#with the added bonus of an adorable cast photo

[autumnsup]

Riding on the heels of my Mandy Slade appreciation post from yesterday, I had to drop in a few quotes from another blog I discovered recently that goes into depth about Toni Collette's performance. I don't know if I agree with every point the blogger made, but they certainly provided some interesting parallels and contrasts with previous analysis on the characters of Velvet Goldmine.

"[A]ll the praise in the world for Collette’s performance shouldn’t overlook how rare so many of the integral features to Mandy Slade are within her filmography. How many characters can you think of where her beauty and sexuality were this central? How often has she traipsed around bathed in so many riches and ornaments? When has she highlighted so many angles and colors to a person without quite revealing their core, the same way one might try to look through a jewel that’s too bright and multifaceted for anyone to comfortably say they’ve seen the center of it? I think my favorite sequence of hers, purely for how Haynes films her, is Jack Fairy’s 1969 New Year’s Party, where she talks about meeting Brian for the first time. She looks fantastic, yet she's so absorbed into Brian when she sees him that it becomes almost impossible to tell them apart for the rest of the party. Even for most of their sex scene, their bodies combine in a transfixing whorl of light and flesh that only occasionally clarifies whose body is whose. Toni Collette is fucking hot, and to see her beauty be so central to her character and so magnificently showcased should be more common than it is."

"Mandy goes through some of the most overt shifts in her appearance of anyone in Brian’s entourage, yet we never really get the sort of dominating style or private interiority that would suggest some core version of herself. Compared to Curt Wild’s feral, wounded, livewire attitudes or Brian Slade’s alien glam and aching wants, it’s not clear what Mandy really desires. She seems perfectly content with being a prized bauble in her husband’s collection of personalities, as she slips oh so comfortably in and out of her poses and costumes. Even in her unvarnished present, as Mandy candidly sifts through her memories, it’d be doing a disservice to Velvet Goldmine’s theories on presentation and self to ascribe this version of her as an ultimately truer, deeper woman. Rather than over-elucidating a hidden depth or thru-line of personality, Collette digs into each scene while working with the heightened cinematic grammars Haynes is using to meet her halfway. Sometimes Collette evokes a fiercely specific sense of who Mandy is, while in other moments she simply drains her face and lets the image of Mandy standing in a black void speak for itself."

"Toni Collette is the kind of actress with a dozen performances anyone could confidently pick as the very best in her career and feel absolutley justified in their choice. I still imagine her harrowing, wretched Annie in Hereditary will be my go-to for a while. But the absolute rarity of the sort of character work she does in Velvet Goldmine - blessedly freed from doing rescue work or needing to fully flesh out a character, and instead asked to preserve mystery, beauty, and wit across multiple timelines - makes it stand out in the best of ways. For my money, this is still the best film she's ever been in, and ranks among the most creative uses of her talents. Mandy Slade is an absolute gem, and I hope Collette will get another chance to play in this kind of sandbox again."

Source: https://href.li/?http://thefilmexperience.net/blog/2021/7/2/1998-toni-collette-in-velvet-goldmine.html

@25yearsofvelvetgoldmine

[laski-and-sage]

Accidental AU no.3 - Actor AU

Not really accidental but we randomly started talking about it and adore it too much not to post it!!

What if Hellsing characters were actors.... for Hellsing

• Hans: "Oh my GOD finally I can talk again! Being mysterious because you don't talk- okay! But that shit? Man... no!"

• Alu: Do i really have to lick the floor? Cus if yes... Yikes

• Major: I'm glad that my german parents teached me this annoying accent, but it's not only annoying... it's fucking hard to do that!

• Schrödinger, reading the script: So basically I'm a furry...?

• Anderson: Yoooo vlad my dearest brother from another mother- I'm sorry but the next scene is a fight scene and even though you beat me last night with the vodka... I'm gonna win this one!

• Integra: Smoking? REALLY?! No! I'm not gonna- you do cgi? Okay, deal

• Seras: Aw man... i hate these push up bras- does this character really need so much tiddy?!

• Alu fighting Anderson: come @ me bro!! *the fight scene gets interrupted by them both laughing*

• Pip: I'm gonna die? Aw man... But at least I get the cool scenes!

Alex: we're all gonna die, what do you want?

• Doc: I am NOT discussing the outfit. I LOVE IT

• Maxwell: My voice... after all this manniacly screaming... it's dead like most of the cast-

• Alexander casing Maxwell around with a bayonet after they played the death scene just for fun. — Bonus points if Maxwell screams

• Alu making a selfie with pips running death scene in the backround and Integra stands besides him with the peace sign

• Maxwell making photos as Alu sleeps in one of the studio corners bc the nightscenes had to be made

• Zorin suffering with her Make-up. The Makeup-artists suffer as well

• Heinkel just annoyed bc the bandages for the last scenes. Scenes have to be remade cus those bandages constantly slip

• Heinkel just screaming of frustration and Anderson has to stop her from glueing them in place

• The dark gloomy scenes just get the funniest in the studio. So many bloopers

• Anderson just forgetting the bible texts and HE'S RECITE ANYTHING! Like starwars. Hobbit. Harry Potter

• *crosses bayonets* ... May the force be with you-

•"YOU SHALL NOT PASS!"

"Wasn't it more like... y'know... biblical stuff?"

"Yeah... I forgot..."

"Again?!"

"TRY TO REMEMBER THE BIBLE YOU BITCH!"

• *"stabs" Alucard* AVADA KEDAVRA

Alu: *laughing HARD*

As always. Maybe more will be added. But so far....its free to use. Just @ us so we can see it! :DD

[lune-hime]

Future (Chocobros x f!Reader)

“How did you imagine our future?” 

↞Noctis↠

The blossoms tickled your cheek as you turned to regard the prince. His question was asked with a tone as light as the crisp night air.

“Well, last I checked we were still getting married.” You chuckled, reaching out to idly caress a velvety petal between your fingertips. “It will be a grand wedding, no doubt.”

Noctis hummed contently next to you, your forms spread out in the vast field.

“We can expect nothing less from Specs.” He added. The two of you giggled at the image of a Ignis as a wedding planner.

“What should we do for the honeymoon?” You speculated to the starry sky, gaze getting lost in the endless maze of constellations.

“Sleep.” Noctis replied dreamily. You huffed and shook your head in disbelief, the movement causing petals to fall into your splayed locks.

“How about going fishing?” He proposed. The scowl you gave him caused an amused smile to settle on his smooth features.

“Altissia and a little sleeping and fishing on the side?” He offered in a last ditch attempt to fit his two favorite activities into the plans.

“That sounds more like it.” You sighed happily, letting the coolness of the midnight breeze delicately prickle your skin.

“Y/N.” Noctis cooed, the sound as smooth as the surface of the flowers. You turned back towards him, heart lighting up when you were met with his smile. The euphoria only lasted a moment, however, before the once pleasant chill of the night began giving you goosebumps.

“Promise me something.” He requested in a feigned upbeat tone. You could tell he was trying to mask the sadness in his voice.

You nodded once, watching the corners of his mouth quiver slightly.

“Anything.” You whispered. Noctis’ touch was temperate in contrast to the brisk air as he reached out to run his palm along your jawline.

“Promise me you won’t let me ruin your future."

Every physical aspect of reality had seemed to halt in that moment. You no longer had any sense of time nor of the itchy feeling of the blades of grass against your bare legs. You could no longer see the complex colors of the heavens and the moons seemed like dull street lights in the sky. The cold wind no longer bit at your skin. You felt completely numb to everything except Noctis.

“What?” You choked, suddenly feeling like a rock was lodged into your throat. Noctis’ shook his head, silently telling you not to cry, and flashed you another grin.

“Please do everything we just talked about, either for yourself or with someone who makes you happy.” His voice cracked at the second half of his phrase, but he retained his grin.

“I’m so sorry I’m not able to give you that future, goddess knows I would have given you the entirety of Eos.” His sapphire eyes reflected the dazzling lights in the sky and his gaze was filled with thousands of words he would never be able to say to you.

“Instead of living in my memory, live for my memory, okay?” His eyes softened into a smile of their own as he regarded you like it was the last time he ever would.

Suddenly, you felt the sudden urge to embrace him but before you could throw yourself into his arms, he had disappeared on the wind and you felt yourself being dragged out of the field with a swift tug.

“Rise and shine, Y/N. By the six, we need to find a new expression for that now. Time for another hunt.” Iris sang as she gingerly shook you awake. Blinking the sleep from your eyes, you craned your neck to peek out the tent window to regard the dark world that awaited for you. Heaving yourself up from your sleeping back, you rubbed your eyes and cracked your back with a resounding pop before getting to your feet. After slipping on your boots, you gave the jewel around your left ring finger a loving twirl as you walked out to the campsite. Even in the shadows of Eos, the little gem still managed to shine.

“I promise, Noct.”

He was now your past, but you would forever be his future.  

↞Prompto↠

He was the personification of a wilting flower. His once bright eyes were now sunken and bordered by heavy bags. He barely showed his dazzling smile anymore, so you had said goodbye to the little dimple on his cheek weeks ago. Even his once vibrant golden locks had seemed to dim in hue along with the rest of the world. When Eos lost its sunlight, so did you.

You barely registered the question he posed into his lukewarm coffee. Your heart broke when you hear the hopelessness in his voice.

Turning towards him, you reached over only to brush past his arm to grab his camera lying on the diner counter. Prompto looked over to you with slight interest, still slumped weakly in his chair. You flipped through the photos, pressure bubbling behind your eyes at the happiness of your youth. He always kept old pictures on his camera to make sure he never forgot what life used to be like. Photos were physical and more tangible compared to memories, anyway. You blinked back the wetness in your eyes until you found it.

Wordlessly you slid the camera over to him, and he picked it up with gentle hands. Once his gaze met the screen, they starting shaking and the camera began to fall from his grasp. You placed your hands firmly over his, securly holding the device in place.

It was a selfie Prompto took of the two of you at Wiz’s Chocobo Post early on in your journey. Sandwiched in between the two of you was your own Chocobo, Blueberry, his periwinkle feathers bristling in excitement and his beak open in mid chirp. Happiness radiated off you and Prompto, your smiles overtook all the other features of your face and the afternoon sun casted a cheerful glow over the image.

Prompto sucked in a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding.

“This was our future.” You gestured towards the photo with a sad smile. You removed your hands from his and used them to cup his cheeks, turning him to face you. It was the first time in a while you had gotten him to directly look at you.

“And it still is.” You stated, voice unwavering. As you looked into his eyes, all the memories of your Prompto flashed through your mind like the title credits of a movie. A happy smile found it's way to your lips this time.

“You are forever my sunshine, even more now so that the world has grown dark. And we will find the light again.” You sealed your promise to him with a soft kiss, his arms immediately coming to cup your forearms gently. When you pulled away you saw a few stray tears had begun staining his cheeks but more importantly that dazzling smile that could drive the darkness away with one glance.  

↞Ignis↠

The soft puff of air that left your mouth tickled the corner of Ignis’ lips. Your hesitation caused his heart to sink. He bit his lip nervously, teeth worrying over the chapped skin. He didn't mean to sour the previously sweet and intimate moment but the question had become a chronic worry of his. The various fictional situations of his disability somehow ruining your constantly ran through his mind and were gnawing on his insides.

In the absence of a response, he felt his intrusive thoughts begin to manifest into reality. Before he could turn away, however, your hands on his chest rose to gingerly clasp onto his cheeks, forcing him to face you. Through his clouded vision, he could only see the shadow of your movements but he knew your features were contorted in the way they did when you were trying to articulate a particular feeling.

“I didn't picture it like this, but I know you didn't either.” You almost laughed, bringing his face closer and looking into those milky green orbs. Although seemingly lifeless, they still sparkled with the same vigor the man had expressed before the incident. Brushing his eyelids shut with gentle fingertips, you replaced your touch with a feather light kiss to both of them. When you pulled back, the look of adoration on Ignis’ face made your heart swell. Who knew such a simple thing like a kiss could calm the tidal waves of insecurity that resided within the man.

“But I wouldn't change a thing, because even though the world went to shit, I still have you. And you are still you no matter what happens.”

↞Gladiolus↠

Gladiolus’ question replaced the comfortable silence between the two of you as you maneuvered through the briarwood. The inquiry made you laugh and you almost slipped at the minor distraction, boots squelching against the muddy ground. Gladiolus, reflexes as nimble as ever, gripped your arm thus preventing you from coming into contact with a sizeable bramble bush.

“Well, our lives haven’t exactly been a fairytale now have they?” You replied sarcastically, the both of you chuckling as he lifted up a low hanging vine so you could step under.

“I mean, sure I obviously thought it would be a lot different than this-” You started, abruptly stopping in the middle of the path much to Gladiolus’ confusion.

“But look.” You smiled, pointing to the sky. Gladiolus followed your finger to the thick canopy of the woods. A clearing in the branches allowed for pale rays of sunlight to seep through the dense foliage, the sun warming his skin and causing him to squint. His eyes started to sting from it’s intensity, but it was a welcoming feeling. What wasn’t welcome, however, was the moisture that began collecting in his eyes.

“And we have this” You stated, taking his hand and guiding it to rest on the slight bump of your stomach. He splayed his palm and rubbed soothing circles against the fabric of your shirt. He regarded you with an adoration he never knew he would get to experience.

“Thank you, Noct, for giving us this future.” Gladiolus said to the sky, his voice thick with a menagerie of emotions. The sun had given back their ability to live, but it was the boy behind the sun that had given Eos a second chance to shine.

↞Bonus↠

“Noct for the thousandth time NO we are not spending our honeymoon at the recreational fishing area.” You retorted over your shoulder as you sped walked to keep up with a swift paced Ignis. Why did he have to have such long legs?

Ignis was simultaneously speed firing you questions regarding the shapes and materials of various dining wares and whether or not you wanted hydrangeas or lilies placed in the center of each table as the three of you maneuvered through the elaborate department store. Well, it was more like the two of you with how far back Noctis was straggling behind. While Ignis was like a worker bee buzzing from section to section, the prince on the other hand was taking a leisurely stroll; touching random items here and there but not regarding them with much enthusiasm. You had told him that it was fine if he didn’t come; you were enjoying planning out your wedding enough for the two of you. But Noctis protested, saying that even though it wasn’t his favorite thing to do, he wanted to be there because at the end of the day it was both your wedding.

Ignis abruptly stopped in front of a vast display of fabrics, carefully inspecting each one with fine detail. You patiently waited behind the advisor, giving Noctis some time to catch up.  

“On any other occasion a weekend fishing with you sounds heavenly, but I don’t want to spend our honeymoon smelling like trout and stinky worms.” You stated, grimacing at the thought of your cute outfits smelling like dead fish.

“Which one of these do you fancy would be suitable for the table cloths for the reception?” Ignis inquired, shoving a book of samples into your hands as he slowly moved down the line of textiles. A moment later, Noctis popped up behind you, idly looking at the samples from over your shoulder. Once you noticed his presence, you held them up so he could get a better view.

“Black obviously.” Noctis declared blandly. It was clear to everyone that he wasn’t that into the whole wedding planning process and was more excited for the actual event than having to be involved in everything that went into arranging it. It didn’t help that he had to get up two hours earlier than he normally did either.

“Of course, Noct, but which black.” Ignis exhaled, looking close to short circuiting. The cloth samples were indeed both a dark shade of cobalt, but they differed in pattern and sheen. Taking matters into your own hands you pointed to the silk cloth with intricate silver embroidering.  

“This one is pretty, Iggy.” You chimed in, wanting to keep Ignis’ sanity intact and let Noctis be done with the whole process as soon as possible.

“Couldn’t agree more, Y/N. You always have had the better sense of aesthetics out of the two of you.” Ignis praised before immediately moving onto the next item on the list, leaving behind an annoyed Noctis. You choked back a laugh and turned to face him, poking his puffed cheeks until his pout turned into a smile.

“How about we go to Altissia, with some fishing on the side?” He proposed, grasping your hands and lowering them from his face to intertwine his fingers with yours.

“It’s a deal!” You beamed, bouncing on your heels. The excitement on your features set off sparks in Noctis’ chest.

“If I receive some persuasion, maybe we can throw in a few naps in there too.” You added playfully, swaying your entangled hands from side to side.

“Oh, we can do more than just nap.” Noctis grinned, taking his hands out of yours and fluidly moving to lightly tickle your sides, offering an animated shriek from you. Just as you were getting into a small tickle fight, the buzzing of the store’s intercom system activated.

“Stop dilly-dallying lovebirds and lets get a move on, we still have to go to the caterer’s office after this. I am in isle 24, the silverware section.” Ignis’ unamused voice echoed off every surface of the building.

The two of you exchanged a look of disbelief before breaking out into hysterical laughter.

“Better not keep him waiting.” You patted his chest and broke away from his embrace. Noctis rolled his eyes and placed a kiss to your forehead before the two of you ran hand in hand to your lovely wedding planner.

[bensonstablers]

okay - loving all the superstore reblogs! have to ask - fave episode and characters??

Hi, okay, so, I’m going to be honest and say that although I do actually really like the show, most of the episodes were kind of forgettable for me? (I care more about the characters and their dynamics. A lot of the episodes just kind of mush together in my head, haha)

Anyway, my point is that below the cut I’ve included my top 10 (they’re only listed in released order though) which I elaborate on slightly and underneath that, I’ve listed all the other episodes that made a mark on me seen as there aren’t too many compared to the amount of overall episode count :)

Firstly, here’s my fave characters though :’)

Amy and Jonah share the top spot which I’m extremely pleased about because America Ferrera and Ben Feldman were the two main reasons I wanted to check out this show in the first place. (I was just dumb and kept putting off actually watching it until Netflix UK recently put s1-5 on :’))

Outside of them I also really love: Cheyenne, Dina, Garrett, and Kelly (with Cheyenne probably making my top 3 with Amy and Jonah!)

Not faves but I want to say I really appreciated Ana Ortiz and Tony Plana showing up in Superstore considering they were main cast members in Ugly Betty alongside America. It made my heart very happy to see them again (especially when Tony Plana played her dad in both show lol)

My 10 favourite episodes so far:

1x09 All-Nighter

Seeing them locked in the store together and having fun is always so much fun to watch but this has the added bonus of drunk Amy. (It was also the first episode I felt I really enjoyed).

2x17 Integrity Award

Jonah meeting Amy’s parents and hanging out in her old bedroom. That’s it, that’s the main reason I love this episode, haha.

2x22 Tornado

The build up to the tornado!!! Amy/Jonah hiding out together!!!! The kiss!!!!! The pain when Adam and Emma show up at the end to find Amy and Jonah looks so sad!!!! (And also, Sandra refusing to help Carol is downright hilarious).

3x13 Video Game Release

Amy and Jonah sneaking through the walls in Cloud9 is too fun and I could watch them laugh and be together constantly, I love them. (Also Amy realising she likes Jonah!!!)

4x02 Baby Shower

Cute Cloud9 family moments!!! Amy/Jonah being absolutely adorable and Garrett asking how long they’ve been dating. Also, Dina’s photoshoot being weirdly hilarious and iconic.

4x05 Delivery Day

Amy and Dina going into labour at the same time? What did I do to deserve such gold???? Also, Jonah being there for the delivery and even offering to pay Amy’s medical bills so she could have the nice hospital? Um excuse you, I did not asked to be attacked like this.

4x12 Blizzard

Again, family locked in Cloud9 together, I’m a sucker for it!! I love seeing them together and having fun and being a family, ugh, yes, but also Amy and Jonah having to share that mattress and being such a married couple (lord I would like to thank you for this gift)

4x17 Quinceañera

As may be apparent, I just love when the Cloud9 family enjoy themselves especially when that’s outside of work. Jonah is a total disaster in this, haha, but I really love his scenes with Emma and I wish we got more.

5x10 Negotiations

Amy/Dina/Cheyenne is a trio I never expected to love and this episode is so good for them!!! (It was also fun to see Jonah and Sandra try to stand up to corporate who can honestly suck it)

5x20 Customer Safari

I really loved the game they played (trying to get photos of customers doing specific things), it was a lot funnier than I expected, but also I really love the dinner scene with Jonah’s parents and brother! It’s such a disaster but so good and surprisingly funny, haha.

The following are those other episodes that were memorable to me! (Again, they’re just in release order).

2x19 Glenn's Kids

2x21 Cheyenne's Wedding

3x15 Amnesty

3x19 Lottery

3x20 Gender Reveal

3x21 Aftermath

3x22 Town Hall

4x01 Back to School

4x07 New Initiative

4x13 Lovebirds

4x15 Salary

4x16 Easter

4x22 Employee Appreciation Day

5x14 Sandra's Wedding

5x16 Employee App

5x21 California Part 1

6x01 Essential

6x02 California Part 2

[swlbarnes]

More Like Home - Jack Kline x Reader

Summary/Request: @previouslyforgotten requested:  Hi! It’s me again. I was wondering if you could do a someone x reader fluff where the reader is decorating her room in the bunker because she thinks it’s too bland and the man of men of your choice help? Preferably Dean or Jack? But you can pick whoever:)

Pairing: Jack Kline x Reader

Word Count: ~3.6k

Warnings: none!! fluffy fluff with jack and the brothers!!

A/N: okay so when given a choice i tend to choose jack, and im sorry, so i tried to put a smidge of dean in there as well! i hope this is okay, thank you so so much for the request!! i love your ideas so much, they’re so soft :)

BUY JACK’S SCENT HERE!

It didn’t feel right. No matter what you did, or how you moved the existing items around, it just didn’t feel right. Going on two years of living at the bunker with what Dean had deemed Team Free Will 2.0, you began to realize just how drab you seemed to feel in your given room. While the golden numbers adoring the door, addressing it as room 17, were always a welcoming sight after a long hunt, you couldn’t help but want… more from the interior.

Sure, you had your fair share of sentimental objects. Your guns and knives were displayed proudly on one wall, always well within reach and easy to dismount if the need to use them arose, which it so often seemed to do. A few pictures cataloging your travels with the boys littered the space, along with your notebooks and other hunting materials scattered about. This was nice, and offered a great reminder that this place was where you slept, but it still didn’t feel right. It didn’t feel like home.

You lay on your back, arms and legs spread out like a starfish pondering this exact idea the day that the bunker’s resident Nephilim, Jack Kline, decided to pay you a visit. Your door was already open, but he made a point to stop at the threshold and tap his knuckles against the wooden slab to alert you of his presence. “(Y/N)?” He called to you in question. You made no move to get up, and simply let out a low hum in response. The sound of shuffling footsteps grew ever closer. “Are you alright?”

A sigh escaped your lips at this query. Now, how were you meant to respond to that? Were you okay? In theory, perhaps you were doing just fine, but this answer just didn’t seem to suffice for your mind. So, instead, in a rash decision making moment, you blurted out a simple, “no.”

This seemed to be the wrong answer. Hardly a moment passed before Jack was pulling you up into a sitting position, his eyes wide in panic as they scanned you for any visible injuries. “What’s wrong? What’s happened? How can I help? I want to help, let me fix it!” He blubbered on without end. His hands pressed against your cheeks and he turned your head every which way in an attempt to spot the problem. 

“Jack,” you tried. He continued on. “Jack,” a bit louder this time. His voice grew in volume as well, incoherent gibberish of worry at this point. “Jack!”

Finally, he froze in place. Then, within a moment’s notice, his hands were gone from your skin, and a fresh blush swept up his neck and along his cheeks. “I’m sorry,” he muttered. “I meant to say, uhm, what’s wrong? And… how can I help?” 

You furiously fought against the smile tugging at your lips, but in the end your expression won out. A bright grin plastered itself across your face. “I’m actually okay, Jack. You don’t have to worry about anything, alright? I’m okay,” you reassured the nephilim. Even still, his crystalline sapphire gaze ran along your skin in a fervor.

“You’re sad.” This wasn’t even a question, but instead a statement of fact.

“I wouldn’t necessarily say I’m sad, per se,” you tried to ease his tension somewhat. The celestial being was having none of this, and swiftly caught on to the ambiguity of your words.

“But you’re not happy.”

Your nose wrinkled in thought. The nephilim was smarter than he ever dared to let on, and definitely more observant than your fellow housemates saw him for. “I’ll be okay, Jack. I’m just thinking, is all.” 

The boy pulled his legs up onto the bed, crossing his legs over each other criss cross style to face you fully. Comfy sweatpants covered his legs and a soft knitted sweater adorned his torso. Even in the summer months, the bunker could be quite cold, and there was only one reason that you never asked Dean to turn the heating up. As long as the air retains its usual chill, you get the pleasure of seeing a comfortably soft Jack Kline all year round.

Jack reached down and plucked carefully at the fabric of your comforter. A scowl formed on your face at the sight of the thing. It was the same tan sheet that adorned the beds in most every bedroom. It wasn’t special. It wasn’t yours. This room wasn’t yours. Everything was just a constant reminder of that fact.

You had to say, you truly envied the brothers’ abilities to cope in an environment that was so out of your comfort zone. Sam, though you know he had started out his time at the bunker in denial that it would ever become his home, had come around in previous years and began adding personal touches to his own space. The television was an important part of his room, usually playing some of his favorite movies or the local news station to stay updated on current happenings. His favorite books lay scattered on every conceivable surface. Room twenty-one was Sam’s and only Sam’s. Dean’s room held even more of his own personal touches. From the stereo concealing a hefty collection of vinyl records underneath it to the guns adorning the wall to even the countless family photos both taped to his walls and leaning haphazardly against various objects on his desk, room number eleven was undoubtedly the home of one Dean Winchester. 

But room seventeen? It could belong to just about anyone. You had hardly changed a thing since moving in. Most of the room remained in the same pristine state the Men of Letters had left it in all those years ago. It might as well be some random hotel room, capable of housing just about anybody at any time. It wasn’t yours. 

“Jack,” you spoke up suddenly, your mind set. The nephilim peered up at you in question. “Do you want to go into town with me?”

The boy’s brows furrowed in confusion, but he nodded all the same. “Can I ask why?”

Turning to the boy, you cast him a smile. “I’ve gotta make this house a home,” you hummed. Glee dripped from your words at the prospect of finally doing this. You were finally going to make this room your own, and no Winchesters were going to stop you.

-

Sam and Dean let the pair of you go relatively easily. That is, Dean ceased his interrogation once you assured him that you weren’t taking the Impala, driving the point home by jingling the pair of keys in your hand: keys that undoubtedly belonged to the ‘67 Ford Mustang you had brought back to the bunker after having fallen in love with the thing on a hunting trip to an old used car lot. You pocketed some cash and a couple of fraudulent credit cards, and you were on your way.

“So,” Jack began as he buckled the seat belt around his waist, “what exactly are we doing?”

Fair enough question. You hadn’t actually said your plan out loud. Jack was simply excited to spend time outside of the bunker (plus, the fact that it was with you was a real bonus in his eyes). You began to explain as you revved the engine to the old muscle car. “My room is just so… drab, you know? I want to make it feel more like home. So, you and I are going shopping!” The boys eyes lit up at this. “We’re going to go out and find some decorations and maybe we’ll paint the walls and everything. It’s gonna be fun!”

His feet shuffled in excitement. You had a feeling that, had you the ability to see into the boy’s mind, you would see a flurry of thoughts about how he had never been shopping for decorations and renovations before. That much would be true. The hunter’s life didn’t have much time for simple pleasures, so the fact that you were able to give Jack this little glimpse into a normal life sent your heart aflutter.

The ride into town felt shorter than usual, likely to do with the company you kept and your own choice of music permeating the air. Jack’s head bobbed along with the beat of the song flowing from the radio. Your hands smacked in tandem against the steering wheel, which the nephilim quickly likened to the eldest Winchester’s own driving habits. You poked your tongue out at Jack in retaliation, reaching out to turn the volume up to block his words out. 

Shopping with Jack was more fun than you could have even imagined it would be. He had such a wonderful reaction to every new thing he experienced, and it was clear that he wanted to soak in every aspect of human culture he possibly could. He was practically bouncing on his heels by the time you made it to the lighting section of the local hardware store. The way the seemingly endless aisle of lamps and lighting fixtures reflected in his irises made it difficult to maintain a casual facade, and you soon found yourself reaching out and grabbing his hand as you made your way through the store. This was normal as ever to the boy, who gripped your hand back just as eagerly and tugged you towards the mirror section.

Choosing a paint color was quite an adventure as well. Jack took this entire ordeal very seriously, especially after you explained to him how your current living situation made you feel. The discomfort you described was utterly unacceptable in his eyes. If a new coat of paint on your walls could alleviate that feeling and make you feel more at home, then the boy was going to do his best to make it the best paint color you had ever seen. That’s why you ended up standing in front of the display of paint swatches for around an hour before he finally allowed you to make a decision. It was all worth it in the end, especially once the paint mixer buzzed to life and Jack’s soft gasp sounded from by your side. He didn’t stop talking about how pretty the colors blending together was on the whole car ride to your next stop.

Item after item got checked off the list inside your mind. Picture frames, a new comforter, fresh pillow cases, professionally printed photos of yourself and the rest of the team, wall art, a soft new rug, little desk ornaments, and basically anything that popped into your mind that would make the space feel more like you. Jack even took it upon himself to buy you both matching art pieces, claiming that he wanted to have a piece of you in his own room to make sure you always felt like you were together. It took all of your willpower not to tear up as he happily placed the framed photos into the shopping cart. 

You arrived back at the bunker just as the last rays of daylight peeked out above the horizon. Jack, of course, insisted on carrying as many shopping bags as he could possibly fit on his arms. He was half angel, he reminded you, therefore weight wasn’t a big deal whatsoever. This made the unpacking process relatively simple, especially once you walked past Sam and Dean and the pair begrudgingly stood up and shuffled through the halls to follow you into the garage and help you with the rest of the bags.

“What’s all this for?” Dean’s voice called with a grunt as he readjusted his hold on the box containing your new nightstand.

You twirled around on your heels so you were walking backwards down the hallway, now facing Dean and Sam. “I decided my room was too… blah. Not enough me, not enough like a home. So, Jack and I went out and bought some stuff and we’re going to redo it! Painting the walls, new furniture, new pictures, the whole shabang. You guys wanna help?” You beamed at the pair of brothers. They shared a questioning look with each other, both shrugging before turning to you and agreeing. 

“Where’d you get the money, anyways?” Sam queried with a furrowed brow. You turned back around and cleared your throat in a bit of an awkward fashion. 

“I might’ve… stolen a couple of debit cards. And also a little credit card fraud. But it’s okay! Because when are we ever really gonna go back to those stores anyways, right?” You passed it off with a chuckle. The beginnings of an argument about how we don’t do credit card fraud this close to home and if you need to spend money in town then at least get the money legally arose from behind you, but it was too late. In a split second you picked up the pace and dashed off down the corridor towards your own room.

-

“No, no no no, not like that,” Dean corrected, reaching out and grabbing the paint roller from Jack’s hand. Only moments prior, the boy had tried to repeatedly press the cylinder against the wall in an attempt to apply the paint. This resulted in a small patch of globular paint right smack in the center of your wall. Your hand pressed firmly against your mouth in an attempt to fight back your laughter.

“I’ve never done this before,” Jack muttered in protest, his cheeks a bright crimson red due to his clear embarrassment. He peered over his shoulder at you, causing you to force back your amusement and offer him an encouraging smile.

“Okay, just… like this. Roll the paint on. That way it’ll be even, alright?” Dean demonstrated how to roll the paint onto the surface properly for a few strokes before offering the roller to the nephilim once again. Jack took the item with a newfound desire to do this right, and he continued to paint the wall in exactly the way that Dean displayed.

Sam emerged from the hallway empty handed, having just arrived back from wherever he decided to put your belongings while you started your renovations. At the moment, the entire room lay barren and empty, save for the paint cans and plastic lining protecting the floor from rogue paint. A thin layer of sweat made the taller brother’s hair lay flat against his forehead. He had done most of the heavy lifting so far. You found this amusing, seeing as Jack’s outlook on carrying heavy items seemed to change so drastically over the past hour or so. It occurred to you that it likely wasn’t the action itself that changed his mind, but perhaps there was an ulterior motive behind his kindness with you. The thought alone made you smile to yourself.

“You’re doing great, Jack!” Sam praised the boy, causing him to perk up significantly. Jack flashed a bright smile as he continued to work. 

Painting didn’t take quite as long as you expected. With the extra two pairs of hands, that meant each of you only had to focus on one wall. Soon enough, the walls were completely coated in your chosen color, and it was time to let them dry. You all took a break to eat dinner, which was filled with conversation about what you wanted your room to look like once it was complete. By the time you finished eating, the paint was dry and you were ready to move everything in. 

Strangely enough, Dean seemed to be the most hellbent on getting the “look” just right. Jack listened to whatever you said and wanted to a T, and Sam leisurely nodded and complied with your wishes as well. Dean, however, seemed to have a vision of sorts. Each time you explained your idea, he would interrupt you with a pitch for a completely different idea. Some worked, and you actually quite liked, others you ended up shooting down immediately. 

You worked all through the night, sharing stories and jokes as you went along. None of you seemed to feel the effects of the all nighter you ended up pulling. The atmosphere seemed too perfect to destroy with even a single yawn or complaint. At one point, as you and Jack worked on putting your new sheets onto your old bed, you couldn’t help but grab one of the pillows and toss it at the back of Dean’s head. Sam seemed to hold back his laughter to the best of his ability as his brother turned around with an all-too-serious look in his eyes. Within seconds, the eldest hunter grabbed the pillow from the floor and leapt up, charging at you with the fluff filled item held over his shoulder in preparation. A screech left your lips, and you bounded over the half made bed to cower behind Jack. And that was how not only Jack’s first pillow fight, but the first ever pillow fight in the bunker began. 

Your phone screen read 5:02 AM by the time you put the last touches on the space. One last flattening of the comforter, a quick check that the pictures on your desk were turned just so, and the final addition: a gun tucked carefully underneath your pillow. That was all it took for your room to be complete.You turned to the brothers and pulled them both into a hug. You expressed your true gratitude for their willingness to help you at such short notice, and for such a long period of time. Dean insisted that you owed him a new flannel for the fact that a splotch of paint was now visible on the fabric of the one he was wearing, but he retained his easy going smile all the same. Sam wrapped his arms around you and gave you a comforting squeeze, reminding you that he would always be there if you needed him for anything. And with that, they bid you adieu. 

That left just you and Jack in your newly completed room. You made your way over to your reclaimed bed and flopped down on your back, a soft smile adorning your face. A few seconds passed, and you peered over to where Jack still stood, simply watching you in wonder. You offered him a smile and patted the space next to you. He wasted no time as he, too, lay down atop the new sheets. A moment’s silence overtook you both, but it was far from uncomfortable. It felt like more of a mutual understanding. Like nothing need be said, because everything was already understood.

In a moment of surging self confidence, you reached over and grabbed his hand in your own. Your fingers laced together out of pure instinct. Just like back in the store, he reciprocated the affection immediately, even giving your hand a quick squeeze to show that this was okay. 

“Thank you,” you whispered into the tranquil atmosphere. The shuffle of fabric let you know that Jack had readjusted his position to be facing you without needed to see him at all.

“For what?” He asked you, his voice carrying the same soft tone as yours. He, too, clearly sensed the importance of this moment, and what it meant in the grand scheme of a hunter’s life. Moments like this don’t exist for hunters. Lives like this aren’t possible. But maybe, for just one second, you can pretend. Maybe you can pretend that this is a home, and that this is possible. Maybe you can pretend that your life can have something this good in it.

“For everything, really,” you began quite simply. You gazed blankly up at the empty expanse of your ceiling, wondering if Dean would ever let you live it down if you decided to put up those little glow in the dark stars. “I haven’t felt like this was my own space for… so long. It’s always felt like I’m just a guest, and that this is temporary. I keep waiting to have to pack up and leave for the next place. I even started avoiding this room altogether just so I didn’t have to face that feeling anymore. But after today?” You finally turned your head to look at the nephilim, only to find him gazing at you already with a look of pure awe. “You changed that, Jack. You helped me to make this something I can be proud of. I can feel comfortable and safe here, now. And I don’t think I would’ve taken that leap if I didn’t have you by my side.”

Slowly, the boy’s lips began to turn up into a smile. It wasn’t the smile he had been flashing all night. It wasn’t a bright, blindingly overjoyed grin that seemed to always split his face in half and fill the room with light. No, this smile was different. This smile was soft, and it carried the weight of everything the pair of you weren’t sure you should say. It was all you needed to see, and you let your head fall back down onto the soft sheets beneath you. 

The silence stretched on, but it didn’t matter. No words needed to be said for you to realize what you learned that morning, just as the sun began to color the sky a soft pink and the birds awoke with their song. This was a home, and it was your home. This was not temporary. This was your family. And this wasn’t pretending. You deserve the happiness and the love of that moment, basking in the relief of finding where you belong. You had found the good you needed, and you were going to hold onto it for as long as you possibly could. 

[polar-stars]

A little (personal) Ranking of the Shokugeki endings

The post on the openings is here -> https://polar-stars.tumblr.com/post/615133312137281536/a-little-personal-ranking-of-the-shokugeki

But yeah, as I said yesterday...now that the final ones are out, I thought it could be fun to give my opinions on the various openings and endings we had throughout the series. 

Again, it’s a personal opinion. Music tastes are very different, children. Please don’t be mad if your fave is not in one of the top spots of this list ovo;;

-

Endings

 1. 1st Ending of Season 1 (”Spice”) - What did you expect honestly? “Spice” by Tokyo Karan Koron is not just my favorite ending overall, it’s honestly my favorite piece of music of all that Shokugeki has to offer. “Spice” just quite simply has it all....a good beat, cute visuals dedicated to my precious Polar Star Kids and the immense, immense nostalgia attached to it as the very first ending the series had. “Spice” is on a different level to me...It’s magical. I don’t even listen that often to it, because it’s just kind off so special to me that I have to create the perfect conditions to listen to it, because in my mind it deserves those. Spice is just such an enchanting tone and it reminds me of innocent and happy days. It just has a very, very special place in my heart and always will. It’s so soothing, cute and it’s been sitting on the throne forever, unmatched to me. 

2. Ending of Season 5 (”Crossing Road”) - Omg, I can’t fucking believe this but it’s really come to it, huh? Okay...As much as I hate the fact that visually the ending has been dedicated to the character I just want to erase from my memory when, really, I wished for the last ending in this series to feature the entire cast....I can’t lie and say that I listened to “Crossing Roads” up and down ever since I first heard it. The song is just THAT beautiful to me. And quite frankly? The endings of Season 3 and 4 just...while I don’t dislike them at all, they were always missing a particular something to me. I don’t know how to describe it better than that. “Crossing Roads” just doesn’t leaves me with that feeling 🤷🏻‍♀️

3. 2nd Ending of Season 2 (”Sacchan no Sexy Curry”) - A lot of people seem to dislike this ending because it’s kinda weird, I think. And yeah...It is ahdhd. But I love it regardless. It’s just so warm, perfectly complimented with the visuals of Erina walking with the sun sinking in the background. I love how the ending visually shows us a depiction of Hisako’s and Erina’s relationship and how, at this point in the series, Erina is the only person Hisako allows insight into her heart and soul. It’s sweet. And I like how she passes the rest of the cast and also how each episode always has one, different additional cast-member added ;v; Then there’s also, once again, just the nostalgia to this song. It’s still from season 1 and it’s from the Autumn Premlins area which I, as I said already, really enjoyed. So meep. I just can’t hate this one...I always feel joy and comfort when listening to it. 

4. Ending of Season 4 (”Emblem”) - Idk man, this song has a bit of a vintage touch to it to me? Like...It sounds a bit to me like an opening I’d expect from an anime of the 90s or something. I don’t even know why? But meep, I kinda like it. Visually it’s nothing that special but still a lot more interesting than the frikkin opening of this season (aka. “Chronos”). And just, ah...It just sounds happy and beautiful to me. Also, a huge bonus that this ending has to me is that...After Snow-Drop started the trend of not including the side-characters anymore; it was at last an ending that featured the entirety of the cast once again. Which I just very much appreciated. 

5. Ending of Season 3, 2nd Cour (”Atria”) - Atria has really pretty visuals. Holy! While Spice remains my fave I think, I do say that Atria easily comes second in the visual-department. The night sky is sparkling, the character running through the snow are shining, the photos we see of the other characters are adorable...Seeing Erina, Soma, Megumi and Takumi all run through the snow is legit sweet. Visually? I have absolutely zero complain. It’s really pretty to look at. But meep, the song....I really don’t hate it. I don’t. But as I said earlier...There’s just something lacking for me that I can’t really pinpoint. “Emblem” kinda has the same problem as well, but it’s kind off smaller than with “Atria”? I really don’t know. 

6. Ending of Season 3, 1st Cour (”KyokyoJitsujitsu”) - Honestly based on the music, I like “Atria” and “KyokyoJitsujitsu” equally. They’re both fun to listen to to me, but they both do have a particular something lacking to them for me. What made me put “KyokyoJitsujitsu” below “Atria” are the visuals...Because they really disappointed me back then. While the opening of the season ”Braver” is so full of action and excitement, the ending is basically just a little recap of the series. And it feels....rather lazy. It’s just not that interesting to watch 🤷🏻‍♀️ Although I do appreciate that there’s changes to each episodes...such as the characters showcased changing and the eyes of the people Soma has to face changing at each episode’s end. 

Also, yeah...It’s still more interesting than “Chronos”, because the song is better imo and at least there’s movement in the black and white flashbacks :/

7. Ending of Season 2 (“Snow Drop”) - This might be a very unpopular opinion because many seem to like this ending but, what can I say? I really, really disliked it at first and I just never really warmed up to it  completely throughout the years? It’s just...While some of the visuals are really pretty, the song is just...really not my thing I’m sorry ovo;; Also back when I was younger, I have to admit that I was greatly disappointed about the ending just featuring majorly Soma and no one else for the most part. That’s a nit-pick but it does add to it for me. 

[stunningvacationtips]

Maldives Tourist Attractions

Tourist tourist attractions in Maldives range from immaculate coastlines and wonderful islands to fishing towns, huge remains as well as luxury hotels. The breathtaking all-natural elegance of tourist attractions of Maldives has actually been the biggest attraction for tourists from globe over. Sightseeing in Maldives is mostly regarding a browse through to the myriad islands inside the country. Additional compared to 1,190 in number, these islands radiate elegance and also are basically paradisiacal.

The greatest vacationer destination in Maldives is a trip to any one of the many beaches in Maldives. Fringed by hand trees, layered by golden sands as well as surrounded by vast verdant greens, these beaches are virtual heavens in themselves.

The charm of Maldives' destinations will certainly be the crucial factor for the popularity of honeymoon in Maldives. Calmness and personal privacy are extremely conveniently available to couples here.

And, for anybody that is daring selections, there are really umpteen products to do in Maldives. Attempt out parasailing, diving or dolphin seeing in Maldives. It could be positive to be essentially the most riveting experience of your life.

Spa vacations in Maldives are in substantial need by those in search of complete renewal. Maldives visitor attractions also incorporate spa hotels that'll bowl you over with their treatment.

When in Maldives, do to miss out on a see to the National Gallery in Man. Containing old coins, depot and artifacts, it could be a superb exhibit of the background as well as society of Maldives.

Baa Atoll, Fuamulaku, Islamic Facility and Grand Friday Mosque are the other must-see traveler attractions in Maldives.

In this area, we will certainly provide you with information as well as realities on the Maldives tourist destination areas. Maldives is in fact a place determined for its appealing atolls. Male, coming to be the hub of industrial profession, will certainly be one of the most happening place in Maldives. Its area markets plus the fish marketplace are worth visiting. There's a significant reservoir of traveler areas in Maldives. So, get your cams to click the photos of these picturesque locations.

Top Visitor Attractions in Maldives

Grand Friday Mosque Grand Friday mosque, Masjid-al-Sultan Mohammed Thakurufaanu-al-A 'z' zam will certainly be the best mosque of Maldives. This grand architecture of past times was built by the Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar in 1656.

National Museum National museum in Maldives is amongst the key tourist attraction locations of the country. Located inside the Sultan Park, which belonged of the Sultan's palace, it can be basically a conversion of the old royal residence constructing.

Mulee Aage Palace Situated in front of the Friday mosque, Maldives Mulee Aage palace was constructed inside the year 1906. The credit for its building and construction goes to the Sultan Mohamed Shamsuddeen III. It was right before World war that the Sultan built this palace for his son.

Hukuru Miskiiy Hukuru Miskiiy in Maldives will be the oldest mosque of the nation that was established inside the year 1956. This old Friday mosque was established throughout the power of Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar

Esjehi Art Gallery Esjehi art gallery in Maldives is positioned on the eastern of Sultan Park, in 1 of the oldest structures of Maldives.

Artificial Beach Artificial beach in Maldives provides a possibility to Maldivians to obtain satisfaction from an excellent swim in the training course of summers.

Jumhoorie Maidan Situated along the northern beachfront in Man, Jumhoorie Maidan in Maldives was established up inside the year 1989. Bonus normally identified as the republic square of Maldives, the Jumhoorie Maidan with its green lawn as well as rich greenery works as one of essentially the most well recognized locations for social gatherings.

Male Fish Marketplace One of the substantial traveler destination areas in Maldives will certainly be the Male fish industry. Becoming the center of commercial tasks, Maldives fish industry is in fact a place which is generally overcrowded with persons.

Attractive beaches of Maldives The attractive beaches in Maldives. Situated on the equator to the south of Sri Lanka, Maldives is blessed with coastlines rich in coconuts as well as exotic fruits. It could be owing to the Maldives coastlines that the country is considered to be among the hottest vacationer locations of the world.

The coastlines of Maldives provide you with a possibility to relish the beauty of nature and renew your self. The entire atmosphere on the coastlines is rather serene and also calm. It is possible to remain at any of the resort islands and also adore the charm of beaches. Daring people today can indulge in water sporting activities like wind searching, windsurfing, diving and also snorkeling.

Out of all of the beaches of Maldives, basically one of the most stunning coastline is Nalaguraidhoo inside the South Ari Atoll. The coastlines of Maldives deserve catching in cam. As you stroll along the shores, cool wind will certainly indulge you. In instance you wish to bask, then generally exist down on the soft sand surrounding the coastlines. The calmness of the coastlines positioned in Banyan Tree Island, Nika and Cocoa Island will make you fall in really like with them.

Mohammed Thakurufaanu Tomb Tomb of Mohammad Thakurufaanu in Maldives is really a have to visit traveler attraction destination. Located inside the compound of the Bihuroazu Kamanaa Miskiiy, it has a good bargain of value for the individuals of this nation. Mohammad Thakurufaanu burial place in Maldives was constructed inside the memory of Sultan Ghaazee Mohammed Thakurufaanu, an awesome national hero, who liberated Maldives from the colonial rule of Portuguese. Portuguese established their rule over the nation for around 15 years promptly after toppling Sultan Ali VI in 1558. It could be as an outcome of this brave Sultan that the fellow citizens get satisfaction from their freedom.

When to Visit Maldives If you remain in search of a variety of added hrs of sunlight after that see to it you go to the Maldives in between December as well as April, which will be the completely dry period. This will certainly be the high period, having claimed that, and also hotels is commonly absolutely booked as well as expenses are above the remainder of the year. The Christmas-New Year period will be the busiest as well as most highly-priced element of the high period. Between May possibly and also November it is still warm, but the skies is typically over cast, moisture is greater as well as rain is added likely. This will certainly be the reduced period, and also there are in fact fewer tourists and also expenses are reduced. The transition months of November as well as April are stated to be connected to boosted water clearness and also premium visibility for divers.

[blouisparadise]

Upon request, here is a fic rec of fluffy bottom Louis fics. Happy reading!

Update as of January 2019: This rec list has been updated! New fics that have been added are marked with a 🍑 emoji.

1) Pinkies Never Lie: A Christmas Drabble | Explicit | 4009 words | 🍑

Note: This fic is a sequel to this fic.

Between the baked goods required for holiday parties and the endless stream of Christmas card photoshoots, December is always a challenging month for Harry at work. That's why this year, Louis came up with a brilliant plan to take his mind off things.

2) In That Bright White Noise | Explicit | 5060 words

Blind dates are usually destined to go terribly, so Louis doesn't exactly trust his friends when they say they've set him up with Gemma's younger brother, Harry, at an evening bonfire they're attending. Luckily, Harry's much hotter and kinder than Louis thought he'd be, which is a relief. He's also really fucking good at sex, which is just a wonderful bonus.

3) Just Like Live Wires | Explicit | 5427 words

Harry climbs into Louis' bed when he's cold. Louis pines.

4) Snow Sweet | Mature | 7111 words | 🍑

Note: This fic is a sequel to this fic.

Christmas On Stylish Apples Orchard, A Slice/Bite of Life.

5) Casting Lines | Explicit | 7554 words

Amidst the noise - the dog whining, Jamie's shrieking, Evie's giggles and bird noises, and Daniel asking loudly, again, about ice-skating - Louis leans in to press a kiss to Harry's smiling mouth. "Hi."

Harry doesn't loosen his grip on Evie's ankles where they hang over his shoulders, but he kisses Louis back and murmurs a quiet, "Hey, love."

6) Raised on Rhythm and Blues | Explicit | 8034 words

Note: This fic has mentions of BH.

“That look on your face makes me think you’re not cooking me spaghetti fast enough,” Louis announces as he walks back into the kitchen. Harry knows exactly where Zoe gets her habits from.

“Cooking for my two beautiful and insanely intelligent children, not for the weird bloke that sleeps in my bed and eats all my food,” Harry answers, tilting his head and wondering if he should add more sauce.

7) Cease the Day | Explicit | 8195 words

In which 1D Day takes on a whole new meaning.

Instead of a seven hour livestream, the One Direction team deem it more profitable to offer an entire day spent with any one member of the band for the highest bidder. What happens when the same buyer wins both Louis and Harry for a day?

8) Tattooed Heart | Explicit | 10035 words | 🍑

Note: This fic is a sequel to this fic.

“Is that fucking real?”

Harry grins. “Feel for yourself.”

A curious hand comes to trace over Harry’s chest, sighing in awe. “Harry.”

He watches him as he does it and wishes he had a camera on him, because the sight of Louis’ dainty hand caressing the beautiful L written in intricate cursive right over Harry’s heart has to be the single greatest thing he’s ever seen.

“Like it?” he asks.

“Harry,” Louis repeats, suddenly digging his thumb into the skin as if it was going to disappear at any second—it wasn’t, something Harry’s tattoo artist made sure of. “That’s—that’s permanent.”

“You’re permanent,” Harry replies, simple as can be.

9) Gay Happy Meetings (When Friends Come To Call) | Mature | 13951 words | 🍑

Note: This fic is a sequel to this fic.

The one where Louis' birthday and Christmas are filled with one too many surprises.

10) Symptoms Of The Culture | Explicit | 14612 words | 🍑

Harry's fraternity has become obsessed with the newest online game, and they'd like to think they're getting pretty good at it. Only, they keep getting killed by The Rogue, an online player who has no connection to the Frat, but seems to have a vendetta against them.

11) Don’t Put Out The Glow | Not Rated | 15007 words | 🍑

The one where Louis picks up the wrong bag on his way to Paris.

12) Dreams Can’t Take The Place Of Loving You | Explicit | 15496 words | 🍑

Harry’s watching Louis as he stands on a ladder, paint covering his arms and dripping down his legs a bit, when it occurs to him just how bare Louis’ fingers look. He knows exactly what should go there, too, but the thought of doing so sets his nerves spinning.

13) I Put A Spell On You | Explicit | 17525 words | 🍑

Note: This fic has mentions of BH.

A BBC/Secret Santa mashup featuring Captain Niall, our intrepid weatherman/amateur matchmaker, rather clueless sports reporter Liam, charming political analyst Zayn, and cheeky entertainment reporter Louis. Harry is the new fashion correspondent who prefers to dress like a flamingo. And pining. There’s a lot of pining.

14) In a World Like This | Explicit | 19980 words

Just when Louis' given up on love, Niall makes him download Tinder. He's skeptical but he goes along with it. Nothing could have prepared him for the moment he swipes right for Cute Boy in his class.

Or when Cute Boys swipes right too.

And it's an instant match.

15) Then We Talk Slow | Explicit | 20493 words

A famous/non-famous AU in which Louis banters back and forth with his new record company on Twitter, only to find out that Harry is the man behind the tweets.

16) I Wanna Be More Than Friends | Not Rated | 20721 words | 🍑

The one where Harry’s an alpha with no sense of smell, Louis’ an omega who isn’t allowed to scent his best friend, and that’s all they’ll ever be. Obviously.

17) Love Like Wildfire | Explicit | 21774 words

Louis was an Omega and a Prefect. Harry was an Alpha and a little rascal. They were mates, drawn to each other since they first met in the Hogwarts Express. They worked well like that, or at least they tried, which only made their relationship way more interesting.

18) Middle Ground | Explicit | 23561 words | 🍑

Harry moves to a new town for work where he meets the enigma that is Louis Tomlinson.

19) Let Me Make A Thing Of Cream and Stars | Explicit | 24914 words

It doesn't explain why he's lying on the floor, with Harry Styles, of all people, planking on top of him.

As in, seventeenth most influential person in London, pop-star-turned-rock-star Harry Styles. The same Harry Styles who has had countless model girlfriends, left, right and centre. Also  the same Harry Styles who has been the subject of Louis' wet dreams since he was about eighteen.

20) A Whole New World | Not Rated | 24967 words | 🍑

Louis has moved into his new apartment to start his new job as a teacher. Things would be great. If only his arsehole neighbour didn't wake him up every morning by playing piano.

21) Whether Clouds or Clear Skies | Explicit | 25861 words

Louis gets into the habit of stealing baked goods while Harry’s busy keeping tabs on the weather.

22) Always Come Back To You | Explicit | 28862 words

“I’ll do it,” Harry offers brightly. No one even blinks. “I’ll do it?”

Louis sighs irritably. “Shut up,” he orders, tossing a pillow in the general direction of Harry’s face. This is a terrible time for jokes, especially Harry’s lame, old people ones.

Not that it was an old people joke. Just that most of the time Harry’s jokes consist of knock-knocks or terrible puns. The type of jokes old people like, Louis’ pretty sure. His nan always finds them hilarious when Harry tells her one.

Harry bats the pillow out of the air without even blinking. “Be reasonable, Lou,” he says in his most reasonable voice.

Louis is perfectly reasonable, thank you very much, and he’s also frustrated and upset and tired and he really wants to punch something. Maybe he should have held on to that pillow a little longer.

“You’re not gonna fucking do it,” he snaps. “That’s the last thing I need.”

23) Can’t Fool Me | Explicit | 30162 words

AU where Louis hates fraternities and would never be into a frat boy. And one of these things is definitely not a lie.

24) The List | Mature | 32094 words

In the weeks that follow, Harry opens his old journal more than he has in the past two years each time he remembers Venice or thinks about Louis. He always flips to the same random page in the middle of the book, marked by the picture of himself that Louis sent him a few days after they got home. There’s a message on the back that says, ‘Spontaneous looks good on you! See you soon,’ and it makes Harry’s chest warm each time he reads it. He wedges their list out from between the worn pages, and it feels silly staring down at a folded up piece of paper with a strange sense of nostalgia for experiences they’ve yet to have; for places they’ve never even been.

25) I Know How To Whisk (But Teach Me Anyway) | Mature | 32111 words | 🍑

The one in which banana bread just might make Louis change his mind about soulmates.

26) All The Right Moves | Explicit | 32264 words

This is the third game in a row that Harry has been distracted by the noisy boy in the stands, five rows back.

There’s really no reason that he should feel compelled to stare into the audience as frequently as he is, but he can’t help it. This boy is a nuisance. And he’s loud. Even from basketball court with nine other players running by him, shoes squeaking on the shiny hardwood floor, and thousands of cheering college students, Harry can hear this boy nearly shrieking, his laugh more like a cackle than anything.

It’s seriously obnoxious.

27) A Rhythm In Rush | Explicit | 40010 words

Harry is a WWF journalist with big dreams and Louis is a glaciologist that flies helicopters for fun. Greenland is an odd place to spend Christmas, but just maybe, the perfect place to fall headfirst into love.

28) Roots | Explicit | 43233 words

There aren’t many things that make Harry Styles nervous. He’s spent the past couple of years on and off various stages, filled with screaming fans, all chanting his name, loud and adoring. He’s done countless interviews, some even on live, national television, never faltering over his words, answers meticulously planned out, smooth and steady. He’s signed countless autographs, taken just as many photos, and even when he sat in his label’s studio, waiting to see how high up on the charts his single made it, he didn’t feel uneasy or uncomfortable. It’s all been unbelievably fun. No, there aren’t many things that make Harry Styles nervous.

Enter Louis Tomlinson.

29) Tangled Up In You | Explicit | 45152 words

Harry blinks once. And blinks again. And says, his voice dangerous: “Niall, did you get me a mail-order bride?”

Because what the actual fuck. It kind of looks like Niall’s just purchased a person. For Harry.

Niall blinks back at him for a few moments, before throwing his head back and howling with laughter. Harry throws a pillow at him. Hard. “No, what the fuck, Harry.”

“A prostitute then?” Harry also doesn't want a prostitute.

“Of course not!”

“A stripper?”

“No!”

Damn, he’s running out of ideas. He settles for launching another pillow at Niall’s head. Niall bats it away easily, still laughing. “Stop!”

“What did you get me, then?!” Niall must hear the tinge of hysteria in his voice, because he’s pulling himself together, trying to stop himself from laughing.

There’s still a big grin on his face, though, when he says, “I got you a professional cuddler.”

A professional…what. “What?”

30) I Found A Love For Me (Darling Just Dive Right In) | Explicit | 46652 words | Sequel | 🍑

Louis, an omega with very little control. Harry, an alpha with a lot of emotion. Neither of them have any idea what do to with this little thing called love, but they'll be damned if they don't put up a good fight.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

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Consider the Chase Freedom Absolute if you’re attractive for an easy-to-use rewards card.

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— Our editors analysis and acclaim articles to advice you buy the actuality you need. If you assurance up for a acclaim agenda afterwards beat one of our links, we may acquire a baby fee for apropos you. However, our picks and opinions are absolute from USA TODAY’s newsroom and any business incentives.

The Chase Freedom Absolute is a accepted no-fee acclaim agenda that gives you 1.5% banknote aback on all spending with no restrictions. You can redeem banknote aback for anniversary credit, absolute drop into a U.S. account, allowance cards, travel, or you can boutique with points.

The adorableness of an absolute cash-back agenda is that earning rewards is passive. You don’t charge to actuate categories or acclimatize your spending anniversary division to aerate rewards; instead, you acquire one collapsed amount every time you swipe.

Learn added about the Chase Freedom Unlimited

This agenda may be ideal for shoppers who are new to rewards and those attractive for a affairs afterwards bags of accomplished book to decipher.

The action of earning and redeeming rewards is as accessible as swiping, accession points, and again cashing them in for anniversary credits, allowance cards, and more. Banknote aback never expires, and you can redeem banknote aback at any time no amount what your antithesis is.

And if you acquire a big-ticket acquirement on the border and charge a few added months to pay it off, you could booty advantage of the addition APR offer, which includes interest-free purchases for 15 months.

Need advice award products? Assurance up for our anniversary newsletter. It’s chargeless and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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You acquire an absolute 1.5% banknote aback on all spending with no limits, and 3.5% banknote aback on condoning Lyft rides through March 2022, bringing the absolute rewards amount to 5%. Plus, as of this publishing, Chase will accord you a $150 annual if you absorb $500 aural the aboriginal three months.

Cash aback becoming is tracked in points, and one point is anniversary one cent. While you acquire the advantage to boutique with your rewards, you’ll get beneath blast for your buck: At checkout, one point is anniversary 0.80 cents.

The Chase Freedom Absolute could accomplice able-bodied with a revolving class agenda like the Discover it, which gives 5% aback in alternating categories up to $1,500 per division and 1% banknote aback on aggregate else. With these two cards in your wallet, you could aerate banknote aback in the 5% category and again acquire an added 0.5% for added purchases.

Say you acquire the Chase Freedom Absolute and the Discover it, and you absorb $3,000 for the quarter, with $1,500 in the 5% class and $1,500 alfresco of the category.

You would acquire $75 in banknote aback on your Discover it for the class shopping, and again $22 on your Chase Freedom Absolute agenda for the added purchases. With this bifold agenda strategy, you acquire the abeyant to arbor up about $100 during that quarter, and again an added $75 because Discover offers a dollar-for-dollar match the aboriginal year.

Chase Freedom Unlimited

With the current offer, you’ll get 0% APR for the aboriginal 15 months on new purchases afore a capricious absorption amount applies. To sweeten the deal, new cardholders get a adulatory three-month cable to DashPass, a DoorDash anniversary that offers chargeless aliment commitment from acceptable restaurants. Afterwards the three months are up, you get a 50% associates discount for addition nine months.

The agenda additionally comes with Zero Liability Protection, which agency you won’t be captivated amenable for crooked charges, and Chase monitors artifice to advice you accumulate tabs on your anniversary activity.

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Plus, your purchases are covered from blow or annexation for the aboriginal 120 canicule (up to $500 per affirmation and $50,000 per account), and items you buy with the agenda may additionally authorize for an continued warranty.

There’s two big competitors that additionally action flat-rate banknote back—the Citi® Double Banknote and Quicksilver® from Capital One®.

The Citi Double Banknote offers 2% banknote back on all spending with no anniversary fee. You acquire 1% when you accomplish a acquirement and addition 1% when you pay the bill. The Citi Double Banknote offers bisected a percent added in banknote back, but you’ll acquire to consistently pay your absolute anniversary to aerate your rewards, contrarily the absorption you arbor up may abate the rewards.

Like the Chase Freedom Unlimited, the Quicksilver from Capital One offers an absolute 1.5% banknote back on all spending with no anniversary fee, and it matches the ancient $150 annual if you absorb $500 aural the aboriginal three months.  But if you’re attractive to add a agenda that comes with no adopted transaction fees, the Quicksilver checks that box, and additionally offers biking blow insurance.

The annual of a flat-rate agenda is the befalling to acquire banknote aback afterwards accepting to anguish about activating or managing categories. But on the cast side, you don’t get the befalling to acquire 3% or 5% in an absolute arcade category.

If you absorb a lot of money in assertive areas—e.g., travel, gas, dining, corpuscle buzz service, or barn clubs—you could rake in added banknote aback from a category-specific agenda that rewards you for that shopping.

Of course, a class agenda may appear with tighter affairs restrictions, but the tradeoff is you could get perks (like adulatory upgrades or biking insurance) and a college acknowledgment for assertive spending. This is abnormally accurate for airline and auberge rewards cards. And if your grocery bill has afresh grown, there are added options to acquire added there, too.

We acclaim this as one of the best cards for new homeowners because you can aerate banknote aback while authoritative your new abode a home—and get a little jerk allowance with interest-free purchases for added than a year. Hello, shiny new refrigerator.

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It’s additionally one of our top cards for families because it has a simple collapsed rate that you can use to advise teenagers how acclaim cards and rewards programs work.

The Chase Freedom Absolute should be a top adversary if you’re attractive for a low-maintenance card. It’s free, and it’s accessible to acquire and redeem banknote back. You don��t acquire to be cardinal either—just bash the agenda and credibility will be added to your rewards balance.

If you acquire a ample ancestors or a continued drive and you absorb a lot of money on advantage or gas, you may appetite to accede bond a class agenda with the Chase Freedom Absolute so you can earn added than 1.5% at the pump and aback you accomplish grocery hauls.

Learn added about the Chase Freedom Unlimited

Please note: The offers mentioned aloft are accountable to change at any time and some may no best be available.

Reviewed has partnered with CardRatings for our advantage of acclaim agenda products. Reviewed and CardRatings may accept a agency from agenda issuers.

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/reviewedcom/2020/07/16/chase-freedom-unlimited-review-cash-back-rewards-all-your-shopping/5445604002/

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High-tech adorableness accoutrement acclimated to alone be begin in one place: the dermatologist’s office. But over the aftermost few years, face and anatomy accessories accept become added accessible—and alike added able than your in-office treatment. From laser to microcurrent technology and contouring gadgets, accessories are alteration the way we amusement our bark and body. Below, acquisition 15 allegiant adorableness accoutrement that don’t crave a derm appointment.

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DERM-APPROVED

$125.00

Lancer Skincare’s new microdermabrasion apparatus brings the dermatologist’s analysis appropriate into your bathroom. The device, which appearance a diamond-encrusted tip, uses a vacuum-like assimilation to  addict abroad asleep bark from all over the body in an instant. With anniversary use, the apparatus increases claret breeze and promotes corpuscle turnover, alike in hard-to-reach spots like the ankles and elbows.

AWARD WINNER

$325.00

NuFace’s toning accessory is as abutting to an at-home face lift as you’ll get. In aloof one treatment, you’ll apprehension added lifted, contoured bark acknowledgment to affable microcurrents, which accent and bind the anatomy in your face (aka a conditioning for your face).

AWARD WINNER

$125.00

These derm-approved stainless animate sticks are absolute for reducing inflammation, convalescent circulation, and perking up the skin. Pro tip: stick them in the freezer brief to de-puff and curve your face in the morning.

4 DERMAPORE Accelerated Pore Extractor & Serum Infuser

$99.00

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With affable vibrations, Dermaflash’s two-in-one accelerated apparatus pushes serums abysmal in the bark and extracts adamant chock-full pores. The different spatula tip makes it accessible to get hard-to-reach areas by the nose.

AWARD WINNER

$220.00

This contouring apparatus from Japanese cast ReFa can instantly sculpt from head-to-toe. Solar-derived activity emits ablaze microcurrents that activate anatomy so you can actually carve cheekbones in minutes.

6 Adorableness Stamp Micro-Exfoliation Tool

$50.00

Microneedling is the abutting best affair to Botox. By biting tiny holes in the skin—which account apparent trauma—your collagen assembly will accelerate in response. Plus, it will advice your luxe serums access that abundant deeper.

7 LUNA 3 for Acute Skin

$199.00

This handheld sphere, made for post-gym cleaning, thoroughly washes your the face in one minute and comes with a agnate app for guided cleansing. An added bonus: the silicone actual prevents bacilli from architecture up on the brush.

8 Empress Stone

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$65.00

If you’re accessible to booty de-puffing to the abutting level, ability for a Gua Sha tool. Opt for this Wilding stone, which appearance a textured ancillary to accouterment accomplished curve and wrinkles and a arced ancillary to abate deepening of the face.

DRUGSTORE DEAL

$26.69

You can action abscess anywhere and everywhere with this compact stick, which uses LED ablaze analysis to ambition breakouts and abate inflammation. The UV-free, FDA-cleared accessory is pain-free and affable abundant for acute bark (a win-win). 

10 Infinity Beard Removal Device

If you absent your accepted laser appointment, don’t fret: This handheld accessory uses (painless!) ablaze analysis to abort blubbery hairs at the root. And it works on all bark tones and beard colors (most IPL accessories don’t assignment on darker bark tones or red and albino hair).

11 SpectraLite Faceware Pro

$435.00

Treating yourself to the multi-benefits of LED ablaze analysis has never been easier with the (hands-free) Dr. Dennis Gross mask. This FDA-approved accessory utilizes a aggregate of red and dejected LED ablaze to target fine lines, wrinkles, redness, and acne. 

DRUGSTORE DEAL

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$4.99

Searching for the abstruse to baby-smooth skin? Look no further. This dermaplaning apparatus is a fine brand that acclaim removes acceptable fizz and asleep bark to acknowledge brighter, softer skin. Don’t balloon to alter the brand generally to abstain a addled exfoliation (which is accessible back Revlon’s backpack comes with two).

13 Nano Current Device

$495.00

If you’re a microcurrent novice, the ZIIP Adorableness Nano Current Accessory makes it accessible to road-test the technique. Whether your affair is aging, acne, puffiness, or blah complexion, the handheld apparatus shows results t in aloof one use. We adulation that it works in bike with an app to accommodate step-by-step instructions.

14 Gold Bar

$195.00

Not alone does Jillian Dempsey’s Gold Bar attending chichi on your vanity, but the 24-carat gold apparatus lifts and sculpts the face with affable accordance that actor an in-office treatment.

15 Aira Facial Steamer

$84.99

Turn your bath into a spa with this carriageable facial steamer. Therapeutic beef works to bathe bark and alleviate sebum, so you can added calmly remove toxins and impurities. Use afore abrasion your face for a deeper, added able cleanse. 

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Le Mouvement Final - Spoiler Free Report *Warning - long ass post.  I went to see the musical in Tokyo 4 times this year! I had only planned on seeing it 3 times, but well... 😅 Before my first show I got my nails done at my usual place, Cocotte in Harajuku. I asked for the planets (/moon) for each senshi plus shooting stars for the lights. To see more of Mashima’s incredible work, check out his insta! He paints every tiny detail by hand with itty bitty brushes.  Wednesday, September 13 I went to this show by myself, but was able to meet up with the lovely @redcat36 @miniaturephantomprincess and @clockworkangel ! Everyone was super sweet and it was wonderful to be able to share the myu experience with fellow international moonies who were just as crazy for the cast as me.😆 This was also the fateful day in which I made the mistake of buying just enough can badges to get myself hooked. My seat was in the 6th row on the left side (facing the stage) so my view was good other than occasionally having a few things blocked by cast members or set pieces. I’m very glad that I wasn’t alone in how much crying I was doing throughout the show. Everyone around me had tissues out and you could hear sniffling throughout the theater. That evening Hinari played Chibi Chibi, and you could hear the whole theater squeal when she first appeared on stage. TOO. CUTE. 💖 Poor Shuu had a lot of mishaps - she flubbed one line, her suspenders popped off, and she almost missed touching Sayaka’s hand during THAT scene. After the show there was a Starlights + Kakyuu sendoff, which went by WAY too fast. I later learned I could slow it down a bit and am sad I didn’t do this for the Lights, but alas. After the show we waited outside the theater to say goodbye to the cast. Hinari gave everyone high fives (AWW) and the Lights stopped to talk to people for a bit! Saki shook my hand and noticed my Kuma Crafts Star Yell necklace and said my Galaxia + Animamates t-shirt was cool.💚 Friday, September 15 This time I went with my good friend @kaikinapela  and once again met up with the other girls. This was one of the “fanclub service days” which I have to say was a disappointment. The possible prizes were a photoshoot with the cast, a signed pamphlet, or... a sticker. As you can probably guess, we all got the sticker. I think they could have done better for a third prize, especially considering the sticker was the same image as the flyer. They could have at least given us an original photo! We did, however, miraculously manage to get first row seats through the fanclub! The picture of the stage above is from that seat. I’m not sure it quite does justice to how crazy close we were. The actresses were all about 2 feet in front of my eyes, it was insane. Several times I got distracted from the show by just staring at whoever was in front of me. This is when I learned that Kobayashi Yuka (Seiren) has a belly button piercing lol. This day I also had AMAZING luck with can badges - I managed to pick two signed ones! Rimo and Kaede💛💚  This night Chise was playing Chibi Chibi and she got just as much of a gasp from the crowd at her adorableness. She’s much smaller than Hinari! During the curtain call I managed to catch eyes with Meiku and Mirai. Airi, who is the most adorable ball of energy on the planet, waved at us twice and made a heart with her hands in our direction.💖  She’s too cute! My friend has been trying to catch Yuga’s rose since 2013, but was sadly thwarted again - she did get an apology look from Yuga in return for her disappointed face, though.😉    Saturday, September 16 Same group of girls for this show! This time @kaikinapela and I were seated in the 10th row in the center (right behind ROOT, the former Jadeite, incidentally). Once again I had crazy luck with can badges - this time I pulled 3! Yume, Satomi, and Saki! I still can’t believe I got my two favorite characters (Venus/Healer) and SATOMI. Yume’s signature says “Thank you very much! Let’s meet again!” and Satomi’s says “Satomi Cosmos.” The others signed their name and did a doodle. 💖  We were back to Hinari for this show. I have to say, she was my favorite (more on this later). Though I loved being so close to the stage for the other two shows, this was the first time I fully appreciated all of the visual effects. I hope everything comes through on the DVD. After the show there was a sendoff from the Inners, and this time I at least managed to properly make eye contact with each of them as we went by.  Monday, September 18 This was my bonus show. I hadn’t managed to get tickets for it online, but loved the other shows so much I had to try to get into the Tokyo finale. I waited in the insanely long line for the same day ticket lottery and drew “awaiting cancellation (#5).” This means I was 5th in line to get a ticket if someone cancelled. I thought for sure this meant I wouldn’t get in, but no! I managed to get one of the folding chairs they added behind row 6. It was incredibly uncomfortable but WORTH IT. This meant I was in front of an aisle, which is a good place to be on the last day. During Moonlight Densetsu everyone but the villains, Cosmos, ChibiChibi, and Moon (with her giant wings) ran out into the audience. At first no one was coming down our aisle, but I made sure to hold my yellow light high and Rimo saw! She came down our row for high fives. 💛 Later Mikako made a second pass and came down our aisle too. ♥ When everyone returned to the stage to wave and bow, Rimo pointed at me, waved, and blew a kiss! I almost didn’t believe she was aiming at me since she was on the opposite side of the stage, but I was the only yellow light around. 😭 💛 　That evening the inners + Tux gave short speeches, and I could see Meiku trying not to cry.💔 　Poor little Chise just looked bewildered the whole time. After the show I managed to talk to all 3 of the Lights! I was wearing my signed Healer and Venus badges, so Saki gently patted her own badge and then flicked Venus in the face.😆  Meiku was very surprised when I complimented her singing - she doesn’t seem to be very confident, which is unfortunate because she’s very talented. Riona also noticed my badges and asked if I shipped Yaten/Minako. When I said yes, she said “What about Taiki/Ami?” I told her I love them too, and she wondered if she had forced me to say it (she did not). She asked me to wear a Mercury shirt next time.💙  I also met a few other lovely international moonies that evening, but sadly I don’t know their tumblrs! If you guys see this, message me! Thanks to trading with friends, through twitter, and at the venue, both @kaikinapela and I managed to collect a full set of badges! 

Overall Impressions I would rank this as one of the best musicals of all time - including the classic Bandai era. I will admit to being biased because the Stars arc is my favorite, but they really pulled out all the stops. The entire cast was amazing, even those who had small roles. Singing was fantastic across the board - the inners have improved a lot and all of the new cast members were great. While it was sad not having Karin stay for the “last” (last!?) musical, Mirai did a great job and was a strong singer. I think everyone will be especially blown away by Galaxia and Kakyuu (who is once again an opera singer!). If you’ve listened to any of Isuzu Coco’s music through her twitter, her Galaxia voice is so different! Much deeper and more powerful.  Poor Sayaka seemed to be sick during the Tokyo shows - her voice got progressively weaker and more hoarse. Hopefully she recovers by the finale!  The set and visual effects dramatically improved with Amour Eternal and this musical continues that trend. Hotaru does some impressive running up and down moving stairs in her Eternal Moon costume, all of the attacks are projected, and we again have part of a scene projected as a video on stage. You’ll see all the Sailor Crystals float away, which adds another layer of emotion to those scenes.  Both actresses playing Chibi Chibi were adorable, but Hinari won out as my favorite. Being a little older she was able to speak all of her lines clearly (Chise’s speech was muddled) and she showed a lot more emotion in both her movements and expressions. I’m glad she’ll be on the DVD performance. A few things were different each show (details in my spoilery post to come), so I hope some sort of compilation ends up on the DVD!  There were lots of throwbacks to the Bandai era as well as a few references to the past Nelke era musicals. I think overall in tone this was a nice blend of the two styles - there was a lot of humor added and plenty of references to specific anime scenes, but the overall plot was manga oriented and gave proper weight to its serious moments. They find smart ways to keep the whole cast involved throughout the show, despite everyone being killed off pretty quickly (I don’t consider that a spoiler since it’s a manga plot point).  Everyone is going to LOVE Cosmos. I was seriously shocked by how much Satomi had improved at singing. Taking lessons with Coco and Asami seriously paid off. They found a really touching way to give her a bit more story time than she had in the manga, and I think they’re quite clear about who she really is in this canon.  This musical had a TON of original music - only two previously used songs made an appearance, and both in shortened versions. “Celestial Born” was made into it’s own song (it initially was part of “Shuketsu - Yume no Atsumaru Basho” during Amour Eternal) and “Music of the Spheres” is used briefly in battle. They save the throwback music mostly for the post-musical curtain call show, which I appreciated. For the first time since the revival of the musicals I loved ALL of the songs (Amour Eternal comes close). One of my few complaints has been the abundance of “talk singing,” where long lines of dialogue (often ripped straight from the manga) are set to awkward, stumbling melody. There is little to none of that this time, and far fewer songs are interrupted by long bits of dialogue. Hopefully sales of the Amour Eternal CD will be good enough to entice them to release another soundtrack - this time with a lot more music.  They weren’t kidding when they said everyone has a moment to shine. I fell in love with Nyanko and Mouse, despite them having such small parts. Miraculously, even with all the dying and with an enormous cast, everyone was given enough to work with that they were able to truly embody their character. If this truly is the last musical, I’m going to be super bummed that this cast doesn’t get at least one more opportunity to show off how amazing they are. 

[yawnjockey]

Two stories, an ending within an ending. Presented by the NAT club.

‘A’ is for Audience. ‘A.D.’ is for Assistant Director.

There are two stories on Pretty Little Liars. One is the story we know, which originated with ‘That Night’, which will be resolved either in 7x19 or early 7x20.

 The second story will be revealed in the “twist” ending of 7x20. 

 The first story will wrap up why the girls have been targeted, and explain what happened that night. It will cover all of the Hastings and DiLaurentis drama, and whatever this has all been mounting up to. The second story will explain that much of what the girls have been through was actually engineered and staged. 

 Someone has been setting these girls up from the beginning. And not for the reasons that we think. Not just for revenge, but also for entertainment. 

I have put off writing this theory for actual years, because I still don’t know how to put it in writing with any eloquence. Because it is really so all encompassing, but if you’ve been reading my blog for any real time, you’ll see I’ve been hinting around it since at least season 4. As we inch ever closer to the end, I start to feel like there’s more reason to believe it’s possible, so I guess now is the time to commit it to writing. It’s like a much more tolerable version of the “It’s all a book”/  “It was all a dream” ending, because it doesn’t dismiss the actual story, but rather incorporates it. 

Here are the highlights of the theory.

1. The NAT club (”Nos Animadverto Totus” meaning “We See All”) is still very much active, and profiting off of the ‘A’ drama. 

2. What began as a group of teenagers filming unsuspecting girls, has now grown into a full fledged entertainment empire. 

3. In 3x06, Jason confides in Spencer that he believed that Garrett and Ian may have been paying girls to set up their friends to be filmed. And he believes that someone was paying them to film specific stuff for them. 

4. This was the beginning of the NAT empire. This went from a few pervs filming girls undressing for their own entertainment, to a semi scripted, semi interactive live stream. There are people who pay a pretty price to subscribe to the service. They have input as to what they’d like to see next, and some are even regularly interacting with the girls on behalf of the rest of the ‘Audience’. 

5. The girls story arc for the NAT Production began on “That Night”. It’s the night that Ali faked her death, to get the story rolling. Ali is was fully involved from the beginning in setting the girls up for the NAT, as Jason suggested in 3x06. 

This entire ‘A’ thing was born out Ali’s quest for fame, and an appetite for money. “The First Secret” was Ali testing the girls to see if they’d perform the way she anticipated. 

A scene from ‘A is for Answers’, Ali tells about the first time that Ezra brought her to the Fitzgerald Theater. 

*Ali walks up on to the stage, and gazes out at the empty house*

Ali: “Wow. I get it.”

Ezra: “Get what?”

Ali: “It’s hard to explain.” 

Ezra: “Try me.”

Ali: “God. Imagine being up here, with all those people who love you.”

Ezra: “i think that’s called adoration, not love.”

Ali: “I could be an actress.”

Ezra: “Could be? Well I hate to break it to you, but you already are. The way you tell your stories with with such conviction. I think you’ve convinced yourself that half of them are true.”

Ali: “Well if you can’t convince yourself, why should anyone else believe you?”

6. Naturally the existence of this service is not just common knowledge, since being a subscriber would actually make them accessories to a crime. My guess is that some people have even been blackmailed into participating in the Activities, or risk having their membership in the NAT revealed publicly. 

7. Many of the dramatic scenarios that have happened to these girls were staged, almost like a theatrical production. I refer to the ‘major’ episodes. The events of the Halloween Train (3x13). Everything that happened in New York, including Ezra’s rooftop shooting, in ‘A is for Answers’ (4x24). The events in Ravenswood in “A Grave New World” (4x13). Of course, Charlotte’s reveal (6x10), The School for the Blind (7x10),  and the place where I first found it to be most obvious… the events of The Dollhouse. 

8. This means that the girls were seldom in any actual danger. Any danger that may have surfaced would have been from someone outside of the production jeopardizing them, or the production going wrong. I am not suggesting that EVERYTHING is fake, but that there is a controlled narrative for these girls. 

9. “The Game” that Mona, Charlotte and ‘A’ always reference, is a direct part of that. The game that the girls are playing now is a result of it. There are spectators to this game, like some kind of voyeuristic sport. 

10. This also accounts for why no one ever seems to stay dead in Rosewood. Most, if not all deaths were faked, using the drug that CeCe told Ali about in 6x10. The one she supposedly used to drug Ken And Jason. It honestly, would not surprise me if everyone that died over the last 7 seasons showed up in the finale to take one last bow. 

11. I Believe the Carissimi Group is not actually built on Charlotte’s Wall Street brilliance, but rather as a front for the NAT. 

12. This plot would be something like a combination of a “Black Mirror” episode and a couple of movies. Most notably “The Game” directed by David Fincher, (If you’re up for spoilers you can read a summary of the twist here.) for the twist ending, and it being ‘a game’. “The Truman Show” for the controlled narrative and surveillance aspect. And though I haven’t seen it… the interactive aspects might resemble the dares from “Nerve”. Just to give you an idea what I’m thinking. 

13. I think it’s pretty obvious who I think is in charge here. If you’ve read anything on my blog, I am a huge “Ezra is A’ believer. And in this case, I’m inclined to believe that he is A.D. He is the one working the situation from a ground level. I have rehashed reasons that Ezra is ‘A’ so many time son my blog… I won’t even go into it there.  But he is absolutely trying to actively sway these girls to his agenda every time he interacts with them. 

But who’s really in charge? Jason. 

NAT was his idea. Nearly everyone else involved with NAT is ‘dead’. He inherited the controlling interest in the Carissimi group. And he ‘always liked Aria’s pink stripes’. The same pink stripes she is made to put back in in the dollhouse. The same pink stripes her character has on the gameboard piece. 

Bonus: We all know that Marlene has cast herself into the finale. And we’ve joked  a time or two that she is probably A.D. because of the way she’s being torturing us. It would be so in Marlene’s line to show up in the finale, and introduce herself as the Executive Producer of the NAT production. Literal character self insertion. 

Also, heavily involved: Mona ( Like at a top level.) Ali, Lucas, Toby, Jenna, Noel, Wilden, etc. 

Maya was a part of it too, but may have thought about revealing herself to Emily, and that’s why her character had to die. 

Clues:

1.Props.

 We see props reused all the time, which makes sense. This is a TV show. But it also makes sense if this is a staged production. Follow what I’m saying? 

Remember that giant clown head that (clearly) had a camera in it, when Aria was shooting photos in the junk yard? The head turned to follow her, and to me it was extremely obvious that there was a camera in there watching her. Well, that SAME creepy clown head showed up in the School for the blind in 7x10. 

Then there’s this old tweet from Oliver Goldstick, where he’s clearly calling attention to the fact that they’re reusing props. 

And my favorite thing, which i regret that I cannot find…is a tweet that was put out by someone in the props department after the Dollhouse finale aired. And the person tweeted that something along the lines of “we put it right in front of you in the first few minutes. We couldn’t have made it more obvious.” And the first few minutes of that episode were the girls are recognizing that their room was entirely fake. Fake chairs, fake doors, fake books. 

There have been many instances where props were either clearly recycled, or completely overused. Where it literally felt like the props department just dumped everything that they could find to make a set look “creepy”. And some sets have been so overdone that draw attention to themselves just for that. 

2. Remember in 3x21… where Toby’s death is faked… Emily goes to his house looking for him, and sees a guy pull up to the house in his truck. The guy explains that he “Works with Toby” and hasn’t seen him in a few weeks. She later receives a message from Toby telling her to “Stop looking” and that he’d meet her. She’s then given directions Olivia Dr.  A person in a Red Coat leads her to this workshop. Emily confronts the guy that she saw at his house, and asks if he’s seen Toby. He tell’s her that he hasn’t. 

But Emily never told this guy her name, and she can’t imagine why he would know who she is. But he would know her name if he was involved in the production, wouldn’t he? 

Also, remember the great theory about how the people in this workshop were actually building the girls rooms for the dollhouse?

3. Cameras. No matter the reason why, we can all agree that there is absolutely no way that ‘A’, ‘Uber A’, ‘AD’ or ‘Amoji’, could ever have pulled off half of the timely messages they do if they weren’t pretty much constantly watching these girls. 

Through out the series we have been shown a variety of cameras that have been used to watch the girls. Whether they are the multitude of cameras Ezra used, the cameras in the dollhouse, security cameras both in Radley Sanitarium and The Radley Hotel, The cameras that I am 100% convinced were hidden Aria’s dolls, that clown head camera, Lucas’ “Security system”… not to mention the times we’ve seen someone sitting at a ‘lair’ keeping up with pictures or footage of the girls.  

4. Eddie Lamb

Where’d he go? The last time we saw Eddie Lamb, he was trying to make contact with Ezra Fitz, presumably regarding his latest interaction with Aria. in 5x06 he is speaking to Spencer about Bethany Young.

Spencer: ‘Did you know Bethany well?”

Eddie: “If I did, I can’t talk about it.”

Spencer: *sees the security camera where Eddie casually just gestured* 

“Right. Okay. Do you maybe want to get coffee later?”

Eddie: “I can’t talk about Bethany or any other patient. Not to the cops, or reporters, or you.”

In the episode where Spencer is first admitted to Radley he acknowledges that he “likes his job” and that the only way to keep it is to keep your mouth shut. 

So what if the reason that Eddie suddenly disappeared is because he wasn’t sticking to the script? He recognized Aria as one of the girls from the NAT videos, and became a potential problem for the show? So he was paid off or blackmailed and told to leave the area. 

5. The Kahn Party stamp

 I’ve spoken about it before, and just recently. But I firmly believe that the “traveling parties” that were apparently hosted by Eric Kahn were most definitely related to the NAT club. The stamp was a picture of an eye, and the parties were secret. It could be a party just for those involved with the production. Which would include…

6. Holden Strauss

Look, guys, its no secret that I think Holden is more than a red herring. As I recently explained here, I think he was with Emily the night that she dug up Ali’s grave. And he’s back in Rosewood, and conveniently a chef at a wedding planners. Holden had a lot of nothing to impart to us recently except to say that he recently saw Aria on TV. We can argue about why she might’ve been on TV, and there’s certainly been occasion with everything that’s happened… but I just find it so odd that he mentions seeing her on TV, when we haven’t.  If Holden is actually a member of NAT, as I feel both his presence at Sputnik’s Diner, and his entry into the Kahn parties indicates… then he would have seen the ‘show’ pick back up after the time jump as well. 

7. Jenna

I think the binder that Jenna got in 7x11, wasn’t just an explanation of the A game, but a script of sorts. A sort of manual for what was supposed to happen next, and what role she was supposed to have in it. 

8. Money

Where Does ‘A’ get the money to pull off some of the elaborate messages they have sent? Where do they get the skill? Either they have a wealthy backer, or they are the wealthy backer. 

Can we agree that Charlotte’s story was bullshit? If so, her being a Wall Street Wiz, is also highly unlikely.  So where did her fortune (Which was later inherited by Ali and Jason) come from? 

Mothertrucking Ezra Fitz. let’s talk about his weird finance situation. How you affording limos and Armani on a teacher’s salary? Where’d that money in your sock drawer really come from? How could you afford to buy The Brew when you were an unemployed teacher? 

9. Marlene/cast interviews

At Paleyfest when asked about the NAT Club, Marlene and Co. Were so quick dismiss it. They basically said “Ohh what was that? I forgot all about that.” Like it never existed, and like it was probably not a big deal.

They’re really trying to keep our ending a surprise this time. You can really tell from mar’s twitter feed, and the interviews. The girls are being fairly tight lipped, Marlene is saying things like “I don’t want to spoil it”, when asked kind of broad questions on twitter, and even Keegan hasn’t been putting out any hints. I think that they tried to delicately squash any NAT theories by acting like it was an old, dead storyline. But way back in season 5, Marlene swore that there was a lot more to those NAT videos, and that we’d see them again. 

10. Theater imagery/ terminology and the use of puppets/dolls

-Ezra directing a highschool play about the nature of evil.

-“Shadow Play”. The episode is not only an homage to film noir, but a reference to a form of puppet play. It contains scenes of Ali as some kind of a stage performer. 

-”Twelfth Night” is at one point taught by both Ezra and Ali. 

-Ezra’s family theater was “his special place”.

- The stage in 5x25 was a cabin, not unlike the one where Ezra took Aria, and where his lair was. 

-Ali and Spencer dance to “I’m Your Puppet” in Radley, and we’ve repeatedly heard reference to the way the girls did whatever Ali told them. 

-Aside from the dollhouse there’s an almost infinite amount of times the girls have been referred to as dolls. Being toys for them to play with and orchestrate pretend lives with. 

-The above mentioned scene where Ali talks about being an actress, combined with “That’s immortality my Darlings” and that she keeps her diaries because her friends will need them when she’s gone.

11. “You know why I chose you, don’t you?” Ali to Aria

12. Deaths

Either when someone dies, we don’t see their body at all or we don’t see it til their funeral. OR if we do see them die, it’s in a questionable or confusing way. I’ll be the first to point out that, while I loved Noel’s death, I wouldn’t be at all surprised if hes still alive. Just for the complete unlikelihood of someone having their head chopped clean off by a stationery ax. Even though we actually saw it, that death felt like the most fake one yet.  

Season after season these monumental moments get more and more over the top.  Like they want us to think “This is ridiculous! Even by these standards, this is impossible!” 

OK, so I do have more examples, but I’m running out of time to write this, so I’ll end it here for now. But… if you’re open to the idea that this may have been a “game” all along, then to imagine its been watched by others isn’t that far of a stretch. 

[guylty]

Confession: I don’t have any side dishes, collateral attractions or ‘guilty pleasures’ besides my one and only crush. I’m not a Whovian, either, but if I had to pick a favourite Doctor, it would probably be number 10. There’s something about David Tennant – apart from the delicious Scottish accent (check out this *fantastic* audio drama played by Tennant and Emilia Fox – I’ve heard it a couple of times and it is brilliant!) and the fabulous acting (I loved him in Much ado about nothing) – he came across as such a genuine, *NICE* bloke in WDYTYA. If you haven’t seen that yet – here are a few clips from that show.

In any case – I think Tennant is a noteworthy actor, and when I realised that he was on stage in London during my business trip, I immediately bought tickets to the show. The tagline on the show’s poster does not lie: Don Juan in Soho is the raunchiest, naughtiest play I have ever seen on stage. But boy, is it good, and funny, and fast-paced. And Tennant is just brilliant in the lead role – arrogant and abrasive, cajoling and compelling, you just want to be adored by Don Juan, even though you know he will spit you out the moment he has had you. His speech for hedonism as an expression of self, and his rant against social media, are almost sociocritical, and the little jibes against Trump were welcomed by the audience with much laughter and applause. The whole role – even though a comedy – takes guts, I think. Using that language (including the C word), engaging in some rather ‘lewd’ acts on stage, plus some of the politically controversial lines – not everyone can pull that off, but Tennant really did.

So, anyway, Guylty Pleasure was in town (see above) and watched Don Juan together with Hariclea on Wednesday. And since we were there, we decided to check out the SD. A great opportunity for a seasoned SD-goer like myself to see the spectacle from the perspective of an uninvolved onlooker – and to compare the experience with the previous occasions when I waited at the SD for Richard Armitage. This is what went down:

Hariclea and I were in no great hurry to get to the back of Wyndham’s Theatre, so by the time we rocked up there, the fans had already gathered along the metal barriers outside the SD. It’s hard to say how many people were there – maybe 70? The mood was relaxed, yet excited. On the wall outside the theatre a few notices informed the fans that the actors were only going to sign material that was related to the show, i.e. tickets, posters or programmes from Don Juan. After waiting 5 or 10 minutes, one of the security guards came out and gave a little speech. He pointed out that David Tennant was hosting some guests post-show in the theatre, so there was a) no guarantee that he would come out to sign, and b) if he did, they did not know *when* he would come out. However, he promised he would keep us informed so that we would not have to wait unnecessarily. Then he asked people to be considerate and friendly. David would sign one piece for people, or take a picture. “You are all here for the same reason, so please move out of the way once you have received your autograph, so that those behind you have a chance to get their autograph/picture, too.” I really appreciated that little speech from the security – just because it set the tone for the whole occasion, and because it not only laid down the rules but also took the fans seriously. Rather than making us feel like a nuisance, it reacted to the fact that fans by and large gather at the SD to show their interest and appreciation – something that is to be seen as a gift, not a threat.

Some of the younger cast members came out and left quickly, then Gawn Grainger, who plays Don Juan’s father. He sweetly took his time to chat with fans and sign autographs. Adrian Scarborough, who plays Don Juan’s sidekick Stan, was out next. Standing right at the back of the crowd – as a mere onlooker I didn’t want to take away the space for the *true* fans – I could hardly see him. But he signed his way from my corner of the assembled crowd back to the SD, and posed for pictures with fans. David Tennant’s arrival was announced by much cheering and whooping from the crowd, and he again made his way to the far corner of the assembled crowd, immediately launching into signing and posing for pics. At 1.85m (6’1″) he rose above the crowd, and I was able to get a few pics of him on my phone.

Again, Tennant also signed his way back to the SD, and from the metadata on my pictures I can say that the whole procedure took about 6 or 7 minutes. Once he went back inside the theatre, the crowd dispelled quickly and Hariclea and I took a nightcap in an adjoining pub.

The following night I spontaneously repeated the experience because to my surprise I had found out that our fellow fan Judit was in town and had tickets for Don Juan on Thursday. So I met her after the play, and we joined the SD once again. The procedure was much the same as the previous night, with roughly the same number of people in attendance, I think. This time there was no speech prior to the SD proceedings. However, there was a little bonus appearance – gorgeous “Capt. Jack Harkness” from Torchwood had been to see the play and visited DT afterwards.

Saw my lovely #DavidTennant in #DonJuaninSoho really amazing. See it if you can next week is their last week. #laughoutloudfunny Jb pic.twitter.com/DHEZUoGDsA

— John Barrowman MBE (@JohnBarrowman) June 1, 2017

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js He came out the SD and briefly joked with the crowd before heading off into the night. (I totally love Barrowman, btw. There’s a celeb who *loves* interacting with people, you can tell, and who has no fear of touching and being touched.) And then it was actually Tennant who showed up (no Adrian Scarborough) and proceeded to sign and pose as he had done the night before. I think he took a bit longer that night, yet of course there was a big sigh of disappointment once he turned to go back inside. Judit did not get to see much of Tennant as we were at the back once again. But I held up my phone again and caught this:

There was an amazing buzz of energy about Tennant, I thought. Something very energetic and lively, almost hyperactive. (Although that might be a normal reaction after just having been on stage and presumably still surfing high on adrenaline). He smiled and posed and said thank you and smiled brightly again, moving along the long line of his fans. Occasionally I could hear his voice (although not what he said), he was bending down to smile into cameraphone, and to me it looked as if he was doing his best to give his fans what they desired. It’s hard to describe, but I felt a positive, cooperative vibe from him, which I think is also evident in the pictures – in the way he inclines his head to hear his fans, the way he bends down to pose for pictures, and in the smiles that look genuine, not forced.

So, two non-fangirling SDs under my belt, and what an interesting experience. It was quite different from how I previously experienced the SD. As my regular readers know, I have been to a few of them when Richard Armitage played Proctor in The Old Vic’s The Crucible, and I had the pleasure of seeing Love Love Love in New York last year. I really enjoyed the David Tennant SD experience – possibly more so than the Armitage SD. For one simple reason: I was uninvested. It didn’t matter to me whether I was going to get a signature or a photo; I could relax and just observe, no mad heartbeat because *OMGmycrush* *he is there* *gasp* *he looks sooooo gooooood* *OMGILoveHim*… Really, the SD is not good for a fangirl’s heart. With RA, I never really feel like saying anything (beyond a polite “You were great in this. Please sign here.”), and I tend to be so nervous, I can’t even look the man in the eye. Much like a 15-year-old school girl meeting her crush. Thinking about this, it makes me wonder why I am putting myself through this *at all*… OTOH there *have* been a couple of RA SDs where I stood back and observed rather than take part, and those were quite enjoyable, too, because I had given up on the expectation of getting an autograph or a word out of the man. So the conclusion may simply be, to change my SD mode to background ogling lurking rather than seeking interaction. It seems much easier to get a *look* in, than an autograph…

And there may be also a difference in how these two actors, for whom I have queued at the SD, “perform” at such occasions. I don’t mean this as a value judgment, but it seems to me that Richard is a rather more reluctant SD participant than Tennant, flummoxed at the attention directed at him, and unwilling/unable/too humble (??) to receive the “gift” of goodwill from his fans? I don’t know whether Tennant *thrives* on the SD encounter with his fans, but to me it looked as if he was able to take the SD not just as something where he is *giving* to his fans, but also as an opportunity to recharge his own batteries with the admiration and positive feedback offered to him there. I can’t deny that what comes across to me as Richard’s “SD reluctance”, makes me sometimes feel slightly guilty about waiting at the SD. As in: by being there, I am adding pressure on him to put on an SD show that he doesn’t really enjoy. I certainly react to what I perceive (which may actually something different than what other fans perceive), and that has an effect on my enjoyment of the SD… in Tennant’s case it was unreservedly positive.

So, overall, a really nice 6 minutes, even if we had to wait at least twice as long for that conclusion. But Tennant is worth the accolades, the attention and the wait. A great actor – and a pretty cool bloke, too. I think I will have to catch up with his back catalogue now.

PS: No worries, Richard is still #1, though 😉

    OT: Observations on the SD with #DavidTennant Confession: I don't have any side dishes, collateral attractions or 'guilty pleasures' besides my one and only crush.

[anythingstephenking]

Drive My Car

After months without turning a single page, I am crusin’! Man I am really on a roll! If you haven’t guessed yet, I am making car puns, as we dive (drive?) into Christine, the killer car story King promised his publishers would come after Different Seasons.

(Side note: while reading I make notes on my phone of pages to reference back to, cause only a real monster dog-ears pages. My notes on Christine read “crusin’…. on a roll… think of other car puns.” I didn’t.)

Although Wikipedia claims this book was published in ’82, it was actually released in ’83. Really letting me down Wikipedia. But happily I move into the next year of King books, and one step closer to catching them all like they were a buncha Pokemon.

This cover art is the tits. Also, the author’s photo on the back! Lastly, the inner cover with SK initialed in red and gold, like Gryffindor for serial killers.

This book has no preface or afterword, which is where I usually learn all my fun facts, so I did a bit more digging (nay, googling) for the backstory on this guy.

Well I couldn’t turn out much of interest. Sorry to disappoint. The story must have just appeared in King’s brain one day. I did love that the book was dedicated to George Romero. I have enjoyed learning all about King’s friendships, and imagine they all get together once a month in some kind of bizarro-minds-club, play cribbage and gripe about how everyone thinks they’re weirdos.

Posted without comment.

Each of the 51 chapters starts with a song lyric about cars. If you’ve ever listened to Car Talk, you know the list of songs about cars is long. I recognized the Bruce Springsteen ones. It was a throwaway device IMO, and just made me feel bad for the intern that had to work to get the rights to use 51 different song lyrics. King actually calls this out in a brief Author’s Note on the copyright page of my “Book Club” edition copy, thanking specific folks for helping him get the rights. OK, I guess I forgive you Stephen. Kisses.

On the surface, Christine is a story that is part killer car, part demon possession and part star-crossed lovers. I know, right? 

Christine tells the story of Arnie Cunningham and his car Christine. Annie is your run-of-the-mill nerd. He’s got bad skin and has never done anything his parents wouldn’t approve of. His best bud Dennis is decidedly a cooler cat - he plays football so that means he’s automatically elevated to a higher class.

One day Arnie sees Christine, sitting broken on the lawn of an equally broken house and decides he has to have her. Men (eyeroll). He buys her from the owner, Roland LeBay and off he goes to a local garage to fix her up.

Dennis is almost immediately unnerved by Christine. Rightfully so, since the car goes on to kill a bunch of people.

Then along comes Leigh Cabot, the new girl in school. All the guys have the hots for her, but she’s only got eyes for Arnie. For once, the pretty girl picks the nerd, and it doesn’t really go all that well for her. Pick the quarterback the next time honey.

So Arnie and Leigh are an item, and Leigh also hates Christine. No one can quite put their fingers on it, but a rotten smell runs through her interior and the radio seems stuck on the 50’s rock station. Dennis and Leigh are plagued by nightmares of Christine coming to life.

And suddenly the engine began to rev and fall off, rev and fall off; its a hungry sound, frightening, and each time the engine revs Christine seems to lunge forward a bit, like a mean dog on a weak leash… and I want to move… but my feet seem nailed to the cracked pavement of the driveway.

King takes his time to build the story up, as he so often does. Christine doesn’t claim her first victim until halfway through. Until then you’re stuck with this looming sense of dread, knowing terrible things are coming. Every time Christine’s headlights turned on by themselves I muttered “oh... no “ to myself.

It’s not enough that Christine comes to life and runs people over (even manages this feat on a guy who is inside his house), but Arnie begins to take on characteristics of the previous owner, Roland LeBay. Since Roland was a real grade-a asshole, this doesn’t sit well with his friend, girlfriend or family. He becomes more and more like LeBay, until there’s no nerd left. Watching Arnie fall apart is heartbreaking.

But past the surface, Christine is a story of the pains of growing up, which isn’t really a new theme for King, who came of age himself in the 50s. And so often with King’s stories of teenage agony, and even when the story takes place in 1978, the 50s are lurking.

Before Arnie’s demise, he makes off-handed comments about how his parents know that having kids remind them that they’re going to die. Pretty grim stuff.

And Dennis has this revelation while out in Christine for the first time:

I was surprised by a choking panic that climbed up in my throat like dry fire. It was the first time a feeling like that came over me that year - but not the last. Yet it’s hard for me to explain, or even define. It had something to do with realizing that it was August 11, 1978, that I was going to be a senior in high school next month, and that when school started again it meant the end of a long, quiet phase of my life. I was getting ready to be a grown-up, and I saw that somehow - saw it for sure, for the first time in that lovely but somehow ancient spill of golden light flooding the alleyway between a bowling alley and a roast beef joint. And I think I understood then that what really scares people about growing up is that you stop trying on the life-mask and start trying on another one. If being a kid is about learning how to live, then being a grown-up is about learning how to die.

And these kids learn their lesson.

In some ways, Christine felt like a stronger coming of age tale than The Body. I was really rooting for these kids.

7/10

First line: This is the story of a lover’s triangle, I suppose you’d say - Arnie Cunningham, Leigh Cabot, and, of course, Christine.

Last line: His unending fury.

Added Bonus: King said in an interview about Christine getting killed and perhaps coming back to life (35 year old spoiler, sorry!): "All I can think of would be if the parts are recycled, you'd end up with this sort of homicidal Cuisinart, or something like that!” 

Hardy Har Har! I might not be scared of cars but I am now scared of my food processor.

Adaptations:

Christine The Movie was the quickest turn-around from page to screen of any King movie, which began filming just as the book was released. The producer was a friend of King’s, and signed on before the book was published. He had his pick between Christine and Cujo, and chose Christine because Cujo seemed “too silly.” For real bro? I mean, they’re both great stories but I would tend to think of a rabid dog as a more serious threat than a sentient car that love Buddy Holly songs and blood.

1983 was a busy year for King movies. I’ve lost track since I am reading the books chronologically but not watching the movies that way. I’ve already watched some spectacularly bad King movies, but at this point in 1983, the movie-going public had only seen Carrie, Salem’s Lot and The Shining. Given the popularity of 2/3 of these movies, I bet everyone in Hollywood wanted their hands on the rights to a King story.

In 1983 Cujo, The Dead Zone and Christine all hit the big screens in August, October and December, respectively. I don’t know for sure but if I had to guess, that was too much King.

So, if you expect a whole lot of a John Carpenter movie about a killer car, well then, that’s your own fault. This movie was a lot of fun. As with so many King movies, his storytelling and character building just doesn’t translate to the big screen. The screenwriters seemed to not even care to try, boiling the main characters down to stereotypes. Arnie rocks giant glasses with tape across the arch; Dennis wears his letterman jacket; Leigh’s got great legs. Christine rolls around killing people that cross Arnie. There’s little mention of LeBay or his backstory in creating (or at least encouraging) Christine.

Instead, there’s the film’s opening sequence to explain Christine’s origin, which I just adored. Christine’s rolling along the production line in Detroit, the sole red car in a sea of white. A line worker attempts to open her hood, and it promptly clasps down on his hand. All while George Thorogood’s Bad To The Bone plays. Just on the nose, great start.

Unlike the novel with its clear themes of friendship, first love and looming adulthood, this movie is about one thing and one thing only - a killer car. Which is really ok. John Carpenter does his best and there’s some suspenseful moments with Halloween-esque sound effects. Whenever someone is pissing Christine off she locks her doors and Little Richard starts singing from her stereo "Keep a knockin' but you can't come in.” Christine catches on fire and still manages to run someone down, setting him on fire in the process. I’m not much a fan of big action sequences, but knowing they used almost 30 cars to make this and everything was filmed sans CGI made me appreciate it more.

Before I go, quick notes on the cast. Kevin Bacon was set to play Dennis, but chose to do Footloose instead. Good call, past Kevin Bacon. So they cast this guy, who is basically a poor man Kevin Bacon.

Leigh is played by Alexandra Paul, who would go on to rock a rad red swimsuit on Baywatch. Kelly Preston has a small role, and would go on to play the role of a lifetime as John Travolta’s wife. Rounding out the supporting cast was Robert Proskey (who I remember as Mr. Lundy in Mrs. Doubtfire), and Harry Dean Stanton who has basically been in everything.

Next up is Pet Semetery, which is (Chris Trager voice) literally my favorite King. My goal is to get through It before the new movie comes out in September, which means I have six books to get through in 3 months. So (spooky voice) I’ll be right back!

[beimanorthrun-blog]

Writing a good profile for a dating site

3 Ways to Write a Good Online Dating Profile Relocating for the right person is definitely an option.  You will only be doing yourself a disservice.  Another cliché statement that is being used by thousands of other women A great date can be staying at home with a movie and popcorn, or a night on the town.  He finds a way of standing out by incorporating an anagram in his profile—very witty and original.  You also seem to be implying that if a guy is a serial killer or a bank robber that he is going to list it in his profile.  If he likes the photo, he'll read the ad.  He is down-to-earth and romantic yet has a nerdy side.

25 Prompts for Writing a Great Online Dating Profile — MenAskEm Another issue with playing it safe and trying to cast a wide net is that you force the girl to switch her screening process over to depend more heavily on superficial things like looks, height etc.  You believe that sarcasm is a spice of life.  My friends could better answer this for you.  We help non-computer nerds with their online businesses.  First, meet a guy, then decide what you want out of him.  When you find yourself talking in generalities, look for a specific example, or, even better, a story.  Consider the factors that make you unique and indicate them in your dating profile.

Online Dating Tips What was the last concert you went to? Make use of their blogs, help pages, live chat features, and pop-ups, which will let you know things like your About Me section is too short or your main photo is too dark.  Take the quiz for instant enlightenment! About You: You are curious about the world around you.  It shouldn't be a novel consider this a bonus tip! Your essence shines through the details.  Don't use the crutch of describing your job and moving on.  First, your partner is going to meet you eventually.  Worse, they will know that you were dishonest, ruining any chance for a good start to your relationship.  Beer selection, the music, loosening up guests when they first arrive, etc.

3 Ways to Write a Good Online Dating Profile I do have a bone to pick with his profile, well a few bones.  Or the great debate of green vs red Tabasco, do you want the heat or the flavor? I enjoy meeting new people and going to new places.  Well, that is a little about me if you are interested say hello and we will chat.  And what made you weak in your knees from joy and pleasure? Here are ten things to never write in an online profile: 1.  Resist the temptation then to use an old, flattering photo because it will only cause you problems in the long run.  The three things which I am most thankful for: My brother and sister, and the adorable kids they let me spoil.  Hiding who you are hurts you in two important ways.

10 Things to Never Write in an Online Dating Profile According to EliteSingles members, the worst common photo mistake is an image that is too revealing.  The eDatingDoc is to the rescue… I love to live an active life and explore.  His answer to the question about the person that has influenced him most is genuine, and showcases his values and the kind of man he has learned to be.  Members who talk about themselves in an original way are more likely to get attention.  I am absent-minded, laid-back, and dash-friendly… You are beautiful, kind, compassionate, intelligent, witty, wonderful, giving, generous, self-assured, modest, humble, outgoing, shy, etc.  Talk About Your Passions, Not Your Hobbies Another comment mistake that people make when writing their dating profile is to list the activities that they enjoy without giving any context.

3 Ways to Write a Good Online Dating Profile Twelve years ago, I took a chance and wrote a personal ad.  Talk about the experiences that have made your life unique.  I am willing to entertain any reasonable offer.  If you're 42 but look 32, say so or let your picture do the talking.  In the end, this profile says essentially nothing.

How to Write a Bio for a Dating Site: 5 Steps (with Pictures) There are plenty of sites for them.  Try an ad that consists entirely of your favorite movie dialogue or a list of beloved fictional characters.  Not sure how other dating sites do it though.  And some of those same people have spelling mistakes and bad grammar in their profiles! They paint a picture of a unique person, with passions, experience and an abundant personality.  If you win my sweepstakes, you will automatically win a chance to do these things with me as well.  If you have been out of the dating game for a while, putting yourself out there is a big step.  Commitment-phobes and flakes need not apply.

How to Write an Online Dating Profile — (10 Good Examples For Women & Men) Is it highlighting your best qualities? I like public transportation and wandering around cities.  Top Tip: Another is to keep it updated with new and interesting content of your life.  Avoided being bitten by vampires, but yes, they do have them there.  I would rather be a rock star then a movie star.  Never indulge the inner narcissist.

Dating profiles: three awesome examples you can learn from The boldest thing that I have ever done has to do with my first internet date—she lived in Romania and I flew there to meet her I was entirely convinced that she was my soul mate… I was young.  Even if you think something is funny and meant lightly, it will not be well received.  You'll find a collection of 100 conversation-starters.  We know each and every person has the ability to be charming.  Just as a guy can get bored sifting through profiles so does a girl.

3 Ways to Write a Good Online Dating Profile They are, simply put, fun to be around.  Seeing them, climbing them, smelling them.  Seriously, what does that even mean? I am looking to a meet an intelligent, beautiful woman for dating and relationship.  But how real are you, and how content are you with your real you? Want interesting messages from interesting people? Showing compassion towards others is a very positive character trait that will win you points with women.  After you read you should be ready to apply this advice and write your own great dating profile.  Whoever is drawn to that is good for you.  What more do you think they should reveal? If you really want to meet someone who loves sailing because sailing is your passion, that person who also loves sailing is already hooked as soon as they read that sailing is your passion! Being a little random and irreverent can be good.

[argocitycosplay]

Slimer watched the sad clown join H.P. Lovecraft as he was chatting up Captian Marvel. Behind us, drunk furries chased each other. This is the sort of thing that can really only happen at ConCoction.

I got out of work later than last year but still had hopes that i could make the opening cermemoniesif I stepped on it. When I rushed into the Bertrem I saw to my dismay that the line for registration was almost out the door. A man worked the line with a bowl of choclates, handing out Dove mins to everyone.

“Long line triggered the candy bonus,” he explained.

I got my badge too late to make the Opening ceremonies so I headed back to the car to pull on my Ghostbusters coveralls. I shrugged the proton pack on and tossed the gloves and goggles into the monkey head. I noticed that breathing was difficult due to the poor ventlation in the large mask and didn’t want to get into it until I’d gotten inside the building. Knightmage sotted me as I was wandering in and headed over to greet me and look over the costume.

“Tracy the Gorilla,” he said shaking his head. “Man, that’s obscure. Did you just see the monkey head and think Tracy?”

“It was in the back of my mind,” I admitted. “But a gorilla suit is also one of those things you should just HAVE in your closet – like a little black dress.”

Tracy of course was the third member of the original Ghostbusters from the 1975 TV show  starring Larry Storch (Who I met a year or so ago) and Forrest Tucker. When Filmation made thier Ghostbusters cartoon, they stated that the characters were the grandsons of Storch and Tucker, but that Tracy was the same gorilla. I wanted to mash it up so I decided to up Tracy in a proton pack and coveralls from the ’84 movie (though I added a t-shirt with the filmation logo under it, one extra touch), integrating him into the  Columbia Ghostbusters as well. ‘Mage circled me to check out the pack as I pinted out the christmas lights and laundry detergant caps  that made up the prop. He laughed as I excused myself to head inside.

Living inside the Gorilla head was similar to wearing Mr. Freeze. I had to keep moving to keep circulation going in the mask otherwise air would get stagnant. I was right to make Concoction the premire for this suit though – it’s one of the few places that would really get the gag, and boy did they. I caught my buddy Jason as well as connecting with Nicole and spotting Annye and her husband Zeke on the other side ofthe hall. Wandering in to the art show I head Vanessa’s voice pipe up “I know who’s in that costume!”. It’s always good to be at Concoction. Much like Cinema Wasteland, it’s home. Even if there’s no familiar faces around, yo ucan talk to anyone. It’s one of those very few places where the words “Mind if I share your table?” dosen’t fill me with dread. I ate with strangers several times in the con suite chatting abotu the day and the goings on. In the corner, a rack full of battered old sci-fi paperbacks was available to browse. That’s one of those things I love about Concoction – the books. That heavy literary focus helps it feel a lot like the Star Trek conventions of the 80’s. Roger Zelazney ut it best in Nine princes in Amber – “It makes me feel comfortable and secure to have walls of words, beautiful and wise, all around me. I always feel better when I can see that there is something to hold back the shadows.”

I had my own book with me, a copy of my battered old “Dreams ofthe Raven” by Carmen Carter, but honestly, I barely touched it. During lunch, my table mate and I listened to the energetic conversation going on next to us.

“See, Scooby Doo dosen’t ever interact with anyone else on the team.  That’s because he dosen’t actually talk – it’s just that Shaggy is high off his gord the entire time! And anyone who thinks Daphne and Fred are together is nuts. Fred is asexual – he’s totally oblivious. Daphane is one of those spoiled rich girls – she’s just there to play with him and break his heart. He looked like someone she could manipulate like that. But man, she HATES Shaggy…”

The volume occasionally elevated to near shouting. I looked over at my tablemate. Like mine, her eyes were wide in disbelief behind her tablet.

“This is the best panel of the weekend!”

Back in the actual programming, I sat in on Knightmage’s Cosplaying for Charity panel. Halfway he paused to shake his head laughing at me, sitting in the back.

“The gorllia just keeps…STARING at me!”

“I can fix that!” I exclaimed and brought down the Ecto Goggles, covering the unblinking gorilla eyes.

“That’s not better!”

As the evening wore on I wandered over to the comedy showcase. Concoction is the only other convention I know of besides Monster Bash that includes stand up comedy and I always dig it. Two of the comics were late so the host kept us entertained with cat videos on  the projector. About twenty minuets late, the set started. I whipped out my camera hoping to livestream the set (So I could save it later) but once t he material began to involve graphic depictions of The Simpsons knocking boots, I thought better of it. The show started to slow down with the second preformer.

“You know what? Let’s talk about some stuff that you guys are intrested in. What do you want to talk about?”

He pointed at me. I comically looked behind me, making sure he wasn;t refrecing another gorilla. and then pointed to myself in exaggerated motions.

“Me?”

“Sure!” What do you want to talk about? Bananas?”

“That’s a very hurful stereotype,” I deadpanned. The room lost it.

Before I snuck out later the host walked by me and clapped me on the shoulder, telling me I got the biggest laugh of the night.

After five hours in the monkey suit I’d had enough and shed the Ghostbuster look before returning to catch the Confused Greenies do improv games. I knew I wouldn’t be able to stay fo the Saturday night show so I wanted to make sure I got to this one. They started out with a skit about aliens arriving on earth during Carnivale, then went into Whoose line type comedy. Close to midnight, I decided wisdom was the better part of valor, and popped out early, skipping the barfleet party to brave the hour drive back home.

I was back around ten the next day, this time clad in my cumbersonme Slimer costume.I always seem to do themes at Concoction. It’s something that was coincidental at first but now has pretty much become intentional. As much as I like Tracy, I didn’t feel good about entering him in the costume contest. He’s mostly assembled. It’s a wierd assembly, but other than the proton pack, feet  and googles it’s all stuff I bought. Slimer on the other hand, is 100% made from scratch -and he’s not been out nearly as much as I’d like. Still, Slimer wasn’t the costume I was really looking foreward to. I couldn’t wait to see my friend Annye’s Iron Marvel. She’d crafted the Captian Marvel suit out of foam insted of leather and the result was nothing short of spectacular.

We were stked to discover that Guy Allen was set up again in the Annex and headed over there to get some professional photos done (I so rarely get that opprutunity).

I managed to catch some of Jim O’Rear’s panel on horror before stopping over at his table and getting my Dawn of the Dead poster signed. He asked me if I was a Romero fan. I nodded. O’Rear expanded on how Romero was such an influence on him.

“Man, I saw Night of the Living Dead, and it changed everything for me. I was like – this. I can get into this.”

O’Rear ended up at the table with Jason, Tina and me for lunch.

Saturday consisted of the Doctor Who panel,  the costume contests and picking up dragons for the kids. I made sure to grab a photo with Mogchelle who was dressed as Sabrina – my daughter Maddie is a huge Sabrina fan and just discovered the old mangas coming off the new TV show. I found her an old Archie with Sabrinia in it as well. Even the Cat got something. I found an adorable catnip Cthulu for Sparky. It was to my great reluctance that I had to cut out early, but Clue was screening at the Cedar Lee at 9:30 with a live shadow cast and I couldn’t miss it. But I’ll tell you this much; I’ll be back at Concoction next year!

    ConCoction 2019 Slimer watched the sad clown join H.P. Lovecraft as he was chatting up Captian Marvel. Behind us, drunk furries chased each other. 1,492 more words