#“we'd like to score george”

[ratatatastic]

very important questions about the powerplay

post practise interview | 5.16.24 (x)

[captainreecejames]

Tale As Old As Time || My Ex is a Footballer OB38 Edition

links [masterlist] [my ex series masterlist]

summary you have a best friend and a boyfriend, too bad you're in love with the wrong one

pairings ex!cole palmer x reader, ollie bearman x reader

warnings cursing, hate to yn,

notes this was born because i realized that I hadn't written the classic friends to lover trope so here you guys go! also the next one will be george because I've had that one in the drafts forEVER so I want to get it out there for everyone!

july 2023

september 2023

liked by kimiantonelli, olliebearman and others

ynusername Ollie that's 3 wins this season!!! I'm so freaking proud of you but here's a reminder of what you looked like to keep you level headed

olliebearman did you really need to post that last one? ↳ ynusername yes bearboy

kimiantonelli 😃😃 ↳ ynusername be careful kimi

username1 ugh, i love their friendship! ↳ username2 yeah... friendship ↳ username1 she's got a boyfriend that's not Ollie ↳ username2 doesn't mean she isn't in love with ollie and playing with the new guys feelings

December 2023

ynusername posted a story -------

ynusername posted ------

liked by olliebearman, bsfinstagram and others

ynusername dates out with you

username11 so she goes out with ollie the night before and now her man... yn they could never make me like you ↳ username12 for real!!! that was clearly a date with ollie last night so she had to post with this mystery man

olliebearman does cole let you win like me? ↳ colepalmer nah mate ↳ colepalmer oh fuck ↳ olliebearman oh fuck ↳ ynusername you both are idiots

username13 COLE PALMER IS DATING YN LN????? ↳ username14 did not have that on my bingo card for 2023 ↳ username13 seriously does she go around collecting sports prodigies?

username15 wait, ollie lets her win in chess? (pouty face) ↳ username16 ollie bearman plays chess????? ↳ olliebearman only with yn ↳ ynusername and contrary to popular belief he only let me win once

username17 not ollie exposing yn and cole ↳ username18 and cole had to really back it up by commenting ↳ username17 if Ollie had just deleted his comment none of this would have happened and we'd still be speculating

january 2024

ynusername posted a story -----

march 2024

ynusername posted -------

liked by scuderiaferrari, charles_leclerc and others

ynusername HOLY FUCKING SHIT YOUVE JUST HAD YOURR FIRAT FORMULA ONE RACE AND YOU SCORED POINTS! I'm so proud of you and this whirlwind of a weekend. Nowhere I'd rather be than supporting you here.

username20 oH MY GOD YN JUST ADMIT YOU'RE IN LOVE WITH HIM!! ↳ username21 that hand holding picture???? that is not just best friends i am sorry

olliebearman thank you so much for flying out on such short notice YN! ↳ ynusername you know i had to when you're dad called me!

charles_leclerc congrats again to ollie ↳ ynusername charles!! you were amazing as well

carlossainz55 where's my appreciation? ↳ ynusername thank you carlos for getting appendicitis and then needing it removed so ollie could make his f1 debut and also thank you for showing him around ↳ carlossainz55 you're welcome!

kimiantonelli well done to Ollie, and you yn for surviving that race ↳ ynusername it was hard but I had david with me to help ↳ kimiantonelli ahhh, love david

username22 she really flew out on saturday to be there? yn please

username23 need cole palmer to realize that she really doesn't care about him

June and July 2024

ynusername posted----

liked by premaracing, scuderiaferrari and others

ynusername monza!!!!! featuring some race winners and prema racing or one direction, couldn't be sure

username30 not yn being online enough to know about one direction prema racing>>>> ↳ ynusername i sent that tweet to ollie, it makes me laugh every time

username31 the hand heart??? yn we know what you are ↳ username32 yeah but also she loves charles so idc she can do no wrong now

username33 at least we know that her and cole aren't together anymore

username34 yn magnussen got a race ban!!! is ollie gonna take his seat? ↳ ynusername oh kmags, the fia is just silencing him cause he's too good

ynusername posted----

liked by haasf1team, nicohulkenberg and others

ynusername ollie once again I'm so proud of you! and back in the points as well! couldn't be prouder to call you my best friend and boyfriend

username40 WHAT THE FUCK WE GOT A OLLIEYN CONFIRMATION??

ynusername also you raced alongside lewis hamilton can you get me an autograph? username41 you know what?? she's part of cultLH and I'm gonna defend her forever now

ynusername shout out to kmags for the race ban but I'm gonna miss you next year

username42 OLLIE ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR GIRLFRIEND!!! olliebearman

olliebearman i love you yn, and I'll get you that lewis hat don't worry ynusername best fucking boyfriend ever

francolapinto LEWIS ↳ ynusername LEWIS!!!!! ↳ olliebearman LEWIS!!!!!!!!! ↳ username43 your honor i love them all

[mylifeincinema]

My Week(s) in Reviews: June 9, 2024

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (George Miller, 2024)

Disappointing. It's impossible to not compare this movie to Fury Road. The sad thing is, when you do compare this to Fury Road, every single aspect of it pales in comparison. Anya is really good, here, but just never feels like Furiosa. And Chris Hemsworth is a blast, but he goes full-ham in the most distracting way imaginable. Then there's Miller's direction, which is tedious compared to his work on Fury Road. The structure of the film is awkward, and the pacing is damn-near unbearable, draining the action set-pieces of almost all of the balls-to-the-wall adrenaline in which every single moment of Fury Road was drowning. And the cinematography is a complete bore compared to the eye-melting shots by which Fury Road was almost exclusively composed. All that being said, on its own, Furiosa is not a bad movie. Unfortunately, however, it's impossible to experience it on its own in a world where the infinitely superior Fury Road exists. - 6/10

In the Land of Saints and Sinners (Robert Lorenz, 2024)

I really like this brand of slow-burn, quietly human, small-town action-thrillers. Add in this stellar cast and that pitch-perfect climax, and this is the best of its kind I've come across in at least the past few years. - 9/10

The Beekeeper (David Ayer, 2024)

Far from good, but just action-packed enough to keep it from being a complete waste of time. - 4.5/10

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (Wes Ball, 2024)

The absence of Andy Serkis felt significant. But other than that, this wasn't bad. Overlong? Definitely. But far from bad. I don't have much to say, really. The mo-cap work was fantastic, and there were some really interesting/exciting set-pieces. The cast were pretty solid straight through, with the highlights definitely being Freya Allan and Kevin Durand, who steals every second of screen-time he has. - 8/10 For Reference... My Updated Scores for the New Planet of the Apes Films: Rise: 7.5/10 Dawn: 9/10 War: 9.5/10 Kingdom: 8/10

I also revisited Peter Jackson's The Frighteners and Christopher Landon's Happy Death Day & Happy Death Day 2U. The Frighteners is every bit as amazing as it was the last time I watched it, except for how poorly the effects have aged. And the Happy Death Day movies were just as fun as they were in cinemas. I really wish we'd get more of that concept and delivery, and more of Jessica Rothe as a scream queen.

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

[eirianerisdar]

Writing this here because I think if I said this on reddit or anywhere else I'd get murdered

I scroll through the F1 fandom with a sort of disbelief sometimes because I've always looked at being a fan of something as just that - being a fan. Supporting someone or something you like. If you aren't a fan of something or someone you don't necessarily have to ad hominem hate their entire existence. You just. Let them be. And support whoever you're willing to support.

Take the F1 grid for example. Do I think any of these people are paragons of faultlessness? No. Do I have my own two or three drivers I root for more than others? Yes. But I don't feel that I need those two or three drivers to succeed at the expense and the condemnation of anyone else on the grid. I go into every race weekend hoping my drivers do well, but if they don't there is genuine happiness in seeing other drivers reach their personal goals.

It's different for every driver. Sure, I'd be disappointed if my own couple faves didn't do well, especially if it was a mechanical or strategy failure or no fault of their own. But in the interim if Hulk or Yuki got their first podium, or Lando his first win, Lewis or George another win, or Alex a podium, or Logan solid points - I'd still come away from the race weekend feeling happy. The list goes on.

Because in the end they all have differing goals because of team or machinery limitations and we're here to see what they can do with what they're given to them. But there are in the end only ten point-scoring positions, and twenty drivers. One driver's gain is another's loss. It's how the sport works.

I think we'd all enjoy ourselves watching this sport more if we took a step back and realised that what makes it the pinnacle of motorsport isn't who's a "better driver" or who "deserves something" over another. It's watching each driver represent the thousands of people who worked to give them one of the fastest cars in the world and to applaud each one when they reach a goal those people all worked towards.

[georgieluz]

Lmao not gonna lie… it’s been a long day and I don’t know if I sent you asks for this particular ask game so please excuse me if I did 😃

1. Who was your first favourite character?

2. Is there a character you liked/disliked at first, but then changed opinion on throughout the show?

3. When did you first watch the show?

4. If you could pick three characters to be on your zombie apocalypse team, who would they be and why?

5. If you had to be one of the Easy boys for a day, who would you be and why? What would you want to do?

7. What’s your favourite quote from the show?

8. How did you find out about the show?

10. Would you ever do the same thing the boys did if you got the chance? Why/why not?

12. What do you think your army nickname would be if you were in it?

14. How many pairs of socks would you bring to Bastogne? [Because, as they say, socks are important!]

15. If you had to have a sidekick that was one of the guys from the show, who would you pick and why?

16. If you had to pick a trait from any of the boys that would be your main trait, which one would it be?

18. If you had to be named after one of the boys, who would it be and why?

19. What song [beside the original scores] do you connect the most with the show?

20. If you have a(ny) ship(s) when it comes to the show, which one(s) is your absolute favourite?

(Please ignore the fact that I basically sent you all the asks in the list lmao… let’s say I’m just really interested in your answers 🙃)

omg louise i thought you'd copy and pasted the whole thing in here at first lmaoo but i love it! okay let's go!!

1. Who was your first favourite character?

my love lewis nixon!! he was my guy from the get go and tbh he'll always be my favourite.

2. Is there a character you liked/disliked at first, but then changed opinion on throughout the show?

never quite as drastic as going from straight up disliking someone to liking or vice versa, but it took a few episodes to fully appreciate a lot of characters just from the structure and ensemble nature of the show. the funniest thing is that when george appeared i genuinely thought 'omg he's gonna be the annoying one, isn't he?' and like i wasn't wrong, but he's Endearing Annoying, not Annoying Annoying, and well, look at me now, i am a george luz enthusiast through and through

3. When did you first watch the show?

i don't have an exact year but i was about 14 maybe?

4. If you could pick three characters to be on your zombie apocalypse team, who would they be and why?

okay here's where we need to get serious about strategy! everyone will pick shifty bc of his skills, but i reckon since i already have a decent enough aim from doing archery, it would be silly to waste a pick on another good shot (sorry, my guy, you are welcome to join our team further into the narrative). so my picks would start with doc roe because c'mon, every zombie apocalypse team needs a medic! then i'm gonna choose george for group morale and being-my-boyfriend purposes. and then for my final pick, i'm struggling to choose between johnny martin for protection purposes and lipton for keeping-us-alive and doc-roe-is-gonna-kill-george-and-julian-otherwise purposes.. i feel like lip would be such a great all rounder choice, he can protect us in so many different ways, both physical and emotional. okay, lip it is. i think johnny would find us so annoying and would just be like "y'know what? fuck this i'm going off by myself". also, during this thought process i just imagined how terrible a me, tab, webster and babe team would be... like we would not last! we'd be the prettiest apocalypse team around but we would NOT survive!

5. If you had to be one of the Easy boys for a day, who would you be and why? What would you want to do?

speirs! because it would be fun to experience being someone that people are scared of for a day bc i'm the least intimidating person ever lmao.. i'd go around terrifying everyone with vague silent threats or just saying the most out of character shit to people, like wishing them a good day and complimenting them, because i think that would be even scarier to hear from speirs

7. What’s your favourite quote from the show?

let me think of this and get back to you because i have too many and really need to narrow it down!

8. How did you find out about the show?

i already answered this one over here

10. Would you ever do the same thing the boys did if you got the chance? Why/why not?

for me to jump out of a plane you would quite literally have to drug me, drag me into the flying tin can and throw me out yourself tbh

12. What do you think your army nickname would be if you were in it?

i already answered this here, but feel free to suggest one if you please haha

14. How many pairs of socks would you bring to Bastogne? [Because, as they say, socks are important!]

answered this one here too, but i will say once again: ALL of them!

15. If you had to have a sidekick that was one of the guys from the show, who would you pick and why?

me and babe would absolutely kill it as the silly lil ginger duo, we'd be so annoying but everyone would let us get away with murder bc they think we're cute

16. If you had to pick a trait from any of the boys that would be your main trait, which one would it be?

i was gonna pick something fun but y'know what i would genuinely benefit from? a little bit of lipton or winters patience and will power bc i have literally zero whatsoever and it's actually annoying as hell

18. If you had to be named after one of the boys, who would it be and why?

i actually don't know, that's another one i'll have to think about!

19. What song [beside the original scores] do you connect the most with the show?

somebody to die for by hurts!! i actually can't listen to the song without thinking about easy and certain scenes now

20. If you have a(ny) ship(s) when it comes to the show, which one(s) is your absolute favourite?

this tends to change with the seasons! webgott and winnix will always have me obsessed simply bc it's so There!!! and honestly, winnix had little gay me internally screaming when i watched it with my dad as a teenager the first time.. but i'm a massive rarepair guy so what i'm absolutely living for is lipluz, ronnix, speirsgrant, spalton (please tell me this is speirs and alton more's ship name.. if not, it is now!), a little bit of winteroe and a side of speirluzton.. i'll never say no to a big plate of baberoe either!!

for this band of brothers ask game :)

[fake-f1-news]

Doing Shit At Red Bull "Blessing in Disguise": Albon to Perez

Williams driver Alexander Albon, who is viewed as either Thai or British depending on how well he's doing, has suggested that doing badly at Red Bull was a "blessing in disguise".

"When I was at Red Bull, being destroyed by Max was obviously very soul destroying, what with my inexperienced ass being expected to compete with one of the greatest drivers the sport has ever seen, and the team being so Max-biased, that it's impossible to get a look in if you aren't an unnamed Dutch driver. However, since being demoted to 3rd driver at Red Bull, then demoted again by signing for Williams, I have since proven that I'm not as awful a driver as I seemed at Red Bull."

"When George of the Russell of Mercedes fame was at Williams, he once claimed that I was "being made to look like an idiot" at Red Bull, and he was right. Look at me this year. I have been commended as one of the drivers of the season, thanks to how many points I've been able to score in this shitbox. Imagine how close to Alpine we'd be in the constructors, if Logan was able to score the odd point here and there as well!"

When asked if he had any advice for Sergio Perez, who appears to be struggling in the 2nd Red Bull, Albon responded:

"Just remember, doing shit at Red Bull isn't the end of the world. Look at me. I was struggling at that team, and just last weekend, I lined up 6th at Monza, next to a Red Bull, before finishing 7th in the race. You could say that doing terribly at Red Bull is a blessing in disguise, as Gasly can also attest to. I mean, it wasn't a blessing for Kvyat, replaced by Max, who won his first race in the car, who then stole his fucking girlfriend, but don't let that distract from my point! Wait, is that Max talking to Lily?!"

[woogly-boogly]

29, 49 + 59

29: Favourite films

1: Hunt for the Wilderpeople is such a great little cozy movie, with a sense of humour that feels like it was curated specifically for me. The story is small-stakes and personal which makes it really easy to have fun, and watching Ricky Baker and Uncle Hector grow to love each other and help each other become better people is really wholesome.

2: WALL-E is such a beautiful love story and it makes me cry harder every time. I don't even know how to explain why I love the movie so much, I'm really struggling to put the words together. I love how much the movie is able to tell us about how much Wall-E and Eve love each other with so little dialogue, instead letting the visuals and music do the talking. 10/10 perfect movie.

3: Mad Max: Fury Road is the perfect example of a simple plot being made perfect by having a fascinating story world and incredibly compelling characters. The action is intense and the colours are dazzling, the score is epic and the vehicle designs are fucking nuts man. If more movies were as creative as Fury Road we'd have a much much much happier society.

Also shout out to Furiosa, that movie was excellent on its own but absolutely enhances the Fury Road too. Thank you George Miller

49: Where I want to be right now

If you mean right now in the literal sense, I'd like to be on the couch playing a game or something but I'm too tired to do that. If you meant more like where I wish I was generally, I wanna be back in my hometown so I could easily see my family and friends.

59: Why I joined Tumblr

I don't remember, but it was probably to test what kinda stuff was getting past the nsfw filter since the 2018 ban. I don't know why I stayed either... maybe it was to see art of games I like.

Them's the answers, here's the questions

[pepimeinrad]

After the intermission we'd continue with season 2:

12. Keyboard Suite in D Minor, HWV 437: III. Sarabande (Georg Friedrich Händel) Welcome to season 2! The Sarabande heard while Stede fights Izzy is actually the one from the soundtrack, but Händel's shows up too, later in the episode. And again a few more times on the OST and in another version at the end of 2x07. Since it's woven through much of S2 I think it fits at the start of the second half very well.

13. Suite No. 3 in D Major, BWV 1068 – II. Air (on a G String) (Johann Sebastian Bach) I could have put this in the first half too since it's already heard in 1x02, but since it shows up more often in S2 and is an important part in Stedes letter-writing, I've put it here instead. For more insight go and find an analysis by Tumblr user amuseoffyre! ;)

14. Concerto For Two Violins And Cello In D Minor, Op. 3, No. 11, RV 565: III. Largo e spiccato (Antonio Vivaldi) Seawitch Buttons getting his tools from Auntie in 2x02 - and it's reused in 2x05 in convos between Ed+Fang as well as Lucius+Izzy. Another rather slow and pensive one, this second half of the concert starts a bit like season 2... tough but interesting.

15. Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92 - II. Allegretto (Ludwig van Beethoven) Speaking of tough and interesting, it gets more intense with this Beethoven that plays in 2x02... Ed+Izzy+gun... whew. The first 20 minutes of this second half... difficult, just like I found the first few eps of S2. But the music's great!

16. Symphony No. 25 in G Minor, K. 183 - I. Allegro con brio (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) Let's escape the tough part of the concert/season like the crew escapes the Red Flag - with this bit of Mozart. I loved the way this was used in 2x03 and I keep loving the crew. Another long one, but I enjoy Mozart enough to want to have the whole thing here.

17. Kinderszenen, Op. 15 - 7. Träumerei (Robert Schumann) Another one that could have been put in season 1, or at least earlier than here, because it already showed up again in 2x03, but to me the most striking use of this is the 'I love everything about you' scene in 2x04. Most other times after only a few bars of this we went into Satie and never heard much of it. In 2x04 it's really big!

18. "Ständchen/Serenade" - Schwanengesang, D 957 No. 4 (Franz Schubert) This one plays quite a few times in 2x05, mostly to illustrate Lucius' state of mind. I was pretty proud that I recognized it as a Schubert piece on my first watch and without any research. Coming up: again a point where I'd rather not have two pieces of the same composer back to back, but it fits best that way.

19. 4 Impromptus, Op. 90, D. 899 - No. 4 in A-Flat Major: Allegretto (Franz Schubert) Ed getting rid of his leathers (confession: I'm not much a fan of them and would have liked him to leave them there...) and getting breakfast in bed for Stede. Lighter than the most of the pieces in this half, and I think that's needed. Like the scene was the main bright spot of 2x07. (I'm only a bit taken out of it, because a part of this piece reminds me of "Wien und der Wein", some Schlager that also stole parts from a Josef Strauss composition...)

20. Waltz Op. 70 No. 2 in F minor (Frédéric Chopin) A short and cute piece that's in the background of Jim getting Olu to talk to Zheng. Mostly on here because I'm a huge fan of waltzes and need one Chopin in this concert.

21. Concerto in E minor per Flautino, RV 445: III. Allegro (Antonio Vivaldi) Another Vivaldi to (almost) finish it off. Here we have Stede and Zheng (and Ed) fighting the English at various points, it scores the hilarious parts on the beach and gets interrupted by Nina Simone for the sweet parts. A nice lively one for the half-finale.

22. (finale, encore, bonus, whatever, it needs to be there!)

Stede Dream / Gnossienne No. 5 I can't have the concert not ending with Gnossienne No. 5. It's so integral to the show and Stede/Ed! So I need a version that's different from the earlier piano-one, and we have that on the OST! Pity that the track is only 58 seconds long, for the finale I need a longer version that includes Ed's cello and lots more of the piano accompanied by strings as we hear it in 2x08 when they read the letter together. Someone would have to compose/arrange that for this all to work...

OFMD Soundtrack Concert

I spent a huge part of my last week looking at the OFMD soundtrack in detail and love the music used in both seasons (OST, post 1920s-songs (Miles From Nowhere is my absolute favourite) and "classical" pieces (mainly for orchestra and/or piano)). It's been a bit of an obsession actually, and I can't stop imagining a big concert of all of my favourite "classical" (and baroque etc, I know) pieces... if only I had an orchestra and venue at my disposal... the 22 tracks (20 really) add up to about 100 minutes. The list of things I'd have them play under the cut:

A Pirate's Life (Mark Mothersbaugh) Yeah, alright, I won't have Joel Fry there to sing it and it isn't a classical piece. But I would want the concert to start like the show, with this. A bit of a gimmick, someone with a guitar just doing this small bit to get everyone in a pirate mood. The last thing all the way down will also be from the OST, more on that when I get to it.

2. Concerto for Recorder and Viola da Gamba in A Minor, TWV 52:A1: I. Grave (Georg Philip Telemann) This is the one piece that always gets me nostalgic for season 1. This is early Stede and his early crew, I always have his voice in my head while listening to this. One of THE OFMD pieces for me, also because it's reused in episodes 1x07 and 2x05.

3. Symphony No. 34 in C, K.338 - 2. Andante di molto (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart) This one is used once in 1x02 and twice in 1x03 - I was debating if I should include it since it's so long and only a small part of it is actually heard in the show. I've added it because I really like it and do find it iconic in those scenes - Stede finding his brand! (and because I feel it fits with the flow of the concert)

4. Sonata No. 2 in A major Op. 2 No. 2, - III. Scherzo - Allegretto (Ludwig van Beethoven) On to episode 1x04 where we get to hear quite a bit of this one over Stede and Mary having to get married. Another very nice piece that always transports me straight into that episode. Overall the soundtrack mixes orchestra- and piano-pieces quite colourfully, which would be reflected in my concert too (would need a very able pianist for it!).

5. Sonata in E Major, Kk. 380 (Domenico Scarlatti) They've gotten rid of the Spanish! I love the whole lighthouse sequence a lot (Wee John makes me laugh every last time) and the crew's joy is transported very well in this piece. Another one where the quotient "bit played on the show/length of the piece" is not that big, but another one that I just really like and find fitting to include.

6. Concerto in A Major, BWV 1055: III. Allegro ma non tanto (Johann Sebastian Bach) Welcome on the fancy ship of not so fancy people... episode 1x05 is one of my very favourites and that whole environment of the french ship is very well represented in this piece I think. There are loads more pieces in the episode that I haven't been able to identify, but I think this one here is the most striking anyway.

7. Gnossienne No. 5 (Erik Satie) Yes, I'm putting this here. There are more than half a dozen other points in the show where this lovely tune is heard, but I want to place it at the 'you wear fine things well' part. To calm down after the fast paced party from before. To make everyone think of that moon that's way too big. And this is the spot where the piano-version of this is heard for the first time anyway.

8. Concerto for 2 Cellos in G Minor, RV 531: I. Allegro (Antonio Vivaldi) Bit of a jump from 1x05 to 1x09, but the episodes inbetween had little material for a concert like this (where there'd be no one to sing Mozart's "Voi, che sapete", that's also why Verdi's "Dies Irae" isn't there either). I love the crew and their various excuses - and find this to be a fun piece that needs to be there. One thing that I've read several times that irks me: I'm still searching for the piece that's playing in 1x03 where Stede almost dies and Blackbeard attacks the Spanish. People say it's this one here, but I've listened to it so often and am SO sure that that's not it. Don't know what is, though.

9. Arabesque, No. 1 in E Major (Claude Debussy) Mary living her best life! I love that we got to see that and love her and her fellow widows a lot. I'm not quite happy with having two Debussy's back to back, but like this piece and like thinking of Mary too much to leave it out.

10. Rêverie, L. 68 - Rêverie (Claude Debussy) I'm a sucker for 'oh shit, I love them!'-flashback-montages and the one set to this piece is a beauty! Another bit that I've watched so often that I see it all in my mind while listening to this. The part where the show jumps to Ed and his flashback to 'you wear fine things well' (like 2:04) always kills me.

11. The Four Seasons - Summer in G Minor, RV. 315: I. Allegro non molto – Allegro (Antonio Vivaldi) We say goodbye to season 1 with another Vivaldi, one that took ages for me to recognize in the show. I knew it was supposed to be there while Stede starts his Fuckery and Kraken!Ed abandons the crew, but for a very long time was sure that that wasn't really it (and a bit of doubt remains). Well, the slow parts are definitely in the show, just to my ear the fast parts sound different. Anyway, it also shows up in 2x06 and needs to be in my concert.

After this we'd have the intermission - and part two will be in a reblog because I've run out of links in this post.

[gigawatt-smile]

Here's the Foreword from the Lockwood & Co Netflix Tie-in Edition. It's basically just The Screaming Staircase but this was also here from Mr Shroud Himself (under the cut):

'A girl and a boy knock at the door of a house in south-west London. It is a fairly modern house and they are wearing modern clothes, but they each have a rapier at their belt, and kitbags full of salt bombs and iron chains. They have come on professional business. They are there to destroy a ghost.

And that, when I sat down and wrote the first three pages of what became The Screaming Staircase, was pretty much all I knew. Who was this pair? Why were there no adults accompanying them? What was the horror that waited for them beyond the door? I didn't have a clue (most of my books start like this, with a single, improvised, scene). What I did know was that I wanted to write a ghost story, that children were going to be my heroes and that, when they came face to face with something nasty, I wanted it to be a fair fight.

The trouble with ghosts, traditionally, is that they hold all the cards. They are nebulous, ectoplasmic and difficult to destroy. They exert great powers of terror over the living. In most ghost stories they also hang out in remote and eerie locations, preying on solitary individuals - people whose greed, curiosity or plain bad luck makes them vulnerable to supernatural attention. In the classic tales of M. R. James, for instance, the victim is usually a bookish gentleman who has been poking his nose into old manuscripts or artefacts that don't concern him. Is it going to be an equal contest when the malevolent spirit shows up? No. You'd put your money on the phantom every time.

I love these traditions, and I certainly intended my ghosts to be scary - that was why I was writing the story in the first place. But I also wanted to shake things up a bit and give my characters a chance.

And so I decided to tweak the rules.

For starters, we'd have an epidemic of hauntings in Britain. Ghosts aren't just to be found lurking far off in creepy man- sions. They're everywhere, threatening death to anyone they touch, and adults can't see or hear them before it's too late. Only certain young people - like my two protagonists, Lucy Carlyle and Anthony Lockwood - have the psychic talents to deal with them. This is vital, but it's not enough to keep them alive.

So I gave them some proper equipment too. The spectral plague has spurred an industrial revolution in ghost-hunting techniques, and each agent goes into the night armed with decent weapons: salt bombs, silver nets, magnesium flares and rapiers of cold, sharp iron. That evens the score a little.

Next, and most importantly, I gave my heroes each other. From the moment I began this first scene, I knew that the relationship between Lucy and Lockwood (along with their friend George Cubbins) was going to be the beating heart of the story. I could hear the energy in their voices - I sensed their personalities, their rapport, their shared jokes. As I wrote my way into the book, I learned more about Lucy's courage, faithfulness and determination. Lockwood's self-conscious charisma was there from the start, as was his air of mystery (he would keep his deeper secrets a while longer). But their skills were complementary. Far from being isolated, they would pool their resources, and so make Lockwood & Co. a match for any Phantasm or Raw-bones that floated across their path.

Finally, I gave them 35 Portland Row: Lockwood's rambling townhouse in Marylebone. It's their home and headquarters. It's where they train, it's where they sleep; it's where they can sit around eating cakes at midnight without a Wraith creeping up to give them ghost-touch. In other words, it's a place of sanctuary - the vital counterpoint to all the haunted buildings they encounter, and in some ways almost a character in its own right.

One of the many triumphs of the Netflix series is its flawless recreation of Number 35, complete with its rapier racks, rows of masks and dusty tables piled with unpaid bills. It was an extraordinary feeling to visit the house on set in Ealing Studios, to walk up the steps, cross the iron line and step straight into Lockwood's hall.

For sheer impact, though, this was nothing compared to that breathless moment when I saw Ruby Stokes, Cameron Chapman and Ali Haji-Heshmati acting together for the first time. All at once, Lockwood, Lucy and George were standing there before me, living, breathing, showing precisely the right rackety camaraderie and charm. Seeing them gave me the same electric charge as when I wrote that initial scene, all those years before.

And, sure enough, this was a fabulous new beginning. together. Since then, I've watched a stunning TV series come Presided over by Joe Cornish and the brilliant production team at Complete Fiction, Lockwood & Co. conjures Lucy and Lockwood's world in all its horror, and its light. It's certainly got plenty of terrifying ghosts in it. But it's also got a lot of friendship, humour, love and loyalty - and these things more than match the darkness. It's why I was drawn to these heroes in the first place - and why I think you'll be happy to walk with them into the shadows too, no matter what is waiting for you there.'

Jonathan Shroud, June 2022

[misha-moose-dean-burger-lover]

*in the middle of a case*

Wise Old Informant™: And based on all that evidence, I think we're dealing with a cult.

Dean: Awesome. But like on a scale of the Paris Hilton fandom to the Thules, where does it score?

Sam: Somewhere in the middle. So probably Illuminati level?

Dean: well except for the demonic science nerds with money pouring out their asscracks and Latin triangles tattooed on their dicks, right? Because that's really not my thing. *looks at Cas for reaction but there are none. Shrugs and laughs himself*

Sam: you're so far from correct, it is really not funny.

Dean: shut up I'm hilarious. You're just being bitchy because you fanboy for the Langdons of this World and cults *laughs, and looks at Cas for a reaction but gets none*

Sam: *bitchface*

Cas: *unaffected* So, do you have any descriptions of their rituals?

Dean: yeah, do you? Are they the sacrificing llamas type? Dancing around bonfires for tentacled aliens? Community orgies? *laughs again, and even Sam has to grin but Cas doesn't bat an eye*

Wise Old Informant™: No, they pray like we do. Different deities though, and way weirder than the ones we pray to.

Dean: are you sure? Because like Cas here is a cousin of Jesus Christ and a bunch of other evil dicks, and they're all sons of the creator, this home-alone called Chuck, who sings suckily in the shower and watches cat videos, but go off I guess

*now, Dean laughs with Sam but not Cas, and the Wise Old Informant™ looks at them worriedly*

Wise Old Informant™: I'm sorta religious, so just not going to react. So yeah, there's a hierarchy. The beginners stand. There's prostrating at the feet of statues. And then there's sitting.

Sam: yes. The most powerful position is on your knees.

Dean: ...that's what she said

Wise Old Informant™: *laughs*

Sam: *annoyedly laughs*

Dean: *proud of himself but Cas is as stoic as ever, so he finally loses it* Dude. what is wrong with you? You're not on a strike! You're allowed to laugh!

Cas: I would, if I, uh, felt the need to.

Dean: *irritated* what, like, angels can deactivate their sense of humor? And well, I think I'm on a roll here! This is comedy gold! Do you think I'm not funny, huh?

Cas: *polite* maybe we don't share the same sense of humor, Dean. If you want -

Dean: I don't need your pity laughs *mentally* challenge accepted.

~

*Dean decides that it's now a matter of his honor, and he'll make Cas laugh, come what may*

~

*while dealing with the Lucifer situation*

Sam: he's possessing some musician now ughhh

Dean: what some of us do for fame...

Dean: *sees Cas listening and takes it a step ahead* I mean, he's basically a Mean Girl now. He craves attention and would possess the President for drama™

Sam: *snicker*

Dean: I mean, think about it! He could just start driving a pink convertible and become friggin' Regina George next

Sam: *bursts out laughing*

*Dean looks at Cas to see if he laughed, but its like he doesn't even bother to react. Not even a smile*

Dean: ...you can do better Winchester

~

*In the middle of a vampire hunt*

Dean: *slicing some SOB's head off* Phew! Its basically routine now!

Cas: *admiring* you're very good at it, yes

Dean: *decides to seize the moment* they're just pretty bad at what they do. I mean sure, you sparkle just fine. But you don't need to shine out your ass for eternity to suck blood, just wear some headgear so that knifes don't slice through

Cas: *zoning out*

Dean: *desperate* heh I mean the only reason Twilight has all these movies is because it was those embassies against some more dumbasses. Throw in a hunter, and it would've been over before Pattinson could've cried out for the wolf with abs, Jake or whatever

Cas:

Dean: *mentally* its gonna take more efforts, but you'll get there

~

*Gabriel is flirting with a random woman*

Dean: *sees an opportunity and charges* for a guy his age, Gabriel sure seems to get laid a lot

Cas: yes *smiles* he has had a lot of practise

Dean: yeah that, and he has all these great lines, being an angel and everything

Cas: like?

Dean: *excited that it might work* oh come on Cas, what's the use of being an angel if you don't use the pick-up lines it brings?

Cas: I see.

Dean: *sees Cas sobering up and tries harder* you know like, the whole array of heaven related ones? "Heaven's missing an angel, I now see why"?

Cas: *serious* why, Dean?

Dean: no, its just a line, don't take it seriously

Cas: okay

Dean: *desperacito* There's more too! Like, like, "Are you my vessel? 'Cause I would love to get inside you!" *waits for reaction*

Cas:

Dean: it was funny, you ass

Cas: but how would that work like I'm a -

Dean: gODDAMMIT C A S!

~

*TFW sees a girl wearing a trenchcoat, crossing the street*

Dean: *mentally* I'm gonna Carpe the Fucking Diem out of this

Dean: LOOK Cas! She's wearing your trench - no, not yours, I mean, one just like it - but hey, guess what that means?

Cas: what?

Dean: you're finally in season

Cas:

Dean: get it? You're like a trendsetter? Your fashion is finally in style?? Get it????

Cas: ...yes?

Dean: *desperacito x 1234500016351903611* REACT TO IT THEN

Cas: OH! I completely forgot! I was supposed to laugh, wasn't I? Sam told me to look for cues when you spoke, but its much harder to know when to laugh when you speak than you think -

Dean: I swear to god Cas I'm goNNA -

Dean: and Sam, we need to have a fucking talk!? I'M HILARIOUS!! I DON'T NEED PITY LAUGHS

Sam: ...Sam thinks you do, Dean

~

*Many gruesome years later when all except Dean have forgotten about the challenge*

Sam: *teaching mode* and now you enter the name

Jack: I get to choose the name?

Sam: uh, go nuts *walks away*

Jack: *typing keenly* A - G - E - N - T B - I - E - B - E - R

Dean: *peeks* seriously kid?

Dean: *struck by a fabulous idea* HEY CAS! Remember the time you and Crowley used those fake-ass aliases when you went hunting behind our backs?

Cas: not really

Dean: *helpless, but too far gone to be brought back* You don't remember??? The Agent Beyonce and Z?

Cas: *grins* oh that. Yes, those were his idea

Dean: *spurred on* he was always an idiot. Seriously a miracle you 2 weren't caught that time! Close save!

Cas: I suppose

Dean: *dying because the moment is so close to falling flat, and jumping to the punchline* I mean, heh, if we'd not showed up, you would've moved on to the next city as Agent Kardashian and West *hopeful for a reaction, as he bats his eyes at Cas*

Cas: *polite* no we were not stupid

Dean:

Cas:

Dean:

Cas:

Dean: *sigh*

Cas: oH WAIT -

Dean: don't say it don't fucking say it. I give up okay? I'm done. I'm so done. I give up. I GIVE UP!

Cas: I'm sorry Dean, I'll laugh -

Dean: nO - I'VE G I V E N U P

~

BONUS

Jack: ...what's happening?

Sam: Sam keeps forgetting how new you are until moments like these happen

~

EPILOGUE

*Sam, Cas and Dean are reading up on archangel lore*

Cas: *to Sam* ...and that is how he uses all 6 wings to his advantage.

Sam: that information could really be useful when we take him on. All you know about archangels is really gonna be helpful Cas, I should write it down. Speak slower

Sam: I can't take all of it at once.

Dean: *tries to resist but can't* THAT'S WHAT SHE SAID *Cas is stoic as ever and Sam bitchfaces him*

Sam: grow up jerk

Dean: bitch *does the armpit cart thing to demonstrate just how grown up he is*

Cas, suddenly: *snickers*

Dean: did you just -

Cas: I - I mean, I just - *begins to chuckle as he replays it in his head*

Dean:

Cas: *rolling on the floor, full fledged laughing*

Dean:

Dean:

Dean: I've been...its been...y E a r s...I mean - this is what makes you laugh...I mean...

Cas: *unable to breathe from the laughing, red in the face*

Dean: ...fArTS, CAS!?

[leam1983]

Christmas Gifts for Naughty People

We spent the afternoon watching Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, Sarah and I eventually reaching the very serious conclusion that Walter would make a great Disingenuous Academic Working With the Bad Guys. He's got the swagger for it, the likeability, the smidgen of Dom energy you'd expect...

The only problem - or perk, depending on how you look at things - is that Sar and I discussed this while the big guy was in earshot. He managed to surreptitiously slip back into his boots and to slip out to Storage, to find one of the old dollar-store water pistols that are part of my parents' old haul of poolside stuff, dating back to when we had a bungalow and an actual yard and I still lived at home. He then spent the rest of the movie ignoring my casual prods as to his slipping out of the apartment. Forgetting about this, I finish the movie and then get up to head to the bathroom.

Within a few steps, I feel something blunt push against the small of my back, and smell Walter's cologne close by.

"Not so fast, Mister Gremlin," he tells me, having shucked on his best British accent. "I've been asked to give you a very particular gift, before I send you off to meet your fate..."

One hand on my shoulder, half to make it seem like he's holding me hostage and half to assist me, he has me turn around. Sarah's quickly thrown her arms behind her back, acting as if they'd been tied together. She's got her best look of indignation plastered on.

"You won't get away with this, Professor George!" she shouts. Walter picked it up, smirking behind his mustache.

"Oh, I believe I will," he replies. "You see, Hitler's Thule Society pays anyone who could further their bid for immortality or immanence quite handsomely. That said, I do think I'll claim a rather different form of payment..."

What followed was probably my first, and to date only sex-focused roleplay instance - which makes it the best one ever by default. There's something strangely fun to imagine that a dinky little water pistol that doesn't even work anymore, all done in garish colors, is actually a period-appropriate Welrod or Luger being pressed to my side. In the meantime, Walter's best impersonation of a smarmy academic manages to make his belittling of my efforts feel somehow affectionate.

Near the end, he's trading hungry liplocks between Sarah and I, in a way that we both know as code from Actual Walter for I love you two so damn much. When he breaks free, however, we realize that he's still in-character.

"I suppose that was passable," Professor George notes, one eyebrow raised as he diffidently looks away. The effect on Sarah and I was instant. We went ballistic, and in the best ways possible.

In the end, we defeated the turncoat archeologist by glutting him with affection. "I can't keep this up," interjects Walter, laughing as he's getting closer to climax again, "I love you two too damn much for this!"

"Score one for the good guys," I murmur, as I try and melt against his side. Walt kisses me as if assent required the deepest liplock he can manage. He moans and grunts in appreciation as he does. The same is offered to Sarah moments later. We feel tasted. Sampled. Savored.

Loved, unconditionally.

The Nazis wouldn't have gotten far, if we'd been involved. The search for the Holy Grail would've probably ended in some ransacked bedroom, somewhere.

[creativearcades]

The Best Arcade Games That Are Worth Playing in 2022

Pizza, our best friends, and some quarters are the only things we miss most about our childhood. We might not be the Genie, but we can grant your one wish! With the same vintage touch, we promise you a gaming experience you won't forget. It can indeed become a reunion if you invite your childhood friends over too!

We don't know what your personal favorite cabinet games were. But we managed to get you a list of some of our most popular arcade games worth playing in 2022.

Enlisting Our Top Arcade Games That Are Worth Every Quarter!

Most Americans approve of this jam as the most dope cabinet games of all. So let’s hear it! 

Space Invaders

One of the earliest instances of a shoot-em-up game is Space Invaders, which debuted in the gaming industry in 1978. The game's objective is to eliminate every alien invader before they descend to the bottom of the screen. The joystick and buttons are used to control the arcade game consoles. The player controls a ship tasked with protecting Earth from an alien invasion. The game is extremely challenging because they get closer to Earth when the player eliminates aliens.

Donkey Kong

Donkey Kong is a game series with several spin-offs and a movie dedicated to itself. It is a game of apes playing around and having adventures on a construction site to rescue a trapped princess. You can call it a simple game that does not take years to master. It indeed had everything it took to become the tremendous success of all time. 

Street Fighter II

If you have never played the game, then also you will immediately understand why it has such longevity. 

Simply choose a unique character like the Brazilian Blanka and go into the city on your opponents. And we are pretty sure you'll be Arcading N Chillin'. Add this arcade game console to your gaming dens or barcades, where people can crowd around the Street Fighter II cabinet, challenging their foes, placing bets, and earning bragging rights. 

PacMan

If you were a gamer in 1980, you were about to witness one of the most pivotal moments in gaming history. With the release of the Pac-Man arcade game, the gaming experienced one of its most significant booms.

The game was a fast-paced maze adventure where the player controlled the titular little yellow circle, Pac-Man. The player had to consume all of the dots scattered throughout the maze while avoiding the various colored ghosts: Inky, Blinky, Pinky, and Clyde. 

It can get pretty frantic avoiding these cutesy foes level after level. Pac-Man can activate the energy dots, causing the ghosts to turn blue, allowing it to eat the ghosts and score even more points.

Dragon's Lair

Those who have seen Don Bluth's films will recognize the excellent cartoon animation in the hit game Dragon's Lair. Don Bluth cabinet game was personally involved in the development of the game, which was released in 1983. Those familiar with quick-time events (QTEs) will recognize where they came from.

Dragon's Lair puts you in the shoes of a knight on the hunt for the dragon's lair's kidnapped princess. Beautiful cutscenes are shown as the player chooses which path the knight takes on his perilous journey.

The House Of The Dead

The House of the Dead, Sega's 1996 release, was an instant classic arcade machine ‘game with all the gory images, ghouls, and zombies. It actually gives you the rush when with an on-rails shooter that puts you in the shoes of one of the two protagonists, Rogan or "G." They must stop the evil scientists while blasting through the army of the dead, similar to Resident Evil.

Players use light guns (controllers shaped like guns) to advance through the story while aiming and shooting at enemies. These foes were unlike anything we'd seen before: fast-moving zombies. Previously, classic arcade machine gamers had only known George Romero's lumbering, slow zombies. This introduced a high-octane, adrenaline-fueled style of play that many gamers adored.

To Sum It Up

It's no wonder some of the most popular arcade games also happened to be some of the first to successfully break into popular culture. Many copies of the top action games can still be yours. Want to know how? Check out Creative Arcades to get cabinet games for your den and to have those nostalgic nights with your buddies.

[callistajoe]

i hope the schoolboard reads this someday.

how is it that people can write such magnificent essays by hand in fine ink, under a time restraint, and receive a perfect score? yes, i can write - i actually love to write - but how do you manage to write the final product in one rapid sweep? my work is not light, nor is it easy, but it's also not heavy, nor is it hard. my words naturally flow to me, that is true - but why can't i write for your prompt? is it because i can't seem to write the way you want me to? is it because i just don't know the topic well enough? or is it because these things just don't really matter to me? i do it all all for that letter grade i seek, which for some strange reason determines the life i'll lead. i don't work based off numbers or stats, nor do i need scientific books or algebraic facts. sure, assignments based on the latter might fill the time, but they don't fulfill my soul. the time spent trying, and only half succeeding, to soak in a lecture leaves my mind to ponder, do these things even matter to these teachers? they're people, just like you and i, but they continue to talk about the same material that's been reiterated since the beginning of time. if we think about the substantial figures in our society - the big and mighty ones like george washington and abraham lincoln may come to mind, and as they do, you'll probably think about their acquired knowledge from years of education, the book-smarts they attained, the experience they had in ruling a government - all of which fostering a significant pedestal in history for them. but, these two aren't within the category of icons that i want you to recognize in this context. it's not those that are revered highly or widely known - certainly not the ones that the commoncore system will dare to speak upon. it is those that spread the love, peace, and encouragement to those around them, it is those who have seen the innerworkings of enlightenment, it is those who offer their practically burnt out torch with those they catch wandering aimlessly in the dark. it is this type of interaction which propels our evolution forward. it is not the iq levels, the sat scores, or knowledgeability about chemical equations that draw us to the light; rather, it is the authenticity within that we have the ability to unveil.. something alike a delicate peony stuck in time, patiently waiting for your gaze to recognize its potential. it will bloom in you at exactly the right time, in precisely the way it should, for your being is a sanctuary that can withhold the most pristine delicacies that nature has to offer... if you so let it. but... that requires time and connection to one's self. i don't think that these organizers of the schoolboard truly care about this, or any of these things, and they are the ones who dictate how we spend a large majority of our time. they can spew up some facts about how the teenage mind works, but they won't even acknowledge what the priority of our learning really should be around. for nobody in this developing society reveres the soul's pleading as much as we seekers do... perhaps the individual teachers might care a bit, but they'll never crack the foundation of the educational fortress. they don't wanna lose their paycheck. that's too much of a mess to clean up after, too bright a flame that wouldn't be easy to stomp out.

we could all use a crashcourse on what we really should be paying attention to, what we should be fostering and caring for... if we put as much time into the growth and healing of our souls as we do towards busywork and meaningless surface tasks, we'd have started to chip away at the iceberg that is evolution.

all i can hope is the schoolboard recognizes that someday, too.

[junker-town]

14 teams we'd love to see Kyrie Irving traded to that aren't in the Western Conference

Please don’t leave the East, Kyrie!

Kyrie Irving has requested a trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers. He doesn’t want to play with LeBron James anymore, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, and he wants to be the focal point of a team.

That’s fine. But please Kyrie, we’re begging you to not leave the Eastern Conference. There’s ... there’s nobody left. Paul George went to the Thunder, Jimmy Butler went to the Timberwolves, Paul Millsap went to the Nuggets, and Carmelo Anthony wants to go to the Rockets.

I, a sports blogger, have a decent enough chance to make the Eastern Conference All-Star team as is. You leaving would mean I have a really good chance. Kyrie, I scored three points on my varsity basketball team. Fam, don’t do this.

Irving’s official list, according to ESPN’s Chris Haynes, includes the Knicks, Heat, Spurs and Timberwolves as the four teams he would prefer to play for. Two of those places sound great! The other are really bad, don’t go there! The Spurs have Kawhi Leonard! He doesn’t even talk, that’s no fun. And the Timberwolves? They just got Jimmy Butler. They’ve had enough happiness.

Anyway, Kyrie, here is a list of 14 teams you should consider playing for (in alphabetical order, sorted by conference) PLUS one bonus team I bet you aren’t even thinking about.

1. Atlanta Hawks

So what they just let Paul Millsap go and now are without any of the starting five that once earned Player of the Week honors. So what they just traded Dwight Howard. You can be their best player! Just like you want! In the East!

2. Boston Celtics

Gordon Hayward just came over, Al Horford is good, Isaiah Thomas is fun!... Wow this is a great place to play in the East, and you have a chance to win!

3. Brooklyn Nets

Ignore the fact that they just got their point guard of the future in D’Angelo Russell and Brooklyn (which is in the East) is the perfect fit!

4. Charlotte Hornets

Kemba Walker + Kyrie Irving. What a backcourt. And if they have to trade Walker to get you, then that’s fine too because you are so good and, most importantly, Charlotte is in the East.

5. Chicago Bulls

Ok, so the Bulls didn’t exactly trade Jimmy Butler for much, and they aren’t particular good, but hey, they’re in the East.

6. Detroit Pistons

I don’t know man, just don’t leave the East.

7. Indiana Pacers

Drawing blanks here dude, just don’t leave.

8. Miami Heat

You want to play here! That’s what the report says at least. You and Dion Waiters again. That went so well last time! Fun times. In the East!

9. Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo. Eastern Conference. What’s not to love?

10. New York Knicks

You can sell a ton of shoes, jerseys, and play with Kristaps Porzingis! Yeah! East!

11. Orlando Magic

East.

12. Philadelphia 76ers

Trust. The. East

13. Toronto Raptors

Yeah, DeMar DeRozan is going to take your shots. Yeah, the Raptors just signed Kyle Lowry. But the West Coast is bad. Trust me. Pick the East.

14. Washington Wizards

The humidity is fine. You’ll love it, Kyrie. It’s totally in the East.

Now time for one bonus team.

15. Cleveland Cavaliers

Think about this: playing with LeBron James ... in the East!