#Rosey is popular today

[yuri-is-online]

A Pocket Full of Posies and WTF is up with Rollo's Hankie

Before we begin, a slight disclaimer: yes, Medieval beliefs about disease and how it spread were weird. They did not have the ability to know about germs because those are literally microscopic and germ theory would not be "discovered" until the 1860s. THIS DID NOT MEAN THEY WERE STUPID AND IF I SEE YOU SAYING THAT WE WILL FIGHT. Anyway-

If you have been kicking around on the internet for a bit, chances are you might have heard the "dark history" fact that that the "Ring Around the Rosey" nursery rhyme is about the Black Plague. That's probably not true but the reason it was originally theorized to be the case has to do with Miasma theory, and the use of strong scents (typically herbs and flowers) to ward off the "bad air." What does this have to do with Rollo huffing that handkerchief every time someone talks about magic? Well we'll get there but first just what the hell do I mean by bad air?

Miasma Theory in Practice

The Black Death/Bubonic Plague was a roving pandemic that gets it's name from the first wave that bitch slapped Europe from 1347-1351. There were technically three forms of plague kicking around by I am not a scientist and we are here to talk about that. Given that this was, as stated in the disclaimer, pre-germ theory the ideas people had about why this was happening and how to prevent it wildly varied, but Miasma Theory was so popular it actually stuck around long enough to duke it out with Germ Theory when scientists started talking about that.

The basic idea is that diseases like the Black Death were spread from bad smelling air. This theory was proposed by Hippocrates, as in that guy from third or fourth century Greece we aren't even sure existed, but it was a pretty universal belief, we have sources from Ancient China that also reference the idea that bad smells can make you sick. This "bad air" was thought to come from decay; in the case of the plague, dead bodies were believed to have released it (hence all the "bring out your dead" stuff), as were cracks in the earth, and sewage. ALL AIR WAS THOUGHT TO HAVE A LEVEL OF MIASMA, but smell was the best way to tell if you were in danger of getting sick; basically if it smells like shit out then you are in danger because there is only so much of it you can breathe in before you get sick. So when you end 1351 with 40% (that we can confirm!) of the population dead, how exactly do you keep yourself from huffing in all that invisible miasma?

Roi du Mouchoir

Well you make the air you breathe smell nicer of course! And this is where we get to Rollo's hankie.

The "posies" in that nursery rhyme doesn't actually refer to one specific flower. It's a type of small bouquet, which apparently are also called nosegays or tussie-mussies? It's also the technical term for those tiny groups of flowers that make up a corsage. The idea was that people would carry around things that smelled good, like flowers and herbs, and any time you smelled something bad you would bring the flower out of your pocket and hold it up to your nose just like Rollo does with his handkerchief. Literally, people usually kept those nice smelling flowers in "Plague Bags," which could refer to nicely sewn sachets or just neatly wrapped up in cloth. Eventually these got super fancy, and evolved into these really elaborate pouches people put potpourri in, but given how strict Rollo seems to be with himself (and everyone else) I've chosen in my own fan fic to interpret his posies as being the common kind, which would be rosemary and lavender. Today they are thought of as being soothing scents that calm you down, and that does seem to be what he is trying to do with all those deep breaths.

I got a lot of this specific information from this article here which is on a wonderful website curated by a professional perfumer I highly recommend poking around if you are interested in learning more.

Cool Story But?

"Sure Yuri, all of that is neat but isn't Rollo's handkerchief a reference to Esmeralda's scarf?" Yeah probably. I don't really think it has to be that deep, but I do think this stuff is cool and well-

Malleus's name is likely a reference to the Malleus Malificarum, a book I have a PDF of on my computer because of course I do that was published around the same time that this theory of disease would have been kicking around. It's about- well the author says it's about "witchcraft" but that's another paper for another time, and why they are super evil and bad and should all die. Specifically why they should all be burned at the stake, it's a fun read. And sounding oddly familiar to certain events...

That's all to say, sure it probably isn't that deep but with all the other really well researched and designed character choices, I would not be surprised if it was.

Semi Unrelated Fun Facts:

Bridal Bouquets are thought to have started, in part, as a way to ward off Miasma and keep the bride healthy on her wedding day.

Miasma theory was still super popular in the Victorian Era and lead to a lot of public clean up projects as people thought that they could get rid of disease if they got rid of all the sewage everywhere. And hey they were right, just not for the reason they thought they were.

Yes a lot of people thought the Black Plague was a punishment from God and a sign of the end times. I will remind you that 40-60% of Europe's population DIED IN FOUR YEARS. I'd assume something supernatural was out to get me too tf? Seriously these people were not stupid, they just lived in interesting times.

If you are wondering "hey I heard Plague Doctors stuffed herbs in the long beaks on their masks, is this why?" Yeah it is! Gold star!

I love you for making this far, thank you for listening to me friend and I hope to get back to entertaining you soon (っ˘з(˘⌣˘ ) ♡

#twisted wonderland #twisted wonderland x reader #glorious masquerade #glomas #rollo flamm #twst theories #the malleus malificarum is a *wild* book #did you know it was banned by the church when it was published! #i am very normal and definitely don't own an encyclopedia on demonology and witchcraft #and it is absolutely not within my line of sight as i write this

[popcat69]

I ABSOLUTELY LOVED YOUR ONE-SHOT OF LEO, SO, MAY I REQUEST THE SAME SCENARIO WITH DONNIE.

I just love the thought of him being the one to usually fluster reader, and when they're on screen and being all villainous, he's the one being flustered instead.

Sincerely, -🫧 anon

Shy and out-going 

Rise Donnie x actor reader

It was night in the lair, you were sitting on the couch next to your favourite sarcastic turtle as you both decide to have a movie marathon. The others decided to stay over at April’s tonight but Donnie demand that he had much too busy to come. Ya. Way to busy. A soft smile appearing on your face after glancing at Donnie. Your cheeks glow a light shade of pink as you feel your heart beat a bit faster. Dear Donatello had already known your an actress since he lives on the internet but that didn’t stop him from asking to watch your movies with him. When he did you were… embarrassed? Shocked? Flustered? You didn’t really know how to feel about your crush asking to watch you acting in films for hours.

Candy and junk food scattered along your side of the couch and salted popcorn is scattered along Donnie’s side. As time passed it grew closer to midnight and you just had one more movie to finish. “People have said this one’s really popular” he says starting the last film. “R-really? I mean…it’s a good movie” you say sheepishly laughing a bit. “Your only saying that because you act in it” Donnie explains leaning into the couch laughing. You only shrug and decide to pay attention to the movie. Soon enough you had come onto screen dressed in a dark colour scheme. You looked different. Gorgeous, is what Donnie would have said. His eyes widening a bit as he’s mesmerised by you on screen, his hand comes up to cover the bottom half of his face to hide the rosey blush growing on his cheeks. His totally real eyebrows raise slightly and he can feel his heart beat faster as he watched the way you walk, talk and your expressions all on screen. 

Soon enough the movie comes to an end. The turtle has been so incased on the movie he had only just realised you sleeping figure next to him. The couch was big enough that you had room to lie down so you head was close to Donnie lap as your soft snores filled the room. His mind was racing. How can someone so sweet and shy play such a villainous role?. Your eyes shut as Donnie looks at you sweetly his lips curving up into a soft smile. He grabs one of his weighted blankets off the floor and placed it over you as he gently stroked your hair a few times. 

“Goodnight…sweet dreams”

Leo’s version

I’ll start to try making these one shots a longer so sorry that’s it a bit short! I’ll be honest I can do better I’m just little bit lazy today 😭

#rottmnt x you #donnie x reader #donatello x reader #rottmnt x reader #tmnt #rottmnt #rottmnt donatello #rottmnt donnie #rottmnt donnie x reader

[stellabarak]

Adventures with Tenmoku

Tenmoku or Tenmokuyu or even Temoku, is a general term used for a glossy, deep brown iron glaze in ceramics and pottery.

I was introduced to Tenmoku from my early days working with clay, over two years now. Initially I didn't really like it, finding it sometimes too dark, but not quite black, either. The endearing power of the glaze, however, is that it has a depth and range of browns. Depending on how it is applied, it varies from dark brown, to warmer brown, to translucent even when applied thinly. I have used it on many occasions, especially for my coil pots.

Below you can see the results when I used it for my large coil pot, Rosey, (seen below) combined with a commercial raspberry glaze (Mayco). The result was a range of dark purples and browns, that give depth to the surface of the pot. I particularly like the glossy finish as this reflects light and adds an element of sophistication to my work.

The history: Tenmoku glazes originate from Japan, where they have a very long history. Popularised by tea bowls, initially, Tenmoku referred to both the shape of the tea bowl and the dark, glossy glaze that covered these bowls.

Introduced by Japanese monks and priests that came back from China, after visiting the sacred Tianmu Mountain, in the Heian Period (794-1185). At this time, tea drinking was reserved for the rich and the Emperor. With the rise of the popularity of tea drinking, however, by the middle ages (Kamakura and Muromachi periods) so too, the popularity of the tenmoku teabowls spread amongst the larger population.

The example below is typical example of the tea bowl, known for its distinct dark brown colour. This one is from the Kyoto National Museum,

In England, it was introduced in the 1950's by Bernard Leach and the Leach Pottery in St.Ives, Cornwall, after the visit of Japanese master potter Shoji Hamada, at St. Ives. It has been widely used since in function ware, especially coffee mugs, jugs and other tableware.

Below, you can see two examples of Tenmoku, the one on the left, is the Tenmoku tea bowl, by master Shoji Hamada, in the collection of Tate Museum, whilst the one on the left, is currently on display at the exhibition, The Art of the Potter: Ceramics and Sculpture 1930's to now, at the Hepworth, Wakefield and belongs to the potter David Leach, of the Leach family.

It has been criticised often for being old fashioned, however what draws me to this glaze its history and notoriety as well as the fact that it has withstood the test of time and remains, remarkably, a staple glaze for many pottery studios today.

During my residency at Rochester Square Arts, over the summer and autumn this year, I sought to make my own batch of Tenmoku.

Not knowing what I would get myself into, I began my adventures with iron oxides. Having only done a very short course in making my own custom glazes, equipped with raw materials like iron oxide, manganese oxide and fluxes, like nepheline syenite, cornish stone and potash feldspar, I began my very first tests.

The first recipe I tested was of the iconic Bernard Leach tenmoku. This did give some interesting results but I was disappointed, as the application of the glaze was uneven in areas and didn't yield the deep, rich browns I was hoping for.

The second recipe I tried, was from the contemporary Florian Gadsby, the ceramicist based in North London. It comes complete with a YouTube video, for fool-proof testing. 😀

I was drawn to the simple three ingredients of this recipe: definitely a lot of Cornish Stone (85%) Whiting (15%) and quite a bit of the Red Iron Oxide (16%). This one, finally, gave me the sleek, mirror-like surface of the finish I was hoping for. However, for my taste, the 16% red iron oxide is too much. Below, you can see my test tile results of this on B17 stoneware clay and Porcelain.

I found this one way too dark, so I made another test batch, with a recipe from The Glaze Book, by Stephen Murphitt.

FInally, as a last tester I tried my own former teacher's Tenmoku, Chris Crawford, at Sunken Studios.

I am not sure I got the mix quite right here as there are some delicate balances, and this one contains a lot more ingredients than the above. In the classic Bernard Leach, Potash Feldspar is used as the flux, whilst here I do like the substitution of Potash with Nepheline Syenite.

The verdict? I really like the glossy, mirror like finish that the Gadsby's Cornish Stone recipe gives. It also avoid the pin-holing that can occur with Tenmoku recipes.

I think I will settle for this one, with the Iron Oxide at 12% instead of 16%.

Further links and reading:

#ceramics #glazing #contemporary art #fine art #women in art #custom made #kyoto #japan #bernardleach #tenmoku #artscouncilfunding #dycpfunding #arthousewakefield

[danoscigarette]

Chapter II - The Housing of the Rising Sun

Percy Dolarhyde x f!Reader

Summary: Miss Langtree visits her girls at the saloon to prepare them for a visit from the colonel and his annoying sorry excuse of a son.

Warnings: swearing, prostitution, nothing major

A/N: So apparently the song ‘the House of the Rising Sun’ is theorised to be about a brothel so I thought it was appropriate for todays chapter! Half of it is an introduction to the lovely ladies who work at your saloon! So original character heavy in this one! More Percy entered chapters are yet to come though <3

The sun had only just appeared upon the horizon when you arrived at the Sweetwater Saloon, not only did you have to give the news about the bar's grand opening but you also had to warn your girls about some unexpected visitors. You wanted to get to the girls as early as you could to be able to set everything up and to mentally prepare yourself to see Percy again.

After locking the door behind you, you sighed and dropped to the floor, back against the wooden entrance - no amount of preparation was going to be enough to get you through what is to be a long day. 

"Miss Langtree, what are you doing here so darn early, the rooster ain't even squawked yet" you look up to see Amelia sitting at the bar in her pink nightgown and a cigarette in hand. Her ginger hair was dishevelled and her pale face slightly sunken, clearly she hadn't had enough sleep. Amelia is your number 1 gal and has been working under you for the longest out of the group.

"You're up early y'self Lia, I'm here to make an announcement so I'll need everybody up and goin" You manage to lift yourself up and take a seat next to the rosey lady. As there are 7 girls, each girl is not only assigned a room, but also a colour - they of course don't have to wear that same colour at all times, but its a little gimmick for shows. Amelia is the pink girl, her stage name being Madame Rose.

"I gotcha covered...GIRLS! GET YOUR ASSES OUTTA BED THE BOSS IS 'ERE" She yelled on the top her lungs, if ever you were in need of anything, Lia would always have your back and often did a lot of your dirty work (for extra pay of course). 

"Ugh whaaaat" you hear one girl croakily call back, by the sounds of it, Esme had been chain smoking again. One by one you hear all of the girls eventually call down from their rooms, an orchestra of whining and moaning about how early it is, all complaining like teenage girls. 

"Miss Langtree it should be illegal to get us up at such an hour" Nancy was the next girl to come down, a brunette with bright blue eyes stomps down the steps; Nancy is your girl in sapphire. 

"Just wait for everyone else" you place a hand on your hip, you were in no mood for anyone to be giving you attitude, not today of all days.

Next to come down were Esme, Julia and Bella; your ruby, amber and topaz girls. This trio were quite popular in Sparrowdale as they mostly stuck together - including in the bedroom. 

"Where's Stella and Marie?" You ask. Lining all the girls up, you take note of who looks particularly dirty, tired, tidy etc, you've got to get your girls looking presentable for the Dolarhydes. 

"Coming!" You hear a little song bird call down, Stella stood at the top of the stairs in her purple night dress. "I'm just tryna get Marie to come down"

"I'm comin', I'm comin' for fuck sake. I'm getting my stockings on" Marie calls from one of the rooms. 

Although most of your girls can sing, Stella has the voice of an actual angel. If she didn't come from a poor background, she could easily go on to do Oprah or even a church choir; she was your amethyst. 

Last but not least Marie, your girl in emerald, finally makes it down - she was the best of the best. Despite being one of the last girls to join your group, she had years of practice beforehand (in both sex work and in entertainment). If ever you weren't sure about something, she knew it all and she could always teach a thing or two to the others. 

"Right that's everyone!" You begin, clapping your hands together before walking down the line of women. "I have two things I need to share with ya'll...the first, and you're not gunna like this - the grand opening is going to be a week on Tuesday..."

You are met with a symphony of groans and complaints. 

"Bu-bu-bu I won't hear it, we've settled down for long enough, its time to actually get some earnings ladies. Wouldn't it be nice to put on a show for a completely new crowd?"

"Yeah if anyone shows up!" Nancy heckles, you give her a dirty look. 

"Well I suppose that leads me to my second announcement... Have ya'll heard of the Dolarhydes?"

The girls whisper amongst themselves, it seems that they all have heard of them at one point or another. You even hear Esme mention seeing Percy getting in a scrap with some random person at the Gold Leaf - sounds about right. 

"Well I'll have you know..." you take a gulp and a sigh, you weren't sure how to say it and you really didn't want to say it out loud, it would be almost willing it to existence. "I am engaged to the son of Colonel Dolarhyde" 

"You can't be serious!" Amelia lets out a shrill, you are met with a series of "ooo's" and laughter. 

"Miss Langtree forgive us, we aren't laughing at you... but marrying that Dolarhyde kid?" Julia asks through tears of hilarity. You purse your lips and look away from the ladies, it was humiliating enough to be engaged to that brute. Their laughter just added insult to injury -  but still, you had to keep up with the tough act. 

"GIRLS" You shout, almost immediately does the rowdiness quiet down, although they can be quite misbehaved, they respect you as a "mother hen" as Stella would put it. "Yes I am due to be wed to... Him. It's not my decision I can assure you. But it does mean that we'll be getting a steady income from now on. The Dolarhydes are interested in being our sponsors. If we have their name on this place there will be a flow of people wanting to check us out"

"More boys?" Bella squeals in delight followed by more giddy whispering. 

"It may also mean we'll need to be doin' more shows, not just the weekend" 

"Ah come on!" Esme moans "Shows n' clients? That's gunna be hard work" 

"It will indeed, but you'll be paid handsomely. And an actual chance for you girls to get outta this..." you cough in your chest before continuing, "Unless of course you wanna stay in this profession" 

The girls mutter amongst themselves once more, many donned unsure faces and others showed concern. 

"We can't just leave you Y/N" Amelia grabs onto your hand and bringing it to her chest, her brows furrowed with a sad and desperate expression. 

"I mean y'don't have to! But wouldn't it be great to save up and actually live rather than just survivin'?"

The girls give each other a solemn look, each one has been through so much in their lives that have lead them to this position. Marie and Nancy were perhaps the only ones who actually wanted to become a 'lady of the night', the others have no place else to go. 

This was the reason why you started up this business in the first place, too many young girls are lost in the traffic of sex work and abuse that you just had to take them in. Of course, you weren't able to just straight up adopt them so you had them work in little shows and waitressing. All being similar ages (and a couple of girls being slightly older than you) you had felt like they were your friends, an extended family of sisters working together. 

You had run this group for a couple of years now, back in Sparrowdale you were very successful; one girl in particular you think of often is a lady named Annabelle - she was the first girl to save up enough and move into the city, never having to use her body for money ever again. Anna writes to you quite often and recently she got married to a Lawyer; things like that gave you purpose. 

"Girls, you don't have to do anything you don't want to. Heck, you don't even have to stay now. This is the situation I have been given and I believe we should work together here. Save the money up, get a house of your own, or stay here and just buy dresses and good food, you are free to be who you are here. You're my girls and I love ya'll" you get a little teary at your speech, the girls huddle around you and give you a group hug. 

"We love you too boss" you hear the them say, they may not always behave or have the best of attitudes, but you are a community and you had each other's backs. 

"Well I don't know if y' gunna like me after I tell ya that the Dolarhydes are paying us a little visit later!" You wince with a grin, looking around you see your girls roll their eyes and whine once more. "I won't hear none of it, we've gotta dress to impress!" 

Through defeated mutters, they all return to their rooms to get ready. 

"Miss Laaaaangtree you're gunna kill us" Amber gives you a little frustrated shake before joining the others.

"There's nothing to worry about, ya'll are gems y'know that right?" You call out encouragingly, there was an air of nervousness in your tone - not that you didn't have faith in your employees, but that Dolarhyde kid could cause problems; your girls were feisty and if he's going to terrorise them like he does with the other citizens of Absolution then there's going to be trouble...and a potential murder. 

Slipping in your office you take a good look at yourself in the mirror; not only do you do your business here, this room also acts as a dressing room for you. Back in Sparrowdale, your office was a great place to have a sneaky drink or cigarette during shows, and whenever you are having a wardrobe malfunction; much like today. This morning you rushed getting ready, you needed to be at Sweetwater as soon as to prepare but now you are sort of regretting it. Giving yourself a quick spin you grimace at the sight; unkempt hair, no makeup, the dress isn't the nicest - you looked like you just rocked up after a night out drinking. 

"Gosh darn it" you huffed out loud before changing into one of your more formal dresses you kept in your office. After makeup and hair were done, you made your way to the bar where you heard chatter and hurried steps above you; when it came to getting ready your girls sound like an absolute circus. 

Once everything was ready, it was all a matter of waiting - your girls all dolled up, the whole building was clean and all was in its place. You had little to no patience, the anxiety returning to you with every passing minute; what if Mr Dolarhyde didn't approve of the place? Not that you needed his support, you would be able to do business without him but a sponsorship? That doesn't come easy. 

"Right everyone, they are due anytime now so just... Uhhhh do what you usually would before opening. Rehearse, clean, check stock, whatever. Just be normal and NICE. Treat them like you usually would with a customer" all in unison the girls unbutton their outfits and pull seductive faces. "Not THAT kind of customer for God’s sake, you tryna get us in trouble?" You fluster. 

-

Minutes felt like hours and your patience worn thin, luckily it didn't take too long for Woodrow and Percy to finally arrive at your Saloon. You were alerted by a heavy, firm knock on the door. You cursed every profanity under the sun and bit your fist, desperately wanting this ordeal to be over and done with. 

"Welcome Colonel Dolarhyde...Mr Dolarhyde" you smiled at Woodrow as you welcomed him in, your smile drops immediately when staring up into Percy's eyes; he returns the favour by furrowing a brow and twitching his nose in your direction. 

"Please, no one calls me the Colonel"

"No one who wants to live" Percy added, his father elbows him with a scowl. 

"Ah I see, well is Woodrow still acceptable Sir?" You smile politely, trying your best to disguise your nervousness. 

"Yeah, sure... My, what a big place this is" Woodrow stated, he seemed impressed... Maybe, he was an aloof man so who really knows what he actually thinks. Stepping in through the door Percy's eyes stay forward, not wanting to look your way. Whenever his father isn't looking, you give Percy a deathly glare at every given opportunity; he's a lemon of a man, every time you see him its like taking a big, sour bite. At least lemons are good for you. 

"Ladies" Mr Dolarhyde tips his hat at your girls, Amelia was behind the bar looking busy, Bella, Esme and Julia practiced their dancing routine and the others were in and out of the room, also "looking" busy. 

"Can I get you gents a drink?" You offered whilst walking around the bar. 

The Dolarhydes take a seat on a barstool and decide to have a double whiskey each, on the house of course. 

"So Y/N how long have these girls worked with you?" Mr Dolarhyde asks, you tense at his voice, and so the interrogation begins. Even though Percy is peering in your direction, he clearly wasn't all there; lights on but no one's home kind of look. 

"I would say it's coming up near 3 years now, Amelia here has been with me from the start" You motion towards Lia, she gives a polite pursed smile before continuing varnishing already varnished glasses. Woodrow downs his whiskey in one and slams the glass onto the counter. 'Hmm aren't you supposed to savour whiskey?' You thought to yourself. Percy attempts to do the same but chokes up half of his drink. 

You let out a little laugh at this and offer Percy a drink of water - he of course declines. As you giggled to yourself, Percy couldn't help but notice your smile lines and the way you spoke through your chuckle. For a moment Percy considered you as cute; that was until he realised who he was admiring. 

"It ain't funny, this shit's dry"

"Quit yer whinin'!" Woodrow hits between Percy's shoulder blades, you could swear Percy’s skin would be black and blue with he amount Mr Dolarhyde had beat his son’s sorry ass. 

The conversation turned to more business related questions, like your usual income, how much the place was and what your expected salary will be from the place. Truthfully, you didn't know, the town of Absolution was far smaller than Sparrowdale, so its a fair assumption that your bar won't be as filled every night as your old saloon - no matter how entertaining your girls may be. The whole time you and Woodrow spoke, Percy sat and listened, or maybe he didn't, you could never tell and you certainly didn't really care; the only thing that mattered was keeping his father impressed and interested. 

"Anyway Miss Langtree, I am sorry for hittin' the road so soon but I just wanted to get a feel of the place y'know? Plus it'll give you and Percy here some time to get properly acquainted. Just make sure he don't drink too much" 

"How bout another drink for the road?" You look at Mr Dolarhyde desperately, he's only just arrived and he's already leaving you with this brute? 

"I would but I er gotta deal with some lousy men of mine. Probably pissed on the job and it won't look too good if I was in a state. I'll be back later. Have fun kids" And that was that, Woodrow left the two of you awkwardly at the bar. Silence had never been so loud, even Bella, Esme and Julia stopped performing and went straight to their rooms due to the violent quietness. 

Percy's hungry eyes follow their steps, you’ve seen that look many times. Letting out an angry cough, you fiercely pull at Percy's ear.

"OW! Hey now-"

"Will you PLEASE behave yourself? Even for a moment for God's sake" you aggressively whisper, Percy lets out a irritated grunt. 

"Well there's nothin else to do in this place so why not?"

"How about a civil conversation perhaps? Or is Mr Dolarhyde too good to be talkin' to the likes o' me?" 

Percy doesn't answer, grumbling something to himself, no doubt something insulting about you. His gaze falls over the bottles of alcohol behind the counter, noting the variety of brands and liquors. He was almost impressed, there seems to be way more choice than the Gold Leaf, maybe your bar might be worth a visit after all; especially if he sees those girls again. The lanky man takes a long drawn out sigh before looking back at you; he thinks your a cute little thing with an attitude problem, he would have entertained the idea of marriage if you weren't so mouthy. A quiet, obedient little wife who he wouldn't have to pay much attention to would have best suited him. But here he is, forced to face you head on begrudgingly. 

"The name's Percy. If you're gunna keep callin' me that then you ain't gonna get a civil conversation, darlin" 

“I’ll call you what I like. Maybe if you got your act together and treated me with some with respect I might actually call you your name” 

“Respect is earned little miss” He spat, standing up out of his seat with means to intimidate. You don’t buckle nor flinch, it would have to take a lot for the likes of Percy Dolarhyde to frighten you. 

"I don't even know why you're here, you're no good sober than y'are off your face with booze" you argue "Why'd I have to be matched up with the likes of you?"

"I'm not exactly singin' and dancin' myself" Percy folds his arms over like a large child. "Can't believe Pa is making me marry the hag o’ whore's" 

"Get the FUCK outta here you bastard!" You threw and empty bottle at him, that was it, you’ve had enough of him. Percy pathetically scrambles away like a frightened deer out of your saloon, you had half the mind to chase after him. 

After a few seconds of huffing angrily, you feel a hand rest upon your shoulder. 

“Well that was short lived, my they say romance is dead” Amelia lets out an awkward chuckle, your eyes meet hers as you attempt to calm yourself. “He seems…uh…nice” 

“He’s quite the catch” you breathily let out a laugh of your own, hand resting on your brow as you fall into a seat. “I probably shouldn’t of attacked him like that… But the prick deserved it”

“Y’ think that’s going to damage the saloons reputation?” Amelia takes a seat next to you and takes your free hand in hers. 

“Ah fuck, I ain’t even thought of that” biting your fist, you can only imagine Mr Dolarhyde’s response; either you or your father are going to get punished. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it, for now, lets have another drink” 

#paul dano #danocel #danonation #cowboys vs aliens #percy dolarhyde #percy dolarhyde x reader #cowboys and aliens x reader #cowboys and aliens

[gettatranslations]

Rose Fairy Yumigeta Ako (23.09.21)

Good evening🌝

I'm Yumigeta Ako🛑

Thank you very much for your comments yesterday！

Firstly saury！

I was surprised by how many methods you told me to remove the bones that I'd never heard beforeー！！！

The main answer was 「Put the saury on your plate and remove the spine」

Mama wanted to try it so she bought more saury today、but just enough for herself。

Also things you used to like！

Gundam was popular of course！

Gundam… is something I really don't know anything about…

But my dad likes them and just from what you all said they seem really amazing〜 I wonder where I could see some〜

Please let me know if you have any recommended series！

And one more thing！

In yesterday's blog I mentioned 「Green grapes」、but they were actually Shine Muscat grapes！

There are so many varieties of green grapes〜How Shocking〜

Everyone have you already watched our MV？！

I love it so much because the lyrics reference so many other songs so it feels really nostalgic but also representative of us！

My favourite part is

The rap before the 2nd verse where lyrics from The☆Peace! are included！

The dance is really cool too〜💃

Every moment is cool so you need to watch it closely during our LIVE performances…！

Now for a story about me

This was taken at the official shoot✨

I think some people may have noticed yesterday…

But I have a mole on my stomach〜◦

It's really noticeable！In this photo！

It's right in the centre of my stomach and fairly large which is rare so I think it's one of my charm points✌️

Please keep an eye out for it when I wear this costume〜🤣

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Well then it's time for today's 【Gettaa Life】✨

Today I have thisー！

Lookie Lookie！

I found these potato crisps the other day！

These were really、really delicious！

They were a pretty basic flavour with a really strong taste of wasabi！

They also used katsuobushi so they tasted really Japanese which was amazing♪

Personally I think this might be my favourite flavour of potato crisps！

I want to try dipping them in soy sauce too…

Speaking of which the same store just so happened to be selling soy sauce today。

Maybe I'll try it next time I visit…！

I Getted 「New Potato Crisp Flavour」✨

I also wanna eat ready salted ones〜❗️

It was my first time eating potato crisps in ages、and I was surprised by how delicious they were〜

Everyone please try them if you see them anywhere！

That's all！This has been 【Gettaa Life】！

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T/N News and information has not been translated

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The tiny flowers that are decorating our kitchen table have wilted recentlyー！

Maybe we should get some cute new flowers💐

Speaking of flowers…

I personally believe that the flower that best represents me is definitely the rose！！！！！！

Aren't I rosey？！

Like how I'm so passionate💃Ole

Everyone what flower do you think represents you？？？？

I'm interested because I bet it'll vary so much from person to person！

But I only accept roses

Well then I'll see you tomorrow！

This has been YumiGettaa Ako！Good night🌹

#hello pro blog #17ki #17ki members #ako yumigeta #getta #gettaa #haruka inoue #hello pro #hello project #hello project blog #getta translations #getageta #Yumigeta Ako #hello project member #Morning Musume #morning musume 23 #Mm23 #morning musume blog translations #morning musume blog #morning musume og members #morning musume translations #hello pro blog translations #hello project blog translations #japanese idol #japanese #japan #Wake up call Mezameru toki #idol #Idol blog #Idol blog translations

[kiguroomie]

Migrate YOUR Single Player World to Multiplayer Watch here: https://youtu.be/ipklM54LOUU

The Beginner Guide to the Technical Side of Vanilla Minecraft 

Today, we'll be going over how to migrate your singleplayer world to a survival multiplayer (SMP) setting along with some basic admincraft discussion about datapacks, mods, their differences, and popular modding toolchains: Paper, Forge, and Fabric 

Guest Appearance (My Artist) : https://www.youtube.com/mprincekane 

Techniques / Farms Implemented: Single Player World Migration - Original

Songs Featured: Happiness is Your Eyes - https://youtu.be/OMuAG4zBYNQ Lossless - https://youtu.be/1yhAlgv3SYs Breezy Winds - https://youtu.be/bZpNHOaswHM Rosey Day - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVZrGe5JVfQ Kigu's LoFi Bag of Treats Pt 1 - https://youtu.be/5l6aYzX-gPQ Kigu's LoFi Bag of Treats Pt 2 - https://youtu.be/Y1Nlkm2jj2I 

To View Entire Music For All Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLOUATZ23LN8lNJdstpBl77o-lB23hq9iz 

All songs can be downloaded and personally used without fear of copyright over at https://KiguRoomie.com 

Just give me credit and we'll be good!  @KiguRoomie  

To Keep Up-To-Date: https://twitter.com/KiguRoomie Watch me work in this world Live: https://twitch.tv/KiguRoomie

#GiOS

[circusballoon]

How about Rosette baby

@burbled​: Would you want to do Rosette for the character meme? :3c

ABSOLUTELY

Name: Incomprehensible to most beings. “Rosette” is an acceptable alternative, though.

Age: Ancient

Gender: Also incomprehensible, but she accepts feminine titles and “she” pronouns.

Species: Divom-Elaial. They’re a variety of ancient celestial beings known as the “Mercenaries of the Gods,” as they’re skilled and powerful fighters who can aid in battle (and sometimes other ways) if paid what they require.Standing in the presence of the Divom-Elaial is known to cause feelings of existential dread as you stare into an embodiment of the vastness of space. Rosette usually has this effect masked when not working because it makes interactions difficult.

Hobbies: Space stuff,sparring, parties and weird deity games with friends, visiting her genespri (individuals magically bound to her in order to receive a portion of her magic), exploring new worlds, and also lately keeping up with what Paz and their group have been up to (although this also falls under the genespri bit).

Occupation(s): Celestial mercenary

Personal goals: Train more, study up on the worlds relevant to the gaggle of mostly ex-supers she found, and befriend said gaggle of mostly ex-supers.

Are they dating anyone?: Not presently

Do they have any crushes?: Not presently

What is their orientation?: Rosette doesn’t give a lot of thought about it and finds the whole concept kind of strange, but would hesitantly lean towards pan if she had to pick an English term. She’d most likely just shrug at you if asked.

Who do they consider to be their family, if anyone?: Some of her genespri, also surely some of the Divom-Elaial and such deity-type beings who haven’t been developed yet.

Do they have or want children?: Rosette doesn’t have children but isn’t opposed to the idea of them, so long as she would not be the primary parent raising them.

Do they have any pets?: Do her genespri count Nah.

What type of animal would they most want for a pet?: Some variety of celestial being who would be able to travel with her. Either fierce or cute, or both.

What is their favorite animal in general?: Rosette thinks many less powerful beings are weird and adorable. Who needs to play favorites?

Do they have any other forms and, if so, do they have a preferred one? If they don’t have any other forms, what would they choose as an alternate form?: Rosette personally prefers her natural form but lately smaller versions of it with masks and more human-like forms have been proving to be more practical for interactions.

If they could have one addition to their physical features (wings, horns, etc.), what would they choose?: Rosette has shape-shifting abilities and sees no point in a permanent change to her features.

If they could have one ability (magical or otherwise) they don’t already have, what would it be?: At the moment, healing or curse lifting don’t seem to be all that bad. Also just being more skilled at talking would be decently helpful, too. Whatever works.

What mythical creature would they choose to be if they had to be one? (If they’re already a mythical creature, pick a different type): As far as more standard western stuff goes, probably a werewolf. Otherwise, I don’t know.

What do they normally spend the day doing?: Anything from her hobbies, really. Or working.

What would their perfect day look like?: Relaxed with friends.

What would their ideal date look like, if they ever date?: As chill as the cold of space because it’s actually in space. But also a relaxed time doing something new on a planet is good, too. Dating on Turupin and Wenqosi (the planets relevant to Paz and company) is very weird to her which is interesting.

What would their ideal friend hangout be?: SPACE. Or otherwise hanging around playing weird games or exploring.

Do they have any notable past relationships of any variety?: I’m sure she’s been in relationships and had friendships and things with deities and mortals and other sorts of beings but wow I do not have much developed on that front right now.

What is their favorite season and why?: Who needs seasons when you have space? (Summer, though. It’s closer to a star and it’s brighter and nice. But it’s not a strong preference.)

What is their favorite type of weather?: Clear skies and any temperature. Light breezes are kind of nice.

What kind of nerd are they?: Uh… a nerd about battles and space.

Are they an early bird, night owl, or neither?: Who needs sleep?

Are they skilled in any form of fighting?: Rosette is versed in magical combat, hand-to-hand combat, and a variety of weapons. She has a strong preference for magic.

Do they believe in or worship any sort of deity? (If they are a deity of some sort, are there any more powerful ones that they work for?): While she is essentially a deity herself, she does revere Caelestis, the Celestial Goddess.

Are they an easily frightened person?: Nope

Are they easily flustered?: Very much not

Do they care about being polite?: No

Are they shy, outgoing, or something else?: Outgoing. Not always the most socially adept because Rosette’s skill is fighting and not talking, so it can make knowing what to do in social settings pretty awkward, but outgoing.

Are they easily provoked into arguments?: No. She’ll just sit there silently and look at you with her faceless face and tilt her head forward, questioning why you’re still going on about this.

Are they easily provoked into physical fights?: Not provoked so much as she’ll readily accept a challenge when presented. However, if someone trying to pick a fight with her is not remotely near her level, it would prove nothing to fight them and she will ignore it. She’ll also fight to protect friends if that’s necessary.

Do they ever swear?: Not really. Rosette doesn’t feel a need to but isn’t opposed to it, either.

Do they care what others think of them?: Rosette wishes for decently powerful beings to have an apt amount of fear and respect for her and her work, but she doesn’t care a lot about the views of the sorts of beings who wouldn’t normally hire her–such as mortals and the like. She would, however, like Paz’s group (particularly Salles) to be less intimidated by her because it makes visiting complicated.

Are they generally a physically affectionate person, or do they prefer their personal space? Are there any exceptions to this?: She’s fine with whatever, although certainly doesn’t mind affection from people she actually likes.

Does their room tend to be clean or messy?: Rosette has many rooms and they are intricate but probably not what people would consider organized.

Do they collect anything?: Silver.So much silver.So much silver.Flowers are nice too, though.

How would they react to bad puns?: She’d laugh more at the pun-teller’s amusement (or embarrassment) than the actual joke.

Would they rather have a life of adventure, or do they prefer a quieter, more predictable life?: A bit of both. Adventure and quiet.

Do they abide by the laws of their area?: Who needs laws when you’re practically a goddess? But when she is in areas with laws, often the answer is no.

Have they ever been arrested?: Nah

What would they do if they found a stranger crying?: It would really depend on if she actually noticed and how curious she felt about that particular individual, or how bored she was. Rosette would either pass by as normal, or curiously wander over and question what’s up.

What would they do if they found a loved one crying?: Go and sit beside them.

Do they have any unusual or supernatural requirements to sustain themself?: I’m still figuring that out but it’s probably something like dark matter or something

How far or close to where they were born or spent their childhood do they live?: Rosette often keeps near to the general region of space she was formed in because she has a strong connection with it, but she goes anywhere.

Do they like where they live now? Would they rather be somewhere else?: Rosette’s fine. Space is good and there’s a lot of universe to explore.

Do they still have any friends they had when they were a child? If they are a child, who would they consider a friend?: Probably?? Probably some variety of mentor. They may or may not be close, I really don’t know.

As a child, what did they want to be when they grew up? If they still are a child, what do they want to be?: One of the Divom-Elaial.

If you wrote a story with them as the main character, what would it be about?: That’s a really good question I do not know the answer to. Maybe about her meeting and befriending Paz and company? But I’m not sure what would work best if she was the main character.

#tubertrapper #burbled #Tiger #Pika #memes #Rosette #Rosey is popular today #she appreciates the attention

[cassandraclare]

Not too spoilery, but very long!

fieidofpoppies said: I was hoping to get some clarification about the LGBT situation in TLH’s background. 

What exactly is the Clave's position on homosexuality? Alec struggles with people's opinion in 2008, so I guess in 1900ish things are definitely not rosey, but to what extent? We know that being gay is considered a crime in mundane London at the time and I'm guessing that is not the case for the Shadowhunter world, so how seriously is it a problem? What does it/ would it mean for our characters to be out?

Okay, so I’ve gotten a few of this question, leading me to believe it is A Conversation that needs some addressing. It’s a complicated issue so I’m going to try to break it down in parts.

There is no “The Clave’s position on homosexuality” that is unchanging: it has changed, advanced and regressed through history just like you, know, regular human history. :) If you’re asking about the Clave’s position on LGBT Shadowhunters in 1903, we will get to that.

Just because Alec is struggling in 2007 doesn’t mean things were worse for Anna in 1903. The idea that culture moves inevitably forward towards tolerance and progressivism is an oversimplification. We see it assumed all around, so it’s easy to believe it, but actually it’s more of a two steps forward, one step back scenario. There are always periods of cultural progress, marked by periods of cultural regress. If someone had told me when I was a teenager that a woman’s right to choose would be more trammeled and in danger in 2020 America then in 1989 I wouldn’t have believed it; it is, however, the truth. We are in a more regressive period culturally now than we were ten years ago; LGBT rights are more under threat. This isn’t the first time in history this has happened and it won’t be the last: “During the golden years of the Weimar Republic [Germany's government from 1919 to 1933] Berlin was considered an LGBT+ haven, where gays and lesbians achieved an almost dizzying degree of visibility in popular culture” — but by 1934 LGBT+ Germans were being persecuted and eventually would be sent to death camps with Jews, communists, and other “undesirables.”

Alec is living in a time in which a regressive, conservative group that his own parents belonged to nearly toppled the more progressive aspects of the Clave. He already comes from a family in exile, during a time in which progressive and regressive aspects of the Clave are battling each other and the situation with Downworlders is explosive. Four years after Alec comes out, the fascist Cohort rises to power and splits the Clave in half. Nothing like that is happening in 1903: there is a progressive Consul in power, demon attacks are low, there is generally peace with Downworld.

It is reasonable that Alec would have concerns about how the Clave at large might treat him, and also have concerns about family and friends, given his parents’ past. And while Anna and Matthew etc. might have similar concerns about coming out to the whole Clave, which they haven’t, they are not concerned about their particular group of friends, and have mixed concerns about family. (Also, we have plenty of characters who have been just as worried about coming out as Alec was: Charles, Alastair, Ariadne. We don’t yet know Thomas’ attitude. Everyone who doesn’t consider themselves a “Bohemian” isn’t taking this very lightly, and even Matthew isn’t “out” to anyone except his friends. It’s not like the Wentworths know he’s bisexual.)

None of this is to say it was “easy” to be LGBT+ during the early 1900’s. It isn’t easy now. It’s to say that “Well, it sucked across the board then and now it’s great across the board!” isn’t true, and ignores the significance of context in the lives of characters — and people. There’s a great moment in the movie Colette (set in the 1890′s and early 1900′s) that focuses on Mathilde de Morny, Colette’s lover. Mathilde was assigned female at birth (academic scholars are widely divided on whether Mathile was transgender so I’m going to be gender-neutral here.) Mathilde dresses in men’s clothes, and openly romances women, but in this particular moment, Mathilde speaks about the fact that if Mathilde were not rich and titled, it might be a problem. But given Mathilde’s social status and power, and the Bohemian set of people Mathilde spends time with, it’s not. Colette herself also dresses in men’s clothes and is open about her same-sex romances, even kissing Mathilde onstage at the Moulin Rouge.

(Colette and Mathilde, 1907.)

The artist Romaine Brooks wore men’s clothes, even painting herself in them: according to the Smithsonian “By 1905, she had made a name for herself in Paris as a painter of women, some of whom were her lovers. Her most visible and lasting relationship was with the American poet Natalie Barney, who also lived in Paris.” (There’s a reason the characters are often talking about Paris or visiting Paris: being LGBT+  wasn’t illegal in France, and Paris was a gay and lesbian mecca, complete with LGBT+ cafes, high society, celebrities, and so on.)

People like Anna existed in the mundane world in 1903. It’s important to realize; this isn’t something I wrote because I’d have liked it to be true and historically accurate, it is true and historically accurate. It’s also true that even though male homosexuality was illegal in England in 1903, there were plenty of gay men who were out to their friends and community. Lytton Strachey (part of the Bloomsbury Group which included Virginia Woolf) “spoke openly about his homosexuality with his Bloomsbury friends, and had relationships with a variety of men.”  Which isn’t to say he spoke openly about it to everyone —  just that there have always been spaces within “mainstream” society where it was safe to be queer: Anna and Matthew, by going to the Hell Ruelle, by standing somewhat apart from their contemporaries save those they already trust, are inhabiting those spaces.

Now, if the question becomes: what happens if everyone in the Clave finds out the sexualities of the LGB+ characters in TLH? Well, first, they won’t be arrested; it’s not illegal. But that hardly covers the whole issue. We look at what happened to Oscar Wilde and think, horrors, as well we should — had he not sued the Marquess of Queensberry, though, he probably would have lived out his life with society turning a blind eye to his affairs with men. What happened to him is fucking terrible. Yet even today, there are celebrities who remain in the closet — though their queerness may well be an open secret to their friends, family and colleagues — not because they’re worried about being arrested, but because of the fear of what the damage to their career might be were it publicly known. And how is that so different from the situation Charles finds himself in? He’s pretty clear that if people knew he were gay, he couldn’t be Consul. He wouldn’t get the votes. In the same way, it’s likely that the other LGB+ characters would face societal disapproval and issues with their families. That’s not really about the “Clave’s official position” though, any more than a politician today not wanting to come out is worried about being arrested rather than losing their career. The official position is important, but it’s not the only indicator or generator of societal, systemic bigotry.  (” It turns out that one of the worst times to be a homosexual - that is, in terms of being at risk from the law - was in the run-up to and aftermath of the liberalisation of the 1960s [when homosexuality was decriminalized].” )

So if you made it this far: what I’m basically saying is three things: one, that any comparison to Alec has to take into account Alec’s specific family situation, the Uprising, and who the Clave and Inquisitor are in 2007. And that I can’t say what it means for the characters of TLH to be out because it’s going to mean different things, and have different repercussions, for all of them. I can say “They won’t be in trouble with the Law”, which is true, but in terms of their family situations, their personal goals and dreams, and where they are socially, it would be different for each one of them. 

And third, that we can’t assume that progress is one inevitable forward march. That things will always be more tolerant, less oppressive, in “the future” simply because it’s the future.  While we can believe that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice” it’s important to remember that rights can be abridged, freedoms taken away, times of tolerance and harmony can end, bigotry and nationalism can rise. To assume progress is inevitable is, I worry, to forget to fight for it. And we can never forget to fight.

[Recommended reading: Strangers: Homosexual Love in the Nineteenth Century, by Graham Robb.]

#the last hours #chain of gold #spoilers #tlh

[ditttiii]

You're popular and everyone loves you. That's why I'm jealous. Also, you have so many friends.

i feel you noonie. up until a year ago (note i wasn't posting any original content then) i was a nobody. had no friends & would get excited every time a stranger liked my reblogged posts so i am not gonna sit here and feed you false bs because i felt what you are feeling rn too. and that's okay. totally fair. humans by nature like being surrounded by their kind and when you aren't a content creator sometimes it can get lonely on here. you see people interacting, doing tag games, sending each other memes and you wanna be a part of it. i wanted to be a part of it. i'v said this before but the reason i started posting stories was because irl i was at my lowest. in an incredibly bad and lonely place. the thought of talking to anyone who knew--really knew--me was horrifying. i had never before felt more like a failure. so one day, gathering all my courage, i reached out to an author whose work i had really enjoyed reading. it was a shot in the dark and i didn't think we'd stay in touch but i just really wanted them to know how much joy their stories had brought into my life at a time when all i could see was darkness. and today? a little more than a year later? that author is my best friend & the one who inspired me to start writing again. back then we talked every single day and then suddenly i wasn't lonely anymore. tbh we still do talk a lottt

sometimes, all you need is that one person. someone who believes in you and takes the time out of their day to talk to you even if it's only for a few minutes. it doesn't have to be an author. it can be someone who reblogs posts from your blog, seems to have the same interests, literally anyone. all you gotta do is take that chance and reach out.

i am incredibly fortunate and thankful for the love that i receive and no doubt that i love all my followers back ten times more. this blog is my safe haven, the one place i know i truly belong but it wasn't always this way. and you know what? that's okay too. life's not always fun and going your way. for the longest time I ached for this. stayed up night after night to push out chapters and collected every bit of love that i received like a starved child and that desperation drove me to work towards my passion, to find happiness in what i did and it wasn't until a lot later that i realised that somewhere along the way i had finally started feeling happy again. popularity? doesn't exist. at least it isn't what brings one joy. i was happy when i had 200 followers and 60 notes on my posts because i no longer had just one person. 199 more people were seeing my posts and even if most of them didn't interact at least i was no longer screaming into the void. jealousy doesn't have a bar and i am not the most "popular" creator on here, but yeah i am loved. it wasn't always all rosey & sunshine but the journey wasn't necessarily bad either. channel that jealousy you are feeling rn and turn it into motivation, stay determined and do what makes you happy. for what it's worth i am always here for you too <3

#ditttiii asks #tw: long post #sending you so much love boo #*hugs you tightly* #when all's said and done jealousy is a sucky feeling and i m so sorry you feel that

[boy-yandere]

@rosey-writes

🦌 Eliot was not dumb. Boy. Teen. Whatever- he wasn't dumb. Sometimes, he truly wished he was, it would make most of his life easier by a factor of ten, but, he wasn't, which left him with the troubling predicament of being not-dumb, not-popular, and not-intimidating. Which, baring the bullying that inevitably led to, which thankfully was held back at least a little by the fact his brothers _were_ big, dumb, and popular, led to a pervasive sense of paranoia he learned to listen to quick. He'd been watching this guy, Louis whatever-his-last-name was for a while now. And he didn't like what he saw. Wasn't quite sure what made those alarm bells go off in him, something in that empty stare that reminded him too much of the empty bullet casings that littered his old Brooklyn alleyways back home, before he moved to this helltown, but, something about that boy made him uncomfortable. And, like any smart man would, he decided to do the very obviously smart thing and confront him. “I’m onto you.” His eyes narrowed, as he tried to put what little intimidation all five foot, 90 pound, Bambi eyed him could muster. He’s hated his looks, hated the white freckles on darker skin and cursed the god damn Bambi jokes since he learned the “fuck word” to curse them with. “I don’t know what you’re doing, but whatever it is, stop, because I am onto you. Don’t touch me or my family, you understand.”

[Louis was understandably surprised when the young man approached him, but not startled. He’d seen the boy before, but his name never stuck, despite his interesting, if not cute appearance. He’d caught his eye several times, with that dark, dark skin, and pale freckles, which piqued his interest. An interesting appearance always interested the young man. But he had never spoken to him, never quite followed him. Today, however, seemed to be different.]

[He couldn’t help the teasing smirk that appeared on his face. The man was short, considering Louis was six feet and the boy was at least five. Perhaps a little taller. But, considering the way Louis had to tilt his head to even meet his eyes was a slight indicator that he was five foot. It was amusing, really. Such a short man but with a burning tongue.]

Are you now? How curious.

[It didn’t make him think, not in the slightest. He knew he could appear strange. With all the money, his silent nature and his tendency to take the back-alleys home. Still, he was interested. What had this young man picked up about him.]

And, what exactly are you onto?

[Ah, and he admitted it. It was just a feeling, it seemed. Amusing. His smirk widened a tad.]

If you’re uncertain of what I’m up to, as you put it, then why tell me all this? Wouldn’t you rather stay unnoticed?

[His curiosity twisted into something darker. What did this young man know, really? Louis’ blue eyes gleamed, hungry for knowledge.]

I’m not sure I do understand, dear. Why don’t you elaborate?

[He poked, teased the young man. He hoped he would amuse him.]

#eliot #[I LOVE THIS MAN] #[he asks a lot of questions can u tell]

[tisthenightofthewitch]

Musically one of the best rock/metal albums released this year and I don’t say that lightly.

Overdrive Magazine

Over the last few years, Ghost have made a big splash on the world stage. A larger than life, theatrical hard rock/metal band led by charismatic front man Tobias Forge playing various versions of a satanic pope known as Papa Emeritus. Ghost are renowned for their spectacular stage shows but have also earned a reputation as one of the best hard rock acts around today. The band has released three studio albums so far, each one more like a film release than a record release; Forge has conceived and directed everything from character creation to cinematography. It was recently announced the band would be releasing their fourth album ‘Prequelle’ and fans have been keenly following details excitedly as they are released. Forge has announced that the three previous popes are dead and that his new character of Cardinal Copia would be leading the band. According to a recent press release, ‘Prequelle’ the plague, the apocalypse and the dark ages, as well as a snapshot of the world we live in. One listen and the theme of the modern world falling to the Black Plague comes to the fore immediately, woven amongst the bands usual themes of satanic rebellion and anti-redemption. The first track Ashes is a spooky and atmospheric instrumental introduction that really sets the tone. Hammer horror-esque music plays as children creepily sing the full version of ring-around-the-rosey. It is deeply unsettling and immediately introduces the plague concept effectively.

The album launches into the already released first single Rats. This single has quickly become popular for a reason. It is a metal tinged hard rock track full of energy that you can rock along to, the melodic singing of Forge softening the blow of some pretty dark lyrics. This is one of the best Ghost tracks yet. They have really pinpointed what they do best and ran with it. The music is played well, not to complicated but kept interesting with tempo changes and some real solid guitar work. Immediately a high standard is set and the next track does. Not disappoint. Faith is darker and heavier with a very traditional 80s metal feel. The chorus lightens up musically with a more rock sound, and the lyrics have an anti-religious theme Ghost are known for. Some excellent guitar work really drives this track and grabs your attention. The band may be known for theatrics but they once again prove they are some excellent musicians. This track will really excite fans who loved the heavier sound of the last album.

Next up we have See The Light and fittingly we are led into the song a church organ backing up what sounds like a heavenly choir. Then a more traditional piano kicks in followed by the guitars playing a slow but heavy rhythm that brings to mind a power ballad. The song makes use of the choir again during the chorus as Forge’s powerful voice sings lyrics such as “every day that you feed me with hate I grow stronger”. Ghost are excellent at really bringing framing deep, dark lyrics with catchy tunes. This song deface Italy has an 80s power ballad feel but in the best way possible. There is a synth sound throughout the track that is almost reminiscent of a Keytar, and somehow this all works so well. A good, solid track that acts as a thematic bridge leading into Miasma. We here the church organ again but there is a crackly, lo-vibe tinge to it. Then some slow, heavy guitars kick in backed up by a pounding drum beat. This is another slow tempo song, similar to the previous song but with more of a traditional metal tinge. This track is an instrumental with some real attention grabbing guitar solos. The synths have that 80s sound again but with a heavier feel, and this track really rocks out. This band is very good at blending elements that are a bit different into some well composed music. Then it happens. Saxaphone solo! I don’t know how the band makes it work but they do in a really fun way.

This more dance-inducing feel continues into the next track, the second single Danse Macabre. This track is pure hard rock, and Forge’s past in the genre really comes to the fore. This has a more modern feel and a faster tempo, being one of the catchiest tracks on the album. Very high energy that makes you want to dance, with lyrics about people dancing and, well, hooking up as they realise they are dying. This is the highlight of the album, and one of the better tracks they have released. Not as heavy as some previous fair, but I feel this one would be amazing to see performed live. A symphonic intro leads us into the ballad Pro Memoria, which has a mournful tone rounded out by what sound like a violin. Soft piano starts and the tone is quite heavy, despite the softer sound. Lyrics sing of Lucifer, death and people waiting to die. Heavier guitars intersperse themselves with that church organ sound that is the bands trademark. This is a nice tonal change from the previous couple of songs. This seems like a simple, soft ballad on the surface but forge is excellent at exploiting the mood. This track really punches you in the heart.

Witch Image brings it back around to the rock sound Ghost are known for. This song is more like their earlier stuff, but more fine-tuned. Very much a rock song without the softer elements. There are power metal-tinged guitar solos with a rock edge and the whole song is more upbeat. Forge’s voice really gets a work out on this track, really proving himself as a talented vocalist and not just a showman. Then things take a bit of a strange turn. Helvensfonster is another instrumental and feels like an intermission almost. There is an 80s horror movie feel to the music, with a synth sound that almost sounds flute like. Then the heaviness kicks in. Power metal guitars kick in with an epic feel, like you are in a battle almost. Epic 80s power guitar and synth battle in the style of Europe or Journey. The song then takes on a very sombre, mournful feel with a howling wind sound interspersing a very folkish, medieval sound. Then the church bells chime. As the themes get darker so does the music, and you can feel yourself being drawn in more and more.

The last track is the aptly named Life Eternal. Piano plays over mournful, balladic singing. There is almost the feel of a love song at first listen, but of course the song is about the inevitable conclusion. Death. The music and vocals sound soft and sweet and lull you into a a slower mood. There are some heavier guitars  that pick up the pace and there is an epic, almost redemptive feel. Very catchy, despite the almost nihilistic lyrical content. The drums really stand out on this track, the gentle but marching feel drawing the whole album to a natural close. This is a song you can sing along to. It really finishes the album on a high, and is another track that would be really exciting to see live. 

Overall, this album prove why Ghost are as popular and well respected as they are. They show they are more than just a stage show with each song. Yet the whole album weaves together thematically so well you become excited for the visuals that will inevitably follow. They do just as well, if not better, than the last album ‘Meliora’ which is a big feat. Fans of Ghost will love this album and newcomers to the band will find something to love and draw them in to the existing story. Musically one of the best rock/metal albums released this year and I don’t say that lightly. My only criticism is the short length of the album. They really lock down the Ghost sound and refine it. Now all we can do is pray to Cardinal Copia that they tour here.

LINK

#Ghost #The Band Ghost #Ghost Band #Prequelle #Album Review #Cardinal Copia #Nameless Ghouls #Tobias Forge

[akaaka04]

@necroziimph Happy Valentine's Day from your secret admirer! :v

The click clack of heels against granite alerted Kaneki of someone’s presence from down the hall. He looked to his wristwatch and then towards the corner to see if he was right about who’d be coming around in just a second; he turned out to be right, indeed. He frowned noticeably, tapping the glass of his watch with urgency, and opened his mouth to chastise Eto only to be greeted with a stare he knew all too well. Eto lifted her middle finger with a tilt of her head, kissed her fingertip long enough to stain it red with the lipstick she was wearing, and showed it to Kaneki with a teasing grin.

Kaneki shook his head, frown deepening and cheeks already turning rosey as he stopped Eto from entering through the heavy double doors in front of them to put a hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at him with a raised brow of confusion as Kaneki leaned in close to whisper in her ear.

“Your publisher called to tell you he can’t make it to lunch. so you’re free until five o’clock for today.”

Eto laughed and patted Kaneki’s cheek before placing a hand to his chest and pushing him away. Kaneki was used to Eto’s confusing signs of affection, but was still unamused with her hot and cold behavior. She was too unpredictable, too mysterious for him to crack. But that’s what made the challenge of getting to know her that much more worthwhile.

“God, I can’t wait for this to be over!” She groaned, pausing to stretch.

She adjusted her messy bun and then looked back at Kaneki and winked, thrilled at making him blush again and look to the side in embarrassment as she threw open the double doors. Camera flashes and the clamoring voices of news reporters calling for Eto’s attention grounded Kaneki enough to push them both forward to a table waiting for them. Eto made a show of sitting down slowly in the chair Kaneki had pulled out for her as she gathered her bearings and smiled for the cameras.

“Ms. Takatsuki! Ms. Takatsuki! Where you expecting such a turnout for your latest horror novella?”

"Ms. Takatsuki! How do you feel about your book being ranked number one on Japan’s best-sellers list for the last three weeks?”

“Ms. Takatsuki! Do you ever plan on making a film franchise with your works?”

“Do you have any tips for any aspiring writers out there?”

Kaneki stepped forward and raised a hand to silence the crowd. A female reporter timidly raised her hand for Kaneki to call on her. He nodded in her direction, making the reporter squeak with nerves.

“Um… Ms. Takatsuki?”

“Yes~?” Eto replied, drawing out her response and locking eyes with the reporter.

The woman visibly gulped and shifted in her seat. “Y-Yes, um… Ms. Takatsuki? Where did the inspiration for your latest novella come from?”

“From here and there,” Eto began, playing with a cup of water handed to her. “The main protagonist, although much less quieter and more of a brute, is based off of a man I know and have come to like very much~” Eto giggled, innocent persona in full bloom. Kaneki’s eyes lowered in suspicion at her comment. He wondered if he knew who she was referring to and pushed that to the back of his mind.

Eto answered questions for the next hour and a half, entertaining the camera crew and reporters long enough to have them laughing and casually chatting with her the entire time. As confused as Kaneki always was regarding his feelings towards his client, he always admired how charming Eto could be and how natural she could make public interviews out to be. Kaneki thought about how he’d look like a deer caught in headlights if he were ever in Eto’s shoes and felt a nervous shiver run down his spine.

Eto noticed this out of the corner of her eye and leaned back in her seat casually, draping an arm around it. She made a joke about her rising popularity and how she’d needed to hire herself a body guard because of it, pointing at Kaneki to her side. He tightened his fists behind his back as he felt his nerves begin to rise. He’d told her time and time again to keep attention off of him for her own safety and pretend like he wasn’t there instead, but Eto would snicker in his face every time and flick his nose as a form of retaliation.

“I know this guy looks like he could tear your head off with that body of his, and trust me– he can,– but it’s only because I’m paying him to be my shadow. He’s harmless to you guys though, so feel free to ask him stuff about me whenever you want.”

Some photographers shifted their focus to Kaneki and snapped a few pictures of him, much to Kaneki’s annoyance. A few reporters asked Kaneki what it was like to be by Eto’s side on a day to day basis, but the only thing that seemed to come up was Eto’s annoyed face grunting at him to fuck off and give her five more minutes of sleep… at noon the day before. Kaneki chuckled to himself and simply answered, “She really likes her beauty sleep."

******

Later in the day and hours after Eto’s interview, Kaneki drove Eto back to her condo without a word from her in the backseat. Kaneki wondered if he had done something wrong to have upset her and then asked himself why he’d possibly be responsible for Eto’s sudden change in demeanor. He hoped he wasn’t the cause for her uncharacteristic behavior. Opting to distract her from her troubles, he asked her what she’d like for dinner from her chef. She smirked devilishly, looked at him through the rear view mirror and said, “You~”

Kaneki nearly rammed into the fender of the car in front of them from shock as Eto cackled in her seat, clutching her sides from laughing so hard. Kaneki felt his face burn as he readjusted his glasses and lifted a hand in apology to the driver in front of him flipping him the finger. Kaneki clenched his gloved hands tightly onto the steering wheel and ignored Eto as she continued to barrage him with sultry comments. After pulling up to the parking lot and going to Eto’s side of the car to open her door, Eto grabbed onto Kaneki’s toned arm and gave it a pinch.

Kaneki was at an utter loss for words, feeling his patience with her silliness begin to shrink with time. Eto linked her arm with his, dragging him through the lobby doors, into the elevator, and to her apartment. Eto spent the entire time whispering foul things into Kaneki’s ear, so much so that by the time they’d entered the apartment, Kaneki had slammed the door shut behind them.

“Someone’s in a mood~” Eto teased, twirling around into the kitchen to fetch herself a cup.

Kaneki grumbled and sulked off into the living room. He plopped himself down rather forcefully onto the couch and pinched the bridge of his nose in irritation, hearing Eto hum an unfamiliar tune behind him. In the next minute, he felt a tap to his forehead and looked up to be mere inches away from Eto’s devious face. He tried shooing her away, but she dodged his arm and came around to stand in front of him. He heard the clinking of ice inside her cup and questioned what it was for.

“Did you think I was lying when I said I wanted you for dinner?” Eto smirked.

Kaneki was about to retort when Eto yanked him forwards by his tie. He felt his heartbeat stutter and his pants get just a bit tighter, his hands nervously clawing into the seat cushions below him to keep himself from shaking. Eto stared him down with a sinister smirk etched onto her face before leaning in to place a gentle kiss on his lips. Kaneki quickly melted into the affection, feeling her tongue skillfully pry his lips open and snake its way inside his mouth. Eto was skilled at making him shiver and moan as she flicked her tongue over his own and delicately across the roof of his mouth, much to Kaneki’s surprise.

He made a sound of protest when she finally pulled away, a dribble of saliva coming away with Eto’s bottom lip. She laughed softly and tugged harder on Kaneki’s tie, a whimper escaping Kaneki’s throat.

“You always act like you don’t love what I throw your way, yet here you are sitting with a growing tent in between your legs~”

Kaneki gulped back a grunt when Eto pulled him to his feet and did not protest when she led him to her bedroom, laughing the entire time.

#tgvalentine2018 #etokane #kaneto #eto yoshimura #ken kaneki #kaneki ken #tokyo ghoul #tokyo ghoul: re #sen takatsuki #takatsuki sen #red's art

[thebuckblogimo]

A vote for 1968 as the most horrible year of the '60s.

March 14, 2021

In some ways it was the best of times. During the summer of '68 the Detroit Tigers won close game after close game en route to their first world championship since 1945. It was the year that pitcher Denny McClain went 31-6. Tiger Stadium rocked, and so did I and all the pals I grew up with playing baseball, at least the ones who weren't fighting in the jungles of South Vietnam.

Also, 1968 spanned my junior and senior years in college. I was 21 years old, and no, George Bernard Shaw, youth was not wasted on me.

But there were a lot terrible things going on in the grown-up world of that time, and while I was rockin' the nights away with a Stroh's "stubby" in one hand, I was giving much thought to the calamities of the day that were being covered by the press on the other. Today, I'd like to take you on a tour of the real world as I saw it back then.

To illustrate how much things changed during the '60s, consider how the music--which was everything to us baby boomers--transformed from January 1, 1960, to December 31, 1969.

During the first month of the decade (I was in the seventh grade), some artists represented in the "top ten" charts included Marty Robbins, Paul Anka, Connie Francis, Bobby Darin and Freddy "Boom Boom" Cannon.

During the last month of the decade (the same month I graduated from college), the top ten of what I'll call the rock 'n' soul record charts included tunes by Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Supremes, the Beatles, the Jackson 5 and Led Zeppelin.

Hoo boy, talk about a metamorphosis in "the sound." And that's not even taking into consideration the alternative, underground, album-oriented rock that started to emerge toward the end of the decade.

There were radical changes to practically everything going on at the time: the look of our clothes and the length our hair, attitudes toward sex and drugs, nonviolence versus violence in the streets, and, of course, the ever-present, divisive clash over whether my generation should risk dying to fight communism in Southeast Asia.

Here's my take on events that bewildered a 21-year-old's mind back in '68:

The Tet Offensive--I was a junior in college during the early months of the year, living with three pals at Burcham Woods in East Lansing, a student apartment complex that looked like a collection of cheesy two-story motels. Every night we'd watch the CBS News with Walter Cronkite, "the most trusted man in America," on our black and white TV in an attempt to improve our understanding of what was going down with the Vietnam War. I don't think I fully comprehended the magnitude of "Tet" at the time. I knew it was a massive, coordinated, country-wide military assault by the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong against hundreds of South Vietnamese cities, but I was most concerned about the safety of my high school pals over there who had gone off to combat as helicopter pilots, door gunners, tunnel rats, etc. I only knew that they were fighting for some amorphous cause that didn't seem to equate to the ones our fathers fought for in both Europe and the Pacific during World War II. Shortly after Tet, Cronkite traveled to Southeast Asia to report on the conflict and sit down with the generals there. Then one late February night, upon his return to New York, I heard a TV anchor "editorialize" for the first time when Cronkite concluded that the enemy would never give up on its jungle warfare tactics, that America couldn't beat the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong at their game, and that the best we could hope for in Vietnam was a negotiated settlement. That was the moment President Lyndon B. Johnson is said to have concluded that he had lost the popular support of middle America for the war effort. At the end of March, I was watching that same black and white TV when during a news special, Johnson announced he would not run for a second term. I was shocked. Everyone was. Due to the ramifications of his decision, I started to think that just maybe fewer of my buds would be risking their lives in the jungle in the years ahead...and just maybe I wouldn't eventually have to risk mine, either.

The Assassination of Martin Luther King--I don't remember how I heard about it. What I recall is riding a bike on a cloudy April 4 afternoon into the Burcham Woods complex and thinking incessantly about King's death: This can't be happening...The assassination of John Kennedy has already let the air out of the American spirit...We've lost the two greatest leaders I've known in my life...Now what?...Riots in the streets like the ones last summer?...It can't get any worse, can it? Well, it got worse. There were indeed riots in about 100 major cities across the country. I'd been a huge fan of King. I thought it was brilliant the way he had led the effort to accomplish the things that were accomplished for black people through his adherence to civil disobedience. He was the one most responsible for waking up white America to the plight of poor black people; he led numerous nonviolent marches for civil rights, including the March on Washington; he was the force behind LBJ's efforts to pass the Voting Rights Act of 1964; and on and on and on. King's pacifistic approach was being challenged at the time by some fire-breathing black radicals--Malcom X, Stokely Carmichael, Huey P. Newton, Bobby Seale, the Black Panthers. I was wary of them because I feared their violent ways would win out. And, in large measure, they did. Admittedly, black radicals were involved with some good things for poverty-stricken blacks--food distribution, better health care, emphasis on education--but their advocacy of "open carry" of loaded fire arms, black separatist rhetoric, etc., alienated most of white America. When King died his Gandhi-like approach to nonviolent resistance to achieve civil rights died, too. Like the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King's assassination was a blow from which the American psyche never seemed to fully recover.

The Assassination of Robert F. Kennedy--June 5, 1968. I think it was finals week at MSU. I know I was anxious to get home to begin my summer job at Rinshed-Mason paint company. The weather was great. But we were inside, glued to that old black and white TV--with aluminum foil attached to the antenna for better reception--to watch the ongoing coverage of the assassination attempt on RFK. He'd just been declared the winner of the California Democratic presidential primary when he was shot, shortly after midnight, by a young Palestinian militant, Sirhan Sirhan, while taking a shortcut to the press room through the kitchen at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. Among Kennedy's entourage were famed journalist and author George Plimpton, former all-pro football defensive lineman Rosey Grier and former gold-medal-winning U.S. Olympics decathlete Rafer Johnson. There were shouts of "Get the gun...break his thumb if you have to..." as the athletes wrestled Sirhan to the floor. However, little more than 24 hours later, Bobby Kennedy was dead. If you think the world feels crazy today, it felt like "One Flew Over the Cuckcoo's Nest" after the assassinations of King and Kennedy, just two months apart. And, of course, there was the constant barrage of vitriol between pro-war and anti-war types underpinning it all in those days. I recall reading practically every editorial by every nationally syndicated columnist I could find in the newspapers and Newsweek magazine for clues to understanding what the hell was really happening in the country. When I returned home for the summer, my Dad, in his typically earthy way, commented on the mental state of America in '68: "The morale of the country has turned to shit," he growled.

Chicago Police Riot at the 1968 Democratic National Convention--I find it amazing what I don't remember about this event from August 26-29. Probably because I was out carousing with my pals every night when it happened. The convention attracted more than 10,000 young anti-war protesters--student activists, members of SDS (Students for a Democratic Society), hippies and Yippies (members of the Youth International Party) such as Abbie Hoffman and Jerry Rubin of "Chicago Seven" fame. Authoritarian mayor Richard Daly turned out a like number of police and National Guard members to confront them at Lincoln Park, Grand Park and outside the International Amphitheater, site of the convention. Things got off to a bad start when just before the convention the Yippies mockingly nominated a pig--yes, an actual swine named Pigasus--for president. As the convention progressed, security guards were caught on camera roughing up CBS News reporter Dan Rather, trying to interview a protesting convention delegate being ushered off the floor by the cops. I only know that the whole thing turned out to be a bad scene. Maybe I don't recall many details because I've always been more than annoyed by senseless violence and turned my head away when it happened. In any case, it seems that the cops were ready to administer beatdowns rather than back off at the first sign of tension. Perhaps the young protestors started the confrontation by hurling debris or breaking police lines. I just don't know. I do know that I've said many times that cops often get only a split second to make what can be life-or-death decisions when doing their jobs. But from everything I've ever heard or read, Daly's strategy was to bust heads from jump and not even try to diffuse the situation.

But for all the turmoil of 1968, my life could not have been much better in the fall. It was the beginning of my senior year in college. The "two Ricks," close friends from my Abbot Hall days, and I secured a lease at Water's Edge. Just two blocks from campus, it had the largest living rooms of any student apartment building in East Lansing. At one point we set up a ping pong table, and sometimes we'd buy a keg of beer and charge admission to Friday afternoon TGs. It was wall-to-wall people as we did the "Boogaloo Down Broadway." In October, after watching the Tigers Bill Freehan--yes, on that same old black and white TV--catch Tim McCarver's pop-up for the final out of game seven against the Cardinals in the '68 World Series, we spontaneously decided to hitchhike to downtown Detroit, where we celebrated into the night with throngs of Tigers fans who filled the streets.

Oh, yes, it felt like the best of times.

Little more than a year later, however, all four of us (another Abbot Hall friend had moved in at midyear) were notified by Uncle Sam to take our physicals for possible induction into the army. Amazingly, I flunked mine and was declared 4F (unfit for military service) due to two knee surgeries (osteochondritis) I'd undergone in high school. However, even if I'd passed it, I would not have been called to service because all young, draft-eligible males at the time had been assigned "lottery numbers" after a random drawing on national television. I drew 298, but the government filled its manpower needs by the time it got to 176. My three roommates all drew lower lottery numbers. They were all drafted. But thanks to pure luck they were eventually stationed in West Germany rather than Vietnam.

All four of us had been philosophically opposed to the Vietnam War, but not enough, I guess, to seriously entertain the thought of moving to Canada. Had I not flunked my physical, had I not drawn a favorable lottery number, had I not had the same good fortune as my roommates and been sent to Vietnam, I'd have gone into the military, served and done whatever my superiors would have told me to do.

To be quite honest, however, when I look back on it all, the young men who had the balls to cross the border into Canada, risking the scorn of being called cowards back home, displayed their own acts of courage by standing up for what they believed to be morally right. Because, to this day, I think the U.S. involvement in Vietnam was an exceedingly bad calculation, to put it mildly. Or, as my Dad, World War II veteran that he was, said in 1968, "It's all bullshit, Len."

Nineteen hundred and sixty-eight?

Charles Dickens' opening lines from "A Tale of Two Cities" sum up perfectly that paradoxical year:

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way--in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only."

[williambronchick-blog]

Has TV Changed the Face of Real Estate Investing?

William bronchick: if you take a look through the television stations on almost any given day there is a television show somewhere that features home improvement, real estate investing, or some sort of combination of the two. From shows that teach people how to sell homes that have lack luster reviews to shows that teach viewers that it is possible to purchase, repair, and re-sell a home in a matter of weeks for astronomical profits, there are shows that appeal to the entrepreneurial wannabes in audiences around the globe.

These shows have made and lost fortunes a few times over by convincing viewers that they too can do the wondrous things seen on television. The truth is that many viewers are capable of doing these things but television never really shows how hard the work actually may be. The television cameras do not always show the blood, sweat, and tears that go into making these projects successful and rarely mention the countless complete and total failures that occur along the way.

The cameras are also not to keen for showing up at 4 am and rolling well after midnight when the work for the day is finished. It doesn’t catch the heart attacks and nightmares as credit cards are going dangerously close to being completely maxxed out while dreams of quick riches fade right in front of investor’s eyes.

This does not mean that every project is doomed to failure only that things are not always as rosey as they may appear to be on the television shows. Flipping houses may seem to be a bit glamorous and a lot hands on. The problem with that is that too few people really realize how much work goes into the hands on part of the program. This is not easy money no matter how much the television cameras would like to convince you otherwise.

It is very possible to turn a substantial profit in a relatively short amount of time if you keep your cool, use your head, and buy and sell in the right conditions. The problem is that so many people do not consider the big picture and find themselves in over their heads and out of money before the project is anywhere near completion.

One thing that television has definitely done for this line of work is make competition for the flappable houses a little fiercer. The early bird in this business gets the worm and while the cheapest house isn’t always the best candidate the less competition you have driving the prices up, the better in this situation. The goal is to buy low and sell high. Most people do not have a terrible amount of competition, as of yet, on the selling high portion of the program. The real trouble at this point in time lies in the buying low portion as there are many more would be real estate investors that are interested in buying the inexpensive properties than there are that will actually see the projects through from beginning to end.

So yes, television has greatly changed the way people invest in real estate. Whether this is truly good or bad for the overall real estate market remains to be seen. In light of the recent down turns in real estate it is to be expected that some of the popularity may diminish. The sad thing is that this is still one of, if not the best ways to make a large sum of money fairly quickly that is legal in the world today. Fortunes can be made and lost in real estate; the trick is always in placing your bets on the right property at the right time. For those who are willing to take the risks associated with this type of investment in today’s market and those that are willing to wait for a slight upturn in the market the profit potential is phenomenal.

Sources:https://bronchick.wordpress.com/2013/08/15/has-tv-changed-the-face-of-real-estate-investing/

[the-toxic-radio]

Julian Casablancas in the Media

Julian Casablancas is the frontman of the rock band The Strokes and Julian Casablancas + the Voidz. He is also the founder of New York record label Cult Records, a label committed to bridging the gap between old and new pop music ideas.

In 2001, The Strokes represented a rebirth of ‘cool’. The Strokes’ nu-retro brand of guitar rock cut through the overproduced, overcooked musical stylings of radio-rock like Nickelback, and stale alternative rock bands like Creed, and Limp Bizkit. The Strokes, led by Casablancas, bore the torch for of rock and roll at the start of the 21st century, followed by like minded bands such as The White Stripes, and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The Strokes represented the new rock movement, and Casablancas was its leader.

Julian Casablancas is my favourite musician, and The Strokes are the band which ignited my passion for music to begin with. To me he represents a number of dichotomous ideas: He is carefree, but passionate. Sexy, yet ugly. Strong and resolute, yet fragile and sensitive. Cool, but goofy. Casablancas is many things to me, but at the end of the day I respect him most for being the musician who wrote a bunch of my favourite songs.

Julian Casablancas was born into a life of comfort, being the son of Jeanette Christensen, who was Miss Denmark in 1965 and John Casablancas, founder of modeling agency ‘Elite Model Management. Despite his relatively privileged upbringing, Casablancas fell into alcoholism at an extremely young age, and was sent to a private boarding school in Switzerland called Institut Le Rosey, the most expensive school in the entire world.

It was there that he met Albert Hammond Jr., who would later become one of two guitarists of The Strokes. The two became close friends, and returned together to New York to recruit the remaining future Strokes members.

Starting out in the NYC club scene, The Strokes evoked an older style of New York cool epitomised by Lou Reed (a musician Casablancas has, and will always be compared to in the media), The Ramones and other musicians of their ilk. Casablancas, with his leather jacket, and side swept, greasy hair, embodied an outdated idea of New York grit. At least, this is how the media portrayed him.

Prior to releasing their 2001 debut album, ‘Is This It?’, The Strokes were hailed as the saviours of rock by excitable rock mags like Rolling Stone and NME and were riding an immense wave of hype in the United States and United Kingdom. The Strokes had gained a reputation for their good looks, cool clothes, and care free attitude, but little was known about their music other than what was gathered from hype-inflected editorials. The truth is, The Strokes had reached their peak popularity before anyone had even heard any of their songs.

Is This It? Was eventually released to rave reviews, and for a short while The Strokes lived up to the hype, but record sales and radio coverage was relatively low. Eventually, The Strokes’ would be surpassed in popularity by scene contemporaries like The White Stripes and The Killers, but their influence on guitar music had already been felt.

In 2017, guitar music has faded into the background as hip-hop and radio friendly pop continue to take the limelight, and in this climate, it’s hard to say exactly what Casablancas represents. In recent years, he has worked closely with his record label Cult Records as a platform for exposing acts which he considers important, or deserving of more popularity. He also used the label to release his Julian Casablancas + The Voidz project, titled ‘Tyranny’, an abrasive, acid-trip into 80s-style glitched out Black Flag inspired punk, and world music influences. The Voidz points toward a more politically conscious Casablancas in today’s day and age, also reflected by the emphasis on political discussion found on the Cult Records website, an area where Casablancas shares articles on topics he finds relevant and important either socially or politically.

The main lense through which we see Julian Casablancas is through his music. He is media shy, perhaps exacerbated by alcohol issues, and when making comment his words are often meandrous and quizzical, as if he is thinking aloud something he hasn’t worked out how to say yet.

There’s a perceptible intelligence behind his responses though, he clearly puts thought and consideration into everything he does, and is by all accounts an absolutely astute believer in ‘the details’, however we still get a clearer image of him through his music, than we do through his words.

Barring the scattershot experimentalism of The Voidz, everything Julian Casablancas touches is imbued with a mathematical precision. The Strokes sound is built off of angular, duelling guitars, and an almost inhumanly accurate rhythm section. Gordon Raphael producer of ‘Is This It?’ has gone on record describing the painfully drawn out recording sessions of the album, citing a specific occasion when Casablancas demanded they spend hours and hours finding a specific ride cymbal sound, and the tension of working closely with a perfectionist in that situation.

It’s been widely reported that during The Strokes’ early years Casablancas ran the show with an iron fist. I believe that the majority of the comments on this topic are fuelled by a lack of information. I believe Casablancas was the band leader and driving force behind the band, but moreso, he wrote the entire album, every instrument and every lyric.

The idea of Casablancas as a dictatorial band leader pervaded throughout the band’s career. Around the release of their 2011 record ‘Angles’, an album which broke a five year hiatus for the band, a time peppered with various solo albums and spin-off acts. Upon ‘Angles’’ release, the media picked apart claims that the band had recorded the album from different states, exchanging ideas and song parts via email. It was widely discussed that this was in part due to Casablancas being unwilling, or unhappy with having to act collaboratively, harkening back to the same criticisms made of him a decade earlier.

On the lead single from Angles, ‘Under Cover of Darkness’, Casablancas woes that “I’ve been out around this town, everybody’s been singing the same song for ten years”. At the time, as a huge Strokes fan, it was nearly impossible to hear that lyric and not relate it to the media hype that has always surrounded the band. Almost everything written about The Strokes from 2001, til 2011 would touch upon their world-breaking climb to fame, the pressures of following up a seminal debut, and the fractures of the band that may or may not have resulted as a consequence.

The Strokes, it seems, do not have a great deal of control over their media image a lot of the time, but it also seems like they don’t really care. Following the release of their latest album, 2013’s ‘Comedown Machine’, The Strokes had finally relieved themselves of their longstanding five album record deal with label RCA. This, coupled with the fact that the band did absolutely zero marketing or press for the record, and the (true) rumours that Casablancas was starting a new band, and simply that the album was titled ‘Comedown Machine’ led many to believe that the record signalled the end for the band.

For ‘Comedown Machine’, The Strokes didn’t even elect to use any cover art, the album is simply a red square with ‘RCA’ written in huge letters, and ‘The Strokes’ written in smaller letters beneath. I believe that the circumstances and way the album was delivered, indicates the band’s intent to let the music stand for itself, an attempt to separate art from artist and hype from genuine enthusiasm. The album, and it’s art (or lack of), could also be seen as a vaguely passive aggressive parting shot at RCA, which many critics have suggested, due to the public, and longstanding mistrust between Casablancas and label executives.

It’s for this reason I believe The Strokes decided to release their latest music, a three song EP titled ‘Future. Present. Past.’ on Casablancas’ own label, Cult Records. There, The Strokes would have the freedom to release their music at their own pace, in their own style, in whatever fashion they please. ‘Future. Present. Past.’ is, as a Strokes fan, a tantalisingly suggestive title. And sure enough, the three tracks present in the EP do seem to sonically point toward their possible future, their current state, and their past selves. The EP serves as a document of The Strokes’ career so far, and the potential future as well. The EP is a good example of The Strokes taking control of their image for once, and telling their own narrative - even if it’s an easily consumed, media friendly one.

Throughout my research on Casablancas recently, and throughout my life, my opinion on him has morphed continuously as I learn more about him, and consume more of his art. I believe the media’s portrayal of Casablancas sometimes obscures his true character, often opting to either idealise, or demonise him. The Strokes always suffered from being overhyped, but Casablancas and Co. always simply focused on what really mattered: the music. I believe Julian Casablancas’ impact on pop, and guitar music will be felt for many years to come, and his Cult Record label will continue to influence the ever evolving tastes of modern audiences.

#The Strokes #Julian Casablancas #Music #garage rock #indie rock #RCA

[killergreenbug]

Are home insect repellents any good? -part 2

Rosemary

This plant belongs to a set or variety of plants that humans like to have planted (either on pots or directly on the soil) in their homes for their fragrance. 

In addition, this plant’s essential oil has a lot of uses both in the cosmetic and medical industries.  Originally from the Mediterranean region is now a worldwide location plant.  Mainly considered a herb, this plant can grow up as big and tall as a tree with all the same characteristics and remain small like a bush or petite as a herb.  

This is the most likely reason for the rosemary to be such a well-liked plant. In terms of medical and health issues, rosemary is used for memory improvement, indigestion, arthritis-related pain, hair loss, and a plethora of other conditions.  Some have a solid medical investigation that backs them up while others have been debunked and a few others are still in the realm of “maybe” as they have been transmitted from friends, coworkers, and well-intentioned advisors. 

In terms of food, rosemary is used as a spice that gives a musky taste to most foods.  It is particularly well used in broths and concoctions.  In perfumes, it is, evidently, used for its fragrance and you can find it both in perfumes, creams, and soaps.

Regarding insects, it is believed that the mere fragrance will suffice in detouring insects from your garden and yourself.  In the use's case of the essential oil for application to the skin, be it human or non-human living being; it is a necessity to dilute the oil in an excipient oil such as soybean, avocado, almond or similar oil as the use of the rosemary essential oil directly can cause a rash, and other skin conditions.

When you decide to use rosemary as part of your home-made insecticide recipe, always consult with your physician and/or veterinarian.  The exposure to some essential oils can be hazardous to the elderly, children, people with health conditions, and pets. 

Tea tree

In the past years, the tea tree gained momentum and fame.  It was used for almost everything, from “cancer miraculous remedies” to “skin-perfecting solutions”.

While this plant, the “tea tree” provided sailors from the XVIIIth century with nutty scented tea, it is not the same plant from which black and green teas are made from. 

Tea tree is mostly applied directly to the skin, though there have been reports by individuals who state that the tea tree essential oil has produced rash and unconformities.  

Tea tree’s abilities make it an insect-bite healing oil rather than an insecticide or an insect deterrent.  But as with the Rosemary essential oil, tea tree is best used with a dissolution oil such as almond or even mineral.

Always check with your physician or veterinarian before applying the tea tree oil dissolved or undissolved to prevent health issues.

  Cypress

 The cypress essential oil. is one of people’s favorite oils for people to have in their homes. This particular essential oil has been regarded as the perfect assistant to get rid of moths and other unwanted insects in your home.  It is logical to use this essential oil as an ingredient of homemade insecticides.

Cypress oil is often used to deter insects at camping insecticides.and verandas.  While it is not recommended that you use it to anoint your skin if you still plan to use this essential oil in areas that might be in contact with your skin or that of your family... Then consult your physician or your veterinarian.

    Rose geranium

  Another essential oil that is very popular in the use of home-made insecticides for both deterring and avoiding insects is the Rose Geranium.  This essential oil is both used for healing, cosmetics in terms of scents and home use such as the insecticides we are discussing today.

The scent of the rose geranium is very much like its name:  A strong rose smell. 

Mostly the rose geranium essential oil has been used for alternative medical uses, whether these uses have success or if they have been medically proven or disproven is not a part of this site.  What we are interested in is the insecticide and insect repellent properties of the essential oil. 

Rose geranium apparently has anti-inflammatory properties which are something to be sought when seeking relief on insect bites such as mosquito bites.   On this matter, it is also believed that rose geranium has analgesic properties that will soothe and numb the bite area.  However, it is also believed that the essential oil does not have such properties, and it is the reaction of the brain to the strong Rosey-scent of the rose geranium acting up.

What about preventing the bites? In 2013 rose geranium essential oil was first tested in terms of tick repellent activities and the study seems to prove that this essential oil is effective in particular against the lone star tick. 

This effectiveness hasn’t been proven or disproven against any other insect such as bed bugs, fleas, mosquitoes, and other ticks.  Nonetheless, it might be worthwhile to include this essential oil in your home-made insecticide recipe.

Of course, and as always, before using the essential oil as an ingredient and/or applying it to your clothes, surroundings, and body as well as using it on your loved ones (including pets) consult first with your veterinarian or physician as this essential oil, like so many others, also has a negative side.

Bergamot

This essential oil comes from the rinds of the citrus bergamia, which is a citrus fruit and is commonly used to flavor the Earl Grey Tea.  Its origins are rooted in the Southeast of Asia, though it is now currently cultivated everywhere in the world as the consumption of the Earl Grey Tea and other products that also use bergamot is widely spread.

Bergamot is not used as much as an insecticide as you would like it to be.  However, it is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and, since they also know it for its scent, it is sometimes used as a perfume for homemade preparations.

 Besides its anti-inflammatory properties, bergamot essential oil also is known for its analgesic qualities.  As a result, it is not recommended for any insecticide or insect deterrent home-made concoctions yet, if you like the smell of the bergamot you can add a few drops of this essential oil into your preparation.

If you plan to use it as a soothing agent to treat insect bites (even those that sometimes get pus in them such as often happens with mosquito bites) then you would need to make a preparation with bergamot essential oil and a carrier oil such as almond or mineral oil.

Regardless, it is imperative for you to contact your physician or veterinarian if you plan to use bergamot oil in any concoction near or on the body of your family and pets.

Lemon

This essential oil is one of the easiest ones to get, so much so that you can acquire some of it yourself at home.  This essential oil is harvest through cold-press process on the peels of fresh lemons.  Much like as you would squish a lemon peel for a martini or a highball. 

This essential oil traditionally has been used to scent concoctions and to flavor meals and beverages.  The uses and benefits of the lemon essential oil as many and as varied as people who swear on them are active. 

However, whether this essential oil works as people believes is still to be researched and verified.  Nonetheless, there are a few things that have indeed been proven about this essential oil. 

Lemon essential oil can be used as an analgesic as it changes the way our pain receptors capture the information that we are–at that moment- in pain.  Yet, this does not work for everyone and it can be that in some individuals the opposite effect comes to pass.

Nonetheless, there are problems with using lemon essential oil directly on the skin.  This essential oil creates phototoxicity, which means that it can stain the skin if you apply lemon essential oil and then expose yourself to the sunlight.

The phototoxicity can vanish in a few days OR it can remain a permanent mark on your skin.  In addition, as the sun blemishes the skin a feeling of burning can sometimes happen. 

Carrier oils

Carrier oils are oils that you can apply to your skin or the skin of your pets and loved ones without worrying about any harmful reactions or chemical burns on their skin.

We will discuss them in another post, but for the time being let’s state them as the part that’s used in home-made insecticides, insect repellents, and insect bites ointments. 

These are of the utmost importance as their role is to “dilute” the essential oil and make it safe to apply to your skin, garments, and surroundings.  An excellent rule of thumb when mixing essential oils and carrier oils is to add 12 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil. 

Before mixing make sure that the essential oils, as well as the carrier oils, are both active and not rancid. In addition, it is imperative that you keep both carrier oils, essential oils, and the resulting concoction between them away and protected from sunlight.  

This is usually accomplished by storing the oils in a dark-colored bottle.  The darker the bottle, the better.  Still, it is important that the oils are kept away from sunlight and heat sources. 

And just as we have said with every essential oil in this post, before using any of them, consult your physician and/or veterinarian to ensure that they are safe.  

#home #landscaping #gardening #all natural #pest control