#tawny Los

[xxspellbloxedxx]

Tawny Vacuo idea! I’m in debate if I like it or not

[da-ill-spot]

Music Video: Murderdatt- Outta Sight

Vibe out to the new heat from Murderdatt on “Outta Sight.” The track was produced by Solowedo and Chef Keyz.

The video was shot by Tawny One Love, Hollow Visions and Caaturday.

[katerinaaqu]

Odysseus and Menelaus

So saying he drew the mighty spear of wise-hearted Socus forth from his flesh and from his bossed shield, and when it was drawn out the blood gushed forth and distressed his spirit. But the great-souled Trojans, when they beheld the blood of Odysseus, [460] called one to another through the throng and made at him all together. But he gave ground, and shouted to his comrades; thrice shouted he then loud as a man's head can shout,1 and thrice did Menelaus, dear to Ares, hear his call, and forthwith he spake to Aias that was nigh at hand: [465] “Aias, sprung from Zeus, thou son of Telamon, captain of the host, in mine ears rang the cry of Odysseus, of the steadfast heart, like as though the Trojans had cut him off in the fierce conflict and were over-powering him alone as he is. Nay, come, let us make our way through the throng; to bear him aid is the better course. [470] I fear lest some evil befall him, alone mid the Trojans, valiant though he be, and great longing for him come upon the Danaans.” So saying he led the way, and Aias followed, a godlike man. Then found they Odysseus, dear to Zeus and round about the Trojans beset him, as tawny jackals in the mountains [475] about a horned stag that hath been wounded, that a man hath smitten with an arrow from the string; from him the stag hath escaped and fleeth swiftly so long as the blood flows warm and his knees are quick, but when at length the swift arrow overpowereth him, then ravening jackals rend him amid the mountains [480] in a shadowy grove; but lo, God bringeth against them a murderous lion, and the jackals scatter in flight, and he rendeth the prey: even so then did the Trojans, many and valiant, beset Odysseus round about, the wise and crafty-minded; but the warrior darting forth with his spear warded off the pitiless day of doom. [485] Then Aias drew near, bearing his shield that was like a city wall, and stood forth beside him, and the Trojans scattered in flight, one here, one there. And warlike Menelaus led Odysseus forth from the throng, holding him by the hand, till his squire drave up the horses and car. Hom.Il. 11.456-488

This is probably one of my favorite moments in Iliad for it shows the brutality of war and at the same time the power of comrades and forgetting one's differences.

For starters I love the fact that it shows how strong Odysseus is in battle. Modern media tend to picture him as a generally not as good warrior that has to get down to tricks to win the battle but that is far from it as in Rhapsody 11 he is seen wounded by a spear in the stomach and fighting off around 20 Trojans by himself and holding on pretty well against them. At the same time though shows the difference between Odysseus and other characters. Odysseus is not stupid. He knows his limits and he knows he won't hold out forever so the way he yells three times for ANYONE to hear him and send assistance shows the desperation of the situation

And Menelaus is the one to hear his cry and actually call for the most powerful warrior in their army to come to his assistance and he clearly states that if they lose Odysseus then things would be tough for them. He recognizes both his strength and his value in the war. He knows that people like Odysseus are irreplacable and the way he actually helps him off the battlefield by supporting him is literally one of my favorite moments! The way we also see that he later on is one of those who speaks with the most outmost warmth for Odysseus and names him as his dearest friend and comrade when he speaks of him to Telemachus (Even Aias who is not particularly fond of Odysseus and vice versa, forgets his personal grudge and rushes to his assistance)

I think that the friendship between Menelaus and Odysseus is not talked much (obscured maybe by the scenes between Odysseus and Diomedes and for good reason maybe) and I think it is a shame. And it is another reason why I loved art such as @thehelplessmortals depicting some tender moments between Menelaus and Odysseus. And also this is another reason why I made them interract in my fanfiction Guilt given that Menelaus is probably the one who appreciates more than many the capabilities Odysseus has; both his brain and mind and his battle abilities

[fio-of-the-fae-realm]

Car Troubles, Madam?

Sit down and buckle up, if you dare- this is the story of the worst math teacher I’d ever had.

Picture the scene. It’s high school. I had just gone through a breakup that had left me desolate and insecure. My home life was deteriorating for separate reasons. Basically, my life was kind of in shambles.

And then this woman entered it.

For decency’s sake and that alone, I will not give her true name. But if she reads this, she’ll know it’s about her. For now, we’ll call her Satan.

Now, Satan was a Geometry teacher, which should have been a red flag from the very start. And yet, I was determined that this- this would finally be the year in which I got along with my math teacher. After all, she couldn’t be any worse than my Algebra teacher. Right?

Wrong.

She had committed many sins that set her apart from math teachers of past years, but this story is about the time she truly went above and beyond to make herself known as Satan.

Now, the car ride to school that day was not a delicate one. As I was driving, I saw the limp form of a dog- a soft-looking, tawny pitbull mix- laying on the side of the road. It was still. Regardless, I had to stop and check on it to make sure. After seeing that the dog was gone, I cried on the drive to school. How could anyone be so cruel as to kill a dog and leave it there? Dogs are precious to humanity! Needless to say, I was already in a bit of a mood by the time I arrived.

Then, as I walk into the classroom, I hear Satan talking with another teacher. Being a nosy sort, I can catch the conversation from my desk.

“Yeah, my car insurance company is being really annoying about it…I mean, that dog got in the way of my car! Can’t believe…costing me so much…”

My jaw dropped. Her. No way. I must have misheard her. My Geometry teacher could not be the same person I’d mentally condemned to a thousand hells on that turbulent drive to school. I told myself I must be incorrect, then got back to my work. Satan walks into class, late. A student asks why. And lo and behold, this woman says “Oh, yeah, a dog got in the way of my car on the way to school this morning…I had to sort things out with insurance. It totally messed up my car.” The class was silent for a moment. Now, listen, 14-16 year olds are not known for their sense of right and wrong, but every person in that class knew that what she was saying was deeply fucked up.

A brave soul spoke up. “Is…it okay?” he asked, uncharacteristically timid.

“Yeah, I guess,” Satan responded. “Really expensive, though. Apparently my insurance doesn’t cover-“ She spoke as though it was the dog’s fault.

“No, I…I meant, is the dog okay?” the brave soul clarified, flabbergasted. Satan snorted with derision.

“No?”

We lapsed back into a sort of shocked silence. Ah, poor Satan and her insurance. Nevermind the innocent dog she’d run over.*

My ex-math teacher, assorted beings.

*During her story, she clarified where the incident had taken place- sure enough, same road where we found the dog’s body.

[holly-natnicole]

[Image Description: Leo Valdez from 'the Heroes of Olympus' (2010) and 'the Trials of Apollo' (2016). A Mexican dyadic cisgender boy who is 15-17 years old. He has tawny skin, dark brown eyes, and dark brown hair. His face is round, his eyes are narrow, and his very short hair consists of 3A curls. Leo is sitting on the non-existent floor, a white sign held down in front of him. The sign has in red text: '¡DESCANCE EM PAZ!' He wears orange trainers which have straps instead of shoelaces, white socks, and a black outfit with 6 white rib bones, 2 medium pink roses, and a white fancy shirt collar thing.]

(Sorry for the low quality of the digital drawing!! Día de los Muertos isn't yet, so I'll try to get an average quality digital drawing of Leo celebrating done by the time 2nd November 2024 rolls around.)

[rockislandadultreads]

Happy National Hispanic Heritage Month!

Mango, Mambo, and Murder by Raquel V. Reyes

Food anthropologist Miriam Quiñones-Smith's move from New York to Coral Shores, Miami, puts her academic career on hold to stay at home with her young son. Adding to her funk is an opinionated mother-in-law and a husband rekindling a friendship with his ex. Gracias to her best friend, Alma, she gets a short-term job as a Caribbean cooking expert on a Spanish-language morning TV show. But when the newly minted star attends a Women's Club luncheon, a socialite sitting at her table suddenly falls face-first into the chicken salad, never to nibble again.

When a second woman dies soon after, suspicions coalesce around a controversial Cuban herbalist, Dr. Fuentes - especially after the morning show's host collapses while interviewing him. Detective Pullman is not happy to find Miriam at every turn. After he catches her breaking into the doctor's apothecary, he enlists her help as eyes and ears to the places he can't access, namely the Spanish-speaking community and the tawny Coral Shores social scene.

As the ingredients to the deadly scheme begin blending together, Miriam is on the verge of learning how and why the women died. But her snooping may turn out to be a recipe for her own murder.

This is the first volume of the "A Caribbean Kitchen Mystery" series.

Our Share of Night by Mariana Enríquez

A young father and son set out on a road trip, devastated by the death of the wife and mother they both loved. United in grief, the pair travel to her ancestral home, where they must confront the terrifying legacy she has bequeathed: a family called the Order that commits unspeakable acts in search of immortality.

For Gaspar, the son, this maniacal cult is his destiny. As the Order tries to pull him into their evil, he and his father take flight, attempting to outrun a powerful clan that will do anything to ensure its own survival. But how far will Gaspar’s father go to protect his child? And can anyone escape their fate?

Moving back and forth in time, from London in the swinging 1960s to the brutal years of Argentina’s military dictatorship and its turbulent aftermath, Our Share of Night is a novel like no other: a family story, a ghost story, a story of the occult and the supernatural, a book about the complexities of love and longing with queer subplots and themes.

The Haunting of Alejandra by V. Castro

Alejandra no longer knows who she is. To her husband, she is a wife, and to her children, a mother. To her own adoptive mother, she is a daughter. But they cannot see who Alejandra has become: a woman struggling with a darkness that threatens to consume her. Nor can they see what Alejandra sees. In times of despair, a ghostly vision appears to her, the apparition of a crying woman in a ragged white gown.

When Alejandra visits a therapist, she begins exploring her family’s history, starting with the biological mother she never knew. As she goes deeper into the lives of the women in her family, she learns that heartbreak and tragedy are not the only things she has in common with her ancestors.

Because the crying woman was with them, too. She is La Llorona, the vengeful and murderous mother of Mexican legend. And she will not leave until Alejandra follows her mother, her grandmother, and all the women who came before her into the darkness. But Alejandra has inherited more than just pain. She has inherited the strength and the courage of her foremothers—and she will have to summon everything they have given her to banish La Llorona forever.

Vanishing Maps by Cristina García

Celia del Pino, the matriarch of a far-flung Cuban family, has watched her descendants spread out across the globe, struggling to make sense of their transnational identities and strained relationships with one another. In Berlin, the charismatic yet troubled Ivanito performs on stage as his drag queen persona, while being haunted by the ghost of his mother. Pilar Puente, adrift in Los Angeles, is a struggling sculptor and the single mother of a young son. In Moscow, Ivanito’s cousin Irina has become the wealthy owner of a lingerie company, but she remains deeply lonely in the wake of her parents’ deaths and her estrangement from her Cuban heritage. Meanwhile, in Havana, Celia prepares to reunite with her lost lover, Gustavo, and wonders whether age and the decades spent apart have altered their bond.

Cut off from their Cuban roots, yet still feeling the island’s ineluctable pull, Ivanito and his extended family try to reimagine where - and with whom - they belong. Over the course of a momentous year, each will grapple with their histories as they are pulled to Berlin for a final, explosive reunion.

[ratritz]

Winter Wonderland

Icing sugar twilight Dust sparkled ground Dawn chorus debuts Blackbird, Robin, Wren sound

Reynard lopes along Flaming fleet in dark Frosty footpads declare Too cold for this lark

No flittermice afloat Home hanging safe, snug Hibernal hiding, frozen Awaiting Winters shrug

Yet lo!

Old owlish awe drifts down Glides dreamlike into sight Great feathered flake alights Bursts me with delight!

Hoots to me a warning ‘Freeze! Statue-like, alright’ Flight swift, snowy, silent Tawny melts once more to night

Sol floods horizon Beams of cool wrath Bejewelled trees tinselled Twinkling grass and path

Nutkin brisk bright eyed Bushy bounds iced blades Bobs silver shivered greeting Skates away to shades

Blue Tit, Thrush, Sparrow Frenzy! Flurry! Alarm! Felix! Felix! Flee! Fly! Klaxons end the calm

Engines set a-growl Crystal solitude shattered Crisp voices biting chill Wild friends scattered

Nature’s show sublime Performers disengage Players surrender spotlight Humans invade stage

Thankful once again Private privilege I’ve found Perfect Winter Wonderland When other humans aren’t around

[thethistlegirlwrites]

Name: Sierra Aguirre (legally changed her name to Aguirre-Stoker when she found out who her birth father was) Species: Human Age: 24 Powers: None, but she's agile and good with a variety of weapons, as well as being a highly skilled pursuit driver. Physical description: She's 5'7, petite but not fragile. She's got dark brown hair, usually braided or pulled back in a bun, and at the time of the story has one side shaved and growing back from where she had to have stitches put in after a fight with a vampire. She has dark brown eyes and tawny skin, and a thick rippled scar on the outside of one forearm where she burned it on an engine block working on a car. Her nails are always cut short and her fingers have permanently ground in grease and oil. Personality: Snarky, aggressive, and driven. She's got a chip on her shoulder and a family name to live up to. Background: Sierra grew up in Amarillo, Texas with a single mom who was an underground street racer in her spare time, and has been working on cars since she was old enough to hold a wrench, and driving them since she could reach the pedals. She was going to her local community college to become a mechanic when she found some of her father's journals, and learned that he wasn't killed in a car accident like her mother always told her, but had been part of a vampire hunter agency and was killed on an operation. After learning the truth about her father, Sierra started researching the secret underworld of vampires and hunters and eventually joined a rogue vigilante hunter group, looking to rid the world of what she felt were the monsters that took her father from her. After she was captured by the members of a real, legal hunter agency, Sierra was offered a choice, help them bring down the vigilantes and get a second chance, and an offer to join the agency and do things the right way, or get sent to an off the books prison. She chose to help, and joined her father's old agency in the aftermath, although after initial training she transferred to the Los Angeles "Chimera" agency, where her uncle John Stoker was working with a team. After her training probationary period, she was partnered with Pete Jemison, a forensic accountant, and they work together taking down a variety of vampire-related illegal businesses. Other: She has a 1967 Chevy Camaro retrofitted as a hunter patrol car. It's got a holding compartment in the back seats to transport a vampire prisoner (which isn't a great fit for Shane but he's going to have to deal) and it's painted silver with dark blue pinstripe details that make the front look like a stylized wolf's head. She's nicknamed it 'Lobo'.

Taglist:

@nade2308 @catwingsathena @the-one-and-only-valkyrie @telltaleclerk @floh673

[untilthenextencore]

Of Hopes & High Grace Pt. 1: Clearly: Up in the Canyons~...

~

~

Laurel Canyon, 1965~

Walking up the driveway into the house, from his tour around the grounds by the house's owner, Jimmy let his eyes scan the room. Turning left, he saw his date for the evening Jackie sitting in the pit - a sunken floor & seating area - chatting with one of their friends. He had come to the party with her that day. Jackie had been something of a regular or semi-regular presence in his life. They'd been on & off for a few months since working together both on her music, songs for others like Marianne Faithfull, or even his own attempts at solo work. Though the less said about that single, the better he figured now.

Turning right & taking a sip of his drink as he tried to clear that from his mind, he saw a bunch of kids dancing in the center of the living room. They weren't really kids, actually. Most looked about his age from what he could tell. They twisted & moved in front of large double glass doors that looked out on quite a view of the city below. The setting sun streamed in through the windows, starbursting over the dancing kids. One in particular caught his eye.

She was in a slim fitting sheath dress with a scoop neckline & a mottled shimmery watery blue & lagoon green print. The dress skimmed what he could surmise was a very alluring figure. Long dark hair flowing loose around her shoulders, tawny skin, a hint of cat's eye eyeliner framing two deep brown eyes. Full rosy cheeks. Even fuller berry rose lips. She laughed & clapped & spun about with an older male friend as the guitar in the song trilled.

Try as he might, Jimmy couldn't tear his eyes from her. She was lively. Spirited. Drop dead gorgeous. He simply had to get her name.

Nudging his host for the evening, he motioned to the dark sylph dressed in siren's blue & asked. "Who's she, mate?"

His host Tony turned to peer in her direction before smiling. "Ah, her? That's Mariella. She lives up here. Bought a house on Appian Way not too long ago. Made a few papers. Rather young for being a homeowner, she. Teenage homeowner. You know how papers eat that stuff up."

Jimmy nodded at that. He knew all too well. So she was a teenager, was she?

Tony explained further. "But she's more known for her music."

"Sings, does she?" Jimmy asked with a sip of his drink.

"Like an angel!" Tony nodded. "Though she sings mostly in Spanish. Mexican music & the like. Her father is a singer, too. A famous one in his field. Carlos Ignacio Alamilla. She sometimes used to tour with him. Now she goes between performances with him & her own local club gigs."

"I see..." Jimmy nodded, mulling over the many ways their similar lines of work might give him an in with her. "Mind introducing me then?"

To his surprise, Tony laughed.

"What's so funny?" Jimmy asked, half annoyed, half confused.

"Nothing. Except I feel I must warn you. You being new here & all you probably don't know. She's not too forthcoming with new people. Her father is extremely protective of her, with her being his only daughter. And even if you get past him, there's no promise you'll get anywhere with her. The running joke is that while most everyone's first word was "mama," hers was likely "no."

Jimmy snorted.

"It's true. Not to say she's mean. Just very careful in meeting new people. Wary even. Once you get to know her... If you get to know her... Once you get close... If you get close... You'll find she's a delight... Sweet girl... Just very shy I guess... Impossible not to love her, that one..."

"I see..." Jimmy breathed those words in a dragon's puff of cigarette smoke.

A delight...

Sweet girl...

Shy girl...

Indeed...

What's not to love?...

Jimmy contemplated everything he was told with another puff of his cigarette before asking it & announcing with a wry grin in yet another dragon's puff. "Well, now I have to meet her now don't I?"

"Alright." Tony drawled, placing a hand on Jimmy's shoulder. Don't say I didn't warn you. And don't be surprised if she's not as forthcoming with you. It takes her awhile to warm up." With that he led the way as he & Jimmy weaved their way through the crowd.

Each undulating body seemed to serve as a fluttering curtain. A momentary eclipse. All of it making it so as they neared Jimmy saw her move in sections. In snapshots. Rotoscope images that burned & swirled in his brain, searing themselves into the grey matter. Each fleeting glimpse only serving to intrigue & tantalize him more. The time it took for them to cross the few feet's distance they had to traverse, feeling like one long scene in slow motion. The music falling into silence. The silence cut only by the sound of his blood thumping in his temples. His heartbeat pounding like a drum of war.

Jimmy's mouth went suddenly dry. He swallowed hard. He could be wrong but he swore that lump he felt in his throat, if it wasn't his Adam's apple, might've been heart-shaped.

Just then, Tony's voice cut into his train of thought, slicing through the thumping silence. "Hey, Mariella."

Black hair fanned out as she whirled to face them cutting her dance short, before coming to rest framing her face as she turned.

Lovely face, Jimmy thought.

A look of confusion crossed her features before her eyes lit up in recognition. "Tony! There you are! I was wondering where you had gone off to!" She spoke in a bright voice colored with an indeterminate accent. "I knew you were here but I didn't see you. How are you?" She asked with a hug.

Perhaps, this would be easier than Tony said it would.

"Just fine, doll. And clearly you seem to be enjoying yourself too. Great mix of songs you brought this time as always!" Tony smiled & returned the hug warmly. "I've been looking for you too by the way. I have someone I want to introduce to you. He's a friend of mine."

"Oh?" She looked up at him with a curious pout.

"Mariella Alamilla may I introduce one of the latest English imports to hit our shores, A Mister James Patrick Page." Tony motioned to Jimmy, snickering at his own overly florid introduction.

She, Mariella, turned to face Jimmy, regarding him with the same curious pout. Indeed there was a touch of wariness edging those eyes as they scanned him guardedly. The young girl stayed close to Tony, anchoring herself to him amidst this stranger before her.

Now was the time.

Jimmy gave her his best disarming smile & extended a hand. "Pleasure to meet you. Call me Jimmy. And may I say you have a phenomenal taste in music. What's the name of the song if I may ask?"

"Pleasure's all mine I'm sure." Her voice was cool & soft as she placed her smaller hand in his lightly. Feathersoft. Fleeting, hesitant contact. None of that brightness & effusiveness that had been so evident in her chat with Tony. "And thank you. It's one of my favorites. It's called "El Boogie de la Guitarra" by Los Crazy Boys. Mexican Rock. Tony likes me to bring some music by artists he and the gang might not have heard of." She explained in a polite yet matter of fact tone.

Mariella had undergone a sudden transition. She went from alive & incandescent to hushed & removed. Her light still shone but now it flickered like a candle in a breeze. A light in the window of a tower, or at a high altar. Still burning. Still present. Still bright. Yet just out of reach. So near & yet so far.

So Tony was right after all! He WAS gonna have to work with this one. Interesting...

Bringing her hand to his lips he kissed the back, eliciting a jolt, soft gasp & the slight widening of eyes.

At least he could get some kind of reaction out of her. A delicious one at that.

Fighting a grin at the sight of her trying to reel in her reactions so & giving a soft curtsy in semi-formal / semi-playful response to his florid actions, he continued. "I hear from Tony you're in the music game too."

"Yes." She replied, still soft yet pointed. "I sing with my father at times & at other times do my own thing."

"Which is?..." Jimmy asked, maintaining his hold on her hand despite the momentary soft pull he felt. She attempted to retract her hand after the kiss, clearly expecting that to be it. Clearly, it wasn't though. And so her hand remained in his, his thumb rubbing the kiss-printed back as the rest of his hand swallowed hers whole & kept it there. Jimmy meanwhile did his best to distract her from this fact by adding. "Tony told me you sing Mexican music?"

"Yes." She nodded, swallowing hard herself. Clearly she was trying to ignore her nerves. Trying to ignore or quell the tremble in her hand that was locked in his. A fact he clearly reveled in. "I sing Mexicana with my older brother, father and his band. Banda. Boleros. Mariachi. That sort of thing. When on my own I sort of mix that with an indie kick. Maybe a little jazz. Maybe a little rock. Maybe something else. It all depends on my mood." Lifting her gaze from her hand in his & pinning him with a look that was at once both curious & cutting, she asked. "Do you sing too, Jimmy?"

He & Tony shared a knowing laugh. "Not really I'm afraid. I plan to stick to the guitar & maybe my art otherwise."

Tony nodded, explaining simply. "Jimmy went to art school before things really kicked off for him. He's now one of the most in demand session guitarists there is, doll!"

Jimmy did his best not to blush at the compliment. He didn't want to be too conspicuous. Though he had been content to remain silent up to this point, Jimmy saw that Tony's eyes had volleyed from Jimmy himself to Mariella and back like he were witness to the most captivating tennis match ever.

"Really now?" Jimmy heard the first lilt in her voice in what had been quite awhile. The light in her eyes flickered anew. The corner of her sweet mouth lifted as she asked. "That seems to be quite a frequent occurrence. Tell me, Mr. Page, do all you Englishmen flock to art school before you hit the music scene?"

Both he & Tony laughed again. "Boy if it don't seem like that sometimes, huh?" Tony nudged Jimmy, grazing him with an elbow to the ribs.

"Yeah it does. A lot of us sure seem to but it's not like a dead set rule or anything." Jimmy smiled as he met her gaze. His laughter crinkled eyes were met with a gaze that was still just as inscrutable as it was penetrating even as little flames of mirth danced in her eyes & in the corners of her soft, wry smile.

Where had he seen such a look before?

He couldn't put a finger on it.

Shaking out of that thought, he added with a soft pat to her hand, still locked in his, with his free one. "In any case I do hope I'll get the honor and pleasure to hear you sing while I'm here."

"Maybe you will." Tony smiled.

Though Jimmy's gaze hardly left Mariella, Jimmy could still catch the barest glimpse of him signaling to someone off to the side.

Another soft curtsy by the young lovely in the blue dress followed, recapturing Jimmy's full attention. "I hope you still find it such a pleasure afterwards if you do."

Jimmy was sure he'd indeed find her such a pleasure.

In more ways than one.

Just then Jimmy found his attentions pulled to his side as a certain familiar blonde, curled her way around him, linking arms with him.

It was Jackie.

"Jimmy..." She drawled, snapping her gum sharply. "Where've you been. I've been looking everywhere for you. And who's this?" He saw her eyes scan Mariella warily.

Mariella for her part barely flinched. Her features hardly changed. One eyebrow lifted in the barest perk as her head tilted slightly. "Nice to see you again, Jackie. How've you been? Haven't seen you since the last music show we did together. Hope you've been well." Her voice was as ever cool, controlled & polite. Where some would fight fire with fire, she clearly preferred to ice out the flames entirely. And rather aptly at that. Smooth.

"Oh hi, Jackie. Tony was just showing me around & introducing me to people." Jimmy explained as coolly as possible.

"I see..." She cast a nonplussed look his way before turning to regard the dusky brunette once more. "Ah, Marie-Ella..." Jackie cooed, breaking her name up in some sort of southern double name special like her own government name was. "I'm so sorry. I didn't realize it was you!" Her voice was super sweet as she laid it on as thick as honey. Though try as she might she still came off as something a little short of genuine in her apology & attempts to ingratiate.

Had she always been this cloying?, Jimmy thought.

"Long time no see indeed!" Jackie giggled. "How's the eighth grade? Or is it ninth now? It's been such a long time I just can't keep track."

It was then that Jimmy & Mariella's hold on each other broke.

Eighth grade?

Ninth?

What was that in terms of forms again?

Jimmy cast a stunned look at Mariella who just shrugged.

"Actually I'm in high school now, thanks for asking." She replied matter of factly. Calm. Cool. Collected. Sweet & smooth. "How's the school of life treating you, Jackie? Well, I hope." There went that soft yet inscrutable stare.

Jackie just scoffed & smacked her gum again. "Well enough thanks." Then tugging on Jimmy's arm, she announced. "Jimmy let's go. I have some people I want you to meet."

Before he could think to respond with more than a mere. "Wait, Jackie. Wait..." Mariella gave him a playful salute with two fingers to her temple.

"See you around then. Bye you two."

And with that, she & Tony disappeared into the crowd as Jackie pulled him away.

~

As ever this is forever under construction~!

Hope you guys enjoy~!

[encephalitis-on-sundays]

Chapter 1

The way if War

An Avatar fanfiction featuring most if not all of the characters and more. Taking place around 8 months after the second movie.

Perplexed and unusual were the only set of bound emotions that came rippling through the crowds, a whispering of Navi and hushed wonders filled the once playful and easygoing atmosphere. Tonowari alongside Ajake swam effortlessly out against the reefs to investigate the floating Navi body in the swells.

"It's a girl!" Tonowari called over his broad shoulder as Ajake helped pick her up out of the bubbling sea,"Not Metkayina... human in Navi skin, perhaps we should get our guys to interact?" Ajake spoke low and cautious, he knew far too well the damage that could be done by saving this girl, nonetheless he held her close to his chest, cradling her as he stalked his way out onto the sandy beaches.

"Kiri! Lo-Ak! " He whistled and called for his two eldest to come to his side.

"Get Warr-Ak and meet at the bungalow" He commanded softly now turning to Tonowari whom seemed as pale as a ghost fish. "not too worry... yet, we need to wake her up slowly as if not to put her into shock" he added, turning after the other nodded in approval and carrying her weightless body back to his temporary home.

Warrick was amongst the waves on the farther side of the islands, and with it came peace in the freshness of the water and air. Sighing he dipped his head back into the water to cool off from the relentless sun waves piercing down at his blue skin. It started off as a slight distortion through the boundless sea water, but began to become a louder and more crude muffled cry. Warrick snapped his head back up and quickly made out the voices of the Sully's kids in the close distance with hands over mouths as they hollered for him to return, and that he did.

They filled him in on what had presided on the southern side just nearly an hour ago, "Was she injured? any dog tags or ID of any kind?" he drilled the two as they all made their way back to Ajake and the girl. "Nor have I seen Spider.. sorry, Kiri, your dad must have sent him to gather the scientists" He explained as she inquired of her assumed lovers whereabouts.

Once they all had arrived back to 'base', Warrick immediately found Ajake and two human scientists checking on the almost lifeless beauty washed ashore. He whispered quietly of her profound allure before nuzzling in to get a closer glimpse. Her long dark hair fell cascading over her tawny shoulders and wrapped together near her right wrist.

"Have you ever heard the story of sleeping beauty?" He questioned and got a playful hit behind his head from Ajake whom simply muttered for the other to shut up. "Geez, okay- but did she come with any identification? " He raised a brow while watching one scientist hook up a small machine to her head and heart.

"don't you worry, sleeping beauty; were gonna figure this whole thing out" he mumbled and leaned in to evaluate the numbers processing her vitals.

Spider sat back with Kiri and Lo AK watching and whispering amongst themselves about who Warr- aks mystery sleeping beauty was, laughing at the hopeless romantics' antics. Lo- Ak jabbed Spider in the side before mumbling about Tuks new boy friend who stood by the entrance soaked and with prying eyes; curious in the Sully's newest adopt.

"That's enough" Ajake spoke up and turned back towards the forming group of bystanders and stood up showcasing his dominance in his towering semblance.

"Spider, take the bucket and fill it with fresh water from the stream, keep eyes on the sky, and be back within the hour, comm me if the mission changes in any way" He ordered, and gave the young man a nod of appreciation as Spider gave a " Yes Sir!" and scrambled out of the home.

"Everyone else can find work to do otherwise I will gladly give you something productive to waste time with" He announced sternly and shooed his other kids away.

"Stay with her, I need to talk to Tonowari once more" Ajake told warr-ak before pushing the curtains aside and stepping out of the home he's grown to have a fondness for.

Warrick nodded absently as the scientists began to explain she was in fact human, but using a navi's consciousness. For what reason they had no clue, yet something about this girl seemed magical. Once everyone had left the two alone he crouched close by her side and put his nose to her cheek; breathing in her sea filled scent with a small huff before sitting back again with a lopsided grin. 'This is the closest I've ever been to a female' He thought slightly embarrassed by his obvious adoration for his mystery sleeping beauty.

Spider didnt drag heels as he carried himself easily past the other Navi; grabbing a hefty wooden bucket along his way. Holding with both arms he found himself thinking yet again of their former home back within the forests' caves. Grunting when he leaped clumsily over a broken tree and almost dropped the empty jug once landing amongst the sandy dirt on the other side. Spider clutched the water container with more might before slinging it under his right arm pit with a hushed huff.

"Damn it" He cursed, remembering another more difficult memory of the sudden past he would of rather left burried in the sea. His thoughts were cut short when the sound of trickling water found its way into the air's stiff silence.

'Its too quiet, somethings up' He found thoughts slamming the alarm bells in his head as he ducked and crawled under a broken tree to get to the rivers soft flow. This way he was well hidden from sight, or so he would have given to hope to be true, but the alarms only grew to a wailing pitch.

"shit shit shit" Muttering quickly and hushed by the rivers null, Spider hurriedly sank the bowl into the water and watched as the liquid filled to the top. His eyes wandering over the landscape as he sat ready and camouflaged to the best of his ability. A soft call caught him off guard and he fell sideways into the slow moving river with an audible splash. As soon as he hit the waters cold surface hands were on him and securing him in place.

"Just the kid ive been looking for" A voice grumbled out not but inches away, Spider hissed loudly and tried to free himself before being ushered back to land.

"now now, no reason to kick and scream, I aint here to cause any harm, call it more of a.. curiosity " Quaritch reasoned with his son, letting him go and holding up his hands to hopefully change the intensity of their second or now third introduction.

"You tried to kill Kiri!" Spider yelled and balled his hands into tight fists, "i shouldve let you drown!" He hissed, amusement flickering on the olders features.

Quaritch felt his chest drop to his stomach over bearing the weight of being 'the bad guy', and now even dubbed so by his only kin.

"I didnt though-how about we put the past behind us and go from there, eh kiddo?" He hoped that maybe this would bond them close enough to not keep 'secrets', and Quaritch would no doubt find all of the Sullys' Gossip if his son would fall into his plan. 'if'

Spider shook his head fast and with panic knocking on the door to his inner mind and he bit his lip trying to compute what the other was saying, and how to react. He reached up to grab at his head and dug fingers into his scalp while with elbows up turned in a complete circle before crouching down to hear the other out. "Butthole" he speaks out in Navi so the other might feel double the attack.

"What do you want?!" Spider yelled in frustration, taking to standing and swaying his balance in preparation to get the hell outta there and that situation. 'call it in' He fought back the urge feeling sorry once again for the colonel.

The sudden show of emotion ran its course within the youngers body and soul although he was still very on edge, and that the colonel understood.

"Anyways!" He calls to him with a shrug and momentarily puts his hand on his gun before releasing his grip. "I just wanted to thank you for what you did yesterday.... That was very brave of you so- Spider. you couldve let me drown" He meets the others gaze. "but you didnt " he finished with a frown.

"Why are you doing this?" Spiders voice harsh and yet wavering. "why are you telling me this? !" His voice raised in strength and octave as he gripped the strap to his small duffel bag in any attempt to cool his head, "I don't know you, so leave me alone, dumbass!" He shouted the last insult and stood his ground, glancing back behind him every few seconds.

Quaritch knew he had hit the jugular in the kids way of expressing his 'energy', though with the insult the man furrowed his brow.

"careful now, I didn't say I couldn't bite..." He warns before clearing his throat and crouching down to the boys level. "Miles, you don't belong here with 'them'... boy, you belong with other men and woman of your kind... aren't you at least curious as the world you've been taught to hate?"

Spider flinched when his birth name was used but continued to hold his stance ready for a fight if it were to ensue. "No! I hate them!" He declared loudly as if trying to scare the man away before anything escalated. "Just go, I have to go, I'm not going with you, 'Sir'" He mocked, making an effort to contort his face in the look of disgust.

Spiders comm went off indicating he had been gone much longer than him or any other had foreseen. He pressed the button to halt the timers alarm and turned back annoyed now with the other and less afraid.

"Mr. Sully... " He looked at the other as he slowly began to gather his jug of water and used wound vine to tie it to his side.

"See ya, loser!" He yelled before giving a loud and dramatic hiss towards the man, and fleeing as fast as he could go back towards the village. He looped around the south side of the island to check if the colonel had been tracking him, which he found no evidence of such and with a heavy defeated sigh carried on with a heavy heart and complex situation.

The light from the day seemed to fade as easy as an ink smudge, the clouds shifting and turning dark against the purple skies. Ajake heard the commotion of his kids calling out to their very late companion, sighing in annoyance he flipped the curtains back and frowned while stepping out from where the girl slept.

"Do I not recall giving you a stressed time approval... Two hours ago" Sully raised a brow down at the human boy, his hands on hips, and with a stare that could freeze molten lava.

Spider felt uncomfortable being stood so small next to someone so fierce that he nearly refused to meet the man's eyes.

"sorry, Sir" He spoke and quickly offered the jug over with a glance towards Kiri who stood back but stayed alert in their conversation. It sucked being disappointing to anyone, and Spider was going to make sure not to slip up again.

"Recheck your comms, dismissed" Ajake spoke now a bit softer as he did not want to take his frustrations out on the kid before him. He took the water and returned to where Warwick and the odd Avatar we're inside.

"Dude, are you going to cry?" Lo Ak teased once his father was away, getting a harsh elbow jab from Spider in return.

"you wish" the boy taunted back with a scrunched-up face to show his displease.

"It's not funny, some of us were worried... I thought they'd taken you again" Kiri said through a cracking voice and eyes focused only on her soul mate.

"Kiri..." He looked her up and down before pulling her slowly into a tight hug, body to body.

"I'm right here" He added comfort to his words by tapping right where her heart would be and chuckling as Lo ak made fake vomiting noises.

"Lame, bro" Lo ak laughed out and shook his head. "im right here~" he continued to mock fun of the other as the three each headed towards the other side of the bungalow home.

-----------------------------------

[violettesiren]

No winter twilight chills us now, but rather The night is waning, and the day is near; For to the northern distance, and yet farther Fades the unheeded splendor of the year. No flower, in truth, may cheer the eager sight, No lonely bird is calling for its mate; We have the sense of earth’s forthcoming light, Spring broods above the hills, and we can wait.

The meadow does not heed the warmth returning, The starry coltsfoot still withholds her buds, The wishful eye, far-sighted and discerning, Can choose no spot of green amid the woods; There is no winsome odor in the winds, But with a pulse of living strength they blow, Though in some hollow still the traveler finds Half-sheltered from the sun, the lingering snow.

The Spring reveals herself in secret only, Thro’ hidden signs we guess her mystic power, The fields are bare, the woodlands wild and lonely, But lo! beneath the earth she hides the flower. The willows quicken at the river’s brim, The eager alder breaks her tawny buds, The upland hills are wrapt in hazes dim, And sweet, impulsive life has stirred the woods.

March by Dora Read Goodale

[xxspellbloxedxx]

Red or White? 🤍♥️

[i-meticulous4life]

I-meticulous4life Cemetery sign 1937

Painted sign for the LA. Pet cemetery, located at 2500 N. Highland Avenue. Advertising that the cemetery includes a crematory and mausoleum and that visitors are welcome

AKA LOS Angeles pet memorial park.

The LOS Angeles pet memorial park was founded by celebrity veterinarian Dr. Eugene jones on September 4th, 1928, and became the final rating place for such animals stars as Tawny, one of the MGM lions jiggs- “Cheetah’’ from Tarzan, Pete the pup from our gang and Topper- the trusty steed of hopalong Cassidy.

Not only celebrities animals, but the Animal of celebrities Rest In Peace at these enduring , revered ground.

[deathleadsarc]

The  mystique  of  the  Mountain  Alchemist-Witch  Qistina  Leota  is  well  known  within  a  town  situated  just  north  of  the  Harz  mountains,  in  the  district  of  Harz  in  the  west  of  Saxony-Anhalt,  Germany.  Just  several  miles  within  Quedlinburg's  surrounding  forestry  lay  the  home  of  a  Witch    ―    legend  goes  that  nearly  five  hundred  and  fifty  years  prior,  is  a  quaint  village  hidden  within  those  woods  with  what  would  be  known  as  one  of  the  most  bizarre  mass  murder  mysteries  of  the  world.  On  the  morning  of  late  December  of  1507,  the  King's  Court  made  the  grizzly  discovery  that  the  entirety  of  the  village  had  been  massacred.  Hundreds  dead  and  mutilated,  blood  coating  the  roads  as  if  the  sky  itself  had  been  flayed  open  ―  thus  leading  the  King  to  believe  that  the  deed  had  been  done  by  a  Witch.  

Signs  within  the  village  had  led  to  such  a  conclusion  ―  as  a  pyre  had  shown  embers  of  use.  Long  strands  of  purely  white  hair  speckled  with  blood  had  mixed  with  the  tawny  hue  of  the  hay  at  the  pyre's  foot,  along  with  tufts  of  thick  animal  fur    (    a  tuft  which  sits  preserved  in  the  Louvre  with  what  is  believed  to  be  an  original  notebook  from  the  witch  herself  ).  One  side  of  history  believes  that  this  witch  and  her  familiar  were  simply.  .  .  hunted.  Hunted  by  the  people  of  the  village,  for practicing  medicines  far  beyond  even  the  modern  medical  world  ―  while  the  other  side  stands  firm  at  the  evidence  at  hand  ;  a  wicked  and  evil  witch  with  her  massive  familiar  who  slaughtered  the  village  mercilessly.

One  could  claim  to  hear  her,  even  by  the  forest  edge.  Lo  there  do  you  see  her  shining  in  the  daylight?  Gleaming  in  the  moonlight?  The  curtain  of  a  silvery  river  that  wafts  gently  without  breeze?  Her  howls  of  pain,  her  shrieks  of  delight?  The  song  of  her  companion?  

For  several  hundred  years,  many  have  ventured  to  the  village  itself    (    stood  to  this  day  exactly  as  the  day  it  was  found,  a  reminder  of  humans  tragedies    )  with  a  memorial  in  sight  to  guide  their  way.  Headstones  which  depict  each  and  every  victim  of  the  alchemist  witch's  powers  sit  made  of  concrete  at  the  base  of  the  pyre  where  the  hay  once  burned,  while  the  name  of  the  only  missing  villager  was  etched  into  a  plaque  on  the  wooden  pyre  itself,  as  originally  written  by  one  of  the  King's  Court  members,  translated  by  historians  for  all  the  world  to  know.  

            Rise  from  the  Ashes,  O'  Beloved  Witch.  Returneth  to  thine  Lord,  Returneth  to  the  Earth  thine  Mercy.  Seek  not  further  Retribution.  Praise  her  name!  Praise  her  name!  1487  ―  1507

Visitors  of  her  woods  have  taken  to  etch  their  own  praises  to  the  witch  within  the  very  stake  that  once  held  her.  

'praise  her'  'praise  her'  'praise  her'    'praise  her'    'praise  her'    'praise  her'  

[therappundit]

*The Best of the Bestest!: The Rap Pundit’s Picks For The Finest Rap Projects of 2022

*Just a list of MY favorite favorites from a year filled with a lot of damn good music.  

What else needs to be said at this point?  You have probably seen at least a dozen “Best of” lists by now, with many of the same albums cluttered near the top....but this is THE Rap Pundit’s list, so you know you’re bound to find more gems than chalk.

In a historically deep year for rap music (a topic worth profiling in the future), the headline story was probably the numerous side stories.  Be it the explosion of great music coming from areas that had a previously under-reported wealth of talent (especially Wisconsin and Florida), the underground scene getting more high profile exposure than it has in years (artists like billy woods, Fatboi Sharif and Lungs/Lonesword being shouted-out by numerous mainstream outlets!?), sample-driven drill officially becoming the preferred drill-flavor (at least on the east coast, shout-out Shawny Binladen, Four50, Big YaYa and the YTB), and of course the simply inescapable rise of club music’s influence on rap right now (Bandmanrill is clearly the master of this lane, but this style isn’t going away anytime soon)….if you couldn’t find something you loved in 2022, you might not actually like rap music.

But the proof is in the pudding, let’s get into it.  Here are my personal picks for the most impressive albums/mixtapes/EPs/projects/whatever of 2022…

***High Honors***:  Beware of the Monkey by MIKE, Motion Not Emotion by DB.Boutabag, Playing With Fire by ShooterGang Kony, Crack Music 2 by Skilla Baby, Beyond Belief by 38 Spesh & Harry Fraud, Gold Bricks by ElCamino, and Formal Intro by dp0mmy [+about 100 more that I plan to shout-out on future posts!]

100. VACABULAREE by Valee

99. The DogFather by Paco Panama

98. u be ight by QThree

97. Traumazine by Megan Thee Stallion

96. Metatron’s Cube by Aj Suede & Televangel

95. Spaceships on the Blade by Larry June

94. Scorpion Eyes by BandGang Lonnie Band$

93. Raw Extractions by Lukah

92. Marlowe 3 by Marlowe (L’Orange & Solemn Brigham)

91. SNOFALL by Jeezy & DJ Drama

90. Tales Of A Yung Son by Four50

89. Ima Island Boy by Pros AP

88. WHERE ARE THE BUGS!? by Cise Greeny, Phiik & Lungs/LoneSword

87. Let’s Do A Drill by Asian Doll

86. GRIPTAPE by the grittiest, Raz Fresco, Eric Right

85. Triple Black Diamonds 2 by al.divino & Estee Nack

84. Where The Shooters Be by SleazyWorld Go

83. As Above So Below by VIP Skylark

82. ONLY BUILT 4 DIAMOND LINKS by Peezy

81. Deutsche Marks 3 by Willie The Kid & V Don

80. THE LIZ 2 by Armani Caesar

79. Wordly Ways by Archibald Slim

78. I NEVER LIKED YOU (Deluxe) by Future

77. MARTINELLI MAC-ELEV by Willyynova

76. Jungle Life by DCG BROTHERS (DCG Shun, DCG Bsavv)

75. FACE (Deluxe Edition) by Babyface Ray

74. What They Hittin 4 by Jay Worthy & DJ Muggs

73. Sedale Threat by Wrecking Crew (Zilla Rocca, Curly Castro & PremRock)

72. Dollar Menu 4 by Mach-Hommy & Tha God Fahim

71. On High Alert, Vol. 4 by Real Bad Man

70. EA Monster by Young Nudy

69. Back For Everything by Kodak Black

68. raja’s sun by iblss

67. BussaBrick Vol. 2: BussOne 101 by Chicken P

66. 2 Headed Goat by 1100 Himself & Mitchell

65. The I&I by Teller Bank$ & Ed Glorious

64. COTI 2:  The Course of the Inevitable 2 by Lloyd Banks

63. The Broadcast by Fil Jackson

62. The 13 Tape 2 by Jugg Harden

61. HTR Vol. 1: The Legend of Tawny Tone by Koncept Jack$on

60. MEMPHIS MASSACRE III *or* CRUNKSTAR [I still can’t make up my mind!?] by Duke Deuce

59. BEFORE SHIT GOT WEIRD by The Cool Kids

58. ENDLESS by evrymN

57. 25 Features, Vol. 2 by Los & Nutty

56. SLANG CASINO by YUNGMORPHEUS & Obijuan

55. Before The Winner Comes The Fall by Grunge Gallardo

54. Valley of Dry Bones by Stik Figa & Conductor Williams

53. Paint the City (Gangsta Grillz) by Icewear Vezzo & DJ Drama

52. Lost In Austin by kingdoughmane.

51. Gold by DJ Muggs & Rigz

50. Black Vladimir by Meyhem Lauren & Daringer

49. Dog$hit & Ammunition by WTM Milt

48. Laughing so Hard, it Hurts by Mavi

47. Metal Lung by Shrapknel (Curly Castro & Premrock)

46. Da Under Dog by MarijuanaXO

45. The Forever Story by JID

44. SHADOWSELF by Sleep Sinatra & Ohbliv

43. CHAINLINK by Phiik & Duro

42. $oul $old $eparately by Freddie Gibbs

41. Church by billy woods & Messiah Musik

40. RAMONA PARK BROKE MY HEART by Vince Staples

39. SOGW2: Estee Nack & The Order of the Golden Fleece by Estee Nack & Sadhugold

38. Blame Kansas by T.F, Roc Marciano & Mephux

37. Joe Fog by Errol Holden

36. ill be right back! by amani & robalu

35. LIVE FROM THE OTHER SIDE by Mikem Nahmir & The Fades Formation

34. The Elephant Man’s Bones by Roc Marciano & The Alchemist

33. Her Loss by Drake & 21 Savage

32. Frank by Fly Anakin

31. SOUTH CENTRAL by G Perico

30. Sewaside II by Mike Shabb

29. King’s Disease III by Nas & Hit-Boy

28. Cold Cuts by Wiki & Subjxct 5

27. Melt My Eyez See Your Future (The Extended Edition) by Denzel Curry

26. Intros, Outros & Interludes by Domo Genesis & Evidence

25. Few Good Things by Saba

24. BABYST5XNE GORILLAS by Baby Stone Gorillas

23. Fair Exchange No Robbery by Boldy James & Nicholas Craven

22. Continuous Improvement by Papo2oo4, DJ Lucas & Subjxct 5

21. Kiss The Ring by Rome Streetz

20. MOB by Babyface Ray

19. I Love Y.O.U. cuz Y.O.U. Ugle Vol.1 by Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire

18. It’s Almost Dry by Pusha T

17. Smoke Detector by Rich Jones

16. The Soufside Villain by Marco Plus

15. Tana Talk 4 by Benny The Butcher

14. Continuance by Curren$y & Alchemist

13. Cheat Codes by Black Thought & Danger Mouse

12. Languish Arts and Woeful Studies by Ka

11. Spirit Roaming by AKAI SOLO

Aaaaaaaaand now, my top ten...

10.  I Told Bessie by ELUCID

[A well-oiled machine of an album, I Told Bessie lurches along from one ear-grabbing soundscape to another, each gifted contributor putting their stamp on some precious reflection from ELUCID (all producers were in top form here, but Child Actor, Messiah Musik and Sebb were especially potent).  As one half of Armand Hammer, ELUCID has no trouble being a tour guide through his own stroll down memory lane.  He is a superior narrator that knows his way around a vast array of different styles of instrumentals, which means that Bessie never gets too dark or too bright, adding easy replay value to even the heavier moments of the album.]

9. Component System with the Auto Reverse by Open Mike Eagle

[Open Mike Eagle has circled around the epicenter of the underground rap scene for some time now, always a worthy contributor, albeit not one to necessarily be recognized during award season. That should change with his latest effort, a brilliant piece of nostalgia, personal reflection, and an earnest love for hip-hop.  Also, great writing aside, the beats on here are simply phenomenal.]

8. SICK! by Earl Sweatshirt

[Forgot that this dropped in 2022?  The first AOTY contender to drop is all too often the album ending up with the short end of the stick come December, and that seems to be the case with SICK!.  Less sonically aggressive than much of his previous work, Earl still manages to cram so much thoughtful writing into quick, fun-size doses.  The most effective music isn’t always the music that begs for our attention, and this feels like an album where the listener is fortunate just to catch Earl’s thoughts before they float away, to make room for more poignant passing thoughts.  Perhaps Earl’s best gift as an artist is his ability to leave fans wanting more.]

7. Bokleen World by Mike Shabb

[By now the buzz is just starting to nip at Mike Shabb's heels. The Montreal MC/producer was not on my radar before this year, but hot damn has he made an impact in 2022.  If it wasn’t his TWO great solo albums that he dropped, it was the acclaim from tastemakers like Westside Gunn, who got his production skills the attention they deserve.  More importantly, Shabb is coming out of Montreal, Canada, making him a representative of a scene that is starting to make waves well outside of the Canadian border.  I loved his release from earlier this year, but for me it was Bokleen World that showcased all of the many dimensions of an exciting young artist.]

6.  MOOR CHORES by Lord Kayso

[Another artist that I was completely unfamiliar with at this time last year, Brooklyn’s Lord Kayso is closing out this year as one of my favorite artists.  There’s something about his delivery and the way that he colors in his world that feels simultaneously intimate but distant, much like how a young Nas was portrayed as a writer’s-writer, watching events in his community unfold from a project window.  Kayso reflects on his world with a casual delivery that doesn’t seem to be emotionally affected in the moment, but the fact that he’s sharing these personal stories at all confirms that he’s a man with a great deal on his mind.]

5. For All Debts Public and Private by Defcee & Boathouse

[Last year Defcee & Messiah Musik really surprised some folks (myself included) by dropping Trapdoor, one of the best albums of 2021, in December...so let that be a lesson to anyone that thinks they can finalize their annual Best Of lists by the time Thanksgiving wraps up.  That's a tough act to follow, but Defcee & Boathouse managed to strike in 2022 with another fantastic project in For All Debts Public and Private. An impressive list of some of the underground's finest join forces with Boathouses impactful backdrops and Defcee's revealing bars, all to create an album that is as thoughtful as it is prone to high levels of replay value.  When it comes to dissecting one's life and perspectives, I don't know if any MC's pen is touching Defcee at the moment.]

4. Deathfame by Quelle Chris

[Detroit's uber-talented virtuoso Quelle Chris has been accumulating one of the deepest catalogues in music for some time now, but Deathfame is truly one of his finest works top to bottom. An under-reported trend for Quelle is that he somehow finds a way to become more and more versatile as a producer with every album.  Never allowing his sense of humor to drown out his messages, and never being so devoid of humor that his messages come off as bitter, a great Quelle Chris album has become a most welcome tradition over these past few years....and I hope it continues!]

3.  Aethiopes by billy woods & Preservation

[Gonna keep it moving here…billy woods is just flat out the most prolific writer in rap music right now, Preservation is a genius and their chemistry is off the charts.  Add a handful of standout guest verses - EL-P, Boldy, Breeze and hot damn, Despot!? - and you have an AOTY worthy album.  Too many memorable quotes and verse of the year contenders to list, but for some reason there’s a special place in my heart for “trying to pay rent - but that’s not black empowerment, that’s you trying to pay rent”.]

2. 10 (a.k.a. HWH10) by Westside Gunn

[Maybe my favorite Westside Gunn project since FLYGOD, which for me (as a bit of a Griselda stan since 2015), is saying a lot.  Reminiscent of Kanye’s “anyone around, come to the studio right now!” energy during better times - his MBDTF G.O.O.D. Friday roll out - for the latest (last??) installment of his controversially titled music series, Gunn managed to pull together a somewhat surprising list of features for a mixtape of loose and FUN bar-fests over the most varied, ear-grabbing production that we have heard from the Griselda collective in a minute.  I’m not actually sure who was in the studio and who wasn’t, but when the outcome puts Run The Jewels, A$AP Rocky, Doe Boy, Black Star, Busta and Rae & Ghost together on the same project, you get a straight-up dope tape that reminds me of why I fell in love with underground rap music in the first place.  Classic Soundbombing vibes, for me.]

1.  Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers by Kendrick Lamar

[When it comes down to releasing new albums, no other rap artist needs to check as many boxes as Kendrick Lamar.  JAY-Z, J.Coke, Drake, you name it - none of them have to incorporate mainstream bangers, nuanced “conscious rap”, alternative choices, catchy lyrics, superior production, clear expression of ideas, and manage to touch the bar set by fans with incredibly high expectations for an artist that doesn’t release new music as often as his peers…but such is the life of anyone who is considered to have the highest ceiling in their field.  Yet with Mr. Morale, Kendrick unleashed the album that *he* wanted to release: a sprawling conversation piece that stumbles through dozens of sticky topics without digging his heels into any one stance for too long. 

 It’s the perfect expression of ideas from anyone that came out of the last few years of isolation with a creeping sense of doubt, mistrust for the information circling around him, and a general awkwardness for how to interact with the world once again.  I’m not sorry that many of the thoughts he shared on this album weren’t met as “correct” based on our expectations of what many of us want him to represent, but more importantly, Kendrick shouldn’t be sorry either.  Much like other prominent people of influence in the world today, we should be discussing the nuance of everything we’re told, and the great points often come from those exchanges - way moreso than the regurgitation of curated policy that is deemed acceptable by the loudest of audiences.  So yes, I believe Kendrick Lamar’s Mr. Morale & the Big Steppers to be hands-down the best rap album of 2022.  All messages aside, how anyone could miss the well-crafted delivery and high quality production that is easily the most engaging of any mainstream rap album in 2022, is still pretty surprising to me….but I suppose conflicted opinions are exactly what should come from a talented artist stewing in his own conflicted opinions in recent years.   Oh well, I guess even the best in their field can’t please everybody.]

Next stop....best songs. 👀

[kmjcngins1]

@tcemint​

Happy Anniversary, my love. Sometimes I pinch myself knowing that I get to spend the rest of my life loving you, cherishing you and letting you know just how much you mean to me. Plus, the sex is definitely another bonus.��

Like I always tell you, you truly changed my life for the better and now I can’t imagine how it would be without you by my side. You really make me want to be a better dancer, singer, husband, uncle and overall..better everything. I genuinely cannot begin to describe the joy and happiness you’ve brought into my life since I met you. But maybe throughout our lives together, I can try to explain it. 

You get me in ways nobody else on the planet does -- not even my own parents! You know me better than I know myself, and you always will too so you better be giving yourself a pat on the back for that, mister. Thank you for always being my biggest supporter and always being there for me when I need you the most. You have no idea how much you just being there means to me, and I dunno if I’ll ever be able to find the words to tell you.

I love you so much, Taemin.

Yours eternally,

Nini.

Since I know how much you love this scent, I decided to get you a gift box for it.

It includes: 3 OZ. EAU DE PARFUM SPRAY, A 0.33 OZ. TRAVEL SPRAY, & A 1.6 OZ. BODY LOTION

Next, Taylor Fladgate Single Harvest 1896 Tawny Port, all the way from Portugal. I was recommended this the last time I was in France so..I had to get it! Don’t kill me for how much it is, okay? I also got a wine gift basket, with all the goodies you could want to make up for it.

The magical quality of this wine is unique, hard to compare even with the few other wines of similar age that have survived to the present day. Its depth and density is astonishing, even taking into account the wine’s concentration over a century and a quarter of aging in wood.

At first, a rich and seductive redolence of black coffee and liquorice takes center stage but a host of other scents and nuances soon emerge, creating an intricate display of complex aromas. Notes of sawn cedarwood blend with hints of dried rose petal, fennel and eucalyptus. Notes of black pepper and vanilla add a warm spicy dimension. On the palate the wine is dense, round and velvety with impressive volume and concentration, the sweetness is balanced by a fresh acidity. Mellow flavors of coffee and butterscotch combine with vibrant notes of orange peel and citrus. The finish is endless, the dense mellow flavors remaining on the palate long after the wine has been tasted.

About the bottle: Each decanter designed and produced exclusively for Taylor Fladgate 1896 Single Harvest Port was individually hand blown and finished by skilled craftmen, making it unique.

A ring from Spinelli Kilcollin, personally designed and made for you.

The Cancer emphasizes fluidity of motion and balance with a multi-gauged design of full and half round bands. Featuring mixtures of 18k yellow and rose gold, sterling silver and pavé white diamonds, the Cancer can be worn stacked or across multiple fingers for a magnificent display of interlocked bands. Each Cancer is individually handmade to order in Los Angeles.

Bands: 18k yellow gold, 18k rose gold, .925 sterling silver

Diamonds: Pavé white diamonds (approx. 0.7 tcw)

Connectors: 18k yellow gold

2.3mm gauge .925 sterling silver band

2.7mm gauge 18k rose gold ½ round band

2.3mm gauge .925 sterling silver band

2.8mm gauge 18k yellow gold band

Finally, an Ivory Peony dome of flowers.