#anderson design center

[donnie-darko-isforever]

Contemporary Dining Room Example of a large trendy dark wood floor enclosed dining room design with gray walls and no fireplace

[rafaelfajardo]

I'm excited to announce that I'll be teaching a workshop this summer at @andersonranchartscenter in Snowmass Village, CO. Join me at Anderson Ranch Arts Center, where artists can explore, experiment, and evolve their skills.

Basics of Game Design in Scratch

Jun 10-14

https://www.andersonranch.org/workshops/workshop/basics-of-game-design-in-scratch-p0204-24/

Registration opens today, January 4th!

#AndersonRanch #AndersonRanchArtsCenter #RanchMade #ArtistCommunity

[kalpakita]

⚜ AMC IWTV ⚜ - Season 1

* interview & bts link list *

SDCC Jul 21 ※Ententaiment Weekly ※TV-insider -HU extra SDCC Jul 23 ※Panel ※Screen Rant ※Collider ※ComicBook ※amc "Midnight Snacks" +extra w. Bailey ※Paley Center team on zoom ※SAG bits ※IFC Centre (only some transcript)

Season 1 : Oct 2 - Nov 6

AMC: ※Behind the Scenes ※Cast Diaries 1-4 5-7 ※Ep Insiders w. Rolin Jones ※Obsessed with the vampire ※Bailey Bass BTS vlog per episode TV-insider/studio w. Jacob & Sam ※The Root w. Jacob ※Epic love story ※IWTV trivia ※Ep1 final scene ※Raising Claudia ※Fight scene ※AV Club Q&A ※io9 Childhood media 🎤 ※In Creative Company w. Sam ※Pride w. Jacob & Sam, Bailey ※Xfinity w. Jacob & Sam ※ComicBook w. Jacob & Sam (orig. is gone) ※theGrio w. Jacob ※TV, I say w. Jacob ※Young Hollywood w. Jacob ※Rotten Tomatoes w. Jacob, Sam & Bailey ※Brief Take w. Sam ※Karen Hunter show w. Jacob

📝 AMC talk: ※Eric Bogosian Daniel ※Mara LePere-Schloop Production design ※Howard Berger Fx & make-up ※Bailey Bass Claudia ※Sam Reid Lestat ※Carol Cutshall Costume ※Assad Zaman "Rashid" ※Jacob Anderson Louis ※Rolin Jones EP and writer ※Reddit AMA w. Jacob & Sam ※Nov issue of SFX magazine (x) magazine/ photo shoot ※Shön -Sam ※FOXES -Jacob ※Vmagazine -Jacob

🎧 ※AMC podcast: YT or Spot hosted by Naomi Ekperigin ※Season 1 OST: YT or Spot composed by Daniel Hart

📱 ※iwtv writers room at twit: 🧵‣BTS ‣Q&A 01 ‣Q&A 02 ※Carol Cutshall's insta ※S1 still photos of Alfonso Bresciani ※S1 set design of Pixoloid ※Light design BTS Shapers of Light ※"Come to Me" Sheet music + gettyimages from events

2023, between seasons:

※GoldDerby w. director Levan Akin ※GoldDerby w. composer Daniel Hart ※AP w. Jacob & Sam back on set ※HeyUGuys & ※beforethelights w. Jacob 📝 ※Howard Berger on SFX makeup (tw gore) ※Below the Line w. composer Daniel Hart ※EW w. Sam ※NYP w. Jacob ※Big Issue w. Jacob ※Attitude w. Jacob & Sam

MORE LISTS:

‣My Season 2 post S2 interviews listed by Ari vamp.house crafted by @rustingways Influences & refs by @la-femme-au-collier-vert

[zombaebitez]

can we get relationship hcs with abby but with a SOFT/SUB MASC??? the way that never existed is crazy

Abby Relationship Hcs Pt 2

abby anderson x sub masc reader

synopsis: modern relationships headcanons with a (sub) masculine reader in mind!

zom’s note: i wanted to write something like this so thank you for the ask.

word count: abt 750

warnings: nsfw content (own section after sfw! don’t like, don’t read), mentions of strapping, suggestive touching and/or eyeing, and suggestions of abby being mean.

SFW <3

ꕥ Abby loves, and I mean loves sharing clothes with you. Since both of you lean into a more masculine style, you'll often find some of your stuff missing, just to see Abby wearing it later in the day.

ꕥ Carabiners. Abby likes them mainly because they are so practical. She gets hers from some random hardware section in a store, but you are adamant about getting the cooler ones, because sure practical, but also a lesbian statement.

ꕥ Whenever you and Abby go to workout, you swear some guy or girl always tries to hit on y’all, but you use this as an excuse to show off your hot as fuck girlfriend, win win.

ꕥ Whenever you and Abby go out shopping, y’all always end up finding stuff for each other. Immediately looking for the other with a few hangers, saying, “Baby, you’d look hot in this… then I can borrow”, “Abby, oh em gee, try this on”, “Baby, look look!” It just goes back and forth, love bugs literally.

ꕥ Abby is a major pouter, and you just adore it. Sad? Pouting. Mad? Pouting. She wants something? Pouting. You totally tease her about it, even if you do the same thing too.

ꕥ You love getting your nails done in those simple short natural styles with fun designs. Abby definitely pays for you, and sometimes she gets a matching design or your initial with a simple top coat.

ꕥ Abby loves to be the big spoon because she likes caging you in. Arms wrapped around you, and a leg on top of your center. She claims that you are her personal body pillow.

ꕥ Abby loves when you run your hands over a part of her body idly. Just feeling the muscle twitch, or for comfort. Y’all are both all over each other.

ꕥ You two definitely, once dating for awhile, have promise rings. Definitely some sort of matching bands that are unique for the two of you. You both are always showing them off, saying you’re married.

ꕥ Abby loves to listen to you talk and talk, doesn’t care what it’s about, she just stares at you nodding and asking simple questions. Just thinking about how much she adores you.

ꕥ She loses her mind when she sees you in the sweats and a sports bra combo, won’t care if its for lounging or working out. She can’t look away, she swears you’re gonna make her crazy.

NSFW !!

ꕥ Abby has an obsession with using you, doesn’t matter in what ways. She’ll let you strap her, because you definitely know what to do, but she is obviously the one in control. Hands on your hips, controlling how hard or soft you go, and the pace. Either way, you end up more messed up than she does, begging for her to let you take care of her, or use you and stop teasing the both of you for so long.

ꕥ On that, Abby loves when you beg. It feels like an addiction at this point. Seeing you squirm, or a dazed out expression. Just babbling about how much you want her, how much you need her. She can listen forever, sometimes laughing at how pathetic you can get at times.

ꕥ She definitely eyes your waist whenever your shirt rides up, bottoms always sitting low and showing off whatever boxers or boyshorts you’re wearing. It gets her to thinking, and then that thinking leads to her spacing; even when your shirt rides back down. Doesn’t even feel the tiniest bit of shame when you catch her, and you end up getting a little shy under her gaze.

ꕥ Gets you to lay your back against her chest as y’all watch a show or just chilling and scrolling. She can’t control when her hand slips to rub random shapes onto your lower stomach or upper thigh. Those light touches, moving further down slowly but surely to where she wants to touch you most; gentle kisses being pressed to your skin. Abby loves the small reactions she gets when you notice what her intentions are.

ꕥ She always notices when you really try your best to impress her, or show her how good you are. Letting Abby touch you as she pleases, or using you for her own gain if that's what she desires. She’ll dumb you down with sweet talk, with a tinge of meanness just so you can pout about it. You both know that pouty attitude is gonna get fucked out of you later.

[olive-fics]

A day out with Abby (Fem reader)

You and Abby are finally out together, Abby had been busy with work all week and decided to treat you as an apology..♡

Not NSFW but not fully SFW..? Wtv..Mature readers please. MEN DNI! (pls!)

NOT PROOF READ—CORRECT ME🤍🦢

Abby Anderson had always been the kind of person who valued simple moments of happiness. Today was one of those days, a day spent leisurely strolling through the aisles of a bustling mall with you, her girlfriend.

You two had held hands as you made your way through the crowded shopping center. Your fingers intertwined with Abby's strong, calloused ones. Abby's tall, muscular frame contrasted with your smaller, more delicate one, but together you fit perfectly. Abby didn't mind the strange looks, she only cared about pleasing you and making sure you had a cute outfit...it didn't truly matter to Abby though... she was just going to take it off of you later anyways.

"Anything specific you're looking for, babe?" Abby asked, her green eyes peering into yours as she rubbed your hand with her thumb.

There were a few things you spotted while walking through the mall with Abby but you didn't want to overwhelm Abby with your shopping spree needs. Instead, you admired the charming storefronts adorned with colorful displays of clothes, accessories, and all things cute. You couldn't resist peeking into a few windows, ogling at the adorable dresses, quirky trinkets, and fluffy stuffed animals that seemed to beckon with the pearls and light colors..

"Not reall- Oh my god." That's when the most beautiful, white, lacy babydoll dress you have ever seen caught your eyes..You had to have it.

"Look at that dress, Abby!" You claimed, tugging Abby toward the shop. "It's absolutely gorgeous! Can we please go look at it?"

Abby chuckled, her heart fluttering at the sight of your excitement. "Alright, let's check it out."

You ran into the shop and giggled immediately checking out the dress in the display window.

$60.

Abby reached for the dress, gently lifting it off the hanger as she hid the price tag from you. The soft fabric cascaded through her fingers, revealing intricate patterns and delicate lace that made your heart skip a beat. "Let me help you into it princess." You couldn't help but laugh and kiss Abby's cheek, Shuffling as you both make it to the tiny dressing rooms with those shitty curtains.

Abby helped you take off your little Kami and jeans making sure to treat you gently, you were so fragile and perfect.. Abby honestly got nervous around you..

Abby's cheeks turned a soft shade of baby pink as she slipped the dress over your shoulders, her fingers brushing gently against your skin as she adjusted the straps with a delicate touch.

The dress, with its elegant design, hugged your form in all the right places, Abby couldn't help but stare.

"Fuck.. babe- you're so pretty.." Abby mumbled and became a flustered mess..

"Isn't it beautiful?" you asked, your voice barely above a whisper.

With a gentle touch, she began to pepper your exposed neck and shoulders with soft pecks and kisses. Her lips were warm and tender against your skin. You closed your eyes, savoring the sensation and giggling softly..

"Abby.." You mumbled just watching Abby sprinkle the kisses all over you in the mirror..

“Buying this for you… now,” Abby murmured into your neck, her warm breath sending shivers down your spine. Her fingers traced tender circles along your waist..

“Love you..”

[vintagelasvegas]

Sands Hotel & Casino '52-'96

Sands, December 1952

Kit Carson Club ('46-'50) Kit Carson Motel ('46-'64) La Lue nightclub ('50-'51)

'46: Kit Carson Club opened by H. Bynum, D. Anderson, G. Frisbee on US Hwy 91 outside of Las Vegas, adjacent to Kit Carson Motel. The club will later become LaRue nightclub, then the Garden Room of the Sands Hotel.

'50: Kit Carson Club reopened as LaRue nightclub by Billy Wilkerson, Nola Hahn, 12/23/50.

'51: LaRue closed by summer. Mack Kufferman buys LaRue and hires architect Wayne McAllister to build around the existing club. Kuffman and partners apply for gaming license. The project is called Sands by 12/51.

Sands ('52-'96)

'52: Kufferman gaming license denied in Apr., sells to Jake Freedman (RG 4/9/52, RG 6/13/52). Partners running the Sands are B. Barron, E. Levinson (casino manager), S. Wyman, J. Entratter (showroom & restaurants). Hidden partners are believed to include J. Stacher, M. Lansky. Sands road sign designed by McAllister, built by YESCO.

'52: Dec. 12, Sands opens with 200 rooms in five buildings arranged in Y-shaped layout. The guest wings are named after race tracks: Arlington Park, Belmont Park, Haileah, Rockingham Park, Santa Anita. Three other wings of equal size were added circa ’53-54 (two were named Churchill Downs, Hollywood Park), another by ’58, and larger wing by ’60. The total room count in ’60 was 465.

'53: Frank Sinatra plays his first engagement at the Sands and becomes 2% owner in Oct; Carl Cohen joins the Sands as shareholder and casino manager in Oct.

'54: Sign modification: Second reader board added below the main board, Feb or earlier. Antonio Morelli joins the Sands as musical director for the Copa in Jul.

'55: Sands partners assume control of the Dunes in Sep. They sell the Dunes in four months later.

'58: Jake Freedman dies 1/19/58; Jack Entratter becomes Sands president.

'59: Sign modification: Attraction board attached to the sign, Feb or earlier. Baccarat begins at the Sands. Sands acquires the former Orinda Motel, property to the south, used for expansion of the Sands parking lot.

'60: Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr, Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop (the "Rat Pack") are first billed together in the Copa in Jan-Feb. during the filming of Ocean's 11. Senator John F. Kennedy visits during the Democratic primary campaign.

'63: Opening of Aqueduct hotel wing (83 rm) in Apr. Julius Gabrielle, architect (RJ 4/28/63). Sinatra surrenders ownership 10/7/63.

'64: Sands acquires the former Kit Carson Motel; Belmont and Arlington buildings (base of the Y) moved southward to accommodate construction of a hotel tower. Sign modification: The frame around the main marquee painted tan.

'65: Second sign in Aug; tower completed late in the year and officially opened Jan. ’66. Martin Stern Jr, architect.

'67: Howard Hughes buys the Sands, 7/23/67. Sinatra leaves his Sands residency after confrontation with Cohen, 9/11/67.

'69: Dean Martin leaves Sands to join Riviera.

'71: Entratter dies, 3/8/71.

'73: Cohen leaves the Sands, Jan. '73.

'80: Inns of America buys the Sands from Hughes heirs Summa Corp in Oct.

'82: Third sign, new porte-cochère, marking the completion of remodeling effort including new Copa room, 1/15/82.

'83: Summa Corp reassumes control of the Sands, 4/5/83.

'88: Kirk Kerkorian buys the Sands in Jan. Kerkorian sells to Interface Group led by Sheldon Addison in Apr.

'90: Sands Expo and Convention Center opens.

'94: Remodeling of the casino.

'96: Sands closes 6/30/96. Tower demolished 11/26/96.

Photos of the Sands

Sources include David G. Schwartz. At the Sands: The Casino That Shaped Classic Las Vegas, Brought the Rat Pack Together, and Went Out With a Bang. December 1952 photo courtesy of Slidetreasurehunt.

Construction of the sign, 1952. The pylon sign pedestal was 56’ high, 21’ wide, with the S at 34’ tall. Design by Wayne McAllister, fabricated and installed by Young Electric Sign Co. Photo: YESCO Corporate Records (MS-00403), UNLV Special Collections & Archives.

Opens Dec 15. Danny Thomas, Connie Rusell, Lou Wills Jr, Ray Sinatra Orchestra. Nevada State Museum, Las Vegas, 0007-0345.

Aerial view of Kit Carson Motel and the Sands, '62

[d-criss-news]

How Maybe Happy Ending Became the Surprise Hit of the Broadway Season

DO ANDROIDS DREAM? The leads of Broadway's Maybe Happy Ending: Darren Criss, in Saint Laurent by Anthony Vaccarello, and Helen J Shen in Michael Kors Collection. Swarovski ring. Hair, Edward Lampley; makeup, Kuma. Photographed by Norman Jean Roy. Fashion Editor: Edward Bowleg III. Vogue, March 2025.

---------- Bringing the androids to life, as it were, are stage veteran Darren Criss and Broadway newcomer Helen J Shen. Backstage in his dressing room before curtain, Criss, 37, is bursting with chattiness, hazel eyes flashing and ring-laden fingers aflutter. He credits much of Maybe Happy Ending’s success to its extensive Korean incubation, comparing it to a nearly decade-long out-of-town tryout. “The level of nuance we focused on from the beginning is stuff that you don’t typically get until months in the weeds,” he says. “The trial and error has been happening long before us,” says Shen, who’s 24 but could easily pass for far younger, sitting serenely in a Winnie-the-Pooh sweatshirt. A classically trained pianist who competed internationally before studying theater performance at the University of Michigan (where Criss is also an alum), Shen has had a busy 2024, starring off-Broadway in The Lonely Few and Teeth. Meanwhile Criss is best known for the five seasons he spent as the endearingly charming, openly gay Blaine Anderson on Fox’s Glee. For this performance as an android with creakier movements than Shen’s, he drew on something he’d never put to use professionally: his college semester spent studying commedia dell’arte in Italy. “Stereotypical modern acting is about what you don’t see, and what I’m doing here is what you do see,” Criss says. His robot had been programmed to display unsubtle emotions: happy face, sad face, surprised face. These expressions and Criss’s faintly wooden physicality, inspired by the harlequin figure, “immediately make people more willing to connect to the show’s nonrealness,” he says. In rehearsals, he kept top of mind a note from Arden: “Just because it doesn’t feel real doesn’t make it not true.”

GROUP INTELLIGENCE Shen and Criss are joined in the cast by Dez Duron (center left) and Marcus Choi (center right). Costume design by Clint Ramos. Hair and wig design, Craig Franklin Miller; makeup, Suki Tsujimoto.

Underscoring that feeling of unreality is the shape-shifting set, involving a rotating turntable, proscenium LED tiles, and hologram-like projections. “The backstage mechanics are so unbelievably intricate,” Arden says. “My hope is that it’s working so well the audience doesn’t even notice.” The set was inspired by how we consume media on our phones; Arden estimates that the show spends more time in a vertical orientation than horizontal. Likewise, switching between sliding rooms on tracks emulates the effect of swiping on a personal device, and simple theatrical techniques like irising, created with black panels and neon, mimic how we pinch and zoom. Another influence was manga, which can tell big stories briskly, gracefully pushing readers from one image to another. The emphasis was on containing and focusing the audience’s point of view, Arden explains. “I wanted to take the audience on an adventure, leaving more to their imagination rather than trying to show everything.” Within those silently whizzing frames is a comforting, retro future-scape that the director compares to 2001: A Space Odyssey. “There’s this mix of cold futurism with warm sentimentality that’s also present in the score,” Arden says of the set. “You’re watching a classic Burt Bacharach musical, even though we’re driving a flying car.” The team has been floored by the rabid army of fans. Dubbed Fireflies, after a magical moment in the show, they range from repeat viewers dressing up as their favorite characters to those creating art inspired by HwaBoon, the emotional-support potted plant that many find the production’s low-key true star. (Arden calls her “a fabulous silent diva” who appeals to wallflowers in the audience.) A significant portion of those waiting by the stage door to meet the cast are Asian American, and while nearly all the actors in this production are also of Asian American descent, Shen shies from labeling the show narrowly. “It’s important to mark accomplishments, but whenever we put that pressure on to be a mouthpiece for any group of people that is multifaceted and contradictory and complicated, it’s going to fail.” Although actors of various races and ethnicities have previously portrayed the robots, almost every production has been set in Seoul. Yet Criss maintains “the show is as distinctly Korean as Romeo and Juliet is distinctly Italian...It’s where we set our scene, and some aspects of the show might spring from the culture.” (South Korea has the world’s highest density of robot workers.) “But it’s a story with universal themes: We all live, we all end, we all, hopefully, at some point, love or are loved.” The offbeat premise and ingenious staging prove that no algorithm can yet prescribe a hit Broadway musical. “As we enter into this world of AI, theater is one of the last completely human-made, -operated, -performed, and -received art forms,” Arden notes. “And that’s why we go to the theater—to learn something new about what it is to be alive.” How delightful that it’s possible in a musical about robots.

[ironclark]

The Remedy Set of Keyblades are Done!

LIGHT REVISION- A Keyblade modeled after the typings of Alan Wake! This Keyblade is designed to increase the damage of Light-based spells. The hilt is designed after a flashlight, with the hilt guard being inspired by the typewriter that Alan uses. The shaft of the blade is make of various typed letters, with the teeth being the lense flare of a flashlight. The token is the Clicker.

The World Logo is that of Bright Falls, where the game takes place. The name is a reference to editting a work of art as well as light itself.

CHAMPION OF LIGHT- A Keyblade modeled after the fight between light and darkness in Alan Wake: American Nightmare! This Keyblade is designed to have the effect of Light & Darkness! The hiltguard is designed after the CRTs that Scratch uses to taunt Alan throughout the game, with plumes of darkness arcing out of it to form half of the shaft. The rest of the shaft and teeth are formed from sparks of Light. The token is one of Alan's Manuscript pages.

The world logo is a based on the Arizona town named Night Springs, where the game loops itself. The name comes from the character that Alan has written himself to be, the Champion of Light.

ZERO STATE- A Keyblade modeled after the technology and fracture of time of Quantum Break! This Keyblade is designed to increase the effects of Slow or Stop on a target. The crossguard is designed after the Time Machines built by both Paul and Will in the game, with the core's patrusions on it. The shaft and teeth of the blade are designed after the visual effects of time breaking. The token is the Countermeasure built by Will.

The world logo is that of Riverport, the city in which the game takes place in. The name, Zero State, comes from when time has stopped.

OBJECT OF POWER- A Keyblade modeled after the Astral Realm of Control! This Keyblade is designed to launch targets into the air much easier! The entire keyblade is modeled after the black marble-like structures found in the astral plane, with the same golden veins in that marble as well. The teeth are made from Hedron, Polaris' counterpart in the Oldest House. The token is a slide from a Slide Projector.

The world logo is that of the Oldest House, the paranatural location that the game takes place. The name, Object of Power comes from terms used by the FBC to designated paranatural objects with supernatural powers.

CULT CLASSIC- A Keyblade modeled after the dual sides of Alan Wake II! This Keyblade is designed to have increased damage from Light-based spells! The hilt of the Key is designed after the woods that Saga Anderson traverses through, as well as the cross guard being that of the Antlers of deers that Saga interacts with. The center of the guard is the bullet hole made by Saga. The top of the shaft forms into the Angel Lamb that Alan Wake uses during his segments, with the wings forming the teeth of the blade. The token is the Cult of the Tree logo.

The world logo is a darker variant of the original World Logo. The name comes from the fact that a Cult Classic refers to a work that is extremely popular within niches, and that this game has two cults: Cult of the Word and Cult of the Tree.

[hyohaehyuk]

Den of Geek - Interview With the Vampire Cast on the One Thing They Don’t Tell You About Playing Vampires

Den of Geek: Jacob, in the first episode, Louis asked Daniel to let the story seduce. Do you feel you’ve accomplished that, and how does it feel?

Jacob Anderson: Yeah, I think he does let the story seduce. I think it reveals at the end that Louis let the story seduce himself. I remember Rolin talked about this quite a lot, Louis tries to hypnotize himself a little bit when he’s telling this story. To the extent that he believes it himself. Maybe he believes there are things that he says that might not be completely reliable. But then, who among us really tells a reliable, completely truthful, story about our own lives and our own participation in our lives, and other people’s? Yeah, I think he succeeded. Maybe a little bit too well.

Sam, you are center stage in two character-defining genre moments. When you’re holding a head and punching tickets, is there an awareness of how this is gonna play on screen? And how does that energize your performance?

Sam Reid: Yeah, definitely, I think Rolin knew what he was doing, too, when he wrote those moments. I don’t write those beats, I see them on a page, and it’s my job to interpret them. Actually, the decapitated head had a lot of discussion around it, and whether it was going to be too far or not. I think I may have shot that sequence, and Bailey was there too, so I’m expected to remember, more times than I think I shot anything, ever. We did it so many times.

I always talk about the practical effects of this show, but they’re so astonishing. It’s almost worth ruining the illusion just to know how we shot it. So, when I kick open that door, I’m jumping across a little moving car that I’m standing on, to another one that’s being held by members of the production design team, shaking the cart. So, it’s being shaken by people, and then the carriage that disappears behind me is a 2-D flat piece of wood that is being pulled apart by a whole bunch of guys on ropes while I jump across it. It’s so detailed. Every shot was just beautiful the way they make those things.

Jacob Anderson: And fun fact, that head is the head of Adam O’Byrne, producer.

Sam Reid: Yeah, it’s the head cast of one of our producers on the show, which was very funny to walk around with his head and have to work out how to manipulate it into being a puppet.

Jacob Anderson: [Mimicking] Get back to work!

Bailey, you play the same scenarios in two different worlds. Louis’ first telling and then after Daniel bullies them into the real story. I’m assuming you shoot these on the same set at the same time? How do you differentiate these realities internally?

Bailey Bass: We have an incredible crew that’s very supportive. Alexis Ostrander was very great at directing how Claudia should feel, and Rolin Jones knew exactly how he wanted the audience to feel in those moments. Because I was playing Claudia so truthfully as her for most of the show, when I’m doing that scene that’s not true – that Louis made up to make himself feel better – it was a bit of a challenge. I was grateful for both of them, Alexis and Rolin, for giving me guidance on how to live Louis’ lie rather than Claudia’s truth.

When you add up all the vampire abuses, do you feel Lestat earned an attempted death sentence?

Sam Reid: I hope so. I hope he earned it, and I hope people feel like that was earned. I mean, God, what other choice do these people have but to kill him? And I think he knows that too. I really hope the audience feel that he should have died. Lestat, particularly at the end when he realizes that it’s Louis with the knife and not Claudia, he feels like, “Okay, I’ve gone too far. And I need to die.” [Laughs]

Bailey, Claudia instigated it.

Bailey Bass: I think Claudia is, definitely, like: “Yes, he should have died.” I’ve been watching every episode as it airs on AMC+ so I can live it with the fans, and there are all these arguments about Louis, Lestat, Claudia, and our relationships. It’s really interesting. Because of Rolin’s great vision and writing, our characters are so equally specific, which makes audiences fall in love with them. When I’m watching it as a fan, I see why people don’t want Lestat to die. But then I also played Claudia, and I know how her brain works. And of course, he deserved to die.

And finally, Jacob, you’re the one who left Lestat with the rats, do you feel he deserved it?

Jacob Anderson: No, I think Louis doesn’t necessarily feel like he wants him to die. I think a lot of it is about freedom. They’re trapped in his house, and Claudia and Louis are essentially prisoners. I think that the only way they’re going to be able to escape the situation they’re in, is for Lestat to just be off the board for a little bit. He needs to go and sit in the naughty coffin and think about what he’s done. It’s like they’re on a break, essentially. That break will facilitate Claudia and Louis being able to explore their existence a little bit more, and explore their relationship, and their lives outside of this house. Get out of there. They’re not going to be able to get out of that house, unless Lestat is also out of that house.

Sam Reid: It’s also a very kind gesture, in a way, for Louis to do it to Lestat, because Lestat doesn’t really develop that much as a character over the first season. He’s got a lot of issues that he doesn’t really deal with. And sometimes the nicest thing that someone can do, or that a monster partner can do, is kill you to instigate a bit of personal change. Hopefully, this is the first step in a character arc for Lestat.

Jacob Anderson: It’s like any relationship, right? Sometimes you just have to have the big, big, big argument that completely changes how you perceive your relationship. Without that, how can you move on and establish something new?

Sam Reid: Yeah, yeah. They live forever, you know? You gotta make big choices.

Cosmetically, technically, and emotionally, what is something no one prepares you for when you take on the role of a vampire?

Jacob Anderson: Nights. The nights.

Sam Reid: Yeah. Working at night.

Jacob Anderson: Yeah, because the scripts are so beautifully written. They’re so dense, full of ideas, and full of beautiful dialogue. You don’t want to mess any of it up. You have to switch your brain into a place where it can operate at full capacity. At 4 a.m., you’re having to do this very lofty stuff, and it’s very difficult to actually prepare for that without just doing it.

Bailey Bass: Because, eventually, we all have a time at night where we start to get delusional. I documented the whole show, I’m watching videos of myself and I can pinpoint exactly when I started to lose my mind. You have to rework it to keep acting at 100%.

Along with that, no one could have prepared me for the lenses. Your vision is restricted. Sometimes we couldn’t see our other actors’ faces while we’re acting, which can make it really difficult because one of the first things you learn when you’re acting, as part of acting, is reacting. It’s mainly: when you can’t see the muscles of your actors’ face, how are you supposed to do that? Along with that, the lenses change how they feel in your eyes, based on the environment you’re in. So, if we’re working at 4 a.m., depending on the degrees it is outside, it will affect how the lenses feel on your eyes. No one can even explain that until you feel it on your eyeball.

Sam Reid: Yeah, the nights and the lenses. It’s very hard to grasp what that feels like, for the extended period of time that we did it. You enter something like a dream world, literally, that’s the best way that I can think of describing it. It’s like this bizarre dream primordial soup.

How will season two deal with Claudia and Louis’ falling out?

Jacob Anderson: How exciting to find out. I can’t wait to find out.

[notokra]

InterCommunication’91 “The Museum Inside The Telephone Network”

Tokyo's 1991 museum show only accessible by telephone, fax and modem, with works by Laurie Anderson, J.G. Ballard, John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Félix Guattari, Derek Jarman, Ryuichi Sakamoto, & many more https://monoskop.org/log/?p=19463

--

The exhibition organised by the Project InterCommunication Center (ICC), founded by the Japanese telecom NTT, was a pioneering project investigating the implications of networked communication for the museum institution. The exhibition was only accessible to home users by means of the telephone, fax, and in a limited sense computer networking. It was meant as a model for a new kind of an “invisible” museum. Later it was followed up by another ICC exhibition The Museum Inside the Network (1995). The ICC opened its exhibition space in 1997.

The works and messages from almost 100 artists, writers, and cultural figures were available through five channels. The works in “Voice & sound channel” such as talks and readings on the theme of communication could be listened to by telephone. The “Interactive channel” offered participants to create musical tunes by pushing buttons on a telephone. Works of art, novels, comics and essays could be received at home through “Fax channel”. The “Live channel” offered artists’ live performances and telephone dialogues between invited intellectuals to be heard by telephone. Additionally, computer graphics works could be accessed by modem and downloaded to one’s personal computer screen for viewing.

Contributors include Laurie Anderson, J.G. Ballard, Christian Boltanski, Pierre Boulez, William S. Burroughs, Merce Cunningham, Daniel Buren, John Cage, Jacques Derrida, Allen Ginsberg, Philip Glass, Félix Guattari, Pontus Hultén, Derek Jarman, Jeff Koons, Daniel Libeskind, Jackson Mac Low, Judith Malina, Renzo Piano, Steve Reich, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Akira Sakata, Paul Virilio, Robert Wilson, Tadanori Yokoo, John Zorn, a.o.

Edited by Urban Design Research Introduction by Akira Asada, Yutaka Hikosaka, and Toshiharu Itou Publisher NTT, Tokyo, 1991 259 pages

[desire-mona]

more modern poets hcs for greenie!

charlie -

charlie used to post like "annoying gay ppl vs normal gay ppl" memes, had a huge turnaround and they cringe when they think of that time. mentioning blaire white or kalvin garrah would make him jump

has an "i <3 milfs" design of every article of clothing, could make an entire i <3 milfs outfit. shirt, hat, pants, socks, belt, shoes, hoodie, you name it.

todd -

todd is nonbinary bc he is autistic and autistic ppl generally view gender differently. not debating this. this is a fact and this is canon. they/he/she todd anderson, what of it.

chronic procrastinator when it comes to anything besides school. they will put off doctors appointments, finishing tv shows, even charging their phone.

neil -

doesnt use tiktok but he watches todd scroll thru her fyp sometimes and gets very mad at those "acting pov" videos. hes like "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN ACTING POINT OF VIEW" "POINT OF VIEW YOU ONLY HAVE A LIMITED NUMBER OF WORDS???????? WHAT DOES THAT MEEEEEAN"

i see ppl saying that neil would be a swiftie but i would like to suggest that he's a big ethel cain fan, a collection of songs that tell a fictional character's story? tell me thats not right up his alley

meeks -

i dont think this is the type of math meeks bases a career off of but i do think he rly pays attention to architecture and city layouts and stuff. will forever complain abt how inconvenient it is to have a car centered society and how every place should be walkable OR have public transport

collects records despite not having a record player, tapes despite not having a walkman, and cds despite using his cd player maybe 3 times a year. quite honestly its just to have a physical collection of his music taste

pitts -

pitts went thru a "nice guy/ vaguely incel-ular" phase in middle school, but he didnt talk to a singular woman in those years. by the time it went away there was no harm done to anyone but himself and a very annoyed meeks who had to listen to how girls "only go for assholes"

he has a fashion sense so good that ppl online *ask* him to post fit checks, he doesnt do any if theyre not requested of him. pitts is also the one with the biggest online presence, most notably tiktok and twitter

knox -

type of guy to constantly post shit like "like for a tbh" or post anonymous question things on his story. nobody interacts with any of it so he usually just deletes them after half a day

haaaaaaaates texting and will either send very long voice messages or just ask to call whoever he's talking to (me fr i send ppl voice msgs almost exclusively)

cameron -

cam is suuuuuuuper creeped out by ai "art", especially the ai washing feet commercial during the superbowl, which he had nightmares about for a week

his parents are constantly trying weird diets (most notably keto) so he has the weirdest assortment of random ingredients in his pantry. has come up with the strangest "meals" any one of those boys have ever seen

[justforbooks]

Alfa Anderson

American singer best known as a vocalist with the 1970s disco group Chic whose hits included Le Freak

Among the disco goddesses – the Donnas, Glorias, Evelyns, Gwens, Candis and Anitas – who serenaded the dancers of the hedonistic 1970s in such celebrated joints as New York’s Studio 54 and London’s Heaven, it seems likely that only Alfa Anderson’s destiny included leaving show business to resume her studies and eventually become a high school principal.

Anderson, who has died aged 78, had been one of the featured singers with Chic, the high-fashion disco ensemble whose chart-topping hits included Le Freak. Emerging from the ranks of backing singers in the Manhattan recording studios, she had been spotted by Luther Vandross, then a star-to-be, who introduced her in 1977 to the guitarist Nile Rodgers and the bassist Bernard Edwards, Chic’s ambitious young founders and songwriters.

The duo’s ambition was to create an upscale dance music blending funky dancefloor rhythms with the sophisticated style of an English band they much admired, Bryan Ferry’s Roxy Music. By comparison with their disco rivals, Chic were cool and restrained, their musicianship impeccable, their female singers conveying a matching sense of class.

On the sleeve of C’est Chic (1978), their second album, designed to look like the cover of a fashion magazine, it was Anderson who reclined in a white silk blouse and old-gold skirt against an expensive sofa in the garden room of a country house, while the other core members of the group struck suitably soigné poses. The message was unmissable: a dream of upward mobility which their audience was invited to share.

On another of their hits, I Want Your Love (like Le Freak, included in C’est Chic), Anderson took the solo lead, her voice finding a sinuous path between Edwards’s pulsing bass, Tony Thompson’s implacable drums, Rodgers’s flickering rhythm guitar, the cushion of strings, the syncopated trumpet figures and – in a typically imaginative touch – tubular bells prominently doubling the melody on the chorus.

The eldest of four children, Alfa Anderson was born in Augusta, Georgia, and named after the first letter of the Greek alphabet, its spelling varied to match the Christian name of her father, Alfonso Anderson, an employee of the US Postal Service. Her mother, Essie, was a social worker and Girl Scout troop leader.

Interested in music from a very early age, Alfa grew up singing in church and with the Girl Scouts, and learned the saxophone, flute and piccolo at Lucy C Laney high school. A degree in English at Paine College in Augusta was followed by a move to New York, where she settled in Harlem while studying for a master’s degree at the Teachers College at Columbia University and singing in the college choir.

She received her first significant public exposure through a role in Big Man, a play with music by the jazz saxophonist Julian “Cannonball” Adderley and based on the legend of the Black railroad worker John Henry. Attending its sole performance at Carnegie Hall in 1976, her churchgoing mother was shocked to discover her daughter singing the part of a “whore” called Maggie.

Her next professional appearance was at Lincoln Center, singing a solo piece called Children of the Fire, written by the trumpeter Hannibal Marvin Peterson as a protest against US involvement in the Vietnam war.

She also appeared on the soundtrack album of the hit musical The Wiz, produced by Quincy Jones.

In the daytime she was teaching at Hunter College, the public university on Park Avenue, New York, and music was still a part-time occupation when she met the founders of Chic. Arriving early at the studio to sing background parts on their first album, she was discovered marking her students’ papers while waiting for the session to start, much to the other musicians’ amusement.

When the lead singer, Norma Jean Wright, left in 1978 to pursue a solo career, Anderson was invited to take her place. Giving her notice to Hunter College, she shared the lead role first with Diva Gray on Le Freak, which became a Studio 54 anthem, and then on the road and in the studio with Luci Martin.

Most memorably, her voice was also featured on At Last I Am Free, a spellbinding ballad tucked away on C’est Chic. It caught the ear of the English rock musician Robert Wyatt, who released his characteristically plaintive version as a single in 1980.

After Chic disbanded in 1983, Anderson toured with Vandross, whose solo career had taken off. Her session work included a contribution to Bryan Ferry’s Slave to Love, a hit single also featuring Rodgers on guitar, its success boosted by its appearance in the 1986 film 9½ Weeks.

While with Vandross she met his bass guitarist, Eluriel “Tinker” (sometimes “Tinkr”) Barfield, who became her husband. Leaving the road and the studios in 1987, she went back to college, taking a second master’s degree, in educational leadership, at Bank Street College of Education, before joining the El Puente Academy for Peace and Justice in Brooklyn, first as a teacher and then as principal.

Although Chic later re-formed with other singers, there were occasional musical reunions with Norma Jean Wright and Luci Martin.

She and her husband also formed a group called Voices of Shalom, which released two albums of spiritual songs, Messages (1999) and Daily Bread (2005). Returning to secular music, in 2013 she released a single, Former First Lady of Chic, and in 2017 Barfield produced her solo album, Music from My Heart, featuring a song titled Perfectly Chic, which precisely recreated the sound of that most exquisite of disco ensembles.

She is survived by her husband and two stepsons.

🔔 Alfa Karlys Anderson, singer, born 7 September 1946; died 17 December 2024

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[cosmindart]

Apollo's intro and FREE RESSOURCES

Hello Im Apollo Ampersand Cosmo. Im a Trans French Cabo-Verdean artist born in 1993 (turning 30 this year baby!)

I LIKE TO DRAW MEN WHO KISS MEN

I mostly make OC content centered around the @askisaak story or my side characters like Lazarus B Anderson, Lemres Moore or my UTAU WavSEED. Im also well verse in Live2D stuff and love worldbuilding.

I offer a large variety of free to use resources that you can find below

Rules regarding my resources!

Credits preferred

DO ANYTHING YOU WANT

You can use these for monetary uses (adopts, YCHs, etc) under the condition that you buy me a kofi (3$) 

You can use these for commission/raffle/gift work as long as you tell your customers free resources were used

Do not use to promote harmful content

Do not use for AI/NFT bullshit, this should be a given!

N-ence Clothing

A fictional line of techwear themed clothes you can use for your OC or sona. Come with a set of bases.

Fonts/Alphabets

Open Species (some of these have premade bases for MYOs)

CLOUROTOPIA

Multiple clown themed species. (Includes NPCs and feral fauna as part of the world building)

CHIMEBIES

Fliying Snake-like reptiles

BUMBLEBOLTS

Robot Bees/insectoids

BRANDICORES

Little creechurs (site page is a wip so i linked the TH subgallery)

HANACORIUS

Flower Unicorn Fauns. Come with 2 subtypes of Hanacornius

PHOSLYTES

Bioluminescent aliens (Includes feral fauna, food/fruits and other alien designs as part of the world building)

SESKIES

Unfinished concept, Pretty barebones, Based on selkies

CROSHELUSES

Based on Hermit crabs (includes a bit of world building like dances and naming conventions)

MORE FAUNA

Furry Bases

Humanoid Bases

Templates/YCHs

Scene Backgrounds

Pattern Backgrounds

Picrews

Icon Borders

Other/Misc (tattoos, page deco, phone wallpapers...)

and more like

Worlduilding Concepts and AUs

F2U Live2D avatars

Among Us emotes

Among Us overlay/code hidders

Bunojis

[lolasimms]

Part 1: The Nanny- Abby x reader

Summary: You’re assigned as a live in nanny for a couple and their young daughter, but what happens when your boss takes an interest in you?

—

Ever since you were 6 years old you'd set your sights on becoming a well to do lawyer. You wanted to bring people to justice, bring even the tiniest shred of humanity back to life. That was until the near end of your Junior year of high-school, when your guidance counsellor told you that your school simply didn't have enough clubs or extracurriculars for you to be eligible for a scholarship. So instead of finding a way, you simply gave up.

You got a diploma in early childhood care and moved upstate, working for rich douchebags who couldn't give two fucks about their children. Your agency was one of the best in the business and you were making more than enough to keep you on your feet. You were still new in the business, so when you'd been contacted to work privately, you knew the next home you'd be assigned would be a good one.

That's how you ended up here. You stepped into the expensive mansion, immediately struck by the grandeur of the entrance hall. The walls were adorned with beautiful paintings, and the floor was covered in a plush carpet that felt soft underfoot. The furniture was tasteful and elegant, with a mixture of antique pieces and modern designs. A sweeping staircase lead to the upper floors, and you could see the glimmering crystal chandelier hanging from the high ceiling.

You head snapped to the left at the sound of your name being called. "I'm Martha, the housekeeper, it's nice to meet you." She was dressed in a neat blouse with a skirt, paired with a white apron, stained in what you'd assumed was orange juice. Her brown  hair was tied back in a bun, completed with a black headband that sat in the middle of her head.

"Nice to meet you too, Martha." You smile politely, fidgeting with your rings as the two of you stand in the foyer.

"Mrs Adler is just finishing a yoga session upstairs, but I shall lead you to the living room." She motions for you to follow, so you do. The archway connected to the foyer led into the living area and once again you were struck. You were used to working with rich clients but this wasn't rich, it was wealth. As Martha lead you into the living , you were struck by the sheer size of the space. The room was filled with plush couches and armchairs, arranged around a large fireplace that dominated the center of the room.

The large windows let in plenty of natural light, illuminating the room and making it feel even more spacious. The ceiling was high, with ornate moldings and elegant chandeliers that added to the grandeur of the space. To your left was a grand piano in one corner of the room, and a bar in another, complete with all the accoutrements for entertaining guests. Everything about the living room was designed to be both intimidating and impressive, reflecting the opulence of the home and the lifestyle of its inhabitants.

"Make yourself at home, she should be with you in 30." Martha smiles at you, turning and exiting out of the living area and you take a seat on the larger than life, emerald green sofa. You relax into the chair, taking in the impressive surroundings a little bit more. If this week went smoothly this would be your home for the next six months. You just hoped all would go well. "Hello, Angel!" You're interrupted from your thoughts when a petite brunette with gold highlights bounds into the room. Mrs. Adler.

She was short, about 5ft 5, her long hair was adorned in honey gold highlights , she had a gorgeous figure and she was dressed in head to toe Lululemon. She glanced to her wrist, where you spotted an Apple Watch and a emerald green van cleef bracelet. Your suspicion was confirmed, they weren't just rich. They were loaded.

"Hi, you must be Mrs. Adler" You stand from the sofa and reach your hand out to hers. She takes it, smiling at you.

"It's Mrs. Anderson- Adler, but please just call me Avery." She motions for you to sit and you do, she takes the seat right next to yours.

"I'm really grateful that you and your husband selected me as your nanny, I look forward to meeting your daughter." You smile, a tad bit uncomfortable at how close she was to you. She smelt intoxicating, her perfume rich and florally, despite her just coming down from a workout.

"Oh actually I have a wife, and I'm so honoured that you're our nanny. We've heard a lot about you." You cringe at your mistake, your boss had only told you it was a young couple with a daughter, no more, no less.

"I apologise for my mistake Mrs. Adler." You turn to look at her and she's already smiling down at you.

"Honey please call me Avery, and that's no problem. My daughters name is Livy, she's having a nap right now but you can meet her after that. Any questions?"

"Uhh, not really." You reply, you were used to new clients chatting your ear off about rules, policies and instructions they had for you and their children but she seemed chill. Too chill.

"Good, good. You know you're our first nanny. My wife saw something in you when we looked at the website." She strokes your cheek, smiling at you. Though you're weirded out you find it oddly sweet how kind she is.

"Wow, I'm honestly honoured Avery. I hope I can be the best nanny for you guys." She smiles at your use of her name and claps her hands together.

"Well, Liv's schedule can be a bit extensive, but my wife Abby and I believe it's for the best. Martha will show you to your room and give you a folder of what Liv's routine is like, my darling. I have an appointment with my dietician in 20, See y'a." She kisses your cheek, leaving you surprised and makes her way out of the living area. Something told you she was a bit of an oddball.

—

"Here you go darling, room is all yours. If you need anything just call out for me. Liv's folder is in the drawer of the dresser." Martha points towards the expensive dresser that was perched against the wall.  She smiles, exiting the room and closing the door behind her. The room was nice, a queen sized bed with a blush pink headboard, an ensuite bathroom and expensive furniture to match.

You reached into the drawer, finding Liv's folder and were taken aback by the child's schedule. It was extensive to say the least. Morning stretches, shower, breakfast, sensory time, garden walk, nap-time, after-nap snack, 1 hour screen time, evening walk, dinner, bath-time, sleep. The child had a  practically busier schedule than a COO of a tech company. Curious, you reached for your phone to Google the family name.

'Avery Anderson- Adler' is the wife of Abby Anderson, millionaire heiress to the Anderson family fortune.

You'd heard that name before Abby Anderson. You clicked on it and Lo and behold an image of a buff blonde with sapphire blue eyes appeared. She was so good-looking, tall just all round breath taking.

'Abby Anderson is the daughter of Late Dr. Jerry Anderson, owner of the Anderson Hospital.'

That's where you'd heard the name! The Anderson hospital was basically the largest private hospital in the city, if not the state. That explained why these people were loaded. You quickly clicked out of the Google tab and made your way to Liv's room.

"Hi, Liv. I'm your new nanny" You tell her your name, as you wave at the small girl who had just woken up. She had brown hair, brown eyes and looked just like Avery. She gave you a shy smile and reacher her hand out to you.

"Hi" she greeted you with your name and you smiled, taking her hand and helping her out of the large comforter that was practically swallowing her.

"Are you hungry Liv, cause your schedule says it's snack time!" She nods fervently and you lead her out the door and down the staircase.

—

"What do you usually eat for your snack?" You ask the child who was sat on a barstool, clutching a stuffed bear to her chest.

"I like cheese and vegetables, but not radish. Mommy always forces me to eat radish." You giggle at the disgusted face she makes at the memory of eating radish and make your way to the fridge.

"Don't worry Liv, I won't make you eat any radish." You find the fridge fully stocked, just like the ones in those architectural digest videos. Bottled Voss waters, sparkling water, soy milk and almond milk, an array of fruits and vegetables, cuts of cheese and deli meats. You grab some of the cheese cubes and a few carrots and celery.

"What's going on in here?" You turn once you hear the intimidating voice. To be met with the woman you'd just googled no longer than 20 minutes ago. Abby.

"Mrs Anderson, nice to meet you, I'm the new nanny." You tell her your name, your hands shaking, damn near about to drop Liv's snack. She was eyeing you head to toe, sizing you up as if you were some sort of meal.

"I know, I chose you." She smirks, walking over to the island, where Liv was sitting and placing a kiss on the child's forehead. You scramble to find a chopping board when she clears her throat making you focus your attention on her again.

"Can I help you?" You smile politely, her eyes never leave yours, the eye contact intimidating you to no end.

"You can actually, I don't want you to look so nervous. You were much prettier in your photo when you were calm." She walks around the counter to stand beside you ,leaning forwards, awaiting your reply.

"Yes Mrs. Anderson" You nod, as you begin to cut up the carrots for Liv's now delayed snack.

"You can call me Abby."

[dalekofchaos]

Cody Rhodes AEW run was weird and ridiculous

Cody’s AEW run was so ridiculous to me

I will admit it started out promising.

That great match with Dustin that showed us AEW is fucking here.

Then Cody gets a neck tattoo

The Elite vs the Inner Circle...

And it was all downhill from there.

First off you're the babyface. Why do you have a 5+ man entourage following you to the ring to face a heel?

Then while you're the big babyface of the company, your wife is running the worst faction of the company as a heel, but then comes out to support you as a valet.

Then he’s the only guy who gets the special entrance.

Oh and then he decides to have a a stipulation that bars him from challenging for the AEW World Championship.

Had this great feud to elevate MJF.

Can't be the world champ? Might as well create a title specifically designed for you to get over.

Elevated the likes of Darby Allin, RIcky Starks, Eddie Kingston, Jack Perry, and Brodie Lee.

Brodie Lee killed him after winning the TNT title and Cody returned with black hair for some fucking reason

The whole Shaq feud...well it happened. Only good thing to come out of it was Jade Cargill.

And nothing ever got better. Cody created the Codyverse. A forced babyface in the center of midcard feuds that never got over. And he started dressing like fucking Homelander. Cody lacking complete self-awareness that Homelander was the villain when the fans were practically begging him to turn heel.

The stupid QT Marshall feud.

Then he has the most ridiculous, carny and overbloated feud between himself and Anthony Ogogo where he markets his mixed baby. He did it! Cody ended racism.....while racially antagonizing a British black man.

The feud with Malakai Black. Black killed Cody in his debut, lost two matches in a role and Armed Anderson debuted. When your manager was more over than you, it's time to pack up and go. But Cody finally got his win back.

Oh and Cody and Brandi did a fucking kayfabe breaking reality show. That happened.

Oh and Brandi set Cody's back on fire. That happened. "That's what you get for that stupid neck tattoo, babe"

Then the fucking Dan Lambert feud happened. When Dan fucking Lambert is more over and more cheered than this alleged babyface and his wife, it's time to pack up and go home. It was absolutely fucking ridiculous.

But he did business and left on a high note by putting Sammy Dipshit Guevara over. Which then condemned us to the neverending Sammy and Scorpio Sky/Dan Lambert feud. So..thanks Cody, I guess.

Cody left for WWE. His reasons is never explained. It's hinted it was something personal. It can't be anything about his fellow Elite members when he's stated multiple times that he has a great relationship with Kenny and the Bucks and the same is said mutually. It was either a money issue or something to do with Brandi. Time will tell when those pesky NDA's expire.

But it all worked out in the end, didn't it? He helped start a revolution with his friends while also raising his stock to WWE so he can finally do what Dusty couldn't. So I guess it worked out fine.

[writtenjewels]

Informal

Shepard was excited when he stepped on board the Normandy. Captain Anderson prepped him on what he would find: a sleek frigate with an unusual set-up for the CIC. Apparently that part of the ship was inspired by the turians. It would definitely take some getting used to, but what better way to flatter your former enemy than to model your command center after their design?

He wished he had more time to read up on the crew before launch. Some of the names looked familiar—no doubt his parents talked about them, or possibly even worked with them—but Shepard wasn't familiar with anybody. He trusted Anderson's judgment, though.

Shepard stepped onto the bridge, where he found the pilot and copilot, along with their Spectre guest. Though he hadn't gotten a chance to talk with any of them yet, Shepard already knew that the pilot preferred being called “Joker” and that the guy in the copilot seat was a biotic. Even if he hadn't read it in the lieutenant's file, everyone onboard was talking about Alenko's biotics. Just one of the many factors that made this shakedown run a little unusual.

After Nihlus left the bridge, Joker declared, “I hate that guy.”

“Nihlus gave you a compliment,” Alenko remarked, “so you hate him?”

“Spectres are bad news,” Joker insisted. “Call me paranoid.”

“You're paranoid,” Alenko obliged without missing a beat. Shepard had to fight back the laugh that wanted to burst out from that. The conversation continued, with Joker warning Anderson that Nihlus was on his way.

“He's already here, Joker,” the captain replied.

“Is it me, or is the captain always angry?” Joker observed.

“Only when he's talking to you, Joker,” Alenko responded. Again, Shepard had to bite back his laugh. He tried to catch Alenko's eye, and the lieutenant looked up to meet his gaze. Alenko's lip pulled up in the barest of smiles and there was a glint in his hazel eyes. Shepard smiled back at him, then they both broke eye contact to focus back on their tasks.

Shepard still hadn't lost the smile when he stepped into the meeting between Nihlus and Anderson. He found himself grateful for Alenko's playful banter putting him in a good mood. He needed it to balance the seriousness of what this “shakedown” run was really about.

No one was in the mood for playful banter after Eden Prime. Losing Jenkins weighed on Shepard, and every time he closed his eyes, his mind would play back the images from the beacon. They had some down-time before reaching the Citadel and Shepard was feeling restless. He left the crew quarters with no real destination in mind.

He found Alenko at a work station. The biotic wiped an arm across his brow and stepped away from the console. His expression was tight and strained, but the moment he spotted Shepard it cleared. He snapped a salute.

“At ease.” Shepard waved him off. Alenko relaxed slightly.

“How are you feeling, Commander?”

“I don't know how I can answer that, Lieutenant.”

“For me, I think 'shitty' would about sum it up,” Alenko commented. Shepard felt his lip twitch and a brief lightness filled him. “Corporal Jenkins was just a kid, eager to get his feet wet on a real mission. And Nihlus...” He let out a breath. “He was a Council Spectre. I can't imagine how his death is going to reflect on the Alliance. Then there's the beacon—a priceless Prothean artifact, and it was destroyed on our watch. So... yeah, things are shitty.”

“Hard to find a bright side,” Shepard sighed.

“We're going to the Citadel,” Alenko reminded him. “The hub of the galaxy, where all the species come together. I've only ever heard about its size and scope before. It'll be incredible to see it in person. And we'll get to see all the other aliens that make up our galaxy. There will be asari, salarians, elcor, and volus. It's an opportunity to learn more about them.”

“Wow.” Shepard let out a soft laugh. “I like your optimism, Lieutenant.” It was more than that. Alenko had clearly been thinking a lot about their situation, both the good and bad. The fact that he could be optimistic made Shepard more hopeful, too.

“I'm just hoping some good comes out of all this, that's all,” Alenko said. “Sorry if I'm being too informal,” he quickly added. “Something about this reminds me of Brain Camp, and we were never big on protocol there.”

“Brain Camp?” Shepard echoed.

“That's what we called it. Officially, it was known as Biotic Acclimation and Temperance Training. I'll tell you about it later.”

“I look forward to it. And don't worry too much about informality. From what I saw on the bridge, it's a strength of yours.”

“Oh.” Alenko looked surprised. His expression softened and he chuckled. “You'd be the first of my commanding officers to even notice, let alone consider it a strength.”

“I'm honored.” Shepard smiled at him. “I hope I can see more of it in the future.” That got Alenko to smile back at him.

Their situation was still shitty, but Shepard was feeling better about it after talking to the lieutenant.