#mum of toddlers gold coast

[funthingsfortoddlers]

A great way to get the whole family in the Christmas spirit is Christmas Carols!

And there are lots of great events right here on the Gold Coast. Find the best places to take your family to see Christmas Carols: https://bit.ly/3G8XrpS

[boywizardscanbecute]

The Rest of Our Days

Here is the love triangle request from @themonsterheloved

Sorry it took so long I wanted to get it just right! Enjoy :) 

Word count: 5.6K 

Request: Hey! saw you open your requests and if you don’t mind can we get a Newt x Reader x Theseus triangle? like a bunch of angst that punches us in the heart (but like the reader ends up with newt preferably hehe) i just would love to see you’re take on writing this love triangle since you do so well in writing them out with the readers in general! 💞

*NOT MY GIF 

Summary: Growing up next to Newt and Theseus Scamander made your childhood very interesting, but you wouldn’t change it for anything. As a child, you were much closer to Newt, but you haven’t seen either brother for years. Not since you graduated Hogwarts. Newt now 30, Theseus 38, you were 27 and living in Wollongong Australia, playing as starting chaser for the Wollongong Warriors. Tragedy strikes, bringing you back to your hometown and to the two brothers. 

Wollongong Australia, 1929

“Coach, are you sure all this time off is okay? I don’t want to miss training, I want to be ready for the season opener,” you babble at your Chaser Coach, concern etched on your face. Stella, your coach, puts her hands on your shoulders and sighs, “Y/n, your dedication is admirable, it really is. But your father has died. It’s time for you to go home, spend some time with your family. The season doesn’t start for three months, and besides I know you’ll keep up your own training regimen. We’ll see you back here for the start, now go on, go on home.” You look down, defeated. But you knew she was right. Your mother needs you now more than ever and with the way the hot summer was going on the Gold Coast, England would be like a breath of fresh air. So you leave the field, returning to your home to collect your things. Gathering up your bags, you depart for your portkey. The one that would take you home. 

In the Scamander household, Newt’s mother calls out to him, “Newton! Theseus will not return from the ministry for another couple hours. When the timer goes off, I want you to take the casserole in the oven over to the l/n’s. Y/n’s returning today, perhaps you’ll get to see her. They need all the support we can give.” Newt saunters into the kitchen and blushes at the mention of your name. “Yes mother,” Newt responds diligently. Then he paces across the kitchen floor, waiting for the timer to go off. 

Appearing in your mother’s living room, you get your bearings and drop your bags. “Mum! I’m home!” you call out through the silent house. No answer. Sighing, you walk through to the kitchen, searching for your mom. Passing a mirror on the wall, you glance at your reflection. It’s been years since you went home. Now you returned in your late 20’s, a full grown adult. Stopping in front of the reflective glass, you study your face. E/c eyes stared back at you, though not quite as vivid as when you were a babe. With your hair pulled back in a simple braid, you wiped your sweaty hands against your black, wide legged trousers. Adjusting your crisp blue blouse and tucking it into your pants, you continue on through the household. Out the back door, you smile at your mother’s form, knelt in the dirt, delicately tending to her plants. Slipping out the door, you walk over to her. 

“Hi mum,” your voice comes out softly. Your darling mother quickly jumps to her feet and turns around to face you. “Oh my beautiful y/n,” she chokes on tears. Of course she would get emotional. “Hi,” you smile. She ropes you into a hug and clings to you for dear life. “I’m sorry about dad,” you whisper. She holds you tighter. “I’m sorry I haven’t come home in awhile,” you continue. She waves off your apology, saying, “You’re here now. That’s all that matters.” And as much as you wanted to get out of the bone crushing hug, you couldn’t bring yourself to pull away. Lucky for you, the moment is broken by footsteps coming through the back door, towards both of you. Glancing up over your mother’s shoulder, you gasp at the man sauntering over to you. It was Newt Scamander, your childhood best friend. But he too had grown up, and it sure agreed with him. Immediately you admired his red curls, he had let them grow out and they flopped against his forehead. And his deep green eyes, seeing them again for the first time in seven years, you were floored to find them even more vibrant than before. A single moment passes, and you detach from your mother’s grip, racing towards Newt. 

“Newt!” your voice squeals like a gleeful child. He meets your grin with an equally eager look and opens his arms to you as you barrel into him, hugging him for the first time in nearly a decade. As your body crashed into his, you felt his arms tighten around you, they were considerably larger than the last time you’d seen him. His hands settled on your waist as your feet left the ground. Emotions bubbled over as Newt laughed with you, spinning you around in the air. When he realizes what he’s doing, he brings you back to the ground and reluctantly lets go of you. “Y/n, it’s been way too long,” Newt insists. You tilt your chin to look up at him, he’d grown so much! “Way way too long,” you agreed. Newt studies you, drinking you in with his eyes. “You’ve… you’ve grown up,” Newt manages to say, a blush rising in his cheeks. “You too,” you mutter. Newt runs a hand down your arm and briefly grips your hand. “I see the land down under is treating you well! You’re getting lots and lots of sun!” Newt beams. You chuckle, “Kind of hard to avoid sun when you’re on the field.” Newt replies, “Yes and how is it, being the star player of the Wollongong Warriors?” You argue, “I am so not a star player.” Newt playfully rolls his eyes, saying, “Sure. Whatever you say.” A brief silence passed between the two of you, and Newt squeezes your palm, before letting it go. Before he can lose his nerve, Newt gushes, “I’ve really missed you y/n. You’re my best friend. You’ve been gone a long time.” Searching his eyes, you bite back a gasp at the emotion that was looming in them. You respond quietly, “I know. I’m sorry Newt. I’m sorry I haven’t visited. I’ve missed you too. You’ve got no idea how much.” Newt’s eyes widen at that last bit. “Well how much?” he asks before he can think about it. But before you can answer, your mother walks over, pulling both you and Newt into the kitchen, blabbering on about how the two of you used to dig up dirt in her garden together as toddlers. 

“Please tell your mother thank you for the casserole. It was so kind of her to do,” your mother tells the youngest Scamander. Newt responds simply, “It’s no trouble at all. Mother and I, we want you to know that we’re here for you. For both of you. Whatever you need.” Struggling with her emotion, your mother chokes out, “Thank you Newt.” Meeting his eyes, you smile at him, gratitude gushing out of you. “You should stay for dinner,” you tell him. He shrugs, “If you say so. I won’t turn down a free meal.” You laugh and offer him a chair as your mother goes to heat up the casserole. Sitting down next to him, you ask, “What will you do now? You’ve finished your book, you’ve fought off Grindelwald twice now, surely you’ve been offered a job with your brother?” Newt frowns at the mention of Theseus. He sighs, “As a matter of fact I have been offered a position at the ministry. And my thoughts on aurors have changed. Theseus is more complicated a man than I thought. Yes he may be a stickler for the rules, but he’s trying to do what he thinks is right. And the American auror I met, she’s simply wonderful.” Your face briefly falls, but you try to hide it. Before the conversation can continue, the eldest Scamander brother wanders into your kitchen. Newt watches as you leap to your feet, jumping to meet his brother. 

Theseus flashes his flirty grin at you and simpers, “Well aren’t you a sight for sore eyes!” as he embraces you fondly in his arms. You giggle, “It’s good to see you too Thes.” He runs a hand affectionately through your h/c locks and holds you a second longer than necessary. After he releases you, he laughs, “Well give me a little spin, let me get a good look at you!” You echo his own laughs and twirl as requested. Theseus, always the jokester, lets out a low whistle. 

“Theseus Scamander you stop that!” your cheeks redden as you swat his arm. He shrugs, “Just being honest.” you ignore him. Across the table, Newt’s fists tighten and he glowers at his older brother, Theseus Scamander, the biggest flirt known to man. As Theseus walks to the table, he ruffles Newt’s hair and says, “How’s it going little brother?” Newt responds, “Fine.” Theseus eyes him curiously, but shakes his head, turning back to you. 

“How’s the all star quidditch life going?” Theseus smiles at you. Sitting between the two brother’s, you answer his question, “It’s okay I guess.” Theseus narrows his eyes at you, fishing for more of an answer. The blue of his eyes was like the dark night sky and it made you melt. Giving in, you confess, “Alright it’s more than okay. I love it. Living on the coast, it’s amazing. Sunshine everyday of the year! The salt air of the ocean, I mean bloody hell, you can still smell it from the pitch!” Theseus listens to you ramble on about the gold coast, and quickly gets lost in admiring you. The thoughts in his head tell him he could be content watching you forever. But another biting thought comes through to the front of his brain. He remembers how close you and Newt were as kids. Throughout his adolescence, envy was his constant companion. He longed for the closeness that you and Newt had. 

Dinner was a family affair. You once again felt whole with the two Scamander men by your side. Once upon a time they were both your closest companions. And it was no secret that as a young witch you fantasized about spending the rest of your life with the younger Scamander. Newt had always been your best friend, your better half. But that was years ago, and you saw the articles about the hot shot American auror: Tina Goldstein. There was no way Newt wouldn’t fall for her, if he hadn’t already. Your thoughts begin to wander to what could have been when Theseus’s voice pulls you from your wandering. “Y/n you’ve been away too long. How long are you in town?” There’s a quiet desperation to his question. Glancing up at both of them, you answer, “Season doesn’t start for a while. So I’m back for three months.” 

Both reactions from the boys are joyful ones. Theseus opens his mouth but it’s Newt who speaks first. “Y/n, that’s great! I’m happy you’re home, I only wish it was under better circumstances, but you know I’m here for you. Always,” Newt says sympathetically. You give him a watery smile and place your hand on top of his own, managing a tiny, “Thanks.” He lets slip a reply, “Anything for you.” Your cheeks flame and you turn back to your plate, pushing the food around on it. Theseus bites down on his lip next to you, cursing Newt for being the one to offer support first. He pushes himself back into the conversation, boldly saying, “You know, y/n, I would love to visit you sometime and see a match. Living on the Gold Coast, it must be breathtaking. I’d love to see it.” You feel a mixture of emotions at this statement. Excitement, nervousness, and guilt. Theseus’s blue eyes sparkled at you and you melted under their glint. “That would be lovely Thes, we never did get to spend enough time together,” you confess. Theseus confirms your thoughts, “I agree completely. I only wish we spent more time together as children. But Merlin knows that someone had to watch over you and Newt and keep you out of trouble.” You laugh, glancing over at the younger Scamander, who is sulking like a moody toddler. He seemed irritated, a rare emotion for him. You looked at him puzzled, and behind you you can feel Theseus’s eyes glued to you. Torn between what to do, you rise from your chair and decide to clear everyone’s dishes, removing yourself from the situation. 

There’s a tapping at the window over the kitchen sink and you glance up to see an owl holding a letter, no it was a ministry envelope. Retrieving it from his beak, you turn to Theseus and say, “Thes, I think this is for you.” The tall auror rises from his chair at your table and takes the letter from your hand, his fingers lingering on your skin. Ripping open the envelope, he growls in annoyance. “What is it?” you place a hand on his shoulder, rising up on your toes and trying to peek over him. He scowls, “I’ve got to head back to the ministry. They may have a new lead on one of Grindelwald’s hideouts. I won’t be long. Y/n, don’t go anywhere.” Theseus flashes you a toothy grin and disapparates. 

Five minutes later you stood in front of the sink, washing the dinner dishes. Newt was at your side, drying them for you. Breaking the silence, you say, “You know I saw the article in the Prophet about that American Auror. Tina Goldstein I think it was. She seems very talented.” Newt’s eyes glance up at you from under his moppy auburn curls. He coughs, “Tina is very talented. Don’t think I’d be alive if it weren’t for her.” “Wow, that’s…. Intense,” you manage to say. Newt nods, “Tina is a good person to know. She always fights for what’s right.” It stung to hear him talk about her so admirably. Pushing down your emotion, you say barely audible, “Well I’m glad you found her then.” Newt stops wiping the dish in his hand and places it lightly on the counter. “Y/n. You know that you’ve always been my best friend. From the first day we met, all the way up until now. You may be thousands of miles away, but nothing’s ever going to change or come between us,” he tells you. What you knew Newt meant as a beautiful sentiment, struck a chord within you. He didn’t want anything to change with the two of you. But deep down, you knew that you wanted more from him. To be his one and only. Sighing, you respond, “I’m glad to hear that Newt. Me too. I can’t imagine what I’d do if I didn’t have you in my life.” Newt takes your hand and smiles, “You’ll never have to worry about that. I’ll always be there to support you.” Finally meeting his pressing gaze, you get lost in the color of sunlight shining on the forest floor. Electricity pulled you toward him. Brushing his curly locks affectionately, you lightly chuckle, “You sure could use a haircut Mr. Scamander.” He glances up at your hand running its way through his hair. “You always wanted me to let it grow,” he responds, shrugging his shoulders as if it’s obvious. Your hand pauses, before coming back down to your side. “I said that when we were ten years old,” you say in awe. Newt again shrugs, “I remember some things.” And maybe it was the way his eyes were absolutely glued to you, maybe it was the smell of grass and lavender, his scent, wafting to your nose, maybe it was how close he now stood to you; no matter what it was, you found yourself wanting to confess your feelings to him. Stepping now only inches from his face, your voice trembles, “Newt I-” Your statement is cut off by footsteps wandering back into your mother’s kitchen. 

Theseus’s face falls at the sight of you and Newt so close together, so obviously longing for one another. Clearing his throat, he declares, “Am I interrupting something?” Jumping back in surprise, you turn to the elder brother. “Theseus, I’m glad to see you back so soon!” you say, ignoring his question. “I’m glad to see you’re enthusiastic about my return,” Theseus beams back at you. Theseus begins to explain why he was called away to the ministry and you listen with intrigue. Behind you, near the sink, the ginger haired magizoologist stares at you, longing to close the distance between the two of you. To be so close again, so close that he could feel your little gasps of breath that washed over his skin, leaving tingling prickles in its wake. Just moments ago you were so close he could have kissed you. It took every ounce of self control in him not to reach out and grab your hand, pulling you back close to him. The wildest desires pumped through his heart and his mind fantasized about kissing you, about holding you close to him, his arms around you, protecting you. But he looked on, watching you chat with his much more charming older brother. Surely Theseus must have known how he felt about you. Didn’t seem like he cared though. Newt looks on helplessly as Theseus works his magic and flirts with you endlessly, making you laugh and blush. 

Eventually it’s time for the Scamander boys to go home. Walking them to the door, you pause to embrace them both. “I’ve missed you both so much. A girl needs the Scamander boy’s in her life. I’m sorry it’s taken me so long to come home,” your voice echoes in the night air. First, you hug Theseus. Rising up on the balls of your feet, you wrap your arms around his neck and squeeze tight. Inside, Theseus’s heart thumps wildly in his chest. “Night Thes,” you whisper, your lips lightly brushing his ear. He shivers, a turmoil of emotions rolling through him. Regaining his smooth composure, Theseus smiles, “Night beautiful.” Planting a playful kiss to your hand, he descends the steps and walks back to his childhood home. 

Turning to Newt, you drink him in with your eyes, wishing on all the stars in the night sky that you could look at that boy forever. Newt bravely meets your stare, thousands of feelings passing in between the silence. Newt’s heart disobeys his brain that tells him to stay cool. Instead, he reaches a hand out and brushes a lock of hair behind your ear. His hand rests on your cheek. Reaching your own arm up, you cover his hand with your palm. “Thanks for helping with the dishes,” you smile shyly. Newt responds softly, “Like I said before. Anything for you.” You suck in a sharp breath at his words. Newt looks like he wants to say so much more, but instead, he reluctantly pulls his hand from your soft cheek. He walks backwards towards his home, never wanting to take his eyes off of you. “Goodnight Newt,” you call after him. “Goodnight y/n,” his voice lingers in your ears as you turn and walk back inside. 

The next morning at your father’s service, you forget all the joy of the previous night. Sorrow overcame your entire system as a mist of rain descended upon your group standing in your family cemetery. Dozens of strange faces pass you and offer you their condolences. You mindlessly shake hands with every one of them. Being the hostess she is, your mother rushes back to the house to prepare appetizers. Pretty soon it’s just you standing before your father’s grave. You, and the two Scamander brothers standing ten feet behind you, each of them diligently watching over you. 

Each Scamander longed to take you in his arms, protecting you from all this sorrow and heartbreak. Newt watched you closely, an overwhelming sense of the need to shield you from this cruel world. His feet carried him slowly towards you, but Theseus beat him to it. Newt scowled at his brother, and bit the inside of his cheek until he drew blood. Theseus always got there first. He always got what he wanted. 

Tears dropping into the wet grass, you felt a warm hand on your shoulder. Hastily sniffling and wiping away your tears, you glanced over your shoulder to see Theseus standing behind you. “Hey Thes,” you whisper quietly. Theseus walks so he is standing in front of you. Looking down at you, he gently wipes your tears away. “How are you doing?” The question he asks is just a formality. Managing a shrug, you say, “I’m fine.” Theseus’s deep blue eyes study you so intensely, you can’t meet his gaze. So you glance down at the ground, sucking in a sharp breath. Theseus bravely tilts your chin up towards him and replies, “No, you’re not. You don’t have to be strong. You don’t have to say anything, okay? Just let me take care of you.” Looking into that deep blue, your eyes pool with fresh tears, along with new feelings pooling in your chest. Because as much as you longed for Newt, it was Theseus who came to you in your time of need. Without a second thought, you collapse into his arms, crying hysterically. You whimper, “He’s just, he’s gone. My father’s gone and I never even got to say goodbye.” Theseus brushes a hand affectionately against your hair and murmurs in your ear, “I’m so sorry y/n. I’m so sorry.” You sob helplessly against his chest for what must have been at least 20 minutes. Finally you look up at him and croak, “Thank you Theseus.” Holding you close, he responds, “Of course. You’ve been through so much y/n. You deserve a break. Why don’t you come have a drink with me tonight?” You bite your lip and consider the suggestion. “I don’t know Thes, my mum, she needs me right now.” Theseus sighs, “Your mother can manage without you for a few hours. Trust me. You need this.” You give in, “Oh alright.” Theseus gives you a boyish grin and says, “Perfect. Meet me at the club at 8. See you then beautiful.” He gives you a quick peck on the cheek and departs. 

Watching Theseus go, your eyes travel to Newt. He looks, you couldn’t put your finger on it. It was a mixture of anger and sorrow. You raise your eyebrows at him in question, but he avoids your gaze, something extremely unlike him. Striding up to him you ask, “Newt, what’s the matter?” Briefly meeting your eyes, he shrugs, “It’s nothing. I’m fine, really. I’ll see you back at the house.” Then he leaves. Your eyes grow wide as you watch him go, and you’re filled with even more sadness than before. Turning back to your father’s resting place, you fall to your knees before him. “Oh daddy what do I do?” you sob, wishing desperately that you could hear the sound advice your father used to give you. Continuing your one sided conversation, you cry, “I love him. I love Newt. But I don’t think he’ll ever see me as anything more than a friend. And now I don’t know what to do. I don’t know if I could ever stop loving him. But here’s Theseus who is oh so sweet and protective and seems to genuinely care for me. I’m lost.” You sit there in the wet grass for what must have been hours. And when the cold of the rain has finally crept into your bones, you decide to go home.

 When you get there, Newt is nowhere to be found. Sighing, you ask your mother, “Mum, have you seen Newt?” She glances up at you briefly before returning to her chopping and saying, “No, I haven’t dear. Might want to check in the yard.” “Okay,” you nod. But when you bolt over to the window, Newt’s not outside either. Sighing, you return to your room and rifle through your wardrobe for something to wear. Your eyes come to rest upon a navy blue short beaded dress, with capped sleeves. The height of flapper fashion. Not something you would normally wear, but you decided to give it a chance anyway. 

An hour and a half later you were ready to go. Your h/c hair was curled and pulled into a low bun at the nape of your neck. A loose strand of hair fell and framed your face. With simple eye makeup and red blood lips, you slipped on your black strappy heels and walked out of your bedroom. Your mother was asleep on the couch and you tucked her in fondly with a blanket. Satisfied that she was finally getting some rest, you left to go see Theseus. 

One of the best jazz clubs in town, you fluttered through the door and searched for the eldest Scamander. You spied him standing near the bar and sauntered over to him. Tapping him on the back, you smile, “Hey Thes.” He turns around and his eyes nearly pop out of his head when he sees you. “I don’t think I’ve seen you wear a dress since we were ten,” Theseus gulps. You self consciously adjust your dress and hastily ask, “Is there something wrong with it?” Theseus chuckles, “Not at all! You look stunning y/n, really. The most beautiful girl in the room.” Blushing, you mutter, “Thanks.” Theseus turns back to the counter and hands you a glass of giggle water. Taking a deep sip, you relish the taste of the drink. The way it burns against your throat satisfies you, taking away some of the pain lingering from today. 

You and Theseus stand at the bar for a while, talking about nothing and everything at once. This time you let yourself get lost in his ocean of deep blue eyes, relishing in the feeling. At the same time, you tried to bite back the part of your heart that desperately longed for Newt to be there too. Pulling you from your haze of thoughts, Theseus sweetly asks, “This is a great song. Would you care to dance beautiful?” Excitement bubbles in your chest as you respond softly, “I would love to.” 

Theseus takes your hand in his and you gasp at how tiny your hand looks in his palm. Leading you to the dancefloor, he places a hand around your waist and the other hand intertwines with your fingers. Music lulls in your ears as Theseus twirls you joyfully around the room. Giggling happily, your heart soars and you smile widely. “I love to see that smile,” Theseus gushes. You blush in response. Theseus dances with you for nearly 10 songs before you get tired out. “Should we call it a night then?” he asks you. You nod. Taking your hand, Theseus takes you back to your house. 

Arriving on the porch, you sigh in contentment and peer up at Theseus. You whisper softly into the night, “Thank you. You were right, I need this. I had a great time.” Theseus agrees, “It was a wonderful date.” Your face flames and you ask quietly, “It was a date?” Theseus awkwardly rubs the back of his neck, and clears his throat, “I mean I would like it to be. Is that alright with you?” Your voice cracks, “It’s alright. It’s just, I was kind of stuck on someone else. I’ll need to take things slow.” Theseus looks at you with sympathy and responds, “Of course beautiful.” Continuing on, you add, “I really did have a great time Thes. Thank you.” He replies, “I had a wonderful time as well. Goodnight beautiful.” He leans in and presses a kiss to the corner of your lips. It was sweet, but you noticed the lack of fire there. “Goodnight Theseus,” you respond quietly. Turning, you go back inside your house. 

Stepping inside your dark bedroom, you shut the door quietly. “So did you have a good time?” Newt’s voice comes out of the darkness. You jump in fright, cursing loudly, “Merlin’s beard Newt you scared me! What are you doing here?” Reaching around for the light switch, you find it, and shed light on the room. Newt stands at the foot of your bed and stares in your direction, his eyes hungrily drinking you in. There was that familiar gaze full of sorrow. He asks again, “Did you have a good time?” You look at him puzzled, suddenly wondering why he was so interested. “Yes, I did. But Newt-” he cuts you off. He grimaces, “So I guess you and Theseus are seeing each other now?” He looks pained. “Newt why are you asking me this?” your voice rises in curiosity. Newt’s hand curls into a fist and he huffs, “No reason. Just making friendly conversation. With my friend.” You raise your eyebrows at him. “Is that why you were waiting in my bedroom for me to come back from drinks with your brother?” you ask. Newt’s voice rises defensively, “I just wanted to know how it went!” It was unlike Newt, to act this way. It was almost as if he was…. Jealous? You prod him further, “Newt why were you so upset at the grave earlier?” Newt struggles to form words. You look pleadingly at him, begging with your eyes for him to tell you what on earth is going on. His own eyes swam with emotion, and you could feel him teetering on the edge of a confession. “Newt?” your voice calls to him like a prayer. Then, he answers you. 

“I was upset earlier because of the way Theseus was comforting you,” he bursts out. Your heart thumps wildly in your chesty as you continue, “Why?” Newt’s emotions spill over and he confesses teary eyed, “Because I wanted to comfort you that way alright! I wanted to be the one to hold you and wipe away your tears. You’re my best friend y/n, my closest companion. But I want more than that. I’ve always wanted more than that. The truth is is that I have loved you for a long time now.” Tears drip down your own cheeks as your heart stops, listening to this confessional. He continues, pained, “But then my brother had to go and ask you out. And now I missed my chance. I blew it. I’m sorry y/n.” 

What feels like an eternity of silence passed between the two of you. Newt goes to leave, walking past you, but you stop him, grabbing his sleeve. You whisper barely audible, “Maybe you didn’t blow your chance Newt.” His head whips around to face you. “What did you say?” he searches your eyes desperately. You repeat yourself louder, “You didn’t miss your chance Newt. You didn’t.” His eyes widen and he chokes out, “I didn’t?” You shake your head and whimper, “I love you Newt. I always have.” 

Heat fills the room as Newt closes the space between the two of you. He grabs you by the waist and passionately pulls you into him. His lips meet yours in a loving embrace fireworks flutter behind your closed eyes. Your hands wind their way through his cinnamon curls and you smile into his lips. Newt only pulls away when he’s run out of air. “Y/n I love you,” Newt breathes lightly into your face. “I love you too Newt,” you beam back at him. His forehead rests on your own and Newt holds you close to him, something he’d been longing to do since he was ten years old. You stay like that for awhile. 

“If this trip home has taught me anything, it’s that life is short,” you whisper after some time. “Yes, that it is,” Newt agrees. “It took us nearly 20 years to get together Newt. But I can’t be apart from you. Not now, not ever,” you say decisively. Newt’s breath hitches in his throat, “Y/n what are you saying?” In that moment, hearing the hope in his voice, your decision was clear. Responding, you echo his heart’s desire, “Newt. I’m not going back to Australia. I’m staying here with you.” He smiles the widest smile you have ever seen and asks eagerly, “Is that truly what you want?” You nod brightly, “Of course it is. I can get traded to a team near here. I want to be with you my love.” He chokes on his emotion, “Darling that is music to my ears.” 

The next day, you break the news to Theseus that you were with Newt. Of course, ever the dutiful older brother, Theseus graciously accepts this outcome and even says that he is happy for you. “You really mean that Thes?” you ask him, Newt trailing behind you. Theseus shuffles his feet on your porch and says, “Yes, I mean it. I’m not oblivious. I’ve always seen the way you two look at each other. I knew it was inevitable, but hell, a man can try can’t he?” You chuckle, “Thanks Theseus. Means a lot.” Newt adds, “Yes thank you brother. Truly.” Theseus nods and bids the two of you goodbye. 

Sitting on the porch swing with your new love, you sigh in contentment and lean your head on his shoulder. “Happy darling?” he asks you. You respond, “The happiest my love. It’s just you and me. From now until forever.” He presses his lips to your forehead and tells you, “That’s all I’ve ever wanted. You’re all I’ve ever wanted.” You smile at his comment and sigh, “And you’re everything I’ve needed.” Glancing up at him, you plant a firm kiss to his lips and say, “Grow old with me Newt. My life’s only complete with you in it.” He answers, “I can imagine us sitting here, visiting your mom, with our babies. I want that life for us. I want to grow old with you.” His response makes your heart soar. “We’ll be together, for the rest of our days,” you grin at him. “The rest of our days,” he echoes your thoughts and his heart’s desires. You snuggle deeper into his side and he wraps an arm around your shoulder even tighter, relishing in the fact that you were finally together. 

[hsfddlksdnf]

Baby Christmas Clothes | Lulu babe

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Singer-Songwriter-Survivor Ngaiire On Motherhood, Music + Building From The Rubble

Singer-Songwriter-Survivor Ngaiire On Motherhood, Music + Building From The Rubble

Family

Ashe Davenport

Singer-songwriter Ngaiire her three-year-old son, Dovey. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files.

Ngaiire really embraced the concept of self-care during the pandemic. ‘I pretty much live and breathe my work. But then COVID hit, and I started to see the value of creating little nooks around the house, to read in and be still,’ she says. This corner is one of them. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files.

Ngaiire’s mum (who lives with them in their house on the Central Coast!) made Ngaiire and Dovey’s INCREDIBLE matching outfits from Spotlight fabrics. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files.

During a period of intense trauma and turbulence in Ngaiire’s adolescence, she found solace in her mum’s CD collection, which featured Mariah Carey, Bob Marley and Alicia Keys. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files.

‘Every day I worry, “Am I doing too much work and (giving) too much energy for my music and not enough with him?” The balancing can be agonising!’ says Ngaiire. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files.

Ngaiire is a design and architecture obsessive! Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files.

‘I never imagined that, despite how traumatic my birthing story was, the miracle of becoming a mother literally plugged me into a creative life source I never knew I could access. (It) felt like a tap had been turned on, and the parameters of my creativity broadened. The irony of having your motivation to create triple (while) having your energy levels completely diminished at the same time can feel like a cruel joke!’ Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files.

Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files.

Up until recently, Dovey’s favourite song was the Harry Styles banger ‘Adore You’. Now, it’s ‘Boogie Wonderland’ by Earth, Wind & Fire. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files.

Ummmmm, how beautiful is the fam’s Central Coast pad?! Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files.

‘The times Dovey has seen me sing he gets very still, which is great, because he’s never that still unless he’s asleep! It’s like he understands something special is happening,’ says Ngaiire. Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files.

Ngaiire and Dovey’s lockdown activity was planting seedlings. Dovey’s now seen a full year of crops grow! Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files.

Like mother, like son! Photo – Alisha Gore for The Design Files.

Life has tried to pull Ngaiire under on multiple occasions. At three-years-old she was diagnosed with cancer of her adrenal glands. She’s spoken about the friends she made on the oncology ward, and sung for the ones she lost. At age 12, in her homeland of Papua New Guinea, Ngaiire survived a volcanic eruption that covered her house in ash and separated her from her mother for several months. 

‘Aren’t you supposed to be dead?’ 

The question was asked by her nephew in a dream that would become the basis for her song ‘Once’ (track two on her hit 2016 album Blastoma). In the music video, Ngaiire travels through the carriages of a moving train, each one representing a chapter of her life. In some she’s being pulled at, stripped, hospital-gowned. In others she is fluid, in charge and perfectly synchronised. 

She’s risen from the ashes again and again, caped in fuchsia and gold.

This is an edited and condensed version of our conversation, which wasn’t so much about where she’s been, but where she is now, safe in the home she built from the rubble.

Can you please tell me everything about this outfit? 

When I found out Nadav and I would be doing this shoot, I died. I’m a lowkey hard out nerd for design and architecture. I’ll sadly admit that Design Files is probably one of my top 3 most visited IGs daily. I’m OBSESSED. 

When I got the news, I immediately sketched up two outfits for Nadav and I, went to Spotlight to get some fabric, then commissioned my mother (who is currently living with us) to sew them. Mum’s been [making my clothes] for decades, so it wasn’t our first rodeo. It helped that she’d already set up a mini sewing factory downstairs for our little toddler clothing label, Dovey Nero, which we’ve been slowly building and taking our time testing the market with. What Dovey is wearing is a little taste of what we’re currently working on. 

What’s it like sharing so much of your story in your music? 

Being a singer, my whole instrument is very much connected to how I’m feeling and what might’ve happened to me that morning or that week. When you’re working in an office, you’re expected to leave your personal issues at the door. But when it comes to music, it’s about finding that balance, and utilising your emotional backlog to tell a story. The wonder of songwriting is that your story becomes someone else’s anchor, or road map, to joy, relief or even salvation. 

How do you manage all of that emotional expense? Are you drained AF?

I don’t know how I manage it. It can be really taxing, especially being a mama. I have a three-year-old, which can be a lot, both physically and emotionally. Every day I worry, am I doing too much work and (giving) too much energy for my music and not enough with him? The balancing can be agonising! 

How do you get out of the working parent guilt loop? Is there something you do that’s just yours? 

I pretty much live and breathe my work. But then COVID hit, and I started to see the value of creating little nooks around the house, to read in and be still. It takes me forever to get through a book these days, but if I can just steal 5-10 minutes, read some literature, even just look out the window at the bush we live behind. The concept of self-care is something I’ve definitely come to understand more during the pandemic. 

How does the parenting load get divided in your house? 

My husband’s carrying a lot of the load right now. He’s a designer by trade and his workload varies. It’s amazing that it’s worked out the way it has, with me having such a big work year ahead. He’s doing most of the parenting while I release this album.

In terms of what daycare days look like, I mean, we always swear to wake up earlier to drop Nadav and start our work days, but it’s really hard sometimes. Especially if he wakes up a few times at night and you just want to doze that little bit longer! 

How does motherhood compare to your expectations of it?

It met ZERO of my expectations! In fact it surpassed any idea I possibly had of how hard, but also how rewarding and life-altering it would be. It elevated the respect I had for myself as someone who was (able) to bring life into the world.

Being a sickly child, my chances of getting pregnant were considered low. I never imagined that despite how traumatic my birthing story was, the miracle of becoming a mother literally plugged me into a creative life source I never knew I could access. (It) felt like a tap had been turned on, and the parameters of my creativity broadened.

The irony of having your motivation to create triple (while) having your energy levels completely diminished at the same time can feel like a cruel joke!

How does Nadav respond to your music? 

Singing is a deeply spiritual thing for me. It connects me to something that not a lot of people have access to, and we as artists kind of become the conduits for that for our audience.

The times Dovey has seen me sing he gets very still, which is great, because he’s never that still unless he’s asleep! It’s like he understands something special is happening.  I have no idea what he’s taking in, but based on what I get from music, I can only assume he’s taking on a multitude of information. Maybe on some level he’s understanding how the world works. How to relate to people, and how deep that connection can be. 

What messages do you hope a grown up Nadav will take from your songs?

I want him to grow up feeling like he can do anything he wants to do in this life, whether it’s music or something else completely opposite. I hope he always stays in touch with that reverence for music and that he knows that he is very privileged to be able to ingest it in a way that not a lot of kids are afforded. I hope he also still feels like I’m around for him through my songs even when I’ve passed on. And that I did the best I could despite my challenges so he (could) too. 

Did you find that deeper level through music or did you already know about it and that’s what led you to music? 

Before I’d hit 12 or 13, I’d been through so many huge life traumas. I had cancer, and my family lost their property and all their belongings to a major volcanic eruption. We were living in the bush, separated from my Mum for a fair while. She was looking for us frantically, but couldn’t contact us because everything was down, the phone lines, everything. She reached us through emergency announcements over AM radio, which a relative luckily caught (wind) of. The organisation she’d been working for chartered a plane, which landed in a nearby clearing and zipped us out of there to the mainland. Shortly after that, my mother found herself in an abusive second marriage, which was pretty traumatising for us, but 100% more so for her.

At that point in my life, I found solace in Mum’s CD collection. I’d listen to Mariah Carey on repeat, memorising every word from inside the cassette cover, and anything else (from) Bob Marley to Deep Forest (laughs). When we moved to Australia, I took up music at school. I sang ‘Fallin’ by Alicia Keys in front of the school assembly, (which) was a big moment. From that point, I understood I had something that affected people a certain way, beyond the noises that came out of my mouth. I knew I had to continue chasing music.

What can we expect from your upcoming album? What does it represent for you?

It’s an actual journey, not in a cliché way, but in that every song on it serves as an integral part of the sonic trajectory. You appreciate each song more if you hear them in context of the whole body of work, and I think that’s the beauty of what Jack Grace (my co-producer) and I are good at doing as a team – making music that breathes as a complete organism as it does individually. 

The album represents a whole life cycle for me. I started the album off the back of touring the last one (Blastoma) – before I got hitched and before I got knocked up (laughs). It was an attempt to present my Papua New Guinean heritage in a new light, so that I could feel more understood within my industry – something I never fully felt. Little did I know that the whole process, 4 years on, would propel me through a maze of re-discovery of who I really am and who I want to be. I care less about what people think a Papua New Guinean woman should be within an western context now then when I first started this project, because that’s everyone else’s problem. This record has become a celebratory affair of my love for PNG, people and myself. And at the end of the day, that’s what motivates people to make the decisions (throughout) their lives. 

FAMILY FAVOURITES

Favourite cafe?

Like Minds in Avoca

Weekend away?

It hadn’t really been a thing for us. We used to have accidental getaways through my work. So before COVID hit, we’d all get to hang out interstate if I had shows. Now we bush walk in places like Maitland Bay or the Pink Caves up the coast.

Rainy day activity?

We raised a lot of seedlings during lockdown to plant in the garden. Dovey got really good at planting seeds inside, where it’s prime seedling growing heat. He’s seen a full year of crops already, which is pretty cool.

Most played song?

Until recently it was Harry Styles, ‘Adore You’. Dovey requested it ALL. THE. TIME. But now it’s moved to ‘Boogie Wonderland’ by Earth, Wind & Fire.

Sunday morning ritual?

Not so much Sundays. Fridays are really our thing, when we do Shabbat. It’s the moment we get to bookend the week together, unplug, drink some wine, eat. Dovey helps to bake the challah. He’s getting pretty good at plaiting it!

New music by Ngaiire is coming in May. Her current tour dates are: May 28th at Corner Hotel in Melbourne; June 5th at The Zo in Brisbane; and June 12th at Factory Theatre in Sydney. Tickets can be booked here.

[terkaznebes]

These days

Goddamnit I didn’t imagine that I would spend the last year of my twenties in quarantine. I wanted to drink coffee, read books, cancel plans and do nothing out of my own will! 

Did the last few years go too fast or what? I know that thirty is the new twenty (surely some people somewhere have said it, at least some insta influencers, I would bet my morning filter on this), but it’s still kind of scary, no not scary… what’s the right word? Annoying, yes it’s just plain annoying. It has nothing to do with where I wanted to be/what I wanted to have at this age, it’s more like where the hell is my great butt and why god oh why am I getting sun spots and that in between the eyebrows wrinkle? I was aware of this wrinkle at an early age. I still remember this conversation with my best friend: 

Me: “I am worried about my in between the eyebrows wrinkle.”

Her: “Like she won’t go to college or what?” 

Despite all the necessary precautions like staying away from the sun, moisturising, adopting the resting bitch face, always wearing sunglasses, that sneaky frown line still made an appearance.

Jokes aside, things are getting serious when you are nearing thirty. (I can already see my fifty year old self laughing at this, nearly spilling my afternoon whisky somewhere in the future.) 

In this past year I have had so many real adult experiences, (yet somehow the teenager within still laughed at the phrase “adult experience”), like picking up my child from kinder-garden, leaving the office on time so I could pick up my child from kinder-garden…I know it sounds like the same thing, but honestly those were two very different feelings and emotions. We also started a long distance house renovation. I can now say grown up things like: We are just putting up the roof. Or: The architects have completed the study, do you want to see it? 

My absolute favourite thing that came with adulting is the good quality of sustenance. I am so happy that we drink the good wine, the good coffee, the good whiskey and eat all the good food. Mind you, I don’t think I could handle a shitty wine hangover anymore. I need to function at 5AM most days, some days at 4.40AM and some blissful, scarce and wonderful mornings, I don’t have to open my eyes until 5.30AM. Aaah motherhood. So when choosing to go for a run or do nothing during the first nap time, it takes ALL the will and effort to put the sneakers on. I did it today though. My knee hurt a little. I am now that person who runs on that grassy patch to alleviate the impact on the concrete. I know, I know to be concerned with vanity and ageing in the time of corona. However if I can’t make fun of things anymore, that’s when there’s no point in living. I wake up every day knowing very well that I have no real problems in life, I appreciate it by being a compassionate and hopefully a kind person to those around me. 

I was supposed to be at a yoga retreat right now with Dominika. For the first time since Josefina was born, I was supposed to have four days just to myself. I remember that even when I was at uni writing my dissertation and studying for my finals, training for a half marathon, working night shifts and fundraising for Childreach, I still had a day every now and then that was just for me and for my books. I really miss those recharge days. 

Gold Coast is the perfect place to raise a child in, the weather is awesome all the time, you barely have to dress them, the veggies and fruit is always fresh and in abundance and there’s a ridiculous amount of young mums that you can hang out with. However being so far away from family sucks in this instance. I would love to just drop Josie off at grandma’s for the weekend. Don’t ever underestimate the value of having people you can trust around you. I think that’s the one downside of living in Australia. It’s all fun and games when you are just a rebel twenty-five year old, but at twenty-nine, it’s serious business. I am kidding of course, but having a kid sure does change things from that perspective. 

Despite the situation in the world (and the politics in homeland), I am actually going through a really blissful time in my life. Josie is so much more fun now that she’s progressed to toddler level. Lukas is working from home and we are like the best family unit I know. I know it is taking a worldwide toll, but when are you going to get this time to truly bond with the ones closest to you? We are taking it as a fantastic opportunity to talk, take walks, spend time on the beach, drink more than we should, plan the future and more adult experiences hahahaha. Lukas also completed a great deal of DYI and just proved to me even more that I chose the right mate for life. We will probably have to postpone our wedding, which sucks, but thanks to quarantine drinking and no yoga routine, I probably won’t fit my wedding dress anymore so just as well. I am hope everyone is staying safe. 

[thisdaynews]

Oksana Masters: Paralympic champion on Chernobyl, Tokyo 2020 and upbringing in Ukraine

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/oksana-masters-paralympic-champion-on-chernobyl-tokyo-2020-and-upbringing-in-ukraine/

Oksana Masters: Paralympic champion on Chernobyl, Tokyo 2020 and upbringing in Ukraine

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Oksana Masters

Standing on a podium by Russia’s Black Sea coast, Oksana Masters felt a surge of pride as the anthems played. It wasn’t her first Paralympic medal, but this one was extra special.

She had just won cross country skiing silver at the Sochi Winter Games of 2014. As she held her prize, the flag of neighbouring Ukraine was raised for the winner, Lyudmila Pavlenko. Masters was herself born in Ukraine in 1989, three years after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster. She was born with severe physical defects caused by exposure to radiation.

In Sochi she was competing for the USA, the country where she grew up, an adopted child raised by a single mother. Returning to somewhere so close to the country of her birth had been a big motivation for qualifying to compete in Russia.

“It was kind of coming full circle,” she says. “It wasn’t my gold-medal moment, but it sure felt like it.”

Oksana’s moment would come. Four years later, two of the five medals she won at Pyeongchang 2018 were gold. And this year she will be competing on the Paralympic stage for a fifth time – at the summer Games of Tokyo 2020.

It will be another chapter in the remarkable life story Oksana shared with BBC World Service. A story that begins in the Ukrainian orphanage that was her home until the age of seven.

Masters says she and her mother “faced many unknowns together”

I have good and bad memories. I remember fields of sunflowers. I don’t know if it was because I was tiny but they seemed massive. There was also a plum tree and we didn’t get a lot of food so we would steal plums and pick seeds off the sunflowers.

Whenever I see sunflowers now, it’s a good memory because what you read about eastern European orphanages is pretty accurate. I definitely remember the really, really sharp pain in your stomach from being hungry all the time.

Right from birth I was put up for adoption. I was born with six toes, I was missing the main weight-bearing bones in my legs, my knees were floating – they weren’t supported by anything. My hands were webbed; I was born with five fingers, without thumbs. I don’t have a right bicep, I’m missing some organs. I have one kidney and don’t have any enamel on my teeth. When I came to America I found out that the only thing that can strip enamel before birth is radiation.

They linked it to Chernobyl because I was really not that far from there, and the fact that radiation levels continued to rise years after the explosion. It definitely lingered on years later to when I was born. There was also a power plant in the village of the orphanage that would go off frequently. Whenever the radiation was high there was this one cop who would drive round and tell us to board up the windows and doors, not to go out.

I’ve just finished watching the TV series Chernobyl. I knew parts of it. I knew that things went on behind the scenes to cover up the magnitude of it. It’s sad that it took away so many lives and homes. That part of the country will never be the same.

I don’t want to say I was a product of it but, out of something horrific, it’s about how you can see the potential and possibilities – like becoming an athlete – instead of dwelling on it.

Masters has grown up to compete at four Paralympics – with Tokyo 2020 set to be her fifth

When I was five I was called into the director’s office and they said: “We have a picture to show you – this is going to be your new mum.” When I saw her face, she had the warmest eyes and warmest smile.

She’d never met me. She made her adoption choice on a picture of me. Every day until she came to the orphanage I would ask the director: “Can I look at my mum?”

Sometimes, if I wasn’t good – because I was a troublemaker – then the director would use it against me and be like: “You can’t look at the picture today. You’re a bad girl. This is why she’s not coming, because you don’t listen.” Because the process took two years I started to believe that. But her picture kept me going.

She fought for me for two years, and then she came and saw the situation I was living in. When she walked in the hallway there were people chipping away at the ice on the floor because the radiators had frozen.

Masters’ adoptive mother, a professor at the University at Buffalo in New York state, knew that her daughter’s left leg would have to be amputated. She had the operation at the age of nine, after moving to the US. In 2001, Masters’ mother moved the family after taking a new position at the University of Louisville, Kentucky. A year later Masters became a double amputee.

In an Instagram caption to this picture, Masters wrote: “Mom, no words will ever come close to describe how much I love you and how amazing you are. I cherish this picture of us so much and your smile is all I need to feel complete and loved.”

I didn’t know I was different until I came to America. It was only then I realised that everything I had experienced was not normal.

I was diagnosed with ‘failure to thrive’ – basically starving to death. When I turned eight, I was 34 inches tall and weighed 36 pounds – that’s a pretty healthy three-year-old here in the US! I had to wear toddler-sized clothes for my first couple of years.

Now that we’re older and we can talk about her experience, I respect how hard it was for my mum. It was nearly impossible for a single parent to adopt. She had to do multiple psychiatric tests, with people asking ‘why are you single? What’s wrong with you? Where’s your husband?’

I didn’t realise all the struggles that go into adoption. I can’t imagine how she faced that before she came across and met me for the first time. It shows her strength and her pure heart. Any parent who adopts kids is a pure gift but my mum doing it on her own is on a whole new level.

She knew my left leg had to go – it was six or seven inches shorter – so it was amputated when I was nine. That was hard but it was harder when I was 13 and the doctors told me they couldn’t save my right leg.

For the longest time, I wasn’t ready, because I knew what I was missing after the first amputation. I knew how limited things became for me. But the pain in my right leg had become unbearable and I said ‘OK, I’m ready, under one condition – I can keep my knee’.

A lot of people don’t realise that amputees aren’t all the same. Your leg has an ankle and knee – two joints – so I didn’t want to be missing four joints.

They said that was OK but right before I went on the operating table they said ‘we’re going to amputate above the knee’. I was so sedated I didn’t know what was going on, but I will never forget that feeling of waking up in hospital. I tried to get up but didn’t have that leverage from my legs anymore and fell backwards. That was really hard. Honestly, I still have a bit of frustration and anger about that.

In the end, it was to avoid having more surgeries down the line but it was weird because I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye to that leg because I didn’t know I’d be missing all of it.

Oksana also had multiple surgeries to both hands and began adaptive rowing in 2002. She would go on to win Paralympic bronze in 2012 – her first medal – partnering Rob Jones in the mixed double sculls. For Sochi 2014, she switched to cross country skiing.

Masters celebrates her first Paraylmpic gold medal at the 2018 Winter Games – she won both the 1.5km sprint classic sitting and 5km sitting events in cross country skiing

The first person that mentioned the Paralympics and racing internationally was Randy Mills [Louisville adaptive rowing club’s programme director]. I’m so competitive, I hate to lose, and he saw that. All I needed was that fitness guidance to get to the next level.

I looked up the Paralympics in 2008 and I was like: ‘Oh my gosh, this is so cool!’ I didn’t have a visual of someone that is like me, missing both legs, but racing for the USA at a high level. It took until London 2012 for me to realise: ‘I belong here.’ Then I dedicated everything to it.

Before those Games, Masters posed nude for ESPN’s Body Issue.

I struggled a lot with my self-confidence as a girl. It’s the end of the world if you’re having a bad hair day or you have a pimple on your face for school picture day, let alone if you have prosthetic legs and hands that are hard to cover up.

Masters will be completing in the cycling events at the Tokyo Paralympics this summer

Then society has put this label on you, even though you don’t see yourself as ‘disabled’. That’s something that’s put on you.

I don’t want the next generation of young girls and kids to grow up not having that person to look up to and want to aspire to. Every kid had a picture of Michael Jordan on their wall. Why can’t it be a normal thing for that to be someone who has had an accident or was born with a disability? I don’t want to say that because it’s not a ‘disability’. That’s just a term society as a whole has put over everybody that looks different.

I believe that seeing is believing and the more times you see the Paralympics or a Para-athlete, the more normal it’s going to become to the person that doesn’t know what it is. It’s really cool to watch that growth.

Masters won a bronze and silver medal at Sochi 2014 – both in cross country skiing. Four years later at Pyeongchang 2018 she won her first gold. At those Games, she and her partner Aaron Pike became four-time Paralympians. Now, Masters has reverted to cycling for Tokyo 2020, having just missed out on a medal at Rio 2016.

Aaron’s such a patient person. I don’t know how anyone can deal with my chaos. We started skiing together at the same time and spend the whole winter together so we push each other in training.

He’ll get me on the downhills but I’m like ‘haha, see ya’ on the uphills because I climb faster than him. We can’t switch off the competitive switch. If we play Monopoly and you’re winning, it’s not going to be a good experience for you!

But having someone like Aaron there is great on the training days when you’re finding every excuse to not want to be there. You look over and it’s your best friend, your partner, your team-mate. He’s not just a great boyfriend. He has the same amount of genuine want for other people to do well and shares it with the team.

At Tokyo, the main goal is to win both of my events in the road race and time trial. In Rio I had limited time to really prepare because I was still spending my season nordic skiing and I transitioned within a few months.

I definitely have unfinished business going into Tokyo.

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[stephanielyon88music]

BITE THE BULLET AND JUST BE BRAVE: AN INTERVIEW WITH THE GOLDHEARTS TRACEY KICK

~ By Stephanie Lyon

The nineties is one of my favourite decades of music (right behind noughties pop punk) for me the nineties is childhood nostalgia... I like to think my mum helped shape my love of 90’s music. I was a toddler at the beginning of the decade and my mum would put me to bed; turning on the radio as she left the room. Turning the music of the nineties into my lullaby. For a while now, I’ve been craving the nineties sound and fortunately Gold Coast indie rock band The Goldhearts orbited onto my radar with their new EP ‘Be Strong,Be Bold, Be Brave.’ It’s modern rock with everything we loved about 90’s music. The hooks you can’t help but sing along too, down to earth lyrics regarding everyday life we can all relate too, and rhythms and beats you want to move too no matter your mood. Not surprisingly The GOLDHEARTS nail the 90’s vibe though, the band is founded by members of 90’s Brisbane band ‘Dream Poppies’ and a little ‘Razel.’

I recently chatted with Goldhearts guitarist Tracey Kick about the 90’s era, how the music industry has changed over the last couple of decades, and the new EP ‘Be Strong, Be Bold, Be Brave.’

“For me...the guitarist... it’s the guitar sounds of course and the plethora of bands with female role models through the burgeoning Riot Grrl movement but also in the UK and here in Australia. We loved and were influenced by many bands: The Breeders, Sleater Kinney, Hole, Throwing Muses, The Primitives, Lush, Darling Buds, Elastica, Veruca Salt and the list goes on.” Tracey replies when I ask about her favourite aspects of the 90’s era.

“Yes a bit different in a range of ways. Music is far more accessible now. You can get airplay all over the world. It is definitely harder to break through though as there is so much music out there. Gigs pay less, fewer punters come out to live shows. I think the festival business has changed the way punters look at music - they are spoiled for choice and save up for those events.” Tracey says when I ask about how the music industry has changed since the 90’s.

“This EP is very much about resilience and the ups and downs of life but in a way it’s also a celebration of what we have achieved as a band since 2015. It's hard to gain momentum and build a live audience despite having had significant airplay here and overseas. There’s also an element of being indie music survivors - it’s a hard slog but we love it nonetheless.” Tracey answers when I ask how when I ask how the band decided on the name ‘Be Strong, Be Bold, Be Brave.’

“Margy writes our songs and draws inspiration from everyday life. What she goes through and what we as band have going on in our personal and work lives.” Tracey responds when I ask where they draw their inspiration from throughout the writing process.

“Margy brings the songs she has written to the band and we jam on them to build structure and refine the feel and instrumentation. It depends on how mature the song is at the time of bringing - sometimes we will rework or write a new middle eight, other times we play along and it already works.” Tracey explains when I ask about their creative process.

“For me it’s "Run Down". We all had a period in the middle of the year where we had some real struggles personally and it’s very uplifting to play as well as really fun.” Tracey says when I ask about her favourite song on ‘Be Strong, Be Bold, Be Brave.’

‘Be Brave’ is standing up and putting one foot in front of the other in the face of adversity. ‘Run Down’ is finding the motivation to get back on track to where you want to be... kind of where I am right now. 2020 is bringing change... well hopefully. ‘Road To Roam’ brings forth memories of road trips but it’s also finding comfort not knowing quite where the journey of your life will take you. ‘Stars’ is finding your light again and moving on. ‘Fall From Grace’ is the tale of a troubled relationship we can all relate too. I’m definitely adding this EP to my novel writing playlist on Spotify.. ‘Be Strong, Be Bold, Be Brave’ it’s uplifting, it’s inspiring, it’s real.

“Thanks for your support - find our music on your favourite digital service and come and see a live show!” Tracey adds.

[russianspy24]

Devils in the Windy City - Chapter 6

Summary: Elijah travels to Chicago, led by a vague prophecy about a girl who could be the Mikaelson family’s salvation. Klaus soon confronts him, and later Rebekah is drawn into another case of family drama. However, this trip to the Windy City turns out to be longer than a short stint. The Mikaelsons discover that their lives may change forever. Including every other vampire’s.

Word Count: 5,024

Author’s Note: This story is posted on FF.net and AO3, and since I’m on Tumblr, decided to post it here. ‘Bout time I’d say. Hopefully you read and enjoy!

Warnings: Rated M

Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

Chapter 6: Mum’s the Word

The sun was setting. It was a beautiful sight. The skyscrapers of downtown, the direction in which they were walking, were silhouetted with a deep orange. The light glinted off cars that sped down Lake Shore Drive. The lake itself was darkening, but the rays hadn’t disappeared just yet, so Niklaus still had his sunglasses on, a pair of classic wayfarers. He and Elijah were strolling along the lakeshore path. Bicyclists and joggers passed them on the left.

“I’ve got an idea,” Klaus began dramatically and didn’t wait for his brother to prompt him to go ahead, “Why don’t I book a redeye flight to Los Angeles and pay a visit to the little psychic boy, snap his neck, and you take care of the witch? Or, you can wait for me, and I can help you since there’s her werewolf roomie to deal with, too. At least, you and I will get some fun out of it.”

Elijah had ended up telling his brother most of everything. The cat was out of the bag, so to speak. Klaus had left him with no choice after he’d showed up by Liza’s apartment.

“We will do no such thing,” Elijah said sternly.

“It seems to be the best solution,” Klaus argued.

“It is not. Absolutely not. You will kill no one. We will kill no one.”

“Witches and their prophecies. They never go right, ‘specially when our family is concerned, so the best thing to do is get rid of the prophets. Have you learned nothing over the years? This is how you deal with them, Elijah.”

Elijah hardened his voice like the scolding older brother that he was. “That boy is innocent. He was just delivering a message. Killing does not get rid of it. In fact, all that killing will accomplish is setting the spirit off—and it’s a witch’s spirit, no less.”  

Klaus rolled his eyes, which then followed a fit, young woman who was jogging past them. She had a nice, tight ass, even though he didn’t comment on it. “So, what do you propose we do?”

“What I wanted to do was monitor the situation—to do things my way. And you know, this wasn’t really a prophecy. There were no eloquently written words, as there usually are. It was just a message, which connected this girl to our family.”

“Right, which involves me, brother. And Rebekah. How long did you plan on keeping this from us?”

It was Elijah’s turn to roll his eyes. “As long as I saw fit—until I knew more about it.”

Klaus turned a glare on him. Elijah ignored it. “You had no right.”

“Well, now you know, Niklaus. I don’t want to argue about this. If you were a more rational person, I would’ve probably included you in on this from the start. But alas, all of your actions in the past have proven otherwise. You don’t think before you act.”

“I don’t need an analysis of my personality,” Klaus snapped.

“Then don’t ask me why, if you already know the reason,” Elijah said coolly.

Klaus was silent for a long moment, his fists clenched at his sides. He watched the people around them through his shaded glasses, looking from a pair of adults and their toddler, who was running across the grass, giggling; to an elderly couple on a stroll, hand in hand. How cute. A group of bicyclers passed. The momentary distraction of listening to heartbeats and pumping blood at various rates helped calm him, seemingly. Elijah indulged his brother’s silence as long as Klaus needed it in order for his mood to level out.

“Perhaps one of us knew this girl’s grandmother at some point,” he suggested eventually.

Elijah answered in stride. “I’ve thought of that, but I did not recognize her name,” the older brother said. “No witches from the Soviet Union jog my memory. What about you?”

“I’ve only spent time in the satellite states—and Moscow, of course. And after the fall, it was a clusterfuck.” Klaus smirked at the memories of the time he had spent in the early 90s. “Perfectly chaotic. Humans, reveling in new-found freedom, made their blood taste especially...ripe.”

“I meant during the height of the Soviet Union,” Elijah clarified.

Klaus glanced at him. “No. I tried to avoid post-war Russia. The scenery was quite boring...and I don’t like military regimes.”

“So, nothing jogs your memory either.”

“No, I suppose not,” Klaus said indifferently. He stopped all of a sudden, looking at something across the grass. Elijah followed his line of sight.

Klaus was looking at a group of people doing yoga, a group of twenty. Smirking, he watched. Elijah paused beside him but didn’t let his brother’s thoughts carry him away, thoughts which were morbid, more than likely.

“Are you going to meet with Marcel?”

“Later,” Klaus replied distractedly. The group switched to downward facing dog and he was fascinated. Yoga and the meditational arts were something that had never interested him, though. He didn’t have the temperament. But there were mostly women in the group. Their asses were in the air.

“I’ll join you,” Elijah said, watching him watch them. Instead of answering his older brother, Niklaus returned to their previous subject.

“So, if this girl has no idea what the spirit of her dead grandmother meant, then how will you go about finding out?”

Now, who looked like a stalker? The yoga enthusiasts switched to the cobra pose and those asses clenched up. They didn’t notice that they had an audience of one. Elijah resumed walking. Klaus had no choice but to follow him, albeit a few seconds behind. He caught up with several long strides, huffing impatiently.

Elijah answered once he was beside him again. “I don’t know yet, but I do know it entails keeping the girl alive.” He’d left out the part of the spirit’s message that had mentioned their family’s “salvation,” because he had no idea what to think of it and knowing Klaus—he would jump to his own conclusions. “Perhaps we need to find a way to contact the spirit again.”

“I was just about to suggest that, Elijah. Perhaps the girl herself can do a séance, and we can all sit in a circle and hold hands.”

“You’re being a smart aleck, Niklaus.”

Klaus spread his arms in a shrug, a hint of a smart-ass smile on his face. “I agree with you. Let’s go back and see the girl. Her bedtime isn’t in a couple hours, right?” He looked at his wristwatch.

Elijah dismissed the idea. “We are not going back tonight. Let’s go meet with Marcel. We’ll see the girl another day.”

Klaus deflated. “Why not tonight?”

“There is no immediate urgency,” Elijah answered simply.

Klaus hated when his ideas were shut down. “Do you not want to find out why our family should give a shit about this girl?” he questioned.

“We will bide our time and we will go about this rationally,” Elijah explained. He had to be patient. They had to be patient. He also didn’t want to rile Klaus up. Elijah wanted him to understand his reasoning. “I need her to trust me first, and right now, I am far from that goal.”

Klaus couldn’t help but turn sardonic. “She doesn’t trust you, Elijah? Why, this is a surprise. You’re usually good at building trust with humans. And you said you saved her from a couple of rapists, didn’t you?”

Elijah sighed. “Also, that same night, I had barged into her home, questioning her about her grandmother. Liza lost her a mere six months ago. Of course, she doesn’t trust me. And her roommate even less so.”

This perked Klaus back up, gave him an idea, which Elijah saw brewing behind his sunglasses. “See, that’s why you need me. The wolf girl. I should talk to her. I can get her to trust me. She’ll see that we’re…basically kin.”

“Not quite, Niklaus, and you know it.” A hybrid wasn’t the same as a werewolf.

“Ah, but I am handsome and charming.”

“Charming when you want to be,” Elijah emphasized. “Let’s cross to the other side through there.” He gestured to the pedestrian underpass they were approaching. They’d walked around the whole of Lincoln Park and were nearing the Gold Coast.

“Yes, and let’s get a cab,” Klaus agreed.

“I was thinking we’d walk to Marcel’s. It’s a beautiful evening, and downtown is magnificent at night.” Elijah loved his walks, he really did, and he couldn’t get enough of the city. Klaus, on the other hand, wasn’t a take-a-walk type. Walks didn’t exhaust him—he just didn’t like them. Plus, he was being difficult. And sight-seeing wasn’t his thing. He much preferred Europe, if he had to pick, like the city of Paris. He was very much a snob that way.

“I honestly don’t know why you like this city,” he groused when they entered the tunnel, which was lit by yellow bulbs. It was empty, save for a dog walker going in the same direction ahead of them.

“I don’t know why you don’t,” Elijah returned.

“Well, it’s the Midwest, first of all. I hate the Midwest.” Their voices echoed slightly.

“You should’ve been there at the World's Columbian Exposition. It took place here in 1893. It was a marvel. I was with Rebekah. She enjoyed it immensely with me.”

Klaus felt like he had to one-up his brother. “I was at the Exposition Universelle in Paris four years before that. The Eiffel Tower was its grand opening. I highly doubt this place had anything more impressive than that.”

Elijah didn’t fall into the trap of possible argument. Niklaus loved to argue. It was draining. “I’m not trying to compare which city is better, brother. I’m just explaining why I love Chicago.”

“Good for you,” Klaus said shortly. He just wanted to get to the other side of Lake Shore Drive.

“Rebekah and I met H.H. Holmes,” Elijah said lightly. “But the most exciting part was seeing all of the new inventions in action. You know, during the course of our long lives, we tend to miss the little details that might not seem so important in the moment. For instance, electricity was used to power the fair, did you know? And the “clasp locker” was first introduced.” Elijah could tell that his brother was tensing as Klaus quickened his pace, trudging ahead, and this was amusing, but Elijah kept his smile to himself. “That was the predecessor to the zipper, Niklaus.”

“How fascinating,” he said flatly.

“Many artists exhibited too,” Elijah said matter-of-factly.

There was one thing that had peeked Klaus’ attention. “Did you say you met H.H. Holmes? The murderer?”

Elijah pretended that it wasn’t such a big deal. “The serial killer, yes. What about him?”

Klaus looked back at him. “Did you kill him?”

“No,” Elijah said. “Why would we? It would’ve been too easy. We did give the human authorities a few leads on him, however.”

“It’s said that he killed more than 200 people, even though he confessed to killing 27,” Klaus said. He was a fan of serial killers. In a way, he was one himself, if he was in the mood. Naturally, humans who had a lust for blood and murder intrigued him. Sometimes, they even impressed him.

When they got out of the tunnel, he took his sunglasses off, put them on the edge of his collar, and shoved his hands into his pockets. Finally, something interesting to talk about. Elijah humored him.

“I always had a theory about Holmes,” Klaus was saying.

They made their way south. Cars on Lake Shore Drive whooshed past. The sun was almost set by now. The Gold Coast was a neighborhood filled with mansions, row houses, and high-rise apartments. It was historic and once compared to Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Elijah looked up, taking in the buildings as if for the first time, marveling at them, while Klaus explained his theory rather enthusiastically.

“I believe that he was the Whitechapel Murderer. Now, I had tried to find out who he was myself, at the time, to no avail. At first, I thought that he was like us, but the blood of his victims was never drained. He was without a doubt human. And I believe that I almost found him once. I chased a man across all of London. The bastard narrowly escaped on a boat that was headed toward America."

"You did? For your amusement or because you wanted to be helpful to the police?" Elijah said. Definitely not the latter.

Klaus went on. “I’m not the only one with this theory, you know. Many disprove it. But their shortcomings result from a lack of understanding the two men. Their killing styles were different, sure. The Ripper was a messy, unorganized. While Holmes was calculating and clever. But what I know about humans is that they are forever evolving, slowly, but evolving nonetheless. Perhaps it’s one of their few positive traits."

"Mm-hm," Elijah said, but he was listening. "Very true."

“The Ripper was able to evade capture, did he not?” Klaus didn’t actually want an answer, though his brother simply nodded. “He was even able to outrun me. Means he wasn’t a complete idiot. He could’ve very well gotten smarter."

“Interesting theory, Niklaus,” Elijah said. “Could be possible, perhaps.”

They continued walking. Klaus didn’t bring up flagging down a taxi. He enjoyed hearing himself talk, and he knew that Elijah was a good listener and would indulge him. And this way, Elijah got his walk, so it was a win-win.

###

“It seems that you’ve established yourself quite well here, Marcellus,” Klaus said, smirking. It was his way of expressing praise. He was impressed with his progeny’s new pad and position with the Chicago vampires, but he wasn’t going to say this straight out. Klaus also wasn’t sentimental, so when he saw Marcel that night for the first time in years, he’d gone for the mere clasp-on-the-shoulder. Marcel was a hugger. He’d been affectionate since he was a little boy.

It wasn’t that Klaus wasn’t happy to see his progeny, his “son.” He just didn’t get all emotional. Marcel, meanwhile, regaled him and Elijah with what he’d been doing in the city over a very fine scotch. They sat comfortably on the large, modern suede sectional before the large, floor to ceiling windows.

Marcel had a gorgeous view of River North. It was an area north of the loop, full of fine dining, galleries, and a lively nightlife. Tall buildings stood all around—boasting regional offices of companies such as Google, Yelp, and Motorola. Countless lights lit the streets outside.

The condo was modern and had two floors, a spiral staircase leading up. The walls and ceiling were white. The floor was a sleek, light brown wood, and the décor was very contemporary. Marcel was always more modern than the Mikaelsons. Sure, he appreciated the old world, but he was the one that stayed up to date with the times. He had the latest everything.

The kitchen and living area were connected, and other rooms branched off from them. There was a loft space upstairs with a glass railing, but the bedrooms were hidden. The wall behind Marcel had a massive collection of records. The opposite wall had a large flat screen and stereo system.

“I’ll go back to Nola eventually, but I’m going to enjoy my time here right now,” he was saying, his arms spread on the back of the couch.

The brothers were on the longer end of the sectional. Elijah sat with his knees crossed. Klaus was sitting somewhat like his progeny, completely relaxed, only with one arm on the couch, not both. Elijah didn’t seem too easily impressed, but that was fine with Marcel. He could tell that Klaus was proud.

“As I was telling Elijah the other day, Chicago runs like a well-oiled machine. There’s no curfew for the vampires, but there are strict no killing laws. Those that break them get punished accordingly, but honestly, if you follow them, you otherwise do whatever you want. Klaus, more scotch, my man?”

Obligingly, Marcel stood and reached for his maker’s now empty glass.

“Why thank you,” Klaus said.

“Elijah?” Marcel looked at the older Mikaelson.

“Still savoring this one. Thank you,” Elijah said as he glanced down at the bit of liquid bronze left in his glass. Marcel went around the couch to the bar tucked into the wall by the records.

“It’s good for a 30-year Macallan, huh?” He grinned at them both. Pouring Klaus a new glass, he went on. “So as I was saying, the vampires mind their own business, the weres mostly roam the suburbs, and the humans are in the know if they need to be. They got a helluva lot of their own issues to deal with. We stay away. If one of us intervenes, there’s got to be a good reason for it. Daylight rings are allowed. If you got ‘em, you got ‘em. If you don’t, you don’t.”

“What is it that you’re working on, Marcel?” Elijah inquired.

Marcel returned to them, handing Klaus his glass and sitting down with a refilled one of his own. He leaned forward, elbows on his knees, and eagerly answered the question. “Right now, we’re making sure the blood bank operation goes smoothly. It’s with LifeSource. The CMO is one of us, and so is the COO. Believe it or not, only 40% of the vampire population actually hunt in this city. There are plenty of willing donors, but a lot prefer blood bags nowadays.

“LifeSource gives the option of getting the blood without having to compel anyone at the local collection center too many times. Draws zero attention. The company provides free delivery to your home, or wherever you’re staying.”

“You’ve memorized the sales pitch,” Klaus teased with a chuckle, taking a sip. "Trying to sell to us?"

Marcel grinned and leaned back. “The council members—they wanted me to take over PR.” He also took a sip, looking carefully from brother to brother. “So I accepted the offer. I told them I’d stay for a couple years at least. A decade or so. Of course, I have to do well. But they like me here. They like how I’m with people.”

“You always were a smooth talker, Marcellus,” Klaus said with a faint air of affection. “But I always thought you had an interest in law.”

“Well, there are some similarities with PR. Strategy for one. Predicting outcomes, making sure all your bases are covered. And you know what, I like working with the public. I like being around people. Our kind. Doing some good.”

Klaus looked over at Elijah to see what he thought—Elijah listened, one eyebrow slightly raised—before looking back at Marcel. “I raised you well, didn’t I?” he said boastfully.

“You had some help,” Marcel said. His smile all the way up to his eyes, which looked at Elijah over the rim of his glass. Elijah nodded, his own dark eyes flitting over to Klaus. “Don’t give yourself all of the credit, Klaus,” Marcel said. “Your brother had a hand in it too.”

Klaus scowled dramatically. “Elijah gave you your schooling, while I made sure that your childhood was well rounded in other ways. Right, Marcel? Did I not? Who did you get your charisma from? Why, me, of course!” Marcel threw his head back and laughed, a warm laugh, compared to Klaus’ slightly maniacal one. “And all of those endless talks about life as I passed on my invaluable wisdom to you.”

“All right, all right,” Marcel conceded.

“Depends on your definition of wisdom, of course,” Elijah commented.

Klaus thumbed at him. “Imagine if it was he who raised you. You would’ve turned out to be smarter, sure, but what a prude you’d be!”

“Intelligence doesn’t make one a prude,” Elijah said pointedly. He finished his glass but simply held the glass in his lap.

“Hey, now, I’m smart. I did go to law school,” Marcel argued, chuckling. He was standing again, ever observant. “Let me get you that refill, Elijah.”

As he went about doing so, he listened to his maker.

“Of course, you are, my boy. What I mean to say is that I’m glad you turned out more like me and less like my boring brother,” Klaus said, a jab in his voice, directed to his brother, who shrugged it off his shoulders. Elijah's gaze drifting across the condo. Klaus liked to ball-bust at other’s expense—nothing new.

Marcel regarded them over his shoulder, at the bar, still smiling. He was an expressive man. Since he was much younger than them, he might’ve been more human than either them, mentally. But it was also his personality. He was honest and genuine. He certainly had an egotistical side as most vampires did, and could be quite vicious, but he also wasn’t bothered by showing his feelings.

“I missed you two. It’s been too long,” he said, returning with Elijah’s glass.

Klaus didn’t echo the sentiment, but he raised his own glass in a toast. “Far too long. Here’s to our unexpected reunion, my son.”

Elijah gave a somber nod. “It’s good to see you doing well, Marcel,” he said, sitting forward. He always carried himself unaffected, but Marcel knew his words were genuine.

Standing before them, Marcel held out his own glass to clink with theirs. “I hope you two stick around for a while.”

The three drank. After, Marcel decided to put on some music and went to the record player. As he did so, he changed the subject. “So, what is it that brings you guys to Chicago anyway? Elijah mentioned business.”

Elijah was quick to gloss over the answer. “Nothing important. Just some matters,” he said and stood. He wanted to see the view out the window and approached it, looking at the lights, the street below.

“Something like that,” Klaus added cryptically, and his gaze twinkled, mischievous. He reclined in his spot. “Really, I had no idea about these matters until earlier today,” he confessed.

Elijah’s back stiffened.

“My brother wasn’t going to tell me about them. I had to pry it out of him. Really, they concern me, too. The whole family, actually. Perhaps even you, Marcellus.”

Marcel had turned on some light blues, which he kept at a volume that would allow them to continue talking comfortably. He turned around, first looking at Elijah, who’d looked back at them, standing at the window, appearing absolutely disapproving; then Marcel looked at Klaus, who seemed like his diabolical self.

“It doesn’t concern him, Niklaus,” Elijah said, caution in his tone. Marcel knew it was serious when Elijah used Klaus’ full name. Marcel’s obsidian gaze bounced between them. He took a drink.

“What’s going on? Something serious?” he asked lightly.

“Potentially,” Klaus said.

Elijah had spoken over him. “No. Nothing to worry about, Marcel.”

Marcel spread his free hand as if to placate him. “Hey, if it’s not my business, that’s fine. Not trying to pry. I was just wondering what my adoptive family was up to.”

Klaus was encouraged by his words, however, much to Elijah’s chagrin. “Niklaus,” he started.

Klaus cut him off. “Elijah found himself a witch,” he explained brightly. “He’s been watching her for the better part of the week, as a matter of fact.” Marcel’s gaze jumped to Elijah, who scowled. Uh oh.

“This doesn’t involve him, Klaus.”

Klaus looked at his brother over the back of the couch. He stood up, then, facing him. “It could, Elijah. He’s family, after all. Besides, you said it yourself, you don’t know why she’s important to us. I say that Marcel should know. He could be of great help.”

Elijah’s hand was tight around his glass, not enough to break it, he wasn’t a drama queen, but his knuckles were white, and he was restraining himself. “Klaus, you simply cannot help but run your mouth.”

“Yes, so the cat’s out of the bag,” Klaus said smugly.

Marcel stepped toward them, his hand still raised, palm out. He didn’t want them fighting. He hadn’t done anything, but he was feeling culpable already. “Hey, I can keep a family secret. You know that. I won’t say anything to anyone.”

Elijah looked at him sharply. “Yes, I know, Marcel, but that’s beside the point. I told my brother that this is something I was handling. And since the situation isn’t clear yet, there was no reason to involve anyone else.” He slowly looked back at Klaus, his expression hard and reproachful. “He’s always had a fear of missing out. He simply cannot help it.”

“I think Marcel can help us,” Klaus repeated, raising his voice a few notches. The smile on his face turned tense as he approached his progeny and put an arm over his shoulders. “Perhaps not right this moment, but he’s got connections in this city now. Chicago is his playing field. We’re merely guests here.”

“I want you to feel at home,” Marcel assured him. Klaus kept looking at Elijah, trying to provoke him further.

“Come now, brother. Don’t be cross with me. You think I can’t keep my mouth shut, which may be true. In this case, I simply made an executive decision. It’s only fair, since you hadn’t been planning to tell me at all. Let’s let Marcel in on our little plan and tell him about the psychic boy and the spirit.”

“Psychic boy?” Marcel repeated.

Klaus turned his head, his arm still around him. “You watch television, don’t you? I haven’t got the time for it, but you must’ve heard of this lad. Apparently, he’s got quite the gift if he’s telling all manners of actors and celebrities their fortunes.”

Marcel drew his brows together. Elijah had turned away, raising a hand to his forehead, his index and thumb fingers pressed against respective temples. He needed a moment to compose himself. Klaus grated on the nerves. Half the day spent with him was already enough to bear.

“Are you talking about one of those reality shows?” Marcel clarified with a laugh.

“Yes, yes, those,” Klaus said, gesturing with his glass. “One of those real-life series.”

“Are you talking about….?” Marcel was thoughtful for a beat, grinning. “Are you talking about that kid? That ginger kid? What’s his name?”

Klaus didn’t know how he looked like, so he regarded Elijah, who didn’t answer. He was downright aggravated and avoided Klaus’ attention.

“Damn it. I can’t think of his name,” Marcel said. Klaus let him go, taking a swig.

“Benjamin Henry,” Elijah said at last, grudgingly.  

Marcel snapped his fingers. “That’s him. I love that kid. I saw some episodes. Like that one when he’s talking to the Kardashians.”

“Who?” Klaus asked, raising his eyebrows.

“You know. The Kardashians. As in “Keeping up with the Kardashians.””

Silence. It didn’t seem like it rang any bells with Klaus, so Marcel just waved his hand.

“Never mind. What’s Benjamin Henry got to do with you?”

And so Elijah was forced to tell him. Klaus wasn’t going to. He didn’t know the details. It was all up to his brother. Klaus sat back down on the couch, satisfied and triumphant, and Elijah remained standing and pacing. He began with the psychic boy and the spirit, explaining as levelly as he could, only wanting to explain this once. He left out details, which he hadn’t mention to Klaus, but Elijah said enough so that Marcel could wrap his mind around it.

Afterward, the bottle was almost finished. The young vampire spread his arms and said, “Let me know how I can help.”

[celebritiesworth-blog]

Celebrities Net Worth 2018

Celine Dion Net Worth is $800 million 

And who would have thought that child, that in five years she did at the wedding ceremony of his brother Michel, surprising all of his intonation capon that lays golden ovum would become one. Uvula happy where each be aware that arrives will be shovelfuls of money. A person must have expected things to bet, but neither his parents much, among other things, all delivered to the music so much as dreamers, wished so much at the moment to place the child on canonical singing lessons. Them anyway most of us to cultivate their jewel. Got a local "the old barrel " where every evening. it was a family member, such as the shy Celine. Last of fourteen children, Celine Marie Claudette Dion was born on 35. March 1968 in Charlemagne, a village near Montreal in Quebec. The real bells sing Celine Dion commences in 81 when logs "there? Tait expansive than rempieza " was only ideal and forwards to Rene Ange lil, talent look, former head of Ginette Reno (famous singer of Quebec very known in the musical environment. As soon as Reno hears that sweet song and that little tone of voice remains immediately enchanted; Determines to convene the Angel in his study. May be the springboard to a profession. Deus ex machina of everything is actually the scenic Rene. First makes it appear on a popular tv set program, then the next day to disperse in stores on forty five rpm "there? tait substantial than reveinch ". It was a huge success. Another good move is to inquire Turn Marnay to write more songs for a Holiday album. It lets you try this, the need for funds and is no willing to invest in a 12-year-old. Reno this individual wanted without exceptions to take off this prodigy home loan their homes. On dokuz November 1981, they released their first album of Celine: "La Voix Ni Bon Dieu" consisting of nine songs written by Eddy Marnay. Three several weeks after he released the infamous Christmas album: "Celine Dion Flemming Noel very well. And for commercial success. In the fall of 1982, he released the next album: "Telle meant j'ai d'Amour " consisting of nine songs. "Telle supposed j'ai d'Amour" was chosen to represent France at 13 Festival internazionale Phazer in Tokyo. Celine Dion takes out by receiving the gold medal and a special prize of the Orchestra. In 1983 Celine represents Canada on Super RTL Gala triumphing with "d'amour ou m ' amitie ". In France comes out "Du soleil au coeur inch which is a collection of his albums in Canada. With "d'amour systems d ' amitie inches is the first Canadian artist to win yellow metal in France thanks to the more than seven hundred, 000 copies sold. In 1983 he released second album chants et Contes de Noel Christmas "" and your fourth recording "Le chamins de mum maison ", even though the now-famous singer collects Gold data by the handful (plus four Felix Awards). The final touch comes the coming year, when the girl was elected to signify Canadian youth for the visit of Pope Karol Wojtyla at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal. In this article she sings before an ecstatic crowd and impressive "Une colombe ". Nonetheless in France Meanwhile released an album: "Les oiseaux du boneur " made up of seven of his finest hits and three new songs. And to admit only sixteen at the time Celine! Even when he could afford to let a ", very well best of called to the apartment "Les plus grands success de Celine Dion " (part of the proceeds will go to the Association for the fight against cystic fibrosis, a disease that struck her niece Karine). Now could be ready timing for a hop at an international level. His leaders are learning the transition from THE BEST SPINNER'S to CBS (Sony Music), a change of packaging, it is straightforward to see, will prove to be very important, particularly with consideration to distribution. Between a success and another, between a tour and a television set participation, divorces and when finally impalma Rene metal before Celine. It is an possibility to start jointly toward a long Western tour, crowbar to get Celine Dion to the people all over the world. He returned to Quebec are awaiting her other 4 Felix Accolades and a millionaire deal with Chrysler engines, so that you advertise their cars. The other and far more ambitious assignments by Reno: conquer america. They moved to Mis Angeles and entrusted the composition of the new album, first in English language, in true masters: David Foster, Christopher Neil and Andy Goldman. In the meantime, Celine went to the new edition of the Eurovision Song Tournament to award the award to the first place song: at the time, Celine will sing a song on the new album: "Have a heart". Finally, on 2 The spring 1990 the long anticipated album English-speaking goes to Metropolis Montreal: it's called "community", a disc involves ten songs totally in English. The album strikes immediately seize immediately the first places in the ranking. Credited to song "When my heartbeat now" Celine can engage in the first American broadcast: the Tonight Exhibit. Similar year he unleashes an issue, when Celine refuses a Felix Merit for best singer-songwriter (refuses the prize as French singer who sings in English. What really demoralizes Celine is the event where he loses his voice during a display. All fear the most detrimental, but after a visit and three weeks in absolute silence, slowly commences its activity. Since then Celine follows strict guidelines to ensure that the incident will not be repeated: relaxation and warming up up the vocal wires, no smoke on a daily basis and, in particular, absolute silence on rest days. Efforts paid by duets performed with Barbra Streisand Tell him or Luciano Pavarotti with the ubiquitous "I despise you then I love you or even with Bee Gees immortality. Almost all collaborations, which appears on his album perhaps more important, what she perceives the occurrence of "my heart will go", did the soundtrack to huge blockbuster Titanic, who will win the American Music Award, Golden Globe and an Oscar. A fantasy that brought Celine to Crown his romance with Rene with another emblematic wedding was celebrated in Las Vegas these times with the Syrian Orthodox rite and a religious organization converted into a mosque. The garden was designed with Berber tents influenced by "one thousand and one nights", detailed with amazing birds, camels, dancers and Oriental dancers and processed clothes. After many tries to get got the long-awaited son, through in vitro fertilization. Reno Charles was developed on 25 January 2001. Baptism of small originated from the Notre Dame Basilica in Montreal with the Melkite Catholic rite, (which, besides baptism also provides confirmation) and with a ceremony fit for a bit Prince, the Prince of Pop Princess or queen international. In November 3 years ago he receives at the hands of Prince Albert of Monaco the renowned "legend Award". After four numerous years of silence, comes away on disc takes chances and a DVD with a show in Todas las Vegas. The album will be followed by a world tour. The next job is in 2013 and is titled liked me back to life.

Dr. Dre Net Worth is $820 milion

Her name is Verna Griffin and in 1964 this individual fifteen, an already quite hard from behind life and a toddler on her lap. Compton, Southerly of Oregon, California, one of the cities with the highest density of African American United Says. Is extremely different from dark ghettos of Compton on the East Coast, with their red-brick barracks. To see it, with it is villas, the wide roadways and the Palms will not seem to be even a ghetto and in simple fact, it was not until 40. To say between the ' 49 and ' 50 occupied Compton to 624 of Santa claus Fe Avenue for accuracy--even the family Bush, the Bush family. We returning to La Verna, though, and you imagine, go to Rosecrans Avenue, the key thoroughfare in Compton with his stomach gets bigger as anyone asks, if they are just her relatives and friends, which recommend an abortion: ' I felt whispers around me- retell in 08 throughout a radio interview for the American public radio-Npr, people thought I was a nobody and it would have been a nullity as well my son. "Verna wear on 18 February 1965, eight days after his sixteenth birthday. His son will be named Andr? Romell Young. The world will gain details about to know him as Doctor Dre. Producer, artist, entrepreneur with a million dollars in his pocket sized. Not exactly a no one. It will be called Andr? Romell Young. The earth will learn to know him as Doctor. Dre. Producer, rapper, businessperson with a billion us dollars in his pocket. Certainly not exactly a nobody Switch of scene. Is the first year 80 and having sixteen is Andr?. Our company is always in Compton and things have not improved, in fact. In 1971 came the very street gang of Crips and several small clique of young African-American offenders are aggregated. A few years later, gave labor and birth to the outcasts of another gang, the Races. The war between your Crips and Bloods bloodying Compton and every young man, willy-nilly, to select a page. As if that weren't enough, the pavements start spinning a new drug. Is an amazingly that comes from crack and inhale it through pipettes of glass or plastic bottles or beers. They call it split as well as prevalence in the black ghetto degli codice ' 80 is now defined as a true outbreak. One of the most active traders of fracture in Compton, as well as a member of the Crips is called Eric Lynn Wright, but all, Kelly Park, where we find the company, they call Eazy-E. Can be a huge fan of rap, Eric, and has activity management: establish a record company with revenues from drug trafficking. He works, in 1986, and telephone calls his ruthless records. Andr?, but hip hop already has both feet. Is definitely master mix for car radio weekday of Compton and a member of the world class Wrecking Cru, electro rap group striving to repeat the success of the East Seacoast will be Africa Bambaata with Planet Rock. The band also contains the Antoine Carraby, who calling himself Dj Yella. Background will be history in 1986, as Eazy Elizabeth, Dr. Dre and Disc jockey Yella, together with artist Ice Cube and Mc Ren founded the ' Niggaz Wit attitudes, usually referred to as Nwa. In order to take them under his wing's manager in Los Angeles and white Jerry Likas?. Titled "Straight outta Compton" in order to take them to the success of their album from 1988. A revolution: until then rap lyrics about racism, bullying, poverty and medicines in a semantic spectrum from rebellion to victimhood. NWA is as tough and violent, but in their texts there is no place with the exception of the apology of the hoodlum life: more punks I smoke, yo my rep gets bigger> >, punctuating Mc Ren on the title track: get rid of it plus my reputation increases. The disc is a national matter. The LAPD calls on group to calm down, worrying that pieces like "Tube when police " was the soundtrack to a riot-as in fact there will be, in 1992, following the Rodney King conquering to death, another history. RAP lovers, but was also considering what the accompanying RHYMES: beats more strict and choice of basis-that drawing from the seventy 's funk by Legislative house, Funkadelic, until famous small 5: 35 of the Funky Drummer by David Brown which did the foundation of rap-1085 items is a trademark by Doctor Dre. NWA implode within a few years. First Ice Dice and then Dr. Dre left the group in polemic with Eazy Elizabeth and Jerry Heller, convinced-probably with great reason that the two are stealing money. Mutual insults, battles of the war begins. Although above all, Dr. Dre, commences a new level musical. In 1992, collectively with Marion "Suge" Knight-more questionable character-based Death Line records went and released his solo debut The Chronic, still regarded as a cornerstone of hip hop. Compared to the Nwa changes everything: a slower-paced, hypnotic groove, male voices in the back. From the ashes of gangsta reputation, G-Funk was born and is also another revolution that brings with it new interpreters. Warren G, that of Dre's stepbrother. Snoop Puppy Dogg, hacking with Dre's "nothing but a" G "thang ", a chiaro of sorts. And especially Tupac Shakur, undisputed full of rap on the West coast until her violent and untimely end. Behind their successes, always the same hand, with Dr. Dre. And at the rear of the hand that is, more or less 20 million records sold in only 1995. La call the golden era, the golden age of Californian rap, nevertheless they are also years of blood. Tupac passes away in Las Vegas in 1996, shot down with a flurry of photographs as well as months later the same fate touches in his great rival, the New Yorker fate Notorius B. I. G. The moment this happens, Dr. Dre has recently left Death Line, Suge Knight and hot debate with partner founded his own lay-flat eselskab, Wake. For the three 12 months delay doing work in the wake up of the chronic but not satisfied and regularly release.Because this is Dr. Dre, basically: a tailor who creates custom products Creative crisis? Most likely. But if you think the parable of Doctor. Dre's downhill, but you are incredibly wrong. Is in 1997, where Chief Jimmy Iovine, Interscope's garage-the sticker if after effects is a subsidiary-find a trial. In order to compromise it, a white artist from Detroit named Marshall Mathers, but calling him or her self Eminem, or Slim Questionable. His rhymes are sick and tired, psychotic. In him, Dre misses and also the epic gangsta of Nwa, nor abuse, but a paranoid Tupac mix creepy between paradox and despair, introspection and social satire.Sniffing success, Dr. Dre, convinces Iovine put him under agreement and built around a sound that had never heard before. Guitars and rock drums, harpsichords, alarms build healthy texture now farcical now tragic that on rhymes from Eminem fits like a suit of tailoring. Because this is Dr. Dre, essentially: a tailor who creates custom-made products, not someone like Pharrell or Timbaland or Kanye West who leave marks on everything they produce.The relationship between the two is one of the most successful in the record of rap, not least, to put in several like 30 million clones sold with just four albums, two of which-The Marshall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show-is located on the second and third place best vendors rap ever album graphs. If we add several. 6 million copies sold in 2001, the second album by Doctor Dre, who finally sees the light in 1999, and 8 million of "get rich or die tryin" 50 cent, Eminem, with comprodotto we are almost 50 million records sold in just over five years.

Jay Z Net Worth is $910 milion

Artist Jay Z was created 4. December 1969 in Brooklyn, New York. Shawn Corey Carter, this is her first name, is the last of four children of Gloria Carter and Adnes Reeves. The child years is not easy for young adults: his father, in fact, abandoned the family when Jay Z has only eleven and the child is raised specifically by her mother in a tough neighborhood, affected individuals of crime and drugs. As told in many of his autobiographical tracks live a really turbulent teenage years, during which use the00 drug, Salih, shoot his brother Eric and remains involved in numerous works of violence. Despite the unhealthy environment in which he lives, loves Shawn Corey Carter to examine well in school. He joined Eli Whitney High University in Brooklyn and classmate, that will become a legend of Christopher George Latore Wallace III, hip hop, or better referred to as Notorious B. i. g., who was killed in 1997. In order to get away from drugs, violence and lower income, is Jay Z targeted very young music, reputation in particular. In 1989 she joined rapper Jaz-O, a kind of advisor, to record a music called The authors. This is at this point in the life, who takes the nickname Jay inslee Z concurrently a gratitude to Jaz-O, a reference point to the nickname given as a child, Jazzy and a reference to the underground Z M, near his home in Brooklyn. Call him by his name, however, is still largely unknown until 1996, when with two friends, Damon Dash and Kareem Burke, he founded a record label, Roc-a-Fella Records. In June the same year Jay-Z released his debut album, "reasonable doubt". Even if it does not exceed the 23rd place on the Board, the album is now thought to be a common of hip hop. Credited to songs "Can't Hit the Hustle, who views him singing with Margaret j. Blige and" Brooklyn's Finest ", where the Notorious B. i. g., Jay Z is working with is proclaimed a promising rising star. In 1997 he published "in my lifetime, vol. 1", and the following season if a wider success with the album "vol. 2 hard Knock Life. very well on the title trail to this album is the single most popular rapper and fruit her first Grammy nomination. "Hard knock life marks the beginning of a worthwhile period by which Jay Z . will be the biggest name in the world of hip hop. Inside the following years, states successful albums containing music such as "can I actually get a, " big music ", " I actually just want to love you, Izzo and goal Bonnie Clyde &, a Duet with his future wife Beyonce Knowles. The most popular work of this period is "The Blueprint" (2001), as by many people music naysayers considered one of the better albums of the Decade. In the year 2003, Jay Z silly followers with the discharge of "The Black Album" and with the announcement that this would be his last solo album before retirement. The motivation lurking behind this decision is the absence of competition and the desire to find new challenges. During this period, he devoted him or her self to music as a business: becoming President of Def Jam Recordings, uses Young Jeezy, Ne-Yo and Rihanna, and contributes to the transition of Kanye West from producer to artist adored by the public. The choice to stay away from the field have nonetheless short-lived. In 2006, actually released the album "Kingdom Come". A year later resigns as Chairman of the record company and launches "American Gangster" in 2007. Completely, he published "Blueprint 3". This Trinity marks a profound change in the singer: musical incorporates more influences from soul and rock, and with view to the texts, more mature themes, as Typhoon Katrina approaches, the selection of Barack Obama in 2008 and the risks of the Fame. The following years saw artist keep quite successful, both critics and sales. In 2008 Jay Z symptoms a contract worth 150milioni dollars, with the display promotion company Live Country. This excellent deal produces a joint venture called Bloc Nation, an entertainment company that manages almost every aspect of position of its artists. Furthermore to Jay-Z manages Roc Land Shakira Timbaland, Rihanna, Kanye West, and many others. This summer is collaborating with Kanye West album "Watch The Throne", which climbs quickly topped the charts reputation, R & B and pop; the song "Otis", which samples the words of the great Otis Redding, you receive several Grammy Award nominations, while the complete album was nominated for Best Rap Record. In 2013 Publisher Jay inslee Z "Magna Carta O Grail ", with the participation of his better half Beyonce Knowles. The rapper's business is not limited to music, but include the clothing line Rocawear, Roc-a-Fella films, local cycle 40/40 Club and Fresh York Knicks basketball team. In 2015, with Signora launches a beautiful music. 

Paul McCaurtney Net Worth is $1.2 billion

Wayne Paul McCartney was given birth to 18. June 1942 in Liverpool England. His family live near Allerton simply a mile from the home of John Lennon. The two, who met at a party the same parish quickly become friends, share his passion of music. The first thought then, as happens every self-respecting teen dream, is to form a group and so they were immediately put to work to accomplish this ardent desire. Basically it can be said that in these distant start formed the core of the future Beatles, if we believe it is soon co-opted George Harrison and later, drummer Ringo Starr. Shaped in ' 56 this group of beardless males will be the Beatles in 1960. Personalities of three are differentiated enough, although, naturally, some elements are leaning more to the offence while others are more balanced; being the case with centered Paul straight away with the composition of the kind of poignant lyrical music, there will be a characteristic feature. In addition to the serious musician and performer how much keep in mind the pure instrumental music, especially technical aspect, which soon will be, from a simple bass player, a true musician, dares himself with guitar and some with keyboards. This means that another highlight in music performer McCartney is the wedding. Of the four then Paul is without a question the most angelic that I believe appeal to mothers and girls from good families. He will keep the press relations, working with public relations and fan, in contrast to the picture worn and worn, there would always misunderstood genius and "banded". Needless to say, this is the time when the other genius of the Quartet, John Lennon, will sign his most memorable songs; many of the most memorable tunes of "cockroaches" (this is the meaning of the beatles in Italian), is actually signed by both. Are pieces, where even today fans argue over who is going to be critical contributions: If perhaps Paul or John. The facts lies somewhere in the Middle, or in other words that both were major talents, which thankfully has lavished plenty for the Beatles ' eternal glory. However, it should not be forgotten that the greatest album of the English Quartet, the album, which was considered to be the greatest rock ie ever written, "Sgt Pepper", is essentially the work of Paul. In the middle of all this, but a term shopping for George Harrison, talent by no means despicable and there would in fact also justifies the term "genius". Location of the Beatles was what it was and it is useless to trace here the glories of the greatest group ever existed. Go here, however, recalled that during the parable descendant, is profit on McCartney if went to port jobs are designed to try to revive the luck of the Group; including the film "Magical Mystery Concert tours " or as the documentary truth " very well "Let it be". In addition, it must be definitely recalled Paul's insistence because the band selected to perform live. But by the end of the Beatles was close by and no person could do anything about it... 12 March 1969 in fact Paul marries Bela Eastman and log changes in their lives. Since a beatle, gives enthusiasts one last big test on the album "Abbey Road" (1969), but in December of that 12 months he announced his giving the group. A few months after the Beatles ceases to exist. McCartney always flanked by the faithful Linda, commences a fresh career, alternating solo studies of good quality music tracks and collaborations with other musicians. One of the most enduring is that sees him surrounded by wings, he wanted in 1971-group and which, in fact, even in line with the experts, will never be much more than a simple emanation of genius Uk. His career is, nevertheless , a number of success, among Awards, Gold information, and record sales: in 1981, experience with flapping ends. Inside the years 80 Paul McCartney goes on his hot streak heading back and forth with stars like Stevie Ponder or Michael Jackson, live, and again after a long period, sings "Let it Be" in the grand ending of Bob Geldof Live Aid London, 1985. Nevertheless the real return "on stage" takes place in 1989, with a world travel for almost 12 several weeks will show you in great condition with music artists from large caliber. Intended for the first time since the break-up Mccartney perform live many of the most famous tunes by the Beatles. In 1993, " new world " tour, so the surprise: Paul, George and Ringo are assembled in the Studio in 95 to focus on two music unsolved by John, "Free as a bird" and "real love", two new Beatles song " very well after quarter of a century. 

Steven Spielberg Net Worth is $3.74 billion

Steven says: I always like to think of the audience, when I run because I am the group ". Perhaps the secret behind one of the five masters of modern cinema. But consider Steven Spielberg, "only" as a Director is an understatement, given his great activities within production and a film script. At the same time a child was Steven Allan Spielberg an established by the seventh skill. He always wore with him his 8 logistik involves mother Leha Posner, a musician, and his father, Arnold Spielberg, an electrical engineer, his friends and his family users, in a nutshell shorts to Passport and organised in details the movements of the actors. From Cincinnati, where he was born on 18 December 1946, this individual moved with his family to New Jersey, where it does not fit nicely with his schoolmates, who marginalize because of his Jewish faith. This kind of, nevertheless , does not prohibit the talent of the child prodigy, already in the 12 years this individual directed his first novice film "The last Weapon " in 1959, while couple of years later did this individual flee to Nowhere inches " and the term salt, from the first by only eight minutes you pass for forty five minutes in an ongoing crescendo that brings him the same year to implement "Fighter Squad inch and in 1964 scientific research fiction debut of growing in number filmmaker, Firelight lasting 150 minutes. In the while he continued his studies, and after graduating at Arcadia High School in Phoenix, decided to enroll in the University of The southern part of California, in which this individual studied even George Lucas; his application for entry is rejected twice and the artist folds for California State University. However the passion for the movie theater always prevails, so much so that Spielberg, more often than not scurries about hidden inside Simple Studios by posing as a worker until he was uncovered and hired really. Steven Spielberg, film premiere as a Director. The major breakthrough arrived twenty-two years with the first short films that is to be processed through security in cinemas, "Amblin" (1968), and there will be an inspiration for the first film company this individual founded, Amblin Entertainment. With the same work BENEFITS Atlanta Film Festival, which allows him to possess a seven-year contract with Universal Images, where he was able to direct shows and tv-series such as "The game", "Rod Serling's Nighttime Gallery's " "something diabolical" and television set movies like " Duel "in the year of 1971 and" Wild ", 1973. Apprenticeship Director follows as a screenwriter on motion pictures like "Poltergeist" in 1982 and " Gooneis inch of 1985. But let us reflect on his rise from the Overseer. The first major movement picture for his position is "Sugarland Express" in 1974, only a year before of "JAWS" (1975), start it up permanently. The film will have 3 Oscars and snapped a record 470 million us dollars. Spielberg has now the ability to give attention to a project that brings with it when he was a child: a film about UFOs. This talks about the background for the creation of "close runs into of the 3 rd kind" in 1977, which not only make history research fiction film with the classification of the conspiracy film, also records the participation of Francois Truffaut in a Cameo. Steven Spielberg, UPS and lows, the inauguration of the filmmaker master modern modern cinema A filmmaker is so important, we need to keep in mind also the first lemon, "1941-alarm in Hollywood" in 1979, only to realize that you are discussing to a human being but not a foreigner as the characters in his films. Here comes the years 80 and the inauguration of the fable with "Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark" in 81, he works with his friend George Lucas and "E. T. the extra-terrestrial" (1982), that touches on his second Academy Prize for Best Director, dogged defensive display put Italian language award, David di Donatello for best foreign Film. In 1983, he made "twilight zone" and the following year returned to directing, with his snowboarding cap always through your hair, another film icon Harrison Ford, whose Cap did and do, record, in "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom". In 1985 the star of the wedding Amy Irving, which will have Max, his oldest son. It provides parallelverschiebung of the novel by Steve Walker, the color purple (1985) and "Finance as producer to the future, while in 1987 it was the trip to the path the Empire of the Sun. In 1989 back again with professor Henry Roberts left in "Indiana Roberts and the last crusade", the flop always reprise of the Joe initial with Audrey Hepburn. Single from his first better half and married actress Kate Capshaw rising household of seven sons, among the natural and they arranged. Maybe it's guided by his paternal spirit when in 1991 he proved helpful in Captain Hook, with Robin Williams as Chris Pan, Dustin Hoffamn as Captain Hook and Julia Roberts in the role of Tinkerbell, aka fairy Tinker Bell. 2 yrs later comes another blockbuster, guaranteed  ?  assured to become a fable as Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park. But after so much monetary success and recognition of the general public always feel the need to prove himself in 1993 with a work that is rediscovering it is family traditions and Legislation culture. It is holding, there was drama "Schindler's List", in which this individual faces for the first time, and shakes the conscience of the Holocaust still disturbed by the weight of such atrocities. To top it all comes the long-awaited Oscar for Best Director, but also as best Film. In 1997 is not a happy year for the Director, who redirects Jurassic Park and the lost world "but at the same time, was accused of plagiarism of" Amistad "and suffers the loss of an expensive friend, Princess Diana. Captured in a bad car accident and risk afeitado by a crank, which will then be regarded for this Act to more than 20 years in prison. Steven Spielberg Oscar and the continued success In 98 gives him another Oscar Director thanks "saving private Ryan" which shows in the first twenty minutes of the film, d-day, the Allied invasion of Normandy, June 6, 1944, in all its rudeness and human reality. Thanks a lot to the contribution to the British film was appointed Knight of the order of the English Empire by Queen At the II. Not only the war but also a world of extraterrestrials is his passion, and the latter pushes him in 2001 to create manufactured intelligence. In 2002 this individual directs Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks in "catch me" and Tom Sail in "Minority Report" highly advanced. With Hanks will work again inside the Port with Cruise in battle of the worlds inches " in 2005, the year he also taken "Munich". In 2008 returning to the big screen with your fourth installment of the epic jonsiana "Indiana Jones and the Empire of the Crystal Brain and with the documentary" a stunning call. "in 2009 is a season of silence for Overseer, but back to the films in 2011 with " adventures of Tintin The secret of the Unicorn: "and" War Equine ", during the first world war. In 2012 is the year of Lincoln film inspired by the book team of rivals: the political professional of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin and incentarta about the number of the President.

[funthingsfortoddlers]

We’ve made a list (and checked it twice) of Christmas Activities and Events coming up on the Gold Coast.

You can check it out here => https://bit.ly/3QKqLrx

[jessflewitt]

Northland Road Trip Christmas 🌲

Northland Road Trip Christmas 🌲 22nd we bought a few bits to set us up for camping and then drove to Mangawahi Heads where we did the most amazing cliff walk. The views were just out of this world , nothing like we'd ever seen before. Jungle cliff face rolling onto a white sand beach with turquoise water. Big hike up the cliff and then we came back along the beach, got lucky with the timings because you can't walk back on the beach at high tide. Jumped in the sea for swim when we'd finished just the best way to end a hike ever! In the afternoon we went to see a glow worm cave at Waipu, you had to wade knee deep in freezing cold water to get deep into the cave. It was really stunning. Driving around you just see extreme rolling hills with really steep peaks everywhere and bright green, hidden lakes and forests around every corner. Someone described New Zealand to us as Ireland on steroids and we can totally see why! Everything just seems exaggerated. Pulled up to a camp site in whangarei and had our first night sleeping in our wagon. Much more comfortable than our van and it starts like a normal car, feels like luxury. 23rd Visited whangarei falls, huge pool for swimming would have been amazing on a hot day. Learnt about kiwis ah the kiwi house. They have noses at the end of their beak which is made out of bone. Mum lays a huge egg or two but no more, nearly as big as an ostrich egg and dad sits on it until its ready to hatch. The chicks are born will all their feathers and push out the shell with their feet. They have really poor eyesight and great sense of smell. They fight with their feet not their beak. There was an enclosure made to look like a forest at night time and we got to see one feeding. In the afternoon we hiked up Mt Manaia. It was like being on the step machine at the gym for an hour but just with better views. Stunning views from the top despite the rain, sand banks similar to the Whitsundays. 24th - Christmas Eve We visited the famous Treaty House and learnt all about Maori culture and how Europeans integrated into the country. James busby was the main figure involved in getting the treaty signed which gave equal rights to Maori and Europeans. Maori people are completely integrated into society there is no racial divide. ( so different from Australia). That afternoon we got the ferry to Russell (the old capital) had chips and beer in the oldest pub in New Zealand and hiked to the top of flagstaff hill for a view of the bay. In the evening we went to waiariki thermal pools, it was only $4 to stay as long as your liked. There was a chart telling you what temperatures all the different pools were at that day, some going up to 48 degrees. Even the puddles outside were bubbling from the heat underground. It smelt of egg from the sulphur and it ruined all my jewellery! Turned all the silver gold/ black. Great. So then it got to about half 8 and we realised it was Christmas Eve and we hadn't sorted out accommodation and we were about an hour and a half away from anywhere. We called a campsite and luckily they had room for us even if they were a bit short on the phone oops. We drove north, crazy roads up and down and round hills. Felt like we were on a roller coaster. The campsite was lovely and luckily it was ran by backpackers so we felt a bit less guilty- hadn't been keeping some poor old man away from his family , we rocked up late in the dark but there was a cool vibe and a guy on a guitar singing Christmas songs wilh the whole room joining in singing. Some families had put Christmas lights around their tents too. We had a few cheeky glass of red wine ( Pinot noir in New Zealand is a lot heavier than Australia). 25th- Christmas Day Lazy start, all the kids were driving round the camp site on their new bikes was so cute. Some families had gone all out for breakfast with pancakes, bacon and champagne, we had porridge- haha backpacker life! And also just us being totally unprepared and organised. We drove to the beach opposite the campsite, you are allowed to drive on it so there were so many families playing on quad bikes and motorbikes. As we drove through the town to get on the road to Cape Reinga we saw so many family's heading to the beach on their quads, babies and toddlers and all and even some kids that looked no older than 8 driving their own! The road to Cape Reinga was windy but beautiful scenery. I did most of the drive there. We were kind of expecting it to be secluded ( naive) but the lighthouse was a tourist hot spot. Cape Reinga is the point where the Tasman sea meets the Pacific Ocean, you can see whirlpools in the oceans where the different currents meet and the different seas actually look different colours. We climbed higher to the bluff to escape the tourists and then did a big hike along the cliff edge all the way down to private beach and we saw no one. Found ourselves a little private beach for Christmas Day. The views were just breathtaking. The ground was hot beneath our feet, we're finding that a lot here I guess it is a volcanic island. We pulled into a little stopping bay and made ourselves a quick coffee and camp meal out the back of the car and then we hit the road back. It's one road in one road out of the northern tip. We drove past some enormous sand dunes on the way home and had a wander, there were people sand boarding down them. We didn't do it because we were exhausted from our hike but regret it now- maybe we'll go back. The scenery was just crazy, forest on one side, a huge lake on the other and these huge dunes... Amazing. 26th- last day of our Northern loop. We drove down the west coast. Beautiful drive but a lot less to see than the east coast. We did a boulder hike, stopped off in a forest to see the biggest Kauri Tree in Nee Zealand, found this little town on a lake and had a beer and some lunch and did some heavy driving too get us back down. We camped in a free campsite for the first time, it was a really nice one by a lake and we saw our first sunset. As soon as the sun went down we got attacked by bugs and I did have a bit of a freak out. The next morning we made a plan to head down to the waitomo caves and do that before NY. It was strange being away from family and home for the second year but we made the most.

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New Post has been published on Globeinfrom

New Post has been published on https://globeinform.com/british-law-enforcement-officials-query-three-month-antique-terror-suspect/

British law enforcement officials query three-month-antique 'terror suspect'

LONDON: A 3-month-old British boy was summoned to the united states embassy in London for thinking after his grandfather mistakenly indexed him as a terrorist in a US shape.

Harvey Kenyon-Cairns had been because of travel to Orlando, Florida, together with his own family for his first foreign places excursion.

While his grandfather Paul Kenyon become filing in the Digital Device for tour Authorisation (Esta) form – required by using us – for the infant, he mistakenly ticked “sure” inside the section that reads: “Do you are trying to find to have interaction in or have you ever engaged in terrorist activities, espionage, sabotage, or genocide?”.

As an end result, little Harvey’s software changed into rejected, the Guardian stated.

And that’s no longer all. The infant became summoned to America embassy in London, to be questioned by using officials, according to the document.

Kenyon, sixty-two, and his daughter Faye introduced Harvey from their home in Poynton, Cheshire, to American embassy in London, simply 3 days earlier than their flight to America.

“I could not believe that they could not see it changed into a real mistake and that a 3-month-old infant would be no harm to all people, ” the Telegraph quoted Kenyon as pronouncing.

“I went down with him and his mom and took him in for the interview, but he can not even speak as he is so young,” he brought.

Kenyon advised the Dad or mum: “toddler Harvey turned into accurate as gold for the interview and in no way cried as soon as… he is obviously by no means engaged in genocide, or espionage, but he has sabotaged pretty some nappies in his time, though I didn’t inform them that at the USA embassy.”

The round journey from Poynton to London reportedly took approximately 10 hours, slightly longer than the 9.5-hour flight time from Manchester to Orlando.

Regardless of the hassle, the visa for baby Harvey failed to arrive in time. So his grandparents flew to Orlando at the scheduled date, At the same time as Harvey and his parents took the flight a few days later.

Kenyon said the mess-up value him an additional £3,000 (RM16,500).

“It changed into a totally high-priced mistake, however, I used to be hoping us embassy might recognize that it turned into just an easy blunders without us having to jump via all the hoops,” the Mother or father quoted Kenyon as announcing.

“If you have been a terrorist, I think you’ll now not be ticking sure at the Esta shape besides,” he introduced. – The Straits Instances/Asia Information Community BC 365 – A Yr’s Worth of Gala’s in British Columbia It is no secret that British Columbia’s climate makes for tremendous visiting all Year round. No matter what time of 12 months you pick out to visit, there may be constantly something here Worth celebrating. BC has dozens of Festivals celebrating everything from the province’s arts and way of life to its human beings and history. We’ve got highlighted twelve Festivals – one for each month of the Yr. So No matter whilst you make a decision to the holiday, we’re going to be there with a cause to have fun our province with you. Here’s a calendar you may not need to overlook…

JANUARY – by way of some distance the jewel in the crown of the Okanagan Wine Competition’s quarterly calendar, the once a year Ice Wine Competition hosted by using Sun Peaks Lodge, features a number of the arena’s award-prevailing ice wines at one of BC’s favorite alpine locations. A weekend complete of wine master dinners, seminars, and an fantastic modern tasting, this no longer-to-be-overlooked occasion is the right way to enjoy a Western Canadian iciness!

FEBRUARY – The Victoria Film Competition draws the brand new and best of the Canadian and Global Film enterprise to Vancouver Island’s glittering capital town with dozens of screenings and several accompanying social capabilities. The VFF has enjoyed web hosting movie star visitors from the enjoyment community as well as screening many short and characteristic-duration movies which have gone on to Global crucial acclaim. Based with the aid of the CineVic Society of Independent Filmmakers, VFF includes favored activities which include the Empire Theatres Front room with its revolving door of musical skills and Sips and Cinema, a screening/wine tasting enjoy.

MARCH – For a real shot of March madness, the green twister that is St. Patrick’s Day drops onto Vancouver a few days early with the Vancouver Celtic Fest which kicks off with a dizzying week of rambunctious Gaelic a laugh. Hundreds of human beings flock to the streets for pub crawls, dance demonstrations, song and of the route, copious quantities of Guinness! The highlights are the St. Paddy’s Day Parade which incorporates over 2000 contributors on floats, in bands or even wobbling via on stilts.

APRIL – Not anything says “It’s Springtime on the West Coast” just like the mass-migration of over 21,000 Gray whales to the coastal waters of Vancouver Island. And due to the fact these mammals journey so close to the shore, the viewing opportunities are wonderful. The Pacific Rim Whale Festival celebrates the West Coast’s dating with those beautiful creatures via prepared boat charters and educational displays in both Tofino and Ucluelet.

Can also – May additionally is for kids. Vancouver’s picturesque Vanier Park plays home to the yearly Vancouver Kid’s Competition with plenty of attractions to maintain the tykes glad. From dance, track and theater to storytelling and puppetry, from face-painting and juggling clinics to live performances via the likes of Fred Penner and Charlotte Diamond, this event may even carry the kid out in you as nicely!

JUNE – Summer just were given lots warmer! The Vancouver Global Jazz Competition is one among the biggest and maximum popular of its kind on the planet. And It is clean to look why with over 1800 musicians, 400 live shows and forty venues! Originating in the 1980’s from a diminutive local scene that focused around CFRO 102.7FM (a co-op radio station), this hallmark event has come an extended manner, now attracting greats inclusive of Tito Puente, Wynton Marsalis and John Mayall. That is a now not-to-be-neglected jazz event – ask the 1/2 million fanatics that come right here yearly!

JULY – Possibly the most specific Festival in the province, Vancouver’s Symphony of Fire is part of a global collection of pyrotechnic Gala’s that choreographs stunning fireworks demonstrations with a tune simulcast this is broadcast on a nearby radio station. This jaw-losing display draws Thousands of spectators to the beaches and parks of downtown Vancouver as the skies over English Bay burst with mild and coloration. This, the Canadian leg of the International Competition, consists of displays from Canada, the united states and China. quite probably one of the first-rate picture-ops on the West Coast…

AUGUST – MusicFest Vancouver celebrates the eclectic musical history of BC’s largest town with weeks of performances at more than one venues. Whether you’re a fan, appreciator or aficionado, this dose of classical, choral, jazz, folk, Latin, Celtic and Asian will satisfy everybody who enjoys tune to any degree. Venues include the Orpheum Theatre, the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre, the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts and the Van Dusen Botanical Gardens

SEPTEMBER – As quirky because the fascinating metropolis that calls it domestic, the Victoria Fringe Competition sees neighborhood and Global theatre troupes interesting at venues all around the town. Whatever you’re looking for, drama, dance, comedy, magic, song… It’s all right here.

OCTOBER – Autumn inside the interior is brilliant however it gets even higher whilst the fall Wine Pageant comes to the Okanagan Valley. The only Competition in North The us that happens smack within the center of the harvest season, the general public can enjoy the specific enjoy of looking the grapes ripen in the Solar before playing their outstanding product. This Competition continuously ranks pinnacle a hundred by way of the tank Bus Association. And with over a hundred sixty five events and harvest celebrations all through the place, it makes pronouncing goodbye to Summer time well Worth it!

NOVEMBER – Arise-near-and-non-public with one among nature’s maximum majestic creature on the Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Pageant. now not most effective is this occasion a perfect possibility to visit the cities and groups along the Fraser River however additionally an incredible way of connecting with some of the feathered friends that include BC’s diverse hen population. From booths, shows, art and museum well-known shows to subject-tours in Squakum Park and Silverdale Creek Wetlands, That is a one-of-a-kind Festival Whether or not you are an avid avian fanatic or a curious visitor looking for something a touch exceptional.

DECEMBER – Spending Christmas in British Columbia? Vancouver does the season justice with the Rogers Santa Clause Parade, a vacation extravaganza which winds via the downtown middle, finishing at the Coast Capital Savings Christmas Rectangular in front of the Vancouver artwork Gallery. This wintry weather wonderland includes meals, stay amusement and masses of sports for the youngsters together with ice carving, face-portray, balloon animals and a write-a-letter-to-Santa sales space. If this does not get you in the excursion spirit, Not anything will.

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What's on these School Holidays?

Check out the Fun Things for Toddlers Winter school holiday fun activities guide to find out… Heaps of FUN inside: www.funthingsfortoddlers.com/attractions/winter-school-holidays-gold-coast/

[funthingsfortoddlers]

Sometimes a different point of view is just what you need!

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