#st salvator's hall

[the-wales-5]

"Crazy for this girl" (Chapter 8)

Rupert was considering two options: attend the party where his girlfriend was or show up to the one organised by his friends without Catherine. He felt that the former would make him look stupid and possessive, and he did not want that, while not attending the other altogether would humiliate him.

Middleton deliberately ignored text messages he sent. Her thoughts, for the first time in weeks, were not occupied with what things she could do to make others happy, and consequently, she was enjoying herself more than ever. At one point, she almost tripped while dancing with one of her friends, but it didn’t make her feel angry or embarrassed as it would if she were around Rupert’s companions instead.

*

William still not felt eniterly alright after his breakup with Carley Massy-Birch but decided to enjoy the evening he organised himself. Though, almost all of the girls outside of his ‘group’ were trying to get his attention. There was one who was way too annoying, and the prince had no idea how to get rid of her anymore, feeling more and more annoyed by each passing minute with that girl in his presence. Catherine saw this situation across the room. She blinked a few times and then slowly approached him, putting her hand around him and then sipping on a drink.

The prince looked at that young woman standing in front of him, saying “Sorry, I have a girlfriend”

“I thought you had just broken up with someone” she scoffed and walked away.

“Thank you” William mouthed and smiled at his friend. Kate chuckled lightly and took a step away from him, feeling shy all of a sudden “Do not thank me” she said and wanted to rejoin Olivia on the dancefloor when William said “If I may, I’d like to thank you for this rescue. Do you want a drink?”

“Oh, no. I mean.. I am already after one and a half, and it’s not going to end well if I get another one” she giggled

“Well, I get it totally. Then, would you like to dance?”

“Aren’t you sick of all women right now?” she asked and laughed, signs of shyness fading.

William slowly extended his hand toward her “You can say ‘no’ of course”.

“I am here after abandoning a strict plan to attend a gathering of future lawyers, and by doing so, I am probably risking my reputation in the eyes of Rupert's circle of friends. Why would I say no?” she laughed and put her hand on top of William's. He hid his smile after noticing blush on her face.

Shortly afterwards, they began to dance. Middleton felt even more relaxed than before. All of her problems basically faded as she was laughing with Oliver and the rest of friends. However, it was Prince William who made her laugh the most with his silly jokes.

*

Unlike his girlfriend, Finch came back to his room very early, feeling embarrassed by her escape at the last moment and irritated to hear constant questions from his friends such as “Where is your girlfriend”. He was thanking his self-consciousness for not deciding to tell them about the real reason, but to lie about her abrupt illness she caught in the morning.

*

“I am impressed a little, you know” William told Kate in the middle of a conversation about something entirely different as they were sitting by the bar, taking a break from dancing

“By what?” she inquired with confusion

“You basically ran away from your plans”

“Not mine” she rolled her eyes “If it were up to me, I’d never attend such a meeting”

“Why not? Don’t you like to talk about murder cases while sipping on a mojito?”

Catherine burst out laughing, for about the hundredth time that night.

“Do you think he is angry now?” William asked

“Well, he did send me some text messages so you can consider that as attitude of someone angry” she replied “I wish I could see his facial expression after he returned to that room and did not see me there”

“It is good that you decided to do it. That girl would never leave me alone if not for your comment”

“That was stupid, though. I should have never said something like that, specifically in the aftermath of your breakup with Carley”

“It is not true” William replied “It was our mutual decision to end things, and it was that girl who should consider not approaching me and flirting if she knew about my split. It seems like she was well-informed after all, and you were just kind enough to save me from that embarrassing moment of flirt”

“I think you are overreacting” Yet another genuine laugh escaped Middeton’s lips.

William chuckled a little, but instead of saying something, he had been looking at Kate for a few seconds.

“What’s the matter?’ she asked after noticing that stare of his

“Nothing” he smiled and then ordered another glass of whiskey for himself, while Catherine had been taken away back to the dancefloor by Fergus.

*

As she was leaving the castle to get some fresh air outside in the middle of the night, she could not believe that she was almost ready to miss such a nice occasion for her boyfriend and his “snobby gathering”.

Laura followed her, saying “It’s so good that you decided to join. It wouldn't have been the same without you, and I am sure I'm not the only one thinking that”

“Rupert definitely is not amongst that group”

“Oh stop, please” Laura said and rolled her eyes “He is not here, and I see you are happy anyway. This is a sign”

“Everything is a sign. Unfortunately for you, Finch is that kind of a person who does not believe in heavenly signs. He only believes in law!” Catherine said louder and then took another sip from a wine glass in her hand

It was proven now that after one more drink that Middleton swore to avoid earlier, she herself was making fun of everything, including clothes she was about to wear a few hours earlier and even Rupert.

Chapter 9

Despite the alcohol amount in her blood, she was fully aware that there would be comments from some people or that someone would share it with Finch, but she did not care. All she wanted was to have fun that evening, and that ‘mission’ had been achieved successfully.

**

[lisenberry]

WIP Wednesday Thoughts        

Working title:  There’s smoke seeping out of your bloody teeth (but you’re home somehow)

(From 28 by Zach Bryan)

Recovering Price x Recovering Reader

A/N: I have way too many WIPs at the moment, but this one came out of nowhere and I’m wondering if there’s something more here.

It’s a little darker than my usual, but somehow rides the line of more fluff than angst if you can bear with me through the backstory.  I’m also seeing a trend where I love to paint Price as a complete mess and struggling with himself.  I just know he has some Big Repressed Feelings buried deep in that broad chest.  Like, the Captain takes care of everyone else on missions but needs more help than he lets on in the real world.

CW:  Accidental overdose, Addiction/Recovery, Alcoholics/Narcotics Anonymous, a whiff of PTSD, single parent/recovering addict Reader, written with afab/fem reader in mind, but it came out fairly neutral. Overall heavy subject matter, but with some hope/humor to follow.

John fucked up.  He knows it, Kyle knows it.  And now Kate does, too.

He’d promised his sergeant that he’d lay off the whiskey, but he didn’t tell him about the pills.  The oxys and the benzos.  And sometimes, when things got really bad and he got in a little too deep, the ketamine and fentanyl. 

It was pure luck that Kyle found him.  That he was worried enough to kick the door in, strong enough to pull him out of the bathtub, and quick enough to do CPR until the ambulance arrived with the Narcan. 

He hadn’t meant to end it.  His life, that is.  Just the never-ending pressure in his brain.  The headaches, the sensitivity to light, everything being so bloody fucking loud.  Two decades of explosions, gunshots, and crashes had racked up on him, each one a tithe to be repaid down the line.  And it seemed they’d all come due at once.

In the aftermath, Kate had paid him a visit when he’d been ready to check himself out of the hospital, and she’d given him a directive.  It wasn’t even an ultimatum.  There was no other choice. 

Get help.

She wasn’t kicking him off the team.  She wasn’t even putting a note in his file.  The military wouldn’t know, other than an extended personal leave signed off on by high enough names no one would question it.  A 30-day stay in a doctor-supervised substance abuse treatment facility, and another 60 days at home with weekly check-ins.

Who he told other than Garrick would be up to him.

He agreed, of course.  It was his last chance to get his shit together, maybe even more than he deserved.  The look on Kyle’s face when he regained consciousness would be ingrained on his brain for the rest of his life.

“I always thought it’d be Ghost.  Never you, Captain.”  It wasn’t disappointment that clouded the kid’s eyes with tears, but fear.  That it could happen to any of them if they weren’t careful.  That the danger didn’t end when they came home.

Price hadn’t asked for help, but he knew when to take it.

Which is how he met you...

He tried to attend four to five meetings a week.  They were usually at night, after dark, when the urge to settle into his chair with a bottle of scotch and a few extra Percocets was all he could think about.  When the distractions of the day faded and he was alone with himself. 

If he could hold the urge at bay long enough, in the company of others, even if he just sat and listened, then it would pass like a mad dog thrown a bone.  And then he could go home in peace, until the dog came back around again.

In the beginning, he jumped around to a new meeting each night.  There was St. Stephen’s, St. Giles in the Fields, St. George’s, the Salvation Army, and the Tenant’s Hall.  Some were for beginners, and others just for men.  He didn’t want to become familiar with any particular one, preferring instead to lean on the Anonymous side of the program.

He sipped his tea and ate his biscuits, all from the back row.  Quietly reflecting on the opening speaker, and the stories of hope and struggle that followed.  At first, he found it hard to relate.  Kids who got hooked on drugs in school to escape from abusive parents, or former gang members and dealers looking to buy their way out of poverty and the system that abandoned them.

He’d been born into money, went to good schools.  His demon didn’t come at him until later.  It had taken its time and made roots into an already established foundation.  Like a parasite, it didn’t take him young, or weak.  It took him when he was at his strongest and broke him down from the inside out.  He was already infected long before he saw the signs.

He had no one else to blame, and didn’t think he’d find much sympathy from telling his story.  He didn’t want it, anyway.  He just needed to get through his 60 days and be back on a mission again.

But then one Friday evening, he walked into your regular 7pm meeting in the basement of an old church and everything changed... 

It was the best around, because they had a small children’s area in the next room, with a library and a sweet old nun who would read books and watch the kids for free.  It had become a local favorite for parents without childcare, and the group had grown as close as a family. 

There were a few of you who took the snack duty very seriously.  There were no stale, day-old donuts or flavorless boxed biscuits.  Instead, the spread was enough to rival the set of the Great British Baking Show.  Cakes and puddings, shortbreads and tartes.  The coffee was freshly brewed, not the cheap instant granules.

It had made you very protective, still always a little wary of newcomers, as against the spirit of the program as that was.  It had become your safe space.  Where you brought your children, and shared your biggest regrets and darkest moments.  And mainly because, despite the progress you’d made in your recovery, you’d never fully be able to trust again.  To look at another person and not see a potential threat. 

Outside the church, you knew where the dealers stood waiting to find you on an off day.  Where the pimps lingered in the dark alleys ready to meet you when you were broke and desperate.  They were the obstacles you could see.  Like a video game level you’d failed so many times you could jump and duck and kick your way a little further with each respawn.  You already knew there was a bad guy waiting on the other side of that door and all the tricks to avoid him.

It was harder to tell with the quiet, six-and-a-half-foot tall, bearded man in the beanie hat and combat boots slumped in the back row.  He’d popped up about a week ago, and always arrived exactly five minutes early.  He'd wait patiently until the snack line died down and load his plate before sitting in the same seat, closest to the door.

He hadn’t shared with the group yet, but offered a few pleasant nods and greetings to anyone who’d initiated a conversation.  It seemed rude not to reach out, if for no other reason than to gauge his intentions for yourself.  Was he here because he was serious about his addiction, or was someone forcing him to come?  Some set number of days on his coin before he’d be free from his sentence and never be heard from again.

It didn’t matter, and it wasn’t any of your business.   

But that didn’t stop you from looking over at him a few times during your share, only to find him paying close attention.  His serious features unreadable. Enough to make you stumble on your words and lose your train of thought.  Everyone there knew your story already and could probably recite it for you.  It just helped to recount the good parts, along with the bad.

“Did you make these?” he asked afterward, a rumbling voice breaking through your thoughts as you sat in a folding chair sipping the last of your coffee. 

He held up a half-eaten salted caramel chocolate chip blondie.

“Yes, those are mine,” you answered with what you hoped was a polite smile.

“I thought I saw you bring them last time I was here.  Fucking delicious.”  He popped the rest of it into his mouth, catching the crumbs with his thick dark beard.  “But your hair’s different, isn’t it?” he added, once he’d swallowed his bite.

You reflexively raised a hand to your head, remembering with a laugh the events of your day.  You’d nearly forgotten the fiasco at work a few hours before.

“I work at a training salon.  I let the students experiment on it when there aren’t enough dolls.”  You didn’t have time to fix it before you had to pick up your kids from their afterschool program.

“It’s green.”

“Very green, yes.”  You found yourself smiling again.  Before that, it’d been black with purple tips.  “Who knows what color it will be next time.”  You stood and folded up your chair.

And tried not to read into it as he took it from you promptly and stacked it over with the others.

“Reason enough to come back and find out, then,” he called over his shoulder.

And you didn’t miss when he stopped to grab the last blondie on his way out.

[theinconvenientlifestyle]

When

04/05/2024 - 05/05/2024

All Day

Add To CalendarDownload ICS Google Calendar iCalendar Office 365 Outlook Live

Israel’s genocidal assault on Palestinians in Gaza has killed over 34,000 Palestinians, and displaced the vast majority of the population. Palestinians are experiencing massacre after massacre. Palestinians in Gaza are facing imminent famine.

We must keep taking action to demand the government ends its complicity in Israel’s attacks and stop arming Israel, for an end to Israeli apartheid, and freedom and justice for Palestine.

Many PSC branches are joining local May Day rallies and demonstrations. Check with your local PSC branch for more information.

Saturday 4 May

Abergavenny: Meet at Post Office Square, 11am

Brecon: Outside St. Mary’s Church, 11am-12noon

Bristol: Assemble at Water Tower, BS9 1FG, 12noon. Rally in College Green.

Carlisle: Barclays, English Street, 12noon-1pm

Ceredigion: Stall and leafletting at Guildhall, Cardigan, 11am-1pm

Coventry: Barclays, High Street, 10am-11.30am

Cromer: West Street & Church Street, NR279HZ, 10.30am-12noon

Exeter: Bedford Square, 12noon-2pm

Guildford: Junction of Guildford High Street with Quarry Street. 12noon-2pm

Kirkwall, Orkney: St Magnus Cathedral, 1pm-2pm

Leamington: Town Hall, 11am-12noon

Leeds: May Day March for Peace, Assemble 11.30am outside Leeds Art Gallery.

London, Camden: Meet Mornington Crescent, Statue of Richard Cobden at 10.30am. Rally from 12noon outside Barclays, Tottenham Court Road, W1T 1BH.

London, Enfield: Stall outside Barclays, Enfield Town, 11am

London, Hackney: Ride-along, meet behind Hackney Town Hall, E8, Mare Street.

London, Tower Hamlets: Cycle for Palestine, Mile End Park South (Burdett Road opposite junction with Eric Street), 11am; Cycle to protest at Pret A Manger, 121 Bethnal Green Road

Merton: Majestic Way, Mitcham Fair Green, CR4 2JS, 1-2:30pm

Milton Keynes: 86 High Street, Newport Pagnell, MK16 8PY, 1.30-3pm

Northamptonshire: Wellingborough town Centre, opposite Hind Hotel, 2pm; Evening info stall at Digger Fest 2024

Newport, Isle of Wight: St Thomas Square, 12noon.

Sheffield: Devonshire Green, 11am (join May Day protest)

Telford: Southwater Lake, TF3 4EJ, 2pm

Wellingborough: Town Centre (opp. Hind Hotel), 2pm

Sunday 5 May

Dorchester: Organising Assembly for Palestine at The Pointe, Old Salvation Army Hall, Durngate Street, 2pm-4.30pm

Ipswich: Peace and Justice March. Assemble at Ipswich Town Hall, IP1 1DH, 11am.

Newcastle: Walk the Tyne for Palestine – More info.

Reading: Outside HSBC, Broad Street, 2pm

West Surrey: Palestine Film Night – More info here.

[aemiron-main]

“mother is god in the eyes of a child,”/“i can see your sin as clearly as god can”/“if i only could, i’d make a deal with god,” and why alice creel was the angel in the creel house and why virginia killed her.

I’m still working on my ST-Silent Hill analysis, but there’s a line in the Silent Hill movie (which has VERY BLATANT parallels to ST & Silent Hill is a confirmed inspo for ST) that I want to talk about right now:

“mother is god in the eyes of a child ”

 Long story short, the character who says this line, Dahlia Gillespie,  is extremely Virginia coded. But why is it relevant? Well, for the sake of this post, it’s relevant because it also aligns with something in Carrie (and the mother in Carrie is very Virginia coded too and there’s a TON of confirmed Carrie parallels in ST): 

“Don’t you know by now, Carrie? I can see inside you. I can see your sin as clearly as God can.”

Carrie’s mother talks about how she can see into Carrie’s mind as clearly as god can (which ties into my theories about Virginia being able to reach into Henry’s mind but that’s a whole other post).

So, we’ve got TWO separate pieces of media that inspired ST/that ST references that both have a Virginia-coded mother talking about how mothers = god. Now, let’s look at another reference to god- “Running Up That Hill”. 

If “mother is god” and Virginia is the mother, and “Running Up That Hill,” talks about “making a deal with god,” then the deal would be made with the mother to swap places- but the singer isn’t swapping places with god, the singer is getting god to let them swap places with someone else- someone else like Alice Creel.  Not to mention that Henry refers to the spiders as gods, and Virginia’s reflection (when Henry “holds a mirror” up to her with his powers) is a spider in the bathtub- her reflection is a god.  Henry wanting to swap places with Alice- but not only that. Why would Henry make the deal with Virginia if he supposedly killed Alice? Because he didn’t kill Alice. Because Virginia did. Hence, why he would make the deal with her, hence why she’s the one paralleled to god, because she’s the one making the decisions about who lives and who dies.  Why would Virginia kill Alice, though?  Well, Victor heard the voice of an angel. A voice that brought him out of a trance- and I’ve gotta finish the full analysis, but I suspect that there’s a solid chance that Alice also had powers and was messing with the radio, there’s one shot of her staring intently at it that’s super suspicious AND another scene where she literally flicks her head in time with the radio changing channels (plus some other stuff). Here’s Alice staring weirdly at the radio. 

And the nod is pretty subtle but when you watch the scene with sound, you can tell that it lines up right with when the channel flickers again. 

And so, if Alice was turning on the radio, and thereby bringing Victor out of his trance, that would’ve thwarted Virginia’s plans, hence why she’d have motivation to kill Alice. I think Alice may have even turned on the radio in the dining room because she knew what was going on between Virginia and Henry. This also explains why the “signals overlapping,” subtitle during the dinner scene is overlaid on top of a scene of Alice- the subtitle itself, IMO, refers to Virginia and Henry’s powers as “overlapping signals,” as they fight with eachother- and Alice recognized this, and likely turned on the radio as a pre-emptive salvation attempt- she may have already known that music worked against trances/against Virginia, after all, we do see a piano in the Creel house that Lucas plays while he talks about the idea that the piano might open a “secret passageway”. And in “Alice in Wonderland,” Alice finds a secret doorpassageway into the garden- the garden, which seems to be where Henry was shown killing the rabbit. I think that might be the moment when Alice realized something was up with Virginia, but I need to think on it more. And also, in “Alice in Wonderland,”  there were three secret passages into Wonderland: the tunnel, the well and the hall of doors.

And also, there’s the whole “painting the roses red,” thing in Alice in Wonderland, and the rose imagery in the Creel house- and if we look at the members of the family as roses, they were literally painted red with blood, which sounds like a stretch, but the “painting the roses red,” scene in Alice in Wonderland was a reference to the Wars of the Roses, which, interestingly enough, in addition to confirming the idea that the red is equivalent to blood, was a series of civil wars- civil wars fought between family members. And it gets better with the Wars of the Roses, let’s look at an excerpt from Wikipedia:

“the modern term Wars of the Roses came into common use in the early 19th century following the publication of the 1829 novel Anne of Geierstein by Sir Walter Scott. Scott based the name on a scene in William Shakespeare's play Henry VI”

HENRY. And Henry VI himself was literally INVOLVED in the Wars of the Roses. 

And now, back to in Alice in Wonderland, who ordered to have the roses painted red/ordered the deaths so to speak? The queen. Virginia. She was the one committing the murders. 

Anyway, going back to what happened at the Creel dinner table that night with the radio- Virginia then started scrambling the radio, hence why it goes from music and starts flicking between channels- it doesn’t just go from music to static, it flicks back and forth between channels, almost like a tug-of-war.

And look at this- at first, it’s subtitled as “staticky signals overlapping,” but then as SOON as it goes to Alice it’s subtitled as “singals overlapping”- it’s because a.) she was making the signal clear by trying to turn it back to the music and b.) in a more meta sense, Alice, unlike Victor, is aware of what’s going on- her signal is clear, her understanding is clear. 

And to top it all off, what line do we see in the lyrics of “Running Up That Hill?”

 “come on, angel.” Alice was the angel. With what I’ve said here, “Running Up That Hill,” would be from the POV of Henry towards Alice, wanting to swap places with her- and Henry would know that Alice was the “angel,” the song is directed at Alice, and refers to the person the song is directed to as an “angel,” thereby referring to Alice as the angel. And Henry is one of the few characters whose family has very overt religious imagery in the family itself, not just in the town as a whole, with Victor talking about demons and angels. 

Alice had powers. Virginia had powers. Henry, of course, had powers. Victor, is there something you’d like to share with the class? (he doesn’t have powers dw- at least as far as i know.)

Virginia killed Alice. This is something I’m going to talk about in the full analysis, but it’s worth keeping in mind that in Carrie, Carrie’s mother tries to kill her (and Carrie, in the movie, looks quite a bit like Alice), and after Carrie’s mother stabs her, Carrie ends up pushed to the bottom of the stairs, JUST like where Alice was laying. 

Even Virginia comforting Alice after her nightmare is a Carrie parallel.

And take a look at that painting on the wall when Carrie falls down the stairs. It’s crooked.

And what other paintings are crooked? The ones in the Creel house when the Hawkins gang investigates it. Specifically, the one right near the stairs (above that table on screen right), just like in Carrie.

And to conclude, @laozuspo​​ has made some fantastic posts (part 1 here and part 2 here) about Alice and Henry and “Running Up That Hill,” and Henry wanting to swap with Alice and this sort of stuff but the Silent Hill and Carrie parallels and the radio stuff just all hit me like a brick tonight, esp since those shots of Alice with the radio were making me absolutely insane last night. Anyway. I’m being normal about the Creels as usual. 

[jagged1]

Outlastober Prompts 8-11

St. Sybil

God is omnipotent. That’s the first thing they learn here. God sees all. God knows all. God holds all in his grasp. Stepping into St. Sybil only reinforces that idea. His teachers are both kind and wrathful. He feels their gaze on him more heavily within these walls than outside of them.

Then Jess dies.

The halls echo with her voice and her screams and all he can do is swallow his tongue, avert his eyes, and pray for salvation. The days are long and the weight of the eyes are no longer just observing, but judging him.

God knows.

Tongues and teeth

His mouth waters from the idea of more delicious meat for the taking. This one smells so good that he can’t help but follow him, calling out for his love. When he gets close enough to touch, but never enough to grab, he can’t help gnash his teeth and run his tongue over his lips, tasting the air. When he catches him, he might not be able to stop himself from just sinking his teeth down to the roots, sending hot blood gushing into his mouth and coating his tongue and throat with that thick iron taste. He needs it.

Liver and tongues

They know each other well. A product of their lives together. Their affection for each other. Where one goes, the other follows. Inseparable in all things. They share easily. Graciously. They have manners, you know.

The preacher deserves respect, so they try. But habits die hard. Urges even harder. So they make it fair. They let them run. Hunt them down. Catch them. Cut them. Split the rewards. An easy task. Too easy.

They kill him fast. Too fast. It's tragic. But salvageable. The body is fine. They harvests the pieces. His tongue and his liver.

"Yours."

"Mine."

They dine.

Silky

He shambles along the halls, wandering with no real no destination in mind. All he wants is touch, to feel, to luxuriate in soft, smooth, silky skin again. It's the only thing on his mind and he needs it more than he can say. He misses the feeling of untouched skin, free of the blemishes the engine leaves behind. His own skin feels tight, raw, and throbbing in near constant agony when he stops to think about it. He knows that if he gets the chance to just touch once more, he'll be okay. He'll find someone soon. He will.

AO3 link

[orthodoxydaily]

Saints&Reading: Monday, January 15, 2023

january 15_january 3

ST. GENEVIEVE OF PARIS (502)

Saint Geneviève was born of wealthy parents in Gaul (modern France) in the village of Nanterre, near Paris, around 422. Her father’s name was Severus, and her mother was called Gerontia. According to the custom of the time, she often tended her father’s sheep on Mount Valerien.

When the child was about seven years old, Saint Germanus of Auxerre (July 31) noticed her as he was passing through Nanterre. During the Service that night the Bishop placed his hand on her head and told her parents that she would become great in the sight of God, and would lead many to salvation. When Geneviève told him that she wished to dedicate herself to Christ, he gave her a brass medal with the image of the Cross to wear around her neck. Saint Germanus told her never to wear bracelets, or necklaces made with pearls, gold, or silver, and to avoid wearing any other ornaments around her neck, or on her fingers.

When she was fifteen, Geneviève was taken to Paris to enter the monastic life. Through fasting,vigil and prayer, she progressed in monasticism, and received from God the gifts of clairvoyance and of working miracles. Gradually, the people of Paris and the surrounding area regarded Geneviève as a holy vessel (2 Timothy 2:21).

Years later, Saint Geneviève was told that Attila the Hun was approaching Paris, Geneviève and the other nuns prayed and fasted, entreating God to spare the city. Suddenly, the barbarians turned away from Paris and went off in another direction.

Saint Geneviève considered the Saturday night Vigil service to be very important, since it symbolizes how our entire life should be. “We must keep vigil in prayer and fasting so that the Lord will find us ready when He comes,” she said. She was on her way to church with her nuns one stormy Saturday night when the wind extinguished her lantern. The nuns could not find their way without a light, since it was dark and stormy, and the road was rough and muddy. Saint Genevieve made the Sign of the Cross over the lantern, and the candle within burned with a bright flame. In this manner they were able to make their way to the church for the service.

The empty tomb of St Genevieve at St Etienne-du-mont church in Paris located just behind the Pantheon which was originally named St Genevieve church

 Only relics remaining. small parts of hier body after it was burnt in a square in front of Paris city hall. On each side of her relics there’s two two icons. On the right is St, Symeon the stylite who wrote her a letter after seeing her in a vision.

There is a tradition that the church which Saint Geneviève suggested King Clovis should build in honor of Saints Peter and Paul, would become her own resting place when she fell asleep in the Lord around 512 at the age of eighty-nine. Her holy relics were later transferred to the church of Saint-Étienne-du-Mont in Paris. Most of her relics, and those of other saints, were destroyed at the time of the French Revolution.

During the Middle Ages, Saint Geneviève was regarded as the patron Saint of wine makers.

THE HOLY PROPHET MALACHI (400 bc)

The Holy Prophet Malachi lived 400 years before the Birth of Christ, at the time of the return of the Jews from the Babylonian Captivity. Malachi was the last of the Old Testament prophets, therefore the holy Fathers call him “the seal of the prophets.”

Manifesting himself an image of spiritual goodness and piety, he astounded the nation and was called Malachi, i.e., an angel. His prophetic book is included in the Canon of the Old Testament. In it he upbraids the Jews, foretelling the coming of Jesus Christ and His Forerunner, and also the Last Judgment (Mal 3:1-5; 4:1-6).

Source: all texts Orthodox Church in America

MARK 12:13-17

13 Then they sent to Him some of the Pharisees and the Herodians, to catch Him in His words. 14 When they had come, they said to Him, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? 15 Shall we pay, or shall we not pay? But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it." 16 So they brought it. And He said to them, "Whose image and inscription is this?" They said to Him, "Caesar's." 17 And Jesus answered and said to them, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's." And they marveled at Him.

JAMES 2:14-26

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. 18 But someone will say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe-and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way? 26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

[nickalphonsus]

5th June 2022 Lemon Studios

“It’s always about being super extra. I love everything pink and sparkly that’s why this collection is– -” Jojo was poised with an ungodly ball of fur on her lap, as always, when someone called out cut! She giggled and relaxed, someone had turned up the music between cuts but Jojo was in her own little world. Chin tilted upwards so her make-up could be touched up. Her kitty was temporarily removed. “Sweetie how much do we have left to shoot today?”

“Just a few more questions, then you’re free to go.” 

“Excellent! Do you mind if I take a break?” Jojo smacked her lips, pulling up her sweetest and the most gregarious smile.

“Sure just the sooner we finish–-”

Jojo didn’t let the producer finish. She’d already bounced up out of the chair and headed down the hall of the studio to find her assistant. She commandeered her phone back off the poor kid and took her JUUL outside. It was bubblegum sweet today, as always. She turned up her nose at leaning against the wall it looked and smelt like someone had pissed against it. Gross!

“Sweetie…sweetie…” Jojo flipped open her phone. Retro was totally in.

She waded through the swathes of notifications. Dialling the number was easy when Jojo had programmed them in as ‘INVESTIGATOR #8 XOX.’

“Hey!” Jojo cut in before the answerer had a chance to introduce themselves. “It’s Jojo darling I wondered if you had an update on the case for me?”

‘Jojo… I don’t know how many times I have to tell you it’s been nearly two years there is no updates.’

“I don’t pay you for inaction!”

‘Actually you haven’t– -’

“Yes, yes, my assistant will get on that. Sweetie…” Jojo paused to suck on her JUUL. “I just need to know if you have any update on him? On either of them?”

‘We did trace a one… Michael Kaufman…’

“It’s Mik!”

‘Yes… well we did trace one Mik to a Salvation Army shelter on Hunter Street but he hasn’t returned in over two months…’

“That can’t be…Mik would never…” Jojo huffed. She’d stuffed the JUUL into her hot pink sweatpants to move her phone into her other hand. “Still no news on Nick?”

‘Apologies ma’am… he was last recorded at St Thomas’ Hospital for the incident we have already discussed. Our understanding is that he was going to seek shelter at the Salvation Army shelter but was turned away…’

“Ugh! Anything after? He couldn’t have just disappeared.”

‘No ma’am, we’ve tried every avenue but no-one has seen him in years now…’

“Well! Impossible! He wouldn’t leave without saying goodbye.”

Jojo hung up before they could scold her clinging on to false hope. It was bullshit! Big hot steaming pile of bullshit that the pair of them would disappear without a trace. Nick was flighty but not like this. The only new tidbit was the Salvation Army shelter. Jojo swapped her phone for her JUUL. She didn’t get very far as someone came pounding on the fire exit door. Conveniently opening it from the inside alleviating the Ooopsie! I’ve locked myself out! excuse. It was her publicist. 

“Jojo we’re on.”

[grandhotelabyss]

Despite my carefully cultivated reputation for contrarianism, my answer to the first question is “not really.” When it comes to the canon, I’m pretty much a normie; the test of time is a real test. Back in 2017, all the literary bloggers were listing the books in their “personal canons.” I participated too, but introduced my take on the exercise by saying that I would only list formative works of nonfiction, particularly philosophy and literary/political theory, since my actual favorite books were so boring. I wrote, “Greatest writer of the modern west? Shakespeare. Greatest English novel? Middlemarch. Greatest twentieth-century novel? Ulysses. My favorite lyric poem, I tell you no lie, is the ‘Ode on a Grecian Urn.’” Then I quoted Emerson (my favorite American essayist, by the way) from “Experience”:

[I]n popular experience, everything good is on the highway. A collector peeps into all the picture-shops of Europe, for a landscape of Poussin, a crayon-sketch of Salvator; but the Transfiguration, the Last Judgment, the Communion of St. Jerome, and what are as transcendent as these, are on the walls of the Vatican, the Uffizii, or the Louvre, where every footman may see them; to say nothing of nature’s pictures in every street, of sunsets and sunrises every day, and the sculpture of the human body never absent. A collector recently bought at public auction, in London, for one hundred and fifty-seven guineas, an autograph of Shakspeare: but for nothing a school-boy can read Hamlet, and can detect secrets of highest concernment yet unpublished therein. I think I will never read any but the commonest books—the Bible, Homer, Dante, Shakspeare, and Milton.

So I have no quarrel with the books you’ve listed. (Caveats: I unfortunately must plead ignorance on the classical Chinese and Japanese novels; also, I never went beyond Swann’s Way in Proust.) Some of the names you mention are if anything underrated or not rated in their proper dimension: do people understand how transcendently good Wuthering Heights and Villette really are, not just as the stormy romances the Brontës are known for, as if they wrote nothing better than the precursors to Rebecca, but as genuine spiritual and social testaments, the prose successors to Milton, Blake, and Shelley, Melville’s trans-Atlantic sisters, as well as ingenious formal inventions to rival Austen or Flaubert? (As for “the other guy” though, I started but did not finish The Tenant of Wildfell Hall. The talent, it seems to me, ran in the blood only so much.)

If we must have controversy, since you mentioned Madame Bovary, I am ambivalent about Flaubert and his influence, though I should probably revisit him soon. (I read Madame Bovary, Sentimental Education, and Three Tales in my 20s, in translation, albeit with not-incompetent though not-fluent glances into the French.) All that fussing over the sentence, all that inorganic technique—see GD Dess’s recent essay against “craftism,” as well as James Wood’s “Half Against Flaubert” (in The Broken Estate) and Borges’s neglected “The Superstitious Ethics of the Reader” (in Selected Nonfictions) which I quoted here almost a decade ago—to my mind creates an immobilized prose, paragraphs through which no breeze blows, even in post-Flaubert writers as talented as James, Conrad, and Nabokov, and even the Joyce of Dubliners. But Joyce, exceptional in this as in so many things, then transcended the limitation of this aesthetic by making perfected prose move as poetry moves—with a word-by-word drama that opens up the sentence—rather than as prose does in Portrait and Ulysses.

Must we rank? Should we rank? Ranking is inevitable, despite your apt objection to its listicle extremes. Why would we not want to know what the best is? If resources of time and material are scarce—only so many weeks in the semester, only so many pages in the anthology, only so many days in your life—then it’s a practical matter to know what comes first. We just have to be careful not to be small-minded about it. I think of Orwell’s judicious comparison of Tolstoy and Dickens as a model of how to think carefully in these matters, attentive to difference as well as to quality. (This can be extrapolated mutatis mutandis into areas where social biases like race, nation, class, and gender may enter, as nation and class do enter into a comparison between Dickens and Tolstoy.)

Does this mean that Tolstoy’s novels are ‘better’ than Dickens’s? The truth is that it is absurd to make such comparisons in terms of ‘better’ and ‘worse’. If I were forced to compare Tolstoy with Dickens, I should say that Tolstoy’s appeal will probably be wider in the long run, because Dickens is scarcely intelligible outside the English-speaking culture; on the other hand, Dickens is able to reach simple people, which Tolstoy is not. Tolstoy’s characters can cross a frontier, Dickens can be portrayed on a cigarette card. But one is no more obliged to choose between them than between a sausage and a rose. Their purposes barely intersect.

My candidate for “best novel”? It probably has to be Ulysses since in its cyclopedic ambit it manages to contain all the others. But I acknowledge a spiritual dimension to experience that Ulysses is finally too secular, too satirical, to encompass, and this is found in Tolstoy and especially Dostoevsky.

[chrisryanspeaks]

Mr. Gnome Unleashes Psychedelic Masterpiece 'A Sliver of Space' with Ferocious New Single 'Fader'

Pushing the boundaries of sonic exploration, Cleveland art-rock duo Mr. Gnome crafts a vibrant, ever-changing realm of psychedelic orchestration on their eagerly anticipated LP, *A Sliver of Space*, slated for release on September 27th via El Marko Records. Following the release of their first single, "Nothing and Everything," Mr. Gnome unveils the new single "Fader" —a colossal track that tears through its seven-minute runtime with relentless ferocity and a full-on sonic assault. Check out "Fader" on YouTube, and see below for the most up-to-date list of North American fall tour dates. Pre-order the vinyl and CD, and find it on Bandcamp. "We had just finished mixing our album and were about to send it off for mastering when this song crept into our brains. We fell in love with the heavy, gritty vibe and the contrasting gooey vocals, and kept pushing this song as far as we could take it," they explain. "Our brother and longtime collaborator/touring guitarist/bassist, Jonah Meister, added lead guitars that dance around the vocals, including a breakneck improvised solo. Combining our love of The Stooges, Black Sabbath, Joy Division, and 90s shoegaze, we had a ton of fun writing this one." Mixed by Claudius Mittendorfer (Interpol, Tennis, Temples, Panic! At The Disco, Parquet Courts, Ra Ra Riot), *A Sliver of Space* bursts with hypnotic, gritty rock anthems that suddenly give way to long-form, drug-fueled journeys, transporting the listener on a surreal trip from start to finish. Mr. Gnome continues to defy simple genre classification, creating a dense tapestry of textures, aural fabrics, and influences that coalesce into a unique, defining sound. Throughout its relatively compact runtime, electronica, desert rock, punk, indie rock, and lush soundscapes swirl and converge, all woven with the continuous thread of lead singer/guitarist Nicole Barille’s golden harmonies. "When we started writing *A Sliver of Space*," they recount, "we were working through a lot of personal loss and life upheaval. Lyrically and musically, nothing was off limits, and we dove headfirst into exploring the liminal, dreamlike spaces between life and death, consciousness and unconsciousness, the past and the future, happiness and sadness, the real and the make-believe. This album is essentially about our descent into madness and our ultimate salvation through love." Since 2005, Barille and drummer/pianist Sam Meister have been crafting a vision of expansive, technicolor art-rock, receiving critical acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone (named "Band To Watch" in a spotlight review), Pitchfork, NPR, Paste, Esquire, Spin, Magnet, MTV, KEXP, and American Songwriter, among others. Beyond their fully realized sonic presentation, Mr. Gnome has a rich history of producing head-turning DIY visuals, including otherworldly album covers, artistic press photography, and mind-bending short films. Don't miss out on experiencing Mr. Gnome’s extraordinary musical journey and visual artistry as they tour this fall below and their video for “Fader”: Mr. Gnome - Fall 2024 Tour Dates 08/24 • Lexington, KY • Expansion Music Fest • The Burl 09/27 • Wheeling, WV • Waterfront Hall 09/28 • Frostburg, MD • The Deep End 10/01 • Washington, D.C. • Pie Shop 10/02 • Asheville, NC • Sly Grog Lounge 10/03 • Atlanta, GA • Smith's Olde Bar (Atlanta Room) 10/04 • Pensacola, FL • The Handlebar 10/05 • Adams, TN • Spoopy Festival 10/08 • St. Louis, MO • The Platypus 10/09 • Grand Rapids, MI • Pyramid Scheme 10/10 • Madison, WI • Gamma Ray Bar 10/11 • Columbus, OH • Ace of Cups 10/12 • Dayton, OH • Dayton 20th Music Fest - Blind Bob’s 10/14 • Kansas City, MO • Sister Anne’s Records and Coffee 10/15 • Denver, CO • Lost Lake 10/16 • Salt Lake City, UT • The DLC 10/17 • Boise, ID • Shrine Social Club (Basement) 10/18 • Portland, OR • Star Theater 10/19 • Seattle, WA • Sunset Tavern 10/22 • San Francisco, CA • Bottom of the Hill 10/23 • Los Angeles, CA • Permanent Records Roadhouse 10/25 • Tucson, AZ • 191 Toole 10/26 • Albuquerque, NM • TBA 10/28 • Dallas, TX • TBA 10/29 • Austin, TX • Hotel Vegas 11/01 • Chicago, IL • Beat Kitchen 11/02 • Cleveland, OH • Beachland Ballroom Read the full article

[the-wales-5]

"Crazy for this girl " (Chapter 1)

Introduction

September 2001.

“Wouldn't you sign this picture for me? Please, I will keep it with myself forever! It will be my favourite item in the room! Yes, I know you are not signing autographs, but you can make an exception for me, right?”

“Look here! It’s my new camera, and I want yours to be the first picture there!”

All these voices full of excitement were ringing in his head yet long after he went to his room. Prince William tried to attend as many seminars and lectures as he could, especially that it was the very beginning of his studies, but the unhealthy interest he had been getting from the young women in the corridor every day was scaring him. He thought that the University of St Andrews in Scotland would be the best possible choice even with the assumption that lots of people would want to talk with him or take a picture, so he tried to get used to it. However, what he'd been experiencing for the past few days made him feel unsettled and exceeded his worst expectations.

He finally sat down on the bed and tried to rest after a day with two lectures and that recent stressful situation. After a while, he decided to take a look through notes he made throughout the day, on one of the pages was written “Bring to the classes in two days”, followed by a title of the book all the students were supposed to have. The prince cursed at the thought of going out of his room and meeting a group of excited or rather overly-excited and hysterical girls once more that day. However, he knew that many other students always borrowed books as soon as possible. Due to that unspoken rule, he had already lost a chance to get one of the important papers before class in the previous week. As a consequence, at that moment, he was determined to completely ignore all the people waiting and get through to the library.

*

“I do not understand all that fuss you are creating here for days” a brunette thought as she passed by some of her female friends who were still enthusiastically talking about the Prince of Wales’ son. She did not express her thoughts out loud, though, as she was in the minority of people thinking that William's arrival at the university was a ‘normal’ thing and not something to gush about constantly.

*

After asking about the book, William was left in disappointment again. The last copy was taken away by someone else just fifteen minutes earlier. After hearing the words “You can ask her”, William assumed that yet another forced and weird conversation was awaiting him.

“Miss Middleton. Her name is on that list given out to all the students on the first day, am I right?” A person working in the library said and rolled his eyes a little. Although he knew that a prince stood in front of him, he still felt an annoyance over first-year students' awkwardness and confusion about every simple rule.

“Yes, of course” William cleared throat moments later “We've simply had no chance to talk yet”. This time, he was the one to not receive a reply and left the library in the following seconds.

***

Chapter 2

[audiofuzz]

Mr. Gnome Unleashes Psychedelic Masterpiece 'A Sliver of Space' with Ferocious New Single 'Fader'

Pushing the boundaries of sonic exploration, Cleveland art-rock duo Mr. Gnome crafts a vibrant, ever-changing realm of psychedelic orchestration on their eagerly anticipated LP, *A Sliver of Space*, slated for release on September 27th via El Marko Records. Following the release of their first single, "Nothing and Everything," Mr. Gnome unveils the new single "Fader" —a colossal track that tears through its seven-minute runtime with relentless ferocity and a full-on sonic assault. Check out "Fader" on YouTube, and see below for the most up-to-date list of North American fall tour dates. Pre-order the vinyl and CD, and find it on Bandcamp. "We had just finished mixing our album and were about to send it off for mastering when this song crept into our brains. We fell in love with the heavy, gritty vibe and the contrasting gooey vocals, and kept pushing this song as far as we could take it," they explain. "Our brother and longtime collaborator/touring guitarist/bassist, Jonah Meister, added lead guitars that dance around the vocals, including a breakneck improvised solo. Combining our love of The Stooges, Black Sabbath, Joy Division, and 90s shoegaze, we had a ton of fun writing this one." Mixed by Claudius Mittendorfer (Interpol, Tennis, Temples, Panic! At The Disco, Parquet Courts, Ra Ra Riot), *A Sliver of Space* bursts with hypnotic, gritty rock anthems that suddenly give way to long-form, drug-fueled journeys, transporting the listener on a surreal trip from start to finish. Mr. Gnome continues to defy simple genre classification, creating a dense tapestry of textures, aural fabrics, and influences that coalesce into a unique, defining sound. Throughout its relatively compact runtime, electronica, desert rock, punk, indie rock, and lush soundscapes swirl and converge, all woven with the continuous thread of lead singer/guitarist Nicole Barille’s golden harmonies. "When we started writing *A Sliver of Space*," they recount, "we were working through a lot of personal loss and life upheaval. Lyrically and musically, nothing was off limits, and we dove headfirst into exploring the liminal, dreamlike spaces between life and death, consciousness and unconsciousness, the past and the future, happiness and sadness, the real and the make-believe. This album is essentially about our descent into madness and our ultimate salvation through love." Since 2005, Barille and drummer/pianist Sam Meister have been crafting a vision of expansive, technicolor art-rock, receiving critical acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone (named "Band To Watch" in a spotlight review), Pitchfork, NPR, Paste, Esquire, Spin, Magnet, MTV, KEXP, and American Songwriter, among others. Beyond their fully realized sonic presentation, Mr. Gnome has a rich history of producing head-turning DIY visuals, including otherworldly album covers, artistic press photography, and mind-bending short films. Don't miss out on experiencing Mr. Gnome’s extraordinary musical journey and visual artistry as they tour this fall below and their video for “Fader”: Mr. Gnome - Fall 2024 Tour Dates 08/24 • Lexington, KY • Expansion Music Fest • The Burl 09/27 • Wheeling, WV • Waterfront Hall 09/28 • Frostburg, MD • The Deep End 10/01 • Washington, D.C. • Pie Shop 10/02 • Asheville, NC • Sly Grog Lounge 10/03 • Atlanta, GA • Smith's Olde Bar (Atlanta Room) 10/04 • Pensacola, FL • The Handlebar 10/05 • Adams, TN • Spoopy Festival 10/08 • St. Louis, MO • The Platypus 10/09 • Grand Rapids, MI • Pyramid Scheme 10/10 • Madison, WI • Gamma Ray Bar 10/11 • Columbus, OH • Ace of Cups 10/12 • Dayton, OH • Dayton 20th Music Fest - Blind Bob’s 10/14 • Kansas City, MO • Sister Anne’s Records and Coffee 10/15 • Denver, CO • Lost Lake 10/16 • Salt Lake City, UT • The DLC 10/17 • Boise, ID • Shrine Social Club (Basement) 10/18 • Portland, OR • Star Theater 10/19 • Seattle, WA • Sunset Tavern 10/22 • San Francisco, CA • Bottom of the Hill 10/23 • Los Angeles, CA • Permanent Records Roadhouse 10/25 • Tucson, AZ • 191 Toole 10/26 • Albuquerque, NM • TBA 10/28 • Dallas, TX • TBA 10/29 • Austin, TX • Hotel Vegas 11/01 • Chicago, IL • Beat Kitchen 11/02 • Cleveland, OH • Beachland Ballroom Read the full article

[gmqazi19739]

Christmas Songs - Top 20 Best Christmas Music Download

Christmas songs are a time of joy, love, and celebration. And what better way to capture the spirit of the season than through the power of music? Christmas music has become an integral part of our holiday traditions, filling our homes, shopping malls, and radio stations with melodies that bring back cherished memories. Let's dive into the world of Christmas music and explore its rich history, significance, and the beloved classics that have stood the test of time. Best Selected Christmas Music Free Download The History of Christmas Songs The tradition of singing during the Christmas season dates back centuries. Early Christian hymns were sung to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ and spread the message of hope and salvation. One of the earliest examples of Christmas songs is "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," which originated in the 12th century. This hauntingly beautiful hymn captures the longing and anticipation of the Advent season, reminding us of the hope and joy that Christmas brings. During the Middle Ages, carolers would travel from house to house, singing songs and spreading holiday cheer. These carols were often accompanied by dances and performances, creating a festive atmosphere that brought communities together. In the 19th century, the popularity of Christmas music grew with the rise of Christmas cards and the commercialization of the holiday. Many of the songs we know and love today were written during this time, including classics like "Silent Night," "Jingle Bells," and "Deck the Halls." The Importance of Christmas Songs Christmas songs hold a special place in our hearts because they evoke feelings of nostalgia, joy, and togetherness. These songs also serve as a reminder of the true meaning of Christmas. Many of them tell the story of the birth of Jesus and the hope he brings to the world. They remind us to pause and reflect on the deeper significance of the season, beyond the hustle and bustle of shopping and parties. Moreover, Christmas songs can unite people from different backgrounds and cultures. Regardless of our beliefs or traditions, the melodies of Christmas music have a universal appeal that brings us together. Whether we're singing along to a beloved carol or discovering a new holiday tune, these songs have the power to uplift our spirits and create lasting memories. Beloved Christmas Classics Let's take a closer look at some of the most beloved Christmas classics: White Christmas by Irving Berlin Written in 1942, "White Christmas" has become one of the best-selling songs of all time. Bing Crosby's iconic rendition of this tune is synonymous with the holiday season, evoking images of snow-covered landscapes and cozy nights by the fire. Jingle Bells by James Lord Pierpont Originally written as a Thanksgiving song, "Jingle Bells" has since become a staple of Christmas celebrations. Its catchy melody and cheerful lyrics make it a favorite for both children and adults. Silent Night by Franz Xaver Gruber "Silent Night" is a timeless hymn that captures the peacefulness and serenity of the Nativity. Its simple yet powerful melody has been translated into many languages and is sung in churches and homes around the world. All I Want for Christmas Is You by Mariah Carey Released in 1994, this modern classic has quickly become a holiday favorite. Mariah Carey's soulful vocals and catchy tune make it impossible not to sing along and get into the Christmas spirit. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane Made famous by Judy Garland in the movie "Meet Me in St. Louis," this song reminds us to cherish the simple joys of the holiday season. Its message of love and togetherness resonates with people of all ages. Creating New Christmas Traditions While we cherish the familiar tunes of Christmas classics, it's also important to embrace new songs and artists that add fresh perspectives to the holiday season. Each year, new Christmas albums are released, featuring original songs and modern interpretations of old favorites. Listening to these new songs can help us create new traditions and keep our holiday playlists fresh and exciting. They also provide opportunities for artists to showcase their talents and bring their unique voices to the world of Christmas music. The Magic of Christmas Songs Christmas songs have a way of bringing people together, spreading joy, and creating lasting memories. Whether we're singing along to a familiar carol or discovering a new holiday tune, these songs can uplift our spirits and remind us of the true meaning of Christmas. Let the music fill your heart with joy, and may the melodies of Christmas songs bring warmth and happiness to your celebrations. My Perspectives About Christmas Music Christmas is the most energizing time of the year for many people. During the Christmas season, we can feel the festive atmosphere with various decorations and lights that enhance the joyful ambiance. What's the best way to get into the Christmas spirit? By listening to as many Christmas tunes as possible. Most people would subscribe to a streaming music service, like Spotify, Apple Music, or Amazon Music. These services provide access to a vast library of songs from various genres at an affordable price. However, the main drawback is that many of the best tunes are protected by DRM, limiting our ability to download and play them on different devices. Nevertheless, discovering the joy of Christmas music and its significance in our holiday traditions is worth the effort. Embrace new songs and artists to create new Christmas traditions and let the magic of Christmas songs fill your heart with joy and bring warmth and happiness to your celebrations. Conclusion Christmas songs are an essential part of our holiday traditions, bringing joy, nostalgia, and a sense of togetherness. From the early Christian hymns to the beloved classics and new holiday tunes, these songs have a special place in our hearts. They remind us of the true meaning of Christmas and help us create lasting memories with our loved ones. So, this holiday season, let the music fill your heart with joy and may the melodies of Christmas songs bring warmth and happiness to your celebrations. FAQs Why are Christmas songs so popular? Christmas songs are popular because they evoke feelings of nostalgia, joy, and togetherness. They remind us of the true meaning of the holiday season and help create lasting memories with our loved ones. What is the oldest known Christmas song? One of the oldest known Christmas music is "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel," which originated in the 12th century. This hymn captures the longing and anticipation of the Advent season. How have Christmas songs evolved? Christmas songs have evolved from early Christian hymns celebrating the birth of Jesus to festive carols sung by traveling carolers in the Middle Ages. The 19th century saw a revival and commercialization of Christmas music, leading to the creation of many beloved classics. Why do Christmas songs evoke such strong emotions? Christmas music evokes strong emotions because they are tied to cherished memories and traditions. Their melodies and lyrics remind us of the joy, love, and togetherness that define the holiday season. How can I discover new Christmas songs? You can discover new Christmas songs by exploring new holiday albums released each year. Streaming services like Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music offer a wide range of Christmas playlists featuring both classic and contemporary tunes. Read the full article

[ghostsandgod]

And shouldest thou enter even into the royal halls, there again thou wouldest hear in the same way all discoursing of wealth, or power, or of the glory which is held in honour here, but of nothing that is spiritual. But here on the contrary everything relates to heaven, and heavenly things; to our soul, to our life, the purpose for which we were born, and why we spend an allotted time upon earth, and on what terms we migrate from hence, and into what condition we shall enter after these things, and why our body is of clay, what also is the nature of death, what, in short, the present life is, and what the future. The discourses that are here made by us contain nothing at all of an earthly kind, but are all in reference to spiritual things. Thus, then, it is that we shall have made great provision for our salvation, and shall depart hence with a good hope.

-St John Chrysostom

[ombwarrior47]

Maine Men Complete Series - K.C. Wells

Title: Maine Men Complete 7 Book Series Author: K.C. Wells Narrator: John Solo Series: Maine Men Number of Pages:  311, 302, 365, 280, 249, 325, 287 Genre:  LGBTQ+ Romance Publisher: Independently Published Date of Original Publication: October 23, 2023 ISBN:   B0CLM6H39J

K.C. Wells’s Maine Men Series was a recommendation to me on Audible after I finished Ana Byrde’s #LoveWins Series. They were both narrated by the same person as well: John Solo.

The complete series on Audible has 7 Books and 2 short stories. The books are available to read as well titled as follows:

Finn’s Fantasy

Ben’s Boss

Seb’s Summer

Dylan’s Dilemma

Shaun’s Salvation

Aaron’s Awakening

Levi’s Love

The series is based around 8 friends from high school who have grown up and still remain in the area together. In each book, each of the friends eventually find their partners and each face their own struggles within the LGBTQ community and life events.

This is a great series that represents friendship and realistic scenarios. It’s a great series to listen to on Audible, John Solo did a great job.

It usually takes me a while to get used to an audio book but with this series I did not. This was a series that I would even consider re-listening too. I would highly recommend it if you’re looking to listen to some LGBT romance.

★★★★★  

~

Up Next:  

-Dark World by Zak Bagans

-Wrongful Deaths by Tom Combs (Drake Cody #3)

-10 Things That Never Happened by Alexis Hall (London’s Calling #3)

-A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair (Hades x Persophone #1)

Yearly Goal Markers:

Book Goal: 28/75  = 37.3%

Page Goal:  9.4/15k = 62.4 %

Follow me on LibraryThing, Goodreads, and Amazon. Same handle: OMBWarrior47

[brookston]

Holidays 3.18

Holidays

Anniversary of the Oil Expropriation (Mexico)

Austria Asteroid Day

Awkward Moments Day

Bindus Diena (The Day the Bears Wake from Hibernation; Ancient Latvia)

Carnival of Body Music

Casey Jones Day

Cheikh Al Maarouf Day (Comoros)

Colonel Day (Battlestar Galactica)

Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence (Australia)

Day of Internal Troops (Belarus)

De Molay Day

Electric Razor Day

Flag Day (Aruba)

Forgive Mom and Dad Day

Gallipoli Memorial Day (Turkey)

Global Recycling Day

Grandparents' & Grandchildren's Day (Michigan)

International Day of Revolutionary Political Prisoners

Maidenhead Fern Day (French Republic)

Make Peace with Your Parents Day

Marien Ngouabi Day (Republic of the Congo)

Men’s and Soldiers Day (Mongolia)

My Whole Self Day (UK)

National Anthem and Flag Day (Aruba)

National Biodiesel Day

National Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Day

National Day of Remembrance for COVID-19 Victims (Italy)

National Farm Rescuer Day

National Natural Gas Utility Workers’ Day

National Public Defender Day

National Supreme Sacrifice Day

Oil Expropriation Day (Mexico)

Ordnance Factory Day (India)

Paris Commune Anniversary Day

Phoebe, Moon of Saturn Day

Saint Throw-Up Day

Stab e-Barat (Night of Records; Bangladesh)

Sheelah's Day (a.k.a. Sheela Na Gig; Australia, Canada, Ireland)

Sheikh Al Maalouf Day (Comoros)

Sheep and Goats Separation Day

South Carolina Day (South Carolina)

Space Walk Day

Sparky the Fire Dog Day

Supreme Sacrifice Day (Congo)

Take Down Tobacco Day

Teacher’s Day (Syria)

Transit Driver Appreciation Day

Trisomy 18 Awareness Day

World Eagle Day

World Juvenile Arthritis Day

World Young Rheumatic Diseases Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Jambon Day (Ireland)

National Lacy Oatmeal Cookie Day

National Sloppy Joe Day

Oatmeal Cookie Day

St. Broccoli Day

3rd Monday in March

Act Happy Day [3rd Monday]

Benito Juarez Fiestas Patrias (Mexico) [3rd Monday]

Dangerous Dan's Annual Coffee Cup Washing Day [3rd Monday]

Dribble to Work Day [3rd Monday]

Labor Day (Christmas Island) [3rd or 4th Monday]

Wellderly Day [3rd Monday]

World Folk Tale and Fable Day [3rd Monday]

Weekly Holidays beginning March 18 (3rd Week)

Act Happy Week (thru 3.24) [begins 3rd Monday]

Global Money Week [thru 3.24]

International Teach Music Week (thru 3.24) [begins 3rd Monday]

Independence & Related Days

Aruba (from Netherlands; 1976)

Panay Liberation Day (Philippines)

Festivals Beginning March 18, 2024

AKFCF Convention (Las Vegas, Nevada) [thru 3.22]

American Meat Conference (Nashville, Tennessee) [thru 3.20]

Bar & Restaurant Expo (Las Vegas, Nevada) [thru 3.20]

Culpepper Downtown Restaurant Week (Culpepper, Virginia) [thru 3.24]

IDFA Women’s Summit (Washington, DC) [thru 3.20]

World Tea Expo (Las Vegas, Nevada) [thru 3.20]

Feast Days

Adam Elsheimer (Artology)

Alexander of Jerusalem (Christian; Saint)

Anselm of Lucca (Christian; Saint)

Asklepieia (Ancient Greece)

Barney Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Breasil of Hy-Breasal (Celtic Book of Days)

Cyril of Jerusalem (Christian; Saint)

Edward of the West Saxons (Anglican Church)

Edward the Martyr (a.k.a. Edward, King of England; Christian; Saint)

Exorcist Day (Make the Spirits Disappear; Pastafarian)

Fridianus (a.k.a. Fridian; Christian; Saint)

Goddess of Fertility Day

Hrethmonath (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

John Updike (Writerism; Humanism; Saint)

Oide Matsuri (Departure Festival; Shinto; Japan)

Philo Zilfinger (Muppetism)

Salvator of Horta (Christian; Saint)

Sheela-na-gig (Irish Pagan Fertility Goddess)

Sheep and Goats (Separation) Day (Shamanism)

Socrates (Positivist; Saint)

Usajingu Reitaisai (Shinto; Japan)

Vodka Day (Pastafarian)

Waqf al Arafa (Islam)

Orthodox Christian Liturgical Calendar Holidays

Great Lent begins [1st Monday in Lent; Orthodox Christian] (a.k.a. …

Ash Monday

Blue Monday

Clean Monday (Greece)

Collop Monday

Green Monday (Cyprus)

Hall Monday

Kathara Deftera

Merry Monday

Monday of Lent

Pure Monday

Rose Monday

Shrove Monday

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Unlucky 18th (Philippines) [1 of 3]

Premieres

Alexander’s Ragtime Band published (Song; 1911)

Allegiant (Film; 2016)

The Bronze (Film; 2016)

Cedar Rapids (Film; 2011)

The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown (Novel; 2003)

D.O.A. (Film; 1988)

Dominick and Eugene (Film; 1988)

Flora (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1948)

Getz/Gilberto, by Stan Getz and João Gilberto (Album; 1964)

Happy and Lucky (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1938)

The House Builder-Upper (Fleischer Popeye Cartoon; 1938)

Ice Princess (Film; 2005)

The Lincoln Lawyer (Film; 2011)

The Lost Dream (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1949)

The Man Who Fell To Earth (Film; 1976)

Mickey’s Mellerdrammer (Disney Cartoon; 1933)

The Milagro Beanfield War (Film; 1988)

Naked Gun 33-1/3: The Final Insult (Film; 1994)

Paul (Film; 2011)

Pee Wee’s Big Holiday (Film; 2016)

Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Minor, by Sergei Rachmaninoff (Piano Concerto; 1927)

Pirates of the Caribbean (Disneyland Ride; 1967)

The Poet and Peasant (Andy Panda Cartoon; 1946)

Rio Bravo (Film; 1960)

Sanditon, by Jane Austen (Unfinished Novel; 1817) [Last Day She Wrote It]

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty James Thurber (Short Stories; 1939)

The Spine of Night (Animated Film; 2021)

Steamboy (Anime Film; 2005)

Strangled Eggs (WB MM Cartoon; 1961)

The Suicide Sheik (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit; 1929)

Wanted: No Master, featuring Count Screwloose and J.R. the Wonder Dog (MGM Cartoon; 1938)

The Well of Loneliness, by Radclyffe Hall (Novel; 1928)

Whatever and Ever Amen, by Ben Folds Five (Album; 1997)

White Riot, by The Clash (Song; 1977)

Today’s Name Days

Cyrill, Edward, Sibylle (Austria)

Ćiril, Edo, Eduard, Spasoje (Croatia)

Eduard (Czech Republic)

Alexander (Denmark)

Edi, Eduard, Eedi, Eedo, Eedu (Estonia)

Edvard, Eetu (Finland)

Cyrille (France)

Edward, Cyrill, Sibylle (Germany)

Edward (Greece)

Ede, Sándor (Hungary)

Cirillo, Salvatore (Italy)

Adelīna, Ilona, Razna, Sartite (Latvia)

Anzelmas, Eimutė, Eimutis, Sibilė (Lithuania)

Aleksander, Edvard, Sander (Norway)

Aleksander, Anzelm, Boguchwał, Cyryl, Edward, Narcyz, Narcyza, Salwator (Poland)

Chiril (Romania)

Eduard (Slovakia)

Cirilo, Eduardo (Spain)

Edmund, Edvard (Sweden)

Cyril, Cyrilla, Grover, Salvador, Salvatore, Sibyl, Sybil, Sybilla (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 78 of 2024; 288 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of week 12 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Fearn (Alder) [Day 2 of 28]

Chinese: Month 2 (Ding-Mao), Day 9 (Xin-Si)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025)

Hebrew: 8 Adair II 5784

Islamic: 8 Ramadan 1445

J Cal: 18 Green; Foursday [18 of 30]

Julian: 5 March 2024

Moon: 65%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 22 Aristotle (3rd Month) [Xenocrates]

Runic Half Month: Beore (Birch Tree) [Day 9 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 89 of 89)

Week: 3rd Week of March

Zodiac: Pisces (Day 29 of 30)

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 3.18

Holidays

Anniversary of the Oil Expropriation (Mexico)

Austria Asteroid Day

Awkward Moments Day

Bindus Diena (The Day the Bears Wake from Hibernation; Ancient Latvia)

Carnival of Body Music

Casey Jones Day

Cheikh Al Maarouf Day (Comoros)

Colonel Day (Battlestar Galactica)

Day of Action Against Bullying and Violence (Australia)

Day of Internal Troops (Belarus)

De Molay Day

Electric Razor Day

Flag Day (Aruba)

Forgive Mom and Dad Day

Gallipoli Memorial Day (Turkey)

Global Recycling Day

Grandparents' & Grandchildren's Day (Michigan)

International Day of Revolutionary Political Prisoners

Maidenhead Fern Day (French Republic)

Make Peace with Your Parents Day

Marien Ngouabi Day (Republic of the Congo)

Men’s and Soldiers Day (Mongolia)

My Whole Self Day (UK)

National Anthem and Flag Day (Aruba)

National Biodiesel Day

National Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Day

National Day of Remembrance for COVID-19 Victims (Italy)

National Farm Rescuer Day

National Natural Gas Utility Workers’ Day

National Public Defender Day

National Supreme Sacrifice Day

Oil Expropriation Day (Mexico)

Ordnance Factory Day (India)

Paris Commune Anniversary Day

Phoebe, Moon of Saturn Day

Saint Throw-Up Day

Stab e-Barat (Night of Records; Bangladesh)

Sheelah's Day (a.k.a. Sheela Na Gig; Australia, Canada, Ireland)

Sheikh Al Maalouf Day (Comoros)

Sheep and Goats Separation Day

South Carolina Day (South Carolina)

Space Walk Day

Sparky the Fire Dog Day

Supreme Sacrifice Day (Congo)

Take Down Tobacco Day

Teacher’s Day (Syria)

Transit Driver Appreciation Day

Trisomy 18 Awareness Day

World Eagle Day

World Juvenile Arthritis Day

World Young Rheumatic Diseases Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Jambon Day (Ireland)

National Lacy Oatmeal Cookie Day

National Sloppy Joe Day

Oatmeal Cookie Day

St. Broccoli Day

3rd Monday in March

Act Happy Day [3rd Monday]

Benito Juarez Fiestas Patrias (Mexico) [3rd Monday]

Dangerous Dan's Annual Coffee Cup Washing Day [3rd Monday]

Dribble to Work Day [3rd Monday]

Labor Day (Christmas Island) [3rd or 4th Monday]

Wellderly Day [3rd Monday]

World Folk Tale and Fable Day [3rd Monday]

Weekly Holidays beginning March 18 (3rd Week)

Act Happy Week (thru 3.24) [begins 3rd Monday]

Global Money Week [thru 3.24]

International Teach Music Week (thru 3.24) [begins 3rd Monday]

Independence & Related Days

Aruba (from Netherlands; 1976)

Panay Liberation Day (Philippines)

Festivals Beginning March 18, 2024

AKFCF Convention (Las Vegas, Nevada) [thru 3.22]

American Meat Conference (Nashville, Tennessee) [thru 3.20]

Bar & Restaurant Expo (Las Vegas, Nevada) [thru 3.20]

Culpepper Downtown Restaurant Week (Culpepper, Virginia) [thru 3.24]

IDFA Women’s Summit (Washington, DC) [thru 3.20]

World Tea Expo (Las Vegas, Nevada) [thru 3.20]

Feast Days

Adam Elsheimer (Artology)

Alexander of Jerusalem (Christian; Saint)

Anselm of Lucca (Christian; Saint)

Asklepieia (Ancient Greece)

Barney Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Breasil of Hy-Breasal (Celtic Book of Days)

Cyril of Jerusalem (Christian; Saint)

Edward of the West Saxons (Anglican Church)

Edward the Martyr (a.k.a. Edward, King of England; Christian; Saint)

Exorcist Day (Make the Spirits Disappear; Pastafarian)

Fridianus (a.k.a. Fridian; Christian; Saint)

Goddess of Fertility Day

Hrethmonath (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

John Updike (Writerism; Humanism; Saint)

Oide Matsuri (Departure Festival; Shinto; Japan)

Philo Zilfinger (Muppetism)

Salvator of Horta (Christian; Saint)

Sheela-na-gig (Irish Pagan Fertility Goddess)

Sheep and Goats (Separation) Day (Shamanism)

Socrates (Positivist; Saint)

Usajingu Reitaisai (Shinto; Japan)

Vodka Day (Pastafarian)

Waqf al Arafa (Islam)

Orthodox Christian Liturgical Calendar Holidays

Great Lent begins [1st Monday in Lent; Orthodox Christian] (a.k.a. …

Ash Monday

Blue Monday

Clean Monday (Greece)

Collop Monday

Green Monday (Cyprus)

Hall Monday

Kathara Deftera

Merry Monday

Monday of Lent

Pure Monday

Rose Monday

Shrove Monday

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Unlucky 18th (Philippines) [1 of 3]

Premieres

Alexander’s Ragtime Band published (Song; 1911)

Allegiant (Film; 2016)

The Bronze (Film; 2016)

Cedar Rapids (Film; 2011)

The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown (Novel; 2003)

D.O.A. (Film; 1988)

Dominick and Eugene (Film; 1988)

Flora (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1948)

Getz/Gilberto, by Stan Getz and João Gilberto (Album; 1964)

Happy and Lucky (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1938)

The House Builder-Upper (Fleischer Popeye Cartoon; 1938)

Ice Princess (Film; 2005)

The Lincoln Lawyer (Film; 2011)

The Lost Dream (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1949)

The Man Who Fell To Earth (Film; 1976)

Mickey’s Mellerdrammer (Disney Cartoon; 1933)

The Milagro Beanfield War (Film; 1988)

Naked Gun 33-1/3: The Final Insult (Film; 1994)

Paul (Film; 2011)

Pee Wee’s Big Holiday (Film; 2016)

Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Minor, by Sergei Rachmaninoff (Piano Concerto; 1927)

Pirates of the Caribbean (Disneyland Ride; 1967)

The Poet and Peasant (Andy Panda Cartoon; 1946)

Rio Bravo (Film; 1960)

Sanditon, by Jane Austen (Unfinished Novel; 1817) [Last Day She Wrote It]

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty James Thurber (Short Stories; 1939)

The Spine of Night (Animated Film; 2021)

Steamboy (Anime Film; 2005)

Strangled Eggs (WB MM Cartoon; 1961)

The Suicide Sheik (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit; 1929)

Wanted: No Master, featuring Count Screwloose and J.R. the Wonder Dog (MGM Cartoon; 1938)

The Well of Loneliness, by Radclyffe Hall (Novel; 1928)

Whatever and Ever Amen, by Ben Folds Five (Album; 1997)

White Riot, by The Clash (Song; 1977)

Today’s Name Days

Cyrill, Edward, Sibylle (Austria)

Ćiril, Edo, Eduard, Spasoje (Croatia)

Eduard (Czech Republic)

Alexander (Denmark)

Edi, Eduard, Eedi, Eedo, Eedu (Estonia)

Edvard, Eetu (Finland)

Cyrille (France)

Edward, Cyrill, Sibylle (Germany)

Edward (Greece)

Ede, Sándor (Hungary)

Cirillo, Salvatore (Italy)

Adelīna, Ilona, Razna, Sartite (Latvia)

Anzelmas, Eimutė, Eimutis, Sibilė (Lithuania)

Aleksander, Edvard, Sander (Norway)

Aleksander, Anzelm, Boguchwał, Cyryl, Edward, Narcyz, Narcyza, Salwator (Poland)

Chiril (Romania)

Eduard (Slovakia)

Cirilo, Eduardo (Spain)

Edmund, Edvard (Sweden)

Cyril, Cyrilla, Grover, Salvador, Salvatore, Sibyl, Sybil, Sybilla (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 78 of 2024; 288 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 1 of week 12 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Fearn (Alder) [Day 2 of 28]

Chinese: Month 2 (Ding-Mao), Day 9 (Xin-Si)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025)

Hebrew: 8 Adair II 5784

Islamic: 8 Ramadan 1445

J Cal: 18 Green; Foursday [18 of 30]

Julian: 5 March 2024

Moon: 65%: Waxing Gibbous

Positivist: 22 Aristotle (3rd Month) [Xenocrates]

Runic Half Month: Beore (Birch Tree) [Day 9 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 89 of 89)

Week: 3rd Week of March

Zodiac: Pisces (Day 29 of 30)