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has-gilgamesh-doneanythingwrong · 1 year

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An Anniversary like No Other (Sigurd/Master)

Request: Soft sfw Sigurd headcanons/ messing up the celebration for Sigurd's Summoning Anniversary Celebration/ Master has strong feelings for Sigurd + his reaction-- from an anonymous user

This is a long overdue gift for a special Sigurd appreciator who has been a great person to talk to. Thank you for waiting for so long. As this is the very first time writing Sigurd, I apologise for any inconsistencies in advance.

Note: No warnings, but this includes a master who has feelings for Sigurd.

❃ The day you summoned Sigurd was an auspicious day. As Chaldea's leylines glimmered with a sparkling rainbow hue, you were taken aback by the solemn yet also quite friendly demeanor of this particular hero.

❃ "Are you my master? Please give me your orders. I promise you they will be carried out swiftly." His initial greeting towards you is rather formal and polite, indicating he could possibly make for a great ally both on and off the battlefield.

❃ Your eyes sparkle with wonder at this hero, wishing to grow closer to him; delighted by how easily conversation bounces between the two of you. 'I hope we can talk more in the future...'

❃ It is the hallmark of the development of a rather wonderful new bond...

Daily Life (Soft Headcanons)

❃ At first he may seem a bit cold, focusing moreso on fulfilling his duties to you as a servant instead of as a friend. However, as time gradually trickles on; he can't help but grow to like you. A master that values him and doesn't betray him? It's a complete win-win in his eyes!

❃ Sigurd makes for a wonderful accomplice. Need any help with battle strategy? Farming? Assistance with any other duties? Sigurd's your guy. Not only is he very intelligent, but he is very grateful for you placing his trust in him as a Servant, wishing for you to use him to his absolute limits (he may offer to lay his life down for you).

❃ Showing interest in both him as a person and his background fills Sigurd with great joy and pride. Though he may deem talking about personal details as mere 'idle chatter' at first, it isn't long before the two of you can speak freely about many things! Whenever you visit him to talk, he is extremely happy; willing to talk about his culture, his language and the things he enjoys. In addition to that, he is really interested to learn about you as well!

❃ However, he may go into extremely precise detail at times, as he gets very passionate when talking about what is dear to him (and packs a great memory to boost); talking about very significant moments and hyperfocusing onto his favorite parts. He also gets inwardly joyful whenever he remembers little factoids about you, his glasses sparkling.

❃ Sigurd is very protective of you in battle, shielding you from any threats. He just wants his master to feel as supported as he possibly can. He doesn't want to see you suffer alone, especially not when you are going through such difficult times.

❃ However, the way in which he tries to alleviate the pain may be a bit surprising at times, with him flashing an occasional MEGANE KIRAN! (just to cough lightly from slight embarrassment after) or making surreal movements and maneuvers with the intent of cheering you up a little bit. He may be a bit awkward at times, but he has got the right spirit and heart.

❃ He also possesses a great sense of faith in you as well, describing you as the 'light'. Therefore, he will do his utmost to support you and cheer you on with your own desires and dreams as well. However, he also understands that you may have limits as a human, and tries to check up on your wellbeing and ensure that you get a good rest as well!!

❃ Brynhildr is extremely dear to him, so he is grateful to you for supporting their love so much, and for assisting with their reunion in Chaldea. Despite this, he notices the little droop in your smile, and the twinge in your expression at times when you are around them both; and can't help but wonder if there is something deeper going on beneath the surface.

❃ But as he is a very polite guy, he doesn't want to make you uncomfortable, and is willing to wait as long as need be for you to finally voice the feelings that you have kept deeply buried within. Sigurd is a deeply loyal person, so he doesn't judge you for how you feel; instead wishing to lend an ear if you ever come to need him in the future.

THE ANNIVERSARY (dun dun dun!!!)

❃ A year has passed, and now the two of you have become rather close contemporaries; Sigurd is an incredibly special fellow in your heart (though the way it races slightly around him indicates that your love for him is not solely platonic, but mayhap romantic as well).

❃ Wanting to commemorate the event, you decide to make a surprise cake for him; enlisting one of the chefs that can actually keep a secret (probably Boudicca and/or Emiya) to help you a bit with the recipe. Your plan is to make the ultimate Sigurd memorabilia cake- with a replica of his weapon made with icing, as well as decorating it with a color scheme that suits him. You even scour ancient cookery manuals within the library to guess what flavors would be to his liking, settling for a Yule Cake!

❃ Pouring your entire heart into the confection, you are horrified to see the lopsided decorations and burnt raisins, as well as the very strange end result that the cake ends up in. Tears in your eyes, you are about to give up right there and then, until-

❃ Sigurd appears, worried that you had set the kitchen on fire! Taken aback by this, you begin to sniffle back tears, distraught that not only had your surprise fallen apart, but that your gift to Sigurd had come out as a messy slop!! As the words tumble out of your mouth about how much of a mess this is, of how much you wanted to show him your gratitude, and about how deeply you care for him, he patiently listens, making an occasional sound- to emphasise that he is readily hanging onto your every word.

❃ "Thank you, master. I am honored that you would make such a thoughtful gift in my name. Can I have a bite?" As you reluctantly agree, warning him of the burnt raisins and bitter taste of the cake, he cuts a slice anyway; smiling through the whole thing.

❃ To Sigurd, it doesn't matter that your gift turned out a bit lopsided. What truly matters to him is the sheer devotion you poured into his gift. Expressing said thoughts directly, your heart hammers in your chest, as a blush spreads across your face...and accidentally let slip how you feel about him.

❃ Stricken by terror, you try to flee the room at once after your confession; scared by how he would react. He had a wife. A partner. There was no way that he would take kindly to this, you thought- but that is not the case at all. Softly latching a hand onto your shoulder, Sigurd thanks you for your affections towards him.

❃ "I knew something was going on... however, I never anticipated that you possessed romantic inclinations towards me. Thank you ever so much for viewing me with such affection, master. I am forever your grateful servant."

❃ As for what this means for the future of your relationship, it is unclear. However, it is certain that you are dear to him as well- as for in what way.. well, that still remains a mystery.

#fgo #fgo fanfic #sigurd #fate series #gilgawriting #fgo x reader #fgo headcanons #i havent written these in MONTHS

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white-cat-of-doom · 1 year

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The White Cat Sees CATS (Again!) in Hamilton (04 December 2022)

Let me start off by saying that this was meant to be written back in December, and I apologize to anyone who was left burning waiting for my unimportant thoughts. At the beginning of December, I was hoping to attend more shows around Ontario, but I decided against it for the shows during the week (in London), and the Saturday show in Kingston was unfortunately cancelled, cutting the six show mini-tour down to four shows, and meaning that I will likely only see this cast once unfortunately.

The show was luckily at one of my favourite theatres and not terribly far from where I live, which was nice. I also had a great seat close to the stage to see all of my Kitties, being in the middle of the second row from the stage.

As I said last year, the performers in US Tour 6 (and in other CATS productions worldwide) are living my dream right now, as I wish I could be onstage night after night in a show that means everything to me, and to which I owe such a great deal personally. Everyday I get closer in my head to being onstage, you guys watch out ;).

This should be a relatively short collection of my thoughts on US Tour 6 compared to the in-depth one I wrote for the three shows I saw in Ottawa 14-16 March 2022. If want to know what I think about the general US Revival show format in addition to the cast performances, you will find it there, taking away much of the negativity in the review below.

Megan Arseneau was the only cover of the night, on for Jennyanydots instead of Michelle E. Carter, with all the other performers being the principal cast since the tour started once more for the year last September in 2022.

If you want a very short review, I thought that this cast was absolutely amazing! They are a phenomenal group and I enjoyed them more as a whole (and generally individually) than the cast last year. Many performers gave me more of what I was looking for in terms of characteristics for a large portion of the Cats, which I loved! Like the cast for the last tour cycle, I would not hesitate to see them again, and I am a bit sad that I will not.

A longer piece with my thoughts is found below. This likely does not include all of my original thoughts on the show I saw because we are months after now and I have forgotten some finer details!

I will try to keep this review as subjective as possible, which means minimal comparisons to the cast last year for characters, unless they are a returning performer. As stated in my last review, please note that my opinions or preferences are personal, everyone is allowed to think what they like, and anyone is free to disagree with me or point out where they think I am being too critical. I always welcome the feedback, as I love hearing about what others think about the show! I do have specific viewpoints on how I like performances of CATS to be presented, and I tend to be very specific when it comes to how I want any performer to sound when they sing or how they conduct themselves for a given character. This is where my personal opinions and criticisms are focused, and your views can be completely different.

For those reading this, I appreciate it! This is nothing more than my thoughts on seeing the production of CATS that fortunately toured close to where I live, and which I am also fortunate enough to see!

Being back in the Junkyard after 263 days since the final date in Ottawa, it once again almost did not feel real that the show happened in front of me, which seems silly to say. It is such a magical feeling to become immersed in the show, and one that I would not trade for much else in the world!

The Overture was great to see once more live, returning me again to the special night of The Jellicle Ball. With the pageantry and final push, it kicked off to Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Songs with a newer cast for me. Watching Nora DeGreen emerge from the pipe, they had an intense look of fear and paranoia which was interesting. They definitely played up the fear that Demeter experiences in a way that I enjoyed and I thought fit well with the character, and I will touch on that later. Everyone was in top form during the opening prologue, and a few fantastic performers were back! Lexy Bittner, the enigmatic and unique Cassandra of the US Tour, is still a force to be reckoned with throughout the show! She was one of my favourite performers with the last cast and I was happy to see her return. Lexy still sings her lines with a slight manic delivery and it is immense fun! The rest of the dressed company were great as well. Few things make me happier than seeing Jellylorum, played here by Allyson Duarte, come out for the first time to sing her lines. It is pure, unrestrained joy to see my favourite character! Kade Wright, who plays Munkustrap, added a bit of flair to his role in the opening, and I love to see performers whose dreams involve being in CATS! I was also incredibly excited to see Erica Lee Cianciulli as Bombalurina, an alumni of CATS from previous Casts (10 and briefly 11) of the Oasis of the Seas! Erica was one of my favourite Bombalurina performers before she was cast in this tour, and she is amazing onstage and I felt lucky to see her! One thing that was apparent to me, even before seeing the show, is that the makeup for everyone is being done very well! I am not going to speculate why or how, but it is very nice to see an improvement over the previous tour cycle. With a point of the finger and an important question posed, What Is A Jellicle Cat, Oh Man Over There?, the energy for the rest of the show was set high!

The Naming of Cats was done wonderfully, with the great effect of select Cats' faces, mainly Coricopat and Tantomile, being highlighted with the stage lights. John Anker Bow, probably my favourite live performer of the former cast, still was having his fun sliding down stage to stare at his audience as Asparagus/'Peter'. It is always so much fun to be investigated by the clowder onstage!

The first moment that I had been waiting (and hoping) for since I purchased the tickets for the show was next, and it was time for the White Cat Solo, one of my absolute favourite parts of the show! A bit of a sidetrack, when they first announced just the names of the cast before their respective roles (I still think that was a bit funny it took them almost a day to update the website!), I was crossing my fingers that Yuka Notsuka would be Victoria, and she very excitedly was! I had been looking forward to seeing her onstage for those prior months leading up to this show, and she was everything that I wanted in a Victoria! I absolutely adore when Victoria is always beaming and happy, and I do not think Yuka stopped smiling for basically the entire show! She was so precious! I saw her joy and passion through her dancing and she is an incredible performer! Her White Cat Solo was great and I am so happy that I got the chance to see her onstage! I am also happy that Yuka continues the representation of having an Asian woman play Victoria. I hope that she inspires many young performers like Hyla Mayrose Perillo did last year! Beautiful job Yuka!

Getting into The Invitation to The Jellicle Ball, Ibn Snell presents himself as a confident and more mature Mistoffelees, which I enjoyed. He is not too showy or pompous, and that fits better in my mind than the center of attention style some performers have with the character. Ibn is a fantastic dancer, definitely one of the best in the entire company, and it was a joy to see him throughout the show.

Another song that I always look forward to is The Old Gumbie Cat! I will be honest in saying that I was *really* looking forward to seeing Michelle E. Carter as Jennyanydots, one of my favourite performers from last year who I was happy to see return, and I was more than a bit bummed to have Megan Arseaneu cover instead going into the show. I was still very excited regardless, as the song is one of my favourites! The Gumbie Trio of Erica as Bombalurina, Nora as Demeter, and Allyson as Jellylorum harmonized beautifully and I loved seeing them sing about the Gumbie Cat alongside Munkustrap. Megan did an excellent job covering Jennyanydots, and the role was in great hands! Out of the eight roles Megan covers as a Swing, Jennyanydots is probably the one I wanted to see her as the most, so I had that chance. She was not quite as animated as I would have hoped, but she got the job done more than effectively. Megan's tap solo was on point and everyone had fun joining in as the song progressed, but I cannot help but wish I saw Michelle instead, who I just love! Michelle is the epitome of Jennyanydots and I missed seeing her. I think I would have enjoyed the song more with Michelle, as it did not leave as much of an impression on me as I wanted it to, being one of my favourites in the show. Having one of your favourite characters performed by someone outside of one of your favourite cast members is hard to live up to! Saying that, Megan is supremely talented and it was great to have a chance to see her perform onstage, showing off her technicality and talent as a super Swing! The Gumbie Tap and Coat are some of my favourite costumes to see, so I can never be too disappointed by who is wearing them!

The Rum Tum Tugger was up next and Hank Santos as the titular character knows how to control an audience! With an abundance of (chaotic) energy and plentiful charisma, he comes on stage ready to go and does not let off the gas for the entirety of the scene. Incorporating a bit of menace, Hank annoyed Munkustrap without becoming (too much of) a pest and riled up the other Toms as well. Hank did a perfect job at balancing the Rockstar attitude with the general anarchy of the Curious Cat, without delving into becoming overly annoying or juvenile, and it made for some great entertainment. The Queens loved him as usual, and Erica as Bombalurina was quite forceful in trying to have Tugger all to herself, sensual in her pursuit. The whole number was capped off by some proper over exaggerations from Hank to have his own spotlight, and a fun Jellylorum belt to close everything before the playout. Good stuff all around!

Our first view of Grizabella, played by Tayler Harris, comes next with Grizabella, the Glamour Cat. The first thing I noticed about Tayler's performance was that she was playing Grizabella as much more angry and bitter than the shows I saw her in the previous tour cycle. Her tone and delivery were quite pointed and I enjoyed the added emotion behind it. One of my main criticisms last year with Tayler was that she seemed to be going through the motions too much to my liking and I wanted more depth in her performance. I thought that she did better this night, and I liked the anger and remorse! I want Grizabella to hold resentment for her past family that has not welcomed her back (yet). Nora as Demeter seemed very hesitant and stressed to see Grizabella initially, but still stuck around to serenade the Glamour Cat. I thought Nora did a great job with the attitude that I wanted to see from Demeter during this song, and with Erica as Bombalurina joining in, her attitude reflecting the anger of Grizabella, it added to everything. Very good!

Bustopher Jones was, and always is, a fun time! Everyone is happy to see The Cat About Town, and John Anker Bow is incapable of having a bad performance in my mind. Although the US Revival version of the scene is still not favourite, everyone did a perfect job. There was not as much interaction with Bustopher and Jennyanydots or Jellylorum, something that I enjoyed last time. I think the more small, silly interactions here add to the song, as it a light-hearted scene. The Kittens at the end of the song sang clearly (and loudy!) and I enjoyed that. I will say once again that I missed Michelle as Jennyanydots, as I really enjoyed her vocal delivery, mannerisms, and character interactions onstage here. Megan still did a great job, however!

The first Macavity scare leads into Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, another fun song. Former (and current to be honest, considering he still covers six tracks) super Swing Brian Craig Nelson is the principal Mungojerrie and he brings some passion to his onstage performance which I noticed. Taryn Smithson as Rumpleteazer, the other half of the Notorious (and Horrible) Cats, is *very* excitable, and it is on full display here. I do have a preference for both characters to be darker characteristically in portrayal, especially Rumpleteazer who I consider the smarter one, and I did not really get that. Although I loved seeing how happy Taryn was, she seemed too innocent to be a seasoned cat burglar. These two Cats are just early in their lives of crime and will harden with age! The performance of the song was still great, and I finally got to see the trademark double cartwheel live! Great fun, as the shows in Ottawa did not have it due to performer injury.

With the arrival of someone important on the horizon, it is time for another performer that I have been looking forward to seeing live, Cameron Schutza as Old Deuteronomy! The chorus of Cats to welcome the Jellicle Leader was pleasant, and Kade as Munkustrap and Hank as Rum Tum Tugger were great together, with Hank playing up some of the lines a bit for comedic effect. No one was more excited to see Old Deuteronomy than Yuka as Victoria, smiling brightly at the wings of the stage for him to come out! Cameron's tenor voice as Old Deuteronomy was quite powerful (even moreso than I was expecting, but he *is* a classically trained opera singer after all!) and he definitely has the voice behind the character. Just fantastic!

The second (still in my mind unnecessary) Macavity scare led into The Jellicle Ball, one of my favourites in the show. Everyone did a fantastic job singing during the first half with The Song of The Jellicles. Of course, the main event is The Jellicle Ball itself, and it is an honour to see the movement of some of the best dancers anywhere in performing arts! The US Revival choreography will never be my favourite, but with everyone in perfect form, it is still an amazing spectacle! Catching glimpses of the excitement and joy on each of the performers' faces is a rewarding experience, and once again, Yuka as Victoria was an absolute beacon of happiness! Her pas de deux with Samuel Buchanan as Plato is a tender moment for Platoria fans everywhere (like me), even if it is still a bit overdone with the choreographic changes in my opinion. The lead up to that moment gives Yuka time to shine once more as Victoria, her movements performed with a wonderful fluidity and passion to them, and I absolutely loved it! The entire cast carried the high set energy from the opening number throughout the first Act, and now it was time for them to have a much needed rest with Grizabella interrupting the celebration again.

Tayler still carried her resentment from earlier in the Act while watching everyone leave the stage, eventually dropping it in favour of the sadness and longing to be back in the Tribe after trying (and ultimately failing) to capture the spirit of The Jellicle Moon in her dancing. I again enjoyed the increased emotion in Tayler's performance for Act I Memory, as the final notes rang out to end Act I as she left the stage.

Everyone comes back fairly orderly for The Moments of Happiness, and Cameron as Old Deuteronomy again has his chance to demonstrate his powerful voice. There is a wonderful clarity and emotion behind his singing that is a joy to experience in person, and it gives off an authority as The Jellicle Leader. Sam Bello as Sillabub gave a fantastic performance of the Moonlight portion of the song, and she had such a rich voice that I really enjoyed. She gave me the feeling of seeing a Cat with former lives behind her that she expresses in her current one, giving a voice with the added maturity to it. I would love to see Sam in a more vocal heavy role, and I think she would be great at them!

It was now time for my favourite song of the entire show, Gus, the Theatre Cat! I had been waiting for months to see and hear Allyson as Jellylorum and she did an excellent job. She was so cheery, which I think is essential for all Jellylorum performers (it is right in her three words!), and did her best to hype up Gus. Her voice was very sweet and beautiful, but lacked a certain maturity that I prefer for the character, but regardless was one of my favourites of the cast (and any cast). Allyson was not acting so much as strictly a caretaker of Gus, as many other Jellylorum performers tend to do, but rather more a devoted fan of The Theatre Cat, still being gentle with the older Tom. You could see Jellylorum's passion for Gus' performance history, but not as much for the Cat himself, as if she was still early in the phase of taking care of him and is still fairly young. I would have liked to see a bit more of a connection between them, given my familiar views of the two characters, but the level of passion for Gus from Jellylorum was really nice to see. John was fantastic as Gus, just like the three nights I had seen him perform in Ottawa, with that voice that is guaranteed to soften the hardest of hearts. He always puts in the right amount of drama and silliness to make the character very dynamic, and John remains one of my favourite performers in any current cast.

The Pekes and The Pollicles was a fun scene afterwards, with John reliving Gus' glory days as The Rumpus Cat. The entire company has fun here, with a chance to be a bit less serious, even more so when mostly everyone is in costume. Kade again provided a bit more Munkustrap drama, here mirroring Gus, and it was great to see.

Skimbleshanks the Railway Cat was next, a highlight to see when the train is assembled. John Zamborsky is a fun Skimbleshanks and seems happy to sing about their endeavors in keeping The Midnight Mail running smoothly (even if they are a bit late due to a cat nap!). John's Skimbleshanks is excitable and brings a high level of energy to the song, but is too young in my preference (as with all the recent US Revival castings). Their voice is somewhat immature for the role, but I view it more that Skimbleshanks is still in the heydays of their train career, instead of coming towards retirement. Continuing on from the more loose song prior, the Cats play around listening to rail life, and are all excited to build the train! I could once again see Yuka as Victoria onstage absolutely beaming, helping to keep the train rolling down the tracks before the inevitable deconstruction. Everything is put away and the Cats finish up their field trip with Skimbleshanks at the helm.

One last interrupting crash, and Macavity is finally here, stealing away Old Deuteronomy. I had been looking to seeing Nora and Erica together in action for a while, interested to see their dynamic live. Throughout the show so far, each time there was a Macavity scare, I could see the fear and paranoia on Nora's face as Demeter, and I was curious how they would perform this song. After the initial fear subsided, Nora let loose their anger, tearing into their lines with visible disgust for the Mystery Cat, seemingly mocking him and not letting him hold power over them. Nora's voice suited Demeter well to me and I was enthralled with their performance, not venturing too much into the overtly sexual undertone that some performers are heavy-handed with. Erica as Bombalurina entered with her part, continuing on the momentum laid out by Nora, moving with a swagger all her own. Like Nora, she was not a caricature of what most people may expect from the character, allowing room for dimension. The fact that Erica has previous experience in the musical has likely benefitted her to refine how she wants to play Bombalurina, and it is noticeable in the audience, at least to me. Erica's voice is somewhat unique for Bombalurina, darker and more biting in tone, which paired well with her physical moments. Stalking around the stage, sometimes adding a growling-like vocalization behind her delivery, Erica further tore into Macavity, and was quite scornful. She helped in commanding the stage with Nora once the duet portion started, and Nora gave some shrieking vocals for the 'Or another Peke’s been stifled!’ line to add to everything. These two really personified their respective characters, with Nora offering a bit more bite shortly after. With the other Queens joining in to complete the song, the energy never faltered. It was definitely my highlight of the evening!

With (decoy) Old Deuteronomy returning to the stage, Nora immediately sensed that something was wrong and they looked absolutely *pissed* when they figured it what it was, becoming feral. With the look and attitude of completely ferocity, they jumped on the back of the decoy Deuteronomy, ripping and tearing away at their prey, unafraid of injury or what other fate awaited them. Exposing Macavity, played by Samuel Buchanan, the Tribe was on high alert, but the sneak attack prevented a coordinated response. Nora's anger turned back more into terror as it had been previously in the show, and at the point when the synchronized Cats are being controlled according to Macavity, just before he moves to collect Demeter, Nora looked like they were crying! Great stuff, as I love seeing the profound emotional connection to the role and the surroundings! Eventually Macavity, with Demeter is his grasp, is stopped by Munkustrap and the fight commences. Kade as Munkustrap again adds some drama, throwing himself around and to the ground as the fight continued, and appearing actually injured before Alonzo, played by Sammy Fossum, took over the fight, with the help of the remaining Tribe further on. Macavity disappears for good this time in the cover of darkness, and Nora and Kade slowly find one another in the spotlight.

Hank as Rum Tum Tugger returns to the forefront to help welcome Magical Mister Mistoffelees, played by Ibn Snell. As mentioned before, Ibn is a fantastic dancer and it now becomes his time to shine. With vocal support from Hank as Tugger, Ibn moved across the stage to enchant the Tribe (and crowd) and was the strong point in the scene, making the choreography seem effortless. The US Revival version of the song builds up momentum, with the help of Cassandra lighting up (still a highlight!) in the middle of the action, and Ibn as Mistoffelees is able to get the Tribe to conjure Old Deuteronomy back. Everyone is excited, Ibn does some more great dancing, and Hank presents Mistoffelees to 'Felines and Friends' around him! Great fun!

With the new day fast approaching, Sam as Sillabub provided some angelic vocals for the Daylight sequence, helping to usher in the ending stages of the show. I love her crystal clear vocals, and she really personifies the character! Munkustrap had his rest after the fight, Old Deuteronomy is back for good, and Grizabella is here once again to ruin the fun before the Tribe gets much further into the evening. Slinking onstage, Tayler as Grizabella is ready to give it one last go in front of the Tribe, recalling her Memory. With more emotional weight behind her acting and voice, I think that she has improved over last year. Sam as Sillabub provides her last moments of beautiful vocals in tandem with Tayler as Grizabella, just before the climax of the song. Tayler is still powerful vocally at this moment, and with the greater range of emotions compared to last time, it made a larger impact on me. All is quiet once the Glamour Cat has finished, with Yuka as Victoria taking Grizabella's hand to welcome her back.

The Journey to the Heaviside Layer had a great level of sentiment as usual, and the chorus of Cats was quite striking vocally once more, with Cameron as Old Deuteronomy powering over top of eveything, but not in a distracting manner. Grizabella once again exits in the paw of The Everlasting Cat, which is my favourite!

The finale is here, and it is time to Ad-Dress the Cats! With Cameron taking the lead as Old Deuteronomy, the Tribe and audience is reminded to take care of their kitties. Dreams of food and formal greetings make these some very happy Cats, and everyone got their chance to either be stoic or as silly as they wanted. It is clear that Cameron is a powerhouse on that tire, peaking his microphone at times. I was close enough to the stage that Cameron really did not need amplification, utilizing his chance to be more unrestrained vocally and he went for it! The power! The range! Thrilling to see and hear! It is doubtful that I will see many other performers outshine Cameron as Old Deuteronomy, so I am thankful for the experience!

Just like that the show is over and everyone gets their deserved bows and praise! I once again tried to cheer as loud as possible for Jellylorum, because she deserves it! Everyone else also got a sizable cheer from me as well. The final playout had Hank as Rum Tum Tugger flying across the stage to wring out every last admiration for the cast before what would be their last show for over three weeks due to the holiday break in December. He stayed even a bit past the final bows into the theatre walkout playout, and I believe he stole someone's phone to take a silly video or photos before departing for good!

With the official end of the show, I can say that this cast was extraordinary! I think the performers cast for this tour were great choices, and they all seemed to enjoy being onstage, which I appreciated seeing. There seems to have been more maturity brought forth with this cast, even with many of them being quite young in age. There still is my feeling that many of them are too young to be playing the roles they do, but it did not detract much from their performances. It is more of a minor gripe than a criticism I have. I enjoyed seeing everyone put on a fantastic show, even if I do not directly mention them or their characters explicitly above. Seeing only the single show, it was impossible to capture and view everything or everybody in the background, which is a bit disappointing for me, but there are so many background moments worth mentioning if seen, and I hope they keep it up!

In terms of my favourite performers:

Nora as Demeter really struck me in their portrayal and I had so much fun watching them really get into the character arc. They solidified the fact that Demeter can be played as scared, but moving past the fear and using those negative emotions turned into a weapon against abuse. I want to see Demeter tear apart Macavity, she deserves it! The character arc Nora provided was exactly what I wanted to see and I was not expecting them to give me just that! They were amazing!

Erica as Bombalurina brought some great mannerisms and experience to the role, and I think she really nailed what the character is like, showing off her many sides. There was an underlying seriousness to Erica's portrayal that went along with the usual Bombalurina sensuality and confidence. She even injected a bit of humour in the role that is so often played as one dimensional. I was so happy to see Erica onstage, and she was even better than I was anticipating given her previous time in the musical.

Allyson as Jellylorum was a lot of fun, and she played her as very cheery and excited, somewhat like an older Etcetera in many ways. Her characterization was fun to watch and her voice was very comforting, both great for Jellylorum. I am always ecstatic to see my favourite character onstage!

Yuka as Victoria was a (literal) bright spot throughout the show, and she was an amazing dancer! Her radiant happiness onstage was unparalleled and it brought me so much joy, even now when I think back to the show months later!

Sam as Sillabub was a welcome performance with her lovely voice! It fit with what I like to hear from the character. I did not mention any of her other song moments, but she looked to be having fun throughout the show when I caught them in my line of vision.

John as "Peter"/Bustopher Jones/Gus/Rumpus Cat was fantastic yet again! I have given him praise in my last review, which is true seeing him again, and he enforces that he is one of the best performers in all the worldwide companies.

Lexy as Cassandra did another great job onstage, and it is always a joy to see her own unique take on the character! Her dancing and movements have improved even over her flawless performance last year, and I was happy to see her again!

Lastly, Cameron as Old Deuteronomy was fantastic and really delivered vocally for the Jellicle Leader role. Getting a chance to experience a vocalist with such power was definitely a first for me, and the combination of these facets helped push the characterization I have for them.

I went to the stage door after the show (because of course after my three night stand in Ottawa), and was lucky to talk briefly to the performers, tell them they did a fantastic job, and have them sign the US Tour 6 windowcard I have owned for a few years (which they unfortunately do not make anymore).

A few performers recognized me from the Ottawa shows and a few others were aware of my account here (and Instagram probably), saying that they have heard a lot about me, which was not expected. I guess I am more known than I realize, which was never my intent, but it is nice to be appreciated. Not everyone who stopped signed (which is too bad), and a few performers snuck away before I could ask nicely, but I managed to get mostly everyone! It will serve as a wonderful piece of my CATS collection alongside the things from Ottawa (and everything else!).

I am grateful that I had the chance to see this wonderful cast once during this tour cycle, and they exceeded my expectations! Although this night may not have been as magical (in its own right) as seeing the musical live for the very first (and second and third) time in the stunning National Arts Centre, it was an incredible experience that I will not soon forget and was my favourite time seeing the show from a performance standpoint!

A special thanks and shoutout to the hard working cast and crew that put on this enchanting show for many months out of the year! I am glad to be one of the many spectators that get to experience the magical Junkyard in North America!

Until next time Kitties!

#CATS Musical #CATS the Musical #CATS US Tour 6 #Here it is for anyone interested #I use the word 'fun' a lot because that is what this musical is!#It was all so much fun and a great experience and if you have not seen the show you owe it to yourself to go!#I tried to proofread and make this sound reasonable as an informal stream of consciousness show report #The White Cat speaks

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re-x · 2 years

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Since you're roasting the actors on main now (bold, brave, but a lot of correct takes), public ranking of the NHIE cast as performers, please. Not your feelings on them as people; completely performance-based.

Contrary to a popular fandom credo, it is distinctly untrue that “all of the cast members are amazing actors!!!!” That’s not how it works. That’s not how the world works. So, thank you for your question, and fwiw here’s what I think:

1. Jaren Lewison

In my view, nothing short of one of the most talented actors of his generation. A 21 year-old actor who has been working on his craft diligently over the past 15 or so years. His extensive skillset includes things many 40 or 50 year-old actors would be envious of. Admittedly, his NHIE tenure had a bit of a shaky beginning (I think he did okay in the pilot episode, relatively speaking, but it paled in comparison to what we were to see from him later on), he has truly shined in his role as Ben Gross. He appears to have high career aspirations for himself (good for him), and I believe that with a little bit of luck, he’ll go very far in his career.

I had previously written my assessment of his acting skills HERE, if you’d like to read more.

2. Poorna Jaganathan

Very skilled and mature performer, a joy to watch on screen.

3. Megan Suri

Good performer. A great addition to the show. I believe she could do a lot more if given the chance.

4. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan

A talented amateur with an obvious lack of formal training. She can deliver big scenes reasonably well, but has a (as of now) limited bag of tricks that she ends up coming back to and reusing. While this is probably okay for most people in the audience, all it does to the more seasoned members of the audience it to reveal her lack of experience. As a performer, she has yet to show the capacity to probe deeper than the “minimum requirements”, or that she sees the importance of character work in small and seemingly unimportant moments (her background work ranges from uninteresting at best to nonexistent at worse). Rookie mistake. But like I said, I consider her an amateur.

5. Darren Barnet/Richa Moorjani (tie)

Two distinctly average and, dare I say, unremarkable and uninteresting performers. Not much to say other than that “Meh”. They can paint in broad and primary colors, but not much else.

6. Ramona Young

Had really meaty stuff to pull off all the way back in season 1, but failed. Seems to have stopped trying lately.

7. Lee Rodriguez

No comment.

#asked and answered #jaren lewison #ben gross

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onlysexythots · 1 year

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What Are Thots?

If you've been listening to rap music for the past decade, then chances are you've heard the term "thot." Megan Thee Stallion says it in her latest song, "Thot Shit," Wale uses it on Lorde's "Royals (Remix)," and Fabolous has used it in multiple songs. In addition, the word has become increasingly popular amongst social media users, especially on Instagram and TikTok.

Thots are women who are sexy and have great looks, usually aspiring models or celebrities. They have perfect eyeliner and contour, and are constantly showing off their sexy bodies. They often do obnoxiously lip-syncing to rap songs on Snapchat or TikTok while dancing and playing with their hair.

They are naive and a bit immature, but they want attention from men. They're very sexy and try to show off their best features to get guys to like them.

She is a knockoff or fake, a slutty imitation of a real "good girl." This is the type of woman who wants to be treated well by her man, but she's cheap and doesn't deserve that kind of treatment because she lacks self-worth or has low self-esteem.

These girls are very playful and sexy, and they are not serious about their relationships because they only care about getting attention on social media. They are also very shallow and have no self-confidence because they don't know how to deal with negative comments from other people.

E-thots are a type of visual prostitute who operates online and is gaining popularity. It's an industry that a lot of people consider a "sex-positive" thing, but it's important to remember that the profession itself has been around for ages and it is a practice that should be considered dangerous.

Those who are a part of this profession can be extremely manipulative, and they can use their sexuality in ways that are inappropriate for many people. There are also a lot of mental health issues associated with it, so this is definitely something to take into consideration when looking at these people. Click here to grasp additional details visit https://onlysexythots.com/

If you've ever been in a one-night stand, then you know that it is incredibly difficult to break up with them. They are usually stage-five clingers who don't seem to be able to shake off the last person they slept with, and they always keep ending up in your bed.

There are a lot of different types of thots, and they all have their own distinct qualities. If you're ever in a relationship with this person, then it is important to understand what makes them tick so that you can avoid becoming their slave.

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serupcorbett00 · 2 years

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How to spend Spotify Supergrouper to actualize satisfying track companies.

For provided that the tune business features been around, right now there had been some shock collaborations in the middle of artists fanatics by no means anticipated. For instance, we received Celine Dion teaming upward with Lindsey Stirling for the allegorical cowl performance associated with Queen s The exhibit have to be able to Go On with the advance tune Awards. Two years immediately after, maroon gave people a collaboration using SZA for the particular single What devotees do. These mashups and others of which followed or preceded them let addicts imagine what that would be like if some of their very own favorite artists obtained here collectively in order to provide the top-rated efficiency with their lives. Now, Spotify provides accustomed lovers within the U. T., U. k., Sydney, New Zealand, and the Philippines the functionality to accomplish just that with Supergrouper, a new brand-new function completely for the Spotify cellular app. Smart grouper is such as myth football, handiest you will get to play audio director and form a song local community of any size with your preferred artists - no depend on exactly what style of track they invent, or whether they have patterns are released from their songs careers or approved abroad. Let s get begun upon growing the superstar tune community of your goals. If a person happen to 1st originate Spotify, typically the Super grouper banderole should still become featured within the local page. If really now not generally there, which you could locate it throughout the usage of your cell h web browser. Afterwards finding the Super relier option within the Spotify app or journeying the webpage, you might be all set to get most started. First, pick the neighborhood measurement. That you can easily opt for a few artists at least or five musicians at best. Irrespective of Super groupers astounding identify, we can't accomplish typically the band dimension just as large as BTS which has 7 contributors. Choose designers and their jobs. The roles show up at the perfect regarding the artist search bar, and an individual can tap in the shuffle graphic to opt with regard to either The progress, The Up-And-comer, Typically the ambassador, The chronicle, The Hypeman, The Polymath, The Rock-star, The artist, Typically the Trendsetter, and Typically the Wildcard. Accredit your favorite artists to every function. As a great instance, I most effective Hikaru Utada due to the fact the advance, Celine Dion as the particular artist, Avril Lavigne as the Wildcard, Megan Thee Stallion since the Up-And-addition, plus Mariah Carey since the producer. When you've got quandary pondering of any first-rate designers to select intended for your Supergroup, water filters Randomize and enable Spotify select them regarding you. The designers it picks are completely in maintaining with your aware habits, nearly the same as the way it factors out your suitable artists of the particular yr for your Spotify captivated. They could emerge as more suitable decisions than what you firstly concept of. Identify your neighborhood. Faucet choose name on the particular bottom with the disclose, and you may be taken to the web page the location you're going to be able to accept a listing of phrases and phrases to choose between. The words are selected via Spotify s algorithm and that they lso are in response in order to the artists points, their customary monikers, andor the names associated with their songs. Typically the diminished creation name characterization may furthermore seem to be you could be in the position to type in a custom name, but you may well not be able to no count range how repeatedly an individual faucet on it. For my Utada-led Supergroup, I chosen to recognize, The Queens aggregation. It can make sense as a new result of just about every artist in the community have been reported as queens associated with their own makes some way. Utada is definitely referred to while the Queen regarding J-Pop, whereas Mariah Carey is acknowledged as the Full of Christmas resulting from her song Most I need Intended for Christmas Is An individual. Despite the fact, Avril Lavigne maintains the title of Pop jailbait princess. As soon as you re accomplished giving your Supergroup a reputation, Spotify will curate the playlist absolute of songs made by means of the artists within the group. Initially, you will see between or songs in the playlist. Some are songs a person could accept read before, others can be fully a new comer to you - really why they see. Mix is immediately delivered to typically the playlist identify. Of which you can put extra songs for the playlist by both the equal artists or perhaps different artists in whose track is associated to theirs for those who browse completely down in order to the more advised songs cavalcade. If Been Up To Something artist by Togna Rodgers do not like to identify that you simply best in Super groupers, easily go in order to the alternatives credit card and faucet revise to change the particular name to what ever you desired to be able to classification in, even so couldn't since typically the feature did not give the alternative within the first location. A thing identify you ultimately type in, the particular preliminary identify will stay on typically the custom playlist goal that your friends and family device are able to see if you share your playlist with them. In the time e-book, Spotify Supergrouper is just purchasable within the Spotify cellular apps for Android and iOS. There are at the moment not any plans to create it to Spotifys pc site, nevertheless that will alterations, we'll exchange the commodity therefore and help you be familiar with.

#Been Up To Something #Been Up To Something artist by Togna Rodgers

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the-family-we-choose-118 · 3 years

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Looks like Taylor will be on the first few episodes of S5 😭(pic on actress’s twitter)

if buck and taylor are really happy and thriving…… like good for them buck deserves happiness BUTmy buddie heart will struggle so much to get through this 😭

In my mind I've already decided buddie will happen eventually lol taylor and buck are simply finishing out their lovers to best friends arc 😏

BUT if I have to watch them make out one more time I will 🤢🤮

#tbf i don't like watching makeout scenes anyway #like it's not even a buddie/bucktaylor thing #i'm just like watching and all i can think is how odd it is for actors/actresses to have to make out with coworkers 😂#asked and answered #anonymous #911 spoilers #911 season 5 #also i don't mind taylor kelly being there #megan seems like such a great addition to the show #i hope them building her an arc will allow them to keep her on longer as buck's friend even if she only pops in occasionally #or they could give her a storyline after buck and taylor are done #i propose: have her get engaged to that coworker she had and then stick around as buck's bestie

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amandamazzillo · 2 years

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Review: Astrid & Lilly Save the World episode 3 'Amygdala'

Astrid & Lilly Save the World, created by Noelle Stehman and Betsy Van Stone, continues to be an exciting, well-written monster-of-the-week romp. Jana Morrison (Astrid) and Samantha Aucoin (Lilly) bring their characters to life wonderfully each week. This episode was directed by J Stevens and written by Alexandra Mircheff.

The character development sets this show apart from the crowd. Every character feels like a real person with nuance and their own hardships and unique personalities. Nobody feels restricted to a trope and is allowed to be a fully realized person, with complexity and individuality.

This episode 'Amygdala' continues to develop the monster-hunting world-building through more moments highlighting the dynamic between Brutus as portal guide to Astrid and Lilly. Olivier Renaud's performance is great and perfectly captures the fish-out-of-water comedic aspects with the mysterious aspects of his character.

Amygdala explores Astrid and Lilly learning how their new powers will continue to change. Showing the audience how these powers might not be as simple as we first expected is a great way to keep the audience engaged and looking forward to the future.

The over-the-top training exercises from Brutus and his sometimes cryptic notes about meeting places recalls the wonderful ABC Family series The Middleman. Astrid and Lilly are reminiscent of the apprentice Wendy Watson (Natalie Morales), who came face-to-face with unexpected monsters as she trained with the Middleman (Matt Keeslar). The training moments in Amygdala bring back happy memories of that series, while being its own delightful series with memorable characters and situations.

I love the monster-of-the-week genre and Astrid & Lilly does a wonderful job of telling its stories with a fun and endlessly entertaining tone. The monster of this episode attacks people with what they fear the most. This idea can be represented in predictable ways, and what makes Amygdala so good is how they veer away from the expected. When the vice principal/gym teacher Michelle Knight (Megan Hutchings) comes face-to-face with the monster, her fear is one of growing older. The manner the episode represents this is unique, creepy, with just the right amount of humor.

In addition to this exploration of fear, the episode touches on stage fright with Val (Christina Orjalo). I especially loved this moment and the quick flow between Val performing on stage into a chase reminiscent of the final girl in a slasher. Orjalo does a wonderful job each week portraying Val, and I enjoyed seeing more of her character in such a memorable moment.

The idea of focusing on our greatest fears works well, especially with how Amygdala subverts it in unique ways. I especially love the revelation of the monster's greatest fear. It's delightfully absurd and that works so perfectly in this series.

Amygdala also does a wonderful job of exploring unique fears of each character and using these moments to allow us more insight into the personalities and traumatic experiences of each character.

Astrid & Lilly is a wonderfully written show, and Amygdala is no exception. I especially love the small moments of character detail. When Astrid can tell that Lilly seems tired and under-the-weather, she asks if she was up late watching Xena. As someone who realized they aren't straight from watching Xena, this moment is especially perfect for Lilly.

In addition to having a great comedic tone, this episode of Astrid & Lilly explores serious topics in memorable and sometimes challenging scenes. The story this week about Sparrow (Spencer Macpherson) and Astrid being forced into attending a dangerous and damaging example of bible study is especially poignant. The way Christine practices faith like she is the second-coming having to rescue children by stripping them of their individuality hits so hard, especially in a series with LGBT characters front-and-center.

The slow build throughout the series so far of Christine's relationship with a being she refers to as an angel is haunting and balances the more absurdist humor moments of the series. Amygdala also gives more insight into Candace's (Julia Doyle) strained relationship with Christine, her mother.

Astrid & Lilly is the perfect example of what a monster-of-the-week show can be. Each episode blends its absurdist humor and heart with more challenging moments, allowing us to feel close to each character and care about their unique difficulties and hardships.

#astrid and lilly #astrid and lilly save the world #tv review #jana morrison #samantha aucoin #television review

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lookingglassfx · 3 years

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My List of Evidence that proves The Curator from The Dark Pictures Anthology is Death.

ALRIGHTY!! It’s time for all the evidence I found in Little Hope that supports the “Curator is Death” theory. And actually, these hints are even less subtle than they were in Man of Medan.

Shoutout to @cynical-sprite and @scandinavian-in-disguise, because you guys are the only ones I’ve seen post about this, and I love talking about this topic!

I’m on mobile, and I’m not sure how to add a “read more” thing. (I’ll figure it out and edit once I do)

SPOILER ALERT FOR LITTLE HOPE

You’ve been warned, Because seriously, if you use any information regarding this theory, you can figure out the ending before it’s revealed.

Ok! Here we go!

1) All of the following quotes.

The quote is in bold, my thoughts are italicized.

“I’m not supposed to interfere, you see. Not...my...place...apparently.” As we’ve seen in Man of Medan, whenever there’s a possibility of a character dying, you can see the Curator in the background. It makes sense. He’s just observing. And just because he can’t interfere, doesn’t mean we can’t.

“The fire? No, there was nothing you could’ve done about that. What’s happened has happened. Or has It?” This line was delivered as if it was an event he remembered witnessing. This was one piece of evidence used in predicting the ending.

“You have a funeral to attend, off you go. Have fun!” “I do enjoy a good funeral” I mean, of course it would make sense for Death to enjoy funerals. 🤷

“Not that there’s anything particularly wrong with death.” *smirks* In my opinion, this just seemed like he was talking about himself. I don’t think it’s solid enough to count as evidence, though.

“Another instrument of death added to the groups collection. Good work!” The wording of this seemed very strange to me. But it was the knife used with one of the witch trial deaths, so that might be why he worded it this way.

“I met him once you know. I meet everybody ‘once’.” You only die once. That’s all I have to say.

“I’ll leave you now with some wise words from a great Irish playwright I once met...in Paris, I believe.” I looked it up. The playwright is Oscar Wilde. He passed away on November 30th, 1900 in Paris France.

“But we will meet again. At least one more time.” This was during his closing monologue. I took it as, no matter if you play the next game or not, you will be meeting him again. Because everyone dies.

2) His reactions to the number of survivors in each cutscene.

If you remember in Man of Medan, the more characters that were still alive, meant the curator has a certain...how should I word it...sassy attitude about it. Like he didn’t want that to happen.

In Little Hope, there was no sassiness in regards to the survivors. He was just nonchalant about them. It felt wrong. (This was another clue to me that the main events of the game were a hallucination or something.)

The only time he gives you attitude is with the best ending: Andrew lives, forgives Megan, everyone else “survives” their doubles, and Vance forgives Andrew. (I’m only 95% sure that these are the correct outcomes to get this ending, I will be double checking this).

Only then do you get the sass and slow sarcastic applause.

3) His response to taking or leaving the gun

There are 2 times you’re given the option to pick up a weapon. But we’re only going to focus on the gun.

While he does react to the knife, his reactions to the gun are MUCH more...dramatic.

If you leave the gun, you get the same sass that you received when the characters were alive in Man of Medan. It then turns to disappointment. Like he was hoping you’d pick it up.

But then you get this quote, if you take the gun:

“That gun might prove to be a lifesaver...don’t you think? Or the exact opposite.”

It’s the last part that worried me. Because not only was he glad you have the gun, he’s smiling at you while he says it. Because he knows it’s going to be the opposite. Or rather, it’s possible it could.

This leads me to my final point

4) The Curators secret appearance in Little Hope.

As stated above, in Man of Medan, he shows up in the background when there’s the possibility a character could die. This fact should also be true in Little Hope, because obviously, this game is filled with so much more death, he should be everywhere, right? No. He wouldn’t. But that doesn’t mean he never showed up.

In all my searching, I’ve come to find that he appears ONLY ONCE.

And that’s here:

(Screenshot taken from YouTube, arrow added by me)

Which ending is this?

The bad one. The one that ends with Andrew committing suicide, by blowing his brains out.

This is the reason why the Curator reacted the way he did about if you took the gun or not.

Andrew’s death is the ONLY death that actually happens in Little Hope.

(No, the fire incident does not count.)

One additional note, I’d like to add. Both Dark Picture games so far have had the supernatural buildup and the “it’s all in their head” ending. I’ve seen people say things about being disappointed that there isn’t a supernatural element, like Until Dawn.

What I don’t think people realize, is the fact that there is a supernatural element in the Dark Picture Anthology, and it’s The Curator.

Anyways, that’s all the evidence I have on the curator being death. What do you think? I love to hear feedback and/or talk about the game!

#i totally think the curator is death #the dark pictures little hope #the dark pictures anthology #curator #little hope #man of medan #death #the curator #supermassive games #video games

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nellie-elizabeth · 3 years

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Grey's Anatomy: Here Comes the Sun (18x01)

We're back!

Cons:

Hey, I still don't care about Teddy and Owen! The big cheesy wedding in the bar at the end does nothing for me at all, I feel nothing, I am dead inside!!! I think it's just that they've both been fundamentally so shitty to other characters, and that Teddy had an actually somewhat interesting vibe with Tom, and that a lot of the characters who have sustained me in these later seasons of the show are gone now... it's all just a little draining. It was nice to see Megan, but her and Riggs broke up? Oh come on! What's the point of that! If they're not on the show anymore, just let them stay together! They had a death defying love, for god's sake!

The guy that Meredith has dinner with is apparently someone who's been on the show before, but if you gave me a million dollars I wouldn't be able to tell you anything about him or his impact on her or the show. It's been four seasons and several other potential Meredith love interests since then. Why bring this guy back? I like the whole Cormac Hayes romance. I like the information we got here, that they'd tried to date but that Cormac's son had had a hard time with it. That's an interesting story right there. Why bring in this rando? I get this is a soap opera, but Meredith has mellowed out over the years. Give her a fundamentally peaceful, if still complex because they're both single parents with dead spouses, romance! It's sitting right there, for goodness' sake.

Then there's Amelia and Link... I just find this whole thing exhausting. They were a relationship that brought me a great deal of joy for a while there. I thought we might be able to move past the whole "Amelia is a vortex of drama" thing, but apparently even when she's happy and in love and thriving in her personal life, they still have to find a way for there to be angst. I'm sick of it! Link and Amelia should just be on the same page about this. I don't care if she decides to marry him, or if he realizes he doesn't need marriage, but either way, somebody needs to change their mind.

Pros:

Jo and Luna are a highlight for me. I just love the actor who plays Jo, I think she's so charismatic and charming and she plays her angst with such a vibrancy that I never feel like I'm getting sucked down too deep, even when she's not in a great place. I love seeing her as a mom; it's interesting that this show has in recent seasons actually tried to delve into what it means to be a parent while also working this really demanding job. I love watching Jo grapple with that. She's going to succeed, even though it's hard!

The new plastics hire seems like an ultra-competent interesting lady! Not much to say about her yet, but I liked how professional she was, and how she was upfront about her concerns. It was awesome when Richard went to bat for the residents and promised to make them better. I'll be looking forward to seeing how this plays out!

Meredith is in Minnesota in this episode, and she's being offered an insanely interesting opportunity. Richard, Bailey, and Hayes all call her at different points to express their consternation about the idea that she might take a new job, and Meredith does seem legitimately interested. I'm wondering if this is setting up Ellen Pompeo's departure, or if this is a signifier that season eighteen might at long last be the end of the show? Again, it's still early days, so we'll have to see what comes of it all. I'll keep my eye out!

Maggie and Winston are cute, not much more to say about that one! Levi is a favorite as always, I love him being the disgruntled bff for the struggling Jo... I find Jo and Levi to be a fun dynamic duo, much more so than Jo and Link, which they haven't really done much with.

I miss DeLuca. I miss Jackson. I miss Tom Koracick. I hope our new additions to the cast can enliven things around here, because between Amelia and Link, and Owen and Teddy, I'm not exactly having a great time with a lot of our leads!

7.5/10

#review #grey's anatomy #grey's anatomy review #greys anatomy #greys anatomy review #grey's abc #greys abc

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youvebeenlivingfictional · 3 years

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The Wait

Warnings: This chapter deals with pregnancy! I’ve CW’d them for that in the tags!! If you need me to add any additional tags, please let me know. I’m not a doctor and have never been pregnant. Just, you know. Disclaimer.

Summary: Thing is, you think you’re able to keep it quiet from the guys for a while.

You don’t tell the guys the good news at first. Thing is, because you don’t tell them, they notice some stuff about you. Stuff like the fact that you’re getting up to pee… More often than usual. You just pass it off as drinking a lot of water - hydrating way more, it’s been a goal of yours, anyway. They let that go.

But then there is also that time Connors gets a tuna fish sub with extra mustard and relish and you nearly throw up in the middle of the bullpen. You manage to make it to the bathroom before getting sick. Borracho meets you in the hall with a bottle of water, a pack of gum and a kiss on the forehead. You take a walk around the block to get the smell out of your nose. When you get back to the office, all of the windows are wide open. You know it’s Borracho’s doing, but the guys are all ribbing Connors for bringing in the smelliest sandwich imaginable. With this distraction you manage to meet Borracho’s eye and mouth, I love you, without anyone noticing. --

The two of you have some stuff to figure out - moving into a new place is your first priority. Your current apartment just doesn’t have enough room for a baby. The two of you have been looking at a few places, have gone to a couple of open houses, but nothing has seemed like a good fit. Borracho, unsurprisingly, wants to move somewhere closer to his family. You do see the appeal - more people in close range to help with the baby. And you do love the Magalons. But you also… Kinda like having your space. And maybe that’s a little selfish of you, especially considering how much you know they’re going to offer to help you two with the baby. After your first prenatal doctor appointment, the two of you go looking at a few places. The two of you have mostly been looking at two-bedroom apartments. You see one or two that you kind of like, but the two of you agree that what you saw was not what you were looking for. You stop to grab a bite to eat - you’re getting sleepy (you’re so tired these days, but Nadia tells you that that’s normal - so does Megan… And Isobel… And Regina, and your mother), and Borracho didn’t eat before the two of you left the apartment that morning. The two of you cuddle up on the same side of a booth at a diner, and you don’t even care that you look like the kind of couple that you used to make fun of. You’re too comfortable, tucked into Borracho’s side. You’re half-asleep (“Resting my eyes, I swear,” You mumble when he accuses you of being completely asleep), and he’s scrolling through more apartment listings on his phone while you wait for your food. “Food’s here, sweetness,” He murmurs, and you vaguely register the light thunk of plates being set on the table. “You want another cup of coffee?” The waitress asks, “You look like you could use it.” And she’s right, you’d love one, but you need to start cutting back on the caffeine, so you give her a smile and ask for more water instead. “Our baby better appreciate my caffeine withdrawals,” You sigh, scrubbing at your eyes. Borracho chuckles, pressing a kiss to your temple. “They will. Hey-- Gabriel sent me a listing. You up for checking out one more when we’re done here?” You consider it for a moment as you pick up your spoon and push your oatmeal around to help it cool a bit. If Gabriel sent it, it’ll probably be quite close to the Magalons. And frankly, right now what you really want to do is go home and curl up on the couch. But you might feel better after you’ve got some food in you. So you nod. “I could go for one more.” -- It’s a condo, not an apartment. It’s got plenty of light; the bedrooms are right across the hall from one another; there’s only one bathroom, but you think you could live with that; the kitchen is much more open than the kitchen you have now. It’s a twenty minute drive to the nearest Magalon home; they’re not right on top of you and you don’t feel underfoot. “What do you think?” Borracho asks as the two of you leave. “... I really love it, but I didn’t wanna say it while we were in there. What do you think?” “I think… We should look at the listing online again and then maybe go to the bank. See what we can do about a loan.” You grin. “I would so be doing a little excited jump but I feel like if I jump right one, I am going to throw up.” “I’ve got the gum.”

-- Thing is, you think you’re able to keep it quiet from the guys for a while. You don’t intend to at first, really, you don’t, but they do catch on to some things - like the fact that you’re not drinking when the group of you go out for drinks after work. You just pass it off as being the designated driver for the two of you, and the guys rib Borracho, telling him to let you have some fun once in a while. You’re able to hide the slowly growing bump under your jackets and shirts and dresses. Nick officially finds out first - you schedule a meeting with him to discuss maternity leave during your fourth month. He has a straight face for a few moments before he nods and congratulates you. “Thanks,” You smile, “Who won the bet?” “Connors.” “Motherfucker, every time.” The guys won’t tell you how much the bet was for, though - they won’t even tell Borracho, which is new, and weird. But the two of you shrug it off, and the guys insist on taking the two of you out that night, and make a show of buying you rounds of seltzer.

-- “Do you want to know the sex?” You turn away from the ultrasound to look at Borracho. The two of you have been asking each other that all week. “We’ll get a bunch of yellow stuff if we don’t,” You’d pointed out, “Do we want a bunch of yellow baby stuff? Or people will buy a ton of stuff one color or the other and then be like, ‘well gosh, now you can’t use it’ if it’s the other sex-- Even though we’ll use it anyway-- Am I overthinking this?” You’d asked, looking up at him from where you were cuddled back against his chest on the couch in your new condo. He’d looked down at you, brows raised. “You are, but it’s hilarious, so, please, keep going.”

“Do you wanna know?” You ask him now, because if there’s a time to stop the technician from telling you, it’s this moment. And Borracho glances from the ultrasound to you before he shakes his head a little. “Do you?” He asks. You smile and shake your head. “We’ll wait,” You say, turning to look at the technician again.

“I love this green!” Nadia’s squealed declaration is ear-piercing, but you’re glad she approves of it. You laugh a little, watching her look around the room. You and Borracho painted the room a couple of days ago. The two of you had settled on a sage green color - not too in-your-face, but something that would be warm and welcoming. Borracho and Gabriel are out getting some of the furniture for the nursery now - the bassinet, the rocking chair, the combination changing table-dresser. Nadia’s dropped her kids off with Isobel to come over and help you guys start building some of the furniture. “You’re getting a rug?” “A small area one, yeah. Grey,” You nod. “How’s everything been?” Nadia asks, watching you lower yourself to lean against the windowsill. “Oh, it’s been…” Nadia gives you a knowing look, cutting off the, ‘being pregnant is great’ spiel you usually give the guys at work when they ask (because as sweet as it is for them to ask, they don’t really want to know). You sigh. “I’m constipated and my boobs are getting bigger.” Nadia nods, reaching out and patting your cheek. “Welcome to the club, honey.”

“Stop scratching.” “I’m not scratching.” “I saw you scratching, sweetness,” Borracho chuckles, “I’ll get the salve, get on the bed.” You don’t bicker with him. He’s been a saint - giving you a hand up to stretch when you have leg cramps, helping around the apartment more when you’re tired - and rubbing salve when your stretching belly is itchy. You lean back on the bed and pull your sleep shirt up. You sigh, giving your growing baby bump a rub. “Not scratching, huh?” Borracho teases, sitting on the edge of the bed beside you, “I see irritation.” “It’s itchy,” You whine. Borracho lets out a sympathetic hum before he leans down, pressing a kiss to your belly. You smile, watching him sit up and open the jar of salve. His sisters all swore by it - and they’d been right. It smells good, helps soothe the itch, and is a life saver. Borracho scoops out a small amount and begins to rub it in. You sigh, resting your head back against the pillows. “We still have to narrow down names,” You remind him. He hums, nodding, and you reach out to the notepad you keep on the bedside table. “Don’t drop that on your face again,” He teases as he reaches into the jar again. “You made me laugh last time, so that’s still your fault,” You argue, but you’re giggling. You flip it open, finding your list. “Mmm… Start with boy names?” You offer. “Sure, sweetness,” Borracho murmurs. “So we’ve got… Liam… Santiago… Xavier… and Giovanni.” “I don’t like Giovanni,” Borracho says, “I don't like the nickname ‘Gio’.” “Well someone’s name doesn’t necessarily dictate their nickname, Borracho,” You tease, “But I’m fine to take that one off of the list… I don’t think I like Liam so much anymore.” “Really?” “Mm. Liam Magalon. They kinda run together. LiammmMagalon.” Borracho chuckles, closing the jar of solve. “Liam’s out, then.” You reach out to the bedside table and grab the pen, crossing off Liam and Giovanni as Borracho stands up to put away the salve. “So that leaves us with...Santiago or Xavier.” “What about girls?” You turn the page. “Mmmm… Malia… Faye… and Xiomara.” “I like Malia,” Borracho flops onto the bed beside you. “Yeah?” You raise a brow, looking over at him. He nods a little. “Malia Magalon… Lia for short. Be cute.” “It would be cute,” You smile. Borracho watches you for a moment before he leans up, kissing you gently. You lower the notepad and cup his cheek, humming quietly. “Agreed, then?” He murmurs. You nod. “Malia if it’s a girl,” You murmur. “If it’s a boy?” He asks against your lips. “We’ll figure that out later,” You drop the notepad on the bedside table, reaching out to catch hold of his shirt with your other hand.

You have two baby showers. You expect one, but not the other. They’re both sort of surprises in their own way.

The first one is more traditional. It’s at Regina’s house - your friends, Borracho’s sisters, and your family are there. Borracho knows before you do that it’ll be happening. If you’re honest, you kind of suspect it. He’s on his phone all morning - you see his mom’s name, his sister’s names popping up. You don’t look too closely at the messages, but you’re suspicious when he mentions swinging by his mom’s to pick up a couple of things and asks you to tag along. He knows that the jig is up when you come out of the bedroom in a photo-ready outfit. “... Was I obvious?” He asks. “No, babe. I just know how Magalons do surprises now,” You tease, before pecking his lips, “Let’s go.” --

The second one you do not expect at all.

Nick asks you to drop a file to someone on another floor.

There’s a moment where you think, ‘Can you ask someone that isn’t seven months pregnant?’, but you take it and go. The elevator takes a stupidly long time both ways. By the time you make it back, your desk has been decorated, the guys are all standing around it, and there’s a banner hanging from the fluorescent lights that says, ‘Surprise!’

Tears fill your eyes and you cover your mouth with one hand and wave at your eyes with the other.

“She’s crying! Pay up!” Nick yells.

Borracho runs his hand over his face before directing his gaze at the ceiling.

Once you’ve calmed down, you sit at your desk and the guys give you a few gifts for the baby. Henderson passes out cupcakes (you eat yours and Borracho’s).

“You guys find out if it’s a boy or a girl?”

“Nope. We’re flyin’ blind,” Borracho says, rubbing his hand between your shoulder blades.

“How much money is riding on it being a boy?” You ask, peeling the wrapper off of the second cupcake. The guys look between each other and you tip your head to the side.

“C’mon, if you tell me you’re not betting on it, I am so calling bullshit. Do you know?” You turn to Borracho, but he shakes his head, “Not a clue, sweetness.”

“We’re gonna let it be a surprise. You’ll see,” Nick waves it off.

“Settle down, tiny,” You grumble, looking down at your stomach, “You’ve gotta let mama sleep.”

“Kicking again?” Borracho asks.

“We’re having a soccer player,” You tell him as he comes over to the bed, “Or a can-can dancer.”

“Maybe they’ll do both, why are you trying to limit our baby?” Borracho teases you. You chuckle.

“Maybe they will-- Or maybe they hated that idea,” You wince at a particularly hard kick.

Borracho lays down on his stomach beside you and leans closer to your belly.

“No more kicking your mama, little one,” He murmurs, “We talked about this.”

You raise a brow, peering down at him from where you propped up on a small mountain of pillows.

“Did you?” You ask. He hums, nodding and rubbing a hand over your belly.

“When exactly did you have this talk?” You add, “I feel like I would’ve remembered this.”

“You were napping at the time, sweetness. This was a dad and baby talk.”

You bite your lip, fighting a wide smile.

“Do you have these talks often?”

“Sometimes.”

You reach out, running your fingers through Borracho’s hair.

“...Are you excited?” You ask. You feel like you haven’t asked since… Well, since you told Borracho that you were pregnant. He nods, looking up at you,

“A little nervous,” He admits, “But… Yeah, I’m excited. Are you?”

“Mhm. Not just because I won’t be getting kicked… from the inside, but… I wanna meet our kid.”

Borracho chuckles and sits up, placing his hands on either side of your head and bracing himself as he leans in for a kiss. You smile, reaching up and cupping his cheeks.

“... Well, thank you for the dad and baby talk. Tiny listened to you,” You glance down at your stomach.

“Mm,” Borracho lowers his head and presses a kiss to your neck, “Anytime, sweetness.”

Borracho’s at work when it happens.

You try not to panic.

You just take a deep breath and pick up your phone and call Nadia and say as calmly as you possibly can that your water broke and you need someone to drive you to the hospital. She doesn’t exactly… Answer, at first? She kinda screams - an excited one, but it doesn’t exactly calm you down.

You call Borracho after Nadia tells you that she’ll drop the kids off with Regina and be right over.

“Hey, sweetness. I just followed up with the witness Nick tracked down--”

“My water broke, Benny.”

“...Is this a drill?”

“I know that class we took recommended drills, but I was so not into that idea, it seemed alarmist.”

“Fuck-- Okay, I can--”

“It’s okay, Nadia’s on her way to get me. Just meet us at the hospital.”

“The bag’s--”

“Next to the door, I know, Benny.”

“Are you okay?”

You let out a shaky little laugh because you’re a little freaked out right now.

“It’s gonna be alright, sweetness,” He adds gently, “You sure you don’t want me to come and get you?”

“It’s alright, Nadia’s closer. I’ll see you at the hospital.”

“Okay. I love you.”

“I love you, too, sweetness.”

“She’s so small.”

“...Can’t tell if that’s you or the drugs talking, sweetness.”

“Shush. I’m just… I am just saying… She’s frickin’ tiny.”

“Babies usually are.”

“Stop ruining this for me.”

Borracho chuckles, pushing your hair back from your forehead and pressing a kiss to your forehead before resting his forehead against yours. The two of you peer down at your sleeping daughter together, quiet for a few moments.

“Malia Rose Magalon,” You murmur. It’s the first time you’ve said her name aloud.

“...Lia’s got a very tiny nose,” Borracho mumbles.

You’re quiet for a moment before you glance up at him.

“Literally what was I just saying about her being small?”

When the guys come by to see you in the hospital, they have a gift bag with them.

“Guys, what even?” You nod to it.

“Well, you know those bets we had on… Whether or not you were pregnant, boy or girl, that kinda thing…” Henderson lists.

“Uh huh,” You nod.

“Here,” Nick sets the bag on the bed. Borracho carefully lifts Malia out of your arms, shushing her as she whines. You reach into the bag, pushing aside the tissue paper.

“We agreed that the pool money could all go to a… Better cause than usual,” Connors rubs at the back of his neck. You pull out a jar that’s filled with cash, labeled, ‘College Fund’.

“Figured we’d get you guys started,” Zapata adds, tucking his hands into his pockets.

There’s a moment of quiet in the room before Nick laughs, “She’s crying, pay up!”

#The Pool #The Wait #Benny Borracho #Benny Borracho Magalon #Benny Borracho x Reader #Benny Borracho Magalon x Reader #Benny Borracho x You #Benny Borracho/You #Benny Borracho/Reader #Benny Borracho Magalon x You #Benny Borracho Magalon/Reader #Benny Borracho Magalon/You #Benny Borracho Imagine #Benny Borracho Magalon Imagine #pregnancy cw #Pregnancy #Pregnant CW

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springmachinery · 4 years

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The super detailed eyebrow guide Part 1

Hello everyone, this will be my first post on this blog. Let’s cut to the chase, the first thing we will be talking about is eyebrow styling. There is no one “ideal” eyebrow shape that suits everyone and likely you suit a couple of eyebrow styles yourself. There is no absolute “wrong” answer when it comes to eyebrows, it greatly depends on what kind of vibe you desire to give off: cute, professional, sexy, mature, innocent, anything goes. These will just be some tips that might help you to figure out what works for you, just remember that it is very difficult to make an absolutely accurate guess without seeing your full face, this is ideally a self-help resource.

First of all, you will often see the basic styling guide that goes something like this:

However, I found that this wasn’t absolutely helpful to me. What about thickness? The height of the brow? How arched should I go? Some girls look amazing with perfectly straight brows, right? Is this the only arch that looks good? It’s hard to find info on all of this so let me start:

The thickness of the brows

Think of it this way: The eyebrows are supposed to accentuate what is already there or balance it, as such it is important to follow the lines of the face to create appropriate harmony. Faces are complicated and you may even suit a different type of eyebrows when you have more weight on you, I know I do. Along with that, when it comes to eyebrows, the eyes are the most important determinant, but not the ONLY determinant. Some faces need more softness/sharpness so you add the appropriate eyebrows, at other times, you want to play exactly into the type of features that you have.

Would you say your facial features are more elongated, narrow and have a certain lightness? None of your features stand out, rather they all work together, no facial feature is too large. Then go for a thinner brow. Think of celebrities like Taylor Swift

Or Charlize Theron

Heather Morris

Hyuna ( kpop idols rarely rock completely thin eyebrows, but you can see that among them she has a thinner variant)

Another point to present is the “chubbiness” vs “dryness” of your face. The more “dry” your face is, meaning the less facial fat and roundness you have, the more likely thin brows suit you. Let’s look at Halle Berry - the thinner her face became, the more she suited thin brows.

And the midpoint:

One thing to notice is that her eyebrows were never TOO thick - her balanced features would simply never allow for it. Look at someone like Charlize with thick eyebrows, it just didn’t suit her. Her features are simply too delicate for that.

Are your features larger, heavier, more "in your face" - especially the eyes? Consider a much thicker brow like the following ladies. The brows need to follow the lines of your face, if your eyes are very “strong”, they deserve an appropriate assistant! Lucy Hale

Sofia Vergara

Sofia Loren

Lilly Collins

Aisha

Look how much better Beyonce looks with thicker brows, these eyebrows are not that thin to begin with, now imagine how much less flattering thinner eyebrows would be for her face:

The same can be said about Lykke Li, her face is much more balanced when she sports thicker brows due to her beautiful heavy features.

Notice that many of these women have either rounder or wide cheeks, even if their faces may not hold onto more flesh, that’s the bone structure. That is a trait that suits thicker brows, on the other hand, the ladies in the “thin eyebrows” category often have slightly narrower lines and sharper bones. The thin eyebrows soften them up.

However, there are some exceptions to this. If all of your features a very large or maybe even your forehead is smaller than you’d prefer, you may go the complete opposite route and take thin brows.

A youtube Anncy is a beautiful example of someone who made the right call going for thin brows instead of thick ones. Larger brows would wear down her face and perhaps take more space away from the rest of her features. When you have large features, sometimes it is difficult to juggle proportions: adding large eyebrows can take away either from eyebrow height or forehead length so if you recognize yourself in this, consider going for thinner brows even though your features are large. The only image of thick brows on her I could find offhand is this but I felt it would be unfair to put them with the other ones, as I feel the lightning and angle isn’t equal or as flattering, but hopefully you get the point.

Another example of this is Angelina Jolie. She goes for much thinner eyebrows than you’d expect from someone with features as large as those.

Big eyebrows would simply be too much competition for the rest of her face:

However, many people don’t fit any type perfectly and that’s also perfectly fine. Most are in the hybrid category, so they have to pay attention to various features.

Kerry Washington is one such example. Her features are larger, yet her eyes are very delicate. Her face is narrow, but there is much fleshiness to it. She goes for a brow that isn’t too thick or too thin. They’re narrow to follow the longer line of the face, yet not too thin to harmonize with the roundness of her features, cheeks and chin.

Megan Fox has fairly small features and yet she looks better with thicker brows? Why? Because her face possesses a certain sharpness, particularly in her features, that needs thick eyebrows to balance them out. This also has to do with her coloring and contrast, but that will be its own category in a following post.

Also, while it may seem like blondes suit thinner brows and brunettes thicker ones, that may not exactly be it. I put the example of Lykke Li who shows that a blonde can perfectly rock thick eyebrows, and Hyuna and Halle, as an example that brunettes can also look beautiful with thin ones. I’ll go more in depth about this in the Coloring section.

Arched vs Straight eyebrows

The arch of the brow depends on your overall features and the style you want to convey. A longer midface may suit straighter, longer eyebrows to add width to the face. Straight eyebrows also make you look younger and more cute. They can also help the forehead look wider. An example of this is Yoona, this girl has a longer midface and the brows add a vertical line that breaks apart the length of the midface. The straight brows also suit her cute and youthful appeal.

Mina from Twice is another good example of this. The straight brows add balance to the length of the face.

I would suggest straighter brows to people who’d prefer a cuter look usually, however many sexpots, so to speak, go for this look to balance out their features. Look how much width these straight brows, that extend far out, allow Jessica Alba’s longer face.

Straight eyebrows, depending on how dark they are, can also add drama and make the face seem more symmetrical and lifted, especially if the ends of the brows point up - that’s why they’re popular with models. Notice how symmetrical and compact, or even wide, a lot of these faces appear due to this effect. Additionally, these faces appear more dominant or modelesque and may even photograph better, which is why you may want to try them out.

Let’s look at Nyane, her straight brows with a slight elevation towards the end point out the beautiful symmetry and sharpness of her face. When they are arched, there is too much sharpness. Even if they were shaped differently, the elevated arch would take away from a more balanced look.

On the other hand, for the e-girl or cute girl look, the straight eyebrows don’t point up, rather, they point down. Look at the classic e-girl Belle Delphine for that. For the cute girl look, choose either an end that points neutrally or down. Beware that an eyebrow that point down may make your face appear less lifted, but many faces can handle it pretty well. It’s all subjective and not everyone wants the lifted look.

As for arched brows, they definitely bring up the sex appeal and make your eyes appear lifted. This is great if you want to go for enhanced sex appeal or have a negative canthal tilt (downturned eyes) that you’d like to change. Arched eyebrows are a classic and they add that “wow” factor to the face, in addition to that, it’s also a great choice for those who have a baby face and want to stray away from that. It’s great to add that arched eyebrows can break up a wide face and add “length”, it can also shrink the forehead and make the eyes appear larger, but that will be further covered in the placement section.

Gigi Hadid has beautiful eyebrows that make her eyes appear huge due to the high arch point. The eyebrows are her best feature and certainly add something to her look. Pay attention to how babylike her face would look without those eyebrows, if you’d cover them, her face would seem so much softer. The arched brows are exactly what make her face model like. It’s that extra something.

Aishwarya Rai is famous for her sex appeal and beauty and her eyebrows play up that aspect - she often lifts up one or both brows in photos to get an even more pronounced arch.

When her eyebrows are straighter, she loses some of that seductiveness.

Anne Hathaway has beautiful downturned eyes, however, in case one would like to “lift” the area up, so to speak, they could try out this type of style. The arch of the brow is exactly above where her eye ends and goes down, making for beautiful harmony.

Eyebrows can also be more sharply arched or have a more rounded arch. A sharper arch can add more dimension to the face, as well as sex appeal, while the rounded one can accentuate femininity (look Gigi and A,R, or someone like Sofia Vergara). Marylin Monroe, in tune with old Hollywood beauties, sported a sharper arch often, as did Olivia Wilde, to suit her sharp features.

Naomi, is also an example of beautiful arched eyebrows, that mix up both the rounded and sharp aspect by going to no extreme. This can suit you really well if you have a mix of sharp and round features like she does (high cheekbones, elongated face + full lips, rounded cheeks etc.)

If you can’t decide which eyebrow to go for, consider the mix of the two: where the eyebrows bottom line is more straight and the top of it is arched. It is often seen on women with cat eyes that want to add softness but also show off that allure. Notice how the bottom of Barbara’s eyebrow here is straight and the top is arched - this is also great if you have difficulty with shaping your brows as it is forgiving for filling in + it looks very natural.

All of this said, it is up to you if you want to add sharpness or softness to your face - there is no right call and a lot of it has to do with what your style and taste is. Many of these women have tried out all types of arches and found that each look “sold” something, a particular essence. It is up to you to choose what you like, however, I hope this guide helped you in discovering which eyebrows suit what style.

I wish to also address more finely tuned details of the eyebrow such as:

-Eyebrow placement (Low and High placed)

-The placement of the arch and its effects on the look you are portraying

-Having eyebrows compliment individual features (close set eyes, wide set eyes, broad noses etc)

-Coloring of the eyebrows

and perhaps some more. Stay tuned!

#beauty #eyebrows #style advice #style #advice #mua #makeup #brows

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popentertainment-moviereviews · 3 years

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TILL DEATH (2021)

Starring Megan Fox, Eoin Macken, Callan Mulvey, Jack Roth, Aml Ameen, Stefanie Rozhko, Julian Balahurov, Lili Rich and Teodora Djuric.

Screenplay by Jason Carvey.

Directed by S.K. Dale.

Distributed by Screen Media. 88 minutes. Rated R.

“Till death do us part…” has always felt like an extraordinarily morbid thing to have to say at the end of what is supposed to be a vow of true love and commitment.

Particularly in modern times, when, let’s face it, the great majority of marriages don’t come close to lasting until death. However this thriller is apparently about a couple in which at least one of the members didn’t know about – or more to the point don’t believe in – divorce or annulment.

This couple is Emma (Megan Fox) and Mark (Eoin Macken). She is a former photographer. He is a controlling lawyer who once handled a case which jailed a man who had tried to kill Emma. Somehow, they got together after that, but by the time we meet them it is quite obvious that there are significant cracks in their relationship. Both act coldly… almost numbly… towards each other. Simple statements he makes (like “I thought you were going to wear the red dress”) seem like threats.

And we learned, before we even met Mark, that Emma was having an affair with one of Mark’s employees (Aml Ameen). This affair also doesn’t exactly seem passionate, although they seem to care for each other. However, Emma appears so wounded that she can’t connect with anyone and ends the relationship in the opening scenes.

It is Emma and Mark’s anniversary, and he takes her out to a fancy dinner and then takes her to a secluded lake house they used to go to in better times. He set up the lake house with rose petals strewn on the floor and hundreds of burning candles leading the way to the bedroom (which seems odd – even to an audience that has only known him for a short while – because he seems like about the least romantic man you could find).

After a night of making love, Emma wakes up to find herself handcuffed to Mark, who is sitting on the side of the bed. Then he takes a pistol and shoots himself in the head.

Wow, that’s one hell of a morning after.

Therefore, she is stuck in a remote cabin, with no phone or sharp items, keys or cars, chained to a dead body. That’s quite a bit of symbolism in this marriage.

Much of Till Death – particularly in the first half – is rather reminiscent of Stephen King’s Gerald’s Game, which was made into a slightly better film a few years ago for Netflix. In that film, though, the husband didn’t purposely kill himself. Instead, he died during a BDSM game gone awry, and the wife was cuffed to the bed, not to her late husband’s corpse.

In this film, eventually her lover shows up, as do two criminals planning on breaking into the safe for a stash of diamonds. It turns out – small world – that one of those men was the guy who tried to kill her years before, who had recently gotten out on parole. And before you think that was a huge coincidence, apparently it was all part of late hubby’s devious plan.

Honestly, once the other people intrude on the story, Till Death becomes a more standard chiller – fairly good but nothing we haven’t seen before. Even with the additional characters, it’s certainly a claustrophobic tale. There are only five characters on the screen throughout the majority of the film (and only a total of nine even if you include bit parts).

Till Death is not totally successful at telling its sordid and scary little tale, but it does better at it than you may expect.

Jay S. Jacobs

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#Till Death #2021 #Movie Reviews #Megan Fox #Jay S. Jacobs

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screenchart · 3 years

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Every number 1 Channel (2014-2021) on Screenchart.com HOT 200 Channels.

Being a No. 1 channel is one of the biggest accomplishments in today's online video landscape. Since 2014, Screenchart has been publishing a weekly YouTube chart called the HOT 200 YouTube Channels. Channel views are totaled each week to determine the most popular channel in the United States. So far (August 2021), 27 different channels have claimed the top chart position (most of them nonconsecutive), but few of them have been able to hold on to the top until they reached their maximum number of weeks. Channels are retired from the HOT 200 after 52 weeks and relisted on the 100 Must Watch Channels chart. Below is a list of all the channels that reached No.1 in chronological order.

1. ERB (formerly Epic Rap Battles of History) (2014) - No.1 for 6 weeks

'Screenchart' began shortly after the Youtube Renaissance. YouTube had already been acquired by Google (Alphabet) through a huge acquisition, which brought in a new website design, the YouTube Partner Program, and the Channel Initiative. On the countdown, 'ERB' was the first No.1. Two characters in history, either fictional or real, would battle over lyrics, beats, and insults on the musical comedy channel. As a result of no videos being uploaded, the channel was delisted from the chart.

Watch this: Goku vs Superman. Epic Rap Battles of History

2. Smosh (2014) - No.1 for 35 weeks

Prior to 2012, every high school and college student watched the stapled channel of YouTube website, ' Smosh'. It was created by Ian and Anthony and became a astronomical on YouTube, also becoming one of the first to reach 10 million subscribers. 'Smosh' is one of the oldest channels on the platform (15+ years) and spent weeks at No.1 on the countdown and even was one of the first to be added to the '100 Must Watch' chart, where it still stands today. 'Smosh' featured creative video series like the annual 'Food Battle,' hilarious parodies, and fully invested music videos.

Watch this: FLAPPY BIRD RUINED MY LIFE - YouTube

3. React (formerly The Fine Bros) (2014) - No.1 for 35 weeks

'React' is another well-known key YouTube channel that most people are familiar with. The reaction genre was born on this channel. While most channels copied their format once they became popular, 'React' provided real opinions from many different personalities and ages, including teenagers, adults, and even elders. Nevertheless, 'React' did more than just react. There were series like "Emo Dad" and "Fine Time". The 'Must Watch' 100 Channels chart currently lists 'React'.

Watch this video: KIDS REACT TO OLD COMPUTERS - YouTube

4. FouseyTube (2014) - No.1 for 2 weeks

In the early 2010s, pranks started taking off. It seemed like every other day a new prank channel popped up or an existing channel was converted into a prank channel. While 'FouseTube' wasn't an original prank channel when it was created a few years earlier, it saw a massive explosion once it did become one. His videos had a lighter side of pranking the unexpected as well as a more serious tone when it came to social experiments because of Yousef Erakat's charismatic personality. There is debate over whether these pranks are real. As a result of no videos being uploaded, the channel was delisted from the chart.

Watch this: MORTAL KOMBAT ELEVATOR PRANK! - YouTube

5. VitalyzdTv (2014) - No.1 for 4 weeks

Vitaly is a very controversial Russian-American YouTuber who is known for his popular channel 'VitalyzdTv'. Along with his many arrests and streaking across football matches, he is also known for his darker side in prank videos. A number of Vitaly's pranks caused his victims to come close to blows. Vitaly's fearless antics manage to pull him massive views, despite it all. Similar to 'FouseyTube,' pranks are accused of being fake. When the 'prank' genre died off, VitalyzdTv followed suit. As a result of no videos being uploaded, the channel was delisted from the chart.

Watch this : Gold Digger Prank! - YouTube

6. Bart Baker (2014) - No.1 for 2 weeks

'Bart Baker' is one of the pioneers of YouTube, having launched the channel in 2006. In his music video parodies, he drew inspiration from Weird Al Yankovic, a popular American singer. His spot-on impression of Justin Bieber was a staple of his channel. Unfortunately, the YouTube copyright system and unamused record labels began cracking down on Baker's right to parody their music. As a result of no videos being uploaded, the channel was delisted from the chart.

Watch this: Nicki Minaj - "Anaconda" PARODY - YouTube

7. Roman Atwood Pranks (2014) - No.1 for 5 weeks

Pranks channels were already huge on YouTube by this time, and ‘Roman Atwood Pranks’ was no exception. The same as 'FouseyTube' and 'VitalyzdTv' before him, Roman had a daring personality to go along with his extreme pranks. Unlike the other two, his channels do seem to give off a more realistic reaction from his victims, some becoming physically aggressive, at least in early videos. As a result of no videos being uploaded, the channel was delisted from the chart.

Watch this: Stealing Peoples Gas Prank!! - YouTube

8. Good Mythical Morning (2014) - No.1 for 41 weeks

Link and Rhett have known each other since childhood. The two started a YouTube channel together, which eventually became a global phenomenon. With their banter, these men have proved to be a formidable challenge to late-night talk show hosts. The comedy duo has featured many celebrities and Internet personalities over the years, including Daniel Radcliffe, PewDiePie, Hank Green, Kobe Bryant, Joseph Garrett, Gus Johnson, Megan Fox, and Zach King. The 'Must Watch' 100 Channels chart has relisted 'Good Mythical Morning'.

Watch this: The Mythical Show Ep 12 (Key & Peele, Vsauce, KassemG, ChesterSee) - YouTube

9. Jen Smith (BFvsGF) (2015) - No.1 for 4 weeks

'BFVsGF' - Boyfriend versus Girlfriend was the last prank channel to reach No.1 on the HOT 200 Channels list. Jen and Jessie were not pranking strangers on their original channel, instead, they pulled practical jokes on one another. Their prank channel accompanied this channel. The 'Dope Fresh Nation' enjoys their daily uploads, their relationship, and their ability to make fun of each other. It was one of the first attempts to combine vlogs and mini pranks and it worked. The dynamics never took each other too seriously and they built an army of 'Peeps'. It has been long since Jessie and Jen split up, and they each took over their own social media channels. The HOT 200 still lists 'Jen Smith' today.

Watch this: DRESS UP CHALLENGE!!! - YouTube

10. AsapScience (2015) - No.1 for 1 week

It's not unusual for a gem to take the top spot on the countdown and the biggest upset this year came from an educational channel, 'AsapScience.' 'AsapScience' is a YouTube channel run by Canadian YouTubers Mitch and Greg. So what pushed the channel to be the number one most watched channel that week? 'The Dress' it was. As a result of an international phenomenon, there was a debate as to which color a different dress design was, and what better way to resolve the controversy than to apply science. 'AsapScience' made a video about the dress, which went viral. It was the first and only time the channel has been number one and so far, it is the only educational channel to have done so. 'AsapScience' is still listed on the HOT 200 today.

Watch this: What Colour Is This Dress? (SOLVED with SCIENCE) - YouTube

11. Mystic Got Jokes (2015) - No.1 for 1 week

'Mystic Got Jokes' is another gem to make it to No.1 on the countdown. The content on his channel tends to be sexual in nature, which pushes the boundary of YouTube censorship. It was a stripped prank video featuring loaded dice that catapulted the Channel to the top in September 2015. This 2-minute video would not be made today if people found it distasteful. Before the prank victim could take any more clothes off, the young lady was informed of the prank. To this day, 'Mystic Got Jokes' remains on the HOT 200.

Watch this: Strip Challenge Prank - YouTube

12. Rclbeauty101 (2016) - No.1 for 20 weeks

Rachel Levin was one of the first female channels to reach the top of the countdown. Before she was even listed on the countdown, she already had a large following of young girls. Despite the sea of YouTube Channels, the lifestyle and beauty channel was discovered. Dress-up videos of Disney princesses helped her maintain the No.1 spot for many weeks. RCLbeauty101 remains on the HOT 200 to this day.

Watch this: Disney Princess Pool Party - YouTube

13. Wassabi (formerly Wassabi Productions) (2016) - No.1 for 5 weeks

Alex Wassabi has been a YouTube veteran for many years. 'Guava Juice' was the other half of the duo. Alex continued the channel on his own after the duo split in early 2016. The sudden influx of new subscribers satisfies their curiosity about how Alex would perform without his friend. Everything went well for him. In addition to dating 'LaurDIY', Alex assisted in changing the channel from being based primarily on sketches to being a vlog channel. Other friends such as 'FouseyTube' and 'Guava Juice' appeared to help keep the channel flowing. To this day, 'Wassabi' is listed on the HOT 200.

Watch this: NO THUMBS CHALLENGE! ft Caspar Lee, LaurDIY - YouTube

14. Lilly Singh (formerly Superwoman) (2016) - No.1 for 3 weeks

Lilly Singh has always been a great YouTube personality. She's charming, funny, and charismatic. Having worked with big names and even bigger companies, the Canadian formed her very own production company based in Los Angeles, Unicorn Island Productions. Her signature series is her impression of her parents. She is always focused on the next step in her career and has a drive like no other. Till this day, 'Lilly Singh' is still listed on the HOT 200.

Watch this: Types of Commercials - YouTube

15. Casey Neistat (2016) - No.1 for 15 weeks

When it comes to quality content on YouTube, he is one of the most respected filmmakers. Casey Neistat introduced the art of not just shooting videos, but creating art that has never been seen before. With his insane editing, he has inspired a new generation of visual storytelling. For years, Neistat has been the model of a vlog channel. Casey Neistat is still listed on the HOT 200 today.

Watch this: INCREDIBLE First Class BAR AND SHOWER!!! - YouTube

16. Unbox Therapy (2016) - No.1 for 3 weeks

'Unbox Therapy' breathed new life into opening new products for the first time. Lewis Hilsenteger's multi-videos-a-week reviews of new technology products were different from his peers. With his genuine first impression, he captivated our attention with a cool setup and a lovely personality. To this day, 'Unbox Therapy' is still on the HOT 200.

Watch this: The Secret Android Button - YouTube

17. Ray William Johnson (2016) - No.1 for 2 weeks

With competition from 'Smosh' and 'The Fine Bros (React),' Ray William Johnson should have been No.1 a long time ago. Johnson had already been on the Youtube platform for almost 10 years by the time 2016 rolled around. In the channel's heyday, a major controversy involving 'Makers Studio' resulted in a minor setback. The first type of content he created was reviewing viral videos or funny videos in a series called "Equals Three." Think 'America's Funniest Home Videos'. In 2014, Ray stepped down as host of the series, and a rotation of different hosts began. The Channel gained some traction after Carlos Santos hosted until the end, however, many fans disliked many of the hosts. As a result of no videos being uploaded, the channel was delisted from the chart.

Watch this: BEST OF YOUTUBE // week 4 - February 2016 - YouTube

18. Logan Paul (formerly Logan Paul Vlogs) (2017) - No.1 for 11 weeks

Logan Paul dominated most of 2017. He had been popular on Vine a year earlier and like many former Viners searching for a home, he had found one on YouTube. It was he and his brother Jake Paul who made 'dis songs' about each other and pulled antics to claim the 10 million subscribers mark first. Every video seemed more like a television reality show episode, and the 'Logang' was hooked. All came crashing down in January 2018 when Logan Paul made a controversial video while filming in Japan. The YouTube star apologized, but the damage had already been done. After taking a few weeks off from uploading, he lost most of his audience and dropped out of the top spot. Logan Paul is back in full swing with new content and a new format to a new audience. 'Logan Paul' is still listed on the HOT 200 to this day.

19. Roman Atwood Vlogs (2017) - No.1 for 21 weeks

Roman Atwood is the first and only YouTube star with two No.1 channels. In 2014, he had a No.1 Prank channel and he did it again in 2017 with this family vlog channel. The channel offered an inside look at life outside of pranks. He encourages his viewers to smile more every day of his adventure. There has never been a family channel that has pulled in such a large amount of viewers since the 'Shaytards'. In the next two years, the family felt burnt out and started to cut back on daily uploads. In 2019, tragedy struck the Roman family when Roman mom suddenly passed away. As a result of no videos being uploaded, the channel was delisted from the chart.

Watch this: GREATEST IDEA EVER!! - YouTube

20. David Dobrik (2017) - No.1 for 52 weeks

YouTube star David Dobrik became one of the first people to spend all 52 weeks at No.1 in the new chart format. In recent years, it was decided by Screenchart that a channel can stay at number one for 52 weeks (or one year) consecutively or non-consecutively. Dobrik and his fans claimed the spot for weeks on end until the channel was relisted on the '100 Must Watch Channels'. Unfortunately, the Coronavirus pandemic also claimed the channel of David Dobrik, and the vlogger ceased uploading for much of 2020. As a result of no video uploads, the channel was delisted from the '100 Must Watch Channels' list.

Watch this: CAUGHT HIM FLIRTING WITH MY GIRLFRIEND!! - YouTube

21. Lucas and Marcus (2017) - No.1 for 25 weeks

No matter what you think about the Dobre Twins, they have a dedicated following. Dancing gymnasts' duo rose to prominence on the now-defunct video application Vine. Throughout the year, 'Lucas and Marcus' have stayed focused on their simple craft, which includes pranks and challenges, as well as a music video now and then. Even today, 'Lucas and Marcus' is still on the HOT 200.

Watch this: Dobre Brothers - You Know You Lit (Official Music Video) - YouTube

22. RiceGum (2017) - No.1 for 7 weeks

'RiceGum' is one of many controversial YouTube stars. His rap disses have reached platinum status, as has his beef with other YouTube personalities. Among others, the rapper and Jake Paul had a very public feud in 2017. Until he released a diss track with Paul's ex-girlfriend, he wasn't known to the mainstream. Today, the channel is a shell of what it once was. As a result of no videos being uploaded, the channel was delisted from the chart.

Watch this: RiceGum - Its EveryNight Sis feat. Alissa Violet (Official Music Video) - YouTube

23. KSI (2017) - No.1 for 4 weeks

"KSI" is known for his FIFA gameplay, but by the time he joined the "HOT 200 Channels", his video game content was reduced and he became more of a reaction channel, and his music career was in its early stages. In the latter half of the year, KSI was promoting his upcoming first boxing match with fellow Youtuber Joe Weller, which he won. His 'KSI' channel now serves as his music platform outlet to upload new music videos. KSI is still listed on the HOT 200 today.

Watch this: I'M SORRY MUM - YouTube

24. The Bee Family (formerly Eh Bee Family) (2018) - No.1 for 4 weeks

The Bee Family became the first family channel to reach No.1 since the Roman Atwood Vlogs. Although not traditionally a family channel, 'The Bee Family' focuses mostly on challenges and skits. Due to their 'Fortnite' dance-inspired videos, the former 'Vine' family enjoyed a few weeks as the most-watched channel on the 'HOT 200 Countdown'. To this day, 'The Bee Family' is still listed on the HOT 200.

Watch this: FORTNITE DANCE CHALLENGE! - (In Real Life) - YouTube

25. Mr Beast (2019) - No.1 for 52 weeks

No surprises here!

Having maxed out his stay at No.1 on the 'Hot 200 Channels,' 'Mr. Beast' was relisted on the '100 Must Watch Channels' where he was also ranked No.1 many times. Each week, this channel receives over 100 million views. 'MrBeast' is currently listed on the 'Must Watch' 100 Channels list.

Watch this: Surviving 24 Hours Straight In A Desert - YouTube

26. AzzyLand (2019) - No.1 for 8 weeks

There aren't many female channels that make it to the top of the 'Hot 200' channels, but we're glad when they do. The YouTuber 'Azzyland' is best known for her video game-centric content, which includes gaming videos and cosplaying. Right now, her channel is a reaction channel of today's viral videos from around the world, including Tiktok. To this day, 'AzzyLand' is still listed on the Hot 200.

Watch this: Try Not To Say WOW Challenge ... (IMPOSSIBLE) - YouTube

27. Snipperwolf (2020) - No.1 for 40 weeks and counting...

YouTube's reigning queen is 'Snipperworlf'. A gaming channel originally, 'Snipperworlf' made the jump to mainstream reactions and attracted such a large following that it rivals 'Mr.Beast'. As with 'Azzyland,' she uploads multiple times a week, and no one has yet dethroned her. If she survives 52 weeks, it appears she will retire at the top. This seems very likely.

Watch this: Amazing Things You Have NEVER Seen Before - YouTube

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dachi-chan25 · 3 years

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Haven't done this in a while but I had the time so why not?

1.- Pizza Girl by Kyoung Jean Frazier

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I really did like it, reminded me a lot of "Convinience store woman". Like clearly our protagonist needed thrapy ASAP to help her deal with her dad's death, her pregnancy, her attraction to women and hell just for existing as an Asian woman in the USA, but I liked how messy and obsesive she was and how the author allowed her to be fucked up and take bad decisions, I love to see female characters simply exist, it's also a pretty short read so I definitely recommend it.

2.-The Authentics by Abdi Nazemian

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Daría is a persian teen who is really involved in her cultural background and feels that the most important thing one can be is authentic, so that's the name she and her friends take for their clique. But everything comes crashing down on her when she discovers she is adopted, and soon follows an identity crisis. I loved it so much, it felt pretty realistic, like Daría could be self absorbed and unlikeable at times, but who wasn't as a teen? And we get such beautiful heartwarming moments between Daría and her family and friends. Totally recommend it.

3.- The Mall by Megan McCafferty

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Cassie has her life completely mapped out but nothing goes quite as planned, first she gets mononucleosis and after she gets better gets dumped and fired almost simultaneously. Determined not to let it get the best of her, Cassie gets a brand new job, reconnects with an old friend and even finds a hidden treasure. This one is so much fun, all the 90s references and the growth Cassie goes through is amazing, honeslty i would love to see this as a Netflix movie.

4.- Luster by Raven Leilani

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This book was hard, Edie is a very raw character, at first she seems flippant even when describing disturbing facts about her past or details about her relationship with a much older man she seems to be talking about something that happened to someone else all this to cope dealing with her solitude, her trauma, her self hate. And gosh it was so intresting to see her interact with Rebecca and Akila, especially Akila as Edie finds kinship in this young girl not only cuz they are both black but because they are both lost and afraid.

5.- Lakewood by Megan Giddings

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Lena decides to participate on a financially compensated medical experiment so her mom can get proper medical care and to lessen their debts after her Grandmother's death.

So I had many mixed feelings about this, on one hand I liked that we are adressing how sistematical racism has permited experiments on black people with no consequences at all and how it has been happening for decades, but there were certain parts of the book that I couldn't enjoy as much because they were very trippy like I get we are on Lena's mind as things are becoming muddled up because of the medications and all those mind games and the words they have her memorize and repeat but all of it took me a bit away from the story. Still I do recommend it just be aware there is quite a bit of body horror in this so if you are sqeamish better skip it.

6.-The Voting Booth - Brandy Colbert

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Marva and Duke meet on election day as she helps him find the precint he is registered on.

This is very enjoyable, the story is very straightforward, and it insists on our right and responsability to vote even if we feel our vote alone can't possibly change all the injustice we see in the world. And also the romance was cute and developed slowly as Marva and Duke are just knowing each other. Really cute and quick read.

7.- Such a fun age - Kiley Reid

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Emira works as a babysitter for the Chamberleins' . She loves her little charge Briar, although she feels preassured to seek a 'real job' by her friends and by her own economic troubles. Emira soon finds herself in the middle of a tug of war between her boss Alix who tries to befriend her, and Kelley the guy she is dating.

So much drama. This is a great example of what performative activism looks like, first Alix is completely nuts, from her obsession to be seen as this wonderful understanding girl boss activist and the down right creepy sense of entitlement to Emira's friendship and intimacy. Like it doesn't surprise me she chose to victimize herself instead of recognizing it had all been a misunderstanding. And even then she still wants to seem atractive to the man she feels victimized by. Girl no.

Kelley is the ultimate fake woke ally. Dude Robbie was wrong period, he had no business inviting people over to someone else's house no matter the color of his skin. You don't get to talk over Emira on matters of what a person of color should do or feel on certain situations. That said it was so funny when he and Alix called each other out for their fetishization of people of color and yet none of them actually gave a damn about what Emira thought/felt/percieved. They just wanted her stamp of approval so they could pat themselves in the back for being such good allies.

8.- The Life and (Medieval) times of Kit Sweetly by Jamie Pacton

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Kit is working as a serving wench at the Castle, medieval themed restaurant run by her uncle, though she really wants to be a Knight, not only cuz the better pay would help around the house but because she really admires Joan of Arc, problem is the Castle management doesn't allow for anyone who is not a cis male to be a knight. Kit is set on changing that.

Ok so I feel a bit lukewarm toward this. Kit in my opinion doesn't get much growth, it seems she just can do whatever and her friends have to be ok w it, her romance w her friend feels pulled out of nowhere like Jett at one point tells her he is not intrested in dating her and then he is ???, those GoT references killed me, I get it I watched the show and sometimes even enjoyed it but it's not representative of anything medieval and Kit was always talking about how much she liked the actual history of the medieval times so...

Also as much as this book was about feminism and how we should fight for equal job oportunities, it feels as though Kit only cared about medieval woman who fought physically and not on the badass medieval woman, like idk it feels as a rejection of tradicional feminity like even the girl playing the Princess is a jerk. But I did like some parts, like her decision to confront her asshole dad to help her mom and the girls training together.

9.-Cien años de soledad de Gabriel Garcia Marquez

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En Macondo, una población Colombiana a un lado del río, vemos como una de sus familias fundadoras crece, se expande y cambia a través de cien años.

Me encanto, hace mucho tiempo que no leía una novela de realismo mágico que me provocará tantos sentimientos. Creo que todos los personajes reflejan aspectos de la humanidad tan diversos y complejos que sería inútil tratar de enlistarlos todos.

Ultimadamente siento que lo que condenó a la familia Buendia a cumplir las profecías de Melquiades fue sus propia naturaleza que ellos nunca tuvieron intención de pelear, siempre sucumbian a las locuras o pasiones que los inundarán sin mesura alguna o consideración por las consecuencias. Y creo que aún así lo prefiero pues es lo que hace a cada personaje por confuso que a veces llegue a ser la repetición de nombres (que para mi es el simbolismo de una naturaleza y destino continuos) único e intrigante. En verdad espero que se den la oportunidad de leer este libro por lo menos una vez en sus vidas.

10.-The Monsters of music by Rebecca F. Kenney

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This is a gender-swaped modern retelling of the Phantom of the Opera.

It was creative to make Mel, our Phantom, a true magical creature, and the singing contest was also cool. Like don't get me wrong I did have fun reading this but it also felt pretty unpolished like most characters were teens on the contest and that kinda made me roll my eyes a bit, like unless it's the Voice Kids age ranges are quite ample on this kind of shows, also kinda clumsy the addition of the magical elements with the modern setting, Kiyo didn't make much of an impression with me even when Christine is my fave on the original book. Still if you are a Phan like me you might wanna check this one out.

11.- Anna K by Jenny Lee

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This is a modern americanized ya retelling of Anna Karenina.

Not gonna lie this made me cry so much at the end. I really liked Anna and Vronski together so much, and I don't like the love at first sight trope, but here it felt so inevitable. Anna was so self contained until she met him and could truly explore being herself and they really loved each other so much. Also I liked the treatment of the side characters Kimmie and Dustin were well developed and I really enjoyed this one can't wait to get to the second book.

12.- Wonderland by Zoje Stage

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It was ok, but I was actually a bit disappointed cuz I had such high expectations for it. Like for about half the book I was really into the atmospheric vibe the book pulls you into, but as we get the reveal it started to go down hill for me, and the ending left me feeling meh. But maybe it was just not my cup of tea.

13.-Home Before Dark by Riley Sager

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This book is so well crafted!!! I love how it goes back and forth between past and present , first it feels as if history is repeating itself, then as both narratives unfold we start to question and discovering things and the twist at the end was chillin and masterful, I truly and wholeheartedly recommend it.

14.- The Girl with the louding voice by Abi Daré

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Adunni, a teenage girl, flees from her husband to work as a maid in Lagos, though everything she has ever wanted is to study.

This broke my heart, as it reflects how people coming from rural backgrounds get taken advantage of in the City, like similar things happen here in Mexico, but also it made me glad to see Adunni fight and keep her spirit so no one could ever silence her.

15.- The Year of the Witching by Alexis Henderson

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Immanuel does her very best to fit in Bethel, follow the scriptures and the Prophets words, but nothing seems to be enough to erase her mother's sin especially when the Darkwood seems to pull her in. As a plague starts to ravage Bethel, Immanuel has to face her past to save her people.

So frickin' good !!!! This story is great, mainly about the explotation of woman and young girls by people in power (in this case a church), the atmosphere is always tense, Ezra and Immanuel 's relationship is very well developed and one can really see how loyal they are to each other. A great option for horror fans.

#july 2021 wrap up #wrap up #dachi reads stuff #dachi rambles #booklr

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maryjaneart5 · 3 years

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The Art of MaryJane

Celebrities Who Were Helped By Psychedelics

The psychedelics industry has seen massive attention and growth in the past couple years, with more and more of the stigma once attached to them, disappearing into thin air. As it becomes acceptable to speak about their use, celebrities have been more open with their stories, and how they’ve been helped in life by psychedelics.

It’s not that shocking so many celebrities have been helped by psychedelics, the growing body of research is very positive. The same is true for cannabis, which has been expanding out very quickly in the last few years, with tons of people backing it in the media, and with all new products coming out. One interesting addition is delta-8 THC, an alternate THC which doesn’t cause the same anxiety, couch locking, or cloudy head as delta-9. We’ve got a great array of delta-8 THC, delta 10, thco, thcp, thcv & even hhc deals, so check out the selection, and stay on top of what’s new in the world of cannabis.

Celebrities Who Were Helped By Psychedelics

Celebrities and drug use

First and foremost, there’s nothing actually special about celebrities, at least not as a rule. There are plenty of non-celebrities that can compete with the famous on pretty much any metric. This isn’t meant to undermine the special qualities of those who have made it big, but it is meant as a reminder that celebrities are still human, and representative of the human population. What makes them interesting, however, is how known they are. If I have an interesting experience, there might be a few people that care about it, but the story isn’t going to go far. If the same thing happens to Justin Bieber, or Samuel L. Jackson, or Lebron James, it gets echoed around the world.

Plenty of people in the world have drug problems, but the overdoses and deaths of celebrities make the biggest news. From Kurt Cobain to Heath Ledger to Johnny Depp, we never seem to be able to get enough of celebrities and their problems. In just the last few years, the following celebrities have all made headlines with their drug issues, and all of them ended up dead (whether drug-induced or not): Anthony Bourdain, Tom Petty, Prince, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Winehouse, Mac Miller, and Chester Bennington.

Go back even further and you can include Janis Joplin, Heath Ledger, Kurt Cobain, Jim Morrison, Michael Jackson, Jimi Hendrix, Elvis Presley, Whitney Houston, Brittany Murphy, and River Phoenix just to make a short list. And let’s not forget some of the biggest names in drug headlines that have made it through this far, like Johnny Depp, Charlie Sheen, Drew Barrymore, Lindsay Lohan, Steven Tyler, Demi Lovato, and Robert Downey Jr, just to name a tiny number. Regardless if the story is watching someone fall from grace, or watching them get their problems under control in an act of strength, if it’s happening to someone in the spotlight, we all know about it.

Just like many celebrities have openly spoken about how cannabis has helped them, many celebrities will also openly speak now about how their lives were helped by the use of psychedelics. Here are a few interesting stories.

Celebrities who say they were helped by psychedelics

Mike Tyson

Mike Tyson is an all around interesting character, reigning for years as a heavyweight boxing champion, doing short-lived stints in reality TV, showing up in films, getting his face tattooed, spending some time in jail, and reemerging in the past few years as an entrepreneur in the world of cannabis. First, Tyson opened Tyson’s Ranch in California, meant for the recreational use of cannabis. He even started setting up shop in Antigua, and has tons of expansion plans for both locations, with the vision of creating entire entertainment complexes with hotels, stores, entertainment venues, and more. Tyson promotes the production of high-quality products, and high quality experiences when it comes to cannabis, and has been using his celebrity to help bolster his moves in the cannabis field. Mike Tyson also hosts a popular podcast called ‘Hotboxin’.

But Tyson doesn’t stop with cannabis. He’s also an avid promoter of psychedelics. In fact, Tyson is a great example of celebrities who have been helped by psychedelics. Earlier in 2021 Tyson was interviewed by Reuters Magazine, he not only says psychedelics helped him revive his career, but that they helped save his life as well. In his own words about magic mushrooms:

“To think where I was—almost suicidal—to this now… Isn’t life a trip, man? It’s amazing medicine, and people don’t look at it from that perspective.” He went on to say: “Everyone thought I was crazy, I bit this guy’s ear off…I did all this stuff, and once I got introduced to the shrooms … my whole life changed.”

Megan Fox

Another celebrity who has been open about her psychedelic experience, is Megan Fox. During a trip to Costa Rica with boyfriend Machine Gun Kelly, Fox took part in an ayahuasca ceremony. In these hours long ceremonies, ayahuasca is given to participants in a ritualistic way, and they are guided through their experience. Ayahuasca is the mix of two different plants, Psychotria viridis which contains DMT, and the caapi vine, which produces an MAO inhibitor which activates the DMT orally, and keeps it from breaking down so quickly, enabling a much longer trip experience. Ayahuasca is known for creating intense hallucinogenic experiences that many credit with helping to deal with emotional and mental wounds and issues. This is what she had to say about the experience:

“You have to walk a very far distance to get your water. You can’t shower because they’re in a drought. Nothing glamorous about it. It’s all part of making you vulnerable, so you surrender to the experience…You have to vomit a certain amount before they let you back… It’s such a good bonding experience. That gets you ready to go into the ceremony that night because your vanity’s gone.”

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