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uneasylisteningradio · 4 years

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Audio & Playlist for July 10, 2020: Vegetables

CHOMP Songs about vegetables! Pretty much the only thing i eat (also eat fruits and nuts and grains and legumes and the last 2 are in this show a bit anyway!!). I decided to save potatoes (along with tomatoes, which are a fruit anyway) for a future show. So at least we have that to look forward to.

link to downloadable audio Playlist: Undertones - When Saturday Comes - Positive Touch Beach Boys - Vegetables - Smiley Smile

DJ speaks over Bad Boys - Black Olives

Alvin Robinson - Down Home Girl - Fever/Down Home Girl That Petrol Emotion - Lettuce - Manic Pop Thrill Eggs - Minestrone - Exploder Robyn Hitchcock - Vegetable Friend - Invisible Hitchcock Bee Gees - Cucumber Castle - Bee Gees 1st Mushroom Attack - Mushroom Attack - A Nightmare on Albion Street

DJ speaks over Just Brothers - Slicing Tomatoes

Shonen Knife - Fruits and Vegetables - Brand New Knife Eldridge Holmes - Pop, Popcorn Children - Pop, Popcorn Children / Cheatin' Woman Olu Dara - Okra - In The World - From Natchez To New York Little Richard - Rice, Red Beans and Turnip Greens - Always/Rice Red Beans and Turnip Greens Alice Faye, Jack Haley and Shirley Temple - You've Gotta Eat Your Spinach, Baby - Poor Little Rich Girl Sportchestra - We Want Beans Not Goals - 101 Songs About Sport

DJ speaks over Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass - Green Peppers

Manfred Hubler & Siegfried Schwab - The Lions and the Cucumber - Vampyros Lesbos Soundtrack Leadbelly - Green Corn - Leadbelly Erykah Badu - Green Eyes (Part 1) - Live 2006 Orson Welles - Some Thoughts on Frozen Peas Tony Joe White - Polk Salad Annie - Black and White

DJ speaks over Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band - Ah Carrot Is as Close as ah Rabbit to Gets to ah Diamond

Coil - Broccoli - Musick To Play In The Dark Malvina Reynolds - Artichokes - Artichokes, Griddle Cakes and Other Good Things The Babe Rainbow - Secret Enchanted Broccoli Forest - The Babe Rainbow EP Billy Cotton and His Band - The Marrow Song (Oh What a Beauty) - The Marrow Song/Lulu Had a Baby The Kingsmen - Jolly Green Giant - The Kingsmen Volume 3

DJ speaks over Bobby Arlin - Mushroom Machine Part 2

Count Basie - Mama Don't Want No Peas 'n Rice 'n Coconut Oil - Texas Shuffle / Mama Don't Want No Peas An' Rice An' Coconut Oil Bluttat - Kohl Ist Gewählt - More Noise 1 Magnet - Corn Rigs - Wicker Man Soundtrack Susan Christie - I Love Onions - I Love Onions / Take Me As You Find Me The Shapes - Wot's for Lunch Mum (Not B****s Again!) - Wot's for Lunch Mum? Half Man Half Biscuit - Asparagus Next Left - Achtung Bono The Association - Broccoli - The Association Ernest V. Stoneman And His Blue Ridge Corn Shuckers - Old Time Corn Shuckin' Part 1 - Old Time Corn Shuckin - Part 1 / Old Time Corn Shuckin - Part

DJ speaks over Dizzy Gillespie - Pickin' the Cabbage

The JB's - Pass the Peas - Food For Thought (Pass The Peas I Mean Gimme Some More) Gershon Kingsley - Popcorn - At Home with the Groovebox The Stalin - Tamenegi Batake (Onion Field) - Stop Jap Pink Turds in Space - Beanz Meanz Drough Bombs - Sedition / Pink Turds In Space

DJ speaks over Booker T and the MG's - Green Onions

RZA - Grits - Birth of a Prince

#radio #community radio #vegetables #psychedelic music #hip hop #punk #anarcho punk #post punk #country music #soul #funk #popcorn #folk music #folk rock #industrial #orson welles

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fillielitsa · 4 years

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There's no Xbox or PlayStation for most of the kids in the Rohingya refugee camps in Bangladesh. But there are kites.

In the late afternoon, a steady wind blows over the hills of the Hakimpara refugee camp. Young boys race to a ridge at the top of the settlement to fly homemade kites. Some of the "kites" are little more than a plastic bag flapping on a string. But some are more sophisticated with long tails and frilly tassels. "This is a new kite and I'm very happy with it," says 7-year-old Mohammed Arfat as he reels out string to a silvery kite 30 or 40 feet above him.

Arfat adds that any day he's not able to fly a kite, he feels upset.

I ask Arfat where he got his fancy new kite. He tells me that there's "this guy" who makes them and gives them away.

The "guy" turns out to be a 10-year-old named Fayes Khamal.

"It's easy to make kites but I need to find the materials," says Khamal. "And it takes a bit of time."

Khamal uses bits of castoff bamboo and opaque plastic sheeting to fashion his kites — leftovers from the shelters people build and bits of trash he finds. In the simple shelter Khamal shares with his parents, he splits bamboo into thin strips with a machete and uses the bamboo as a frame for the kite. Then he stretches the plastic sheeting over it, tying it with string to the bamboo. After he's made the diamond-shaped body of the kite, he cuts a plastic grocery bag into strips and teases the ends into frilly tassels. Khamal attaches these to the kite to make the tail and what he calls "arms" — strips of plastic that dangle from each side of the kite and flap wildly when it's flying in the air.

"If it didn't have arms and a tail the kite won't fly well," he says. "It would spin around in the sky. It needs these extra pieces."

He says once he has the materials he needs, it only takes him about 20 to 30 minutes to build a kite. Khamal makes four or five a week and gives them away to younger kids. His mother, Yemma Kulsom, sews clothes to earn extra cash. Khamal often borrows her thread and needles for his kite projects.

Kulsom says her son taught himself how to make kites back in Myanmar about three years ago. She says they've gotten more and more sophisticated as he's gotten older. They were forced to flee, she says, after an attack by the military on Rohingya rebels. "When we heard that soldiers were coming toward our village, everyone hid in the forest," she says. "When we emerged the soldiers had burned down our houses. That's when we decided to come here to Bangladesh."

Kulsom says her dream for her son is that he gets a good education. He attends a school that meets for two hours most afternoons.

In the mornings, he goes with his father to the edge of the camp to collect firewood. She says Khamal is a good student and she thinks maybe he could be a teacher when he grows up. Khamal says he'd prefer to be a shopkeeper.

For now, however, he's the "kite guy."

Once he finishes making his latest kite he takes it out for a test flight.

The camp is dry. Powdery beige dust covers just about everything. Khamal starts to run up a path that cuts between the shelters. His kite rises up behind him. It flits through the air like a fish fighting its way upstream. The opaque plastic shimmers in the sky. Its tail darts from side to side. Khamal beams up at his homemade kite. For a moment it's the brightest object in the camp.

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kpop-uni · 5 years

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Castles in the Sunset // One

Idol!MarkxFem!ReaderxIdol!BamBam Words: 2.4K Prologue // Chapter 2 A/N: Thank you guys for waiting a bit for me to post the first chapter~ I hope you guys enjoyed it and please leave me your thoughts! I know we don’t get much in this chapter but the next one will have more interactions and dialogue

The light breeze hit your face, the few strands of your hair that weren’t long enough to be held up by your bun tickled your neck and cheeks. The only sounds were of the waves crashing and the seagulls singing their songs, making you smile at the peaceful morning. You enjoyed sitting out on your porch to watch the waves slowly creep up to the shore, or hit the rocks alongside it. There was something about early mornings like this that made you relax and think about everything.

When Mark left, you went back to your parents and roomed with them. Your dad was angry, not at you, he said he could never be mad at you. But mad at the fact that Mark would up and leave with only a little letter behind. Your mom, on the other hand, assured you that he would regret his choice. You stayed with them back in your old room, your parents taking care of getting your things and selling your apartment. It was almost strange walking into your old bedroom, the walls now white instead of the soft color it once was. But your bed was still there along with your desk, now being used as a guest room.

During the first couple of months, you stayed inside, hardly going out unless it was with your mom and dad. You preferred to stay in, not feeling up to facing the world yet. When your stomach started to show, it lined up perfectly with winter and you got away with wearing oversized hoods and jackets to avoid the bump being seen. You still lived in the area where you and Mark shared your home, so you were always afraid to bump into him or any of his friends, scared of the idea of a confrontation between you and him.

You were around seven months when you bumped into Mark’s dad at the grocery store. He said he was out an about with his wife and they were traveling, so they decided to pass by for snacks before heading off into the road. You gave them a smile, hoping to fool them into thinking you were fine without their son. Mr. Tuan gently rubbed your arm, giving you a sad smile as he told you that they all miss you and to not be a stranger. But as much as you loved Mark’s parents, you couldn’t keep a conversation with them, not when you still had feelings for Mark. They mentioned they were moving out of their old home, going more South of the state to the warmth.

It was Spring when you finally had your daughter, Faye. She was born early morning on May 10th, crying for a while until she tired herself out and fell asleep. You held her for a while before your mom took her, letting you rest while she made sure Faye slept. She was a calm baby, never cried and only smiled, loving to be in everyone's arms, only wanting attention. She alone was the only thing in this world apart from your memories that remained of Mark.

You began to get your life together when your daughter was six months, your parents helping you with babysitting while you worked as a waitress at a restaurant. The place was popular, especially at nights and when you did work nights, the tips were the best. You saved them all until you could finally afford a place all on your own.

You browsed through houses and apartments to the North of the state when you came across one by the beach and still close enough to your parents home and your job. Plus, the area was still warm even during the winter which meant you didn't have to worry about snow. You met with the woman who was renting it, taking a tour of the place before deciding on it. Your parents helped you move in, setting up Faye’s room and with any other room they could.

You lived comfortably in the house, and with the beach being your backyard, you always had time to go out and enjoy the time there with Faye. She grew up loving the ocean and learning to swim quickly, wanting to grow up to be a mermaid and live with her friends in the ocean... well, at least that what she said.

“Mommy?”

You turned to look at Faye, now five years old and rubbing her eyes, her stuffed elephant in her arm. She slowly made her way over toward you, still full of sleep and therefore practically dragging her feet.

You gave her a smile, crouching down and engulfing her in a hug, letting her cheek rest on your arm. “Do you work today?” She whispered, her soft breath tickling your arm.

“No, I worked last night, remember?” You gave her a small squeeze before letting go, Faye humming and looking at her elephant, hugging it.

You watch Faye press her cheek to her elephant’s head, looking at you and yawning. You gently pet her head, giving her a smile and a kiss on the forehead. “Want to spend the day with me instead of going to school? We can go grocery shopping and then to the beach?”

Faye’s face lit up, a grin forming on her lips as she nodded, running back to her room. “I’m going to get changed!” You smiled, letting her rush off before getting changed yourself.

Between the two of you, you packed the food you were going to need for the week, getting fruits and plenty of vegetables, some meats and anything else. Faye held on to the cart, purple star-shaped sunglasses on her face and jean overalls on as she rushed ahead to get a bag of cookies she liked.

Faye looked exactly like her dad. You would notice when she looked at things in her hand, her eyes examining it before giving a shrug and either taking it or leaving it. When she smiled, it was almost an exact replica of Mark’s, her eyes squinting and all her teeth showing. She even had that habit of scrunching her nose like him.

You sat on the sand, watching your daughter build a small sandcastle, getting more sand to make it bigger. You rested your cheek on your knee, watching as she built to her heart’s content before she grinned at you.

“Do you like it, mommy?”

You couldn’t help the grin that spread across your face, reaching over to wrap your arms around Faye, hugging her tightly and peppering kisses on her cheek as she giggled.

“I love it,” You admired her attempt of a castle, letting her point out all the parts of it. Faye wiggled out of your hold, standing next to her castle and posing. You snapped a photo and a video, Faye giggling before jumping on you, the two of you laughing as you pointed the camera to you and Faye. She took hold of it and waved, saying her hellos.

Eventually, you both needed to go back in and shower, Faye, going first and pulling on a pair of pajamas and watching TV while you got ready for work. You wanted to call off and spend the night in, you haven't had a night off since the previous week but you knew you needed the money. You could hear Faye giggling in the living room from the shower, smiling softly at her singing along to the song on the TV.

“Mommy! Grandma is here!”

You walked out of your room, securing your work shirt into your black jeans, giving your mom a smile and a kiss on the cheek.

“Hey mom, thanks for coming over.”“You know it’s never a problem,” She assured, taking her spot on the couch and sighing. "Something on your mind?"

"Leave it to you to see right through me," You gave your mom a smile, checking your bag to make sure everything was inside. "I don't know... I just feel like I should stay home tonight, you know?" You shrugged on your purse, grabbing your thin sweater. "Maybe it's just me being lazy."

"Why don't you call off? We can stay in and order pizza?" Faye immediately perked up and grinned, nodding her head.

"Oh please, mommy can I have pizza?"

You laughed at her puppy eyes, her hands clasped in front of her as she practically begged for you to get her pizza. "You guys can order pizza, but I have to work to be able to buy you more pizza."

With that, you left, giving your mom another thank you and giving Faye a tight hug and a kiss on the head, reminding her to sleep early for school the next day. Work was the usual, a lot of truck drivers passing through to take a break and people who lived around came to have a drink and relax after work. You walked in through the back entrance, going straight to your locker to put your things away and to clock in before heading to the front. By 11 the place was quiet, a few people have scattered around, talking quietly or enjoying time by themselves, letting you sit at the bar and relax.

You spoke with your coworker for a little, quietly laughing as she told you about a previous customer she had encountered. The two of you shared a couple of stories when you heard the front door open, sighing as you hoped whoever came in didn't sit in your area.

"If they sit in your section, you owe me a beer," You coworker looked at you, going back to watching the two men look around before heading to a booth. You turned your head, looking at your tables before spotting them sitting in your area, sighing out a smile.

"Get it on tap," You stood up from your stool, heading to the table with your notepad in hand, smiling at the two men. "Hey guys, can I get you anything to drink to start?"

One of them had dark hair, his eyes scanning the menu before looking up at you, giving you a childlike smile. He had on a long necklace and a thin string bracelet. A white buttoned down hanging from his shoulders with ripped black jeans. "A coke?"

The other looked like he was the same age, but if the other looked high class, this one could put the Queen of England to shame. It was almost midnight and this guy had on yellow-tinted sunglasses and three bracelets with nothing but diamonds. Not to mention the fact that he came in with a dress shirt, a pair of slacks and dress shoes.

If he went out like this to just a late dinner, you'd hate to see how he dressed for fancy ones.

"Me too,"

The moment he looked up at you, he squinted his eyes, taking you in. "Have I seen you before?"

You hummed, trying to think of previous nights you worked here that you could've seen him but you knew you would remember him. "Not that I remember, but I work here most nights if not mornings. Maybe then?"

The man hummed, shaking his head. "It's our first time coming here, maybe you just look like someone familiar." He paused, taking a good look at you before apologizing, giving you a warm smile.

"I don't know, I can't shake off the feeling like I've seen her before."

BamBam walked alongside Yugyeom, the two eating their second order of fries as they walked back to their temporary home. "Maybe she's a fan?" Yugyeom asked, looking at his friend as they made their way back to their home.

"No... fans usually drop some sort of hint that they're fans." BamBam tried to rake his brain the entire walk until finally reaching the house, the two letting themselves in.

"How was dinner?" Mark asked while sipping his soda, his eyes stayed glued to the TV. A movie was playing and since he decided to stay in with his mom, he didn't mind watching a couple of movies alone while she slept.

"I think Bam likes the waitress." Yugyeom teased, BamBam glaring at him playfully and tossing a couch pillow over to him.

"She just looked really familiar, I don't know I just feel like I've seen her or something..." BamBam sunk more into the tan colored couch, crossing his arms.

"Maybe she's a fan?" Mark asked, tilting his head over to see his two group mates.

BamBam ignored the two as Yugyeom perked up, saying he had pointed that idea out as well. BamBam ignored their jokes and laughter, raking his brain for any idea on how he knew you or where he had seen you. He kept to himself for a couple hours, surfing on his phone before Mark and Yugyeom went into the kitchen, eating the snacks they had bought earlier. Mark's mom came down, seeing Bam too engrossed in his phone as she put on her show, sitting where Mark previously was.

Bam eventually became engrossed in the show, dropping his phone next to him and giving the TV all his attention. When the credits started rolling, Bam groaned, sinking more into the couch as Mark's mom laughed, assuring him that the new episode would come soon.

"She reminds me of Mark's old girlfriend," She pointed to the actress that was shown in the previews. BamBam looked at the actress, tilting his head and looking back at Mark's mom.

"I don't think I've ever seen her."

"I’m surprised he never told you guys they were dating, they split right as the group got big," BamBam waited as she got up and walked to a shelf in the living room, going through the drawer. He sat up when she handed him the photo, sighing softly. "She was such a sweet girl. She loved Mark so much and Mark loved her. I just don't understand how they could break up when they were doing so good."

Bam's eyes widened, staring at the photo of you in Mark's hold, the two of you wearing identical sweaters and having big smiles on your faces. "Did they both agree to break it off?" Bam asked, looking up at Mark's mom.

She shrugged, taking the photo back a Bam gave it to her, putting it back in the shelf drawer with the rest of the pictures. "Mark never told us, he said he was going to visit her before he went back to Korea and the next time we heard from him, he said that they were over."

Bam nodded, staying quiet as he thought about the two of you, getting an idea.

(I almost forgot the tag list omg) Tags:

@coolcat494

#mark tuan scenario #mark tuan fic #mark tuan #mark scenario #mark fic #got7 mark #got7 scenario #got7 fic #kpop scenario #kpop fic #got7 #kpop #mark angst #got7 angst #kpop angst #Castles in the Sunset

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ladyimaginarium · 4 years

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#1: if someone wanted to really understand you, what would they read, watch, and listen to?

read: anything i have to say at 3am really LMAO, a song of ice and fire by george r.r martin, gangsta, harry potter, naruto, my muses ( or more specifically arthur woods, belle, rapunzel, lilo pelekai, stitch, hitoshi sora / colt, hints of erica abaddonato, ivanka glaziev-abaddonato, elsa of arendelle, luna lovegood, nina, newt scamander, alice cullen because many of these are the most like me in some way, shape or form in terms of personality traits ig )

watch: game of thrones ( only the first few seasons bc we dont talk about seasons 7 and 8 ), gangsta, harry potter, naruto, the cowboy screaming AAAAAAAAAAAAA video on youtube, kermit memes LMAO, HERE, HERE, HERE.

listen to: pretty much everything by billie eilish, pretty much anything sleeping at last sings, ride by lana del rey, nothing’s gonna hurt you baby by cigarettes after sex, roslyn by bon iver, possibility by lykke li, good enough by evanescence, imagine by avril lavigne, cruel world by faye, warrior by demi lovato, porcelain by marianas trench, fireflies by owl city, iris by the goo goo dolls, fools by troye sivan, elastic heart by sia, video games by lana del rey, youth by daughter, daddy issues by the neighbourhood, i will follow you into the dark by death cab for cutie, anything but ordinary by avril lavigne, girls your age by transviolet, never let me go by florence + the machine, jenny of oldstones by florence + the machine, running up that hill by placebo, hurricane by halsey, she’s thunderstorms by the arctic monkeys, summertime sadness by lana del rey, i wanna be yours by the arctic monkeys, is there somewhere by halsey, teen idle by marina and the diamonds ( kinda ), pity party by melanie martinez, heart out by the 1975, ghost by halsey, breathe me by sia, once upon a dream by lana del rey, to build a home by the cinematic orchestra, cry baby by melanie martinez, drive by halsey, what the water gave me - florence + the machine, r.i.p to my youth - the neighbourhood, landslide by the dixie chicks, ocean eyes by billie eilish, affection by cigarettes after sex, i wish i was the moon by neko case, while by guitar gently weeps by the beatles, pretty when you cry by lana del rey, dead to me by melanie martinez ( kinda ), yellow submarine by the beatles, i need your love by ellie goulding, all those pretty lights by andrew belle, emergency by paramore, hold on we’re going home by drake, happy by marina and the diamonds, million reasons by lady gaga, what makes you beautiful by one direction, the night we met by lord huron, lover’s eyes by mumford and sons, lovely by billie eilish and khalid, all this and heaven too by florence + the machine, hate to see your heart break by joy williams and paramore, no tears left to cry by ariana grande, how big, how blue, how beautiful by florence + the machine, like real people do by hozier, caught in the middle by paramore, writer in the dark by lorde, cosmic love by florence + the machine, flightless bird, american mouth by iron and wine, take me to church by hozier, stairway to heaven by led zeppelin, old money by lana del rey, stay by demi lovato ( cover ), human by dodie, feelings are fatal by mxmtoon, she by dodie, if i’m being honest by dodie, here by alessia cara. we gotta get out of this place by denmark + winter, stand by me by denmark + winter, you by the pretty reckless, ultraviolence by lana del rey

#!!!!!!#tw; long post #ayyyyy!!#this was tricky but YOOOO #dckxn #THE GODS HAVE SPOKEN. ( ANSWERED. )

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teaaandwriting · 5 years

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[Ethereals] R.O.P Date 1

The two sides of this arrangement meet for the first time.

“Hm.. is this thing on?”

The diamond- shaped object flickered slightly, as the user fumbled to get it to function properly. “Agh.. ethereal mechanisms are never easy… why do they always make this so difficult to use..?” Shaking and prodding the thing in their hands was a tall female, struggling to figure out the strange object in her hands, occasionally pushing the fringe of her platinum blonde hair from her reddish eyes. Seemingly through this method of poking, prodding and pressing, the top half of the diamond object swung back like a lid, and the girl naturally jumped back slightly in surprise. “Come on Faye, there is no way you broke it that easily, right..?” Muttering nervously to herself she looked inside, expecting to see nothing to confirm that yep, you broke it, but instead being greeted with one singular symbol. Breathing a sigh of relief she pressed the button gently, and was greeted with the shimmering reflection beaming out from within the object. “Aha! Ok ok, um- R.O.P Date 1..?”

“I have managed to access the Rejuvenation Plane, which no one- which I did not think would be possible for me to achieve, so I am feeling pretty good!” Faye started, a proud smile on her face. “The other half has yet to arrive, as you can probably tell by my lack of-“

“Seriously? Already with the stupid report things? I knew the angel was here already but honestly.” She was quickly cut off by an annoyed woman’s voice, and just like that, her back jerked slightly, as two cloud-like wings popped out from her back, stretching themselves out.

“Oh! Uh, report out!” The angel quickly dipped to the object, pressing the symbol and watching relieved when the projection zipped back inside. Picking up the object in her hands, she turned to see who had spoken, all the while trying to close the object back up.

Who greeted her when she turned around was a short young lady, short and wavy black hair framing her face in a bob, with eyes matching Faye’s own, fiery and red. On her head, two slightly curved horns, and on her back, two greatly arched wings, black and a deep red. “So... demon-“

“Lili.” The woman corrected curtly, eyebrows furrowing.

“Right, Lili, ok... well, it’s uh... nice to meet you..?” Faye fumbled, fighting with the object in her hands still, while trying to figure out a good way to talk to the other girl. Faye had ever met a demon before, they weren’t welcome on Angel terrain, and the other girl was mildly intimidating to her. The demon however, just smirked slightly. Looking at the object in Faye’s hands, she chuckled lightly and with one flick of the lid, she shut the object, and held out a hand.

“Likewise.” Her voice was smooth, calm, collected, if not a little tired. Faye hesitated a moment, feeling a bit embarrassed, before taking the other’s hand.

“Y..Yeah, likewise.”

—

“R.O.P date 1. Um, I managed to get in ok! So, um, no worries about that! I have met with Lili- um, the other half of this conscience. She is.. alright. She-“

“Oh c’mon, not this again, really?” With an arm suddenly slung around her shoulder, Faye flustered quickly, looking at the other girl and nodding.

“Yes, this again- it has to be done sooner or later-“ she spoke, only somewhat sure of herself, as she messed with a strand of her hair. Lili slumped further on the angel’s shoulder, before looking at the projection with a raised eyebrow. “This was the thing you couldn’t use? A hologram?”

“It is, um, a recording device. It shows us, and we speak into it, and then, it, I assume sends it to the other Angels..?” The blonde explained, sounding a bit confused as she at the very least tried to sound like she knew what she was doing. “You- you can do it with me if you wish-“

“Well it would help if you actually pressed to record.” The demon snickered slightly, watching as Faye realised that yep, she never actually started it, so she was completely just talking to herself, only able to mutter out a small ‘oh’ as Lili pressed the button.

“Um, R.O.P Date-“

“Hey to all the beings up there, we’re here and we’re good- human ain’t here tho, no clue where they could be, so-“

“You can not just say that! Have some manners for the Elite Angels!” Faye was quick to stop the other girl, however she just shrugged in response.

“Why not? They have no respect for us anyway, may as well treat ‘em the same way.” Lili quickly replied, before continuing. “The human ain’t here though, but we don’t know how this works, since you never told us, y’know?” She rolled her eyes, before Faye spoke up quickly.

“Um! I apologise for her rudeness, but she is still correct, um- other than that, everything has gone well! So that will be it for this report!” She stumbled over some of her words just trying to finish the report up, while praying the higher-ups wouldn’t completely destroy her for it.

Lili scoffed slightly, yet got the point anyway, and waved a dismissive hand at the device. “Yeah, yeah, we’re done, ok? You can shut the thing up- we’ll report more at a later date or whatever~”

“Y-Yeah, that is right! Um, R.O.P Date 1, report out!”

#short story #ethereals #original story #oc story #oc short #teaa’s writing #my writing #my work #creative writing #writing

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remotecontrolchuck · 6 years

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Toonami Night Review: Pop Team Epic Debuts on the Block!

Last week’s run was quite a ride, going crazy in the beginning while winding down in the end. And while I wasn’t able to see the entire run because of a bad headache at the time, I stuck around until the new and ongoing shows ended, and the old repeated shows began which I have already seen and talked about. But I digress, last week was the premiere of Pop Team Epic, an anime that many have compared to Adult Swim’s Robot Chicken, and it’s not hard to see why considering the amount of pop culture they referenced and parodied!

So far some of the other live bloggers I follow liked the new addition, while others not so much. As for me, I liked Pop Team Epic and found it hilarious, though hard to live blog about with its fast paced humor and sketches. And along with the quick jokes, hearing voice actors portray Popuko and Pipimi differently and in their own way was far more entertaining. In the first episode it was Ian Sinclair and Christopher Sabat voicing the two rude and crude, and then Justin Briner and Colleen Clinkenbeard in the second half, all of which were both fantastic and funny as hell!

I could go on about the new show, but I want to keep this review from being too long. Moving on to the next topic about last week’s run, the penultimate episode of FLCL Progressive! And boy did things escalate like crazy! From an amusement park turned into a giant robot to fight Medical Mechanica’s giant iron, to Haruko getting pregnant and cranking the insanity to eleven, which of course resulted in Hidomi overflowing and becoming a terminator on her ass. Again, so much to say, no idea how the hell to summarize it all in short.

Onto the third and final topic, we continued on with the new long running shows. My Hero Academia concluding an excellent but dramatic day of school, with the villains making an appearance in the ending credits. Was wondering when they were going to show up, can’t have a bunch of heroes without some foes for them to fight! And from our other recent addition, Black Clover, gave up some laughs in its latest episode on the block, involving a dating event going not so smoothly. And lastly, while we get ever closer to the end of Stardust Crusaders, it’s been recently announced that Diamond is Unbreakable will be coming to the block once the former finishes it run.

Yep, that’s right! Along with Vento Aureo getting an anime adaption, Part 5 of JoJo’s Bizarre adventure will be coming to the block in August! Perfect timing for when Stardust Crusaders ends, and giving us another long running series on the block, which gives time for Part 6 to be completed and then dubbed in the coming years. In other words, JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure will be on the block for a good long time, and we couldn’t be any happier about it. Gotta love it when things work out well!

Well now that I’m done with discussing the major points of last week’s run, it’s time to wrap this review up with the recap of last week’s show!

On Dragon Ball Super, Goku and Vegeta end up facing a new challenger in episode’s guest star, the early 80′s gag manga robot girl Arale! Long story short, she easily defeats Vegeta, and gives Goku a run for his Zeni! In My Hero Academia, Deku recovers from his injuries and makes new friends, while Bakugo’s ego takes a bruising after seeing his classmates’ quirks. And then in FLCL Progressive, it’s an insane trip to the amusement park, where it takes us all on a ride to the climax!

The resistance group Marurao, Eye Patch, and Tonkichi are part of make their move, using all the students and visitors to collect N.O. energy to power up the park and turn into a giant weapons platform against Medical Mechanica’s giant iron. Unfortunately it doesn’t seem to have much effect on it. Meanwhile, Hidomi overflows once again, transforming into a monster/robot, while Ide gets turned into a deflated human shape balloon with speakers.

Oh, and after inflating and going into space, Ide gets picked up in a space station where he gets eaten by an alive again Canti. While whether or not Ide’s dead or not is left for debate, at least Canti’s alive again, and as a sort of robot puppy to boot! And last but not least, Haruko’s continues to bring the madness, even while pregnant! Oh, and Atomsk shows up at the end of the episode... WAIT, WHAT?!

Yeah, so while we tried to take all this in, we had a nice comedic break with the premiere of Pop Team Epic! Unfortunately like I said before, it was all too fast paced to explain, so like Popuko I’ll just ask “Are you upset?”. Joke aside, our feels then went on a bizarre adventure with Stardust Crusaders! And oh man did shit hit the fan in this one! After figuring out younger D’Arby’s Stand’s abilities, Jotaro beats him in his own game, or rather him and his grandpa! Apparently Old Man Joestar was at the controls the entire time, while Jotaro fooled D’Arby into thinking he was facing him. Anyway, Kakyoin gets his soul back, and Jotaro’s Star Platinum gives D’Arby some good old ORAORAORA!

However despite this battle being one, another one begins soon after, and already a crusader has died. That being Avdol again, but apparently for real this time thanks to DIO’s loyal and deadly assassin VANILLA IC- er, I mean COOL ICE and his deadly void Stand CREAM! (Like some of the others, his name had to be changed for the English dub). With Avdol reduced to just a pair of dismembered arms, Polnareff and Iggy are left to face DIO’s most loyal and deadly assassin!

As we tried to recover our feels once again, we dove right into Hunter x Hunter, where our feels also took a plunge near the end. After sparing Ikalgo’s life, Killua soon finds himself in another battle with Chimera Ants, this time the fishy humanoid Ortho Siblings! And to make their point across, they use dart-like Nen to hit Killua repeatedly like a game of Darts! However, Killua gets the better of then and rips them to shreds. But after losing a lot of blood, the young Zoldyck is on the verge of death. Fortunately, Ikalgo arrives to rescue him, and the octopus-like Chimera Ant rushes to take him to a hospital. Meanwhile, Gon has lunch with the chameleon-like Chimera Ant, Meleoron.

Moving on to Black Clover, we watch Finral take Asta and Luck to a mixer party with some girls, though it doesn’t go well. While Asta did have a good time with one of the girls and become friends, things between Finral and Luck and their dates didn’t work out. Also Noelle was hilarious when stalking Asta during the mixer! After that we jumped back into Naruto Shippuden, as “Madara” took care of Danzo’s bodyguards, before bringing forth Sasuke to fight the man himself. Oh, and meanwhile Sai delivers the news to Kakashi about the Five Kage Summit, and their decision to promote him Hokage!

After that, Space Dandy dies and goes on a somber journey on Planet Limbo, meeting all sorts of bizarre ghosts and a lonely girl named Poe. Then in Cowboy Bebop, Faye cleans out the Bebop’s safe and runs off to Jupiter’s moon of Callisto where she meets a sax player named Gren, with a secret and a grudge against Vicious. And speaking of Vicious, Spike soon confronts him while looking for Julia on Callista, and is left lying on the snow after being shot by Lin. The Toonami run then ends with Lupin the Third, with Fujiko Mine stealing the spotlight in the end, as well as our hearts!

And that’s it for the recap, as well as this review. While longer than my usual Toonami Night Review, but enjoyable to write nonetheless. Tonight we start the next run of Toonami, and I can only imagine the feels and excitement that awaits us, especially with the finale of FLCL Progressive! Just how will it end? WHO KNOWS! Anything goes when it comes to FLCL, so leave your expectations behind, and prepare yourself for a wild ride!

Until tonight’s run, see you guys later and Stay Gold!

#toonami #dragon ball super #my hero academia #flcl progressive #pop team epic #jojo's bizarre adventure #hunter x hunter #black clover #Naruto Shippuden #space dandy #cowboy bebop #lupin the third

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kathrynkfuller9 · 6 years

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IJL 2018 Highlights: International Jewellery Sales Growth Revealed, Spotlight on Birmingham, Bridal Showcase & the Biggest Designers Welcomed to IJL 2018

Photographs from IJL are available to download from the IJL Dropbox folder

IJL 2019 will return to Olympia from 1-3 September 2019

11 September 2018: IJL, the UK’s Leading Jewellery Trade Event, finished on Tuesday 4 September after a bustling three days which welcomed the biggest names in jewellery design, manufacture, gem sales and supply to London.

The highlights from the three day Show included the opening of the Spotlight on Birmingham by The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Yvonne Mosquito, top designers Q&A as part of Goldsmiths Uniquely UK showcase including Theo Fennell, Stephen Webster and Ute Decker, the first IJL Blog Awards and the ever popular Retail Experience Awards and Gem Empathy award during the Show.

Fotoulla Michael, Head of Sales at IJL said:

“Overall, we have had a pleasing response from exhibitors and visitors to IJL 2018. It felt lively and bustling, with an apparent appetite to buy and it was wonderful to welcome a host of well-known jewellery designers including Theo Fennell, Stephen Webster, Ute Decker, Bobby White, Kiki McDonagh and Dinny Hall to name but a few. Top UK and International manufacturers were very much in evidence and we greatly enjoyed shining a spotlight on the fantastic past, present and future of the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham. We look forward to building on the show’s successes, and to creating another must-attend IJL 2019 that continues to develop to meet our exhibitor and visitors’ needs.”

International Jewellery London – Sunday 2 September, Day 1 highlights

The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Yvonne Mosquito, opened the Spotlight on Birmingham at IJL, in association with Birmingham School of Jewellery. She announced that IJL will be launching a £1500 bursary with Birmingham School of Jewellery for three years, for one student per year, called “IJL Birmingham School of Jewellery Graduate Next Steps”

Euromonitor International, a market research provider, has revealed that India is set to overtake the US as the second biggest fine jewellery market in the world by the end of 2018. They announced that the Indian fine jewellery market will be worth USD $62.8bn, $4billion more than US retailspend which will reach $58.6bn, by the end of The UK market for fine jewellery is 8th biggest international market with a retail value of USD $4.46bn at the end of 2017 and predicted to rise to £4.6bn by the end of the year.

The winners of International Jewellery (IJL)’s first ever Blog Awards were announced. Jewellery specialist Katerina Perez was crowned UK Social Influencer of the Year and Danielle Miele of Gem Gossip (USA) won Social Influencer Based Outside of the UK.

Rosie Fortescue, jewellery designer and former Made in Chelsea cast member, attended IJL today.

Cara Jewellers – Dubai welcomed the newly-crowned Miss Universe Great Britain – Dee-Ann Kentish-Rogers to IJL. Dee-Ann spoke about her humanitarian visits to South Africa and India helping email causes through the A-Sisterhood charity before modelling the latest jewellery collection of Cara Jewellers at the Catwalk Theatre.

Karolina Zlotkovska, Beauty and Fashion Analyst, spoke about the trends that are impacting the jewellery market around the world, discussing Western Europe and the UK where foreign spend on luxury jewellery has become equally important as domestic for driving sales.

Warren Knight, a digital marketing expert, demystified how online customers “think” and why every business owner, entrepreneur and sales & marketing managers in the jewellery industry must start to integrate their sales and marketing strategy into their digital marketing plan as digital leaders.

The William Agency founder and director, Sarah Jordan, shared her insights on digital marketing on social media and the power content has to shape jewellery companies into powerful and authentic presences in a crowded marketplace.

The Brightest Bulb Team created an IJL themed professional video from scratch on a smart phone in front of an audience in under 30 minutes to demonstrate how easy it can be to create professional looking content and how powerful employee generated video is for businesses today.

Harriet Kelsall of ‘Harriet Kessall Bespoke Jewellery’ spoke about her journey from creating jewellery at her kitchen table in 1998 to growing her company that is now internationally celebrated, with many national awards to its name for design, business, ethics and retail. She shared tips that she has learnt from her own journey!

International Jewellery London 2018: Day 2 Highlights, Monday 3 September

Day two of International Jewellery London (IJL) saw a celebration of some of the best British designers at the Uniquely UK showcase, the winners of the Editors’ Choice Awards and the Retail Experience Award announced and more.

Highlights included:

Some of the best British designers were on display at the inaugural Uniquely UK showcase. 13 leading British designers brought inspiring examples of their signature work after an expert team at Goldsmiths’ Craft & Design Council carefully selected the thirteen designers as part of the campaign to highlight the amazing skills of UK silversmiths, goldsmiths, jewellery designers and industry professionals. The designers showcased were: Ute Decker, Tomasz Donocik, David Fowkes, Theo Fennell, Gill Galloway-Whitehead, Sarah Herriot, Ornella Iannuzzi, Andrew Lamb, Shaun Leane, Tom Rucker, Leo de Vroomen, Stephen Webster and Bobby White.

The NAJ announced the winner of its Retail Experience Award, in partnership with International Jewellery London, as Bond Jewellery & Diamonds. The Birmingham based retailer was one of four stores that were judged on their ability to create a memorable in-store experience.

The winners of the Editors’ Choice Awards were announced today. Kickstarter Jewellery designer Aishleen Lester from LeSter won the Editors’ Choice Award for Designer to Watch 2018, Daisy Grice of Daisy Grice Jewellery won Innovator 2018, and the Overall Excellence 2018 was won by Johannes Weege of ManuSchmuck.

Birmingham-based Chinese designer Fei Liu, and other experts within the Chinese jewellery market, shared their knowledge with exhibitors and discussed how to successfully crack and build successful jewellery brands in the ever-expanding Chinese market. Topics discussed included; demystifying the tax in China on jewellery, the importance for brands and jewellers to harness both online and offline sales, and different ‘revolutions’ in the Chinese jewellery market.

Cooksongold provided an introduction to the 3D technology that they have been developing in the Jewellery Quarter in Birmingham. The production of innovative jewellery directly from precious metal powders has recently burst onto the manufacturing scene and the team from Cooksongold discussed how the jewellery industry can now adopt the process as part of their supply chain.

In a thought-provoking and popular seminar, Warren Knight, a Digital Marketing Expert, shared how every business, entrepreneur, sales and marketing manager in the jewellery industry can use technology to help their business grow.

The British Society of Enamelers (BSOE) launched their 35th anniversary with a drinks reception in the Champagne Bar.

Jewellery trends analyst Paola De Luca, The Futurist, presented her detailed forecasts of six key jewellery trend themes for Spring/Summer 2019 at The Catwalk Theatre. Her vision includes designs rooted in urban lifestyles, the renaissance of pearls, dark romantic influences, and a blending of Art Deco and 1960s Op Art themes.

Asha Pitt, Director of Living Content, gave a 45-minute interactive session, providing practical tools to help jewellery retailers to start or improve their Insta-journey to increase sales online.

Ma’s House, created by freelance fashion and textile graduate Faye Clarke, unveiled its new unique smart labelling system for the blind and visually impaired. This consists of computer chips within clothing labels which, using the app on a mobile phone, give a verbal description of the garments appearance, size and washing instructions. The second part of the labelling system is a quick colour indication label using braille for ease of dressing.

IJL: Day 3 highlights, Tuesday 4 September

International Jewellery London (IJL) concluded with a fantastic day of award celebrations and fruitful discussions about human rights, mental health and sustainability within the jewellery business. Some of the highlights included:

Ariel Tivon of Tivon Jewellery won The Gem Empathy Award, hosted by Gem-A. The competition gave exhibitors the chance to win a beautiful gemstone by world renowned cutter, John Dyer.

Last night, the second annual Professional Jeweller Awards took place to honour the achievements of companies and individuals operating in the UK jewellery industry. The full list of winners can be seen further below.

Human Rights Watch highlighted the human rights issues in the jewellery manufacturing sector, which they covered in their report The Hidden Cost of Jewellery.

Lianne Piroddi, Assistant Editor for Fashion at Stylus spoke to Editor of Retail Jeweller Ruth Faulkner about the biggest market shifts and cultural development impacting the jewellery industry. Sustainability being a key focus, their discussion delved into how the jewellery industry can adapt and reinvent itself, both in order to reduce its carbon footprint, and to cope with the rising depletion of precious material reserves.

In a world where we being encouraged to take greater care of our own well-being and mental health, creativity for all has had a resurgence. Jordanne Cliffe of Fine Cell Work, and Andy Howell from the Birmingham School of Jewellery explored how jewellery and needlework can have a positive impact on your mental health, and how the art has been used in prison environments to aid rehabilitation, to instil a sense of self-discipline, and to encourage independence.

Victoria Gronwald, of Levin Sources, highlighted the extreme work conditions and human risks of artisanal mining and discussed progress and challenges on the journey towards integrating this important sector into global regulated supply chains.

Sarah Greenway, from Mosami, explored impact innovation in the manufacturing sector. Sarah shared case studies from Her Future Coalition and other social enterprises that are changing lives, showing how positive impact can be made by reimagining the supply chain.

Simon Forrester from The NAJ, together with Ben Mactaggart from their website partner Senior Internet explored what’s new in the online world, and how you can make simple improvements to your website in 2019, getting the most out of your customers online.

2018 is the centenary celebration of women’s suffrage in the UK, and today the jewellery industry celebrated this anniversary in a discussion chaired by Kathryn Bishop of Women’s Jewellery Network. They discussed jewellery as a powerful tool for women in terms of messaging, how jewellery companies have supported women’s movements, and the rise of self-purchasing females.

Kathryn Bishop later spoke about how new technology constantly gives us the opportunity to gain a greater understanding of our audience and the marketplace. She looked at how we can harness this tool to stay on top of emerging trends and make the most of consumer demand.

Full winners list from last night’s Professional Jeweller Awards:

Independent Fashion Jewellery Retailer of the Year: David Mellor Jewellers

Independent Fine Jewellery Retailer of the Year: Jeremy France Jewellers

Multiple Fashion Jewellery Retailer of the Year: F. Hinds

Multiple Luxury Jewellery Retailer of the Year: Beaverbrooks

Branded Jewellery Boutique of the Year: Thomas Sabo

Designer-Maker Jewellery Boutique of the Year: Alex Monroe

Omnichannel Jewellery Retailer of the Year: Diamond Heaven

Most Innovative Customer Events of the Year: Wongs Jeweller

Best New Store or Store Refurbishment of the Year: Fitzgerald Jewellers

Fine Jewellery Brand of the Year: Gemex

Fashion Jewellery Brand of the Year: Swarovski

Emerging Jewellery Brand of the Year: Astra

Jewellery Industry Supplier of the Year: Curteis

Precious Metals and Stones Supplier of the Year: Madestones

Jewellery Designer of the Year: Satta Matturi

Young Jewellery Designer of the Year: Natalie Ball of Natalie Perry Jewellery

ENDS –

For media enquiries please contact Leighanne Murray, Midas PR, [email protected] / 0207 361 7860

from Trending Jewellery https://blog.jewellerylondon.com/ijl-2018-highlights-international-jewellery-sales-growth-revealed-spotlight-on-birmingham-bridal-showcase-the-biggest-designers-welcomed-to-ijl-2018/

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fashiontrendin-blog · 6 years

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These are the 9 winter coat trends to shop this season

https://fashion-trendin.com/these-are-the-9-winter-coat-trends-to-shop-this-season/

These are the 9 winter coat trends to shop this season

It may still be summer outside but in the shops the new season has officially begun…

Winter coats are the sartorial foundations of our seasonal wardrobe so searching for the perfect one can be a tricky and time consuming task especially when there are so many different styles to choose from. And whilst there are always those timeless designs that remain on trend winter after winter (…trench coats we’re looking at you!) we’re often introduced to a brand new outerwear obsession taking over both the catwalk and the high street each time September rolls around.

Whatever the style you’re after, investment is key when shopping for winter coats. After all, there aren’t many other items in our wardrobes that we end up re-wearing pretty much every day for months on end so spending that little extra is not only worth it but totally justified.

Still stuck on where to start? Hopefully our AW18 outerwear edit can offer some inspiration…

The Vinyl Mac

This season the classic mac has had a plastic fantastic make over. Tick off yet another AW’18 trend by styling it with chunky knitwear, lurex and other interesting textures.

Below left: Pink vinyl coat, £2430, SKIIM (shop alternative here) / Pink ribbed knit, £93, Holzweiler / Pink trousers, £486, Longshaw Ward / Pink crystal earrings, £90, Rachel Comey / Sunglasses, £120, Bimba y Lola

The Retro Sports Jacket

Logos, neon colourways, multi-pockets & mesh panelling… Yup, the 90s are officially back and it’s brought with it the good ol’ waterproof tracksuit jacket (a fashionable and functional find; our favourite kind of combination!) Why not work yours with a feminine floral skirt for a cool boy-meets-girl contrast?

Above right: Sports jacket, £130, Tommy Hilfiger / Tracksuit top (worn underneath), £285, Pinko / Floral skirt, £135, Bimba y Lola / Socks, £8, Calvin Klein Jeans / Sandals, £65, Fila at Urban Outfitters

The Checked Chesterfield Coat

The checked tailored coat is the easiest way to add a masculine edge to pretty frocks and silky skirts. Opt for a slightly oversized shape to allow extra room for layering up chunky knits underneath.

Below: Check coat, £1175, Theory (similar here) / Jumper, £325, KENZO La Collection Memento / Printed skirt, £415, Tibi / Boots, £89, Topshop / Bag, £760, Emma Charles / Earrings, £174, Bar Jewellery

The Fuzzy Teddy Jacket

Living up to its name this jacket is one of the cosiest cover-ups around. Keep things relaxed and casual by teaming yours with simple wardrobe staples and sneakers.

Below left: Jacket, £679, Off White at Flannels.com / Polo shirt, £115, Lacoste Live /Checked trousers, £79.95, Massimo Dutti / Mini hoop gold earrings, £1100, Patcharavipa

The Printed Dress-Coat

‘Wearing a coat as a dress’ has a been the top styling tip from street-style star Anna Dello Russo for some time now and when your coat is this statement it would be a shame not to show it off as often as possible. (Plus, if you’ve invested in an expensive piece like this Marni showstopper its great advice if you want more bang for your buck!)

Above right: Coat, £1420, Marni (similar here) / Blue dress, £145, Ghost London / Red boots, £855, Tibi / Green bag, £285 & earrings, £49, both Bimba y Lola

The Trending Trophy Jacket

Anything that sparkles is perfect come party season but it’s also great for dressing up your every-day winter wardrobe. This sequinned jacket would work wonders with a knitted jumper dress and a pair of suede OTK boots.

Below left: Jacket, £1450, Ashish (similar here) / Earrings, £67, Longshaw Ward

The Boyfriend Blazer

There’s nothing quite as effortlessly chic as the boyfriend blazer; it has the potential to smarten up pretty much everything and anything in your existing wardrobe. Look out for interesting details and fabrics such as this tailored-blazer-meets-quilted-jacket hybrid by Tibi for extra style points.

Above right: Blazer, £545, Tibi / Shirt, £225, Frame / Belt, £180, Tibi / Trousers, £345, Palmer Harding / Bag, £450, Orla Kiely / Hexagonal gold & diamond earrings, £5900, Patcharavipa

The Dressed-up Denim Jacket

Below left: Think fringing, embellishment or embroidery… Yes it’s a little bit Britney but a whole lot brilliant! Try wearing it with co-ordinating bottoms for 2018’s answer to double denim.

Fringed denim jacket, £415, MSGM at Flannels.com / Fringed denim jeans, £375, MSGM at Flannels.com / Denim top, £270, Longshaw Ward / Red western boots, £495, Zadig & Voltaire

The Timeless Trench

Above right: If you don’t already own this style icon then its time to invest pronto. Keep things classic with a cream or beige colourway and it will be a key part of your winter wardrobe for years to come… Trust us!

Trench, £505, Maison Kitsune (coming soon/ in store only) / Blazer (just seen), £169, Massimo Dutti / Checked top £134.95, Samsoe & Samsoe / Belt bag, £180, Theory / Ring, £187, Bar Jewellery

Words & Styling: Sarah Barlow / @sarah_barlow Photography: Michael Mills / @michaeljonmills Make up: Sophie Higginson using Dermalogica and Mac Cosmetics / @sophiehigginson Hair: Oscar Alexander using ORIBE / @oscaralexanderl Model: Lika at The Hive management / @ likargevskaya Styling Assistant: Faye Aaronson Make up Assistant: Lucy Jones

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victoriagloverstuff · 6 years

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16 Books You Should Read This June

Caroline Kepnes, Providence (Lenny)

In her first standalone, Kepnes combines the suspense and careful plotting of crime fiction with elements of horror. The novel traces the early friendship of Jon and Chloe, best friends in a small New Hampshire town who feel like kindred spirits, though neither one of them wants to risk their friendship by moving into couples territory. Jon’s life becomes a lot more complicated when he discovers he has superhuman powers, ones that could hurt Chloe. What follows is part procedural featuring the distinctive detective Charles “Eggs” DeBenedictus, as a serial killer is loose Providence, where Jon is hiding out. There’s also a Lovecraft convention in town which Jon sneaks into as a way of blending into the crowd (many literary in-jokes abound). But most of all, Jon wants to fix himself and get back at Chloe, which makes the book also a poignant love story.

–Lisa Levy, CrimeReads contributing editor

Rachel Cusk, Kudos (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

I didn’t begin reading Outline, the first book in Rachel Cusk’s trilogy of novels centering on a writer named Faye, until the release of Kudos, the final installment, was on the horizon. I don’t envy those who were made to wait for each book. Cusk’s style—precise and unsentimental—is transfixing and consuming. The novels unfold in a world in which small talk consistently unfurls into self-searching confession and philosophical grandstanding. Kudos finds Faye, remarried, en route to a literary conference in the wake of Brexit. It’s both of a piece with its predecessors and, in certain ways, utterly unlike them—that is, it’s the perfect conclusion.

–Nathan Goldman, Lit Hub contributor

Édouard Louis, History of Violence, trans. Lorin Stein (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

In this autobiographical novel, after a sexual liaison turns into a violent rape and near-murder, Édouard Louis discovers his assailant has suffered his own brutalities, and Louis wants to break the cycle of this terrible legacy they’ve both inherited. The traumatic event mirrors the societal, cultural, and economic attacks on vulnerable populations such as migrants, women, or like Louis, gay and from a poor working-class town. The book investigates and attempts to understand the systemic and structural history of violence such populations have been subjected to while also sympathizing with those perpetrators who’ve been dispossessed themselves. In a world that usually insists on bifurcated choices like being the punisher or the punished, to endure or dispense, Louis locates a sliver of space in between where another choice exists.

–Kerri Arsenault, Lit Hub contributor

Chelsea Hodson, Tonight I’m Someone Else (Henry Holt and Co.)

Like Chelsea Hodson’s chapbook Pity the Animal (included in this book), this essay collection is shape-shifting, and Hodson’s voice has got me under a spell of sorts. I am making my way through it and going from awe to exhilaration to discomfort, and back to awe. The essays feature a game of Russian roulete played with a knife hung from a fan; Grand Theft Auto; “suggar daddies” on the internet; Schopenhauer; and NASA. They are about desire and our bodies, and how we negotiate their myriad commodifications. I love what Sarah Manguso said of them: “These essays are bewitching—despite their discipline and rigor, you can smell the blood.”

–Marta Bausells, Lit Hub contributing editor

Jérôme Ruillier, The Strange, trans. Helge Dascher (Drawn & Quarterly)

Ruillier’s black, red, and yellow illustrations and his straightforward storytelling convey the persistent unease of the migrant experience. The unnamed narrator in The Strange is undocumented, and though we don’t know the war-torn country he’s fleeing nor the hostile-toward-immigration one in which he arrives, we feel the frantic beat of his heart at each stage. In The Strange, we experience the manner in which each new interaction for an undocumented immigrant can be a matter of jeopardy. The art throughout this graphic novel is haunting, stressful, and beautiful.

–Nathan Scott McNamara, Lit Hub contributor

Rosamund Young, The Secret Life of Cows (Penguin Press)

What I’ve read of this so far felt like sitting at the kitchen table a half hour before sunrise waiting for the coffee to brew listening to Young recount the various goings on of local cows. It seemed pretty great.

–Jonny Diamond, Lit Hub editor

Adrienne Celt, Invitation to a Bonfire (Bloomsbury)

This novel tells an alternative history of the Nabokovs, disguised as the Orlovs. What remains is Vera’s fierce participation in all aspects of “Orlov’s” narrative. Celt weaves a fascinating thriller ending with what, at this time of author misalliances, is frighteningly possible. Vera says about being remembered: “History’s unkind that way. Once your life leaves your hands you become—mutable. Susceptible, I suppose you might say, to anyone with an axe to grind or a tale to tell.” Prophetic? Cynical? The story is beautifully told with enough absolutely stunning sentences to enthrall the reader. If you love, as I do, tales based on the lives of actual artists, then this story is for you.

–Lucy Kogler, Lit Hub columnist

The Weight of the Earth: The Tape Journals of David Wojnarowicz, ed. Lisa Darms and David O’Neill (Semiotext(e))

There’s a small and enviable group of visual artists whose work with the written word is every bit as impressive as their more well-known artistic expression. That’s certainly the case with David Wojnarowicz, whose vital and impassioned works blended the personal and political to a stunning extent. The Weight of the Earth is taken from Wojnarowicz’s tape journals, particularly those that he kept near the end of his life. With a major retrospective of Wojnarowicz’s artwork opening at the Whitney next month, and given that many of his concerns about art, society, and governmental inaction remain all too relevant today, the time is right to experience his work—and The Weight of the Earth is a particularly direct way to do so.

–Tobias Carroll, Lit Hub contributor

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Nell Painter, Old in Art School (Counterpoint Press)

When I studied art in college, there was a crew of guys known as the “art bros.” Their work was hit or miss, but always presented as if they were at the forefront of the next art movement. I’m guessing Nell Painter encountered a very similar white-male-artist archetype when she began studying art at Rutgers University at age 64. She continued on to earn an MFA at Rhode Island School of design, where she was not only the oldest, but the only black student in her class. Having just retired from teaching history at Princeton and authoring several books on race and identity, Painter is well-equipped to dissect the various forms of discrimination she faces in these programs. And she does it all with a sense of humor, honoring, above all else, creativity, and openness.

–Alicia Kroell, Lit Hub editorial fellow

Sayaka Murata, Convenience Store Woman, trans. Ginny Tapley Takemori (Grove Atlantic)

Sometimes real life and its routines are enough. If you tilt them just so, they might even unfold and reveal a world of mystery. This magical little book performs this neat accordion track in sentences so clean and crisp it’s like they were laminated and placed before you, one at a time, in a well-windex’d cooler. And thus Sayaka Murata has written the 7-11 Madame Bovary. The author has spent nearly the last 20 years herself working a corner shop in Tokyo, for some of that waking at an ungodly hour, writing, then going to work the early morning shift, selling cigarette and coffee and cold medicine to Tokyo residents. You would think that kind of schedule would produce drudgery, or even twilit ghoulishness. No, this is a love story. Only the love affair here is between a woman and the convenience store in which she works.

–John Freeman, Lit Hub executive editor

Rae DelBianco, Rough Animals (Arcade Publishing)

As a long-time lover of dark contemporary westerns, I’m pretty damn excited about Rae DelBianco’s debut novel, Rough Animals—the story of a pair of recently-orphaned twins, Wyatt and Lucy Smith, living a hard-bitten existence on a cattle ranch in Utah. When a shootout with a feral teenage girl results in the death of four of the Smiths’ cattle, Wyatt takes off in pursuit through the nightmarish desert wilderness. DelBianco’s writing has been compared to that of Cormac McCarthy, Jim Harrison, and Denis Johnson, and a recent Publishers Weekly review called the book “ . . . a viscerally evoked fever dream, a bleakly realized odyssey through an American west populated by survivors and failed dreamers,” which shot the book to the top of my Summer Reading pile.

–Dan Sheehan, Book Marks editor

Dorthe Nors, Mirror, Shoulder, Signal (Graywolf)

I’ve been hooked on Dorthe Nors ever since her short story collection, Karate Chop, was shared with the English-speaking world four years ago, so I am particularly stoked to read her new novel, Mirror, Shoulder, Signal, about a middle-aged translator, driving lessons, and vertigo. Dorthe Nors’ work, beautifully translated from the Danish, tends to explore fascinating, wholly singular women. Her short stories pack a punch, so I can’t wait to find out what she can do with a novel.

–Katie Yee, Book Marks assistant editor

Lauren Groff, Florida (Riverhead)

Like pretty much everyone else, I’m looking forward to finishing Lauren Groff’s new story collection, Florida, this month. The stories I’ve read from it so far have been weird and stormy and wonderful, and Groff’s writing style—which always seems like a dam on the verge of bursting—never fails to charm me. Her recent By the Book isn’t too bad either.

–Emily Temple, Lit Hub senior editor

Christopher Bonanos, Flash: The Making of Weegee the Famous (Henry Holt and Co.)

I’ve been fascinated by Weegee—real name Arthur Fellig—since attending the International Center of Photography’s 2012 exhibition of his work, “Murder is My Business.” Known mostly for the inventive, tabloid-journalism style photos he took primarily of crime scenes and their aftermath in the 1930s and 40s, Weegee worked both quickly and nocturnally, allegedly developing photos out of a miniature darkroom in the trunk of his car. He was also a relentless self-mythologizer: Weegee was a nickname of his own making, for his “psychic” ability to arrive at a crime scene at the same time as the cops. I’m looking forward to learning more about the man behind the legend, especially after New York Times critic Jennifer Szalai raved that “Christopher Bonanos has finally supplied us with the biography Weegee deserves.”

–Jess Bergman, Lit Hub features editor

You-Jeong Jeong, The Good Son (Penguin Books)

There are almost too many great crime books coming out in June to pick one, but You-Jeong Jeong’s uber-creepy psychological thriller The Good Son is at the top of my list for the month and quite possibly for the year. When a young man wakes up covered in blood and finds his mother has been murdered, he must investigate the blank spaces in his own memories to uncover what happened. What emerges is a chilling portrait of psychopath, and a beautifully evocative tale of wealth and isolation in modern South Korean life. You-Jeong Jeong has been called the Stephen King of South Korea, although I’d prefer to compare her to Lionel Shriver, Dorothy B. Hughes, or Patricia Highsmith.

–Molly Odintz, CrimeReads editor

Rosalie Knecht, Who Is Vera Kelly? (Tin House)

People who know me know that two of my, say, top five interests are midcentury double identity stories and underground Latin American political/intellectual scenes. As it happens, those are the driving forces behind Rosalie Knecht’s new novel, Who Is Vera Kelly?, a strange and innovative take on the spy novel, one that’s noir and full of ambiguities, doubles, and double-crosses. This has everything you’d want from espionage fiction, but there’s also something strange and subversive going on. Knecht has a livewire intellect and I hope she sticks with spy fiction of some kind of another, because this is just the kind of jolt the genre (my beloved genre) needs now and again.

Good read found on the Lithub

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