#me to some 1 hour long effect heavy video that would really only be significant to a middle schooler

[clockworkgraystairs]

There is no such thing as vampires #1 || Jurdan AU

Jurdan Smut Week 2020   •   DAY 2

The prompt was technically dagger play...it didn’t really worked that way but HEY more smut! (vampire smut cough)

@jurdannet​   @jurdannetrevels​

Rating: E (no I don’t mean ‘everyone’)

Warnings: Explicit content, mentions of blood, some biting (it’s a vampire au c’mon), swear words (just in case)

Summary: 

Behind me stands a tall, slender man dressed in black trousers and one of those puffy white shirts men always use in period TV dramas. Raven curls frame the sharp angles of his face and his pale skin resembles marble. I stare at him unsure if my eyes widen because of the scare or how good looking he is. Maybe both.

His lips curve as if he finds my reaction somehow satisfying.

Extra comments: Just because I’m extra af, I’ll leave you the ambience music videos I listened while writing this. In case you’d like to hear them while reading:

Rain in a forest at night - Haunted Mansion/rain/thunder/wind - Narnia Lullaby

Written for: @slightlyrebelliouswriter23​ MA’AM AS ALWAYS THANK YOU FOR ALL THE HELP AND SUPPORT, FOR BETAING THIS UNENDING PIECE AND FOR HELPING ME CRAFTING THE IDEA FOR IT! ❤️

Part 1 ||  Part 2

Masterlist   •   AO3

“Please tell me again why are we doing this?” I ask for the third time, leaning to rest my head on my sister’s shoulder. We bounce as the uncomfortable van we travel in turns to a cobbled path, leading us deeper into the woods. 

“Because,” Vivi hisses back. “Your little brother is currently in his Twilight-obsession phase, and he just broke up with his girlfriend so we’re trying to cheer him up!”

“He’s 9! And they lasted like, what? Four hours?”

In that moment, Oak turns violently from the front seat, scowling at me. “First of all Jude, we were together two full days ok? She was the love of my life and suddenly she’s not sure about us anymore? Now I shall never find love again! I might have to become a priest. I expect a little consideration.”

Vivi ruffles his hair affectionately. “We absolutely understand, your sister here doesn’t have an ounce of romance in her veins but of course she supports the cause.”

That said, he returns to his place. I bite my lip hard, trying not to laugh. Typical Oak. I love my brother I really do, even if half of the time I can’t understand his dramatic outbursts.

Sighing, I stare through the window, to the heavy clouds gathering on top of us. Great. We are probably far away from the highway by now, nothing more than trees, rocks and occasional wild animals around. For some reason, our father had thought that there was no better way of fixing a kid’s broken heart than going on a quest in search of legends and hidden castles. 

The thing is that apparently, it works. Instead of an incessant whining about love being doomed, my brother spends the days throwing the most random facts about werewolves, vampires, ghosts and any impossible creature. To be honest, I don’t think wikipedia and the Twilight books are a reliable source, but if it makes Oak happy I could live a couple of days with it. And most importantly if I have to choose between this or spending the week back at home with my mother and twin sister going to tea parties for old ladies, well, the answer is very clear.

I remember reading a few books about myths when I was younger. When I turned fifteen, I developed a hard crush on Brad Pitt after I saw Interview with the Vampire, filling half of the walls in my room with posters of him. Even now ten years later, I actually enjoy talking about old folklore and legends, urban myths and stuff like that. 

What bugs me, are the fraudulent morons who want to take advantage of Oak’s naive curiosity to engage us in the most ridiculous tours that were obviously a waste of money. So far, we’d entered three “museums” where most of the so-called relics were made of plastic, and a haunted house with special effects so poorly done, father had discreetly asked for his money back. Only another two of the places we visited were actually interesting, but since the guides spent most of the time flirting with Vivi or me, it had annoyed our father. 

Now though, we are driving behind the car of an old couple who swore their ancestors owned a castle where true vampires had lived once. The sole mention of the word “castle” was enough to make Oak hang from our father’s sleeve begging to go.

I’m not going to lie, it is an intriguing idea. But I remain a little worried about how much money Madoc is ready to pay before he hurries his little son back to his fantasy books and videogames.

“Dad, did you know that vampires like to live in the woods because it allows them to make racing competitions without being interrupted?” Oak asks with enthusiasm.

Madoc gasps. “Do they? Is it because they’re so fast?” 

Okay, he might be willing to pay more than I thought. Next to me, Vivi muffles a laugh and keeps taking pictures for her instagram, occasionally asking for my help.

Upon arriving at the castle I have to suppress a curse. This, now, is a real castle. Nothing like the pitiful buildings we’d visited before. It is huge, made of pure stone and a modest wooden bridge that connects the entrance with the spot where the cars park. A slight fog covers the sides of the castle giving it a creepier look. 

A shiver goes down my back. I turn to find my family who are all equally gaping at the place in front of them. Oak is visibly shaking with excitement. Vivi shoots me an astonished look before taking my brother’s hand and following the couple across the bridge.  

The first thought that pops into my mind is that this place must have been taken out from a movie. Or set up for one. Maybe this is one of those pranks for TV. There is no other explanation for the massive room we find behind the giant front gate. Every inch of the walls is covered by paintings, several images barely recognizable through the dust. Aged furniture rests under dust and spiderwebs, pointing out they haven’t been used in quite some time. The illumination doesn’t help either. Electric lights hang from a few spots on the walls, though not enough for the big space, which I suspect is the reason that long candles are lit up too. 

My next thought is that I should’ve brought my sweater. The damn place is freezing. 

“Phew, sorry about the dust!” The old man says, flashing an embarrassed smile to us. “We were not planning to have any visitors yet.”

“You said this is going to be a museum?” Madoc asks, carefully surveying the walls. Next to him, Vivi tightens her hold on my brother’s hand to prevent him from starting to run around. I swear his eyes are about to pop out of their sockets. 

“It will indeed! This place has been in our family for generations, but since it’s hard to adapt it to modern technology it was abandoned.” He turns to Oak and winks. “Not to mention the creepy things that happen here all the time.”

His gaze widens. “What kind of things?”

“Well, some distant relatives used to try spending their vacations here. But after a couple of days they left in a big rush, claiming some strange force had commanded them to go away.” With a lower voice, he adds. “They also mentioned noises coming out from empty rooms and dark hallways. Steps. Shadows that followed them along the place.” 

For a second everyone remains silent. The only noise I can hear is the wind outside and the start of a slight rain. Somehow my hands are even colder.

“The legend says,” The woman, whose name is Marrow if I remember it correctly, continues while taking one chandelier with her hand. “This was the hideout of ancient vampires, how many, we don’t know. But they didn’t appreciate people trying to live within their domains.”

“So why come here at all?” Vivi asks. “Isn’t it dangerous?”

“It might be.” She shrugs. “But that’s half of the fun, isn’t it?”

“We like to think we’ve found a safe way to open this castle to the public without taking any risks. We will use a part of it as a museum, to show some of the family relics. But be aware, no one is allowed to go further than the marked area.” He signals at the yellow tape stuck on the floor forming arrows.

“If you please...” Marrow says, motioning at the stairs where the markings start.

They get me for a moment, not gonna lie. The surroundings and the way they speak are creepy enough to make me doubt my beliefs for a second. I shake my head to clear those thoughts away and walk behind my family. There’s no such thing as vampires or haunted castles.

We go through passages. Madoc has to remind Oak to not touch anything, constantly. From what I see, he’s living his best day. Several counters line up side by side against the wall. Some of them contain jewelry, others weapons, old writing pens among other things. Most of them carry a family shield, although it’s too blurry to properly identify what it says.

The rain thickens outside and Marrow keeps talking. She tells the story of her so called ancestors, whose family were big enough to fill all the rooms in the castle. Elwen, Eldred… something like that, and his many wives had once lived here. Along with his abounding children. I see in Oak’s face the intention to ask about how that family arrangement worked but Vivi gives him a slight pull of his hair. 

I would have thought our guides would try to keep a proud name for their so-called ancestors. But they don’t. In fact, she seems particularly interested in explaining how Eldred’s cruel and terrible nature brought him nothing but disgrace. His once prosperous castle and assets were gone little by little. He claimed he was under the effects of a curse, but no one dared believing him. At least not until people started disappearing.

I stop listening at some point, focusing my attention on the relics in front of me. I’ve always felt a significant attraction to weapons, but not the ordinary ones like guns or rifles. These ones though, such beautiful daggers and swords. I’d give a kidney just to hold one of them. 

On the next shelf books pile one next to the other, the dust around them a clear sign of how long they’ve been unbothered. All except for one. The navy blue cover has almost no dust at all, yet it looks like it would fall apart with a gentle blow of wind. The title is partially gone, probably through time. 

I turn my head to my family but they’re gone, probably to another corridor since I can still hear the muffled voice of Marrow and my brother. Would she care at all if I check out that book?

I bite my lip. As long as it doesn’t break it’s probably alright. Standing on the tip of my toes I reach for it.

“That is an excellent book.” 

I shriek and whip around, my hand flies to my mouth trying to cover the embarrassing sound. The book falls open next to my feet.

Behind me stands a tall, slender man dressed in black trousers and one of those puffy white shirts men always use in period TV dramas. Raven curls frame the sharp angles of his face and his pale skin resembles marble. I stare at him unsure if my eyes widen because of the scare or how good looking he is. Maybe both. 

His lips curve as if he finds my reaction somehow satisfying. “My personal favorite. Too bad the author was a poisonous bunch-backed toad.”

My mouth opens to apologize, but I only manage to let out a strangled. “Shit”

The stranger lifts an eyebrow and chuckles. 

“Sorry, I- that wasn’t what I meant to say.” I stutter. I feel as if my heart has jumped to my throat. “I wasn’t trying to steal the book.”

“I did not say you were.” He answers, his voice is like velvet.

I nod and take a deep breath. “I came in with my family. Marrow is showing us the place.”

His dark eyes wander down my body, but not like one of those rude men on the streets. No. Something in his gaze feels feral, like an animal sizing up his prey. A strange urge to run pools in my stomach, yet at the same time my muscles seem to have forgotten how to do so. 

He looks me in the eyes again and it’s all gone. I let go of the tension in my back and a breath I didn’t know I was holding. When he smiles again, I feel as if I could trust him. Why shouldn’t I?

“And are you enjoying the tour?” He bends to pick up the book I’d dropped before and puts it back on the shelf. His movements are fluid and carefree. I doubt I’ve ever seen such elegance in a simple action. It is unsettling as much as it is attractive. Then I realize I’m supposed to answer.

“Yes, this is amazing actually.” I look around and take in the aged stone of the walls and ceiling. In that corridor there’s only one electric lamp, the rest is only lightened by candles. I can see our shadows dancing along to the flames. “All of this really helps getting in the ‘mood’.”

“The mood?” 

I look at him and notice his tilted head. “Yeah you know, the mood of enchanted castles and old legends. This is well put enough that a credulous person would believe any story. Marrow is pretty good at it too.” Motioning a hand to him I add. “They even have their own actor.”

A thunder roars outside. “I beg your pardon?”

I roll my eyes and flash him a smile. “You don’t really have to keep the charade with me. I’m not some schoolgirl.”

“Yet I managed to pull a scream out of you, didn’t I?” The way he says it feels as if he was talking about an entirely different subject. Heat creeps up my cheeks.

“That was… not the same.” I mumble. “I didn’t hear you approaching. That could scare the living hell out of anybody.”

“I have been told I am quite sneaky, I concede you that.” He nods. “Why don’t I give you the rest of the tour? As an apology, of course.”

He’s doing his job, I remind myself, he’s not flirting with you. 

“You haven’t even told me your name.” I say. “If we’re roaming around a castle together I should at least know who’s guiding me.”

That sounded an awful lot like flirting. Dammit. 

“Cardan, at your service madam.” The tone he uses feels like a caress, he bows his head in a way I’ve only seen in movies. He takes his role seriously. I almost chuckle, but the sound dies in my throat. 

“Cardan.” I repeat, just for the pleasure of doing it. “My name is Jude.”

He straightens. “Delighted to meet your acquaintance.” He answers and offers me his arm. “Shall we, Jude?”  

I can’t believe how far away my family has gone. Cardan and I walk through a couple of corridors and still there is no trace of them. Did we take that long talking?

He’s an excellent guide, I have to acknowledge that. 

While Marrow uses a tone of suspense and mystery, Cardan has this melancholy in his voice that sounds as if he’s talking about a memory. It’s bewitching. He also drops the most ridiculous “facts” about the people on the paintings. I refrain myself from asking if inventing things is allowed for employees, because saying that the girl with the pearl necklace enjoyed to play on the beach while saying she was the Princess of the Sea, certainly sounds like it. 

“If you bite your lip one more time, I am going to do it for you.” 

My heart skips a bit and I let go of my lower lip. I hadn’t realized I was tugging it. It’s an unconscious habit. I turn to him and I find his gaze different, hungry. It sends a shiver down to a place I know it shouldn’t. He arches an eyebrow as though he notices it.

“Is that a thing vampires like to do?” I say, trying to lighten the mood. The last thing I want him to know is that for the last twenty minutes I’ve been listening to him speak wishing he put a different use to that wicked mouth of his.

His gaze doesn’t change. “It is a thing I would like to do.” 

I am pretty sure my expression is giving me up by now. Knowing my traitorous body, I’m probably flushed, my mouth open in awe. Desire coils inside me.

At my lack of answer, he continues. “Why don’t I show you something vampires really like to do?” 

He walks back without letting go of my hand. I notice he steps out from the marked section and into a forbidden corridor. 

The sensation returns, the one that is telling me to run. The problem is that I don’t know whether to run away, or straight to it. My mind wants both and my body, only one.

“You’re going to the restricted area.” I’m partially surprised by how breathless my voice sounds. “You can’t go in there…”

Cardan pauses and a confused expression crosses his face. A second later, it returns to his charming and teasing smile. “Are you afraid?”

I am. 

Yet, I don’t care. I walk into the shadows with him.

As we cross the passage darkened by the lack of chandeliers I tell myself this is a terrible, terrible idea. The way he devours my mouth the moment a door slams shut behind us, convinces me it is the best.

Cardan pushes me against the wall, the cold temperature of the stone goes through my clothes making me gasp. He takes the opportunity and kisses me harder, his tongue explores my mouth with such deliciousness I have to bite back a moan. 

My fingers are tangled in his hair pulling him closer to me, if such a thing is even possible. His hands are everything but still. They roam intensely from my breasts, down my sides and finally to my rear, where he grabs me, pressing me against his pelvis. I hear him groan and the sound makes something clench inside me. 

Before I can double-think about it, one of my hands lowers to rub his hardness, still hidden behind his trousers. His breath hitches. He pulls back a bit and whispers to my ear. “Needy little human.”

I frown a moment, something about his words not clicking inside my brain but whatever it is I forget it the moment he slides his cold hands under my jersey. I yelp at the sensation, not sure if what flutters down my back is a result of the temperature or the eagerness which he’s holding me with. When he reaches my bra I hesitate for a moment. Cardan pauses too and leans back to stare into my eyes. 

“Do you want to stop?” His voice is throaty and charged with desire. Still, he doesn’t make a move, waiting for my answer.

An instinctive part of me knows this is something I shouldn’t be doing. But that’s definitely not any close to me wanting to stop. Without removing my eyes from his I take the hem of my jersey to pull it over my head. The piece of fabric hits the floor, but neither of us pays attention to it. Once again Cardan’s gaze roams me in that predatory way. 

I don’t stagger this time.

When my bra falls to the floor too, I take his hand and guide it to my jean’s button. “Do I look like I want to stop?”

Without hesitation he yanks the button open and slides his hand inside to cup the apex of my thighs. The contrast of my warm skin against his coldness makes my hips buck. Cardan buries his other hand in my hair and tilts my head back. I can feel his lips nipping down my jaw and my neck. A moan escapes my lips as he swipes a finger along my heat. He hums in response, the vibrations of it against my neck makes my eyes roll back.

He continues his ministrations until he feels me wet enough to slide a finger inside, he curls and pulls out. Then back inside. My breath comes out in elaborated pants as he quickens his pace. My hands almost finish unbuttoning his shirt when he slides another finger through my folds, his movements turn fast and punishing. Wet sounds taint the silence around us. As pleasure takes full control of my body I cling to him like a life saver, trying to muffle my moans.

“Let go Jude, let go for me.” He breathes next to my ear. My back arches and I sob a curse, writhing down on his hand. 

He slows down as I come back from my orgasm, but never stops. Despite the freezing surroundings a drop of sweat runs down my chest. My heart beats as if I just ran a marathon. Cardan’s lazy moves continue, frequently grazing that spot that makes me mewl.

I hear him sigh. “You smell so good.” He claims my mouth one more time and bites me hard enough to make me wince. His tongue caresses my lower lip and a warm throb expands through my veins. He freezes and pulls back, releasing me. I stare at him in confusion, or at least as much as I can manage giving my current state.

He pants a couple of times before looking up at me. There’s a fiercess in his eyes that would’ve been scary under normal situations, right now, it only makes me want him more. He swallows before finally speaking. “If we go further, I won’t be able to stop.” His voice is like sandpaper.

My body seems to work on its own account, as I move to cup his face between my hands. “I already told you.”

“Jude…” He warns me, but I interrupt him joining my lips to his.

“I want this.” I breathe into his mouth. Cardan lets out a defeated groan before pulling my body back against his. Either he’s been holding back or it is until that moment that I realize how strong he actually is. He kisses me like a starved man and I can feel my pulse rise once again.

Soon his shirt joins my other clothing. My fingers trace his chest and torso, marveled at the softness of his skin. I mimic him moments before and kiss his neck. A low sound that almost resembles a growl comes out from his throat. My hands travel lower.

Somehow I manage to free his raging erection from his trousers, closing my hand around him. He hisses and then tilts his hips up to my touch. I start pumping him with unsure movements before gaining confidence to do it harder, tighter. Now it’s his turn to curse. Even though it sounds like something taken out from a Shakespeare novel, it makes my core pulse. 

Cardan grips the hem of my jeans strong enough that for a moment I fear he’d rip them away. 

“Take these off.” He demands instead.

I’m not sure of how I manage to do it. My mind feels blurred with a mix of sensations. Disoriented, not sure about exactly how my body is doing all of that, and the bliss of knowing I’m enjoying every second of it.

Before the air hits my skin, Cardan lifts me from the ground. My legs circle his waist in a reflexive move. His lips quirk in approval. Then my back is once again pressed against the wall, making me arch in a failed attempt to avoid touching the cold stone. A sound leaves my mouth, though it is not clear if it’s a protest or a moan. I hear him chuckle in my ear and I turn my head, searching his lips.    

His kiss is slower but still deep. I feel as if small electric sparks are tickling every single one of my nerves. More, I need more. Cardan holds me in place with his hips, letting his hands wander up and down my legs.

The tip of his shaft is grazing my core over the thin fabric of my remaining piece of clothing, with an aching slowness that is not enough to ease my thirst. More.

I might have said that out loud because Cardan’s hips grind faster against me. It feels so good. And yet, it’s not enough.

I whine his name like a plea. 

He continues for a couple of torturing seconds before reaching between my thighs again. There’s no teasing now as he moves my panties aside and immediately sinks his fingers inside me, pumping in and out with a pace that has me gasping in no time. He murmurs something I can’t understand and lines himself up to my entrance.

With soft, deliberate movements he slides through my heat, letting me feel every inch of him until he’s completely filling me. Then he stills. My muscles twitch around him, trying to adjust to the invasion. The exquisiteness of it is making my head swoon. 

Cardan grabs my jaw and locks his gaze with mine. I can imagine what he’s looking at. Hooded eyes and flushed skin, though he doesn’t let me think a lot about it as he starts to move. Slow at first, with careful strokes that quickly evolve into long and deep. My mouth falls open at the sensation and my eyes shut.

“I warned you.” I hear him pant. “That there was no coming back.”

A whimper escapes my lips. I’m not even sure I’m actually trying to say something. He doesn’t seem to care either and leans to whisper to my ear. “You are mine now, Jude.”   

There is something in the way he says it, his words carrying some compelling implication I can’t fully catch. His lips trail down my neck and I want to answer. To tell him that I am, that after the way he’s taking me, how could it be otherwise? 

That’s when I feel a sharp stinging pain on the base of my throat. 

I cry out and try to shake it away but whatever it is won’t let me go. Cardan’s words echo at the back of my mind, Needy little human. 

As if sensing my thoughts he grabs my thighs and opens them wider, he thrusts into me harder and faster. Everything mixes in sensation. Pain leaves as fast as it came, leaving behind it that throb in my veins I can’t really explain. It is more intense now, what I felt as warm now is scorching. My entire body feels like it’s on fire, I’ve never felt so exhilarated before in my life. I don’t want it to stop. 

Cardan sucks on my neck again and I moan his name. Without realizing it, I’m on the brink of another orgasm. I only realize it because he groans when my legs start to shiver around him. I cling to his neck and his hair. If I’m pulling too hard I can’t really know. A familiar swirl comes up from my core to the rest of my body as I spasm around him. It takes me a moment to notice the broken moans and sobs I hear come from my own mouth. 

He keeps going a little longer until his fingers tighten over my skin, surely leaving bruises on both thighs. Muffled moans ring against my skin as he comes, thrusting in a couple of times more before stilling. A warm sensation covers the place where we join together.  His mouth lets go of my neck. I grunt and shiver. 

He puts me down carefully, still holding my waist, which is good considering I don’t know if I’m able to stand by myself. I feel dizzy. Cardan lowers his lips to mine one more time. He’s slow and gentle as though he’s worried. There is a slightly metallic taste in his tongue but I don’t pay attention to it. I trace the fine features of his face with trembling fingers. Little by little my senses start to take in the surroundings, the cold. 

The place rumbles with another crack of thunder.

“You have to go back.” Cardan says, barely pulling his lips apart. Go back. I frown, then images of my family crash in my mind. I look around searching for the door, there is something  on the floor. I realize soon those are my clothes. Shit. The tour, Oak. How much time have I been gone?

I dress in a hurry, not really caring if I put on my jersey correctly. He does the same but with the calm an elegance he has.

Panic must be written in my face because he grabs my chin and turns me to him. “Hey. Calm down.” He soothes me. Then his tone changes, turns commanding. His eyes are darker too. “Listen to me. You are going to do exactly as I say, do you understand Jude?”

I want to ask why, but for some reason I only nod. Cardan grabs my hand and pulls me out of whatever room we were in. “You must follow this passage until you find a way to turn left. Then continue until you see a painting of a black snake then turn right, you cannot miss it or you will get lost. Walk straight, and you will be back to a safe area.”

“But-” I start. I don’t want to go alone. And I don’t understand why but I don’t want to separate from him either. Which is nonsense, I barely know him and still...

He interrupts me. “I cannot go with you, I have lost so much control already and I don’t think…” 

“Cardan, I can’t-” 

A growl echoes in his chest and he pulls me closer to him. While his voice is still hypnotizing it sounds threatening now. “You will not tell anybody about what you saw here. Now go if you intend to leave this place alive.”

Then he's gone. I can’t recall if I blinked or turned, because a moment before I could still touch him and now he vanished.

I take a deep breath and start walking. Focus. Go straight, then turn right. Or was it left? 

All passages look the same, some spaces don’t even have a painting or anything at all to help me differentiate them. Sometimes I whip around, thinking I heard a familiar chuckle behind me. Distant rain is the only sound that is a constant companion, but even with it I’m able to hear an echo of every step I give. It unsettles me more with every minute that passes. Although I feel more in control of my body than before, my knees falter constantly and a sensation of tiredness slides over my mind. 

I find the snake painting just as I’d started to think I would be trapped here forever. 

It’s huge, and despite the years that have probably passed the scales still seem to shine. The head is painted in an angle that gives the illusion of the eyes following the person looking at it. It doesn’t help that the candle’s flames also make the snake look as if it’s moving. Stalking. Before noticing, I start hyperventilating. I shut my eyes close and turn away. Something is terribly wrong with me, I need to get out. 

Turning right, I start running. I cover my ears fearing that if I don’t, I’ll start hearing the snake’s hiss behind me.  

I cross an arch made with the same stone and stop right in my tracks upon realizing somehow I’m back at the room where we first arrived. I blink to adjust my eyes to the change of light, since here’s where all the electric lamps are. The room is empty though. 

I’m not sure of what I am supposed to do now. Sit and wait? Go out to the car?

While I’m weighing my options, trying to choose any that doesn’t imply dropping myself on the floor to have a panic attack, I hear murmurs and steps getting closer.

“Jude!” My little brother yells and runs to me. Behind him, Vivi scans me like she’s trying to find something wrong. I straighten my back and put on my best calmed face.

“Where were you?” She demands. “We lost you hours ago! Are you ok? You look pale.” 

Always such a mother hen, I sigh. “I’m fine. I fell behind and lost y’all. Then... I guessed it would be better to just�� return here.”

I try not to frown at my last words, since I didn’t fully intend to say them. You will not tell anybody about what you saw here. 

“Jude knows how to take care of herself.” My father adds. I could hug him, but we’re not exactly the affectionate type. So I just flash him a smile.

Vivi does not look convinced but still stands down. “I guess so. The weather did a mess with your hair though.” A flash of Cardan’s fingers pulling from it to gain access to my neck sends a shiver through my body. Had that really happened just minutes before?

Before I can answer, Marrow calls for us. We turn to find her standing next to a big set of paintings that apparently were covered with a curtain. “You cannot leave without meeting the royal family.”

The canvases are ordered to mimic a family tree. A man with a severe expression rests at the very top. Eldred, I assume. Just by looking at it I feel judged. I can’t imagine what was like to actually live with him. The pictures of his wives look all so different but under them, their sons do have resemblance to one another. A weird sensation tickles my fingers as my gaze continues travelling over the paintings. Finally, I get to the last one. Once more, I cover my mouth to avoid  an undesired sound.

Staring back at me I see Cardan. 

I don’t care if it’s a painting, there is no way I could not recognize those features. Those lips.

“A big family, I see.” Madoc’s words seem so far away.

Marrow hums in agreement. “The Greenbriars always felt proud of their vast offspring. Such attractive sons and daughters. It’s a shame the curse took most of their lives all those centuries ago.” 

“Did he…” I start, without knowing how to continue.

She approaches me to look at the canvas. “Ah, young master Cardan. He was the last one of Eldred’s children.” Then a frown appears on her face. “There was a lot of controversy regarding his death. Some say he died because of the curse, some others say he was the curse. The books all have different versions.”

“That sounds creepy as fuck.” Vivi says. 

“Creepy as fuck.” My brother mimics her, the thoughtful expression on his face makes him look ridiculous. We cackle as Vivi shouts Oak he’s not supposed to say bad words.

By the time we get out of the castle the rain has decreased to a drizzle. 

Madoc carries Oak on his shoulders, listening to his non-stop squeals of excitement after visiting what he calls ‘a real vampire hideout’. This time, I don’t find the words to contradict him. Vivi is the first one to get to the car, shouting back some nonsense about the Greenbriars needing a protection hex. 

The moment I step down from the bridge something shifts in my head and I feel as if I had just woken up. 

Perhaps it is me who needs a protection spell after all. 

Before closing the car’s door, I turn to the castle one more time. Marrow and her husband wave at us from the front gate. 

A dull ache throbs on the base of my neck and my hand flies to the spot. I retrieve it and see blood staining my fingers. 

My heart misses a beat when I lift my gaze to the upper windows, where a tall figure with white shirt and dark hair is looking right back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tags: @slightlyrebelliouswriter23​ @sweetlyvillainous​ @poeticbrownmermaid​ @aesthetics-11​ @thesirenwashere​ @jurdanhell​ @nightbringer​ @b00kworm​ @mysweetvillain​ @thefolkofthefic​ @yafandomsdotnet​ @vanessa172003​ @booksandothersecrets​ 

If you wish to be tagged/untagged (or if I forgot to tag you like an utter idot) please let me know!

[natromanxoff]

Queen live at Hyde Park in London, UK - September 18, 1976 (Part-1)

An interesting bit about the Hyde Park gig (thanks to Jane Palm-Gold): "The white boiler suit Fred wore coming onstage was especially chosen by him so that he could be seen from miles away (because white stands out at a distance) and even better (and this is great but you have to know this place really - a London landmark for many years) it was acquired at Lawrence Corner at Euston (!), a tatty second hand clothes /hire place where a lot of clothes /outfits were hired from for band promo shoots - for instance they had a lot of military stuff there."

(x)

After the success of A Night At The Opera (and not to mention how the weekly Sounds readers' poll elected the band #1 in the best album, best single, and best band categories), Queen wanted to pay the British fans back for back their loyalty and support over the last few years. Whilst in Japan earlier in the year, they came up with the idea to stage a massive free concert. With the help of record industry entrepreneur Richard Branson (creator of Virgin Records/megastores) they started making plans for the Hyde Park show, which turned into a mini tour along with the Edinburgh and Cardiff shows. It is estimated that between 150-200 thousand people turned up at Hyde Park, which is still a record for the venue to this day. This show cemented their position in the top bracket of rock bands. The stage used was the same stage that was constructed for the Rolling Stones concert at the Knebworth Fair a few weeks earlier. 

Queen's first huge show at home brought certain areas of London to a grinding halt, and space on public transportation was at a premium. The concert took place on the anniversary of Jimi Hendrix's death. A banner hung from a tree that read "Hendrix Lives," and at one point in the show Brian May noticed it with much appreciation. The band are seen in the photos above arriving at the venue, where they were joined backstage by Pink Floyd's Roger Waters. Supercharge, Steve Hillage, Rufus, and Kiki Dee (along with a cardboard cut-out of Elton John, who couldn't make it to join her for Don't Go Breaking My Heart) played before Queen (Be-Bop Deluxe and John Miles were supposed to be on the bill as well, but were axed for some reason). A pro-shot video of Steve Hillage's performance exists as well as Queen's. There was a fight in the audience during Hillage's set, during which he played extended trippy versions of It's All Too Much by The Beatles and Hurdy Gurdy Man by Donovan. Also notable is Supercharge's singer Albie Donnelly parodying Freddie Mercury in a white leotard and a half mic stand. The first half of the A Day At The Races overture is aired publicly for the first time (the upcoming album had been partially recorded by this point). The usual Bohemian Rhapsody opening sequence then commences for the last time. The band make their entrance, and everybody near the stage stands up (the audience had been seated on the grass for the opening acts). This angers many fans who are further back (roughly 90% of the audience now cannot see the stage), so they start lobbing cans, bottles, or whatever else that can be thrown. After a few songs, Freddie asks everyone simply to calm down: "I have been requested by the constabulary for you not to throw little things around, tin cans or whatever. So make this a peaceful event, ok? Sit on your arses and listen." Brian, after his solo spot in Brighton Rock (he stutters a bit, revealing that he's still nervous): “From one piece of nonsense to another, I’ve said it before. This is something we wanted to do with the London Philharmonic but they didn’t show up, so we will do the ethnic version of a song called '39." He is seen in a dazzling new outfit tonight, which he'd wear every night through Japan 1979. It would become the outfit he'd change into during the opera section of Bohemian Rhapsody. "Clap along and stuff," he urges the audience, as he plays the intro of what he'd later describe as the first song about Einstein's general theory of relativity. After '39, Freddie audaciously performs the as-of-yet unreleased You Take My Breath Away alone on the piano, even hitting many of the falsetto notes that he'd excise in 1977 versions. He then gets cheeky and introduces The Prophet's Song as "a little shorter number from our album A Night At The Opera." Perhaps he still had You Take My Breath Away in his head, as he begins the a cappella section with what would become the first line of the A Day At The Races ballad instead of the usual "oh, people can you hear me?" bit. He also references Death On Two Legs, as he had done a few times earlier in the year. After Stone Cold Crazy, the band play Keep Yourself Alive and Liar, having dropped Doing All Right and Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon from the set. The combination of these three heavy numbers would prove to be very effective, and they would stick with it for their following North American tour. Liar is a great version, with many great Mercuryisms throughout. Before the last song, Brian coyly says, "This is In The Lap Of The Gods, or something like that." The band play a similar set to the ones they did in Edinburgh and Cardiff, except they drop Doing All Right, Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon and Tie Your Mother Down. They intended to perform their usual encore of Big Spender and Jailhouse Rock, but the show had run a half hour past its scheduled ending time (a curfew strictly enforced by the authorities). The police threatened to arrest the band if they went back on stage, and Freddie was later quoted saying how he would prefer not to be stuck in a jail cell in his leotard. And so, Bob Harris was left with the unenviable task of announcing to the crowd that the show was over. He later recalled how difficult and nerve-wracking it was to tell an audience of this size who had waited for about ten hours that there would be no encore. Now I'm Here was the first encore every night around this time, making this the one time between 1974 and 1986 where the song is not performed. The liner notes of Live Killers suggest that Now I'm Here was dropped from the set for a while, but that is patently untrue. People in one section of the audience chanted "Why are we waiting," all in good fun, knowing full well the show was over. The police soon turned off the main power feed to the park, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to make their way out in sheer darkness. Their reasoning was that it was the only way to "control" such a large number of people who had been rowdy throughout the day. In a 1977 interview with Capital Radio, Brian recalls the day: "It had a great sunny day for it, and everyone had a good time. There were still altercations on the day, and there was a big thing with the powers that be because they wouldn't let us go on and do the encore, about which we were very upset, having worked up for months and prepared for all that. They got very frightened because there were 150,000 people in Hyde Park in the dark, and they thought they were going to get out of hand. But in fact, there was no possible danger happening at all. Everyone was peaceful and having a good time."

This show is what epitomized their popularity in Britain, and when they felt they "had really made it," as Brian would later recall. On another occasion he said, "I think that Hyde Park was one of the most significant gigs in our career. There was a great affection because we'd kind of made it in a lot of countries by that time, but England was still, you know, we weren't really sure if we were really acceptable here. So it was a wonderful feeling to come back and see that crowd and get that response." Despite the fact that the audience had been there all day watching the various opening acts and waiting, the band delayed the show as long as possible just so it could get dark enough for their lighting and various other effects to make their full impact (as demanded by Freddie). Throughout the show, the band's nervousness and excitement for the occasion are evident. Most of the audience couldn't see a thing during Queen's set, since the stage was barely elevated. "The smell of the dry ice and the sound are the only sensory memories I have of this show," recalls Jane Palm-Gold. Here is an article from the day of the show, 

and a review from a week later (both were submitted by Boris Arkhangelsky).

Tonight would be the final performances of Flick Of The Wrist, Son And Daughter, and the (almost) full The Prophet's Song. A snippet of The March Of The Black Queen would be performed only once more in 1978, but a different part of the song.

Here is  a Virgin Records flyer.

The second pic is the famous overhead shot that appeared in the October 9, 1976 Melody Maker. Pic 5 was submitted by Janneman,  and pics 6 and 7 were submitted by Lukáš Bosík.

Fan Stories

“Well, I was 13 years old and had got into Queen through Night At The Opera and THAT video. I'd never been to a gig before and it took a lot of convincing of a sceptical mother to let me go to Hyde Park on my own. After answering the inevitable "no, I won't talk to strange men mum" questions I was allowed to go. The morning came and I was up at 6am, got my packed lunch together (can you imagine going off to a gig now with your sandwiches and orange juice!) and headed off to Hyde Park. I remember getting there so early that I was right by the crash barriers at the front and determined to try and hold my spot all day. As the day progeressed however I ended upmoving backwards slowly as people pushed in. I can remember savouring the whole build up, the support bands, everything. As dusk started to fall, the stage went dark and the dry ice started up. I broke my mums don't talk to strangers bit and a very nice bloke put me up on his shoulders so I could see them come on. I just remember the crash of light and sound as they came on as if it was yesterday (and not 27 years ago!). The rest of the gig was amazing and that was it, I was hooked on Queen and rock music. I saw Queen on every tour they ever did in England (and a few in Europe) after that but nothing compares to that first gig for me.” 

- Andy

Part-2

Part-3

[marcelrigby-blog]

Investing in a Digital Camera? Avoid an error With 7 Insider Points

So, you're ready to buy a camera, huh? Maybe it's a, it would be the fourth. It might still be an overwhelming and confusing venture. Because of so many digital camera models available today ranging in price from under $100 to over $7,000, it might feel as if you will find A lot of CHOICES! Many individuals begin the process by investigating full functionalities and operations of Ten to twenty cameras in "their budget," however that is determined. Some individuals discover that process too frustrating and buy the very first digicam that "looks" right. Personally, I'm an analyzer. Being a professional photographer, when I start analyzing digital cameras, it's like unleashing a sumo wrestler with an all-you-can-eat buffet... there is no stopping me. But, for that typical consumer, understanding the digital cameras features alone just doesn't cut it. People would like to know What are the FEATURE DOES FOR ME! Whether you go the feature/function route or not, you'll find 7 insider tips that will help save you money and avoid getting the wrong photographic camera on your purposes. Tip #1: How to Get the Best Prices on Cameras Wherever you are in the investigation/buying process, eventually you can this step. If you want to obtain a digicam, the most effective costs are on the net. Whether you've purchased anything on the internet or otherwise, there are specific INTERNET BUYING STRATEGIES which will save you money, time, and aggravation. When selecting ANYTHING on the web, only look at the ENTIRE cost of the "digital camera + tax + shipping," Not only the price tag on the digital camera. Here is the best way that compares "apples to apples." Once you see the top ENTIRE cost, do not immediately purchase it from that vendor! You can find key INTERNET inquiries to answer: May be the photographic camera in stock? There is often a mysterious correlation relating to the cheapest digital camera prices and cameras being Sold-out. You dont want to order your digicam after which have it lay on backorder for 3 months, does one? Does your Nikon (Minolta, Canon, etc.) include a USA warranty or perhaps it what is called "grey goods?" You would like to verify it's actually a USA warranty, unless you don't mind being forced to service it internationally. If it is grey goods, you WILL NOT be capable of service it in america. When ordering your digital baby, beware of costly add-on accessories that may be needed eventually, but they are suggested with this "special order promotion time" at 200% with the normal price. Tip #2: Professional or Prosumer... Which is Good for you? Let's begin with clarifying our terms. An experienced camera is a dslr, while a prosumer is simply the rest. Because context, by no more 2005, digital SLRs may be purchased for $600 - $8,000 (Canon and Nikon, a minimum of). The true secret points to consider are:

If you intent to shooting night photos or other pictures in low-light situations, many prosumer digital cameras take good quality photographs at ISO 100 or 200. However, to look at good pictures in lower light at ISO 400 or 800 will typically have to have a dslr. Otherwise, digital "noise" will likely have too large a direct impact on display quality. If you're planning on taking flash photographs at distances higher than 10-12 feet from your subject, an external flash unit needs to be used. Along with the only way another flash unit can be utilized along with your digicam is always to attach it in your camera's hot shoe. Every professional photographic camera carries a hot shoe. Many prosumers also do, but NOT Every one of them. Salespeople often attempt to sway consumers faraway from professional video cameras into prosumer models, proclaiming that digital SLRs have so many complicated features that they are hard to use. Measuring only half correct. Digital SLRs are usually made to allow people to take pictures easily while using more automatic settings OR to use the advanced features when they are comfortable the process. Tip #3: What is an easily affordable Digicam? "Affordable" digital cameras have a tendency of developing your budget happy, but disappointing the photographer inside you. Don't disregard the ergonomics from the camera. Would be the controls easy? Comfortable? The amount of buttons or levers have to be simultaneously set before getting the actual result you need? In case you are upgrading from the more affordable digital camera, don't believe that spending more or having more features will automatically make you happy. Always check out you. An easily affordable digicam isn't affordable in the event you turn out not making use of it! The brand new camera is much more than prone to operate differently than your older model. Will the new camera have controls which can be counter-intuitive? Things like that will frustrate someone enough to not use their photographic camera. Safer to find out details like these before as opposed to as soon as the purchase. Tip #4: Do not be Tricked by Digital and Optical Zoom. Only One Matters. Here's the conclusion: Optical Zoom may be the only thing that's important. Although some salespeople might argue using this type of, when choosing searching for camera, my suggestion is usually to COMPLETELY IGNORE ALL DIGITAL ZOOM FIGURES. Digital zoom has simply no influence on having the ability to have a photograph of the distant subject by zooming in onto it. The reason salespeople like to include optical focus the equation is because advertising loves to supply you with the digital camera's "zoom factor." Multiply a 3X Zoom by a 5X Optical Zoom, along with a 15X Zoom factor... a totally worthless and MISLEADING number!! Tip #5: Will be the Discount Digicam an excellent or Bad Idea? The most important consideration when thinking about a discount digital camera (or another digital camera, for instance) would be to think about: "WHAT IS Come about?" Many consumers begin by first falling in love with an electronic digital camera then become pleased or disappointed having its capabilities (usually as soon as they buy it). I'm proposing something outlandishly radical... have the process the alternative WAY. First, ask yourself some basic questions: So what can I do with all the camera (and do not say "take pictures")? Precisely what are you most considering - the rare family snapshot, landscapes, macro work, heavy flash use, the above? Just how much use does it get? (Twice yearly, or once weekly?) Precisely what is most significant if you ask me: display quality, camera size, camera weight, durability, telephotos/wide angle lens, etc.? Determined by your responses to these questions, a discount digicam will probably be your best choice or even a complete waste of greenbacks. A "no-name" discount photographic camera is usually a logical choice, based on  what your photographic goals are. Try not to think a $49.95 Brand X camera will almost certainly run you $49.95! You also have to incorporate within the cost for at least some accessories, such as memory, batteries, bag, and lens protector. Tip #6: When are Small Digital camera models an ideal Choice? Despite impressions to the contrary, small cameras (generally known as compact digital camera models) can be popular. They're convenient to carry, usually loaded with features, and take respectable photographs. We need to remember that SMALL Does not imply UNDERPOWERED. Some benefits of going tiny are: less bulky, easier to transport, less conspicuous (less inclined to "walk off"), and so they often compare favorably with larger cameras within the feature and price categories. A number of the pitfalls of going small include: possible trouble physically operating a few of the camera's controls, less inclined to support an external flash, as well as the physical size can limit a number of the available features, like image manipulation. Tip #7: Megapixels - What's Fact; What's Fiction? Megapixels is among the most mentioned (and misunderstood) terms in the world of cameras. Let's sort through some facts and misperceptions, to help you create a more informed purchasing decision. Taking better digital photography involves more than just creating a camera which has a lot of megapixels, even though you wouldn't realize that listening to digicam salespeople. Megapixels is simply one aspect in creating better photo digital portrait photography. And, you cannot see it alone. You should consider other photographic camera features. How soon or slow the camera's shutter speed may be set is vital. Employing a tripod, to be able to manually set the white-balance control, inside them for hours pre-programmed modes to aid in tricky lighting situations are very important factors in achieving better portrait digital photography. Do not get the thought that megapixels could be unhealthy, or irrelevant. This is simply not TRUE. There exists just one area where more megapixels can establish better photo digital portrait photography results. If everything else is the identical, more megapixels will provide GREATER FLEXIBILITY TO CROP A photo whilst still being turn out having a sharp clear photo. And, cropping photographs can produce a whole world of difference. Cropping will be the eraser on the digital pencil. Conclusion People will make investing in a camera easy decision or a life-long project. With there being numerous models, brands, and features; it could get pretty confusing. You will not ever understand all the FACTS to really make the "best decision." But, basic 7 tips, you will be aware what really matters for your requirements. For additional information about nikon digital camera dealer take a look at this website.

[eekal]

some helpful ap review guides!

So I’m taking a couple of AP classes in high school, and I’ve collected a ton of aid docs to help me through the year.

I’ve compiled them all into this one post so you can click on a specific class’ aid doc to help you. I’m still updating some of the tips and tricks, and I will add more as I take more AP classes. [update, May 2017: I’m officially done with high school, so I won’t be adding any more high school AP aid documents, but if people want me to add stuff for other classes, I’ll try!]

IF YOU DON’T HAVE MICROSOFT WORD, tell me so I can put some of the docs on google doc instead.

The more updated version is on my own blog: eekal.tumblr.com/help

More info under the cut

General Tips: It’s extremely recommended that you take the AP exams from previous years. They never repeat questions, but they will 100% repeat concepts and test question styles that they did before. For instance, the WHAP exam will have the same-styled multiple choice questions that question the relationships of civilizations and effects of major events. Always answer every multiple choice question. They take the same amount of points off if you leave it blank and get it wrong. I think they don’t take off for guesses anymore, but it’s always better to guess than leave it blank.

—

AP World History [took in 2015-6]

My own notes that I hope to finish one day (lmao, I only have like 3 chapters done) :  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zG5qouoO0UQE9_eN0e96c9a73lvYcwPolvTr7UaCISA/edit?usp=sharing // It’s kind of too specific, and covers too much of one chapter. Would not recommend seriously.

I love these docs; this is like the only thing my teacher has ever done for my class:  Useful Websites Maps 2 Know Gigantic Study Material

Chapter outlines for every chapter [using Traditions & Encounters: 5th Edition]: Outlines

Tips: The most helpful thing I’ve learned over the year is that the AP exam at the end is mostly about relationships between cultures/civilizations and the effects of various events. For example, the test won’t ask you the specifics about Columbus’s expedition, but it will ask you what happened because of it [ie smallpox + columbian exchange]. Memorize the big events of each section/unit/period like wars and significant trade routes, so when the test essay asks you what the effects were, you can just pull them out. Be sure to memorize certain photos like what the Hagia Sophia looked like, Mansa Musa, Alexander the Great, architect types, trade routes, what empires looked like in their prime, etc.

They always ask about the biggest changes in each time period:

Mongols

Byzantine Empire

Rome/Han

Salt/Gold Trade Route

Silk Roads

Trans-Saharan Trade Routes

The Great Schism / the start of Protestantism

French / American / Haitian Revolutions

et cetera

Remember, this tip might not work for you as I took the exam in 2016, and I heard that the CollegeBoard is going to change it in the coming years. Moreover, your teacher might present information in a different way for their finals and tests.

AP Calculus AB [took in 2015-6]

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-D5e4luKNSQkFXBIoOhytmeHraUxpBc2xPq3dJ3K9kE/edit?usp=sharing

This one explains past free response AND multiple choice AP tests from like 1997 to 2015: http://www.askmrcalculus.com/index.html

Tips: Possibly the easiest AP exam. If you know what you’re doing and practiced the past free responses, you should be good to go. It’s really handy to make a notebook with like steps to show how to do each type of problem. Study and fill this notebook out throughout the year, and you’ll be more than ready to take the exam in May.

AP Biology [took in 2015-6]

Honestly, these Enduring Understanding pdfs really helped me review at the end of the year, especially if I didn’t understand a certain topic. It even has book chapters to go back to if I REALLY didn’t know a single thing.

Big Idea 1.A: Change in the genetic makeup over time is evolution. (pdf)

Big idea 1.B: Organisms are linked by lines of descent from common ancestry. (doc)

Big Idea 1.C:  Life continues to evolve in a changing environment. (pdf)

Big Idea 1.D: The origin of living systems is explained by natural processes. (pdf) 

Big Idea 2.A: Growth, reproduction, and maintenance of the organization of living systems require free energy and matter. (pdf)

Big Idea 2.B: Growth, reproduction, and dynamic homeostasis require that cells create and maintain internal environments that are different from their external environments. (pdf)

Big Idea 2.C: Organisms use feedback mechanisms to regulate growth, reproduction, and to maintain dynamic homeostasis. (pdf)

Big Idea 2.D: Growth and dynamic homeostasis of a biological system are influenced by changes in the system’s environment. (pdf)

Big Idea 2.E: Many biological processes involved in growth, reproduction, and dynamic homeostasis include temporal regulation and coordination. (pdf)

Big Idea 3.A: Heritable information provides for continuity of life. (pdf)

Big Idea 3.B: Expression of genetic information involves cellular and molecular mechanisms. (pdf) 

Big Idea 3.C: The processing of genetic information is imperfect and is a source of genetic variation. (pdf)

Big Idea 3.D: Cells communicate by generating, transmitting, and receiving chemical signals. (pdf)

Big Idea 3.E: Transmission of information results in changes within and between biological systems. (pdf)

Big Idea 4.A: The subcomponents of biological molecules and their sequence determine the properties of the molecule. (pdf)

Big Idea 4.B: Competition and cooperation are important aspects of biological systems. (pdf) 

Detailed Lecture Notes!! I used these instead of reading that giant textbook [no diagrams or pictures though…]: Assorted by chapter

Tips: There are no tips to this course. Simply memorize the notes using flashcards and mindmaps. I printed and highlighted the lecture notes during class and went over them again in my own time + looked in the textbook and copied down the diagrams and pictures. Then I rewrote the most important topics with at least one example in each category on a mindmap/flashcard and memorized them before a quiz/test/AP exam. This course is extremely content heavy. The AP exam multiple choice was easy in a sense if you understand the concepts, but the essays were harder in that you had to state examples and explain why things were happening. REMEMBER that there’s a formula sheet on the front of your test booklet [I forgot that and got 2 questions wrong ㅠㅠ]

AP Statistics [took in 2015-6]

Inference Cheat Sheets !

I also have a notebook full of notes that I would scan in, but I would have to rip apart my notebook. However, I will rip it apart in a heartbeat if someone needed it.

Tips: This was a really easy AP exam and class, partially thanks to my wonderful teacher, but if you are having trouble with the concepts and math, look up youtube videos! My friends in different classes did that, and they were perfectly fine on the AP exam.

AP United States History [took in 2016-7]

Content: Bill of Rights / 27 Constitutional Amendments // lol. pretty helpful tbh if you forgot all of your amendments at the end of the year APUSH Review // Teacher recommended me this website; never really used it, though

http://wikibenn.pbworks.com/w/page/78594635/APUSH%20Review APUSH Topics separated by periods // Useful for the periodization topic and as a really good review like right before your test 2015 MC Practice exam

Hooray for huge books: Short outlines [not mine] // also works as chapter notes More short outlines [not mine. download the doc to view the full document] // also works as chapter notes Long outlines [not mine] // more useful for reviewing for tests/ap exam More long outlines [not mine] // more useful for reviewing for tests/ap exam

Essays: 2015  Sample Essays // I basically printed out some essays that I had problems with and analyzed them to see what I would need to include in my essay. For instance, for the periodization topic, I printed out the first essay and highlighted the examples/topics/organization in the essay to see what I would need.  General long essay help Periodization formatting X / example // I didn’t really use this, but it seemed helpful Writing in APUSH review // seems more intensive than the others

Cramming: Very intensive APUSH review  Kinda long APUSH review Brief review of APUSH  Important Supreme Court cases // I’d argue that you don’t even need half of these, but Important Treaties // I’d argue that you don’t even need half of these, but Important Legislation  The Magic years // Incredibly important years/dates Political parties over the years of America  Summaries of all of the POTUS’s

AP Spanish [took in 2016-7]

I, unfortunately, did not take the AP exam for this class, and also I suck booty at spanish ㅠㅠ

AP Physics C [took in 2016-7]

Um, I basically died during the exam, but…

It's extremely recommended that you study for this exam at least 1 month prior, but if you’re like me and chose to wait until the very last 24 hours to study, use these tools to mega cram.

Physics C Equation sheet // Check with this to see if the equation you’re studying is given on the exam or it’s written differently

USE YOUTUBE VIDEOS TO REVIEW! Very helpful in getting the content across and knowing what to do for some situations. Flipping Physics // I love this man? I watched all of his ~16 minute review videos to get the basics of the topics down, but he does forget some important equations/concepts. Don’t worry, I included them at the bottom of this section. I didn’t watch his simple harmonics review video because of the lack of time, so I don’t know what he missed on that video. Dan Fullerton // What a hero. My friend recommended him, so I don’t know the faults of his review videos.

Really simple review of the equations // A little bit too simple in my opinion. This is for if you’re 2 hours away from the exam. Physics review with practice questions // I don’t know if the person writing this website ever finished it, and I’ve only ever looked at the kinematics review, so I can’t really recommend this one over the others. Really simple equations review // Again, really lacking on the concepts. More reviews // I haven’t checked this one out, but it was in my bookmarks. More intensive review // This one looks really intensive, and I appreciate Mr. B for these powerpoints. I should’ve used this one, but I didn’t ㅠㅠ Really helpful review packet (especially the applications of forces) // I mainly used this for the applications of forces pages One month physics C study plan (which I did not have enough time for) // lol. 2D Motion Review  1D Motion Review

Practice exams: 2012 MC Test  1998 MC / FRQ Test  General practice questions

What Flipping Physics forgot: Kinematics/ Certain equations that you can derive for max height / time of flight Velocity and Acceleration relationships- +v, -a / -v, -a / v = 0, a =/= 0 Concept questions for kinematics Momentum/ Types of collisions and associated equations- Elastic equations / Inelastic equations 2D collisions Ice skater-related concept Various moments of inertia for different objects Centripetal motion/ Banked turns- With friction / Without friction , Going from rev/min to rad/s Gravitons / Roller coasters / FBD for speed bumps and top/bottom of a loop on a roller coaster Gravitational/ Binary stars with circular orbits- concepts Orbital velocity formula Single object in ovular orbit and associated equations Binary star physics Basic binary star with circular orbit concept // Unfortunately, I can’t find much on these besides my in-class notes, so message me if you need those. Here’s what I’m talking about for the first one, though. Perihelion vs. aphelion concepts- 1 /  Momentum in gravitational unit- 1 / 2 // There’s also more on this, but they’re in my notes

Tips: Lmaoooooo. That curve is your friend tho. As long as you get a 50%, you’ll get a 5.

Everyone, good luck on your AP exams! I’ll probably only update this on my actual blog page to add more review sheets for more subjects later on

[pssstt, i'd appreciate it a lot if you bought something off this list if this helped you!!]

[nightmareonfilmstreet]

[Recap] STRANGER THINGS 2, Episodes 6-9: A Stunning Finish

New Post has been published on https://nofspodcast.com/recap-stranger-things-2-episodes-6-9-stunning-finish/

[Recap] STRANGER THINGS 2, Episodes 6-9: A Stunning Finish

I’m back with recaps of the final four episodes of season two of Netflix sensation Stranger Things. If you haven’t looked over the recaps for the first half, you can find them here. Alright, let’s dig in!

Episode 6 – “The Spy”

If things start to come together in episodes four and five, six is where Stranger Things season two really begins to deliver on its potential. Following Will (Noah Schnapp)’s seizures, Joyce (Winona Ryder), Hopper (David Harbour), and Mike (Finn Wolfhard) wind up at Hawkins Lab where Dr. Owens (Paul Reiser) and his team struggle to properly diagnose him. What is clear is that Will‘s memory is being affected by the otherworldly presence and, as the episode progresses, his amnesia is symptomatic of the fact that he can no longer be trusted.

It’s unfortunate that the titles of Stranger Things are so prominently displayed at the start of each episode, because the reveal that Will has broken bad is blatantly telegraphed. Despite this, I still found myself swept up in the action, especially when Steve (Joe Keery), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Max (Sadie Sink) wind up trapped at the abandoned car junkyard thanks to the appearance of multiple demi-dogs. Collectively the cliffhanger at the lab and Steve‘s near-death helps to ratchet up the momentum as the series heads into its final few episodes.

Odds and Ends:

The relationship building between Steve and Dustin is easily one of the episode highlights. Plus: the scene of the group walking along the train tracks is heavily evocative of Stephen King’s Stand By Me.

I’m no big fan of Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton)’s sojourn into conspiracy theory-ville with Murray (Brett Gelman), though his ability to diagnose their unrequited love affair is mildly amusing.

The fatal climax, in which Will‘s deliberately leads the soldiers into a trap, is a clear homage to James Cameron’s Aliens, right down to the images appearing on the radar screen. Love it.

This is the first episode of the series that doesn’t feature Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown).

Eleven’s standalone episode 2×07 “The Lost Sister” is a singular mistake

Episode 7 – “The Lost Sister”

UGH. I wanted to give this episode the benefit of a doubt, but five minutes in I began checking my watch. Then I did some laundry. Then I began surfing YouTube for funny cat videos.

Yes, folks, this is undoubtedly THE WORST episode of Stranger Things that the series has ever produced. Yes, it pays off Eleven‘s “family” arc by reuniting her with her titular “lost sister”, Kali (Linnea Berthelsen). Outside of teaching Eleven how to hone her powers and helping her to realize that Mike and the others are her real family, however, this is 55 minutes of duds-ville.

It got so bad that I began making jokey memes about its awfulness on Twitter to pass the time. Seriously, this is one to tell friends to avoid – as Alan Sepinwall of HitFix suggests, it plays more like a bizarre backdoor pilot for a spin-off series that no one asked for.

Odds and Ends:

This is the first episode of the series that doesn’t feature any of the rest of the regular cast.

When Kali and her friends give Eleven an 80s punk look, I couldn’t help but think of the iconic ditty from Clone High about makeovers. MAKEOVER!

This is your first Matthew Modine-cameo alert for S2.

Seriously, I’d like to know who thought this episode (and its timing in the season) was a good idea? The only element that I enjoyed was that weird moment where the episode turned into a home-invasion thriller in the vein of The Purge & The Strangers.

The harrowing escape from Hawkins Laboratory is a focal point of 2×08 “The Mind Flayer”

Episode 8 – “The Mind Flayer”

With the worst creative decision that Stranger Things has ever made firmly in the rearview mirror, “The Mind Flayer” picks up right after the cliffhanger from 2×06. The escape from the Hawkins Lab is superb, particularly the cross-cutting between Bob (Sean Astin)’s solo mission to reset the power and Dr. Owens‘ guidance on the surveillance cameras (shades of Jurassic Park). And while horror fans undoubtedly knew that the writing was on the wall for Bob the moment he was told his exit path was “home free,” his death – and Joyce‘s reaction to it – are well-done.

With the season’s big death crossed off, the time comes to reconvene the disparate groups at the Byers house and prepare for the big battle. This is the calm before the storm as everyone catches up and they strategically plot their options. I’ll confess that while I appreciate the effort made to gently address the lunacy of Dustin‘s Mind Flayer/hive mind connection plan, it’s pretty unbelievable that everyone basically just goes along with it.

Once again the focus returns to Will and, in a well-executed montage, the infected boy is awoken and treated to trips down memory lane that double as opportunities to communicate how to shut down the otherworldly threat (using Morse Code, naturally). With a plan in hand and time running out, the group is seemingly beseiged by demi-dogs when Eleven returns from Duffer Brothers purgatory to finally rejoin the main group. Thank goodness – let’s get this climax on the road!

Odds and Ends:

In an episode filled with highs, the extended scene of Billy (Dacre Montgomery)’s dad beating him up for losing track of Max just feels so unnecessary. It’s still unclear why this storyline needed to exist.

Eleven and Hopper’s reunion is one of the finale’s strongest emotional beats

Episode 9 – “The Gate”

Here we go – the big finale. If there’s anything surprising about this episode, it is how quickly the threat is dispensed with: we’re barely half through the episode when Eleven manages to close the gate. This winds up being a smart decision because it avoids a long, drawn out battle in favour of narrative and emotional closure for nearly all of the characters, while once again teasing another season of Stranger Things.

After coming together briefly last episode, our protagonists split into three groups: 1) Hopper and Eleven head for the gate, 2) Joyce, Jonathan, and Nancy create a home sauna to steam the demon out of Will and 3) the D-Listers (eventually) head back into the tunnels to draw attention away from the gate and clear a path for Eleven and Hopper. And barring the occasional hurdle, including – UGH – Billy, as well as one last encounter with D’Art, things more or less go to plan.

Of course I’m doing the finale a complete disservice by being so nonchalant. In all honestly “The Gate” is easily one of the most satisfying hours that the series has ever produced, hitting all of the right action AND emotional beats.

Let’s talk about each of those individually:

1) The action when Eleven goes up against the gate (and begins levitating!) is a stunning achievement. Visually (those special effects!) and aurally (that score!), the scene delivers a more bombastic finish than some big budget Hollywood tentpoles. Throw in Millie Bobby Brown’s absolutely commanding screen presence, masterfully conveying the entirety of Eleven‘s two season journey in a nearly silent performance and you have an absolutely killer sequence.

2) As significant an achievement as the action is, however, it would be nothing without the quieter moments. I was particular awestruck by Eleven and Hopper‘s extended conversation in the truck. There’s a reason why the Duffer Brothers paired these two together and while I complained about how repetitive their storyline was in the first few episodes, it really pays off here.

Ditto the moments when Mike attacks Hopper for lying to him and when Eleven and Mike lock eyes at the dance. These scenes only work because of our investment in these characters, so kudos on making us give a damn about these people in between all of the action and special effects.

Odds and Ends:

I mentioned last episode that I didn’t understand the point of Billy‘s storyline and aside from adding an additional obstacle to the team’s success, my opinions have not changed. I have nothing against Montgomery as an actor, but this was one addition too many in S2. Seeing Max finally stand up to her step-brother’s abuse (when he’s already drugged) just didn’t work for me.

Now that the Hawkins Lab has been shut down and Barb got her damn funeral, is this a wrap on #JusticeForBarb? PLEASE?

Nancy‘s pity dance with Dustin at the Snow Ball gave off some pretty heavy John Hughes vibes. If Stranger Things had been made in the 80s, I could easily see Molly Ringwald in the Nancy role.

So Joyce and Hopper are totally going to hook up now, right?

Finally, what do we think of the final teaser/twist? Personally I found it underwhelming (the Upside Down still exists? Colour me unsurprised!) but I appreciate that this is a way to hint that there’s more to come without undoing the narrative closure covered by the second half of this episode.

So that’s it for season two. What are your thoughts now that it’s all said and done? What do you expect to see in season three? Hit the comments below and sound off with your reactions and predictions.

[cyanoscarlet]

this is how you introduce a new fandom

#yoiweek2017 Day 1 (Le Parfum Des Fleurs) - beginnings and firsts

Or, how Yuuri was convinced to watch an anime based on his life.

(stories on (and off) ice)

.

It was both flattering and mortifying, Yuuri thought, when a story based on your life and love suddenly skyrocketed in popularity like gossip spreading like a forest wildfire.

He sighed as he watched his sniffling husband from the kitchen. Viktor was crying over yet another episode of this "original fantasy action anime about a no-good mage who meets and falls for the number one ice wizard in the continent." It was really good, they said. The animation was beautiful, the story was riveting and the romance was done perfectly right.

Don't get him wrong; he appreciates a good story as much as the next person does. The love and care and attention to detail that went into the creation of this latest sensation was clearly evident in every frame drawn and every line spoken. It was, no doubt, a wonderful work in its own right. It was even considered by many as a revolutionary piece that broke barriers and made history.

What Yuuri did not appreciate -- and certainly did not expect (though he should have, given the circumstances) -- was the hordes of rabid fans and insatiable tabloid writers that practically crash the door and breathe down his neck every single morning since the first episode aired, and seemed to multiply exponentially by the week.

Chalk it up to very observant people to put two and two together, and your high-profile whirlwind love story is revived and retold again on almost every website and social media platform in existence. The side-by-side comparisons went up to eleven when the seventh episode featured the two leads kissing before the cheering stadium - just like how Viktor, his coach at that time, had kissed him at the Cup of China a mere three years earlier.

The fans became a lot more persistent that day, he recalled. Even the casual passers-by recognized them now. "Oh my god, it's so-and-so! From that show!" (Yuuri could not be bothered to recall the names of the characters.) Viktor eagerly responded to this by kissing him soundly on the lips in public - again.

As always, the Russian's attempts at getting him to watch the new episode together failed spectacularly that night.

.

  Yuuri and Viktor were not the only ones whose lives have changed because of the show. Yurio, for one, started receiving hate mail from all sorts of fans - mostly fujoshi, from what he had gathered. Messages ranging from "damn Mudblood" to "inferior Valentin-wannabe", or colorful variations and combinations thereof, began filling the reigning World Champion's inbox at such an alarming rate, he'd actually changed his phone number and locked all his social media accounts by the time the fourth episode had aired.

("I don't even watch that shit," Yurio had lamented in frustration through a private Skype session. "And even I know that Mudblood's from a totally different fandom! What's wrong with these fucking people?!"

That's what you're worried about? Yuuri had been tempted to say out loud, but he'd kept his mouth shut. Maybe it was just the stress of the upcoming Grand Prix Final talking. The men's short program event was the next day, after all. Other than that, he'd completely sympathized with the angry blond.)

Fortunately, the messages stopped when the current episode aired half an hour ago. Yuuri knew at once when his ringtone for Yurio began playing from his pocket and Viktor tearfully joined him in the kitchen at the same time as soon as the livestream finished. "Let's have katsudon pirozhki tomorrow!" he exclaimed, his eyes shining brighter than usual. "To celebrate Julian finally befriending Yoichi!"

"Okay, Viten'ka," Yuuri shrugged, knowing better than to correct his husband on the in-universe pastry the show's tritragonist had just offered the main character. How they even knew about that event between Yurio and himself at Moscow was purely anyone's guess. ("This show is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to real-life persons, places and events is purely coincidental," indeed.)

The phone's vibration gradually increased in intensity as the ringtone segued into the annoying screechy guitar part. (Yuuri never learned how to switch it back after Mila had fiddled with it back when they were in St. Petersburg.) "One moment." He fished out his phone and answered the call, expecting another loud tirade on why the hell he didn't pick up sooner. Instead, he heard heavy breathing over the line, seemingly accentuated by the static.

"... Finally..." Yurio started, his voice unnaturally subdued for someone supposed to be angry. "... They finally stopped..."

Yuuri knew where this was going. "Congratulations for holding out for so long, Yurio," he answered with all compassion. "Are you celebrating tonight?"

"After all that trouble? Of course I am!" The blond loudly harrumphed. "Beka and I are having katsudon pirozhki tonight!"

Viktor immediately snatched the phone from Yuuri's grasp. "Yurio! I didn't know you watched Glassheart, too! Isn't it wonderful?! Who's your favorite character besides Julian? Mine's Yoichi, of course!"

"HELL NO!" Yurio snapped. "Get off my case, old man! Go talk to Chulanont or something!"

Viktor nodded back excitedly, still on an all-time high post-episode rush. "I will! I'm handing you back to Yuuri now." He gave Yuuri the phone back, planting a kiss on his cheek before returning to the couch to call Phichit.

Yuuri put the phone back to his ear. "It's me again... Actually I'm also making katsudon pirozhki for lunch tomorrow. It's been so long; I have to prepare."

"Figured as much."

.

  What Viktor usually meant by "call Phichit" was to open their Skype group for figure skaters who also liked Glassheart. (Yuuri made sure to remember the title now after much persuasion by his husband, lest he gets mobbed by his other friends online, too.) It was a video conference, as always. It didn't take long before the conversation went into full swing, so he played a selection of everyone's skating music from the last few seasons so he would not hear any spoilers.

The beginning lines of "Shall We Skate" was cut off momentarily as a chat bubble appeared on the home screen. It was from Phichit, Yuuri noted, as he pressed a button on his headset to resume the audio playback and lower the volume.

  phichit+chu: hi yuuri! long time no chat!! :))

Me: Hello, Phichit!

Me: It's only been a week, though?

phichit+chu: lol same thing

phichit+chu: so have u watched glassheart already??? :O

phichit+chu: its 3/4 done now, u got some serious catching up to do :)))

(Typing...)

Me: I haven't, sorry.

Me: Viktor's been asking me to watch it with him, too.

Me: I just can't seem to get into it as much as everyone else.

Me: I guess it hits a little too close to home for me.

  Yuuri stopped typing. It was evident Viktor immensely enjoyed the show, even more so because it was obviously based on their own real-life relationship. He'd been a fan since day one, tweeting his thoughts and reactions every week. Now a good nine episodes in, his follower count had shot up to the mid-hundred-thousands and counting. Fans of both the show and figure skating were very much excited to have the Living Legend (and real-life inspiration) on board, and soon he became known as the "Prince of the Fandom" - the King, of course, being the original author.

Many a fan had once asked if Yuuri watched Glassheart, too, seeing as he was the other significant person involved in the story. Viktor handled these questions himself since he knew the Japanese man did not like being associated with the show, albeit not as vehemently vocal about it as Yurio was. (That had almost become a total PR disaster, if not for Yakov's timely intervention with a total media blackout for the young Russian skater.) Yuuri himself chose to stay quiet about it as he went about his daily activities, avoiding requests for interviews and comments pertaining to the show. However, the increasing guilt for putting his husband through this situation in his place, combined with a genuine, slowly-piqued curiosity brought about by many, many messages from various fans, made him reconsider his stance on the matter.

Above all, he missed spending time with Viktor. Sex was one thing, but quality time like this rarely presented itself throughout their respective busy schedules. So maybe...  

  phichit+chu: awww thats a shame :((

(Typing...)

phichit+chu: its actually why i watch the show. it does so many things right. i love how it showcases a mature, healthy romance done right, just like ur love story with victor :')

phichit+chu: at least u would like the action scenes??? they remind u alot of figure skating

phichit+chu: guanghong likes the fighting and magic scenes actually. leo loves the ost

phichit+chu: sara and mila have a crush on the mc yoichi ehehe ;))

phichit+chu: dont tell them i told u tho

Me: Haha, don't worry, I won't. :)

phichit+chu: just give it a chance okay? u might like it :')

Me: I'm still not sure. Maybe if Viktor can effectively convince me. ;)

phichit+chu: listen to ur hubby, man ;)) listen to ur heart :))

  Phichit stopped responding after that. He must be active on the Skype conference now. Yuuri walked out to the living room, and could hear Phichit's boisterous laughter from Viktor's phone as they discussed the ending scene at the kingdom's harbor. Mila was now attempting to pry details out of her former rinkmate about what went down when they reunited after the Rostelecom Cup three years ago.

"No comment," Viktor answered, a secretive smile playing on his lips. "That's between me and Yuuri only."

"No fair, Vitya!" Mila cried foul. "You know he's never gonna spill! How will we make comparison notes now?"

Viktor hummed back amusedly. "Well, I'm not helping. Good luck with that, Mila."

Phichit and Leo also whined at this, while Guanghong tried to placate them. Sara merely laughed in the background.

Yuuri, too, was laughing softly.

.

  It was several hours before the airing of the last episode when Yuuri surprised his husband over dinner. Viktor almost spit out his water when he asked if they could marathon the past eleven episodes while waiting for the finale.

"I guess I'm kind of interested now, with all the hype going on," he confessed, picking at a piece of meat with his chopsticks. "If you're not busy tonight, of course."

Viktor beamed at him, his eyes gleaming ecstatically. He would have hugged the bespectacled man right there and then, if it weren't for the table between them, so he settled for reaching out to clasp Yuuri's free hand, his wedding ring reflecting the white light hanging above them.

"I'll always have time, my Yuuri." Viktor smiled at him tenderly, the silver fringe over his left eye parting ever so slightly as he tilted his head. "I love spending time with you."

Yuuri closed his eyes, feeling somewhat absolved of whatever it was that had been weighing him down. He entwined his fingers between Viktor's, returning the smile with a fond one of his own before letting go. "We should hurry, Viten'ka. I don't want us to be late."

Viktor nodded and resumed eating. The couple finished their meal in silence, the excitement palpable between them, even as they put away the tableware and washed up for the night.

The laptop had already been set up when Yuuri came out to the living room, bringing with him a large blanket and two steaming cups of hot chocolate on a tray. (Not the bedroom, he'd insisted earlier. They might fall asleep.) Viktor clicked on a few icons before invitingly patting on the spot next to him. Yuuri places the tray on the low table next to the laptop, spreading the blanket to wrap around themselves with before joining his husband on the couch.

"I knew you'd come around eventually." Viktor nudged at his shoulder, winking playfully. "I've waited for so long, you know."

"Good things come to those who wait," Yuuri intoned, the old English adage rolling perfectly on his tongue. He leaned in and rested his head on his husband's shoulder. "Shall we?"

"Of course." Viktor tapped on the spacebar, and animated snowflakes began filling the screen.

The opening theme was captivating, the positive lyrics daring the listener to dream big and aim high. The instrumental parts and the repeating refrains were really catchy, and Yuuri caught himself humming along even after it ended. Viktor was humming along, too, albeit at a faster pace. Yuuri smiled; he loved hearing his husband sing.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration if Yuuri said the first episode blew him away. They did not hesitate to set the tone of the series with a healthy mix of fast-paced fight sequences, colorful spells and lightning-speed attacks (which, yes, did resemble figure skating spins and jumps a lot), all tied together by a dramatic narrative that tugged at the heartstrings and pooled tears in the eyes.

Yurio would have enjoyed this show, he thought. It's a shame all that stuff happened to the poor boy before he could even give the show a chance.

They were not kidding when they said Glassheart was totally (albeit loosely) based on his and Viktor's story. Watching the interactions between the leads Yoichi and Valentin, Yuuri could not help but wonder at how well the creators have captured their own dynamics as coach and skater back then, and adapted it perfectly to a medieval fantasy setting. He started daydreaming about icicles forming at his fingertips, easily manipulating their form into whatever he wished. He had been mentally sculpting a still image of Viktor and himself floating in the air when the fourth episode ended.

Viktor was now chuckling as his on-screen wizard incarnation drunkenly hit on the poor bespectacled mage a in the tavern, while said mage's friend gleefully cackled before a floating magic sphere. "And there goes Match Number 55," he explained. "I never really understood how notorious Phichit actually was about these things until this episode aired."

Yuuri responded with a curious hum. He knew better, having been the Thai's friend and rinkmate for longer. On another note, Viktor and the others have apparently been keeping track of the similarities between this show and real-life happenings. Yuuri declined the offer to read through Phichit's detailed masterpost on it later.

His heart soared when Yoichi managed to win his first match at the Wizards' Tournament, even attempting to cast Valentin's signature spell, the Glassheart. It was only for a short moment, a far cry from the powerful attack the legendary ice wizard had unleashed on the dragon in the first episode. Still, Valentin had been so happy and so proud, that he had kissed his protégé before the audience right there and then.

Beside him, Viktor was in tears again. He'd already stopped giving any form of commentary at this point, in favor of "feeling the feels," whatever that meant.

Yuuri sipped his drink slowly. He wished tonight would never end.

.

  The final episode closed with a shot of Yoichi and Valentin standing on the bridge where they had first met, the former now also sporting the uniform of the Royal Wizard Regiment, a silver badge pinned on his breast. Both characters shared a tender kiss, before the screen panned up and faded out to the words, "ab hinc in aeternum" -- from here to eternity.

No sooner had the livestream cut off than Yuuri turned his attention to his husband, who was currently a beautiful, inelegant mess. It reminded him a lot of the time he'd inadvertently shattered his then-coach's heart into pieces by declaring his intentions to retire after the GPF in Barcelona. Though Yuuri's own heart had ached as much, he was glad they'd had that conversation at all. They'd both learned so much from it, and had grown stronger, as a result.

He put an arm around the sniffling Russian, running his hands up and down the latter's shoulder in a slow, reassuring motion. After several quiet minutes, Viktor reached his own right hand up to clasp his, their wedding rings bumping against each ther in their entwined fingers.

"Duo corda," he whispered, referring to the new spell the two leads had created by fusing their Glassheart spells at the last moment in order to defeat the final enemy. It was a beautiful yet destructive spiraling of two columns of living ice, which culminated in a giant arrow that pierced through the monster's impenetrable barrier and stabbed it right through the heart.

More like, "the power of love," actually, if Yuuri dared to have any say in it, but the hot tears brimming on his own eyes said otherwise. He did not expect this anime to make him laugh and cry as much as it had over the past four hours, but it did its job nonetheless and went way beyond that. (Then again, though, the Japanese skating legend was very much known for having a more fragile heart than most other glass-hearted figure skaters everywhere. Or, at least, Viktor had said so.)

So he settled for repeating Viktor's words, reciting from memory the broken Latin phrases that constituted the love song that constantly played during tender moments between the wizards in love. Somewhere along the moment, they had switched from somewhat-butchered Latin to a more-practiced Italian as they softly sang segments of Stammi Vicino in unison.

Yuuri looked up at his husband, poking his head out of the blanket. "Not going to post anything tonight?"

Viktor stopped humming, pursing his lips in mock-deep thought. "I'll do that tomorrow," he finally decided. "I have a lot of feelings to process."

"So you do," Yuuri agreed, observing the already-dried tracks of tears down the other man's cheeks. "What about Phichit and the others?"

"I turned off my phone, actually." Viktor laughed, holding up the dark gadget for his husband to see. "Tonight is Yuuri-time," he added with a flourish, gesturing as flashily as he could from a cramped space, almost dropping the phone in the process. Yuuri caught it just in time, a bubbling feeling of euphoria welling up from deep within his chest.

"If that's the case," he began, "then I have an idea."

Yuuri fumbled for his own phone, opening his barely-used Instagram app. He angled the camera to include an aesthetic shot of the powered-down laptop, the two empty cups of chocolate, and both their legs entangled together. Viktor buried his head into the crook of his neck upon reading the caption, holding the other man to himself tighter than ever.

"You're one sappy romantic, Yuuri Nikiforov," he commented, his shuddering breath as he exhaled tickling Yuuri's neck. "You never cease to surprise me."

Yuuri smiled proudly, bringing his husband closer and kissing him gently. "I learn from the best."

.

     [Image.jpg]

yuuri-katsuki Ab hinc in aeternum. Loving you is an irreplaceable joy like no other.

Liked by v-nikiforov, phichit+chu and 5,277 others

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iheartkatsudon OMG GLASSHEART

lysssssnikiforova welcome to the fandom @yuuri-katsuki !!

phichit+chu about time yuuri!!! :))) @v-nikiforov @m_babicheva @sara-crispino @leo_dli @+guanghongji+

[asfeedin]

The Right Way to Brine Turkey | The Food Lab

[Photographs: J. Kenji López-Alt. Video: Serious Eats Video]

Want more action and less talk? Jump directly to our quick and dirty guide to brining and dry brining if you want to get straight into the kitchen without the science lecture.

Let me start this off by saying that I don’t brine my meat. Ever. Not for Thanksgiving, not for my Sunday supper, and certainly not for a quick weeknight meal. This post is about the reasons why.

It seems to me that, as recently as 15 years ago, dry turkey was a given. The yearly Thanksgiving ritual at my family’s table did not include any ill-mannered offspring crying out, “DAAAAaaaad, Mom ruined the turkey again”—turkey wasn’t something that could be ruined. It was dry, tough, and stringy, and that was a fact of life.

Then, about a decade ago, brining entered the scene.* Thanks to an overnight soak in a saltwater solution, gone were the days of dry breast meat and extra servings of gravy. I, for one, welcomed our new moist-breasted overlords. Even my mother could throw a turkey in the oven and pull out something remotely edible a few hours later. It was positively magical!

* Or, more accurately, the technique that had been known to large swaths of the populated world, including China and Scandinavia, for millennia finally made inroads into North America’s holiday menu.

These days, everybody and their grandmother (better known as the typical Thanksgiving gathering) has heard of brining, and more and more folks are doing it at home before Turkey Day. But it’s not all pie and gravy. There are a few distinct and definite downsides to wet brining, and many folks are making the switch to dry brining (a.k.a. extended salting). The question is, which method works best?

How Brining Works

Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, let’s do a quick recap on brining basics. The basic process involves soaking meat (usually lean meats, like turkey, chicken, or pork chops) in a tub full of heavily salted water overnight. Most brines are in the range of 5 to 8% salt to water by weight. Over the course of the night, the meat absorbs some of that water. More importantly, that water stays put even after the meat is cooked. By brining meat, you can decrease the amount of total moisture loss by 30 to 40%.

To demonstrate, I cooked three identical turkey breasts in a 300°F (150°C) oven to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). One was brined, the other was soaked overnight in plain water, and the last was left alone. All three breasts came from non-kosher, non-enhanced birds (i.e., the birds were natural, having received no treatment after slaughter). I charted their weight straight from the package, after brining, and after cooking.

As you can see, both the bird soaked in brine and the bird soaked in water gained a significant amount of weight prior to roasting, but while the watered bird lost nearly all of that weight as it cooked, the brined bird retained a good deal more. This corresponded to a juicier texture on eating. So what’s going on here?

Some publications attribute it all to osmosis—the tendency for water to move across a membrane from an area of low solute concentration to an area of high solute concentration. In this case, water moves from the brining vessel (low solute concentration) to the inside of the turkey’s cells (where there are lots of proteins, minerals, and other fun biological goodies dissolved in the water).

This theory is, in fact, inaccurate. If it were true, then soaking a turkey in pure, unsalted water should be more effective than soaking it in a brine, and we’ve already seen that that is not the case. Moreover, if you soak a turkey in a ridiculously concentrated brine (I tested turkey in a 35% salt solution), according to the osmosis theory, it should dry out even more.

However, I found that despite turning the turkey inedibly salty, a highly concentrated 35% salt solution was just as effective at helping a turkey retain moisture as a more moderate 6% salt solution, indicating that the osmosis theory is entirely bunk.

To understand what’s really happening, you have to look at the structure of turkey muscles. Muscles are made up of long, bundled fibers, each one housed in a tough protein sheath. As the turkey heats, the proteins that make up this sheath will contract. Just like when you squeeze a tube of toothpaste, this causes juices to be forced out of the bird. Heat them to much above 150°F (66°C) or so, and you end up with dry, stringy meat.

Salt helps mitigate this shrinkage by dissolving some of the muscle proteins (mainly myosin). The muscle fibers loosen up, allowing them to absorb more moisture, and, more importantly, they don’t contract as much when they cook, ensuring that more of that moisture stays in place as the turkey cooks.

Sounds great, right? But there’s a catch.

The Problems With Brining

There are two major problems with brining. First off, it’s a major pain in the butt. Not only does it require that you have a vessel big enough to submerge an entire turkey (common options are a cooler, a big bucket, or a couple of layers of heavy-duty garbage bag, tied together with hopes and prayers against breakage), but it requires that you keep everything inside it—the turkey and the brine—cold for the entire process. For an extra-large bird, this can be a couple of days, meaning that you’ve either given up using the main compartment of your fridge at the time of year that you most want to use it, or that you keep a constant supply of ice packs or ice rotating to keep that bird cold.

Second, brining robs your bird of flavor. Think about it: Your turkey is absorbing water, and holding on to it. That means that that extra 30 to 40% savings in moisture loss doesn’t really come in the form of turkey juices—it’s plain old tap water. Many folks who eat brined birds have that very complaint: It’s juicy, but the juice is watery.

I’ve seen a number of solutions (solutions, get it? haha) offered for this problem, so I decided to test them all out side by side.

Brining Alternatives

By far the most common alternative is plain old salting. When you salt a turkey (or chicken) breast, meat juices are initially drawn out through the process of osmosis (yes, this time it really is osmosis at work). As the salt dissolves in these juices, it forms what amounts to a very concentrated brine, which then allows it to break down muscle proteins. The loosened muscle fibers allow the juices to get reabsorbed, this time taking the salt along for the ride.

Through this process—osmosis, dissolving, reabsorbing—the salt will slowly work its way into the meat.

I’ve also heard people ask the very obvious question: If brining introduces bland, boring tap water into the bird, why not brine in a more flavorful solution?

Why not, indeed? I decided to find out.

With so many methods to test side by side, it became impractical to try to roast turkey breasts simultaneously. Instead, I roasted 24 chicken breasts in four different batches of six, averaging out the data across the batches. While chicken is not exactly turkey, the two are similar enough that results for one should correlate to results for the other.

Here’s what I tried:

Breast #1: plain (untreated)

Breast #2: brined overnight in a 6% salt solution

Breast #3: heavily salted overnight

Breast #4: brined overnight in chicken broth with a 6% salt content

Breast #5: brined overnight in cider with a 6% salt content

Breast #6: soaked overnight in plain water

Breasts #1 and #6 were included as a control to ensure that the brine and salt solutions were behaving as expected, as well as a means of evaluating how closely the data would mirror that of the turkey breasts.

Here’s what happened with breasts #1, #2, #3, and #6 (plain, brined, salted, and water-soaked).

As expected, the brined chicken breasts held on to significantly more moisture than either the plain chicken breasts or the water-soaked chicken breasts. Indeed, in this test, the water-soaked breasts actually ended up drier on average than the plain breasts. Take a look at the carnage:

Dry as the Gobi Desert (on an admittedly very-moist-for-a-desert day).

On the other hand, take a look at the brined breast:

As plump and juicy as a benevolent aunt in a Disney film. Tasting it, you definitely feel a case of wet-sponge syndrome. Water comes out of it as you chew, giving you the illusion of juiciness, but the texture is a little too loose, and the flavor a little bland.

Moving on to the salted breast, we find that it’s still significantly moister than the unsalted breast (though it was a couple of percentage points drier than the brined breast). Tasting it, you’ll find it’s undoubtedly juicier and better-seasoned, with a stronger chicken flavor. Texture-wise, it’s significantly different from both plain and brined turkey, with the smooth, dense-but-tender texture of lightly cured meat.

Visually, you can see clear signs of this curing with its decidedly pink hue:

With a small chicken breast, this pink, moist, cured section extends nearly to the center of the breast. On a turkey, you’d see it only around the outer edges (which, serendipitously, happen to be the parts most prone to overcooking and drying out anyway).

While the brined breast was slightly juicier, flavor-wise and texture-wise, I’d take the salted chicken over the brined any day.

What About the Flavored Brines?

First off, don’t try to brine your turkey or chicken in cider (or any other acidic marinade, for that matter). Don’t do it. Just don’t. The acid in the cider will kick off the denaturization process in the meat, effectively “cooking” it without heat. The results? Ultra-dry meat, with a wrinkled, completely desiccated exterior, like this:

More interesting were the results of the broth-soaked chicken. It seems like the ultimate solution, right? If brining forces bland water into your meat, why not replace that water with flavorful broth?

Unfortunately, physics is a fickle mistress who refuses to be reined in. When I tasted the broth-soaked chicken next to the plain brine-soaked chicken, there was barely a noticeable difference in flavor at all. The broth-soaked chicken still had the same hallmarks of a regular brined bird (juicy/wet texture, blander flavor). What the heck was going on?

There are two principles at work here. The first is that, while broth is a pure liquid to the naked eye, broth actually consists of water with a vast array of dissolved solids in it that contribute to its flavor. Most of these flavorful molecules are organic compounds that are relatively large in size—on a molecular scale, that is—while salt molecules are quite small. So, while salt can easily pass across the semipermeable membranes that make up the cells in animal tissue, larger molecules cannot.**

** Good thing, too; otherwise, you’d be leaking proteins and minerals out of your body every time you took a bath.

Additionally, there’s an effect called salting out, which occurs in water-based solutions containing both proteins and salt. Think of a cup of broth as a college dance party populated with cheerleaders (the water—let’s call them the Pi Delta Pis), nerds (the proteins—we’ll refer to them as the Lambda Lambda Lambdas), and jocks (the salt—obviously the Alpha Betas).***

*** I make no specifications as to the gender and sexual preferences of said classes of individuals, but for the sake of this analogy, let us assume that nerds and jocks are not attracted to each other and that cheerleaders attract both nerds and jocks.

Now, at a completely jock-free party, the nerds actually have a shot at the cheerleaders, and end up commingling with them, forming a homogeneous mix. Open up the gymnasium doors, and a few of those cheerleaders will leave the party, taking a few nerds along for the ride. Unfortunately, those gymnasium doors are locked shut, and the only folks strong enough to open them are the jocks. So what happens when you let some jocks into that party?

The cheerleaders, who were initially fine socializing with the nerds, will quickly and selectively flock to the jocks. The nerds end up finding each other, huddling into small groups, and twiddling their thumbs. When the jocks finally go to bust the gymnasium doors open at the end of the party, they leave hand in hand with the cheerleaders, leaving the nerds in the dust. In our sad tale, those Tri-Lambs never get their revenge.

The exact same thing is happening in a broth-based brine. Water molecules are attracted to salt ions and will selectively interact with them. The poor proteins, meanwhile, are left with only each other, and end up forming large aggregate groups, which makes it even harder for them to get into the meat. When the salt breaks down muscle fibers sufficiently to allow the uptake of water (the equivalent of our jocks breaking down those doors), plenty of water and salt gets into the meat, but very little protein does.****

The result? Unless you’re using an extra-concentrated homemade stock, the amount of flavorful compounds that make it inside your chicken or turkey is very, very limited. Given the amount of stock you’d need to use to submerge a turkey, this doesn’t seem like a very wise move.

**** This phenomenon is used in biology to remove specific unwanted proteins from solutions. As more salt is added to a solution, proteins will form larger and larger aggregates, until they are eventually large enough to be visible to the naked eye and precipitate out of the solution. Those proteins can then be removed with centrifugation. By knowing the salt concentration that causes different proteins to precipitate, scientists can target specific proteins to be removed, while keeping the rest in solution. The excess salt can then be removed via dialysis (essentially microscopic straining).

So What Does This Mean for My Turkey?

This is all well and good, but what does it mean? How do you apply it?

Well, let me end how I started: I don’t brine my birds, because I like my birds to taste like birds, not like watered-down birds. Salting your meat is nearly as effective at preventing moisture loss, and the flavor gains are noticeable. Want to know the truth? Even advance salting is not a necessary first step. I see it more as a safeguard against overcooking. It provides a little buffer in case you accidentally let that bird sit in the oven an extra 15 minutes. As long as you are very careful about monitoring your bird, there’s no reason to brine or salt it in advance.

That said, it doesn’t hurt to take precautions.

How to Do It if You So Choose

We’ve put together a handy quick and dirty guide to brining and dry brining, which lays it all out in detail.

Let deliciousness, merriment, and family bonding ensue. You may not all be able to agree on whether the cranberries belong in the stuffing or on the side, but at least you can all agree that this is one darn tasty bird.

All products linked here have been independently selected by our editors. We may earn a commission on purchases, as described in our affiliate policy.

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Tags: brine, Chicken, Essential, FOOD, Lab, meat, poultry, thanksgiving, turkey, turkey talk

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[archerwindsor]

8 Workout Tips That Will Supercharge Your Routine

We all go to the gym for one, ultimate reason: to get results.

But if you’re a gym newbie, or even a long-term lifter stuck in a rut, ensuring you get the most out of each session to achieve your desired results can be problematic.

Maybe you walk into the gym and are overcome with confusion, anxiety – or maybe your workouts are stagnating and uninspiring.

You’ve fallen into the ‘clock in, clock out’ mentality.

Whatever the case, the following eight workout tips are easy to achieve that and will ensure you get your gym journey off to the best possible start – or back on track.

It’s now harder than ever to squeeze in just one solitary hour during the day that we can dedicate to the gym. So, when we do, it’s vital we get maximal returns. If you adopt even a few of the tips below, I’m certain you’ll be walking into the gym more confident than ever and walking out 100% satisfied.

Let’s do this.

Workout tip #1: Train early in the morning

What’s the best thing about getting to the gym before the crack of dawn? Most people are still in bed sleeping.

How does that benefit you?

Well, for starters, it means you won’t have to awkwardly hang about the piece of equipment you want to use, waiting to pounce as soon as it’s free.

When you hit the gym at 6am, you’ll near enough have the place to yourself. It’s dreamy.

There’s no asking to share sets or hover about waiting for the bench press. You simply rock up to your chosen space, sleepy, probably smelling of bed, and crack on with telling those dumbbells the way you really feel about 6am starts.

When you work-out, you want to be in the ‘zone’ – and training at the break of dawn will allow you to do just that. There’s no group chat shenanigans from your friends or emails from the boss trying to grab your attention (they’re still in bed, of course).

You can get your head down and focus on the workout, distraction-free (if you can’t manage to train in the morning, then make sure to switch your phone onto airplane mode when you work-out, to get the same effect).

The benefits of training early continue after your workout as well.

Exercise releases endorphins (the feel-good hormone) into the body and, when you get these rushing through your system, it will help boost your mood and reduce anxiety, both of which will help towards a positive and productive day ahead.

Workout tip #2: Read/study what you are going to train

No matter how many years of training you have under your weight-lifting belt, there will always be something new to learn or a little trick to pick up.

Believe it.

Reading, studying or even watching a workout video about the muscle group/s you’re about to train can be a great way to get your mind focused for your upcoming workouts. It’s also a great way to remind yourself of little training cues and techniques that can make all the difference to your training and results.

After all, knowledge is power, so gather all the knowledge you can and then put it into practice.

Workout tip #3: Plan your workout

I’m sure you’ve all heard the saying, “fail to plan, plan to fail,” and it holds true for your workouts as well.

If you walk into the gym without a plan, it can be easy to stick to ‘comfort zone exercises’, doing what you find easy rather than what will be most beneficial to your goals.

If, however, you pre-plan a workout that includes your sets, reps and exercises to be executed, then you’ll find your sessions are much more productive. You’ll have a clear plan of action, defined goals to hit and you’ll no longer be twiddling your thumbs between exercises, contemplating what to do next.

Just like any other muscle, your brain fatigues the more it’s used. It’s why we’re more likely to make bad food choices in the evening, after a long day at work, and why the likes of Mark Zuckerberg and Barack Obama reduce their decision making needs by wearing very similar – if not identical – clothes every day.

I’m not saying you should chuck out your wardrobe.

But eliminate the decision-making process, write down your workouts and let yourself get fully-focused on your technique and form.

Workout tip #4: Have a personal gym playlist

This is one I’m sure the majority of people already do, but do you know why music appears to make you feel stronger, fitter and less tired when it’s blasting through your headphones?

Research by sport scientists found that listening to your favourite tunes can reduce the rate of perceived effort by 12%, improve endurance by 15% and can even help you gain greater pleasure from exercise. 

Further research also found that working out in tempo with your music can increase your levels of work output during repetitive tasks.

In fact, music can have such a positive impact on performance that, in 2007, The American Track & Field USA, the national governing body for distance racing, banned the use of headphones and portable audio players at its official races, in order to prevent runners gaining a competitive edge.

Workout tip #5: Have a gym partner

Let’s face it, we don’t always feel motivated to get to the gym, but when you know you’ve got someone relying on you to turn up, it becomes much more difficult to skip your workout.

Gym partners are great for accountability, but it’s not the only benefit of a lifting buddy.

Having someone to spot and encourage you through a set can help you push harder and lift a little heavier than you would have otherwise on your own.

If possible, try and have a training partner that is just that little bit stronger and more experienced than you. This will keep you pushing to get better and means you’ll learn as you lift.

Workout tip #6: Hydrate, Hydrate, Hydrate…

Making sure you’re well hydrated isn’t just for the hour you spend in the gym. To get the most out of your workouts, you’ll want to make sure you’re well hydrated before, during and after training.

If you go into a workout dehydrated then your core temperature will rise quicker and your heart will have to pump harder than usual, which can decrease performance and lead to heat stroke.

And no-one wants that at 6am in the morning.

Drinking during your workout is vital to replace the fluids lost through sweat and breathing, which can be up to as much as two litres per hour. Not replacing these fluids will lead to a significant drop in energy and could lead to cramps.

Once you’re done, keep that water bottle close-by. Drinking after your workout will help your body cool down and transport vital nutrients to your muscles to help them start to repair and grow.

Workout tip #7: Train on an empty stomach

If you follow tip number one, then this hack will be easy to implement – it’s just a case of get up and go.

If, however, you need to train later on on the day then make sure you don’t have any food digesting in your stomach. For large meals, leave 3-4 hours before walking onto the gym floor and for small meals, leave 1-3 hours.

If food is still being digested in your stomach when training, then your body is going to try and divide your blood supply between your organs and your extremities.

When your body is trying to digest food, whilst at the same time, rushing blood into your muscles, it’s only going to cause your performance to suffer and leave you feeling groggy at best.

Now you know the reason your mum always warned you not to swim on a full stomach.

Just note that training on an empty stomach won’t do any wonders for additional fat burning. That’s still (and always will be) down to a calorie deficit, but that’s for an entirely different article altogether.

Workout tip #8: Have an ice cold shower

There’s no two ways about it, submerging yourself in a shower of freezing cold water sucks (unless you’re Wim Hof), but that is exactly why you should do it.

Putting yourself through controlled difficult situations is a great way to strengthen your mental resilience and willpower.

It means, when you get to that set of heavy squats, you’ll be better equipped mentally to deal with the discomfort and keep pushing for those few extra reps that make all the difference.

It may be a tough habit to commit to and uncomfortable to endure, but those few minutes under the icy cold water, will supercharge your mind and workouts like nothing else.

Implement these now, perfect them later

These tips are all habits that I have included in my own routine, some of which I’ve been doing for years and others just over the last few months. Nonetheless, I’ve found them all to have a positive impact on my training and/or mindset.

You may want to try all the above tips above or maybe just pick out a few that you think will have the biggest impact on your training right from the off. It all comes down to a little trial and error to see what works best for you.

Do you already use some of the above tips in your own routine?

Let me know and share your experiences on how they’ve helped your gym performance and boost your mental fortitude.

See you on the floor.

The post 8 Workout Tips That Will Supercharge Your Routine appeared first on Food For Fitness.

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[bestpianoringtone-blog]

How to Outsmart Your Peers on Learn to play Piano

n this post, I want to go over a piano learning course called Piano For All, which is a series of eBooks (by means of download or sent out by means of DVD) featuring ingrained audio and video lessons focused on getting you comfortable and successful at playing the piano. Priced at a really budget friendly cost, this review will attempt Additional resources to answer the most apparent concern-- can you effectively find out how to play the piano through an eBook course that costs less than $100?

In truth, the digital variation of Piano for All only expenses $40, which is in some cases the cost of a single lesson from an experienced teacher (which's being generous). In this circumstances, the writer of this program, Robin Hall, is your teacher, just it's more affordable and is available whenever you need it.

I'll begin this evaluation by talking a little bit about the program itself, an introduction, with some interesting things I've personally kept in mind about it. I'll talk about the ways in which it succeeds, and ways in which I believe it might use improvement.

In the conclusion of this review, I'll figure out whether this is an appropriate replacement for a genuine instructor, or maybe a supplement rather. I'll also supply you with my ranking of the course, as well.

Piano For All Overview

As somebody who teaches piano, I am always interested in brand-new programs that help trainees improve by utilizing brand-new techniques. This program focuses heavily on blues, pop, jazz, and rock songs by popular artists of years previous, and utilizes them as a tool to carry out finding out techniques that will actually enable the trainee to be able to play "normal" music rather of uninteresting kids' tunes.

There are 10 books in this series:

1. Party Time/ Play by Ear/ Rhythm Piano

2. Blues and Rock n Roll

3. Chord magic

4. Advanced Chords

5. Ballad Style

6. Jazz Piano Made Easy

7. Advanced Blues & Fake Stride

8. Taming the Classics

9. Speed Learning

10. Resources

Each of these books concentrate on different locations of discovering the piano. Book 3, chord magic, does not focus on tunes at all, but rather reveals you how to comp every single significant and small triad (there are 24 of them) as well as how to form inversions.

As you learn new chords, the book assists you follow together with songs, both in audio kind and on paper. Integrated into each book is a series of audio files you can click on in order to play, so that you can play together with the instructor. This is a really innovative method to help individuals who are more likely to learn by ear.

Schedule 3 goes through all of the chords beyond the simpler secrets, such as C, F, and G. It does not miss any of them, and executing them into your vocabulary is made simple through listening and playing along.

The book ends by introducing the a "cycle of fifths," which I would describe as a circle of fifths (however that's neither here nor there). It's the very same thing, although it goes counter-clockwise in this book, which is admittedly a little complicated for me, personally.

As you complete each book, you of course relocation onto the next one in the series. One of the terrific features of having all of these lessons in book form is that you can return at any time, go at your own speed, and you won't forget things as rapidly because you can summarize things you desire every single day, instead of once a week with a teacher.

The last book is a book full of resources and extra supplements, with beneficial information on things such as how to choose the very best MIDI keyboard, and more. This is a terrific little perk, and it's absolutely worth reading.

If you're interested in discovering how to play piano or keyboard in an enjoyable and interactive style, then look no further then Piano for All. This course features 10 thorough eBooks which contain 200 video lessons and 500 audio lessons. And most importantly, the course deals with PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, or any Android phone or tablet. Get your copy of Piano for All today while products last!

Video Learning Made Simple

One of the big benefits I see about this program is that there is a big library of videos you can view in order to play what the trainer has actually composed on the page. He will reveal you slowly how to form each chord or note and where it is on the keyboard, in case you forget.

A look inside the Piano for All eBook course

I've seen these type of tutorials on YouTube before and I've always thought they were an excellent idea. In this program, every video is meant to be viewed during a particular minute in your learning experience. So for instance, in book 2, when you initially start discovering the blues progression, you can follow together with the instructor so you don't get lost.

Now, one issue with this function, is that your computer system may not be in front of your piano. If you can find a way to get your piano near your computer, or use a laptop computer, you'll have no issue following together with the videos.

So just keep that in mind.

Advice You Might Not Know About

Considering that we've currently utilized book 3 as an example for this evaluation, I wished to discuss that there are certainly some unique ideas and techniques that you might not discover anywhere else. I can't say that for sure, obviously, but I've taught for a very long time and I understand my approaches, so finding out brand-new ones is constantly refreshing for me.

Let me give you an example. In one video, the instructor discusses an easy way to keep in mind how to form both major and small triads in their root position. With the exception of the B chords, every other chords' root and 5th notes are on the very same color secrets.

So, for C minor, it's C and G. With C# minor, it's C# and G #, both black secrets, and so on.

This program is peppered with things like this that you may not find anywhere else.

The concept of utilizing both audio and video to turn a virtual experience into an engaging, visual instruction lesson is engaging to me. I think there are a lot of really intriguing concepts and methods in the Piano for All course, and there are certainly a lot of ways in which this program looks rather promising.

What I Like About Piano For All

I believe a lot of teachers underestimate the power of hammering chords into students' minds. In mentor culture, it's actually typical to concentrate on the melody, the right hand. I figure this is due to the fact that a great deal of teachers desire students to seem like they're having a lot of success, and individuals with untrained ears actually just hear melodies anyway, and they type of tune out chords.

Subsequently, the right-hand man gets preferred over the left hand-- the left hand sort of gets neglected for the first numerous months of mentor. Trainees who are right-handed dominant tend to likewise prefer the right-hand man because that's the hand they're comfy with.

This program doesn't actually let you get away with not using the left hand. There is a truly strong emphasis on playing rhythm piano right off the bat, which is really unusual for a mentor course And of course, rhythm piano requires heavy usage of the left hand.

Because of this, I might see a great deal of trainees having earlier success with their left hand use than their traditional equivalents. And I truly value that. I believe it's crucial to deal with both hands similarly, since it will just benefit the student in the long run.

An image from the Piano for All eBook course.

In book 2, among the first things the trainer says is that the left hand needs to be practiced long before the right-hand man. He understands that individuals are mainly naturally inclined to be much better at their right hand parts, so he doesn't fret about it. It's a smart method to the issue, for sure.

This emphasis on chords will just help trainees professionally. Pianists in bands require to understand their chords, even if they're refraining from doing intense jazz. This method can help students read charts offered by bandleaders, and most importantly, to help them play by ear, which is crucial.

This is a fantastic supplement to the course, and is a total benefit. According to Piano for All's site, there are 10 hours worth of audio and video, which is quite a lot when you believe about it.

[cjostrander]

In This Moment: Ritual

Hello everyone! Today i’m going to tackle the latest album by In This Moment. I was hoping to have Black Widow reviewed before they did a new one; but this one has caught a little interest on my end. Sound wise it is a departure for them and breaks from the heavy metal sound in favor of a rock centric one; heavily reminiscent of The Pretty Reckless in terms of rhythm. A little bit of Halestorm could maybe be argued but there’s no denying the The Pretty Reckless comparison. Luckily i can say that i’m back on my game as far as reviews go and i can scratch off quite a few of these new releases before the month ends. Hope you guys enjoy; but this one is going to be a fresh pick on my behalf in terms of familiarity. The positive thing is that critics seem to generally be in favor of its direction so it’s nice to see that these guys have gotten some exposure over the years.

Salvation:We start this album off with an entry of audio effects, chimes, and general spooky vocal effects. It seeks to create a rather sinister scene that is actually rather beautiful in terms of relaxing melody and tension build up. The album is focused around religious persecution and witchcraft and the gloomy electronic effects do a pretty good job of starting this album on a pretty good note. It will get you in the mood for it quickly and will be a great opener for a concert setting. 9/10

Oh, Lord (Single): We begin with the main single for the album and drums and a gritty guitar riff start it off. It has a rather catchy blues/bar rock tone that reminds me of Marilyn Manson’s tone on The Pale Emperor with that southern atmosphere; as well as that Pretty Reckless trait. Maria’s vocals are a bit smothered but retain a good degree of coherency in terms of lyrics and her voice manages to bring out a nice degree of catchiness into the atmosphere. The chorus is pretty basic but does keep things going relatively smooth but remain a bit overly spaced for a catchy level of rhythm to really surface. The blues rhythm does prove to still be a nice change of pace for the band that will offer the listener something entirely new and unexpected verses their previous work. I’m not going to say that it is their best work; but it will so maturity on their end and for those that may of wanted something different as well as less sexualized; this album will give you that opportunity. After being five albums in; it was definitely time for them to make a bit more of a risky album than their prior work. I personally find their last three to be very solid albums with a good deal of originality; but this will help to give a better variety to their fanbase regardless of whether they are repulsed by it or not. Knowing the metal community; i’d be surprised if they havent been flooding facebooks posts and youtube videos calling them sellouts and other excessive things that you know damn well they would be too chicken shit to say in person to them. Anyways; enough of that little rant. This would be a fairly smooth live piece as long as their concerts are geared around a rock sound instead of their typical metal but i’m sure they already have the right songs figured out for their shows by now. 7/10

Black Wedding: This one is a semi original song by them that takes the chorus from Billy Idol’s White Wedding and puts their own little spin on it. Keys start it off on a nicely classical note and it hits the listener with a nice sense of defiance. The electronic drum beats manage to give a nice sense catchiness and Maria’s vocals give this song a nice push during the casual verses and Rob Halford’s subtle presence at the beginning (Judas Priest) is a nice guest appearance for the listener to be caught of guard by. The chorus comes by very smooth and original and the easy to spot Billy Idol elements are a positive flair that will engage the listener to a rather successful level. The original lyrics build on this pretty smooth and the instrumentals provide Maria with an aggressive yet balanced support so that she can bring forth the power in her voice that she is best skilled at. This would of been a nice single for the album and is an easy yet safe song to toss into a live performance that would mess very well with their older material. I’d be surprised if it isnt a single to some extent; but maybe they are trying to limit royalties or something; which would be understandable from a commercial point of view. 8/10

In the Air Tonight (Phil Collins cover/Single): Now this oddball choice for a cover/single will likely come off at first glance as one of those “why did you pick this one“ kind of songs but the band was wanting to do it for awhile now; so you gotta respect their choice when you know it was one based off of creative passion. It will definitely challenge them musically and that alone is another reason to give them props for even trying. Electronic effects slowly fade in before a subtle bass riff starts the song off. Maria enters after a rather atmospheric opening to recite the song’s highly memorable lyrics. Her voice is rather smooth and controlled in perfect comparison to the original version. The pacing of this song is going to be pretty slow churning as expected so if you really aren’t a fan of it; this is going to be a tough listen being nearly five minutes long. Overall though; Maria does the song justice and will provide a relaxing element for the listener on this album to experience. The guitars begin to slowly give it more of an aggressive rock edge without taking away from the slow power and high emotion in Maria’s voice. The electronica and prominent bass riffs finally end the “proper” cover format of the song and give the band’s own spin on it. It’s only to close the song out but its something to note and will close out the first 1/3rd of the album for you. like i said; it’s a song that you either love or hate; but respect them for doing nonetheless. It is actually a pretty good cover in terms of staying true and Maria’s voice manages to make it flow over well. For me it’s likely going to be a song i skip over; just because when i pull out an In This Moment album; i want something with a good deal of energy to get me going. For the listener; look at this album as one to unwind to a small extent (big verses previous albums) and it will have a purpose on in your CD collection. 7/10

Joan of Arc: More audio effects begin this song off on a more tense note before 80′s influenced electronic effects enter with the drums to established a very interesting groove effect. Actually reminded me of Queen’s Hot Space sound. Maria delivers some pretty smooth vocals and establishes a high degree of power during the chorus. The backing vocals do well to add a little extra oomph to it and the instrumentals continue to provide a nice balance between energy and groovy rhythm to dance along to. I could some live potential for this as well that could do well to get an audience up and moving and even sticking out as a favorite among some listener. Definitely a stronger song at this point in the album with some heavy elements of Rob Zombie it as well. The spooky audio samples and the groove element is what makes Rob Zombie sound stick out in my head. Definitely not a bad element to pick up on in this album. 8/10

River of Fire: Drums begin an aggressive beat while Maria returns to her blues rock style of vocals. The guitars and some electronic effects establish a very sinister effect and the guitars do very well at infusing it with a heavy dose of aggression. The positive effect if that being as simple and slow as it is; it will do very well at getting an audience in a nice middle range state of adrenaline. It will catch interest rather quickly and Maria’s lyrics do pretty well at sticking out on their own. The chorus is decent but doesn’t make much of an appearance on this song. The guitars have a nice little jam segment towards the end with the drums and will do a decent job of getting the audience pleasantly engaged without going over the top. This one would be another decent live piece as long as things didnt get monotonous by this point in the show. 8/10

Witching Hour: Vocal samples begin the spooky Rob Zombie element of this album on a nicely catchy and melodic note. The guitars bass and programmed drums begin to build on it with a high degree of danceable rhythm and emotion. Maria uses a simple vocal style that is remarkably effective at pouring in a high degree of emotion into the atmosphere. The chorus is surprisingly well supported by the electronic elements and straightforward guitar riffs. It is simple but the atmosphere of it is very effective despite being so simple and this all joins together to make this the strongest album track as of yet. I would suggest giving this one a good listen because it really comes off as a surprise; especially if you have had trouble really finding something that truly stuck out to you. 9/10

Twin Flames: This five minute song is the longest of the album and begins with some very soothing guitar riffs. The bass joins in to Maria’s blissful vocal harmonies to establish an atmosphere that is very high in emotion. This is immediately a song that would be perfect to slow dance to with your significant other. Maria’s lyrics are very simple but substance filled and truly dominate during the chorus due to the level of power that Maria is able to draw from her voice. The instrumentals provide strong support despite using a simpler more refrained approach as to ensure the melodies in the song reach their maximum potential without the risk of clutter. I’m actually really surprised by the strength of this one and it signals that the band is finally coming into its own with this new sound. 9/10

Half God Half Devil: Now that this album is finally picking up some good strength; The guitars echo their way into the mix to slowly set the tone for a more aggressive number than the last couple songs. The strong rhythm of it will get an audience moving and Maria’s highly strong and catchy vocals will do a good job of keeping the listener hooked into the song. The lyrics are pretty strong and Maria does a terrific job of building them up till the chorus hits. The chorus is pretty basic in comparison to the casual verses; but that is suitable and keeps the song from going too grandiose for its own good. I will give this album that it does have a decent flow to it and is definitely written solidly for a whole live performance.That will do nicely to ensure that this album will have a good place in the band’s catalog and is more than just their risky experiment for future/older fans to come across. 9/10

No Me Importa: Keys come back to begin this song on a beautifully classical note before the guitars roar in with an electronic bass support to join with them. It all combines with Maria’s dire sounding vocals to develop a dire sense of urgency that immediately connect with the listener. The chorus is mind blowingly powerful and Maria thrives with rebellious emotion as she recites her lyrics to maximum effect. This is definitely a solid gem that deserves to be a single all unto itself. The live potential will kill any audience’s expectations due to how strong it manages to turn out despite it’s simple structure. The incorporation of strings into the background is a smart addition to add some extra complexity into it and give the guitars some footing to add a little extra turmoil for Maria to work with. She uses this moment to deliver some rather smooth harmonies before returning to the chorus to round this song out on a remarkable note. Yeah; this is the hidden gem and easily my favorite song so far on this album. To think; i was really expecting this to be a semi-weak album for them based on the beginning; but this second half is defying expectations and giving a high level of strength to it that may very likely earn it a reviewer’s pick label. 10/10

Roots (Single): This final single for the album warms up with some electronic effects and eventually Maria enters with a slightly more echoed delivery than on the past songs. She ventures into a more aggressive but coherent tone when the guitar roar their rhythmic way in. Maria proves to dominate the airwaves with her smooth and persistent transitions between aggressive shouts and more casual sounding verses.The lyrics are decent but the guitars and Maria’s voice are going to stand out more on this one; which is no real loss to the song as a whole. It is a decent single due to its radio friendly sound and has potential to be an easy crowd pleaser; due to the level of power it can build up for an audience. 8.5/10

Lay Your Gun Down: This finale track is going to be similar to the ending song on their previous album Blood. Its meant entirely as a closer and uses soft yet beautifully melodic keys to start this song off. It has hints of turmoil in the background and Maria enters to deliver some gloomy yet attention grabbing vocals. Her lyrics are very thought provoking and manage to garner a nice deal of emotion from the atmosphere. Subtle electronic effects and string seep into the background to ensure that Maria gets the most support out of as little musical presence as possible. It would be a nice concert closer for the band will stand a strong chance of developing a very intimate moment with an audience. It actually goes by rather quickly and proves to be a very pleasant surprise that they’ve typically had issues with in the past. Nice to see them drastically improving with songs like this one. 8.5/10

Overall album rating: 8.4/10

I’m actually really surprised by this album. The first half was understandable in terms of direction but really didnt have a wow factor to it and seemed like the band was shooting in the dark so the speak. After the first half; things really picked up and the band showed that this sound change was a positive one for them. You can tell that their songwriting has drastically improved and they have yet to peak in terms of potential. I’m curious where they will go with this one because have only continued to grow in terms of skill as the years have gone one. I suggest checking it out and seeing how it is to you and if you like it; the deluxe edition has a cover of Radiohead’s Creep that i’m rather interested to check out. Other than that; this is a great review choice to scratch off my promo sheet and i’ll start looking through what i’ve got and will do my best to follow this up with something equally nice. Enjoy your day everyone and i shall see you all next time!

*Reviewer’s Pick*

[type2diabetestreatments-blog]

Implanted Islets: From the POV of a Longtime Type 1

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Implanted Islets: From the POV of a Longtime Type 1

We shared the news early this year about the exciting work happening at City of Hope, after the Wanek Family in Wisconsin donated millions to diabetes cure research at the California facility. Today, we're excited to hear a first-hand POV from a longtime type 1 who's gone through the transplantation procedure himself. That D-peep is Roger D. Sparks, who writes about his experiences at Pancreatic Islet Transplant blog.

We're happy to feature this guest interview with Roger today, conducted by Joanne Milo in California, an active advocate in the Diabetes Online Community (DOC), and close associate of our team here at the 'Mine.

A Transplant Patient Q&A by Joanne Laufer Milo

I've had the privilege of befriending Roger Sparks, and I find him to be a very interesting, sharing, courageous man and still, as he considers himself, a type 1 diabetic.

On Jan. 1, 2016, Roger had his first pancreatic islet cell transplant at the City of Hope in Duarte, CA (near Los Angeles), in a clinical trial phase that uses new immunosuppression drugs and treatments in an attempt to prolong the life of the transplant, perhaps as long as 20 years! The surgery lasted about 1-1/2 hours, with Roger awake, only under a mild sedative. (I think I'd opt for a heavy sedative.) After 5 days post-op in ICU, he was sent home with meds, supplies, and log sheets. He was still taking insulin but WAY less than before the transplant. After 75 days, his A1C was 5.2%.

A second transplant five and a half months later made him insulin-FREE! No low blood sugars! No high blood sugars (no matter what he eats)! And his latest A1C is 5.4%!

I had the opportunity to sit down, over lunch (he ate a cheese omelet, no toast) and chat. I had bunches of questions, mostly about the emotional impact of his new life and his decision to take the risk of receiving the pancreatic islet transplant.

JM) Can you tell me a little about your journey with diabetes, please?

RS) I was diagnosed at age 32 in 1981. My treatments included injections - NPH and Regular - for four years, NovoPens for five years, then the Medtronic insulin pump – multiple versions over the years. I used Apidra insulin (covered under my insurance) for the last few years with the pump.

When did your hypoglycemia unawareness become significant?

I began losing awareness about 15 years ago and lost it totally about a decade ago.

Why didn’t you try CGM (continuous glucose monitoring)?

I did about nine years ago -- a Medtronic CGM. I found it so inaccurate, and so difficult to insert and keep in place (I was an active tennis player and golfer), that I gave up on it. When Dexcom started to be used, my insurance company did not initially accept it, and I couldn’t afford to pay for it. When I reached Medicare age, three years ago, of course they wouldn’t approve it. My timing couldn’t have been more off. It was also an issue for me in general due to my sports activity. I could deal with one device but two was more of a problem.

What was your defining moment when you said, 'AHA, I’m going for the transplant?'

My insulin requirements, due to insulin resistance, had grown to over 50 units a day, and I was increasingly brittle. I was having several hypoglycemic episodes a week, with 3-4 severe ones every month, where paramedics were required. In the two years before, I had two bad car accidents caused by a low – I was just very lucky that no one else was involved.

I had one low which resulted in convulsions at a friend’s house and they were terrified. In short, my life, which had always had a lot of diabetic implications, was getting significantly worse, and diabetes was starting to dominate it more every day. I was about 35 pounds overweight because of insulin resistance, even though I was on a very controlled diet where I ate very little, and exercised every day. I took blood sugar readings 12 times a day, yet still I could not control the lows -- and they were getting worse.

I came to the conclusion that I was going to die from one of these lows if I didn’t do something. I also felt that I wanted to be part of something that was working towards a cure, so at least my diabetic life would have some additional meaning in the fight for a cure.

I had been following all the clinical trials, particularly those that were Edmonton-related, and came to the conclusion that the one at the City of Hope offered both the most short-term promise for me and for an eventual cure for everyone.

This video, by Dr. Kandeel at the City of Hope, tipped me over the edge:

Do you have any regrets about undergoing the procedure?

None.

Why do you still consider yourself a T1? Do you feel like you are straddling two worlds?

That’s a really good question and one that I think about a lot. I do still consider myself a T1 because so much of my life involves T1. I write, speak, and meet regularly with T1s wanting to know about my transplant and how I am doing. I feel like these talks bring light and hope into the daily lives of T1s struggling with complications – if it can work for me, it can work for them, and a cure is coming.

I also feel a responsibility to correct the misconceptions about immunosuppression and its effect on one’s life. Everyone worries about it, but believe me, I don’t.

So, in short, I feel I am and will always be a T1. It continues to lead me down many good and rewarding paths.

Do you have any nightmares or fears since your transplants?

I have a recurring fear – irrationally – of a blood sugar out of normal range. I still test multiple times a day as a condition of the trial, and I never do it without thinking, “Will this be the time that rejection starts?” But I haven’t had a low less than 80 or a high greater than 145 since the first transplant. If this fear lasts, it’s not a problem.

Also, I have to be careful of skin cancer, since immunosuppression does make me much more susceptible to squamous cell carcinoma. But I was already careful, so it’s no big issue for me.

Besides being freed up from carb-counting, etc, were there any pleasant surprises?

My life changed completely, in three primary ways:

I was never obese, but increased insulin dosing due to insulin resistance had caused me to gain a little weight each year, so at 6’3” I weighed 235 pounds. I lost 40 pounds in the two months after my first transplant, changing nothing in my diet. I’ve kept if off, and have never felt more fit in my life.

My mental outlook also changed dramatically. I had resigned myself to severe hypoglycemia being a part of my life. These recurring events had affected my marriage – I was divorced 8 years ago – and I did not want to get involved seriously again because of them. I am now looking forward to sharing a long and happy remainder of my life with someone.

I’ve also just assumed a new position as president of a non-profit foundation called Skin Cancer Free, raising funds for early detection programs in the fight against melanoma and other skin cancers. It will fully occupy the next few years of my life, and I would never have known about it, or considered it, without the experience of my clinical trial. I now know for certain that studies and trials save lives and conquer disease. I am now forever part of the fight, both with my transplant and the work in fighting melanomas.

You might be described by many as an “early adopter" -- are you fatalistic, or is it more about contributing to science?

I always wanted to be part of something bigger than myself. Life is very short, and being able to be part of this clinical trial has changed mine forever. I love being on the “cutting edge” of any technology that will make people’s lives better. I really don’t care what happens to me – my experience, and my body, are now part of this fight for a cure. I love being part of it.

Do you feel like a pioneer?

I don’t – I just feel like someone who has been incredibly lucky to survive bad complications, be part of a clinical trial, and to be part of this incredible community. If I am a pioneer, fine. If not, fine also. I just feel so blessed.

Thank you Joanne for sharing Roger's story! We're very grateful that this type of research is progressing, and already changing lives in our D-Community.

Disclaimer: Content created by the Diabetes Mine team. For more details click here.

Disclaimer

This content is created for Diabetes Mine, a consumer health blog focused on the diabetes community. The content is not medically reviewed and doesn't adhere to Healthline's editorial guidelines. For more information about Healthline's partnership with Diabetes Mine, please click here.

Type 2 Diabetes Treatment Type 2 Diabetes Diet Diabetes Destroyer Reviews Original Article

[bestpianoringtone-blog]

15 Best Blogs to Follow About Best piano buying guide

n this post, I want to go over a piano finding out course called Piano For All, which is a series of eBooks (by means of download or sent by means of DVD) including ingrained audio and video lessons focused on getting you comfortable and effective at playing the piano. Priced at a very budget friendly rate, this review will attempt to answer the most obvious question-- can you successfully learn how to play the piano through an eBook course that costs less than $100?

In fact, the digital version of Piano for All only costs $40, which is in some cases the cost of a single lesson from a knowledgeable instructor (and that's being generous). In this instance, the author of this program, Robin Hall, is your instructor, only it's more affordable and is available whenever you require it.

I'll start this evaluation by talking a little bit about the program itself, a summary, with some fascinating things I've personally noted about it. I'll talk about the ways in which it succeeds, and methods in which I believe it might utilize improvement.

In the conclusion of this evaluation, I'll identify whether this is a suitable replacement for a genuine instructor, or possibly a supplement instead. I'll likewise supply you with my score of the course.

Piano For All Overview

As someone who teaches piano, I am constantly interested in brand-new programs that assist students get better by using new approaches. This program focuses greatly on blues, pop, jazz, and rock tunes by popular musicians of decades previous, and uses them as a tool to execute finding out methods that will in fact enable the student to be able to play "normal" music instead of dull kids' tunes.

There are ten books in this series:

1. Celebration Time/ Play by Ear/ Rhythm Piano

2. Blues and Rock n Roll

3. Chord magic

4. Advanced Chords

5. Ballad Style

6. Jazz Piano Made Easy

7. Advanced Blues & Fake Stride

8. Taming the Classics

9. Speed Learning

10. Resources

Each of these books concentrate on various locations of discovering the piano. Book 3, chord magic, does not focus on tunes at all, however rather reveals you how to comp every single major and small triad (there are 24 of them) as well as how to form inversions.

As you discover brand-new chords, the book assists you follow in addition to tunes, both in audio type and on paper. Integrated into each book is a series of audio files you can click on in order to play, so that you can play together with the trainer. This is a really innovative way to help people who are more likely to find out by ear.

Book 3 goes through all of the chords beyond the easier secrets, such as C, F, and G. It does not miss any of them, and executing them into your vocabulary is made easy through listening and playing along.

The book ends by introducing the a "cycle of fifths," which I would refer to as a circle of fifths (but that's neither here nor there). It's the exact same thing, although it goes counter-clockwise in this book, which is admittedly a little confusing for me, personally.

As you total each book, you obviously move onto the next one in the series. One of the fantastic aspects of having all of these lessons in book kind is that you can go back at any time, address your own pace, and you will not forget things as rapidly because you can summarize things you desire every single day, instead of once a week with a teacher.

The last book is a book full of resources and extra supplements, with beneficial information on things such as how to pick the very best MIDI keyboard, and more. This is a terrific little bonus offer, and it's definitely worth reading.

If you're interested in finding out how to play piano or keyboard in a fun and interactive fashion, then look no more then Piano for All. Get your copy of Piano for All today while supplies last!

Video Learning Made Simple

One of the big advantages I see about this program is that there is a big library of videos you can see in order to play what the trainer has actually written on the page. He will show you slowly how to form each chord or note and where it is on the keyboard, in case you forget.

A look inside the Piano for All eBook course

I've seen these sort of tutorials on YouTube before and I've always believed they were an excellent idea. In this program, every video is implied to be viewed during a particular minute in your knowing experience. So for example, in book 2, when you initially begin discovering the blues development, you can follow along with the instructor so you do not get lost.

Now, one issue with this feature, is that your computer may not remain in front of your piano. If you can find a way to get your piano near your computer system, or utilize a laptop, you'll have no problem following together with the videos.

So simply keep that in mind.

Idea You Might Not Know About

Given that we've currently utilized book 3 as an example for this evaluation, I wanted to discuss that there are absolutely some special pointers and tricks that you may not find out about anywhere else. I can't state that for sure, obviously, however I've taught for a long time and I know my approaches, so discovering brand-new ones is constantly revitalizing for me.

Let me offer you an example. In one video, the trainer speaks about a simple method to bear in mind how to shape both significant http://musichedge.com/best-digital-piano/ and minor triads in their root position. With the exception of the B chords, every other chords' root and 5th notes are on the same color secrets.

So, for C small, it's C and G. With C# minor, it's C# and G #, both black secrets, and so on.

This program is peppered with things like this that you might not discover anywhere else.

The concept of utilizing both audio and video to turn a virtual experience into an engaging, visual direction lesson is engaging to me. I think there are a lot of truly intriguing concepts and methods in the Piano for All course, and there are definitely a great deal of methods which this program looks quite promising.

What I Like About Piano For All

I believe a great deal of instructors undervalue the power of hammering chords into students' minds. In teaching culture, it's really common to concentrate on the tune, the right hand. I figure this is because a great deal of instructors want trainees to feel like they're having a lot of success, and people with untrained ears actually only hear tunes anyhow, and they kind of tune out chords.

Subsequently, the right-hand man gets chosen over the left hand-- the left hand type of gets left out for the very first a number of months of teaching. Trainees who are right-handed dominant tend to also prefer the right hand since that's the hand they're comfortable with.

This program does not truly let you get away with not utilizing the left hand. There is a really strong focus on playing rhythm piano right off the bat, which is actually uncommon for a teaching course And obviously, rhythm piano needs heavy usage of the left hand.

Due to the fact that of this, I might see a great deal of students having earlier success with their left hand usage than their traditional counterparts. And I actually appreciate that. I think it's essential to deal with both hands equally, since it will just benefit the trainee in the long run.

An image from the Piano for All eBook course.

In book 2, one of the first things the instructor says is that the left hand should be practiced long prior to the right-hand man. He understands that people are mainly naturally inclined to be much better at their right-hand man parts, so he doesn't worry about it. It's a creative approach to the problem, for sure.

This focus on chords will only assist trainees professionally. Pianists in bands need to know their chords, even if they're refraining from doing intense jazz. This method can help students check out charts provided by bandleaders, and most significantly, to assist them play by ear, which is essential.

This is a fantastic supplement to the course, and is a total benefit. According to Piano for All's website, there are 10 hours worth of audio and video, which is rather a lot when you believe about it.

[bestpianoringtone-blog]

10 Principles of Psychology You Can Use to Improve Your Best piano buying guide

n this short article, I want to talk about a piano finding out course called Piano For All, which is a series of eBooks (through download or sent by means of DVD) featuring ingrained audio and video lessons focused on getting you comfy and effective at playing the piano. Priced at a very budget-friendly rate, this review will try to address the most obvious concern-- can you successfully discover how to play the piano through an eBook course that costs less than $100?

The digital version of Piano for All only costs $40, which is often the cost of a single lesson from an experienced instructor (and that's being generous). In this circumstances, the writer of this program, Robin Hall, is your instructor, just it's much cheaper and is available whenever you need it.

I'll begin this evaluation by talking a little bit about the program itself, an overview, with some interesting things I've personally noted about it. Then, I'll discuss the ways in which it prospers, and ways in which I believe it could utilize enhancement.

In the conclusion of this evaluation, I'll determine whether this is an appropriate substitute for a real instructor, or maybe a supplement rather. I'll likewise supply you with my score of the course.

Piano For All Overview

As somebody who teaches piano, I am constantly thinking about brand-new programs that assist trainees get better by using brand-new methods. This program focuses heavily on blues, pop, jazz, and rock songs by popular artists of years past, and utilizes them as a tool to execute discovering techniques that will in fact enable the student to be able to play "normal" music rather of dull kids' tunes.

There are ten books in this series:

1. Celebration Time/ Play by Ear/ Rhythm Piano

2. Blues and Rock n Roll

3. Chord magic

4. Advanced Chords

5. Ballad Style

6. Jazz Piano Made Easy

7. Advanced Blues & Fake Stride

8. Taming the Classics

9. Speed Learning

10. Resources

Each of these books focus on different areas of discovering the piano. Book 3, chord magic, does not focus on melodies at all, but rather shows you how to comp every single significant and minor triad (there are 24 of them) as well as how to form inversions.

As you learn brand-new chords, the book helps you follow along with tunes, both in audio kind and on paper. Integrated into each book is a series of audio files Additional info you can click on in order to play, so that you can play in addition to the instructor. This is a very innovative way to help individuals who are more inclined to find out by ear.

Schedule 3 goes through all of the chords beyond the simpler secrets, such as C, F, and G. It doesn't miss out on any of them, and executing them into your vocabulary is made easy through listening and playing along.

The book ends by presenting the a "cycle of fifths," which I would refer to as a circle of fifths (but that's neither here nor there). It's the same thing, although it goes counter-clockwise in this book, which is undoubtedly a little complicated for me, personally.

As you total each book, you of course move onto the next one in the series. One of the great things about having all of these lessons in book type is that you can go back at any time, go at your own speed, and you won't forget things as rapidly due to the fact that you can recap things you desire every single day, instead of when a week with a teacher.

The last book is a book full of resources and extra supplements, with beneficial details on things such as how to select the very best MIDI keyboard, and more. This is a great little perk, and it's certainly worth reading.

If you're interested in learning how to play piano or keyboard in an enjoyable and interactive style, then look no more then Piano for All. Get your copy of Piano for All today while materials last!

Video Learning Made Simple

Among the huge advantages I see about this program is that there is a big library of videos you can see in order to play what the trainer has actually composed on the page. He will reveal you gradually how to form each chord or note and where it is on the keyboard, in case you forget.

A look inside the Piano for All eBook course

I've seen these kinds of tutorials on YouTube before and I've always thought they were a great concept. In this program, every video is suggested to be seen during a particular minute in your learning experience. For instance, in book 2, when you first begin learning the blues development, you can follow along with the instructor so you do not get lost.

Now, one problem with this feature, is that your computer system may not remain in front of your piano. If you can discover a method to get your piano near your computer system, or use a laptop computer, you'll have no problem following in addition to the videos.

So simply keep that in mind.

Tips And Tricks You Might Not Know About

Because we've already used book 3 as an example for this review, I wished to mention that there are definitely some distinct tips and tricks that you might not discover anywhere else. I can't say that for sure, of course, however I've taught for a long time and I understand my methods, so discovering brand-new ones is always revitalizing for me.

Let me provide you an example. In one video, the instructor talks about an easy way to keep in mind how to shape both significant and small triads in their root position. With the exception of the B chords, every other chords' root and fifth notes are on the same color secrets.

So, for C small, it's C and G. With C# small, it's C# and G #, both black secrets, and so on.

This program is peppered with things like this that you might not discover anywhere else.

The idea of using both audio and video to turn a virtual experience into a compelling, visual instruction lesson is compelling to me. I think there are a great deal of really fascinating concepts and techniques in the Piano for All course, and there are absolutely a great deal of methods which this program looks rather promising.

What I Like About Piano For All

I believe a lot of instructors underestimate the power of hammering chords into students' minds. In mentor culture, it's actually common to concentrate on the melody, the right-hand man. I figure this is because a lot of instructors want trainees to seem like they're having a lot of success, and people with inexperienced ears actually only hear tunes anyway, and they kind of ignore chords.

Subsequently, the right hand gets preferred over the left hand-- the left hand sort of gets excluded for the very first several months of mentor. Trainees who are right-handed dominant tend to also choose the right hand because that's the hand they're comfy with.

This program does not really let you get away with not utilizing the left hand. There is a really strong emphasis on playing rhythm piano right off the bat, which is actually uncommon for a teaching course And obviously, rhythm piano needs heavy use of the left hand.

Since of this, I might see a lot of trainees having earlier success with their left hand use than their conventional counterparts. And I actually value that. I believe it's essential to treat both hands similarly, due to the fact that it will only benefit the student in the long run.

An image from the Piano for All eBook course.

In book 2, one of the very first things the instructor states is that the left hand ought to be practiced long prior to the right hand. He understands that individuals are mainly naturally inclined to be better at their right-hand man parts, so he does not fret about it. It's a clever technique to the problem, for sure.

This focus on chords will just assist trainees professionally. Pianists in bands need to understand their chords, even if they're refraining from doing extreme jazz. This technique can assist students check out charts given by bandleaders, and most significantly, to help them play by ear, which is important.

The implementation of both audio and video is something real instructors can't always do so quickly. This is a terrific supplement to the course, and is a total benefit. According to Piano for All's website, there are ten hours worth of audio and video, which is quite a lot when you consider it. That equals 20 half-hour lessons from a genuine instructor.

[bestpianoringtone-blog]

Ask Me Anything: 10 Answers to Your Questions About Best piano buying guide

n this post, I wish to go over a piano finding out course called Piano For All, which is a series of eBooks (by means of download or sent by means of DVD) featuring ingrained audio and video lessons targeted at getting you comfy and effective at playing the piano. Priced at a very cost effective price, this evaluation will attempt to address the most apparent question-- can you successfully discover how to play the piano through an eBook course that costs less than $100?

In reality, the digital version of Piano for All only expenses $40, which is sometimes the cost of a single lesson from a knowledgeable teacher (and that's being generous). In this instance, the writer of this program, Robin Hall, is your instructor, only it's much cheaper and is accessible whenever you need it.

I'll begin this review by talking a bit about the program itself, an overview, with some interesting things I've personally noted about it. Then, I'll discuss the methods which it succeeds, and methods which I believe it could utilize enhancement.

In the conclusion of this evaluation, I'll identify whether this is an appropriate substitute for a real teacher, or possibly a supplement rather. I'll also offer you with my rating of the course.

Piano For All Overview

As someone who teaches piano, I am always thinking about new programs that help trainees improve by using new techniques. This program focuses heavily on blues, pop, jazz, and rock tunes by popular artists of years past, and uses them as a tool to execute discovering methods that will actually permit the student to be able to play "regular" music instead of boring kids' songs.

There are ten books in this series:

1. Celebration Time/ Play by Ear/ Rhythm Piano

2. Blues and Rock n Roll

3. Chord magic

4. Advanced Chords

5. Ballad Style

6. Jazz Piano Made Easy

7. Advanced Blues & Fake Stride

8. Taming the Classics

9. Speed Learning

10. Resources

Each of these books concentrate on different areas of learning the piano. For example, book 3, chord magic, does not focus on tunes at all, however rather shows you how to comp each and every single significant and small triad (there are 24 of them) in addition to how to form inversions.

As you find out new chords, the book assists you follow in addition to tunes, both in audio form and on paper. Integrated into each book is a series of audio files you can click on in order to play, so http://wpsuo.com/m9geuxt327/post-the-most-misunderstood-134794.html that you can play along with the trainer. This is a very imaginative way to help people who are more inclined to discover by ear.

Schedule 3 goes through all of the chords beyond the simpler secrets, such as C, F, and G. It doesn't miss any of them, and executing them into your vocabulary is made simple through listening and playing along.

The book ends by presenting the a "cycle of fifths," which I would describe as a circle of fifths (however that's neither here nor there). It's the same thing, although it goes counter-clockwise in this book, which is undoubtedly a little complicated for me, personally.

As you total each book, you obviously relocation onto the next one in the series. One of the terrific features of having all of these lessons in book kind is that you can go back at any time, address your own speed, and you won't forget things as rapidly due to the fact that you can wrap up things you want every single day, instead of once a week with an instructor.

The last book is a book full of resources and additional supplements, with useful details on things such as how to pick the best MIDI keyboard, and more. This is an excellent little perk, and it's definitely worth reading.

If you're interested in learning how to play piano or keyboard in an enjoyable and interactive fashion, then look no more then Piano for All. This course includes 10 in-depth eBooks which contain 200 video lessons and 500 audio lessons. And most importantly, the course works on PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, or any Android phone or tablet. Get your copy of Piano for All today while supplies last!

Video Learning Made Simple

Among the huge benefits I see about this program is that there is a large library of videos you can see in order to play what the trainer has composed on the page. He will show you slowly how to form each chord or note and where it is on the keyboard, in case you forget.

A look inside the Piano for All eBook course

I've seen these sort of tutorials on YouTube prior to and I've constantly believed they were a terrific idea. In this program, every video is suggested to be watched throughout a particular moment in your knowing experience. So for example, in book 2, when you initially start finding out the blues development, you can follow along with the instructor so you do not get lost.

Now, one issue with this function, is that your computer might not be in front of your piano. If you can discover a method to get your piano near your computer, or utilize a laptop, you'll have no problem following together with the videos.

Simply keep that in mind.

Idea You Might Not Know About

Because we've currently utilized book 3 as an example for this evaluation, I wanted to point out that there are certainly some distinct tips and techniques that you may not learn about anywhere else. I can't say that for sure, naturally, but I've taught for a long time and I know my approaches, so discovering brand-new ones is always revitalizing for me.

Let me provide you an example. In one video, the trainer speaks about an easy way to remember how to shape both significant and minor triads in their root position. With the exception of the B chords, every other chords' root and 5th notes are on the same color keys.

For C small, it's C and G. With C# small, it's C# and G #, both black secrets, and so on.

This program is peppered with things like this that you might not find anywhere else.

The concept of making use of both audio and video to turn a virtual experience into an engaging, visual instruction lesson is engaging to me. I think there are a great deal of truly intriguing ideas and strategies in the Piano for All course, and there are absolutely a lot of methods which this program looks rather appealing.

What I Like About Piano For All

I think a great deal of teachers ignore the power of hammering chords into students' minds. In teaching culture, it's really typical to concentrate on the tune, the right-hand man. I figure this is since a lot of teachers desire students to feel like they're having a lot of success, and individuals with inexperienced ears really only hear tunes anyhow, and they kind of tune out chords.

Subsequently, the right hand gets preferred over the left hand-- the left hand type of gets neglected for the first a number of months of mentor. Students who are right-handed dominant tend to also prefer the right-hand man because that's the hand they're comfortable with.

This program does not actually let you get away with not using the left hand. There is an actually strong emphasis on playing rhythm piano right off the bat, which is truly uncommon for a mentor course And obviously, rhythm piano needs heavy usage of the left hand.

Due to the fact that of this, I could see a lot of trainees having earlier success with their left hand usage than their traditional counterparts. And I really value that. I think it's important to deal with both hands equally, due to the fact that it will just benefit the trainee in the long run.

An image from the Piano for All eBook course.

In book 2, among the very first things the trainer states is that the left hand ought to be practiced long before the right hand. He knows that people are primarily naturally inclined to be much better at their right hand parts, so he does not stress over it. It's a creative technique to the issue, for sure.

This focus on chords will just assist trainees professionally. Pianists in bands need to understand their chords, even if they're not doing intense jazz. This approach can help trainees read charts given by bandleaders, and most importantly, to assist them play by ear, which is important.

This is a wonderful supplement to the course, and is an overall benefit. According to Piano for All's site, there are 10 hours worth of audio and video, which is quite a lot when you think about it.

[bestpianoringtone-blog]

15 Tips About Learn to play Piano From Industry Experts

n this article, I wish to discuss a piano finding out course called Piano For All, which is a series of eBooks (by means of download or sent out via DVD) featuring ingrained audio and video lessons aimed at getting you comfortable and effective at playing the piano. Priced at a very economical cost, this evaluation will try to respond to the most apparent question-- can you successfully find out how to play the piano through an eBook course that costs less than $100?

The digital version of Piano for All only expenses $40, which is sometimes the expense of a single lesson from a knowledgeable teacher (and that's being generous). In this circumstances, the writer of this program, Robin more info Hall, is your instructor, only it's more affordable and is accessible whenever you need it.

I'll begin this evaluation by talking a little bit about the program itself, an introduction, with some fascinating things I've personally noted about it. Then, I'll discuss the ways in which it is successful, and methods which I believe it could use enhancement.

In the conclusion of this evaluation, I'll identify whether this is an appropriate replacement for a real teacher, or perhaps a supplement rather. I'll likewise offer you with my ranking of the course.

Piano For All Overview

As somebody who teaches piano, I am constantly interested in new programs that help students get better by utilizing brand-new techniques. This program focuses heavily on blues, pop, jazz, and rock songs by popular artists of years previous, and uses them as a tool to carry out learning methods that will in fact allow the student to be able to play "regular" music rather of boring kids' tunes.

There are ten books in this series:

1. Celebration Time/ Play by Ear/ Rhythm Piano

2. Blues and Rock n Roll

3. Chord magic

4. Advanced Chords

5. Ballad Style

6. Jazz Piano Made Easy

7. Advanced Blues & Fake Stride

8. Taming the Classics

9. Speed Learning

10. Resources

Each of these books focus on various areas of learning the piano. Book 3, chord magic, does not focus on tunes at all, however instead reveals you how to comp every single major and minor triad (there are 24 of them) as well as how to form inversions.

As you discover brand-new chords, the book helps you follow in addition to tunes, both in audio kind and on paper. Integrated into each book is a series of audio files you can click in order to play, so that you can play in addition to the instructor. This is a very innovative way to help people who are more inclined to learn by ear.

Book 3 goes through all of the chords beyond the simpler secrets, such as C, F, and G. It does not miss out on any of them, and implementing them into your vocabulary is made easy through listening and playing along.

The book ends by introducing the a "cycle of fifths," which I would describe as a circle of fifths (but that's neither here nor there). It's the same thing, although it goes counter-clockwise in this book, which is undoubtedly a little confusing for me, personally.

As you total each book, you of course move onto the next one in the series. Among the excellent features of having all of these lessons in book kind is that you can go back at any time, go at your own pace, and you won't forget things as rapidly due to the fact that you can evaluate things you want every day, rather than once a week with an instructor.

The last book is a book filled with resources and extra supplements, with helpful information on things such as how to choose the very best MIDI keyboard, and more. This is an excellent little reward, and it's certainly worth reading.

If you're interested in learning how to play piano or keyboard in a fun and interactive style, then look no more then Piano for All. This course includes 10 extensive eBooks which contain 200 video lessons and 500 audio lessons. And most importantly, the course works on PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, or any Android phone or tablet. Get your copy of Piano for All today while supplies last!

Video Learning Made Simple

One of the huge advantages I see about this program is that there is a big library of videos you can view in order to play what the trainer has written on the page. He will show you slowly how to form each chord or note and where it is on the keyboard, in case you forget.

An appearance inside the Piano for All eBook course

I've seen these kinds of tutorials on YouTube before and I've constantly thought they were a great concept. In this program, every video is implied to be seen during a specific minute in your knowing experience. So for instance, in book 2, when you initially start learning the blues development, you can follow together with the trainer so you don't get lost.

Now, one issue with this function, is that your computer system might not remain in front of your piano. If you can discover a method to get your piano near your computer system, or use a laptop, you'll have no problem following in addition to the videos.

Just keep that in mind.

Idea You Might Not Know About

Since we've already utilized book 3 as an example for this evaluation, I wanted to discuss that there are certainly some distinct ideas and tricks that you may not find out about anywhere else. I can't say that for sure, obviously, but I've taught for a long time and I understand my techniques, so learning new ones is constantly rejuvenating for me.

Let me offer you an example. In one video, the trainer talks about an easy method to keep in mind how to shape both significant and minor triads in their root position. With the exception of the B chords, every other chords' root and 5th notes are on the same color keys.

So, for C minor, it's C and G. With C# minor, it's C# and G #, both black keys, and so on.

This program is peppered with things like this that you may not discover anywhere else.

The concept of utilizing both audio and video to turn a virtual experience into a compelling, visual guideline lesson is compelling to me. I believe there are a lot of actually fascinating concepts and techniques in the Piano for All course, and there are definitely a great deal of methods which this program looks rather appealing.

What I Like About Piano For All

I believe a great deal of instructors ignore the power of hammering chords into trainees' minds. In teaching culture, it's truly common to concentrate on the melody, the right-hand man. I figure this is due to the fact that a great deal of teachers want students to seem like they're having a great deal of success, and people with inexperienced ears really just hear tunes anyhow, and they sort of tune out chords.

Subsequently, the right hand gets preferred over the left hand-- the left hand sort of gets excluded for the very first a number of months of mentor. Students who are right-handed dominant tend to likewise prefer the right hand because that's the hand they're comfortable with.

This program does not actually let you get away with not utilizing the left hand. There is an actually strong emphasis on playing rhythm piano right off the bat, which is really unusual for a teaching course And naturally, rhythm piano needs heavy use of the left hand.

Due to the fact that of this, I could see a lot of students having earlier success with their left hand use than their standard counterparts. And I actually value that. I believe it's essential to treat both hands equally, due to the fact that it will only benefit the trainee in the long run.

An image from the Piano for All eBook course.

In book 2, one of the very first things the instructor says is that the left hand must be practiced long prior to the right-hand man. He knows that people are primarily naturally inclined to be better at their right-hand man parts, so he does not fret about it. It's a clever approach to the problem, for sure.

This focus on chords will only assist students professionally. Pianists in bands require to understand their chords, even if they're refraining from doing intense jazz. This method can assist trainees check out charts offered by bandleaders, and most importantly, to help them play by ear, which is important.

The execution of both audio and video is something real instructors can't constantly do so quickly. This is a fantastic supplement to the course, and is a total benefit. According to Piano for All's website, there are ten hours worth of audio and video, which is rather a lot when you think of it. That equals 20 half-hour lessons from a genuine teacher.

[nightmareonfilmstreet]

[Recap] STRANGER THINGS 2, Episodes 6-9: A Stunning Finish

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[Recap] STRANGER THINGS 2, Episodes 6-9: A Stunning Finish

I’m back with recaps of the final four episodes of season two of Netflix sensation Stranger Things. If you haven’t looked over the recaps for the first half, you can find them here. Alright, let’s dig in!

Episode 6 – “The Spy”

If things start to come together in episodes four and five, six is where Stranger Things season two really begins to deliver on its potential. Following Will (Noah Schnapp)’s seizures, Joyce (Winona Ryder), Hopper (David Harbour), and Mike (Finn Wolfhard) wind up at Hawkins Lab where Dr. Owens (Paul Reiser) and his team struggle to properly diagnose him. What is clear is that Will‘s memory is being affected by the otherworldly presence and, as the episode progresses, his amnesia is symptomatic of the fact that he can no longer be trusted.

It’s unfortunate that the titles of Stranger Things are so prominently displayed at the start of each episode, because the reveal that Will has broken bad is blatantly telegraphed. Despite this, I still found myself swept up in the action, especially when Steve (Joe Keery), Dustin (Gaten Matarazzo), Lucas (Caleb McLaughlin) and Max (Sadie Sink) wind up trapped at the abandoned car junkyard thanks to the appearance of multiple demi-dogs. Collectively the cliffhanger at the lab and Steve‘s near-death helps to ratchet up the momentum as the series heads into its final few episodes.

Odds and Ends:

The relationship building between Steve and Dustin is easily one of the episode highlights. Plus: the scene of the group walking along the train tracks is heavily evocative of Stephen King’s Stand By Me.

I’m no big fan of Nancy (Natalia Dyer) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton)’s sojourn into conspiracy theory-ville with Murray (Brett Gelman), though his ability to diagnose their unrequited love affair is mildly amusing.

The fatal climax, in which Will‘s deliberately leads the soldiers into a trap, is a clear homage to James Cameron’s Aliens, right down to the images appearing on the radar screen. Love it.

This is the first episode of the series that doesn’t feature Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown).

Eleven’s standalone episode 2×07 “The Lost Sister” is a singular mistake

Episode 7 – “The Lost Sister”

UGH. I wanted to give this episode the benefit of a doubt, but five minutes in I began checking my watch. Then I did some laundry. Then I began surfing YouTube for funny cat videos.

Yes, folks, this is undoubtedly THE WORST episode of Stranger Things that the series has ever produced. Yes, it pays off Eleven‘s “family” arc by reuniting her with her titular “lost sister”, Kali (Linnea Berthelsen). Outside of teaching Eleven how to hone her powers and helping her to realize that Mike and the others are her real family, however, this is 55 minutes of duds-ville.

It got so bad that I began making jokey memes about its awfulness on Twitter to pass the time. Seriously, this is one to tell friends to avoid – as Alan Sepinwall of HitFix suggests, it plays more like a bizarre backdoor pilot for a spin-off series that no one asked for.

Odds and Ends:

This is the first episode of the series that doesn’t feature any of the rest of the regular cast.

When Kali and her friends give Eleven an 80s punk look, I couldn’t help but think of the iconic ditty from Clone High about makeovers. MAKEOVER!

This is your first Matthew Modine-cameo alert for S2.

Seriously, I’d like to know who thought this episode (and its timing in the season) was a good idea? The only element that I enjoyed was that weird moment where the episode turned into a home-invasion thriller in the vein of The Purge & The Strangers.

The harrowing escape from Hawkins Laboratory is a focal point of 2×08 “The Mind Flayer”

Episode 8 – “The Mind Flayer”

With the worst creative decision that Stranger Things has ever made firmly in the rearview mirror, “The Mind Flayer” picks up right after the cliffhanger from 2×06. The escape from the Hawkins Lab is superb, particularly the cross-cutting between Bob (Sean Astin)’s solo mission to reset the power and Dr. Owens‘ guidance on the surveillance cameras (shades of Jurassic Park). And while horror fans undoubtedly knew that the writing was on the wall for Bob the moment he was told his exit path was “home free,” his death – and Joyce‘s reaction to it – are well-done.

With the season’s big death crossed off, the time comes to reconvene the disparate groups at the Byers house and prepare for the big battle. This is the calm before the storm as everyone catches up and they strategically plot their options. I’ll confess that while I appreciate the effort made to gently address the lunacy of Dustin‘s Mind Flayer/hive mind connection plan, it’s pretty unbelievable that everyone basically just goes along with it.

Once again the focus returns to Will and, in a well-executed montage, the infected boy is awoken and treated to trips down memory lane that double as opportunities to communicate how to shut down the otherworldly threat (using Morse Code, naturally). With a plan in hand and time running out, the group is seemingly beseiged by demi-dogs when Eleven returns from Duffer Brothers purgatory to finally rejoin the main group. Thank goodness – let’s get this climax on the road!

Odds and Ends:

In an episode filled with highs, the extended scene of Billy (Dacre Montgomery)’s dad beating him up for losing track of Max just feels so unnecessary. It’s still unclear why this storyline needed to exist.

Eleven and Hopper’s reunion is one of the finale’s strongest emotional beats

Episode 9 – “The Gate”

Here we go – the big finale. If there’s anything surprising about this episode, it is how quickly the threat is dispensed with: we’re barely half through the episode when Eleven manages to close the gate. This winds up being a smart decision because it avoids a long, drawn out battle in favour of narrative and emotional closure for nearly all of the characters, while once again teasing another season of Stranger Things.

After coming together briefly last episode, our protagonists split into three groups: 1) Hopper and Eleven head for the gate, 2) Joyce, Jonathan, and Nancy create a home sauna to steam the demon out of Will and 3) the D-Listers (eventually) head back into the tunnels to draw attention away from the gate and clear a path for Eleven and Hopper. And barring the occasional hurdle, including – UGH – Billy, as well as one last encounter with D’Art, things more or less go to plan.

Of course I’m doing the finale a complete disservice by being so nonchalant. In all honestly “The Gate” is easily one of the most satisfying hours that the series has ever produced, hitting all of the right action AND emotional beats.

Let’s talk about each of those individually:

1) The action when Eleven goes up against the gate (and begins levitating!) is a stunning achievement. Visually (those special effects!) and aurally (that score!), the scene delivers a more bombastic finish than some big budget Hollywood tentpoles. Throw in Millie Bobby Brown’s absolutely commanding screen presence, masterfully conveying the entirety of Eleven‘s two season journey in a nearly silent performance and you have an absolutely killer sequence.

2) As significant an achievement as the action is, however, it would be nothing without the quieter moments. I was particular awestruck by Eleven and Hopper‘s extended conversation in the truck. There’s a reason why the Duffer Brothers paired these two together and while I complained about how repetitive their storyline was in the first few episodes, it really pays off here.

Ditto the moments when Mike attacks Hopper for lying to him and when Eleven and Mike lock eyes at the dance. These scenes only work because of our investment in these characters, so kudos on making us give a damn about these people in between all of the action and special effects.

Odds and Ends:

I mentioned last episode that I didn’t understand the point of Billy‘s storyline and aside from adding an additional obstacle to the team’s success, my opinions have not changed. I have nothing against Montgomery as an actor, but this was one addition too many in S2. Seeing Max finally stand up to her step-brother’s abuse (when he’s already drugged) just didn’t work for me.

Now that the Hawkins Lab has been shut down and Barb got her damn funeral, is this a wrap on #JusticeForBarb? PLEASE?

Nancy‘s pity dance with Dustin at the Snow Ball gave off some pretty heavy John Hughes vibes. If Stranger Things had been made in the 80s, I could easily see Molly Ringwald in the Nancy role.

So Joyce and Hopper are totally going to hook up now, right?

Finally, what do we think of the final teaser/twist? Personally I found it underwhelming (the Upside Down still exists? Colour me unsurprised!) but I appreciate that this is a way to hint that there’s more to come without undoing the narrative closure covered by the second half of this episode.

So that’s it for season two. What are your thoughts now that it’s all said and done? What do you expect to see in season three? Hit the comments below and sound off with your reactions and predictions.