#singed certainly admires resilience

[mollysunder]

There's a good chance Silco and Singed met when Silco looked like this.

You think Singed thought Silco was the hottest medical anomaly he's ever seen.

[imagitory]

Okay, all...time to talk about that new song Disney just put out from the upcoming live-action Snow White.

To summarize my thoughts -- damn it, Rachel Zegler, you deserved to sing in a much better Disney movie than this is going to be...

So okay, let me first get my only undiluted shred of praise out of the way: Rachel's voice is lovely. It's always been lovely. Quite frankly when everyone complained about Rachel's casting, I always gave them the side eye because vocally speaking, she couldn't be better cast. She certainly can sing the part a helluva lot better than Emma Watson did Belle's. Do I love all the commentary Rachel's given about the OG Snow White? No, but it's honestly kind of same-old, same-old...we've heard a lot of the same anti-Snow-White nonsense before, and as much as I would've preferred to have someone in the role who respected the film as the historical Hollywood landmark it is, it's unsurprising that Disney's current PR team would lean into that thought process, considering they've done it for ALL of their recent princess films, live-action or otherwise. Even Cinderella (2015), which is widely considered the best of these remakes, had this sort of silliness in their marketing campaign that tried to treat their lead as "more feminist" than the OG Cinderella.

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, let me talk about the song itself, because...whew, boy.

So first of all, I personally find this song completely forgettable, melody-wise. The "Waiting on a Wish" bit in particular kind of reminded me of the chorus of Taylor Swift's "Karma is My Boyfriend," but other than that, the tune was completely unremarkable.

Second, did anyone notice that the movie is trying to turn Snow White into a fusion of their live-action Jasmine and their live-action Mulan? There's even a clip showing off a locket from Snow's parents that says "Fearless; Fair; Brave; True" -- not only showing off that Snow's parents and the filmmakers by extension don't know that "Fearless" and "Brave" are literal synonyms, but also ripping off the song Loyal Brave and True from Mulan (2020). But yeah, the increased focus on Snow's father and on her wanting to change the kingdom herself and becoming more of a leader really just reminds me of the other "girl-bossification" efforts Disney's done in the past.

Third, I hate how the song almost seems to take pot-shots at the original Snow White:

Little girl at a lonely well With the same little tale to tell Feeling trapped by the walls that hold her Feeling stuck in the story they've told her Another day where she fades away Never daring to disobey So she's dreaming all alone Sharing secrets with the stone

On a throwaway note, that last rhyme feels awkward to me. This song seemingly frames the girl in the "story" we all know -- i.e. Snow White, both in this film and the original movie -- as someone who "fades away, never daring to disobey" and "dreaming all alone." But this is just not true!

If you watch the original movie, you see Snow White working on the Queen's order, yes, but even in isolation in the Queen's castle, she's not alone. She makes friends with the birds. The Prince hears her song and comes to meet her. And then of course there's the Huntsman, who admires Snow White so much for her innocence and kindness that he refuses to kill her, even on his terrifying Queen's instructions! And this is all well before she makes friends with the forest animals and the Dwarfs.

Snow White doesn't "fade away" -- she earns love and respect from all who know her, and the Evil Queen is undoubtedly left frustrated that she can't seem to break the girl's spirit and turn her as ugly on the outside as the ragged clothes the Queen forced her into. As the Magic Mirror says, "rags cannot hide her gentle grace." Snow's stoic optimism in the face of the Queen's cruelty is a mark of resilience, not fragility. There's a reason so many abuse victims have resonated with this, as well as with Cinderella, who is in a similar circumstance. Even if yes, Snow doesn't have the power needed to defeat the Queen, she does have control over how she herself behaves. Even if she can't change the world around her, she does have a small piece of the world she can affect -- namely, the palace, and later the Dwarfs' cottage -- and Snow White throws all of herself into putting out as much sunshine and beauty as she can into that small piece of her world.

Which leads me to the other half of why that section annoyed me -- the song acts like Snow White sitting back and dreaming and not disobeying orders is a bad thing, and yet their lead does THE SAME THING, to almost a worse degree.

I'm waiting on a wish Beneath a thousand treetops And as the silver sky stops I long to leave the walls behind me Waiting on a wish Holding out for someday Hoping somehow, some way There comes a miracle to find me

This Snow also just sits around waiting for things to get better! Moreover, she dreams of running away from all of her problems a la Ariel or Jasmine, rather than holding her ground. I'm not saying there's necessarily a problem with wanting some escapism now and again, but for a character that's supposedly so gung-ho about doing right by her father the King and pointing how much is wrong in the kingdom, this Snow sure is impractical in how she dreams. The original Snow White was a dreamer, yes, but she dreamed while also standing her ground in her home and rolling with the punches. This is a girl raised as a princess, but rather than getting bogged down with who she's supposedly "meant to be," she acknowledges that her position has changed, she rolls up her sleeves, and she gets to work. She toughs it out without complaint.

Now to be clear -- I'm not saying stoicism is the "better" course of action in the face of abuse, or really any such mistreatment. There are many different paths one can take in fighting back, and this is just one of them. But sometimes physically or verbally standing up to one's abusers isn't always safe or possible -- I think it's good the original film showed that lying in wait and standing firm is a viable, wise, graceful, and even brave option. That contrast of kindness and "stiff upper lip" defined the original Snow's character in a way that helped her stand apart from other, more recent Disney princesses. She didn't demand to be treated as the princess she was born to be -- she earned respect by simply being as good and kind of a person as she could, no matter what her circumstances. Even despite the abuse she experienced at the hands of her stepmother, Snow tried to find whatever light she could to push through. That is strength, and one often dismissed in the face of more extroverted, traditionally masculine examples.

And well...this new Snow does at one point have a good line about the kingdom in her song --

But in the shadow the kingdom's caught in Somehow, fairness is long forgotten

But again, that line is followed up with that chorus about "waiting on a wish," so in the end, even if the new Snow sees the injustices of the kingdom, she either knows she can't fight them on her own (like the OG Snow did, except she doesn't feel the need to angst about it: again, she just gets right to work doing whatever little she can) or she's comfortable enough that she can just sit back and wish things will get better rather than do anything (does acknowledging things suck really make such passivity better?).

I kind of hate to do this...but do you mind if I quote Snow's most defining song from the original movie for a minute? No, not I'm Wishing -- no, not Someday My Prince Will Come -- I'm talking about With a Smile and a Song.

In Waiting on a Wish, the new Snow sings this as a reference to the line in the song I'm Wishing about how if you hear your wish echo back to you in the wishing well, it'll come true soon:

They say all you have to do To make your wish come true Is let it echo, echo, echo, echo Your voice will carry through And bring that dream to you Just like an echo, echo, echo Well, I can hear the echo loud and clear But I'm still waiting here

But if I may use the original Snow's sentiment in response to that last complaint --

There's no use in grumbling When the raindrops come tumbling Remember, you're the one Who can fill the world with sunshine

Stop complaining about how much you're waiting. Stop complaining about how ineffectual you feel. Remember that you can make things better just with your attitude. Remember that you can bring sunshine to others and yourself just by doing what little you can every day, even if it might seem insignificant. Rather than act like every other Disney princess stereotype we've gotten used to by channeling their inner Asha and blandly singing about how they want "something more than this," remember the core of the Snow White character is optimism...finding the silver lining, even when things get hard. That would be a hell of a lot more inspiring and different for a Disney live-action lead right about now, as well as a lot more respectful to the original character and film that brought its audience at the Carthay Circle theater to tears all the way back in 1937. If I had more optimism toward the quality of this film's writing, I would almost wonder if this was the character arc planned for the new Snow White's character -- realizing that optimism, hard work, grace, and kindness can inspire real, formative change in people and the world itself -- but forgive me if I'm not holding my breath. If nothing else, that locket that clearly is supposed to be something inspirational to both the main character and the audience doesn't reference those themes in the least bit.

Personally I'm in the camp that Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs should never have been remade in the first place and that a Saving Mr. Banks-style film that told the behind-the-scenes "underdog" story of the film's creation would've been a much better tribute. But even disregarding that, I've been thoroughly uninspired by everything I've seen for this remake, and this song is sadly no exception. I'm sad that the song and scriptwriters didn't put in more effort so that Rachel Zegler could really show off what she could do, but I'm definitely not surprised. I wish this film could be a nail in the coffin for these Disney live action remakes overall, but I don't think it will, given how many people are already going gaga over the completely pointless Lilo and Stitch and Moana remakes. (I just...can't even.) But oh well...since I can't control Disney and their lazy, toothless creative decisions...I may as well just enjoy what I can, and put out some sunshine into the world to counteract this particularly dark cloud.

Remember, you're the one who can fill the world with sunshine.

[savage-rhi]

I wanna know about your WIP Everything Zen!

@krisssssssy Big thank ya for asking! I don't have much written up yet for this one, but this is what I have thus far and this is the song that inspired the story:

Summary: It is said in the holy book that when Lucifer fell from heaven, he was plunged into the depths of hell and awaits the apocalypse. What if hell wasn't a firey pit of despair, but in fact, living as a human being for all of eternity?

Zen--the most recent reincarnation of Lucifer--after several lifetimes has finally pieced together a way he can break free from the reincarnation cycle. With the aid of a woman with her own troubles and tribulations--Zen seeks the legendary 10 crowns or "horns" of The Beast to return to heaven.

There's paranormal and supernatural elements in the plot, and a lot of existential themes that both the characters go through. I'm also playing around with throwing in some psychology elements too.

I'm not sure when I'm going to go into full sandbox mode with this one, but I jot down concepts and ideas for the major plot points quite often.

Below is a snippet I wrote a while back. The name Sawyer is going to be used for my fanfic Duality, so I might change this characters name later on:

I imagine Zen looking like Tom Riley.

"So," Sawyer let out a sigh. "When this little road trip of ours comes to an end and you go home. What happens next?"

Zen raised a brow and shrugged. If he were more honest with himself, he hadn't thought that much ahead of the game. Not that he'd admit it out loud.

"I suppose I try and break bread with my father," Zen scoffed. He then smirked as another amusing thought came to mind. "Maybe sing kumbaya with Michael while I'm at it. Hell, maybe pops would like a souvenir from--"

He paused and frowned, looking at the inside of the diner trying in vain to find something that popped out. "Bumfuck Montana, or wherever we are right now."

"Bumfuck Montana," Sawyer repeated. She sounded so unimpressed that Zen could feel his pride take a few steps back. "That's original."

"Oh yeah?" Zen smirked. "You think you can do better?"

"I probably could," Sawyer admitted with a grin. "But I don't need Satan on my ass for the next decade or however long I got left."

"Eh," Zen's eyes scanned over Sawyer in a scrutinizing manner. "You don't have much going on there, ass wise. I wouldn't fret."

"Asshole," Sawyer growled under her breath.

"You walked into that I'm afraid." Zen snorted.

Although Sawyer smiled and laughed off his counter, Zen could sense a little more of herself closing off to him. The way her shoulders firmed and the subtle twitch of her fingers against the coffee mug had him uneasy. His therapist from the late 1800s stated such unease from physical tics was due to abandonment issues. He remembered laughing himself to death over that, but admitted perhaps they had been onto something. He hated it when someone pulled away. It demonstrated a dishonesty that infuriated him to the core.

Zen felt eager to verbally rip Sawyer apart, but reminded himself of how fragile her current state of mind was. He gave credit where it was due. She was certainly a phenomenal actor, pretending nothing got under her skin. That was a quality he had come to admire about humans over the centuries. How their resilience was impeccable. He couldn't say the same for himself as he ruminated on his earlier feelings of disgust.

What happened at the truck stop bothered him a great deal, and he wasn't the one who had been assaulted. He may had "saved the day", but the damage had been done. It was clear in Sawyers eyes and the way she had carried herself since then.

"Do you want to talk about what happened?" Zen murmured.

"Not really," Sawyer replied. Her eyes scanned over the diner, reminding Zen of a meerkat scouting the plains for hyena. "It's not the first time something like that has happened to me. I'll get over it."

He felt the hairs on his neck stand, and blinked a few times as his mind pondered more than it should've on Sawyer's remark.

"You're not alone in your misery. If it's any consolation."

Sawyer's eyes landed on him, sensing a familiarity in his cadence. It took her but a few moments to register the weight. "You too?"

Zen nodded. He sunk further into his seat as he relaxed and stretched. "You seem surprised."

"I didn't think…since you're, you know who, that you'd know what that's like--"

"I've lived many lifetimes. I'm not a stranger to bodily harm of the highest. Be it male or female." He interrupted, offering a small grin to soften the blow of his confession for her sake. Zen felt something akin to shame shortly after, and dismissively waved his right hand. Trying to tell Sawyer without words not to think too hard on anything. He focused on the birds in the parking lot outside the window. Watching them peck at stale leftover french fries someone had tossed.

"I'm sorry," Sawyer softly replied. He didn't have to see her face to tell she felt foolish for whatever assumptions she had held of him.

"It's whatever," Zen shrugged with a grin. He realized how odd that must've looked considering the circumstances, but didn't linger upon it.

Once the birds took off, having their fill, did he look at Sawyer again. He bit the inside of his cheek.

"You don't me owe me your past or anything you've been through, but I do want you to know that so long as we travel together, that won't happen again."

"How can you be certain?"

"I'm not," Zen admitted. "But contrary to popular belief, I keep my word if you'll have it."

[maypiles]

there was a rumor that yunho ateez dating a florist can you confirm that w tarot?https://www.allkpop.com/article/2022/10/ateezs-yunho-wrapped-up-in-dating-rumors

Well, well, my dearest anonymous, 😏 you’ve certainly spiced up my day with this deliciously scandalous inquiry. Thank you for trusting me to peel back the layers of mystery and serve up the tea with all the flair it deserves. Truly, the cards and I live for such intrigue.

💋Reading on Yunho and the Rumored Florist💌

Oh, darling, let me spill the tea with the flair of your favorite femme fatale. The cards are screaming, and trust me, it’s quite the scandalous little narrative. Shall we unravel it together?

The Main Spread:

We start with the 4 of Swords reversed—someone’s coming out of hiding, stepping into the light. Is this Yunho’s private life making an unexpected cameo? The Ace of Cups and Knight of Cups? Oh, my love, there’s romance in the air, and it’s not subtle. Picture an admirer with a bouquet of emotions, charging forward like a knight in shining armor.

The Queen of Pentacles and Empress? Now, this florist—or mystery woman—is no ordinary muse. She’s grounded, abundant, someone who turns heads effortlessly. But the 4 of Cups suggests hesitation, as though one of them is second-guessing the connection or the timing.

The 7 of Cups screams confusion or too many options. Is this a whirlwind of feelings, or perhaps a clash between fantasy and reality? The 8 of Wands promises quick developments (or gossip spreading like wildfire), yet the 5 of Pentacles and Chariot reversed suggest obstacles. Maybe it’s the pressure of fame, insecurities, or external factors.

And oh, the Moon—secrets, illusions, and a veil of mystery. This connection—or the rumors surrounding it—is shrouded in ambiguity. The public doesn’t know the full story, and Yunho seems intent on keeping it that way.

The Bottom and Split Cards:

The 10 of Wands reveals a heavy burden—likely the strain of juggling a public persona with private desires. The World, 9 of Wands, and Hanged Man suggest completion, resilience, and perspective shifts. This could symbolize a significant turning point in his personal life. And that 10 of Cups and Fool? A leap into emotional fulfillment. But is it with her, or just the idea of her?

The Secondary Spread:

The Fool, 4 of Wands, and 10 of Cups are singing a love ballad, darling—a fresh start, domestic bliss, and emotional fulfillment. But alas, the Star reversed and Hermit reversed hint at doubts, isolation, and perhaps a loss of hope amidst the pressures of fame.

The Tower shows upheaval—perhaps the rumor itself shook things up, or this connection (if real) could upend his carefully curated image. The Page of Swords reversed and 5 of Cups bring whispers of regret or miscommunication. Meanwhile, the 2 of Wands suggests choices to be made, and the World emphasizes completion—something coming full circle.

Final Layers of Gossip:

The 7 of Swords reversed and Ace of Swords are begging for truth to emerge. Whatever’s happening, clarity is on its way. The 6 of Cups, 10 of Pentacles, and 9 of Pentacles? Nostalgia meets legacy. Perhaps this florist (if she exists) offers a sense of simplicity and grounding that fame cannot.

The Magician and Queen of Cups scream chemistry and emotional depth, but the High Priestess reversed warns of intuition ignored or secrets being uncovered. Finally, Judgment points to a reckoning—decisions made, truths revealed.

The Romance Oracle:

The reversed Ace of Pentacles hints that while this may seem promising, something isn’t quite grounded. The Justice, 3 of Pentacles, and Lovers suggest partnership and balance, but only if both parties are willing to meet halfway. The reversed Emperor could reflect a struggle for control in the situation.

So is he actually dating the florist?

65% Likely.

The cards are overflowing with romantic energy, secrets, and the potential for a heartfelt connection. However, the obstacles, hesitations, and the Moon’s veil of mystery pull us back from full certainty.

Are the rumors exaggerated or fabricated?

35% Likely.

There’s a strong possibility that the gossip has grown legs of its own, twisting fragments of truth into a captivating narrative. The reversed High Priestess and illusions from the Moon leave room for doubt.

Final word

Whether this is real or a case of misplaced whispers, it’s juicy, darling. There’s romance, intrigue, and challenges aplenty. If Yunho is seeing someone, they’re keeping it under lock and key for now. And honestly? Can you blame them? The world can be harsh to love stories, especially when they involve the glitz of stardom and the down-to-earth charm of a florist. Keep an eye on this one—it’s a tale worth watching unfold.

Do come again if your curiosity stirs—or if the whispers grow louder. Until then, my love, stay fabulous and keep an ear to the ground. Who knows what secrets the stars might reveal next? MUAH 💋

[envyscaled]

Name:  Liliana Moreau Age: 142 Species: Mermaid Deity: None Gender, Pronouns, Sexual & Romantic identities: Cis female, She/her, Bisexual, Biromantic Powers: Mermaid transformation, charming abilities, singing enchantment (will not use) Residence / Years:  Uptown / 26 years Job / Workplace: Dancer, Dans Macabre Relationship status:  Single Positive traits: Enthusiastic, Artistic, Determined, Resilient Negative traits: Naive, envious, impulsive, Rebellious

The youngest daughter a king of the sea, Liliana (or Lili) had always had an adventurous streak. Swimming into waters she shouldn't, shirking her 'royal' duties, never one to listen. She often rejected her place as a princess and found hobbies elsewhere. At first it started off with admiring others with freedom. The merpeople below her status, that could move freely and pursue whatever they wanted. Then it extended to the humans and how majority were able to live freely.

It went beyond admiration, however. It quickly developed into envy. She was meant to forgo anything she desired for her duties. Over a century of having to follow the rules, of trying to break free. After all, she was the youngest, shouldn't she have fewer responsibilites? She wasn't likely to rule, after all. But, as her father told her, she was meant to be an image of what they stood for.

Finally, she fled. Straight to the human world.

It wasn't uncommon for their kind to be amongst the humans, but certainly not a princess of the sea. But she decided to entirely abandon her life and responsibilities. If others could pursue whatever the hell they wanted, then so could she. For decades, she had seen the humans change, fashions and trends come and go. Far fascinating than the world she had come to know that seemed at a standstill of tradition. It was exciting, something she had never known before.

Five years were spent doing whatever the hell she wanted, pursuing everything she could. Any form of entertainment, it was like a hunger she couldn't satiate after a century being force into the role as a tame woman. Exploring the nightlife, using what trinkets she had brought to the human world to get by and ignoring any attempt from her family to contact her.

It was a night at one of the clubs she spent dancing that she was approached by the owner and offered a position as a dancer. Almost eagerly, she agreed, leading to her life as a dancer.

[reprisalet]

he smiled a little at the greeting. "it's a pleasure to meet you as well, sakura." she seemed terribly sweet, adorable almost. it was difficult not to smile in the face of such earnestness. the bow caught him off-guard, but he took it in stride. people in fódlan had not been as formal to him as those back home, due to his lack of status in this place, but he did not keep the fact that he was a prince secret either, and so the formality is to be expected from those observant enough to pay attention to such things.

so she was polite, aware, earnest. all good traits to possess.

"he's a marvelous creature," reyson agreed easily. he'd seen beorc on mounts before, both ground-bound horses and the flying pegasi and wyverns. all felt, to him, a way for them to make up for their limitations, much as their weapons served to imitate claws and talons, their magic pale compared to his singing. still, they were a resilient species, and their tenacity and willingness to close what he saw as a gap in limitations was something he certainly admired.

regardless, she seemed familiar with some of the mounts present, just not these. sadly, he had no more experience, but he could tell the proud creature was enjoying the attention. "very proud. very strong."

he smiled a little. "i'm not familiar with them myself, but look at the way he's holding himself. i think he likes you. you must have a very kind soul, to garner the trust of a proud beast like this with such ease."

his own heron empathy told him as much. he sensed no ill intent from her at all, at least in this moment, and though the animal beside them did not exactly have his talents in this regard, such creatures could be good at picking up on what others feel.

       galdr for a mount.

[breebers]

AOTV Thoughts

Some thoughts on “All Of Those Voices” after last night’s screening. TLDR - I remain very fond of Louis , but I did not think this was a good documentary. I’m a new pandemic-era fan and just a lurker so no one will see this - it’s just to get thoughts out of my system (harhar).

My overall impression leaving the theatre was that the film was cliche, disjointed, and unsettlingly superficial considering the seriousness of the topics it tried to address. It had moments of charm - Oli was an unexpected highlight - but they felt like little treats. It didn’t say or do anything new for serious fans, just recycled narratives and footage we have mostly seen before. And because of the disjointedness, I think the general public would find it confusing. I don’t understand the audience, purpose, or timing for the release.

Performance Footage

The thing I found most confusing was the relative absence of great performance footage. Giving the timing of the doc’s release, I’d thought it was going to be a vehicle to sell concert tickets. But there’s actually relatively little footage of Louis singing for more than a few seconds at a time. And the hero moments that stuck out most, at least to me, were Little Black Dress and Night Changes (which is a bit ironic given the focus on him finding his solo voice), and COACOAC.

I assume this has something to do with Louis’ changing feelings about Walls, and the fact that he doesn’t really feel like it represents him as well as FITF, as he’s expressed in interviews. It’s disappointing, since that’s what I was looking forward to most! I thought they’d filmed the shows for the FITF release, but none of that made the movie either. :( Honestly, the IG reels throughout tour did a better job of making me want to go to a show.

Louis As Songwriter

I loved the moment where Louis talked about being proud of his 1D songwriting credits, but unfortunately that idea didn’t carry through to the rest of the movie.

Nothing about the process of writing Walls, which is maybe because his old narrative no longer works. But surprisingly very little about the writing of FITF either. No FITF songs mentioned by name other than BTM, which was only in a text overlay. Nothing about what the songs or the album mean to him, or even about the creative and collaborative process aside from when it was written logistically. He doesn’t even say “Faith In The Future” until the end credits, I think?

We got so much more on Louis as a songwriter in the album promo interviews - the doc is still very heavily focused on his anxiety around vocal performance, esp. with all the Helene. Which is interesting, of course, just a bit jarring given what he says about writing for 1D and what we’ve heard him say elsewhere.

On Loss and Grief

I have an enormous amount of empathy for what Louis and his family have gone through, and I truly admire his resilience. I found the deep love Louis has for his family and this part of his story moving, of course, but I also found it somewhat disconnected. Resilience is a useful trait, and moving on is healthy, but the impression from the movie is that that just happened by sheer force of will. And maybe it did, that seems very British! But I would have liked to have seen more about how Louis processed his grief, the support he received from people around him, whether it affected his songwriting and approach to his career. Structurally, lumping together the 1D breakup, deaths in his family and COVID as a series of obstacles to be overcome through perseverance alone just felt like it was a likely oversimplification.

On COVID

Again, this too felt like an obstacle identified and then not followed up with. I was really surprised that there wasn’t later discussion by Louis, the band or the fans interviewed that part of the magic of tour was being able to come together in-person again after lockdowns. This was certainly part of the joy for me as I watched lives all tour (my local show was maybe the only one that got cancelled and stayed cancelled.)

Fan Representation

This was very much my academic area in another life, so I could go for ages. But in short, I did appreciate that this was a much more positive representation of female-dominated fandom than we normally see. It was respectful and it celebrated fans and mostly took them seriously.

But it had a pretty narrow focus on a certain type of fan. Given the things Louis has said about his relationship with his fans elsewhere, I expected a deeper and more diverse look. I would have liked to hear from fans about what Louis’ music means to them, about growing up alongside him, about fan projects and communities and the experience of live music after years locked away. Instead it was just camping and getting as close to him as possible. (Props to the fan who wrote the essay to convince their mom to let them camp though - I used to use the same tactic!)

I get that it would be a lot of work to take a really deep look at fandom - and it would be tough to dodge the beautiful rainbow elephant in the room - but I think it was possible to do a bit more. Even just along the lines of what Louis often says in interviews.

Fatherhood

I’m agnostic about BBG. But even setting that aside, I was uncomfortable with this particular narrative thread. My own issues are obviously part of that - I was raised almost entirely by my mom, with an absent father who complained about not seeing enough of me and my siblings but showed no inclination towards actual parenting. It is very easy to seem like a good father flying a kite on a beach or goofing around backstage at your concert. It is much harder to actually do the work of raising a child.

The way the fatherhood narrative popped out of nowhere - you would think the child just materialized from thin air the way it’s framed - was very uncomfortable. The way the sharp contrast to the closeness Louis described with his mother who had an unplanned baby (and perhaps similar distance with his biological dad) went unacknowledged. The way he claims to see his child at every opportunity, but the second half of the film focuses on him having a blast travelling the world on a tour bus and makes zero reference to that being challenging from a parenting perspective. The overall impression is just the total absence of responsibility, like children are fun accessories to help you feel good about yourself at 1/80 concerts.

There were lots of “aww”s at my screening, and I guess those folks just don’t have daddy issues? I can’t speak to Louis’ actual reality as a father (or lack thereof), but the way it was presented in the movie, at least, was such cheesy “rich, absent dad who doesn’t get it” cliche. It felt like a weird choice for someone who has said he wants to be so private.

The Voiceover

This is a very specific thing, but I really didn’t like the explanatory narrative Louis did throughout the whole thing, filmed in the studio. It felt scripted and impersonal and all at the same emotional level. I would have preferred if there had been multiple interviews over the course of the years they were filming, for some variety and progression over time. It really sucked a lot of the emotion and vulnerability out of things.

What Might’ve Been

The frustrating thing about all this is there are like, four different and very good possible documentaries within AOTV. But it feels like instead of doing any one thing properly, they tried to do everything and in a rush.

It could have been a beautiful film about his personal losses and how he’s recovered and grown from them, but it would have had to show more of that process.

It could have been a really fun tour documentary - the backstage stuff with the band was a highlight, but it would have had to included way more performance footage.

It could have been a cool narrative about the buildup to FITF but would have needed to include more of his songwriting process, what the songs mean, and the album release shows.

It could have been about his relationship with fans, but would have required more extensive and thoughtful interviews, with a more diverse group.

Instead, it tried to do all those things, but each at a surface level, and ended up unsatisfying and confusing. It felt like they didn’t have a plan going in, and sort of just scrambled stuff together as best they could with the footage they had. Which I think is a real shame because Louis deserves the chance to tell his story. I just don’t think this documentary did that effectively.

Why did this happen? Maybe it was his changing relationship to Walls and the awkwardness of overlapping albums. Maybe it was scheduling and deadlines and COVID. Maybe he can’t tell his full story and there’s just no way to disguise that without it feeling awkward. Maybe Louis just doesn’t understand his own fanbase very well, or he’s trying to change that fanbase. Maybe it’s just bad story structure. Whatever the reason, it’s a big missed opportunity and I am sad.

[himbopietro]

A Whole Ass List of Why I Love Roger Fucking Taylor

Most days I just take the piss out of him because it’s how I show my love, but he’s certainly a whole lot of things and today is the the day of all days to show appreciation, let’s go

Hello this man is a musical genius !!! Genuinely one of the best singer-drummers alive !! Dare I say of all time !! What he contributes to songs with his drum tracks !! Genuinely one of my top five drummers!! And as amazing as he is a drummer he plays a handful other instruments and oh boy can he SING

We all know how absolutely glorious his fucking falsetto is. There’s just nothing I can say that hasn’t been said already, but oh boy is it absolutely euphoric to hear !! Queens songs wouldn’t have quite as much the impact they would have without it!

His voice is genuinely ,, gorgeous ,, it’s raspy and so very rock n roll-y !! He was the band’s rock n’roll backbone and was he brilliant as it?? Yes.

Roger wrote some pretty kickass songs too ngl. Everyone knows how great Radio Gaga, One Vision and A Kind of Magic are But like .. can we also talk about Action This Day, Drowse and Sheer Heart Attack?? I genuinely love all his other songs but those ones in particular ..

His solo songs are pretty bomb too. I think it’s very admirable that he went off to write and create songs with messages that he was passionate about, message that mean something and advocated for a better world and for people to do better. We don’t talk about this nearly enough.

In relation to his solo songs, and also on a darker note, it was incredibly brave of him to write and release Surrender and spread awareness about an issue that so many people have to deal with. For him to come out in his later years to talk about something that goes without saying, is difficult to talk about, and surely would make him feel vulnerable, is so very brave and admirable.

Also, in spite of the unjust abuse he experienced when he was younger Roger still ended up being optimistic, resilient, carefree, bright, ambitious and he pulled himself from that and really made something of himself. He reached places so far and wide, and beyond that too. It didn’t stop him from growing above and beyond, and achieving so much. He reclaimed his own life and still blossomed into something I think is quite lovely. He broke a cycle and became a good father in spite of everything. He wasn’t perfect but he’s certainly one of the good ones. I think he’s someone fellow survivors can really look up to.

Genuinely a very sweet friend. Has been Brian’s friend for literally like 50 years, never failed to defend Freddie while also knowing his place and knowing when he was capable of doing that himself, and when he wasn’t around to do that for himself anymore he continued to keep up his legacy, and always encouraged John to speak up more because dare I say he wanted John to be heard more ?? Because he.. believed in him!!! (you know which interview im talking about, god damn it is the SWEETEST fucking thing)

Also Roger’s fashion sense. It’s a little bold and brash for some but honestly y’all just can’t handle the gloriousness that is Roger’s fashion.

Also this man kept a fucking diary for fucks sake how adorable is that

Also Roger is a complete master of his craft. Like he knows his stuff dude. Roger has so much control over his own instrument and honestly the music he creates as a result is genuinely riveting and electric.

He’s very easy to make fun of but Roger is smart as hell man. Brian said himself that he’s very in tune with the world around him, immersed in current affairs and pop culture and with his open mind he is constantly evolving , and for the better.

To conclude my essay I fucking Love Roger Meddows Taylor with all my heart and this is a man we should celebrate.

[writeyouin]

Swerve X Reader – Changes - Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow?

A/N – Welp, this is the best I can do after that trip to A + E. It’s great being off work to write this.

Warnings – Mild Swearing.

Rating – T

Swerve grinned at his holo-form’s reflection, enjoying the winter look he’d just added. It was finally time for a visit to the next planet, Enpluam. The planet itself was said to be something of a winter wonderland, and as such, all of the crew had been ordered to adapt their holo-forms to have warm clothing so none of the natives got suspicious.

Swerve’s smile faltered as he caught sight of you behind him, failing to hide your frown. He spun around, suddenly insecure about his new outfit. “You don’t like it?”

You held up your hands defensively, “No, no, I love it, it’s just-” You shook your head, smiling instead, “It’s nothing.”

Swerve hugged himself self-consciously, “Please (Y/N), if you don’t like it… If you don’t like me-”

“Swerve,” You almost hissed, hurt by his suggestion. “It’s not your outfit, I love it. I love you. I just- I don’t understand why all these stupid bloody planets have to hate Cybertronians so much. I get that the war was horrible but it’s over now, it should be entirely up to you whether you want to go as a Cybertronian or not.”

Swerve reached out to caress your cheek lovingly, “(Y/N), it’s alright. We’re used to it. Besides, you know how much I like playing dress-up.”

You had to smile at the joke. Using it as an opportunity to change from your previously bitter thoughts about how Cybertronians were treated, you replied, “Yeah, well maybe you can dress up as a doctor tonight. I can think of a few places you haven’t examined on me yet.”

Swerve blushed, his vocaliser crackling with static like it always did when he was flustered. He swore to himself that one day, he would have a witty retort for your seductive comments.

You pecked his cheek, “Better not make that sound on-planet, or they’ll see right through you’re disguise.��

“Yeah,” Swerve finally managed to laugh, though he was already planning a doctor outfit in a sub-folder of his processor which he aptly named ‘Dr Sexy cosplay.’ “You looking forward to this planet?”

“I will be if you tell me what you’ve been planning.”

Swerve became rigid, “Plan- Uh planning? I- I haven’t been planning-”

You smiled knowingly, “Oh I know you’ve got something up that parka sleeve of yours Swerve. You’ve been quiet this week, so I know you’ve been hiding something. Want to tell me what it is now or save it for later? I promise I’ll act surprised if you do.”

There wouldn’t be much acting involved when Swerve told you about the mini-con shell he’d had built for you, he was sure about that. Swerve knew he had promised himself that he would tell you this week about his plans for you, but now the moment had been laid in front of him and he was too anxious to say anything. He’d planned to tell you on the icy planet below after taking you on the perfect date, which would hopefully serve as a reminder of how much he loved you so that you wouldn’t leave him after the news. He needed that extra time to tell you, and it would only be one cycle’s difference.

“Can you wait one more cycle?” He asked solemnly.

You raised your eyebrows, “Oh, a serious tone? Must be important.”

You pulled his hand towards yours, hooking your little finger around his own, “I pinkie-promise that I can wait one more day.”

Swerve vented a sigh of relief and pulled you into a hug which somehow felt less intimate than the silliness of the pinkie-promise. “Good. Great. One more day, and you’ll know.”

While you laughed, Swerve felt nauseated. Sure, you would know what he had been planning for over a year, but would you still love him afterwards.

The alarm beeped incessantly and you shot up unusually quickly from your sleep. “I’M UP! I’M AWAKE… I’m regretting setting this so damn early.”

Swerve couldn’t help laughing at your owl-eyed expression as you stumbled from the berth, barely keeping your balance when you landed. He hadn’t slept that night, not needing to as often as you did, but he had stayed with you because you made him promise to, though you’d neglected to tell him why.

“We’ve got a few hours before we get there you know,” He told you. “You can sleep a little-”

“No,” You said, running to the bathroom to shower. “No time. You and me have to be the first off this ship.”

“Loving the enthusiasm, but that’s usually me. The last time I woke you up this early, you threatened to petrol-bomb my bar.”

“MOLOTOV!” You yelled from behind the shut bathroom door. “I THREATENED TO MOLOTOV YOUR BAR. NO PETROL HERE. HAS TO BE BOOZE.”

“All the same, why the early wake-up?”

“Megatron and Ultra Magnus.”

“Sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G?”

“No.” You came from the bathroom dripping wet and wrapped in a towel that had Brainstorm’s face printed on it, blowing a kiss without his mouth-plate. You shook your head energetically, “Not kissing. Yelling. At me specifically. Before we go to any planet, they pull me aside and give me a lecture like I’m a kid. Don’t mention Cybertron, (Y/N). Don’t start a bar-fight with Whirl (Y/N). Don’t eat that weird fruit (Y/N), it could kill you. You don’t get any of those talks.”

“Okay, but in their defence, you did do all of those things on the last planet we went to.”

“Hey, first off, that dude should not have been listening, it was a private conversation and I could have been saying that Cybertron sucks for all he knew. Second, Whirl started that fight, after he dropped his holo-form and locked me in his cockpit, so that wasn’t me. And third, that fruit-guy said it was a grape and it looked just like one, how was I supposed to know it wasn’t one? Besides, I was with Velocity and she managed to save me so no harm, no foul.”

“Wow…You’re so cute when you’re irritated. Like a tiny chipmunk whose sole-purpose is to defy Dave in his quest to become the best singing Chipmunk of all.”

“Bite me,” You growled, walking into your wardrobe, looking for winter gear.

“Gladly, just take off that towel and I’m sure I can find a spot,” Swerve replied smoothly, glad he had the chance to be the cool one for once.

Stepping out of the wardrobe momentarily to tease him, you lowered the towel giving him a bit of a show. He wolf-whistled and you had to laugh, before changing into your clothes and attempting to speed dry your hair. Once you were ready, you were happy to find that Swerve had transformed into his alt-mode and was waiting to drive you to the hanger doors where the two of you would hopefully be the first to get off the ship.

In a crowd of disguised Cybertronians, you and Swerve found it easy enough to bypass Ultra Magnus and Megatron who were clearly looking for you. The second the hangar doors opened, the two of you ran outside hand in hand, laughing as fresh snow crunched underfoot.

“You know they’re going to talk your ears off when we get back,” Swerve said.

You shrugged, admiring the view of the icy covered town below, underneath a dark purple sky. “Who cares? Right now, all that matters is that the town is down there, it’s just you and me and… I’m in front.”

Swerve didn’t have a chance to respond as you started running down the hill towards the town, cheating in a race he wasn’t prepared for. His mouth stretched into a wide smile, ‘Joke’s on her, I don’t run out of breath.’

Despite that thought, you put up a good fight, almost beating him to the bottom before some snow gave way underfoot and you fell the rest of the way down.

“(Y/N)!” Swerve called frantically, catching up to you.

Although you were shocked by the fall, it didn’t stop you from laughing as you got up and wiped the snow off your clothes.

“Are you okay?” Swerve asked, grabbing your arms to check if you were alright and breathing a sigh of relief when he was sure you weren’t injured; for something so soft and squishy, humans certainly were resilient.

“I’m fine, but you’re not.”

“What-”

You shoved a handful of snow in his face and continued running.

“Oh, you can run but you can’t hide,” Swerve called, chasing after you.

There was plenty more time for fun and games as the two of you explored the world in the little time you had. Every so often, you would be reminded just how cruel the universe could be when you saw signs that warned against non-organics, but Swerve would quickly shrug it off and draw your attention to something else.

Finally, after exploring icy caverns, tasting new foods that didn’t spark any allergic reactions, watching a few of the locals, delighting in a spot of star-gazing, and generally experiencing things you never could have back on Earth, it was time to head back to the ship. Although Swerve was ready to finally tell you about the mini-bot shell, he opted to wait until he could take you to it so you could ask Perceptor and Brainstorm any questions that he might not be able to answer. There was a countdown on his visual feed that was a reminder of how long he had left in his promise to tell you; it was a relief knowing it would be gone by that night.

You walked hand in hand with Swerve through the cobble-stoned streets of the town, on your way back to the Lost Light.

“I just don’t get it,” Swerve grumbled. “How did you find that comedian funny? He was terrible.”

You thought of the comic who was in some kind of talent show by a sculpture of a frozen fountain. Then in a low voice so nobody would overhear, you said, “It’s an organic thing. Face it sweetie, you just wouldn’t get that kind of humour.”

“Fine. You just wait till we get back to our room, I’m going to find you some of Cyber- Uh, my home’s comedians,” He corrected as you crossed paths with another family. “Then we’ll see if you get my kind’s humour.”

You chuckled at his stubbornness, stopping when the two of you came to a short bridge that had three men on it. Two were human, the other was some kind of rock-like humanoid. Swerve tried to lead you on but you held onto his hand tightly, tugging him back. You knew what drunks looked like when you saw them, and the trio in front of you were clearly intoxicated.

“We should find another way back,” You whispered, unsettled.

“(Y/N), this is the fastest way back, trust me,” Swerve said, confident that after owning his own bar, he could navigate his way through a few overcharged organics.

Although you were still uneasy, you placed your trust in your husband and let him guide you towards the bridge. Upon seeing the two of you, the humans jeered. A sound like rocks being ground together let you know the other organic was doing the same.

“Oy, oy, lookee what we have here. Ain’t this a charmin’ pair?” A red headed man, with an almost blue tinted face from the cold chuckled.

“Alright gents,” Swerve grinned confidently. “Mind if we pass? Our ship’s leaving soon.”

“Oooh, is it now? You hear that Darren? Their ship’s leaving soon.”

Darren, the other human, an unremarkable man with a pock-marked face stepped forward, “I did hear. I also heard when he called us gents. I’m not a gent, are you a gent Al?”

“I don’t think I am. Nor is our mate here. He ain’t got the stones to be a gent.”

All three of them laughed at the awful pun, apparently finding it hilarious in their inebriated state. You felt your heart start beating faster, and once again you tried to pull Swerve away. This time he complied, realising his mistake in approaching the group.

“Nah!” Al called. “Don’t go, we was only having a laugh. Right lads?”

“Swerve!” You cried as the rock man grabbed Swerve and pulled him back for Al and Darren to mock.

“Listen guys, we’re all people here,” Swerve started to babble in his overly-friendly way. “We don’t have to fight and- oof-”

Darren punched Swerve’s stomach and Swerve doubled over in pain that he wouldn’t have felt outside of his holo-form, falling to the floor when the rock man dropped him.

“GET AWAY FROM HIM,” You screamed, running in front of Swerve.

“(Y/N), no,” Swerve groaned, trying to stand up.

“Aw look, he’s fond of his lass,” Darren laughed.

“Aye,” Al sneered, “I’m fond of her too. Tell you what, we’ll just take her and leave, yeah? Then you won’t miss your ship, will you, Swerve? Stupid fuckin’ name.”

The rock man reached past his human companions to lift you up over his shoulder, and you screamed in outrage, punching, kicking, hissing, doing anything possible to free yourself. Upon seeing you in danger, defending him of all things, Swerve snarled. Disobeying all the rules, he freed himself of his holo-form and mass displacement.

“THAT’S MY WIFE!” He roared in all his robotic glory, slapping Darren and Al to the floor.

The rock man, apparently panicked by the sight of a non-organic, dropped you and fled back into the town.

“(Y/N)!” Swerve rushed to your side and held you close, checking you for injuries. “Are you alright?”

While Swerve fussed over you, Al pushed himself up to stare in mute disgust at the scene of pure love before him. An organic and a non-organic married? It was an abomination that made him glad he hadn’t had his way with you.

‘Spoilt goods,’ He thought cringing as you and Swerve walked away from the fight, if it could be called that.

Abhorred and repulsed by you, Al decided to make the universe a better place. “Fuckin’ robo-whore,” He whispered, reaching into his belt for his pistol.

Just one headshot and it would all be over. Drunk as he was however, Al would not have made a headshot in a million years.

“You were right,” Swerve said, shaking his head and holding you close. “We should have never crossed that bridge.”

You didn’t say anything but you did gasp and lurch forwards as a bang erupted from behind you. Everything after that seemed to happen in slow motion. Swerve screaming. You looked down to your jacket, finding that it had changed from white to red. You tried to speak but couldn’t. Darkness kept clouding your vision. You were on the snow. Light again and you were in Swerve’s alt-mode. Darkness. You opened your eyes to find Ratchet and Velocity hovering over you.

You could hear Swerve shouting something, though you couldn’t see him.

“-NEW BODY- PERCEPTOR & BRAINSTORM- SINCE THE WEDDING-”

The next time darkness overtook you, you didn’t wake up for a long time, and as Ratchet and Velocity hung over you, they wondered if you ever would again.

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[nclkafilms]

At the bottom of the bottle of fame

(Review of ‘A Star Is Born’)

Fame has always been an interesting and often explored topic in films. However, it seems perhaps more relevant than ever in today’s society where fame comes and goes as quickly as the click of a mouse on a like or subscribe button. While A Star Is Born explores a deeper sensation of fame than that of modern day “YouTube fame”, it tells a touching story of the evanescence and fragility of fame and the celebrity life that seems more desired than ever before. But it truly wins when it focuses on the personal consequences of this in a relationship. This story combined with a proper mix of seriously unique selling points (Cooper’s directorial/singing debut and Gaga’s first major film role) has perhaps made A Star Is Born one of the most hyped films of late 2018. Does it live up to the hype of being one of the year’s best films? No. Is it still one hell of an entertaining film experience? Absolutely!

The story starts with country singer Jackson Maine (Cooper) delivering yet another succesful concert with a packed audience giving him their full attention, appreciation and admiration. While this picture perfect portrayal of Jackson only lasts for this single scene, his touring life still stands in huge contrast to that of waitress Ally (Gaga), who struggles with her boss and an early revealed, suppressed musicality and ability to tell stories. As so often before in films dealing with fame, two people meet by coincidence and the seeds for an artistic and romantic relationship are sowed with all the possible advantages and flipsides quickly emerging one after the other…

In his role as director, Cooper constantly balances on a knive’s edge between his story being stale and “old news” and it being refreshing and unique. Thankfully, he never loses focus and control of the film’s tight-rope walking. One of the main reasons is an absolute stellar cast, who performs the story with an authenticity, sincerity and emotion that brings the film’s message home and then some. In the centre of it all is Cooper himself as the alcoholic, inconstant Jackson Maine and Lady Gaga as the resilient, slightly naive and heartfelt Ally. They both deliver powerhouse performances that have earned them well-deserved praise and recognition during the awards season. Additionally, a very strict and effective editing along with one of recent years best film soundtracks help A Star Is Born becoming a great film experience. 

As Jackson Maine, Cooper delivers a hard-hitting turn as a drunk, unbalanced and, yet, caring man who battles deep, personal demons. You can feel Cooper’s personal experience with abuse and the desperation and/or gloom that follows in the shadows of every decision you make when facing such struggles. You believe the character and you cheer for every ascent and gasps in despair and hopelessness at every down trip. You feel his love for his music and perhaps more than anything for Ally, and yet you are left with the same frustration as everyone around Jackson feels when the abuse gets the upper hand time after time. Perhaps the most well-rounded of Cooper’s four Oscar nominated performances to date (following Silver Linings Playbook, American Hustle and American Sniper); certainly the most emotional and personal.

Opposite of Hollywood usual, Cooper, Lady Gaga forces her way to the very top with a resounding power and sincerity that is not only persuasive but simply jaw-dropping. It is clear to see that she has become Ally in the process of making this film; in many scenes it simply feels too personal and too natural to be acting. An impressive feat from the almost silverscreen debutant. Her singing is, of course, top class but her acting is actually what really shines here - especially through an almost out-of-this-world chemistry with Cooper. Their relationship feels so authentic and you really feel that the stakes are high as you witness the ups and downs of their shared story. Their chemistry is easily one of the film’s strongest assets.

Finally, the supporting cast is filled with equally convincing performances with the quartet of Sam Elliot, Dave Chapelle, Anthony Ramos and Andrew Dice Clay standing out from the rest. That Sam Elliot has received an Oscar nod for his turn as Jackson’s brother might be a bit surprising considering the size of his part (and some of the snubs in the category), but he brings a vulnerability to Jackson’s character that wouldn’t have been there without Elliot’s experienced performance. A scene featuring Elliot’s Bobby and Gaga’s Ally towards the end of the film is particularly strong and delicately acted out. Chapelle is likeable as Jackson’s friend, Ramos is a perfect cast for Ally’s colleague and Dice Clay is perhaps one of the film’s true home runs as Ally’s father who faces a constant battle between his longing for fame and his unconditional love for his daughter.

Where the film shines in the acting department, I feel it lacks quite a bit in the writing. The story is recognisable and as such quite predictable; the acting deserves praise again for making the stakes higher than the writing makes them. I like the idea of skipping a lot of time to show the rapidly changing celebrity life, where the distance from the very top of the mountain to the bottom can seem shockingly short; a notion that both Gaga and Cooper clearly have experienced themselves in real life. However, I feel like some calculations are lost in the story that would have been interesting to explore. While the story does go further in exploring the devastating aspects of its characters’ choices than for instance Bohemian Rhapsody, I still feel that some of their obstacles could have been given more focus in the script to make the stakes even higher and the conclusions even more emotional. I feel like this is what is missing to make storyline truly soar.

Where the script misses out on giving the characters a full-blown story to tell, the songs (which for the most of them are personal playlist material) take over - to some extent. They work almost like songs in an actual musical with the lyrics  often commenting directly on what has just come before it. Something that I (for obvious reasons) did not realise until seeing the film, making the songs even greater of course! The songs are delivered with expected top quality from Gaga and surprisingly high quality from Cooper whose voice is lovely and a perfect fit for his character. Once again their chemistry is what makes the songs soar higher than the story itself. “The Shallow” is the mega hit that is one everyone’s lips and has scored one award after another. While being a great song, I feel like this is the “City of Stars” (La La Land’s big hit taking focus from the arguably stronger song, “Audition”) of this film in the sense that it takes all the credit without being the best song. To me, the standout songs here are “Always Remember Us This Way” which plays at a crucial time in the film and the film’s final, heart-wrenching song “I’ll Never Love Again” (the one deserving the awards, in my opinion) gracefully performed by Lady Gaga pouring her heart and soul into the song.

With A Star Is Born, Bradley Cooper has delivered a flawed but still truly great first film, which follows in the slipstream of fame centred love stories in recent years (Broken Circle Breakdown, La La Land and Bohemian Rhapsody). However, it works best when it is focusing on the personal relationship between Jackson and Ally and the way their relationship is influenced by mainly his decisions and actions. Here the film delivers some equally endearing and heartbreaking scenes. Its story of the rapidly growing and fading nature of modern day fame is less convincing without ever being bad or mediocre for that matter. Cooper has given a fresh take on a classic love story arch and to redefine that story is impressive in itself and well worth a viewing.

4/5

[savage-rhi]

For the WIPs, how about Everything, Zen 😘

@seradyn AHHH BIG THANK!!! 💙 I don't have a whole lot done on this one cause I'm still plotting out things, but I do have a little snippet and a summary!

Edit: also adding the song that inspired the story, title and characters

Summary: It is said in the holy book that when Lucifer fell from heaven, he was plunged into the depths of hell and awaits the apocalypse. What if hell wasn't a firey pit of despair, but in fact, living as a human being for all of eternity?

Zen--the most recent reincarnation of Lucifer--after several lifetimes has finally pieced together a way he can break free from the reincarnation cycle. With the aid of Sawyer--a woman with her own troubles and tribulations--Zen seeks the legendary 10 crowns or "horns" of The Beast to return to heaven.

"So," Sawyer let out a sigh. "When this little road trip of ours comes to an end and you go home. What happens next?"

Zen raised a brow and shrugged. If he were more honest with himself, he hadn't thought that much ahead of the game. Not that he'd admit it out loud.

"I suppose I try and break bread with my father," Zen scoffed. He then smirked as another amusing thought came to mind. "Maybe sing kumbaya with Michael while I'm at it. Hell, maybe pops would like a souvenir from--"

He paused and frowned, looking at the inside of the diner trying in vain to find something that popped out. "Bumfuck Montana, or wherever we are right now."

"Bumfuck Montana," Sawyer repeated. She sounded so unimpressed that Zen could feel his pride take a few steps back. "That's original."

"Oh yeah?" Zen smirked. "You think you can do better?"

"I probably could," Sawyer admitted with a grin. "But I don't need Satan on my ass for the next decade or however long I got left."

"Eh," Zen's eyes scanned over Sawyer in a scrutinizing manner. "You don't have much going on there, ass wise. I wouldn't fret."

"Asshole," Sawyer growled under her breath.

"You walked into that I'm afraid." Zen snorted.

Although Sawyer smiled and laughed off his counter, Zen could sense a little more of herself closing off to him. The way her shoulders firmed and the subtle twitch of her fingers against the coffee mug had him uneasy. His therapist from the late 1800s stated such unease from physical tics was due to abandonment issues. He remembered laughing himself to death over that, but admitted perhaps they had been onto something. He hated it when someone pulled away. It demonstrated a dishonesty that infuriated him to the core.

Zen felt eager to verbally rip Sawyer apart, but reminded himself of how fragile her current state of mind was. He gave credit where it was due. She was certainly a phenomenal actor, pretending nothing got under her skin. That was a quality he had come to admire about humans over the centuries. How their resilience was impeccable. He couldn't say the same for himself as he ruminated on his earlier feelings of disgust.

What happened at the truck stop bothered him a great deal, and he wasn't the one who had been assaulted. He may had "saved the day", but the damage had been done. It was clear in Sawyers eyes and the way she had carried herself since then.

"Do you want to talk about what happened?" Zen murmured.

"Not really," Sawyer replied. Her eyes scanned over the diner, reminding Zen of a meerkat scouting the plains for hyena. "It's not the first time something like that has happened to me. I'll get over it."

He felt the hairs on his neck stand, and blinked a few times as his mind pondered more than it should've on Sawyer's remark.

"You're not alone in your misery. If it's any consolation."

Sawyer's eyes landed on him, sensing a familiarity in his cadence. It took her but a few moments to register the weight. "You too?"

Zen nodded. He sunk further into his seat as he relaxed and stretched. "You seem surprised."

"I didn't think...since you're, you know who, that you'd know what that's like--"

"I've lived many lifetimes. I'm not a stranger to bodily harm of the highest. Be it male or female." He interrupted, offering a small grin to soften the blow of his confession for her sake. Zen felt something akin to shame shortly after, and dismissively waved his right hand. Trying to tell Sawyer without words not to think too hard on anything. He focused on the birds in the parking lot outside the window. Watching them peck at stale leftover french fries someone had tossed.

"I'm sorry," Sawyer softly replied. He didn't have to see her face to tell she felt foolish for whatever assumptions she had held of him.

"It's whatever," Zen shrugged with a grin. He realized how odd that must've looked considering the circumstances, but didn't linger upon it.

Once the birds took off, having their fill, did he look at Sawyer again. He bit the inside of his cheek.

"You don't me owe me your past or anything you've been through, but I do want you to know that so long as we travel together, that won't happen again."

"How can you be certain?"

"I'm not," Zen admitted. "But contrary to popular belief, I keep my word if you'll have it."

[rawsmackdownnxtdivas]

Meet Sarah Schreiber, the newest member of NXT’s broadcast team Armed with a microphone and an incredible zest for life, Sarah Schreiber is gaining some notoriety among NXT viewers as the newest addition to the brand’s broadcast team. It seems only fitting that Schreiber, whose life has been synonymous with entertainment projects, would make her foray into the world of sports-entertainment. This week, WWE.com talks with Schreiber to discuss her past, her present and the excitement surrounding her WWE future. WWE.COM: You’ve been with NXT for nearly five months now. Tell us what it was like making your debut during WrestleMania weekend. SARAH SCHREIBER: It was an incredible time to start. Such a thrilling opportunity and to begin on the biggest weekend of the year was beyond exciting. Sitting in the crowd of over 78,000 fans at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome, watching The Undertaker’s entrance, texting my brother the entire time, it was something out of a dream. WWE.COM: What made you want to pursue the opportunity to join the WWE/NXT umbrella? SCHREIBER: Coming from a theater background, it reminded me so much of why I love live performances. The thrill of being in front of the crowd, the adrenaline and excitement of the show. I also grew up watching WWE with my older brother Mark. I would be the only girl watching the pay-per-view events, and I was so captured by it. WWE.COM: What were you doing before you entered the world of sports-entertainment? SCHREIBER: I graduated from the University of Miami — go, Canes! — with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in musical theater. I lived in New York City and Los Angeles performing in theater, TV and film. Most recently, I have been guest-hosting at HSN, talking all the latest trends in jewelry and shoes at all times of the day… literally. Also, I just shot an ABC pilot produced by Eva Longoria, “NCIS: New Orleans” as well as “Bloodline.” WWE.COM: What have been some of your favorite acting experiences? SCHREIBER: I had the incredible opportunity to perform my own stunts opposite Bruce Willis at the Warner Bros. lot. It was a commercial directed by the very talented Joseph Kahn. They built a three-story building to throw me off and Bruce would save me. Another would be performing on “Late Show with David Letterman.” I received the phone call the morning of to get to the Ed Sullivan Theater because I was going to be on Letterman that night. I remember it was pouring out; I had left my makeup at an audition the day before. But I got there, was given the script, and next thing I knew I was shooting live opposite David Letterman. It’s moments like those that I’ve had to pinch myself. I have literally woken up the next day thinking, did that just really happen? WWE.COM: You’ve certainly had a multitude of opportunities in the entertainment world. I understand you started dancing, singing and acting when you were a little girl? SCHREIBER: Yes. I grew up right outside of New York City in Nutley, N.J., so my mother and father began bringing me into the city at an early age for singing/dancing classes as well as commercial and film auditions. The entertainment business definitely got me at a very early age. I can remember being at a Hershey Kiss commercial, and the couch had to be removed before my casting because the girl before me had an accident. Sooo, that early! I sang at some of the biggest stages before my 16th birthday: Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and even touring in Europe. I missed my prom because I was performing in a show. What I learned growing up like this is when you find something you love, you pursue it with all your heart. It takes discipline, hard work, passion and resilience. I see all those attributes in everyone I work with at WWE. WWE.COM: What was your family life like as you were growing up? SCHREIBER: I am so beyond thankful for my family. My father is a retired Secaucus police officer and my mother just retired as a teacher. Congrats, Mom! They were very hardworking, caring, supportive and loving. My parents always encouraged me to do everything. I played soccer (my dad would tell you all about the time I was MVP and Defensive Player of Year in the same season), and I rowed crew. I played the flute, sang in choir, did stage productions, as well as produced radio shows in my basement with my best friend Heather. My parents put me in absolutely everything. I wanted to cheer, but my father said he wanted me to be playing the sport rather than cheering on the sidelines. I’ve adopted that mentality in every part of my life ever since. WWE.COM: How do you feel all these prior experiences ultimately prepared you for your WWE career? SCHREIBER: In all the work I’ve done, it’s about communicating and connecting with the audience, and the WWE Universe is the best in the world. They are part of the show. We wouldn’t be anywhere without them. It’s about putting on a great show and having an unbelievable time while doing it. WWE.COM: What have been the coolest and perhaps most embarrassing moments you’ve had with NXT thus far? SCHREIBER: My first week in the office at the WWE Performance Center, sitting across the desk from Shawn Michaels. I was included in a coaches’ meeting representing the announce team. Everyone went around the table and spoke about the current roster. Then it came to me. I was surrounded by Matt Bloom, Sara Amato, Terry Taylor, Norman Smiley and Steve Corino, to name a few. I was so flattered to even think that they would want to hear my opinion. But I also was incredibly grateful. To see these inspiring coaches who all have worked so hard to pursue their passion and have been so influential in sports-entertainment. Well, all I said was thank you, and I got a little emotional. Yes, my eyes may have welled up a bit. It was just such a big moment for my career. I would say it was probably the coolest and most embarrassing. I responded with, “I am a tough Jersey girl, I swear!” Also, the time I tripped heading into the ring and got up singing. But let’s be honest, I’m certain that will happen again. WWE.COM: What drives you to succeed here and in life? SCHREIBER: It is such a prominent and significant international company. WWE is a family-owned business that has been successful for over 60 years. What the McMahons have created is just remarkable. Everyone is in it together to create a fantastic product. There is a lot of pride in the work ethic and camaraderie. You give handshakes to everyone you meet, dress nice to all the events. I just admire how things are done here. When I see Triple H at every NXT TV taping, by the ring and providing notes, that is what drives me to succeed here. The people that I work with care so much. I’m very grateful for this awesome opportunity. Do what you love with people you admire for an outstanding company with the best fans and it never feels like work. (Credit: WWE.com)

[dustedmagazine]

Irma Thomas — Full Time Woman: The Lost Cotillion Album (Real Gone)

Irma Thomas is one of the undisputed great voices in soul music. Her 1964 gospel-choir aided version of “Time Is on My Side” beat the Stones’ take by several miles. The single “Wish Someone Would Care,” from the same year, was a broken-hearted classic. It’s as resilient and enduring as you’d expect a song to be when it was sung by a woman who had already had four children at 19, the age when she recorded her first single, “Don’t Mess with My Man.” But Thomas never had the commercial success her talent demanded, and by the early 1970s, she was a decade past her best chart hits. 

The 15 songs she recorded in 1971 and 1972 for Atlantic Records were meant to be a comeback album that would place her on a lucrative career track akin to Diana Ross. Recorded in four different studios with multiple producers, the songs try to shoehorn Thomas’ giant voice and outsized personality into various boxes, with mixed results.  Only two of the tracks were ever released. As a single, the title “Full-Time Woman,” was backed with “She’s Taken My Part.” It didn’t chart. 

Thomas herself never liked this material. In an interview with NOLA.com, she admitted, “I was praying that those songs would never come out," she says. "I didn't think it was my best work. I had totally wiped that out of my mind -- that's how bad I felt about those recording sessions." She was particularly dismissive of the tracks produced by Joe Hinton and Arif Mardin, in Miami, saying that they were so intent on making her sound like Diana Ross that they made her sing in keys too high for her. Many of the cuts are lavishly produced with big sweeps of stringed instruments, lines of horns and spoken word samples that bury the elemental power of Thomas’ voice (“Shadow of the Sun” is probably the worst offender in this regard). And yet, there’s a lot to admire her in these originals and covers, and several times when Thomas overcomes the constraints placed on her to sound like the queen she is. 

The best material comes early on. “Full Time Woman” was part of the first batch, recorded with Wardell Quezergue who, like Thomas, was a fixture in the New Orleans scene. (He is sometimes known as the Creole Beethoven, responsible for career-altering tracks for Smokey Robinson, Jean Knight, King Floyd and Dorothy Moore.) Moreover, unlike some of the other producers, Quezergue was familiar with Thomas and her voice, and while his tracks layer lush, dramatic string parts and swelling background vocals under her vocal line, they never overwhelm her. Thomas is fluid and assured in the title track, the sand in her tone underlining the emotion in the song, not indicating vocal distress. “She’s Taken My Part” is satisfyingly funky, with bright blasts of syncopated horns and bumping bass. Thomas slips a bit of growl into her delivery here, showing a tough, capable swagger that’ll remind you of peak Aretha. 

There are quite a few covers here, the best of them Thomas’ take on the Bobbie Gentry song “Fancy.” The song is a classic, an unsentimental tale of a woman making the best of an unbelievably bleak situation (her mother pushes her into prostitution, but she ends up a wealthy kept woman), and it fits well with Thomas’ aesthetic of dogged overcoming. The song also fits her voice well, its talk-sung verse capped by triumphant gospel wails, showcasing Thomas’ confessional authenticity as well as her ability to get every possible ounce out of a note. 

Some of the songs put too much crap in the way for you to hear Thomas singing. Others skirt perilously close to a Ross impersonation (“Turn Around and Love You”). But talented women taking orders from mediocre men is an old story in music and everywhere else, and Thomas is too good to wholly disappear. Full Time Woman may not be her best album—and it’s certainly not her favorite—but it’s got some gold in it. Dig around and find out. 

Jennifer Kelly

[bentenharuki]

Haikyuu Chapter 300 - the unexpected roll

So... in the end I had picked up to color so many panels from this chapter to do a roll was the only thing to do, as a collage wouldn’t have been enough to store all images.

My feelings towards the general flow of this match vs Nekoma hasn’t changed in the slightest tho.

It’s the most predictable game ever and it cannot end in any other way than with a win from Karasuno over a disjointed Nekoma, giving Kenma a reason and the emotion to fight from there onwards in a more passionate way (of course Furudate will reach all of it with some special and absolutely not realistic superpowers from Boku No Hero Karasuno... the main reason I am gonna hate this game for...)

But let’s taste some greatness before all goes downhill (and it will):

I loved already last time to catch Eikichi witnessing our overpowered Volley Lord *.*, so to see him again makes me happy.

He had been so nice to the Lord and his “little” social bluntness at the beloved National training Camp that I would love to say “ehi, man, SURE the Lord remembers you and your details!”... but it’s almost assured he doesn’t.

Lord Almighty of Volley only remembers the worthy players’ names. In fact at that camp he knew already the worthiest ones’ names before even meeting them (READ: SAKUSA... his fated partner forever. He reckoned him even before stepping into the gym... awwwwww! It’s DESTINY!).

But good job, Chigaya. You were still a first year among the crop of the National Youth Camp, so you’re talented enough maybe to have the Lord remember your name after you trained five days along him.

Let’s be hopeful ;)

Now, everybody, look at that perfect upper body and the wide shoulders of the Lord as he impacts the ball ^.^

So beautiful and THICK.

Gorgeous...

The little trick our immense Lord is attempting to pull off needs some registering yet...

And by the way, the man who inspired Lord Kags’ attempts here had some trouble in registering his own serve too, some months prior.

Did any ever doubt Kageyama could have NOT tried something Oikawa had done, after witnessing it?

You dream.

The Lord has one senpai to look up to, and it’s definitely not Sugawara, whose ability stands next to Kageyama as a grain of sand compared to Mount Everest.

Not that Oikawa can be either a match to the Lord, but at least Oikawa is DEFINITELY someone the Lord feels pushed and stimulated by, because he has enough talent on his own to constitute a worthy adversary for him (or a worthy model, which works better).

Look, this was chapter 144...

Guaranteed, Kageyama will serve Kai his demise, with his own SPINNING version of the former Oikawa’s bomb serve, just let him have a lil bit of time (this before Furudate will kill volley and probably make the Lord injured, just to give the abhorrent Orange Midget some miraculous spotlight).

Look how the Lord is replaying the action in his magnificent volley vision to adjust for next serves rounds...

He’s truly the prodigy of volley.

And sports prodigies, who do exist in real life of course, are my esthetic always, in the normal world, and in 2D world as well.

I wrote what I had to in the panels already... let me just say I can’t resist to the Akane + Alisa’s combo.

Considering beside Saeko, who’s super badass, the only female figures we used to have presented in Haikyuu are the extremely beautiful, but extremely boring and narcoleptic Kiyoko, and the utter failure of a human being Yachi (so unimpressive and basic I feel offended as a female to have her as a guest protagonist in a manga about my fav sport...), to have a lil kid so fired up and knowledgeable as Akane, and someone as beautiful, cheerful and curious as Alisa feels like the most needed breath of fresh air in  the female ranks of this project.

I expect Furudate to ruin them soon.

It can’t be helped... Furudate has a knack for ruining things I love, so he will also with Akane and Alisa for sure.

Look my baby Tanaka being all up to the fight like the mofo and wonderful guy he is!!!!!

Here you have a proud Tanaka supporter since the very start so any time he does these things I squeal. But of course... well... nobody is a match for THE ONE & ONLY.

Look how the Lord shows once more to the world what to be a prodigy means.

sigh... he excites me properly.

No kidding.

I colored the panels on a swimming pool border as I was tanning and my friends around me where asking me why I was sighing as I was holding the Apple pencil.

My bae’s just told them “She’s getting excited because she’s coloring Tobio Kageyama. My life is hard sometimes...”

*.* Sorry babe. I know. I can’t help it... but you be good and you will have your reward later ;)

Here I couldn’t erase the midget’s face so I... operated a lil change to his ugly mug. That still count as an improvement of his regular face.

Back to the panel, the excitement kitten Kenma shows up there IS FOR BOKU NO HERO KARASUNO.

All of this game which sets Kenma in overdrive ONLY has to do with the Annoying Orange.

Also the final panel... Kenma has only ONE target this game. Defeat Hinata like he is some videogame boss. The rest of Karasuno is just a side trouble for him.

(THIS pitiful plot is the reason for I will happily ditch Haikyuu as soon as the horrifying midget gets a spot only a fairy tale for brainless simpletons could pass for a good storyline in volley. I am sorry, but I won’t stomach that fictional midget no more than it’s strictly necessary, and the story of his Kenma’s molding most definitely is out of my spectrum of enjoyable reading).

Bonus: Yaku being so good.

Yaku is really good. I mean, he’s not darling Komori Motoya, but he is REALLY good.

Can I have a lil Nekomata on my shelf? You know for me Ukai is a treasure, but although he wants a type of game play which is not really my taste, Nekomata sensei’s love for the game is intoxicating to me. He’s so fair and so into volley... I cannot have but ENDLESS LOVE for him.

I also like the mood of open appreciation the two teams have for one another.

After all, they are playing one against the other since a year.

And now, see how the awkward, lovely Lord tries to be communicative with his teammates.

I always laugh at his attempts. He’s gotten better, but he still hilarious when he tries to convey his vision to others (actually, I long to see how he will do the same with the only one who can push his buttons exactly when he tries that communicative mode, and that’s my Tsukki... with Tanaka is easy, Lord... Tanaka is willing to cooperate but Tsukki... Tsukki will try to resist ;)).

Grade: C for the effort, Lord.

Well.

It’s canon.

Nobody is at Kageyama’s level, nor anybody can hope to get there (though we don’t know about Sakusa’s stats yet. So I hope HE CAN, to create the most perfect future combo ever...), but it always makes me shiver when the whole universe just acknowledges the fact.

From the Universe, of course one gotta part the only scrub who cannot figure in it.

I mean, I erased his repulsive face because he makes me puke, but it’s just as canon as the fact Kageyama is (by far) the BEST the way some fictional scrub midget will do his worst to have baseless hopes he could one day become nearly as good as the Volley Prodigy Lord.

I mean... sure Furudate can make the Orange Curse develop even more his not possible superpowers, but the fact is in REAL life, somebody like Hinata simply cannot exist on a volley court.

But be hopeful, Orange Scrub: certainly to praise your brainless army of simpletons supporters, Furudate will upgrade you in a minute with some skill real players (with talent, a thing you have not) use years to perfect and master.

Gosh.

How this makes my stomach convulse...

So, before Furudate taints this game with some Hinata upgrade and he makes the Lord have some “disgrace”, let’s keep enjoy for a while more a game sanitized from the Scrub... (whom I erased happily once more, but anyway he was useless in all these actions anyway so...)

Yaku and Kuroo’s resilience is amazing.

It happens sometimes in games to meet THAT kind of team, the one like Nekoma. So solid in their defensive stances you really get frustrated and agitated.

I am more for attacking than defending, but it’s a golden rule in volley there’s no game if you can’t defend well first.

And then Nekoma has Kenma... so it’s not like they only defend (more on this later).

Why didn’t you close the panel with the Lord’s FULL and perfect face, Furudate?

His perfect eyes... 

sigh.

You will pay for your sins, Furudate.

Even though you have done this well overdue panel where everyone just states the mere truth, singing the Lord’s choruses of praise, like it’s normal and logic it happens. 

Bonus: Daichi helping Kuroo getting up :) :) :)

Awww. They are so cute *.*

I REALLY like the face Kuroo has while he sings Lord Kageyama’s praise.

That is the face of a human acknowledging the miracles of Nature.

And prodigies ARE a Nature’s gift to humanity after all, whatever kind their talents are.

Also, I love how Nekomata says the other truth: when you witness talents, you should not be getting scared, or envious (like the scrub midget), or disheartened. 

You should be grateful and excited to confront yourself with that talent, because that’s the way you will progress.

That’s the way you will get pushed, inspired, confirmed in your sport love path.

Instead we have a “fandom” all keen at trashing and diminishing the purest source of volley in the manga, just because, like the “protagonist” they blindly feel connected to, they can’t get the blessing of talent, nor appreciate and celebrate its existence.

Well... Kuroo CAN.

With that beautiful face he makes here.

The clarity of admiration in his eyes... it’s exactly my same one, when Kageyama does volley THAT good.

Now it’s not like Lord Kags is the only talented setter on court though.

Of course, he is THE MOST TALENTED character in the manga BUT (what I used to love Haikyuu very much for, before the way Hinata became started to disgust me), he is not the only talented setter at all.

There are MANY other talents there, and SURE, kitten Kenma is one of the most interesting ones.

I DEARLY love Kenma.

I wrote about this already here:

https://bentenharuki.tumblr.com/post/171958285486/this-is-a-kenma-kozume-appreciation-post-see-i

And if I wouldn’t know once he gets involved, it means Hinata will come erasing all fun and believability in this game for me, I’d surely like to see what this image forecasts for the future...

But as I said, this game has to show the Orange Curse winning over Kenma so that Kenma gains a willpower and a fight insistence he currently lacks.

So there’s no way what lays ahead for this game is going to be appreciated by me, despite the amazing mind Kozume has which is for sure a source of great plays in nuce ahead.

Too bad Hinata exists, because I would have liked to follow the dynamic of the Lord facing the Mastermind Kitty, and see which ways a further confrontation with Kenma will increase Kageyama’s volley spectrum (he has already learnt from him the eye feint, after all).

But if I have to stand Hinata along this process...

NOPE.

Thank you.

I’d look from VERY afar at everything which is gonna happen, but no way I will come to stand more of the Orange Midget Scrub.

I am allergic to fictional mediocrity for mediocre readers, and I won’t let this space of mine being poisoned with Furudate’s foolishness aver Hinata any more.

See ya.

[blamebrampton]

Eurovision 2018 final

And now, 12 hours after the rest of the world, and startlingly unspoiled, I hit the finals! I’ve not been recapping the touristy bits in the ‘postcards’, but if you’re thinking about visiting Lisbon, or Portugal in general, get to it; it’s utterly gorgeous. I’m hoping for somewhere in the top 10 for Jess, and I wouldn’t mind seeing Denmark win. They won’t. It’ll be someone awful, I just know it.

We open with fado music and it is pretty bloody splendid: melodic twanging steel strings and a heart-rending woman’s voice singing a song that is almost certainly of woe but resilience (my Portuguese is terrible). There are no unattractive people in this broadcast, it should be mentioned. Yet another reason to visit!

Another hot fado female vocalist, this time with drummers. She sounds more political, but again, I have no idea. I do know that Portugal is a country that has an amazing tradition of vocalists and narrative music, and I think we are seeing it shown well tonight. I like this a lot better than the usual blather from presenters. Though I like the women, they are admirably quick at moving things along.

And now some local DJs. Look, it was never going to stay glorious. Flags go past. There are many. We are welcomed to the grand final and the crowd goes wild. Hello contestants, I’m thrilled you get a moment in the sun before the horror of the contest descends. They are all smiling and lovely and I hope they all go on to have happy lives. Denmark are actually amusing! Bless their hairy hipster hearts!

You know, I can honestly say that everyone I’ve heard in this final can actually sing and on that basis alone, 2018 is already a good year.

The presenters are back. NCIS is dressed like a Goth prom queen, Blondie is wearing a beaded shower curtain, Saintly is cosplaying a tall Kylie Minogue (I loathe the fact I need to specify Kylies these days) and Little One has come dressed as an entrant from Greece. I actually know all their names now, but they’re longer, so it’s nicknames for me, I’m afraid.

I’m not going to repeat performance notes from the semi finals, but if you’ve missed every other piece of Eurovision commentary, a. Well done! b. What the hell are you doing here? c. I’ll let you know if anything new happens.

Ukraine, Melovin, Under the Ladder. Now I’m not focusing on the madness of the staging, I can mention that he and his backing singers are selling the hell out of this one. I like it a lot better the second time around, and the vocals are tight. It’s still a totally nuts Dracula moment, but if it wins I will not be at all upset.

Spain, Amaia y Alfred, Tu Cancion. Arena full of people holding up their lit phones. Young people singing to each other from opposite sides of the stage. It’s all very sweet. Now they are holding hands. Now they are hugging. Keep it nice, kids, you’ve got two minutes to go. They are lovely, but so wholesome that I feel listening to this song represents 100% of my daily intake of Vitamin C and roughage. Nice climbing crescendos and key change towards the end. Big lights, earnest singing into each other’s faces… this is a song that speaks of carefully studied microphone angles and breath mints. Bless.

Slovenia, Lea Sirk, Hvala, ne! This is the one that stuck with me since I last saw it, but more for the snappiness of the staging and performances than for the song itself. They are enormously charismatic and the choreography is very well put out there. She changes it up tonight and tells them to stop the music and has the audience sing the refrain with her, which I really liked and thought much more successful than the fake cut in the semis, even if the chap in the audience the camera cut to was clearly wondering what the hell was happening and whether he had accidentally eaten the wrong brownies before he headed out tonight. I’m keen on these girls and hope they do well!

Lithuania, Ieva Zasimauskaite, When We’re Old. Sweet whispering song girl is back. She remains sweet and whispery. She and Joanna Newsome would make a lovely duet. Her voice is genuinely delightful, though there is a little more assist in the reverb than she needs: makes it all sound a bit more Jared Leto than is optimal. But I quibble, she is a delight. Her husband comes to join her at the end again and she seems deeply moved. Bodes well for their future.  

Austria, Cesar Sampson, Nobody But You. I resent Cesar’s bad T-shirt more than in the semis, because he is a hot young man and we should be allowed to enjoy him in all his loveliness and that plasticky bit is very distracting. The backing vocals in this track are probably the best in the whole contest, and he has a beautiful voice that I hope to hear more of. In a perfect world, John Legend writes a better version of La La Land in which this chap and his best friend come to LA to pursue their dreams and both succeed without hurting each other. It’s actually a decent song, it just sounds like a lot of other decent songs. But his performance is something very special.

Estonia, Elina Necheyava, La forza. She is lovely, her frock is lovely, her voice is lovely, this song is not going to win. Which is a shame, because I would like to see the ECS back in Tallinn. If they had a European Frock Contest, this would be douze points from everyone.

Norway, Alexander Rybak, That’s How You Write A Song. He is a super chap and I hope he does win Eurovision twice, but if he does it with this song, I will be looking at the countries that vote for it with thinly veiled disdain. This is the sort of song that would have had Paula Abdul dancing with an animated cat in the 1980s. But I will say that it is lovely to have him back so that Nigel Kennedy will finally have to give up any idea that he’s the hot young man with the violin. The crown, which was never really Nigel’s, is clearly Alexander’s.

Portugal, Claudia Pasqoal, O Jardim. Pink hair gets an extra 10 points from me to start with. Sounds like London Grammar, in both tune and delivery, but since I love them, that’s fine. Her frock is a nice wrap-around black number with thigh split. She’s joined on stage by a woman who looks a bit like Kirsten Stewart, and the two of them are in fact much cooler than practically everyone else in the stadium. That was a nice soft song that you would wrap up a big night or start a romance with and I liked it a lot. I want to see it in the top five, but not winning, because it’s too expensive to do this two years in a row!

The presenters make a knowing reference to the queerness of Eurovision and it comes off as an inside joke not an arch piece of commentary, and this is the point at which I accept that I have fallen for their charms and will never be free of this annual horror.

United Kingdom, SuRie, Storm. We’ve done something unusual this year and sent someone good. It won’t help, but it’s a pleasant change. More pink hair, with a sort of Annie Lennox hair and jumpsuit arrangement. I hate to say this, but this song is actually pretty damned good. What the hell? We’re usually awful. The staging is admirably simple and the performance is a cracker, and there is some fuckwit invading the stage to shout something and WELL DONE YOU, YOUNG WOMAN, you held that together amazingly! She is in fact bringing it even more strongly, even though the incident clearly affected her. How amazing is she! ‘Some absolute cockhead’ is the Australian boy commentator’s description of the stage invader and he is 100% on the money.

They skip to the green room with Little One while they deal with the stage invader situation and she is talking to vampire boy from the Ukraine who offers to bite her neck and talks about his personal brand. If he doesn’t have 100,000 followers on Instagram and a YouTube ‘presence’, I will be very surprised.

Back to the show!

Serbia, Sanja Ilic & Balkanika, Nova Deca. This song remains as OTT and epic as in the semis with costumes and wailing mysticism that puts me in mind of nothing so much as one of those epic episodes of Xena that your girlfriends used to trot out in the 90s to talk about when lesbian subtext becomes text. It’s classic Eurovision and if it wins I will be thrilled.

Germany, Michael Schulte, You Let Me Walk Alone. It’s apparently a song to his father, who died when he was young, and it’s got a hell of a dose of the Ed Sheerans, from the hair to the singing style. It’s saved from the annoying side of the Sheerans by the personal message, which comes through strongly. Though it’s a little unfair in the ‘you will never know, because you let me walk this road alone’, unless his father took his own life. Just saying. Exactly the right mix of sentiment and ten-year-old newness that could win, thanks to a very strong performance.

Albania, Eugent Bushpepa, Mall. I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this song in the semis and I am still surprised about it now. It’s everything I would usually mock, including a safe 80s chord sequence and handclapping, but it somehow works superbly and he looks a little nervous, yet has an actually superior classic rock voice, instead of the standard ‘thinks is great, is OK’ frontman. I think the dungaree drummer, who has done both of his straps up tonight, has won me over.

France, Madame Monsieur, Mercy. It’s political! And about refugees. And my French isn’t good enough to follow it entirely, but she is all the children, her name is Mercy and she is fleeing war and is alive and she needs our help. It’s actually a cracker of a tune, and the Jean-Paul Gaultier outfits are the classiest of the evening. Far too attractive for this shindig.

Czech Republic, Mikolas Josef, Lie to Me. I think what troubles me most about this song is that I keep expecting Will Smith to appear. Much as in the semis. They are perfectly good, it is just not my cup of tea. Nice little flip at the end, and the dancing is excellent. Bless em.

Denmark, Rasmussen, Higher Ground. I’m putting this out there: I think I want these guys to win. But it’s entirely based on the fact they are singing about pacifist vikings and I have mentally built them up into a rejection of toxic masculinity in favour of human decency and manliness meaning things like facing your fears and having integrity, which I can get behind. If there is a MeToo/Weinstein moment for any of these chaps, I’m coming after them with an axe. I do like a Wailing Medjeval Epic though.

Australia, Jessica Mauboy, We Got Love. Jess is gorgeous and she loves a crowd, which is good because the crowd loves her. Every lovely thing I said about her in the semis remains true. Alas, it also remains true that this song could be better. But it’s grown on me. We may be powerless to bring down the US government, and its lesser evils the UK and Australian governments, but we’ve got love and regular elections, and New Zealand, and it will be OK in the end. She’s a champion and I hope she makes the top five!

Saintly and Blondie are back mocking social media and rightly so.

Now NCIS is eulogising the first winner of the Eurovision Song Contest, Lys Assia, who died at the age of 94 in March. For five seconds. There’s efficient and there’s cold, ladies.

Finland, Saara Aalto, Monsters. This is the other song I want to win, though I have to confess I wouldn’t mind if the UK won, after SuRie’s amazing turn. But Saara’s voice fills the stadium and sails up and down the scale. Still with the Annie Lennox Bondage Backup Dancers, which makes two tributes to Scotland’s finest Oscar winner in the one show. I’m slightly less convinced by the song the second time round, but the performance is great. Her backwards death dive at the end is a cracker!

Bulgaria, Equinox, Bones. This song remains all about the girl’s Heey-yays for me and nothing has changed. It’s another one that is very good, just not for me. Cup of tea time! Good lighting at the end. T2’s Turkish Apple is definitely the right tea for tonight!

Moldova, DoReDoS, My Lucky Day. Kids, I am all for polyamory, but it should be based on mutual communication, not sneaking about. It turns out well for them, though, and it’s a fun song.

Little One is here with the audience and everyone is Very Drunk. I think she is trying to pick up a tall British girl, and I like her even more.

Sweden, Benjamin Ingrosso, Dance You Off. This is a favourite with the punters but not with me. Soz, Ben.

Hungary, AWS, Viszlát Nyár. It’s the lovely Lordi Lite lads and while I respect his vocal cords for surviving the sustained abuse, I am skipping through this one as it’s getting late here and there are hours of judging to go.

Israel, Netta, Toy. The Aussie commentators have mentioned that she would have broken a stage invader and I think this true. She looks as though she would have enjoyed it, too. I feel you, Netta. The chicken bits are a bit distracting, but she sells the hell out of this and it’s bright and bouncy. Another one I won’t mind winning. Also, more pink hair. I was clearly two years ahead of the curve on that one.

The Netherlands, Waylon, Outlaw in ’Em. Apparently, Waylon is cool with people who don’t really like country. Which is good news. I do like country if it’s Johnny Cash or Dolly Parton, but yeah, on this one we’re just going to have to quietly share a beer and talk about something else, Waylon. You’re a good chap and your band is excellent, so if you win I won’t be upset, even if I still don’t like this song. It’s just my taste rather than there being anything objectively bad about it. Hang on: turns out the band are the dancers. They are going off and taking the piss in epic quantities and I like it quite a bit more after that.

Ireland, Ryan O’Shaugnessey, Together. Apparently China cut the broadcast of this one due to the gay backup dancers and Eurovision cut their contract in response. Well done, Eurovision! This song remains sweet and beautifully performed, with the backup dancers really carrying the whole show. But there’s not a lot to it aside from the lovely staging.

Cyprus, Eleni Fouriera, Fuego. Another one I will not be surprised if it wins. Spectacular combination of song and performance, with fabulous backing dancers/singers (again, the best combo set). If Beyonce came to Eurovision in disguise, this would be her performance, and I am reading the whole thing as a tribute to Queen Bey, which is pretty easy given that practically every aspect of it references her. She is nervous as hell at the end, but the performance was stonkingly good.

Italy, Ermal Meta and Fabrizio Moro, Non me avete fatto niente. Written in response to the bombing in Manchester, this is a strongly serious track from a country that can often be flippant at Eurovision and in the first thirty seconds we see the passionate political engagement that explains the entirety of Italian politics. It’s a strong piece and well performed, including wailing hero notes  towards the end and overlays in the various languages of Europe declaring defiance to terrorism. I think it might be in with a shot.

Presenters have had a costume change. NCIS is Morticia Addams, Blondie is Meryl Streep circa 1988, Saintly is Sophia Loren circa 1968 and Little One has come as a Glomesh handbag. Oh, holy moly, it’s recap time before the votes. We learn that SuRie was invited to perform again and has decided not to. Bless her toughness! I am fast forwarding through this as life is too short.

Blondie’s cleavage is plunging to her belly button and I am just impressed by the amount of double-sided tape holding that outfit together. The interval act is local musicians, who are splendid, but I need to get a few things done while I listen, so you go and download it from the official site. Worth your time!

Another recap, more fast forwarding. Australia’s commentary team are doubling as the royal wedding commentators and I think I might actually catch that on SBS as it would be a bit of a giggle. It’s Australia’s multicultural channel and I love it because it’s full of international films and news, but I have an American friend who refers to it as ‘That channel where your government gives you free soft porn.’ Mate, it’s Swedish film and you just need to expand your horizons!

Blondie is with the audience and she has found some Irish people who are delightful. And now they are doing Portuguese pop culture things that go over my head, and recapping Junior Eurovsion, which is like Senior Eurovision, but with more sedate images and sober contestants. The Junior winner sings a little of last year’s Senior winner, which is apparently a new condition for entry into Lisbon as every man and his dog as been trotting it out. Saintly presenter might be a little drunk, you know.

NCIS and Little One are in the Green Room, introducing Salvador Sobral, last year’s winner, and he’s looking a bit healthier, which is good! Still as fey as ever, but find your schtick and stick with it, I say. Lovely new song, you should download it, too, as I need to put a load of dishes on, so won’t be describing it. Ah, he’s had a heart transplant. Excellent! That is good news!

He’s joined by the legendary Caetano Veloso and they (Caetano for the most part) sing last year’s winning song and it’s quite lovely. Salvador is visibly moved by the whole thing. Where is his sister? Apparently he’s been slagging off some of the other songs and it’s caused an upset, but seriously, Sir Terry Wogan made a career out of that and there are thousands if not millions of us who do it on an amateur basis, so why should he miss out?

Little One has some fans pretending to do some last-minute voting, and she has been the hardest working presenter. I hope that tall British girl she was chatting up earlier has a cold bottle of gin and a big cake for the two of them later tonight, she’s earned it!

Jon Ola Sand says votes are ready to go! Jury votes first.

Ukraine first: 8 The Netherlands, 10 Israel, 12 France.

Azerbaijan, 8 Hungary, 10 Serbia, 12 to Albania.

They are FLYING through this.

Belarus, 8 Norway, 10 Austria, Australia is nowhere at the moment, 12 to Cyprus!

San Marino, 8 Sweden, 10 Germany, 12 to Israel. He’s chattier than the others.

The Netherlands, 8 Sweden, 10 Austria, 12 Germany.

FYR Macedonia, 8 Serbia, 10 Cyprus, 12 ESTONIA! YAY

Malta, 8 France, 10 Italy, 12 Cyprus, which is starting to pull ahead. Australia still nowhere.

Georgia, 8 Austria, 10 Estonia, 12 Sweden, who take the lead. Meh.

Spain 8 Austria, 10, Israel, 12 Cyprus. UK still on 0, which is for once entirely unfair.

Austria, 8 Sweden, 10 Germany, 12 Israel, who pop in front. It’s a big battle tonight!

Denmark, 8 Austria, 10 Australia, THANK YOU! 12 to Germany.

UK, 8 Bulgaria, 10 Israel, She cracks onto Jon Ola and I respect that, 12 Austria. Not a sausage to Oz, you bastards.

Sweden, 8 Australia, 10 Austria, 12 Cyprus.

Latvia, 8 Estonia, 10 France, 12 Sweden.

Albania, 8 Bulgaria, 10 Cyprus, 12 Italy!

Croatia, 8 Moldova, 10 Israel, 12 Lithuania. The UK has 4, which is not enough, but there we go.

Ireland, 8 Germany, 10 Bulgaria, 12 Cyprus. Nothing for Oz. I’m reading this as a protest against Peter Dutton’s appalling treatment of refugees.

Romania, 8 The Netherlands, 10 Spain, 12 Austria.

Czech Republic, 8 Sweden, 10 Ireland (nice!), 12 Israel.

Iceland 8 Israel, 10 Albania, 12 Austria. Denmark is down on 7, alas.

Moldova 8 Bulgaria, 10 Israel, 12 Estonia!

Belgium, 8 Sweden, 10 The Netherlands, 12 Austria, which is terrific given how good his voice is!

Norway, 8 Austria, 10 Sweden, 12 Germany.

France, 8 Germany, 10 Australia, Merci!, 12 Israel. They and Austria are creeping ahead.

Italy, 8 Denmark, 10 Germany, 12 Norway.

Australia, 8 Estonia, 10 Germany, and Ricardo Gonzales’s Aussie Portuguese accent is a cracker. 12 to Sweden and FUCK YOU ALL the Australian jury. This is how we get Turnbull and Dutton.

Estonia, 8 Cyprus, 10 Lithuania, 12 Austria.

Serbia, 8 Italy, 10 Germany, 12 Sweden.

Cyprus, 8 Italy, 10 Moldova, 12 Sweden and you are all clearly drunk. The jury votes are all over the shop.

Armenia, 8 Israel, 10 Moldova, 12 Sweden.

Bulgaria, 8 Czech Republic, 10 Lithuania, 12 Austria.

Greece, 8 Sweden, 10 Moldova, 12 Cyprus. I typed that 30 seconds before she said it. No need for correction.

Hungary, 8 Austria, 10 Albania, 12 Denmark! YAY! The Vikings go off! They are chuffed.

Montenegro, 8 Moldova, 10 Albania, 12 Serbia. Big surprise!

Germany, 8 Ireland, 10 Austria, 12 Sweden because they are all drunk. But Austria is still ahead!

Finland, 8 Sweden, 1o Bulgaria, 12 Israel.

Russia, 8 Israel, 10 Sweden, 12 Moldova; look, they were fun.

Switzerland, 8 Lithuania, 10 Estonia, 12 Germany.

Israel, 8 UK THANKS, 10 Sweden, 12 Austria.

Poland, 8 The Netherlands, 10 Germany, 12 Austria.

Lithuania, 8 Sweden, 10 France, 12 Austria.

Slovenia, 8 Cyprus, 10 Austria, 12 Sweden.

Portugal, 8 Austria, 10 Albania, 12 ESTONIA! Oh, Portugal, you are so delightfully odd. I love you guys.

That’s it for juries, but we have the popular votes to go. Australia currently in 12th, Denmark and UK nowhere, which is cruel on both counts. Austria in first place, which I think is down to a great performance. Sweden second, probs down to the drink. The Israel song is third, which I think will go up with the popular vote.

Jon Ola Sand is back. He says the public votes are exciting. Here we go! They are reading them out from lowest to highest.

9 to Australia. Fuck the lot of you. Unless that’s a protest against Australian refugee policy and black deaths in custody, in which case, fair enough. 18 to Portugal and Spain 21 Sweden YES! Good! Sorry, I mean, Oh well. 23 Slovenia 23 Finland Rude. Should have been more. 25 UK Very rude! Should have been lots more! 32 The Netherlands 58 Albania A joke. The people are morons. 59 France Ripped off. 62 Ireland 65 Hungary 66 Bulgaria 71 Austria NO!!!! WOE!! Sorry, mate. You were triff. 75 Serbia Should have been more. 84 Norway 91 Lithuania 102 Estonia 115 Moldova 119 Ukraine Fair, they deserved some points for that show. 136 Germany Surprised it wasn’t more, he’s rather good. 180 Denmark I’m good with that one. They are stoked. 215 Czech Republic 249 Italy and they are also thrilled. 253 Cyprus I think she is both heartbroken at not winning and thrilled at not bankrupting a Cypriot TV station with the cost. ISRAEL HAS WON! (though I missed how many popular points they got. More than 253)

(This will be a tiny bit awkward if the whole Iran war thing kicks off. Maybe this will be the kick up the bum that Netanyahu needs to pull his head in. I would very much like my friends in Israel to have fewer things to worry about, so not starting wars seems like an excellent idea.)

Netta is thrilled, the ladies are a little drunk, Jessica Mauboy has snuck off to party with the Irish mob and fingers crossed Mr Austria’s phone is already running hot with people who want to put that glorious voice with better songs. But keep the backing singers. They were ace. Netta sings us out and we are DONE for another year. Goodnight, Eurovision. Why can’t I quit you?

[bhandarimarblekishangarh]

Natural Stone

The Origins of Natural Stone

Natural stone can be categorized in three ways: Igneous, Sedimentary, and Metamorphic. Igneous rocks are the result of magma or lava solidifying and cooling, either beneath the earth’s surface or ejected from volcanoes and left to cool above-ground. Sedimentary rocks form through a combination of fragments from other rocks, along with the remains of plants, animals, and other organic materials. These materials accumulate in deserts, oceans, and lakes before they are compressed into their final form by the weight of the earth above them. Metamorphic rocks previously existed as igneous or sedimentary stones and were then transformed due to heat and pressure applied through exposure to magma, the weight of the earth above them when buried deep underground, or a combination of both. Marble is the most famous stone of the metamorphic variety.

Extracting Natural Stone

After nature takes care of the first step in actually forming the stone, the next step of removing and re-purposing the stone for use is done by human hands at stone quarries all over the world. The process of quarrying stone is extensive and requires powerful machinery along with skilled quarry workers. Before the stone can even be touched, there is a long list of actions that need to take place. Firstly, a team of geologists must find stone outcrops at a quarry that can be examined. Next, a sample of the stone is taken by drilling into the rock with diamond-tipped drill bits. The sample is then analyzed to discover if it has the desired characteristics to be used as a building material.

Processing Natural Stone

At the processing facility, the stone blocks are then cut into slabs by high-speed gang saws that also release water while cutting to reduce the emission of dust. Despite the speed at which they operate, the gang saws typically take around two days to finish cutting a 20-ton block of stone. Next, the slabs are sent through a polishing machine to give the desired finish. Polished is the most common finish with honed, leathered and brushed being other options that provide different degrees of texture on the surface of the stone.

Browsing the Gallery

We have some of the largest natural stone showrooms in Canada and so it can be quite overwhelming to know where to start. For this reason, it is recommended that you first make some initial choices when it comes to the kind of material you are looking for.

Making Your Selection

To ensure you make the best decision when it comes to the slabs you want to have installed in your home, you will need to be able to compare them with the colors of your other design elements, such as cabinets and flooring. If you have a sample of those elements with you when you visit, that is ideal. If not, color swatches can also do the trick to hold up to the slabs and ensure the colors either blend together or contrast in a pleasing way.

Enjoying Your Countertops

Once your countertops are installed, there is one more step to take before you can fully enjoy them and that is to seal the stone. A sealer will reduce the likelihood of scratches, stains, and etching and will give you some peace of mind so you can relax and admire your beautiful stone countertops, in addition to putting them to good use. There are a lot of sealers on the market but our recommendation is to do some research and buy a premium sealer to ensure it provides maximum protection.

Advantages of Countertops

Natural Stone Beauty

Doesn’t Stain

Heat-Resistant

Resistant to Cracking

Uses for Granite in Your Home

Granite is one of the oldest and most reliable natural stone options for countertops, floor tiles, fireplace surrounds, and more. Practically everyone has heard of it but few really know the unique characteristics that make it much sought-after building material.

Is Onyx the Right Choice for Your Home?

Onyx is a truly enchanting natural stone with a long and fascinating history. Used throughout the ages for jewelry due to its exceptional properties when carved, this luxury stone is also quarried and sold as slabs for use as countertops, fireplace surrounds, vanities and as a decorative showpiece that makes an impressive design statement. Once one of the most prized stones in a variety of ancient civilizations, Onyx  is now highly sought after for its unique appearance and for the fact that it is one of the few stones that can be backlit due to its translucency.

Onyx Countertops

As a rule, onyx is one of the most brittle and delicate natural stones you can install as a countertop. For this reason, it is recommended that you only use it as a countertop in an area of your home that does not see heavy use. Instead, onyx can shine as a custom bar countertop and is used by a lot of commercial bars as a wow factor to dazzle their patrons. If you are building or renovating a bar in your home, then onyx can be a great choice and creates a fantastic atmosphere that is sure to have your guests singing their praises.

Calacatta Marble

Calacatta is a marble that is also quarried in the city of Carrara but has some distinctive differences from Carrara marble that make it highly sought-after by homeowners. Calacatta is characterized by a clear, white background and thicker, impactful veining that can be grey or gold/brown but is sometimes a combination of some or all of those colors. The veining here tends to be more distinctive than Carrara marble and less linear as well

Choosing the Right Natural Stone Tiles for Your Home

Natural stone tiles are one of the most durable and aesthetically appealing flooring choices. Whether you are thinking of installing them in your bathroom, kitchen, living room or outdoors, stone tiles can provide you with years of enjoyment if you know how to select the right materials. Everyone has different tastes which need to be taken into account and combined with the more practical requirements when making an informed purchase. This article seeks to provide you with the necessary information to choose tiling for your home with confidence.

Marble Tiles

always brings to mind luxury and prestige and if those are elements you wish to invoke in your interior design goals then it may be the stone for you. As a tile option, marble can really tie a room’s design together and is the perfect choice if you want to make your floor one of the main attractions in your home. Marble comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns and is incomparable when it comes to sheer aesthetic appeal and overall value. Although certainly one of the more expensive options, if properly maintained marble will most certainly raise the property value of your home over the long run.

Limestone Tiles

Limestone Tiles are a great choice if you’re looking for something with an understated and natural look that can be installed in or outdoors. The subtle light tones of limestone make it ideal when you don’t want to draw too much attention to your floor and it allows other design elements to shine. There are always exceptions to this rule but for the most part, you should be considering the lighter tonalities in your design process if you are using limestone. Not many materials can give you a better bang for your buck, limestone is one of the cheaper options available for tiles while still being highly functional.

Slate Tiles

Slate is an exceptional stone for floor tiles, having a great deal of slip-resistance and it is considered one of the safest floor tiles and has the resilience to last for decades. Furthermore, it’s unique and varied appearance give it a quaint sort of charm that makes it feel like you’ve placed a piece of nature inside your home. Slate Tiles are also extremely reliable as an outdoor option and can provide a perfect complement to your lawn or garden from a design perspective.

Travertine Tiles

Travertine is a form of Limestone that is created near mineral spring deposits and comes in a variety of earth tone hues. Its name is derived from the Italian word ‘travertino’ and in fact, Italy is renowned for its travertine production with some of the best quality slabs and tiles coming from that region of the world. Although travertine’s color options are somewhat limited, the shades that are available really do represent some of the best of a natural stone look and feel. 

Granite Tiles

Granite makes for the most durable tiles of the bunch so if you are going to be installing tiles in an area of your home that sees heavy use, granite can get the job done. In addition to rock-solid durability, granite tiles are available in a variety of colors and patterns that can complement the other design elements in the room. Granite Tiles are perfect for high-traffic areas in your home such as a foyer, kitchen, or living room. Because of granite’s inherent durability and resistance to wear and tear, your tiles can last for decades with a minimal amount of maintenance.

Carrara Marble

Carrara gets its namesake from the city in Tuscany where it’s quarried and is one of the most frequently used marbles on the planet, with a history dating back to the construction of ancient rome. Carrara marble is characterized by a light grey background dominated by soft and feathery grey veins. The veining on Carrara marble tends to be thin, long and linear, without much empty space on a typical slab. The veins are often not clearly defined and appear to blend into the surface of the stone, instead of standing out.

Calacatta Marble

Calacatta is a marble that is also quarried in the city of Carrara but has some distinctive differences from Carrara marble that make it highly sought-after by homeowners. Calacatta is characterized by a clear, white background and thicker, impactful veining that can be grey or gold/brown but is sometimes a combination of some or all of those colors. The veining here tends to be more distinctive than Carrara marble and less linear as well.

Carrara and Calacatta Marble: What’s the Difference?

Both Carrara and Calacatta are white and grey-based marbles from the same region in Italy, they are distinctly different stones with their own unique character. Which one you choose will depend on your aesthetic preferences and budget but know that either material is a fine choice for a variety of applications. A lot of people are concerned with using marble as a countertop due to the fact that it can etch, stain, and scratch easier than other natural stones such as granite and quartzite. 

Best Practices for Maintaining Your Marble

Let’s begin with some general rules that should be followed to ensure your marble is kept in ideal condition. Firstly, make sure that you apply a high-quality sealer to the surface of the stone to help prevent your marble from absorbing liquids and getting etched. There are many varieties of sealer on the market, make sure to go with an Impregnator Sealer, which absorbs into the stone and fills in microscopic holes to repel water and other liquids from seeping into it. Secondly, marble is particularly susceptible to citrus, tomato sauce, vinegar, and other acidic food substances. For this reason, you should make sure to use coasters, cutting boards, and anything else that makes sense to separate acidic liquids from potentially touching the stone. The same goes for oily materials such as cooking oil and dairy products, which can leave quite a deep stain if left unchecked.