#Nikki’s Weekend 2022 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

whereareroo · 3 months

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THE WEEK IN REVIEW

WF THOUGHTS (3/9/24).

Happy Weekend!

It was an extremely busy news week. On Tuesday we had the big “Super Tuesday” presidential primaries. On Wednesday, Nikki Haley abandoned her presidential quest and Trump effectively became the Republican presidential nominee. On Thursday night, Smokin’ Joe Biden gave an impactful State of the Union speech.

Due to all of the hubbub, you might have missed the news that Sweden became an official member of NATO on March 7th. You might not care about that event. You should care. Let me tell you why.

The North Atlantic Treaty Alliance (NATO) was established in the aftermath of WWII. It is a military alliance. In the event of an attack, all members agree to defend every other member. The goal of the alliance is to maintain peace. The theory is that an aggressive nation will not launch an attack if it will face a unified response from a a large group of countries. The theory works. Since WWII, NATO has been a powerful force for peace. It is the most important alliance in the world.

NATO membership is only open to established democracies. Members must have reputable free market economies, and they must pledge to respect the sovereignty of all nations. For a country to enter NATO, its military must be clearly controlled by the civilian leaders of the country.

When Putin invaded Ukraine in February of 2022, NATO had 30 members. There were also a handful of “aspiring members.” Becoming a full member is difficult. Unanimous consent from all existing members is required. Ukraine, formerly part of the Soviet Union, is a young democracy. It has a history of governmental corruption and economic instability. At the time of the attack, it had not earned a NATO membership. Ukraine’s lack of membership gave Putin greater latitude to act aggressively. If Ukraine had been a member of NATO, troops from NATO countries would have immediately joined the battle and Putin would have suffered a prompt defeat. As it is, Ukraine has to stand by herself. Many NATO countries are supporting Ukraine with money and military supplies, but they’re not sending troops. Because Ukraine is actively at war, it is politically impossible for the current NATO countries to accept Ukraine into the alliance. If Ukraine was immediately accepted in NATO, every member country would be obligated to immediately declare war on Russia. Countries are justifiably hesitant to jump into that quagmire.

Putin would like to destroy NATO. He doesn’t like the fact that so many NATO countries sit on his doorstep. The existence of NATO constrains Putin’s ambitions. In part, Putin attacked Ukraine to test the NATO countries. He was hoping that NATO would divide itself into a “pro-Ukraine faction” and a “neutral faction.” Any division within NATO is good for Putin. Putin’s attack has not divided NATO. Except for a few questionable and insignificant players, all of the NATO countries are actively supporting Ukraine. Putin hasn’t received support from any NATO country. Instead of driving a wedge between NATO countries, Putin has brought them closer together in a common cause. NATO is stronger than ever. That’s good for the world. Putin’s attempt to disrupt NATO has been a complete failure.

Sweden and Finland sit near the northwest corner of Russia. When Putin attacked in early 2022, they were not part of NATO. Both countries have long histories of neutrality and disengagement. To maintain neutrality, they had never sought admission to NATO. When Putin attacked Ukraine, Sweden and Finland changed their minds about NATO membership. Finland became a NATO member last year. Sweden officially became a NATO member last week. NATO was thrilled to accept these strong countries into the alliance. Instead of making NATO weaker, Putin has made NATO stronger. Putin now has two new NATO countries sitting on his doorstep. Putin’s whole plan has backfired.

You should be delighted that Sweden is now a member of NATO. Sweden’s actions are further proof that the good guys are winning and Putin is losing. With the addition of Sweden, NATO is stronger. A strong NATO is good from the world.

It’s great that NATO constrains Putin and other aggressors. In the current circumstances, constraint isn’t enough. Putin must be defeated on the battlefield. It’s shameful that, for unrelated political purposes, Republicans in the House are keeping us from giving Ukraine the money and military supplies that she needs to beat Putin. Let’s hope that there is a prompt resolution to that logjam. If Ukraine doesn’t defeat Putin, he’ll eventually attack a NATO country and we’ll have WWIII. It’s outrageous that the House Republicans are willing to take that risk. Why would they want us to expose us to the costs, in blood and dollars, of WWIII? It’s stupid. It’s embarrassing.

By the way, Trump regularly threatens to remove America from NATO. That would be disastrous for America and the world. Trump doesn’t understand that NATO protects us, and allows us to flourish, by controlling aggressors. Peace is good for everyone. America benefits from worldwide peace and stability. Trump’s hostility towards NATO, which is consistent with his affection for Putin and other thugs, is one of the reasons that he shouldn’t be Commander-In-Chief.

In Swedish, the word for “welcome” is “valkommen.” As citizens of the leading NATO country, let’s all wish Sweden a hearty valkommen. The admission of Sweden into NATO is good for you, good for me, good for America, good for Sweden, and good for the world. It has been a great week for NATO.

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readingforsanity · 1 year

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The Club | Ellery Lloyd | Published 2022 | *SPOILERS*

Everyone’s dying to join...

The Home Group is a glamorous collection of celebrity members’ clubs dotted across the globe, where the rich and famous can party hard and then crash out in its five-star suites, far from the prying eyes of fans and the media.

The most spectacular of all is Island Home - a closely guarded, ultraluxurious resort, just off the English coast - and its three day launch party is easily the most coveted A-list invite of the decade.

But behind the scenes, tensions are at a breaking point: the ambitious and expensive project has pushed the Home Group’s CEO and his long-suffering team to their absolute limits. All of them have something to hide - and that’s before the beautiful people with their own ugly secrets even set foot on the island.

As tempers fray and behavior worsens, as things get more sinisters by the hour and the body count piles up, some of Island Home’s members will begin to wish they’d never made the guest list.

Because at this club, if your names on the list, you’re not getting out.

The Home clubs are exclusive. So exclusive that there is a yearly fee to pay in order to remain a member. Ned Groom inherited it from his grandfather who had ran them for years before, along with his younger brother Adam, though he has a smaller share in the business, though still as a Director of Special Projects.

They revamped the clubs, and renamed them Home, in order to give them a more personal touch to their clients. Only the best of the best are allowed to be members. On the weekend of a huge launch party for their latest club, Island Home, Ned is driving everyone crazy and Adam is thinking about leaving the organization altogether to branch off on his own.

Jess, the head of housekeeping, is thrilled to have been given the responsibility. She spent years applying and attempting to get a job at the prestigious clubs if she could but spent years never hearing anything back until a week prior to the new launch. Needed immediately, she leaves her job as Housekeeping Manager at the Grange, a hotel shes spent the last 10 years and begins her job. She meets her team, and quickly gets the hang of how things are ran. However, Jess has more sinister reasons for wanting to work at the club. She has hopes of running into Jackson Crane and his wife Georgia. When she was younger, her parents had been killed in a car crash and Jackson and his wife were the people to have done it. Jess remembers, because at the time, Jackson was recognizable due to his role in a hero comic called Captain Aquatic. For years she tried to get everyone to understand that it was him that had killed her parents: her father on impact and her mother years later after she spent them in a coma. Nobody did believe her, but for years, she believed what she saw that night.

Nikki, Ned Groom’s personal assistant, is trying to keep things going as smoothly as possible. She worked her way up from being a simple coat check girl at one of the clubs to being Ned’s right hand woman. She is efficient in her job, and makes sure that his needs a met in whatever way he asks, except sexually. However, Nikki’s past is coming back to haunt her. She was just 15 years old when she began working in the coat check room at the club, and she met a famous director by the name of Ron. He took an immediate liking to her, and she ultimately lost her virginity to him. Though she was on birth control and believed to have been taken them as instructed, she must have missed one somewhere along the way and ended up pregnant at 16 years old. She confides in Ned, who takes her to New York with him to help with the launch of Manhattan Home, and in the end, she gives birth to a son that she puts up for a closed adoption. She later learns that Kurt, Ron’s adopted son (in this case, his biological son), is the son that she gave up for adoption and he’s right near her in the flesh. 25 years old and making his way in his father’s footsteps. He’s non-the-wiser that his biological mother is near him at this very moment.

Annie is the Head of Memberships for Home. She spends time looking into each member, learning what she can about them, and fields calls from potential members. Anyone who is anyone that wants to be a member must schmooze up to Annie in order to get accepted. Annie uses launch parties as her own personal Met Gala, wearing expensive gowns and generally trying to get in with the right crowd. She knows everyone, and everyone knows her. When she gives an interview about Island Home’s launch party, Nikki sends it to Ned so he can field it. He isn’t happy with how Annie made it seem that everything was happening because of her, and he says that this will be her last launch party and she will be booted.

Each person has a reason to be upset with Ned Groom in some way. Jess because he believes that Ned told Jackson Crane what to do after the accident in which he ran from, and that two people were killed. Adam because he’s trying to leave the business, and although he wants to remain close to his brother, realizes that him leaving is going to put a distance between them. Additionally, Ned has some dirt on Adam, who is happily married to Laura but has spent years cheating on her with various members of Home. Nikki because he had been aware that she was underage when she got pregnant, and ultimately had her son adopted by his actual biological father, and Annie because she knows her time with the Home is short and she has spent years accustomed to the lifestyle that she has.

As head of housekeeping, Jess has access to the members cabins more so than anyone else. She has come up with a plan to kill Jackson by overdose, and put the blame on his wife. But when she confronts Georgia with the fact that she knows who she is, believing her plan to have worked on Jackson, Georgia admits that she was never in England at the time of the accident like she has always claimed; that Jackson has cheated on her but the details are never shared with her and they continue on with their relationship because they love each other, and that he has a specific time. This is when Jess realizes the person she saw that night wasn’t Georgia, it was Annie. She runs away from the situation.

During everything, Ned has gone missing, and Annie, and two other members, come up with a plan to kill Ned. Annie tells the two members how to do it, that evening during the theater troupe’s performance to basically end the launch party. However, the mistake Adam for Ned, and in the end, the wrong man is murdered. After the bodies of Jackson Crane and the other member are found, along with Ned and Adam Groom’s bodies found, the party comes to an end.

Annie becomes the interim CEO of Home, and the funerals are completed for the four people who died that day. Jess gets her ultimate revenge on Annie by calling her anonymously, letting her know that she knows who she is and Jess has sent the footage incriminating her and Jackson Crane to the police.

Discussion Questions

1. The authors said that they were inspired to write the story after staying on Osea Island, a privately-owned island catered to celebrities. What elements of Island Home and the Home Group do you think are based on real-life counterparts? I’m sure a lot of what happened at Home is what it’s like for real-life celebrities, but probably with a lot less murder and scheming. Ned was notorious for recording and eventually filming members so he could have blackmail on them. While I’m sure this aspect has or can happen, I’m sure it’s a lot less prominent in the real world.

2. There’s plenty of celebrities from the huge star Jackson Crane to Freddie Hunter, a boy turned TV host who reveals secrets of his friends to the press. Do you think any of these characters and other famous ones in the novel are based on real-life celebrities? If so, who? Off the top of my head no. Even reading the story I didn’t think that this celebrity sounded like the real life person at all.

3. We read the story from the perspectives of Jess, the newly hired head of housekeeping; Adam, the brother of Ned; Annie, membership curator and Nikki, Ned’s personal assistant. we also read coverage of the incident in a magazine article. Why were these perspectives chosen and what did reading their thoughts help add to the story? Do you like multi-perspective stories or do you prefer first-person type narratives? Each of these people have a reason to be upset with Ned. Adam because of his brother’s blackmail; Nikki because she was groomed by Ned to be lovers with Ron, and she was taken advantage of in a very serious situation; Annie because he was trying to push her out the door and Jess because she felt he was responsible for the cover up of her parents accident and deaths. In the beginning of the novel, I thought it would be difficult to follow four different perspectives, but after a while, it was interesting to see their individual thoughts on what was going on around them.

4. Were any of the characters likeable in your opinion? Which characters did you actively dislike? I liked Nikki’s character. While yes, she was responsible for murdering Ned, she was upset. She was only 15 years old when her career at Home started, and she was basically used and abused, taken advantage of and left in a shitty situation where her only choice was to give her unborn baby a better life. She often thought of the son she had given up, and she spent years wondering who he was, until she learned the truth. This is when she realized Ned’s responsibility in his adoption.

5. Why was Ned granted so much power and how come no one ever stood up to him? Ned was granted power because he demanded it. He redid the group so he was able to run very high-end clubs, and ultimately used those clubs to garner blackmail against the people who were his members. Everybody was essentially afraid of him, so nobody felt that they could stick up for themselves.

6. In what ways did Adam help enable Ned’s corrupt ways? Adam knew about Ned recording and filming the members, albeit he didn’t know the reason other than some perverted thoughts on his brothers parts. It wasn’t until he was essentially blackmailed by his brother did he realize his brothers true intentions. Adam never did anything to stop Ned from doing what he did, never called the police or reported him, and was just as responsible as Ned was in the long run.

7. When you read mystery stories like this, do you try to solve the murder - or in this case murders - or do you wait for the reveals? It depends. In this case, I didn’t spend much time thinking about who murdered who and why. Jackson Crane and the other member weren’t murdered. Ned was murdered by Nikki and Annie was basically responsible for murdering Adam. There was too much going on for me to focus on one single thing happening at once.

8. We learn that Jackson Crane killed Jess’ parents in a horrific car accident. She believes that his wife Georgia was also there as well and she sets out to kill Jackson and have Georgia framed for his murder. Let’s talk about this action Jess takes. What were your thoughts when Jackson survived it? Jess goes to extremes. While yes, I would be devastated over my parents, she took a huge risk. Especially not knowing that the rooms are filmed and she could have easily been caught herself. Which eventually I think she could be if they could ever gain access to Ned’s secret room with all the files. But, she wanted revenge, and she got it.

9. Another huge revelation is that Annie was actually the one in the car with Jackson and helped cover up the murder. Did you see that reveal coming at all? I didn’t, but of course it makes sense. The Home was notorious for allowing married celebrities to cheat on their spouses.

10. What were some of the other more shocking aspects of the novel to you? The entire novel was just shocking. It amazes me that previous launch parties without a hitch.

11. Did you find Nikki’s story sympathetic? Let’s talk about the revelation that she is the one who killed Ned. I did. I explain my reasoning above.

12. What happens next for Nikki? Will she be able to develop a connection with her son, Kurt? If she does end up revealing her identity to him, I think they could form a connection. They’re already acquainted, so I don’t see why not.

13. Were you satisfied with the ending for Jess? Will justice finally be served for her family? Sort of. I wish I knew the outcome after Jess send the file to the police, but we don’t. So I feel a little unfulfilled.

14. Was this novel trying to make a larger point about society’s obsession with celebrities? I think it shares some aspects on how we spend years obsessing over some of our favorite celebrities. Some obsess more than others, such as stalkers and people intending harm to them. But in the long run, I think it shows a good representation of what it’s like to be on both ends of the spectrum.

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avaliveradio · 2 years

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New Indie Rock Rising Music Radio with Jacqueline Jax November

We air our Rock Rising Music Show every week as an Exclusive Featured Spotify episode that will post to replay after it airs.

AVA Live Radio hosted by Jacqueline Jax is a podcast that puts an unfiltered provocative spin on new music and what’s behind the releases. This show talks about what’s happening in indie rock today as of November 2022.

*This show is exclusive to Spotify and all royalties from the show pay to the artists directly through spotify. In addition, listeners can replay your single right on spotify while listening to our show or jump directly to your spotify page.

Rock Rising with Jacqueline Jax

Listen on Spotify: <here>

Follow the playlist

Featured Artists

Rock Rising Lineup:

Fluorescents - Weekendz

Released by: Fluorescent Records

Similar artists: A Day To Remember, The Story So Far, Chunk! No Captain, Chunk!

"This is by far the wildest song we've ever done. Enjoy! "

Weekends pushes the boundary between modern pop-punk & rock! It's heavy, catchy and uses a good mix of modern and classic production techniques to really breathe life into the songs mix. Weekends should appeal to pop-punk & rock fans! An independent Pop-Punk band out of Chicago with a DIY spirit! We push the boundaries of Pop-Punk with every release! New music dropping throughout all of 2022!

More on this band…

OPE - HONESTLY

Genre: Shoegaze, Garage Rock, Emo

Similar artists: Sonic Youth, Smashing Pumpkins, The Cure, Fugazi, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Foo Fighters, Le Tigre, MBV.

The song is a strong first launch for the band. The feeling of wanting to be heard and understood. Sonicly mixing Shoegaze and Post-Grunge to emphasize those emotions.

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Nikki Wishart - Spell it out to u

Genre: Pop Punk, Adult Contemporary

Similar artists: Gayle, UPSAHL, DYLAN

Soaked in sass, Nikki Wishart releases the new single ‘Spell it out to u’. The fierce message to all narcissists who think “they are fucking saints.” Melbourne’s sonic poet unleashes a spirited indie-pop melody that stays true to her distinctive lyricism and authentic energy that leaves you empowered.

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Ashes and Arrows - The Crown

Released by: Ashes & Arrows LLC

Genre: Southern Rock / Red Dirt

Ben Voigt (Vocalist + Piano)- Ciaran McMeeken (Vocalist + Guitar) -Jonathan Calhoun (Vocalist + Guitar)

From the mountains of Asheville, North Carolina to the peaks of Arrowtown, New Zealand Ashes & Arrows are taking the music scene by storm with their strong vocals, thoughtful lyrics, and on-stage charisma. Drawing inspiration from NEEDTODBREATH, Ed Sheeran, Jason Isbel, and Patrick Droney, Ashes & Arrows write their songs in a unique and authentically original form. While stuck at individual musical crossroads, the lads met at an open mic in downtown Asheville in 2021 and immediately regained their joy and inspiration to write and perform music with the feeling of their first individual performances.

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The Comfort -Bloom

Released by: Greyscale Records

Genre: Pop Rock, Indie Pop, Emo

Similar artists: The Dangerous Summer, Angles and Airwaves, The Band CAMINO, Taking Back Sunday, The Maine, Valley

‘Bloom’ is a reflection on the good and bad parts of a relationship that has ended. I was talking to my brother a while ago about a relationship ending and he said “it’s essentially the same as someone dying, just in your life only” and I think he’s absolutely spot on an Liam also nailed that feeling in his second verse on this song that is all about grief and acceptance.

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Harley Olivia - Diggin

Genre: Pop Rock, Indietronica, Alt Pop

Similar artists: Miley Cyrus, Paramore, Hayley Williams, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga

‘Diggin’ by Harley Olivia is an energetic, fierce, and unapologetic pop song. “I wrote this hard-hitting pop song in response to an ex who refused to listen to reason or reach any kind of settlement. Once I realized they were twisting the truth to make me suffer, I wrote this song. “ This energetic single is built on a strong back-beat with electric guitar, industrial sounding synths, and vocals oozing with sex and swagger for a memorable high-stakes ride.

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Mort City - Pumpkin Pie

Released by: Arizona Digital

Genre: 90s Rock, Indie Rock, Alternative Rock

Similar artists: Cage the Elephant

'Pumpkin Pie' by Mort City is not just a nostalgic track of the 90’s it also has a very fresh feel in the vocal melting the past with the present really well. It's a flirty, high energy tune with an afrobeat rhythm section providing the foundation for funky guitar and chromatic melodies fronted by punk rap vocals. Sounds like a collaboration between Tony Allen (Fela Kuti), Tom Morello, and Cage the Elephant.

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Catalyst Combs - Rain

Released by: Catalyst Combs Music LLC

Genre: Alternative Hip-Hop, Alternative Rock

Similar artists: Two Feet, Grandson, Linkin Park, Twenty One Pilots

“Rain” is an ode to the dark times. To losing hope, losing love, losing yourself. It’s a love song for self-sabatoge in search of relief. This is the first release for Catalyst Combs (formely known as DRAE) under his new name. Catalyst Combs (formerly known as DRAE) is an alternative artist who draws genre-blending influences from Rage Against The Machine, grandson and Linkin Park - combining elements of hip-hop, electronic, and blues rock alongside observational, insightful songwriting. The result is a high energy melting pot of sound that translates to an engaging and frantic live performance.

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Haas Holiday- IDK

Release date: Nov 03, 2022

Genre: Hard Rock, Classic Rock, Garage Rock

The band has skills and shows off their talent well on this new single. This is a song about being lied to, realizing the truth, and being in disbelief. I love the raging guitars and driving beat. Together it just works. Great song.

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Ionne - Me Alone

Release date: Sep 30, 2022

Released by: 5015 Records

Indietronica, Alternative Rock, Alt Pop

Similar artists: Muse, Queen, U2, Thom Yorke

An contemplation on loneliness and the need for human connection, the original words and music for "Me Alone" were penned by Adrienne Harris, Ionne's sister, who worked as a nurse in a COVID ward during the first wave of the pandemic. Maurice Lajuane Harris, professionally known as Ionne, is a US-based recording artist. Known for his artistic versatility and extensive musical range, Ionne transcends genre to create consistently beautiful and unique musical excursions.

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Modern day Outlaw - March of the Sheep

This single starts with guitars blazing bringing all that we expect from an indie rock band today. With driving rhythms and signature gritty layers, March of the Sheep by Florida band Modern Day Outlaw checks all the most important rock boxes. This single is sure to delight rock music fans as this shiny penny flips elements of Metallica with Skynyrd into the air with a fresh luster. ‘March of the Sheep’ is the generalization that todays society faces in which many have stopped thinking for themselves and blindly follow what they believe to be true.

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Greg Hoy & The Boys - Demons At Night

Music Genre: Rock Vibe: Fun, energetic, loud Located in: East Bay, California Sounds like: Van Halen, Cheap Trick, Motley Crue, Poison 'Demons At Night' by Greg Hoy & The Boys is a Classic Rock Gem

Greg Hoy & The Boys has smashed it out of the park with an 80’s rock anthem that pull influences from greats like Cheap Trick, Poison, and Van Halen. I love the energy and nostalgic feel of this release. This song is a reminder of the amazing harmonies and spectacular guitars classic rock always brought to the table. They have brought something special to us while honouring the genre with a well produced classic.

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Cabela and Schmitt - Train Comin'

Music Genre: Rock Vibe: Upbeat Nebraska and Colorado Sounds like: Imagine Dragons, Coldplay, The Beatles The song speaks to the possibility that our souls may be in jeopardy of being lost in the abyss and how we need to be aware of how we act and represent ourselves towards others. Mixed and mastered by Sean Spence from Nashville, TN.

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The Refusers - Eat the Bugs

Music Genre: Rock, punk, alternative Vibe: Edgy Located in: Seattle Sounds like: Greta Van Fleet, Black Keys, Foo Fighters, Rage Against The Machine, Bob Marley, Frank Zappa, the Clash.

You can count on The Refusers to challenge conformation in everything they do. If they have something new, get ready to pay attention as the message will no doubt be strong and well executed. ‘Eat The Bugs’ is a rather graphic blast against the establishment that challenges the very purpose of the wheel as we know it. It’s a song that will make you think more than the typical song requires and perhaps even change some minds through the journey.

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Shamless Band Cancel Me

from the Less Is More EP Music Genre: Bluesy/Rock Vibe: Danceable/Rebel Located in: California

The Shameless Band first embarked on their musical voyage of discovery together as a tight-knit Music Band in 2019. But their origin goes back earlier to when the band members grew up listening to various musical genres that played an influential role in shaping their paths as musicians and ultimately led them to join forces. The lead single “Cancel Me” was inspired by various moments such as cancellation of world travel, face-to-face interaction and support, postponed weddings and graduations, and restrictions on celebrating life and honoring death. The song was written to empower the listener to push through and rise above the act of cancellation.

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scxtty - Baseball Cards

Genre: Hip Hop

Similar artists: Mickey Darling, The Wrecks, Yungblud, Neon Trees.

Newest song off the EP. The ending is the best part when both male and female voices come together to form a huge sound wave. I wrote this song two years ago and sent it to my friend who rewrote the lyrics. We formed this song about someone moving on very fast in a relationship and it explores both point of views the leaver and the left. Both feelings are accounted for and even yell at each other.

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SONAFIDE - White Rabbit

Genre: Pop Punk, Indie Rock, Alternative Rock

Similar artists: jimmy eat world, fall out boy, the killers, panic! at the disco

‘White Rabbit’ by Sonafide takes it’s inspiration from Alice in Wonderland. The new pop punk music single is about wanting to find your own individuality & success in the face of others' own success, as well as learning to confront the failures and doubts that keep you from moving forward. Essentially it asks, "How am I supposed to be happy with myself?"--that question falls upon deaf ears, forcing the singer to come to their own self-realizations about who they are and what they want out of life.

More on this band…

Special Thanks to New Music Release Radar for supporting this show and featuring these artists on your Rock Music Playlist: <here>

PLAYLISTS

New Rock Music Release Radar Playlist :

NMRR

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6aW5hvv4I1wgeozPxJysl9?si=10899dcfe20f4384

Indie Rock Rising Playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3J1nglWkgQxAkj279XXq4P?si=cdfdaccf291f4f1c

Indie Music Spin features a great lineup of indie bands and singles you don’t want to miss. They update their site weekly with different flavors of music from quality creators. <here>

#Rock Music

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lanewsline · 2 years

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EVENT REVIEW: DEBBIE DURKIN's ECOLUXE ENDLESS SUMMER FESTIVAL Returns to Beverly Hilton in Honor of TV's Biggest Night

This year’s event benefitted spcaLA

By Don Rose

On Friday, September 9, 2022, the ECOLUXE "Endless Summer Festival" Experience honored the best of TV during Primetime Emmys weekend and was a charity fundraiser benefiting spcaLA. EcoLuxe Lounge is a luxury experience created by Debbie Durkin, LA's leading purposeful TV/Film product placement producer, and this month's event in honor of television's biggest night was fun, festive, and first class. In addition to pampering by health and wellness brands, an ECOLUXE Golden Metaverse Experience by BSW, and sustainable activations making a social impact, the event featured a formal lunch for all attendees in the Beverly Hilton’s beautiful Wilshire Gardens. The Beverly Hilton’s Executive Chef served the curated luncheon (which was truly incredible), and the icing on the cake (literally) was an array of delectable desserts. Plus, to everyone's delight, the infamous handcrafted Donut Wall provided scrumptious snacks throughout the day!

The event was recorded by KNEKT TV, who interviewed attending stars about their current projects and streamed the event as a LIVE TV Special that day. ECOLUXE.KNEKT.LIVE

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

A long list of award nominees, performers, celebs, VIPs, and media attended the stellar EcoLuxe event, including:

Professional dancer (Beyonce’s dance Captain) Ashley Everett attended EcoLuxe and was gifted a trip to the Dominican Republic via Casa de Campo.

Paul Ben-Victor (star of “Pam and Tommy”) and Cali Senkpiel as well as celebrity Musician and Designer Nikki Lund checked out the vintage handbags by Luxmary Handbags.

“American Ninja Warrior” host Matt Iseman & Jessica Ross and Kearran Giovanni (“Major Crimes”) sipped Neft Vodka.

Anjali Bhimani (from “Ms. Marvel” on Disney+) checked out dog-friendly wellness brand Healthy Paws Herbal Labs.

Actress Carolyn Hennesy took home Liana Treat & Berry hand-dipped strawberries with gold drizzle.

Former NFL Player & HBO “Ballers” star Donovan Carter enjoyed Dulce Vida Organic Tequila.

Frankie McNellis (“Lucy in 13: The Musical” on Netflix) and Jesse Kove (“Cobra Kai”) both enjoyed skincare and body butter by Royal Keepers.

“Shameless” star Scott Michael Campbell checked out the Fresh & Meaty Burgers booth.

Attendees also enjoyed the Metaverse Experience by cannabis collective BSW Nation Village.

Additional celebrity attendees included: NBA legend Cuttino Mobley; two-time Grammy winner Charlie Colin; “Dance Moms” Melissa Gisoni; “American Horror Story” Naomi Grossman; Keith Harris, Black Eyed Peas Drummer; 2021 Emmy nominee for Best Stunt performer Janeshia Adams-Ginyard, and more.

PARTICIPATING BRANDS

Veteran TV/Film product placement producer Debbie Durkin invited the following brands to provide fun interactive installations and to showcase their products throughout the day:

Casa de Campo Dominican Republic Resort & Villas provided Emmy Nominees a 2-night stay at their luxury villas courtesy of Swanky Retreats and Caribbean Living Magazines.

BSW Nation Village showcased a collection of cannabis culture lifestyle gear and accessories hosted by Balbuena Productions, as well as the ECOLUXE GOLDEN EXPERIENCE, an interactive metaverse gallery and VR activation (using VR goggles!).

NEFT VODKA premium spirits offered tastings, lifestyle gear, and product for attendees to take home.

Dolce Vida Organic Tequila shared tastings of their four signature flavors - tequila blanco, pineapple jalapeno, lime, and grapefruit!

Luxmary Handbags held a special giveaway for attendees featuring vintage Louis Vuitton designer handbags worth $1K. In addition, ECOLUXE attendees received an invite to the Luxmary Handbags Sip N Shop event on September 10th at their retail store in Burbank. Guest were gifted a generous gift card at ECOLUXE to be used toward any purchase during the Sip N Shop event. They also be provided gift bag items including designer pieces such as a Gucci notebook, Emilio Pucci card holder, Miu Miu key ring, Cartier key holder, Chanel paper weight and more.

Liana Treat & Berry featured an assortment of hand-dipped strawberries, wafers, and madeleines in Ruby chocolate and white couverture chocolate, topped with signature drizzle, gold drizzle, marble, and gold leaf garnish.

Royal Keepers gave VIPs multi-use skin and hair care products of essential oils for men and women, for all skin types.

Kimberlicious Kourtney Beauty (KK Beauty) cannabis-infused, eco friendly, THC butters & cosmetic collection gifted perfumes, body butters, lip gloss, lip paint, and tees.

Healthy Paws Herbal Labs provided dog and cat parents with natural organic options to help their furry friends stay in optimal health. Now offering sustainable packaging!

Nikki Lund Clothing gifted select fashion items to attendees.

Fresh & Meaty Burgers - ranked #2 best burger in LA and #1 turkey burger in LA - provided samples and gift cards for their Los Angeles and Carson locations.

generosiTEA, a great tasting tea that gives back to charity through every purchase, from country singer Stephen Westly, was also featured (and this reporter found all their tea flavors refreshing and delicious).

About EcoLuxe Lounge

ECOLUXE LOUNGE is a luxury experience created by Debbie Durkin, LA's leading purposeful TV/Film product placement producer, creator of the ECOLUXE Lounge Luxury Experiences (16 years strong), an official ABC TV producing partner, and producer of her ABC4 TV ECOLUXE "Must-Haves" TV segments. Debbie pioneered the USA's first Celebrity Drive-Thru event in September 2020. Our team creates entertainment marketing PR campaigns, harnessing the Power of Entertainment. We uplift brands, promote women-, black-, Latino-, and Asian-owned businesses, and those with a social impact on sustainable platforms, who contribute lifestyle products and services Good for the Planet, the Environment, Home, Family, and Pets. ECOLUXE LOUNGE luxury experiences are private, invite-only events produced during Award Show and Film Festival weeks. #EventResponsibly For more information, visit https://linktr.ee/producerdeb

About spcaLA

spcaLA is a non-profit, 501( c )( 3 ), independently chartered organization that is not affiliated with any other “SPCA” or humane society. spcaLA has been serving Los Angeles since 1877 and has seen an increased need for funding for animals during the pandemic. We believe that animals, as living creatures, have value beyond economic measurement, and are entitled to legal, moral, and ethical consideration and protection. There is no national SPCA, parent organization, or umbrella group that provides financial support. Each SPCA and Humane Society is a completely unrelated organization. spcaLA does not receive funding from any federal, state, or local government agency. Financial support for the organization’s humane programs is provided solely by donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. To support, visit https://spcala.com.

#EcoLuxe #Primetime TV #TV awards #EcoLuxe Lounge #annual events #Debbie Durkin #spcaLA #Beverly Hilton #awards events #event reviews #reviews #event recaps #events #Emmys 2022 #Emmys

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f1 · 2 years

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F1 RACE ZONE: Max Verstappen moves into the top 10 lap leaders of all time

F1 RACE ZONE: Max Verstappen moves into the top 10 lap leaders of all time, Sebastian Vettel's meeting with Ukrainian refugees and the world's bravest pigeon... all the details from the Dutch Grand Prix Max Verstappen moved into the top 10 lap leaders of all time on Sunday The Red Bull driver delivered a home victory at the Dutch Grand Prix Sebastian Vettel met with Ukrainian refugees on track before the race By Max Matthews For The Daily Mail Published: 17:33 EDT, 4 September 2022 | Updated: 17:33 EDT, 4 September 2022 Sunday's Dutch Grand Prix was another eventful twist in the F1 season, as Max Verstappen delivered a home victory at Circuit Zandvoort. The Red Bull driver claimed his fourth victory in a row after yet another dominant performance but that wasn't the only major talking point from the weekend. From a brave pigeon standing amidst the roaring cars to Sebastian Vettel's heart-warming meeting with Ukrainian refugees before the race, Sportsmail takes a look at all the best bits. Max Verstappen delivered home victory at the Dutch Grand Prix to extend his world title lead Verstappen stood atop his Red Bull car and saluted his supporters after coming through to win MAX GOES PAST NELSON AND NIKKI Max Verstappen is now into the top 10 lap leaders of all time, with 1,636. He has surpassed two greats, Nelson Piquet (1,600) and Niki Lauda (1,593). He’s 24. Next in his sights: Sir Jackie Stewart, Jim Clark, Nigel Mansell, Alain Prost, Ayrton Senna, Sebastian Vettel, Michael Schumacher and Lewis Hamilton. ORANGE SQUASH AT ZANDVOORT A partisan, joyous home crowd crammed into the Circuit Zandvoort, most of them sporting bright orange and raucously cheering on home hero Verstappen. There were 105,000 people present for the race. Only four sports stadiums in the world can hold that many people. A partisan, joyous home crowd of 105,000 people saw Verstappen take the chequered flag WHAT A BIRDBRAIN The world’s bravest pigeon walked across the track as several cars — going at around 200mph — zoomed past, changing direction to avoid it and just inches from the plucky bird. Maybe retired driver Kimi Raikkonen has a new competitor for the title of ‘The Iceman’. YUKI'S LENGTHY DELAYS IS THE PITS The day’s longest pit stop belonged to AlphaTauri’s Yuki Tsunoda, lasting 52.7 seconds. Some wondered why he was called in after complaining of a loose tyre, before his team fiddled with his seatbelt for ages, then sent him out again only to retire him almost instantly. NICE GUY VETTEL IS CLASS ACT It was heartwarming to see Aston Martin driver Sebastian Vettel, who has never been afraid to speak his mind on issues outside Formula One, and F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali meet and greet Dutch schoolchildren, karting prospects and Ukrainian refugees on track before the race. Advertisement Share or comment on this article: F1 RACE ZONE: Max Verstappen moves into the top 10 lap leaders of all time via Formula One | Mail Online https://www.dailymail.co.uk?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490

#F1 #F1 RACE ZONE: Max Verstappen moves into the top 10 lap leaders of all time #Formula 1

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nikkidiary-orangecatty · 2 years

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꧁༺ Nikki’s Diary ༻꧂

Minor Snow It’s here ❄️⛄

Let’s eat delicious food together 🍰🍜

ฤดูหิมะโปรยปรายมาแล้ว ❄️⛄

มากินของอร่อยด้วยกันเถอะ 🍰🍜

[ 22.11.2022 ]

#Nikki’s Diary #Nikki’s Weekend #Nikki’s Diary 2022 #Nikki’s Weekend 2022 #Shining Nikki #Nikki 3D #Nikki Up2U 4 #Nikki 4 #Orangecatty #Nikki Diary Thailand #11.2022

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onlydylanobrien · 2 years

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Dylan O’Brien with his friend Nikki during Tommy’s bachelor party weekend in Portland, Maine. (July 16, 2022)

#dylan o'brien #dylan and friends

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reportwire · 2 years

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All About Nikki Haley’s Donors

2022-09-04 06:12:00 The Supreme Court last year blocked the California Attorney General from requiring charities to disclose their donors, and now New York AG Letitia James is providing a reminder of why AGs can’t be trusted to guard this confidential information. Politico last weekend published a story about former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley’s 501(c)4 nonprofit “Stand For…

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tanglesandcrystals · 2 years

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07/19/2022 Home 10:03am

My anxiety has been brutal lately. Between money concerns, planning for Germany, and the current status of the world, it feels like my heart is perpetually racing. There are so many things to be worried about. Usually during these kinds of times I tend to micromanage. My days become rigid, thought out, and planned to the last detail. It’s a coping mechanism, a grasp for control. Usually it helps.

My big anxiety right now has to do with getting my passport. My goal was to not procrastinate on it. I had days planned for it in January and February. It is now July. There’s a piece of me, a leftover toxic piece, that wants to punish myself. There’s something about important tasks like this that I just cannot face. Then I get distracted, forget about it, and now we’re down to the wire. I’m going to go tomorrow to get the process started and I’m going to expedite it. I’m very very anxious about messing up this process. At this point I’m trying to release my anxiety because worrying means you suffer twice but my body’s natural response to anxiety is something beyond my control. My heart keeps racing, my thoughts won’t hold still, I can’t focus.

It’s miserable.

So! Positive things to plan for instead.

I’m going to go tomorrow to get the forms filled out and do all the things I need to do. I will not do anything other than passport stuff until I have to get ready for work

I’m going to use Friday as an additional day if needed for passport things. This problem will be officially out of my hands by then

Saturday we’re seeing Racine! I have no idea what we’re doing. We’re hopefully just going to hang out.

Sunday we’re going biking and to the beach with Jake and Nikki.

Next weekend we’re going to the beach house for the whole weekend. I need that trip so badly.

This isn’t working. I can’t slow down. Luckily I’ll be going to the gym soon so at least the racing heart will switch over to cardio rather than just fight or flight.

#journal

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ultra-deepestbouquet · 2 years

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6/8/2022

Yesterday was just rough. Today doesn't seem to be any better work wise. I just want to get through this week. I want my acne to clear up, I want to not be afraid of gaining weight on the pill. Will I ever feel peace and calm daily? Some days I do but when I'm in the depression stage it feels like its never ending. Last night I dreamed about planning my wedding very last minuet and Nikki was there and so was my dads house and then a strangers mansion. But I know why all of these things were in my dream, this time it doesn't mean much to look up the meaning. I want to plan a photo shoot, I need to save and also invest. I need to stop buying clothes even though I always find a way to justify it.

Im starting to say goodbye to my condo, a piece at a time. I need to pick a few weekends where I also stay here. Im starting to feel more ready to leave. I want to be with him.

Im also struggling with eating so much and I dont know why. Im not worried about being skinny for anything or anyone, Im just really having a hard time. Im tearing up as I read this. I feel so lost. I don't think I should work out today. I dont even have shakes right now. Here is the conversation right now:

ED: Im so happy this is working, whatever I am doing its working because you always tend to eat well on your workout days.

Me: But I want to go to class and I want to eat but I just cant

ED: perfect! So dont eat till dinner and just have soup and toast and go run some errands, today can be super light eating day and tomorrow you can give it your all with ballet. Thats fine, but dont eat that sandwich or pick up a salad later thats even better

Me: Im sad becuase my face is terrible and I have no money

ED: Cool you should definitely punish yourself because of this. Dont spend money on food.

Me: Ok

Later*

ED and perfection: hahahhahahha this is amazing. You had like 2 sips of shake then did a cardio class

Me: Yes and I do feel better so now im gonna eat like 3 bowls of protein pasta

ED: ugh fine

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hldailyupdate · 2 years

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Harry and Lizzo. Photographed by Nikki Marie.

Coachella, Weekend 2. (22 April 2022)

#harry styles #harry update #harrychella #coachella weekend 2 #coachella 2022 #lizzo #photo #twitter #social media #april 2022

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niksixx · 3 years

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Lil Update Schedule

Hi awesome humans :) Since I have like 20 million things in my draft box currently, I wanted to give y'all a glimpse into what I’ve been writing so far and how/when these writings should (much emphasis on should because I work, have school, and are sometimes not motivated whatsoever) be updated!

1st: Since I’m working on my Duff mini fic (which honestly might have like 15 parts depending on how much I need to write to complete the story) that is my main priority and I will not be updating anything until this fic is done! I am hoping this will be complete the very end of September/first two days of October. (Honestly, all of my writings depend on when Two Loves of Mine is complete)

2nd: I have 4 headcannons I will be posting for Nikki, Vince, Mick, and Tommy for Halloween! These will be updated the remaining four weekends in October (Hopefully)

3rd: For November, I have 6 headcannons, (Nikki, Tommy, Vince, Mick, Axl, and Duff) about Love Languages! (Hopefully)

4th: Holy shit that brings us to December! One of two things could happen in this month depending on how everything else goes: I have 6 (technically 12) mini song imagines (Nikki, Tommy, Mick, Vince, Axl, and Duff) based on Russell Dickerson’s “Don’t Love You Like I Used To” and these song imagines will be two parts😌 OR I have my little mini fic The New Generation that will have between 5-10 parts. (I have not started the pieces yet, so if anything these imagines will be most likely updated in January of 2022)

That being said, what are you most excited for? 😇

*Remember this schedule is not 100%. These are just estimates. I am hoping this is how the next few months will go, but life happens. So once again, this is not a guaranteed schedule of updates* 🥰

#Mömma Möt’s update schedule

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slapper51 · 2 years

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Muleriders set for GAC Tournament; Open with Ouachita Baptist

Source: https://muleriderathletics.com/news/2022/5/4/softball-muleriders-set-for-gac-tournament-open-with-ouachita-baptist.aspx

MAGNOLIA, Ark. – Fresh off of their fourth straight regular season Great American Conference Championship, head coach Jason Anderson and the Southern Arkansas University softball team will now turn their focus towards the GAC Championship tournament this weekend in Bentonville. The Muleriders finished the regular season with a 35-15 (26-7 GAC) record and enter the tournament as the No. 2 seed. The three-day tournament will be played at Bentonville High School and will take place on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, with the championship game on Saturday afternoon at 12:30 p.m. SAU will be taking on Ouachita Baptist University 18-28 (14-19 GAC) in their round one matchup, as they enter the tournament as the No. 7 seed. The round one matchup is set for Thursday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. The Muleriders swept the Tigers in the regular season as they won 11-1, 10-1, and 11-4. The winner of the first-round matchup will take on the winner of Harding and Southeastern Oklahoma on Friday at 11:00 a.m. The Muleriders finished the regular season with a team batting average of .309. SAU outscored its opponents 287-131, while they outhit them 427-284. Six players on the 2022 GAC Championship squad finished with a .300 average or higher, as Jade Miller led the team with a .410 batting average. Tiare Lee finished with a .382 clip, while Gracie King posted a .347. Alese Casper (.329), Madison Miller (.320) and Jaxyyn Dyson (.312) round out the .300+ hitters for SAU. In addition to holding the highest average on the team, J. Miller also led the team in hits with 74, and in runs with 47. Casper finished second on the team in both hits (53) and runs (40). Dyson collected 49 hits to finish third on the team, while Lee finished with 42 hits, followed by Madison Miller with 40. Mariah Hamilton (35), Gracie King (33), and Taylor Murphy (33) all finished with 30+ hits for SAU. Dyson finished with the team lead in RBI with 43, followed by Lee with 37 RBI. J. Miller finished with 36 RBI followed by M. Miller with 32, and King with 24. J. Miller hit 11 home runs on the season to lead the squad, followed by Dyson and Lee who both hit eight blasts. M. Miller and King both finished the regular season with seven home runs, followed by Sarah Evans with six. M. Miller led the team with 15 doubles, followed by Dyson (13) and J. Miller and Casper who both finished with 11 two baggers. Sydney Ward led the team in wins with 16, and also led the pitching staff in strikeouts with 130 and in innings pitched with 125.1. Ward finished with a 2.29 ERA as she allowed 48 runs (41 earned) on 95 hits. Kiana Pogroszewski finished with the team lead in ERA as she posted a 1.83 to go along with 13 wins and 120 strikeouts in 122.2 innings of work. The Utah native allowed 42 runs (32 earned) on 102 hits. Baylie Thornhill finished with a 4-3 record with a 1.92 ERA in 47.1 innings of work. Thornhill allowed 16 runs (13 earned) on 49 hits. Macie Welch picked up two wins in the circle in 38.2 innings. The Tigers come into the tournament with a .261 team batting average. They have been outscored 258-174, and outhit 387-321. Hope Waid was OBU's top hitter as she led the team in hits with 46, and batting average (.371). Heather Brown finished with 40 hits, while Callie Jourdan collected 37. Brown holds the team lead in RBI with 23 followed by Jourdan with 22. Jillian Jones and Lacy Ornelas with three home runs. Madison Miller of Ouachita led the team with a 9-11 record, 141.0 innings pitched, and 119 strikeouts. She allowed 90 runs (60 earned) on 147 hits. Nikki Schneider finished with a 6-11 record as she pitched 89.0 innings and allowed 101 runs (79 earned) on 138 hits.

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