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anoutlandishfanfic · 3 years

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The Alaskan Endeavor: Ch2 - Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

So, again, this chapter update (can I call them PUPdates? they’re now PUPDATES) is in celebration of another race that finished up yesterday morning -- the Kuskokwim 300 aka The Kusko300, which is one of if not THE most competitive middle distance race in Western Alaska. We’ll get to the pups and more about racing in the next chapter but HERE WE HAVE THE MEETING Y’ALL HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR.

You can find chapter one here or over at AO3!!

Claire That evening

The Murray’s residence wasn’t far from my flat above the Abernathy’s garage — nothing in this tiny hamlet was — and I decided to walk the four blocks, taking in a remarkable summer’s evening.

Joe had warned me that the shift in daylight hours was more extreme here in Kozebue — twenty-six miles above the Arctic Circle — than where we’d reconnected on Kodiak Island… and I had to admit he was right. I’d made good use of the black out curtains that were installed in the bedroom, shutting out the sun that insisted on shining well into the night and starting up again ungodly early in the morning. I knew I’d have no trouble making my way back on foot after dinner.

It would still be broad daylight.

I rounded the final corner and scanned the lane for my destination…

“It’s a blue house with white trim… second on the left,” Joe’s wife Gail had easily informed me, for the Abernathy’s and the Murray’s were old friends.

Gail’s eyes had held the same suspicious twinkle that Jenny’s had when she’d invited me for dinner and I had a sinking suspicion that I was about to be set up on a blind date, hosted by Jenny Murray herself. My new patient had mentioned she had a brother when she was in earlier and if I were the betting sort, I’d place my life savings on him being the man in question.

How on earth did you let yourself get roped into this, Beauchamp? I sighed ruefully to myself as I spotted the abode.

Crossing the street, I took a few deep breaths, trying to steady my pounding heart as I got closer to the Murray’s front door. It was no use, of course, for it had firmly lodged itself in my throat about a block and a half back, and I was left trembling slightly as I mounted the front steps.

Wiping sweaty palms on my pants, I lifted my hand and knocked. Once — twice — three times.

… Jamie

“Can you get that?” Jenny shouted from the kitchen, the usual clamor of my nieces and nephew interfering but not obscuring her words.

Passing the youngest back to her father, I stood and answered, “Aye, I’ve got it!”

I wiped at the deposit of crumbs that wee Katie had left behind on my shirtfront, tugging at the hem in an attempt to flatten out the wrinkles pressed into it by the same. I shook my head and gave it up, knowing it was useless and that it shouldn’t really matter anyway.

Rolling my eyes at the ridiculous concern for my own appearance, I turned into the front hall and padded quickly down the plush rug to the door.

I turned the knob and pulled — then stopped dead as the door opened.

Christ, she was beautiful.

Her pale cheeks were slightly flushed, which made the small smattering of freckles across her nose stand out like brilliant stars. The curls were coming out of a plait that was draped over one shoulder and it gave her a delightfully adventurous air. She was a brunette like Jenny, but not nearly quite so dark. The light streaming in from behind her set brilliant copper highlights aglow as she flipped the thick queue away, making it disappear behind her.

One perfectly arched brow rose in question of me — and I knew I was staring — but the ability to form coherent speech left me entirely as her eyes locked on to mine.

Brown would be a woefully inaccurate word to describe such a hue as hers. They were rich like a fine whisky, a deep amber that all at once soothed and pierced your soul.

Pull yerself together, you clotheid.

I cleared my throat, trying to regain some semblance of composure and took a step back, sweeping a hand to usher her in.

“You, ah, must be Dr Claire,” I stammered, my lips still not completely able to do my bidding. “I’m Jamie, Jenny’s brother.”

Comprehension lit her eyes and she chuckled softly.

God, that sound.

It sent shockwaves up and down my spine and stood the hair on the back of my neck on end.

What I wouldn’t do to make her laugh like that again.

“Tell me, Jamie,” she kept her voice low, a conspiratorial gleam sneaking into her eyes. “Have Jenny and Gail been playing matchmaker with us?”

Raking a hand through my hair, I confessed dryly, “They’ve been trying to set me up for years.”

She tipped her head back and laughed outright and freely at my confirmation, commenting, “I thought so, but then I’d only met your sister this morning.”

“I’ve known her my whole life,” I grinned back at her. “Once Jen gets an idea in her head, it’s best to let her have at it ‘til it peters out on its own... unless it involves that wee fiend of hers.”

Delicate, slender fingers lifted to her lips as the color deepened in her cheeks, amusement still high in her voice, “Are you talking about Roger?”

“Right! Yes!” It was my turn to laugh. “You’ve met the numpty yourself.”

She grinned, “I’ve had the pleasure, yes.”

“Did she tell you he’s a service dog drop out?” I shook my head in mock derision.

Her eyes grew as big as saucers, nearly dropping the bag in her hand as she burst, “No!!”

“Oh, aye!” I scoffed, but my smile crept back in and betrayed my amusement at the whole ordeal.

“Too friendly… and easily distracted.”

“Are you two done bletherin’ out here?” My brother in law Ian stuck his head into the hallway, succinctly interrupting us with a knowing look.

“The food’s gettin’ cold!”

… Claire

Tucked between Jamie and his seven year old namesake, dinner was far from a dull affair. Jenny proved to be a remarkable cook and the table conversation ranged in topics from a nuanced detail of racing — that is, mushing — to my favorite animal.

“Do you mean in general,” I tested the waters, assembling another forkful of roast and potatoes, “or in a specific class or order?”

The little boy’s eyes lit up and I knew I’d found a topic that he particularly enjoyed… which was a stroke of luck for me, being that animals and their care was my field of expertise.

Thank God it wasn’t dinosaurs.

“Mammals!” He eagerly narrowed the field, then zeroed in even further, “What’s your favorite African mammal?!”

“Oh, that’s easy! A giraffe!” I supplied, my smile matching his. “I got to see them in the wild, you know… in Tanzania.”

This caught the attention of the rest of the table and began to field questions left and right about my time on the Serengeti. I didn't mind, as they were happy memories, and soon won over both the younger Jamie and his five year old sister Maggie with tales of elephants and zebras and all of the animals they’d only read about in books or seen on television.

“Did you see any lions?” Little Maggie’s voice dropped into what I supposed was her version of a whisper — as if one were right beside us — and she nearly vibrated with excitement as she asked again, “Did you see any lions, Dr Claire?!”

I heard Jamie, the elder and my supposed date for the evening, chuckle beside me and I wondered just what sort of mischief this little one could get into when she set her mind to it.

“I did see lions too, Maggie,” I assured her, taking on her affected stage whisper. “We went in a truck at night and had big flashlights and saw them getting a drink of water.”

“Dey sirsty,” two year old Katie informed the table proudly, making all of the adults grin.

I bit my lip to keep from chuckling at her innocent attempt at being involved in the conversation, but agreed, “They get very thirsty.”

“How’d ye wind up in Alaska, then?”

This turn in conversation came from Jamie’s father, an older man by the name of Brian.

“I went to university with Joe Abernathy in Seattle,” I supplied. “We went separate ways after graduation but I ran into him again when I was visiting my uncle on Kodiak Island… Joe offered me a position at his clinic and I couldn’t refuse.”

“He’s done a lot of good wi’ that practice of his,” Brian commented. “Been a dream of his for some time now.”

Nodding, I smiled at the memory of Joe’s eager rants and rails, “He spoke quite a bit about it in school. I knew how much it meant to him and was eager to help him in his cause.”

“He almost worked himself to death before you came along,” Jenny snorted, then shot me an apologetic look. “Bein’ the only vet in the Northwest Borough made for long hours an’ no rest.”

“That’s why I wanted to come… to ease the burden a bit.”

“Well, then you’re a saint, Dr Claire,” she sighed, surmising with a shake of her head.

“No,” I assured her quietly. “I’m just plain old Claire Beauchamp.”

… Jamie. After Dinner.

“Wait just a minute,” I protested. “You walked here?!”

We were at the front door again, this time in full control of my faculties, but the woman before me was quickly turning out to be more of an complexity than I ever imagined possible.

Her brow furrowed at this, as if she hadn’t thought of the incongruity of her walking the mile from the Abernathy’s to here on foot.

“Yes… why?”

“Well, it’s… it’s just that…'' I stammered, flummoxed. “Don’t you have somethin’ to drive?”

“Of course,” she looked at me as if I’d sprouted five heads from my shoulders. “I have a perfectly good vehicle, but why drive it four blocks when it’s beautiful outside and I can walk?”

I opened my mouth to respond to this and found I didn’t have a reasonable answer. She found great amusement in this and crossed her arms, waiting for me to respond.

Shaking my head, I gave it up and couldn’t help but smile as I offered to walk her home.

This took her by complete surprise and her jaw dropped, “Why?!”

“Well,” I pulled at the back of my neck, trying to come up with something and shrugged helplessly, “like you said… it’s a beautiful evening.”

Her brows nearly rose to her hairline, not buying this for one moment.

“Look, it’s the polite thing to do, aye? I know you live at the Abernathy’s because Joe told me… I’ll leave just as soon as you’ve made it to the front door, I promise,” I insisted. “Nothin more.”

She contemplated this, then clarified, “Just a walk?”

I dropped my hands, swinging my hands away from my sides in a clearing motion and then against them again with a soft pat.

“Just a walk.”

#outlander #outlander fanfic #the alaskan endeavor #the alaskan endeavor au #chapter 2 guess who's coming to dinner

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justforbooks · 3 years

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Sean Connery, Oscar Winner and James Bond Star, Dies at 90

Sean Connery, the Scottish-born actor who rocketed to fame as James Bond and became one of the franchise’s most popular and enduring international stars, has died. He was 90.

Connery, long regarded as one of the best actors to have portrayed the iconic spy, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000 and marked his 90th birthday in August. His death was confirmed by his family, according to the BBC, which notes that the actor died in his sleep while in the Bahamas. It’s believed he had been unwell for some time. His last acting role had been in Stephen Norrington’s “The League of Extraordinary Gentleman” (2003).

Connery was an audience favorite for more than 40 years and one of the screen’s most reliable and distinctive leading men. The actor was recently voted the best James Bond actor in an August Radio Times poll in the U.K. More than 14,000 voted and Connery claimed 56% of the vote. Global tributes poured in for Connery on Saturday following news of his death.

In a statement, Bond producers Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said Connery “was and shall always be remembered as the original James Bond whose indelible entrance into cinema history began when he announced those unforgettable words, ‘The name’s Bond… James Bond.’

“He revolutionized the world with his gritty and witty portrayal of the sexy and charismatic secret agent. He is undoubtedly largely responsible for the success of the film series and we shall be forever grateful to him,” said the producers.

However, Connery — who made his debut in the first Bond film, “Dr. No” (1962) — also transcended Ian Fleming’s sexy Agent 007, and went on to distinguish himself with a long and mature career in such films as “The Wind and the Lion” (1975), “The Man Who Would Be King” (1975) and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” (1989).

His turn as a tough Irish cop in Depression-era Chicago in Brian De Palma’s “The Untouchables” (1987) brought him a supporting actor Oscar.

Even as he entered his seventh decade, Connery’s star power remained so strong that he was constantly in demand and handsomely remunerated. In 1999 he was selected People magazine’s Sexiest Man of the Century, and from his 007 days to “Entrapment” (1999), opposite the much-younger Catherine Zeta-Jones, his screen roles more than justified the choice. Age seemed only to intensify his sex appeal and virility.

In his early career, his physique was his main asset as he modeled and picked up acting jobs where he could. In 1956, he landed the role of a battered prizefighter in the BBC production of “Requiem for a Heavyweight.” Good notices brought him to the attention of the entertainment community, and his first film was “No Road Back,” a B crime movie in 1956. He seemed doomed to play the hunk to ageing leading ladies, as he did opposite Lana Turner in “Another Time, Another Place,” or roles that stressed his looks such as “Tarzan’s Great Adventure” in 1959.

It was easy to dismiss him in films like “Darby O’Gill and the Little People,” but his Count Vronsky to Claire Bloom’s Anna Karenina on the BBC brought him some respect and the kind of attention needed to raise him to the top of the Daily Express’ poll of readers asked to suggest the ideal James Bond.

After an interview with producers Albert Broccoli and Harry Saltzman, he landed the role without a screen test, according to Saltzman. It was a controversial choice at the time, as Connery was an unknown outside Britain. But 1962’s “Dr. No,” the first of the Bond films, made him an international star.

His stature grew with the ever more popular sequels “From Russia With Love,” “Goldfinger” and “Thunderball,” which arrived over the next four years. Bond gave Connery a license to earn; he was paid only $30,000 for “Dr. No” but $400,000 for Alfred Hitchcock’s “Marnie” and was soon getting $750,000 a film.

His initial efforts to break out of the Bond mold, however, proved fruitless. Films like “A Fine Madness,” “Shalako” and “The Molly Maguires” were well-intentioned attempts that did nothing to shake Connery as Bond from the public consciousness. After 1967’s “You Only Live Twice,” he left the Bond franchise, but he was coaxed back for 1971’s “Diamonds Are Forever.” He looked old for the role, and the series seemed tired, so with that, he left Bond behind — though money would tempt him back once last time in 1983 for “Never Say Never Again.”

He took a major misstep with sci-fi film “Zardoz,” and his career seemed to be foundering.

But he bounced back in 1974 with a supporting role in “Murder on the Orient Express” and the following year with “The Wind and the Lion” and “The Man Who Would Be King,” two bold adventures featuring a mature, salt-and-pepper-bearded Connery. “Robin and Marian” (1976) opposite Audrey Hepburn was not a popular success, but critics embraced it, and the film cemented Connery’s reputation as a versatile, serious screen actor.

In the late 1970s, there were more missteps such as “Meteor,” “A Bridge Too Far” and “Cuba.” But he scored in Terry Gilliam’s “Time Bandits.” It wasn’t until after his last Bond film that his standing as a box office star caught up to his critical reputation, thanks mostly to two huge worldwide hits: “Highlander,” which was not a big hit in the U.S., and “The Name of the Rose,” which was also much more popular abroad.

BAFTA gave him a best actor award for “Name of the Rose,” and he received his Oscar for “The Untouchables.” After that, he was an instant greenlight any time he agreed to take a role even if some of them, such as “The Presidio,” and “Family Business,” were not so hot.

Pairing Connery and Harrison Ford as father and son in the third “Indiana Jones” film was an inspired move, and the film grossed almost half a billion dollars worldwide.

Meanwhile, “The Hunt for Red October,” in which Connery played a defecting Soviet sub captain, was also a major hit in 1990.

By the 1990s, he was so popular that his uncredited cameo as King Richard in “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” became one of the film’s highlights.

He was still a force to contend with in the foreign market, as “Highlander 2,” “Medicine Man,” “Rising Sun,” “Just Cause” and “First Knight” proved over the next several years. His salary was regularly $5 million and above.

One setback was a bout with throat cancer in the early 1990s, but Connery rebounded with a burst of activity. He starred with Nicolas Cage in 1996 actioner “The Rock,” playing a character that drew more than a little on his history as James Bond. In 2000, he essayed a very different role and received positive reviews for “Finding Forrester,” playing a reclusive writer who bonds with a young black basketball player who’s an aspiring scribe himself.

Nevertheless, he continued with action roles well after his 70th birthday, playing the legendary adventurer Allan Quatermain in 2003’s “The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.” He announced his retirement in 2005. He voiced a James Bond videogame the same year, and he subsequently did some other voice acting, playing the title character in the animated short “Sir Billi the Vet” and reprising the role in 2010 for “Sir Billi,” which he also exec produced.

Thomas Sean Connery was born of Irish ancestry in the slums of Edinburgh on Aug. 25, 1930. Poverty robbed him of an education, and by his teens he’d left school and was working as an unskilled laborer.

At 17, he was drafted into the Royal Navy, but he was discharged three years later due to a serious case of ulcers.

He returned to Edinburgh and worked a variety of jobs, including as a lifeguard. He took up bodybuilding and placed third in the 1950 Mr. Universe competition.

After moving to London, he learned of an opening in the chorus of “South Pacific.” He took a crash dancing and singing course and, surprisingly, landed the role, in which he stayed for 18 months. He was “hooked,” he said, but spent several years paying his dues in small repertory companies in and around London before anyone else became hooked on him.

Connery was devoted to his native Scotland and used his stature to press for the re-establishment of a Scottish parliament. When the body reconvened in 1999, 296 years after its last meeting, Connery was invited to address the first session, where he was greeted with a thunderous ovation. The next year, when he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II — an honor he called “one of the proudest days of my life” — he asked that the investiture be performed in Edinburgh.

Connery published his autobiography, “Being a Scot,” co-written with Murray Grigor, in 2008. Besides his knighthood and his Academy Award, he received many kudos over his long career, including the Kennedy Center Honors in 1999 and the American Film Institute’s lifetime achievement award in 2006.

Connery was married to actress Diane Cilento from 1962-73. The couple divorced in 1973 and Cilento died in 2011. Connery is survived by his second wife, painter Micheline Roquebrune, whom he married in 1975; his son by Cilento, actor Jason Connery; and a grandson from Jason’s marriage to actress Mia Sara.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at http://justforbooks.tumblr.com

#JUST FOR BOOKS #Sean Connery

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darkacademicx · 4 years

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A List of Show Recs, While You’re Stuck at Home

This is a huge and continuously updating list. The first 2 categories are ‘definitely DA’ and ‘Probably DA’, but beyond that all of the shows are sorted by category. Enjoy!

Definitely DA:

The Living and the Dead - The plot revolves around Nathan Appleby and his wife, Charlotte Appleby whose farm is believed to be at the centre of numerous supernatural occurrences. Set in Victorian times and has ghosts and an excellent aesthetic. Available on Amazon Prime. 5/5

A Series of Unfortunate Events - This series follows the tragic tale of three orphans -- Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire -- who are investigating their parents' mysterious death. The siblings are saddled with an evil guardian named Count Olaf , who will do whatever it takes to get his hands on the Baudelaires' inheritance. Violet, Klaus, and Sunny must outsmart Olaf at every turn, foiling devious plans and disguises. The series is based on the series of books by Lemony Snicket. Available on Netflix.

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina - A dark coming-of-age story that traffics in horror and the occult. In the reimagined origin story, Sabrina Spellman wrestles to reconcile her dual nature -- half-witch, half-mortal -- while standing against the evil forces that threaten her, her family -- including aunts Hilda and Zelda -- and the daylight world humans inhabit. Available on Netflix. 5/5

Downton Abbey - This historical drama follows the lives of the Crawley family and their servants in the family's Edwardian country house. The programme begins with the 1912 sinking of the Titanic, which leaves Downton Abbey's future in jeopardy, as Lord Grantham's presumptive heir -- his cousin James -- and his son, Patrick, die aboard the ship, leaving him without a male offspring to take over the throne upon his death. As a result, Lord Grantham must search for a new heir. As the programme progresses through the decade, other historical events happen leading up to Lord Grantham declaring in 1914 that Britain is at war with Germany, marking the beginning of World War I, which becomes a major plot on the programme. Available on Amazon Prime.

Gran Hotel - Set in Spain in the early 20th century, Julio arrives at a luxury hotel to meet his sister, head chambermaid Cristina only to discover she has disappeared. Julio makes it his mission to find her and infiltrates the hotel under the guise of a footman. This show is in Spanish but available with English Subtitles. 5/5

Penny Dreadful - An exploration of the origin stories of classical literature characters in this psychological thriller that takes place in the dark corners of Victorian London. Sir Malcolm is an explorer who has lost his daughter to the city's creatures, and he will do whatever is needed to get her back and to right past wrongs. His accomplice, seductive clairvoyant Vanessa Ives, recruits charming American Ethan Chandler to help locate Sir Malcolm's daughter and slay some monsters. Available on Netflix and Hulu.

The Umbrella Academy - On one day in 1989, 43 infants are inexplicably born to random, unconnected women who showed no signs of pregnancy the day before. Seven are adopted by billionaire industrialist Sir Reginald Hargreeves, who creates the Umbrella Academy and prepares his "children" to save the world. In their teenage years, though, the family fractures and the team disbands. Fast forward to the present time, when the six surviving members of the clan reunite upon the news of Hargreeves' passing. They work together to solve a mystery surrounding their father's death, but divergent personalities and abilities again pull the estranged family apart, and a global apocalypse is another imminent threat.

Sherlock - Dr. John Watson is a war vet just home from Afghanistan. He meets the brilliant but eccentric Holmes when the latter, who serves as a consultant to Scotland Yard, advertises for a flatmate. Almost as soon as Watson moves into the Baker Street flat, they are embroiled in mysteries, and Sherlock's nemesis, Moriarty, appears to have a hand in the crimes. Available on Netflix. 5/5

Stranger Things - In 1980s Indiana, a group of young friends witness supernatural forces and secret government exploits. As they search for answers, the children unravel a series of extraordinary mysteries. Available on Netflix. 5/5

Twilight Zone - It's a strange mix of horror, science-fiction, drama, comedy and superstition. Serling introduced each episode, and many of the black and white episodes concluded with a surprise ending. Available on Netflix and Hulu. 5/5.

Outlander - After serving as a British Army nurse in World War II, Claire Randall is enjoying a second honeymoon in Scotland with husband Frank, an MI6 officer looking forward to a new career as an Oxford historian. Suddenly, Claire is transported to 1743 and into a mysterious world where her freedom and life are threatened. To survive, she marries Jamie Fraser, a strapping Scots warrior with a complicated past and a disarming sense of humour. A passionate relationship ensues, and Claire is caught between two vastly different men in two inharmonious lives. Available on Netflix and Hulu.

Probably DA:

The Magicians - Quentin Coldwater, a grad student at Brakebills College for Magical Pedagogy, has been fascinated by the magical fantasy world since he was young. But as he has gotten older, Quentin and his 20-something friends have discovered that the magical world they read about as children is not only real, but it poses dangers to humanity. While studying at the secret upstate New York school, the friends struggle to cope with the aftermath of a catastrophe that befalls the institution. Available on Netflix, Hulu, and the Syfy website. 5/5

Merlin - This action-packed fantasy-drama revisits the saga of King Arthur and his wizard, Merlin, by focusing on the two characters when they were ambitious young men struggling to understand their destinies. In this telling, Prince Arthur is known to be the heir to the throne (no sword from the stone here). And he is acquainted with all those who will one day form the legend of Camelot, including Lancelot, Guinevere, and Morgana. Merlin is also forced to deal with King Uther's Great Purge, which bans all use of magic. Available on Netflix. 5/5

The Order - When Belgrave University student Jack Morton joins a fabled secret society, the Hermetic Order of the Blue Rose, he is thrust into a world of magic, monsters and intrigue. Out to avenge his mother's death, he uncovers dark family secrets and lands in an underground battle being waged between werewolves and practitioners of dark magic. Assisting Jack in the fight is Alyssa, a tour guide at Belgrave and fellow member of the Order, which is led by Jack's estranged father. Available on Netflix. 4/5.

Legion - David Haller is a troubled young man who was diagnosed with schizophrenia as a child. Shuffled from one psychiatric institution to the next, in his early 30s, David met and fell in love with a beautiful and troubled fellow patient named Syd. After a startling encounter with her, he was forced to confront the shocking possibility that the voices he hears and the visions he sees may actually be real. Syd led David to Melanie Bird, a demanding but nurturing therapist who heads a team of specialists -- Ptonomy, Kerry, and Cary -- each of whom possesses a unique and extraordinary gift. Together, they helped David to recognize and harness his hidden abilities and unlock a deeply suppressed truth -- he had been haunted his entire life by a malicious parasite of unimaginable power. Available on Hulu. 4/5.

Comedy:

Derry Girls - Following Erin and her friends as they grow up in a world of armed police in armoured Land Rovers and British Army check points in 1990s Northern Ireland and attempt to navigate the highs and lows of being teenagers. Available on Netflix. 5/5

Detective/military:

Broadchurch - When the corpse of an 11-year-old British boy, Danny Latimer, is found bloodied and dirty on an idyllic beach, a small Dorset community becomes the focus of a police investigation and media madness. Out-of-town Detective Inspector Alec Hardy gets the point position over Detective Sgt. Ellie Miller -- who feels the job should have been hers. Slowly, more members of the community of Broadchurch are drawn into the investigation. While dealing with so much unwelcome attention, Danny's family tries to cope with its grief. When a suspect is named and charged, the ensuing trial sees the defendant promising to expose more of the townspeople's secrets. Available on Netflix. 5/5.

Haven - FBI Agent Audrey Parker arrives in Haven, Maine, on what she believes is a routine assignment. But the longer she stays, the more curious she becomes -- about the townspeople, who seem to be beset by a range of supernatural afflictions; about the town itself, which contains many secrets; and about her own surprising connection to this strange place. Available on Netflix and Tubi. 4/5.

A Very Secret Service - At the height of the Cold War in 1960, André Merlaux joins the French Secret Service and contends with enemies both foreign and bureaucratic. In French with English Subtitles. Available on Netflix. 5/5.

Criminal Minds - An elite squad of FBI profilers analyzes the country's most-twisted criminal minds, anticipating the perpetrators' next moves before they can strike again. Each member of the "mind hunter" team brings his or her expertise to pinpoint predators' motivations and identify emotional triggers to stop them. The core group includes an official profiler who is highly skilled at getting into the minds of criminals, a quirky genius, the former media liaison who manages to adeptly balance family life and the job, and a computer wizard. Available on Netflix and CBS. 5/5

Eureka - In the years since World War II, the U.S. government has been relocating the world's geniuses (and their families) to the Pacific Northwest town of Eureka. Daily life there shifts between amazing innovation and total chaos. U.S. Marshal Jack Carter learns this first-hand when his car breaks down in Eureka, stranding him among the town's eccentric citizens. When they unleash a scientific creation still unknown to the outside world, it's up to Carter to restore order. Subsequently, he's let in on one of America's best-kept secrets. Available on Amazon Prime. 5/5.

Our Girl - Taking destiny into their own hands, British Army female medics of 2 Sections are dispatched on different missions, where they encounter the heartbreak and realities of life on the battlefield. 5/5.

Political:

The Crown - This lavish, Netflix-original drama chronicles the life of Queen Elizabeth II from the 1940s to modern times. The series begins with an inside look at the early reign of the queen, who ascended the throne at age 25 after the death of her father, King George VI. As the decades pass, personal intrigues, romances, and political rivalries are revealed that played a big role in events that shaped the later years of the 20th century. Available on Netflix. 4/5.

Victoria - The monarch's life is chronicled as the story begins with the death of King William IV in 1837, her accession to the throne at the tender age of 18 and her relationships with the influential forces around her. With the advice of the prime minister Lord Melbourne and the support of her husband Prince Albert the young queen flourishes and establishes herself in her newfound role. Available on Amazon Prime. 4/5.

#recs #tv show #tv recommendations #tv reccommendation #covid2019 #covid19 #coronavirus

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uhyoushotme · 5 years

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My Favorite SPN Fics

So idk if anyone cares, but over the last year I’ve been compiling a list of the absolute best fics I’ve read... and I’ve read an embarrassing amount. The final season is here y’all, so I’ve decided to post this. These are the crème de la crème, the best of the best. Or at least, in my opinion. Mainly destiel. This list will prob grow over time. In no specific order.

ten thousand miles- mimblexwimble

—-(Gen fic, Sam goes missing season 3ish. I still lie awake at night thinking of this fic. That’s how good it is. Possibly the best fic I’ve ever read.)

https://mimblexwimble.livejournal.com/54645.html

Black bird fly- artsyUnderstudy

—-(Sam caused an accident, and Cas lost his everything. Now he’s falling in love with Sam’s brother.)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/804352

525600 Minutes- Captain Laser Beam

—- (amnesiac cas searches for dean)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/507228

As you like it- englandwouldfall

—- (college au turns into relationship - mental health, cheating, kids... real tear jerker ending)

https://archiveofourown.org/series/225944

The law of equivalent exchange- awed frog

—-(dean and cas over the centuries following dean as he is reborn. this is a literary beauty.)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/5114240/chapters/11765849

like moses and batman and james dean- salty feathers

—- (canon divergent, destiel, how dean processes childhood abuse. usually the type to never read a story that doesn’t use caps in its title, but DAMN am i glad i read this one.)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/9779321

across the universe - GG_and_MM

—- (sabriel, gabe travels to an alternate universe and meets an alternate Sam Winchester )

https://archiveofourown.org/works/6336796

Nine times we met (and one Christmas we parted) - almaasi

—- (this one’s a great destiel fic but real heavy, period fic [navigating gay love when it’s breaking the rules])

https://archiveofourown.org/works/1149451

Twist and shout -Gabriel and standbyme

—- (does this one even need an explanation?)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/537876/chapters/4474470

A turn of the earth- mishcollin

—-(cas is fighting something and ends up in deans past when sams @ stanford)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/5138552?view_full_work=true

Painted Angels- WinJennster

—- (dude. I cried like a baby. cas is a writer, dean a painter. they fell in love, but it didn’t end well. now cas is back in town)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/1085792

Never Have I Ever- sweet dean

—-(I’m kind of a sucker for high school AU fics, but most didn’t make the cut. This one did, because even though cas is kinda out of character I really love how cute it is and their dynamic n shit. It’s an easy happy quick read.)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/1570502/chapters/3333074

Half Price Gemini -DeerstalkerDeathFrisbee

—-(after a fire, cas assumes his twin jimmys identity to care for jimmys daughter, claire. in which castiel is amazingly eccentric, claire is a sassy 13 year old, there’s some slow burn destiel, and adventures. it reads like a well written story)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/3370175/chapters/7370528

Ninety One Whiskey -komodobits

—-(this story hits hard. it’s crazy long but it’s crazy good. slow burn. cas is dean’s lieutenant - dean is a medic - in ww2. it’s pretty darn in character. not gonna lie, the two follow up fics made me cry a hell of a lot more then the first [perhaps because I didn’t give myself time to process]. prepare for tears, but it’s worth it.)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/2362190/chapters/5214500

Clean Air -anactoria

—-(earth is dead from an unknown disaster. All of its inhabitants live in an underground silo. dean thinks this is all there is, and then he heard cas’ voice on the radio, and realizes he’s not alone)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/2511038/chapters/5577365

Pick It All Up -thepinupchemist

—-(cas is an army vet, dean’s a prostitute, and suffice it to say, they are not dealing very well with life. after a chance encounter, they realize that they each might be what the other needs in their life to help. a good feel-good fic for down days.)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/952931/chapters/1864027

999 Days From Now -RebelSpaceOddity

—-(i will never not cry reading this fic. cas is a doctor, dean owns a diner that jess works at. a collection of the most important moments)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/2610770/chapters/5818346

Out of Order, Into Place -belwrites

—-(dean and sam move to brooklyn to live with cas and anna. the writing style is amazing. I’m a sucker for slow burns, but you don’t just read this fic for the destiel, you read it for dean and his character growth)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/627106/chapters/1132908

Bring it on Home -thecouchcarrot

—-(dean befriends his odd neighbor. the cas in this is very endverse and I fucking love him. i read this fic and then immediately reread it — that’s how much I loved it’s that good)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/827910

The Beach House -Englandwouldfall

—-(dean and cas used to be best friends. they haven’t talked in 7 years and now they’re going to their old summer hangout together to help cas deal with losing his dad. so well written! love the way mental health issues are portrayed as a constant battle, not just as a oh this happened kind of thing. it’s realistic and adorable.)

http://archiveofourown.org/works/22027561/chapters/52569130

The Dean Winchester Beat Sheet -saltyfeathers

—-(dean is a deeply closeted college senior, and castiel transfers in and makes him start questioning shit.)

https://archiveofourown.org/works/19258594

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diveplanit · 6 years

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LUX* Underwater Festival – whale sharks, conservation and lots of fun with gadgets

The Maldives’ LUX* Resort South Ari Atoll recently celebrated its rather special underwater world with the first ever Maldives Underwater Festival, a celebration of the region’s marine life and conservation efforts.

The Festival is a fantastic line up of diving, marine encounters, workshops, seminars and a whole heap of fun – in a luxury resort in The Maldives. Could it get any better than this? Wait till you read about the line-up.

Day 1: all about Coral

On our first day, we meet the resident marine biologist, who gives us a briefing on the types of coral we’re likely to see while diving, as well as an explanation of the threats. No surprises there: climate change. The Maldives suffered a bleaching event a couple of years ago which has done some serious damage to Maldivian coral reefs.

PADI CEO Dr Drew Richardson surveys the coral at South Ari Atoll. Photo: Thorsten Antons, Euro Divers Regional Manager

The marine life however, appears to be thriving. Fishing nets are not allowed in Maldivian waters at all – all fish caught for consumption is line-caught. And several areas within the archipelago are designated no-take zones – including the place we are diving today: Kuda Rah Thila.

The Maldivian blackfooted anemone fish. Endemic to the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

It’s a large coral bommie, with enormous sea fans around the base, abundant soft corals decorating the overhangs and a dip in the middle that plays host about a billion blue stripe snapper – a photographer’s dream come true.

Local artist Hussain Ihfal presents his artwork painted underwater.

Back at the resort, a local artist is celebrating the underwater world in a rather unique way, painting canvas (in oils) underwater. The painting, purchased by PADI, will be auctioned at DEMA, with proceeds going to Project Aware.

Schooling blue stripe snapper in South Ari Atoll’s No Take Zone. Photo: Thorsten Antons, Euro Divers Regional Manager

In the evening Dr Drew Richardson, President and CEO of PADI Worldwide and Founder of Project Aware, presents the PADI story – its history and a new direction, from shift in focus from teaching people to dive responsibly and safely, to teaching awareness of ocean conservation issues, using its underwater army of 25 million divers to fight for marine conservation.

Days 2 & 3: fun and games with underwater toys

On our next underwater excursion, we get to play with some serious toys. First up, iBubble, an innovative new underwater drone. Using cutting-edge technology, this bright yellow drone can follow hand-signal instructions to shoot whatever you want it to – or simply follow you around and film your dive, leaving you to simply enjoy it.

Underwater drone iBubble follows us and records our dive for us. Photo: Sandrine Leveugle-Souan, editor, Plongez!

We’re also given an opportunity to dive with an underwater scooter, with PADI on hand to take us through a Diver Propulsion Vehicle specialty certification. The scooters are easy to handle, and I imagine quite useful in current. We use them to fly around a wreck inside the lagoon, and do a few loop-the-loops.

Learning how to operate a Driver Propulsion Vehicle.

Day 4: Whale sharks

LUX* South Ari Atoll is located in a rather special part of the Maldives. Its back reef, which drops off a few hundred metres out from a row of luxury over-water bungalows, plays permanent residence to a large population of whale sharks.

The Maldives Whale Shark Research Program (MWSRP), located on nearby Dhigurah Island has identified 388 individuals, so chances of a whale shark encounter here are fairly high. In fact, the dive shop manager tells us we’d have to be “pretty unlucky” not to see one at least once during the week (famous last words).

vimeo

Before our dive, we’re briefed on whale shark etiquette, the proximity allowed by swimmers, divers and boats, what to do, and more importantly, what NOT to do. Our first encounter is on snorkel. After patrolling the reef wall for a while, a whale shark is spotted and we all go crazy, grabbing masks, fins, cameras, before jumping in to join the melee.

As soon as my head’s underwater I spot him. Somehow, I’m lucky enough to land in the water right beside him. And he’s moving very slowly. It’s not too hard to swim alongside, make eye contact and just watch this gorgeous giant as he glides through the water. An incredible thrill. I find out later his name is Jonah.

The Maldives Whale Shark Research Program identified this whale shark as Jonah.

My next encounter is on scuba. As we swim along the reef wall, our guide is on whale shark watch and we’re not in the water long before we hear our guide banging her tank, alerting us to an approaching whale shark. Again, he glides gracefully by, slowly enough for us to swim alongside and take a few photos before he disappears into the blue. He has a few tell-tale scars on his back which make him easy to identify: Naococco.

Naococco, still showing scars from a boat strike incident in 2015.

Naococco made headlines a few years back, sustaining the worst boat-strike injuries researchers at the MWSRP had ever seen and three years on, the scars are still visible.

In the evening, we’re treated to a presentation by the MWSRP Infield Coordinator; Abdul Basith Mohamed, who shares some insights into what little we know about whale sharks (more on this in an upcoming article). We know very little about whale sharks – but the MWSRP has established that this site is a secondary nursery, and the statistics they gather highlight the site’s importance as a tourism attraction and help convince government to maintain its protection.

Anyone can contribute to the MWSRP research by sharing photos with the team via their mobile App. The whale shark you encounter will be identified, and if they can’t find a match – you get to name it!

Day 5. Sea Turtles…

From one endangered species to another, the next day we find out about the Maldives’ sea turtles, and specifically, the plight of the Olive Ridley, from turtle vet Clare Petros. Clare manages the Olive Ridley Project (ORP), and its Marine Turtle Rescue Centre in Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu Resort in Baa Atoll.

Olive Ridley Project’s Dr Claire Petros enroute to the Marine Turtle Rescue Center with a patient.

Being pelagic creatures, Olive Ridley turtles the most susceptible to ghost net entanglement. They are rarely found nesting in the Maldives, yet they are the turtle species most frequently found entangled in ghost gear. Between 2011 and 2018 the ORP recorded 528 entangled Olive Ridley turtles, 87.9% of all entangled turtles reported.

youtube

The Centre provides veterinary care and rehabilitation to injured sea turtles rescued across the Maldives. Other programs managed by ORP include the removal of ghost gear from the ocean, education and outreach programs, sea turtle monitoring, they’re even looking at ways to re-use or re-purpose ghost nets.

A green turtle encountered on the House Reef.

We join Clare for a dive after this presentation and are joined along the way by three turtles, two green turtles and a little hawksbill who ignores us completely as he nibbles at sponges on the reef.

Day 6. That’s a wrap

It’s been an inspiring week, celebrating the underwater world in so many different ways, from underwater painting to marine conservation and new technology. I’ve learnt more about whale sharks in a week than I knew in my lifetime beforehand and come face to face with two of these gorgeous gentle giants in as many days.

The PADI boys: Richard Somerset, Matt Wenger, Dr Drew Richardson and Mark Spiers.

Our week ends with a beach-side barbeque, watching images and video of our underwater adventures projected on a giant outdoor screen. And what a week it was. We all emerge invigorated and inspired. Invigorated by incredible marine encounters, and inspired by the presentations given each day by passionate ocean advocates.

We dived with: Euro Divers Maldives at LUX* South Ari Atoll, Maldives. Contact us for information about dive/stay holiday packages at LUX* South Ari Atoll.

Me and my esteemed dive buddy, Dr Drew Richardson, CEO and President, PADI Dive Worldwide and Founder of Project Aware.

The post LUX* Underwater Festival – whale sharks, conservation and lots of fun with gadgets appeared first on Diveplanit.

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wavenetinfo · 7 years

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From big-budget blockbusters like Transformers and Wonder Woman to prestigious festival entires in the vein of The Beguiled, Sami Blood, and The Big Sick, read on for 24 can’t-miss movies coming to theaters this month.

Wonder Woman

Roughly 12 years after Elektra, the last major female-fronted superhero flick, bombed with critics and audiences, Gal Gadot is lassoing the genre once again, this time to spectacular results. Wonder Woman, which also stars Chris Pine, Robin Wright, and Connie Nielsen, is being hailed as one of the best-reviewed superhero films to date, with EW’s Chris Nashawaty calling it the “DC movie you’ve been waiting for” in his A- review. With a lofty box office debut likely in the cards, director Patty Jenkins and company are primed to potentially shatter box office records (and maybe a glass ceiling or two) for female-fronted action flicks.

Release date: June 2 — get tickets here Release type: Wide

Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie

The beloved book series gets the big screen treatment for the first time in this animated adventure, which follows two imaginative students, George (Kevin Hart) and Harold (Thomas Middleditch) who hypnotize their principal (Ed Helms) into thinking he’s the titular, undergarment-wearing superhero.

Release date: June 2 — get tickets here Release type: Wide

Band Aid

Zoe Lister-Jones reportedly hired an all-female crew to help her craft this romantic comedy, which she also stars in as one half of a struggling couple seeking to fix their fraying relationship by crooning their mutual anxieties as part of an impromptu, two-person rock band.

Release date: June 2 — get tickets here Release type: Limited

Sami Blood

Sami Blood, a Swedish drama from Amanda Kernell, traveled the festival circuit late last year, world premiering at the Venice Film Festival before stopping in Toronto, Tokyo, and Sundance. The film earned favorable notices from movie critics, particularly Variety‘s Guy Lodge, who calls this story of a 14-year-old girl’s acclimation to 1930s Swedish society at a state-run school a “coming-of-age tale that pointedly addresses a bygone era of Scandi colonialism.”

Release date: June 2 — get tickets here Release type: Limited

It Comes At Night

After wowing critics with his searing family drama Krisha in 2015, Trey Edward Shults returns to the big screen with a genre shift in tow, helming one of the most unsettling pictures in recent memory with It Comes At Night, a taut psychological drama about two families battling paranoia, personal demons, and each other inside a rural cabin in post-apocalyptic America.

Release date: June 9 — get tickets here Release type: Wide

Megan Leavey

Kate Mara plays a young Marine corporal who forms a powerful bond with her combat dog, a German Shepherd, during deployment in Iraq.

Release date: June 9 — get tickets here Release type: Wide

The Mummy

Tom Cruise and Universal are reviving the age-old creature series as part of the studio’s plans to launch its Dark Universe franchise, which is currently scheduled to include Johnny Depp as the Invisible Man and Javier Bardem as Frankenstein’s Monster in subsequent films.

Release date: June 9 — get tickets here Release type: Wide

Beatriz at Dinner

Prolific film and television director Miguel Arteta (Enlightened, The Good Girl, Getting On) directs Salma Hayek, who plays an immigrant living the American dream who butts heads with a snooty, ruthless billionaire (John Lithgow) at one of her wealthy client’s dinner parties, in this Sundance drama.

Release date: June 9 — get tickets here Release type: Limited

My Cousin Rachel

Suspicions threaten to break the spell an enchanting woman (Rachel Weisz) casts on her smitten cousin (Sam Claflin) in this adaptation of Daphne du Maurier’s period novel.

Release date: June 9 — get tickets here Release type: Limited

Cars 3

The animated series returns for another lap with Cars 3, Disney-Pixar’s family-oriented continuation which follows Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) on his quest to prove his dominance on the race track to a new generation of up-and-coming automobiles.

Release date: June 16 — get tickets here Release type: Wide

Rough Night

Vaulting into theaters following the success of female-driven comedies like Sisters, Trainwreck, and Bad Moms in the recent past, Rough Night charts the course of a group of friends (Scarlett Johansson, Zoë Kravitz, Ilana Glazer, Kate McKinnon, Jillian Bell) who land themselves in hot water after their wild Miami bachelorette party turns deadly when they accidentally kill a male stripper. Director Lucia Aniello has helmed multiple episodes of Glazer’s Broad City, and here makes her feature debut additionally directing her real-life partner (and co-screenwrither) Paul W. Downs, who plays the fiancé of Johansson’s character. “It is kind of a unique experience to direct your boyfriend, who you have made the choice to cast as Scarlett Johansson’s love interest,” Aniello previously told EW.

Release date: June 16 — get tickets here Release type: Wide

47 Meters Down

Mandy Moore turns on the waterworks on NBC’s heartbreaking family drama This Is Us, but the creatures of the deep are turning on her in this sharktastic thriller, which costars Claire Holt and Matthew Modine. “The majority of the movie is us completely freaking out,” Moore told EW of the film. “Imagine somebody who’s at the bottom of the ocean, who’s never gone diving before, doesn’t know how to clear her air or what any of her equipment does. It’s the f—ing most terrifying nightmare on the planet to her. Most of the time I was shooting, I would be going through my [oxygen] tank in two seconds because I was hyperventilating.”

Release date: June 16 — get tickets here Release type: Wide

All Eyez On Me

Tupac Shakur’s life and legacy are getting the big screen treatment with All Eyez On Me, which stars Demetrius Shipp, Jr. in the lead role and The Walking Dead‘s Danai Gurira as his mother, Afeni.

Release date: June 16 — get tickets here Release type: Wide

The Book of Henry

Jurassic World director Colin Trevorrow moves from dinosaurs to familial woes with The Book of Henry, which features Room‘s Jacob Tremblay, Naomi Watts, Maddie Ziegler, and Sarah Silverman in a tale about one boy’s dedication to helping his neighbors with their dangerous secret.

Release date: June 16 — get tickets here Release type: Limited

I, Daniel Blake

Last year’s Cannes Palme d’Or winner, directed by Ken Loach, follows an aging widower (Dave Johns) who bonds with a single mother in pursuit of compassion and government welfare.

Release date: June 16 — get tickets here Release type: Limited

Transformers: The Last Knight

Michael Bay gathers the famed Transformers for a fifth go-round of his effects-heavy franchise, which sees the return of Mark Wahlberg, who first appeared in 2014’s Age of Extinction, alongside series newcomers like Anthony Hopkins.

Release date: June 21 — get tickets here Release type: Wide

The Beguiled

After becoming only the second woman in Cannes history to win the festival’s Best Director prize, Oscar winner Sofia Coppola reclaims her throne as perhaps the most celebrated female director working today with the launch of The Beguiled, her sixth feature directorial effort and refreshing feminist take on the 1971 Don Siegel thriller of the same name. Nicole Kidman, Elle Fanning, Kirsten Dunst, and Colin Farrell star.

Release date: June 23 — get tickets here Release type: Limited

The Bad Batch

Perhaps one of the zaniest casts of the year (Jim Carrey, Diego Luna, Suki Waterhouse, Jason Momoa, Keanu Reeves) populates Ana Lily Amirpour’s post-apocalyptic cannibal fest, which earned decent reviews out of its fall festival premiere last year.

Release date: June 23 — get tickets here Release type: Limited

The Big Sick

One of Sundance’s buzziest titles finally bows domestically this summer, starring Kumail Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan as a couple whose relationship evolves as they deal with a medical crisis and their cultural divides. “It’s a unique kind of love story,” Judd Apatow, who produced and helped develop the film over the course of five years, told EW earlier this year. “It is tricky because there’s elements about culture clashes and how to handle situations when people get sick, and it needed to be really funny in an organic, truthful way.”

Release date: June 23 — get tickets here Release type: Limited

Baby Driver

Ansel Elgort steps on the gas in this high-speed thriller about a getaway driver (Elgort) whose talents are enlisted by a crime boss (Kevin Spacey) for an ill-fated heist. “I always wanted to do an action movie that was powered by music,” director Edgar Wright, who also wrote the film’s script with sonic inclination, has said of the film in the past. “It’s something that’s very much a part of my previous films and I thought of this idea of how to take that a stage further by having a character who listens to music the entire time. So, you have this young getaway driver who has to soundtrack his entire existence, particularly the bank robberies and fast getaways that come afterwards.”

Release date: June 28 — get tickets here Release type: Wide

Amityville: The Awakening

The terrifying legacy continues as a teen (Bella Thorne) encounters nefarious spirits possessing her twin’s body after moving into the iconic horror house. Jennifer Jason Leigh also stars.

Release date: June 28 — get tickets here Release type: Wide

Despicable Me 3

The Minions return for another Despicable Me picture, this time seeing Gru (Steve Carell) meeting his long-lost twin brother, Dru.

Release date: June 30 — get tickets here Release type: Wide

The House

SNL vets Amy Poehler and Will Ferrell re-team for this raunchy comedy about suburban parents who team with their neighbors to operate an illegal casino as a means to pay for their daughter’s prestigious education.

Release date: June30 — get tickets here Release type: Wide

The Little Hours

Alison Brie and Aubrey Plaza are nuns gone wild in The Little Hours, Jeff Baena’s stylized, comical take on The Decameron, which also stars Dave Franco, Nick Offerman, Molly Shannon, and John C. Reilly.

Release date: June 30 — get tickets here Release type: Limited

1 June 2017 | 12:00 pm

Joey Nolfi

Source : EW.com

>>>Click Here To View Original Press Release>>>

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); June 01, 2017 at 06:30PM

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