#goodbye mr. tod

[the-gershomite]

Gary Gianni's The Monster Men -August 1999- Dark Horse Comics

"Goodbye, Mr. Tod"

story and art by Mike Mignola

colored by Dave Stewart

lettered by Pat Brosseau

[tainted-liquor]

⋆✦ Keep Talkin' ⋆ [3.11.23] - ft. Miles G. Morales ⋆ Ingredients: Sugar, Smiles, and a lil bit of Salt! A/N! READER HAS A STUTTER. Please keep that In Mind.

“Miles, c’mon…get up-“ You chuckled, using all your strength to shuffle Miles off your body. “Absolutely not.” He blurted, somehow getting heavier than earlier as he further relaxed on top of your chest. “I-It’s almost the e-e-end…fuck” you sighed, growing more and more agitated by the minute. For as long as you could remember, you had a mind that moved faster than your mouth could deliver; words and syllables getting lost on the tip of your tongue every time you attempted to vocalize your thoughts. “Mamita, está bien. vamos, sigue hablando, It doesn’t bother me” Miles grunted, plunging his face further into your soft navy-blue wool sweater.

“Y-y-yeah y-you don’t, I do” you chuckled, feeling the air fill your lungs as Miles hoisted himself off of you. The temperature difference was terrifying; you had gone from a comfortable cozy warm to a sudden burst of wintery air blowing directly on you from the A/C. You pulled yourself off the sophomore lounge’s plush bean bag, stretching and yawning while Miles poured coffee into his matte black water bottle. The enticing scent of fresh brew wafted through the space, invading the senses of anyone who passed by the cozy lounge. “You want some?” He asked, pouring French vanilla, cinnamon, sugar, and caramel into the bottle and giving it an aggressive shake.

You nodded, taking the bottle from his hands and taking a deep swig from the warm cup of caffeine. “Aight, c’mon. You have class” Miles recalled, wrapping his arm around your shoulders as he guided you out of the dim and inviting lights of the lounge to the harsh fluorescent lighting of the school hallway. “Miles, can we go to…what’s i-i-i-it called…the cafe across the str-..the cafe across the str-street?” You asked, twisting the cap back on his water bottle and handing it back to him without missing a beat. “Yeah, of course, come get me after class,” he beamed, shoving the water bottle back into the side of his blue backpack. You said your goodbyes, slipping into the cold confines of your classroom while you waited for the rest of the student body to cram into their assigned seats.

Tension was high as everyone opened their computers, faces being illuminated by the ghostly white hue of their screens as they got ready to present their Google slides. You’d always been exempt from vocalizing lengthy presentations, but today you wanted to at least try to work through or around your stutter. You got up from your seat as quietly as possible before fixing your ash grey skirt and made your way over to Mr. Talgate’s desk. You felt slightly more confident, or maybe that was just the ghost of pride taking over you from Miles’ reassurance prior. But regardless of what it was, you wanted to present your slides, especially with how hard you worked on them for the past 3 days.

“Mr. Talgate? Is i-i-it…is i-it alright i-i-if I pres-present today? I’m really proud of my slides n’ I wanna try tod-today” You whispered, attempting to suppress that agitating stutter of yours. Mr. Tailgate looked elated, like a proud father who was ready to support his daughter with anything she wanted. “Yeah, of course! You can go right after…uh,” He mumbled, looking over the classroom to see who you could sandwich your presentation in between. “Lisa! You can go after Lisa. But if you ever wanna stop, just let me know…Make a time-out sign with your hands and I’ll let you go, alright?” He smiled, waving you off as you nodded and retreated to your seat. No thoughts were coursing through your head as everyone went up and gave their speeches; one by one, people’s names were removed from the list as your time to speak came closer and closer. 

You fixed everything that you could, reciting your I’s and Y’s and E’s with each passing second. Lisa took any final questions, before giving a warm smile and a thumbs up in your direction, mouthing “Good luck babes!” before collecting her computer and returning to her seat. You gave her a sheepish, lopsided smile in return as you prepped the small podium in the front of the classroom to present your project. You sucked in a deep breath, wrangling your thoughts and lingering anxieties before turning to face your peers.

“Hi! So, m-my pres-presentation i-i-i-is about th-th…the chemical compound Nitrous O-Oxide.  As you can see, there’s-” You began, quickly beginning to feel the epiphany of speaking in front of a whole class setting in. You were doing fine for the most part, until a random voice in the back spoke up, ruining the rest of your day. 

“Yo, does she always fuckin’ stutter like this? We can’t skip her?” He moaned, throwing his hands in the air like he was stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic. Your blood ran cold as you shut your mouth and clutched the sides of the glazed oak podium. The class erupted in groans of annoyance and shouts of ‘Shut up!’ aimed at the boy as you quickly sat back down at your desk. Your waterline pooled with tears as the boy named ‘Kaiden’ was ejected from class. What a fucking loser.

You barricaded your face in your arms, the tip of your nose ghosting your desk as tears silently trailed from your eyes. The sound of whispers and apologetic glances in your direction went unnoticed as the tinnitus made itself known in your ears, flooding your senses as the pressure on your throat grew heavier. You struggled to control your breathing while you asked the teacher to leave, earning quick confirmation and a gentle pat on the shoulder from Mr. Talgate. When you finally brought yourself out of the classroom, you wiped away the remnants of the salty tears in the mirror that you kept in your blue locker. No matter how hard you dabbed at the trail of tears, no amount of recovery or cleanup would dissipate the feeling of dread that pooled into your stomach every time you went to open your mouth.

Anyway,

Thankfully, that was your last class of the day. All that was left was to find Miles and get some food, and then you could go home to your warm and comforting pink cotton sheets. Your glossy Mary Janes clinked against the pure white vinyl composition tiles, echoing through the spirit-painted walls as you advanced toward the sophomore lounge once more. You pushed open the deep grey sliding door, revealing your boyfriend with his legs propped up on the window seal. He crouched with his knees to his chest, one AirPod in his left ear as he read a bright red comic about someone named Spider-Man. His eyes broke their pattern of scanning over the small font and vibrant pictures, instantly turning over to look at you as he lifted himself off the window.

“Wassup, Ma…You out early, they let you go or somethin’?” He asked, giving you a tight hug and a kiss on the forehead. There was a moment of silence as you nodded with a small smile, earning a sideways glance from Miles. There was a thought that itched at the back of his mind, but he went against his better judgment and assumed you were tired and just wanted some food. It was all going fine until he realized that you were 2 minutes away from the familiar French cafe and you hadn’t said a single word. He missed your usual commentary as you passed by buildings, giggled about dogs, and pointed out signs that caught your attention. He glanced over in your direction, observing as you stared at the ground and fiddled with his bandaged fingers.

“You good Ma? You been real quiet lately… what's on your mind?” He questioned as he held open the glass door so you could pass through into the soft, dim, yellow lighting of the cafe. It was virtually impossible to get anything past Miles; he knew you better than he knew himself, that was clear. Your voice was barely above a whisper as you unpacked the events of 8th  period. “Then he said that I shou-shouldn’t be presenting,” you mumbled, taking a seat at the deep brown leather booth just by the back exit. The store was warm and the fragrance of fresh baked goods wafted through the air, something that could always be associated with comfort and relaxation wasn’t doing much to help you relax right now.

“Well fuck him. Fuckin’ dumbass ain’t even had the balls to say it at the front of the classroom…Kaiden failing his classes anyway baby don’t pay that bum any mind. His mama got 2 teaspoons of hair, Déjalo donde está” He grumbled, rolling his eyes as he slid you closer to his side. “Listen, don’t let them niggas hurt your feelings. He a fat rectangle with buck teeth, don’t let that motherfucker bend you,” He grunted.

“Now c’mon, I want a cannoli.”

Tags !!

@ashsostrange @chessbox @janaeby @faeriesoiree333 @fivestardior @an1bara @bachirasegoist @niaurluv @sp1derw1re @ban-al3x  @we-loveebony @kae2kaee @dxrlingcc

[lovecla]

© property of lovecla, nhl masterlist, nico hischier x you.

FAKE IT 'TILL YOU MAKE IT, phase five:

<last chapter>

➴ chapter warnings: none!

➴ word count: 1.8k

💌 from me to you: it’s still weird to me how this fic barely has any warnings… like what! no fights? no drugs? no misunderstandings? only love and fluff? weird. this one’s a little bit on the shorter side, hope u guys can forgive me :,) i love all of you

𖧷

𖧷

IT WAS December 25th, and you had just finished eating lunch with your family. Mia stopped by to visit you and your parents, and you took the opportunity to chat with her and ask what she thinks about the outfit you chose to visit Nico and his family.

“Do you think this is too much?”

Mia smiles at you while she plays with Tod, your family’s dog.

“No, baby. You look amazing. I’m sure Nico will want you as his present.”

You feel your cheeks getting warm and you try to hide them with your hands. “Don’t say that…”

“You’re so cute, Em,” she says, staring at you with fond eyes. “Is this your first time meeting his parents as his girlfriend?”

You sigh before nodding. Lying to your best friend feels terrible.

“Yes,” you sit on the couch, putting on your warmest boots. “That’s why I’m like this. I love his family a lot and I really want them to think I’m the right… person. For Nico.”

Stop talking, Emma, what the hell.

Mia smiles.

“You’re so cute,” she also gets up. “I’m sure they’ll see it right away.”

You really hoped so.

You and Mia told your parents goodbye and you promised them you’d be back by next week— since you’d go back to your house after visiting the Hischiers. They made Mia take two containers full of leftover food and promise she’d tell her mom to come visit them.

“Don’t be nervous, baby,” Mia gives you a kiss on your forehead, squeezing your arms afterwards. “You’re amazing. And they already like you, so you don’t have to worry.”

“Thanks,” you mumble. “I hope you’re right.”

You drove to Nico’s house with shaky hands. You still remember the first time you met his parents, Katja and Rino; you were in one of the Devils games, and since you were sitting close to them, you started chit chatting with them, not knowing who they were.

You were young and very eager to see one of your favorite teams playing, and it was the first time you were going alone, with no one else, so the cute couple beside you seemed like the best company.

By the end of the second period you already knew a lot about them— they had three children, they were from Switzerland and they were visiting New Jersey for a week.

It was almost impossible not to freak out when they took you with them to the VIP room— a place you’d never been before, because despite being friends with Jack and Luke, they weren’t playing for the Devils at that time— and introduced you to their son, no one other than Nico Hischier himself.

You would’ve never imagined that years later you’d be going to his house, on Christmas, to meet his parents as his girlfriend.

Fake girlfriend.

Right.

You parked in front of his house and took a deep breath, reminding yourself that your lie would help Nico anyway.

Even if you could completely lose their trust if they found out.

You rang the doorbell and smiled when Rino opened the door for you, wearing a cute, adorable Christmas themed sweater.

“Hey, there, schätzli,” he greets you, his strong accent making you laugh. “You’re finally here.”

“Hi, Mr. Hischier,” you hug him, standing on the tip of your toes since Nico’s entire family consists of tall, gorgeous people. “So nice to see you again.”

“Come in, come in,” he opens the door wider and guides you in, as you stare at the room you’re— now— so used to. It’s heavily decorated with Christmas decorations and a huge tree sits on the corner of Nico’s living room. The fireplace is on, and the vibes are extremely cozy.

Nico is standing by the fireplace with his hands in his pockets, talking to his brother, Luca, while Nina is sitting on the couch with her mom.

“Lueg, wär da isch!” Rino says, and even if you don’t understand it, you know he must’ve said something to announce that you had just arrived, because the second he’s done talking, all eyes are on you— Nico’s included.

“Oh my God, finally!” Nina says, jumping out of the couch and running to hug you. You hug her back just as fast, happy to see her after so long. “I’ve missed you, Roberts!”

You laugh, because Nina Hischier is the only person in the entire world who calls you by your last name instead of your first.

“I’ve missed you too, Nina.”

“You’re gorgeous!” She takes your hands and holds them together. “How have you been?”

“I’m fine,” you shrug, blushing with the attention. “What about you?”

“I’m super,” she says with a french accent, which makes you laugh. “Now I’m even more super because you’re my sister in law!”

Her excitement makes you sad. Because, technically, you’re not. What you and Nico have isn’t real, and will never be.

Nora Ellis is your real sister in law. Not me.

“Leave the poor girl alone, sweet baby Jesus,” Ratja takes your hands out of Nina’s hold and hugs you, kissing your cheek. “But you do look gorgeous, honey. Did you do something with your hair?”

“You stopped wearing those ugly, blue shoes. That’s what’s different.” Luca jokes and everyone laughs, as you roll your eyes.

You feel a pair of hands in your waist, and you shiver under Nico’s touch. You hadn’t even realized he had moved to your side, and was now standing behind you.

He kisses the top of your head before he says: “Leave my girlfriend alone. D ihr sind so nöig,” he clicks his tongue. “Sorry about this.”

“‘s fine,” you say, shaking your head. “And for the record, my blue boots weren’t ugly. You just don’t understand what fashion is.”

“Sure we don’t.” Luca says back, and you need to hold the want of flipping him off back.

“We were just about to watch a movie,” Rino says, sitting back on the couch, stretching his legs. “Can you join us? Or do you have somewhere else to be?”

“I’m free all afternoon.” You smile, and they start discussing which Christmas movie is the best.

While their loud voices fill the entire house, Nico’s whisper in your ear is the only thing you focus on.

“Thank you for coming. I owe you.”

You turn around, facing him and his chocolate eye, realizing how he looks so cute, with his face a little flushed due to the warmth provided by the fire.

“You don’t need to thank me,” you smile. “It’s part of the deal.”

“The deal was to help me trick Nora, not my family,” he says, and you roll your eyes, playfully.

“It’s the same thing. We’ll be fine. We survived worse things, right?”

“Mhm,” he puts a strand of your hair behind your ear, his eyes scanning your entire face. “Like that one dinner last month.”

You grin. “Yeah. Like that one dinner last month.”

“Will you guys stop being disgusting and come here?” Nina asks, and you blush while Nico says something to her in Swiss-German— probably a curse word since his dad told him to stay quiet.

“Uh…” you start, looking at the couch. Nina and Luca were both sitting in the remaining chairs beside the couch, and Nico’s parents were sitting side to side on it.

“Come sit with me.” Nico whispers, walking to the free space on the couch and taking you with him.

You can feel yourself start to panic when you realize he doesn't want you to sit beside him, but on him.

Yet, if you’d started bickering about it, it would look suspicious. All of his family were just waiting for you both to get comfortable so they could start the movie, so you couldn’t take too long deciding whether you’d sit on or beside him.

Nodding, you sit sideways on Nico’s lap, holding in a sigh of satisfaction. He’s warm and his clothes are smelling like him, and when you rest your head against his chest, with his arms holding you close and his chin resting on top of yours, you know you’re absolutely done.

“Are we all ready?” Katja asks but doesn’t wait for an answer, signaling to Nina so she could press play and start the movie.

You can feel Nico’s chest going up and down, his breathing steady and calm. His heart is beating and the sound soothes you, guiding you into a deep state of calm, while you try to keep yourself calm.

You shouldn’t feel like this. Not with him. Not with the man you’re supposed to be helping, the man you’re supposed to be supporting.

He’s in love with someone else, and has been for years now. Yet, you keep replying to the past two months in your head, wishing you could go back in time just to make the most out of those moments again.

When he took you ice skating. When you kissed him at that party. When he bought you lunch and dinner for three days straight until you begged him to stop. When you forced him to dance with you at one of the Devils’ parties.

Now you’re on his lap, watching a silly movie with his family. To them, you’re his girlfriend. To them, you’re the only person he loves and cherishes.

And you are not even one of those things.

𖧷

“Let her sleep, oh my God, you guys are monsters.”

“Nico, take her to your room. Poor thing looks tired.”

“I can’t do that with all of you standing here and looking at her like she’s some kind of experiment. If she wakes up she’ll feel weirded out.”

“Well, if she isn’t weirded out by your face, then she won’t be weirded out by anything else.”

“Halt d'schnurre.”

“Nico!”

YOU WAKE up with the soft feeling of fabric beneath you, and you open only one eye, staring at Nico in front of you. Or at least you expect it’s him, since the room’s dark you can’t really see anything besides a silhouette.

“Sorry,” someone whispers. It’s definitely Nico. “I didn’t mean to wake you up.”

“‘s okay,” you mumble, closing your eyes again and getting comfortable between his sheets. They all smell like him and this time you don’t hold in your content sigh. “You’re not coming to bed?”

He takes a few seconds to answer. When he does, you’re almost back in Dreamland, almost not even acknowledging the words he’s saying.

“Yeah,” you feel the other side of the bed sinking beside you. His arms wrap around you and now you’re laying on top of something way more comfortable than a pillow, his chest. “Good night, schätzi.”

You give him a lazy, tired smile. “Good night Nico.”

𖧷

ninahischier

Newark, New Jersey

liked by elladavis and 176 others

ninahischier Schöni Wiehnachte ❤️ Thought this picture was too cute to stay in my camera roll nicohischier emmaroberts

View all 20 comments

user1 Is that Nico with a girl? A Christmas miracle indeed! 😂

ninahischier user1 I know right

miaturner praying circle against loving couples in my house today at 11:99 🙏🏻

ninahischier miaturner I’m in

elladavis oh they’re so adorable :( God bless them

nataliebrooks Sooo cute! Merry Christmas!! 🎄❤️

emmaroberts oh my god

user2 was für es schöis paar!!!!

jackhughes I thought i was your favorite cap :/

<next chapter>

[reidingandwriting]

coming out > shouta aizawa (mha)

Word Count: 2.1k

Pairing: Aizawa & Daughter!Reader, Reader x Momo (not official,,, yet), mentions of EraserMic

Warnings: Like one or two curse words, anxiety about coming out, probably a little OOC characters but oh wellll. Mostly fluff, I love writing Dadzawa

A/N: This was a request from @wi-2006 I hope you enjoy it!

you fell to the ground with a pained thud, and you scowled as you stared up at the sky. “damn it,” you huffed as you sat up, and you rested on your knees.

“i’m so sorry! are you okay?” izuku held out a hand to you and you allowed him to pull you up before you dusted off the knees of your costume.

“‘m fine,” you brushed back a few strands of hair that had escaped from your ponytail before you got back into position. “i’m ready now.”

“need to focus, kid,” your dad’s voice called from a few yards away where he was helping hitoshi with his capture weapon. to anyone else, he appeared bored, bored of correcting your mistakes and calling out your lack of attention, but you recognized the concern in his voice. you knew he’d be talking to you later and you briefly considered faking sick to avoid the inevitable conversation. “try again, then take a break.”

you nodded as you turned towards izuku again, eyes narrowing as you focused. you had been sparring for what felt like hours at this point, and you wanted to perfect this new takedown. your close combat skills were usually your strength, but you couldn’t focus today.

izuku nodded briefly at you before he was off, and you quickly countered his first attack. the two of you continued to spar, each getting a fair amount of blows in before you finally saw the opening you needed. you jumped into action and when izuku was finally pinned, you leaned back against the ground and let out an ‘oof’ as your back hit the grass, your eyes screwed shut from the sun. you enjoyed the feeling of the sun for a minute, and a moment later, you heard shifting beside you. you squinted your eyes open and reached over, shoving at izuku’s arm as he sat beside you.

“you did good today,” you said and izuku smiled at you.

“thank you! you did, too.” a brief pause. “i asked mr. aizawa if we could go off campus and grab dinner for everyone, i think it’s shoto’s night to cook.” you shuddered at the thought and nodded.

“good idea.” you sat up. “let me get my gym bag and say bye and we can go.” izuku nodded and you stood up, and you walked over to grab your things. hitoshi was finishing his cooldown stretches, your dad watching from a few feet away. you walked up to him and butted your head against the back of his arm. you smiled as your dad’s arm wrapped around your shoulders and his hand ruffled your hair.

“good takedown,” your dad commented before he looked at you. “still coming home tonight?” you nodded, gnawing at your lip. you switched between your dorm with your class and your room in the teacher’s dorms; you loved your classmates but sometimes you needed a break from them. and your dad’s was the best place to get that break. you missed your old house, but you still have the cats and hizashi and your aunt nemuri are close, so it was still pretty nice.

“gonna do dinner, watch a movie, then head over,” you let your eyes flutter closed for a moment, enjoying the rare moment of peace with your dad. he briefly rested his head against your own before he patted your shoulder.

“should shower first, too. don’t need you stinking up the house,” a subtle smirk made its way to his face and you glared up at him.

“just for that, i’m not going to.” you stuck your tongue out at him, narrowly ducking from the stray edge of capture weapon that shot out at you. “rude!”

you exchanged goodbyes with your dad, called out a goodbye to shinsou, then jogged over to izuku. you and izuku walked off campus and you talked about classes, upcoming exams. you were texting the class groupchat about dinner orders when he asked a question that made you pause.

“you seemed really distracted today. is everything okay?” you and izuku were close, you and him quickly becoming friends, and you had the same friend group.

“i’m a little worried about my weekend with my dad,” you admitted after a minute, and izuku stayed quiet, having learned when to let you rant. “he knows something is bothering me and i’m worried about him asking me. i can’t lie to him, he’s my dad. but i’m also terrified of how he’ll react.” izuku stayed quiet for another moment, and you sighed. “i’m thinking about telling him.”

you could practically hear the gears turning in izuku’s head until it clicked. your crush on momo wasn’t glaringly obvious, but you had let it slip to some of your friends (izuku, hitoshi, and ochako). your entire friend group knew you were bisexual, hell you’re pretty sure your entire class did, but your dad didn’t know. and you didn’t know what was worse- telling him about it or him realizing you’ve been hiding it from him for so long. and you were scared. scared of how he’d react, scared if things would change.

“do you want to tell him?”

“yes. no. i don’t know? he can tell something is up and today just confirmed it. it never should’ve taken me that long to knock you on your ass. he’s gonna ask what’s bothering me and i just… i can’t lie to him if he asks me.” your phone vibrated and a quick glance left you smiling once you saw the text. “he’s bound to find out soon, and it would only be worse if he found out from someone else.”

izuku nodded, a sympathetic smile on his lips. “it’ll be scary, but i know you can do it. if you want any of us there with you, we’d all be happy to.”

“thanks, zuku. this is something i need to do myself, though. but if it goes bad, i may hide in your room after.” izuku wraps an arm around you and pulls you into his side, and you wrap your arm around him. “thank you.” no other words were said as you walked into the restaurant and the nervous pit in your stomach started to fade away a little.

-

dinner came and went, and now your class had spread out across the common room to watch some pre-quirk era movie about this hero that resembled a spider.

“sero! do you think you could-“ denki started and without looking away from the screen, you spoke.

“don’t even think about it,” you said and denki’s friends started laughing.

“okay, sensei,” denki huffed and you instinctively shot a glare at the blonde. denki yelped and hid behind hitoshi, who wrapped an arm around him.

“dude, she’s not actually aizawa, you don’t have to hide from her.” you rolled your eyes, an amused smirk on your lips.

“she looks just like him! look at that,” denki whined. living with aizawa, naturally you adopted his facial expressions and even his ‘teacher voice’ at times. denki would forever be haunted by the resemblance you had to your father when he had accidentally woken you up, your eyes might as well have been glowing with the glare you had given him.

“well he is my father,” you drawled and momo giggled from beside you, and you willed yourself to keep your expression calm.

the rest of the movie played out and you had started to fall asleep on the couch. you froze as you felt a blanket drape over you and someone lean down.

“goodnight,” momo whispered, her lips brushing against your cheek before she excused herself to bed. a minute later, you peeked an eye open and were grateful to see you were the last one in the common area. what the fuck, what the fuck, what the fuck-

“coming to bed?” your dad’s voice startled you and you jumped off the couch. he raised an eyebrow at you and you nodded.

“sorry, yeah. just started falling asleep,” your dad’s gaze was disbelieving but he dropped it for now.

“have everything you need?” you felt for the phone in your pocket and nodded, and you tucked yourself into your dad’s side as you yawned. “let’s go.”

you woke up the next morning to the smell of coffee and the faint hum of the television. you stretched and yawned as you sat up before you stood and walked to the living room. you were greeted by the sight of your dad, coffee mug in one hand and pen in the other as he graded papers.

“morning,” you greeted as you walked to the coffee maker and you poured yourself a mug. you took a seat beside your dad a minute later, and you looked down at the papers as you leaned against him. “how’d i do?”

“good as usual,” your dad turned to kiss your temple, and you smiled. a comfortable silence filled the room as you watched your dad grade, occasionally looking up at the TV screen. it was quiet, it was peaceful. and then your dad spoke again.

“i’ve noticed you’ve been a little in your head lately. distracted easily, not as focused as usual.” a brief pause. “is everything okay?” you swore your heart stopped and you set your mug down with a shaky breath. your dad set his pen down and turned to face you, his focus fully on you. “kid?”

“i’ve wanted to tell you, i-i was just worried you’d get mad.” you whispered and he frowned.

“well, you’re sitting here now so you haven’t been arrested.” the blunt statement shocked you and you couldn’t help but smile a bit. “i’m your teacher, so i’d know if you were expelled, suspended, or failing anything. none of your classmates ever come to me with any complaints about how you treat them. i don’t see what you could’ve done that would make me upset with you.”

“it’s nothing i did. it’s just… i don’t know how to explain it. just something i… discovered?” you could practically hear the gears in his head turning.

“is it about school?” you shook your head.

“do you remember the crush i had on hitoshi?” you decided to finally get to it and your stomach twisted and turned. he didn’t have his capture weapon on, you could realistically make it out the door before he could get it. you wouldn’t make it far, but you could make it to nemuri’s or hizashi’s. no, you needed to tell him. you could run away after.

your dad nodded. “didn’t that end a while ago? when he started liking someone else?” you nodded.

“i had never had a crush on anyone before hitoshi and when he told me he liked someone else, i was upset. i had my friends to help me through it, and i got close with one of them. i think i really like them, but…”

your dad stayed quiet, waiting to see if you’d continue talking or if he could talk. you took a deep breath before you looked your dad in the eyes. “i like momo.” you whispered. “i, i never liked another girl before and i didn’t know i could. then denki talked to me about it and said i could be bisexual? and i am. bi.”

the silence was deafening and you felt your hands start to shake. you wanted your dad to say something, anything, but you were scared of what he would say.

“have you asked her out yet?”

“i’m sorry, i’ll go back to the- wait, what?”

“why are you apologizing?” your dad asked and suddenly, his expression softening. “did you think i would react badly?” your vision immediately became blurry and your eyes began to burn. seconds later, you were pulled into your dad’s chest and you latched onto him. you sobbed against him, tears soaking through his shirt as he rubbed your back. “you’re happy, you’re healthy, you’re not hurting anyone. that’s all i could ever ask for,” another sob left you at his words and you shifted to look up at him.

one hand combed through your hair and the other cupped your cheek, thumbs wiping away stray tears. “i-i don’t know why, but i thought you’d be mad at me,” you whimpered and your dad shook his head.

“never. you can’t control who you love, it would be illogical to get mad over something you had no control over.” your dad leaned back against the couch, and you curled into his side. “besides, would be extremely irrational of me to get upset over you being bi since i’ve been dating hizashi for the last two months.” it took you a minute to process his words and you sat up.

“what?! you and hizashi?” your dad nodded, amused smile on his face and you stood up. “come on, get up. i need to go talk to him if you thought you two could date without telling me!” laughter filled the dorm and as you walked down the hall a minute later with your dad trailing behind, you couldn’t be happier. maybe now you could finally ask momo on a date.

[brokehorrorfan]

The Universal Classic Monsters Collection will be released on 4K Ultra HD (with Digital) in digibook packaging on October 3 via Universal. Designed by Tristan Eaton, the eight-disc set is limited to 5,500.

It includes 1931's Dracula, 1931’s Frankenstein, 1932’s The Mummy, 1933’s The Invisible Man, 1935’s The Bride of Frankenstein, 1941’s The Wolf Man, 1943’s Phantom of the Opera, and 1954’s Creature from the Black Lagoon.

All eight films are presented in 4K with HDR10. The Spanish version of Dracula is also included. Special features are listed below, where you can also see more of the packaging.

Dracula is directed by Tod Browning (Freaks) and written by Garrett Fort (Frankenstein), based on Bram Stoker’s 1897 novel. Bela Lugosi, David Manners, Helen Chandler, Dwight Frye, and Edward Van Sloan star.

Dracula special features:

Alternate score version by Philip Glass

Dracula (1931) Spanish version directed by George Melford

The Road to Dracula

Lugosi: The Dark Prince

Dracula: The Restoration

Dracula Archives

Monster Tracks

Trailer gallery

Transylvanian vampire Count Dracula bends a naive real estate agent to his will, then takes up residence at a London estate where he sleeps in his coffin by day and searches for potential victims by night.

Frankenstein is directed by James Whale (The Indivisible Man) and written by Garrett Fort (Dracula) and Francis Edward Faragoh (Little Caesar), based on Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel. Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles, and Boris Karloff star.

Frankenstein special features:

Audio commentary by film historian Rudy Behlmer

Audio commentary by historian Sir Christopher Frayling

The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood Made A Monster

Karloff: The Gentle Monster

Universal Horror

Frankenstein Archives

Boo!: A Short Film

100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics

Monster Tracks

Trailer gallery

Dr. Frankenstein dares to tamper with life and death by creating a human monster out of lifeless body parts.

The Mummy is directed by Karl Freund (Dracula) and written by John L. Balderston (Dracula). Boris Karloff, Zita Johann, David Manners, Edward Van Sloan, and Arthur Byron star.

The Mummy special features:

Audio commentary by film historian Paul M. Jensen

Audio commentary by Rick Baker, Scott Essman, Steve Haberman, Bob Burns, and Brent Armstrong

Mummy Dearest: A Horror Tradition Unearthed

He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce

Unraveling the Legacy of The Mummy

The Mummy Archives

100 Years of Universal: The Carl Laemmle Era

Trailer gallery

An Egyptian mummy searches Cairo for the girl he believes is his long-lost princess.

The Invisible Man is directed by James Whale (Frankenstein) and written by R.C. Sherriff (Goodbye, Mr. Chips), based on H.G. Wells’ 1897 novel. Gloria Stuart, Claude Rains, William Harrigan, Dudley Digges, and Una O'Connor star.

The Invisible Man special features:

Audio commentary by film historian Rudy Behlmer

Now You See Him: The Invisible Man Revealed

Production Photographs

100 Years of Universal: Unforgettable Characters

Trailer gallery

A scientist finds a way of becoming invisible, but in doing so, he becomes murderously insane.

The Bride of Frankenstein is directed by James Whale (Frankenstein) and written by William Hurlbut. Boris Karloff, Colin Clive, Valerie Hobson, and Elsa Lanchester star.

The Bride of Frankenstein special features: 

Audio commentary by film historian Scott MacQueen

She’s Alive! Creating The Bride of Frankenstein

The Bride Of Frankenstein Archive

100 Years of Universal: Restoring the Classics

Trailer gallery

Dr. Frankenstein, goaded by an even madder scientist, builds his monster a mate.

The Wolf Man is directed by George Waggner (Operation Pacific) and written by Curt Siodmak (I Walked with a Zombie). Claude Rains, Warren William, Ralph Bellamy, Patric Knowles, Bela Lugosi, and Lon Chaney Jr. star.

The Wolf Man special features:

Audio commentary by film historian Tom Weaver

Monster by Moonlight

The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth

Pure in Heart: The Life and Legacy of Lon Chaney Jr.

He Who Made Monsters: The Life and Art of Jack Pierce

The Wolf Man Archives

100 Years of Universal: The Lot

Trailer gallery

Larry Talbot returns to his father's castle in Wales and meets a beautiful woman. One fateful night, Talbot escorts her to a local carnival where they meet a mysterious gypsy fortune teller.

Phantom of the Opera is directed by Arthur Lubin and written by Eric Taylor (The Ghost of Frankenstein) and Samuel Hoffenstein (Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde). Claude Rains, Nelson Eddy, Susanna Foster, and Edgar Barrier star.

Phantom of the Opera special features:

Audio commentary by film historian Scott MacQueen

The Opera Ghost: A Phantom Unmasked

Production Photographs

100 Years of Universal: The Lot

Theatrical trailer

An acid-scarred composer rises from the Paris sewers to boost his favorite opera understudy’s career.

Creature from the Black Lagoon is directed by Jack Arnold (The Incredible Shrinking Man) and written by Harry Essex and Arthur A. Ross. Richard Carlson, Julia Adams, Richard Denning, Antonio Moreno, Nestor Paiva, and Whit Bissell star.

Creature from the Black Lagoon special features:

Audio commentary by film historian Tom Weaver

Back to the Black Lagoon

Production Photographs

100 Years of Universal: The Lot

Trailer gallery

A group of scientists try to capture a prehistoric creature luring in the depths of the Amazonian jungle and bring it back to civilization for study.

Pre-order Universal Classic Monsters Collection.

[indiesole]

Indies (Lifetime) Playlist Tributes to Music Legends ! - PART 7

A. R. RAHMAN 's TOP 470 (HINDI) COMPOSITIONS ! (Contd from 244):

Yt Link:

Humrahi jab ho mastana – Pukar

Roshan hui raat – Sapnay

Suhana sama – Shivaji The Boss

Telephone dhun mein – Hindustani

Beera beera – Raavan

Rehna tu – Delhi 6

Chori pe chori – Saathiya

Chal kahin door – Raunaq

Soja soja – 99 songs

Kaara fankaara – Ok jaanu

Main vari – Mangal Pandey The Rising

Aaj ki raat – Slumdog Millionaire

Shakalaka baby – Bombay Dreams

Ranga ranga – Lingaa

Khalifa – Lekar hum deewana dil

Mujhe chand pe le chalo – Sanju

Masakali – Delhi 6

Kay sera sera – Pukar

Taal se taal mila (western) – Taal

Chalo chalein purva – Nayak

Chalo chalein mitwa – Nayak

Holi re – Mangal Pandey

Jai ho – Slumdog Millionaire

Nayi nayi – 99 songs

Jagao mere des ko

Azadi – Bose The Forgotten Hero

Maloom – Lekar hum deewana dil

Fiqrana – blue

Rasiya – Mangal Pandey

Babu lko chal gaya – Khel khiladi ka

Saans – Jab tak hai jaan

Hai dard – Ada

Naina miley – Robot

O naye insaan – Robot

Love you hameshaa – Love you hameshaa

Ramta jogi – Taal

Chiggy wiggy – Blue

Mayya mayya – Guru

Yaar teri bewafaai – Love you hameshaa

Na shiqwa hota – Tehzeeb

Pagdi sambhal jatta – The legend of bhagat singh

Door na ja – Sapnay

Chinnammaa chikallammaa – Meenaxi

Hai rabba – jeans

Mangta hai kya – Rangeela

Hello doctor – Duniya dilwalon ki

Shabba shabba – Daud

Chale chalo – Lagaan

Pyar kabhi na todenge – Chor Chor

Masti ki paathshala – Rang de basanti

Al madath maula – Mangal Pandey

Never say goodbye – Dil bechara

Kaise mujhe – Ghajini

Jaane tu mera kya hai – Jaane tu ya jaane na

“ (male)

Khel hai ye khiladi ka – Khel khiladi ka

O saya – Slumdog Millionaire

Aromale – Ekk deewana tha

Hey kaala bandar – Delhi 6

Pakka dilbar jani main – Khel khiladi ka

Daud – Daud

Aahista aahista - Swades

Aashiqui mein – The Gentleman

Rang de – Thakshak

Mil gayi who manzillen – Kabhii na kabhi

Tu tu hi meri sari subahon mein – Kabhi na kabhi

Jaan tum ho meri – Vishwavidhaata

Jo bhi main – Rockstar

Haye dil ki bazi laga – One 2 ka 4

Hawa sun hawa – Ada

Barso re – Guru

Tu bole main boloon – Jaane tu ya jaane na

Aise na dekho – Raanjhanaa

Paas aaja balam – Mr. Romeo

Chandralekha – Mr. Romeo

Takey takey – Mangal pandey

Kashtiyan bhi lad gayi – Hindustani

“

Rangeela rangeela – Muthu maharaja

Arziyan – Delhi 6

Patakha guddi – Highway

Tu bin bataye – Rang de basanti

Ek bagiya mein – sapnay

Chumma de – Khel khiladi ka

Shukriya tera shukriya – Kabhi na kabhi

Aaj dil gustakh hai – Blue

Ranjha ranjha (remix) – Raavan

Zehreela pyar – Daud

Patti rap – Hum se hai muqabla

Commonwealth Games theme song

Guzaarish – Ghajini

Behka main behka – Ghajini

Kariye na – Taal

Teri meri baat ho kaise – Sapnay

Mere dil ka woh shehzada – Kabhi na kabhi

Kata kata – Raavan

Laadli – Raunaq

Main albeli – Zubeidaa

Mitwa – Lagaan

O sona – Mom

Jiya re – Jab tak hai jaan

Pam pa pa – Jhootha hi sahi

Hum bhi tum bhi – Chor chor

Kilimanjaro – Robot

Ishq shava – Jab tak hai jaan

O mera chaand – 99 songs

Noor un ala – Meenaxi

Call me dil – Jhootha hi sahi

Do nishaniyan – “

“ (heartbreak reprise) - “

Monalisa – Mr. Romeo

Maskhari – Dil bechaara

Khamoshiyan – One 2 ka 4

Jaage hain – Guru

Dheem ta dhare – Thakshak

Botal tod de – Love you hamesha

Wahji wahji – Shivaji The Boss

Tu man shudi – Raanjhanaa

Phulwari ne loota – Muthu Maharaja

Offho jalta hai – Lakeer

Afreeda – Dil bechara

Mere yaara dildara – Kabhi na kabhi

Hello hello – Jhootha hi sahi

Heera – Highway

Kismet se – Raunaq

Sawar gayi – Dil hi dil mein

Mil hi gaye – Mr. Romeo

Roobaroo – Rang de basanti

Kehne ko dadi – jeans

Hum bhi tum bhi – Chor chor

Osaka muraiya – One 2 ka 4

Shehzaade – Lakeer

Nachle – Lakeer

Khoyee khoyee – Tehzeeb

Oh mariya – Dil hi dil mein

Mujhko lagata – Dharam yodha

My dilli ka shehzada – Dharm yodha

Shora so pehchaniye – The legend of bhagat singh

Paas aja balam re – Mr. Romeo

Roop suhana lagta hai – The Gentleman

Machali paani bina – Mr. Romeo

Aye naaraazman – Ok Jaanu

Sadiyaan – Lakeer

Shakalaka baby – Nayak

Kya kare kya na kare – Rangeela

Yaaron sun lo zara – Rangeela

Arima arima – Robot

Wanna mash up – Highway

Kahaan hoon main – Highway

“

Kismat se- Raunaq

Chitti dance – Robot

Rookhi sookhi roti – Nayak

Jammin’ – Yaara

Khoon chala – Rang de Basanti

Khalbali – Rang de basanti

Paigaam – Lakeer

Oh sai yaiye – Daud

I am sorry – One 2 ka 4

Veere kadh de – 99 songs

Bharti commercial ad tune

Ishq ada (male)

Mawaali qawaali – Lekar hum deewana dil

Romeo teri kismet – Mr. Romeo

Suraj hai chanda hai – Shivaji

Gulfisha – Ada

Rozana – L:akeer

Aye bachchu – Ghajini

Freaking life – Mom

Nazrein milana – Jaane tu ya jaane na

Pappu can’t dance- “

Mona gasolina – Lingaa

India re – Lingaa

Sooha saaha – Highway

Mera naam kizie – Dil bechaara

Khatta meetha – Raunaq

Boom boom robo da – Robot

Ooparwala maalik hai – Muthu Maharaja

Dil se dil jara – Khel khiladi ka

Banno rani – 1947 earth

Jiya se jiya

Ek lo ek muft – Guru

Style – Sivaji The Boss

Theme music – Sivaji the Boss

Muafi mushkil – Mom

Be nazaara – mom

Thok de killi – Raavan

Chalke re – Lingaa

Title track – Dil Bechaara

Friendzone – “

Baazi laga – Guru

Cry cry – jhootha hi sahi

Koi samjha de – Muthu Maharaja

Ruby ruby – Sanju

Banarasiyaa – Ranjhanaa

Wako naam fakir – The Fakir Of Venice

Chidiya tu hoti toh – Nayak

I wanna be free – Tehzeeb

Meherbaan – Tehzeeb

Aandhi ki tarah – Sivaji The Boss

Kooke kawn – Mom

Do kadam – Meenaxi

Raakkh baaki – Mom Instrumentals:

The shimmer for sidhu – Mohenjo daro

Waltz for a romance – Lagaan

Lakh lakh thora – Mohenjo daro

Whispers of the heart – Mohenjo daro

Whispers of the mind – Mohenjo daro 452.The oracle – 99 songs 453.The voice without words – 99 songs

The horizon of saudade – Dil bechaara

Latika’s theme – Slumdog Millionaire

Slumdog Millionaire – Slumdog Millionaire

Gangsta blues – “

Ringa rinnga – “

Implosive silence – Highway

Liquid dance – Slumdog millionaire

MIA – “

Riots – “

Mausam and escape – “

Mumbai theme tune

Meherbaan – Ada

Swades heme music – Swades

The thump of daud – daud

Street dancer – Airtel 3G ad tune

[writingstuffandmore]

Family...

Pairing: Baekhyun x fem reader (ft/ mentions of Chen)

Genre: Fluff

AU!: Idol, domestic?

Requested: An Anonymous request

A/N: I know this is a short fic but I feel that this is enough? Anyways, I hope you enjoy and please send me some feedbacks..

WC: 710

“Thanks for having us tod- “initially, it had to be me though. Anyways, thanks a lot. Bye-bye lovelies and hopefully I can see you again like this.” Y/N said as she was going to sit in the car. “Nah it should be us thanking you for looking after the kids and helping me.” Chen’s wife said with a sweet smile before continuing “Hopefully, you can come around not only to babysit but to casually spend time with them.”

After bidding goodbyes, you and your boyfriend/husband Baekhyun went to your home.

Throughout the ride, you and him were recalling the cute moments and events that had just happened back in Chen’s house.

After few hours later:

You were so exhausted but you weren’t really complaining in the first place. As you were doing your bedtime routine you noticed that Baekhyun has become quite quiet in the last three hours. At first, you didn’t think much as he might be resting from the day’s tiresome schedule but when you tried to call him or speak to him his responses were limited as if he was busy in his own little world.

By the time you were through with your routine, Baekhyun too had entered the bedroom and laid on the bed while scrolling through his feeds on the phone.

“Bae? Babe? Baekhyun?? Yah!!!” you called him out taking him off guard. “Yes baby, what happened?” He gave you his undivided attention.

As much as you were blushing but you had to keep calm, “W-well, that's what I should have asked you. From the time we have entered, you have become so quiet and I can’t help it but to think that you are angry with me” you said with a small pout.

“Oh no angel, you didn’t do anything wrong. It's just that I was thinking about something. I am so-

“What were you thinking about?” you said with big sparkly curious eyes as to what had kept him occupied for so long. “It's not that impor-

“If it wasn’t that important, you wouldn’t have been so lost. I get that if you aren’t comfortable talking about it, I will not force you upon.” You stood up from the stool on which you were sitting and cleaned the dressing area before heading towards the bed.

“I was thinking about kids and us.” He said with a sigh and looked at your confused face.

He took your hands in his and gently started rubbing in small circles. “What I am trying to say is that, you know that I kinda have a bond and attachment with small children right? Today, we went to our mate’s house and looking at the two bundles of joy and sunshine moved my heart and made me wonder what it feels to be a parent and it's exhausting but worth trying for responsibilities. Please don’t feel like I am being creepy or something, but being together with you for this amount of time has genuinely made me feel like I am at home. The way you act, react, try to speak up things which bother you and especially being yourself around me, it feels so pure and raw.

Today’s interaction of yours with the kids proved my point of view of how gentle and caring a person you are with them, when and how to react with them. This kinda made me think about how our future would be together. You, me, mongryong and our children.” 

He took a deep breath before looking at your glossy eyes. “ OMG, Did I D-

“No, you didn’t do anything wrong. Its just that I never thought that you would consider having  a family with me in the first place. Please don’t get it wrong because you as an idol have many duties and responsibilities and above all you are a son. So, maybe you know, follow this wedding pattern and stuff. I don’t know if I am making sense at the moment but this did really make me genuinely happy.”

“If it did make you genuinely happy than, get ready soon to be Mrs Byun. We have to do a lot and so do we require so much of time, effort, love, affection and most importantly energy”

[sjf-penguin]

Goodbye Isn’t Always Forever, my first (and probably only) The Fox and the Hound fanfic. Summary: When Mrs. Tweed had to leave Tod in the forest, she had thought their goodbye would last forever. But delivering some milk one day, she comes upon a familiar furry face. Words: 1,486.

FanFiction.net

Archive of Our Own

DeviantArt

[costaxserena]

Introducing Kieran Tod. He is a student that belongs to the Spring District. He’s 20 years old and strongly resembles Cody Christian. He’s open.

Trigger Warnings: Death.

Get to know him…

Kieran is the kind of guy that’ll strike up a conversation with any stranger, he’s a curious soul that loves exploring the world around him, including people. If he’s talked to someone twice, he already considers them his friend, which makes him grow attached quite easily. Most times he can be seen with a bright smile on his face, fidgeting with the nearest object around. As fun-loving as he might be, he’s one to easily clam up if he feels especially uncomfortable in a situation. Kieran has a really calm and adaptable mindset, he is one to let life take the reigns as he enjoys the free ride.

Welcome to the coast…

Kieran doesn’t remember much before the orphanage. His most distinct memory is when he turned five, and a lovely, elderly woman named Mrs. Tweed took him in. Life in Wyoming was a comfortable adventure. He spent most of his time walking around in the woods that surrounded his home; seizing every night he could to camp outside and sleep under the stars. Everything in his life looked promising– that, until a twelve year old Kie wondered why Mrs. Tweed didn’t greet him at breakfast like every morning. Kieran didn’t have much time to process his loss, as he was immediately taken in by a wonderful foster family.

In a whirlwind of events, he found himself on a plane to Florida; joining his new family and leaving the woods he loved so much, behind. During his time in Miami, Kie fell in love with the Everglades the first time his parents took him there. He was more than joyful when it became a family tradition to go there once every month; a weekend they always spent camping and exploring the various trails in their bikes. Back in school, he was never the brightest in the class; but his average grades and soccer proficiency got him around to graduation just fine. Needless to say, he was over the moon when he received a sports scholarship for Ancora University. Once again, he said goodbye to all he knew– even if it was only a few hours away this time, and packed for his next big adventure in Costa Serena. 

Stay a while…

To say that he has enjoyed every moment of his experience in Ancora to the fullest, would be an understatement. Kieran is a ball of energy and still has no clue as to what he’s actually majoring in. Being soccer captain has been his priority, along with learning how to surf. As much as he loves Costa Serena, he does miss Wyoming’s beautiful forests from time to time. Still, his adventurous spirt thrives wherever he is; Kie’s one to always carry a backpack around that has more camping stuff than actual day-to-day things… maybe just a pen and notebook.

Connections:

Jason Cooper (Best Friend): His partner in crime. Kieran can’t imagine how he would’ve been able to survive his first year at Ancora without him. Although Jason is the most level-headed out of the two, they never fail to meet in the middle whenever it comes to hanging out.

Virginia Tod (Adoptive Sister): He is incredibly close to his older– by a few months, sister. He confides in Gina with everything that goes on in his life and is always keeping an eye on her. Kie admires her resilience and kindness, seeing her as a role model; Gina keeps him grounded.

Will Vandom (Close Friend): Kieran finds the girl really fun and thoroughly enjoys going on adventures with her as much as they can; they both have the same restless, wandering spirit.

[mamazano]

A fun (or funny translation, thanks Google) article from a German paper on Rick’s death. (Link to the original article at the end for any German speaking readers.) Enjoy!

17th May 2010, 9:48 pm To the death of Richard Wright The soul of the monster Goodbye, Mr. Chance: The death of frighteningly likable keyboarder Richard Wright on Monday broke the heart of Pink Floyd.

By Alexander Gorkow That a band is only as big as the sum of its components, can also be expressed rude. After leaving the monster Pink Floyd in 1984 and wondering about half-empty halls on his first solo tour, Roger Waters told him, "You think you're the monster you created, Roger, but the monster is now larger than you."

The soul of the monster: Pink Floyd keyboarder Richard Wright was above all very British. (Photo: Photo: AP)

The dinosaur Pink Floyd - whom you will never see and hear on a stage since the death of keyboardist Richard Wright on Monday in London - was above all: very British in his elegant rage and sneer. Wright's penchant for jazz and the great classical composers continued to enrich the band's extensive blues rock with delicate and somehow Victorian-looking colors. It was Wright's harmonies on the Hammond organ, the mini-moog, later on the digital Kurzweil synthesizer and, most beautifully, on the grand piano, the genetic code of Pink Floyd's music, and maybe that gorgeous monster-in-itself accounted for.

Such an alluring mix of violence, humility and sarcasm has not gotten the epigones off the hook, Radiohead appears to be whiny, Coldplay far too stupid, many too aimless. Rumors that the band will in the original cast of the post-Syd-Barrett phase actually give some concerts for eternity, therefore recently made for a certain super excitement in the starving music industry. It's ironically ironic that the question of how Roger Waters and David Gilmour get along with each other since Monday - because now the class stalemate has just taken off.

Like a world-weary professor of literature Nowadays songs are mostly written by Linda Perry, produced by Timbaland and then burped on computers like horror stations like Bayern 3. It is no longer easy to see that it was the sum of a group of band members who outdid themselves with great patience before imploding into hubris.

Similar to the Beatles, Pink Floyd had a congenial team split: the nervous Waters loaded music and lyrics with the aggressive self-pity that great songs need; second singer and guitarist David Gilmour provided sexual tension with a warm voice and crashing Fender runs; drummer and humorist Nick Mason's secondary occupation included everyday sounds in the head cinema, fighter jets, cash registers, not least the heartbeat that initiates an indestructible epic of younger existentialism, such as the bitter-comic "Dark Side Of The Moon". Richard Wright, a man of almost explosive shyness, he was what George Harrison was to the Beatles: not head, not hip - but the soul of this monster, a downright frighteningly likable man of fragile build, still a keyboarder on the last Gilmour's solo tour in 2006, was as ethereally in the dressing room as a professor of literature who had erred in the house number.

If you talked to him, you initially had the impression that he is only there to take a look at everything backstage. Nevertheless, Wright always surrounded the world of a Peter Sellers, and not least in his last years he reminded of the tragicomic Mr.Chance from Sellers' last film, who believes in the street outside, he could fend off attackers with the TV remote control.

Sometimes megalomaniac Wright also needed humor to survive (albeit mentally injured) in the massacre committed by the alpha animals Waters and Gilmour: he once gave the songs to the secret ballot among the band members for the song selection of a best-of record The other band members each zero points, but his own ten, a rebellious and funny trick, but the auffllog! Like Roger Waters and Nick Mason, Wright first studied architecture at London's Regent Street Polytechnic in the early 1960s, which sounds like Pink Floyd's spatial, sometimes megalomaniacal music. When Waters borrowed a cigarette from Wright in the spring of 1963 and damaged the pack, there was a dispute for the first time - according to Mason the big bang for countless communication problems that kept up to the recent past, the most backward London lawyers on the go.

No one suffered as badly as Wright, who was kicked out of Waters after the 1980 "The Wall" record for indecent behavior and given a stinking rental music contract. In songs like "Wearing the Inside Out," Wright later went into severe depression, and since he was too defensive to sell CDs, Gilmour's power plug took on his friend. On their last and most successful tour, the two played a sparkling version of underwater performer "Echoes". No one will be able to do this any more than the night of July 2, 2005 in London, when Waters and Gilmour decided to end a truce for four songs at the Live 8 concert after 25 years of strife. For the last time, the heartbeat of the Dark Side thundered over half a million heads in Hyde Park, and even graying punks were crying like babies. The heart of Pink Floyd stopped beating on Monday. The last word on the main record in 1972 was the jolly janitor of the Abbey Road Studios: "There is no dark side of the moon - it is dark everywhere." Richard Wright died of cancer. He was 65 years old.

https://www.sueddeutsche.de/kultur/zum-tod-von-richard-wright-die-seele-des-monsters-1.694014

[michiru-k]

Top Ten Saddest Moments In Animation

Hello,and welcome to another Top Ten Tuesday. In this list,I will be counting down ten of the saddest moments in animated movies and cartoons. These will be the moments that I found to be real tearjerkers. Keep in mind that these are only my opinions.

10-Nephrite(Sailor Moon):  Nephrite was a soldier for the evil Queen Beryl of the Negaverse. He had met a girl named Molly,who had developed a crush on him;in return,he found that he was starting to really like her. He had even gone as far as to protect her by attacking a fellow Negaverse warrior. The price Nephrite paid was having some huge thorns thrust into him,draining all of his energy. Molly is trying desperatelty trying to save him, but Nephrite finally says “Goodbye” to Molly and dies in her arms. We see Sailor Moon,Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars shedding tears as Molly sobs for the loss of the man who she had a crush on. I had watched both English dub and Japanese subtitle of this version; the English dub was the saddest tearjerking scene. Sadly,I found the subtitled version to be lackluster and not very sad.

9-BingBong(Inside Out): BingBong was an imaginary friend to Riley;he was a cat/elephant hybrid who befriended Joy and Sadness. When Joy and Sadness find themselves stranded in the Memory Dump,they try using the Rocket Sled,only to to keep failing. BingBong realizes he is too heavy for the sled to take off, so he leaps out,letting Joy fly the cart up to the top alone. Joy did’nt know about this,and she is shocked to find out what BingBong has done. BingBong’s final words were” Take Riley to the moon for me.”,and he fades out of existance,knowing that Riley is growing up and doesn’t need him anymore.

8-Jessie and James say “Good-bye” to Arbok and Weezing(Pokemon): Throughout Season 1 of the Pokemon anime, we were introduced to James’ Koffing and Jessie’s Ekans. We watched as Ekans and Koffing eventually evolved into Arbok and Weezing,through the loving care of Jessie and James. One day,the Team Rocket duo and Meowth come acrosos Pokemon poachers who are trying to kill a bunch of Ekans and Koffing. The poachers are driven off,but the Ekans and Koffings are still in danger. It is then that Jessie and James make a very difficult decision to release Arbok and Weezing and instruct them to stay behind to protect the Ekans and Koffings. Everyone is shedding tears,and Team Rocket cries as they leave,knowing that the pokemon wil be protected now.

7-Good freinds part ways(Pokemon): This sad moment is from the “Pokemon X/Y” anime. Through the Xy and XYZ arcs,we see Ash and Pikachu traveling with Bonnie,Clemont and Serena. When the XYZ season ended, good freinds reluctantly tell eachother “Goodbye” and sadly part ways. Serena goes to Sinnoh,Ash goes to Alola, while Bonnie and Clemont stay in Kalos. This episode is a real tear-jerker

6. Stoick’s Death(HTTYD 2): When the evil Drago Bludvist takes cnotrl of the dragons on Berk, our Dragon-riding heroes try to stop him. But things take a turn for the worse when the Bewilderbeast takes control of Toothless’s mind, forcing the little Night Fury to try to kill Hiccup. Stoick-Hiccup’s father-rushes in to try to yank his son away,but is struck and killed by the Night Fury’;s blast. We’re left crying as we realize  that Stoick just died and the Berk village is left without a brave and noble leader. Hiccup delivers a tearful eulogy as his father is given a Viking funeral.

5.Kessie leaves the Nest(Pooh Bear series): When Rabbit rescues a baby bird from a storm, he eventually becomes attached to her. She grows up and has to fly away. The lovable Pooh Bear gang says a tearful “Goodbye”, knowing that Kessie will never return.

4.Ash loses the Kalos League(Pokemon): This one was not only very sad, but it was a shock to Pokemon fans everywhere. Ash had chosen his Greninja to battle Alain’s Charizard. We all watched in anticipation,waiting for the water-type Greninja to defeat the fire-typoe Charizard. Then the unthinkable happens: Greninja is defeated by Charizard,leaving everyone in shock. No one expected this to happen;no one had expected a water type to lose against a fire type. Despite all this,Ash remains a good sport and carries on with things,eventually traveling to the Alola region.

3. Neptune and Uranus’s deaths(Sailor Moon). In the fifth season of this anime,Neptune and Uranus try to kill the evil Galaxia, only to have her kill them. We’re left in tears as we see the fading forms of the 2 brave Sailor Scouts trying to hold hands one last time while saying how much they loved eachother.

2. The whole “Baby Mine” sequence(Dumbo): After Dumbo is bullied by some kids,Mrs. Jumbo goes berserk trying to protect Dumbo,only to have the circus people lock her up for being a “mad elephant”. Timothy Mouse-Dumbo’s only freind-takes the little elephant to see his locked up mother. There is not a dry eye anywhere as Mrs Jumbo is cradling her son in her trunk as this sad song plays.

1. Stoutland Dies(Pokemon): In the Pokemon Sun/Moon anime,we are introduced to a Litten who is caring for an elderly Stoutland. Stoutlan’s health continues to decline,even after Ash rushes it to the Pokemon Center. Ash is seen talking to Nurse Joy, who repleis with “Stoutland is.....Stoutland is...” we hear no more after that. Later,we see that Stoutland is nowhere to be found,and Littlen is frantically calling out for the old pokemon, not realizing that Stoutland had passes away. RotomDex asks Kukui what happened to Stoutland and Kukui saiys “ It’s better not to aks” (in the subtitles) and “I’m sorry....” in the dub.Better keep a box of tissues handy when watching this episode,because this episode is a real tear-jerker in both Englsih dub and Japanese subtitles.

Tear-jerking mentions:

Ash releases Butterfree(Pokemon)

Ellie’s death(Up)

Mufasa’s death(Lion king)

Tod and Copper’s frteindship must end(Fox and the Hound)

Ash parts ways with Brock and Misty(Pokemon)

Catsy being cruelly dumped by Rubeus(Sailor Moon)

So what made your list of saddest moments in animation? Tell me in the comments below.

[brokehorrorfan]

Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, and The Wolf Man will be released on 4K Ultra HD (with Blu-ray and Digital) together in the Universal Classic Monsters: Icons of Horror Collection on October 5 via Universal.

1931's Dracula is directed by Tod Browning (Freaks) and written by Garrett Fort (Frankenstein), based on Bram Stoker's 1897 novel. Bela Lugosi, David Manners, Helen Chandler, Dwight Frye, and Edward Van Sloan star.

1931's Frankenstein is directed by James Whale (The Indivisible Man) and written by Garrett Fort (Dracula) and Francis Edward Faragoh (Little Caesar), based on Mary Shelley's 1818 novel. Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles, and Boris Karloff star.

1933's The Invisible Man is directe by James Whale (Frankenstein) and written by R.C. Sherriff (Goodbye, Mr. Chips), based on H.G. Wells' 1897 novel. Gloria Stuart, Claude Rains, William Harrigan, Dudley Digges, and Una O'Connor star.

1941's The Wolf Man is directed by George Waggner (Operation Pacific) and written by Curt Siodmak (I Walked with a Zombie). Claude Rains, Warren William, Ralph Bellamy, Patric Knowles, Bela Lugosi, and Lon Chaney Jr. star.

The eight-disc set comes in Digibook packaging. The Spanish version of Dracula is also included. Special features are previewed below.

Special features:

Dracula - 1931 Spanish version directed by George Melford using the same sets as Tod Browning's production

The Road to Dracula

The Frankenstein Files: How Hollywood Made a Monster

Karloff: The Gentle Monster

Monster by Moonlight

The Wolf Man: From Ancient Curse to Modern Myth

Now Your See Him: The Invisible Man Revealed

Feature commentaries

And more!

From the era of silent movies through present day, Universal Pictures has been regarded as the home of the monsters. Universal Classic Monsters Icons of Horror Collection showcases four of the most iconic monsters in motion picture history including Dracula, Frankenstein, The Invisible Man and The Wolf Man. Starring Bela Lugosi, Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney Jr. and Claude Rains in the roles that they made famous, these original films set the standard for a new horror genre with revolutionary makeup, mood-altering cinematography and groundbreaking special effects.

Pre-order Universal Classic Monsters: Icons of Horror Collection from Amazon.

[mytherapistthinksimfunny]

The Endless Thirst of Grace Michaud

It’s almost 11 pm, and in the four hours that I have been home from work, I’ve been reading articles about Adam Driver. Alone in my apartment, I snort to myself as I read The Cut’s “I Want to Be Adam Driver’s Baby”  and “21 Things I Would Like to Do With Adam Driver” which I relate to a little too well. I, too, want to “peruse real-estate listings” with Adam Driver. 

In my nearly 26 years of living, Adam Driver is this month’s Grace Michaud’s “It Boy.” Last month it was Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Next month? Who knows, but Henry Cavill is looking mighty fine in The Witcher. 

For anyone who has ever known me, this causes little concern. To everyone joining the Grace Michaud journey: welcome. You are about to experience an everyday occurrence.

New friends, or people who only interact with me via social media: I suffer from being infinitely thirsty. My thirst can never be quenched. Usually the thirst comes at a normal level, like any thirst, and starts out as a simple tickle in the throat. If offered a drink I wouldn’t say no. But I don’t actively do anything about it. I could go for a drink, but I’m not about to get up and get one. Then the thought becomes nagging, that maybe I really should get up and get a drink right now. I’ll crave water, a simple free drink that comes from the tap. Soon my thirst becomes more distinct. I’m craving an Arnold Palmer and I need that Arnold Palmer now. I drink and drink and still I’m thirsty, drinking like I’m in the desert, about to die unless I drink the world’s entire water supply right now. 

I am, of course, not talking about liquids. I’m talking about men.

An attractive male on a film or show catches my eye, and I make note. Soon I’m watching every movie they’ve ever made until I’m in a downward spiral of interviews in the trenches of YouTube and Google. 

I’ve been attracted to the male species since before I could form a concrete memory. The evidence is in a video of my dad teasing me at three about a crush I have on a boy named Ricardo. Wracking my memory, the name sounds familiar, and I’m aware I had crushes when I was in preschool.

How in the world did my tiny brain comprehend the very idea of crushes? That one could feel something more than just friendship with someone? That I, a mere three-year-old just learning how to not urinate my pants, was able to identify that? I’ve dated 30-year-old men who are nowhere near that level of emotionally intelligent. 

Who were you, Ricardo? Why was I fascinated with you? Was I attracted to you? Do three-year- olds recognize attraction? Where are you now Ricardo? Have you met your metaphorical Lucy?

So we begin, reader, towards an agonizing life of never-ending attraction to men. Now, I am absolutely not going to go into my dating life. That is just one long humiliating and questionable series of life decisions that even I don’t want to get into. Let’s just say, at 11, there was an entire diary entry of pictures from my yearbook of a kid named Kyle who once took a pinecone out of my hair. I shudder at the thought. And don’t get me started about junior year of high school.                                                                      

I mention Ricardo to show you that my thirst for men was always there, whether I knew it or not. To me, it seems, it was just a normal feeling that was a part of me. Nothing unusual. My karate teacher was a hottie and probably why I loved going to karate. I loved men so much that I wanted to be them. I dressed in boy’s clothes, even boy’s underwear, and occasionally asked my parents to call me Michael. Now, you’re probably thinking: “Wow there is a lot to unpack here.” But this was 1997 and my parents just went along with it, not really caring as long as I went to bed when they told me to. While others may think something entirely different, I just chalk this up to being that boy crazy. I didn’t start wearing dresses until I hit puberty….but I’m already getting off topic and I don’t want this to turn into an episode of Big Mouth. Let’s try and remain focused here: I’m an obsessive person.

This is my Kindle library as of March 20, 2020:

There is a home movie of my two-year-old self pointing to my Tweedy Bird hat excitedly. “I have Tweedy Bird on my hat!” I repeat over and over with a lisp, clearly very excited I had something I loved on an item of clothing. Even then, when I loved something, I was all in. 

Combine my obsessive personality with my attraction to the male species? We descend into madness, my friends. From cartoon characters, to television shows, to actors, to rock stars, to actors again. I obsess most over men I don’t personally know. Think 25 years of pictures covering walls. Merchandise. Staying up till 3 am diving into the corners of the internet for every last drop of information I could get. 

And it all started with Bugs Bunny.

Bugs Bunny was my first foray into fangirl territory. It was that episode when Bugs Bunny dressed as a Viking woman that drew me into the Bugs Bunny portal of obsession. I wasn’t attracted to Bugs Bunny in drag, necessarily; I was more fascinated by the idea of Elmer Fudd falling in love with Bugs Bunny. That Bugs was a character that could be loved romantically. I know this sounds really bizarre and heavy, but I fully believe that I was fascinated by romantic love that early in my life. 

Soon I didn’t stop talking about Bugs Bunny. I had an entire Bugs Bunny tracksuit, slippers, and a doll. There’s a picture of me in my entire ensemble while holding the doll, ecstatic. For my fourth birthday my mom made me a homemade Bugs Bunny Halloween costume. Bugs Bunny was even my imaginary friend for a bit there. I must have worn out the Space Jam VHS tape.

Note the Bugs Bunny watch. 

That’s childhood obsession for you. When I loved Pokemon all I would do was talk about it and dream about it. 

Then it was Digimon. In twenty six years, it hasn’t stopped. Up until December of 2019, it’s been one TV show after the other, examples being Avatar the Last Airbender, Total Drama Island, The Office, The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Sherlock, Game of Thrones, Mr. Robot, Fleabag, Frasier, and most recently, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Harry Potter has always been a love for me, and I’ve been obsessed with two different book series: the comic books The Umbrella Academy (the show is a DISASTER compared to how good the comics are), and The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod (a book series about a vampire; as a bonus, see how many vampires you can count). A common theme for all of these things was the fact that I was attracted to a singular male character and their relationship to others.

In preparing to write this I wrote about 6 pages worth of notes, all ranging in obsession. To completely write about every single one would take a novel with each of my multiple obsessions being individual chapters. For example, during the Total Drama Island years I was constantly up till 3 am on the weekends making YouTube videos for the show. If you can find them...I’d be impressed. (But actually, please don’t.) I’ll try to provide a list and a little comment, as I split my obsessions into various categories. 

At 11, I discovered the Sprouse twins and my object of desire went from cartoon characters to actors. I was known as “the Sprouse twins” girl, specifically Cole, during sixth grade. This was the first time I covered my room and locker in posters. 

A year later, we jumped dramatically and came to my obsessive emo phase. While I listened to a lot of bands, my attention was turned mostly to Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy and Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance. (The latter I would later meet after MCR broke up when I was about 20 years old after his solo show,  and it was just as awkward as I could imagine). That’s when my room was completely covered in Fall Out Boy and My Chemical Romance posters. I wore a lot of black and those years were honestly my cringiest moments. Hey, we were all 13. 

I started to shift more from short, skinny, guyliner-wearing men and noticing tall, muscular, and handsome ones. I can pinpoint when I started to first feel sexually attracted to a man (at an appropriate age! I was going through puberty!) when I saw the trailer for Fantastic Four, and Chris Evans came out shirtless in a towel. Oh GOD what an ICONIC moment. Goodbye Sprouse Twins, hello six packs.

The summer going into high school, I saw The Dark Knight 3 times because of Christian Bale as Batman. He walked in wearing that tight black shirt and my expectations for men from there on out would never match up to Batman. Gaston from Beauty and the Beast seemed hotter now (you all know what scene I’m talking about), That attraction became the strangest when I remarked to my friend that Ultron was pretty hot for a robot. 

Maybe that’s why I love Kylo Ren so much. He’s the combination of two of my great loves: a buff emo. 

The high school years followed a somewhat similar pattern, but mostly actors more so than musicians. To be fair, in high school Fall Out Boy broke up and didn’t get back together till I was in college, and My Chemical Romance only released one album in my four years. So during high school and college there weren't really any “emo” guys or musicians to lust over. 

Now in 2020 I live in Brooklyn where every man and their mother is a “musician” so the whole idea turns me off. It was fun while it lasted though, and I’ll always be an emo kid at heart. I’ve seen Fall Out Boy 7 times in the last 10 years, and I paid an insane amount of money for My Chemical Romance reunion tour tickets. 

High school was a time where everyone was entering a more mature phase of their puberty journey, and for me, that was lusting after men over the age of 30. I had a hella crush on Zachary Quinto (who I saw walk past me once in the Village and I almost pooped my pants) even though I knew he was gay. I went through a Freddie Mercury phase for a bit too, I mean, come on, that chest hair.

I had a few months lusting after Colin Farrell after seeing him in Fright Night (which I recently found out was written by my favorite Buffy writer! seventeen-year-old me foreshadowing the present). In The Phantom of the Opera I sided with the Phantom the entire time, wishing that I could be seduced through opera in a hidden Parisian cave. My mom introduced me to Ryan Gosling who became my dream man. While reading Great Gatsby I had a huge crush on Seth Meyers who I would imagine Nick Carraway as. He does sort of look like Toby McGuire? He was the first of many goofy men that would lead to John Mulaney, Rob Delaney, Nathan Fielder, Ben Wyatt, and Niles Crane. Chris Pratt still fits into that category, though he’s the perfect combination of goofy and buff. When The Avengers came out my senior year of high school, I saw it 4 times in the theater. 

The British invasion didn’t happen until my senior year and defined my college years, with posters of Tom Hiddleston, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hardy, Michael Fassbender, Eddie Redmayne, and James Norton. My feet ache thinking about the times I waited in line at a movie premiere or a film set to get a glimpse of any of these gents. When I saw Benedict Cumberbatch on set in Boston my knees gave out. Domhnall Gleeson is also in that group of fine British men despite being Irish. It’s why I always have a moral dilemma whenever General Hux comes on screen in Star Wars. Twice I had a hardcore crush on Seth MacFarlane, going to the Ted 2 set living in Boston, waving to him as he got into his car. I would meet him again 3 years later when I worked on Harry, looking like a total disaster. But he said “hi” to me which sent me to cloud 9. I once waited in a lobby of a show to meet Lee Pace even though I didn’t see the show. 

All of these men at one point adorned my room, desktop background, dorm room (which was covered in posters, no wonder I rarely ever had a boy in there), and phone background. Today my phone background is the throne room scene of Rey and Kylo in The Last Jedi. Why do you think I had Tweedy Bird on my hat? I need my obsession with me at all times and I want the world to see. 

(Thank God tattoos are expensive and I was too young to get them during my hardcore obsessions. Imagine if I had a giant Total Drama Island tattoo on my back? I shudder.) 

While a lot of the attraction for these men was based on personality, looks, and accents, I also have a tendency to become enamoured with villains and dark characters. In 1999 I was in the movie theater seeing The Phantom Menace. Up until that point, there were virtually no children featured in Star Wars films, so when a young Anakin Skywalker graced the screen, my five-year-old heart would not stop beating. I loved him so much, I carried a Pepsi bottle with his image on it everywhere I went. I slept with it. My comfort blanket was a Pepsi bottle with a picture of a nine-year-old boy. 

I had the famous Phantom Menace poster with young Anakin Skywalker with the shadow of Darth Vader behind him. I distinctly remember my dad telling me in the theater, “That’s Darth Vader as a little boy.” When I saw Return of the Jedi my favorite scene was when Luke took off Vader’s mask, because you got to see Vader’s real face for the first time. That Vader actually was a human and not a monster fascinated me to the point of obsession which, as you probably have figured out, still carries over to the sequel trilogy. 

Bugs Bunny established my fanaticism, but Anakin Skywalker determined my type: men presented as villains but actually are redeemed over time. Through the years I think I’ve enjoyed getting to figure out someone. Their character is presented as one dimensional, and then even the tiniest thing that strays from that is seen as fascinating. There’s a great quote from an Adam Driver profile in the New York Times that I think encapsulates it: 

“A manner so resolute that when some emotion does manage to escape - whether through a glint in his eyes or the unpredictable undulations of his voice - that transgression can’t help but take you by surprise.” 

Now my therapist says that probably comes with my need to help and fix the real boys in my life. We both joked that our favorite character in A Haunting of Hill House was the drug-addicted little brother. 

I think it is totally unfair, because I know that I can’t personally help them... though ok, she may be a little right.

While I enjoy “complicated” from afar, it does subconsciously fulfill the need for what I can’t do in reality, which is being someone’s reason to change. Mostly through love. Turns out, in real life, it is far less romantic to be dating someone with a lot of emotional issues! Who knew! 

You decide for yourself. Here are all the fictional characters I’ve obsessed over who fit this category: 

-Kylo Ren (I mean, duh)

-Prince Zuko (the original Kylo Ren)

-The Phantom of the Opera (Thank you, Leslie Knope)

-Damon from Vampire Diaries

-Hot Priest from Fleabag (ok not a villain but he’s supposed to be a holy man and you think aw he’s never gonna...AND THEN HE DOES!) 

-Mr. Darcy (again not a villain but he was to Elizabeth at first!!!!)

-Duncan from Total Drama Island

-Draco Malfoy (that bleached blonde hair attraction still hasn’t gone away, oops)

-Spock in JJ Abrams’s last good movie Star Trek

-Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer (oh if my heart could beat it would break my chest, how many times have I cried over that sweet platinum blonde baby?) 

Look, I know this is all fictional and in no way real. None of these men exist and are all a fantasy. Hey, I watch You and am extremely creeped out by Joe! I don’t root for him! I also hope I don’t stay this way forever. I really don’t want to be a Twilight mom. I’ve calmed down in my old age, ok? I don’t wait in the cold for hours at a stage door anymore, and I go on real dates now. I’ve even had a few boyfriends in my days who were nothing like the men I lusted after nor did I even compare. 

I completely agree that all these men would be horrible to date! Draco Malfoy was totally a bigot and bully. Kylo Ren killed his dad, and I have a good relationship with my dad, so I can’t really relate. And yes, Spike before he got his soul is nothing to wish for in a boyfriend, even if it was fun to watch him. Kylo Ren and Spike have killed multiple people. I’m not down to date a murderer. 

One day I’ll be able to consume something I enjoy and move on after a week. Growing up, mundane suburban life was a little more interesting when you get lost in a fantasy for a while. To be focused on something other than school, work, or even your own anxieties. If anything, I think my obsessive personality towards men in particular just pushes me to look for more and to yearn for more instead of being depressed that I don’t get to live it. I don’t just settle for the first boy to like me back. I strive to one day not to marry a celebrity, a comedian, or an anthropomorphic cartoon character, but someone who makes me feel like I’m the heroine of my own show. 

For now, I’ll just wait for the Phantom to spring me into his underground lair. 

Taken 2 minutes before I published this. 

[lalalaugenbrot]

entirely unasked for, read books 2017, first half.

Unter der Sonne (Daniel Kehlmann, 1998/2008): Daniel Kehlmann is, for now, my favourite germanspeaking writer (style-wise, no worries Fritz) and I started the year with reading some of his early works I hadn’t read yet. Unter der Sonne is a collection of short stories and as almost all of Kehlmanns narrations they are always very real but shifting into a dream, or it feels like it at least, always on the verge of a nightmare. one could call it surreal realism? or very real surrealism? it’s very hard to put into words but oh boy, I just love it so much. so I have already read Ruhm (Fame), a later collection of short stories and I liked the overall compilation of those more, especially because the stories were slightly linked to each other. But still Unter der Sonne was brilliant as ever! / English title: this has not been translated I think?

Der Verbrecher aus verlorener Ehre (Friedrich Schiller, 1786): this was… quite wild to say the least. / English title: The Criminal of Lost Honour

Du hättest gehen sollen (Daniel Kehlmann, 2016): I love this little novel. It’s definitely one of my favourites by Daniel Kehlmann. And i really need to reread it! The mathematics mysticism is strong in this one. Das Geodreieck! / English title: You should have left

Maria Stuart (Friedrich Schiller, 1800): i feel terrible but the best thing about this book, which i bought at the flea market, is still that it came with a self made book mark -a ladie’s leg in a pantyhose and a very fancy high heeled shoe, probably cut out from a magazine and strengthend with adhesive tape- which must be, judging by the look of it, at least 60 years old, if not older (the book is from 1939). but apart from that, I also liked the play itself! but it has already been several months and to say anything specific about it now I would have to ask Evelyn Hamann to give a short recap of the bisher gesendeten Folgen. “Auf dem Landsitz Fortheringhay…” 

Die Wahlverwandschaften (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, 1809): i was meaning forever to read this and it was so beautiful, and sad! :( not even to speak of the quite obvious Schiller parallels. :(( and also, if you ever decide to read Die Wahlverwandschaften, please do so while listening to Die Ballade von Wolfgang und Brigitte by Wir sind Helden! / English title:  Elective Affinities

Beerholms Vorstellung (Daniel Kehlmann, 1997): this was Daniel Kehlmann’s first novel and ironically the last left that I hadn’t read. Compared to later works it maybe wasn’t as strong and the style not as developped but still very, very good. It’s about a magician, that is illusionist, who isn’t satisfied with his own skills because he himself still is aware that it’s all just tricks and illusion and thus tries to master his tricks so perfectly and blindly that he can become oblivious to the procedure in order to become a Real Magician and in the progress partially loses grip of reality. I mean… that idea alone is fascinating.

Cornelia Goethe (Sigrid Damm, 1992): Sigrid Damm deserves a medal for writing honest, inspiring and heartwrenching biographies about people (esp. women) we know so very little about! 

Heinrich von Kleist (Dora Wentscher, 1956): this was a true lucky find at the flea market, I am still amazed. Oh Berndi!

Wallensteins Lager (Friedrich Schiller, 1798): this is merely a prologue to the other two parts of the Wallenstein triology so i really need to go on reading the other two (main) parts. / English title: Wallenstein’s Camp

Sprachwandel (Rudi Keller, 1990): How and that language changes is something that amazes me to no ends and I have been musing about that subject for years now but I have never actually read anything about it by someone who actually knows what they’re talking about. So it was amazing and interesting and I am (still) so thrilled by this. Language is like the most amazing yet inapprehensible thing ever?! / English title: On Language Change

Maurice (E. M. Forster, 1914/1971): this book stole my heart all over again after having seen the film already some years ago. like seriously, I am internally crying tears of joy ever since. please read this! it will not diasappoint, and Christopher Isherwood himself was a fanboy okay?

Goodbye to Berlin (Christopher Isherwood, 1939): talking of the devil-this book is amazing! it’s like a mosaicy glimpse into pre-nazi Berlin, or rather Berlin right before turning and already turning into nazi Berlin. despite all, this book made me want to be there myself with all these people.

Die Physiker (Friedrich Dürrenmatt, 1962): that was a weird and funny one. and not at all what I expected. I had always heard that even people who had to read it in school had liked it but apart from that knew nothing about it. / English title: The Physicists

Christopher and his kind (Christopher Isherwood, 1976): this is the non-fiction version of Christopher Isherwoods time in Berlin with its gay community. mainly, he is on the run from the nazis with his boyfriend Heinz. very sad and also a bit wild.

Winnie-the-Pooh (A. A. Milne, 1926): I might be identifying with Eeyore A Little Too Much. But really what a cute and clever book! (It made me think in Capitalised Expressions for days.)

The Importance of being Earnest (Oscar Wilde, 1895): i don’t know why i waited so long to read Oscar Wilde but omg, that was hilarious and amazing!!

Mr Norris Changes Trains (Christopher Isherwood, 1935): i didn’t enjoy this as much as Goodbye to Berlin and Christopher and his Kind, the entire story is somewhat sinister and the characters not really likeable somehow? but then I also read that Isherwood himself didn’t like it before i even started reading so I think I was also a bit biased. but it’s also very interesting to see how his style developped in contrast to the masterpiece I think Goodbye to Berlin is

Relato de un náufrago (Gabriel García Márquez, 1970): earlier this year I started reading Cien Años de Soledad (100 Years of Solitude) by García Márquez but stopped half way through because it confused the hell out of me and I somehow didn’t connect to the characters at all. I don’t know if it was for the Spanish or simply for the sheer amount of characters -of which half have the same name?!- and the large time span the novel is narrated on? anyway I wanted to give García Márquez another chance and picked something lighter, shorter and with less people - only one to be precise! And I enjoyed it very much! / English title: The Story of a Shipwrecked Sailor

Schillers Schwester Christophine (Annette Seemann, 2009): Christophine (Fene) was two years older than her little brother Fritz and since they both were much older than their younger siblings they were an inseparable duo in their childhood days. It is also said that Christophine’s character was a model for a lot, if not most, of Schiller’s female heroines. But as biographies about women in history go they can be a tough thing and this one makes no exception - to the point where it becomes almost unbearable! I got teary eyed reading this in the subway; but then I also might be caring about the Schillers A Little Too Much. / I highly doubt this has been transated.

Progress in Sign Language Research (Schulmeister/Reinitzer, 2002): blame (that is thank) Fargo and Russel Harvard that I suddenly became aware of how there’s an entire different set of languages to learn and learn about! The craziest thing was that while I was reading this very book (at work, sometimes there’s just not that much to do) an actual Deaf Person came to the cinema and asked if we were showing movies with english subtitles (which we don’t). That is he came up to me and said “deaf” and gestured writing in his hand and I then handed him a notepad on which we had our conversation. But everything happened so fast and there was another costumer waiting, and I was so taken aback, (I misspelled english as englisch how awkward!) but I had that book literally laying there next to me on the counter. I still wish I could have showed him. :/ I also regret not having been able to look up some cinemas for him that show movies with english subtitles. I hope he found one anyway!

A Room with a View (E. M. Forster, 1908): so after Maurice I wanted to read more by Forster and he did not disappoint! i had a lot of other stuff on my mind while reading this so it lost me a bit in the middle but totally got my attention back towards the end and i’m definitely going to reread this some day. and I simply cannot believe how wonderfully fantastical the Emersons are! although i’m yet to read Walden I am already contemplating putting “mistrust all enterprises that require new clothes” on my wardrobe as well-what a thing to do lmao! naturally I immediately watched the film after finishing the book and it was also nice seeing the entire Maurice cast again, only in different roles, haha!

books on my reading list for the second half of 2017: 

Hundraårigen som klev ut genom fönstret och försvann (Jonas Jonasson, 2009)

A Single Man (Christopher Isherwood, 1964)

Die Leiden des jungen Werther (Johann Wolfgang von Goethe,1774)

The House at Pooh Corner (A. A. Milne, 1928)

Of Mice and Men (John Steinbeck 1937)

A Manual for Cleaning Women (Lucia Berlin, 1977/1999)

Die Piccolomini (Friedrich Schiller, 1799)

Wallensteins Tod (Friedrich Schiller, 1799)

Walden (Henry David Thoreau, 1854)

Christiane und Goethe (Sigrid Damm, 1998)

La Casa de los Espiritus (Isabel Allende, 1982)

Penthesilea (Heinrich von Kleist, 1808)

Die Geschichte der Bienen (Maja (!) Lunde, 2015)

Glimpses of World History (Jawaharlal Nehru, 1930/1962)

Howards End (E. M. Forster, 1910)

A Passage to India (E. M. Forster, 1924)

The Picture of Dorian Gray (Oscar Wilde, 1890)

Die Entdeckung der Langsamkeit (Sten Nadolny, 1983)

Frühlings Erwachen (Frank Wedekind, 1891)

[nerdylittleshit]

Thoughts about Spn 12x18

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!

It’s easter and I have the day off (yeah), which is why you get my episode review earlier than usual, but also there isn’t a trasncript of the episode online yet, so... I have the write this from my memory... about an episode that is called “The memory remains”. Pun intended.

So. Overall I liked this episode. It made me worried about both Sam and DEan’s fate and about Cas, so thank you very much John Bring. It felt like a classic Spn episode with a classic small town murder mystery. Some of the parallels were very on the nose, but overall they still worked. So let’s dig into it.

The case

I love small towns and I love small town muder mystery stories. Which is why I like Riverdale (it’s on Netflix guys, you should check it out) and I couldn’t help to see some similarities with Riverdale and this episode. I just thought about all the parent characters in Riverdale and how their kids have to live through the consequences of the mess they made. You know, their legacies. And man legacy was a huge theme this episode. The sheriff tried to stop the murder legacy of his family. He tried to do better. The same way Sam and Dean try to do better, with both their hunter legacy (John’s upbringing) and their MoL legacy. Both John and MoL divided the world in black and white and because of it Sam and Dean needed to learn the hard way that it is not as easy as this. Just in this episode it was revealved the real monster was a human all along, both under the mask but also as it was the family who summoned the God in the first place.

I wonder if the fact that the bad guy was the evil half brother means we see the Winchester’s half brother (Adam) again as well. Dabb has a thing of resolving long lost story arcs, so maybe (also Michael was mentioned in the previous episode). The evil half brother whose name I forgot (Pete?) also accused the sheriff that he only got the crap whereas his half brother lived in a mansion. With Adam of course it was the other way around: Sam and Den got the crap aka the hunting life, whereas Adam got a normal life with a normal dad. Until he was eaten by a ghoul and brought back to life to serve as an angel’s condom. But you know, details. But I couldn’t help of thinking about one of @mittensmorgul metas where she wrote that for Sam the hunting life is the crap that comes with being with his family (you can’t have the one without the other).

Also, I couldn’t help but think that victim number one was a Winchester parallel as well. They named him Jared, which defenitely wasn’t a coincidence. The sheriff told Sam and Dean that the boy’s mother went away and his dad was an abusive dick. And then the sheriff told them it is hard to get a kid out of an abusive environment. Which for one thing is true if you don’t have enough evidence. But I think was also defenitely meant as a meta comment on Sam and Dean’s childhood. I don’t think it is a coincidence we got this in the same season we saw Dean’s dislike for the Child Protective Service (12x04). They probably had their suspicions but never enough evidence and the Winchesters moved around a lot. For Dean it would have meant they would split up his family and he could no longer protect Sam, so he wouldn’t be very cooperative. I think the sheriff’s line that Jared fell down the stairs a lot reads like this as well, that maybe Jared lied in order to protect his father.

Mr. Ketch

When he first tod Sam and Dean about the case I thought it was a trap, so he could kill them on the job and made it appear like an accident. Instead they examined the bunker, that appearently has no security system whatsoever. Sure, it is warded against all kinds of supernatural beings but not against humans. And after the Stynes they should have known better. Though I’m pretty sure they will find the microscope underneath the table, as they usually keep their guns there as well.

Ketch keeping a photo of Mary (THE photo as well) was such a beginner’s mistake though. As if Dean won’t notice. And they way he looked at it while listening to Dean and Sam complaining about him... pretty sure he won’t be their next step dad. i’m not sure Ketch is able to genuine love someone so I would rather say he is obsessed with Mary and might believe now her sons are the only thing holding her back from being with him. Mary sure has a shitty taste in men (first John, now this).

The brothers

First of all, we should start every episode without Cas showing the brothers worry about him for five minutes at the minimum. It’s the law. And I think this opening scene was important to interpret Dean’s behaviour for the rest of the episode. Cas doesn’t answer/calls back, Dean can’t trace his phone or find him through the system. For all he knows Cas could be dead. Sam (because he knows) tries to reassure him, telling him Cas will be fine, because he always is (so he is defenitely not fine) and that Cas went missing like this before. And that is the point, isn’t it? Cas has a habbit for disappering and not answering. And Dean is tired of it. He is tired of waiting. He is tired of being afraid something might have happened to him, that he could be dead and they wouldn’t even know. Or worse: that Cas doesn’t care enough to call. That, just in like in season 8, he gets Dean’s calls and prayers (because of course he prays to him) but doesn’t bother to answer them. Next week will show is why. There has been already some speculation if Cas was brainwashed again, so we will see.

But as I said I think it is important to know Dean’s current emotional state regarding Cas to understand the rest of the episode. Of course I’m talking about the waitress here (and for the record that coffee line only worked because you are cute Dean). If Cas would have been around or had at least called? Dean wouldn’t have glanced twice at her or even flirted with her. I think the whole thing was a reaction of Dean being hurt by Cas’s absence. The same way he had sex with Suzy in 9x08 after he said goodbye to Cas in 9x06. So however odd it sounds, Dean having sex with the waitress confirms my reading of Dean having romantic feelings for Cas. It is rebound sex at its best.

Not much going on with Sam, so fast forward to the end: Sam and Dean’s legacy. Now this is the part that kept me worring. They left their mark on the table (confirming that the bunker is as much a home to them as is the Impala) and talk about a next generation of hunters living there. And about leaving the world a better place than it was. Which sounds like a death note. Not that they want to die, but that maybe this is where it is headed? I’m not even talking about this season’s end but the show’s end. And man, I’m longing for a happy end for the boys. Meaning they live and don’t sacrifice themselves or something. Maybe (finger’s crossed) they retire from hunting and that is the reson we will see other hunters (Claire?) sitting at the tible, looking at the initials in a possible spin off. For now it confirms that they try to do things a different way than the generations before them, more saving, less killing (and the psycho brothers line of  “Hunting people. Killing them. The family business.” was defenitely meant as dark mirror here). Doing things a different way hopefully also means the show won’t end in tragedy (the way it would have if it had ended after season 5 like it was originally planed) but instead we get our happy end. Heaven knows the Winchesters (and the audience) deserve it.

Some other things:

- I think that was the first time the Colt wasn’t shot in slow motion (@wigglebox)

- How adorable was Dean calling a saytr adorable?

- Season 13 arc confirmed: Why is Sam’s hair so shiny.Until next week =)

[oscopelabs]

‘O.C. and Stiggs’ And The Utterly Unreleasable, Mind-Roasting Summer Of Robert Altman by Keith Phipps

[This month, Musings pays homage to Produced and Abandoned: The Best Films You’ve Never Seen, a review anthology from the National Society of Film Critics that championed studio orphans from the ‘70s and ‘80s. In the days before the Internet, young cinephiles like myself relied on reference books and anthologies to lead us to film we might not have discovered otherwise. Released in 1990, Produced and Abandoned was a foundational piece of work, introducing me to such wonders as Cutter’s Way, Lost in America, High Tide, Choose Me, Housekeeping, and Fat City. (You can find the full list of entries here.) Over the next four weeks, Musings will offer its own selection of tarnished gems, in the hope they’ll get a second look. Or, more likely, a first. —Scott Tobias, editor.]

Robert Altman was happiest working in the shadows. That’s true of his relationship with Hollywood—where he never fit in, except as the town’s designated maverick—but also true of his relationship with other movies. Altman always had a lot to say about his craft, even if he tended to treat interviews as opportunities to reiterate points he made many times. One talking point he returned to, including when I spoke to him in 2000, is the notion that influence could work backwards. “The directors who’ve probably had the most influence on me,” he said, “were probably names I don’t even know, because I looked at a film that was really bad and I would say, ‘Hmm, I’m never going to do that.’ That’s probably the most direct positive influence on the work I do. I don’t even know who those directors are.”

When talking about Altman, it’s always worth talking about what he was trying not to do as much as what he hoped to accomplish. M*A*S*H can be seen as a war film determined to show viewers what other films would not, from the bloody mess left after battles end to the long stretches of wartime boredom to the sometimes ugly sides of the lifesaving heroes. McCabe and Mrs. Miller is a Western without heroes. The Long Goodbye lets a noir play out in the sunny, counterculture-filled ‘70s Los Angeles.

All of which sort of explains how Altman came to direct the teen comedy O.C. and Stiggs—but only sort of. Shot in 1983—while films like Screwballs, Private School, and Losin’ It rolled out in multiplexes across America—it should have been released to catch the wave of raunchy teen comedies stirred by National Lampoon’s Animal House in 1978 and made into a tsunami by Bob Clark’s Porky’s three years later. But Altman was far from on board with the T&A-filled spirit of the times. When approached by producer Peter Newman, he recalled thinking, in an interview conducted for the film’s DVD release, “This isn’t my kind of film. I don’t know how to do these kinds of films.’ But that was a time when these teenage films were kind of in…mode. And I hated them. I just hated them. And I thought, here’s a chance to do a satire on something that I feel strongly about.” “I went after it,” he added, in a telling choice of phrase, “in that matter.”

He at least had slightly more prestigious source material from which to draw, if only slightly. Though the film doesn’t bear the National Lampoon name, its title characters, a pair of prank-happy Arizona teens, come from the magazine’s pages. Created by Lampoon writers Ted Mann and Tod Carroll, Oliver “Out Of Control” Ogilvie and Mark Stiggs became favorite recurring characters in the Lampoon’s last gasp of relevance in the early ’80s. Their stories also embodied the changes to the magazine’s spirit in the Reagan era, when the always freewheeling publication started punching down far more often than it punched up. Two children of privilege, the O.C. and Stiggs of its pages enjoy an adolescence filled with excess, abuse, and casual racism and misogyny. Their adventures climaxed with the novella-length “The Utterly Monstrous, Mind-Roasting Summer of O.C. and Stiggs,” which took up the entirety of the Lampoon’s 1982 issue.

It also provided the backbone to Altman’s film, courtesy of a screenplay credited to Mann and Donald Cantrell. In Hunter Stephenson’s extensive history/appreciation of the film, Mann notes that Carroll worked on the script but took his name off the movie. Altman then reworked the script and allowed it to drift further from the original vision thanks to a typically improvisation-friendly set. Really, he had no choice. Altman was never known for being overly respectful of screenplays, but O.C. and Stiggs plays as if he’s compelled to actively work against the source material while still following the outline of the plot. There’s a brutal wit to Mann and Carroll’s stories*, but the teenage nihilism at their core is hard to square with Altman’s sensibility, which could be unsparing of human behavior while still maintaining an underlying respect for human decency.

As such, Wino Bob, the boys’ “Negro derelict” friend, is given all the dignity a character named Wino Bob can hope to have, thanks to a heartfelt performance from Melvin Van Peebles. The heroes’ attempt to shame a pair of teachers in a gay relationship becomes the occasion for one of the teachers to say he doesn’t care. And the film’s central conflict between O.C. and Stiggs’ and the Schwab family, a grotesque suburban clan that’s grown rich from insurance sales, becomes a battle between haves and have-nots, with O.C. now motivated to exact revenge on the Schwabs thanks to the cancellation of his grandfather’s (Ray Walston) health insurance, a development that will send O.C. off to live with relatives in Arkansas at the end of the summer unless something can be done. What emerged looks more like an Altman movie than, say, Fraternity Vacation, but it’s a strange beast nonetheless, a Brundlefly-like hybrid that’s not really equipped to live in any known movie habitat. There’s too much overlapping dialogue and restless camerawork, to say nothing of the virtual absence of nudity, for Porky’s fans, too many outrageous pranks for the arthouse.

That might explain why MGM didn’t know what to do with the movie, shelving it after disastrous screenings in 1984, which came and went without a release. So did 1985. And 1986. And though the film apparently played some theaters in 1987, it didn’t reach New York until 1988, when it appeared at Film Forum as part of a Dennis Hopper retrospective. Most viewers who encountered it did so on VHS in the late ‘80s, when it already looked like a lost film from a bygone time, the T&A comedies of the early ‘80s having given way to the more sympathetic efforts of another Lampoon alum, John Hughes. (If nothing else, Jon Cryer, who plays the much-tormented Randall Schwab, already looked noticeably younger in his feature debut by the time saw the light of day.)

Yet while O.C. and Stiggs will deservedly never be mentioned near the top of any Altman ranking of the director’s film (or, if we’re being honest, too close to the middle), there’s nothing else quite like it. Both Daniel H. Jenkins and Neil Barry (O.C. and Stiggs, respectively) make for appealing leads, embodying their characters’ screw-it-all, question everything, respect nothing teenage attitude without making them seem heartless. (That spirit in two lines: “I want you to call me Stiggs. It sounds more ridiculous.”) And for every obvious flaw, there’s some compensating element. A big wedding set piece doesn’t really go anywhere, but it does feature a charming dance sequence between Jenkins and Cynthia Nixon (both of whom would stay in Altman’s orbit for a while). The comedy falls flat in the action finale, but it does feature a bizarre, self-parodying performance from Dennis Hopper as a Vietnam vet for whom the war never ended. Some sections drag, but Altman throws in a winning concert scene from King Sunny Ade. Also featured: Jane Curtin as an inventive alcoholic mom for whom every object can double as a place to hide booze, a supremely chill Martin Mull, Bob Uecker, and a cameo from Hal Phillip Walker (Thomas Hal Phillips), the third-party candidate whose cryptic proclamations filled the background of Nashville.

It’s a film that time has only made more intriguing, thanks to its unmistakable Altman-ness, its undeniable eighties-ness, and the uneasy alliance the film forces between the two. Altman “went after” the ‘80s teen movie, and though the genre barely noticed his attack, the resulting film remains a disjointed but spirited critique of Reagan-era values and a salute to the teen spirit of subversion, even if that subversion took the form of driving around in a suped-up car with monster truck tires on it just to annoy the squares.

The film first came to my attention, years after its release, via my friend Todd Hanson, a gifted writer for The Onion whose pop culture enthusiasms had a way of getting passed from co-worker to co-worker. When I got the chance to speak to Altman, I knew I had to devote at least a few of my previous 20-minute slot to what had by then become an office-wide obsession. “I was attacking the teen mentality of the audience,” he said, “and I just was a little too… Nobody got it.”

Looking back, it might be that not enough tried. At that low ebb of Altman’s commercial fortunes—post-Popeye, pre-Player—he’d become too easy to take for granted and an odd, flawed, but undeniably one-of-a-kind film could be dismissed as just another ‘80s misstep. Maybe it seemed like we’d have Altman movies forever, and the era in which studios might somehow find themselves funding impossible-to-define oddities that doubled as single-finger salutes to the bad taste of their intended audience would never end.

* In an odd case of two geniuses drawing inspiration from an unlikely source, Mann and Carroll’s stories also inspired D.R. and Quinch, an early writing effort from comics great Alan Moore.