#jb eventing champions

[musing-and-music]

Up for the long ride

A Song of Ice and Fire

Summary:

During her first eventing competition outside the Stormlands, Brienne meets the infamous Jaime Lannister. After an explosive encounter, their relationship builds up on heated moments, whether it’s during the competition, with their words, or under the sheets (and other places) Or Five times Jaime and Brienne have a secret wild ride, and one time they kiss publicly

No Archive Warnings apply | Jaime Lannister, Brienne of Tarth | Jaime/Brienne When I Started: I started this fic about a year ago, when I combined "leftover" prompts of @nenko-dreams and @sdwolfpup from two JB fic exchanges. They were close in spirit, and inspired me a lot!

How I Lost My Shit: I got lost among many other WIPs, and the stress from work, and this fic was left aside like a few others. When I saw the WIP Big Bang, I knew it was for one of those WIPs, and I chose this one, that fit the requirements for the projects!

How I Finished My Shit: Well, I planned to write regularly, but by the time I began to post my chapters, I wasn't even done with chapter 4, and chapter 5 took its time to get out of my head! So here I am, past the day I planned to post, thankfully only on my timezone, so it's still the 28th for most this site, having posted the last chapter after many sprints this evening!

[jb-nonsense]

Okay, so, you guys voted for this so

JB's Intricate List of Dragon Age OCs

Under this, you will find a slightly more detailed than normal post about my extensive Dragon Age OCs and how they all exist in one universe and how that all ties together.

First we'll start with DAO and the one who started it all - Eliana Mahariel

This is my Warden. She was 18 years old, a baby, when everything went down. And she's got a natural skill at getting shit done (fake it til you make it mentality), and despite being very stressed, managed somehow. Also romanced Alistair but he became king and they both survived the Blight so...Angst. She goes on to be Warden Commander for Ferelden but will eventually step away to try to find a cure, which leads us to the next guy.

Arik Tabris - I pushed the city elf origin up a few months so he's a warden with Alistair and Duncan at Ostagar, but junior enough to be left behind. Why doesn't he take command?? Because he has too many issues to sort through with his attitude and gruff, impulsive fight everything act so he needs to cool his heels a bit before he's leader material. Which he eventually becomes. What's he doing by Inquisition? Well, he tried to talk sense with the Orlesians, but he got locked up at the fort but can be rescued and recruited for Inquisition. Also his romance plan was Morrigan, and they've basically gone their separate ways by Inquisition. Still feelings but knowing it is what it is.

Next we have one of 3 Amell siblings I made - Zoria Amell. The second youngest of five, she and her younger sister were both at the Fereldan Circle. There is a huge ass plot with her siblings, which involves her older 3 brothers coming to the circle to plot an escape and them having Northern family but...I feel like that deserves it's own post. What you need to know about Zoria is she very much is a fuck you let's go, I want to do what I want type. And she romances Zevran. Runs off with Zevran after the game, and is not a warden. So she becomes an apostate.

Dimetrea Brosca - Sadly I didn't get to develop as much as I wanted for the Leliana romance due to computer issues. But the plan was for her to escape, go to the surface and work as a mercenary and is recruited to the party when you help her protect a caravan from darkspawn. She'd probably continue various mercenary work afterwards, but always be on call to help Leliana.

Finally, Lir Cousland, because I made him to try the Cousland origin and got attached. He has no romance, he's just a noble to use to tip the scales at the end in my character's favor. He is the middle child, with older brother Fergus and a younger sister. He was at Ostagar but his sister arrived, terribly wounded, and told him what occurred at home before dying. Fergus had already left to scout and Lir, blinded by rage, left Ostagar to find Howe and get revenge. You meet him in the village after Ostagar and can recruit him if you agree to help him get justice for his family.

Moving on to Dragon Age II, we have the champion, a warrior named Atena Hawke.

Atena Hawke is a trained soldier, who lost her girlfriend at Ostagar, barely escaping with her and her brother's life. She's highly protective of those close to her, and can be a mix bag on personality (I broke the game with overlapping dialogue with aggressive and humor once). She's not afraid of a fight and she 100% was going to punch Cullen when he came to take Bethany to the circle. She romanced Anders, sided with the mages, and obviously, fled with Anders after sparing his life. She has attachment issues.

Next we have Atena's cousin, Dazbo Amell. The only Amell son to escape the events at the Fereldan Circle in that thing I need to make a separate post about. Definitely relies on his wit, humor, and charm to get out of things as well as mask his severe survivor's guilt and other issues, he's just trying to figure out what he's going to do with his life now that he can't be tracked by the circle, they probably think he's dead, and so decides to hang around his cousin and others. He also romances Fenris because...it fits to me.

Speaking of mages, let's talk about my templar OC. Katarina Anhalt. A Free Marcher and twin sister of a mage, Katarina is a nobleman's daughter who became a templar with noble intent, but a grave misunderstanding of what the templars actually do. She really wants to change the system from within and willingly turns a blind eye to apostate mages if they're not causing problems. But she will have to come to terms with reality sooner or later. Also romances Sebastian.

And since we mentioned criminals, let's discuss Sasha Fritz, a half elf human who was raised by his elven mother, who had been abused by his human nobleman father in Kirkwall. This boy is a Robin Hood; steals from the rich, gives to the poor. This, obviously, puts him in a place where he could join up with Hawke. Definitely gets a crush on Merrill and they romance each other.

more seedy undergroundness, is the apostate Selena Porter. Born under a different name, at ten years old, Selena realized her true self and that she had magic. She ran off, joined a smuggler ring and learned the tricks of the trade. She specializes in smuggling arcane items right under templars' noses. She romances Isabela.

And now we get to Inquisition.

We'll start with the Inquisitor himself, Rajmahel Lavellan

The First of his clan, Rajmahel was sent at 27 years old to the Conclave to see what he could find out as he had some connections which would enable him to get in. This, of course, changed the course of his life. He was torn from his daughter and his clan to become the leader of the Inquisition, trying to protect the world and make it better for his daughter. When they get to Skyhold, he sent for his sister to bring his daughter, Elera, there for safety. He romances Dorian.

Speaking of the Inquisitor's sister, we have Idrilla Lavellan. She joins the Inquisition at Skyhold after bringing her niece. And she does the work her younger brother might not want to dirty his hands with. But she also has a fascination with the tear in the sky- she had encountered an artifact in her youth enabling her to walk in the fade in her dreams, and she is concerned as it seems more restless than before. She romances Solas.

And as for the Inquisitor's connections, he is friends with members of the Trevelyan family. Specifically, Seigfried Trevelyan, the middle son. Maxwell, a templar and the youngest son, died at the Conclave where Seigfried was meant to be as well but was detained from arriving. Seigfried started to work as a scout for the Inquisition, having a strong huntsman skill and history as a city guard. He romances Cassandra.

Do you recall the Amell siblings? Here is the baby one, Aurora Amell. A talented spirit healer even from a young age, after contending with abuses and then studying as an apprentice to Wynn, she ended up joining the mage rebellion, eventually becoming engaged to an Orlesian mage. He was killed at the conclave while Aurora was helping a local woman with a difficult labor. She readily joined the Inquisition, only to meet someone from her past. She romances Cullen.

Hildegard Cadash is a respected and feared name within the Carta. After the murder of her husband and son, she had torn down her rivals, whether through assassinations or ruining them financially. When a member of her family (niece/nephew/nibling) was killed at the Conclave, she decided to do what she did best - seek retribution by aiding the Inquisition with her extensive underground connections. If you don't cross her, she's warm and friendly, glad to share a drink and story. If you cross her, though, that could be a problem. She romances Blackwall.

When their older sibling went to the Conclave and Inatar and Shamut Adaar stayed behind, they thought it would be a routine event. They didn't expect their sibling to die. Now, Inatar keeps an eye out ofr her mage brother, and they decided their best bet was to join the Inquisition. Protection under an organization headed by a mage as well as be able to avenge their brother. Inatar romances Sera and Shamut romances Bull. Didn't get to delve into these two much due to computer issues.

Next is a wholly companion OC, a Crow from Antiva. Sergio di Vasco. Sergio had learned of a hit set on the Inquisitor and, deciding he wanted more than being a crow after his alcoholic father sold him to them, he betrayed them and offered his services to the Inquisition. A bit aloof at times, he merely wants to sus out the people around him. If you earn his loyalty, though, he won't waiver in it. He ends up romancing Josie.

Another fully companion OC, Shalelan Amalasis is a Dalish elf from Antiva. A skilled warrior, he was sent by his clan to offer his services to the Inquisitor upon learning they were Dalish as well. They hope was to help them in their struggles in Antiva. Shalelan is a quiet, albeit easily flustered man. He knows how to fight, and focused on that for so long, some of his social skills are lacking.

This one is just a fun one. Antoinette de Ghislain, the cousin of Seigfried Trevelyan, is an Orlesian noblewoman very tired of her life and with little means of her own. And thus, she decided to write novels. But what kind of novels? Usually risque novels involving notable figures from across Thedas for her patrons. It gives her some independent income from her husband and a bit of freedom, even if at times, she can't help but roll her eyes over what some of the requests she receives are.

And now we'll get into DATV, with my Rook, Ogden Thorne

Working on his history, but he's around 37 years old. His last name wasn't originally Thorne, but he was called Thorn in the circle due to his habit of standing up to the knight commander and other templars more than they liked. He was recruited to the Wardens in his early 20s by the Hero of Ferelden herself, because she liked his fire and attitude. Of course, this eventually gave him issues with the other wardens as the order dwindled and here we are. No idea who he romances; we'll find out. He is the staple sad blond human man for this Dragon Age game since that's not a romance option.

And a bonus:

Others not listed here

AU where Atena had a twin brother named Alric (I wanted to play in CC)

Son of Idrilla and Solas named Fenvir

Ancient elf seer named Mathras Myriani

Ancient elf servant of Ghilan'nain named Dalineva who is...a piece of work.

A Tevinter blood mage magister designed as a villain named Vincentius Titus

Emrys Moysten, who could have been my Rook, that I made for a tabletop game. A Fereldan mage who just wants to be left alone but gets dragged into various situations.

[7grandmel]

Rip of the week: 05/08/2024

Super Ludacris JB World

Season 8 Featured on: The Joke-Explainer 7000™'s Highest Quality Rips: Sunrise

Ripped by Sponge Lord

Tentative rip name: Super Ludacris JB World

Y'know, I really wasn't expecting to cover another rip from the Justin Bieber event from earlier this year. I felt as if I said my piece on the song and its place in internet history back with BELIEBERDANSEN, written just a short while after the event ended. It's definitely true that the event had a lot of fantastic rips, yet a lot of them managed to slip my mind when the event was over - in part, of course, because I don't exactly have a huge emotional connection to Baby to begin with. Yet in casually revisiting the event for old times sake, I was reminded of one of those rips that had - wrongfully - slipped my mind, one that leverages Baby's qualities in a completely different way from BELIEBERDANSEN. We're back to Bieber, and I've got yet more to talk about - let's get started with Super Ludacris JB World.

On first pass, the rip isn't really anything special or grandiose - it's the kind of rip that the wiki can summarize within a single row of text, mashing up the source track Champion Road from Super Mario 3D World with the aforementioned JB song. Mashups are fantastic, of course, and we've featured plenty on here from Stickerbrush Queen to Logan Paul's Shop - but as ripping has evolved, in the years from Season 1 to Season 8, the attention to detail and focus on quality in them has grown in ways you might not initially pick up on. A low-effort mashup is incredibly easy to do, through just taking the instrumentals of one track and the vocals of another - just look at Snowball Park - Super Mario 3D World - but with each year that goes by rippers have grown more and more apt at adapting and adjusting mashups to sound far more seamless in execution. This extends as far back as with Hoopache daring attempt to mash up a 3/4th time signature song with Space Jam's iconic 4/4 rhythm, but most recently we of course have rips like Beautiful Dreamer - that not only attempt the same time signature mixing, but go above and beyond in layering vocals and pitch-shifting them all to fit the source track used. For what many will see as a simple novelty, there's layers upon layers of ways to make mashups sound far above what they did back in 2016 - yet at the same time, not every rip made necessitates such excess extravagance as Beautiful Dreamer has. Sometimes, simplicity really is key.

Which is really the key point with which Super Ludacris JB World grabbed my interest - it at once has all the spit-shine and ripping know-how reflective of a team that's been doing this for eight years, yet understands the pure joy that comes from a simple-but-effective rip. I mean, think about it - Kill & Learn (Recut Ver.) wouldn't be sitting as this blog's most-shared post if there wasn't something worth adoring in these kinds of mashups. Both Baby and Champion Road are 4/4 songs, and their moods are similar enough to where it isn't exactly a gut-busting concept for a rip to begin with - so instead of focusing on those aspects, ripper Sponge Lord zeroes in on just making these two songs sound as crystal-clear perfect together as possible. At the rip's start, this is done just through Baby's unaltered vocals and clap-percussion being added on top of Champion Road, somehow slotting right in with an orchestral backing - but as the rip goes on, extremely subtle pitch-shifting is done to have JB's vocals play along with the orchestral melody's highs and lows in mood. In having Baby's usage in the rip start out so natural, it makes the gradual use of pitch-shift sound just as natural, and it takes until when Champion Road reaches its chorus at 1:30 for Sponge Lord to fully drop the act and have the vocals fully pitch-shifted in tune to the orchestral backing. It's a surprise in some ways, yet it simultaneously feels so very earned, as if the entire rip had been building up to that point, like the 180 in sound done within Poké Village yet done so gradually as to where it feels like the most natural outcome the rip could've had.

I mentioned above that Champion Road and Baby don't exactly have the sort of tonal contrast that would automatically make a mashup between the two funny, in the same way as rips like My Dr. Eggman Can't Be This Evil! and Loopdeloop Griddy. Yet I do still feel like the two tracks help enhance one another through the differences they do have in tone: Baby, as I talked about back on BELIEBERDANSEN, is mostly a song remembered for being lambasted in early internet culture, which was due to a combination of factors that basically boiled down to Justin Bieber and his song being terrible and not deserving of its radio time. We can retroactively find appeal in that obnoxiousness, the same way that the scene-kid aesthetic and 2000s vibes are coming back in vogue recently, yet very few times have I found myself actually considering Baby to be a genuinely good song. That was, at least, until the rips on the event which Super Ludacris JB World was part of, finding tons of mileage from this worn-out tune - and, through this rip's use of Champion Road in particular, made it sound almost...triumphant, even bittersweet? That may of course be in huge part due to my nostalgia for Super Mario Galaxy and Super Mario 3D World as games and for their soundtracks, yet Champion Road's orchestral swells and hopeful overtones manages to somehow make Bieber's vocal performance resonate in some sort of emotional reaction from me.

It's very possible that various factors are resulting in me overhyping a rip like Super Ludacris JB World, which simply aims to achieve the goal it set out to do with as much spit-shine and polish as possible. Yet in doing so, through its combination of an artifact from the old internet's golden years, and an orchestral piece that's practically synonymous with childlike joy and hope for the future as Gusty Garden Galaxy...Sponge Lord created something that's just genuinely really pleasant to listen to, elevating Baby to a level of unironic, outright *pleasant* listen-ability that I never thought it had. Put simply, it's just a good ass rip - the kind that's never in short supply on SiIvaGunner these days, yet also the kind that deserves just as much praise and attention as the channel's most ambitious projects.

[jbcorbanlawyers]

Sydney's Premier Family Law Advocates: Unveiling the Excellence of JB Corban Lawyers

Embark on a legal odyssey with JB Corban Lawyers, Sydney's beacon of Family Law brilliance! Unveil a realm where innovation meets expertise, setting us apart as premier Family Law advocates. Our seasoned team navigates complexities with finesse, crafting bespoke solutions that redefine legal excellence. Embrace a dynamic approach tailored to your unique circumstances, as we champion your family's interests with passion and precision. JB Corban Lawyers: where Family Law representation transcends expectation, paving the way for an exciting and unparalleled legal journey in Sydney!

[adamidyrazlan]

Hizwan is a long time magic player who started to play in highschool, and after years of experience and cultivating his skill, he has won countless casual, sanctioned and competitive events. His forte is usually ramp + aggro/midrange and sometimes combo. His recent conquests, among many, are: - Apac league champion geniuzmaze - Apac league champion C&H - Top 8 SEA championship invictus forge - SEA championship WINNER alexandria JB (subsequently went to SINGAPORE to play in the SEA championship finals). He is humble (though sometimes he humblebrags - but dont we all), but he really is a true champ (CHAMP SEJATI). He has earned the nickname Champ, not to be confused with C&H socmed & whatsapp handle, though they are both equally cute! Kawaii! But Hizwan's nickname comes from his amazing skill and incredible knowledge of the game. He is like the Son Goku of mtg, slowly levelling up and befriending foes along the way. Pikor (piccolo), Bezita (Vegeta) and Majin Buu. Though he has earned the respect of fellow pro players, he would still hang out with the rest of us normal-folk. Truly a champ of our hearts. I can go on forever, and u might not read till the end. TLDR, Hizwan = champ. Please share our joy by sharing this post & show support for this great magic player. https://www.instagram.com/p/CnUW-bZBjbdvJGm8VrwvEjTkoPazRQSwy_KPrE0/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[biancabelairs]

idk. hangman/punk aside, which i'm psyched about, i'm really not feeling the double or nothing card

[simplygot7]

Not By The Moon 1st Win on Show Champion 🎉🎉🎉

[thewench-and-thekingslayer]

🔵Happy New Year Jaime & Brienne fandom!🔴

2 0 2 1 Year in Review

This was another spectacular fandom year all thanks to YOU!

Here are some highlights!

Jaime and Brienne won HBO's official Most Beloved Duo poll released in celebration of the Game Of Thrones Iron Anniversary

Brienne became the 2021 A Song of Madness Champion voted by the fans

Many new fanfictions and art were created!

Various JxB fandom events such as fanfiction exchanges and Jaime and Brienne Week 2021 were held throughout the year. A huge thank you to @jaime-brienne-fic-exchange, @jb-smut-swap, @jbmonthlymadness @jaimebrienneonline, JBO forums, JxB Discords, and the JxB subreddit for setting those up! And to everyone who participated and helped with their success! Forgive me if I missed anyone!

Jaime and Brienne love continued to make media rounds being featured on popular lists and articles. Such as: ♡Buzzfeed’s 26 TV Relationships That Were So Compelling, People Kept Watching The Show Just For Them list, ♡Ask Men’s list of Best First Kiss Scenes in Television History That People Still Talk About, ♡Ms Mojo's Top 10 Most Long-Awaited TV Kisses and more.

Wishing you all a safe and happy 2022! Let's keep that Jaime and Brienne love going strong!

[race-week]

hi there! my friends and i were talking about this and i thought it would be fun to get your opinion. hypothetically, there is an international single-seater racing event where a team of two drivers can represent their countries. you are on the council that decides which drivers get to participate for each of the 13 countries in f1 (australia, britain, canada, finland, france, germany, italy, japan, mexico, monaco, the netherlands, russia & spain) + 2 more countries of your own choice. which drivers from the current f1/2/3/e grids would you choose to participate? each country gets the exact same car and all you need to think about is team dynamics and overall talent. i’m so sorry if this is a strange question, i’d just like to see how you answer this 😂

Hi anon!

I love this, it’s kind of like Race of Champions or like an F1 Olympics

I will start off by saying I don’t like the fact that you said current drivers because I’d obviously put JB in team GB but let’s go

Australia

- Daniel Ricciardo

- Oscar Piastri

Britain

- Lewis Hamilton

- Sam Bird

Canada

- Lance Stroll

- Nicholas Latifi

Finland

- Valtteri Bottas

- Emma Kimil��inen (I know she’s W Series but…)

France

- Pierre Gasly

- Jean-Éric Vergne

Germany

- Sebastian Vettel

- Mick Schumacher

Italy

- Antonio Giovinazzi

- Vicky Piria

Japan

- Yuki Tsunoda

- Takuma Sato (I don’t care I’m including Indy)

Mexico

- Sergio Perez

- Pato O’Ward

Monaco

- Charles Leclerc

- Arthur Leclerc

The Netherlands

- Max Verstappen

- Robin Frijns

Russia

- Daniil Kvyat

- Robert Shwartzman

Spain

- Fernando Alonso

- Carlos Sainz Jr

Brazil

- Felipe Drugovich

- Sergio Sette-Câmara

New Zealand

- Liam Lawson

- Mitch Evans

This was so much fun and so hard, thanks ❤️

[factlive797]

Winstar Winners

Winstar Winners Jb Live

Winstar Winners

Bob Baffert’s 2020 Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Authentic was named the 2020 Horse of the Year in a virtual ceremony for the 50th Eclipse Awards on Jan. 28.

Weight, 124 lbs. Non-winners Of A Race Other Than Maiden Or Claiming Since January 11, 2021 Allowed 2 lbs. Such A Race Since December 11, 2020 Allowed 4 lbs. Claiming Price $100,000. We went for a mma fight to winstar but honestly had to much fun winning on slots so here are some wins.if y'all like to see more video here are some links to. Led by Grade 1 winners Essential Quality and Fair Maiden, and more than $5.7 million in total earnings. WinStar Farm LLC was voted the Outstanding Breeder Eclipse Award. Based in Versailles.

Bred in Kentucky by St. George Farm and G. Watts Humphrey Jr. Indy mare Rare Event, Improbable was a $200,000 purchase by WinStar's Maverick Racing and China Horse Club from Taylor.

He also took home the Champion 3-Year-Old Male crown. Authentic was retired to stud at Spendthrift Farm in November of 2020. When he raced, he was trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, ridden by John Velazquez and owned by a partnership between Spendthrift, Madaket Stables, StarlightRacing and MyRacehorse Stable, a website that lets racing fans purchase microshares of racehorses.

Your 2020 #EclipseAwards Horse of The Year is AUTHENTIC!

Owner B. Wayne Hughes of @spendthriftfarm expresses his appreciation as the recipient of this special award. We look forward to seeing continued success his next career at stud! pic.twitter.com/8Z9rsLTAd0

— TVG (@TVG) January 29, 2021

Swiss Skydiver, who overtook Authentic to become the sixth filly to win the Preakness Stakes, won Champion 3-Year-Old Filly.

Whitney and Awesome Again winner Improbable picked up the award for Older Dirt Male, beating out Vekoma and the infamous Maximum Security. Improbable was most recently second to his Baffert stablemate Authentic in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.

Breeders’ Cup Distaff champ Monomoy Girl won in the Older Dirt Female category. The 6-year-old mare is unbeaten in her four starts since returning from an 18-month layoff. Her trainer Brad Cox won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Trainer.

Essential Quality, who won the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in his third start ever, was named Champion 2-Year-Old Male. Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Vequist was the Champion 2-Year-Old Filly.

Old man Whitmore won the Male Sprinter division after finally claiming the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in his fourth try. Baffert’s youngster Gamine was Champion Female Sprinter.

Bill Mott’s Channel Maker was Champion Male Turf Horse, and Chad Brown’s Rushing Fall won the female division.

Irad Ortiz Jr. threepeated in the Outstanding Jockey category, and Alexander Crispin took home Outstanding Apprentice Jockey.

WinStar Farm was named Outstanding Breeder, and Godolphin won Outstanding Owner.

2020 Eclipse Awards Finalists (winner in bold):

Horse of the Year: Authentic, Improbable, Monomoy Girl

2-Year-Old Male: Essential Quality, Fire At Will, Jackie’s Warrior

2-Year-Old Filly: Aunt Pearl, Dayoutoftheoffice, Vequist

3-Year-Old Male: Authentic, Nadal, Tiz the Law

3-Year-Old Filly: Gamine, Shedaresthedevil, Swiss Skydiver

Older Dirt Male: Improbable, Maximum Security, Vekoma

Older Dirt Female: Midnight Bisou, Monomoy Girl, Serengeti Empress

Male Sprinter: Vekoma, Volatile, Whitmore

Female Sprinter: Gamine, Glass Slippers, Serengeti Empress

Male Turf Horse: Channel Maker, Order of Australia, Zulu Alpha

Winstar Winners Jb Live

Female Turf Horse: Audarya, Rushing Fall, Tarnawa

Steeplechase Horse: Moscato, Rashaan, Snap Decision

Owner: Godolphin, Klaravich Stables, partnership of Spendthrift Farm, MyRacehorse Stable, Madaket Stables and Starlight Racing

Breeder: Calumet Farm, Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, WinStar Farm

Trainer: Steve Asmussen, Bob Baffert, Brad Cox

Jockey: Irad Ortiz, Jr., Joel Rosario, John Velazquez

Apprentice Jockey: Luis Cardenas, Yarmarie Correa, Alexander Crispin

Winstar Winners

The Eclipse Awards are named for Eclipse, a legendary 18th-century British racehorse who went 18-for-18 in his two-year career. His pedigree married two of the three Thoroughbred foundation stallions—the Godolphin Arabian and the Darley Arabian—and Eclipse can be found deep in the pedigrees of many of today’s racehorses.

[miracleonice87]

Thanks to @baby-cat-nol-pat for the tag! 🤗I haven’t shared much personal stuff on here yet so I’m kinda excited! Here we go...

Rules: Answer 30 questions & tag 20 blogs you are contractually obligated to know better

1. Name/nickname: M

2. Gender: Female (she/her)

3. Star sign: I am every single bit a Pisces in every way

4. Height: 5’4” on a good day

5. Time: 1:30 p.m. EST

6. Birthday: March 1 (me and the Biebs)

7. Favourite Band/Group: The Beatles, Fleetwood Mac, Zac Brown Band, One Direction (sorry not sorry)

8. Favourite Solo Artist: Drake, Thomas Rhett, James Taylor, Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran, Mac Miller (what a Pittsburgh answer)

9. Song Stuck in Your Head: Tenerife Sea by Ed Sheeran 

10. Last Movie I Watched: The Godfather I think lol 

11. Last TV Show I Watched: The Office

12. When Did I Create This Blog: during 2020 playoffs -- either August or September

13. What Do I Post: a bunch of hockey boys and BS lol. Pens, Stars, Isles, and multiple hockeys from a variety of teams

14. Last Thing I Googled: USA hockey t-shirt, inspired by last night’s WJC win and bc mine from high school is probably long gone (bought it at the gift shop at the rink at Lake Placid, not a big deallllll -- don’t worry, I’ve still got the hat) 

15. Other Blogs: idk how you mfers do it. No. I don’t think I could

16. Do I Get Asks: I do! My asks are always open, y’all ❤️

17. Why I Chose My URL: please see answer to #14 lol. “Do you believe in miracles?”

18. Following: 143

19. Followers: 416. Omg why tf do you guys follow me!!! Ily 😘

20. Average Hours of Sleep: oof... varies greatly

21. Lucky Number: 87 (ugh so basic). also 14 (hiii, Chris Kunitz and JB)

22. Instrument: no lmao. I quit piano after like six lessons

23. What I’m Wearing: Lakers long-sleeve and Champion sweats (my fave)

24. Dream Job: stay-at-home wag. I’m just being honest. Any sport. Hockey, golf, football, baseball, or basketball, in that order. (fwiw, my actual job is in PR/event planning, and I do really enjoy it!)

25. Dream Trip: Greece and Italy. With Sidney Crosby. *shrugs*

26. Favourite Food: what a question. God this is tough for me as a foodie. comfort food, probably my late grandmother’s baked mac and cheese that I thankfully learned how to make. entree, probably steak, medium rare. dessert, Ben & Jerry’s half-baked

27. Nationality: American

28. Favourite Song: this one is even harder... probably In My Life by The Beatles. Lots of family memories tied to their music, especially that song. Hey Jude is up there too

29. Last Book I Read: Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of A Modern Royal Family by Carolyn Durand and Omid Scobie. I am a royal freak and Diana enthusiast/apologist. (f u Charles and Camilla, not sry)

30. Top Three Fictional Worlds: uh, whatever lil world I live in with y’all who love these hockeys as much as I do. and that’s kinda that on that. ❤️

Tagging (just a few, not all 30 -- disregard if you’ve already answered, or don’t want to participate! I’m not caught up on my dash): @bestestbenn @broadstbroskis @fallinallincurls @kerwritesthings @charliethehoneyedangel / @charlie-theangelwrites

[keepingupwithfundies]

I am honestly glad that you've found Dave Ramsey helpful! Sincerely. With that said, I have a different take on this.

I think this is am excellent nuanced take on Dave Ramsey and FPU from a mainline Christian, that addresses many of my issues with FPU, while also giving credit for the parts that work:

https://www.christiancentury.org/blogs/archive/2015-11/debating-dave-ramsey-s-financial-peace-university&ved=2ahUKEwi3go6m8f3iAhWm2FkKHeHaA64QFjASegQIBxAB&usg=AOvVaw2XVqPuuxQwm8IYWwdjwhGi

I have some serious issues with Dave Ramsey. He has gotten quite rich marketing himself to poor fundie and evangelical Christian families, who often face challenges that he doesn't account for. His almost single minded focus on elimination of debt does not take into account the reality of being working poor or even middle class in America, and leaves other aspects of financial planning underserved.

I am skeptical of any financial guru who uses a biblical basis for financial planning but cherry picks quotes from the Bible and fails to address poverty and economic inequality and its effects on many people.

I also think that, taken to the extreme, as many fundies do, his advice is downright dangerous at times. If you have 12 kids and your whole focus is that debt isn't biblical and one of your kids needs a new pair of shoes, or a cavity filled, or is going through a growth spurt and needs twice as much food suddenly, and you can't afford it that month, but you've been convinced debt is not biblical, guess who is going to suffer? Innocent kids, who didn't choose this way of life.

And that part isn't *really* Ramsey's fault, but it's a reality that fundies use his teachings to justify denying their children's needs. And I don't see him speaking up loudly to decry that.

Ultimately, a lot of people - some religious,, some not - have found Ramsey's teachings very helpful in getting their financial houses in order, especially after college, or marrying, or other big life events. I'm glad. But there are hundreds of other financial advisors who can do the same that don't come with that kind of baggage, from nationally known speakers and authors, to financial planners in your community who will sit down with you personally, to online bloggers. And, for me personally, I'd rather give them my money and attention, because they don't carry that baggage.

Also, you will literally never convince me the Dillards are in great shape financially. Unless I see actual financial records.

Plenty of fundies enthusiastically champion Ramsey and claim they are in great financial shape simply because they don't have debt. But not having debt doesn't mean you're in great financial shape. It just means you don't have debt. There are other indicators of financial position- do you have savings? How many months could you pay your Bills without incurring debt if you suddenly lost your income? Do you have insurance for your home, vehicles, health, and life? Are you insured sufficiently to provide for your spouse and children if you die suddenly? Have you done proper estate planning? Do you have a regular income or are you relying on friends or family to make ends meet? Have you begun to save for retirement? Do you have investments, and if so, what type? Is your home gaining equity? Are you saving for your children's educational needs? And the list goes on.

Also. Unless Jill and Derick had mad savings, their lifestyle is being supplemented somewhere. I don't know if it's JB, or a trust from show earnings, or law school loans, but law school is expensive, Derick isn't working, and Jill has small time sponsorships, and they aren't appearing on the show anymore. Following Ramsey's advice doesn't make money appear out of nowhere. So if you do the math on that one, either someone is helping them, they're living off of all of their savings or have a secret source of income (I'm skeptical...), or they're incurring significant debt. 🤷‍♀️

And now, since I've bored you with my utterly irrelevant opinions on this, have a gif!

- Mary

[abthepoet]

All my friends are dead.

Something strange is trending in my life.

All my friends die.

At the beginning of my sophmore year in college, my roommate from freshman year died tragically in a single vehicle car crash. Her name was Allison Lynam. We called her Blake. She was sassy and funny and I wish I would've taken more time to know her.

The rain was torrential the night she died. I swear I've never seen it rain that hard ever again in my life. She drove to the store along Highway 36 in Long Branch,NJ. She had off campus housing that year and had to use the highway often. The road was terribly flooded the night she died. Im told she hydroplaned, spun, and T-boned the driver side smack into an electrical pole. Her family still decorates it.

At that very same moment, in my dorm room nearby, I was watching TV when the lights suddenly flickered and dimmed. A brown out.

I had no idea but that was my friend crashing into a pole and dying. She was 19 years old.

I know this because that accident happened near the mall. That accident killed the power to nearby businesses.

I later found out that the road she died on was so badly flooded, the police intended to close it. Why they didnt get to it in time, I'll never know. Maybe that's fate.

Then there was Jessica Blain. Jessica Blain was a firecracker of a human being. She was 100% unmistakable. One of the loudest, funniest, most loyal people and friends I have ever met. She was also an incredibly gifted singer and I was lucky enough to have Chorus with her. We, along with a small group of friends, founded a new greek organization on our campus, Alpha Xi Delta. We were paired up as Twins. (you can't have Bigs & Littles when you're just starting the Family Tree). We named the family we formed Fuck Up Your Shit. Because that's what we'd do for a friend. I miss her laugh most of all. It was loud and unapologetic. She was there for me, supportive, and encouraging without me ever having to ask. The night I officially finished college we all went out to the local gay club, The Colosseum. I got wasted, of course. But Jess was the person who when I shouted 'I have to pee' on the ride home, she stopped and knocked on strangers doors and asked to let me use their bathrooms. Nobody said yes so she held my hand while I peed on a fence instead. I remember the last time we spoke. She was at a concert with a mutual friend. We hadn't spoken much since I graduated, she was still in school.

She died in her dorm room bed on Halloween as a result of asphyxiation during an epileptic seizure. She was 20 years old. The news was broken to me that very same Halloween night as I floated along in NY on a concert cruise. The World/Inferno Friendship Society decided to host Hallowmas, their annual event, on a boat this year. Nothing like being trapped on a musical boat while you grieve. I had messaged her AIM late that night to say hi. She had an away message up. I may have sent a message to a dead person. I miss her friendship more than I realize sometimes.

That brings us to James Padden. James was a warm, snuggly bear of a guy who always tried to do the right thing and let me steal his hoodies. He insantly became my best friend in a Stepbrothers-esque manner. I met James working overnights at Wawa in Leonardo, NJ. I forget how it started now, but we were standing in front of the deli and I think I tossed him a broom or he already had one. . . I cant remember now.. . . but he just took one look at me with that mischievous little twinkle that I quickly returned and we instantly began sword fighting with our brooms. Like two little boys playing pretend and having a ball. He was sweet and silly and kind. I needed a ride, and he loved to drive. Our first winter as friends, we went out doing donuts in the snow. I barely knew him, but I felt safe. We smoked a ton of weed and had so many adventures trying to procure more. One time, we got so high driving to a Dropkick Murphys concert in NY we kept going in circles, missed almost the entire show save for the last 3-5 numbers, and had a blast. I can barely remember the night, but I remember laughing hard in that car. No one could talk to me like James. We were both insecure being chubby kids and adults, but so charismatic and grandiose that I sometimes thought we were the only two who would put up with listening to each others wild ideas and ridiculous banter. We would smoke joints and take adderall and talk about everything and anything. I miss the safety and closeness I felt with him. We were always 100% platonic, but we could nap together, I could walk into his house and jump on him in bed and wake him up. Then we would cook ourselves a breakfast feast and hit the beach. He taught me to always take the back roads. I gave him advice on the ladies. He taught me about fixing cars. I helped shave his back. He called his new pick up truck, a pick'um up truck. We could wax philosophical all damn day and not get sick of each other.

It wasnt just driving he loved, it was going fast. Like so many young white men, he had tendency to be a little reckless. The universe gave him a pass only so many times.

I'll never forget when he got his motorcycle. It was the last time I saw him. It was a bright green crotch rocket. He loved lime green. I was doing yoga in the living room when I heard this obnoxious engine rev down my street. I asked myself, who the hell is making this noise?! And it was James, grinning from ear to ear with a matching helmet on his shiny new toy.

before he left I said, 'you die on that thing, I'll bring you back to life and kill you." I remember giving him this very long and intentional hug and not knowing why I felt compelled to hang on.

When he left and hopped back on the bike, I felt compelled again and took a video of him riding away from my driveway until he was entirely out of sight.

That's my very last memory of him alive. James Padden died on Thanksgiving five days after his 25th birthday. He went out for a joyride on his bike before dinner, opened up to 100mph around a curve where he couldn't see a car pulling out around the bend in time. They called a medevac, but he died on scene. I loved James dearly and I regret drifting apart after we both left Wawa and I started a new relationship. He had stuff too, but in hindsight it never seems important.

Then there's JB. I will always remember JB for his kindness and generosity. The very first time I finally worked up the nerve to go to a poetry slam, I was alone and terrified. I had no idea what to expect. JB was the very first person to turn around, introduce himself, and welcome me. He made me feel like I belonged. Years later, when I won the title of Grand Slam Champion, he immediately offered to help coach me for national competition. Except, I didn't see the messages and left them unanswered, which I deeply regret. When I started hosting my own open mic a few years after that, JB would be one of the only people to consistently come support the show both as an audience member and participant. It was at a pizza joint and he would sometimes buy me food when I had no money. He wrote beautiful poems about his two young daughters and how much they inspired him. JB always tried to make people laugh but you could tell he carried a sadness. I did not get details, but from what I have gathered he made a choice to end his life. I wish I would have gotten closer to him and appreciated him more as a friend and person. I wonder if he felt no one cared about him and I feel like I should've let him know more.

Which brings us to Crys. Crystopher Anthony Diaz was a Scorpio with a big heart and a big personality. I met him on Myspace back in the day and started Web camming. We became friends and eventually fell into this gray area of friends, together, but not. It wasn't long before I was spending days at his place, killing hours at a time downloading music, making Wawa runs, and smoking weed with his roommate at the time, Syd. You know, the whole reason I worked at Wawa was Crys suggesting it. And Wawa is the reason I met James. Crys was unlike anyone I'd ever met. He was poetic and artistic and loved animals, especially pit bulls. He loved to draw and write and had this very out loud style that favored Earth tones. He taught me about fashion and insisted on getting dressed even if it was 1am and we were just going to Wawa because you never know who you might see. We would buy new clothes at Walmart and have photo shoots. That boy drank his weight in coffee daily. If it's one thing I'll always remember him for, it's the dancing. Dancing was a passion of his and always used to talk about wanting to form a dance crew. Eventually, we ended up living together for four years. My first apartment was with him in this piece of shit duplex rented to us by a slumlord in Keansburg,NJ. My relationship with him was always defined by our Aries/Scorpio dynamic and he never let me forget it. His birthday was October 30th, mischief night. One time, after we had moved into a new place, we decided to get revenge on our old downstairs neighbor by taking a finished lobster carcass and throwing it on his lawn. . . . . . . Keansburg had a terrible stray cat problem. 😁

I have so many memories with Crystopher. Unfortunately, towards the end of our relationship things became too tumultuous. We had too much unresolved baggage and trauma to find a healthy place emotionally together. We were so financially strained for a time we hardly ate. And then when he met his new girlfriend Laura, she introduced him to her good friend, Roxy. As in Roxcicet. aka Blues. Neither of us knew what that even was at the time. But he sure learned quick. He started using them pretty frequently as time went on, and things only got more complicated. My mental health took a nose dive. By the time I moved out our relationship was trash. I basically left. At the time, I didnt have a choice. things had gotten so bad between us, the money, the using . . . we didn't act like friends anymore.

I saw him a couple times at his new place but that was years ago. Since then, he went through a lot, including homelessness and more struggles with addiction to opiates. He reached out to me and sent me a message apologizing for everything a couple years back. I never responded. I was afraid I would let him back into my life and let the all the problems back in. I didnt trust where he was at in his life. We lost touch and stopped speaking.

His ex, who used to live with us and became my friend, messaged me and told me he died a few days ago. He was 35. I'm still waiting for information, but it may have been drug related. I'm not even sure where I'm at with how I feel. I know why we stopped talking. It was the right thing to do at the time. But he didnt deserve to die so young, having spent the last god knows how many months homeless. It's fucking with me so hard because we never resolved anything. I loved this person so fucking much and we never made peace. Of everyone I've lost, he was the closest to me. I've had a lot of people die on me but none that I lived with and shared a life with. I have more memories with him than I can handle and while I know we hadn't spoken in years and why, I still wish I would've said something. Done something. Yes, i needed healthy boundaries but he needed somebody. when is being firm too firm? If we would've helped, could it have been different? But we didn't want to help at the time, you try to be tough and draw a line. Be firm. Not let yourself be taken advantage of. But is that a defense? Did that defensiveness leave a human being who's head i used to scratch until he fell asleep out in the cold to get sicker and die?

What am I supposed to learn from all this Universe? Why do you take my friends so young and so tragically? I'm only 35, I'm too young to have this much loss.

Because these are just the major players I've lost. It doesnt include my cousin Jared, who died being reckless on a motorcycle at 21 two years ago. I was 15 when he was born. I loved that baby, he used to bite my nose. But his family lived far, so I rarely saw him growing up. Last time I saw him was at my grandfather's funeral. He didn't remember me and the nose biting.

And then there's Marcos who we used to chill with. He worked delivery for our favorite chinese food place. He was a nice kid who lived with his grandparents. We would get food, smoke weed, hang out a little. Even used to buy it off him for a while. Eventually he got into the opiates too, he even wound up being good friends with Crys and being Blue buddies. But eventually Marcos died from an opiate overdose. He was in his mid twenties.

I didnt want to include Ricky because he was more of an acquaintance for me, he was more my partners childhood friend. But god damn, in the time I knew Ricky that kid was a riot. He was loud and funny and definitely marched to the beat of his own drum. Drugs took him too.

Thanks for reading all this if you've made it this far. It's taken me about two hours to type this out on my phone. but i needed to. Thanks for coming to my TedTalk

[jbcorbanlawyers]

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[thelonesomequeen]

Is Chris still friendly with JB? I wonder how he feels about her recent debacle. It's ironical that his ex (who possibly cheated on him) got cancelled on his birthday. This tweet by @BrianWCollins had me in stitches: "Where do you think we will be 15 years from now?" "I will be a beloved actor from movies that make billions of dollars and an outspoken champion of great causes. You?" "I'm going to help bring back measles." - Chris Evans and Jessica Biel on the set on the set of CELLULAR. Lmao

Oh man lol I’m sure they’re on friendly terms if they see each other at events, but I don’t know that they’re actually still friends. 🦎

[nsula]

40th Folk Festival spotlights rich, diverse culture of Louisiana

By Dr. Shane Rasmussen

Photos by Chris Reich, NSU Photo Services

 NATCHITOCHES – The audience at the 40th annual Natchitoches-Northwestern State University Folk Festival held on July 26-27 was entertained and educated about the rich and diverse cultural offerings of the state. The Festival featured traditional Louisiana foods, Kidfest activities, music, traditional crafts, narrative sessions, musical informances, and cultural exhibits. This year’s Festival theme “Vive la Louisiane!” was a great success, with a very happy audience.

 The Festival opened with a rousing dance, beginning with Cajun dance lessons, followed by Gal Holiday and the Honky Tonk Revue, and the night closed out with Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band. Side stage performances included Natchitoches gospel group Joyful Sounds, 50 Man Machine, which includes NSU faculty Paul Forsyth, Collier Hyams, and Oliver Molina, and an open jam with Max & Marcy, Ed Huey, and Cane Mutiny.

 Saturday’s events included performances in Prather Coliseum by 50 Man Machine, Creole la la with Goldman Thibodeaux and the Lawtell Playboys, the Louisiane Vintage Dancers, Brandy Roberts, the Rayo Brothers, Tab Benoit, Jamie Berzas & the Cajun Tradition Band, the Stewart Family and Friends Bluegrass Band, line dance lessons by the Cajun French Music Association Dance Troupe, the Canneci N’de Band of Lipan Apache, zydeco dance lessons by Avila Kahey, Wayne & Same Ol’ 2 Step, Hardrick Rivers and the Rivers Revue Band, Celtic Music with the Kitchen Session of Baton Rouge and a jam session with Max and Marcy.

 In addition to stage performances there were narrative sessions and music informances, including conversations about American songwriting, culture & costumes of 19th century Louisiana, Tab Benoit’s The Voice of the Wetlands Fondoution, and the musical journey of Vanessa Niemann (aka Gal Holiday). Also featured was a music informance by Tab Benoit. Outdoor activities included demonstrations by the Central Louisiana Dutch Oven Cookers, the Red River Smiths, the Southern Stock Dog Association, and Wash Day, presented by the West Baton Rouge Museum. This year the Festival continued a series of free workshops for Festival attendees. Festival goers attended a Cajun accordion workshop by Jamie Berzas and Bruce Daigrepont.

 The annual Louisiana State Fiddle Championship was also held on Saturday in the Magale Recital Hall as part of the Festival. Fiddle Championship judges included Steve Birdwell, Steve Harper, Henry Hemple, and Clancey Stewart. The new Louisiana Grand Champion is Ron Yule of DeRidder. Second place winner was Joe Suchanek of Merryville, with Owen Meche of Arnauldville placing third. Meche also took first place in the 21 and under championship division.

Suchanek took first in the 60 and up championship division, with Yule coming in second, Birgit Murphy of Opelousas in third, Mark Young of Balise in fourth, Wilfred Luttrell of DeRidder in fifth, and Ron Pace of Alexandria in sixth. Luttrell and Yule also took first place in the twin fiddles competition.

 As the new Louisiana State Fiddle champion, Yule also performed on the main stage in Prather Coliseum. Dr. Lisa Abney managed the fiddle championship. Dr. Susan Roach from Louisiana Tech University emceed the championship.

 Four musicians and a renowned filé maker were inducted into the Louisiana Folklife Center’s Hall of Master Folk Artists. Inductees included Louisiana Music Hall of Famer Tab Benoit, who also served as honorary Festival Chair, Cajun musicians Jamie Berzas and Bruce Daigrepont, filé maker John Oswald Colson, and country singer Vanessa Niemann.

Dr. Shane Rasmussen, director of the Louisiana Folklife Center, led the induction ceremony, assisted by State Representative Kenny Cox and Dustin Fuqua, Chief of Resource Management at Cane River Creole National Historical Park. In addition, the honorary award of Folklife Angel was given to long-time Festival crew chief James Christopher Callahan, an NSU alumnus.

In addition to 4 book signings and 8 exhibits by such groups as state parks and archives, over 70 craftspeople displayed their traditional work on Saturday. These craftspeople demonstrated and discussed their work with the Festival patrons. Craftspeople displayed accordion making, beadwork, baskets, Czech Pysanky eggs, filé making, flintknapping, folk art, knives, music instruments, quilting, pottery, spinning & weaving, tatting, walking sticks, whittling and needlework, wood carving, and more. 8 food vendors provided a cornucopia of traditional Louisiana foods to the Festival audience.

 Support for the Louisiana State Fiddle Championship and the Natchitoches-NSU Folk Festival was provided by grants from the Cane River National Heritage Area, Inc., the Louisiana Division of the Arts Decentralized Arts Fund Program, the Louisiana Office of Tourism, the Natchitoches Historic District Development Commission, the National Endowment for the Arts, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Foundation, and the Shreveport Regional Arts Council.

Much needed support also came from generous sponsorships from Acme Refrigeration of Baton Rouge, C&H Precision Machining, Chili’s, City Bank & Trust, the City of Natchitoches, Cleco, John Clifton Conine, Atty; CP-Tel, Domino’s Pizza, the Donut Hole, El Patron, Family Medical Clinic, Grayson’s Barbecue, Hardee’s, the Harrington Law Firm, D. Michael Hayes, Atty; JB & M Enterprises, Jeanne’s Country Garden, La Capitol Federal Credit Union, McCain Auto Supply, Jason O. Methvin, Atty; Morning Star Donuts, the Natchitoches Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, Natchitoches Regional Medical Center, NSU Men’s Basketball, the Pioneer Pub, Pizza Hut, Raising Cane’s, Ronnie’s Auto Glass, Save A Lot, Sonny’s Donuts, Southern Classic Chicken, Natchitoches Super 1 Foods 604 and 613, TOTO, Inc; Trailboss, UniFirst, Walmart, Waste Connections, and Weaver Brothers Land & Timber. In addition, numerous newspapers, online venues, and radio and TV stations assisted the Festival by generously printing articles, airing interviews, free promotional PSAs, and/or participating in on-air ticket giveaways.

 The success of the Festival was made possible due to the many volunteers from NSU’s faculty and staff, who gave generously of their time and talents. The Louisiana Folklife Center is grateful to Phyllis Allison, David Antilley, Kay Cavanaugh, Corieana Ceasar, Jason Church, Sherrie Davis, Matt DeFord, Christine Dorribo, Michael Doty, Bruce Dyjack, Alexis Finnie, Ashlee Grayson, Charlotte Grayson, Dr. Hiram F. “Pete” Gregory, Dr. Greg Handel, Wesley Harrell, Jackie Hawkins, Diana Hill, Kristie Hilton, Carla Howell, Leah Jackson, Dr. J. Ereck Jarvis, Melissa Kelly, Suzanne Kucera, Dr. Chris Maggio, Barbara Marr, Terri Marshall, Coach Mike McConathy, Byron McKinney, Valerie Meadows, Gwendolyn Meshell, Dr. Jim Mischler, Melinda Parnell, Julie Powell, Kathy Pylant, Charles Rachal, Chris Reich, Stephanie Stanton, Bethany Straub, Anna Vaughn, Randi Washington, Mary Linn Wernet, David West, Taylor Whitehead, Emily Windham, Dale Wohletz, and Sharon Wolff. NSU students included Francisco Ballestas-Sayas, Caleb Callender, Makayla Fisher, Valentina Herazo-Alvarez, and Ina Sthapit. NSU alumni included Michael Cain, Michael Taylor Dick, Hammond Lake, Greg Lloid, De’Andrea Sanders, and Daniel Thiels. Many thanks are due to the Louisiana Folklife Center staff, including administrative coordinator Shelia Thompson, student workers Macey Boyd, Jalima Diaz, Heather Jones, Caitlin Martin, and Taylor Nichols, and graduate assistants James Harrison and Erica McGeisey.

 Thanks also go out to Andy Adkins, Myranda Adkins, Alexandria Arens, Robert D. Bennett, Jennae Biddiscombe, Rebecca Blankenbaker, Derek Boyt, Erin Boyt, Melanie Braquet, Sherry Byers, the Central Louisiana Dutch Oven Cookers, Don Choate, Jr., Catherine Cooper, Hailie Coutee, Helen Dalme, Cameron Davis, Eli Dyjack, Sheila Dyle, Adam Edwards, Justin French, Jennifer Gallien, Reagan Guillory, Grace Hardy, Dr. Don Hatley, Sue Hatley, Lani Hilton, Ed Huey, Peter Jones, Leonard King, Michael King, Abagael Kinney, Dan Martin, Deron McDaniel, Ivan McDaniel, Charity McKinney, Sheila Ogle, Sara Parnell, Kimberly Perry, Audrey Rasmussen, Gidget Rasmussen, Susan Rasmussen, Wyatt Rasmussen, the Red River Sanitors, Sukrit San, Rick Seale, Lorie Speer, Lori Tate, Margaret Thompson, Sara Vaughn, Emily Ware, Briton Welch, Justice Welch, Shirley Winslow, and the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center trustees and officers Derek Booker and Larry Willis.

 Natchitoches Area Convention and Visitors Bureau staff members included Arlene Gould, Kelli West, NSU students Anne Cummins and Megan Palmer, and NSU alumna Heather Dougan.

Special thanks go to Craig Routh for his generous permission to use his painting, Dixieland Jazz Fleur-de-Lis, for the Festival t-shirt.