#thank you for a fabulous three years ❤️

[montrealmadison]

what is UP party people. it's been a long time since our last kegster, huh? little bit too long, if you ask me.

ransom and holster manifested themselves in my apartment last weekend to help me plan the most righteous of celebrations for the fact that this blog just hit 400 followers. in order to do that, i’m opening fic requests from now until the end of march! i’d like to aim for these to top out right around 1,000 words, but i have been known to, uh, ramble. so we'll see if i stick to that.

if you wanna get down to motherfucking clown with us, you gotta follow the bylaws:

who are you bringing upstairs with you? 😏 pick an omgcp character and/or a ship (can be romantic or platonic, whatever floats your boat!) that you'd like to see a fic about.

any wellie worth their salt knows that the vibe is the most important part of a kegster, so we gotta make sure the playlist is on point. pick a number (1 through 80) so that i have a song to write to.

picking numbers between 1 and 40 will get you something off of ransom's certified bangers mix (choose these if you want more fun, fluffy, happy vibes). picking numbers between 41 and 80 means we'll switch it up a little to bitty's chill cleanup mix (go here if you want angst, hurt/comfort, or bittersweet vibes).

tub juice is already mixed up for your, um… enjoyment? but if you're looking for something specific to drink (smut, an au, kent parson going to therapy) you can include as much detail as you want in your prompt. otherwise, all you need to include are your characters of choice and your number.

submit everything through my ask box and i'll post your request within a week! anons must be signed so i know who to thank. if you have an ao3 handle, please include it so i can gift it to you properly when i post it there.

any questions, please let me know! i look forward to getting nursey down off the roof again celebrating with y'all this month. ❤️

[madelynn-sienna]

coney island p. I (max verstappen x reader)

[ navigation / requests / guidelines ]

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★ prompt: ❛❛ what's a lifetime of achievement? if I pushed you to the edge? ❜❜ ★ pairing : max verstappen x reader ★ face claim : lily collins (+ one picture of kelly piquet and margot robbie each) ★ genres : angst ★ a/n : this will be a two-part hurt/comfort story inspired by the song coney island. be rest assured while this half is quite sad, the second half will make up for the angst and we will get a happy max x yn ending! also, per some creative liberty i took, max is only 23 years old here (he started racing in 2019, won his first gp in 2021 and was in school with the reader before he dropped out to pursue racing full time). ★ feedback and requests are always appreciated!

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liked by yourinstagram, redbullracing, landonorris and others

maxverstappen simply lovely race 🏆 what an amazing weekend and victory in jeddah, thank you all for your incredible support 🇸🇦

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yourinstagram another fabulous performance #mv01 🔥🔥🔥

redbullracing incredibly strong race today, a 1-2 finish is all we could have asked for 💙

user1 tu tu tu du max verstappen! user2 fastest pit stop too.

yourinstagram made me so proud max, ik houd van je 💕

maxverstappen ik hou ook van jou mijn liefste ❤️ user3 they said they loved each other in dutch. user4 he also called her 'his sweetheart' 🥹 user5 max and yn are literally the it couple on the circuit rn. user6 right? three time world champion and a bestselling author. user7 they so need to make a movie about it. user8 or a book, imagine a twisted lies style drama 😭

ruthbuscombe the strategy 💯

landonorris congrats mate!

maxverstappen thanks. user9 we're waiting for a win from you too lando! user10 this aged well haha

schecoperez ¡bien hecho!

user11 presenting our four time world champion everyone!

user12 we're only on the second race of the season 😭 user13 i mean if last year's anything to by, that's enough.

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text exchanges between yn & max dated 23/07, 02/08 and 04/08.

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liked by yourbestfriend1, lilymhe, francisca.cgomes and others

yourinstagram it's supposed to be fun, turning twenty-one...

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user1 faster than the flying dutchman?

user2 yoo-hoo, @.maxverstappen where are you? user3 right? like he's usually the first one here...

carmenmmmundt happy birthday🥂

danielricciardo happy 21 yn 🍾

user4 why isn't max in the pictures?

user5 he's been busy with the belgian gp! user6 dude, that finished on sunday — it's the next saturday. user7 he's prolly just really stressed, he hasn't won since canada. user8 yeah, but yn through him a massive party last year. user9 so? circumstances were different... she isn't busy 24/7. user10 she literally has a job.

alexandrasaintmleux belle fille❣️

charlesleclerc joyeux anniversaire 🎉

user11 that caption's giving me bad vibes...

user12 me too! user13 its from all too well, that's such a sad song 😭 user14 i wonder why she chose it? user15 this better not be a sign.

user16 seriously? where is max, it's been 24 hours...

user17 check their stories, they're like done done. user18 nooooooooo😭 user19 she gave so many signs...

Comments on this post have been limited.

･ﾟ·:｡･ﾟﾟ･ ✩ ･ﾟ ･ﾟ·:｡･ﾟﾟ･ ･ﾟ·:｡･ﾟﾟ･ ✩ ･ﾟ ･ﾟ·:｡･ﾟﾟ･･ﾟ·:｡･ﾟﾟ･ ･ﾟﾟ･ ✩ ･ﾟ

yourinstagram added to their story. maxverstappen added to their story.

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liked by charlesleclerc, redbullracing, landonorris and others

maxverstappen 5 wins in 5 races - thank you for your support in monza, baku, singapore, texas and sao paulo. you've made me happier than you know, happier than i've ever been before.

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user1 he really do be out here pretending he didn't break yn's heart.

user2 of course, he needs to maintain his bravado. user3 otherwise people, and he will realise, he messed up. user4 i can't believe he's trying to snub our girl yn.

This post no longer exists.

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liked by visacashapprb, schecoperez, maxverstappen and others

redbullracing max verstappen wins the world drivers championship 2024, after an outstanding race at the las vegas street circuit that leaves him at with a 62 point lead in the standings ❤️ 💛 💙

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user1 max, max, max, super max, max

user2 tu tu tu du max verstappen user3 i called it! i said he'd win the wdc back in jeddah 🏆

user4 were you standing in the hallway with a big cake? happy birthday.

user5 of course, he just painted yn's bluest skies the darkest grey. user6 you are getting pressed for a breakup you know zero about! user7 max literally said it in his interviews and his statement. user8 they broke up because he was too busy. user9 ergo, he wasn't there for her, not even on her birthday!

lewishamilton amazing work - congratulations max

user10 what a goat ❤️

danielricciardo maaaax verstappennnnn! four time world champion.

user11 why'd I read that like pierrreeee gaslyyyyy? user12 me too😭 daniel's an icon.

fernandoalonso ¡muchas felicidades!

user13 real question here is, what's a lifetime of achievement?

user14 especially when he pushed her to the edge. user15 right like did you see her in miami, she looked so sad😭 user16 we all know she was just too nice too leave. user17 i'd have dumped his ass ages ago.

user17 definition of a LEGEND

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liked by f1wags, yourinstagram, aston martin and others

f1 🚩 Red flag in the Abu Dhabi as Max Verstappen suffers a huge crash. The medical rescue team is currently trying to get the Red Bull driver away the resultant debris and fire as safely as possible.

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Comments on this post have been limited.

[landograndprix]

My yellow ✾ d.r

summary: you're not the only two who love your marriage.

requested: yes!

a/n: I'm having way too much fun with these, please keep requesting them 🥺

☆☆☆☆☆

y/nricciardo

liked by landonorris, danielricciardo and 802,786 others

tagged: danielricciardo

view all 1,421 comments

y/nbabees here she goes again, what is the context bestie????

danieldr3 what love language is this?

y/nricciardo tough loving

charlos5516 and they say romance is dead

loverskies29 Daniel is holding up 4 fingers...4th album soon? 👀

y/nluvu god I hope so it's been too long :(

danielricciardo exploiting your husband again?

y/nricciardo so he is good for something?

norrizz4 should we get the divorce papers ready? 👀

ricienation mother make new music please we've been starving, there's no crumbs left

☆☆☆☆☆

danielricciardo

liked by landonorris, y/nricciardo and 798,543 others

danielricciardo happy birthday to the wife who has the best husband in the world, you're so lucky to have this handsome men by your side, you should always remember this. Happy birthday, my luv. ❤️

tagged: y/nricciardo, landonorris

view all 876 comments

landos4 crying why'd you post a picture of lando 😭

leclercc_16 that's his wife, what do you mean?

y/nricciardo can confirm, I'm just a side piece.

landonorris thanks luv. ❤️

scottyjames31 love the cake, facts were spoken.

dr3ln4 watch it scotty, her next song will be about you 🤪

scottyjames31 it'd be an honor

y/nupdates y/n is a whole mood in the last picture, unbothered queen. ♡

dannyswife favorite couple 🥰

y/nricciardo posted on their story

☆☆☆☆☆

y/nricciardo

liked by mclaren, danielricciardo and 178,254 others

y/nricciardo something in the orange

tagged: mclaren, danielricciardo

view all 978 comments

sharlos55 supportive wife y/n activated

y/nricric you don't understand how much I've missed you on the grid, you looked fabulous once again 😍

y/nricciardo using my man's and his team to promote my new song once again? you bet your sweet ass I am. #ColorsComingSoon

y/nfan004 rip to the people who don't read the comments 😭

Bott_ass you can't just drop this out of the nowhere, I'm hyperventilating 😫

danniericario I'm convinced flipping you off is Daniel's way of saying I love you

y/nricciardo oh no, he really can't stand me but same to be honest

danielricciardo ❤️

dr3ln4 babe wake up mom and dad are being mom and dad again

☆☆☆☆☆

y/nricciardo

liked by danielricciardo, pierregasly and 217,111 others

y/nricciardo it's been a while but after months of writing and producing with the best team ever, my new song Colors is out now on Apple music & spotify 🧡

view all 1,999 comments

zoeeeey I could've used a warning of sorts 🤯

mickschummy when have we ever had a solid release date for anything, bestie is so chaotic she'll drop an song or album whenever she wants 😭

y/nnnnn2000 we've been fed!!

redbulldanny is this song about Daniel?

y/nricciardo don't tell him, it'll boost his ego 😉

landonorris this about me, right?

charles_leclerc this will be on repeat for days!

thefridgirlies we love a bunch of supportive friends 🥰

danielricciardo big fan of this

☆☆☆☆☆

y/nricciardo

liked by carlossainz55, danielricciardo and 214,542 others

y/nricciardo three years ago, this man made the best decision of his life by marrying me. It's amazing how we've tolerated each other for this long but all jokes aside, thanks for making me feel loved every hour of the day ♡♡

We'll keep saying it; marry your best friend ❤️

tagged: danielricciardo

view all 1,216 comments

sainzchili happy anniversary to you 2! 💞

landonorris congrats mom and dad ❤️

landochaos have they adopted you already?

Isahernaez happy anniversary! ❤️

y/nricciardo ❤️

chilileclerc_ your up next Isa!

dannielricc 3 years?! It seems like yesterday we first saw you in the paddock 😭

danielricciardo and here i thought that we were just partners for one night. ❤️

maxmaxmax DANIEL 💀 💀

☆☆☆☆☆

☆☆☆☆☆

danielricciardo posted on their story

[neil-neil-orange-peel]

A Bastard's Carol: a work of fanfiction by scumbaganarchy 💣

Season's greetings, scumbags! I hope you're all having a pleasant day. I come bearing a gift (of a sort):

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1we8qEVul2PTWFCtaVqyyXccVg8-xZBte/view?usp=sharing

A huge thank you to @viviangreeneart for the awesome art! ❤️ It turns out we should all definitely be making fake novel docs out of our fanfic. It's good for the soul.

Some pretentiousness about ABC below the cut.

Just over five years ago, a naiver version of me had the idea of writing a Young Ones/Rivyan parody of A Christmas Carol. She started actually writing for this idea in December 2019... and promptly discovered it was going to be a whole lot bigger than she'd anticipated. With one chapter posted before the big day, she decided to kick the rest into the new year.

That new year was 2020.

Yes, that 2020. Although, to be fair, what other one could I be talking about?

We'll skip all of that. None of us need to relive it.

One year, two or three lockdowns, and four indefensibly long chapters later, ABC was finally done and dusted in December 2020. It stood at around 60K words, making it by far the longest thing I'd ever written. I guess we all had to spend that empty time doing something, right?

Followers of this blog will have noticed, I'm sure, that I've never shut up about ABC since. Maybe you even rolled your eyes when you saw the title of this notification? Uh oh, she's going on about that old thing again...

Yep.

Look, I'm incredibly bad at hyping up my own work - self-deprecation is a bad habit, but a common one - and the more time that passes between who you were when you wrote something and who you are today, the harder being positive about it can get.

I was 18 when I wrote ABC. I had only gotten back into writing properly at 17. The whole work went through one major copy edit a year or so ago, when I knew a little more about writing - but I still didn't know as much then as I do now, and I suspect (and hope) the same will be true for a future version of myself when she looks back on my writing from this time.

All of this is to say, sometimes ABC reads to me as something written by somebody else. 18 year old me didn't write exactly the way I do now; she hadn't gotten the Bachelor of Arts cheat code boost that I have. But she was extremely passionate. She did love the bastards Rik and the gang created with all her heart. She'd also studied A Christmas Carol for her GCSEs only a couple of years previously, so she did at least understand the text she was taking a chainsaw to. I think all of this mattered. I think this gave ABC heart.

But what's my point in saying all of this (again)?

For a very long time, I've wanted but held back on commissioning an artist to draw me a cover. Well, no more. Truly, thank you ever so much to @viviangreeneart for indulging me and creating something fabulous for this old fic of mine. Thank you too to everyone who has ever commented on or kudos'ed ABC on ao3 over the years. It really does mean more to me than I can say.

Having dropped a new and flashy PDF decked out like an actual novel, here's the link to ABC on ao3, which will always be its home:

Merry Christmas, scumbags. Cliff bless us, Everyone!

[bhaal-battle-beer-bard]

✨Let's talk about OCs!✨How would you describe your OC's personality/aesthetic? What's your favourite thing about them? Tell us a fun fact(s) about your OC or their creation!

❤️Send this to at least 3 people to spread some OC appreciation!❤️

Thank you 😃😘 OC appreciation is really important. Well, in the BG3 community it's massive anyway. Maybe it will spill over into other fandoms too, so more and more of it 😉 (I wouldn't dare talk about my OCs from other fandoms to be honest 😅🫣)

To not always only do it for Saulus, I will do it for all my three Tavs😁

Saulus' aesthetic is a classy romantic bard one: you have flowers, nature, birds and wooden instruments playing with the colours of the wind. You should know her bard book by now 😉 That is it!

Have real bhaal babe Saulus then it will change to grotesque blood, gore, skulls and madness. So let's better stay with the butterflies and flowers Saulus 😅

In clothes her aesthetic started from a battle bard always in her medium armour.

In the camp she only ever wore decent high-necked clothing. Swapping clothes with Shadowheart's strict Sharite wardrobe was the order of the day because she also likes dark leather, dark purple and silver.

Simply anything to cover as much of her skin as possible, which she does not find desirable like Astarion's flawless porcelain skin.

But thanks to Astarion and other Tav friends and the great @aristenfromwarsaw , who showed her the beauty of her body, Saulus has stopped looking at her body the wrong way and has started loving it.

Now she dares to show more and more skin; yes, she even likes to show her thighs and occasionally her stomach 😉 And sees that she also deserves beautiful dresses, which she loves to wear. Or some crazy black leather clothes are also still her style 😉 (The full bhaal mode is something😂) She no longer hides and now enjoys being sexy and trying new things. She is either an elegant lady or a degenerate Bhaal Leather Warrior, those are her styles xDDD

And that is the fun fact and what I love most about her: She was created for an evil run and just ended up to be and become more and more the silliest good time girl ever! 😄 That is her and I can't deny it. She loves love. She can have a sense of humor like a twelve-year-old boy. She is infinitely stupid and naive when it comes to the people she loves. She doesn't mince her words and is incredibly wisecracking, but she only means it in a funny way.

Oh and her whole character is based on the song Perception check from Tom Cardy 😄 (She hit harder than every warrior)

✨Devorah's aesthetic is dress up doll all the way. She is a drow. She is magnificent. She is beautiful. ✨

Her colors were pink and green at first. Then I saw that blue, black, red and white suit her just as well 😂 So she always matched all her make up and body painting to her clothes. She always wore the finest robes. Better to be well dressed than to be too good. And she had no problem walking around in underwear or even completely naked. 😏😉

So beauty, fine fabrics, beautiful colors, luminous under dark mushrooms are her aesthetic.

Fun fact+most likey: I always liked the name Devorah and thought I would use it in the next fantasy game. I didn't know that Lae'zel's voice actress was called that xD She can give the meanest evil eye "thanks" to Volo 😆

She is playing the flute because Tom Cardy the human bard does ;)The gnome kink came from Barcus' "I would kiss you, but neither of us deserves that" which I didn't have in the first two runs and it stuck in my mind so funny as her mission to kiss him xD Being a drow is just fabulous 😏 All the little goblin men love her 💁‍♀️ It just stayed and...yes I have stupid sense of humor and I love it 😆😆 This bard side of BG3 is kinky, ok? 😄

Jeleyah's aesthetic was based on the fact that blue is her color and she has a slightly Nordic touch. ✨

She is always at the forefront with her golden heavy armor. The shield of her comrades. In camp, however, she likes to take off the armor to show the woman underneath. The loving, attentive and tender woman that she is. Then she likes to wear very feminine and figure-hugging clothes.

Fun fact+most likey: I created her in almost every race because I couldn't decide 😂 And in the end I decided on half-elf. And I still think she looks beautiful. I just love her eyes and her gentle face. Really. Her sweet, beautiful face brings me joy. Especially because I know that she always wanted to do the right thing for everyone and always put the needs of her friends first.

[turneradora]

THANK YOU SO MUCH TO Emma Jones for the article in the Telegraph

🌹❤️💋

The Telegrah

Judith Woods

27 September 2024 2:30pm

Here I am, avidly watching the first few episodes of Rivals, the sizzling new Disney+ treatment of Dame Jilly Cooper’s raunchy blockbuster, before my interview with dreamboat-y Aidan Turner, when my 22-year-old daughter walks into the room.

‘What the actual?’ she cries, open-mouthed in horror. ‘Oh my God! What are they doing?’

I chide her prudishness. ‘Well, if you must know, Rupert Campbell-Black and a woman he probably just met have reached a shuddering climax on Concorde,’ I explain. ‘Your generation didn’t invent sex, you know, darling – the Mile High Club has been around for…’ but it turns out that’s not what’s triggered her.

‘These people are SMOKING! On. A. Plane. Who even does that?’

Everybody, that’s who. Welcome to the sassy, sexy 1980s, Missy. Double-breasted suits and taffeta skirts, booze, bonking, endless ciggies and hairstyles so fugly (the mullet, for pity’s sake?) as to have recently crept back into fashion.

It’s all there: rampant sexism, social climbing and conspicuous consumption, to a banging soundtrack of Eurythmics, Hall & Oates, Haircut 100 and the rest – no idea how The Birdie Song got in there though. Did people really...? Yes, we did. Now run along.

From the moment the opening credits roll on Rivals, it’s fair to say we are immersed in a very different, instantly recognisable universe.

I lapped up every transgressive minute. Why, dear readers, the last time I enjoyed a pleasure quite so guilty was when Aidan Turner took off his shirt in…

‘I’m not here to talk about Poldark,’ says Turner very politely, with a fabulously winning white smile, when we meet. So we don’t. At least for a bit. We are here, after all, to discuss his new role in this very different literary classic – and no, ladies, he’s not been cast as the libidinous blaggard Campbell-Black. As if.

County Dublin-born Turner, 41, was a shoo-in for dashing Declan O’Hara, the saturnine Irish journalist turned reluctant chat-show host who finds himself at the epicentre of a battle royale in the cut-throat world of independent television.

David Tennant plays Corinium TV boss Lord Baddingham, and Alex Hassell’s Rupert Campbell-Black has ascended to the lofty heights of Tory Minister for Sport.

I could try to explain, but that’s about all the primer you need – rest assured that with this high-budget adaptation, even the most loyal of Cooper’s fans will find themselves safe in its (wandering) hands.

‘Rivals is about the three things that fascinate all of us: sex, power and money,’ says Turner. ‘That trifecta is especially potent when there’s a clash of status and class. Class informs all sorts of things, including the sex, which is sometimes completely transactional on both sides. From the very top to the very bottom of the ladder, everyone’s slightly on the make.’

Speaking of the top and indeed the bottom, the eight-part series employed not one but two intimacy coaches. ‘They had a lot of intimacy to coach,’ confirms Turner breezily. ‘I think they really improve sex scenes because they encourage creativity and it all looks so much more authentic. There’s a lot of bonking. I want to say I did a lot of bonking – I can’t quite remember how much.’

Declan is very much the dark-eyed, watchful outsider, his integrity as deep-rooted as his humongous moustache – ‘artist’s own’, remarks Turner. (He speaks in mellifluous Irish tones and uses his own accent to play Declan.) Amid the jostling for supremacy in the first few episodes, Declan’s only crime appears to be wearing mustard socks on air and having sensuous congress with his own wife (played with exquisite brittleness by Victoria Smurfit).

Such uxoriousness appears borderline scandalous in Dame Jilly’s masterfully constructed world of egos, oneupmanship and serial adultery, which signals that despite being a workaholic, Declan is clearly a good ’un – although, to be fair, I have only seen the first three episodes.

‘I hadn’t read Rivals before. It seemed very British so it wasn’t really on my radar, but it’s really fun – although later on it descends into something much murkier. I just read the scripts initially and then was really struck by how faithful they were to the book,’ says Turner, who is married to the American Succession actor Caitlin FitzGerald, 41. ‘You get a real sense of the characters in the first 15 or 20 pages and it’s a mark of excellent writing that you feel you already know these people.’

Whether or not you like them is up to you, but it’s absolutely gripping and Turner’s character is right at the heart of the story.

‘Rivals is a really truthful depiction of an era that in a great many ways was hugely problematic,’ says Turner. ‘It’s not being refracted through a modern lens and some of it is quite shocking, particularly the way women are treated. There’s also endless back-stabbing; Declan is detached, the one who sees what’s going on, and because he’s not from this class-bound world [he] struggles to understand the playbook – but he’s married to a woman who does and that causes tension.’

To research the role of a broadcasting homme sérieux, Turner trawled YouTube to watch hours of Firing Line, the US current-affairs talk show presented by conservative pundit William F Buckley Jr for 33 years. From 1966 to 1999, he verbally sparred with leading figures of the age.

‘I felt it was important to look to older shows, the way they were presented and the communication style,’ says Turner. ‘The interviewee would be given time and space to answer questions in full. These days it’s very different; the nearest we have to that now would be podcasts.

“Once filming started, to be honest I was channelling my dad the whole time. He’s an electrician not a journalist, but Declan is very like him – the way he carries himself, the tone of his voice, his passion. He feels very Irish and so does Declan.’

For Alexander Lamb, an executive producer on Rivals, finding the right fit for the pivotal character of Declan was crucial. ‘The very first person we thought about – the very first person we cast – for Rivals was Aidan. He was the lynchpin because he just felt so right; he’s got depth but also such charm and that was exactly what we wanted. A lot of the cast was built around him.’

That cast also includes EastEnder Danny Dyer, Katherine Parkinson, best known for The IT Crowd, Emily Atack of Inbetweeners fame, and Claire Rushbrook, who was in the first series of Sherwood. When it came to Turner, Lamb had been impressed by his previous standout roles as a vampire in the supernatural series Being Human and a clinical psychologist in police procedural The Suspect.

‘Aidan hadn’t played sexy-dad-with-teenagers or an intellectual journalist before, so that gave the whole thing a freshness. I think there’s a lot to be gained from getting actors out of their comfort zones,’ observes Lamb. ‘I’ve never really worked with an actor before who was so conscious of his performance. He would come back behind the camera to see if he could improve on what he’d done.’

Dame Jilly, adds Lamb, needed no persuasion in casting Turner. ‘It did not escape her just how good-looking Mr Aidan Turner was. Let’s just say she became quite the fan.’ Turner responds in kind, with unalloyed admiration. ‘Jilly is so sharp, perceptive and really funny – she’s very kind, but as she was seeing the daily and the weekly rushes I am quite certain that if she hadn’t liked what any of us were doing, she would have told us very swiftly.’

Later, he quietly relates a telling conversation with Cooper at a garden party held at her Gloucestershire gaff (to call it a pile would be too excessive, to call it a house too modest), one summer evening last year, after filming.

‘I remember a surreal moment when she took me by the arm and led me around the garden, pointing out the place where she would write and how she would look over the valley,’ he says. ‘And then she pointed out the houses where her nearest neighbours and friends lived and said, “This is Declan O’Hara’s house, and that one’s Tony’s house,” and explained how she would visualise the world of Rivals. It was a very special moment.’

How magical, I say. He nods very slowly, the corners of his mouth twitching, eyes crinkling at the preciousness of the memory. He’s so unabashedly soulful, I almost have to look away. And so to business: is Turner really as handsome as they say? Hmm. Maybe that’s what strikes you first but, in truth, it’s the least interesting thing about him.

Born in Clondalkin, a town outside Dublin, before the family moved to a suburb of the city, Turner admits he was never academically inclined. With a low boredom threshold, he struggled to concentrate at school, but when his accountant mother took him along to dance classes, he excelled; he went on to compete in ballroom dancing at national level, but lost momentum.

There was a stint working as an electrician with his father, but it was a job at the local cinema that sparked his interest in acting, entering the Gaiety School of Acting, Ireland’s national theatre school, where he graduated in 2004. After appearing in several theatre productions, including Seán O’Casey’s Easter Rising play The Plough and the Stars, he got his first major television gig in 2008 in the Irish hospital drama The Clinic.

‘I was a lowly receptionist and Victoria Smurfit, who is my wife in Rivals, was a consultant,’ he smiles. ‘Let’s just say we didn’t have a huge number of scenes together back then, so it’s great to catch up now.’ Soon the BBC beckoned and he was cast as Dante Gabriel Rossetti in the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood drama Desperate Romantics.

The six-parter failed to make a mark, but led to a critically acclaimed role in the comedy-drama Being Human, where he caught the eye of director Sir Peter Jackson, who cast Turner as the dwarf Kili in The Hobbit trilogy between 2012 and 2014.

Various other parts followed, culminating in his award-winning portrayal of Captain Ross Poldark in the 2015 revival of the BBC classic, which ran for five series and made him both a household name and a pin-up among ladies (and interviewers) d’un certain age.

After he was shown scything a field shirtless, a sheen of sweat on his ripped – sorry – torso, the Sunday-night concupiscence became so pronounced that media commentators called out the reverse sexism and denounced the reductive way in which Turner was being treated as a piece of prime meat. A decade on, he still seems mildly baffled, but not ungrateful, for the attention, if loathe to dwell on it. ‘There are worse things to be known for than having a nice physique,’ he says, philosophically. ‘But that was a long time ago and I’ve done a lot of fully clothed work since.��

Hilariously, in Rivals, Declan finds himself sharing a schedule with a series called Four Men Went To Mow, featuring a quartet of topless hunks – with scythes. Turner almost leaps off the sofa when I bring it up. ‘I know! I was reading the script and when I saw the Four Men Went To Mow reference, I assumed someone was deliberately winding me up. Then I realised it was actually in the original book, so I took a deep breath and let it go.’

I can confirm he’s fully dressed for our interview, wearing a mustard top by British menswear brand Oliver Spencer, which he dryly describes as ‘drab chic’, Levi’s 501s, and a pair of trainers. He points out they are classic white Reeboks with a natural gum sole. I admit I didn’t know that was A Thing. ‘To be honest, neither did I,’ he shrugs in good-natured agreement. ‘They were a present from a mate of mine – he’s a musician so far cooler than me, obviously – and he was very emphatic that the soles were a big deal.’

On his wrist is a 1969 Omega Seamaster. ‘It cost less than £2,000, it was an anniversary gift and the only watch I own,’ he offers, pre-emptively. ‘Oh and I’m not sponsored by Omega, none of that.’ Would he like to be? I ask mischievously. ‘Ah well, I’d certainly take the phone call. You always like to have options.’ This is all the more interesting because later I ask if there’s any truth in tabloid rumours that he has variously been earmarked as the new Bergerac and the next James Bond. He denies both charges.

‘But you’d take the calls presumably?’ I suggest. A pregnant pause follows. ‘You know, I don’t think I would. I have to say I think I’d pass on those.’ Bergerac I can understand – but intimations of 007 are, like talk of knighthoods, not to be trifled with, much less dismissed out of hand, however cat’s-chance unlikely.

Turner just pulls a slightly apologetic face (possibly for the benefit of his aghast agent reading this). But really it should come as no surprise; Turner has built up a reputation as a protean performer, moving seamlessly between television, film and the stage in a variety of markedly different roles.

Last year he appeared opposite Jenna Coleman in a minimalist two-hander, the West End revival of Sam Steiner’s 2015 fringe hit Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons, about love and language. Director Josie Rourke says she cast Turner not just because he is ‘brilliant’, but because he has an ability to connect with his character and with the audience.

‘Aidan is a very technical and focused actor who really works hard to prepare – in that respect he’s not dissimilar to David Tennant. That might make him sound dour or serious, but he’s very personable and funny,’ says Rourke, a former artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse in London. ‘He’s acutely aware, in a lovely way, of every single person in the room. There’s something fundamentally unselfish about his performances.’

Off stage, Turner leads a quiet life with his family in an 18th-century house in east London, which he famously furnished with the table and chairs from the Poldark set in Cornwall. He looks amused when I wonder aloud if he hangs out – virtually or actually – with the slew of young Irish actors, like Paul Mescal and Barry Keoghan, who have made a name for themselves.

‘It sounds boring but I work, and then when a project is finished I start reading scripts again,’ he says. ‘I’m not on social media, I don’t get wrapped [up] comparing myself to anyone else. Frankly, it’s hard enough keeping track of my own career. Since the birth of our son, my wife and I have agreed that only one of us will take a job away from home at any given time; we’ve not [had] a clash yet but we’ll have to see what happens when the time comes.’

They did, however, both have plays on in the West End at one point last year; he was appearing in Lemons while she was in The Crucible.‘It worked out really well, we headed out in different directions during the day, catching up with friends and getting stuff done, far too busy to see each other,’ he recalls. ‘Each of us did our show then we would meet up afterwards and share a cab home. It was really fun, but that sort of synchronicity is quite rare.’

Like a lot of actors, Turner is guarded when it comes to discussing his personal life. Although frenzied interest from the paparazzi has calmed down post-Poldark, every so often pictures do appear in the tabloids – and Rivals will no doubt increase his bankability. It is something he accepts with equanimity.

‘If I do get snapped, I don’t make a fuss or get angry, but I try to stay out of the way.’ I remind him of a very striking photo of him putting the rubbish out in a frankly extraordinary receptacle. ‘Ah yes, maybe I should get rid of the fluorescent pink wheelie bin, a bit of an own goal,’ he sighs.

I bet he doesn’t. Far too much of a compromise. I do manage to winkle a few details out of him by playing my fellow Irishwoman card and discover that he’s a ‘serious’ pool player – just this week he settled down in front of a recording of Steve Davis and his teammates taking the 2002 Mosconi Cup in Bethnal Green.

He plays golf, enjoys music, and is an avowed Nick Cave fan.

‘I’d have to say my favourite downtime is having friends round for good banter and food in the garden, weather allowing. I’m trying to perfect the manly art of beef brisket in my [Big] Green Egg barbecue. I think one of the reasons Rivals was such a happy show to work on was because so many of the scenes were us all together at parties. Then at the end of the day we’d kick back and half of us would still be in character.’

And what characters they are, all dressed up in their ’80s finery, jockeying for position, angling for seduction as Tears for Fears belt out Everybody Wants to Rule the World. Gen Z won’t understand, much less approve (lock up your 22-year-olds), but as a snapshot of a bygone age, Rivals promises to be TV gold, and at its glittering epicentre, Declan O’Hara, legendary brooding broadcaster with the biggest ’tache in town.

All episodes of Rivals are available on Disney+ from 18 October

[gadriezmannsgirl]

Hey, hey I hope you are absolutely fabulous. I would love to request some Antoine fluff if it could please be really fluff and maybe a bit long if that’s alright I’d really appreciate it much love and stay safe ❤️❤️

Oh my gosh, yes! Anto's requests keep 'em coming! Also, sorry for the delay! It took me long to find some good inspo for the fic (Give thanks to my little cousin, I had to take care of her for three days and it was basically based on it)

I combined these two request! Hope you guys like it! Let me know what you think of this! FEEDBACK IS HIGHLY APPRECIATED!

HAPPY GRIEZMANN DAY!👑🇨🇵🤙🏻

Motherly Effects -Antoine Griezmann

Summary: You are left to take care of your ten months old niece for a weekend, leaving Antoine wanting for your future together.

You stopped your work in the kitchen to lean down and pay attention to the babygirl in front of you

"C'mon, Lottie! Let's dance it again: Una gatita que le gusta el mambo, con todos los malos sale a bellaquear" You sang in between laughter watching your 10 months-old niece, Charlotte, move herself up and down while grabbing onto her stroller and laughing "Oh my godness, you're the cutest little baby girl, ever" You giggled "Won't your dad want to give you away to me?" You asked picking up the baby in your arms as she hugged you

"I don't think Miguel would like that, chérie" You turned around watching your boyfriend of three years and fiancé of four months, Antoine look at you both with a smile on his face

"Nah! I can try something up, besides Lottie loves spending time with us, doesn't she?" You tickled her belly making her laugh out loud "See? She does"

"How long is she spending time with us?"

"For the weekend" You announced "You okay with it?" Antoine nodded with a smile on

"Of course, little baby Y/L/N has all of us wrapped around her little finger and she's nice" Anto grabbed her hand and did as if he was going to bite it

You gasp in surprise "Uncle Anto is going to eat your hand! Tell him: Uncle what are you doing?"

She tried to repeat your words with a lot of "tata's"

"Oh, she got angry" Both of you laughed a little "Amor, how was practice?" You ask leaning up a bit with intentions of kissing his lips

Antoine met you halfway, leaning down a bit

"It was good. I still win test races against Memphis" You smiled turning around to continue your work in the kitchen with the ten months old baby on your hip

Antoine smiled at your form, leaning back in the table and watched you do your thing. You looked natural, like you've already done this several times

"You are just on your best form" You complimented him watching a little blush form on his cheeks

"I still have a long way to go, tho" He replied leaning onto the kitchen counter lightly as you bounced the babygirl in your arms

"Still, Anto. You're-" Charlotte's cries interrupted you "What? What's wrong, baby?" You asked her in a soft voice "Hungry? My baby's hungry?" You put a bit of her compote in front of her and she looked away but kept on crying"Let's go and see how's that temperature, then" You walked to her bag that was laid on the table

"Is she sick?" You shook her head, passing her to Antoine

"Her teeth's are coming out. Miguel told me she may get a bit of temperature but nothing to worry about" You explained grabbing the digital termometer and pulling it in her ear "She's fine" You said after checking

"Water?" Anto asked as you looked at your niece in expectation

"Lottie" You said softly after a while "Do you need a change?" You ask with a joking tone making the little girl stop a bit her crying and hide her face into your fiancé's neck "You little sneaky monster!" You exclaimed, the two of you laughing a little as you saw Lottie cling into Antoine "C'mon, let's get that little ass clean! We're up for a shower!"

Antoine passed her to you as you made your way to your bathroom to clean her up, Lottie's crying subsiding a bit. Anto followed you silently watching you mesmerized.

Stood in the doorway, he saw how you pulled silly faces to the little girl who started crying after feeling the cold water hit her little frame when you showered her, how you started telling her "Auntie! Say auntie!" again and again seeing as she still hadn't said her first proper words besides 'Tata', he also watched you with a smile on his face and a loving look on his eyes be so motherly with the little Y/L/N girl, thinking how would you be with your kids one day.

You guys have been together for three years, and have gotten recently engaged, it's obvious that kids and marriage has been a subject you guys have talked about, both of you wanted it, even tho Antoine was a still reluctant about the kids, seeing as he already had two but you didn't mind it.

If he didn't wanted it, he didn't wanted it. It made you sad, yes. But you understood where was he coming from. Besides you loved his kids to death and meanwhile the little Mía knew you were like a second mother, Amaro still didn't understand much of it.

And you came to made peace with it.

But right now, watching how you act with a newborn baby, made him think of how your pregnancy belly would look, of the small moments of your little family... If you had a little boy, would he look exactly like him with but with your intelligence and way of being? Or if it's a babygirl, she could have his blonde hair but your eyes and your cheerful presence? His joking and your seriousness?

He was daydreaming of everything.

And he loved what he was thinking.

"In my little round face, I have eyes and a nose, as well as a little mouth to sing and laugh" You started singing making Charlotte be aware of all your movements with a face of concentration and surprise "With my eyes I see everything, with my nose I do... achish! With my mouth like coconut and popcorn" She smiled after you ended up the little song as Antoine stood there knowing exactly what he wanted.

You turned around with the baby in your arms and stood still watching how Antoine was looking at you

"What?"

"What what?" He asked

"What's with the face?"

"What face?"

"The one you've" You giggled

"That's the one that made you fall in love with me" You blushed nodding

"It's pretty" You said as matter of fact watching him smile "But what's up?"

"You're just... so pretty, chérie" You blushed walking over to him.

You leaned a bit and gave him a kiss on his lips

"You're supposed to say that. You're my fiancé"

"Being and not being your fiancé you know I find you absolutely gorgeous" You smiled feeling how Lottie waved her hand in front of you "You're going to steal Y/N away from me, young lady?" The baby laughed "I won't let you! I came here first!"

"Antoine!"

"She must know!" You giggled passing besides Anto to be once more in the living room, ready to prepare Charlotte to her bedtime "I'm going to change" You nodded smiling

You put some light music on the TV to help the baby fall asleep quicker so you could continue your work in the kitchen and be alone for a few minutes with your man.

When Antoine came down a few minutes later, he saw Charlotte asleep on your chest as you were scrolling down on your phone. He plopped next to you on the couch, pulling you into him without waking up the babygirl

"I want one" He said out of nowhere making you look up from your screen

"What?" You asked not really catching what he had said

You watched how Antoine took a deep breath and let it out slowly "I want a baby with you" He said looking at you

Your heart felt like doing somersaults when you heard him speak. "What? Why? How?" You were impressed, a good impressed.

You knew about your lover's past relationship but still wanted to form a family with him and his kids

"Seeing you with Lottie" He shook his head "...Made me realize I miss the baby experiences and that I would love to have you as mother of one of my kids, you just have this motherly effect, even tho you're not a mom, yet. I walked through that door and when I saw you with her I could only think of having a mini you or mini me running around this big house, Mía and Amaro taking care of them, us, together, being happy and having everything we ever dreamed of. Watching you in this "mom-state" forever is... Something I will never get tired of. I know I was a bit reluctant of having another one but I just changed my mind and if you still want us to have a-" You cut Antoine off with a kiss on his lips

"Of course I want to. I have been imagining a little boy with Y/H locks like his mom and blue bright eyes just like his dad's, ever since we moved in together" You admited shyly. Antoine smiled

"Baby Griezmann Y/L/N" He said as you smiled

"I would like to get married first, tho" You said after a few minutes of silence but the soft music playing as a background, Anto smiled "I can't wait to become Mrs. Y/L/N Griezmann" He kissed your cheek

"We can do whatever you want to do, Mrs. Y/L/N soon-to-be Griezmann" You smiled kissing his lips

"Will Mía and Amaro like the fact they could have another sibling?"

"They would" Antoine nodded "They're just like that, they would love that idea" Anto let a little laugh out "I can already imagine Amaro being an older brother"

"And taking into consideration how protective he is... Imagine if we have a little girl"

"He would so knock down all boys that come after them" He said making both of you laugh

And that's how you spent the rest of the night, laying in your couch, you with Charlotte on your chest, Antoine wrapping both of you in his arms as you guys talked about your awaited future together.

[alisavonvamalia]

Just a little gift for the fabulous @mysteryofvampires

Thanks for being so supportive and always taking the time to leave comments on all my fics ❤️

Red Over Rank

April 1943, England

Violence erupted all around him, his fellow comrades shouting and firing relentlessly at the enemy as he bellowed orders to any man who could hear. 

His limbs ached and muscles shivered as the icy winds bit at his face like rabid dogs.

There were screams and shouts as many soldiers fell, never to wake again.

His boots squelched against the wet, thick mud. Pain tore through his shoulder and leg as he fired again. If he died, he would do so standing.

But death had other plans.

...

Alisa could only watch as many after man was carried into the hospital, the matrons giving orders and assigning nurses to the wounded.

Some men were in better states than others. Alisa could tell now just by looking who would survive the night.

She and her fellow nurses had taken a break from their duties for a while, and sat in the office rooms with furnaces, knitting socks, gloves and scarfs for the soldiers. Various shipments of food rations often arrived here from where they'd be sent off to the troops in the trenches.

When the war broke out, she'd immediately gone to enlist in the war effort, as she was already being trained as a nurse, she figured it would be best to help. 

Along with Ivy, they'd submitted their papers the next day and were called into formal duty in this hospital in rural England, when they turned eighteen.

St Mary's was one of many hospitals being used to treat hundreds of wounded soldiers from the front lines, and Alisa now found herself in it's midst.

She finished her training just after the outbreak of the war, at the age of seventeen, and had now been working here for just over three years, much to her grandmother's displeasure.

Grandmother was an old sort who believed in women having less gory jobs than dealing with blood on a regular basis. 

And Alisa becoming a nurse had put a stop to her plans to marry her off to their old family friend's son, Malcolm.

"Alisa, a Major has just been admitted," Matron Jillian said, handing her some bandages. "Major Lars Dracas. Two bullet wounds, shoulder and thigh. You've been assigned to treat him."

"Yes, matron," Alisa nodded, quickly rushing to the washing rooms, to collect a basin of warm water and some antiseptic.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Ivy treating a man on one of the other beds. 

Fixing her red cross cap, she walked towards the bed where her patient was. The man seemed to be in good shape luckily, and he should survive with no major injuries.

"Sister," the man said, nodding. 

"Hello, Major," she said, setting the basin down. "My name's Alisa and I'll be your assigned nurse for the duration of your stay."

It was hard not to look at him, the man was certainly handsome, with blonde hair around his jaw and striking blue eyes. 

...

The woman who approached him was undeniably beautiful, wearing a white cap with the red cross emblem, as was customary, and a ankle length white dress with an apron over it, as well as a pair of gloves.

Strangely, the pain in his body almost subsided at the sight of her. Maybe the war really was having effects on his mind.

Alisa, her name was Alisa.

"Well, Alisa," he replied. "Major Lars at your service, although I'd rather be meeting you in better circumstances."

He really doubted his circumstances could be any better at this point. He'd seen some of the men coming in, who had lost a limb or might not even survive the next few days. And then there were the fellows that had died on the field.

She gave him a kind smile at that. "Don't worry, Major, we'll have you fixed up in no time."

She carefully unwrapped the bandages around his thigh first, ones that had obviously been wrapped by an army medic with less than ideal conditions to help the wounded. 

"I'm going to have to extract the bullet, Major," she grimaced. "I'm afraid to say it's an unpleasant experience, but it'll be over within a few seconds."

He would've listened attentively to anything she said.

She poured him a small amount of rum, saying it would distract from the pain. As a good soldier, he downed it in one gulp as she used some sanitised forceps to delicately remove the bullet. 

He hardly even saw the thing before she wrapped it and put it to the side. 

Her experience was obvious despite her young age. Mentally, he thanked whoever had assigned her to him.

"I'm just going to apply some antiseptic," she said. "Prevents infection but it will sting a little."

He could see the wound in his leg, it looked unnervingly like an open mouth, but the blood had been cleaned and his nurse was now carefully applying the antiseptic powder.

She repeated the same process with the wound in his shoulder, which, admittedly, caused him to grit his teeth in pain.

"All done," she said cheerily. "Don't worry, Major, you'll recover just fine. I'll be back with some hot tea for you."

"Thank you, Sister," he said, nodding his head in appreciation. "But please, call me Lars."

"Only if you call me Alisa," she smiled.

...

Oh, that young Major was definitely a flirt. What a cheek!

She returned to his bedside when she could, and they had many pleasant conversations. 

From that, she had learned that his full name was Lars Dracas, although in the army he was Major Lars Dracas, and he was twenty-one years old, turning twenty-two in the coming September.

He would probably be well enough the following week, although he couldn't return to fighting so soon, so he would probably be kept in the hospital until his condition allowed him to return to the front lines.

Since he'd been admitted, she'd taken to changing his bandages every day and making sure everything was okay. 

If infection developed, it would only hinder his recovery, yet she found herself wishing he could stay longer. 

Surely, it would only be a matter of time before he was called back into fighting, and then he'd be focused on survival, and he would forget her. 

She'd just be like any other nurse.

Perhaps she'd forget him too, after treating so many soldiers.

In just the span of these four months, she'd treated over fifty men, was he really so memorable?

But he was.

...

In the days after arriving at St Mary's, Lars found himself conflicted more than ever before.

His head told him he should be eager to return to duty and continue fighting for the protection of his country and others, but his heart seemed intent on staying in Alisa's clutches. 

Did she know of his affections? She must, he hadn't exactly been very subtle.

She returned them, as far as he knew.

Enlisting in the army had been easier than this. Going against his father had been easier than this. Fighting in the freezing weather had been easier. God, what was he going to do?

(to be continued)

[themetaphorgirl]

Omg hiiiiii I’m so glad you’re back! I hope you had a fabulous wedding and honeymoon!! Your latest psolc chapter was *chefs kiss*. I reread the whole thing again for the millionth time and I kept getting this scene in my head of the kids in the future. Like they all meet for thanksgiving or they’re all back for the summer and no one’s seen anyone for a few months and like 18/19 year old Spencer just casually strolls in like he isn’t suddenly 6’1 and is the tallest instead of the shortest. Everyone’s just like where did this beanpole come from? Kinda the same vibe as when he cuts his hair in season 5 in the show and just walks in and everyone is like are we gonna talk about this😂 anywaysss I’m excited to read more❤️❤️

this is SO cute and I'm emotional about Spencer being all grown up.

----------

Emily opened the front door with her hip. “What’s up, bitches?” she hollered. “I’m here, and I brought presents!”

The townhouse was warm and noisy, filled with chattering conversation and Christmas music playing on the speaker. Penelope jumped up from the couch, nearly bonking JJ in the nose, and ran over to her. “Emily, oh my god!” she said, flinging her arms around her. “Oh my god, I didn’t think you were getting in until tomorrow!”

“Yeah, me neither, but it turns out when you work for the Czech ambassador and the French ambassador owes you a favor, they can pull a few strings,” Emily laughed. “Oh my god, look at you. Somehow you look exactly the same and yet you’re completely different.”

“That’s what happens when you get older but retain your youthful aesthetic,” Penelope said. “Ooh, you brought wine? I can take care of that.”

“It’s weird to think we’re old enough to drink wine now,” JJ said. She had changed more than Penelope had, her face slimmer and her blonde hair cut in a chic long bob.

“Speak for yourself,” Dave snorted.

Emily snickered. “Nice mustache, Rossi,” she said. He scowled, stroking it self-consciously.

“We’re just waiting for Aaron and Haley now,” JJ said. 

“Derek can’t make it, he’s got a football game tomorrow, but we’re going to set up a zoom call,” Penelope said.

Emily looked around the cozy living room. The Christmas tree glimmered with warm white lights, making the ornaments sparkle, and three stockings were hung up on a bookshelf in lieu of a mantel. “Where’s Alex?” she asked.

“Kitchen with James, they’re finishing up dinner and they’re refusing to let us help,” Dave said.

Emily hurried down the hall. “Where’s the bride?” she hollered.

Alex started, nearly dropping the spoon she was holding. “Emily, what the fuck?” she said, but her eyes lit up. “Oh my god, you’re here early!”

“Show me the ring, show me the ring!” Emily said, beckoning. Alex held out her left hand, her cheeks turning pink. “Good goddamn, Blake, you did good.”

“I’ve had that ring in the back of my mind for years,” James said, beaming proudly. “I thought she would like it.”

Emily held Alex’s hand in hers, turning this way and that to get a good look at her sparkling engagement ring. “You like it, right, Alex?” she said. “Because if you don’t, I will march James to the nearest jewelry store to piuck out something you do.”

“No, no, I love it,” Alex said. James kissed her lightly as he walked past her. “How was your flight?”

“Long, but bearable in first class,” Emily said. 

“Well, you got here just in time for dinner,” Alex said. “Perfect timing.”

A tall young man with tousled light brown hair stuck his head in the kitchen, sliding in his socks. “James, where’s the stereo remote?” he asked.

“Should be on the end table,” James said.

“Oh, perfect, thanks,” the stranger said, darting back out.

Emily frowned. “I thought it was just going to be us this Christmas,” she said. “A good ol’ St. Thaddeus reunion.”

“It is,” Alex said, wiping her hand on a dishtowel.

Emily glanced back over her shoulder. “Then who the hell was that?” she said. 

Alex and James both looked up. “Do you not…oh my god,” Alex said.

“Well, he has changed quite a bit,” James said.

“Guys, who is that?” Emily asked.

James grinned. “Hey Spencer?” he called. “Can you come in here, please?”

Emily’s jaw dropped. “No,” she said. “Oh hell no. You two are shitting me.”

The tall boy, probably in his mid to late teens, ran back in. “What’s wrong?” he asked. He noticed Emily and his hazel eyes lit up. “Emily! When did you get here?”

Emily covered her mouth and doubled over. “I am hallucinating,” she said. “You cannot…that’s not…” She straightened up and peeked through her fingers. “Spencer?”

He smiled, and now she could recognize the little nine-year-old in this grown up boy’s face. “Hi!” he said. “My growth spurts finally hit.”

Alex patted his cheek. “My baby isn’t a baby anymore,” she sighed.

“Holy shit,” Emily said. “Your voice changed. And you’re a giant.”

“I’m almost as tall as Aaron and James now,” Spencer said proudly.

“Don’t let him fool you, he still sleeps with his blanket,” James said. 

[ladyinbooks]

rank your characters from best to worst fashion sense 😂

(i think we all agree that samiel in all black is the coolest, but let's have an unbiased ranking please 👀)

Oh lovely anon, you're asking me to do an unbiased ranking?! 😭😭😭 B-but - Samiel!

Ok. I will try... ❤️

1 - Aubrey. Not because he likes dressing up, but because he's had to weaponise his clothing over the years, and honed his fashion sense to each and every occasion. 2 - Hess. He actually makes an effort to dress smartly and professionally. He's not going to set the world on fire with his dress sense, but he can pull off a sharp three piece suit, and he knows it. 3 - Samiel. Sticks to the basics, but has been around the Lenian court enough to know what he could wear if he wanted to (he doesn't want to; he wants to wear black, thank you). 4 - Jay and Lysander. They're tied, mostly because they both wear whatever practical thing they are told to. Basically, they both wear uniforms that change with the circumstances. I suppose it could be argued that Jay has a little more choice than Lysander, but left to his own devices he'd probably just wear jeans and a t-shirt. 5 - Dan. Basics, comfortable clothing. Nothing fancy; most often seen in jeans, or in uniform. 6 - Venn. He has to stick to his robes, so although they're a safe choice, they literally never change. (How many identical sets does he have? Only he - and Hird - knows...) 7 - Hird. Does not care. Literally does not care. Unless it's uniform, if it's passed the sniff test, then it's fine. She has more important things to worry about. Legend has it that on her wedding day, she wore a beautiful set of trousers, an elegant, sleeveless top and a pair of fabulous earrings. No one has seen the outfit since, and no trace of it has ever been found...

[the-void-writes]

Kevin!! (sorry if this is a lot lol)

🩹💯🔺🌈🎄🐷🍃🍎❤️💔💙💜🤔

IT’S NOT A LOT, DON’T WORRY 🥹💖 THANK YOU AGAIN

Some images of Kevin. Credit to Naylissah and Wervty for the picrews.

TW for mentions of child abuse under the cut (it’s not described in detail)

🩹 Does your oc have any physical and/or mental disabilities?

Kevin’s eyesight is incredibly poor ever since his mother’s abuse. His eyes are permanently scarred and damaged, though Vesely’s doctors have tried their best to fix it. He has to wear protective goggles and glasses because bright lights give him aggressive headaches.

💯 Share three random facts about your oc that others may not know.

Kevin jokingly flirts with his friends, but he also has a small crush on Will that he won’t act on because he knows that boy is shy to affection and already likes someone else.

The reason Kevin dyes the tips of his hair hot pink is so he doesn’t look at himself in the mirror and see his mother.

He drinks a ton of coffee, mostly iced, because he has insomnia from his fear of waking up in his old house.

🔺 Does your oc know how to use any weapons?

He mostly uses his own momentum to fight. Rio teaches him how to use his arms as a whip.

🌈 What is your oc's sexual orientation/gender identity? What pronouns do they use?

Kevin is proudly pansexual and makes sure that everyone knows he isn’t picky. He uses “he/him” pronouns, but he doesn’t mind being called “they/them” either.

🎄 What is your oc's favorite holiday?

Christmas, for the music and the food, and because he gets to decorate his friends’ dorm and make it feel like a home. He never realized that kids got gifts on Christmas until he started staying with his friends, and now he’s excited to give things.

🐷 What is your oc's favorite animal?

It’s pigs, specifically teacup pigs. Riley always asks Kevin how someone as “flashy and fabulous” as him could love such a messy animal, and Kevin gets so offended.

Long ago, I actually gave him a pet pig. He called it Ham Solo.

🍃 What is/was your oc's favorite subject in school?

Kevin’s favorite class was an elective drama course he had for a year. He loves performing for people and having their positive attention, in an art form where he’s separated by a stage and no one can run up and hurt him.

🍎 Where was your oc born? Do they still live in/around their place of birth or do they live somewhere else? How do they feel about their birthplace?

Kevin was born in Preston, on the outskirts of the main town and suburbs. He acts like he doesn’t care about his old home, but deep down, he’s terrified of the mere idea of going back there. He wouldn’t calm down for his first few weeks of training until Jason swore to him that he wouldn’t return to his parents.

❤️ What are three of your oc's positive traits?

Kevin may act like he enjoys being the center of attention, but he’s actually more humble than people give him credit for. He makes sure his friends get their due respect during training, and even when he brags about his own training, it’s never at someone else’s expense. His loyalty to his friends is limitless.

His personal goal is to make his friends smile and laugh. Whatever they need or want, he’ll do it for them, even if it’s just making himself look like a fool.

Kevin is very patient and understanding. He’ll listen to anyone, no matter how long they take to speak or if they struggle to express themselves. He refuses to make anyone feel dumb or useless.

💔 What are three of your oc's negative traits?

Kevin tends to joke around a little too much. He won’t take certain training exercises seriously, and it ends up getting him hurt.

On that note, Kevin doesn’t care if he injured himself. He thinks he’s indestructible so he charges headfirst into a problem, and he also just has little regard for his own health because he’s been taught to feel insignificant.

Every so often, his aggressive self-loathing comes through. He’ll say the most horrible things about himself when he no longer has the energy to smile through the pain.

💙 Does your oc have any cool/special powers and/or abilities? how are they with magic, if it exists in their world?

The Freak genes that Kevin was born with basically gave his skin and bones rubber-like qualities. He can stretch and squish himself however he sees fit, like how an octopus can squeeze itself through a hole. The further out he stretches, though, the more vulnerable that area is to snapping.

💜 What is your oc's ancestry/genetic background?

Kevin is the only son of the Mallory family. His parents could barely afford their house and food. When Kevin’s powers developed, his mother punished him for it in the cruelest ways possible, nearly blinding her son as a result. His father sat idly by, not lifting a finger to help him. The neighbors were the ones to call the police, and that’s how Vesely heard about him. Jason was the one to bring him in, and he became an important parental figure to Kevin.

Eventually, Kevin gets adopted by a wealthy family, the Valentinas. They’re absolutely guilty of spoiling their new son, but he deserves it after the hell he’s been through.

🤔 What are some of your oc's quirks/mannerisms?

When Kevin is bored, he’ll often stretch and bounce his arm like a yo-yo. If no one else is around, he’ll wrap his arms around himself in a big snake-like hug.

I’m not sure if it counts, but when he laughs at something, it’s a full-on hyena cackle. There is no quiet mode for him when it comes to jokes.

[allylikethecat]

loved the most recent make way for ducklings chapter! We know how much Matty loves target and I was laughing at the eventual maternity jeans comment and when he was wondering if George was noticing his new rounded butt🤣 looking forward to the next instalments!! Thx for writing these.

Hi!! Thank you so much for reading!! I'm so happy to hear that you enjoyed the newest chapter! I was feeling a little insecure after I posted it, so I'm extra glad to hear you liked it!!

Target is such a vibe, every English relative I have is always SO EXCITED to go to Target anytime they visit, last time my 17 year old cousin was in town I literally took him to Target three times in two days and he was just as happy each time (I also got him a shirt with the Target logo on it for Christmas and I have never seen a happier teenage boy lol) I was like "What do you want to do now? *lists fun options*" Him: CAN WE GO TO TARGET?!

From what I understand, IRL Matty also likes Target so it seemed important to include a moment of Target wonderfulness before things all implode in the next few chapters 😈

Thank you so much for reading, your support and taking the time to send me this lovely ask! I greatly appreciate it! I hope you had a great day and that you are having a fabulous week!

❤️Ally

[thedaveandkimmershow]

Once again, if I had to remember what we did last month... I'd be hard-pressed to come up with anything.

Definitely it was a packed month of work at the UW for me. It was the relentless continuation of Kimmer's doctoral work (lectures, discussions, reading, research, papers, tests).

Beyond that?

Hmmmmm. 🤨🤔

I looked through the photos I snapped in June and learned there was (some) life beyond work and school. For example, Linzy's work.

June actually kicked into gear on the backs of two Linzy gigs at the end of May (work, of course, just not ours). A week later found her at another one of her winery gigs in Woodinville: Tsillan Cellars where, for the first time in a while, Kimmer was able to join us for a lovely evening out. We were also joined by a dear friend from a lifetime ago with whom we got the chance to catch up and marvel at how far they've come in this life. A survivor to the core, there's a lot by which to be impressed. And I enjoy being impressed by other human beings in this specific way.

I really really do.

The music was fabulous, by the way. 😉☺️❤️

June was the month during which we began to spend bits of our mornings on our bedroom porch.

It's not a porch, really. It's the wooden cover of the access to our home's crawl space. Wide enough to accommodate both of us sitting there sipping morning lattes... or one of us sitting there studying and writing. Our bedroom's french doors open right onto it and it's amazing how lovely it is to sit under the morning sun, feeling a breeze when there is one, and listening to the birds and other sounds of the neighborhood waking up.

Since I spent so much time on campus last month at the University of Washington, I was similarly taken by the beauty of the Quad and it's famous cherry blossom trees in bloom (featuring thousands of visitors, families, brides, and graduates, it seemed). Also, the walk along the south end of Denny Hall, the lawn and this huuuuuge tree... and then the walk up Memorial Way Northeast, lined with trees on both sides of the street that are so tall and lean enough toward each other so as to almost create a living tunnel illuminated by sunshine.

June was also the occasion of our honorary granddaughter's birthday in which she turns a whooping three years old. We're celebrating early so we can have the whole family over for a pre-party without the experience being overwhelming.

During the occasion, we managed an indoor scavenger hunt, both kids enjoying our exercise equipment (one of them calls "cars"), a VHS tape got cooked in our microwave oven, great birthday partying at the party table blowing noisemakers happened as well as fun present opening and present using, a magnificent dinner contributed by both families including swedish meatballs and fresh baked sourdough bread, and then dessert dessert dessert (of course) and then somewhere in there...

Adult conversation.

And oh yeah. We sang HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!

After our family festivities, Kimmer and the kids went out back for an expedition.

Expedition?

Yeah.

Because due to an unfortunate event the day before, we weren't able to trim the yard as we intended. Well, not exactly trim... but hack away 'cause it had been a while since our last "trim". Consequently, our backyard grass and a stadium crowd of daffodils had gotten quite tall. Hence my reference to "expedition".

It was adorable to watch Kimmer with kids in tow wading through the grass and dandelions together. ☺️

Update on our new cat, Quarter, who we've had since the end of January if not the start of February:

He's adjusted just fine, thank you very much. He went through the hidey hole phase where he wasn't sure about us. He went through his student phase where he learned to do what our other cat, Dinker, would do like meowing for food when I'm already scooping it up, like poaching the other cat's food when they finished their own, like standing by the front door and staring at us to go outside even though he's an indoor cat.

And so on.

Most of Quarter's time here's been spent learning from Dinker. And most of Dinker's time has been spent intentionally ignoring Quarter.

At this point, though, Quarter's shed his student/house guest vibe. He now acts like he lives here. Like he owns the place. He doesn't finish his food first before going after Dinker's. He goes after Dinker's food while I'm scooping it into Dinker's bowl. He isn't starved for attention from Dinker like he used to be. Now, he sometimes ignores Dinker too at which point (if it's nighttime) Dinker'll instigate a "fight" and they'll both have at it, claws in holsters. And Quarter's finally shed that last ounce of politeness and caution he possessed. If he wants to sit in Kimmer's lap while she's working or studying or taking a test... he will simply and directly place himself there. If I'm at the table writing, he'll jump up and walk through my hand, shove it aside, until we're literally face to face. 

Assertive is the word I'm looking for.

Quarter's become assertive.

So that's where he's at in June.

🤔🤨😐

June was also home to Father's Day which we spent at my parent's place celebrating my dad. Later that same day I'm thinking about growing up with him and what kind of dad he was. I remember making Pinewood Derby cars together (mostly him, though, 'cause he was the one with the serious tools). I remember my dad 'n I taking up ceramics with a guy named Jim at a little shop on Queen Anne. I remember the H.O. scale train set my dad built from scratch downstairs in my childhood home, complete with a mountain, tunnels, landscaping, a town with lighted homes and businesses, and tracks that could be switched from the control panel.

My dad was an electronic technician so all this was well within his wheelhouse.  

And then last I remember building and launching Estes model rockets with him, including the two-stager whose second stage didn't ignite... and the whole thing wound up accordioning into the ground from a thousand feet up.

Good times. 😉😁☺️

As for me, I got a little pre-FD celebrating earlier in the week—first on the Tuesday before when we slipped into our favorite Crest Theater to see "IF", starring Kelly Fleming and Ryan Reynolds, written, produced, and directed by John Krasinski. And yeah.

It was wonderful.

Fun.

Breathtaking.

A live-action Pixar movie with the bit at the end that profoundly moves you. 

Amazing.

The next evening, Kimmer takes me to the Ballard Pizza Company, their Frelard location between Ballard and Fremont after I show up at her chiropractor's after work when her appointment's done.

We arrive for dinner exactly when the sun's out along with a bit of light rain making everything perfectly and wonderfully shiny.

Our favorite thing?

The front of the restaurant is all garage doors so the interior space can become an exterior space just like that. We sat on stools at a table fronting the patio. Close enough to the outside to feel outside yet enough inside that sprinkles of rain fell short of us.

Our most favorite thing though is that we arrived in the midst of Happy Hour.

And then our most Most favorite thing was that all their appetizer servings are humongous. Huge. Wonderfully lots.

We wound up taking about half home with us where it was still just as yummy.

🤯😁👍

Speaking of rain, the final week of June seemed to provide plenty. A bit of reprieve before some legit scorching from July.

As I mentioned earlier, June was a packed month of work at the UW with commencement, the centerpiece of the academic year, taking place at a time when the graduating class had not yet experienced a proper commencement because they all graduated their high schools during the lock-downs when commencements at best were variations on picking up your lunch at the drive-through window. Only with a brief photo-op.

This year in post-production, I caught a lot of the videos scheduled to air during the event along with a number of walk-in projects commissioned by other clients. So it was a total juggle-fest. 

In an interesting plot twist, one of the commencement production staff gave me a tour of all the production sites at Husky Stadium, from each room of our control truck hooked into the stadium's audio, video, and electrical systems, to the student waiting area behind the east end of the field, to the stands adjacent the south side of the commencement stage, and then up to the sixth floor of Husky Stadium where a studio's been set up to accommodate the host segments of the pre-commencement show and the streaming commencement itself.

Next to the set is a bank of windows with quite the wide angle view of the stadium below along with the massive outdoor monitor screen on the east end of the field behind that set of goal posts. It's really quite amazing the brightness we're able to crank out of that screen to create a normal viewing image even on a straight up sunny day. Which is great 'cause that's where the video packages I cut for the show will appear. ☺️

Coupla weeks after commencement (HUUUUUUGE success for UW Video), a big portion of the crew involved in the production are gathered at a looong table set outside under beach umbrellas at Duke's Restaurant, a block back from the shores of Green Lake. The most beautifully sunny day under a lovely shade, we all gotta chance to talk a little shop (okay a LOT), talk family, catch up with those we don't get that much opportunity to see...

And to look toward the future?

The future?

Sure. We're all up to our eyeballs in tech and its relentlessly changing expressions. It's impossible not to discuss that ever-changing arena that embraces both our personal and professional lives.

A lot of us are getting on in age as well... and in that context, talk about the future just comes naturally to us. 

You just can't help but wonder...

What's next?

🤔🤨☺️

[nickirichardsonone2onediet]

It’s February 1st and the month of love 💕 Are you getting married this year...? 👰❤️🤵 Whether you are the bride or groom, all eyes will be on you on your special day, and you will want to look and FEEL your absolute best. And then there are the wedding photographs... do you want to look back on them and love how you both look because you both feel so comfortable in your skin and look and feel fabulous? Perhaps you are the mother or father of the bride or groom...? Or have you been asked to be a bridesmaid or best man...? Maybe you’ll be receiving an invite as a wedding guest...? With the wedding season fast approaching, now is the time to start thinking about shedding those unwanted pounds and working towards dropping a dress 👗 or suit 🤵 size so that you can look and feel the best self on your big day. *Jo-Ann Blackburn lost an incredible three stone in 12 weeks on The 1:1 Diet in readiness for her big day! Doesn’t she look amazing?! 👰 Contact me today for your free no-obligation consultation and BMI check. We’ve got a plan with flexible steps to suit your lifestyle, weight loss expectations and budget. If you are part of a wedding party and want to come together for moral support, that’s no problem! Just let me know, and I’ll book you in together! I look forward to helping you for your special day x #One2OneDiet *Thank you to Jo-Ann Blackburn for allowing me to share her amazing photos and story! 𝗨𝗸 𝗡𝘂𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 1 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗢𝗳 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿/𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿 𝗢𝗳 DSA 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿 /2021&2022 Nicki Richardson 📲07771 640008 Mindset and Weight Loss Coach #nlp #eft #timelinetherapy®️ #one2onediet #mindsetmatters #london #bedford #rothwell #northantsbloggers @one2onediet #mindsetcoaching #mindsetworkshops #weightlossstory #weightlossblogger #weightlossblog #weighdayresults #one2onediet #caloriedeficit #weightlossjourney #weightlossdiary #121dietbycwp #weightlossgoals #weightlosscommunity #healthyeating #wlsjourney #ukweightloss #weightlossuk #bigweightloss #changeyourlife #transformation (at The 1:1 Diet Nicki Richardson UK Virtual/In Person Mindset and Weight Coach) https://www.instagram.com/p/CorO83kt86B/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[mcu-romanoff]

I Am Beautiful

Pairing: Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Warnings: Insecure thoughts, and fluff

Summery: You are feeling a little insecure and Natasha being the great girlfriend she is, reassures you.

A/N: Okay, I wow two stories in two days, this has never happened. This one kind of just came to me because I have been feeling a bit like this lately and maybe other people have too, so I hope this gives anyone just a little comfort. ❤️

“Baby? You doing okay over there?” Natasha asked. She glanced away from the laptop screen in front of her and looked at you. You were currently standing in front of the mirror in your bedroom.

“Yeah. I think I’m going to change my shirt,” you said, inspecting yourself in the mirror. You had already been through three outfits and messed with your hair for over half an hour. Nothing you had picked out felt right. They were either too tight, too loose, or just plain wrong.

“Babe, you’ve been standing in front of that mirror for so long. Whatever you pick is good,” Natasha said. Your girlfriend had gotten up at an unholy early hour to train and have a meeting. You had still been sleeping when she kissed your forehead and got ready for the day.

“I know, I know. It just all feels wrong on me. I don’t like the way any of them look,” you said, rummaging through the dresser to find a shirt.

“Ahh, maybe this one,” you said, pulling out the shirt. You moved towards the bathroom, but Natasha’s voice stopped you as you reached for the door handle.

“Where are you going? You know you can change in front of me, right?” Natasha said. You had been back and forth to the bathroom to change all morning, and your girlfriend was curious as to why. You had been dating for almost three years and living together for one. You had seen each other in various states of undress.

“Ummm,” you started. “I.. well… I just don’t feel… you know.” You stuttered out, unsure of how to answer Natasha’s question.

Natasha stood up from the desk and walked over to where you had slumped against the door. Your brows furrowed in worry.

“Baby,” Natasha said, reaching out to smooth your worried brows. You sagged against her, and she wrapped her arms around you.

“Come here, sweetheart,” Natasha said, guiding you over to the mirror.

“Can you look at yourself please,” Natasha asked.

You stayed wrapped in your girlfriend’s arms, but you picked your head up to glance at yourself in the mirror.

“Good, thank you, baby,” Natasha said, kissing your cheek.

“What do you see?” She asked.

You whined and buried your head back into her shoulder.

“Okay, okay,” Natasha said, rubbing your back soothingly. “Can you do something else for me?”

You nodded.

“Can you look at yourself again, please,” Natasha asked, and you did. “Good. Now repeat after me, okay?”

You nodded again.

“I am perfect just the way I am,” Natasha said, kissing your neck. “Now repeat it, please.”

You sighed, “I am perfect the way I am.”

“You certainly are, baby,” Natasha said. “Now, I am beautiful.”

“I am beautiful,” you repeated, and Natasha kissed the outside of your ear.

“I am confident and fabulous.”

“I am confident and fabulous,” you said as your girlfriend kissed your cheek.

“I have respect for myself and who I am.”

“I have respect for myself and who I am,” you repeated back, and Natasha kissed your forehead.

“Good, sweetie. Now can you please repeat them all again?” Natasha asked you, twirling a strand of your hair around her finger.

“I am perfect just the way I am. I am beautiful,” Natasha kissed your nose, and you let out a little giggle.

“Keep going, darling,” Natasha said.

“I am confident and fabulous. I have respect for myself and who I am.” You stated, looking in the mirror at yourself. Natasha kissed the tip of your nose again. Then your cheek, your ear, and your neck. Back and forth, she kissed you until you were in a fit of giggles.

“Natty!”

“Yes, babe?”

“I love you so much. You know that, right?” You asked, turning to face your beautiful girlfriend.

“Of course, love. And I love you so much too.” She said, going back to kissing your face.

“Nat!”

Natasha just raised her eyebrows at you. “You can’t just kiss my face,” you said.

“Oh really. Well, where else should I kiss you then?” Natasha asked, a sultry-looking smirk appearing on her lips.

“My lips would be a great idea.” You said, looking up at Natasha.

“Really,” Natasha said as she leaned in. “Nowhere else in mind? Cause I have some ideas.”

Natasha brought in for a kiss that left you panting when she pulled away.

“I think we have some time. Why don’t I show you just how beautiful I think you are.” Natasha said, taking your hand and leading you towards the bed. Your face turned red as you followed your girlfriend. You loved her, and she loved you just as much.

[neil-neil-orange-peel]

I just saw that Dawn French said, apparently she thought among the the comic strip group that Rik would become the most successful cause he was the most beautiful, which i found cute. In my opinion Jennifer and then Dawn a close second became the most successful from the Comic Strip group.

In Dawn's autobiography, Dear Fatty, she says several nice things about Rik. ❤️ I'd say Rik, Jen, and Dawn have been the most successful of the group. Those are the three names people my age just might have heard of. French & Saunders have definitely been the most successful double act of the Comic Strip though (with Rik and Ade being the second most successful).

Rik, Jen, and Dawn have each starred in successful sitcoms without the rest of the Comic Strip group (The New Statesman, Absolutely Fabulous, and The Vicar of Dibley, respectively - extra kudos to Jen for also being the writer of Ab Fab). Rik wrote and starred in a TV show and live shows with his comedy partner (Bottom, with Ade), whilst Jen and Dawn did the same with French & Saunders. I'd say French & Saunders must have done more as double act than Rik and Ade did (even though they don't officially work as a double act anymore, they still pop up together in stuff - the most recent being Death On The Nile, their podcast Titting About, plus a special they did for Gold about women in comedy).

I suppose the thing that gives Jen and Dawn the slight edge over Rik is that the stuff they've been in where they had smaller roles, and the stuff they've done more recently, has usually been well received. For example, both Jen and Dawn were in Coraline, Jen was in Shrek 2, Dawn popped up in The Wrong Mans as James Corden's HISS HISS EVIL mum. Plus, both Ab Fab and VOD have been long running and had many specials over the years, the same with the French & Saunders sketch show. Unfortunately for Rik, a lot of the niche stuff he was in that us scumbags have digged out... It's tended to have not done so well. And some of that is undeserved, while some of it really isn't the best (looking at you Merlin: The Return). If you kinda focus on Rik and ignore everything else, the experience is a bit better. 😂 Still can't make myself watch One By One after all the conspiracy bullshit that's tainted online spaces over the last two years though, still bitter about that.

From my perspective as a woman, I think it's good that Jen and Dawn have been so successful in comparison to some of their fellow Comic Strip members (that's with no shade meant to any of the guys, just pointing out how you'd expect it to be the other way around). Men still very much dominate in comedy. This is a very specific example and not representative of The Big Wide World Of Comedy, but one time recently I went to a meeting of my uni's comedy society, and in a group of 20+ people I was 1 of 3 women! 1 of 3! And I won't lie, that's kind of intimidating - not because I'm scared of men, but because being in such an unevenly gendered space makes me subconsciously feel that I shouldn't be there. So Dawn and Jen really do have a lot about them to have been able to push through and become the successes that they are. ❤️

Thanks for the ask!