#singalong sunday

[mazzy-rockstar]

Singalong Sunday

so this is a new thing that I'm going to try. Every Sunday I'll post a song that I have been listening to on repeat, or that I like. Maybe eventually, when this account grows and more people feel comfortable interacting, I can like take recommendations? And make this into a recommendation series for lowkey songs or songs you guys believe deserve more attention. anyway, we're not there yet!.

We're kicking off with this one! The Beaches are four cool ass rock chicks from Toronto, Canada and they are ready to take over the world! I heard them first this summer when they hit no. 1 in the hitlists. And I have not stopped listening. This is Blame Brett by The beaches

[otaku553]

On this day I have been dealt an unprecedented amount of psychic damage

[barricadescon]

We have our schedule for Barricades 2024!  Questions or comments about the schedule? Let us know! You can get in touch with us at this blog, or at our website!

Friday July 12

Track 1:

Welcome Session

The Cats of Les Miserables- Melannen

GOH Christina Soontornvat

The Yellow Passport-David Montgomery

Early Transformative Works- Psalm

Brick Readers Meetup

“Atonement”: A Theatrical Piece for 1 actor, based on Segments from Hugo’s Les Miserables.” - Alexiel de Ravenswood

Track 2

Fan Creators Meetup

Black and Pink National

Beat by Beat: A Les Mis 2012 Deconstruction-Eli

History Researchers Meetup

Saturday July 13

Track 1

GOH Jean Baptiste Hugo

Reflecting on Directing Les Mis-Cait

What Horizon: Tragedies, Time Loops, and the Hopefulness of Les Amis - Percy

Cosette: A Novel — The (Fanmade) Sequel to Les Misérables-Imiserabili

Barricades as a Tactic: How Do They Work?- Lem

Why is there a Roller Coaster in Les Mis?-Mellow

Obscure(-ish) Les Mis Adaptations To Watch-Pure Anon

Recovery: A Fanfic Live Read-Eli, Barri

Preliminary Gaieties-Rare, Percy,Barri

Track 2

The Fallibility of History in Les Misérables: A Look at Hugo’s Narrative Style-Syrup

1848 in Chile-Duncan Riley

Musical Fans Meetup

Fanfic Round Robin

Compared to Some People Grantaire is Doing Just Fine (No, Really)-Ellen Fremedon, Pilfering Apples

SUNDAY July 14

Track 1

Publishing, Podcasting & Promotion-David Mongomery, Alexiel de Ravenswood, Nemo Martin

GOH Luciano Muriel

The Unknown Light Examined-Madeleine

Revolutionary Rants: “Les Misérables” Onstage from an International Perspective-Tessa, Anne, Kaja, Marie, Apollon

Les Mis Letters: Building a Book Club-Mellow,Rachel

Closing Session & Dead Dog

Track 2

Femme/Butch: Dynamics of Gender and Attraction in Les Mis-Eléna

Lee’s Misérables: Jean Valjean, Confederate Hero-Sarah C. Maza

Musical Eponine and Grantaire in Song and Lyric Edits: Personal Research on Their Development- Ruth Kenyon

Paint & Sip-Psalm and Potato

Les Mis Singalong-Megan

[d-criss-news]

Darren Criss, Rachel Zegler, Joy Woods, and More Celebrate Theatre Kids at Elsie Fest 2024

After a two year hiatus, Elsie Fest returned to New York September 8, and joy was in high supply.

Staged on the picturesque Pier 17 rooftop, the theatre-themed music festival was filled with reunions, surprising moments, and special previews of the 2024–2025 Broadway season. The beloved brainchild of Emmy winner (and star of the upcoming Broadway musical Maybe Happy Ending) Darren Criss, his influence could be felt across every inch of the festival, from performers setlists to the colorful shirts emblazoned with his face worn by many of the attendees.

Beginning at 5 pm on the temperate Sunday, the festival loomed over New York Fashion Week as the Tommy Hilfiger show was held on a Colin Jost and Pete Davidson's ferry only a few stories below. Kicking things off with Broadway Rave (a DJ dance party that spins a mixture of new theatre hits and modern classics) and Marie's Crisis-style singalongs, fans flooded onto the rooftop in order to scope out their ideal spot before the live performances began. This year's lineup of performers was a doozy; the setlist for the evening, which spun through sunset and up until the 10 pm noise curfew, was as followed:

----------

Darren Criss: As the festival's steward, Criss had the largest set of the night, paying tribute to his past, present, and future with a setlist that was filled to the brim with nostalgic surprises. Opening with a raucous rendition of "Teenage Dream," Criss stayed close to his Glee roots with "Cough Syrup," an onstage Warbler reunion ( featuring Telly Leung, Curt Mega, and Max Adler) where the group performed "Sincere" from The Music Man, "Arthur's Theme," and Billy Joel's "Movin Out" with his Glee costar Chord Overstreet (who summoned thrilled screams from the crowd when he came out to end Criss' set). Criss even found the time to tip his hat to his Team Starkid roots, bringing out Little Shop of Horrors star Andrew Barth Feldman and Maybe Happy Ending co-star Helen J Shen to perform "Granger Danger" from A Very Potter Musical, the college project that launched Criss into the public eye.

Speaking of Shen, Criss let fans into his present with a special preview of the upcoming Broadway musical Maybe Happy Ending, which will star Criss and Shen as two outcast robots nearing the end of their lifespan. Performing the show's title track, the duo also welcomed newcomer Dez Duron to share his Sinatra-esque ballad, "A Sentimental Person," which seems destined to become a slow-dance staple. The present portion of Criss' set also included a touching duet of "Dear Theodosia" from Hamilton between him and Hadestown star Jordan Fisher—the performance was particularly poignant since Criss became a father for the second time this past June, and Fisher has a young son at home.

Oh, and one more thing. While celebrating the music that made him during his adolescence, Criss brought out JC Chasez of *NSYNC to sing "It's Gonna Be Me" and "Bye Bye Bye" before peeling back the curtain on the future: Chasez announced his impending Frankenstein musical Playing With Fire.

----------

Death Becomes Her: The sheer scope of Criss's artistic family became clear upon the entrance of Julia Mattison and Noel Carey, the lyricist and composer of the upcoming Broadway musical Death Becomes Her. Mattison, who has known Criss since they were five years old, debut new lyrics for the show's song "Let’s Run Away Together."

----------

Hazbin Hotel: The popular animated musical series made their festival debut, with star Blake Roman (Harmony) performing the song "Poison," with Criss ducking back out to play guitar and provide background vocals.

----------

As the evening came to a close with a massive group sing-along of "Defying Gravity" from Wicked, a sense of community and camaraderie glimmered under the darkened sky. As these stars from theatre, film, and music came together, one thing was made clear: Once a theatre kid, always a theatre kid.

[lillywillow]

The Resilient Butterfly

Summary: Steve and Bucky met an incredible woman in the war who went by the codename Papillion. It was only after the war was over did they learn of her fate.

Written for: @ailesswhumptober

Day Used: October 13- Surprise Sunday: Defiance

Word Count: 1549

Characters Used: Bucky Barnes & Steve Rogers

Warnings: War themes, major character death, angst, violence, language, smoking, drinking

A/N: Based somewhat on tragic real-life events.

In December 1943, The Howling Commandos had received intel on a HYDRA base in France. That was when they first met the resistance fighter known as Papillion. She was one of the strongest, most incredible women Bucky and Steve had ever met. They would never forget her.

A few hours before their mission, Steve saw Papillion cleaning her pistol. A cigarette dangled from her lips and a few strands of silver in her brown curls caught in the light above her head.

“You’re staring,” she commented, never taking her eyes from her work.

Steve blushed and hurriedly looked away.

“S-Sorry… hey, is that a German luger?” he asked, noticing the model of the weapon on the table.

“Mm,” she grunted, taking a long drag of her cigarette. “I hate the Germans for what they have done to my beloved France. They take the food from our mouths, our artwork… even young women who cannot fight back… but the one thing they can do right is make weapons to kill. Your American guns can’t shoot for shit.”

Papillion picked up the pistol, lined up the sight before placing on the table and disassembling it to clean it once more.

“Didn’t you just finish?” Steve questioned, watching her work.

“Helps, to calm my mind…”

While she cleaned the pieces, Steve noticed the lack of mobility in a few of her fingers.

“What… happened to your hands?” Steve dared to ask.

Papillion looked up sharply at him. She held her mangled fingers by a scar on her chin.

“This is what happens when you are sloppy in my line of work. Do yourself a favour, mon cher, never allow yourself to be caught by a filthy, Bosch-loving collaborator.” She spat the words like venom.

Before Steve could ask her to elaborate further, they were told they would be moving soon. Despite the limited movement in her fingers, Papillion swiftly put the pieces of her Luger back together and picked it up.

“Let’s go get these sons of bitches,” she grinned.

…

After the mission, the Howling Commandos decided to hold a small celebration in honour of their victory. Papillion had managed to raid a truck and found some very nice bottles of alcohol which they cracked open.

As the night wore on, Papillion had drunk more than her fill of the stash. She led a raucous and crude singalong of “Mademoiselle from Armentières” which had Steve blushing. Papillion took delight at seeing this and babied him a little, pinching his cheeks and holding him close which only made him blush more. Bucky had never seen him more flustered.

By the time everyone was starting to slow down, Papillion was still going, swearing in French when she couldn’t find a new bottle to drink.

“Don’t you think you’ve had enough?” Bucky asked.

Papillion stumbled over to him.

“You listen to me, garçon, in my line of work, you go out in one of three ways; booze, bullets or boredom and the booze helps me to sleep. You will not deny me this,” she slurred, pointing a mangled finger at him.

Bucky was surprised by her drunken tirade. What had she been through to make her this bitter? He certainly had his own nightmares from the HYDRA  facility. Had she been through similar torture? Bucky quickly moved to catch Papillion as she wobbled and fell off her feet. She mumbled a ‘merci’ into his shoulder, laying her head there and holding onto him for a while. Bucky felt a little awkward but felt if he let go, she would collapse on the ground. When Papillion looked into his eyes, she was suddenly saddened.

“Non… non, you are too young to have eyes like that…”

Bucky was confused.

“Ma’am?”

Papillion placed her hands on his cheeks as tears sprang to her eyes.

“You are so young, so handsome. You should be out meeting girls at parties, not fighting wars. I have seen too many boys like you go to their deaths both in this one and in the Great War… You have the eyes of someone who has seen too many horrors of the war; someone who has been tortured.”

She pulled him close, cradling his head as if he were a child.

“If I could I would keep you all safe… The Germans have already taken so much from me… I will not allow them to take you too.”

Bucky felt his eyes prick with tears. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tighter. In that moment, Bucky wanted to take away all of her pain and hide her away from the terror of war. He felt closer to her than ever in this short time they had spent together.

…

The next day, the Howling Commandos were leaving France to move onto the next facility. Bucky and Steve took a few moments to say their goodbyes to Papillion. She was hungover but still sharp-witted, giving them both a hard time.

“Where will you go after the war?” Bucky asked.

“You can find me in Oradour-sur-Glane. I have many friends there. You bring the good piss when you come and we’ll celebrate,” she smiled.

Her crooked smile softened her battle-hardened face, the corners of her eyes crinkling. She kissed them on both cheeks.

“Au revoir, boys. We’ll meet again when the war is over.”

Sadly, they would never see her again.

…

After completing a mission in France, the Avengers took some time to relax before they headed home. Bucky and Steve took the chance to try and find Papillion. They went to Oradour-sur-Glane, buying a nice bottle of cognac and stopping at a flower-stall.

“You have excellent taste, monsieur,” the young woman bundling the flowers praised.

Steve smiled and thanked her.

“We’re looking for an old friend of ours. She said she would be here after the war,” he explained.

The young woman’s face fell.

“Here? This town is pretty new, or at least this part of it… You don’t know?”

“Know what?” Bucky asked.

The woman’s brow creased and she chewed her lip.

“I’ll take you to the old part of town.”

…

A while later, the young woman took Steve and Bucky to some old ruins. They passed the burnt out remains of a Peugeot, stopping in front of a church. Steve put his hand on the bullet scarred wall, looking at the once flame-licked bricks.

“What happened here?”

The young woman looked at the ground as she began the gruesome tale.

…

June 10 1944, just four days after the Battle of Normandy, the Nazis arrived in Oradour-sur-Glane. They claimed they were looking for Resistance fighters as they rounded up the villagers. A woman came forth, stating she was the one they were looking for and begged them not to harm the innocent people. The Nazis laughed at her, thinking she was too old and wondering how a woman could possibly be a threat to them. The males were taken into barns and sheds to be executed as the women and children were herded into the church.

The woman fought against her captors the entire time. When the church doors were opened so that an incendiary device may be placed inside, the man fell down dead with a bullet to the forehead. The woman stood between the crowd and the door, a pistol in her hand.

“On ne passe pas!” she screamed, tears flowing down her face.

The woman held off for as long as she could but she was no match for the German machine guns. The incendiary device was ignited and the place went up in flames. Anyone who tried to escape was gunned down.

Of the  643 civilians residing in Oradour-sur-Glane, there were only 6 survivors.

…

Bucky and Steve were in shock by the time the young woman had finished her story. She gave them a few moments to take it all in.

They may have lived in the time of the war but there was still so much they didn’t know. Auschwitz, the Warsaw Uprising and now this… How could they not have known?

Do you think she was scared in her final moments? What kind of stupid question was that? Of course she was scared! But then again, what other choice did she have other to be brave? Fear was a luxury so few could afford in those times. She and so many others died in fear and agony. Papillion gave her life to protect the lives of innocents and it counted for nothing. This heroic, crass and stubborn woman would never have her story known to the world.

They may have never known her true name but the small amount of time they spent with the courageous woman they knew as Papillion had left a deep impact on Steve and Bucky. They would never forget her for as long as they lived.

[fanficfish]

Explaining characters in HSR badly: famliy reunion edition

hehe people liked my hetalia one so here's a HSR one

all for funsies

Himeko: Initialed the event The aunt you don't say no to when she

Welt: The fun uncle who entertains everyone with magic tricks and distracts the little kids with a game when the table erupts in the inevitable family argument.

March: the cousin that insists on a famliy photo. And takes photos of the food. And of everyone.

Dan Heng: Angsty Freshman in College/oldestsibling who left his room to greet everyone, got food, then went back to his room.

Luocha: The friend the parents don't like but he brought coke as a peace offering.

Sushang: The friend the parents tolerate who did not bring a peace offering.

Kafka: wine aunt

Blade: The uncle who kicks everyone out of the kitchen after someone burns the turkey

Caelus: burned the turkey

Stelle: the ousin hiding in Dan Heng's room playing video games.

Silver Wolf: the cousin who brought gaming consoles fr everyone.

Asta: Rich relative who brings gifts

Arlan: The cousin who brought the family dog.

Pom-Pom: the oldest person in the room, definitely don't say no to them.

Firefly: Someone's girlfriend. You hope she sticks around.

Sampo: Someone's boyfriend. You hope he doesn't stick around.

Elio: The uncle who sent a greetings postcard from the Bahamas. He's not in the bahamas.

Gepard: The uncle who tries to keep order until someone turns the game on.

Bronya: Aunt that turned the game on. And brought a caserole.

Seele: Gets the livingroom caught up in a heated debate over the game.

Luka: Cousin who egged Seele on.

Pela: Has a bok, is in the corner do not disturb

Lynx: Doesn't even leave her room in the first place. Has to be dragged out.

Serval: Cool aunt that starts a singalong.

Jing yuan: Cool grandpa who's a war vet and met the president.

Jingliu: crazy aunt who probably makes money off the black market or so you reckon.

Clara: The cute cousin. Quietly playing with the family dog. Offers to help with the dishes.

Hook: Someone's ipad kid child.

Bailu: That one kid who says things "innocently" so while everyone's arguing she can sneak more candy.

Yanqing: That smart kid who's too smart. His achievements list makes you feel useless. You will be compared to him for weeks.

Fu Xuan: The aunt who brought a good caserole.

Qingque: The cousin who said she wouldn't bring anything but you later find out made half the caserole.

Topaz: The rich aunt who starts lecturing on why you should invest in the stock market now

Aventurien: The rich uncle who teaches you to play poker

Dr. Ratio: The uncle that judges everyone and everything

Boothill: That black sheep of the family. You're only somewhat sure he doesn't run a drug cartel.

Tingyun (minus Phantylia): Workaholic aunt who keeps forgetting she's at a family reunin and tries to sell you lip gloss. Then backtracks and offers you the lip gloss for free.

Sunday: You're not 100% sure where this uncle came from and you're pretty sure he's a wanted murderer but he does make a mean caserole.

Robin: The other reason SUnday hasn't been kicked out yet: he brings Robin and Robin is the life of the party.

Misha: The nicest cousin. Almost too nice. Offerred to clear everyone's plates, then brought out the desert

And last but not least....

Gallagher: You're DEFINITELY sure you saw his face on a wanted poster but he just made you the best smoothie ever so no complaints.

[blkkizzat]

My birthday is next Sunday! I do love far from most of my family and my sister is going home for the holiday. I can't afford the ticket and rent so...I'll be home for christmas...and my birthday. Normally I spend my birthday with my best friend and she just moved so she can't afford the ticket out here to see me. So I might be myself depending on if my friend in town wants to go with me to see the Wicked SingAlong of not. Which I'll definitely be seeing. But! She definitely agreed to go to kbbq with me! And my other friend in town said we'll have a make up birthday dinner or something

ahh this is 🧠 nonny right?

aweee babes im sry! but im glad they are gonna make it up to you! omg kbbq is sooo gewd. i miss LA because its so cheap in comparison down there cause theres so many options and its all so good. are u an egg dipper? lmfao i learned that originally in japan but i always ask for the raw egg dip. idk it make the meat slap more i cant explain haha.

well you def can come talk to me! (send me a msg if you want) i have no plans next sunday except probably writing lol im still recovering from being sick and my wallet is recovering from whistler and paying for 2 upcoming trips in 2025 lol so my broke ass aint doing nothing fbjakhfbsdkjf.

[gregorygerwitz]

Some Sentences Sunday

I've started writing a Hallmark-esque AU that may or may not be finished in time to post for Yule/Christmas/whatever vague holiday this fic is actually about. feat. single dad!Mouse, small town doctor!Will, and 10yo!Noah being precious and adorable and angst-ridden. Here are... some angsty sentences about them.

For a moment, silence lingered in the car under the gentle hum of the music from the radio. It was the first time during the entire drive that it had been so quiet, even during the intermittent naps there was at least the sound of heavier breathing. There were singalongs, and jokes, and stories about school friends, and a million other things, but not silence. Silence was rare even outside of school breaks, their small home usually filled with the sounds of cooking or homework or laughter and all of the other signs of life that they made together. 

Silence was reserved for the darker times of the night. It only came about anymore after a particularly bad nightmare, or a bad day, when talking about things would only make them worse. They’d both fallen into the habit of savoring the good things and trying to ignore the bad. The only family they had was each other, and thinking about all the people they’d lost in the past would only remind them how easy it was to lose someone again. Avoiding that train of thought was the only way to make it through the day, sometimes. 

But it wasn’t easy to completely ignore all of those past anxieties and fears. 

“Do I have to sleep in my own room? I wanna sleep in a big bed with you.” 

Greg bit back a frown at the words and took a slow, deep breath through his nose. For the first few months they lived together, Noah wouldn’t sleep anywhere alone, and it only got worse as they grew closer. It made sense – he'd only been seven years old on that family vacation, when he’d woken up in a rented house to blood and violence and loss that he couldn’t even imagine. He’d arrived in Chicago with two parents, and a little brother, and the promise of going back to Indiana in a week to share stories about the big city and its lake with his friends. Three years later, he had someone else he called dad, and the first family vacation since the one that ended so horribly. 

He probably would have been more shocked if there hadn’t been such a request, when he really thought about it. As little as Noah could have done to save his biological family, or even protect himself more than he had, it made sense to want to keep an eye on the only family he had now when they were in an unfamiliar place. No part of him would want to relive the worst day of his life if there was a way to prevent even a fraction of it. 

“Of course you can sleep with me.” He kept his voice soft, risking a brief glance toward the passenger seat as if that would draw familiar eyes toward him. It didn’t, with Noah almost pointedly keeping his gaze out the window and fixed on some imaginary movement in the distance. “We’ll sit together and watch a movie in the big bed. How does that sound?” 

“Okay...” 

[bridgertonworld]

For Londoners or people that have the chance to go to London, try to get a table at the Barley Mow, it's really fun.

I went once last year to Tuesday quiz night and got a table at their last Sunday Singalong a while ago, and those were great nights.

Thanks for the info.

[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Jacqui Frost

Published: Jan 11, 2024

Shared testimonies, collective singing, silent meditation and baptism rituals – these are all activities you might find at a Christian church service on a Sunday morning in the United States. But what would it look like if atheists were gathering to do these rituals instead?

Today, almost 30% of adults in the United States say they have no religious affiliation, and only half attend worship services regularly. But not all forms of church are on the decline – including "secular congregations," or what many call "atheist churches."

As a sociologist of religion who has spent the past 10 years studying nonreligious communities, I have found that atheist churches serve many of the same purposes as religious churches. Their growth is evidence that religious decline does not necessarily mean a decline in community, ritual or people's well-being.

What is an atheist church?

Secular congregations often mimic religious organizations by using the language and structure of a "church," such as meeting on Sundays or hearing a member's "testimony," or by adapting religious language or practices in other ways.

For example, there are a growing number of psychedelic churches, which cater to people looking to experience spirituality and ritual through drug use.

There are also secular organizations that promote the idea that people can live forever, such as the Church of Perpetual Life. Members believe they can achieve immortality on Earth through radical life-extension technologies such as gene editing or cryonic preservation – freezing bodies after death in hopes that they can someday be resuscitated.

These secular congregations often appeal to atheists and other secular people, but their main purpose is not promoting atheism.

However, "atheist church" organizations like the Sunday Assembly and the Oasis explicitly celebrate atheists' identities and beliefs, even though not everyone who attends identifies as an atheist. Testimonies and activities extol values like rational thinking and materialist philosophies, which promote the idea that only physical matter exists.

[ British comedian Sanderson Jones leads the Sunday Assembly, a "godless congregation" for atheists that started in England, at Wooly Mammoth Theatre in Washington, D.C. ]

There are also long-standing humanist and ethical communities that promote secular worldviews and provide secular ceremonies for major life transitions, like births, funerals and weddings. The American Humanist Association, for example, describes its values as "Good without a God." And for decades, Unitarian Universalist congregations, which grew out of Christian movements, have drawn on teachings from both religious and nonreligious traditions, without imposing specific creeds of their own.

But there has been a recent rise in secular congregations that explicitly mimic religious organizations and rituals to celebrate atheistic worldviews. Many have just one or two chapters, such as the Seattle Atheist Church and the North Texas Church of Freethought.

However, Sunday Assembly and the Oasis have networks with dozens of chapters, and Sunday Assembly has been dubbed the "first atheist mega-church". Many chapters of Sunday Assembly see hundreds of attendees at their services.

Testimonies, singalongs – but nothing supernatural

Many features of atheist churches in the U.S. are directly borrowed from religious organizations. At Sunday Assembly, where I spent three years doing research, services include collective singing, reading inspirational texts, silent reflection and collecting donations. They center around a central lecture given by a member of the congregation or a member of the larger local community. I attended one service where an astronomer gave a talk about the New Horizons spacecraft's mission to Pluto. At another service, a member of a local community garden organization talked about building community through her community garden program.

Atheist church organizers I met told me that they intentionally borrow the structure of a church because they see it as a good model for building effective rituals and communities. More generally, the structure of a "congregation" is popular and familiar to most attendees.

However, there are key differences. Sunday Assembly has no hierarchical structure, and there is no pastor or minister, meaning that decisions are made by the community. Attendees share duties for running the services and finding speakers and readings.

The other key difference is the complete lack of reference to the supernatural. Lectures and rituals I have encountered at atheist church services are centered around affirming atheistic beliefs, celebrating science, cultivating experiences of awe and wonder for nature, and creating communities of support.

Sociologists of religion call these practices "sacralizing the secular" and "secular spirituality": activities that enable nonreligious people to express their shared beliefs and cultivate a sense of belonging and purpose.

[ British comedians Sanderson Jones, right, and Pippa Evans, second from left, co-founders of The Sunday Assembly, an atheist service held at a converted church, lead the congregation in song during a service in north London, on March 3, 2013. Echoing with joyful song and with a congregation bent on leading better lives, this London church is like any other — except there's no mention of God. ]

One example is collective singing: borrowing a familiar aspect of religious services that can give members a sense of transcendence. Most Sunday Assembly chapters have church bands that lead singalongs to pop songs like "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi and "Brave" by Sara Bareilles. When the astronomer talked to Sunday Assembly about NASA's mission to Pluto, the congregation sang "Across the Universe" and "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" by the Beatles to reinforce their reverence for the vastness of the universe.

Another borrowed ritual is the sharing of testimony. Many Sunday Assembly services involve a member standing in front of the congregation to share something they learned recently, to express gratitude, or to affirm their atheistic beliefs by sharing why they left religion.

Some atheist communities, although not Sunday Assembly, even engage in "debaptism" ceremonies in which they renounce their former religion. Some atheists I interviewed sent their debaptism certificates to their former churches as a way of solidifying their new nonreligious identity.

Change ahead?

As rates of religious affiliation continue to decline, many scholars and pundits have argued that there will be a decline in community engagement and other important indicators of well-being, such as health, happiness and people's sense of meaning and purpose.

However, atheist churches are an example of how nonreligious Americans are finding new ways to meet those needs. A member of Sunday Assembly told me: "I honestly can't think of a word to describe it. I mean, 'life-changing' sounds stupid, but Sunday Assembly just helped so much. I've always struggled with depression, and I'm so much happier now that I have this group of friends who share my beliefs and who are trying to do good out in the world with me."

[ Members of the congregation attend as British comedians Sanderson Jones and Pippa Evans, co-founders of The Sunday Assembly, an atheist service held at a converted church, lead the service in north London, on March 3, 2013. Non-believers worldwide have contacted organizers to ask how they can set up their own branch. ]

Atheist churches are still fairly new, but studies have shown that participation in them and other types of atheist organizations can bring social and emotional benefits. In particular, it can help atheists buffer the negative effects of experiencing stigma or discrimination.

Whether the atheist church trend will continue remains to be seen. But such churches' recent growth is evidence that they can work much like religious organizations to build community, cultivate rituals and bolster well-being in a time of religious change.

==

Yeah, I don't know about this.

[krsonmar]

I don't think I ever posted my Nandermo playlist, so here it is, with annotations: "Their Love Can't Be Put Into a Box full of Oreos and Pedialyte", a Nandermo fan playlist

1.) Please Don't Leave Me--P!nk

One way to describe this show is "it's bouncy and fun and about how horrible we are to the people who know us best". That called for radio pop about knowingly unhealthy relationships, so of course I went for P!nk. Listen to that bridge ("I forgot to say out loud...") and tell me that's not a Nandermo dynamic.

2.) King of Wishful Thinking--cover by Newfound Glory feat. Patrick Stump

Denial is the name of the game, kids! This cover gives the song a nice rock anthem feel. I'm proud of finding this for this playlist.

3.) I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE--Måneskin

A nice little song about inverting the servant-master dynamic. Who's really dependent on who? And who's really "corrupting" who? Also it's very queer, good old-fashioned campy glam rock. Play it for your Sunday School group!

4.) How's It Going To Be--Third Eye Blind

It's getting to be an unspoken rule when I make a playlist that I have to have one of three songs by Third Eye Blind and one of three by Vertical Horizon. In my defense, these two bands fell into a sweet spot in the late-90s where alt rock was getting just poppy enough but not too poppy.

This one's about knowing you want to leave, you're just waiting for something to happen to finally start the actual ball rolling on it, an inciting incident of some sort: a fight, a snafu you should be able to handle together but that snowballs instead, so on. It's the point in a deteriorating relationship where you've decided you want this to end and you just need an opportunity to enact the decision...but you're also mad at what you've lost. It's before the resignation where there's nothing left to say except "goodbye". Fifteen years and you're not a vampire yet, so please won't the other person give you a reason to leave? Special stuff, kids, and here it has a good singalong chorus and another rockin' bridge.

5.) If You Ever Leave I'm Coming With You--The Wombats

"This relationship degrades me so badly and don't you even think about trying to escape me!" Great to listen to on a loop while nailed into a coffin for weeks while sobbing quietly about how you were *going* to travel the world with your Nan-with your Master!!

6.) I Get A Kick Out Of You--Frank Sinatra

Yeah this one is out-of-place for this playlist but this playlist goes to some weird places. It's a fan playlist about goofy vampires, I do what I damn well want.

Nandor is 700 years old and can't die. He's been a deadly military warlord, watched empires rise and fall, and outlived the majority of his own descendants. He's gotta be pretty jaded. When you drink the blood of other people to live, a lot won't phase you anymore. That's the thinking behind this song. I think Nandor is kind of fascinated with Guillermo's mortality in a way (I wrote a meta post here) and that might play into why he doesn't want to turn him.

Also this song is a standard that gets remade all the time, so if you know of a version that isn't by Old Blue Eyes that you think would fit this playlist, I'd love to hear it.

7.) Dancin' In The Moonlight--either the 1970s original by King's Harvest or the 00s remake by Toploader, take your pick

Ah yes, a good old-fashioned autumnal ball for the supernatural who walk among us, perhaps held on the night when the veil between worlds is thinnest! And a classic song to dance to. I like to imagine our boys having a cute moment to this one; Guillermo trying to spin Nandor around by the hand until he realizes a second too late that the height discrepancy is ridiculous, Nandor doing some medieval Persian dance moves Guillermo tries to copy, long coats sweeping behind them as they twirl and boogie, lots of giggling. It ain't all angst here, folks.

8.) One Week by the Barenaked Ladies (the acoustic version from The Bathroom Sessions, find it on YouTube)

I have always loved this song, so I was thrilled to see it in the Fitness Center episode, and you know I had to get it in here. The song's about having a fight that could end in a breakup but you both know each other too well to stay mad, and this version--recorded in one of the band members bathrooms as an experiment in acoustics-turned-full impromptu YouTube series--conveys a good-natured casual intimacy and amiability that comes from years of deep familiarity--haha--and learning to get things done together and have fun with it while fully expecting each other's shortcomings and planning for them so it'll be okay. Maybe that's me reading a lot into it; yes, it's filmed in a bathroom, and it's an acoustic version of a song the band is known for even to non-fans, so Ed Robertson and Steven Page's easy back-and-forth ad libs have the comfort of years of doing this under it; but also, the song was almost 20 years old at the point this was filmed, so it's *that* level of "we know how to do this", and it you know the band's history, a few years later, the band kicked Steven out due to a lot of drama, with, IIRC, the understanding he could come back at some point if he worked on himself. Knowing that, the recording can read a lot like a comfortable, long-lived domestic relationship that eventually went south, but this is a snapshot of when times were still good.

I'm way overthinking this, but anyway, the song fits that episode of the show really well and I think this version heightens the "why" of that.

9.) You're A God, by Vertical Horizon

This is the other band with three songs that end up on all my playlists somehow. I really think Nandor and Guillermo have each other, despite what it seems, on a pedestal somewhat, and might even see each other as having a type of divinity that makes them untouchable to the other in some sense. Guillermo, to Nandor, is pure, fragile, mortal, in need of protection, unsuited to being "ruined" by vamipirsm...because then what other human would dare risk gracing Nandor with their time of day? Nandor, to Guillermo, is a powerful, aloof being, literally supernatural, infinitely more powerful than him and far less vulnerable (in multiple ways, so it seems), and promising him access to this thing he wants so badly if only he just proves himself enough.

Catholicism ahoy! And I'll take mine with a side of a modified Madonna-Whore Complex, please!

They've got some complexes, these two.

10.) Last one and then you can stop reading (why are you still reading this??)

Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler, or, depending on a few things, go for the techno remix by Nicki French

This song was actually written by the composer best known for his work with Meatloaf, for a campy rock opera about a human in an emotionally abusive relationship with a vampire. I know, right? If they don't use this song somewhere in the final season, I will riot. A good finale piece; I want to see it used in its techno incarnation for a climactic fight scene, I wrote a stupid thing a couple years ago about the idea. A nice, very fitting wrap-up to the playlist...and the show, perhaps?

Go take a break, you just read way too much meta about a fictional neurotic gay couple.

[sillyname30]

elsiefest: Famous for their Broadway dance parties they do all over the country, @BroadwayRave just signed on to get the party started at @elsiefest 💃🏻❤️‍🔥 Get your tickets now and come singalong with us Sunday 9/8 at Pier 17 🎭

[sparklecinnamonbunny]

And if you're still doing asks, please entertain me with some you haven't gotten yet, for which you have some really good answers. Two for Sunday and two for Envy. Can be the same or different. Dealer's choice :3

*Puss in boots voice* For you baby, I could be. Hitting 23 and 39 for Sunday, and 3 and 26 for Envy. These answers get pretty long, so you can find them under the break!

23. Would they prefer reading books or listening to an audiobook? Besides, would they rather read for someone or have someone read for them? Sunday unironically owns and listens to Nathan Explosion Reads Shakespeare. She was disappointed to hear there was a whole session Pickles forgot to record. She usually has her headphones on and an audiobook playing when she files the week's incident reports at American Voice Showdown. That said, her guilty pleasure 'adult romance' novels? Print only.

If she had to share a book with someone, she'd prefer to be the one reading. In the AU where she has Charlene, her child with Skwisgaar, she goes all out for bedtime stories, character voices and all. It sets a quality standard for the CEO, who expects the same out of any babysitters, be they once-in-a-century financial geniuses or *cough* the pride of Denmark.

39. If they could go back in time, how would they reassure their child-self about the future? Sunday's childhood cycled between 'incredible opportunities' and 'devastating horror', so this answer's simple. She'd tell her child-self that she's not crazy, she really is cursed, but that doesn't make her a bad person. She'd reassure herself that it gets better, that she gets away from her family and does wonderful things that they can't take from her.

Yes, it is okay that she likes girls and boys. She'll meet incredible people in every walk of life if she lets herself. And if the church is wrong about her being bad, then they can be wrong about anything.

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

3. What is something they really like about themselves and what is something you really like about them? Envy prides herself on being levelheaded. She has no problems de-escalating angry patrons and doesn't find it hard to take control of a room. She likes that she can keep her cool even when things take a turn for the worst.

Something I've liked writing for Envy is her warm and nurturing nature. She may be blunt, and she might feel at home in anarchy, but she's a caretaker at heart. Her garden flourishes under her love (and occasional Dead Kennedys singalongs). She treats her employees with a decency and kindness that's unheard of in the hospitality industry. Even the drunks that pass out in (or near) her bar get water and a safe ride home. She's safety for young queers and a haven for kinksters.

26. What would be their ideal romance? Did they find a perfect match already, is it still a work in progress, or have they experienced something out of their expectations? It's not that Envy's unlucky in love; to the contrary, she's had some long, loving relationships. It's that it's hard to pin her down. She's oblivious to flirting unless a lady's laying it on thick. When she gets into a relationship, she finds it hard to make compromises on how much she works, leaving her girlfriends lonely. She works her ass off to run her businesses and keep Club Hedonism's events running.

Her ideal partner would be someone who's just as busy as she is, or someone who wouldn't mind spending time working together. She calls her romantic life a 'work in progress' and frequently claims she'll settle down once whatever project she's doing is finished, but... it hasn't happened yet.

[onlyhereforghost]

1, 2, 13 & 14 for the soft asks 😌

1. what song makes you feel better?

Hmmm… Kiss the Go-Goat always makes me want to sing along, so that feels good to me. I will also never turn down a good singalong to ANY ABBA. Music that makes me feel all warm and cozy is pretty much anything by Joe Hisaishi - Howls Moving Castle, Spirited Away, & Totoro especially 🥰

2. What’s your feel good movie?

Labyrinth. The Dark Crystal. Muppets Christmas Carol.

13. what’s your comfort food?

A well cooked roast dinner. Chicken, roast potatoes, roasted parsnips, mashed swede, carrots, Yorkshire puddings, and gravy so thick you can stand a spoon up in it. (Always reminds me of Sunday dinners at my grandparents house)

14. favourite feel good show?

I don’t really have one TBH. If I was to choose anything it would probably be Doctor Who, specifically the Christopher Eccleston & David Tennant eras.

[agapintheskin]

Your cheesy singalong song for the evening. Maybe it helps you too. (It didn't help my neighbours trying to have a chill Sunday)

[plungermusic]

"And we’ll sweep out the ashes in the morning …”

Maverick Sunday is always a little bittersweet: still good music left to enjoy but only a few more hours in which to enjoy it, with a bit of a ‘morning-after-the-night-before clearing-up and putting-away’ feel to it.

Getting a lift in with one of the festival crew meant a nice early arrival, allowing us to hear the excellent Chris Murphy [below] sound-checking almost his entire set ahead of his 10.30 start, the expansive Halfway Around The World sounding highly atmospheric drifting out of the empty Barn in the unbroken sunshine. A later highlight of his set ‘proper’ was a full-crowd participation Tinder disaster ballad (who says country music isn’t bang up to date?) Done With Diane. 

Bau Cat (Abby Butler and Jim Davies of the late, lamented Goat Roper Rodeo Band) turned out a suitably chilled Sunday morning set with Carib and Latin flavours topped by a nice harmony combination of her silky tones and his gruffer vocal (not often heard in the GRRB!) And they didn’t seem at all phased at being introduced by an impromptu, but full-length, rendition of Mercedes Benz by the Moonshine’s on-duty soundman…

The only performance on The Green (as always) on a Sunday came from The Rabble Chorus, with a mix of mildly spiritual and secular choral music: no Bach or Haydn sadly, but they did ‘do’ the Hothouse Flowers! Normally unaccompanied they’d drafted in a couple of guitars on this occasion. The only quibble Plunger have is that the choir could benefit from a little amplification, to get the full experience without having to stand just a foot or two away!

Standing outside The Peacock for Drew Young [above], his set was every bit as warm as the sun on our backs, especially the mellow morning lilt of Sideways and the honeyed harmonies of Wondering Where This Will End. A darker note was struck by the haunting minor key Georgia Line, Kelly Bayfield adding the eerie counter-vocals, before taking up a tambourine to help drive the bouncy stomp of It’ll Be Soon. An upbeat finish was provided by A Couple Of Rounds Before I Go, David Booth bringing some twang on electric guitar and topped with a brief crowd-singalong-chorus finale.

Up at The Barn, The Henry Brothers, dapper (and probably bloody hot in the circumstances) in their suits, cheered everyone up with a set of upbeat Old Timey 1920s-style ballads of death, disfigurement and disaster. They were a hoot, to be honest.

LoneHollow [who we sneaked a cheeky portrait of behind the venue, above] returned to the barn for their third set of the weekend, kicking off (after Damon’s laconic “…and the crowd went wild!” observation on the slowly refilling Barn) with his excellent cover of Gregg Allman’s heartfelt Please Call Home, and there were Allmans-y touches too to I Wouldn’t Know How. Their flair for Southern Gothic drama was well represented not only in reprises of Mary Ann and Not Today but in the dark drop-D badlands sweep of Shoot To Kill, Rylie’s airy eerie vocal matched by Damon’s atmospheric slide accompaniment. The pair bade farewell to their debut Maverick with the storming upbeat southern rocker Whiskey Woman.

The closing Moonshine set from Evangeline Gentle [below] was probably as close to a spiritual Sunday experience as Plunger were going to get, her sublime voice bewitching her audience through the anthemic poppy soar of Drop My Name, and an impassioned, warm The Strongest People Have Tender Hearts. Ella Spencer joined her once again, bringing her harmonies to Evangeline’s new single Sarah, before Evangeline ended her set with a spellbinding solo a cappella rendition (in honour of her Scots forebears) of the traditional Black Is The Colour.

Heading past the peacock stage we caught a little of the Hoth Brothers (who follow the Thomson Twins rule - two guys who aren’t brothers, neither of whom are named Hoth, plus Sarah Ferrell... go figure). Some lovely backwoods Appalachian sounds with cracking banjo and fiddle playing.

With the end of the festival rapidly approaching campers and acts who’d already finished were making their way home so there was a certain amount of leave taking that meant we didn’t catch as much of Suzie Ungerlieder’s barn closing set as we ought, but her sweet, cool vox and some melodic guitar work in an emotional Summerbaby and the atmospheric jangling reverie of Walked All The Way Home (from back when she went under the moniker Oh Susanna) were a fittingly mellow way to come down from our Maverick high.

Another cracking weekend of Americana, country and more in highly picturesque surroundings (even if the weather didn’t always play ball), well fed by the wide range of vendors, and watered (well, ‘beered’, if that’s a word) in company with a largely chilled set of like-minded individuals… hands-down the best festival Plunger know.

It’s no wonder it feels a bit like leaving home when it all comes to an end…