It’s a stop motion/live action hybrid about, well, a shell with shoes on. A guy discovers a charming sapient seashell living in an AirBnB, and decides to make videos about him on the internet. This leads to a cascade of consequences as Marcel hopes to use this new platform to reconnect with his shell family, but the newfound fame bears a heavy toll on Marcel’s grandmother shell Connie.

Does something seem familiar about that animation style? Maybe this will help...

That’s right, this is the Kirsten Lepore movie - or to be precise, the Dean Fleischer Camp movie with Lepore serving as animation director. Lepore, if you’re not familiar, is a fascinating independent animator whose works include Story from North America, in which she provides the surreal imagery to a father giving a lesson in nonviolence...

You can see Lepore’s channel here on youtube. Definitely take a look at Move Mountain. She’s got a very disarming style which I’m excited to see at length.

Anyway, Dean Fleischer Camp. He’s been on the Marcel thing for like... 12 years at this point! The earliest iteration of the idea was a series of mockumentaries in 2010-14 - you can watch the first one here, second here and third here.

In the shorts, cowritten with actress Jenny Slate who plays Marcel, the childlike shell relates various aspects of his life in a high-pitched, anxious voice, while the interviewer responds in a strangely disinterested voice. These videos made enough of a splash to get featured in newspapers, there was even a line of children’s books, and in 2014, a project to make a Marcel film was announced by Camp and Slate... finally dropping a good seven years later, to near unanimous praise.

The film, then, seems to be aiming to flesh out the comedy characters into a more substantial story of Marcel encountering the wider world.

Alongside that, we have My Father’s Dragon, the latest from Cartoon Saloon, the Irish studio that’s the darling of the small-studio animation world - and naturally has featured on Animation Night on #14 and #49.

Incredibly exciting, right? Unfortunately, there is a wrinkle in that news for me. This film’s directed by Nora Twomey, whose previous work was the disappointing The Breadwinner, which presented quite a shallow and even imperialist narrative about a precocious girl too good for sinful Afghanistan. (Having American bombs appear as a liberating force is a choice, Nora!) Cartoon Saloon are untouchable when they stick to Irish history and mythology, but that was definitely their weaker entry, missing all the subtlety and grace of an earlier film like Persepolis ten years earlier that comes from actually living somewhere.

But Twomey also worked on all of Cartoon Saloon’s other wonderful films (she co-directed Secret of Kells) and this time, they’re adapting a children’s book from 1948 by Ruth Stiles Gannett and illustrated by her stepmother Ruth Chrisman Gannett. (Not the only adaptation, incidentally, there’s also an anime film from 1997.) The book tells the story of a young boy - referred to throughout as ‘my father’ - who travels to a place called Wild Island in search of a baby dragon. You can read the full text, with low res scans of the illustrations, right here.

Cartoon Saloon’s version goes for a styling not entirely the same as the original illustrations, but recognisably a ‘children’s book’ style, and as lush as all of their projects. The book’s story seems to just be the first act of a much longer story which sees Elmer and the Dragon attempting to find a way to save the island.

This is definitely pitched younger than Cartoon Saloon’s previous movies, but I’m hoping that the animation alone will be plenty of reason to watch this.

(If you’re wondering about the other films in the category, by the way - there’s Masaaki Yuasa’s god-tier film Inu-Oh, which I cannot wait to screen and will write about at enormous length when I do; there is Charlotte, a biopic about German painter Charlotte Salomon ‘coming of age on the eve of WWII’, which follows the European co-production model, bringing together studios in Canada, France and Belgium; and there is Little Nicholas, Happy As Can Be about a centimetres-tall boy growing up on a desktop world. Also French, of course. We may well get to the other two down the line. Big year for bildungsroman huh.)

If these movies sound fun, please make your way to twitch.tv/canmom where we will be starting in about 15 minutes at 8pm UK time! We’ll be watching Dragon first, then Marcel, since I think that will be the more impactful order. And at the end we might just tuck in the latest episode of Yao - Chinese Folktales. Hope to see ya there~

[emmymaehereeeeee]

Spider Movie

word count: 1,425

first tom holland fic sorry if it is not the best!

@tomholland2013 is going live now

You clicked on the notification and settled in to watch the announcement, you didn’t have any high hopes, there were millions of people who had entered their names into the drawing! Still, you watched with the utmost attention, “Alright are we live? Can everyone hear us? Ok yep!” Tom smiled into the camera as he settled into his seat. “Well hello everyone um my name is Tom Holland and I am joined here today with my lovely co-star, Zendaya, and two of my brothers, Paddy and Harry. So today we are going to be drawing for a few of these items on the table and the final drawing will be for one lucky person to fly out to the premiere of No Way Home.” 

Watching as he read off the names of random followers and signing a few items it finally came time for the premiere drawing. Crossing your fingers you wished upon every lucky star, hoping and praying that maybe you would get the prize. 

There was a slight pause as Tom reached his hand into the vase, “@jessisamess? Z, did I say that right? @jessisamess” 

Zendaya took the slip of paper from him, “Yeah, that is right, congrats to @jessisamess!”

With wide eyes and a slack jaw you stared at your phone screen, “There’s no way, maybe they got the username wrong?” 

“As always we will be reaching out to the winner and if they choose not to accept the award we will draw again, thank you everyone and we will talk to you all soon, bye!” Tom leaned forward and ended the live. 

Sitting there on your couch perpetually flabbergasted at the news that you had just heard you almost didn’t hear your phone ringing. Looking down at the phone you saw it was an unknown number, “Um hello?” 

“Hello is this Jessica? Your Instagram handle being @jessisamess?” A man spoke on the other line of the phone.

“Yes, this is her.” You felt nervous, sure this was not creepy at all, just a random man who knew your full name.

“Alright! This is Andrew Dunlap I am representing Mr. Tom Holland and I just wanted to touch base with you about the whole process. We are going to be working with the airline of your choice we’ll fly you out to the premiere, and pay for your stay at the hotel.

“Shit, this is not some kind of prank is it?” You asked once more- still feeling a tad bit skeptical.

“No ma’am I assure you this is not a prank, we will be in touch with you soon.” 

You heard the phone click and sat it down, “Holy shit, I am going to meet Tom Holland- oh shit.” 

The days passed by quickly and soon you found yourself grabbing your bag from baggage claim and heading towards a supposed, “Andrew.” 

“Jessica, how are you? I’ll take you to the hotel and give you a chance to get ready, does that sound good?” 

“Um yeah, that sounds good!” You followed close behind him not sure of what to say but desperately wanting to fill the silence. “So, how long have you known Tom?” 

He glanced back at you in the rearview mirror, “I’ve known him for a few years now, I promise you he’s the nicest guy you’ll ever meet.” He smiled at you, “Are you nervous?” 

Nodding your head you let out a sigh, “Oh my God I am just feeling all of the emotions right now. I mean I didn’t think I would ever you know be here?” 

“You’re going to be just fine.” Andrew reassured you as he parked the car, “I’m going to run a few errands, and then I’ll be back to pick you up, sound good?” 

“Thank you once again!” You closed the door and made your way up to the hotel room, you unlocked the door and sat your bags down on the bed. “Alright- how am I supposed to dress to meet Tom Holland?” Opening up your suitcase you rummaged around until you decided on an outfit. The hour passed by rather quickly and soon enough Andrew was texting you asking you to make your way down to the lobby. “Alright here goes nothing.” Walking to the elevator you took in a deep breath and stepped in. 

Meanwhile down in the lobby, Tom Holland was frantically asking his manager just about every question in the book. “I just don’t want to say anything weird and she thinks ‘Oh my gosh Tom Holland is so weird, I can’t be known as being weird.” He ran a hand through his hair as he paced back and forth. 

“Tom, number one you need to calm the hell down- her name is Jessica and she is probably just as nervous as you are. Secondly- pull it together she’s right here.” Andrew lifted his hand up to gesture towards you. 

“Hey, Andrew- oh shit,” You paused when you saw Tom, he looked so much better in person. 

“Jessica! It is so nice to meet you, my name is Tom but you probably already knew that, I’m sorry.” He rubbed his neck and smiled, “I’m glad that you are here.” 

“Yeah, so am I!” You replied smiling back at him

“Ok, we need to get a move on! Zendaya will meet us at the premiere and we will go on from there.” Andrew ushered both of you out to the car.

“How was your flight?” Tom asked shifting in his seat so that he could face you better.

“It was good, thank you for paying for” He cut you off

“Jess, please it’s the least that I could do for how much all of you support me, really don’t mention it.” He reached over and squeezed your hand, “You look lovely in that dress.” 

If Andrew hadn’t known he would have assumed the two of you were old friends perhaps even lovers. The way the conversation seemed to flow so seamlessly between the two of you, it  was strange but intriguing all at the same time. 

When the car slowed to a stop, Tom was quick to open your door, “You ready?” 

Nodding your head you took his hand and stepped out of the car, “Ready as I’ll ever be.” 

Standing off to the side you watched as the co-stars mingled and took pictures together, your attention was focused on Zendaya and Tom. There was no reason to be jealous, there was nothing between the two of you- but something about the way he wrapped his arm around her waist made you insatiably angry.

“Jessica, hey come on over here! I want to get a few pictures with you,” Tom called out for you and you saw Zendaya waving you over. Making your way over to the pair, you timidly gave them both a smile. 

“I love your outfit so much, it truly brings out your eyes,” Zendaya said whilst pulling you in for a hug.  

“She is absolutely gorgeous, isn’t she?” Tom asked turning to Zendaya.

Feeling your cheeks burn, you turned on your heel and made your way down the aisle.

“Thomas Stanley Holland, are you crushing on a fan?” Zendaya asked as the two of them made their way to follow you. 

“What? No, I am not crushing on anyone!” His face grew red with blush and Zendaya shook her head. “I mean she is really pretty, she’s smart, kind.” 

“You are really going to just sit here and tell me you are not crushing on this girl?” Zendaya raised one eyebrow.

“Um where- oh sorry for interrupting. I just got lost on my way to the bathroom and I don’t really know what to do next?” 

The pair turned around and went silent, “Jess, we were just talking about you, Tom here he really wants to talk to you about something and I need to run to the restroom!” She quickly sprinted off, leaving the two of you staring at one another. 

“Jess, I just- this may sound weird but I was wondering if you maybe would want to go out sometime?” Tom wrung his hands as he awaited your answer. 

“Wait is Tom Holland asking me out on a date?” You asked him whilst trying not to scream out of excitement.

“He is also very anxiously waiting for your answer.” He replied 

“Of course, how about a movie? There is this really good one playing right now, I think it has something to do with spiders?” You teased him.

[walker-extended-universe]

Windy Rewatch 1x05

This episode is insane. Honestly well and truly insane. How they managed to pack 3 intense friendship battles along with a hefty helping of backstory into 42 minutes will never cease to amaze me.

Things that stuck out to me the second time around:

The way Tom greets Eli vs how Tom greets Shane. Tom is just so damn happy to see Eli. His best friend. His former partner in crime. His smile!!! It is so big!!!

Calian wondering if he can trust Gus :(

Gus being suspicious (and maybe a little jealous) that Calian is coming into town all the time to see Abby but not him :(

The improv Apache lines <3 Justin deserves an award for that

Kate and Abby are being needlessly mean to Hoyt and I wish they would stop. I know I talked about this before but it's just so irritating. Hoyt had a very good idea and they acted like he was stupid because he's... not subtle? The cabin was abandoned all day! No one came out to see them since the sheriff was out! Was there actually any chance of Hoyt getting caught? And, for the record, I think it speaks to Hoyt's stealth that even fi they did hear him sneaking around, they were wrong about which way he came in. Also coming in through the back window is a lot more stealthy than going in through the front door.

Also Tom is definitely hiding something in the floorboards and Hoyt would've found it if he had more time.

KATE. IS. NOT. SUBTLE.

Abby is still grieving Liam hard. And I think she just wants very badly to believe that Tom is just evil and Liam was completely innocent. Even if she had her doubts about Liam, she doesn't want to voice them.

Tom is trying so hard this episode to play both sides. He wants to help Eli escape the bounty but he also needs to keep up appearances as sheriff and serve his family. He tries so damn hard to do both but he can't. He just can't. There's a point where he has to choose. And he chooses his family. He still tries to make it into a compromise by offering to kill Eli cleanly but he's still made that choice. And I think that's just too hard of a pill for both of them to swallow.

The complete and utter fear on Tom's face when Eli takes Abby hostage

HE WORKED SO HARD TO KEEP HER ALIVE!!! HE CAN'T LET HER DIE NOW!!!

I cannot get over the look on Abby's face when Eli tells her that Tom told him about her. Nor her face when he says that Tom is the most dangerous man in Texas. As much as this episode works to make Tom sympathetic, Abby is still terrified of him

The way Tom forgets/ignores Abby's presence and openly weeps over Eli's body

You know, knowing that Abby and Liam got married pretty much right before they set out for Independence AND knowing that he was engaged to Charlotte before really puts into perspective how Abby may not know Liam that well. They couldn't have been married for more than a few months, especially since Teresa made it seem like a last minute decision on Liam's part. How well did she know Liam?

Gus cares so much about this town and you can feel the hurt in his "Does everyone think I'm a fool?"

I love how the episode goes into why Gus doesn't trust Tom but doesn't put him fully in the "friend" category either. He's not on Tom's side but he's not on Abby's either. Excellent work.

God this episode is so good. We need more of this show

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The Reasons a COCO Creative Studio is Considered the Best Event Photographer in Singapore

Singapore is a small cosmopolitan city, and as such there are loads of events held in the corporate and the creative scopes regularly. Therefore, the demand for quality event photography has heightened. Christmas parties and other events require companies and organizations to hire professional photographers who can help document the occasions with style and professionalism. Out of the many photography studios in Singapore targeting for the market, COCO Creative Studio happens to be the best in Singapore event photography. It has specialized in corporate, commercial and creative events developing and repositioning brands, and gained respect for quality and creativity.

Private Functions Are Not Our Crowd’s Favorite Event Genre

Event photography is by far the practice of ‘Coco Creative Studio’ which mainly focuses on the corporate and commercial events in Singapore. Like any other photography services, COCO Creative Studio tends to stay away from unrelated private occasions such as homes, birthdays, anniversaries, and weddings. Such a decision was made purposely to ensure that the production team stays within their area of competence, which includes, office events, launching of products, conferring, expositions, and other features, all of a business nature. With only these kinds of events being engaged by COCO Creative Studio, each photo that is taken satisfies both the adornment aspect and the purpose of the event.

What is more critical is the discovery that that the studio’s technique in corporate event photography is based on a story being told. Every corporate meeting has what is called a story and COCO Creative Studio knows that theme quite well. It could be a new product that they are showcasing, a company’s annual general meeting, or a ceremony of giving out awards. The team of photographers placed at the COCO Creative Studio is skilled in this area and hence manages to document such stories in each image. This makes common photography practices abolishing the concept of form only Islands of success photography Bain et al.: ‘Without narrative motion, there can be no progress and no pictures of progress.

Competence and Know How: COCO Creative Studio’s Core Competences

One of the main reasons as to why COCO Creative Studio has remains the ultimate choice for event photography in Singapore is the peoples’ skill. Jose Jeuland, the founder and creative director, leads a studio that has some experts in events photography. Jose Jeuland photography experience extends to over ten years in which he has engaged in shooting for both commercial and media purposes. This wide experience shows in every project that COCO Creative Studio works on.

The photographs taken at the studio are not merely a profession routined role, rather understanding the most crucial part of any event: the inside story and the essence of the event. They manage to immerse themselves within the crowd, capturing those spontaneous moves that encapsulate the progression of the event. Simultaneously, they are also able to pose when the situation demands so as to ensure perfect shots of important events. This ability of COCO Creative Studio to know when to disappear and when to take charge is well displayed and is what the company’s neighbors and competitors have been missing.

Between the lines, one can see that the team at COCO Creative Studio is only good at taking pictures. The above content does not seek to mislead the consumer, it only explains how the final result is born from the original images. COCO Creative Studio guarantees that all the images produced will be of the highest order ready for either storage in the office or for use in advertising campaigns.

Variety of Services Available for Different Clients

COCO Creative Studio recognizes each and every customer has some specific requirements and therefore goes an extra mile in availing personalized services to them. Whatever the case, be it a corporate home launch event or creative team building, the source approaches each portfolio enthusiastically and works around every detail. In every case the child is all over the place respecting the needs of each customer and this is how COCO Creative Studio deals with all the steps in the photo process capturing from the beginning to the handing over of images.

The studio provides such services as it understands the different requirements of its clientele. For corporate clients, COCO Creative Studio offers event shoots that include activities that take place before, during and after the main event. Such measures guarantee that there is no moment that goes undocumented and that the clients are provided a complete coverage of the event.

Aside from that of event photography, COCO Creative Studio can be infinitely said to be a creative one. The studio executes projects related to fashion shows, art exhibitions and other cultural events. For such events, COCO Creative Studio resorts to applying the available technology to developing images that assist in recollecting the history of events in a manner that is interesting visually and in its content. In Singapore, creative professionals prefer COCO Creative Studio due to its ability to combine creativity and technology.

Latest Equipment And Technology

Equipment is a fundamental requirement for every photographer since it determines how good the output will be. This is equally understood by COCO Creative Studio which therefore puts in place modern imaging tools and technology to guarantee that clients get the best. High quality images are achieved at the studio using high definition cameras, professional lens and external light illuminations. COCO Creative Studio purchased professional photographic gear in order to meet the creative needs of its clients.

Apart from the photography hardware, COCO Creative Studio has at its disposal the most advanced post-production tools which help improve the images. The images after post-production are professional and present the actual picture taken using the Adobe Imaging Concept images’ post-production team. This could be removing distracting elements, color correction and brightness or light adjustment, COCO Creative Studio offers the best quality image output.

Furthermore, the COCO Creative Studio keeps pace with contemporary developments in the world of photography technology. The studio is therefore capable of answering complex problems posed by the clients through the use of technology, for instance using drones to take event photography or integrating tours to websites. And because technology has been embraced, COCO Creative Studio has not failed the clients in any four of the reasons over the years.

Establishing Long-Term Partnerships with Clients

Relatedly, one other factor that accounts for the success that COCO Creative Studio has enjoyed can be credited to the focus and concentration on the building of long term relationships with their clients. The studio welcomes the policy of putting clients first because it finds a satisfying understanding of particular strategies with different clients. COCO Creative Studio is not of the opinion that events can merely be photographed but that communication about the event to be captured is essential, hence liaising with clients in the whole process.

COCO Creative Studio’s clientage is another example of how the studio has been able to retain the long-term clients that it has engaged over the years. Businesses and other entities around Singapore have found a dependable photographer in COCO Creative Studio and this explains why many clients seek the studio for more than one job. This loyalty of clients to COCO Creative Studio is indicative of the confidence and trust that clients have in the STUDIO in terms of producing quality work.

From COCO Creative Studio incidences of excellence, recognition has also arisen from working with celebrity clients and backward brands. The studio has dealt with many big players in the corporate world and the creative world. In its portfolio, the studio has worked on projects for multinationals, leaders in creative industries and government agencies. Such collaborations have made COCO Creative Studio become one of the most sought-after event photographers in Singapore.

Advocacy to Professionalism and Ethics

Which executive can bypass quite obvious aspects of such attributes as professionalism and ethics in doi ng business. COCO Creative Studio has business values and unwritten codes that encourage ethics and professionalism in business. It is impressively so with the kind of relationship that the studio has with their clients, how they handle their photography work and how they follow rules in the industry.

COCO Creative Studio places high regard to confidentiality especially in corporate event. The introduction of confidentiality is an added advantage to COCO Creative Studio’s clients, many of whom engage the studio in managing their confidential and high-profile events. The respect is based on the company’s commitment to privacy of its clients.

At the same time, COCO Creative Studio guarantees privacy of all the information received from clients due to the ethical policies of the firm. Respect is in regard to the rights of the parties to these projects and respect is also accorded to the images taken. This practice on its own makes COCO Creative Studio a favorable company in the current market.

Conclusion

In summary, COCO Creative Studio has earned a place as a top notch event photographer in Singapore because of its concentration on corporate and commercial events, competence in the body of photographers, quality assurance, in addition to focusing on the customer. It is the only studio where one can make client’s photos and films turned to stories because of understanding of visuals, great attention to details and tacky video equipment. Remaining firm in its fundamental principles of professionalism, ethics and satisfying customer’s needs, the studio has successfully maintained the benchmark of event photography in Singapore.

For companies and organizations in Singapore looking for a trustworthy and imaginative event photography partner, COO Creative Studio has expertise and creativity to deliver services that are second to none in the industry. With a great portfolio and several years of successful service delivery to clients COCO Creative Studio is the best choice in the world of event photography that turn capturing appointment into milestones.

[ttsw-01-tata]

Discover the Tata Nexon at TSW Tata Showroom in Salem

Introduction

If you're searching for a vehicle that perfectly blends style, safety, and performance, look no further than the Tata Nexon. As one of Tata Motors' flagship models, the Nexon stands out in the compact SUV segment with its robust design, advanced features, and impressive driving dynamics. At TSW Tata Showroom in Salem, you can experience the Tata Nexon firsthand and see why it's a top choice for drivers across India. In this blog post, we'll dive into what makes the Tata Nexon a must-see vehicle and why TSW Tata Showroom in Salem is the perfect place to explore it.

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Book Your Favorite TATA Car Today!!!

Why Choose the Tata Nexon?

1. Award-Winning Design

The Tata Nexon is known for its bold and contemporary design. With its aggressive stance, sharp lines, and signature grille, the Nexon exudes confidence on the road. The compact SUV also features striking dual-tone color options, sleek projector headlamps, and stylish alloy wheels, making it a head-turner wherever it goes.

2. Advanced Safety Features

Safety is a priority for Tata Motors, and the Nexon is a testament to this commitment. The Nexon is equipped with advanced safety features, including dual airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat anchors, and a reinforced body structure. It has also earned a 5-star safety rating from Global NCAP, making it one of the safest cars in its class.

3. Powerful Performance

Under the hood, the Tata Nexon offers a choice of turbocharged petrol and diesel engines, both delivering impressive power and efficiency. The SUV's multi-drive modes—Eco, City, and Sport—allow you to customize your driving experience based on your preferences and road conditions. The Nexon’s well-tuned suspension ensures a comfortable ride, whether you're navigating city streets or hitting the open road.

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4. Smart Connectivity

Stay connected on the go with the Tata Nexon's advanced infotainment system. The SUV features a floating 7-inch touchscreen with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility, allowing you to access your favorite apps, music, and navigation easily. The Nexon also includes voice commands, a Harman sound system, and seamless Bluetooth connectivity, enhancing your driving experience.

5. Spacious and Comfortable Interiors

The Tata Nexon offers a spacious cabin with high-quality materials and thoughtful design elements. The ergonomically designed seats provide excellent support, while the ample legroom and headroom ensure comfort for all passengers. The Nexon's boot space is also generous, making it ideal for long trips and family outings.

Book Your Favorite TATA Car at The True Saai Tata Today!!!

 Why Visit TSW Tata Showroom in Salem?

1. Comprehensive Model Range

TSW Tata Showroom in Salem offers a complete range of Tata vehicles, including the Tata Nexon. Whether you're looking for a specific variant or color option, the showroom has you covered. The friendly sales team is always on hand to guide you through the available options and help you find the perfect vehicle.

2. Expert Consultation

Choosing the right car can be overwhelming, but the experts at TSW Tata Showroom in Salem are here to help. They offer personalized consultations to understand your needs and preferences, ensuring that you make an informed decision. The team is well-versed in all aspects of the Tata Nexon and can provide detailed insights into its features, performance, and benefits.

3. Test Drive Opportunities

Experience the Tata Nexon for yourself by scheduling a test drive at TSW Tata Showroom in Salem. A test drive is the best way to get a feel for the Nexon's performance, handling, and comfort. The dealership makes it easy to arrange a test drive at your convenience, allowing you to explore the SUV's capabilities in real-world conditions.

4. Flexible Financing Options

TSW Tata Showroom in Salem offers a variety of financing options to make your purchase more affordable. Whether you're interested in a loan or a lease plan, the finance team will work with you to find a solution that fits your budget. With competitive interest rates and flexible terms, owning the Tata Nexon is more accessible than ever.

5. Exceptional After-Sales Service

Maintaining your Tata Nexon is crucial to ensuring its longevity and performance. TSW Tata Showroom in Salem provides top-notch after-sales service, including regular maintenance, repairs, and access to genuine Tata parts. The service center is staffed with certified technicians who are dedicated to keeping your vehicle in optimal condition.

FAQs

1. What are the engine options available for the Tata Nexon?

The Tata Nexon is available with two engine options: a 1.2L turbocharged petrol engine and a 1.5L turbocharged diesel engine. Both engines offer excellent performance and fuel efficiency, catering to different driving needs.

2. Can I customize the Tata Nexon at TSW Tata Showroom in Salem?

Yes, TSW Tata Showroom in Salem offers a range of customization options for the Tata Nexon. You can choose from various color options, accessories, and packages to personalize your vehicle.

3. What safety features are included in the Tata Nexon?

The Tata Nexon is equipped with a range of safety features, including dual airbags, ABS with EBD, ISOFIX child seat anchors, electronic stability control (ESC), and a reinforced body structure. It also has a 5-star safety rating from Global NCAP.

4. How can I schedule a test drive at TSW Tata Showroom in Salem?

You can easily schedule a test drive by contacting TSW Tata Showroom in Salem directly or by visiting their website. The team will arrange a convenient time for you to experience the Tata Nexon.

5. What financing options are available for the Tata Nexon?

TSW Tata Showroom in Salem offers flexible financing options, including loans and lease plans. The finance team will help you choose the best option based on your financial situation and preferences.

Conclusion

The Tata Nexon is a remarkable vehicle that combines style, safety, performance, and comfort in one package. If you're in Salem and looking for a new car, make sure to visit TSW Tata Showroom to explore the Nexon in person. With expert guidance, flexible financing options, and exceptional after-sales service, TSW Tata Showroom is your go-to destination for all things Tata. Visit today and discover why the Tata Nexon is the perfect choice for your next vehicle.

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