#federico elton

[tkwritesdumbassassins]

Hi TK! I love all these titles (I heard Elton John sing that first one in my head, haha). Care to share about 'If I Can Turn Back Time?' Thank youuuu

Gladly! That's my "What if Federico Time Traveled to the Future" AU

It is an absolutely self-indulgent fic where Trico meets under different circumstances, with highlights of Rico vs Ornery Cats and Rico vs the Microwave

The man was lying face down in the snow, his dark hair already beginning to be peppered by the white flakes that refused to stop as they swirled on the blizzard's coattails. It was too dark to make out his features, but he looked as if he had just walked out of a Ren Faire with a dark burnt orange vest over a white and black undershirt.  He stirred slightly when she got close, and she nearly bolted right then and there. This was dumb. So very dumb, he could be drunk or wasted for all she knew.

"I should just call." She pulled her phone out but hesitated with her finger over the call button.

She wormed her lip, glancing upwards. It was supposed to get colder tonight, and who knew how long emergency services would take to get here. And a quick cursory glance around made her painfully aware just how alone they were. How alone she was, she corrected herself, grimacing.

Eventually, it won out, and she exasperatedly growled before turning.

 "If you murder me, I am oh so haunting your ass," she huffed as she shoved her phone back into her pocket and ambled to the man's side. Where had he even come from, she wondered, as she plonked herself next to him, reaching out.

[zephyrkiss]

( federico cesari, he/him, cis male )  careful, emilio gatti has arrived to the city of dreams!! they look twenty three years old and word on the street is they are from pensacola, florida and currently reside in inwood. they are currently living life in the city as a budtender at newleaf & psychology student. some people say they are flighty, but i think they are determined. welcome to the city of dreams, emilio! we hope you enjoy your stay!  

tws for homophobia, abuse, self harm, mental illness, injuries, inappropriate underage relationships and possibly more, proceed with caution!

basic stats ;

full name: emilio alessandro gatti nicknames: just goes by emilio, his sister will jokingly call him emi gender: cis male height: 5 ′ 9 age: 23 birthday / zodiac: november 5, 1998, scorpio sun, sagittarius moon, leo rising right handed or left handed: ambidextrous eye color: brown hair color: auburn  piercings and tattoos: left ear pierced, a small broken heart tattoo on his ankle ( matching tattoo with his sister ) sexuality / romantic orientation: homosexual / homoromantic place of birth: rome, italy hometown: pensacola, florida languages spoken: italian ( native tongue ), conversational spanish and english three things he likes: any tiramisu dessert, meeting a fellow italian, elton john three things he dislikes:  people making fun of his hair color/freckles ( basically any and all redhead jokes ), waking up early, anyone making him feel small five aesthetics: barely noticeable freckles until you come close enough, bunny teeth, accidentally sleeping through your alarm, cake batter milkshakes, a worn out jean jacket he can’t seem to throw away last four songs listened to: haunted by taylor swift, bennie and the jets by elton john, from afar by vance joy, destri by gazzelle 

background story ;

emilio was born after his sister, elena ( who is four years older than him ) in rome ( just call him a true roman boy at heart )

his father , who he was ( unfortunately ) named after, was what you would call a ‘functioning alcoholic’. functioning in the sense that he could drink a shit load and still show up to work as if nothing happened. besides that, his father wasn’t the nicest guy out there

in fact, he had impeccable standards for both his kids. he wanted his daughter to always look her best, as he stated that a girl is only as good as she looks, basically claiming that’s all elena had going for her  –  the fact that she was a pretty redhead, discarding her intelligence and personal feelings about his thoughts

for emilio, it was all about being the man of the house. he wanted him to play soccer ( or calcio in italian ), he wanted him to be completely detached from his feelings as he always stated that ‘men don’t cry’, he wanted him to be the biggest womanizer out there, basically? toxic masculinity at it’s finest. gross, close minded thoughts and principals that he forced his kids to follow

his mother, yolanda, was the sweetest person ever. so sweet, she kind of let her husband walk all over her out of fear of upsetting him. she didn’t agree with any of his ideas, but she was too meek, too soft spoken, to actually speak up about it. at the time, no one knew it was actually because she was really depressed

emilio wanted to please his father. he doesn’t know why considering he’s a drunk asshole, but he just really wanted his approval. he wanted him to be proud of him, so, he tried doing all the things he knew would make him happy. he joined the soccer team when he was six, he tried his hardest to hang out with the guys and get into as many sports as possible, he would discreetly point to girls when he was out with his father and claim ‘she’s really pretty’, even though honestly? all of these things made emilio very unhappy

he hated sports of any kind, he didn’t know why , but he felt no attraction to girls ( at the time of course, he didn’t know it was because he’s gay gay GAY ), he thought boys his age were immature and he had no interest to play with toys that were aimed for boys. the only time emilio felt like he could be himself was around his older sister

when no one was around, they would play with her dolls, she would jokingly put lipstick on him, and they would even model around the house wearing his mother’s jewelry. these were times where emilio genuinely felt happy and free, but as soon as his father would come home, it was back to doing things he didn’t like, but pretended to

and with his father’s ideas, he felt backwards. he didn’t understand why he couldn’t just be ‘normal’ ( his exact thoughts ) and actually like all the things his father wanted him to like. he felt like there was something seriously wrong with him for liking things that were aimed for girls because of all the bullshit ideas his father would put in his head. there were days where he desperately wanted to cry because he hated being the way he was, feeling the way he did, even though he wasn’t aware of his sexuality but he just knew that he was…. different , and he hated it

and then one day, the day before his ninth birthday, his parents are out and his sister is in her room. emilio starts wandering through his parents room, looking for a radio he knew they had stored somewhere in there. instead, he finds a large box filled with his mother’s make up, wigs, accessories, and all the nice things she uses to go out. really , he doesn’t know what comes over him, but he finds himself taking the box towards his parents’ bathroom and using the things that are in there

he starts by putting on his mother’s dress, then one of his favorite wigs that she owns, then he puts on a few accessories, and finally, he starts putting on her make up. her eyeliner, mascara, lipstick, the whole look, and once he’s done, emilio stands there, looking at himself in the mirror, and like the times where he genuinely smiles when it’s just him and his sister, he starts to genuinely smile while looking at himself. he felt alive, he thought he looked so, so pretty, but that moment of pure happiness doesn’t last too long

he doesn’t hear the front door unlock at all. the only thing he manages to see is the bathroom door swing open, his father standing there behind him, a look of horror and disgust on his face when he see’s what his son has done

! tws for abuse, homophobia, passing out, injuries and hospitals for the next 2 bullets, please skip over this if such things trigger you or proceed with caution ! the next few minutes seem to happen in slow motion for emilio. he starts stuttering out apologies, but before he can fully explain himself, he feels several punches being thrown his way. the last thing he remembers is hearing his mother and sister screaming at his father to stop, before the room turns completely black

the next day, emilio wakes up in the hospital. his injuries are bad, but what hurts the most is when he breathes. turns out, his father had fractured three of his ribs in the process of hitting him. the first person he see’s is his sister, and he can feel her holding his hand incredibly tight and he can clearly see the tears in her eyes. his mother is beside her, with the same expression on her face, but his father is nowhere to be found. right at that moment though, he walks through the door and asks for a moment alone with his son. emilio, terrified of what he would do, tries his best not to shake. the only thing his father does then is run his hands past his sons hair in the least comforting way possible. after that, he says ‘i’m sorry for doing that to you, but what do you expect me to do when you pull gay ass shit like that? no son of mines is gonna turn out that way’. to wrap up a sad story, they tell the hospital staff that his injuries are from kids at school rather than the truth, and emilio? spends his ninth birthday in the emergency room crying ( literally ) ! end of tws !

after that, emilio makes sure to hide every bit of who he is, even when only his sister is around. the only good thing about being injured was that he could get out of soccer practice and he missed a few days of school, but besides that, the atmosphere at the gatti household has never been more tense

around this time is when his father gets a job promotion in pensacola, florida. despite being an abusive alcoholic, he’s always taken his job very seriously. without much question, his family moves half way across the world

emilio is actually excited about this move because he thinks that this can be a huge chance to reinvent himself. maybe in a whole other continent, he can be a different person. maybe all the thoughts that his father so openly disagrees with could disappear here in america ( you can’t ungay yourself emilio but ok ), little does he know, it’s a lot easier said than done

for starters, he struggles a lot with the language. he’s only spoken italian all his life, so learning english is very difficult for him. on top of that, the thoughts he so desperately wants to get rid of only seem to get stronger in here. everything is so different and he finds himself so lost, it makes him depressed, because on top of not speaking the language, the older he gets, the more he starts realizing that his feelings aren’t going away

the move to america only seems to make his father’s attitude even worse as well, and he starts drinking even more, becomes even more verbally abusive, up to the point where emilio feels like he can’t even breathe around him. he knows that with one wrong move, that verbal abuse could turn physical real quick, so he does everything he can to get on his good side

thankfully, his mother becomes fed up with his father’s shit after a while, and after much convincing from his sister, they leave him like the scum he is, yolanda taking her two children and moving to inwood in new york, far away from him

for a while, things seem to look up for them . emilio finds himself understanding more and more english each day, actually making a decent amount of friends thanks to his spunky and out going attitude, his father is no longer around, which of course, is a huge plus, his grades are better than they were before, it all seems to be working out for them, of course, until it isn’t

fast forward a few months and his mother meets a man she soon marries after three months of knowing him. there were some upsides to this, as larry was nothing at all like his father, and thanks to him, his family manages to gain american citizenship, but…. his mother becomes very, very attached to him. emilio is skeptical about larry, but all he knows is that he makes his mother happy and that’s really all he cares about

this dream bubble doesn’t last long because one day, when they come home, larry’s things are gone. surprisingly? his mother smiles and claims it’s all okay, that’s she’s perfectly fine with him leaving, but later that night, it’s obvious that she’s most definitely not okay

! tws for self harm, mental illness and blood, please skip over this if such things trigger you or proceed with caution ! emilio is in the living room doing some homework and listening to music in low volume when he hears something fall to the ground from the kitchen. curiously of course, he walks over there to find his mother sitting on the kitchen floor, her wrists gushing with blood, and she’s shaking and crying. his stomach falls instantly and he screams for his sister. obviously, they call 911. unfortunately, his mother needs to be held for evaluation for a minimum of three days. even more unfortunately, three days turn into a week once she’s evaluated and they realize she is most definitely still not okay. emilio and elena are told their mother is depressed, and apparently has been depressed for a very long time  –  her husband leaving her just happened to be her breaking point, as she thinks it’s karma for leaving her husband, the father of her kids ( even though he was an awful person, but yolanda is convinced this is the reason larry left ) ! end of tws !

thankfully, she’s released after exactly a week and three days, but emilio still has the traumatic memory of seeing his mother that way. even though she appears to be a lot better mentally , he suddenly feels like it’s him and his sister’s job to take care of her , even though he’s struggling with his own issues ( school, his sexuality, etc ) . at the time, he was fifteen, and his sister was nineteen

after so many ‘days off’ from work , the gatti’s fall behind on rent , which forces his sister to get a second job to help make ends meet. emilio gets a part time job after school to help as well, so on top of the trauma he holds, both from his mother and his father, he also has to worry about being kicked out of their home

it’s a silly part time job at a bakery just a few blocks away from his house. emilio isn’t expecting much of it, basically just getting the job to help his family, but there, he meets… a guy

he’s sixteen, a year older than him, and remember those feelings emilio keeps trying so hard to push back? well, they just come pouring out of him, because he develops such a huge crush on this guy, even though he deeply denies it at first. surprisingly? this guy becomes his first ever boyfriend. literally cute, pure, high school love

despite his father not being in the picture anymore, emilio doesn’t feel like it’s his time to come out. his father’s words, unfortunately, have been practically welded into his brain, convincing him that being gay is wrong, but at this point, he’s no longer in denial. he knows he’s gay, he just doesn’t want everyone else to know ( at least not now, with all his problems going on at home )

the next year consists of attending visits to the psychiatrist and psychologist with his mother, helping make ends meet not just for rent, but for his mother’s medication, and juggling school as well. the first person emilio comes out to is his sister, when he’s sixteen, and her literal response? ‘i know, silly’. afterwards, he comes out to his mother, and thankfully, they’re both very accepting, even though he himself is still struggling with who he is, but he starts learning to accept himself more and more each day

emilio really finds himself in high school. not just with his sexuality , but his personality develops a lot more. he realizes he can be a huge brat when he doesn’t get his way, as he hates hearing the words no. starts experimenting with narcotics and alcohol , though he really only sticks to basic stuff like weed and cigarettes ( actually left traumatized with alcohol after his father , though he will have a drink every once in a while ). basically just coming of age things. maybe things are kind of okay now ( as okay as it could be for the gatti’s, at least ), but of course, do things ever really stay okay forever when it comes to this family? not quite

! tws for brief mentions of inappropriate underage relationships ( student/teacher ), grooming implication, bullying and slut shaming for the next three bullets, please skip over this if such things trigger you or proceed with caution ! finally , his senior year of high school. emilio feels like he’s changed so much. came out of the closet, gained a lot more confidence, really, really found himself. the last thing emilio is expecting is to have a thing with his history teacher of all people. a man who is married to a woman but claims to be ‘straight just curious’. the teacher is thirty seven and emilio is almost eighteen, which makes it super obvious the teacher is just using him for his own pleasure, and emilio? he lets himself get used, honest to god knowing it was super wrong, and knowing he was being taken advantage of and groomed, but he couldn’t see farther ahead

call it daddy issues? his unspoken traumas? the fact that he’s kind of a hoe? but emilio doesn’t care enough to stop until things start to actually get scandalous, despite not even feeling attracted to the guy  –  he just liked the attention

to this day, emilio has no idea how the news came to light. one day, he just walks into school and he can see and hear people whispering about him, pointing at him, clearly gossiping about him. he gets to his locker and the first thing he notices is the word ‘slut’ written in red spray paint. as if that isn’t bad enough, the second he opens the thing, at least a hundred condoms fall to the ground, along with another hundred pictures of said history teacher. needles to say, it becomes a huge scandal. the teacher gets fired and arrested and emilio is asked if he wants to press charges and, unfortunately for him, even though he refuses to press any type of charges, he still has to give a statement of everything that happened between them ( just imagine how uncomfortable this is for him ). emilio is slut shammed and bullied so bad, he’s forced to finish the rest of his senior year at night school ( yikes ) ! ends of tws !

after high school, his life has been kind of ‘normal’ you could say. he took a gap year then got his aa at 22, and is currently going to school for psychology as he really wants to be a psychologist to genuinely help people like his mother. he’s taking care of her and his sister moved to back to italy, and, despite having a decent amount of savings to get his own place, emilio doesn’t have it in him to leave his mother, kind of afraid that she might do something crazy. he takes care of her

he works at newleaf and goes to school as well, trying to get his shit together after what a shit show most of his school years have been 

he’s actually a very ambitious person. like, very, very ambitious. when he wants something, he sets his mind to it and gets it, whether it be a guy, an expensive shirt he saw and really liked, whatever the case is, what he wants, he gets. very, very determined guy, definitely, for sure getting the fuck out of inwood eventually if you know what i mean

he can be very surprising, as he shows one face to everyone but has a completely different one when he’s around people he trusts. you never really know what to expect with him

he plays piano! a habit him and his sister picked up from their grandfather when they were younger. he’s actually very, very good, but very few people, if not no one, knows he has this hobby. very big hidden talent, but he likes it that way, as he plays because he wants to feel moved in someway, not because he wants everyone to know he plays

he loves attention and validation, maybe because he never received any growing up. literally tell him he’s pretty and buy him so gelato 

huge flirt. sometimes he won’t even notice he’s flirting, it’ll just come naturally and he’ll be like woops vjkdnvjdfn

kind of a stubborn brat. it’s his way or the highway

he has the tiniest, most unnoticeable scar his on his upper left cheek that his father gave to him on that day that shall not be named. tells people his dog did that to him despite the fact that he’s never even had a pet fish before, let alone a dog

he’s low key insecure about his teeth but you’d never guess it . his top two front teeth are bunny like so it’s always been a secret insecurity of his

he has a cigarette habit? it’s gotten a lot less intense since high school , but it’s still there. just call him a typical italian kjndfvcfjfd

i’m gonna end this here because it’s already pretty long, but below is his birthchart, please hmu for plots!

birthchart ;

[thepredatorywasp]

hi!! do you have any book recomendations?

you’ve just made me the happiest person in the world

fiction

normal people by sally rooney

little fires everywhere by celeste ng

homegoing by yaa gyasi

the secret history and the goldfinch by donna tartt

my year of rest and relaxation by ottessa moshfegh

the shadow in the wind by carlos ruiz zafon

rebecca by daphne du maurier

the outsiders by s.e hilton

crush by richard siken (poetry)

blood wedding by federico garcia lorca (theater)

non fiction

in the dream house by carmen maria machado

me by elton john

say nothing: a true story of murder and memory in northern ireland by patrick radden keefe

[fashionbooksmilano]

Album d’onore 1994-1995

Museo Bagatti Valsecchi

a cura di  Arianna Cimadori

foto Graziella Vigo

Agfa-Gavaert, Milano 1995, 95 pagine, testo in italiano e inglese

euro 40,00

email if you want to buy booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

Un album di ritratti posati, in bianco e nero, realizzato in occasione della grande ristrutturazione di Palazzo Bagatti Valsecchi a Milano. Una galleria di personaggi famosi in visita al Museo, fotografati nell'arco di un anno.

Tra i tanti, ricordiamo: Elton John, Valentina Cortese, Federico Zeri, Alessandra Ferri, Matteo Thun, Giulietta Simionato, Vittorio Missoni, Gianfranco Ferrè e poi giornalisti, attori, registi, architetti, scrittori, tutti ripresi nelle storiche sale restaurate del Museo.

An album of posed portraits, in black and white, taken on the occasion of the great restoration of the Palazzo Bagatti Valsecchi in Milan.

A gallery of famous people visiting the museum, photographed over the course of a year. Amongst them we recall: Elton John, Valentina Cortese, Federico Zeri, Alessandra Ferri, Matteo Thun, Giulietta Simionato, Vittorio Missoni, Gianfranco Ferré, and then journalists, actors, producers, architects, writers, all pictured in the restored rooms of the museum.

orders to:     booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

ordini a:        booksinprogressmilano@yahoo.it

twitter:@fashionbooksmi

instagram:         fashionbooksmilano

                        designbooksmilano

tumblr:               fashionbooksmilano

                        designbooksmilano

[eddycurrents]

For the week of 2 September 2019

Quick Bits:

Agents of Atlas #2 again seems to focus more on Amadeus Cho and his perspective than the rest of the team, but it’s still very entertaining. Greg Pak, Nico Leon, Pop Mhan, Federico Blee, and Joe Sabino continue to weave together intrigue, superhero action, and romance with a very interesting mystery evolving. 

| Published by Marvel

Animosity #23 is part one of “Rites of Passage” from Marguerite Bennett, Elton Thomasi, Roberto De Latorre, Rob Schwager, and Taylor Esposito. While Jesse and her caravan continue to try to make it out west, her animal friends attempt to plan for her upcoming 13th birthday. Wonderful character moments here and further insight into the horrors that the animals have seen.

| Published by AfterShock

Battlepug #1 brings the web comic to regular monthly print comics from Mike Norton, Allen Passalaqua, and Crank! While it does help to have read the previous adventures, you can pick up and enjoy this humorous take on sword and sorcery fairly easily. Some very nice humour in the “Covfefe” puppet.

| Published by Image

Berserker Unbound #2 is another wonderful issue from Jeff Lemire, Mike Deodato Jr., Frank Martin, and Steve Wands. The art alone from Deodato and Martin is wonderful, deftly mixing the modern and the archaic. It’s also very interesting to see the barbarian trying to navigate our strange modern world and the fact that he can’t understand anything that anyone is saying.

| Published by Dark Horse

Birthright #39 gives us the confrontation with Mastema. Learning that she’s pretty much thoroughly insane and that the entire two worlds are screwed. At least, from her perspective. The colour work here from Adriano Lucas is positively brilliant.

| Published by Image / Skybound

Breaklands #1 is a Comixology digital original from Justin Jordan, Tyasseta, Sarah Stern, and Rachel Deering. It’s different, bloody, and intriguing as to what’s going on. The opening suggests a kind of weird cult, the past gives the impression of post-apocalyptic tribes or gangs. 

| Published by Justin Jordan

Buffy the Vampire Slayer #8 is a prelude to the “Hellmouth” crossover event with Angel, but I’ll say that it is essential to the overall storyline. This issue basically sets up the entire thing, even while still doing prologuey things. Great art from David López and Raúl Angulo. And, despite what Angel (at least that’s who I assume is in that devil mask) and Xander say, the “bat” costume is great, even if it doesn’t make sense.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Conan the Barbarian #9 takes us on a trip through Conan’s hallucinations of monsters he felled in battle as he tries to lead a group of people caught underground in the lair of the Undergod. Incredibly impressive artwork from Mahmud Asrar and Matthew Wilson. As we get a bit of reminiscence here, it feels as though we’re approaching the end of this arc.

| Published by Marvel

Crowded #9 is pretty intense as Vita and Charlie breach a hotel and try to get the information on who set up the Reapr campaign from one of Charlie’s old “friends”. It goes about as well as you’d expect. Christopher Sebela, Ro Stein, Ted Brandt, Tríona Farrell, and Cardinal Rae continue to keep this story on its toes, speeding along as fast as it can.

| Published by Image

Dark Red #6 begins the next arc from Tim Seeley, Corin Howell, Mark Englert, and Carlos Mangual. It tosses more complications into Chip’s life in the form of a “cleaner” enthralled to another vampire and a family of were-jaguars fleeing from an El Salvadoran gang.

| Published by AfterShock

DCeased: A Good Day to Die #1 expands the story a bit further with this one shot featuring a reunion of some of the Bwa-Ha-Ha era of the Justice League and a few other guests. Great art from Laura Braga, Darick Robertson, Richard Friend, Trevor Scott, and Rain Beredo.

| Published by DC Comics

Deathstroke #47 continues “Deathstroke RIP” and it’s going to do your head in a bit. A banged, bruised, beaten-up, and confused Slade shows up with a bad attitude and we’re unsure how he’s back from the dead and acting fairly un-Slade-like. Also, Jericho gets his Doctor Manhattan moment. Priest, Fernando Pasarin, Carlo Pagulayan, Jason Paz, Cam Smith, Wade von Grawbadger, Jeromy Cox, and Willie Schubert are definitely continuing to keep this interesting.

| Published by DC Comics

Die #7 catches up with the other half of the party in Isabelle and Chuck and, well, Chuck is an asshole. Kieron Gillen, Stephanie Hans, and Clayton Cowles manage to out-bleak the previous issue, but in a way that doesn’t elicit sympathy this time. It’s interesting as to how they build up Chuck, elaborate on his backstory, and make him even more thoroughly unlikeable.

| Published by Image

Doom Patrol: Weight of the Worlds #3 is fairly impressive, with Gerard Way, Jeremy Lambert, Steve Orlando, Doc Shaner, Tamra Bonvillain, and Simon Bowland managing to become even more inventive with the narrative for an already incredibly inventive series. This one takes the convention of a flashforward and presents it as an issue of Doom Patrol in the future, weaving in some hard-boiled narration through a series of novels. Great work here all around.

| Published by DC Comics / Young Animal

Everything #1 is weird. Very weird. This first issue from Christopher Cantwell, INJ Culbard, and Steve Wands feels like it’s mostly about setting up the atmosphere and briefly introducing many of the characters as the new Everything Store opens up in Michigan. Love the art from Culbard.

| Published by Dark Horse / Berger Books

Fallen World #5 concludes what has been an excellent series setting up the next stage of the 4002 AD time period of the Valiant universe from Dan Abnett, Adam Pollina, Ulises Arreola, and Jeff Powell. The art from Pollina and Arreola is gorgeous, really leaning hard into the weird and wonderful of the future.

| Published by Valiant

Fantastic Four #14 kicks off “Point of Origin” celebrating the initial launch of the Fantastic Four’s expedition that turned them into the Fantastic Four. The shifting timeline makes this feel weird, but it’s still an interesting premise. Great art from Paco Medina and Jesus Aburtov.

| Published by Marvel

Future Foundation #2 is more fun from Jeremy Whitley, Will Robson, Paco Diaz, Daniele Orlandini, Greg Menzie, Chris O’Halloran, and Joe Caramagna. Why exactly the kids would mistake a younger looking Maker as their own Reed Richards is anyone’s guess, but this is still an entertaining prison break story building upon loose threads from Secret Wars.

| Published by Marvel

Ghost Spider Annual #1 continues the “Acts of Evil” theme running through this year’s annuals as Gwen takes on Arcade and a host of Spider-Man’s villains and allies. It’s a good story from Vita Ayala, Pere Pérez, Rachelle Rosenberg, and Clayton Cowles that helps Gwen get a sense of place when it comes to some of the differences between Earths-65 and -616/

| Published by Marvel

Giant Days #54 is the end to the series, but there’s one more issue in the story in the Giant Days: As Time Goes By special. Still, John Allison, Max Sarin, Whitney Cogar, and Jim Campbell gives us one last hurrah as Daisy, Esther, and Susan spend the summer together before graduation, tying up some loose ends, before saying goodbye to one another. It’s an emotional end, full of the eccentricities and humour that have been a hallmark of the series.

| Published by Boom Entertainment / BOOM! Box

The Green Lantern #11 continues the multiversal adventure. This is really some of the fun, eccentric science fiction-y superheroics that Grant Morrison really excels at along with gorgeous artwork from Liam Sharp and Steve Oliff. I quite like Sharp’s Neal Adams-esque Batman GL and it’s neat to see the Green Lantern oath’s differences across multiple universes.

| Published by DC Comics

Harley Quinn #65 kind of does an end run around the “Year of the Villain” content, incorporating it as a couple pages of the comic within the comic, while the rest of the issue is devoted to Harley dealing with the grief of the loss of her mother. By kind of ignoring it. Escaping to the Coney Island Volcano Island and getting a bit...rustic. Sam Humphries, Sami Basri, Hi-Fi, and Dave Sharpe also keep Harley’s trials going along nicely.

| Published by DC Comics

Harley Quinn & Poison Ivy #1 follows up on Poison Ivy’s new status after regrowing herself from the death sustained in Heroes in Crisis. Now, I can’t say I exactly liked that series or what happened, but I do think that Jody Houser, Adriano Melo, Mark Morales, Hi-Fi, and Gabriela Downie make the most of it and turn it around into an entertaining start to this new story. Also, a nice pick up on both the broader “Year of the Villain” event (even though there’s no event banner) and on the new developments in Justice League Dark about the Parliament of Flowers and the Floronic Man.

| Published by DC Comics

Immortal Hulk #23 brings the fight to Fortean. It’s absolutely brutal on both sides. Joe Bennett, Ruy José, Belardino Brabo, Paul Mounts, and Matt Milla really do an incredible job with the action here. And the end is stuff of nightmares.

| Published by Marvel

Justice League #31 continues the “Justice/Doom War”. It’s very, very nice to see the Justice Society back in the mainline DC universe. Combined with the Legion of Super-Heroes back, it’s a wonderful time to see these two teams back. Feels good. It also helps that Scott Snyder, James Tynion IV, Jorge Jimenez, Alejandro Sanchez, and Tom Napolitano have JSA nestled within a great story, flinging the Justice League through the past and future.

| Published by DC Comics

Lois Lane #3 is worth it for the art from Mike Perkins and Paul Mounts by itself. The fight between the two Questions is incredible, beautiful flow of action and energy all through the exchange. Also, we get some follow up on Superman protecting Lois adding complications. There could be an argument made that this story is unfolding at roughly a snail’s pace, but that would overlook the wonderful character moments occurring, the atmosphere, and epic action sequences. 

| Published by DC Comics

Midnight Vista #1 is a wonderful start to this story from Eliot Rahal, Clara Meath, Mark Englert, and Taylor Esposito. It’s an alien abduction story told pretty much straight and its intriguing as to how the disbelievers in this tale are going to deal with, even amid the very real kidnapping and lost time that occurs. I love Meath’s line art here.

| Published by AfterShock

No One Left to Fight #3 hits hard a couple times, first in Winda’s decidedly horrible way of handling rejection and jealousy and then in the Hierophant’s temptation of rebuilding Valé, fixing what ails him. More great work from Aubrey Sitterson, Fico Ossio, Raciel Avila, and Taylor Esposito. This book is a feast.

| Published by Dark Horse

Pretty Deadly: The Rat #1 is a very welcome return of this series, shifting time frame again to ‘30s Los Angeles and adopting a noir style. The artwork from Emma Rios and Jordie Bellaire is drop dead gorgeous, seemingly coming up with new styles and approaches to storytelling. The film stills in particular are very impressive.

| Published by Image

Savage Avengers #5 brings a bloody and brutal “end” to the first arc from Gerry Duggan, Mike Deodato Jr., Frank Martin, and Travis Lanham. It’s not so much a conclusion as a chapter break, ending the bit with the Marrow God, but transitioning into whatever will come next in the war against Kulan Gath.

| Published by Marvel

Sea of Stars #3 is another showcase for Stephen Green and Rico Renzi to just illustrate the hell out of some really cool stuff. This one shifts primary focus back to Kadyn and his interstellar entourage and it’s hilarious. The kid does kid things that drive his space monkey and space whale friends insane. Especially taunting a quarkshark.

| Published by Image

Something is Killing the Children #1 begins a rather disquieting horror series from James Tynion IV, Werther Dell’Edera, Miquel Muerto, and AndWorld Design. It’s brutal, bloody, and filled with all of the terror that you get from a frightened kid who just watched his friends get butchered. This is a visceral horror that punches you right in the gut. Very well done.

| Published by BOOM! Studios

Spawn #300 is not a bad anniversary issue, a fairly hefty book featuring a lead “chapter” with gorgeous artwork from returning long term Spawn line artist Greg Capullo, kicking off with something disturbing, then leading into a combination of the story threads that Todd McFarlane has been weaving for some time now. While there is a foundation on the old, this one also sets up a fair amount of what’s coming. Great art throughout from Todd McFarlane, Greg Capullo, J. Scott Campbell, Jason Shawn Alexander, Jerome Opeña, Jonathan Glapion, FCO Plascencia, Brian Haberlin, Peter Steigerwald, and Matt Hollingsworth.

| Published by Image

Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order - Dark Temple #1 is a tie in to the forthcoming video game from Electronic Arts by Matthew Rosenberg, Paolo Villanelli, Arif Prianto, and Joe Sabino. It centres around a padawan who somehow managed to escape Order 66 on a recently-joined Republic world of Ontotho and the mystery of a temple that she was sent to investigate.

| Published by Marvel

Supergirl #33 concludes Kara’s quest and “The House of El: United”, giving her perspective on the founding of the United Planets in Superman #14. It’s a decent end here, opening up new possibilities for what we’ll see next.

| Published by DC Comics

Triage #1 is a very impressive debut from Phillip Sevy and Frank Cvetkovic. Interesting set up of variations on the same woman, Evie, across multiple worlds, and a mystery as to what’s going on. Sevy’s art here is gorgeous.

| Published by Dark Horse

Usagi Yojimbo #4 begins a new two-part arc in “The Hero” as Usagi agrees to escort an author caught in a controlling, loveless marriage to her father. There’s a really nice opening sequence in this one with zombies.

| Published by IDW

Vampirella/Red Sonja #1 is a pretty good start to this series from Jordie Bellaire, Drew Moss, Rebecca Nalty, and Becca Carey. It’s set in 1969 and built around the Dyatlov Pass Incident, which sends Vampirella out there to investigate to potentially find a “friend”. Beautiful art from Moss and Nalty. 

| Published by Dynamite

Web of Black Widow #1 is wonderful. Stephen Mooney was born to draw espionage thrillers, having done so incredibly on his own Half Past Danger as well as The Dead Hand and James Bond 007. He has a style that reminds me of Dave Stevens and it just works perfectly for this kind of story. Add to that Jody Houser, Tríona Farrell, and Cory Petit, throw in a mystery born out of Natasha’s past and continued questioning her own status as her since she was brought back from death, and you’ve got a recipe for a near perfect storm of a debut.

| Published by Marvel

Wyrd #4 concludes what has been an intriguing series from Curt Pires, Antonio Fuso, Stefano Simeone, and Micah Myers.  This has been a rather interesting story of superpowers seemingly gone wrong and it ties up with a Superman analogue as a child going homicidal. It’s dark, but it feels real.

| Published by Dark Horse

Other Highlights: Absolute Carnage: Scream #2, Absolute Carnage: Symbiote Spider-Man #1, Alpha Flight: True North #1, Amazing Spider-Man: Going Big #1, Archie #707, Batman/TMNT III #5, Champions #9, Charlie’s Angels vs. Bionic Woman #3, Curse Words #24, The Death-Defying Devil #2, Descendent #5, The Dreaming #13, The Goon #6, House of X #4, Legion of Super-Heroes: Millennium #1, Marvel Action: Spider-Man #8, Nuclear Winter - Volume 3, Old Man Quill #9, The Punisher #15, Redneck #23, Rick and Morty Present Flesh Curtains #1, Section Zero #6, Space Bandits #3, Star Trek: Discovery - Aftermath #1, Star Wars #71, Superman: Up in the Sky #3, Transformers/Ghostbusters #4, Turok #5, The Wicked + The Divine #45

Recommended Collections: Age of X-Man: Prisoner X, Black Badge - Volume 2, Catwoman - Volume 2: Far From Gotham, Hellboy and the BPRD: 1956, Immortal Hulk - Volume 4: Abomination, Infinite Dark - Volume 2, Outcast - Volume 7, Spider-Gwen: Ghost Spider - Volume 2: Impossible Year, Superb - Volume 4: The Kids aren’t Alright, War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas, X-Force - Volume 2: Counterfeit King

d. emerson eddy is currently suffering the effects of a very gassy pug.

[arcticmunkeez]

Alex Turner’s interview for La Repubblica - May 6th, 2018

I translated the whole thing myself, so please ask me before you repost it anywhere! thanks.

LOS ANGELES - He’s wearing a shirt with a huge collar going above his coat, his eyes are wide open. Alex turner is 32 years old but says he’s 70: “That’s how old Kubrick was when he died, although people say about me that I’m the proof rock n’ roll will never die”, he says sitting at a table at Minibar Hollywood, a 60′s style cocktail lounge full off red armchairs, crystal glasses and wooden windows covered in silver leaf. Turner doesn’t have a good relationship with the press and with social media “and perhaps with human beings in general, seen as my Hollywood is limited to one room”, he says. “It’s just me and the music. Always has been.”

Things change, though. According to a survey by Radio X, 9 songs out of the 100 best english songs ever are Arctic Monkeys songs; they’ve won 7 brit awards and Noel Gallagher is a big supporter or theirs: “Arctic Monkeys’ success reminds me of Oasis” Gallagher said. “These kids are very much like us. They’re one of a kind. I love the fact that they don’t wear button-ups, ties and suits”. More than four years after the release of AM (more than five million copies sold) and after breaking all records with Arctic Monkeys’ debut album, Turner - singer, guitarist and half of the Last Shadow Puppets - sat at a Steinway&Sons and wrote Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino, Arctic Monkeys’ sixth album. Their three italian dates are all sold out. “I was born and raised in Sheffield, England. This record is filled with America”, he tells us. In the UK (and not just there) Alex is the last, young icon of the rock industry, “I feel more like a noir film director... I imagine the Hollywood hills being a small bedroom, where there’s me on the piano, a mexican beer in one hand and half a pack of cigarettes on the table”.

Have you set the guitar aside?

I never took piano lessons, if I’d pressed the keys the best I could do was a jazz improvisation. I used to try and imitate my father, who’s an incredible pianist and sax player. Until a friend of mine gave me a Steinway Vertegrand as a gift for my 30th birthday. It suddenly became the centre of this record and I almost thought this was going to be a guitar-less and Arctic Monkeys-less work.

Why going solo?

When people tell me “Oh you live in Hollywood...”, I reply: “Hollywood? Do you mean my bedroom?” I’ve got a bed, a guitar, a piano and a poster of “Roma” by italian director Federico Fellini. Sometimes I think that’s all I need to make music, along with my old analog Tascam 8-track tape recorder. Other than that, I don’t really know America very well and no “on the road” kind of trip could beat the one I went on with my grandmother as a kid.

The opening line to this record is “I just wanted to be one of the Strokes”

I actually wanted to be like Mina [Italian melodic pop singer from the 60′s and 70′s]

Like Mina?!

(He stands up and starts singing) “Un bacio è troppo poco per sapere se ti amo. Un bacio è troppo poco per capire veramente se mi piaci, se mi piaci” What a voice. And such beautiful eyes. Mina! A friend of mine introduced me to “Una casa in cima al mondo” on a 7 inch vinyl record, “L’Eclisse” by Antonioni, i caroselli and Adriano Celentano. I know his nickname was “The Molleggiato” (the bouncy guy), they say his insipirations were Elvis Presley and Jerry Lewis. His song “Il tuo bacio è come un rock” is a masterpiece.

Someone wrote about you: “Turner has a very clear idea of what his style is”.

I went through garage punk, chip-shop rock n roll, hip-hop, 90′s R&B... My mentor was Josh Homme from Queens of the stone age. My inspirations are The Smiths, The Carpenters, Nina Simone, Sege Gainsbourg. I am the product of many different cultures. I am also the guy you’ll find holding a microphone at a karaoke with Lana Del Rey singing Tiny Dancer by Elton John.

Have you ever looked yourself up on YouTube?

I’m not even on Facebook. To tell you the truth, my main instinct is to smash my cellphone. Maybe I’ll go back to a home phone, to a payphone, or I’ll be like the paranoid Gene Hackman in The Conversation, using phone booths, triple lock, telephone tapping tape and wearing a plastic overcoat when walking in a crowded place. My studio is full of cables and tapes. It’s Watergate material.

Did you design the album cover for “Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino”?

Yes, it looks a lot like one of those lobby scale models, like the labyrinth from Shining. I love LA’s architecture, from Richard Neutra to Paul R. Williams. And you should visit Columbus, Indiana, it has the most beautiful churches. For the album cover I drew insipiration from 2001: A Space Odyssey. I’m obsessed with the idea that the moon landing of the Apollo 11 was all a big hoax and Kubrick filmed and directed it in a studio. Every morning, when I wake up, I feel like I see a monolith in front of my bed.

In the song “Golden Trunks” you compare the President to an 80′s wrestler.

Our president is in love with the sound of his own voice and his own “songs”. I never thought I’d end up talking about politics in a tune off of our next album and yet Trump is a part of all our lives, he’s underwater, he’s even in my bedroom along with the Fellini and Toby Dammit posters. He won, he definitely won. But sooner or later America will move on from this. As Mina sings, “L’importante è finire” (”The important thing is ending it”).

The original article: http://www.arcticmonkeysitalia.com/arctic-monkeys-su-repubblica-alex-turner-avrei-voluto-essere-come-mina/

[catstarrecordings]

Discohouse Kingdom - Disco Funky Fever 2022 [Catstar Recordings]

cd1

https://stream4.mixcloud.com/secure/c/m4a/64/2/9/3/e/8296-b4c1-48f9-b420-f7505a84f420.m4a?sig=A9m0_KZHlozdYV6FoMbVXQ

cd2

https://stream1.mixcloud.com/secure/c/m4a/64/c/b/2/6/d56f-5ae3-4d8c-990c-77f44dd54a4f.m4a?sig=XglglSWtAZrDy0QsK3CViA

cd3

https://stream8.mixcloud.com/secure/c/m4a/64/0/f/5/0/3eac-3ea3-44f2-9049-f65c4b4a6ab8.m4a?sig=3zXQEhvGWW33Ny0QLXfMUA

cd4

https://stream12.mixcloud.com/secure/c/m4a/64/1/f/7/6/c2a9-9d78-4cae-80ab-813972a8ac12.m4a?sig=5yRcgYA1uPEq26ZQo9a1SQ

CD1

01.Aeroplane feat. Tawatha Agee - Love On Hold (feat. Tawatha Agee) (Extended Mix)

02.Hiva - Deep Snap (Original Mix)

03.DJ Tripswitch - Funky Needs (Original Mix)

04.Jazzy Rossco - Means 2 Me

05.Discoloverz feat. Rick Marshall - Dig This

06.Block & Crown, Paul Parsons - Hit It Once Again (Extended Mix)

07.Simon Fava, Yvvan Back - Sway (Mucho Mambo) (Me & My Toothbrush Remix) (Me & My Toothbrush Remix)

08.Block & Crown & Lissat (feat. Alison) - Sing It Back

09.Block & Crown, Maickel Telussa, Paul Parsons - Kick This Feelin' (Extended Mix)

10.Federico Scavo - Gonna Make It Love (Extended Mix)

11.Block & Crown, Paul Parsons - Let the Music Take You (Club Mix)

12.Luca Debonaire, Paul Parsons - Sussidio (Extended Mix)

13.Block & Crown, Paul Parsons - Try Again (Extended Mix)

14.Audio Jacker - Every Man

15.Coqui Selection - Move Your Fucking Body

16.Viktor (UV) - Hi Baby

17.Stanny Abram - Jam Hot (Extended Mix)

CD2

01.Kraak & Smaak, Izo FitzRoy - Twilight (Aeroplane Remix)

02.HP Vince - D.I.S.C.O

03.Sleeque - One for the Money (Michael Gray Remix)

04.Majestic, Boney M. - Rasputin (Extended Mix)

05.Paul Parsons, Block & Crown - Spread Love (Original Mix)

06.Angelo Ferreri - What Choice We Have (Extended Mix)

07.Block & Crown, Lissat - How Long (Original Mix)

08.Alaia & Gallo feat. Kevin Haden - Who Is He (Claptone Extended Remix)

09.Kevin McKay, DJ Mark Brickman - Comin' Home Baby (Extended Mix)

10.Block & Crown, Paul Parsons - It's a Love Thing (Club Mix)

11.Dombresky feat. Camden Cox - Do You Remember (Extended Mix)

12.Block & Crown - My Life (Extended Mix)

13.Block & Crown, Paul Parsons - Let You Know (Original Mix)

14.Block & Crown, Lissat, Martina Budde - The Rollin' Funka Stone (Original Mix)

15.Coqui Selection - Apache (Extended Mix)

16.Maickel Telussa - Brighter Days (Club Mix)

17.Felix Leiter - Think About the Way (Original Mix)

18.Seba Machado - Cycles (Uriah Persie Remix)

CD3

01.Mirisola - The Notion

02.Sebb Junior - Situation (Original Mix)

03.Zsak, Crazibiza - Get Funky (Softmal Remix)

04.Emil Croff, Misha Klein - Little Ellie (Extended Mix)

05.Block & Crown - Sweet Harmony (Original Mix)

06.KI Creighton, Michael Gray - Love Wars (Michael Gray Edit)

07.Marc Vedo, Vanilla Ace - Moving On (Extended Mix)

08.BDK - Let Her Know (Original Mix)

09.DJ Kuba, Neitan, Skytech - Dancing (Wh0 Extended Festival Remix)

10.Elton John, Dua Lipa - Cold Heart (Claptone Extended Remix)

11.Paco Caniza - Crazy

12.Coco Bongo - Burning Sunshine (Callea & Rispoli Full Vocal Mix)

13.Bob Sinclar - Save our soul

14.Twentin Quarantino - Life on the Line (Extended Mix)

15.Martin Ikin (feat. Hayley May) - How I Feel (Biscits Remix)

16.Joshwa & Lee Foss - My Humps

17.Sion - Frequencies (Extended Mix)

CD4

01.Block & Crown, Paul Parsons feat. Culum Frea - Never Knew Love Like This Before (Nudisco Mix)

02.Spiller - Groovejet (feat. Sophie Ellis Bextor) (Extended Vocal Mix)

03.Antonello Ferrari, Aldo Bergamasco feat. Sophia Baker - Something Special (Ferrari & Bergamasco Club Mix)

04.M&S, The Girl Next Door - Salsoul Nugget (If You Wanna) (Jolyon Petch Extended Club Remix)

05.Nari - That's the Way (Original Mix)

06.Block & Crown - Wild Disco Style (Original Mix)

07.Stanny Abram - Las Palabras

08.Block & Crown - Star To Fall (Original Mix)

09.Block & Crown - Tropicana Sweat

10.Block & Crown - Rock The Riddle

11.Block & Crown, Lissat - Ain't Gone Pay (NUDisco Mix)

12.Block & Crown, Paul Parsons - Under Control

13.B27 - Discman

14.Junior Jack - Another Thrill (Extended Mix)

15.Jeky Saviro - Give It Up

16.Rescue - Go To Work

17.Maxim Lany feat. Jaki Nelson - Toxic Love

[beabadoobiez]

.･ﾟﾟ･ A NAMES MASTERLIST ･ﾟﾟ･.

so what is up rpc! below the cut you’ll find (392) male, female, + unisex names not commonly used in rp and are not your standard molly, alex, alyssa, or joesph! these are all a few of my faves and i’ll even include the origins + meanings! 

A:

aarav: (m): hindi: meaning: peaceful

aapeli: (m): finnish, hebrew: breathing

araceli: (f): latin: altar of heaven

abel: (m): hebrew: meaning: breath; vanity

aiko: (f): japanese: little loved one

alison: (f): german: meaning: noble; kind

alain: (m): german: precious

alayna: (f): german: precious; sun ray

aliza: (f): hebrew: joy

ambrosia: (f): greek: immortal

amir: (m): hebrew: meaning: prince

angie: (f): greek: meaning: angel

armando: (m): german: soldier

asad: (m): arabic: more fortunate

avery: (unisex): anglo-saxon: meaning: conselor 

axel: (m): hebrew: father is peace

B:

bach: (m): german: beside a stream

bailey: (unisex): teutonic: meaning: able

bambi: (f): italian: little girl

bali: (f): hindi: soldier

bao: (f): chinese: precious treasure

barney: (m): hebrew: the son of encouragement 

basia: (f): czech: foreign woman, stranger, exotic

bahati: (f): african: lucky, fortunate (swahili)

bennet: (m): latin: little blessed on

benson: (m): british: son of ben

billi: (f): british: determined protector

bijoux: (f): native american: jewel

blanca: (f): italian: pure

bristol: (m): british: meeting place by the bridge

brahm: (m): hebrew: father of multitude

brody: (m): irish: ditch

bowie: (m): scottish: blond

C:

cacie: (f): irish: thorny tree

caesar: (m): latin: head of hair

caidon: (m): arabic: companion

casimir: (m): slavic: famous destroyer

calantha: (f): greek: beautiful flower

cambria: (f): welsh: the people

capri: (f): italian: an italian island famous for its beauty

cedric: (m): british: kindly, loved

chandler: (unisex): english: candle maker

charlotte: (f): german: free man

christia: (f): latin: follower of christ

claus: (m): german: people of victory

cosmo: (m): italian: order, organization, beauty

cressentia: (f): french: increasing growing

cyrus: (m): persian: several king of persia 

D:

daemon: (m): greek: guardian spirit

dai: (f): japanese: large; generation

dain(e): (m): american: variant of dane from denmark

dakoda: (unisex): native american: the allies

dario: (m): latin: rich, wealthy

darlene: (f): english: dearling; darling

danaca: (f): slavic: morning star; venus

dantae: (m): spanish: enduring

dalila: (f): african: desired; languishing

davian: (m): american: variant of david beloved

davita: (f): hebrew: beloved

declan: (m): irish: unknown meaning

deedra: (f): irish: melancholy

demetrius: (m): greek: follower of demeter (who was the greek goddess of corn and harvest)

destiny: (f): portuguese: fate

E:

eachann: (m): scottish: brown horse

earnest: (m): german: serious minded

ebele: (f): african: compassion

edan: (m): gaelic: like a fire

eden: (unisex): hebrew: place of delight

edie: (f): english: fighting to be rich

edna: (f): gaelic: little seed, kernel

edmund: (m): english: rich guardian

eeva: (f): finnish/hebrew: living and breathing

eirik: (m): norwegian, old norse: king forever

elaine: (f): greek: torch of light

electra: (f): greek: shining, radiant

elias: (m): hebrew: yahweh is my God

elisa: (f): hebrew: promise of God

elton: (m): english: ella’s land

emmett: (m): german: universal man

F:

fabiola: (f): french, italian, latin, + spanish: lovely bean

falcon: (m): english, french: falcon keeper

fallon: (f): irish: leader’s daughter 

farrell: (m): gaelic: son of the man of valor

fawn: (f): english: little young deer

federico: (m): germanic + spanish: calm monarch

 felicity: (f): latin: filled with happiness

fenton: (m): english: from a settlement near a marsh 

frenanda: (f): germanic: on a daring trip

finley: (unisex): gaelic: pure fighter

finnian: (m): gaelic + irish: white or fair 

fiona: (f): irish: fair woman

fisher: (m): english: fisherman

fitzgerald: (m): english + french: son of a powerful ruler

fleur: (f): latin: like a flower

G:

gabby: (f): hebrew: God’s bravest woman 

gage: (m): english: in charge of weights and measures

gaia: (f): greek + italian: from the earth 

garnet: (unisex): french + latin: a person who makes door hinges 

gabriel: (m): hebrew: God’s bravest man

gary: (m): a spear

gennette: (f): Hebrew: God is merciful

genevieve: (f): germanic: leader of the tribe

geoffrey: (m): a peaceful ruler

georgina: (f): greek: farming woman

gerardo: (m): germanic + spanish: strong like a spear

gigi: (f): latin: virgin woman

gilbert: (m): germanic: bright young man

gilda: (f): germanic: woman of sacrifice

gilmore: (m): gaelic: servant of the virgin mary

H:

hades: (m): greek: not being seen

hadley: (unisex): english: meadow of heathers

hai: (f): chinese: coming from the sea

hakim: (m): arabic: wise

halina: (m): greek + polish: woman of serenity

haneul: (m): korean: heavenly

hania: (f): hebrew + polish: gracious

hanson: (m): english + hebrew: son of john

harmony: (f): greek: harmony

hathai: (f): thai: heart

hattie: (f): germanic: ruler of the

hayes: (m): english: brushwood or undergrowth

hazel: (f): english: hazel tree

heath: (m): english: hailing from a region with heather

hera: (f): greek: heroine

I:

iines: (f): finnish + greek: sacred, chaste

iman: (unisex): arabic: faith person

imani: (f): african: faithful person

india: (f): sanskrit: from river indus

ingram: (m): germanic: tribe from englanda in germany

iolana: (f): hawaiian: soaring bird

irene: (f): greek: woman of peace

irvin: (m): english + scottish: water of green

isaac: (m): hebrew: one who brings laughter

isa: (f): dutch + italian + latin + spanish: promise of God

ishmael: (m): hebrew: God hears

israel: (m): hebrew: a person who struggles with God

iverson: (m): english + welsh: son of ivor

ivy: (f): english: climbing plant

izumi: (m): japanese: spring

J:

jabir: (m): arabic: one who comforts

jacinta: (f): greek: hyacinth flower

jacques: (m): hebrew: following after

jaden: (unisex): english: unclear

jairo: (m): hebrew: a person who enlightens

jakayla: (f): greek: chaste + pure

jaleesa: (f): hebrew: promise of God

jamal: (m): arabic: handsome or beautiful

jamila: (f): arabic: gorgeous woman

jari: (m): hebrew + old norse: helmeted soldier

jasmine: (f): persian: jasmine flower

jasper: (m): english + persian: king of the treasure

jaylee: (f): english: jay bird

jedaiah: (m): hebrew: knowing yahweh

jesenia: (f): spanish: like a flower

K:

kachina: (f): native american: dancing spirit

kaden: (m): english + gaelic: son of cadan

kadri: (m): turkish: valuable

kaija: (f): finnish + greek: caste + pure

kaiya: (f): japanese: forgiving

kaiser: (m): latin: head full of hair

kakalina: (f): greek + hawaiian: chaste + pure

kaleb: (m): hebrew: to be faithful

kalem: (m): english + latin: a truthful man

kali: (f): sanskrit: woman of gloom

kaliko: (unisex): hawaiian: beautiful bud

kalino: (m): hawaiian: brilliant one

kalisha: (f): latin: fortunate woman

kamal: (m): arabic: excellence

kamaria: (f): arabic: the moon

L:

lachina: (f): scottish: land filled with lakes

lachlan: (m): gaelic: land filled with lakes

lady: (f): english: woman of high manners

lagina: (f): latin: queen

lamar: (m): french + latin: from near a pool

lamont: (m): old norse: lawyer

lana: (f): germanic: valuable + precious

lance: (m): germanic: land or region

lanh: (unisex): vietnamese: happy person

lani: (f): hawaiian: heavenly woman

larkin: (m): latin: city of laurels

lassie: (f): english: little girl

latrell: (m): celtic: king’s property

leandra: (f): greek: lion woman

leighton: (m): english: leek farms

M:

macario: (m): greek: to be blessed

mackenzie: (unisex): gaelic: pretty + good-looking

madden: (m): gaelic: puppy

maeve: (f): gaelic: intoxicating woman

mahealani: (f): hawaiian: divine mist

major: (m): germanic + latin: spear counsel

makaio: (m): hawaiian + hebrew: God has rewarded

makenna: (f): gaelic: fire born

malai: (f): thai: flower garland

malcolm: (m): gaelic: flower of saint columba

maleko: (m): hawaiian + latin: pledged to mars + warrior

malie: (f): hawaiian: serene

mallory: (f): french: unlucky

manila: (f): sanskrit: son’s jewel

mannis: (m): hebrew + latin: greatness

N:

nave: (f): french: born at night

naria: (f): native american: woman with big eyes

nasir: (m): arabic: supporter

nava: (f): hebrew: gorgeous

navid: (m): persian: bringing good news

neelam: (unisex): sanskrit: blue sapphire

nehemiah: (m): hebrew: yahweh comforts

nenet: (f): egyptian: goddess of the depth

nerissa: (f): greek: nymph of the sea

nero: (m): italian + latin: the strong one

niccolo: (m): greek: people’s triumph

nigel: (m): gaelic: coming from clouds

nilda: (f): germanic: prepared for battle

nixie: (f): germanic: water spirit

noel: (m): french + latin: christmas

O:

odin: (m): old norse: fury

odelia: (f): germanic: riches

olaf: (m): old norse: descendant of

olander: (m): swedish: sweden

ollie: (unisex): latin: olive

olympia: (f): greek: from mount olympus

omari: (m): arabic: to flourish or to thrive

ona: (f): hebrew: gracious + merciful

organa: (f): italian + latin: golden + sunrise

orpheus: (m): greek: darkness

ova: (f): latin: from a little egg

P:

paavo: (m): finnish + latin: tiny + petite

palma: (f): spanish: palm tree

pan: (m): greek: god of nature

praisa: (f): persian: fairy-like

pascal: (m): latin: easter-related

patsy: (unisex): aramaic: lady of the house

penelope: (f): greek: weaver

percy: (m): french: pierce the valley

perla: (f): italian + latin + spanish: gemstone

perry: (m): germanic + latin: herry’s son

phaedra: (f): greek: bright + radiant

phineas: (m): english + hebrew: oracle or soothsayer

pierre: (m): greek: rock

pina: (f): hebrew: God raises

prema: (f): indian + sanskrit: loving

Q:

qadira: (f): arabic: full of power

quade: (m): latin: born fourth

quincy: (m): latin: born fifth

quinn: (unisex): irish: wise + reasonable

querida: (f): spanish: darling

qiana: (f): english: soft + silky

qiang: (m): chinese: strong man

R:

ra: (m): egyptian: god of the sun

rada: (f): russian + slavic: filled with care

rafael: (m): hebrew: God heals

range: (f): danish + old norse + swedish: giving advice

rahim: (m): arabic + persian: to be kind or to show mercy

raider: (m): japanese: god of thunder

raine: (f): french: woman of lorraine

raisa: (f): greek + russian: easy-going

ramiro: (m): germanic + spanish: famous counsel

randi: (f): latin: admirable

raven: (unisex): english: dark bird

rayen: (f): native american: blossom

regis: (m): latin: king

rei: (f): japanese: darling

reuben: (m): hebrew: see my son

S:

sabina: (f): czech + latin + polish + portuguese + russian: from the sabine tribe 

saber: (m): japanese: third male child

sachi: (f): japanese: blessed child

sahib: (m): indian: lord and master

salma: (f): arabic: safe + peaceful

salvador: (m): latin: one who saves

samara: (f): hebrew: watched over by God

samson: (m): hebrew: sun

sanaa: (f): african: piece of art

sancho: (m): latin + spanish: sacred or holy

sandy: (unisex): greek: protector of humanity

sanem: (f): turkish: perfection

sang: (m): vietnamese: bright one 

saniya: (f): hindi: dazzling + brilliant 

santos: (m): latin + spanish: saint

T:

taavi: (m): finnish + hebrew: adored

tabitha: (f): aramic: like a gazelle

tadashi: (m): japanese: correct or accurate

tadita: (f): native american: the running one

talia: (f): hebrew: God’s dew

tamas: (m): aramaic + hungarian: twin

tamaya: (f): native american: in the middle

tamiko: (f): japanese: beautiful children 

tamir: (m): arabic: rich man

taner: (m): turkish: born with sunrise

tara: (f): gaelic: from the hill

tariq: (m): arabic: who knocks on the door at night

tasia: (f): greek: resurrection

tatsuya: (m): japanese: one who is well accomplished

tatum: (unisex): english: form the farmstead of tata

V:

vadim: (m): russian + slavic: ruler

valda: (f): germanic: powerful ruler

valdemar: (m): germanic: famous ruler

valencia: (f): latin: strength + power

valentin: (m): latin: hale and healthy 

valentina: (f): italian + latin + russian + spanish: strong and sound

valerian: (m): latin: powerful + strong

valerio: (m): italian + latin + portuguese + spanish: powerful + strong

vana: (f): hebrew: God is merciful

vance: (m): english: from the moors

vanda: (f): czech + germanic: from the vandal tribe

varick: (m): germanic: a protective ruler or king

varya: (f): greek + russian: stranger + foreigner

vashti: (f): persian: excellent + beautiful

vinh: (unisex): vietnamese: glorious

W:

wade: (m): english: from near a ford

waiola: (f): hawaiian + latin: violet flower

walden: (m): english: forest valley

wanda: (f): germanic: from the vandal tribe 

warden: (m): english + germanic: guardian or watchman

wednesday: (f): english: mercury day

wekesa: (m): african: harvest child

wendy: (f): german: family + wanderer

wentworth: (m): english: from a farm near the woods

wera: (f): latin + polish: victory bearer

wessel: (m): germanic: army guard

whitley: (f): english: from a white clearing 

wies: (m): germanic: famous warrior

wikolia: (f): hawaiian + latin: woman of victory

X:

xander: (m): greek: defender of man

xandra: (f): greek: protector of humanity

xenia: (f): greek: woman of hospitality

xenon: (m): greek: foreign person or stranger

xiang: (unisex): chinese: good luck

ximena: (f): hebrew: one who has heard

xing: (m): chinese: successful or thriving 

xiomara: (f): germanic: glorious in war

xun: (m): chinese: very quick or fast

Y:

yadira: (f): arabic: unclear

yaegar: (m): germanic: hunter

yakira: (f): hebrew: dear + beloved

yakov: (m): hebrew: following after

yamato: (m): japanese: old japan

yasamin: (f): persian: jasmine flower

yashiv: (m): hebrew: God will answer

yelena: (f): greek: torch of light

yen: (f): vietnamese: woman of peace

yeriel: (m): hebrew: God has established

yermolai: (m): greek + russian: heap of stones

yeong: (unisex): korean: person with courage

yesenia: (f): spanish: like a flower

yesfir: (f): persian + russian: star-like

yilmaz: (m): turkish: unshaken

Z:

zaan: (m): dutch: from near the zaan river

zahara: (f): hebrew: radiance

zaina: (f): arabic: lovely + pretty

zaire: (m): african + arabic: river

zakai: (m): hebrew: pure, clear or blameless

zaklina: (f): hebrew + polish: one who supplants

zamir: (m): arabic: beautiful voice

zan: (unisex): chinese: providing support

sandra: (f): greek: protector of humanity

zane: (m): english: unclear

zara: (f): arabic: radiant 

zavier: (m): basque: new home

zeinab: (f): arabic: flower of the desert

zeki: (m): turkish: man of intelligence

zen: (f): greek: woman of hospitality

[ardeportal]

Orgullo sobre el escenario - celebremos la diversidad en la música.

Contrario al prejuicio popular, los artistas LGBTQ+ abundan en todos los géneros musicales:  desde Elton John, Freddie Mercury y David Bowie, Dave Davies de The Kinks o Genesis P-Orridge (quien re-definió la concepción del género), llegando a Sudamérica con Ricky Martin, Leo García, Sandra Mianovich y Marilina Ross; la música queer no conoce de límites en cuanto a estilo o temática.  En este 28 de Junio, a 51 años de los disturbios de Stonewall, en Arde celebramos el orgullo destacando el rol del colectivo LGBTQ+ en la música contemporánea. 

Por Ginny Lupin.

¿Por qué el 28 de Junio?

Un 28 de Junio, pero de 1969, las calles de Nueva York eran testigos de la primer protesta liderada por el colectivo LGBTQ+ de la que existe registro.  Congregados en las puertas de Stonewall Inn, bar que servía de punto de encuentro para el colectivo; mujeres y hombres, gays, bisexuales, lesbianas, personas transgénero y demás disidencias se unieron en protesta ante la prepotencia de las - ya frecuentes - redadas policiales.  Existen muchos mitos y otras tantas realidades en cuanto a las protestas de Stonewall. ¿Quién tiró la primera piedra a la policía? ¿Existió una primera piedra? ¿Fue este evento el inicio de la lucha por los derechos del colectivo LGBTQ+?. Lo cierto es que Stonewall no fue el inicio de la lucha, sino lo que logró hacerla visible. Después de esa noche, las protestas siguieron por varios días, derivando en la creación de nuevas organizaciones e inevitablemente - la conmemoración de las primeras marchas por la diversidad, celebradas en Nueva York, Los Angeles y San Francisco hace exactamente 50 años.  En la actualidad, los desfiles y marchas se masificaron a lo largo y ancho del mundo - y aunque no se limiten exclusivamente a esta fecha (en Uruguay - por ejemplo - se celebra el último viernes de Septiembre) - Junio fue marcado a la posteridad como el Mes del Orgullo, popularmente conocido como Pride. 

¿Por qué es la comunidad LGBTQ+ tan importante en la música contemporánea?  La música es un medio de expresión, un canal que da voz - con mayor o menor alcance - a todo aquel que quiera hacer uso del mismo. Para el colectivo LGBTQ+, contar con referentes que utilicen la música abiertamente para propagar su historia y reclamos, es indispensable.  A su vez, la música es punto de encuentro. Bares drag, maricotecas, fiestas temáticas, desfiles y marchas o boliches “friendly” son lugares de pertenencia, donde la comunidad puede expresarse sin temor a represalias; y es en ese entorno que la música cobra un protagonismo innegable. “Himnos” LGBTQ+ como Born This Way de Lady Gaga, True Colors de Cindy Lauper, Vogue por Madonna, Todos me miran (Gloria Trevi) o A Quién Le Importa por Thalía - han sido consigna de encuentros a lo largo y ancho del mundo; cantados a todo pulmón por jóvenes y adultos.  Los colectivos existen históricamente como respuesta a la necesidad del ser humano de pertenecer. En el caso de las juventudes LGBTQ+ este sentido de comunidad es particularmente importante, sobretodo para aquellos jóvenes criados en ambientes hostiles y discriminatorios. Encontrarse en un artista, identificarse con una canción, verse reflejado en los medios; puede hacer la diferencia, facilitando el camino de auto-descubrimiento.  Es por eso que la relación entre el colectivo LGBTQ+ y la música es una de mutuo enriquecimiento. Artistas aportando una voz y perspectiva única, la música acercando esos referentes a quienes lo necesiten. Los oyentes, independientemente de nuestro género u orientación sexual; felices de poder atestiguar semejante intercambio. 

(algunas) Voces LGBTQ+ de las nuevas generaciones.

Laura Gene Grace La cantante y guitarrista del grupo de Punk Rock Against Me! declaró públicamente ser una mujer transgénero en Mayo de 2012, en entrevista con la revista Rolling Stone (en donde, a pesar de sus declaraciones, se refirieron a la artista con pronombres masculinos). Grace se presentó por primera vez bajo su nuevo nombre en un show de Against Me! ese mismo mes, y a partir de la fecha ha realizado diversas manifestaciones de activismo,  como la quema de su certificado de nacimiento en un show de la banda en Carolina del Norte - Mayo de 2016 - con el fin de protestar ante la ley de género referente a los baños impulsada en ese estado. 2016 fue también el año en que lanzó su autobiografía: “ Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout.”; donde aborda su búsqueda de identidad y su carrera en la industria.

Las canadienses Tegan and Sara son, a esta altura, un clásico millennial. Gemelas, abiertamente lesbianas, referentes de la música pop alternativa y soundtrack de toda película y serie existente; las hermanas y su banda llevan adelante iniciativas de activismo desde sus inicios. Con su fundación, Tegan and Sara Foundation, buscan luchar por una mayor justicia económica, sanitaria y representativa para las mujeres en el colectivo LGBTQ+; y sus shows son, históricamente, un lugar seguro para adolescentes y jóvenes de todo género y orientación sexual.  Pioneras de esta “nueva camada” de artistas LGBTQ+, siguen igual de vigentes y activas que en sus inicios. 

A sus 25 años, Pabllo Vittar es la sensación pop del momento. Con base en Brasil y alcance internacional, fue la primer Drag Queen nominada a un Grammy (2019), y ha declarado en numerosas entrevistas su negativa a ocultar su identidad - incorporando en sus letras y presentaciones una constante militancia por los derechos del colectivo. 

Troye Sivan, también de 25 años y públicamente gay, es conocido por sus canciones y audiovisuales usualmente protagonizados por parejas LGBTQ+.  Su trilogía de videos Blue Neighbourhood - que narra la relación secreta de dos chicos adolescentes - fue particularmente aclamada por prensa y fanáticos; y su single Heaven (ft. Betty Who), acunó la célebre frase “without losing a piece of me, how do I get to Heaven?” (sin perder una parte de mi, ¿cómo llego al cielo?)  - además de incluir imágenes históricas del movimiento. Sivan fue también parte de la película Boy Erased (que narra la historia real de un chico enviado a terapia de conversión); tanto desde la actuación, como en la composición de su Soundtrack. 

En un fenómeno aún más reciente; la noruega Marie Ulven Ringheim y su proyecto girl in red - reconocida como ícono queer y soundtrack indiscutible de las mujeres lesbianas y el colectivo en general - ha logrado convertirse, con tan solo 21 años, en una de las voces más fuertes de la nueva generación de artistas en idioma inglés.  Es tal su alcance, que la pregunta “Do you listen to girl in red?” fue popularizada en la red social TikTok como alternativa a indagar acerca de la sexualidad de una chica. Lo cierto es que, por más que su música apunte a un público mucho más amplio, canciones como girls  y i wanna be your girlfriend han adquirido rápidamente el estatus de clásicos dentro del colectivo LGBTQ+. 

Por último, cruzamos a la vecina orilla; donde en 2019 Marilina Bertoldi ganaba el premio Gardel al Álbum del año, declarando:

“Estuve haciendo investigaciones sobre esto. La única persona que no es hombre que ha ganado este premio fue Mercedes Sosa, hace 19 años. Hoy lo gana una lesbiana.”

La cantante y compositora, (hermana menor de Lula Bertoldi cantante de Eruca Sativa), ha conquistado numerosos espacios en la industria, destacándose entre su producción sus dos discos más recientes: Sexo con Modelos (2016, mejor disco de rock en los premios Grammy Latino) y Prender Fuego - el flamante ganador del mencionado premio Gardel.  El año pasado, Bertoldi se presentó en la Marcha de la Diversidad bonaerense, invitando a Benito Cerati al escenario e interpretando juntos un tema de Virus (honrando con éste a Federico Moura, otro gran artista y referente del colectivo en el vecino país). 

En Uruguay

Julio “Kanela” Sosa El ícono del carnaval comenzó su carrera artística bordando vestidos en los cabarets. Hasta su fallecimiento en Diciembre del pasado año, renegó de su condición de “referente” - a pesar de los múltiples reconocimientos que acumulaba. Se definía “marica” (”porque gays son los de ahora”) y se manifestaba reticente a la legalización del Matrimonio Igualitario, algo que no encontraba necesario. Fue amigo de Rosa Luna y Martha Gularte, bailarín y coreógrafo; pero fue al frente de la comparsa Tronar de Tambores que se consagró en el medio local. 

Dani Umpi (Tacuarembó, 1974) es cantante, escritor, poeta, y sobretodo artista. Eterno transgresor, suele abordar en sus obras y declaraciones la perspectiva de un hombre gay nacido en el interior del Uruguay - donde los puntos de encuentro de la comunidad LGBTQ+ son mucho más escasos, por no decir inexistentes.  Reconocido por sus performance extravagantes y kitsch, muchos lo recordarán por su novela Miss Tacuarembó (2004), que fuera llevada al cine en el año 2010 con Natalia Oreiro como protagonista. 

En este 28 de Junio, a 50 años del inicio de las marchas por la diversidad multitudinarias a nivel mundial; celebremos al colectivo LGBTQ+ en todas sus presentaciones, colores y sonidos. Por más playlists, festivales y escenarios inclusivos - con el deseo constante de que no exista lugar para la discriminación dentro de la música. 

[magzoso-tech]

New Post has been published on https://magzoso.com/tech/married-co-founders-are-a-startups-secret-weapon/

Married co-founders are a startup’s secret weapon

“If I was running Clearbanc by myself, it probably would have gone off the cliff eight times at this point,” says Clearbanc co-founder Andrew D’Souza. 

“If I were running the company by myself, it would be half its size,” adds Michele Romanow, Clearbanc’s other co-founder.

In addition to starting the $420 million-backed fintech company together, D’Souza and Romanow are in a relationship.

The two initially met at an event in San Francisco, and followed up with a friendly informational interview at a Mexican restaurant. D’Souza’s fundraising experience was a draw for Romanow, who at the time was looking for information about how to raise cash for her startup. Romanow ended up selling her company to Groupon, but her conversation with D’Souza helped to anchor the valuation. It was also the beginning of a relationship. 

When they started dating in 2014, they swapped war stories about company building. Their connection hinged on this initial commonality — D’Souza had fundraised all his businesses, whereas Romanow had bootstrapped. It was from these conversations that they created Clearbanc, the Canada-based VC firm that specializes in non-dilutive revenue share agreements for startups.

Startups with coupled co-founders at the helm are scoring big funding rounds and exiting companies. Julia and Kevin Hartz co-founded Eventbrite, which went public on the New York Stock Exchange in 2018. Married couple Diane Greene and Mendel Rosenblum were on the co-founding team of VMware, which sold to Dell in 2015. The bond of a relationship may be a secret weapon in company building for new-wave tech startups, but that doesn’t come without risks, like co-founder disharmony, equity supermajority and even divorce.

Clearbanc founders Andrew D’Souza and Michele Romanow

“Just put the phone down.”

Talk to anyone with a co-founder title at a startup and you’ll find one trend: free time is nearly nonexistent. Couples running a business together say it’s advantageous to be on the same workday cycle. “When you’re working on the same business, you’re on the same cadence of when things are blowing up,” says Romanow. “So I know exactly why Andrew is on his phone. I know that if he doesn’t do this, I will have to do it.” 

NEXT Trucking co-founders Lidia Yan and Elton Chung have raised $125 million total for their logistics startup, including a $97 million Series C from Brookfield and Sequoia. The pair says that the company is a presence that’s fully built into their lives and their relationship at all times. While that may be great for a business, it’s not always great for their marriage. “We got into a momentum of talking about work all the time. Not only at the office but at home,” says Yan. The solution is a simple rule enforced by an iPhone alarm. All work-related talk must cease after 8pm every day after the alarm goes off. They also use free time on the weekends to go to restaurants in LA, one of their shared passions. 

NEXT Trucking co-founders Lidia Yan and Elton Chung

Co-founder couples say that if you’re scaling a company, you’ll have to be okay with putting other life decisions on hold, like going on your honeymoon or having kids. 

Leslie Voorhees and Calley Means were married in 2016, but still haven’t taken their honeymoon. They co-founded Anomalie, a wedding dress customization startup that has raised $18.1 million. Instead of vacationing to Bora Bora the day after their wedding, the newlywed founders hopped on a plane to China, where Leslie stayed for a couple of months to set up the supply chain for Anomalie. The couple admits that even now, they don’t make time for their personal lives.

“We have not spent more than an hour of our entire marriage not talking about wedding dresses. It’s not necessarily the healthiest thing, but we’ve enjoyed obsessing about wedding dresses every day,” says Leslie.

Their skills complement each other: Calley’s superpower is that he can move fast, whereas Leslie is more methodical and good at setting up structure. While they say that being a co-founder couple has strengthened their bond, they’re working on setting boundaries. Being a founder means you have to sacrifice other areas of your life for the company. 

“Once we raise the Series D, we’ll start thinking about having kids,” jokes Calley — in what may not actually be a joke. 

Leslie Voorhees and Calley Means, Anomalie co-founders

Investors are warming up to married co-founders

Clearbanc wants to make it easier and faster for startups to raise growth capital. Their 20-minute term sheet product is meant to help founders raise money in 20 minutes, rather than the traditional 3 to 6 months the process typically takes. But how did investors react to Clearbanc’s co-founders relationship status? Not well, at first. 

A Clearbanc investor passed on an early round, explaining to D’Souza and Romanow that they would have backed either of them individually, but that they were worried about backing them as a couple, especially since they had only been dating for a year at that point.

“The same investor ended up coming in two rounds later at 100 times the valuation,” says D’Souza. This, they felt, proved that fear of investing in a couple was a false sense of increased risk.

It seems investors today agree. When the married co-founders of Apli, a Mexico-based on-demand recruiting platform, walked into the office of ALLVP, the fund wasn’t entirely sure about what it meant to invest in a company run by a married couple.

Founders Vera and Jose met while studying together at Harvard Business School before working at two separate Rocket Internet companies in Mexico and foundling Apli. The business model, product market fit and potential impact for the company were typical factors the fund mulled over before writing a check, but ALLVP also considered the founders’ married status.

“After some discussion, we decided to analyze the team as any other founding team,” says ALLVP partner Federico Antoni. Besides the obvious personal chemistry, there was a professional chemistry between Vera and Jose. “We weighed the risk of divorce and decided to take it. We gained a team fully invested in the company and one that could balance personal life and startup life.” 

Equity could pose another risk factor. Investors could be wary of founder couples depending on the equity structure. If their finances are combined, a co-founder couple could own a supermajority of a startup. Say two non-married founders owned 20% of a company — a co-founder couple whose finances are tied together would own 40%. Given this logic, VCs would inherently have more negotiating power if the founders aren’t financially linked.

VCs I talked to didn’t necessarily agree with that logic, though.

“The only thing with equity that matters to me is if the founders have enough,” says Andreessen Horowitz General Partner David Ulevitch. “Venture capital investments are inherently minority investments, so it’s really just about ensuring founders are motivated and rewarded for building something enduring.” 

But what happens when the dual identities of co-founder and spouse don’t work?

Divorce won’t necessarily be the demise of a startup

Sara and Josh Margulis founded Honeyfund, a honeymoon registry site, in 2006. The then-married couple appeared on Shark Tank in 2015, winning an investment from Kevin O’Leary. Sara says that Honeyfund is different from popular wedding startups like Zola and The Knot in that the core product is a crowdfunding platform enabling newly engaged couples to organize wedding and honeymoon financing. 

When Sara and Josh divorced in 2019, the first instinct was to sell the company. However, “the more we pulled apart professionally, the more opportunities I saw to organize the team the way I wanted to and push the priorities that I wanted,” Sara says. Ultimately, Sara decided she would buy her ex-husband out of the company and continue on a new trajectory as CEO. 

“If we hadn’t been working together, our separation process would have been different. There were truths that needed to be spoken that were emotionally difficult in a marriage, that I didn’t want to put on Josh in the middle of a big Target partnership launch.”

The genesis of their business was rooted in their own experience as a married couple. They’d won the affection of Sharks, operating in a $72 billion industry hinging on the commoditization of love and lasting marriage. But the honeymoon phase can’t last forever. Up to 50% of married couples in the United States will split, according to the American Psychological Association.  

Now, Margulis’ experience of divorcing her co-founder is informing new products and a marketing strategy as she continues to iterate on her startup.

Post-divorce, Margulis has been working on a content-focused strategy at Honeyfund that will include a book and a podcast centered around the idea of how couples can successfully navigate marriages. She’s sourcing 14 years’ worth of Honeyfund couples to be interviewed, along with research from psychologists and marriage experts to help couples avoid the doom she went through. 

The secret weapon

Co-founder couples are the first to eagerly point out an obvious advantage. Aligned passions, equal motivation, complementary skillsets and industry experience are a baseline for any co-founder relationship, married or non-married. But being married to your co-founder includes unique challenges like time management and setting boundaries in the boardroom and in the bedroom.

“Co-founder disputes are the number one early startup killer, but it doesn’t have to be that way,” writes Garry Tan, managing partner at Initialized Capital and former Y Combinator partner.

Co-founders aren’t always aligned on big decisions at the company. Is remote work allowed? Who do we accept funding from and how do we deploy capital? Who do we hire for a key executive role?

There are plenty of things to fight about when the stakes are high and your employees’ careers are at risk. And co-founder disharmony has been a key reason many startups flounder. But being proactive about conflict management rather than avoiding it is key — as is knowing when to get professional help from an executive coach or a therapist. This could help early-stage companies recalibrate and dodge turmoil. 

If this line of reasoning holds, co-founder couples may be at an advantage because they already have built-in communication tools in their relationship.

Ulevitch says that for him, couples as co-founders is not a turn off.

“Lots of co-founding teams fall apart, and it’s often to not really knowing each other very well, especially when the going gets tough. Couples actually solve for that aspect nicely.” Founders certainly back up this assertion. 

“One of the company values is to disagree and commit,” says NEXT Trucking’s Lidia Yan. In what she describes as a rare occasion when executives are not aligned on a decision, she says that a vote will take place, and then the team will all commit to the final decision. In order to mitigate risk, founders say it’s key to have well-defined job descriptions. Stay in your zone, and because you are partners, you should already trust each other with what each person is specialized at. 

Being married to your co-founder is a secret weapon, according to Helena Price Hambrecht and Woody Hambrecht.

Haus co-founders Helena Price Hambrecht and Woody Hambrecht

Helena and Woody met during the pre-swipe era on OkCupid in 2012. “I had just joined the online dating space and saw this hot farmer dude. We were a 96% match, so I messaged him,” says Helena of how she first connected with her future husband. 

“I literally thought someone was catfishing me,” thought Woody upon reading Helena’s message. “There’s no way this person is writing me. It took me three or four times to write her back because I wasn’t sure if she was a real person.” 

After some back and forth, the two met at a dive bar in the San Francisco Richmond neighborhood on a date that culminated in drinking 40s and watching rap videos on their phones in the park. “It’s kind of hard to explain, but it was just so easy. We knew we were going to know each other for the rest of our lives. Maybe as friends, maybe more, we didn’t know.” They stayed friends for four years, and were married in 2018. 

Haus’ genesis was a combination of the founders’ backgrounds, and the direct-to-consumer aperitif brand just scored a $4.5 million seed round. Woody owned a wine and aperitif brand but felt that he wasn’t making a big enough impact. Helena, a Silicon Valley branding and production veteran, felt that Gen Z didn’t want to get drunk anymore, and millennials are tired of compulsory, expensive happy hours. In deciding where to put their money, younger consumers are thinking about their bodies, brand image, transparency, sustainability and authenticity.

Helena wondered why the same standards aren’t being applied to as big of an industry as liquor. Why was there not a Glossier or Everlane of alcohol? She felt that while there’s a massive opportunity with all these shifting consumer trends, no one can make a direct-to-consumer alcohol brand. Haus was born from what the founders say was a magic “techie married a wine maker” moment. Woody knew about a legal loophole that could allow the couple to build the Glossier of alcohol. 

“There’s this tiny sliver in the aperitif realm, where if a beverage is made of mostly grapes and is under 24% alcohol, it can be classed as a wine and sold DTC,” explains Helena. They had that idea when they had a three-month-old baby. “We do not have time to do this but we have to do it because it’s the best idea we’ll ever have in our life,” she says. 

“We have a tool kit. We are married. If we have a disagreement about something, we are going to work it out because we’re married. Our skillsets are so clearly defined so there’s not much friction. For us it’s this cool balance where we have two totally separate camps of expertise,” remarks Helena. 

Woody and Helena have another secret weapon. They work with a business coach who has a background in psychotherapy, and believe that all co-founders should go to therapy together, because it’s always deeper than just business. 

Talkspace founders Roni and Oren Frank

Talkspace’s Roni and Oren Frank would agree. Their journey to the mental health world started from a crisis within their own relationship.

“Our marriage was falling apart, and we eventually decided to give it a last chance in couples therapy.” It was the first time either of them had experienced therapy. It taught them how to communicate better, read each other and support each other better. It gave them tools to manage conflict. 

Therapy inspired Roni to leave her career as a software developer and go back to graduate school to study psychology. While studying, she says she was exposed to how broken the mental health system in America is.

Roni says that research showed 25% of Americans suffer from mental health complications, yet an entire two-thirds of that bucket has no access to mental health care. The two founders both felt passionate about fixing this problem based on how instrumental therapy was in rescuing their own marriage. They decided to launch a platform that lets patients and therapists communicate online. 

Talkspace, which wants to open access to mental healthcare, has now raised $110 million, most recently a $50 million Series D. The product ideation for the company was integral to the relationship, and the company now has more than 100 employees. But when Talkspace was a young, 10-person startup, it was a lot harder. Roni notes that the co-founder relationship provoked extreme anxiety.

“I didn’t sleep well, I didn’t eat well and I experienced burnout.” She says she had to force herself to place boundaries when it comes to being consumed with work. However, overall, her experience has been that sharing a mission and a goal empowers the marriage, a healthy inverse.

Co-founder couples rave about the experience of running a business with their spouse. It’s no doubt these companies are developing proprietary products, running winning marketing strategies and generating big rounds and exits.

The married co-founder dynamic appears to be great for business, but time will tell if it works as equally well for marriages.

[automaticvr]

Elton John Farewell Yellow Brick Road Tour Announcement 2018 Spinifex Group & Rocket Entertainment CREATIVE LEAD: Ben Casey EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Sandy McEvoy CLIENT MANAGEMENT: Jo Hedley LIVE EVENT PRODUCERS: Glenn Herniter, Sarah Mason, Adam Serle, Anthony Hickson HEAD OF INTERACTIVE: Shea Clayton INTERACTIVE PRODUCER: Cassandra Ichniowski VISUAL EFFECTS PRODUCERS: Alenka Obal, Dave Wein, Anthony Esebag, Cyril de Baecque LIVE ACTION DIRECTOR: Damian Fulton ART DIRECTOR: Ben Alpass LEAD VR ARTIST: Aaron Kaminar LEAD FACE ANIMATORS: Kirk Cadrette, Shoghi Castel De Oro 3D FACE MODELER: Kris Kelly VISUAL EFFECTS DIRECTOR: Stephen Van Elst VISUAL EFFECTS ARTISTS: Tristan Maduro, Fred Ross, Thomas Pullar, Stephen Morton, Steve Verne, Chris Sayres , Kasey Allen, John Federico, Roy Christian, Shanu Shukla LEAD COMPOSITORS: Will Skinner, Duncan Dix PROJECTION MAPPING CREATIVE: Jason French PROJECTION MAPPING 2D ARTIST: Bartek Reszelski LEAD DEVELOPER: Clint Hannaford DEVELOPMENT TEAM: Justin Crown, Adam Schneider, Malcom Tyson, Bryan Lemus, Jeremy Bunting, Brendan Biagas MEDIA TECHNICAL DIRECTOR: Lang Walker DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Evan Pesses SOUND MIX: Brian Yaskulka PRODUCTION MANAGER: Dana Skaggs MOTION CAPTURE PARTNER: House of Moves LIVE STREAM PARTNERS: YouTube, Vantage TV HEADSET PARTNER: Welens Source: https://ift.tt/2LtXMFC

[thepredatorywasp]

top 10 books :)

oops forgot to answer this last night. in no particular order: 

crush by richard sinken

the shadow of the wind by carlos ruiz zafon

in the dream house by carmen maria machado

little fires everywhere + everything i never told you by celeste ng

normal people by sally rooney

homegoing by yaa gyasi

bodas de sangre by federico garcia lorca

pride and prejudice by jane austen 

one hundred years of solitude by gabriel garcia marquez

me by elton john 

[pinksixty]

The Life and Endurance of Amanda Lear

Amanda Lear is a force of nature that endures, even as she approaches 70, or should that be 80?

Her early years are shrouded in mystery, but In the 1960s she began working with British fashion designer Mary Quant and became Ossie Clark’s top model, recognised across the swinging London fashion scene.

Paco Rabanne then picked Amanda Lear for his runway show in Paris and through him, she met…

[ultraisabarrosmartins1978]

Explosão de cinema no MIS: sessões e exposição marcam programação

O ano mal começou e a cidade de São Paulo já está fervendo. E a programação de cinema no MIS está aí para provar isso. A sétima arte está dominando o museu, que no domingo, dia 12, tem sessões de “8½”, de Federico Fellini, no Cinematographo, de “O jogo da imitação”, de Morten Tyldum, no CineCiência , além da super exposição “Musicais no Cinema“. 😱 Olha só:

Cinematographo

Curta o domingo no MIS com a primeira edição de 2020 do Cinematographo, que não poderia ser mais especial. Comemora os 100 anos de nascimento de Federico Fellini. O projeto é uma verdadeira viagem no tempo, porque o público pode assistir diversos filmes com uma trilha sonora ao vivo. E é a banda O Campo e a Cidade que sonoriza “8½” (1963) no domingão, dia 12, às 15h. Os ingressos custam R$ 20 (inteira) e R$ 10 (meia-entrada) e podem ser adquiriridos aqui.

Na história, prestes a rodar sua próxima obra, o cineasta Guido Anselmi (Marcello Mastroianni) ainda não tem ideia de como será o filme. Mergulhado em uma crise existencial e pressionado pelo produtor, pela mulher, pela amante e pelos amigos, ele se interna em uma estação de águas e passa a misturar o passado com o presente, ficção com realidade. O longa foi premiado com o Oscar de Melhor Filme Estrangeiro.

Federico Fellini nasceu em 20 de janeiro de 1920, em Rimini, na Emília-Romanha, e morreu em 31 de outubro de 1993, em Roma. Seus filmes abordam o universo da fantasia, da memória e do sonho, e influenciaram grandes cineastas, como Woody Allen, David Lynch,David Cronenberg, Stanley Kubrick, Martin Scorsese, Tim Burton e Pedro Almodóvar. Em 1993, Fellini recebeu o Oscar Honorário pelo conjunto de sua obra.

CineCiência

Para os amantes da ciência – e do Benedict Cumberbatch ❤ – tem programação GRATUITA também no domingão. O filme “O Jogo da Imitação” (2014), de Morten Tyldum, é exibido às 16h no Auditório LABMIS. Após a sessão acontece  um debate com José Luiz Goldfarb sobre inteligência artificial. Para participar, basta retirar o ingresso a partir das 15h na recepção do museu.

O longa biográfico conta a história do matemático Alan Turing, que passa a ser investigado por policiais após ter sua casa invadida. Suspeitando de seu comportamento e falta de registros de guerra, decidem interrogar Turing com medo que ele seja um espião. Ele então revela que na verdade foi parte de um projeto secreto da inteligência britânica em Bletchley Park.

EXPOSIÇÃO DE LEONARDO DA VINCI MARCA NOVA FASE DO MIS-SP

Ao longo da trama, o público conhece diversas facetas de Turing, incluindo a infância em 1927, a paixão por um colega em um colégio interno antes deste morrer de pneumonia bovina, até sua atuação durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial, trabalhando com um grupo de criptografia para decodificar a máquina Enigma, usada pela Alemanha Nazista para tornar suas mensagens incompreensíveis em caso de interceptação pelo inimigo.

A atividade integra o projeto mensal CineCiência.

Musicais no Cinema

Até o dia 16 de fevereiro está rolando no MIS a exposição “Musicais no Cinema”, concebida pelo Musée de la Musique – Philharmonie de Paris e inédita fora da França. Se quiser aproveitar este domingo no MIS para ver a mostra, você vai encontrar um panorama sobre o universo do gênero musical no cinema nacional e internacional, desde os primórdios do cinema musicado até obras recentes, como o premiado “La La Land” (2016) e “Rocketman” (2019), cinebiografia de Elton John.

Mais de 200 filmes de diversas partes do mundo estão presentes na exposição. Há um acervo composto por otografias, vídeos, cartazes, documentos de produção, figurinos e depoimentos. Ainda é possível tirar fotos com elementos icônicos, como o poste de “Cantando na Chuva” (1952) ou o guarda-chuva da Mary Poppins.

Para a adaptação brasileira, a Caselúdico– parceira do MIS em mostras como “O mundo de Tim Burton” e “Castelo Rá-Tim-Bum – a exposição” – desenvolveu um novo projeto arquitetônico. No espaço para as produções nacionais estão as “Chanchadas”, produzidas principalmente nas décadas de 1940 e 1950. Naquela época, o público lotava as salas de cinema para ver nomes como Grande Otelo, Oscarito, Vera Regina, Adelaide Chiozzo, Emilinha Borba, José Lewgoy, Ankito, Anselmo Duarte, Ivon Curi, entre muitos outros.

A visitação acontece de terça a sábado, das 10h às 20h, e aos domingos e feriados, das 10h às 19h. Os ingressos podem ser comprados aqui.

Gostou? Se cinema e cultura pop fazem seu coração bater mais rápido, que tal aproveitar para ver a megaexposição “Batman 80”?

Veja também: ‘Batman 80’: megaexposição tem 50% de desconto aqui

Explosão de cinema no MIS: sessões e exposição marcam programaçãopublicado primeiro em como se vestir bem

[bbolli]

Santana (4)

Audiovision (2)

Average White Band (2)

Bon Jovi (2)

Elis Regina (2)

Elton John (2)

Grand Funk Railroad (2)

Joy Denalane (2)

Lafee (2)

Lee Ritenour (2)

Lionel Richie (2)

Marcus Miller (2)

Marcus Miller, Alex Han, Federico Gonzalez Pena & Ronal Bruner, Jr. (2)

Mary J. Blige (2)

P.O.D. (2)

Philipp Fankhauser (2)

Steve Lukather (2)

Sting (2)

Toni Braxton (2)

Toto (2)

Werner Hucks (2)

Whitney Houston (2)

[mauriciogaia-blog]

SOBRE MI HIJO

LOS HIJOS SON PARA SIEMPRE…

Federico andaba con algunos CD´s en su morral. Los estoy oyendo. Música cubana, Carmina Burana, Nana Mouskouri, Víctor Heredia, Elton Jhon y Phil Collins, vallenatos, sones del Caribe. Él se sentía costeño, oceánico, hombre del mar y de la Sierra Nevada lugar en el que hace muchos años ―no lo supe― liberó un cóndor junto a una comunidad arhuaca. También amaba los…