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kendizzzzzzzzle · 1 year

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okay, it’s the time that I write a whole post about kames and why I love their friendship! warning: it’s a long post.

firstly, I’d like to mention that I have nothing against kogan/jarlos/jagan etc. I just love these two tall boys caring for each other and having this love/hate relationship throughout the show.

so we start off with the pilot. the whole episode was kind of based on Kendall and James relationship, because what’s the most intense moment in the pilot? yes, Kendall defending James when Gustavo called him “untalented”. he doesn’t hesitate a second when it comes to James, he cares so much and it shows. when Gustavo came back Kendall declined the offer for two reasons: 1) he has his life here with guys in Minnesota, 2) it wasn’t his dream to become popular, it was James’. the scene on the parking lot showed that first reason was solved pretty quickly but second reason… it still wasn’t his dream but he didn’t care. he gave up his own dream and left his life in Minnesota behind his back because he cared about guys, cared about James.

we can’t forget about what James said to Kendall though: “call that guy back… he wants to make YOU famous”. he was clearly upset that his chance of becoming famous was taken away from him but more than being popular he wanted Kendall to be happy. and he tried to make it real even if it meant giving up his own dream. they were ready to do anything to make each other happy and truly cared.

when they were interacting in the show there was this weird but warm connection between them. they have completely different personalities but have so much in common (anger issues haha). Kendall is compassionate, single-minded, a little bit hot-tempered and a leader. James is confident, persistent, emotional and a little bit selfish. they are opposites - one is calm and other one is energetic, one is a strategist, other one is spontaneous, but at the same time they are very similar. James drives Kendall crazy, makes his blood boil and likes to play jokes on him but Kendall doesn’t mind at all - he loves it. “I said that I hate you with a smile on my face” - that’s what they friendship was like. while James is all cocky and sassy, Kendall is a down-to-earth kind of person - that’s what makes their friendship so interesting to watch at.

some really cool moments I noticed while watching the show:

1. James never sides with Kendall for some reason and gets mad when other guys do. sometimes they just have different opinions on things, sometimes it looks like James doesn’t want Kendall to be right all the time. maybe he’s a bit jealous, who knows?

2. Kendall’s the one who makes him calm down faster than others. we barely see Kendall being emotional and in need of help, but in “big time movie” James was the one who calmed him down after Kendall started panicking.

3. the “big time tests” episode warms my heart. they be acting like a married couple and then James wants a divorce - basically the whole plot. interesting fact: James knows basically everything about Kendall.

4. also the ending where Kendall was reassuring him and building his confidence once again. previous time happened in “big time single” and of course Kendall finds the right words to cheer him up, who else would it be?

5. James was being VERY supportive of Kendall and Lucy going out. he had a crush on her, but so what, Kendall wanted to be with her and James didn’t hesitate to help him out.

6. I just love Kendall’s desperate and annoyed “jamESS” whenever he starts to freak out. (ex. “big time terror” and “big time girl band”) oh and one more thing: James always listens.

7. the looks and little hugs they give each other😩 we were robbed, they deserved way more screen time.

some quotes:

Kendall, about James: “you forgot to say pretty. he is a pretty idiot”

—

Kendall: “whose place is this?”

James: “does it matter?”

Kendall: “IT MIGHT!”

—

James: “do they hold the answers… TO THIS?”

James: *points light saber at Logan*

Kendall: “DON’T! we need him :)”

—

James: “please :D”

Kendall: *sighs* “I can’t believe I’m doing this”

—

Kendall: “James, a pop-tiger test is not going to answer whether you’re a good boyfriend or not. you’re a great guy”

James: “really? ‘cause according to this WE SHOULDN’T HAVE EVEN BEEN GOING OUT”

Kendall: “uhhh… we’re NOT going out”

James: “oh, just cause I’m so terrible to be around, huh? yeah, THANKS”

—

James: “tell me you have something to cheer me up!”

Kendall: *gives him an orange peel smile*

James: :)

#blonde and his brunette problem #if the show came out later they would’ve dated #big time rush #btr #nickelodeon #childhood #bigtimerush #james diamond #james maslow #incorrect quotes #fake quotes #kendall knight #kendall schmidt #kames

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minnesotadruids · 2 months

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@deckdancer and I were conversing this evening, and he had this question about mass farming practices. My response ended up being a little lengthier than I anticipated, but I was also trying to be concise (which is hard for John the Verbose, lol)

I've been having a lot of thoughts about plants and mass farming practices tonight, and while I know horticulture isn't exactly your specialty, I wanted to hear your thoughts on the disconnect between the symbiosis of nature vs the mass farming practices we use today, and their effects on us today as a society?

One thing I've noticed over the last 10 years is how stressed the corn fields look when we've had year after year of drought conditions. The leaves curl along the edges and look like dessicated spears. Corn is a huge water hog, and an inefficient hog at that. Most of the water is ultimately lost to evapotranspiration meaning the water table doesn't even recharge at all from irrigation.

So much of that corn goes to ethanol plants and livestock feed, so it still has a high demand, but many of the crops just die or are stunted before they can be used. Before irrigation technology was widespread, places like Minnesota grew more wheat. Minneapolis was (and still is) where so many big flour mills are, but now the wheat grain comes in from the high plains. Wheat is what we should be growing for our climate already, but corn became popular because of irrigation. Wheat uses much less water, and some cultivars can be harvested twice a year.

Factory farming of corn has changed noticeably in my own lifetime. I remember the rows used to be a bit farther apart. You could run between the rows and pretend to be the "children of the corn." My dad said he could remember when he was younger there were much wider gaps in the rows of cornfields. We've bred them for higher yield and to be planted closer together that both of those factors mean they need much more water than they used to. Some farmers plant rows so close together you almost can't walk between them now.

A lack of diversification is also a problem as well. The past three years have been really bad for corn, but for many farmers, it's their cash crop. Soy beans have become a novelty... alfalfa a rarity... and I'm shocked if I ever see any wheat at all. Monoculture crops (even beyond grains) are begging for any one-off minor catastrophe to jeopardize the whole crop. If a plant disease or infestation pops up, it will spread much faster than if we had varied crops, and of course it would have a more detrimental effect if that one monoculture crop gets destroyed. Palm oil farming is another example of a fragile monoculture.

Diversification is easier said than done though. You can't use a single type of harvester machine for all crop types. The Cherokee would plant things together: Corn, pumpkins/squash, and vine beans. They understood for generations that those "Three Sisters" thrived better together than by themselves. The beanstalks would climb the corn, the beans would put nitrogen and nutrients back in the soil, and the squash/pumpkins would reduce evaporation from the soil. The large gourd leaves would reduce the amount of sunlight on the ground, inhibiting weed growth. All that today would still require harvesting by hand, and unfortunately it is considered too unprofitable. It would be suitable for people with gardens, self-sufficient homesteads, or small-scale farms (and we gotta WANT to get into that, too).

The big problem is (I think) that first we would need a large-scale, multifaceted cultural shift. Ethanol as biofuel is not as sustainable as the industry wants us to believe. As much as I love beef, we gotta reduce our consumption of large livestock. Cattle need a lot of corn and a lot of water. Other farm animals are more efficient in terms of resources required per pound of meat. That's a statement that sounds great for reducing corn and water usage, but other monoculture crops have their own unique pros and cons.

#permaculture #monoculture #sustainability #ecology #horticulture #symbiosis

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sergeifyodorov · 11 months

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Game Results!!

Right before the playoffs started, I made a Google form asking people to guess the results. To my surprise, I got over a hundred responses! Here they are, summarized. Congratulations to the winners:

@firstliner with 17 points and 12 correct answers

@kaprizovv with 17 points and 10 correct answers

@zukirillo with 16 points

Here's a graph of point distribution:

Let's get to the nitty gritty:

Let’s start with the individual question results.

Hopefully the way I phrased each question in this chart makes sense. Let’s talk about some of the things that surprised me! First, I want to note that a lot of these questions -- most of the ones where I asked you to guess a number -- also gave points for being very close. In the chart above, I only put in the actual correct answers; for example, those who picked 50 games exactly to be played in round one.

A surprising amount of you -- nearly a fifth -- picked Florida to beat Boston in the first round. Definitely not what I would have thought! But then again, they actually did end up doing it, so that all in all is a bit wild. An equally surprising amount of you picked Toronto to break the Curse. Or at least, that one specific curse. I admire the optimism! Florida ruins everyone’s plans again, though.

Not very many people guessed the number of saves made very closely. The 63-save performance was, in fact, Bobrovsky against Carolina in that absolute marathon game one of the Eastern Conference final. Most people seriously underestimated the number of saves you can make in a playoff game -- I guess sometimes we forget playoff overtime format, which can jack up numbers to stuff you wouldn’t usually see in the regular season (the second-place this playoffs is a tie between another Bobrovsky performance in the game that eliminated Toronto, and an Oettinger one against Minnesota, both of which went to overtime). Although it is worth pointing out Juuse Saros made sixty-four saves in a game and won earlier this year… also against Carolina, the most shot-happy offence in the league.

And I’m also surprised that only one person guessed Vegas would win the Cup! In fact, literally nobody guessed Florida either, so safe to say this Cup Final was a bit of an upset.

As for the answers that were given, here’s a quick list of observations:

For the DAL-MIN question (pick a player on each team. If either of them scores the most goals in the series, you get points), Robertson/Kaprizov was by far the most chosen answer. Sixty-three of you picked it -- that’s more than half!

Much like Robertson/Kaprizov was the overwhelming answer only to be wrong, most people picked the New Jersey Devils to be the newcomer that lasted the longest. (I picked “longest lasting” based on “most wins,” and since Seattle lasted to seven in round two while New Jersey was out in five, Seattle made it further.)

90 people picked Vegas to beat Winnipeg in the first section of the game, while 84 people picked Vegas to beat Winnipeg in the second section of the game.

Like the chart above says, the closest guess to the longest game question was within 9 seconds (it was 3OT+19:56).

Boston was the most popular Cup choice, with 29 votes. After that were Colorado and Edmonton with 16 and 15 respectively, then the Leafs with 12 and the Stars with 10.

I’m doing a whole separate section for the player choices at the very end, because that’s a bit more involved. There were three questions: which player would lead the playoffs in scoring by the end of the Conference Finals, which goalie would have the best sv% by the end of the Conference Finals, and which player would win the Conn Smythe (I gave you guys three chances for this one.)

The leading scorer was Hintz, with 24 points. Only one person actually chose Hintz -- which, he definitely wouldn’t be my first choice either! I mean, I love that little blonde freak, but who would have known he’d have put on a Smythe-worthy performance (with the noted caveat of, you know, not actually doing the thing)? But who was chosen?

Nine players got one vote: Matty Beniers (SEA), Roope Hintz (DAL), Kirill Kaprizov (MIN), Mitch Marner (TOR), Jared McCann (SEA), Martin Necas (CAR), Brock Nelson (NYI), Devin Shore (EDM), and Matthew Tkachuk (FLA.) I can only assume Devin Shore was a joke.

Auston Matthews got two votes.

Jack Hughes got four votes.

Jason Robertson got five votes.

Leon Draisaitl got six votes.

Mikko Rantanen got seven votes.

Nathan MacKinnon got eight votes.

David Pastrnak got twenty-five votes.

And, of course, Connor McDavid got the most, with thirty-eight votes.

Nobody guessed Jack Campbell was going to have the best save percentage -- of course, he mostly got sheltered minutes, when the game was already lost and neither team was really pushing. Here’s who did get voted for:

Martin Jones (SEA) got one vote.

Stuart Skinner, Andrei Vasilevskiy, and Connor Hellebuyck got two votes each.

Freddie Andersen, Marc-Andre Fleury, Jeremy Swayman, and Vitek Vanecek got three votes each.

Igor Shesterkin got four votes.

Filip Gustavsson and Ilya Samsonov got five votes each.

Alexandar Georgiev got six votes.

Ilya Sorokin got eleven votes.

Jake Oettinger got twenty-two votes.

Linus Ullmark finished up his Vezina-calibre season by winning the dubious honour of Most Votes In This Tumblr Poll, with thirty-three. A surprisingly similar margin to Connor McDavid.

Okay, now the Smythe. I asked everyone to submit three choices for this question, so there are a lot more results for this one!

Twenty-three players each got one vote: Connor Clifton and Hampus Lindholm (BOS), Brent Burns (CAR), Erik Johnson, Alexandar Georgiev, and Valeri Nichushkin (COL), Joe Pavelski and Tyler Seguin (DAL), Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (EDM), Sasha Barkov (FLA), Anze Kopitar (LAK), Filip Gustavsson (MIN), Nico Hischier and Luke Hughes (NJD), Casey Cizikas and Anders Lee (NYI), Adam Fox (NYR), Andrei Vasilevskiy (TBL), Justin Holl (?), Calle Jarnkrok, Ilya Samsonov, and Willy Nylander (TOR). That’s a lot!

Ten players each got two votes: Jeremy Swayman (BOS), Martin Necas (CAR), Matt Boldy and Marc-Andre Fleury (MIN), Brock Nelson and Ilya Sorokin (NYI), Igor Shesterkin (NYR), Matty Beniers and Vince Dunn (SEA), and Connor Hellebuyck (WPG).

Two players each got three votes: Brad Marchand and Mika Zibanejad.

Two players each got four votes: Miro Heiskanen and Auston Matthews.

Sebastian Aho got five votes. Not sure which one, though.

Cale Makar got six votes.

Kirill Kaprizov got eight votes.

Matthew Tkachuk got nine votes.

Jake Oettinger got ten votes.

Jason Robertson got eleven votes. Yes, it is weird how they keep getting one more vote than the last.

Leon Draisaitl got twelve votes.

Jack Hughes got fourteen votes. Whenever someone put “Hughes” without specifying the brother, I assumed they put Jack, considering that he’s more well-known than Luke and Quinn isn’t in the playoffs.

Patrice Bergeron got fifteen votes.

Mitch Marner got sixteen votes.

Mikko Rantanen got seventeen votes.

Linus Ullmark got twenty-three votes.

Nathan MacKinnon got thirty votes.

David Pastrnak got forty votes.

Connor McDavid got forty-three votes. First in our hearts <3

Anyway! Hope you enjoyed that, and congratulations to the winners! If you have feedback, questions, or want your specific results, please send in an ask :) Let’s hope for a nice and peaceful offseason.

#nhl playoffs 2023 #i had fun and i wasn't expecting that many responses wow #for the record i also put in my guesses: i was solidly mid #also lowkey shoutout to isozyme for guessing what Was the longest game (dal/min game...1?) until the ecf to the EXACT second

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hetchdrive · 4 months

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SLEEPOVER SATURDAY YAYYYY I have 2.

1. Because I’m still stuck in fucking Texas, top 3 best US states

2. Top potential AU’s for The Terror

Oh noooooo wishing you a speedy departure tomorrow!

I've lived a lot of places and done a lot of road tripping and without further details on which to define "best" I'm going to go with the three states I feel the most personal connection to and say Wisconsin, Minnesota, Michigan. I love Lake Superior, I grew up in that area and sometimes I am very homesick for it. I've been trying to develop the same feeling of connection to the landscape in New England since transplanting and I'm not going to lie, it is rough going. I keep saying I am going to try to get into hiking and rock identification so I can see the mountains and maybe 2024 is the year I buckle down and do that.

First off: Star Trek AU obviously. I'm really bad at coming up with plots and writing long fics but I am beginning to take notes for a Star Trek AU in case the Terror SciFi Fest happens again this upcoming May.

Secondly: Ghosts/spiritualism/haunted house AU. While I do enjoy a good modern AU from time to time, to me part of the draw of The Terror is the time period it is set. I am fascinated by the Victorian era, the advances in medicine during the time period, the rise in popularity of ghosts and ghost stories, and I think I'd get a lot of enjoyment out of researching to write an AU that takes advantage of this somehow.

Also, I am obsessed with haunted houses as they are used to represent familial trauma, codependence, grief and loneliness, etc etc, and I think it would be fun to take Crozier out of The Horrors only to put him into a different flavor of The Horrors <3

Lastly: Musicians/orchestra AU. Gonna be honest, I do not have any of the requisite knowledge to write this and it does not interest me enough to do this research. I want somebody else to write this so I can read it. However, I saw a post once that was the show writer going through and saying what each character's job would be if they lived in the modern day and what he said about Fitzjames was that he'd be a surgeon or somebody else with very specialized knowledge, someone who is the best at something. And while yeah, a specialist surgeon is this, and specialist surgeons are, in my experience, divas with complexes, for reasons of personal taste (dislike of the medical field irl and preference for show contemporary AUs over modern ones) I think it would be more interesting to just skip over the medical layer and make Fitzjames a diva with a complex.

This man plays the violin and he is the best at it and he and Crozier cannot stand each other because Crozier has been playing longer, does not care about the limelight, and actively scorns Fitzjames for doing so. I just have this idea in my head of Fitzjames saying to someone else that Crozier plays a perfectly serviceable, workmanlike violin, but he obviously doesn't truly care for it, he doesn't play with any passion, and Fitzjames who has been doing this his whole life and made it his whole life, the only thing he's ever been good at that he's had to hang all his hopes on, finds that intolerable. Meanwhile Crozier cares about the violin very deeply but doesn't really show it to anybody and keeps to himself because loving music and loving your coworkers are two different things.

Additional inspiration for this idea is the fact that when Phantom of the Opera shut down on Broadway a couple months ago (last year? What is the passage of time...) I saw a news article about it which said some of the people in the orchestra had been playing the show together since it started running in 1986. The drama within that pit must have been insane and I desperately want to read about it.

#this got away from me #clandestinegardenias #asks

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rockislandadultreads · 1 year

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Native American Heritage Month: Nonfiction Recommendations

Celebrate Native American Heritage Month by checking out one of these nonfiction recommendations from your local library!

The Heartbeat of Wounded Knee by David Treuer

The received idea of Native American history has been that American Indian history essentially ended with the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee. Growing up Ojibwe on a reservation in Minnesota, training as an anthropologist, and researching Native life past and present for his nonfiction and novels, David Treuer has uncovered a different narrative. Because they did not disappear - the story of American Indians since the end of the nineteenth century to the present is one of unprecedented resourcefulness and reinvention.

Hearts of Our People: Native Women Artists edited by Jill Ahlberg Yohe

This volume explores the artistic achievements of Native women and establishes their rightful place in the art world, including works of art from antiquity to the present, made in a variety of media from textiles and beadwork to video and digital arts. It showcases artists from more than seventy-five Indigenous tribes to reveal the ingenuity and innovation that have always been foundational to the art of Native women.

New Native Kitchen by Freddie Bitsoie

From the former executive chef at Mitsitam Native Foods Café at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, this book is a celebration of Indigenous cuisine. Accompanied by original artwork and offering delicious dishes like Cherrystone Clam Soup and Spice-Rubbed Pork Tenderloin, Bitsoie showcases the variety of flavor and culinary history on offer from coast to coast, providing modern interpretations of 100 recipes that have long fed this country.

We Had a Little Real Estate Problem by Kliph Nesteroff

It was one of the most reliable jokes in Charlie Hill’s stand-up routine: “My people are from Wisconsin. We used to be from New York. We had a little real estate problem.” In this account, acclaimed comedy historian Kliph Nesteroff focuses on one of comedy’s most significant and little-known stories: how, despite having been denied representation in the entertainment industry, Native Americans have influenced and advanced the art form.

Inconvenient Indian by Thomas King

In this account, Thomas King offers a deeply knowing, darkly funny, unabashedly opinionated, and utterly unconventional account of Indian–White relations in North America since initial contact. Ranging freely across the centuries and the Canada–U.S. border, King debunks fabricated stories of Indian savagery and White heroism, takes an oblique look at Indians (and cowboys) in film and popular culture, wrestles with the history of Native American resistance and his own experiences as a Native rights activist, and articulates a profound, revolutionary understanding of the cumulative effects of ever-shifting laws and treaties on Native peoples and lands.

#Native American Heritage Month #Native American Authors #native american history #nonfiction #book recs #book recommendations #reading recs #reading recommendations #library books #TBR pile #tbr #to read #booklr #book tumblr

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sequestered-song-skirmish · 9 months

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Round 1 Poll 63

Shoetown：　「Alright, strap in because my passion for this artist and song are basically unmatched! Cam Waters was a local legend when I was a small child, playing in crowded bars and small stages in my very hometown. I used to go to these shows with my parents and absolutely loved every minute of it, and when he died in 2009, my dad was close enough to him feature in newspaper articles about it and go to his funeral. This album has been a constant in my life. This song itself however, is the opening tack off of his 1998 album Shoetown. The "shoetown" in question is Red Wing Minnesota, a small city on the Mississippi River known as the home of the Red Wing Boots factory. The song takes a winding narrative, speaking on the people who live there and the activities that take place throughout the year. The rich vocals are accompanied by Water's skilled steel guitar strumming. This song is to me a warm blanket and the epitome of comfort. And its almost lost media I kid you not. I currently possess the only copy of every one of his CDs that I've ever seen. There are only three or so videos of him performing online, and only his final album before is death is on any streaming service. Every single person I bring this guy up to has never heard of him and then wants me to send them every song that I have ripped to my laptop. So, please, sit back, relax, and enjoy some small town blues with me!」

Star Sickness：　「So this is from an artist who averages about 10-25k on spotify but around 7-30 views for his topic page on youtube, and even on Spotify he only has 451 monthly listeners. This is a little suprising to me now since he's been the keyboardist for a relatively popular band (Franz Ferdinand) since 2018, but no one seems to know about his work except for hardcore fans of that band.

One really neat thing about his solo work is that ALL of the instrumentals and production were put together by just him. And it sounds great! He has a really soft and smooth voice that adds to the more personal nature of a lot of his songs.

This song seems to be his most popular and still only has 47 views on Youtube. It feels pretty spacey, fitting to title and the city night album cover, while also having a bit of a sea theme in the lyrics too. It manages to be atmospheric and have great buildup to the first chorus while still progressing quickly, I think it doesn't even feel that long despite being over 5 mins.

Overall I just think his work deserves more attention, you can barely even tell it was just one person working with what he had!」

youtube

#poll #cam waters #miaoux miaoux #underground music #Youtube

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popculturelib · 6 months

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Haunted States of America: Minnesota

The Haunted Northwoods (2000) by Tom Hollatz, with Seal Dwyer

"You're not going to believe this, but..." is the beginning of most tales heard by Tom Hollatz. Ghost stories seem to grow from the pine-needle coated floor of the Northwoods. From haunted mansions on the shores of northern lakes to tales of the Wisconsin werewolf or a Minnesota town plagued by ghostly events, this book is full of tales sure to set any spine a tingle!

Other books about haunted places in Minnesota in our collection include

Ghostly Tales of Minnesota (1992) by Ruth D. Hein

Pictures, Dreams and Visits: A True Story (1997) by Linda Graham and Betty Graham-Freiling

Ghost Stories of Minnesota (2001) by Gina Teel

The Browne Popular Culture Library (BPCL), founded in 1969, is the most comprehensive archive of its kind in the United States. Our focus and mission is to acquire and preserve research materials on American Popular Culture (post 1876) for curricular and research use. Visit our website at https://www.bgsu.edu/library/pcl.html.

#bgsu #libraries on tumblr #haunted states of america #the haunted northwoods #ghosts #books #minnesota

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the-replacemints · 2 years

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The Replacements featured in Rock ‘N’ Roll News, Centerstage, and CREEM’s Profiles // CREEM October 1987

Transcripts Under The Cut

Rock ‘N’ Roll News:

RUMORS KEEP ON SPREADING

Our Beer Desk reports that an ingenious series of ads promoting their longtime faves, the Replacements, recently appeared in what they call the “tip sheets” of this, the music industry. Seeing that the Mats are this month’s CREEM profile, and that the aforementioned ads bear a passing resemblance to that hallowed institution, Rock ’n’ Roll News is happy to reprint the tip sheet stuff for its sheer historicity, and other great reasons.

PAUL WESTERBERG HOME: FAR AWAY AGE: UNDECIDED PROFESSION: CAD HOBBIES: KITE FLYING LAST BOOK READ: YELLOW PAGES FAVORITE ACCOMPLISHMENT: ORGASM FAVORITE PLACE PLAYED: UNCLE’S WEDDING ARREST RECORD: A LOT TOMBSTONE QUOTE: LOUSE LIES HERE FAVORITE REPLACEMENTS SONG: LE LEDGE

WHY DON'T YOU GET A HAIRCUT, SISTER?

TOMMY STINSON HOME: IN TRANSIT AGE: MANY PROFESSION: GEEK HOBBIES: ASKING DIRECTIONS LAST BOOK READ: YES I CAN FAVORITE ACCOMPLISHMENT: MILKING SNAKES FAVORITE PLACE PLAYED: OUTSIDE ARREST RECORD: MOSTLY FELONIES TOMBSTONE QUOTE: MY, I’M COLD FAVORITE REPLACEMENTS SONG: LE EDGE, SPEWING DIRTY LIES

SPEWING DIRTY LIES

CHRIS MARS HOME: EASY STREET AGE: ASSORTED PROFESSION: TRASH COLLECTOR HOBBIES: SUING LAST BOOK READ: HEIDI FAVORITE ACCOMPLISHMENT: INCITING A RIOT FAVORITE PLACE PLAYED: TOMMY’S HOUSE ARREST RECORD: DOING TIME TOMBSTONE QUOTE: ALL DONE FAVORITE REPLACEMENTS SONG: DA LEDGE

SHOULD WE GIVE IT UP?

SLIM DUNLAP HOME: CLUTTERED AGE: RETIRED PROFESSION: EVANGELIST HOBBIES: EEL SKINNING LAST BOOK READ: MOBY DICK FAVORITE ACCOMPLISHMENT: SHINING GUNS FAVORITE PLACE PLAYED: UNDERGROUND ARREST RECORD: CLEARED TOMBSTONE QUOTE: KILL ME IF YOU CAN FAVORITE REPLACEMENTS SONG: SLIM PREFERS THE LEDGE

Centerstage:

“I FEEL THE ROOM SWAYING” The Replacements The Coach House, San Juan Capistrano, CA & The Variety Arts Center, Los Angeles June 24, 26-27, 1987

By J. Kordosh

Fresh from a trip over to England, where rock ‘n’ roll was invented, the Replacements are back in the U.S.A. Sadly, they didn’t dare too well in England - that’s where Simple Minds’ live album rightfully entered the charts at #1 - but maybe when they return they’ll be better and make lots of money. In the meantime, here’s some impressions from these inaugural (for ‘87) Stateside shows - the type of thing you can look forward to yourself:

The first night, their last encore is “Hello, Dolly.” Yes... that was Paul, Dolly.

The second night, a jet-lagged and tipsy Chris Mars struggles through the first song, then retires to the side of the stage. “Is there a drummer in the house?” asks Westerberg. Fortunately, there are many, and the show continues.

The third night, Westerberg’s amp goes out. While repairs are made, John, their roadie, plays “The Girl From Ipanema,” a standard crowd-pleaser.

Every night, the Replacements wear plaid. Lots of plaid. Reams of plaid. There’ll be hundreds of cold horses in Minnesota come the frost.

Back to the first night. Westerberg strikes up Them’s “Here Comes The Night.” His fellow Mats watch, fascinated. Westerberg tries it again, singing the first few lines. Everyone watches, fascinated. Onto the next song.

One of the concerts is a record company showcase of sorts, which means the dozens who toiled to shove Pleased To Meet Me into the Top 612 and had nothing better to do were out in force. Bassist Tommy Stinson, the devil in his eye, grabs the mike and yells, “There’s where all the people in the record company are!” He points them out to the undoubtedly appreciative audience as a smiling Paul shoves him from the mike.

Along with “Hello Dolly” - so amiable a number it’s incorporated into the set by the third night - the Mats cover some of the most popular tunes ever. In addition to “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” these include “Promised Land,” “Battleship Chains,” “Be My Lover,” “California Sun” and “Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.” Bono Vox doesn’t appear on stage, unlike half the audience during the second show.

While the Mats swap instruments during the second show, new guitarist Slim Dunlap is left temporarily axeless and sits things out awhile. He returns to engage Westerberg in a scathing dual lead on “The Ledge,” a song the Replacements term their favorite in ads everywhere.

Seattle’s Young Fresh Fellows open for the Mats all three night, amazing the crowds with songs like “My Friend Ringo” and “Amy Grant,” or at least their titles.

The first night, a girl between the ages of 20 and 201/4 who’s probably never heard of the Replacements, never wants to hear of the Replacements again, and probably dearly wishes they’d been taken up on their name, watches as they take the stage. She remains seated the entire night, her mouth open. Someday, someone will move her.

During the three nights, the Mats manage to include a lot of their own songs, many among the most magnificent of the decade. The first night, Westerberg changes the lyrics of “Bastards Of Young” most adroitly; later on, he makes the line “definitely not L.A.” from “Left Of The Dial” sound like something less than a testimonial to a grand city.

There’s plenty more to look forward to at a Replacements’ show - one night, for example, Westerberg ended a string of boom-boom false starts with “waitress In The Sky” and “g’night.” Another found him dabbling with five seconds’ worth of Neil Young’s “Helpless,” and another had him turning in stellar acoustic versions of “Skyway” and “If Only You Were Lonely.”

Never dull and scarcely predictable, you could do a lot worse than seeing the Replacements. If nothing else, it’ll give you some great stories to tell at the next concert you go to.

CREEM’s Profiles: The Replacements

Home: Left Of The Dial. AGE: Bastards of Young. PROFESSION: World’s Greatest Rock 'N' Roll Band 1987. HOBBIES: Dealing with them “nightclub jitters”; “magic pants” & plaids; Alex Chilton; loving rock ’n’ roll; hating “rock ’n’ roll”; playing rock 'n' roll... LAST BOOK READ: Elvis: The Final Years by Jerry Hopkins. LAST ACCOMPLISHMENT: Making people laugh. QUOTE: “I don’t know.” PROFILE: These guys get a bad rap. One day they might be drunk; next day, not so drunk. One day, great onstage; next day, not so, with only moments of greatness. People say they’re “the bad boys of rock.” If they were boffing 12-year-old girls and doing tons of drugs and selling millions of records—instead of going back after a show to call their girlfriends, making about as much as they’d make in a factory but having fun, being mischievous but basically kind-hearted, and not selling many records but actually being as honest in their own way as John Lennon was in his—they’d be revered. Still, the music’s what will matter in the end. BEER: Boy Howdy!

#the replacements #paul westerberg #tommy stinson #chris mars #slim dunlap #creem magazine #creem archives

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usstateflagstournament · 8 months

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Awww... Minnesota gets their North Star flag, which was never actually used, in a bonus round? But Vermont doesn't get one with its old fourteen-star Republic-era flag? That one looks so much better than the modern seal-on-blue!

Sorry! I'm trying to use the most up-to-date version for each state. Minnesota has already voted that there will be a new flag, and since the North Star flag seems to be the most popular, I thought that was fair. Similar situation with Utah, where they have already voted for their new flag. While I'm generally against "seal on blue" flags, the old Vermont one hasn't been in place since 1923, and I think 100 years is too old to be considered as a current flag.

#thanks for getting me to look through vermonts old flags though!#asks

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mariacallous · 6 months

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Sheila Glickman Leventhal isn’t your average Jewish American grandma. The 82-year-old owner of Cecil’s Deli in St. Paul, Minnesota, the spot her parents opened and where she’s been peeling and dicing potatoes since she was eight years old, is also an every day yogi and was recently named the St. Paul deli matriarch.

In a chaotic, fun interview with lots of laughter, Sheila (along with the occasional two cents from her daughter Becca Kvasnik) told me the most important factor to restaurant success, the most essential Jewish ingredient, and how she’s pretty confident she could still make schmaltz on Mars.

This interview has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

What is it like running a Jewish food space in an off the beaten path Jewish area?

Sheila: Listen. We’re not off the beaten path. A lot of Jews settled here. They may have gone to New York but then they came here, either because they had family here or because they found it safer. I know that’s the way my mother-in-law felt, who first settled in Brooklyn.

What is the most popular menu item?

Sheila: The Reuben, absolutely.

Name a food that was once popular and has since gone out of style.

Sheila: Let’s say tongue. If you’re a New Yorker, you expect tongue on the menu. Tongue was an item that we discontinued because people stopped wanting it. It wasn’t healthy. We used to stuff the chicken neck…

Becca: Oh Jesus.

Sheila: … I can still see my grandmother standing there stuffing the chicken neck. We have it in the case, though we don’t make it. We have it frozen in the case. I’m pretty sure I can make it. I just don’t know where I would get the skin off the chicken neck.

Becca: Sounds like a winter project.

Sheila: Yes!

Do you think people are looking for more traditional Jewish dishes or a modern twist?

Sheila: It’s all about the old favorites. We sell a lot of chicken matzah ball soup. A lot! And sweet and sour cabbage borscht. It’s always been popular.

Have you seen an increased interest in Jewish food lately?

Sheila: When my husband and I got married in 1961, there were 13 Jewish delis in St. Paul. That’s not including Minneapolis. Today, there is only one in St. Paul.

What’s the secret to success?

Sheila: I consider consistency the biggest part of being able to stay in business. Be consistent and try to keep your people happy.

What do your non-Jewish customers think of the deli?

Sheila: After the Jews left the neighborhood the non Jews took their place very quickly and were our best customers. They wanted kosher corned beef, but with all the kosher meat places in Chicago closing down things got more difficult.

Any secrets you’re willing to share for making great Jewish food?

Sheila: Schmaltz! My parents opened this business in 1949 and my mother always used beef liver (to make chopped liver). She never used chicken liver. Now, we use beef liver and combine it with onions and schmaltz. It’s to taste and it’s a simple thing. A little bit of schmaltz in everything goes a long way.

Is there a story behind the menu? Any nostalgic menu items?

Sheila: The menu hasn’t dropped many of the original items. The current menu is huge. My son creates the menu and he gets a little carried aways because he’s always wanting to create new things. I would say the matzah ball soup.

Becca: And the corn beef sandwich.

Sheila: Oh, and the potato salad and coleslaw! Our potato salad and creamy coleslaw recipe has not changed since I was a little girl.

Where do you see Jewish food going?

Sheila: Let me just say that I plan to be here another 20 years.

Becca: Oy.

Sheila: My daughter thinks I’ll outlive her. Anyway, I don’t think Jewish food will ever go away. I see the way people are. They love it. You should see what it’s like at Christmas, how the people flock! The young families, the old families, they love our food and they love that kind of food. I think that’s how things are always going to be unless we live on another planet where the delivery would be harder. Although we might be able to create our own (schmaltz), all we really need is a chicken.

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richincolor · 2 years

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New Releases - Week of September 5, 2002

September is starting off with a huge pile of new books. Here are some that we're watching for this week:

Self-Made Boys: A Great Gatsby Remix (Remixed Classics #5) by Anna-Marie McLemore Feiwel & Friends

New York City, 1922. Nicolás Caraveo, a 17-year-old transgender boy from Minnesota, has no interest in the city’s glamor. Going to New York is all about establishing himself as a young professional, which could set up his future—and his life as a man—and benefit his family.Nick rents a small house in West Egg from his 18-year-old cousin, Daisy Fabrega, who lives in fashionable East Egg near her wealthy fiancé, Tom—and Nick is shocked to find that his cousin now goes by Daisy Fay, has erased all signs of her Latina heritage, and now passes seamlessly as white.Nick’s neighbor in West Egg is a mysterious young man named Jay Gatsby, whose castle-like mansion is the stage for parties so extravagant that they both dazzle and terrify Nick. At one of these parties, Nick learns that the spectacle is all for the benefit of impressing a girl from Jay’s past—Daisy. And he learns something else: Jay is also transgender.As Nick is pulled deeper into the glittery culture of decadence, he spends more time with Jay, aiming to help his new friend reconnect with his lost love. But Nick’s feelings grow more complicated when he finds himself falling hard for Jay’s openness, idealism, and unfounded faith in the American Dream. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

The Weight of Blood by Tiffany D. Jackson Katherine Tegen Books

New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson ramps up the horror and tackles America’s history and legacy of racism in this suspenseful YA novel following a biracial teenager as her Georgia high school hosts its first integrated prom.When Springville residents—at least the ones still alive—are questioned about what happened on prom night, they all have the same explanation . . . Maddy did it.

An outcast at her small-town Georgia high school, Madison Washington has always been a teasing target for bullies. And she’s dealt with it because she has more pressing problems to manage. Until the morning a surprise rainstorm reveals her most closely kept secret: Maddy is biracial. She has been passing for white her entire life at the behest of her fanatical white father, Thomas Washington.

After a viral bullying video pulls back the curtain on Springville High’s racist roots, student leaders come up with a plan to change their image: host the school’s first integrated prom as a show of unity. The popular white class president convinces her Black superstar quarterback boyfriend to ask Maddy to be his date, leaving Maddy wondering if it’s possible to have a normal life.

But some of her classmates aren’t done with her just yet. And what they don’t know is that Maddy still has another secret . . . one that will cost them all their lives. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Daughters of the Dawn (Ria & Rani #2) by Sarena & Sasha Nanua HarperTeen

Ria and Rani have barely settled into their new lives at the palace–as princesses, as sisters–when a sinister prophecy uproots them once more.

The Blood Moon will rise in one month’s time, and with it their enemy Amara’s opportunity to destroy everything Ria and Rani hold dear.

The twin princesses must find Amara–a deadly search that separates Ria and Rani once more and takes them to wintry kingdoms and scorching deserts, pitting them against ancient mysteries and trap-ridden labyrinths, lethal sea monsters and an elusive enemy that steals into their very dreams. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Meet Me in Mumbai by Sabina Khan PUSH

Seventeen-year-old Mira Fuller-Jensen was adopted by her moms at birth. All she knows about her biological mother is that she was a high-school student from India who returned to India after giving birth. Although Mira loves her moms, she’s always felt out of place in her mostly white community.

So when Mira finds an old box with letters addressed to her from her birth mother, she sees a way to finally capture that feeling of belonging. Her mother writes that if Mira can forgive her for having to give her up, she should find a way to travel to India for her eighteenth birthday and meet her. Mira knows she’ll always regret it if she doesn’t go. But is she actually ready for what she will learn? — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Monsters Born and Made by Tanvi Berwah Sourcebooks Fire

Sixteen-year-old Koral and her older brother Emrik risk their lives each day to capture the monstrous maristags that live in the black seas around their island. They have to, or else their family will starve.

In an oceanic world swarming with vicious beasts, the Landers―the ruling elite, have indentured Koral’s family to provide the maristags for the Glory Race, a deadly chariot tournament reserved for the upper class. The winning contender receives gold and glory. The others―if they’re lucky―survive.

When the last maristag of the year escapes and Koral has no new maristag to sell, her family’s financial situation takes a turn for the worse and they can’t afford medicine for her chronically ill little sister. Koral’s only choice is to do what no one in the world has ever dared: cheat her way into the Glory Race.

But every step of the way is unpredictable as Koral races against contenders―including her ex-boyfriend―who have trained for this their whole lives and who have no intention of letting a low-caste girl steal their glory. When a rebellion rises and rogues attack Koral to try and force her to drop out, she must choose―her life or her sister’s―before the whole island burns. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

The Sunbearer Trials (The Sunbearer Duology #1) by Aiden Thomas Feiwel & Friends

Welcome to The Sunbearer Trials, where teen semidioses compete in a series of challenges with the highest of stakes, in this electric new Mexican-inspired fantasy from Aiden Thomas, the New York Times bestselling author of Cemetery Boys.

“Only the most powerful and honorable semidioses get chosen. I’m just a Jade. I’m not a real hero.”

As each new decade begins, the Sun’s power must be replenished so that Sol can keep traveling along the sky and keep the evil Obsidian gods at bay. Ten semidioses between the ages of thirteen and eighteen are selected by Sol himself as the most worthy to compete in The Sunbearer Trials. The winner carries light and life to all the temples of Reino del Sol, but the loser has the greatest honor of all―they will be sacrificed to Sol, their body used to fuel the Sun Stones that will protect the people of Reino del Sol for the next ten years.

Teo, a 17-year-old Jade semidiós and the trans son of Quetzal, goddess of birds, has never worried about the Trials…or rather, he’s only worried for others. His best friend Niya―daughter of Tierra, the god of earth―is one of the strongest heroes of their generation and is much too likely to be chosen this year. He also can’t help but worry (reluctantly, and under protest) for Aurelio, a powerful Gold semidiós and Teo’s friend-turned-rival who is a shoo-in for the Trials. Teo wouldn’t mind taking Aurelio down a notch or two, but a one-in-ten chance of death is a bit too close for Teo’s taste.

But then, for the first time in over a century, Sol chooses a semidiós who isn’t a Gold. In fact, he chooses two: Xio, the 13-year-old child of Mala Suerte, god of bad luck, and…Teo. Now they must compete in five mysterious trials, against opponents who are both more powerful and better trained, for fame, glory, and their own survival. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

Our Shadows Have Claws: 15 Latin American Monster Stories edited by Yamile Saied Méndez Algonquin Young Readers

From zombies to cannibals to death incarnate, this cross-genre anthology offers something for every monster lover. In Our Shadows Have Claws, bloodthirsty vampires are hunted by a quick-witted slayer; children are stolen from their beds by “el viejo de la bolsa” while a military dictatorship steals their parents; and anyone you love, absolutely anyone, might be a shapeshifter waiting to hunt.

The worlds of these stories are dark but also magical ones, where a ghost-witch can make your cheating boyfriend pay, bullies are brought to their knees by vicious wolf-gods, a jar of fireflies can protect you from the reality-warping magic of a bruja—and maybe you’ll even live long enough to tell the tale. Set across Latin America and its diaspora, this collection offers bold, imaginative stories of oppression, grief, sisterhood, first love, and empowerment.

Full contributor list: Chantel Acevedo, Courtney Alameda, Julia Alvarez, Ann Dávila Cardinal, M. García Peña, Racquel Marie, Gabriela Martins, Yamile Saied Méndez, Maika Moulite and Maritza Moulite, Claribel A. Ortega, Amparo Ortiz, Lilliam Rivera, Jenny Torres Sanchez, Ari Tison, and Alexandra Villasante. — Cover image and summary via Goodreads

#new releases #young adult lit

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myloveforhergoeson · 8 months

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His Girl Friday - Scene 1

Throughout his entire life, James had spent a lot of time doing his best to live up to the expectations of others, so much so that becoming someone else almost came second nature. From being his mother’s perfect son to the Mountain Aire High hockey team’s perfect right defense, the perfect homecoming king, and the most popular guy in school, he executed his roles flawlessly. So, why, he thought, as he sat inside the entryway of Duluth’s Paramount Theater, why am I so nervous for this pop star audition?

He had already had a hell of a day, being chased by the girl’s field hockey team for turning the sprinklers on during their practice, practically stealing Mrs. Magacowski’s car in order to drive to the audition when Kendall’s mom was too busy, then slipping and falling on the snow outside despite his years of perfecting stability on the ice… Everything that had led up to this moment felt like a bad omen, an omen that knotted his stomach as he wrung his shaking hands together, running through the lyrics of the song he had chosen to audition with again and again.

After bumbling into the theater with minutes to spare before the auditions ended, and legendary producer Gustavo Rocque made his way back to Hollywood, James and his closest friends had managed to secure the last four spots of the day.

He was touched that Kendall, Logan, and Carlos wanted to audition in solidarity but didn’t know how to express this to them. They were always doing things like that for him, running for dance court, auditioning for the school musical, and giving up precious time of their own, all so he wouldn’t feel alone and unsupported in his decisions.

I’m lucky to have them, James reminded himself, and even if they’ve landed supporting roles in musicals before, there’s no way they’re better than me.

Logan, audition number 810, had been the first of the four to go, leaving Carlos, James, and Kendall to their own devices as they waited in the lobby for him to return.

This was when, of all the other teenagers pouting, sobbing, shaking with their heads in their hands as they made their way out into the cold Minnesota night, James noticed one person in the room doing her best to wipe a shit-eating grin right off her face.

Who could look that happy after an audition with Gustavo Rocque?

Knot growing inside his stomach, James immediately sized the girl - beautiful as he thought she was - up as his competition, watching as she took a small lap around the lobby, clutching what looked to be a black, leatherbound notebook to her chest. It seemed as though she were searching for something, but what it may have been was unclear.

That was until she noticed Logan rush quickly back into the room from the auditorium where the auditions were being held and she seemed to lock into him, the same way he would lock onto a hockey puck during a game. Unrelenting gaze, mixed with clear focus and determination… There was no question this mystery girl was on a mission.

James took note of this, still playing his audition song over in his head, as she carefully watched his friend exit the theater, following Logan’s every move as he climbed back into the plastic chair beside Carlos, rocking back and forth as he muttered something almost incomprehensible about the famous producer.

Eagle eyes catching the slightest shift in the girl’s pace from the corner of his vision, James watched as her eyes softened, and then he just as easily glanced away as her gaze slid over each of his friends. Maybe she was studying them, She obviously thinks we’re irresistible, and once she slung one of the straps of her mini backpack off her shoulder and dug around the pouch for a few seconds, she pulled out a small pack of multi-colored tissues.

With a deep breath, the girl seemed to muster up a bit of courage before placing one foot in front of the other, carrying herself with her head held high as she crossed the room - only interrupted by Kelly Wainwright, Gustavo’s talent scout, calling out for number 811: Carlos.

Cutting her clean off, Carlos managed to run into the auditorium with no problem, though it seemed to shake the girl a bit before she continued onward toward Logan.

“Hey, take a couple of tissues. Mr. Rocque is out of control, so try not to take his words to heart.”

Sure, she had been speaking to Logan, but the minute her words reached James’ ears, he found himself wishing she was speaking to him. Clear, confident, commanding.

With a voice like that, no wonder she walked out of there so happy…

She was closer now, so close that the sweet floral smell of her perfume radiated off of her… James said a small prayer that it wasn’t one of his mother’s many, many concoctions.

To his right, Kendall nudged him in the ribs, eyes flickering between himself and the girl, waggling his bushy eyebrows. To his left, Logan seemed just about as caught off guard as James was, immediately stopping his sniffling at the sound of the newcomer’s voice, trying to act as if he hadn’t been crying from the producer’s harsh words at all. Graciously, the boy accepted her offer, smiling a bit as he said, “Thanks, it means a lot…”

There was a brief moment of awkward silence; She looked as if she wanted to say something, but was struggling to find the words.

No way she’s hitting on him… Not when I’m right here…

“I’m Logan Mitchell,” His friend introduced, before turning and gesturing towards the other two sitting beside him, “And these are my friends, James Diamond and Kendall Knight, and the guy inside, probably getting crushed by Gustavo, is Carlos Garcia.”

Introducing them, last names and all, set off the alarm bells in James’ brain, which he did his very best to ignore as he gave the girl a small wave of greeting despite the noticeable tremor racking his body. He would’ve said something, anything, had he not felt a lump collecting in the middle of his throat. The Diamond’s had quite the reputation in the Midwest, and though he would never admit it out loud, James loathed the baggage he carried along through their family name.

To his surprise, she didn’t seem to have any reaction to it - Diamond isn’t that common of a last name… is it? - as she reached out to shake Logan’s hand.

“I was just in before you. I’m Roxanne Somerset.” She plainly stated, as if it were an uninteresting fact, before digging into what she had really wanted to tell them. “And Gustavo is desperate to find someone, so you two do your best okay?”

It took James a second to realize Roxanne was talking directly to himself and Kendall before she continued, “You can’t let him intimidate you. As I walked out of my audition, I heard him telling his assistant that if they don’t bring someone home tonight, they’re fired.”

She can’t be saying that to be nice.

Before he was able to analyze her statement anymore, a reverberated fart noise echoed off the walls of the theater, causing Roxanne to look up and cock her head.

He let his eyes trace the outline of her face as her hair fell to the side.

“Do you go to Mountain Aire?” Logan asked her, cutting the noise off as Carlos came racing back to his seat, giggling loud enough to disrupt the chatter from other auditionees in the lobby. Without skipping a beat, he took the closest open seat, not batting an eyelid toward the girl.

Of course, she doesn’t, we would’ve noticed a girl like that-

“Yeah. Do you four? I just transferred there is semester from Twin Pines.”

James had dated a girl from Twin Pines earlier in the year; She hadn’t been interested in him much beyond the Brooke Diamond Cosmetics company he was the heir to, however, and that was just fine in his book. They had a good two weeks of fooling around before he decided he was bored and broke things off with her a few days later. What was her name? Mitsy?

When he noticed his friend smile at her comment and claim, “I knew I’d seen you somewhere before!” the knot in his stomach grew.

Able to expertly hide this feeling, he cleared his throat before blurting, “New Girl, nice!”, hoping Roxanne wasn’t able to detect the nervous break in his voice.

Why didn’t Logan mention-

“Number 812! 812 please!”

From behind the curtain separating the auditorium from the lobby, Kelly poked her head out, calling the number sticking to James’ lucky white v-neck and black vest.

When James shot his hand out to Kendall’s chest, trying to rip number 813 off his friend’s jacket, his years of quick reflexes were no match for those of the MAHS hockey team captain.

“James… this is your dream, not mine-”

Does he ever cool it with the speeches? So dramatic…

“- go big time.”

Before he knew it, James was spun around and roughly shoved toward the curtain separating the waiting room from the stage. As much as he loved the physical prowess being a hockey player afforded him, he hated that his friends were just as strong as he was, and he dwelled on this until -

“Good luck!”

Roxanne’s words were barely above a whisper as he pushed the black cloth back, but he heard her as if she were the only person standing in the room with him. And for a second, he wished she was. It was far easier to impress strangers than his own friends.

She’d like my piece. He reassured himself, as he walked in front of the Hollywood mega-star and his talent scout, forgetting everything except for the slow, sweet Smokey Robinson tune playing in his head. Time to be the perfect pop star.

In an instant, Kelly had run up to the stage and shoved a piece of paper into James’ hand as Gustavo yelled out, “Sing that! Now!”

From his time in theater, sight-reading a song came as easy as reading a book - plus, it was far less boring. The issue, however, was this was a song he didn’t recognize, one by the title of “From Me to You, With Love.”

What? Lame.

Easily crumpling the sheet up and tossing it over his shoulder, James cleared his throat, tapped the microphone on stage in front of him, and began to sing “Tracks of My Tears.”

#thats all she wrote fic #his girl friday scenes #fresh new tag😩

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livskyblues · 1 year

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Best Things to Do in Maple Grove, MN | Parks & Attractions

Maple Grove is a thriving city in Minnesota with a diverse range of attractions and activities to offer. From natural beauty to cultural experiences, Maple Grove is the perfect place to spend your next vacation.

Here are the best things to do in Maple Grove, MN:

Explore Nature at Elm Creek Park Reserve

One of the most popular outdoor destinations in Maple Grove, Elm Creek Park Reserve is a 4,900-acre park with stunning natural beauty and plenty of outdoor activities to enjoy. Take a hike on one of the many trails, go bird watching, or picnic in the lush surroundings. In the winter, the park is also a great place to go cross-country skiing or snowshoeing.

Visit the Maple Grove Farmers Market

If you're looking for a unique shopping experience, the Maple Grove Farmers Market is a must-visit. This outdoor market is open from mid-June to mid-October and offers a wide range of locally grown produce, artisanal crafts, and delicious food. Whether you're looking for fresh fruit, handcrafted jewelry, or a delicious lunch, you'll find it all at the Maple Grove Farmers Market.

Enjoy the Arts at the Weisman Art Museum

For a cultural experience, head to the Weisman Art Museum in nearby Minneapolis. This museum features a collection of American art from the 20th and 21st centuries, including works by renowned artists like Pablo Picasso and Frank Lloyd Wright. With its stunning architecture and dynamic exhibitions, the Weisman Art Museum is a must-visit for art lovers.

Shop and Dine at the Shoppes at Arbor Lakes

The Shoppes at Arbor Lakes is a large outdoor mall with a diverse range of shops, restaurants, and entertainment options. With over 70 stores and restaurants, there's something for everyone here. Whether you're looking for the latest fashion trends, delicious food, or a movie theater, you'll find it all at the Shoppes at Arbor Lakes.

Relax and Recharge at Life Time Fitness

After a long day of exploring Maple Grove, take some time to relax and recharge at Life Time Fitness. This luxurious fitness center offers a variety of activities and amenities, including a gym, pool, spa, and yoga studio. Whether you're looking to work out, meditate, or simply unwind, Life Time Fitness is the perfect place to do so.

Conclusion

From outdoor adventures to cultural experiences, Maple Grove is a vibrant city with a wide range of attractions and activities to enjoy. Whether you're a nature lover, foodie, or art aficionado, you'll find something to love in Maple Grove. So why not plan your next vacation to this charming city today?

#MapleGroveMNAttractions #DiscoverMapleGrove #MapleGroveNatureAdventures #ArtsAndCultureInMapleGrove #RelaxAndRechargeInMapleGrove

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lappina · 1 year

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Exploring Minneapolis Northwest: A Guide to the Top Things to Do in the Area

Minneapolis Northwest, located in the state of Minnesota, is a vibrant and bustling area that offers a wide variety of things to see and do. The area is home to many beautiful parks, lakes, and recreational areas, as well as excellent shopping, dining, and entertainment options. Whether you're a first-time visitor or a frequent traveler, there's something for everyone in Minneapolis Northwest. Here are some of the top things to do in this exciting area.

Visit Elm Creek Park Reserve. This park is one of the most popular in the area and offers a wide variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, biking, and horseback riding. The park also has a number of lakes where visitors can swim, fish, and boat.

Explore the Shoppes at Arbor Lakes. This outdoor shopping mall is home to a wide variety of shops, restaurants, and entertainment options. Visitors can shop for clothing, jewelry, and gifts, and enjoy a meal at one of the many restaurants. There are also a number of events and activities held throughout the year, making it a great place to visit again and again.

Take a trip to the Maple Grove Arboretum. This beautiful arboretum is home to a wide variety of trees and plants, as well as a number of walking trails. Visitors can explore the arboretum on foot or by bike, and learn about the different types of trees and plants that can be found in the area.

Visit the Rush Creek Golf Club. This 18-hole golf course is one of the best in the area and offers a challenging and enjoyable round of golf. The course is surrounded by beautiful lakes and woodlands, making it a picturesque place to play.

Take a trip to the Fish Lake Regional Park. This park offers a wide variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, biking, and fishing. Visitors can also take a leisurely stroll around the lake or have a picnic.

Visit the Maple Grove Farmers Market. This farmers market is held every Saturday from June to October, and offers a wide variety of fresh fruits, vegetables, and other locally-sourced products. Visitors can also enjoy live music, food trucks, and other special events throughout the season.

Take a trip to the Elm Creek Park Reserve. This park is one of the most popular in the area and offers a wide variety of outdoor activities, including hiking, biking, and horseback riding. The park also has a number of lakes where visitors can swim, fish, and boat.

Visit the Osseo Ice Arena. This ice arena offers public skating, hockey, and figure skating programs, as well as birthday party rentals and open hockey. This is a great place to spend a winter day or evening, and enjoy some ice skating or hockey.

These are just a few of the many things to see and do in Minneapolis Northwest. With its beautiful parks, recreational areas, shopping and dining options, this area is sure to have something for everyone. So, plan your trip to Minneapolis Northwest today and experience all that this great area has to offer.

#MinneapolisArts #MinneapolisOutdoors #MinneapolisEvents #MinneapolisCulture #MinneapolisBoutiques #MinneapolisFarmersMarket #MinneapolisFoodScene #MinneapolisNeighborhoods

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