#greta granite

[oddphotos362]

[moonfromearth]

TV season premier night!! Corey invited Greta over to watch it buuuut I think she had food poisoning from the restaurant or something... Oops.

Greta: *is sick with a stomach bug* Corey: 😍

[names-mart]

eeheheee i love the blog and Im so happy your usig the flag we made >< -🍃

Also, possible first ask? I’m still source connected and use a closed name, but am hoping for one I can use. I prefer neutral names, but masc or fem work fine as well. Anything relating to gems and/or dragons -💎

GEMS/JEWELS

Adelite, Agate, Alabaster, Amber, Amethyst, Ardesia, Argyros, Beryl, Carnelian, Celestine, Cinnabar, Citrine, Copper, Coral, Crystal, Diamante, Diamond, Ebony, Eirian, Electa, Emerald, Emeraude, Esme, Esmeralda, Flint, Garnet, Gemma, Golde, Granite, Greta, Ivory, Jacinth, Jasper, Jet, Jewel, Lapis, Malachite/malikai/malakai/malachi/malichi, Mercury, Obsidian, Olivine, Onyx, Opal, Peridot, Pyrite, Quartz, Rosegold, Ruby, Sapphire, Silver, Slate, Topaz, Tourmaline, Umina, Zircon

DRAGONS

Drake, Draco, Mandrake, Aiden, Anguis, Belindo, Brantley, Brenton, Cadmus, Dracon, Dracul, Eborsisk, Ladon, Ormr (Nordic), Samael (Hebrew), Tyson, Viper, Xiuhcoatl (Aztec), Adalinda, Brenna, Chusi, Daenerys, Druk (Bhutanese), Faranth, Hydra, Katla, Libelle/Libel, Malinda, Mindy, Pitaya, Rhaenys, Saphira, Tarasque, Wyvern, Arrow, Azar (Hebrew), Blas, Boruta (Polish), Devlin, Ember, Griffin, Kirin (Sanskrit), Knucker, Puff, Reese, Valryon

!!! Disclaimer !!!

I put an origin next to names I knew or assumed were closed. However, I do not know the origin of all of the names. Please do your research before using these!

[victimized-martyr]

I saw the tags in ur recent art post care to share any of ur married kyman ideas? 👀

While Cartman’s schemes are dangerous, they’re often the product of him throwing a fit over not getting what he wants. Which, are usually material. Kyle’s schemes are a lot more to handle in comparison— he inspires movements (M.A.C) makes the problems interpersonal (Reverse Cowgirl), he justifies himself at every step and if Kyle doesn’t come to his senses in time, Cartman is the only one able to hold him back from like, getting another fucking country nuked again.

Cartman wakes up early on weekend mornings and cooks the biggest greasiest breakfasts. Well… it’s more like he cooks breakfast in between songs. He’s singing into his spatula more than using it to flip pancakes. Who needs an alarm when you got Cartman belting Greta Van Fleet?

Kyle says he’s hardworking and vigilant, and that’s true, though you’re more likely to find him texting his husband or whisper-yelling at him on phone during work. Kyle wouldn’t have if any other way— Cartman is usually the most interesting part of his day.

Cartman and Kyle combine their love languages (Quality time, physical affection) by chilling on the couch. Cartman watches obscure 80s movies as he fiercely cuddles Kyle, meanwhile Kyle scrolls mindlessly on his phone. Occasionally Kyle will comment on the outdated visual effects and they’ll mock the cheesy delivery of lines.

They can’t park their car in their garage because it’s become their unofficial storage unit. It’s filled with random shit from Cartman and Kyle’s antics. Makes it very hard for Cartman to get to the lawn mower.

After an especially rough day at work, Kyle will wordlessly sink into Cartman and not move until he doesn’t feel like ending the world. It’s one of the rare moments they’re reminded Cartman is as much a lifeline for Kyle as Kyle is for Cartman. Much to Kyle’s (weak) protest, Cartman ends up buying takeout and forces Kyle to be lazy for once and pampers him.

They will both freak that there’s a bug in the house. Cartman goes overboard and proceeds to pin the fucker down and slowly tear off its limbs. Maybe he’ll let it live to warn his bug brethren to not fuck with the Brofloski’s. Maybe he makes a drawn out torture sequence complete with evil speech. Kyle’s more silent—his eyes bug out and hits the damn thing so hard the countertop chips, and Cartman bitches about it because fuck Kyle! granite isn’t cheap!

[alwaysgarbo]

Always Garbo visits Greta’s final resting place

You are prohibited from saving and sharing these photos anywhere else without permission. The photos belong to Always Garbo and the author/photographer.

Originally shared on wordpress on 29th of April, 2020

In the summer of 2019 I spent a week at my brother and his girlfriend’s place. They just so happen to live outside of Stockholm and even before I arrived I knew there was one place in particular that I wanted to visit during my stay. My brother wasn’t up to it but my sister-in-law and her daughter kindly took me to Skogskyrkogården (the Woodland Cemetery) so I could fullfil a dream of mine – to visit the final resting place of Greta Garbo.

It just so happened that they had never been there either and the place is huge so we had a little trouble finding our way around. I knew that Greta’s grave is located in section 12A and we found a map so eventually we did locate it. First we went to the visitor center for some coffee and once there I damned myself for not bringing my wallet and money. They were selling books about Greta and postcards – luckily my wonderful sister-in-law let me borrow some money from her so I could buy one book and two postcards.

Once we were done at the visitor center we decided to find Greta. It was quite a bit of walk to the section we were going to – we parked the car by the entrance of the cemetery but there are parking lots further in and even bus stops since the place is so big. I didn’t mind the walk though, it’s a beautiful place. It’s surrounded by nature and monuments, and I definitely want to visit again.

When we got to section 12, we were a bit lost again. Where was Greta’s grave? We looked around but all we saw were the regular headstones and I knew what her gravestone looks like, I just didn’t see it anywhere.

Then I turned… and I saw something quite some distance away. It looked like a gravestone that was standing all by itself up on a hill. Was that it? I split from my sister-in-law and her daughter, and headed toward it. I walked rather fast and I’m not lying when I say that I was shaking a little when I walked up the steps leading to the burial site. I slowed down, called out that I had found it and then my attention was solely on that beautiful pink granite gravestone.

I stood there quietly for a minute or so and just stared. Greta would have hated my guts! I took a few (a lot) of photos to remember the moment by and then I looked around a bit, and talked to her. I don’t remember what I said but I was quite overwhelmed with adoration. I also felt quite weird, perhaps a bit disrespectful? Although I wasn’t in that sense, I behaved myself and didn’t disturb the peace – but knowing how Greta was and how she valued her privacy, it felt a bit wrong to gawk.

It was an amazing experience and definitely one of the highlights of the summer – one of the highlights of the year even! I definitely recommend a visit to Skogskyrkogården, even if you’re not a huge fan of Greta Garbo. There are other famous people buried there and the place is beautiful if you don’t mind the graves. I for one love cemeteries, I think they’re peaceful. So if you’re in the area, do stop by! I know that I will definitely visit again but next time I’m bringing flowers for Greta and perhaps a card with the names of Always Garbo’s followers!

[lunarbuck]

Earth to Jane

cym as favorite songs

Yay!! Love this :)) also I’m sorry to any mutuals I don’t tag in these, my brain is the size of a peanut and I have an awful memory lmao

—

Sleeptalk by Dayseeker - @angrythingstarlight

Talking Body by Tove Lo - @flordeamatista

All I Want by A Day To Remember - @sgt-seabass

Granite by Sleep Token - @jen-with-a-pen

Friday I’m in love by the cure - @peaches1958

More than a woman by Bee Gees - @jobean12-blog

Sleeping with a friend by Neon Trees - @navybrat817

Tears of rain by Greta Van Fleet - @late-to-the-party-81

Blurry by Puddle of Mudd - @caplanbuckybarnes

Chateau Lobby #4 by Father John Misty - @lfnr-blog-blog-blog

Feel it all around by washed out - @writing-for-marvel

1.5k Sleepover

[culpepper-pals]

I love these guys - the Goth family is full of oddballs, and that's exactly how it should be.

A reminder of what they got up to in the summer:

Summer began with a trip to the flea market for the teens - Ella made the most out of being able to spend time with Tarin, meanwhile Ana had a bit of a falling out with Greta. It can’t have been anything too serious, because Greta later climbed in through the window to ask to be girlfriends. The early part of the season went well for the family - Ella graduated early, Haley completed her aspiration, Oli got a promotion. The family then went on vacation in Granite Falls. The family enjoyed some down time together; playing games, going on hikes and Haley pulling a classic suncream prank! At school afterwards, Greta and Ana had another falling out which this time spelled the end of their relationship. Towards the end of the season, Ella became a YA and moved out to San Myshuno, and Ana became good friends with Jacob and became prom royalty.

[jake-whatthefisgoingon-kiszka]

Well @puzzle-gvf tagged me in 10 songs I’m currently obsessed with (I had to go and listen to everyone’s songs first!)

Here’s 10 songs from my “Existential Dread” playlist for when I want to listen to music but don’t have a particular genre in mind

Starting off strong I can’t get this song out of my head woah woah woah woooaah woah

I mentioned I heard this song on the radio one morning and it went straight into the playlist

This is self explanatory. I want to get drunk and sway in the living room at 2am to this song

Another k-pop slip 🫢 but the music video is soooooo good

You know that saying the rest of the artist’s discography is not as good as the song you discovered them by? Yeah this is that. Or maybe I just like that it’s about airplanes cause I’m a nerd

Hands down best Orville Peck song. Never skip it

I actually hadn’t listened to this song in a while and it played the other night and I was like daaaamn 😮‍💨 I forgot how obsessed I was with this song particularly when I discovered her

My absolute fav MCR song

It was between this one and The Summoning. I’ve just gotten into Sleep Token but I fuck with them

Finishing strong. Specifically 4:13

If you want to talk about music I’m tagging:

@maud-gone @anthemofgvf @songbirds-sweet @sunandthemoontwinflames @sunfl0wer-power

(a few of you have already been tagged but I’m tagging you again cause I wuv you)

[alteredpixels]

Emmett whisked Greta off to Granite Falls for an impromptu camping trip (it had nothing to do with the fact that it was Love Day and he was trying to make things up to her) 💘

I love that our sims can actually picnic now!

[simslabs]

Greta has had a want to take a vacation in Granite falls for ages and I figured it was a good time to take family vacation to celebrate Alexander graduating university finally  and starting his career in the science. They rented a quaint family log cabin for 3 days. 

[njadakaufey]

Little training between mother and son.

[chrisbahng-old]

Light My Love | Bang Chan [Preview]

Characters — Chan + Fem!Reader [preview only]

Genre — slice of life, dilf!chan, slow burn

Synopsis — you set my heart on fire, so it's time I burn yours too.

Word Count — 1084 (preview) | tbd (entire fic)

taglist — @lix-ables @yedammi @hanjiesgf @hanji-cafe @hugs4chan @planetdream @ethereallino [let me know if you want to be added/removed from taglist]

You stood at the door of his house. Truthfully, it could have qualified as a mansion compared to the small apartment you live in currently. The whole neighborhood seemed that way, and you couldn’t help but feel a small twinge of envy bubble in your stomach. “I hate making minimum wage.” you grumbled before pushing the button for the doorbell. 

You heard a chime ring through the house and footsteps following it. The door creaked open and you took a deep breath before looking up at the man in the doorframe. 

“Y/n!” Chan greeted with a smile on his face, his dimple more prominent than ever. You smiled back, not really knowing what to say and hoping the gesture was enough. Chan opened the door wider, holding his arm out as an open invitation into his home. You took it and slowly stepped inside, away from the biting cold of the winter night. 

You almost instantly took in the smell of something cooking. What it was, you weren’t too sure, but it smelled heavenly. You looked around the entrance as you slipped out of your shoes, forgetting you were wearing mismatched socks. You saw Chan smile fondly out of your peripheral vision and you felt your cheeks burn. 

You looked into your hands, nearly forgetting what you were truly here for. “Oh,” you began. “Here’s Nari’s hot chocolate.” you took the small cup and held it out for Chan to take. “I hope it’s not too cold.”

Chan took the cup in his hands, your fingers brushing together and for a split second, you swore he kept his fingers on yours longer than he needed. “I’m sure she’ll love it either way,” he said before walking towards the staircase. You followed him slowly, still a little unsure of what to do and how to act in a place like this. You weren’t used to fancy, not in the slightest. Adequate was what you were used to. 

“Nari! Come downstairs please!” Chan said loudly before turning back to face you. “Make yourself at home, y/n. Help yourself to anything to drink. I’m making dinner right now, so it should be done soon.” 

You blinked slowly before looking toward the entrance to the kitchen. The sound of tiny footsteps filled the air and you watched as Nari appeared at the top of the stairwell. “Daddy! It’s the girl you like!” she exclaimed, running down the stairs at a speed you never thought possible. Chan flushed red and rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand and let out a giggle. “Nari, y/n brought you a hot chocolate since you’re not feeling well. What do we say?” 

Nari looks over at you, taking the cup from her father in her small hands. “Thank you!” 

You smiled at her and brought a hand to her dark hair. It was beginning to curl at the ends, like Chan’s hair. 

“You’re so very welcome, Nari.” you reply softly. 

Chan crouched next to Nari, becoming eye level with his daughter. “Why don’t you go upstairs and play, okay? I’ll be up soon to tuck you into bed.” Chan kissed her forehead and the little girl smiled before making her way back up the stairs. 

You hadn’t realized, but you were watching the whole scene unfold in front of you. You felt your heart swell at the sight and a soft smile spread across your lips. Chan began to stand up and you quickly looked back towards the kitchen. “So,” you began and Chan hummed. 

“Do you want something to drink? I have wine, water, juice,” Chan offered, walking into the kitchen and opening the fridge doors. “You had me at wine.” You laugh, following Chan. 

“Red or white wine?” he asks, taking two separate bottles out. You point to the red bottle and he carefully puts the white wine away. He sets the bottle on the granite countertops and opens a cabinet, pulling out two wine glasses. 

You watched as he uncorked the bottle and poured two generous glasses. He took the cups in his hands and set them at the table. “You can have a seat,” he offered, pulling out a chair for you. You took his offer, but your mind didn’t really process what he was saying. Your mind was running laps around the single sentence Nari said earlier. It’s the girl you like!

You took a sip of the wine as you watched Chan finish cooking. He was talking, you could hear him, but you couldn’t make out any of the words he was saying. 

Your heart sped up when you saw him roll the sleeves of his white shirt up. You weren’t sure how much longer you could hold on. 

Moments passed and something just didn’t feel right about the situation. Whether it was your own feelings getting in the way, or the fact that Chan hadn’t really spoken since Nari’s little comment, you weren’t too sure. 

You took another drink from the glass before standing up and pushing your chair in. “Chan, I’m sorry, but I think I’m gonna go. I’m not feeling well and I don’t want to get you or Nari sick.” you lied. The truth was you felt like an intruder. Like you were watching something happen that wasn’t meant for your eyes. As far as you know, he could very well have a wife or someone in his life and he was just playing you like a pawn. 

“Oh, that’s okay. I can walk you out.” Chan offered, walking up to you as you made your way back to the front door. You slid your shoes back on and reached for the door handle, but another hand was there before yours. You followed the arm, knowing it belonged to Chan, and watched his gaze soften. “I hope you have a good night, y/n.” Chan opened the door for you and you smiled at him as you walked out. Once the door was fully shut behind you, you nearly ran to your car and got behind the wheel. 

You rested your forehead against the steering wheel and sighed heavily. Your mind was still racing with millions of thoughts, each louder than the last. You reached into your pocket and dug out your keys before putting them in the ignition and pulling away from his house. 

You needed space. Space away from work, your friends, the city. But most importantly, you needed a break. A break from Chan. 

[taixju]

Safe Haven [1]

CONTENT WARNING: fluff, eventual smut, slow build, oc’s, ceo levi, office au, assault/harassment, unedited

NOTES: An ongoing Levi x Reader series. Not exactly sure where this is going but I’m having fun writing it ~ thanks for giving this train wreck a chance *muah*

You quickly climb the stairs, coffee in hand, and ignore the sound of your black heels scuffing against the gray granite. You were late...again.

“Miss Reader,” the receptionist greeted you without sparing a glance.

“Greta,” you nod politely.

Pressing the golden elevator button several times, you smooth the wrinkles out of your black pencil skirt. Nervously, you run a hand through your hair and tuck the loose strands behind your ears. It’s been a little over a year since the senior Ackerman announced his indefinite leave and appointed his nephew to fill in his shoes as the CEO of Ackerman Corporation.

In the Seattle bureau, office gossip was inevitable, and with the man who was crowned as the Pacific Northwest’s most eligible bachelor, making a permanent appearance, people were bound to whisper amongst themselves. Not you though. Although you were aware that he was quite the charming fellow, you just weren’t interested. You were content with life as it was and did not want to be grouped with the other women in the company who pinned for a single man’s attention. It was plain and simple: no men equaled no drama. You planned to keep it that way.

However, your best friend Grace begged to differ and would most definitely talk until her lips fell off. Gracelynn Emma Williams was notorious for her colloquial ways and she was always sure to gush over the man to whom she referred to as “sex on legs”.

Now you, being the complete opposite of Grace, lived a life of solitude and rarely allowed your work and personal life to collide. But that all changed when he, unapologetically barged, into your life.

~~

Sighing, you threw your phone back into your clutch as the elevator doors opened. Bracing yourself for what stood behind the large mahogany doors at the end of the hallway, you nervously twiddle your thumbs. You swallowed then cleared your throat. Get ahold of yourself Reader, you mentally slap yourself. Then with a tug of your big girl panties, you reach for the golden knot and push open the large door

It was quiet. Too quiet.

“Hello?” you call out.

There is no response. You let out a relieved sigh and quietly shut the door. You relax and make your way over to your desk. The top floor was taken up entirely by Levi; The rest of the employees were allotted to the floors below, but you, his assistant, were an exception. You place your lukewarm coffee down. If there was one thing that the President hated more than untidiness, it was tardiness. This wasn’t your first offense and the last thing you wanted was to be caught red-handed by him. You boot up your computer and get ready to go through emails for the next hour.

“Late,” a chilling voice makes you jump, “again.”

The hair rises on the back of your neck and you swivel your chair to face your boss.

Across the room, he leans against the edge of a desk. A usual scowl decorates his handsome face. His dark suit and tie are ironed and pressed neatly, contrary to your wrinkled skirt. You know he takes notice.

“I apologize,” you grimace at his harsh tone. No matter how hard you tried, you somehow always found yourself in situations like this. He takes in your disheveled appearance and crosses his arms.

“You look like shit,” he states bluntly.

“Thanks,” you respond sarcastically, “I dressed up just for you.”

You smile sweetly at him. He glares at you. It’s been over a year since you became his personal assistant. You were good at your job, that’s why he tolerated you. 

It was a rare occurrence that you were late but ever since your new neighbor took notice of you, he’d find the perfect times to loiter outside of your unit and wait for your exit. Once was happenstance. Twice was a coincidence. But after his third attempt to practically force you into his apartment, you knew then that he was a fucking creep. You grimace, recalling the run-in with him this morning.

~~

Before leaving, you peered out of the peephole, making sure he was nowhere in sight. You checked your watch - you had a good hour to make it to work on time. You take a deep breath and then quickly open the door. With the house key already in hand, you turn to lock the door. You turn, ready to make a run for it but instead bump into a broad chest.

You yelp and take a step back, only for him to come closer. Your back hits your front door. The man in front of you places his hands on either side of your head, trapping you between his arms.

“Zeke,” your voice shakes nervously.

He responds with your name and you do your best to hide your dismay.

“Where are you off to in such a hurry?” he drawls.

“Work,” you state with indifference.

You glance to your left, then to your right. The hallway was empty and the two of you were alone. The last thing you wanted to do was anger the guy.

“Why is it,” he chuckles, “that I’m always having to chase after you like this?”

“I don’t know what you mean,” you fake a laugh, trying to hide your nervousness.

“You do,” his smile falters and he stares right into your eyes. It makes you uncomfortable.

In that moment all signs of his attempt to win your affection disappear. He slowly leans his head down and upon realizing his intentions, you panic. You turn your head, emphasizing your aversion. He notices and his playful smile returns. Psycho.

“Don’t worry though,” he shows all of his teeth, “I love a chase.”

His advances make you internally retch. Despite your blatant resistance, his hand slowly brushes against your skirt. You turn to evade his wandering hand. Despite his unthreatening appearance, you notice his toned arms, and the fact that he towers over you. If you tried to put up a fight, you knew it would be a losing battle. Your body was frozen, too scared to move. He takes your stillness as a sign to move closer. He bends down and brings his face close to the crook of your neck. You hear him inhale and you shudder.

“You smell nice,” he grins.

“I really have to get to work,” you insist, trying to keep things polite.

He chuckles and breathes in again. He comes close enough that his chest brushes up against yours, wrinkling your once ironed blouse. It happened so fast. He grips your skirt and you yelp in surprise. To your disgust, you notice the bulge growing in his pants. Your eyes widen and you quickly duck under his arm. You walk quickly but he follows.

“When will you be home?” he catches up to you. You grip your keys ready to slash if he grabs you.

When you don’t reply, he slows down.

“I’ll see you when you get home then.”

~~

You shudder thinking of his shaggy blonde hair and dirty glasses. You hated the fact that you let him violate you. It was disgusting. In the moment, it was as if your brain short circuited and although it was screaming at your body to move, you were frozen in place.

You push these thoughts away to the deepest corners of your brain and then you’re back in the office. The man currently in front of you was nothing like your neighbor. Despite his usual harsh tone and blunt comments, he’d never pull a stunt like Zeke.

Levi notices your change in mood and walks over to your desk. He hesitates to speak and his eyes glance to the side as if he’s trying to process his thoughts. Levi was never one to wear his emotions on his sleeve but you could sense his concern.

“Are you going to tell me the real reason?” his voice softens.

Your eyes meet his and to your surprise, he presses his thumb to your wrinkled brow. You shudder again, but not because of your neighbor. He knew something was wrong. Despite both of your tough fronts, you and Levi had developed an unspoken understanding of one another.

“Something is on your mind,” he drops his hand and makes no further move to touch you.

You would never admit it but the sudden distance disappoints you. You hesitate but fess up. You tell him of the events that took place that morning, explaining why you were late. Once you start, words won’t stop spilling from your mouth. In the back of your mind, you know you shouldn’t divulge too many details but you do and it feels like a weight has been lifted off your chest. Your voice falters when explaining that Zeke was the reason for your disheveled appearance. His jaw visibly tightens and he eyes your wrinkled blouse.

Your voice trails off as you finish your confession. He sighs and gently places a hand on your head; he was comforting you. He says nothing but then rakes a hand through his dark hair.

“Are you okay?” he finally asks.

You nod. He pulls out his phone, types quickly, then pushes it back into his breast pocket.

“Come,” he suddenly says.

You look up in surprise. He gestures for you to follow him with a tilt of his head. You stand and trail after him into his office.

“But the webinar-” you protest but he cuts you off.

“Canceled.”

You figure it would be a losing battle to argue with him and begrudgingly take a seat on the black leather couch. He stands at the kitchen counter and places a kettle on the stove. Tippy toeing, he reaches to open the cabinet and tries his best to reach into the top shelf. The sight makes you release a giggle and you walk over.

“Need a hand?” you say cheekily.

He clicks his tongue and then quickly places the sleek box onto the counter, as if to prove a point. The usual banter calmed you.

“After everything that’s happened, I see you still have the ability to run your mouth,” he smirks and then pinches your cheek.

Leaving you no time to react, Levi pulls away. He opens the box and holds it out towards you. You blink and tilt your head curiously.

“Pick one,” he says.

You look down at the box. It is filled with an assortment of tea bags. You recognize his favorite brand. You hide your astonishment with a shrug.

“Surprise me.”

He gives you a small smile and picks a dark green bag. You read the fancy golden letters that decorate the packet. Chamomile.

“It’ll be good for your nerves,” he rips the pouch open and then pours the tea leaves into a white porcelain cup.

As he waits for the water to boil, you walk to the window and look at the bustling city below. You didn’t want the day to end. A small part of you hated to admit that you liked the gentle attention that the President was giving you. But mainly, you didn’t want to run into Zeke again. He’d definitely be waiting for you outside of the apartment. Even when you didn’t see him from a distance, you know that he’d be watching. Your growing anxiety caused your stomach to churn. It didn’t help that you didn’t eat anything that morning. You let out a heavy but shaky breath. You hear Levi approach you from behind until he is standing next to you. He hands you the steaming cup of tea and motions towards the couch.

“Sit,” you knew that wasn’t a suggestion. You smile, taking a sip before walking over. You sink into the cushion and he follows in suit, sitting a comfortable distance away. You internally frown and wish he sat closer.

“I contacted an acquaintance of mine,” he states slowly, “the Chief of Police to be exact.”

Your mouth opens slightly, showing that you were taken aback by his statement. You knew he was concerned but you didn’t expect him to involve the goddamn Chief of Police. When you don’t say anything he continues,

“He’s going to come in shortly, ask you a few questions about what happened,” he breaks the eye contact, “I want you to make an official report.”

You nod. It would be good to get an official police report. This wasn’t the first time an incident like this happened. At first you were just being friendly, but you guessed that Zeke mistook it as a reciprocation for his advances. He scared you.

“Alright,” you agree without hesitation.

The both of you wait in silence. It wasn’t unusual and in a way, comforting. You learned from past experiences that Levi was short tempered and stern. Compassion was a rare sight but you found yourself that at the receiving end of his rarest temperament.

“Thank you, by the way,” you break the silence and look up from the teacup, turning your body to face him. He crosses his legs and strums the leather armrest with his slim fingers. You can almost picture the gears turning.

“I hate….” he pauses and frowns as if he’s also confused by what he is about to say, “that he touched you.”

Your heart skips a beat and you clear your throat. You suddenly feel the need to explain yourself.

“He’s….vile,” you swallow the bile forming at the back of your throat, “and it wasn’t the first time it happened.”

His fingers stop strumming and you see him grip the armrest until his knuckles turn white.

“I didn’t want him to,” your mouth is dry but you manage a whisper.

You look away shamefully. It was the first time it escalated this far though. You place the teacup onto the glass table in front of you. Tears start to cloud your vision and threaten to spill out. You sniff and he notices. He always notices. You play with your hands and try to force the tears back. A sharp sting spreads across the palm of your hand. You look down and rub the red jagged mark.

“Did he do that to you?” Levi suddenly scoots closer, not enough to touch you, but so that he can examine your hand.

You shake your head.

“I was holding onto my key,” you smile sheepishly, “if he tried to touch me again, I was ready to stick him.”

“You should’ve,” Levi smiles softly, relaxing his tensed shoulders and pats your head as if to say, good job. He stands up to walk over to the cabinets and shortly returns with a first aid kit.

“May I?” he hesitantly asks.

“Oh, I’ll be okay!” You say, realizing what he is referring to. You flex your hand, opening and closing it, to assure him.

“Don’t be stupid, we have to clean it,” he states blatantly, “it’ll get infected.”

His steely eyes stare at you, displeased with your defiance. The two of you maintain eye contact, too willful enough to concede. After what felt like minutes, you huff and finally look away.

“Fine,” you place your hand out, palm side up. He grasps it and little flutters erupt in your stomach. You try to ignore them and steal small glances at his handsome face.

He smiles smugly, as if to say ‘I win’. You roll your eyes much to his dismay but you welcome his touch. It was gentle. Being as careful as he can, he dabs ointment along the cut with a Q-tip. His eyebrows are furrowed in concentration, as he unwraps the band aid from the package. You giggle and then unconsciously mimic his earlier actions. Slowly you reach up and press your finger to his growing frown. Your touch pulls him out of his concentration and he pulls back slightly, surprised by your touch.

“Sorry,” you blurt, “I didn’t mean to do that.”

He slowly relaxes upon seeing your sudden panicked state. But he doesn’t say anything and continues to bandage your hand. Levi was a man who liked his personal space. He made it crystal clear to a few employees who tried to cross that line. However, there were plenty of instances that proved that you were an exception to that rule. You blink nervously, worried that you overstepped his boundaries.

“Done,” he releases your hand and you bring it back slowly to inspect his handiwork.

“Thanks,” you rub the bandage to make sure it stays.

What was wrong with you today? Sure the events that transpired that morning left you shaken but you usually never let Levi get to you like this. There was no way you were going to let him get under your skin, especially your boss. No way. You repeat the mantra in your head, chasing away your previous thoughts.

“I’ll take you home today,” he states nonchalantly as he walks to the other side of the room to put away the first aid kit. You blink a few times, confused if you heard him correctly.

“That’s hardly necessary,” you regain composure and sit up a little straighter, “besides, we’re filing a police report.”

So much for your mantra.

“There’s no argument here,” he replies coolly. He turns around and leans back on the counter. He stares at you from the other side of the room, arms crossed ready to rebuff any signs of your defiance.

The last thing you wanted to do was inconvenience your boss. Just as you are about to protest, there’s a knock at the door. He smirks and he walks over to the door. His silence alone is enough to convey his thoughts. This conversation was done and you weren’t going to change his mind.

[new-sandrafilter]

Behold Dune: An Exclusive Look at Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Oscar Isaac, and More  

Timothée Chalamet remembers the darkness. It was the summer of 2019, and the cast and crew of Dune had ventured deep into the sandstone and granite canyons of southern Jordan, leaving in the middle of the night so they could catch the dawn on camera. The light spilling over the chasms gave the landscape an otherworldly feel. It was what they had come for.

“It was really surreal,” says Chalamet. “There are these Goliath landscapes, which you may imagine existing on planets in our universe, but not on Earth.”

They weren’t on Earth anymore, anyway. They were on a deadly, dust-dry battleground planet called Arrakis. In Frank Herbert’s epic 1965 sci-fi novel, Arrakis is the only known location of the galaxy’s most vital resource, the mind-altering, time-and-space-warping “spice.” In the new film adaptation, directed by Arrival and Blade Runner 2049 filmmaker Denis Villeneuve, Chalamet stars as the young royal Paul Atreides, the proverbial stranger in a very strange land, who’s fighting to protect this hostile new home even as it threatens to destroy him. Humans are the aliens on Arrakis. The dominant species on that world are immense, voracious sandworms that burrow through the barren drifts like subterranean dragons.

For the infinite seas of sand that give the story its title, the production moved to remote regions outside Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, where the temperatures rivaled the fiction in Herbert’s story. “I remember going out of my room at 2 a.m., and it being probably 100 degrees,” says Chalamet. During the shoot, he and the other actors were costumed in what the world of Dune calls “stillsuits”—thick, rubbery armor that preserves the body’s moisture, even gathering tiny bits from the breath exhaled through the nose. In the story, the suits are life-giving. In real life, they were agony. “The shooting temperature was sometimes 120 degrees,” says Chalamet. “They put a cap on it out there, if it gets too hot. I forget what the exact number is, but you can’t keep working.” The circumstances fed the story they were there to tell: “In a really grounded way, it was helpful to be in the stillsuits and to be at that level of exhaustion.”

It wouldn’t be Dune if it were easy. Herbert’s novel became a sci-fi touchstone in the 1960s, heralded for its world-building and ecological subtext, as well as its intricate (some say impenetrable) plot focusing on two families struggling for supremacy over Arrakis. The book created ripples that many see in everything from Star Wars to Alien to Game of Thrones. Still, for decades, the novel itself has defied adaptation. In the ���70s, the wild man experimental filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky mounted a quest to film it, but Hollywood considered the project too risky. David Lynch brought Dune to the big screen in a 1984 feature, but it was derided as an incomprehensible mess and a blight on his filmography. In 2000, a Dune miniseries on what’s now the SyFy channel became a hit for the cable network, but it is now only dimly remembered.

Villeneuve intends to create a Dune that has so far only existed in the imagination of readers. The key, he says, was to break the sprawling narrative in half. When Dune hits theaters on December 18, it will only be half the novel, with Warner Bros. agreeing to tell the story in two films, similar to the studio’s approach with Stephen King’s It and It Chapter Two. “I would not agree to make this adaptation of the book with one single movie,” says Villeneuve. “The world is too complex. It’s a world that takes its power in details.”

For Villeneuve, this 55-year-old story about a planet being mined to death was not merely a space adventure, but a prophecy. “No matter what you believe, Earth is changing, and we will have to adapt,” he says. “That’s why I think that Dune, this book, was written in the 20th century. It was a distant portrait of the reality of the oil and the capitalism and the exploitation—the overexploitation—of Earth. Today, things are just worse. It’s a coming-of-age story, but also a call for action for the youth.”

Chalamet’s character, Paul, thinks he’s just a boy struggling to find a place in the world, but he actually possesses the ability to change it. He has a supernatural gift to harness and unleash energy, lead others, and meld with the heart of his new home world. Think Greta Thunberg, only she’s a Jedi with a degree from Hogwarts. Paul comes from a powerful galactic family with a name that sounds like a constellation—the House Atreides. His father and mother, Duke Leto (played by Oscar Isaac) and Lady Jessica (Rebecca Ferguson), take their son from their lush, Scandinavian-like home world to preside over spice extraction on Arrakis. What follows is a clash with the criminal, politically connected House Harkonnen, led by the monstrous Baron Vladimir (Stellan Skarsgård), a mammoth with merciless appetites. The baron, created with full-body prosthetics, is like a rhino in human form. This version of the character is less of a madman and more of a predator. “As much as I deeply love the book, I felt that the baron was flirting very often with caricature,” says Villeneuve. “And I tried to bring him a bit more dimension. That’s why I brought in Stellan. Stellan has something in the eyes. You feel that there’s someone thinking, thinking, thinking—that has tension and is calculating inside, deep in the eyes. I can testify, it can be quite frightening.”

The director has also expanded the role of Paul’s mother, Lady Jessica. She’s a member of the Bene Gesserit, a sect of women who can read minds, control people with their voice (again, a precursor to the Jedi mind trick), and manipulate the balance of power in the universe. In the script, which Villeneuve wrote with Eric Roth and Jon Spaihts, she is even more fearsome than before. The studio’s plot synopsis describes her as a “warrior priestess.” As Villeneuve jokes, “It’s better than ‘space nun.’ ”

Lady Jessica’s duty is to deliver a savior to the universe—and now she has a greater role in defending and training Paul too. “She’s a mother, she’s a concubine, she’s a soldier,” says Ferguson. “Denis was very respectful of Frank’s work in the book, [but] the quality of the arcs for much of the women have been brought up to a new level. There were some shifts he did, and they are beautifully portrayed now.”

In an intriguing change to the source material, Villeneuve has also updated Dr. Liet Kynes, the leading ecologist on Arrakis and an independent power broker amid the various warring factions. Although always depicted as a white man, the character is now played by Sharon Duncan-Brewster (Rogue One), a black woman. “What Denis had stated to me was there was a lack of female characters in his cast, and he had always been very feminist, pro-women, and wanted to write the role for a woman,” Duncan-Brewster says. “This human being manages to basically keep the peace amongst many people. Women are very good at that, so why can’t Kynes be a woman? Why shouldn’t Kynes be a woman?”

 As fans will know, there’s a vast menagerie of other characters populating Dune. There are humans called “mentats,” augmented with computerlike minds. Paul is mentored by two of them. There are also the bravado warriors Duncan Idaho and Gurney Halleck, played by Jason Momoa and Josh Brolin. Dave Bautista plays a sinister Harkonnen enforcer Glossu Rabban, and Charlotte Rampling has a key role as the Bene Gesserit reverend mother. The list goes on. In the seemingly unlivable wilds of Arrakis, Javier Bardem leads the Fremen tribe as Stilgar, and Zendaya costars as a mystery woman named Chani, who haunts Paul in his dreams as a vision with glowing blue eyes.

The breadth of Dune is what has made it so confounding for others to adapt. “It’s a book that tackles politics, religion, ecology, spirituality—and with a lot of characters,” says Villeneuve. “I think that’s why it’s so difficult. Honestly, it’s by far the most difficult thing I’ve done in my life.” After finishing this first movie, he’ll just have to do it all over again.

[simmingkatie-writes]

Javier’s hand was warm in his, a welcome heat. The air around them was filled with a chill and smelled of rain not long past. He stood close to his date, trying to stay warm. 

“Guess we should have brought coats, huh?” Javier asked, feeling Ian shiver against his shoulder. “I’m sorry about that. It’s not usually this cool this time of year. The rain must have brought it in.”

“It’s okay. You’re warm enough for the both of us,” Ian replied, smiling and cozying up closer to Javier’s shoulder. 

“Oh! Here it is!” Javier exclaimed, rushing ahead before spinning on his heel and striking a pose. “This is where I work! Granite Falls Police Station! I thought you’d like to see it. Want to come in and see my office?”

“Of course I do,” Ian said, longing for the warmth that the police station was sure to provide. Javier led him in to a small room, divided by a half wall. Behind the counter, a pretty young woman waved to him. On the other side of a half wall, a man and woman sat at desks facing each other. They were arguing about the woman’s lunch choices, by the sound of it. 

“That’s Greta. Over there are Steven and Lily. It’s not much, but it’s home. And this way is my office, come on. Being sheriff isn’t without its perks!”

They crowded into a cozy little room, the walls lined with books. Ian sank into the comfortable chair in front of the desk, and Javier took his spot behind it. 

“So, what do you think?” Javier asked, a grin on his face.

“It’s lovely, Javi. I can see why you love it so much.” Ian smiled back at him.

“Oh, this isn’t why. I’ll show you why.”

Javier led him back outside and onto the small dirt path they’d been walking earlier. After what felt like an eternity in the chilly air, the trees cleared. Ian gasped, his breath taken away. In front of them was a gorgeous, 50 foot high waterfall. How had he not heard it roaring as they approached? Lost in your own thoughts, he figured. 

“So?” Javier was looking at him expectantly.

“Javi it’s…. It’s absolutely amazing.” 

“My truck is right over here, if you want to hang out and watch it for awhile.” 

They settled into the bed of the old, blue Ford. A blanket was spread on the floor, and it was surprisingly warm in here, shielded from the breeze. 

After awhile, Javier finally seemed to get the courage to ask Ian a question. “So… Could you see yourself living here, do you think?” His voice was quiet, timid.

“Oh Javi… It’s beautiful here. I really do see why you chose to live here.” 

Javier’s face broke into a grin. Ian breathed a sigh of relief. 

He didn’t notice that wasn’t a real answer.

@crowfootedsims​

[meteoradominic]

Pantheon of Influence

The fate that awaits Elizabeth as the daughter of a media entrepreneur turns out to be a heavy burden. Left with an Empire of «old fashioned» media, that is on the edge of abyss. (…) times change and the Empire is no longer what it was. [1] The newspaper of the day, fashion, both go out of fashion, the news quickly becomes outdated. [2] The heritage in danger, it requires an effort to adapt to the changing conditions. She (…)felt a thread of a sense of personal responsibility associated with the deep, deep fear of loss. [1]

The solution for preserving new media culture lies not in attempting to circumvent its variability with outdated notions of fixity, but rather in embracing the essential nature of the medium and transforming its greatest challenge into a defense against obsolescence. [3] While “old” media such as print, film, and television traffic in immaterial representations that can be reproduced endlessly for any number of viewers, the interactivity of “new” media draws it closer to live performance. [4] As the secular empire faded, a new idea of spiritual domination that had been growing quietly and slowly in seclusion slipped into the great house of the dying world giant. [5] Moreover, the motive behind the writing of history was not objective curiosity, but a desire to influence contemporaries, to stimulate and uplift them, or to hold a mirror up to them. [6]

The new Brand of Elizabeth Murdoch stands above the chaotic noise of information and

media. From the elevated platform vision is unobstructed. [7] At that height one could look into the top rooms from the elevated pathway. [8]

In all of these media we see a number of consistent patterns. [9]

That assemblage is the “ megamachine,” or the apparatus of capture, the archaic empire. [10] (…) Elizabeth always tried to talk as though there were lots of people in it with her. [1] Her new brand is not defined by its clear agenda but the appropriation of viral phenomenons. Consisting of Influencers, attracted by their striving for fame and recognition.

The gods have entered the “cultivated” world; they no longer speak through the moving figures of animals and natural elements but through those of a sedentary pantheon that takes charge of society and supports the activity of transforming the world. [11] The image (…) shifted from social crusader and aesthetic puritan to trendsetter and media star. [12] But they somehow function together in structuring the social life process, as complementary media, each with its own specific affordances and limitations. [13] The crowd, a compact mass, a locus of multiple exchanges, individualities merging together, a collective effect, is abolished and replaced by a collection of separated individualities. [14] The media become the messengers, rather than the message. [15] The type of frame used to present information dramatically affects how people make decisions and judgments, and is consequently a powerful influencer of behaviour. [16]

Therefore, this new type of Pantheon is created by Elizabeth. Gathering selected contemporary influencers under her roof.

Influencers such as: Owners of different Media outlets, Presidents like Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, modern industrialist entrepreneur like Steve Jobs or Bill Gates. [17] very bright people, like Stephen Hawking and Elon Musk. [18] CEO of Social media Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Search engines Sundai Pichai, Environmental activists like Greta Thunberg, Sport Stars like Roger Federer or Cristiano Ronaldo, Or trash media stars like the Kardashians.

The overall effect of the display (…) is create an exotic display; a sort of cabinet of curiosities. [19]Contradicting and supplementing each other. Her palace a place to collect them all.

The facade was well constructed, composed of bricks, glass walls and windows. [20] The field of glass bricks is ordered in a raster of a thin solid framework made of white granite with black frames and stripes indicating the main direction. [21]

Hall of Fame

The entrance was discreet, with a rounded metal railing. [22] Leading into the Hall of Fame. Inside, you confront a wall of glass bricks set in concrete in a black steel frame at the back of a standard Paris type courtyard, with two steel ladders flying up on either side, and some massive floodlamps carried on clever steel brackets. [23] Self reconfiguring building skins (…)filter both urban noise and airborne toxins.[24] Creating a place which was quiet, well lit (…). [25] Only selected and high-quality materials are used. The atmosphere was perfect, the moment sweet for something sacred. [26]

It’s is the Place Elizabeth welcomes her guests. Start with a house cocktail—say, L’Alsacien, in which the aperitif Belle de Brillet meets cognac, pear, and fresh lemon in a happy union. [27] Everyone shouts and has an alcoholic smile(…) A French aperitif is taken when you are seated around a table. There are two, three, four persons. You have chosen your companions. You drink slowly. [28]

Chamber of Feasts

In the dining room, meals were served family style at long tables that could seat 150 guests. [29] Only the finest dishes made by world class chefs are served. This dinner the place for debate and disputes. This performance, itself enough to win great fame,(…) [30]  It resembles a Sensation drama: play that intends to create strong effects. [31] Harmony and dissonance of ideas create a rough and interesting music. [32] The principal requirements of a summer dining room are water and greenery; of a winter one, the warmth of a hearth.[33] Both should preferably be spacious, cheery, and splendid. [33] For this reason, distribute more spacious intercolumniations around the performance space. [34] (…) the walls of the ceremonial chamber were covered with purple tapestries embroidered in gold, specially made for this feast. [5]

Oracle of Artificial Intelligent

In the middle, as in the center of a house, there is an Capsule, roofed, spacious, and majestic; (…) their lineaments taken from the Etruscan temple, as we have described it. [33] Enter the oracle. [35] Intensifying the color, lights, and excitement of Broadway by translating the commercial message into form and color, a wordless interpretation of New York. [33] The “Oracle (…)” presented a head that seemed to float in space. [36] Commercial constructions such as Apple’s Siri and more recently Microsoft’s Cortana are quite literal but archetypal examples of “the guide” or “concierge,” elsewhere manifested as the guide, oracle, or personal secretary. [37] There is no knowing how far a real image may lead: the importance of becoming visionary or seer. [38] Is it Illusionism, confusion, or manipulation? [39]

Paris

Paris. [40] Facing Notre Dame, a church for one god.   In close Proximity to the existing Panthéon, a symbol of glory and a burial place of famous French personalities.

Elizabeth's palace does not require the physical size of those buildings of past times. It is not dependent on its rigidity but flexibility to accomodate as much power as possible. In the digital age, power is no longer seen through its built image in stone, but through the power of those present. The once powerful institutions have lost their power. Today, the influence changes rapidly from person to person, from ideology to ideology, from institution to institution.

Elizabeth's pantheon is a machine to capture those all new and constantly changing influence.

Bibliography: [1]Asimov, Complete Robot Anthology.[2]Serres, Biogea.[3]Rinehart, ReCollection Art New Media and Social Memory.[4]Siemens, A Companion to Digital Literary Studies.[5]Semper, Style in the Technical and Tectonic Arts or Practical Aesthetics.[6]Freud, The Uncanny.[7]Alexander, A Pattern Language.[8]Hollis, Cities Are Good For You.[9]Tuck, A History of Roman Art.[10]D. Guattari, A Thousand Plateaus.[11]Henaff, The Price of Truth.[12]Hays, Architecture Theory since 1968.[13]Schumacher, The Autopoiesis of Architecture Vol 2.[14]Foucault, Discipline and Punish.[15]H. Buehlmann, Quantum City.[16]Holden, Universal Principles of Design.[17]Heskett, Design and the Creation of Value.[18]Green, Architectural Robotics Ecosystems of Bits Bytes.[19]Tythacott, Collecting and Displaying Chinas Summer Palace in.[20]Bill, Form Function Beauty Gestalt.[21]L. Eisenschmidt, Twentieth Century Architecture.[22]Goldsmith, Capital New York Capital of the 20th Century.[23]Banham, Critic Writes.[24]Bureaud, MetaLife Biotechnologies Synthetic Biology ALi.[25]Jerram, Streetlife The Untold History of Europes Twentie.[26]Goldsmith, Capital New York Capital of the 20th Century.[27]F. Travel, Fodors New York City 2015.[28]L. Corbusier, When the Cathedrals Were White.[29]H. Lawson, Gastropolis Food and New York City.[30]Serres, History of Scientific Thought.[31]Gaudreault, A Companion to Early Cinema.[32]Alberti, The Family in Renaissance Florence.[33]Alberti, On the Art of Building in Ten Books 1988.[34]Vitruvius, Ten Books on Architecture 1999.[35]Serres, The Five Senses.[36] Gaudreault, A Companion to Early Cinema.[37]Clarke, Design Anthropology Object Culture in the 21st Ce.[38]Deleuze, Cinema 2 The Time Image.[39]Derrida, Signature.[40]Naginski, Sculpture and Enlightenment.