#bless you getty

[eldestdaughterbryanrust]

💕😮goofy game faces😗💕

[negrowhat]

Hello Neighbor

Well now that we know that Cir "just happens" to live in the same building as Phu, but just one floor down, I think we should talk about some other BL couples who just so happen to live in the same damn building as each other. Sometimes someone is aware and sometimes it's a total shock for everyone.

CirPhu from The Boy Next World. Like I said, last week Cir just casually revealed to Phu that he lives in the same building but just one floor below him. It's a bit weird for him to suddenly reveal that especially after claiming that he and Phu are lovers in another timeline somewhere. Do we believe he's a stalker? Or do we believe he's truly from another world and it's just coincidence that he lives in Phu's building? Let's place bets rn.

WinTeam from Until We Meet Again/Between Us. Win lived on the floor above Team in their dormitory and his room was right over Team's. Team living in Win's dorm definitely came in clutch for Team because he had somewhere to go when he couldn't sleep...which was every, single night. And Win gladly welcomed Team into his space and even offered him a key. They weren't just neighbors, Win's dorm was Team's sanctuary.

GeneNubsib from Lovely Writer. Nubsib was a proud stalker of his beloved Gene. He purposefully bought the condo directly next door to Gene's and didn't tell him. So when Gene kicked his ass out he just silently moved in next door and was just like "SURPRISE SHORTY!" And we all just ran with it. It is 1000% possible that Cir is pulling a Nubsib.

KongArthit from SOTUS. Kongpob was BOLD because he pulled this stunt TWICE on Arthit. First he didn't tell that man that his dorm was directly across from his in the opposite building. He just spent a few months lurking at Arthit from afar, enjoying the show of his cute senior fumbling around. THEN when Kong went to intern at the engineering company Arthit worked at (something else he didn't mention) he purposefully moved into the condo right next door to Arthit and once again DID NOT tell him. He just let his mans find out and was like, "See...what had happened was..."

PatPran from Bad Buddy. The Gods just blessed them to be in each other's spaces eternally. We all know PatPran were warring neighbors since childhood, the Romeo and Juliet of it all, but not them being across-the-hallway neighbors at uni too. Of course Pran seemed annoyed but Pat couldn't be more thrilled to be living next door to his most favorite dimply guy. Pat did seem to spend most of his free time at Pran's place, but that was partially because his baby sister was cramping his style when she moved into the dorm with him. But whatever because he got to annoy and snuggle his favorite guy.

VeeMark from Love Mechanics. What's fun about VeeMark living directly next door to each other was that Mark was Vee's side piece. Some days he was burning with rage that Vee lived next door with his girlfriend but also cackling other days because he was fucking that girl's man on the regular right under her nose. They was on some messy type shit. Wait, now that I think about it...that was ole girl's apartment so Vee was legit just bouncing around from room to room with whomever he felt like cuddling with that night. With his choosing ass.

GodDiew from Monster Next Door. They win because they were semi-anonymous next door neighbors for a long ass time. Gettiing to know each other without seeing each other. Dating while not meeting up. Romance blossoming while vaguely in each other's presence. Bonding without actually breeching a physical boundary until they were both ready. Their being neighbors and how they were neighboring was actual poetry.

I think 2025 might bring back my lists. I can't contribute much but I can make a fun random list. Hope you all enjoyed this.

[nhlclover]

𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐂𝐊 𝐊𝐈𝐃

madeleine chase x will smith

will goes on a podcast and reveals to the world his gushing crush on pop star, madeleine chase (wc; 1.11k)

༉‧₊˚. ꒰ notes! ꒱ this is lowkey inspired by how tate mcrae and cole sillinger first got together + what will said in a podcast about tate mcrae (literally every man is obsessed with her and so am i)

au masterlist

It had been about a week since Will had moved to San Jose and he was… settling. California was very different from Massachusetts and everything was new. From the weather to the people, everything was unfamiliar to Will. His teammates — another new thing Will was getting used to — had been nothing but welcoming. They had been showing him around the area and making sure he was settling in well—especially the Marleau family who were taking him in for his first year in San Jose.

He appreciated their efforts, even though the move was still overwhelming at times. The sunny, warm weather of California was a stark contrast to the often chilly and unpredictable climate of Massachusetts, and it was both a blessing and a challenge to adapt to. The culture here was more laid-back, and people seemed to carry an air of casualness that Will wasn’t entirely accustomed to.

In the midst of all these changes, he was dealing with the start of the hockey season, which brought on a lot of commitments. Despite today being a rest day from all of the beginning of the season media, Will was sitting in the Empty Netters podcast studio. Will had met Dan and Chris, the two hosts, a while back, promising them he’d come on when he got signed by the Sharks. Months later, Will was fulfilling his promise.

“Alright, Will, welcome to the Empty Netters pod! Glad to have you here,” said Chris.

“Thank you for having me,” Will said, smiling politely.

“So, you've been in San Jose for what—about two weeks? How’s the transition going? It’s gotta be a change from Massachusetts." Dan asked.

Will nodded, leaning into the mic a bit. “Yeah, about that but it feels like longer with everything going on. It’s been go, go, go since I got here but California’s great. And everyone’s been super welcoming, especially the Marleau family. They’ve really helped me get settled.”

Dan grinned. “Yeah, you got blessed with your living situation for your first year. I mean Patrick Marleau is a legend.”

“Not bad at all,” Will chuckled, relaxing a little. “They’ve been great. Showing me around, and introducing me to some good spots to eat. I’m trying to figure out the whole California lifestyle.”

The conversation flowed easily as they touched on his early career, what he was looking forward to with the Sharks and a few lighter topics.

“Okay, Will, to end this interview we just want to do some rapid-fire questions, alright? So these are just random.” Chris asked.

“Yeah, ok, sounds good,” Will replied.

“Great, first question,” Chris said, glancing at his notes. “What's your favorite movie?”

Will thought for a moment, debating between the movies he loved. “I'd have to say 'Good Will Hunting'. It's a classic and, well, it's set in Boston. Reminds me of home.”

Both Dan and Chris nodded appreciatively. “Nice choice,” Dan answered. “Alright, next up: what's your go-to comfort food?”

“Probably a good lobster roll,” Will replied instantly. “It's practically a staple back home.”

“A lobster roll from Cape Cod sounds fucking delicious.” Chris agreed.

“Alright, final question,” Dan says. “Who is your celebrity crush?”

“Madeleine Chase,” Will says without hesitation.

Both Dan and Chris burst into laughter at Will’s quick answer, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink as he realizes his eagerness. “Damn, you were ready for that question,” Chris says through laughter. “Can you expand on why she is your celebrity crush?”

Will chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to gather his thoughts. “I mean, first of all, she’s gorgeous. I keep seeing photos of her performing for Taylor Swift in Europe and… whew.” Will answers, getting another chorus of laughter from the podcast hosts. “But also there’s something about her vibe. She seems really down-to-earth and genuine. I’ve seen her in interviews and she’s got a great sense of humor.”

Dan grinned. “Sounds like you’ve thought about this a lot.”

“Yeah, maybe a bit,” Will admitted, laughing. “But, you know, it’s hard not to admire someone like that. She’s got the whole package.”

“Quick, favorite song of hers?” Chris asked.

Will didn’t have to think much before answering. “Close To You. It’s just such a fun song to listen to.”

“If you have a message for Madeleine that we might be able to get to her at some point, what would it be?” Dan asked.

Will chuckled, questioning if he really wanted to it all out bare on this podcast. “Answer my DM,” he said, confidence lacing his tone.

“No way you’ve DM’ed her.” Chris laughed.

Will simply shrugged, laughing along with the two brothers. Dan leaned in with mock seriousness. "Alright, Sharks fans, you heard it here first—Will Smith’s got game both on and off the ice."

As the podcast wrapped up, Will thanked Chris and Dan, and they walked him out. His agent was waiting, jumping straight into talking about his schedule, but Will wasn't really listening. He was still stuck replaying the last part of the interview in his head.

Did I really just say that? His mind replayed the last part of the interview—talking about Madeleine Chase with no filter, like some lovestruck kid. He cringed inwardly, imagining how it must have sounded to anyone listening. He could already hear the ribbing from his teammates once this went live, and he cringed. His agent's voice was just white noise now as Will’s thoughts spiraled, imagining the potential fallout.

Answer my DM. The words bounced around his head like an unwelcome reminder of how he’d opened himself up for a joke. What if she actually did hear it? He wasn’t sure what compelled him to be so bold, especially considering they didn’t know each other. Will had always been reserved, especially in public settings, and now he felt like he'd let his guard down too much.

“Will? You listening?” his agent said, snapping him out of his daze.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m here,” Will replied quickly, though he wasn’t. He pulled out his phone, hovering over the podcast's social media page. Maybe I can ask them to cut that part out… no, that’s ridiculous. It’s too late. He forced himself to put his phone away, trying to focus on anything else but the possibility of his comment blowing up online.

Will sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he tried to shake off the doubt. Maybe it wasn’t that bad. They laughed, so it couldn’t have been too cringey… right?

Still, the uncertainty weighed on him. California was supposed to be a fresh start, but at that moment, Will couldn’t help but feel like he’d already stumbled out of the gate.

[kerryshifting]

do you believe in fairytales?

FANTASY DR.

hear ye! hear ye! your royal highness mélusine–lorién, from house of valois, first of her name, is here!

it was 1305, when kingdom of lunellia celebrated for seven days and seven nights for the birth of the royal princess. fourth child of the king and queen and first daughter, the common–people made banquets honouring lady seleneria, goddess of women, for giving them such a blessing. the people's princess grew up with fairies looking up at her and always protecting her, riding unicorns and spending her days in the city, castle, talking to people and being loved by her kingdom.

MÉLUSINE VALOIS. born sixteen summers ago, the princess is easily recognised by the public wherever she goes: even if the royals don’t usually wear crowns, they still wear complicated hairstyles that symbolise their royal status. her floral dresses, her laughter: the kingdom loves their princess.

THE HOUSE OF VALOIS … to a valiant heart, nothing is impossible.

house of valois is the most ancient and revered royal family, ruling over a land where harmony and prosperity reign. they trace their lineage back to the first light, a mythical era when the world was said to be created by celestial beings. the family has been entrusted with maintaining the balance between nature, magic, and the people, ensuring that peace and goodness prevail in every corner of their kingdom. the valois family is not just known for their rule, but for their deep connection to the mystical forces of the world. legends say. that the first valois monarch, queen elysia valois, was blessed by the spirits of the stars granting her descendants the ability to harness a gentle, benevolent form of magic that brings abundance to the land. each monarch of the house of valois is chosen not just by birthright but by a sacred ceremony where the crown of light, an enchanted artifact, reveals the most worthy heir, ensuring the kingdom is always led by a just and kind ruler.

the family lives in NYTHERIS, the capital, in an ethereal castle that gleams with colours and gold , surrounded by enchanted forests and gardens where flowers never wilt. the palace itself is alive with magic, imbued with the energy of every generation of valois rulers who have walked its halls.

the valois rules arecentered around the idea of eternal joy the belief that happiness, kindness, and love are the highest values. under their reign, the people live carefree lives, and the world. knows no famine, no sickness, and no darkness. the seasons change with perfect harmony, ensuring bountiful harvests and beautiful weather year-round. the arts flourish, with music, poetry, and festivals marking every passing day in the kingdom.

HER LADIES IN WAITING … !

✴︎ elodie walcott. ༄ analytical. witty. genuine. fearless.

✴︎ juliette claire. ༄ eloquent. creative. honest. sociable.

✴︎ rebecca getty. ༄ productive. kind. amiable. ethical.

( a princess’ love story . ) 𓂅 SIR. JAMESON … jameson is the son of a baron of the kingdom of thalindor which is far away from lunellia. he came in the kingdom when he was nine, alone and since then living with the court physician. he is now a knight serving the royal family, and by extension serving and protecting me. since he is the youngest knight [ he is seventeen, one year older than me ] he has a different job than the other knights: he is my personal knight. always protecting me. he is the only person who is almost constantly with me; in my walks and in public.

[moronkyne]

Some Redacted ASMR name headcanons

(Inspired by @definitelynuwonhere)

Shifters;

David Gabriel Shaw [Dominican]

Asher Benjamin Talbot [Puerto Rican]

Milo Robbi Greer [Puerto Rican—Italian]

(way more under cut.)

Vamps; (Pre-Turnings)

Vincent Castro [Mexican—Chinese]

Samuel Floyd Collins [Irish—Scottish—Cuban]

Alexis Joon Getty [Irish—Korean]

Porter Angeleri-Garcia [Argentinian]

Elementals and Energetics;

Lasko Kierson Moore [Jamaican]

Damien Dante Santos [Filipino]

Huxley Hadou [Egyptian—African]

Kody Lee [Korean—Greek]

Hudson Garrison [African American. unspe.]

Unempowered;

Aaron Blessed Auva’a [Samoan]

Ollie Scott [German]

Guy Cech [Czech—Kenyan]

Anton Faisal Amir [Slavic—Arab]

Ivan Anthony Chávez [Peruvian]

Other;

Elliott Ahe Auva’a [Hawaiian]

Gavin “Arora” [Indian] (this is what he would take on if he were to be a human, but.. he’s not, I know this.)

James Das [Peruvian—Arab—Indian]

Blake Wojownik [Polish]

Morgan Emery Kyne [Japanese]

Hush (he wouldn’t take a last name) [Bantu—Danish]

I would like to add;

1) I don’t apologize if you don’t agree, I’ve gotten plenty of hate already

2) I know a big lot of these are Hispanic, and so am I. It’s projecting :,)

3) I’ll be doing listeners sometime

4) It honestly kinda gets annoying when people say “Why is Guy _____” or “Elliott is Hawaiian? I can’t see it” I get it, I do, but these are my opinions, okay? :,)

[pey-no-attention-to-me]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EGG⁉️⁉️

OH MY GOSH IT'S MY BIRTHDAY YAYYYYYYYYYYY

[90shaladriel]

Other pictures of Morfydd and Charlie from the Q&A

Bless you photographer Eric Charbonneau/Amazon via Getty Images

From the SAG Nominee Committee Special Screening December 03, 2024

Source: Getty Images

[thislovintime]

Remembering David Jones, and sending thoughts to his family and friends.

(Footage in this edit from the Blu-ray set, Getty Images, Australian TV, Extra, the 1990s documentary; audio 1 from Peter's 1999 interview with GOLD 104.5.)

“Genuine, reliable and huggable, Peter is a natural person — really gets off on talent — loves other musicians and can jam along with the best of ‘em. I saw him holding his own with Hendrix, Stills, Young. He encouraged me no end. Bought me my first guitar and my first drum kit. […] He used to walk with a swagger, shining his arms with a confident air. He calmed hysteria, and lifted depression. ‘Dried banana, anybody? Piece of orange?’ — smiling, waving, running his hands through his hair. He knew all the crew by their first names. Kids crying at his feet he lifted and hugged like a father calming a child. […] He’s the most musically talented of us all by a mile. His songs are real. ‘For Pete’s Sake’ — which replaced the Monkees Theme at the end of some of the shows of the second season — is one of my all-time favorite songs by anybody. I’ve joked a lot about Peter giving everything away. But it was true. He was always giving his spare room to someone who needed it for the night — anyone. And he always seemed far away somewhere — in a different space. But I’m glad I know him. Of all the things he gave me, he gave me lots of laughs — and food for thought.” - Davy Jones, They Made A Monkee Out Of Me (1988) “I enjoyed [Micky] the most, respected Mike the most, and loved Davy the most.” - Peter Tork, Hartford Courant, February 26, 1982 “Davy adored performing, and adored meeting and greeting his fans. He was tireless in making himself available to sing a song, do a dance, shake a hand; whatever was asked. I had heart-to-heart moments with him that were among the best in my life. I was blessed to know and work closely with him. He was one in about 6 billion, give or take. We won’t see his like again. He left much too soon. I share your sadness. Thank you again for this chance to contribute. God bless and keep you all.” - Peter Tork in a note for a Pennsylvania memorial event for Davy, also shared via Peter’s official Facebook page, 2012 Peter Tork: “He was a master of many aspects of this kind of thing [entertaining], and, you know, and we had some very wonderful personal connections, and I’m really sad to see all that gone.” Q: “He just seemed to be a fun guy. I know he loved horses.” PT: “Sure did.” Q: “And obviously loved Peter.” PT: “Sure did. Loved him.” - 94.5 FM (Phoenix), 2013 “[Micky] and Mike and I have a very cordial relationship and share a lot of common topics. We go to lunch together when we’re all in town and have a good time. I love and respect each of these guys in their own way, although the real joys that I shared with Davy were special. At one point we had some good hard connections but as the years rolled on, those things faded away. But I am sorry to see Davy go. He was the one member in the group that I had the strongest human connection with. I still have two guys that I love and respect left from the band, but we share a different dynamic.” - Peter Tork, Review Mag, May 27, 2016

[suhaym]

﷽

SULTAN SALAHUDDiN AL-AYYUBi (1137-1193), also known as Saladin or Yusuf ibn Ayyub, was the founder and first Sultan of the Ayyubid Dynasty that spanned from Egypt and Syria to Mecca and Medina. Most notably, he liberated Al-Quds, Palestine (Jerusalem) by defeating the Crusaders in 1187 (Palestine would remain free for over 700 years until it was invaded by Britain in 1917, leading to the creation of the State of Israel). He wielded a curved sword, made of the mysterious Damascus Steel, that is known to be one of the sharpest and most durable swords ever constructed. There were multiple assassination attempts on his life and none of them were successful. Salahuddin was renowned for his kindness, mercy, and generosity, even by his enemies. He spared the lives of the Christian dwellers of Al-Quds even though the Crusaders had slain the Muslims and the Jews. He kept giving his wealth away to the poor and needy, until there wasn’t even enough left to pay for his own funeral by the time he died. Salahuddin adhered strictly to Sunni Islam and was a follower of the Qadiri Sufi Order (Tariqah Qadiriyah), reciting its Awrad every day.

On his deathbed, someone asked him, “Oh Ayyubi, you are a great warrior of Islam. You have been fighting in the path of Allah for such a long time, but you weren’t martyred. You weren’t blessed with martyrdom,”

Salahuddin replied, “Throughout my life, I was yearning to be martyred in the path of Allah. But did you know that the sword of the enemy could not touch my neck?”

He continued, “In my childhood, my father took me to Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani [descendant of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and founder of the Qadiri Sufi Order] and Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani placed his hand on my neck. How could the sword of the enemy touch my neck when my neck was touched by the blessed hands of Sheikh Abdul Qadir Al-Jilani رَحِمَهُ ٱللَّٰهُ?”

Images: Filipa Figueiredo (left), Getty Images (right)

[leveloneandup]

I want to hug all of you Fam!! We've been blessed!! LOL Thank you Mr./Ms. Levork D. from Getty Images. Blessings upin blessings!!

��� Thank you, Kevork Djansezian!

[beewithknee]

of princesses and cigarettes

day 9 of redactober !

adam & alexis bonding time

If anyone had’ve asked a year ago where Adam would’ve seen himself on the 17th of October 2023, he probably would’ve said out fucking with newly turned vamps.

They always were so skittish.

Instead, he was perched upon a roof, a packet of cigarettes and a lighter off to his right. With Alexis Getty sharing the pack.

Odd.

Adam couldn’t really say when the odd tradition began. He wasn’t mad about it, though.

“Is it always this bad around now?” She hummed quietly, lips curling around her cigarette like she was seducing it.

He squinted at her, “Is what always this bad? Specifics, Getty. I’m not a fucking mind reader.” He spat, his chest growing warm as he breathed in more smoke. 

“Dysphoria, fuckwit. Is your dysphoria always shitty around now?” She jabbed at him with the heel of her (impressive) boots. He choked, head whipping around to stare at her.

How the fuck?

He supposed it didn’t matter; his reaction had clearly given it away.

“Uh. Yeah. Can’t do anything to my body that wasn’t there pre-turning, so I’m stuck like this forever. Literally.” Adam laughed bitterly into the night's air. “Anyway, how did you fucking know? Did Vincent blab again? That little fuckin-“

“Like sees like.” She shrugged simply, taking another drag. The words were so simple, but they sent Adam’s whole world off-kilter. 

She was… No. But she looked so-

“Good, huh? Yeah, I was blessed with good genetics, and HRT gave me some impressive tits. Not mad about that.” She laughed quietly. He took a solitary moment to appreciate the way her cheeks curved as she laughed. How her lips pulled, and the slightest wrinkles appeared at the corners of her mouth.

Yeah, she was beautiful.

He found himself envious. Alexis passed perfectly; she was feminine to her very core. It was a cruel type of femininity. It made men cower and fall to their knees. It made women stop and stare. It made the whole world take pause to appreciate how perfectly bad she truly was.

It was a sight to behold. 

“Fucking jealous.” He scoffed, flicking the stub off the roof. He found an odd pleasure in the small acts of defiance. It was reminiscent of control. Small things to take back the freedom he lost that day.

“Oh yeah?” She smirked, head tilted slightly. It was odd, seeing her so docile. Adam found it slightly comforting. She knew the pain that his kind never could.

Death was a fickle beast. It sealed their bodies in that state. It kept them young and fresh, but it sealed their bodies.

Adam had so many fault lines craving paths through his body. Top surgery had done him well, going a long way towards passing. But his features were still not right. They never would be.

Death had fucked him over. But he had a familiar, someone who knew the perpetual and eternal pain that came from simply being.

Alexis understood—maybe not to the full extent, seemingly happier with her transition process—but she understood. 

“You’re gorgeous.” The words were mumbled under his breath, shaking hands itching for another cigarette. He craved the nicotine. It did nothing for his body, but it reminded him of simpler times.

Alexis genuinely smiled. “Wow. Did Adam, the perpetual hardass, actually pay someone a compliment? Without being forced? Oh, I’m gonna tell everyone.” She jabbed, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

A pale hand raked through her hair, the red nails catching against her scalp.

She let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head. She knew Adam. She understood. She appreciated the depth and complexity of his personality.

She understood the need to act out to survive. She understood the deep-rooted insecurity and mishandling Adam juggled life with.

“Alexis I swear to fucking god. If your giant mouth spews any of this, I will slit your throat.” His gaze turned downright predatory, fangs protruding through his lips.

She had to admit, he had the look down pat. Scoffing, she flicked his ear. “Shut up. Don’t be fucking stupid. You think anyone would believe me either way?” She had him there, he supposed.

Two cigarettes turned into three, four, five.

Chain smoking was great when there wasn’t a fear of lung cancer. Not like Adam would have cared either way. Life had never interested him much; people were far too self-obsessed and petty to be fun. Alexis though… she could make a good ally.

“Adam…” She trailed off, bright eyes dancing between the lighter she fiddled with and the ground. He groaned loudly, flicking his lit smoke at her. “Don’t you dare try and have a fucking heart-to-heart. I will actually vomit.” Flinging himself backward, he snatched the lighter and pack.

Laying flat against the roof, he dangled his legs off the edge. Falling wasn’t a fear he held. He almost longed to. Maybe that’d finally kill him. “No, Adam, listen. I’m asking nicely here. I will just sit on you if I must.”

He wiggled his eyebrows, “Jokes on you, I’m into that shit.”

She rolled her eyes, sidling up next to him. Her warmth bled into his right side. Warmth was an odd concept, he mused. So unfamiliar and yet so craved. But unnecessary in their state. He loathed to admit it, but having a warm body and the burning heat from his smoke was nice.

“Life is shit. Simple as fucking that. It’s even harder as a queer person. I got lucky; I was able to transition early and get access to the stuff I needed. I take it you didn’t. Having to fight tooth-and-fucking-nail to have access to lifesaving healthcare is shit.” She took a long drag, forcing him to absorb her words.

He threw an arm over his eyes, his foot tapping absentmindedly against the gutter beneath him. The other leg swung slowly. Habits he never seemed to squash.

“Being trans sucks. Let’s be honest, being stuck for eternity is shit anyway. But being locked permanently in a body that you can’t change is a thousand times worse. I wish we could’ve had more chances to get it right. You are not your body, though, Adam. You pass—quite well, in fact. Fuck anyone who says different.”

Tears gathered on his lashes, hidden beneath his arm.

A delicate hand rested against his shoulder, silently supporting him. He didn’t know how, but she seemed to just get it . It bewildered him. How did this woman understand in a matter of minutes what others never understood in their whole lifetimes?

“Adam. You’re okay as you are. It’s fucking awful having to live with dysphoria, and I get it. Platitudes are useless and gross, but here goes. One day, it may just click. It did for me. One day, you might be okay. You might not. But you’ve gotta find ways to deal, even if that’s chain smoking on a roof with a Princess.” She laughed. It was loud and brash, and he found himself smiling.  

He didn’t fully grasp any of it, and he never really believed that he’d be okay. Nothing in his life had ever been easy; why would the afterlife be any different?

It was people like Vincent who acted so high and mighty because they’d lived through one traumatic event. Adam’s whole life had been a never-ending nightmare. His emotions were on lockdown. Thoughts put through a blender. Unable to process reality and his own perceptions fully.

He sensed Alexis felt quite similarly.

“Until then, though, we’re just gonna sit here and smoke, cause why the fuck not?" Adam barked out a laugh, arm moving to smack her.

“Oi, Alexis?”

“Yeah?”

“Thanks.” It was quiet, reserved. Adam didn’t want to show weakness. But maybe something tiny was okay.

She sneered down at him, wrenching the lighter from him again. “Shut the fuck up, Adam.”

Yeah, smoking with a Princess sounded pretty good.

[harrisonarchive]

George Harrison with fans at NEMS in Liverpool, and rehearsing at the Cavern on February 19, 1963; photos by Michael Ward/Getty Images.

“On the evening session [on February 23, 1962] at the Cavern, people were queuing just after midnight for the show the next day. George Harrison came in his Ford Anglia and asked them how long they had been waiting. He knew they would be out in the elements all night, and he went to the Pier Head and brought back twenty-five steak-and-kidney pies.” - Joey Shields, The Beatles in Liverpool (2012)

“George was one on his own though. I remember one night there were a couple of girls who wanted to come into the club but they didn’t have enough money.
They asked me but I told them I just couldn’t help — if I helped them out I’d have to do it for thousands of them. Just then George came up and asked what the problem was. When I told him he put a pound in my hand and asked me to give it to the girls without telling them where it had come from. They realized of course and started crying because they were so pleased.” - Pat Delaney (Cavern doorman), Yes magazine (Yeah! for this issue), November 1995

“I was there in those early Cavern days when you would talk to us at the lunch-hour sessions. You were a gentleman then and have remained one throughout your life. God Bless you George for the pleasure and happiness you brought to the lives of us 60's Liverpool kids.” - Sue Anderson, Your Tributes, BBC, November 30, 2001

“The world will not be the same without him in it. He was my special Beatle and I had the privilege of meeting them all several times in my teens. He was a lovely, gentle, unassuming man and if the world was full of people like him it would be a safe and peaceful place. God Bless until we meet in eternity. Love to his family.” - Pauleen F. (UK), Your Tributes, BBC, November 30, 2001 (x)

[angeltreasure]

hii, could you pray that i actually start going to mass? i'm the only one in my family that believes in Catholicism (getting baptised in november!! so excited!) and while they do agree to take me to mass if i want to, i always feel a bit intimidated and end up not going :(, i think i would really benefit from going and spending time with God, so i could really use some prayers

thanks q lot ♡ have a blessed day 🕊

I will keep you in my prayers!

It can be intimidating especially if you are the only one going alone, and so new to it. My best advice is: don’t rush the process. You are not required to be perfect and know all that there is in order to go to Mass or to be baptized. The beauty of the Catholic faith is that we are always like students.

Sit in the back pews when you go and don’t let your worries scare you. No one should stop you at the doors (if they do it’s mean, find another Catholic Church). Sometimes a Mass won’t be perfect either, with distractions around us from people talking, babies and children crying, a cellphone accidentally not being on silent, maybe the homily isn’t so helpful or good, sometimes readers will read the wrong page or they may not say what page to read or sing, maybe the people around you won’t smile. Don’t worry.

Jesus is truly present body, blood, soul, and divinity in the consecrated Eucharist. He’s in that very tabernacle at the altar and waits there for you, He waits there in the Communion hosts and wine, He waits in the monstrance at Eucharistic Adoration. Jesus loves us so much He gave His life to pay for the penalty of our sins, and He loves you. If you feel intimidated, there is also livestreams of Mass you can go to online to help you get a better idea of the Mass. if you are in RCIA, definitely ask any questions you have and they will help ease any doubts or questions you bring up, and welcome you with open arms.

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Things I recommend that may help you (not to overwhelm you but to give you ideas):

- read the Bible (start with the Gospels of the New Testament). You don’t have to read big chunks but try a couple of verses a day. Try to read it slowly and place yourself into the story like a movie in your mind. This is a great way to meditate and pray on what is being said.

- Bible Hub is awesome for your phone.

- the Catechism of the Catholic Church is a great book that explains why we do what we do as Catholics—- even parts of the Mass. don’t be intimidated by its size. I use it as a reference book by opening the back index.

- try the Bible in a Year podcast by Fr. Mike Schmitz. He will read to you and help you see the Bible through a Catholic lense.

- listen to Relevant Radio. Download the app. Stays very close to the faith and they have past episodes you can listen to on a variety of topics!

- Watch past runs of Mother Angelica Live on YouTube. She was awesome at talking down to our level easy to understand.

- watch livestreams of Mass online.

- try sitting physically in the back of the church pews at Mass.

- try Mass at different times and locations. Sometimes that’s all we need is a change of pace, people, and scenery to help us connect better.

- if you have questions don’t be afraid to reach out to your Catholic priest. He’ll be happy to answer your questions.

- sometimes it can help us feel good if we invite friends, coworkers, or family to Mass with us. They don’t have to be Catholic to go with you either.

- if friends, coworkers, and family won’t go with you, I found a good way to find a sense of community in the church is seeing what events they do outside of Mass. Every parish is different. It can be as simple of coffee and donuts, a fish fry dinner, and a place and time to drop of food or clothing donations. Other events are longer like Bible studies, retreats, guest speakers, Rosary making, cultural events, volunteer events, etc etc. You may be surprised in who you meet!

- don’t forget self care. Take care of your health by getting good sleep, drink plenty of water, eat healthy, exercise, etc.

- don’t stop praying. You don’t need to do big complex prayers. Start small and simple.

- Eucharistic Adoration in person.

Remember that I love you and God loves you. May God bless you. 🙏🏻

[wherewhereare]

U.S., states sue to ‘break up’ Ticketmaster parent Live Nation© Drew Angerer/Getty Images

The landmark case — joined by 30 state and district attorneys general — could dramatically reshape an ecosystem that has long sparked outrage from artists and fans alike, whose frustrations erupted in 2022 when high fees and site outages disrupted early sales for Taylor Swift’s “Eras” tour.

Live Nation is an entertainment titan: It is a concert promoter, artist manager, venue owner and ticket seller and reseller, constituting a sprawling empire that its executives publicly herald as the “largest live entertainment company in the world.” Last year alone, Live Nation produced more than 50,000 concerts and other musical events, and it sold more than 620 million tickets globally, the company boasted to investors in April.

But the U.S. government contends that the company’s vast power and reach have also afforded it unfair advantages over competitors, allowing Live Nation to evolve into an illegal and harmful “monopolist” — with the power to box out rivals, reduce consumer choices and raise ticket prices.

“We allege that Live Nation relies on unlawful, anticompetitive conduct to exercise its monopolistic control over the live events industry in the United States at the cost of fans, artists, smaller promoters, and venue operators,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement, later adding: “It is time to break up Live Nation.”

State and federal officials allege that Live Nation threatens to retaliate against performance venues unless they agree to use the company’s Ticketmaster service. Otherwise, these venue operators risk losing access to popular performances and tours — an unfavorable ultimatum, according to the government, that has allowed Ticketmaster to lock up more than 70 percent of sales at major concert venues.

State and federal antitrust watchdogs contend these arrangements ultimately have restricted artists, arrested the growth of competing ticketing services and cost audience members, who are forced to pay high, mandatory ticketing fees. In response, they asked a federal judge in New York to order structural changes to Live Nation, which could effectively force the company to break up.

A long, arduous court battle is now likely to follow, one that will see the Justice Department argue for unwinding a merger that the agency itself approved more than a decade ago.

“It’s also clear that we are another casualty of this administration’s decision to turn over antitrust enforcement to a populist urge that simply rejects how antitrust law works,” he added.

The lawsuit marks only the latest federal antitrust case initiated under President Biden, who came to office promising to crack down on corporate power and profiteering. Over the past three years, federal watchdogs have sued major technology companies including Apple, Amazon, Facebook and Google for allegedly anticompetitive practices, and they have blocked major mergers involving airlines, biotech firms and grocery chains.

“Maybe it took people by surprise, but the president said [the government] wanted to do something on this, and they have,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), the top lawmaker on the chamber’s antitrust panel. She added that Washington never should have allowed Live Nation to acquire Ticketmaster in the first place.

“However you look at it,” she said, “that’s a monopoly.”

Nearly 15 years ago, it was Washington’s blessing that paved the way for Live Nation to expand its corporate footprint: The Justice Department in 2010 gave the green light for the company to purchase Ticketmaster, combining what was already the largest concert promoter with the most prominent ticketing platform.

The deal created a powerhouse that could manage every part of a performance: It could plan and execute the logistics around an artist’s tour, handle all of their initial sales through Ticketmaster and stage some of the shows at Live Nation’s venues, including the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles and the Brooklyn Bowl in New York.

In a bid to preserve competition, the Obama administration approved the merger only on a conditional basis. It required Live Nation to divest some of its business, and it prohibited the combined company from retaliating against venues that opted to use other ticketing platforms. At the time, federal officials said their consent decree would pave the way “for strong competitors to Ticketmaster, allowing concert venues to have more and better choices for their ticketing needs.”

But the legally binding agreement didn’t quell broad opposition from concert venue owners and artists, who grumbled in the years to follow about the ease with which Live Nation allegedly flouted federal restrictions. The accusations are laid bare in the government’s roughly 120-page complaint, filed Thursday in a federal court in New York.

“With this vast scope of power comes influence. Live Nation and its wholly owned subsidiary, Ticketmaster, have used that power and influence to insert themselves at the center and the edges of virtually every aspect of the live music ecosystem," the complaint alleges. "This has given Live Nation and Ticketmaster the opportunity to freeze innovation and bend the industry to their own benefit.”

The state and federal lawsuit also charges that Live Nation gobbled up some of its rivals — and struck anti-competitive arrangements with others — in a bid to further establish Ticketmaster as a dominant sales platform. It offers the example of Oak View Group, described by the government as a “competitor-turned-partner” with which Live Nation brokered a deal to avoid competing with each other over artists and tours.

“The live music industry in America is broken because Live Nation-Ticketmaster has an illegal monopoly,” Assistant Attorney General Jonathan Kanter, who leads the antitrust office, said in a statement. “Our antitrust lawsuit seeks to break up the Live-Nation-Ticketmaster monopoly, which will restore competition to the benefit of fans and artists alike.”

In response, Live Nation said in a blog post that its integration had actually helped concertgoers and artists alike, since it resulted in “better prices and better services than they would receive if these complementary businesses were separated.”

The Justice Department launched its latest Live Nation investigation in 2022, two years after the agency under President Donald Trump found that the company had “repeatedly” broken its promises to antitrust enforcers. As a federal lawsuit became imminent this spring, competition experts urged the Biden administration to remedy its predecessors’ mistakes by unwinding a company that they said had leveraged its dominance to the detriment of rivals.

“It’s clear what the DOJ has tried previously … has not worked,” said Sumit Sharma, a senior researcher at Consumer Reports. “Live Nation-Ticketmaster’s market share has remained the same.”

The first word of the federal probe arrived on the heels of another fiasco — a surge of demand for Taylor Swift presale tickets in 2022 that crashed Ticketmaster and left countless fans unable to buy seats for her 2023 tour. The widely documented incident put a fresh spotlight on the company, its dominance in ticketing and the fees that it charges consumers.

Policymakers around the country soon unleashed a battery of legislative proposals meant to crack down on abuse in ticketing and better highlight the fees that customers face before they reach the checkout page. On Capitol Hill, Klobuchar summoned Joe Berchtold, the president of Live Nation, for a lengthy grilling over his company’s business practices.

“We hear people say that ticketing markets are less competitive today than they were at the time of the Live Nation-Ticketmaster merger,” Berchtold said in his testimony. “That is simply not true.”

But the company’s critics and competitors swiped at Live Nation for issuing ultimatums to concert halls and sports venues that could not afford to lose the company’s business. Jack Groetzinger, the chief executive of SeatGeek, a competing platform, said the fears of retaliation had allowed Live Nation to grow unchecked: He estimated that Ticketmaster came to amass a market share exceeding 70 percent in primary ticket sales, especially for professional basketball, hockey and football games.

“Major venues in the United States know that if they move their primary ticketing business from Ticketmaster to a competitor, they risk losing the substantial revenue they earn from Live Nation concerts,” Groetzinger said.

The heightened scrutiny promoted Live Nation to scale up its political operation dramatically in recent years: The company spent $2.3 million to influence Washington policymakers in 2023, more than double the year prior, according to OpenSecrets, a money-in-politics watchdog.

Live Nation has continued its spending spree into 2024, helping to host a party around the annual White House correspondents’ dinner — a swanky performance that touted the company’s bona fides on cocktail napkins.

“We’ve seen an uptick in their lobbying spending,” acknowledged Morgan Harper, the director of policy and advocacy at the American Economic Liberties Project, a left-leaning group that has advocated for Live Nation to be broken up. “It’s not surprising an entity like Live Nation, whose business model has allowed them to engage in anti-competitive conduct, would be bringing to bear all the resources it has.”

[msclaritea]

As Harrison Ford and Stallone Age, Where Are Their Replacements? – Variety

May 21, 2023 7:00am PT

‘We Used to Treat Movie Stars Like Gods’: Hollywood Grapples With Loss of Young Star Power

By Brent Lang, Tatiana Siegel

CANNES, FRANCE - MAY 18: Harrison Ford attends the "Indiana Jones And The Dial Of Destiny" red carpet during the 76th annual Cannes film festival at Palais des Festivals on May 18, 2023 in Cannes, France. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

The hottest package at this year’s Cannes Film Festival stars a 76-year old action star and is a reboot of a movie that first dazzled moviegoers in 1993. That’s a time, in case you forgot, before TikTok or smartphones, Facebook or Amazon, or any number of technological changes that have reshaped our world and the movie business along with them.

And yet, “Cliffhanger,” with Sylvester Stallone bravely summiting the mountain again, is seen as one of the most commercial scripts out there for buyers hoping to make an adventure film that can traverse borders and bring crowds. With a nod to the younger audiences who will be needed to turn up if the movie is going to replicate the original’s blockbuster status, the producers teased that casting is currently underway for a (presumably younger?) actor to share the screen with Sly. But who will that be?

“Over the last 10 years, we’ve done a really shitty job of creating a new generation of movie stars,” groused one sales agent.

And a look at some of the projects on offer or premiering at Cannes seems to bolster that argument. There’s “Breakout,” an action-thriller featuring 75-year old Arnold Schwarzenegger that will be directed by “Expendables 4” filmmaker Scott Waugh; “Lords of War” with 59-year old Nicolas Cage returning to a role as an amoral arms dealer that he first played nearly two decades ago; “That’s Amore,” a rom-com with a 69-year old John Travolta; and “The Rivals of Amziah King,” a crime story featuring a 53-year old Matthew McConaughey. In most cases, these actors have been famous, globally so, since the 1970s or ’80s (McConaughey, a relatively newbie, had to wait until 1996’s “A Time to Kill” to make his mark).

On Thursday night, the increasingly geriatric nature of the star system was on full display at the Cannes Film Festival as an 80-year old Harrison Ford walked the red carpet for the premiere of “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” for which he donned the fedora he first wore in 1981’s “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” and is still well-preserved enough to unabashedly doff his top (“I’ve been blessed with this body,” he said sheepishly when asked about his shirtless scene at a press conference). Ford does get an assist from some of those technological breakthroughs, appearing 35 years younger in key scenes thanks to the magic of de-aging CGI...."

Wow! First off, they forgot about Tom Cruise, Mr. Deepfake, who's over 60. I don't think this is so much they've neglected to make new stars, it's that that lane is being choked by some of the very actors mentioned, who want to stay in the limelight but don't really make big box offices. They're just known. THEN there are powerful, male led groups pushing ONLY actors that appeal to them, not really audiences and especially not female audiences. THEN, there's the talented actors we all know now are being blocked from big budget pictures by the former group mentioned. Honestly, I think the groups running Hollywood actually DON'T want movie stars anymore because then they can mistreat and abuse everybody, equally.

Shout-out to whomever wrote this crap Variety article, with a whole two digs at Marvel, as though it were the real problem. I'm glad Johnny Depp cussed your asses out at Cannes.

[cyarskaren52]

King Push: Pusha T Drops New Track “Diet Coke” & Twitter Highly Approves

Written by D.L. Chandler

Published on February 8, 2022

Source: Kevin Winter / Getty

Pusha T last blessed the world with an album with 2018’s Daytona, fully produced by Ye aka Kanye West. The king of coke bars is back with a new track titled “Diet Coke,” reuniting with Yeezy and 88-Keys, and already it appears to be a Twitter favorite. 

After a snippet of the track began circulating online by way of Victor Victor Worldwide boss Steven Victor, the hype around the track began to bubble. Most were stunned to see that Pusha T and Ye were together in the clip after chatter that Push was no longer involved with the G.O.O.D. Music label, but those rumors were shut down last month.

In the wee hours of Tuesday morning (Feb. 8),  “Diet Coke” went wide with Push and 88-Keys having a lot of fun on Twitter engaging with fans and discussing reactions. Push even took a dig at himself after Spotify’s Carl Chery tweeted, “Pusha T coming up with new coke references will never get old.”

Push fired back with, “Welp this album is abt feeding the conscious mind, I hope you aren’t disappointed…I’m growing up Carl.”

Suffice it to say, “Diet Coke” mostly references the narcotic of note during the addictive chorus from Push but much of the track is just the Virginia rapper flexing his verbal muscles.

From “Diet Coke”:

The flow’s untouched, the drums is tucked Drive Cullinan when roads get rough Snows are must, the nose adjust Young Gs like we Hov and Puff Best jewelry and hoes we lust Chanel trinkets and hoes’ll blush Crush hearts like pretty boys And we drivin’ pretty toys Extendos will make plenty noise

You get the picture.

Check out “Diet Coke” at your preferred DSP by following this link. Keep scrolling for reactions from Twitter.

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Photo: Getty

Sent from my iPhone