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tabloidtoc · 3 years

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Globe, December 7

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Hillary Clinton health crisis

Page 2: Up Front & Personal -- Larsa Pippen in a bikini in Fort Lauderdale, Olivia Culpo wrestles with recycling outside her L.A. office, Shia LaBeouf ditches his face covering for a phone call in an L.A. market

Page 3: Pete Wentz plays tennis, Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe outside the Dancing with the Stars studio, Sean Penn hits the beach in Hawaii

Page 4: Barbara Walters was sharp as a tack when she grilled the world’s biggest leaders but ravaging dementia has now tragically turned the 91-year-old into a prisoner in her own bed

Page 5: Pistol-packing Elvis Presley was so gaga over guns that he’d even take a firearm to bed with him

* Ringo Starr’s childhood bout with appendicitis at age six caused him to fall into a coma and spend a year in the hospital to recover then five years later he contracted tuberculosis and spent two years in a sanitarium where he discovered drums as part of the hospital band

Page 6: If it’s true that Gentleman Prefer Blondes Marilyn Monroe was the perfect star for the flick because she dyed her carpet platinum to match the drapes -- beauty guru Kenneth Battelle suggested Marilyn change the color of her pubic hair after a jerk spilled champagne over her sheer dress at a party showing everything because she didn’t wear skivvies so the guru ran to the hotel drugstore and got some dye and told Marilyn to go in the bathroom and bleach

Page 7: Celine Dion has turned into a frightening bag of bones leaving friends worried she’s headed for a catastrophic health crisis -- now down to a gaunt 96 pounds the star is driving herself to the brink of collapse with a diet and exercise plan to prepare for the relaunch of her hit world tour and she starves herself in her drive for perfection and to maintain the stick-thin look that helped turn her into a fashion icon

* Julianne Hough confesses feeling she didn’t deserve the A-list life she enjoyed while dating Ryan Seacrest where she was on private planes and yachts and living in a very well-off house and her life was pretty different from where she grew up -- she left Ryan in 2013 after three years because she wanted to create that for herself because she felt like she didn’t deserve it

Page 8: Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson is searching for the Fountain of Youth by working out with Pierce Brosnan’s trainer -- the ex-wife of disgraced Prince Andrew is following a grueling exercise regimen in hopes of joining people who are said to be biologically younger than their true age

Page 9: Disgraced Prince Andrew has been kicked from the royal family and now Prince Charles plans to boot his sister Princess Anne from his inner circle once he becomes king -- while the princess has carried her share of official engagements Charles plans to shrink the monarchy after his mother Queen Elizabeth passes and the phrase slimmed-down royal family constantly keeps coming up and the royal family will evolve with Charles coming to the throne -- Anne will be on the chopping block mostly because of ambitious Duchess Camilla who is Charles’ wife and who has carried out a ruthless dirty plan to be queen for decades and she wants no one else taking the limelight and that includes Charles’ sister

* Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle dissed his dad Prince Charles with a surprising public snub as the couple failed to publicly wish Charles a happy birthday when he turned 72 -- Queen Elizabeth and Prince William and Duchess Kate all sent birthday wishes to the future king on social media but Harry and Meghan took a pass even though Harry popped up on the British TV show Strictly Come Dancing that night to wish a pal good luck

Page 10: A nuclear-sized catfight has exploded in North Korea where dictator Kim Jong-un’s baby sister and his pop star lover are battling to claw their way to be top gal -- while sister Kim Yo-jong seemed to be running the nation after Kim vanished and was rumored dead he popped back up with old galpal Hyon Song-wol on his arm and his current wife Ri Sol-ju nowhere to be seen

Page 12: Celebrity Buzz -- Mario Lopez wearing a clear mask (picture), Lauren Simon of The Real Housewives of Cheshire in the U.K. claims to have had sex with an actual ghost, Kaley Cuoco has a theory about shooting those sexy big bangs with ex-boyfriend Johnny Galecki that the pair’s sneaky sitcom boss got a kick putting the real-life former lovers under the covers, Reese Witherspoon lost her beloved dog Pepper to cancer and returned to her ole Southern roots when picking a name for her brand-new puppy: Minnie Pearl, plagued by seemingly endless allegations of being mean and ignoring a toxic workplace Ellen DeGeneres is now plugging a Be Kind subscription box valued at $270

Page 13: Kristen Taekman tops of her gas tank in L.A. (picture), Jeff Goldblum feeding a parking meter in L.A. (picture), Hilary Duff gets primped and primed on the NYC set of Younger (picture)

Page 14: Reclusive ailing widow Yoko Ono finally loosened the reins and is handing over her $800 million empire to Sean Lennon her only child with Beatles legend John Lennon but John’s eldest son Julian Lennon was left out of the hitmaker’s will but Julian managed to eke out a $25 million settlement okayed by Yoko after he dragged his famous dad’s estate to court, Kelsea Ballerini snapped at a nosy fan for rudely asking if her rounded tummy was a blossoming baby bump

* Fashion Verdict -- Lara Spencer 9/10, Laura Veltz 2/10, Lauren Akins 3/10, Lauren Alaina 4/10

Page 16: Michael Jackson’s baby mama Debbie Rowe reveals getting pregnant was no thrill because she was artificially impregnated -- Debbie met ex-husband Michael when she was working for his dermatologist and she insists the couple never had sex and a sperm donor fathered the pop star’s two kids she carried in her womb -- son Prince Jackson is rumored to have been fathered by Debbie’s doctor boss Arnold Klein -- British actor Mark Lester claims her could be Paris Jackson’s father -- Debbie is unsure of the paternity of Michael’s youngest son Blanket who now goes by Bigi Jackson

Page 17: Fans gaga for Dr. McDreamy on Grey’s Anatomy got a super thrill on the season 17 premiere when Patrick Dempsey returned to the hit hospital drama after departing the show five years ago -- Dempsey whose character Dr. Derek Shepherd died in a car crash came back in a dream sequence reuniting with star Ellen Pompeo’s Dr. Meredith Grey on a beach -- Dempsey split from the show to spend more time with his family and pursue his auto racing hobby but he’ll return to the show several more times

Page 19: 10 Things You Don’t Know About Emma Corrin

* Reba McEntire reveals she turned down The Voice gig that went to Blake Shelton and now she regrets it big-time

* Nip/tuck junkie Dolly Parton says she plans to keep freshening her face by going under the knife and crows she’s gonna look like a cartoon and she’ll look as young as her plastic surgeons will allow her

Page 20: True Crime

Page 21: Former soap stud Cody Longo was socked with a domestic abuse charge following a jealous booze-fueled attack on his dancer wife Stephanie Clark -- Cody played Nicholas Alamain on Days of Our Lives from 2011-2012

Page 23: Meredith Baxter felt booby-trapped by her enormous breasts and confesses she welcomed breast-reduction surgery after getting cancer -- the Family Ties star reveals her former 42-inch bust was the plague of her life

* Weatherman Al Roker has a secret weapon in his stormy battle to recover from prostate cancer surgery which is the love and support of his wife Deborah Roberts who is keeping him happy and positive doting on him day and night plus they talk about everything and make medical decisions together so there’s no fear or anxiety entering their world

* Jennifer Lopez kicked booty when a federal judge dismissed a $40 million lawsuit brought by a former stripper who claims she inspired the hit movie Hustlers -- Samantha Barbash claims she’s the real-life model for J.Lo’s pole-dancing swindler Ramona Vega and insisted the movie ruined her rep by implying she did drugs around her kids but the judge tossed the case because Barbash’s name or portrait or picture or voice wasn’t used in the film

Page 24: Cover Story -- Hillary Clinton has tragically packed on nearly 100 pounds since she vanished from the spotlight four years ago and is struggling to breathe and walk and now a medical expert is warning the 73-year-old is facing a health crisis as she tips the scales at 247 pounds -- Hillary has a history of broken bones and shocking collapses

Page 26: Health Report

Page 30: Country girl Carly Pearce’s divorce from Michael Ray has gone from bad to ugly and he’s now parading his romance with Travis Tritt’s daughter Tyler Reese Tritt -- Carly was all for taking the high road but now she’s taken off the gloves -- they’re bad-mouthing each other far and wide and Carly’s tossed everything that reminds her of Michael

* Southern Charm belle Madison LeCroy has been flashing a pic of her newest charms which is a set of bigger boobs

Page 36: Diva Mariah Carey’s demanding ways are driving her boyfriend Bryan Tanaka bonkers and the couple of four years may be headed for Splitsville unless she changes her ways -- Mariah treats Bryan like an assistant instead of a lover and it’s giving him fits and he’s been so patient with Mariah and he loves her but she’s wearing him out with her incessant orders like she has him drawing up her schedule for online greets plus she’s ordering him to do all her holiday shopping for friends and be in charge of everything from decorations to food prep

* Emma Roberts confesses being pregnant makes her weepy and she’s hit the point where like halfway up the stairs she has to sit down sometimes and maybe tears roll down a couple times a week but despite that Emma says she feels grateful and lucky to be expecting her first child

Page 38: Real Life

Page 40: Phil Collins’ embarrassing court battle with third ex Orianne Cevey is casting a pall over his daughter Lily Collins’ wedding plans -- Lily is desperate to tie the knot with Charlie MacDowell but the dirty charges flying back may force her to put the happy day on hold and it’s hard for Lily to concentrate on making wedding plans when her father is caught in an ugly public fight -- Orianne is battling over Phil’s $38 million Miami mansion where they lived after reuniting in 2018

Page 44: Straight Talk -- NXIVM cult is warning to us all

Page 45: Treasure hunters have launched a frantic search for a $150 million stash of gangster gold hidden by mobster Dutch Schultz in Upstate New York after two sleuths recently discovered coins they believe are linked to the stash -- following a long list of cryptic clues Canadian fortune seekers Steve Zazulyk and Ryan Fazekas uncovered gold coins dated 1903 a few miles from the Prohibition Era beer baron’s hangout in the Catskills town of Phoenicia and their find triggered a race against other prosecutors seeking a two-by-three-foot steel box filled with diamonds and gold coins and $1000 bills and $7 billion in World War I Liberty Bonds and the hoard has an estimated value of $150 million today

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anastasiaskarsgard · 5 years

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Link to my masterlist for earlier chapters or other stuff I've written

His Queen

Part 3

Bri ripped open the letter, amazed it was handwritten and in cursive! Knowing Roman, he had an assistant write it, but she felt a warmth in her chest knowing he’d truly loved her all along.

To My Queen, Briana Godfrey,

(Admit it! That sounds way better than Tucker, have the lawyers change it.)

Oh, and before I get into it, I wrote this myself. No assistants, so fuck you for thinking it.

Bri smiled a sad smile at how they still knew how the other thought.

I have to start off by saying thank you for reading this letter. That means you're at the white tower. I don't deserve you. I've turned into everything I never wanted to become. Everything you made me believe I could escape. You are the light to my darkness and I'm so sorry I disappointed you. I don’t have a lot of time, but I needed a plan in case I fail. You’re the only person I trust with my company, my money, my daughter, my legacy, my heart, all of it. I am an absolute crack head level blood addict, and I couldn’t trust myself when we got overly emotional to keep my head. Because I love you so much, you can make me so upset, and That last fight we got into, I scared myself. I don’t blame you for slapping me, but to hold back from returning the blow, I literally broke my own hand... but this is not what this letter is about.

Peter and my sick half-sister Annie have stolen my daughter. Peter is hell-bent on destroying me because he killed Destiny's trash fiance, and lied about it, so she blamed me and attacked me and I hurt her bad enough to foresee issues with peter, so I broke her neck to avoid problems figuring it was showing her some mercy since she was heartbroken. Annie was there and when I refused to carry on an incestuous relationship with her, she turned on me and told Peter about Destiny. So he came after me and fucking shot me, we fought and I won, but didn't cut his head off so I knew he’d be fine. Well, he calls me and has my kid and won't turn her over, and says he's going to kill me so even though I doubt it, Nadia needs someone to raise her, and if I'm killed it's not my whore of a sister Annie. I need you to find Nadia and take her home and raise her as she deserves. She’s such a sweet baby and she adores you.

Find Shelley and she can help you maybe. She’s in love with this weird old poet and chooses to live at the old steel mill. Calls it Rooster Poop. Can’t make this shit up.

The entire security team is trying to find Nadia, so contact them and see where they’re at with it.

you are the love of my life and I refused to ever say so, even though we both knew it was true. I would bullshit and say it’s cuz I was saving you from myself, but I’m not that fucking noble. You scared me more than anything ever scared me in my life. God, it's great to admit I love you. Like I need to make up a new word for how I feel for you cuz love isn’t strong enough.

there’s a pretty poem I saw that reminded me of you;

I’d still choose you.

In a hundred lifetimes,

in a hundred worlds,

in any version of reality,

I’d find you and I’d choose you.

Even though I knew you were going to break my heart again and again.

I’d still choose you.

It’s crazy how happy I am writing you a letter, even with every aspect of my life in shambles, you’re my light.

You get everything. Fuck all of them. You were right about everything. If I survive this shit, I am winning you back if it takes 100 years and I have to spend every cent. This is literally a reset.

I tried to forget your baby girl but I never could. No amount of drugs, money, blood, or bullshit could ever distract me from the constant ache in my heart for only you. You’re the only pussy I ever wanna see again. I ran thru a fantastic amount of pussy after you left and none of them made me forget you for even a moment. I pictured you or I could not get off. It was pathetic. I hope I get to see you again and rip up this fucking letter.

I looked back over this and there’s a reason I have other people write shit up for me. A few requests to seriously consider:

-->Blitzky should take over for Pryce. Not only is he a genius, he's a good guy. He's a bit soft, so you may have to be the bad guy.

-->Get a new nanny. The current one looks good on paper but she's an idiot.

--> Live in the white tower. It's secure and safe and you can make as many floors as you like home.

--> if an animal killed me, it's Peter and he's still a wolf. He’ll be white. Kill him, cut off his head and burn him up in the incinerator.

--> if Annie comes around at all, kill her. She's very manupulative and acts religious and nice. She's crazy and not to be trusted.

-->try and convince Shelley to live in the mansion and have her little homeless community there. She doesn't care about money but she cares about people, so offer it as a safe haven. Make sure it stays stocked in necessities like toilet paper, soap, cleaning materials, etc and write it all off as a charity contribution. Make the whole endeavor a big tax write off, but don't tell Shelley that part. Just tell her it was my dying wish she had a home.

--> the loser she's with has legal problems. Have the legal department solve them so he's got no reason to desert her.

-->if Peters mom comes sniffing around, don't tell her a damn thing. I doubt she will tho, she's a wanted fugitive.

--> don't trust any gypsies.

--> Nadia is very intelligent. She can read minds, influence dreams, and kill anyone or anything just by looking at them. She's dangerous and shouldn't be allowed around animals or people until she can understand the concept of death and consequences. There's no way to control her, I have found.

--> I promised a homeless man I ate that id pay for his sons school. Anonymously pay for Mathew Shandwicks classes, books and dorm at Penn State for all 4 years. His father traded his life without a single complaint so it's imperative you keep my word.

-->make sure Nadia isn't a spoiled brat like me. Teach her about her mother and her father and all the good things about us. Leave out we were related if you can swing it. Just say we were young and loved each other very much. I enclosed a pack of photos of me and Letha for her.

I wonder what you’re wearing... That reminds me; if I’m really dead, you have to be in mourning at least two years. That means all black suits and dresses that cover you up, black nails, big black hats like you just left a Catalina Yacht Mixer or you’re going to a royal wedding. I even got you black lab coats just in case.Don’t half ass this. It’s important.

Also I want “Fuck you” by the Archives played at my funeral, if it comes to that.

Hopefully, you never see this letter because I got everything fixed here, and went and found you and you ran into my arms and we lived happily ever after, and I have a whole lifetime with you... But just in case...

All my love,

Roman Godfrey

P.s. - since you're a genius, hopefully you can fix me or bring me back. I hope you still love me even 10% as much as I love you, because then nothing can stop us.

Brianna stared at the page as her tears fell on it swirling the ink in designs and spirals. She knew he’d always loved her, but it was bittersweet seeing him finally admit it. She took the photos out of the envelope and looked through them.

Looking through the pictures was heart-wrenching. There had to be a way to fix all this! She tried to remember everything she’d learned about Upirs from that dreadful Russian women and Pryce. Luckily they’d been a bit of an obsession for her that she delved into when Roman pulled his shit. Being obsessed with Upirs had distracted her from obsessing over the real issue.

Just as she started to wonder when Mueller and Edwards would be back, as if by magic, the elevator doors opened. They had brought Dr. Blitzkey with them as well.

“Oh my gosh! You’re alive! I’m so happy to see you’re ok and still here!” Bri said as she ran up and embraced Blitzky. “Where is Roman? I need to see him.”

Blitzky looked at the ground nervously before meeting your eyes. “It’s not fixable.”

“No matter. I just NEED to see him. Please?” She begged.

“Okay. He has several severe traumatic injuries so please prepare yourself for that.”

“What happened to him?”

“Some Type of animal attacked him in the old mansion and pushed him out the upper story window, fracturing his spine and neck which most likely left him paralyzed and vulnerable. His throat and heart were then ripped out.”

“Peter.” Bri said darkly. He was going to pay for his betrayal. She would make sure of that.

“I mean that’s the most logical conclusion but after all Roman did for that little degenerate, ” Blitzky muttered.

Bri nodded solemnly.

“Hate to interrupt your happy little party but we have several forms that need immediate attention, to get this shit show back on the road,” Edwards interjected.

“They’ll have to wait till after I see Roman. You lead the way Blitzkey, you two stay here.” She said firmly stepping into the elevator with the doctor. Both lawyers looked furious but did as they were told since they were honestly intimidated by this young woman that had all this piled on her, and seemed unfazed.

As soon as the doors closed she sank to her knees and screamed. The tears came flooding out of her eyes as her body was wracked by sobs. It’s like she’d been hit by a truck. The realization that Roman was really gone finally sinking in.

Blitzky didn’t know what he should do. He was a genius, but completely clueless when it came to social and interpersonal skills. He hesitantly patted Bri on the head like a golden retriever, unsure how long was comforting so he just kept doing it. “You’re strong.”

Bri glanced up at Blitzky through her foggy tears and couldn't help but agree. She WAS strong.

The elevator opened to their floor as she looked down at the floor.

“Well” Blitzkey peeped, unsure of what to do, “this is it.”

“We have to fix him Blitzkey. There’s got to be a way.” she said rising to her feet, as if the little display he just witnessed never happened.

“You’re the boss.” Blitzky said as cheerful as he could muster.

“I’m giving you Pryce’s position. I trust you.”

“Thank you! I wasn't sure if maybe you'd want to take charge.... What will you do? Take over for Roman?”

“Until I can bring him back, I guess I’ll have to. I will bring him back Blitzkey.... If I have to make a deal with the Devil himself.” Bri stated adamantly before setting off down the hall like a woman possessed.

#my writing

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aion-rsa · 3 years

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How GTA Online Taught Us to Be Careful What We Wish For

https://ift.tt/3p4sWGO

As we all continue to wait for any official information about GTA 6, news has broken that GTA 5 has surpassed the 140 million units sold mark. Perhaps more impressively, reports reveal that 2020 was the most successful sales year in GTA 5 history outside of the game’s release in 2013. While that success can be attributed to a variety of factors, there’s little doubt that the game’s stunning longevity is largely due to the popularity of GTA Online.

I don’t remember exactly when I first dreamed of an online Grand Theft Auto game, but I’m certain it wasn’t too long after I played GTA 3 in 2001. Around that time, my friends and I started asking the simple question, “What if we could play that with each other?”

That question grew more complicated as the GTA games did the same. Vice City‘s real estate mechanic inspired dreams of online wars for the control of the city, while San Andreas’ greatly expanded the scope of GTA’s sandbox from a size and activity standpoint. GTA 4 actually featured numerous online modes, but its collection of rigid multiplayer matches and simplistic free roam option often fell short of offering the full “GTA but with friends” experience that fans had wished for.

Then, it finally happened. In 2013, Rockstar confirmed that GTA 5 would feature exactly the kind of multiplayer mode that fans had dreamt of for years. Actually, with its expansive online map, progression system, various modes of play, and community options, GTA Online’s reveal suggested that it would be something greater than anyone could have ever wished for. Little did we know that the finger on a monkey’s paw curled somewhere in the world shortly after this trailer’s release:

GTA Online’s problems were evident from the very first time many of us tried to play the game. Actually, it’s very much worth emphasizing the word “tried.” GTA Online’s servers were such a mess at launch that you’ have roughly as much luck now trying to buy a PS5 against an army of bots as you would have had logging in to GTA Online when it launched in 2013. Shortly after all that happened, Rockstar issued the standard apologies, worked some server magic, and fixed a variety of bugs. It took a few weeks, but we finally got to a point when you could log on to GTA Online at will and experience a mostly stable version of the game.

That’s when things got really interesting. As it turned out, sharing your GTA experience with others meant that you’d be playing with people who saw you as just another NPC in their sandbox. It wasn’t long before you started to hear reports of players mercilessly attacking others in the game’s open-world. It was generally amusing the first few times, but for some, these trolls essentially started to dictate the way that you had to play the game just to stay alive in the world. What’s worse is that many of them had already started relying on hacks other cheats that devastated an already uneven playing field.

Players could theoretically turn to GTA Online’s various missions, races, and other activities to escape the open-world mayhem, but those offered little relief. Many of GTA Online’s initial activities were essentially variant’s of the campaign’s most basic missions but without any narrative stakes to elevate them. Their simplicity was made that much more apparent by the game’s underdeveloped initial progression system which left players little to do with the money they were earning and forced everyone to wonder what, exactly, “RP” was.

Don’t take my word on GTA Online’s bad old days. In a 2017 interview with IGN, Rockstar’s director of design, Imran Sarwar, admitted that GTA Online’s “launch and first eight or nine months” were not successful. To make matters worse, he says that things reached a point where the developers themselves were “not excited enough by the updates we were making.” The game was rapidly losing players and Rockstar was still devoting considerable resources to hunting bugs and keeping the servers alive.

That’s where I left GTA Online in 2014. I knew it was possible to have fun in the game, but I was convinced that the mode would end up being a Sea of Thieves style experience that would essentially require you to play with the right group of friends in the right state of mind if you were going to get anything substantial out of it. It felt like Rockstar had ultimately created an elaborate way to kill some time while we waited for GTA 6.

Of course, that’s not what happened. GTA Online went on to earn almost $1.5 billion just four years after its release. It’s estimated that GTA Online earned nearly $600 million in revenue in 2019 alone. Suddenly, talks of GTA 6 were limited to wild online conspiracies and an endless parade of rumors of that marched on as it became increasingly clear that GTA Online was rapidly becoming the face of the GTA franchise.

What happened to spark such an historic turnaround? It came down to a few factors.

Games

GTA 6 Location Rumors: Vice City, London, Tokyo, Liberty City, and More

By John Saavedra

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GTA 6 Timeline and Era Rumors: When Will the Game Be Set?

By Matthew Byrd

First off, GTA Online did get better. Just a couple of years after its release, GTA Online’s content updates were not only more frequent but far more substantial. That’s especially true of one of the game’s 2015 updates which finally added the ability to participate in campaign-style heists with your friends. Those kinds of features contributed to the idea that the spirit of GTA 5 lived on indefinitely within GTA Online.

Not long after, GTA Online became the centerpiece of an unexpected rise in role-playing streams and YouTube videos. While the mode’s chaotic nature and expansive toolset made it an instant hit in the YouTube community, a new generation of creators were crafting characters, scenarios, and the kinds of storylines that felt painfully absent from the mode’s early days. There certainly seems to be a correlation between GTA’s increased sales over the last couple of years and the willingness of the game’s community to make their own fun and share their almost fanfic like adventures with others.

Yet, if you’re wondering how GTA has managed to become the second-highest selling game of all-time, and why it’s regularly on the best-selling games charts seven years after its release, then you have to talk about the title’s expanded progression system and the growing importance of the game’s microtransactions.

GTA Online lets you place elaborate bets in a casino before you hop into your rocket-propelled supercar and go back to work as the CEO of a criminal enterprise. However, all of those things come at a price. GTA Online not only features one of the more extensive microtransaction systems in gaming but one of the more subtly wicked ones. Most major GTA Online content releases typically feature high-end pieces of content typically initially reserved for the game’s “whales.” For instance, buying the best office in the mode’s CEO update would have cost you 4 million in-game dollars (without any of the accessories). If you wanted to buy a microtransaction card that would instantly reward you with that much in-game cash, it would cost you about 60 real-life dollars.

If you’re thinking “Wow, that’s about as much as GTA 5 costs,” then you’ve stumbled on the fiscal brilliance of the game’s microtransaction system. GTA Online‘s updates are free, but each typically introduces a ton of new items waiting to be purchased. While even the larger updates are not nearly the size of a proper new GTA game, it’s certainly possible to spend as much time with any of them as you would on a new GTA single-player game if you’re trying to unlock everything without spending money. Unlike GTA single-player games that sometimes leave you with a ton of cash and nothing to spend it on, GTA Online often leaves you feeling like you can never quite have enough money.

GTA Online is hardly unique in that respect, but few games come close to matching the “FOMO” feeling that it inspires. Actually, in a game all about characters, customization, and creating opportunities, you’re don’t just feel like you’re missing out by not being able to sail around on a yacht or afford the hottest new vehicle. What would be simple cosmetics in other live service games becomes much more substantial in GTA Online.

Believe it or not, though, this isn’t necessarily an indictment of GTA Online’s microtransactions nor is it a rant against the quality of the online mode itself. No, the most worrisome element of GTA Online’s success at this point is what it will do and has already done) to GTA 6 as well as those who never really got into the mode in the first place.

The earliest days of the GTA Online dream can be attributed to a desire to share our GTA campaign experiences with others indefinitely. In some ways, GTA Online grew to offer that experience, but it came with ironic compromises. You could play with others, but that means having to play with others. You can accomplish fantastic things not even possible in the campaign, but you’ll often essentially have to keep buying GTA games to instantly access them. You can experience infinite new stories but you are often required to write, direct, and act in them.

GTA Online growing to be (in many ways) exactly what I dreamed it could be has led me to reexamine my wish. What I and others may not have fully appreciated at the time of GTA’s earlier days was that there was a pleasure in bouncing around a world of largely curated content that a community-driven game may never be able to replicate. It’s part of the reason why Skryim is one of the most successful and beloved games of all-time but not everyone who loved Skyrim is interested in The Elder Scrolls Online. Those kinds of online expansions aren’t simply “what you love, but more of it.” There is a beauty to the illusion of freedom in an open-world single-player game that may have felt prohibitive at a time when we wondered if a multiplayer game could ever offer such an experience but seems necessary at a time when too many games rely on the assumption that you want to be online all the time and constantly playing with others.

Over the years, Rockstar has made it very clear that our hopes for GTA 4-style single-player expansions for GTA 5 are largely in vain, despite the fact they once teased single-player DLC that was initially supposed to be released in 2014. Sometimes, the company is diplomatic about that content shift by stating that their decision to focus on GTA Online content just kind of happened organically. Other times, company representatives like Imran Sarwar throw cold water on the whole thing by suggesting that GTA 4’s brilliant expansions only happened because of a “big deal in place with Microsoft that meant we were obliged to make the expansions.”

Would we be playing GTA 6 if it wasn’t for GTA Online? Maybe not, but the success of that mode has almost certainly left us with a world where Rockstar has barely talked about a new GTA game in over seven years but has released versions of GTA 5 and GTA Online across three different generations of game consoles.

We’re reaching a point when GTA 6’s release is just as likely to be fuelled by the hypothetical diminishing returns of GTA Online‘s revenue as it is Rockstar’s creative ambitions. While Rockstar has stated that they feel part of GTA Online’s success can be attributed to the idea that it offers a little something for everyone who likes different elements of the GTA games, GTA Online has never and will never offer an entirely new story with entirely new characters set in an entirely new world that is entirely ours to experience exactly as we see fit. No matter what new update comes out, how many great RP stories or told, or what possibilities some incredible new toy opens, GTA Online will never be GTA 6 as we imagine that game based on the precedent set by the previous releases in this incredible franchise.

And yet, there is this GTA game out there packed with fresh (and often exciting) content that you’ve never played if you stopped playing the game after finishing the GTA 5 campaign. It’s out there, but at the same time, it isn’t. Like the zombified remains of a former lover that we’ve wished back from the grave without considering exactly what we were asking for, GTA Online lingers temptingly outside the door even as we know that what we’ll find when we open it is exactly what we asked for but perhaps not what we really wanted.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

GTA Online continues to thrive thanks largely to its popularity amongst those who continue to pay for the game, but years later, it’s starting to feel like those who don’t play the mode as they wait for a proper new GTA have also been paying for too long.

The post How GTA Online Taught Us to Be Careful What We Wish For appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/36YFt8f

#aion-rsa #Den of Geek

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theceoofrusa · 6 years

Text

Seven Deadly Sins tag game

If you get tagged, answer these questions and then tag 7 of your friends to do it too! Have fun~

I got tagged by @rangerofthemojave. Thank you, buddy. ^^

Gluttony:

1. If you were on death row, what would your last meal be?

Huh. I wish it would be sooner like tomorrow, but I’ll definitely try a vegetarian meal.

2. Are you a hoarder, if so what do you hoard?

Do letters and gifts from my friends count?

3. Do you collect anything and if so, what would that be?

Yeah. So far the Pokemon Special manga.

4. The top five biggest holidays are New Years’ Eve/Day, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween and Christmas, what is your ranking of these holidays from most favorite to least favorite?

Eh? Ranking these? Uh... well, I guess New Year’s despite all I did was to sleep this New Year’s, Christmas, Easter, Halloween and Valentine’s Day (is that even a holiday? XD).

5. What is your favorite type of candy?

I’m not picky with candy but I do have an unhealthy obsession with chocolates. And my family blood line thingy is diabetic on both sides, rip me.

6. What are your top three favorite restaurants?

Don’t have any fave restaurants tbh. Well, that’s because restaurants are too expensive here. ^^’

7. What are four foods of personal significance to you and why?

Nothing, really. I guess only one and that’s... pork and tofu. It always reminds me of home...

Lust:

1. Have you ever watched porn and/or read smut?

Okay, what?

2. Are you more attracted to physical traits or personality traits?

Uh.... if this is romance then neither.

3. What are your top five favorite color combinations?

I’m very terrible at these. Uh...

4. Are you a virgin, if not then how would you like to lose your virginity and if so, do you regret the way you lost your virginity?

OKAY THIS IS GETTING OUT OF HAND I’M 20 YEARS OLD BUT COME ON THESE THINGS ARE.... AHHHH. T^T

5. How do feel about gay marriage and the LGBT community in general?

Everyone has their rights to love someone romantic or not.

6. If you were to have a family of your own in the future, what kind of family and lifestyle would you want?

Ehhh. Not getting married in the future and I’ll stay that way. :p

7. What would an ideal date be like for you?

Next please?

Greed:

1. What’s your birthstone and do you have any jewelry/objects with your birthstone on it?

Diamond. I think my necklace or earrings? My mom knows since she’s the one who makes me wear those. ^^’

2. What kinds of things do you usually put on your Christmas and birthday lists?

Money, happiness, friendship... jk. Just money to buy stuff.

3. If you were to get a tattoo, what would you want to be on your body forever?

A Poke Ball?

4. If you could be immortal or have an extremely long life span, which would you pick and why?

I’ve been suicidal lately so I don’t want any of it.

5. Have you been on all forms of transport as in horse, car, plane (big, small, helicopter), train and boat?

Not really. Just cars, motorcycle, tricycle, jeepneys, buses, vans, yacht, boats trains, bicycles, and planes.

6. What did you want to be when you were a kid and have your career ambitions changed since then?

I was a naive kid who wanted to be a doctor one day but it never came true, especially with my chosen college program which is not related to medicine.

7.Where do you get most of your clothes?

My mom buys my clothes. o///o

Pride:

1. If you wear makeup, what kinds of products do you usually wear and why do choose to wear makeup? If you don’t wear makeup, what’s your opinion on those who do choose to wear it?

I don’t wear makeup. XD

2. What’s your personal fashion sense/style?

Ehhh. I have zero fashion sense. Just a plain t-shirt and long shorts, jeans or pants.

3. Do you follow clothing trends and if so, what are a few of your favorites?

Meh. Like I said, I have zero fashion sense.

4. What’s the one thing that people always misunderstand about you?

I’m an idiot and a stupid person. I mean, they’re right. I just have a terrible self hatred so I agree.

5. What are your religious beliefs and are they the same as the rest of your family or your parents and speaking of that, what’s your opinion on organized religion in general?

I’m not really religious. I won’t go further but I am a Catholic. ^^’

6. What’s your body type/skin tone and does your body type/skin tone make finding clothes that fit difficult or does it make finding the right shades of makeup difficult?

I have zero fashion sense, mate. Uh...but I’m a Filipino...

7. What are ten of your favorite female names and ten of your favorite male names?

None, lol.

Wrath:

1. Do you have any unpopular opinions and if so, what are they?

I’d rather keep this on my own and to a small group of friends.

2. When you die, how do you want your mortal remains to be dealt with?

I wish I can die right now.

3. Do you hold grudges, why or why not?

Meh. All of them are converted into self hatred.

4. What do you want to happen to your worst enemies?

Nothing. I don’t wanna think about some bad stuff to them...if I have enemies, lol.

5. What do you think will be your cause of death and why?

Something about me starving myself to death at times. Ulcer, I guess? That or suicide.

6. If you died right now, what song(s) would you want played at your funeral?

Nothing.

7. What’s your opinion on the death penalty?

Uh....

Envy:

1. What’s the climate of your local area like and do you like it?

Tropical. It’s boring.

2. Do you get lost easily?

I’m a born loser, mate. :v

3. If you could participate in the Olympics, what sport(s) would you compete in?

Volleyball. I haven’t played for years.

4. What’s your ranking of the seasons from most favorite to least favorite?

Winter, Fall, Spring and Summer.

5. What’s your dream car?

Does an ATV counts?

6. Are you skilled with technology?

Nope.

7. What are four of your favorite patterns?

Anything that looks neat.

Sloth:

1. What are your favorite and least favorite tropes in fiction?

Uh...

2. When do you usually wake up and when do you usually go to bed?

IRecently I’ve been sleeping early. Either I wake up at 3am from a nightmare or the usual 7am or...later than that. I’ve been getting too much sleep recently...

3. What TV shows and movies did you frequently watch when you were a kid?

Disney, Carton Network, Anime and Nickelodeon.

4. What’s your favorite era of music?

Uh...

5. What do you usually watch on Youtube?

Pokemon game plays.

6. What are ten songs that are of personal significance to you and why?

Uh....

7. What’s your top three favorite video games?

Pokemon, Kingdom Hearts and Tekken (blame my brother and y cousins for dragging me there, lol).

Too lazy to tag again. I’m sorry. ;-;

#a great distraction from this pain #tag challenge #tw: suicide #trigger warning: suicide

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gregolry · 7 years

Note

1 to 69 and also 70

thank u I made a playlist instead of working on my finals

1. A Song you’re ashamed of liking

None, all music is good and great2. Favourite lyrics

Constant Surprises (Little Dragon)3. Favourite band/artist

Probably Paramore or Janelle Monae based off of time listened/lyrics known etc.4. Top 5 Favourite songs at this moment

These aren’t really my favorite songs at all but they’re the ones I’ve been listening to this week.

Mystery of Love (Sufjan Stevens), Don’t Act Like A Stranger (Cathedrals), If It’s a Light (Mavis Staples), Dim All The Lights (Donna Summer), I Belong To You (Brandi Carlile)5. Latest song that made you smile

Psychic City – Classixx Remix(YACHT)6. An overrated band

Don’t @ me but Fall Out Boy7. An overrated song

Really most of the songs from the above band8. Latest song that made you cry

Send in the Clowns (Glynis Johns)9. Artist/band that saved your life

None but also let’s say Carole King, she got me through a time10. If you could see any band/artist live, who would it be

Paramore11. What song/album/band/artist always brings back memories for you

Katy Perry’s album One Of The Boys always puts me exactly where I was every time I ever listened to it.12. saddest song you know

Silver Springs (Fleetwood Mac)13. Favourite song to sing in the shower

Really anything by Fleetwood Mac but probably Dreams14. If you played an instrument in grade school, what was it

Piano~15. What song would you like to have your first dance to at your wedding

Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? (Carole King)16. 5 Songs to have sex to

None but also it depends on the mood but probably something by Arctic Monkeys (Dangerous Animals comes to mind)17. One band you’d have get back together/bring back from the dead

This doesn’t really count I guess but PWR BTTM with different members who weren’t garbage? Like take that concept and that exact sound and give it to people who weren’t pieces of shit.18. You’re forced to listen to only one album for the rest of your life, what album is it

Carole King’s Tapestry or Paramore’s After Laughter19. A song that gets you through shit

Cry, Cry, Cry (Judith Hill)20. A song to shut everything out

Any song really 21. A song that’s a joke between you and your friends

Anything by Creed

22. A song to jam out to at 4am

Janglin (Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros)23. A song that punches you in the gut every single time

You Were Meant For Me (Jewel)24. A song that calms you down

Thunder Love (Little Dragon)25. A song that makes you feel alive

Q.U.E.E.N. (Janelle Monae)26. If you could get any lyrics tattooed, which would you choose

Tbh Something from the above song27. What band/artist would you get your children addicted to at an early age

You know good and well my children will be listening to Janelle Monae all day28. Can you play any instruments, if so, which

Piano and anything piano adjacent that follows the same rules29. If you could be a member of any band for one show, who would it be

That’s too much pressure30. CDs or Vinyls

Digital…31. 25 songs to play at your funeral

Just play What’s New Pussycat on repeat32. What are some song titles that you love

It Hurts Until It Doesn’t (Mothers) and their album title “When You Walk A Long Distance You Are Tired”33. If your life ended today, what song would you choose to represent it

See Above34. Can you give me a 10 song playlist on ____

No35. A heart wrenching song

Un-Break My Heart (Toni Braxton)36. A band/artist you’re proud of

Paramore because why not they’re doing a good job37. A song that has a lot of meaning to you

As You Are (Kimbra)38. A song that reminds you of school

Right As Rain (Adele) (not for any specific reason other than it played a lot on my way to class from high school to now)39. A song not sung in your native language

Palabra clasica (Florencia Nunez)40. An instrumental song

Whoacean (Yesway)41. A classical song

Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 5 (Beethoven)42. A song with no percussion

Want My Love (Cathedrals)43. Something you’ve heard performed live

Mardy Bum (Arctic Monkeys)44. Something you’d give ANYTHING to hear performed live

I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Whitney Houston) (assuming this would involve dark magic rituals of some sort)45. A song from a band/artist that’s from your town/city/state/province

Keep Lying (Donna Missal)46. A song made suddenly precious because of a special someone

*shrug emoji* (that’s a lie but I can’t say)47. A song made suddenly painful because of someone special

*shrug emoji* (probably the same answer as above though)48. A song that demands lip syncing and a makeshift microphone

Real Love (Mary J. Blige)49. A song from a band/artist you met/know

*shrug emoji*50. A song that you would rock at karaoke

I’m The Only One (Melissa Etheridge)51. A song you can’t help but dance to

One Of The Boys (Katy Perry)52. A song that makes you want to dance on a table

Do My Thing (Estelle feat. Janelle Monae)53. Your 10 song striper playlist

Just What’s New Pussycat 10 times54. Favourite Disney song

Snuff Out the Light (Eartha Kitt) (It was never in the movie and that’s a damn shame)55. A song that starts with the first letter of your name

Change Of Coast (Neon Indian)56. A song from an artist still alive

400 Lux (Lorde)57. A song from an artist who’s dead

I’ll Be Seeing You (Billie Holiday)58. A song you love by an artist/band you hate

*shrug emoji* I guess anything by PWR BTTM because the band is garbo but their music was good59. A song you love with a colour in the title

Rose-Colored Boy (Paramore)60. A song you love with a number in the title

One For The Road (Arctic Monkeys)61. A song that reminds you of someone you would rather forget about

Raja Vocative (The Mountain Goats)62. A song that needs to be played LOUD

Square Biz (Teena Marie)63. A song that makes you think about life

Oh My God (Ida Maria)64. 15 Songs that get suck in your head easily

What’s New Pussycat 15 times65. A song that you think everyone should listen to

That’s Alright (Laura Mvula)66. A song that makes you want to fall in love

As the World Falls Down (Girl In A Coma)67. A song that makes you think about ‘him/her’

They All Want You (Lissie) (tbh.. mood)68. A song that you remember from your childhood

Say You’ll Be There (Spice Girls)69. A song that reminds you of you

It Hurts Until It Doesn’t (Mothers)70. Okay what’s the real answer to number 1

Still true

#i should probably do homework now #helivesunderawaterfall

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celebritylive · 5 years

Link

Tyler Rich and Sabina Gadecki are married.

The “Leave Her Wild” singer and L.A.’s Finest actress tied the knot in Murfreesboro, Tennessee on Friday in front of 275 guests at Saddle Woods Farm — and PEOPLE has all the exclusive details.

Ahead of their big day, the couple told PEOPLE that they chose their venue — which they called a “big, beautiful property with a gorgeous barn” — in part because of the “kind” owners, Jayne and Gary LeGate.

“They invited us in for dinner with their family during the holidays when we visited the venue,” they said. “We were sold right then and there.”

Throughout the space, the couple decorated with pampas grass, macrame, neon lights, bulb string lights, vintage rugs, teepees and couches to bring their music festival-theme to life.

“We met at a music festival and spend so much of our time together on the road at shows festivals,” Rich, 33, and Gadecki, 36, said. “So we wanted to throw a festival-themed wedding so our guests could take a step into our lives for a night.”

Rich and Gadecki — who hired Sara Fried, owner of Fête Nashville Luxury Weddings, to plan their wedding — put neon signs inside and outside the barn and also had an escort wall for guests to “find their festival friends” with each table being named after a music festival (where they were given custom luggage tags from Sketch & Etch). The couple first met at the Stagecoach country music festival in Indio, California on May 1, 2016 and have been together for almost three-and-a-half years now.

“I was watching the show from the side of the main stage and saw Sabina with her friends down in the pit,” Rich recalled. “So I snuck down and perfectly placed myself right in front of her group with my friend Alex, and we made sure we had such a great time in front of them that she and her friends would wish they were part of our group. Well, it barely worked — we quickly said hello and she left. I had to do the rest of my courting via an Instagram direct message.”

View this post on Instagram

Neon Carnival

#stagecoach

A post shared by Tyler Rich (@tylerrich) on May 4, 2019 at 2:56pm PDT

//www.instagram.com/embed.js

Standing beside the couple on their big day was a bridal party made up of 13 groomsmen and 12 bridesmaids, including three best men and three maids of honor. Ayesha Curry, who attended with her husband Stephen Curry, brother-in-law Seth Curry and his wife, Callie Rivers-Curry, was in Gadecki’s bridal party.

One of the couple’s closest friends, Ambrosio “Boskie” Lopez, married them. “Nobody knows us better as individuals and as a couple at the same time,” they said.

The couple wrote their own vows, and Rich anticipated there was a “100 percent” chance he’d cry during the special moment.

RELATED: From Red Robin to Hitting No. 1: What to Know About ‘The Difference’ Singer Tyler Rich

Gadecki wore two different gowns by Israeli designer Galia Lahav for the ceremony and reception, and she described them as the “perfect combination of both sexy and playful.”

“You can see and feel from the details that the dresses were made with a lot of love,” said Gadecki, who calls herself the “most indecisive person known to man” and tried on a lot of dresses before making her decision.

Gadecki also stuck with tradition and incorporated “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue” in her ensemble.

“I never had the chance to meet my babcia , my mom’s mom,” she said. “Both of my grandparents on my mom’s side died before I was born, but I’ve always felt a strong connection to them. My grandmother was wearing a blue brooch in the hospital before she passed away, and I had the brooch sewn into my dress. My ‘something old’ is my mother’s veil. I took the beautiful lace and tulle and had it turned into our ring bearer’s pillow, a small purse for my day, as well as my garter. And my ‘something borrowed’ is my jewelry.”

Rich wore a charcoal suit by Italian designer Boglioli, and he completed his look with a Rolex Yacht-Master from Crown & Caliber. Justin Alexander styled all of Rich’s groomsmen, who accessorized with matching black leather matches from MVMT, while Gadecki’s bridesmaids all wore blush bohemian dresses from Jenny Yoo.

Throughout the day, the couple made sure that the music was “perfect for us,” meaning that it was “not your traditional wedding music, but the music you hear when you go see your favorite bands at a festival.”

“We also wanted a raw and true to Nashville element, so we had the amazing Ashley Campbell bring her banjo picking to our cocktail hour,” they said.

RELATED: Actress Sabina Gadecki’s Friends ‘Thanked’ Her Fiancé Tyler Rich For Not Changing Her

At the reception, Rich and Gadecki picked “Yellow” by Coldplay for their first dance as a married couple.

“We first said ‘I love you’ when listening to ‘Yellow,’ and it’s been our song ever since,” they said. “That first dance to ‘Yellow’ in front of everyone we love so much will live forever with us.”

As for the food, the couple went with “food truck-style eating” in an indoor setting. They had a pierogi bar, slider station and “meat and two” station along with a donut wall and cake for dessert. Additionally, they had a cigar bar and flower crown cart to keep with their music festival-theme.

Rich also wanted the alcohol at the wedding to represent them as a couple. Since he was raised in Northern California, Rich had Lagunitas IPA beer and four types of wine from Brasswood Cellars in Napa Valley served at the wedding. Since Gadecki’s entire family is from Poland, they knew the right vodka was a “very important element” and chose to serve Big Machine Vodka. The wedding was many of their guests’ first trip to Nashville, so they also had a true Tennessee whiskey, Clayton James, on deck.

Rich and Gadecki used the site Minted to design all of their menus, table numbers, save the dates, invites, day-of-pieces and thank you cards in one place.

RELATED VIDEO: Tyler Rich on Writing ‘Leave Her Wild’ & Acting with Sabina Gadecki in ‘The Difference’ Music Video

When it came time for speeches, Rich and Gadecki’s best men and maids of honor all walked up and took turns passing around the microphone. Ahead of the reception, Rich anticipated that it would be “the dance party of all parties.”

“Our friends and family couldn’t stay still if they wanted to,” he said. “Sabina’s family is all from Poland and rowdy as they come. You mix that with our crazy friends, and it’s going down.”

Along with the Curry family, famous faces at the wedding included Jon Pardi, Gadecki’s fellow Entourage actor Jerry Ferrara and his wife, Breanne Racano Ferrera, UFC fighter Anthony Pettis, NBA players Dorell Wright and Biedriņš, actor Dylan Playfair, Sirius XM’s “The Highway” host Mary Carlisle Young, professional fisher Aaron Britt (who was also one of Rich’s groomsmen) and model Ubah Hassan.

Though Rich and Gadecki have been engaged for over two years, they felt like now was finally the perfect time to have their wedding.

“We have both had the craziest couple years, with little time,” Rich — whose song “The Difference” hit No. 21 on the country charts last year — said. “We could never afford it until the past year or so, really. Once both our careers picked up last year, it changed everything and gave us the opportunity to finally plan the wedding we’d always wanted. There are just so many important people in our lives, that we knew it couldn’t be small. So we were waiting until we could have the wedding of our dreams.”

Since their relationship has been long-distance between Los Angeles and Nashville since they met, the couple said they depend on trust to keep them strong.

“We have always trusted each other, and never let any insecurities or fear of anything get in between us,” they said. “We fully support each other’s dreams and 100 percent the person each of us are inside. We embrace that fully.”

As to what he’s most looking forward to about marriage itself, Rich said it’s getting to introduce Gadecki as his “wife.”

“I’m so excited to build a life together from scratch,” he said. “To know that decades from now when there is an entire new generation beneath us, that it all started back in September 2019 when we kissed and said, ‘I do.’ It’s a really beautiful thing.”

Before forever, though, comes the honeymoon, which the couple had to put on hold for a bit now that Gadecki will be busy shooting for the upcoming film False Positive.

“Originally we had plans to go to the Cayman Islands on Monday following the wedding,” Rich said. “The Caribbean is so relaxing, recharging and the break we sure could use right now. But Sabina just booked a new film that starts shooting right away, and we are so excited about it! So, we will try to have a honeymoon in January when our schedules usually slow down. Either to Grand Cayman still, or potentially southeast Asia, it will be January weather-dependent.”

Rich — who previously toured with Dustin Lynch, Sam Hunt, Brett Eldredge, Justin Moore, Cole Swindell, Dan + Shay and Brett Young — has headlining dates across the United States through the end of the year and is opening on select dates with Pardi and Brantley Gilbert.

from PEOPLE.com https://ift.tt/2IgLgtr

#Celebrity

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sambashua · 7 years

Text

92 questions/random questions/8 things tag~

hello friends !!! i’ve done the first two tags before but it’s been quite a while so ?? let’s see if i can come up w new responses i guess?? also these all have similar-ish questions so i thought i’d combine them so i don’t clog up everyone’s dashes~

tagged by (ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･ﾟ(ilya so dang much my favorite muffins)

92 questions: mariel! @jaehyunscult kelby! @yooncheoly and claudia! @s-lay-ing

random questions: kolbo! @yooncheoly ommo! @strawberryboo and cloodoo! @s-lay-ing

eight things: em! @seoulscapes mj! @jungnoir and kat! @atshinee

i’m going to tag @everyonesabiaswrecker @hoshi-ssi @king-hao @moonhyook @taeismyking @honestlay @yoonsunha @amessence @kylamassie1 @peachesandkili and also the beans who tagged me above!! you can do one of the ones you didn’t tag me in hehe(≧◡≦)

you guys can choose whichever tags you want!! or all of them ? idk it’s basically either long, easy or creative so whatever you feel like doing… or do none of them!! that works too! if you don’t want to be tagged just let me knowwww also you rlly don’t have to read this whole thing it is so damn long… but w/o further ado…

92 questions

the last…

1. drink: water

2. phone call: my grandma !

3. text message: “THEBOP OF THE SUMMER” (sic)

4. song you listened to: ‘love paint (every afternoon)’ by NU’EST started playing before i got out of the car last night… WAIT I JUST REMEMBERED I WATCHED MX’S NEWTON THIS MORNING OH MY GOD THE BOP OF THE SUMMER THAT’S WHAT THE TEXT WAS ABT BTW

5. time you cried: hmmmm not monsta x surprisingly ? but we have some rlly spicy food in LA and @everyonesabiaswrecker @taeismyking and i had to hide our eyes from the waiter lol

have you ever…

6. dated someone twice: nooo (as i said last time i’ve never dated so these are all no’s so you can skip around a bit i suppose)

7. been cheated on: nooo

8. kissed someone and regretted it: nooo

9. lost someone special: yea

10. been depressed: nope

11. gotten drunk and thrown up: drinking makes ya do bad stuff kids

list three favorite colors (12-15)…

grey, light blue nd light green !

in the last year have you…

15. made new friends: yeAH SO MANY! irl and online i’m so thankful for everyone i’ve met~~ since i started uni i was rlly nervous abt meeting people and although i have one (1) new friend irl (shoutout to my main main main kat @atshinee literally where would i be w/o you i probably woulda gotten stuck at camp bc of the hail storm) i’ve met countless lovely individuals online that i am forever grateful for;;; now i’m being all sappy someoNE STOP ME

16. fallen out of love: nooo

17. laughed until you cried: almost everyday~~

18. found out someone was talking about you: oh yea

19. met someone who changed you: YES

20. found out who your true friends are: yeah!

21. kissed someone on your facebook list: nooooooooooooooope

general stuff

22. how many of your facebook friends do you know in real life: idk like probably actually 80% but they’re not people i talk to now ? (kat still yells at me abt my answer last time)

23. do you have any pets: I GOT TWO CATS TOM TOM AND MYSTERY THEY ARE ADORABLE BEANS ND I LIKE TO BRAG ABT THEM SO ASK ME FOR PICS

24. do you want to change your name: i like my name a lot tbh (there’s so many endless nickname possibilities honestly)

25. what did you do for your last birthday: i got gelato w two of my closest frandssss and also listened to nct dream like the whole day it was the best

26. what time did you wake up: um m m i think 9? yesterday i went to bed at 3:30 and woke up at 7:30 so i slept in more today lol

27. what were you doing at midnight last night: trying to read a soonhoon fic from eep and messaging ivy:D

28. name something you cannot wait for: uM IDK EVERYTHING I WAS WAITING FOR ALREADY HAPPENED i guess just moving back to school and starting classes??? i’m so anxious ugh

29. when was the last time you saw your mom: 4 ? hours ago ?

30. what is one thing you wish you could change about your life: um idk i think i’m pretty blessed to be completely honest

31. what are you listening to right now: there’s construction going on in the distance idk what they’re doing but it is LOUD

32. have you ever talked to a person named tom: i’m so shook people haven’t talked to any toms i’ve met so many i don’t undeRSTAND

33. something that is getting on your nerves: ignorance *finger guns*

34. most visited website: tumblr (i haven’t been on youtube much lately cry)

35. elementary school: yeahhh

36. high school: yeahhh

37. college: yeahhh

38. hair color: blonde

39. long or short hair: it’s so long rn i’m constantly choking on it

40. do you have a crush on someone: crushes are for noobs

41. what do you like about yourself: “everything, love yourself.” -kat

42. piercings: ears but i never wear them

43. blood type: idk my parents are both AB so my mom says we’re that too but mom that’s not how genetics work

44. nickname: i have so many but my most common one is mir~ i answer to anything tho

45. relationship status: engaged to jeon wonwoo

46. zodiac sign: cancer~

47. pronouns: she/her

48. favorite tv show: game of thrones or below deck (watch it it’s a reality show abt a yacht crew it’s so entertaining)

49. tattoos: nope i’m too indecisive

50. righty or lefty: right

first…

51. surgery: i had surgery junior year of high school

52. piercing: did they not already ask this oh jk this is first well i still only have ears

53. best friend: in the womb bitchhh (-8 months would be the official age)

54. sport: i think karate ? my dad is super sporty tho so sister and i tried every sport known to man

55. vacation: probably washington bc i have a lot of family there

56. pair of sneakers: literally who knows this tho

right now…

57. eating: nothing

58. drinking: now i’m drinking tea

59. i’m about to: eat a bagel maybe

60. listening to: good luck by aoa (yessss my girls)

61. waiting for: jordyn to get off work so i can see her new dorm:D

62. do you want kids: i always have

63. do you want to get married: i don’t really know marriage seems so outdated…

64: what career do you want: journalist (yay)

which is better…

65. hugs or kisses: hugs!

66. lips or eyes: eyes!

67. shorter or taller: i don’t have much preference but i’m tall and i like being tall

68. older or younger: i don’t really care bc some older people are really immature and some younger people are really mature so~

70. nice arms or nice stomach: i really really don’t care

71. sensitive or loud: these honestly aren’t even antonyms

72. hook up or relationship: relationship

73. troublemaker or hesitant: i’ve never been a troublemaker so ?

have you ever…

74. kissed a stranger: nooo

75. drank hard liquor: neh ?

76. lost glasses/lenses: i have above average vision boiiiii

77. turned someone down: i mean;;;; i think most people have at least indirectly

78. had sex on the first date: nooo

79. broken someone’s heart: i really doubt it lol

80. had your heart broken: jeon wonwoo breaks my heart daily

81. been arrested: nooo

82. cried when someone died: yeahh

83. fallen for a friend: no

do you believe in…

84. yourself: YEAH I GOT THIS! YOU GOT THIS! WE ALL GOT THIS!

85. miracles: maybe ?

86. love at first sight: not even a little bit

87. santa claus:

LOOK AT SOONYOUNG I’M LAUGHING

88. kiss on the first date: i mean i don’t see why not

89. angels: maybe ?

other…

90. current best friends name: sister n em n kat n cass n jords n val :3

91. eye color: grey ish

92. favorite movie: the proposal was my favorite movie for so long;;; i liked moonlight a lot too go see it

random questions

dude i fucking forgot abt this one i thought i was done fuck (why is this font so tiny)

relationship status: single for 19 years bishhhhhhhh favorite color: grey!! but i’ve been feelin orange lately hmmmm lipstick or chapstick: i like tinted lip balm:) but i even use vaseline sometimes try it okay it makes yo lips so soft last song you listened to: well i already said so i’ll do what’s stuck in my head rn: coffee by bts (it’s so good i get such calming vibes from it) last movie you watched: BABY DRIVER it was so ffffff good 100/10 would rec~ the car chases were so cool dude also ansel elgort is such a cutie top 3 characters: i’ll as april ludgate from parks n rec (are you happy jords), celaena from throne of glass, ndddd risa koizumi from lovcom:) top 3 ships: jejun ! soonwoo ! MARKHYUCK(ﾉ´ヮ`)ﾉ*: ･ﾟ books you are currently reading: rnnnn i’m STILL reading heir of fire (don’t worry cass i will finish it in time) top 5 musicals: mulan is endlessly iconic okay, hsm, phantom of the opera, the sound of music nd mama mia !

eight things

last movie watched: baby driver hoo hoo last song listened to: me gustas tu bitchhhhh last book read: Crown of Midnight still oops sorry cass i’m so damn slow these days last thing eaten: fig newtons (buy newton by monsta x on itunes) if you could be anywhere right now, where would you be: wherever @atshinee is because i want to support her for her test but i know i would probably just distract her:(((((( a fictional character you would hang out with for the day: probably dorian from throne of glass bc he just seems like such a lovable dork i want to give him a big ole hug he needs it what fictional world/universe would you want to spend a week in: i used to be obsessed w the series Gregor the Overlander as a kid and i’d really want to spend a day there that would be so awesome esp the one where they travel through the one rainforest jungle… but also Harry Potter bc i rlly want to go to hogwarts and just;;; look around? it’s so pretty and i want to see all the paintings and staircases and the people it’d be great last video game played: i’ve never rlly played video games… i used to play the sims does that count rip

well it’s finally frickin done i doubt anyone bared w me for this trainwreck…….. i’m so tired now will i even do more of these today jk i gotta i am so behind but no selfie tags i look trash

#tagged #bye #this was so long #time to sleep #jk #i'm not that tired #just ded #thank you guys for tagging me!!!#i think that was everyone???#some of those are a bit old rip #who even read this like wow that's dedication #it's like;;; not even rly funny either so rip #only do this if you want to ofc!!#cries bc the random qs was the first tag jen bean tagged me in:(((#mir moos

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poketin · 7 years

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My Dream Daddy Route Rankings!

Obviously, this is my personal opinion! Slight spoilers for the routes and such, honestly I wrote most of this at 4 am so please forgive any mistakes on my part.

Faves:

Mat

- He was my fave when the game was announced, and his route didn’t disappoint in the slightest! He had very real issues to work through, a very passionate guy with social anxiety is very relatable to me, and the music was especially great because of Mat being a musicman. The mini-games were some of the better ones, that piano one was really funny to me and the way it helps conclude his arc of sorts is very touching. His dates were all heartwarming as well as fun, hanging at his house with him felt incredibly real. He just felt like such a complex and deep guy.

- Pablo and Carmensita are absolutely charming, I love them so freaking much. Pablo my angel, who I see much of myself in, I hope everything goes well for you in life. May all your dreams come true.

- I only wish that so many points towards his good end didn’t come from arbitrary band stuff that a lot of people may not get, but he is the music guy so it does fit.

Damien

- I’ve always had a thing for goths, but for some reason Damien didn’t catch my eye until I was actually immersed in the game. And boy, did I fall in love with him. I actually started on my track to Victorian love during the ‘prologue’ of sorts, abandoning any plans of other routes I had after doing Mat’s to immediately date Damien. I was so drawn to him in such a short amount of time, and played his route 2nd because I just couldn’t wait. And damn, was it good.

- He’s not only very sophisticated and Romantic, but he’s also a scaredy cat nerd who loves his son to pieces and handles their relationship extremely well despite teenage rebellion. Damien discussing the multi-facetedness of his character and his worries over people not accepting various parts of himself, leading to him hiding those parts, really spoke to me. I have been in such a position my entire life and I really just felt for the guy. I just love him wholeheartedly.

- Plus Lucien is a real cutie and a real swell dude, I love his and Damien’s relationship a ton (seriously, even though Lucien seems like a jerk sometimes, he truly cares about his dad and their mutual respect for one another was wonderful to see). Mary in this route is a bonus, but holy shit did this route make me love her to bits, she’s amazing. Plus we get to see Hugo and Ernest being great and connecting a little. Damien[s route really has everything.

- Also the gargoyle mini-game wasn’t too bad! I actually had a bit of fun with it haha Speaking of which, the entire garden section was beautiful. His entire route is beautiful. Damien is beautiful. Love and appreciate him, I beg you.

2nd Faves:

Hugo

- He also feels a need to hide his other self/a huge passion of his from everyone he knows. He’s not only a freaking adorable scholarly book-type but also has an incredibly sharp wit that leads to one of my favorite moments in the whole game. His passion for learning, life, and muscles is infectious, and a true blessing.

- Similar in a way to Mat and band references, I wish that Hugo’s second date didn’t rely so heavily on trivia and such to get a good grade. I know you can look it up and get a perfect score, but dang it I really just want to connect to him personally during a date (which did also happen, I’m kind of just nitpicking a little). I love the Ah! Real Monsters pun that was thrown in, thank you for that.

- Ernest is really cute to me for some reason, even though he’s a jerk a lot. He does truly love his dad though, and being able to see that in this route and also Damien’s is a real treat. Also, the character designs in this game are unreal, they’re so good.

Robert

- I actually wasn’t as drawn to Robert as I thought I’d be when I first saw his bio, but just like with Damien, I really loved him when I actually played the game. His route is really emotional, while being a blast at the same time. Plus we get to see Mary being fucking amazing again. His daughter Val is incredibly hot too, holy crap. I love her so, so much, and she’s barely in the game.

- I cried a lot when I played his route. I cried during the other routes as well, especially my top 4, but probably the most and hardest with his.

- So much banter, so many good stories. And ending that was more than satisfying and made me cry. Again.

- He’s really relatable in many harsh and sad ways, like seriously him talking about “taking and taking” and covering up how he feels with jokes and such also rings really true to my life (I’m just now thinking I have a huge bias towards the dads that I relate to the most). It’s depressing but just like him, I need to face these things, and take my time to heal and improve.

Unexpectedly Liked:

Brian

- I’m a naturally competitive person, so I simultaneously got really fired up and a little annoyed when my character would compete with him. Mostly I got aggravated at my dad just being really focused on beating this guy and kinda shoving romantic feelings to the side until the very end, but Brian’s little confession about the whole competition was really cute and the fish mini-game was also one of the better ones.

- Daisy is really adorable too and her relationship with Amanda is one of the cutest. Brian was never really on my radar so I played his second to last, but it was a really pleasant route.

- That golf mini-game was not pleasant though, you cannot line up your shots accurately because if you take too long, it just putts it with the barest strength and you lose automatically. It’s just a game that you are set up to lose (unless I am completely atrocious at it) and those are never really fun, like c’mon at least give me a chance.

Unexpectedly Not A Huge Fan Of:

Craig

- Honestly I thought Craig would be my second fave character, I loved his design (eyebrow scars are sexy as hell) and dedication to improving himself, but I was a little let down. I thought his storyline with overwork was handled well but it didn’t really grab me, and honestly the park segment for the second date annoyed me to no end, I was really frustrated with it.

- I like all the college stories a lot, it’s great to hear all about the wacky shit he and the MC got up to. Not a bad route by any means, but it just was a bit of a disappointment.

- His kids are super adorable, I wish we got to see more of the twins but I feel that way about some of the other kids too.

Neutral Leaning Toward Dislike:

Joseph

- Playing this one last while getting to know Mary through the other routes made this one extra depressing.

- Joseph never stuck out to me one way or another in the first place. His kids are kind of bland, Christie is the most in-depth one (I use in-depth loosely here) and she is adorable, plus the whole “egg them on” bit is great, but he just rubs me the wrong way. Also the juxtaposition of the yacht scene and the ending was really jarring (although it was nice to see some kind of sad and fucked up realism that hits way too close to home). I did always feel like Joseph had a pull towards the MC at the ending party that happens across all routes at the end of the game, he just looked so sad when you went after other dads, but maybe that was just my imagination. I feel bad for the whole Christiansen family. Nice family name puns though.

Final Thoughts

Overall I absolutely love this game! The music, characters, stories, and art are all phenomenal. My only gripes are the tediousness of some of the mini-games and any complaints mentioned about routes and characters above. I’d give it a 8/10 for a really fun and surprisingly emotional experience. I put about 10 hours into it, so it’s also a good length for your money!

Bonus End Picture Ranking (Best to Least Best because they’re all great):

Mat, Hugo, Damien, Robert, Craig, Brian, Joseph

#dream daddy #dream daddy spoilers #dad ranking #poketin stuff #long post #review

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debbiehross · 7 years

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An introduction

I was asked by many friends before leaving NZ if I was going to write a blog. Having never done this before I thought it might be a good idea to give it a go even though I’m no writer, and am very techno challenged. And I have to wonder who would actually be bothered to read it anyway. But thanks to Alenka, who patiently tried to set me up one night before we left Auckland, I’m making a start. And Rebecca, who spent a little bit of time with us on the boat when we first arrived. So here goes…

Making a dream come true takes a lot of hard work…

It must be a ‘time-of-life’ thing – having a dream to cruise around the Med. We follow in the wake of many. It’s a time in ones life when your children are independent, there are no grandchildren to tug at your heart strings, the family pet has died (RIP Bessy) which also reminds me … without wanting to sound flippant, but both sets of parents have long passed, meaning no elderly dependents. We are free, in the most fabulous way. It’s a tangible feeling that both Chris and I feel. What gave us the final nudge was concluding the sale of our business last year. Although Chris remains a director for the time being, it accelerated our plans to escape the NZ winter.

Having spent last year researching boat models and options, which involved two trips to Europe to view vessels for sale between Spain, Italy, and Greece, we settled on a Ferretti 80 RPH (raised pilot house). It’s a production boat built for the Mediteranean waters, so should be easier to re-sell, it had the right amount of cabins; four, each with their own head (bathroom) so our friends and family could join us from time to time. It has crew quarters that are not too cramped – and which now house two crew. And it was in Greece. Where a huge piece of my heart still resides. Having spent many years here in my younger life.

She is far from being classified a Super Yacht – she’s more of a large family motor launch. We have renamed her Awanui. It is a beautiful sounding Maori name. And we were told that we needed to have a Maori name with at least two “A”s in it? Not sure exactly why? (Graham?) Anyway it looks lovely sign-written on the aft. Awanui means a large conch shell – or big river – we choose to think of it as the large shell. Not many big rivers around here.

We arrived on the 4th June 2017. Awanui has been residing in a little marina an hour north of Athens, called Nea Ataki. We have employed Captain Kostas, mainly as he lives here and overlooks the marina so it is easy to winter the boat in this little village. He has also had many years experience cruising all around the Med. So he may not be the young Greek God-like specimen I was hoping might take the helm – we’ve gone for experience instead. And he’s delightful.

So too is our Deckhand Essham. Who couldn’t be more sincere in his efforts to be helpful. Hesham is Egyptian, and has a young family living there to whom he remits all his wages. It makes you realize how precious employment is here and how big the sacrifices made, to ensure a steady income. Ironically our OE is coinciding with our daughters’, although she has noted the irony of her working in the refugee camp whilst weekending on the “luxury” boat.

It was by pure coincidence that her work with the NGO, Lighthouse, placed her in Ritsona, which is only a few miles from this Marina in Nea Ataki. She has been there for a month now and will join us for a week later in the Summer when her placement finishes.

Bex farewelling us before work.

Rebecca took us to her favourite Taverna in Chalkida, a great local spot. Although...clearly no need to book ahead!

Our first week in Greece involved fitting out the boat with all the toys we know we will enjoy over the coming months. We now have two foldup E-Bikes, two paddle boards, and two kayaks (the E bikes had to be sent from the UK because when researching Greece vendors from NZ, we simply got no response from the sports shops there despite many promises - so we ended up having to deal with a UK sports shop.

As we are not a Greek Boat, and VAT is not paid so we have a Transit Log. This means we cannot stay in Med longer than 6 months a year. We must have the Transit Log signed and stamped by the Customs Department and the Port Police before we can go cruising. But first we had to pay the electricity bill from the Marina.

This gave us a taste of Greek Beaurocracy.

To pay the electricity bill Chris went into Chalkida with Captain Kosta to the Port Harbour Masters Office. Capt Kosta marched Chris into a Board Room where a meeting was in full swing, and introduced him to the Mayor of Nea Atarki, the Mayor of Chalkida, the Head of the Port Authority and a couple of other Directors. After that slightly embarrassing interlude Chris then spent about 20 minutes trying to pay the bill. Behind a desk were three girls to take the 173 Euros. One talked, one computed the invoice, and one took the money.

Then a drive to the Customs Office to get the Transit Log signed. They went to the second floor where the Transit Log was filed and filled in our departure details. During that process the Customs Official went downstairs to the first floor, twice, to photocopy the documents and returned. Finally he sent Chris downstairs to get a stamp and signature from the Receptionist, who then handed them over to her Boss who entered Chris’s passport details into his computer, and signed and stamped them again. Chris then returned to the 2nd floor where the original Customs Official wrote an invoice for 40 Euros and sent them next door to the Cashier. The Cashier stopped his game of Sudoku to process the payment and kindly gave Chris an apricot to eat while he was doing it. Having eaten the apricot and paid the 40 Euros, Chris had to return to the Customs Officer again with his receipt and finally the Transit Log was handed over. But it doesn’t stop there.

Next stop was the Port Police, which was in another building a short drive away. Chris submitted the Transit Log to the Port Police who then wrote our departure details into a large ledger book on the counter. More stamping and signing - until finally they were free to go !!

We then stocked the pantry and the freezers. Captan Kosta drove us to his favourite places – one being the butcher who has 5 sons all of whom help to run the family butchery, and the farm that supplies the meat. There were photos of the cattle and their farm on the walls and we got to choose our cuts of meat from the whole beast. They chopped it up there and then. We were told that the farm is totally organic, which was pretty obvious, and that the animals are very happy. We like that.

The family farm - happy family of cows.

Choosing the eye fillet.

The next day, on Tuesday June 13th, we set off from Nea Ataki and motored a little way up the island of Evia to a little village called Limini. Absolutely delightful. We have now christened the E-bikes (I’m in love with my little Red bullet – goes like a rocket) and rode up to a lookout then back down to the town to buy fresh bread, pastries (naughty) and rock melon (peponi) for breakfast. Past a local fisherman beating his catch of Octopus on the rocks. Cleaning and tenderizing them. He was very happy to show us the biggest one – he had many.

Taken Capt. Kostas spot already!

Octopus fisherman in Limni.

Limni port and (below) town.

It is now Sunday afternoon, we are relaxing on the boat awaiting the arrival of out first guests from New Zealand. Rebecca and her workmate Anita drove from the refugee camp on Friday to Agios Konstandinos for the weekend. We motored around the bays to Agios Yeoryios. We had a great day Saturday soaking up the sun, swimming and paddle boarding and topped it off with freshly caught sardines for dinner, beautifully prepared by Hesham.

Hesham giving Anita a lesson on sardine prepartion.

The girls sun baking.

Chris overlooking arrival in Friday nights spot (Agios Yeoryios).

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albinohare · 5 years

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CNB 66 yacht test: Intoxicating cruiser is a cut above the mainstream

Is the CNB 66 the largest Sailing yacht that can be handled by a family crew? Toby Hodges reports

All photos: Nicholas Claris

Congratulations. You’ve finally received that hefty bonus. Or perhaps you cashed in your pension, married wisely, or are a successful gambler or racketeer. However you came across the funds, you have decided now is the time to spend them and live the dream.

You want a modish monohull, a yacht that is both spirited to sail and sexy to look at – something out of the ordinary. You crave a yacht that is as at home crossing an ocean with friends as it is providing premium class coastal holidays with the family. And you want something that you can contemplate with pride.

At first glance, the CNB 66 could be the ideal choice. But is this just another pretty face or will she perform? And will she, as CNB suggests, be manageable by owners and their families without needing paid crew? We sailed her off the south of France to find out.

Backstay rams run vertically under the aft deck. Runners are used only to stop the mast pumping when sailing under staysail in a swell.

Punchy design

An increasing number of production yacht builders have moved up to this mid-60ft mark, but the key difference with CNB is that it has come down in size from superyachts. It uses the Beneteau Group’s buying power and industrial experience to help keep price tags modest, combined with its own R&D, engineering and big boat know-how to produce elegant craft that are a cut above the mainstream in style and substance. Think superyacht looks and feel but without the cost of a similar-sized semi-custom yacht.

The base price of a CNB 66 is around 40 per cent less than that of an Oyster or Contest, though if all the optional extras are chosen, as was the case with the test boat, that margin reduces considerably.

The 66 marks CNB’s 30th anniversary and is a model that plays on the success of the Bordeaux 60 (46 sold in nine years) and the CNB 76 (21 in four years). She shares a similar Philippe Briand-designed sporty hull and coachroof shape to the 76, but the bowsprit option is new.

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Upwind control

Docking out of the bustling marina at Port Cogolin, we were met by ideal sunny sailing conditions. It was the day after the closing regatta of the Mediterranean season, Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. A Force 4 easterly was blowing and we had the Golfe de Saint-Tropez to ourselves.

We tested the CNB 66 in 12–16 knots off St Tropez

Beating upwind under full main and genoa, we could pinch up to 22° to the apparent wind, making 7.5 knots. This rose up to 8.5 knots at 25° apparent as the breeze picked up into the mid-teens. My three crewmates demonstrated how easy it is to reef the CNB 66, an important consideration in taming this powerful cruiser.

The test boat has a carbon mast and hydraulic roller-furling carbon vee boom, developed with Hall Spars. Although this is an option over the standard aluminium rig, it is a significant feature for CNB in its efforts to convince couples that this is a manageable yacht.

Once the main is hoisted, the mandrel is hydraulically engaged. To furl, a remote switch powers the mandrel while the halyard is eased from the mast base winch. The system can also be controlled manually using an emergency line.

Without changing our heading, the main was sheeted out, a reef was wound in and we sailed on – at the same speed and with a bit less heel and pointing. Point nicely proven.

The boom and reefing mechanism is a seriously expensive option though. I would expect that, for €140,000, it might hoist or lower sails automatically and make drinks at the same time. Yet this system still requires a crewmember at the mast base to work the halyard winch and the control switch for the mandrel.

With full sail quickly and easily restored, we were soon out of the bay and into a steady sea breeze – and the 66 was in her element. Once she has that extra couple of knots of wind and degrees of heel, the CNB 66 accelerates another half-knot.

The masculine styling, including the low, wraparound design of the coachroof, is signature Briand

The sweet spot

It was a noticeable and delightful difference – she is a boat that sails best powered up. Indeed, it is once we cracked off a little onto a fetch that I found her sweet spot. This is the way to cover the sea miles, I thought – 15 knots wind at 50° apparent, clocking a steady 10 knots boat speed. We spent an intoxicating hour like that, close reaching back and forth across the mouth of the bay, savouring the experience.

The test boat had twin headsails – 90 per cent of CNB owners take this staysail option

In general, the feel on the helm is fun and authoritative. When the boat is less pressed, it can feel a little neutral and she can wander. The large twin rudders suit her design though.

Despite a noticeable amount of drag off the leeward blade, the direct grip they provide make easy work for the autopilot.

We hoisted a bright pink asymmetric sail for the return leg into the bay. This felt wonderful for the short spell when I could heat her up a little, making up to 10.5 knots.

But depth restrictions soon forced us to bear away to a more sedate angle, heel and speed. If we tried to sail much lower than 120° apparent, the asymmetric would lose too much apparent wind and start to flog.

As we slid past the old harbour at Saint-Tropez under port gybe, I couldn’t help thinking how at home the CNB 66 looked. This is one chic and stylish mini superyacht that will stand out for the right reasons wherever she sails.

Modern deck design

The twin helm stations are well designed. The outboard helm seats enable you to sit out in comfort, both to windward and leeward, with full vision along the side decks. Foot chocks will help when standing at the helm, and these are installed at handover stage according to each owner’s specification.

Directly in front of the helmsman’s seats are consoles for plotters, instruments, engine throttles and thruster controls. However, I found the motorboat-style joystick thruster controls were positioned too close to the wheel and could easily get knocked. Bow and stern thrusters help alleviate concerns about handling a yacht of this size with twin rudders in port – but I’d ask for conventional switches.

The main cockpit is set up for relaxing. The table lowers to form a sunbed but the coamings are a little low.

To get to the winches the helmsman has to walk outboard around the large consoles or inboard around the pedestals. It is then possible to keep a hand on the wheel and let off a lazy sheet. In reality, however, either one crewmember (or the autopilot) would helm while one or two others trim main and foresails.

The benefit of keeping the sailing systems aft is that, like most big yachts today, it leaves the main cockpit free of sailing systems. The seating area is larger to port and the companionway is offset a little. This slightly unsymmetrical design continues below through to the forward accommodation to provide privacy to the offset berth in the owner’s cabin.

The cockpit coamings are low, maintaining the sleek aesthetics of the superstructure, but offer little comfort or protection. This makes the optional padded backrest cushions a wise choice. Playtime at anchor and a smart means of getting ashore are important considerations for a yacht of this type.

Leisure time at anchor is well considered. The bathing platform is large and the RIB can be launched within a minute

A large, hydraulic-powered bathing platform lowers to reveal a tender garage roomy enough to house a 3.25m Williams jet RIB. Runner boards can mount onto the platform to help deploy the dinghy and an electric belt winch aids retrieval.

The forepeak sail locker is large enough to be used as an optional crew cabin, it has 7ft headroom, a proper fixed ladder and a useful watertight door into the interior. I liked the workbench with sockets for charging power tools and the tower of bosun’s boxes for spare parts.

Deck saloon appeal

Jean-Marc Piaton has designed another elegant, modern and light interior, which, as with the CNB 76, produces an air of quality and distinction throughout. The beamy deck saloon, with its ample natural light and views, creates a superb first impression.

Feedback from owners about its previous models led CNB to maximise interior space in the saloon and adjoining galley. It uses the full beam in the saloon, with the sofas taken right out to the hull sides. Elsewhere the 66 shares a similar layout to the 76, except the aft galley adjoins the saloon and the aft double cabin is suitable for either guests or crew.

The airy galley connects nicely with the deck saloon via an open bulkhead and navstation desk

Open spaces have their downsides at sea, however. Going below when the yacht is heeled quickly establishes that the CNB 66 badly needs a handrail on the deckhead in the saloon. It is a good distance between the saloon table and the sofa. And the carpet had yet to be secured down, which merely compounded my precarious efforts to walk forward. I also found the 90° companionway steps too angular for use at heel – curved sides would help.

An open bulkhead separates saloon and galley but allows interaction between both. These areas are divided by an aft-facing navstation, which is well placed to communicate with those on deck.

The danger is that this could become the ‘hall table’, however, a dumping ground between galley and saloon. The option of a dedicated navstation to starboard therefore, rather than the huge daybed cum sofa, will appeal to more traditional sailors.

The cabins have an attractive décor. They feature lit and ventilated wardrobes, bookshelves, leecloths and fittings, fabric on the hull liners and full-length mirrors on the doors. It’s a harmonious mix of designer and practical details.

The word ‘smart’ littered my notes. Even the heads and shower compartments, which have heated towel rails and electric flush as standard, are very, um, smart. The effect is of a modern, chic apartment. The cabins are all rather compact though. A combination including both a sail locker and a tender garage squeezes the rest of the accommodation space slightly.

For a new boat, she also felt very complete. Yacht Solutions, an independent company based near CNB in Bordeaux, supplies equipment for most new CNB clients, ranging from safety and technical gear to crockery and bed linen.

Below the saloon

Another reason a deck saloon is popular on medium-to-large sized yachts is that it allows the builders to install tanks and mechanics beneath it, keeping the weight central and freeing up accommodation and stowage space elsewhere.

CNB uses a modular build system where the interior is fully constructed before being lowered into receivers in the hull. This ensures consistent quality and reduces build times.

The engine room, all contained in one metal box, is one of these five modules on the CNB 66. Two quick access points in the saloon sole allow for regular maintenance checks, otherwise, the carpets and chairs need to be removed to lift the soleboards. The benefit of doing so, however, is that access to machinery is then excellent.

It needs to be. With tanks, plumbing, and optional watermaker all contained in here, it is a crowded machinery space. Indeed, the hot water tank has been moved aft on future models to free up room around the genset.

A generous fuel tank capacity (1,300lt) helps provide a motoring range of over 1,000 miles, including three hours’ genset use per day. I like the way the filters, separators and coolant refill are neatly mounted and easy to access. CNB has certainly made sure the parts that require regular servicing are as user-friendly as possible.

Galley

The galley is a spacious area to work in, a practical U-shape, with plenty of light and headroom. There is ample cold stowage space, including a 157lt domestic-style fridge. If all the extras are chosen, as aboard the test boat with its extra fridge-freezer, washer-dryer, dishwasher and wine climatiser, dry goods stowage space is compromised.

CNB uses electric cooking appliances as standard to avoid the need to carry gas. These are powered off the batteries and inverter for quick cooking, or the genset for Sunday roasts.

Aft cabin

The aft cabin is versatile because it will suit either guests or a paid crew, and the separation in space to the forward cabins ensures a good degree of privacy from and for the owner. However, the cabin is on different sole levels and does feel slightly cramped, particularly in the compact ensuite heads where a larger-framed crewmember would struggle to get through the doorway. To provide space for a separate shower cubicle, the heads is crammed in behind the door.

The elegant owner’s cabin has a large ensuite forward with access to the sail locker

Forward cabins

The owner’s cabin décor is clever because it feels calming and luxurious despite this not being a particularly large area. It lacks stowage space for couples staying aboard for long periods, but there is an option to choose a dressing room over the fourth heads (currently accessed via the bunk cabin).

The ensuite heads forward has a generous sized separate shower. A door through the forward bulkhead provides useful internal access into the sail locker. The other two guest cabins are a double and a functional family bunk cabin, both with ensuite heads.

Our verdict

The CNB 66 is pitched at the point where two markets meet: where semi-custom luxury rubs up against the economic practicality of serial production. You are led to feel you are aboard a superyacht, but the focus is still on ease of handling for a crew of family and friends at a price that is (just about) still within production yacht territory.

The test boat had twin headsails – 90 per cent of CNB owners take this staysail option

It’s a contemporary design that ticks many boxes that potential owners looking at this size level desire: enjoyable sailing, plentiful deck space, a garage for a jet RIB, a proper deck saloon and a luxury feel to the interior.

CNB says this is the largest yacht that can be handled by its owners. That may be the case, but only provided the owner/skipper has some experience in handling big yachts and their associated loads.

You would need to have a few reliable sailing friends if not using a paid crew. The test boat has a clever in-boom furling system, but still requires at least a couple of able sailors to work it.

This is a dream boat for doing an ocean crossing at pace and in real comfort. It’s sporty enough for the odd social regatta and offers a luxurious platform for holidaying with family. But once you moor up and leave a boat of this size, cost and quality, it would still be prudent even for an owner-operator to have someone to help with maintenance. Volunteers will surely not be hard to find.

Specification

LOA: 20.61m (67ft 7in) LWL: 18.45m (60ft 6in) Beam (max): 5.51m (18ft 1in) Draught: 2.95m (9ft 8in) Displacement (lightship): 31,000kg (68,563lb) Ballast: 9,350kg (20,613lb) Sail area (100% foretriangle): 208.8m2 (2,248ft2) Berths: 8 Engine: 180hp Volvo D4 Water capacity: 1,000lt (220gal) Fuel capacity: 1,300lt (286gal) Price from: €1,390,000 (ex VAT) Price as tested: €2.1m Design: Philippe Briand & Jean Marc Piaton

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emilyemcnabb · 5 years

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Kristen and Michael’s wedding at Country Club of Rochester

Kristen and Michael’s wedding day at Country Club of Rochester was “organic and natural with a luxe edge.” As always, we love to see a fresh point-of-view and Kristen’s vision for her day was definitely that. The mix of wood, grasses and greenery with brass metallics and dripping black candles makes for a complete twist on the typical country club affair. Lush, graphic florals and greens are by Arena’s, with invitations by Papery & Cakery and coordination by Events By Jen. Lucky for us, Alexandra Elise Photography was on hand to capture all the cool details is these lovely fine art images.

What made the wedding special and unique?

The tone of the wedding was an organic/natural feel with a luxe edge. Natural to me means elements produced by nature such as fire, wood, light, grasses and greenery. Luxe says sumptuous, lavish, subtle yet extraordinary. The black candlesticks give off the fire element yet at the same time the black color gives off that subtle yet bold luxurious feel. The farmhouse head tables comply with the wood element. The clear top tent brings in the natural light element. The combination of greenery and floral were an absolute dream come true; a phenomenal work of art by Charles Arena and crew at Arena’s Florist. Greenery with accents of white orchids, chocolate sunflowers, menthe roses, dahlias, jasmine, and anemone. Also, tying in gold dipped branches, decorative pheasant feathers, and mini cactus’. We decided to do a tent wedding because it acts as a clean slate. You are able to incorporate your own design and style without having to cover up the style of an already decorated ballroom or country club. Design and decorating has always been a passion of mine. Since I was a little girl I always wanted to be an interior decorator. It was a dream come true to design a space from scratch as we did here.

For the dessert portion of the night we decided to go big! Being an owner of an Italian bakery we naturally had to have a huge display of pastries, Italian cookies, and of course a 5-tier wedding cake. We went with a slightly different theme in the dessert tent as we did in the main tent. We had bistro lighting strung from the top of the tent and small bistro tables to give off that Italian bistro feel. Pastries including cannolis, cream puffs, sfogliatelle, mini cheese cakes, mini pies, tiramisu, napoleon, eclairs, and more. Cookies including cuccidati, neopolitan, almond paste, Italian meatball cookies, tea cookies, biscotti, etc. Coffee and tea were also served in the tent. During the ceremony we did a butterfly release dedicated to our deceased family members.

Words of wisdom:

Don’t stress! Everyone told me leading up to the big day that it comes and goes in the blink of an eye. It is something that stuck with me throughout the process. I thoroughly enjoyed each and every moment of the planning process even when things wouldn’t go as planned. I wanted to remember what each part of the process and big day felt like, even the most dreadful parts like the seating arrangements. Does anyone enjoy that? On the big day I would recommend to all bride and grooms to take a couple minutes, just the two of you, and step out of the spotlight. Look around the room and take this moment for it all to sink in – enjoy the company of your new husband or wife. Tell each other how much they mean to you and acknowledge the love that is surrounding you from friends and family. It truly is the most amazing day of your life. You want to be able to feel what that feels like in the moment, not just afterwards.

Tell us how you met and became engaged.

Mikey and I met in Chicago, IL back in 2012. I had lived there at the time and he was in town visiting his sister who lived in Springfield, IL. My sister was friends with him and told him to call me and get together for lunch. So we did just that. It wasn’t until Christmas of 2012 that I ran into him again at the restaurant that he had just opened. He and my sister, being close friends, hung out a lot. She would go to his restaurant and drag me there while I was home over Christmas break. He told my sister “I am going to marry your sister someday” and my sister Lisa’s response was “Yeah, okay Mikey!” Telling him she isn’t going to put up with you – being the protective sister that us sisters are.

I head back to Chicago and every now and then I would get a call from him (confused at why he was calling me because I barely knew him). A couple months had passed and at the end of March my sister, cousin, mom, aunt and I went down to Florida for a girls’ trip. Mikey happened to be there the same weekend with one of his friends who is ironically someone I’ve known since childhood; all planned on his behalf I’m sure. The boys picked me up from the airport and brought me to my family. I had just gotten out of a 4-year relationship so I wasn’t really looking to date again anytime soon. I guess it’s true that love happens when you least expect it. The whole week we were there it was like I had known him forever. He was always a gentleman, I will say that. On the last night we were heading home from the bar we were at and he asked, “when will I be seeing you again?” I replied without thinking that he would be as persistent as he was and said” I’m sure I’ll run into you back at home in NY.” That must not have been good enough because a few weeks later he had booked a flight to Chicago to see me. It quickly escalated into a relationship and a lot of trips back and forth from New York to Chicago. It took about 8 months of a long-distance relationship to realize that we didn’t want to be without each other. I always knew I was going to end up back in my hometown of Rochester, New York but I had never anticipated that soon.

The proposal took place on April 9th, 2017, which also happened to be my 27th birthday. The night before he proposed we went to dinner with my parents at Louie Bossi in Fort Lauderdale, FL. We were sitting at dinner and I said all I want for my birthday this year is for dad to come to yoga with me. I was trying to get him to hop on the yoga train. Shockingly my dad agreed. Little did he know that Mikey had planned a proposal for the next morning. He now had to change his plan.

We woke up on Saturday, my birthday, and headed to yoga. Mikey told my dad he was going to propose to me after yoga back at our condo. He had asked my dad for my hand in marriage a few months back. Now, not only is my dad nervous about doing a 110 degree power vinyasa class for the first time in his life but is now panicked thinking he is going to have a heart attack from the heat and ruin this special day. Needless to say, my dad finishes the 1 hr. and 15 minute class like a champ – he heads to his house and Mikey and I head to ours. We get home, very quickly, we drop our stuff at our lobby front desk and head out to our uncle’s yacht that is docked at our place on the intercoastal. He tells me, “come out to Jimmy’s boat. I want to say hi to them before they head out for the day.” Now, mind you, we just finished hot yoga- if you’ve ever done heated yoga before you know you come out of there nothing shy of drenched. I asked, “can we please just get out of these wet clothes before we step on his beautiful boat?” The answer was no. So, we got out to the boat and there were these huge vases with gorgeous white flowers, which happen to be my favorite. It still didn’t register what was about to happen. I stepped on the boat and stopped to admire the flowers thinking that the crew is setting up for the day at sea. In hindsight, why there would be vases of flowers set up before a boat ride is beyond me. I walked inside the boat where his parents and some of the crew were. He tells me to come outside on the sundeck. I walked out to where the flowers were, admiring them again and I turn around and he is on one knee with a gorgeous serving platter with the diamond ring in the middle. I was so in shock! I had no idea that was coming. It still to this day gives me butterflies!

Photography: Alexandra Elise Photography // Event Coordinator: Events By Jen // Florist: Arena’s // Invitations: Papery & Cakery // Programs & Stationery: Anna Marino // Venue: Country Club of Rochester // Dress Designer: Berta // Bridal Boutique: Chic Parisian // Bakery: Savoia Pastry Shoppe // Hair Stylist: PCK Salon // Makeup Artist: Scott Miller Salon // Tent Rental: LT Rentals // Custom Lighting & Rentals: RES Exhibits // Accent Decor Rental: Warehouse 127 // Linen, Chairs, & Drapery Rentals: Hank Parker// Videographer: Kraig Adams // DJ: Breakthrough Entertainment // Sax player: Danny Win // Pianist: Giovanni Fazio // Quartet: Felice String Quartet

The post Kristen and Michael’s wedding at Country Club of Rochester appeared first on Grey Likes Weddings | Wedding Fashion & Inspiration | Best Wedding Blog.

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stupendouschildcreation-blog · 7 years

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Life Lessons From Poker

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