#trinity theatre is so silly

[ginger-lime]

*smeck*

[kaleidoscopiccc]

What is your nickname?

bill gates. i hate it. i hate it so bad. never call me any nicknames ever.

When is your birthday?

nov 3! scorpio the secretive nature!

What was your longest relationship?

3 months......

What is your favorite book?

i wish i still read as much as i used to, last book i read was daisy jones and the six and that was pretty good

What is something you're insecure about?

my face shape, shoulders, side profile, etc etc etc

5 Male celebrity crushes

ew no im a lesbian. christian slater.

5 Female celebrity crushes

mia dawson, mia dawson, princess sasha victome, mia dawson, and sophia larosh

What is your dream job?

actor in all honesty, who doesnt wanna be on stage

What is a fact about you that nobody would believe?

What were your highs and lows for this last month?

high was arriving to turkey, low was having a mental breakdown on the plane back

Where is somewhere you'd like to visit?

nyc!

How do you de-stress?

pinterest + laufey or working on my dozens of cyclone projects i have going on at the same time

What are your favorite apps besides tumblr?

pinterest once again

Describe yourself in one sentence.

silly sort of weird nongirl gets oddly obsessed w mediocre pieces pf media

What do you think makes you attractive?

i would say im a solid 6.5, also i will infodump to you. basically im sort of pretty and have autism

What is something you're really good at?

memorization, no proper skill or hobby yet sadly, i do a bunch of things and im mediocre at all of them, the way god intended

What is something you're really bad at?

crochet, im trying my best though!

A time that you told a lie.

ive never told a lie ever

Who knows you the best?

me i would think, ive never known anyone as long as i have me, i spend a lot of time with me, me knows everything ive ever done, thought, or been through

What is your most prized possession?

yuma jane dolly and signed trinity playbill!

What is your longest friendship?

2ish years i think? i moved around a lot

When did you first feel like an adult?

the last time i felt like an adult was 9 years old

Do you/ Have you played any sports?

i did gymnastics for most of my childhood, then switched to karate (my greatest enemy in the whole world) in 5th gradeish

How are you feeling right now?

melancholic

Are you an early bird or a night owl?

night owl, please let me sleep in, i was busy looking at the moon and writing down everything i was possibly thinking last nightat 1, im tired

Do you believe in love at first sight?

im sure for some people it exists, it takes me personally a bit to fall for someone though

Favorite song lyrics right now?

wont make my mama proud, its gonna cause a scene, she sees her baby girl, i know shes gonna scream

What does self care look like for you?

sitting in bed w a candle lit enjoying my own company

Describe yourself with 3 singers.

laufey (sleepy) , chappell roan (camp), the crane wives (yearning)

What makes you nervous?

the future, everything about it

What’s a pet peeve you have?

loud people. shut up please. im overwhelmed.

What will always make you cry?

trinity theatre company its not a game/its just a ride

What kind of first impression do you think you make on people?

"that was odd"

Question Game

Are we tired of these yet?

What is your nickname?

When is your birthday?

What was your longest relationship?

What is your favorite book?

What is something you're insecure about?

5 Male celebrity crushes

5 Female celebrity crushes

What is your dream job?

What do you consider your biggest accomplishment?

What is a fact about you that nobody would believe?

What were your highs and lows for this last month?

Where is somewhere you'd like to visit?

How do you de-stress?

What are your favorite apps besides tumblr?

Describe yourself in one sentence.

What do you think makes you attractive?

What is something you're really good at?

What is something you're really bad at?

A time that you told a lie.

What's a totally random and useless fact that you know?

Who knows you the best?

What is your most prized possession?

What is your longest friendship?

When did you first feel like an adult?

Do you/ Have you played any sports?

How are you feeling right now?

Are you an early bird or a night owl?

Do you believe in love at first sight?

Favorite song lyrics right now?

What does self care look like for you?

Describe yourself with 3 singers.

What makes you nervous?

What’s a pet peeve you have?

What will always make you cry?

What kind of first impression do you think you make on people?

Free Pass! (Ask any question you want that's not on the list)

[southernartcritic-blog]

Ultimately, I still enjoyed “The Matrix Resurrections” in spite of a few hiccups.

Upon departing the surround sound movie theater where I viewed “The Matrix Resurrections” I will take a different stance than the other writer released on this publication. Sure, I agree with many of the previous author’s observations, the film was cheesy at times, slow at other times, and certainly was not without its hiccups.

However, there were some key successes and moments when scenes came together in the full form the avid Matrix enthusiast would expect to discover in the long awaited film.

As a super recognizer I found it gratifying to find Doogie Howser, M.D. (Neil Patrick Harris) resurrected in the fourth Matrix film as The Analyst. The people leaping from windows as weaponized extensions of the Matrix in an attempt to stop Neo and Trinity was another well executed scene that demonstrated interesting ideas of how the Matrix turns people’s avatar selves into its collective minion who serve only its end. In some ways this fourth installment in The Matrix Franchise is extremely true to real-life. Our world seems to more and more be divided into the people who are awake to various extents and the those who are asleep on different levels. I would venture to say that we all have our blind spots and inherent biases programed into our subconsciouses from years of indoctrination ranging from TV commercials to school to religious upbringings and so forth.

Any experience in life, if approached with the proper openness and empathetic attitude can become a learning experience to help a person grow. I found “The Matrix Resurrections” had a pleasant balance of humor, philosophy, and filmmaking prowess to constitute it a success more than a failure. One simply must dismiss pre-established expectations and accept the film for what it is, and I leave that interpretation open ended for each viewer to bring endless unique perspectives to the table.The introduction of new actors did not hurt the film for me, in fact I found it refreshing to introduce new blood into the saga. Christina Ricci is great and I would have liked to see her in a more dedicated role; she is far more of a lead than a bit player or supporting cast member, not to diminish the importance of supporting roles, but come on, use exceptional talent when you’ve got it on set. Yes, I am also disappointed that Laurence Fishburne and Hugo Weaving did not reprise their roles, the flash back footage was a glance over and not satisfactory. Huge chunks of the film felt brushed over without much attention to tying the series of events into a singular plot narrative.

The film was quite scatter-brained.Strangely, I agree with many of the criticisms pointed out in the previous article issued by this publisher, so I don’t feel a need to recapitulate those descriptions. I got a laugh when the friendly soaring bird-like Jar Jar Binks sort of robotic character, who was cute and sweet and silly as hell. The black cat named déjà vu was another nice addition to the surreal universe of the Matrix, which aesthetically feels how I would imagine Hans Ruedi Giger’s afterlife must appear.Lana Wachowski clearly worked her heart out, so cheers to a solid effort. The scene in the movie when it is said that they had to make a fourth film to satisfy the contract makes me wonder if that is accurate to what prompted this installment. That would explain why some of the film feels lacking in attention to detail in weaving together the narrative to solidify the final cut.

Enough, I don’t want to spoil too much so go and view the film if you haven’t already. I viewed it twice, once on HBO in my home theatre and once at a Malco theatre. To me experiencing films both ways is important because perspectives seem to change based on the amount of focus and concentration one gives to a film upon viewing. Ever since the release of “The Irishman” by Netflix, it seems that most major studios are doing dual at-home and theatre releases to capture the stay-at-home viewership as well as the old-school-live-or-die-gonna-see-it-on-the-big-screen crowd.–Daffney Stack McDuckles

Southern Art Critic We write about what strikes us.

[artificialqueens]

Tree House Kisses, Chapter 43 (Adorney) - Scorpio and Veronica

A/N: Click here for previous chapters here on AQ or here if you’d rather read on AO3. xoxo!

And thank you again to our wonderful betas: @saiphl, @sillylittlecandycane

Chapter Summary: It’s finally the night of senior prom!! It starts out great...but will it end in disaster? (Spoiler alert: yes)

Chapter 43: I Just Wanna Dance

There were a million things Courtney loved about being in the The Scarlet Pimpernel--finally getting a chance to play a lead role in a musical, the songs themselves, the beautiful costumes they’d borrowed from a nearby university’s theatre company, the warm encouragement from Mrs. Maguire, watching her friends and castmates shine, when her dad surprised her by showing up for one of the weekend shows with a bouquet of pink roses…

But her favorite thing of all was being onstage with Adore. It was the first time they’d had multiple scenes together since playing Annie and Miss Hannigan in 5th grade, and for Courtney, it made the experience a million times better.

Closing night was bittersweet. In some ways, Courtney wished that it would never end. But she was excited for prom and graduation, their Mexico road trip and their first apartment. So even though it was a little bit sad, she didn’t cling to it. Instead, she focused on the excitement she felt about everything to come, and really tried to live in the moment, committing every single second to memory.

In the garden scene with Adore, she noticed the little wisps of hair around her face that were lit up by the bright stage lights, the way her hazel eyes gleamed, and when she leaned toward her, it was the closest they’d ever come to actually kissing in this scene. All Courtney wanted was to surrender, to just close her eyes, let their lips touch, but she fought it, finally pushing Adore away like she was supposed to at the last possible second, heart pounding, feeling a bit light-headed while she watched her sing. Really listening to the lyrics for what felt like the first time.

“Marguerite, don't forget I know who you are. We were cut from the same surly star, like two jewels in the sky, sharing fire. Where's the girl, so alive and still aching for more? We had dreams that were worth dying for. We were caught in the eye of a storm! Come again!”

Adore grabbed her hands, spinning her in a circle, and a lump formed in Courtney’s throat.

“Let the girl in your heart tumble free. Bring your renegade heart home to me. In the dark of the morning, I'll warm you, I'll rouse you . . .”

As they slowly stopped turning in a circle, Courtney swallowed hard, the dizziness getting to her, stomach in knots, and it was if Adore could sense it. She pulled her in by the waist, singing the last verse softly, directly to her. And something happened for the first time that Courtney couldn’t explain--a single tear began to slip down her cheek.

“Where's the girl? Is she gazing at me with surprise? Do I still see that blaze in her eyes? Am I dreaming or is she beside me . . . now . . .?”

The music slowly faded out, and Courtney knew that Adore was waiting for her next line, her eyes soft and expectant. She knew that she had to get it out; this was the script, and she couldn’t change it no matter how much she wanted to. So she mustered up all of her strength, squaring her shoulders and speaking, firmly and hoarsely.

“No. Get out.”

Adore’s eyes went cold as she turned and left the stage, and for a second Courtney really did think that she was going to fall, to faint or throw up or something else entirely unexpected. She knew she only had about three seconds before Willam and Gia entered, so she quickly swiped the tear from her cheek and took a deep breath, pushing down the terrible feeling that something had broken inside of her, something she wouldn’t ever be able to fix.

-

“Hey…”

Courtney whirled around as Adore touched her shoulder, a startled look on her face that softened when she saw Adore.

“Oh, hi.”

“Are you alright?” Adore asked. She’d noticed the tears while they were onstage, and had a feeling that it was more than just acting.

“Yeah, sorry, it’s...I guess just that this is the last time we’re gonna be doing the show. Kinda silly.” She wiped her eyes, looking a bit embarrassed.

Adore smiled softly, pulling her in for a hug. “Nah, I know how you feel.”

Courtney squeezed her back tightly. “Thanks, Dory. I love you.”

“Me too, babe.”

-

“You girls are just so gorgeous and grown-up,” Bonnie said, sniffling a little as she snapped photo after photo.

It was finally the night of their senior prom, and as a treat, Bonnie and Karen had gotten together and treated the girls to a little spa day: mani pedis - the fancy kind with paraffin wax and massages and rhinestone embellishments, lunch at their favorite café, and professional hair styling. Courtney had gone for a glamorous updo studded with tiny red roses, Adore for a half-up style with criss-crossing fishtail braids, and Tati for smooth finger-waves that made her look like an old-time movie star. Afterwards, they’d all headed back to Adore’s house to do their makeup and get dressed.

To Adore’s relief, Courtney hadn’t brought up her weird objections to Tati being her date, and she was friendly as can be to Tati just like usual, gossiping about their classmates, giggling, having a grand old time.

Adore was very pleased with the outfit she’d ended up with: an amazing thrift store find, a short, square-necked black lace dress, very bruja, and she’d paired it with studded black boots, fishnets, and the leather choker that Courtney’d gotten her for her birthday last year. Tati looked amazing as always, her skin-tight hot pink minidress really pushing the dress code limits, but the color so fun that she’d probably be fine.

And then there was Courtney. Adore was surprised when she’d chosen it, the sleek white two-piece so unlike her: no sparkly embellishments or flouncy girliness--just a simple, spaghetti-strapped, open-backed top and long slitted skirt that made her early summer tan glow. When she first put it on, Adore had to look away for a moment, so as not to get choked up about how beautiful she was. Then of course, she completed the look with sparkly silver star accessories, red stones in her necklace matching the roses in her hair. Before they’d headed downstairs for photos, Adore gestured to her charm bracelet, the rose-gold obviously not fitting the color theme of her ensemble.

“That doesn’t really match,” she noted, and Courtney bit her lip, meeting Adore’s eyes with a look that made her insides twist.

“I don’t care.”

Now, in Courtney’s backyard, they posed for the dozens of pictures that Karen and Bonnie insisted on. First all the girls separately, then together, then Adore and Tati, who were still posing when Roy finally rounded the corner in his white tux. The second Adore caught sight of his red pocket square she burst out laughing, unable to help herself.

“Thanks, Delano, exactly the reaction I was hoping for,” he said.

“No, it’s cause your pocket square is...Courtney, I fucking knew that you’d do that shit again!” Adore laughed, and Courtney just shrugged, accepting first a kiss on the cheek and then the wrist corsage with the requested red roses.

“I never denied it!” Courtney said. She reached out and adjusted Roy’s lapels, grinning. “I think he looks perfect.”

“Thank you, babe, and you’re beautiful,” Roy said, before ruining the moment by turning and blowing a raspberry in Adore’s direction.

“That’s mature.”

“Adore, please pull it together for two more shots!” Bonnie interrupted, and Adore put her arm back around Tati’s waist.

Courtney and Roy were next, followed by group shots, and then Karen insisted on a couple with Courtney and Adore.

Adore swallowed, letting Courtney take her hand and lean a head on her shoulder, feeling slightly awkward.

“It’s kind of funny, don’t you think?” Courtney asked, between shots.

“What?”

Courtney gestured to their outfits. “Black and white.”

“Oh yeah. Very fitting, huh?” Adore said.

Courtney gazed up at her, a starry-eyed smile on her face, and Adore could feel herself melting right back to the place she’d insisted she’d never go again as the camera flashed.

“Mom! I wasn’t ready!”

“It was cute!” Karen defended herself.

“Do you think we should call Pearl and ask when-”

“Limo has arrived, bitcheeeeeees!” screeched a voice, and everyone turned to see Willam at the gate, along with Trinity, Pearl, Fame and Violet, who all came bounding in, dressed to the nines.

Courtney squealed happily, clapping her hands. After about ten or twenty more pictures of the whole group, Bonnie and Karen finally dismissed them, letting them pile into the limo, laughing and screaming happily, music blasting.

Adore was the last one to go, turning to give her mother one last little wave, pretending not to notice the tears shining in her eyes as she called, “Bye Ma! Don’t wait up!”

-

The hotel ballroom where their prom was held was the fanciest place Adore had ever been. After looking up at the huge crystal chandelier over the dance floor, Adore turned to Tati with a look of confusion and asked, “Oh my god...is our school bougie?”

Tati laughed, pulling her onto the dance floor with the rest of their group. The DJ was surprisingly good, and they twirled and laughed, dancing for hours before Tati finally admitted that her feet were killing her and she needed a break.

“Ugh, same,” said Pearl.

“This is why you wusses should have worn more comfortable shoes,” Adore proclaimed, modeling her combat boots as they trooped over to grab some punch and sit down.

“Not everyone can pull that off, dear,” Tati told her.

“Or you can just do what Trinity did,” Pearl said, gesturing to her prom date, platform sandals kicked off to the side of the dance floor, her bright yellow dress hiked up with her hands as she, Courtney and Willam shook it to Shakira’s ‘Hips Don’t Lie,’ Roy awkwardly joining in with decidedly less enthusiasm than the others.

“Still think my solution’s better,” said Adore, settling down at the table with a glass of sugary punch.

They relaxed for a few minutes, chatting and giggling, before they were joined by first Violet, then Fame, then Bob, who came bounding over with April to hype up the afterparty.

“You guys are going, right? It’s gonna be amazing!” he exclaimed, and Violet shook her head in disbelief.

“You really think a school-sanctioned afterparty will be that much fun?” she asked.

“I’m telling you! Everyone says it’s the best part of the night.”

“Really? I would think the best part of the night is how sexy your girlfriend looks,” said Pearl, sending a wink in April’s direction, making her giggle and preen.

“Okay, yes, she does, but also...after the afterparty, there’s a pancake breakfast. So, come on...”

“Robert! Hello young man! Lookin’ slick!” Roy called, walking over to give Bob a hug and slap on the back. He looked a bit sweaty and disheveled, and it made Adore chuckle.

“Courtney’s giving you a real workout, huh?” she teased.

“That girl wouldn’t leave a dance floor if you paid her,” Roy answered with a sigh, dragging a chair over from a nearby table to sit heavily. “Luckily, Willam and Trinity have much higher endurance than me, so-”

“Guess again!” Trinity exclaimed, as she flopped into Pearl’s lap. “I’m fucking exhausted.”

“Aww, you guys all abandoned the blue-eyed devils,” Bob said, gesturing to Courtney and Willam on the dance floor, making April crack up.

“They’re fine,” Roy said, leaning back in the chair, eyes closing.

Adore looked over at the dance floor, watching them while everyone chatted. When the song ended, to her surprise, Courtney made her way over to the group too.

“Whoa, maybe she’s actually tired! Did someone slip you some Benadryl, Court?”

Turned out, she was only there to ask Adore to come back onto the dance floor.

“Will you come dance with me?” she cajoled, reaching out her hand, a soft and hopeful look in her eyes.

“Uh…” Adore knew this was a bad idea. As much as she tried not to, told herself not to, she’d already spent too much of the evening with one eye on Courtney with Roy, fixated on the way they laughed and flirted and touched each other--it was like regressing two years, and she just wasn’t in the right headspace to confront her feelings.

“Please?” Courtney touched Adore’s lace-covered wrist, adding with a twinkle, “I’ll be your best friend...”

Adore had to chuckle at that, standing up with a resigned sigh. “Good one, bitch.”

Courtney beamed at her, leading her to the dance floor. Of course, it was some slow, schmaltzy pop ballad. And of course, Courtney’s arms immediately went around her neck, pulling her close. Head resting on her shoulder.

Adore didn’t know where to put her hands. Courtney’s skimpy top left so much of her back exposed, she could feel herself panicking before finally letting them settle on her hips. Even then, it was impossible to avoid her waist, her thumbs grazing the soft bare skin a few times before she tried tucking them into her palms.

“I love you, Dory,” Courtney murmured, and Adore gulped.

“Love you too.”

Adore tried to get her heart to settle, tried to stop the churning in her stomach, the song dragging on for what felt like an eternity while she sweated and held back her tears. When it finally ended, she broke away immediately, mumbling about how she needed a cigarette, and bolted from the dance floor.

-

Courtney watched Adore go, misty-eyed, wondering why she always ran away just when it felt like they were getting closer, and couldn’t help the dejected feeling inside, stomach twisting with regret.

“Punch?”

Courtney turned around to see Roy, holding out a cup of red punch for her. Of course he was. He was always there: dependent, steadfast, the one person in her life that she could always count on. The guilt Courtney felt would be crushing if she didn’t love him so much.

She slid her arms around his waist, pulling him close, asking, “How did I end up with the best boyfriend in the world?”

Roy sighed, setting the cup on a nearby table and wrapping her into a hug, resting his chin on top of her head.

“Just lucky, I guess.” After a few moments, he ventured softly, “Do you wanna dance some more?”

“Yes,” Courtney said, arms tightening around him even more. “Yes, I really fucking do.”

-

“There you are…” Tati said, when she finally found Adore in the hotel courtyard, sitting against a stucco wall, smoking a cigarette. “You alright?”

She settled in beside her, maneuvering the best she could so as not to let her dress ride up around her hips. This didn’t feel like a conversation where it would be productive to have her underwear showing.

“Just fucking peachy.” Adore took a long drag.

“Yeah. Listen, I-”

“I really don’t want any advice right now,” Adore said, and Tati immediately closed her mouth.

“Ooookay,” she breathed, realizing that now wasn’t the right time to say what she had to say.

“Sorry. It’s just, my head is all-”

“Nah, I get it.” Tati patted her fishnet-covered thigh.

“Thanks.”

They sat in silence for a few moments, Adore’s head leaning back on the wall, Tati watching the smoke curling up into the midnight sky.

“Can I ask you a question, though?”

“I guess.” Adore’s voice was tired and hoarse, so Tati tried to phrase it as gently and tactfully as possible.

“What’s the worst thing that could happen? If you, like, told her?”

Adore took a long drag of her cigarette, pondering the answer before saying, “I could die. I could literally die.”

“Alright.” Tati said, stretching her legs out in front of her. She wasn’t inclined to push it, adding a simple, “Just seems like something to think about.”

After a few more moments of tense silence, Adore sniffled, and Tati realized that she was crying.

“I should get out of here,” she said, stabbing the cigarette out on the pavement, using her lacy sleeve to wipe her eyes.

“Do you want me to go with you?”

“No. It’s prom. Stay and have fun,” Adore said, and Tati was overcome with sympathy, wished there was something she could do to make her feel better--or at least, enough better to have a carefree and fun night like they all deserved. It had started out so well, and Tati still wasn’t sure where it’d gone wrong.

“Adore, come on, you can-”

“I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Okay,” Tati said, staying on the ground while Adore got up, resigned to just let her have her feelings, realizing that there really was nothing she could do in that moment.

-

“Yeah, I know! There’s just something off about his face!” Violet laughed, following Trinity out of the bathroom, still talking about an idiot jock who’d tried to feel her up on the dance floor.

“I think it would be an okay face if he wasn't such a jerk,” Trinity said.

“Okay face is probably the best he can hope for,” Violet agreed. “But don’t you think he-”

Violet stopped short, abdomen twisting when she spotted Fame, in the same location they’d left her outside the restrooms, looking beautiful as ever in her full, floor-length gown covered in a large-scale blue flower print. Only she wasn’t alone. There was a blonde girl chatting with her...a blonde girl in a short, sparkly pink dress who was acting awfully familiar, a hand on Fame’s bare upper arm, flashing a bright white smile.

“Who the hell are you?” Violet asked, and the girl turned to her, blinking her brown eyes slowly.

“Excuse me?”

“I said-” Violet began, but Fame jumped in.

“You know what? We should talk later,” she told the girl, mouthing ‘sorry’ in an annoyingly obvious way, clearly not caring that Violet could see her. Or maybe doing it specifically for Violet’s benefit. Violet’s nails dug into her palms at the thought.

“Alright. Later then. Can’t wait to hang out again,” the girl said, leaning forward and pressing a kiss to Fame’s cheek before sauntering away with a victorious smirk.

“Who the fuck was that?” Violet asked, and Fame turned to her with crossed arms and a crosser expression.

“Hey, I think I hear...something...uh…” Trinity stammered out, backing away so as not to get caught up in the drama, calling out to an imaginary person, “What? Oh, you need-okay, coming!”

She turned and ran back towards the ballroom, leaving Fame and Violet alone.

“Well?” Violet asked, her tone still hostile, but how else was she supposed to be right now?

Fame let out a long sigh, asking, “Why are you so difficult?” She began to walk away, but Violet reached for her, fingers closing around her wrist and tugging her back.

“Fame. Who was that?”

“She’s just a girl I know from working at the bakery,” Fame said, eyes closing as if the conversation was too exhausting for words. “She graduated last year, but I guess she’s here with a friend, so-”

“No. I mean, why were you flirting with her? I thought tonight was about us.”

“Vi…” Fame finally looked into her eyes, blue eyes a bit sad, shaking her head. “Why do you always have to do this?”

“Do what?” Violet could feel herself growing more and more agitated, more and more uneasy, the ground shifting beneath her.

“Talk about us, like that. You’re my best friend. You know how much I love you. But not...not like that.”

Violet didn’t like where this conversation was going, not one bit. She bit back her anger, her impatience, her jealousy, and made her voice as soft and calm as possible.

“But you agreed to be my date. You came here with me-”

“As friends.”

“I don’t get it!” Violet exploded. “You finally broke up with Patrick, officially, and-”

“This is not about Patrick!” Fame exclaimed, exasperation all over her face. “It never was. I guess it was easy to use him as an excuse, but...I just don’t think of you that way.”

Bitterness swirled in Violet’s chest, and before she could stop herself, she spit out, “But you think of that random slut that way?” She gestured angrly in the direction of the blonde, the girl who it seemed had single-handedly managed to ruin her night. “And what did she mean by ‘again’?”

“I...we kind of...hooked up last year,” Fame admitted. “When Patrick and I were on a break, after-”

“You hooked up with a girl and you didn’t tell me? What the fuck?” Violet said, anger and confusion combining, the whole thing like hands wrapped around her throat, making her eyes water and her chest constrict.

“Well, I wasn’t sure how you’d react. I guess I was wrong, since you’re being so understanding.”

“Fuck you,” Violet spat out, turning and walking away.

“Violet, wait!”

Violet stopped walking, but she didn’t turn. She couldn’t bear to look at Fame’s face right now, not when tears were burning in her eyes, threatening to spill over any second.

“Look, I’m sorry! Okay? I guess I just...I didn’t want to say anything that would risk hurting you. Because I don’t want to lose you as a friend. I do love you-”

At that, Violet whirled back around, those angry tears streaking hotly down her cheeks.

“No you don’t,” she said. “You never have. God, I’m so stupid.”

“Vi-”

“Enjoy your prom,” she choked out, before breaking away and rushing towards the lobby. She had no idea where she was going, but she knew that she couldn’t go back into that ballroom, with those people. Not like this.

-

Adore trudged slowly through the parking lot, wondering where she should even go. This part of town was mostly new--lots of pointless high-end stores, yuppie restaurants, hipster bars.

“Hey! Where the fuck are you going?” demanded a voice, and Adore smiled to herself, turning around to find Violet, face streaked in tears, stomping from the hotel angrily.

Adore chuckled sadly. “You look like I feel.”

“Well you look like shit,” Violet countered.

“Okay, so I guess I look like I feel too.”

“God fucking damn it, why can’t we just have one night where we’re like, normal teenagers?” Violet exclaimed, face turned upwards, and Adore shook her head.

“I dunno.”

“Where were you going, anyway?”

“I honestly don’t know. Just...anywhere but here.”

“Same.” Violet took her hand. “I think there’s a diner a few blocks away that’ll be open. Come on.”

[ninallthatjazz]

Review - Tanz der Vampire Wien, 26.05.2018

And here we are again – I returned from my short weekend trip to Vienna, where I finally had the pleasure to see Tanz at the Ronacher.

Since it’s been only a few days since I saw the German production, I thought I’d write another little review, maybe talk about some differences I have noticed between the shows.

Overall impression and theatre:

First big difference is of course the size and type of building.

While the musical dome in Köln is a huge hall, the Ronacher is a cute little theatre with beautiful balconies. I’m not sure if that was the reason, but the next thing I noticed was that the sound was much better here than in Köln. It was not as loud and it was well balanced with the vocals, so you could hear every word they sang perfectly.

I also quite liked the fact that the theatre was decorated on the outside with huge banners and the almost famous huge fangs, as well as the tiny bats on the ceiling of the foyer.

What really impressed me from the get-go was, apart from the music, the stunning visuals during the Overture. The whole animated part of the show was much more detailed and instead of playing the same clip of the castle back and forth, there was a pretty landscape and a cool 3-dimensional effect.

The only thing I could criticise is the microphone malfunction of Drew’s mic during Tanzsaal – seems gluing a maxi pad under his wig is not enough to stop his sweat from defeating the technicians XD

But since that’s no one’s fault (except global warming), it’s not something I blame on the production team.

Another huge plus is the fact that they had English subtitles playing for non-german speaking audience members!

The ensemble was just as incredible as the one in Köln was, their performances were energetic and you could tell they were really happy acting, singing and dancing their way through Transylvania.

I paid a bit more attention to them than to the ensemble in Köln because I knew some of them from Instagram, and it was fun to recognize some familiar faces. Filippo Strocchi and Abla Alaoui really stood out for me, and the former singing the nightmare solo was really incredible!

I also quite enjoyed the slightly altered ending, the reappearance of the Graf and the modern city background tied up some lose ends and make the finale more powerful and polished.

The costumes:

As predicted in the last Tanz review, I definitely prefer the Vienna costumes to the German ones. The intricate details on them, the sparkly stones on the Krolock cape and Sarah’s dress, but most of all the authenticity. Especially with the Ewigkeit costumes, they looked like real, century old dresses that people ascending from their graves might wear. There is one outfit I prefer in the German production though, and that is Herbert’s bathroom outfit. I love the big shirt with the huge sleeves that are perfect for dramatic gestures!

The Vienna outfit is still gorgeous of course, but it looks more like a modern-day silk pyjama.

The main cast:

Drew Sarich – Graf von Krolock

Ever since I discovered Tanz back in January, I have seen gifs and videos of Drewlock all over tumblr, and he was one of the main reasons I wanted to see the Vienna production live.

And damn, I was not disappointed.

From the aforementioned videos I knew that Drew was very good at the grafly holy trinity: walking, hands and cape swishing. He is a master of all three disciplines and it was so much fun seeing him in his element. He has an enormous presence, stalking through the aisle with a stone cold facial expression. I was having a dopey grin on my face when he walked by and felt like a mouse entranced by a snake – he could’ve bitten me and I would’ve let him 😉

His voice is almost as captive, from the first lines of Gott Ist Tot I was his. He has a way of making each line sound natural and unrehearsed, you can tell he is really trying to tell a story with all the resources he’s got. For example I love how in the moment before Sarah ‘interrupts’ him with her line “ich hör’ eine Stimme, die mich ruft” he inhales and almost starts to speak, only to be ‘startled’ by her voice and turning his head, as you would when hearing an unexpected sound. It’s details like this that make him my absolute favourite Krolock.

He also has a great comedic talent, the few moments where he interacts with the Professor and is supposed to relieve some tension were hilarious and full of funny details that are too many to list them all (a few of them made it to the memorable moments section further down though! 😉).

And of course, one of the most important aspect of the role (at least for me), is his ability to seduce not only Sarah (and Alfred), but also the audience. The Graf has to pull you in and ignite your desire to follow him into the darkness after all. And that is Drews specialty. His tone of voice, his elegant movements and his soft gestures all seem to be designed for this purpose alone. Until he is alone at the graveyard of course, then the mask crumbles and reveals deep longing and despair. We get small moments of that in ToFi as well, and it is incredible how layered Drews performance is. Add to that his inner battle against his vampiric nature and urges (like him baring his fangs every now and then only to try and get back the control, or his fast and aggressive movements only to slow down as if trying to calm his inner beast) and you have the perfect Graf.

Charles Kreische – Herbert von Krolock

Charles is an incredible Herbert. Herbert is one of my favourite roles in this show, and he fits it perfectly. He is playful and flirty with Alfred from the second he sees him, sends him interested looks from the first moment and obviously enjoys the attention unwillingly given by Alfred and very willingly given by the audience. Charles has an amazing voice, and while I loved his softer singing during Wenn Liebe In Dir Ist, I was blown away by his powerful vocals during Carpe Noctem. And what I also quite liked was the fact that even in the nightmare scene he had a few sassy moves that I have never seen any other Herbert do, which was a nice touch. (don’t get me started on what that means since the scene plays in Alfreds head, or we’ll still be here tomorrow :P).

The only thing that was a little bit disappointing was the fact that, due to Charles’ and Raphael’s non-existent height-difference, the dancing didn’t look as smooth and effortless as it did with Christian and Tom in the German production and it seemed much more rehearsed because of that.

But that’s no one’s fault and not due to a lack of talent on their part.

Raphael Groß – Alfred

I am completely in love with Raphi’s portrayal of Alfred. He is such a sweet, loveable guy which makes him a perfect contrast to the dangerous vampire Graf.

He is also very good at putting a lot of details into his performance, for example: he was breathing heavily and chattering with his teeth during He Ho He.

He had great chemistry with Charles as well as Diana, and normally I am not a huge fan of Für Sarah, but he made me aww 😊.

Diana Schnierer – Sarah Chagal

This was another perfectly cast role – Diana is a sweet girl and a great actress. She was very good at playing the naïve girl at first, then being torn between choosing the Graf and doing ‘the right thing’, only to succumb to his charm at the end of ToFi. You could tell that the feelings she had for Alfred during Nie Gesehn’ were pretty much gone in the bathroom scene after Bücher.

I loved her voice, it was beautiful and clear, just a tad frail at times during the belting parts of Die Roten Stiefel. But I can imagine that’s due to her youth and that her voice will only get stronger. She also has a light accent, which is very cute.

Sebastian Brandmeir – Professor Abronsius

Sebastian is a great Professor, there is not much to say about his solid performance.

After playing this role in multiple productions, Sebastian is definitely a pro and matches Victor Petersens talent. The only difference I noticed was that Victor managed to sing the fast parts of Wahrheit and Bücher with even more ease than Sebastian. But Sebastian’s comedic talent is just as great as Victors.

Nicolas Tenerani – Yoine Chagal

What I loved about Nicolas as Chagal was his little gestures and quirks – he made me laugh out loud with silly faces and movements a few times. Also a very good singer!

Memorable moments:

Alfred going in for the kiss when him and Sarah are picking up the sponge

The Graf putting his leg next to Sarah’s shoulder and taking her by the hand, lifting her from the bathtub during Einladung

Drewlock being farsighted and holding the Professors business card at arms length to read it

Graf smelling the sponge during Vor Dem Schloss and later taking in Sarahs scent during ToFi

While entrancing Alfred, Krolock puts his finger underneath his chin to lift his head and look into his eyes *swoon*

Drewlock holding Sarahs head at the end of ToFi and laying it on his chest/under his chin at first, only to then press his cheek against hers (I died)

Nightmare!Graf biting Sarah hanging upside down from the bed

The Graf picking his teeth after biting Sarah, before confronting Alfred and the Professor

Him being ‘scared’ when Alfred attacks him with the candelabra

After this show I also managed to wait at the stage door for a bit – I met a few lovely people, including Drew Sarich, Charles Kreische and Abla Alaoui. They were all super nice and it was lovely to talk to them!

That’s all for now, if you guys want I can do another review for the next Vienna show, just let me know if you are interested! <3

[travelswithsnowbirds]

Christmas 2019

Merry Christmas 2019!  It’s been quite an adventurous year, one I don’t want to repeat.   Lots of fun things, lots of sad things, but in the end I lead a good life and am happy.  Part of the reason I live in southeast North Carolina is the gorgeous beach close by.  It truly is my happy place.  It’s where I go to talk to God and know he listens.  Read on for some highlights.

Starcastle’s Royal Icing, aka Winston, crossed over the rainbow bridge not to long ago. Old age, bad teeth, arthritis, and I think a few mini strokes, caught up with him.  He passed peacefully in my arms. He is missed.  My loyal companion, camping enthusiast, kid lover, high jumper, messy kisses, and all.  No plans for a new dog until spring 2020.

In March I went on a tour of Ireland,Dublin to Dublin,a big circle around the country.  Perhaps Ireland is my favorite place to visit; the people, the scenery, the history.  Cliffs of Moher selfie

Giants Causeway

Trinity College Library

The girls of Ireland; Marilyn Kat, Barb, Lynn.  It was often cold and damp, but oh the sights.  Ireland is just so lush and green and he people are so friendly.  My ancestry DNA says I am 67% Irish.  I knew it was high, just never expected that high.  

Blarney Castle.  Barb was the only one to climb

Drinking a pint at the brewery

Kristine and family came for a two week stay in this Wrightsville Beach duplex.  It is such a good time.  Grandson, #3 Ben, on the dock. 

#1 Lilly, Gretchen, #3 Ben

One of the benefits of a beach house on the intracoastal is lots of time to float in the warm, calm water

#3 Ben loves BBall and is on his school team.

Sassy #1 Lilly participates in school Field Hockey and Lacrosse

#1 Lilly turns 16 this year and takes her driving test 12/31

#3 Ben is always a big help to Nana; he cleans the gutters and trims bushes, and picks up pine cones!!  

Tim and Gretchen and #1 Lilly and #3 Ben continue to enjoy their lives in a beach town. Tim competed in an Ironman competition as well as other multiple event races and often did well for his age category.  

#4 Sutton loves his soccer

#4 Sutton and dad, Jeff, pursuing their hiking passion

#4 Sutton, Autumn, Jeff.

#6 Lucie and Kristine

NanaKat and #6 Lucie, filtered

#2 Maggie

#5 Hudson on the first day of kindergarten announcing his high school graduation date

Uncle John getting some quality time with #6 Lucie

Family summer vacation adventure to the nearby Escape Room.  I was absolutely no help, but the teens were amazing.  L-R bottom:  Lilly, Gretchen, Maggie, Samantha, Kristine, me, Ben.  L-R Top Richard, Lisa, Bobby John, Louis.

I love #5 Hudson’s slick hair

Leftovers for dinner. Clockwise from  #6 Lucie, #3 Ben John, Me, Tim, Gretchen, #2 Maggie, #1 Lilly, Richard, Lou

#2 Maggie still gets time to ride

Soon there will be 4 babies here!l Kristine and Lou will be adding to their family with the birth of their #4, my #7 in June.  I never thought I would live to see one grandchild and soon I will have 7.  

#5 Hudson loves his NC beach time

John and I still try to travel when we can.  He has a second home here in Wilmington and visits at all school breaks and over the summer. We all hope he retires, soon.  We spent a few days in New Bern NC.  Here we are doing what we do best.....

I volunteer at two theatres in town.  Here I am manning the Guest Relations desk at The Wilson Center

Had a great RVing trip to northern NC and found this little gem, The Big Foot museum.  Who knew??

A great memory.  Me, Martha and Jeannie got stuck in the elevator at Kristine and Lou’s beach house for an hour.  We were rescued by the fire department who had to haul us out as we were stuck between floors.  

2019 was my year for medical issues from hernia surgery, lung scare with resulting negative biopsy, bilateral cataract surgery, knee injections, basal cell skin cancers, multiple dental appointments and on and on and on.  I am anxious to get 2019 over and start a clean slate with 2020.  Getting old ain't for the weak, for sure.

Kat between oldest and youngest.  We missed middle Jeff and his family at our annual reunion.

I had a lot of down time in 2019, I set one of my bedrooms up as an office/craft room and I learned some new skills.  This was a first attempt to see if I liked quilting.  Small stuff is ok.  I don’t like big projects, I need to see quick results.

Many baby afghans were completed.  I now have one for each future great grandchild put safely away in a bin.  The parent of the first one born gets first pick, etc until each of my grandkids has one for their first child.

Wilmington had its fair share of hurricanes over the past 2 years. Tim is all set up and ready for anything as Dorian approaches

  This is flooding from Dorian in John’s neighborhood.

I love my garden!  I spend a lot of time in the spring and fall keeping it neat.  Summer is too hot to do any real work.  

The kids have so much fun with these silly pictures.  

The annual family reunion picture on Tim and Gretchen’s porch.  This years’ includes extended family.

L-R bottom to top

Row 1. Nathan Renye, #3 Ben, Gates Vaughan, Kristine, #6 Lucie, Louis

Row 2.Amanda Renye, #1 Lilly, #2 Maggie, Samantha Scoutelas Talbot

Row 3. Heather Renye, Tim, Gretchen, Bobby Talbot

Row 4. John Coughlin, NanaKat, #5 Hudson

Row 5. Lisa, Richard, Heath Vaughan, Deb Scheibel, Mason Vaughan, Adrienne Vaughan, Denise Zastaury, Bruce Zastaury

 Renye: Gretchen’s sister and her family

Talbot:  Richard’s daughter and her husband

Zastaury:  Gretchen’s dad and stepmom

Coughlin and Vaughan/Scheibel:  Those family friends that should be relatives

[ishahzaib22]

TikTok's soft girls: could a hyper-cute aesthetic be a symbol of empowerment?

TikTok's soft girls: could a hyper-cute aesthetic be a symbol of empowerment? Everyone knows the familiar high-school subcultures – the populars, rebels and artsy weirdos who comprise the basic foundation of teen archetypes. Now new subcultural types distinctive enough to be intelligible to adults have emerged naughteegirl , in large part via trend superconductor TikTok. You can read about VSCO girls (beachy and eco-conscious and inconspicuously rich) and e-girls (emo types who are very online) in publications such as the New York Times and the Columbia Journalism Review. Yet the holy trinity of Gen Z teen girl taxonomy would not be complete without the soft girl, the internet’s new favorite girl-next-door. Though she may be lesser-known than the VSCO or e-girl, the soft girl is nonetheless a codified persona mainstream enough to have her own BuzzFeed quizzes, viral hashtag challenges, and six separate Urban Dictionary definitions in 2019. (The “softboi” also exists – he’s an emotionally exploitative lothario described here). “I feel like the soft-girl aesthetic is really popping off if you look in the right places,” says Jamie, a 14-year-old West Virginian and creator of Reddit’s r/softgirl, over Messenger. “On TikTok, I see a lot of videos radiating soft-girl energy.” That means, she says, “hair clips, soft colors, mom jeans, glossy lips and overall just a dreamy vibe” naughteegirl. You will find the soft girl online, pigtailed, clad in pastels, perhaps with a spray of faux freckles – or little clouds, or hearts – painted across her blush-pinkened cheeks and highlighted nose. She may wear toned-down versions of this look to school and in daily life, but its fully realized, campy extreme can only be found when she broadcasts on social media, usually from her bedroom. The soft look isn’t new – teens have pursued cuteness forever, and the underpinnings of soft-girl style have long incubated on Instagram, and on Tumblr, where glittery girlishness has been associated with a controversial fourth-wave “Tumblr feminist” effort to satirize gender expectations by amplifying feminine stereotypes. Several of the genre’s components also have roots in anime fan culture; for instance, peppering one’s textual speech with the manga-derived emoticon “uwu”, (pronounced “ou-wu,” like babytalk) meant to resemble a smiling face with closed eyes, and used to indicate the speaker either is being cute themselves or is responding to something cute (similar to “aww”). Although glitter, pastel hair and “uwu” have been around for a while, it’s only in the last year these components have truly coalesced into the latter-day manic pixie dream girl, catching sufficient fire to garner an official “soft szn” (spring), “get-the-look” shopping guides, and rap shout-outs. For the latter, listen to SoundCloud rapper Haroinfather’s TikTok-famous track Tunnel of Love, an ode to soft girls featuring the verse “You so f*cking cute / When I see you I uwu” (in case you were wondering, yes, his use of “uwu” as a verb is novel). All together, the vision of femininity soft girls evoke can be seen as dispiritingly retrograde – a kittenish broadcast of reductive tropes from a generation older feminists probably hoped would grow up more enlightened. Don’t these girls have anything better to do than spend their time and money trying to look harmless on the internet? The impulse to dismiss the soft girl as silly may overlook the deeply felt vulnerability of girlhood, and the desire to reckon with it on one’s own terms. In 2015, the author Lucy Ellman described teenage girls as living “in terror of the society in which they find themselves … their main aim is to reach adulthood without being raped, shot, manhandled, or murdered.” It’s a dark statement, but not an inaccurate one. Teen girls are often discredited and exploited for being pretty and eager to please others, characteristics dominant culture pressures them to have. Girls are disproportionately penalized by school attire policies, body-shamed, and blamed for “inviting” sexual harassment, which most begin experiencing at about 14. According to Simon May, professor of philosophy at King’s College London and author of 2019’s The Power of Cute, there is more going on with soft girls than just blush and Bambi eyes. Cuteness, he says, especially when it’s over the top, “steps outside the power paradigm”. “To me, these girls are ironizing the whole question of power. Do they have it, don’t they have it, what is it to have it, and does it matter?” he says. “When I look at [soft girls] I have no idea how much power they have or want, whether they are playing or protesting, or playing at protesting. Something about their playfulness seems to question why we see human life so exclusively, almost one-dimensionally, through a lens of power.” So, is the soft girl aesthetic a sarcastic send-up of power dynamics? Is it a kind of sublimation of teen girl frustration at society’s hypocrisy towards them? Could it be a self-soothing attempt to cultivate tenderness in a frightening world? It may be a all these things and more. Irony, as May points out, is clearly a factor of the soft-girl look. The popular 2019 #softgirlchallenge, in which teens edited their videos so they appeared to spontaneously transform from grungy e-girl to glimmering soft girl particularly conveys how lightly Gen Z wears its group affiliations. These subcultures exist simultaneously as personas, styles, statements and jokes. Once, high-schoolers may have rigidly aligned with their in-groups, committing to being a punk or a hippie, a theatre kid or a cheerleader; today, the performative medium of TikTok encourages mutability – you can play with being an e-girl or a soft girl or any other archetype you please. As for Jamie, she says she likes the soft-girl look because it’s fun to express herself through softness. “Embracing cuteness, getting into cute things, it really boosted my happiness and made me more comfortable with my life,” she says. She thinks she’ll stick with the soft-girl aesthetic for a while due to its “positive energy”, but she may change it up one day. Why? Because, she says, “that’s what you do when you’re finding yourself.”

[garynsmith]

Talk turkey to me: Real estate agents share their favorite Thanksgiving traditions

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Happy Thanksgiving!

We decided to tap into our sphere and see how top agents across the country celebrate Turkey Day. Their answers may surprise you and inspire a new tradition of your own.

Ryan Serhant, Nest Seekers International, The Serhant Team, New York: “Each year on Thanksgiving, I go to my parents’ home on Dublin Lake in New Hampshire. We celebrate with food and football and my annual video game day!”

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Meagan Griesel, Windermere Real Estate, Fort Collins, Colorado: “We always put a tin foil bathing suit on the turkey so that it has tan lines.”

9 tips to dominate video marketing

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Seth O’Byrne, O’Byrne Team Real Estate, San Diego, California: “Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, the ocean was cold and unforgiving, especially around the holidays. So, when I moved to San Diego in 1999 and took up surfing, I created my own Thanksgiving tradition.

“Partially to thumb my nose at my brothers in Washington state and partially because it was just pure fun; I decided to surf at sunrise every Thanksgiving morning. The water was cold, but I always insisted on paddling out without a wetsuit.

“Whether the waves were perfect and big or wind-swept and gloomy, I would spend my mornings catching waves and talking to other local surfers. It was my way of spending time with my new family, which had quickly become made up of other surfers.

“No turkey, no gravy and no wetsuits; but just as much hooting and hollering as you’d find at any Thanksgiving dinner table. Nineteen years later, I’m still surfing at sunrise on Thanksgiving, but now I’m doing it with a family of my own. Because now California is home and my roots are here, in the ocean.”

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Tammie Bennett, Kuper Sotheby’s International Realty, San Antonio, Texas: “My biggest Thanksgiving tradition is to take the day off and not answer my phone. I am surprised each year someone actually calls to see a property on Thanksgiving Day. I guess that is a great way for visiting buyers to get out of the house when family gets to be too much, but I like my family and eating, so that is one day I just have to let the phone ring!”

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Maria Vitale, LIV Sotheby’s International Realty, Denver, Colorado: “My family and I have a gratitude power hour, where right before we eat our turkey, we go around the room and everyone states three things we are grateful for, even the children participate.

“We then have a special ravioli, as we are Italian and want to incorporate pasta. We play games, usually charades.

“I always gather my clients a few weeks before Thanksgiving. Yesterday, we all got together and watched the movie Bad Moms Christmas. I reserved a private theatre and included 200 women.

“I also always try to give back to the community. We are gathering dinners for homeless families at a local high school. This year, I brought 20 of my favorite clients a jar with blank note cards and asked them to write something they are grateful for every day until New Years.”

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Dominic Labriola, Mercer Vine, Los Angeles, California: “One of my favorite newer traditions began last year, and we’re continuing it this year.

“Mercer Vine is a newer firm — Adam Rosenfeld, Kyle Giese and I founded the brokerage in 2015, but we didn’t move into our office until construction completed in 2016.

“Last year, we held our first annual ‘Friendsgiving’ celebration at our beautiful new office. We did it potluck-style providing the turkey and main courses while agents and staff were invited to bring their favorite side dish or dessert. Everyone was also invited to bring their significant others, family and friends.

“We designed our office to be a home away from home — especially since we spend so much time there; we wanted it to be really comfortable so that people would feel like they’re at home when they’re at MV.

“Last year, the mannequin challenge was in full force so we had a little fun and created our own. We’re really excited to continue our Friendsgiving celebration this year, and it’s going to be a beautiful event; not only have we grown in size as a company, but there are quite a few new ‘Kids of Mercer Vine’ who will add to the joy and the celebration.”

Katie Enterline, Broker Associate at Hōm Co in Denver, Colorado, and DeBianchi Real Estate, Miami, Florida: “Staying in our pajamas all day sipping coffee and smelling the turkey in the oven, while watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and my favorite — the Westminster Dog Show! Being able to relax with family all day and getting in the holiday spirit is the best.”

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Kim Bedwell, Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty, Dallas, Texas: “One of our family’s favorite Thanksgiving traditions is the annual football game. We come dressed to impress! Jerseys, eye black, crazy socks and bright colors. Winner takes the ‘cup’ for the year. This annual event takes place before our Thanksgiving meal. Our afternoons are reserved for the Cowboys game at 3 p.m.”

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Wanda Ford, LIV Sotheby’s International Realty, Castle Rock, Colorado: “Before we eat, we go around the table, and everyone tells their best ‘thankful’ story from the past year. The best is when the grandchildren get to share, and sometimes they are very detailed and very long. Now we have learned to tell our stories prior to the food coming to the table and right before grace, that way the food is still hot.”

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Jennifer Stolarski, Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty, Dallas, Texas: “Thanksgiving is the intersection of three of my favorite things: family, friends and food. Last year, we hosted Thanksgiving at our new home near downtown Dallas and the Trinity Trail Parks. As you can imagine, one of the key selling points was the view. Because it was unusually clear and mild that day, we hauled all the tables and food outside and enjoyed our special guest: The city of Dallas.”

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Patti Maurer Williams, LIV Sotheby’s International Realty, Denver, Colorado: “Thanksgiving is about being with people you love, good food and thankfulness! We started the tradition with my late husband and two children when we went to Hawaii every year for Thanksgiving. We always had Thanksgiving dinner at Sarento’s on the Beach, and each of us, prior to dinner, had to go around the table and say what we were thankful for.”

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Becky Frey, Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty, Dallas, Texas: “Thanksgiving is a special holiday for giving thanks for all our blessings! Homes filled with family, friends and yummy smells that often trigger good memories. Baking pies has always been fun for me, and this year we are dropping pies to our new homeowners wishing them a ‘Happy Thanksgiving!’”

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Irene Mochulsky, Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty, Southlake, Texas: “We are originally from Canada, and since U.S. Thanksgiving is on a different day, we really started out in the U.S. with no set Thanksgiving traditions.

“In the early years, the majority of our holiday time involved traveling to our sons’ hockey tournaments. Our good hockey friends became our extended family, and our traditions evolved from there.

“It has been over 15 years, and we still get together at someone’s home to enjoy a turkey feast. We all share in preparing a dish. My family favorite, which was passed down from my mother’s recipe, is red cabbage with green apples. My girlfriend’s mom bakes all the pies from scratch. We start off with the Turkey Trot in the morning, eat early afternoon, and then graze the rest of the day watching sports or reminiscing about all the good hockey times.”

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Shelle Carrig, Briggs Freeman Sotheby’s International Realty, Dallas, Texas: “My family Thanksgiving traditions include dressing up like pilgrims! It started as something that was fun for the younger kids to make hats out of construction paper, and now all of the adults do it too. We are sure to take a family photo in our costumes, and we usually have a few Indian headdresses too. It’s fun and silly.”

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What are your Thanksgiving traditions? Please share in the comments section below.

Amy Puchaty is the owner and principal writer at Amy Puchaty Communications in Boulder, Colorado. Follow her on Facebook or Twitter. 

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