#annie: same as zac

[scarecrowwizard]

Honestly we have to figure out a better way to tag the common-name League characters

#bard: straight up a word / also used by d&d #jax: tag is utterly unusuable now since being invaded by a certain webseries #zac: common enough name that it's hard to filter stuff out #brand: once again straight up a word #annie: same as zac #i realise we tend to do '[character] lol' or 'league of legends [character]' #but not everyone follows this convention since most league characters have unique names #looking up '[character] lol' without turning in to a tag works to SOME extent #but that tends to exclude anything that used 'league of legends' instead of lol and include anything that used lol (as in laughing) #both of them exclude any posts who didn't tag or mention the fandom #i'm tempted to make a fanwork archive blog that just reblogs any art/fic i can find #especially of unpopular characters #think aurelion-solar but for fanworks and not official stuff #might just repurpose my nasus sideblog for that

[doppel-dean-er]

STRAP IN JEFFANNIE LOVERS, IT'S ABOUT TO GET YUCKY AND YOU'RE IN THE SPLASHZONE

thought I'd give a comprehensive list on why I personally dislike JeffAnnie because I got called idiotic for it and I see that as a top tier compliment. I go more in depth at the end, but if you just want the quick stuff (since I know y'all like the quotes!!) here you go, but please read the rest of it!! this is an open discussion.

also I get pretty gross in my descriptions of Annie, be warned

season 2 episode 1: "since you have clearly failed to grasp the central insipid metaphor of those twilight books you devour, let me explain it to you. men are monsters who crave young flesh, the end."

season 3 episode 1: "we can't keep doing this forever, kiddo." "Can't we?" "no, that's gross. I feel gross."

season 4 episode 3: "I was just daydreaming. I mean, I've married you at least a half a dozen times. and Troy. and Zac Efron. Mostly Zac Efron."

season 3 episode 16: "but, we love Jeff." "no, we don't. we're just in love with the idea of being loved. and if we can teach a guy like Jeff to do it, we'll never be unloved. so we keep running the same scenario over and over hoping for a different result."

season 6 episode 13: "are you okay?" "is this really what you want?" "of course. I mean, I'd be fine with a dog too, but whatever you want." "do you have any idea what I want?" "yes?"

season 2 episode 20: "the general atmosphere of 'would they?' 'might they?'" "Annie, I think you're reading into some things." "oh really?" "oh, give me a break. I mean, you could do the same thing with Pierce and Abed!" "yeah, let's be honest, there's more between you and Annie than between me and Pierce." "Abed, it's called chemistry, I have it with everybody."

season 5 episode 11: "I'm 40."

I'd like to actually argue with a personal opinion based on a fact, and some anecdotal hypotheticals

first of all, I'm 17, a year younger than Annie in season one. I know people who are 19, 20 even. the concept of them or myself dating someone who is (not only fully developed in the brain, but) at least ten years older than ourselves-

-is gross, no? if Annie got held back at all, if she didn't drop out, if she and Jeff met in a different way, same age difference and her still in high school, one might say that is a little uncouth, one might even go so far as to say it's gross.

but, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt; make them closer in age, say Jeff is in his 20s instead of his thirties, say 25 (the lowest we can go for him to still be a lawyer). still, Annie's brain wont fully develop until she is 25, meaning Jeff will already be in his thirties by that point, if he dates her any sooner he will be dating what is medically considered an adolescent (10-24) while himself above 30. "but chrissy, chimbo, my love, you're legally an adult at age 18!" if we start bringing the law into this, the post will double in size, to make it simple, just think for a moment why that makes you legally an adult. why is a legal adult not allowed to drink? why would the United States want people who are not fully developed making decisions, and how does that affect their country? food for thought.

another benefit of the doubt! take age out of the question, just look at them as people and their experiences, not by a number! age ain't nothing number, right? like Aaliyah, right? Yeah, did you know R Kelly, the convicted sex offender, wrote that song? Crazy, right? sorry, off topic. Silly me, silly little baby brain. haha. let's look at their dynamic:

Jeff is a man who values the women he dates - rather, sleeps with - very little. "I'm Jeff Winger, and I would rather look at myself naked than the women I sleep with!" he states, so confident and proud of himself. "I asked this woman out 30 seconds ago to prove a point!" he shouts. "I'll be back with booty!" he sneers. does this seem like the kind of person that would think of women in the long-term? that is Jeff.

Annie on the other hand, as the boy-crazy girlish urchin she is, sees every man that comes her way as Christ incarnate. Annie is obsessive, she enrolled in nearly all of Troy's classes to get some sense that someone, anyone, no matter how bad they treat her, has to rely on her for something she knows. Annie is fresh and inexperienced, she can't say the word 'penis' because it makes her uncomfortable and squirmy. pure, untouched porcelain. so impressionable, don't you think? so untainted, virginal. looking for a father.

describing her like that makes you a bit uncomfortable, doesn't it? feels a little yucky in your tum tum?

that's because if you take away their ages, their experiences speak for themselves. Annie is young, obsessive. Jeff has more experience than her and will discard her quickly in favor of someone younger or better looking. if you're into the 'born sexy yesterday' trope, go ahead. I'm not one to stop you from doing what makes you feel good! We all know what you really want, you don't have to hide it, Humbert- sorry, Jeff. slip of the tongue. scream it loud! scream it on the rooftops, or on the streets: "I want to fuck a teenager!!" see how people look at you!

Oh, they're not smiling, are they? yikes.

i'd just like to leave you with a personal opinion.

is the pairing of Jeff and Annie iffy and pretty gross? yes, scroll up, read this post again if you aren't convinced. at the same time, should it be removed from the show entirely because it's problematic and horrible and everyone who supports JeffAnnie is a meth-addicted pedophile who eats babies and fucks sticky flashlights with the mouthless faces of their classmates taped to the rim? while I would prefer that JeffAnnie didn't happen, yes, I just think those of you who are into this are just uneducated and stubborn. some of you, one of you in particular, i'm sure is a sweaty neckbeard with a fedora and a 4chan tripcode. but not all of you, and for that I have hope.

JeffAnnie is legal, yes. JeffAnnie is by far not the worst, too. and we, as mature half-adults, can admit that. I for one believe that you should be able to ship anything that is both legal and non-blood-related. that's the magic of fandom! enemies to lovers is one of the most popular genres! the toxicity of the relationship is not the problem, it is the predatory nature and unsavory implications that are the problem. I think the relationship as a whole is not something to be looked at with positive emotions, but I also don't believe that this type of screen representation is bad. just because something is put to screen does not mean it is acceptable. I think that's something we all learned in second grade, yes? good. glad we're all on the same page. you're looking wonderful. I hope you have a great day.

also, just to cover all my bases, it's just a matter of preference. it makes a lot of us uncomfortable to see relationships like that, especially those of us who are around Annie's age. like, imagine being her: you're fresh out of rehab and ready to start your life. this guy who is more than ten years older than you, who you think is kind of cute maybe, starts to look at you the same way. imagine having the knowledge that every time he looks at a woman he just sees a pair of tits and a vag on legs. imagine what he sees when he looks at you. imagine that guy having a conversation with your dad, they might even be closer in age than you and him. that's uncomfortable, to me at least.

plus, Britta and Jeff are a better couple.

and if anyone responds with that whole "Dan Harmon DVD season 6" copy paste I hope you all know it makes me kick my feet and giggle. papa needs an ego boost, go ahead *bats eyes* *gets hit by a car*

#community #community nbc #nbc community #jeff winger #annie edison

[tafadhali]

festivids recs, part 1

I'll try and make a full rec post soon, but for now I wanted to shout out the six (!!!!) incredible vids I received:

Oh No Not Now (Philadelphia Story): Such a lovely vid for one of my all time favorite movies! The love for every character really shines through — it's so interesting seeing this song used for multiple POVs, but it seems to get right at the protective layers all of these people have built around themselves and the ways they break right through those for each other. And it's just radiantly romantic!

Sister Kate (Philadelphia Story): I'm guessing this was made by the same vidder who didn't want to leave Dinah out, but either way I'm SO delighted to get a vid for one of my favorite film kid sisters! To a Ditty Bops song that I love, no less!

Annie Doesn't Live Here Anymore (Alfred Hitchcock): A dark twisty vid for my favorite director to an amazing Eartha Kitt song! Fascinated by the relationships the vidder chose to spotlight (and especially pleased to see my beloved Shadow of a Doubt, which really fits the theme and which I feel is a bit less known than the other films included).

Hope on Fire (Jesus Christ Superstar): SUCH an incredible song choice. "You're a one-man shift in the weather" feels like the perfect Judas descriptor and there are so many lyrics related to time that make it feel like the characters are caught in an unbreakable cycle. This vid breaks my heart and gives me the shivers. And the vidder does such a good job of weaving together several different sources!

KCIB (Dimension 20): It's Zac Oyama as a little kitty cat. What else can I say. It's so bite-sized and funny and I've watched it a half dozen times because every time I see the link I think "Yes, I do want to watch Zac Oyama be a little kitty cat."

the star paths (Lays of the Hearth-Fire): I was so hoping someone would take me up on the challenge of how you might go about vidding this book series and so glad to receive this vid showing Kip's journey through Sky Ocean. The vidder found a perfect song and did a wonderful job collecting video source, which cannot have been an easy task.

#festivids #vid recs

[47secondstoturntopage23]

Annie Edison is Ace

I rewatched 1x11 of Community today (the Politics of Human Sexuality) and it just completely reinforced in my mind that Annie is ace/ demi/ somewhere on the ace spec! Like!!! Her whole “I’m fine being repressed with my sexuality” speech?? I RELATE, and it definitely sounds like something I (and a lot of other aces) would say to describe how we felt before we found the ace label

All the people she’s had crushes on/ has been attracted to can be seen as solely romantic and aesthetic, sexual but only after a strong emotional bond is formed, or as compulsory sexuality:

Jeff - Wasn’t attracted to him physically until well into s1and even then it’s never properly stated that she likes him sexually (if she does, it’s after an emotional bond is formed)

Troy - A crush but nothing suggested she liked him sexually

Vaughn - They didn’t even kiss until they were well into the relationship, never shown to find him sexually attractive

Zac Effron - Either compulsory sexuality (I Must Find Him Attractive, Everyone Else Does!) or confusion between sexual and aesthetic and romantic attraction (These Must All Be The Same, Surely!, the unaware ace says)

Abed (Han Solo/ Don Draper) - Romantic and also sensual,, as soon as he stops playing the part of the “bad boy” she doesn’t react the same way to him (though she may still like him romantically)

Dean (Freaky Friday episode) - Reacting the way she did bc he was acting like Jeff (who she likes) and also playing the “bad boy” role, wasn’t interested in him once he stopped being Jeff

Britta - Nothing to suggest she likes her sexually (that I remember? But if there is then it’s after an emotional bond was formed) but she definitely has a romantic crush on her

Rich - Romantic, nothing to suggest a sexual attraction

Other reasons I think she’s ace/ ace spec:

All of her crushes are very romantic (dreaming of marrying them and having a home together), nothing to suggest she wants anything sexual to happen with them (and if it does, only after a strong bond was formed)

“Nobody sleeps with Jeff. Not even me.” in 4x13

Very uncomfortable around the topic of sex (which isn’t exclusive to aces and isn’t something all aces experience, but there is some overlap so it’s worth mentioning)

The whole of 1x11 (”I don’t see what all the fuss was about. A giant thumb in a turtleneck! Whoop-dee-doo!”)

That Scene in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons was done in a very matter-of-fact way, like she was trying to score points in a game/ accomplish the goal of the scene rather than actually write a sex scene

In conclusion: I am aroace and want more rep but this time I have proof as to why one of my favourite characters is ace/ ace spec

#annie edison #community #asexual #headcanon

[siriusbunbryist]

In defence of Abed x Annie.

Thanks to the magic of Netflix, I’ve rewatched Community at age 24, and still found Abed and Annie to have hit the heartstrings as much as I did when I was in high school watching the show for the first time.

But watching the series in its entirety just reinforces my thought that Abed and Annie had so much potential that was wasted, and it’s a shame that the writers planted all these seeds to only decide that perhaps this direction was not worth it / too risky / unfavoured by the audience. But I mean, Alison Brie herself (and I’m assuming Danny Pudi as well) endorsed them! Find here and here.

This was a pairing that with all the crumbs scattered throughout the show (I think we are all aware of these crumbs I speak of), could’ve easily played the “oh we’ve been secretly dating this whole time” trope during the last episode and it would’ve still made sense.

Naturally I did some scoping, and of course unsurprisingly the J.eff x Annie pairing takes the cake, while not a lot of love for Abed x Annie. So here are common points of contentions I see surrounding Abed and Annie, and my rationale on them.

Before I start, a note - I fully respect the J.eff x Annie ship and I don’t intend on starting a ship w.ar/debate. I understand where their support comes from! I just needed to vent because no one else in my social circle watches this show. No hate please.

1. Abed doesn’t see Annie romantically

I think on the contrary it’s been set up rather long ago that Abed at the very least is attracted to Annie.

Exhibit A: “What are you making” in Beginner Pottery

Exhibit B: “Flat B.utt and the one Abed wants to nail” in The Art of Discourse

This video basically explains it! The summary: Annie is Pierce’s favourite, Pierce constantly insults Britta, therefore Britta is flat b.utt.

Exhibit C: Not even trying to hide it in Accounting for Lawyers

But, a romantic interest has to be further built upon finding someone attractive right? There has to be intrigue to their character, such as

Exhibit D: “I can only connect to people through... movies” in English as a Second Language

It is pretty obvious here that Annie is a rare someone who has successfully broken the impartial screen that Abed filters everything through. Jeff saw it too which is why he said Annie was the ark of the covenant before Abed fell for her disney face. I can only imagine Abed to be quite struck with Annie’s infiltration.

A romantic interest should also share common interests, such as

Exhibit E: “Which makes Annie is my third favourite show” in Paranormal Parentage

I’ve said before that for Abed, a guy who lives life and communicates through comparing it with television and movies, it’s not unthinkable for him to be attracted to someone who genuinely watches his favourite shows and commits to roles during cosplay. And who, besides Troy, would fit this profile? Annie. 

And finally, the biggest indicator of it all, we also see how Abed views the Jeff and Annie pairing in everyone’s favourite episode Remedial Chaos Theory. Keeping in mind that the timelines are rendered by Abed, out of all the timelines, J.eff and Annie only kis.sed when Abed left the room for pizza. As well, as conjured in Abed’s head, Evil Jeff and Evil Annie only existed as a couple in the Darkest Timeline. To me at least, it’s arguable that this alludes to Abed’s omniscient “director” standpoint that he may be the obstacle in the Jeff and Annie relationship - pointing towards him perhaps harbouring feelings for Annie.

2. Annie doesn’t see Abed romantically The general consensus on this point is that Annie is only attracted to Abed when he’s playing a character. I rather think that being attracted to someone, and being attracted to someone during role play, aren’t mutually exclusive. Let’s take a look at the different characters that Abed played.

Don Draper: serious, sophisticated, and smooth.

Han Solo: immature, flirty and a smarta.ss.

Batman: mysterious, complex, and brave.

Three different personas, yet Annie responded to all of them. Since the common denominator to all three is that they are played by Abed, I would like to offer a counterpoint that perhaps the attraction to Abed has always been there, it’s just emphasized when Abed plays a character. Who knows, role playing might even be Annie’s ki.nk. After all, during For a Few Paintballs More, it is shown that Annie is disappointed when Abed dropped the Han Solo persona after the battle ended.

Annie also loves big romantic gestures. Who’s better than doing that than Abed? Since the beginning, Abed has already been doing big romantic gestures of varying degrees for Annie. With this, it’s not ridiculous for Annie to see Abed as a romantic potential.

Exhibit F: Staying in a room for 26 hours in Social Psychology

Annie: You sat in a room for twenty-six straight hours. Didn’t that bother you?  Abed: Yeah I was livid.  Annie: Then why didn’t you leave?  Abed: Because you asked me to stay and you said we were friends.

Exhibit G: Rescuing her from “captivity” and inviting her to move in in Remedial Chaos Theory and Studies in Modern Movement (even Troy was surprised at Abed’s invitation)

Exhibit H: Tearing down the Dreamatorium in Studies in Modern Movement

Annie: What about the Dreamatorium? Abed: Oh it's staying. The Dreamatorium is more important than any of us. But you're more important than our bedroom so we put the bunk bed in the blanket fort.

Bonus: Confirmed by Alison Brie

3. The show was about Jeff and Annie

Dan Harmon said that Community’s approach is that anything and any pairing is possible. We see this is as the series started with the classic “player vs smart snarky girl” trope with setting up Jeff and Britta as the main pairing. We also see Troy and Annie as the potential B couple in the show. The writers also threw Pierce and Shirley, Annie and Britta, Dean and Jeff, and even Chang and Britta in for a laugh.

And then the show subverted this all by introducing Jeff and Annie, and made Troy and Britta a couple, showing us that Community is a show that intends on breaking these classic sitcom stereotypes by experimenting with different pairings. Abed and Annie was no exception to this, as the writers often pair them up in different shenanigans and hint at possible grounds to explore*.

A few examples: Han and Leia in For a Few Paintballs More, Hector the Well Endowed and the Elf Maiden in Advanced Dungeons and Dragons, spy partners in Modern Espionage.

No doubt that the show dabbled in and out of Jeff and Annie throughout the series. However, to say that Jeff and Annie was the primary pairing in the series would mean overlooking Jeff and Britta. Especially when Jeff and Britta have the whole love-hate dynamic, three(?) marriage close-calls, and emotional snippets such as helping Jeff reunite with his father in Cooperative Escapism in Familial Relations.

Anyway, not to discredit Jeff and Annie, but knowing that the show explores the possibility of different pairings**, why write off Abed and Annie?

* Not to mention that the cop pairing in The Science of Illusion was originally written with Abed and Annie in mind! ** We also see a stray Abed and Britta during Horror Fiction in Seven Spooky Steps.

4. Annie is in love with Jeff To keep this short and shipper-goggle free, Annie has said on numerous occasions that she’s in love with the idea of Jeff, not Jeff himself. Specifically this scene in Virtual Systems Analysis:

Abed as Annie: "…We love Jeff…" Annie: "No we don’t, we’re just in love with the idea of being loved. And if we can teach a guy like Jeff to do it, we’ll never be unloved, so we keep running the same scenario over and over hoping for a different result."

And this scene in Conventions of Space and Time:

Annie: All right, I may have been play-acting that we were married, and then the staff thought you were cheating, and I had to save face. Jeff: Do I have to worry about this? Annie: No, I was just daydreaming. I mean, I've married you at least a half a dozen times. And Troy. And Zac Efron.

Not to mention that their conversation in the finale says it all.

Jeff: I don't wanna be fine. I wanna be 25 and heading out into the world. I wanna fall asleep on a beach and be able to walk the next day, or stay up all night on accident. I wanna wear a white t-shirt without looking like I forgot to get dressed.* I want to be terrified of AIDS, I want to have an opinion about those, boring a.ss Marvel movies. And I want those opinions to be of any concern to the people making them. Annie: Well I want to live in the same home for more than a year, order wine without feeling nervous, have a resume full of crazy mistakes instead of crazy lies. I want stories and wisdom, perspective. I wanna have so much behind me I'm not a sl.ave to what's in front of me, especially those flavourless unremarkable Marvel movies.

*Shipper-goggle on: Part of me thinks this is a reference to Abed, whose iconic style almost exclusively comprises T-shirts. What Jeff is saying is that he wishes he is 25 again with his future open before him, someone who compatible with Annie, but here he acknowledges that he isn’t, and lets her go in the end.

5. Abed and Annie wouldn’t work as a couple Another point I see is that Abed and Annie are strictly platonic and are more like brother and sister. On the basis that they have made out a couple times and are attracted to each other, I would disagree with the sibling statement.  

Troy, in contrast to Abed, I think actually resembles a more sibling-like relationship with Annie. Although Troy and Annie have the strong friendship of Abed and Annie, when disregarding the high school crush stage of season 1, their storylines never dwelled further down an attraction path, nor was there any specific episode that was dedicated to a deep dive of vulnerabilities and confrontation between them. As a comparison, Troy and Britta had opportunities to explore these setups (Troy admitted to lying about his b.utt stuff story and Troy helped Britta face Blade) - an indication that Troy and Britta were heading into non-platonic territory. Jeff and Britta too, had several opportunities to confront their feelings (up till the very last season), a clear indication of a non-platonic relationship.

For Abed and Annie, what I think pulls their friendship towards actual love interest potential is best pinpointed to Virtual Systems Analysis. Annie’s participation in the Dreamatorium prompted her to not only fully submerge into the way Abed thinks and comprehends his surroundings, but she also got to understand and address Abed’s stubbornness and flaws in a vulnerable way, confronting some of her own flaws as well.

Abed as Shirley: Your hospital school, young lady, is a simulation being run through a filter of other people's needs. Abed's been filtered out because nobody needs him. Annie: I need him!

And to point out this little tidbit in VCR Maintenance and Educational Publishing,

Annie: That's why Abed is like a brother to me. You guys are so alike. Abed: I can't accept that based on one time machine story.

This whole episode, instead of establishing Abed is like Annie’s brother, I would argue is rather doing the opposite. Abed and Annie’s hyper antics in the episode were basically matched by Anthony and Rachel’s blatant indifference and confusion. For lots of Abed and Annie supporters, this episode was a major setback. But I think it instead highlights how in-sync they are with each other, which is a good thing.

Another point, despite Annie trying to prove otherwise, Abed and Anthony had different vibes, and each shared different dynamics with Annie. And as Anthony pointed out in the end, who were Abed and Annie trying to replace in the apartment? Troy. The person who they are trying to fill is Troy - their roommate, their brother, their best friend. Troy was the brother role that neither Abed and Annie can fill for each other.

In Basic Sandwich, we get this exchange:

Abed: The point is, this show, Annie, it isn't just their show. This is our show, and it's not over. And the sooner we find that treasure, the faster the Jeff-Britta pilot falls apart. Annie: Got it. Thank you, Abed. Abed: You're welcome. I have a girlfriend. Annie: What? Abed: You were about to start a kiss lean. Annie: I was not.

Not only did Abed saw right through Annie’s anxiety and comforted her in his own uniquely Abed way, but he also felt the need to remind her of his girlfriend. The fact that he broke the fourth wall here is likely the writers’ way to be meta, but simply acknowledging the tension and bond there says a lot in between the lines. If tension does not exist, there would be no need for this line.

Besides, instead of thinking that they’re strictly platonic (which of course is also okay), they would rather work great as a couple. In terms of opposites attract, Annie grounds Abed with just the right amount, while Abed clearly encourages Annie to be her true self and be immature. Such as this scene in Foosball and Nocturnal Vigilantism,

Annie: I’m following him.  Troy: You moving in here was supposed to tone us down!

Annie also doesn’t just tolerate Abed’s idiosyncrasies, she actually likes them and fully participates as multiple paintball games and cosplays would tell us. Special shoutout to the missing lovers footage in Wedding Videography, which through Britta, actually shows us that Annie is the only one who would go along with Abed’s projects - while Britta found the project extremely weird and unhealthy, Annie thought it was fun and commits well to her role.

And while others may tiptoe around Abed, Annie isn’t afraid to call Abed out when he’s out of line and makes a point to teach him about empathy in Virtual Systems Analysis. Remember that Britta tried teaching him this but it didn’t work as well.

I am Abed Nadir... And I don't know a lot of things everyone else knows. I wander the universe with my friend, Troy, doing whatever I want. Sometimes accidentally hurting innocent unremarkables. This week, however, Troy went to lunch and I adapted. I now have the ability to enter the minds of others using an elusive new technique known as "empathy".

As well as in the entire episode of Cooperative Polygraphy.

They also know each other best. Abed knew her cushion preferences, was the one who spelled out her true pas.sion for forensics, and after living together, Annie knew how to navigate Abed’s peculiarities and to soothe him whenever he had a nervous breakdown. 

Annie also knows him so well that she can predict his reaction.

They are also each other’s exception. Annie was always the one who manages to pull Abed out of a trance and back to reality, usually with touch.

Abed is also very forgiving with her. An example is when Annie seemingly lost all common sense because she broke Abed’s special edition dvd in Foosball and Nocturnal Vigilantism.

Annie: Well, Batman, on behalf of all of us that aren't perfect, can I just say I'm sorry I broke your DVD? Abed: Apology accepted. But I wouldn't mention it to Abed. That guy's pretty ruthless. And that's coming from Batman.

And in Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas, Annie was the only claymation doll that didn’t have a weird form (except Troy as toy soldier of course). Annie was a ballerina because Abed sees her as a creature of grace. Abed was also the first one who got her “brighter tomorrow” diorama and responded with enthusiasm.

They are also in the same stage in life. As Dan Harmon explains the choice of Abed and Annie being the ones who leave the group, with Troy gone, Abed and Annie symbolize the many possibilities of the future - a possibility that makes them viable. I like to think Annie transfers to the LA FBI office after her internship and they reunite.

And as the Spice Girls said, “if you wanna be my love.r, you gotta get with my friends”. In Paleyfest, Dan Harmon says this about whoever Troy and Abed ends up dating, “I mean a woman that comes into either of their lives is either going to drive them apart or she's going to have to be really accepting of a very special relationship”.

Britta tolerated their friendship but to a point of asking Annie to distract Abed for alone time with Troy, Troy dumped the librarian as she called Abed weird, Robin disappeared, Rachel we never got to see much of, but was pretty quiet and separated from the group. From this, logically speaking, Annie would actually be the perfect match for Abed, as we all know they’re the ultimate trio within the study group and a transition from friends to more will be natural. 

Oh, and, Abed is wrong. They’re not Chandler and Phoebe with little storylines together, they’re Chandler and Monica. 

Anyway, that’s it for my super long rant/analysis. Community the series is done and over, so there isn’t a need for any ship war. All I want to say is, if #andamovie happens, hopefully, the writers will actually take a leap.

#abed x annie #community #annie x abed #abed nadir #annie edison #sorry if you've seen this already i'm trying to figure out why my tags won't work #mine #thoughts

[dollsome-does-tumblr]

2020 Fic Year In Review

I decided to just fill out this entire Fic Year In Review meme instead of doing it via asks, just to be saucy! And if that sounds like a good life choice to you, then I encourage you to do the same, reader!

1. Favorite fic you wrote this year: building our kingdom (Ideal Home). An act of such doting self-indulgence that it somehow even beats me ridiculously writing fic about my own novel. I just needed a little more time with Paul and Erasmus and Bill, okay?!? I am Obsessed w/ these characters and would happily watch them banter for nine million hours.

2. Least favorite fic you wrote this year: sure as the sea, it’s just you and me (Grace and Frankie). It took me forever to finish it and that stressed me the heck out during a time when additional stress was not ideal! I cannot possibly describe the agony I went through for this fluffy bit of Grace & Frankie fanfiction! Chapter fics + me are not meant to be.

3. Favorite line/scene you wrote this year: I think my favorite line is the last line of building our kingdom, and my favorite scene is the entirety (can I help it if most of the fics I write are one scene??) of the beginning of a beautiful courtship, which is an AU where Luke and Lorelai meet as Chilton parents instead of as they were meant to in Stars Hollow. That was such an interesting thought experiment! I would still rather like to return to that ‘verse a bit more. I’m sorting through my thoughts there.

4. # of words written this year: My AO3 total for the year is 177,637, but that’s because I popped a bunch of old fic over this year, most notably like 97,000 words of Lamentations of a Starry-Eyed Twit. I can’t do math, so this is as much information as you’re going to get.

5. Most popular fic this year: Based on hits, Tell Me (Killing Eve). Eve and Villanelle do some post-s3 chatting, because what fic that I’ve ever written ISN’T just two people having a conversation? I have no idea how I feel about this fic even though I wrote it in June. Is it good? Is it not good? I have NO idea. That’s kind of how I feel about writing fic for Killing Eve in general. How do you write fic for Killing Eve?!?!?

6. Least popular fic this year: Touched By A Gayngel, my terrible Know Not Why/Supernatural opus. Can you believe it?? The second-least popular is building our kingdom, because of course my favorite is also the least popular, bwahaha. That’s what makes it so favorite! Someone has to love it!

7. Fandom you enjoyed writing for the most this year: This is wild, but I might say Harry Potter, just because putting those last few chapters on Lamentations of a Starry-Eyed Twit after thirteen years away really meant a lot to me! Killing Eve and Broadchurch were also very fun. (And maybe my whole soul was briefly consumed by trying to figure out how to capture Dean and Cas’s s4/s5 VIBE in mere words. What of it??)

8. Favorite character you wrote this year: My girl Auriga Sinistra in Lamentations! Briefly reunited and it felt so goooooood! Also, all my KNW babies. It was also very fun to briefly write/describe Alexis Rose in that sinking feeling. Oh, and Ellie Miller from Broadchurch was really fun! And trying to figure out Cas’s weird angel-brain point of view in the careful undressing of love?? Hey, this question sucks! My answer is EVERYBODY!

9. Favorite writing song inspiration: Hahahahaha, the songs of Cats in order to write my other most self-indulgent fic ever, Save Grizabella!, a.k.a. Angela and Oscar and Andy and Kevin and Dwight go watch Cats. That fic was really a very specific romp, and essential to my soul. I am really glad that I did it. I needed to put that into the world.

10. A new kink you wrote by surprise in a fic this year: This is a question for sexy people, and as such, I have no answer! But you know what, I will give a shout-out to Annie swooning over carbs-eating Zac Efron in Zefron Studies in the Time of Covid. What is sexier than a once too-chiseled man allowing himself to experience the carby bliss of pasta? (You, too,  can be that man, Jeff Winger!)

11. Something you learned about writing this year: Just keep doin’ it, I guess?? Just keep going! It’s worth it!

12. Current # of WIPs: Zero! I mean, there’s fics I have abandoned that I absolutely should go back to, but life is hard enough. I’m not putting that on me! (But I still lowkey hope I’ll finish that Mary/Branson Downton Abbey one someday, somehow. If I ever do a Downton rewatch, it might stand a chance.) I know I should delete all my unfinished WIPs just so people don’t have to waste their time on an unfinished story, but hey! I finished a fic I started in the year 2003 this year! Who knows what the future might bring?

13. Most memorable comment or review: I could not possibly choose one! To anyone who has ever left me a nice comment: bless you, you are my hero, you have lit up my day beyond what I can describe. All I do is check my AO3 homepage all day every day and hope. (Hahaha, I did get one that was like “Ugh, this SUCKS and is TERRIBLE!” at some point this year, and I didn’t really know what to do, so I just backed away slowly instead of engaging like a brave person. I’m sorry my fic sucked!!!!)

14. Favorite fic you read this year: Wedding Guy by @crackers4jenn - the delight of seeing SPN in a non-terrible-and-supernatural world! The perfect character voices! THE EPISTOLARY TEXTING ROMANCE AND ENSUING BUTTERFLIES!!! It’s really nice if you feel like your soul could use some Destiel romcom healing. (And no, I am in no way endorsing this masterpiece in order to slyly motivate said crackers4jenn to write more. Moi?? Never!)

16. Longest fic you wrote this year: sure as the sea, it’s just you and me. Grumble grumble! (Can you believe a mere 18,000 words nearly led to my psychological ruin???)

17. Shortest fic you wrote this year: Funnily, my other Grace & Frankie one! the bells are ringing for me and my gal. This one, I liked, because I wrote it in like under ten minutes. Now, that’s what I’m talking about! *finger guns*

18. How many fandoms did you write for this year: Broadchurch, Community, Dead To Me, Gilmore Girls, Good Omens, Grace and Frankie, Harry Potter, Ideal Home, Killing Eve, Know Not Why (I'm so sorry, world!), Little Women 2019, Schitt's Creek, Supernatural (hahaha!), and The Office. So, 14!

19. Favorite fandom event you participated in this year: I don’t think I officially participated in any, but the total deterioration of Tumblr by Destiel was incomparable. They called it the shippy November of dreams and it was, it really was.

20. Favorite fandom to read fic from this year: Supernatural, okay!!!!!!! I haven’t been reading a ton of fic, but damn it if I didn’t get lured back in by all those great Destiel fix-its! So much good stuff happening! I also LOVED the Grace & Frankie and Dead To Me masterpieces that @chainofclovers put out, especially every version of yourself tonight (DTM) and to justify what you need (G&F) and her tumblr ask box fics. (The Killing Eve one!) Is @chainofclovers fic basically a fandom all its own?? Uh, YES.

#dollsome's deep thoughts #i write things!

[theimprobable1]

For the fanfic ask game: F, K, M, V! <3

<3 thank you!

F: Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

I don’t think I’m very good at writing dialogue, but here’s a snippet from a scene I like:

“That’s Diego Martinez,” Annie says excitedly, in the voice she usually reserves for saying things like ‘Zac Efron’ or ‘Mark Ruffalo’. “He’s in my philosophy class. He just came over here and said,” -- her voice drops to a lower register -- “‘Excuse me, are you Abed Nadir? I loved your documentary on the Dean’s descent into madness.’ Like Abed was an actual celebrity! You should’ve seen it, Troy, it was so adorable!”

“Trust me, that was just a pretext,” Britta says, nodding her head sagely. “I’ve seen that look on men’s faces before. They say they like your work, but what they really mean is they’d like to see you out of that… well, hoodie.”

“Nice try getting us to believe you’ve ever done any work anyone could pretend to like,” Jeff remarks. Britta sticks out her tongue at him.

“I’m sure he’s just a nice boy who admires Abed’s movies, with no… inappropriate intentions,” Shirley says delicately.

“Hmm, I wouldn’t be so sure,” Pierce chimes in. “Britta’s right, that look only means one thing. It’s the same look Julie Newmar gave me right before she had her way with me in the backseat of --”

I have trouble juggling more than two characters so my trobed fics don’t feature the rest of the study group much and this is the only scene I’ve written that has all of them in it. I think they all sound like themselves, so I’m proud of it even though most of them only get one or two lines. (Annie voice:  I don't care what you think. For me, that was huge.)

K: What’s the angstiest idea you’ve ever come up with?

Probably making Troy leave Abed in five different timelines in Multilinear Psychology. Many, many years ago when I was an angsty teenager in the Harry Potter fandom I really enjoyed making characters suffer and killing everybody off, but these days I just want everyone to be happy so any angst in my fics is mostly just pining.

M: Got any premises on the back burner that you’d care to share?

I have an aroace Annie fic I started back in September or October that I don’t think I’ll ever finish. Basically Annie figures out she’s aroace, and when Troy and Abed start dating she’s so happy for them but she also gets sad because it feels like all of her friends will have romantic relationships and families and she’ll end up all alone, but then Troy and Abed reassure her and the three of them end up living together in a kind of half-romantic, half-platonic triad where Troy and Abed are in a romantic relationship but they’re both also Annie’s platonic life partners.  

V: If you could write the sequel (or prequel) to any fic out there not written by yourself, which would you choose?

I wouldn’t want to do that. The trobed fandom has such great fics and I could never do any of them justice and if I had to write a sequel or prequel to one of them I’d find that so stressful 😅

[fredfilmsblog]

Best of Original Cartoons: Oh Yeah! Cartoons [1998-2002]

"Original Cartoons since 1998" seemed to me like a cheeky, tiny joke to throw onto the first season crew party poster for my first series as an indie producer*. And before you know it, here we are in 2020.

Hanna-Barbera Cartoons, the studio I ran, was sold by its owner, Turner Broadcasting, to (now) WarnerMedia, and while I loved working for Scott Sassa and Ted Turner, I didn’t see a great future for myself inside the new behemoth. After a little wrangling, I quit H&B and started Frederator with an exclusive deal at MTV Networks to consult with the programming management and to produce cartoons for Nickelodeon.

My first project was a second big idea cartoon incubator in the mold of What A Cartoon! Nickelodeon had an early lead in changing the way cartoons for kids were made with Nicktoons (where my earlier consulting life had a small role in fomenting), but CEO Herb Scannell and production president Albie Hecht realized the network still had a ways to go with impacting the creative community and welcomed my approach which would expand their reach tremendously. It’s because of Herb and Albie (and CEOs Tom Freston and Judy McGrath) and their faith in what I could do for the company that my career as a producer really took off. Thanks folks!

Oh Yeah! Cartoons would eventually encompass 33 unique and talented creators and 57 original shorts over three seasons. The series would be structured around the original shorts and eventually 36 sequel shorts around selected creators and characters. Many of the creators (Butch Hartman, Bill Burnett, Larry Huber, Rob Renzetti, Pat Ventura, Zac Moncrief, Miles Thompson, John Eng) had worked with me over at Hanna-Barbera, and others came in on their own energy or were recommended by friends.

Most of the creators were making their first solo commercial cartoons ever, and Butch, Larry, Bill and Rob made their first series with the spin offs of their OY! shorts. Big score for them, their careers, and the crews of their shows. Virtually all of the OY! creators went on to senior creative roles at Nickelodeon and the other studios in Hollywood. That might be my most lasting creative legacy, completely aside from the cartoons themselves.

A few specific notes.

Larry Huber had been the supervising producer for What A Cartoon! and was my co-executive producer on Oh Yeah! He’s continued to be an indispensable   trusted co-worker on all of of my shorts projects and not a few of our series. 

Larry and Bill Burnett –a New York co-worker of mine in advertising before coming to Hanna-Barbera as a writer– went on to create the shorts and series for ChalkZone.

Butch Hartman created quite a few What A Cartoon! shorts but hit the jackpot with The Fairly OddParents from Oh Yeah! Completely aside from the other originals and directing he did on other OY! cartoons.

Rob Renzetti made six stellar originals for Oh Yeah! and his My Life as a Teenage Robot series still gets fan art and letters today.

One of the Oh Yeah! shorts that never got much attention was the adaptation of legendary Harvey Kurtzman’s comic strip Hey Look!, a series of one-page comic book fillers produced between 1946 and 1949 for Timely Comics. Harvey was the first editor of MAD, and created Little Annie Fanny for Playboy. For a quick minute I was the last owner of Kitchen Sink Press, a legendary comix imprint that was renowned for, among other things, reprinting classics. And Harvey was one of publisher Denis Kitchen’s favorites. I asked Vincent Waller, late of Ren and Stimpy, later a key player on SpongeBob SquarePants, to take a stab. He did an amazing job.

Seth MacFarlane got signed to do Family Guy pretty much the same week he handed in his Zoomates pitch. His roommate and creative partner Butch Hartman designed and produced the short while Seth went on to become Seth MacFarlane.

Still (almost completely missing)? Women and Black American creators. Wife and husband, Michelle and Eric Bryan, created the wonderful Skippy Spankerton, but that was still meager out of the 100 shorts I’d produced by 2002 (things would ramp up a lot five years later). Byron Vaughs represented African-American creators, but that would not increase almost at all over the years. A big big miss on my part.

Oh Yeah! Cartoons, my 2nd short cartoon incubator, started me off as an independent producer of cartoons 22 years ago. It’s been an amazing ride, with the honor of working with some of the greatest talents in modern animation.

BTW, here’s an article written at the time of the 1998 series debut on Nickelodeon, written by entertainment reporter Jefferson Graham, originally posted at USA Today.

.....

* Über producer/entrepreneur Norman Lear once said (in paraphrase) “There’s no such thing as an ‘independent’ producer, we’re all dependent producers.” Meaning that if we’re making a show/movie for a major platform, we producers need their money, which means we have to listen to their needs too, not just our own or our creator’s. Norman is right.

#Best of Original Cartoons #Oh Yeah! Cartoons #shorts incubators #Nickelodeon #1998 #1999 #2000 #2001 #2002 #shorts

[hsmtmtsnet]

When he was 8, Joshua Bassett starred in a North County production of Disney’s smash hit “High School Musical.” Little did he know that nearly a decade later, he would appear in the real thing as the lead in the highly anticipated follow-up series.

“It’s all been pretty surreal,” Bassett said by phone while on his way to a meeting at Twitter’s headquarters in Los Angeles, no doubt a reaction to his rising notoriety on social media. “‘High School Musical’ was the first show I was ever in. When the audition came around, it just made sense. It’s a dream.”

Superfluously titled “High School Musical: The Musical: The Series,” the show premiered on the company’s new Disney+ streaming platform in November and serves as a meta take on the original 2005 film that made celebrities of Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens. This revamped version centers around a high school putting on a stage production of a musical based on, well, the movie version of “High School Musical.”

“The way we did it isn’t that it’s simply a remake of the original,” Bassett said. “They’re paying tribute while doing something entirely different.”

‘Let’s give this a go’

Born and raised in Oceanside, Bassett’s childhood was defined by his tight-knit family, growing up home-schooled as the only boy in a house with five sisters.

“I’ve never known different so I don’t really know how to compare it,” he recalled of his unique upbringing. “I will say that everyone is the combination of their five closest friends, and that’s who my sisters are to me. The person I am today is because of them.”

Their father Taylor, a professional pianist and drummer, taught Bassett the drums when he was just 7 for the church band, while his mother Laura, a real estate agent, grew up playing drums.

“I guess you can say music was in my blood,” he said, adding that he remembers the theatrical moment that sparked everything: “It all started after my older sister started taking dance classes, and it just trickled down to the rest of the family.”

From there, the family became fixtures in various regional theaters, including the Christian Youth Theater (colloquially known as CYT, the El Cajon-based organization boasts one of the largest theater programs in the nation and has a location in Oceanside) as well as the North County School of the Arts.

“There was one time when I was in a production of ‘Annie’ with all five of my siblings, both my parents and my dog, who played Sandy. It shows you how involved my family was.” (It was an occasion the North County Times highlighted in 2010 under the headline “Oceanside family is a troop of troupers.”)

It wasn’t until Bassett obtained his high school degree and began attending classes at Palomar College when he realized that the family hobby could translate into a viable career.

“My oldest sister had a friend from college who messaged me on Facebook and said she was working on a project and if I’d be interested,” Bassett recalled. “I thought nothing would come of it.”

Less than a day later, the young actor was in an audition room for the James Cameron blockbuster “Avatar 2.” While he didn’t land that role, Bassett notes that the opportunity inspired him.

“From then on, it was like ‘OK, let’s give this a go.’”

‘I’m still the same old me’

Now, Bassett’s profile is rising with his star-making turn in the “High School Musical” series, for which he also contributed some songs he wrote. Filmed in Salt Lake City in the same school where the 2005 original was shot, the series features a skateboarder named Ricky Bowen who, in a stretch for Bassett, is not so captivated by musical theater.

With the aforementioned Efron becoming a household name after delivering a similar role, Bassett shrugs off the comparison to the heartthrob.

“I understand it, and he’s not a bad person to be compared to, but the cool thing is that I’m not supposed to be Zac’s character,” he said. “One of the things they got right is that it will stand on its own two feet.”

Despite his burgeoning success — he’s got more than 530,000 followers on Instagram with only six posts — Bassett knows he can rely on his family regardless of his exploding popularity.

“My sisters are my biggest supporters, but at the same time they keep me humble,” he said.

“Anytime I go home, they’ll say, ‘Wow, you’re doing great! But also, don’t forget what you did when you were 10. I’m like, ‘OK, all right.’ I’m still the same old me.”

#articles #hsmtmts promo #long post #joshua bassett #cast

[everlarkbirthdaygifts]

Happy Birthday, booksandchocolatesmears!

Today, we wish Happy Birthday to @booksandchocolatesmears! We hope you’re having a wonderful day, topped off with delicious cake. To kick your party off in style, the lovely @historywriter2007 has written a story just for you!

Happy Birthday @booksandchocolatesmear. I hope you have an amazing day! Here is a little friends to lovers story. I hope you enjoy it!

---

Katniss walked onto the stage, she still couldn’t believe she was doing this but it was for a good cause. Of course, she could blame her predicament on a number of things; the fact she’d joined a sorority to get the scholarship money that was offered, or that it was for the kids that they were raising money for who were not all that different from her.  Raised in a poor area of the state that needed a chance at a better future away from coal mines and dead-end jobs. But most of all she could blame Peeta Mellark who came up with the idea of a talent show and bake sale as a shared philanthropy project between her sorority and his fraternity. Not only was the whole event his idea, he somehow talked her into partnering with her for a song and dance-- literally.

Katniss took her place and waited for the song to start, she had to admit when Peeta suggested they do a version of “Rewrite the stars,” without the heights, she choked on her drink. Peeta had the looks of a frat boy, wavy blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and broad shoulders hidden under an assortment of Frat shirts. The thought of him singing and dancing around stage didn’t really fit, that was until he started to sing. It hit her, Zac Efron could play a frat boy and a lovesick singer, so why couldn’t Peeta.

She was to be facing away from the crowd head down, the first thing she heard was his shoes as he walked on stage and uttered the first phrases of the song. He was in a partial tux, just like the movie, she chose to wear a bit more clothing, but was still in tight yoga pants and a cream tank top. As he circled around her and held on to her waist she felt a shiver hit her, this was not unusual now. They barely knew each other a couple of months ago, but he was always friendly to her at parties. Then when they agreed to do the song for the show the time they spent practicing built a bond between them. A friendship grew from the hours on stage perfecting their moves so they could do some of the interesting high rope stunts. It became stronger as practice turned to dinners and study sessions, she wanted more but they were friends, not lovers.

It was her turn to sing and she did her part, she could never tell if his look of wonder was for the stage, or real. She grabbed ahold of the rope so she could be pulled away from him, she was happy that heights didn’t bother her as she hung several feet in the air. It was worth it to hear the crowd cheer at the stunt. While it was not nearly as much as they did in the movie they added a few more acrobatic moves including Peeta and her spinning together. Finally, it was her up to her to walk away and end the song.

Peeta followed her out and grabbed her pulling her into a hug. As much as she wanted to hug back she felt like something had changed. Nothing he said registered, all she could hear were her own thoughts. They were just friends. He was raised with money and influence, she was poor. He would never want her. This was especially clear when Glimmer ran up and gushed all over him. She was the kind of woman he’d end up with, someone who grew up the same way.

That night Katniss sat alone on her couch. Her roommates begged her to go to the after party, but Katniss wasn’t in the partying mood. She just wanted to lay on the couch with her PJ’s on and watch some stupid movie, but her mind kept going. A knock at the door forced her to get up.

She got on her tiptoes to look out of the peephole, what she saw shocked her. Katniss opened the door but stood in the way. Peeta stood on the other side, his hands now stuffed into the pockets of his dark jeans, a blue button-up shirt made his eyes pop. He’d definitely dressed up for some reason.

“What are you doing here, shouldn’t you be at the party?”

“It didn’t seem right to be there without you. Annie told me you stayed home, are you feeling okay?” Peeta asked.

“I’m fine, just tired,” Katniss replied curtly.

“You sure? You’ve been acting...” Peeta paused as he searched for the right word, “different since we finished the show. Did I do something wrong?”

Katniss sighed, “No, it’s just…”

Peeta looked at her expectantly, waiting for her to finish her thoughts but when she didn’t continue he took a chance. “Can we talk?”

Katniss nodded and finally let him into the apartment. She led him to the couch and sat down.

Peeta cleared his throat before speaking again. “Maybe I can fill in the blanks. The song we sang hit a little too close to home for you. You like me, more than a friend.”

Katniss stared at him with wide eyes and her face flamed with embarrassment.

Peeta grinned and continued. “At least I hope that’s right because I like you and I wanted to talk to you about it at the party. To see if you wanted to go on a date.”

Katniss was shocked, she wasn’t expecting his admission. Now it was her turn to respond. “Are you sure? I mean I nothing special and I know Glimmer likes you.”

Peeta took Katniss’ hand and shook his head. “ I don’t want someone like Glimmer. You have no idea, do you? The effect you have on me.”

Katniss saw nothing in his eyes that showed he was lying, and her gut told her he was telling the truth. She took a chance, she leaned forward and placed a kiss to his lips.

“So, I take it that’s a yes on the date?” Peeta asked.

“Yes.”

“Good,” Peeta whispered before kissing her again.

#everlark #everlark fanfiction #everlarkbirthdaygifts #everlarkbirthdaydrabbles #fan fic #by historywriter2007

[youbuildmeupbeliever]

PLAYLIST TAG 🎶

Rules: we’re snooping on your playlist. put your entire 🎶 library on shuffle and list the first ten songs, then choose ten victims.

i was tagged by @shymeg and @lenaace 💓💓💓

1- Sleeping Sickness - City and Colour

2- All Around Me - Flyleaf

3- Bodybag - Hit The Lights

4- Ride - Lana Del Rey

5- Sweet Annie - Zac Brown Band

6 - Same Bitches - Post Malone, G-Easy & YG

7- Noots - Sum 41

8- Smile Back - Mac Miller

9- Walking With A Ghost - Tegan and Sara

10- Figures - Jessie Reyes

i’ll tag 10 of you, but i’m so behind on here so i’m sure y’all have been tagged a hundred times already, so just think of this as a way of me saying hi and i love and miss you guys 💓

@stanclub @elegantmoonchild @sweetpca @noorakardemmomesaetre @milkshakesandmurders @paperlesscrown @allskynostars @beanie-betty @daisy-chain-gardens @xxbettysgirlxx

[danithebookaholic-blog]

NEW RELEASE!

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Cyclone (Linear Tactical #1) 

By Janie Crouch

Publication Date: September 25, 2018 Genre: Romantic Suspense

Synopsis:

He’d protect her from any threat…  But what if the biggest threat is him?

Doctor Anne Nichols is back in Oak Creek, Wyoming, only because she has no other options. Here, she was always the shy, stuttering girl, invisible to everyone. 

Except Zac Mackay. The very reason she left in the first place.

Zac’s years in Special Forces taught him survival skills, and he’s created a company—Linear Tactical—to teach those skills to others, so they never have to live in fear.

Then why is Annie, the last person he’d ever want to hurt, afraid of him? 

Zac’s determined to wipe the fear from the eyes of the woman who has never been far from his mind. And fix the mistakes—his mistakes—that put that look there in the first place. 

But a predator has set his sights on Annie. And now survival skills will become much more than lessons…

Goodreads

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Excerpt:

“I was here a couple of years ago, but only for a day or two,” Anne told Zac, looking away. She had booked a room out of Oak Creek both times she’d dared come back. The thought of staying at The Mayor’s Inn had been too painful. She couldn’t even look at that hotel without feeling sick to her stomach.

And she’d avoided everyone—particularly Zac—as much as possible. Just in case his words about not coming back were still true. She tried to swallow the panic that threatened to overwhelm her. Maybe he still felt that way now, even though he hadn’t said anything at the hospital.

“There.” He pointed at her. “That look that just came into your eyes. I saw it at the hospital. It’s like you’re afraid of me, Annie.” He took a step closer and she instinctively one back. One of his eyebrows shot up, letting her know she’d proved his point. “Do you think I’m going to hurt you?”

“No.” Not physically. She’d never worried that he’d hurt her that way, despite having five inches and probably fifty pounds—all muscle—on her.

But he was right. She couldn’t continue living in Oak Creek with them ignoring everything that had happened that night. What had been said. What had been done. Maybe she would’ve tried to, and to avoid Zac forever, if he hadn’t ended up in her ER. 

But the truth was, there weren’t enough bushes in this town for her to jump into. She was going to run into Zac. A lot.

Sometimes all you could do was face the past.

She pulled a breath in. “I’m not scared of you. I mean, I know you would never hurt me physically. For crying out loud, you wrecked your motorcycle rather than hit a dog.” She’d meant for her laugh to seem breezy, but it just sounded stilted. “But yeah, I mean, we can’t pretend like that night never happened. The stuff we did. Stuff you...we said.”

His eyes narrowed. “That night we spent together after Becky died.”

“Yeah. That night.” As if they’d had another. “The bottom line is, I can’t leave here, Zac. No matter what you said then, or even if you feel the same way now.”

He shook his head, brows furrowing. “I don’t expect you to leave. You’re obviously a respected doctor, more than competent. Why would you think I wanted you to leave?”

Some of the tension she’d been carrying since his arrival in the ER began to ease. He was right. Something said in grief and anger six years ago didn’t necessarily hold true all this time later. She was silly for thinking it did. “Okay, well, it’s good to know you don’t feel the same as you did back then.”

He took a single predatory step closer, and she tensed again. “I said something that night to make you think you needed to leave?”

She stared at him, her mouth flopping open like some sort of fish. “You don’t remember what you said?”

Those words would be engrained in her memory forever.

Get out and don’t come back.

He rubbed his forehead. “That whole night is fuzzy for me.”

I can’t even bear to look at you. You just betrayed the only person in this town who ever wanted you here. 

Tossing her naked into the hallway before flinging her clothes at her. 

“What do you remember?” She forced the words past a throat that seemed to have dried up.

His hand moved to the back of his neck. “Honestly, not much at all. It’s sort of a blur.”

She retreated a step from him again. That night had been the most important night of her life. The best. The worst. It had changed the very fabric of her being. 

And it was sort of a blur for him.

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Purchase:

Amazon US / Amazon UK / Amazon CA / Amazon AU / B&N / Kobo / iBooks

Author Bio:

USA TODAY bestselling author Janie Crouch writes what she loves to read: passionate romantic suspense.  She is a winner and/or finalist of multiple romance literary awards including the Golden Quill Award for Best Romantic Suspense, the National Reader’s Choice Award, and the RITA© Award by the Romance Writers of America.

Janie recently relocated with her husband and their four teenagers to Germany (due to her husband's job as support for the U.S. Military), after living in Virginia for nearly 20 years. When she's not listening to the voices in her head—and even when she is—she enjoys engaging in all sorts of crazy adventures (200-mile relay races; Ironman Triathlons, treks to Mt. Everest Base Camp) traveling, and movies of all kinds. 

Website / Facebook / Facebook Group / Twitter / Instagram

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From one bookaholic to another, I hope I’ve helped you find your next fix. —Dani

Have a book you’d like to suggest or one you’d like me to review? Please feel free to leave your comments down below.

#Cyclone #Cyclone by Janie Crouch #Cyclone (Linear Tactical 1) #Cyclone (Linear Tactical 1) by Janie Crouch #Cyclone (Linear Tactical series) #Cyclone (Linear Tactical series) by Janie Crouch #author Janie Crouch #author #writer #Janie Crouch #Linear Tactical series #Linear Tactical series by Janie Crouch #publication #September 2018 #romance #romance author #romance novel #romantic suspense #romantic suspense author #romantic suspense novel #adult romantic suspense #adult romantic suspense author #adult romantic suspense novel #adult suspense #adult suspense author #adult suspense novel #suspense #suspense author #suspense novel #adult romance

[newcountryradio]

In The New Country Music Express #1105 (664) van 27 december  2021  (wk 52) tussen 19.00 -22.00 op Smelne fm

Met de top 30  albums  van 2021    

 1. Buck Owens   ---      Amsterdam                              *omnivore recordings

2.  Sturgill Simpson---   Life Of Sin   --  *Cuttin’ Grass 1 butcher shop  2020

3. Sturgill Simpson  -- Hobo Cartoon  --*Cuttin’ grass 2 cowboy armssessions  

4.  Blake Shelton --  Bible Verses   --   *Body Language  

5.  Garrett T Caps--  I Like Austin, But I Love San Antone *I Love San Antone  

6.  Tim Knol  -  Souvenirs  -- The Lost & Found Tapes: Compilation Album

7.  Luke Bryan --  up   --     * Born here, live her, die here (Deluxe)  

8. Rhonda Vincent --  I’d like to be a train   --  *Music is what I see  

9. Lainey Wilson  -- Things A man oughta know --*Sayin’what I’m thinking

10. Scotty McCreery -- Damn Strait    --  *-Same Truck  

11. Eric Church  --- Heart on fire     -- * Heart & Soul

12.   Loretta Lynn   -- Still Woman Enough    -- *Still Woman Enough

13.   Jim Lauderdale --The Opportunity to help somebody through it- *Hope

14.   Trace Adkins  --Where I am Today  --  * The way I wanna go  

15.   re—Orange Blossom Special

16.   Pistol Annies *If We Make It Through December *  Hell Of A Holiday          

17.   Larry Fleet   -- * Church Parkinglot  --  *Stack of records  

18.   Clay Walker    --  *Texas To Tennessee   -- * Texas To Tennessee  

19.   Zac Brown  --  *Stubborn Pride -- * The Comeback

20.   Zac Brown    -- *Same boat --   * The Comeback

21.   Rory Feek -- * Met Him In A Motel Rroom (featuring Trisha Yearwood) * Gentle Man

22.   Douwe Bob  --  *Amsterdam   ---  * Born to win, born to lose  

23.   Conny Smith     --- * Look Out Heart   --- * Cry Of The Heart

24.   Aaron Watson    -- * Best Friend `    -- *American Soul          

25.   Triston Marez  --- When She Calls Me Cowboy   * Triston Marez

26.   Alan Jackson  --- * Back     --  * Where Have You Gone

27.   Lukas Nelson   -- * More Than We Can Handle   * A Few stars Apart  

28.   re : Too Country And Proud Of It  

29.   re

30. Asleep At The Wheel  --(get Your Kicks On) Route 66 --Half a hundred years 

31.   Joshua Ray Walker   -- Dallas lights    --  *See You next Time  

32.   Thomas Rhett    -- Country Again    --  * country again  

33.   Morgan Wallen   -- Sand in my boots  -- *Dangerous  the double album

34.   Carly Pearce    --    29   --      *29 (Written in stone)  

35.   Charley Crockett   --  Music City USA       --*Music city Usa  

36.   John Wolff    --  Here's to All My Heroes  -- * Dos Corazones

37.   Cody Jinks   --  I don’t trust your memories anymore  * Mercy

38.   Cody Jinks  --    Mercy     -- *Mercy

39.   Cody Johnson --- Made a Home  --* Human  the double album

40.   Cody Johnson  --  Human    -- * Human  the double album

41.   Sturgill Simpson --  Juanita   --*The Ballad Of Dood & Juanita

42.   Sturgill Simpson   -- Go In Peace    ---- *The Ballad Of Dood & Juanita  

43.   Re :Various artists   --  Forever Country   -- *CMA Compilation

Adres  Bauke van der vliet Samensteller/ presentator New Country Barten 30 8447 BS Heerenveen   ([email protected])

#playlist New Country #maandagavond smelne's country avond #newcountry

[headoverhiddles]

Shot Of Glory [Richie x Eddie]

The Losers head out to Wyoming in Bill's dad's station wagon for a country festival graduation trip from high school. The crush that Richie's had on Eddie since they were kids is virtually impossible to keep inside anymore, but telling him terrifies Richie to no end- another shot of whiskey might help his courage.

Warnings: Underage drinking. Fluff! Based on the song Shot of Glory by The Washboard Union. Available on ao3 here. 

None of the Losers expected they would be spending their meticulously planned summer grad trip on the road to a country music festival. Except for Ben and Bev and Mike, who all kind of enjoyed the genre. Eddie had been the tipping vote as to whether or not they'd be spending their grad trip in Wyoming or Universal Studios (or Vegas as Richie had pitched, except what the fuck were a bunch of 17 year olds going to do in Las Vegas?). The only reason Eddie voted for the country festival was that he remembered how many germs were on everything in a park like Universal Studios, and completely squicked out at the idea of touching all those safety bars, which he would inevitably be clinging onto for dear life. They only really had enough money put together for the hotel only in Orlando anyway.

 Yeah the boys round here,

Drinkin' that ice cold beer, talkin' bout girls, talkin' bout trucks, running them red dirt roads out kickin' up dust-

"Will someone put some other shit on?" Richie called from the backseat of Bill's dad's old station wagon, "We'll have to suffer through this at the festival, no point in torturing our ears with it now!"

"Some people like this music," Mike said from the shotgun seat, turning it up, and Richie rolled his eyes, bending his knees and putting his feet up on the back of the driver's side seat.

"Where are we now Ben, Buttfuck Nowhere? You're the geography expert, aren't you?"

"History," Ben reminded for the millionth time over the past five years he had known Richie.

"Same shit, yada yada. Just tell me where you can get some decent cigarettes and a pie I can throw in Eddie's face for voting us out here instead of checking out the new Incredible Hulk ride at-"

"Beep beep Richie," Bill said, gripping the steering wheel, "And get your f-f-feet off the seat, my dad's gonna k-kill me."

"Yeah, that's so gross, so fucking unsanitary," Eddie muttered from beside him, and Richie made a face at him.

"I'm actually with Richie," Bev said slowly, "It would be nice to stop for a while, and I could use a cigarette myself."

"We'll f-find a place to pull off," Bill said, "Anyone got a m-map?"

"Yeah, it's up Eddie's mom's ass," Richie joked, and Eddie hit him, prompting Bev to sigh beside them.

"I'm hungry," Stan commented.

"Don't you have, like, a bajillion granola bars packed away in there?" Eddie asked.

"No, it was either those or the birdfeed, and how am I supposed to birdwatch without anything to attract birdfeed?"

"Well, you could just... not bird watch like a nerd?" Richie shrugged.

"Oh, well you could always take your suggestions, Richie, and jam them up your-"

"Would you l-l-losers shut up?!" Bill blurted, "Jesus Christ, we've b-been out on the road for not even a day and you two are about to k-kill each other!"

"I think we all need some air," Ben commented.

They pulled over at the next gas station they saw, and everyone pretty much ran to the bathroom.

"Hey Bev," Richie murmured as they headed into the station, "Wanna hijack the car and run off to Maui?"

"Maui?" she smirked, "I thought you wanted to go to Vegas."

"Anything's better than this flat, barren desert of nothing."

"We'll be at the festival soon." She nudged him. "Come on Tozier- do it for Eddie." She smiled at him, and Richie sucked in a breath. Do it for Eddie.

Bev, Bill and Mike were the only ones who knew about his crush on Eddie. Beverly totally had his back without being pushy about it- the other Losers were stupidly oblivious, but it was okay with Richie if his secret was kept under wraps for as long as possible.

But yeah. He could do it for Eds.

"Hi," Beverly smiled at the gas station attendant. The guy stopped chewing on his gum and looked her up and down.

"Well hey there, pretty little lady. What can I get ya?"

"Pack of Marlboro Reds and a pack of menthols."

"Hoooee!" the guy chuckled, "You're a chimney, through and through, eh?!"

"They're for her mother," Richie supplied helpfully, and Beverly blinked innocently, "She's too sick to get out of bed."

"Heaven knows why," the guy snorted, and rang them through. "Sorry for the formality, but I'm gonna need to get your ID."

"Oh, sure..." She reached for her back pocket, and threw her hands up. "Shoot, must've left it in the car. Gimme a second?"

"Alrighty."

Richie shook his head as Bev jogged out. "She's so forgetful. She's forget her head if it wasn't attached to her shoulders! Hey, while you're waiting, can you grab me another one of those I Heart Wyoming hats from the back? I'm just in love with them."

The guy shrugged, and went off to the back. As Beverly had taught him, Richie quickly stuffed the two packs in his pockets and took off... not before nabbing the display hat off the shelf. He made it to the car, tossed the Marlboros to Beverly and kept the menthols for himself.

"Go," Bev said, kissing Ben on the cheek, and Bill started the car as the guy came back.

"Hey! Hey, y'all wait!"

"You're so stupid, Richie," Stan muttered as they sped off, crossing his arms.

"I think I'm a master thief," Richie said in his British accent, and Eddie smiled a little to himself as Richie plopped the I Heart Wyoming hat on his head backward.

"For you, Spaghetti Man. Red just isn't my colour."

Eddie looked away, and when no one was looking, switched the hat around so that it was facing forward.

"Okay okay, uh... would you rather turn into Shrek every time someone said your name, or have Pee Wee Herman narrate your life?" Richie asked, and Ben burst out laughing.

"They're both so bad."

"Yeah, honestly who would pick either?" Stan asked, and Richie shrugged.

"You've gotta pick one."

"Shrek," Mike weighed in, "Definitely Shrek."

"Not P-pee Wee?" Bill smirked.

"I'd straight up murder that guy."

"If you turned into Shrek all the time, I'd break up with you," Stan pursed his lips.

"Stan, I didn't know you were so materially inclined," Bev acted shocked.

"Yeah, I'm hurt babe," Mike put a hand over his heart, and Stan shook his head.

"I am not dating an ogre."

"Wouldn't be so bad," Richie said, "You could scare people away... Eds, what would you do?"

"I'd like to have you narrating my life," Eddie huffed, "Your mouth already runs a mile a minute, might as well use it to document something useful."

"I would be honored, sir," Richie grinned, and Eddie blushed, looking away. Richie swallowed. Was he trying too hard? Fuck, he was probably giving himself away... He ran a hand through his hair, hoping his anxiety wouldn't get the better of him. Ben looked at him inquisitively, but Richie didn't quite feel like talking anymore.

The next day, after shelling out half of their crumpled up bills they had all saved for the past two years and dumping their stuff at a creepy motel that smelled like bad yogurt and moth balls, they were almost at the festival grounds. Country music was blaring through their speakers, and Bev sang along with Mike, Ben, and a shy Eddie. Even Bill found himself humming along to the tunes, and Richie and Stan discovered they were joined by their mutual hatred of this genre of music.

Soon, the first night of the festival arrived. Favourites of the group like Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Chris Young, and the Zac Brown Band graced the stage, and Richie found that he was enjoying himself a little more now that he wasn't cramped up in the car and could channel his energy into something else.

Currently, the Zac Brown Band was performing a popular song of theirs, "Sweet Annie." Mike and Stan were sitting with each other on a couple of chairs to the side of the bar, giggling about something, and Ben and Beverly were out on the floor, slow dancing. Ben was singing to Bev softly, and though he didn't have the best voice ever, Beverly found everything her boyfriend did to be incredibly sweet and romantic. Her head rested on Ben's shoulder as they rocked together to the music, and she looked over to see Bill dancing with some girl he had found with blonde hair and cowboy boots. Her gaze shifted, and she saw Eddie drinking from a bottle of water, with Richie staring at him, enthralled Nd tapping his knee, a few paces away. Every time one would look at the other, the other would look away.

Beverly sighed.

That night at the motel, everyone paired up for beds. Mike and Stan, Ben and Bev, and that left... Bill, Eddie, and Richie.

"I can take the couch..." Richie said, rubbing the back of his neck.

"No no," Bill smirked, the tall brunette teen giving Richie a meaningful look, "Y-you two go ahead."

"You won't even be able to fit on the couch Bill, your legs are like mile-long stringbeans!" Richie protested, feeling his face heat up.

"N-no, it's fine. The couch is closer to the w-w-window. I like to, uh... see the stars." Bill kept on smirking. 

"You sappy weirdo," Richie muttered, and Eddie headed to the bathroom to get ready for bed. In the meantime, Richie settled under the covers, taking deep breaths in and out.

He could do this. Of course he could do this! He had grown up with Eddie, ever since they had met in friggin' kindergarten! A billion sleepovers had been spent sharing a sleeping bag with Eddie, Eddie sleeping on his lap, Eddie falling asleep on his shoulder during long car rides to baseball practice, anything and everything for years... so why was it so awkward now? He took off his glasses, placing them on the night table, and rubbed his eyes.

Richie felt his heart skip a beat as the door to the bathroom opened, the crack of light illuminating the dark motel room temporarily before the light was flicked off. Eddie felt his way to the bed-- it wasn't even that small a bed, they both had plenty of space-- and got in.

"Hey Eds," Richie whispered.

"Hey Rich," Eddie whispered back, then paused. "Don't call me that."

"Sorry, spaghetti man. You enjoying the festival?"

"Yeah. Yeah, it's pretty fun."

"Yeah..." Richie murmured. He didn't want to stop talking, because that would mean laying there beside each other in silence, wondering what the other person was thinking.

"Watchya thinkin' about, Eds?" Richie whispered. Eddie spent a long time thinking, so long that Richie thought he'd fallen asleep. Then he spoke up.

"How happy I am to be on this trip, Rich."

"Really?"

"Mhmm. It's nice to be away from home for a while... it's refreshing not to have someone watching me all day every day, seeing if I'm just gonna fall apart in front of their eyes." Another pause. "I'm not that fragile, you know?"

"Yeah," Richie offered, not able to think of anything else to say. His home life was the opposite of Eddie's and both boys knew it. Richie's parents didn't care about anything he did, sort of like Bill's, Ben's, and... well, pretty much any of them except for Eddie. But Richie's parents not only didn't care, but frequently made it clear how happy they'd be once he got his "freak little ass out of their house where he can go bother someone else." That's one thing Richie didn't keep from his friends... he didn't know where he'd be if he couldn't share that.

"Rich? You awake?"

"Yeah, Eds."

"S-s-shut up!" Bill called, "If you two don't m-mind, some of us want some sleep!"

"Yeah, keep it down Felix and Oscar," Mike joked. A few more seconds ticked by.

"I sure hope these sheets are cleaned really fucking well daily," Eddie whispered as quietly as he could to Richie, "I'm wearing my favourite red shorties."

Richie squeezed his eyes shut.

Fuck.

The next night of the festival was the perfect night. Starry sky, stage lit up by the moon, it was gorgeous. A couple of songs in, and Richie was getting the jitters all over again. Being this close to Eddie for such a long time was exhilarating, but for some reason, nerve wracking. He had known his friend their entire lives... what was his deal? 

He didn't know how much longer he could keep this up.

The Washboard Union took the stage, and began to play a few of their songs, before they started up a song called "Shot

Of Glory." Beverly's eyes lit up, and she dragged everyone to the floor except for Richie, who headed over to the bar. Shots? Good plan.

Praise be, Richie wasn't carded, as his hair fell into his eyes and he had aged fast with his high cheekbones and growth spurt after hitting 15, so he ordered a "beer" at first.

"What kind of beer?"

"A boilermaker."

"That's... not a beer."

"It's a drink, though. Pip pip, and tally ho good fellow!" he clapped. The guy just gave him the evil eye, but went to get the drink ready.

Boy shit, a boilermaker was not what Richie was expecting, and halfway through the song, he was well on his way to getting tanked. Looking over at his small little Eddie attempting to dance as gracefully as Beverly, Richie's heart ached, and he admired his best friend. He looked so good tonight, in those high socks, shorts, and pink shirt riding up the barely noticeable V of his hips and light snail trail... Eddie looked up, going red at the fact that Richie was watching him fail at dancing, and Richie's heart stopped as Eddie's brown eyes met his. The alcohol wasn't the only thing making him weak.

It's a Friday night, like any other, you walk in I stare and I stutter, every single time you look at me.

Richie wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and finished off the last of the boilermaker. Eddie looked so good... he needed to lie down... but also, he needed to dance. What was that word, dance? Hmm... thinking is a strange thing. Fuzzy, fuzzy, music sounds good, huh... why hadn't Eddie or any of those other losers introduced him to country music sooner? Eddie, Eddie, Eddie Spaghetti. He was beautiful, and silence was not something Richie was good at.

"Good sir! Beer me a whiskey," Richie slurred, trying not to sound like the inexperienced, lightweight of a 17 year old that he was. The bartender eyed him warily, but grabbed a bottle as Richie's fingers drummed nervously on the bar, leg jostling restlessly.

I need a fix of True Companion, Jimmy Beam, or Old Jack Daniels, something strong to stop these shaking knees.

"Eddie!" Richie called, walking out onto the dance floor.

Drinking up my courage, whiskey for my nerves

Eddie lifted his chin, and Richie's head spun.

Got me drunk on your short summer dress, powder room ballerina, I'm gonna need another shot of glory, ain't no turning back...

"Hi Richie. Enjoying your, um... whiskey, I think?"

"No," Richie made a face, spitting it out, and Eddie stifled a giggle, trying to hold him up.

"You're an idiot when you're drunk, you know that?"

"I think Stan would agree with you," Richie replied.

"I think everyone would agree with me," Eddie retorted, smiling, and Richie physically gasped.

You got me high on your tipsy smile and your hips all swingin'

"Dance with me, Eds," Richie blurted, and Eddie's eyes widened as Richie began to dip him. He soon fell into the groove of the song, and the world spun around them. 

We start spinnin', spinnin', spinnin'

Stumbling away in a moment of sobriety, the taller teenager blushed hard and pushed up his glasses, looking around.

"Where's... uh, Bill?"

"I think he's still with that blonde cowgirl chick he was with earlier," Eddie mused, and turned to peer behind him. He noticed a blue pickup truck, and Bill and the girl making out inside of it. "Oh yup. Definitely is."

They stood there for a second, looking slightly out of place on the dance floor.

"How many of these "whiskeys" did you have?" Eddie asked.

"Oh... enough."

"Maybe you should get to bed-"

"Eddie Kaspbrack?" Richie stood up straight as best he could, and felt everything good swirl around him- the laughter, the lively music, the dancing, the smiles of his closest friends as they had the time of their lives. He felt the confidence surge through him. "You... y'know something?"

"What?"

"Eddie Kaspbrack, I've loved you since the day we met."

Eddie stopped, lips parting. Richie felt some part of his brain flashing off, telling him to retreat, back to the motel maybe, the grand canyon possibly on the other side of America to fling himself into, anywhere, just to run, but the other part kept him rooted there.

"Richie..." Eddie said softly, looking down. Richie braced himself for the rejection by closing his eyes, but he almost flipped his shit when he felt two smaller hands on the sides of his face, cupping it as soft lips met his. Sudden gasps resounded from their friends, and Richie opened his eyes to see a (blurry) Eddie grinning up at him.

"You're a dumbass and I love you too," he said, and Richie let out a cry of victory, pumping his fist up. This resulted in a huge group hug, with Richie probably kissing Eddie in the middle of it again, and the band played the last note of the song. Richie broke free, grabbed his glass of whiskey again and took a sip, then got on stage, taking the mic from them.

"I'd like to thank the Washboard Union and the State of Wyoming!" Richie called, raising his glass, and toppled off the stage with a crash.

"Fucking hell," Eddie muttered.

"Hey... is anyone gonna pay this kid's tab?" the bartender called out in irritation. Beverly looked over, and bit her lip, kissing Ben and whispering something to him. Then she approached the bar with a charming smile, and leaned against it.

"Hey there. Has anyone ever told you you look just like Clark Kent?"

#richie tozier #eddie kaspbrak #richie x eddie #eddie x richie #reddie #it 2017 #it movie #it movie 2017 #teenager au #teenage au #teenage losers club #losers club #the losers club #bill denbrough #mike hanlon #benverly #beverly marsh #ben x beverly #mike x stan #stan x mike #stanlon #stanley uris #ben hanscom #grad trip

[ryanmeft]

The Greatest Showman Movie Review

The Greatest Showman is a piece of complete fantasy, an almost total fabrication that gets two things exactly right: P.T. Barnum existed, and he created modern entertainment. The rest is smoke and mirrors, obscuring behind a modern narrative sheen what it doesn’t outright invent. Barnum would be proud. What matters isn’t that it’s accurate. What matters is it is a total blast with a genuinely moving message, the kind of thing that no longer entirely works in Disney films because they’ve driven it into the ground. Somehow, song-and-dance numbers about being yourself get a breath of fresh life injected when they’re sung by conjoined twins and bearded ladies.

The film, helmed by a first-time feature director name of Michael Gracey, takes the complex and sometimes dark and terrible stories of P.T. Barnum’s life and distills them into an archetype: the struggling visionary desperate to provide for his family. Hugh Jackman, that perennial audience favorite, dons the bright red jacket and top hat, but not at first. When the film begins, he’s nothing: a servant boy whose lady love’s father (an easily loathable Fredric Lehne) sneers at him when he later comes to take her away, announcing she’ll be back as soon as she tires of his lack of wealth.

 She doesn’t and isn’t. Soon she’s grown and played by Michelle Williams, and they are dancing and singing with their two daughters on the soot-stained rooftops of mid-19th century New York. This is one of my favorite time periods in all of film or any other medium, suffused as it is with a Dickensian vibe of downtrodden-ness, a ripe canvas on which to paint any number of rags-to-riches stories. You might notice that Williams, as Charity, isn’t saddled with the easy cliche of most wife characters in these yarns. She neither constantly nags the perpetually struggling Barnum with reminders of their money woes, nor does she make dramatic speeches when his success and his head begin to swell. When one of the daughters asks for ballet shoes, their response could draw tears even in 2017 from anyone who ever had to spend an hour in the store trying to decide whether they could afford the tiniest luxury. (I was reminded of the personal recollection of someone I know, which I won’t share here). Barnum, who has been let go from a (fictional) job in shipping, is able to provide as a present instead a quickly invented gadget that puts on a light show.

Quickly inventing things, of course, became Barnum’s stock in trade. It isn’t an exaggeration to say he invented modern entertainment as we know it. What is a movie, after all, if not pure and total…humbug? And the even more modern video game has learned how to ensnare a person’s emotions with computer code in such a way that they will keep returning and paying for new hats. Barnum sought out the total outcasts of society, the ones who would have before been doomed to poverty, prejudice and early death, and made them stars. He brought in exotic animals and displayed them for the audiences of the cold New England coasts for the first time. He brought the idle whims of the aristocracy to the people.

He also made his performers to go on stage in cages, and can without a doubt be called a profiteering exploiter. The film portrays him as a philanthropist and early champion of what we would now consider rights for the differently-abled. His performers are his friends, and the ensemble cast includes dazzling performances by Sam Humphrey as the famous General Tom Thumb, Keala Settle as bearded lady Lettie Lutz, and Zendaya as black trapeze artist Annie Wheeler, whose race alone kept her off any earlier stages. The only time it is intimated that Barnum forgot they were human is during a period when he hires famous, respected singer Jenny Lind (Rebecca Ferguson) to tour the world and bring him the respect he craves from titans and queens (there is a wonderful exchange between Tom Thumb and none other than the Queen of England herself).

 In reality, the man whose second-most-famous line was “There’s a sucker born every minute” was very, very in it for a buck, and while it can be fairly said that his performers lived much worse lives before he found them, that was hardly his intent. He didn’t use the term “freaks” affectionately.

What “The Greatest Showman” does is what “Moulin Rouge!” and the supremely underrated “Marie Antoinette” did: it helps to shine a light on a mostly forgotten period of history by modernizing it, and it mostly does this through music. The film opens with “The Greatest Show”, as rousing an intro as any musical has ever managed. Every song is good, but the standouts comprise the center section of the film. “This Is Me”, nominated for a Golden Globe and a safe bet for Oscar, features the under-valued Keala Settle leading Barnum’s army of “freaks” in a rousing celebration of being yourself. This theme has gotten tired but is given new life with the performance of an ensemble cast and a stellar visual production by an army of technical maestros far too extensive to list in a review. Rebecca Ferguson lends a perfect physical presence to Loren Allred’s vocal performance of “Never Enough”, a solo act that gives musical voice to Barnum’s escalating needs for adulation. My favorite number, visually and musically, is that of Zac Efron and Zendaya’s interracial love song, “Rewrite the Stars”, which explodes off the screen without the benefit of tons of props or multiple flashy costumes, and ought to puncture the stoicism of all but the most stubborn tough guys.

We can debate whether Barnum’s legacy was for good or ill; the film doesn’t even claim the often-laughable “Based on a True Story” appellation, so for me it’s not really important. I loved La la Land, and contend it only took so much flack when people thought it would out-Oscar Moonlight, and I loved The Greatest Showman for the same reason: it made me want to celebrate how awesome life is at the same time it got me weepy at how hard it can get. I don’t need accuracy. After all, I have a broom closet full of history books for that.

 Verdict: Highly Recommended

#hugh jackman #zendaya #zac efron #keala settle #loren allred #rebecca ferguson #moulin rouge #marie antoinette #the greatest showman #musicals #movies #michelle williams #circus #p.t. barnum #animals

[weirdsciencecomics]

Here are the February 2020 Marvel Comics Solicitations for all Guardians of the Galaxy related comics!

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY #2

AL EWING • JUANN CABAL (A) • Cover by IVAN SHAVRIN

VARIANT COVER BY ANDREA SORRENTINO

GWEN STACY VARIANT COVER BY ANNIE WU

CHINESE NEW YEAR VARIANT COVER BY YUZE WU

Peter Quill fights for his life against the King of the Gods! Rocket fights alone against the legions of Hephaeustus! Phylla-Vell makes a choice between love and duty – with death on the line! And somewhere, a black hole bomb ticks down to zero…The Guardians’ first mission comes to a cataclysmic end!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

NEBULA #1 (OF 5)

VITA AYALA • CLAIRE ROE (A) • Cover by JEN BARTEL

Variant Cover by MIRKA ANDOLFO

Variant Cover by ANDREW C. ROBINSON

REMASTERED VARIANT COVER BY RON LIM

VARIANT COVER BY SKOTTIE  YOUNG

Nebula has grown under the shadows of Thanos and Gamora, but no longer! With her eyes set on a top-secret device, Nebula has big plans for her future—and she’s not about to let anyone get in her way! But her goal may end up costing her more than she’s willing to pay after a showdown with one of the cosmos most feared bounty hunters….Don’t miss out on this cosmically critical series launch from rising stars, Vita Ayala (PRISONER X) and Claire Roe (FEARLESS)!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

      YONDU #5 (of 5)

Lonnie Nadler & Zac  Thompson

John McCrea (A)

Cover by Cully Hamner

News of the Herald’s Urn has gotten out and Yondu and his descendent from the 31st century, Yondu, find themselves in everyone’s crosshairs! In desperation, they initiate a Hail Mary to keep the urn out of the wrong hands—to catastrophic results. As the smoke clears and the fate of the universe hangs in the balance, only one Yondu will be left standing, and the galaxy will never be the same again after this stunning series conclusion!

32 PGS./Rated T+ …$3.99

  Guardians of the Galaxy February 2020 Marvel Comics Solicits Here are the February 2020 Marvel Comics Solicitations for all Guardians of the Galaxy related comics!

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