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justswim3 · 2 months

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Learn Swimming in Chennai - Just Swim

Introduction

Swimming is a fundamental ability that works on emotional wellness and security in the water. Parents in Chennai who want to get their kids in the water can take advantage of Just Swim's individualized swimming lessons in Chennai. This blog explains the advantages of Just Swim's baby swimming courses, emphasizing their distinctive characteristics, and advantages as well as why they are a top choice among parents

Program Overview

Just Swim’s programs are designed to cater to a broad spectrum of needs. Here’s a detailed look at the programs they offer:

1. Beginner Swimming Classes

Objective: To teach inexperienced swimmers the fundamentals of swimming.

Key Components:

Water acclimatization and safety

Basic floating and breathing techniques

Introduction to fundamental strokes like freestyle and backstroke

Emphasis on building comfort and confidence in the water

2. Intermediate Swimming Classes

The goal: improve the abilities and endurance of swimmers who already have basic knowledge.

Key Components:

Technique refinement for strokes such as breaststroke and butterfly

Endurance training and interval workouts

Introduction to drills that improve speed and efficiency

Developing a better understanding of swim mechanics

3. Advanced Swimming Classes

Objective: To provide specialized training for competitive swimmers or those aiming for advanced proficiency.

Key Components:

Advanced stroke techniques and starts

Turn techniques and underwater work

Race strategies and pacing

Personalized feedback and performance analysis

4. Children's Swimming Classes

The goal: To provide specialized instruction for competitive swimmers or those seeking advanced proficiency.

Key Components:

Water safety and basic swimming skills

Games and activities to make learning enjoyable

Age-specific strokes and techniques

Encouraging water confidence and safety awareness

5. Adult Swimming Programs

Swimming Classes for adults aim to assist adults improve their ability to swim skills, regardless of their beginning level.

Key Components:

Customized instruction based on individual goals

Focus on fitness and technique improvement

Adaptable scheduling to fit busy lifestyles.

Ways to relax and enjoy swimming

6. Fitness and Technique Classes

Goal: To enhance general fitness and swimming ability through specialized training.

Key Components:

Structured workouts that combine swim drills and fitness training

Emphasis on stroke technique and efficiency

Goal-setting and progress-tracking

Tailored workouts based on fitness and skill levels

7. Specialized Programs

Objective: To address specific needs or interests such as triathlon training or swim therapy.

Key Components:

Tailored training plans based on specific goals

Specialized coaching and support

Integration with other training elements (e.g., cycling and running for triathletes)

A supportive environment for rehabilitation and recovery

Visiting the Just Swim Website

The Just Swim website is an extremely useful application resource. The following is a step-by-step guide for using the website:

Overview of the Site: To get a sense of the programs, philosophy, and facilities, start by looking through the homepage.

Information about the program: Look for a menu item or section called "Programs" or "Classes." Each program's schedule, duration, and pricing will all be described in detail here.

Information on the teacher: To learn more about the swimming coaching in Chennai qualifications and experience, visit the "Instructors" or "Our Team" sections. This may assist you in selecting a program that meets your learning objectives.

Offices and Areas: To find out where the classes are held, go to the "Locations" or "Facilities" sections. Guarantee the offices are advantageous and very much kept up with.

Getting in touch with Just Swim

If you have specific questions or require clarification, you should get in touch with Just Swim directly:

Phone: For immediate assistance, call the number listed on their website.

Email: Send an email with inquiries regarding prices, scheduling, and programs.

Contact Structure: Utilize their website's contact form to submit your inquiries. If you have extensive questions or require specialized information, this is especially helpful.

Enlisting for a Class

Whenever you've gained the necessary data, it's all's opportunity to enroll. Follow these actions:

Select a program. Pick the best program for your expertise level and objectives from the choices advertised.

Verify the availability: Check to see if the class schedule and the program are available.

Finish Up the Enlistment Structure: Finish up the enlistment structure on the Simply Swim site or as exhorted by the staff. Include personal details, medical history, and preferred schedule in all required information.

Payment: Follow the payment instructions. Just Swim may require payment in person or offer payment options online. To guarantee your spot, make sure you complete this step.

Confirmation: Your enrollment and payment should be confirmed via email or text message. The start time, date, and any other information you require will be included in this.

Conclusion

Just Swim provides swimming classes in Chennai and the nearby areas, with a wide choice of options to meet every need and preference. A swimming facility can provide you with skilled instruction, inexpensive costs, exclusive access, or community involvement. Just Swim is a popular choice due to its expert coaching and high maintenance standards. However, venues like the Just Swim Academy offer outstanding facilities and training programs.

When choosing a diving class, consider factors such as coaching quality, facility preservation, and geographical closeness to ensure you find the best fit for your swimming needs. Happy swimming!

#swimmingclass #justswim #chennai #swimmingtraining #swimmingacademy

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pawel918-blog · 2 years

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Swimming start technique - freestyle, classic, butterfly, backstroke.

The starting technique is one of the key elements of a swimming race. During competitions in which competitors with a similar level of skills compete, the difference in times is insignificant, often the details, more precisely made technical elements decide about the victory - such elements include the starting jump. A better starting jump allows you to gain an advantage that can be decisive in winning.

Studies have shown that start time accounts for up to 26.1% of total race time. Swimmers can achieve the highest horizontal launch speed of approximately 4.48 m/s, which is more than twice the swimming speed due to the lower air resistance.

Starting jumps differ from each other in terms of technique in each style. In freestyle, butterfly and breaststroke, the starting jump is made from the post, in the backstroke from the water. The above-water phase is identical in freestyle, butterfly and breaststroke (starting position, take-off, flight phase, water entry and slide), but they differ in the propulsive movement that follows the slide. In freestyle and butterfly style, after a slip, we start the movement with dolphin work of the legs, and in breaststroke with a movement of the arms.

Read all on http://plywanie-sc.pl/aktualnosci/technika-skoku-startowego/

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theworldofdog · 2 years

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The top eight indicator shows your dog loves you and an expert investigates how dog express love

It’s said ‘dogs are a man’s best friend’; they’re known for their presumed unconditional love, but does your dog really love you or do they just love the treats you give them?

Thankfully, according to the experts, there are definitive indicators that your dog loves you for you (and not just the snacks you shuffle to them under the kitchen table).

Having dogs in your life can be one of the most rewarding experiences you will ever have, but it takes intentional steps to ensure that the relationship you develop with your dog is one to be proud of.

Just like parenting or other relationships you nurture, it can take time to develop a close connection and we can’t assume this will be automatic.

Your dog ‘loving you’ is an extension of how you treat them, advocate for them, nurture them, and so much more.

Connection, trust, support, protection, and building your dog’s confidence are all critical elements to having a dog that truly adores you. So, be invested in the dog you want to live with!

Here are a few indicators that you’re on the right lines:

1. Focuses on you

When you’re on a walk, does your dog take off across the park and try to dry hump the local Cavachon? This may not be a lack of love for you, but the draw of another dog is just too tempting!

‘Don’t worry, they still adore you, they’re just a social butterfly! If they come back when you call and you have the utmost trust in their return, this reflects your strong bond.

‘In any instance, your dog going to see other dogs in the park is totally normal and something every dog experiences in adolescence; just go out equipped with really enticing treats as rewards.

There is something called ‘competing values’ at play here; everywhere your dog looks they see a metaphorical £100 flashing before their eyes.

‘Your job is to ensure that you either have something more appealing, or you create clarity when it comes to accessing those things.

‘For example, the word ‘swimming’ could give your dog permission to dive into the water.’

2. Gets excited when they see you

If your dog gets excited when they see you, be it in the morning, when you come home, or simply when you enter the room, this is a clear sign they love you!

‘Dogs can come up with some endearing morning greetings, such as bringing you your slipper, or a waggy bottom in your face!

Although, whilst a healthy level of appreciation is good, be sure to watch for excessive levels of excitement as this could be a form of separation anxiety.

‘Imagine if your spouse jumped all over you every time you entered a room, frantically grabbing at you as though you’d just returned from spending 12 months at sea – you’d lose your mind! It’s important this is kept at an appropriate level. As with anything, balance is key!

You can use positive reinforcements here to adjust your dog’s behaviour in this instance. When they stop jumping up, give them a treat or affection to show this is good behaviour.

Similarly, if they get too excited, keep your interactions calm, quiet, and limited, so as to demonstrate that hyper responses aren’t rewarded.’

3. Touch and feel your heart’s affection.

A lot of dogs enjoy physical affection however not all do! Be aware and considerate of your dog’s personal preferences.

Body rubs, ‘cuddles’ and strokes are wonderful and dogs who love these generally make their joy quite evident through wags and rolling on their backs, and rubbing your hands – they are not abrasive and will even make demands to continue!

The bonding between you and your dog is sure to show that your dog is a lover But don’t fret when they’re distant – that doesn’t mean they’re not loving you!

Some dogs prefer a bit of space and will even cuddle according to their own preferences! Being attentive to your dog’s needs is vital to establishing and keeping confidence.’

4. Shows joy in your presence

‘Does your dog find you fun? Do you spend quality time with them, or are you always in a hurry to get them walked and fed?

‘It’s important that we’re able to slow down and enjoy quality time with our dogs, allowing them to enjoy interesting smells and sights.

‘This is vital for creating a relationship whereby they find us fun, something which, in turn, cultivates love.

‘Dogs need to be dogs; giving them time to do so and being a part of that process will absolutely help to nurture your bond.’

5. Playful body language

‘If your dog doesn’t show signs of apprehension, fear, or worry in your company then you’ll know that they trust you.

‘This speaks volumes! The key to solidifying this bond is being consistent, nurturing, and understanding of when they’re most comfortable.

‘If your dog wags in your company, lays by you, pricks their ears up, and looks to you in new situations, you can relax in the knowledge they love you.’

6. Seek you out

If your dog makes a point of seeking you out in the crowd, it’s an excellent sign that they’re not just recognizing you, but also that they’re a bit like you!

“There’s nothing quite like the dog’s greeting even if you’ve never been around for a long period of time and when they do it in public, it’s certainly an increase in self-esteem!

7. Allow you to encroach on their personal space

‘This might seem like a strange one, but dogs often don’t want to have anyone in their personal space. There are lots of breeds which have this distinct trait.

‘So, if you have a dog that chooses to sit with you, near you, or even on you, that’s a sign that they feel comfortable around you and are happy for you to be that close!’

‘If your dog seeks you out in a crowd, this is a good indicator that they’re not only reconising you, but that they kinda like you!

‘There is nothing like a dog greeting you when you haven’t seen them for a period of time, but when they do this in public it’s definitely an ego boost!’

8. Respond to recall well

‘A recall is a reflection of your relationship with your dog’ is a quote used by World Championship dog agility trainer Susan Garret, and it should guide us all.

‘When you call your dog, do they race back to you as fast as they can and want to engage with you when they arrive?

‘Or do they turn in the other direction? Work on this daily, as it’s a good barometer of how your dog feels about you.

‘Are you the person they choose over the lure of a rabbit or squirrel?

‘Or is the temptation of play just too much?

‘Invest daily into your recall and nurture a relationship of joy, trust, and, most importantly, love!’

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binniesthighs · 4 years

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EIGHT LEVELS, THE DESCENT

CWs: death, bits of horror and fear, hellish things

Descent

you had never imagined death to be something like this.

with careful footsteps you followed the hollow sound of metal on rock, metal on metal, metal on skin.

you were scared, but a thrill crept up your throat like none other. it bubbled in the pit of your stomach and fluttered like butterflies through each and every nerve of your body.

the hallway was dark, nearly pitch black, save for the light at the end of the hall. it seemed like it must've been the size of a pinhead from as far as you were. you thought to yourself, that this must be your punishment: walking on and on forever towards a light that you could never reach.

seemed reasonable enough. you were not saint...if this was hell anyway.

sweltering hot heat caught up to you as you walked on, and it singed your skin with a burn that only grew over time. your brow beaded with sweat, and your legs felt heavier with each step.

at the same time, you felt a deathly chill: a piercing kind of cold that you could only describe as loneliness and emptiness. the two temperatures fought a terrible tryst, and your body could not decide if the shivers ailing you reminded you were really dead, or if by some mistake you had been mixed up in some devils game.

you don’t remember dying. does anyone? you didn’t know. you can’t exactly ask someone.

in your shock, you realize that the pinhead of light was growing larger and larger before your squinting eyes. now, the sounds of metal were replaced with wails in despair intertwined with something much different.

ungodly sounds of pain and pleasure filled the dense air, and moaning and groaning spilled into your ears with some kind of cacophony that made little sense.

the light approached closer and it became blinding: the kind of blinding light that you had always imagined death to be like. maybe you really had died.

what you had seen at the end of the tunnel, was not at all what you had expected.

a reception room. a normal one, like the ones at a hospital.

am I a ghost? you wonder. is my soul trapped in the place that I died?

a normal looking nurse in a normal looking nurse’s uniform waves you over.

“me?” you mouth.

she nods.

she gives a curt little smile, and pats down her sterile looking baby blue scrubs. she wears no nametag, and the only thing distinguishing her is the fiery red nail polish that decorates her nails. her eyes are kind, a kind of hazel brown that looks to be a dozen different colors at once.

“welcome!” she greets.

“...thank you?” you return.

“how can I help you today?” the nurse beams. her smile is perfectly white, but her teeth crooked.

“i...don’t know.”

she asks outright: “do you have your key?”

“my key?”

you note that there is no one else in the waiting room besides you. light streams in from the windows, but it is pale and white, like the kind of sun on a cloudy day full of grey. the air smells dusty, old...and burnt.

“yes?” she cocks her head. “you should have a key?”

“i-i don’t think that I have anything...”

a weight pulls down the pocket of your jeans and you see the bulging fabric.

a brass key makes the imprint. it looks ancient and is a bit rusted on the edges. there is nothing too complicated about the skeleton key except for the fact that the head of the key is shaped to the number eight.

“what...”

“ah! that’s the key. well, it looks like you’ve got an eight. that’s wonderful.”

the nurse looks down at her desk to her paperwork, but the white sheets of paper hold no writing or ink.

“says here that you qualify for all eight levels--just as your key says! well, now i’ll show you to your first room and you can just wait patiently in there for it to begin.”

“it? i’m sorry, what is “it”?”

“you’ll see soon enough dear.”

through her crooked teeth you catch sight of her tongue, and at looks as if it is split: forked like a serpent.

“this way!” she rouses from her desk.

the waiting room remains empty when you follow the nurse behind a frosted glass door and into yet another hallway, but this one is illuminated with a flickering green-ish white light. the hall is quiet, and no other patients in rooms can be heard. no talking voices, no crying children, no moans mixed in pain and pleasure.

“hold onto that key! you’ll need it. that’s all i’ll say!” the nurse nods, and her hazel eyes change color as they’ve been doing under the lights, and you can’t quite tell what color they are.

“wait!” you reach out to her, a million more questions swimming. before you can get another word out, the door is promptly shut with a slam that seems to shake the whole room.

the examination room seems normal, just as the nurse seemed to be at first. it is a windowless place, and you almost miss the grey light from the waiting room. a chair is positioned in the corner and the examination table is covered in white paper that crinkles when you sit on it.

i can’t be dead. she shouldn’t've seen me.

a lock on the wall ticks and your heartbeats match the rhythm, beating thickly in your chest.

your eyes close tightly and you draw back your memory as far as you can take it.

i’m asleep. i’m asleep. that’s it. i’ve fallen asleep. this is a dream.

your eyes open, and there he is, back to you, facing the wall.

your whole body jumps from the scare, and your chest aches with fearful gasps.

his skin is nearly inhumanly pale and white, but peaking muscles curve under his leather vest. muscled arms stretch out bare, and every single twitch of his equally toned legs flare under his skin-tight pants. by contrast, red leather bands wrap around his arms and thighs. thick, long, silver chains drip from his wrists--it would’ve been impossible to get them in their quietly without you knowing. his hair is starkly white, much like untouched snow.

“you have your key?” he growls.

your voice is dry when you answer “yes.”

the man turns. rather than the beast that you had expected, he is handsome: some kind of godly form that glows with a kind of white light even when he looks at you with his icy blue eyes.

his sharp cheekbones are astonishing and serious. he studies you and you shy away to crinkle the paper under you.

“you’re new.” he simply says. “we’re going to like you.”

“w-we?”

the man chuckles with a kind of laugh that seems to reverberate in your chest. with a wicked smile that nearly cracks the corners of his mouth, he leans in. you’re frozen in your horror when he whispers into your ear:

“welcome to hell.”

┈ ┈ ┈ ⋞ 〈 ⏣ 〉 ⋟ ┈ ┈ ┈

EIGHT LEVELS | READER X OT8 | 1k SPECIAL

Pairing: self insert, female reader, male reader, gender neutral reader x ot8

Genre: pure smut, angst

Tags: explicit sexual content, explicit language, minor pain play, bondage, impact play, sensory deprivation, edging, overstimulation, dirty talk, multiple orgasms, throat fucking, use of pet names, degredation, shibari, pet play, sex toys, orgasm denial, marking, exhibitionism, threesome, foursome, general debauchery and more

CWs: mentions of death, blood, hellish things and slight horror elements

Word count: ??

aka the hardest thing that i will have written to this date. can you endure the pain and pleasure of eight of hell’s most sinful demons?

~if you would liked to be tagged on this piece, let me know!

Bunch of (Ro)ses!

@minaamhh @dazzlehoseok @synnocence @jjewibeans @hyunsluvv @unexceptional-h @bobawithchaitea @lechanters @sailorhyunjinz @silencefavarchive @eunaeiekim @julesinthesoop

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accordingtopris · 3 years

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Priscilla Rubin: Character Development (3/?)

BASIC INFORMATION.

Full name: Priscilla Rubin Nickname: Pris Birthdate: April 27th, 1987 Age: 34 Zodiac: Taurus Gender: Cisgender Female Pronouns: She/Her Romantic orientation: Biromantic Sexual orientation: Bisexual Nationality: American, Permanent Residency in the United Kingdom Ethnicity: Ashkenazi Jewish, English, Dutch Ranking: Virtue/Nightclub Manager Affiliation: Pestilence

BACKGROUND.

Birthplace: Los Angeles, California Hometown: Thousand Oaks, California Social Class: Born lower-middle class, previously lower-class until she began inroads within Pestilence. She is now considered upper-middle class Educational achievements: Graduated from her local high school in Thousand Oaks Father: Gregory Rubin (Deceased) Mother: Brandy Rubin (Deceased) Sibling(s): Penelope Rubin Pets: None Previous relationships: In her early twenties, Priscilla had a few flings. Her most significant relationship being 2 years with Nathaniel Hendrix when she was on the cusp of becoming a Power. Arrests: Surprisingly zero arrests, despite starting her career as a drug dealer. Priscilla’s nothing if not cautious Prison time: N/A

OCCUPATION & INCOME.

Current occupation: Pestilence Virtue and Manager of Pest Nightclub Dream occupation: She’s a practical woman - dream occupations are for chumps who listened to one too many guidance counselors Past job(s): A number of jobs (waitress, housekeeper, convenience store clerk) before joining Pestilence. Since then, she hasn’t been officially employed due to the nature of her work, until she took over the Nightclub Spending habits: Incredibly frugal. Her sister often complains that she won’t turn the heating on in their apartment, or spring for branded cookies. Her substantial, new money wealth hasn’t changed this In debt?: Not anymore. She has paid off her loans since her promotion to Virtue

SKILLS & ABILITIES.

Physical strength: Average Speed: Average Intelligence: Above Average Accuracy: Average Agility: Above Average Stamina: Average Teamwork: Works well with others, provided they aren’t too incompetent Talents: Resourceful, practical, and diligent. Personal talents include being a licensed yoga instructor, and surprisingly good aim with her knife Shortcomings: Judgemental, workaholic, overly-cautious Languages spoken: English Drive?: Yes Jump-start a car?: Yes Change a flat tyre?: Yes Ride a bicycle?: Yes Swim?: Yes Play an instrument?: Not really, though she’s tried to learn the piano on-and-off on account of her sister being a piano player Play chess?: No Braid hair?: Yes, her braids on her little sisters were quite legendary Tie a tie?: No Pick a lock?: Yes Cook?: Yes, although her stern dietary habits keep it fairly simple

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE AND CHARACTERISTICS.

Faceclaim: Emmy Rossum Eye colour: Dark brown Hair colour: Black Hair type: Curly Glasses/contacts?: N/A Dominant hand: Right Height: 5″6 Weight: 138 Pounds Build: Lean and toned Exercise habits: Priscilla has a very disciplined exercise regimen. She does yoga and/or hot yoga seven days a week, as well as kick-boxing training Skin tone: Fair skin Tattoos: N/A Piercings: N/A Marks/scars: Faint scars across her body from her early days as an Angel/Power Clothing style: California Casual. Her closet is an assortment of Levi’s jeans, crop tops, combat boots, and plaid. Always errs on the side of casualness, though she approaches nights at the club like a uniform, donning bodycon dresses and high heels Jewellery: Her mother’s old wedding ring, velvet or gold chokers, and hoop earrings Allergies: N/A Diet: Very healthy, organic diet. Priscilla is that person who takes pancakes and turns it into a gluten-free, sugar-free, cauliflower base?

PSYCHOLOGY.

MBTI type: The Defender Enneagram type: Type 6 - The Skeptic Moral Alignment: True Neutral Temperament: Steady Element: Water Emotional stability: Generally steady, but keenly protective of order and control Introvert or Extrovert?: A mix of both. Priscilla has taken to being an extrovert, as part of her job. However, she’s happy to be by herself, or with her sister Drug use: Never touches it Alcohol use: Never had an alcoholic beverage in her life Prone to violence?: Only when provoked Prone to crying?: No, the last time she cried was when her sister nearly got caught in the crossfire Believe in love at first sight?: Only once - when her sister was first born

MANNERISMS.

Accent: West Coast, American accent with valley girl inflections she’s done her best to chomp down Hobbies: Working, yoga, and collecting crystals and incense Habits: Meditation, minimum of eight glasses of water a day, and keeping close track of her expenses Nervous ticks: Kissing her teeth, running her fingers through her hair Drives/motivations: Providing a life for her sister, and always finding ways to improve Fears: The further she rises in Pestilence, the higher the likelihood that her sister will be used against her Sense of humour?: Crude and obnoxious Do they curse often?: Constantly. If she were on cable TV, it would be all bleeps

FAVOURITES.

Animal: Butterflies Beverage: Espresso Book: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. She’s not much of a reader, but the Wynona Ryder version got her to pick it up Colour: Red Food: She’s making the transition into a full vegan diet, and her go-to has been a California salad with avocado. Flower: Tulips Gem: Emerlad Mode of transportation: Her motorcycle Scent: Saje Organic Oils Sport: Not much of a sports person Weather: Very warm weather Vacation destination: California - she grew up near the coast, and misses the forgiving weather

ATTITUDES.

Greatest dream: Watching her sister achieve excellence, without ever knowing Priscilla’s struggles or sacrifices Greatest fear: Having her family caught in the crossfire of her job Most at ease when: Sitting in her office during a Saturday night at Pest Least as ease when: Confined in one space for too long Biggest achievement: Her biggest, personal achievement would be her promotion to Virtue and receiving the keys to the Nightclub. However, it was also the day her sister gained admission into the Sorbonne Biggest regret: She would say she doesn’t regret it - but becoming a ‘mother’ to her sister at only eighteen. At 34, Priscilla has only every thought about her sister, and hasn’t experienced much of life for herself

#muse: priscilla #( priscilla | i am titanium )#tw: drug mention #tw: parent death

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runenc03 · 4 years

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Ready

Writing date: February 2021

Genre: fluff fluff fluff fluff fluff

Warnings: none! I personally really like this one :)

Word count: 2.2k words

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It is rare, but there are moments in life in which you are aware, with every fiber of your being, that you're making a memory that will last forever. For you, one of these moments was right now. It was a late summer evening, the sun had been down for quite some hours now, but you and your friends were still very much awake. The entire afternoon, you'd prepared for this. You'd collected blankets and pillows in all of your houses, hung up a white sheet between two trees in your friend's backyard and installed a beamer in between the giant pillow fort and the trees. Your backyard cinema was born. At first, you'd been obsessed with the aesthetic of it all, your attention solely focused on the film that was playing in front of you, but soon, your gaze had drifted off to the fantastic people around you. Your friend group was made of all kinds of people, diversity was really the key element here. Apart from all sorts of skin colours, religions, and ethnicities, you had the funny friend, the mum friend, the one who shared all their food, the really intelligent friend, the geeky friend, the enthusiastic friend. Regardless of all these differences, there were a lot of things that kept you together too, like a mutual respect for each other and the world. It was a mix that allowed you to be the most at ease with yourself you'd ever been.

"You're missing the plot."

You looked next to you, where another friend of yours was seated. In your head, he was the sweet friend, the cute friend, the butterfly friend. He was the friend you were in love with.

"Shut up. I've seen it like..thirteen times already."

He grinned at that, lifting his arm as an invitation for you to crawl closer to him, and you did. It was something typical of the two of you. While you hugged all your friends, you were particularly clingy with him, and he was very physical with you, too. You never discussed it, it just happened, and it was absolute bliss. You nestled yourself closer to him, smiling as you felt his hand rub on your upper arm, tugging you even closer. You sighed in contentment. This was nice. And it sufficed for a few minutes, until you realised you weren't as comfortable as you could possibly be. Yet.

Should you?

You'd been as close physically as you were now before, but hadn't gone further than this, his arms around you and your sides touching. You really risked making it awkward, or even worse, one of your friends making a suggestive comment- God knows they all ship you like crazy, and you didn't want to face the consequences of your action not being welcomed with enthusiastic encouragement. But a light breeze reminded you of the magic of this moment, and a gentle squeeze on your upper arm gave you the confidence you needed. Carefully, you wrapped your own arms around his torso, lifted both of your legs so they could rest straight over his right one, and finally laid your head against his chest. For a few seconds, you were rooted there, waiting for him to react. He didn't say anything like you'd expected him to do, but then you slowly felt him release the air from his longs, his entire body becoming more relaxed once he realised what had happened. The arm that had previously been resting on your upper arm was now laying on you waist, and you found that you might like that even better. You were about to protest when he lifted it, but smiled once you felt him sweep the hair out of your face.

"I'm repeating my comment: you're missing the plot if your head is laying sideways on my chest."

But there was something joyous in his tone, and you couldn't help the butterflies from fluttering inside of you.

"Then I'll repeat my answer: shut up."

After all, you'd seen it thirteen times already.

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"Does anyone want some more strawberries?"

You were in the park, enjoying a well-deserved early afternoon picnic with your friend group. All your friends were there, and then there was a new face. One of your friends had recently gotten together with a girl you'd never met before, and you had decided that she could come on this picnic with you, you were all dying to meet her, after all. You'd been in the park, telling stories and sharing food, for about an hour now, and it was wonderful being able to just relax. You'd been a bit nervous to meet your friend's girlfriend, as you always were when meeting new people, but she'd turned out to be really nice. You were sure you'd continue to get along and maybe even have a thriving friendship in the future. Closing your eyes, you leaned backwards and basked in the bright sunlight. This is what happiness felt like.

"Hey, you have something on the corner of your mouth, here..."

You burst with laughter then, opening your eyes and facing him, his eyes squinting against the sun, dimples in his cheeks. There was nothing on your mouth, it was his way of making fun of the cliche romcom you'd insisted on watching with him last week. He’d cringed particularly hard at that part of the story, and you'd thrown a pillow at him, entirely too engrossed in the movie to be annoyed with him. Because how could you ever be annoyed at him? Even now, the way he looked at you made you feel like you were melting, and not just from the sun. Okay, so maybe you had watched too many cheesy romcoms. The point was, you felt so utterly at ease with the way you were around him, and vice versa. It was so easy, so natural.

"Hm, do you want to wipe it off for me, please?"

You were trying to keep a straight face, but definitely failed as he ceremoniously picked up a napkin from the middle of your blanket and started to precisely poke the corner of your mouth, and then your cheek, nose, the arch of your eyebrow, a spot right under your hairline. Between fits of giggles, you managed to make him stop.

"Hey, you're hurting me!" He knew you weren't actually hurt, and so his voice was still filled with amusement as he answered in the fakest posh accent you'd ever heard.

"I am so sorry darling, let me kiss it better for you."

And so he came closer, quickly kissing all the places he had poked with the napkin, apart from the corner of your mouth, of course. Something inside of you twisted in disappointment at that.

"They are so cute, what the he-"

It was your friend's girlfriend, whispering to your friend, but they cut her off.

"They aren't together though."

"Wait...they aren't?"

You saw from the corner of your eye how her eyes widened in surprise, and your own did too, because the breeze of satisfaction that had blown through you at the girl's words had taken you by surprise more so than what she'd actually said.

"Nope. But they will, or at least I hope so."

The smile on your face grew as you overheard their conversation.

"Hey, are there any strawberries left? I actually wanted some but then I got attacked!”

------------------------------------------------------------

It happened in the late afternoon of one of the hottest days of that summer, at the beach. Your friends had gotten together and, packed with beach towels, inflatable beach balls, and what was probably an overload of snacks, you drove to the sea, to spend the day swimming, sunbathing, and desperately trying to keep the sand out of every small crevice even though? it would creep in anyway. You were definitely done swimming for today though, and had retreated to a quiet, shady area of the beach, to just lay down and listen to some music. You'd closed your eyes, your mind travelling back to the moment all of your friends had immediately shed their clothes and dived into the sea, while he had stopped you from doing the same, insisting on covering your back in sunscreen lotion first before you sought refreshment in the cool water. It's not like you minded having him rub your back. You'd done the same to him after he had been done, taking your sweet time making sure his entire back was glistening from the sunscreen, and by the time it had dried, your friends had already come out of the water, teasing you that applying sunscreen had never in the history of sunscreen lotion taken such a long time. You'd hid your face in his bare chest while they were laughing, and discovered that that did nothing to diminish the blush on your cheeks.

"Hi...you okay? You were so far away all of a sudden."

You opened your eyes, staring up at him, and nodded your head, smiling at his thoughtfulness.

"Yeah, just… a bit too much sun. And I like how quiet it is here."

He hummed in agreement, crouching down to offer you one of the snacks he had brought from your "headquarters" on the middle of the beach, and then went to lay beside you. You'd expected him to just fully lie down, maybe take your hand like he had done more and more during the last few weeks, but instead he turned so he was laying on his side, facing you, his left arm propped to hold his head up. You lifted an eyebrow in surprise, getting ready to make a dry comment, when you saw the way he was looking at you. It wasn't like he had done when you'd first arrived at the beach, the way his eyes had raked over your body while simultaneously looking like he wanted to chastise himself for doing so. You hadn't minded, not with him. If you were being honest, you had done exactly the same. No, right now he was looking at you as if he was ultimately fascinated by you. It was as if he was looking through you, or maybe he was just looking right inside of you. His eyes held a certain emotion you couldn't completely decipher, but you felt so worthy, so enveloped in him even if no part of him was touching you right now. It was in this sudden moment of clarity that you realised that this was it. There would be no other moment, you had to do it now. You felt as if on a crossroad, deciding right now what the rest of your life would look like. You felt it in every fiber of your being, in the way the cool breeze of the shadow swept over your overheated skin, in the way there was a smudge of sand covering his cheek for one reason or another. "Now. Now. Now!", your heart seemed to be chanting, but your head was so full, you were so acutely aware of your own body, and of his, and of all the things surrounding you, and-

"You're doing it again."

Your heart was pounding. Now. Now. Now.

"Doing what?"

He could hear it, he knew, you were convinced of it.Now.

"Overthinking it."

So why not be completely honest while you were at it?

"And how can I not? You're...you're one of my best friends."

His eyes held yours. He understood.

"I know, and I'm not trying to be impulsive or rash, but don't you think it's time to let go of the thinking, and just...finally do it? Finally be honest with ourselves, each other, heck, with our friends? If you don't want to, we don't have to, you know full well that I don't care about labels anyway. But I like to think that I know you very well, and I think you want to put the label on. I- worrying about it is the only thing that's holding you back from being honest that this...us...was always loving in a romantic way."

You let the words hang between you, letting them sink in your soul. He was right. You would love nothing more than to love him, officially romantically, for the entire world to see and to know. You were just worried. You didn't really know why. It was in your nature to be worried, it was the thing you knew how to do, the easy way. But you continued to look into his eyes, and it was like looking into a mirror. For the first time, your cloudy vision was clear and you saw the way you'd been living before, and the life you could've lived if fear hadn't held you back. It was in that moment that you started truly living. Tears started brimming in your eyes, and you closed them, letting out a choked sob that was audibly filled with relief, and an emotion so raw and pure that it took your breath away. Laying one of your hands on his cheek, you finally placed your lips upon his, and you felt your heart let go of the heaviness of your worries. It was time. Your time. You were ready.

#crushxreader #love #oneshot #friends to lovers #friendstolovers #romance #friends #imagines #fourpart

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hedwigstalons · 4 years

Text

High Expectations - Ch20

I’ve been a little quiet for a bit because illness hit me hard (although thankfully not for too long). I’m back though and I bring another chapter of the beast that keeps on growing.

Extra thanks to @willow-salix who had to deal with my post-fog writing going back a few stages and who helped beat this into some sort of coherency.

Earlier parts: One, Two, Three, Four, Five, Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen, Fifteen, Sixteen, Seventeen, Eighteen, Nineteen

AO3 chapter link

Chapter Twenty

The mood in the plane was buoyant and the air was charged with testosterone and bravado. The transport flight was filled with Air Force personnel and their destination was Fort Hood, Texas. Scott hummed absently, his fingers drumming out a little beat on his knee, feeling relaxed for the first time in weeks, normally being a passenger on a flight made him agitated as he itched to be in the pilot’s seat but today was different.

The Army was the designated host of this year’s United States inter-service sports tournament and Fort Hood was the location where, for the next few days those selected to represent their respective services would compete in their chosen sports.

The tournament was supposed to be a friendly coming together of the various United States forces plus the various World Security Patrol branches, and for the most part it was friendly although it would be a lie to suggest there wasn’t a certain amount of posturing and goading underneath the surface. For those taking part it was a chance to uphold the honour of their chosen service and score some one-upmanship, for those like Scott who had been selected before it was also a chance to settle old scores.

For Scott it would be a blessed interlude between missions; after his last assignment he was in desperate need of some R&R but with taking leave off the cards this came a close second for allowing him to decompress and see the good side of military life. It would be a chance to indulge in some physical activity that he didn't have to think too hard about, recently his life had been nothing but one exhaustive mission after another. For once he was happy to be free from the burden of command for a while, his primary mission now was to run fast, fight hard and add as many points as possible to the Air Force tally.

His thoughts turned to last year’s competition; he’d done well and never placed lower than fifth in any of his events despite one Seaman Jeffries of the World Navy tripping him in 1500m, an action that by rights should have seen the man disqualified. Unfortunately the rankings were upheld with Jeffries placing second while he had struggled to regain ground and claim fifth. The injustice still rankled and he wondered if he would have to face the nefarious Jeffries again this year.

“Sir,” Scott called across to the Major who had been designated at team captain and was in charge of the Air Force contingent, “do you have a copy of the events list I can take a look at?”

“Sure Tracy, I brought some spares just in case” Major Ellis replied, passing a sheaf of papers across the aisle. “You’re up on the Wednesday afternoon for your track events and then Thursday afternoon for the martial arts. See any familiar names?”

“One or two” Scott replied as he checked out the list of competitors. “The US Army have put Moran in the hurdles again. I’d love to beat him this time and wipe that smug smile off his face. I’ve never met anyone so gloating.”

Having scrutinized the running order and competitors for his own events, no Jeffries, thank God, Scott began idly flicking through the rest of the programme. As he scanned the lists he spotted a familiar name, wanting confirmation of his suspicions he pulled out his phone and sent a message.

How far out of Fort Hood are you?

About 40 minutes came the response. This was quickly followed by How did you find out? Everyone at home promised not to tell you. I wanted it to be a surprise. If it was Alan I’ll kill him.

Competitor list. See you soon.

Scott let out an involuntary chuckle knowing Gordon would be mad at giving himself away and thus depriving himself of the element of surprise in any pranks he had planned.

“What’s tickled your funny bone?” asked Ellis.

“It looks like you’re going to get to meet my kid brother.”

“Really?” Ellis asked curiously, opening up his own copy of the events list. “Is he on the other flight?”

“No, Gordon isn’t Air Force, he joined WASP.”

“You’ve got a brother in WASP? That’s a bit of a polar opposite to the Air Force. I bet that didn’t go down too well at home.” Scott had worked hard to build his own reputation but it was still well known who his father was and the Air Force pedigree he was following. “Is he another sprinter like you?”

“Dad took a little persuading” a frown furrowed his brow at the memory of Gordon’s journey into WASP; ‘a little persuading’ really didn’t do it justice but he wasn’t going to have the family’s dirty laundry aired in public, “but WASP was the natural choice really, Gordon’s a swimmer.”

Major Ellis found the relevant page and looked over the listings. The name Ensign G. Tracy leapt off the page again and again within the WASP entries.

“He’s all over the pool like a rash! Talk about putting all your eggs in one basket. Is he really that good?”

“You evidently don’t follow swimming that much. I should’ve realised WASP would jump at the chance to put him on the squad. It’s not often anyone gets to field an Olympic medallist.” He couldn’t help the smile that split his face at the thought of seeing his brother swim again for the first time since the Games. Gordon had dedicated so many years to his sport and had achieved glittering success that gave Scott a rush of pride at the memories.

In the confined space of the plane their conversation was beginning to attract attention.

“What’s that about an Olympic medallist?”

“Dunno, ask Tracy.”

“Hey, Tracy, who’s got a medal?”

“My brother, Gordon.”

“You’re kidding!”

While Scott’s own unit might have been well versed in his sibling’s success story the competitors were pulled from across the Air Force, most of them complete strangers before boarding the flight. There was a flurry of movement as a couple of people pulled out their phones and plugged the name into a search engine. By now most of the plane was taking an interest. It didn’t take long for someone to dig out one of the news reports; Gordon’s Olympic win had taken place less than two years previously and coverage was easy to find.

“Here, listen to this.”

Team USA continue their race to the top of the medals table with a successful day in the pool. The crowning glory came from Gordon Tracy, a rising star in the swimming world, who not only achieved gold in the 200m butterfly but set a new world record in the process. This achievement is made more remarkable in that Tracy is just 17 years old.

“That’s your brother! And now he is on the WASP team? Heck Tracy, can’t you do something like hide his trunks so the rest of us stand a chance?” one of the Air Force’s own swimmers exclaimed.

“No can do. There is no way I’m sabotaging my own brother and don’t any of you think of trying anything either. If you had ever met Gordon you would know that wouldn’t work anyway, he would probably just do the race butt naked.”

xoxoxox

Gordon gazed listlessly out of the window of his own transport flight, the clouds forming an unbroken blanket below them, the vista bland and uninspiring. After 4 fours in the air he was feeling bored, cramped and fed up. He’d started the flight all keyed up at the thought of competing again but the long hours in the company of strangers was starting to wear thin. For one thing there was too much trash talking for his liking, he’d never gone in for the verbal sparring side of sport but it seemed his companions very much viewed the other services as the enemy at this event. It wasn’t an attitude he had encountered elsewhere in WASP and he hoped the bad mouthing would be constrained to these few days, it also wasn’t behaviour he could join in with in good conscious and so he had stayed quiet and kept himself to himself, trying to get back into competition mode after so long off the elite circuit. A vibration in his pocket startled him and he pulled out his phone.

How far out of Fort Hood are you?

Without thinking he typed About 40 minutes and hit the send button. Only when it was too late did it register who had sent the original message and he realised his mistake. He had wanted to surprise his oldest brother, the one who was hardest to meet up with due to their differing military commitments. He’d been able to tell the wider family about his selection during his period of leave over Alan’s birthday but with Scott away on his mission he’d been able to keep the news secret from his eldest sibling.

How did you find out? Everyone at home promised not to tell you. I wanted it to be a surprise. If it was Alan I’ll kill him.

Competitor list. See you soon.

Well, he supposed Scott would have found out in a few hours anyway and at least this way they would both be looking out for each other. He wasn’t quite sure of the format of the event or how easy it would be to break away and hunt down a member of one of the other services.

xoxoxox

Gordon wasn’t sure what he had been expecting from competition or from Fort Hood but it looked like finding Scott wasn’t going to be easy. Outside of their own events the personnel were able to watch the competition but there was very little free time beyond that. Even if he could get away, finding his brother was going to be like finding a needle in a haystack; the different services were billeted all over the base and by the end of the first day all he knew was that WASP was sharing a dorm block with the Coastguard Service and a mess hall with the US Navy.

Not that he had much time to brood, the swimming was taking place on the first day of the competition proper and after a hurried breakfast Gordon found himself hustled towards the pool.

He was looking forward to the chance of some competitive swimming again. The specialist training on the Merlin had been intensive and the extended time beneath the waves had ignited a passion for marine biology but the cramped space of a submarine had hardly been conducive to physical exercise. This competition would give him the opportunity to indulge in his first passion, he just hoped he was up to the task having been entered into far more events and across a wider range of disciplines that he was used to.

Aside from his trunks lacking the Team USA branding the competition was much like any other Gordon had attended. A fair crowd had filled the viewing gallery but Gordon couldn’t tell if Scott was amongst those in dark blue. Events were called, heats were swum (and usually won) and Tracy was once again a name to be reckoned with in the pool. It felt good to be cleaving through the water again. Despite not being in peak condition for swimming he was still in fine physical form over all and the muscle memory from all those races past carried him along to victory time and again. The main difference to his usual style of competition was the lack of medal ceremony at the end and at the conclusion of his last race Gordon was able to wend his weary way back to the changing rooms where he flopped down on a bench.

Pressing his shoulders against the cold tiles, eyes closed and head tipped back, the last of his energy was spent. It had been a long time since he’d pushed himself to those lengths in the water and normally his race card was rather more sparse, one elite athlete among many, each responsible for their own specialisms. The problem was, despite the high physical standards demanded by the military, elite athletes were in short supply and his pool times had placed him as primary candidate across more events than he was really comfortable taking on but he hadn’t felt able to say no to his superiors this early in his WASP career.

He concentrated on his breathing, listening to the hum and chatter of the other competitors around him, a cluster of WASPs gloating about their healthy position in the league table were his nearest companions. He knew he ought to be getting dry, knew he ought to be digging out the tracksuit he’d been issued for the event, but his limbs felt leaden. He wanted to be collapsed on his bunk but that involved moving and right now moving felt an impossible task.

“Gordon, eat something.”

He sensed a dimming of the light levels through his eyelids as a figure stepped between him and the harsh lights of the changing room. The voice was commanding but his eyes stayed firmly shut and his body refused to obey.

The figure in front of him was causing quite a stir but then that was typical of Scott. He tended to exude an attitude as though he owned a place and this evidently wasn’t going down well with the WASPs around him who bristled with resentment at the young figure in Air Force blue invading their section of the changing rooms. There were muttered jibes, reminiscent of those from the flight over, but the intruder wasn’t giving the WASP delegation the rise they so clearly desired. Having failed in their goading one of his team mates decided to square up to the man they evidently viewed as the opposition.

“And who the hell are you to order us around, flyboy?”

Scott’s eyes glittered at the challenge, a warning look that Gordon would have recognised from his own childhood had he been fully cognizant of the situation, Scott was not in any mood to be pushed.

“That’s Captain to you” there was a pause as he took in the insignia worn by the other man, neither were in traditional uniform but the competition sports kit still had a place for rank slides; after all, the military thrived on hierarchy “Chief Petty Officer, although I accept you may not be familiar with the rank structures of the other services”

Scott turned his attention back to his brother, ignoring the WASP who was now brisling after being firmly put in his place. He was well aware of the animosity being directed towards him but his focus was his sibling, not some jumped up sardine with a chip on his shoulder. He’d been concerned at the amount of events Gordon had pulled, and now, seeing his brother in the aftermath, he knew that concern had been justified. The figure in front of him was breathing a little too shallowly for comfort and hadn’t moved from the moment Scott had spied him from across the changing room. It had been a long time since he’d seen his brother swim himself to this level of stupor, years of competing had made Gordon pretty well attuned to his bodily needs, but evidently today he had neglected his post-race routine.

Gordon had gotten as far as taking off his swim cap but no further, water dripped down his torso from the flattened hair that was still slick from the showers. Even accounting for his time under the waves his skin was far paler than Scott was used to seeing. He’d come down with the intention of congratulating his brother on his success in the water but now his primary concern had turned to Gordon’s basic wellbeing.

Scott knew he had to get his blood sugars back up again. He grabbed his brother’s kit bag and rooted around in the end pocket. He allowed himself a small smile of triumph as his fingers closed around the packet of glucose tablets it appeared his brother still had the sense to carry. He extracted two tablets from the tube and, crouching down in front of his brother, placed them in Gordon’s palm before closing the lax fingers over them.

“Gords, you still with me? You need to get these into you.”

He paused while Gordon’s body processed the order, then let out a little breath of relief as the arm jerked up and Gordon began to suck on the tablets.

He hadn’t seen his brother crash this bad since he was about twelve. An early promotion to senior squad had seen the pre-teen eager to please his new coach while trying not to show anything that could be construed as weakness by his new and much older team mates and so the kid had forgone his post-race refuel. The result then had been Gordon turning a grim shade of grey and falling off the medal podium in a dead faint.

With the glucose tablets administered Scott turned his attention back to Gordon’s kit bag and pulled out a celery crunch bar, a firm favourite for the swimmer. He opened it and placed it in Gordon’s now empty hand. This was evidently an imposition too far for the WASP already disgruntled at being put in his place by the young captain.

“With all due respect Sir” there was a distinct sneer behind the formality “there’s no eating allowed in the changing rooms.”

If Scott’s eyes had glittered before, now they blazed with anger and contempt. Rising from his crouch in front of Gordon, he drew himself up to his full height and positively loomed over the belligerent WASP.

“With all due respect I would have thought you would rather your team mate got his blood sugars up, or does your first aid training not cover hypoglycaemia?” He took a step towards the WASP, encroaching into the man’s personal space in a clear display of dominance. “Not that you seem to be acting as a team right now. Would half of you even be here if it wasn’t for the relay events, or maybe you tried to enter him for all four legs of that at well?”

With the glucose hitting his blood stream Gordon became more aware of the increasing commotion around him. Voices that had once been jubilant now had a dangerous and angry edge and…yes...most of the anger seemed to be coming from Scott.

Something tripped blearily in his brain; what on Earth was Scott doing here and why did he suddenly feel so cold? Amber eyes cracked open and he forced his head open off the wall. The movement was clocked by Scott who was back in front of him in an instant.

“Hey Fish, you back with me?” All traces of anger had gone as he turned his attention back to his Gordon, the Air Force Captain replaced by the brother of old; the caregiver with the ready supply of band aids, ice packs and gentle admonishment as he presented yet another injury for inspection.

“Yeah, I’m...I’m good.” He looked down in confusion at the crunch bar in his hand, not entirely sure how it had got there, but took a bite anyway. “Guess I should have known better than to skip refuel.”

“Yeah, you should”

Yup, that was the Scott he knew from Kansas. Gordon felt like he was 9 years old again, being told off for being an idiot in the same ‘I told you so’ tone that had made it quite clear that of course jumping off the shed roof or using the frayed rope swing had been a bad idea.

“Yeah, thanks for that” A snort, an eye roll, and a re-emergence of the same attitude common to his past nine year old self.

“You’re okay now though, right? You’ll finish your bar and get dressed? Glucose tabs are back in the end pocket if you need more.”

“I’m fine, honest.” Okay, the slight whine was a little too much like a kid but he was tired and there was something about Scott’s familiar care that had him regressing 10 years. He forced protesting muscles to obey and hauled his back off the wall, rolling his shoulders to try and loosen the muscles that were rapidly seizing up. He tried to suppress a groan at the exertion, he wasn’t quite ready to try standing until after the crunch bar was finished but he also knew Scott would not be pacified until he saw some sort of response. The skeptical look he was given showed that Scott still wasn’t entirely convinced. Mustering up his remaining energy he returned the look with a grin which seemed to appease the elder Tracy.

“Hmm”, Scott didn't sound like he believed him but couldn't argue it, “well, get dry and get your kit on. You did good out there. I’ll be on the track tomorrow afternoon; I’ll see you there.” Without waiting for an answer Scott turned and exited the changing rooms.

The departure of the Air Force officer was followed with an outburst of grumbling from the WASP delegation.

“Asshole. Who the hell does he think he is, ordering us around?”

Gordon still hadn’t found his footing among the other swimmers, or the wider WASP delegation. He might be the highest ranking of those at the pool but he was also by far the youngest and with the shortest amount of service under his belt by a country mile. Rank structures overall seemed to be treated differently during the competition and these particular team mates seemed to have little regard for authority. He was conscious that a wrong move now could make life distinctly unpleasant for him, he might never see these men again after the competition was over but he still had to get through several more days in their company. He decided to play it for what it was; Scott being an irritating older brother.

“That was Scott. I think he got the whole older brother thing hard wired in at birth.”

“You’re related to that?” There was a contemptuous sneer aimed at Scott’s retreating form that set Gordon’s hackles raising but he knew sniping back would be an error.

“Yup. Of course, I got blessed with the good looks while he got the height.” He flashed a grin, trying to diffuse the tensions.

“Is he always such a jerk?” a Seaman sat to his right piped up, finding his voice now the imposing Captain was no longer practically standing on his toes.

Gordon shrugged; evidently the tensions were still there. “Only when he needs to be. I should’a thought to grab the glucose tabs myself after that many races. It’s been a while since I hit the pool competitively.”

There was a slight shuffling from the other swimmers, signs of guilt at not looking out for the young Ensign that had carried the team. Scott’s words about the rest of them only being there to make up the numbers for the relay, while not wholly accurate, weren’t far off the truth. They were all back in their dry kit while Gordon was still in his trunks, his skin still pale from the exertion even if his eyes had regained some brightness.

“Anyway,” he scruffed at his hair before drying off the rest of his body ready for dressing, “I need some real food after that and then I need to find out where the track events are being held.”

A snort. “Well we’ll be watching the shooting tomorrow. You can join us, or are you really going to do what big brother tells you?”

There was a challenge in the tone but Gordon was feeling more alive again and less tolerant of their needling. “I’m not going because he told me to, I’m going because he’s my brother and I want to. In my family we support each other and Scott, well, he’s done a lot for me.”

Decision made and allegiances stated he swung his kit bag over his shoulder and headed out to find some food.

#High Expectations #thunderbirds #thunderbirds fanfiction #Scott Tracy #Gordon Tracy #Military brothers #Family comes first #swimming

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didanawisgi · 5 years

Photo

Ojibwe Indian stone medicine wheel

Key to stone medicine wheel:

Creator - Center of life, the Medicine Wheel itself.

Earth Mother - Gives us our home, and lives.

Father Sun - Warms life, source of energy and light.

Grandmother Moon - Guides dreams and visions.

Turtle Clan - The element of earth. Growth and life.

Frog Clan - The element of water. Cleansing.

Thunderbird Clan - The element of fire. Energy.

Butterfly Clan - The element of air. Transformation.

The North - Knowledge and wisdom.

The East - Daybreak, Illumination. Spirit.

The South - Youth and innocence. Emotion.

The West - Introspection, Looks within.

Snow Goose – Direction.

Otter - Balanced female energy.

Cougar - Leadership without insisting.

Red Hawk - Observant. Messengers of the Gods.

Beaver - Builder and do-er.

Deer - Power and gentleness.

Flicker – Music.

Sturgeon - Moving through life, swimming.

Brown Bear - Sweetness of truth.

Raven - Keeper of Sacred law.

Snake - Power of creation. Transmutation.

Elk - Stamina. To go the distance.

Cleansing - To make clean. Purify

Renewal - To begin again.

Purity - Clean and innocent.

Clarity - Unclouded. Free from darkness.

Love - To delight in a higher state of appreciation.

Wisdom - Knowledge and sense. Intelligence and foresight.

Illumination - To enlighten. Cast light upon.

Growth - To become. To change from one state to another. To advance.

Trust - To place confidence in the reliance on the integrity and friendship of another.

Experience - Knowledge and understanding

Introspection - To look inside.

Strength - Power and vigor of mind.

#native american #cornerstone #stone #stone people #stonehenge #spirituality #medicine wheel #didanawisgi #Ojibwe #Resources

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huahsu · 5 years

Text

YEAR OF THE BUTTERFLY

previous years: A SONG THAT DEGRADES EACH TIME YOU PLAY IT :: 2018 A CHURCH AND JOHN LENNON’S “IMAGINE” :: 2017 SIKH DEVOTIONAL MUSIC :: 2016 SPOOKY BLACK :: 2015 this year: I’ve spent the past few months working on a book that I’ve always wanted to write but never figured I’d make the time for. At a really basic level, it’s about listening to music with friends. A couple weeks ago, I devoted a few days to reading a stack of books and articles about the emotional experience of music. They were written by philosophers, critics, cognitive scientists, historians. I took from them two overarching questions. First, what does it mean to assign a piece of music a feeling, like “happy” or “sad?” Is the song itself “sad,” or does it just model a kind of sadness proximate to how we feel? What elements of a song do this? The fraying of a voice? Minor keys? Tempo? Is it all a trick of memory? None of the answers really satisfied me, since music is such an intimate thing. A song makes us feel a way for reasons that are often either blindingly obvious or remote and mysterious. An expert can tell you that humans are wired to feel joy when a certain configuration of notes are struck in tandem, but maybe it just reminds you of looking at the front door.

The other question was whether music itself facilitates any unique emotional possibilities--a mode of feeling that we can’t get anywhere else. Music doesn’t mimic the real world, it doesn’t make arguments. One writer suggested that the thrill of music was its capacity to remind you, foremost, that music can thrill you. In essence, each time we hear something new and feel something, we are being reminded of all the times we’ve felt this way before. We’re living in the echo of a former enchantment. Maybe you’ll hear it again, process it, assign it a genre or context, and the mystique evaporates. But music is one of those things that doesn’t happen on our time. We don’t stand in front of it and train our gaze on this quadrant or that. We don’t flip back to make sure we didn’t miss something. You can’t slow it down as it is happening, you merely let it happen.

In the spring, the Museum of Chinese in America in Manhattan showed “The Moon Represents My Heart,” an exhibition I worked on with MOCA’s curators, Herb and Andrew. The basic idea was to look at all the ways music had enriched immigrant life, from early opera troupes touring America’s Chinatowns to karaoke bars, church choirs, and after-school violin lessons, fifties doo-wop trios to garage punks and self-taught dance music producers. There’s no legible tradition of Chinese American music so we just wanted to present it as a textured and everyday thing--the experience of the fan could be as legitimate as that of a Mando-pop superstar. While working on the show, people would often ask me for a playlist, but I didn’t really have any to share. It wasn’t really about the music itself, which could sound derivative or amateur to some. It was about the fact that they sought to express themselves through music, in contexts that made them outliers and oddballs. I came to love all the music in our show because of that second-hand thrill--that sense that these moments had been deeply meaningful to everyone in the room.

You can hear it in the voice of Stephen Cheng, who ended up being the show’s most memorable star. He put out a rocksteady gem in the sixties and then spent the next decade in New York trying to get the Dragon Seeds, his Chinese “folk-rock” band, off the ground. Cheng died years ago, but Andrew found his children, who brought some reels of unreleased music to the museum. I remember staring at them, wondering what was on them. It was a kind of anticipation and wonder that I often miss, when the operative feeling I associate with music-listening on the internet is the frenzy of opening and closing windows, clicking links, proving my humanity to a captcha.

Stephen’s singing wasn’t great, but it was perfect. His version of “Yesterday,” all warbly and over-the-top, has now supplanted the original for me. Somehow, we played some of Stephen’s songs on the radio, including one about butterflies and love. Somehow, one of the people listening was a butterfly expert, and he was about to marry another butterfly expert. Who knew such a song was possible, the groom-to-be told me. Stephen was too obscure to be properly forgotten. Or maybe his song was just dormant all these years. It awaited just the right listener, and now, over forty years later, he would get his propers, sandwiched somewhere between the vows and Kool and the Gang, a couple minutes of people scratching their heads, searching for the right smile, saying Can you believe this? to one another.

### TEENAGE DREAM

Warren Defever/His Name is Alive, All the Mirrors in the House

EXCELLENT USE OF “P.S.K.” Kindness feat. Robyn, “Warning” EXCELLENT USE OF A TELEPHONE Mavi, “Guernica” TECHNICALLY 2018, BUT TAIWAN’S ANSWER TO COIL, JOY DIVISION, ETC SEN, “The Cicada” SAME (2018) BUT TAIWANESE DREAMBOAT VIBES Linion, “Can’t Find” ANOTHER, KINDA BILLY BRAGG-Y Wayne’s So Sad, “Wanderer’s Guide to Taipei” SUMMER IN TAIWAN, AND SO I BOUGHT A LOT OF CDs, INCLUDING THE LIMITED EDITION SIGNED 9M88 DEBUT 9m88, “Love Rain” THEY ARE VERY INTO THE “FUTURE SOUL” THING Andrea, “You Better Kiss Me” THIS GUY HAS THE SAME NAME AS MY COUSIN Yo Lee demos LOTS OF BACKPACKS Hsien, Lately AMAZED TO SEE LIM GIONG REISSUES THERE, THIS IS THE DANCE ALBUM HE RECORDED IN 1994 IN THE UK BEFORE BRINGING RAVE CULTURE BACK TO TAIWAN Lim Giong, Entertainment World (IF YOU ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH LIM GIONG, THIS IS THE GREATEST SONG EVER Lim Giong, “A Pure Person) AND HERE’S 9m88 COVERING “PLASTIC LOVE” 9m88, “Plastic Love” AIR SUPPLYERS Oso Leone, Gallery Love Sunset Rollercoaster, Vanilla Villa I ENJOYED THIS WHEN IT CAME OUT BUT HONESTLY FORGOT IT CAME OUT THIS YEAR, OR THAT I ENJOYED, BUT FOR THE LONGEST TIME MY “2019″ EMAIL DRAFT JUST READ “CHIEF KEEF HNIA KAIL MALONE (sic)” Chief Keef and Zaytoven, GloToven

ANOTHER DEVASTATING DUO Pink Siifu and Akai Solo, Black Sand

MYSTIC CHORDS OF MEMORY Kali Malone, The Sacrificial Code Clarice Jensen, Drone Studies I AM A SLOW WALKER, BUT I NEVER WALK BACKWARDS Michael Vincent Waller, Moments ana roxane - ~~~ A THOUSAND POINTS OF LIGHT Caleb Giles, Under the Shade Medhane, Own Pace WE ARE THE ONES WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR Angel Bat Dawid, The Oracle Art Ensemble of Chicago, We are on the Edge READ JOSEPH JARMAN Joseph Jarman, Black Case I and II RESPECT YOURSELF Helado Negro, This is How You Smile Deb Never, “Swimming” LET’S DO IT AGAIN Tommy Holohan & Casper Hastings- RVE001 Eris Drew, Raving Disco Breaks LET’S DO IT AGAIN AGAIN, BUT SMEARED Burial, Tunes 2011-2019 OR PERHAPS YOU WERE THERE Callisto, Guidance is Eternal, Part I PERHAPS YOU WERE THERE FOR MICROHOUSE AND PEAK MEGO AND BLOGS Barker, Debiasing AT A WAREHOUSE PARTY, ABLE TO HEAR TOO MANY FLOORS, ROOMS, SOUNDS AT ONCE, IN A GOOD WAY Dies Smely, “Neptune Rises” AT A WAREHOUSE PARTY, BUT THINKING ABOUT PLUNDER, THE TRAIL OF TEARS, THE SANCTITY OF EARTH Kelman Duran, 13 Month A KIND OF BLUE Steve Hiett, Down on the Road by the Beach POSSIBLY MY MOST PLAYED ALBUM, 2019 Galcher Lustwerk, Information R.I.P. PRINCE, FOREVER AND ALWAYS Serpente, Parada Moodymann, Sinner Nelson Bandela, Purprain THE OPPOSITE OF “I AM A GOD” Nelson Bandela - “i'm mortal” YOU GOT ME Shane Eagle feat. Santi and Bas, “Vanya” HARD TO BELIEVE JAZMINE SULLIVAN REMAINS SO OVERLOOKED Kindness feat Jazmine Sullivan, “Hard to Believe” WATCH FOR THE HOOK Quando Rondo, “Gun Powder”

ANTE UP Polo G feat Lil Tjay, “Pop Out” “PANTS GON BE SAGGIN TIL I’M FORTY” Freddie Gibbs and Madlib, “Thuggin”

“WHY THEY LET THE TERMINATOR WIN THE ELECTION?” Sault, “Why Why Why Why Why”

HOLLOW BONES Showbiz and Milano, “Guillotine” LADI LUV, “GOOD TO THE LAST DUB” City Girls, “Act Up” MONEY BOSS PLAYERS Benny the Butcher feat 38 Spesh and Jadakiss, “Sunday School” Roc Marciano, “Richard Gear” WARP 30 (1989-2019) Droop-E, “The Droop-E Way” INTERSTELLAR SPACE, PROBABLY KILLER LIVE Blacks’ Myths, Blacks Myths II ALICE NEVER WENT ANYWHERE Sam Wilkes, “Sivaya” Alice Coltrane, Live at the Berkeley Community Theater 1972 RIYL: LYRICHORD, EFFECTS PEDALS Seungmin Cha, Nuunmuun RIYL: EFFICIENCY, INTERLUDES Solange, “Binz” “WHO HERE IS STILL LISTENING TO JOHNNY MAY CASH’S “DRUGS” IN 2019?” Playboi Carti, “Molly” “MOLLY” CZ Wang and Neo Image, “Just Off Wave”

YOU’VE SUBSCRIBED TO “UK STREETSOUL YOUTUBE PLAYLIST” Apiento feat Harriet Brown, “Down That Road” WHERE WERE U IN 2092? Jai Paul, “He”

LIL B, INNIT Voldy Moyo, Paper World SCREAMADELICA Vampire Weekend, “Harmony Hall” Humeysha, Nusrat on the Beach FOLKTRONICA Aldous Harding, “The Barrel” TOO PURE Springfields, Singles 1986-1991 MY AQUARIUM Rod Modell, Captagon ANOTHER WORLD IS POSSIBLE Vagabon, Vagabon 4-TRACK TWEE BEDROOM COVERS OF BLINK-182′S DUDE RANCH Colleen Green, Blink-182′s “Dude Ranch” as Played by Colleen Green

KINDA AS THOUGH A PART OF MY 2016-19 LP PURCHASES FORMED THEIR OWN BANDS Anunaku, Whities 024 75 Dollar Bill, I Was Real Joshua Abrams and Natural Information Society, Mandatory Reality

JUST 30 OR SO GECS Cool Fang, Sparring I’M A DEADHEAD BUT FOR STANDING ON THE CORNER SOTC Art Ensemble, SOTC Double Bass Ensemble * Merciful Allah Black Hole Theater * 4/24/19 SOTC Art Ensemble, Variation 9 * Merciful Allah Black Hole Theater * 4/27/19

SONG OF THE SPRING, SUMMER, WINTER, YEAR, STILL UNDEFEATED

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awesomeuchuu · 4 years

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Time to make quizzes for Eichi >o>

What is your Major Arcana Social Link unto others?

THE MAGICIAN

The Magician is associated with action, initiative, self-confidence, manipulation and power (more specifically, the power to harness one's talents). You prefer being the right-hand men of someone you are close to or you look up to. A tragedy in your life must have shaped you unto who you are right now and how you live your life. You prefer dynamic and theatrical situations rather than solemn and quiet paces of life. A downside in your character is that you may possibly be perverted most of the time and easily fall in love or have crushes on other people you admire.

What is Your Psychological Archetype?

The Seeker (or Explorer)

The Seeker leaves the known to discover and explore the unknown. This inner-rugged individual braves loneliness and isolation to seek out new paths. Often oppositional, this iconoclastic archetype helps us discover our uniqueness, our perspectives and our callings. Seekers are looking for something that will improve their life in some way, but in doing so they may not realize that they have a lot already inside of themselves. They embrace learning and are ambitious, and often tend to avoid the encumbrance of support from others. Needing to "do it themselves," they keep moving until they find their goal (and usually their true self too).

Shadow Side: The perfectionist. This will manifest itself in your life as the tendency to always strive to measure up to an impossible goal or to find the “right” solution. We see this shadow element in people whose main life activity is self-improvement: going from health club to health club, traveling the world, bouncing back and forth through self-improvement seminars and workshops, etc. If this sounds like you, you might wind up feeling as though you haven't really accomplished anything through a lack of commitment.

Life Goal: Search for a better way (better life) Fear: Conformity, entrapment Response to Problem: Leave it, escape it, take off Life Task: Be true to a Higher Self Personal Gifts: Autonomy, ambition, identity, expanded possibilities

which aesthetic™ colour are you?

lavender

You have a soft heart. Your home is full of little sentimental nick-nacks you've made, been given, or picked up on your travels, and anyone who enters is immediately put at ease by your comforting energy. Your friends know they can turn to you for a cup of tea and a tight hug, or, if necessary, a kick in the ass. At times, you find yourself tending to others more than you do yourself, and you often take on more than you can bear of others' sadness. Just remember-- you are worth the same kindness you show the people around you. They would want nothing less for you.

What unfelt feeling are you?

Desperation

You are desperate for something-- yearning, love, acceptance, understanding, your heart sings for it while you cannot gain what you need. The world feels as if it is not yours, that your begging has gone unanswered. Ask once more; perhaps what you look for will finally be yours.

what does your soul smell like?

Rosewater

key words: sensitive, romantic, calming. you are a beautiful person inside and out whose kindness shines through even on your worst days. being around you is like stepping into a crisp smelling floral garden on a spring evening. others are inspired by your empathy, charm, and all the love you have to give. compatible with: fresh linen, freshly baked bread.

which tragic character from ancient greek literature are you?

cassandra

you are cassandra from the trojan women by euripides and agamemnon by aeschylus. people have tried to silence you one too many times, but you are resilient. your own dignity and agency have always come first, but at a great cost. you know yourself and your inner strength, but that won't ever stop you from feeling completely alone in the world. sometimes simply enduring the pain won't be enough, no matter how hard you want it to be. above all, you must never lose your unwavering hope in mankind, even as the world forsakes you. it is what keeps you human.

What Shape Does Your Pain Take?

SEA

You're drowning. A sea of emotions, responsibilities, people, things, everything. You just can't handle it all, you need to escape, but you can't. Even talking to someone and being told it's okay, compliments, nice things people say, it all adds up to drown you further. Guilt, for feeling this way when everyone's being nice and you're not enough. Will you sink or swim?

what colour is your love language?

Lavender

Key words: pure, affectionate, innocent. Your love is the love of childhood crushes, secrets told in the dark between two best friends and long car trips with your favourite sibling. You're a sweet person with a soft heart and a gentle way of showing your affection. A pure, idealistic love, yours is the love of intertwined pinkies, butterfly kisses, and rubbing noses. Best matched with: Fern, Canary

#memes #About Eichi

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thesunlounge · 5 years

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Reviews 310: Bartosz Kruczyński

As mentioned during my write-up for Masala Kiss, I fell behind this year in covering Growing Bin Records and am trying to get back on track, having just visited the Trance Not Trance 12” on Glowing Pin. So next I’d like to focus on Bartosz Kruczyński’s Baltic Beat II, which was released back in April and serves as a sequel to one of my favorite albums ever in 2016′s Baltic Beat. Though Bartosz had already hinted at the direction he would take on Baltic Beat as early as 2015 with The Phantom’s “Ocean” (on Transatlantyk), the album was nevertheless a total revelation…a near perfect summation of minimalism, new age, kosmische, and post-rock built from solar organ swells, aqueous synthesizer environments, sunset orchestrations, liquid space guitars, and interlocking cycles of piano, vibraphone, and marimba. And I’m overjoyed to report that Baltic Beat II, which is appropriately subtitled Pastoral Sequences, continues exploring these same realms of bucolic dream ambiance, though there are some new textures and influences that reveal themselves on deep listening, with Bartosz touching upon spiritual jazz, avant-prog, and even ambient techno while also expanding the instrumental palette via guitar and bass from Marek Stuckzyński (aka Eltron John), flute from Marek Pędziwiatr, and vocals from Jagoda Gawliczek. As well, Baltic Beat II references the first Baltic Beat visually by once again featuring the serene photography of Karolina Zajączkowska, with the visual artist here focusing on rolling grain fields, cloudy skies, and scenes of farm life during harvest…a strange yet sympathetic match for Bartosz’s worlds of spiritual sonic nostalgia.

Bartosz Kruczyński - Baltic Beat II: Pastoral Sequences (Growing Bin Records, 2019) Lapping water and a symphony of insects introduce “Pastoral Sequences”…the sounds evoking the cool comforts of dawn and the feeling of a world waking up. Crystalline pads and sunrise organs smear together and buzzing tones sitting somewhere between hornet and saxophone flow across the spectrum, with thunder rumbling far in the distance. Bodies rustle through seas of grass and pianos fall like a rain until whooshing sounds sourced from a train (or a jet engine?) wash the mix clean, leaving space for spiritual vocals to fade in and sing child-like hymns. As the singing wavers through arresting vibrato motions, bleary-eyed synth layers surround laser-light glitches and mutating birdsong and eventually, idiophonic sequences bubble into the mix, though never rising above a meditative whisper. Next comes “In the Garden” and its oceanic fogs colored in hues of deep blue and dark grey. Piano chords drift and bass electronics float the spirit while mallet instruments add gentle touches of exotica to the evolving post-rock swoon. A muted kick taps out a hypnotic groove, which is then given further shape by tambourine jangles, kinetic rimshot rhythms, and jazzwise acoustic guitar riffing from Marek Stuczyński. An electric guitar executes fluid slides and starbeam solo dances, synthesized woodwind ensembles weave cinematic themes, and string synths are smothered in phaser psychedelics until the melodic elements pull away, leaving behind marimbas and a soft percussive hypno-glide…the feeling as if skipping through some flower field paradise. Phaser-blasted strings diffuse back in alongside sliding six-string melodics and now the rhythms are accented by tribalistic tom-tom dances, which somehow pull my mind to Popoul Vuh and the rhythmic work of Daniel Fichelscher.

“Petals” opens on an orchestral awakening, as seemingly millions of strings saw quickly back and forth…the effect like a cloud of fluttering butterflies. The hyperspeed repetitions blur into a minimalist dream haze as a technoid sequence bounces in, reveling in playful filtering and melancholic melodicism. Marimba taps are surrounded by blasts of spaceage gas and piercing feedback sonics fade in and out…cycling the mind through repeated ecstasy ascents while string orchestrations soar through phase shifting madness. Then, after piano chords drop from the clouds, they settle into a peaceful cycle, alternating back and forth with sliding electric leads and buried dream-pop arpeggiations. We rush right into a prismatic world of chiming starlight in “Voices,” with uncountable marimba, vibraphone, and guitar layers woven into a minimalist tapestry of every possible color. Cymbal taps keep a rhythmic pulse as galactic guitars solo overhead, with occasional volume knob echo-swells evoking the whalesong space psychedelics of Gilmour and Göttsching. At some point everything spreads out…mystifies…transmutes into ether…with the minimalist patterns almost imperceptibly receding until all that remains are tapped percussions and shimmering webs of guitar majesty. Then, further six-string layers fade in, with everything locking into syncopated echo grooves in the style of Schickert and Reichel…a sort of kosmische music generated purely by guitar, with layered arpeggiations flowing through mechanized delay trails and bluesy leads swimming across the sky. It’s a brief but glorious moment, and as the guitars slowly peel away, tick-tocking cyborg electronics progressively filter into indistinction while a lone guitar references the minimalist glories of the track’s introduction. And all the while, pianos wash out through liquid layers and tremolo hallucinations.

The B-side opens with “If You Go Down in the Woods Today,” which sees shakers rattling and marimbas moving through thrilling runs and dramatic key changes. The mallet motions are tracked by sprightly reeds and shining cymbal taps and eventually, low-down brass skronks join the panoramic dream flow (in way recalling Colin Stetson). Choirs bring touches of Zuehl to the proceeding, with masculine voices dispersing into shadow and feminine choirs chanting towards the sun. Cymbals swell, brass and woodwind instruments scat into hypnotic ecstasy, and pianos solo as waves of electronic smolder fade into view. Later, bass heavy marimba notes splash through tide pools alongside pulsating fusion basslines from Stuczyński, with the pianos swooning through mystical McCoy Tyner-style patterns. In fact, when viewed from afar, the track takes on the form of a spiritual jazz bop, though nearly beatless and landing like a dream. Moving into “The Orchard,” mallet instruments dance through kosmische echoes, with the repeating star-trails approximating Berlin School sequencers even as the melodies portend atmospheres of hope and joy. Vibraphones bend through mirage-like vibrato and electric guitars spray cosmic hazes as they solo…almost as if each note is carried within an aquamarine fog. The continually cycling marimba and vibraphone layers create an irrestible groove, one that causes the body to sway at peace in an ambient trance state, and occasionally, reversing bell-tones dance in counterpoint. Later, buzzing bass synths pound on the beat, with industrialized echoes spreading out…as if decaying within a cavernous warehouse structure. And briefly towards the end, vibraphones solo joyously and mermaid voices flow in from underwater kingdoms, causing the spirit to soar beyond the clouds.

Baltic Beat II closes with the two-part “Along the Sun-Drenched Road,” the first part of which is built on mesmerizing synthetic cycles…almost as if a Leslie speaker has been slowed to the speed of evolution while being submerged deep within some galactic ocean. These throbbing dream sequences are flashed around by seascape tracers as a piano meditation unfolds, all glorious new age magic accented by glassy electronics that mutate into glowing gas. Seed shakers rattle like snake tails, orchestral woodwind themes are blurred by seafoam, and wavering organ majesties float towards the sky…all while Bartosz’s ivory note cluster and golden chordscapes wrap around the heart. Ebowed guitars swim in the background and strange sci-fi sequences float against the grain until the oceanic sound environments recede, leaving just drunken space electronics and birdsong. Marek Pędziwiatr’s flute then swells across the stereo field, alighting on breathy mysticisms and spiritual incantations…as if some satyr-like being is skipping through a forest of light. Birds of every color flit branch to branch and rainbow hazes are beamed in from futuristic dimensions while hovering just out of reach and eventually, the flute playing devolves into delay-soaked finger tapping. As we move into “Along the Sun-Drenched Road 2,” Pedziwiatr’s woodwinds flutter through white noise winds as psychedelic pad layers diffuse into the mix, with overlapping resonances creating softly lapping wavefronts. The flute eventually disappears as distorted voices lock into an esoteric chant and as we move towards the end, technoid rhythm patterns flow into the mix, with electronic cymbal taps and tom-toms locking into manic groove cycles while the tempo continuously morphs, sometimes accelerating wildly towards hyperspace delirium.

(images from my personal copy)

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soft-slow-blue · 6 years

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Thoughts on BtoB’s Special Album ‘Hour Moment’

Initial Thoughts

From first listen, this album sounds different from BtoB’s previous works. At first, I was a little worried that I wasn’t going to like this album because of that. Of course it was never going to sound exactly the same - BtoB’s exceptional vocal line is now short one member. Eunkwang’s voice has a very bright, distinct color that often lent richness and variation to BtoB’s songs; when he was absent for some of BtoB’s earlier stages, leaving Hyunsik or Changsub (both very talented vocalists in their own rights, so no shade) to cover his parts, it just didn’t sound quite as good.

Nevertheless, I think it would be unfair to say that this album is lacking just because Eunkwang is not a part of it past the first track. It took me a couple listens, but I’ve come to really appreciate the album and how Bto6 shifts their style to cover for Eunkwang’s absence, while still maintaining the signature BtoB sound that we’ve all come to know and love.

The remaining three members of vocal line have branched out past their usual roles - we’ve especially gotten to hear more of Hyunsik’s rich lower vocals (”Swimming,” anybody?) and Sungjae’s vocal accuracy. Changsub’s voice is probably my favorite out of all of vocal line, so I’m happy to hear him utilizing his full range as well, soaring in a way that is fully distinct from Eunkwang’s.

But it is rap line that really shines through. Without Eunkwang’s high-toned voice to flesh out vocal line, there was a possibility that BtoB’s songs would sound less full and rich. Rather than forcing the other three members to try and sing like Eunkwang, though, these new songs rely on rap line’s low tones, particularly Minhyuk and Ilhoon’s vocal abilities, to round out their sound. BtoB’s rap line, situated as it is in a prolific ballad group, has always benefited from the fact that their rappers can also perform as vocalists, keeping the switch from vocal to rap verses from feeling disjointed and allowing the rappers’ voices to blend really well with the vocalists’. As Ilhoon and Minhyuk blur the lines between their sung raps and their spoken raps, we also get to hear just how much Peniel has grown as an artist throughout BtoB’s career. He demonstrates such remarkable agility and versatility throughout the entire album, and best of all, he really sounds like he’s having a good time rapping. I. Am. So. Proud.

On to the individual tracks!

1. Friend

EUNKWANG WE MISS YOU T_T

Okay now that that’s out of the way...I found this to be the least interesting song on the album. Not because it’s a bad song! I love the fact that Eunkwang recorded it for us before he enlisted - it was such a wonderful gift for Melodies - and the song is upbeat and fun and I can already imagine BtoB and Melodies singing it together at future BtoB Time concerts. But the actual song itself contains no real surprises in terms of the composition. It’s a sweet little song and it’s distinct from all the other songs on this album, but I really don’t have much to say about it, other than that I wish Ilhoon would enunciate a little bit more because I keep hearing him say F-R-I-N-D lol.

2. Like It

When I first heard the audio preview for “Like It,” I thought it would probably be my least favorite track of the album, for the simple reason that I tend not to enjoy choruses that repeat the same phrase over and over.

Well, I was very wrong. Ilhoon, I will never doubt you again.

With its soft opening instrumentation - just a piano, playing a few gentle notes - “Like It” starts out sounding like it might be another ballad. The first verse is definitely balladic, taking full advantage of Hyunsik’s VERY LOVELY lower tone. Even as Changsub takes over from Hyunsik, the beat sort of sneaks in, staying minimal underneath a swimming instrumentation and dreamy vocals.

But then Ilhoon’s verse starts, the instrumentation drops out, and that minimal beat drives forward, fueled by the combination of Ilhoon’s rap-singing and Hyunsik’s higher vocals. By the time the pre-chorus hits, we know that we’re no longer in ballad territory - we’re in for some FUN.

I really like this song a lot. In many ways it reminds me of “Call Me” from their last album, but whereas “Call Me” was definitely a song for bright, sweltering summer days, “Like It” has solidly fall vibes. It makes me imagine going to a casual outdoor party on an autumn evening, when it’s not too cold but is cool enough to still drink hot cocoa and spiced cider. As it gets darker, the hosts turn on little fairy lights that are strung all over, illuminating everyone’s happy, laughing faces in a soft yellow glow. Man, do I just have an overactive imagination, or is Ilhoon really THAT GOOD at making a mood with his music?

Also can I just say I am LOVING how many parts Sungjae has now, and his vocalization during the pre-chorus is one of my favorite things on the whole album. Can you believe he started out as a sub-sub-vocal in the group...our baby grew up so fast. *sheds tear*

3. 나비 (Butterfly)

After two upbeat songs, it’s time to chill out. “Butterfly” sounds like “Nanana”’s more romantic cousin. Ilhoon’s skill at creating vivid atmospheres through his music shines through really well in this song - with the gentle acoustic guitar and vocal line’s floating vocals (Changsub you are making me fall in love!), you can really imagine sitting under a tree on a clear autumn day, watching the orange and red leaves wave gently in a cool breeze.

The minimal instrumentation on this song is such a change from the rest of the songs on this album, which generally have much richer instrumentation and more driving beats. It’s a chance for vocal line to display just how they skilled they are. We already know that all four of them can hit some pretty powerful high notes, but “Butterfly” requires control rather than power, and Changsub, Hyunsik, and Sungjae perform admirably. It results in such a lovely and intimate song, more like something you’d hear in a cozy cafe than something sung onstage by idols. My guess is that if BtoB perform this in future concerts, it’ll probably be with all of the members seated on stools, as a much-needed break in between more rigorous dance numbers lol.

This song also made me realize that we don’t often hear the rappers one after another on verses - usually they alternate with the vocalists - but here they are, performing three rap verses in a row. And they manage to sound so completely distinct and yet in sync with the vocalists that their raps don’t feel out of place in such a soft acoustic song. First, Minhyuk essentially whispers into our ears (someone please explain to me how someone who has such a low rap tone can also make such high-pitched squealing noises). When Peniel takes over, he’s also rapping lower than usual, but not in a way that makes him sound like he’s trying to imitate Minhyuk. It’s sweet and almost conversational, perfectly aligned with the rest of the song.

Then Ilhoon pretty much straight sings his verse. When is he going to convert to vocal line lol

4. 제발 (Please)

Minhyuk has always composed some really solid tracks for BtoB (Open, About Time, Guitar, Blue Moon), but I think the reason that he is less recognized by the general public as one of BtoB’s composers, in comparison to Hyunsik and Ilhoon, is that his style tends to lean more alternative and R&B. It makes for some surprising and beautiful B-sides within the albums, but doesn’t necessarily fit the more mainstream pop sound that’s necessary for a commercially successful title track.

“Please” is the most mainstream-sounding of all Minhyuk’s songs, and I don’t mean that in a bad way. This is definitely a power ballad, and I feel like if it hadn’t been for “Friend,” this would have been a very strong contender for the pre-release track, if not for the title. Minhyuk managed to compose something titled “Please” that actually sounds like it’s pleading throughout the whole song - unfortunately it’s been years since I last took music theory so I can’t 100% articulate how he managed it, but I suspect it has something to do with how the chord progressions in the chorus resolve.

Vocal line totally KILL it throughout this track. After the relative atmospheric quiet of “Butterfly,” they bring back the power in full, tempering it with genuine longing that conveys the sadness of the song, even if you don’t understand the lyrics. The way that “please” just lingers after each iteration of the chorus...you can feel the desperation of reaching out one last time to someone you love more than anything, driving you forward to plead for one last moment together even when you know it’s already over. The key change in the final chorus just underscores that despair, winding the emotional tension even higher (along with that rad electric guitar solo lol), until Hyunsik’s final resonant “please” resolves into Changsub’s voice, reprising his verse from the beginning.

Even after all of that heartfelt begging, feeling like you’re cutting your chest open and showing the person you love the hole that they’ll leave in your heart when they’re gone, knowing that they’re the only one for you, in this lifetime and every one that follows...the time to say goodbye has come after all.

Goddamn. This song really affected me a lot. I was actually going to write more about rap line and how good they sound in this (especially Ilhoon), but I was swept up in the raw emotionality of this song. This one’s going into the top five for sure.

5. 아름답고도 아프구나 (Beautiful Pain)

Our title track! I was actually pretty surprised when I heard this one on the audio snippet - I thought it sounded really sad for a title track. Of course, we know that Hyunsik-composed songs are rarely without some melancholy element, but this one is really quite dark, both in terms of lyrical content and sound.

When I tried to think of similar songs, my mind went first, funnily enough, to “I’ll Be Your Man.” Though the songs don’t necessarily sound too much alike - “Beautiful Pain” is another power ballad, while “I’ll Be Your Man” is certainly not - they both have a dark and dramatic tone that BtoB doesn’t cover quite as often.

It took me several listens to fully appreciate the song and how good it is. The more layered instrumentation lends the song a fullness that helps to distinguish it despite Eunkwang’s absence, particularly in the choruses. It’s a subtler, darker richness, which fits well with the dramatic subject of the song. There are so many things I picked out that I love. Ilhoon’s rap singing, for example (again, when is he going to become the fifth member of vocal line?). The little cracks in Changsub’s voice (intentional for once lol) that sound like sobs as he sings. The way that Minhyuk’s rap builds as if about to explode, then lingers on the wistful final line. Hyunsik showing off his magnificent lower range, soft and whispery with pain and resignation, as he sings the chorus one octave lower than the rest.

In the second pre-chorus, the harmony between Hyunsik and Sungjae...omg. I don’t know that the two of them often harmonize together in OT7 songs - usually it’s Changsub or Eunkwang singing the higher harmony - but they should really do it more often. Their voices have rather similar timbres, especially in the lower, more resonant ranges, so they blend together so nicely. I could honestly listen to that part over and over again lol.

Overall, this may not be my favorite track on the album, but it is a very solid song and definitely a good one to listen to on a cold autumn night, when you wrap yourself up in a blanket and stare out the window at the rain, turning memories of a lost loved one over and over in your mind even though it hurts to do so. I’d like to think that Hyunsik would agree with me on that one.

Final Thoughts

I like it, I like it, I like it, I like it! Of course I don’t think I’m ever going to truly dislike a BtoB album, but I’m just so impressed with how versatile our boys are and how good they sound on this album. We feel Eunkwang’s absence but not as a detractor from the really excellent music - the other members step up so brilliantly. Our leader would be (and probably is, because he’s the best) so proud.

What I realized throughout the course of listening to this album over and over and writing this post (thank you if you’ve read to the end lol) is that the whole album is the story of a relationship. The closeness of a beloved friend; the joy of realizing that you’re falling in love with the other person and the giddiness of imagining the future; the tenderness of a budding relationship; the desperation of trying to hold onto someone who is slipping through your fingertips; and the final bittersweet feeling of knowing that it’s over but that you would never give up those memories, even though it hurts to remember. It’s such a good balance of songs and reminds everyone that BtoB is a top-notch group, no matter how many members they have.

All I have left to say is: when is Minhyuk going to get his title track????

#btob #hour moment #my writing #tl;dr: the album is good go stream it #me: 1000 words for a grad school statement? it's too hard someone save me #also me: oh look I started writing and somehow pooped out 2000 words about this album lol someone save me

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