#icons: Simon Shepherd

[iconsrequestsworld]

like or reblog if you save. ♡

[thewolfparadox]

designs for Jack, Ranboo, and Eret

ff!Jack

pretty straightforward, it's the Shepherd look

I shifted the shirt color slightly toward purple/lavender since it's technically the Church of Prime

obviously had to keep his iconic glasses -> might have significance to being a Shepherd of Prime (since blue and red make purple when combined)

ff!Ranboo

pants are slightly short, indicating that they were borrowed, likely from Eret (technically Wilbur would've made more sense since they're the same height, but Ranboo isn't really comfortable enough with him to borrow clothes)

wears socks around the ship (if he left the ship he'd probably wear slides with them bc I'm a slides and socks believer)

the Hawaiian shirt is borrowed from Tubbo

ff!Eret

originally was going to keep the vest that Simon wears but I'm a sucker for corsets + I wanted to bring in a more feminine touch

if they weren't wanted by the Alliance, they'd absolutely go dress shopping with Niki

More Designs: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Fic

[blogger360ncislarules]

Miracles are rare in the 21st century, but watch pretty much any episode of The Chosenand they are bountiful. But the biggest miracle of all is perhaps the fact that a historical drama centered around Jesus of Nazareth (a warm and welcoming Jonathan Roumie), set in 1st century Galilee as He preaches, gains followers (and enemies) and, on occasion, raises the dead and walks on water, has built a passionate legion of faithful viewers. How did a crowdfunded production become a heavenly international sensation?

The holy cards were stacked against The Chosen from the start. Faith-based television is historically hit-or-miss. The Academy Award-winning 1956 classic The Ten Commandments, which has aired on ABC nearly every Easter season since 1973, regularly reaps solid viewership (3.2 million when it last aired on April 1, 2023). But in terms of scripted TV, for every spiritual success (think Highway to Heaven and Touched by an Angel), there are just as many failures (anyone remember ABC drama Of Kings and Prophets or the Anne Heche sitcom Save Me?).

The Chosen’s accessibility—it’s been available to stream for free online at thechosen.tv since Season 1—didn’t hurt in making the show a hit, but it also drew in curious audience members with fresh takes on well-known biblical figures that never feel out of touch. Roumie effortlessly shepherds a comforting and gentle strength in his Jesus, whether He’s confidently preaching the Sermon on the Mount to thousands or graciously healing someone in private. And He’s unapologetically human. He laughs hard and pokes fun at His Apostles, shows His frustration with hardheaded religious leaders, joyously dances at a wedding in Cana and even frolics in the Sea of Galilee.

His 12 Apostles—the actual “chosen”—come with relatable baggage, broadening their flat Bible counterparts into colorful characters. Hotheaded fisherman Simon (Shahar Isaac) scrambles to provide for his wife, Eden (Lara Silva). Later, the young couple suffers a miscarriage and Simon blows up at Jesus for not protecting them. Outsider Matthew (Paras Patel)—who has been likened to being on the autism spectrum—is lonely and ostracized from his family. Nervous Andrew (Noah James) struggles with feelings of anxiety.

The show’s female cast also shines a light on women in a time period when they were often overlooked and underutilized. The iconic Mary Magdalene (Elizabeth Tabish) deals with shame from her past, thoughts of suicide and the loss of a parent. She bonds with the honest Tamar (Amber Shana Williams) over the latter. Jesus’ caring mother Mary (Vanessa Benavente) grapples with the idea that her adult Son—the Messiah—no longer needs her.

The Chosen so beautifully weaves its many perspectives together, often creating compelling duos, like awkward Matthew finding a surprising ally in gruffly sympathetic Roman centurion Gaius (Kirk B.R. Woller).

Finally, the show brings dimension to the New Testament’s most famous lines of Scripture, and the messages never come across as preachy. They’re edgy and nuanced, with fun bouts of humor and a deep sincerity and unwavering respect for the source material.

After 24 episodes (27 if you count the three Christmas specials), The Chosen has lifted the hearts of fans, who give thanks both through an overwhelming amount of online praise and the generous crowd-funding donations that continue to raise the drama’s production quality year after year (over $40 million has been collected so far). And given that the Christian megahit has been pitch-perfect since the original 2017 pilot, we have faith that the flourishing show will only continue to collect more and more loyal disciples on its righteous journey. Amen!

[callofdutylorist]

Meet: “Ghost” Simon Riley (Reboot)

Appears in Call of Duty Modern Warfare (2019), Call of Duty: Warzone, Call of Duty Mobile, Call of Duty Modern Warfare II (2022), and Call of Duty Warzone 2.0

CW: Spoilers for both Modern Warfare Timelines

There are two separate versions of the character Ghost. One is from the classic timeline, and the other is from the reboot timeline. Both are absolute fan favorites and I don’t blame them. There are some major changes to the second Modern Warfare timeline that drastically affect Ghost. Primarily the fact that he doesn’t die to general shepherd like he did in the classic timeline.

Ghost is a British man from Manchester, England. He is 6′4″ and much like his counterpart is face overall not known, but hair and eye color are identified. Ghost has brown hair and brown hair (so far) in the reboot, while his Classic counterpart has black hair and green eyes.

This Ghost is primarily in the Modern Warfare Reboot timeline. His counterpart is in the Classic Modern Warfare.

Simon Riley (Reboot) first appears in Call of Duty Modern Warfare (2019). 

Ghost joined the SAS, proving his skills for covert missions, including sabotage, ambushes, infiltrations, illegal trade, and more. He’s concealed his identity by his iconic skull printed mask. Captain John Price would eventually recruit him into taskforce 141. It didn’t take long for Ghost to become a commanding officer for the taskforce.

As a member of taskforce 141 Ghost assists the other members and allies of Captain Price in their dangerous missions, including starting the journey to stop Zakhaev and his infamous force. His brutal efficiency, apathy towards violence, and great skills in clandestine proved to be exactly what the taskforce needed. Although he has a brush with death due to Graves/Shepherd’s betrayal, he pushes onwards. Eventually forming a secondary team known as Ghost Team, which is a combination of taskforce 141 and Los Vaqueros. 

Ghost has three notable traits, a strong set of dark humor, apathy towards violence, and an intense need for being unknown. He is seen frequently making dark jokes, and bringing the military humor to the team (a trait he shares with his classic counterpart, but it does slightly different this time). He is also seen taking out his enemies with brutal efficiency.

Ghost shares a strong rivalry with fellow Taskforce 141 member, Soap, fueled by their rivaling national identities (English & Scottish). Overtime their frenemy situation-ship becomes an incredibly close bond, far more implied to some form of bromance. When Soap gets injured from Graves’ attempt of betrayal, he shows an increased amount of sympathy than he normally does to anything, proving their notable bond. 

Ghost is also quite close with Captain Price, as Price is quite close to all of his crew(s). He takes the time to learn Spanish both for work and jokes to get along closer with Los Vaqueros. In the past he has also worked with Mace, but not much is known about the two’s relationship back in the SAS, it is implied that they might be enemies now.

The soldier will continue to go on in his timeline, and what happens next I have no clue, but am excited to see what they come up with. This is all notably different from how his journey goes in the Classic Timelines, where he fatally meets his end from Shepherd’s betrayal alongside Roach. 

The character himself plays a major role in the Call of Duty Community, being one of the first characters the big boy companies acknowledged as a fan favorite. He’s among all the sub groups of Call of Duty’s fandoms, being the guy every boy wanted to drink with in 2010s, and now the guy every artist wants to draw in...questionable positions. 

[redandblackpoetry]

and onto my favorite part of ur answers: eldritch ghost crumbs (⁠つ⁠✧⁠ω⁠✧⁠)⁠つ

i'm v interested in ghost's past with roach, like the entirety of their relationship? hows and whys and whens!!! but i shall keep my silence for the sake of the sequel...... but!! ghost's issues keep increasing (well i keep learning there's even more baggage than i expected) with each of my asks/comments that u answer and i am Enjoying It. like yes. make him Suffer. hurt/comfort is a very superior trope and he is my sacrificial lamb to the angst gods

so idk much abt lovecraftian eldritch monsters (i know of the lore pretty vaguely) bc i am a Fool so idk how much u based ur plot on it but basically any eldritch lore dump is appreciated either way bc of that.

also ghost crumbling at peer pressure? now i feel that. well i think u meant more like a threatening sort of pressure rather than friendly jabbing but it's a lot more funnier when u consider ghost being exposed to peer pressuring and going. uh, ok. LMAO anyway it's also a v beautiful irony that a being that feeds off of fear doesn't welcome it in the parts of his life that he is the most vulnerable in so chefs kiss for that

his true form!!!! i was already guessing this bc it's pretty much implied i feel like but!!! does this mean, when ghost got captured by zaragoza he was in his true form? what are the dimensions even? and!!!! simon saw him like that? could 141 ever get a chance to see him like that, like can he leave simon's body and then come back? (i won't accept the answer of they will but he'll have to completely leave simons body, no sir. simon is along for the ride alive or dead, whether he wants to or not) (talk abt ride or die but die is optional while ride is mandatory)

more importantly, i'm like v v v obsessed with thinking abt simon's pov on first seeing ghost and how his opinion would've changed had the situation been more normal when they first met? like... is he also inherently a monsterfucker? (that's such an iconic question out of context btw, pls acknowledge my brilliance) but like soap sees the tongue and goes. hm. would simon also. ok no my brain is overheating at this point i'll shut up.

(i'm just thinking another au of an au yet again. thanks for the brainrot. it's branching and GROWING how do i stop it????? but like i'm imagining like timeline being different and ghost being captured by the opportunistic fuck shepherd and they try to use ghost in usual military fashion and simon maybe meets him like that and. wow now that i'm getting into it this has the vibes of those merfics of mer being caltured and the scientist seeing them and slowly getting to know them and it's then an epic save-the-mer adventure but mer is an eldritch monster and the pretty scientist is actually a built like a shit brickhouse, gruff military man simon who is Ver Reluctantly starting to get fond of ghost and is not happy abt it)

(i'm dying. why is my brain doing this to me. whyyyyyy)

anyway i have yet again wrote walls of text abt this fic so. i'll wander off and touch some grass before my brain explodes. i'm just. obsessed with all this. a tad too much perhaps so this ask is now ur problem. have fun

The hows and the whys and the whens of Roach and Ghost's relationship have pretty similar answers actually, it'll make sense when I get there hopefully. And I hope that it's as good as you're imagining!

Hurt/comfort ngl is one of my favorite tropes, and I love giving characters trauma and breaking them down and mending them back together and seeing how I can mend them

And don't worry about knowing the lore, as with most fanfiction I'm taking Lovecraft and his genre's works and kinda ripping it apart for juicy bits, though I'm trying to keep the overall impressions. The feeding on different emotions/things is entirely my own idea because I honestly needed some way to nerf Ghost since Lovecraft never elaborates on how his eldritch beings function, so I gave them a food source. The whole possession aspect is actually based on one of Lovecraft's characters though I filled in my own blanks (LC loves being vague for The Horror) and Ghost's parents are also eldritch horrors that are mentioned in his and others' works. Cthulhu also exists in this fic and is actually Ghost's nephew geneology wise! Thats gonna become important in the next chapter ;)

And yesss the fact that Ghost feeds on fear doesnt make him immune to it

And yes! Ghost was in his true form when he was captured by the cartel, though since he was weak he was smaller than normal (he stretches like silly putty). I put a lot of lore and background into each chapter so I'm never sure how much readers remember/understand especially if its spread out. Size wise during the cartel he was probably at least the size of a car, normally he's maybe the size of a six story building? He's actually pretty small compared to some of his kind

And yes, Simon saw him like that and was like "neat, I'm gonna make a deal with this thing because I was the cartel to Burn" and Ghost immediately vibed with that

Would you believe that I'm toying with the idea of the 141 seeing his true form in the main fic? Its gonna be very near the end, and there's a lot of angsty implications regarding it because remember, Simon's dead. Without Ghost to keep his body, well, alive and functioning what happens to a dead body?

Absolutely iconic question and I'd very much believe that Simon is definitely a monsterfucker. He's seen so many human monsters that it imagine its somewhat of a relief and very attractive for him to see a monster not trying to hide what they are. You're also giving me very naughty threesome Ghost/Simon/Soap ideas

And friend, dear mutual, I have absolutely no clue how to fix the brainrot as its infected me as well! And again with giving me ideas!! I was soo close to starting a new 141 fic focusing on Roach for mermay you have no idea, might come to your ask box and ramble at you about it

You know Venom, yes? This idea is giving very Venom movie vibes. Because Ghost is a hardass and he'd cave eventually and end up possessing the people that Shepherd brought in as cannon fodder but he wouldn't gel with them and since he's very prideful he's end up ripping them to shreds over and over. Until Simon. Until Shepherd captured Simon and they gel and Simon and Ghost bond and the 141 come to save them. The team finds out about Ghost and they just slowly introduce him to the world and help him heal and take him on missions

Welp this has been my wall of text, hope you enjoyed! I also need to touch grass but sadly its a beautiful day and I'm stuck at work

[sentientcave]

I think you should write a whole novel about the cast of COD as the Princess Bride characters! You should you should you should!

WELL IF YOU INSIST *pulls up notes*

The original idea I had was for screenshot redraws and it was because I thought that Gaz would look good in that, and I quote, "Cunty little black number" and since he already has the right mustache, you just know he's the right man for the part. Also, like Early said, he's definitely an As You Wish kind of guy.

I'm putting this under a readmore because it got kinda long lmao

Soap as Inigo Montoya - I think it's a perfect fit, and I was fresh off of finishing the 09 MW2 where he fucking pulls a knife out of his chest to kill Shepherd with?? Like I know that's Captain Soap and not Sergeant but if that's not a parallel to Inigo getting run through and still chasing a man down to kill him I don't know what is.

Ghost as Fezzik - Huge scary guy with a penchant for jokes? That's our Simon. Not to mention he's got to be the other half of any dynamic duo that Soap's in. It's only right. Do Not Separate.

Graves as Vizzini - "You fool! You've fallen victim to one of the classic blunders. The most famous is never get involved in a land war in Asia, but only slightly less well known is this: Never go up against a SicilianTexan when death is on the line!" *dies* (Need I say more? Honestly Iconic moment)

Now for Buttercup there are two perfect choices, coming down to whether I'd be playing this for maximum laughs or taking it slightly more seriously:

Farah: I feel like she gets left out a lot and she's like, ridiculous pretty and I love to draw her. This would be the slightly more serious version. The main downside to this is I don't really see Farah and Gaz having any particular chemistry, which leads us to our next option...

Price: OKAY LISTEN you can't tell me that you wouldn't like to see Price's big hairy tits in a dress I refuse to believe it. And my friend Lisa brought up the "There's a shortage of perfect breasts in this world, it would be a pity to damage yours." line and like. That's hilarious. Also canonically Price is the guy that Gaz is at his most As You Wish for so it really just makes sense.

Makarov as Prince Humperdink - This is another point for Buttercup Price because lmaooo.

Also if Farah isn't Buttercup she and Alex can be Mad Max and his wife. Or maybe Nik and Kate could be? I do think Kate chasing Nik around a table and saying "Makarov" over and over at him would be pretty fucking funny too. Probably funnier. Hard to say.

König as Count Rugen/The Six-Fingered Man - I'm pretty sure Makarov has some little sidekick guy that maybe would be a good choice for this guy too, but since it was Early's post that reminded me of all this nonsense I think König should play one of the few characters that actually dies, as a treat. I'm pretty sure he owes them $50 so Soap can collect that off his corpse for her.

If I went with the Farah Buttercup, Price would play the Grandpa and also every random bit background part while wearing different hats. I think this is a funny gag, and I did this once for a cheap rendition of Hamlet to great effect. Between three wigs, a couple of construction paper mustaches and a paper crown, I was able to really fill out the cast. Price is at least as good an actor as I am, so I have faith in him.

So yeah! There are a few other rando characters but I'd just choose random guys from the multiplayer probably. Roll a dice on them mfs. This was a very long answer (Although not quite a novel, I have failed you) and it's a very silly idea that I still might tackle one of these days. At the time I didn't have a working digital tablet so I thought it would be like, a lot of work for what amounts to a gag, but now that I DO have a working digital tablet the only thing stopping me is that I haven't had the whim to do any art recently. But I might today while I'm thinking about it.

[beautifulfaces-icons-and-gifs]

Simon Shepherd on Alex Rider

as Sir David on Alex Rider [S01|E02-E03]

Information on beautifulfaces

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[x--daughters-of-darkness--x]

20 WOMEN VOCALISTS IN METAL WHO ARE A DRIVING FORCE FOR THE GENRE

Lzzy Hale

If you haven’t heard of the colossal Halestorm and their show-stealing frontlady Lzzy Hale by now, how’s it been living under that rock? Out here in the real world, both rock and metal have been battling to claim Halestorm and Hale’s presence since the band’s first EP, (Don’t Mess With The) Time Man, in 1999. From the vitriolic masochism of “I Miss The Misery” to the heart-wrenching “Here’s To Us,” Hale’s vocal range reaches each extreme of moving emotion and devastating attitude. We couldn’t pay tribute to Hale without also recognizing her guitar talents. Check the sassy leading line from “Love Bites (So Do I)” as an example of this phenomenal lady’s ability to step beyond musical expression and into aural artistry.

SKYND

True crime has never been more compelling than at the hands of Australian electronic-metal sensation SKYND and their mystifying frontwoman of the same name. Tackling a new real-life mystery with each track, covering the disappearance and mysterious death of “Elisa Lam” and the doomed cult following of “Jim Jones,” SKYND’s haunting vocals tell each tale as if they were acting out in front of you. SKYND’s dedication to her theatrical persona (plus the ability to keep her real identity a secret), her iconic look and the creation of lore around her exposition of real-life crimes is a mystery the metal world may never solve, but perhaps it never should.

Taylor Momsen

Gossip Girl? We don’t know her—we know Taylor Momsen as the sultry tones commanding metal’s sassiest frontrunners the Pretty Reckless. With her gravelly vocals offset by her signature blacked-out eyes and suspenders, Momsen is an all-around powerhouse frontlady who bends all of your stereotypical expectations of a female vocalist. Take the hissing attitude of “Make Me Wanna Die,” the iconic summer anthem through “Messed Up World (F’d Up World),” the doomed “Going To Hell” and the gloriously filthy “My Medicine”—she’s not here for your entertainment, simply to make music in her own inimitable devil-may-care way.

Sharon den Adel

Where symphonic-metal outfits go through vocalists like water, Within Temptation’s Sharon den Adel has held on to her throne at the very beating heart of the genre since 1996. The band that introduced you to the dark side in high school has come a long way from “Angels” and “Our Farewell” to their most recent sensation “The Purge,” but the enduring talents of the angelic den Adel at the helm remain as moving as ever. Whether your heart breaks or races along with the captivating stories told through her cherubic vocals, den Adel’s talents have kept this legendary band alive and relevant for 25 years. We’re hanging on the edge of our seats for a new album.

Amy Lee

Most millennials were introduced to the world of metal through Evanescence’s invasion of radio airtime in the early 2000s, making vocalist Amy Lee an initial encounter in female presence in a heavily male realm. With an unforgettably haunting vocal range that can reach into your chest and pull out your heart with a single note, Lee’s trademark sound has lived in our minds since 2003’s Fallen and has no intention of letting go. From the iconic “Bring Me To Life” to her solo career’s “Speak To Me” and most notably the captivating “My Immortal,” Lee’s inimitable voice of an angel showed metal how to truly capture the mainstream.

Melissa Bonny

You’ve never seen symphonic metal quite like Switzerland’s Ad Infinitum and, consequently, you’ve never seen a frontwoman quite like Melissa Bonny. With her compelling vocals at the helm, each track tells a story steeped in historic struggles and triumphs as the band members each adopt a story of survival during the time of the Black Death in Europe. Every member appears in a plague doctor’s mask except Bonny, commanding the narrative as her show-stopping range transitions from heavenly cleans to venomous screams with ease. Ad Infinitum and Bonny’s towering talents begin an epic quest through the ranks of metal, and nothing will stand in their way.

Simone Simons

Symphonic-metal outfits face a constant challenge to stay relevant and move forward with the scene around them, more so than any other subgenre. However, the dreamy contributions of Simone Simons have kept Epica at the forefront of their genre since 2002. The band that once created “Storm The Sorrow” have matured to the lofty heights of “The Skeleton Key” with Simons’ operatic tones at the helm, bringing her angelic range to the band’s cinematic instrumentals and occasional death-metal infusions.

Maria Brink

Since their inception in 2005, In This Moment have redefined performance art and metal all at the same time, thanks to the command of iconic vocalist Maria Brink. Challenging religious imagery alongside feminine stereotypes, Brink’s presence both on and offstage has decimated the white male dominance of the metal genre. It takes a certain conviction and attitude to pull off the likes of “Whore” and “Blood” without trivializing their core moral messages, but Brink has rewritten the book on expectations of women in the heavy music industry. Long may she reign.

Larissa Stupar

Vicious, teeth-baring uncleans are the domain of Venom Prison’s Larissa Stupar, death metal’s brightest rising star. Whoever said women had to be the saccharine, angelic feminine contribution to metal clearly never met Stupar, who belts savage growls as if delivered from the gates of hell itself. The likes of “Uterine Industrialisation” and “Slayer Of Holofernes” prove devastating both live and in the studio when this unrelenting powerhouse gets her chops around them.

Alissa White-Gluz

Arch Enemy’s screamer-in-chief makes belting superhuman notes look easy. Alissa White-Gluz’s cord-shredding talents are the result of a career that started when she formed the Agonist at the age of 19. Joining Arch Enemy in 2014 gave White-Gluz a platform to showcase her range and also gave us her contagious live presence on a bigger stage. Providing her distinctive tones to regular collaborations with Kamelot and Delain, the voice behind Arch Enemy’s “War Eternal” and “You Will Know My Name” is no stranger to framing racing riffs with her guttural chops and showing off her heavenly cleans when the instrumentals allow.

Cristina Scabbia

The dual vocal onslaught we know and love from Lacuna Coil compels and fascinates, thanks to the storming presence of Cristina Scabbia. Dominating the metal scene since the ’90s, the enduring Italian crew pour richly gothic melodies over devastating riffs. Scabbia’s heavenly clean vocal is the cherry on top. From unforgettable classics such as “Our Truth” to their latest show-stopping “Save Me,” her dream-like range has been an invaluable gift to metal for over two decades and hopefully many, many more.

Tarja Turunen

The thought of losing founding Nightwish vocalist Tarja Turunen to the abyss of former symphonic singers when she left the outfit in 2005 was too much to bear. Luckily for us, Turunen kick-started her solo career the following year, and she’s been a mainstay of the metal scene ever since. The heavenly operatics that once heralded classics such as “Wish I Had An Angel” and “Nemo” now belts “Innocence” and “Tears In Rain” with the most celestial, earthbound vocals the genre has seen to date.

Suzuka Nakamoto

Easily the youngest member of our ranking, Suzuka Nakamoto, known as Su-metal, is the founding member of Japanese sensations BABYMETAL. With all the maturity of an artist twice her age, this 23-year-old puts us all to shame with her consistent energetic vocals and seemingly endless energy supplies while performing impeccable dance routines onstage. Between the iconic “Gimme Chocolate!!” and BABYMETAL’s latest “Kingslayer” collaboration with Bring Me The Horizon, there’s no denying she has a long and prolific career ahead of her.

Amalie Bruun

Myrkur has become a relentless hot topic in metal since its inception in 2014, and we have only recently discovered the identity of the haunting vocals at its heart. Now we can credit multi-instrumental composer Amalie Bruun with the rise of this mysterious Danish project, led into the wilderness by her raw screams bursting through cherubic cleans just when you least expect it. Often singing in Norwegian as an authentic twist on her own style of black metal, the theatrical “Ulvinde” and “Juniper”’s lingering atmospherics merely scratch the surface of Bruun’s compelling storytelling talents.

Elize Ryd

Amaranthe’s triple-threat vocals fetch their lighter tones from Elize Ryd, the Swedish outfit’s not-so-secret weapon who brings cherubic notes to their modern take on organized metallic chaos. Also known for her additions to Kamelot, both live and in the studio, Ryd’s heavenly cords and quirky songwriting add a bucketload of atmosphere and depth to the likes of “Amaranthine” and “Maximize,” making Amaranthe’s unique versatility one that continually sets trends for years to come.

Cammie Gilbert

Houston doom-metal upstarts Oceans Of Slumber have found themselves on a near-vertical trajectory over the last few years, a movement fronted by the tireless energy and boundless talents of their powerhouse vocalist Cammie Gilbert. Upon joining the band in 2014, Gilbert’s towering range came to the surface as her vocals neatly expand the lulling melancholy of “Winter” and the desperate cries of “A Return To The Earth Below,” as if her vocals project both fragility and strength at the same moment.

Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey

We couldn’t separate the two ladies commanding Butcher Babies, so this slot goes out to both Heidi Shepherd and Carla Harvey as the double-trouble onslaught who have brought us “Monsters Ball” and “Magnolia Blvd.” If you’re looking for a nonstop, indulgent party with the possibility of a snapped neck or two, look no further than L.A.’s dirtiest metal export that have become a staple on everybody’s festival bucket list. This versatile pair have made thrash their own ever since their 2013 debut, Goliath, showed the metal scene what it had been so desperately lacking—two relentless ladies who know exactly how to have a good time.

Chelsea Wolfe

Surprisingly the only strictly solo appearance on this list, Chelsea Wolfe has made metal her very own since her arrival in 2010, draping a veil of folk-y atmosphere and gothic depth over seductive doom-metal undertones. Combining her boundary-smashing approach with a sadistically dark visual style, Chelsea Wolfe somewhat ironically injects life into doom by refusing to conform to the genre’s ’90s stereotypes. She wraps her smooth vocal swathes around the compelling melancholy of “Feral Love” and “16 Psyche,” as if redressing the world around her in her own image.

Tatiana Shmayluk

You’d be forgiven for thinking Ukrainian outfit Jinjer tell their lyrical tales through the voice of three separate individuals covering melodic cleans, ear-splitting screams and guttural snarls and somewhat effortlessly slipping between them. The single towering voice behind this band’s meteoric rise belongs to Tatiana Shmayluk, flexing her multi-talented chops on “Perennial” and “Sit Stay Roll Over” just to increase your vocal envy. We’re still not sure how she pulls off such smooth transitions between the polar opposite personas onstage, but we can’t seem to look away.

Floor Jansen

Taking on the mammoth task of fronting the pioneering outfit Nightwish in 2013, Floor Jansen donned her new role as if she was born for it. Jansen’s inimitable honeyed tones ushered in a new age for the symphonic-metal icons, weaving her slick melodic range through the band’s trademark cinematic instrumentals. The theatrical atmospheres tracked on “Élan” and “Noise” give Jansen the room to flex her operatic range while she narrates the vibrant, tall tales we know and love from Nightwish.

[divinum-pacis]

Divinum Pacis’s  Reference Guide- UPDATED 2021

Let’s face it, schooling is expensive, and you can’t cram everything you want to know into 4+ years. It takes a lifetime (and then some). So if you’re like me and want to learn more, here’s an organized list of some books I find particularly insightful and enjoyable. NEW ADDITIONS are listed first under their respective sections. If you have any recommendations, send them in!

African Religions  🌍

African Myths & Tales: Epic Tales by Dr. Kwadwo Osei-Nyame Jnr

The Ancient Egyptian Book of the Dead: Prayers, Incantations, and Other Texts from the Book of the Dead by E.A. Wallis Budge

Prayer in the Religious Traditions of Africa by Aylward Shorter (a bit dated but sentimental)

The Holy Piby: The Black Man’s Bible by Shepherd Robert Athlyi Rogers

The Altar of My Soul: The Living Traditions of Santeria by Marta Moreno Vega (autobiography of an Afro-Puerto Rican Santeria priestess)

African Religions: A Very Short Introduction by Jacob K. Olupona

Buddhism ☸

The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation by Thich Nhat Hanh

The Dhammapada by Eknath Easwaran (collection of Buddha’s sayings)

Liquid Life: Abortion and Buddhism in Japan by William R. LaFleur 

The Tibetan Book of the Dead by John Baldock (the texts explained and illustrated)

Teachings of the Buddha by Jack Kornfield (lovely selection of Buddhist verses and stories)

Understanding Buddhism by Perry Schmidt-Leukel (great introductory text)

Essential Tibetan Buddhism by Robert Thurman (collection of select chants, prayers, and rituals in Tibetan traditions)

Christianity ✝️

The Story of Christianity Volume 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation by Justo L. Gonzales

The Story of Christianity Volume 2: The Reformation to Present Day by Justo L. Gonzales

By Heart: Conversations with Martin Luther's Small Catechism by R. Guy Erwin, etc.

Introducing the New Testament by Mark Allen Powell

Who’s Who in the Bible by Jean-Pierre Isbouts (really cool book, thick with history, both Biblical and otherwise)

Synopsis of the Four Gospels (RSV) by Kurt Aland (shows the four NT gospels side by side, verse by verse for easy textual comparison)

Behold Your Mother by Tim Staples (Catholic approach to the Virgin Mary)

Mother of God: A History of the Virgin Mary by Miri Rubin (anthropological and historical text)

Systematic Theology by Thomas P. Rausch

Orthodox Dogmatic Theology by Fr. Michael Romazansky (Eastern Orthodox Christianity)

Diary of Saint Maria Faustina Kowalska (very spiritual)

The Names of God by George W. Knight (goes through every name and reference to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in the Bible)

Icons and Saints of the Eastern Orthodox Church by Alfredo Tradigo (for those who like art history AND religion)

The Orthodox Veneration of the Mother of God by St. John Maximovitch (the Orthodox approach to the Virgin Mary)

East Asian Religions  ☯️

Shinto: A History by Helen Hardacre

Tao Te Ching by Chad Hansen (a beautiful, illustrated translation)

The Analects by Confucius

Tao Te Ching by Stephen Mitchell

Shinto: The Kami Way by Sokyo Ono (introductory text)

Understanding Chinese Religions by Joachim Gentz (discusses the history and development of Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism in China)

Taoism: An Essential Guide by Eva Wong (pretty much everything you need to know on Taoism)

European (various)

Iliad & Odyssey by Homer, Samuel Butler, et al.

Tales of King Arthur & The Knights of the Round Table by Thomas Malory, Aubrey Beardsley, et al.

Early Irish Myths and Sagas by Jeffrey Gantz

The Prose Edda: Norse Mythology by Snorri Sturluson and Jesse L. Byock

Mythology by Edith Hamilton (covers Greek, Roman, & Norse mythology)

The Nature of the Gods by Cicero

Dictionary of Mythology by Bergen Evans

Gnosticism, Mysticism, & Esotericism

The Gnostic Gospels: Including the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary Magdalene (Sacred Texts) by Alan Jacobs and Vrej Nersessian

The Kybalion by the Three Initiates (Hermeticism)

The Freemasons: The Ancient Brotherhood Revealed by Michael Johnstone 

Alchemy & Mysticism by Alexander Roob (Art and symbolism in Hermeticism)

The Gnostics: Myth, Ritual, and Diversity in Early Christianity by David Brakke

What Is Gnosticism? Revised Edition by Karen L. King

The Essence of the Gnostics by Bernard Simon

The Essential Mystics: Selections from the World’s Great Wisdom Traditions by Andrew Harvey (covers Jewish, Christian, Muslim, Greek, Hindu, Buddhist, and Taoist traditions)

The Secret Teachings of All Ages by Manly P. Hall (huge book on esoteric and occult religions)

Freemasonry for Dummies by Christopher Hodapp

Hinduism 🕉

The Ramayana by R.K. Narayan

7 Secrets of Vishnu by Devdutt Pattanaik (all about Vishnu’s various avatars)

7 Secrets of the Goddess by Devdutt Pattanaik (all about Hindu goddesses, myths and symbolism)

Hinduism by Klaus K. Klostermaier (good introductory text)

Bhagavad Gita As It Is by Srila Prabhupada (trans. from a religious standpoint)

The Mahabharata, parts 1 & 2 by Ramesh Menon (super long but incredibly comprehensive)

The Upanishads by Juan Mascaro (an excellent introductory translation)

In Praise of the Goddess by Devadatta Kali (the Devi Mahatmya with English & Sanskrit texts/explanations of texts)

Beyond Birth and Death by Srila Prabhupada (on death & reincarnation)

The Science of Self-Realization by Srila Prabhupada

Krishna: The Beautiful Legend of God (Srimad Bhagavatam) by Edwin F. Bryant (totally gorgeous translation)

The Perfection of Yoga by Srila Prabhupada (about “actual” yoga)

Islam  ☪️

The Handy Islam Answer Book by John Renard (a comprehensive guide to all your questions)

The Illustrated Rumi by Philip Dunn, Manuela Dunn Mascetti, & R.A. Nicholson (Sufi poetry)

Islam and the Muslim World by Mir Zohair Husain (general history of Islam)

The Quran: A Contemporary Understanding by Safi Kaskas (Quran with Biblical references in the footnotes for comparison)

Essential Sufism by Fadiman & Frager (select Sufi texts)

Psychological Foundation of the Quran, parts 1, 2, & 3 by Muhammad Shoaib Shahid

Hadith by Jonathan A.C. Brown (the history of Hadith and Islam)

The Story of the Quran, 2nd ed. by Ingrid Mattson (history and development of the Quran)

The Book of Hadith by Charles Le Gai Eaton (a small selection of Hadith)

The Holy Quran by Maulana Muhammad Ali (Arabic to English translation, the only translation I’ve read cover-to-cover)

Mary and Jesus in the Quran by Abdullah Yusuf’Ali

Blessed Names and Attributes of Allah by A.R. Kidwai (small, lovely book)

Jainism & Sikhi

Understanding Jainism by Lawrence A. Babb

The Jains (The Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices) by Paul Dundas

The Forest of Thieves and the Magic Garden: An Anthology of Medieval Jain Stories by Phyllis Granoff

A History of the Sikhs, Volume 1: 1469-1839 (Oxford India Collection) by Khushwant Singh

Sikhism: A Very Short Introduction by Eleanor Nesbitt

Judaism  ✡

Hebrew-English Tanakh by the Jewish Publication Society

Essential Judaism by George Robinson (this is THE book if you’re looking to learn about Judaism)

The Talmud: A Selection by Norman Solomon

Judaism by Dan & Lavinia Cohn-Sherbok (introductory text)

The Jewish Study Bible, 2nd edition by the Jewish Publication Society (great explanations of passages)

The Hebrew Goddess by Raphael Patai

Native American

God is Red: A Native View of Religion, 30th Anniversary Edition by Vine Deloria Jr. , Leslie Silko, et al. 

The Wind is My Mother by Bear Heart (Native American spirituality)

American Indian Myths and Legends by Erdoes & Ortiz

The Sacred Wisdom of the Native Americans by Larry J. Zimmerman 

Paganism, Witchcraft & Wicca

Magic in the Roman World: Pagans, Jews and Christians (Religion in the First Christian Centuries) 1st Edition by Naomi Janowitz

The Greek Magical Papyri in Translation: Including the Demotic Spells: 2nd Edition by Hans Dieter Betz

Wicca for Beginners: Fundamentals of Philosophy & Practice by Thea Sabin

The Path of a Christian Witch by Adelina St. Clair (the author’s personal journey)

Aradia: Gospel of the Witches by C.G. Leland

The Anthropology of Religion, Magic, & Witchcraft, 3rd ed. by Rebecca L. Stein

Paganism: An Introduction to Earth-Centered Religions by Joyce & River Higginbotham

Christopaganism by Joyce & River Higginbotham

Whispers of Stone by Tess Dawson (on Modern Canaanite Paganism)

Social ☮

Tears We Cannot Stop (A Sermon to White America) by Eric Michael Dyson (concerning racism)

Comparative Religious Ethics by Christine E. Gudorf 

Divided by Faith by Michael O. Emerson (on racism and Christianity in America)

Problems of Religious Diversity by Paul J. Griffiths

Not in God’s Name by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks (on religious terrorism)

The Sacred and the Profane by Mircea Eliade (difficult but worthwhile read)

World Religions  🗺

Understanding World Religions by Len Woods (approaches world religions from a Biblical perspective)

Living Religions, 9th ed. by Mary Pat Fisher (introductory textbook)

The Norton Anthology of World Religions: Hinduism, Buddhism & Daoism by Jack Miles, etc.

The Norton Anthology of World Religions: Judaism, Christianity, & Islam by Jack Miles, etc.

Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices by Mary Boyce

The Baha’i Faith by Moojan Momen (introductory text)

Saints: The Chosen Few by Manuela Dunn-Mascetti (illustrated; covers saints from Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and more)

The Great Transformation by Karen Armstrong (the evolutionary history of some of the world’s greatest religions)

Roman Catholics and Shi’i Muslims: Prayer, Passion, and Politics by James A. Bill (a comparison of the similarities between Catholicism & Shi’a Islam)

God: A Human History by Reza Aslan (discusses the evolution of religion, specifically Abrahamic and ancient Middle Eastern traditions)

A History of God by Karen Armstrong (similar to Aslan’s book but much more extensive)

The Perennial Dictionary of World Religions by Keith Crim

[cookingmywaythroughcarryon]

Shepherd’s Pie

Shepherd’s Pie comes at an iconic moment in Carry On, when Simon and Baz are back at Pitch Manor, after the torrent of emotions and their first kiss in the forest. This is in Chapter 62, which is one of my very favorite chapters. 

“I sit down next to him, and he takes the casserole dish from me and casts a quick ‘You’re getting warmer!’--then opens the lid. It’s shepherd’s pie.”

I’ve never actually made Shepherds Pie before. So this is a combination of a few recipes I found online. It was a HUGE hit with the family. How could it not be? 

Ingredients: 

2 lbs of ground lamb

lamb dripping

1 large onion, finely chopped 

3 large carrots, peeled and diced

4 celery sticks, diced

2 sprigs each of rosemary and thyme, just the leaves, finely chopped

1 tbsp flour

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp tomato paste

half cup of stock (lamb, beef or veggie is fine)

For topping:

1 to 1.5 lb of potatoes, peeled and diced into chunks (about one inch squares)

half stick of butter

1 tbsp milk

1/4 tsp nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste 

Materials:

frying pan, large

2 large pots

casserole dish (I used an 9x13 pyrex)

large mixing bowl

smaller bowls to hold veggies and lamb as they are prepped

potato masher

Method:

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and brown the meat. I had to pour out some of the dripping so I could actually brown the meat (I saved it for later in the recipe)

Browned lamb: 

Mix the chopped onion, celery, carrots. and herbs together. 

Cook in a pan over medium heat until tender but not too soft. 

Sprinkle flour over mixture and then add the stock and drippings, Worcestershire sauce and tomato puree

Scrape the pan to dislodge veggies that get stuck and mix it all well

Place cooked veggies and browned lamb into a large pot. Turn heat to low and simmer lamb mixture while you make the potatoes, stirring frequently to keep it from catching and burning or getting too much stuck at the bottom of the pan. 

fill another large pot with water and boil the diced potatoes. It took about 20 minutes for the potatoes to be soft enough to easily poke with a fork. 

Turn off the burner. 

Drain the potatoes and let sit in hot pan to steam for a few minutes. MAKE SURE THE BURNER IS OFF OR YOU WILL HAVE BURNED POTATOES

Mash potatoes with butter and milk until well mixed and then season with a bit of salt and pepper and the nutmeg. 

Mid mash:

Well mashed: 

Grease your 9x13 baking dish. Pour lamb mixture in and distribute evenly in the pan. Preheat oven to 350F. 

Add mashed potato mixture over the top: 

Smooth the potatoes over the lamb mixture and then make shallow grooves across the entire surface with a fork. 

Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes. Mine was cooked but the potato topping wasn't nicely browned so I turned on the broiler for about 4 minutes until it looked how I wanted it to look (see photos)

Shepherd’s Pie final:

Recipe without the photos: 

Ingredients:

2 lbs of ground lamb

lamb dripping (from cooked lamb in this case)

1 large onion, finely chopped

3 large carrots, peeled and diced

4 celery sticks, diced

2 sprigs each of rosemary and thyme, just the leaves, finely chopped

1 tbsp flour

2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp tomato paste

half cup of stock (lamb, beef or veggie is fine)

For topping:

1 to 1.5 lb of potatoes, peeled and diced into chunks (about one inch squares)

half stick of butter

1 tbsp milk

1/4 tsp nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Materials:

frying pan, large

2 large pots

casserole dish (I used an 9x13 pyrex)

large mixing bowl

smaller bowls to hold veggies and lamb as they are prepped

potato masher

Method:

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and brown the meat. I had to pour out some of the dripping so I could actually brown the meat (I saved it for later in the recipe)

Mix the chopped onion, celery, carrots. and herbs together.

Cook in a pan over medium heat until tender but not too soft.

Sprinkle flour over mixture and then add the stock and drippings, Worcestershire sauce and tomato puree

Scrape the pan to dislodge veggies that get stuck and mix it all well

Place cooked veggies and lamb into a large pot. 

Turn heat to low and simmer lamb mixture while you make the potatoes, stirring frequently to keep it from catching and burning or getting too much stuck at the bottom of the pan. 

fill another large pot with water and boil the diced potatoes. It took about 20 minutes for the potatoes to be soft enough to easily poke with a fork. 

Turn off the burner. 

Drain the potatoes and let sit in hot pan to steam for a few minutes. MAKE SURE THE BURNER IS OFF OR YOU WILL HAVE BURNED POTATOES

Mash potatoes with butter and milk until well mixed and then season with a bit of salt and pepper and the nutmeg.

Grease your 9x13 baking dish. Pour lamb mixture in and distribute evenly in the pan.

Preheat oven to 350F. 

Smooth the potatoes over the lamb mixture and then make shallow grooves across the entire surface with a fork.

Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes. Mine was cooked but the potato topping wasn't nicely browned so I turned on the broiler for about 4 minutes until it looked how I wanted it to look (see photos)

this meal was a resounding success with the family and it has been added to the preferred recipes list. They all loved it and we had leftovers for a day or two after. The potatoes get a bit firmer on the second day but it still tastes good. 

[tabloidtoc]

Globe, December 7

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Hillary Clinton health crisis 

Page 2: Up Front & Personal -- Larsa Pippen in a bikini in Fort Lauderdale, Olivia Culpo wrestles with recycling outside her L.A. office, Shia LaBeouf ditches his face covering for a phone call in an L.A. market 

Page 3: Pete Wentz plays tennis, Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe outside the Dancing with the Stars studio, Sean Penn hits the beach in Hawaii 

Page 4: Barbara Walters was sharp as a tack when she grilled the world’s biggest leaders but ravaging dementia has now tragically turned the 91-year-old into a prisoner in her own bed 

Page 5: Pistol-packing Elvis Presley was so gaga over guns that he’d even take a firearm to bed with him 

* Ringo Starr’s childhood bout with appendicitis at age six caused him to fall into a coma and spend a year in the hospital to recover then five years later he contracted tuberculosis and spent two years in a sanitarium where he discovered drums as part of the hospital band 

Page 6: If it’s true that Gentleman Prefer Blondes Marilyn Monroe was the perfect star for the flick because she dyed her carpet platinum to match the drapes -- beauty guru Kenneth Battelle suggested Marilyn change the color of her pubic hair after a jerk spilled champagne over her sheer dress at a party showing everything because she didn’t wear skivvies so the guru ran to the hotel drugstore and got some dye and told Marilyn to go in the bathroom and bleach 

Page 7: Celine Dion has turned into a frightening bag of bones leaving friends worried she’s headed for a catastrophic health crisis -- now down to a gaunt 96 pounds the star is driving herself to the brink of collapse with a diet and exercise plan to prepare for the relaunch of her hit world tour and she starves herself in her drive for perfection and to maintain the stick-thin look that helped turn her into a fashion icon

* Julianne Hough confesses feeling she didn’t deserve the A-list life she enjoyed while dating Ryan Seacrest where she was on private planes and yachts and living in a very well-off house and her life was pretty different from where she grew up -- she left Ryan in 2013 after three years because she wanted to create that for herself because she felt like she didn’t deserve it 

Page 8: Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson is searching for the Fountain of Youth by working out with Pierce Brosnan’s trainer -- the ex-wife of disgraced Prince Andrew is following a grueling exercise regimen in hopes of joining people who are said to be biologically younger than their true age 

Page 9: Disgraced Prince Andrew has been kicked from the royal family and now Prince Charles plans to boot his sister Princess Anne from his inner circle once he becomes king -- while the princess has carried her share of official engagements Charles plans to shrink the monarchy after his mother Queen Elizabeth passes and the phrase slimmed-down royal family constantly keeps coming up and the royal family will evolve with Charles coming to the throne -- Anne will be on the chopping block mostly because of ambitious Duchess Camilla who is Charles’ wife and who has carried out a ruthless dirty plan to be queen for decades and she wants no one else taking the limelight and that includes Charles’ sister

* Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle dissed his dad Prince Charles with a surprising public snub as the couple failed to publicly wish Charles a happy birthday when he turned 72 -- Queen Elizabeth and Prince William and Duchess Kate all sent birthday wishes to the future king on social media but Harry and Meghan took a pass even though Harry popped up on the British TV show Strictly Come Dancing that night to wish a pal good luck

Page 10: A nuclear-sized catfight has exploded in North Korea where dictator Kim Jong-un’s baby sister and his pop star lover are battling to claw their way to be top gal -- while sister Kim Yo-jong seemed to be running the nation after Kim vanished and was rumored dead he popped back up with old galpal Hyon Song-wol on his arm and his current wife Ri Sol-ju nowhere to be seen 

Page 12: Celebrity Buzz -- Mario Lopez wearing a clear mask (picture), Lauren Simon of The Real Housewives of Cheshire in the U.K. claims to have had sex with an actual ghost, Kaley Cuoco has a theory about shooting those sexy big bangs with ex-boyfriend Johnny Galecki that the pair’s sneaky sitcom boss got a kick putting the real-life former lovers under the covers, Reese Witherspoon lost her beloved dog Pepper to cancer and returned to her ole Southern roots when picking a name for her brand-new puppy: Minnie Pearl, plagued by seemingly endless allegations of being mean and ignoring a toxic workplace Ellen DeGeneres is now plugging a Be Kind subscription box valued at $270

Page 13: Kristen Taekman tops of her gas tank in L.A. (picture), Jeff Goldblum feeding a parking meter in L.A. (picture), Hilary Duff gets primped and primed on the NYC set of Younger (picture) 

Page 14: Reclusive ailing widow Yoko Ono finally loosened the reins and is handing over her $800 million empire to Sean Lennon her only child with Beatles legend John Lennon but John’s eldest son Julian Lennon was left out of the hitmaker’s will but Julian managed to eke out a $25 million settlement okayed by Yoko after he dragged his famous dad’s estate to court, Kelsea Ballerini snapped at a nosy fan for rudely asking if her rounded tummy was a blossoming baby bump

* Fashion Verdict -- Lara Spencer 9/10, Laura Veltz 2/10, Lauren Akins 3/10, Lauren Alaina 4/10 

Page 16: Michael Jackson’s baby mama Debbie Rowe reveals getting pregnant was no thrill because she was artificially impregnated -- Debbie met ex-husband Michael when she was working for his dermatologist and she insists the couple never had sex and a sperm donor fathered the pop star’s two kids she carried in her womb -- son Prince Jackson is rumored to have been fathered by Debbie’s doctor boss Arnold Klein -- British actor Mark Lester claims her could be Paris Jackson’s father -- Debbie is unsure of the paternity of Michael’s youngest son Blanket who now goes by Bigi Jackson

Page 17: Fans gaga for Dr. McDreamy on Grey’s Anatomy got a super thrill on the season 17 premiere when Patrick Dempsey returned to the hit hospital drama after departing the show five years ago -- Dempsey whose character Dr. Derek Shepherd died in a car crash came back in a dream sequence reuniting with star Ellen Pompeo’s Dr. Meredith Grey on a beach -- Dempsey split from the show to spend more time with his family and pursue his auto racing hobby but he’ll return to the show several more times 

Page 19: 10 Things You Don’t Know About Emma Corrin

* Reba McEntire reveals she turned down The Voice gig that went to Blake Shelton and now she regrets it big-time 

* Nip/tuck junkie Dolly Parton says she plans to keep freshening her face by going under the knife and crows she’s gonna look like a cartoon and she’ll look as young as her plastic surgeons will allow her 

Page 20: True Crime 

Page 21: Former soap stud Cody Longo was socked with a domestic abuse charge following a jealous booze-fueled attack on his dancer wife Stephanie Clark -- Cody played Nicholas Alamain on Days of Our Lives from 2011-2012 

Page 23: Meredith Baxter felt booby-trapped by her enormous breasts and confesses she welcomed breast-reduction surgery after getting cancer -- the Family Ties star reveals her former 42-inch bust was the plague of her life

* Weatherman Al Roker has a secret weapon in his stormy battle to recover from prostate cancer surgery which is the love and support of his wife Deborah Roberts who is keeping him happy and positive doting on him day and night plus they talk about everything and make medical decisions together so there’s no fear or anxiety entering their world 

* Jennifer Lopez kicked booty when a federal judge dismissed a $40 million lawsuit brought by a former stripper who claims she inspired the hit movie Hustlers -- Samantha Barbash claims she’s the real-life model for J.Lo’s pole-dancing swindler Ramona Vega and insisted the movie ruined her rep by implying she did drugs around her kids but the judge tossed the case because Barbash’s name or portrait or picture or voice wasn’t used in the film 

Page 24: Cover Story -- Hillary Clinton has tragically packed on nearly 100 pounds since she vanished from the spotlight four years ago and is struggling to breathe and walk and now a medical expert is warning the 73-year-old is facing a health crisis as she tips the scales at 247 pounds -- Hillary has a history of broken bones and shocking collapses 

Page 26: Health Report

Page 30: Country girl Carly Pearce’s divorce from Michael Ray has gone from bad to ugly and he’s now parading his romance with Travis Tritt’s daughter Tyler Reese Tritt -- Carly was all for taking the high road but now she’s taken off the gloves -- they’re bad-mouthing each other far and wide and Carly’s tossed everything that reminds her of Michael 

* Southern Charm belle Madison LeCroy has been flashing a pic of her newest charms which is a set of bigger boobs 

Page 36: Diva Mariah Carey’s demanding ways are driving her boyfriend Bryan Tanaka bonkers and the couple of four years may be headed for Splitsville unless she changes her ways -- Mariah treats Bryan like an assistant instead of a lover and it’s giving him fits and he’s been so patient with Mariah and he loves her but she’s wearing him out with her incessant orders like she has him drawing up her schedule for online greets plus she’s ordering him to do all her holiday shopping for friends and be in charge of everything from decorations to food prep 

* Emma Roberts confesses being pregnant makes her weepy and she’s hit the point where like halfway up the stairs she has to sit down sometimes and maybe tears roll down a couple times a week but despite that Emma says she feels grateful and lucky to be expecting her first child

Page 38: Real Life 

Page 40: Phil Collins’ embarrassing court battle with third ex Orianne Cevey is casting a pall over his daughter Lily Collins’ wedding plans -- Lily is desperate to tie the knot with Charlie MacDowell but the dirty charges flying back may force her to put the happy day on hold and it’s hard for Lily to concentrate on making wedding plans when her father is caught in an ugly public fight -- Orianne is battling over Phil’s $38 million Miami mansion where they lived after reuniting in 2018 

Page 44: Straight Talk -- NXIVM cult is warning to us all 

Page 45: Treasure hunters have launched a frantic search for a $150 million stash of gangster gold hidden by mobster Dutch Schultz in Upstate New York after two sleuths recently discovered coins they believe are linked to the stash -- following a long list of cryptic clues Canadian fortune seekers Steve Zazulyk and Ryan Fazekas uncovered gold coins dated 1903 a few miles from the Prohibition Era beer baron’s hangout in the Catskills town of Phoenicia and their find triggered a race against other prosecutors seeking a two-by-three-foot steel box filled with diamonds and gold coins and $1000 bills and $7 billion in World War I Liberty Bonds and the hoard has an estimated value of $150 million today 

[iconsrequestsworld]

like or reblog if you save. ♡

[heroicsignature]

MUSES BY FANDOM

BELOW   is  a  list  of  muses  that  i  play.   this  page  will  be  updated  with  some  frequency,  adding  and  subtracting  muses.  muses  are  identified  with  fandom,  name,  face  claim  and  priority.  requestable  means  we  must  have  an  agreed  set  plot  for  me  to  play  the  character  and / or  i  do  not  have  the  necessary  icons  yet  to  play  them  more  frequently. 

MARVEL

BILLY  KAPLAN   -   timothee  chalamet,   michael  johnston    -   primary

HARRY  OSBORN    -    harrison  osterfield,   froy  gutierrez     -    primary

ROBERT  “BOBBY”  DRAKE     -    joshua  bassett   -   primary

SHARON  CARTER     -    emily  vancamp   -    primary

NATASHA  ROMANOFF    -    scarlett   johansson    -   primary

WANDA   MAXIMOFF    -    elizabeth  olsen     -    primary

MICHELLE  “MJ”   JONES    -     zendaya    -   secondary

PETER  PARKER    -   tom  holland   -  secondary

JEAN  GREY    -    madelaine  petsch     -  secondary

JESSICA  JONES    -    krysten  ritter   -   tertiary

MATT  MURDOCK    -    charlie  cox    -   tertiary

ELEKTRA  NATCHIOS    -    elodie  yung    -     tertiary

TOMMY  SHEPHERD    -   timothee  chalamet,   -  requestable

TEDDY   ALTMAN   -     mason  dye    -   requestable

SCOTT  SUMMERS    -     jacob  elordi     -    requestable

EMMA  FROST     -    kathryn  newton   -   requestable

DC

TIM DRAKE    -    brent  rivera,   michael  johnston,   matt  cornet   -   primary

JASON  TODD     -    curran  walters     -    primary

DONNA   TROY     -     conor  leslie    -    primary

DICK   GRAYSON     -    brenton  thwaites,   jacob  elordi    -   secondary

DAWN  GRANGER      -     minka   kelly     -     secondary

ROY  HARPER     -     colton  haynes    -   primary

BARBARA  GORDON      -     holland  roden     -   primary

LOIS  LANE        -       elizabeth  tulloch      -    secondary

BART  ALLEN     -    froy  gutierrez    -    secondary

HAL  JORDAN      -     ryan  kelley       -     tertiary

DINAH  “LAUREL”   DRAKE    -     katie  cassidy     -   tertiary

WALLY   WEST      -      kj  apa       -       tertiary 

SELINA  KYLE     -     zoe  kravitz      -      tertiary 

BRUCE  WAYNE     -     brett  dalton     -    requestable

CONNER  KENT    -   joshua  orpin    -   requestable

ROSE  WILSON    -    chelsea   zhang     -    requestable

KORY  ANDERS   -     anna   diop   -  requestable 

RIVERDALE

KEVIN   KELLER     -   casey  cott,  mason  dye    -   primary

CHIC  WESTON   -     hart  denton     -   tertiary     (canon divergent)

BETTY   COOPER     -    lili  reinhart     -   requestable

VERONICA  LODGE     -     camila  mendes     -    requestable

TEEN WOLF

COREY   BRYANT    -        michael   johnston     -     primary

JACKSON  WHITTEMORE     -      colton  haynes    -    secondary

ETHAN  STEINER       -   charlie  carver     -     secondary

NOLAN   HOLLOWAY     -      froy  gutierrez    -     secondary

GLEE

BLAINE   ANDERSON    -       darren  criss    -    primary

STAR WARS

AHSOKA   TANO      -    animated,  rosario dawson     -     secondary

PADME  AMIDALA      -     natalie  portman      -   tertiary

HEDATHE  ANCHAI    -   original  character     -    timothee  chalamet    -   primary

SHADOWHUNTERS

MAGNUS  BANE     -     harry  shum  jr.    -   tertiary

ALEC  LIGHTWOOD    -    matthew  daddario    -    tertiary 

DETROIT: BECOME HUMAN

SIMON     -     animated,  will  tudor    -    secondary

ORIGINAL CHARACTERS

WYATT  BRASS      -     fandomless,  multi-fandom    -   joshua  bassett   -   primary

KALEB  YOUNG      -    fandomless,  multi-fandom   -   mason  dye   -    primary

[ghostforum]

A probably non coherent list of my favourite things about wayward son

. Baz' flowery suit. Was amazing, lived up to my expectations 10/10

. Shepherd!!! I did not expect to love him so much my sweet talkative child with no sense of self preservation

. Leading on from that I kinda ship him with penny I'm not sure??

. Also!!! The entire American magic thing was really interesting like, how magic and the magic community are so different and how baz thought his wand wasn't working only for penny to tell him it was his english spells

. I also noticed that one of the things that came up several times in simons pov was about all the shit that happened to him penny and Agatha, like that was there

. The fact that Simon is not okay after everything the way that was like, written was realistic and good to see that he's not fine thanks to True Love

. Penny's development where her like, entire view around magic and non magical people are changing I think, and also the part where her and micha?? (is that how you spell it idk) broke up hurt my heart but also how she realised like, she was just kinda checking things off a list of stuff to do with her life and I really want to see what happens with her in the third book more than anything else

. Finally,,, baz. i love him so much why did it take me so long to get to him

. All of his thoughts are a masterpiece, he's so cynical it's hilarious

. Him discovering more about vampires simultaneously gave me life and killed me

. I loved his sorta friendship with lamb all the while knowing I couldn't end well

. I found Lamb and interesting character it would be cool for him to appear again. I'm not sure if he was given an actual name and I missed it though

. Baz has a list of things he hates. Iconic.

[findasongblog]

Find A Song that is a reminder that beauty can be found in the darkest of places

Le Cygne Noir - No Return

With delicious backing vocals from Julianne Regan of All About Eve, ‘No Return’ is a song of our times and all time, its ecological message as resonant now as it ever has been and matched with a melody to die-for.

Filmed at Shepherd’s Bush Empire and directed/edited by James Sharples (Editor, Louder than War), the accompanying video sees Le Cygne Noir both playing and attacking his piano with a sledgehammer*, emblematising the havoc wreaked around the globe by environmental destruction. Shot in stark black and white with startling splashes of colour, and featuring an intense, forewarning performance by Le Cygne Noir, this classic ballad prophesies doom until its stunning instrumental break, suggesting perhaps not all is quite lost.

The perfect calling card for ‘Shadow of a Wrecking Ball’ - Le Cygne Noir’s apocalyptic vision of future dystopia - ‘No Return’ is a life-affirming reminder that beauty can be found in the darkest of places.

* Please note: no pianos were harmed in the making of this video (and if they were, it’s not the end of the world, is it… )

With the impending apocalypse on everyone’s minds, LE CYGNE NOIR this Friday will go one further as he unveils his exhilarating new zombie apocalypse concept album: ‘Shadow Of A Wrecking Ball’.

Rippling with musical innovation and instrumental expertise, ‘Shadow of A Wrecking Ball’ sees Le Cygne Noir enlist a stellar who’s who of classic rock alumni of the highest order to help bring his madcap vision into its blazingly lucid focus. With appearances from Julianne Regan (founder and lead singer of All About Eve),  Wayne Hussey (The Mission), Neil Taylor (Tears for Fears, Robbie Williams), Corey Webb, (son of iconic songwriter JIMMY WEBB), Mike Kelly (The Mission), Simon Hinkler (The Mission, Pulp), Additional contributions come from the amazing Jo Nye (vocals) top session players Beth Porter and Caroline Dale (cello), Mark Gunstone (The Blunders), esteemed saxophonist Ben Waghorn, and Cal Campbell (Beck) on drums, son of country legend GLEN CAMPBELL; the record shimmers with a quality that only such experienced players can bring to the table.

Recorded at various locations across the globe, from the West Country of the UK (NAM Studios, Riverside Studios, The Chapel) to LA (Agoura Borealis Studios) to Cal Campbell’s studio in Nashville, ’Shadow Of A Wrecking Ball’ was mixed by Evansson (Siouxsie Sioux, Robert Plant)  and Grammy nominated producer Tom Dalgety (Royal Blood, The Pixies, Ghost) and finally mastered by James Bacon at Piano Recordings (Sheffield). All songs were written by Le Cygne Noir except ‘After All is Said’ Written By Le Cygne Noir and Wayne Hussey. The album artwork was designed by Andy Luckhurst, with its featured portrait photo of Le Cygne Noir provided by none-other than celebrated portrait and fashion photographer Rankin.

Spewing forth his paranoid delusions of the planet’s imminent destruction to a soundtrack of electrifying synth-skewered prog rock, ’Shadow of a Wrecking Ball’ is a wildly ambitious debut from an enigmatic and essential new solo artist. (press release)

[rebelsofshield]

Panels Far, Far Away: A Week in Star Wars Comics 8/21/19

BB-8 rolls to the rescue as Doctor Aphra and the TIES of Shadow Wing fight for their lives.

Star Wars Adventures #24 written by Ian Flynn and Shaun Harris and art by Megan Levens and Manuel Bracchi

Turns out Poe Dameron was a hot shot derring-do pilot even before joining General Leia’s Resistance. Star Wars Adventures this week shows us a BB-8/Poe buddy team up just a few years before the conflict with the First Order would boil over (and also a week before Age of Resistance looks to do the same thing.) It’s hardly new material for fans of these characters or even the first “BB-8 Saves the Day!” comic told in Adventures alone, but the result is a fun little story that is surprisingly more action packed than the sort of fare that this comic usually offers.

This may be the first time in quite a while where the “Tales from Wild Space” segment proves to be the demonstrably stronger comic. I mean, who knew that Maz Kanata hustling a greedy Rodian in a space chess tournament would be such a fun time, but writer Shaun Harris and Manuel Bracchi spin this into a delightful little yarn. It also feels like one of the first stories in a while where the frame story actually proves to have just as much personality. It may be that Harris and Bracchi just have a strong sense of how to tell fun little stories in this universe, but the quick intro and outro to this narrative shows the cast for “Wild Space” at their most organic.

As usual, younger readers are likely to be delighted by the stories contained in Adventures. Older fans may find less to enjoy than usual, but IDW’s all-ages comic is perhaps the most consistent Star Wars book on the stands right now and that has to count for something.

Score: B

Star Wars Doctor Aphra #35 written by Simon Spurrier and art by Andrea Broccardo

Being underwhelmed by Doctor Aphra is not a fun feeling. While part four of “Imperial Super Weapon” may not be as outright disappointing as its predecessor, this is still proving the least successful story in this comic’s history.

This fourth installment follows Aphra as she attempts to escape control of the Alliance while also making contact with the Empire to broker her own safety and freedom using a superweapon as leverage. Writer Simon Spurrier’s scripting is notably more crowded and haphazard here than usual. While past arcs, particularly the stellar “Catastrophe Con,” have proven that Spurrier has a talent for balancing complex narratives with entertaining character moments and set pieces, this issue proves to be jumbled and chaotic. As opposed to last installment which moved the story along at a snail’s pace, issue #35 rockets us through multiple major plot developments and changes in locale while also still delivering a continuation of Aphra’s childhood flashbacks. Some of these plot developments, particularly a brief return by the Dark Lord of the Sith himself, are entertaining and exciting, but it’s hard not to get a sense of whiplash given the rapid pace at which the status quo for Aphra’s mission changes.

As has become expected, the art for this issue is once again a letdown. While Wilton Santos takes the issue off, fill in artist Andrea Broccardo takes the reigns and the results are similarly disappointing. This is odd given how strong Broccardo’s pencils have been in issues of the main Star Wars comic or even this very comic back in the “Screaming Citadel” event from 2017. Whether it’s a new pair of colorists in Marc Deering or Scott Hanna or Broccardo intentionally tried to mimic Santos’s style, the result feels more like an attempt to maintain visual continuity than anything. This means similarly bland and lifeless environments and awkward facial expressions. In particular, Black Krrsantan feels oddly more cuddly and goofball than past appearances and lacks the vicious unpredictability that made him such a great aspect of this ensemble at the start of this series.

There are shining lights though. Aphra’s rocky courtship of the now rebellious Tolvan is as delightful and fraught as ever. There is even a very cute play on an iconic moment from The Empire Strikes Back that is sure to be prime meme material for fans of this now iconic comics character.

As a whole, despite a promising start, it’s almost a relief that we have just one issue of “Unspeakable Rebel Superweapon” left. There’s undeniable thought and ambition for this story, but it comes across as an unfortunate misstep in an otherwise great comic.

Score: C+

Star Wars TIE Fighter #5 written by Jody Houser and art by Roge Antonio and Juan Gedeon

Jody Houser closes out TIE Fighter with a literal bang as the members of Shadow Wing, old and new, exact revenge upon the Rebel Alliance.

TIE Fighter has been a fun experiment in creating sympathy for the Imperial devil and Houser keeps this going here. At this point, these characters are among the most human and plainly empathetic personalities we’ve seen from the Galactic Empire to date. That being said, it is hard not to leave the conclusion to this anti-hero miniseries with a sense of confusion and perhaps indifference.

TIE Fighter has always been an enjoyably readable book with solid art and dialogue from the creative teams involved. This final issue leans back and lets the fireworks fly. Roge Antonio sells this issue with an amazing well executed dogfight sequence that’s among the best that Marvel has put to page. Antonio manages to capture the scale and chaos of the conflict without ever confusing the geography or blocking of our central characters and the result is a battle that feels weighty without ever sacrificing the spectacle of it all. Houser does a strong job of shepherding the ensemble through this sequence and it makes for a great action climax to this series.

However, TIE Fighter just simply sputters out afterwards. This portion of Shadow Wing accomplishes their goal and the narrative drops one more bombshell and the issue stops. It’s a strange emotional beat and an odd moment to close a series on. If this has been an arc of a longer comic it may have been understandable but the nebulous closure to Houser’s script can’t help but feel like a headscratcher.

It leaves one wondering what the purpose of this story was. While the comic was marketed as being a tie into Alexander Freed’s Alphabet Squadron, this doesn’t really prove to be the case. Only cursory details from this story carry over into Freed’s novel and none of the central cast we’ve spent all this time developing are featured at all. To end their story on such an open note is more than a little disappointing. Maybe we will see these characters again? I would hope so. While it may have never wowed, I did really enjoy TIE Fighter and its ensemble of misguided anti-heroes and would be open to seeing them again. Let’s just hope their future is bit more focused.

Score: B