#from 'Dead of Night' 5 Year Anniversary (Live at Sunset Sound)

[whoreville--pecker]

Orville's Pecs......

#orville peck #orvillle peck pony #orville peck dead of night #from 'Dead of Night' 5 Year Anniversary (Live at Sunset Sound) #more like whoreville pecker

[stonylovessteve]

Creator Reveals

We’ve reached the end of the exchange and that means it’s time to reveal the creators of all our works.

Thank you for putting so much love and effort into Stony Loves Steve 2020, you really made it a great experience. We hope everyone loved it as much as we did!

Giftees, be sure to leave a comment and kudos on your gift if you haven’t already. All our creators worked hard to make this event a success, so show them some love.

You can now post about your work publicly outside of the exchange. Tag it as #stonylovessteve2020 on tumblr and we’ll reblog you. @ us @stonylovessteve on twitter and we’ll retweet you.

Below the cut is the final list of all the works produced for the exchange and the creators.

Love thy neighbor by captainstars for picturecat  (616, 2.2k Words)

Neighbors are supposed to come around to borrow a cup of sugar; these ones take Steve’s husband instead.

Or

“So let me get this right, you came here to save me?” He asked.

Steve ducked his head down in a nod.

“But you managed to get captured by my kidnappers?” He added.

Steve paused, and then repeated the motion.

“And somewhere in the midst of all that, they turned you into a cat.” Tony pointed out, like it wasn’t obvious.

Funnel Cakes and Ferris Wheels by jehbehee for muchmoremajestic (MCU AU, 5.4k Words)

Tony takes Steve on a road trip to help him relax before his last exam.

give me something sweet by starkboi for starksnack (MCU, 1.5k Words)

Steve loves baking on his days off, there's just a missing ingredient that's been on his mind lately.

operation: grocery shopping by starksnack for avengersandco (MCU, 6k Words)

Steve, Peter, and Peter's trusty sidekick Mister Dog set off on a quest to check off everything on their grocery list. Will they find everything they need and get rewards from Tony?

Featuring cloud watching, scented markers, and Born This Way by Lady Gaga.

Moon and Stars by DepressingGreenie for march_hyde (MCU, 2.6k Words)

Steve and Tony spend the full moon at their cabin in the woods.

there's no place i'd rather be, without you beside me by ircnshield for starkboi (MCU, 10.5k Words)

“I don’t think he wants you to leave,” Natasha jokes from the couch.

“Yeah, no kidding,” Tony says as he bends down to scratch behind the dog's ear. “Look, buddy, I’ll give you a treat if you stop looking at me like that and let me go down to my lab.”

Dodger, seemingly unimpressed, walks closer towards Tony’s shoes, turns his body around, and simply drops his body on top of them.

Turn a Little Faster by Ishipallthings for b0n3l3ssm1lk (AA, 5.4K Words)

Tony and Natasha pose as a couple for an undercover mission. Steve doesn’t find this distracting. Not at all.

And yet, it all goes downhill from there.

(5 times Steve is distracted thinking of Tony, and 1 time Tony distracts Steve on purpose.)

Taking chances by hundredthousands for shcrlockholmcs (MCU, Comic)

Tony can’t resist it when Steve gets like this, and he’s feeling a tad uninhibited tonight.

say my prayers by farawatt for jayjayverse (616, 3.3k Words)

Steve gets into the motel at a quarter past nine in the morning.

You've Got That Power Over Me by stevesnarkrogers for alexcat (MCU, 8k Words + Fanvid)

“Pull it together, Stark,” Tony muttered to himself.

Steve’s chest ached at the sound of Tony’s voice. God, he missed him. He wanted nothing more than to wrap him up in his arms and see if they could—no. YOU pull it together, Rogers. You’re here to help Tony, not yourself. Eyes up, soldier.

Net of Wonder by hollyandvice (hiasobi_writes) for Syan (MCU, 2.4k Words)

"You can't control me." Then Tony whips his tail again to turn away from his father.

"You swim out that door and I'm planning your wedding and coronation myself."

Tony stills. He swallows down the way the oppression tries to pound him flat. But there's no avoiding the inevitable. He looks over his shoulder to glare at Howard. "Be my guest. It's not like you ever would have listened to me anyway."

Tony isn't expecting an apprentice when he goes to meet with Yinsen after a blowout fight with her dad, but he finds all that and more in Steve Rogers. Steve gives Tony everything he needs while Tony runs from his future, never knowing that their futures might be more entwined than they'd realized.

diastolic pressure (in between heartbeats) by firebrands for betheflame (MCU, 8k Words)

For flame, who gave the prompt "Steve and Tony have been fake dating for a while, but everyone else thinks they're *really* in love. When a mission goes terribly and Tony is presumed dead, Steve realizes he's in love with Tony and Dramatic Shenanigans Ensue."

Same Difference. by Perlmutt for Huntress79 (MCU AU, 5k Words)

Tony and Steve are the successful heads of two different divisions of SHIELD IT Security and are the walking wet dreams of all ladies in the company. Tony Stark is the elegant genius with his dark humor while the newcomer Steve Rogers is known for his gentlemanly behaviour and kindness. On the surface the two men are rivals. But there's more to it than meets the eye...

Canteen food is horrible, the intern is chaotic, and Tony goes toe-to-toe with a hyena to rescue the princess who doesn't need to be rescued...

Why Need a Thousand Words? I Prefer a Picture Instead by march_hyde for Neverever (MCU, 4k Words + Art)

Steve is struggling with a project for Tony, not that he knows of it. So of course Tony finds out and has to help out with whatever he can do.

Operation Check Yes or No by avengersandco for hundredthousands (MCU, 2.7k Words)

Steve just wants Tony to notice him, but he’s not sure how. Lucky for him, his friends help him make a plan to capture the attention of the one he wants.

When I Look At You by Syan for AvengersNewB (MCU, Comic)

Steve is always looking at Tony in very meaningful ways... Or very embarrassed ways, depending on the situation~

for god's sake, dear (just say yes). by frostfall for captainmistyknight (vicspeaks) (AA, 10.8k Words)

Ever since they’ve met, Steve has been in love with Tony Stark. So when Tony makes a marriage pact with him, he jumps at the offer, thinking that’s the only way he could have Tony.

Fast forward five years, and Steve is ready to pop the question to Tony, with hopes that maybe, just maybe, Tony feels the same.

That is, until he meets Carol Danvers, who just so happens to be dating Tony.

Honey, Keep the Sugar, You’re Enough for Me by Shamen610 for avengersincamphalfbloodstardis (MCU, 1.6k Words)

"I want you to draw me like one of your french girls." Tony had said, the very first time he had walked through his door.

Steve, who had been carrying a bag full of paints and a canvas under his arm, had barely been able to keep everything under wraps upon hearing the bold words.

Or

Steve doesn't actually have a Sugar Daddy, no matter what Bucky says.

Lullaby by alexcat for XtaticPearl (MCU, 1.9k Words)

Steve has nightmares and Tony helps.

Achromatic by captainmistyknight (vicspeaks) for firebrands (Marvel Noir, 2.8k Words)

"Steve’s life ended the moment he was born, according to the doctor’s at least. Of course, it took them awhile to figure it out, but when he was three years old, his Ma realized that on top of all the other issues he had to deal with, his eyes weren’t responding properly to light. She took him to the doctors to get tested, and they spoke his doom.

He was permanently colorblind. An achromat. He’d never know love."

A story of growing up, misunderstandings, and love in the jungle.

Easing Into Us by HogwartsToAlexandria for wingheads (MCU, 4.9k Words)

No matter how much he's tried, Steve could never find the right moment to tell Tony, to come out to him in a setting that'd be both private and allow him to flee if it didn't go as well as he hoped it would.

Until some jerk at the bar decided that Tony being an out and proud trans man was reason enough to pick up a fight. And Steve couldn't stand by and watch it happen.

Tony didn't much like that. At first. Ask him again tomorrow.

Bring Me His Heart by jellybeanforest for firelightmystic (MCU, 6.3k words)

Steve Rogers, infamous cat burglar, is hired by Tony’s business rival and ex-girlfriend, Sunset Bain, to carry out a little corporate espionage, namely to steal the original arc reactor prototype Stark had surgically removed from his chest.

Steve does steal his heart, but perhaps not in the way his employer had envisioned.

Or:

Tony interrupts Steve mid-heist in his penthouse and assumes he is the escort he hired for the night; Steve doesn’t correct him.

Memories of Us by muchmoremajestic for QueenE (MCU, 3.5k words)

An examination of three objects in retrospect as part of a scrapbook for a birthday gift for Steve.

Graphic Design is my Passion by zappedbysnow for talesofsuspense (Marvel, Comic)

Tony was about to have lunch when he saw someone he didn't want to run into inside the restaurant. He quickly backed away and snuck into a cafe nearby, plunking his ass onto a chair shielded by a wall, which just happened to be Steve Roger's art class.

Steve is an artist who does commercial work and draws comics. He spends his weekends teaching a drawing class for free at a local cafe. He doesn't recognize the guy who snuck into his class in a suit that looks like it costs more than his month's rent but he looks stressed and like he's running from someone. He can let this one slide. And no. It's not because the man looks damn fine. He's just a sympathetic guy.

The Love of Every Single One of My Lives by jellybeanforest for farawatt (616, 10.3k words)

Tony loves Steve, and he will always love him no matter how many times he has to bury the man before he gets it right.

Priceless by njava97 for kesktoon04 (MCU, 9.3k words)

Steve Rogers feels like he’s finally gotten the hang of this waking up in the future thing. He’s been dating Tony Stark for 6 months now and it's been going surprisingly well. But when an extravagant anniversary present brings up bad memories and a mission goes sideways, Steve is forced to confront the fact that maybe the first step to letting go of the past involves letting people in. Or: Steve Rogers has a series of epiphanies in a hospital bed, expresses a couple of emotions, talks about his problems and gets all the love he deserves.

AKA my love letter to Steve Rogers.

Ouanga by fundamentalBlue for venusiaries (MCU, 7.7k words)

Steve wakes up to the sound of screaming.

Take a Hand by RoseRose for HogwartsToAlexandria (MCU, 3.4k words)

Steve is single, alone, and about to give birth.

Fortunately, Tony is an amazing nurse.

Falling in Love at the All Day Cafe by betheflame for BladeoftheNebula (MCU, 3.9k words)

One of the things about the particular block they lived on was that at the corner was, quite possibly, the world’s best bakery. It was Zagat rated and everything, so it wasn’t just Tony that felt that way. People flew in from all over the world to eat at All Day Cafe - Tony had bumped into Gwenyth Paltrow a few months ago and thought it was his best friend, Pepper, and that was awkward - and their pastries were no joke.

Run by Olympic Gold Medalist Steve Rogers, the cafe specialized in classic French pastries with American twists - like a pain au chocolat that also came encrusted in pistachios - and routinely sold out of their daily specials within two hours of opening. Peter, in particular, loved their peanut butter cookies that the baker swore was nothing special but Tony was wondering if they’d laced it with kiddie cocaine or something.

Tony, in particular, loved going to stare at the owner.

That’s What You Get (for waking up in Vegas) by bon3l3ssm1lk for JehBeeEh (MCU, 1.3k words)

A dimly lit bar blasting dance music. A rugged man making conversation. A third round of beers, courtesy of the man. A fourth, fifth, and sixth round.

Steve couldn't remember much else.

laughing in bed by wingheads for RoseRose (MCU, Art)

prompt: sex with laughter

James & Barnaby by Wikketkrikket for mariana_oconnor (MCU AU, 16.7k Words) 

Steve Rogers has medical debt so ridiculous that if he doesn't do something about it, his mother will be out on the street. He swallows his pride and agrees to a 'charity marriage' with the elusive son of Howard Stark, so Howard can show off how wealthy and generous they are. Maybe it would have worked, too, if he hadn't then met the love the love of his life on his last night of freedom.

Still (Until you moved me) by GuiltyFan21 for maythecat12 (MCU, 2k Words) 

Steve hates it in the 21st century, where everything is so different. Life's a mess, the only constant thing being SHIELD coming to check on him. Until he meets Tony Stark, a brilliant genius who makes him feel more human.

The Icing on the Cake by BladeoftheNebula for Lacrimula_Falsa (MCU AU, 2.8k Words) 

Steve’s a bit low on cash this month, so he figures making a bit extra by jumping out of a cake couldn’t hurt.

If only someone had told the birthday boy that.

The Next Life by Sheron for hollyandvice (hiasobi_writes) (MCU, 2.5k Words) 

Eventually Tony had said: listen, I own an island, let's go.

artwork and email by ohjustpeachy for njava97 (MCU AU, 6.7k Words) 

Tony makes a donation to Art Reach, a non-profit, never expecting to get such a kind thank you note in response. He certainly never thought he'd find himself excited to look in his inbox every day, eager for a new message from the foundation's director, Steve Rogers, but here he is. Or, Tony falls for smol Steve over a bunch of emails and everyone knows it but him.

Hug n' Fly  by talesofsuspense for rebeccakbaa (616, Art) 

Iron Man flies Steve back to the mansion after he loses the serum.

who's that? by venusiaries for Perlmutt (MCU AU, Art) 

Quarterback Steve Rogers meets the love of his life in the hallway.

Closer Than Together by shcrlockholmcs for ircnshield (MCU, 5.6k words)

The annual Stark Industries Gala is coming up and Steve wants to ask Tony. But his efforts are of no avail and they both end up going alone. How can Steve stand by and watch everyone else take a bite out of the man he has feelings for?

Brooklyn Life by ashes0909 for himbos (MCU, 1.6 words)

Steve mentally followed his boyfriend's path across the bedroom and down the stairs into the living room

“Oh that fucking--!” Tony cried before he’d even made it past the couch. “Steve!

Objectively Perfect by AvengersnewB for Wikketkrikket (MCU, 2k words)

Going on an objectively perfect, but absolutely horrible date might be the last sign Steve needs to finally talk to the guy he actually wants to be on a date with, so desperately.

(Spoiler: The guy is Tony)

Instinctual by mariana_oconnor for DepressingGreenie (MCU, 17k words)

The true effects of the super soldier serum are top secret. Only a few people know the truth - the serum turned Steve Rogers into a werewolf. Steve still hasn't found a way to tell Tony, even though they've been in a relationship for months. He can't bring himself to explain that he's a monster.

But when they are clearing out an AIM base, that decision is taken out of his hands.

Could Never Resist a Man with Facial Hair by kenshincha for zappedbysnow (MCU, 1.5k words)

The team is tired of Steve and Tony pining for each other. They decide to do something about it.

A timely revelation by frosted_astronaut for captainstars (MCU/1872, 2.3k words + Moodboard)

Sheriff Rogers is in love with Tony Stark, the blacksmith. However, he denies it even in front of himself, until it's time for him to realize that he can't live in a lie forever.

Central (Jurassic) Park & More by cccoffee for nanasekei (MCU, Art)

A collection of art pieces for Stony Loves Steve 2020!

Something Fell From the Sky by jayjayverse for Shamen610 (616, Art)

When Tony is missing in action. Steve starts looking for him right away and when he finally finds him, it's nothing like he thought it would be.

-The art is really explicit so take care :)

I'll Catch You (If You Fall) by maythecat12 for ishipallthings (MCU AU, 10.4k Words)

New York: an artist and a superhero, an accident, and getting back together.

Just One Of Those Nights (The SLS Remix) by Firelightmystic for jellybeanforest (MCU, 6.4k Words)

Natasha's been angling to set Steve up on a date for a while now...

In Your Wildest Dreams by Neverever for cccoffee (AA, 3.4k Words)

The Guardians ask the Avengers to pick some flowers. What could go wrong with that?

Breath of a Fish by picturecat for sheron (AA, 4.9k Words)

Their relationship was courteous, as it must be for any two witches who had no interest in feuding with one another properly. But to someone he could trust not to repeat his words, Steve often complained that Stark was basically a warlock, the way he carried on with esoteric nonsense and ignoring the needs of the people. For his part, Steve had no idea what Stark’s objection to him was. He knew only that the man so obviously delighted in teasing Steve that the people of their town regularly placed bets on when they expected them to come to blows.

The Ballad of Nomad by himbos for GuiltyFan21 (MCU AU, 3.1k Words)

Set in the Old West, Steve Rogers, who moonlights as the vigilante Nomad, and his lover, Tony Stark, make a stop in the town of Extremis. Little did they know, trouble awaited.

How To Woo A Living Legend (by Anthony Stark) by Huntress79 for stevesnarkrogers (MCU, 1.5k Words)

Past the fight against the Chitauri, Tony finally finds the courage to act on his long-harbored feelings for a certain Captain. But he never, ever would have expected that the “Tactical Genius of the Century” could be this blind in regards to Tony’s attempts.

Take a number by jellybeanforest for kenshincha (MCU, 7.2k Words)

Since an unforgettable one-night stand a few years prior, alpha Steve Rogers has pined after infamously-promiscuous omega Tony Stark. He may not have much money, but he has scrimped and saved for the past couple years, determined to declare his intentions by getting the man the best courting gift he can afford, something to distinguish himself from the dozens of more well-heeled suitors gunning for the heart of the elusive billionaire.

All-American Cupcake by One and Five Nines (Obani) for frostfall (MCU, Comic)

“You’re a jackass sometimes, Steve. I’ve seen you get into a fistfight with three guys at once, but you can’t even TALK to the guy you’ve been in love with since we opened.”

#stonylovessteve2020 #Steve Rogers #stony #stevetony #superhusbands

[janeschronicles]

Mexico

Day 1:  We made it!  One year anniversary- what a feat.  What seems to have been only a few months, turned out to be an entire year.  Time seems to have escaped between my fingers.  To celebrate this milestone and my 32nd birthday, we are going to Mexico! >> Fast forward >>  Bienvenidos!  We arrived to Quintana Roo - Cancun Mexico.  When we arrived to the airport, we were told by our BNB hosts to tell security that family/friends would pick us up: Uber is not allowed to compete with airport taxis.  Soon after, our hosts picked us up in their gold VW sedan. We were dropped off at our hotel Villa Marlin - time was approximately 10:30 PM - we were hungry and desperate.  The only thing open for delivery was Dominos pizza.  Don’t judge.  We ordered, we ate, we conquered, and had a great night’s rest.

Day 2: This was our first time actually seeing the views since we arrived at dark last night.  There is something about the sound of ocean waves crashing onto shore and the smell of salt water that slow down time and make my concerns seem trivial.  Maybe it’s the sand; clearly, my head is buried in it.  I digress.  As much as the views were beautiful, I give this hotel 3/5 stars because of it’s inconvenient entrance - the gate is manually opened by the security guards, and most of the time, we ducked underneath it to save them the hassle.  We also did not have direct access to the beach like other hotels did.  Without a car, we were limited to the beach and restaurants we can access via foot travel. Our first point of travel was breakfast.  We walked across the street less than a mile away to a small take-out restaurant called El Fish Fritanga - Guy Fieri approved.  To my surprise, it’s located right next to the Dominos we ordered from last night.   We ordered 2 of every single taco on the menu and scarfed them down.  They were cheap, delicious, and satisfying.  My favorite is the pulpo taco - it just adds an extra ocean flavored chewiness to every bite.  I wish we had known there was more seating in the back.  With no where else to go, we hopped on over to the beach.  The blue hues of the ocean were no doubt beautiful, but the massive amounts of Sargassum (seaweed) washed upon the shore was off putting visually and just not a good sensory stimulating experience.  We worked on our tan and waited for a beautiful sunset.  Unfortunately, it was hazy and gray with nothing much to see, and just like that, it was time for dinner.   We went to what was tried and true: El Fish Fritanga.  We engulfed some tacos and with some time to spare, walked around to see what else was open.  We walked into La Destileria for some drinks.  I got myself a strawberry margarita while Adam got the tequila taste testing (blanco, rosado, anejo), which was enjoyable and informative - my favorite being the anejo which went down real easy. 

Day 3 This morning, Adam made us eggs and broccoli for breakfast.  I made myself an iced coffee and added horchata.  It was muy delicioso.  We got ready to check out by noon.  Packed our bags, and somehow within two days, our luggage had expanded.  We lugged around the baggage for half a mile in the scorching heat to get to a car rental service.   My hair was drenched from my own sweat.  After a grueling 30 minutes, we landed our car! My goodness, what a difference a car can make.  We drove to our 2nd BNB - within 2 hours, we arrived to Tulum Mexico.   Tulum seems like it’s up and coming.  There are a lot of prospective hotels coming soon - the overarching theme is hippy, bohemian chic.  It’s a haven for yoga enthusiasts, spiritual seekers, and plant powered vegans.  We were 3 minutes from our destination, and our GPS led us to an unpaved one way road - possibly due to the hotel being so new (est. December 2019).  This was the slums of Tulum. The locals here lived in unlivable environments - tarps with no walls, stray dogs, and children wandering around with worn/torn shoes.   We reached a dead end, and made a K-turn to exit where we came from.  There was a [deranged] man who whipped out a screw driver.  Immediately alarm bells were ringing.  Adam mentioned that in prison, screwdrivers were used as weapons for stabbing.  My heart was pounding as I saw this man whacking a tree with this tool.  On our way out, he spotted us and knocked on our window.  Adam rolled down the window a sliver, which had my stomach in knots.  He spoke, but we couldn’t understand (couldn’t differentiate whether it was a language barrier or his mental state).  Regardless, our instincts told us to leave.  We said ‘lo siento’ rolled up the window and drove off as quickly as the uneven knobby road permitted.  We realized, we missed our hotel by one street.  One street away exists a different world.  We arrived to Copal Hotel, neatly tucked away safely within a secured community of high end hotels.  How could this be?  There was a stark contrast from what we had just observed to this beautiful establishment. To say the least, it was abrupt.  Adam and I barely had time to digest what we had witnessed, but we had to check in.  We shook our heads out of reality and returned back into our dreamy vacation state of mind.  It is our anniversary after all.  Immediately, all of our senses were charged.  We were in awe of the bohemian themed facility, embellished with rattan furnitures, macrame woven wall decor, market lights, calm ambient music, and the fragrance of burning incense.  Our room was enclosed within a jungle.  It was absolute perfection for Jane of the jungle.  After unpacking, we went for dinner to Los Aguachiles.  I prefer the tacos here than the ones at El Fish Fritanga.  They were generous with the amount of shrimp and fish in each taco. Adam got the shrimp Bloody Mary, and the Tuna Wonder.  Imagining I’m Chef Gordon Ramsey - he’d say, this has a lively flavor profile capturing the essence of the sea, wrapped in the comfort of the warm corn tortilla.  We went picking for our cherry on top, and we drove past a portable cafe on the road called Lief (@eatatliefs) - it’s a van & venue vegan restaurant.   Adam got a cold brew with coconut milk - the froth was creamy and thick; I got a watermelon paleta for dessert.   The food was standard, but the design and idea was fantastic.  Liefs is owned by a beautiful looking couple from Amsterdam, who moved to Texas, and then recently moved here to Mexico.  They seem to fit the hippy flower child motif.  I spotted a gentleman sitting next to us who had the same camera as Adam.  We asked him to take a photo for us and he did so with professionalism.  We made some small talk and found out he was from Mexico City.  Shortly after, we drove down Beach Road -  a long and narrow 6.5 mile road lining the coast of the beach on one side and the jungle on the other side lined with shops, cafes, restaurants, and boutiques.  I wanted to walk through every single one as each of them had their own theme, architecture and art, but it was far too late.  We snapped a picture at the entrance of Raw Love Cafe in which we were greeted with this magnificent sculpture named, “Ven a la Luz”, which means “come to the light” created by Daniel Popper, a South African artist.  We’ll be back tomorrow.  Shortly after, we went straight back to our hotel and went for a night swim at the rooftop pool. Unfortunately the guests sharing the pool were boisterous and their music inconsiderately loud.  We moved to the pool on the first floor, which was bigger and deeper.  Adam learned how to swim and float, which is an accomplishment for someone who has PTSD from a previous drowning incident.  He was thrilled, thrashing in the water with his eye goggles and nose plug, smiling ear to ear with his hair slick and pasted onto his forehead.  I love him. 

[onekisstotakewithme]

Was tagged by the amazing @a-mi-zivi whom I love, and who put up some thought-provoking questions.

Answer the questions given to you. Make 11 questions of your own. tag 11 people.

1. Can you tell me about a dream that you still think about sometimes?

If I’m honest, I had a dream earlier this year in which a person I was romantically interested in was with me, and was quiet and happy, and there was some romantic stuff going on... And one dream that has stuck with me was lying in a hammock on a beach with palm trees behind me at sunset with the sound of waves crashing... other than that it’s just nightmares and I doubt you’d want to hear those.

2. The top 5 things that made you smile this week?

Uh. There really wasn’t much that made me smile this week. But here goes nothing 1. It snowed this week! And the taste of snow in the air + the snow swirling around at night (I actually posted a video of it) gave me a sense of hope that I haven’t felt in a very long time.  2. We are now in single digits (9 days!!) until the Very Important NCIS episode... 3. My morning class got cancelled on Friday, which was a blessing and it was cancelled due to the snow. 4. My parents called last night to talk even though I’ll be seeing them in less than a week 5. On Thursday night, one of my best friends from high school and I facetimed for an hour and a half, and it boosted my mood because I don’t have friends here, so talking to her was so lovely.

3. Is there a book you would buy multiple editions of?

Oh boy. Uh... I had to stop myself from buying the 25th Anniversary Edition of Outlander recently so that’s probably one. I’d probably buy several editions of one of my favourite books I read this year, Radio Silence by Alice Oseman.. but other than that, i just have the habit of wearing my books out... (It’s bad)

4. What does your dream living space look/smell/feel/sound like?

I don’t know. Lots of windows and natural light, bookshelves stuffed with books, and with a spacious kitchen, and it smells like the holidays (evergreen trees + cranberries) or like something delicious is cooking, with eighties music playing softly in the background (Phil Collins comes to mind) and there’s a fireplace with a fire.. weird how I just pulled that image up in my mind...

5. What are some tropes that would be included in the perfect story for you? 

Fire-forged friends/true companions (like the Lost cast, or the Golden Trio of Harry Potter), friends to lovers, friends who solve mysteries together... I don’t know how to explain it but that’s how it is :P (bed sharing, because I’m trash)

6. What’s your go-to meal when you don’t really feel like eating but you still have to?

This is an excellent question my friend, because that question essentially sums up my uni life! The answer is applesauce and granola bars (all I had for dinner tonight was a peanut butter sandwich)

7. Tell me one unpopular opinion?

As much as I loved Ziva and Tony as characters, I was actually quite glad once their storyline ended, because season 10 was essentially the Tiva Soap opera while season 11 returned to what I felt was actually the essence of NCIS.

8. What kind of dystopian future do you think you have the skills to survive? 

You want my honest answer? It doesn’t matter. I’d die off very quickly no matter the dystopian future (I just realized answering this question that I’m older than Katniss Everdeen and my heart is hurting send help I can’t comprehend this) simply because dystopia = the weak have no value = me and my hypothyroidism would be dead af. 

9. What is a huge, popular thing that you find underwhelming?

Beyonce. Twilight. John freakin’ Green. Game of Thrones. I could go on. 

10. What is your most surreal experience?

The time I got my wisdom teeth feels like it never actually happened? Also every time I’ve gone to Florida feels like a fever dream? Anyway, the wisdom teeth was so surreal I almost forget it actually happened (I have a kinda-funny story related to getting my wisdom teeth out/ my reaction to the drugs so if you want that story, just send me an ask or a message or something)

11. Which song would you sing to introduce yourself?

Um. Secret for the Mad by Dodie? Broken Things by Ryan Adams? Tied Together With a Smile by Taylor Swift? I don’t know dude.

I don’t have anyone to tag, because everyone I would tag has been tagged :P so if anyone wants to do this, I do have questions

1. What is your all-time favourite trope to consume in media of any kind? 2. Is there a song that you feel strongly about? If so, what is it and why? 3. If they made a movie about your life, who would you want to play the role of you? 4. Out of your friends, who would you call first if you needed help in the middle of the night? 5. What’s your favourite article of clothing? Why? 6. Has any event in your life felt as though it wasn’t real or it didn’t happen? 7. Name one time you felt deja vu. 8. What is one interesting fact about your country? 9. If you could play any role in any musical, regardless of talent or vocal range, what role would it be? 10. Do you sleep with any stuffed animals? 11. What was the last thing you cried over?

Anyone who wants to answer these, go ahead!

#personal #questions #tag meme #11 questions

[mylove-isnot-fragile]

Get To Know Me Better

I literally got bored and did this myself. 1: My name? Heather 2: Do I have any nicknames? My friends in high school used to call me Cricket. 3: Zodiac sign? Libra 4: Video game I play to chill, not to win? I don't play video games, but my husband loves them. 5: Book/series I reread? Harry Potter. Twice a year in July and Halloween. 6: Aliens or ghosts? Ghosts. 7: Writer I trust enough to read whatever they write? J.K. Rowling 8: Favourite radio station? Pandora? 9: Favourite flavour of anything? Chocolate. 10: The word that I use all the time to describe something great? Awesome. 11: Favourite song? Pretty much anything by Mayday Parade. 12: The question you ask new friends to get to know them better? Which is better The Beatles or One Direction? (answer: The Beatles). 13: Favourite word? Serendipity 14: The last person who hurt me, did I forgive them? Yes. I'm a very forgiving person. 15: Last song I listened to? Three Cheers for Five Years- Mayday Parade 16: TV show I always recommend? The Walking Dead or Sons of Anarchy. 17: Pirates or ninjas? Pirates. 18: Movie I watch when I'm feeling down? Any Harry Potter movie. 19: Song that I always start my shuffle with/wake-up song/always-on-a-loop song? I'm Still Standing- Taron Egerton 20: Favourite video games? Refer to question 4. 21: What am I most afraid of? Thunderstorms, clowns, or being alone. 22: A good quality of mine? I'm nonjudgmental and a good listener. 23: A bad quality of mine? I forget literally everything. 24: Cats or dogs? Dogs! 25: Actor/actress you trust enough to watch whatever they're in? Norman Reedus 26: Favourite season? Fall. 27: Am I in a relationship? Yes. I'm married. 28: Something I miss? My son. 29: My best friend? Irl: my husband On Tumblr: @backstrcm @worthless---loser 30: Eye colour? Brown 31: Hair colour? Brown 32: Someone I love? My husband and my son 33: Someone I trust? My husband. 34: Someone I always think about? My husband. 35: Am I excited about anything? October! TWD, my birthday/anniversary, and I might get a dog! 36: My current obsession? Anything that has to do with The Walking Dead. 37: Favourite TV shows as a child? Anything Disney. I never really had a favorite. 38: Do I have someone of the opposite sex that I can tell everything to? My husband or worthless--loser 39: Am I superstitious? Sometimes. 40: What do I think about most? My son. 41: Do I have any strange phobias? Reference question 21. 42: Do I prefer to be in front of the camera or behind it? Behind it. 43: Favourite hobbies? I guess I like to sing. 44: Last book I read? Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg 45: Last film I watched? Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2 46: Do I play any instruments? No. 47: Favourite animal? I love dogs. 48: Top 5 blog on Tumblr that I follow? ??? 49: Superpower I wish I could have? The ability to manipulate others. 50: How do I destress? Netflix and food. 51: Do I like confrontation? Absolutely not. 52: When do I feel most at peace? When I'm asleep. 53: What makes me smile? Every time I see my son. 54: Do I sleep with the lights on or off? Off. 55: Play any sports? I cheered in high school. 56: What is my song of the week? Let It Be- The Beatles 57: Favourite drink? Anything alcoholic. 58: When did I last send a handwritten letter to somebody? I don't think I ever have. 59: Afraid of heights? Somewhat yes. 60: Pet peeve? People who yell at others. People who judge. People who smack when they chew. 61: What was the last concert I went to see? Luke Bryan when I was like 17. 62: Am I vegetarian/vegan/pescatarian? No. I like meat. 63: What occupation did I want to do when I was younger? A veterinarian. 64: Have I ever had a friend turn enemy? No. 65: What fictional universe would I like to be a part of? Harry Potter universe. 66: Something I worry about? If I made the right decision for my son and financial worries. 67: Scared of the dark? No. 68: Who are my best friends? See number 29. 69: What do I admire most about others? People's ability to heal. 70: Can I sing? Yes, but I don't like to hear myself. 71: Something I wish I could do? Fly. 72: If I won the lottery, what would I do? Buy a house and pay for my son's education. 73: Have I ever skipped school? Yes. 74: Favourite place on the planet? Anywhere with my husband. 75: Where do I want to live? Seattle, WA 76: Do I have any pets? Not now, but maybe a dog soon. 77: What is my current desktop picture? The opening credit of Supernatural 78: Early bird or night owl? Night owl. 79: Sunsets or sunrise? Sunset. 80: Can I drive? No, it gives me anxiety. 81: Story behind my last kiss? My husband left for work. 82: Earphones or headphones? Earphones. 83: Have I ever had braces? No. 84: Story behind one of my scars? I used to self harm, but I've been clean for years now. 85: Favourite genre of music? Punk pop. 86: Who is my hero? My mom. 87: Favourite comic book character? Captain America. 88: What makes me really angry? When I mess up or do something wrong. 89: Kindle or real book? Real book. 90: Favourite sporty activity? I don't really like sports. 91: What is one thing that isn’t tight in schools that should be? The conformation to gender neutrality. 92: What was my favourite subject at school? English. 93: Siblings? One brother and two sisters. 94: What was the last thing I bought? Food. 95: How tall am I? 5ft 3in or 160.02cm 96: Can I cook? No. 97: Can I bake? Yes. 98: 3 things I love? My husband My son I'm learning to love myself. 99: 3 things I hate? Ignorance. LGBTQA+ erasure. Racism. 100: Do I have more girl friends or boy friends? It's about equal. 101: Who do I get on with better, girls or boys? See previous question. 102: Where was I born? Georgia. 103: Sexual orientation? Not sure, but bi or pan-ish? 104: Where do I currently live? Georgia. 105: Last person I texted? My husband. 106: Last time I cried? Yesterday. 107: Guilty pleasure? Literally any kind of food. 108: Favourite Youtuber? MiniLadd. My husband watches him a lot. 109: A photo of myself. I'm on mobile. 110: Do I like selfies? Not really. 111: Favourite game app? I've been playing this Disney app on my phone for a while. 112: My relationship with my parents? Well, I never had one with my dad, but my mom is literally the best. 113: Favourite accents? I have a self proclaimed accent kink, so Cajun, British, like a really thick, deep Southern drawl. 114: A place I have not been but wish to visit? Seattle, WA. 115: Favourite number? My son was born on the 10th of May last year. 116: Can I juggle? No. 117: Am I religious? Do I believe in God? Yes. Am I religious? No. 118: Do I like space? Dude, space is cool. 119: Do I like the deep ocean? Dude, the ocean is cool. 120: Am I much of a daredevil? Not really. 121: Am I allergic to anything? Pollen. Spring kills me. 122: Can I curl my tongue? No. 123: Can I wiggle my ears? No. 124: Do I like clowns? Fuck no. 125: The Beatles or Elvis? Both? Both is good. 126: My current project? To better myself. 127: Am I a bad loser? Not really. 128: Do I admit when I wrong? Most of the time, yes. 129: Forest or beach? Beach. 130: Favourite piece of advice? "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." 131: Am I a good liar? Usually yes, but it depends on the person. Like, I can't lie to my grandma. 132: Hogwarts house / Divergent faction / Hunger Games district? Hufflepuff. 133: Do I talk to myself? All the time. 134: Am I very social? Generally, no. 135: Do I like gossip? I shouldn't, but depending on the situation, yes. 136: Do I keep a journal/diary? No. 137: Have I ever hopelessly failed a test? Yes. 138: Do I believe in second chances? Yes. Everyone deserves a chance or twelve. 139: If I found a wallet full of cash on the ground, what would I do? Try to find the owner. 140: Do I believe people are capable of change? Yes. 141: Have I ever been underweight? No. 142: Am I ticklish? Yes! 143: Have I ever been in a submarine? No. 144: Have I ever been on a plane? Yes. Plenty of times. 145: In a film about my life, who would I cast as myself, friends and family? I have no idea. She doesn't look a thing like me, but I like Blake Lively. 146: Have I ever been overweight? No. 147: Do I have any piercings? No. 148: Which fictional character do I wish was real? Literally all of them. 149: Do I have any tattoos? No, but I want some. 150: What is the best decision I have made in life so far? To love myself more. 151: Do I believe in Karma? Absolutely. What you put into the universe, the universe gives back. 152: Do I wear glasses or contacts? When I read for long periods or drive I wear glasses. 153: What was my first car? A 2012 Chevy Sonic. I still drive it. 154: Do I want children? I have a fifteen month old, so maybe in the future or maybe not. 155: Who is the most intelligent person I know? A man from my church. He's old, wise and knows really good math. 156: My most embarrassing memory? I don't feel like sharing 😳 157: What makes me nostalgic? The sound of a GameCube. 158: Have I ever pulled an all-nighter? Plenty of times. 159: Which do I value more in others, brains or beauty? Brains. 160: What colour mostly dominates my wardrobe? Black. 161: Have I ever had a paranormal experience? No, but my godmother used to have them a lot. 162: What do I hate most about myself? My face and my "mom belly." 163: What do I love most about myself? My personality and my eyelashes. 164: Do I like adventure? Yes. 165: Do I believe in fate? Yes. 166: Favourite animal? Dogs! 167: Have I ever been on radio? No. 168: Have I ever been on TV? No. 169: How old am I? 21. 170: One of my favourite quotes? "You are braver than you thing. Stronger than you seem. And smarter than you think." Winnie the Pooh. 171: Do I hold grudges? No. 172: Do I trust easily? Somewhat. 173: Have I learnt from my mistakes? The best I can. 174: Best gift I’ve ever received? My son. 175: Do I dream? Yes. 176: Have I ever had a night terror? Nightmare, yes. Night terror, no. 177: Do I remember my dreams, and what is one that comes to mind? The one I had last night where I met J.K. Rowling and instead of giving me her autograph, she handed me like five envelops for a free autograph and disappeared. 178: An experience that has made me stronger? Walking away from all the abuse I've endured. 179: If I were immortal, what would I do? Fall in love as much as I wanted. 180: Do I like shopping? Yes, but I hate trying on clothes. 181: If I could get away with a crime, what would I choose to do? Smoke a lot of weed because it's not legal here. 182: What does “family” mean to me? Family are those who love and support you under any circumstance without question. 183: What is my spirit animal? A sloth. 184: How do I want to be remembered? As someone who did her best with what she had. 185: If I could master one skill, what would I choose? I would love to learn to cook. 186: What is my greatest failure? Falling in love with someone I shouldn't have. 187: What is my greatest achievement? My son. 188: Love or money? Love. 189: Love or career? Love. 190: If I could time travel, where and when would I want to go? The 1920's. 191: What makes me the happiest? That moment when my husband comes home from work. 192: What is “home” to me? Wherever my husband and my son are. 193: What motivates me? People telling me I can't do something. 194: If I could choose my last words, what would they be? "I love you." 195: Would I ever want to encounter aliens? It depends is it like Toy Story aliens or E.T.? 196: A movie that scared me as a child? Not really a movie, but the guy's voice from the tv show, Forensic Files, used to scare the shit out of me. 197: Something I hated as a child that I like now? Pineapples. 198: Zombies or vampires? Zombies. 199: Live in the city or suburbs? The city. 200: Dragons or wizards? Wizards. 201: A nightmare that has stayed with me? I had a dream when I was like four that a clown was chasing me and I stabbed him with a knife. 202: How do I define love? Love is being able to be who you are around someone and being accepted and trusting them with anything. 203: Do I judge a book by its cover? No, but if I'm not interested within the first chapter, I won't read it. 204: Have I ever had my heart broken? Yes. Plenty of times. 205: Do I like my handwriting? Not really. 206: Sweet or savoury? Both? 207: Worst job I’ve had? I've only ever had one job and, so far, it's good. I shelve books at the local library. 208: Do I collect anything? No. 209: Item of clothing or jewellery you’ll never see me without? My wedding ring and Pandora bracelet. 210: What is on my bucket list? To meet my Tumblr family. 211: How do I handle anger? I burst into tears. 212: Was I named after anyone? Not my first name, but my middle name, Gabrielle, is after a doctor my mom had an affair with once. She thought his name was pretty. 213: Do I use sarcasm a lot? It's my second language. 214: What TV character am I most like? I would love to say Rory Gilmore, probably not. 215: What is the weirdest talent I have? I can make my ear make noise. 216: Favourite fictional character? Literally all of them.

[jazzviewswithcjshearn]

Reflections on Audiowave’s Blue Note XRCD audiophile reissue series

Generally on this blog, the spotlight is on reviews of jazz albums, new releases and some reissues.  I try not to refer to myself in reviews, shine my ego, make it about “me”, because my friend and mentor for a time, the incredible John Kelman at AllAboutJazz taught me that you have to let the words chosen say everything about the music.  Too often I've seen reviewers turn a discussion about an album into something less about music and more about them... so compared to my usual offerings, this post is a bit different, as it will explore the love of my favorite jazz record label of all time, and my love of sound.

Ever since I could remember when jazz captured my imagination as a small child, Blue Note has been a part of my life.  I recall being 3 4 or 5 and handling my first records as best I could, among them Jimmy Smith's The Sermon (Blue Note, 1958) and Midnight Special (Blue Note, 1960) the impeccable sounds captured by Rudy Van Gelder filled my ears.  I was also born with a natural aptitude for being an audiophile having grown up around stereo equipment, and my father and uncle (on my mom's side) being audiophiles.  I would be what you say an audiophile on a budget, the type that Steve Guttenberg, The Audiophiliac has called some of his favorite people.  In terms of “high end” audio, my system is not that, it's quite modest.  My main tools for listening are an Onkyo TX SR 304 receiver, Technics SB-A36 floor standing speakers, and my decade old Sony PS 3 I use as a CD player, aside from backing up my 700+ CD collection mostly in WAV format to my laptop and external hard drive.  What is the closest to being in an audiophile realm are the headphones I use, a pair of Beyerdynamic DT770 Pros which are my main form of listening.  Prior to that I've owned Grado SR 60's and two pairs of Audio Technica M40FS studio monitor headphones.  Like the Audio Technica's, the Beyerdynamics are a relatively flat frequency headphone, which is what I prefer, they are quite a bit heavier on bass than the M40's, but it's not like Beats heavy, and the Beats headphones to my ear are atrocious.  I once tested them at Best Buy to see what the hoopla was, and the completely throbbing, unmusical, bass was a massive turn off  which comes as no surprise.  The DT 770's also possess a solid mid range that enhances trumpets, saxophones and does a good job with the percussive thwack of drums... all things that relate to and benefit these Audiowave Blue Note reissues.  The DT 770's are revealing, and tell the truth about a recording, and compared to the M40's have a much wider soundstage, the M40's are almost mono, not a lot of separation. The Grado's were incredible, but they had a high frequency bump I found too overpowering.

The Journey into Blue Note XRCD

I had been familiar with the JVC XRCD series of CD's for quite a while, particularly since I owned a copy of Workin With The Miles Davis Quintet on a Japanese imported version mastered by Alan Yoshida which sounded quite nice.  I gave it to a friend who was building a jazz collection after I obtained The Legendary Prestige Quintet Sessions box set mastered by Joe Tarantino utilizing the K2 process.  The JVC K-2 process is a fancy schmancy system developed by JVC to enhance the transfer of an analog source at high resolution and maintain the quality of the transfer despite being down sampled to the 16 bit, 44.1 kHz red book CD standard.  I also really like the sound of Tarantino's mastering, and the Miles set sounds so smooth. The XRCD process is full of technical jargon, but in a nut shell is a highly controlled one that ensures the best sound can be achieved on the CD medium, the caveat is that although it is marketed to sound as if it's a specialized format, it really is just a CD, and especially as the days of compact disc as a mainstream format are fading in the sunset, through the care of the mastering by Alan Yoshida, what a CD it is.

I knew of this series of issues way back in 2009 when they were released and always intended on picking up a few, but this past December was when I took the plunge.  My friend, who recently bought his first high end system, which I've had the pleasure of hearing, told me the XRCD's were on sale at elusive disc for $15 a pop instead of the standard $30.  He had recently purchased A Night In Tunisia by Art Blakey based on my album recommendation and was blown away.  I decided to order 17 titles, all priced at $15.  Rather than just order a few, I went all in, buying up favorite titles like the Blakey, Cool Struttin by Sonny Clark, True Blue and Back To the Tracks by Tina Brooks, but also many titles I never owned in any previous incarnation.  From all the reviews I read from people at the Steve Hoffman forums, even the usually vinyl centric Michael Fremer at Analog Planet, I knew these might be well worth it and they were.

Point of Departure

Like most serious Blue Note fans, my point of departure (pun intended) has been the original Ron McMaster mastered Blue Note CD's from their first wave of reissues in the mid 80's, early 90's, the TOCJ's (the acronym for Toshiba Classic Jazz) aka the Japanese Blue Note Works series, regarded by many to be some of the finest sounding CD reissues.  There also has been the limited edition Connoisseur series which began in 1994 featuring many titles mastered by Larry Walsh in the initial batches and the much derided RVG series, begun in 1998 and mastered by Rudy Van Gelder himself.  More on those in a minute, particularly how the XRCD's stack up vs the RVG's of some titles.  I also have a few of the superb 75th Anniversary reissues on SHM CD from Japan, and a 24/96 hi res version of Mosaic by Art Blakey, which is from Bernie Grundman's transfers.  There are also various vinyl reissues such as those done by Music Matters, which for some, outside of original Blue Note LP's, some United Artist era pressings and Japanese King pressings are considered to be the cream of the crop of Blue Note reissues on vinyl.  I do not do vinyl mainly because, having cerebral palsy, a physical disability that allows me the use of primarily one hand, handling vinyl is just not practical, and from the way I play music these LP's would probably be worn out!  Interestingly more knowledgeable folk than myself have indicated as good as the Music Matters 33 and 1/3 and the 45 RPM issues are they are nothing like a Blue Note original mastered by RVG. As a kid I owned plenty of original CTI LP's that Van Gelder mastered, and at WHRW my college alma mater's radio station I was able to hear a lot of Blue Note albums bearing the RVG stamp in dead wax.  Though each of the labels RVG made albums for had a distinct sound, whether it be Blue Note, Verve, Prestige, CTI, Impulse!,  Milestone, or Muse a unifying factor across all is that they had a very forward, exciting quality with a particular vividness to the horns and a punchy drum sound.  Some years ago at the website of London Jazz Collector, there was a post of a track from an original deep groove copy of trombonist Bennie Green's Soul Stirrin (Blue Note, 1958) and I was struck at how similar it sounded to an RVG mastered CD: the in your face quality, with a relatively flat 2 dimensional sound stage, with emphasis on a more “you are there” quality in the horns which has been described by Ohio based audiophile and long time  Blue Note and Organissimo forum member Lon Armstrong as reflecting a live jazz club experience.  

XRCD vs. Mc Master and RVG Blue Note CD's, etc.

The initial batches of RVG editions on Blue Note begun in 1998 initially were considered to be limited editions, but when the series gained momentum, his remasterings of Blue Note classics and some rarer titles gradually replaced the earlier McMaster CD's.  At the time, quite a few people were not content with the Ron McMaster renditions, and were eager to replace the then 10-15 year old masterings with the RVG's.  The first RVG I purchased and heard was Kenny Burrell's Midnight Blue (Blue Note, 1963) which I originally owned as mid 80's DMM Blue Note reissue LP when I was 6 or 7 years old. To my then 17 year old self I was struck by the clarity and the detail in the instruments, but at the same time, it was quite a bit louder and there was quite a treble and bass boost, not to mention a collapsed stereo spread that was more mono then stereo.  The early RVG's released in the US through 1999 had a near mono sound stage which was due to the anecdote that apparently Alfred Lion himself did not like the wider stereo spread, and also to the fact that Van Gelder monitored sessions in mono. Apparently Van Gelder wished to capture the original feel of how sessions sounded at playback, but according to message board posts by mastering engineers such as Steve Hoffman, and producer of the Audiowave Blue Note XRCD's,  and Music Matters LP reissues Joe Harley, this was not the sound on the master tapes.  The initial RVG batches had separate masterings for the US and Japan, and due to consumer complaints, Michael Cuscuna had the engineer restore a wider stereo spread to future releases.  There were also titles such as Wayne Shorter's Juju, The Soothsayer, and Herbie Hancock's Empyrean Isles that had to be redone entirely due to post production issues that added digital distortion.  The distortion on the horns on The Soothsayer RVG is so bad on the CD I have that I replaced it with a hi res 24/96 download from HDTracks.  The RVG is not bad otherwise, being from a much later batch from around 2007, but for whatever reason when Universal Italy put out Shorter's entire classic Blue Note run in a budget 11 CD set, The Blue Note Recordings they did not use the corrected RVG or mid 90's Ron McMaster version, which also had the error but was corrected.

I had gotten the A Night In Tunisia, and Sonny Clark Cool Struttin XRCD's to replace the RVG's and the Blakey title I had also owned in it's mid 80's Ron McMaster incarnation.  The MFSL gold CD was very out of print and far too rich for my blood to track down.  The difference between the RVG and Alan Yoshida mastered XRCD  was stunning.  The XRCD of the Clark title beat out the RVG no contest and has become my preferred version.  Here is why: the XRCD is just so natural. All these XRCD’s are so transparent. By comparison, the RVG (which was issued in 1998) is detailed, but has a narrow near mono sound stage, and over accentuated treble that makes Philly Joe Jones beautiful K Zildjian cymbals, splat rather than have a defined tonality with the attack of the stick definition, the bright initial tones that bring a sweet, dark wash that the XRCD brings out.  The horns sound incredibly realistic and vivid, Art Farmer's  fat, burnished middle register, and Jackie McLean's alto is rendered in all it's tart, acerbic glory. Paul Chambers' bass is nice and tight, round, and the infamous boxy Van Gelder piano sound? Somehow Yoshida's mastering breaks it out of the din, and the upper register sparkles.  And there is a fabulous depth of the sound stage where the sound of the famous living room of Van Gelder's parents' house is heard, bringing a 3 dimensional depth and bloom the RVG does not have.  Not to mention with all the Blue Note XRCD titles I have, the sound is breathtakingly transparent.  Even on my mid fi consumer grade Technics speakers, they virtually disappear, that's how well crafted these masterings are.  In Michael Fremer's Analog Planet review, he gives the edge to the Music Matters LP, but remarked on the “woodiness” regarding Philly Joe's sticks on drums.  What he really meant was hearing the attack of the sticks on the drum head, and cross stick patterns on the rim, and the XRCD really brings out this aspect.

Another big winner was Hank Mobley's iconic Soul Station (Blue Note, 1960) with the incredible supporting cast of Wynton Kelly on piano, Paul Chambers on bass, and the ubiquitous Art Blakey on drums. Mobley recorded a grand slam of Blue Note titles that year with Roll Call, and Workout, the latter featuring Philly Joe Jones on skins instead of Blakey.  Soul Station might be akin to the Blue Note version of Miles Davis' Sketches of Spain (Columbia, 1959) in that it's a title that pops up in the collections of even those who aren't big on jazz. The relaxed, easy going vibe finds Mobley spinning inventive improvisations on standards like “Remember”, and his classic “Dis I Dig Of You” with superb accompaniment from the A list rhythm section.  The RVG edition of this title was underwhelming, again having the narrow mono like sound stage, and the bumped treble.  The XRCD version is revelatory to my ear.  Mobley has never sounded fuller, his tone is creamy and commands full attention.  Blakey's famous press rolls dynamically stunted on the RVG flow out like crashing waves with impact of the sound of sticks on the drum head.  I could go on about each reissue, but for the sake of brevity just a few were highlighted here.

Realism, 3-D Sound stage and the sense of space

In the final section of this article I would like to discuss the sense of space in these reissues.  Rudy Van Gelder recordings on many labels as I alluded to earlier possess a very specific type of sound stage where horns and drums in particular are very up front.  There isn't a huge depth in the sound stage, even on a fairly recent title like Joey DeFrancesco's Wonderful! Wonderful! (HighNote, 2010) the sound stage true to classic RVG form is very close, yet fairly monochromatic in depth.   While drums on classic Blue Note, Prestige and Impulse! recordings don't have microphones on every drum like many recordings of the past 35 years, the drum sound is very “in front” of the listener and alive.  On Jackie McLean's Bluesnik (1962) the late drummer Pete La Roca Sims' A. Zildjian ride cymbal is rendered with  stunning realistic clarity.  The A. Zildjian line is a much brighter cymbal than the K's, although they too can have a nice warm wash,  don't have the distinct shimmery metallic brightness that is a characteristic of Paiste's cymbals.  La Roca Sims' ride has a sunny attack and it's richness lies in the many rivets heard in the cymbal that create sustain.   Audiowave XRCD's positively shine in that it sounds like you are hearing an actual cymbal as opposed to a simulation.   The mid 80's and early 90's Blue Note CD's have this odd effect where the cymbals (particularly with Art Blakey) have a inarticulate white noise sputter to them.

On the mid 90's Connoiseur CD's and early 2000's entries that make use of Sony's Super Bit Mapping (SBM) process, the high end is almost hard and harsh, as an example, listen to Tina Brooks' The Waiting Game (Blue Note, 1961) for evidence, also the mids can appear a bit sand papery on quite a few of these SBM efforts.  Curiously, many Columbia/Legacy titles of Thelonious Monk and Miles Davis done by Mark Wilder use the same technology  sound wonderful and don't have this harshness to my ear.  The Blue Note Works TOCJ series is much more pleasing tonally than some of the earlier US Blue Notes.  Though mostly no mastering credits are given, it has been thought by some that these Japanese CD's are also mastered by Ron McMaster, although there has never been any confirmation to solidify this assumption.  On an early stereo session such as Jimmy Smith Plays Pretty Just For You (1957) issued only on CD in Japan, even with it's atypical sound stage of drums on the left, organ in the center and guitar on the right, there is  a depth quite similar to the Audiowave XRCD's. Another Organissimo and Steve Hoffman regular, Kevin Bresnahan has remarked that in his eyes the XRCD's are quite similar to the Japanese Blue Note reissues, and to my ear he is correct.  So for those that have both the XRCD and TOCJ versions of some of the titles, mileage may vary.  If you only have the XRCD, as far as standard CD the experience is a revelation.

The Rudy Van Gelder studio is an amazing sounding place, and A Night In Tunisia and Swing Swang Swinging by Jackie McLean capture this greatly. While on the original McMaster and the RVG of the Blakey title you could get a sense of this on the title track, on the XRCD the sound of the room naturally reveals itself beautifully.  The drums have body during the famous solo section with hand percussion and the cavernous tom drum hits with plate reverb linger at the end in a way not apparent on  other editions.  Perhaps it's a credit to Alan Yoshida's retention of dynamics that makes this quite noticeable, but the listener gets such a sense of the natural ceiling reverb combined with a bit of plate reverb on these reissues that is a characteristic of early 60's Blue Notes. You can bask in the space on Kenny Drew's Undercurrent and on Swing Swang Swinging, McLean's alto has the after trail of the ceiling reverb behind him, and on Horace Parlan's Speakin' My Piece Stanley Turrentine's big bold tenor is in the right channel with plate reverb going towards the center and left.  The realism of the horns is palpable on every title I've heard from this series but Tommy Turrentine, Lee Morgan, and Dexter Gordon are most impressive.  Al Harewood's fat, deep snare is captured to perfection on Doin' Alright by Dexter Gordon as well  as the Parlan titles.

Does the 3-D sound stage appear on other Blue Note CD's besides this Audiowave series? Yes.  On Eric Dolphy's Out To Lunch reissued in Japan for Blue Note's 75th anniversary in 2013, it comes very close to capturing that depth. Although a bit louder and brighter than the XRCD series, this 2013 reissue is the best CD version of the Dolphy I've ever heard.  The Wayne Shorter and Herbie Hancock titles from this series are outstanding as well.

Final words

In closing, I find that this Audiowave XRCD Blue Note series remastered by Alan Yoshida to be the best digital Blue Note I've heard.  I would have loved to hear titles such as Unity by Larry Young, Blue And Sentimental by Ike Quebec, Maiden Voyage by Herbie Hancock and Happenings by Bobby Hutcherson  and A Blowin' Session by Johnny Griffin in this series, but it appears it has come to an end. The mono titles like Lee Morgan's Candy are terrific and a massive improvement over it's inclusion in Mosaic's The Complete Blue Note Lee Morgan Fifties Sessions box set released in 1995.  Although that set's version uses a stereo tape, it is marred by a severe wow and flutter effect that's very noticeable on tracks like “Personality”.  While Hancock's Takin' Off, Lou Donaldson's Lou Takes Off, Look Out!, That's Where It's At by Stanley Turrentine and Grant Green's Talkin' About are listed as pre order, they have remained so for 4 or 5 years and it appears they are not coming out.  There is only one XRCD plant in Japan and that could be a possible reason.  I would also want to see more titles from the avant garde era of Blue Note  as the albums produced between 1964-66 are some of the best in the label's history, but perhaps the Audiowave series reflects the tastes of  the series producers and consumer base.  To be fair,  though outstanding, a lot of the titles are a bit musically conservative, falling on the hard bop spectrum and a bit more adventure would be great.  “Audiophile” selections in my experience tend to be a little safe musically. Overall, the series is recommended and should be purchased while they are still around.  Thanks for reading!  Peace, love, groove and keep swinging.

(c) 2019, CJ Shearn

#Blue Note records #audiophile #michael fremer #jana dagdagan

[worstzombiehunter-ever-blog]

[400 Things You Probably Never Wanted to Know About Kris]

1. Name: Kristoph Willhem Becket 2. Nickname(s): Kris 3. Birthday: August 13th, 1993 4. That makes you (age): 24 5. Where were you born (city): Funny story; my family lived in a different area of Florida at the time but mom was supposed to see a specialist in Miami before I was born, but I ended up being premature because she had me on the way there in the car, in traffic. Even back then I guess I had decided I wanted to be in the city, heh. 6. Location right now (planet ): Astoria, Oregon   7. Shoe size: 9 8. How many piercings?: Septum, left eyebrow, tongue, 5 in right ear, 4 in the left 9. Tattoos?: Twelve total; full left hand (skeletal/bone. Lilly), four on the same arm, (stars, skulls, human heart,music notes), right hip socket (solid black star), left ribcage (German text), back of the neck (black star), collarbone (stars}, right forearm (black cross), left forearm (Dates -his siblings birthdays, his parents’ anniversary, the date of the outbreak},   10. When you wake up you're: Dead to the world, not a morning person 11. When you're about to sleep you're: Paranoid as hell 12. Zodiac sign: Leo 13. Chinese sign: Rooster 14. Righty or Lefty: Right 15. Innie or Outie:The former 16. School: College dropout

Section Two: Looks

17. Nationality:  German/Finnish 18. Hair colour:  Very blonde 20. Weight: 130lbs 21. Height:  6'0 22. Braces? Nope 23. Glasses? No

Section Three: Private Life

24. Do you have a boy/girlfriend? No 25. If so, who? 26. If not, do you have a crush on someone? Not at this point 27. Who has a crush on you?  Nobody? 28. Ever cheated on your bf/gf? No 29. Who was your first kiss:  Right out of high school, some guy at a club. Not overly memorable. 30. Who was your last kiss: Marcus 31. Are you a virgin?  HA. no. 32. Ever had a threesome before? No; one person is enough to deal with generally. 33. NQ- Every been swarmed by ladybugs?:  ...no? Is this some sex-related thing I don't know about? ...now I sort of want to know. 34. Have you ever been in love?  Yes, very much so. 35. Broken any hearts?  Probably; doesn't everybody? But I never meant to. 36. Got your heart broken?  Yeah, a few times. The big one though, he didn't mean to. 37. Ever liked a friend? Yeah? 38. What happened? We nearly got married until the world went to hell.

Section Four: Past Relationships

39. How many relationships have you been in? Dated a lot? Actual relationships; a handful or so. 40. How many were serious enough to count: Two or three really 41. Who were those serious ones: Nick, Angelo, and Marcus; in that order. 42. NQ- Who used to be your best friend: ...Marcus 43. What made them different:  Everything. Just everything. 44. What happened:  He died and came back, I wasn't there. I still don't know if I would have wanted to be or not. 45. Best boy/girlfriend: Marcus 46. Worst boy/girlfriend: Angie was a jerk, but he was a hot jerk. 47. Ever been kissed: Yeah? 48. Who do you want back: ....a lot of people. Relationship-wise? Marc. 49. Who do you regret: Oh, I could give you a laundry list but...whatever. 50. Why?: I'm good at bad decisions.

Section Five: Favourites

51. Song:  I love classical music; it's relaxing. 52. Movie:  Donnie Darko amuses me way too much. 53. Food: God I miss really good veggie burgers - but being vegan doesn't work when you're starving. 54. Drink: Dr.Pepper...or any soda really; I need the caffeine. 55. Store: uh? hell if I know 56. Television show: ...I used to really like Twilight Zone..now it seems ironic somehow. 57. Holiday: Halloween 58. Book:  Most anything by Neil Gaiman 59. Ice cream: I don't really like it 60. Sweets: Oreos...I would do so much for some Oreos 61. Crisps:  Never ate much of those 62. Type of music:  Classical 63. Artist: Salvador Dali 64. Word: 'Hell', usually used muttered under my breath, yeah 65. Time of day:  Midday 66. Dressing:  Like...the stuff you put on a salad? I don't use those. 67. Alcoholic drink: Anything sugary 68. Colour(s):  Bright colors, specifically purple and blue. 69. Piece of clothing: These days my boots 70. Character:  ?? I don't even know 71. Smell: The ocean 72. Shampoo:  Any time I have shampoo and can wash my hair I don't even care what it is. 73. Soap:  See the above answer. 74. Smiley:  >_> 75. Board game: Battleship 76. Sport: ...not a sports person. 77. Number: 0 78. Quote: "No great artist ever see things as they are" - Edgar Degas 79. Animal: Dogs 80. Actor: I had a really bad crush on Ewan Mcgregor when I was younger 82. Vegetable: Anything; I'm not picky. 83. Fruit: Pineapple 84. Place to be: Anywhere safe 85. Thing in your room: My notebook 86. Gum: Minty stuff, doesn't matter what kind; the fruit flavored stuff is gross. 87. Shape:  ? uh...stars? I have a few of them tattoed on me so I guess it counts 88. Country:  Here, I guess; I never got to see Germany or Finnland. 89. Mall: Back home in Miami there were a few, wasn't ever much for wandering around them. 90. Car: I miss my car; it's dead now. 91. Boy's name: I like mine? 92. Girl's name:  My mom's name is nice; Cammilla 93. Family member:  Seriously? Uh...I guess I got along the best with my younger brother. 94. Restaurant: Trying to think about it just makes me hungry 95. Movie place:  Don't like theaters 96. Person to go to the movies with: Marc 97. Noise:  Crickets; they're so calming, or people breathing when they sleep. 98. Brand of shoe:  I don't think I have one. 99. Brand of clothing:  Again, no preference. 100. Body part of a chicken:  ...their creepy little eyes? 101. Swear word: Fuck 102. Month: August 103. Possession: My notebook 104. Team: Not a sports person 105. Season: Summer 106. Radio station: Right now any of them that work 107. Magazine:  Used to read the trashy tabloid ones 108. Favorite grade: I liked my first year in college, it went downhill from there. 109. Least favorite grade:  9th, that was a mess. 110. Teacher: My high school art teacher 111. Least favorite teacher:  ...10th grade geometry; Ms. Allen. Urgh. 112. Subject: Art 113. Subject to talk about:  People

Section Six: Family

114. Who's your mum?: Cammilla Becket; otherwise known as the ruler of the family. 115. Who's your dad?: Felix Becket; walking encyclopedia of every old story known to man 116. Any step-parents?:  No 117. Any brothers?:  Yes; Jorge, Andrew, and Fillip 118. Any Sisters?:  Annalee 120. Coolest:  Me, of course. 121. Loudest:  Easily Jorge 122. Best relative: My aunt Lydia; she's hilarious and bakes cookies. 123. Worse relative: ...uncle Gustoph; that man is terrifying 124. Do you get along with your parents?  I confused them a lot, I wish...things had been better. 125. With your siblings? With Jorge and Anna, yeah, my older brothers were disappointed in me I think. 126. Does anyone understand you? I don't even understand me sometimes 127. Do you have any pets?:  Not anymore 128. If so, what kind and name? I used to have a cat named Chester 129. If not, what do you want as a pet?:  I'd like to have a dog again; makes things less lonely.

Section Seven: School

131. Are you still in school?  No 132. Did you drop out?: Yeah, from college 133. Your current GPA:  ...don't have one. 134. Do you buy or bring lunch?:  None of these apply. 135. ABC's?:  What? I know what those are. 136. Favorite class: Art theory or art history was fun too. 137. Play any sports at school?:  Nope 138. Are you popular?  I was, I guess, I had friends. 139. Favorite memory: From school? It's all a blur. 140. Most humiliating moment: Most of my high school days. So many of them. 141. Most funniest moment:  ....falling down the steps freshman year; it's hilarious now, was mortifying then. 142. Most scared moment: Nearly getting myself murdered by a really unpleasant guy on the football team.

Section Eight: What do you think of when you hear

145. Chicken: ....nothing? 146. Dog:  Warm and fluffy. 147. Christina Aguilera: Radios played her music way too much. 148. Ricky Martin: Ahem. Well he did look really good in leather pants. 149. 50 cent: My neighbors were obsessed with blaring this all night. 150. Poop: ...those emoji things 151. Beach: I miss it so much. 152. Desert: What the world is turning into 153. Water: Necessity 154. Osama: A name? 155. Love:  ...lonely. 156. Your little brother: I hope he's still around.   157. Butt: I don't have any overwhelming opinions here. 158. Clowns: Mildly scary. 159. Wonder: Better than giving up. 16o. Brown: Mom's eyes. 161. Banana: Food, or those gross smoothies back home. 162. Sex: Fun, but absent from my life anymore. 163. Parents: Regrets I wish I could change now. 164. Homosexuals: The subtext to my sexuality. 165. God: Gave up on things around here I'm pretty sure.

Section Nine: Do you believe in

166. God: Maybe, but I don't think they're around much anymore. 167. Heaven: I hope it's real, some people I've lost deserve to be there. 168. Devil: I guess you have to have that one around for the other to be real. 169. Hell: ...I've seen a few places that could almost count as that. 170: Boogy man: Things that creep around in the dark and attack you? Sounds too much like Walkers.   171. Closet Monsters: Those at least stopped bothering me in grade school. 172. Fortune tellings:  Maybe, but I don't want to know the future. 173. Magic:  Sure, why not. 174. Love at first sight:  I want to. 175. Ghosts: I feel haunted a lot so, yeah, I do. 176. Voo-doo dolls: Never gave that one much thought, I guess? 177. Reincarnation: In this world? I almost hope not. 178. Yourself:  ...at times.

Section Ten: Do you

179. Smoke:  Yeah. 180. Do drugs:  No 181. Drink alcohol: Used to, not much anymore. 182. Cuss:  Far too much. 183. Sing in the shower:  Showers are too quick for that now. 184. Like school: I didn't mind parts of it. 185. Want to get married: ....I did at one point. 186. Type with all of your fingers:  Yeah 187. Think you're attractive:  I have my good points. 188. Drink and drive:  Nah 189. Snore: Probably 190. Sleep walk: No 191. Like watching sunrises and sunsets: I used to; sunsets make me uneasy now.

Section Eleven: Have you ever

192. Flashed someone:  Maybe when I was drunk. 193. Gotten so drunk til you threw up everywhere: Oh yeah. 194. Told that person how you felt: What person? -That- person? Yeah. 195. Been arrested: No, surprisingly. 196. Gone to jail or juve:  Nope. 197. Skateboarded: Too clumsy. 198. Skinny dipped: Yes 199. Rock climbed: I don't have a deathwish. 200. Killed someone: God no; I've never even killed one of the already dead ones. 201. Watched porn: ...who hasn't? 202. Gone on a road trip: A few. 203. Went out of the country: No 204. Talked back to an adult: Ha..yeah. 205. Broken a law: Sure, not any big ones though. 206. Got pulled over:  A couple of times. 208: Cried to get out of trouble: ...that was my main go-to as a kid. 209. Let a friend cry on your shoulder:  Yeah, sometimes it's all I knew to do. 210. Kissed a brother's or sister's friend: No 211. Kissed a friend's brother or sister: No 212. Dropped something on the floor and let someone eat it anyways: I would say gross but..things change; these days that doesn't even matter. 213. Moon someone: Maybe? Again, if it happened I was drunk. 214. Shop-lifted:  No 215. Worked at McDonald's: No 216. Eaten a dog:  No, but that's not to say that I wouldn't if I had to. 217. Give money to a homeless person: Yeah. 218. Glued your hand to yourself:  Surprisingly no. 219. Kissed someone of the same sex:  ...yes, on many occasions. 220. Had a one night stand: A few 221. Smoked:  Yes 222. Done drugs:  Not really. 223. Lose a friend because of your ex: Yeah, but they weren't worth keeping 224. Slap someone for being stupid: No, but I maybe should have. 225. Had cyber sex: I could have actual sex, so no. 226. Wish you were the opposite sex: ...ah...difficult one, since I don't consider myself one or the other when it comes to gender, or just one or the other, rather. 227. Caught someone doing something: I have a younger brother, so of course, 228. Played a game that removes clothing: Yes, and generally lost. 229. Cried during a movie:  A few; damn Disney movies 230. Cried over someone:  So many people 231. Wanted to hook up with a friend:  On occasion 232. Hooked up with someone you barely met: I can't say I haven't. 233. Ran away from home: Nah, not until I was an adult. 234. Cheated on a test:  I should have in a few classes.

Section Twelve: Would you

235. Bungee jump:  I don't think there are any planes left around. 236. Sky dive:  Again, above answer. 237. Swim with dolphins:  I've done that before. 238. Steal a friend's bf or gf:  Not on purpose. 239. Try to be the opposite sex: ....I mean; I go back and forth and in the gray between all the time. 240. Lie to the police: Probably. 241. Run from the police: Maybe. 242. Lie to your parents: I had on occasion. 243. Backstab a friend for your own well being: No 244. Be an exotic dancer: ...sure, why not. But I would blind people with how pale I am so I wouldn't make much. 245. NQ- Kill the president:  Pretty sure he's already dead.

Section Thirteen: Are you

246. Shy: Only when I'm anxious. 247. Loud:  When I'm upset 248. Nice:  I like to think so 249: Outgoing: For the most part 250: Quiet: When I want to be left alone. 251. Mean: Nah 252. Emotional: God yes. 253. Sensitive: Very. 254. Gay:  Yesss 255. Strong: Physically? Not so much. 256. Weak: I don't like to admit it if I am. 257. Caring:  I try to be 258. Dangerous: Only when my brain is being weird. 259. Crazy:  ...potentially. 260. Spontaneous: Yes. 261. Funny:  I'm hilarious. 262. Sweet: Maybe? 263. Sharing: Yeah. 264. Responsible: Not so much. 265. Trustworthy: Of course. 266. Open-minded: Very. 267. Creative: Yes! 268. Cute: Well..I think I am. 269. Slick: Not by any means. 270. Smart: As much as anybody. 271. Dumb:  I don't think so. 272. Evil: No? 273. Ghetto: No 274. Classy:  Not really. 275. Photogenic: Ha, I don't even know. 276. Dependable: I try to be. 277. Greedy: Nah 278. Ugly: No 279. Messy: Basically, yes. 280. Neat: Not so great at that. 281. Perverted: No? 282. Silly: I have my moments. 283. A B****: Ha, probably at times. 284. A Good Listener: I like to listen, so hopefully? 285. A Fighter: ....no 286. A Party Animal: Used to be 287. A Game Freak:  Nah 288. A Computer Freak: Not really.

Section Fourteen: Future

289. Dream job: ...before the world ended I wanted to work in comic books. 290. Dream house: I liked where I was in Miami. 291. Husband/Wife:  ....they're gone now. 292. Kids: Nah. 293. Names: what? I like my name. 294. Pets: I still want a dog 295. Car: At this point, anything that runs 296. Age you would want to get married: ...I thought I already would be. 297. Best Man/Bride's Maid: My brothers 298. Honeymoon:  Europe

Section Fifteen: Your friends 

this is too depressing; I'm just going to not. do this one. 299. Best friend: 300. Known the longest: 301. Craziest: 302. Loudest: 303. Shyest: 304. Best hair: 305. Best eyes: 306. Best body: 307. Most Athletic: 308. Hot-Tempered: 309. Most impatient: 310. Shortest: 311. Tallest: 312. Skinniest: 313. Best singer: 314. Funniest: 315. Can always make you laugh: 316. Wish you talked to more: 317. Wish you saw more: 318. Who drives you insane after a while: 319. Who you can stay around forever and never get sick of: 320. Ever lose a friend because you took it to the 'next level': 321. Whose always been there when you need them: 322. Who is like your family: 323. How many friends do you have?: 324. How many are really close? 

Section Sixteen: The last

325. Thing you ate: Yesterday. 326. Thing you drank: A few hours ago, water. 327. Thing you wore: Clothes I'm wearing now? 328. Thing you did:  Walked back to town. 329. Place you went: The edge of town, was restless. 330. Thing you got pierced or tattooed: My right arm 331. Person you saw: Some guy working on a car that's busted. 332. Person you hugged: ...it's been a while. 333. Person you kissed: Been even longer on that one. 334. NQ- Person you beat to a juicy pulp: Yeah, I'm not so good at that. 335. Person you talked to online: The net has been dead for a long time. 336. Person you talked to on the phone: So have phones. 337. Song you heard: Months ago, some old gas station had a busted CD player with batteries but it didn't last long; some old 80s music. 338. Show you saw: I don't even remember. 339. Time you fought with your parents: ....before the outbreak, last time I saw them. 340. Time you fought with a friend: ...probably right before I left River Bend. 341. Words you said: 'Hn'

Section Seventeen: Now

343. What are you eating:  Nothing 344. What are you drinking:  Nothing 345. What are you thinking: The usual bouncy, weird thoughts. 346. What are you wearing: Clothes? 347. What are you doing: Nothing really, sitting here? I get nervous sleeping at night so I stay up a lot. 349. Hair: Is a fluffy mess. 350. Mood: Tired 351. Listening to: The wind outside. 352. Talking to anyone: No 353. Watching anything: No

Section Eighteen: Yes or No

354. Are you a vegetarian: Yes 355. Are you a carnivore: No 356. Are you heterosexual: No 357. Do you like penguins: Yes 358. Do you write poetry: No 359. Do you see stupid people: Yes 360. You + Me: No 361. Do you like the Osbournes: Yes 362. Can you see flying pigs: No 363. Do you sleep with stuffed animals on your bed: No 364. Are you from Afghanistan: No 365. Is Christina Aguilera ugly: No 366. Are you a zombie:  NO 367. Am I annoying you: No 368. Do you bite your nails: Yes 369. Can you cross your eyes: Yes 370. Do you make your bed in the morning: No 371. Have you touched someone's private part:  Yes

Section Nineteen: This or That

372. Winter or Summer:  Summer 373. Spring or Autumn: Spring 374. Shakira or Britney:  Shakira 375. MTV or VH1:  VH1 376. Black or White: ? Black I guess? 377. Yellow or Pink: Yellow. 378. Football or Basketball: uhh...basketball. 379. Mobile Phone or Pager:  Phone 380. Pen or Pencil: Pencil 381. Cold or Hot: Hot 382. Tattoos or Piercings:  oh..hard one. Tattoos. 383. Inside or Outside: Inside. 384. Weed or Alcohol: Weed 385. Coke or Pepsi: Coke 386. Tape or Glue: Tape 387. McDonald's or In-n-Out: Neither, gross.

Section Twenty: Opinions

388. What do you think about classical music: Ha. I really like it. 389. About boy bands: Some of them were amusing. 390. About suicide: ...this world is bad but giving up? I couldn't do it. 391. About people who try to force their opinions on you: They're exhausting, and far too many of them exist. 392. About teen pregnancy: I don't personally have to worry about that, heh. But it's not my business if it's not my body. 393. Where do you think you'll be in 10 years: Alive I hope. 394. Who do you think you'll still be friends with in 5 years: I should probably make some friends. 395. About gay men: I mean, obviously, I like them.

Section Twenty-One:

396. Do you have a website: No 397. Current weather right now: Hot as hell 398. Current time:  It's late. Dark. 399. Any shout outs: no? 400. Last thoughts: ...'last thoughts' sounds so ominous.

#ooc #character development #EERIE:TASK

[throwadart]

Roadtrip to the Mitten

We had quite the trip home ahead of us: work meetings, house hunting, two baby showers and a trip up north to Boyne. All in two weeks time. We decided to drive, knowing that we would be tooling around town and likely hauling gifts home - and then to top it off, Jeff’s sister Stephanie decided to ride home with us!

We left on a Wednesday afternoon with the goal of getting to Lincoln, Nebraska. That would get us a good dent on Wednesday, with the majority of our drive happening on Thursday. It was so blasted hot going through eastern Colorado and Nebraska - our car was showing 104, but we made it to Lincoln and called it a night.

We tried to wake up early and get on the road at 7:00, but it was more like 8:30. We had about 12 hours ahead of us, with an hour time change not in favor. 

Our final destination was Detroit to stay with Jeff’s sister, as I had a long day of meetings downtown at the bakery. And we finally rolled in around 9:00pm.

Our first shower was on Saturday, hosted by my Mom at a restaurant in Monroe. There were about 30-35 people coming and it turned out to be a smashing success. The guests were so generous, getting us many things that I’m still learning I need, and it was nice seeing friends and family again.

One of the fun things we did at the shower was have our guests decorate wooden blocks. People wrote their names, letters and drew pictures, which will be so fun to play with once the baby is old enough.

We unloaded all of our goodies back at my Mom’s house before heading to Jeff’s parents to spend a few nights with them.

Sunday was house hunting day. Well, more like neighborhood hunting. We decided that we will be moving back to Michigan by the end of the year after the baby is here, but now we needed to find where to call home. We lined up a few houses to look at in Ann Arbor with a realtor just to get a feel for the area and our price range and spent about 5 or 6 hours riding around there, Dexter, Saline, and the lake towns just north. To say we were disappointed is an understatement. The outskirt towns were not what we remembered and didn’t fit our vibe anymore. And Ann Arbor has gotten so pricey. Sighhhh...the search continues.

Monday we were back in the car for a drive up north. My family rented a condo for the week in Boyne and everyone was amped for vacation!

Except the first night we were there turned into a bad dream...just as I was pulling the sheets down to our bed, Jeff called me from downstairs and said he just saw a mouse in the house! We were both so freaked out, we woke up my parents to see if my Dad had any ideas on how to kill it. No such luck, he’d set traps in the morning, my mom would write the owner, and so Jeff and I snuck into the kids room instead of our open loft room and slept with towels under the door. Eeeek!

Tuesday we decided to make a beach day. Jeff and I had a little bit of work to do in the morning, so we met everyone down at Deer Lake beach once we got our morning walk in after work. My Dad and Jake had taken off in the other direction to buy mouse traps. Time to have some (virgin) daiquiris to take our mind off the rodent(s).

After a long day of swimming, stand up paddle boarding and canoeing, my Mom and I took Avarie and Easton back to the condo to nap, while the others had a tee time. We kept busy during the kids nap with a visit from the exterminator - but then we headed to the lodge for some crafts and chair lift rides.

We all met back at Deer Lake for dinner and a sunset.

After finding a lot of ticks in the house when we arrived home, Jeff and I had had it. I didn’t want to stay in a mouse house or risk getting a tick bite with potential lyme disease at 7 months pregnant. We went to the lodge with intentions on renting a room for the night - and potential rest of the week - but no such luck as there was an unfortunate incompetent worker that couldn’t get the system to accept our money. Back to the condo we went after trying to sleep in the car for five minutes.

Wednesday Jeff woke up to a dead mouse. He kindly disposed of it before any of us woke up. We were done. And the discussion in the morning turned into what are we going to do - stay or go as a family. We weighed lots of options - maybe relocate to a different condo, Traverse City, Crystal Mountain or see if our cousins John & Denise would let us stay at their place a few nights in Manistee. Turns out Manistee was the winner, but before we left, the kids wanted to spend time at Avalanche Bay - so we went to watch them.

We drove about 2 hours southwest to Manistee, getting in just at sunset. Lake Michigan was so beautiful and so was our new living situation.

Thursday we made another swimming day, both at the beach and the outdoor community pool. We packed some snacks and headed to the lake with some beach toys for the kids to play with - except it turned out my brother was getting the most use out of the toys. The worlds greatest sand castle was under construction and we would each have a hand in creating it.

The water was freezing, but that was no match for the kids.

Just around lunch time, we headed back to the condo to make something quick and then next to the pool to swim a little more. Bryan and Danielle had made dinner plans to celebrate their anniversary, so while they were out, Jeff and I went for a walk into downtown Manistee, while my parents ordered pizza for the kids.

When everyone was back home, it was ice cream time. Jeff, myself and my dad stayed back to not have to take two cars there and then met everyone at the beach for our last sunset together (and some ice cream smiles).

There was a pretty awesome playground that the kids took over, while the adults took in the last of the sunset.

We got the kids to pose for sunset pics and then found someone to take a big family one for us.

Friday we woke up with loads of laundry to do before we left. Our next destination in this traveling circus was the lake. Me, Jeff and my parents were going to stay the night there and the rest of the group was going to play for the day before heading home.

Farmer Den was in his glory, as we pulled up to a peach tree completely overloaded. He picked a bunch to take home and give away to friends...and probably make a cobbler or two.

More swimming and boat riding was in our future before grilling burgers and shucking some corn on the cob for dinner. We then went around the table to talk about our favorite parts of the trip. Thankfully, no one said anything about our mouse friend!

Saturday morning, we woke up to a calm lake. It had been really windy the day before. Jeff and I went for a long walk and then took one last pontoon ride with my parents before heading home.

Sweet Avarie left a note in our car for us the day before...

Sunday was our second shower hosted by Jeff’s Mom and Sister in Monroe. Another 30 or so people would be coming to this one, which was a nice sized crowd to make for a fast shower. We mostly received gift cards, so that worked out well for traveling back home. It was such a cute theme with the mountains and wilderness. We had everyone decorate a wooden log that builds a log cabin - can’t wait to put this together!

We took some of the gifts back to my parents house so everything would just be in one spot and said our goodbyes to them, as they would be heading to Ohio for a golf tournament by the time we took off for Colorado.

Back to Jeff’s folks house to chat for a while and go through some gifts, then we headed back downtown Detroit to stay with Steph, as I had more bakery meetings on Monday.

So nice to wake up for a walk in Detroit again. We hit the Dequindre Cut, which was our old stomping grounds before I headed into work. We even located our brick we donated to the Riverwalk!

After work, we met with our friends Neil and Virginia and their kids for a nature walk they so wanted to take us on. I’ve never been to the marsh over in Waltz and it was really nice.

Tuesday we worked from home in the morning. I had Jeff drop me off in Detroit as he made his way to a doctor appointment and he’d pick me up later in Birmingham after an afternoon meeting I had. Then we finally headed back to his parents to relax a bit before our roadtrip tomorrow home.

Wednesday, me, Jeff and Steph left around 12:00. We were taking a different route home than we did back to Michigan so Steph could see St. Louis and go through Kansas City.

We stayed the night in Boonville, Missouri, which was everything it sounds like it would be. We couldn’t get home fast enough but had to pit stop to take a pic at the Welcome to Colorful Colorado sign! So close to home...

We pulled in around 9:00pm and were almost too tired to go to bed if that makes sense. But it was oh so nice to finally sleep in my own bed after two weeks without it. Happy to be home!

[whoreville--pecker]

From 'Dead of Night' 5 Year Anniversary (Live at Sunset Sound)

March 22, 2024

#orville peck #dead of night #orville peck live #orville peck pony #orville peck dead of night

[whoreville--pecker]

From 'Dead of Night' 5 Year Anniversary (Live at Sunset Sound)

March 22, 2024

#orville peck #orville peck pony #orville peck live #his little smile.... #dead of night #orville peck dead of night