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aion-rsa · 4 years ago

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George A. Romero’s Twilight of the Dead: 13 Directors Who Could Helm the Zombie Sequel

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Legendary filmmaker George A. Romero may have left this plane of existence in 2017, but his legacy — the post-apocalyptic zombie movie genre that he created — lives on. According to the THR, Romero was working before his death on Twilight of the Dead, a film that would have been his final statement on the subject and the last installment in the series that included the groundbreaking Night of the Living Dead (1968), Dawn of the Dead (1979), Day of the Dead (1985), and others.

Now Romero’s widow Suzanne, who has been developing the script that her late husband started with three other writers, is ready to meet with directors for the project. Details on the plot remain secret, except for this tantalizing line: “The story is set in a decimated world. Life has all but disappeared. But there still may be hope for humanity.” Romero reportedly wanted to explore what came next after the end of 2005’s Land of the Dead, which saw the arrival of an intelligent zombie leader.

Romero’s zombie universe has been expanding recently — at least on the page. His son, George C. Romero, is currently writing comics for Heavy Metal magazine that tie into his father’s mythology, while The Living Dead, an epic novel started by the elder Romero but never finished, was completed by author Daniel Kraus and published last year. It’s only fitting that his final cinematic iteration see the light of day as well — even if he can’t direct it. The question is, who can?

We thought about who’s hot in horror now, who has the skills and talent, and who could have the vision, and came up with a list of directors we think could do Twilight of the Dead justice. See if you agree with our picks, and if you have some of your own filmmakers you’d like to see bring Romero’s last Dead film to life, let us know in the comments!

Well Go USA

Justin Benson/Aaron Moorhead

The pair behind the recent, excellent Synchronic — as well as other efforts like Spring and The Endless — have shown an increasingly ambitious vision over the course of their four feature films. They’re currently working on their biggest project to date: directing six episodes of Marvel’s Moon Knight series. We suspect that Twilight of the Dead would hit a genre sweet spot for this pair.

Universal Pictures

Nia DaCosta

Like Benson and Moorhead, DaCosta showed an incredible grasp of atmosphere and tone with her independent debut, Little Woods, which in turn led to her landing the upcoming Candyman sequel. Candyman isn’t even out yet, and DaCosta has her next job lined up: directing the Captain Marvel sequel, which is officially titled The Marvels. We’d love to see DaCosta combine the moody intimacy of Little Woods with Romero’s dystopian vision.

Neon

Michel Franco

He’d probably never do it, but after seeing Michel Franco’s devastating new film, New Order, we’d be very interested in what he would do with Romero’s material. New Order was a dark vision of a collapsing society (set a few years in the future in Franco’s native Mexico), hinting that what comes afterwards is only worse. The intense brutality of his film might shock even Romero diehards, but Franco has not shown much interest in genre films — at least not yet.

StudioCanal

Rose Glass

Glass made her directorial debut last year with the stunning Saint Maud, which wowed audiences at several festivals before finally being released earlier this year on demand. The deeply disturbing mix of psychological and visceral horror was a mix of the profane, the grisly, and the surreal, topped with an astonishing performance from Morfydd Clark in the title role. We have no doubt Glass would bring the same distinctive style to the conclusion of Romero’s story.

Universal Pictures

David Gordon Green

David Gordon Green directed comedies, dramas and thrillers before revitalizing one of horror’s most iconic brands with his 2018 sequel to the original Halloween. With two more Halloween entries and a follow-up to The Exorcist on his schedule, it only seems obvious that the filmmaker get a chance to bring his gritty, down-to-earth approach to the Romero mythos.

Shudder

Brea Grant

A talented actor, writer, and director whose big break came in the role of Daphne Millbrook on Heroes, Grant recently directed the pitch-black comedy 12 Hour Shift, and both starred in and wrote the darker Lucky. The former in particular showed her flair for juggling both the grisly and the humorous, as well as a sizable cast on a smaller budget — resources she’s probably ready to bring to a larger canvas.

IFC Midnight

Natalie Erika James

James blew us away last year with her first feature, Relic, a dread-inducing yet ultimately moving story about the grief and horror of watching one’s parent slowly deteriorate from dementia. James’ devotion to character and the film’s central metaphor — the house in which the parent lives slowly rotting and twisting in on itself — bode well for James’ ability to handle the more epic scope of Twilight of the Dead.

IFC Films

Jim Mickle

Jim Mickle has made a string of striking independent films like We Are What We Are and Cold in July, but the one that we should talk about is Stake Land, an epic tale of humans struggling to stay alive amid a pandemic of vampirism that was similar in some ways to Romero’s Dead films. He’s currently the creator and showrunner of the upcoming Netflix series Sweet Tooth, another post-apocalyptic allegory, and it’s not too much of a leap to see him helming one final zombie spectacle in Romero’s name.

AMC

Greg Nicotero

Greg Nicotero got his first makeup effects job on Romero’s classic Day of the Dead, so it would only be right in some ways for him to take the torch and direct his mentor’s final work. He’s still one of the top makeup effects wizards in the world, and he’s also directed some 31 episodes of The Walking Dead, so his experience with both zombies and filmmaking is vast — perhaps more than almost anyone else on this list.

YouTube

Jordan Peele

Jordan Peele’s brand of socially conscious horror has already been on display in two excellent movies — Get Out and Us — and jibes strongly with Romero’s own use of the genre as social criticism and commentary. Plus Romero cast Black men as the heroes in the first three Dead films — which was pioneering in horror even as late as 1985 — and arguably helped in some small fashion to pave the way for progressive filmmakers of color like Peele to do the same decades later.

Netflix

Remi Weekes

Making his feature directorial debut with His House, a frightening tale of two South Sudan refugees who discover evil lurking under their decrepit London flat, Remi Weekes showed an amazing flair for filmmaking soaked in dread and atmosphere. Weekes used a ghost story to tell an underlying tale of immigration, assimilation and racism, so we’d be intrigued to see what kind of direction he would take Twilight of the Dead in.

Blumhouse/Universal

Leigh Whannell

After working for years with James Wan on the Insidious films and others, Leigh Whannell directed the knockout The Invisible Man last year, imbuing the time-honored tale with a twist on the original narrative that made the story both fresh and genuinely frightening. Whannell knows not just how to tell a cracking good story, but how to extend and transcend the horror genre to break new thematic ground. His Twilight of the Dead would no doubt put a new spin on Romero’s themes and narrative.

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Netflix

Ben Wheatley

Come on: who wouldn’t want to see the director of Kill List, Free Fire and the new In The Earth tackle the deeply pessimistic world of George A. Romero? Ben Wheatley has shown a willingness to tackle all genres in all sizes (his next film is The Meg 2), but he’s especially adept at horror — and at visceral violence that makes one squirm. He can also handle action, epic sequences and character moments, and knows how to tell a story…and the final story of the living dead is one we’d like to see him tell.

The post George A. Romero’s Twilight of the Dead: 13 Directors Who Could Helm the Zombie Sequel appeared first on Den of Geek.

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winchester90210 · 5 years ago

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The BH 90210 Rewrite. 1x10: Isn't It Romantic?

Rewrite Masterlist

Read the previous chapter here!

My work is not to be reposted and/or edited without my expressed written consent. (Reblogging is fine and encouraged!!)

Chapter Summary: Dylan and Brenda's hook up causes everyone to reassess how they feel.

Warnings: A makeout scene! Lots of feelings, colds, condoms, more feelings, 2 different fights, mentions of sex, a little fluff, guilt, cuddling with a sick person, platonic (?) cuddling, swearing, angst, possible pining depending on how you look at it?

Word count: 4,000

A/N: This was definitely one of my favorites! Brenda and Dylan are one of my favorite couples ever so I'm looking forward to that. Don't cuddle with contagious people, folks.

Feedback is incredibly appreciated!

"Hey, B," you strolled over to Brandon in the Walshes backyard. The sun, per usual was unrelentless and aggressive, bright. But the birds were chirping, you were at the Walshes, and you felt great.

"Hey Y/N/N,"

"Uh-oh, how's Mondale?" You placed your hand on the hood of the Chevy, and tapped it with the pads of your fingers, observing the car's fleshed out state.

"Oh, he's fine, just tuning him up a little," A loose grey tank top hung on his shoulders, grease from the car in every odd place on his body. And he still had the audacity to look that good. "We're still on for the movie tonight, right?"

"What, like I would miss seeing Animal Crackers on the big screen? I'd hope you wouldn't take me for a fool, Walsh," You smile, and he grins back, wiping off the tool, twisting it in his hand.

Dylan slides out from under the car, just as grease-laden as his friend. He smiles up at you, squinting from the sun. He takes the wrench from Brandon, "That's what I kept tellin' him, no girl in her right mind can resist Animal Crackers."

All four of you crowd around the movie theater table, setting your drinks, various amounts of snacks, and a large bucket of popcorn down. A girl, tall with curly blonde hair struts over.

"Hi Dylan," she smiles.

"Hey, how you been?" He chuckles, lips wrapping around the straw of his soda.

"Great," she taps her straw on his shoulder, breaking it open and pulling it out with her teeth. With that, she walks off.

"Friend o' yours?" Brandon asks.

"Well, we used to hang out a little bit. I would've introduced you guys, but I forgot her name,"

"Nice," Brenda nods.

"What a gentleman," you add.

"Wait, it's not my fault! She keeps changing it! To-- to things like 'Tanya' or 'Blue' 'cause her real name is something like 'Gertrude', or 'Beatrice', or 'Brenda,'" He quips, dangerously close to cracking up at his own joke. Brenda takes her straw and jams it against his shoulder, taking it out with her teeth and walking off. You smile delightedly to the boys and follow Brenda in.

Rock music fills the apartment as you sit down on the sofa, Brandon directly to your right.

"This sound system is incredible! I mean, it's like it's alive!" Brenda praises the stereo as she sits down onto the ottoman.

"Yeah, you don't just hear it, you feel it!" Dylan enthuses.

"Sub-woofers, right?!" Brandon asks.

"You got it," Dylan answers. The doorbell to the apartment buzzes, making him hop to his feet. "Foodage!"

"Hey, thanks for letting me come with you guys," Brenda says.

"Oh, no problem! It's nice having another girl here,"

"Yeah, and you play cards, right? Maybe you could come with us again," he leaned over the back of the sofa, "What do you think, McKay?!" Brandon shouts back to him, who's got four paper bags in hand as he makes his way back.

"Absolutely!" The four of you pounce on the bags, immediately digging into them.

"Hey, these fries are just like at the hotel," Brandon comments.

"They are from the hotel, ever since my dad closed the suite, Henry sends them to me because he knows we need our fix," He juts his pointer finger out and wiggles it between you and him.

"He gave up the suite? What happened?"

"Long story," he sits onto the floor, and looks up at Bren, "Hey! It's your turn, pick 'em!" Brenda shuffles through the different rock CDs on the table.

"Okay, okay! What about--" she hands one to Dylan, "--that?" Dylan gives her a sceptical "Are you serious?" Look before taking it.

"Ha, yeah okay," He giggles, taking it out of the case. Dylan shows both you and Brandon,.to which Brandon responds

"Oh, no, absolutely not!" All four of you begin to bicker light-heartedly, the CD issue clearly very polarizing.

Oh, joy. Let the wonders of the Health class sex unit begin. With Steve Sanders directly behind you, Brenda to your left, and David & Scott in front of you this class was always... interesting. The class period starts and Steve leans forward.

"Did you ever notice that when the subject turns towards sex Mr. Kravitz starts playing with his beard?" You and Brenda turn forward and see-- you guessed it! Mr. Kravitz your 45-year-old, Jewish, white, male teacher playing and scratching beard. Twin looks of disgust are thrown back Steve's way. He was right. And you were never going to be able to unsee that. Gross.

You're sitting at Brandon's blanket-covered feet as he sneezes for the tenth time that night. The blue robe he's wearing matches his eyes and his scratchy, deep, sick voice has got you melting when it definitely shouldn't be. He's still hot when he's sick. What an asshole.

Brenda waltzes in, her shoes clicking against the hardwood, ready to go for the second night of Marx Bros. festivities. She sits next to Brandon on the ledge of the couch, legs on the ground.

"I hope you feel better!"

"Hey, come on. It'll be fun. You can be the nurse, and Dylan can be the orderly," He jokes, his voice low and raspy. Fuck hormones and the horse they rode in on, because you're actually attracted to him right now.

"You don't want us to get sick, do you?" She responds. Brenda hops up when she hears the car horn. "Bye guys!" She's out of the door before anyone else can get a word in.

"Wait a minute, she's going out alone with that guy?" Jim complains, stacking up the piles of paper on his desk.

"Apparently," Cindy shrugs. Jim's pouting like a child, and stomps out of the room. His wife is following behind him, looking to calm him down.

"So I see your dad's a fan of Dylan," you jokingly muse.

"Yeah, they're buddies, I think I think he’s inviting Dylan out for golf and a movie," He smiles, "Are you sure you want to stay here? I don't know how much fun this is going to be." Brandon raises his mug of tea to his lips.

"I'm positive. I mean I've seen Duck Soup about a million times anyway," you assure him, "How are you feeling, by the way? Need more cough syrup?"

"No, I'm good. Thanks," He sits up, scooting over yo the far edge of the couch, "C'mere."

"What? Brandon, you're sick,"

"C'mere!"

"Brandon,"

"Y/N,"

"Fine," You show faux discontent as you lie down in the empty space, "I'll bite. What are we watching tonight?"

"Well, I've narrowed it down to either Quantum Leap or Magnum P.I."

"Oh, go with Quantum Leap, no question."

You stir back onto your side from your stomach, and your nose is met with the soft skin of Brandon's cheek. You moan sleepily and inhale, preparing yourself to get up even though it's the last thing you want to do. You open your eyes, trying to blink the sleep out of them. Your left hand is currently draped over his chest, with your legs intertwined with his. You needed to get up but... he was warm, and welcoming, and gentle and... your home definitely was not. You inch yourself up, getting up as gently as possible, lifting your arm up from him. He lets out a gravelly groan and wraps his arms around you.

"Stay."

"It's late, B," you yawn, "I'll see you tomorrow."

He mumbles a sleepy "mhmm," and you stand up, straightening out your clothes. "Love you, Y/N/N." WHAT?!

Okay, he's hopped up on cough syrup. It doesn't mean anything. It might've been an accident. Y'know, like when you tell the pizza guy you love him? Right? Right?

You're sitting own on the carpet of your bedroom floor, parallel to Dylan. The plush eggshell carpet is soft under you but the air in the room is hostile, uneasy, tense. You were sleepy, fighting to keep your eyes open due to it being 3 in the morning. He got here around midnight, and it's been nothing but utter chaos since.

"So, you're sure you're good with me and Brenda?" He tries to catch your gaze but you actively avoid it, your eyes darting to the window, the closet, wherever.

"Brenda and I," you correct him jokingly, but the playful part of it doesn't carry through in your voice. "I'm happy for you guys."

"Y/N," He starts.

"Dylan, don't," you beg, "On the off-chance that I wasn't okay with it, what good would it do? What would it change?"

"I- I need to know where we're at," He stresses, "Because you're sending me about a million different signals right now. I'm exhausted, Y/N/N. I need to know how you feel."

"I think..." you sigh, pondering, "you need to be with Brenda, if that's what you want."

"Stop telling me what you think and tell me how you feel," He urges. You bolt to your feet looking to escape, but he joins you, with a gentle grip on your shoulders. If he was anyone else, you would've been scared. But it was him. And you weren't.

"I feel like you need to be with my best friend. She's the one wanting to be with you, and she's the one you started dating." His jaw clenches, and he takes a deep shaky breath. His grip on you drops before he speaks again, his voice much quieter, much softer than before.

"Do you have feelings for me?" You're taken back by his boldness, your eyes widened and your brows furrowed. You open your mouth to say something, but nothing seems right. So you stay quiet. "Y/N, come on." His eyes search yours, desperate for an answer, a hint to what's going on inside your head.

"Maybe I did when I first got here, but--" you run your hands through your hair, inhaling. "Dylan, we're friends. That's all we're ever going to be, and that's all I want to be," He paces around your room as you sit back onto the foot of your bed, it faintly squeaks under you.

"Do you really believe that?" He laughs sourly. "We've never been just friends, and you know it." The faintest scowl was on his face, whether it was from disappointment or annoyance you couldn't tell. "You really think there isn't anything between us?"

"Yes! Because there isn't!" You're shouting now, desperately. And by all meanings of the word you're frustrated. Intensely. And thankful that your parents decided to go out tonight. "I can't do this to Brenda!"

"You wouldn't be doing anything. She's not my girlfriend, we're not getting married, hell, we're barely even friends! It was one kiss!"

"If the kiss was so insignificant, why tell me at all?!"

"Why are you so bent out of shape over this--"

"Why are you?! I--"

"Would you just shut up for a minute?!" His voice was boisterous, livid, you wouldn't be surprised if Eric could hear from the other side of the house.

"Make me!"

You're not sure how long you two had been bickering at this point. It had been going on all night. About Brenda, about Brandon, Steve, Dylan's dad, Mondale, pie. And every single time it circled back to the same topic: feelings. It was a topic that both of you were well acquainted with but not always willing to talk through. Especially when it had to do with each other. But you weren't losing this without a fight, because if you cared about your friendship with Brenda at all, you had to stick up for her. The weird thing is, these past few months you and Dylan had been drama-free. No spats, no arguments, no sparring. And now? You were both swinging at the other person whenever you could get a hit in.

Wednesday morning came around, and Brandon was trying to catch up with Dylan as he raced down the hall.

"Dylan? How's it goin'?"

"Gettin' by, how's the cold?"

"Better, thanks,"

"Where's Y/N/N? Aren't you two usually following each other around like lost little puppies?"

"She's sick," Brandon sighs, "I feel real bad about it too, it's kind of my fault. She stayed over the night you and Bren went out." Yeah, cuddling with a guy that has a major cold? Bad idea. "How was the movie, by the way?"

"We didn't make the movie," He shrugs.

"Hi," Brenda grins. She places a soft kiss to Dylan's cheek as he puts his arms around her.

"Brenda, hi,"

"Why didn't you tell me you didn't go to the movie?"

"How'd it go with Brandon playing nurse?" Kelly smirks.

"Fine," you laugh, "He came over, we played monopoly, I got high on cough syrup, we watched some Hartley House reruns. It was... fine."

"Oh, he is majorly into you," Kelly muses.

"He is not!" You argue. Crossing your arms over your chest, you continue, "He's just returning the favor."

"He's totally hooked. What guy would spend 6 hours at a girl's house when she's phlegmy and sneezing if he wasn't already completely in love with her?"

"I agree with Kel, Y/N/N. Brandon didn't stop talking about you after he got back! Y’know, he can be so sweet when he's not faced with the challenges of sticking up for me and Dylan. It's like they're all in this conspiracy to take away the most exciting and best thing that's happened to me since we moved here!" Brenda rants. Kelly lies on her side, flipping through a magazine with her back to you both.

"That's why you're going to keep your date with Dylan and sleep at my house," You pick up one of Kelly's discarded magazines. "You can't let your parents stop everything fun that ever happens to you."

"This is going so fast," She's apprehensive as she speaks, her brows creasing slightly.

"And we're just talking about it, wait till you get to the real thing," Kelly smirks.

"I guess I'm more into the romance angle, like in the movies,"

"That's all well and good for the movies, but you do have protection right?" Kelly looks up from her Cosmopolitan to eye Brenda up. Brenda pauses, and swallows.

"Well, no,"

"Open that drawer," She points to her nightstand, and Brenda pulls out a small wooden box, "Basic rule number one-- Never rely on the guy. Memorize that." She opens it up,

"You sound so clinical," Brenda criticizes anxiously. Kelly rolls her eyes, taking a silver condom out.

"Dear, clinical is 'What time shall we schedule the procedure?'"

Brenda's jaw drops, "Kelly, that's awful!"

"Would you rather be sitting around and thinking about names? How about Dylan Jr. or Brendina?" Brenda sighs jaggedly.

"Fine, I'll take 'em. But this is not the part I want to be thinking about."

"If it goes well you won't be thinking at all. Here Y/N/N, take some too." She tosses a few to you, and you catch them with a soft clap.

"Kelly, I'm just getting over my cold. I don't think I'm going to be bedding anyone soon," you laugh.

"You never know," she shrugs, "it could come in handy."

"Hey Dylan, where you going so fast?"

"Got to be someplace, what's up?"

"I was hoping you could help me work on my car this weekend,"

"Look, I'd like to, but my old man got back in town. He's got... it's a long story,"

"You don't have time to tell me about it?"

"Not really,"

"Oh, but you do have time to make out with my sister and flirt with Y/N," He bites, nostrils flaring and eyebrows furrowed.

"What's your point?"

"My point is you better really like my sister. She's very romantic, and dreamy, and sweet and she's not going to move on that easily! Dylan, she's a virgin. And I don't think you should be messing around with Y/N/N when you've already got Brenda.

"I haven't been messing around with-- what kind of jerk do you think I am?" He scoffs, shaking his head, "Have a nice weekend."

You're frantically helping Brenda get dressed, get undressed, get dressed again, and are now helping her do her hair and makeup in the mirror. She's been so nervous all night, now you're nervous and it's not even your date.

"Earrings?" Brenda asks, playing with her hair, "No, I don't need earrings. What else do I need?" Brandon stands in the other side of the bathroom doorway, watching you both pace around the entire time.

"Shoes!"

"Shoes!" She repeats, "Shoes, shoes, shoes!" You race over to her small, but albeit nice shoe collection and help her slip both black heels over her feet. "Okay, okay! What do you think?"

"You look perfect, Bren!" You smile genuinely and excitedly, your eyes crinkling at the edges. She hugs you, and you could practically feel the nerves bouncing around in her. "Have a great time tonight, okay?"

"Okay! Bye Brandon, bye Y/N/N!"

"Bye!" His voice startles you. You'd been so wrapped up in helping Bren look flawless that you didn't even notice he was there.

"I hope everything goes well tonight." You pause, and then step over to him, "What's going on in that head of yours, Walsh?" He was watching you from the moment you got there-- not predatorily or creepily but... fondly. It was unlike him. He was always talkative, with a joke to crack or a comment to make. Dylan was more of the silent observant type. So to see him so speechless was almost concerning.

He says nothing and places a gentle hand under your chin. He lifts it and brushes his lips against yours. If this was a cheesy 80s sitcom, this would be the time the live studio audience would be going nuts because this kiss was... wow.

You return it, and it's an immediate switch of energy. Your hand goes to the back of his head as his hands find themselves against the small of your back and the kiss becomes hungry. Desperate. He worked his mouth against yours, and with his hands and his mouth and the way he felt against you-- your senses were ignited.

You pull away abruptly.

"What?--" you begin. You're both panting lightly, and he's just as flustered as you are. He draws intoxicating little circles on your arm as you both let your breathing calm.

"You wanted to know what was going on inside my head. There you go." Were you blushing? It felt like you were blushing.

"Oh." You look up at him, "Is there a possibility that your train of thought might need to be examined further in the near future?"

"Yeah, I think that's a possibility."

"Brenda?" You enter her bedroom through the conjoining bathroom. Inching closer to her, you see her as she's curled up at window sill, wet cheeks and puffy eyes. She drops the curtain wordlessly and turns toward you. Silently, you wave Brandon in. He tiptoes in and sits at the foot of her bed. You'd never seen her like this before. So vulnerable, so upset. So broken.

You wanna talk?" You ask, sitting down beside her as she sniffles.

"I've been talking to Kelly all night. And it didn't get me anywhere," She bellows, her voice breaking as she speaks. Your stomach wrenched.

"Well, we're open for the morning shift," Brandon offers,

"He didn't show up," she croaks out, "I was ready to spend the night with him. And he didn't show up." Oh, you were so going to kill him later. Brenda looks up at you for the first time that morning, shaking her head in disbelief. "What a jerk, huh?" That total asshole.

"He can be," you nod.

"Not him, me! I thought I was special," her voice comes out wavering and sad.

"You are, Bren," Brandon insists.

"Well, not to him obviously," she tucks a hair behind her ear, "And then finally I call him, and this man told me he was there but that he wouldn't speak to me."

"Brenda, you can't beat yourself up over someone like him," you put a soothing hand on her back.

"Why do you say that?"

"I don't know. I thought he was different... but he doesn't let people in,"

"I don't understand, Y/N! We were so there! Even yesterday out on the lawn, we were together! We were in sync! I was so happy," She's working herself up again, eyes redder and bottom lip quivering as she shouts, "I don't know what happened but something happened!" You were going to crucify that son of a bitch.

"I'm really sorry, Bren,"

"I have to find out what I did wrong," She cries out, "I need to know what happened."

You waltz into the robotics lab on your free period and find exactly who you were hoping for, sitting at the computer.

"Busy lately, Dylan?" Your arms cross over your chest as you lean against the doorframe.

"Well, if it isn't the queen of tact and diplomacy," he retorts, face still in the monitor.

"What the hell is going on with you?" You spit out, "I know you moved. Brandon and I went to your old house. They said you didn't even leave a forwarding address!"

"It's a long story," he dismisses, wheeling over to the other end of the table on his desk chair.

"Would you rather tell it to Brenda?"

"Y/N, don't start that with me, alright! I got the message," he barks, "you don't want me to hurt your best friend!"

"Then why is that exactly what you did?!" You reprimand loudly, trailing behind him as he gets up and walks to the other table. "I need to know that I had nothing to do with you standing her up, and that I had nothing to do with the utter pain that she's in right now." Your eyes are narrowing as he turns to face you.

"Look, it wasn't because of you. Okay? You gotta believe me-- something came up! That's all!"

"It's one thing not to talk to me, Dylan, I get it. But when you do it to her, she feels like she did something wrong!" As you finish your sentence his jaw clenches.

"It wasn't her!" He fumes, "It had nothing to do with her!" His fists clench against the white table.

"Tell her that! She was so upset, Brandon said she even stayed home from school today." You wait for his response, but he ducks his head, breaking eye contact with you. You scoff, "Fine. It's got nothing to do with her, nothing to do with me. Meanwhile, you're not talking to either of us. Makes a ton of sense!" You huff silently, "See you later, pal."

“I can’t believe him! He swears it’s no one’s fault but--” Steve cuts you off.

“You’re just way too emotionally involved with this, who cares? If he says it’s not your fault, it’s not your fault. Guys don’t beat around the bush like chicks always do. if he says it, he means it,” He scoffs as you both trail down the hall. You think for a minute. Somewhere under the misogyny and the blatant Steve-ness of that sentiment, there might have been a point. Maybe you were putting too much into it. Maybe you just needed to take a step back and look at it objectively.

“Actually,” you sigh, “you might be right.” Steve’s eyes go wide.

“Wait, really?” You nod. “Can I get that in writing? I want to have it tattooed.” Your eyes roll and you send a light push to his shoulder as you both laugh.

Objective. You could be objective.

The next day you're standing against the beige walls of the school auditorium, as Dylan trots over to you.

"Dylan, before you say anything-- I'm sorry. I totally flipped out on you. It's just been a weird confusing week for me, so if I took out my frustration on you--"

"No, I put you in a weird position with this whole Brenda thing, If it felt like I was trying to make you choose... sides or somethin', well... I'm sorry," He says. You smile at him, and he goes to smile back but he sneezes into his sleeve. "But you can be sorry for giving me your cold," he laughs.

"So, you worked everything out with Bren, huh?"

"Yeah, uh, everything's worked out,"

Before you can respond, Brandon waltzes over to your other side, mumbling a "hey," and pressing a kiss to your cheek.

"Brandon, hi," you grin as he clasps your fingers with his, bringing your knuckles to his lips. He matches your grin, leaning into you.

"You guys good?" He asks, finger wiggling to you and Dylan.

"Yeah, we're good," you nod, "You two good?"

"We're good," Dylan confirms.

"Good!"

"Good."

Taglist: @be-patient-be-good @mpmarypoppins @bevelyhills90210 @blueoz @harleylilo88 @princess-ghost-alien @hueycat2004 @l4life

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camponation-blog · 5 years ago

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7 Travel Experiences in Northeast India

It’s been right around a long time since I began keeping up a movement journal and likely transformed myself into an all the more watching explorer from a cheerful recreation traveller. Ok! 8 Years; appears as though yesterday was just that I had been to Goa.

Truly, every one of these long periods of voyaging has caused me to acknowledge precisely what experienced Aldous Huxley’s mind when he composed the lines – “To go is to find that everybody isn’t right about different nations.” For my situation, it was increasingly about abandoning every one of my preferences and finding out about various societies and individuals, which by one way or another my geology instructor in school never worried upon, tragically. Also, hence, I view myself as fortunate enough to have had the option to visit many conditions of the nation, particularly the 7 sister conditions of North-east India, with most extreme interest.

My first visit to North-east India was to the place where there is glad Ahoms – Assam, and it was unadulterated happiness; from savouring nearby treats and getting a charge out of normal vistas to my connections with the absolute most superb individuals I have ever met. Here is my pick of the best travel encounters in upper east India.

Assam – Kaziranga Elephant Safari

Being a nature darling, I decided to initially visit Kaziranga National Park, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This ensured area, which lies in the Nagaon and Golaghat locale of Assam, was set up in 1908. It isn’t just home to a high thickness of extraordinary one-horned rhinoceroses and tigers yet also a few types of flying creatures. Depleted by four streams, including the relentless Brahmaputra, this National Park offers fabulous safari openings, over its 430 sq km region.

Both vehicle and elephant safaris are accessible at the recreation centre. Since I had officially experienced vehicle safari at Jim Corbett, this time I went for the subsequent choice; and trust me, it was genuine fun. Elephant safaris (1-hour span) in this park are offered toward the beginning of the day just as of late evening from Kaziranga, Eastern, Western and Burapahar Ranges. The safari bunch I was a piece of, started its adventure from Ghorakati close Rhino Land Park. We expected to detect the tigers effectively, yet it wasn’t to be; however, we came over a few pug marks. The mahout disclosed to us that the tall elephant grasses of the recreation centre offer ideal disguise to the tigers.

The trilling of winged creatures and seeing one-horned rhinoceros is still distinctively embellished in my brain from that safari. A year and a half later, I arranged another excursion to Northeast India and this time, I visited Meghalaya.

Meghalaya – Cherrapunjee Living Root Bridges’ Trek

Even though Mawsynram at present holds the record for being the wettest spot on earth, sometime in the past Cherrapunjee had this refinement. Be that as it may, regardless it holds the record for accepting the most noteworthy precipitation in a month and a year. Frequently in meteorological forecasts, I would find out about this spot. It very fascinated me concerning how might it feel want to live in a spot, for example, this, and constantly needed to come here to enjoy trekking. At long last, it occurred.

Nagaland – Hornbill Festival

The arrangement to visit Nagaland came up when I read about the popular Hornbill Festival, which is held each year in December. Facilitated in Kisama, which lies around 12 km from the state capital Kohima, by the branches of State Tourism, and Art and Culture, this celebration grandstands the way of life of the Naga Tribes. This week-long celebration observes nourishment fairs, games, services, brilliant exhibitions and conventional specialities display cum-deal. It was an astounding background to see an alternate culture of India and it made me progressively glad when I saw individuals originating from everywhere throughout the world to appreciate the celebration. We remained in Nagaland for just 3 days before going to Arunachal Pradesh.

Arunachal Pradesh – Jeep Safar

Known as the Land of Animists, Arunachal Pradesh is one of the most picturesque conditions of India. There is such a great amount to find in the express that one needs to go through at any rate 10 days here, and we did precisely that. We selected a jeep safari that took us to a portion of the top attractions, which included visits to the Buddhist Gompa of Itanagar, Ziro, Daporijo, Pasighat, Roing and Anini, among others. To make a trip to this state, we needed to take Inner Line Permit from an Arunachal Pradesh government office in Kolkata.

Manipur – To the Floating Lake

On my last visit to the state, I asked about the best places to find in Manipur and local people recommended me to visit the delightful freshwater lake. It was just when I saw it that I accepted that it was extremely a “gliding lake”. The lake is said to be the biggest freshwater drifting lake in India. The coasting phumdis over all the lake make it progressively delightful. The lake is a help for some individuals, as it’s a wellspring of water for some reasons and the anglers to a great extent rely upon it. Dried fish is one of the most loved sustenances in Manipur, and it is found here in the bounty. It was an incredible sight to see those beautiful fowls flying over the lake looking for their nourishment. Thick timberlands, rambling prairies, captivating lake and the rich culture made my voyage to Manipur vital.

Mizoram – Blue Mountains

The profound valleys, fascinating society, charming climate and the uncommon characteristic widely varied vegetation of Mizoram appealed me. Phawngpui Peak is the most noteworthy top in Mizoram and said to be the residence Gods! When I arrived at the ridge, I couldn’t concur with it more, as it was without a doubt the home Gods. The view was charming; the blue hazed slopes appeared to be dreamlike with bright blossoms all around. As the sunset, I was awestruck by the perspective on the red sky! It was an incredible sight. I was feeling glad to have incorporated this spot in my movement can rundown of North East India.

Tripura – Unakoti in Agartala

The enormous shake slice stone symbols go back to the seventh ninth century, their reality still a riddle! Local people have a few stories however none of them is demonstrated all things considered, as there are no composed records. Seeing these enormous stone figures on the Unakoti slopes charmed me. The spot is one of the less ventured out and still obscure to individuals.

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thatyorkshireguy-blog · 6 years ago

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Thumbs Up Friend

The 1 week countdown is on! Like Craig David, I have 7 days left to get all my sh*t sorted in the UK and then get on that bird and fly across to Chile. For my next post I just wanted to highlight a few individuals and the importance of friends in life.

The weekend just gone has seen me have a party with my nearest and dearest at a friends house, and also today is International Mens Day, so it seems fitting that I use this day to name drop a few positive influences in my life over recent months (Not just men). My words will not do any of these people justice but it’s just a way of getting some thoughts down

First and foremost I want to mention the man above who is holding a mannequins head: James Hartley aka Baz

Over the last few years me and this bearded fellow have become very close and probably the gent who I have spent the most time with during recent times. He has always been there to keep me grounded and calm in times of crisis or when important decisions need to be made.

He played a huge part of my first fight camp and was even in my corner during my second fight. James is a frequent traveller and has spent much of his time over in Australia. So he has also given me quite a bit of guidance with travelling abroad and a few pointers of what to expect.

James isn’t built for the UK. Like me, he is a hippy of this world and appreciates warmer weather and the beauty of nature around him. Which is why I’m so happy that recently he has been awarded his visa, meaning he can now go live in Australia. Old Bazzer will be hopping on his own flight during December and I am so very happy for him. I sincerely don’t know what I would have done without this man over the recent times and i’ve had the best year going on a variety of adventures.

Phil (aka bruno) & Melanie Brookes

I don’t think I know a couple like these two. They are everything and two people I love so much. Two people so very different yet work so beautifully it’s so heartwarming to see.

I’ve been friends with Phil a long time and our friendship has just continued to grow and grow. Phil recently got married to Mel and I had the pleasure of being 1 of the 2 best men on the day which was a very humbling moment.

Over the weekend, both Mel and Phil sat me down and gave me so many words of reassurance and I feel so very lucky that I have these two as a comfort blanket should my future not go the way it is currently intended. Instead of waking up on Sunday with a mighty hangover and the fear of what I had done or who I had to apologise to....... I woke up with a stinking hangover and a heart full of love.

I can’t believe these two care for me like they do and it’s just an incredible feeling to have them. I really can’t thank these two enough for everything they have done, and it’s mind blowing to realise what impact I am actually having just by leaving the country.

If you read this, I love you both very much and thank you so much for your words of support.

Just beautiful people with hearts bigger than anyone I know.

The Glovers

My 2nd family.

I’ve spent the last 5 or 6 Christmas’s with these guys and lived with both Liam (right) and Paul (left). Mum and Dad of the family, Jane and Jim have also been like 2nd parents.

Liam played a huge part in giving me a kick up the a$$ when I was at a bit of a low and needed that push to do something about it.

Myself and Paul were inseparable but as many things in life happen, we all have things to do and changes to make, so unfortunately I haven’t spent as much time with Paul over the last 12 months as I would have liked.

It will be very strange not spending the festive period with my 2nd family but I love them and thank them so much for the constant support they have given me over the last 10 years.

Nic Marsden

I can’t write about my friends who have made an impact without writing about Marsden. Like Liam Glover, she was a huge influence on me changing my life around. I made a pinky promise on the night that changed my life to go ahead and fight. I kept that pinky promise.

Nic is an incredible person, not just with me but with so many people, especially my team mates at CMMAA. She might be single handedly the least selfish person I have ever met. Myself and Nic bonded straight away when we met a few years back and along with Baz, we formed a trio and became inseparable last year!

This lady played a huge part of fight camp no1 and gave up so much of her time to make sure I was prepared. A person who hasn’t had the easiest of lives and a person who despite some big challenges faced, her heart continues to be huge and faces everything head on.

I will be sad to say good bye to this person and she deserves all the happiness in the world. Thank you Nic. For everything.

Charles Martin Martial Arts

A few years back I was recommended this place to train for a charity kickboxing event. I truly didn’t realise what impact this place would have on my life.

Right from word go, the founder, Charlie Martin, made me feel at home and just understood what was going on in my head at the time. I love this man and love this place.

Over the last two 1/2 years I have formed an incredible bond with this place and I will continue to support them with anything they need following my move.

I have made some amazing friends and the place is full of amazing people. One of which is Richard Herbert who offered me a roof over my head in recent times and where I have lived in 2018. A talented martial artist who also has a kind heart. I might not show it much to Richard because my life has been at 300mph but I am very grateful for this chap helping me out and also providing me with a very fun zoo of animals to live with. So much so that I might have to steal one of his cats who I have fallen in love with.

The big cat in the top picture is Jeff Leggott. He has been an incredible person in my life of late. We just click and he has a really big heart too. He put so much time to one side for me and really put me in a good place for my second fight. I had the pleasure of returning the favour and cornering him. He won by 2nd round tko. It was an emotional night and I was just so proud of the guy following all the hard work he had put in!

Thank you to everyone at Charles Martin Martial Arts. You’re all incredible people and I will just miss you all so much.

Liam Swift and the Helm team

I mentioned Liam Swift in a previous post, but this guy deserves all the thanks. We met about 10 years ago and our paths just keep crossing. He’s a huge reason I am in the position I am in with my job. He has also supported me during my career on a number of occasions.

What Liam has created at Helm, a co-working studio in Doncaster, is just awesome. It houses some incredibly gifted creative talent and each one of them (Including my hero’s at Mini Kicks) has made such a positive impact on my life. They have all pushed me on my own adventure and all provided sound advice and listened to any fears I have.

I will be a Helm member in South America and will continue to work with and support each other moving forward.

These guys rock my world!

Feeling Lucky

This post could be the worlds longest if I actually thanked every one of my friends, even just close ones, and if you don’t see your name on this, don’t think your impact in my life is any less significant.

I looked around at the weekend and my friends had put on a get together for myself, and my broski James Hartley (Oh and celebrating a new kitchen haha) but my god did I feel like the luckiest man in the world. I am moving to Chile to be with a beautiful, kind and caring woman.....but I am leaving some incredibly special people. Big Stu, Leanne, Frank, Den, Clare, Ben, Marj........you’re awesome.

My biggest fear about leaving, is the gap in my heart and mind that could be left , knowing that my friends are not around the corner, but after spending so much time with them leading up to my adventure, I know full well that all I have to do is pick up the phone to get help and support.

I firmly believe there isn’t a friendship group like my own and I don’t think I could be any more loved than I am right now. FUCK GUYS!!!!! I FEEL SO LOVED! You are all amazing and i’ve got a massive heart shaped boner for you all right!

I might be going solo on this adventure to be with my lady, but I know you’re going to be with me every step of the way, one way or another.

#coworking #cowork #business #mental health #mentalhealthsupport #friends #speakup #chile #myjourney #adventure #blogging #travelblog #internationalmensday #muaythai #martialarts #happiness

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dutifullymadameashley · 7 years ago

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Jopper Advent

December 7: Decoration wars (must include glitter)

Highway patrol is never an enjoyable experience, but it’s especially unpleasant at this time of year. There haven’t been any collisions tonight, but Hopper has spent the better part of his shift radioing tow trucks to pull vehicles out of snowy ditches. The visibility is lousy, the roads are coated in black ice – why can’t people just heed the local news warnings and stay home? Callahan’s voice comes over the two-way reporting for duty, and Jim couldn’t be more relieved to call it a night.

The evening has been a long, lonely one, and returning to an empty house is the last thing Hopper needs right now. It’s late and Joyce isn’t expecting him, but he decides to try his luck anyway. When he pulls into the Byers’ driveway, he is pleased to see the house is illuminated, both inside and out.

Jonathan answers the door. “Hey Hop, you’re just in time,” he smirks. “Mom and Will are making Christmas decorations.” He rolls his eyes and wanders off to his room where he has clearly been sequestering himself rather than participating in the festivities.

The living room feels warm and lively, twinkling with colourful lights along the ceiling, candlelight on the tables, Bing and Bowie crooning on the radio. Hopper is stomping the snow from his boots when Joyce walks in, her smile glowing brighter than anything else in the room. “Well, this is a pleasant surprise – but seriously, Hop, what are you doing out here tonight? Aren’t the roads terrible?”

Jim relates some of the mundane details of his shift as he removes his hat, coat, and boots, loving the look of undisguised hunger on Joyce’s face as she watches him undress. He’s tempted to start unbuttoning the shirt of his uniform just to see her reaction, but before he has the chance, Will walks into the room.

“Hey, sir, are you up for doing a bit of decorating?” His face, hair and clothing give off an unnatural shimmer, causing Hopper’s heart to skip a beat. “Chief, is there something wrong?”

Jim clears his throat. Joyce and Will are gazing at him with such genuine concern that a lie would be inappropriate. “This…the glitter,” he begins, gesturing at Will’s sparkling form. “You reminded me of Sarah just now. Glitter was one of her favourite things.” As Hopper explains, he’s not even getting choked up, which is surprising. “The first year she was in the hospital, her mom and I brought her a craft kit, and a bag of sparkles burst open all over her bed. The three of us couldn’t stop laughing, but I don’t think the nurses ever forgave us.” He’s chuckling, even as he wipes a tear from the corner of his eye.

Joyce sniffles, her lips pressed together in a little, compassionate smile. She takes his hand, gives it a squeeze, and leads him into the kitchen, where every inch of the table is covered in cranberries, popcorn, golden thread and, of course, glitter. “Less eating, more stringing,” Joyce scolds, pretending to glare at Will as he tips his head back and deposits a handful of popcorn into his mouth. His eyes widen and he gives her an exaggerated shrug. Hopper isn’t much for crafting, but he happily lights a smoke and settles into a chair to watch mother and son create together.

By half past eleven, both boys have retired for the night, and Joyce and Hopper are alone in the candlelit living room smoking and sipping spiked hot chocolate. “Thank you, by the way,” Joyce says softly. “For sharing that story about Sarah tonight. I know it probably would have been easier to bullshit us, but you didn’t, and that means a lot.”

“Pretending not to care is the hardest thing I’ve ever tried to do. Talking to you and Will about Sarah felt like finally exhaling a breath I’ve been holding for years.” There is a comfortable silence as they finish their cigarettes. Hopper is in such an incredible mood that when “Leather & Lace” starts up on the radio, he asks Joyce to dance. “Come on, I know you love this one,” he cajoles, taking her hands and pulling her to her feet.

Joyce rests her cheek against his chest, whisper-singing some of the Stevie Nicks parts, which is both sexy and adorable. Hopper kisses the top of her head, his hand at her waist reaching around to grab her ass. Joyce looks up at him, amused but unsurprised. “Is that your subtle way of suggesting that we dance our way to the bedroom?”

“Maybe.”

“You have glitter in your beard.”

“Perfect. Then you should be sparkling like a Christmas tree by the time I’m done with you.”

#stranger things #fanfiction #jopper #reblog

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junker-town · 5 years ago

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The Chicago Bulls’ new front office plan isn’t good enough. ‘GarPax’ must be fired.

Photo by Jeff Hahne/Getty Images

The fate of the Bulls is resting on their owner’s son to stop making an incredibly easy decision so difficult.

Chicago celebrated the opportunity to host the NBA All-Star Game for the first time in three decades by relegating its beloved hometown franchise to a punchline. In an All-Star Weekend built up as a love letter to the city’s deep basketball culture, the Chicago Bulls were barely within eyesight. The team’s presence in the festivities was limited to Zach LaVine’s early exit in the three-point contest. They barely even got a mention out of Common in his terrific pregame intros.

Instead, the Bulls’ most memorable moment from the weekend came when LaVine’s ESPN interview was interrupted by fans chanting ‘fire GarPax’ on live TV, referencing the team’s long-tenured management combination of John Paxson and Gar Forman. It hit another level when Scottie Pippen — who holds an official title as a Bulls ambassador — said he didn’t know half the players on the current team. In private conversations with people around the league about the state of the franchise over All-Star Weekend, one sentiment kept getting repeated: The Bulls are lucky the Knicks exist.

Perhaps it was no coincidence the team leaked a rare piece of housekeeping news to reporters just before Sunday’s game tipped off. The Bulls are in the market for an “empowered basketball voice” that would hold the title of GM at the end of another disappointing season. No, Paxson and Forman aren’t going anywhere: Paxson would retain a say in personnel matters, while Forman would continue the transition he’s made into scouting.

Like most things involving the Bulls, this simply isn’t good enough.

Chicago didn’t chant “Re-Assign Gar to Scouting”. They didn’t make “Promote Paxson To A Position Of Slightly Less Authority” into a Twitter trending topic. The Bulls need a clean slate and a fresh start, not a half-measure. They need to fire ‘GarPax’, not hide them.

Paxson and Forman aren’t the only ones who need to go. Doug Collins was added to the front office as a senior advisor in 2017. Collins got the job for one reason: he is beloved by owner Jerry Reinsdorf, who once said the only reason he hasn’t hired him as head coach again is because he couldn’t stand the thought of one day firing him. Collins, a man who said he’d rather blow his brains out than embrace advanced analytics, still has a prominent role in the organization, reportedly playing a part in the firing of former head coach Fred Hoiberg. That decision could have been fine if the franchise didn’t replace him with an obviously worse coach in Jim Boylen.

The other prominent member of the Bulls front office is Jim Paxson, John’s older brother and the man who once drafted a local under-the-radar prospect named LeBron James with the Cavs. This is how the Chicago Bulls do business, preferring the comfort of familiar relationships over any attempt to challenge their ingrained thinking.

The Bulls don’t need to add another voice to a room already overcrowded with underachievers. They need to burn it all down and build from the ground up.

The fans can take some solace in bullying the franchise into hiring a new GM. It wouldn’t have happened without them. This is the year the ‘Fire GarPax’ movement went mainstream, making the transition from ‘Empty Bottle All-Ages Show’ to ‘Lollapalooza Headliner on the Budweiser Stage’. The organization has lost even its most fervent supporters while attendance in the United Center has plummeted. While the Bulls were No. 1 or No. 2 in the league in raw attendance every year from 2004-2019, they were No. 17 in percentage of seats filled last year, and are No. 22 this season.

It’s not just about bad results with the Bulls — it’s about bad process. They essentially gave Dwyane Wade a $38 million golden parachute for one year of work. They gave Jabari Parker $20 million to play small forward (Hoiberg benched him before the preseason ended). They cut Spencer Dinwiddie for Michael Carter-Williams and Isaiah Canaan. Their Jimmy Butler trade was terrible at the time and looks even worse now. This year, they decided to stick with Boylen as head coach only because he plays nice with his bosses. As it’s happened, every core piece on the Bulls has either stagnated or regressed while their league-wide value diminishes.

Factor in that this is Paxson’s 17th season in his position, and it leads to an easy question: What does this man have to do to lose his job?

It all comes back to the question of who’s really making the calls with the Bulls. Reinsdorf, now 83 years old, doesn’t even hide that he’s an absentee owner.

��I under-managed the Bulls, I really did,” Reinsdorf told reporter Melissa Isaacson in 2012. “That was one of the reasons for wanting Michael in here. I found myself letting the Bulls succeed on their own. We had a successful business, we’re doing well financially and I sort of let it slide.”

The Michael he’s referring to is his now 52-year-old son, the third of four children he had with his wife Martyl. Michael Reinsdorf was hired as Bulls president and COO in 2010. As the story goes, Michael was denied a job from his father out of college so he could make a name for himself on his own. He started a consulting company, bought a few minor league teams, and now helps run the day-to-day operations as a conduit between the front office and his father.

If there’s anyone who can save the Bulls, it’s Michael Reinsdorf. While it remains unclear if he’d actually have the power to fire Paxson outright, he’s certainly the person best positioned to get his old man to approve the change.

While Jerry Reinsdorf has reportedly advised the family to sell the Chicago White Sox after he passes, he hasn’t said the same thing about the Bulls, who are too much of a cash cow to give up. If Michael Reinsdorf is merely the second-most powerful person with the franchise today, he is going to be the top dog soon.

Michael Reinsdorf knows he’ll never be a self-made man like his father was. He’s a rich kid who had some success on his own but mostly reached his current position through nepotism. He is, by most accounts, a perfectly nice guy, with stories of personal interactions with frustrated season ticket holders making the rounds last year. That probably makes him a better person than most billionaires (his father’s net worth is an estimated $1.5 billion), but it isn’t the way to save the franchise and forever leave his imprint on it.

To do that, all Michael Reinsdorf has to do is follow his father’s advice, which he gave when he brought his son aboard in 2010.

“I told him to follow the Rocky Wirtz model,” Jerry said to Isaacson in an ESPN interview. “Rocky took over from his father and he’s his own man. In many ways, his father wouldn’t like what he’s doing, but Rocky is successful.

”If Michael needs my opinion, I give it. But only on the condition that he make the decision.”

Wirtz is the son of former Chicago Blackhawks owner Bill Wirtz. The elder Wirtz was widely loathed around the city. When he passed, the Blackhawks quickly won three Stanley Cup championships.

What Jerry Reinsdorf really wants is for his son to show a backbone and not be a pushover as a manager. If someone is underperforming, they should be held accountable, particularly when that someone has had the same job for 17 years and has made millions of dollars doing it. Paxson will be fine. He’s an incredibly wealthy 59-year-old man. He won’t get his feelings hurt.

Just because Jerry Reinsdorf’s reputation has been defined by loyalty to even subpar employees doesn’t mean his son’s has to be.

Michael Reinsdorf’s legacy is on the line, and the clock is starting now. Adding a GM to a room with Paxson, Forman, and Collins isn’t going to cut it. What’s going to happen when they disagree on a free agent, a draft pick, or a coach? How are they supposed to attract the best candidate with the old vultures circling in the distance? The fact the Bulls’ current management has supported Boylen — very obviously the most overmatched coach in the NBA — so fervently shows just how incompetent they are. To be the man his father wants him to be, Michael Reinsdorf must clear the room before adding to it.

Jerry Reinsdorf forever endeared himself to the city with Michael Jordan’s Bulls dynasty and with the 2005 world champion Chicago White Sox. He has seven rings and the ball Paul Konerko gave him from the final out of the World Series. His son doesn’t have any of that. What he does have is an opportunity: The same kid who grew up around the Jordan dynasty can be the man who rescued the franchise from itself. What a story that would be. The Bulls’ global fanbase would adore him forever for it.

If the younger Reinsdorf wants to see how it can all go wrong, he needs to look no further than the aforementioned Knicks. Just before the trade deadline, fans in Madison Square Garden chanted “sell the team” in unison at owner James Dolan. Dolan was so rattled he fired Steve Mills and replaced him with Leon Rose immediately. Then he said he issued a statement saying he wasn’t going to sell the team.

According to a recent valuation by Forbes, the Bulls are currently worth $3.2 billion, making them the league’s fourth-most valuable franchise behind the Knicks, Lakers, and Warriors. This is a world-class franchise that continues to be run like a mom-and-pop shop. Right now, the fans want new management, not new ownership. You wonder how long it will last.

All Michael Reinsdorf has to do is stop making an incredibly easy decision so difficult. Fire Paxson. Fire Forman. The fate of the Bulls is resting on it.

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aion-rsa · 4 years ago

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The 21 Best Christmas Horror Movies

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Technicolor lights are about to illuminate every other home in the neighborhood; carolers are marching through the streets; even that old tree in Rockefeller is shining brightly.

For some folks, that’s enough to make you want to grab an axe. But don’t do that. Watch demented men dressed as Santa Claus or a demon Krampus indulge your Anti-Christmas sentiments with maximum gore. Indeed, this list isn’t about the most charming, heartwarming, or schmaltzy Christmas viewing traditions. Nah, this is about the 20 grossest, nastiest, and all around most fun Christmas horror movies. The kind where the greatest gift you’re going to get on Christmas morning is escaping with your life and maybe some psychological triggers whenever you see jolly men in red suits.

Yep, these are the very best Christmas horror movies. Ho. Freaking. Ho.

Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)

Almost certainly one of the sweetest, most positive, and upbeat Christmas movies on the list is this wonderful feel good musical romance from director John McPhail, which also happens to be a zombie movie. It follows a group of friends in a small Scottish town who are just about to finish school and are making plans for the future when a zombie outbreak lands.

Incredibly catchy tunes which take inspiration from Buffy musical episode Once More With Feeling, mix with inventive festive kills – zombie snowman decapitation is a highlight – in a way that manages not to tonally jar. It’s mostly thanks to the super-likeable performances of the young cast, headed up by Ella Hunt, and the teenage troubles, romances, and heartbreak which form the backdrop of the movie. Paul Kaye also pops up as the school’s tyrannical headmaster – his musical numbers aren’t the best but he brings cartoon villain energy to an unusual but rather adorable Christmas horror that’s way better than you might expect.

– Rosie Fletcher

Better Watch Out (2016)

Home Alone is surely one of the most popular and iconic Christmas movies of all time, though it is not, of course, a horror. However, if it was, it would look something like Better Watch Out, a slick reinvention of the home invasion sub-genre. Olivia DeJonge plays babysitter Ashley, who attempts to protect her charge, 12-year-old Luke (Levi Miller), when they are threatened by intruders in his home. But all is not as it seems.

DeJonge and Miller spar beautifully in a movie which plays with gender and coming of age tropes and includes handfuls of gruesome set pieces, while Ed Oxenbould brings comic relief. This is clever, funny and gruesome stuff from director Chris Peckover which might not become a new Christmas tradition but should definitely be watched at least once.

– Rosie Fletcher

Black Christmas (1974)

Getting stabbed by a unicorn head to the tune of carolers singing “Silent Night” is probably not how you want to spend Christmas Eve. This pre-Scream holiday slasher claims its victims in a sorority house haunted by creepy phone calls (sans ghost mask), demonic noises, bodies eerily shrouded in plastic wrap, and one perverse killer whose voice alone is enough to freeze your blood.

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When an unidentified caller keeps harassing your entire sorority house with obscene things you can only half-understand (because he sounds like a deranged Donald Duck that laughs like the Joker), you should run even if it is 10 degrees outside. The blizzard of murders keeps raging with one victim dragged screaming by a hook, and another bludgeoned to death. Never mind the one suffocated by plastic wrap and left next to the window like the vacant face of a doll staring out into the night. You’ll hardly sleep in heavenly peace after this one.

– Elizabeth Rayne

Christmas Evil (aka You Better Watch Out) (1980)

In his one and only film as writer/director, Lewis Jackson crafted a smart and clever black comedy that’s more character study than straight horror film. John Waters insists it’s a comedy about a closeted transvestite (of a sort), but it’s much more than that—it’s the Taxi Driver of Yuletide shockers. Brandon Maggart plays a man who takes Christmas way too seriously. His home is filled with bright holiday decorations all year-round while Christmas carols are playing on the stereo. Santa is his role model, a symbol of all that is good and just in the world. He even works at a toy factory.

He so identifies with Santa, he takes to spying on the neighbor kids, keeping his own carefully annotated naughty and nice lists. But when he recognizes the level of cynicism and hypocrisy among his co-workers, bosses, and the people around town as the most joyous time of the year approaches, well, he goes a little funny in the head. He reaches for the suit and beard and axe, determined to reward the good and punish the evil.

Maggart has since tried to desperately distance himself from the film, but he gives a remarkable performance here as a completely isolated figure with a head swimming with both joy and rage. In the end, the film remains king of the sub-subgenre. Screw It’s a Wonderful Life and Rudolph. Apart from Blast of Silence and Invasion U.S.A., Christmas Evil is the only holiday film I watch annually.

– Jim Knipfel

A Christmas Horror Story (2015)

Admittedly, a number of horror-based Christmas movie have gone with the anthology angle for their storytelling. Hell, this isn’t even the only anthology film on this list. A Christmas Horror Story may not be on a lot of people’s radar, but it’s a worthy installment that goes to some unusual places purely because both the Christmas and anthology playgrounds have gotten so bloated at this point. This film also benefits from being executed by a cabal of directors who are responsible for directing some of the best horror movies to come out of Canada in passing years, such as Splice, the Black Christmas remake, and the Ginger Snaps trilogy.

A Christmas Horror Story deliciously uses a radio DJ (William Shatner) as the connective tissue that holds together the four stories that comprise the film. Parables on ghost possession, clone doppelgangers, Krampus, and zombie elves all get their due here. The film also has a pretty inspired ending that actually casts the picture in a whole new light. It’s got Santa Claus fighting Krampus. What’s not to like?

– Daniel Kurland

Dead of Night (1945)

Never play hide and go seek in a house where someone was murdered. While it might be best known for Michael Redgrave’s night-terror-inducing ventriloquist dummy scene that sparked the phobia of possessed puppets, Dead of Night also invites you to a Christmas party with a spectral guest. Spacecase Sally’s genuine terror at realizing what she thinks she saw is what she really saw will forever have you second-guessing shadows creeping in the cold.

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What is obvious in this scene—encroaching darkness and shadows looming over what a place you know is haunted without ever having to hear the big reveal—is hardly as chilling as what is not so obvious until the truth silently materializes. The ghost of the little boy plays hide-and-seek with the other children as if warm blood courses through his veins. Unlike many stereotypical see-through phantoms of the era, this one doesn’t have that telltale translucence which would set off a chorus of screams. Being almost disturbingly normal is exactly what makes him so terrifying.

– Elizabeth Rayne

Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Eyes Wide Shut was the non-denominational star at the top of Stanley Kubrick’s Christmas tree. Originally conceived as a Woody Allen vehicle, it almost starred Steve Martin after Allen insisted on reading the script from right to left. It is as much a cautionary tale as Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, bringing the whole family together with a different Christmas tree in almost every frame.

Kubrick pours on the cheer from the opening sequence at the Christmas party where the first gifts are unwrapped, and oh boy are they unwrapped. Bill Harford, played by Tom Cruise, dives right into the muffled spirit of giving after he performs a more than charitable deed for the party’s host, played by Sydney Pollack.

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Harford spends most of the film looking for the perfect gift like a slow motion version of Jingle All the Way, rushing around from New York City’s famous toy repository FAO Schwartz to downtown specialty shops, to the suburbs, where he can find collectors’ editions. Cruise pays Harford like a wooden windup toy, and not a particularly cute one, either. In spite of all the colorful lights and trips above and below the rainbow, Harford just can’t get into the Christmas spirit. He’s not even moved by the uplifting seasonal tunings of “I Want a Boy for Christmas” by the Del-Vettes. He recovers his seasonal facilities while humming along to the chant during the climactic illuminati sex party, though! The song is actually “Here Comes Santa Claus” sung backwards in Latin, adding more menace to the proceedings than Silas Barnaby brought to Toyland in The March of the Wooden Soldiers.

– Tony Sokol

Gremlins (1984)

Santa doesn’t exist… unless it’s your father in a red suit who met his untimely end trying to slide down the chimney with a sack of presents before getting stuck. Don’t tell that to the innocent bat-like ears of a harmless (for now) Mogwai. It’s exactly the kind of story you expect to hear while hunkering down in the shadows with a flashlight while a bunch of leathery green things with too many teeth ransack the neighborhood.

And as for Santa? That smell coming from the fireplace weeks later was no dead cat. Worst. Christmas story. Ever.

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This movie should be on every hardcore horror fan’s holiday playlist just for the musical monstrosity of those reptilian things decked out in Santa hats and earmuffs singing “Deck the Halls” at the neighbors’ door, sheet music and all. This is continuing proof that animals have a sixth sense, because her yowling cat senses something off about the voices warbling “Joy to the World” outside. She’s right to have an aversion to Christmas carolers.

– Elizabeth Rayne

Holidays (2015)

There have been so many holiday-themed horror films at this point—reaching Christmas and going far, far beyond that—so why not make an anthology film that takes that idea to the extreme? Holidays hits the expected staples such as Christmas, Halloween, and Valentine’s Day, but part of the fun here is how holidays with lesser expectations like Easter or St. Patrick’s Day deliver some truly horrifying content (seriously, the St. Patrick’s Day segment is disturbing, bonkers chaos).

The Christmas segment comes courtesy of Scott Stewart (Legion) and has Seth Green trying to survive the holiday as he attempts to get his son the perfect gift. Stewart’s installment feels very reminiscent of a Black Mirror episode with virtual reality, consumerism, and the dangers of mob mentality all playing their part here.

A lot of these anthology films also try to bank off of the name recognition and notoriety of the assembled directors, but Holidays proudly features a collection of mostly fresh faces (although Kevin Smith and Starry Eye’s Kevin Kolsch contribute segments). It’s fun to discover a bunch of new blossoming talents here.

– Daniel Kurland

Jack Frost (1997)

This ain’t the cringeworthy father/son bonding vehicle starring Michael Keaton. No, this is the Jack Frost where the killer snowman’s nose functions as both a killing tool and a device to sexually assault his victims. All square? But hey, at the least the film isn’t afraid to ride its ridiculous premise as hard as possible.

First of all, an actual killer named Jack Frost crashes into a truck of “genetics material” that causes him to transform into this cold abomination in the first place. That sets the tone pretty nicely for the abundant murders, sex, and plot holes that plague the town of Snowmonton (yup). It’s hard to believe that this film got made, with all of the visuals being some real spectacles that you don’t typically see in the horror genre.

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Jack Frost is the perfect Christmas horror film to shut your brain off and watch, or the title that you should be selecting right in the middle of your deep eggnog haze. It’s utter nonsense, but it knows that it is and has tons of fun with itself. We need more talented individuals trying to tap into the killer snowman subgenre. There’s still a true classic waiting to come to life here.

– Daniel Kurland

Krampus (2015)

Morbidly funny in its anti-holiday sarcasm and ridiculous demons, Krampus is like a mashup of the Griswolds, the Grinch, and every mythical beast that has ever been rumored to devour children on the naughty list. You’d rather get coal in your stocking than a killer jack-in-the-box jump scare… or find chilling hoof prints in the snow that are definitely not from Rudolph.

Krampus is one Yuletide monster actually worse than the Grinch. The grisly inspiration for this tale is a Germanic one about a hairy, horned, and cloven-hooved demon who stuffs naughty children in his sack and either beats them with a wooden switch or eats them (depending on who you ask). Also, his heart won’t grow three sizes from gorging on human flesh, either.

This version of Krampus is also hungry for anyone who’s lost their holiday spirit—whether or not you otherwise qualify for the nice list. Watch this with the lights off for the full effect of the power outage that works to the creature’s advantage as he goes hunting for holiday nonbelievers. Kids, don’t scorn Santa or Krampus will come to collect you.

– Elizabeth Rayne

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

There are some of us who know this movie verbatim and to the point where we will shamelessly break out singing “This is Halloween” and raise Jack’s quasi-Shakespearean monologue from the dead even in the middle of July. Or keep warning people that tragedy’s at hand. Or correct anyone who says there are 365 days until next Halloween by growling “364!” The stop-motion animation saga of the talking skeleton turned “Sandy Claws” bewitched an entire generation of ‘90s kids.

Even people who hate Halloween will stare with delight and awe when Jack’s skull bursts out of a snowdrift, and he first puts colored lights in his eye sockets and explores every “what’s this?” in Christmas Town like a spook in a coffin shop. You just can’t help but love the adventurous skeleton, even if he does end up making haunted houses out of people’s living rooms on Christmas Eve. Whether you’d rather be making Christmas with strangely somber carols, reanimated reindeer or toys that bite back, it’s now an officially unofficial holiday classic.

– Elizabeth Rayne

P2 (2007)

On the sillier end of the Christmas horror spectrum comes P2, a film named after a section in a parking lot, starring Wes Bentley and Rachel Nichols. She’s a business woman trapped in a multi-story parking garage on Christmas Eve, he’s the insane Security Guard who’s obsessed with her and really wants her to try his festive eggnog, so to speak.

Camp and gory, this is the directorial debut of Franck Khalfoun who would follow it up with a remake of Maniac. The movie was co-written by Alexandre Aja who made one of the greatest cat-and-mousers ever in Switchblade Romance. The set up is formulaic, perhaps, but the game performances and relentlessness of the action makes this worthwhile. And if that’s not enough check out a deranged Bentley dressed as Santa, for the angel on the top of the Christmas tree.

– Rosie Fletcher

Rare Exports (2010)

There couldn’t possibly be a more sinister place to search for Santa’s ancient burial mound than in the frigid depths of Lapland. It’s the same supposedly enchanted place Dick van Dyke hiked to in the search for Santa in an ‘80s musical Christmas special, except this time you won’t find him in a cozy cottage with stockings hung by the chimney with care. You won’t find the guy in red from the mall, but anything that takes a disembodied pig’s head as bait couldn’t possibly be jingle-belling on a sleigh with eight tiny reindeer, especially when he seems to have a ravenous appetite for said reindeer.

This time, “the spirit of the season” is literally the most malicious Christmas spirit that has ever terrorized the Yuletide. Even if you watch the whole thing in Finnish and don’t understand a word except the screaming, the ghost of the child in you that really did believe there was a guy in the North Pole will be forever traumatized. This glaze-eyed zombie incarnation of Mr. Claus doesn’t laugh like a bowl full of jelly. You better watch out, indeed.

– Elizabeth Rayne

Santa Claws (1996)

You do have to wonder what happened to John Russo along the line. 30 years after co-writing Night of the Living Dead, he came up with this decidedly sleazy but sadly unoriginal wonderment, which was much more focused on boobs than Yuletide butchery. In what by that point had become a battered cliché of the Slasher Santa subgenre, a young boy named Wayne (Grant Kramer) sees his mom having sex with a man wearing a Santa hat (!), and so murders them both. I’m not exactly sure how this transference would work in Freudian terms, but when he gets older, he a) becomes obsessed with a low-budget scream queen named Raven (played by low-budget scream queen Debbie Rochon) and b) decides he’s Santa.

As you might imagine, stalking someone when you’re wearing a Santa suit is no mean feat, but Wayne gives it his best shot. Most of the film, however, focuses on Raven and her extended family as she gets undressed a lot and wonders not only why that creep in the Santa suit keeps showing up everywhere, but why everyone around her keeps dying in a particularly bloody fashion. It can feel like there are two films going on here, a by-the-numbers stalker/slasher movie and a holiday horror film, which leaves me thinking Russo had one of them in mind, but after some eight-year-old smarty-pants came up with that clever “Santa Claws” pun, well, he just had to run with it.

– Jim Knipfel

Santa’s Slay (2005)

Christmas can sure scare the Dickens out of people. Hence why you can’t not watch a holiday horror flick in which Santa is the Antichrist, sentenced to 1,000 years of delivering gifts after losing a curling match with an angel, and played by former pro wrestler Bill “Who’s Next?” Goldberg.

As the only son of Satan (you know what they say about rearranging the letters in that name) whose grim legend is immortalized in the Book of Claus, he can now at last spread Christmas fear with weapons, karate kicks, hand grenades, exploding presents, and his own perverse idea of what “Ho ho ho” should really mean. Them’s the breaks once the bet’s terms are done.

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Santa’s methods of murder are fiendishly festive—to say the least. There is no naughty or nice list when it comes to an insatiable appetite for violence. He even knocks out poseurs in red suits and drives a sleigh with a rocket engine like it’s the Batmobile. Mall Santas everywhere are shaking in their pleather boots.

– Elizabeth Rayne

Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)

Naughty children get punished with more than just a stocking full of coal in this Christmas chiller. Just the opening scene with all those empty-eyed animatronic toys haunting a window display after-hours should tell you that this is not a movie that’s going to end in visions of sugarplums. Forget that it’s supposed to be the season of all things magical. Those things can be more terrifying than every single plastic skeleton and gaping zombie mask you’ll ever see in a haunted house around Halloween.

You’d better watch out for that psycho in the red suit who grabs a hatchet off the wall as if it was his bag full of toys and packs an automatic pistol in his fur-lined pocket, murdering misbehaving kids he’s been watching undercover of shadow. This sadistic Santa clearly doesn’t believe in sliding down chimneys—and the only red he’s interested in wearing is the blood of innocents. If that won’t convince you to stay awake because he sees you when you’re sleeping, you must be Freddie Krueger.

– Elizabeth Rayne

Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 (1987)

Three years after the shit-storm sparked by the original’s ad campaign, some smart cookie decided a sequel was necessary. A tough call there, given most all the principals were killed off pretty thoroughly the first time around, but still, right?

But there was money to be made, so they brought in an untested director (Lee Harry), a mostly untested crew, and a cast of mostly non-professional actors. After a half-dozen writers took a swipe at the script, they came up with a confounding but tepid rehash of the first film. This time around, and mostly in flashback, we learn that after the first killer Santa was sloppily dispatched at the end of Part 1, his brother Ricky becomes determined to uncover what went wrong.

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He pays a visit to the sadistic Mother Superior at the Catholic asylum where his brother had been kept, and before you can say “ho ho ho,” Ricky ends up donning the red and white suit himself to do a little rampaging, though without nearly half of his brother’s imagination. They even used the same fucking poster design, just slapped a “2” on it. I guess hoping they might raise the same sort of ruckus the first one had. Sadly, it was too late for that.

– Jim Knipfel

Sint (2010)

Dutch director Dick Maas took some early steps toward Krampus territory with his re-imagining of the legend of the warm-hearted Saint Nick. Borrowing heavily from earlier Italian, Spanish, and American horror films, as well as Danish folklore, “Sinterklaas” here was actually a bloodthirsty medieval murderer and all around brute who oversaw a savage reign of terror. Finally fed up with all his nonsense, the ornery local villagers banded together on the night of Dec. 5 and lynched him. As per tradition, however, in the moments before he died Sinterklaas vowed vengeance from beyond the grave, promising to return every 32 years on that very night to do bad and icky things to the villagers’ descendants.

Over the centuries, the story was mainstreamed and soft-pedaled, becoming part of the local folklore. The character of Saint Nick became much more benevolent and child-friendly so as not to scare the wee folk. Then, well, wouldn’t you know it? That anniversary creeps around again, Sinterklaas is true to his word, and Amsterdam turns all bloody, leaving it up to an intrepid teenager named Frank to put a stop to the mayhem.

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A stylish, wicked, and hugely entertaining take on the darker history of a beloved legend. It was also the top grossing film in Denmark in 2010, which either says something about the Danish film industry or the Dutch themselves.

– Jim Knipfel

Tales From the Crypt: And All Through the House (1972)

The Crypt Keeper first emerged as a ghoulish EC Comics horror host in the pages of Tales From the Crypt who crawled onto the big screen in this horror anthology, welcoming unknowing tourists to his catacombs with bony arms open. What the tourists don’t know is that they’re all recently deceased. The invite is to a subterranean story-time in which he unearths the gruesome details of their deaths with a gap-toothed grin. Creatures are obviously stirring when killer wife Joanne is stalked by a homicidal Santa in this warped homage to ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas titled (appropriately enough) “… And All Through the House.”

So it is that “O Come All Ye Faithful” is interrupted while playing on the radio by a scratchy warning of a homicidal maniac run amok. And wouldn’t you just know it, this occurs right as Joan Collins is offing her husband with a shot to the head—and then realizes she has to dismember the body before cashing in on his life insurance. Her blissfully naïve daughter lets the killer jolly old elf in, shrieking that Santa finally came before he erupts into psychopathic rage. Clement C. Moore must be turning in his grave.

– Elizabeth Rayne

The Wolf of Snow Hollow

Certainly less purely Christmas-y than other entries on this list, The Wolf of Snow Hollow is nonetheless a wintry delight set during the holiday season. Carols play ominously in the background during key moments, and the immaculately snowy white setting of Snow Hollow, Utah is broken only by splashes of color from lights on homes and Christmas trees. Oh yes, and the blood of the titular werewolf’s victims.

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Jim Cummings’ film is heavy on cozy, ski town holiday atmosphere without leaning on its actual Christmastime setting at all. But good werewolf movies are a rare breed indeed these days, and a werewolf movie set at Christmas? Well…now you know what to watch when the moon is full each December

Mike Cecchini

Got any other suggestions for Christmas horror movies that we missed? Let us know in the comments!

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aleatoryalarmalligator · 7 years ago

Text

Life Story Part 48

I agreed to go to this thing called The Rendezvous with Sarah and her mom and her mom's boyfriend Jim. Both Sarah's mom Carol and her boyfriend Jim were very enthusiastic about doing things as people had done them back in the days of the Oregon Trail, and Fur trappers of the American North West. The Rendezvous is basically this established setting of people who trade goods that they have made over the course of the year that people might have used to make food, hunt, eat or have for entertainment back in the 1800's. It was something that lasted about five days, and most of the people who went camped for those five days, dressed in 1800's attire, with fur hats and full homemade leather outfits. Just a lot of incredibly odd people who spent the year sometimes making these old flasks and jars of molasses and articles of clothing.

I personally have never been fond of camping. It's great up till the point where you are trying to sleep and there are mosquitoes and it suddenly becomes freezing, and as you lay on the uneven ground that deceptively seemed like a sound place to set up your tent hours ago, and you wonder why you willingly chose to sleep on the dirt when there are warm beds in an inn somewhere twenty miles down the way, and you now have to listen to a bunch of drunk racist rednecks screaming their head off down the road at their campfire. I always think about Timothy Treadwell and that bear that ate him and his girlfriend alive. And then the sun comes up in the morning and it goes from 20 degrees to 95 degrees very quickly, and there is nowhere decent to use the bathroom and you have to spend most of the time packing up. It's nothing like the way people lived back in the old days, because back then there was a level of reason to be out in the woods at time and a level of appreciation for being savvy and conservative with what you had. And yes, there are those people who have these elaborate motor homes with televisions, plumbing, air conditioning and all of that, but that's not really camping is it? For me it has always been best to spend the day out in the mountains, and then return to civilization to sleep, and go back in the morning refreshed.

Anyway, we went to this thing with her mother and stepdad. For some strange reason Katie (remember her?), was still sort of in touch with Sarah and her mother here and again, and she came along as well. Katie was probably the most enthused about this kind of outdoorsy return to simpler times, me being the least, the city loving well electronic opium addict that I am. The campgrounds were outside of this small town in eastern Washington called Colfax. It was essentially just this big hideous field that became really hot in the daylight hours, and freezing in the evenings. And it was horrible hot. There was nothing worthy of buying, and I felt it was torture by day one. I wasn't about to make Sarah have to stay up there for five days alone though. Sarah and I were very close in that way. If one of us were supposed to suffer with an activity, we tended to try to stick together and do it together to make the most of it.

Katie was very enthusiastic about it. And we managed to befriend this kid named Shane who hailed from some rich area of Spokane, had a dad with a very fancy motor home we could hang out a little in, much too nice for any true mountain men of the wild frontier days. But most of the time, it was just as matter of all of us sitting around trying to pretend that sweat wasn't running down our chins. I was especially light headed given that I was dieting still and wasn't taking in adequate carbohydrates. Carol, dressed in a dress of the archaic age everyone was celebrating, was doing things from scratch like churning butter and all that. The 'mountain men' would sit around and drink beer, and say little things to us girls about how feisty we were, and that sort of thing. They all had mountain man names – or at least so called mountain man names like Hawk, or Turtle. I saw these men's friendliness as thinly veiled sexist attempts to flirt. Carol was cautious that we didn't go to these guys to hang out, though for Sarah and I the caution was hardly necessary. Katie didn't find anything weird or wrong about the way the men treated her, and seemed to feel like she was one of those men herself. The men all called her 'Heaps-a-trouble' and she stayed up all Saturday night with all these gross old men dressed like Davy Crockett, drinking herself to oblivion, and sleeping outside of our campground by her vomiting and in the state of a major hangover. It was far from ideal, but all in all this was the sort of thing that Katie thoroughly enjoyed and made the most of, and ultimately I am glad that she was okay.

I was never so happy to finally be home, and it would be the last time that I seriously considered a long-term camping trip with anyone. I was sunburned from head to toe, I smelled horrendous, My hair was thick and crusty with dirt and filth. And I think this is universal for anyone who has been sleeping on the ground too long, but my bed literally felt heavenly after I got out of the tub.

I was feeling really limited with music that I knew about at this point. It seemed like there was a lot out there that I just couldn't buy. There were musicians who just didn't get sold in Hastings or anywhere else really. But as far as I knew, there wasn't anywhere you could find music to listen to. I managed to find one place, I think it was called something like allcds.com or something like that. It was here were I would repeatedly listen to forty second sound bites from songs. It was here where I became acquainted with Johnny Thunders, Billy Bragg, The Modern Lovers and Captain Beefheart. I really was able to derive a lot just by hearing these poor quality soundbites over and over again. I would dream of the day that I might be able to buy albums like these. I also would sometimes listen to The Smiths and cringe. I would look at pictures of Morrissey and find him to be so annoying I just wanted to punch his face in. The level of vulnerability that came from him, in pictures or in music was really hard for me to handle. At the time, I didn't believe people should be soft, particularly women, but men too. I believed the world was a harsh place and in turn everyone should fight their way to the top. There was a sort of struggle I was having with connecting femininity to weakness, and I had been made to feel weak so much that there was this automatic need for me to oppose anything I deemed as weak. Morrissey had this nihilistic mopiness about him I couldn't even believe was real. And his hair was just too much.

At this time, Sarah and I were listening to a lot of Mudhoney, and the reason was almost entirely because for whatever reason Mudhoney albums were only three or four dollars a piece at Hastings and they were affordable and there were millions of them spilling out of the M section. Sarah and I really just couldn't afford anything more and it was such a good deal, and we wanted new music. At first, I don't even think I liked Mudhoney all that much, but I forced it upon myself until I did. I think I even learned to play 'Acetone' on guitar at some point.

Sarah would often come with me into Lewiston to visit. After the gig at Brenda's was up, my mother – in a bind, asked if we could stay at Jim and Connie's again. It was only for a few weekends. I think when Sarah would come with me on the weekends, she started maybe thinking about connecting more with her own dad, who rarely ever reached out to her. He had bought her an Ibanez acoustic guitar, and I think he might have financially contributed to buying her a bass as well, though I am not sure of the details regarding that. I think her father might have contacted her that weekend and told her he would take her to the Rockin' On the River festival, which was this small little musical thing that was supposed to happen in Clarkston out by the river each summer. It might have been the first of second year they decided to have it. She of course agreed to go, if only she could invite me as well.

From what I remember, her father showed up at my mom's that weekend to take us to the place. I remember it was a hot summer day, and I was wearing a bandanna around my head. The bands were all quite boring. The main act was the #1 Rolling Stones cover band of the US, and I remember seeing glimpses of the singer, a man who people said was pretentious and psychologically obsessed with embodying Mick Jagger in every way. He was in a terrible mood and kept waving people to get away from him. The opening act was this band that came from the area, and I remember nothing of their music other than they used a mandolin for one of their songs which was interesting. Then this other band came on, and they were famous for having made the theme song for a canceled sitcom at some point. It was very very hot. Sarah's dad wasn't happy to be there and I am not sure why he offered if he was going to be so upset about it, but we avoided him for the most part.

This guy came up to me who I didn't recognize at all. He said hi to me as though we knew each other well, and he started talking about my mom and sisters. I eventually couldn't nod or avoid it and I had to ask who he was, and he seemed shocked that I didn't recognize him. It was Chris. Chris was the singer of that band that never really was a band that my mom used to write lyrics for. He had dated my oldest sister Maria for awhile, and had been a very gross man that had lived in my mother's place back in 1999. The most clear memory I have of him was him spending a stupid amount of time beating up this stuffed animal Barney on the floor. Chris no longer had long hair, and he seemed to have taken a shower at some point. But then he started going on about how Maria was filth, and she deserved the beating she got for staying with Earl. This isn't to say that I have a great amount of admiration for Maria, but the fact that this complete stranger essentially wanted to come up to me and start talking poorly about the personal decisions of my eldest sister pissed me off. Maria hadn't seen Chris for six years, and I really don't believe she ever did anything too terribly cruel to him per say. So I told him to fuck off, and I walked away. He kept following me trying to apologize and it was quite annoying. Even when I had known him, I had been ten years old. We had nothing to say to one another.

I never got to see the Rolling Stones cover band perform. Sarah's dad mysteriously came up to us in the evening sun and told us we had to leave immediately. He was fuming about something in his thick Texas accent. I couldn't help but look at Sarah's dad and see so very little in common between the two. Sarah's dad was a meth addicted cowboy who never looked anyone in the eyes, was psychologically deranged and seemed incapable of ever confronting that he made a mistake, that and he was an opportunist and he had this distant unstable sense that he thought he knew everything. Whenever something didn't go his way, or he wanted something that was not his, he only had to convince himself that it was has, or that he was right. He didn't see Sarah as a person. I had seen pictures of him as a boy, and Sarah had a lot of similar facial features to boy Dean – that's his name, but when I looked at his face I could see nothing of Sarah's pixie like features on him. Sarah on the contrary seemed very much present and thoughtful in all the ways he was not. It was an absence of a relationship between the two that I thought was very strange. Dean might very well have been the most selfish man I have ever met.

He was angry about the road he was on, and he wanted to be at the other side of this field, so he simply swerved off the road into this field and drove across it to get to the other side. It made for quite a bumpy ride. He put this tape in the tape deck of older early 80's country and started talking really loud about how this was REAL COUNTRY, and the rest of it was a bunch of gays or something highly offensive and silly. We were to stay the night at this trailer he was staying in. He got angry when Sarah and I wanted to walk to the store to pick up something to eat, and he was weird towards us staying up late. But all in all, it was okay – meaning we survived to see another day. The next day I think we went back to my mothers so we could hang out and be on more comfortable terms.

I think it was two days later, but Sarah got a call from her uncle telling her that her father had just suffered a stroke. Sarah had never actually openly professed much care for her father given that he had very little to do with her at all – this visit was one of the most prolonged visits she had ever had since she was three, but I realized in that moment that some part of her very much did care after all. She still felt abandoned by him, and I think it actually effected her personally. It might have been some microscopic aspect of her mysteriously low sense of self worth. I don't know really though. She was very worried and as soon as the operation was done – I think the next day when the hospital said that Dean could have visitors, she went into the hospital to visit him. It was only about two blocks from where Jim and Connie were living, so she walked over by herself.

About a half hour later, she came back from the hospital weeping. I hadn't really seen Sarah cry all that often. She had gone into the hospital, fearful that her dad's life was in jeopardy, and being very open and caring about it. He had started to call her worthless, and a bunch of other things from the hospital bed. I don't remember what all was said, other than it felt to me like cruel comments seemed to come quite naturally from him. Everything he said was wrong of course, but he had essentially cut down Sarah pretty badly. He had called me a piss ant as well – whatever that even means, though it wasn't all that personal to me, or probably aimed at me so much as it was aimed at Sarah. After that, I don't think that Sarah ever made any real efforts to contact her father. She might have had lunch with him a few times after that, once every four years or so, but as of now, she hasn't spoken to him for five years or more. She doesn't know if he's alive or dead and she now genuinely doesn't care.

My mom found a new deal of a place. It was a house on the hills on the outskirt hill of Clarkston next to the river. It was a decent sized house. She knew this family the Nyes from her bartending. They were relatively wealthy, and both the mother and father had jobs that entailed fixing arcade games, emptying and refilling venting machines. I am not sure what it was exactly that they did or how they made so much money doing it, but it was some strange combination of those two. And they had some kids, that I never ended up meeting that my mom was given a discount on the rent of this second home they owned. There were these two little identical twin girls I remember seeing and hearing about, with blonde curls. They looked like angels.

The house had three bedrooms. She took the big room, and then gave both the other rooms to David, which was absurd and sort of unfair – not that Allison and I had no been through worse – I'd been made to sleep in clothes that had been vomited on and cold concrete, but it goes to show the level of extreme spoiling she did to David. I didn't really mind anyway, because I preferred spending most of my time on the couch watching movies anyway, and my mom was either babysitting the Nyes children or she was bartending and if not bartending she was surely running to her boyfriend Danny's place to cater to him. So it was basically my place for that whole summer. The air conditioner worked very well, and I have never failed to appreciate the wonders of a well working air conditioner. I remember I spent one of my rare times when I felt close to my mother, helping her remodel the bathroom. She put up this really neat wallpaper with elephants and lions. It wasn't as tacky as it sounds. It had an African theme, and it was probably one of the nicest bathrooms in any place I have ever lived.

Mostly what I remember about the Nyes was that outside, right next door and essentially what seemed like our front lawn, there was a house that was under construction. So everyday there were about ten men outside working on building this house next door. I could often hear them outside building away into the early evening. I also remember starving in that house. Just thinking of it gives me this confused shaky feeling. I spent a good deal of time dizzy and crazed with hunger, fighting against this sense that I must carry on for the sake of everything I hold dear and that even eating one bite of whatever something my mother brought home would bring me down forever. I swear she would at times bring home cakes and stuff just to get me to lose my momentum. And I was starting to take diet pills. They seemed to work pretty well, and I was very fond of them and kept them close by whenever I started feeling like I was a failure for not losing weight quickly enough. I dyed my hair fire engine red and cut bangs for myself in that place.

I started watching Johnny Depp movies over and over again. Mostly, I watched Crybaby, What's Eating Gilbert Grape?, Benny and Joon, Edward Scissorhands, Secret Window, and From Hell over and over again. I watched From Hell the most. I probably watched that movie about one hundred times. I don't recall what I loved about that movie so much, other than it had Johnny Depp in it. I guess a part of it may have been that I have always really enjoyed the late 1800's – early 1900's. There was something edgy about Jack the Ripper, it involved the freemasons on some level (though I never took the movie very seriously in this regard), there was an unhappy ending, and it had Johnny Depp in it. I also remember really liking the Marilyn Manson song at the end, I think it was 'The Nobodies'.

Crybaby was my favorite, until the end which I was always strongly disappointed by. There is this point that is near the ending of the film where Iggy Pop in a rabbit costume swoops down on a rope and collects Alison from a duet of Mr. Sandman with Baldwin, and he says 'YOU SING WITH THE SQUARES! OR YOU CAN SING WITH THE DRAPES?!' or something like that. And then it suddenly goes to the jail cell where she somehow dances her way in and gets him unlocked. I always hated that scene. What's more, the judge suddenly is cool with the Drapes, and Baldwin is taken down by a game of Chicken on their vehicles. It seemed empty after Iggy Pop made his proclamation. I understand the spoofy nature of Crybaby, but there was weak writing in the end comparatively to the beginning. Like, the Drapes are no longer considered bad at the end, and that took from the edginess of everything they stood for. And then a game of Chicken should never have been enough to get rid of the Square assholes for good and all. It gave me this sad sense that there could be no longer term existence to any of the things that the outsiders stood or lived for. There was this nihilistic sense of futility I would feel on the last scene where Crybaby and Alison are holding each other in picturesque fashion. Like nothing could be that good and stay real. It's best to live for small moments of perfection in your life, because any sense that a person can elongate out the fabric of their feelings, nothing stays the same. I mean, at the very end of the film, if anyone thought about it at all, the very notion that the 50's would inevitably come to an end was depressing enough given the style and nature of the characters and their circumstances. Youth dies, relationships fall apart. Glory fades. Nothing stays the same. It never meant anything.

Aside from those movies, I watched the movie Jawbreaker a lot as well. I think it was because it had Marilyn Manson in it for about five seconds. It's kind of weird to think about now, but I used to have an enormous crush on Marilyn Manson. I don't know why. It wasn't a sexual fetish, or something like that as it might be perceived. I don't know. He just seemed to have a presence about him that I was intrigued by, and not the obvious stuff like the eye and the hair. It was more in his demeanor. In interviews and such, he always seemed incredibly thoughtful and intelligent. And honest. He was more than ready in every way possible to explore unpleasant topics. There was a level of honest and creativity and self worship that I really admired, and that sense that he had created himself rather than letting middle of the road go-green car commercial get married grow boring and die mentality, or the Jerry Springer billboard emptiness rule who he became. To me he embodied some sense of meaning for what it meant to be alive. He was revenge for what modern society had taken away from us, but what that something was was very hard to say. I felt like he really got it, and he represented folks like me. I didn't adore his music that much. I was a fan of Mechanical Animals. I wasn't interested in drugs or partying too much. But there was really something about him that caught my eye.

I lastly, remember watching this movie about Jeffrey Dahmer, simply called 'Dahmer'. It chronicles a series of murders that Jeffrey Dahmer was responsible for and how he eventually got caught and all of that. It was very gross. I was eating this TV dinner while watching it, and as I watched Dahmer slowly and experimentally put his hand into the guts of this young man he had just grotesquely killed and put screws into his head, and I looked down at my dinner and it looked like nothing short of the guts on screen. It made me totally sick to my stomach and whenever I smell that certain kind of TV dinner sauce I get sick a little bit.

It was around this time that I got into my first serious fight with Sarah. It started out that we were driving around. Sarah had just received her first car, the 1979 blue Honda Civic with a rack on top– one of the only cars I can readily identify. We were driving around town. Sarah's mom wasn't really allowing Sarah to drive out to Lewiston or Moscow or anything for the time being, but she was letting her experiment by driving around the small towns of Juliaetta and Kendrick. We stopped at the Juliaetta market/gas station – and Zack was suddenly just out there filling up the tank of his own vehicle. I was in shock and had no time to adjust to it. Sarah, innocently enough, drove right up to him and pulled down her window to start talking to him. He seemed to be leaning down and only talking to her. It was general stuff of, 'how have you been', and so on, but with her looking out the window, and Zack looking in, I felt suddenly very excluded. He had looked over at me briefly, but he hadn't even said hi.

Sarah and him were chatting, and then he started telling us about how his sister Whitney had just written a letter to Charles Manson and and Charles Manson had written to her letter in return. Zack seemed to have this enormous amount of respect for Charles Manson, and started saying that Charles Manson still being alive was the one 'great hope' for us all. I didn't know very much about Charles Manson, but it seemed borderline cruel to the people he had killed to think such a thought. But Zack said it so mindlessly and with the same level of conviction that he said all the other things he said. I started to feel this little tinge in the back of my head, this strange sense that I had spent the previous two years based on a lie, but I internally shoved that thought out before I let myself have it.

Mostly, I was silently freaking out. I felt like the rules of the game had suddenly shifted somehow. Why did Zack want to talk to Sarah rather than me? Didn't he remember me? Did he not remember all the things he said to me, about how special I was? He seemed to spend very little time looking at me or talking to me. He just was looking straight at Sarah and her straight back. And even though it honestly was not the primary reason, with my new hair – which I had sort of done something with for the first time ever, and my clean clothes and my more fit appearance – however minor – well, I really thought that Zack would have liked me more. I was being naive. And I hated myself too because I knew that if I wanted Zack to talk to me, than really I should have been the one to reach out, rather than expecting him to talk to me. But if I talked, or ever asserted a real opinion, I felt and sort of knew he may not have liked me anymore. I had actually changed so much from ages thirteen to sixteen that I didn't know who he expected me to be even if he had talked to me.

The conversation was brief outside the store, and we headed back to my house to watch a movie. I started feeling alarmingly jealous of Sarah. Nothing ever seemed to go wrong for her. Her father was a loser, but that was it. I felt that she was taking my ambition and dreams and putting them for herself because she wanted to be 'cool' like I was. But she was just going through the motions to avoid feeling like there was nothing she wanted. She just copied me, and then went on to be far more successful with her copy of me than I ever was with my original. And now, even Zack liked her better. She had hogged all the spotlight and I had been forgotten in that five minute moment we had had back there. I was overreacting horrible, getting into this extreme thinking and it was getting hard for me to control myself much of the time. I was feeling really horrible about myself, suicidal and alone, seeing everything I had tried to become as some kind of gimmick, returning to this feeling of shame and being absolutely unlovable and weak. Just a worm hiding behind a mask. I didn't even feel human. Sarah was essentially Jolene in that Dolly Parton song. I felt like she had taken my man, but I wasn't about to sound or act out crazy enough to start pleading with her, so instead I felt overwhelmed and upset with her for being a fake.

We rented the movie we were going to watch. It was Wes Anderson's 'The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou. Sarah knew there was something wrong coming off of me in the car. She was probably clueless as to why I was mad. She didn't even have a confirmed knowledge that I was still in love with Zack. And if she had, I don't know that she really understood how a person could mean so much to another person at that time. In many ways, she saw crushes and boyfriends as something far more simple. She didn't know how to read this part of me very well. My sudden shifts in mood and sense of self worth was constantly wavering constnantly by this time in my life, and it took everything in my power to honestly not freak out at Sarah. It's like I couldn't tell if she was my friend or my enemy anymore. There was no between. Everything was pure or completely wretched and contaminated. I had this way of wanting to psychoanalyze everyone just to find an excuse to feel they were weak. My ego was both small, and very large all at the same time. It was very hard to exist in my own skin. Things felt like they were going crazy all the time. I had these ideals I felt that I had to live up to at all costs. And I was so far from them. The more this went on, the harder I was starting to lash out.

I wouldn't answer Sarah for the remainder of the evening, and I think I even raised me voice at her for no good reason when I finally did say something. I think she meekly asked me what was wrong, and I lashed out in some fashion. It wasn't very reasonable or kind for me to do this, but I was out of my mind at that point and little reason could enter into my thoughts. I was afraid that if I started losing it, it would never end. None the less and despite the awkwardness of the situation, we sat down and watched the entire movie, and despite that I was feeling suicidal, I found myself really enjoying everything about the film. It was this strange sensation of being enthralled and wanting to die. But by the time the movie was over, I a was still upset, and nothing had gotten better. We ended up driving around. Sarah was begging me at this point to tell her what was wrong, but I was so tired of fighting with her at that point. I felt like when she and I fought, she got some kind of strange stressful catharsis out of it, and it ultimately changed nothing. I really wanted things to change, and she wanted to spin in place. So talking to her was pointless. I kept telling her I didn't want to talk about it, until finally I snapped. It was dark by then, and we were parked at the end of town in a parking place for motor homes to get water and such. A few homes down, there was the sound of Metallica playing in the distance.

I snapped at her, telling her she was phony and she didn't really want to be in a band or change the world because she stood for nothing. She just wanted approval and to be comforted by shallow meaningless comforts and that people saw her and they thought she was a rebel and they saw me and thought I was worthless. She started crying and agreeing with everything I said. So I told her that if she agrees with me, than why does she continue to do it? Her answer was muddled and unclear and we were both crying at this point. I got even angrier and started actually raising my voice a bit telling her I didn't care if she agreed with me or not, I wanted her to actually understand. That she shirked a certain kind of responsibility and that simply avoiding things that didn't feel good was no way to live. She could give me no answers, and sort of just repeated herself. I told her I didn't know why she was even friends with me at all. We were both sobbing at the end, and she drove me home. I ran to my room and cried myself to sleep.

The thing about all of this was, is that Sarah definitely did have many of the problems with being fake and avoiding responsibility and all of that. She didn't stand for much, often got credit for being quirky and cute. She definitely had a lot of lessons to learn. She was copying me in several respects. She wanted my vision and passion and my struggles to be hers because she couldn't seem to feel passionate or really struggle. She was a softly spoiled only child and I was not. Having been through all of what I had, having goals and vision and standing for something was in many ways all I really felt I could have. Strangely, one of the reasons I think she did value my friendship was because underneath her need to insulate herself and receive empty praise was this sense of self loathing and emptiness that nobody would ever be able to easily identity, and I was constantly calling her out for it. Which made her feel like someone registered who she actually was.

On my end of it, I was showing strong signs of mental illness, and at the time, much of my behavior was similar to what I have read about Borderline. I can't say that I actually had Borderline, but there were some strong resemblances. And my self worth when it came to living in the world and communicating with people was very low. I had somehow become egotistical, and was in some ways, simply believing myself to be some kind of fucking saint that could go around like I was perfect, acting like I knew more than anyone else. It was kind of awful. But I wasn't capable of much alone. I relied on Sarah to basically do things for me that I couldn't do for myself. And she was honestly my only friend, the only person who really genuinely seemed to value me as a person, the only person I could feel comfortable being myself around, and more or less my only family in many respects. Plus, Sarah really did have a natural and beautiful charisma about her. It's something I liked about her, and it's something most everyone who knew Sarah also liked about her. She wasn't faking that. She had this gentle way of making me feel better a lot of the time, and she was incredibly supportive. So my reliance on her was creating a very strange conflict within myself. She had a place in the world more than I did. She was prettier than me. Nobody wanted to be around me to be torn to bits for not meeting my impossible standards.

In any case, I was probably the last person to have the right to criticize Sarah.

I ended up avoiding Sarah's phone calls for two weeks. I don't know what I was doing actually. I felt weird about having kind of yelled at her (it wasn't yelling, but it was aggressively louder than normal speaking voice level). I was really tired of getting into fights and then continuing on as though it hadn't happened. And I wanted what I had said to actually mean something to her. I felt like she wanted me to be mad, and I still believe she sort of did. Still, we were going to be enrolling into a new school together and going everyday. Surely we were still friends. I just didn't know. With my extreme change in perspective it was hard to tell from day to day if she wasn't my friend at all, or if we were the very best of friends that had ever existed. I lived in this sort of suspended state where I didn't have any permanent perspective, and yet I was very much certain that I was always right. I imagine it got to be pretty annoying if anyone had actually talked to me other than Sarah.

Eventually, we made up two weeks later. I don't know if anything was really said about it however. We just needed to start working together again, so we made it work.

`PART 47 - http://tinyurl.com/y8xyogl9

PART 46 - http://tinyurl.com/ybqoxned

PART 45 - http://tinyurl.com/y94784tz

PART 44 - http://tinyurl.com/ydfpbzxt

PART 43 - http://tinyurl.com/yckvswd7

PART 42 - http://tinyurl.com/ycnng83q

PART 41 - http://tinyurl.com/y84kmttv

PART 40 - http://tinyurl.com/y8aj6kmq

PART 39 - http://tinyurl.com/y97vprft

PART 38 - http://tinyurl.com/ycr7la8q

PART 37 - http://tinyurl.com/y8trssqd

PART 36 - http://tinyurl.com/y9ygq9q8

PART 35 - http://tinyurl.com/ya5xhe2f

PART 34 - http://tinyurl.com/yc6y4p69

PART 33 - http://tinyurl.com/y87449dz

PART 32 - http://tinyurl.com/ycetanep

PART 31 - http://tinyurl.com/yae3o4rd

PART 30 - http://tinyurl.com/ybht9aul

PART 29 - http://tinyurl.com/ybfcr9j2

PART 28 - http://tinyurl.com/yagdlo47

PART 27 - http://tinyurl.com/ydcj5fgf

PART 26 - http://tinyurl.com/y73nvl73

PART 25 - http://tinyurl.com/y6v6pgoj

PART 24 - http://tinyurl.com/ycak5d8r

PART 23 - http://tinyurl.com/yac6sk3g

PART 22 - http://tinyurl.com/yat6cfnw

PART 21 - http://tinyurl.com/y783egno

PART 20 - http://tinyurl.com/y8jskymt

PART 19 - http://tinyurl.com/rfhbms8

PART 18 - http://tinyurl.com/ycrznrwk

PART 17 - http://tinyurl.com/y77unlng

PART 16 - http://tinyurl.com/yadpsv8c

PART 15 - http://tinyurl.com/yb3lt6k5

PART 14 - http://tinyurl.com/yb4cfedq

PART 13 - http://tinyurl.com/yalanq9s

PART 12 - http://tinyurl.com/yc79mw94

PART 11 - http://tinyurl.com/yc9qhj84

PART 10 - http://tinyurl.com/yb734w24

PART 9 - http://tinyurl.com/yc2t6vfw

PART 8 - http://tinyurl.com/ybl37utq

PART 7 - http://tinyurl.com/ybvo283g

PART 6 - http://tinyurl.com/kbc9dwu

PART 5 - http://tinyurl.com/msnz4am

PART 4 - http://tinyurl.com/k9x8esg

PART 3 - http://tinyurl.com/mwp9atx

PART 2 - http://tinyurl.com/lbt6xq2

PART 1 - http://tinyurl.com/l8xbvg8

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theautumnarchive · 7 years ago

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It is a seemingly Herculean task to admit and accept that your best friends have become toxic relationships that you need to separate yourself from, so here is a list of positive things to help cheer me up while I work through this:

- I have many other friends who I am only now realizing care about me as much as they do. I'm coming to see that I took these friends somewhat for granted in favor of my closest friends, no matter how poorly the latter treated me.

- with that, I have been bombarded with love and support from these people in the past week and it has been very humbling and gratifying to experience these things that I have been yearning for for so long

- being honest with myself and acknowledging that it is time to let go seems to be freeing up my heart and mind to welcome new challenges and relationships. It is a good thing

- more specifically, my friend Tim and I are friendly again and I have missed him dearly. Never let one bad day outburst ruin a friendship. I forgave him a long time ago, but I do understand being so embarrassed you have to cut yourself off and I'm glad he isn't doing that now. Everyone has bad days.

- Riverdale is finally back! Very exciting.

- I am starting to get out of my depression cycle and feel myself trying to get interested in my projects again. I thin I finally have this wide open section of brain space that was used to deal with my friendship stress and now it's being rebranded for academic inquiry and it feels good!

- my aunt Sandy sent me a huge check for my research trip to Spain and I am incredibly grateful because now I have more than enough for the week-long trip, which means...

- I have started saving for top surgery! I am going to get it as a graduation present for myself in May. I believe that, by then, I will have gotten far enough along with working out that my chest muscles will be easier to define when the surgeon is placing their incision markers

- I have started working out again! I started on October 9 and I had to miss yesterday because, frankly, my knees can't handle doing the workout two days in a row, but I'm doing it again today and I'm excited!

- my favorite kind of maruchan ramen (lime shrimp) is not sold anywhere in Florida, but it turns out they sell it in 24 packs on Amazon for $14. Very good news.

- the professor running the archaeological field school says she'll work with me to do whatever I need in order to get me in the class. I talk to my major professor on Friday (fingers crossed!)

- if I get in, that means I'll be too busy digging up history to even think about Brian being a jerk, let alone have to work with him anymore.

- my desire to separate myself from the toxicity means I'll probably have to give up my bowmaking workshop in the Spring, but I can do the spoon and bowl workshops without Brian and I think that's just fine!

- Jim will probably be fine letting me come in on Sundays to make the metal pieces for the spring pole lathe so I can circumvent Brian's participating

- Halloween is coming soon and I no longer have to make hobbit capes for the three of us, so now I can be Wirt from Over the Garden Wall instead. :D

- I don't know yet if the Prozac is helping, but taking dramamine helps the nausea go away and it isn't HURTING so that's good

- the homeowners in Havana are back now, so after I return their keys on Saturday, I no longer ever have to drive out there. :D :D

Edit: I thought of more!

- my mom is still kicking alcoholism in the ass and I can tell how much better she's getting every time we talk. Her memory is getting better and she sounds happier, even when she's not actually happy, and I'm so so so proud of her for all that's she's accomplishing. I love you!

- there is an oyster festival coming up in Florida called Clustershuck and I don't like oysters, but I so appreciate whoever named the festival.

#toxic relationships #there are more things i'm sure #but it's after nine now so i have to call the endochrinologist

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biofunmy · 5 years ago

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At VidCon, Influencers, Fans, And Brands Seemed Ready To Leave YouTube Behind

Jerod Harris / Getty Images

An attendee at 2019 VidCon on July 11 in Anaheim, California.

“How dark do you want to get,” YouTuber Lindsay Ellis asked the moderator of one of the first panels at VidCon, the flashy, annual digital video conference in Anaheim, California. VidCon may have once been known as a breathless celebration of all things digital video and all the fame and money that comes with it for creators, but in 2019, it was kicking off with a discussion led by the executive director for Uplift, an organization that provides resources for YouTube creators dealing with sexual violence, about how online video communities have changed over the years.

“It was fun,” said Ellis. “Now it’s like, OK, how do we protect ourselves from our audience?”

“How do we protect ourselves from our audience?”

VidCon celebrated its 10-year anniversary this week. Yet the palpable sadness hovering over Thursday’s panels revealed how heavily the internet’s problems now weigh on top video creators. Featured influencers spoke frankly about their struggles with mental health and the pressures of content creation at many points throughout the day. Panels devolved into group therapy sessions, as YouTubers commiserated over shared experiences with harassment and exploitation.

Jim Louderback, the CEO of VidCon, told BuzzFeed News that the conference doesn’t shy away from issues that matter for creators and attendees: harassment, mental health, and exploitation. “We’ll talk about it because it’s on people’s minds,” he said. He thinks that tough conversations that happen at VidCon can help create positive change on these platforms. “We spark change through these discussions,” he said.

As creators shared their frustration at YouTube’s lack of institutional support, marketers and brand managers seemed excited about what a YouTube-less future might look like. The platform has evolved into something far different from what it was when John Green and his brother Hank started VidCon 10 years ago.

YouTube’s role in the next chapter of online video is still taking shape, but a glimpse at VidCon’s standing room–only TikTok panel seemed portentous.

Jerod Harris / Getty Images

Another 2019 VidCon attendee.

For the uninitiated, it’s useful to think of VidCon as several different conferences happening simultaneously. For the thousands of mostly prepubescent fans and their beleaguered parent chaperones, it’s something akin to Comic-Con. There are booths to buy merch, lines to take selfies with their favorite YouTubers, food stalls, and concerts. For creators, it feels like a film festival, a place to network and set up future partnerships. For industry leaders and entrepreneurs, it’s a tech summit, where CEOs and strategists shuffle on and off various stages, trotting out data points and user metrics to dazzle each other.

These clashing realities intersect in strange and surreal ways. At a party hosted Wednesday night by digital entertainment company Tubefilter in northwest Anaheim, teenage attendees lined up to ride go-karts and internet-famous children picked at a table nearby lined with bowls of candy while midtier influencers mingled with executives at an open bar. At one point, the party converged around an Instagram-famous Pomeranian wearing a leather jacket and sunglasses. The dog’s owner was trying to yell out the dog’s Instagram handle over the sound of guests singing Kelly Clarkson’s “Since U Been Gone” on a karaoke machine on the other side of the room.

YouTube wasn’t an official partner of VidCon until 2013, and it wasn’t until 2014 that YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki spoke at the conference. In 2018, however, VidCon was purchased by Viacom. This year, YouTube is a sponsor. Cofounder Hank Green is still closely involved with it, but it is a part of Viacom Digital Studios. This identity crisis — is it a YouTube convention, is it a digital video conference, is it a Viacom showcase — was extremely noticeable this year, particularly in the conference’s choice of featured guests. YouTube declined to comment.

As featured VidCon guests throughout the day Thursday attempted to wrestle with a decade of YouTube, it seemed it was even harder to be optimistic about the platform’s future. It recently has come under fire for its inability to moderate anti-vax misinformation, harmful content, online harassment, white nationalism, conspiracy theories, and discrimination. It has been accused of promoting child exploitation. Its recommendation algorithm has been accused of spreading political radicalization.

YouTube, which launched in 2005, has split into different worlds. There’s YouTube that Google wants to exist, where YouTubers like Dan Howell, Rhett and Link, Hannah Hart, and David Dobrik can safely and responsibly mingle with brands and fans. And then there’s the YouTube that isn’t present at VidCon — the YouTube where creators like Jake Paul announce dubious marriages to other creators like Tana Mongeau, the YouTube where Jake’s brother Logan tases dead rats and attends flat Earth conventions, the YouTube where Shane Dawson accuses Chuck E. Cheese’s of reselling used pizza slices.

“They’re sending YouTubers that have lots of dead channels. They’re bringing in fidget spinners.”

The YouTubers people care about can’t be invited because they’re all out of control. And the safer creators they did invite are all traumatized. Daniel Keem, the massive influencer vlogger behind the 5 million-subscriber-strong YouTube gossip channel DramaAlert, spent the week around VidCon derisively tweeting about how irrelevant the conference is now.

“When VidCon sends its YouTubers, they’re not sending their best. They’re sending YouTubers that have lots of dead channels. They’re bringing in fidget spinners. They’re bringing in Hoverboards. They’re randoms,” Keem tweeted.

“These vidcon pics all over twitter have the same people that were cool in 2013 & 100% irrelevant now,” he went on to tweet. “Its the same people every year! VIDCON DOES NOT REP THE ACTUAL STARS OF THE PLATFORM!”

VidCon’s relationship with YouTube’s bigger, more unruly stars is complicated to say the least. In 2017, Logan Paul hid $3,000 around VidCon and turned the convention center into an almost-riot as fans scrambled to find the cash.

Last year, Tana Mongeau wasn’t invited as a featured creator and, feeling snubbed, decided to throw her own convention at a nearby hotel. It was an incredible failure. “TanaCon was the scariest and the worst experience of my life,” one fan told BuzzFeed News at the time.

The big YouTubers who did attend VidCon this year seemed more interested in probing the darkness of YouTube fame than celebrating a decade of it. Elle Mills, a YouTuber who had to take a break from the platform last year due to burnout after crossing 1 million subscribers, was especially candid about the pressures of online fame.

“Growing up I never had mental health problems, but last year on tour I had my first panic attack,” Mills said. “I couldn’t make another video without addressing it. I couldn’t just fake a smile.”

Onstage next to her was Dan Howell, a veteran YouTuber, who also took a yearlong hiatus before he recently returned with a video where he came out as gay. Howell spoke about how trapped he felt as a YouTube creator, churning out videos and unable to properly deal with his mental health.

“When you’re constantly being a YouTuber, you’re expected to keep doing things,” Howell said. “It’s like I couldn’t grow or change behind the scenes.”

Jerod Harris / Getty Images

What’s shining the brightest light on how tired both YouTube and YouTubers feel this year is VidCon’s hottest new thing: TikTok.

The short-form video platform, owned by Beijing-based artificial intelligence company ByteDance, has completely cannibalized VidCon this year. The app is responsible for both the rapper Lil Nas X’s record-shattering “Old Town Road,” as well as a record-shattering $5.7 million fine from the Federal Trade Commission over allegations that it illegally collected personal information from children under the age of 13.

TikTok has also been accused of facilitating sexual predation and exploitation. BuzzFeed News recently reported on a group of young users who created an ad hoc system of screenshot leaks and callout videos in an effort to out abusers and predators on the platform on their own terms.

Meaningful scandals and fines aside, TikTok was omnipresent at VidCon. The outside pavilion of the convention center quickly devolved into a TikTok playground, as tweens and teens recorded short videos with each other. There was a TikTok twin meetup. One kid with 6 million followers duct-taped a pair of sheet cakes to his feet to make a “walk a mile in these Louboutins” meme. At one point, a huge pack of 13-year-old girls chased a boy wearing a face mask through the crowd. The girls told BuzzFeed News that it was Chase Hudson, a 17-year-old TikToker with 2.8 million followers.

“It’s ironic. It’s ironic and iconic.”

When asked if TikTok was cooler than YouTube, though, the girls chasing Hudson said they didn’t see it as anything similar to YouTube.

“It’s ironic. It’s ironic and iconic,” one girl told BuzzFeed News. “It’s like a meme right now.”

Another group of 16-year-olds later in the day were complaining about how many TikTokers were at VidCon. “I guess that’s our future,” one girl said.

When asked the same question about which video platform is cooler, a 16-year-old told BuzzFeed News, “It’s cringey. What can you do with it?”

Ironic and cringey or not, there does seem to be a changing of the guard happening, and nowhere was this generational shift more evident than at the parties Thursday night. YouTube threw a huge, well-organized bash, complete with multiple open bars and hot dog, chicken finger, and taco stations. Guests walked to the dance floor through a tunnel displaying the platform’s greatest hits, like Rebecca Black’s “Friday” and the Cut’s “100 Years of Beauty.”

By contrast, TikTok’s extremely sought-after and secretive party was thrown at a bowling alley in a shopping center around the corner. Hundreds of teens jockeyed for a spot in line amid a fog of phone cameras and Juul smoke. It appeared to be already over capacity by the time it was officially supposed to be begin. Antsy kids in line watched TikToks the guests inside were posting. The same Instagram-famous Pomeranian from Wednesday night was there, this time in white sunglasses and a little sweater.

“YouTube is not going to fade away.”

And it’s not just the parties. TikTok’s panels Thursday were almost all standing room only. In a morning presentation about how to use TikTok to promote your brand, Andrea Okeke, a TikToker with 3 million followers who goes by DreaKnowsBest, chatted with Candice Beck, Chipotle’s senior manager of social and digital, about how much fun it was promoting Chipotle on her channel.

“Your audience will know if you’re promoting something you don’t use,” Okeke said. “I’m not going to promote something I don’t believe in.”

Beck gushed over how much success Chipotle has had recently on TikTok. The restaurant chain only has 18,000 followers at the moment, but it successfully activated a popular TikTok trend called the #ChipotleLidFlipChallenge.

VidCon’s CEO, Louderback, said that when it comes to which platforms get priority each year, he thinks of the conference as Switzerland. “YouTube is not going to fade away,” he said. “But I like that we have more choice on different platforms.”

TikTok’s general manager, Vanessa Pappas, took to one of the main stages later in the day to promote TikTok as both authentic and diverse — the unspoken conclusion is that these are two things YouTube is currently not.

“It just has a different aesthetic to anything else that’s out there,” Pappas said. “Every video is given a chance to succeed.”

Pappas stressed TikTok’s immersive “For You” page algorithm and how easy it is for users to participate in the app’s constantly updating trends and challenges.

“For the top creators for TikTok, the content that really performs well is being digitally native and real,” she said.

“I’m just so thankful I’m not sleeping in a treehouse anymore.”

For all the hype, TikTok remains its own conundrum. It is optimized for engagement; it learns what you like and delivers an endless stream of similar videos, often to very young audiences. TikTok’s last event of the day was a conversation with six of the app’s biggest stars — who looked like something closer to characters from The Fifth Element than your typical clean-cut vlogger — on one of VidCon’s largest stages. The crowd was outrageously young. The only people in the audience who looked like they were older than 14 were the parent chaperones.

“Just do what you love,” Lauren Godwin, a 19-year-old TikToker with 14 million fans told the audience. “Just find your niche on there.”

Another TikToker onstage, 23-year-old Chris Kerr Rio, makes videos with his 24-year-old girlfriend Sharla May under the name Our Fire, an account that has 4.9 million followers. Rio told a story about how before he became popular on the app, he had been kicked out of his house and living in May’s treehouse.

“I’m just so thankful I’m not sleeping in a treehouse anymore,” he said.

Jerod Harris / Getty Images

More 2019 VidCon attendees.

As TikTok’s legion of users energetically swarmed the convention outside, YouTube’s chief product officer, Neal Mohan, delivered a keynote announcing new monetization features for creators, like membership levels, new partners for YouTube’s merchandise program, and super stickers inside of super chat — features that won’t address the distress YouTubers spent the day agonizing over.

“I didn’t know I started a hate platform.”

At that early-morning panel on how online video communities have changed over the years, Tay Zonday, an early YouTuber famous for the “Chocolate Rain” song, railed against what he called YouTube’s disingenuous laissez-faire attitude. “All of these platforms try and avoid any sense of personal accountability,” Zonday said.

Fellow panelist Lindsay Ellis agreed, “This drives me crazy like, ‘oh no we don’t need human moderators, we need better automation.’”

“‘I didn’t know I started a hate platform,’” another panelist, veteran YouTuber Jarvis Johnson said. “That’s no longer an excuse.”

As the creators bewailed the damage on YouTube, teen TikTokers ran around outside, uploading more videos, innocently goofing around on an app they don’t have to worry about. For now.

CORRECTION

Jul. 12, 2019, at 21:34 PM

Lauren Godwin’s and Neal Mohan’s names were misspelled in an earlier version of this post.

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mrmichaelchadler · 6 years ago

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Home Entertainment Consumer Guide: April 11, 2019

10 NEW TO NETFLIX

"All the President's Men" "Bonnie and Clyde" "Deliverance" "The Fifth Element" "King Kong" "Monster House" "Observe and Report" "Pineapple Express" "Sherlock Holmes" "Snatch"

5 NEW TO BLU-RAY/DVD

"Bumblebee"

While I enjoyed the first "Transformers" film for what it was, the sequels that followed ranged from awful to something that could be used to torture me. I hated them all with varying degrees of vitriol. And yet somehow "Bumblebee" made me hate them more because it reminded me of what this series should have been all along: FUN. Discarding most of the nonsense mythology of the Bay sequels, Travis Knight has made a film that wears its '80s influence on its sleeve like a badge of honor. This is an old-fashioned Amblin film that never got made, or almost even a reboot of "The Iron Giant." The point is that it recalls movies with young heroes who become friends with something completely out of this world. It's not perfect, but Hailee Steinfeld's ability to do literally anything at such a young age continues to impress. She's legitimately great here, finding just the right emotional notes and selling her character in a ridiculous situation. I never thought I'd say this again, but I'll be there for the next Transformers movie as long as it's like "Bumblebee."

Buy it here Special Features Sector 7 Archive Deleted and Extended Scenes Outtakes Bee Vision: The Transformers robots of Cybertron Bringing Bumblebee to the Big Screen

"The Man Who Killed Hitler and then the Bigfoot"

This column typically consists only of films that I can wholeheartedly recommend, but I'm closer to Glenn Kenny's opinion of this unusual flick than our own Nick Allen's out of last year's Fantasia Festival. However, it is such a curiosity that I wanted to include it. It's one of those odd movies about which I would personally be a "Rotten Tomato" but feel like maybe you should see and decide for yourself? The reason for that is that it's the definition of a "Your Mileage May Vary" piece of storytelling. If you buy into the remarkably somber and self-serious tone of a film about Sam Elliott's veteran who killed Hitler and now has to kill Bigfoot (no, the title is not a joke) then the movie is likely to work for you. It also feels like the summation of the last couple decades of Elliott's work, and he's always interesting. I just wish the movie didn't think that it needed to balance the inherent ridiculousness of its narrative with such a deadly serious tone.

Buy it here

Special Features Audio Commentary featuring writer-director Robert. D Krzykowski The Making of The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then The Big Foot Deleted Scenes Joe Kraemer Interview Elsie Hooper Short Film Art Gallery

"The Mule"

Warner Brothers really hid Clint Eastwood's latest film from critics in ways that make no sense to me. Sure, Eastwood's conservative leanings and the film's racially-charged plot were bound to lead some critcisms, but the film works overall. In fact, the first hour is some of Clint's best filmmaking in years. It's tightly made, well-acted, and consistently interesting. No one can deny Clint's skill as a filmmaker and that craftsmanship carries the film, even as it gets a bit maudlin and manipulative in the second half. Overall, Eastwood doesn't seem to get the attention he deserves as a major American filmmaker. And he's one of the very few who's still able to produce quality work like this one even near the end of his career.

Buy it here

Special Features Nobody Runs Forever: The Making of The Mule Toby Keith "Don't Let the Old Man In" Music Video

"Night on Earth"/""Stranger Than Paradise" (Criterion)

Film Twitter has just about lost its mind over the news that Jim Jarmusch's "The Dead Don't Die" will open Cannes 2019. Almost as if they had insider information, Criterion released Blu-ray upgrades of two of his best films at practically the same time that announcement was being made. Of course, it's just a coincidence, just another example of how much this company feels like it's on top of what people are talking about in the world of film. (Speaking of that, go sign up for The Criterion Channel now. You won't regret it.) As for these upgrades, Jarmusch isn't exactly a director to use to show off your HD TV, but it's nice to have his films in the best possible quality nonetheless. If you haven't seen it, you really need to catch up with "Stranger," an early pioneer in DIY filmmaking that feels more influential with every generation of directors that sees it.

Buy it here

Special Features - "Night on Earth" High-definition digital restoration, supervised and approved by director Jim Jarmusch, with 2.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray Selected-scene commentary from 2007 featuring director of photography Frederick Elmes and location sound mixer Drew Kunin Q&A with Jarmusch from 2007, in which he responds to questions sent in by fans Belgian television interview with Jarmusch from 1992 PLUS: A booklet featuring essays by filmmakers, authors, and critics Thom Andersen, Paul Auster, Bernard Eisenschitz, Goffredo Fofi, and Peter von Bagh, and the lyrics to Tom Waits’s original songs from the film

Buy it here

Special Features - "Stranger Than Paradise" High-definition digital restoration, supervised and approved by director Jim Jarmusch, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray Audio commentary from 1996 featuring Jarmusch and actor Richard Edson Permanent Vacation (1980), Jarmusch’s seventy-five-minute, color feature debut, presented in a high-definition digital restoration supervised by the director Kino ’84: Jim Jarmusch, a 1984 German television program featuring interviews with cast and crew members from Stranger Than Paradise and Permanent Vacation Some Days in January 1984, a behind-the-scenes Super 8 film by Tom Jarmusch U.S. and Japanese trailers PLUS: A booklet featuring Jarmusch’s 1984 “Some Notes on Stranger Than Paradise,” critics Geoff Andrew and J. Hoberman on Stranger Than Paradise, and author and critic Luc Sante on Permanent Vacation

"On the Basis of Sex"

It feels like someone dropped the ball with this sturdy period piece about the life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. It's the kind of movie that should have played TIFF and gotten some decent buzz on its way through awards season. (It's certainly better than a trio of biopics nominated for Best Picture that will remain unnamed.) But it didn't premiere until AFI and then was relatively quietly released in theaters without much fanfare. I have some issues with the bland first half of this movie that hits too many of the "then this happened" tropes of the biopic, but it gets interesting when it essentially becomes a courtroom drama in the second half, and Felicity Jones and Armie Hammer are solid throughout. It's a decent rental that feels like it would have been a major movie even just a few years ago or if it had been handled differently.

Buy it here

Special Features A Supreme Team: Making On the Basis of Sex – Pull back the curtain and see how this incredible team of collaborators brought this true story to the big screen. Legacy of Justice – A deeper look at how Ruth Bader Ginsburg pioneered gender equality in America and gained her seat on the Supreme Court. Martin and Ruth: A Loving Partnership – An intimate look at the symbiotic marriage between Martin and Ruth Ginsburg, and how it helped shape Ruth's perspective as a judge.

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mialipsky-blog · 8 years ago

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Honeymoons of the Rich + Famous: Where Your Favorite Celebs Celebrate “I Do”

Stars, they’re just like us, right? Wrong. Majorly wrong, at least when it comes to their honeymoons because when celebrities honeymoon, they don’t just go to a fabulous beach resort and lie in the sun for a week, they go to several five-star resorts and lie in the sun for several weeks. Jealous? Us, too, and just wait until you read the details below!

Pippa Middleton + James Matthews According to sources, Pippa and James will spend the first leg of their honeymoon on the Pacific island of Tetiaroa, an island once owned by Marlon Brandon and now known as The Brando. With 35 thatched villas, each with their own outdoor bath and infinity pool, this eco-friendly luxury resort is basically paradise. After their romantic week on the island, the newlyweds will head back to the U.K. to the Scottish Highlands, where the groom’s family owns an estate.

Kate Middleton + Prince William To state the obvious, Kate and Will’s royal honeymoon was worthy of royalty. Following their wedding of the century, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge jetted off to the ultra exclusive North Island of the Seychelles for a 10-day honeymoon that reportedly cost $720,000. Included in that whopping price tag? A private villa, butler service, unlimited scuba diving and spa treatments — talk about the royal treatment!

Miranda Kerr + Evan Spiegel The supermodel and Snapchat CEO jetted off to Fiji to celebrate their new marriage at the Laucala Island Resort, an exclusive island resort that sits on 3,500 acres in gorgeous Fiji that averages anywhere between $12,000 – $60,00 per night. The resort is completely secluded and only accessible via private jet. Each villa offers private infinity pools, floor to ceiling windows, 360 degrees of unreal views… need I say more?

Jennifer Aniston + Justin Theroux We can credit the latest “groupmoon” trend to Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux, who jetted off to Bora Bora with a group of close friends in tow, following their surprise backyard wedding. The group allegedly holed up in the luxe Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora, an enclave of 120 bungalows and overwater villas set on a private island, accessible only by the hotel’s yacht.

Amal Alamuddin + George Clooney Mr. and Mrs. Clooney are probably in nesting mode following the birth of twins (Ella and Alexander — so stinkin’ cute), but these new parents are quite the globetrotters! The details on their honeymoon are a little iffy, but sources report the two relaxed on the Seychelles’ secluded North Island or traveled to their English estate following their romantic Venice nuptials. Either way, we wouldn’t say no to a romantic two weeks with George Clooney!

Carrie Underwood + Mike Fisher For their July 2010 honeymoon, Carrie Underwood and Mike Fisher headed to the islands of Tahiti for a romantic vacation in paradise. The two stayed at Le Taha’a Resort, where they went swimming, snorkeling with sharks and on a helicopter tour of the island.

Whitney Port + Tim Rosenman After their Palm Springs nuptials, Whitney Port and Tim Rosenman headed to Fiji’s Royal Davui Island Resort, a remote paradise on a 10-acre island in the South Seas. The resort features 16 thatched villas with endless views of white sand and crystal clear water.

Victoria Beckham + David Beckham For their 10th anniversary, Posh and Becks escaped to the Seychelles for an intimate getaway in the tropical paradise. Private, pristine beaches and an exclusive eco-friendly spa were just some of the luxuries the two enjoyed on their anniversarymoon.

Jessica Biel + Justin Timberlake Following their super-secret and oh-so-romantic Italian wedding, Jessica Biel and Justin Timberlake embarked on an adventure to Tanzania, Africa for one wild honeymoon. The newlyweds stayed at the luxurious Singita Faru Faru Lodge in Grumeti, where they enjoyed the private reserve, hot air ballooning and four-by-four rides.

Blake Lively + Ryan Reynolds After saying “I do” at a hush-hush wedding at South Carolina’s Boone Hall Plantation, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds flew to Africa for what they thought would be a romantic safari honeymoon. Unfortunately, the honeymoon was cut short when the couple had to fly to Canada so he could film his project, “The Captive.” But, to make up for their honeymoon that wasn’t, the duo celebrated their first anniversary in the Maldives.

Gabrielle Union + Dwayne Wade Not one. Not two. But three dreamy destinations were on the itinerary for Gabrielle Union and Dwayne Wade’s epic honeymoon. First up, the newlyweds hit the idyllic beaches of the Maldives, frolicking in the crystal clear water. Then, they headed to the Serengeti Desert in Tanzania for an exotic safari before finally heading to the Seychelles for some serious R&R (romance and relaxation)!

Fergie + Josh Duhamel Like some of the others on this list, one honeymoon destination wasn’t enough for Fergie and Josh. The newlyweds rented a private villa at the One & Only Reethi Rah resort in the Maldives, which features lush tropical lagoons and endless white sand beaches. The newlyweds finished their honeymoon festivities with a post-wedding trip in the Bahamas.

Katie Holmes + Tom Cruise Though they’re no longer together, TomKat had a honeymoon as over-the-top as their romance (couch, anyone?). The couple spent part of their honeymoon sailing around the Maldives on a private yacht and allegedly dined at an underwater restaurant during their stay. Casual, right?

Nicole Kidman + Keith Urban For $15,000 per night, you too can honeymoon like Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban. The native Australians celebrated newlywed bliss at the positively breathtaking St. Regis Bora Bora. Their private villa featured a massive over-water suite, fully equipped with butler service and a private swimming pool.

Lauren Conrad + William Tell After a super romantic wedding in her native Southern California, the former reality star and her new husband jetted off to Italy where the newlyweds ate their way through the country. “We did a tour of pizza, it was like pizza every night,” she told E! News.

Reese Witherspoon + Jim Toth When you’re a celebrity, taking two honeymoons is no big deal, which is why Reese Witherspoon and her hubs, Jim Toth, did just that, planning a family-friendly honeymoon in Belize with her two children followed up with a romantic adults-only escape to Le Sirenuse on Italy’s Amalfi Coast.

Chrissy Tiegen + John Legend Everyone’s favorite couple had pretty much everyone’s dream wedding: saying “I do” in Italy’s picturesque Lake Como. The dream with a honeymoon spent in the majestic town of Portofino on Italy’s Amalfi Coast, where Chrissy tweeted she and John spent part of their honeymoon playing video games!

Leighton Meester + Adam Brody The super-secretive couple kept details of their wedding on the down-low, but the couple reportedly spent four heavenly days at the St. Regis Punta Mita Resort in Mexico.

Nikki Reed + Ian Somerholder When one beach paradise isn’t enough, why not visit three? That seems to be what was going through Nikki Reed and Ian Somerholder’s minds when they planned their sun-soaked honeymoon to Mexico, Costa Rica and Brazil.

Jenna Dewan-Tatum + Channing Tatum Though Jenna Dewan-Tatum and Channing Tatum’s honeymoon in Bali sounds like a trip to paradise, food poisoning kept the couple from enjoying all of the incredible activities the island has to offer. But they were still able to get matching tattoos that read “side by side.”

Beyoncé + Jay Z Bey and Jay’s honeymoon may come as a surprise to you. Instead of jetting off to some tropical paradise, the king and queen of music headed West to the Sanctuary on Camelback Mountain for some R&R. The Arizona resort boasts a four-star, award-winning spa and luxe guests rooms with sweeping mountain views.

Mila Kunis + Ashton Kutcher Following a relationship that spanned decades, the former That 70’s Show costars enjoyed a no-frills close-to-home honeymoon at Yosemite National Park with their sweet daughter in tow. Their low-key honeymoon is proof you don’t have to break the bank for a romantic getaway!

Kim Kardashian + Kanye West How do you top an extravagant rehearsal dinner at Versailles followed by an absolute dream wedding at a Tuscan villa? With a honeymoon in Ireland, of course! The notoriously over-the-top couple relaxed at the Castlemartyr Resort, filling their days touring the Ballyhoura Mountains, picnicking and going to the movies. Yes, you read that right, the movies, where they saw X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Sofia Vergara + Joe Manganiello Sofia Vergara and Joe Manganiello said “I do” in a destination worthy of a honeymoon, Palm Beach’s The Breakers, but that didn’t stop them from heading to Parrot Cay in Turks and Caicos for their ultra-romantic honeymoon at the luxury private-island resort.

Megan Fox + Brian Austin No passports were required for Megan Fox and Brian Austin’s romantic honeymoon at the Four Seasons Hualalai on Hawaii’s exclusive Kona Coast. According to E! News, the newlyweds spent a good part of their trip pampering themselves with the Romance Escape Package, that features soothing baths in a hinoki tub, aromatherapy wraps and 80-minute massages.

Jennifer Garner + Ben Affleck Instead of jetting off to a new destination, Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck decided to honeymoon at Parrot Cay, Turks and Caicos,where they said “I do.” The low-key honeymoon was just what the couple needed, since Jennifer was four months pregnant at the time.

Eniko Parrish + Kevin Hart Happily ever after started with a lavish Santa Barbara wedding and continued with the #HARTSinSTBARTHS for Eniko Parrish and Kevin Hart. The newlyweds checked in the Eden Rock Hotel & Villas, a luxury Caribbean resort surrounded by pristine white beaches.

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amygriffissourkitty · 8 years ago

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Honeymoons of the Rich + Famous: Where Your Favorite Celebs Celebrate “I Do”

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samboine123 · 8 years ago

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Honeymoons of the Rich + Famous: Where Your Favorite Celebs Celebrate “I Do”

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