#in which space truckin come on

[wabblebees]

.

[thegeminisage]

tng update time. last night we did "heart of glory" and "arsenal of freedom."

heart of glory verdict: REALLY GOOD. i knew going in this was a worf episode but i was NOT expecting the scene at the beginning with geordi! that could have easily been its own episode but it was SO COOL to see how he sees finally - i had been wondering about it.

after watching tholian web i decided it was silly for them to go to that other ship where life support was failing with NO SPACE SUITS. i guess it wouldn't have helped in the event the ship blew up but come on

klingon death ritual a little unsettling at first but actually later i decided it was metal as hell.

worf's dilemma was so good. like in the naked time when he went THAT WORLD IS ALIEN TO ME NOW you can see that he's at odds with both where he came from and where he is now and doesn't feel totally at home in either, which, frankly, is spockcore (honorific). he instantly shot up several spaces in my tng character ranking

and his solution was so good! like, these wackos dont represent what he really wants because they arent Real Klingons theyre extremists or whatever. ik it's a little bit of a copout in some ways but it was kind of nice for him to be able to form his own, third answer to "who's better, humans or klingons." like sometimes the answer is neither are really connecting with me rn im just gonna keep truckin

i will say that there were hints of people doubting worf's loyalties here and him straight up killing that other dude put it all to bed. dont EVER question him again. i'll kill you.

also lowkey racist when that klingon picked the little girl up and everybody went to pieces :/

him promising he was just being polite and didnt want to leave the enterprise lol. everybody stared until he promised TWICE. so true. possibly my fav tng episode so far

arsenal of freedom: NOT that great. not sure why we were watching that one except the lists said to.

i recognized the peddler from other shows, probably b*ffy in this instance. he just has one of those faces

the whole time dr crusher was in the hole i kept waiting for them to huddle for warmth and then they DIDNT. not that i even necessarily wanted to see her demeaned to this level like it would've made me mad but WHY ELSE would you mention she's cold. like i'm also mad that they didn't

also this could've been a tos episode. imagine if bones was in a little hole and spock and kirk had to set his broken arm and unbury him and keep him warm. i know that's just the empath. shut up

kind of dumb of her not to mention she had a leg wound when it was quite literally covered in dirt. girl come on

anyway i liked her acting in this scene. ultimately i've just decided i'm glad they didn't cuddle because this is one of the first times i've seen her as a person and not a Woman(tm). the other time was that other episode where she was nerd out about uh...oh man now i'm mad i can't remember. she was nerding out about some science thing or some famous science person in an episode we watched not too long ago and i liked that too. and then forgot to make a note of it. rip dr crusher :(

ALSO. sorry. if they were getting shot at it was dumb of them to send data alone down into the hole. everybody should have gone into the hole for safety. or data should have pulled picard up so they had an extra phaser. cmon

anyway i liked geordi's thing in this ep. that guy invalidating him was horrible and i'm glad he got to have the last word and also get his moment. GEORDI DESERVES A MOMENT. the ship splitting up is still fucking hilarious to me though. there's so many logical problems with this it makes your head spin

also, once again, there should NOT !!! be children on a starship. insane.

next i am doing "symbiosis" on my own and then tomorrow we're doing "skin of evil" together.

[krispyweiss]

Song Review(s): The Zombies - “Merry-Go-Round” and “Love You While I Can”

When a band’s been around as long as the Zombies have been around, it’s almost expected they’ll do some borrowing and recycling.

And so it comes to pass that “Merry-Go-Round” and “Love You While I Can” borrow from and recycle Deep Purple’s “Space Truckin’” and the general feeling of Badfinger, respectively. The tracks - from Different Game - follow the band’s Doors/Steely Dan admixture, “Dropped, Reeling & Stupid,” which announced the LP’s March 31 arrival.

The relatively uptempo “Merry-Go-Round” is the stronger of the two as “Love You While I Can” is a mawkish ballad with breathy vocals that rhymes eyes with realize. And neither is a song Zombies fans will clamor for during gigs.

Grade card: The Zombies - “Merry-Go-Round” and “Love You While I Can” - C+/D+

3/20/23

[linuxgamenews]

American Truck Simulator showcasing cities of Oklahoma

Oklahoma announced for American Truck Simulator on Linux, Mac, and Windows PC. This is once again due to the ongoing work of the developer SCS Software. Due to make its way onto Steam. It's time for Part 2 of showcasing some of the Cities and Settlements. That SCS Software will feature in the upcoming Oklahoma DLC for American Truck Simulator on Linux. Due to share 4 more cities and several settlements.

Woodward

First up is the city of Woodward. Established in 1887, it was historically a shipping point for both livestock and other goods. Today, Woodward, with a population of over 15,000 continues to serve northwest Oklahoma. Doing so as a commercial and Livestock hub. Load or not, Woodward is a city with a lot charm. Along with its history and work for drivers in the state.

Clinton

Located in a large valley along with scenic rolling hills and wide-open spaces. Clinton, Oklahoma is a small community of about 10,000 residents. Located in the heart of the Western Oklahoma on Historic Route 66. Clinton also is known as the “Hub City of Western Oklahoma.” Features historic buildings in the heart of its downtown business district. With food and agriculture industries present in the area. Truckers can expect to find delivery contracts going daily, so be sure to visit.

American Truck Simulator Oklahoma DLC

Ardmore

Many consider this city a hidden gem in Oklahoma. Located near the famous Adventure Road in Carter County is the historic city of Ardmore. It's also named after the Irish term Ard Mór, meaning "hills" or "high ground." This is the one place Obi Wan Kenobi hasn't told its resident "Its over". From historic landmarks rich with culture to vibrant businesses. Ardmore certainly has a lot to offer to both residents and visitors alike. Truckers can look forward to picking up contracts to and from the Tire factory, among other industries.

McAlester

Our fourth and final city in this Oklahoma showcase is the city of McAlester. Named after James Jackson McAlester, who started a general store here in 1869. It has since become a bustling city after its rapid expansion. Doing so in part thanks to the influx of settlers after the discovery of coal. Since then it has maintained its historic status. Also now home to several different industries.

Oklahoma Settlements

That isn't all, however. You will also be able to pass through many settlements whilst cruising through Oklahoma. This includes Boise City, which was carelessly bombed during World War 2. Shamrock, which is along Route 66 and Cushing. Since it is known as the pipeline crossroads of the world. This is all thanks to its major status for trading crude oil. There's still so much to discover and do in Oklahoma. There will be more coming in the near future for American Truck Simulator. If you like what you see, be sure to add it to your Steam Wishlist. Coming to Linux, Mac, and Windows PC. Until next time, keep on truckin'.

[theloniousbach]

BACK TO FUR PEACE RANCH: ACOUSTIC HOT TUNA with Larry Campbell, 5 NOVEMBER 2022

My best laid plans last night were to catch a real time set from Small’s Live by a piano trio led by Kevin Hays who deserves attention, though I sometimes find him a bit too clever for my own good. My jazz listening/writing is the one thing that hasn’t resettled since my sentimental journeys to Santa Fe and Pittsburgh. On the Monday in Santa Fe, I took advantage of the time zone shift to catch Miki Yamanka’s late set in real time and came in the middle of Alan Broadbent (not with Harvie S) before it. Those haven’t made it into one of these souvenirs, so seeing Hays would have allowed a cadenza about them. But I saw no more jazz out west and just the Lew Tabackin and Jeremy Pelt shows over this past week.

Instead there has been the Caffe Lena trad/folk excursion with Bruce Molsky and Beppe Gambetta (so I haven’t suffered). Though I had missed the social media announcement of this show, there it was. We jumped in for the last 45 minutes of the second set, about a third of the total, just as Larry Campbell embarked on Deep Elem Blues.

Having not immediately deleted an announcement that Acoustic Hot Tuna will be in Steelville in about three weeks. It’s a legendary intimate destination venue a couple of hours southeast of St Louis. With housing, it’s north of $200 each. So, no, but reluctantly. But that put this personally important band on my mind yet again.

Looking at the setlist, I regret missing Good Shepherd and That’ll Never Happen No More because I take a stab at as well as several rarities (True Religion, Keep On Truckin’, Highway Song (David Crosby sang on the original and he came up as they tuned into open G for the Water Song encore. In any case he was alive at the time), and Ode for Billy Dean. Campbell sung Police Dog Blues and Big River Blues which would have been fun.

What we did see was a healthy dose of Reverend Gary Davis. Not Candyman which opened the second set, but Hesitation Blues!! (Campbell on fiddle), Death Don’t Have No Mercy!!!!! (Jorma said, “We’ve been too cheerful.” Perhaps. I like playing it in my way as solace as I think of my coming losses.), and Let Us Get Together Right Down Here as the set closer. Between them, Jorma and Campbell are where I have learned most about the Reverend.

There were a couple of Jorma songs which I identified via the set lists, not by my own recognition. They have glorious chords and thoughtful lyrics (swallowed up again as Jorma’s voice has regressed to mean from the Quarantine Concert days and being off the road highpoint), but one camera angle put Jack Casady right in front. As I find my own way around my young singer-songwriter friend’s chord progressions and thereby figure out some things about the bass, I saw so much more about what he accomplishes sometimes with a quarter or even half note. He got a couple of flat out solos on Deep Elem Blues and Let Us Get Together Right Down Here.

Larry Campbell has quite the pedigree, doesn’t he? Music director for Bob Dylan and then the Levon Helm Rambles; a stint with Phil Lesh and Friends; and this longstanding friendship. Between those four gigs, he touches on keeping alive key parts of the music of my youth.

That said, I’m not sure he quite fit last/that night. I don’t blame him though. While Jorma doesn’t retain his QC voice, his guitar playing remains even more ornate from those months of being able to really practice. He takes up more space, so where to fit in?

I’m not going to return to the whole show in its entirety (but okay, Police Dog, Shepherd, No More, and Candy Man maybe) so as not to endure ads etc. BUT I’m very glad to have followed my nose about this show and I got a writing prompt out of it.

Jazz returns. I’ll catch that Kevin Hays set in the Small’s Archive in a week or so and I have a Smoke show pass already bought for this afternoon.

But Hot Tuna has also had a huge impact of the epigenetics of my musical DNA.

[calyx-y-gashideul]

What You Need to Hear Right Now - Pick an Image

Hello lovely souls! This is a pick-a-card reading based on which picture you choose. You know yourself best, so choose whichever image(s) feel right for you. As always, this is a general reading. Take what resonates and don't sweat it if there is something that doesn't make sense! Thank you so much and have a blessed day!

~ Calyx

1 - Flowers in the sink

Right now you seem to have your head in the clouds. You are so swept away by something that you forget to ground yourself in the present moment. The best way to help yourself right now is to "come back to Earth" and root yourself in the present. The present moment is the greatest gift you have ever received. Even though it's easy to get swept up in ideas, theories, hopes, and wants, it's important to stay alert in the current moment. You will notice the beauty around you and will find that your hopes and dreams are already manifesting themselves.

2 - Bubbles

In this moment, you are ready for a new adventure. Perhaps you are closing the book on a certain season in your life, or perhaps you are starting a new season. Either way, you have all the tools you need to move forward. You are ready. Yes, embarking on a new journey is intimidating, but this is necessary for your personal growth. There is mystery and uncertainty, but you are more than ready to take on this new challenge!

3 - Burning roses

You are currently second guessing yourself and doubting yourself. There are lots of aspects of your life that feel uncertain or mysterious. They feel just out of reach. However, you have everything you need to move forward and embrace the uncertainty that lies in your path. Remember that the only right way to do things is to do them your way. Your intuition might be on high alert lately, and this is because you are being invited to take the journey into the unknown.

4 - Cat in the hat

Right now you have strong willpower. You have been journeying through your current phase of life for a long time now, and you are strong because of it. Keep going! You have everything you need to keep moving forward. Embrace the unknown. Use your intuition. Keep on fighting. Your journey through this season is not in vain, and you have everything you need to keep going. Don't give up!

5 - Hand in the side mirror

At this point in your life, you are probably clinging onto something that no longer serves you. Something big. You are holding onto this so tight that it is preventing you from moving through the present. You might feel stuck and can't figure out why it's so hard to grow, or you might be forcing a new season. All you need to do in order to keep on truckin' is this: don't hold onto things that don't serve you no matter how they served you in the past. Don't try and manage or manipulate things that are simply out of human control. Letting go expresses just as much power as holding on does.

6 - Cloudy Cotton Candy

You have everything you need right now! You are in a pretty good place that you've been working for so long to get to. Proud of you for that! However, you want to make sure that in this celebratory space, you share your happiness and your feelings openly with friends. Maybe you feel like you're waiting for the right time or person to come along, but don't! Waiting will only isolate you. Share the fruits of your harvest with those you love!

[beardedmrbean]

James Webb telescope just got hit with a space rock, and has irreparable damage.

Oh for goodness sake, lets see if it's 10 billion down the toilet or if still gonna be mostly functional

Washington: On July 11, the James Webb Telescope released a set of images that exhibited great potential of the telescope to unravel the deepest secrets of the universe. However, after completing six months of commissioning in the vacuum of space, a micrometeoroid hit is causing a block in its perfect functioning. A micrometeoroid is a particle, smaller than a grain of sand, flying in the vacuum of space.Also Read - James Webb Space Telescope's First Images: Impeccable Quality, Unmatchable Clarity And Massive Future Prospects

In a report released by three space agencies, data suggests that the observatory has sustained multiple impacts from micrometeoroids and one of them might have a significant effect. Scientists have released an image that shows the extent of the impact sustained by the world’s most powerful observatory.

The space agency had announced recently that the spacecraft had sustained several hits. It also maintained that Webb’s mirror was engineered to withstand bombardment with dust-sized particles flying at extreme velocities in space.

James Webb Telescope Damaged? 

The report detailing the first six months of commissioning of the spacecraft states that the micrometeoroid which hit segment C3, one of the 18 gold plated segments of its 6.5 meter primary mirror, in the period of May 22-24 this year, caused a significant irreversible change in the overall figure of that segment.

“The effect was small at the full telescope level because only a small portion of the telescope area was affected,” the report stated. NASA had revealed in June that the spacecraft between May 23 and 25 the James Webb Space Telescope sustained an impact on one of its primary mirror segments. Engineers then began a delicate readjustment of the impacted mirror segment to help “cancel out a portion of the distortion” caused by the micrometeoroid.

“Each micrometeoroid caused degradation in the wavefront of the impacted mirror segment, as measured during regular wavefront sensing,” the report stated adding that a comparison of pupil images taken on 23 February and 26 May 2022 showed evidence for 19 such minor strikes over a 92-day period.

Will It Fail To Function? 

The Webb team is yet to conclude that it is not yet clear whether the May 2022 hit to segment C3 was a rare event or whether the telescope may be more susceptible to damage by micrometeoroids than pre-launch modeling predicted. NASA is conducting an additional investigation into how impacts affect beryllium mirrors. While it may not affect its overall functioning at large, its approach in certain directions was to be restricted.

It is worth mentioning that the mirrors have been designed with a mixture of simulations and actual test impacts on mirror samples to get a clearer idea of how to fortify the observatory for operation in orbit. The commissioning report released by the James Webb Telescope team confirms the micrometeoroid hit will have an impact on the observatory. ______________________-

I'm no pro but I'd guess they'll be able to come up with a workaround of some sort, fiddle with the software to correct for the damage or something like that.

Every time they send a new telescope up, people get so excited, and I don't blame them, it does it's thing and then goes bye bye. All the while Hubble's just hangin out there like

I'm still good guys, what would you like me to discover for you this time?

Old girl just keeps truckin along like a Volvo with 750,000 miles on it when it's finally broken in.

Webb thing doesn't look totally tragic to me though, I do need to remember to not check space.com during the day though, now I've got like 12 tabs open from there.

[countdown-to-ecstasy]

ok I finally got around to watching California jam so here are my thoughts: 

this concert made me fall in love with Glenn Hughes, first of all

I'm obsessed with everything about him; the outfit, the way his hair is always in his face, the scream-singing, he’s wonderful 

I have never seen anyone play any keyed instrument as aggressively as Jon Lord 

“if you see me spitting, it’s just the odd fly” - David, who claims to be eating flies while he’s singing

“where’s the sunset? it’s fucking dark” - David Coverdale, two songs after the sun has set

that little twirl glenn does towards the end (I forget which song it was, I have a video if you’re interested)

Ritchie’s goth vibe

Ritchie stop throwing the band’s equipment off the stage challenge

the versions of smoke on the water and space truckin with David and glenn singing are actually kind of good (sorry Ian)

Ian Paice’s drum solo was fantastic

I would love to know who chose the giant rainbow

I would also love to know who decided on glenn and ritchie’s platform boots

also Ritchie needs to stop playing the guitar with his foot, it’s cool but he looks like a fucking idiot lmao

collection of pictures/videos I took while watching coming soon

[rebellionbeach]

Thanks for the tag @rockanrolljunkie , very interesting questions!

1. What is the first song you remember hearing?

I don’t have any cool stories but it’s probably one of the numerous children DVDs I’ve watched for like developmental learning my parents used to show me when I was younger.  Disney Learning Adventures or something like that.  

2. What is the first band you got into?

Rick Springfield and I know he isn’t really a band but he was the first artist I really latched onto aside from my mother’s influence.  However, I suppose it was partially her fault since I first saw him live after Night Ranger had opened up for him I think in the summer of 2015.  I didn’t want to stay anymore but then once we were leaving I remember hearing Jessie’s Girl and for the rest of the night I couldn’t stop singing that verse and well, the rest is history.

3. Do you collect music on any physical format?

Haha, yes, I often make many bad financial decisions due to this.  Well, my mother is also a very big collector and lately I’ve been collecting many used CDs that I’m able to find and vinyls from Mercari.  I like both CDs and vinyl but I got to admit vinyl is slightly cooler just because seeing that large disc spinning and hearing that slightly tinged sound knowing that somebody maybe half a century ago was listening to this same disc never fails to shake me.

4. What is your favourite piece of music-related memorabilia/merchandise?

I’ve accumulated a large amount of Burrn magazines from the 80s and 90s but my favorites have got to be the 1985 Ritchie Blackmore one:

I also have a large Nelson poster across my bed which is a great conversation piece:

5. What is your favourite concert you've been to?

I really enjoyed the Rick Springfield concert I went to in the summer of 2019 at a fair.  It was actually accompanied by an orchestra and I remember time going by so fast.  Something funny though is that there was a pretty large seating area and everyone was standing except my small section which for some reason refused to stand.  When I tried to get up I felt the glare of somebody behind me but besides that it was a great concert!

6. If you could see one artist (or band) who is no longer alive in concert, who would it be?

Damn, that’s really hard.  Technically DP and Rainbow are still playing today but I’d absolutely love to see Mark 4 of Rainbow live, I’d do almost anything to go to that Monsters of Rock show in 1980.  Just to see Cozy play with Ritchie, Graham, Don, and Roger, that would be something truly magical.

7. Have you met any musicians?

Mostly through my mom but I’ve met Night Ranger and I remember once even at an airport which was pretty surprising.  I’ve also met Firehouse which is another one of my mother’s favorite bands but they’re all really talented and humble people.  I’ve also met Rick Springfield which was...very nerve-racking for me.  I remember looking forward to that all of 8th grade...ha good times.  My mom actually was on the same plane as Chris Impellitterri but didn’t want to go up to him because she didn’t know him too well.  She also met the Queensryche guys and Daryl Hall so if anything you know, my mom has been places.

8. What is your go-to song/album when feeling sad?

I like listening to happy music when I’m sad actually but often times I find myself listening to After the Rain by Nelson.  This past year when I was in a bad mood or whatever I would put on In the Aeroplane Over the Sea which, I know, is a interesting choice to say the least, it’s really good at either releasing the tension or creating more.

9. What is your go-to song/album when feeling happy?

I mean, Down to Earth and Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow come to mind.  I also have been listening to a lot of Come Taste the Band and Private Eyes by Tommy Bolin as well as Because They Can by Nelson.

10. What is one music-related documentary you love?

I’ve watched lots of DP and Rainbow documentaries but I really adore the one aired on BBC and was part of the Rock Family Trees series.  It has lots of great interviews with Jon Lord and David as well as some Cozy segments talking about the Rainbow period.  I cited it a lot while writing my research paper too.

11. What is one concert DVD that you love?

I’m not sure about concert DVDs per-say however my favorite filmed concert would have to be either Deep Purple at California Jam 1974 or Operation Live Crime with the concerts in Madison Wisconsin.  The former because it’s an iconic moment in all of rock and roll history and David and Glenn just kill it and the latter because the band just sounds phenomenal and I wanna know if anybody here in Madison, Wisconsin believes in love?

Well I don’t....

12. Do you prefer listening to playlists or full albums?

Before I listened to playlists but lately I haven’t touched them.  I usually listen to albums, they’re kind of already like playlists except created by the artist lol.  If I don’t like certain parts or are in a hurry then I don’t mind skipping.

13. Do you tend to listen to albums in order or on shuffle?

In order, shuffling can be fun though like one time I shuffled Machine Head to pick my future wedding song and Space Truckin’ came on so I guess that’s going to happen.

14. What is your favourite deep cut song by your favourite artist?

I have several favorite artists but starting with Deep Purple, songs such as Blind, Chasing Shadows, The Gypsy, Love Child, Mad Dog, and all of Who Do We Think We Are besides Woman From Tokyo come to mind.  Then for Rainbow I think Self Portrait, Makin’ Love, and Midtown Tunnel Vision are just phenomenal.  For Nelson I really enjoy Nobody Wins In the End which is the final song on their second album and Written In Rock by Rick Springfield is probably my favorite song from his.

15. What is your favorite CD/vinyl/cassette that you own in terms of packaging?

I really enjoy the No Bad Habits vinyl that I own from Graham Bonnet just because I think the cover is gorgeous and the blue suede suit just fits him perfectly.  It always sits in front of my vinyls lol.

I’d like to tag @whodoesntlikewho , @houseofaffuso , @ritchieblackless ,  @high-way-star , @inthemidnightmeme , and @vibesfromepicforest​ and anyone else who wants to do it!

[jiangwanyin]

ooh ok; 1, 15, 17, 20, 22 :)

aw thanks thanks 😌💗💕

1. if someone wanted to really understand you, what would they read, watch, and listen to?

well the list does get longer and more specific the better you want to know and understand me, but for everyone's sake i think i'll just stick to things that give you a good general idea!!

read: first and foremost lotr of course and if you want to go even deeper, the silmarillion (and if you want to go still deeper, various bits and pieces from the history of middle earth especially athrabeth finrod ah andreth), norwegian wood by murakami, h is for hawk by helen macdonald for an insight into me coping with grief and trauma (no idea why anyone would want that but it's a deeply personal book to me and i can't just not include it), and the shadow of the wind by carlos ruiz zafón

watch: oh boy i can think of way too many but including but not limited to again obviously lotr, rocketman, howl's moving castle, empire records, kill your darlings, fallen angels, 10 things i hate about you, moulin rouge! and good will hunting as for tv shows, atla, seasons 2-4 of doctor who and i wouldn't force you to watch the whole thing but probably a few episodes of the untamed and merlin too

listen to: big god by florence + the machine, goodbye yellow brick road by elton john, rock n roll suicide and rebel rebel by david bowie, born on a different cloud by oasis, 5:06AM (every stranger's eyes) by roger waters, wooden ships by jefferson airplane, space truckin by deep purple (more for the vibes than the lyrics though) and aquarius from the hair soundtrack

15. five most influential books over your lifetime.

okay i spent way too much time thinking about this but i think i'm going to just recycle three from my last answer whoops sorry 😳

lord of the rings obviously

h is for hawk by helen macdonald

norwegian wood by murakami

on the road by jack kerouac (i'm not sure how influential it really was in the long term but i did center my entire personality around it when i was like fourteen so it goes on the list)

aand i'm going to be really pretentious and say oedipus rex OR 1984 i can't choose

i feel like i'm forgetting something but here you go also i guess i could include some children's books that definitely shaped how i turned out like the neverending story and the secret garden and inkheart and the series that maybe not started but absolutely fueled my dragon obsession aka the last dragon chronicles aand i can think of others that maybe as a whole weren't particularly influential as a book but did make me realize/come to terms with something about myself *cough* loveless by alice oseman as well as others i was into when i was younger ranging from the tibetan book of the dead (which i never actually read cover to cover but i was a nerd and i found it fascinating and although i wasn't exactly new to the idea of rebirth etc it definitely influenced the way i see life and death) and various books about greek and egyptian mythology i grew up on to random YA books i enjoyed at the time and that actually had an impact on me like life: an exploded diagram by mal peet and junk by melvin burgess — neither of which i remember too well now but again, fourteen year old me was OBSESSED so they deserve a place on the list just as much as the books i've read more recently and feel the same way about 😌

17. would you say your tumblr is a fair representation of the “real you”?

ah gosh for the first time in a quite some time since i've been on here i can actually say yes?? which is a very welcome change,, i mean obviously it's pretty fandom-focused and i seem to have lost most of my classic rock and astrology mutuals in the process of moving accounts so there's considerably less of that on here than there is in my life but other than that i think it is for the most part :)

20. would you rather be in middle earth, narnia, hogwarts, or somewhere else?

middle earth of course 😌💖🌷🍃✨

22. list the top five things you spend the most time doing, in order.

oh wow vicky you really decided to choose violence and expose my boring lifestyle 😔😔

sleeping obviously hsnfdj

probably just being on my phone especially on here yikes

watching movies/tv shows

listening to music

ahh i want to say reading but i've been slacking off lately but i guess it still counts in the long run if you add up all the time since my childhood (actually that may even move it higher on the list but i have no idea)

[silver-wield]

Nap Time

Cloud, Tifa, Barret, Aerith and Red stood around the car with matching expressions on their faces.

“Why'd we always end up with a piece of shit for a car?” Barret kicked one of the back tyres on the “buggy” Dio offered them as compensation for throwing them in Corel prison under the Gold Saucer.

Aerith shrugged and said in a bright voice, “Well, could be worse.” She glanced at Tifa and grinned. “We could be walking.”

Cloud scoffed as Red said, “We still could. Will this even accommodate all of us?”

“You can run alongside,” Barret offered, opening up the driver's side door.

“Or we could strap you to the roof,” he replied in a dry tone.

“Guys, please, let's figure this out,” Tifa said, making settling actions with her hands. “Barret will have to sit in the front,” she continued in a decisive voice.

“Need someone who knows the way up here, too,” Barret added, leaning in and glancing towards the back of the car. “That sword's not gonna fit.” He came back out and shook his head.

“I'll make it fit,” Cloud replied, as his eyes narrowed. “I'll navigate—”

“Aw, hell no, I'm not having you sit up here.” Barret waved his hands around as his volume rose. “Drive me straight off the cliff of sanity.”

Cloud crossed his arms and rolled his eyes, as he turned away and stared across the flat plains that merged with the mountains in the far distance. Eventually they'd have to ditch the buggy anyway.

“Tifa, you been outside Midgar before.”

Cloud stiffened and glanced over his shoulder to see Tifa's face frozen on a pained smile. “—”

“Not really,” she said, with an awkward little laugh. “I don't remember the way.”

“I'll sit up front,” Red said, padding towards the other side of the buggy.

“You gonna sniff your way through the glass?” Barret mocked. “Nah, guess that leaves...”

Everyone turned to look at Aerith.

She beamed at them. “Can't be too hard, right?”

“We're gonna die out here,” Cloud muttered, placing a hand to his brow and frowning.

“I heard that.” Aerith poked his upper arm. “It'll be fine,” she added, dragging the word out and giving everyone a big smile.

Cloud looked at Tifa, who tried to cover a yawn by shrugging.

Cloud sighed. “I suppose we don't have a lot of options and should try and cover some distance before it gets dark.”

And that was that.

The buster sword did find its way into the car like Cloud said. With Barret shoving his seat all the way back, there was little room for anyone's legs in the space behind him, Red climbed onto the back seat and curled up, as Cloud slotted his sword in the space between Barret's seat and the door. The hilt jutted out inches above Red's back.

“Hope we don't run into any monsters. Barret and Red can't get out and now Cloud won't have his sword,” Aerith said, as she pulled her seat forward so Cloud and Tifa had more room.

“We'll handle it,” Tifa replied with confidence as she took the small space in the centre of the car. She had Red on her right and Cloud to the left. Covering another yawn, she folded her hands in her lap as she tried not to look too uncomfortable with so little room.

Grumbling under his breath, Cloud angled himself into the corner, crossed his arms and shut his eyes.

“Something the matter?” Aerith turned round in her seat to look at him. “Cloud?”

“Nope.”

Aerith looked at Tifa and smiled. “Oh, okay. Everybody comfy?”

“Not in the slightest.”

“I guess so.”

“Whatever.”

Aerith ducked her head and laughed. “Okay, then, let's keep on truckin'!”

Aerith stared out of the window for a while. She was supposed to navigate, but this was only her second time out of Midgar and everything was a bit...much. It was okay when she could distract herself with chatter, but when everything went silent like this, she had a harder time ignoring the voices whispering in her ear. “Hey, Barret,” she began in a low voice, “I'm sorry for earlier. It wasn’t very nice of me to dismiss your feelings like that.”

Barret grunted and nodded. “Don't take this the wrong way, but you're young and you're gonna make mistakes and say shit you wish you could take back.” He chuckled and shrugged his left shoulder. “Me? I'm a grown ass man getting my feelings hurt and acting like a spoiled little kid. Almost landed the whole lot of us in hot water.”

“So...I helped?” she replied in a bright voice.

Barret laughed. “I wouldn't go that far, but it wouldn't be the first time I've needed a lesson in holding onto my temper.”

Aerith sat back, relieved. “Oh, that's good. I don't want to lose a friend over something silly.”

Barret glanced at her. “Nah, we're good.”

Nodding, Aerith faced front again and then frowned. “It's getting dark, shouldn't we make camp?”

“Hmm, you're right.” He dipped his head towards the back and said, “Was waiting for hardass back there to say something, but I guess he's not talking.”

Aerith turned around and looked into the back, then bit back a giggle. “They're not talking for a good reason,” she said in an amused voice.

“Huh?” Barret ducked his head round, then faced front again as he snorted. “Almost forgot I'm travelling with a bunch of kids.”

Cloud, Tifa and Red were all fast asleep. Cloud was still wedged into the corner, but at some point his arms uncrossed and Tifa had tipped sideways so her head rested on his shoulder. His right arm was around her, keeping her close. Given more room, Red stretched out, leaving them with less.

“I guess after the Gold Saucer they were really tired.” Of the group, the three of them did the most work getting in and out of the place. Barret ran off and it turned out she wasn't as tough as she thought.

“Gonna have to wake 'em up when we find a campsite,” Barret commented.

“Aw, come on, I'm sure we can put up a tent, no problem!” Aerith gave him an enthusiastic grin and thumbs up.

Barret shrugged. “Well, okay, if you say so. Let's find us a safe place to stop and get things—oh, shit.” Barret scowled. “I'm stuck in here thanks to that damn sword.”

“Just crawl across,” Aerith replied in a teasing lilt. “You'll manage.”

“Sure and get my ass stuck.” He laughed. “Think you can open the back and pull the sword out?”

“Me? Do you know how much that thing weighs?” She'd seen Tifa lift it with ease at Don Corneo's but she didn't think she could do that. “No, I'll just move the seat back and you can crawl over.” She was already doing that and then felt the seat bump into something. Cloud's leg. Glancing around, she saw him frown and shift position, stretching his legs out diagonally across the limited space which resulted in one of Tifa's legs sliding over his. Aerith giggled. She turned to Barret. “We there yet?”

“We should use that damn sword for a tent peg—Ah, my back!”

“Need a hand?”

“You don't have any!”

“You're not much better off.”

“Screw you, man.”

Aerith giggled.

The sound of bickering made Cloud frown as he woke. “What the hell?” he mumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Where are we?” He tried to lean forward, but it was then he realised he and Tifa were half-lying together on the back seat. “Uh—!” About to move, he stopped when he saw she was fast asleep. Slowly. He didn't know how it happened, but he figured she'd be embarrassed if anyone caught them cuddling like this. Although it felt really warm and comforting. No wonder he'd slept so long. He actually felt refreshed for once. Craning his neck he could see it was almost dark out and a trio of shadowy figures were moving about setting up a tent. Or trying to. Barret had one arm and no patience, Red had no arms and while Aerith was the most functioning of the set, she also had no clue how to put up a tent.

Cloud grumbled under his breath. He'd have to go do it himself before they broke it and everyone wound up sleeping in the buggy. But, how to wake her? Would Tifa be upset with him? He hadn't done it on purpose, but somehow they'd ended up like this. Shit, did the others see? Must have. She felt soft against him, laying on her side, her right leg hooked over his right knee. One arm was bent at the elbow to cover her stomach and the other was trapped somewhere between them. His gaze softened as he stared at her. Tifa. He wondered how she felt comfortable like that, but from her steady breathing she couldn't have been too bothered. Her hair half-covered her face and Could found his hand moving of its own free will to tuck the loose strands behind her ear. Never thought she'd ever be this close. He ducked his head and pressed a light kiss into the top of her head. She'll never know. He still felt guilty doing it. Like there was a voice in the back of his head saying he should treasure her more carefully.

A crash from outside, accompanied by a lot of swearing from Barret, jerked Tifa awake. She tried to bolt upright, but Cloud's arm around her prevented her from moving. “Sorry,” he muttered, relaxing his grip. At least it wasn't the stupid gauntlet digging in this time.

Tifa shook her head and pushed herself upright. “No, it's my fault. Guess I fell asleep.”

As she turned away, Cloud thought he caught sight of her cheeks turning pink. He could feel his own face warming as he stared at her. “Uh, no biggie,” he said, brushing the whole thing off.

“Where are we?” She leaned towards the far window.

Cloud's gaze travelled to where her hand rested on the seat, acting as a brace. “Don't know,” he replied in a low voice.

“Where are Barret and the others?” She turned his way and looked around him out of the other window.

He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “Destroying the tent by the sounds of it.”

Tifa ducked her head and laughed. “Guess we should give them a hand?”

He nodded. “Sure.” They probably wouldn’t talk about this the same way they pretended he hadn’t been in each other’s arms after they jumped from the train that time...

[hustlemeanokay]

Guardian Games.

Honestly, the Guardian Games has really showcased the kind of players there are in the game. 

Day 1: Hunters kicked major ass! Because new stuff! Loot! Must see what kind of loot we can get! How does it work?! Titans and Warlocks have yet to notice the games at all.

Day 2: Hunters may participate a little... because maybe they should try? -meh-. Warlocks are steaming right along because completion! Must complete. Titans? They finally noticed the three massive flag poles and holy shit! Stuff! We can actually win this one! -RAWR-

Day 3: Hunters officially ignore the games, especially after hearing they’re basically rigged, which surprises none of them. After all, hunters are so freaking awesome, they had to do something to give those shield bashers a chance. Warlocks are still truckin’ right along, kind of like the tortoise and the hare, they’ll get there, in their own damned time. 

Day 4 and On: Warlocks aren’t concerned with winning so much as they’re concerned with completing the tasks, exploring all possibilities and recording everything. You never know when you might need this seemingly inconsequential piece of information. Titans are basically a varsity football team, chanting and dancing, flexing and taunting. They’re going to win! win win win!!! It’s all about the winning. Where the hell are the hunters?

Night before the ending of the games:

Titans are toasting themselves and congratulating everyone! They give a sympathetic pat to their Warlock friends, they tried after all. They try to do the same to the hunters, but they can’t find them. Warlocks are content with their place, enjoying the tasks and frivolity it has brought to the tower. Hunters? Hunters are there, they’re around but they’re in the hangar, or par-coring the city walls like freaky little monkeys. They’re drinking with Saint-14, who was happy that the titans won the games but is still so jovial with everyone, the games seem to fade into the background as he roars with laughter. They’re playing poker with Holliday, tossing down way more glimmer than they should. They’re making their customary stops by the space to give the Coronal a treat and a gentle pet, certain that if Cayde had been there, he would have orchestrated a capture the flag heist at some point. They’re not bitter about losing, it’s just a game. They’re genuinely happy for the Titans, they needed a win. Zavala needed a win. But it’s the Hunters who turn their eyes back to the wilds, looking for the threat they know is coming. Funny, everyone always thinks that it is the Titans who are all work and no play... who are the serious ones... but then again, the people who think that, have never met a hunter. 

[krispyweiss]

Lame Ducks Fly for Georgia Comes Alive

- Weir, Schools, Chimenti and Lane play three-song, 30-minute set for virtual festival

Convening the Lame Ducks for one-off fundraiser, Bob Weir did something he rarely does - he played a set that featured zero Jerry Garcia songs.

The formerly (Grateful) Dead man did another thing differently. He remembered every single word to “Truckin’.”

To make up for this, he turned around and spaced the lyrics to “The Other One” - singing Escaping through the lily field three times before finding his bearings. Meanwhile, “Throwing Stones” featured a bit about packing heat and other small lyrical changes to reflect the tenor of the times.

The Ducks - a temporary supergroup featuring Weir, Widespread Panic’s Dave Schools and longtime Weir associates Jeff Chimenti (RatDog, Furthur, Dead & Company) and Jay Lane (Primus, RatDog, Furthur, Wolf Bros) - performed the three-song, 30-minute set during the Dec. 26, 2020, Georgia Comes Alive virtual festival, which raised more than $160,000 for get-out-the-vote efforts ahead of the state’s Senate runoff elections.

Like Weir’s Wolf Bros, the Lame Ducks are essentially a glorified rhythm section disguised as a band with Weir’s clangy guitar serving as the faux lead instrument. Backing vocals were either non-existent or barely audible but Chimenti on piano and Schools on bass made up for that with forceful accompaniment to round out the sound.

A lead guitarist and a bit more rehearsal could’ve made a monster of the Lame Ducks. But their short life was nevertheless a welcome division for people obsessed with Dead things.

1-5-21

[doomedandstoned]

An Evening With EMBR

~By Shawn Gibson~

Continuing his two-and-a-half-years' journey into the deepest, dankest corners of the heavy underground, Doomed & Stoned's intrepid sludge reporter Shawn Gibson continues his series of fun and lively interviews with bands in our still blooming and booming doom-stoner scene with this interview with founding member and drummer Eric Bigalow, whose partner Crystal Bigalow fronts the Alabama band EMBR. We hope you enjoy getting to know the band as much as we did, especially in light of their new album '1823' (2020) which was released recently on New Heavy Sounds.   [Editor]

Eric, how ya doin?

Good. I am on my daily walk. Watching my “conspiracy videos.”

Ah!

How are you?

I'm good.

Glad to hear it! Were you able to listen to that album?

I did. Last night two times in a row!

Really?

Back to back.

Possible Album Of The Year? (laughs)

I would say it's up there, a contender for sure! I definitely like it alot!

Thank you.

In the song "Where I've Been," Crystal's vocals are amazing, beautiful, and haunting. At the end of the song Crystal has that growl!

She learned how to scream a month before we got in the studio and freakin' knocked it out! You know the song "Powder," where I'm singing to the verses?

Yes, that's definitely another one I like on '1823' (2020)

We are going to do a song where she's taking the reins on [vocals] instead of me doing it.

Is she doing dual vocals on that track? Clean, then a bit harsher vocals.

Yeah, she'll kind of mirror some parts. When I'm done singing, she will come in and sing.

"Vines" is another good one from 1823. Who's doing those growls?

That would be me. I pull it off live while I'm playing drums, too. I'm glad you dig it! It's weird when you come out with songs, as far as what you think will be people's favorite and what the band's least favorite is. You know what I mean?

Oh yeah.

"Vines" was kind of ours. We were kind of, "I don't know about this one." It seems that the people that have heard it like it.

You and I are friends on Facebook and I see good reviews for your songs and the whole album '1823.' You guys have gotten a great response!

Seems like we're getting good responses [on that song especially]. The count on our Facebook has been doing wonderful! Almost a hundred thousand views!

Very nice!

One thousand likes and four hundred and seven shares. Thats crazy, man!

Glad to hear that! You guys deserve it!

Thank you! It's always nice to hear that. In your opinion, buddy to buddy, do you think the response from the album will be as good as one song?

Definitely. I would envision praise and a very warm welcome from doom metal fans. Tell me about recording '1823.'

We went to Ledbelly Sound studios in Dawsonville, Georgia. The owner and engineer's name is Matt Washburn. He has worked with Mastodon, Royal Thunder, Artimus Pyledriver. We are real big fans of Artimus Pyledriver! They broke up years ago and it kinda hit us hard. We worked with Matt multiple times. He mastered 261. He recorded 271 and he recorded Spiritual Dialysis.

We always got along with Matt really well. He pushes you hard, but is also kind of laid back. It's a little hard to explain how that works. He has the same kind of sense of humor as we do, so it's always a good time there. We recorded this album 1823 in six days over the course of two weekends. As far as recording, we just plugged right in and Mark and Alan recorded the scratch tracks for guitar and bass while I was playing drums. I got my drums recorded pretty much on the first day.

Damn!

Yeah! Then we went back and tracked over the drums. We had the music pretty much done in the first weekend. The second weekend was pretty much a few overlays on guitar and Crystal laying down her vocals. Everybody knocked it out pretty quick, especially Crystal. Crystal goes in the booth and knocks out a song in one or two takes then moves on to the next one.

Glad to hear that!

She is really good at recreating what she does. She does the same exact thing live. She's talented that way.

Crystal has some angelic vocals, while the music is heavy as hell!

(laughs) That's what we are going for.

That is a beautiful contrast and compliment at the same time.

Thank you! She is good at finding the right notes to accompany dropped tuning. We are in drop A. The recording was awesome -- working with Matt is always awesome. We are scheduled to go back and see him in a couple months. Can't tell you why yet!

That shows you guys are working hard.

We are trying! We are trying to make a video for every song on 1823.

That's a great feeling to have plenty of songs written and recorded, always having material to put out there. You guys work hard and practice hard, so it is easier to record and lay down tracks quicker. If you're knocking a good chunk out on a weekend, that's good! If you're paying for studio time, I'd imagine you've practiced and are ready. Studio time can be expensive.

Yeah, you don't want to go in there and dick around. You don't want to figure out the song in the studio.

Right! Tell us about your backend.

At the moment we are using Orange amps. Crowbar is using those, too. We have two Orange heads and Mark tunes one mostly to mids and lows and the other one is mids to high's. The secret sauce -- well, it's not a secret now that I'm going to tell you -- I bought an old 1969 tuck and roll bass amp. It's three 15 inch speakers. It's only two hundred watts, but you crank it all the way to where it's just breaking up. He is running two guitar amps plus a bass amp to get his guitar tone.

Wow!

That's how we achieved our guitar tone. Our bass player Alan uses really good equipment, too. He uses a dark glass amp that sounds really awesome. Matt told me he loves recording my drums because my drums are the John Bonham version that Ludwig makes, so it's all really big sizes.

Damn.

Yeah, you get a huge sound out of it. To get the shells for that kit is $1200.00 bucks, which isn't that bad. You get monster sounds out of these things and I love em! I actually have two sets!

Awesome! Listening to '1823,' "Powder, "Vines," and "Where I've Been" are my faves. I love at the end of "Where I've Been" when Crystal screams, "Where I've been!" That is badass! "Vines" fucked me up with Crystal's singing and then those male growls!

That was good, huh? Thank you! We are hoping that the next one will be a little bit heavier. A lot of our older stuff we have seven and nine minute songs. We are trying to reel that back, where we are three to five minutes. Doing stuff that is memorable, not necessarily technical.

Are you guys going to try to get back to playing shows in the fall or winter if things open back up?

Yeah, we will start booking heavy when everything opens back up. Right now we are not doing anything because nobody knows what's going on right? When stuff opens back up we will hit it hard.

You should!

We have a business plan in place to do certain shows in certain months or so many shows each month. Certain states we want to go to. We all have full time jobs, so we are trying to figure out some four day runs to kind of "tour" for the album. It is just up in the air right now. We have thought about doing some Facebook live videos or videos of us jamming in the practice space. We talked about how to get a quality recording with the footage.

On that note, what do you see in the future for EMBR?

We are planning on releasing an EP sometime soon. Right now, we are focusing on writing riffs and songs for the next actual album. In the future, we want to play a lot more shows. Right now, we are focused on material. We are putting stuff in the bank like we did for 1823. Mark will send me a riff and show me how to play it. Then I'll record it on GarageBand and write more to it then put it into Google Drive so everyone can hear it. We have about nine song ideas right now for the next one. Some might not come to fruition. What the future holds for EMBR is more work! Keep working and keep truckin'! We are all a bunch of work horses.

Hell yeah! I think you have three or four EP's before '1823.'

Yeah.

That's why EMBR has such a great response. You guys work your asses off! Do you guys have shirts or any other merch?

Oh yeah.

Where can we find this stuff at?

Our shirts are made by a company called Amplified Tee. On album 271 we had a guitarist named Craig who worked at Amplified Tee. Basically you go online and order whatever you want. I think we have five or six different designs. You can get regular shirts, girl's style tees, or a hoodie. You can go on amplifiedtee.com/EMBR. We have that available right now.

I will have to check that out!

I am actually working on a newer design right now. There might be a new design soon.

Well that's about all I have for you, Eric. I hope that you and Crystal and the other guys in EMBR are well and staying safe!

Oh yeah, definitely.

Until next time I will talk to you later, Eric.

Alright. Thank you, I appreciate it!

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[unspectacularmarvels]

Star Trek: Voyager - the missing episodes: series one, volume two

With spirits aboard Voyager at an all-time low, Chakotay decides to boost morale by playing the panpipes up and down the corridors - along with peddling some rudimentary dream catchers he gets Harry and Kes to make with glitter glue. All of Harry’s uniforms shrink in the wash, so the young ensign has to go on shift in his vest and boxer shorts. The rest of the crew - including Janeway - find every excuse to send him on errands around the ship, just so they can all chase him and flick him with wet towels.

B’elanna has a very Klingon time-of-the-month, so…Neelix is probably gonna die.

When Tuvok learns that his collection of souvenir spoons has been traded away accidentally, he goes bat-s**t crazy.  

Janeway alone is caught in a temporal loop which, unbeknownst to her, doesn’t affect the amount of coffee she drinks. Wired like a thirteen-amp plug after only the fourth time round, she decides to pilot Voyager straight into a nearby supernova – because that’s where the cream lives!

Neelix starts incorporating a wondrous new vegetable into pretty-much every dish he rustles-up. Unfortunately, excessive consumption of this particular marrow results in a prolonged laxative effect followed by an agonising death.

The Doctor’s programme experiences a yet another glitch when someone changes a light bulb, causing his holo-matrix to render him in good old-fashioned 8-bit resolution.

Voyager rescues another alien life-form who turns-out to be even more annoying than Neelix. Harry is told to clean-out ‘the cupboard’ – y’know: the one in the abandoned, creepy, dark corner of deck 13. Armed with his bucket and broom, out of sight of the rest of the crew, the young ensign soon starts to feel that he isn’t alone down there…Guest stars Rob Schneider. ‘Bingo Tuesdays’ in the mess hall aren’t quite the crowd-puller Janeway and Neelix had hoped they’d be. Also, some generic alien dude menaces Voyager with a big laser or something. Harry accidentally acknowledges Janeway’s order with ‘Yes, Mom’. Embarrassed beyond belief, he spends the rest of his shift hiding under the console before contemplating blowing himself out of the airlock. As ship’s morale officer, it’s time for Neelix to offer some friendly advice…whether he’s been asked to or not. The senior staff debate the merits of sticking a cuddly Garfield in the window to show alien races they’re a friendly bunch after all. Voyager rescues a muscle-bound alien swimsuit model, who then requests asylum on the ship. ALL the female crew members start vying for his attention like love-sick teenage schoolgirls, but Tom will be DAMNED if anybody new is coming aboard and he’s not first in line to screw them. Guest stars Fabio Lanzoni. After four months aboard Voyager, Kes asks Janeway if she can stop wearing a bib and sitting in a highchair in the mess hall. ‘Cause she’s, like, two years old…still. Having had enough of Paris’s cocky attitude, the Doctor pumps him full of Prozac during his next physical. He then informs him that he has only twenty-four hours to live. What follows will haunt all concerned for a long, long, l-o-n-g time. It’s three days before the bridge crew realises they’ve left Neelix behind on that moon they stopped at. The general consensus is that they keep quiet about it and keep on truckin’, hoping that Kes will be sufficiently distracted by that big lollipop they gave her (because she’s, like, two or-oh, you know all that by now). Tuvok then discovers that they’ve also left Larry behind - who does all those funny voices - so…guess they’re going back after all. Chakotay experiments with a stick-on goatee, earning himself the nickname ‘Chakgoatee McFuzzyface’ (Janeway). Harry’s clarinet goes walkabouts, and Voyager is attacked by a ship full of cyborg badger space-pirates. The crew decide to jazz-up the bridge by getting a potted plant. Tuvok has his reservations – and not without reason, as we’ll soon see... B’elanna and Seska compete to see who can run from the doors, round the warp core and back ten times the fastest. Let’s just hope that Ensign Klutzman watches where he’s going with that box of stem bolts.

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day Two Hundred: Follow the ___ ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata ] [ SasuHina, vulgarity ] [ Verse: Best Years of Your Life] [ AO3 Link ]

“So, are you ready?”

Looking up from her tablet as Sasuke slides into the seat opposite her, Hinata blinks, hand half reaching for her tea. “...ready for...what, exactly?”

“I thought we were going furniture shopping today. Remember?”

Another blink...and then she perks up. “...oh! I totally forgot! I’m sorry, I’ve just been so scatterbrained as of late -”

“It’s fine,” Sasuke assures her with a wave of a hand. “It’s just getting a little old eating breakfast at a folding table with plastic lawn chairs.”

The Hyūga goes a pretty shade of pink. “I...I know, I just…”

“I’m teasing you, Hina.”

“...you’re mean.”

“You’re just more adaptable than me. It’s been driving me nuts since day one, but you hardly seem to notice.”

Shoulders lift in a shrug. “...I guess I don’t. So long as it functions, I don’t really mind what something looks like.”

“Which is weird, because your bedroom back home was done up really cute.”

“W-well…” A glance aside. “That was...different. I was there for my whole life. And it was my space. This is our space.”

At that, Sasuke’s mouth slowly curls into a grin. “...yeah. Guess it is, huh?”

Suddenly bashful, Hinata’s face ducks, smiling. “...mhm…”

“Which means,” he goes on, “that we should put a little money and elbow grease into prettying it up, huh?”

“...you’re right. Let me just finish my breakfast, and we can go.”

“Sounds good.”

As Hinata sips her coffee, Sasuke starts gathering up what they’ll need: primarily a list of what all they’ve decided to add or replace, his wallet, car keys...and a flyer that came in the mail for some new store with decently-priced furniture.

Perfect.

Shepherding his fiance into the car, he makes his way into the denser part of the city, GPS telling him what turns to take when.

“So...most of this is going to be things we put together, right?” Hinata asks as they walk toward the doors.

“I think so, yeah. Cheaper that way. Someday we’ll have big fancy couches and tables and...whatever. But for right now, we’ll hit up the basics so it looks like decent folk are living there, huh?”

Hinata snickers into a hand, following him in.

“All right, so…” Sasuke whips out the list. “We need...a new kitchen table.”

“Mhm.”

“At least two chairs.”

“I still think we should do four.”

“Yeah, I agree. Four chairs. And...a table for the living room. So far the couches are holding up okay.”

“Maybe we could see if they have, um...those covers? That go over the couch?”

“...a good idea,” Sasuke amends, scribbling that down. “That means we’ll have to pick a color…”

“Why not just something close to what we have?”

“...Hinata, one is hunter green, and the other is administrative carpet blue,” Sasuke counters dryly.

“...you have a point.”

They look for the covers first, pleased to find a matched set in a pretty beige. “Think those will fit?” he asks, holding one up.

“I think so…? I could always try adjusting them.”

“All right, I’ll take your word for it.”

Nearby they find a coffee table at a decent price: a pale wood that, oddly enough, matches the covers they found.

“...I think they did that on purpose.”

“I wouldn’t doubt it.”

Then...to the kitchen department.

“Oh Sasuke, look!”

Glancing up from a display, he follows Hinata’s pointing hand.

“Isn’t it cute?”

It’s something called a breakfast nook, according to the accompanying sign. There’s a table, L-shaped seat, and a bench that sits along the other side.

“See? It’ll fit right in the corner! I bet that way, we’ll use a little less space!”

Sasuke gives his chin a thoughtful rub. She does have a point. “...I guess that makes sense. Doesn’t look too hard to put together. And technically it could probably seat five, which is better than the four we planned for.”

Looking almost starry eyed, Hinata gives her best puppy dog look. “Can we get it?”

“...all right, all right. It’s a good compromise.”

“Yay!”

Adding the (rather large) box to their flatbed cart, they take their current round of purchases to the counter, Sasuke at the ready with the coupons from the flyer. A savings of over fifty bucks later, they pack their spoils into the back of the car, and head for home.

And now...comes the tricky part.

Hauling everything into the little house, they start by trying out the couch covers. Tucking and tugging, they manage to get it looking...rather nice.

“...it’s all going to move the second someone sits on it,” Sasuke observes, making Hinata jerk in realization.

“...well, yeah...but until then, it looks nice…?”

He just snorts.

The coffee table is next. Laying out all the pieces and checking them against the instructions, Hinata confirms they have everything listed in the handbook. “Actually...we’ve got a few spare screws.”

“That’s going in the random stuff drawer. You never know when they might come in handy.”

Hinata takes charge of the booklet, carefully calling out each step and watching with eagle eyes as Sasuke obeys. Somehow, they make it through with minimal mishaps (they get two pieces mixed around, but thankfully it only took a few screws being removed and redone to remedy).

Standing it along the newly-clothed couches, Sasuke takes a step back and observes. “...I think...it looks good.”

“Mhm! I’ll have to get some coasters so nothing leaves a mark on it.”

“Good plan.”

They then take a break for lunch, reminiscing about how it should be their last meal with the folding table.

“I guess we can always use this stuff if we have, like...a party or something,” Hinata notes.

Sasuke perks a brow. “...are we the sort to have parties?”

“...well, it could happen.”

“...uh huh.”

With full bellies, they then turn to tackle the last beast. Tape cut and box flawed open, they stare at the contents.

“...that’s a lot of pieces,” Hinata murmurs.

“Mhm. Okay, let’s see if everything is here.” Taking out the parts and checking their sticker labels, Sasuke watches as Hinata crosses them off her list.

“...um…”

“What?”

“There isn’t another D-2?”

“...uh…” Shuffling some styrofoam, he checks the bottom of the now-empty box. “...nope.”

“Aw, s-shoot…” Nibbling the cap of her pen, Hinata says, “That’s the other leg of the bench.”

“...well, we’ll skip that for now. I’ll go in after work tomorrow and see if they can get me a spare.”

“Okay.”

The missing piece, however...is a bit of an omen.

Trying to tug open one of the bags of screws, Sasuke’s hands slip as the plastic suddenly gives way, and the pieces go scattering all over the kitchen. Blinking, he looks to Hinata, who stares back.

“...well, shit.”

Ten minutes are spent gathering them back up, ending up having to get a yardstick to fish out those that flew under the fridge and oven.

That alone puts Sasuke into the beginnings of a bad mood.

“Okay, so then that connects into E-4…”

“...E-4?”

“Mhm,” Hinata hums, staring at the book.

“...that doesn’t look right.”

“Well, that’s what it s-says.”

Holding the pieces together, Sasuke’s brows furrow. “...no.”

“...no?”

“No!”

“...but we have to follow the -?”

“Does that look right to you?”

Blinking, Hinata shuffles over to take a peek. After a moment of consideration...she snorts.

“...what?!”

“Sasuke…”

Fuming, he waits for her to stop giggling.

“It...it’s upside down,” she manages to say, pointing.

Brow furrowing, he looks back...blinks...then turns it over.

A perfect fit.

Scowling, his patience frays as Hinata giggles again, collapsing against him. “...I’m gonna holler. This is the most obnoxious thing I’ve ever had to do in my life.”

Taking a breath after her laughing fit, Hinata looks up to him. “...want to take a break?”

“No. I want to get this done, so we can stop worrying about it.”

“I’m not worrying about it.”

“This nook thing was your idea,” he reminds her, shooting her a look that just makes her snort again.

“I know...I’m sorry.”

“Hn…”

“Will you forgive me when we finish it?”

“...I guess we’ll find out.”

By some grace, they manage to finish the table and the longer seat, propping them up in the corner of the kitchen Hinata had envisioned.

...it fits perfectly.

“...all right. I’ll get a spare part tomorrow. And then...we’re never doing this again,” Sasuke mutters, jostling as Hinata leans against him.

“Sasuke…”

“...hm?”

Giving a sheepish, amused smile, she offers, “...I love you.”

“Tch...you’re lucky I love you too. If anyone else tried to get me to do this, I’d’ve shoved them in the box and tossed them in the dumpster.” As she breaks into another giggle fit, he stubbornly fights a smile.

“That’s fair. How about we go out for dinner, okay? I think we better wait to use this until your temper cools.”

“...yeah. I agree.”

                                                             .oOo.

     Well...this is super random, but I had a LOT of fun writing it xD I think most of us know the pain and anguish that is putting together furniture that comes in a box. Oddly enough, I have one I've been putting off for like...a month. Whoops. Maybe tomorrow...?      I can see Sasuke as being That Guy that starts out calm...but just...starts getting more and more frustrated. Hinata, on the other hand...just laughs things off. Which makes for a rather interesting combo, haha!      Aaanyway...oof, two hundred days. And so far, with just one late day. None skipped. HOLY cow. And that's with several other projects running concurrently! I won't lie, some nights I feel pretty burnt out, but...overall this has been one heck of a ride. We're past the halfway point, and to our second of three hundred piece milestones. Part of me is eager for it to be over, and the rest I know will be sad when it is, but! For now, we keep on truckin'!      Thanks, as always, for reading <3