#simun says

[thatsshowbiz-kid]

hey! i'm roxie. i've been around here for a while on a silent acc but decided to make this so i could comment and stuff without looking like a creep.

i think i got into dance after watching dance moms, but the first non dance moms dance i saw was savannah manzel, to hold. (probably seen a few before it but that's off the top of my head)

my fave studios are club and larkin. i mainly follow them, but also follow lots of other dancers separately.

my fave dancers are: the manzel, charnstrom, schwalb, szyndlar, anderson and forrest sisters. i love savannah jackson, mila simunic, harper anderson and izzy howard as well.

i probably couldn't even say my fave dances bc i have so many, but right now i really love: home (scarlett manzel), these boots (larkin), mr monotony (kennedy marble) and determined will (kelsie j + savannah m)

bye!! <3

[stesierra]

Today's book is a little bit older (last rewritten in 2018) BUT I STILL LOVE IT AND I WILL REWRITE IT SOMEDAY. Anyway. Welcome to a world where menopause comes with some serious consequences.

As always, tell me if you want to be added to the taglist for my writing.

Mud-Child

CHAPTER ONE

Monday, September 6th

Simun stank of cheap soap and cheaper beer. It almost hid his nervous sweat. Almost. But Rebeka had known Simun back when he'd been a handsome one, and she'd smelled his cowardice before.

"Have you gone mad?" she said.

"Mayor says it's got to get done," Simun said.

"Not the mayor's business, is it?"

"You've made it everyone's business, waiting this long. Look, don't fuss. I brought a couple bottles. Should make it tolerable."

Her voice rose. "Tolerable?"

"Well, I damn sure ain't here for a good time. Do up your skirts, and we'll get it over with."

Get it over with? Without thought, Rebeka cleared the meter between them. She wasn't sure which of them her slap surprised more, but Simun yelped and stumbled back, staring at her with wounded eyes. But she was too old now to be charmed, and it was too late for him to profess innocence. Not when he'd just spoken like she were a farmer's mare, and he the local stud.

And Simun was the last man she'd let tell her she had to get pregnant for the good of the town.

His voice was a dog-like whine. "That offer, I meant it. I wasn't trying to have a laugh, Beka."

"Don't call me that," she snapped. Her hand stung where it had met his face. The red mark of her slap still bloomed across his fat cheek, and she resisted the urge to give him a matching one on the other side.

"Look, we drew straws. All six of us. It was fair, I promise. I wouldn't let an unfair drawing go on, not in my store—"

Six, all the adult men left in town after the last recruiters had come through. They were rejects, too old or fat to hold a spear. Unfit parents one and all. If they'd been horses and she the farmer, she'd have had them gelded. "I don't care what stupid wager brought you here. Leave. Now."

"Just calm down, Beka. Don't you want a free drink?" He stretched his yellow nails towards her breasts. He probably thought himself clever for cornering her when she was alone, up digging clay in the hills around her house.

All it meant was no one could step in to keep her from beating his ass.

She slid out of reach and snatched her shovel from the mound where it stood, blade half-buried. She was a potter, and the shovel was a sharp-edged old friend. Maybe she'd take care of that gelding issue herself.

The shopkeeper jumped back when she slashed the head of the shovel between them. "Beka! The town'll take care of you. Don't be so difficult!"

Her hands clenched on the varnished wood handle. "I've never needed to be taken care of, Simun Blidder, and I won't start now. Get lost, or your wife will hear of this when she picks up that dinner set."

"Aria knows. She doesn't care."

"What?"

"She told me to put myself in. It's a service to the community. Not cheating."

"It's not happening, is what it is. Back off."

"I can't. I lost. Now just—"

"You drew the short straw?"

He blew his stinking, fruity breath in her face. "Well, no one was going to volunteer. Not with you sharp-tongued and rat-faced—"

She thumped the handle of the shovel against the earth, holding it like her spear against the world. She could slap Simun, but the rest of the town was out of reach. "I wouldn't talk if I were you. A squash that rotted in the garden all winter looks a hundred times handsomer than your head."

"Sharp-tongued, like I said. And dressed in rags." He sniffed and rubbed his face. "I wouldn't have had to get half so drunk before this if it were anybody else."

It wasn't rags. It was an old work dress, because you got dirty doing pottery, as Simun would know if he'd ever done a day of real work in his life. It didn't make sense to flit around in ruffles, not when you had seven stone of clay to haul home and a new order for mugs.

Simun grabbed her shoulder while her face was lowered to her skirts. "Come here—"

"Hands off!" Rebecca slammed the flat of the shovel between them, heedless of what parts of Simun were in the way.

"My arm!"

"Try again, and I'll do the other one."

"You crazy woman, don't you know it's for the best?"

"What I know is I'm not some chore to be raffled off!" She bared her teeth at him. Sweat beaded beneath her kerchief. "I said no, Simun. What are you going to do? I'm taller then you. Stronger. I don't sit on my blubber all day counting bags of flour."

He spun away, flashing the back of his mended waistcoat, and scrambled down the hill. "Fine, you dry old bitch! It isn't like anyone else will offer!"

She shouted after him, "Good! I'm counting on it!"

#

Back in her studio, Rebeka wedged clay, pretending to pummel Simun's face instead of soft earth. The wedging table sent up clouds of choking dust with every slam. It coated her lungs like chalk. That was the only reason she was breathing hard. It was.

Her brown and white cat watched from a worktable on the other side of the room, lying white side down. The cat's tail tapped at the edge of a drying plate.

Rebeka glared. "Cat. You get off there before you ruin something."

The tip of its tail drew across the plate's rim, and Rebeka abandoned her wedging. The cat darted to safety on the floor when she grabbed for it.

"Mischief maker. Happiest in trouble, aren't you, you bag of fur? Well, you aren't even a contender this afternoon. I had to deal with Simun."

She checked the plate and smoothed a scratch off its tacky rim. It should've been dry by now. All the plates should have. Damn this cool humidity. And damn the heat that built in her stomach and sent sweat streaming down her brow. It was just her rage at Simun that made her flash hot and cold. Or maybe a fever. It couldn't be anything else.

Cool week or not, it was too hot inside the studio. Rebeka stepped out and pulled off her kerchief, freeing her pale brown hair. The breeze stirred it, and the brook that ran past the house chirped a happy greeting at her.

The sight of her little home, built fifteen years ago with her own hands, eased her outrage.

Dry old bitch. Old, maybe, but she had more worth and self-sufficiency in her littlest finger than was in Simun Blidder's whole family. More worth than her damn brother had ever admitted. More than Susa had ever imagined.

Thoughts of Susa ruined the pep-talk. Rebecca propped the door open and stomped back inside.

The cat jumped on Rebeka's shoulders as she entered. The faint smell of damp fur and mud wafted to her nose. She patted it as it settled itself, its soft paws hanging off her neck. "Simun's a mad drunk. He offered to get me pregnant. Can you believe that? The nerve of the man."

She stalked towards the wedging table set against the brick wall. Passed the pit in the floor where she kept her clay. Her shoes thumped as she walked over the old barn door covering it.

She was tired; she almost thought something thumped back.

Rebeka told the cat, "It's just an excuse of his to embarrass me. He hasn't changed a bit in thirty years."

She slapped wet clay and left a hand print like a wound.

"It was almost like being fifteen again, with the boys teasing at me, except Claricia wasn't here to help me pour ink in anybody's washtub."

The cat purred in her ear.

"Claricia would've clobbered him." Claricia would've never been in this position. Claricia would've been a mother by now. Should've been.

It didn't matter. Claricia was dead.

"He doesn't want to help me," Rebeka said to the cat. "Not a bit. He might've learned to talk pretty to sell goods at five times their price, but I know him. He's the same old Simun."

She leaned down and started to knead clay.

"Besides, I don't believe those grandmothers' tales about old maids birthing magic. They're just stories. I don't believe in them at all."

The cat slipped off her shoulders and out the door without comment. Rebeka went to work making the innkeeper's cups.

#

With four more cups to go, she ran out of wedged clay. The sun had dipped low in the sky and winked at her through the open door. Rebeka's stomach rumbled. She should go in and get a bit of cheese and bread.

The cheese wheel was growing mold that tasted like feet. The bread was just a heel of rye, and stale besides. She was nearly done with the whole order of cups. She could have dinner, what little she had of it, later.

Sweat trickled down her brow, and she wiped her face. The clay dried as though it were a cool evening, but she felt overheated. Just a touch of fever, she told herself again.

A touch of fever that had gone on four months.

Rebeka lit a lamp. Her newly thrown cups lined the edge of the table, casting long shadows across the wall behind them. The clay she had left out on the wedging table was leathery and dry, too tough for throwing.

She muttered a curse and turned towards the clay pit, tossing the dry clay in one of her slop buckets as she passed. It spattered dirty water across the brick floor.

She reached the pit and leaned down to grab the handle of the door and yank up.

The door lifted half an inch, squelched and stopped.

Rebeka frowned. She tugged again, then set her heels and heaved backwards with all her weight thrown in.

The door didn't move.

She shoved at it, and wriggled and pried. Sweat ran down her neck. A cool evening? It was broiling.

The door ripped from her hands. Tore her nails, studded her palms with splinters. It shot towards the roof, and Rebeka's feet skidded in a puddle. Her back slammed into the floor. Her head bounced off brick. Somewhere nearby, the door clattered to the ground.

For a moment, she lay still and squeezed her eyes shut against the pain. She was old enough that a bad fall might mean more than just a day or two in bed. But nothing seemed broken and—

Hair rose at the back of her neck. Something was in the room with her. Something wrong.

She'd done nothing to make a door move like that.

Rebeka eased her eyes open a little at a time. The ceiling overhead didn't have a door embedded in it, but it seemed darker than it had minutes before. Something was blocking the window. Or someone.

Before her paranoia could whisper any more mad notions, she shoved herself to her seat and swung towards the window. There would be a logical explanation for this, just like always.

She stared into clay. It towered above her, gleaming wetly. Her hand prints still marked it, given when she'd kneaded dry earth with water and jammed the result into the pit in her floor.

She'd buried it under wood, but door was gone now, and her hand prints were fading. The clay rolled towards her, the last of it snapping free of the pit like a viper's tail.

"Gods!" Rebeka scrambled to her feet, snatching up her broom as she passed it. "Oh, gods!"

The top of the mound shifted, turning on a nonexistent neck to follow her flight. Rebeka swore it was looking at her without eyes.

This couldn't be happening. It couldn't. It was just grandmother's tales. If she'd lost her spark, her child-making-magic, she would've felt something. Would've felt this moment of terrible birth.

Arms peeled from the central mass, as Rebeka might sculpt a doll. A real neck stretched out. A head rounded its end.

Rebeka stifled a shriek. The tales weren't supposed to be real. Damn Simun for being right about anything.

The clay oozed towards her, half her height now. It stretched high as her elbow when it grew legs. It turned a featureless face towards her.

Rebeka whacked it over the head with her broom. "Get back in the pit! I didn't dig all that up only for you to waste it! Get out of my clay!"

The whisk stuck to its brow as though she'd dipped it in pine sap. She yanked back for another blow.

"Get out, you damned spark!"

The handle snapped. Rebecca staggered back with half a broom.

The monster stopped. A fingerless hand plucked the shattered broomstick out of its head. The broom left a bristling halo of straw behind.

The other hand, a formless pad, stretched towards Rebeka.

Rebeka impaled the monster on the broken end of the broom and ran. She bruised a hip on her work table, and one of her cups toppled and splattered against the ground, deforming to a squashed bird's nest. She charged out of the house, tripped over the cat and grabbed it up. Ran with it between the hills, towards the weed-choked road.

Rebeka had muscle, but she wasn't twenty anymore. She faltered at the edge of the dirt track, a red iron burning beneath her breastbone. "Got to go for help," she gasped to the cat, "Got to tell the town—" She stopped.

Tell them what? That she couldn't stop what she made? That Simun was right?

The cat wriggled from her arms and bolted home. Rebeka stared after it. Her jaw set. Damn it, she was not going to let Simun be right.

Rebeka got the ax from the shed. The last of the setting sunlight glinted off the honed blade. On second thought, she grabbed the shovel, too. Ax in her right hand, shovel over her shoulder, she stalked towards the house.

The studio door hung open, but she circled to the other side of the building and peered through the windows, like some peeping tom in the bushes. Lurking in her own bushes. What had the world come to?

The monster crouched near the work table. It had no definition, only vague shape, like a child swathed in wrinkled gray. The broom lay beside the pit, pieces fitted together and covered over in clay. Rebeka blinked. The monster did nothing more.

She circled back to the door and entered with her ax at the ready, the shovel clutched tight. The monster straightened. It had sparse hips and broad shoulders, which prickled the hair on the back of Rebeka's neck. So did she.

The cup that had fallen from the table sat on the ground before it. The monster had merged the split cup back together, crimping the seam like a pie crust. Now it picked it up and tried squishing the corners back into a round. The cup simply squished flat in the other direction.

Rebeka stared at it and lowered the ax. This wasn't like the old stories.

It made one more awkward attempt to right the cup, then held the vessel out to her, still crouched low to the floor.

This wasn't at all like the old stories.

She made no move to take the cup, but those shapeless hands stayed steady and patient.

"What are you?" she asked it. "That doesn't seem like a proper monster thing to do." Still, instinct and curiosity moved her, replacing fear. She shifted the ax to the hand already holding the shovel and took the cup.

A crack spread across its shapeless head, straight at first. Then it twisted upward. It was grotesque. It was appalling. It was trying to smile.

"Hold still," she told it and laid ax and shovel aside.

Its blobby head wobbled, but it sat there.

Carefully, gently, she gave it a face.

@anonymousfoz

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@elizababie

@sm-writes-chaos

@bellascarousel

@palebdot

@hyba

@da-na-hae

@macabremoons

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 10.28

Holidays

Bhai Dooj (India)

Bhai Tika (Nepal)

Children’s Day (Australia)

Chucks-N-Pearls Day

Civil Servants’ Day (Brazil)

Flying Baby Day

Folly Day

Gone-ta-Pott Day [every 28th]

Hari Sumpah Pemuda (Youth Pledge Day; Indonesia)

Honoring the Nation’s First Responders Day

International Animation Day

Milvian Bridge Day

National Internal Medicone Day

Ohi Day (a.k.a. Ochi! Day or Oxi Day; Greece)

Part Your Hair Crooked Just To See If Anyone Will Say Anything About It Day

Plush Animal Lover's Day

Prefectural Earthquake Disaster Prevention Day (Gifu, Japan)

Separation of Church and State Day

Statue of Liberty Day

Ticker-Tape Parade Day

Time Day

Ugly Pickup Truck Day

Vote Early Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Chocolate Day

Wild Foods Day

4th Friday in October

Bring Your Jack-O-Lantern to Work Day [Last Friday before Halloween]

Frankenstein Friday [Last Friday]

International Champagne Day [4th Friday]

Mokosh Day (Ukraine) [Last Friday]

National Bandanna Day (Australia) [Last Friday]

National Breadstick Day [Last Friday]

Nevada Day (Nevada) [Last Friday]

Red Friday [Friday of Last Full Week]

World Lemur Day [Last Friday]

Independence Days

Czechoslovakia (Now the Czech Republic; from Austria-Hungary, 1918)

Feast Days

Abdias of Babylon (Christian; Saint)

Abgar V of Edessa (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Diwali, Day 5 (Hindu, Jain, Sikh), a.k.a. ... 

Bhai Tika (Sisters honoring Brothers)

Gyan Panchami (Jain Celebration of Knowledge and Education)

Eadsige (Christian; Saint)

Extra Kinky Day (Pastafarian)

Faro, Bishop of Meauz (Christian; Saint)

Feast of the Einherjar (Norse)

Fidelis of Como (Roman Catholic Church)

Firmilian (Christian; Saint)

Fyribod (a.k.a. Forebode; Norse beginning of Winter)

Godwin of Stavelot (Christian; Saint)

Gumby Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Job of Pochayiv (repose) (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Jude Thaddeus (a.k.a. Jude the Apostle; Western Christianity)

Leibnitz (Positivist; Saint)

Lord of Miracles (Lima; Christian; Saint)

Makoshe’s Holiday (Honoring Mother Earth; Asatru/Pagan Slavic)

Neot (Christian; Saint)

Paraskrevi of Iconium (Christian; Saint)

Simon the Zealot (a.k.a. Simon the Canaanite; Simon the Apostle; Western Christianity)

The Tortoise (Muppetism)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 50 of 60)

Premieres

An Alpine Symphony, by Richard Strauss (Tone Poem; 1915)

Because I Got High, by Afroman (Song; 2001)

Bee Movie (Animated Film; 2007)

Decade, by Neil Young (Compilation Album; 1977)

Educating Rita (Film; 1983)

Gulliver’s Travels, by Jonathan Swift (Novel; 1726)

How Green Was My Valley (Film; 1941)

Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park (TV movie; 1978)

News of the World, by Queen (Album; 1978)

Puss in Boots (Animated Film; 2011)

Talking Book, by Stevie Wonder (Album; 1972)

We Can’t Dance, by Genesis (Album; 1991)

Today’s Name Days

Judas, Simon, Thaddeus (Austria)

Juda, Šimun, Siniša, Tadej, Tadija (Croatia)

Státní Svátek (Czech Republic)

Judas, Simon (Denmark)

Siim, Siimo, Siimon, Siimu, Simmo, Simmu, Simun (Estonia)

Simo (Finland)

Jude, Simon (France)

Freddy, Simon (Germany)

Evniki, Vili (Greece)

Simon, Szimonetta (Hungary)

Giuda, Simone (Italy)

Antoņina, Ņina, Ninona, Zemgals (Latvia)

Almantė, Gaudrimas, Simas, Simonas, Tadas (Lithuania)

Simen, Simon (Norway)

Juda, Szymon, Tadeusz, Wszeciech (Poland)

Dobromila (Slovakia)

Judas, Simón (Spain)

Simon, Simone (Sweden)

Nestor (Ukraine)

Dayanara, Eunice, Jonah, Jonas, Jude, Liberty, Simeon, Simon, Simone, Thad, Thaddea, Thaddeus (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 301 of 2022; 64 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 5 of week 43 of 2022

Celtic Tree Calendar: Gort (Ivy) [Day 28 of 28]

Chinese: Month 10 (Lùyuè), Day 4 (Jia-Yin)

Chinese Year of the: Tiger (until January 22, 2023)

Hebrew: 3 Cheshvan 5783

Islamic: 2 Rabi II 1444

J Cal: 1 Mir; Sunday [1 of 30]

Julian: 15 October 2022

Moon: 14%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 21 Descartes (11th Month) [Leibnitz]

Runic Half Month: Ngetal (Reed) [Day 3 of 15]

Season: Autumn (Day 36 of 90)

Zodiac: Scorpio (Day 6 of 31)

Calendar Changes

Mir (Month 11 of 12; J Calendar)

[brookston]

Holidays 10.28

Holidays

Bhai Dooj (India)

Bhai Tika (Nepal)

Children’s Day (Australia)

Chucks-N-Pearls Day

Civil Servants’ Day (Brazil)

Flying Baby Day

Folly Day

Gone-ta-Pott Day [every 28th]

Hari Sumpah Pemuda (Youth Pledge Day; Indonesia)

Honoring the Nation’s First Responders Day

International Animation Day

Milvian Bridge Day

National Internal Medicone Day

Ohi Day (a.k.a. Ochi! Day or Oxi Day; Greece)

Part Your Hair Crooked Just To See If Anyone Will Say Anything About It Day

Plush Animal Lover's Day

Prefectural Earthquake Disaster Prevention Day (Gifu, Japan)

Separation of Church and State Day

Statue of Liberty Day

Ticker-Tape Parade Day

Time Day

Ugly Pickup Truck Day

Vote Early Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Chocolate Day

Wild Foods Day

4th Friday in October

Bring Your Jack-O-Lantern to Work Day [Last Friday before Halloween]

Frankenstein Friday [Last Friday]

International Champagne Day [4th Friday]

Mokosh Day (Ukraine) [Last Friday]

National Bandanna Day (Australia) [Last Friday]

National Breadstick Day [Last Friday]

Nevada Day (Nevada) [Last Friday]

Red Friday [Friday of Last Full Week]

World Lemur Day [Last Friday]

Independence Days

Czechoslovakia (Now the Czech Republic; from Austria-Hungary, 1918)

Feast Days

Abdias of Babylon (Christian; Saint)

Abgar V of Edessa (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Diwali, Day 5 (Hindu, Jain, Sikh), a.k.a. ... 

Bhai Tika (Sisters honoring Brothers)

Gyan Panchami (Jain Celebration of Knowledge and Education)

Eadsige (Christian; Saint)

Extra Kinky Day (Pastafarian)

Faro, Bishop of Meauz (Christian; Saint)

Feast of the Einherjar (Norse)

Fidelis of Como (Roman Catholic Church)

Firmilian (Christian; Saint)

Fyribod (a.k.a. Forebode; Norse beginning of Winter)

Godwin of Stavelot (Christian; Saint)

Gumby Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Job of Pochayiv (repose) (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Jude Thaddeus (a.k.a. Jude the Apostle; Western Christianity)

Leibnitz (Positivist; Saint)

Lord of Miracles (Lima; Christian; Saint)

Makoshe’s Holiday (Honoring Mother Earth; Asatru/Pagan Slavic)

Neot (Christian; Saint)

Paraskrevi of Iconium (Christian; Saint)

Simon the Zealot (a.k.a. Simon the Canaanite; Simon the Apostle; Western Christianity)

The Tortoise (Muppetism)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 50 of 60)

Premieres

An Alpine Symphony, by Richard Strauss (Tone Poem; 1915)

Because I Got High, by Afroman (Song; 2001)

Bee Movie (Animated Film; 2007)

Decade, by Neil Young (Compilation Album; 1977)

Educating Rita (Film; 1983)

Gulliver’s Travels, by Jonathan Swift (Novel; 1726)

How Green Was My Valley (Film; 1941)

Kiss Meets the Phantom of the Park (TV movie; 1978)

News of the World, by Queen (Album; 1978)

Puss in Boots (Animated Film; 2011)

Talking Book, by Stevie Wonder (Album; 1972)

We Can’t Dance, by Genesis (Album; 1991)

Today’s Name Days

Judas, Simon, Thaddeus (Austria)

Juda, Šimun, Siniša, Tadej, Tadija (Croatia)

Státní Svátek (Czech Republic)

Judas, Simon (Denmark)

Siim, Siimo, Siimon, Siimu, Simmo, Simmu, Simun (Estonia)

Simo (Finland)

Jude, Simon (France)

Freddy, Simon (Germany)

Evniki, Vili (Greece)

Simon, Szimonetta (Hungary)

Giuda, Simone (Italy)

Antoņina, Ņina, Ninona, Zemgals (Latvia)

Almantė, Gaudrimas, Simas, Simonas, Tadas (Lithuania)

Simen, Simon (Norway)

Juda, Szymon, Tadeusz, Wszeciech (Poland)

Dobromila (Slovakia)

Judas, Simón (Spain)

Simon, Simone (Sweden)

Nestor (Ukraine)

Dayanara, Eunice, Jonah, Jonas, Jude, Liberty, Simeon, Simon, Simone, Thad, Thaddea, Thaddeus (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 301 of 2022; 64 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 5 of week 43 of 2022

Celtic Tree Calendar: Gort (Ivy) [Day 28 of 28]

Chinese: Month 10 (Lùyuè), Day 4 (Jia-Yin)

Chinese Year of the: Tiger (until January 22, 2023)

Hebrew: 3 Cheshvan 5783

Islamic: 2 Rabi II 1444

J Cal: 1 Mir; Sunday [1 of 30]

Julian: 15 October 2022

Moon: 14%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 21 Descartes (11th Month) [Leibnitz]

Runic Half Month: Ngetal (Reed) [Day 3 of 15]

Season: Autumn (Day 36 of 90)

Zodiac: Scorpio (Day 6 of 31)

Calendar Changes

Mir (Month 11 of 12; J Calendar)

[samurai-esquire]

The Truth

[ren-meteor]

Attack V Defense

[simon-x-billy]

Simon x Billy

Chapter 10: Let the slings and arrows commence

TW: Whump, drunkenness, a minor appearance of weed, cringey Irishisms, huge blank spaces you’re not certain are intentional.

Masterlist || Start || Prev || Next || ao3

——-/Billy/——-

“This place sucks for scandalous road sex,” Simon declares. “The scenic overlooks keep getting looked-over. And there’s nowhere to, like, run into the trees, or behind a bush or something.”

“Behind a bush?” 

“I’m speaking figuratively. Or metaphorically. Whatever. That’s not the point.”

“No? Seems to me that’d be precisely the point.”

“Don’t distract me with your distractions, Delaney. I mean, even the Jersey Turnpike has rest areas and truck stops.”

“Are you saying that you prefer this Jersey…thing?” 

“Jersey Turnpike,” he says, as if it’s obvious.

“Whatever. You prefer the roads in this Jersey place over the Amalfi Coast?” 

“Only for scandalous road sex,” he answers. 

“So you’ve made a study of this sort of thing, have you.”

“No, but I’m willing to start.” 

“If you could see yer face, mate. You look like yer salivatin.” I mean, who am I to stop the man gettin an eyeful?

“Bother you?” 

Simon, you sly dog. “Who am I to stop yer man gettin an eyeful?”

He’s staring at my bits without a lick of shame. “An eyefull as fuck.” And that shuts me mouth right the fuck up. But it’s grinning.

——-/Simon/——-

“Absolutely not! No fucking way! Don’t even think I’m caving on this, Kelly.” To truly drive home the point, I’m angry-pointing at her as if she can actually see it.

“Johnny wants a meeting. And you want to hear this, Simon. Serious,” she emphasizes in that ‘English’ accent it took me years to understand. “Wear a suit, yeah?”

“Why does it have to be in person? And who wears suits?” Nuh-uh. Nope. No way. This can’t be happening. “Can’t we just FaceTime or whatever?”

“Simun. It’s important. And besides, you’re on a fuckin panel. And you fuckin forgot. Because you’re a twat.”

“Oh my god, when is it?” Then, “Fuck! Shit!” I’ve dropped my phone scrambling to pull up my calendar. “Grrrrrraarrrrr!” 

What? It felt like something to roar over.

Kelly interrupts my roar. “Panel’s Thursday morning, be there half nine, yeah? But you got less than twenty four hours to get to Johnny’s meeting.”

“What?! Kelly! What the fuck!”

“The fuck is this, dickhead: The panel’s on your schedule. You’re the one who said yes. You’re the one who’s suddenly back in Italy — for a week — with no call! Until you want in to a party. A party in another fuckin country, you prick! Why are you back in ITALY!!!  I am so fucked off at you right now.”

“Well, I’m fucked off at you right now, too! Whatever that means, I mean it. Even though everything you just said is right. God I hate that!”

“God I hate you! Such a dickhead. When’d you plan on coming back to me?”

She loves me. See? Even when she hates me. Even in that barely intelligible, supposedly-English accent. 

Everyone I care about says horrible words to me as a habit, and it makes me feel loved? There’s gotta be something seriously wrong with me.

“Do I even rate a visit?” she demands. 

See? She loves me. Angrily.

The phone vibrates against my face.

“Aw, hell. I’ve got another call. And I totally don’t want to talk to him, either. Sort of like how I didn’t want to talk to you, my own personal pet harpy. Text me everything, like you already planned to, whatever bye.”

I take a calming breath. I really, really don’t want this call right now. 

Ugh. 

“Chase. It’s been a minute.”

“I know, feels like a year, man,” he exclaims jovially. He’s jovial. Fuck him. “But don’t worry about it, I get it. You’ve been with Lisa. I’ve been with Lily. We’ve all succumbed to the ‘practically married’ lure of contentment and hibernation.”

“Inaccurate. You fell into domesticity. But me? There was never any domesticity to fall into. And Chase? Never speak her name to me again.”

“Wait, what?”

“Like I said, it’s been a minute,” I say, voice flat.

“What happened? Fuck man, I’m-” He pauses. “Hang out with me tonight. We have shit to catch up on.”

“You think?” I’ve just realized I don’t want to tell him a damned thing. And anyway, “I can’t tonight.” He doesn’t get details or explanations about why after blowing me off for a year. 

And the thing that really pisses me off is that I love Lily! Always have. He knows this. It’s not like I didn’t want to hang out with them as a couple, and they know that. Because I fuckin introduced the pair of them! They just disappeared off the face of the earth. When I really needed my best friend. I am so pissed at him right now, it might just be the last nail in the coffin of my happy day. “Look Chase, I gotta go.”

“No, wait! I-“

“Later bro.” 

I don't want to leave Italy!!! I DON’T! WANT! TO LEAVE! ITALY!

“Arrrrrgh!” I turn to Billy, “Can we put that song back on and put the top down? I really need to want to be me too again.” 

This doesn’t get to ruin the most awesome day of my adulthood. 

Um.

Wow.

Is that an overstatement?

I literally can’t remember the last time I felt so good, so positive, so yes!!! It just feels right. God, does it feel right. I don’t know how to process my reaction to this thing that’s happened with Billy. Best day I can remember? That’s some fucking heavy shit.

“What’s all this, mate?” Billy hesitantly asks. “Who are these people and why?”

“My agent wants a meeting. In person. Wants me to come back. Johnny doesn’t usually need a face-to-face, and wearing a suit? I’m somewhere between suspicious and intrigued.”

“Sounds uncomfortable.” 

“And the worst part? I literally forgot about NY Comic Con. I always cosplay Comic Con. It’s the only time I ever get to be a vampire. And even more worst? I forgot I’m on a panel, and that’s just irresponsible. That’s my career.”

“Oh, right.” 

What’s going on with his voice?

“Right. And now Chase remembers I exist after like a year of silence. And all I can feel about it is pissed. I want my happy vibe back,” and the moment I take a breath,  “Shitfuckfuckinfuck!!!” because the phone’s vibrating again.  “What the actual fuck?!” I ask the Medi/Tyrrhenian sky.

With no answer from that quarter, I turn on Kelly. “Kelly, what the fuck.”

“Shut up and listen, you dick. I’ve chartered a jet from Naples. You’re coming home.”

——-/-/——-

She hung up on me! “I don’t-” I drop my head back against the head rest and roar “FUUUCK!” at the Medi/Tyrrhenian sky. 

“That’s a lot of fucking,” Billy says, unhelpfully. “Right, one empowering pop song it is. So sayin if I was you, I’d want to be me, too, would that help?”  

“Aw, how sweet. And yes, I want to be you too cuz you don’t have to be me and leave.”

The song coming on halts my grumbling. He nudges my arm. “What do you need, Simon? What can I do?”

“Damn, that’s- Why do you have to be so awesome all the time? So annoying.”

“Simon, you barely know me.”

I feel like I’ve just been slapped in the face by his seriousness.

“That’s not true,” I say, softly. 

“No, hang on, hold up, that came out wrong.” He squeezes my hand. “You haven’t known me long enough to see my bad bits. That’s all I meant.”

“Ok. That’s accurate, I guess.”

“So what do you need?” he asks again.

“Long term parking at the airport. Is that a thing that exists here?” I ask.

And because he’s aiming for perfection, he replies, “Let me drive yeh.”

“That’s way too much to ask. We’re almost home.” The word ‘home’ just kinda rings out, hanging there in the fresh silence. 

A few minutes later, Billy pulls off into the hotel’s courtyard, makes a big u turn, and asks, “Want to run in and get your stuff?”

“Nah. Let’s just go,” I sigh. “Walking into that room? I’d never want to leave.” And I really don’t want to lose a minute of this absolute rush of a crush I’ve got on this guy, and the high of actually getting to have him. 

That is, getting to have him for all of a hot second, at most. I mean, seriously, what the hell? God just punched me in the nads with fate. 

——-/-/——-

“I can’t believe how completely I forgot about Comic Con. That’s like, I mean, it’s kinda part of my bones. My frickin identity. Happiness that sort of mushrooms up into the atmosphere over the Javitz Center at the same time every year. My very bones should have been screaming at me really loudly to remind me. And I just didn’t hear them this time.”

He nods once. The vibe in the car turns weird. 

So that’s an obvious cue to start babbling.

“Yeah. I feel like there is zero reason for them to want me up there on a panel. They said they want a voice young people like to hear. Something about being confident enough, to find an agent, a publishing deal, blah blah blah. I dunno, maybe it kinda makes sense, kinda. I’m supposed to talk about what it was like getting started so early. Pfff. Like it’s my job to convince them all to be graphic novelists or some shit. Which in itself makes no sense. I am not a graphic novelist. My books have only ever been prosaic.

“And they want me being real-me on a stage with a microphone, ‘educating’ this community? The community I treasure as my family of choice, even if they’re all strangers. My esteemed fellow aliens, vampires, a gratuitous number of capes per capita in attendance. Hardcore Horus Heresy with chainswords and shit. I AM VAMPIRE HUNTER D, FOR GOD’S SAKE!!! I feel like a fraud.” 

I do love this next fantasy: “I mean I would totally almost-kill to have somebody turn them into graphic novels. And even more almost-murdering for manga.” I shiver, theatrically. Then it occurs to me, “Oh my god, I’m a character. Holy fucking shit, can you imagine a manga me??? That’s just fucked up!” I reprise my theatrical shiver. Instead of jumping and clapping, which is what I really want to do.

“Mmm,” is all I get back. 

Now all I can think about is this weird, sour pall hanging over everything. In the car at least. I think it would be impossible for the Amalfi Coast to have a pall. Except when Vesuvius erupts. Obviously. That’s a big, hot, body-melting pall. (So? I’m scared of volcanoes, I’m not ashamed.)

Oh please, stop my brain from trying to fill the awkward silence growing between the two of us. It feels horrible and I want it to go away. 

Oh God, I can feel it coming, the babbling turning into incessant nervous chatter. It’s somewhere between word vomit and lactose intolerance. Sentences become explosive diarrhea of the brain, and particularly unpleasant word-gas that lingers with a foul smell. Gross? Yeah, gross.

“Yeah, and I have to find out how badly Johnny wants to kill me right now. Oh my god. Two of the people who hate/love me most in the world. And I have to see them both this week. There will be blood. Lots of it. Mine. More-“

“This week,” Billy intrudes on the incessant chattering.

“Yeah, this sucks! Worst timing ever. Why doesn’t God want me to get laid?”

Billy doesn’t laugh like I’d hoped. Instead, he’s gone all stiff. Definitely something I said. His grip tightens on Lola’s steering wheel. This is weird. Why is he being so weird? I don’t think I’ve ever seen him be anything but gregarious and positive. Now he’s just kind of gone invisible on me. Blank. Like he’s not even there. 

“I’ll have Leo mail your things back to yeh,” he offers.

Huh?

Why?

“Huh? Why? I’m confused. If anything, I’ve needed more stuff, not less.”

“Well, if yer leaving…..And yeh have to…..” and he just sort of trails off at the end. Then after a beat, he mumbles to himself. “I should have known.” The mumbles turn to grumbles. “Never fails. Never fuckin fails.”

“I know, right? Murphy’s Law.” Then it occurs to me, “Murphy must have been Irish. And stout.”

He doesn’t take the bait.

“Right, well, it’s been really fun, Simon. More than fun. Seems like such an inadequate adjective for, well, you know what I mean.”

“Huh?”

“It’s just- I’m glad I got the chance to know you a bit better, before yeh had to be goin.”

“Oh! Is that what this is? Billy?” 

He waits in silence, a look of blank resignation on his face.

“I’m coming back!”

He pauses, like he’s waiting for the other shoe to drop. But nothing drops. “You are,” he states, as if I’m about to correct him.

“Of course I am, you idiot! How’d you put it? ‘Thick as pig shit’?”

“You are,” he repeats. Finally he glances over at me. He looks distinctly grey. Not his hair, I mean his face.

Oh frack. I think I really fucked this one up. Fucking Kelly! She gets me all worked up with her bald-faced contempt for my input and ineptitude.

“Billy. Look at me for a sec.”

As he glances over, I say, “I’m coming back. I wouldn’t just run off after what happened. You should at least know me better than that, Delaney. And anyway…” I have a bit more difficulty spitting this one out. “I like y- Us. I like us. You. What happened. I’m-” 

Then a horrible thought arrives. “Do- I mean, do you want me to go?” comes out kinda quietly, sounding straight-up cowardly.

“Course not!” he almost bellows. 

The fuck? “Hey.”

He doesn’t answer.

“Good,” I say softly.

“Good? What’s good?!” I can see him folding in on himself.

“You don’t want me to go away,” I admit even softer.

“Course not!” he yells once again.

“Hey,” I try again. “Billy, pull over.”

“Where? And anyway, you’d be late for your flight.”

Maybe he really does need reassurance. Who knew such a beautiful man could be bothered by concerns of the ego, just like the rest of us. “Hey. I don’t want to go, ok? Know that, ok?”

“Yeah, ok.” So unconvincing. Maybe he really didn’t go to theatre school.

“Billy! Come back this instant!” I use Ma’s voice, cuz maybe that’ll work on him like it works on me. 

“Where do you think I am?” 

“Behind your face!” I exclaim. 

Tables? Turned.

“Ha. Ha.” He looks annoyed. He’s annoyed with me.

I decide some hand-holding might make a difference. He holds on tight.

I bring his hand to my mouth and brush my lips across the fingers. “I hate when people use this line, but I’m using it anyway. You can’t get rid of me that easy. Takes at least a round of antibiotics to affect that kind of change.”

“Ok,” he whispers.

“You know, maybe it’s a good idea that we have some alone time. I mean, it’s been an insane 24 hours.” 

“Yeah,” he answers.

“Maybe we need to process,” I offer.

“Yeah,” he answers.

Wow, his mopes are just as epic as mine. We are going to have to talk about this eventually. Probably. 

But for now, “I’m really not psyched about leaving, just so you know. I’d keep you in bed all day and all night, leaving Vittorio in the dark, so you lose your job and have to come back to New York with me. It’s all part of my sinister plot.” I lick his palm and finally get a snort.

“Animal, that’s what you are!” He can’t help cracking a smile.

“What’s this really about?” I ask quietly.

He lets the silence stretch on, but I can tell he’s just formulating an answer.

“I don’t know,” he finally admits. “When are yeh goin back? Like, leaving-leaving. For real.” 

“I dunno, actually. I have thought about it a couple times. But every time, I just banish the thought. It’s a terrible idea. Going home.”

“Why?”

I roll my eyes quietly. “You know why.”

“Oh,” he says, a little pink emerging on his cheeks.

“Oh, what?”

“Just…” His voice is a little bit off, like cracked pavement. It’s been through an ordeal and now it’s got fissures. “…good. I don’t want this to be over the day it started. It’s not enough time.”

“Truth,” I echo. And I decide that, since there will be no quickie, I should scoot a little closer and lick a stripe up his neck. 

His nostrils flare as he sucks in a breath. I test the plumpness of an earlobe with my teeth. His hands grip the wheel more tightly, knuckles whitening. 

“Simon,” he says in a warning tone. But I just peel one hand off the wheel and suck on a finger. Not something I’ve done a million times before. Just seemed like a good idea.

“Giving me a highway handy is…” He takes a deep breath. “…is just going to get us killed. But sucking on my fingers is good. Go on ahead doin that, if you still feel so inclined.”

I giggle. He sounds full of, um, I guess, affection? And that’s how my chestal region feels. Affection. Affected. But the rest of me is definitely feeling his fingers with my tongue.

——-/Billy/——-

Why is my heart pounding so hard in my chest? It’s…

I literally feel unable to speak at the moment. I’ve barely registered the fact that I've been sat here at the curb with a busy airport in front of me.  All I really have in my head is motion and color. 

I’m still stuck on the moment Simon walked away. He took my face in both his hands and pressed his forehead to mine, fiercely. We breathed in and out in synchrony. My mind’s been constantly racing around madly, lookin for something concrete to cling to ever since he… And our ferocity clinging to each other, hard. Breathin together.

He could tell something was wrong, which clearly means I have to be better. Try harder. I’m slipping, and that way lies... Depending on people. Countin on ‘em. “You need to be better than that, Delaney. Control yerself, yeh great eejit. Then just breathe. Just breathe.”

A car’s horn sounds behind me, startlin the fuck out of me.

It’s been over twenty minutes since Simon got out the car and walked away. I don’t think taking up prime drive-up is the most considerate thing I could do.

Pullin out.

Red light, Billy, red light. Am I permitted to turn right on red here? I have to pull over again. It’s just

Um

My head feels woolly and I’m staring into space, rather than the road.

“What are yeh playin at, Delaney. Just look at the state of yeh. Mind on the road. Mind on the road!”

And I never even got to kiss him. Find out how he tastes.

Um. “I need a pint.” 

I really need a pint. 

And someone who speaks the way I do. Kieran, and that’s yer man. Kieran. He’ll pull me a pint while talkin like an Irishman would do.

Um

Pint 

Pint, Billy, pint. 

A Guinness it’ll be. Sommat thick, sommat a bit like a coffee milkshake had sudsy sex with the darkest of darkest beer. 

“Black Rose it is, then,” I sigh the sigh of a thousand parched men.

Dissociation. That’s the term. Disappearing behind yer face a while, starin out into the middle distance. The void. It’ll make a man’s face go slack, leavin him looking forlorn for all the world to see, and none the wiser for it.

I feel heavy. Like I’ve gained a stone in weight and all it wants to do is compress and compress and compress me until I’m naught more than a crushed can of Fosters.

Lady Madonna, children at her feet. (Especially Irish and Italian children, because we’re all catholic.) Maria’s voice has led me to the right place, but she can’t be bothered to make me stand and go in. 

My body feels odd. Like it’s only partially awake.

“Guinness.” It’ll fix what ails yeh. Because Guinness is good for you. Truth in advertising! All the vitamins and grains a fella could ever want in a meal. Consider it room temperature barley and hops soup. So thick you could chew it if yeh liked. Oh lord yes.

“Guinness. Motivation.” I’ve parked Lola in holy Maria’s recommended parking zone. 

I gots to shake this off. No use dragging others down with me. I tense and release, tense and release until the body wakes up, and I can shake off this… whatever it is I’m feelin at the moment. 

“Shake it off, buddy. It’ll be all right. All right? Shake it off. Get yer head in the game.” I even give it a physical try, shaking it off like a dog shrugging off fleas. You can’t really see them, but they’re there and they’ll drive that dog mad with memories. “It’s going to be all right.”

I promise myself it’ll be all right.

Game face.

——-/-/——-

I clear the door, and already Kieran’s callin me over. “Billy! Howeyeh?” 

“Couldn’t stay away, mate.” I like this guy. I mean, not in that way. Oh lord, I need a pint. “What’s the craic?”

“The craic is what’s at the bottom of a pint.”

“And what’s at the bottom of a pint?” I’m askin. 

“Another pint.”

Laughin, I promise him, “Truer words. I’m gonna borra that, and fair warnin.”

“Free to use as fit to use,” he nods. “You’re one for Budvar, that right?”

“Ta, mate. But fer tonite, a Guinness, and do us a favor, mate. Keep ‘em comin. Don’t let my glass get empty. Just keep ‘em comin til I’ve drunk the lot. It’s been one a them sort a days, d’yeh know what I mean.”

I’m numb. That’s what it is. I recognize it. It’s this sort of blankness. I can’t think clearly, and the clock ticks along too slowly.

I’m hollow. It feels empty here in the space beneath my rib cage. A man cast out of time.

Every good Irishman knows his way around sadness. We give each new sadness its own familiar pet name, inviting it in to sit a spell and make itself comfortable by the fire, spot o tea, givin it a room to sleep in, then devouring and swallowin it down whole. 

Right, Delaney. Back in the game, back in the game.

Checkin my reflection in the mirror, I look well enough. I’ve had no comments tossed my way, such as the favourites: “Are you ok?” “What’s wrong?” And the worst of the lot, “Is there anything I can do?” Fuck that.

Posture up, Delaney. Slap a smile on yer face. No clues, and none the wiser.  Breathe. Deep breaths.

I scan the place. “Nice one, Barry’s here. I’ll shout him his next, yeah?” I can see him down t’other end of the bar tryin it on with a beautiful Italian bird - who, apparently, can’t understand whatever it is he’s tryin to say. She rolls her eyes and leaves him standin there gawping. 

The man could likely use a hand.

“Save me Barry!” I cry full throated down the length of the bar. 

Up snaps his head in confusion. When he finally spots me, his face splits into a wide smile. “Billy?”

“Melonfucker! If it isn’t that bastard Barry. Cuff ‘im and bring ‘im here, he owes me money!” 

“Melonfucker?” Kieran asks, as Barry’s takin his place next to me at the bar.

“I loved my mother. Just can’t bring myself to say the real thing. But sometimes a man just needs that many syllables in an expletive. So, melonfucker it is. Howeyeh? All right, man?”

“Yes,” Barry answers with an elfin crinkle to his eyes, like the whole world is smilin back at him. He’s gone up on his toes to plant a kiss on my cheek.

“What are you on, mate?” I ask, givin his arm a nudge.

He looks at his shoes a second, and smoothes the top of his hair. Then, with a conspiratorial look, “Just a little high. Just a little. W-want a hit?”

“What sort o’hit we talkin ‘bout here?” I clarify.

“Here,” and he passes me a thin little joint. 

“Um, Kieran? This ok with yeh, mate?” I ask, cos there’s not a lot o pubs as would be fine with this.

Kieran shrugs a shoulder, and Barry grins a bit harder when I take it.

“Never have been to Wales, Barry, tell me all about it.” I make m’self comfortable. Might could do with a bit o Barry’s amicable blandness while I’m so messed up about what I got up to last night.

Er…

First time it’s come to mind that it’s not just Simon leavin as has me messed up. It’s also what we got up to. In every detail of what we got up to.  I’m feelin messed up, and more besides.

I am. I don’t want to be. But I am. 

I pass the spliff back to Barry.

It all happened so suddenly, and so intensely. And then poof, he’s gone. Feel as though I’ve been hit by the bus for Sorrento.

Shitting my pants, more like. What the fuck?! I can’t just, I mean it was, like, last night. And this morning. And here I am, at a-

If I can just have a couple nonsensical, nothin-serious nights. Maybe gettin really drunk. Dunno, it could happen. Barry passes the joint back to me, and I fill my lungs.

I mean, if Simon doesn’t come back, at least I’ve found my local. “I’m shoutin this round, mate. Nah, Barry. Don’t argue wit me, just let me buy yous a fuckin beverage, Beverly.”

——-/-/——-

“What’s up wit’ yeh, you mopey fuck?” Kieran bumps my arm. I’m lookin at the clock and think I must’ve been starin into the middle distance a while, cos it’s suddenly 2 hours into the evening.

“Because we’re men. And the moment called for it,” I raise my pint and chuckle to myself. Appears Kieran has no answer for that.

I like it when I’m stoned and then the alcohol kicks in. It’s that point between tipsy and toppling to the dirt, when the two substances race to catch up with each other. So, not quite soused, but yet still very much on the verge of being oh so very fucked up.

“Hammered. Tanked. These are words my American friend uses at times like these. Or times like 4 shots from now.” Probly just snorted again. Can’t help it and don’t want to. 

“It’s early, yet.” Kieran points to the glowing bar clock. It shows half six. “Slow it down a bit maybe.”

“Oh, I’m going bit by bit tonight,” I promise him. “D’you know what I mean, like appreciating each and every single hop and barley as it goes down.”

“Not quite what I was goin for, but-“

“Sure’n the last 24 hours weren’t at all what we was goin for,” I mutter to myself. “But happened all the same.”

“Sorry?” Barry leans in to hear.

I take a long, slow breath and shrug, “Sorry, just an old song I used to know.” 

Kieran and Barry are doin some sort of silent conversatin with their eyebrows. I’ve always envied that kind of telepathy between friends. But they can’t compete with our eye caterpillars. “The two o’you make a cute pair.”

Em…

Wait. Did I- “Wait a tick, that came out wrong. Not like you’re a couple or- Em, I meant cute, like mates are cute.” Fucksake, Delaney, shut your mouth’n stop talkin out of it. 

They’re lookin at me with concern, and no small wonder. I’ve caught a babbling case of simonitis. Spreads with repeated contact. Another reason to wear a condom, younglings. Wrap that shit up.

Kieran leans his forearms on the bar. “Right, like I said before, what’s up with you? You don’t seem like the same man what come in two nights past.”

It’s true. “I’m not. The same man as was here two days ago. Fuck me, that’s a weird thought to try and swallow.”

Kieran looks at me like a mother hen would do. “Billy? Where you stayin mate.” 

“Don’t know. Sleep it off in the car or sommat. It’ll work itself out.” 

He doesn’t much like my answer, nor is he impressed with my lackadaisical delivery.

“You’ll sleep at mine,” says Kieran, waving away my arguments. “You could do with a kip, couldn’t yeh. ‘S all m’sayin.”

“You’ve only just met me. You don’t barely know me, either, man.” It’s just plain fact. He doesn’t, does he.

“I know well enough. Remindin me of meself, y’are. Meself in darker days.”

Ah, misery loves company. “Oh right? You’ve had somebody like that come along, have you?” 

“Like what?” asks Barry, sounding confused.

“Like yesterday,” I almost slosh Guinness into my eye, gesturing with my pint glass in an animated fashion. “Like yesterday you were one person, and now today, you’re not. You’re nearly certain it’s down to a person or thing and then that came along and now it’s not.”

“Not what?” Barry’s lookin worried. “Was he making sense before?”

“Acourse I was,” I say. “That’s an easy question. You’ll need to throw me a harder one than that, Beverly.”

“All right, then-” Barry begins.

But not fast enough to beat Kieran’s “Who is she? Where’d you meet her?”

“Oh it’s like that, is it,” I nod. “Go on why don’t yeh, Cupid, yeh wee blighter. Straight to the heart of it. Well I’ll tell yeh. Nobody I didn’t already know. From before.”

Kieran ‘hmmmm’s thoughtfully, takin my measure as though I’m a puzzle for solvin.

“I don’t know, it’s a bit like,” and I scrunch my shoulders as I look for the words. “And then it’s too late. You know it’s gonna happen but y’don’t know when, you’ve no idea, and you make the first move! You!” I point right at Kieran for emphasis.

“And then you’re a totally different person, am I right?” I nod my head. “You lot are here with me, the one that I am now. Before, it was me, before me now.”

“Quite the philosopher,” says Kieran, wiping down a glass with a funny expression. He should write it on the bathroom wall, like all the best bar poets do.

I need to make a toast.

“Gentlemen a toast to you two gentlemen.” They dutifully hold their pints aloft. I might be swayin the slightest bit, but I’m farin just fine for recite nin’a toast. “For bein there thennn ‘nnnn here now. Thanks for helpin me work,” I pause to catch my breath, “through this. I think I just needed to (*hic*) ‘scuse me, say it out loud. And now I have! Thanks, lads. Y’ve done me a service and I thanks,” I smile at them, and throw an arm over Barry’s shoulder cos we’re old mates. 

Somehow they both get that this is genuine. Which is good. Yes. Good.

Good speech. Just fine.

——/-/——-

“Right, it’s better that I inform to everyone to know that I’m just the slightest bit drunk. Just for being responsible purposeness, yeah? I mean they deserve to know. I’m sure they’ll be fine with it.”

“Who?” asks Kieran.

The world is making this, “wuh-wuh-wuh-wuh-wah-wah” sound.  “I feel like I’m on drugs. Why do I feel like I’m on drugs? Ohhhh, I know what this feels like. Have yeh been feedin me nitrous? It feels like nitrous. Wah-wah-wah-wah.” I look up and I have no idea what I just said or why. “Hi. Heya.”  Wait, that’s not Simon. Hm, when’s he supposed to be here? I’m looking around for him. He’s not spottable at the mo. But I *think* he’ll be here right now. Right? “I’m confused.”

“Yes,” says Kieran. “Yes, you are.”

“Billy,” says Simon, er, Billy, no, says Barry cuz it’s Barry standin there, smoothin his hair in that nervous gesture of his. “So you’re with- um, th-that man Simon. His boyfriend.”

I snarf my beer. Not out my nose, saints preserve us. “Boyfriend? Em. Er. That’s, em. That’s. Why do you say that?” I am definitively taken off guard. And so bluntly. Jesus, Mary and Joseph. 

“What, aren’t you?” asks Kieran.

“What - boyfriends?” I can feel my chin still fallin toward the floor. They can tell it’s an honest reaction, so now it’s even more awkward. 

Redirect. “There’s a song I need to hear. Is there something that will make that happen?” 

They both look pretty taken aback. Cultural social lesson for the future. Thou shalt not dj.

“What’re yeh thinking?” Kieran asks.

“Just one song. But y’must make an oath you will make everyone sing, or it’s worthless.”

Kieran thinks that’s funny. But also weird. So he shrugs, “Which one is it?”

“Don't be laughin at me for bein predictable, it being Bono and the lads. But I need Beautiful Day. Like you don’t even know.” 

It comes on, and Kieran hollers, “Alright you lot! You know the words! Make ‘em hear us in Galway.” Happily, everyone yells some variation of “ok,” but it all sounds like “fuck yeah” to me.

All in all, it works out pretty well. “You thought you found a friend to take you out of this place. Someone you can lend a hand, in return for grace. It’s a beautiful day.” That sounds about right. Next thing I know, the chorus riles em up and there’s a great amount of beer-sloshing to dodge. “You’re on the road but you’ve got no destination.” How did they know? “You love this town,” I holler alone, so that’s awkward. “You’ve been all over.” How does Bono always know? Then I holler at the top of my lungs with everyone else, “and it’s BEEN ALL OVER YOU!”

Bono, you profound bastard.

“Touch me,” I choke up too much to sing. “Take me to that other place. Teach me love,” I whisper. “I know I’m not a hopeless case.” Bono, you’re killing me here.

“It was a beautiful day. Don’t let it get away.” But I did. I let it get away. Aaaaand now, despite an entire pub of folk practically shoutin about beauty, I’m depressed. 

Me? Depressed? When I’m this drunk? Not likely. I snort. That’s just bonkers. A scoff is the best that thought deserves. And maybe a Bushmills.

“Bushmills on the rocks, Jeeves.”

“Yeh from up in the North then?” Kieran asks. “Don’t much sound it.”

“Spent some time there.” Redirect, and anyway, I’m curious. “Why am I so high?”

Barry turns his implish little face to me, and passes me a fresh spliff. 

——-/-/——-

“Baby, I’m wasted. All I wanna do is drive home to you. Baby, I’m faded. All I wanna do is hm hm hmtown. Baby, hm’sumthin, sumthin sumthin la la la, beep bop beep-boop.” And those are literally all the words to this six minute song. I like edm. It says so much with so little.

“Reckon I like this pub. The Black Rose. La Rosa Nera in Italiano,” I say to no one in particular. “Sometimes it’s good to just make a declarative statement, know what I mean.”

“I heard that declarative statement, and I thank yeh mate,” Kieran gives a big-hearted grin. Which has now refocused over my shoulder. “Barry, yeh goodfornuttin.” Kieran gives a dry smile and passes Barry his pint, allowin me a moment to down another shot of tequila. 

Wonder what a Welshman’s doin down Mediterranean way. They’re a cold water lot. “You livin here, then, Barry? This your local?”

“Yes, I do. And y-yes, it is.”

I decide we need to get some facts straight. I announce, “Now, I’m not one for swallowin, but-” and halt my progress. I’ve suddenly gone blank. “Wait. What was we talkin bout?”

“How far into yer night are yeh, Billy?” Kieran asks instead of answering. That’s Irish Barkeep for, “Seems like you might’a had more drink than you can handle, Billy.”

“Well, now, see. A thing happened,” I begin. “I can’t even t-tell you. What it was, except’n how I was needin to remember - what was it?” I clear my throat. “What was we talkin bout?”

“What sort o’ day you have, mate? I’ve seen a face or two like yours is now.” 

I’ve no doubt he has done, bein a bartender and such. 

The concern spreads to Barry’s face.

“My day.” I try to laugh, but all I emit is a snort and a burble.

Oh look, fellas! Shiny object somewhere in a direction that does not include me! Suddenly the lads are starin at two long-legged, short-shorted birds as just come in. 

Times were I’d be preparin my approach, but… I dunno. I’m just not inspired. Don’t think my dick’s much inspired either. At least not without me asking it to be. Way too much goin on in me head. Too much goin away on planes. Too much touch. Too much o’ the way he smells. Too much suckin on fingers. Just far, far too much o’ life to hold in one head alone.

What was we talkin bout? Oh…holdin me drink.

I interrupt the lads starin, “Are yous lot aware that I am an Irishman? Yes, yes you are.” I wait for encouragement to continue. “How could yeh dare to impugn my honour thinkin I don’t know how t’hold my drink. Yeh think they’da let me outta Ireland if I couldna hold my drink? Embarrassment to my country, kin and kind.” 

These lot are a little bit less than kin and much more than kind. I stumble over my thoughts, all unruly and marchin about without an officer to give ‘em orders. “Y’ever have one a them moments, frozen in time, when an idea comes from your mouth — not from your brain, d’yeh know what I mean. Then back from your brain back down to where it all started — in your mouth, and then out of it. You stand on the precipice of something bigger.” 

A realization heralds some new options! The room spins. “What was we talkin bout?” 

No idea. None. Blank. “Oh right!” I remember! “Boys… ‘n girls, n… stuff o that nature.”

“We were?” asks Barry.

“Weren’t we? I feel like they’re right there just beyond me,” I sigh.

“What is?” Kieran asks.

“Words, man. Words!”

Kieran and Barry exchange more worried looks. Whatever.

“And then it was all, ‘K. I’ll see yous again, Billy. Sooner or later. Told me t’have a nice night. So yeah, looks like I’ll be trying for some ‘nice’ in me night.”

“Who?” Kieran asks with a frown.

“Nah! Nah, mates. All yeh need do is keep up wit me, yeah?” Then I remember sommat else, too: “Beer!”

“What happened, Barry?” Kieran stands in front of him, wipin down the counter, talkin low so they think I can’t hear. “All I did was walk a few steps to help those two lovelies, then back again to find we’ve reached nuttin but babble. It’s like we’re only getting one side o the conversation. You farin any better than that?”

“Am I?” Barry asks in surprise. “No,” he says emphatically. “And I don’t think it’s likely to get much better.” 

“Well, lads,” I step in. “Here’s the truth. I had a, uh, night last night.” 

I wait for some signal that they heard and understood me. They did, so I continue. 

“Here’s the thing. I was out with someone last night. Someone I’ve, em, y’know, been talkin to. But we was only ever mates. Ever. Never figured for more than that, know what I mean. But suddenly, somethin happens and boom bam badoombomb release, and everything in my life is unrecognizable to me now.” I might could’ve turned a tad morose in me old age. “It felt like everything I’ve ever wanted.” Lovely. Another sentence out my mouth without originatin in my brain. “But with hi- them? Never, ever occurred to me. Not once!” 

I feel my brows knotting without my permission. Was that a lie? I take a beat to think about it. Yes. Yes it was a lie. And now the room’s been set to spinnin. I’m high, so it’s actually a bit o’ fun. 

“Looked so fuckin fit y’know what I mean? Dancin that way and all I could do was watch. Yeh know? Just watch…But then everything I wanted became mine,” I continue. “I had it all in my hands, and I wasn’t wastin a moment of that time on ‘what if’ and shyness. I mean lads, I think yeh know me well ‘nuff by now. Don’t yeh?”

They both nod emphatically.

“I wake up. Both of us wake up and can’t keep our hands…our…” I sigh. “The desire was there. It was just — everywhere. Can barely keep from havin a horn everywhere I go. But, like, it’s different when something that might be real is on the line. Know what I mean.”

Again, they nod emphatically.

“I just-“ Spit it out, kid. “I mean-“ Not doin much better. Out with it. “I just don’t want to go back to how it was before. Friends. I want to level up. And that, lads, is some deeply terrifying shit.” I can feel my eyes widen. “Maybe not for some, but that’s the way of it for me.”

I stare at my reflection in the bar mirror. I still look like me, even knowin all that transpired. I can’t have changed that much. I don’t look horrified. Which is good. But a bit stressed? That I am, and more beside. And maybe a whole lot worried. My eyes look distinctly hollow and haunted. “It was so good,” I mumble.

“She’ll be back, mate. The girls love you,” Kieran grins conspiratorially at Barry, then back to me. “I bet you can’t beat em back with ennathin but your stick, know what I mean. Can’t keep ‘em off you, can you?”

“I have no response to that question,” I laugh. “It’s true. I know I’m a man whore, for certain, it’s true. But it might be I’m a one-man man whore.”

“That makes no sense,” Barry objects.

“Yer just noticin that now?” Kieran observes.

And again the room sets itself to spinnin.

——-/-/——-

Masterlist || Start || Prev || Next || ao3

——-/-/——-

Taglist: @salvador-daley @badsext @circumstellars @mokolat @i-seeaspaceshipinthe-sky @vonkimmeren @hucklebunny @elliethesuperfruitlover @crabstick @maerenee930 @love-is-dirty-baby @super-unpredictable98 @messengeronthemoon @misskittysmagicportal @neuroticpuppy @seanfalco

[doubleattitude]

Radix Dance Convention, Atlanta, GA: RESULTS

High Scores by Age:

Rookie Solo

1st: MIla Simunic-’Never Enough’

2nd: Brenna Ferrell-’Showstopper’

2nd: Alaina Chadbourne-’Walk The Dinosaur’

Mini Solo

1st: Ellie Melchior-’Function’

2nd: Barrett Robison-’Ping’

3rd: Spencer Parnell-’The Return’

3rd: AnaKate Danner-’Unleashed’

3rd: Paislyn Schroeder-’Vibin’

4th: Kaylee Schwamb-’See Me Now’

4th: Lily Planck-’She’s A Lady’

5th: Georgia Beth Peters-’Come Together’

5th: Ava Grace Merritt-’Love Me’

5th: Anslee LeBlanc-’Take Care Of Yourself’

6th: Bella Smith-’Against The Music’

6th: Clare Gibbons-’Baby I’m A Star’

7th: Xin Lee-’Finding Home’

7th: Avery St John-’Tomorrow’s Song’

8th: Londyn Knox-’Without You’

9th: Lauren Fenton-’Boogie Shoes’

9th: Madelyn Laken-’Surprise’

10th: Penelope Thomas-’Love Shack’

10th: Lila Morath-’Miss Velour’

Junior Solo

1st: Amaya Llewellyn-’Must’

1st: Leila Winker-’Takt’

2nd: Emme James Anderson-’Resume’

3rd: Riley Fiorello-’Crippled Bird’

3rd: Estella Guzman-’No Contamination’

3rd: Ally Reuter-’Stagma’

4th: Mia Doyle-’Designated Harmony’

4th: Brinkley Pittman-’Gravity’

4th: Addison Cullather-’Tangent’

5th: Morgan Belyeu-’Older’

5th: Kalli Ramet-’Rock Me Baby’

5th: Roberta Marcos-’Torn’

6th: Luna Powell-’1977′

6th: Ella Paige Moore-’Breaking Point’

6th: Zella Wentz-’Fearless’

7th: Addison ?-’How Does A Moment Last Forever’

7th: Collier McLain-’Love Has No Limits’

7th: Mia Mondok-’Music Box’

7th: Gabriela Miller-’Sinking’

8th: Mia Narvaez-’Destinations’

8th: Amanda Fenton-’Devil In Disguise’

8th: Annabel Ellis-’The Forest’

8th: Sidney Hill-’The Moon’

9th: Zoe Kappler-’Changeling’

9th: Callie Ludtke-’Impossible’

9th: Leah Midgett-’Mirror Mirror’

10th: Kinley Andrews-’All That Jazz’

10th: Meredith Lee-’Especially A Woman’

Teen Solo

1st: Harlow Ganz-’End of Love’

1st: Preslie Rosamond-’Possibly Maybe’

2nd: Emery Sousley-’Birds of Paradise’

3rd: Olivia Taylor-’Closure’

3rd: Oliver Keane-’Electric Pulse’

4th: Kenzie Robertson-’1977′

4th: Josh Stephens-’Fires’

4th: Johanna Jessen-’Party’

4th: Gabriella Kennedy-’Ritz’

4th: Rianna Weck-’Sensory Overload’

5th: Delaney Lorenz-’Creep’

5th: Haley Midgett-’Smile to Me’

5th: Sydney Tam-’Touch’

6th: Natalie Bumgarner-’Maybe This Time’

6th: Kate Higginbotham-’Polly’

7th: Kennedi Washington-’Epilogue’

7th: Kayla Pierce-’Fire Speak’

7th: Kayla Montgomery-’Lalia’

8th: Cady Cropper-’Godspeed’

8th: Maddie Laine Callaway-’Piece by Piece’

9th: Mia Lott-’Flawless’

9th: Jordan Stevener-’Ghosts’

9th: Ally Organo-’Like You’ll Never See Me Again’

10th: Julia Deana-’Hate You’

10th: Madison marshall-’Icon’

10th: Dempsey Foxson-’Vain’

Senior Solo

1st: Seth Gibson-’Identity’

1st: Dai Boyd-’Try A Little Tenderness’

2nd: Libby Wiley-’By Thy Light’

3rd: Brittany Willard-’Unchained Melody’

4th: Raven Rutledge-’A Pale’

5th: Rebecca Lewyn-’Devil I Know’

5th: Anna Goodman-’Fallen Alien’

5th: Alexandra Jinglov-’Take It Easy’

6th: Belle Mason-’Drones’

6th: Katelynn Midgett-’Georgia’

6th: Ayana Davis-’Progressing’

7th: Kaili Tam-’Malamente’

7th: Elaina Samady-’Loving Ghosts’

7th: Ally Pereira-’Daring to Love’

7th: CJ Parker-’A Letter From France’

7th: Madison Phelps-’A Feeling Felt’

7th: Avery Ferguson-’When You Sleep’

8th: Izzie Bringle-’Hush’

8th: Molly Fisher-’Moved’

8th: Lexi Elias-’The Weight’

9th: Gracie Avalos-’A Body’

9th: Kirsten Brown-’Asylum’

9th: Julia Hale-’Cellophane’

10th: Brooke Manchester-’Go’

10th: Ainsley Wharton-’These hands’

10th: Sophie Hooker-’We’ll Meet Again’

Mini Duo/Trio

1st: Academy for The Performing Arts-’Fall For You’

2nd: Milele Academy-’Miami’

3rd: Studio 413-’Party Planners’

3rd: Milele Academy-’Vibology’

Junior Duo/Trio

1st: Milele Academy-’Fiyah Speak’

1st: Academy for the Performing Arts-’Oceania’

2nd: B-viBe The Dance Movement-’The Mess We’re In’

3rd: Dance Productions Unlimited-’Superpowers’

Teen Duo/Trio

1st: The Royal Dance Academy-’Greiving’

2nd: Milele Academy-’Down We Go’

2nd: Accolades Movement Project-’I Remember Her’

3rd: Studio 413-’Distortion’

3rd: Academy for the Performing Arts-’Fledglings’

3rd: Academy for the Performing Arts-’Rebuild’

3rd: Academy for the Performing Arts-’Tiny Cities’

Senior Duo/Trio

1st: Studio 413-’Black Flies’

2nd: Milele Academy-’Darkest Hour’

3rd: B-viBe The Dance Movement-’Heartbeat’

Rookie Group

1st: Elite Studio-’I Don’t Want to Show Off’

2nd: Elite Studios-’90′s Babies’

Mini Group

1st: Encore Studio-’Uptown Girl’

2nd: Encore Studio-’Windowdipper’

3rd: Encore Studio-’Turn to Stone’

Junior Group

1st: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’All I Want’

1st: B-viBe The Dance Movement-’Down The Line’

1st: B-viBe The Dance Movement-’History In The Making’

2nd: Milele Academy-’Save a Horse’

3rd: Elite Studio-’Collective Breath’

Teen Group

1st: Academy for the Performing Arts-’Don’t Forget Me’

1st: Encore Studio-’Kinjabang’

2nd: Studio 413-’Social Media Overload’

3rd: Milele Academy-’Close Up’

Senior Group

1st: Elite Studios-’I Still Remain’

2nd: Milele Academy-’Get It’

3rd: Academy for the Performing Arts-’Holdin Out’

Rookie Line

1st: Encore Studio-’Conga’

Mini Line

1st: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Jailhouse Rock’

2nd: Encore Studio-’Truth’

3rd: Elite Studio-’Get Busy’

3rd: Elite Studios-’What You Did To Me’

Junior Line

1st: Milele Academy-’Missy’

2nd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’It’s About That Walk’

3rd: Studio 413-’Into the Night’

Teen Line

1st: Studio 413-’Hold On Tight’

2nd: Encore Studio-’Yikes’

3rd: Encore Studio-’Just Say’

Senior Line

1st: Studio 413-’Rumors’

2nd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Lost’

3rd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Who You Are’

Mini Extended Line

1st: Encore Studio-’Vibeology’

2nd: Studio 413-’Critical Level’

3rd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’I’m Alive’

Junior Extended Line

1st: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Covergirl’

1st: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Footloose’

1st: Studio 413-’Goodbye’

2nd: Studio 413-’Girl Boss’

Teen Extended Line

1st: Studio 413-’No One’

2nd: Studio Powers-’BLACK’

3rd: Studio 413-’Ready or Not’

Senior Extended Line

1st: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Shut It Down’

2nd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Trust Me Again’

3rd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Resolution’

Junior Production

1st: Studio 413-’Electricity’

Teen Production

1st: Encore Studio-’Cardi’

2nd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’JLo’

3rd: Elite Studio-’That 70′s Show’

High Scores by Performance Division:

Rookie Jazz

1st: Encore Studio-’Conga’ 2nd: Elite Studio-’I Don’t Want to Show Off’

Rookie Tap

Elite Studios-’90′s Babies’

Mini Jazz

1st: Encore Studio-’Uptown Girl’ 2nd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Jailhouse Rock’ 3rd: Milele Academy-’Move Your Body’

Mini Hip-Hop

Studio 413-’Lose Control’

Mini Tap

Studio 413-’Critical Level’

Mini Contemporary

1st: Encore Studio-’Windowdipper’ 2nd: Encore Studio-’Turn to Stone’ 3rd: Encore Studio-’Truth’

Mini Lyrical

1st: Elite Studios-’Every Single Thing I Have’ 2nd: Vermont Ballet Theater-’Build It Up’

Mini Specialty

Jill’s Studio of Dance-’I’m Alive’

Junior Jazz

1st: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Covergirl’ 2nd: Studio 413-’Electricity’ 3rd: Milele Academy-’Save a Horse’ 3rd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’It’s About That Walk’

Junior Hip-Hop

1st: Milele Academy-’Missy’ 2nd: Studio 413-’Girl Boss’ 3rd: Academy for the Performing Arts-’New Skool’

Junior Tap

1st: Studio 413-’Into the Night’ 2nd: Academy for the Performing Arts-’You Can Feel It’

Junior Contemporary

1st: Studio 413-’Goodbye’ 2nd: B-viBe The Dance Movement-’Down The Line’ 3rd: Elite Studio-’Collective Breath’

Junior Lyrical

Jill’s Studio of Dance-’All I Want’

Junior Musical Theatre

1st: Academy for the Performing Arts-’Guns and Ships’ 2nd: Vermont Ballet Theater-’We Go Together’

Junior Specialty

1st: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Footloose’ 2nd: B-viBe The Dance Movement-’History In The Making’

Teen Jazz

1st: Encore Studio-’Just Say’ 2nd: Studio 413-’Body Language’ 3rd: Studio 413-’Social Media Overload’

Teen Hip-Hop

1st: Encore Studio-’Yikes’ 2nd: Studio Powers-’BLACK’ 3rd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Fire Emoji’

Teen Tap

1st: Studio 413-’No One’ 2nd: Encore Studio-’Cardi’

Teen Contemporary

1st: Studio 413-’Hold on Tight’ 2nd: Encore Studio-’Kinjabang’ 2nd: Academy for the Performing Arts-’Don’t Forget Me’ 2nd: Encore Studio-’Sadness’ 3rd: Milele Academy-’Hurting You’

Teen Lyrical

Vermont Ballet Theater-’Gravity’

Teen Musical Theatre

1st: Elite Studios-’Take Off With Us’ 1st: Academy for the Performing Arts-’Wait For Me’

Teen Specialty

1st: B-viBe The Dance Movement-’Cage of Bones’ 2nd: Studio Powers-’Area 51′

Senior Jazz

1st: Studio 413-’Rumors’ 2nd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Shut It Down’ 3rd: Elite Studios-’Sleep’

Senior Hip-Hop

Academy for the Performing Arts-’Welcome to Our Hood’

Senior Tap

Academy for the Performing Arts-’Holdin’ Out’

Senior Contemporary

1st: Elite Studios-’I Still Remain’ 2nd: Milele Academy-’Get It’ 2nd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Lost’ 3rd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Who You Are’ 3rd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Trust Me Again’

Senior Lyrical

1st: Elite Studios-’Kissing You’ 2nd: B-viBe The Dance Movement-’Came Here For Love’

Senior Specialty

1st: Academy for the Performing Arts-’Still Smiling’ 2nd: B-viBe The Dance Movement-’For This You Were Born’

Best of Radix:

Rookie

Elite Studio-’I Don’t Want to Show Off’

Encore Studio-’Conga’

Mini

Milele Academy-’Move Your Body’

Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Jailhouse Rock’

Encore Studio-’Uptown Girl’

Junior

Elite Studio-’Collective Breath’

Milele Academy-’Missy’

B-viBe The Dance Movement-’History In The Making’

Studio 413-’Goodbye’

Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Covergirl’

Teen

Academy for the Performing Arts-’Don’t Forget Me’

Studio 413-’Hold On Tight’

Studio Powers-’BLACK’

Milele Academy-’Hurting You’

Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Fire Emoji’

Encore Studio-’Yikes’

Senior

Milele Academy-’Get It’

Elite Studios-’I Still Remain’

Studio 413-’Rumors’

Academy for the Performing Arts-’Holdin Out’

Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Lost’

Studio Standout:

Elite Studios-’I Still Remain’

Academy for the Performing Arts-’Holdin Out’

B-viBe The Dance Movement-’History In The Making’

Encore Studio-’Yikes’

Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Lost’

Milele Academy-’Get It’

Studio 413-’Hold On Tight’

[tobeornottotc]

Episode 12: Rules of TKEM- Analysis of the intro

Balance and Justice

The rightful owner of the flute

The bamboo tree is linked to the story at the beginning of episode 1 where Lim tells Taeul and Shinjae the origins of the flute its carved by the dragon king and given to king Simun. The dragon king must have used lighting to do so. I also want to mention that the place the bamboo tree is located is where the land of frozen time is, and it looks just like that place where Gon tool Taeul the middle of where both the two worlds collide. 

 The flute can cause peace and change weather, call back diseases, remove war and trouble and help the owner control the fate of his world. This is when the flute is played because the flute is broken it can’t be played.  There’s already a theory about how weather is Gon’s side but I’m going to use that theory and link it to all that Lim says in episode 1 about the flute.

 “When the flute is played enemies retreat, diseases are cured, rain falls during drought and ends when its rainy season, the wind would stop, and strong waves subside. “ 

Law of Science and Fate

 The flute is broken in half because of Gon in the intro, this causes a circle of equations being triggered- this is linked to the physics and mathematics of the time travel of the show, and the parallel dimension is triggered. This also shows the flute supports Gon because we learn that his mum was a scientist, and religious. This shows that Gon has been born in a place of knowledge of science needed for him to understand the powers of the flute, and also religion is another way to sure God is on his side, i.e. fate is on his side since birth. Again, he has always been destined to become the next owner of the flute.  

The mirror image of Corea and Korea- Through the looking glass inverts of each other, that’s why dopple gangers when they have the same frequency can see their other self-reflected in mirror surfaces and reflections. I’ve explained this already, this means that the two worlds will cancel each other out when they collide, and this will cause things to disappear (Mathematical term -1+1=0) Remember that Taeul is Gon’s zero, but because I don’t understand numbers and maths I can’t carry on with this theory just wanted to mention again that there’s a lot needed to understand mathematically to understand where the show is going.

The worlds collide in a kaleidoscope effect and we get a coin. The toss of a coin is to use to decide your fate/outcome, in my opinion this is linked mathematically to probability and luck and again fate. Because luck/fate is on Gon’s side he’ll win the coin toss and get the right outcome. On the coin we see the two currencies of the two worlds. The crest of Corea on one side and the normal coin of Korea on the other hand.         

The portal in the  bamboo forest. 

This is interesting because we know Lim has a different portal in the story where he can avoid Gon, Gon still has not discovered where that is. But the portal is important because its how Gon opens all the doors of the universe including the sword (I will mention the theories I’ve heard about the sword later) but this is what’s going to help him find Taeul. However as mentioned before for balance to be restored the flute needs to go back to being whole and the doors of the portal needs to close. I also wanted to discuss another idea of lighting whenever Gon sees the portal, there’s a crack in its reflection that lets him go through, again this hints that this is wrong because the portal is broken, Gon and Lim are causing chaos by breaking the barriers of the two worlds, this can also explain why the lighting that causes scars on their body looks like fire burning in cracks on their face. Just as they misuse the portal, they also get the scars from the breakage. 

We then have the discussion about the flute and the bamboo tree, first of all the flute is derived from lightning hitting the trees roots, there’s a lot of root imagery in TKEM, this is interesting, we have scars on the people’s body as form a fiery root, we have the roots on the King’s ring which Prince Buyeong warned Lim about coveting. There’s a theory about how the ring, the sword and the flute being both gifted to Gon to defeat the Lim. But I’m not going to steal someone else’s theory. I can see it though, they all have different links and meaning, the ring is linked to the ownership of the throne, the flute is linked to the powers of the throne, the sword is linked to natural rights of the throne. It all again focuses on the rules of the show that Gon is supported by Fate. Because he’s the right noble blooded king, he’s the right person who meets the requires of this by morals, blood, and luck. That’s why he’s supported by Fate. I don’t see a lot of focus on the ring though, because what’s really shown in the first episode is that the sword is important, it’s the thing that’s needed by Gon to defeat Lim. There are also roots carved behind the sword. 

     The Law of the Four Tiger Sword

“The sky and the ground help the earth balance, defeat the bad and make things just.” 

This again the whole rule of the show, Gon is supported by both the sky and the ground because of fate, this means that the lightning is not to punish him but to help him know what’s going on, everything in nature supports Gon instead of Lim because the whole goal of the sword is to defeat the evil and get justice. I have mentioned that Balance, and Justice is a huge rule of the show. This is important because Lim is misusing everything he will lose, nature is not on his side, he will get washed out. That’s why the flute woke Gon up and got him to walk on the blood to come get it from his uncle, its why the flute plays and causes him to find Taeul. The flute is Gon’s side, Fate is on Gon’s side, Nature is also on Gon’s side. So, we will have a good ending because they all are working to help him not punish him.

-   So yeah just a little analysis on the intro for you guys to understand that the theme of the show is Balance and Justice.

[ultragooner89]

Wait, what's going on with Luka Modric? What's infuriating? Girl, what's the tea?!

Ahhh… it’s a lot to explain.  Basically Croatian football is really corrupt and really broken.  One of the most corrupt figures is this guy: Zdravko Mamic

Mamic was the director of Dinamo Zagreb for many years (and became an advisor to the club once he stepped down) and while he was in charge the league bent over backwards to make sure they always came out on top.  He also created many shady transfer deals that put lots of money into his pocket. Croatian authorities have accused him and his brother of embezzling the equivalent of $17.3m of the club’s money since 2008 and not paying $1.8m in state taxes. Croatian media said they were suspected of taking undeclared commission fees from the sale of Dinamo players to foreign clubs.

As part of that investigation, Luka Modric’s transfer from Dinamo Zagreb to Tottenham came under question.  It seems like Modric and Mamic pocketed money from the transfer that they shouldn’t have.  When police questioned him, Modric turned on Mamic and told how corrupt and criminal he is.

Mamic is now having a trial for these and other criminal charges.  Today, Luka Modric was called as a witness to testify.  But rather than repeat the allegations he made to police he claimed suddenly to not remember anything.  Not what his contract was, not what he originally told police, not what the annex to the contract was that detailed how the money would be split, etc etc.  Basically nothing he said while on the stand was in line with what Modric previously said to the State Attorney and when the plaintiff presented parts of his earlier statement in which Luka said that Mamic had repeatedly promised him to receive a certain amount of transfers money Modric claimed he didn’t remember saying that, he must have misunderstood the question, he was tired, etc etc.  

Mamic is a criminal and his house of cards was finally about to fall down until Modric suddenly contracted amnesia.  He is one of the best Croatian footballers of all time, a hero to many in the country and today he chose to stand up for criminality and corruption.

It’s infuriating because Modric turned his back on helping to build a case against a figure most Croatians hate.  And more than that, this whole thing is like a microcosm of the state of Croatian football.  The head of the Croatian FA is Davor Suker and he is terrible.  He favors certain teams and players, he attacks journalists and prevents them from doing their jobs reporting on the national team, he makes management decisions to fund his gambling habit rather than based on what would be best for the team, he openly admires Croatian ustase (fascist) leaders who committed acts of genocide during World War II, etc.

 The national team is coached by Ante Cacic who used to manage Dinamo Zagreb and is good friends with Mamic.  He lets Mamic have a lot of say in who plays for the national team and of course Mamic wants Zagreb players in so he can sell them and pocket more money.  He chose for his assistant Josip Simunic who was suspended from the national team in 2013 for leading the crowd in ustase chants and giving ustase salutes (which is basically the equivalent of a German player leading the crowd in Nazi chants and giving the Nazi salute) and has also helped fund a documentary that essentially argues that the extent of the Holocaust in Croatia is greatly exaggerated.

Maybe you remember a few years ago Croatian fans made headlines for burning swastikas onto a field or during the Euros the fans threw flares onto the pitch during a match?  Neither these or other similar instances are the fans expressing a fascist ideology or being stupid ultras; it’s a protest against the awful people in charge of Croatian football.  It’s an attempt to embarrass Suker, Cacic, Simunic etc.

There is so much more I could say on this topic, but hopefully that explains at least a little bit what is going on with Modric and why this is all infuriating.

[taliatravels]

Spring break makes an appearance again! If you know me at all, it should come as no surprise that the spring break trip that I spent all semester planning was a trip to a country with some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe, but we spent almost the entire time hiking. Two days after Easter and directly after our mandatory presentations on discourse analysis, we hopped on the bus down to Zagreb bringing with us enough snacks to last the four hour ride. 

However, we were not staying in Zagreb for very long. At first light, and by that I mean around 10am, we set out to the car rental facility to pick up our mighty stead for the journey. Unfortunately, due to a poorly timed expiration on my NJ drivers licence, we only had one driver for our trip, but fortunately for us, Sunna has driven on all sorts of terrain in all types of counties. We set off bright and early for the Plitvice Lakes, one of the many UNESCO World Heritage Sites we would see during the trip. After only a few wrong turns, we made it to the national park without much of an incident.

Now, if you have never been to the Plitvice, I have many things to say about it. I don’t think that I have felt so amazed by a place since going to the Grand Canyon in 2016. The lakes are honestly one of the most amazing and beautiful places that I ever could have imagined. The lakes are huge, the waterfalls varied and the nature almost unimaginable. The entire short hike through the lakes, all I could think about was that they looked fake. The lakes looked like they could have been created for a movie set or Disney World, not a creation of nature. Throughout our walk, I was completely in awe at how amazing this world is and how different and beautiful every part of it is.

Driving away from Plitvice, we were all struck not only by the beauty of the lakes, but also of the Croatian country side. We were heading to our airbnb in Bibinje, a small village right outside of Zadar. The village, during a random week in April, was almost eerily empty, but that didn’t stop us from finding a nice local seafood joint and grabbin some beers before drifting off to sleep.

With morning, we ate leftover pizza and then hit the road again on our way to Krka. Our friend Charlotte had told us about Krka, which similarly to Plitvice has some of the most beautiful nature that I’ve ever seen. For all of us, we were surprised to find that we liked Krka more than we had liked Plitvice. Krka was a bigger park, slightly less crowded, but still just as beautiful as Plitvice. We had a picnic lunch while gazing on the beautiful waterfalls in front of us and after we’d had our fair share of nature, we headed up the hills back to our car.

Instead of going straight back to Bibinje, we drove a little out of our way to Sibenik, another small beach town on the Croatian cliffs. Here we entered their beautiful old town and church, which were completely decimated during the Homeland War, but now have been restored to their former glory. We sat by the water and discussed our lives and hopes and dreams, and when we had enough of that, we went to Simun, a local restaurant, to eat some of the most delicious food I’ve had since moving to Europe.

Our last day on the road, we went to the city of Zadar. There we started the day off enjoying our “beach day” by relaxing and tanning near the Mediterranean water. Here Courtney and I saw our first real live sea urchin, whereas Alicija and Sunna were less impressed with this exotic animal. I finally touched the Mediterranean water for the first time too. Once we started getting hungry, we drove into Zadar’s city center, to get some lunch and see the sights. Zadar has been around since the 9th century BC, meaning that it had ruins from all different times. The city is big and cultured, with influences from the whole region. It was a wonderful place to say goodbye to the coast.

After returning to Zagreb and returning the car, we happily checked into our hostel for our last night in Croatia. We walked through the old town after dark and went to the Tolkien Bar, where I’d gone last time I was in Zagreb. We had a few beers in the old city before heading to bed. The next morning, after packing, we went to the St. Mark Church and then explored the city for a bit, with a quick stop for cake along the way. After cake, we went to the War Photography Museum. After taking a course in memory politics this past semester, this museum was a really interesting look into the cultural memory in regards to war and war photography. Here we learned more about the Homeland and growing up in Croatia during the war. It was a very eye opening experience, especially after seeing some of the places featured in the exhibit during our trip, nearly three decades after the war.

As we left Zagreb to head back to Budapest, I felt blessed to have been able to visit Croatia with Sunna, Courtney & Alicija. Since coming to CEU, with all the turmoil around the university and everything else, I am so happy that I am able to have so many amazing experiences with so many amazing friends from the far reaches of the world. Although it’s not necessarily a good thing, the tragedy of the university being thrown out of the country has definitely brought us together more than it’s torn us apart, and for that, I am grateful.

[samurai-esquire]

Cat destroyed my glasses so I got the World’s Least Accessorizable Pair to replace them, how u doin

[mancitynoise]

In the never-ending, constantly refreshing soap opera that is football we can reasonably expect an entire decade to have thrown up all manner of controversies and memorable moments and sure enough these past ten years haven’t disappointed. In fact, when reminiscing through approximately 3800 Premier League matches – not to mention an untold number of off-the-pitch incidents – it’s difficult to know what to leave out.

In recent times we’ve been treated to our very own Cantona-esque rumpus when Luis Suarez got peckish and mistook Branislav Ivanovic for a shoulder of lamb. We’ve cringed at a manager meltdown not nearly as iconic as Kevin Keegan’s ‘love it’ rant but just as hilarious, such as when Nigel Pearson claimed he could impersonate an ostrich.

Elsewhere there has been a cornucopia of sensational giant-killings and extravagant goals and Mario Balotelli.

The five incidents below however have been chosen because they fit a key criteria. There we were just plodding through life when, from out of nowhere, we are transported to a land of unifying, stupefied wonder. Or Twitter. Usually it was Twitter.

A Bridge over troubled water

You just know we’re in for a tremendous decade when it begins with what The Guardian called a ‘sex caper’ that involves two England internationals and recent club team-mates.

In January 2010 Chelsea’s John Terry’s submission for a gagging order was refused in court and suddenly the word was publicly out that he had allegedly enjoyed an affair with Vanessa Perroncel, the long-term girlfriend of Wayne Bridge, a player who regarded his captain at the Bridge to be his ‘best friend’.

Understandably this startling development led to the British media having a field day while a nation recoiled in shock that the previously upstanding and angelic Terry could do such a thing, but if the bare facts were salacious enough football then intervened to spice the situation up further.

Having departed Chelsea a year earlier, Bridge’s Manchester City travelled to the capital soon after the scandal broke leaving everyone on tenterhooks as to whether the two would shake hands prior to the game. Terry for his part gingerly extended out an arm only to be brilliantly rebuffed. A nation – no longer shocked – cheered to the rafters.

Leicester and Aguero shake up the world

It is impossible to split these two truly seismic events because despite their considerable differences both entailed winning the league in exceptional circumstances. Both still catch the breath even now.

The Foxes were famously 5000-1 to win the Premier League at the beginning of 2015/16, the same return for Elvis being found alive or Barack Obama playing cricket for England on leaving the White House.

The season earlier Leicester had pulled off a ‘great escape’ from relegation’s clutches before appointing Claudio Ranieri, the ‘wrong man’ according to many.

What came next still doesn’t make sense. It defies all logic. It scoffs at reason and a lifetime of empirical knowledge. Yup, Gary Lineker presented Match of the Day in just his pants.

As for Manchester City’s late, late miracle, it was a title-deciding goal that wobbled the planet briefly off its axis. We will never see anything like this ever again. We drank it in.

Slippy G

“This does not slip,” Liverpool’s captain, leader and all-round legend Stevie Gerrard urged to a huddle of team-mates following a victory at Norwich that put Liverpool in pole position to win their first ever Premier League crown.

One week later Chelsea came to town with arch party pooper Jose Mourinho in tow and in first half stoppage time the ball is played across to Gerrard sitting deep as the last man. We all know what happened next. The mis-touch. The panicked clamour to re-address balance. We all know because it has subsequently been memed to kingdom come. We all know too what it ultimately meant.

Whose Line Is It Anyway: Roy Keane, Graeme Souness or Adrian Durham?

If a Hollywood script-writer had penned the fate and fortune of Stevie G throughout the spring of 2014 they would have been laughed out of every studio. It was all too apt; too perfectly cruel for even a screen villain to endure, never mind a legend.

Marriner all at sea

We’ve all had bad days at the office but only the very rare few can admit to dropping a clanger so mind-boggling it leads to a social media meltdown and accusations of racism.

When Marriner mistakenly sent off Kieren Gibbs for the offence of being in the same team as Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain as Arsenal meekly surrendered to Chelsea, he surpassed Graham Poll’s three bookings dished out to Josip Simunic in 2006 and claimed the unwanted prize for the worst reffing blunder in recent times.

At least we think it was Marriner. It may have been Clattenburg. All officials look the same to us.

Premier League Watch Premier League Videos With StreamFootball.tv Below

Jose hands out rough treatment

Jose Mourinho prowled the touchline during the two previous bombshells, no doubt smirking in that smirky manner that passes for a smile. Here though – on the opening day of 2015/16 – he very much took centre stage as Chelsea medic Eva Carneiro raced onto the pitch to treat an injured Eden Hazard.

With the Blues already a man down and protecting a draw against an up-for-it Swansea the sight of an eager club employee keeping a further player out of action for a short spell visibly incensed the Portuguese boss, so much so that he unleashed an unsavoury tirade in Carneiro’s direction on her return to the dug-out.

It was a public rebuking that drew widespread criticism at the time especially as Carnerio was simply doing her job and it only got worse during a consequent tribunal hearing. There it was revealed that Mourinho had called the medic a ‘daughter of a w****’. And they say the age of chivalry is dead.

[doubleattitude]

24 Seven Dance Convention, Birmingham, AL: RESULTS

Sidekick Solo

1st: Penelope LeMieux-’These Boots’

2nd: Calla Massey-’Helium’

3rd: Lainey Hess-’Amazing Mayzie’

3rd: Mila Simunic-’Never Enough’

4th: Macey Strickland-’Wind It Up’

5th: Brenna Himber-’To The Moon’

6th: Maddie El-Amin-’I Will Survive’

6th: Lily-Kate Nance-’Lost Boy’

6th: Annie Cardwell-’Yes I Can’

7th: Reese Braga-’Rule the World’

8th: Paisley Black-’Finding Wonderland’

9th: Addison Daniel-’Somewhere Over the Rainbow’

10th: London Roundtree-’Respect’

10th: Scarlett Shirley-’Riverside’

10th: Myla Boler-’Single Ladies’

10th: Cece Hanley-’Spanish Rose’

Mini Solo

1st: Kya Massimino-’System Activated’

2nd: Emma Caudill-’Big & Loud’

2nd: Georgia Beth Peters-’Come Together’

2nd: Allie Plott-’The Path’

3rd: Ella Dobler-’Shrine East’

3rd: Keelyn Jones-’The Call’

4th: Clare Gibbons OR Chloe McVay-’Baby I’m A Star’

4th: Lily Hackney-’Static’

5th: Emily Core-’Without Limits’

6th: Alyessia Isabella Chiavatti-’Dreaming in Red’

7th: Raegan Hess-’Black Hole Sun’

7th: black hole sun

8th: McKenna Dorr-’Silhouette’

8th: Reed Knight-’Skeletons’

8th: Ella Birdsong-’The Garden’

9th: Dakota Casteel-’Heart of Glass’

9th: Charlie Stone-’Never Enough’

9th: AnaKate Danner-’Unleashed’

10th: Emersyn Malone-’All Aboard’

10th: Sariah Benitez-’Blank Page’

10th: Avery LaSaicherre-’Hide and Seek’

Junior Solo

1st: Mary Jordan Clodfelter-’Mind’

2nd: Audrey Mayernik-’Anchor’

2nd: Taylor Harrison-’Dawn Chrus’

2nd: Londyn LeMieux-’Tar’

3rd: Riley Fiorello-’Crippled Bird’

3rd: Leila Winker-’Takt’

4th: Gisella Gandarilla-’Expressions’

5th: Caroline Powell-’How Rare’

5th: Gracie Elder-’No More Tears’

6th: Addison Murphy-’How Does A Moment Last Forever’

6th: Lydia Smith-’My Heart With You’

7th: Collier McLain-’Love Has No Limits’

7th: Lucy Claire Reilly-’Whisper’

8th: Piper Lucassen-’Billy Jean’

8th: Chloe Wiest-’Hold Your Breath’

9th: Abigail Hirota-’Me Oh My’

10th: Kaitlin Cho-’Synthesize’

Teen Solo

1st: Georgia Greene-’Alpha and Omega’

1st: Sarah Moore-’Tombs’

2nd: Finley Williams-’Curious Yellow’

3rd: Kaylin Motton-’Are You That Somebody’

4th: Jordan Lassiter-’Joyful Girl’

4th: Janai Burton-’Justice’

4th: Jesse Detroy-’Once Upon A December’

4th: Quincy Wilson-’There Will Be Sunshine’

5th: Annamarie Messina-’Bitterly’

5th: Kylie Nequette-’Dream State’

5th: Wells McEntyre-’Like Water’

5th: Maria Laughlin-’Little Voice’

5th: Carrington Hodge-’Mercy’

5th: Natalie Bumgarner-’Omnia’

5th: Maddie Laine Callaway-’Piece By Piece’

6th: Madison McLain-’Madness’

6th: Courtney O’Bryant-’When You Loved Me’

7th: Daelyn Kreis-’Know My Rights’

8th: Payton Gray-’Only The Bravest’

8th: Faith Stoner-’Solids’

9th: Julianna Mazzucco-’Exile’

9th: Katie Ambrose-’Tiny Victories’

10th: Chloe Ollard-’252′

10th: Cate Greer-’Keep You Safe’

10th: Liza Grace Cole-’Time’

Senior Solo

1st: Chloe Jeffcoat-’As For the Fall’

2nd: Julianna Abenoja-’Elephants’

3rd: Alexandra Jinglov-’Action Reaction’

3rd: Payton McCormick-’On My Bones’

3rd: Sophie Grabau-’Unravel’

4th: Brianna Butler-’Ain’t No Sunshine’

4th: Meredith Link-’Chapters End’

5th: Caroline Lybarger-’Clown’

5th: Madeline Underwood-’Say Goodbye’

6th: Cameron Claire Rhodes-’The Last Event’

7th: Lexie Little-’Free Me’

8th: Reyna Foslien-’Human’

8th: Raya Briley-’Turn To Stone’

9th: Leslie Blakney-’Where Does the Good Go’

10th: Ariana Gilles-’Honeymoon’

Sidekick Duo/Trio

1st: Dance Force Clarksville-’Donkey Pot Pie’

2nd: New Level Dance Company-’I’ll Be There’

3rd: Glamour and Grace Studio of Dance-’Wherever You Will Go’

Mini Duo/Trio

1st: Centre for Performing Arts Studio-’I Look To You’

2nd: Glamour and Grace Studio of Dance-’Geometric’

3rd: The DANCE CENTER on Main-’Looking for the Rainbow’

Junior Duo/Trio

1st: Center Stage Performing Arts Studio-’C’mon Talk’

2nd: The Dance Centre-’Us’

3rd: The Dance Centre-’You Will Be Found’f

Teen Duo/Trio

1st: The Difference Dance Company-’Come Let Us’

2nd: The Dance Centre-’Factory’

2nd: The Factory Dance Productions-’That’s Life’

3rd: The Dance Centre-’Dreamland’

Senior Duo/Trio

1st: Miss Amy’s Competitive Edge-’Forever Young’

Sidekick Group

1st: New Level Dance Company-’I Need A Hero’

2nd: The Dance Centre-’Fruit Machine’

3rd: Encore Dance Company-’Mr. Postman’

Mini Group

1st: The Dance Centre-’You’ll Be Back’

2nd: Heidi Knight School of Dance-’Another One Bites the Dust’

3rd: The Dance Centre-’Life’

Junior Group

1st: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’All I Want’

2nd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’State of Shock’

2nd: The Dance Centre-’Storm Coming’

3rd: Birmingham Dance Theatre-’Control’

Teen Group

1st: Heidi Knight School of Dance-’California Love’

1st: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’The Chain’

2nd: Dance Force Clarksville-’O.C.D’

3rd: Impulse Performing Arts Studio-’The Great Escape’

Senior Group

1st: Heidi Knight School of Dance-’Fix You’

2nd: Dance Force Clarksville-’See Me’

3rd: Dance Force Clarksville-’Heaven I Know’

3rd: Dance Force Clarksville-’Rescue’

Sidekick Line

1st: Dance Force Clarksville-’Dinosaurs’

2nd: Studio H Dance Company-’ABC’

3rd: McCalla Academy of Dance-’Birth of the Boogie’

Mini Line

1st: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Jailhouse Rock’

2nd: The Dance Centre-’Jindigo’

3rd: Heidi Knight School of Dance-’Be Our Guest’

Junior Line

1st: The Dance Centre-’Heroes’

1st: Birmingham Dance Theatre-’Surrender’

2nd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’It’s About That Walk’

3rd: The Dance Centre-’Woodland Fairies’

Teen Line

1st: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Salvation’

2nd: Birminghman Dance Theatre-’Perception’

3rd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’One More Time’

Senior Line

1st: Heidi Knight School of Dance-’Spring Fling’

2nd: Dance Force Clarksville-’Escape’

Sidekick Extended Line

1st: The Dance Centre-’Candyman’

Mini Extended Line

1st: Heidi Knight School of Dance-’Pirates’

2nd: Birmingham Dance Theatre-’The Birthday Card’

3rd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’I’m Alive’

Junior Extended Line

1st: The Dance Centre-’Jagged Roots’

2nd: Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Footloose’

3rd: Heidi Knight School of Dance-’I Look To You’

Teen Extended Line

1st: The Dance Centre-’Scorned’

2nd: Birmingham Dance Theatre-’The Skaters Waltz’

3rd: The Dance Centre-’Tabula Rasa’

Senior Extended Line

1st: Heidi Knight School of Dance-’The Stars’

Junior Production

1st: The Dance Centre-’The Tina Turner Review’

2nd: Dance Force Clarksville-’Walk the Plank’

Teen Production

1st: Heidi Knight School of Dance-’Somebody to Hold’

1st: The Dance Centre-’Welcome to the Moulin Rouge!’

High Score by Performance Division:

Sidekick Jazz

The Dance Centre-’Candyman’

Sidekick Tap

Encore Dance Company-’Grease Lightning’

Sidekick Contemporary

Glamour and Grace Studio of Dance-’Flickers’

Sidekick Lyrical

New Level Dance Company-’I Need A Hero’

Sidekick Specialty

Dance Force Clarksville-’Dinosaurs’

Mini Tap

Encore Dance Company-'Boogie Woogie’

Mini Lyrical

The Dance Centre-’Perfect Way’

Mini Jazz

Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Jailhouse Rock’

Mini Musical Theatre

The Dance Centre-’You’ll Be Back’

Heidi Knight School of Dance-’Be Our Guest’

Mini Hip-Hop

Heidi Knight School of Dance-’Pirates’

Mini Specialty

Jill’s Studio of Dance-’I’m Alive’

Mini Ballet

The Dance Centre-’Rodeo’

Junior Hip-Hop

Birmingham Dance Theatre-’Emergency’

Junior Musical Theatre

The Dance Centre-’The Tina Turner Review’

Junior Specialty

Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Footloose’

Junior Jazz

The Dance Centre-’Jagged Roots’

Junior Tap

Dance Force Clarksville-’Sorry’

Junior Lyrical

Jill’s Studio of Dance-’All I Want’

Junior Contemporary

Birmingham Dance Theatre-’Control’

Junior Ballet

The Dance Centre-’Woodland Fairies’

Teen Hip-Hop

The Dance Centre-’Meet the Plastics’

Teen Tap

The Dance Centre-’Blinded By the Lights’

Teen Specialty

Heidi Knight School of Dance-’California Love’

Teen Jazz

Jill’s Studio of Dance-’One More Time’

Teen Contemporary

The Dance Centre-’Scorned’

Teen Lyrical

The Dance Centre-’I Do’

Teen Musical Theatre

The Dance Centre-’Welcome to the Moulin Rouge!’

Teen Ballet

Birmingham Dance Theatre-’The Skaters Waltz’

Senior Contemporary

Heidi Knight School of Dance-’Spring Fling’

Senior Lyrical

Heidi Knight School of Dance-’Fix You’

Senior Jazz

Heidi Knight School of Dance-’The Stars’

Senior Hip-Hop

Dance Force Clarksville-’Roman Holiday’

11 O’Clock:

Sidekick

Dance Force Clarksville-’Dinosaurs’

New Level Dance Company-’I Need A Hero’

The Dance Centre-’Candyman’

Mini

Birmingham Dance Theatre-’Hocus Pocus’

Heidi Knight School of Dance-’Pirates’

The Dance Centre-’Jindigo’

Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Jailhouse Rock’

Junior

The Dance Centre-’Jagged Roots’

Dance Force Clarksville-’Welcome to the Party’

Heidi Knight School of Dance-’I Look To You’

Birmingham Dance Theatre-’Surrender’

Jill’s Studio of Dance-’All I Want’

Teen

Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Salvation’

Heidi Knight School of Dance-’Somebody to Hold’

Birmingham Dance Theatre-’The Skaters Waltz’

The Dance Centre-’Scorned’

Senior

Heidi Knight School of Dance-’Spring Fling’

Dance Force Clarksville-’Escape’

Studio Showcase:

Jill’s Studio of Dance-’Salvation’

Heidi Knight School of Dance-’Spring Fling’

Encore Dance Company-’When Tomorrow’

Birmingham Dance Theatre-’The Skaters Waltz’

The Dance Centre-’Scorned’

McCalla Academy of Dance-’Step In Time’

Dance Force Clarksville-’Escape’

[mrbookmaker]

Lousy Match for Faroes

Going into the Faroe Islands’ match against Azerbaijan, I really felt there was a good possibility to leave Baku with a positive result.

But after seeing the stat sheet, this match clearly showed that there is room for improvement.

Azerbaijan dominated in a 2-0 victory on 17 November. Yet the alarming statistic was that the Faroes did not have a single shot on target the entire match.

It comes as no surprise that Azerbaijan can be tough to beat in Baku, but it is safe to say that the Faroese supporters expected a better performance.

The fact of the matter is that it is easy to be upset and frustrated about the result. But the truth is that more work needs to be done by Danish manager Lars Olsen.

Before getting to the obvious, it is also helpful to point out that striker Joan Simun Edmundsson was not on the 23-man roster in Baku.

In this inaugural edition of UEFA Nations League, we have seen the Faroes play well at home in a 3-1 win over Malta and a 1-1 draw against Kosovo.

※ Current Odds Date & Time: November 19, 6:00 p.m. (GMT)

The 3-0 loss at home to Azerbaijan was frustrating because the Faroes had opportunities to score.

But when examining the results away from home, it is important to realize that it will take more time to see significant improvement.

The Faroe Islands will conclude Nations League with a road fixture against Malta on 20 November and online bookmaker 10Bet has the latest odds.

Currently the Faroe Islands are favored with 2.45 odds while Malta has 2.95 odds.

Many of the football experts are favoring the Faroe Islands to win and it makes sense considering Malta is coming off a disaster 5-0 loss at home to Kosovo.

But back in September, Malta was able to hold Azerbaijan to a 1-1 draw at home.

Malta is not a team that will send shivers down your spine, but this is another match that will test the skill and confidence of the Faroe Islands.

Prediction: Malta 1-1 Faroe Islands

【Useful Links】 ・10Bet Profile ・How to Open a 10Bet Account

【The Bookmaker Podcast】 ・Podcast Episode #78: Who’s on the Inside Track to Take UEFA Champions League?

【Latest Bookmaker Info Sports Article】 ・BetVictor: Trusted in the Betting Business Since 1946

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NK criticizes Japan over human rights violations of ethnic Koreans

North Korean media criticized Japan, Thursday, for confiscating personal belongings of Korean students in Japan after they came back from a trip to North Korea, saying it was a violation of human rights. An editorial in the Rodong Simun titled “We will not forgive inhumane behavior” said that Japan was violating the human rights of ethnic Koreans in the country. from The Korea Times News https://ift.tt/2MRDzK2 via IFTTTDiigo Blogger Tumblr Evernote