#the judy garland christmas show

[franciegummstarstruck]

Happy 72nd Bday, Lorna Luft! 💝🎂🎉

“One of the oddities about being Judy Garland’s daughter was that everyone treated my mother with such awe that they would never have asked me the normal questions kids get about their moms.” — Lorna Luft

[blondebrainpowered]

Judy Garland - Till After the Holidays - December 17, 1968 on The Tonight Show

[huellitaa]

pretty girl winter 🧁❄️🎀

ok so winter is my FAVOURITE season ever!! i am THE christmas girl of all time and i wna make this the most beautiful pink christmas ever! and i am so excited to spend it with my favourite people ever (my tumblr girls) ❄️🩷

🧁𓂃 ࣪˖ winter music ♡

sweet dreams, tomorrow x together

last christmas, ariana grande

sleigh ride, the ronettes

merry & happy, twice

beautiful christmas, red velvet / aespa

santa tell me, ariana grande

doughnut, twice

winter wonderland, beabadoobee

jingle bell rock, bobby helms / aespa

rocking around the christmas tree, brenda lee

let it snow! let it snow! let it snow!, dean martin

have yourself a merry little christmas, judy garland

christmas dreaming, laufey

one more sleep, leona lewis

cindy lou who, sabrina carpenter

(🎀🗒 note: i also have a playlist filled with lots of these songs and music here! ♡)

🎀𓂃 ࣪˖ winter beauty ♡

moisturiser moisturiser moisturiser. hand cream is also a must so they dont get cracked and dry, especially in the winter! ❄️🫶🏻🩷

i dont take cold showers in the winter bcuz i get ill easily , so i always take warm showers w 30 seconds of cold at the end 💭🎀💗

vanilla, cinnamon, musk, chocolate, pomegranate, cherry, pudding and sweet, rich scents 💭🐧🫶🏻

makeup in pale pink, white, soft gold, silver, lots of sparkles, dewy and light

red lip gloss / stick is an essential! 💭🎀

🎄𓂃 ࣪˖ winter fashion ♡

fluffy coats!!!!! i personally love my massive black trenchcoat its v cute

scarves, hats, gloves, etc ♡ 🎀🧸

leggings, tights, long socks, leg warmers, etc. (i esp love sheer tights!)💭

anything faux-fur lined

pink, silver, gold, and white ♡

boots, uggs, doc martens, clunky shoes!

🎀💭❄️ simple formula to a cute winter fit:

skirt -> tights -> long sleeves -> coat -> shoes

(long sleeves can be anything from turtleneck to jumper, tights can be leggings / long socks or whatever you like, and the same goes for shoes! this is an easily versatile idea, not one size fits all 🫶🏻)

🧸𓂃 ࣪˖ winter movies ♡

muppet christmas carol!!!!!♡ my fav ever

the nightmare before christmas

beauty and the beast: the enchanted christmas

the miracle on 34th street

the grinch (live and animated)

jingle all the way

the polar express

home alone

mean girls (not a christmas film, but the jingle bell rock scene is iconic)

(🎀🗒 note: one thing i like to do is compile a list of all ur favourite shows and their christmas / winter episodes and just binge watch all of them!! 🩷🫶🏻🎄🧸)

🌨𓂃 ࣪˖ winter activities ♡

i love journalling and scrapbooking at any time of year, but i feel like it's always extra cosy in winter! playing some christmas music, cuddling up in pink pyjamas and journalling 🫶🏻🎀🩷

anything to do with baking and hot food is so cosy; gingerbread houses and hot chocolate, christmas cupcakes !! 🎄🫶🏻

i dont really know what category this falls into, but around christmas time i always love to make things about my family and friends; painting, decorating photos and hanging them up, journalling about them, and so on ! 💭💝❄️

make a list of all the people you're getting christmas presents for this year and compile a little bundle of things for them! 💗💭

learn about old winter tales and folklore, fron your culture or from others 🌨🎀

take up sewing, knitting, crocheting, etc. even if you've never done it before 🩷🧸

christmas market hopping!!!!!! one of my favourite things to do in winter is go out with my friends, go shopping and just browse the stalls bcuz theyre always so cute and cosy 🧁🐧💗

writing & making christmas cards ❄️🎀

unnecessary acts of kindness! this should go without saying for majority of the time, but i always love to go the extra mile during christmas to keep with the spirit and everything 🫶🏻🧸🎄

ice skating. obviously. i wanna go w my friends this year !!! 🎀⛸️🧁☃️

all my love, and happy december! 🎄🎀🫶🏻💗

[milliesfishes]

౨ৎ꣑ৎCandy Cane Mocktails౨ৎ꣑ৎ

౨ৎ꣑ৎ12 Days of Christmas Masterlist౨ৎ꣑ৎ [fem reader] contains: hurt/comfort pairing: fem reader x university coriolanus snow summary: the university's annual christmas gala with coriolanus author’s note: some good old forced proximity for you my darlings <3 Spotify Playlist

Sweethearts. That was the idea of it. You begrudgingly took Coriolanus' outstretched hand, walking with him through the open doors of the library. Being who you were attracted certain looks, and being on the arm of Coriolanus Snow attracted even more of them.

He led you down the front steps, chin held high, shoulders squared. Of course he looked handsome- nobody ever expected anything less. The way he carried himself exerted power, drew one's eye to him. You supposed you would be the same way if you were happy about being engaged.

It had come out of nowhere. Your father's announcement that your family and the Snows would be intertwined. He made it sound like such a gift, but all it did was dim your spirits. And now you were wondering what the point was of sending you to the university to begin with. Why educate you if you were destined for a life of social calls and public appearances on his arm? At least he was young, you supposed.

It wasn't that he ignored you. If there was ever a man more attentive to his fiancée, you knew him not. There was no shortage of affection, and not in public certainly. But it was all tainted by the circumstances of this engagement. He was only good to you for the inheritance with your name on it, for the sake of having an accessory.

It was for all these reasons that you were not looking forward to the upcoming gala hosted by the university.

Naturally you were expected to attend with your betrothed and do all the usual couple-in-public things.

Kiss his cheek. Hold his hand. Laugh at the appropriate times. Act like you were in love. It was sure to be exhausting. With Coriolanus' expectations, you would be on your toes, glancing over your shoulder at every turn. You were already dreading it all.

You nearly slipped on the icy steps in your heels, gripping Coriolanus' hand. He turned his head, wrapping an arm around your waist. "Careful, darling." Your next step was slow, supported by him, but you still managed to slide. He huffed through his nose, hoisting his bag over his shoulder and leaning down to hoist you into his arms.

When you gasped, he pressed a kiss to your forehead. "I'll contact someone about salting the steps." As if he hadn't just done what he'd done, he began to descend the stairs again, ignoring the watchful eyes of onlookers in the street.

Naturally there'd been a flutter in your heart at his show of strength, one that you quickly suppressed. Only for appearances, you reminded yourself. He just wants to seem like a gentleman.

You'd known little of Coriolanus Snow from your time at the Academy, only that he was a star pupil, the apple of nearly every teacher's eye. For the most part, you'd kept to yourself, keeping your grades up and your head down. If he'd recognized you from school when you'd become acquainted, he hadn't shown it.

The rock on your finger was a sign of intimacy that you hadn't earned. Given how shy you'd been at the Academy, before Coriolanus you'd never kissed anybody. He'd caught you by surprise when he did it for the first time on one of your study dates, late at night in the library. It was another thing you shelved away as mere curiosity, almost-marital duty.

The strangest thing about it was that you'd been alone. Not a single other soul in the library that night, and still he'd kissed you, lips surprisingly soft against yours. Sometimes in the moments between wakefulness and sleep, you replayed it, wondering things you didn't want the answers to.

You kept your eyes on the scenery once in the car, enchanted by the snow that began to drift from the sky, fat flakes melting on the window. Determinedly, you were not looking at him, although you could feel his sharp blue gaze on you.

Only once he said your name did you turn, blinking innocently. Coriolanus had set his bag to the side, and you let him bridge the space between your seats to grasp your hand. “I’ll be there to pick you up at seven tomorrow.”

“You don’t have to, we can just find each other once we’re there,” you said, looking down at your joined hands.

“It would be best if we arrived together,” he countered, and you nodded simply, looking out the window again. In truth, you’d known he would insist on going together- you’d only wanted to see how he’d refuse.

Every facet of Coriolanus Snow you uncovered was one you turned over until there was nothing left to study about it. He was so closed, you felt as though you were collecting fragments and piecing the puzzle together. Heaven knew if you’d ever finish it.

You never quite knew which part of him you would uncover next. Even now, as the car parked in front of your home and he looked at you expectantly, you were unsure what he was thinking. Leaning forward, you pressed a kiss to his cheek, and he looked pleased, reaching into his bag and rummaging for a moment. “I want you to wear this tomorrow. Hopefully it’ll go with your dress.”

His hand emerged from the bag holding a sleek box, which he promptly opened to reveal a creamy string of pearls. Perfect and pure and predictable. But they were beautiful, and you risked a look into his eyes, surprised by how much you liked the gift.

"It will," you confirmed, accepting the box from him once he'd closed it. "Thank you. They're lovely."

"You're welcome, darling." You gave him a little smile as you tucked your new necklace into your bag, reaching for the door handle. Coriolanus caught your elbow before you could step outside. "Seven o'clock. Remember."

"I will," you affirmed, blinking innocently at him until he let go, leaning back in his seat. The image wasn't at all bad on the eyes- Coriolanus Snow, knees lazily spread, eyes blue as a summer sky, expression slightly amused. He was a picture many a woman would like to have in their hands.

You shut the door before you could think anything else you didn't want to.

The party was dreadfully predictable, but at least your dress was pretty.

Low neckline, thin straps, silky material with a high slit in the leg. The color matched his tie- deep wine red. The pearls he'd given you fell perfectly on your collarbone, and you'd noted his look of approval when you'd gotten in the car. He preferred when you wore his family's color, and you supposed you'd done it tonight so things would go smoothly.

His hand was on your waist, big and warm as he spoke to a man whose name you did not know, making you feel more like a decoration than ever. You were looking around, trying to distract yourself, but your fiancé squeezed your side, making you turn your head back to him. His signal. You weren't being interesting enough.

"I agree," you said automatically, and he lifted his eyebrows, searching your face.

"Let's get you a drink," he said, reaching for a glass before you could protest and setting it in your grasp.

Coriolanus watched you expectantly, and you decided, screw it. Pulling a wide-eyed doll face look, you batted your lashes, pushing it back at him. "You said I can only have one tonight." It was true that you'd already had one, but it had been non-alcoholic, tasting vaguely of peppermint. You didn't feel like drinking tonight, knowing alcohol would only make you sluggish.

He melted a little- you could see it as he took the glass, pressing a kiss to your temple. "That's right, sweetheart." You watched as he took a sip, fingers rubbing up and down your side. Trying not to slump, you turned your head, weary of what was sure to be hours more of this. Of talking, of pretending to be interested, of clinging to your fiancé's arm and acting enamored with him.

Coriolanus' hand on your waist tightened, and you looked up at him, confused. There was a shift in the air- something was wrong. Your heart began to pound, and you blinked, shoulders tensing. A feeling of dread pierced you, and the instinct to run was strong. You had to get out of here.

Covering his arm on your waist, you began to speak, voice tiny and strained. "Coriolanus-"

The lights were cut. You heard the hiss of something being shattered and then you were on the floor, body tense with fear as Coriolanus pulled you into him. His arms were fully wrapped around you, covering your back and pressing your face into his chest. You didn't resist, feeling limp as the threads of anxiety pulled you tight.

It felt like an eternity that you were on the ground under your fiancé, the worried chatter in the air causing tears to spring to your eyes. You tried to hold it back, but a whimper escaped you, faint under the noise.

Embarrassingly, Coriolanus seemed to catch it, his arms under you tightening, his nose falling to your hair. You unwillingly took in a sharp breath, your tears building up to the point where you couldn’t freeze them anymore.

He didn’t say a word, just shifted so you were more comfortable, one hand starting to rub up and down your back faintly. You fell into a lapse, senses blurring, mind going numb. Rebels. It had to be rebels. And this was the perfect time to attack too, at one of the most important events of the year.

In your fog, you didn’t notice Coriolanus nudging your side, voice hushed but urgent. Snapping awake, you found his eyes in the dark. “Darling. We’re going to go to the safe room. Come on.”

Feeling weak, you tiredly reached for him. He exhaled, sliding his arms under you to hoist your body into his chest. As he stood, you hid your face in his shoulder, nearly trembling. Suddenly he was the safest person in the world- your only hope in this dark hour.

He was all you had.

You barely registered making it to the safe room, only that he was there and he was warm and he was safe. Someone else was speaking and you weren’t sure if it was to you. Fabric draped over your shoulders, and you shivered as he pulled the edges of his suit jacket over you.

It was nearly humiliating how shaken you were. In all the parties you’d attended, all the events you’d graced, the rebels that were whispered about so much hadn’t ever shown their faces. A part of you had shelved them away as an urban legend, something feared but never come to life.

But now as the crashes from upstairs grew louder, the evidence was overwhelming. Looking up, you found Coriolanus’ eyes, still sharp although the rest of him was the closest to a mess you’d ever seen on him. His hair was no longer neat, tie slightly askew. He was kneeling on the floor with you, hands on your knees. He was studying you like a map, trying to ask something you didn’t know the answer to.

Shivering, you tensed and he squeezed your knee lightly. Softly, Coriolanus said, "It's okay. We're going to be okay."

With no choice but to believe him, you nodded, eyes darting around the darkened room. For once, nobody was paying attention to the two of you, caught up in their own fear. In a different setting, that would mean you could drop your act, seek respite from your game of pretend. But you found yourself leaning into him, your forehead meeting his chest.

Shifting, Coriolanus parted his legs so you were closer to him, leaning sideways so you were right against his heart. Covering your ear with his other hand, he dropped his chin to your head. You closed your eyes.

He'd never done anything like this before, but you supposed you'd never let him.

It felt like hours before the lights came back on. Even then, you kept your face hidden, and his hand remained on your back. You took in a breath as he pressed his lips to the part in your hair. "We're going to go home now."

It seemed that all you could do was nod. Coriolanus helped you stand, and the rest was a blur.

Getting out of the building and into the car were blips in memory, mere seconds to you. All you knew was that he was there, grounding you to the earth and holding you close.

"I'll get you home as soon as I can," he murmured, and you shook your head, fingers closing around his shirt.

"Can we go to yours?" The words were tiny, punctuated immediately by his kiss to your temple. He nodded, immediately telling the driver where to go. You clung to him all the way there, steps shaky when you finally did get out of the car with him.

Reaching the floor to the penthouse, you forgot your fear for a moment as you looked around wide eyed. You'd never been here before, and your imagination hadn't done it justice. It was somehow sleeker than you'd thought it'd be, more polished. Coriolanus flipped on the lights, revealing a tree in the corner, scarlet ornaments gleaming along with the star on top. You stopped, staring at it with wonder in your gaze.

"Darling?" He paused too, hand on your elbow. "What's wrong?"

"I just..." you almost didn't say it, but something compelled you to. "I didn't expect you to have a Christmas tree."

There was a pause. Then he nodded, swallowing. "Of course I do."

You let him lead you to a bedroom that must have been his, if the desk in the corner strewn with papers was any indication. He left you standing close to the bed, disappearing behind a nearby door. While waiting, your eyes fell to your hand, at the ring sparkling on your wedding finger.

Here was the intimacy you'd lacked all this time. Hardly a bit of him had been known to you, and now you were swathed in it. His scent, how he lived. It was intoxicating.

"Here." You looked up at him, suddenly before you holding out a folded pair of silk pajamas. His.

Taking them hesitantly, you whispered, "What will you sleep in?"

Coriolanus shrugged, a boyish move you wouldn't have expected from him. Putting a hand on your shoulder, he brushed it off. "Let's get you to your bedroom."

You swallowed, looking to the door. It seemed terrifying to leave this room, to be alone with only the thoughts in your head. Inhaling sharply, you looked up at him, trying to hide the conflict within.

Hesitating, he studied you, looking into your eyes. "Do you want to stay here?"

Fidgeting, you bit your lip, wearing a hole in the ground with your eyes.

Sighing a bit, he nodded, turning you back around. "Okay. Alright." You let him guide you closer to the bed. "Change. I'll be back, alright?" Though a pit of dread opened in your stomach at the thought of him leaving you, even for a minute, you nodded.

Before you could ask, he reached around, unzipping part of your dress and leaving you afterwards, shutting the door with a click. You methodically undressed, stepping out of your heels and donning his pajamas, trying to ignore how cozy it felt to be surrounded by something that smelled like him.

Sitting on the bed, you took a moment to look around this space you'd built up to be so mysterious in your mind. It was easy to see how this space was his when you really looked at it. Wandering over to his desk, you scanned his possessions, smiling a bit when you saw his planner, tonight's event penciled in alongside your name in neat cursive.

When he returned, you were picking up your dress from where it had pooled on the floor, hooking your shoes on your fingers. Coriolanus set two mugs on the bedside, holding out his hands and nodding at the mugs. "I can take those. Drink that, it'll make you feel better."

You sat on the bed, reaching for your allotted one and taking a sip. Warm chocolate with a hint of peppermint. A little smile crept onto your face, and you drank some more as he set your dress neatly over a chair, your shoes with it.

Coriolanus began to unbutton his shirt, and you looked away, listening to his belt clink as he undid it, fabric rustling. The mattress sunk on your other side and you looked up when his arm reached across you to take his drink. A faint blush colored your cheeks when you saw that he was shirtless, and you averted your eyes even when he leaned against the headboard, holding out an arm for you.

"Here." He nodded when you looked over. "It's okay." When you still didn't venture over, he raised an eyebrow. "We're engaged."

That got you over, leaning into his body as he settled his hand to your side. Coriolanus' fingers stirred a soft rhythm on your hip, and you felt yourself relax. In the back of your mind, you wondered how something so terrifying had coaxed you into him so quickly.

Thinking back to all the times you'd smothered the twinges of what was caused by his touch, you wondered if it was sudden at all. Maybe it had been there all along, just waiting for you to accept it.

Swallowing, you softly said, "I've never seen your room before."

His response was quiet too. "You never asked to."

Silence. You looked up, meeting his eyes. Coriolanus' mouth was pulled straight, but you could see something else behind it. He was tired, and the usual mask he kept up wasn't as firm as it normally was.

Maybe he wanted what you pretended not to. Maybe he was just as lovely in this as you were.

You took in a breath, lowering your head to his shoulder and closing your eyes. He took your empty mug before it could tip, and you let your hand float down to his chest, finding a home there. His body seemed to loosen, and you relished the feeling.

"Tonight was scary," you found yourself whispering, and he stroked your side.

"It was." You nodded, letting him slide you down so you were laying with him, something soft covering your legs.

"I'm glad you were with me." It was so soft, you weren't sure if he would hear it.

You swore he pressed another kiss to your hair. "I'm always going to protect you."

It only made you feel safer as you slipped into sleep, swaddled in his pajamas and his arms.

[mollywog]

If the Fates Allow

“Katniss?”

She frowns into her wine glass. She’d snuck off to linger at the edge of the party for a breather and to pounce on the next tray of hors d'oeuvres to exit the kitchen. She sighs before pivoting towards the voice, but its owner is the last person she expects.

“Katniss Everdeen? I thought that was you!”

“Peeta?”

“Hey!” He looks relieved that she remembers him. “I can’t believe you’re here; what are the odds? How are you doing?”

She and Peeta Mellark had gone to school together, back in the day, but that was eight years and 200 miles ago. They’d never really spoken, but she’d always harbored a little crush on him and seeing him now, she remembers why. She’s in a bit of a daze as she dumbly answers and asks the usual questions.

“This is wild! I was actually just thinking about you.”

“No way,” she says automatically. Sure, Twelve was small, and yeah, they were in the same class, but he’d always been in the middle of it, surrounded by friends while she’d been on the fringe, just trying to make it through. She’s sort of surprised he even remembers her, let alone thought of her unprompted.

“Way. They were just playing ‘Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas’ and I was remembering that time you sang it in the sixth grade talent show.”

She laughs, “did I?” The memory of the terror and thrill of singing on the ‘big stage’ in the high school auditorium and the gingham dress and braids she'd worn in homage to Judy Garland come rushing back. “I guess you’re right.”

“I think about it every time I hear it.”

An exaggeration, she’s sure; You couldn’t get through the holidays without hearing the song at least three dozen times, “I barely remember that. You have an incredible memory.”

“Only for the important stuff,” he says, looking bashful. He shakes his head before continuing, “anyways; what brings you here tonight? Do you work for Capital Advertising too?”

“Oh, no, not me. My roommate, Johanna… From HR? I came as her plus one.”

Peeta frowns, shaking his head.

“She promised free food and booze.” Johanna was not one for leaving work at work and Katniss had assumed she’d met half her coworkers by now, but she’d underestimated the size of this holiday client party. It was much more formal and self important than she’d expected. She was pretty sure she’d heard someone say the Governor was here.

“But I think she really invited me to make her ex jealous.” Katniss adds, scanning the room for any sign of her roommate or the terrifying woman who’d occupied their apartment before her.

She should have suspected something when Johanna picked out this clingy scooped back dress for her and insisted on the nails and lashes.

“I wouldn’t want to be them tonight.”

She snorts, “yeah me either, I wouldn’t want to be in Johanna’s crosshairs.”

He gives her an amused smile and she realizes that might not have been what he meant. She takes a sip to hide her blush, “um, but what about you?”

“Nah, I just work in the art department, I’m not here to make anyone jealous; Though you’re looking pretty covetous of my plate right now.”

She winces; caught, “Johanna oversold the food.” She couldn’t get the waitstaff’s attention and by the time she did, their trays were empty. At least the alcohol was stationary; much easier to access. That’s why she was three glasses of wine in on an empty stomach. “I’m so hungry,” she says, stealing another longing glance at his plate.

He extends it towards her, “have at it.”

The alcohol has made her bold, and she takes a stalk of celery from his plate.

“Katniss, that’s not food, that’s a garnish.”

He hands her a goat cheese and apple tartlet. She pops the whole thing in her mouth, and her knees go weak. She suppresses a moan, closing her eyes and tipping her head back in approval.

“Better?”

She covers her mouth as she finishes chewing, “who do I have to kill to get more?”

“Easy there. I think we can manage this without bloodshed.” She watches him scan the room, making a quick assessment. “Here, start with this and go sit down. I’ll be right back.”

She doesn’t argue, taking the offering to a love seat on the corner. She really hopes Peeta’s successful if only for his own sake, since she’s neglected to save him even a scrap. He returns shortly after with a substantial bounty. She could weep, “how?”

He grins, “I told them you tripped in the hall and twisted your ankle. They’ll be bending over backwards to keep you from filing a suit now.”

“You didn’t!”

“Nah, I didn’t need to.” She raises a brow in question and Peeta gestures towards a waiter who looks like he still should have a curfew. “The man has eyes, Katniss.”

She looks away, biting back a smile, “well thank you. So where should we start?”

Peeta grins. “Do you like plums?”

~~~

“There she is!”

They’d moved on from the food and gravitated towards the wall of windows to look out over the town where they’d begun exchanging stories of their adventures in the city when her roommate’s voice startles them.

Johanna snakes an arm around her waist, resting her head on Katniss’s shoulder. “Mellark! Are you moving in on my date?” She tugs her in closer.

Katniss rolls her eyes, elbowing her friend in the side.

“Jo,” Peeta says in greeting. His eyebrows shoot up, “ohh, Jo, Johanna. I lied, I do know your roommate. She’s just Jo in the company directory and for some reason,” Peeta says with a sparkle in his eye, “I thought it was short for Josie.”

Johanna cackles, throwing her head back and grasping hold of his arm for support.

Katniss frowns. Obviously there’s some kind of joke here that she’s on the outside of. She stays quiet as Peeta and Johanna converse, brushing off Peeta’s attempts to draw her into their conversation with monosyllabic responses. She was having a nice time up until Johanna’s arrival.

“I still can’t believe we ran into you here,” he says to her after announcing his intentions to head out. She suddenly feels very silly for letting Johanna’s antics get to her. “Maybe I’ll see you around?…”

“If the fates allow,” she says; their own little joke that Johanna’s on the outside of.

She's not expecting the momentarily falter in Peeta’s smile, “Well, I should get going. Good to see you both.”

She deflates as he walks away, her eyes following him as he goes.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

She spins back towards her roommate, “What?”

“He’s into you. Or at least he was before…” she waved her hand, “whatever that was.”

Her heart does a little flip. Shit.

“Listen, you look hot tonight, but with your personality, I would not be playing hard-to-get,” Johanna continues, unaware of her friend's distress. “Let’s get out of here, I’m starving.”

[sweetdreamsjeff]

Thanks to Daniel James Huppert for sharing this with us!

November 17, 2016  · New York, NY  · 

Throwback Thursday... (12/18/94), the first time I met Jeff Buckley. This was at Maxwell's in Hoboken, a few days before the release of his album, Grace. Today is Jeff's birthday. He would have been 50. I’m to his left with the long hair.

From comments on FB:

Daniel James Huppert

Correction: Grace was release a few months before, in August. So long ago, I got it mixed up. It was a few days before Christmas of '94. That must be what confused me. I still remember the winter chill in the air, as I walked into Maxwell's, and seeing Jeff waltzing around mingling. He climbed up on the bar and started licking plates of leftover food, lol. Reminds me, now that I think about it, of his lyrics in "So Real", "We walked around til the moon got full, like a plate."

Daniel James Huppert

Haha, someone remembers!!! I used to get mistaken for the lead singer of Candlebox SO OFTEN, it's gotten me on the Jumbotron at a Van Halen concert, into a Page/Plant reunion show, and VIP'd at parties. We'd roll with it, cuz it was Hiiiiiii-larious!!!

From Comments on Redit:

RevDaniel

I used to work at a Tower records, and someone put on Live at Sin-e. Hearing the scat high notes in The Way Young Lovers Do blew my mind. We knew a Sony rep, and a few of us were invited to see him perform in Hoboken NJ a few days before Christmas of either 93 or 94 (for the life of me, I can't recall which). We all had a private hang out session in the basement (that club's backstage area), and Jeff and the band were super nice. I still have a signed promo poster that he wrote "Happy Jesus Birth - Jeff Buckley". I've been a lifelong fan ever since hearing his music.

Yeah, he was pretty cool, in a quirky way. He was stirring olive oil on a dinner plate and licking it dry, haha! We talked a bunch. It’s been ages, but I remember him telling me one of his vocal influences was Judy Garland. I got photos with him somewhere. Coolest part was he remembered me, and we ended up hanging again at a Julianna Hatfield show he was opening for at Roseland Ballroom in NYC. He was whimsical, for sure. Very genuine.

[franklycharmed]

TASK: TALENT SHOW

WEDNESDAY EVENING | SEPTEMBER 7, 2005 ♡ THE SPARE ROOM, WOODROW HOUSE

Before, when Frankie hadn't been standing in front of the most accomplished group of people she had ever known with two handles of liquor and sixteen glass teacups lined up as surrogate shot glasses, this really had seemed like a good idea.

But like the hosts of TRL said, probably, the show must go on.

Frankie clapped her hands. "Alrighty! Let's give a round of applause for fencing! You're going to have to show me how to do those moves, Mick." She dropped a wink in her direction. "I think I have a few exes where they could be put to good use."

With a press of the play button on a small CD player resting on a stool at her hip, the dreamy strings and first warbling notes of Judy Garland's Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas started up. Frankie turned back to the tea table before her and picked up a bottle of grenadine, pouring it into a metal shaker.

"So, you all know that Richard was–" her pour slipped, splashing a bit of sticky liquid onto her hand. "Sorry!" she said quickly, shooting an apologetic look at Mrs. Tristan. She took a steadying breath, "You all know Richard is, like, super old. Spiritually, I mean. Old books, old scotch, old movies. TCM's biggest fan."

There was a bucket of crushed ice next to the glasses, and she dumped a large scoop into the shaker with a light laugh. "I remember I tricked him into seeing Clueless with me because I told him we were going to see an Emma adaptation. He was so pissed after, but you know, in his Richard way. Instead of grounding me, he made me read the book."

She grabbed a can opener and affixed it to a can of pineapple juice, chattering all the while. "Anyway, the only old movie we both like is The Wizard of Oz. Which Judy Garland is in, but we don't have a CD for that; I could only find Meet Me in St. Louis so we're listening to that instead." She gestured vaguely as she poured the pineapple juice into shaker as well. "But I feel like it still works."

The vodka bottle was cold against her hand, which was helpful, because Frankie was feeling increasingly hot, particularly behind the eyes. She swallowed thickly as Judy sang about golden days of yore.

"We would watch The Wizard of Oz, and omg he loved to talk about what a technological feat it was, doing the movie in color." One splash of vodka. On second thought, two. "That's why he thinks I liked it so much as a kid."

Grabbing the blue curaçao, she smiled at the room, a fragile, close to shattering thing. "It was the color, but it wasn't because it was cool."

Someday soon, we all will be together–

"It 's because that's how it felt coming to Woodrow House."

–If the fates allow–

"Like everything was black-and-white wherever I was before, and suddenly my life was technicolor."

Blinking quickly, Frankie added the curaçao, topped the shaker with a strainer, and one by one, filled the clear teacups with color. Blue. Green. Yellow. Orange. Red.

Until then, we'll have to muddle through somehow.

For a moment, all Frankie could do was stare down at her work, lips pressed thin, eyes dangerously wet for someone wearing a thick application of mascara.

Then she inhaled sharply and lifted her head with a forced smile, spreading out her hands in a ta-da gesture. "'Somewhere Over the Rainbow Shots'. I thought everyone could use a pick-me-up to make things more fun. That's my talent."

[sianagrace]

Meet Me in St. Louis_Roundtable 3

Meet Me in St. Louis follows the Smith family living in St. Louis the year before the 1904 World’s Fair. Esther Smith, played by Judy Garland, is the middle “child” of five siblings but is notably the most outgoing, and thus the lead, of her entire family of eight. Garland sings most of the featured songs, including those original to this film:  "The Trolley Song", "The Boy Next Door", and "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas”. Most of the remaining songs we popular during the time of the World’s Fair.

Social Context for Musical Relevance

This film straddles two remarkably different eras of US history. The beginning of the 20th century (when the film is set) marked great changes in industrialization and first-wave feminism, while the 1940s (when the film was made) can be largely characterized by WWII and FDR’s final term. Two songs - “The Boy Next Door” and “Over the Bannister” balance these two times while mostly serving to satisfy the 1940s audience. “The Boy Next Door” follows a conversation between Esther and her older sister, Rose, who leaves her sister with the sentence “My dear when you get to be my age you’ll learn that there are more important things in life than boys”. The first few scenes of the film cover the fact that Rose, despite her “spinster” age, is not yet married. While this isn’t necessarily problematized it is heavily emphasized. Instead of following in her sister’s footsteps, Esther yearns for love and attention but seeks it out on her terms. Her relationship with the boy next door, John Truett, begins with these two songs. Last week we discussed Altman’s “inevitable couplings”: this pairing, despite falling into the heteronormative framework and finality of so many other musicals, does require effort and initiation from Esther’s character specifically. When John first kisses Esther, long after the performance of these songs, she hesitates. While this relationship is a goal for Esther, she prioritizes her family and personal needs. Rose and Esther’s overall characters and personalities are reminiscent of the feminist movement they harken from, but their ultimate decisions to settle down with comfortably wealthy men aim to please an audience engulfed in war, loss, and instability.

The Cultivation of Christmas Cheer and Nostalgia

Though half the songs are original to the score, the pieces that make this a jukebox musical serve mainly to cultivate nostalgia and joy. Again, the films release during WWII shaped the messaging required or desired by audiences. “Skip to Ma Lou” is sung to the tune of “Yankee Doodle” and other short ditties popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries but likely still familiar to adult audiences in 1944. This party scene as a whole evokes normalcy, making the plot and characters more desirable and relatable. Other songs included in the score are “auld lang syne” and “the first noel”, some of the oldest Christmas songs that maintain their relevance to this day. Meet Me in St. Louis is often categorized as a Christmas movie despite only the last 20 or so minutes being set during the holiday season. Including these familiar songs in the score sends clear messages about the persistence of peace and being in communion with one another. These songs don’t necessarily have specific or relevant histories but they do have age-old recognition.

Melodrama Meets Musical

Meet Me in St. Louis combines opera, show tunes, and classical music to create a sound that effortlessly blends into the diegesis of the film. Erin Blakemore notes how the film lacks large, spontaneous musical numbers despite all the crowd scenes and possibilities for such fanfare. Rather, the creators integrated music into the Smith family’s regular routines: their parties and goodbyes, moments of comfort and joy. The rest of the score is used more like it would be in a non-musical drama as a sort of choral, background send-off. This movie is undoubtedly still a musical, but it's more “natural”, and perhaps more aligned with the folk musical, than the others we’ve analyzed.

@theuncannyprofessoro

[zimshan]

Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas has always been my favorite secular Christmas song. One of the first CD mixes I ever made (as opposed to tape mixes recorded from the radio) was a mix centered on several different interpretations. Napster et al allowed me to search my favorite Christmas song and listen to several variations from several decades. I took a liking to older versions, preferring the classic 40s big band sound. But the original was and still is the star for me.

As a kid, I found it interesting the song was from a WW2 era film. But it took another decade before I saw the film and the context it was sung in. So the idea of acknowledging a gloomy Christmas with the hope of a better one next year? Well, I attributed to the time of its creation and release. Emblematic of Americans at home and abroad Christmas 1944, a full 4 years into the war.

It held a bold promise:

Next year all our troubles will be out of sight

That in fact ended up being true for many families the next year, as the war ended in 1945.

The focal point was the bridge:

Someday soon we all will be together if the fates allow until then we’ll have to muddle through somehow

It appealed to me so much more than the normal bright and cheery Christmas. It felt more real to me somehow. More grounded. It’s hope filled but the hope emanates from known struggle. I assumed that resonated with audiences at a time when families were continents apart fighting a world war.

In the 50s, Frank Sinatra thought this was too gloomy and had the second line changed to fit the 50s plastic cheer:

Hang a shining star among the highest bough

It’s a symbol of everything the 50s did to 40s music and film for me. Makes no sense? Who cares! Just smile, doll. Yuck.

When Ella Fitzgerald sang the song even into the 60s she sang it the original way. Of course she did.

When I finally saw the film Meet Me in St. Louis years later, I remember feeling rather disappointed. The context of the film did not fit the song for me really. A few rich girls crying about moving away from home because their father got a job in the city. Certainly not the WW2 levels of problems.

I’ve come around to the film after seeing it several times. It’s mostly a marker of escapism of turn of the century slice of life in technicolor during WW2. It almost feels outrageous for the time. And yet the Christmas sequence is one that brings the narrative back to earth, like the context of the time punching through and leaving its mark on the film. Margaret O’Brien’s tears as a symbol of grief and loss in childhood and carry the film as much as Judy Garland’s voice. Would I have tried rewatching it so much if not for the song? Probably not.

Tonight TCM aired an old Word of Mouth segment with one of the song’s composers, Hugh Martin. He tells the story of the song’s conception. I found a copy on youtube:

Long story short, turns out his original idea was even gloomier! It started as just a fragment and he credits several people along the way for why he returned to it. But Judy Garland plays a big role here. When he played it for her, she said she loved the melody but the lyrics were just too mean to sing to a younger sister (played by Margaret O’Brien), the context of the moment the song is sung in the film. He brushes it off with a “sorry Judy maybe next time” until a colleague corners him into taking her criticism seriously. (Yes, a man had to tell him to listen to a woman, even when that woman was Judy Garland.)

He adjusts the song and the resulting balance is not just the focal song of the film but one of the biggest Christmas songs of all time.

I love this story because it shows the affect of others around a songwriter that help shape the final song. We are so quick to attribute roles in film and music to the credits. This person was the songwriter, this person was the singer, this person did the score. Yet creative collaboration means they all have an effect on each other. No one is working in a vacuum.

In this case, the songwriter’s original idea probably would have gone nowhere. But by having several people around him that saw the value in part of it, he continued to work on it. Judy’s feedback alone was not enough. But with a colleague backing her up, he was able to adjust the gloom to a level that happened to be the right balance to meet the moment not just in the film but of the time audiences were listening to it. Today most people recognize the song on its own. Most don’t know the film it originated from. It took on a life of its own. But it’s the result of that creative collaboration the film provided.

[the-six-of-us-vs-the-world]

Happy Halloween, love, Sixth Dimension-!

(Alexandra, Leland, Harlee, Mateo, Ezra, Troy)

(Left to right: Leland, Mateo, Troy, Ezra, Harlee)

It was Management’s idea. They thought a seven night Halloween concert series would be a great opportunity for the band to expand their musical horizons. 19 years old Alexandra “Lexa” Jones thought it was a great idea. After exchanging a nonverbal conversation with her fellow bandmates, she said, “We’ll do it, but we want to pick the set list and our costumes.”

“Deal,” Patrick, their agent, agreed. “We do want you to wear something daisy themed during the shows, Alexandra. The fans really seem to connect to the memory.” She nods, already planning to buy new daisy flower crowns to wear. Ever since their first group performance, when she first ever wore that daisy print dress, she’d received countless daisy themed items- the actual daisy flower, shirts, water bottles with the flower on it, she even had a Daisy Duck plush waiting for her in her bunk on the bus. The fandom even dubbed themselves the 6Daisies because of the performance, and it stuck.

The group loved their 6Daisies so much, they truly wouldn’t be a band without them. “Could all the proceeds go to advocacy of the protection of black cats?” Harlee asked. “During Halloween black cats are the most at risk for being attacked or killed by people because of the superstition that they’re bad luck.”

“We can make that happen- a portion of the ticket sales will go to the ASPCA for the advocacy of black cat protection,” Jenna said, their PR representative.

“Meanwhile,” Leeroy, Leland’s cousin and their choreographer for the tour, caught their attention. “Let’s get to the stage and start rehearsal! I’ve got a new dance I want you to learn by Saturday.”

It was already Wednesday.

Leland grabbed Lexa’s hand, squeezing tightly as the six of them made their way to the rehearsal room. “Seven nights of Halloween fun,” he said.

“Maybe we can do something like this for Christmas!” Christmas was Lexa’s favorite holiday, Leland preferred Halloween. It was part of why they were best friends.

——————-

Night one, they all decided to start with a classic group costume- the Wizard of Oz. Alexa was their Dorothy, and the boys all squabbled over who would be which character, until Alexa finally made the decision for them:

Leland would be the Tinman. Ezra would be the Scarecrow. Mateo would be the Cowardly Lion. Harlee would be Toto. And Troy would be the Wizard.

The night of the show, Alexa was in charge of makeup for the boys, being the biggest Wizard of Oz fan of the six of them. She started with Ezra, because of how intricate the Scarecrow’s face makeup. “Have a seat Ez,” she instructed as she finished her own makeup, which was natural and youthful, because Dorothy was only supposed to be roughly 13 years old. The blonde does as told, and when Lexa turned around she squealed excitedly when she saw his costume. “You look so handsome!” She said. The soon-to-be-18 year old smiled shyly, ears turning pink as she got her supplies ready. “Okay, I need you to be super still for me, okay? I don’t wanna ruin the makeup or poke your eye out accidentally.” He nods. “Just listen to my music and relax, it’s okay.”

The soundtrack to, “The Wizard of Oz,” was playing quietly, but Ezra could hear it perfectly as he sat still for his makeup to be done. Lexa hummed along softly, her fingers brushing his cheek occasionally. It wasn’t a secret that Ezra had a crush on Lexa, but neither was going to act on it until Ezra turned 18 in March.

It didn’t stop Ezra from thinking that Lexa was the prettiest girl in the world. She was so happy; and so nice; and she was one of the best musicians he’d ever known. She was always looking out for the six of them, making sure they took care of themselves and Ezra did the same for her, and it worked out well.

She finished and patted his shoulder, “You look wonderful, my Scarecrow. Can you please tell Leland I’m ready for him?” He nods, still lost in his thoughts as he went and grabbed Leland.

“Your turn mate.” Leland nods and smiles before walking away to find Aricka, his tinfoil hat and fake axe in hand.

Ezra loved seeing the bond between Lexa and Leland, it made him glad they had each other as childhood friends. Also it made him wish he’d been there too. Leland and Lexa were two of the best people he’d ever met; he wasn’t sure what he’d do without them.

Mateo was being helped into his Lion costume, and Troy was buttoning his Wizard costume up. Harlee was already zipped into his Toto costume, waiting for Aricka to do his own makeup.

Leland came out, face and hands painted alive with brown “oil” drips all over, and told Harlee it was his turn. The 16 year old grinned and jumped to his feet before practically skipping over to Lexa. The kid was too cute for his own good.

The other five were severely overprotective of him, as he radiated a rare innocence nobody wanted destroyed prematurely. Deeply sensitive and very shy, he opened up to his new bandmates slowly, at first only sticking to Lele and Lexa, which was fair since they met him first.

Harlee bounded out moments later, his nose now a bright pink, fake whiskers and freckles dotting his nose and cheeks as he told Troy it was his turn for makeup.

Troy was the second oldest, at 18, he was the second most sensitive of the six. He was a quiet observer, until you got to know him and then he was a loud, rambunctious prankster who loved making people laugh. He was the oldest of seven, so he often had a way of protecting the four younger boys without even realizing he was doing it.

Finally. It was Mateo’s turn. Which meant that there were only 30 minutes left til showtime. Mateo was last on purpose, because of how hot the Lion costume was. The makeup and wardrobe department worked to install a fan inside the costume so he wouldn’t overheat under the lights onstage but they were still taking every precaution they could.

Mateo was the other quiet member of the band. The middle child of four, he was also the only brother in his family. Going from that to having four brothers and another sister was an adjustment but he was already a middle child, so it wasn’t that hard. Him and Lexa also had another special relationship because of how they met, during the dance portion of the Starlight Showdown.

Ezra and Troy had met in line for the Showdown. They’d struck up a conversation and exchanged numbers in case either of them didn’t make it through. They also were stood next to each other during the elimination that lead to the formation of The 6th Dimension.

After that, Ezra had ran into Lele and Lexa, after his audition, at a pizza place not far from the competition headquarters. He remembered every detail of that moment- Leland was wearing blue jeans, a Batman shirt, and a blue backwards baseball cap, while Lexa was wearing a soft blue sweater dress and knee high boots, and her hair was curly and down. She had invited him to sit with her and Leland and they’d also quickly became friends.

After that, Ezra brought Troy to meet Lele and Lexa, who brought Harlee and Mateo. They didn’t even know they would eventually become a band at that point, they just all connected and became friends beforehand.

“15 minutes to showtime!” The P.A. announced.

“Thank you 15!” They all acknowledged, and Lexa came out with Mateo, and the other boys soflty complimented her outfit, and thanked her again profusely for her makeup assistance. They all huddle up, Lexa squished between Ezra and Troy.

“15 minutes. We’re gonna go out and have a great show, and come back here for some super greasy pizza and soda,” Troy said, making everyone laugh, loosening the tension they all felt.

“Hands in,” Leland says, and they put their hands in the middle of the huddle. Lexa waited, then put her hand on top of Ezra’s once he put his hand in. The two look at each other, both smiling shyly before looking back at their friends. “What are we saying tonight Harls?”

The youngest member of the band pauses for a moment, “there’s no place like home!”

The statement made them all grin and nod in agreement. “On three,” Mateo said.

“One..” Lexa.

“Two…” Ezra.

“Three…” Leland.

“There’s no place like home!” They cheer.

—————-

Harlee walks over and grabs Lexa’s hand, who immediately puts all her focus on him. “Can we skip onstage tonight?” He asks. Lexa grins and nods,

“Absolutely we can! C’mon Toto, let’s go-!” The two link arms, and on cue they make their way onstage, skipping all the way to the front, and the response frol the crowd was instantaneous- the stadium filled with cheers, screaming and applause.

They went through their scripted opening of the concert, helping scarecrow Ezra stand, fixing Tinman Leland’s rusted joints, and even welcoming cowardly Lion Mateo to join their ranks. And lastly, Troy emerged, presenting Leland Troy and Ezra with their movie accurate gifts.

Lexa did a stunning cover of, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” leaving the entire crowd in tears as they listened to her sing, and as it was an acoustic version, Ezra sat on a stool next to her and played guitar as she sang.

Leland had the crowd in stitches as he sang, “If I only had a brain,” dancing and stumbling enough to make Ray Bolger proud.

Ezra pulled out all the emotions he had for, “If I only had a heart,” dancing with Lexa for a pleasant surprise for the audience.

Mateo had the entire audience wrapped around his finger when he sang, “If I only had the nerve,” wherein himself and Harlee had a little dance break together, the two of them lifting the mood after the previous emotional songs.

Finally, Troy joined the other five in a rendition of, “The Jitterbug,” which was a deleted song from the original 1939 movie. Lexa had claimed Troy for her dance partner for the song, claiming since the Wizard didn’t have his own song it was only right for him and Dorothy to dance together.

———————-

After their little wizard of Oz moment, they sang five or six of their own songs, all of them interacting with the fans, smiling, waving and blowing kisses as they performed, and nobody in the audience missed the fact that Ezra and Lexa kept exchanging glance at each other very often, and at the end of the show, when they did their bows, they stood next to each other, hands intertwined and smiling as they acknowledged each band member for an individual bow, only letting go to acknowledge each other.

The six walk offstage together, Leland throwing his arm around Lexa and her doing the same to him, the fans screaming at the sight because they loved that bond more than almost anything else. Harlee was on Lexa’s other side, their hands clasped together and swinging front and back as they headed off. Ezra turned and waved, and Mateo and Troy were playing fighting as they walked off together.

Alexa rushed to get undressed and back in her street clothes so she could help the others take their makeup off before they headed to the bus. The six of them worked together to get their makeup and costumes off and put away before slipping their hats and sunglasses on, Harlee squeezed between Leland and Alexa, before they made the run to the bus.

The fans were watching and waiting, so they took some time to sign autographs and take pictures with a few of them, but soon they were ushered onto the bus to head to the hotel for the night.

Leland and Lexa shared a room, Harlee and Ezra shared a room, and Mateo and Troy shared a room. It was less expensive and more practical than to buy six rooms, plus the arrangements worked out really well.

The six of them met in Leland and Lexa’s room, where they argued over what movie they should watch before heading to bed for the night. Harlee won the game of rock paper scissors, so he picked Titanic since it was on. The six of them curled up together on Leland’s bed, a tangle of arms and legs as they settled down to watch the movie.

Leland and Lexa were at the head of the bed, Lexa’s head on Leland’s stomach. One of Lexa’s arms was wrapped around Leland’s waist as Leland ran his fingers through her hair. Harlee was on Leland’s other side, also resting his head on Leland’s stomach, and Leland was running his free hand over Harlee’s curls. Ezra was on his stomach, using Leland’s legs as a pillow, legs curled up close to his chest, Mateo mirroring him on the other side of the bed. Troy was by Ezra, his head in Harlee’s lap, feet resting on Ezra’s back. Harlee was messing with Troy’s hair, and all six were sleepy and quiet as the movie played.

Lexa was the first to fall asleep, face pressed against Leland’s middle, his hand moving from her hair to rub her back. Harlee fell asleep next, his head having ended up resting on Leland’s shoulder. Mateo woke up enough to move to the spare bed in Leland’s room, Troy going with him, only after waking up Ezra so he wouldn’t fall off the bed during the night.

Troy would speak to the person in charge of buying their hotel rooms if they could just have one room with two beds from then on, seeing as this was the third time this exact situation happened. But in that moment, Mateo curled up on the left side of the bed, Ezra curled up against his side, all Troy wanted was to fall asleep, safe in the presence of his five best friends.

So he did.

——————————-

@yeehawselfshipping @marriah19 @sierraalfaro02

[muppethollz]

santa clause lore/headcanons

(bc disney is horrible at making up lore/continuing said lore in their other movies/shows.)

- elves are immortal (they stop aging once they reach a little over 1,050 years old.)

- the tallest an elf can get is 5’6” which is bernard’s height.

- there had been no other human santas before scott, but he can be given the option to live forever if he so desires to.

- when an elf is born they don’t age like regular humans do, for example 1,2,3 etc. after they’re 12 months old, they turn 100.

- elves can turn human if they so wish to, but not many do it because they don’t want to or they prefer being the way they are.

- the first santa was part elf.

- the elves came up with the names for the reindeer.

- each elf has a reindeer. for example, chet is curtis’ reindeer. even santa has his own reindeer, which is comet.

- bernard was given the honorary title of head elf by the previous santa before scott.

- all elves have soft spots for children. especially bernard.

- bernard sees curtis as a younger brother and can get very overprotective over him.

- bernard is very affectionate.

- curtis has a crush on judy garland but doesn’t know she’s dead. so uh don’t tell him or else bernard will get mad because you made curtis cry.

- carol and curtis binge watch judy garland and liza minnelli movies together on the weekends.

- bernard’s favorite christmas movie is national lampoon’s christmas vacation.

(i’m also doing this for my fanfic series i’m in the process of writing. it’s a bernard x oc kind of story, hehe.)

[ashleywool]

What do I have left to be delusional about?

Back in late June, shortly after the Spectrum Club 7 found out we were going to make our Broadway debuts but we weren't allowed to tell anyone yet, we were processing all our feelings about it in our group chat.

All of us have faced some struggles to fit in, struggles to find and use our authentic voices in a world that wasn't designed for us. We had a lot of conversations about "imposter syndrome" and how it manifests in very specific ways in neurodivergent people--particularly women/AFABs.

"If I'm going to be on Broadway," one of us said, "what do I have left to be delusional about?"

That's something that's stuck in my head for the last few months, as I've hit career milestones that I never would have believed were possible for me as an openly autistic person. I originated a principal role on Broadway. I did an Instagram takeover for Playbill the day our show was announced. I performed at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry know who I am. People are flying in from all over the country to hand-deliver fan art to me. All while we're still in PREVIEWS.

And sometimes I feel like an asshole for saying all of this, because it sounds like I'm making it up for clout, or like it's some kind of self-insert fanfic, but it's MY ACTUAL LIFE.

But other times, I can process this as reality. And those times, I allow myself the freedom to dream even bigger. If this happened, what else can happen? What other pie-in-the-sky dreams might I put out into the universe? What, indeed, do I have left to be delusional about?

Here are a few of the things I've come up with:

Host my own Christmas special, in the style of Bing Crosby and Judy Garland. I want to sing with a huge orchestra and choir and have a giant Christmas tree on stage with me. It will be called "Ashley Wool's Chosen Family Christmas" and it would feature all of my friends who wanted to participate.

Play Kira in a Broadway revival of Xanadu. I can't go more than a week without mentioning this somewhere. Kira is to me what Fanny Brice is to Lea Michele, and she made that happen, so why not me?

Also, play more Golden Age roles. I'm happy to screlt my face eight times a week, but the only place I get to use my soprano register is in church choir. I want a shot at Sarah Brown, Julie Jordan, Amalia Balash, any of 'em.

Collaborate with Missy Elliott on HTDIO remixes. Or...literally anything. (Maybe Ludacris can put in a good word for me?)

Release a full-length album of my original songs. This is probably the most technically realistic goal. For those who don't know, I already have three original singles out there. I think they're pretty good, even though they are suffering from a lack of Missy Elliott.

Buy a house. Just one. Nothing fancy. But an entire house. With a full kitchen and a dining room where I could host Thanksgiving sometimes and a yard big enough for a catio and a water feature. You know, like people used to be able to do with a high school diploma and a minimum-wage job. Well, maybe not with the water feature, but still. A house. A house would be nice.

Contribute in some major way to affordable (and ACCESSIBLE and environmentally SUSTAINABLE) housing in New York City. And other places. But especially New York. Because people are always like "iF yOu CaN't aFfOrD iT tHeN mOvE" and like...no. I love this city, millions of people love this city, and people should be able to live reasonably well in any city they want without being kajillionaires. People should be able to afford to live in the city where they work ANY JOB. I don't know why this is radical. It seems pretty basic to me. Bla bla bla bleeding heart leftist bla.

Anyway. That's my "self-insert fanfiction" list for the end of 2023.

Maybe next year it'll be even more ridiculous.

[mccraecook99]

MGM-100 Years of Entertainment Tribute

After WB and Disney had their centennials last year and Columbia Pictures had it’s centennial last January this year,another legacy Hollywood powerhouse studio has finally reached it’s centennial today.

On This Day,100 years ago,Louis B. Mayer merged his company,Louis B. Mayer Pictures with Metro Pictures Corporation and Goldwyn Pictures Corporation to form the Hollywood studio powerhouse,Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer(AKA MGM Studio),whose logo of a roaring lion opened almost every picture the studio has produced and released to this day.

It was the studio that defined ”More Stars Than They Are In The Heavens”,that gave us beloved iconic Hollywood classics like Gone With The Wind,The Wizard of Oz, The Philadelphia Story, National Velvet,On The Town,An American In Paris,Singin‘ in The Rain,Forbidden Planet,Ben Hur,Doctor Zhivago,The Dirty Dozen,2001:A Space Odyssey,Shaft,Network,Logan’s Run,Fame,Poltergeist,Diner,A Christmas Story,WarGames,Moonstruck,Spaceballs,Willow,A Fish Called Wanda,Rain Man,Child’s Play,Stargate,GoldenEye,Legally Blonde,Barbershop and others and modern hits like the Creed and Hobbit movie trilogies,Bill and Ted Face The Music,Dog,Cyrano,Licorice Pizza,Candyman(2021),The Hustle,Bottoms,and The Beekeeper, established some of the biggest stars in the world such as Gene Kelly,Judy Garland,Spencer Tracy,Katherine Hepburn,Lana Turner,Elizabeth Taylor,Lionel and John Barrymore,Lassie the Dog,Clark Gable,and many others, introduced to the world two of the most memorable seven-time Oscar winning cartoon characters created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera(Tom and Jerry)and produced a series of fast-paced,off-the-wall masterpiece cartoons by screwball director,Tex Avery in the 40’s and 50’s and also,released and produced several animated features such as How The Grinch Stole Christmas(1966),The Phantom Tollbooth(1970),The Secret of NIMH(1982),Rock and Rule(1983),and All Dogs Go To Heaven(1989),it also produced TV hits like The Man from U.N.C.L.E,Wednesday,The Handmaid’s Tale,Harlem Coben’s Shelter,CHiPs,MGM Parade,Flipper,FX’s Fargo,and various modern game and reality TV shows in the 2010’s and 2020’s,acquired the rights to United Artists in 1981 and other film companies such as Orion Pictures,Nelson Entertainment,and American International Pictures,now having them become part of the Lion’s den and the studio eventually got acquired by Amazon in 2021 for $8.5 billion.

Happy 100th Anniversary to the Lion of Hollywood and the studio that gave us the best lavish movie musicals and later, the James Bond series of films,Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer(AKA MGM Studios). Here is a special commemorative drawing I did for MGM’s centennial anniversary featuring Leo the Lion(the studio’s roaring lion mascot)in a tuxedo.

Thanks for 100 Years of Entertainment,MGM.

[sillyname30]

I rewatched Extraordinary Merry Christmas, the two deleted scenes and the bts videos in preparation for the next recap episode.

Rachel gives Finn a wish-list and is really pushing it.

Sue is volunteering at the Lima homeless shelter. She wants the glee club pitch in by giving the gift of song. (Blaine's first scene in Sue's office.)

The local station manager of Lima's PBS wants the Glee club to do a holiday special with Artie as director. Artie agrees and wants it to be inspired be The Star Wars Holiday Special and a hommage to the Judy Garland Christmas Show.

The taping of the show is at the same time as the Homeless shelter thing and only Sam and Quinn show up for that. The rest of the New Directions come later to the shelter, but only because their last number was cut.

Cringe moment: Sue: Wheels, Procelain, other gay.  Sue called Blaine later young Burt Reynolds which is more a compliment than an insult. In season six we learn Sue is a Klaine fan.

best song: It's an impossible choice. I can say that I'm happy Darren had 2 duets and  a part in My Favorite Things. And I want to mention that River is on his Christmas album.

best dance move: Christmas Wrapping

performance mvp: Chris, Darren, Lea and Amber in the Christmas Special. They all managed to talk and perform like this show was really from the 60's. (I'm pretty sure I heard Darren was watching Judy Garland Shows on YouTube as preparation.)

Deleted Santa Baby scene: Santana helps Finn pick out a present for Rachel and sings Santa Baby.

Deleted box scene: A cute little Klaine thing. Blaine gives Kurt a self-made promise ring.

Bts video: Chris said that he had problems with the riffs, runs and scats in Let It Snow.

[timidxtempted]

9. I kinda swore off Christmas a while back. But I can't give up the music. Which, whatever, I'm weird, no surprise there. Also i'ma cry now.

Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy, David Bowie and Bing Crosby

The Christmas Song, Nat King Cole

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Judy Garland

10. Easier, this.

Season of the Witch, The Blues Brothers and Dr. John

Time Warp, Rocky Horror Picture Show

Werewolves of London, Warren Zevon

11. Oh. I like this question.

I Never Loved a Man, The Commitments

Heal Me I'm Heartsick, No Vacancy, School of Rock

Main Title Theme (You Can't Take the Sky From Me) , Firefly

[imaginedmelody]

Look I’ve been tagged in a post and I’m actually doing it! For once!!

Thanks to my beloved @thewholedamnboulangerie for tagging me 💕

❥ name: Sarah

❥ sign: Taurus

❥ height: Um...5′3″ probably?? I used to be/thought I was 5′4″ but the last time I was measured at the doctor’s they said 5′2″. So maybe I’m shrinking. We’re gonna go with 5′3″ as a compromise.

❥ time: 8:39 a.m.

❥ birthday: May 15th

❥ fav band/artist: I love Nightwish, Vienna Teng, and Rufus Wainwright, although these days I don’t think I really have one concrete “favorite” band/artist.

❥ last movie: I watched our yearly viewing of “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” on the 25th but nothing since then, as far as I can remember. I’ve been meaning to watch “Knives Out” but haven’t yet

❥ last show: "Girl Meets World”!

❥ when I created this blog: Sometime in 2013, I think? God, that was a long time ago

❥ what I post: a pretty even mix of cozy aesthetic reblogs and absolutely unhinged fandom nonsense

❥ other blogs?: I used to have one in 2015 but I haven’t used it since then

❥ do I get asks?: Almost never. Usually when I do it’s because I said I wanted to get stuff in my ask box for a post and then I don’t end up answering the questions anyway, because I am not a reliable person

❥ followers: 314 but lately a lot of them have been bots, so it’s hard to say what the number of actual humans is

❥ average hours of sleep: 5-7 on work nights and 8-9 on weekends, although lately my body has been legitimately forcing me to get 7-8 hours a night by knocking me out like a narcoleptic if I stay awake past a certain time

❥ instruments:Piano and voice! I’d love to learn the pennywhistle too but I just have not gotten around to it

❥ what I'm wearing: a blue and white pajama set, sweatshirt that says “everyone is born right handed, only the gifted overcome it”, a pair of sleep socks where one is red and the other green, a green and white fluffy bathrobe, and slippers with a cat on them who looks like my former roommate’s cat

❥ dream trip: @roseroserosered and I often talk about doing an England-Italy trip to introduce each other to the places we studied abroad in college, and I yearn to do that

❥ fav songs right now:

I discovered “Nostos” by Orion’s Reign a few weeks ago and have listened to it almost every single day since then. Usually multiple times a day. It is hitting something exactly right in my brain

"Live and Die” by the Avett Brothers has been one of my favorite songs for months now

any version of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is a personal fave, but Rufus Wainwright’s version at his Judy Garland concert SLAPS

Tagging @roseroserosered, @slutabed, @1mechanicalalligator, and @lizardkingeliot!