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lettalady · 4 months

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For the NY ask game: 🥸 💥🪩 !!!

Hello darling! Thank you for the ask! Let's see what trouble I can ramble my way through.

Writer goal: Ask list for a new year

🥸 Does anyone in IRL know you write fanfic or original fiction? If not, do you plan on telling anyone this year?

I have a few people that know, both friends and family. It's been awhile since I've mentioned or shown my family any of the ahem tamer works. I occasionally send the friends a snippet or chapter to see if a moment lands the way I've intended. One person that knows gave me a mug for Christmas that I absolutely adore that says: Fuck off, I'm writing.

[ answering the rest under the cut, cause I ramble. We know this ]

💥Is there a chapter, scene, or WIP you’re most excited to write? Share a snippet or tell us about it!

I've got several WIPs that I've been making progress on that I keep changing my mind about posting in installments or all at once. So far posting once I get further towards completion is winning out in regards to finally seeing Kept [ Daniel Brühl in the Art of Villainy world ], Malum House [ gothic romance Helmut Zemo ], the dual works The Lion's Pride and The Lion's Den [ Mads Mikkelsen in the Art of Villainy world ], or the working title Stay Forever [ darker!Steve Rogers as well as darker!Bucky Barnes ]. Oh boy I'm telling on myself for how many WIPs I'm hopping around in... cause there's also Make Believe [ fantasy au Mads Mikkelsen ], and two different versions of possessive Zemo - one that has no working title, and the other being Ménage à Trois. Beyond all that lies LJH proper, and the LJH au branch sequel Sins of the Father [ Helmut Zemo ]. Whiiich circles us to the other WIPs that are patiently waiting for their updates, including A Turn of the Knife [ Ransom Drysdale/ Knives Out prequel ], Unsettled [ Tom Hiddleston au ], and the next in the Loki WISH series.

I'm forgetting so many things. But those are the most recently touched works that actually have a coherent something being fleshed out and the characters are cooperating.

Something that's fun to share because it literally was the last thing I clicked out of, and I'm pretty happy with the photoset/ titlebar that gives some clues as to what's in store: here's the prelude to Malum House.

1876 The scent of soot lingers in the air. It seems to have permeated the very fabric of the world. Two days hence, the ruins of the estate still produce enough heat to keep most well away and add to the growing buffer between society and those of the household that remain.

The Baron doesn’t notice. The unsubtle whispers and long looks cast in the direction of the sole survivor of the fire fail to catch his attention. Even those that attempt to stand with him are ignored rather than leaned upon in this moment of tragedy.

Just home from abroad. Oh, but I heard he was home for a fortnight. And only able to save himself? Not a scratch on him. Clearly someone saved his wardrobe. Do they know how it happened? You know I’m not one to say. But I heard –

🪩 Do you have any “good” writing habits you want to cultivate?

I've had a pretty good run recently on getting a word count in every day for the month of December. With the 2024 writing tracker already set up for bare bones recording of the number achieved every day, the intention is to more faithfully stick with it pushing forward. (I had a long dry spell in the middle of the year where I simply couldn't get the words to flow, no matter what methods I tried to jog things loose.) There isn't any set number to achieve daily, weekly, or monthly - and I do mark to indicate if I plotted by accumulation of inspiration, or worked with playlists. Essentially working hard to make sure a passion doesn't turn into a chore, and burnout doesn't steal the joy.

Something I miss from prior years, didn't really manage last year, and would love to work towards again, is challenging myself with prompts that shake me out of my writing comfort zone. I attempted little tweaks in 2023, but didn't attempt anything close to the month prompt challenges or word prompt challenges that seem -- at least in my experience -- to spark so much creativity. (It is, admittedly, very much writing by the seat of your pants.)

Is any of what I just described considered "good" writing habits? I hope so. I hope any words on the page - written, typed, daydreamed and stenciled in - qualifies as falling into the good category!

[ incidentally, I tried listening to a purely instrumental - and more mellow than I typically listen to - soundtrack while eating sour candy and ahaha boy did that simply reboot my brain every time I put a new bit of candy in my mouth. Definitely falls into the doorway reset theory for me, though hopefully the method works for others! ]

#reply: ask games: writer goal

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jesslynbluetarot · 5 months

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Originally posted: 6.19.23 on jesslynbluetarot.com

Peace,

Here I am. Back on the Jesslyn Blue Tarot blog to talk about, drum roll please...

Jesslyn Blue Tarot has been doing pop-ups at Secret Pour and would like to make a friendly reminder that Jesslyn Blue Tarot is open to be booked for events and venues. Please send me an email and let's set it up!

Now, the first pop-up was for their 2022 New Year's Gatsby Gala, a 20's themed New Year's Eve party. Wait, I'm moving too fast.

Let's talk about Secret Pour. This bar has been open for about a year or more in Brooklyn, NY. The owners, Roberto and Jaime, are wonderful, social people that built this business from the ground up. It started as underground parties in their basement and they dreamed bigger, okay! They had the guts. They have years of working in hospitality, bartending specifically, and in managerial restaurant positions, in New York City.

This bar is different, okay, because it is a blend of Roberto and Jaime. Their personalities and art and cultural preferences shine. I walked in one day and they were playing Donnie Darko on the TV with subtitles, wow. Yes, it has a bar like every other bar - but it is the atmosphere, the people, the drinks, the pool table.... and the secret door that opens to a performance space where hip-hop bounces off the walls, poetry weaves webs under low lights, creatives are exchanging unfurling ideas, everyone feels accepted, and culture is constantly blooming.

Jesslyn Blue Tarot was honored to pop up at Secret Pour for their Great Gatsby Gala and their one-year anniversary on May 13th, 2023. Thank you for having me in your space!

No one wants to hear every single detail, therefore highlights!

1st Pop-Up: Hands clasping in anticipation! What a party, ya'll. I was set up in the back towards the pool table. It was practical and a perfect spot. I felt right in on the action, but not right in on the action where it would be too crowded and noisy eventually, because yes, it got PACKED! That was a super busy night for the bar and Jesslyn Blue Tarot. At times, I barely had a moment to use the restroom, and small lines for readings formed. There were 20's dancers scattered throughout the bar and we cheered when the ball dropped with a unified champagne toast! Thank you to all who came through to get a reading and just to say hello!

I had to stop doing tarot after about 4-5 hours, then I joined in on the festivities. Did an impromptu photoshoot out front with some amazing, creative women!

2nd Pop-Up: The one-year anniversary was definitely for the culture, for New York City, for Brooklyn, and for the people. I was situated near the front of the bar but still near the back by the secret door. I used one of their booths this time and had a cute red lamp as my ambiance. There was a Supreme Bars event happening in the secret room. I was jamming, okay, hip hop culture lives. Hip-hop is the daughter of poetry, ya dig? I'm very multi-talent in that my first love is poetry and performing it. It saved my life since childhood.

I spoke to a few people that approached my table, but this time they were hesitant. That's okay. We spoke briefly but amicably and even shook hands. Some sat down to chat and commend me for knowing a special skill that they have no idea about. When the people started wanting readings, they were wonderful. The best querents a tarot reader could ask for. They weren't so skeptical that they made the reading unpleasant nor did they talk over me, they were ready to receive and hear the messages. As a tarot reader, that is all I ask for. Please receive, process, and do what you feel is best with the information and guidance that has been provided.

Beyond a doubt, I had the pleasure of helping people who were grateful and enjoyed intellectual conversations about life and our inner growth. If you're reading this, you guys were so great and truly blessed me with being able to talk to you, get to know you, and help you.

Oh, I also closed up my pop-up shop and decided to play some rounds of pool after 4-5 hours of tarot reading. I didn't win, but I came close, okay, super close. Such is life. Next time!

For More Info: Secret Pour Website / Secret Pour Instagram

Jesslyn Blue Tarot Instagram has tarot photos and reels from all the events to check out!

More pop-ups for the future, here Jesslyn Blue Tarot comes! If you want tarot at your next event or venue from Jesslyn Blue Tarot... Hit my email and let's chat, heal, expand, and help each other.

Email: [email protected].

jesslynbluetarot.com

Ashe.

- Jesslyn Blue Tarot

#tarot #jesslynbluetarot #eventbooking #secretpour #tarot readings #personal readings #new year eves #brooklyn #new york city

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lisacatara-actress · 1 year

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Almost Lisa: Pt 15, “Almost peed myself”

*I retain all rights to my photography and story, story details, biographical information, fashion designs, art work, and anything and everything I have posted which is my own creation*)

If the goal is the finish line, the miles don't matter.

Here's a happy story for those still hanging on for one this Blog:

When I'd first embarked on my cross-country endeavor into Hollywood, after living in NY, my goal was to land one of the industries most coveted daytime soaps. Like millions, I’d watched General Hospital as a kid and throughout my youth. I became familiar with and invested in the series regulars characters and enjoyed popping in from time to time to see where the story had taken them from it’s residency in upstate New York.

At one point in time, the story literally took some of the cast to Rochester, New York, where I was in attendance at The Eastman School of Music. Two people at the conservatory were excited by this: myself and our head of costuming, a gorgeous soul named Alice Volonino. Apparently we shared the dream of working on the show. And Alice actually did it! After approaching production, she wound up leaving Eastman to become a full time costumer for General Hospital, relocating to Hollywood, California. And life went on...

Flash to... I’d just landed in Atlanta, Georgia after relocating from my home of 19 years in Los Angeles when I got a very welcome phone call from an established stunt coordinator who worked on General Hospital, asking me to put an audition on tape for their legendary casting director. The irony of finally getting “The Call” in such a way, long after the start of my career, after I’d already moved, was laughable. Of course I did the audition and sent the tape off. AND I booked it, and hopped on a plane back to Los Angeles. By some random coincidence or fated planetary alignment, one of my friends happened to be selling her home in Burbank. The house was empty and she allowed me to stay while I worked in town. On top of this, I was able to use travel points to fly for free. Everything just seemed to line up, perfectly, to make things happen for me.

On set, the atmosphere was relaxed, professional, and enjoyable. My scenes/episodes were with none other than the Genie Francis (aka Laura, a total OG!!) and the incredible Michael E. Knight. Both talented and gracious humans. As we filmed, I felt right at Home. Finally. It had been years since I was bestowed with an actual character and dialogue, with the freedom to do what I do. And I owe that opportunity to Stunt Coordinator/ 2nd Unit Director Tim Davison, who recognized my theatrical background, and kept me in mind (for years) to find the right moment to include me.

But wait, there's more awesome...

At some point during filming, Tim remembered I’d graduated from Eastman and mentioned that “Alice, the costumer” was also from Rochester. “No way, I’ll have to say hello!” At wrap that day, I stopped in downstairs to ask whereabout I might find Alice. From the back of the room comes “That’s me”, and out walks a face that is familiar, though I cant place it. I say hello, explaining I had heard she was from Rochester, that I’d lived there a long while. Alice eyeballs me, curiously, stating “Wait. You look familiar”. Awkward anticipation. As she approached me, she adds “What school?”. “Eastman”, I say. Without a pause, she states: “I worked at Eastman”. By now we are a couple steps from one another and the rest of the department crew is silent, watching our exchange. I tell Alice that I had a different last name then, Tarantino. Her eyes opened wide, and in the same moment, we both realize that we know each other!

Now I’ve given some great hugs in my life, but the one between me and Alice Volonino from Eastman was unbelievably validating, welcome, and just dang wonderful! Look at us now! Both “making it” in Hollywood, living our dreams! I honestly felt Divine guidance had brought me here, to this place, at this moment. A sign that things are gonna be A-Okay. It reinstated hope within me for my acting career after so many losses, near misses, and sacrifices.

Needless to say, the rest of our shoot passed far too quickly. I received incredible support from the cast and crew while on set. But two particular, unexpected comments left me feeling “seen”. The first was from casting director Mark Teschner (who dialed in from home, where he'd been watching dailies) complimenting me / my work (*amen). The second was at wrap, when the producer told me I should “really think of pursuing (acting)”, I was apparently “good at it”. LOL, I wanted to scream I AM AN ACTOR! to let him know I'd been trying to claw, kick, and scream my way back into acting since the 2007 writers strike. Instead, I thanked him, grateful for the feedback, with the tiniest hope that I might be back (he did say “we have to have you back”). Alas, a year and a half later, that hasn't manifested, yet. They may have learned that I'd moved from CA. Dammit, this curse of ALMOST!

I can honestly say, after a nearly two years here in Georgia, I would return to Hollywood in a heartbeat for the right opportunity. But it would take a miracle to make that affordable now. I miss the food, the weather, and my medical team (in my brief but torturous experience, Atlanta has absolutely horrid medical care). I especially miss walking through the gates of the most iconic studios in the movie business. THAT is where I want to be. THAT is Home. THAT is where I belong.

For now, I must remain in the South and weather the storm of another pending (seemingly inevitable) Writers Strike and lingering lack of work as The BIZ continues to evolve and grow. Who knows how it will effect all of us journeymen. It never seems to be for the better. We just want to get back to work and begin recuperating loses of income due to pandemic shutdowns and studio mergers.

Anybody hiring?

(To be continued...)

*PS If you like what you're reading, I welcome contributions to the efforts via Venmo @LTarantinoDesigns)

#lisa catara #actress #entertainment #blog #writing #hollywood #movies #soap opera #acting #casting #life story

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dospunksdao · 2 years

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Stand clear of the closing doors please

bodaciouspirate for DOS Punks

Bing bong! If you've not heard by now, Sean Luke is the DOS Punks DAO Artist of the Month for July 2022, and already this month, we can join Sean in celebrating the release of his 17th artwork minted on Tezos.

'◌_▨' July 8, 2022

Damn good, right? It gets better! I have some exclusive Sean Luke content for you right here. Sean agreed to meet with me for an interview, and before he could change his mind, I hopped on a flight to NYC. He challenged me to pick the meeting spot, and I suggested Taverna Kyclades - a Greek spot I'd been to once before. It's in Astoria which is just a short car ride from LaGuardia, and I figured we could see what's good over some pan-fried cheese and cold beer.

BP: So how about this? Let's start at the beginning. Who are you? Where are you from?

SL: My name is Sean, and I was born, raised, and still live in NY.

BP: And what do you do? When did you start?

SL: I exist.

Time out. This response, "I exist," is pedal-to-the-metal Sean Luke. It's difficult for me to add context in this format, but give Sean a follow, interact with him, and see for yourself what he's all about.

SL: I started making art in the 80s and got ‘serious’ about it in the 90s.

BP: Tell me about your art. How do you do what you do? What is your process?

SL: I draw from over 30 years of art experience, so refining that down would be rather hard. For my current minted works, I use Aseprite exclusively, which is essentially Microsoft Paint with layers and an animation add-on.

BP: How did you choose which medium you work in? When did you first discover your preference for this medium?

SL: I don't have a specific medium, but when it comes to my minted works, I chose Aseprite for a few reasons. The main one being that it's so bare bones and straight to the art. Again, if you're familiar with Microsoft Paint, then you will understand how quickly you can start drawing/painting in Aseprite, which I love.

BP: How closely are your creations connected to each other?

Time out, again. Just as I'm asking this question, a Chevy Impala cruises past the restaurant, windows down, and blasting Beastie Boys:

"But if you're hot to trot, you think you're slicker than grease I've got news for you crews, you'll be sucking like a leech!"

I looked at Sean who nodded along with me, approvingly.

SL: MOST of my pieces have no connection, but my current minted works are part of a greater cosmic quilt.

BP: If you were to direct people to a specific piece of work that you feel really nails what you are aiming for with your creations, which would it be?

SL: This is an interesting question, but for me there is no specific piece for something I am 'aiming' for beyond the enjoyment of creating.

BP: What inspires you?

SL: Lots of shit.

BP: Why do you create. What is it that pushes you to keep creating?

SL: I enjoy it. I enjoy creating LOL.

BP: Is there an ultimate goal for your creations?

SL: Enjoyment ...

BP: What advice can you offer to other creators?

SL: ENJOY what you are doing, and make art that you ENJOY. Too much enjoyment LOL.

BP: Thank you, Sean! I'll be seeing ya ...

I trust that you enjoyed this interview with Sean Luke as much as I did. In the next update, we'll take a look at some more of Sean's minted artworks including those collected by DOS Punks DAO.

‘passing_time’ February 13, 2022

#dospunks #dospunksdao #seanluke #art #tezos

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kicksaddictny · 3 years

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Kicksaddict Sneakerhead PROFILES Interview Series: @CakedaGawd

After a long Hiatus, we’ve returned! Our popular Profile series has been requested almost on a daily basis (Thanks for the tweets, dms and emails). We were even threatened! (Thanks by the way).

Cake The Gawd! This one was so much fun. Tap in.

Where are you from? Brooklyn, NY born in Crown Heights raised in East Flatbush.

How long have you been collecting sneakers? I was introduced to sneakers in 1991 but I started collecting for myself in 98.

What’s your favorite sneaker and why? Air Jordan 6 Infrared. It's the shoe Michael was wearing when he won his first championship, and to me just it’s just the most beautiful Jordan shoe to date! The silhouette is unmatched, it is timeless, and no matter how many times it is retroed I will buy it!

Besides your hometown, what is the best city for sneakerheads that you know of? Why? I would say LA 100% !! It is a vibe out there. I am part of a sneaker group and 75% of the people in there are from LA. They really about the culture they know their shit and they are fresh as fuck too.

Do you collect just for collecting or do you collect and rock? I collect and rock. That is why I double up on certain shoes.. Some kicks you gotta have for store and show but some you just have to rock them!

What sneaker got you into the sneaker game? I cannot pinpoint one thing, it is so many things. It was Music, my parents introducing me to Nike, my older cousin, basketball, the dope boys around the way, and my 3rd grade crush and her cousin who both had Aqua 8's. (LOL) I cannot just say 1 thing because they all had a significant part in it.

What are your thoughts on these fake celebrity sneakerheads? I hate them all! All of these dudes just get perks, some of them do not even know the shoes. That shit really gets under my skin. Showing off shoes that they get and not even knowing the name or numbers of the shoes, creating their own names. Shit is sickening. S/O to the Sneaker Gawd Wale !

How do you feel about the Off white collabs? I liked the first round of the collabs. With the Presto's, Air maxes, Blazers, and Jordan 1's. I think after that it should've been left alone. But I can respect what they are doing over there. I just won my first pair of Off-White's with the Lot 50 joint.

If you could wear only one sneaker for the rest of your life, what would it be? Air Jordan 3 Black Cement. Yes 6's are my favorite of all time but the Black Cement 3's just go with EVERYTHING!

What advice would you give as far as storing and preservation of your sneakers? Wear your kicks man. I store and rock! I get it, wanting to save shoes but putting them away and never rocking them, when you finally do ya it’s separating and crumbling. In order for your kicks to last they gotta be worn anyway. Unless you're truly just on some collecting only for show vibes.

What is the most you’ve ever spent on a pair of sneakers? $900... I was able to land Black and Red and Royal 1's from 2001 together. A friend of mine had them and said he couldn't think of anyone else. I had literally just started my new job. A chunk of my first check went to that pick up.

Have you ever waited in line for a pair of kicks? I waited in line once in my life for shoes and swore I would never do it again. It was for the 2001 True Blue 3's. I waited online at like 7 in the morning at Kings Plaza. LMAO I said this will never happen again. I didn't have the patience for it. I do not know how ppl used to do that shit or camp for kicks. I was there for 1 hour and I was like this is ridiculous.

You're also a photographer, how long have you been taking photos? I have been taking photos since 2011 but officially became a photographer in 2013.

How do sneakers play a role in your photography? That is a great question because I didn't want the 2 to mix at all. Because I'm a scenery and landscape photographer. But I got into photography because of sneakers. No offense to anyone but a bunch of these "influencers" get on IG with their DSLR cameras, take some on foot shots and call themselves "Photographers". 90% of them do not even understand lighting. I didn't wanna be one of those guys because I actually live this and study it. But recently I just started letting it be that and owning it. I am nice with this photography shit when it comes to sneakers. I have a deep connection with shoes and I love incorporating that into my art. I thank my wife for that. I told her I don't wanna be just another sneaker photographer and she said to me who said you have to be ?! I took that and ran with it. Off-White just recently featured some of my pictures on their Instagram.

I remember you saying you're a sneaker enthusiast, what is the difference between that and a sneakerhead? An enthusiast really studies sneakers. Sneakerheads just love sneakers like it ain't really about the history and all that for them. They just love shoes because it is cool and makes them feel good. Us Enthusiasts are invested. Things matter like knowing years of a shoe. For example, an enthusiast would look at a pair of Jordan's like Taxi 12's, We know Michael wore those in the 1996 - 97 season, but we also know that Martin gave away a pair on his show for the Christmas episode to the kid who had holes in shoes. They are tied to iconic moments. A sneakerhead may love Bordeaux 7's because they are dope looking shoes. Where for me it's that Michael Jordan wore those in a video with Michael Jackson and Kris Kross in the 92 Jam video. MJ and MJ in a video with Kris Kross, do you know what that did to my childhood?! Give you one more example that is not even Michael Jordan related. Piggy backing off of Kris Kross,The Patrick Ewing’s were one of my favorite kicks growing up besides seeing Pat play in them one of my favorite Hip Hop covers of all time is "Totally Krossed Out" and Kris Kross is wearing both colorways. So you see what I mean there is so much tied to it with being an enthusiast. This is just my opinion though some may not agree so don't shoot me! (Ha)

From the time you started collecting up until now, would you say that the sneaker game changed for the best or the worst? I have been collecting for 20 plus years now. I have seen the game at it's best, I have seen it die, I have seen it revive, and now I am witnessing the death of it again. The sneaker game is disgusting right now, and I honestly do not think it will ever recover. It really saddens me. It is a popularity and money contest right now.

Does pricing affect your collection? Hell No! And I hate that some people are trying to make this the norm. IDGAF if you paid $500 - $2000 for a pair, It doesn't mean shit. The narrative is getting outta hand.

What does the word “Hypebeast” mean to you? Hypebeast is a person that only buys shit for status and popularity. They cannot form their own opinion about shit. They have to wear and cop items based on what every celeb is wearing or whatever these Social Media "Influencers" are saying is hot! It is not only sneaker related either. N*ggaz were hypebeasting for PS5 last year..

What are your thoughts on the females in the sneaker game? They are the best! I wish we had a Sneaker union and it was only run by females! The men in this game are annoying and so over the top. It is so bad that they feel the need to compete with women. The men get shoes just to show off to one another. Like what type of shit is that? The females are cool. I had a dude on twitter tell me women don't know the value of a shoe let alone about the shoe. The men feel like they always gotta try to shit on the women. The women are just trying to be part of the culture and enjoy it. And they shouldn't have to try to be part of something that is open to anyone who is willing to be invested and understand the culture.

Any advice for a young kid coming up in the sneaker game? Wear what you like! Respect the game and the people who have been doing it before you. Because this new generation of sneakerheads are little entitled dicks. No respect whatsoever!! I don't care about Travis Scott shoes. Without Jordan being who he is Travis wouldn't have a Jordan silhouette to collaborate with! Same with Off-White. These silhouettes were here before these guys. Say know your history and pay homage!! BUT STAY humble.

See I follow you and I'm loving the way you include your daughter in your work, what does that mean to you? Man, it is beautiful!!!! Without even trying she is invested in the culture. Both photography and shoes. Myself and my wife are both heavy into photography, art, music, sneakers, and clothes. My daughter is into all the same things but we are letting it be her own experience. We are not forcing anything on her. We want her to enjoy being a child and whatever things she picks up from us along the way is just a bonus. But I love shooting her, and I love when she asks myself and her mother "do we like her fit". It is truly a blessing man!

All photos by CAKEDAGAWD

Follow : https://twitter.com/CakedaGawd

https://www.instagram.com/whatsinthesyrup/

#Kicksaddict #cake #photographer #cakedagawd #airjordan #airjordan1 #airjordan6 #clothing #baby #infrared #airjordan4

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kervinredfire · 3 years

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My Other Fanfics in the Future

Well, I made announcements about my 2 Loonatics fanfics-related stories coming soon. So here are my other fanfics that I am making. But before I am going to show you my other fanfics, I like to share what most of them are like. Kervinverse related. If you checked my Tumblr header it's pretty obvious.

As you may wonder what is the Kervinverse is all about? The Kervinverse is like the multiverse but with all different kinds of Kervin. Inspired by Spiderman Into the Spiderverse all the versions of Kervin contained different personalities, stories, almost the same appearance, fighting styles, and special abilities. One of the most signature outfits is the black and red formal suit.

I already made a folder in toyhouse. However, most of it are unfinished and still ongoing.

https://toyhou.se/Kervin619/characters/folder:812137

People think that those stories a self-insert but it is actually not. Me and my other Kervins are the same but they are different the appearance, abilities, and personalities. An example is Denk Ops’s Chris Danger from the WWE games. And note that this is another long announcement for the other fanfics

So anyway, here are my Kervinverse stories that I would really like to share about Wattpad in the future. So are book covers later

KERVINVERSE STORIES (Including crossovers):

Grand Theft Auto Origins: Kervin Made Liberty – Set in the GTA HD Universe. Before Kervin (GTA Online) came to the place called San Andreas, he was just a very young boy who was born in the place called Liberty with his parents. His father Claude who became rich and retired to a life crime and his wife Misty who used to be a prostitute. It was normal and happy life for him and his parents. But when years passed when he is getting older, he slowly starts to realize what kind of broken world he is living in.

Now for those who played the HD Universe of the GTA Games you know every protagonist in the HD universe like Niko, Johnny, Luis, Michael Franklin, and Trevor. As much as they have different stories and perspectives but this story about GTA OC that he was living with full of offensiveness, disrespectfulness, brutal honesty, and others. An example in GTA IV a radio commercial of Babies Overnight that said that someone was not satisfied with the baby it can be disposed of. Although it would be interesting to have that backstory for my next OC for GTA. So, this story may contain a lot of murder and crimes on what led to him going to San Andreas. So, watch out. And for those who have not played GTA Online why his parents are both Claude and Misty is because it was part of the premium edition for free in Epic Games.

Def Jam X Kung Fu Panda: Book 1 Fight for A New Fight (maybe a working title) - After the events of Def Jam Vendetta, Fight For New York, and The Kung Fu Panda Trilogy including Legends of Awesomeness. Set during Paws of Destiny Season 2 in the Kung Fu Panda universe while in Def Jam 2 years later in the year 2005 after Crow's death (Fight for NY still takes place in 2003) Kervin (Def Jam Fight For NY) the new leader D-Mob's crew but also officially known as the Def Jam Crew after Blaze appointed him to take his place. Kervin has to manage every venue, club, and arenas in New York including places that Crow took over. But in Chinese New Year there was something strange that Kervin and his crew got transported to a different universe. Including former members, fighters, and circuit fighters.

Now, this fanfiction sounded really odd. As you may know why I am making crossover fanfic of Kung Fu Panda X Def Jam? Easy. The first one is because this is what would have been my PS2 games if I ever have a PS2. I was thinking of Mortal Kombat or Yakuza for Def Jam but Kung Fu Panda is the only thing I know when I was 7 years old. The second is because back in the days Hip Hop mixed with Kung Fu was very popular. Although Def jam may be a wrestling game martial arts stole my heart in Def Jam Fight For NY. I heard about things like the Wu-Tang Clan for example but the biggest problem for me is that I am not a true fan of Def Jam because I don’t know about hip hop artists. Just only the games so I will be focusing on their video game counterparts in their fictitious manner meaning pretending real-life characters with their real name are fictional characters. So, if there and fun facts in those real-life counterparts I may add them to it like easter eggs. The third is that there are Kung Fu Panda characters that did not get enough love and mostly art. So many recognizable characters like Po, Tigress, Tai Lung, and many more have become the most recognizable characters in the movies. But what about the tv shows like Legends of Awesomeness and Paws of Destiny? One of my favorite characters of Legends of Awesomeness is Peng, in short, he is the nephew of Tai Lung and he is such an interesting character that he deserves a lot more love. While for Paws of Destiny is Xiao because she is such a cute character, so is her personality and the best character to have hugs with. So, what I am trying to say is that I need to start off with the character that is unrecognizable then bring it recognizably. I may also add characters from shorts like student Mei Ling in the future book and it would be funny and to see rogue Mei Ling. 2 Mei Lings in one. Even Su and Master Snow Leopard because are both female leopards with the same appearance and outfit. I may also include some characters from the flash game Tales of Po and may possibly rewrite them in different stories because I love the character designs thanks to Blue Maxima’s FlashPoint. And the fourth and final part is that to make the Def jam games more recognizable. Def Jam in music is not absolutely enough but video games are. The Def Jam games did not bring a sequel after Fight For NY so I might as well make a sequel with interesting and experimental crossover fanfic just like The Loonatics Road.

The Red Fox (Kingdom Force Spinoff and maybe a working title) - The Kingdom Force has 5 members defending the 5 Kingdoms. Luka the wolf who leads in red, Jabari who runs in yellow, TJ who drills in green, Delilah who swings in orange, and Norvyn who strengthens in blue. Each of the 5 drives Kingdom Riders and turns them into Alpha Mech to fight against evil in the 5 Kingdoms. But even if they save the day multiple times the 5 Kingdoms are still filled with more crime and every antagonist came back doing other crimes and evil deeds because they were not arrested or eliminated. That's is when a red fox came along...

I have seen popular fandoms in cartoons that were supposed to aim at younger kids like Lion Guard, MLP, Paw Patrol, and even Bluey. But Kingdom Force is the cartoon that did get enough love. It's like Power Rangers and Voltron but with anthropomorphic animals like Zootopia. However, the stories and episodes in the show is very confusing and give me almost a lot of questions. But I do like the character designs in the show. My favorite hero is Luka who is a leader with and cute cuddly character personality and my favorite villain Envie Fernadez which she has a pretty hot design, name and voice and so is her personality. Reminds me of Sly Cooper but I have not played the game yet. But for the red fox also OC Kervin (Kindom Force) It’s still at work.

APB Reloaded X Zootopia: Anyone Can Be All You Can’t Be: - In Zootopia “Anyone Can Be Anything” But in San Paro “Be All You Can’t Be” Zootopia is a place where vicious predators and meek prey live in harmony. This means that people in Zootopia live together without the prey getting eaten by predators and predators not getting feared by the prey. They almost eat like us, they sleep like us, they speak like us, they walk like us, they run like us, they bathe like us (well almost), and most importantly they use technology like us. While San Paro maybe has a good look to sightsee but this city has a lot of crime. Robberies, bombings, thefts, drug dealing, murders and causalities, vandalism, and much more that we can think of. But that does not mean there is no justice in this world. When the Criminals like the Blood Roses and the G-Kings try to take over San Paro? The Enforcers Prentiss Tigers and Praetorians from come and save the day. What would happen when a human Enforcer meets a police fox and a police bunny? And how did it happen? Only one way to find out.

Now this one is also a Kervinverse crossover story. It focuses on Kervin (APB Reloaded) meeting Judy and Nick. I am trying to find a way on how will they meet each other. But the only thing ideas I know is that it can be a delivery gone wrong, an invention gone haywire or maybe a criminal stole something magical that is transported to a different universe. But I have a lot of strange things in the game like the Christmas events and Halloween events. I like to see any volunteers who play APB Reloaded. And for those Zootopia fans who have not played APB Reloaded you check it here. https://store.steampowered.com/app/113400/APB_Reloaded/

Well, that is it for the Kervinverse stories. Now it’s time for the other stories that I also planned in the future.

OTHER FANFICS:

Alza Flare (Road Rovers Fan Spinoff)- Alza is a black cat born in the place in New York City, USA. He was born inside a pet shop without cat parents since he was born. His parents' status is unknown. Although he did make friends with other cats and non-cats in the shop. But it was a short while until a human customer named Drayson Flare and adopted him as Alza Flare. Alza has been Drayson's pet for 3 years and they instantly became best friends but when during the time when they are about to go home from the park. A terrible accident happened.

A long time ago I watched Road Rovers on my phone just to try something nostalgic and the show is pretty good though although there are some parts that don’t use their powers all the time. One part that caught my eye is how brutal car accident in the episode “Dawn of The Groomer” which gave me an idea of my new anti-villain OC character named Alza Flare. Sadly, he does have an image of him yet. But I will tell you that I will give you an interesting revenge story for him.

The Best Surfer In The World (Surf’s Up Spinoff. Maybe a working a title and synopsis change) - After the events of Surf's Up and Surf's Up 2: Wavemania. There was once a wolf who lives in the place of Chicago Illinois. He quit his own career due to being a rejected member of Hang 5 for being too unstable and after beating J.C. in a tournament years ago and after his early retirement, he spends his normal life as an ice cream man in his own ice-cream motorcycle with one of his own freshest ingredients and swears to himself that he would never in the waters again. Until he met a young Toyger.

Surf’s Up is my first favorite mockumentaries since I was young. It’s like you are watching animals andromorphic animals absolutely existed in the world we live in. It had an interesting story and writing so are the interesting characters. But when I watched Surf’s Up Wavemania. Well, I honestly love the WWE Superstars and Diva came into the movie but the story did not actually surprise me a lot. Even if the movie has a lot of beautiful locations it still did not surprise me enough because it is more like an adventure than a tournament. That is why I am planning to start my fanfiction in a new different approach with a real story and a real rivalry. Starting with wolf inspired and based on CM Punk during the part when he won the WWE belt against Cena in Money in the Bank when I watched it since intermediate school with a little rename change so it won’t be obvious. And of course, my Toyger OC because he would be trained by his own surfing master. Also, I added a Slam City easter egg

Fire Pro Wrestling World Origins: Story of 2 Angels – There is no synopsis of them yet. But I will tell you they are brother and sister with the last name “Angel” The brother who is a pop artist while the sister who joined a motorcycle club. What they both have in common is they both can fight. Their stories about my 2 new Fire Pro OCs will be coming soon. But they are not part of the fighting roads.

Well, that is all for all the future stories with some summaries that I really want to share coming soon. Thanks for following including Wattpad

For those who are new here follow me on both Tumblr and Wattpad with the orange word link

Feel free to donate to me in PayPal

Also making fanfic is really long to make just like making an announcement. So again. I only post all chapters in 1 book.

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comebeonetwothree · 3 years

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Blog #1: The Beginning

05/25/2021

Welcome to my, I have no clue what I’m doing so bare with me, travel blog!! For these next few weeks, I will be driving across the country and back, hitting around 19 states in 8-weeks.

Post grad life is a strange in between stage of: YES I DID IT and oh fuck I think I’m supposed to be an adult now. That comes with the constant question circling like a gnat on a hot summer day... So what’s next?

Honestly Grandma, Aunt Karen, Uncle John and Kyle’s mom’s lesbian partner, I have no fucking clue so please stop asking!!!!

But my actions are an answer to that question. I chose to postpone that whole adult career thing for a little longer. So I’m traveling for two months and I will avoid that question “What’s Next?”

COVID-19 really messed up the picture perfect ending of college, nevertheless, I still managed to have a blast every night in a “socially distant” manner ;)

Traveling has always been a dream of mine, and I always assumed it would be there when I was ready and I would be ready when it got here. Sheeshhh was I wrong... who would have imagined a pandemic closing down not only our borders to other countries, but state borders as well.

It’s now been over a year since I have left New York State, and quite frankly, I am ready to explore. So naturally I got home from college a week ago and now I am off...

Who

Who cares...

Three girls, one car... How bad could it be? No, really, if we come back with bruises and cuts all over, I didn’t “fall down the stairs” or “walk into a door”...it’s official, our cycles have linked and we have gone mad.

The goal is to meet new people along the way, people that touch our lives and make this trip more spectacular. And maybe we will touch some lives as well.

I can only imagine that who we are now will change and evolve throughout our journey, having only started this trip with hopes and dreams. When reality sets in, things will change, and discoveries about ourselves will begin to happen.

Self-discovery is such an important aspect of this trip for all three of us. Personally, by not having any clue what I want to do for the rest of my life, I hope the open mindedness of my current state will help me find joy in the simple life and give me insight into my future.

What

Whatever man...

Eight weeks of sight seeing, connecting to ourselves and trying new hobbies.

I hate jumping the gun and announcing any new hobbies because, 10 out of 10 times, I do one for a week and give up on that bullshit.

And sorry in advance if this blog takes a back seat... My plan is to prioritize life's natural beauties and learning.

I’ve always wanted to start writing but was never inspired, and fiction isn't up my ally... I have the imagination of a 12-year-old boy, so go about that as you please :)

While trying to disconnect myself to the social world as best as I can, this new digital age is not going anywhere and as a Communications major, I am not escaping its black hole effect anytime soon.

Blogging makes this feel less Gen Z and more “intellectual” if you will.

I hope to keep this blog updated once at the end of every week, including the stops made within the week and the Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How’s of that weeks adventures. With some room for special surprises:)

Overtime this blog will hopefully shape into what it needs to be. I researched many ways to blog and nothing caught my attention, so why would it catch yours? Here I am trying out my own version of this, so feedback is greatly appreciated in finding new fun ways to keep y’all entertained!

Where

Where are we...

Give or take, there will be 19 states we will stay in. Starting in New York, we will slowly move down south and wrap back around. I won’t be revealing the locations until the following week's blogs, or on my Instagram and Facebook.

We have secured 75% of the locations we will be staying at, and the rest is a fuck it. Hopefully finding some first come first serve campgrounds, or we’ll just sleep in the car.

When in these locations, we will either be camping or staying in motels/hotels in cities. Trying to do this the cheapest way we can think of, my glizzy art might just have to make a reappearance (If you don’t know what glizzy is, hop off this blog right now and go to Urban Dictionary. And if you are not familiar with my glizzy art, well you probably should have followed me on snapchat during the last month of college in a pandemic).

When

When in Rome...

Tomorrow people, it’s happening...

If you are reading this today, its tomorrow!!! If you are reading this tomorrow it’s today!!! And if you are reading this a week from today, go fuck yourself, now you have to catch up... don’t be late again mister!

Why

Why the fuck not...

There is some serious independence when it comes to taking off for two months in a car with friends.

I still remember when my mom had to drive me to my friends houses, and would talk to their parents to make sure I was safe.

Going away to college was a leap in the direction of being an independent young woman. But I also went to a small town college and had roommates, making it a great step to the adult world of being fully responsible for my own actions.

Next level right now. I will be living out of a car, buying my own food and supplies, and not having the security of my family being a simple three hour drive away... not that I ever took advantage of that (sorry mom).

Why the blogging...

Not knowing what I am good at is quite frustrating, four years of college later... so I am going to just try new things until I find my passion. And this blog is a great place to reflect.

Spending two months out of the job force is already a weird concept to me. I've had a job for the majority of college waitressing at a local joint (shout out to Sloan’s NY Grill!). I worked all throughout high school as well.

Not having any job obligation now seems strange, so let's hope this becomes self-discovery into multiple opportunities or it will be the most publicly awkward diary ever:/

How

How did you make it this far...

This came about one night drunk at a bar... simply expressing how weird it is COVID can take almost everything away from us so quickly.

Maya and Mary both have a direction in their life as to “What’s Next.” Both having spent their last semesters of college pursuing opportunities for their future, they have become idols to me.

I was lucky enough to bring this idea up before they left me for their full adult lives... getting an opportunity to travel with my two best friends.

Mary is pursuing a teaching degree and spent her last semester as a student teach back home. Maya spent the last few months doing an in-person internship in the city to further her connections in the fashion industry.

They both have this responsible adult thing going on, and I’m over here saying some dumb shit like “Hey let's take two months off of life and travel!” Weirdly enough, alcohol might have had an influential factor here, but they said hell yessss!!

The next morning, waking up with a classic hangover, we all texted each other and reiterated the idea of this whole cross country, two-month excursion.

And now look where we are :)

Bottom Line

Sooooo, this is a temporary blog that may or may not last. Don’t get your hopes up too high! I want to share this experience with everyone who has supported us through this crazy idea, and give a shout out to everyone who has reached out and wished us the best!

I am fully winging this and hope it's not too illiterate for you smarty pants out there... I’m just trying to have fun with it. This is not meant to be a job, but a start to finding the answer to everyone's question...

What’s Next?

#travel #beginners guide #fuck it #cross country #post grad #fuck covid #blogging for beginners #we are young #jubilation

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therappundit · 3 years

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***Best of the 1st Half of 2021: SONG EDITION***

Six months into 2021 and since 2020 wrapped up...some things in the world have changed, while other things remain the same (for better or worse). Folks, it’s time to talk about rap music in 2021...

One trend definitely has continued well into 2021: the underground rap world - I’m talking the artists, the aesthetic, the sound, the full projects, every box you can think of - continues to kick the mainstream rap world’s ass. There are already signs of the two imaginary separate worlds intermingling more and more, and we will have to deal with the pros and cons of that down the line...but one thing is for sure: rap music runs deeper, and more sonically diverse than ever before, and as long as there is an internet to enlist the ears and talents of artists from all over the world, the art form will continue to divide, change shape, borrow from the old and add some new, again and again. And we will all be better for it.

So let’s dive right in. As usual there are about 1,000 more songs that I would love to cram into this list, but there are only so many spots...and I’m married with a toddler, so even though I am listening to rap music for a concerningly large portion of my day, it takes a lot of extra coffee and less sleep to keep these posts going (but it’s still worth it, I love connecting with folks over the same under-discussed but ridiculously dope songs and artists).

There are many lists but none quite like this one, here is THE RAP PUNDIT’S LIST OF THE BEST RAP SONGS FROM THE FIRST HALF OF 2021....hope you find some joints you never heard before and really enjoy. And to all of the MCs, Producers, mixers, singers, curators, readers, writers, critics - anyone that contributes something to this music I love....thank you, as always. 🙏

[Bonus joint] 55. “GANG GANG” - Polo G feat. Lil Wayne

https://soundcloud.com/polo-g/polo-g-lil-wayne-gang-gang?in=polo-g/sets/hall-of-fame-675200176

[Bonus joint] 54. “Furious Styles” - Illa Styles feat. Nickelus F https://illastyles.bandcamp.com/track/furious-styles-ft-nickelus-f

[Bonus joint] 53. “Box of Churches” - Pooh Sheisty feat. 21 Savage

https://soundcloud.com/ceo-mrpooh/box-of-churches-feat-21-savage

[Bonus joint] 52. “Beating Down Yo Block” - Monaleo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnMPEfV0bSA

[Bonus joint] 51. “BUZZERBEATER” - Rahiem Supreme feat. Al.Divino & Estee Nack

https://franksvinylrecords.bandcamp.com/track/buzzerbeater-feat-al-divino-estee-nack

50. "A Man Apart” - Rx Papi

https://soundcloud.com/rxpapi/a-man-apart-prod-by-noisy?in=rxpapi/sets/100-miles-walkin

(Face it: you’re either feelin’ the Rx flow or you’re not. The endlessly quotable MC is not always taken seriously, but similar to how the saddest clowns are most adept at masking their pain behind a smile, Papi needs to be taken seriously as a talented rap artist.)

49. “Moving On Up” - Evidence feat. Conway The Machine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5F35OOXvQ4c

(Evidence, Babu, Daringer and Conway all joining forces on a record feels like a timeline altering reach between two completely different generations of elite underground hip-hop artists, but in the case of “Moving On Up”, it’s not just a “hey wouldn’t it be dope if” fantasy, it’s a sweet reality. Ev has connected with the Griselda camp before and of course the results are dope. Add this one to the list, one of the many fine moments off of Unlearning Vol. 1.)

48. “Gordon Ramsay Freestyle” - Remble

https://soundcloud.com/remble2/gordon-ramsay-freestyle-prod-by-laudiano

(An attention grabbing MC if ever I heard one, Remble clearly hails from the same camp as Drakeo The Ruler - Stinc Team - but with that flow and sense of humor, he may develop a lot more than just a strong following out on the West Coast. Look out for Remble, he is knocking on the door of blowing, he’s just one key feature away...)

47. “The Shifts” - maassai feat. AKAI SOLO

https://maassai.bandcamp.com/track/the-shifts-feat-akai-solo

(If you haven’t checked out one of 2021′s most quietly impressive albums, I cannot recommend With The Shifts enough.)

46. “BOXINABACK” - Bris feat. Alphie Blood

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3ai7WYivGo

(The career of Sacramento’s Bris was really beginning to pick up momentum in 2020...sadly, he was killed the same year. I cannot pretend to be an expert in the Sscramento rap scene, I just know that it’s been bubbling for a while, and this song really captured my attention as soon as I heard it. RIP, Bris.)

45. “Last Day Out” - Rio Da Yung OG

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB51CUUod1w

(Right before Rio Da Yung OG entered the penitentiary, he dropped “Last Day Out”, a song that perfectly captures what the rap game will be missing while he’s gone - and more brutal honesty than we are accustomed to hearing from Flint, Michigan’s punchline killer.)

44. “Thousand Miles” - MAVI

https://mavi.bandcamp.com/track/thousand-miles

(The whole EP is impressive, but I think this joint most actually captures MAVI’s rhyme skills, flow and song writing ability. With young talent like this bubbling up from the underground scene, the future of rap music is as strong as ever.)

43. “Appletree” - Valee & KiltKarter

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qPO2AXgZMSc

(Not necessarily a vibe that everyone will be into...but one that if you are into it, you will reap the rewards in abundance. It’s so enjoyable to hear Valee applying his unpredictable cadence to new music once again, made that much more enjoyable by the fact that he has already dropped THREE mixtapes in 2021 and it’s only July!)

42. “Next Chamber” - Peter Rosenberg feat. Method Man, Raekwon & Willie The Kid

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1amHQefki98

(Admit it: this is the type of production we have all been wanting on Wu-Tang albums for years. We won’t get it, but this is closer to the sound that they represented....and of course let’s not forget about the always welcome WTK feature, who does more than hold his own over the NY legends.)

41. “St. James Liquor” - Skyzoo feat. Aaria

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWC_tFzqUz8

(Pen game’s don’t come much finer than Skyzoo’s. The Brooklyn MC put a lot of work into All The Brilliant Things, and the final result was a collection of thoughtful rap songs like this one: descriptive, autobiographical rhymes over beautiful instrumentation that conjures memories of classic Roots records, and the headspace that only the greatest early 90′s East Coast lyricism could provide. Great song, great album.)

40. “10″ - Drakeo the Ruler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIRJoQFyS6c

(One of the best stories in 2020 rap music was when Drakeo hit the street once again, after a painfully long stretch of time in prison. He really hit the ground running in 2021, dropping one quality track after another...but then again, he never really stopped making dope rap in the first place, be it in the studio or over prison phone.)

39. “MASSA” - Tyler, The Creator feat. DJ Drama

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vGz0bFutZs

(When folks were saying that Tyler was RAPPING rapping on his new album, this is what they were talking about. Not since Kanye West has a polarizing rapper-producer excelled so well at spilling his guts all over a track, and moments like this "MASSA” make Call Me If You Get Lost the standout project that it is.)

38. "DARTGUNZ” - Chuck Strangers

https://soundcloud.com/chuckstrangers/dartgunz-produced-by-samiyam

(Chuck Strangers remains low-key one of the best MC / Producers in the game, but Chuck is merely flexing his bar-work on this Samiyam produced gem.)

37. “Messy” - Nappy Nina & JWords

https://nappynina.bandcamp.com/track/messy

(Big shout-out to Pitchfork for putting me on to Nappy Nina within their rap song of the day section, The Ones. I love her music, and when paired with the incredibly gifted producer JWords - who I was only somewhat familar with thanks to previous terrific collaborations with MIKE and maassai - the result is a dope ass album like Double Down.)

36. “Nobles” - The Alchemist feat. Earl Sweatshirt & Navy Blue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQoKO_v93g0

(The instrumental sounds as a triumphant as you could expect music from this trio to sound. My only complaint about This Things Of Ours was that it wasn’t 10-50 songs longer.)

35. “Nothing Like The Sun” - Tree feat. Roc Marciano

https://mctreeg.bandcamp.com/track/nothing-like-the-sun-feat-roc-marciano

(Okay so for the past few years, I had been pressing Tree, Closed Sessions, and just about anyone that would listen that a less than a minute clip from an old Tree promo featured an unreleased Tree & Roc Marciano joint. So finding out that this joint would *finally* being released on Tree’s Soul Trap album, it felt like Christmas morning. Now the world finally gets to hear two of the finest rap artists from the past decade plus!)

34. “nine lives” - maassai

https://maassai.bandcamp.com/track/nine-lives

(A great example of a song that seems to get better and better as it goes on, maassai & that horn sample are undeniably good on here.)

33. “Lemon Pepper Freestyle” - Drake feat. Rick Ross

https://soundcloud.com/octobersveryown/drake-lemon-pepper-freestyle?in=octobersveryown/sets/scary-hours-2-1

(This one really radiates, “YES, you have heard this before”...but when it works so well, that’s not such a bad thing. Drake came ready to rap, and it will propel this joint to the top of many lists you will find on those other web sites.)

32. “triboro.” - Remy Banks feat. Mr. Muthafuckin’ eXquire, Wiki & A-Trak

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwSJ-DtZRBk

(I dig this in a big way. A few of NYC’s finest, flexing over what feels like blasting Kraftwerk out of a boombox on the L Train? I’m so on board.)

31. “Safe To Say” - Good Gas, Fki 1st & Band Gang Lonnie Bands feat. Band Gang Biggs & Glockboyz Teejaee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aykhcv625u0

(Of all my favorite projects that dropped in 2021 thus far, I don’t know if any have been as inexplicably under-discussed as the Good Gas, Fki 1st & Band Gang Lonnie Bands banger, Street Dream Team. I stumbled upon the project completely by accident one week while thumbing through all of the new joints that dropped from Detroit MCs one week, and I have kept it in heavy rotation ever sense. While not necessarily a spot-on snapshot of Band Gang Lonnie Bands’ typical sound, for a Michigan outsider like me, it makes for a great entry level intro to one of my favorite rappers out of the Motor City right now.)

30. "Early Exit” - Lloyd Banks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BUofKVrb-A

(Yeah the Roc Marciano verse sounds like it was recorded over an old radio on cassette tape, but as someone from the real mixtape era, I’m not going to let shaky sound quality distract from the fact that every other part of the song is fantastic. The bars are there of course, but the beat and hook are all spot-on, and sound quality be damed it’s just great to hear Banks & Roc together.)

29. "Yonkers” - Wiki & NAH

https://wiksetnyc.bandcamp.com/track/yonkers

(Rife with experimentation and half-freestyles, and sonically living somewhere between Company Flow and Ratking, the subterranean metro sounds of Wiki and NAH’s Telephonebooth might not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you have been checking for Wiki’s music prior to this point, chances are you are going to be feeling this collaboration with NAH, a producer that I was previously not familiar with, but became a huge fan over night thanks to cuts like “Yonkers”.)

28. “John Wick” - AKAI SOLO & Navy Blue

(Whether you still believe “lo-fi” rap is a legitimate sub-genre or not, there’s no denying the abilities of these two gifted writers/artists. The wind is blowing in this direction my friends, I just hope you get on board soon and stop neglecting all of the great rap music rising from this corner of the underground.)

https://akaisolo.bandcamp.com/track/john-wick-prod-navy-blue

27. “Let It Roll Interlude” by IAMNOBODI feat. Phonte & BeMyFiasco

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVA1hXEnwnE

(Hard to believe that arguably the strongest rap verse of 2021 would be so under the radar, but here we are...)

26. "Taylor Made Suit” - Evidence

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qLIuc3z7KQ

(Perhaps the thing I love most about this new Ev - both the song itself, as well as the entire album - is how incredibly effective he sounds over minimalist production throughout. “Funeral suit, same as my wedding suit”...shout-out to the legendary MC and producer, both for everything that has has endured in his personal life and his ability to turn his pain into art.)

25. “GOOFIEZ” - Mother Nature and Boathouse feat. Valee

https://mothernaturebarz.bandcamp.com/track/goofiez-featuring-valee

(When Chicago talent gets busy on a record, not many can hang with them. Be on the lookout for more and more big things from the likes of Mother Nature, Valee, and Boathouse.)

24. “Peach Cobbler” - Navy Blue

https://navybluethetruest.com/

(I’m not sure if there is a “chosen one” right now, someone destined to reach such levels of success and/or respect that Drake & Kendrick-esque waves are felt over a generation...but if there is, the mega-talented producer/MC/skater/whatever he wants to be Navy Blue might fit the bill.)

23. “Rose Gold” - 42 Dugg feat. EST Gee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhmKfKZr-PQ

(There are more than a few songs off of 42 Dugg’s Free Dem Boyz that belong in my Top 50, but “Rose Gold” gets the nod off the strength of the menacing beat paired with 42 and one of the most scorching hot rappers walking the earth right now, EST Gee)

22. "MANIFESTO” - Tyler, The Creator feat. Domo Genesis & DJ Drama

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnDXCoHRl4o

(The Selena Gomez/Justin Bieber bar will garner most of the hype around this joint, but don’t let it distract from the fact that this song is one of the best collaborations between former Odd Future members since the collective’s creative peak.)

21. “What’s Next” - Drake

https://soundcloud.com/octobersveryown/drake-whats-next?in=octobersveryown/sets/scary-hours-2-1

(Pay attention to this Drake guy, I think he has a shot of making it. He makes it seem so easy, yet he has no peers at his level right now. There’s the growing underground elite...then there’s Drake, and little competition to duke it out with him when it comes to smash rap hits....assuming that is still supposed to be a thing?)

20. “MOMENTZ” - Mother Nature and Boathouse

https://mothernaturebarz.bandcamp.com/track/momentz-2

(You would be hard pressed to find a more enjoyable, high quality tape than SZNZ. The Chicago MCs rock a beat that sounds like a Camp Lo leftover - and I mean that in the best way possible - and show a natural penchant for earwormy choruses that should serve them very well in this biz.)

19. “Grace Jones” - maassai

https://maassai.bandcamp.com/track/grace-jones

(Somewhere between spoken word and where Lyricist Lounge-era Rawkus resides, you can find the warrior poet that is maassai: quite simply one of the most impressive MCs in rap right now.)

18. “How It Feels” - Lil Baby & Lil Durk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAsRTTO8L2k

(I know how it feels to care relatively little about a collaboration project between two of the game’s more revered Lil’s, then be blown away by both of them rapping their asses off for like 20 songs.)

17. “Falling Out the Sky” - Armand Hammer & The Alchemist feat. Earl Sweatshirt

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ctmTme9cG74

(There’s wavy, and then there’s wavy in the hands of The Alchemist, Earl Sweatshirt and Armand Hammer. One of Haram’s many standouts, this one is probably not what fans expected when they first saw the album’s tracklist, but it might actually be more special than we expected.)

16. “Capitol 1″ - EST Gee

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ng7Sg1_RTM

(Mark my words: by the time we reach the end of 2021, EST Gee will be in the top 10 of every reputable rap site’s best MC list. At least I know that he will most likely be on mine.)

15. “LUMBERJACK” - Tyler, the Creator feat. DJ Drama

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9WOjaYotX1c

(Who knew we needed Tyler to join forces with DJ Drama to rap over a Gravediggaz joint? Never one to do what everyone expects, when this cut dropped about a week before his new album was released, it was clear that he was ready to pick up where he left off with his impressive bar-work on a flurry of features in 2020. Now that I think about it, after “Something To Talk About” and “327″ maybe we shouldn’t be surprised that Tyler dropped one of the hardest joints of the year.)

14. “The Stellar Ray Theory” - Mach-Hommy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3GWJrL2ht0

(The single that Mach & Griselda stans were terrified to hear, at the risk of revealing their no-longer-a-secret project to be a painful example of how far the parties had drifted since their over-publicized fallout, only to find the opposite: Mach & Gunn didn’t just find their chemistry once again, they improved upon it.)

13. “Sandra” - MIKE

https://mikelikesrap.bandcamp.com/track/sandra

(With his new Disco! album, MIKE managed to step outside of his typical lane of delivery, showing how nimble he truly is as a MC, and even takes his skills to another level as a producer, delivering what might be the most enjoyable album of his career thus far.)

12. "No Time” - Your Old Droog feat. Wiki

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Y8Ozq9tMLE

(The new YOD album sounds so painstakingly written and executed, you would never believe it just casually dropped out of the blue one evening. Few are better at crafting themes without compromising the joy of listening to the music, Droog delivered once again.)

11. "What The Money Taught Us” - Skyzoo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JV2QEbxMYgU

(This new Skyzoo album has so much beauty to unpack, please dig in if you have been keeping it on the back-burner for some reason.)

And now the Top 10...

10. “Folie Á Deux” - Mach-Hommy feat. Westside Gunn & Keisha Plum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LF1-VvJsbqI

(Conductor Williams does it again, putting his own unique touch to one of Pray For Haiti’s standout cuts. The song is almost beautiful sound if it wasn’t for Westside Gunn, Mach and Keisha Plum pumping their own unique rawness into the beat. This one represents everything going right with Griselda right now.)

9. “Hallways” - Peter Rosenberg feat. Roc Marciano & Flee Lord

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrDrvozDzo4

(Superior to anything on last year’s Mt. Marci, Disco Vietnam really blessed Flee Lord and Roc Marciano with the type of late night loungin’ in New York banger that Roc knows how to knock out the park better than anyone. “Hallways” screams late night underground radio in a way that feels both nostalgic and fresher than just about anything out right now.)

8. "Seeing Green” - Nicki Minaj feat. Lil Wayne & Drake

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=diUcHDlCqMo

(Many have tried to recapture the skill, swagger, and star power of The Roc in the early 00′s, but most have not been able to come close. Leave it to the diamonds in Young Money’s crown to come through and capture the pomp and circumstance so successfully, it’s amazing that Just Blaze wasn’t somehow involved. If you aren’t feelin’ at least one of these verses, time to join a hater support group.)

7. “Prayers Over Packages” - DJ Muggs & Rome Streetz & DJ Muggs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2r2AYxN20ZI

(Most underground artists must be so excited to have the legendary DJ Muggs lace them with a full project, and I’m sure Rome Streetz was honored. But while Muggs delivered another strong performance on Death & The Magician, it’s Rome that elevates the material to truly masterful levels.)

6. “Wants and Needs” - Drake feat. Lil Baby

https://soundcloud.com/octobersveryown/drake-wants-and-needs-feat-lil?in=octobersveryown/sets/scary-hours-2-1

(Yes Drake still has the touch, one of rap music’s few legitimate hitmakers left....but hot damn, it’s Lil Baby coming through to turn the joint to ashes that carries “Wants and Needs” to song of the year caliber levels.)

5. “S.R.D.” - Peter Rosenberg feat. Styles P, Ransom & Smok DZA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tzSrIZ8tso

(Don’t overthink it: the watery boom-bap backdrop provided by Buck Dudley is exquisite, and all three MCs go in. I think it’s time to admit that if it wasn’t for the like him or passionately hate him aura around Peter Rosenberg, a lot more folks would. be praising this compilation as one of the finest since peak DJ street tape era.)

4. “Black Sunlight” - Armand Hammer & The Alchemist feat. KAYANA

https://armandhammer.bandcamp.com/track/black-sunlight-featuring-kayana

(What more can I say about this union by now? Al dipping into his breezy bag to bless the lyrical onslaught of billy woods and ELUCID was not something that I thought I needed, but after hearing them cook together I don’t know if I ever want Armand Hammer to go back to the bleak soundscapes they’re often know for. The contract in style was so effective throughout Haram, bringing out the best from all parties, in my not-so-humble opinion...hopefully even more to come from this alliance.)

3. “TV Dinners” - The Alchemist feat. Sideshow & Boldy James

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kuUGrlVivic

(A slick, seemingly harmless little head nodder from The Alchemist, Boldy and the rapidly ascending main-stage level Sideshow. I felt this one right from the jump the day Al’s This Thing of Ours EP dropped, and it’s remained high on my list of 2021 favorites ever since. Give me a bunch of chill MCs doing deceptively slick pen-work over a jazzy but simple loop, and I’m set.)

2. “The 26th Letter” - Mach-Hommy feat. Westside Gunn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7jcjW8h230

(Forget the albums that go for thousand of dollars. Forget the mysterious aura around him, forget the Twitter stan-dom and those that loathe them, and forget the flames of Griselda gossip that are fanned by both fans and doubters....and just imagine you never heard this MC rap before and you have just pressed play on “The 26th Letter”. )

1. “Kill All Rats” - Conway & Big Ghost LTD. feat. Ransom & Rome Streetz

https://bigghostlimited.bandcamp.com/track/kill-all-rats-ft-ransom-rome-streetz

(Whenever attempting to wrangle my favorite songs into one tidy list, there is one ex-factor that can elevate a collection of bars to an elite song: execution. You already know that when punchlines kings the caliber of Ransom, Rome Streetz, and Conway The Machine get on a record together, it’s bound to be a bar-fest....but to the extent of “Kill All Rats”??? Not expected. The name of the song itself invites a certain degree of redundancy, but when three great MCs jump on a track and write verses near the top of their skill level - and when a producer like Big Ghost sounds equally incensed with the instrumental that he brought to the table - even a straight-forward posse cut can end up being the best rap song of the year thus far.)

*COMING SOON: BEST RAP ALBUMS, AND RAP VERSES OF THE FIRST HALF OF 2021...stay tuned.* 👀

See also:

https://therappundit.tumblr.com/post/649527317251670016/best-of-the-1st-quarter

https://therappundit.tumblr.com/post/638904640503726080/the-best-rap-songs-of-2020-great-songs-that

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legobatjoker · 3 years

Note

also um. Today was a such a weird day 4 me i hops u dont me talking abt it bc like. This morning my mum was like "one day in the break do u wanna go out shopping w me just me nd u mother daughter" which is like. Spending lots of time w my parents is kinda detrimental 2 my mental wellbeing so um FNVHHDH i tried to be like "maybe idk im tired" but she was like "u shld be saying yes u have to" so um. That annoyed me for most of the morning but after the exam i wasnt as annoyed which was good (1/4)

but then okay basically i had the exam in morning but i stayed @ school until my sisters school day ended bc thats easier so basically i was just sitting in my school autism provision doing art work nd then a teacher was like "hey idk if u know her but this girl that used 2 go here is visting the school bc shes thinkin abt coming here for sixth form can u show her around shes called [her name]" nd it was fucking. One of my old best friends?? Like actually it was so weird (2/4)

bc like she left ny school like 3 years ago nd i tried 2 keep in touch w her but i wasnt able to so i hadnt spoken to her in so long nd also bc like. I feel like i was kinda a rly shitty friend to her LOL so like. I apolgised to her ofc but she was also like "no dw i feel like i was a rly bad friend 2 you tbh" which is so weird bc i dont remever her being a bad friend like at all but she also said the same thing abt me so like NFCHDNND bd like yea it was weird bc we hadnt spoken in ages but (3/4)

but it was still fun nd likd we just talked nd played jenga for a bit nd yea it was rly nice to catch up w her nd stuff esp since i always thought id never talk to her again but also it was rly weird bc it was so sudden nd its been so long but yea it was rly nice esp bc i rly missed her :] !!! (sorry if this is a lot btw but yea HSBCSHCB) (4/4)

im sorry abt ur mom beign annoying tht sucks -___-!! but oh wow bestie reunion ?? thats super cool :OO also obsessed w u both saying u were bad friends and the other wasnt bcuz it peada me to believe neither of u were actually bad friendsHSVSHS but yuh thts epic mx !! :33

#mewtuals #castle.answers

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nytech · 3 years

Text

The art of DOING, with serial entrepreneur Georgie-Ann Getton-McKoy

Learn about getting started as an entrepreneur, hosting a successful crowdfunding campaign, and believing in your dreams with Georgie-Ann Getton-McKoy, Founder of GSD Solutions.

Georgie is an execution strategist, award-winning serial entrepreneur, community builder, speaker, author, podcast host, and Diversity in Tech Enthusiast. Georgie founded multiple ventures including GSD Solutions and GSD With Georgie to help businesses produce their own online events. She also launched the very first Black Podcasting Awards after a successful crowdfunding campaign in 2020, and wrote a book called The Art of Getting Sh*t Done, where she shares her experience and secrets on productivity and entrepreneurship. We’re proud to count Georgie as a member of the NY Tech Alliance Community — she’s been a dedicated member and brilliantly hosted our virtual Celebration of Black Women Founders.

What’s your daily routine?

I usually get up around 7am. First thing is to get myself situated, shower, brush my teeth. Then if the weather allows it, I will take a morning walk, and if it’s not the best weather outside I just read and meditate at home. After that, I make breakfast and wake up the kids to get ready for school and the day. After breakfast, I start my day with my first call at 9am a daily stand-up. Then I create the task list for the day and start to tackle that list while taking breaks to do homeschooling and interact with the kids.

Combining parenthood and entrepreneurship can be challenging. How do you manage your family and your company?

Having a clear schedule is the best way to handle all things family and kids because at any moment there is so much going on. With a clear schedule, I can then build the flexibility I need, swap out things when needed and just make sure any fires that pop up personal or professional I have the mental space to tackle. I also have many standard operating processes in both my house and my company so if t I am not available, someone else is and can hop in.

“I have many standard operating processes in both my house and my company.”

What’s the advice you would give to an aspiring entrepreneur?

Stay persistent. Life is all about curveballs. The sooner you accept that “the game is rigged and fair” doesn’t exist, the sooner you gain the mental freedom to just DO, without worrying about if you’re doing it wrong or right.

What’s your biggest failure as an entrepreneur?

My biggest failure was being fearful of my finances. This was a huge failure for me because my personal financial insecurities trickled into my business and because of that some business ventures I have had failed. I was afraid to charge my worth or even charge at all. Once I started tackling this fear I because more successful overall.

I was afraid to charge my worth or even charge at all.

And your biggest win?

I would say one of my biggest wins was getting into the CUNY startups accelerator when I was in college. It gave me a huge sense of confidence in my work as an entrepreneur. Then when I made it to the Top 4 it was clear that I had all this untapped potential inside me that I needed to embrace.

A word on your book “The Art of Getting Sh*t Done”— How do you go from being a dreamer to a doer?

You go from being a dreamer to being a doer by starting. Life is a journey and so is everything in life including entrepreneurship. You will feel overwhelmed at times, and think you don’t have everything you want to start or continue that journey. This could be true, but you will always have everything that you need within you!

Just start, here, today, now with what you have and EVERYTHING else will fall into you path.

You raised more than $9,000 to fund the Black Podcasting Awards. What was your strategy and in other words, the key to success for someone wanting to start a crowdfunding campaign?

The key to the success of that campaign was tapping into my network and sharing what I was doing. I did a lot of cold tweeting, random live streams, texting, emailing, and posting on social media. When we were less than 48 hours from the deadline and below half of our goal I told myself that we would not only meet, but exceed our goal. Then I pulled out every card I had and made it happen. Tap into your network! Share your work! Be your biggest champion.

When we were less than 48 hours from the deadline and below half of our goal I told myself that we would not only meet, but exceed our goal.

You’ve been a wedding officiant for 5 years. Tell us more about that!

Well, I am a nerd! I love learning and doing new things. When I became a wedding officiant I was on a major “Side Hustle” journey. I loved the flexibility that being an entrepreneur offered but I was also aware that I had bills and a child to take care of so I needed to make money. I got certified so it could be an income stream and also so that I could go to more weddings. At the time of getting certified I had only been to one or two weddings in my entire life. What’s the best way to get invited to a wedding? By being a vendor! Being a wedding officiant satisfied a professional and personal need all at once. Since getting certified I have helped four couples say “I Do”.

“I loved the flexibility that being an entrepreneur offered but I was also aware that I had bills and a child to take care of.”

What’s your number one rule for a successful online event?

Start from the goal and work your way backward! The golden rule to community engagement around your brand? Be yourself. When I try to get all fancy with the content people don’t really resonate with it. I get the most engagement when I remain my crazy, doing-the-most self.

Tell me about your thoughts on diversity in tech.

Diversity in tech is essential. At least as a concept. When it is put into action, often time companies miss the mark on what needs to be done to achieve this goal. The systematic issues that come from the government, constitution, and institutions built many years ago consistently leave diversity initiatives gasping for air. The only time true diversity will be achieved is when companies and their leaders look at it as a staple in business success from day one, not as an afterthought to not get attacked by the public.

The systematic issues that come from the government, constitution, and institutions built many years ago consistently leave diversity initiatives gasping for air.

What steps can tech companies take to be more diverse and inclusive?

They can start by taking a look within, “Do we have unconscious biases?”. Then from there, they can begin to look at their team and goals and see if the picture that they see reflects their short and long-term goals as a company. There are many, many, many diverse team members and founders out there. Diversity in race, ethnicity, gender, orientation, geographic location, education level, age, and the list goes on and on. But before a company can embrace that diversity and become inclusive they have to take a look at their own flaws as to why have they never seen this before? Why did they not think of this before? Then and only then will companies become diverse and inclusive in an authentic way.

Connect with Georgie-Ann on LinkedIn, and head to our website to browse our upcoming events and meet more empowering founders.

#tech #entreprenuership #productivity #crowdfunding #startup #nytech #nytm

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rebrobindoesmath · 4 years

Text

JMM is just over a week away! Here’s a guide to Denver from a Denver mathematician.

I wish I would’ve had something like this when I went to the Joint Meetings in Atlanta and San Diego. Knowing the best spots to go for happy hour, for coffee, to hang out, etc. can make a trip less stressful. So here’s my attempt at listing some of my favorite places in Denver (all within walking distance of the convention center or a short Uber ride!)

FIRST: If you are arriving by plane, I’d recommend you take the train to the city and not call a Uber/Lyft. The airport is really far away from the city and a Uber/Lyft can cost upwards of $30 one way. A train ticket is $11 and also functions as a public transportation day pass.

Note: The public transportation in Denver can get you around the city -- but be prepared to wait for a bus/train due to operator shortages. Personally, I’d recommend you take an Uber if you’re planning on going somewhere too far to walk. Denver does have a free shuttle that runs up and down 16th Street Mall. This is a great way to get around downtown.

See below the cut for my list! This ended up being pretty lengthy, so I didn’t want to take up too much room on anyone’s dash!

FOOD

Ahhhh, food. One of the most important things (perhaps second only to coffee) for a mathematician to have enough energy to sit through so many talks! Here are some of my favorite places:

Illegal Pete’s

Very much like Chipotle. Only much better. Relatively inexpensive, and it’s a quick hop on the free Mallride Shuttle from near the convention center. Happy hour is also really good: free chips and salsa when you order a drink at the bar, $5 margaritas that’ll kick you in the ass, and long happy hour hours (3-8).

Komotodo

Sushi burritos. Need I say more?

Denver Milk Market

Contrary to the name, milk is not sold here. It’s a conglomeration of a bunch of different food stalls -- there’s even a wine bar, beer bar, and liquor bar too. This is my favorite place to go when we can’t all agree on one place. Honestly, it’s just really cool inside too.

Steuben’s

This might be more of an Uber trip but it’s totally worth it for their late night special: $7 Cheeseburger & Fries and a Montucky Cold Snack. Yum.

Sassafras

Okay, so this one is just breakfast. Everyone raves about a restaurant called Snooze...NO. GO HERE. If you like Southern style cooking, you will love this place. It’s so good.

Fat Sully’s/Atomic Cowboy/Denver Biscuit Co.

A restaurant of many names... This is my favorite pizza place in Denver. Gigantic, thin crust, NY style pizza. So. Good. Also in the morning they have amazing biscuit sandwiches. Late night special is also good: $5 for slice and a beer.

COFFEE

Aside from food, you gotta have coffee. After all, “a mathematician is a machine that turns coffee into theorems”!

The Market

It’s your favorite hometown coffee shop. Reasonably priced good coffee. They also have plenty of seating, so you’d never have to worry about finding a table to work on. They also have good food as well. (Make sure to check around back for the free baked good sample basket!)

Little Owl

Great, great coffee. Con is that there is little seating inside, so this is a good place to grab and go.

There’s Also A Starbucks on Every Corner

THINGS TO DO

Not every hour is spent in a math talk, so here are things to do when you’re not at a talk!

1-Up

It’s a barcade. Really fun place. You have to be at least 21 to enter! There’s no food, but the beer is reasonably priced.

Ace Eat Serve

It’s a ping pong and ramen bar. It’s so fun! I’ve never had the food but I’ve spent quite some time playing ping pong in the back. I have reserved tables day of, but they don’t really like that, so call at least 24 hours in advance to reserve a table. I believe it’s around $15/hour. They do have some walk-in tables, but be prepared to wait a while for those.

Hang out in Union Station

Honestly, I love Union Station. I love being surrounded by hustle & bustle and it’s definitely there in Union Station. The outside of the building is cool to look at too. This is also the main transit hub of Denver, so it’s a good place to catch a train or bus.

Museum of Nature & Science

They have an exhibit on the Science of Pixar right now. Too cool.

Walk up and down 16th Street

There’s tons of shops and restaurants lining 16th street.

Denver Art Museum

Honestly you have to at least just walk by it because it’s one of the coolest looking buildings ever.

NIGHTLIFE

Alright all you 21+-ers. Here are my favorite bars and breweries.

Euclid’s

If not just for the name, this is one of the favorites places of the grad students in my department. With a beer list sorted by levels of mathematical concepts, it’s definitely a place for math people.

Pourhouse

You like cheap beer? Here you go. Happy hour M-F open to 8pm with BOGO domestic drafts. Makes it like $2 a beer... Plus: shuffleboard table.

Freshcraft

You like craft beer? Here you go. Beer is a little on the pricier side, but they usually have a really good tap list. Also: really good food.

Falling Rock

Another craft beer bar with an extensive and varied tap list.

You want some breweries?

Here’s what you do. Take an Uber/Lyft to Our Mutual Friend Brewing. Have a beer. Pick any of them -- they’re all good. Then you can walk just a couple blocks to any of the following: Stem Ciders, Ratio Beerworks, Epic Brewing (attempt The Gauntlet -- a flight comprised of a 4oz sample of EVERY ONE OF THEIR BEERS), or C Squared Ciders.

Okay, but what about downtown breweries???

Okay, fair. There’s Wynkoop Brewing Company, opened by former governor and former presidential candidate John Hickenlooper. I’ve never been though so don’t take my word on it.

There’s also Tivoli Brewing, located on my school’s campus.

You also have Jagged Mountain and Rock Bottom.

On the other side of the river, there’s Denver Beer Co. and Prost Brewing. Both are great! Go to Prost if you like German-style beer though!

Blush & Blu

An LGBT-friendly bar. I had a great experience there. Everyone (staff and guests alike) is very friendly and welcoming.

I hope this list serves helpful to anyone who would like it! If you have any questions about the city, feel free to send me a message! I hope everyone has a fun and safe JMM trip! If you see me around, please say hi!

#math #mathematics #mathblr #jmm #joint mathematics meetings

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berlysbandcamp · 3 years

Audio

Force Majeure is an uplifting suite of real, soulful comfort music – an album that cathartically encapsulates an all-too-familiar human experience of 2020. Featuring 11 pieces performed by bassist Dezron Douglas & harpist Brandee Younger across a series of live-streamed shows from their living room in Harlem, NY, the album was self-recorded by the duo using just a single microphone. The same day Governor Andrew Cuomo shut down “non-essential” businesses throughout the state of New York, Douglas & Younger set up a window to the world that would prevail as a weekly musical reprieve over the devastating weeks and months to come. As the early effects of covid-19 plagued the citizens of New York City, Douglas & Younger did as we were all ordered to do — shelter-in-place. From their apartment in Harlem, their reflex as players and community-builders was immediate. Broadcasting via social media and spreading the word to friends and family, the duo hosted “Force Majeure: Brunch in the Crib with Brandee & Dezron,” a Friday morning live stream where they performed songs, said “hi” to friends tuning in, and passed a digital tip jar. The name “force majeure” — known to diligent contract-readers as a seldom-invoked bit of legalese that voids commitments in event of “extraordinary circumstances” — was, for Douglas & Younger, a reference to the sudden loss of livelihood that they and their musician peers suffered in the wake of covid-19. “We vowed to become a part of the resiliency of this city,” says Douglas. “You can take the work away, but you can’t stop musicians from being creative. Live streaming is just a part of it. The world as a whole saw that arts & entertainment is an integral and vital part of this ‘service’ city. We, musicians and creatives, are as essential to this city as the MTA is. The NYC community responded with love and honesty on a high level. Expression became vital for people to make it through the day and, at the same time, listening and watching expression became vital.” The success of Douglas & Younger’s initial live streams turned their series into an ongoing weekly ritual for a fast-growing audience of supporters. For most, it was a momentary musical break that helped ease the stressful weeks of lockdown, even as the weeks turned into months and the re-opening date extended further and further into the future. In late May, as the country erupted over the compounded murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, and countless other Black Americans, Douglas & Younger continued to connect from their Friday morning platform, uniting with more and more people through the healing power of playing, sharing, and listening. The series got attention from NPR, The Wall Street Journal, Boiler Room, Downbeat, and others; but regardless, finding the creative energy to devote to the project was a regular challenge for the two musicians. “Sometimes it was hard to be creative because the mood in the world was so dark, but every Friday we felt compelled to give back and allow GOD to heal through vibration,” says Douglas. Not only was the human connection vital, the duo felt a responsibility as stewards of music’s future. “Whatever the next thing is, I will make it a point to be involved because Music saved my life, saves lives, and must be taken care of.” The repertoire that Douglas & Younger performed began with standards they knew and music they wanted to learn (or “get inside of,” as Douglas often said), but evolved on a week-to-week basis to incorporate shifting emotions, milestones, and special requests from friends and family. Younger recalls: “In choosing the repertoire we played, it was definitely more organic and personal. When we realized a birthday of a certain artist or holiday was coming, we'd do something in dedication… Sometimes we'd pick the rep based on our mood. On those very dark days that Dez mentioned, we'd play “Sing" to perk up the mood. Something about that song just brings smiles all around. It was very hard to fake when the mood was dark, though. Marvin Gaye helped us out a lot during that time, as did some spirituals.” With what became their brunch staples they covered a broad range of memories and sounds, including classics by The Stylistics, The Jackson 5, Alice & John Coltrane, Pharoah Sanders, Kate Bush, Sting, and The Carpenters, as well as a co-written original composition with which they ended every set, “Toilet Paper Romance.” From the earliest sessions, the duo worked alongside International Anthem to review the weekly recordings; together they compiled, edited, and eventually arrived at the stream-to-songbook of Force Majeure. Between the choicest takes of tunes chosen for the final album sequence, they put excerpts of their sometimes cute or comedic, often profound banter. Notably Douglas’s voice ends both side A and side B with off-the-cuff variations of: “Black Music cannot be replicated, it can only be expressed.” Like poetic bookends for Force Majeure, his words could also serve as foundational principles for the work, underscoring the importance of authenticity and integrity in music. Douglas elaborates: “Black Music, no matter what genre, is exactly what it is — Music created by Black Musicians for the sake of vibrating on our own frequencies of understanding and empathy. I love all music, but I also recognize that music is a cultural and regional vibration. You don’t have to be Black to play Black music, but if you are out here making money off of Black Culture and have no empathy for the People and the Culture then you are even more part of the problem. Black Lives Matter because for a long time our lives didn’t matter and it was Normal — normal to society and normal to us as Black humans. What’s different between then and now is the fact that the Virus has given people time to focus on the current social media platform used to document evil in this world. The filming and documentation of the loss of human life to evil is more powerful than Politics and Government. It’s LIFE showing us how Inhumane we are as a Human Race. Yet we still haven’t figured it out yet. Let’s hope we aren’t the catalyst for this planet to implode. That would be unfortunate considering we have the chance to fix it. We have the chance to do right by Mother Nature and we have the chance to do right by each other. We always have a chance. Change is inevitable, but is evil and selfishness and self-righteousness a part of change? Certainly! Is Love and Empathy and Humanity a part of change? Most definitely! What side are you on? We are on the side of Love.” Douglas & Younger understand that the revolution begins with a transformation of the heart. And for the heart to be transformed, it must be lifted up. “This album is a testament to the power of music to uplift us through the most challenging times,” says friend, collaborator, and fellow International Anthem recording artist, Makaya McCraven. Force Majeure is an uplifting suite of real, soulful comfort music – a spiritual salve, emanating warmth from the hearth of a Harlem sanctuary. - bio by Joe Darling & Scott McNiece - Bassist, composer, bandleader, and educator Dezron Douglas has established himself as a major force in contemporary creative music. A protégé of the great Jackie McLean, the Downbeat Magazine 2019 Rising Star is known for his work with Pharoah Sanders, Ravi Coltrane, Cyrus Chestnut, David Murray, Louis Hayes, and also with piano legends George Cables, Eric Reed, Mulgrew Miller and Benny Green. Douglas has recorded on more than 100 albums, contributing to the artistry of numerous bandleaders and maintaining an integral presence in the sounds of his peers, which include Keyon Harrold, Jonathan Blake, Melanie Charles, and Makaya McCraven. He is an active music educator, currently on the Jazz Studies faculty at NYU Steinhardt. He has released 6 albums as a lead artist and maintains a variety of projects that he uses as platforms for his compositions. His band, Black Lion, released their latest single “COBRA” in October of 2020. Harpist, composer, educator, and concert curator Brandee Younger is known for her work with Ravi Coltrane, Moses Sumney, Lauryn Hill and producer Salaam Remi. The New Yorker has described her instrumental craft as “radiant playing ... as cogent on hip-hop and R&B albums as it is set against classical and jazz backdrops.” Her work often extends to illustrious heights, featured by Beyoncé in Netflix’s concert documentary Beyoncé: Homecoming as well as Quincy Jones and Steve McQueen in 2019’s “Soundtrack of America” series. She recently joined the harp faculty at NYU Steinhardt and the New School in Manhattan. When Alice Coltrane passed away in 2007, her son Ravi Coltrane asked Younger to perform at the memorial. Her performance “moved me and everyone in attendance from the first glissando,” Coltrane told the New York Times. “No harpist thus far has been more capable of combining all of the modern harp traditions — from Salzedo, through Dorothy Ashby, through Alice Coltrane — with such strength, grace and commitment.” Younger recently signed to Impulse! Records, with whom she has a new album planned for release in 2021. Douglas & Younger are long-time companions in life and in music. The two East Coast natives met early in life and have accompanied each other, personally and professionally, through equally prolific careers. “Brandee and I met in college, University of Hartford, Hartt School of Music, back in 2001,” remembers Douglas. “Her practice room was across the hall from mine. We began a friendship instantly through music and Black culture. We would jam a lot in college when she wanted to practice ‘Jazz.’ She was a Classical Harp and Music Business double major and she was heavily influenced by Jazz and Black Music so I sort of became an outlet for her to walk on the wild side in the eyes of University and Classical politics.” To this day, Douglas and Younger often accompany each other in the ensembles they lead, respectively. The two have played together in the Ravi Coltrane Quartet, with The Baylor Project, and in sessions for Makaya McCraven’s 2018 release Universal Beings, on which they are both featured artists. Force Majeure is their first release as a duo.

#jazz #cosmic #black music

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tamikkogivesbrain · 4 years

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🌹I want my flowers while I’m alive. If you don’t give them to me... I’ll take them. 👑

~T. Beasty

I had this vision that I wanted to be the Harriet Tubman in pop culture for Hip Hop... but instead of freeing black girls.... I would make ground for mixxxed girls. Somebody that was in the middle. To spread love equally on both sides.

I spent my entire life fighting to express art and stand up for art. When I started merging my dance life with design life... it afforded me the blessing of crossing paths with my heroes. The quiet icons behind the icons. The creative directors and the masterminds.

I met Barron in NY but not in person at first. I was in the midst of creating a body of work as an art statement:

👉🏼 Model Mayhem/TAMIKKO.

I was researching photographers who shot Hip Hop and not necessarily fashion. I wanted to express a lifestyle that represented more than just a shallow face flirting with an empty audience.Barron was well known in Industry Life. We corresponded via messages then finally settled on a shoot date. The Internet was not as savvy and fast as it is today . The information was limited and controlled. I discovered he was responsible for the Iconic Biggie Smalls photo. At the time the photo was not as well known in commercial markets. It was even less known at that time, that Barron was the mastermind. Not to take away credit. A decade ago the Internet was like a cave compared to the galaxy it is today. I thought Barron deserved to have rose petals thrown at his feet once I found out. We had long talks and Barron expressed his passsions for art and life. He was very anti- bullshit and has a true artist’s heart. An art rebel . I was fan girling over the fact that the Biggie Photo deserved to be on a stamp. Barron told me people would just use the image without contacting him and he wasn’t receiving royalties or had help to track down the business end. It was a different world a decade ago. I had a lot of friends who created amazing, iconic works and were being silenced or taken advantage of in the same ways. It always infuriated me. It still does. So this post and most of the posts here are ironic. I was establishing myself more on the creative side in New York at that time and was everywhere, in every genre. I was currently addicted to transferring David LaChappelle color theory into my Hip Hop based photo stories. Back then girls were still presenting standard beauty shots. I wanted to start bringing street tom boy edge to my style because that was my real personality before it became a trend. I made a barter with Barron. We test shot the things he liked if I could recreate the Biggie Shoot. I wanted to cross the idea over to pop. (It hadn’t happened at that time yet). I was always screaming my peer’s talents to the skies because I felt the whole world deserved to know their contributions. He was amazingingly attentive and detailed. He sat me in front of the light ring and was very particular with how he adjusted the crown. He told me he remembered the exact way he placed it on Biggie’s head. I sat there and then I got emotional. I cried. Not baller baby, but wet eyes. Hip Hop was a crazy thing to work in. As a model, dancer, mixxxed girl, creator, boundary pusher. Hip Hop was mean to EVERYONE. Especially the creators. I thought it was just me. Hip Hop was not celebrating the tellers of the stories and the magic they created. Rappers were getting killed and Angels were dying... (Aaliyah & Left Eye). I loved The Industry so much... I took it all very personally. Barron told me amazing personal details about his views on art and photography. We finished the shoot and I trekked my way back to the subway from his BK Studio. Outstanding brownstone by the way. Filled with Life and Historic Art. (Basquiat). I made a conscious decision to push this statement. I wanted to be like Isabella Blow and cross the information over. From Hip Hop to High Fashion watchers at that time...Barron deserved his flowers. The photo was legendary on its own, and so is Barron. I circulated my version religiously since 2010. It began to resurface in a commercial way and I believe Rolling Stones put it on an an anniversary issue some years after my shoot with Barron. Being in his presence, the honor of the shoot, and the backstory keeps me humble in the face of historic experiences.

A decade later... Now We Here.

I’m not saying this is all because of me... NOT AT ALL..... but I know for a FACT there are too many million dollar milestones circulating around my essence for all these things to be coincidences. I do not have delusions of grandeur or think I’m more important than I am. I think people should recognize truths and give people flowers while they are still here so they can put them in a vase and smell them in the morning. The fight doesn’t end just because I have been silent.

Each 1, Teach 1.

Dear Barron... Congratulations. I haven’t spoken to you in so long... but if they jipped you on that flip... call me.... I will come running with my Beasty Brass Knuckles & a baseball bat to beat the Industry up for you. It has a tendency to take our heroes for granted. Especially mixxxed females who just want to wear dope clothes and dance.

You owe me some roses. 🌹💫❤️.

~T.

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rosemcrys-blog · 4 years

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chicago’s very own 𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐤𝐢𝐦 has been spotted on madison avenue driving a 𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑠 - 𝑟𝑜𝑦𝑐𝑒 𝑤𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑡𝘩 , welcome ! your resemblance to 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑘 𝑐𝘩𝑎𝑒𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑔 is unreal . according to tmz , you just had your 𝑡𝑤𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑦 𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑑 birthday bash . your chance of surviving new york is uncertain because you’re 𝑎𝑐𝑟𝑖𝑚𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑜𝑢𝑠 , but being 𝑏𝑒𝑔𝑢𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 might help you . i think being a 𝑠𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑢𝑠 explains that . three things that would paint a better picture of you would be 𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐡𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐝 , 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 , 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 . ( 𝐦𝐲 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐢𝐝 𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐢 𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚 . )

for an accurate description of me and the man who essentially runs my life , please click here for giggles . but hello everyone ! i’m johnny , twenty - two , and i go by either 𝐟𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞 or 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥 pronouns ! i’m super excited to be here and i’m really excited to write with everyone , so i won’t keep my own introduction long so we can go ahead and hop into everything about rosemary ! my discord is 𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝖘𝖍𝖎𝖓𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖑𝖎𝖌𝖍𝖙 .#6807 if that’s your preference for plotting over tumblr im’s , and before i go , stan loona !

𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 : kim eun - jung . 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 : rosemary michelle kim . 𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞(𝐬) : ro or romy , only . 𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐝𝐚𝐲 / 𝐚𝐠𝐞 : december 15th , 1997 / 22 . 𝐳𝐨𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐜 : sagittarius . 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐬 : she / her / hers . 𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 : cis - female . 𝐬𝐞𝐱𝐮𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 : bisexual . 𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 : biromantic . 𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 : 5′5″ ( five foot , five inches ) 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐨𝐰𝐧 : chicago , illinois ( click ! ) 𝐜𝐮𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 : new york , ny ( click ! ) 𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 : korean - american . 𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲 : korean . 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 : korean , english , and conversational portuguese . 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐫 : ballet dancer ; soloist with american ballet theater . 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬 : alpha bitch , royal brat , bratty teenage daughter , socialite , daddy’s girl , and wicked witch .

kang eugene was a nineteen year old and already living in the wealthy district of gangnam in south korea thanks to her career as a drama actress . she mainly found her claim to fame starring in coming - of - age dramas that focused on high school or university aged students , but she had recently landed her dream leading role as a chaebol heiress looking for love in a ruthless world . she ends up meeting the love of her life that very year , and it’s purely by coincidence , when she gets into a minor fender bender with kim ho - seok , the heir of a multi - billion dollar real estate and construction conglomerate , who was back in korea while on vacation from school in the states .

eugene tried her best to keep their relationship as friends , mainly because her contract with her company put her on a dating ban for a few years , but it was nearly impossible for the young woman to turn down his attempts at wooing her . after a few months of sneaking around , eugene finally approached her company about her dating ho -seok , and surprisingly , they were on board . eugene and ho - seok had a rather whirlwind relationship , making their relationship instagram official in the matter of a month and eugene was wearing a promise ring once they hit their two month anniversary .

the only downside was that eugene had to stay in korea for her career while ho - seok returned to the states for school , but they promised and managed to make it work . during breaks , and whenever she had time , eugene was traveling to the states and whenever the summer months rolled around , ho - seok was back in korea . it came as a surprise to now twenty - two year old eugene when ho - seok got down on bended knee and asked for her to marry him at his graduation from the university of pennsylvania’s wharton school of business .

both american and korean media outlets were floored when they discovered the couple’s engagement , and it was hard to ignore the sizable ring that sat perched on eugene’s hand . so , the couple marries after six months of planning in a lavish ceremony in bali , indonesia . eugene’s contract with her company was up , and while she had the chance to renew , the young actress decided that she would take her chances in america’s scene . the couple decide to settle in chicago , where ho - seok was taking over the new headquarters of his family’s company . about eight months after settling in their new home , eugene had exciting news : she was pregnant .

after an instagram pregnancy announcement , photoshoot , and red carpet appearances with a protruding belly , eugene finally had their first and only baby girl ten days before christmas in 1997 , who they affectionately named eun - jung . being their only daughter , eugene and ho - seok smothered their daughter with the finest things . if you thought kylie got a lot for stormi ... that had nothing on the kims . growing up , eun - jung who’s name was assimilated to rosemary , attended the francis w. parker school in chicago ( they don’t wear uniforms there but i’m gonna pretend that they did because plaid pleated skirts ? chef’s kiss ! ) for the first few years , rosemary seemed to not have any interests in extracurriculars , only focusing on her academics .

it wasn’t until she was around thirteen years old when her parents took her to see the nutcracker for her birthday that year when she decided that she wanted to be a ballerina . eugene and ho - seok would do anything for their daughter , so despite the people who would laugh in their faces because their thirteen year old daughter was just starting ballet , they made sure that she would get whatever she wanted . the people who laughed soon found themselves with egg on their faces as rosemary had the natural ability to embrace the fine art , winning a top prize after only a year of training . soon after , she had grown out of her dance company and was soon training with the top coaches in chicago .

the sudden thrust into the dance circuit went straight to rosemary’s head which of course , changed her personality as a whole . she entered the upper school with her head held high and her posture straight , never letting those around them forget who she was . rosemary often found herself meddling and treating others without kindness , bullying those around her especially when she wanted something . when it came to yearbook superlatives , rosemary got whatever she wanted because she used her parents’ donations over them and promised things that she had no interest in fulfilling . rosemary was quite the bitch throughout her high school career , and she only ever really had superficial friends who only stuck close because of her father’s billion dollar net worth .

during her high school years , rosemary’s bullying had never gotten the physical realm , but she had definitely done a number on those of a lower social status ( yuck ) . however , rosemary was able to continue with her ballet ( and even managed to have a completely different personality when around her ballerina ‘ friends ’ ) . during her summers before her junior and senior years , rosemary traveled to new york where she spent summers training with the american ballet theatre . come her graduation from high school when she was only eighteen years old , rosemary moved out of her parents’ home in chicago to her current apartment in the plaza hotel , as she was invited to become a member of abt’s corps de ballet . she participated in a number of performances , ranging from romeo & juliet to swan lake to the sleeping beauty . after four years , rosemary was promoted to soloist , and she made full circle when she made her soloist debut as clara in abt’s production of the nutcracker . her all time dream is to become a principal dancer within the company .

outside of her career in dance , rosemary is a brand spokeswoman and stage performer , often participating in broadway productions during the off - season of abt .

when it comes to her personality , rosemary is every inch the girl that’s clearly had a silver spoon in her mouth since birth . she was always one of the popular girls in her grade , so naturally that went to her head . of course she’s used to being amongst the richest in her school , but rosemary still rides on an extremely high horse . she’s ridiculously petty and can be quite manipulative at times , also pulling out her bratty side whenever she feels like she needs to use it . she’s mean and vindictive , especially when she feels like someone has done something wrong to her ( no matter how small it may be ) . she can be nice when she wants to be and it all depends on if people are gonna challenge her or not . for the most part , she can be chill but she 100000% believes in the philosophy of if you can’t take it , don’t dish it out .

i ... would put a list of wanted connections here , but i kind of prefer brainstorming or going based on chemistry ! that being said , i do have a wanted connections tag that can be found on my page ( for whatever reason tumblr is saying it doesn’t exist but i promise , the posts are there >:/ ) !

#wealthyhq:intro #bullying cw #i'm hopping off for a quick second to take a shower #but once i'm back i'll be ready to plot w everyone !#um hfsb this is kinda long

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theseadagiodays · 4 years

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May 4, 2020

This is Not a Performance

Irving H Bolano’s incredible repurposed newspaper fashion for the Met Gala Challenge on Twitter #HFMetGala2020

May the Fourth be With You as you reach the next chapter of this current sci-fi drama we seem to be living through. As the saying goes, reality can be stranger than fiction. But it just happens to be a many red-eyed virus rather than an evil, black-masked father that we’re fighting as we all walk around like Storm Troopers.

There are so many aspects of our lives, during Covid, which make it feel like we are actors in a make-believe story. First of all, we’ve all become movie stars, with our faces, homes, and even pets showcased on our own silver screens. As isolated as we are, our private lives now play out in the public sphere more than ever - no paparazzi required. For some, this invasion of privacy is unwelcomed. But for many people, it satisfies a secret longing to share themselves with a wider audience. After all, deep down, everyone wants to be seen and heard (I guess, me included, since I have this blog, after all). It’s why TikTok and YouTube and Facebook have become multi-billion dollar companies so quickly. And now, while this pandemic is a harsh daily reminder of the impermanence of all things, it makes sense that these digital missives are an attempt to seek immortality, in some strange way.

As someone whose work responds to human’s need to have a voice, I truly get why this is the case. And I love that this time has turned housewives into opera stars, and health care workers into hip hop dancers, and housepets into circus performers. But, at the same time, I have become very aware of the masks that we wear, even inside our homes, to portray a certain self to the world that may stray quite far from our authentic selves. The expression “dance like no one is watching” acknowledges the fact that we all tend to perform when we have an audience, and perhaps we’re only truly ourselves when we don’t. I understand that the way we “perform” ourselves online gives each of us a chance to reinvent the fictions we want our stories to have. So, while I surely take some guilty pleasure from intimate glimpses into strangers’ lives, I also do so with a certain skepticism about the veracity of what I’m seeing.

This became particularly true for me when I received a recent link from my friend and amazing singer/songwriter, Dominique Fricot. Capitalizing on this current trend of oversharing, he cleverly asked his fans to film their morning routines for the music video of his new song, Wake Up, by his duo, Flora Falls. Dom’s warm tenor voice blended with his partner’s breathy tones feel just like a lazy morning in bed. But I’ll leave it up to you to decide just how accurate these portrayals of people’s idyllic daytime rituals actually are.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=EbsqXou5FeY

May 5, 2020

Homeschool Heroes

About twenty years ago, I was invited to adjudicate a youth music competition in the Yukon. Travelling to one of the northernmost inhabited spots on earth, I imagined that my greatest surprise might have been a polar bear or Northern Lights sighting. But it turned out to be something entirely different. Among the 25,000 residents of the thriving metropolis of Whitehorse exists a treasure trove of talent. I could not believe the incredibly honed skills and nuanced expression with which these 11-18 year-olds played. Wondering why, I developed a theory that I now call SLoW: Sheltered Living Wonder. When long, dark days, cold climates or pandemics force people indoors, they tend to spend inordinate amounts of time on creative endeavors and skill development. In other words, they slow down and take time for wonder.

This theory has surely applied during these past few months of sheltering in place. One of the most remarkable examples has been the inventiveness that many of my friends have brought to their first attempts with homeschooling. So, I wanted to give a few shout outs to some of these Homeschool Heroes and the highly imaginative projects they’ve done with their kids.

Stunning Easter Eggs made from natural materials and dye, by my friend Jane Cox and her kids (Botany lesson)

Candy Covid virus, made by Amelia, my friend Jen Sanke’s daughter, as she learned about the virus’ proteins (Biology lesson)

But perhaps the prize for most complex homeschool project has to go to my architect friend, Bryn Davidson, who upon returning from Australia, in late March, had to fully quarantine for 2-weeks. So, with his 5-year old son Bei as helper, this Physics lesson allowed him to enjoy home delivery beer while in isolation. Just brilliant!

https://youtu.be/FF9-2dWoUtc

May 6, 2020

Living in livestream

So today, 5 million British Columbian’s awaited our “sentence” with baited breath, as word spread that our provincial prime minister would deliver the Re-Open BC plan at 3 pm. I have to admit, it felt a bit like when you were “grounded” as an adolescent and then your parents returned certain privileges to you. Of course, I’m well aware that our province has already been far more licentious than many places around the globe. We’ve been fortunate to maintain reasonably low numbers of infection (just over 2,000), with counts as low as 8 new cases per day, at this point. So, while our provincial parks closed, our beaches never did. While we were encouraged, within a reasonable range of home, to be active outdoors, we were not restricted to walks only within the 100 metre radius of our house, as my Israeli friends were. And while we could still shop at gardening and furniture stores, to make sheltering at home more enjoyable, New Zealanders had nothing but grocery stores and pharmacies open, for two months.

I have sensed the gratitude my fellow Vancouverites have felt about these privileges. But that does not mean that we aren’t still anxious to return to other aspects of living which we’ve missed. When lockdown began, ominously on the Ides of March (the 15th), I’d harboured a secret hope that certain restrictions might be lifted on my birthday (exactly two months later). And it turns out that Phase Two of the BC ReOpen plan will commence on May 19th, just 4 days later than I’d hoped. What I most look forward to experiencing again are small gatherings with friends, (we’ll soon be allowed to socialize in public with up to 10 people); meals inside certain restaurants and pubs (those that are able to function within WorkPlace BC’s safety regulations); visits to registered massage therapists; and hugs with select people, (”using one’s own ‘risk assessment’.”)

But in the long-range plan, the harsh reality for artists has been laid out, as Phase Four (which includes resuming large-venue concerts, conventions, and international travel) can not occur until either a vaccine has been developed, an effective treatment plan is widely available, or herd immunity is achieved. And this is not estimated to occur until mid-2021 or later. So, the prospects are still bleak for symphony orchestras, opera and dance companies, artists who perform in crowded bars, or musicians who travel for arena shows and festivals. This likely means that in order to satisfy audiences’ need to access live performance, and for artists to continue to share their creativity, livestream formats will still have to persist for some time. Therefore, I thought I’d share a few regular weekly livestream arts events here, both from Vancouver, LA & NY.

Canadian National Live Art Champion, Dmitri Sirenko, who we featured at our non-profit’s annual benefit on February 20th, 2020

Every Monday Night at 7 pm PST (Vancouver) Poetry Slam: https://www.facebook.com/Vancouverpoetryslam/

Every Thursday at 5 pm PST (LA): LIVE Art Battles - Watch painters do their magic in just 20 minutes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWJoWGVwzGtk99nTOCib9vg

Every Thursday at 8 pm EST (NY): Spotlight on Plays - famous actors perform readings of theatre pieces, online: https://www.broadwaysbestshows.com/post/the-best-of-series/

May 7, 2020

Collateral Blessings

So many thoughtful writers are adding to the discourse, as we all strive to make meaning from what can feel like a senseliess time. I have so appreciated the abundance with which people are sharing these missives, right now. Every day, bursts of inspiration or flickers of insight come my way, thru texts, emails and Facebook. Like adventurers, traveling together thru the dark of night, we shine light on guideposts, anywhere we can find them, as we collectively quench each other’s thirst for wisdom.

One of the most profound writings I‘ve recently discovered came from a stranger’s blog. In The Examined Family, Courtney Martin, without ever diminishing the gravity of the havoc that this virus has wreaked, writes about some of the assets that have also come out of this time. New friendships with neighbors. A long-neglected puzzle completed with her kids. The time to draw and truly notice an artichoke in her back garden. My good friend Juan calls these collateral blessings. This reference to the accidental gifts that this cruel virus has given us, is a beautiful twist on “collateral damage”, a term coined to explain accidental friendly-fire deaths during the Gulf War. Commenting on the anticipatory nostalgia that she projects she will feel about certain things, once this time has passed, Courtney writes:

“I instantly feel overwhelmed at the prospect of schedules and stuff. I don’t want to go back to our former accumulation or frenetic pace. I don’t want to stop texting (my neighbor) my little triumphs. I don’t want to forget about the artichokes in the garden. I don’t ever want to forget this happened--the grief and the beauty of it. I’m not even sure that will be possible, but if it were, I wouldn’t want it. I don’t want to vote like it didn’t happen. I don’t want to eat like it didn’t happen. I don’t want to consume like it didn’t happen. I don’t want to schedule like it didn’t happen. I don’t want to mother or daughter or befriend or neighbor like it didn’t happen. I don’t want to sit inside this little life, noticing and appreciating and breathing, like it didn’t happen. There is unnecessary suffering all around me, and inside of me, too, but there is also necessary meaning. May we hold on to that.”

You can read her full entry here: https://courtney.substack.com/p/unnecessary-suffering-and-necessary?token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjo3OTg0NDcyLCJwb3N0X2lkIjozNzU1NDMsIl8iOiJCTnk2VyIsImlhdCI6MTU4NzA1MjgyMCwiZXhwIjoxNTg3MDU2NDIwLCJpc3MiOiJwdWItMjA5MjIiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.puI9NMne-783ypInpvTkJ96T237WcrTo2ItDhqlkMiY

May 8, 2020

Nostalgia

I’m rarely one prone to nostalgia. My childhood photo albums are in storage. I have no family heirlooms displayed in my home. My tendency is to revel in the present or dream about the future. But this pandemic has strangely turned me into a sentimental fool. Perhaps this return to simpler times, where we seldom shop, where we wander mostly by foot, or where we get to know our neighbors better, makes us long for the past in certain ways.

For me, I’ve honored this by resurrecting my daily teenage Twizzler habit - a candy I’ve rarely eaten since then, but that now feels so satisfying during my Netflix & Chill evenings (while watching films almost as old like Groundhog Day & Anchorman).

I’m also listening a lot to Old School Hip Hop, where the explative-free rhymes of the 90’s feel so strangely innocent. It’s refreshing to listen to these musicians spit verses that merely celebrate the joys of dance and rap, rather than ranting about gun violence and other societal ills. Run DMC It’s Tricky (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-O5IHVhWj0) and Beastie Boys Body Movin’ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvRBUw_Ls2o) happen to be personal favorites.

Last month, I was tickled by an old memory while planting a lilac bush in my backyard. I suddenly remembered a story about my college boyfriend, whom I hadn’t thought of in 30 years. Our relationship started a bit secretively, so as not to hurt his ex’s feelings. So, one May afternoon, we snuck away to a distant park that was hosting a Lilac Festival. Unfortunately, our ruse was quickly spoiled when a candid photo of our picnic under the purple blooms was plastered all over the front page of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle the next morning.

Another sweet memory returned in culinary form. Every Tuesday, for 7 years, my mother selflessly drove me an hour from home and back, for my flute lesson. And to break up the long drive, we regularly stopped at Bickford’s Pancake House for my favorite adolescent treat: breakfast for dinner. Their specialty was the Dutch Baby Apple. And I finally made my first homemade attempt at this deceptively easy delicacy, last Tuesday.

This has also been a time to return to bedtime stories (some I’ve read to friends’ kids, and others for adults to hear.) The Great Realisation by British performance artist, Tom Foolery, has been making the social media rounds. But in case you missed this touching tale that looks back on this time as if the tale is being told in a not-so-distant future, it’s a wistful story about some aspects of modern life that we may never long for in the future:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nw5KQMXDiM4

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