#Nashville is way better than it has any right to be

[agdragonfulday]

Thank you @lostredsupergiantstars for tagging me 💖

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@advictoriams @peachzaquiribinx @dbzebra

[omegalomania]

so im sure everyones fully well aware of the magic 8 ball site fob is using to promote a contest to win some tickets to see them in nashville. the little 8ball widget theyve got in browser is also modeled on the physical 8ball that they had in the vip merch packages for tourdust's first leg, which is cool! but of particular note is the way that, to fill out the contest form, you have to pick your favorite fall out boy songs. and the sheer breadth of what is allowed is...interesting? it's not cohesive by any means, but it is really wild the selection of songs they have here because not all of them are fob songs. in fact, quite a few of them aren't.

i went directly to the source code and got a full list of all possible songs that you could input (which you can check for yourself by right-clicking and selecting "view source"). i'm going to list them here for archival purposes, with a few notes/explanations cause some of these are WILD.

there are 187 songs total listed.

bolded songs indicate songs that are demos or never received an official release

italicized songs are songs by other bands

underlined songs indicate songs that are covers

songs with an asterisk beside them (*) indicate they are from patrick's solo catalogue. two asterisks (**) are for pete's.

additional commentary by me will be [in brackets]

20 Dollar Nose Bleed 27 7 Minutes in Heaven (Atavan Halen) 7-9 Legendary A Little Less Sixteen Candles, a Little More "Touch Me" A Nice Myth [one of the earliest fall out boy demos, found on their first ep, and only the casette version at that] Allie* Alone Together Alpha Dog America's Suitehearts American Beauty/American Psycho (song) American Made Art of Keeping Up Disappearances As Long as I Know I'm Getting Paid* Austin, We Have a Problem Baby Annihilation Bad Side of 25* Bang the Doldrums Beat It Big Hype* Bishops Knife Trick Bob Dylan Bounce [this is a song that came out on then-Decaydance labelmates The Cab's debut record, Whisper War, which patrick produced. he has writing credit and also is credited with background vocals (and also shows up in the music video)] Caffeine Cold Calm Before the Storm Centuries Champagne for My Real Friends, Real Pain for My Sham Friends Champion Check Your Phone** Chicago is So Two Years Ago Church City in a Garden Coast (It's Gonna Get Better)* Coffee's for Closers Cryptozoology* Cute Girls* Cyanide** [this is a nothing,nowhere song that pete did some spoken word parts and backing vocals on] Dance Miserable* Dance, Dance Dead on Arrival Dear Future Self (Hands Up) Death Valley Deep Blue Love* [song patrick did for the indie short film "spell"] Demigods Disloyal Order of Water Buffaloes Don't You Know Who I Think I Am? Electric Touch [the (in?)famous taylor swift song patrick featured on] Eternal Summer Everybody Wants Somebody* Explode* Fake Out Fame Less than Infamy Favorite Record Fellowship of the Nerd [this is an alternate title for world's not waiting, as far as i can tell] Flu Game Flu Game [yes flu game is listed twice for some reason] Footprints in the Snow [demo from the Llamania ep] Fourth of July From Now on We Are Enemies G.I.N.A.S.F.S. Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part to Save the Scene and Stop Going to Shows) Ghostbusters (I'm Not Afraid) Golden Grand Theft Autumn/Where Is Your Boy Greed* Grenade Jumper Grow Up and Be Kids [this song is on The Cab's sophomore album Symphony Soldier, which release after they left decaydance. nonetheless, pete does have some writing credits on it. give it a listen and you'll hear for yourself in the first 10 seconds or so] Growing Up Hand Crushed by a Mallet [this is a remix of the 100gecs song of the same name; patrick did some vocals for it] Hand of God Have I Got a Gift for You* [song patrick did for the horror movie black friday] Headfirst Slide into Cooperstown on a Bad Bet Heartbreak Feels So Good Heaven's Gate Heaven, Iowa Hold Me Like a Grudge Hold Me Tight or Don't Homesick at Space Camp Honorable Mention Hot to the Touch, Cold on the Inside Hum Hallelujah I Am My Own Muse I Don't Care

I Got Nothing, But You Got Something [this is the one that really perplexes me. there's no evidence of this song actually existing, other than an unverified genius post and an article on a single fandom wiki. it is inexplicably listed here despite its very existence being questionable at best.]

I Slept with Someone in Fall Out Boy and All I Got Was This Stupid Song Written About Me I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me) I'm Like a Lawyer with the Way I'm Always Trying to Get You Off (Me & You) I've Been Waiting [this is technically a lil peep song with fall out boy as a feature] I've Got a Dark Alley and a Bad Idea That Says You Should Shut Your Mouth (Summer Song) I've Got All This Ringing in My Ears and None on My Fingers Immortals Irresistible It's Hard to Say 'I Do', When I Don't It's Not a Side Effect of the Cocaine, I Am Thinking It Must Be Love Jet Pack Blues Just One Yesterday Lake Effect Kid (song) Lake Shore Drive [this is a song patrick covered on the piano at wrigley, first night of tourdust] Love from the Other Side Love Will Tear Us Apart Love, Selfish Love* Love, Sex, Death Lullabye Mad at Nothing* Miss Missing You Moving Pictures My Heart Is the Worst Kind of Weapon My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark (Light Em Up) New Dreams [this is a bonus track on pax am days, a naked rayguns cover] Nobody Puts Baby in the Corner Novocaine Of All the Gin Joints in All the World One of Those Nights [another song from the cab's whisper war. this one has patrick doing vocals very prominently] Open Happiness [this was a huge collaborative piece done for a coca cola commercial. patrick was on it along with big names like cee lo green, janelle monae, and labelmates travie mccoy and brendon urie] Our Lawyer Made Us Change the Name of This Song So We Wouldn't Get Sued Parker Lewis Can't Lose (But I'm Gonna Give It My Best Shot) Past Life [llamania ep] Pavlove People Never Done a Good Thing* Porcelain* Pretty in Punk Rat a Tat Reinventing the Wheel to Run Myself Over Roxanne Run Dry (X Heart X Fingers)* San Diego [this is a blink-182 song that patrick did some writing for] Saturday Saturday Night Again* Save Rock and Roll (song) Sending Postcards from a Plane Crash (Wish You Were Here) She's My Winona Short, Fast, and Loud Snitches and Talkers Get Stitches and Walkers So Good Right Now So Much (For) Stardust (song) So Sick [this is a song patrick has exclusively covered live, so it's a fascinating inclusion] Sober [another blink-182 song patrick did some writing for] Sophomore Slump or Comeback of the Year Star 67 Stay Frosty Royal Milk Tea Sugar, We're Goin Down Summer Days (song) [this is a martin garrix song patrick lent some vocals to] Sunshine Riptide Super Fade Switchblades and Infidelity Tell That Mick He Just Made My List of Things to Do Today The "I" In Lie* The (After) Life of the Party The (Shipped) Gold Standard The Carpal Tunnel of Love The Kids Aren't Alright The Kintsugi Kid (Ten Years) The Last of the Real Ones The Mighty Fall The Music or the Misery The Patron Saint of Liars and Fakes The Phoenix The Pink Seashell The Pros and Cons of Breathing The Take Over, the Breaks Over The World's Not Waiting (For Five Tired Boys in a Broken Down Van) This Ain't a Scene, It's an Arms Race This City* Thnks fr th Mmrs (song) [for some reason the site specifies song here, despite that not being necessary. the only other times this distinction is relevant is when songs share a title with their albums, i.e. save rock and roll] Thriller Tiffany Blews Twin Skeleton's (Hotel in NYC) Uma Thurman Untitled 1 (Colorado Song) Untitled 2 (Jakus Song) [both of these are recently released tttyg era demos] W.A.M.S. We Didn't Start the Fire We Don’t Take Hits, We Write Them [this is a song that famously was only ever performed live. we don't have a studio recording or even a demo, as only live versions exist] We Were Doomed from the Start (The King is Dead) West Coast Smoker What a Catch, Donnie What a Time To Be Alive What's This? When I Made You Cry* Where Did the Party Go Wilson (Expensive Mistakes) Wrong Side of Paradise [llamania ep] XO You're Crashing, But You're No Wave Young and Menace Young Volcanoes Yule Shoot Your Eye Out

in conclusion i have no idea who compiled this list. it doesn't include every song patrick and pete have ever touched (notice the lack of gym class heroes, cobra starship, and hush sound discography) but it has a really weird selection of songs. i mean, blink songs patrick wrote on?? its bizarre.

anyway do you think if we mass request swing me by the rafters they'll have to do it

[bullet-prooflove]

13. Cause I know you and you know me And we both know where this is gonna lead - from your Country prompt list feels very Nick Torres for me - do you think you could see it for him too?👀

Tagging: @kmc1989 @Divergent146 @whateversomethingbruh @district447 @stelacole

Where Evil Grew - Nick has to tell you the bad news about your sister.

The night Nick tells you they’ve found your sister’s body is the night you completely fall apart. You’d always had this hope, this stupid hope that Katy was alive somewhere, that she’d gone AWOL, taken off to Nashville. Nick are shatters that when he informs you her corpse has turned up in a construction worker’s backyard. You spend the night peppering him with questions and raging against the world before he puts you to bed.  

“Stay.” You request reaching for his hand and Nick, he can’t deny you.

You end up lying next to each other under the blankets, his arm wrapped around your waist, holding you close. You take comfort in the press of his firm body against yours, the heat of him. His lips chase away the tears that leak down your cheeks, his nose trailing along yours until his mouth brushes over yours and the sensation of that, it drowns out everything else.

It's Nick that draws away, Nick that becomes the voice of reason because you’re grieving your sister and he’s only three months sober.

“Not like this.” He tells you, his thumb ghosting over the apple of your cheek. “When it happens…”

He trails off because he can’t bring himself to say the words.

I want it to be because you love me.

“I should leave.” He says, his lips brushing over your forehead before he slips out of the sheets. “I’ll come back tomorrow to check on you.”

“Don’t bother.” You say turning your back on him and drawing the sheets up around your shoulders. “I don’t want to see you again until you’ve found my sister’s killer.”

“Look I…”

 “Just go.” You say coldly and Nick feels that ache in his chest returning. “I fucking mean it.”

So he does. You don’t take his calls after that, you ignore his texts. A couple of weeks later Dale Sawyer comes into work like a cat that’s got the cream and Nick doesn’t realise, not then, what that man has to smile about.

“You were right.” You tell him the night he turns up on your door step to give you the news they’ve caught your sister’s killer. “To leave that night, it’s not how things should start between the two of us.”

You’re sitting at the kitchen table sharing a pot of Earl Grey tea. The teapot is something Ducky gave you for your birthday, as NCIS’s historian and custodian of records you work together closely investigating your cold cases.

“I’m sorry.” You say as you sip from your mug. “For the way I spoke to you, you deserved better than that.”

“You were grieving.” Nick reminds you before he gestures at the funeral brochures stacked next to you, your notepad sitting upon the top. “Do you need help making the arrangements?”

You sigh as you push the brochures towards him, shaking your head.

“I don’t know what she would have wanted.” You tell him as you wrap both of your hands around your mug. “It’s not something we talked about, she was so young when she disappeared…”

You tilt your head away because your eyes start to sting, and Nick, he reaches for your hand clasping it tightly. He knows that grief, it just keeps coming and no one can combat that. It’s overwhelming, it drowns out your common sense, makes things less manageable.

“You said your sister liked Alison Krauss.” Nick begins as he picks up the notepad and pen. “Let’s start there.

Love Nick? Don’t miss any of his stories by joining the taglist here.

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Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[thewritingofspencerrose]

I know, it's (VERY, im so sorry) delayed, this has been sitting in my drafts since the day his trade was announced and i just got around to finishing it up. enjoy!

"Jamie," Is all I can think to respond to my brothers words. "I can't just move to Pennsylvania, you know that. I have three more years left of schooling."

You were supposed to have 3 more years on your contract, I want to add, but I know that's not what he needs right now. He was just traded away from his home with no warning, he doesn't need his little sister giving him a hard time.

"I know, trust me I know. I was so focused on getting my deal with the Ducks because of that. But some kid that was supposed to go to Philly had a change of plans and now I have to be on a plane there from Nashville at 5 in the morning."

"You don't even get to play against the Predators?" I ask, not realizing just how sudden this was all about to happen. "Do you need me to send you things? God I didn't realize this would all be so sudden."

"Kid, let's worry about what I need in a minute, I need to talk to you about you, the apartment, all of that." Oh shit. I can't afford this place. "I talked to Trevor, and he and I think you should move in with him."

"You... what?"

"I-"

"No, I heard you," I interrupt, not even letting him get two words in. "Why on earth is that your first thought? Let me have my sister move out of the apartment we've been living in and in with my best friend? Didn't Trevor literally move out because he wanted more space?"

"I know, and he knows that, but you're my little sister, I don't like the idea of you just finding some random roommate. And Trev promised that he'd look after you," Jamie explains, and I don't want to give him more grief than necessary today of all days, "I just need to know you're being looked after if I'm going to be on the east coast."

"Have you already talked to Trevor about this?"

"He offered."

Oh fuck me.

"Oh, woah," Are the first words out of Trevor's mouth when he walks in the door, two weeks and change after Jamie's move. After my moving in.

"I promise I tried not to touch anything, I just-"

"No, I told you that you should make yourself at home," He reminds, dropping his gear by the door. "It's just, I don't know, feels more homey in here than when I left."

"It's probably because you got so used to living with me and JD that seeing my things around reminds you," I offer, trying to ignore the way he's looking at me like the entire reason this place feels like home is me. "Speaking of my brother, when you offered this little deal to him did you happen to mention that you'd been sleeping with said little sister for months before you moved out?"

I probably should have seen what he was doing when he started to distance himself from me and should have realized I had gotten too attached when it hurt for him to do so.

And I had been doing fine with getting over him until JD had this fantastic idea.

Now he's here, his look shifting from admiration to shock.

"Why- why would I tell Jimmy that?"

"You're basically boyfriends, I would have thought you'd tell him about your torrid affair," I can't help the joke slipping, only earning myself an eye roll as he throws himself on the couch, landing by my feet and making the book on my lap nearly fall to the floor.

"You and everyone else need to stop thinking that we're boyfriends, you know better than any of us that I am not into guys," He returns, pointing at me like he's trying to prove his point.

Now I'm the one rolling my eyes. "Trev, the whole world knows you're into women, have you not seen the photos of you and that D'Amelio sister around? You're hot gossip on the internet."

I hate it.

"Oh God," He groans, head falling in his hands, and it's not the joking one I'm expecting, but genuine discomfort.

"Trev? You okay?" I'm already moving before I've finished asking, my book set aside as I move to his side, hand coming to caress the back of his neck, where his shaggy hair meets his hoodie.

I can't help but take a moment to hesitate, knowing that if he is with her like the tabloids say, I'm far too close to a gray area than I should be.

But it's Trevor. He helped JD move me into their apartment, after agreeing to me living with them in the first place.

He's always been there for me as long as JD and he have known each other, and I have always done my best to be there for him.

"It's the God damn media," is his whispered answer, shoulders slumping. "I can't be seen with a girl without being assumed to be with her, you know?"

"I can't say that I do," It's honest. Also very unhelpful. "You're sitting with the boring Drysdale, I have as much experience with the media as being photographed with you and JD."

His eyes rise up, looking at me for only a second before he's looking back down at his hands, ringing them. "You're not boring, Kate."

"You know what I mean-"

"No," He interrupts, eyes jumping up again, this time remaining on me. "You're not boring, you're normal in the best way. Why do you think I ended things?"

What?

"You deserve normal."

My hand stills on his neck, slowly sliding across his shoulder until it's back in my lap. "Trevor, what are you talking about? If this is because things aren't working with her and I'm suddenly around-"

"I was never with her!" He's yelling, moving to stand in the time it takes me to process his words and turning back on me, eyes wild. "We were in that photo because a mutual friend had a birthday and everyone ran with it!"

"Trev, you don't have to explain your dating life to me," I sound almost desperate, desperate in my desire to not hear about the women he's seen since our last night. My voice is the one who gets quiet now, "I'd really rather you not."

"You're not listening to me," Trev is nearly grunting, pausing to sit on the coffee table in front of my legs. "I haven't been seeing anyone else, it's why the photos piss me off. They have you thinking I'm out sleeping around," His hands rest on my knees, thumbs gently running over them. "You're not someone a person can just move on from, Kate."

"Trevor, you can't do this to me," There's that desperate tone again. "You broke off our arrangement. I was ready to become more and you were the one who said we'd have to just be friends, that I had to go back to being your best friend's little sister."

His thumbs dig in momentarily, the only thought coming to mind being when he last did that, hands slowly guiding my legs apart and -

No!

"Do you not know how much I've regretted every word of what I said?" He looks so genuine. He's Trev, of course he's being genuine.

"What made you change your mind?"

"The idea that you'd be moving to Philadelphia," There's no hesitation.

And I can't help but laugh. "Trevor Zegras, I have one year left of my undergrad and two of my masters. You can't have thought I'd really be uprooting my life," a smile comes back to his face for the first time since he walked in to see me on the couch.

"Are you laughing at me?" Is his falsely offended cry, making me laugh even harder. "How dare you!" His hands find my sides immediately, fingers moving in sync to tickle where he knows I'll feel it most.

His body has moved onto mine, my breathe leaving my lungs faster than they can refill as I wiggle.

"Trev! Trev! Get off of me, you goon!" He just smiles, propping himself up on his arms enough to pop back into a sitting position.

It's so soft, the look in his eyes.

"Give me another chance, please?" That's why he looks so soft.

He's scared.

But I am too. This has gotten more complicated than before.

"Trevor... this has gotten so much more complicated-"

"How?"

"What?" How could he possibly be asking how this could be more complicated.

He's smirking now. "It's actually less complicated. We're still roommates and I still want to be with you, only difference is your brother isn't on the other side of the door, keeping us quiet."

He's not wrong.

Now it's my turn to smile. "If we try this again, we're a couple. No casual sex."

"Deal," His smile is brighter than the lights at the stadium. "My terms were the same."

"And-"

"And? You want a kiss?" He supplies, and while it's not at all what I was going to say, I'm going to let him have this one.

So I nod.

He leans in.

And when our lips touch, it doesn't matter that he's my brother's best friend, or that I'm his best friend's little sister.

We're home.

[princehatterene]

yay my post got one like!!! time to ramble on about the one type of loud noise i actually like!!!

now presenting: theo rates nhl goal horns and goal songs (note: i don’t know if all of these are up to date, but i’ll do my best! ;w; also HEADPHONE USERS BEWARE)

anaheim ducks: the horn sounds really unique! really low pitched, spongebob’s alarm clock-esque. might be kinda hard to hear over the din of the crowd tho? the goal song (bro hymn by pennywise) is also iconic. i bet that sounds awesome in an arena. solid 7/10, not a whole lot else to say

arizona coyotes (rip): the horn itself is whatever but THE SONG……..MOTHERFUCKING HOWLIN’ FOR YOU BY THE BLACK KEYS??? AND THE COYOTE HOWL SOUND EFFECTS??? YOU CAN’T GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT. arizona y’all were fuckin robbed and i am so sorry for your loss. 7.5/10, the boring horn takes it down a bit sadly

boston bruins: i’m loathe to admit it cuz i have a vendetta against the bruins, but this entire combination goes stupid hard. yeah the song is overused in sports arenas but….man it just hits, i dunno what else to say. horn sounds really punchy and is super unique to boston. i’m gonna be a lil mean and give it an 8.5/10 instead of a 9. Fuck You Boston /j

buffalo sabres: this horn blows my tits clean off and Not in a good way. sounds pretty similar to nashville’s which we will get to in a bit. also i think they have individual goal songs for each player and honestly i think that’s a little lame. i like when a team is known for that one song ig, even if they change it frequently. 6/10

calgary flames: this combo also goes hard. i LOOOOOVE when goal horns have an actual harmony to them and aren’t just one solid mass of noise? don’t get me wrong the solid masses of noise also hit sometimes, but this sounds so so good. also a badass goal song. dyno-mite. 8/10

carolina hurricanes: it sure sounds like it’s being played thru a hurricane, that gets it at least a couple points for unintentional thematic harmony. song sounds cool, i like that it’s related to the state the team is located in. other than that the combo is alright i guess. 7/10

chicago blackhawks: the og goal horn! i gotta give it some flowers for that alone. also arguably The most iconic goal song. chelsea dagger you will always be famous. if only the team was actually good and we got to hear it more. 8.5/10

colorado avalanche: now THIS sounds like spongebob’s alarm clock. i was gonna give it flak for sounding too much like the golden knights but eh, i guess it’s different enough (theirs is eeeeever so slightly higher pitched—they are the same model horn tho). and the song is whatever i don’t care this team makes me irrationally angry. stop being good. cale makar and nathan mackinnon blend together in my head they are the same person you can’t change my mind. grr >:( 7/10

columbus blue jackets: first, some history: the team is based off of the blue uniforms the union soldiers wore in the civil war (ohio provided a lot of troops and supplies to the union), and their arena has a replica 1800s napoleon cannon that shoots a pyrotechnic round every time they score a goal or win a game. i'm not even a fan of the team and i pop off EVERY TIME that cannon goes off and for those about to rock starts playing. uhhh the goal horn itself is ok. 9/10

dallas stars: DALLAS. STARS. DALLAS. STARS. DALLAS. STARS. DALLAS. STARS. 8.5/10

detroit red wings: WE FINALLY HAVE A REAL GOAL HORN IN LITTLE CAESARS ARENA!!! the second link is the horrible recording we used to have from the old horn in joe louis arena. while i miss the old horn a lot, this new one is growing on me. also none of the links showcase it but our current goal song is that one part in without me by eminem where he goes "la la la la la", you know the one. i wouldn't call myself a huge eminem fan but i think it goes hard and i'm not sorry one bit. 10/10, totally not biased at all <3

edmonton oilers:

“bully horn” is right, that noise just stole my lunch money and shoved me in a locker.

...............it's been growing on me. 2/10 but in like? a good way? it's supposed to be intimidating, i get that, but also Ow My Fucking Ears

florida panthers: they LOVE that growl sound effect lmao. also this is the same model as detroit's new horn! sounds a tad bit different tho. they're another team that does individual goal songs now, but they used to have sweetness by jimmy eat world. huge L getting rid of that if you ask me. 6.5/10

los angeles kings: eh, it's ok. horn sounds pretty cool, but the song doesn't stand out. 5/10, maybe even a 4. i have no strong feelings whatsoever

minnesota wild: GODDDDD I LOVE THIS SONGGGGGG. people in the comments of the second link like "waahh crowd chant was better", don't you EVER disrespect the isley brothers in my presence. the horn sounds sick they have a working lighthouse that shoots fog in their arena they have an awesome logo they have marc-andre fleury i love you minnesota wild i love you so very much. 8.5/10

montreal canadiens: ough.....c'est magnifique. c'est super. i heard they changed the horn a little bit, adding a lower-pitched bell into the mix. here's what that sounds like. i really like the habs package overall! a classic sound for a classic team. a solid 8/10

nashville predators: oh this horn is CRUNCHY. i can't tell if that's a good or bad thing. i bet it sounds really cool irl. the goal songs are pretty great, as are the "HEY! YOU SUCK!" chants from the crowd. i have no strong feelings toward the team, but their goal combo is solid. 7/10

new jersey devils: OMG THEY HAVE A "YOU SUCK" CHANT TOO LMAO THAT'S GREAT. i've never payed too much attention to this team or their horn, and it's not bad! i like the siren that's in there. and their goal song too, wish i knew what it was. 7/10

new york islanders: ah yes, the iconic "YES! YES! YES! YES! YES!" chants. i know it originally comes from a wwe wrestler, but i could not tell you who that is lol. wrestling mutuals come thru... i also love how they have like three different songs/celebrations in here lol. the horn itself is ok. 7/10

new york rangers: haha the rangers don't have a real goal horn, everyone point and laugh!!! 🤣 i do like that it's a fire engine horn tho, that's admittedly really awesome. we love firefighters in this house. and for a recording it sounds pretty good. the song isn't too terribly interesting to me, but it's so quintessentially The New York Rangers that i can't be too mad at it. mmmmmm 6.5/10

ottawa senators: oooh i didn't notice how similar it was to montreal's! looks like it is the same manufacturer. interesting! <- fucking nerdass /lh

the song is fiiiiine. a little cliche. nice crowd participation in there tho. 6/10, i always forget this team exists LOL

philidelphia flyers: OOOOH THEIR HORN IS NICE AND CRUNCHY TOO... they also incorporate some wrestling into their celebrations! i don't know who becky lynch is but their theme is pretty cool! makes for a hype hockey goal song. 8/10

pittsburgh penguins: EVERYONE SHUT THE FUCK UP AND LISTEN TO THIS GOAL HORN NOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THE HARMONY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT SOUNDS SO TRIUMPHANT???? I POP OFF EVERY FUCKING TIME BRO HOW DOES IT SOUND THIS GOOD??????????????? the song is ok too, not my favorite but it'll do. 15/10, tickles my brain Just Right

san jose sharks: another good spongebob-esque HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK. also their goal song fucking RULES. big big fan of this one. 9/10

seattle kraken: girl if you don't release that motherfucking kraken i swear to god--

awesome sounding foghorn, absolutely based song choice, that's a solid 9/10

st. louis blues: nice sounding horn! i love the lower pitch that gets added in with the second little burst. but what really gets me is the organ playing when the saints go marching in....ough it makes me smile every time i hear it. the song after it is pretty hype too! just good vibes all around in st. louis. 8.5/10

tampa bay lightning: i meannnnnnn it's whatever. uninspired. their pregame show has this huge tesla coil and they play thunderstruck by ac/dc and that would be SUUUCH a better goal song than whatever bland stadium anthem this is. it'll be a no from me. 4/10

toronto maple leafs: i don't care what anyone says, as a stealth leafs fan, this goal song is not bad. it's unconventional for sure, but it grew on me after a while. the horn is just ok, sounds just like everyone else's. all these horns start to blend together after a while, yknow? but we're almost done! 6/10, maaaaybe 6.5. we could do better.

vancouver canucks: ooooh i like their songs a lot! don't you forget about me is also unconventional but i love that song too much to care. also unironic nickelback haters dni. sounds like they used to have holiday by green day too? based. the horn is also kinda like. harmoniously cacophonous, which i know is the oxymoron of the century, but it's not a bad thing. 8.5 or 9/10

vegas golden knights: goal song is fitting cuz panic! is from vegas, so that's pretty sick. and i guess i should say vegas is copying colorado's horn cuz colorado came first, but i don't like the avs so the knights get a pass from me. not much else to say tho. 8/10

washington capitals: THEY USED TO HAVE A COOL POLICE SIREN MIXED IN WITH THEIR HORN BUT THEY GOT RID OF IT AND IT PISSES ME OFF. 3/10, L + ratio + the siren was the best part + song isn't nearly interesting enough to be worth mentioning + crosby > ovi

winnipeg jets: and last but certainly not least, we have my second favorite horn in the league! it's a train whistle!! it's super unique and cool and i love how it sounds!! another one that just tickles my brain. i think the goal song with the added siren is super hype too. 10/10 yaaay yippee last one goes out with a bang :D

[stardustshelb]

"Strawberry" Part Two

TW: Language and sexual content

Word count: 7,468

Chapter Four

“No! No, absolutely not,” Riley said with a concerned look on her face. I FaceTimed her as soon as I got settled in the Airbnb. Since I was the first one to arrive, I felt as though I should get first pick out of the four-bedroom house. This place was twice the size and so much nicer than my own home; no wonder the bill for the weekend was twice my monthly mortgage payment. I saved the master bedroom for Riley, but I decided to claim the room across the hall from the guest bathroom. While it wasn’t the biggest room in the house, it was definitely the most beautiful, in my opinion. I sat on the bed rubbing my hands across the satin sheets as I stared at my best friend’s worried face. 

I pleaded, “Why not?” 

She exclaimed, “Because he’s a stranger! Because you’re engaged! Because you’re alone! Need I say more?” 

“He’s just coming over to cook for me. Nothing more… I haven’t even texted him yet,” I said.

“Look, you know Kenneth is literally my least favorite person on the planet, but you have to be smart about this. You’re normally so level-headed,” she said with a sigh.

“I wish I could explain the way Josh makes me feel. He made me feel better about myself in the hour and a half I sat next to him than anyone has in the past five years,” I said with a lump in my throat. It was true and I realized now more than ever why staying in his company was vital. I needed to be reminded of who I was, who I am, and who I want to be. Josh somehow had the ability to elicit that feeling with his endearing words and beautiful smile.

“Ouch,” Riley said with a disappointed look on her face.

“Riley, you know that wasn’t directed at you,” I said, realizing I should have chosen my words better.

“Listen. I love you. I am not letting your lapse in judgment impact this weekend. Please don’t text him. You have never had to endure the dating world because you’ve been with the same guy your whole life. Men will say anything you want to hear just to get inside you,” she said. 

I knew she was probably right. I had zero experience dating anyone because Kenneth and I have been together since we were kids. I always thought marrying my high school sweetheart was bragworthy, but I feel the opposite now. I have had a secret longing inside me for so long, but change is scary. 

“And what if I do text him? Will you still love me?” I asked honestly.

“Of course, but I can’t say I would support your decision. What’s his last name? Does he live in Nashville? What’s this guy’s deal? What power does he have over you?” she asked like she was interrogating me for a crime I had not yet committed.

“Ok, so I can’t answer the last name part but–” I began.

“Are you serious? You don’t even know his last name?” she interrupted.

“He said he would send me all of his personal information once I texted him. And I will send everything to you. I won’t give him the Airbnb address without receiving what I asked for first,” I explained.

“Text him right now while you’re on FaceTime with me,” she demanded.

“Riley, it’s only been one hour since I left the airport. I don’t want to look desperate,” I replied. I stared at her face while I could see she was thinking of what to say next. Was I really making a mistake by wanting to hangout with him some more?

“Ok, fine.But I want his full name, phone number, picture, social security number, a copy of his birth certificate, and a vehicle description within the next two hours, or I will catch the next flight to Nashville and come kick your ass,” she said with a scowl on her face.

“Within the next two hours…Yes ma’am,” I said with a salute. I ended the FaceTime so I could start to unpack my suitcase. I brought outfits for all of the activities on Riley’s weekend itinerary, something I had no say in creating, but I’ve always been willing to go with the flow. I didn’t bring any extra cute outfits because I expected to stay in tonight. And while that’s still the case, I especially didn’t expect to have company. Would Josh change his clothes before coming? Would it be weird if I didn’t? Why did I care so much?

My phone started to ring which brought me back to planet earth. Kenneth’s name was on my phone screen. He was the last person I wanted to talk to, but I figured if I didn’t answer his call, he would only continue to call me.

“Hey,” I said once I picked up my phone.

“Are you at the Airbnb, yet?” he asked.

“Yes, I’ve been here for an hour talking to Riley on FaceTime,” I said.

“Why didn’t you let me know you made it?” he questioned me.

“I honestly had so much on my mind that I intended to, but–” I started.

“Glad to know I’m not on your mind,” he said in an accusatory tone. 

“Kenneth, I don’t want to argue right now. I’m at the Airbnb. I’m unpacking. I need to start decorating the house here soon before everyone gets here tomorrow,” I sighed into the phone.

“What are you doing about dinner?” he asked. Shit.

“I’ll probably DoorDash something local. I’m staying in, you know that,” I reminded him. “Can you send me a picture of Sassy?” I asked, trying to change the subject.

“Yeah, I will here in a bit,” he responded. “I think the guys and I are gonna go grab a beer after we get off work tonight,” he said.

“Didn’t you guys just go out last night?” I asked.

“Yeah, we’re still celebrating our big win for the company. Are you seriously questioning me when you’re the one in Nashville on my dime?” he asked.

“Just be safe. Don’t forget to send me a picture of Sassy, please,” I said in an attempt to end the phone call. 

“Yeah, I will. Have a good night, I guess,” he said with the least amount of enthusiasm a human could have.

“Thanks, you too,” I said, returning the disinterested tone. I hung up the phone and stared at myself in the reflection of the full-length mirror near the side of the bed. How can someone who says he loves me make me feel so bad about myself? How can someone who I once loved more than anyone in the world make me feel like I am the unworthiest person on earth?

This feeling of despair solidified my decision. I opened my contacts app and scrolled until I found the name Plagiarism; as soon as I saw it, I let out a laugh. It felt good to laugh again..

Me: “Hey, it’s the girl who has no name.” I hit send without overthinking the text. What if he’s never watched Game of Thrones? What if he doesn’t get it? What if I look like a total idiot?

Plagiarism: “The smart, beautiful, arrogant one?”

Me: “I’ve heard that a couple times today.”

Plagiarism: “I was wondering if you were actually going to text me. I’m glad you did. What would you like me to cook tonight?”

Me: “Chef’s choice. Surprise me.”

Plagiarism: “Any food allergies? Likes? Dislikes?” 

Me: “I’m easy to please.”

Plagiarism: “Noted. I’m going to run to the store because I’m low on groceries. I haven’t been home in a while. I’ll text you when I’m about to check out so you can send me your address.”

Me: “Remember I’m not sending you my address until you send me the safety precautions first.”

Plagiarism: “Right. As you wish…”

I stared at my phone screen waiting for the text bubble to pop up to show he’s sending me the information I’ve asked for. As I wish? What the hell does that even mean? I couldn’t stand waiting on his response a second longer, so I left my phone on the nightstand and began hanging up my clothes for the weekend. I opted to change into the comfy clothes that I brought to lounge in tonight after all. I inspected my hair and makeup in the mirror; I could definitely use a refresh. I carried my toiletries bag to the bathroom and began freshening up. Should I wear perfume? I wasn’t wearing any today on the plane. Would he think I was weird for wearing perfume in pajamas? God I hope he’s wearing that cologne again. Suddenly I heard my phone buzz. I ran to check the screen when I saw it was a text from Riley.

Riley: “Did you text him?”

Me: “Maybe…”

Riley: “Send me his number.”

I knew Riley wouldn’t try to contact him. She just wanted to have his information on hand in case anything were to happen to me. I copied the number I had saved for Plagiarism and forwarded it to her. I put my phone back down on the nightstand to continue freshening up in the bathroom when I heard my phone ringing. Who the hell is calling me?

“Yes?” I asked questionably.

“That’s not even his real phone number!” Riley exclaimed.

“What do you mean it’s not real? I have already texted him… Of course it’s real,” I explained.

“No, I just Googled that number and it’s a Google Voice number. That means he gave you a fake number connected to an app. I don’t like this one bit,” she said.

“Riley, you’re overthinking this–” I tried to respond.

“You’re not thinking at all!” she yelled. I sat in silence as I realized she may be right. All I knew about this stranger was that his name is Josh, he’s a concert photographer, he lives in Nashville, and he listens to a band named Greta Van Fleet. Oh, and he loves his mom. That’s it. 

“Please be smart about this,” Riley pleaded, breaking the awkward silence.

“He just responded!” I yelled into the phone while I put her on speaker. I opened his message to find a selfie that I swear was taken by an angel. I stared at his photo for so long I wanted it burned into my memory. I could tell that he changed clothes too. Those sunglasses from earlier now hung around his sweatshirt collar. I zoomed into the background trying to find details but all I could see was that he was in the driver’s seat of a nice vehicle. His hat from earlier was gone unleashing curls styled into… Is that a mullet? 

“Well what does it say?” Riley yelled to knock me out of my trance.

 I read aloud his text to Riley, “My name is Joshua Michael. You already have my phone number. Here is a picture of what I currently look like. I just pulled into Whole Foods, so I’m heading inside to pick up some groceries for dinner.”

“He has two first names?” Riley questioned.

“You would focus on that,” I said with a laugh. I was too busy staring at the selfie he sent me. His soft smile hid the perfect teeth behind his full lips. His eyes were soft and inviting. I wonder if those are natural curls.

“What did you say he did for a living?” Riley asked.

“He’s a concert photographer,” I replied.

“Well, there’s a country music artist named Joshua Michael. He’s old. Let me search for his photography business–” Riley said.

“I don’t know if he has his own business. He could work for a company,” I said with an annoyed tone that she was still in her investigative mood.

“True. Send me his picture,” Riley commanded. I went back to my messages and saved the selfie he sent me. I texted it to Riley and waited for her commentary.

“Ohhhh, ok Joshua,” she said in a high-pitch tone. She got it.

“I’m telling you, his conversation alone is more enticing than his looks,” I said.

“I understand why you are willing to risk your life for a stranger now,” Riley said.

“He texted me again!” I yelped not acknowledging her dig. 

“Read it to me!” Riley exclaimed.

“Ok, I am grabbing two bottles of wine. One red, one white. Unless you think I should get something else?” I read aloud.

“You don’t even drink,” Riley said.

“I drink!” I defended myself.

“Oh yeah, once in a blue moon doesn’t mean you drink. You better limit yourself to one glass. You know you’re kind of a lightweight,” Riley said. 

“Oh, so now you’re ok with him coming over?” I said with a matter-of-fact tone. Riley had been so against the idea of Josh coming over for dinner until this moment. It’s the first time she sounded like she was in on the idea, so I knew I had to take advantage of it.

“He’s coming over regardless of what I say, so I might as well embrace it. Send me a picture of his vehicle when he pulls into the Airbnb,” she commanded.

“Yes, ma’am. Anything else?” I asked sarcastically.

“I want you to text me periodically through the night to check in, ok?” she instructed.

“Yes, ma’am,” I responded.

“Alright, well have fun. Be safe. I love you more than anything. Use your head. Drink no more than one glass of wine. Text me often and–” she tried to say.

“Ok, ok. I got it. I need to get off the phone to freshen up my makeup,” I interrupted. I said goodbye to Riley and hung up the phone. I went back to my text messages to reply to Josh; I wondered if he was annoyed that I hadn’t responded yet.

Me: “One bottle of white wine would be fine.”

Plagiarism: “I’m buying two just in case.”

Me: “It won’t be necessary.”

Plagiarism: “Then I’ll leave the unopened bottle there for you and your friends to drink later this weekend.”

Me: “How thoughtful.”

Plagiarism: “Always. I’m almost finished here. Can I have your address now or is my background check still processing?” I let out a laugh. Against my own better judgment, I sent him the address to the Airbnb. I couldn’t believe I was about to spend the evening with one of the most interesting, attractive men I have ever met. They don’t have guys like him in my small Oklahoma town. 

Plagiarism: “My GPS says I’ll be there in 20 minutes.”

Chapter Five

With 20 minutes to spare, I took what my mother always called a “whore’s bath” in the bathtub. I continued to inspect my hair and makeup in the mirror. Why did I care so much about what I looked like? I brushed my teeth and reapplied my lipstick. I decided on a soft shade of pink to give my lips some color but not too much color. I stood back and examined my lounge set: I got this matching cropped short sleeve sweatshirt and pants on sale at Walmart, and this guy shops at Whole Foods. And he flies in Group A. And he has an assistant. I am so not his type. He is going to be bored of me within the first 10 minutes. 

I put on another layer of deodorant because my nerves were starting to make me sweat. What am I doing? This was a bad idea. This was a stupid idea. I needed to text him right now and tell him I changed my mind. My anxiety was starting to get the best of me, so I started to remember my coping skills. I left the bathroom and sat on the couch in the spacious living room. Breathe. I opened my Spotify app and rather than listening to a familiar song to help calm my nerves, I hit a random song on the Greta Van Fleet playlist that Josh had downloaded to my phone. I closed my eyes and listened to music as I concentrated on my breathing.

“A beauty lives in every soul. The more you love, the more you know. They pass the torch, and it still burns. Once children then, it’s now our turn.”

This song was just what I needed to hear. Did Josh introduce me to my new favorite band? I continued to breathe and take in the beautiful lyrics when I heard a door shut. My eyes shot open and I jumped up from the couch. I glanced over the living room once more to make sure everything looked perfect. I peaked out the window to see him getting the bags of groceries out of the back of his Jeep. I quickly snapped a picture to text to Riley before he saw me. I continued to watch him from the window as he grabbed his final bag. Did he buy the whole damn store? I moved away from the window and waited by the door to let him in. I felt like I was going to pass out.

“Come on in,” I said as I opened the door. Somehow he looked even better than he did earlier. I glanced at his matching tan sweatsuit that complemented mine. His sweatshirt had a tiny triangular symbol with rhinestones, a symbol I did not recognize, sewn into it. He definitely did not get that from Walmart. I closed the door behind him as he carried what looked like seven bags of groceries to the kitchen. I followed him trying to appear calm, cool, and collected. I sat at one of the barstools behind the counter to watch him as he unpacked his purchases.

“Mrs–” he began.

“Miss,” I corrected him. He looked confused as he glanced at my engagement ring still on my hand. Why didn’t I take this off?

“Miss, I hope you like Polish food,” he said as he pulled out the two bottles of wine.

“I’m not sure I’ve ever had Polish food,” I said in a curious tone.

“I’m about to rock your world,” he said with a smile that displayed the gap that I will dream about tonight. I examined his hairstyle while he unpacked bell peppers, onions, carrots, mushrooms, various spices, and a package of beef. His hair was definitely styled in a way that Kenneth would die before wearing. It was a mullet alright, but not like any mullet you would see in Oklahoma. 

“This is my grandmother’s recipe. Normally it simmers on the stove for several hours, but we don’t have that luxury. It will still be good. It’s my favorite comfort soup. It’s called gulasz,” he explained.

“Like goulash?” I asked.

“Similar, but this is the Polish version. Where are the knives?” he asked as he started to wash the vegetables.

“This is my first time using the kitchen too, so your guess is as good as mine,” I said with a nervous laugh. I got up from the barstool to start opening the plethora of drawers until I found the utensils he would need.

“So you’re Polish?” I asked as I handed him a cutting board.

“Yes,” he said with a sense of pride.

 “Have you ever been to Poland?” I asked as I searched for two wine glasses in the cabinets. “One drink” I practically heard Riley’s voice in my ears.

“No, not yet. It’s definitely on my travel list when I go to Europe later this year,” he said as he stirred the beef inside the pot he found. 

“I’ve never been outside of the United States. Hell, I’ve barely been outside of Oklahoma. By the way, why were you and your assistant in Oklahoma City anyways?” I asked.

“My who–Oh, yeah, he and I had a business meeting yesterday afternoon, so we flew back this morning. Our flight last night was canceled. We showed up to the airport this morning and asked for the earliest flight to Nashville, so we were limited to Southwest. But hey, no complaints now,” he said. Although his back was to me, I could hear the smile in his voice.

“A business meeting for your photography?” I asked as I watched him sprinkle paprika into the pot.

“Yes, something like that,” he said with a smirk as he glanced over his shoulder. “Do you live in Oklahoma City?” he asked.

“Oh, God no. I had to drive an hour and a half to get to the airport. My hometown is tiny. We don’t even have a stoplight,” I said.

“You still live in your hometown?” he asked. I watched him chop the vegetables with great focus. His knife work demonstrated that he was skilled. I gazed at the veins in his hands protruding with every motion. He dumped the sliced vegetables into the pot and covered it with a lid. I realized I had been watching him for too long and almost forgot what he had asked me.

“Yes, everyone left except me,” I said with a laugh to hide the pain in my voice.

Josh immediately stopped what he was doing and turned to face me. I could feel him studying my face as if he were trying to read me like a novel. He slowly walked over to me. I felt my cheeks get warm as he stood so close I could smell his cologne over the aromatic dinner on the stove.

“Are you lonely?” he asked with a look in his eyes I couldn’t quite place. Pity? 

“Most of the time, yes. But it’s a feeling I’ve grown accustomed to,” I said with a shrug.

“I could sense that about you. It’s one of the reasons I didn’t want you to spend your first evening in Nashville alone,” he said looking at my mouth. Did I have lipstick on my teeth? 

“Yes, I definitely appreciate the company. How long until the–what was it called again?” I asked.

“Repeat after me…” he said slowly. “Gulasz.” I watched his mouth closely as his tongue flicked between the syllables. 

“Gulasz…” I repeated back to him.

“Good girl,” he said with a wink. I felt myself forming into a puddle on the floor. “It should be finished in about an hour and a half.”

 I needed to distract myself from him. I moved around him to walk toward the counter where I had left the two empty wine glasses. “Sure, alcohol will help” I could hear Riley again. I realized the wine he had bought needed a corkscrew. The only wine I have ever had only had a twist top.

“This is one of my favorites despite it coming from a grocery store. If I had more time to prepare, I would have brought some bottles from my favorite winery,” he said as he began searching the kitchen drawers for a corkscrew. 

“I’m honestly not a wine connoisseur. I rarely drink,” I said timidly.

“We don’t have to open a bottle if you don’t want to. I’m perfectly fine drinking water,” he said, putting the newly found corkscrew back in the drawer.

“No, no, I would like a glass,” I said with a smile. 

“Are you sure? I would never ask you to do anything you didn’t feel comfortable doing,” he said. His face looked so genuine that I wanted to take a picture to remember it. 

“I’m sure,” I said, holding the glasses out to him. He took them from my hands but never broke eye contact. I couldn’t stand the tension any longer, so I walked into the living room and waited for him to bring us the glasses of wine. I glanced at my phone to see two notifications from Riley and 49 from Nashville Babes. I cleared the group text notification and opened Riley’s messages.

Riley: “Ok, so he drives a nice ass Jeep. Slay.”

Riley: “I need a check-in soon or I’m booking a flight.”

Me: “All is good. Dinner is cooking. I haven’t even had a sip of wine yet.”

I put my phone away as Josh sauntered into the room carrying two glasses of white wine. I placed two coasters on the living room table for him. He took a seat on the couch next to me while handing me my glass.

“Cheers, darling,” he said, holding his glass out.

“Cheers,” I said with a nervous laugh. We clinked glasses and took a sip of the wine. I could feel Josh’s eyes on me but I refused to look at him. I scanned the room looking for something to initiate a conversation.

“Have you always lived in Nashville?” I asked him.

“No, I’m actually from Michigan. I moved here about five-ish years ago,” he said, not breaking his gaze off of me.

“I’ve never been to Michigan either. I’m sure that doesn’t surprise you,” I said timidly.

“I bet there is a lot about you that would surprise me,” he said with a wink. I took another drink of my wine to hide my smile. 

“Tell me about that ring on your finger,” he said candidly. Ah, the elephant in the room.

“This is my engagement ring,” I said looking down at my hand. I used to love this ring. I hate that I don’t anymore.

“When is the big day?” he asked.

“There isn’t one,” I said. “Not yet.”

“Marriage isn’t for me,” he said with a sigh.

“Why not?” I asked.

“I just don’t see the purpose. I can love someone, or multiple people in my lifetime, and I don’t need a piece of paper from the government to signify that love. I think society has a twisted expectation with matrimony. If I find someone with whom I want to share a connection with, I will focus my time and energy on that person for as long as I can,” he said finishing his wine. He placed his empty glass on the table next to mine that was still nearly full. 

“To each his own,” I said, eyeing our wine glasses.

“I don’t mean to offend you,” he said.

“You didn’t. I think you have some interesting ways of looking at the world. I’m sure that comes with traveling so much with touring,” I said. Josh looked at me like I had just said the raunchiest curse word he could think of. His shocked expression quickly faded.

“Yes, photography. Touring. Right,” he said as he stood up and made his way into the kitchen. That was weird.

I watched him check the gulasz on the stove before grabbing the opened wine bottle and bringing it back into the living room. “You need to catch up. I’m starting to look like a lush,” he said while pouring himself a second glass. 

“I told you I’m not much of a drinker,” I said, grabbing my glass from his peer pressure. I took another drink as he sat back down on the couch. 

“One more glass and I’ll show you that exotic dance routine,” he said, wiggling his hips. I busted out laughing. 

“Hold on, I’ll need to go get some dollar bills out of my purse!” I said jumping up. Going along with the joke, I polished off my wine and placed the now empty glass back on the table. I scurried into the bedroom in which I claimed earlier to find my purse. I was looking through my wallet when I heard Josh enter the room.

“So this is your bedroom for the weekend?” he asked, looking around. He walked over to the nightstand and placed two full glasses of wine on it.

“I’m not drinking another glass of wine,” I said.

“That’s fine. I’ll drink both,” he said with a smile.

“Joshua Michael, you are a lush,” I said with a giggle. He walked over to where I was standing with the dollar bills in my hand. 

“Are you going to tell me your name?” he asked.

“Do you normally go over to strange women’s houses when you don’t even know their name?” I asked.

“I don’t kiss and tell,” he said with a wink. He moved closer to me. My breathing became short and I found it hard to stay standing. “Honestly, it’s probably best if I don't know your name.”

“Really?” I asked.

“This right here,” he said, reaching out for my hand and toying with my ring. “This right here tells me I don’t need to know your name,” he said. “You will only be here for the weekend and I’m just here for the moment,” he said, still holding my hand in his. “No name… No strings attached,” he said before letting go of my hand. I watched him walk over to the night stand and grab his glass of wine. He was no longer looking at me but I couldn’t stop looking at him. He was waiting for me to make the next move.

Chapter Six

I walked back into the living room, leaving Josh and the wine glasses alone in my bedroom. I could feel the effect of the wine starting to take its toll on me. My lips were tingling with a numbness that was always the first sign of feeling buzzed. I grabbed my phone and texted Riley:

Me: “I’m still good.”

Riley: “What was for dinner?”

“You know you don’t have to go to another room to text him,” Josh said as he walked into the living room with his now empty glass in his hand.

“I’m actually texting Riley to assure her that I am still alive, thank you very much,” I said with a hint of annoyance. 

“Tell her I’ll put the leftovers in the fridge for her tomorrow,” he called out as he walked into the kitchen. I looked up from my phone to watch him stirring the contents inside the pot. 

“It smells amazing,” I said.

“It will taste even better. It probably needs another 45 minutes. Can you wait that long?” he asked.

“Yes, of course,” I lied. I hadn’t eaten since I left the house this morning. The aroma was making my stomach growl in anticipation. I walked back into my bedroom to grab the new glass of wine that Josh had poured me. I took a few sips to try to trick my brain into thinking I was eating something. Alcohol on an empty stomach. That’s a good idea.

“I thought you weren’t drinking anymore?” Josh asked from the doorway.

“I changed my mind,” I said, taking another sip.

“The bottle is almost empty,” he said with a laugh. 

“Well, that’s not because of me,” I said, sticking my tongue out.

“It’s rude to stick your tongue out at people,” he said walking into the room. I tried to think of something witty to say back. The alcohol was definitely in my system now. I wasn’t drunk but the buzz was nice. 

“I’m not sure how much longer I can wait before dinner,” I said honestly.

“How about I take your mind off of dinner for a bit?” he said, closing the space between us. I gasped when he stood so close to me I could smell the wine on his breath. He took the wine glass out of my hand and placed it on the nightstand. 

“Can I kiss you?” he asked me while staring deep into my eyes like he could glimpse into my soul.

“I–I don’t know,” I said nervously.

“I’ll wait until you say yes,” he said, giving me a light kiss on the cheek. At that moment, I felt every nerve in my body combust. I was no longer solid matter; I was a liquid. Without hesitation, I grabbed Josh by the waist and pulled him into a kiss. His full lips kissed mine back and I felt his tongue make its way into my mouth. I pulled him tighter and felt his hands move up my back and into my hair. Every part of me was in this kiss. I lightly bit his bottom lip with my teeth and heard him let out a slight moan. I felt his hand grab the back of my head as he gently guided my body to the bed. 

I began kissing his neck, the same neck I had admired so much on the plane. I tasted his scent and licked the mixture of  cologne and sweat off of his neck. He began to remove his sweatshirt and pulled it over his head. I inhaled suddenly when I saw his perfect chest. I moved my lips down from his neck and began kissing his pecs. I continued to make my way down to his stomach until the peach fuzz below his belly button tickled my chin. I looked up at Josh and saw him smiling as he watched me work my way back up to his lips. He pulled me in for another kiss and I whimpered as he moved his hands all over my body.

“Can I kiss you all over?” he asked me as I tried to hide my grin.

“Where did you have in mind?” I asked playfully. He moved his fingers across my collarbone.

“Here,” he said. Then he moved his fingers lower to my breasts. “Here,” he said again. His fingers began to move slowly downward until they stopped between my legs. “And here,” he said with finality. I removed my sweatshirt over my head and threw it to the floor. I began to unbutton my jeans when Josh’s hands stopped me.

“Let me,” he said in a seductive whisper. I moved my hands to allow him to remove them for me. He pulled my jeans down so slowly I thought I was going to melt into the bed. I could feel my panties sticking to me. He worked his way back up to my upper body and toyed with the clasp of my bra. With only one hand, he swiftly undid it and exposed my bare breasts. He’s definitely a pro at this.

“Wow,” he said while admiring my body. I moved my hands over my face to hide my embarrassment. 

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” I said, still covering my face. 

“Move your hands. I want to see you smile when I kiss you…all over,” he said gently. He moved his face back to my neck and I could feel his tongue swirl against my skin. His facial hair tickled my neck as his mouth moved to kiss my collarbone. Per his request, I moved my hands away from my face and placed them in his hair. I twirled my fingers through his curls as he brought his lips to my breasts. He took my nipple into his mouth and I let out a moan against my will. This noise that escaped me made him even more eager as he sucked and swirled his tongue against me. His free hand grasped my other breast and he moved his mouth to show it the same attention. I looked down to see him to find him staring at me as he moved his mouth even lower down my stomach.

“Can I remove your panties?” he asked.

“Yes,” I sighed. Just then, I felt his hands gently pull the sides of my lace underwear down my legs. He moved his body to the floor and pulled me to the edge of the bed. He went to place his mouth against my entrance when I squeezed my legs together and pushed him back with my hands.

“Do you want me to stop?” he asked.

“It’s just… I don’t…” I said embarrassed.

“You don’t want me to go down on you?” he asked.

“I…I’ve never had anyone do that to me before,” I admitted.

“I want to show you what you’re missing,” he said, teasing my thighs with his hands. 

It’s not that Kenneth and I aren’t sexually active. Well, scratch that. I wouldn’t say we’re even active anymore, but we’ve had sex. We’ve had the same sex since we were teenagers. In the ten years we’ve been together, he has never gone down on me; I guess I’m too embarrassed to ask him. 

While he was still kneeling on the floor, I looked into Josh’s eyes as his head was positioned between my thighs. I gave him a nod and laid my head back to stare at the ceiling. Before I knew it, his tongue began licking my entrance. Oh my God. I felt his tongue work its way up to my clit where he took his time. With each movement of his tongue, I felt my legs twitch out of my control. He continued to grasp my legs with his hands as my body writhed on the mattress. “Oh my God,” I moaned aloud. My thoughts were escaping me as I felt like I had lost total control of my mind, body, and soul. It felt like he was consuming me with every stroke of his tongue.

“Oh my God,” I practically screamed as I felt myself cum. I tried to squeeze my thighs together but he held them firm with his hands and continued to lick my clit. This feeling was nearly leaving me no longer conscious. “Fuck. Josh,” I moaned as I pulled his hair into my clenched fists. He continued to lick me until I could no longer stand it. I let out another scream and squeezed my thighs together so hard I thought I may kill him. He slowly pulled back and I could see his facial hair was dripping wet. Was that from me?

He kissed the top of my entrance one last time before sitting back on his hands and feet. I laid still on top of the bed, nearly unable to move as I tried to process what just happened. 

“I’m going to clean up in the bathroom,” he said, waiting for me to respond before jumping up. I still couldn’t formulate a single word so I laid there waiting for my senses to come back to me. I heard him laugh as he left the room. I scrambled to find my bra and panties while he was gone. I can’t believe that just happened. I can’t believe what I’ve been missing. 

I went to find my phone on the nightstand to see Riley had sent me a series of texts. I skimmed through them and tried to hide my laughter as I sent another check-in text:

Me: So. Much. To. Tell. You. Still alive and very well.

I hit send and put my phone back as Josh entered the bedroom. He found his sweatshirt and began to pull it over his head. He climbed into bed to lay next to me.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked softly as I could feel his gaze on me. 

“What are you thinking about?” I returned his question with a question. 

“I’m wondering how someone could be engaged to be married, yet they’ve never experienced one of God’s greatest creations,” Josh said with a laugh.

“Ken–He just never has,” I said as I stared into his eyes.

“He’s a moron. You deserve to feel that every day. I love providing that service,” he said with a smirk.

“I can tell you know what you’re doing, but I don’t want to know about your history,” I said, biting my lip.

 “Your taste in particular…” he began to say.

“My taste?” I asked as my cheeks began to redden.

“You taste bitter and sweet… like a strawberry,” he said. “It’s incredible.”

“A strawberry?” I nearly squeaked.

“It’s now my favorite fruit,” he said as he kissed my forehead. He got up from the bed and handed me my clothes from the floor. “Dinner should be ready now,” he said with a laugh.

After freshening up in the bathroom, I made my way into the dining room to find Josh had already made us plates. The room smelled amazing. He opened the second bottle of wine and was pouring us new glasses when I took my seat at the table.

“This looks incredible, thank you,” I said as I waited for him to join me.

“It’s been simmering for a while,” he said with a wink as he placed my wine glass in front of me. He took the seat next to mine and handed me a spoon. I took a bite of the gulasz and fought the urge to moan again this evening. 

“Oh my God,” I said.

“I’ve heard that before,” he said with a smirk. I reached out and pinched him on the arm as he playfully pulled away.

“This may be one of the best things I’ve ever tasted,” I said as I went for a second bite.

“I used to think that too before, well,” he said, raising his eyebrow at me.

“Shut the hell up,” I said laughing.

“So I saved your number in my phone as Strawberry,” he said with a wink. Should I ask him about the Google Voice thing? No, I don’t want to look crazy.

“You think you’ll need my number after tonight?” I said a little too bluntly. 

“You’re still here for a few nights. Maybe we can do this again,” he said with a wink.

“I’m going to be too busy with bars, karaoke, dancing, and strippers,” I said with a smug look on my face. “I won’t be thinking about you.” He can tell I’m lying.

“Thank you again for dinner and for keeping me company,” I said as I collected our dishes to take them to the sink. Josh was searching the cabinets for plastic containers to package the leftover gulasz in. 

“It was an honor,” he said with that brilliant smile of his. It was getting late and I had yet to decorate the Airbnb before the girls’ arrival tomorrow. I was in so much bliss that I had forgotten why I was in Nashville in the first place. I needed to clear his lips, eyes, smile, voice–everything about him from my mind. This was supposed to be Riley’s weekend but thoughts of his tongue consumed me. I walked Josh to the door as he moved in to kiss me goodbye. 

“If I texted you, would you respond?” he asked with one foot literally out the door.

“I might,” I said as I bit my lip.

“I’ll take my chances,” he said as he walked out into the dark driveway. I watched him from the porch as he jumped into his Jeep to leave. I heard my phone ringing from the bedroom. I closed and locked the front door and then took off in a sprint hoping to see the name Plagiarism across my phone screen. Nope.

“Hey,” I said as I answered the phone with a heavy sigh.

“Why do you sound like you are out of breath?” Kenneth asked.

“I just had to run to the bedroom to catch my phone,” I said. “Why are you still up?”

“What did you have for dinner?” he asked instead of answering my question.

“I DoorDashed some pasta from a local Italian place nearby,” I lied into the phone.

“Really?” he asked.

“Mhm,” I said wondering why I felt like I was being interrogated.

“Then why is there no history of any orders from tonight on our DoorDash account?” he asked. Shit.

“I mean I called the restaurant and ordered over the phone. They delivered it,” I quickly added.

“Oh, and thanks for not leaving me anything to eat in the house,” he said. 

“I went grocery shopping before I left. There are plenty of things in the fridge–” I began.

“Yeah, it would have been nice to have some leftovers, but instead I have to cook for myself,” he interrupted. He sounded drunk.

“Look, it’s late. I’m heading to bed. I’m tired from traveling and decorating the house, so if there’s nothing else you have to say to me,” I stated. Kenneth immediately hung up; my brief moment of boldness must have pissed him off even more. I shot Riley a quick text to let her know that I was alone, alive, and going to bed so she wouldn’t be worried before I left my phone on the charger.

I was desperately tired but I needed to decorate the Airbnb for Riley’s bachelorette weekend. I carried the packages of penis and hot pink cowgirl-themed decorations to the living room to begin. To stay awake, I turned on the TV to pull up YouTube to play some background music while I got busy. With the remote, I searched for my possible new favorite band, Greta Van Fleet. I scrolled through the first couple videos until I recognized the face on the thumbnails.

“What the fuck?” I yelled.

[iwanthermidnightz]

Wow. Really great songs and videos that Maren released today. Please give it a watch! The article below is also a really good read. She’s so real for exposing the cracks in the facade of country music. Love this for her! Everyone go support Maren 🤍

Maren Morris calls her new two-track EP “The Bridge,” which is just one of several metaphors she deploys in imagining a path out of the world of country music in which she became a star.

On “The Tree,” the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter says she’s “done filling a cup with a hole in the bottom”; “Get the Hell Out of Here” opens with the admission that she “watered the garden but forgot to fill the well.”

It’s not that Morris, 33, has tired of twanging guitars or neatly cornered rhymes, both of which define the tunes that came out Friday, a decade after she moved to Nashville from her native Texas, first to write songs for established country acts such as Tim McGraw and later to sign a major-label record deal of her own. Rather, she says she’s leaving because of what she views as the country music industry’s unwillingness to honestly reckon with its history of racism and misogyny and to open its gates to more women and queer people and people of color.

“I thought I’d like to burn it to the ground and start over,” she says of country music. “But it’s burning itself down without my help.”

The singer acknowledges that, as a white woman, she’s benefited from the system as it is. Yet Morris, who says, “Allyship begins with waking up from something really comfortable,” has been vocal in her criticisms onstage and on social media, where she tangled last year with country star Jason Aldean and his wife over young people seeking gender-affirming healthcare. The spat even made it to Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show, where the right-wing host described Morris as a “lunatic.”

“The Bridge,” which marks Morris’ move to Columbia Records from the label’s Nashville division, arrives accompanied by a music video for “The Tree” in which she strolls through an emptied-out small town as she hears “the sound of a new wind blowing.” A sign welcomes visitors to the place “from sunrise to sundown” — a reference, perhaps, to the threat of racist vigilantism many perceived in Aldean’s recent “Try That in a Small Town” video; other signs in front of boarded-up buildings read “GO WOKE GO BROKE” and “DON’T TREAD ON ME.”

Morris is currently at work on her next LP with prolific pop producer Jack Antonoff, with whom she recorded “Get the Hell Out of Here.”

Obviously, being one of the few women that had any success on country radio, everything you do is looked at under a microscope. You’re scrutinized more than your male peers, even when you’re doing well. So I’ve had to clear all of that out of my head this year and just write songs. A lot of the drama within the community, I’ve chosen to step outside out of it.

Did that drama — your feud with the Aldeans, let’s say — push you in that direction? Or were you headed that way from the beginning?

I’ve always been an asker of questions and a status quo challenger just by being a woman. So it wasn’t really even a choice. I didn’t think of myself as a political artist. I just wrote songs about real life through a lens of deep respect for my country heroes. But the further you get into the country music business, that’s when you start to see the cracks. And once you see it, you can’t un-see it. So you start doing everything you can with the little power you have to make things better.

That doesn’t make you popular. But I don’t think that biting the hand that fed you is a real thing. It’s kind of a fallacy at this point, with all this fear-mongering about getting Dixie Chick-ed and whatnot. Country music is a business, but it gets sold, particularly to young writers and artists who come up within it, as almost a god. It kind of feels like indoctrination. If you truly love this type of music and you start to see problems arise, it needs to be criticized. Anything this popular should be scrutinized if we want to see progress.

But I’ve kind of said everything I can say. I always thought I’d have to do middle fingers in the air jumping out of an airplane, but I’m trying to mature here and realize I can just walk away from the parts of this that no longer make me happy.

Does your leaving country music mean the libs have been owned?

I’m sure some people may think that. And I would say, “Feel free. Go ahead.” I don’t want to have an adversarial relationship to country music. I still find myself weirdly wanting to protect it. But it’s not a family member. That’s the f—ed-up part, is that I’m talking about it as if it’s a person, but it’s not. So it’s a lot of deep deconstructing that I’m still unraveling.

These songs are obviously the result of that — the aftermath of walking away from something that was really important to you and the betrayal that you felt very righteously. But also knowing there’s a thread of hope as you get to the other side. I hope it comes across that way because I truly was in a space of hope when I wrote the two songs, even though “Get the Hell Out of Here” is really heavy. It’s about disarming that trauma and saying, “I can’t bail water out of this sinking ship anymore. It’s so futile. I choose happiness.”

Whose career path do you admire in terms of the ability to move from one style to another?

Certainly Taylor Swift. She’s been such a great friend over the years and has been really helpful in ways she probably doesn’t even realize in conversations I’ve had with her about everything you and I have been talking about.

You performed a song with Swift at an Eras tour stop in Chicago. What did you think of the show?

It was so inspiring. Performing for 3½ hours, three days in a row — no one can do that but her. And it’s such a supportive crowd: 90% women and 10% gays and dads. I’ve never felt so safe at a live show before. No one’s hammered or puking in the aisles or getting into a fight or anything. It’s just so joyful. And the way she makes that huge stadium setting feel intimate is astounding to me. In Chicago, I started running down the catwalk toward her after I came out of the hydraulic lift. She said, “Take your time,” and I was like, “OK, good, because this thing’s a mile long.”

[likeadevils]

2003 Lover Diaries Transcripts

Mar 23, 2003- Wyomissing, PA

Ok, where did I leave off? Friday. Ok, on Friday in school we had a “Code Red” drill. That’s when someone comes into the school and everybody gets freaked out and the teachers move all the students to the back of the room and turn off the lights. That night I had to babysit Austin while mom + dad went to a Vonda Shepard concert. Saturday mom and I got up early to go to NY for an hour ½ voice lesson. On the way we listened to a CD that mom bought from the concert the night before. It was this band called Sugarland and the lead singer is this girl that’s really good. I like their one song called “Baby Girl”

May 17, 2003- Wyomissing, PA

Hey. Today Mom and I went to New York. We talked and laughed all the way up and parked in a garage near my voice lesson. We walked to her apartment and we worked on Smoky Black Nights after doing all of her warmups. I didn’t do it well @ first but she said that the song was “ingenious.” Cool. After mom and I went to this cowboy/western store nearby. We got a white shirt that buttons up, jeans, and a white T w/notes in it. Then we had pizza at a pizza place and walked back to the car stopping @ Tasti D-Lite, our FAVORITE ice cream store. It’s kosher, non-cholesterol, Extremely tasty, dreamy, frozen yogurt, and only 40 calories. Does it get any better than that? Then we went home and got movies. You know, sometimes I think about what my first kiss is going to be like. It’s going to be great and romantic. I’m such a romantic. I just dream about looking into someone’s eyes and feeling something I’ve never felt before, you know? I just never was able to put a face to my fantacy. But something tells me that my first kiss really far away from happening! Because the guys in our school aren’t even worth worrying about. They are all in it for one thing and I think you know what is, sex. I guess I’ll be okay without a first kiss!! XOXO Taylor

May 19, 2003- Wyomissing, PA

Oh I was SUCH a b**** today! When mom picked me up, she was late again because she thought I had Varsity Singers. I was nasty to everybody!! Oh, I tried to practice my songs for Nashville, but I completely psyched myself out and broke down crying. I don’t know if I can do this. I want it so bad but I get so scared of what might not happen! When I miss notes, I dive bomb and the whole thing goes crashing down. I just have to breathe in … and breath out … breathe in …. relax, Nashville is not going to kill me … I can handle it. I’m okay. I’ll be fine. I’m young. I’m talented. They’ll see it in me. I’ll be ok. I’ve got to hang on. Can’t worry. I’m only 13. I’m allowed to make mistakes, right? Oh, this is a lot to handle. Taylor XOXO P.S. Pray for a better day tomorrow!

Jun 5, 2003- Wyomissing, PA

Hey Journal, I had to sing @ the Garden Party today so Mom and I went to the field and got some of the equipment set up. Then we went home and I got ready. When we got there, all of my friends were there, and they helped set up (kind of). I started my show and in one first three chords of the first song, my guitar pick broke in half and flew out of my hands! There was this huge silence! It was awful! I had to bend over and pick it up in front of everyone! And while I was singing, this guy was shouting stuff like, “Go on, b*#@h! Sing that country bullsh*t! Go on motherf*cker!” It was awful. After the Garden Party, we all went to the Reading Hospital to visit Nanny. She looks worse everytime we go. I sang I Used to Fly, A Little More Like you and Same Girl for Nanny and her roommate, Penny. Penny has liver cancer and is bald from chemo. All of the nurses loved listening to it. It went really well. Then we went home and I worked on a song called Not One day. It’s ok, but I don’t know. Taylor Swift

Jun 19, 2003- Nashville, TN

Hey Diary, This morning, I woke up and I went over to RCA records and did a small showcase and “chatted” with them. We talked to this girl and she was really hip and cool with me. They really liked me and said they would call on Monday because she would be on vacation that weekend. Then we headed over to Capitol Records and met with the president and vice president of the company. They totally flipped out over me! They even said I was the most talented 13-year-old they had ever seen! They told me that I should be thanking God every day for the incredible gift he gave me. Well, I appreciate the compliment, but then they followed it up with “I’d just hate to see you jump into this right now and have a short-lived career.” They very politely agreed that country is directed to 35-year-olds. Radio just doesn’t play teens. That’s where I’m gonna prove them wrong! Well, he took me on a tour of the building and gave me about 25 cds of Capitol’s artists. Isn’t that nice? Then we went back to the hotel and then we went to the Bluebird Cafe, this cafe where like 4 songwriters go in and sing their songs. We sat all the way in the back. I have a radio call, meeting with Warner, and flight to catch tomorrow. I need my sleep!! Taylor I have a good feeling about RCA! <3

Jun 24, 2003- Wyomissing, PA

Hey Diary, I got a record deal! AHHHHH! RCA records in Nashville wants to give me a development deal!!! We were taking Sassy to the airport (late) and when we headed home, we stopped at a Taco Bell. My manager called us on Mom’s cell and she gave the phone to me. He had Dad on conference call. He started out by saying, “Well, we got follow ups on all of the labels. And they think you need a couple years to grow so they can put you on the radio … Except for RCA, who wants to sign you!! Congratulations!” I was going crazy. I cried. I guess I never really expected to get one! It’s a development deal, but those are the only details we have. I told a bazillion people! We were making CDs for a New Hampshire concert I have Friday til 2:00 AM tonight. AHHH! Record deal! R • C • A baby! Taylor

Aug 25, 2003- Wyomissing, PA

Hey, Today was my first day of school! And you won’t believe how much better 8th grade is than 7th!! The real problem last year was the grade above us, and now they’re 9th graders so we never see them. I love being older than the 7th graders! I never knew how stupid I must have looked, carrying around that HUGE book bag running and bumping into everybody trying to get to class on time! Okay, here’s my schedule! 1. Accel. integrated studies 2. science 3. american studies 4. latin 1 LUNCH 5. Accel. English 6. Accel Math 7. Intro. Computer studies 8. Chorus/Gym I think I might just live through this year!! I just hope I can keep up. My locker is 117 and my combination is 35-8-27. I love being older! I think my teacher’s gonna give me a spotlight solo in chorus! This year could be fun. I don’t care what people think of me now because I won’t let them bring me down. <3 Taylor

Oct 15, 2003- Wyomissing, PA

Hey, I really have decided that school is a big disappointment. It's only cool when you're popular. I'm not. It's only cool when you have a boyfriend. It's cool when everybody likes you. I don't have that. But my extracurricular "life" is what really matters to me. I guess I'm just not good enough for people my own age. Or maybe I'm not bad enough? [peace sign] Taylor Swift XOXO <3

(2003 • 2004 • 2005 • 2006 • 2007 & 2008 • 2009 • 2010 • 2011 • 2012 • 2013 • 2014 • 2015 • 2016 & 2017)

[mag200]

my expectations of taylor when it comes to saying shit abt politics have always been incredibly low, but i really did half believe that she might say/do something during her nashville gigs to voice her opposition to the drag ban/anti trans legislation stuff there.

Lizzo & hayley kiyoko both brought drag queens out to perform with them on stage during shows right before taylor's tour dates, like hayley kiyoko literally had the cops showing up to her rehearsals telling her to stop & she still stood her ground, yet taylor can't even say a few words or something. She was literally in the perfect position to say a little statement on the matter. She started out in nashville so her opinion as a semi-local girl with country music roots would hold more weight than like... ariana grande or something, but she also isn't in that scene anymore and she's one of the biggest celebrities on the planet so its unlikely she would face any real repercussions for speaking out.

I genuinely don't mind if celebrities don't really talk about their politics bc like, what do the opinions of billionaires have to do with normal people. However if you're going to pay a documentary crew to film you saying you're ready to take A Stand and then do nothing apart from sing your gay rights song and post a solitary black square, while associating yourself with shitty people of every flavour, then actually put your money where your mouth is and do it.

yeah when hayley was posting about that and she was crying and i was crying it was so so brutal but i was so proud of her for standing up for her drag performers even when they told her she couldnt. i didnt know lizzo did this too but holy shit.

all of this with taylor is hugely disappointing. i saw people saying “she cant say anything against the drag bill its unsafe for her!!!” and its like. its unsafe for all of us lol but she has so much more protection. and i dont think she HAS to do it is the thing, but man it does make it feel like her trying to rebrand as an activist back in 2019 was just to sell more copies of lover. you’re so right its like why make a whole big deal about how you’re going to Take A Stand and then just….. not. i also have always had low expectations from her in this regard bc she really did lean so hard into the good girl quiet girl narrative but when she made a point of lashing out against that i was like oh wait maybe she’s actually gonna do better… boo boo the fool is me i guess.

like i do not understand what happened. but since summer 2020 i have not been able to engage w her in the same way as before. and now with everything coming out about matty healy it is another huge fucking blow. i never blamed anyone who was done before this and i dont blame anyone who’s distancing themself from her now. i dont normally give a shit about her relationships but like how can you associate with someone so openly fucking racist? and think it wont hurt people??

all my love is going out rn to bipoc swifties. this sucks so fucking much im so sorry.

[onmytape]

I would welcome ur thoughts on the draft if you want to share...

where do I start??

i almost missed the draft haha. I managed to mooch off of walmart's wifi and watched a stream of someone else's stream of the draft for three hours. I actually watched sportsnet's yt stream for most of it and saw some player interviews but they ran right through the actual draft and I missed half of the picks and then they just stopped streaming half way through the first round. I'm trying to catch up on all the content and find a good quality stream to make gifs of. i'd love to know what everyone else thinks about any of this or anything else!

putting this in point form because i have a lot of random thoughts here and i'm sure i'll be annoying about draft stuff all weekend

Prefacing this by saying that i don’t know much about most of the teams that these players went to so i can’t give a good estimate to how they’ll work out in the organization. i know i'm not the only person who thinks this draft has more talent than the average draft. the top five projected picks could have easily been first overalls in any other year and the first two rounds are full of players that i think will have decent careers. i'm mostly in it for the fun friendships!

not much to be said about the top five. I think carlsson will fit better in anaheim and fantilli will be better in columbus. and he wanted to go there. will smith looks good in teal. He’s got that golden retriever thing that thomas bordeleau is going to hate. Reinbacher doesn’t deserve all the hate he’s getting. I’m excited to see how he does with the habs. I’m really surprised michkov fell so low. With picks like reinbahcer and simashev, i figure the teams that drafted them have a plan. It’s interesting to see what teams decide based on what they think their organization will benefit from. 

lots of whl players that went undrafted in previous years i think deserved to get drafted and i hope some will sign as free agents but i was happy to see milic and hanzel drafted.

notable draft buddies: lukas dragicevic and caden price to seattle. I’ve never cared about seattle but these two have been two of my favourite dmen to watch in the dub and on the u18 team.

nashville gets tanner molendyk and kalan lind. i wasn’t expecting molendyk to go so high but i personally think he’s one of the best dmen in the draft. His skating is a big strength. lind is a mitch marner type. Great until he opens his mouth. i got a little bit of dylan mackinnon (qmjhl) at the prospect game and i feel like he and lind will get along. and of course samuel honzek and jaden lipinski from the giants got drafted to calgary together!! i really wish they did all the rounds on the same day just so we could get pictures of players together in their jerseys. and for literally no reason i’m excited about leonard/cristall/allen in washington together.

the flyers have some good picks. I think in a few years, after michkov joins the team and the other prospects develop more, the future of the team will be really exciting. I like hart but i’m excited to see bjarnason. 

I personally think some players from the whl went way too low, cristall and heidt are definitely steals. I think a lot of teams will regret passing on them. wild fans seem to like heidt already. but that being said, i think danielson at 9, benson at 12, and yager at 19 was really good. i think every single player was jealous after yager got that call from crosby haha.

Heidt and ziemmer: these are my guys. Was 1000% not expecting minnesota and la but could be worse. 

The jets org is looking interesting with barlow, milic, and levis but i don’t know if i can go jets. Apparently milic is going pro this next season which will be interesting and i want to see ratzlaff as the starting goalie in seattle this year. it’s always complicated with goalies because you want to love them all and you also want them to play but that’s not always possible. i’m worried about hart/bjarnason but i figure that bjarnason will slowly transfer to the flyers when he’s ready and by then hart will have been pushed out or have moved on. I do like him but i can give him up in a few years. sorry. and now we finally have levi on the sabres and i know it’ll be a while until ratzlaff is ready for the pros but i’m not liking that situation either. 

I think myatovic absolutely deserved to go so high. He’ll need more development like everybody else but he’s a big guy and i think he’ll be notable in the future. With most of the core thunderbirds players moving on, i think myatovic will really step up.

in conclusion, i think i've accepted the draft order haha and not to use the word "exciting" for the thousandth time but i think this will be an exciting upcoming season and i can't wait to see how this draft class turns out over the next few years.

[gerogerigaogaigar]

The Roots - Things Fall Apart

The early 00s would see lightning quick evolution in hip hop and this album represents both the foundation on which those changes would take place and the last hurrah of 90s alt hip hop scene. And what a cast of features! Common, Most Def, Erykah Badu, J Dilla, and what I believe is Beanie Sigel's first appearance ever. Almost all up and comers who were hitting the turning point in their career and are now legends. All of this glosses over how well constructed Questlove's beats are and how well Black Thought and Malik B interact with them.

The Meters - Look-Ka Py Py

A great collection of funk grooves from the inventors of the groove. The influence on 70s funk is obvious but I tend to think of The Meters as the sample pack from which the golden age of hip hop is crafted. Taking these songs on their own merit isn't difficult though. Smooth organs, extremely tight punchy drums, and crisp choppy guitar. This album is the essence of funk. The platonic ideal of funkiness.

CHIC - Risqué

Disco is an unfairly maligned genre. The hate was manufactured by racist homophobes who had too much stock tied up in both rock radio as an industry and as an outlet for toxic masculinity. But the meme lives on. Twisted and malformed as only a meme can be. Leave your preconceptions behind and listen with an open mind. You may find that the link between this album and hip hop run deeper than just the bassline from Good Times. You might find that even disregarding the influence on future 'cooler' genres this is just extraordinarily good music. Risqué in particular finds just the right balance of bass and string swells to make the songs engaging to at home listeners and club goers alike.

Credence Clearwater Revival - Cosmo's Factory

A little bit country, a little bit rock and roll, a dash of psychedelia, and various other herbs and spices and you've got CCR brewing. Fogerty's raspy voice is the perfect compliment to the down home bayou vibe. Although this album is the most polished of their output the production values don't get in the way of the raw soul and heart. In fact it might be one of the best production jobs in rock music. And of course, it must be said, if you have not heard their epic 11 minute cover of I Heard It Through The Grapevine then you haven't heard one of the best songs ever recorded.

Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - Going To A Go-Go

Have I mentioned that I really love Motown yet? This is a really solid collection of Smokey Robinson's soulful songwriting. Really anything I've said about the Motown sound goes here as well so I won't be repetitive. This album is made up of song after song that could have been another artist's biggest hit.

Bob Dylan - Love and Theft

Y'know 500 isn't actually that many albums. And Bob Dylan has, like other albums. Better and more important ones. I'm not saying Love and Theft is bad, but is it really one of the 500 greatest albums of all time? How uh many Dylan albums did you put on here guys? Didya get Nashville Skyline, Desire, Before the Flood, John Wesley Harding, Planet Waves, Another Side? All better albums from the deeper recesses of his discography.

The Beach Boys - Wild Honey

W-what? really? I don't... Uh... I mean it's not a bad album at all. It's just. It's like. If there's a Beach Boys album that I forget exists it's this one. Um okay I'll review it for real though. So after the collapse of the Smile project the Beach Boys were left in a weird place. Brian Wilson had become even more reclusive and tension was high. The end result was Wild Honey, an album that clocks in at only 24 minutes and sounds more like bedroom pop than any Beach Boys record before it. It kinda works though, it feels hazy and tired and constricted. It feels warm but unlike previous records this isn't the warmth of the sun on a beach, it's the stuffy heat of a too small apartment with only one window in the summer.

The Grateful Dead - Workingman's Dead

In under a year The Grateful Dead went from twenty minutes psychedelic jam sessions to three minutes country rock songs. This was their first album in that country style and it's unbelievable how natural they sound. You would never guess that 69s Live/Dead and 70s Workingman's Dead could ever be the same band. Although I think it's overshadowed by American Beauty which they released only five months later this still marks the biggest turning point in their career.

[nashvillehq]

name: Chloe Campbell (legal: Judith Malone) gender & pronouns: Cis Woman | She/Her age & date of birth: 26 years old | June 2nd, 1997 where do they live: Downtown time living in nashville: 26 years (on and off) occupation: Popstar, Former Actress

BACKGROUND.

TW: mentions of abuse, drug use.

Chloe Campbell doesn’t exist. At least, not in the way her PR has crafted – She’s an object, a paycheck, the shining jewel of Applause Entertainment Group. The blonde is made up of a carefully curated image, a charade peddled to the masses with the hopes she’ll bring home awards. Chloe was created — While the memoir of her life will paint a sunny picture of rags to riches for a loving family, and a young girl who worked hard to reach stardom, the truth isn’t quite as silver lined.

Starting in a small town north of Nashville, with a little girl named Judith. From the moment her mother first held her, she knew Judith was meant to be a star. She wouldn’t have it any other way. Before her daughter could even walk, Judith’s mother Marie was driving her daughter to Nashville each and every day for auditions. It began with commercials – Mostly Diapers and pull ups before eventually gaining a minute amount of recognition with a Superbowl commercial for Doritos. Judith managed to bring them a decent amount of income, one that managed to pay better than her mother’s shifts at the diner and make up for her father’s inability to hold a job for more than a few months. It’s clear, even as a young child, that Marie was right about her daughter – She’s full of life and smiles, able to capture the hearts of anyone (most importantly – casting directors) she meets.

When she lands a role on a network TV sitcom at the age of six, the Malone family’s life changes drastically. According to Alex is an overnight sensation, with the youngest cast member Chloe Campbell being the breakout star. Judith’s newly hired agent suggests the name change, that it’s far more eye-catching and memorable than her given name, Marie signs off on it. Judith doesn’t quite understand it – But it reminds her of Hannah Montana, so she goes along with it. Even as a child, Chloe becomes a mask. She’s an alter ego to be put on for the camera, but soon enough, Judith is thrown to the side and Chloe becomes all she knows. Her childhood is broadcast on television, growing up alongside the character she plays – It’s strange, but Chloe thrives on the attention, the love she receives for playing the lovable little sister on a prime time TV show.

As the money and fame begin to come in, taking the Malone – Campbell – family from their small double-wide to a large mansion in Nashville proper. No longer do her parents have to worry about how to keep the lights on or put food on the table, all thanks to their daughter. While she doesn’t fully grasp the severity of it as a child, it becomes more and more apparent to Chloe that her parent’s is no longer interested in her daughter – Only what kind of money she can bring in. It’s what leads her to constant dance classes, acting coaches, and singing lessons. At first, it’s fun – She enjoys every part of the craziness that is her childhood, especially when it garners her praise and approval when she succeeds.

By the time she’s 11, According to Alex has come to an end, but Chloe’s career is only beginning to take off. It becomes apparent that while her acting is passable, Chloe’s true talents lie in singing and dancing. This is showcased when she’s cast as the lead of a musical tv show called Shimmer! The show runs for five seasons, between Chloe filming multiple made-for-TV movies, making appearances and performing in front of moderately sized crowds with her fellow cast mates. Her life becomes constant motion, never left on her own for very long nor is she burdened with making many choices. Her mother-turned-momager, alongside her agent, controls every aspect of the pre-teens life – Her image is curated from beginning to end, painting her as America’s Sweetheart. It doesn’t matter if she’s being forced to dance until her feet bleed, or if she’s being denied dinner because her mother’s ‘concerned’ about her weight. Chloe gets no say. During the time Shimmer! is going, her life quickly takes a left turn – It’s stressful, but Chloe tries to take it in stride, convincing herself that the good outweighs the bad, considering she’s getting to do what she loves. So, she slaps on her signature smile and continues the charade while living under her mother’s thumb.

While Chloe had experienced a small amount of fame through her childhood, nothing can prepare her or her mother for what happens when she’s sixteen, and releases her debut album CHLOE. She’s regarded as the newest ‘Queen of Pop’, often described as the love child of Mariah Carey and Britney Spears. With her unmatched vocals, elaborate choreography and previous reputation – Chloe’s a sensation within a short few months, landing multiple Grammy’s within her debut, most notably being Artist of the Year at only 17 years old. This only serves as the kickstart to Chloe’s life for the next decade, her previously controlled and scheduled life amplified in a way that quickly becomes unmanageable. Each of her singles and albums are chart toppers, and her international tour sells out stadiums across the world. She’s regarded as a timeless talent and hard worker, often praised for her dedication to her craft and workload.

What isn’t broadcasted is the ugly truth behind the seemingly perfect girl her PR team has created. Within the first year of her music career, Chloe quickly becomes reliant on the ‘happy pills’ her mother provides, to keep her daughter moving and smiling. A steady combination of uppers and downers keep her able to somehow manage the constant travel and work, with blatant disregard for her well being. She’s nothing more than a golden ticket – As long as Chloe continues to make music and sell out shows, her mother sees no issue. This goes on for years, before she eventually reaches the inevitable.

The news breaks on TMZ, that Chloe Campbell has been hospitalized for ‘exhaustion’ after passing out in the middle of a concert in Los Angeles. It marks the beginning of a two year long hiatus, so that she can ‘focus on her mental health’, when truly her time is spent in rehab and trying to get out from under her mother’s thumb. She’s able to find a small modicum of freedom in firing her mother and agent, despite the way it destroys any form of relationship she had with her parents. Though social media claims they ‘parted ways professionally but their relationship has never been stronger’, the two haven’t spoken since. Over the last year, she’s spent her time trying to find who she is outside of what she’s pretended to be – While working on her return to the music industry, hopefully in a way that doesn’t require her sacrificing everything she has.

[nickgerlich]

Going Up The Country

Music is another one of those highly contentious subjects that can quickly digress into argument. Our likes and dislikes are deeply personal, and reflect a lot about our personality, our upbringing, and the randomness of what resonates within.

I cut my teeth on rock music, and like most of my young male friends, the harder and louder, the better. It was probably hormonal rage, given that I was just entering adolescence. Black Sabbath and Deep Purple were my mainstays, and rarely would I ever drift toward—much less admit to liking—pop hits.

Fortunately, my tastes have matured and widened considerably through the last 50+ years, and I now listen to a wide variety. I guess you could say that certain musical genres were like Brussels Sprouts and asparagus. I acquired a taste for them.

I still cringe, though, when I think back to the musically dreadful late-70s, when the Bee Gees were stayin’ alive, stayin’ alive with an endless onslaught of disco records. They and many other artists were stealing all the air time, leaving rock and rollers wondering what hit them.

Some of them figured if they couldn’t beat them, they had better join them. Thus, we found the Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, and others—gasp—releasing disco-infused songs. They were terrible, embarrassingly so. In an effort to show their versatility, they showed just how afraid they were of losing what they thought was theirs.

The trend of crossover artists continued into the 80s, when rap and hip-hop started exploding. I recall all too badly several white artists trying desperately to include a break-out rap in the middle of one of their pop songs. This was at a time when African-Americans dominated the genre, and, well, white guys trying to emulate the style looked rather foolish. I hear white men can’t jump, either.

Here we are today, and we see crossover artists once again making their statement, with a large group of pop and rap stars going country. One of the most notable among them is Beyoncé, who has seen her popularity escalate, while at the same time raising more than just a little ire among long-time country fans and others. How dare she pretend to be country and just drop in like that?

Then there’s Post Malone, the rapper who just released F-1 Trillion. I am listening to it right now as I write. Wow! What a great album. But I think Mr. Malone is not as likely to draw the disdain of country fans, because he went about things completely differently. Rather than pretty much flying solo like Beyonce did, he partnered with numerous established country stars for duets on the album.

Now that’s a way to endear yourself with the country crowd. If Luke, Blake, Lainey, Hank, Morgan, and the rest were willing to do this, then he must be legit.

I’ll be honest. I never liked Post Malone as a rapper. That’s just not my style of music. The album before this, though, marked his transition as he ventured into a more polished pop sound. And now I hear a twang in his delivery, urban poetry gone to the boondocks. Keep it classy, Post. This is good.

And you might be wondering what an aging rock and roller like me is doing fawning over a country album. While I never started out liking country per se, I did love country rock, as in the Eagles. I also grew up playing Southern Gospel on the piano at church, so I knew the Nashville Number System and could play in any key to match the range of the vocalist or choir.

Today, I love me some Texas Red Dirt Music. Why, just a week ago I saw Band of Heathens and West Texas Exiles in Lubbock, and have seen Blackberry Smoke—too country for rock and roll, too rock and roll for country—six times. Turn it up.

The question is how music listeners will react in the long run, though. Will Beyoncé retain her diva crown? Will Post Malone keep topping the charts? And will all this great new music cause Dr. Gerlich to take up line dancing?

The music we listen to is as much a consumer behavior matter as the kind of products we buy. We build our playlists with what we like, and tune in to satellite radio stations that closely match our interests. Everything else can just keep out.

Beyoncé and Post Malone certainly did not need the money, but they did want to hop on the country train. And 45 years ago, the Stones, Rod Stewart, and others did the same with disco. As much as I hated the latter, I’m OK with the former. Maybe it’s because I like country far more than disco.

I don’t listen to Black Sabbath and Deep Purple much these days. I still like their music, but I have grown far beyond just one item in my musical diet. Sabbath’s front man Ozzy Osbourne was a real trip to see back in ’79. Sadly, I never saw Deep Purple, and now their amazing keyboardist is dead.

All I know is I am enjoying this smorgasbord, and I hope that the country fans whose knickers are in a twist figure out how to lighten up a bit. I’m practically old enough to be Post Malone’s grandfather, but I’m digging what he’s doing. As long as people are humming a happy tune, regardless of who wrote it or performed it, what could go wrong?

Dr “Finer Things” Gerlich

Audio Blog

[protcter]

(DAVID CASTAÑEDA, CISMALE, HE/HIM) Oh, is that MAXIMO “MAX” AGUILAR? I heard they THIRTY-THREE year old is SELFLESS. But don’t let that pretty face fool you, they are also INTROSPECTIVE. Makes sense seeing how they are a DIRTY civilian who works as a POLICE DETECTIVE. 

TRIGGER WARNING: death, birth complications, pregnancy, infidelity, emotional abuse, grief

𝐁𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐒.

name: maximo emiliano aguilar nicknames/alias: max (preferred)

faceclaim: david castañeda

age: thirty-three gender: cismale sexuality: bisexual date/place of birth: september 15th / nashville, tennessee currently:

positive traits: selfless, empathetic, compassionate negative traits: introspective, overly-trusting, overworked astrological sign: virgo archetype: the protector

𝐁𝐈𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐇𝐘.

september 15th, 1991

you were born on the outskirts of nashville to hector and josephine aguilar, a happy couple according to the facade they clung to until the sun went down. it was then when the fighting always began. max was the only legacy josephine would leave behind, only knowing her son for two minutes before she was called for something more. her passing left hector to be a single father, his grief blossoming into hatred for his newborn son. unlike some who tried to hide it, it showed. every word was dripping in anger, that is -- until he met her.

rebecca was... a good enough woman, in your eyes. she kept your father happy, but spoke few words to you. hector's spotlight no longer bore through the fabric of your skin -- something you were grateful for. but, you were now tasked with the responsibility of raising your three younger stepsisters while your father and stepmother galivanted through life like reckless teenagers. you were right to trust that things were too good to be true, for a year after a rather intimate wedding, hector began to pull back the facade and show his true colors. you were eleven.

by the time you reached high school, you were completely on the straight and narrow. every parent's dream. rarely ever engaging in social events or extracurricular activities, you had other things to do. pick your stepsisters up from the middle and elementary school, but don't forget to be home in time to make dinner. when the time for college came, you felt the overwhelming need to protect. you had protected your sisters your entire life: from the state of the universe, from their own parent's wrath. and so, it was no surprise to anyone when you began to work in private security straight out of high school.

late 2009

your first stop was florida -- where you soon fell in the crosshairs of pablo martinez. he could help you. he was powerful amongst these parts. you become close enough to him to meet his family, know them better than any other of his associates. it is here in florida where you also meet sylvie dubois -- a club regular looking to feel again after a marriage that had ripped her in two, broken beyond repair. an affair in your mid-twenties results in a positive pregnancy test, and more questions than answers. but, you are determined to answer every single one of them, give your baby the life you never had.

one immune of fear, of growing up to fast.

you bring your son, mason aguilar into the world nine months later. it is love at first sight the very minute you hold him. the shard of you that has always been missing has finally been put back into place. you have found your endgame. you never thought you were meant for white picket fences, but that lifestyle is staring back at you. and you want it. you want it with her. however, everything changes when the two of you get into a car crash on the way back to your tampa home. she died with her ring on her finger. the engagement ring you had just given her not even a handful of hours before.

2019

you desperately crave a fresh start for yourself and your son and thankfully, it comes to you. pablo had a new job for him. his daughter, adriana was to find her way in new york city -- and you would join her. you obliged. it was easier for you to throw yourself into his work than simply sit there, idle. following the move, you enrolls on the police academy for a new sense of purpose.

it is the acceptance you needed, and the perfect place to nurture the passion that had always been there. it doesn't take long for you to make detective, considering your intelligence and dedication to the nypd. even if it gets you a couple dirty looks from more seasoned cops. mason seems to plant his roots into the concrete and has been blossoming in the years following sylvie's death.

and then there's adriana. she is a thorn in your side, but you love her reckless abandon. she is the adventure you never expected, keeping you on your toes more and more with every passing day. she makes you want to be a better man. the thin line between obligation, having been tasked to protect her and love? it gets blurrier every day. maybe, just maybe, you are seeing the blur after all.

𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒.

yes, max does indeed have feelings for adriana. however, he will always do what's for her own good over what he wants, in any lifetime.

loves his son more than anything else in the world. he looks more like his mother every single day. while it's a nice reminder of her, a way to keep her memory alive, he can't deny the pang in his chest. however, he has vowed not to become his father.

he firmly believes that he destroys everything in his wake and has no business becoming a detective. however, he doesn't know any other life but protecting.

a very soft-spoken, thick-skinned individual, but not hard to get close to. he's become a lot pickier about who he allows in his life in the past couple years, considering all he's endured.

𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒.

click anywhere in this sentence.

[mapsoffun]

I didn’t take a lot of photos of this place because I frankly didn’t expect to love it (also I was with people I didn’t know very well and I felt weird being my photographer self), but Justin Timblerlake’s 12/30 restaurant concept is way better than it has any right to be, and I give credit to the excellent staff that the company in charge of this brought together both in the front of the house and in the back of the house. The food is solid, the vibe is good, the drinks are also solid, and when one of our companions had an issue with her purse zipper being stuck, the head chef working that day was able to free it without breaking it and was really nice about it. 

Would I tell you that it’s a must-visit destination? No. That said, if you’re on a bachelorette or girls’ trip and someone has that place on the itinerary for brunch, just lean into it. The food is good, the musicians are excellent, and the space is made for Instagram. I found the avocado toast to be way better than expected (though the knife provided will not do the job of cutting it) and the pan-fried pork belly dumplings were pretty delicious, even if they serve the cornstarch crust with them.

I would have laughed if there was an Omletteville dish on the menu, but I’m sure that’s owned by NBC Universal.

Also: We were there when the Nashville Predators were in the hunt for the Stanley Cup, and the street celebrations were incredible, and I find it astonishing (in a good way) that they have an arena right in the smack of downtown like they do. 

[ezcater]

The 5 Most Caterable Dishes Featuring the Apple

Fall is finally here, and if you’re like most, you’ve been eagerly awaiting this season. The autumnal colors, cooler temperatures, and spooky season—there’s so much to love about fall.

Pumpkins are often associated with the fall season, but when it comes to culinary dishes, there’s arguably no more important element than the apple. Be they Fuji, Granny Smith, or Golden Delicious, apples are a fall mainstay and a key ingredient in many of our favorite fall cuisines. You don’t necessarily need to prepare a meal from scratch to enjoy the taste of apples this fall. Fortunately, the right catering partner makes it easy to enjoy apple-centric food that works. Here are a few apple-forward dishes to try. Amazing Apple Pie Let’s get the obvious out of the way: Apple pie is by far the most iconic American dish featuring apples. Since it’s baked in a tin and transports well, apple pie makes a superb catering option. Plus, you can find apple pie almost anywhere, so you can enjoy it whether you’re catering OKC sales calls, PDX quarterly reviews, or NOLA corporate lunches. Pork Chops and Applesauce This is a classic American dish that will truly stick to your ribs. When you need some extra fuel on a cold fall day, pork chops with applesauce is one meal guaranteed to pick you up and help you power through. This dish is genuine comfort food, and your team will love this wholesome, fall-friendly lunch option. Brie and Apples Typically an appetizer, this dish puts the unadulterated flavors of apples, brie, and other supporting ingredients front and center. Some restaurants will slice the brie, while others will melt it just enough so that you can use it as a dip for apples or even crostini. Just as apple pie makes a fantastic finale for any office meal, the combination of brie and apples is an outstanding way to get things started. Juice, Cider, and Soda When you’re perusing the best office catering Nashville, Denver, or Seattle has to offer, remember that organizing top-notch work food is about more than just the main course. The right beverages are essential, and what better to include in your fall catering order than apple cider? Apple cider is a go-to this time of year and for good reason. But there’s also the classic apple juice, which is perfect with breakfast, or even the less common apple soda if you’re looking for some lightly carbonated, crisp refreshment. Caramel Apples There’s no better way to round out a fantastic fall meal at the office than with some sweet treats to share with your team, and that’s why caramel apples are one of the best additions to any catering order. You might be surprised to learn that caramel apples aren’t exactly difficult to find, either. For example, you’ll find plenty of options among the best catering Columbus Ohio has to offer. From Kilwins to the Buckeye Candy Company, Al’s Delicious Popcorn, and more, the right catering partner will make it easy to reward your entire team with these delectable fall sweets. About ezCater Food is the fuel that keeps businesses running. This may be why so many companies choose ezCater for their catering needs. ezCater is here to connect you with local restaurants and caterers while providing the support you need to ensure your food arrives on time and as ordered. Find quick and convenient options for individually packaged lunch catering or get an exceptional spread of appetizers for the team—the choices are endless! Need to cater a major corporate event? Turn to ezCater, and you can order food for the event no matter where you are in the nation. With over 100,000 restaurants to choose from, you can get the best catering Dallas has to offer or highly-rated Cincinnati catering—or delicious meals from practically any other city in the U.S. The catering possibilities are nearly endless with ezCater. Order any of these apple-based options for your team at https://www.ezcater.com/ Original Source: https://bit.ly/45ounF8