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dcbbw · 2 months

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WIP Wishlist 2024

Hello tumblrs , and Happy March 2020-4! I’m still waiting for the new year to actually feel like a new year instead of a continuum of the year before it. Can anyone else relate?

At the very beginning of the year, while battling a never-ending case of RSV, I saw posts here about people’s writing resolutions and goals for this year. Me? I have a wish list of stories I want to start, continue, and/or finish. I will still be writing original stories, but thinking this may be the year I settle down and write/publish my own Great American Novel. We’ll see.

Meanwhile, below is a glimpse of what immediately came to mind when I thought to put this together. Where applicable, snippets will be posted. As usual, everything is in states of rough drafts and flux, and final publication may vary from what you read here.

Newbies:

These are stories that are in the creation conception stage; ideas, thoughts, some words.

The False Queen

A long ago battle between the True Queen (Ravika/Riley) and her usurper (Magda/Madeleine) resumes during the Cordonian Social Season. Think Xena, Warrior Princess with some time travel thrown in.

Untitled

An unlikely pair (Justin/Anton x Kiara) finds love during the Engagement Tour. But with Anton having other plans in mind, the path to happily ever after is anything but smooth.

Wolves and Sheep

Combining my Riam, Anton, and Secrets of Cordonia AUs, this is the story of the trial of Anton Severus.

At the prosecutor’s table sits the Duchy’s High Counsel and Lord Rashad Domvallier. Folders and papers are stacked neatly on the table while the men converse quietly as they type on laptop keyboards.

The defense attorneys sit at a table across the aisle from them: a statuesque blonde woman wearing a gray pantsuit and an African man in a pinstriped three-piece navy suit. The woman is reviewing a document, her pen occasionally scribbling on the paper. The man is speaking in hushed tones into his cellphone.

Security is omnipresent: King’s Guards work and stand side-by-side with the local constabulary and guardians of the Court.

A side door swings open; two guards, followed by the defendant and two additional sentries enter. The guards part, allowing the public its first glimpse of Anton Severus in over five years. The quiet of the courtroom is broken by rustling and whispering as everyone strains forward. Members of the Cordonian Court are no exception.

A sneer of disdain twists the mouth of the Duchess of Lythikos, Anton’s ex-wife. Her fingertips unconsciously begin rubbing the area on her abdomen where his dagger tore her flesh.

The King leans forward intently, his dark-ebony eyes hard as obsidian. His expression is stoic, betraying nothing.

The Queen is sitting ramrod straight, her eyes wide. “Holy FUCK, he’s hot!” she murmured. “I could make that man a King.”

Without breaking his gaze on his nemesis, the King lightly slaps her thigh, causing his wife to frown at him. “I said what I said,” she hisses. “I did it for you, I can do it for him.”

“I was royal long before I met you, and King when I married you,” Liam reminds her in a slightly reproving tone, his eyes still fixed on Anton.

“There you go, twisting the narrative,” Riley huffs as she reaches for her husband’s hand. He readily allows her to hold it.

Affairiage

I thought I was making Leo Rys and Savannah Walker leads in my version of Same Time Next Year, but it appears I’m doing a fanfic of 28 Summers

Heartland

Back in the Year 500 BC, I came up with the idea of a late 1950s period piece featuring the TRR crew, and promptly never said another word about it:

Well, cauldrons are beginning to bubble, and plans are being made to rework plot and premise to turn this into an anthology series set in the American Midwest during an era where Dick Clark reigned, Jim Crow ruled, and innocence began to lose its bloom.

Sixteen Candles

Another story that popped into my brain and left just as quickly. But thoughts of Drake Walker as Jake Ryan and Liam as Long Duck Dong are back and this time, I don’t think they’re going anywhere.

Small Town Secrets

This was originally titled Life in a Southern Town aka The Political AU and was going to follow the political campaigns of five mayoral candidates: Riley Brooks, the incumbent; her ex-husband Liam Rys (they still live together in the same house and co-parent their two daughters), a former state senator; Madeleine, District A councilmember; Leo Rys, the dark horse candidate; and Drake Walker, Riley’s former (?) lover who calls her a demon and a plague on the town.

However, life events and imagination are collaborating, and I am repurposing the story to include political intrigue, hidden secrets, and humor in inappropriate places.

Debating if this will be a Great American Novel nominee, and whether to use OCs versus the usual cast of characters.

Little Nobles

A (somewhat) light-hearted look at the childhoods of my favorite noble gang, along with the friendships and rivalries between their parents.

In Progress:

Stories that are nagging me to write them/finish them

City Girl, Country Boy

Tis the season, and Liam finds himself alone on holiday in Manhattan where he runs across an old friend.

From the corner of my eye, I glimpse height and dark wool; hands stuffed in pockets. Perfectly combed dark hair and Asiatic features on a half-shadowed face. I mentally shake my head as I continue walking. It’s been over a decade since we last laid eyes on each other; there’s no way it’s him.

I’m disappointed that after all this time, I still search for his face in the crowd, that I still hope he will pursue me despite the different trajectories our lives have taken. My steps are quicker as I pass apartment buildings, skyscrapers, and storefronts gaily decorated in the theme of the season. Street vendors hawk bootleg wares

I’m nearing Canal Street subway when I hear running footsteps behind me. Automatically, I step to aside, so I don’t get barreled over but the steps slow as they near me.

“Excuse me, miss,” a familiar baritone says, and I stop walking.

It can’t be.

I haven’t heard that voice in 12 years, but I don’t need to look to know who it is. I turn anyway so my ears and eyes can be in agreement. I am hoping my expression is neutral despite my insides being a squirrel in traffic.

He hasn’t changed.

His hair is still black with that streak of gray on the side; his face still unlined. Or maybe the New York night softens his years. He wears a custom-tailored, black wool coat; his wingtips are so polished, I see the streetlamps reflected in them. His cologne is subtle and not the one I remember. He still exudes confidence despite the smidgen of uncertainty in his eyes.

Me on the other hand, I am now more TJ Maxx and Macy’s clearance rack than Louboutin. I don’t smell expensive; more like affordable. My trench coat is … vintage, and long overdue for a dry cleaning. My shoes are a dull matte black, scuffed from traversing streets and subways.

“It is you.” I hear his disbelieving whisper despite the throng of people impatiently jostling past us.

The Odd Couples

It’s throwback DC AU gang, all mixed up: Liam x Liv; Drake x Madeleine; Leo x Riley; Max x Penelope

The couple was in Baltimore for the weekend, attending a costume party thrown by Liv’s employer. There had been a buffet, open bar, and a prize for the best costume. Which Liam and Olivia did not win; Carlos Santiago, a member of the Environmental Services team, along with his wife and three children came costumed as birds and bees and won the prize.

Liam and Liv were The Ricardos: Olivia’s red hair was done up in Lucy’s signature poodle hairstyle, and her dress was a dead ringer for the world’s most famous housewife’s iconic frock. He had wanted to wear a tuxedo and carry a conga drum but settled for Ricky’s purple polka dot silk smoking jacket with shawl collar, black pants, and black velvet slippers.

“I can’t believe we didn’t win!” Liam muttered beneath his breath as he came behind Olivia, arms encircling her waist; his palms splayed against her flat, toned stomach. She responded by leaning against him, her back pressed against his chest.

“Don’t hate!” she admonished. “With those Korean features and Boston accent, no way were you a convincing Cuban band leader. Besides, you have to admit the birds and the bees is a pretty creative idea.”

“Not more creative than my SOCK GAME! I mean, Liv … you gotta admit, it’s damn good tonight!”

He was wearing black, knee-length socks with red hearts inscribed with “I Love Lucy” scattered all over.

Olivia rolled her eyes in exasperation at the mention of his sock game.

This man and his socks! He thought his sock game could cure cancer and bring about world peace.

“You’re sock game is great as it always is, darling. But it was a costume contest,” Olivia placated in a soothing tone as his fingers began removing bobby pins from her hair.

She spun around, facing her boyfriend. Her hair fell in soft curls that framed her face. Her green eyes twinkled as she pressed a quick kiss against his lips.

“You big, spoiled baby,” she teased. “Wanna smoke? I brought a couple of blunts along.”

Quickly, he shook his head. “No way am I going to be in BALTIMORE off some loud.”

Alienation of Affection

An installment of my Gritty City AU loosely based on true events where sneaky links and self-loathing collide. Reader discretion will be advised.

Caught

Inspired by a keysmash-filled convo with @ao719, a twist on the night of the Engagement Ball

This is her first admission of guilt and/or wrongdoing our entire time together.

She has no choice.

I attempt a deep inhale, but my chest is too tight.

The wedding is in one week. Tonight was our engagement gala.

“Yes, Liam yes!!! A THOUSAND TIMES, yes!”

I caught her … them … in the act. The woman I love madly, truly, deeply and the man I trust more than anything in the world.

I manage to choke out a single question. “Why?”

Her shoulders slump as her head falls forward, causing her hair to cover her profile. “It hasn’t been going on long; it started on the Engagement Tour. I told him in Vegas that what we had would have to end.”

I watched her leave the stag party arm-in-arm with Drake Walker. My best friend, with whom Riley wanted to have a fling. She swore it was a one-time affair; she was too much in love with me, but she wished to satisfy her curiosity.

I attempted to leave first, but I was not only one of the honorees, I was also King.

Per traditional protocol, the King is the last to leave.

So I remained behind, drinking copious amounts of American liquor, making small talk in a loud voice so as to be heard over noisy music, and dancing with women I had previously rejected.

All while Riley spent the night with another man.

“But it hasn’t,” I interrupt harshly.

Based on Tumblr Events:

Untitled Song Rewrite

Based on Jill Scott’s Epiphany

Sisters Someone

A two-part story that brings together Sloane Washington and Kiara Theron for their respective appreciation weeks (hosted by @lizzybeth1986)

Untarnished Silver

For King Liam Appreciation Week (KLAW), a look at 25 years of the rule and reign of Cordonia’s favorite King

The Grand Ballroom in the Palace’s West Wing had been completely transformed into an elegant banquet hall:

Buffet tables filled with steaming trays of foods catered from two of Cordonia’s newest and most critically acclaimed restaurants: The Little Lamb, and its sister eatery The Commoner’s Crown, were conveniently placed next to open bars throughout the humongous room.

Tables were covered with white linen cloths and topped with floral centerpieces of irises, Peruvian lilies, and magnolias in silver vases. The flowers represented congratulations and longevity, sentiments that had been expressed repeatedly to the King and his family during the tour.

Balloon bouquets colored silver and cream floated near the ornate ceiling, as well as being tied to chairbacks. Dining tables strategically ringed the room, affording the 1,500 attendees a full view of the stage and podium. Life-sized photographs hung from brocaded walls, capturing moments of the King’s life:

Accepting the Crown Princeship one week to the day his brother Leo abdicated.

Coronation night, wearing the King’s crown, royal robes, and holding the family scepter.

Feeding ducks at Lake Fabian with his mother.

He and Riley’s engagement portrait.

Their wedding day, mouths opened in laughter with their faces covered in cake and frosting.

In a dressing gown, his back to the camera and face in profile as he held one of his sons in his arms.

Atop a horse with a frown of concentration on his face, playing in a charity polo match, the camera catching his mallet mid-swing.

Speaking with Chancellor Merkel at a summit, a half-smile on his face as they looked down at a document, his index finger pointing to something on the paper.

He and Riley dancing at their 20th wedding anniversary party, her face nuzzled against his neck while his lips hovered above her ear.

A funny family portrait, complete with exaggerated poses and expressions.

The Couple Next Door

A reworking of the 2005 action comedy hit, Mr. & Mrs. Smith

Final Cut

Based on the first three chapters of a Round Robin hosted by @choicesprompts

Bertrand Beaumont turned off the microphone before shuffling, then paper-clipping his index cards. He glanced up briefly to see the group filing out of the hotel’s ballroom; a curious expression crossed his face when he saw a few laggers approach others, striking up conversations.

What have I gotten myself into?

Starting a public relations firm had seemed a great idea a year ago. With the Duke’s diverse background in fashion, finance, and political legalities, coupled with his penchant for decorum and obsession with appearances, it had seemed a no-brainer.

Savannah was his operations manager, responsible for events logistics and administrative support. Justin Severus was his right-hand person; he had done a marvelous job restoring the Queen’s reputation after the unfortunate incident at Applewood.

He stepped from behind the podium and briskly made his way off the dais, looking down at his watch as he strode through the room. Looking back up, he saw Justin leaning against a wall, waiting for him at the elevator bank. The closer Bertrand approached his deputy, a wide smile spread across Justin’s face.

“You were great!” he greeted the Duke. “You kept the rowdies in line and gave them just enough to pique their curiosity.”

Bertrand pushed the call button. “This group is not what I was expecting. South American overlords. Hollywood has-beens and wanna-bes. AMERICANS! We’re going to need to double-check the mentor list again.”

Bertrand had postponed the mentor/mentee matchup because it was not yet finalized.

“It’s a hella group, for certain. The subject of an international child custody case, a lawsuit-riddled doctor, disgraced C-suite executive, Leo, Trystan, Olivia, a scandal-ladened starlet, America’s Sweethearts, Princess Marguerite, and Duke Dick.”

Bertrand gave Justin a withering glance. “DO NOT engage in intercourse with the Princess!” he warned.

“Too late,” Justin smirked.

Bertrand shook his head before commenting again. “The Selection Committee must have been drunk when they approved their choices. Have the other members of Court arrived?”

The elevator arrived and the gentlemen boarded. Justin’s index finger punched their floor number as he shook his head.

“Not yet. A storm is coming in, waves are choppy. They should be here by 4, and that will be the last ferry into and out of the Isle until Monday morning.”

Bertrand mulled over the information. “At least we don’t have to worry about anyone sneaking off.”

Finish Them:

So these are stories that are soooo close to completion, but I am on the fence with two of them; the others, not sure why they are still sitting around gathering dust.

House of Cards

Based on the international phenomenon Squid Games, this is the backstory of “The Salesman”. On the fence about this story, and more so about posting this one in the fandom.

On this, the night of Day 2, the remaining participants were playing yet another “game”: Pillow Fight.

Innocent sounding enough.

Except everyone knew there would be a deadly twist, and all wanted to be alive in the morning. After realizing that this was a game to the death; overcoming the initial shock of a robotic doll the size of a fully grown tree whose eyes were infra-red cameras, and learning elimination meant certain demise … partners had already become opposition.

Player 081 inadvertently set the match to the fuse. No one knew if it was intentional. No one cared.

The middle-aged man, who was less than 48 hours into a dry drunk, muttered “fuck” under his breath as he stood on his top tier bunk in an attempt to press his palm against the glass pig’s underbelly.

No one was sure why.

Was he trying to steal the bank’s treasure? Or turn off the irritating light?

It no longer mattered.

The money wasn’t his and now, it never would be.

As pillowcases filled with objects such as rocks, sturdy tree branches, and in some …mere feathers randomly swung wildly, the white cotton slowly seeped red. Hollers and screams filled the room and echoed off walls and ceilings as beds collapsed from metal bars being snatched by the frenzied mob or being tipped over in the melee.

On the other side of the bunker, a thin, petite woman who looked no older than a teenager sniffled, the tears she cried streaking a bruised cheek covered with the dried blood of a corpse. A young man lay on his side behind her on the narrow mattress, his cracked voice in her ear.

“It’s gonna be okay, Soo-Ah; just four more games and then we can leave,” he assured her in a ragged whisper.

The woman hitched her breath. “My pillowcase has FEATHERS, Sang-yul! If they pull me into the fray, I’ll be leaving here a lot sooner than four days!” Her body shook with silent sobs.

The 23-year-old street urchin said nothing. Instead, he swallowed heavily and tried not to puke at the smell of blood, both old and fresh, assailing his nostrils. His arms tightened around Soo-Ah, his only friend in this hellhole.

The pig’s lighting flickered faster and more erratically as the fighting grew more frenzied. Sickening thuds, bellows of pain, and the sounds of shoe soles squeaking against the blood and brain splattered linoleum flooring were as loud as bombs.

Sang-yul chanced a glance over his shoulder, his body tensing at the sight of someone headed in their direction, their face pale and ghoulish in the broken light. A metal pipe was carried in one hand, a bloodied cloth sack in the other.

Coal black eyes darted everywhere looking for a victim.

Less players meant more money.

Sins of the Father

A Gritty City AU installment. Reader discretion will be advised.

He met Madeleine at her car door, his lips crashing uninvited against hers in a kiss filled with desperation and disbelief. When the kiss ended as abruptly as it began, Madeleine adjusted her tortoise-shell glasses while her green eyes searched Liam’s face almost warily.

“What the hell was that?”

“Someone killed Poppa Joe tonight!”

Madeleine quelled a shiver that raised goosebumps on her exposed skin before reaching back inside the car for her purse. “Thank GOD,” she breathed as opened the rear driver-side door to release Hans and Gunther, who bounded out of the car and sat before Liam so he could rub their heads and murmur sweet gibberish to them.

The restauranteur was yet another of Poppa Joe’s victims; when she was 15, the priest had gotten her pregnant. The scandal was handled quietly by the parish and her parents; the latter believed the father of the baby was an upperclassman named Tariq.

The young blonde left school for one month due to “illness”. It wasn’t a complete fabrication.

Madeleine’s abortion was a back-alley botch job which left her with a raging infection and too much blood loss. She survived but had to have an emergency hysterectomy.

She no longer cared. When she and Liam were getting serious and discussing marriage and family, he was relieved they would be unable to have children.

Tariq, the son of poor Moroccan immigrants, was transferred to an exclusive private school in the city’s North End, all expenses paid via a scholarship provided by St. Joan’s Academies.

“How did the rest of the party go?” she asked quietly as they began walking towards the house, holding hands; her blonde hair bounced against her shoulders.

Liam nodded slightly. “Good. We got Sloan Enterprise and slew of new donors.” His side-eyed his wife. “Where did you go with the dogs? It was supposed to be a walk.”

Madeleine turned her head vaguely, meeting her husband’s gaze.

“Ice cream,” she replied in a soft voice.

Her husband nodded thoughtfully. The term was code between them; when situations became too overwhelming, too triggering, they said they needed “ice cream.”

“I hope you brought me some back.” Liam squeezed Madeleine’s hand more tightly.

“You don’t like chocolate.”

The Queen’s Friendship

Riley was chatting with Maxwell in the Delegates Dining Room at the UN, waiting for the gala to begin. Liam was at the head of the room, arm in arm with Madeleine. His eyes spotted Riley and he winked. Riley rolled hers and turned her back to him.

“Blossom, don’t act like this! You know he’s trying,” Maxwell begged.

“WE’RE trying! He’s kissing his fiancée,” Riley retorted. Her eyes scanned the room. “Oh, look … there’s Drake,” she stated before walking away from Maxwell.

Riley had no idea if it was Drake or not, she just wanted away. From Liam, Madeleine, Maxwell … Cordonia. Riley figured now was the time to make the break. She was back home in New York City. She still had her apartment, for the next month at least. She passed by elegantly dressed tables and came upon an hors d'oeuvres station; she paused to pile a tiny plate with even tinier bits of food when she heard her name.

“Riley Brooks?”

She turned, a disinterested expression on her face until she saw who it was. Riley hurriedly set her plate on the edge of the buffet table before wrapping her arms around Veronica.

“OH MY GOD, Ronnie! What are you doing here?” Riley shrieked.

Veronica hugged her old friend tightly. “It’s so good to see you!” The women separated. “You look great, girl! I’m one of the event planners, why are you here?”

Riley shrugged. “I’m with the band.”

Veronica shook her head in disbelief. “How did you end up with royalty?”

“I answered an ad to be a waitress.”

DC AU Series, Chapter 6

The chirping of birds and a full bladder woke Riley up. She arched her neck, eyes still closed; they opened quickly when she felt arms around her waist and Liam’s soft snores behind her. Last night ran through her brain: their fight, their kiss, their confessions. Riley inhaled and let out a shaky breath; were they really going to do this?

Yes.

Was she ready for it?

No.

Her hands curled around Liam’s wrists, trying to pull them apart. He resisted at first, but let his arms fall away from her body. Riley missed their warmth immediately.

“Where are you going?” Liam mumbled.

“Bathroom and to take my meds.”

“Your pill and a bottle of water are on your nightstand.”

Riley looked and saw the pink pill sitting on a tissue, next to an unopened bottle of water. When did he do that?

“Thank you. But unless you put a toilet on the nightstand as well, I gotta get up.”

Liam shifted, allowing Riley to move and sit up. He watched her adjust her night shirt; his eye was caught by a mole on the back of her neck. His finger reached out, touching it experimentally. Riley giggled as she shrugged away from his touch.

“It’s like a potato bug,” Liam said as he tried to touch the mole again.

“Oh, dear God! Don’t you have to go to work or something?”

Liam lay on his back, hands behind his head. “Not going in today. You need me here.”

Riley frowned at him as she walked past the foot of the bed. “I’m fine, Liam. It’s just Drake.”

“Drake with apologies and explanations and closure. Different Drake than what you’re used to. I’ll feel better if I’m here.”

Riley shook her head as she stepped into the bathroom.

“This is what having a man who wants to claim you is like, Riley B.!” he called out.

“We’re not there yet!” she hollered back.

“Practice makes perfect!”

Oldies but Goodies:

New chapters/updates of old stories:

Timing

Object of Affection

Betrayal (Riam)

The Commonerr’s Wife

The Commoner (not that old, but I too want a thrid chapter)

One Night Stand

UnRomance

Streets of New York

Platinum (truly needs to be filed under Finish Them)

Best Friend (Depeche Mode Diary entry, needs to be a Finish Them)

Liara

And these are my #goals for 2024 writing-wise. I hope something caught your eye, piqued your interest. For all those still hanging with me and exercising the utmost patience while I let life kick my ass, I LOVE YOU! Something’s coming soon-ish, just not sure what.

Hope you’re here for it.

Tagging: @jared2612 @marietrinmimi @indiacater @kingliam2019 @bebepac @liamxs-world @mom2000aggie @liamrhysstalker2020 @twinkleallnight @umccall71 @superharriet @busywoman @beezm @gabesmommie1130 @tessa-liam @gardeningourmet @mainstreetreader @angelasscribbles @emkay512 @princessleac1 @charlotteg234 @alj4890 @lovingchoices14 @lady-calypso @choicesficwriterscreations

#dcbbw writes #all the wips #trr/trh au fanfiction #writer on tumblr

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foxes-that-run · 6 months

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Little Freak

Did you dress up for Halloween? Little Freak is a sweet song, Harry is thinking about an ex and looking at the relationship with distance. It has many references to Taylor. It was written when he was in Tokyo Oct-Dec 2018. Taylor had her last Reputation concert 21 November, 2018 in Tokyo.

youtube

Little Freak was written on bad rental gear, he said it went through 19 versions before finally being on Harry's House. Ophelia is possibly written at the same time, it references Tokyo. TBSL is similar, references Taylor in a similar way, but Harry said it was written in Bath later.

To Howard Stern, Harry said if a song didn't make a previous album why would it make this one, however noted 2 songs on Harry's House are older, but they fit sonically on the album. There is another great post here.

Lyrics

Little freak, Jezebel You sit high atop the kitchen counter Stay green a little while You bring blue lights to dreams

Jezabel is possibly a reference to 'Slut!' Taylor also references this line in the opening of the Bejewelled MV "the prince would not have anything to do with that Harlot again."

Harry references kitchens in Haylor songs Sunflower Vol 6 (kiss in the kitchen), Two Ghosts (fridge light washes the room white), here it is a device to remember a calm intimacy with his muse

A Blue film is an adult film, the last line is a wet dream.

Starry haze, crystal ball Somehow, you've become some paranoia A wet dream just dangling But your gift is wasted on me

The starry haze, crystal ball is a reference to the Ready for it...? MV. Which is about Harry, he also referenced it in To be so Lonely. Ready for it also references a sexual dream "In the middle of the night, in my dreams (eh) / You should see the things we do (we do), baby" It was an impressive tour open too.

The paranoia refers to the complicated nature of their relationship (Fine Line, DBATC) he is asked about her a lot and while their songs imply they interact, they are almost never seen together so they may work hard at that.

The wet dream, just dangling, to me means unfinished business with her that he doesn't know how to resolve.

He feels her musical gifts are wasted on him, (they aren't Harry, you're the best muse)

This producer video comments on the use of a Linn drum machine as something Jack Antonoff uses on Taylor Swifts songs. (26:30)

I was thinkin' about who you are Your delicate point of view, I Was thinkin' about you I'm not worried about where you are Or who you will go home to, I'm Just thinkin' about you

This verse refers to another Haylor Reputation song, Delicate, which also tells of sexual tension. However, here Harry uses the song title to flatter her and adds that he is not feeling possessive, just thinking of her.

Did you dress up for Halloween? I spilt beer on your friend, I'm not sorry A golf swing and a trampoline Maybe we'll do this again

This verse refers to Taylor and has links back to their time dating.

Taylor does dress up for halloween, like this 2014 1989-era Pegacorn. Harry and Taylor were also both in Tokyo a few weeks after Halloween

The spilt beer is often thought to be this photo of him with Karlie Kloss on a fashion persons yacht. It looks like water in front of him but I like to imagine this is it.

Blank Space MV Taylor took a golf club to a classic luxury car. Harry has many nice classic cars. In the Red era when they first dated Taylor had a trampoline on her tennis court and it also featured in the 22 MV.

in the close he asks maybe we'll do this again, I interpret that as maybe be together again one day. Olivia, WITW and Someday maybe have similar messages.

Tracksuit and a ponytail You hide the body all that yoga gave you Red wine and a ginger ale But you would make fun of me, for sure

Above I have a grab from Miss American, which was filmed during the Rep tour, in most of the back stage, home or recording scenes she is wearing a variation on a tracksuit and ponytail.

Red wine and ginger ale mixed is a seltzer type drink, here it is an 'easter egg' as there are red wine references in a lot of Haylor songs: DBATC (My time, my wine..), Clean (You're still all over me like a wine-stained dress I can't wear anymore), Maroon (The burgundy on my T-shirt when you splashed your wine into me), Olivia (This isn't the stain of a red wine, I'm bleeding love) and Grapejuice ("Give me something old and red")

I disrespected you Jumped in feet first, and I landed too hard A broken ankle, karma rules You never saw my birthmark

In the last verse Harry has started reflecting on how things ended, he acknowledges he disrespected Taylor. This may refer to the time in Now that we don't talk.

Harry broke his foot playing football while on tour in Ireland in October 2015, this is close to the time period in NTWDT, Harry includes a reference to Karma, Taylors maybe album, evential song from that time period.

Harry has a birthmark on his back so many think this means he has and will never turn his back on her. (I have seen another fandom say this means they were not intimate, dude- strangers on the internet can link to it)

to me the birthmark is not literal, I think she never saw his full self because of his age & the band. He spoke to both Howard Stern and Zane Lowe about all of his adult decisions being made as part of a group from 16-20. It was in a context of leaving One Direction. To me this emotional coasting (he says he was 'away' in TBSL) was a factor in the events of NTWDT and Is it over now?

But both of these are true, he won’t turn his back on her and he wasn’t his full self then.

#Youtube #happy halloween #harry styles #taylor swift #little freak #haylor #harry’s house

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raytorosaurus · 2 years

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do you have all the lore on the ray getting arrested for stealing batteries story? i feel like i’ve heard several fragments of a story but never the whole thing. and well you are the Ray Expert, so here i am

unfortunately the story as i know it only exists in fragments, but basically his tape recorder he used for demos needed batteries so he stole a couple from walmart, got caught, spent the night (?) in jail in iowa, and then after their tour had to fly back down for a court date. he plead guilty but the ended up letting him off without charge lol. i swear he mentioned it in a revenge era interview but i might have made that up, but he does in 2006 here, and gerard told the story on stage in december 2003 before they performed an earlier version of you know what they do to guys like us in prison, months before revenge was released:

“This one's about going to jail and getting raped. And it's about Ray going to jail because he stole some batteries last tour and he had to fly out to Iowa to go to court. Two fucking batteries the guy stole! And he was in jail. It's called, uh, You Know What They Do to Guys Like Us in Prison.”

and then they talked about it again in this classic thread of all time lmaooo (emeto warning if you click through)

#'ray expert' putting it on my resume to never be hired again #answered #mcr history #ray toro #also by 'emeto warning' i mean there's a photo of someone's vomit sjdjfjdj #rape mention

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sunset-telepath · 3 months

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Okay so what are your least favorites from each Taylor album??

I'm so glad you asked! I have prepared a list of what I consider to be the flops from each Taylor Swift album, which I humbly display to the grand court of the Swiftie public so that I may have tomatoes pelted into my face for my terrible brilliant opinions. And not only will I provide the songs I think are skips, I'll also provide my favorite songs from each album too! So more people can think I'm tasteless!

@orangejuicepdf I laughed at your opinions, it's only right you laugh at mine.

The scale goes from most not-favorite to least not-favorite on (skips) and most-favorite to least-favorite on (favs)

Debut (Skips):

Stay Beautiful (cORy'S eYeS aRE LiKe tHe jUnGLe)

Invisible (boring)

Should've Said No (we've been brainwashed by the Rep tour mash-up of it and Bad Blood into thinking it's a great song. Maybe it is, but the vocals are terrible and I can't wait for the re-recording)

Debut (Favs):

Teardrops on My Guitar

Our Song

Picture to Burn

Tim McGraw

Beautiful Eyes EP (Favs):

I Heart ? (the unknown superstar)

Beautiful Eyes (eaten up by I Heart ? and kind of mid)

The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection (Skips):

Santa Baby (Taylor is not (yet) a seductress)

The Taylor Swift Holiday Collection (Favs):

Last Christmas (one of the first songs I heard by Taylor on the radio as a toddler. rewired my brain into becoming a brainless stan)

Fearless (Skips):

Hey Stephen

You All Over Me

Jump Then Fall

Love Story (too hetero)

Fearless (Favs):

Forever & Always

Come in With the Rain

The Other Side of the Door

Untouchable

You Belong With Me

Superstar

The Way I Loved You

That's When

Don't You

Speak Now (Skips):

Innocent (I am not interested in Kanye Apologia)

Never Grow Up (boring)

Castles Crumbling

Speak Now (Favs):

I Can See You (Oh taylor you argumentative, antithetical, horny dream girl)

Last Kiss

Haunted

Electric Touch

Back to December

Foolish One

The Story of Us

Long Live

When Emma Falls In Love

Mine

Enchanted (lower on the list of favs because the Eras Tour Version makes it worse via comparison)

Red (Skips):

The Lucky One (replacement for Nothing New bc she couldn't sing about getting drunk at a bar yet. Also the fact that she wrote it about Joni Mitchell, who proceeded to say that Taylor couldn't sing)

Babe (sorry but it's a nothing surrounded by supermodels)

Ronan

too sad :(

Red (Favs):

Treacherous (the motif of two bright lights shows up in a lot of Taylor's best work)

The Last Time

The Moment I Knew

All Too Well

State of Grace

Red

I Almost Do

Sad Beautiful Tragic

Come Back... Be Here

Better Man

Forever Winter

Run

I Knew You Were Trouble

We Are Never Getting Back Together

The Entire Goddamn Album this was seriously one of the greatest albums of all time. Every song is amazing (except for the Lucky One and Babe, which aren't even bad they're just not as great as these other songs). I can't believe this lost to fucking that RAM shit. There's a special spot in hell for those grammy voters. Every single song is brilliant and amazing and really shows Taylor's maturation from Speak Now to 1989.

1989 (Skips):

Slut!

(Taylor babe you cannot convince me that Harry Styles is a gentleman in a world of boys)

This man Taylor? This man?

How You Get The Girl (I'm gay)

1989 (Favs):

Blank Space (my psycho queen. I know it's a parody but if it was 100% serious I would probably stan harder. go wreck that man's sports car. I'll help)

Style

Out Of The Woods

All You Had To Do Was Stay

Bad Blood (Go Queen! End Katy Perry's Career!)

Wildest Dreams

Say Don't Go

Now That We Don't Talk

Is It Over Now?

Wonderland

You Are in Love

New Romantics

This Love

Clean

This is seriously another one of the greatest albums of all time.

Reputation (Skips):

New Year's Day (don't get tricked by the supposedly deep lyrics. This is not a good song. It is the poor man's Daylight)

Reputation (Favs):

Look What You Made Me Do (the empress herself)

Ready for it?

Don't Blame Me

End Game

So It Goes...

Getaway Car

Call It What You Want

Gorgeous

Delicate

King of My Heart

Lover (Skips): (you all are going to come for my neck for this)

Miss Americana (please don't take me back to highschool)

Soon You'll Get Better

False God

Daylight (the poor man's Afterglow)

Lover (Favs):

Afterglow

Cornelia Street

Need (from the Lover Leak... c'mon Taylor drop this please)

You Need to Calm Down (I'll be hung for this one)

All of the Girls You've Loved Before (leaked, released officially under the Cruelest Summer EP)

It's Nice to Have a Friend (it's a fun experimental track)

Folklore (Skips):

peace/hoax (good songs but I feel as though they're songs that only Taylor will ever truly understand)

Exile (The Last Time's runt sister that you insist on giving more attention then the queen that The Last Time is)

Folklore (Favs):

The Lakes (THE grand high queen of my pretentiousness)

Illicit Affairs

This is Me Trying

Epiphany

August

Seven

The 1

Evermore (Skips):

Cowboy Like Me ("Telling all the rich people what they want"?? Taylor you are the rich person)

Coney Island (yawn)

Happiness (the poor man's tolerate it)

Evermore (Favs):

Right Where You Left Me

Tolerate It

'Tis the Damn Season

Ivy

Evermore

Gold Rush

Midnights (Skips):

Labyrinth (deeply terrible)

You're On Your Own Kid (boring)

Glitch (it hits at 3 AM reading infidelity smut but.... other than that it's not that good)

Karma ft. Ice Spice (we really couldn't get Nicki Minaj? Or someone with talent? I would've taken Doja Cat. Or even Saweetie :sob:)

Midnights (Favs):

Question...? (oh she was nuts for putting this out when she was still dating the Heirloom Turkey... I have no choice but to stan)

Maroon

Hits Different (I too will be carried away to a mental asylum some day)

Would've Could've Should've

Sweet Nothing

Anti Hero

Lavender Haze

Dear Reader

Snow on the Beach (ft. More Lana Del Rey)

High Infidelity

Bejewled

Bigger Than the Whole Sky

Karma

The Great War

Vigilante Shit

Paris

#taylor swift #taylor #1989 #red #speak now #fearless #beautiful eyes #midnights #folklore #evermore

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glassprism · 1 year

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I've seen many on YouTube denying that the phantom is a murderer saying that Buquet's death is an accident in the musical because presumably Buquet commited suicide in the novel and wasn't actually murdered by Erik.Though it is clear in the musical that Buquet was murdered.Was it really an accident/suicide in the novel and the phantom didn't really kill anyone there including that the chandelier falling was also an accident?Although I find it really baffling how easily Phantom's murders in the musical are handwaved as accidents while Raoul's slightly controlling nature and his motive to capture the one who's causing all the murders are unforgivable and therefore proven to show he's bound to became abusive towards Christine in LND.

I think that's just a very common thing in fandom psychology, heck, human psychology - we are way, way more likely to downplay someone's flaws if we like them, and way, way more likely to see the negative parts of someone we dislike. That applies to characters as people in real life, and yes, sometimes, those flaws include murder. Some might also argue that it's part of this trend of people wanting to whitewash their faves (Erik can't be a murderer, because I love Erik, and murdering is problematic, and I can't love someone problematic, therefore Erik didn't murder anyone so he's no longer problematic!), but eh, this has been a trend since way before the "your fave is problematic" era and will continue way after it's over.

As for whether he murdered people, the musical makes it pretty clear he killed both Buquet and Piangi; versions like Las Vegas, the RAH concert, and the restaged tours actually make it more obvious by showing the Phantom doing it right onstage instead of using shadow doubles. I'm rather surprised that people don't try to handwave Piangi's death more often, since we don't see the Phantom do that onstage in most versions, though maybe it's because it's harder to say things like "No, no, see, the Phantom only meant to strangle Piangi into unconsciousness, not kill him!" with a straight face.

Within the book, it's a bit more of a gray area, since technically, he doesn't kill Buquet, he killed himself after getting caught in Erik's torture chamber. In fact, I think a couple of deaths or near-deaths could count as Erik technically not doing it, because those people died (or almost died) due to his traps. That said, I certainly don't waive him of responsibility for those deaths, and I don't know how well that reasoning would hold up in court: "No, your honor, I didn't kill that man, he killed himself, in the torture chamber that I built, to keep people out of property that does not belong to me! You see, it all makes sense now, I'm an innocent man." That being said, there's plenty of other stuff you can lay at Erik's door.

And ultimately, and on a narrative level, Erik should do bad things, because that's part of his own redemption arc, his character arc. If he doesn't do bad things, why does he even need to be redeemed? He should explain to Christine, "Oh no, I didn't kill those men, it was an accident." So trying to handwave those incidents is a disservice to a character, one that IMO makes him less interesting as well - a sad boi in a mask, not a tragic anti-villain / antagonist, made monstrous by society for something he could not control and so forced to become that monster, both abused and abuser, but who still possesses some spark of good and must face the consequences of his own actions.

But ultimately, you can logic and reason it out all you want, it still won't change some people's minds because *points to first paragraph*. People will be people, fandom will be fandom, don't read the YouTube comments.

#GP gets asks #anonymous #suicide mention #abuse mention

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cannotfly · 6 months

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RESEARCH AND RESOURCES.

these go over mainly victorian era subjects. i tried to find something for every character in the show, though this is 100% an ongoing list. feel free to ask for something in particular or send me questions about the resources here! this is forever a work in progress.

THE SHOW:

1982 proshot ( i very much recommend this version! the portrayal of johanna is not my favorite but an.gela l.ansbury is as wonderful as always and is very loyal to the original broadway production -- which is a positive and a negative )

2007 movie ( if you are just getting into this musical, i recommend watching the movie first. it'll get you into it. this is my favorite portrayal of johanna and anthony and where johanna's fc comes from. i have several gripes with the movie however and i only tell you to watch the movie first so you can enjoy it. you won't be able to after watching the musical. if you are senstive to large amounts of gore like i am, shoot me a message and i will give you timestamps to skip! )

1980 tour cast recording

original broadway cast soundtrack

original broadway cast

score

fourth revision of 2007 movie script ( interesting to take a look at and see the changes made between the two versions )

a string of pearls ( penny dreadful that's the source material for the bond play which then turned into the musical )

FASHION.

getting dressed in the 1840s -- queen victoria ( video )

getting dressed in the 1840s -- prince albert ( video )

bringing history to life: 1842 day dress ( video )

dressing up a 1840s gentleman ( video )

dressing up a middle class lady, 1848 ( video )

1840s winter get ready with me ( video )

1840-1849 fashion history timeline

1840s in western fashion ( wikipedia article so take with a grain of salt, but as is with any wikipedia artcle, look at the sources cited! )

the writer's guide to 1840s women's fashion

1840s extant dress

WORKHOUSES.

the victorian workhouse

workhouses.org.uk ( excellent resource going over just about everything workhouse related. uniforms, schedules, children, food etc. )

what was life actually like in a victorian workhouse? ( documentary )

24 hours in the past episode on victorian workhouses ( the rest of the show in on youtube and this is the final episode. spoiler warning, though i didn't find it too bad. i quite enjoy the rest of the show as well! it gives a good look into lower-class victorian england. )

punishments in the victorian workhouse ( documentary )

the psychological torture of the victorian workhouse ( documentary )

PRISON.

victorian prisons and punishments

the victorians and australian penal colonies

convicts and decolonization of australia, 1788-1868

convict transportation peaks

british convicts to australia

australian penal colonies

what was life like for victorian convicts to australia? ( documentary )

women, crime and custody in victorian england ( no downloads are available, however it may be at a local library )

CLASS.

victorian middle class

working class and the poor

COURT.

judge and jurist in the reign of victoria

courtroom experience in victorian england

judicial discretion and sentencing standards

victorian courts

BARBERS.

barbers and their shops in early modern britian

history of barbering

SAILORS.

life at sea in the age of sail

life on a ship during the early 1800s

living conditions in the 19th century us navy

life on a sailing ship in the early 1800s

WOMEN.

the female body in the nineteenth-century

woman as victim and martyr

a selection of works about women in the age of queen victoria

the daughters of england ( really good rescource on how women were treated during the era. i believe it was written in the late 19th century. )

gender roles in the 19th century

prostitution

governesses

a brief history of midwifery in america ( included since america and england were fairly similar at the time )

19th century childbirth

women, menstruation and 19th century medicine ( access through school or library )

the evolution of menstrual education in england 1850 to 1930

how did victorian women deal with their periods? ( video )

SEXUAL ABUSE AND SEX. *if you have any questions about the resources linked under this section, let me know! i will be happy to give you more specific warnings or details on the subject manner.

victorian prostitution

placing childhood sexual abuse in historical perspective ( for obvious reasons please do not read this if you are sensitive to the topics of child sexual abuse, sexual abuse, or anything of that sort )

the history of early life trauma and abuse ( warnings for abuse of all kinds and trauma in young children. has to be accessed through an institution. )

victorian sexualities

sexual molestation of children: historical perspectives

the criminal law amendment act, 1885 ( this law raised the age of consent for girls from 13 to 16. the age of consent was twelve previously. )

mary ellen wilson ( her case was one of the promptings to raise the age of consent )

offences against the person act 1861 ( wikipedia article, but it gets the gist of the law )

the maiden tribute to modern babylon ( series of articles to expose the young girls forced into sex work. this was another reason why the criminal law amendment act, 1885 passed. HUGE WARNING for these articles. this is an incredibly heavy series of works. their importance can't be understated, but i wasn't able to get through them. if you are particularly sensitive to topics of child sexual abuse or sex work, please keep yourself safe and do not read these, but this goes for anyone. take care of yourself. )

the victorian's sex lives ( documentary. mostly goes over examples of wealthier couples. )

kissed against her will

FAMILY.

advice to young men ( written in the 19th century. author gives advice to young men and young women of the era on marriage, family life, and running a hosuehold. )

fatherhood and divorce laws

19th century childbirth ( warnings for childbirth and pregnancy )

victorian childbirth ( warnings for childbirth and pregnancy )

miscarriage in nineteenth century america ( warnings for pregnancy and miscarriage. some of the methods male doctors employed to deal with miscarriage were brutal. keep that in mind. )

lost: miscarriage in nineteenth century america ( warnings for pregnancy and miscarriage. some of the methods male doctors employed to deal with miscarriage were brutal. keep that in mind. )

coping with miscarriage in the nineteenth cenrtury ( warnings for pregnancy and miscarriage. some of the methods male doctors employed to deal with miscarriage were brutal. keep that in mind. )

SUICIDE.

suicide in england and wales 1861-2007

rodenticide toxicity

what happens if a human eats rat poison?

sodium hydroxide

MENTAL INSITUTIONS.

the woman in white ( fictional novel published in 1859 which exposed how poorly mental asylums treated their patients. )

ten days in a madhouse ( expose written by nellie bly about the treatment of patients in blackwell's island insane asylum. warnings for torture and abuse of all kinds. it's a fairly short read. )

a victorian mental asylum

the social history of psychiatry in the victorian era

victorian oppression of women through psychiatry

madhouses, mad-doctors and madmen: the social history of psychiatry in the victorian era

mania, dementia, and melancholia in the 1870s

19th century mental health

victorian women and insanity

bbc mental a history of the madhouse ( documentary )

victorian mental health and women

insanity terminology in the 18th and early 19th century

hysterical victorian women

from bethlehem to bedlam - england's first mental institution

MISC.

health and hygiene

popular culture

why was baking the deadliest job in the victorian era? ( bakers in the countryside. documentary/reality show. )

what life was like for a baker in the victorian era ( industrial bakers. documentary/reality show. )

#gosh i don't know how to tag this #this took me like two hours :')#*❈ ‣ whence comes this melody constantly flowing? — ( meta. )#long post tw

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c-40 · 1 year

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A-T-3 130 Beastie Boys - Cooky Puss

Cooky Puss is an odd record but, what is even odder is, it fits quite comfortably with no wave bands, the output of labels like 99 Records, or an act like an ESG. The record was played by DJs downtown and uptown. Beastie Boys at the time were Adam Yauch, Michael Diamond, Adam Horovitz, and Kate Schellenbach, they are clearly in their late teens and it doesn't take too much imagination to see how the Manhattan new wave scene and its celebration of youthful creativity would embrace a rough and ready act like theirs

The Cooky Puss EP was Beastie Boys second record, as well as getting play, it is important for a few other reasons

Something that hardly ever gets mentioned is Cey Adams did the Beastie Boys logo on the sleeve. Adams began as a graffiti writer, he appeared in Style Wars, and would become the founding creative director for Def Jam Records. He was dubbed the 'unofficial 4th Beastie Boy' due to the friendship he had with the band. Cey Adams is responsible for some of the most iconic logos in hip hop. The graf logo would have helped Cooky Puss get play uptown I would have thought. It's interesting reading about releases from this era there's a lot of talk of disguising the ethnicity of the artist, Madonna for instance, Sire tried to keep her appearance ambiguous for the first couple of releases. Beastie Boys would have been trying to show their love for graf and the culture rather than trying to appear black, I'm sure of it

Something that is better reported is a segment from Beastie Revolution off the Cookie Puss EP was used on a British Airways advert without the band's permission. The Beastie Boys are all firmly middle-class, the sons of architects, playwrights, art dealers, and lawyered up. They won $40,000 from the court case which helped pay for a rehearsal space and instruments. The music was chosen for the British Airways ad by, future house DJ, Jeremy Healy of Haysi Fantayzee. Beastie Revolution is them having a crack at dub reggae, it's awful but, as being part of the hardcore punk scene they had supported Bad Brains who could switch between hardcore and reggae

The group wanted to put Cooky Puss into their live show which led them to being introduced to Rick Rubin, who they hired as their DJ. Rubin was founder of rock band Hose who had two releases on 99 Records (with pre-Russell Simmons DefJam labels) in 1982 and 83. Bringing Rick Rubin in leads to firing Kate from the band. Mike D and Ad Rock say they, along with Yauch, were in Danceteria with Rubin the night he meets Russell Simmonds to talk about It's Yours (which features Ad Rock's drum machine, thank you Jeremy Healy). It's Yours would become the first official Def Jam record (with the help of Partytime/Streetwize)

Across the The Beastie Boys various biographies (including the Spike Jonze produced product launch/keynote presentation for Apple) Run DMC's Sucker MC's is singled out as a turning point for them. Beastie Boys would become friends with Run DMC and tour with them. Darryl McDaniels wears a Beastie Boys tee on the grammy's hip hop 50 tribute. Beastie Boys didn't always fit with the narrative of hip hop history and they are often erased, but if you want to talk about hip hop on wax, Def Jam, and hip hop spreading around the world you have to talk about Beastie Boys

Beastie Boys live at The Kitchen arts space in 1983. The hip hop set starts 28 minutes

youtube

Bonus Batter version of Cookie Puss

youtube

#1983 #beastie boys #cey adams #hip hop #new wave #brooklyn #new york #usa #80s music

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tomorrowedblog · 1 year

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Friday Releases for March 10

Friday is the busiest day of the week for new releases, so we've decided to collect them all in one place. Friday Releases for March 10 include 65, Scream VI, Champions, and more.

65, the new movie from Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, is out today.

After a catastrophic crash on an unknown planet, pilot Mills (Adam Driver) quickly discovers he’s actually stranded on Earth… 65 million years ago. Now, with only one chance at rescue, Mills and the only other survivor, Koa (Ariana Greenblatt), must make their way across an unknown terrain riddled with dangerous prehistoric creatures in an epic fight to survive.

Scream VI

Scream VI, the new movie from Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, is out today.

Following the latest Ghostface killings, the four survivors leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter.

Champions

Champions, the new movie from Bobby Farrelly, is out today.

Woody Harrelson stars in the hilarious and heartwarming story of a former minor-league basketball coach who, after a series of missteps, is ordered by the court to manage a team of players with intellectual disabilities. He soon realizes that despite his doubts, together, this team can go further than they ever imagined.

Righteous Thieves

Righteous Thieves, the new movie from Anthony Nardolillo, is out today.

In this ultimate heist thrill-ride, Annabel (Lisa Vidal), a leader of a secret organization engaged in the recovery of priceless artwork, assembles a ragtag crew of art thieves to recover a Monet, Picasso, Degas, and Van Gogh stolen by Nazis during WWII and now in the possession of neo-Nazi billionaire oligarch Otto Huizen (Brian Cousins). As the planned heist approaches, loyalties are tested when the crew learns the real reason behind Annabel’s search for the long-lost paintings.

Luther: The Fallen Sun

Luther: The Fallen Sun, the new movie from Jamie Payne, is out today.

In Luther: The Fallen Sun — an epic continuation of the award-winning television saga reimagined for film — a gruesome serial killer is terrorizing London while brilliant but disgraced detective John Luther (Idris Elba) sits behind bars. Haunted by his failure to capture the cyber psychopath who now taunts him, Luther decides to break out of prison to finish the job by any means necessary.

Chang Can Dunk

Chang Can Dunk, the new movie from Jingyi Shao, is out today.

Chang Can Dunk follows Chang, a 16-year-old, Asian American high school student in the marching band, who bets the school basketball star that he can dunk by Homecoming. The bet leads the 5’ 8" Chang on a quest to find the hops he needs to dunk in order to impress his crush, Kristy, and finally gain the attention and respect of his high school peers. But before he can rise up and truly throw one down, he’ll have to reexamine everything he knows about himself, his friendships and his family.

Unicorn Wars

Unicorn Wars, the new movie from Alberto Vázquez, is out today.

For ages, teddy bears have been locked in an ancestral war against their sworn enemy, the unicorns, with the promise that victory will complete the prophecy and usher in a new era. Aggressive, confident teddy bear Bluet and his sensitive, withdrawn brother Tubby could not be more different. As the rigors and humiliation of teddy bear bootcamp turn to the psychedelic horrors of a combat tour in the Magic Forest, their complicated history and increasingly strained relationship will come to determine the fate of the entire war.

UnPrisoned

UnPrisoned, the new TV series from Tracy McMillan, is out today.

Inspired by Tracy McMillan’s life, “UnPrisoned” is a half-hour comedy about a messy but perfectionist relationship therapist and single mom whose life is turned right-side-up when her dad gets out of prison and moves in with her and her teenage son.

Mato Anomalies

Mato Anomalies, the new game from Arrowiz and Prime Matter, is out today.

Mato Anomalies takes players on a journey through a neo-futuristic version of a bygone oriental city. Investigate strange happenings across the city and uncover secrets behind the walls. Join a cast of enigmatic unlikely heroes in this anime-inspired RPG experience.

Bleak Faith: Forsaken

Bleak Faith: Forsaken, the new game from Archangel Studios, is out today.

Explore the last remnants of civilization in this vast, unforgiving, and interconnected world. Learn what is left of its history. Discover pockets of natural life in the perpetually expanding Omnistructure. Lose yourself in a journey unlike any other. Find your purpose in the world.

Pain Provided Profit

Pain Provided Profit, the new album from Conway the Machine and Jae Skeese, is out today.

#Games #Movies #TV #Music #News

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bankelorenzen71 · 2 years

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Classic Louis Vuitton Baggage

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It’s named for the place the first shop was situated – Rue des Capucines in Paris, France. Adjust the shoulder strap to search out your most snug fit and you’re able to go. This Limited Edition Bluebird bag from Louis Vuitton's 2009 Spring/Summer line is an attractive bag that has been created to exude the most effective of luxurious style. This superb Keepall Bandoulière forty five bag is all made in leather with a Damier checkerboard pattern in turquoise blue and white. Its leather-based high handles, side bands, and nametag are als... The Montsouris are in style at public sale and can fetch between £300 for a monogram version to over £1,500 for a limited version. Came across this blog because was on the lookout for answers why Lv has all of a sudden become scarce. To add to it, resellers selling it for double the prices. I imply for a similar quality of monogram you may get it at coach for cheaps. I actually am more impressed with quality of Celine, Saint Laurent. 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chvoswxtch · 8 months

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Hi Court! I’ve had a thought/thot regarding Frank catching his neighbor’s husband cheating, he confronts her with the news, and their own romance blossoms. “Picture me thick as thieves with your ex-wife. And she looks so pretty driving in your Benz.”Please if you can/want to make this a Midnights Vault Track. 🌃✨

OH I LOVE THIS

I put a little spin on the "she looks so pretty driving in your benz", but I don't think you'll mind ;)

as a reminder, from the vault means it's spicy! (minors dni)

blurb below the cut

vigilante shit (frank's version) (from the vault)*

picture me thick as thieves with your ex-wife

Deep down, Frank knew he shouldn’t have gotten involved. It wasn’t his business. He had enough lingering problems of his own nipping at his heels, he didn’t need to get involved in someone else's.

But you were so goddamn sweet to him. You had brought him a container of homemade chocolate chip cookies when he first moved in next door, all bright eyes and soft smiles, introducing yourself with the most angelic voice he had ever heard. You knew he lived alone, so you silently dropped leftovers off on his porch some nights when your husband was out of town or working late, which he often did, with the guise that you didn’t know how to cook for one person and didn’t want the food going to waste.

You went all out for the holidays to entertain the neighborhood kids, and even after coming home from a long day with the exhaustion clearly tainting your kind face, you made time to play with them in the front yard for awhile, or offer help with their homework.

Frank thought you were an actual angel, which is why the first time he caught your husband cheating on you, he nearly unleashed the vengeful side of himself that lusted for the blood of the wicked. He thought you would eventually catch him considering the asshole wasn’t exactly stealthy about it. The whole neighborhood seemed to know about his multitude of affairs…everyone except you. Finally, Frank reached a breaking point. He couldn’t listen to the hushed whispers that haunted you about the infidelity taking place in your own home.

One night when your husband was away, Frank marched over to your front door and told you the truth everyone else had been keeping from you. He gave you a folder full of photos that he had taken, tangible evidence of your husband’s unfaithful escapades. It broke his heart to see the streams of betrayal that slipped down your cheeks, and he hated that he had to be the one to do it, but he knew it was for your own good. You didn’t deserve to be treated like that. You deserved to be loved and worshiped…to be placed on the highest pedestal in someone’s heart.

In the end, Frank was glad he got involved.

Because if he hadn’t, he wouldn’t be fucking you in the back of your ex-husband’s Mercedes that you got in the divorce.

Frank’s large hand slid up your neck to wrap his thick fingers around it loosely, his index finger resting along the edge of your jaw and his thumb brushing over your bottom lip. Your dress was hiked all the way up to your waist, and his jeans were pushed just far enough down his thighs to free his cock, all plans of your romantic dinner date completely forgotten. He stared down at you almost in awe as he fucked you slowly, but deeply, making sure to hit that delectable spot deep within you that drove you wild. A crooked grin stretched across his mouth hearing how good his name sounded falling from your parted lips.

“Look so pretty, baby. So fuckin’ pretty.”

#court’s 3k followers celebration #court's 3k friends celebration #the eras tour (court's version)#frank castle #frank castle x you #frank castle x y/n #frank castle x reader #frank castle x female reader #frank castle x fem!reader #frank castle x f!reader #frank castle request #frank castle blurb #frank castle smut #the punisher #the punisher request #the punisher blurb #the punisher smut

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kappel46dideriksen · 2 years

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Louis Vuitton Bag Photographs, Inventory Photos & Vectors

In this same yr, Georges travelled to the United States, the place he toured cities corresponding to New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago, selling Vuitton merchandise. In 1901, the Louis Vuitton Company launched the Steamer Bag, a smaller piece of baggage designed to be saved inside Vuitton baggage trunks. https://skel.io/blog/post/get-the-best-louis-vuitton-replica-bags The discontinued Looping Bag is now a sought-after Louis Vuitton classic piece. Released in 2002 for a relatively affordable $1,030, the Looping Bag now goes for roughly $600 to $2000 on resale websites like Farfetch, Rebag, and eBay. With an arched vachetta leather-based handle and the home's classic monogram coated canvas, the Looped bag will never exit of favor. Contemporary versions embody the Soft Lockit Bag, designed with a softer Veau Cachemire leather-based with optional shoulder strap, making it extra lightweight and practical. We know our customers have a eager sense of fashion, high quality, service, and our mission is to ship the best buyer help ever. The motto here at Dallas designer handbags is “Never Compromise”. Louis Vuitton is among the top luxury handbag designers on the earth, so there'll at all times be incentives for counterfeits. However, armed with all this great new data inside this text, you can be assured you are purchasing at shops who declare one hundred pc customer satisfaction and bag authenticity. wikipedia handbags Whether buying model new, gently pre-loved, or renting, you're sure to turn heads whereas carrying your Louis Vuitton purse. According to the Hong Kong-based Apple Daily newspaper, the corporate was in search of compensation of HK$40,000 (around $US 5,000) and a public apology in the newspaper. The shopkeeper refused to pay, and Louis Vuitton demanded further damages as much as HK$150,000 in February 2013. The shop claimed to have sourced two such purses from Japan at around HK$120, which it retailed at HK$220. In the case of the opposite small store selling two handbags, they argued with Louis Vuitton that the designs were completely different, and received LV's demand reduced to HK$5,000 (around US$640). The owner refused to pay and said they have been able to face LV in court docket. In July 2012, Jacobs teamed up with Yayoi Kusama to create the "Infinitely Kusama" Collection, which features bold colors of dots over the vernis leather-based or the monogram canvas. We reached out to Louis Vuitton for comment, but the brand declined to participate in this story. That’s usually how luxury manufacturers approach inquiries to their stock practices and manufacturing, which are full of tightly guarded secrets and techniques. What we do know, although, is that consumer curiosity in Louis Vuitton, and especially in its monogram bags, has rebounded in an enormous means under the management of inventive director Nicolas Ghesquiere. At the identical time, the brand’s purse and accessories traces have been in growth mode, adding new designs frequently, which logically spreads LV’s current manufacturing capability thinner to cowl a wider set of baggage. The final events in the twentieth century have been the discharge of the mini monogram line in 1999. The opening of the first retailer in Africa in Marrakech, Morocco, in 2000. Finally, the public sale on the International Film Festival in Venice, Italy, where the vainness case "amfAR" designed by Sharon Stone was sold, with the proceeds going to the Foundation for AIDS Research . By 1913, the Louis Vuitton Building opened on the Champs-Elysees. It was the largest travel-goods retailer on the earth on the time. Stores additionally opened in New York, Bombay, Washington, London, Alexandria, and Buenos Aires as World War I began. The commonest trunks of the era have been round, which weren’t perfect for toting and storing. In 1858, Vuitton debuted his lightweight, handcrafted canvas trunks, which were sturdy, rugged and equipped with convenient compartments. When Louis Vuitton died in 1892, management of the posh home was passed onto his solely son, Georges Vuitton. As we all know handbags have turn out to be an essential accent within the trend world, and are sometimes used as completion items for a woman’s wardrobe. They promote progress in the trend industry, and designers are together with handbags in their collections more often to increase revenue. And as we all know, when it involves style, women are at all times one step ahead from one another. Two styles they are often present in is the Damier canvas and the iconic Monogram canvas. But others endure for thus long they become part of the fashion landscape, seemingly forever—like, say, these on Louis Vuitton purses. Authenticity is assured, every thing we carry has been curated and is assured to be genuine or your cash shall be given back to you. If you're unsatisfied along with your purchase for any reason, simply return the item in the situation by which you received it (with any/all tags still attached) within 30 days of receipt for a full refund or alternative item. In 2004, Louis Vuitton celebrated its one hundred and fiftieth anniversary. The brand additionally inaugurated stores in New York City , São Paulo, Mexico City, Cancun and Johannesburg. By 2005, Louis Vuitton reopened its Champs-Élysées store in Paris designed by the American Architect Eric Carlson and launched the Speedy watch assortment. In 2006, LV held the inauguration of the Espace Louis Vuitton on its 7th ground. In 2008, Louis Vuitton released the Damier Graphite canvas. Passed from father to son, Vuitton’s business grew to include clothes, sneakers, jewelry and, of course, handbags. Louis Vuitton burns unsold luggage to maintain exclusivity and to forestall counterfeiters from illegally profiting from the manufacture and sale of unauthorized copies of the corporate's merchandise. Black leather-based Louis Vuitton Lockme backpack with brass hardware, single rolled high deal with, twin convertible flat removable shoulder straps, tonal Alcantara lining, single inside s... Louis Vuitton's purses are in style owing to their excessive type and performance.

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hollyhomburg · 4 years

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Packtan

(BTS Omegaverse ask au!)

Pairing: Omega! reader x Omega! jimin x Omega! Seokjin x Alpha! namjoon x Alpha! Hoseok x Alpha! Jungkook x Beta! Taehyung x Beta! Yoongi

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EXPLANATION:

the 3 versions of packtan (EXPLANATION OF VIKINGVERSE, IDOLVERSE, AND EMPIREVERSE)

can an omega get another omega pregnant?

if she gets pregnant in one timeline does she get pregnant in all of them?

--------------------------------

Idolverse

summary: your world gets turned upside down when the most famous idol pack in the world starts to court you, an omega with a boatload of trust issues.

warnings: verry few- this is mostly fluff- with a few angsty moments of the reader not thinking she’s enough for all of them.

The start of Packtan (idolverse)

Their dynamics explained

Omegas caring for the alphas

Hoseok comforting you (not explicitly Packtan but it belongs here)

Puppie pile

When the reader gets appendicitis

Jealous Packtan

When the reader gets pregnant

how they meet

“do they even want pups with me?”

how many pups?

papa Yoongi’s piano lessons

are armys aware of y/n?

the almost broken bond pt 1

the almost broken bond pt 2

the almost broken bond pt 3

when she surprises them on tour

When all the alphas go into rut

Idolverse yoongi

when they find out how your old pack treated you

Hoseok is a lil filthy

how is namjoon with the reader?

Side story: All Alpha Packtan: (Yandere au!) (check the tags- cuz thats where i hide the smut)

to want to be wanted

nasty shit so much knotting oh my god

explanation of dynamics and rare omegas

explanation of consent

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Vikingverse

summary: you’re a feral omega without a pack, and after you save Taehyung from certain death his pack alpha, Kim namjoon, decides to take you under his wing and keep you safe. Chaos and romance ensue.

warnings: omega mistreatment, violence, assault, allusions to rape and forced matings,

by feral i mean FeRaL

namjoon ain't no sub in this au

mating bites

ALL the abandonment issues

when she first sees Taehyung

being loved is an adjustment

heats ruts, and everything in between

The day Taehyung and namjoon fell in love

Beta lovein

her past (v) (WARNING: READ TAGS)

that night (part 1) (WARNING: READ TAGS)

that night (part 2) (WARNING: READ TAGS)

Jungkook is a puppy (check tags for smut)

more smut hidden in the tags

Namjoon wants a taste too

wow namjoon is also feral in a fight

unavoidable war

when she receives oral for the first time

little dove

when she’s scared she can’t have kids

more 🥛

how Hoseok first falls in love with you

how jimin, seokjin, and jungkook first fell in love with you

Jungkook has a competence kink

her pregnancy and the triplets

who would die first

Viking packtan doting on pregnant! reader

how yoongi fell in love with her

the actual Viking shit in vikingverse

mating marks

if the triplets were all jungkook’s

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Empireverse

(while this is technically a Joseon era au, I’m being much looser than historical accuracy would allow for- obviously, my intent isn’t to write a historical au with this as it is poly and abo.)

warnings: omega mistreatment, mentions of arranged marriages, war, injury, violence, rape, miscarriages, and depictions of emotionally unstable characters, graphic panic attacks, PTSD, eventual healing in the end though. this is the most graphic au. please ask yourself if you're in the right place to read it before you do.

the start of it all

the pup

it not your fault yoongi

moon Priestess! jimin

first touch

her recovery

what would have happened had she died

Yoongi’s reconciliation

yoongi gets the snuggles he needs

sad priestess jimin

her omega

their outfits

jimin and the reader are soulmates

“what do you want jimin?”

her first kiss after she gets better

after the cuddle puddle

inspiration (talking bout Jackson wang 100 ways music video)

---------------------------------

What is an ask au? an ask au means if you want more of it- send me your headcanon or something and I’ll respond to it with more content! there will be no formal parts to this series. when you ask- please tell me which version of the au you’d like to ask it under!

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blackswaneuroparedux · 3 years

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Vivant, il a manqué le monde ; mort, il le possède.

- François René de Chateaubriand (1768-1848), Vie de Napoléon, livres XIX à XXIV des Mémoires d’outre-tombe (posthume)

Of course we don’t have any photograph or film of Napoleon’s death on 5 May 1821 on Saint Hélène. But we do have the next best thing: a painting. Charles de Steuben depiction of Napoleon's deathbed and his faithful entourage that served as witnesses to his dying moments became the one of the most important paintings of the post-Napoleonic era but then faded from modern memory.

I first came across it by accident when I was in my teens at my Swiss boarding school. There were times I found myself with school friends going away on hiking trips around the high Alpine chain of the Allgäu Alps and we would drive through Lake Constance to get there, or we would hike around the Lake itself through the Bodensee-Rundwanderweg.

Perched high above Lake Constance and nestled in large parklands, stood Schloss Arenenberg which overlooks the lower part of Lake Constance. At first, it appears a relatively modest country house. But this was no usual pretty looking house. Arenenberg was owned by well-heeled families before it was sold to Hortense de Beauharnais, the adopted daughter and sister-in-law of the French Emperor himself, Napoleon Bonaparte. She had it rebuilt in the French Empire style and lived there from 1817 with her son Louis Napoleon, later Emperor Napoleon III, who is said to have spoken the Thurgau dialect in addition to French. This elegantly furnished castle then was once the residence of the last emperor of France.

The alterations made first by Queen Hortense and later by Empress Eugénie have been carefully preserved and the house still bears the marks of both women. Queen Hortense's drawing room is perfectly preserved and visitors can still admire her magnificent library (all marked with the Empress' cipher) containing over one thousand books. Likewise, in the room where the queen died, every object has been maintained in its original condition: pieces of furniture and personal belongings are gathered here to evoke her memory in a very touching manner. As for Empress Eugénie's rooms, they too have been very carefully preserved. Her private drawing room is a perfect illustration of the Second Empire style with sculptures by Carpeaux and portraits of the imperial family by Winterhalter.

After 1873, the Empress and the Imperial Prince brought the palace back to life by making regular summer visits, which they continued until 1878. However, on the tragic death of her son in 1879, Eugénie found it difficult to return to a place so full of painful memories. And so in 1906 she donated the estate to the canton of Thurgovie as a testimony of her gratitude for the region's faithful hospitality towards the Napoleon family. And in accordance with the Empress' wishes, the residence was turned into a museum devoted to Napoleon.

In what is now the Napoleonic Museum, the original furnishings have been preserved, and the palace gardens had been fully restored. This in itself might be worth a visit for the view over Lake Constance which is stunning. For Napoleonic era buffs though its the incredible art collection which is its real treasure. It houses an important art collection including works by the First-Empire artists Chinard Canova, Gros, Robert Lefèvre, Gérard, Isabey and Girodet-Trioson, and by the Second-Empire painters and sculptors Alfred de Dreux, Winterhalter, Carpeaux, Meissonier, Hébert, Flandrin, Detaille, Nieuwerkerke and Giraud.

But what caught my eye was this painting, ‘La Mort de Napoléon’ by Charles de Steuben. I didn’t know anything about it or the artist for that matter, but one of my more erudite school friends who, being French, was into Napoleonic stuff in a huge way, and she explained it all to me. Of course I knew a fair bit about Napoleon growing up because my grandfather and father, being military men themselves, were Napoleonic warfare buffs and it rubbed off onto me. I just knew about Napoleon the military genius. I never thought about him once he was beaten at Waterloo in 1815. So I never really engaged with Napoleon the man. And yet here I was staring at his last breath of mortality caught forever in time through art. Not for the first time I had mixed feelings about Napoleon Bonaparte, both the man and the myth (built up around him since his death).

On 5 May, 1821, at 5.49pm in Longwood House on the remote island of St Helena, in the words of the famed French man of letters, François-René de Chateaubriand, ‘the mightiest breath of life which ever animated human clay’ came no more. To the British, Dutch, and Prussian coalition who had exiled Naopleon Bonaparte there in 1815, he was a despot, but to France, he was seen as a devotee of the Enlightenment.

In the decade following his demise, Napoleon’s image underwent a transformation in France. The monarchy had been restored, but by the late 1820s, it was growing unpopular. King Charles X was seen as a threat to the civil liberties established during the Napoleonic era. This mistrust revived Napoleon’s reputation and put him in a more heroic light.

Fascination with the French leader’s death led Charles de Steuben, a German-born Romantic painter living in Paris, to immortalise the momentous event. Steuben’s painting depicts the moment of Napoleon’s death and seeks to capture the sense of awe in the room at the death of a man whose legendary career had begun in the French Revolution. It was this, ultimate moment that Steuben wished to immortalise in a painting which has since become what could almost be described as the official version of the scene.

There is no question that Steuben’s painting became the most famous and most iconic depiction of Napoleon’s death in art history. In another painting, executed during the years 1825-1830, Steuben was to give a realistic view of the emperor dictating his memoirs to general Gourgaud. This same realism also pervades his version of Napoleon’s death, and it is totally unlike Horace Vernet’s, Le songe de Bertrand ou L’Apothéose de Napoléon (Bertrand’s Dream or the apotheosis of Napoleon) which, although painted in the same year, is an allegorical celebration of the emperor’s martyrdom and as such the first stone in the edifice of the Napoleonic legend.

And what a legend Napoleon’s life was turned into for time immemorial. Napoleon declared himself France’s First Consul in 1799 and then emperor in 1804. For the next decade, he led France against a series of European coalitions during the Napoleonic Wars and expanded his empire throughout much of continental Europe before his defeat in 1814. He was exiled to the Mediterranean island of Elba, but he escaped and briefly reasserted control over France before a crushing final defeat at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.

Napoleon’s military prowess earned him the fear of his enemies, but his civil reforms in France brought him the respect of his people. The Napoleonic Code, introduced in 1804, replaced the existing patchwork of French laws with a unified national system built on the principles of the Enlightenment: universal male suffrage, property rights, equality (for men), and religious freedom. Even in his final exile on St. Helena, Napoleon proved a magnetic presence. Passengers of ships docked to resupply would hurry to meet the great general. He developed strong personal bonds with the coterie who had accompanied him into exile. Although some speculate that he was murdered, most agree that Napoleon’s death in 1821, at the age of 51, was the result of stomach cancer.

By contrast, Charles de Steuben was born in 1788, his youth and artistic training coinciding with Napoleon’s rise to power. He was the son of the Duke of Württemberg officer Carl Hans Ernst von Steuben. At the age of twelve he moved with his father, who entered Russian service as a captain, to Saint Petersburg, where he studied drawing at the Art Academy classes as a guest student. Thanks his father's social contacts in the court of the Tsar, in the summer of 1802 he accompanied the young Grand Duchess Maria Pavlovna of Russia (1786–1859) and granddaughter of Frederick II Eugene, Duke of Württemberg, to the Thuringian cultural city of Weimar, where the Tsar's daughter two years later married Charles Frederick, Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (1783–1853). Steuben, then fourteen years old, was a Page at the ducal court, a position for which the career prospects would be in the military or administration. The poet Friedrich Schiller was a family friend who at once recognised De Steuben's artistic talent and instilled in him his political ideal of free self-determination regardless of courtly constraints.

At the behest of Pierre Fontaine in 1828 de Steuben painted La Clémence de Henri IV après la Bataille d'Ivry, depicting a victorious Henry IV of France at the Battle of Ivry. De Steuben's Bataille de Poitiers, en octobre 732, painted between 1834 and 1837, shows the triumphant Charles Martel at the Battle of Tours, also known as the Battle of Poitiers. He painted Jeanne la folle around the same time and he was commissioned by Louis Philippe to paint a series of portraits of past Kings of France.

Life in the French capital was a repeated source of internal conflict for Steuben. The allure of bohemian Paris and his military-dominated upbringing made him a wanderer between worlds. As an official commitment to his adopted country he became a French citizen in 1823. However, the irregularity of his income as a freelance artist was in contrast to his sense of duty and social responsibility. To secure his family financially, he took a job as an art teacher at École Polytechnique, where he briefly trained Gustave Courbet. In 1840 he was awarded a gold medal at the Salon de Paris for his highly acclaimed paintings.

The love of classical painting was a lifelong passion of Steuben. He was a close friend to Eugène Delacroix, the leader of the French Romantic school of painting, whom he portrayed several times. Steuben was also part of this artistic movement, which replaced classicism in French painting. "The painter of the Revolution," as Jacques-Louis David was called by his students, joined art with politics in his works. The subjects of his historical paintings supported historical change. He painted mainly in sharp colour contrasts, heavy solid contours and clear outlines. The severity of this style led many contemporary artists - including Prud'hon - to a romanticised counter movement. They preferred the shadowy softness and gentle colour gradations of Italian Renaissance painters such as Leonardo da Vinci and Antonio da Correggio, whose works they studied intensively. Steuben, who had begun his training with David, felt the school was becoming increasingly rigid and dogmatic. Critics praised his deliberate compositions, excellent brush stroke and impressive colour effects. But some of his critics felt that his pursuit of dramatic design of rich people also showed, at times, a pronounced tendency toward the histrionic.

The portrayal of key moments in Napoleon’s dramatic military career would feature among some of Steuben’s best known works. But it is this death scene that Steuben is most remembered for.

Using his high-level contacts among figures in Napoleon’s circle, Steuben interviewed and sketched many of the people who had been present when Napoleon died at Longwood House on St. Helena. He wanted to attempt o give the most accurate representation of the scene possible. Indeed, the painter interviewed the companions of Napoleon’s captivity on their return to France and had them pose for their portraits. Only the Abbé Vignali, captain Crokat and the doctor Arnott were painted from memory. The Grand maréchal Bertrand made sketches of the plan of the room, noting the positions of the different pieces of furniture and people in the room. All the protagonists within the painting brought together some of their souvenirs and in posing for the painter, each person can be seen contributing to a work of collective memory, very much with posterity in mind.

Painstakingly researched, Steuben painted a carefully composed scene of hushed grief. Notable among the figures are Gen. Henri Bertrand, who loyally followed Napoleon into exile; Bertrand’s wife, Fanny; and their children, of whom Napoleon had become very fond.

The best known version of “La Mort de Napoléon” was completed in 1828. French writer Stendhal considered it “a masterpiece of expression.” In 1830 the installation of a more liberal monarchy in France further boosted admiration of Napoleon, who suddenly became a wildly popular figure in theatre, art, and music. This fervour led to the diffusion of Steuben’s deathbed scene in the form of engravings throughout Europe in the 1830s. As Napoleon’s stock arose within French culture and arts, so did Steuben’s depiction of Napoleon’s death. It became a grandeur of vision that permeated Steuben’s masterpiece of historical reconstruction.

Initially forming part of the collection of the Colonel de Chambrure, the painting was put up for auction in Paris, on 9 March 1830, with other Napoleonic works, notably Horace Vernet’s Les Adieux de Fontainebleau (The Fontainebleau adieux) and Steuben’s Retour de l’île d’Elbe (The return from the island of Elba). The catalogue noted that the painting had already been viewed in the colonel’s collection by “three thousand connoisseurs” – which alone would have made it a success -, but its renown was to be further amplified by the production of the famous engraving. The diffusion of this engraving by Jean-Pierre-Marie Jazet (1830-1831, held at the Musée de Malmaison), reprinted and copied countless times throughout the 19th century, made the scene a classic in popular imagery, on a level of popularity with paintings such as Millet’s Angelus.

A / Grand Marshal Henri-Gatien Bertrand. Utterly loyal servant of Napoleon’s to the last. His memoirs of the exile on St Helena were not published until 1849. Only the year 1821 has ever been translated into English.

B / General Charles Tristan de Montholon. Courtier and companion of Napoleon’s exile. Montholon managed to ease Bertrand out and become Napoleon’s closest companion at the end, highly rewarded in Napoleon’s will, which Montholon helped write. Montholon’s untrustworthy memoirs were published in 1846/47.

C / Doctor Francesco Antommarchi. Corsican anatomy specialist. Sent by Napoleon’s mother from Rome to St Helena to be Napoleon’s personal physician on the expulsion of Barry O’Meara. Napoleon disliked and distrusted Antommarchi. Antommarchi’s untrustworthy memoirs were very influential and published in 1825.

D / Angelo Paolo Vignali, Abbé. Corsican assistant-chaplain, sent by Madame Mère from Rome to St Helena in 1819.

E / Countess Françoise Elisabeth “Fanny” Bertrand and her children: Napoléon (F), who carried the censer at Napoleon’s funeral; Hortense (G); Henry (H); and Arthur (I), youngest by six years of all the Bertrand children and born on the island. She was wife of the Grand Marshal, very unwilling participant in the exile on St Helena. Her relations with Napoleon were difficult since she refused to live at Longwood. She spoke fluent English. Was however very loyal to Napoleon.

J / Louis Marchand. Napoleon’s valet from 1814 on and one of his closest servants. As Napoleon noted in his will, “The service he [Marchand] rendered were those of a friend”.

K / “Ali”, Louis Étienne Saint-Denis. Known as “the Mamluk Ali”, one of Napoleon’s longest-serving and intimate servants; He became Librarian at Longwood and was an indefatigable copyist of imperial manuscripts.

L / Ali’s English (Catholic) wife, Mary ‘Betsy’ Hall. She was sent out from England by UK relatives of the Countess Bertrand to be governess/nursemaid to the Bertrand children. Married Ali aged 23 in October 1819.

M / Jean Abra(ha)m Noverraz. From the Vaud region in Switzerland. Very tall and imposing figure that Napoleon called his “Helvetic bear”. He was himself ill during Napoleon’s illness.

N / Noverraz’s wife, Joséphine née Brulé. They married in married in July 1819, and she was the Countess Montholon’s lady’s maid. Noverraz and Saint-Denis had a fist fight for the hand of Joséphine.

O / Jean Baptiste Alexandre Pierron. The cook, dessert specialist, long in Napoleon’s service and who had accompanied Napoleon to Elba.

P /Jacques Chandelier. Iincorrectly identified on the picture as Santini who had left the island in 1817. A cook, from the service of Pauline Bonaparte, Napoleon’s sister, who arrived on St Helena with the group from Rome in 1819.

Q /Jacques Coursot. Butler, from the service of Madame Mère, Napoleon’s mother, he arrived on St Helena with the group from Rome in 1819.

R / Doctor Francis Burton. Irish surgeon in the 66th regiment who had arrived on St Helena only on 31st March 1821. He is renowned for having made Napoleon’s death mask (with ensign John Ward and Antommarchi).

S/ Doctor Archibald Arnott. Surgeon in the 20th regiment. Brought in to tend to Napoleon in extremis on 1 April 1821.

T/ Captain William Crokat. A Scot, orderly officer at Longwood for less than a month, having replaced Engelbert Lutyens on 15 April. He received the honour of carrying the news of Napoleon’s death back to London and also the reward, namely, a promotion and £500, privileges of which Lutyens was deliberately deprived by the governor.

#charles de steuben #art #painting #napoleon #bonaparte #st helena #life #death #chateaubriand #french #france #emperor #artist #aesthetics #war #politics #society #culture #arts #personal

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The Freedom of Expression, radio version - Ep 38, June 2016 - Subliminal messages, Japanese comedian takes on Cambodian citizenship to compete in Olympics, The appeal of Japanese women overseas.

Kaoru starts by saying at the time of this broadcast, the band will be mid-tour and will have just finished the show at Namba Hatch. Kaoru's voice sounds kinda husky, as if he has a cold. Joe says he will be dropping by the Tokyo shows, and then comments on the huskyness of Kaoru's voice. Kaoru jokes that he's been shouting too much at Namba Hatch.

Next Kaoru plays another entry in the show's new jingle campaign. He says he likes this one, which quite surprises Joe. Having said he likes it, he still won't give it a sticker. It would be unfair to the previous entrants who tried so hard if this entry were to get a sticker now.

Kaoru's first talking point is about the use of subliminal messaging. Joe points out that inserting subliminal messages is strictly banned in all Japanese public broadcasts, as it is in many countries. Kaoru says that talk of subliminal messaging is heard more often these days, and he asks Joe what he thinks about this. Joe says that secretly inserting subliminal messages into footage is quite a 20th century method. Technology has advanced a lot in the 21st century, so there might be new ways of delving into the subconscious going on right now, that we are not even aware of. Kaoru says he likes this type of thing. He wants to know all about it. Joe says he's not sure if this is the best way to describe it but, for example, with Nazi propaganda in Germany, despite being lies, after it was repeated ten thousand times it began to be believed. If the media is used to repeat something over and over again, it eventually becomes accepted. Now in the age of the internet, online restrictions are few, and there is a risk that hate speech will gain prominence if it is continuously repeated online. In this way, the human subconscious can be infiltrated without necessarily the use of old fashioned style subliminal messaging.

Kaoru says Dir are very aware of making sure they don't attract attention for subliminal messaging with the footage they use in thier MVs. Joe asks him if the band need to be aware of this with thier music too, and brings up the examples of Ozzy Osbourne's 'Sucide Solution', and Judas Priest's 'Better by you, Better than me', both of which were accused of and taken to court for use of subliminal messages resulting in suicide. Joe adds that these cases concern the use of negative subliminal messages, but conversely subliminal messages could also be used to produce positive effects. Kaoru says he has the feeling that Dir might have used reversed lyrics at some point during thier earlier years, due to the original lyrics being a no-go (*Is this refering to egnirys cimredopyh?*) , which he thinks might have a kind of subliminal effect, but they otherwise havn't given much thought to subliminal effects in thier music. They have been much more concerned about thier footage, and are keen to avoid anything resembling the 'Pokemon shock', where strobe lights in a scene of Pokemon caused seizures in some viewers in 1997. Joe asks Kaoru if this also applies to footage used during lives, or only to broadcasted material. Kaoru isn't quite sure about if it would apply to live footage too. He then says there is probably still a lot of dark, difficult to watch material being shown on tv. Joe says there probably is, but he doesnt know because he doesnt own a tv. He adds that as for making creative shows, a certain amount stimulation is needed, while at the same time keeping it safe to watch. Getting the right balance becomes harder and harder in the current era. Kaoru wonders whether new unexpected effects will be produced from all the different new technology that is being created these days. They wonder whether Hiranabe and Kami are using some kind of subliminal messaging in the way they both carry on, and especially with Kami's voice.

Next, they welcome Tasai for the Tokyo Sports corner. Joe mentions how Hiranabe appeared on the previous show, and asks Tasai if he sees Hiranabe a lot in the Tokyo Sports office. Tasai says due to his work schedule he doesn't, but he sometimes accompanies him to the night/entertainment districts. Joe asks Tasai what Hiranabe is like, and Tasai says 'He's an idiot'. He tells the story of how he recently went to a place in Ginza with Hiranabe in relation to work. It was Tasai's first time in this bar, but Hiranabe had been there before. A woman who knew him, kept flirting and calling out to him, 'Nabe-chaan!', and Tasai thought it sounded pretty stupid. He also tells of how Hiranabe got cheated by a woman into ordering a ¥300000 bottle without realising, and only had ¥40000 cash on him. There are so many episodes surrounding Hiranabe, like how he recently got his head smashed in etc, but thats a story for later, says Tasai.

Tasai's first news is that Japanese comedian Neko Hiroshi has taken on Cambodian citizenship in order to represent Cambodia in the men's marathon during the 2016 Rio de Janeiro summer Olympics. This has become quite controversial, with people questioning whether its ok to randomly take on Cambodian nationality just to represent in sport? Joe is pretty impressed that someone could be passionate enough about competing that they would change thier nationality, but he still isn't sure if he approves. He says Neko Hiroshi can do this easily coming from a rich country like Japan, so it seems as if some inequality is showing. Tasai comments that Neko Hiroshi did also try to enter the London Olympics in 2011, but was rejected because at that time he had been a Cambodian citizen for less than one year. He has spent the last four years training in Cambodia, and is considered one of the country's best runners. Kaoru is surprised to hear he is that good. Kaoru says he doesn't really understand why the Neko applied for London, knowing he would be rejected. Publicity? Joe also says it may be difficult for the Cambodian people to show much support for him, knowing he is not originally Cambodian. Tasai says he knows a Cambodian chef who is living in Japan, and he asked his opinion. It seems Neko Hiroshi is not that popular with the Cambodian people, but it will be interesting to see what kind of impact he will have.

Tasai's next story relates to the group Morning Musume. Tasai asks the others if they have heard of this group, and of course they both have, but Joe momentarily questions whether he's thinking of the right group. Tasai continues to say that Morning Musume member, Suzuki Kanon (also known as Zukki) is very popular with overseas fans, despite not having the same level of popularity in Japan. Tasai says that unlike a regular idol, Zukki has a plump figure, and she is apparently popular with Americans due to her cute smile. This prompts Tasai to ask Kaoru whether Dir en grey experience different reactions in Japan and overseas. Kaoru says that they personally don't see much difference, but he thinks Japanese women are viewed a lot differently by people overseas than they are by Japanese men. He mentions the idea of the 'Asian Beauty', and the fact that Americans etc find a woman with a bit of meat on her more sexy than a very thin woman. He then tells a story about how once when Dir were touring overseas with other bands (*Family Values?*), they took some of thier female staff with them, and the members of the other foreign bands were going crazy lusting after these Japanese women, which made Kaoru realise that Japanese women in general are seen as more attractive in some countries.

To finish, Kaoru pleads with listeners to send in more new jingle attempts, he'll feel a bit sad if none get sent in. He then plugs his DVD and new single Utafumi, stating the new single will be played in full for the first time on this show on the 2nd of July, 2016.

Songs - Dir en grey/New Age Culture, The Rasmus/In the Shadows.

#dir en grey #the freedom of expression #radio

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