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camarocarfight · 2 months

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LOVE'S THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND

Alastor x Female Reader

Rated Mature for mentions of gore and sexual content. This could be like a 'slice of life' type of thing, but it's more like a kick in the feels.

A hunter.

A hunter had ended it all for Alastor with a single wayward bullet that had shattered his skull and extinguished his life in an instant. The bullet, having struck Alastor between the eyes, had left a single, clean entrance wound that had exited the back of his skull. Bringing with it a trail of blood and brain matter that painted the forest floor around Alastor's motionless body like a halo. Brown eyes, once harboring emotion - existence - were now glazed over, staring listless up at the heavens. Alastor never knew what hit him - his life simply torn from his body. A bizarre hunting accident is what the papers called it.

Accidents are nearly fate misnamed, however.

Never mind the hunter having mistaken a human for a deer. Said hunter was deemed a hero, having killed the illusive New Orleans serial killer that had been evading police for years. The killer that had been the beloved and famed radio host. Leaving the city shocked and disturbed that he had been right under their noses the entire time.

Alastor’s radio program had soared to immense popularity in every aspect of the population. Men enjoyed listening to the current events, kids enjoyed the swinging jazz, and women the soothing tenor of Alastor's transatlantic accented voice when he would sing. Special occasions brought the radio host and his jazz band to jazz clubs and speakeasies, drawing in massive crowds of mostly swooning women. Alastor had been New Orleans’ most sought-after bachelor.

Until he wasn't.

One evening at a jazz club, your friends dragged you to the show. Celebrations were in order, as you and your friends had just graduated nursing school. The atmosphere of the club had been electrifying. People around you danced and sang as Alastor and his band brought the small club to life. Alastor’s radio show had been one you listened to nearly every day, as you were just another girl captivated by his famous vocals. Finally, you could put a face to the name and voice. He was even more handsome than you had imagined; with a charming smile that captivated you and made you blush when he caught your gaze.

The rest of your friends were on the dance floor, flirting and dancing with service men in uniforms. Being quiet and reserved, you sat yourself at a table situated in the corner, but you could still see Alastor. Drink in hand, you sipped idly, lost in thought. A few men had ventured up to you to offer a dance, but you politely declined. Upon seeing such a display, Alastor ventured off the stage and bounded toward your table. Your eyes were wide and cheeks a burning crimson as Alastor pulled you up on stage and the two of you danced the night away. It was a Cinderella story that the town talked about for weeks.

Hearts were broken everywhere when Alastor had begun courting you, and even more so when the two of you had gotten married. Alastor wanted to give you the wedding of your dreams, and he did just that. Being as shy and reserved as you were, it was nothing grand. Just your closest friends and family. Alastor, sadly, didn't have any immediate family to invite, but yours had welcomed him with open arms. The large crowd that had greeted you two outside the church had been a welcomed surprise. Young couples and fans of Alastor's threw rice and flowers into the air, and camera bulbs flashed, capturing Alastor's proudest accomplishment. The front page of the newspaper the next morning housed a lovely photo that Alastor framed and hung in his studio.

Finding and marrying someone hadn't been part of Alastor's original plan, but he hadn't anticipated falling for you so hard either. The first instance your eyes had caught his gaze, he knew he was done for. Your reserved personality had clashed with his own boisterous and extroverted one, but it wasn't your shyness he found charming. It was your innate ability to see the good in people.

“Everyone harbors the capacity for good.”

Your words resonated within him and nearly made him rethink all of his past actions and wrongdoing. Alastor had never felt guilt before having met you. All of a sudden, he found himself standing before the divine being that was you. Selfless and unconditionally caring, he began questioning if he had done you wrong by marrying you. He was tainting you and unknowingly subjecting you to his sins. He was so undeserving of you, but he couldn't find it in himself to let you go. When Alastor looked at you, he saw everything his mother had been. Her maternal instinct and drive to nurture and protect those around her. Losing you would be like losing his mother all over again.

When the day came that you had expressed to Alastor your want for children, you hadn't expected his trademark smile to drop and for him to become angry. Alastor immediately withdrew himself from you and spent the rest of the evening brooding in his study. None of his anger had been directed at you, of course, but it concerned you why he felt the way he did about the topic. You granted Alastor his privacy, only sparing a few glances into the study throughout the evening as you went about your chores.

Alastor didn't move from his armchair until well into the night. The mantle clock on the fireplace had chimed midnight when he finally made his way to the master bedroom. You were sound asleep until the bed dipped by the weight of Alastor settling beside you, causing you to stir. Further roused by his warm lips against your neck, you turned onto your side so you were facing your husband. He was inebriated, having had more than a few glasses of Rye in his solitude. Whiskey always had a way of softening him up, but it also made him very amorous.

Someone as pure as yourself should never be defiled, but Alastor couldn't help wanting to have you in the most intimate of ways. Touching you, tasting you, feeling your perfectly manicured nails scraping down his back, leaving angry red marks in their wake. His name would fall from your lips like a prayer as he moved inside you, working you both towards mutual release.

Alastor had told himself he would be nothing like his father. He wouldn't be the hateful drunk who had nearly beaten his wife within an inch of her life. Then, he would keep her afraid of him with the threat of violence at the slightest misstep. Killing that bastard brought Alastor no remorse, and he was surprised that his mother actually mourned his death. For years, he couldn't understand why anyone would feel pain over the death of someone who had inflicted so much pain upon them.

At least he hadn't until he met you. Then he came to realize that at one point, his mother and father had loved one another. Enough that they shared a life and family together. The war had taken his father from his family and returned to them the empty husk of a man so disturbed by what he saw that his mind waged war on itself and everyone around him.

Unfortunately for Alastor, if he had fathered a child that night, he would never know. He would be killed two weeks later while burying the body of his latest victim. Leaving his beloved and innocent wife to identify his body while being questioned by authorities about the hundred missing people that were found buried in the bayou. Alastor’s only regret was that you would be left to answer for his crimes. The crimes that you had been ignorant for your entire relationship.

Your heart shattered upon seeing Alastor lying there on the metal embalming table. Skin a sickly gray pallor and lips cyanotic, with a single bullet wound in the center of his forehead. The pain you felt was crushing, and agonizing sobs tore from your lips. You didn't want to believe that it was your husband lying there lifeless and not breathing. He couldn't be dead. You rested your head against his still chest and squeezed your eyes shut when you didn't hear the rhythmic beating of his heart, nor felt the rise and fall of his chest.

Alastor couldn't leave you like this - he wouldn't leave you like this. Neither of you were interested in a world without the other, and you simply couldn't see yourself carrying on without the man whom you considered your soul mate. Alastor had been the first man you loved, and he would be the last.

“Please wait for me,” you whispered against his cold lips between broken sobs. Your trembling hands cupped his face, and your thumbs stroked his cheeks. “I love you, Alastor.”

#alastor x reader #alastor x you #human alastor #alastor #hazbin hotel #reader insert #slice of life #right in the feels #i hope this makes you cry

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oh-allie · 3 months

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let me rant about alastor and how i like his character a lot !!!

when i watched the pilot (a few days after it released {even though i should NOT have been watching that}) i remembered alastor as this all powerful horrifying intimidating totally cool mysterious guy. yeah he was all fun and transatlantic, but his impression was mysterious and powerful.

and he's still horrifying and intimidating, but hes so much more HUMAN in the show. which is good because he WAS a human !! hes not all powerful, but he IS a total attention hog and he IS a little prick !!!

i like how he still fucked with lucifer even though he could be obliterated in a second, and i LOVE how he reacts when people dont give him attention. it just makes him so much more than just the kinda cool, powerful, intimidating character.

during the overlord meeting when caramel doesnt really give a shit where he was, he gets annoyed. this little attention hog cant stand that she doesnt care !!! and earlier in that episode, with zesty, he was all like "pls matpat theorize about me 🙏" WHICH IS SO REAL PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT ME 🙏🙏 but hes just DYING to know that people were all thinking of him n keeping him in their prayers n shit

and i like how silly he is. him kicking his feet is prime example of this. other examples are him interacting with basically anyone outside of the hotel and niffty, how he treats mimzy, rosie, and niffty are prime examples of his silliness.

him and rosie are SO good together. i could talk about this fucking show FOREVER guys agshshds

and it doesnt clash with him still being a badass, (even if he got his shit got fucked up by adam) hes still menacing and youre still on your toes about what he could do to the hotel and everyone in it.

he just thinks hes all that (all that enough to fuck with THE big boss of hell himself) and he IS really fucking powerful, but compared to the lineup that hotel has, hes just some guy. and i like how thats more apparent in the show. ok thats it bye bye i hope i articulated myself well !!!!

#hazbin hotel #hazbin hotel alastor #hazbin alastor #alastor #hes just a little guy #hazbin hotel spoilers #hazbin hotel finale #all day this show is all ive thought about #the radio demon #alastor the radio demon #character analysis #not really #but yk #hes just a funny little guy #allies blurbs

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just-jae · 3 months

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Hazbin Hotel 1-4

Hooooo—-

Okay, thoughts:

I- going in my first thoughts were that it definitely felt toned down compared to the pilot, ngl. Like, the vibes all round are a lot softer, if felt like there were two different visions clashing against each other.

BUT- they are definitely pulling something off. My feelings are all mixed up, so here’s an attempt at organizing them:

Starting from ep1, At first i was thinking its all a bit on the nose. For example, the narration at the begining, Alastor’s got a different vibe- like, e doesn’t feel nearly as threatening nor as- graceful? I dont have the word for it. But without the more dated aesthetic and transatlantic accent, in addition to very minor moments being over-emphasized, e feels over-acted/animated for small moments but under animated for bigger moments, like his duet with Vox. His transformation felt stiff and under emphasized without any particular keyframes.

And i know there are people who are like ‘hgfhghfhsfh fug the pilot-“ but the pilot is what built the fanbase, its what gained the show support and traction, its the proposal, and everyone’s first impression. So of course I wasn’t spunked about the things I liked in the pilot being toned down or absent in the first 4 episodes, but I think it goes to show that Hazbin is definitely still what I came to see for me to still have loved what we got.

So far the show has this more stage performance/play air to it in the way some of the dialogue is timed— especially with that intro. Alastor in particular gives off an ironically sitcommy vibe, The part where Carmilla and Vaggie are just, literally just singing into the wind for quite some time low-key had me like :| annoyed, I get it, they were telling their stories through song, but unlike with other songs the story, itself wasn’t really progressing. We're just getting insight into their motives.

"Stayed Gon" Alastor is reintroducing himself, we're seeing the dynamic and the shift in public interest. Threats are made, tea is spilled.

"Respectless" Again we see a dynamic play out, an accusation made, a means of progressing the plot as well as establishing a disconnect between the V's and other overlords.

"Loser, Baby", Husk is helping Angel, and their relationship is developing.

etc. etc.

But, what I loved was that the personalities in this show strangley feel real? Like, Everyone on the cast feels like someone I actually know, who actually acts like that and has these nuances to their personalities in conjuction with more overt qualities. (Even Nifty, not , she has a personality I’ve at least heard about if I haven’t explicitly met, I know a few people who have actually scared me a little with their gremlin energy though. Like, as in genuinely made me wary concerned for my safety if I fed them too much attention.)

Charlie is pitifully nieve even despite literally seeing what sinners do to eachother. I love her. I get the feeling, she’s always been aware of it, but hasn’t had to live amongst it or really deal with what other sinners deal with, and doesn’t really have a way to process it from a point of understanding. She doesn’t understand why sinners sin, and it LOOKs (i say hopefully) like that’s going to be one of her major obstacles, is employing rehab tactics that actually help people heal instead of molding them into a cardboard, brochure image through scripts and shallow narratives.

She appreciates and means everything, but she’s a stranger to the ugly side of life and people and just doesn’t have tools to aknowledge and address it besides pretending its actually all okay and dandy. She just doesn’t know what these personality traits mean (Like that Adam doesn’t care or respect her, that Angel Dust is actually scared.)

She's not terribly shocked or shaken about Angel's abuse (she doesn't see the worst of it, but she saw SOME of it) but still apparently didn't anticipate the situation being potentially dangerous and complicated.

I love that the show made a point that this is how Charlie is even when its her in the “dirty clothes” so to speak, instead of it just being her nievety toward sinners. When e meets Adam and Adam’s this vain, obnoxious obtuse, emotionally uncooked man child. She’s still, like, pardon my french but she’s kissing ass and doesn’t even see that she’s being led on and her time wasted.

Adam was a blast. I thought I’d be annoyed by him, but like I said, these personalities are based on real people (with some exhaggeration obv.) And I was laughing and crying inside when he asked how her weekend was.

Like, fuck dude, I wanted to choke him in that moment.

Episode 2:

Sir Pentious’s little flare thing is smaller? :\ VELVET IS SO SPICY. I thought Vox would be boring but HE’S SPICY TOO. AAAAHH I fuggin love the filter fluctuations and the mind-fuckery implication’s. Even Valentino flip flops between like, three different accents depending on his persona/mood, and is just unhinged.

BUT GOD this show is not strong on animating violent action, at least not in the earlier episodes. Like, they— the idea is there, but after seeing what Viv’s done with Helluva’s action scenes and Hazbin’s Pilot, I’m convinced this is a studio thing-- or maybe a budget thing?. It kills me inside bc it’s one of the things I was looking forward to seeing more of. But, oh well.

I find it ironic that Transformers Earthspark, a literal kids show, had better violence than Hazbin Hotel. :,D Optimus body slams a literal child dude.

However, the GODDAMNED PUPPY EYED CRYING AHH

PENTIOUS

I HATE

But ThE EgG BoIs AhH

HUSKER is A BlessED SoUl.

Setiel? Cestioul? Zest- Spider Poet old-english overlord?

I love him too, he’s way too comfortable.

VELVET 👏🏾IS 👏🏾SO 👏🏾SPICY, DAMN VELVET. They put it all in the CAKE. Seriously, “Respectless” was a pop of the wine bottle. The key frames, the subject, Velvet’s animation was On👏🏾POINT

I miss Alastor’s Transatlantic accent so much. It feels like everything I was looking forward to with Alastor is just in Velvet now :’D

Vaggie is also DEFINITELY a former exterminator, after seeing her personality and how it matches the only other exterminator we see (alive). I really don’t like the singing voice though. It sounds like a completely different person (I know its the same person, but-- Vaggie is so stiff, for her to go from deep gusty tones to high pitched silk was like, idk, someone suddenly pincbing my nose shut- if that makes sense. I dont think it does actually. oh well.

(edit, I got used to this too :,D)

EPISODE 4

HOLY SHIT.

I— FELT THAT SHIT.

I don’t even know what to say?? Episode 4 is exactly why I love Hazbin and Helluva, bc it seemed like it would double subvert itself. Like, they’re in hell, but the sinners “do whatever they want”, so some people see it as a paradise for sinners, except its aweful, being subjectect to the cruelty of other sinners, having your vices and personal flaws consume you, its not unlike what living people go through, and I love that they were realistic about it. Charlie tries to “Help” Angel by ignoring his wishes, and they NOT ONLY showed how dangerous it can be to just carelessly try to swoop into that situation as a hero (Im pretty sure I remember a grimmer story about a sailor who tried to save a woman being trafficked as a prostitute, except her pimp was using her kid as ransom, and the sailor ultimately failed; the woman went missing and “someone matching her description” was found dead later on… you can imagine thats exactly what went through my head when Val was accusing and threatening Angel. People dont realize that pimps and traffickers often use violence, and exploit people who are dependent on drugs or homeless-- like runaway/disowned/kicked out teens etc.) but instead of Angel and Charlie just falling out, Husk helped Angel process things in a healthier way instead of self-medicating and scrambling his brain to not feel the pain. Seriously, people dont realize how much of a relief it is to not tip toe around or be grim about a bad situation while simultaneously accepting that it’s a shit sandwhich— that’s an actual saying btw, shit sandwich. I eat one everyday.)

Charlie grew a little, and Angel was actually able to accept her apology and recognize that she’s just incredibly nieve instead of taking out his anger on her and blaming her for trying to help or misinterpreting her character.

Not only that but he was able to appreciate her intentions, that she just cared about him, even if they both now know that wasn't the way to go.

Between that, and hearing Angel Dust loose the performance persona and sound and act like a real, terrified person (seriously I— shit dude, my instincts were getting trigged. Hearing people's voices change like that-- even my own, tends to kick on both fight and flight, bc I want to help them but also dont want to make the situation worse or become a target of their distress.) The animation and the sudden plunge into seriousness. This episode— as horrific as it was, was what I showed up for. A show that shows the ugly side of life that happens to everyday people evedyday but is still treated as something to look away from or not mention even in r-rated movies. But I didn’t expect it to just punch me straight in my throat like that.

They hint at Angel having nuance when a conversation about him being fake is immediately followed by him politely and sheepishly answering a call from Val.

Ususally, being fake is an accusation that someone's faking having genuine interest in things or having alterior motives and being manipulative.

For Angel, he was faking how miserable and scared he was, how much he hates the things he has to do. He's hiding how broken he is, even from himself.

Even the porn films Angel was making were all violent, predatory non-con fantasies, which is exactly the kind of stuff that made me uncomfortable when I did look into porn as a teen, and was what ultimately drove me away from it. Like, no shade if both parties are actually into it-- like, a good portion of rape fantasy audiences are women, especially back in the days when women couldn't choose their partners (arranged marriages) their fantasies involved someone they wanted basically disregarding society's blockages for them, and the "victim" being free from being judged as a cheater or a slut. And I've seen people a few times explain that non-con roleplay can just be a way to process SA, especially by actually having control over what happens.

But, that's not really the context Angel Dust seems to be associated with. He doesn't have control, he doesn't like the scripts or the people he's working with, he's not making any decisions. They have literal predators in the film.

(I actually loved that they showed how akward making those films can actually be, bc frankly, even consentual porn was akward af. It just- it's was obviously fake even to my dumbass virgin self)

If both parties are enjoying themselves, its fine. But a lot of times, from what I remember, it really didn't look like they were.

(Not-so-Quick note: At one point I noticed that some videos were harder to find, and some videos particularly worried me bc their faces and what expressions they were making, and when I looked into it, I’d read that some sites had purged a huge amount of their content in relation to human trafficking, and that really turned me off from mainstream pornography for good— I still read erotica and like, idk, watch a tickle vid every blue moon-, but video porn definitely has a predatory and exploitive association for me. I also just wouldn't recommend using pornography at all. It does more harm than good for most people, and I probably would be as hypersexual as I am now if I didn't expose myself to it as a kid. Its also ironically why I love it when I see portrayals of intimacy in media where both partners are having a good time.)

Husk is a darling oh my god. like my eyes are so watery i can barely see as i type this—

Like, I'm crying, but I know that there are people who've actually been through what Angel has been through also appreciate Angel Dust's character and story. But, also, the theme of just recognizing that your life sucks, instead of pretending it doesn't, pretending you're good, especially to save face or maintain some sense of status, and what more- having someone there without who understands and is there in the same boat. It's like you humanize yourself, flaws, mistakes, shitty situations, and all. You don't have to erase who you are and how you feel.

Even if I couldn't relate specifically to Angel's situation, "Loser Baby" also just spoke to me too.

So, overall, some skill issues, some conflicts of taste, but the humor hits more often than it misses, They DO HAVE an eye and ear for musical animation, and the heart is in the right place.

#holy shit dude #charlotte morningstar #hazbin hotel vagatha #Husker #Angel Dust #velvet hazbin hotel #alastor #alastor the radio demon #commentary #hazbin hotel #brownthoughts00

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uwmspeccoll · 9 months

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Marbled Monday

We've got a mossy Marbled Monday this week, which this book of quotations from American-British author Henry James (1843-1916). The book is titled Quotations from Henry James and was selected by American lawyer, novelist, historian, and essayist Louis Auchincloss (1917-2010). Auchincloss's own work focused on the upper crust of New York and New England society, not dissimilar from James's work, which dealt with the transatlantic clashing of the "Old World" of Europe and the "New World" in America and the well-to-do who inhabited the upper echelon of society.

The book was published in Charlottesville, VA for the Associates of the University of Virginia Library by the University Press of Virginia in an limited edition of 500 copies. The marbling is a combination of shades of green in a sort of rippled nonpareil/combed pattern. It is interesting that the combing looks to have been done somewhat irregularly, creating wavy and uneven lines in the pattern. Usually a nonpareil pattern is done with straighter combing and will look closer to the pattern shown here from the examples in the University of Washington Libraries' digital collection.

You will also notice that there is a great variance in color between the image of the book and slipcase that was taken with a digital camera and those made with our flatbed scanner. The ones done on the scanner are closer to the actual color of the covers and slipcase, while the image taken with the camera skews much more blue and less yellow.

View more Marbled Monday posts.

-- Alice, Special Collections Department Manager

#Marbled Monday #marbling #paper marbling #marbled paper #Henry James #Louis Auchincloss #University Press of Virginia #Associates of the University of Virginia Library #nonpareil #Alice

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theengineeringmage · 2 years

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Flight SQ016 by Amanda/A.E. Radley

Emily White is desperate to get out of debt and takes a job as cabin crew in first class. She is on a grueling schedule with multiple transatlantic flights a week, with barely enough time to with her five-year-old son. In struts, Olivia Lewis, a business woman who will be on Emily’s flight twice a week.

If you love romance, awkward social interactions, and giraffes, this is the story for you.

I have loved this story for a long time. I remember when it was published as fanfic and loving reading this late at night. Then I was so excited when it got published. SwanQueen shippers needed this and regardless of who the characters are based off of, this is a great story. It is one of my comfort stories that just makes me happy. I can’t remember how many times I have read this book just because.

Olivia’s character is so interesting, and not just because she is “socially awkward” for lack of a better term. We all experience not saying the right thing or not understanding someone’s intentions. She probably says one of my favorite lines about modern art, and if you read it, please get a laugh out of it the same way I did. It is well-intentioned humor. She sees things from a different perspective and stepping into her mindset gives the story another layer. I understand her because some of her moments reflect some of my interactions with others. The way that Olivia acts with Emily’s son shows how much she tries to understand others and fit into the box that others have made.

Emily is the definition of the strong independent woman. She is that character to a fault. She wants to do everything for her son, but doesn’t want to accept help from others because she wants to establish herself. I get it though, which is another part that makes this story so interesting. She makes sacrifices for others, which is noble, but at the cost of her health and sanity.

Both Emily and Olivia have very strong personalities that clash at times, but there is intention behind all of their actions. Their conversations are not just surface-level “how are you” but hold value and depth. Their intellect and rationalizations are so important to their characters and their interactions, and I admire how well they work together.

This is a multi-part work, so if you liked it, please read the sequel Grounded and Journey’s End. Also, take a look at other A.E. Radley books or stories by Emma Radley. You can find Amanda Radley at aeradley.com, on Instagram @a_e_radley, Twitter and Facebook.

#bookreview #romance #LGBTQ+#family #planes #travel #finance #children #giraffes #fanfic turned novel #swanqueen

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rockislandadultreads · 2 years

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Romance Tropes: & There was only One Bed

How to Find a Princess by Alyssa Cole

Makeda Hicks has lost her job and her girlfriend in one fell swoop. The last thing she’s in the mood for is to rehash the story of her grandmother’s infamous summer fling with a runaway prince from Ibarania, or the investigator from the World Federation of Monarchies tasked with searching for Ibarania’s missing heir. Yet when Beznaria Chetchevaliere crashes into her life, the sleek and sexy investigator exudes exactly the kind of chaos that organized and efficient Makeda finds irresistible, even if Bez is determined to drag her into a world of royal duty Makeda wants nothing to do with. When a threat to her grandmother’s livelihood pushes Makeda to agree to return to Ibarania, Bez takes her on a transatlantic adventure with a crew of lovable weirdos, a fake marriage, and one-bed hijinks on the high seas. When they finally make it to Ibarania, they realize there’s more at stake than just cash and crown, and Makeda must learn what it means to fight for what she desires and not what she feels bound to by duty.

The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon

Shay Goldstein has been a producer at her Seattle public radio station for nearly a decade, and she can't imagine working anywhere else. But lately it's been a constant clash between her and her newest colleague, Dominic Yun, who's fresh off a journalism master's program and convinced he knows everything about public radio. When the struggling station needs a new concept, Shay proposes a show that her boss green-lights with excitement. On The Ex Talk, two exes will deliver relationship advice live, on air. Their boss decides Shay and Dominic are the perfect co-hosts, given how much they already despise each other. Neither loves the idea of lying to listeners, but it's this or unemployment. Their audience gets invested fast, and it's not long before The Ex Talk becomes a must-listen in Seattle and climbs podcast charts. As the show gets bigger, so does their deception, especially when Shay and Dominic start to fall for each other. In an industry that values truth, getting caught could mean the end of more than just their careers.

Something Fabulous by Alexis Hall

Valentine Layton, the Duke of Malvern, has twin problems: literally. It was always his father’s hope that Valentine would marry Miss Arabella Tarleton. But, unfortunately, too many novels at an impressionable age have caused her to grow up…romantic. So romantic that a marriage of convenience will not do and after Valentine’s proposal she flees into the night determined never to set eyes on him again. Arabella’s twin brother, Mr. Bonaventure “Bonny” Tarleton, has also grown up…romantic. And fully expects Valentine to ride out after Arabella and prove to her that he’s not the cold-hearted cad he seems to be. Despite copious misgivings, Valentine finds himself on a pell-mell chase to Dover with Bonny by his side. Bonny is unreasonable, overdramatic, annoying, and…beautiful? And being with him makes Valentine question everything he thought he knew. About himself. About love. Even about which Tarleton he should be pursuing.

The Worst Best Man by Mia Sosa

A wedding planner left at the altar. Yeah, the irony isn’t lost on Carolina Santos, either. But despite that embarrassing blip from her past, Lina’s managed to make other people’s dreams come true as a top-tier wedding coordinator in DC. After impressing an influential guest, she’s offered an opportunity that could change her life. There’s just one hitch… she has to collaborate with the best (make that worst) man from her own failed nuptials. Tired of living in his older brother’s shadow, marketing expert Max Hartley is determined to make his mark with a coveted hotel client looking to expand its brand. Then he learns he’ll be working with his brother’s whip-smart, stunning —absolutely off-limits — ex-fiancée. And she loathes him. If they can survive the next few weeks and nail their presentation without killing each other, they’ll both come out ahead. Except Max has been public enemy number one ever since he encouraged his brother to jilt the bride, and Lina’s ready to dish out a little payback of her own. But even the best laid plans can go awry, and soon Lina and Max discover animosity may not be the only emotion creating sparks between them. Still, this star-crossed couple can never be more than temporary playmates because Lina isn’t interested in falling in love and Max refuses to play runner-up to his brother ever again...

#Romance #Romantic Tropes #Theres only one bed #enemies to lovers #to read #tbr #contemporary romance #historical romance #highly rated #Book Recommendations #reading recommendations #books to read #booktok #booklr #book tumblr #library books #lgbtq books #lgbtq characters

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recordplayer70 · 24 days

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Transatlantic Teutonic Two Step Take 124 [Apr 6th 2024]

Please click Here if the music player widget does not appear

Tracks:

Patrick D. Martin - I Like 'Lectric Motors - I Like 'Lectric Motors 45 (1980) [Deram - 6.12668 AC]*

Sexton Ming - Girls Eat Worms - Beastly Magnet (1997) [Little Teddy Recordings - LiTe742 / Sweet Records - SWEE007]

Anti-Pasti - Another Dead Soldier - Let Them Free (1981) [Rondelet Music & Records - ROUND 5]

The Quads - There Must Be Thousands - There Must Be Thousands 45 (1979) [Big Bear Records - BB 23]

Elton Motello - Pogo Pogo - Jet Boy Jet Girl 45 (1978) [Lightning Records - LIG 508]

Black Lips! - Does She Want - Does She Want 45 (2005) [Slovenly Recordings – 702-48]

The Clash - Long Time Jerk - Rock The Casbah 45 (1982) [Epic - 55-03245]

Thin Lizzy - Black Boys On The Corner - Whisky In The Jar 45 (1976) [Decca - 6.11183]

Jimi Hendrix - Dolly Dagger - Dolly Dagger 45 (1971) [Reprise Records - 1044]

Motörhead & Girlschool - Please Don't Touch - St Valentines Day Massacre 45 (1981) [Bronze - BRO 116]

#Sexton Ming #Jimi Hendrix #motorhead #pub rock #new wave

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mariacallous · 2 months

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We live in an interconnected world, where security problems like terrorism are spilling across borders, and globalized data networks and e-commerce platforms are reshaping the world economy. This means that states’ jurisdictions and rule systems clash. How have they negotiated their differences over freedom and security? Of Privacy and Power investigates how the European Union and United States, the two major regulatory systems in world politics, have regulated privacy and security, and how their agreements and disputes have reshaped the transatlantic relationship.

The transatlantic struggle over freedom and security has usually been depicted as a clash between a peace-loving European Union and a belligerent United States. Henry Farrell and Abraham Newman demonstrate how this misses the point. The real dispute was between two transnational coalitions—one favoring security, the other liberty—whose struggles have reshaped the politics of surveillance, e-commerce, and privacy rights. Looking at three large security debates in the period since 9/11, involving Passenger Name Record data, the SWIFT financial messaging controversy, and Edward Snowden’s revelations, the authors examine how the powers of border-spanning coalitions have waxed and waned. Globalization has enabled new strategies of action, which security agencies, interior ministries, privacy NGOs, bureaucrats, and other actors exploit as circumstances dictate.

The first serious study of how the politics of surveillance has been transformed, Of Privacy and Power offers a fresh view of the role of information and power in a world of economic interdependence.

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spotted-by-unknown · 6 months

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America vs. Europe: The Hilarious Showdown of Cultures and Quirks

Introduction: The Transatlantic Tug-of-War Picture this: two continents locked in an endless battle of wits, each boasting its unique quirks and cultural idiosyncrasies. As a bemused observer caught in the crossfire of this comedic clash, I couldn’t help but find myself entangled in the hilarious tug-of-war between the land of the free and the old world charm. Chapter 1: The Great Food…

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#America #Art #Australia #Blogging #Entertainment #Europe #Food #Germany #Humor #Latest #Photography #Poem #Reading #Story #Travel #UK #USA

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kglows · 9 months

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Entry 2: Nanny (Film)

youtube

Featurette, Nanny (2022), Amazon Prime Video

Nanny, a psychological horror film by Niakyatu Jusu, “explores the American dream but is specific to the African immigrant experience. The main character, Aisha, played by Anna Diop, takes a job as a nanny for a white family. Her main goal is to make enough money to bring her son who she longs for, to America, from her homeland of Senegal. As she immerses herself in her role as a nanny, Aisha is met with both subtle and overt manifestations of cultural differences. Niakyatu Jusu masterfully weaves the theme of multiculturalism throughout the film, using everyday interactions to portray the complexities and challenges faced by immigrants in America.

Anna Diop and Rose Decker, Nanny (2022), Amazon Prime Video

The white family she works for, the Harrisons, are portrayed as well-meaning but oftentimes often have ignorant attitudes that some white families may have towards their immigrants. Their interactions with Aisha highlight the underlying cultural gaps and misconceptions that can arise between people of different backgrounds, sparking moments of discomfort and palpable tension. As Aisha forms a bond with the Harrison child she cares for, Aisha and Amy, the child’s mother, begin to clash.

"Spicy Food," Nanny (2022), Amazon Prime Video

African folklore is a diverse and vast collection of myths, legends, and traditional stories passed down through generations in various African societies. It often encompasses spirits, deities, magical creatures, and tales of good versus evil. By incorporating these elements into the film, Jusu not only pays homage to her cultural heritage but also creates a unique and immersive cinematic experience.

In the film, Aisha is haunted and beckoned by the deity, Mami Wata. Often she is drawn to bodies of water and has nightmares of drowning. In African traditions, Mami Wata is often depicted as a mermaid or a water spirit, with a combination of human and aquatic features. She may be portrayed with long flowing hair, a half-human, half-fish body, and often holding objects like a mirror, comb, or serpent. Mami Wata's origins can be traced back to pre-colonial times when indigenous African religious beliefs were prominent. Over the years, with the transatlantic slave trade and the spread of African diasporic cultures, her worship and veneration evolved and adapted in different regions, including the Americas and the Caribbean. (Drewal, 2008)

Drewal, Henry John. (2008). Mami Wata: Africa's Ancient God/dess Unveiled. University of California Press.

Aisha in Pool, Nanny (2022), Amazon Prime Video

Both Mami Wata's story and Aisha's story delve into the complexities of identity, cultural adaptation, and the intertwining of the spiritual and material aspects of life. As Aisha grapples with her past, her present, and her aspirations for the future, the film "Nanny" weaves a tale that resonates with the themes present in the worship and symbolism of Mami Wata.

#Youtube

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