#radio company bbq

[teamfreewill2pointo]

Even Jensen acknowledges that they meet up at cons pretty much only these days. Mostly due to their own work schedules and family obligations and simply the distance they live from each other. They haven't been on any "trips" together in quite some time, unless you consider the con in Australia a trip. Jensen has said in M&G's that he and Jared talk to each other regularly and via text threads.

When did he say that they pretty much only meet up at cons?

At the BBQ at Austin Con, Jensen said that he and Jared get together with JJ/Kaleo whenever he's in town, so that's one meet up outside of cons that we know about. There are more that we don't know about because they don't post it on social media, but they'll mention in m&gs or other people will mention. Just like how at the BBQ Jensen said that he's in Texas every few weeks, and visits his folks often, but we don't see photos of most of his trips to Texas.

I keep telling y'all, social media is not an accurate reflection of reality.

[sensitivehandsomeactionman]

350 fans attended. 10 fans per table. Buffet style. It took a long time for us to all get our food, pick a seat and sit down. 10 minutes later, Jensen and Steve walked in and greeted all of us from the stage.

Jensen started by explaining how they got this panel idea: because he often gets band related questions in panels and he feels bad about it sometimes, because not everyone with him is involved and they couldn't weigh in. (He jokingly lowered his voice)"Jared", and he doesn't want anyone to feel left out. And also, the only person(s) who could answer Radio Company related questions are either him or Steve. So they got the idea of doing a panel specifically for music related questions together and since we are in Texas, BBQ!

How do they collaborate with each other? Jensen said Steve is the more musically talented of the two, he is the one who could read music and communicate with professionals and explain what they need. Jensen just, he considers himself as having sharp ears. He might not know what exactly something was called but he knows when something just sounds right (or wrong), just by listening to it. And Steve is the one who enriches and develops from his hunch, and communicates with other professional musicians to work on them. Because, Jensen admits, he does not have the vocab of all those technical terms.

They did a little demonstration with guitar, Jensen strung a simple tune and gestured to Steve, and Steve was like, "You want me to do it here, now?" but he picked it up and made it into a much more complex melody and Jensen laughed, "now you are just showing off!" Steve mentioned it's like Jensen's "acting stuff" and Jensen fake astonished like, "Acting STUFF?" And Steve was like, How would I know what you do? All I know is you were always off busy doing your...stuff!

City Grown Willow. It's a song Steve wrote as a gift to a couple of his friends 10 years ago. The husband was from Colorado (cowboy) and wife from LA. They had split up now but they were a great couple. And the song was just kind of put on the shelf after it was written. One day Jensen and Steve were trying some music together, and Jensen asked Steve if he has anything that's already baked. Steve said you know most of my stuff already! You were there when I wrote them! Then he suddenly remembered, oh there is this one...and afterwards Jensen was like, can I have it? And that's how it came to be.

How did they first start? They were both from Texas and became friends in the good old days. Early 2000s they were roommates in Vancouver and Steve sometimes recorded at home. When he was recording his first album, Jensen walked in and was like, what is that? I love the song. He casually sang the harmony and Steve was like, I didn't know you could sing? Jensen was humble about it and said something like, Yeah I could carry a tune now and then. But Steve was so impressed he insisted for Jensen to record it properly right there. Well they were at home anyway so, no biggy? And Steve ended up using Jensen's harmony for that song in his first album. And it went from there. They've collaborated together and developed more than 50 songs now.

Austin summer! Hhh Steve is an Austin local. He said every year he gave a birthday concert. It's a small gathering, just for friends. And this year is the 10th anniversary and everyone was like, Steve, could we do it anywhere but Austin for this year? August, too hot! And he was like, well, yeah, all right. And then Jensen called, and his 10th anniversary concert was still held in Austin! Last week. Jensen said, Well, it was meant to be! Also Jensen: I used to live here! Austin is great! But not in June, July, August, and sometimes throw in September too. Never liked Austin summer, and why did creation choose August I have asked this question for a year now.

Fans asked him what he misses most about Texas and he said, I don't? I am still here all the time. I am here now, I was here a few weeks ago and then a few weeks before that. My whole family's still here my mom and dad are in Dallas I often visit them. So I kind of... I didn't catch what he said after that but I got the idea that he thinks of himself more like commuting, instead of permanently moved out.

They mentioned an Easter egg they put in one of their songs, they used the exact same letters for 2 sentences and they were really proud of it and high fives each other all excited afterwards. I think it might be All Our Own but I'm not sure. Maybe someone else remembers?

The new song Home on the Road Jensen was shooting Rust in New Mexico and rented a small house next to the Rio Grande river. It's quiet and out of the way and he walks on riverbank trail on his day off and loved it. When Steve visited and they tried to hum a tune out and once they got it, the first words came out of Jensen for that tune was "home on the road". Just like that little house, his home on the road. Both him and Steve travel so much for work, it resonated. And they wrote the song. They said it's not polished yet but they sang it for us anyway. The tune reminded me of City Grown Willow. I think it'll become my new favorite.

If they were invited to perform in ACL festival will they go? Jensen: No!! Steve: Ugh definitely? Jensen: So here is your answer. Steve will drag me kicking and screaming to there. They laughed so hard and then Jensen said, no any time you have a chance to perform in that capacity, of course you go.

Talked about Kaleo and JJ. J2 and JJ are friends and they get together whenever JJ visits and they'd love to collaborate together if ever get the chance. This is all I could recall!

[iihyuck]

SOS ˇ 𓂃 7dream 𓏲࣪  | 00 | 01 | 02 | …

genre (for the overall series) idol au, eighth member au, fluff, me attempting comedy, slow burn but not really, comfort, angst, nsfw (minors and ageless blogs dni or you’re blocked) wc 4.8k

pairing ot7!dream x fem!reader … who’s the pairing getting freaky in this chapter? i won’t tell you 😼

warnings pet names (they call the reader baby because y/n upsets me and my homegirls but i fear it is used for the chat), light profanity, mentions of role play, nsfw but no piv (18+)

notes so sorry for the long wait, here's something lengthy while i work on the next part. smut is ... tame. but only because i haven't written in months. feedback is much appreciated <333

If you had known that telling the guys you grew up and debuted with that you were a virgin—and that you wanted them to show you the ropes—would make things awkward, you would’ve never brought it up at all.

But to be completely honest, you should’ve seen it coming.

Hell, Jisung avoided you for a whole week when you caught him watching kinky roleplay videos on the dorm’s computer a few years ago. Then again… who would’ve thought that was him? Not you, that’s for sure. The manager spent nearly a week trying to clear all the viruses that kept popping up on the poor thing.

It had been a little over two weeks since your not-so-distressed SOS call in your hotel room, and you hadn’t been touched yet. In fact, none of the boys had brought it up since then—complete radio silence.

You wouldn’t say you were bothered...

Because you weren’t!

Okay—maybe just a little.

It was just… weird.

All seven of your very hormonal members had agreed to sleep—sorry, help—you out, and yet they had made no effort to do so? If anything, you would’ve thought you’d be laid out right then and there in that very room.

Ever since returning to Korea, the others rarely even bothered to come over to where Renjun and Jisung stayed anymore. You all only ever met up at the company building for work or gathered at a BBQ spot after long days of practice.

After weeks of the topic being ignored, you had finally had enough. Just this morning, you gave yourself a pep talk—even rehearsing the confrontation you’d give your members after today’s recording session. Lots of f-bombs to assert dominance, of course.

But long story short?

You wimped out.

You couldn’t find the courage to bring it up, not with producers constantly walking in and out, pulling members into the booth one by one.

So, when you arrived home, you rehearsed again.

As an idol, rehearsing was second nature to you. Yet, here you were, fidgeting on Jaemin’s couch as your members sat sprawled across the floor, their eyes glued to the screen while Jisung and Chenle played some random fighting game.

This was far from how the scenario had played out in your head during your shower earlier.

Then again, to be fair, you were the one who had kind-of-sort-of initiated this whole hangout in the first place.

(10:59) Y/N : did you guys see the tweet about the jihyuck divorce?

(11:00) HAECHANNIE ฅ՞•ﻌ•՞ฅ : Me and Jisungie are still happily together, what are you talking about

(11:00) SPIDERMAN : trouble in paradise already? Sheeessh

(11:00) NANA : Jealous, Mark? 👀👀

(11:01) SPIDERMAN : ??? and why would i be jealous?

(11:01) HAECHANNIE ฅ՞•ﻌ•՞ฅ : Ahh just admit it ... seriously, this is tiring

(11:01) SPIDERMAN : I seriously almost just blocked you

(11:02) ૮ .◜◡◝ ა : wouldn't be the first

(11:02) NANA : JENO LEE

(11:02) ૮ .◜◡◝ ა : that is my name 😼

(11:02) RJ : I thought I silenced this group chat.

(11:03) Y/N : hi renjoon

(11:03) HUANG : I don't like that.

(11:03) DAEGAL'S DAD : HA Renjoon ... i’m gonna steal that

(11:03) RJ : sigh

(11:03) NANA : WAH, we are almost all here, where is Jisungie?

(11:05) Y/N : i dunno

(11:05) HUANG : idk

(11:05) ૮ .◜◡◝ ა : you both live with him, how about you get up and go look

(11:06) RJ : No

(11:06) DAEGAL'S DAD : well that's just lazy

(11:07) SPIDERMAN : That's pretty rich coming from you 🤨

(11:07) DAEGAL'S DAD : I know you're upset about Haechan dumping you but you don't have to be mad at the world 🤦‍♂

(11:07) NANA : I called it, someone send money

(11:07) ૮ .◜◡◝ ა : mark if you need a shoulder to cry on …

(11:07) ૮ .◜◡◝ ა : sit up straighter and wipe your tears

(11:08) NANA : LMFAO

(11:08) Y/N : funniest thing you’ve said in my years of knowing you, dog man

(11:09) ૮ .◜◡◝ ა : just be normal and laugh please

(11:08) SPIDERMAN : ...

(11:08) HAECHANNIE ฅ՞•ﻌ•՞ฅ : Markkk, breakups are hard ... I know I know

(11:09) JIJI ☆ : we're out of kimchi stew

(11:09) HAECHANNIE ฅ՞•ﻌ•՞ฅ : JISUNGIE

(11:09) SPIDERMAN : you're alive I see 🤨

(11:09) RJ : I know, I ate it

(11:10) Y/N : no fair I didn't get any???

(11:10) NANA : I have some, baby. My mom dropped some off last night. Come over.

(11:10) ૮ .◜◡◝ ა : I'll be over in ten

(11:11) Y/N : mind you, he invited ME.

(11:11) HAECHANNIE ฅ՞•ﻌ•՞ฅ : SLEEPOVER

(11:11) SPIDERMAN : Yo, I’m down :>

(11:11) JIJI ☆ : i’ll ride with renjun and baby

(11:12) NANA : I did not agree to any sleepover???

You let your gaze fall to your lap, glaring at your sweatpants as you mentally prepare yourself.

It would be easier if you just blurted out, “So, when are we getting freaky?”

But that wasn’t exactly… professional

Then again, this whole situation was already wildly unprofessional.

Maybe you should’ve just gone into sex blind-minded anyway. Jeno had introduced you to Eric a few times—he seemed nice enough not to make fun of you if you sucked.

"Are you going to sit there and mope the whole time, or are you actually going to eat?"

You fight the urge to roll your eyes as you look up to see Chenle standing above you, a lazy smirk playing on his lips.

From the corner of your eye, you catch Mark and Haechan teasing Jisung, who groans dramatically, covering his ears.

Looks like Chenle won that round.

"Come on," Chenle says, grabbing your hand and pulling you up before you can respond. You barely have time to process before you're being dragged toward the kitchen, the murmur of the others fading into the background.

Your attention snaps to Luna, quietly eating from her bowl in the corner. You squeal, immediately kneeling down to pet her.

"Oh my god, you're so big now!" You pepper kisses onto her head, earning a huff of annoyance but not a squirm.

Chenle chuckles, a knowing smirk on his face. "Daegal would have been betrayed to see you right now," he says, as he pours leftover kimchi jjigae into a pot on the stove.

You giggle, letting Luna go back to her meal as you dust off your knees. "She'd forgive me. After all, she likes me better than you," you say, playfully teasing Chenle.

He looks affronted, but you can see a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "I'm her father. She doesn't like anyone more than me," he says, with a straight face. "Besides, I'm her favorite," he adds, a hint of pride creeping into his voice.

You bite your lip, holding back a sly remark. "Right, right. I'll make the rice," you say, instead. As you wash the grains, you notice Chenle's gaze lingering on you.

“What?” you ask, eyebrows furrowing.

“What’s wrong?”

Your movements still.

“Nothing’s wrong, why are you asking that?”

He scoffs at your defensiveness, adding a few pieces of tofu that he must’ve cut when you were playing with Jaemin’s cat

“Because you’re being weird.”

Your mouth drops, “I’m being weird??”

“Uh Yeah?! I mean you’re barely around anymore ... it’s like ever since that night, you can’t stand to be around us– “

“That isn’t true– “

Chenle takes a step closer, his eyes locked on yours. "Then what is? What's wrong?" he asks, his voice softening.

You hate how you can't look him directly in the eyes anymore, your gaze shifting to your hands as you quietly put the rice in the cooker.

"Baby-" Chenle starts, his hand gently touching your waist, but before he can finish, the kitchen erupts with the arrival of the others.

Mark groans, "Can you guys cook any slower? I came here for free food, not to watch Jisung lose to everyone," walking in the kitchen with his hands ruffling his own hair.

Renjun and Haechan follow close behind, laughing, while Jisung bumps past them, heading towards you.

"Actually, I haven't played baby," he says, his arm stretching over your shoulders.

Renjun rolls his eyes, and Jeno waltz in, "That's cheating. She sucks just as much as you do."

You flash him a sarcastic smile, flipping him off, before pushing Jisung's arm off your shoulders. "Don't call me that. I'm literally older than you," you say, eyes narrowing.

Jisung scoffs, "And what everyone else gets to?"

"Well. no! You should all stop,"

Haechan chimes in, "Yeah, we should collectively stop calling her 'baby'."

You narrow your eyes but slowly nod at Haechan's very rare statement that you agreed with.

Jaemin walks in, his hair damp and a towel around his broad shoulders. "What's going on?" he asks, eyeing the scene.

Mark answers, grabbing a water bottle from the fridge, "She wants us to stop calling her 'baby'." Jaemin pouts, "Why? It's a cute nickname."

Mark shrugs, "I guess she just doesn't like it anymore." You slap Jaemin's hands away when he tries to pinch your cheeks, "I always thought 'brat' was more fitting," Haechan says, earning a laugh from the others.

You roll your eyes, “That’s your title, not mine.”

“I agree, Haechan’s like a demon spawn and baby is a pure angel … sure, there's attitude here and there but we‘ve grown to tolerate it” Renjun hums.

The way they speak as if you aren't in the room will always bewilder you.

Jeno throws his head back as he laughs, “I don’t think she’s pure, she’s a pervert."

“Am not?! You’re the pervert– “

Mark shakes his head, tossing the now empty water bottle in the trash can. Another day of leading the dreamies.

“What about a few years ago, when you left those roleplay tabs open?”

Chenle cackles at the memory, and Jaemin snorts.

“Yeah, what was that about? I’m no kinkshamer ... but really?” Haechan tilts his head as he watches your reaction

"THAT WAS NOT ME?! " You exclaim.

“It’s okay if it was,”

Your neck snaps to Mark who just shrugs.

“Well, it wasn’t!”

The room falls silent as you face the others, scowl ever so prominent.

"What kind of roleplay was it?" Renjun asks casually.

“RENJUN??”

They burst out laughing, watching you pout over their teasing.

"Don't make it sound like we're asking for a confession or something." You shoot him a look, "Seriously though, if you know what you already like, it'd be nice to know before we start."

Your eyebrows shoot up after Renjun says that.

“…start what?”

Maybe you weren’t hearing him correctly, after all there’d been several times where you completely ignored the notification about your headphone volume being too loud.

Jaemin's expression turns serious. "Do you not recall your SOS call or what?" you sputter, trying to find your words. "I... I didn't think... um."

“Didn’t think what? that we still wanted you?”

Chenle, throws a piece of tofu at a smirking Jeno, “Stop doing that, you’re flustering her,”

Jaemin hisses, “Ah— not here, I have cats, Do that in your own home.”

“I don’t know, you guys just never brought it up, I thought ... I thought I made things awkward.”

Jisung hums, “I don’t think there’s any room for awkwardness.”

Haechan nods, “Yeah, and plus we were waiting until you felt comfortable, it isn’t like we could just come to your apartment like “Oh let the sex games begin””

You cackle at that. Haechan would definitely come to your apartment and say that but, you digress.

Mark interrupts, “Yeah but there will be no actual sex, remember.”

“Yeah, Yeah, you’re cockblocking once again, we get it.” Jeno nods off, throwing the tofu that landed on him away, but ends up hunched over coughing when Mark hits him in the stomach.

“So … do we plan this or...?” You nervously ask

“Well, that would be awkward ... just let it happen naturally.” Chenle shrugs

Right, naturally.

“Hey, ji?”

The younger boy hummed, not really listening as he lay on his back, his hands interlaced, lazily resting on his pelvis. You lay beside him, resting on your side, your head propped up on your elbow.

"When you lost your virginity, did it happen naturally?" you asked, your words hanging in the air.

He choked on his saliva, startled by the question. Usually, you'd tease him, but you were dead certain you'd react the same way.

He was wide awake now, and a hint of amusement played on his lips. "Is this why you wanted to sleep in my room tonight? Because you wanted to ask a cherry pop questionnaire?" he teased.

You dropped your head onto your hands, laughing at his silly comment. "Who even calls it that anymore? Popping the cherry?" You snorted. "I hate cherries."

He sucks in a breath, shaking his head, “You’re missing out,”

"Sure, now answer my question," you said, serious once more.

"I thought you'd forget about that," he sighed.

You scoffed. "How could I forget? I asked it seconds ago! Did you also think I'd forget all of the porn tabs too?"

He laughed and covered his face with his hands. You quickly grabbed them, holding them in place. "Yeah, and I'm still annoyed you let me take the heat at Jaemin's earlier!"

"They went easy on you," he whispered, meeting your gaze. "If they knew it was me, I wouldn't hear the end of it. You know that."

You'd always been jealous of his bright eyes, even in the dimly lit room, which was only illuminated by the TV's soft glow. "Whatever, you owe me one," you said, letting his hands go and adjusting your position so you were lying on your back.

The only sound in the room was your shared breathing, and the muted TV. He swallowed thickly before speaking up, his voice causing you to jolt slightly as you were drifting off to sleep.

"It was kind of in the heat of the moment... I think it's like that all the time," he said.

You turned to face him, "You think? Was the first time you lost it the only time?"

He nodded slowly, answering your question.

You hummed, looking up at the ceiling. "Do you regret it?"

"I don't think so," he answered without hesitation.

“Maybe I’d prefer what you plan on doing, taking one step at a time ... I didn't get to try everything.”

Confused, you asked, "What do you mean?"

He sighed and brought his hand up to cover his eyes. "I've never gone down on someone before."

The room fell silent, and he quickly moved his hand to gauge your reaction. You attempted to hold in your laughter, but it slipped out.

He scoffs, his tongue brushing against the inside of his cheek as you laugh, leaning into his shoulder.

"I don't know why you're so nervous to tell me this stuff," he said. "I haven't gone down on anyone either."

He deadpanned, "Wow, I would've never guessed."

You hit his shoulder playfully. "Don't be a dick."

He laughed and shook his head. "My apologies."

Rolling your eyes, you leaned over his chest to grab your phone, which was charging beside him. It was four in the morning.

As you pulled back, you lay beside him, relieved that there were no schedules for the next few days.

Maybe you’ll go visit that new café that opened up near Haechan’s apartment—

"Can I try with you?" he asked, his words barely above a whisper.

"Pardon?" You were lost in thought.

"I'm not saying it again," Jisung groaned, turning over to face the wall in embarrassment.

"You want to try going... down on me?" you asked quietly.

He slowly turned back around, looking everywhere but at you. "Yeah... if that's okay...And maybe it could be helpful to you too."

You swallowed and nodded. "Okay."

Any and all thought you had of this whole ordeal being awkward was completely erased as you sat on Jisung’s lap, his hands tightly gripping your hips, as your hands ran through his hair. His tongue swirled against yours, but he hesitantly pulled away when a whimper left your mouth, filling his.

Jisung’s breath was warm against your lips as he only pulled back slightly, his eyes flickering with hesitation. His fingers dug into your hips, grounding himself, and you could feel the way his chest rose and fell unevenly beneath you.

You swallowed, your own heartbeat hammering against your ribs. “You okay?” you murmured, searching his gaze.

He gave you a small nod, though his grip on you tightened just a little. “Yeah… just—this is…I’d never thought I’d be doing this with you,” he admitted, voice barely above a whisper.

A shaky scoff leaves your lips.

“Neither did I” was what you thought but not what left you.

“Do you want to?” your heart bangs in your chest when you ask ... to calm your nerves you start tracing your fingers through his hair, nails lightly scraping his scalp in a way that makes his breath hitch.

He let out a shaky chuckle, leaning his forehead against yours. “More than anything. I’ve… always wanted you like this”

“… I don’t wanna mess up.”

Jisung, despite his usual playful demeanor with you, was different.

Your heart clenched at his sincerity.

“You won’t,” you told him gently. “It’s just us. And I’m no pro at this either, you know”

He let out a shaky laugh then exhaled, nodding slightly before his hands shifted from your hips, sliding slowly up your sides as if memorizing the way you felt beneath his palms. His gaze dropped to your lips again, then lower. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed.

“Okay,” he breathed, more to himself than you. “I wanna try.”

You felt warmth creep up your neck, anticipation swirling in your stomach as you let him take the lead. His hands moved to the hem of your thin sleep shorts, fingers slipping beneath the fabric hesitantly, waiting for any sign of uncertainty from you.

But there was none.

How could there ever be?

You nodded, giving him silent permission.

Jisung sucked in a breath, eyes locked onto yours as he slowly laid you on your back, his fingers softly gliding over your cloth covered mound.

His eyes drifted to your chest rising and falling rapidly, cursing under his breath when he took notice of your perked nipples poking through the tank top you wore.

You suck in a breath as his hand softly rubs circles into your cunt. You wanted more.

Absentmindedly, your hips buck up into his moving palm, his lips parted slightly, as if in awe, and something about the way he looked at you made your stomach flip.

Neither of you spoke as he shifted, lying on his stomach, his eyes searched your face one last time, silently asking if you were still okay.

You cupped his cheek, thumb brushing against his skin, nodding.

His lips parted, a quiet breath escaping, and then—he kissed down your jaw, trailing lower.

And lower.

His breath was warm against your skin, and when his lips finally met the space just above your waistband, your fingers tightened in his hair.

Jisung exhaled shakily. “Tell me if I do something wrong,” he whispered.

Your heart pounded.

“You won’t,” you promised.

And then—he continued.

Jisung exhaled slowly, his fingers toying with the hem of your shorts as if giving himself time to process the situation. His hands were warm, slightly trembling, but determined.

You watched him with hooded eyes, your own breath uneven as his lips ghosted over your stomach. The anticipation was making every nerve in your body light up, heat pooling in your core as he finally—finally—started pulling your shorts down.

His gaze flickered up to meet yours, pupils blown wide with something between nervousness and hunger. “Still good?” he asked, voice barely above a whisper.

You swallowed hard, nodding. “Yeah.”

Jisung licked his lips, exhaling through his nose as he shifted lower. His hands squeezed your thighs gently before parting them, settling between them. You could feel the heat of his breath against the thin fabric of your underwear, and it made your whole body tense with anticipation.

You could feel your pussy, clench around nothing.

He hesitated for only a moment before pressing an experimental kiss against the inside of your thigh. Then another. And another. Each one slower, more deliberate, as he grew bolder.

No marks could be left on your neck, that was for sure, but your creamy inner thighs. No fan would ever be able to see that.

Soft love marks began to bruise the skin of your thighs as he sucked and licked.

Your fingers curled into the sheets, a shiver running up your spine. “Ji…” You weren’t sure what you were asking for, but the way he glanced up at you, lips slightly swollen, made your stomach flip.

“I just… wanna take my time,” he admitted, pressing one last lingering kiss to your thigh before his fingers hooked around the waistband of your underwear. He pulled them down agonizingly slowly, his eyes locked onto the way you squirmed beneath him.

A curse left his lips watching your sticky cunt glisten in the dim room, your slick sticking to your panties as they came off.

Your breath hitched as the cool air met your heated skin, but nothing could have prepared you for the feeling of Jisung’s lips pressing tentatively against your pussy.

He couldn’t control himself once they were off, throwing them somewhere on the floor, before pressing his plump lips against your glimmering slit.

A sharp gasp left your lips, your back arching slightly. His hands tightened on your thighs, keeping you in place as he hesitated for only a second before licking a slow, tentative stripe up your slit.

Your fingers immediately found his hair, tugging lightly as a low groan rumbled in his chest.

“Fuck,” he murmured, almost as if to himself. “You’re so…”

He didn’t finish the sentence before he leaned in again, this time with more confidence, parting your pussy, his tongue flicking experimentally against your clit which he surprisingly found on the first try. The sensation made your hips jerk, and he chuckled softly against you, the vibrations sending another wave of pleasure through your body.

“Shit, Ji,”

The way your body was reacting, he continued, finding a rhythm—soft licks, slow circles, the occasional suction that made your head spin. Every now and then, he’d glance up, watching your reactions like he was committing them to memory.

You bit your lip, chest rising and falling rapidly. “Jisung—”

“Hm?” His voice was muffled, but the smirk in his tone was undeniable.

You groaned, throwing your head back as he pressed a kiss to your pussy hole, his finger slippery with your juice, playing with your clit, other hand gripping your thigh like he never wanted to let go.

Your hand roughly tugged on his hair as he messily slurped up your cunt, his tongue quickly flicking your throbbing clit.

He moaned, feeling the burning sensation on his scalp, the vibrations going straight to your pussy.

If you knew getting ate out felt this great, you would’ve explored a while ago.

Dare you say it felt better than those late nights where you couldn’t sleep and let your hand wander down your underwear?

Maybe.

A broken “Fuck,” left your trembling lips when his thumb traced your hole as he sucked your clit.

Yes. Yes, it was so much better than your own hand—

And then, just as you were starting to feel that familiar build in your stomach, he pulled back slightly, lips glistening, a dazed expression on his face.

“Was… was that good?” he asked, voice hoarse, lips slick and swollen.

You let out a breathless laugh, reaching down to cup his cheek. “Jisung… if you stop now, I might actually kill you.”

His eyes widened before a cocky grin slowly spread across his face that was shiny with your wetness.

“Well… can’t have that, can we?”

Biting your lip, you nod, watching him sit up on his knees, without blinking once, desperate for release.

His large hand lowered to his bulging cock that was practically begging for attention, through his sweatpants. You unfortunately didn’t look for long as he hovered over you, bringing his sticky lips to yours.

Your clit pulsed as you tasted yourself on his tongue once he swiped his with yours, deepening the kiss.

Maybe you were the pervert that Jeno thought you were.

Your eyes followed his hand that stroked himself through his sweats, you instinctively reached for him again, but he chuckled softly, shifting his hips back. "No sex, remember?" he teased

A snarky remark was plotting to escape you, but you immediately shut up as his hands slid to the back of your thighs, pushing them up to your chest.

The shift leaves both of you breathless.

You swore a moan left him, as he licked his lips gazing at your puffy cunt shiny with your own slick and his spit, even in the little light that the tv was providing.

His starry eyed gaze met yours again, “you’re perfect,”

Usually, you’d find some slick comeback for the members whenever they complimented and flustered you but considering the current situation, you had no choice but to pull out the default.

“Shut up,”

“I’m serious,” he mumbled, his finger sliding down to your cunt, pressing against your clit, watching as your cunt continued to leak with arousal.

Your eyes begin to flutter shut as he works small circles into your clit before your approaching orgasm is interrupted once again.

BANG

RATTLE

BANG

“Yo, Park Jisung—why is the door locked? Since when do we lock doors around here? Oh—wait, are you jerking off?”

Of course … Lee Donghyuck, the bane of your existence.

You completely forgot that he and Mark decided to crash at your place—well, technically Renjun and Jisung’s since you didn’t bother to pay the rent—after Jaemin kicked everyone out. Something about you all trying to serenade him into letting the sleepover happen and then spilling beer on his pink rug.

The doorknob rattles aggressively again, and you sigh in defeat.

Both you and Jisung know Haechan isn’t going to quit unless he gets in.

Jisung sighs as well, pulling back from you with a quiet, “Sorry.”

SIGHHH.

“Go away, Donghyuck!”

“You’re in there too? Why are you two locking me out? What did I do? Let’s all cuddle and make up,” he dramatically whines, and you hear the sound of him sliding down the door.

You groan, sitting up with a cringe at the mess between your legs and the damp spot beneath you. Jisung laughs, helping you stand and pull your sleep shorts back on.

He takes note of the grumpy pout on your face, about to say something—

But he’s interrupted by Haechan’s loud, off-key rendition of All by Myself, inevitably butchering a few words.

Your frown doesn’t last long as Renjun yells from the hallway, telling him to shut the hell up.

With a sigh, you look up at Jisung, who’s watching you with a soft giggle as you lift the hem of his shirt to wipe his wet face.

“Hey—what’s so funny in there? Let. Me. In.”

The two of you ignore your dramatic member, Jisung, leaning down to whisper in your ear, “Just come back to my room when everyone’s asleep.”

Your heart stutters in your chest as you nod, pursing your lips, which he gladly accepts, kissing you back.

With a deep inhale and exhale, you make sure you’re presentable before walking over to the door. Turning back, you see Jisung hurriedly stripping the sheets off his bed, tossing them into the corner.

Unlocking the door, you’re met with a disheveled Haechan sprawled out on the floor, wearing the shirt you gifted Renjun for his last birthday.

He sits up, squinting at you suspiciously before peering past you into the room—immediately locking eyes with Jisung, who freezes on the spot.

Right. The whole ordeal had made you forget just how much of a scaredy-cat he was.

You don’t stick around to witness the aftermath.

“Hello, CHEATER!” Haechan shouts behind you as you walk off.

Reaching the body-length mirror in the hallway, you frown at your flustered reflection. Your hair is a mess—no doubt from being sprawled out on Jisung’s bed. You try to smooth it down quickly.

“The hell happened to you?”

Your eyes snap up, meeting another set of eyes in the mirror.

Jeno.

“Nothing,” you blurt. “Why would you ask that? What happened to you? And why are you even in my house? You—You—nothing happened. Don’t ask me that.”

He raises a brow, trying (and failing) to fight off a smirk.

Nice. Real nice save.

Jeno inhales sharply, turning away—but not before muttering a sarcastic, “Right… My bad.”

You need a shower. And a hole to dig yourself into. Fast.

[jensenackles-daily]

Jensen Ackles and Steve Carlson will participate in a special BBQ panel focusing on Radio Company in Austin, Texas on August 16th, 2024! (x)

[lightofraye]

I had this as an ask--I think the person was going around a bit to get some folks' input, which doesn't bother me. But I decided to grab the full screenshots and point to the part that had sparked a conversation among some folks. I even had a couple of followers ask for my thoughts.

Now... this did come up in a little group chat amongst me and a few others. We all have thoughts on it.

Oh I should probably go to the part I'm talking about. My bad.

The tweeter--HanmeiCui--tried to capture all that was said during Radio Company's little BBQ dinner during AustinCon. And folks were intrigued by Number 8.

"Fans asked him what he misses most about Texas and he said, I don't? I am still here all the time. I am here now, I was here a few weeks ago and then a few weeks before that. My whole family's still here my mom and dad are in Dallas I often visit them."

HanmeiCui also added: "So I kind of… I didn't catch what he said after that but I got the idea that he thinks of himself more like commuting, instead of permanently moved out."

Given he doesn't have any property (none that we have to officially verify ourselves with public records anyway) in Austin or Texas as a whole... FBBC is... something. Sold, not sold, either way, the brewery won't be back. Maybe a small taproom to keep incompetent brother-in-law Gino busy after he ran FBBC into the ground. Ahem. Yes, there is a house on the FBBC property but... near as we can tell, no one lives there.

The Ackles sold the rest of their properties--the condo, the lake house, etc. Also sold the Colorado condo.

Near as any of us could tell... no properties in Texas.

It had been largely assumed that if Jensen did visit his parents, it was likely without Danneel in tow. So if Jensen does visit often as he indicated, he may just be staying at a hotel, a friend's guest room (Steve does have a place in Austin), or the like.

I mean, Papa Ackles is 75 now. (Oh dang, his father is just a couple of years older than mine.) I imagine Jensen would want to see his parents a bit more. And for a while, he had the free time to do so.

A lot of folks have interpreted the statements in a few ways. One was a kind of professional "He's trying to keep the ol' boy Texan persona" going. Another was "Maybe he's trying to get re-established back in Texas without the wife." A third was "Maybe he has a place in secret in Texas"!

My thoughts?

I want to believe it's number two--getting re-established in Texas without the wife. (Come on, you know I'm an anti-Danneel. Why are you reading my stuff?) He's certainly made a few decisions this past year and a half that have me poking at the game board of life and going "Hmm...."

Such as his Social Media changing from a mix of family and business to strictly work posts (and frustrating his stans in the process, heh); such as Danneel going completely radio silent on her IG (but still commenting on others, hmm); such as selling all of FBBC without a new location in place; buying a mansion across the darn country and so far away from most of his friends and family; to seemingly abandoning CMP to Danneel to destroy.

There's still a few things we're not seeing. A few things we're not aware of. I could speculate until my face turned blue. For now, I'm content to sit and wait and observe the chess board.

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 3.20

Holidays

Alien Abduction Day

Atheist Pride Day [also 6.20]

Bibliomania Day

Big Bird Day

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Day

Culture Day and Creative Intelligentsia Day (Tajikistan)

Dibber Day (French Republic)

Do For Others Day

Durham Day (UK)

Extraterrestrial Abductions Day 

Festival of Extraterrestrial Abductions

French Language Day (a.k.a. International Francophonie Day; UN)

Ghode Jatra (Horse Festival; Nepal)

Global Massage Makes Me Happy & Healthy Day

Great British Spring Clean Day (UK)

Hufflepuff Pride Day

International Day of Happiness (UN)

International Francophonie Day

Kiss Your Fiancé Day

Lajos Kossuth Day (Hungary)

Legba Zaou (Haiti)

Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Awareness Day

Macaron Day NYC

Mesopotamian/Sumerian Grain Festival (Honoring Ashnan)

Minion Day (Japan)

Mister Rogers Day

National Arts Advocacy Day

National Day of Italian Universities Day (Italy)

National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

National Jump Out! Day

National Marketing Day

National Plagiocephaly & Torticollis Awareness Day

National Westie Day

Oil Nationalization Day (Iran)

P320 Day

Radio Caroline Pirate Radio Ship Sinking Anniversary Day

Smile Rejuvenation Day

Two-Spirit & Indigenous LGBTQQIA+ Awareness to Celebration Day (Canada)

Very Hungary Caterpillar Day

Won't You Be My Neighbor? Day

Won’t You Wear a Sweater Day

World Behavior Analysis Day

World Day of Theater for Children and Young People

World Head Injury Awareness Day

World NIDCAP Day

World Oral Health Day

World Rewinding Day

World Rights to Water Day

Zipper Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Bock Beer Day (New York) [also 2nd Monday]

Crawfish Cravers Awareness Day

Macaron Day

National Ravioli Day

World Flour Day

World Water Rice Day (India)

Nature Celebrations

Dogs in Yellow Day

National Backyard Bird Photography Day

Pigeons Return to City-County Building (Ft. Wayne, Indiana)

Purple Tulip (Eternal Love; Korean Birth Flowers)

World Frog Day

World Sparrow Day

Independence, Flag & Related Days

Blackland (a.k.a. Kingdom of Blackland; Declared; 2015) [unrecognized]

Conzorica (a.k.a. Federal Republics of Conzorica; Declared; 2014)

Kirkuk Liberation Day (Iraqi Kurdistan)

Otango Province Anniversary (New Zealand)

Qootärlænt (Declared; 2008) [unrecognized]

Rezaxia (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Tunisia (from France, 1956)

New Year’s Days

Baha’i New Year

New Year's Day (a.k.a. Equinox of the Gods; Thelema)

Nowruz (New Year) [Day 1, Around Spring Equinox] (a.k.a. ... 

Bahá'í Naw-Rúz (Bahá'í)

Naruz (Afghan New Year)

Navruz (Tajikistan, Ukbekistan)

Norooz (Iran)

Novruz Bairam (a.k.a. Persian New Year; Azerbaijan)

Nowrūz (Persian, Gilaki, Kurdish, Zoroastrians; California)

Persian New Year

Rosicrucian New Year

3rd Thursday in March

Absolutely Incredible Kid Day [3rd Thursday]

Companies That Care Day [3rd Thursday]

MASD Awareness Day [3rd Thursday]

National Close the Gap Day (Australia) [3rd Thursday]

National Farm Rescuer Day [3rd Thursday]

National Spray Tanning Day [3rd Thursday]

Oranges and Lemons Day [3rd Thursday; also 3.31]

Teacher’s Day (Syria) [3rd Thursday]

Theater Thursday [3rd Thursday of Each Month]

Thirsty Thursday [Every Thursday]

Three for Thursday [Every Thursday]

Thrift Store Thursday [Every Thursday]

Throwback Thursday [Every Thursday]

Turkey Thursday [3rd Thursday of Each Month]

Weekly Holidays beginning March 20 (3rd Week of March)

Oakland Restaurant Week (Oakland, California) [thru 3.30]

Festivals On or Beginning March 20, 2025

Collier Fair (Naples, Florida) [thru 3.30]

Iowa Rabbit Festival (Iowa, Louisiana) [thru 3.22]

Louisiana Crawfish Festival (Chalmette, Louisiana) [thru 3.23]

MCAA March Madness College Basketball Tournament [thru 4.7]

National Cherry Blossom Festival (Washington, D.C.) [thru 4.13]

National Collegiate Fencing Championships [thru 3.23]

Palm Desert Food & Wine (Palm Desert, California) [thru 3.23]

South Carolina BBQ--Shag Festival (Hemingway, South Carolina) [thru 3.22]

The WhiskyX (Nashville, Tennessee)

Feast Days

Alexandra (Christian; Saint)

Apple Magic Day (For Norse Goddess Idunn; Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Big Bird (Muppetism)

Blessed John of Parma (Christian; Saint)

Clement of Ireland (Christian; Saint)

Cuthbert of Lindisfarne (Christian; Saint) [maltsters]

Day Sacred to the Goddess Fortuna, the Morrigan, the Norns, the Three Fates, and the Three Mothers (Lakshmi, Parvati, and Sarasvati)

Extraterrestrial Abductions Day (Pastafarian)

Feast of the Supreme Ritual (Thelema)

Festival For Driving Out All Evils (Inca)

Festival of Isis (Ancient Egypt)

Herbert of Derwentwater (Christian; Saint)

John of Nepomuk (Christian; Saint)

Józef Bilczewski (Christian; Saint)

María Josefa Sancho de Guerra (Christian; Saint)

Martin of Braga (Christian; Saint)

The Martyrs of Mar Saba (Christian; Martyrs)

Michele Carcano (Christian; Saint)

Philo of Alexandria (Positivist; Saint)

Photina and Her Companions (Christian; Martyrs)

Quinquatria, Day 2: Wrestling Day (Pagan)

Spring Harvest Festival (Ancient Egypt; Everyday Wicca)

Wulfram (Christian; Saint)

Xena Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Zagmuk (Festival celebrating the Resurrection of Marduk)

First Day of Spring [Vernal Equinox, Northern Hemisphere] (a.k.a. …

Akitu Festival begins (Ancient Sumeria)

Alban Eiler (a.k.a. Ostara; Celtic, Pagan) [2 of 8 Festivals of the Natural Year]

Bed in For Peace Day

Burning of the Socks Festival (Annapolis, Maryland)

Chunfen (China)

Dísablót (Honoring the ancient Norse Goddess Dís)

Earth Equinox Day

Festival of Dumuzi (Return of god of life & death to be with goddess of life which brings the Spring; Sumerian)

Festival of Iduna (Goddess of Spring, Keeper of the Apples of Youth; Norse)

Fragrance and Flower Day

Free Cone Day (Dairy Queen)

Great American Meatout Day

Haru-no-Higan (Japanese Buddhist)

Harvest Festival and Coming Forth of the Great Ones from the House of Ra (Ancient Egypt)

Higan (Japan)

International Astrology Day

International Earth Day

Jare (Old Slavic)

Kōreisai (Japan)

Kuulcan Snake God in Chicken Itza (Yucatan)

Mabon (Old Anglo-Teutonic)

Maslenitsa (Asatru/Slavic Pagan)

Méan Earraigh (Pagan)

New Year's Day (a.k.a. Equinox of the Gods; Thelema)

Ostara (Wiccan Fire Fertility Festival)

Pacha Pucuy (Earth Ripening; Ancient Inca)

Passaround (The Season of Fertility; Church of the SubGenius)

Plant a Seed Day

Proposal Day

Shunbun no Hi (Japan)

Snowman Burning Day

Summer-Finding (Asatru)

Sun-Earth Day

Taoist Festival of Shen (Water, East & Spring)

Vernal Equinox

World Citizen Day

World Storytelling Day

Lunar Calendar Holidays

Chinese: Month 2 (Ji-Mao), Day 21 (Wu-Zi)

Day Pillar: Earth Rat

12-Day Officers/12 Gods: Receive Day (收 Shou) [Inauspicious]

Holidays: March Equinox

Secular Saints Days

George Caleb Bingham (Art)

Amalie Sara Colquhoun (Art)

Jean-Antoine Houdon (Art)

Holly Hunter (Entertainment)

William Hurt (Entertainment)

Henrik Ibsen (Literature)

A.J. Jacobs (Literature)

John Lavery (Art)

Spike Lee (Entertainment)

Hal Linden (Entertainment)

Bobby Orr (Sports)

Ovid (Literature)

Edward Poynter (Art)

Illarion Pryanishnikov (Art)

Jerry Reed (Music)

Carl Reiner (Entertainment)

Mary Roach (Literature)

Fred Rogers (Entertainment)

Theresa Russell (Entertainment)

Louis Sachar (Literature)

B.F. Skinner (Science)

Jimmie Vaughan (Music)

Eduard Wiiralt (Art)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Prime Number Day: 79 [22 of 72]

Very Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [17 of 60]

Premieres

After Hours, by The Weekend (Album; 2020)

Armchair Apocrypha, by Andrew Bird (Album; 2007)

Avalanche is Better None or Snows You Old Man (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S1, Ep. 33; 1960)

Back Off Boogaloo, recorded by Ringo Starr (Song; 1972)

Basic Instinct (Film; 1992)

Below Zero Heroes or I Only Have Ice for You (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S1, Ep. 34; 1960)

The Book of Thoth (Egyptian Tarot), by Aleister Crowley (Tarot Book; 1944)

Bosko’s Easter Eggs (Happy Harmonies Cartoon; 1937)

Both Sides Now, by Joni Mitchell (Album; 2000)

Cannibal Capers (Disney Silly Symphony Cartoon; 1930)

The Cat’s Bah (WB LT Cartoon; 1954)

Concerto in B Flat Minor (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1942)

Daffy Duck Hunt (WB LT Cartoon; 1949)

Dumbhounded (Tex Avery Droopy MGM Cartoon; 1943)

Duplicity (Film; 2009)

Dutch East India Company (Gov’t Sponsored Trading Company; 1806)

Factory to Consumer (Mutt & Jeff Cartoon; 1921)

Felix the Cat in Barn Yarns (Felix the Cat Cartoon; 1927)

Flop Goes the Weasel (WB MM Cartoon; 1943)

Fractured Friendship (Chilly Willy & Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1965)

Hollywood Shuffle (Film; 1987)

Hothouse, by Brian W. Aldiss (Novel; 1962)

I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, by Sinead O’Connor (Album; 1990)

I Love You, Man (Film; 2009)

The Impossible Possum (Barney Bear MGM Cartoon; 1954)

Insurgent (Film; 2015)

John Proctor is the Villain (Broadway Play; 2025)

Knowing (Film; 2009)

Krazy Kay: Demi-Tasse (Hearst-Vitagraph News Pictorial Cartoon; 1916)

Lady Chatterly’s Lover, by D.H. Lawrence (Novel; 1928)

Little Pancho Vanilla (Blue Ribbon Hit Parade Cartoon; 1948)

The Magician (Aesop’s Film Fable Cartoon; 1927)

Man of La Mancha (Broadway Musical; 1965)

Meet the Temptations, by The Temptations (Album; 1964)

Neptune Nonsense (Rainbow Parade Cartoon; 1936)

Newman Laugh-O-Grams (Disney Cartoon; 1921)

Noises Off (Film; 1992)

Off to China (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1936)

The Pink Panther (Film; 1964)

The Postman Always Rings Twice (Film; 1981)

The Romance of Betty Boop (Animated TV Film; 1985)

The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne (Novel; 1850)

Sham Battle Shenanigans (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1942)

Straight, No Chaser, by Thelonious Monk (Album; 1967)

Symphony Hour (Mickey Mouse Disney Cartoon; 1942)

Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats (Hanna-Barbera Animated TV Film; 1988)

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe (Novel; 1857)

Wacky Quacky (Phantasies Cartoon; 1947)

What Price Fleadom (MGM Cartoon; 1948)

Wild Things (Film; 1998)

Ye Olde Songs, featuring Farmer Al Falfa (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1932)

Young Blood, by Bad Company (Song; 1976)

Zen in the Art of Archery, by Eugen Herrigel (Philosophy Book; 1948)

Zombeavers (Film; 2015)

Today’s Name Days

Claudia, Wolfram (Austria)

Ivan, Nicet, Pavao (Croatia)

Světlana (Czech Republic)

Gordius (Denmark)

Malve, Malvi, Malviine (Estonia)

Aki, Jaakkima, Joakim, Jooa, Kim, Kimi (Finland)

Herbert, Printemps (France)

Claudia, Wolfram (Germany)

Claudia, Rodi, Rodianos (Greece)

Klaudia (Hungary)

Alessandra,, Claudia (Italy)

Irbe, Made, Magda, Magdalēna (Latvia)

Filomenas, Imgarda, Irma, Tautvilė, Žygimantas (Lithuania)

Joakim, Kim (Norway)

Aleksander, Aleksandra, Ambroży, Anatol, Bogusław, Cyriaka, Eufemia, Klaudia, Patrycjusz, Ruprecht, Wasyl, Wincenty (Poland)

Víťazoslav (Slovakia)

Alejandra, Daniel, Martín (Spain)

Joakim, Kim (Sweden)

Dillan, Dillion, Dillon, Drew, Dru, Dylan, Dylon (USA)

Today’s National Name Days

National Spike Day

National Vanessa Day

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 79 of 2025; 286 days remaining in the year

ISO Week: Day 4 of Week 12 of 2025

Celtic Tree Calendar: Fearn (Alder) [Day 23 of 28]

Chinese: Month 2 (Ji-Mao), Day 21 (Wu-Zi)

Chinese Year of the: Snake 4723 (until February 17, 2026) [Ding-Chou]

Coptic: 11 Baramhat 1741

Druid Tree Calendar: Lime (Mar 11-20) [Day 10 of 10]

Hebrew: 20 Adar 5785

Islamic: 20 Ramadan 1446

Julian: 7 March 2025

Moon: 67%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 23 Aristotle (3rd Month) [Philo of Alexandria]

Runic Half Month: Beore (Birch Tree) [Day 13 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 1 of 92)

SUn Calendar: 19 Green; Fryday [19 of 30]

Week: 3rd Week of March

Zodiac:

Tropical (Typical) Zodiac: Aquarius (Day 30 of 30)

Sidereal Zodiac: Pisces (Day 6 of 30)

Schmidt Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 27 of 27)

IAU Boundaries (Current) Zodiac: Pisces (Day 9 of 38)

IAU Boundaries (1977) Zodiac: Pisces (Day 9 of 38)

Calendar Changes

Spring [Season 2 of 4]

[lindsaywesker]

Good morning! I hope you slept well and feel rested? Currently sitting in my study, attired only in my blue towelling robe, enjoying my first cuppa of the day. Welcome to the working week although, for those of you working in the NHS, welcome to just another day, and welcome to July: the seventh month of the year! Ain’t this year whizzing by!

Many thanks to everyone that listened to the radio show live and to everyone that will listen to the show on MixCloud. The Letter O (Part One) this Saturday at 1.00 p.m. Executive Producer: Matt Louis.

On Saturday afternoon, we’d been invited to a BBQ in Reading, so we didn’t get there until after 5.00, but we were very happy we made it! Waiting for us were our hosts Greg and Keri Emmerson and a whole clutch of beautiful people. Thankfully, there was no DJ trying to impress us with their set, so the classic tunes were set at ‘background music’ level and we didn’t have to shout in someone’s ear. As Greg is a former ‘Masterchef’ contestant, the food was mouth-watering! The Trouble gave me a piece of jerk chicken and, before someone could get me a plate, it was already in my belly (and dribbling down my arms!) As we could hear ourselves speak, the conversation was lively and, on a warm summer’s afternoon, surrounded by beautiful people, spoiled with delicious food and drink, I was able to sit back, smile and truly enjoy my life. You go to an event like that and you have one of those, “Aaah, life is good!” moments. Big love to Greg and Keri for the invite!

I suspect the English police are probably quite relieved that English people don’t destroy cities every time an English policeman murders an innocent civilian. If that happened in America, most cities would have been burnt to the ground by now! The footage from France is quite remarkable and shows that ordinary working people are growing weary of lawless law-enforcers!

Our current go-to show for light relief while we’re eating lunch or dinner is ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’. (Yes, I know we’re late to the party.) The strength of the show is not only the script but the characters and their lovable quirks: Diaz’s love of violence and mentally unstable men, the sarge’s obsession with yogurt and his talking in the third-person, and the captain’s almost Wesker-like insistence on proper language and grammar. When we complete all nine seasons, it will be just like ‘Modern Family’ and ‘This Is Us’ all over again; loss, emptiness, withdrawal symptoms. Nine-Nine Trivia: Hitchcock’s dad played Hoss Cartwright in ‘Bonanza’.

I am immensely grateful to all the promoters for sending me new music for my radio show. The No. 1 problem is that 80% of it is good but not good enough to play in my show. I get two hours a week and the music has to stand alongside the best black music of the last 60 years. I definitely don’t blame the promotions companies but I do blame the artists, musicians and producers not making enough effort to be creative. With 120,000 tracks being uploaded every day, the market place does not NEED music. What the market place needs are timeless future classics. If DJs are still playing ‘Skip To My Lou (a 40-year-old tune), then today’s tracks must be good enough to still be filling floors in 40 years’ time.

Sunday was a lazy day: I got up at 8.00, The Trouble got up at 11.00, my son got up at midday! Brunch was at 3.00! We all work hard; we deserved a lazy day.

Have a marvellous and momentous Monday. I love you all.

[brookston]

Holidays 3.20

Holidays

Alien Abduction Day

Atheist Pride Day [also 6.20]

Bibliomania Day

Big Bird Day

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Day

Culture Day and Creative Intelligentsia Day (Tajikistan)

Dibber Day (French Republic)

Do For Others Day

Durham Day (UK)

Extraterrestrial Abductions Day 

Festival of Extraterrestrial Abductions

French Language Day (a.k.a. International Francophonie Day; UN)

Ghode Jatra (Horse Festival; Nepal)

Global Massage Makes Me Happy & Healthy Day

Great British Spring Clean Day (UK)

Hufflepuff Pride Day

International Day of Happiness (UN)

International Francophonie Day

Kiss Your Fiancé Day

Lajos Kossuth Day (Hungary)

Legba Zaou (Haiti)

Li-Fraumeni Syndrome Awareness Day

Macaron Day NYC

Mesopotamian/Sumerian Grain Festival (Honoring Ashnan)

Minion Day (Japan)

Mister Rogers Day

National Arts Advocacy Day

National Day of Italian Universities Day (Italy)

National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day

National Jump Out! Day

National Marketing Day

National Plagiocephaly & Torticollis Awareness Day

National Westie Day

Oil Nationalization Day (Iran)

P320 Day

Radio Caroline Pirate Radio Ship Sinking Anniversary Day

Smile Rejuvenation Day

Two-Spirit & Indigenous LGBTQQIA+ Awareness to Celebration Day (Canada)

Very Hungary Caterpillar Day

Won't You Be My Neighbor? Day

Won’t You Wear a Sweater Day

World Behavior Analysis Day

World Day of Theater for Children and Young People

World Head Injury Awareness Day

World NIDCAP Day

World Oral Health Day

World Rewinding Day

World Rights to Water Day

Zipper Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Bock Beer Day (New York) [also 2nd Monday]

Crawfish Cravers Awareness Day

Macaron Day

National Ravioli Day

World Flour Day

World Water Rice Day (India)

Nature Celebrations

Dogs in Yellow Day

National Backyard Bird Photography Day

Pigeons Return to City-County Building (Ft. Wayne, Indiana)

Purple Tulip (Eternal Love; Korean Birth Flowers)

World Frog Day

World Sparrow Day

Independence, Flag & Related Days

Blackland (a.k.a. Kingdom of Blackland; Declared; 2015) [unrecognized]

Conzorica (a.k.a. Federal Republics of Conzorica; Declared; 2014)

Kirkuk Liberation Day (Iraqi Kurdistan)

Otango Province Anniversary (New Zealand)

Qootärlænt (Declared; 2008) [unrecognized]

Rezaxia (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Tunisia (from France, 1956)

New Year’s Days

Baha’i New Year

New Year's Day (a.k.a. Equinox of the Gods; Thelema)

Nowruz (New Year) [Day 1, Around Spring Equinox] (a.k.a. ... 

Bahá'í Naw-Rúz (Bahá'í)

Naruz (Afghan New Year)

Navruz (Tajikistan, Ukbekistan)

Norooz (Iran)

Novruz Bairam (a.k.a. Persian New Year; Azerbaijan)

Nowrūz (Persian, Gilaki, Kurdish, Zoroastrians; California)

Persian New Year

Rosicrucian New Year

3rd Thursday in March

Absolutely Incredible Kid Day [3rd Thursday]

Companies That Care Day [3rd Thursday]

MASD Awareness Day [3rd Thursday]

National Close the Gap Day (Australia) [3rd Thursday]

National Farm Rescuer Day [3rd Thursday]

National Spray Tanning Day [3rd Thursday]

Oranges and Lemons Day [3rd Thursday; also 3.31]

Teacher’s Day (Syria) [3rd Thursday]

Theater Thursday [3rd Thursday of Each Month]

Thirsty Thursday [Every Thursday]

Three for Thursday [Every Thursday]

Thrift Store Thursday [Every Thursday]

Throwback Thursday [Every Thursday]

Turkey Thursday [3rd Thursday of Each Month]

Weekly Holidays beginning March 20 (3rd Week of March)

Oakland Restaurant Week (Oakland, California) [thru 3.30]

Festivals On or Beginning March 20, 2025

Collier Fair (Naples, Florida) [thru 3.30]

Iowa Rabbit Festival (Iowa, Louisiana) [thru 3.22]

Louisiana Crawfish Festival (Chalmette, Louisiana) [thru 3.23]

MCAA March Madness College Basketball Tournament [thru 4.7]

National Cherry Blossom Festival (Washington, D.C.) [thru 4.13]

National Collegiate Fencing Championships [thru 3.23]

Palm Desert Food & Wine (Palm Desert, California) [thru 3.23]

South Carolina BBQ--Shag Festival (Hemingway, South Carolina) [thru 3.22]

The WhiskyX (Nashville, Tennessee)

Feast Days

Alexandra (Christian; Saint)

Apple Magic Day (For Norse Goddess Idunn; Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Big Bird (Muppetism)

Blessed John of Parma (Christian; Saint)

Clement of Ireland (Christian; Saint)

Cuthbert of Lindisfarne (Christian; Saint) [maltsters]

Day Sacred to the Goddess Fortuna, the Morrigan, the Norns, the Three Fates, and the Three Mothers (Lakshmi, Parvati, and Sarasvati)

Extraterrestrial Abductions Day (Pastafarian)

Feast of the Supreme Ritual (Thelema)

Festival For Driving Out All Evils (Inca)

Festival of Isis (Ancient Egypt)

Herbert of Derwentwater (Christian; Saint)

John of Nepomuk (Christian; Saint)

Józef Bilczewski (Christian; Saint)

María Josefa Sancho de Guerra (Christian; Saint)

Martin of Braga (Christian; Saint)

The Martyrs of Mar Saba (Christian; Martyrs)

Michele Carcano (Christian; Saint)

Philo of Alexandria (Positivist; Saint)

Photina and Her Companions (Christian; Martyrs)

Quinquatria, Day 2: Wrestling Day (Pagan)

Spring Harvest Festival (Ancient Egypt; Everyday Wicca)

Wulfram (Christian; Saint)

Xena Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Zagmuk (Festival celebrating the Resurrection of Marduk)

First Day of Spring [Vernal Equinox, Northern Hemisphere] (a.k.a. …

Akitu Festival begins (Ancient Sumeria)

Alban Eiler (a.k.a. Ostara; Celtic, Pagan) [2 of 8 Festivals of the Natural Year]

Bed in For Peace Day

Burning of the Socks Festival (Annapolis, Maryland)

Chunfen (China)

Dísablót (Honoring the ancient Norse Goddess Dís)

Earth Equinox Day

Festival of Dumuzi (Return of god of life & death to be with goddess of life which brings the Spring; Sumerian)

Festival of Iduna (Goddess of Spring, Keeper of the Apples of Youth; Norse)

Fragrance and Flower Day

Free Cone Day (Dairy Queen)

Great American Meatout Day

Haru-no-Higan (Japanese Buddhist)

Harvest Festival and Coming Forth of the Great Ones from the House of Ra (Ancient Egypt)

Higan (Japan)

International Astrology Day

International Earth Day

Jare (Old Slavic)

Kōreisai (Japan)

Kuulcan Snake God in Chicken Itza (Yucatan)

Mabon (Old Anglo-Teutonic)

Maslenitsa (Asatru/Slavic Pagan)

Méan Earraigh (Pagan)

New Year's Day (a.k.a. Equinox of the Gods; Thelema)

Ostara (Wiccan Fire Fertility Festival)

Pacha Pucuy (Earth Ripening; Ancient Inca)

Passaround (The Season of Fertility; Church of the SubGenius)

Plant a Seed Day

Proposal Day

Shunbun no Hi (Japan)

Snowman Burning Day

Summer-Finding (Asatru)

Sun-Earth Day

Taoist Festival of Shen (Water, East & Spring)

Vernal Equinox

World Citizen Day

World Storytelling Day

Lunar Calendar Holidays

Chinese: Month 2 (Ji-Mao), Day 21 (Wu-Zi)

Day Pillar: Earth Rat

12-Day Officers/12 Gods: Receive Day (收 Shou) [Inauspicious]

Holidays: March Equinox

Secular Saints Days

George Caleb Bingham (Art)

Amalie Sara Colquhoun (Art)

Jean-Antoine Houdon (Art)

Holly Hunter (Entertainment)

William Hurt (Entertainment)

Henrik Ibsen (Literature)

A.J. Jacobs (Literature)

John Lavery (Art)

Spike Lee (Entertainment)

Hal Linden (Entertainment)

Bobby Orr (Sports)

Ovid (Literature)

Edward Poynter (Art)

Illarion Pryanishnikov (Art)

Jerry Reed (Music)

Carl Reiner (Entertainment)

Mary Roach (Literature)

Fred Rogers (Entertainment)

Theresa Russell (Entertainment)

Louis Sachar (Literature)

B.F. Skinner (Science)

Jimmie Vaughan (Music)

Eduard Wiiralt (Art)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Prime Number Day: 79 [22 of 72]

Very Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [17 of 60]

Premieres

After Hours, by The Weekend (Album; 2020)

Armchair Apocrypha, by Andrew Bird (Album; 2007)

Avalanche is Better None or Snows You Old Man (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S1, Ep. 33; 1960)

Back Off Boogaloo, recorded by Ringo Starr (Song; 1972)

Basic Instinct (Film; 1992)

Below Zero Heroes or I Only Have Ice for You (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S1, Ep. 34; 1960)

The Book of Thoth (Egyptian Tarot), by Aleister Crowley (Tarot Book; 1944)

Bosko’s Easter Eggs (Happy Harmonies Cartoon; 1937)

Both Sides Now, by Joni Mitchell (Album; 2000)

Cannibal Capers (Disney Silly Symphony Cartoon; 1930)

The Cat’s Bah (WB LT Cartoon; 1954)

Concerto in B Flat Minor (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1942)

Daffy Duck Hunt (WB LT Cartoon; 1949)

Dumbhounded (Tex Avery Droopy MGM Cartoon; 1943)

Duplicity (Film; 2009)

Dutch East India Company (Gov’t Sponsored Trading Company; 1806)

Factory to Consumer (Mutt & Jeff Cartoon; 1921)

Felix the Cat in Barn Yarns (Felix the Cat Cartoon; 1927)

Flop Goes the Weasel (WB MM Cartoon; 1943)

Fractured Friendship (Chilly Willy & Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1965)

Hollywood Shuffle (Film; 1987)

Hothouse, by Brian W. Aldiss (Novel; 1962)

I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got, by Sinead O’Connor (Album; 1990)

I Love You, Man (Film; 2009)

The Impossible Possum (Barney Bear MGM Cartoon; 1954)

Insurgent (Film; 2015)

John Proctor is the Villain (Broadway Play; 2025)

Knowing (Film; 2009)

Krazy Kay: Demi-Tasse (Hearst-Vitagraph News Pictorial Cartoon; 1916)

Lady Chatterly’s Lover, by D.H. Lawrence (Novel; 1928)

Little Pancho Vanilla (Blue Ribbon Hit Parade Cartoon; 1948)

The Magician (Aesop’s Film Fable Cartoon; 1927)

Man of La Mancha (Broadway Musical; 1965)

Meet the Temptations, by The Temptations (Album; 1964)

Neptune Nonsense (Rainbow Parade Cartoon; 1936)

Newman Laugh-O-Grams (Disney Cartoon; 1921)

Noises Off (Film; 1992)

Off to China (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1936)

The Pink Panther (Film; 1964)

The Postman Always Rings Twice (Film; 1981)

The Romance of Betty Boop (Animated TV Film; 1985)

The Scarlet Letter, by Nathaniel Hawthorne (Novel; 1850)

Sham Battle Shenanigans (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1942)

Straight, No Chaser, by Thelonious Monk (Album; 1967)

Symphony Hour (Mickey Mouse Disney Cartoon; 1942)

Top Cat and the Beverly Hills Cats (Hanna-Barbera Animated TV Film; 1988)

Uncle Tom’s Cabin, by Harriet Beecher Stowe (Novel; 1857)

Wacky Quacky (Phantasies Cartoon; 1947)

What Price Fleadom (MGM Cartoon; 1948)

Wild Things (Film; 1998)

Ye Olde Songs, featuring Farmer Al Falfa (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1932)

Young Blood, by Bad Company (Song; 1976)

Zen in the Art of Archery, by Eugen Herrigel (Philosophy Book; 1948)

Zombeavers (Film; 2015)

Today’s Name Days

Claudia, Wolfram (Austria)

Ivan, Nicet, Pavao (Croatia)

Světlana (Czech Republic)

Gordius (Denmark)

Malve, Malvi, Malviine (Estonia)

Aki, Jaakkima, Joakim, Jooa, Kim, Kimi (Finland)

Herbert, Printemps (France)

Claudia, Wolfram (Germany)

Claudia, Rodi, Rodianos (Greece)

Klaudia (Hungary)

Alessandra,, Claudia (Italy)

Irbe, Made, Magda, Magdalēna (Latvia)

Filomenas, Imgarda, Irma, Tautvilė, Žygimantas (Lithuania)

Joakim, Kim (Norway)

Aleksander, Aleksandra, Ambroży, Anatol, Bogusław, Cyriaka, Eufemia, Klaudia, Patrycjusz, Ruprecht, Wasyl, Wincenty (Poland)

Víťazoslav (Slovakia)

Alejandra, Daniel, Martín (Spain)

Joakim, Kim (Sweden)

Dillan, Dillion, Dillon, Drew, Dru, Dylan, Dylon (USA)

Today’s National Name Days

National Spike Day

National Vanessa Day

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 79 of 2025; 286 days remaining in the year

ISO Week: Day 4 of Week 12 of 2025

Celtic Tree Calendar: Fearn (Alder) [Day 23 of 28]

Chinese: Month 2 (Ji-Mao), Day 21 (Wu-Zi)

Chinese Year of the: Snake 4723 (until February 17, 2026) [Ding-Chou]

Coptic: 11 Baramhat 1741

Druid Tree Calendar: Lime (Mar 11-20) [Day 10 of 10]

Hebrew: 20 Adar 5785

Islamic: 20 Ramadan 1446

Julian: 7 March 2025

Moon: 67%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 23 Aristotle (3rd Month) [Philo of Alexandria]

Runic Half Month: Beore (Birch Tree) [Day 13 of 15]

Season: Spring (Day 1 of 92)

SUn Calendar: 19 Green; Fryday [19 of 30]

Week: 3rd Week of March

Zodiac:

Tropical (Typical) Zodiac: Aquarius (Day 30 of 30)

Sidereal Zodiac: Pisces (Day 6 of 30)

Schmidt Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 27 of 27)

IAU Boundaries (Current) Zodiac: Pisces (Day 9 of 38)

IAU Boundaries (1977) Zodiac: Pisces (Day 9 of 38)

Calendar Changes

Spring [Season 2 of 4]

[naturecoaster]

The 15th Annual Pigz in Z'Hills BBQ & Blues Festival is the Greater East Pasco Chamber of Commerce signature event. As the name suggests, BBQ & Blues features a friendly Kidz Grillin' competition amidst a background of blues music, a hog-calling contest, and a wing-eating contest! FUN FAMILY EVENT! There's something for everyone, including a Live Blues Concert from 11 am - 5 pm 2025 Entertainment Lineup: - Ed Wright - Kid Royal Band - Mark Shane & The Shane Gang - Chuck Riley All-Star Band featuring Tyrone Vaughn, Damon Fowler & RJ Howson Cornhole Tournament located behind Zephyrhills Brewing Company - Cornhole is back! Last year featured our 4th Cornhole Tournament sponsored by AdventHealth Zephyrhills and Faithful Friends Pet Cremation. With the move to downtown, you will find Cornhole behind the Zephyrhills Brewing Company this year! Bring your chair and enjoy the day - whether that is the music or watching cornhole! What can be better than music, beer, & great friends? Vendors featuring arts, crafts, and a variety of fun merchandise Kidz Zone sponsored by Suncoast Credit Union and the YMCA features a variety of activities that children and adults of all ages can enjoy! - For just one price, grab a wristband and play all day on all inflatable attractions! Check out the inflatable games or do the fun activities that our local YMCA and Suncoast Credit Union have lined up! Parents can even take turns relaxing in the shade while the kids play! Hog Calling Contest sponsored by Boss Hogg Radio Zephyrhills Military Museum, located just down the street from downtown. - In the early 1940s, hundreds of Army fighter pilots came to Zephyrhills to hone their skills at the newly built Zephyrhills Army Airfield before going to war. After World War II, the airport was donated to the city. The barracks where the pilots lived have all been demolished with this infirmary building being the only survivor. From 1997 to 2001, state and city grants allowed for the restoration and preservation of this building. The museum holds treasured memories of the World War II veterans who lived and trained in Zephyrhills and others who served in this and other wars. Wing Eating Contest - looking for a sponsor! The 4th Kidz Grillin' Competition, sponsored by Bahr's Propane Gas & AC, Publix, Sonny's BBQ, SouthState Bank, The Home Depot, and Chick-fil-A. Trophies will be awarded to the top 3 with gift bags for all competitors. All meat and cooking supplies will be provided! All you need to do is bring your child and stay to supervise. The first 30 registered entries are sponsored by local community members. No Coolers | Service Animals ONLY         In partnership with Florida’s Sports Coast and Boss Hogg Radio; Suncoast Credit Union; Advent Health Zephyrhills; the City of Zephyrhills; Baycare Hospital; Sonny’s BBQ; SouthState Bank; NatureCoaster.com, The Laker Lutz News and Tampa Bay Times. Since 2010, BBQ & Blues has pulled more than 3 million dollars into the Zephyrhills area. Last year, the festival brought an estimated economic impact of $500,000 to our local economy. Since its inception, BBQ & Blues has helped The Chamber of Commerce to provide approximately $40,000 in scholarships to Zephyrhills area students and given back over $100K to our community partners. BBQ & Blues engages over 200 dedicated volunteers every year. The Chamber of Commerce has awarded more than $68,000 in donations to local 501(c)3 youth groups and charities that commit time and talent to create this successful event. With 10,000-13,000 guests per year, BBQ & Blues has grown to become the most attended event in Zephyrhills. While nearly half of the participants are usually local, about 30% are regional and a surprising 20% are from out of state. BBQ & Blues helps put Zephyrhills on the map! Read the full article

[journeysofpatrickandarchana]

The First Month - by Patrick Dwyer

Original Blog posted: Saturday, 11 May 2013

"The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea." Isak Dinesen

Well as most of you know Archana & I bought a catamaran in the Caribbean and left Sydney on the 18th February 2013 to sail it back to Sydney.

We arrived in St Maarten on the 19th Feb after a 53 hour experience from Sydney. We were picked up at the airport by our engineer who was to check the boat out and fit all the extras. He took us to Anse Marcel a quaint little port on the NW side of the French side of the island that you could be forgiven for missing even from 100 metres from the sea entrance. We spent 5 days there living on 54 foot & 40.7 foot Beneteau Oceanis yachts before concluding the handover of our catamaran with the seller. One final thing had to be done by them to fulfil their part of the contract and that was to check the engine leg sail drive seals as water was noticed in the oil on the second survey. Therefore the yacht was taken by one of the staff of the company I was buying the yacht off with me to Polypat boat yard (an hour’s motor away) to be hauled out for a visual inspection. In trying to get the seal off the vendors engineer took a lathe to it and ruined the major part the seal was affixed to and which prevented the yacht being put back into the water. Having ruined the part we were stuck on the hard stand for 3 weeks whilst another part was shipped out from Belgium. So as the 5 crew (an Australian, Englishman, Frenchman & a couple from Zurich) began turning up for this experience of a life time they had to endure walking up a rickety ladder onto the boat for up to 3 weeks before the new part was fitted and then we got into the water with all our new toys fitted to the yacht i.e. 1500 litre per day water maker, AIS, new plotter, battery monitor, SSB/HF radio, BBQ, microwave, a freezer to add to the 3 fridges already on the boat and oven & 3 burners. The galley has 3 sinks with a 4th outside where fish are slaughtered before being devoured sashimi style or cooked. (Archana is in heaven and queen of the galley). We met some nice people there and invited them onto our yacht for dinner a few times over a Presente or Carab the 2 favourite beers over here.

Here at the boat yard we couldn’t use our water as it would create a flood in the yard so we had to have our shower in one open to the world to see at a cost of 1 Euro (in a pay machine) for a 5 minute cold shower that you had to keep pressing the button during those 5 minutes to keep the water flow coming. I am thinking of putting the same system in at home to get Archana to cut her 45 minute showers down. Here we could both have our showers within the 5 minute time limit which was an all time first. The secret is to now to get her from using 100 litres of water to clean her teeth on the yacht where the two biggest daily issues are power & water usage. The toilet also was an experience in Polypat.

Whilst we were in the ship yard at Polypat we hired a car for 3 weeks that allowed us to see the island, buy things for the yacht including a mountain of food (thousands of dollars worth including 150 litres of long life milk). The crew on our boat must be the most well fed around with Archana’s quality food the crew have also had sorbet, ice cream and several days of smoked salmon for lunch, pancakes, homemade yogurt & pressure cooker made bread. All really yummy. It doesn’t look as though the diet I thought I would be on during this trip will eventuate.

On other purchases two of the crew bought kayaks each so they can have a paddle around in some of the bucket list of places we are visiting. They have had a few places to test them out and others have had a play with them as well.

With the French capital of Margiot only a few minutes walk away we had the opportunity to visit the famous markets there with Archana once again being in her element bargaining with the fish sellers as well as the spice merchants where we made a big spend for the trip. One of the crew doesn’t like spicy food so Archana has been making bland offering to him which he seems happy with. How boring!!!!.

So finally we were off and my first mission was to navigate our new acquisition through the Polypat bridge with wind and current hindering me and being forced to go through the narrow opening at 5 knots to keep my course knowing I only had 2 foot either side. This task was made even more difficult with everyone taking movies and photos and asking me to smile at the worst possible moment. I got through with no mishap which was a blessing as it would have spoiled my year if I had ended up like a Catana 47 catamaran that the owner bailed out at the last minute and did $100,000+of damage to the yacht. This yacht was being repaired 2 boats along from us when we were on the Polypat hard stand and only 150 metres from the bridge. In the time we were in the boat yard we had a bird’s eye view to the many near misses of catamarans going through when the bridge opened 3 times a day.

So we were off and the 1st night we spent 200 metres off the beach at Anse Marcel in a bit of déjà vu considering the dramas that emanated there. The following morning we were off to St Barts, Colin one of the crew caught his first fish, we saw dolphins, turtles and a nude French man who passed us in his catamaran, had a nice lunch, swim and afternoon at a lovely little island near St Barts before entering the main harbour there with multimillion dollar yacht all around. My favourite was a 3 mast mono hull. Each mast was the same height and it had 18 hydraulically controlled sails that covered any space above deck on the whole of this 55-60 metre yacht. We visited the township and completed our formalities before returning to our yacht by tender and had a swim before dinner and the mandatory drinks (for in port use only).

Over the next few days we visited St Kitts, Portsmouth in Dominica (a great yachties place where we visited Indian River where Pirates of the Caribbean was shot, walks through rainforest, bought a hand of bananas with over 120 bananas on it for less than $5 but now we have the mission to eat them all considering they are all expected to ripen at the same time etc) then onto Tobago Cays which was what I expected all of the Caribbean to be about with the marine iguanas, so many turtles, sting rays and lots of other fish in this tranquil setting that Archana said she could spend a week there. They even had the boat boys come around with fresh baguettes and lobsters for sale to cruisers. We then left there for Grenada (the isle of spice) where you see so many waterfalls over the island and every town seems to have at least 10 spice stalls by the side of the road. We were sorry we went on the tour of the island on Good Friday as the rum distillery was closed. They must have known we were coming!!!!

On the way to Dominica we saw a few dolphins and a humpback whale looking over her calf doing 100 or so tail slaps to the delight of Archana & I and the other 5 crew. During the trip thus far I have had a number of new foods not experienced before i.e. Jamaican apple, fresh tamarind and chickoo (sapodillos).

Now I am writing this on the way to Bonaire some 400 nm from Granada. The wind has been right behind us all the way so have been doing it easily with just the headsail out but still averaging over 6 knots but peaking at 12.7 knots with 2 reefs in the headsail and no main sail. Colin caught his 3rd fish yesterday morning, a 90cm barracuda that we had for lunch an hour later. I was amazed how good eating it was as it is something I have never eaten before as you never see it at the fish shops. Yesterday we went within 1 metre of running over a huge turtle at 6 knots. He, fortunately for both of us, turned at just the right moment giving us a fright and also an experience. I saw my 1st Portuguese Man-War today. A huge marine stinger (about the size of a large coke bottle) with colourful sail. So many flying fish that are buzzing our boat constantly along with the birds dive bombing them with occasional success. On the Grenada to Bonaire leg we experienced our first gale as the wind hit 35 knots and 3 metre seas. On most of the other passages we were sailing close hauled with the wind so variable especially when coming out from the leeward side of the islands and into the open passages between the islands.

On the less than 3 day passage to Bonaire we had two days of up to 36 knot winds so it was nice to finally see land and moor up 50 metres off the main road in the capital in 5m of water on top of a coral reef where I have already had a few dives. One thing I am still getting used to is the heat. Unrelenting 30+ degrees every day. On one day I actually got burnt before 9am. Colin caught his 4th and 5th fish another barracuda & a tuna.

So the plan from now is to leave for Panama on Friday night (5th April) 5 days to do the 740nm passage, 4 days to wait to get through Panama, 5 days to get to Galapagos, 8 days there then say 21 days to get to the Marquesas. This is the best estimate I can give at this stage as so many variables to deal with.

Thank you to those of you wishing us your best via Archana’s regular blog and to others send emails etc.

Until the next update from me. Archana will still be keeping you enthralled with her perspective on the big trip on her regular updates on her blog. Only 8285nm (nautical miles i.e. almost double for kilometres) till we are home

[oldsalempost-blog]

The Old Salem Post

                   Our  Local Tamassee-Salem SC Area News each Monday except holidays                                          Contact: theoldsalempost@gmail.com                              Distributed to local businesses, town hall, library.                           

Volume 7 Issue 14                                                                                              Week of March 18, 2024                https://www.tumblr.com/settings/blog/oldsalempost-blog                                                         Lynne Martin Publishing

EDITOR: In Matthew 5:24 Jesus said  “love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute.”  Wow! Really Lord: Love our enemies? Then we remember that Jesus died for every one of us, and not just little sins or big sins, but all sins.  Jesus went to the cross loving the people who were torturing and crucifying him. Can we do likewise? LRM

 TOWN of SALEM:  * Visit the Downtown Market every Sat, Winter hours 9am-1pm. *  Easter is coming.   Community Egg Hunt  Saturday, March 30th at 10am at the Town Park. Drop off  Candy donations to the Town Hall.     Next Town Council meeting March 19th at 5pm at the Town Hall.

SALEM LIBRARY:  Hours Monday 10am-6pm. Tues-Friday 9am-5pm. Closed 12-1 each day for lunch.  Self-Defense Class:  Wednesday March 27th 4pm-5:30pm at the Salem Community Building.  For adults and anyone 10 and older may attend, but must be accompanied by an adult.   Registration is required. Class size limited.  944-0912 for more information.

Jottings from Miz Jeannie  by Jeannie Barnwell.  Love Changes Us and the World:  We celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day March 17th each year, the recognized day of his death in the fifth century AD.  He was born in Britain 386 AD.  But at 16 years of age he was captured by Irish pirates and sold into slavery. Eventually he escaped, but returned to Ireland, as a missionary to teach his enemies of the love of Jesus Christ. 

ASHTON RECALLS   by Ashton Hester                                                 Here's a brief item for the Post. Some readers may be interested to know that holding debates was a highly popular activity among schools, literary societies, civic organizations, etc. in the pre-radio and TV era in the early 1900s. Salem was no exception, as the following item attests                                                        DEBATE TO BE HELD AT SALEM PTA MEETING - (The following item was in the February 13, 1924 Keowee Courier). . .On Friday night, Feb. 15, at 7 o'clock, the Salem Parent-Teachers' Association will render a program that will include the following debate: "Resolved, that Geo. Washington was a greater man than Woodrow Wilson." Affirmative, Beulah Nicholson, Jesse Sloan; negative, Annie Nicholson, Loyd Meroney. . .Rev. C.R. Abercrombie, president of the Parent-Teachers' Association, says that everyone is invited to attend the program. ..(Footnote written in 2024: Of course, Woodrow Wilson was the current President of the United States at that time.                                       

JOCASSEE VALLEY BREWING COMPANY,(JVBC) & COFFEE SHOP* 13412 N Hwy 11 Open Wed–Sat 9am-9pm and Sunday 2pm-7pm. Events this week:  Wed: The return of Wing Wednesday with the Blue Grass Jam 6:30pm.  Thursday: Food:  Blue Ridge Grill  and TRAIL TALK by Tim Lee speaking on Oconee Bells  6:00pm  Fri:  Music: Brown Mountain Lightning Bugs at 6:30pm Food: RADDADS BBQ.   Sat– Food: Lobster Dogs 1pm-7pm   Music: McGaha & Vanderford  at 6:30pm                Sun:  2pm-7pm.     More info 864-873-0048                     * Proudly serving delicious fresh brewed Pisgah Coffee Roasters

CONSERVATION CORNER:    A CALL TO ACTION:

If you are concerned with  the progression of overdevelopment in our county it is time to get informed and organized.  One neighborhood concern shared with The Old Salem Post: “ I’m sure you’re aware of the proposed development of 769 acres on Highway 130 for 2000 dwelling units. This will have a very negative effect on our community. Several of us are trying to organize a vocal opposition to this development.”  A start would be to attend the Oconee County Planning Commission meeting on Monday, March 18th at 6pm at 415 S Pine St, Walhalla, SC 29691 in the Oconee County Administrative Office.  Then plan to attend Oconee County Council meeting Tuesday, March 19th at 6pm.  Sign up before 6pm if you plan to speak during public comment.                                                                                                                  

The Clemson Area Food Exchange has been selling produce and table items from the farm in Pickens, Anderson and Oconee counties for the last 15 years.  SALEM is on the drop off on Tuesday 4:30pm -6pm, hosted by  Sisters Restaurant on the porch, 281Stamp Creek Rd. Order between Friday pm- Monday noon. First two orders complimentary, then $ 20/ year per household. Order on line at Clemsonareafoodexchange.com                                        

Suggested Required  Reading for every Christian:  The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan.  ANH

EAGLES NEST ART CENTER 2024 UPCOMING EVENTS                                                                                                              March 23rd, 7pm  Oconee Mountain Opry  Tickets $10 at the door day of the event or online at eaglesnestartcenter.org Ticketleap.  This evening will feature popular Upstate SC singer-songwriter Angela Easterling accompanied by Brandon Turner, the Mountain Bridge Band, comedy, mystery guests and more!  Don’t miss this local unique variety gem. 

April 26th, 7pm  Friday Evening Wellness Event:  Reclaiming Our Inalienable Wellness  Doors open at 6:30pm   Free event hosted by ENAC featuring speaker Meredith Orlowski, AFMC, INHC.  Bring your friends and family along. Gain Energy, Lose Weight, Feel Happy, & Save the World While Doing it!                                                     The Eagles Nest Treasure Store is open every Saturday morning 9am-12pm.  We are accepting donations during that time or call 864-557-2462.  Information on sponsorships, events, volunteering, donations, or rentals call 864-280-1258.

PROM DRESSES :  Ladies Prom Day is approaching!!  On March 22nd from 3pm-6:30 pm and March 23rd from 9am-12pm we will displaying and selling prom dresses for the upcoming proms.  We have many beautiful gowns short and long to choose from.  We look forward to seeing you. Please call  Donna at 864-557-2462 for more information.     

YARD SALE:  Rent a spot if you would like to bring a table and set up for our big sale on March 22nd and 23rd.                                                           

                                               CHURCH NEWS        Bethel Presbyterian Church (PCUSA),  580 Bethel Church Rd Walhalla, 29691. Worship at 10:30 a.m.   March 31 Message by George Harper, Easter Sunday with Communion.                     Boones Creek Baptist Church, 264 Boones Creek Road, Salem invites you to join us for regular worship service on Sunday morning with Sunday School at 10am and followed by worship at 11am.   Please join us for Easter Sunrise Service Sunday, March 31 at 7AM at the Devil’s Fork State Park at the concessions stand/bathhouse area. After service everyone is invited to breakfast at the church fellowship building.                                                                                                                                              

Salem Methodist Church: 520 Church Street, Salem.  9am for breakfast, 9:30am for Sunday School, and 10:30am for Worship.  You may tune in to our live service on Facebook or view it later on our website  Easter Sunrise Service 7AM.

From a Reader:  I enjoyed your lesson about the meaning of "quick." Here's another context of the phrase, "the quick and the dead." When I was drafted into the Army in 1966, during basic training we had a session on fighting with a bayonet affixed to the tip of a rifle. The drill sergeant informed us that, in a bayonet fight, there were only two types of participants: the quick and the dead. Fortunately, I never had to get in a bayonet fight, because I wasn't very quick. AH

LOCAL BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS:  

Sisters Restaurant: Call  944-8100  Open Wed – Sat  8am –1:30pm Sunday Brunch 9am-2pm                                               Habanero’s Mexican Grill  8211 N Hwy 11 Tamassee Open Sunday-Saturday 11am-supper time...                                         PAT’S CASH AND CARRY:  Best Hot dog in the Upstate and more!  Ice Cream!  -944-1445. Tues– Saturday 11am-4pm                       Hair on Main - 150 Hinkle Circle, Salem 864-944-2244           Mister and Missy’s Hair Salon: located beside the Tamassee DAR Thrift Store:   864-944-8732                                          Dawn’s Hair Design:   324 Palomino Farm Dr. Salem SC 864-710-7380  

Talk of the Town Salon:  174 E Main Street Downtown Salem 864-944-1005                                     

Love will always win! LRM    

[discoverdurhamnc]

Things to Do in Durham this Weekend (Aug 17-20)

Check out our full Durham events calendar.

If you'd like to add an event to our calendar, submit an event here. Please check with the event organizers to see if events change due to weather. Have a great weekend!

Venue Weekend Schedules

Events at DPAC

Aug 17 and 18 at 7 p.m. - Leanne Morgan with Special Guest Karen Mills (sold out)

Sat, Aug 19 at 8 p.m. - Arrival From Sweden - The Music of ABBA

Events at The Carolina Theatre

Sat, Aug 19 at 6 p.m. - Please Don’t Destroy Live

Events at The Pinhook

Thu, Aug 17 at 8 p.m. - Gengis Don And The Empire and Zoocrü

Fri, Aug 18 at 8 p.m. - Diggin In The Crates!

Sat, Aug 19 at 8 p.m. - Pop Punk & Pasties : A Burlesque Tribute To 2000s Pop Punk

Sun, Aug 20 at 11 p.m. - No Visa + The Conjure with DJ RP Boo

Events at Rubies on Five Points

Fri, Aug 18 at 10 p.m. - The Floor with Special Guest Mobelizer

Sat, Aug 19 at 10 p.m. - Fortune Factory Presents: Club Cabana

Events at Motorco Music Hall

Thu, Aug 19 at 8 p.m. - The Heavy Heavy with Joelton Mayfield

Events at The Fruit

Thu, Aug 17 at 9 p.m. - Overgrown Throne, Paranoid Maniac, Hot Rats, and sister, brother

Fri, Aug 18 from 6-9 p.m. - Energenesis: Paintings by Jalen Jackson & Jessica Goldstein

Fri, Aug 18 from 9 p.m. - 2 a.m. - Haus Of Liqueur Welcomes You To Hell: Drag Show & Dance Party

Sat, Aug 19 from 8-11 p.m. - The Seven Deadly Bibs

Sat, Aug 19 at 10 p.m. -  DanceGruv Radio Presents: Transmissions featuring Jask

Live Jazz at Sharp 9 Gallery

Fri, Aug 18 at 8 p.m. - Thrio

Sat, Aug 19 at 8 p.m. - Mark Tipton Quintet

Live Music at Blue Note Grill 

Thu, Aug 17 at 7 p.m. - Celebration of NC Songwriting

Nancy Middleton, Stan Lewis, Carrie Marshall & Kirk Ridge

Fri, Aug 18 at 6 p.m. - The Duke Street Dogs

Fri, Aug 18 at 9:15 p.m. - JVo & Co

The Wiley Fosters perform the solo music of John, Paul, George, and Ringo

Sat, Aug 19 at 4 p.m.

Sat, Aug 19 at 8 p.m.

Events at Moon Dog Meadery

Thursdays - Free Board Games

Thu, Aug 17 at 6 p.m. - Guildhall Board Game Night

Fri, Aug 18 at 8 p.m. - 3rd Friday Lindy Hop Dance Night with Djam!

Sat, Aug 19 at 8 p.m. - Comedy on Broad Presents - The Bull Pen

Events at Arcana

Thu, Aug 17 - Queer Trivia and Tarot with Rene

Fri, Aug 18 - Ally J & Kevin Clark and Tarot with Virginia

Sat, Aug 19 - Patrick McGrew and Tarot with Emily

Sun, Aug 20 - Ann Arader and Tarot with Emily

Events at Durty Bull Brewing Company

Thu, Aug 17

5-9 p.m. - Food Truck: El Jefecito

7-9 p.m. - Thursday Trivia with Nick

Fri, Aug 18

12-9 p.m. - Food Truck: Tacos Paraiso #1

8-11 p.m. - Open Mic Stand-up Comedy

Sat, Aug 19

2-9 p.m. - Food Truck: Tacos Paraiso #1

3-7 p.m. - 3rd Saturday Vintage + Maker Market

4-6 p.m. - Live Music: Taxicab Preacher

Sun, Aug 20

12-4 p.m. - Food Truck: Pull-Ups NC

1-3 p.m. - MotoGP Watch Party

2-4 p.m. - Hammered Trivia with Thor

Events at Boxcar Bar + Arcade

Sat, Aug 19 from 3-6 p.m. - Meet and greet with adoptable dogs from Hope Animal Rescue

Sat, Aug 19 from 7-10 p.m. - Stephen Alexander

Sun, Aug 20 from 2-5 p.m. - Grand Ole Uproar

Sun, Aug 20 from 6-9 p.m. - Steven Compton

Events at Fullsteam

Thu, Aug 17 from 8-10 p.m. - Fullsteam Trivia!

Fri, Aug 18 from 6-8 p.m. - Hello, Durham: A Community Meet & Greet

Sun, Aug 20 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. - Songs for Humans

Events at Glass Jug Beer Lab in RTP

Thu, Aug 17 from 5-10 p.m. - Evelyn's Tex Mex BBQ Food Truck nights

Thu, Aug 17 from 6-9 p.m. - Beer Garden Jam Sessions

Sat, Aug 19 from 5-8 p.m. - Yacht Party in the Beer Garden

Events at Glass Jug Beer Lab in Downtown Durham

Fri, Aug 18 from 6-9 p.m. - Tasman Bay Release Event

Events at Boxyard RTP

Fri, Aug 18 from 5:30-8:30 p.m. - LOJO: Log Off, Jam on

Sat, Aug 19 from 12-3 p.m. - Mini Bazaar hosted by perSONALIty designs

Sat, Aug 19 from 5-8 p.m. - Saturdaze: DJ Ras J

Live Comedy at Mettlesome

Thu, Aug 17 at 7:30 p.m. - Was It Something I Said?

A live sketch and variety show.

Fri, Aug 18 at 7:30 p.m. - Was It Something I Said?

Fri, Aug 18 at 9 p.m. - Hush Hush

Improv inspired by anonymous secrets from the audience.

Sat, Aug 19 at 7:30 p.m. - Was It Something I Said?

Sat, Aug 19 at 9 p.m. - House Party

A mix of short and long-form improv with audience participation.

Events at Atomic Empire

Fri, Aug 18 from 6-8 p.m. - Disney: Lorcana TCG Release Party

Sun, Aug 20 at 12 p.m. -  7 Wonders: Duel Tournament

Multi-Day Events

Intergalactic Bead & Jewelry Show at Durham Convention Center

Love vintage beads? How about Chinese crystal or Ethiopian Opal? Find all this as well as large selection of rare beads, findings, tools, and more at the Durham Bead Show!

Ages 13+

Sat, Aug 19 from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Sun, Aug 20 from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

$5

Home Stand at Durham Bulls Athletic Park

Thu, Aug 17 at 6:35 p.m. - Dollar Dog Night

Fri, Aug 18 at 6:35 p.m. - Friday Night Fireworks

Sat, Aug 19 at 6:35 p.m. - African American Heritage Night, Ripken the Bat Dog, and Saturday Night Fireworks

Sun, Aug 20 at 5:05 p.m. - Kids Run the Bases

Thursday, Aug 17

Thirsty Thursdays at Dashi

Each month Dashi's Thirsty Thursday drink specials revolve around a monthly theme – spirits, cocktails, special ingredients, brand, location, etc. – with new sips every Thursday. Learn more about upcoming themes on their website or visit them in person – there's always something new to try from their expansive bar!

5-10 p.m.

Vinyl Night with DJ Deckades at Gizmo Brew Works

Enjoy fresh vibes on the patio with DJ Deckades. Bring your own vinyl to share or just listen to what the DJ is spinning.

6-9 p.m.

Free admission

Boulders & Brews Meetup at Triangle Rock Club - Durham

Show up and climb at TRC Durham, then head over to Hi-Wire for some brews. Don't worry if it's your first time or haven't bouldered before; everyone's welcome.

Your first visit to the gym with the Meetup includes free admission and gear rental, and subsequent visits with the meetup are $15 and include harness rental (outside of meetups, day pass rates of $19 apply and do not include rentals).

6:30-8:30 p.m.

The Gojo Sessions at Gojo by Goorsha

VOID Air Motion Sound System, rotating lineup of talented electronic music artists both local and beyond. 

Every week, every Thursday

7:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.

$10 cover at the door

Trivia Night w/Big Slow Tom at Clouds Brewing Brightleaf Square

Join Clouds Durham for Big Slow Tom's Trivia Night, every Thursday. Win some prizes, drink some beer, and show your smarts.

Enjoy $4 select draft and $5 rotating bartender's choice all night.

7:30 p.m.

Free admission

Al Strong Presents: Jazz on the Roof at The Durham Hotel

Al Strong is a two-time Grammy-nominated artist who will bring regional jazz artists to improvise on the Roof. Performers will play a set, then members of the community will be invited to join in the jam session.

7-9:30 p.m.

Free admission

Flashback Flicks: 2023 Summer Outdoor Movie Series at Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club

The JB Duke Hotel and Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club, are hosting a summer outdoor movie series that celebrates classic feature films across the decades, ranging from beloved romantic comedies, suspenseful thrillers and tales of adventure.

JAWS

Free admission

Friday, Aug 18

Tasting at Ten at Counter Culture Coffee

Every Friday morning at 10 am, Counter Culture Coffee opens their Training Centers to coffee lovers who want to learn more about Counter Culture Coffee’s high-quality, sustainably sourced menu.

10 a.m.

Free, but donations accepted

Hands-on History at West Point on the Eno

Join in for milling demonstrations and discover the inner workings of West Point on the Eno's historic water-powered grist mill.

2-4 p.m.

Free admission

Third Friday in Downtown Durham

Support local artists and add beautiful works to your collection.

6-9 p.m.

Free admission

Third Friday at Golden Belt Arts

See new exhibits and meet with resident artists.

6-9 p.m.

Free admission

Underground Cocktail Series at 21c Museum Hotel

This special cocktail series focuses on new, experimental, or thematic cocktails dreamt up by expert bartenders, available only in the lower-level bank vault. Sip and see what their team has been mixing up, and be among the first to experience these exclusive drinks. For August's event, they are taking inspiration from the season with a focus on cool, refreshing Summer Classics.

7-9:30 p.m.

Free admission

Erie Choir + Entrez Vous + Neill Weyman at Shadowbox Studio

Born of navel-gazing self-indulgence and vague ambition, Erie Choir began at the dawn of the new millennium as the solo acoustic folk singing sort-of-thing of Sorry About Dresden’s Eric Roehrig.

Kelly Reidy (singer-songwriter, Theoretical Physicist, Lou Reed devotee, rock’n’roll enthusiast) and Clark Blomquist (multi-instrumentalist member of The Kingsbury Manx, drummer for Dan Mechior Band, former Spider Bags guitarist, consummate Road-Dog, Bohemian Punk true-believer).

Neill Weyman is the new band with Neill Prewitt, Ben Spiker, and Bob Wall.

8 p.m.

Ticket info TBD

Saturday, Aug 19

Durham Farmers’ Market at Durham Central Park

The Durham Farmers’ Market offers locally grown fruits and vegetables, meats, eggs, cut flowers, artisanal cheeses and breads, home-baked pies, honey, handmade chocolates, preserves, local wines, handmade soaps, fresh pasta, and artwork of all sorts!

8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Free admission

South Durham Farmers' Market at Greenwood Commons Shopping Center

The market strives to support new and growing farms and vendors in the greater Durham area, and they are also home to some of the most iconic Durham brands around.

8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Free admission

parkrun Durham at Southern Boundaries Park

A free, fun, and friendly weekly 5k community event. Walk, jog, run, volunteer, or spectate. It's up to you!

8 a.m.

Free admission

Durham's Civil Rights History in Downtown Durham

Explore Durham’s Civil Rights Legacy with Preservation Durham’s walking tour. This exciting tour focuses on many of the sites in downtown Durham that were important during the 1950s and 60s Civil Rights movement, including the Durham County Courthouse, the Arts Center (originally Durham High School and later City Hall), the Kress and Woolworth buildings, sites of sit-in protests and the "Confronting Change" exhibit at the Carolina Theatre.

10 a.m.

Registration required, donations appreciated

"Geer Cemetery: A Legacy of Resistance" at Museum of Durham History

The exhibit is an outdoor display highlighting information and artifacts from the ongoing preservation work being done in Geer Cemetery. Geer Cemetery, located in Durham, is a historic African American cemetery with burials from the late 1880s until the 1930s. It is one of the oldest public cemeteries created by African Americans in Durham.

10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Free admission

Brightleaf Harvest Day at Duke Homestead State Historic Site

Experience North Carolina farming culture and history at Duke Homestead! They’ll be harvesting their tobacco out of the field and demonstrating the process of tobacco looping. Visitors are welcome to try their hand at these activities, or to chat with an interpreter in the historic house.

10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Free admission

Crafternoons at Gizmo Brew Works

Free pint with purchase of craft box. Choose from a variety of craft packages available for all ages.

12-10 p.m.

Guided Walking Tours with Triangle Adventures

2 p.m. - Downtown Durham Walking Tour

4 p.m. - Durham African American History Tour

6 p.m. - Downtown Durham True Crime Tour

$10

Rock the Park Movie at Durham Central Park

Top Gun: Maverick

8:30-10:30 p.m.

Free admission

Bachata Fixation at Luna Nightclub

Bachata plus salsa, kizomba/zouk, and more!

Free lesson starts at 9 p.m.

$10

Sunday, Aug 20

Al Strong Presents Jazz Brunch at Alley Twenty Six

Al Strong, the Grammy-nominated jazz trumpeter, composer and recording artist, will bring a rotating lineup of musicians to perform during Sunday brunch at Durham's Alley Twenty Six. Weather permitting the band will perform in the bar’s namesake alley.

Music from 12-2 p.m.

Trivia at Navigator Beverage Co.

Hosted by the Triangle’s Trivia team, Hammered Trivia, gather your team and post up to compete for prizes and enjoy an afternoon of great drinks, great friends, and great games.

2-4 p.m.

Free admission

DPS Fest at Durham Central Park

DPS families, come and enjoy games, food, door prizes, bounce houses, and performances; make a self-care kit to start your school year off right; dunk your principal to earn money for your school; and learn about DPS and community resources that will help you this school year.

3-7 p.m.

Free admission

Running Art Exhibits

Paul Hrusovsky: New Paintings at Craven Allen Gallery

The paintings in Scratching the Surface showcase the diversity of Hrusovksy’s subjects and techniques, ranging from the figurative to the abstract. All feature the luscious surface textures and color harmonies for which the artist is well known.

Gallery hours: Mon-Fri from 9:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. | Sat 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Runs through Aug 26

Free admission

Andy Warhol: You Look Good in Pictures at the Nasher

Andy Warhol: You Look Good in Pictures explores the breadth of the artist’s relationship with photography through several distinct bodies of work including screenprints of celebrities, all of which were taken from photographs, a group of Polaroids and black and white snapshots illustrating his social circles, and an early silent film of the curator Henry Geldzahler from 1964.

Tue-Fri from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Sun from 12-5 p.m.

Runs through Aug 27

Free admission

Member Artists Exhibit at 5 Points Gallery

Get ready to be enthused, moved, and enriched by the power of art in this notable exhibit, “Inspiration Ignited”. This thought-provoking showcase invites you to dive into various realms of inspiration, as the artists share their unique visions with a range of styles and mediums including paintings, sculptures, fused glass and mixed media works.

Meet the artists at the Third Friday reception on Fri, Aug 18 from 6-9 p.m.

Runs through Sep 9

Free admission

“Lovingly Prepared by: A Multimedia Installation by Feed Durham” at Durham Arts Council

Feed Durham is a scrappy mutual aid collective that came together in response to mounting hunger in the Durham area, due to COVID. Since 2020, we’ve fed 155,000+ neighbors in need through our sprawling no-contact cookouts, where we lovingly prepare meals for 500 people per day and offer grocery giveaways.

Filmmaker/Photographer Katina Parker, Sculptor/Muralist/Illustrator Dare Coulter, Emmy-nominated filmmaker Saleem Reshemwala, Samantha Everette aka “The Shooting Beauty,” Jade Wilson, Courtney Symone of “Silent Sam” fame, D.L. Anderson, Jasmine Leeward, Tommy Coyote, Anna Carson DeWitt, Elizabeth Miller-Derstine, and Casey Toth (formerly of the News + Observer).

Mon-Sat from 9:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. | Sun from 1-6 p.m.

Runs through Sep 12

Free admission

Art of Peru at the Nasher

This gallery features ceramics, textiles, metalwork and carvings produced by ancient cultures across what is known as present-day Peru.

Tue-Fri from 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. | Sun from 12-5 p.m.

Runs through Dec 2

Free admission

Love and Anarchy at the Nasher

Drawn from the Nasher Museum’s extensive historical and contemporary collections, Love & Anarchy demonstrates some of the ways in which these two concepts have inspired artists, visually and conceptually, over millennia.

Runs through Feb 18, 2024

Free admission

Exhibit at 21c Museum Hotel

Truth or Dare: A Reality Show

Runs through March 2024

Open 24 hours

Free admission

[lindsaywesker]

Good morning!  I hope you slept well and feel rested?  Currently sitting in my study, attired only in my blue towelling robe, enjoying my first cuppa of the day.

Welcome to the working week although, for those of you working in the NHS, welcome to just another day.

That was a real enjoyable weekend!

On Friday night, we had dinner with the living legend that is Cheri Class.  We like to go to The Ivy in St. John’s Wood with her, so we had great food and great company!

Many thanks to everyone that listened to the radio show.  Terry Jones was on before me, playing that sweet soul music!  Always good to inherit an audience!  Executive producer Sharon Louison did a cracking job!  Lots of good feedback!  She had written herself a script so, when I pulled her mic up, she sounded like a news reader!  Very impressive!

After the show, I took train and bus to get to Debbie Mills’ birthday party at The BBE Store.  She’s a lovable thing so, despite being tired, I made the effort.  I don’t really dance.  I’ve got a sense of rhythm and I can do a two-step shuffle, but I don’t really dance.  Nothing makes me want to dance but, when Martin Lodge played ‘Georgy Porgy’ by Toto, I almost danced!  Almost.

I met this beautiful woman at Debbie’s party and she said, “Here’s a question for you: Motown or Philly International?” I said, “I can’t answer that question.”  “I’m glad you said that,” she replied.  “If you’d chosen one, I’d know you weren’t that serious about music.”

When you get to my age, you start forgetting stuff.  The Trouble will say to me, “How can you not remember that?”  I guess we all have selective memories, right?  And it’s quite amazing what moments stick with us.  Sometimes, we can remember the exact words someone said to us 20, maybe 30 years ago.  Particularly if it was a compliment!  As Maya Angelou said, "People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."   

Sunday lunch was BBQ spare ribs and chips!  Result or what?

Have a marvellous and momentous Monday.  I love you all.

[alsjeblieft-zeg]

326 of 2023

survey by lafemelle

1. How many cars have you ever owned?

None on my own, but one as a co-owner.

2. Can you do math in your head well?

Quite much so. I’ve been always good at such things.

3. What’s your least favorite chore to do around the house?

Cleaning the floors and the toilets.

4. What’s your favorite flavor of potato chip?

I don’t eat these.

5. Do you ever read the weather forecast?

Yeah, before travelling so I know what to expect, possibly.

6. Do amusement park rides make you sick?

I don’t ever use them. My health doesn’t allow.

7. Who is your favorite Star Wars character?

No.

8. What kind of cheese do you put on your sandwiches?

Normal cheese lol. Like gouda or emmental or o.

9. What radio station do you listen to the most?

UVB-76 lol. I don’t listen to the commercial radio.

10.Who was the last person to give you a gift?

My husband, as usual.

11. How old were you when you got your driver’s license?

Nevergot it at all. I don’t know how is it in your States, but here people with neurological disorders are generally restricted from driving in some cases.

12. What was the first thing you ever learned how to cook?

Water lol. Just like most of people, I suppose.

13. Did you ever collect beanie babies?

Never heard of it.

14. When was the last time you got a haircut?

Last year lol. This calls for another one.

15. Have you ever been to a bachelor/bachelorette party?

No, and I’m not sure if I’d like it.

16. How many people can you say you TRULY love?

About ten.

17. Where are you most ticklish on your body?

Everywhere, literally.

18. Do you like kids?

I do like toddlers, but only when they are curious about the world and ask questions.

19. Have you ever cheated on a test?

Once or twice.

20. Is your next birthday coming up soon?

No, next year.

21. Have you ever bailed anyone out of jail?

I’ve never had an occasion to do so.

22. What’s the last board game you played?

I don’t play board games.

23. Have you ever given someone a fake phone number?

No, but next time I will give a police number as my own when someone is too intrusive.

24. Do you actually eat 3 meals a day?

Even less.

25. Do you have any bumper stickers on your car?

No, my husband doesn’t like them.

26. Do you leave good tips when you eat out at restaurants?

I just leave tips. It’s normal in my country.

27. What’s your favorite thing to eat at bbqs?

Veggies.

28. Do you still own any VHS tapes?

Not anymore, but I’d love to.

29. How many of your friends have you known for at least 5 years?

Most of them.

30. Are you superstitious?

Not at all, it just makes me laugh.

31. What was your favorite book as a child?

Pelle Svanslös.

32. Have you lied to anyone in the last 24 hours?

Nah, I had no occasion anyway.

33. What’s the most expensive restaurant you’ve ever eaten at?

Probably this one in the Martin’s Hotel in Waterloo. It was very elegant :P

34. How many jobs have you had?

One as a fruit picker when I was a teenager, one Infrabel maintenance summer job (from my dad), cleaning the library as a student, and then this job in the rolling stock company.

35. Are you keeping a secret from anyone right now?

No, not really.

36. What’s the smallest town you’ve ever visited?

I think Lillo, it’s a town near Antwerp.

37. If there was a real Jurassic Park, would you visit it?

No, thanks.

38. Have you ever gone golfing?

Omg no, boring.

39. What’s your favorite kind of soup?

All of them, really. But I need to have chunks in it, I don’t like blended soup.

40. How old were you when you learned how to ride a bike?

About four, or even earlier.

41. Do you know any sign language?

No, I don’t.

42. If you became famous for something, what would it be?

Photography, I guess.

43. How many friends do you have that are married?

Most of them, really.

44. Do you ever read the newspaper?

Sometimes when I’m at the physiotherapy.

45. When you’re having a bad day, how do you make yourself feel better?

Let my cat sleep on my lap while she’s purring. Optionally going somewhere with the train.

46. Do you still have your wisdom teeth?

Yeah, I do, all of them. I’ve never felt them growing, honestly.

47. Did you have a swingset in your yard when you were a child?

Yeah, I did.

48. Have you ever played poker for money?

No, I’ve never played poker at all.

49. You’re making a fruit salad: what kinds of fruit do you put in it?

Strawberries, blueberries, banana lices, tangerine pieces, maybe peach cubes.

50. What are the last 2 digits of your phone number?

09.

51. What’s the scariest movie you’ve ever seen?

I don’t even bother wasting my time on movies.

52. Do you eat your mac & cheese with a fork or a spoon?

I don’t ever eat this shit.

53. Where did you have your first kiss?

On a tram stop lol.

54. When you were a kid, were you ever afraid of cooties?

I still don’t even know what it is.

55. Do you ever go Christmas caroling in December?

No, not anymore.

[naturecoaster]

The 15th Annual Pigz in Z'Hills BBQ & Blues Festival is the Greater East Pasco Chamber of Commerce signature event. As the name suggests, BBQ & Blues features a friendly Kidz Grillin' competition amidst a background of blues music, a hog-calling contest, and a wing-eating contest! FUN FAMILY EVENT! There's something for everyone, including a Live Blues Concert from 11 am - 5 pm 2025 Entertainment Lineup: - Ed Wright - Kid Royal Band - Mark Shane & The Shane Gang - Chuck Riley All-Star Band featuring Tyrone Vaughn, Damon Fowler & RJ Howson Cornhole Tournament located behind Zephyrhills Brewing Company - Cornhole is back! Last year featured our 4th Cornhole Tournament sponsored by AdventHealth Zephyrhills and Faithful Friends Pet Cremation. With the move to downtown, you will find Cornhole behind the Zephyrhills Brewing Company this year! Bring your chair and enjoy the day - whether that is the music or watching cornhole! What can be better than music, beer, & great friends? Vendors featuring arts, crafts, and a variety of fun merchandise Kidz Zone sponsored by Suncoast Credit Union and the YMCA features a variety of activities that children and adults of all ages can enjoy! - For just one price, grab a wristband and play all day on all inflatable attractions! Check out the inflatable games or do the fun activities that our local YMCA and Suncoast Credit Union have lined up! Parents can even take turns relaxing in the shade while the kids play! Hog Calling Contest sponsored by Boss Hogg Radio Zephyrhills Military Museum, located just down the street from downtown. - In the early 1940s, hundreds of Army fighter pilots came to Zephyrhills to hone their skills at the newly built Zephyrhills Army Airfield before going to war. After World War II, the airport was donated to the city. The barracks where the pilots lived have all been demolished with this infirmary building being the only survivor. From 1997 to 2001, state and city grants allowed for the restoration and preservation of this building. The museum holds treasured memories of the World War II veterans who lived and trained in Zephyrhills and others who served in this and other wars. Wing Eating Contest - looking for a sponsor! The 4th Kidz Grillin' Competition, sponsored by Bahr's Propane Gas & AC, Publix, Sonny's BBQ, SouthState Bank, The Home Depot, and Chick-fil-A. Trophies will be awarded to the top 3 with gift bags for all competitors. All meat and cooking supplies will be provided! All you need to do is bring your child and stay to supervise. The first 30 registered entries are sponsored by local community members. No Coolers | Service Animals ONLY         In partnership with Florida’s Sports Coast and Boss Hogg Radio; Suncoast Credit Union; Advent Health Zephyrhills; the City of Zephyrhills; Baycare Hospital; Sonny’s BBQ; SouthState Bank; NatureCoaster.com, The Laker Lutz News and Tampa Bay Times. Since 2010, BBQ & Blues has pulled more than 3 million dollars into the Zephyrhills area. Last year, the festival brought an estimated economic impact of $500,000 to our local economy. Since its inception, BBQ & Blues has helped The Chamber of Commerce to provide approximately $40,000 in scholarships to Zephyrhills area students and given back over $100K to our community partners. BBQ & Blues engages over 200 dedicated volunteers every year. The Chamber of Commerce has awarded more than $68,000 in donations to local 501(c)3 youth groups and charities that commit time and talent to create this successful event. With 10,000-13,000 guests per year, BBQ & Blues has grown to become the most attended event in Zephyrhills. While nearly half of the participants are usually local, about 30% are regional and a surprising 20% are from out of state. BBQ & Blues helps put Zephyrhills on the map! Read the full article

[roo-bastmoon]

tbh i feel like jikooks relationship didn’t change i feel like they are just not showing it as much. if anyone else remembers during the rehearsals during HER (1-2 months ago) a karmy who was there said that jk sang a line towards jimin even tho he didn’t sing that specific line the song. i’ve seen several people say that they changed after the LV concerts but we got videos of them leaving the venue all 3-4 days as well as knowledge that they sat together at a restaurant(can’t remember if this was la or lv) AS well as the behind the scenes for the yet to come video where jk stayed after with jimin. let’s not forget the possiblilty of jks hand being on jimins waist in the one party video :)

All this needs to be factored in, you are right. For me, Jikook gets worryingly quiet two times this year, and both coincidentally are around some serious times of drama. *I* would have handled it differently if *I* were dating Jimin but I'm not, so...

In December, the members started working on Proof and knew about solo era projects. In the new year, Jimin was radio silent for months. More than three months. IAs a baby Army, I was losing my mind. Because JK never mentioned him, either.

In late January, Jimin's apartment was "seized" (I dunno if that's on paper, or like he actually was locked out) because he didn't pay his national health insurance premiums, because his registered mail mysteriously was omitted four times (I don't know if that's genuine incompetence or if someone in the company was sabotaging him--but his ID number and address were leaked on a K-forum, so I'm thinking it was a deliberate attack).

That's fucking traumatic.

Then right after that, his appendix burst and he got COVID and spent a week alone in the hospital.

Then there was the stress of rehearsals and the silent Seoul concert. He started coming back online a bit after that. We saw the White Day photo, but it's not like Jikook were posting that on their own 'grams.

Then JK got COVID. In Vegas, Jikook did not go out and about together. We would never had known he ran to Jimin's hotel room and they embraced after quarantine if he hadn't shared it with us, on his own personal social media. We would never have known they went out to Korean BBQ and sat at a private table, drinking and singing songs, if multiple non-celebrity accounts didn't mention it.

Then the Grammys--amazing performance, sad loss. Then Vegas Concerts. First two nights of the concert were a bit awkward, last two nights were off the charts with Jikookery. There were lots of shippy moments everywhere but like Jungkook carried Jimin like a bride. Holy shit.

They come back to Korea, his OST drops. Same exact day, news of the apartment "scandal" breaks. Folks call him a tax dodger and I don't know what else online, it got nasty. Over a bill that was like $23,000. The man wears a $215,000 watch and has never been late on paying a bill before in his life. Please. Someone had it OUT for Jimin. And he went to ground. Just like JK did over the whole tattoo girl "scandal." Didn't even promote his OST. Weeks of quiet.

This is the second time Jikook gets super quiet. Then the White House appearance. Then the arcade with JK and Hobi and HER. Then the Korean concerts (where fans say there was plenty of Jikookery again, but it was not filmed).

Festa dinner was released (but was filmed prior to Vegas concert). It was a bit worrying that JK didn't hear Jimin's music but also so on-brand that JK felt he had PROPRIETARY RIGHTS to hear it before all others. The finger tattoo thing--can't tell if he genuinely didn't remember where Jimin got his, or if he deflected b/c it wasn't his place to tell yet, but I can tell he got his 7 behind his ear--his first tattoo not on his arm, right where Jimin has Youth. After the solo announcement, stockholders panicked and Hype lost 1.2 billion goddamn dollars, so JK was pulled out of family time to film a Vlive in his kitchen (which was basically empty except for some mixing bowls that also appeared in a Vlive with Jimin once).

And then Hobi's album and party. They both circulated with others but also touched back with each other from time to time. There was no animosity. Neither was there exclusive intimacy.

So at the start of the year, with the solo era and apartment issue on their minds (but not for public knowledge yet) and then after the news of the apartment / insurance premium issue broke, Jikook got super quiet. And they have been more muted since they got back to Korea (at least off stage).

I think it's entirely possible, given even HALF the drama I just listed, that Jikook decided in this new era to just keep private stuff private. I don't know if they are together or not. I don't honestly know if they ever were, but I suspect so. If they want me to know, maybe they'll show more signals in future content. But I'm just gonna support them. No need to make anyone the bad guy here. They are clearly still cool with each other.