#even beyond her attraction to women which i feel should get showcased more

[navree]

rhaenyra isn't my fave, but she's been coded as bi from the very beginning. those people can cope and seethe.

I remember where I was when I saw "Rhaenyra (flirting)" in the script for 1x01, it's not even coding if it's just straight in the text for the actors that Rhaenyra is meant to be played as having an attraction towards women. Rhaenyra has ALWAYS been bi and anyone who disagrees can drown, it's canon and will forever be canon.

[kaizokuou-ni-naru]

The Voyage So Far: Wano (Part Two)

east blue (1 | 2) || alabasta (1 | 2) || skypiea || water 7 || enies lobby || thriller bark || paramount war (1 | 2) || fishman island || punk hazard || dressrosa (1 | 2) || whole cake island || wano (1 | 2)

okay so the wano flashback is possibly my favorite in the whole series for a whole bunch of different reasons, and oden as a character is a big part of why. honestly, i think he’s great. he’s wildly entertaining and ridiculously likable, just like a folk hero should be.

i care about oden and the akazaya nine a lot. they have one of my favorite found family dynamics in the whole series, up there with the strawhats themselves- a bunch of thugs and castoffs who wound up gathering around this one wildly charismatic moron and deciding to be stronger and better for him. 

i think they really feel like a family, in these little moments we get of them just interacting and messing around, and it only makes later events- oden’s death, the twenty-year separation, kanjurou’s betrayal- hurt all the worse.

on god it is the funniest thing on earth to me that this is how oden and izou wound up on whitebeard’s ship. 

the roger pirates!! i really really like the roger pirates!! i love that there’s this entire predecessor crew who are both absolutely fucking fascinating from a lore perspective and who are just all individually really good characters with really fun relationships. the dynamics we get to see just in this brief part of the flashback are absolutely delightful. i think the fact that i would read a whole series just about the roger pirates is a testament to oda’s character writing. 

there’s a specific sort of tragedy to the roger pirates, and i think it really hits home in their last few pages in this flashback. by all appearances, they were a crew just as close-knit as the strawhats are. they cared about each other a lot- that ship was their home.

and then their captain died, and they just- fell apart. 

awhile back, in my sabaody post, i talked about how we get to know roger first as a story and then as a character by getting to meet characters who knew him personally. to the rest of the world, roger is a story, a name to curse or a height to aspire to. but for shanks and rayleigh and crocus and buggy and all the rest of the roger pirates, he was their captain. 

the whole wano flashback, possibly more than any of the others in the series, really feels to me like a story being told, a folk tale being passed down, which makes sense, since it’s canonically framed as oden’s diary entries. and i think that framing device just adds so much to the atmosphere of this entire section of story, the feeling of myth and legend to it. 

i honestly really like how oden’s death is handled. i have trouble articulating it, but it’s so much, so over the top, so heavily set up and foreshadowed- a legendary death for a legendary man, if that makes sense.

toki’s prophecy is one of my favorite motifs in this whole arc. wano is all about a country that’s been trapped and dying for years and years, holding out desperate hope for salvation. toki is the one who gave them that hope. she doesn’t try to tell them that everything will be okay, she says it will be dark and the darkness will be long, but the dawn will come, and even though she gave her life to do that, she did it smiling. 

without toki, the wano arc never would have happened, because there would be no future to fight for. 

this panel is the header on my favorite op discord server and sometimes i just scroll up and stare at it. it’s so good. 

this entire sequence, starting from luffy law and kidd’s entrance, is probably my favorite in wano arc. it’s the turning of the sides, the daybreak after the darkest hour- these three show up, and then jinbe, and denjirou reveals his true colors and it’s revealed all the rest of the samurai left before orochi blew the bridges, and it turns out they haven’t lost a single step to kanjurou’s treachery. it just feels so good to read, after the prior hopelessness of the akazaya and the tragedy of the flashback.

i really like how the akazaya nine are absolutely ready to roast each other at any and all times. that’s how you know they’re best friends. 

i think i mentioned it back in fishman island, but one of my favorite things is the strawhats just being absolutely cheerfully, chaotically destructive. every time we get to see them wreck havoc while nonchalantly bickering with each other it puts a huge smile on my face.

i think ulti and page one are very very funny and i like their dynamic a lot, it’s a laugh riot. i also like that oda lets luffy seriously fight a woman here!! i’m serious, we don’t see enough no-holds-barred fights between men and women (conventionally attractive women, specifically) in this series, so i’m pleasantly surprised when it does happen. 

i do appreciate wano’s ability to continuously raise the “holy shit!” quotient without it ever really feeling like a twist just for the sake of the audience. like, i don’t know that anybody saw kaidou killing orochi coming, but at the same time, it feels like it does make sense, given what we know about kaidou, for him to do this.

my heart goes out to momo, honestly. he’s only eight, and in that time he’s lost his home and family and his whole world when he was thrown twenty years into the future, and he has the weight of his whole country resting on his shoulders. he’s borne up admirably under that stress, starting from zou and building up to this point.

i LOVE kin’emon’s speech to kaidou about luffy SO much. kin’emon’s come a long way from being a mostly comedy relief character in punk hazard to here, where he’s shouting down an emperor. i really like this progression- kin’emon doesn’t change, exactly, but the side of his character that is revealed in wano is very likable and admirable. it goes back to something i’ve mentioned before, about how one piece’s characters are very rarely one-dimensional.

kaidou’s dragon form is extremely cool, and so are most of the panels where it appears- it’s extremely striking, especially in panels like this, where he’s silhouetted against the moon.

i love... the ripple effects of luffy just being himself that spread throughout the world of one piece, and i think this is one of the best examples. luffy befriended coby all the way back in chapter two, mostly by accident, and now, nine hundred and some chapters later, that’s what leads to drake joining the strawhats’ side. because drake is friends with coby who says luffy is trustworthy, so when drake is stuck with nobody else to turn to, he turns to luffy. 

moments like this really reinforce just how much the world and story of one piece is built on relationships between people, and i really like that. i like that instead of necessarily being built around abstract ideals or morals, characters’ actions are, more often than not, motivated by either specific personal goals or by their relationships with other characters. it feels much more true to life.

i like the loss of kiku’s arm, because it showcases exactly how serious the fight is on both sides. it both shows that kaidou is fighting to maim and kill and do whatever it takes to win, and that the akazaya are fully prepared to take whatever he throws at them. kiku gets back up smiling after losing her arm. neither side in this fight is even close to backing down, now or ever. 

i genuinely can’t believe how long it took me to talk about yamato, so let me just say: i love him so much. part of this, i’m sure, is my personal bias towards any and all kickass queer characters, but part of it is just- he’s so cool. he’s ten feet tall and carries a club about as big as he is and tanks explosions like they’re nothing while also bickering with luffy and falling out of ceilings and generally being like... stupidly lovable. 

i just like yamato a lot. 

a thousand chapters in, and every strawhat but robin has had a moment where they declare luffy is going to be the king of the pirates, but honestly, i think nami’s might be my favorite yet. nami has always been a person who acts at a distance, not one inclined to direct confrontation and putting herself in danger-

and yet, when it comes down to it, when faced with a choice between death and disavowing her captain’s dream, even when assured by usopp that she would be fully justified in lying for her life, nami chooses luffy. even in the most dire of circumstances, all of the strawhats know luffy is going to be the king of the pirates, and none of them would ever deny it.

i kind of alluded to this back in my dressrosa post, but i really like the development of law’s new dream being discovering the meaning of the will of d. it just feels like a very good and natural progression for his character, given he’s the only holder of the will of d who we’ve been shown is consciously aware of it and what it might mean. and in general, i like seeing him having something else to work towards after doflamingo’s defeat.

i’ll end this by just saying i am so desperately curious to know what is in that book, and what yamato knows about the will of d, about the dawn of the world, about laugh tale. 

guess we’ll find out, huh?

thanks for reading through to the end!! i had a lot of fun putting these posts together, and writing them up was a really cool way to be able to compile my thoughts headed into chapter 1000 and beyond. i can’t wait to see where oda takes us next. 

[kat-tamin]

Kat Tamin NSFW Alphabet

Warnings: Language, Smut 

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

She’s good with a bit of cuddling afterwards, but only for a bit. After a while, her brain just goes, “Okay, what’s next?”. She’ll talk about what just happened, what you liked or didn’t like, if you enjoyed yourself. She’ll offer you a drink or a snack or a shower if you’re at her apartment. She doesn’t mind if you stay the night, even when you’re just a one night stand. She’ll make you breakfast in the morning then send you home. If she’s at yours, and she’s not staying the night, she’ll give you like twenty minutes of cuddling before calling an Uber to go home. 

B = Body part (their favourite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Man or woman, Kat loves an ass. She loves when you wear tight pants or underwear that showcases what you’re working with. She loves grabbing it, biting it, slapping it. She loves holding onto it when you’re fucking her, leaving fingerprints and nail marks on you.

You love her neck. She has a sensitive spot right under her ear that if you suck on, she’s instantly wet beyond belief. You love to mark it as your own, with lipstick, with your teeth. You love seeing them the next morning, a reminder of your love.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Kat loves cum, especially in her mouth; that special nectar that is you. She loves to go down on you, and when you cum, she makes sure a drop isn’t spilled. She’ll swallow everything you have, then kiss you, make you taste yourself on her tongue. 

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

She feels like a bad feminist, but sometimes she just wants to be absolutely railed by a guy. She wants that total lack of control. She wants to be used as a fuck toy, with no concern about her pleasure. She wants to be fucked over and over until she can barely keep her eyes open, covered in cum.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

She definitely knows what she’s doing. She may not have a lot of experience with long term relationships, but she’s had quite a few casual relationships. She’s more experienced with women, but she’s had a few male friends-with-benefits situations.

F = Favourite position (this goes without saying)

She loves 69ing, because it brings out her competitive side. She loves it when she’s going down on you, and you have to keep stopping what you’re doing to moan or gasp. She’s determined to make you cum first, and you usually do, with a big groan into her pussy, which usually sends her over the edge.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

She’s more serious in the beginning, not wanting to make a wrong move or say something stupid. Once you’re comfortable, that’s when she gets more silly. She’ll laugh at the noises or the little oops that happen naturally during sex. 

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

Kat can be very romantic if that’s what you want. She can go slow, making sure to touch every inch of you, take her time to worship you. She’ll say how beautiful you are, how much she loves you; kiss you soft and sweet while you’re fucking.

J = Jack off (masturbation head canon)

After a long, stressful day, she just wants to relax, turn her brain off. Sure, you making her cum would be nice, but sometimes she just wants to use her vibrator and go to sleep, without having to worry about anyone else.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

She has a pegging kink. It’s not something she’s explored much, she hasn’t found a guy willing to do it, but she thinks about it a lot. Sometimes, a guy will give her the go ahead to use a finger or two, and she gets so excited. Something about the taboo of it, the total submission of a guy under her, makes her so fucking wet.

L = Location (favourite places to do the do)

Her favourite place is at home, in her own bed. She doesn’t have to worry about roommates, or what your bathroom is like. She likes the familiar surroundings so she can focus totally on you, not whether you’ll be mad when she leaves.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

If you’ve just met, a good back and forth conversation gets her interested in you. She’s attracted to people with good vibes and a good sense of humour. If all those things are combined, she’ll go home with you.

She loves a strip tease from you, the slow reveal of skin, bonus points if you’re not wearing any underwear. The confident smile of you waiting for her to come home from work, already wearing sexy lingerie is an instant turn on. She loves someone who knows what they want, especially sex. 

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Since working at SVU, non-con or dub-con is an absolute no. Even if you ask her to take you against your will in a kink scene, she won’t. If a “no” slips out of your mouth, even if you’re just playing, it’s an instant stop. If either of you has had a few drinks, or smoked a bit of weed, she’s reluctant to fuck you. She’d rather just make out for a while, just in case you’re not as in control as you think.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Her head game is immaculate. Guys, girls, it doesn’t matter, her tongue knows exactly what to do and where to go. It may be sloppy sometimes, but it feels so fucking good. As mentioned, she loves drinking cum, draining you dry. After a few rounds, it’s her turn: usually with her riding your face, hands in your hair.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

She doesn’t have a preference, likes to decide in the moment. She seems to know exactly what you need/want, and on the rare occasion she gets it wrong, she’s quick to adjust.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

She’s game for quickies, even if you don’t get to do it often, but she’d rather take her time with you, so you can each cum a few times. Sometimes when you’re out in public, she’ll give you a Look, and you know you have to find a private bathroom stall, and quick. She’ll use one hand to pleasure you, the other pressed to your mouth to stifle your groans, a whisper in your ear to be quiet.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

She’s still young, so she may not know what she likes, so she’s all for experimentation in kinks. She wants to explore what makes you feel good, too.

If she’s sleeping with a guy, risk is a no-go. She has an IUD but still makes you wear  a condom. She always asks if you’re clean before fucking you the first time. She has no time for STDs or God forbid, a pregnancy.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

If she’s with a woman, she can go for hours, especially if she doesn’t have to work the next day. Most of that time is spent on you, making you cum over and over until you have to push her away because you can’t take anymore. If you’re too exhausted by then, she’ll use your body to get off: your thigh makes an excellent substitute.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

She has a vibrator and a couple straps. The vibrator is more for herself than you, but if you have your own, she’ll use it. Her straps are high-quality, in a variety of sizes, and she loves to use them. She loves fucking you with them, making you deep-throat her cock. As mentioned, she wants to peg, so she has a few plugs just in case the situation arrives. 

She’s cool with you using straps on her, too. She loves riding a cock, and you love the look on her face when it hits her just right, her eyes rolling back in pleasure.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

She’s a Service Top, first and foremost. Your pleasure is her pleasure, so she doesn’t like to tease. She’d rather make you cum over and over until you’re so sensitive, you can’t be touched.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

She’s more on the quiet side, she’d rather it be you making the noise. She’ll praise you, tell you how pretty you look with her fingers in you, how good you taste. She lets out quiet gasps and curses while you fuck her. If you’re fucking her hard enough, she’ll start speaking in Arabic. You have no idea what she says but it just spurns you on even further. When she cums, it’s usually with a quiet groan of your name.

W = Wild card (a random head canon for the character)

She has a bit of an exhibition kink, even though she knows she’s the last person who should be doing it. Locked bathroom stalls, private offices, the gym locker room, the darkness of a cab’s backseat, are all fair game. Her favourite thing to do is to get a hotel room with a big window or balcony and fuck you, hoping passerby's can see and hear you when you cum.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

We know she’s got a boxer's body, all plains and hard edges. Her whole body is pure toned muscles, with a glorious set of abs you love to lick. She likes to keep herself tidy and trimmed, but not bare. Waxing is very low on her priority list, and if you can’t deal with a bit of hair, she knows you’re not the one.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Probably a couple times a week, depending on if you both have the time, and if you’ve had a long day or not. Weekends and days off are when you make up for what you missed during the week, with a couple rounds in the morning and at night. If Kat wants to do it, but you don’t, she’s happy to take care of it herself, and you do her the same courtesy.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

You always fall asleep first, no matter how much or how little sex you’ve had. You usually fall asleep in her arms, but once you’re out, she moves so she can sleep comfortably, with a bit of space between you.

[chris-evans-indian-fanfic]

Love

One-Shot

Description: Asexual!Bucky thinks he is broken beyond repair, until you show him that he has been complete all this while.

Warnings: Angst, bad language, mention of sex toys, romance and fluff

@jtargaryen18 organised a writing challenge for reaching 4k followers and of course I have to participate multiple times! 😍 I am sorry this entry is a little late 🙈

My Main Masterlist

A/N: This is the first time I am writing an asexual character. Whatever I have written is based upon my knowledge that I have gathered by reading various articles and posts on asexuality. The reason I am writing this is because I want to have an equal amount of straight and LGBTQ+ stories in my masterlist, so that there's something for everyone to enjoy. Hence, if you are an asexual person or know someone who is, and you realise that anything in my story is incorrectly represented, then please let me know. I will immediately correct it, issue an apology and accept my mistake publicly. 

I don’t consent to have any of my work published or featured on any third party app, website or translated. If you are seeing this fanfiction anywhere but Tumblr and AO3, it has been reposted without my permission. In that case, please do share the link and let me know.

…

"I cannot fucking believe this!" Karen shouted, "What are you like gay or something?"

Bucky winced at her venomous words. "You need to leave," he said in a quiet, respectful tone.

"Like hell I am going to leave. I want answers!" she placed her hands on her hips and stomped her foot. "What is it? Am I not sexy enough for you? Are you not attracted by this?!" she gestured towards the skimpy lingerie currently hugging her body.

Bucky met her eyes as he responded, "I do not want to have sex with you." 

She huffed, clearly not convinced, "Why not? We have been going out for what, 3 months now? And you still don't want to have sex with me? What is the issue here? Is it-" she paused suddenly, her eyes traveling down his torso to his crotch, "You can't get it up can you?" she sneered.

Bucky shook his head, too exhausted to deal with her, "Karen, it's nothing like that. I just do not want to get physical with you. That's all."

"Oh! Ooooohh!" she bent backwards a bit, "So it was fine to hug me, cuddle with me and hold my hands. But when it comes to sex, you suddenly become a pious celibate saint! What the fuck Bucky?"

Bucky sighed, and handed Karen back her coat, "We are done. Please leave."

She laughed dryly, "Oh abso-fucking-lutely we are done. You know what I think?" she asked while wearing the coat, "I think that you are too old grandpa and that your tiny ass tortured gay dick cannot salute on its own. Because no man in his right mind would deny this," she again pointed to herself. "Super-soldier my ass," she muttered as she left.

The door to his apartment closed with a loud bang, leaving an echo in its wake. Bucky stood still, rooted to his spot. If it were not for the silent tears rolling down his cheeks, anybody could have mistaken him for a statue. 

Slowly, he sat on the floor, his gentle sobs rocking his body as he hugged his knees. 

Decades of torture by the hands of Hydra had left him crippled, physically, mentally and emotionally. When he had been saved by Steve, he had started to piece his life back together, bit by bit. Things such as books, movies, music became tiny jigsaw pieces that slowly filled the void in his life. 

After the final galactic battle with Thanos, Bucky had been officially initiated to the Avengers team, or rather what was left of it. The team soon became an extended family, a family that Bucky was still getting used to. It was especially irksome when Sam and Scott decided to set him up on a date with Karen from Research & Development (R&D), despite his protests.

It wasn't that Bucky didn't desire a relationship. He wanted to be close to someone, experience romance, feel their heartbeat in a close embrace and place light kisses on their forehead. 

But he didn't want to have sex.

At first, he thought he might not have met the right woman. So he searched for porn online, which did little to sway his feelings. He put the issue on a backburner, the safety of the people and the urgency of his missions steering the wheel of his life for a while. 

But when Sam and Scott proudly announced their grand plans for Bucky's date, he remembered his "issue" again. He looked at Karen closely whenever they went on dates together. She looked perfect. Beautiful hair, soft glowing skin, curves in all the right places, all packed in a graceful, slender body.

Bucky liked being close to her, but he was still not getting aroused. Hence, he stopped her advancements everytime she tried to get physical. Karen tolerated it for a while, before her patience wore out tonight.

As the sun rose in the sky, Bucky was still seated on the floor, his cheeks now stained with tears that had stopped sometime in the night, though a sniff escaped from him every few minutes. He looked at the sunlight pouring in from the window, broken by the window-panes, landing at his feet in two rays with a comforting warmth. It was in that moment that Bucky realised, Hydra had truly broken him.

🏳️‍🌈

"We have various types of dildos available. There's The Classic, Textured, Long and Thin, Short and Thick, Vibrators, Transparent Plexiglass Dildos, Strap-Ons, G-Spot Dildos, Double-Ended, Squirting Dildos and ones that also come with a suction grip. Are you looking for yourself or are you looking for something to enjoy with your partner?" the helpful saleswoman asked you.

You stroked your chin in thought, "It's only for me. I already have a vibrator that I bought about a year back. The G-Spot ones have never really worked for me. I am looking to try something new. What is the suction grip one?" 

The attendant handed you the dildo and showed you the suction grip at the end of it, "You can use this to place and stick it on any flat surface you want, whether it's the floor or the wall or the side of your desk. It guarantees a completely hands-free pleasurable experience."

You stuck it on the wall besides the showcase to test the theory. It worked. "Neat! I will take this one," you smiled as the attendant went to fetch a fresh piece.

You paid for your new sex toy and walked back to the Avengers compound with your small white shopping bag in tow.

When you reached your desk, you heard Karen bitching as usual about something to Jessica. At first, you blocked them out like you did almost everyday, but then a name in their conversation caught your attention.

"He's the Winter Soldier alright. He's completely frozen down there," Karen whispered loudly with disgust. 

"Even that red sexy lingerie didn't do anything for him?" Jessica gasped dramatically.

"No!"

"That's crazy! That hot-red piece will convert even the most gayest of the guys! And it didn't do anything for him? Wow," Jessica responded.

Karen added, "You know something? I have always thought he was extremely weird. Like, dude, I know you were tortured by Hydra or whatever, but get over it man! It's been years since he was free. He should enjoy life and stop being such a wimp. I am 100% sure he is impotent."

"You know I was digging into him the other night," Jessica said in a hushed whisper, "and I saw a message board online which suggested that his penis has been completely cut by Hydra. This person knows all such secrets about these alleged superheros. You should follow him."

"What is his username?"

"Proud-Flat-Earther-MotherFuckers. Wait, I will send you the link," Jessica offered. 

Having heard enough of their nonsense, you made your way towards the HR department. Maybe both Karen and Jessica had forgotten, but talking about the personal lives of Avengers was strictly against the rules and was considered as reason enough to fire employees. 

You filed a complaint with the HR and within a few hours, both the women were fired on the spot. You savored the moment with relish, as their faces turned aghast at the realisation that their actions had consequences. You went up to them, watching the pair clean their desks, with unabashed glee. 

"You know something Karen?" you asked her, "Just because a man refuses to have sex, it didn't mean that he's a wimp, or gay or an impotent. But if you do choose to think of him that way, then it surely makes you a sexiest and a homophobic person."

Karen looked at you furiously, "You bitch! I lost my job because you went and blabbed in front of the HR!"

You chuckled at her outburst, "Oh my dearest Karen. Yes I did go and rat you out to the HR. But that's not what got the two of you fired."

"Then what did?" Jessica asked as she joined the conversation. 

You folded your hands for effect, "Your hateful comments and toxic views cost you your jobs. People like you think that just by using the latest iPhone or following the latest trends, you are a modern, 21st century person. But in reality, it is your open mindset which makes you a member of the modern society. If you would open your mind just as much as you open your legs, trust me, the two of you will be much better off."

You turned to leave, but stopped yourself, "Just a suggestion. Stop using words like gay and impotent as insults. It will help you retain your next job for a longer time." You winked at their speechless faces, and happily returned to your desk. 

Your job in R&D was taxing and so, you always found yourself working late. Today was no exception either. As you left your office at around 8pm, you saw Bucky heading towards the elevator which led to his apartment. You always had a soft spot for the brunette super-soldier. For starters, you couldn't even begin to comprehend the tortures he must have endured in his past. And the fact that he was trying to piece his life back together again? It was truly commendable.

He always kept to himself, his eyes downcast and his body language unsure. And after what you had heard today, you felt even more sorry for the guy. Turning towards the cafeteria, you picked up a box of vanilla-strawberry French macarons for him, thanking the heavens above for the free food available at the Avengers compound. You held the white bag with macarons in your left hand, being mindful of not confusing it with the similar white bag in your right which contained your new sex toy. 

A few moments later, you found yourself in front of his apartment. You had visited him twice before to adjust his vibranium arm or to sort out a few tweaks, but never before had you visited him so late in the evening. 

You knocked, feeling a little hesitant as you did so. He was surprised to find you standing on the opposite of the door, however, he still greeted you courteously nonetheless. 

Before you could state your reason for the visit, he said sincerely, "I heard what you did today. Thank you. I really appreciated it."

Now it was your turn to be surprised, "Oh. Ummm. It's okay really Mr Barnes. It was nothing. You don't need to-"

"No. It wasn't just nothing. You could have turned a deaf ear and ignored them. Yet you chose to stand-up for me. Thank you," a small smile laced his face and you melted on the spot.

You had a crush on Bucky. A BIG one. Could anyone blame you? This guy was a hot, sexy mess of an ice-cream sundae that left you hungry for more even on the coldest nights of the year. 

You realised you were staring into his steel-blue eyes like a creep, and immediately cleared your throat. "What-what they did was wrong. Karen had no right to demean you for your desires or lack of them. I-," you sighed, "I am sorry for what she said. It was disrespectful and hurtful. So I brought you something that I hope will cheer you up."

You awkwardly raised your right hand, "I got you some vanilla-strawberry macarons from the cafeteria."

Bucky did cheer up a bit at the mention of his favourite food. He eagerly took the bag with a huge smile, "Thank you," he said once again as you shook your head. "Thank you for everything you do to keep us safe Mr Barnes. I must be on my way now. Goodnight," and with that you left, grinning like an idiot.

🏳️‍🌈

You took a bath, ate your dinner and slipped into comfortable pyjamas. Excited to try your new sex toy tonight, you unpacked the bag expecting to see the nondescript box of the dildo. Instead, 5 delicious macarons stared back at you with innocence. 

You stumbled backwards in shock, the impact of your action settling like a dull, heavy weight in your stomach. "Oh no no no no," you whispered, horrified.

You immediately rushed to your window and pulled aside the curtain to look at Bucky's building, as if expecting to see him staring daggers at you. One of the privileges of working with the Avengers? You got to stay in a nice apartment within the compound itself. Your residential complex was a little further away from the main building, covered easily by 15 minutes of walking. 

Feeling hyper, you frantically searched for a coat and almost ran out of your house. You rushed back in to keep the box in the bag and again, dashed towards the elevator. 

Hoping that Bucky would have yet to open the box, you sent a silent prayer to all the gods and goddesses in the skies above, even Thor. Meh, you never know when an ex-Avenger could be of help.

You sprinted towards the other building, a multitude of thoughts clouding your mind- What if he was offended by it? Would he file a complaint against me? It would be sorta ironic if I was fired for this! Shit he would think my apology was false and I am probably mocking him.

You reached his apartment, a panting, huffing mess of a person. You knocked frantically, his door shaking with force at your desperation. However, you jumped as Bucky whispered your name from behind you, "Are you okay? What's going on?" he asked with concern as you turned around to face him.

"Did-did you op-open the bo-ox?" you questioned him while panting like a dog. 

He furrowed his brows in response, "No I was planning to open it in a few minutes. Please tell me what's going on. Why do you look so scared?"

You bent over double, your stomach cramping thanks to your impromptu running, "Thi-this is your bag," you held up the package, "That ba-bag is mine."

"Okay," Bucky said slowly, still unsure of your behaviour, "Should I open the door to retrieve your bag?"

You nodded as he stepped aside, "Why are you not wearing any shoes?"

You looked down at your feet at his query, small blades of grass had stuck to your naked feet along with dirt. "I was in a hur-hurry to get to you," you managed to say between your breaths.

Bucky just nodded in response. It was then that you noticed the pack of paper tissues in his hand. He opened the door and stepped inside, beckoning you to follow him. He pointed to the white bag kept on the table while he looked at it with worry. "Will it explode?" he solicited.

"Uhh no," you replied awkwardly.

"Is it dangerous?" curiosity etched on Bucky's face as you swapped the bags.

"No, it's nothing like that," you looked down at your feet, feeling the heat rush to your cheeks with embarrassment.

He narrowed his eyes, "Then what is it?"

"I can't tell you," you quietly admitted, "but here are your macarons. I am really sorry for this. Didn't mean to disturb you from whatever you had planned," you pointed to the box of tissues still in his hand. 

Bucky noticed the underlying question in your statement, "I was about to watch a movie. So needed these to clear the mess."

Your eyes went wide at his sincerity. While you had a crush on him, you definitely did not want to know about Bucky's late night masturbation adventures. Shaking your head, you raised your hands and started walking backwards, "I am sorry I disturbed your nightly… activities. I get out of your hair."

"Actually, would you like to join me for the movie?" Bucky asked hopefully, "We have the macarons and you seem like you need to calm your nerves."

You were surprised for the third time that day. Did Bucky just ask you to masturbate with him? Or have sex while eating the macarons? Or did he want to eat them after you guys have had sex? A flurry of questions swirled in your mind as you stared at him with a slightly open mouth. 

Bucky interpreted your gaze and stumbled to clarify himself, "As friends! Would you like to watch a movie with me as a friend?"

You slowly nodded your affirmation, "Yeah okay. Which movie are we watching?" 

"The Notebook," he revealed with a smile, "It's an extremely emotional movie. Ummm what's the term? Tear-jerker? Uhh yeah, it's a real tear-jerker of a movie."

"Oh so that's why…" you pointed at the tissues. "Yeah," he confirmed, "I tend to cry a lot while watching that movie. And… ummm… I am the kind of person who cries ugly. You know, all tears and snot. So yeah… I need the whole box."

"That's… that's actually sweet," you smiled, "Trust me you are not alone. I start crying as soon as the titles appear on the screen."

He got excited at your confession, "Yes! Exactly! It's because you know what's going to come and you are just mentally preparing yourself."

You chuckled with him in affirmation as he led you further into his apartment.

You freshened up a bit in his washroom, making sure to clean your feet and the residue on your face from the sweat.

Bucky was standing besides your bag when you entered the living room, "Now that we are friends," he intoned, "will you please tell me what's inside of this?"

You sighed, "Mr Barnes-." 

"Bucky," he corrected you and you smiled. 

"Will you promise me you will not take any offense or be insulted by it? I really did not mean to swap the bags."

"I trust you," Bucky said with assurance.

"It's…it is a sex toy," you mumbled quietly. Any normal human wouldn't have heard you, but Bucky's enhanced hearing caught your words flawlessly. 

He took a moment to process your words, and finally, to your amazement, burst out laughing. 

You sheepishly smiled at his reaction as your heart felt a little lighter. "That is embarrassing," he agreed with a wide grin. 

The two of you settled on the couch as Bucky's chuckles lessened. He kept the box of macarons between you two, but hesitated to begin the movie.

You sensed his curiosity, and clarified, "I haven't been in a relationship in a very long time. It's been… 2 years I guess… since my last breakup." You took a deep breath, "And my job doesn't exactly leave a lot of time on my hands for dating or one-night-stands."

Bucky seemed to consider your words for what felt like a long time. Finally, he asked quietly, "What does it feel like? To… to want another person… sexually?"

You blinked your eyes, thinking you must have misheard him. But then, his gaze met yours, and you knew his question was sincere.

"It feels like…," you raked your mind in search for the appropriate words, "...like your entire body is on fire, and you need the touch of the other person to quench your thirst. Like, just for a few moments, you want to shut your mind, and let your body think for you."

Bucky nodded slowly as you finished, "But what if you feel that in your heart? And not for your body?"

You squint your eyes at his question, "What do you mean Bucky?"

He placed his head in his hands, "I just… I don't feel like that with anyone. I mean, I don't want to have sex. Trust me I have tried everything. Literally everything. Still I don't feel aroused… I am broken, aren't I? Because this is abnormal, right? No matter how hard I try I will never be normal."

Your heart shattered at his words. You had heard about his horrid nightmares, but to think that he was struggling to accept himself, thinking that he was broken, even when he had so much love to give, was depressing. You could not just stand by and watch.

Gently, you placed a hand on his shoulder, "Bucky, look at me." When he didn't comply, you urged him, "Bucky, you are not broken. It is completely normal to not have any sexual desires."

"No it's not," he scoffed.

"Yes it is," you coerced him, "Do you know what is asexuality? It is the complete absence of sexual desires. Many people-"

He interrupted you, "There is no such thing. You are making this up."

"I am not," you replied indignantly, "Research indicates that more than 1% of the American population is asexual. Also, experts believe that more people might be asexuals because they think that they "haven't found the right person yet"," you ended with air quotes.

With no reaction from him, you sighed and got up, "Do yourself a favour. Use the internet and learn about asexuality. It will help put your mind at ease." You left after giving that piece of advice.

Bucky stayed in the same position for a few moments after your departure. He nibbled on a macaron as he considered the movie playing in front of him. Unable to focus, he promptly shut it all and carried the box to his bed. The macarons disappeared into his mouth as he tossed and turned, feeling restless. 

There was no way asexuality was a thing. If it was, then how come there were no movies, tv shows or even advertisements on asexuality? That's because it wasn't normal, right? Maybe you had just lied to him to make him feel better? Maybe you took pity on him?

He looked at his phone on the table near the tv set, your final words repeating in his head in a loop. The combination of tiredness and laziness encouraged him to take your advice in the morning.

🏳️‍🌈

You didn't see Bucky for 3 days after your fateful encounter with him. The fact that you still had your job at the Avengers Tower meant that he hadn't filed a complaint yet with the HR. And for that you were grateful. Friday came and you found yourself working late, again. It was around 10pm and you were still in your lab, almost done with the work. That's when you heard the small swoosh of the lab doors opening and closing.

You looked up from your table, and found Bucky staring intently at you with his blue eyes. He cleared his throat and tentatively took a step towards you. "You were right," he said slowly, "I researched online, read a few articles and spoke with the in-house therapist. I am an," he took a deep breath, "an asexual."

You closed your laptop and smiled at his confession, "How are you feeling now?"

"Honestly? A little bit better. I feel somewhat free," he admitted while gripping the white bag in his hand a little bit tighter.

"That's great! I am so proud of the progress you have made," you beamed at him, but sensed his hesitance as you neared him.

"What's wrong?" you gently inquired.

"You are… not… I mean… by any chance… asexual?" he winced at his own question.

You chuckled lightly, "No I am not."

"Ahh, then it's okay," he murmured and turned as if to leave.

You stopped him by placing a hand on his firm bicep, "What's going on?"

He shifted on his feet, visibly uncomfortable and anxious, "I was just… no nevermind it's stupid."

"Bucky," you said his name in a stern voice.

He sighed again, "I thought… I mean I owe you a movie because… of that night… and so… you know… would you like to watch it? The movie? But why would you? You deserve better… you are not an asexual. You are normal. Why would you want to go on a date with me?" he finally ended his mumbling.

You looked at him with squinted eyes, trying to decipher what he had muttered. "Did you just say you would like to go on a date with me? But it was stupid because you are an asexual and I am normal?" you blinked as he nodded.

"Who told you that you are not normal?" you asked him, a little irritated, "Bucky look at me." This time he complied, "You. Are. Normal. As normal as me, as the other Avengers or as anybody else in the world. Do not, for even one goddamn second, think that there's something wrong with you because there isn't. Are you listening to me? Am I clear?" you wagged your forefinger at him.

Amused at your outburst, he nodded with a sheepish grin. Clearing his throat, he asked you again, "Would you like to watch a movie with me tomorrow? As a date?"

You placed your hands on your waist, "Yes."

His grin widened as he asked you the next question, "Still mad at me?"

"Uh-huh."

"Maybe these cupcakes will help," he shyly held up the white bag in front of you, "I made sure they were cupcakes," he added with a smirk.

You graciously accepted the bag, "Cupcakes will always help."

"Great! It's a date then. Tomorrow… at 4pm? My apartment?" Bucky suggested.

You agreed, and he left with a goodbye. As soon as he was out of sight, you opened the box, expecting to see the usual cupcakes inside. Instead, you found that the sweet treats were decorated with cute messages such as "U R Cute" , "Be Mine?" , "So Sweet" and so on. Feeling mushy at his adorable gesture, you bit into the sweet treat as you headed back to your apartment.

The next day, you made sure to wear a purple dress, complete with black, grey and white accessories - the colours of the asexual flag. Bucky beamed at you as he welcomed you into his apartment. He had made a snack mix from popcorn, crispy pretzels, chips and nachos, the perfect accompaniment to any movie according to him, and you couldn't agree more.

The pair of you watched The Notebook in silence, except for a few sobs and sniffs here and there and the straight up bawling during the emotional parts of the movie.

After a while, the film ended but your date continued. The two of you talked about everything, right from the meaningful discussions about the government policies to random questions like "which mythical creature would you be and why?"

Soon, it was time for you to head back to your apartment. Bucky offered to walk you and you happily agreed. But before you left, he asked you nervously, "Would you like to have a second date?"

"I would love to," you beamed, "Which movie should we watch the next time?"

He ran his hand in his somewhat disheveled hair, "Uhh… I actually made a date jar. Wait, I will get it."

He brought over a glass jar, filled with tiny bits of folded paper, "I thought we could have dates that start from each English alphabet. We can pick and choose at random from the jar."

Tears pricked the corner of your eyes again at his thoughtful and romantic gesture. You gingerly picked one note from the jar, excited for the adventure that awaited the two of you.

🏳️‍🌈

It took more than 2 years for the pair of you to finish every date in the date jar, except for one. Whether it was jet-skiing in the ocean, taking classes for flamenco dance, him teaching you self-defense or going on a wildlife safari together, you and Bucky finally got through it all. Only the letter "P" was now left.

In these 2 years, any distance between the two of you had practically vanished. Bucky was comfortable in removing his bionic arm in front of you. Moreover, he had started sharing everything with you. Right from his darkest and disturbing nightmares to a pretty butterfly that he may have seen during his missions, Bucky made it a point to ensure that you were a part of his life, and you had absolutely no complaints.

The two of you had also discussed about your sexual desires, and Bucky had been comfortable with you using your sex toys as and when you wished.

Bucky was the perfect boyfriend anybody could ask for. He was considerate, thoughtful, a hardcore feminist and gave the best foot-rubs in the world. And so you were nervous. Nervous because the two of you had never actually sat down to talk about the nature of your relationship. And as the day of the last date loomed nearer, your anxiety increased. At first, you thought of making a second date jar, but he had quickly dismissed the idea, stating that he would be caught up with multiple things after the last date ended.

As you sat in the car that Bucky had sent for you, your apprehension grew. Bucky always picked you up, however this time, he had asked you to come alone in the car. Maybe he wanted to break up with you?

By the time you reached the park it was pitch black. You were sure Bucky had paid the guards to keep the gates of the park open just for you.

As soon as you entered, you saw the pathway lined with 25 lamp posts, leading you towards a breathtaking archway decorated with fairy lights and your favourite flowers.

On every lamp post, a photograph of the two of you - which were taken on your dates - was stuck along with a note. The notes described how he fell in love with you over and over again on every single date. Your progress was slow, as read each of his meticulously written words with tears in your eyes. You collected all of his notes and the photographs, and finally headed towards the lit archway.

When you entered it, the instrumental notes of the song "All of Me" by John Legend reached your ears.

You walked ahead and reached a bend. Upon crossing it, you were showered with rose petals as the live music grew louder. And at the end of the archway, your boyfriend, James Buchanan Barnes, was standing in a tuxedo, looking as sinfully good as the forbidden fruit. The entire area around him was lit with soft fairy lights that cascaded gracefully between tall lamp posts. Even on the ground, small wooden lamps illuminated the grass across the area. A live band was playing the music and your Bucky was standing with the most gorgeous bouquet of red roses that you had ever seen.

Your vision turned blurry as you started crying, and looking at your tears, he started sobbing as well. "No no no I can't cry now," he managed to say between his sobs while giving you his handkerchief, "I have to do this."

He got down on one knee and took your hand in his. You both laughed as you started crying harder. He took a deep breath and said your name, "These 2 years have been the most magical years of my life. You have accepted me as who I am, what I am, and never once tried to change me or make fun of me for it. I never thought I would be treated with the amount of respect that-" he started crying, unable to finish his sentence.

You sat beside him and handed him your kerchief. "Yes," you said with a tear-stained smile.

"Let me ask you first!" he exclaimed between his sobs.

You laughed and wiped your snot as he cleared his throat, "I love you so much. You are the only one I want to-" he started crying again.

"Yes!" you answered his unsaid question.

"I haven't asked you yet!" he exclaimed again as the two of you giggled between your sobs.

"Okay c'mon Bucky you can do this," he muttered to himself as you beamed at him. "Okay," he looked into your eyes and whispered your name, "Will you do me the honour of marrying me and becoming my wife?"

You choked up at finally hearing the words. Rendered speechless, you could only nod as fresh tears escaped your eyes.

"You have to say yes!" he almost shouted with excitement.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!!" you matched his enthusiasm as he slipped a ring onto your finger. His large arms then engulfed you in a bear hug, wrapping you in a safe and secure space for eternity to come.

Permanent tag: @donutloverxo @notyourtypicalrose @just-one-ordinary-fangirl

Bucky taglist: @loustan90

Taglist open! Just comment, send an ask or message!

[hellomynameisbisexual]

How Do Bi Parents Come Out to Their Kids?

It’s not always straightforward.

By Lux Alptraum

As the author of multiple memoirs, psychotherapist Wendy C. Ortiz, M.F.T., is no stranger to personal disclosures. In her books, she’s told readers about her teenage sexual exploits and her struggles as a 20-something Angeleno, and she’s even provided lengthy descriptions of her dreams. But over the past few years, Ortiz has been navigating a different disclosure wholly unlike the ones that have shaped her literary career: coming out as bisexual to her young daughter.

“We’re still trying to find a way to explain it without opening a can of worms that we are not quite prepared for yet,” Ortiz tells SELF.

Ortiz’s nine-year-old daughter has always been aware that her parents are not straight—being raised in a household with two moms made that evident. But Ortiz’s bisexuality has been a more complicated identity to discuss, one that expands beyond her current relationship and encompasses a broader swath of who she is as a person. Over the past few years, she’s been experimenting with how to be open and honest with her daughter in an age-appropriate, accessible way that offers comfort and clarity rather than just creating more confusion. Though Ortiz and her family have started the conversation, it remains a work in progress.

She’s hardly the only parent to find herself in this situation.

There are a lot of reasons bi parents choose to come out. For many bi parents, sharing their identity can feel essential to providing their children with an open-minded understanding of the world around them. “I’ve always wanted to give my son what I didn’t have growing up,” Ellie W., 25, tells SELF. Her own religious upbringing didn’t include open conversations about sex and identity.

For others, being out about their identity can feel like a way of encouraging honest communication with their children. “I decided relatively early on in my then partner’s pregnancy that I wasn’t going to be secretive about stuff, because I had dealt with a lot of secretive approaches in my own family around all sorts of things. It was bad for me and also bad for the rest of the family,” Jerome C., 44, tells SELF.

And in a political environment that’s increasingly hostile to LGBTQ+ folk, some parents see informing their children about their bisexuality as an important part of preparing their kids for the future. “To be trans and bi is to be pretty visible,” Nola P., 36, tells SELF. “I wanted to make sure that they understood some of the things that might happen, and how it might affect our family directly.”

That sense of community, identity, and visibility is a big part of why some parents might feel driven to open up this discussion with their kids. Being open about your bi identity can help combat bisexual erasure and help kids understand bisexuality not just as an abstract concept but as the identity of someone they’re close to. It can also help create a sense of open dialogue that will serve kids later in life if they wind up identifying as queer.

“Parents might think in the back of their heads, Well, what if my child was bisexual? I would want them to feel like they could come out to me. So I should come out to them and be that role model that they deserve,” Dan Rice, M.Ed., executive director at the sex education organization Answer at Rutgers University, tells SELF.

Indeed, Mike F., 42, was prompted to come out to his teenage daughter after she came out to him first. “I don’t remember the exact conversation, but she made a joke about not being ‘exactly straight,’ and I said, ‘You and me both, baby girl.’ She paused, looked at me, and said, ‘Cool,’” he tells SELF.

Of course, there are a few reasons coming out as bisexual to your kids can be complicated. For one, bi parents who choose to broach this topic with their children run the risk of facing judgment from family members, friends, and community members who consider this disclosure to be TMI. On a popular podcast I listen to, a women’s health expert advised an audience member against coming out to her daughter as bi, saying that it was a discussion best reserved for older kids. The expert’s reasoning? The audience member’s young child wasn’t ready to hear about who her mommy liked to have sex with.

Um. While most of us would agree that frank discussions of adults’ sex lives aren’t an appropriate topic for children, coming out as bisexual to your kids in no way means giving them an extensive overview of everyone you’ve slept with (and how). “Being bi isn’t just about how you have sex and who you have sex with, it’s about how you understand desire and love and connection and community,” Cory Silverberg, an award-winning sex educator and author of Sex Is a Funny Word, tells SELF.

Though some parents might fret about the possibility of burdening their children with too much information at too young an age, Rice doesn’t think parents need to worry about having this conversation too soon. “It’s never too early,” he says. “What we’re explaining to children is love, and who we love and have a special love for. Children understand love.”

Then there’s the fact that starting the conversation can feel complicated and intimidating. A simple way in might be a casual disclosure during a discussion about different styles of relationships, something like, “Some people fall in love with people of a different gender, some people fall in love with people of their own gender, and some people, like me, can fall in love with people of any gender.”

It’s also key to keep in mind that your kid might not react with enthusiasm or even interest. “This could be a conversation that the parent might hope is longer, but maybe the kid isn’t interested, and it’s something to come back to,” says Ortiz, who in addition to navigating this on her own also works with many queer patients as a psychotherapist. Ortiz recommends mainly letting the child lead the discussion: Tie your disclosures to questions they’ve brought up about relationships or love or identity rather than forcing them to listen to a personal monologue that they’re not ready for or couldn’t care less about right now.

In Jerome’s case, he first discussed gender and sexuality with his son when the child was nine. “It was around that time that one of his cousins came out as transgender, so that gave me the opening,” he says. “I tried to make it ‘not a big deal,’ which meant that, in turn, he didn’t seem particularly fazed by anything I was saying or talking about.”

Above all, it’s important to remind your kid that having a bisexual parent doesn’t change things or mean that their life isn’t going to be the same. Even if this information is new to them, it doesn’t change who you are: a parent who loves them very much.

For many, this is bound to be an ongoing discussion, not a single conversation. The conversation you have with your kids about your sexual identity is likely to shift and expand over the years as your children get older and better able to understand more complex topics. Silverberg recommends using pop culture as an entry point to additional conversations. If you’re watching a Disney movie, for instance, you can remind your child that not all princesses marry princes: Some might marry other princesses, some might be happy with either option, and some might decide they’re not interested in marriage at all.

This can be especially useful for younger children. Ellie says her son is too young to understand sexual and romantic attraction, so she describes her own partners as “friends” but encourages him to observe diversity in the world around him. “He seems entirely [unbothered] by the idea that some children can have two mamas or two dadas or two mamas and one dada,” she says. “He found it quite amusing that there are infinite possibilities of how to make up a family.”

In Ortiz’s own home, the conversations about identity started around the time her daughter turned six. It was something, she tells me, that largely happened organically. When her daughter started talking about kids at school having crushes on each other, Ortiz and her partner gently brought up the idea that people can have crushes on someone the same gender as them as well as on people of different genders. Meanwhile, shows like the cartoon Steven Universe showcase queer relationships in a fun and casual way and have given the family an opportunity to talk about the wide variety of relationships humans might arrange ourselves in.

When Ortiz’s daughter stumbled on photos of Ortiz with an old boyfriend, Ortiz didn’t shy away from being honest about who that person was in her life. “In the last year we’ve approached the subject that I was once married to a man,” Ortiz says. “It’s like, ‘Oh, this is Mommy’s identity,’ versus her other mother who identifies as lesbian.”

As the years have passed, it’s become clear that the many conversations they’ve had about identity and relationships have had an impact on Ortiz’s daughter. When she talks about the future, Ortiz says, her daughter leaves the question of her own orientation open. “She will preface by saying, ‘And I might be with a girl or a boy.’” Thanks to her mothers’ openness about their own identities, she’s able to be confident that whomever her future relationships end up being with, she’ll have the support and love of her family. Which is, of course, what truly matters.

[allthefilmsiveseenforfree]

Five Feet Apart

Have you the seen the movie about dying teens in love? No, not that one. This one, Five Feet Apart, about Stella (Hayley Lu Richardson) and Will (Cole Sprouse), two star-crossed 17-year-olds who both have cystic fibrosis and a burning desire to touch each other but they can’t due to the risk of contracting each other’s deadly germs. It’s like Romeo and Juliet but with phlegm. The title refers to the minimum safe distance they have to stay apart from each other (minus 1 ft for love). So will this doomed love story ensure this new genre of sick-lit is here to stay or is it destined to die just like these teens? Well...

If this is the standard, I think this microgenre is on life support already. I’d say this is simply a rip-off of The Fault in Our Stars, but that feels unfair. This almost feels like a rip-off of a rip-off, a dollar store version of the US version of an internationally renowned Italian art film, and as such I will be spoiling some plot points in this review so back out now if you’re sensitive to that kind of thing. Though there are a few strong performances from Richardson and her best friend Poe (Moises Arias), the world the film builds just feels too contrived to be convincing.

Some thoughts:

One of the only upsides I can see from this #chronicillness life is the overabundance of the comfiest looking sweaters I’ve ever seen. I’m obsessed with every sweater in this film. People shouldn’t have to be sick to be this comfortable in public.

The first time we meet Will, my notes just say “Wow this guy sucks” and “I have never been less impressed by a teenage boy.” I’m not 100% sure my opinion on him turned around that much by the end of the film. He never feels anything beyond a poorly sketched bad boy, revealed to have a soft gooey marshmallow interior when he falls in love. I am at least happy that their relationship grows and develops over weeks (and with nothing much to do in a hospital they spend a lot of time together), but he never feels that fleshed-out or real to me.

One thing I really appreciate in movies is when the filmmakers figure out nifty ways to drop a ton of exposition on the audience without it feeling like clunky exposition. Will checking out Stella’s YouTube page was a pretty clever way to do a huge info dump in an elegant way.

Parminder Nagra, aka my teen crush from Bend It Like Beckham, is playing a doctor now? Be still my heart!

I do love that Stella developed an app. Fuck yeah, women in STEM. 

Am I the only one who has a problem with how many HIPAA violations there are in movies now? Like, we are playing SUPER fast and loose with informed consent, no regard for patient privacy, disclosing information to other patients...is this hospital being run by animals? Is a horse loose in the hospital?

Barb (Kimberly Hebert Gregory) is an underserved character and her perspective is a valuable one. I appreciate that she speaks up and showcases her sense of responsibility and advocacy for her patients. It’s not just patients who experience terminal illness, and Barb is right to not let them forget that - until she is just completely fine with helping in grand romantic gestures for the ‘gram. Kind of disappointed with the evolution of Barb from “the voice of reason” to “the power of love conquers all” but maybe that’s just because I’m old and bitter and on the side of the parents in teen movies now. 

For being about teens in love, they’re not very funny. Love is funny and silly, even when it’s life or death stakes! Stella’s message high on painkillers post-surgery is by far the funniest part of the movie.

My biggest complaint by far is that Hayley Lu Richardson is luminous and full of dazzling energy on her own and Cole Sprouse has the screen presence of a limp piece of asparagus with an emo dye job. I just feel no connection between them at all, honestly, and I am on board with the story! I am bought in! And just...nothin’.

Oh and huge fucking shocker the gay best friend (Arias) is the one who dies and gets to be the poster child of tragedy porn so we can not only enjoy a Bury Your Gays moment but also not interfere with the heterosexual romance!

For example, this sexy poolside romp late at night in the hospital for their first date should feel like the swooniest most romantic thing and all I can think is “hospitals have cameras. Security guards are watching you awkwardly caress her body with a pool cue right now, or they will later.” And this slow undress doesn’t feel seductive or alluring, it feels so uncomfortable to me. Related: I am 100% sure you can’t go around hospitals popping balloons willy nilly. You guys, I don’t know how this entire romance inspires such cynicism in me when I am, by nature, the sappiest of saps! 

That being said, in this week’s Did I Cry? The answer is yes, yes I did, when she was in surgeery and when he made his dumb speech at the end which I actually fucking hated? Like all of the words were so stupid? But the feeling was right, so that was a very confusing and disconcerting way to feel. 

I will say - I appreciate a mainstream film like this presenting bodies that are sick, scarred, and chronically ill as desirable and sexy. Even if those bodies belong to conventionally attractive cis het white people, it feels like a step towards some more inclusive representation that I know is much needed. 

Also, I get the whole “taking a stand regarding my life and my health care decisions” thing regarding the lung transplant or whatever but I don’t care what your circumstances are or how invincible you feel DON’T FUCK AROUND ON ICE. 

It’s possible the root of the issues I had stem simply from a stumbling, bumbling transition from book to film. Like, from a narrative standpoint, I appreciate the symmetry - the drowning, the mouth-to-mouth, the tangled relationship between life and death - but I think it’s one of those things that works much better in book form rather than in a film. It all just feels so fake, so contrived, so OBVIOUS. When I think of some of the truly charming teen romances that have come out in the last few years, like Love, Simon or To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before, I just know that there is still magic left in the genre, and it doesn’t have to feel this forced. If you’re already a fan of this story, I’m sure the film version will deliver what you want but if not...you’re probably ok staying five feet away from this one.

If you liked this review, please consider reblogging or subscribing to my Patreon! For as low as $1, you can access bonus content and movie reviews, or even request that I review any movie of your choice.

[amostexcellentblog]

Classic Movies for Beginners: Case File #3: The MGM Musicals

The world is a stage, The stage is a world of entertainment!

Director(s): Vincente Minnelli; Stanley Donen; Charles Walters; and Others

Starring: (Deep Breath) Judy Garland; Fred Astaire; Gene Kelly; Cyd Charisse; Debbie Reynolds; Donald O’Connor; Frank Sinatra; Jane Powell; many more.

Watch if You Like: Musicals. Seriously, the MGM musicals still define the genre in the popular imagination. So even if you’ve never seen one (and you have seen one, The Wizard of Oz) you’re probably familiar with the style. Almost every recent hit movie musical--La La Land, Hairspray, The Greatest Showman, High School Musical--was shaped in some way by the bright technicolor sweetness of these movies. So if you’re a fan of any of those films, a theater geek, or just curious about what the movie musical was like at its peak, enjoy.

Since I could talk for days about these movies, I’ve decided to just do a quick list of the 10 most essential titles There are, of course, many other musicals from the studio that are worth a watch, but I’m trying to control myself.

Singin’ in the Rain (1952): Everyone’s favorite musical! In case you’ve been living under a rock: Don Lockwood (Kelly) is a silent movie star famous for his films with shrill-voiced Lina Lamont (Jean Hagen). Talkies seem poised to ruin them until his pal Cosmo (O’Connor) gives him the idea to do a musical with his girlfriend (Reynolds) dubbing Lina’s voice. No summary can ever capture what makes this movie such a complete joy to watch. Every song, every dance, every performance is just flawlessly executed to put a great big smile on your face. It’s one of the few movies that deserves to be called perfect.

Meet Me in St. Louis (1944): A year in the life of the Smith family in 1903 St. Louis, the year the world’s fair came to town. There are four daughters, second-eldest Esther (Garland) is on the cusp of adulthood, starry-eyed, and filled with young love for the boy next door (Tom Drake). Youngest is Tootie (Margaret O’Brien), mischievous and morbidly fascinated by death in a way only an innocent child can be. Father (Leon Ames) gets a job in New York, a move that threatens the family’s fragile innocence. Will they go? 

Minimalist plot doesn’t sound like much, but it’s actually a great coming-of-age movie. Beneath its nostalgic sheen there are some darker moments that deal frankly with the loss of innocence that comes with growing up. Garland debuts “The Trolley Song” and the holiday standard “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” which she sings with a more heartbreaking style than you’re likely to hear now. “Have yourself a merry little Christmas, now...” she sings, as if you might never have another chance to. Appreciate innocence while you have it, the movie says, it can be taken away so easily.

The Band Wagon (1953): Washed up movie star Tony Hunter, (Astaire) heads to Broadway to star in a musical comedy written by his friends (Oscar Levant and Nanette Fabray), but they make the mistake of hiring a snooty director of dramas who promptly turns it into a heavy handed Faust adaptation. Tony is unsure of this, as well as the much younger ballerina (Cyd Charisse) hired to be his leading lady. The official favorite musical of people who think it’s too mainstream to pick Singin’ in the Rain. The satire of high art and low art can get heavy handed, and the movie’s ultimate assertion that Broadway musicals are meant to be light comedy is hopelessly dated in the era of Next to Normal and Spring Awakening. It’s real charms lie in the dances, from the joyful hoofing of "Shine on Your Shoes" to the simple romance of "Dancing in the Dark."

On the Town (1949): Three sailors (Kelly, Sinatra, Jules Munshin) on 24 hour leave in New York, New York (I hear it’s a wonderful town) find love and hijinks as they pursue a beauty contest winner (Vera-Ellen) across the city after one of them falls in love at first sight. Along for the ride are Betty Garret as their cab driver, and Ann Miller as a boy crazy anthropologist. Adapted from a Broadway hit, much of Leonard Bernstein’s score was replaced with original music for some reason (censors also required the lyric “New York, New York it’s a helluva town” be changed to “it’s a wonderful town.”) Fortunately, that doesn’t make it any less of a delight, with a perfect cast and great choreography celebrating the limitless possibilities of the city.

Easter Parade (1948): When his dance partner (Ann Miller) leaves him, Don Hewes (Astaire) plucks a girl out of the chorus (Garland) and sets out to make her a star. Shades of George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion (nobody tell Lerner and Loewe), with Peter Lawford in the Freddy role and a slew of Irving Berlin tunes along for the ride. The only movie Astaire and Garland made together, and it’s a fascinating pairing of the most carefree (onscreen anyway) musical star and the least. Astaire was rarely paired with singing stars (as opposed to dancers), and Garland was a bigger star than he was when this movie shot. As a result her character gets more solo numbers and feels more independent of Astaire’s than usual. On the flip side, Astaire does a better job at holding his own opposite Garland than most of her leading men. It’s a shame they never made another movie together as their chemistry makes the film.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954): Mountain man Howard Keel ventures into an old west town one day looking for a wife to play housekeeper. He finds one (Powell), who falls in love at first sight and marries him dreaming of a romantic life in the wilderness. He didn’t mention they’d be living with his unruly brothers. Fortunately she manages to tame them enough to go to town for a barn raising. That’s when the trouble starts, each brother meets and falls for a girl from town. After an iconic dance-off with their fiances, the brothers end up kidnapping the women for the winter, which does not go over well. 

Look, this is not as sexist as its sounds. This is not a Stockholm Syndrome thing, the narrative does not condone the kidnapping, the men are banished to the barn by Powell so nobody’s pressured to do anything, and if you look at the end of the barn raising dance you see that the women do initially to choose the brothers on their own free will, before their parents intervene. The movie ultimately comes down on the side of equal power dynamics in relationships. Anyway, the dancing in this movie is incredible. Watch it for that if nothing else.

The Harvey Girls (1946): Desperate to get out of her small town, Susan Bradley (Garland) moves west to marry her lonely-hearts pen pal. That falls through, so she gets a job as a waitress at the Harvey House, a (real) restaurant chain catering to train passengers. A lot of the town’s men don’t want the ladies there, because the chain’s strict moral standards has a reputation for civilizing wild west towns. Nevertheless, they persisted. The town is cleaned up, and the waitresses find true love. Great showcase for Garland’s comedic and dramatic skills. The movie’s slyly feminist defense of a woman’s right to see the world beyond her back yard and the boy next door, as well as its emphasis on female friendships, make up for a bland male lead and awkward third act. (A proper big final number was shot, but deleted for time so the whole thing kinda peters out.)

Lili (1953): Barely a musical, but it has one song and two dance sequences that are key to developing the characters and plot, so it counts. Recently orphaned Lili (Leslie Caron) is all alone and naïve about the ways of the world. She is charmed by a womanizing magician in a traveling carnival. After he rebuffs her affections she attempts suicide, but is stopped at the last minute by the carnival’s puppeteer, Paul (Mel Ferrer), who strikes up a conversation through his puppets. Lili’s natural interaction with the puppets attracts a crowd and she is made part of the act. Paul was once a great dancer whose career was ended by a war injury, lonely and embittered he is drawn to Lili’s soft heart but is unable to express his affection for her without his puppets. Touching story about the walls we build to protect ourselves from hurt, and the necessity of letting them down. Caron’s performance is incredible, it’s like she walked out of a fairy tale.

The Pirate (1948): Manuela (Garland) lives in a small Caribbean village and spends her days fantasizing of adventure and romance with the legendary pirate Macoco, so she’s heartbroken to learn she’s to marry the town’s boring mayor, Don Pedro. On a trip to the port to pick up her wedding dress she is spotted by traveling actor Serafin (Kelly), who falls instantly in love. She is unimpressed with his charms so he pretends to be Macoco in disguise to win her over. Mistaken identity hijinks ensue when he shows up in her hometown and realizes her boring fiance is actually the retired Macoco. This never takes off the way it should. Between the stars, the director (Minnelli), and original Cole Porter songs this should be a home run. Frustratingly, the story never comes together as well as it should, Manuela starts to feel like a supporting player in the second half which throws the whole movie off balance. Still, there are some great songs and dances, and the movie does manage to say a few interesting things about who we are versus who we pretend to be in life.

Royal Wedding (1951): Sibling song-and-dance team (Astaire and Powell) heads to England to perform in a new show against the backdrop of the upcoming wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten, Duke of Edinburgh (what ever happened to those two?) While there both of them find themselves falling in love. Her with a penniless Lord (Peter Lawford), him with a newly engaged dancer (Sarah Churchill, daughter of Winston). This is primarily for Astaire fans who get to see two of his most famous dances. One with a hat rack, proving he could dance with anything, the other where he dances on the wall and ceiling of his room thanks to some clever practical effects.

[pedroscurls]

Title: Bust! (one-shot)

Character(s): Luke Vaughn and Jamie (original female character)  Summary: Jamie gambles in a game of Blackjack with one of the croupiers named Luke.  Word Count: 3,424 Warning: Just a heavy, heavy make-out session ;) Author’s Note: This is for @may85​!!! Everyone should go and check out her fics. They’re amazinggggg and she writes for most of JDM’s characters! I hope you enjoy this, @may85!!!

(GIF Source: @heartfulloffandoms)

Jamie decided that she needed a night to herself. She was constantly working nonstop and she needed to let loose, have some fun, relax a bit.

And so, she decided to test her luck tonight. There was no hurt in trying to gamble and have a few drinks.

Jamie dressed in her dark red dress that reached just above her knees. The dress clung nicely to her figure, showcasing her curves. When she looked herself over in the full-body mirror, Jamie let out a hesitant sigh. It had been a while since she had a night to herself.

Jamie slipped her thin framed glasses on and messily fixed her hair. It was perfect. She was exuding confidence which was something she needed if she was going to go to a casino.

Once she left her apartment, Jamie took a cab to the most famous Swan casino. She had heard a few stories about how this particular casino had been under surveillance for money laundering, but it didn’t matter. If she was going to go above and beyond, Jamie was going to go to a casino that not many people had the pleasure of visiting.

After paying the cab driver, she climbed out and took a deep breath.

“Have fun and relax,” she mumbled to herself.

Jamie walked inside of the casino, hearing the loud chatter and laughter of the people within the room. She immediately walked to the bar, ordering herself a margarita.

“Thank you,” she whispered to the bartender.

With the drink in hand, Jamie exchanged her money for chips and began walking around the room. A few tables were already full of potential winners, but when her eye caught sight of a man wearing a red button down with a black vest over it, she instantly knew where she was going to spend the rest of her night at.

Jamie took a seat right in front of the man, watching as his eyes puppy-like eyes looked at her. She felt her heart beat against her chest. His eyes were kind and tiresome, but when he smiled, she could have sworn that she would have fallen into a puddle.

His lightly scruffed-beard was tinged with silver and the dimples that flashed in her direction did not go unnoticed. He was handsome.

“Of all the tables to choose from, you chose mine,” he said, his smile dropping for a moment.

“I can easily just get up and walk away if that’ll make you feel better,” Jamie quipped back, bringing her glass of alcohol to her lips to take a sip.

Luke’s eyes followed her lips, narrowing his eyes only briefly. He allowed his gaze to shift to the dress she was wearing, noticing how the dress showcased her curves and her breasts. She didn’t look like the rest of the women that came to the casino.

One way or another, Luke knew that the women that were here usually were here as arm-candy rather than their own personal choice. Instantly, he was intrigued by the woman sitting in front of him.

She looked like she needed a night to de-stress.

“Well, I would hate for you to get up now that you’re sitting here,” he replied.

“Are you afraid I’ll kick your ass in a game of Blackjack?” She grinned.

Luke bit his lower lip, preventing himself from breaking out into a smile. The moment he saw Jamie’s lips turn upwards, he felt a sudden need and hunger that he had never felt before. Not only was she sexy in her dress, but her smile was genuine and kind that he wanted to know more about her.

“How about we gamble something more serious?”

“And what would that be?” Jamie asked.

“Well, first, you have to tell me your name.”

“That depends. Will you tell me yours?”

Luke grinned, “I’m Luke.”

“I’m Jamie,” she responded.

“Perfect. How about you save your money, bring those chips back and exchange it for actual cash, and when I win, you go out to dinner with me tomorrow night,” Luke suggested.

Jamie cleared her throat. When she planned on going out tonight, she was certainly not expecting a handsome man to ask her out on a date.

“You know nothing about me,” she mumbled.

“That’s usually what a date is for, Jamie.”

She cleared her throat. Jamie loved the way her name rolled off his lips. His deep voice made her imagine what it would be like if he just whispered dirty things into her ear.

“What if I win?” Jamie asked.

“I’ll double your money.”

“W – What? Really?”

“Want to take a risk, Jamie?” He smiled, shuffling the cards expertly.

Hesitantly, Jamie nodded, downing the rest of her margarita.

“You know what, I say it’s a bet. Let’s play.”

“All right. One rule. We only play one game.”

“Great because once you double my money, I’m leaving,” she giggled.

Luke smiled to himself, nodding. He began handing out the right amount of cards, staring at her for a moment. He watched as she brought a hand to cover her cards before lifting just the edge of it to look at it.

Luke hesitantly dropped his eyes to his own and kept a poker face. He didn’t need to show her that the odds were in his favor.

After a few minutes, Jamie tapped on the table.

“Hit me,” she said, determined.

“All right,” he smiled, placing the card onto the table.

Jamie looked down at it, biting her lower lip.

It was an antagonizing, long sixty seconds. Luke wanted to know what her cards were. He was at nineteen with two cards and if she had gotten twenty-one, she would have automatically won.

“I guess I’m going to dinner with you,” Jamie finally said.

Luke grinned instantly. Ever since his little girl, Riley, had gotten the surgery she needed, he was much more relaxed and less stressed out. He had been trying to get back to dating, but no woman caught his interest.

Until Jamie walked in.

“If you can wait another hour or so, we can go tonight. You’re too beautiful in that dress for you to go home now,” he admitted.

Jamie immediately blushed, dropping her eyes to her lap. Her confidence was at an all-time-high right now. Maybe she should go out more often.

“You’re just saying that,” she replied.

Luke chuckled quietly, shaking his head. “Meet me out in the front in an hour? I think I have a few ideas on what we can do.”

“Okay… That sounds great,” Jamie responded, the pink hue in her cheeks remaining.

“I’ll see you then, Jamie.”

Jamie was outside waiting just like he asked. She still couldn’t believe that she was about to go out on a late dinner date with a man she just met. Though, as the cold air hit her frame, she shivered instantly and brought her arms around her body to hug herself.

She needed to warm up.

Suddenly, Luke walked towards her. He noticed from afar that she was slightly shivering. He would have to fix that.

“Hey,” he said.

Jamie looked up at him, smiling. “Hi.”

“You cold?” He asked.

“Oh, uh, no I’m fine. Thank you.”

Jamie looked him over. He had changed into a black v-neck and a black leather jacket with his black pants and boots. She didn’t know how it was possible for him to look even more sexy than he did an hour ago.

“Says the woman who’s literally shaking,” he teased, removing his jacket to drape around her. Luke stood in front of her, making sure that the jacket was wrapped sufficiently around her to warm her up.

She looked up at him and smiled, dropping her arms to hold the jacket closer to her body.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

“No problem. I’d hate for my date to freeze. Come on. Let’s get out of this cold.” Luke led her to his car, instantly opening her car door for her.

Jamie was surprised. He was such a gentleman and it just made her even more attracted to him. She climbed into the car and buckled her seatbelt, watching as he walked around to climb into the driver’s seat.

“I don’t usually do this,” he said, turning his car on and instantly turning the heat on.

“Do what? Make bets with women for them to go out on a date with you?” Jamie teased.

“Well, yes. I just – It’s been a while since I’ve actually went on a date,” he admitted, pulling out of parking spot.

“You? Are you lying?” Jamie replied. She couldn’t believe him. How could someone like him not have been on a date recently? “Don’t tell me you’re married…”

Luke chuckled, “Well, I was, but not anymore. So, you don’t have to worry about that.”

“Okay, so then why haven’t you been on a date? I mean, look at you,” Jamie blushed.

“I’d say this date is going splendid if you’re complimenting me.”

“I’m going to tell you the truth, Luke. You’re a handsome man. Now, if you’re pulling my leg here and –”

“My daughter was sick for quite some time. She’s only six.���

Jamie cleared her throat. She hadn’t thought about him having kids, but oddly enough, she couldn’t help but imagine Luke holding a little girl in his arms, reading her a bedtime story.

“I’m sorry…” She whispered.

“She’s okay now. Her name’s Riley. My little princess,” he smiled.

Jamie glanced out the window, watching the passing cars nearby. She wondered where he was going to take her. She didn’t know if she hungry, but she didn’t mind spending more time with him.

Luke slowly pulled into a small diner. He parked the car and immediately walked around to help Jamie out of the car. He extended a hand for her and smiled to himself, watching as her hand slipped into his own.

Helping her up, Luke felt her stumble forwards and his hands immediately went to her hips. He wanted nothing more than to run his hands along her curves to her breasts and devour her lips with his own, but he wanted, no needed, to be a gentleman.

Luke wasn’t young anymore. He couldn’t do one-night stands and certainly not to someone who had a smile like Jamie’s.

“You okay?” He asked.

“Sorry. I’m a bit clumsy,” Jamie whispered, her hands resting on his broad chest. She leaned into him once she felt his strong hands resting on her hips.

“I thought it was the alcohol,” he teased.

“Hey, I can handle my alcohol. Besides, it was one drink.”

Luke chuckled, pulling away from her to lead her to the entrance of the diner. However, he moved his hand from her hip to her lower back, his hand itching to go lower to grasp her backside.

He held the door open for her, allowing her to walk through. She instantly sat at one of the booths, removing his jacket to set aside. It gave him another glimpse of how perfect the dress looked on her.

Once the waiter set down the menus onto the table, he pulled out a notepad and smiled politely.

“Can I get you two started on anything to drink?”

“Water is fine with me,” Jamie said, glancing over at Luke once he sat across from her.

“Water for me too. Thank you.”

As the waiter left, Jamie immediately dropped her eyes to the menu. She didn’t want Luke knowing that she was staring at him.

“Do you know what you’d like to eat?” Luke asked.

“Maybe a sandwich with fries. I’m not too hungry, but I don’t mind leftovers to bring home. What about you?”

“Maybe a burger. I haven’t had anything to eat yet, so I’m starving.”

“Well, we can share if you want more,” Jamie suggested.

“That’s nice of you. Thanks, Jamie.”

The waiter walked back to the table with their glasses of water, watching Luke shut his menu. It was a universal sign that they were ready to order.

“Are you two ready?” He asked.

Luke nodded and motioned for Jamie to tell the younger man what she would like to eat.

“Um, may I get the chicken sandwich with fries?”

“Of course, ma’am. And for you, sir?”

“Bacon cheeseburger with fries as well. Thank you.”

The waiter smiled, grabbing their menus and walking away from their table to give their order to the chef.

Jamie bit her lower lip, running a hand absently along her bare arm. She felt slightly exposed and overdressed in this diner, but as she glanced around, it looked a bit empty aside from a few stragglers at the main counter.

“So, tell me about yourself,” Luke said, sipping on his water.

“What would you like to know?”

“Why the casino? Not many women go to Swan’s to gamble.”

“Figured I’d need to let loose and do something I’ve never done. I don’t usually go to casinos. I usually spend my time relaxing with a glass of wine while watching a movie,” she admitted.

“Sounds like you made the right choice tonight,” he smiled.

“Oh, yeah? How so?”

“Well, you saved money and you’re out on a date. I’d say that’s pretty damn good on my end.”

Jamie giggled, shaking her head. “If you say so, Luke. What about you, though? How long have you been working at the Swan?”

“Long, long time. The Pope… We go way back.”

“Ah…” Jamie mumbled, biting her lower lip.

“I’m sure you’ve heard rumors, but I wasn’t part of it. I didn’t want to go into that lifestyle when I had a six-year old daughter. I didn’t want her growing up to hate me,” Luke admitted.

“She’s lucky to have you as a father, Luke. I’m sure you’re there for her when she needs you.”

“I try to be. She’s my world, you know? After she was born, my entire outlook on life changed.”

Jamie smiled to herself. Not only was he a gentleman, but he was also a loving, sweet father? God, she hoped that this would turn out into something bigger than she would have imagined.

“Not to break the moment or anything, but you’re – Uh, it’s sweet the way you talk about her,” Jamie responded.

Luke smiled, “Thank you. Can I say something?”

“Sure, yeah…”

“You’ve got the prettiest, most genuine smile I’ve ever seen. I’m sure you can light the room with your smile alone, Jamie,” he admitted.

Once more, Jamie blushed. She dropped her eyes, trying to cover her face from him. Though, he simply extended a hand to rest on her wrist, slowly pulling it from her face.

“Hey…” He said.

Jamie looked up, shifting her glasses further onto the bridge of her nose. “I’m sorry. I’m just – Look at you.”

“Yeah, but look at you,” Luke replied instantly.

Jamie was broken out of her trance when the waiter set their food down on the table. She stared into Luke’s eyes, finding herself swimming in the pools of his brown orbs.

“We should eat,” she mumbled.

“All right, but I’m not going to let this conversation go.”

After their dinner, Jamie glanced at the clock. It was almost one o’clock in the morning and she didn’t realize how long they had stayed at the diner. He was attractive and funny, but he was also someone that Jamie found she could talk to.

It was odd how easily it was for her to talk to him about her life.

The ride back to her apartment was quiet and his hand rested against the armrest that separated the two of them. Jamie made the mistake of accidentally placing it there as well and just as she was going to pull away, Luke rested a hand on her own.

She looked up at him, noticing that his eyes remained on the empty road. It almost seemed too natural and normal for their hands to be interlaced with one another.

“I had a nice time, Jamie,” he spoke.

“Me too, Luke.”

“Good thing you took that risk,” he chuckled.

“Oh yeah. I’m not usually one to actually go out there and do something like that, but I’m glad I did,” Jamie smiled.

Once Luke pulled up to her apartment, he parked his car at the curb and helped her out once more. Her jacket remained around her shoulders and as they ascended the stairs to her door, Luke slowly turned her around.

Jamie bit her lower lip, looking up at him. She didn’t know how she could handle herself if she was this close to him, but she found herself not being able to move.

“I – Uh, I have to get the door…” Jamie whispered, turning around to unlock the door.

Though, Luke turned her around once more and cupped her cheek lightly. He may not enter her home on the first date, but that didn’t mean he had any rules against kissing on the first date.

“I’d like to see you again,” he whispered, slowly inching his way closer to her.

“I’d like that too…” Jamie responded.

“Um, may I kiss you?” Luke asked hesitantly.

“I don’t know. Do you want to take a risk and find out?” Jamie grinned teasingly.

Luke chuckled, leaning forward and pressing his lips against hers. Instantly, he growled at how smooth and soft her lips were against his own. His other hand dropped to her hip as the other ran down her cheek to lightly rest on her throat.

Jamie gasped once his lips pressed against hers. She wasn’t expecting him to do it. She leaned against him, her hands resting on his chest as she allowed her lips to slowly move against his. His beard against her skin was something she wanted to feel more of.

Luke followed her movements for a moment. He moved his lips in sync with her own, his hand running up along her curves. He groaned against her lips, pushing her against her door. Luke’s lips parted only briefly, flicking his tongue out to part her own.

Jamie moaned quietly, trying her best to remain quiet. They were still out in the open on the front doorstep of her apartment and she didn’t want any of her nosey neighbors to walk out of their homes to find her making out with some man they have never seen before.

Though, she parted her lips to accommodate his tongue. He flicked it against the roof of her mouth, teasing her slowly. He smiled against her once he heard her moan escaping her lips. Luke knew the minute she smiled at him that he was going to want more and now that he was here, kissing her, he didn’t know if he was moving too fast.

With the hand on her throat, Luke slowly tipped her head back, his lips moving away from hers to gently run along her jawline. She whimpered, which was the perfect reaction he was looking for.

Jamie shut her eyes, the feeling of his beard scratching along her neck made all her hot spots that littered along that area even more sensitive.

Luke smiled, nipping at her soft skin. He slowly lowered himself to place kisses along her collarbone and down to her chest, stopping just above the fabric of her dress. He grunted, pulling back and looking down at her.

She looked like she was out of breath and Luke smiled, leaning down to peck her lips.

Jamie smiled to herself, trying to regain her composure.

“Luke…”

“I’m seeing you again. I’ll pick you up tomorrow for our date,” he interrupted.

“Date?”

“That’s what we gambled on, remember?”

“But I thought –”

“You thought wrong,” Luke smiled.

Jamie laughed quietly, shaking her head. When she looked up at him with a smile lining her lips, Luke couldn’t help but cup her cheek to run his thumb along her lower lip.

“Your smile…” He trailed off.

“What?”

“Like I said earlier, you’ve got a smile that could light up a room, Jamie.”

Jamie bit her lower lip, shutting her eyes when he pressed a light kiss to her forehead.

“I’ll see you tomorrow night…” Luke whispered, pulling away and walking down the steps to his car.

Jamie smiled to herself and stepped into her apartment, shutting the door. She grinned all the way to her bedroom. She looked herself over in the mirror and noticed that she was still wearing his jacket.

She smiled; she was going to see him tomorrow night anyway.

And Jamie couldn’t wait.

[filmista]

Big Little Lies

“I read a quote once that said...friendships are the masterpieces of nature.”

I normally don’t review shows, but I enjoyed this so much and it touched me in a way that demanded that I speak about it, It doesn’t often happen that as a woman I’m touched by a show almost solely about women (and in this case what’s classically seen as their “ female issues”, in fact, I don’t think there has been a show like that ever), because as I’m sure someone somewhere in the golden state might have said: “Who would want to see that boring shit?”

Because every so often I end up finding the characters too shallow but now that it did happen, I had to talk about it. I figure there’s a first time for everything, so here it goes, these are my thoughts on Big Little Lies: (please be kind, since I’ve just lost my tv show reviewing virginity) ;)

Big Little Lies’s trailer doesn’t do it justice: it’s visually pleasing, tempting snippets, set to a pleasant beat, it looks stunning, but does it makes sense? For me, it didn’t really give me much of an idea of what the show is about.

Still, after I had heard good things about the show, I wanted to watch it. The first episode disappointed me a little bit initially, it looked simply like a spin on Desperate Housewives, but with murder. Women and their perhaps potentially lethal catfights and backstabbing, someone in the show even goes as far as to say: “I believe women are chemically incapable of forgiveness” and it is often said that women remember everything, hell hath no fury like a woman scorned right?…

But by the end of the show I was glad to see that it had gone beyond that and didn’t limit itself to dishy catfights over hot, muscular men and mommy wars, at the end of that first episode we see the three main women bond and you see a strong friendship form, but I was distrustful, beautiful female friendship doesn’t last long in tv land does it?

Surely a big crisis and meltdown of their friendship would come and nasty catfights would follow, fortunately, this does not arrive and the friendship becomes even tighter.

I found it incredibly satisfying to see three so different women, accept their differences, there’s not even an argument made about how different they are, they bond, get to know each other, they offer each other unwavering emotional support.

There are fun times to be had Our trio: part time working mom Madeline (Reese Witherspoon), stay at home mom Celeste (Nicole Kidman) and single mom Jane (Shailene Woodley) goes out for cosy cups of coffee in trendy beach bars, but they are also there in more difficult and trying times, It’s simply unconditional love between women and I honestly freaking adored it! Because you don’t very often get to see it, It’s rare that a show has as It’s driving force three women; their friendship and their individual lives, how they perceive themselves and how the world around them perceives them.

There have been shows that have female friendships in them, but they are rarely It’s driving force. It’s also quite rare to see a show with such well written female characters, all initially respond to a type, to a cliche, they are all classified as a certain kind of woman.

Yet while they may to some degree respond to these stereotypes, they accept that they do, but we also get to know each woman as more than a stereotype, they become fully realised persons, each has conflicts, things from their past that come back to haunt them and that have shaped them as a person.

Maybe one of the reasons that some people have the dismissed the show, is that it is perhaps a bit too stylish for its own good: it is filled with beautiful sceneries, shots that are hyper aware of their own attractiveness, we’ve got architectural porn: beach houses with their beautiful terrace roofs and the ever so beautiful ocean views that come with them, and then the ever so hot, rich white people (all Hollywood A-listers, which admittedly is kind of what initially drew me in, I’m not above being lured in sometimes) 

And It’s all set to a soundtrack with immaculately good music, it simply seemed a little too good to be true, usually, when I see a film filled with Hollywood’s most wanted, I become wary surely something should be up, maybe it has a despicable script? But in this case, I’m glad that I set my previous prejudice aside and gave it a chance.

Shows and movies about rich people and their perfect world, that’s seemingly only designed to make you jealous aren’t usually my thing. But Big Little Lies embraces this cliche in a very interesting way: It says look at all the pretty houses and their pretty people, don’t you want to live in one of those houses?

But then it shows us what’s going on with the people in the houses and one thing becomes painfully clear, if you’re miserable, if you’re an asshole, then a pretty house is not going to cure you're being miserable or of you’re having a shitty character.  

But returning to what I had previously said, while I was initially a bit dissatisfied with the first episode, I stayed and became hooked because of the promise of a budding friendship between these women and the fact that all of them seemed to be written so well and I simply wanted more of it.

You discover the character of each and the dynamics of their at home situation in the very first episode, they are almost immediately well rounded and shaped, by the end of the first and second episode, you feel like you know each of them.

Big Little Lies has an extensive female cast and all of them extensively collaborated on it as well, which was for some people a red flag, signalling that It’s only a show about women and their “lady issues”.

All these women, are women that exist, and their problems aren’t discussed in ways that are glossed over, it brings them in entertaining, fascinating also scary ways, they offer a scarily realistic, sometimes shocking of the sometimes harrowing reality that being female entails.

The show is not so much a murder mystery, yes the ultimate goal of the show was revealing who got killed, but It’s really merely an excuse to explore It’s character’s interpersonal relationships, the relationships of the women, between them, their family and ultimately some types of relationships between women and men, and the dynamics between the two in a relationship, in some cases healthy, in some cases downright toxic.

The men in the show are mostly cliches, but they are all incredibly well acted, and that’s what gives depth. We have the asshole who abuses his wife, we have the guy who is permanently chill next to his stressed out career driven wife, then we have the husband who is simply a nice guy to his wife, always there for her, yet while he is a genuinely nice guy, there is also some bottled up anger, he doesn’t feel appreciated enough at all times, he feels as though his wife takes him for granted.

So they all do respond to cliches, but the show wasn’t out to demonise them, some people could interpret the show as too overly feminist, as something that immediately makes men the bad guy, but that’s not entirely true in my view, while it is openly feminist, it does it from a very positive angle it merely wants to illustrate some of the issues women deal with, and it shows them in depth.

But the female characters are not victims in a way, we are not supposed to pity them or find them miserable, and while we can admire their strength, It also doesn’t feel like It’s saying look at these badass, strong women!

They are brought to us as multisided human beings, that you can feel for, relate. Their real strength and the strength of the show is their bond, their union, the fact that they protect each other, it shows that the world is easier for women when they are not pitting against each other, but rather helping each other navigate stormy waters.

Instead of wishing the other would fall into the water or push each other into the water and help each other take down personal demons, which in this case results in one of the most beautiful, riveting and most satisfying, and downright wild tv finales ever, let’s just say that a misogynistic asshole gets taken down by a group of angry ladies, (the always cool Zoë Kravitz) has something to do with it as well and it’s pure poetic justice and It’s fuckin’ beautiful!

The show’s strength lies in It’s writing and It’s acting, while the writing in some episodes seems a bit weaker, it always results in an enjoyable episode, due to the strong acting. Each actress and actor is allowed to demonstrate their chops to the full range, all the actors and actresses are usually not actors that do tv work (but they’ve all beautifully adapted to it), and the director of the show (Jean-Marc Vallée) usually directs films, not tv series, and that to some degree shows, the show has a highly cinematic quality, and aesthetically It’s as beautiful as some of Vallées films.

The acting unlike in some tv series does not seem overly scripted and staged, maybe to some extent because most of the actors in the show usually stick to film, they all take their roles seriously and give it their best, and the result is some of the best performances out of their career for the actors.

Reese Witherspoon plays what she has played before, a woman who defends everything she believes in, a woman with a big, foul mouthing mouth (I will never forget the wonderful: “I’m a lady and I’ve never said this to anybody in my life, but I’m gonna say it to you, you can go fuck yourself on the head”) seen by some  because of her never bow down attitude as a controlling, backstabbing bitch. 

Reese Witherspoon has played the woman who never gives up on anything before but who is also extremely sensitive and vulnerable, but here she is given such witty, emotional and sometimes dialogue that’s so sharp it could cut, that she just once again could give a fine showcasing of her talent and reminded me of why she is one of my favourite actresses.

A performance that has been dismissed, I think undeservedly so is Shailene Woodley’s as Jane Chapman, Jane is the single mum with a haunted past that arrives at the town, is quickly singled out as different and becomes the target of a witch hunt. As we discover Jane suffers from PTSD, she was raped and her son is the result of that sexual assault, her character goes jogging by the ocean, always with her headphones on, by means of therapy, it seems, during these sequences we get to see flashes of her past.

That kind of filming technique and a character running off frustration and pain is nothing new, but Shailene Woodley has an understated calmness and elegance here, that conflicts with the stormy battles she is fighting within herself, and Woodley conveys it all to us with an admirable naturalness and transparency, one look suffices to let us in on how she’s feeling.

I think she handled the role of the single young mum beautifully, she showed real love for her son and tries her hardest to give him a good life, all the more admirable when considered that her son was the result of a sexual assault. It’s a difficult role no doubt about it.

And some people claim that Woodley is still too young and inexperienced an actress to handle it, I found it refreshing to see her as something other than a teen with cancer or battling in dystopian worlds and I think she handled it with ease and grace.

And the greatest thing about her character for me was that she ends up in a way being the one that unites the women, at the beginning of the show Jane goes jogging alone after she has confided to one of the women what happened in her past, we no longer see her go jogging alone.

She now goes with her friends, who run off their own frustrations and who offer their own silent support, not a word is spoken and it is not necessary, simply being there is sometimes the greatest sign of friendship.

Nicole Kidman is also a force to be reckoned with here, I hadn’t seen her do much lately that impressed me that much, but this was truly a pleasant reminder of her talent. She has perhaps the most emotionally draining role, playing the victim of domestic abuse.

But she handles it with her trademark calmness, elegance and subtlety, Kidman is the sort of actress whose performances if you don’t watch her carefully, might seem like she’s not acting at all because she’s barely moving.

However, if you watch carefully she speaks incredibly loudly and clearly, just through her body, she does it here again and the result is simply magnetic, as she perfectly captures what must be going through her character’s mind.

Kidman and Skarsgard (who plays her pig of a husband), have a downright scary and harrowing chemistry, the scenes in which she suffers physical violence at his hands and in which she fights back, have an intensity and volatility to them that make you at the same time want to look away because it makes you sick and downright angry.

But Kidman and Skarsgard (who’s downright scary) are so disturbingly good together, that you look anyway. There are scenes here that verge into the not often explored area of marital rape, Celeste appears to be consenting, she doesn’t say no at least not with her voice, but seemingly only because she can’t recognise to herself that if she said no, her husband would not listen.

So in her mind no resistance and letting it happen is easiest, these sequences are filmed in an almost horror like way, they’re meant to unsettle, show the suffering of Celeste, in no way are they meant to be sexy or enticing, and frankly I think that anyone that thinks they are is a bit of a troubled individual…

There are other good performances, especially the child actors do an amazing job, but the three leading ladies are the ones that impressed me the most. I finished Big Little Lies in literally 2 days, which is a record for me even with miniseries, but I was hooked on this.

It’s got everything you could possibly want in a show: Excellent writing, beautiful camera work (the colours and the lighting in this, are the wet dream of anyone that loves to take screenshots), strong performances, smart sound design, a fantastic soundtrack and well-rounded female characters, Big Little Lies will perhaps become to tv what Thelma and Louise is to film and that’s a wonderful thing to see, if one thing I hope that it sparks many more shows that don’t have women stabbing each other in the back, but as friends.

It shows something that I and a lot of other women probably already knew: women can and should help and stand up for other women when they are suffering injustice or unfairness, (heck every human being should) and if they’re not, then there’s no reason they should make each other’s lives more difficult. My ultimate verdict: A  21st-century feminist masterpiece that keeps women and men alike on the edge of their seat! 

My favorite character, even though, It’s not a fan favorite is probably Shailene Woodley’s Jane. She offers such an understated and quietly moving performance. I wanted to include this article because I agree so much: http://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/news/a54268/shailene-woodley-big-little-lies/

“It’s like I’m on the outside looking in. Or, like, I see this life and this moment and it’s so wonderful, but it doesn’t quite belong to me.”

[biofunmy]

Should You Get a Scary UV Photo of Your Skin Damage?

Witney Carson McAllister, 25, a ballroom dancer from Salt Lake City who won the 19th season of “Dancing With the Stars,” knows to the naked eye her complexion seems smooth, silky and blemish-free. “If you saw my skin you wouldn’t think I had any damage,” she said.

But as a survivor of skin cancer, she also knows appearances can be deceiving. So at the beginning of June she traveled to New York City to have a UV portrait taken by Pierre-Louis Ferrer, a Parisian photographer who specializes in them.

For such pictures a special camera, or a regular camera with a filter, catches UV light instead of visible light, exposing damage under the top layer of skin. Bruises, sun spots, freckles and other pigmentation all become apparent.

Ms. McAllister’s portrait was not flattering. It showed damage around her nose, most likely from sun beaming into the car when she drives. “I need to get bigger sunglasses,” she said. But she still decided to share it on Instagram with her million-plus followers. “I’m going to post a before and after,” she said. “People need to know what is happening to their bodies.”

UV photography has become popular with young people looking for ways to scrutinize their bodies and monitor their health. Some influencers, like Ms. Carson, use it to advocate for skin protection. Others simply want an interesting photo to post online. Dermatologists also use the tool to coerce their patients into taking better care of their faces; brands do so to sell more sunscreen.

Also in June, Walgreens gave a party at Milk Studios, a fashion hub in Manhattan’s Meatpacking district, that showcased the technology. (Ms. McAllister had her photo taken there.)

“I’m in the beauty industry so I feel I know I have a lot of skin damage,” said Jeanette Zinno, 33, a television personality who writes about cosmetics. “I’m in the sun a lot. I’ve had burns. I have sun spots and freckles. But while I can’t change the damage from my past, I still thought it would be interesting to see.”

In the 1970s and ’80s UV photography was used mostly for scientific experiments, like to study bee pollination (insects, unlike humans, can see UV light, which guides them to nectar on flowers).

“It’s funny, it’s been around a long time,” said Dr. David McDaniel, a dermatologist who worked on the bee research. “I remember using it when we had to develop film to see the photos. It seems like now there is a new awareness or application of it.”

In the last decade photographers like Cara Phillips, who lives in Brooklyn, have used it for art. Wanting to capture strangers, Ms. Phillips set up a camera in Manhattan’s Union Square and at the Scope Art Show with signs that said “Free Portraits.” To date, she has taken over 400 of them, to tremendous response.

“Those portraits went viral three times, in 2010, 2011 and 2013,” she said. “At one point it seemed like every major newspaper in the world ran it.”

Now Ms. Phillips is frequently approached by amateur photographers seeking her advice, as well as brands like Neutrogena asking her to work for their ad campaigns. “There is only so much you can do to make your picture look interesting in today’s world where pictures are everywhere,” she said. “Some people want UV photography because they want to do something different.”

Walgreens is another of those brands. In early June the drugstore chain started displaying signage featuring UV photography along with instructions for proper sunscreen application. The campaign also included influencers posting UV portraits of themselves online and tagging Walgreens.

“It’s different than any other image you can get,” said Crystal Fouchard, a senior director of marketing for the company. “It’s the honesty behind it, everyone knows there is nothing hidden there.”

There was a slight hiccup in the plan when a few Instagram users commented on social media that the UV photographs looked like blackface (their comments have since been removed). “Once people understood that the images these influencers posted online were UV images, and the purpose and intent of the program, the small number of comments subsided,” Ms. Fouchard said.

Ms. Phillips believes one of the reasons UV photography has become popular is because it fits in with a larger movement of transparency. The no-makeup selfie has become a thing. So have celebrities chastising magazines for editing their photos too drastically. Meghan Markle likes to ensure pictures show her freckles, reportedly demanding that the women on the cover of the British Vogue issue she guest-edited display theirs as well.

And there is nothing more unfiltered than a photo of hidden skin damage on your face, which is now offered (though not always covered by insurance) by many dermatologists, especially in places like New York.

Dr. McDaniel’s office estimates 30 percent of clients request a UV portrait when coming in for basic skin care appointments. Ninety percent want to have the analysis done once it is explained to them.

His office has started holding “lunch-and-learn” open houses every few weeks where he offers the service at no extra cost. The big ones can attract several hundred people. “We have three cameras in our office, and we have to borrow a fourth,” he said. “We also have a photo printer so people can take their picture home. But I can tell you, most people do not want to take it.”

Doctors don’t need UV photography for diagnostic purposes. “We are trained to pick up on subtle changes,” said Dr. Rachel Nazarian, a dermatologist with offices in Murray Hill. The pictures, she said, are “meant for dramatic effect. When I tell people they might get skin cancer, they don’t believe me. But when I say they might get wrinkles or spots, they listen.” When they see it, they listen even more.

Dr. Nazarian warns clients that while she can remove some of the damage they see, she can’t decrease their risk of skin cancer. She just tells them how to not put themselves at even more risk in the future.

“UV photography is like that show ‘Beyond Scared Straight,’” said Ms. Zinno, the television personality. “A lot of people see it and they are like, ‘Oh my God, I need to do better.’”

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The five most fascinating people at Advertising Week 2017

By Christine Dusek

In the spirit of the famed Barbara Walters’ television interview events, I am sharing my choices for the five most interesting and prominent personalities who I was lucky enough to hear speak at AdWeek. (#AWNewYork) Their remarkable capabilities and forward-thinking viewpoints are what defines them as today’s emerging media industry icons.  I took away not only a very healthy respect (and interest in doing their PR) for what they do each day but, also, for how tapped in they are to today’s culture moments, showcasing the diversity that defines the United States, how what was once a social channel is morphing into one of the most influential platform for communications campaigns, and the need to understand all this to be an effective communications strategist.

1.      Bozoma St. John, first Chief Brand Officer, Uber:  Bozoma was in the “Wired Brand Storyteller” session, along with Jennifer Breithaupt, global consumer CMO officer of Citi, and Marc Mathieu, CMO of Samsung Electronics.  But the ever-impressive Bozoma, current chief brand officer of Uber and former Apple Music and PepsiCo (think Beyonce campaigns) marketing icon, was the real rock star of the session.  Not only is she leading the charge of humanizing the Uber brand, coming off a long string of public scandals and a leadership crisis (Uber is hoping a little marketing mojo can help it regain its footing – the whole reason I sat in the room for this one), but she owns her remarkable position as one of the few senior women of color in Silicon Valley.  All three marketing execs are master brand storytellers and, while the dialogue was continually dynamic, there were a few key takeaways from this session.  First, brands don't want to be politicized, they want to be humanized.  That means connecting brands to culture, and finding what's important to their consumers.  Second, diversity of thought and images matters, and should reflect your audience.  But the biggest takeaway was quite simple - using familiar music soundtracks, powerful visuals, and a storyline that hits at life moments that are important to consumers, is how you build audience interest and brand following.

 2.      Iram Khan, CSO, Snap: This former banker is a super-impressive speaker, who gave an articulate overview of how Snap can best fit into marketing and advertising efforts.  But the interesting takeaway from his panel was that, while video is still “everything,” the trend is that videos are getting shorter and shorter, and Snap CSO Khan even went so far as to say that video now needs to be no longer than 3-5 seconds.  He showed us some great examples of the next version launch of the “Call of Duty” video game, and how Snap previewed the video game with a simple 3-second video of Normandy Beach, and the headline of the game.  They also showcased the amazing traction they got on the “Game of Thrones” promo work with HBO, and the use of the ‘white walkers’ to attract super-fans with an ice-blue-eyed geo-filter during the premier episode.  They even had the cast of GOT using the filter on the red carpet premier, and posting to the official show’s snap channel

 3.      Carolyn Everson, Facebook’s VP of global marketing solutions, used her slot at Advertising Week to talk about Facebook’s “accordion of options” for marketers when it comes to video.  Given all the interest in video at this event, I wanted to hear Facebook’s take on the opportunity, and how that might impact other competitors’ narratives.  Video feeds are now clearly evident, as proven when I opened my Facebook app during the session and was greeted with a slew of short video teasers accompanying posts. I also learned, in this session, that Instagram is now up to 800 million monthly active users, and that half a billion accounts use it every single day. (Take that, Snapchat!)  Ms. Everson also said she thinks the industry is underestimating the potential of mobile.  Given that mobile represents around 87% of Facebook’s ad revenue, it made a lot of sense for her to bring up this interesting fact!

 4.      Sarah Jessica Parker:  SJP was fabulous for just being SJP on the Instagram Effect panel discussion, moderated by Rebecca Jarvis, and for inspiring me and other (ahem) non-Millennial remarkable female business women to finally get an Instagram account (especially after sitting through Carolyn’s Facebook pitch!).  She is the master at carefully curating her own personal brand, with over 3.7 million followers on IG, and uses a beautifully curated Instagram gallery of video shorts, photos, and memes to tell the story of her life and her iconic personal brand.  Thanks for the tips on how to build my own authentic personal brand without being a celebrity.  Oh, and those shoes were just the best….never disappointing!!!

 5.      Tim Armstrong, CEO, AND Allie Kline, CMO, Oath:  These two presenters drew everyone’s attention not only to their new corporate brand campaign that launched during AdWeek but, also, to their successful storybook narrative, and seamless integration of anecdotes about the future of ‘brand-building’ on their platforms (shameless plug for my client!!!).  Oath did a rock-star job launching its new brand campaign, and was omnipresent at every venue in terms of rolling out advertising highlights about the brand, featuring analytics about their media and advertising properties, and using a cool new video ad with a rap-inspired remix from ChuckD and Tribe Called Quest (“Can you kick it”) to showcase their brands and their coolest clients.  Their leadership team was also present as keynoters and panelists at all the top-draw events, including a ‘center stage’ keynote appearance by CEO Tim Armstrong, who highlighted his platform for the “Building your brand with Oath” campaign, which is all about how to use amazing creative, even better content, and great ad tech metrics to effectively build brands.  Finally, the entire campaign ‘buzz’ was shaped by an AdWeek feature article that dropped on Monday, followed by additional coverage in WSJ, Marketing Week, Bloomberg, BI, The Campaign, CNBC.  The trick to AdWeek, I’ve learned, is to have amazing videos, find the media onsite, and say something soundbyte-worthy.  It was a fulfilling week of learning, networking and even some celebrity sighting, and I’m truly inspired to make the ideas a reality!

  AdWeek remains the place to be seen and heard, and my key takeaways help us to be better communicator partners to advertisers and marketers:

Video is everything:  If there is one thing that reigns true, it’s that video is king.  Videos are the medium of choice and, with the increase in popularity of Snap and IG stories, video has to be a part of the content – and the shorter the better. It’s clear attention spans are getting shorter, and brands need to incorporate shorter but buzz-worthy video, either as a stand-alone or to accompany written content.

Humanize brands:  With the rise of social media, everyone wants to feel a personal connection with the people and brands they follow. To this, brands need to think less about selling products and more about selling an experience and lifestyle. This means that content needs to be less self-serving and more about the people and moments behind the brand.

Story-making vs storytelling:  Storytelling has been a theme in our     industry for a while, but now we need to look at storytelling not just as     “telling” but as “curating.”  This means that stories the brands tell need to evolve, and build off one another, so that the consumers have an ongoing, dynamic and engaging experience.

Diversity takes on many dimensions:  When we think of diversity, we need to think about not just outward diversity, but diversity of experience, thought and skills. This means agency staffing models need to move from siloed approaches to those that incorporate people who have very varied backgrounds and experiences in different industries – for example, staffing a healthcare account with someone with a tech background, or a food and beverage account with someone with a health background. What this can lead to is really unique, creative ideas that think beyond traditional boundaries.

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Tips for Buying Fashion Shoes Online

Buying trend shoes online is an option that lots of buyers are choosing for nowadays. If you are also thinking about purchasing your style shoes online, we recommend that you know a few tips . Purchasing online is not an easy job, particularly if you find it difficult to find shoes that fit you. In fact, sometimes, a pair of sneakers differs from the image displayed on the seller's website. But with some cautions, you can purchase your favourite pair in the comfort of your home. Keep Reading to Discover More about the hints.

Styles and Trends

If you surf a few sites, you will come to know about a lot of trends as far as fashion shoes are concerned. You will find flat boots, shoes, sandals, hunter shoes, slip on sneakers and leather shoes, simply to mention a couple. Each style has its own comfort level, style and feel. Based on your mood, you may choose the right one.

The Interior Construction

While the style factor is important, the interior construction of the shoes is much more significant. If the shoe isn't well built, it may hurt your feet. Additionally, as a pair of shoes gets old, it may become uncomfortable for you. In the exact same manner, if the heel isn't thick enough, then it might come from the rubber sole. Ensure you consider the inner padding if buying the proper fashion shoes to suit you.

The dimensions of this shoe

When it comes to purchasing fashion shoes, size is the most important element. Shoes made from two distinct manufacturers aren't of exactly the exact same size. When purchasing online, be sure you get a size chart. This can help you learn how to measure the dimensions of your feet the right way.

The Specifications

You need detailed specifications when purchasing your favourite style shoes online. You ought to be aware of the color, fabric type, and heel size of these shoes. On the website of the vendor, the images of sneakers should be provided from other angles. This can make it much easier for you to find the shoes from all sides.

Get The Men shoes Seller

If you have some questions about the pair which you need to purchase, be sure to email the seller. Their agents will be more than pleased to answer your questions. Normally, you contact them via a telephone number or email address.

The Policies

Here it's essential that you ask the shoes seller concerning the return or refund policies. Occasionally, the shoes you bought may not fit the color you received might not the one you ordered. As a matter of fact, this is among the most frequent problems when purchasing stuff online. Most sellers will be more than Pleased to resend you the Ideal products

The Comment Section

Beneath the shoe collection page, you can read comments left by the prior purchasers. The comments can tell you satisfied or unsatisfied the preceding buyers were using their purchases.

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There are a couple platform shoes that I bought back in 2000. These were my favourite pair of going-out shoes. They were comfortable and looked great in my toes. I wore Them for that season if they were in vogue but during that decade the platform shoe was no longer in style. It was a trend that only stopped. I was frustrated because I loved that style shoe.

I could not bring myself to throw the shoes away or even give them away. Guess what... the platform shoe has produced a come-back. I went back to my wardrobe and found my favorite pair of platform heels, cleaned them up a bit and enjoyed a night out together. Everyone told me how much they adored my brand new fashion shoes. I blushed and accepted the compliment. I was on cloud nine.

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Shoes are highly mechanical in the process of breaking or making any dressing style. And no one of us would ever want her or his various style to go as a flop. And ladies are particularly more sensitive with all these issues related to styling compared to their male counterparts. Herein these fashion shoes for girls play a pivotal part in transforming a flop fashion to the most recognized one as they gel perfectly even with your regular outfits. So, make sure you play it smart on this occasion, opt for an exclusive pair of ladies fashion shoes and get ready to get those appreciative attentions.

Today, an individual could readily see the images of any of the tinsel town celebrities or fashion models sporting this very style on the cover page on any matter of a magazine. This actually reflects the high degree of the effect that these particular kinds of sneakers for girls have from the realms of this footwear style. It's by seeing these actors acknowledging this very fashion forms, common women also have came forward to enjoy the efficacy of ladies fashion shoes at a more aggressive manner than they did previously.

Eying to this very craze, the fashion shoe designers also have introduced lots of designing designs to draw in more and more clients. It is through their unparalleled effort they have made it look easier in stitching some of the layouts that are certain to source a large number of accolades from the footwear enthusiasts. And slowly the prized creations of these bunch of geniuses that we now know as ladies fashion shoes have put their foot beyond the pathway of ramp shows into the world of women next door.

Banking on their ever growing requirement, these special shoes for women seem to be the most lucrative fashion accessory to take the whole world in an effect. So, why are you waiting more? Take an active part, and indicate your style statement with a accented tone by possessing a set of fashion shoes for women today!

Fashion footwear plays a prominent role in a person's life. Besides costume, shoes are another contributing factor to someone's fashion. Good fashion shoes transform the wearer's character. Fashion shoes of brand new layout and variety flood the market each day.

Some fashion Footwear cover the entire foot, some even reaching foot length. Apart from being trendy, they also protect the toes.

Features of Fashion Shoes

Fashion footwear is showcased with well stitched accent on both sides. They not only offer comfort, but also increase the shoe's entire life span. Dual-density mid soles are offered on both sides of the shoe to lessen heal strike anxiety.

The outsoles stop the wearer from slipping, providing excellent traction. They also offer added stability to the wearer while walking.

The outside coating and mid bottoms of style shoes are comprised of single density soft leather polyurethane. Made from distress superior leather, they are flexible and bend comfortably at the direction of the foot, reducing stress due to long period wear.

Perfect dot accents offer a breezy wing tip appearance. The inner part of the shoe is lined with elastic panels and smooth leathers on both sides.

Smooth, flat dress leather outsoles with grip pads are supplied near cushioned insole. They are produced from modern style smooth suede or calf leather.

Manufacturing Materials

Fashion footwear is made up of many materials like leather, rubber, etc.. All these are used in shoes based on the climatic conditions, the raw material accessible, and comfortability of the user. However, the principal material used to create them is leather.

Another important material used for the manufacture of style sneakers is synthetic rubber because it offers waterproof, tough wearing soles. Plastics are used too, particularly in the upper part. Selecting a good fashion shoe suiting your personality helps you carry off well in high profile occasions.

Fashion shoes or sensible shoes? We love to have . We generally buy our shoes to match our clothing, but sometimes we make an impulse buy of a set of high heeled stilettos go trudging across the shops to find a slinky dress to go together. Big mistake! We never really find the dress to go with the shoes! But if you buy a pair of shoes you can wear with skirts or jeans you have got it covered.

If we buy expensive, branded shoes that will only last a season or two or should we choose the deal priced shoes which will last us annually? You'll find some online stores specializing in up to the minute fashion sneakers. These are usually the least expensive place to purchase your shoes. Branded fashion shoes will cost you more but will probably be better made and will last longer. However, does this matter whether the shoes are just likely to be in fashion for a year? The comfort may be well worth it but the quality might not. When you have loads of spare cash and budget is not a issue then you'll probably opt for the branded, or if you're able to afford it that the designer shoes.

Budget fashion shoes are an excellent alternative for all of us who work for a living. Not overly expensive, we feel good because we can proudly show our savvy style sense and we are not too upset once the fashion changes and we have to throw them out. If I have blown a weeks' salary on a designer pair of shoes and they go out of fashion I am crying all the way to the bank!

I'm much more inclined to spend a large amount of money on a timeless pair of boots or shoes compared to splash out on an expensive pair of style sneakers that I know will only last a few weeks. That said I have the occasional set of fashion shoes in my wardrobe that I probably wouldn't call funding! They had been an impulse buy that cost me more than I intended to invest. I'm getting wiser and will now usually go and buy my sensible shoes on the internet with a voucher code or when the sales are around, leaving me additional cash to purchase a more expensive pair of style shoes. Can I buy the trend shoes when I do not enjoy them or they do not suit me? Yes I must admit I usually do!

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AWAKENING THE FEMALE SERPENT ….. UPLIFTING DIVINE POWER

Titiksha means calmly enduring all obstacles that come in the real way of attaining higher goals of life. Shradha means deep faith in all sacred activities. Samadhan means overcoming greed, arrogance and delusion. In reality awakening the 6 Chakras automatically leads to the purification of one’s character, actions and qualities.

By warding off the separate nature of the gigantic cosmos and one’s individual body via activation of the 6 Chakras and Kundalini it has to be correlated and by overcoming its unconscious nature there is a method of activating it in totality. Those 8 Sidhis (divine powers) mentioned by Adi Shankaracharya in his poem “Soundarya Lahiri”are attained by activating the 6 Chakras, Sahasrar and the inner soul. These Sidhis are 1) Janma Sidhi …. having a glimpse of past births 2) Shabda Jnana Sidhi … knowing the hidden meaning behind words heard by the gross ears. 3) Shastra Sidhi … true knowledge of scriptures 4) Sahan Sakti … the power to endure hardships and obstacles in life 5) Tapah Shakti …. the power to endure heat that is worldly calamities. clash of clans free gems 6) Shaap Shakti … the charged power to curse others or give a boon. 7) Vidya Shakti … knowing the thoughts of the minds of others. 8) Vijnan Shakti … the charged power to know the secrets and mysteries of the cosmos. In reality Lord Sankaracharya in his eulogy of the Kundalini has very emotionally said :.

Whatever I am today is because of one's grace on an person that is illiterate myself.

Kundalini Shakti has been described even by other leaders that are religious. Amongst them the school that is sufi of is very close to Indian philosophy. Darashikoh (elder son of Shah Jehan) despite being a Sufi was also a scholar of Upanishads. He had also studied Yoga and Tantra texts and has given a commentary in the Persian language. He has commented on the Kundalini Shakti in his book “Risala-Ai-Hukmanama” and describes 3 centers as Dil-E-Muddavar, Dil-E-Sarovari, Dil-E-Nilophari. These correspond to the Brahmagranthi, Vishnugranthi and Rudragranthi. They are also called Sahasrar, Anahat and Mooladhar Chakras. Sheikh Mohamed Iqbal in his book “The Development of Metaphysics in Persia” writes how Hindu philosophy is food for deep thought for followers of other sects that are religious. A scholar called Al Brooni had translated Yoga Sootras and Sankhya Sootras in Arabic language in the 11th century.

Based on Tibetan texts the chief energy centers of the human body lie in the head, throat, heart, solar plexus and center of the genital organs. Even in Greek philosophy 6 energy centers have been elucidated. Great anatomists have correlated the secret energy centers, described in Yogic texts as Chakras and Kamals, to the electrical flow, endocrine glands and other autonomic ganglia. That shape and spot named “Cusos”in Japan can be correlated to glands and Chakras. The famous psychologist Benjamin Walker in his book “Encyclopedia of Esosteric Man” says that the endocrine glands with their hormones and energy of the 6 Chakras play a major part in rise/fall, qualities, actions, nature and personality of mankind.

Kundalini is the vital force fire which when ignited like a latent spark in the pyre of vital force (i.e. the genitals), pierces the 6 worlds and reaches the 7th world of Brahmaloka. There its form becomes that of fire of Brahman. The vital force fire radiates the special qualities of the body and mind. The demi-gods and Rishis drink this very Soma Juice. The Brahmarshis by sacrificing the soul in God establish the important Advaita State (non-duality) wherein the soul that is individual in God and thus becomes God. This description of spiritual Yajna has been detailed elaborately but also with a little control and it is also known as soul Yajna.

The vital force fire attracts and pulls towards itself the material potentials of the bodily power in the form of divine glories (Vibhutis) in the innermost core of the soul. It gives one a chance to drink the nectar like Soma Juice and transform lowliness into thus greatness.

Kundalini is Shakti (Parvati) and Sahasrar is Shiva. As a result of the union of Shiva-Shakti, 2 boons are obtained. And they're Ganesha the Lord of a intellect that is wise Kartikeya the Lord of all energies. The spiritual aspirant sees his body overflowing with Vaishwanar Mahamaya as well as in the Brahmarandhra one can visibly notice divine consciousness manifesting just like the manifestation of the Ganges river. All this is equivalent to Soma Juice for earth denizens and for heavenly denizens it is nectar. In spiritual science both Soma and nectar are 2 entities of one stature.

Where the brain that is human said to be situated on the Sahasrar there a sort of pulpy material is seen in the bones of the skull. But its true greatness is very widespread. One major part of it is called “Silent or Dark Area” which constitutes 87% to 93%of the head region. The Silent Area (i.e. right parietal cortex, corpus callojum and limbic system etc.) takes up much more space than both the conscious and unconscious parts of the brain put together. The centers of divine powers are within these areas. Psychological sciences can only research into the conscious and mind that is unconscious. This mind that is superconscious totally beyond their ken and reach.

Kundalini Yoga is very much a right part of Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga is closer to Tantra Science. Its cause is practices that are many Mohan, Ucchatan, Vashikaran etc with which one can attack someone and cause his downfall.

When Robert Fabian a Agent that is secret of Yard was in Africa he saw so many Tantrik acts being executed which led to the death of many people. He has delved deep into these incidences in a written book written by him.

Hence only a aspect that is serene of practices is seen in direct cures. The rest is kept a top secret because if it gets into the hands of a vile charactered person, it can only result in disaster. That bomb which aids in shattering huge mountains so as to create roadways can also be misused to shatter schools, hospitals etc. so as to cause the downfall of others. The reason why certain spiritual practices are kept a secret is it will maybe not lead to someone’s downfall. There is a whole story of the churning of the ocean in Indian Mythology (Puranas) wherein the demi-gods and demons together churned the ocean so as to obtain 14 jewels.

A pit that is dross been spoken of in the cave of the vagina of Kundalini. This is Kurma (tortoise). The churning rod which was called the Mandarachal mountain is in reality the Merudand. The serpent was used as a rope to churn the ocean. That is the Ida and Pingala of 3 ½ snakelike rounds. Due to churning and rotation a complete lot of energy manifested. In sexual play too there is a lot of churning and in Kundalini Yoga there is churning of the force that is vitalPranas). From it both nectar as well as poison can manifest. Then this means that poison has manifested and if it is aptly utilized for cosmic welfare, it definitely is nectar if by misusing these secret sciences like in Vamachar Tantrik practices one destroys another person. Pious folks make apt use of it and men that are vile it. Hence there is a policy of hiding it / covering it like one hides one’s genital organs.

The sleeping serpentess attacks that are first very person who tries to wake her up and harasses that person. Misuse and causing harassment inciting the serpentess. In purchase to showcase wonders and cause others’ downfall many men that are foolish it. The sexual passion also augments and can be lewd in that onrush.

In Henry Oslo’s book called “Notes on Spiritual Physiology” it is written that the sexual passion in men and women commences from the sacrocarxial region of the lower half of the Merudand. The laxness and onrush in this certain area will depend on sexual passion. When this certain area gets distorted anyone can become full of lust with sex or become a eunuch. Hence Yogic texts ordain that this region should be made powerful via Yogic exercises like Mooladhar Bandh, Shakti Chalini Mudra, Vajrasan and Padmasan. Through these methods of Kundalini awakening the flow has to be raised upwards. If this is not honored, the flow falls down and thus the aspirant that is spiritual a very young age feels the weakness of aged people.

The word Kundalini means “to sit in an enclosure”. The serpent that is female an enclosure and sits in it but yet its hood is higher up. This is its front part. She commences running from here on and after waking up, goes to the Sahasrar Kamal of the Brahmarandhra. Then she goes to the grey matter and ultimately sticks to the activating system that is reticular. This practise that is spiritual described in Shiva temples via various pictures and images. Kundalini is that in which one finds water. Shiva’s form is like that of the Kailash Mountain and round like a crystal Shivling. It is set up in the centre of a water pot.

The living being too sits down by enclosing Kundalini. One does not gauge as to how many things it has control over. But the reality is this that it cannot even subdue its own body. He only shoulders the burden of sins and pious deeds along with its atonements.

One of the conclusions of Kundalini awakening is not to ever make the periphery of “I-ness” very short. He ought not to continue sleeping. He should awaken himself and carry out such pious deeds wherein other people bound by the walls of selfishness too awaken. They should induce other people to walk on the path wherein the awakened Kundalini goes to the Sahasrar so as to unite with Lord Shiva dwelling there. Thus the spiritual practices of a spiritual aspirant can touch the highest peaks of spirituality.