#and then i took my time with Better Call Saul and i’ve REALLY enjoyed it!

[endpoem]

Stuff I liked in 2022

‘Saul’ good (and other TV)

It’s not easy to say goodbye to Better Call Saul, the supposed end of Vince Gilligan’s Albuquerque cycle. I bought my dad the complete Breaking Bad on DVD for Christmas in 2014, and we watched the entire thing together, back before I had kids or a real full-time career. Jesse Pinkman, Nacho, Jimmy and Kim—these characters have meant the world to me for the better part of a decade, and Saul was absolutely the pinnacle.

El Camino, Saul season five, and the two halves of season six have been such a gift of flawless storytelling these last few years; sometimes they were the thing that got me out of bed in the morning. Logging into work on a Monday ain’t so bad when you’ve got more of Kim and Jimmy’s mischief to look forward to. Peter Gould, Gilligan, and company stuck the landing. If one of your favorite characters must die, you can’t ask for a more beautiful sendoff than “Rock and Hard Place.”

Bob Odenkirk’s book, Comedy Comedy Comedy Drama: A Memoir, was a great way to spend a weekend, as well, deepening my appreciation for an actor who’d already won my heart in the first couple seasons of Saul. (I’ll admit it: The character was never my favorite part of Breaking Bad. It took the Jimmy dimension to win me over and sell me on the idea of a spinoff. Mission accomplished, I guess.)

It’s a nice treat to see Odenkirk back in his home country of comedy, and it made for a good excuse to watch Mr. Show season one while I was waiting for Better Call Saul to come back from its mid-season break. Bob and I have a shocking number of things in common: five-nine, Irish-Catholic, Illinois guys, a cynicism born of trauma, severe impostor syndrome, et cetera. Anyway, I can’t wait to see what he does next.

I loved Atlanta season three; “New Jazz” was my favorite episode by far, probably because it focuses on Al (Paper Boi) and is weird even by Atlanta standards. I also enjoyed Stranger Things season four, which was a definite high for that series—Joseph Quinn was brilliant. And as a Halo fan going all the way back to 2001, I mostly dug the TV adaptation’s first season, though the finale was a bummer.

I’m a couple seasons into a Mad Men rewatch, trying to fill the void left by the Gilliverse, and it’s a different show now that I’m a father with two kids and more of a career. Unbelievably good.

‘The Rings of Power,’ classic Tolkien, and other fantasies

This was the year I got really into epic fantasy outside of, say, the Elder Scrolls games. The Rings of Power came along just in time to cure my post-Saul blues, and it certainly did the trick. It’s a gorgeous (and expensive) spectacle, with a rich, expansive world, mythic stakes, and some really great performances. And have you seen how beautiful that cast is? I’ve been known to develop the occasional TV or movie crush, Your Honor, but Morfydd Clark’s Galadriel is in a league of her own. My God. She’s great in Saint Maud, too.

After Rings of Power, I rewatched the extended cuts of the movie trilogy and bought a stack of books for good measure—The Hobbit, Rings, The Silmarillion, The Fall of Númenor, Tolkien’s translation of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. I just finished Fellowship of the Ring, which is exquisite, and I’ve been reading The Hobbit aloud to my daughter. We’re about three-fourths of the way through that one.

I finally saw the original Willow and Legend (1985) earlier this year, and thought both were excellent. (The Legend Blu-ray from Arrow Video looks stunning.) House of the Dragon was pretty fantastic—as good as Game of Thrones in its earlier seasons, only more focused. And the Disney Plus Willow series is probably my second-favorite fantasy work of 2022; it’s playing around with the same kind of Lovecraftian terror as John Carpenter’s Prince of Darkness, and I can’t help but see it as a riff on the Star Wars sequel trilogy.

‘Andor’ and more

There was some good star stuff on the tube this year. “The Tribes of Tatooine,” the second episode of Book of Boba, elevated that series above the disposable feel of Mandalorian season two (“The Believer” notwithstanding). And Deborah Chow’s Obi-Wan Kenobi gave those of us who grew up on the prequels a magnificent bookend to the Obi-and-Ani relationship.

Light & Magic, the six-part docuseries on ILM, offered a phenomenal overview of special-effects history beginning with the inception of Star Wars and ending with the biggest breakthroughs of the CGI era. You could easily do a second season on the last couple decades of blockbusters and stuff like StageCraft, but maybe that’s a series for down the road.

But of course no Star Wars discussion this year could pass without addressing the main event, Andor, which can safely be called the best Star Wars story since 1983. Tony Gilroy is a masterful writer and showrunner, responsible for much of what people loved in Rogue One, and he brings all his intelligence and rage and love to Andor. He and his crew ought to be very proud. Who knew that all Star Wars needed was more Andy Serkis and Diego Luna? Gilroy, evidently.

Shadow of the Sith, a 496-page novel by Adam Christopher, was another Star Wars highlight in 2022. If you’re looking for a good Luke Skywalker book, or a good Lando Calrissian book—or some spooky Sith magic—you’ll find all of that and more in this moving Rise of Skywalker tie-in. For those curious about Rey’s parents, this is largely their story, as well, and it’s beautifully done. My favorite Star Wars book in years.

Always gamin’

I’m not a full-time games journalist anymore, so my gaming habits are a lot more relaxed than they used to be. Which is to say I play to have fun, now, and I can’t recommend it enough. I buy far fewer new games these days, for one, though I did love Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, Destiny 2: The Witch Queen, and several games I’ve started but not yet finished.

One of my biggest games this year was Final Fantasy VII Remake, which I finally finished on the PS5. Hell of a game—if any video game can be called a masterpiece, that one comfortably belongs in the category. I also rolled credits on Mass Effect 2 and 3, and thought the latter was far superior to the middle chapter in spite of the general consensus. Regardless of how you feel about the very end, that game is quite an achievement for BioWare, and I hope Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is even half as engrossing.

I spent a lot of time playing Fortnite and Call of Duty online this year—something I plan to do a lot less of in 2023—but had plenty of fun doing it. I replayed a lot of familiar favorites: Skyrim, Halo Infinite, Fallout: New Vegas, Miles Morales. Most of my hours on the Nintendo Switch were spent with KotOR and KotOR II, and I’m currently struggling through an attempt to replay Morrowind on the Xbox, which is both painful and rewarding. I’m rediscovering a lot of the reasons why I fell in love with it twenty years ago.

At the movies

I didn’t go to the theater much this year, but I did watch 209 movies—most of them at home on my 65-inch TCL 5-Series. My top ten films of 2022 were The Fabelmans, Top Gun: Maverick, Elvis, del Toro’s Pinocchio, Watcher, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Pearl, The Batman, Nope, and Hellraiser. Fabelmans and Top Gun in particular made my heart soar; it’s nice to see both Spielberg and Cruise still delivering career-best work a full two decades after Minority Report, which was my favorite movie for a long time.

Outside of those ten, I also loved Kimi, Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe, Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, Revealer, and Confess, Fletch.

As far as new-to-me classics, I had a very fulfilling year working my way through the gaps in my Carpenter and Mann viewing, if nothing else—They Live, Prince of Darkness, Elvis ’79, Big Trouble in Little China, In the Mouth of Madness, Cigarette Burns, Ali, The Insider, The Keep… I spent a lot of time studying my favorite Carpenter flicks last year as I wrote the treatment for a horror script that’s lived in my head for a while, but I didn’t want to watch Prince of Darkness till after I’d finished a detailed outline of the story. In 2022, I logged fifteen Carpenter films and seven from Mann.

I saw Citizen Kane, F for Fake, The Bride of Frankenstein, The Godfather, Part II, Solaris (2002), The Meyerowitz Stories (every bit as good as Marriage Story), Twin Peaks season two and The Missing Pieces, Killing Them Softly, Jaws, Your Name, The Gambler (the one with James Caan, not Marky Mark), Bonnie and Clyde, Near Dark, The Hidden, Silent Running, the original 3:10 to Yuma, Joe Kidd.

It’s been a hard, stressful, scary, transformative year. But I’m grateful for the strides I made, both personal and professional, and for the media and stories that inspired me along the way.

Subscribe to my Substack newsletter.

[starbuck]

so. I watched Better Call Saul.

[septembersghost]

You’re back! I missed you and I’m glad you’re back for the finale (fingers crossed it’s better than the last two we suffered through).

Your post about brba/bcs is beautiful. Idk who was being mean to you last week (I will bite them), but I for one am so so glad you started posting about brba and bcs, because I never in a million years would’ve watched them otherwise. I’d written off Breaking Bad as a violent, overhyped show that I wouldn’t enjoy, but when I saw you posting about it, I reconsidered.

After all, Dexter should’ve fallen into that same category - a violent show with a mostly male audience - and I love our darling serial killer. (You brought him back to me too, and I will never be able to thank you enough. Without you, I would’ve gone forever without seeing season five, and seeing Dexter and Lumen. It’s horrible to even think about). And the show that started it all kind of falls into that same demographic, though it’s hardly as violent or as praised. So I thought, maybe Breaking Bad would be like that. If it and Better Call Saul were so important to you, then I would probably at least like them. And if I didn’t, then I could at least like Aaron Paul’s face.

But I don’t think I’ve ever watched a show so quickly without trying. I started it in early May and finished El Camino before memorial day, and I took breaks! Days off to try to savor the experience, take it in more fully, but it demanded to be devoured. I plan to go back and watch it more slowly once some time has passed, to fully take it in, and I know it will be one of those shows I come back to over and over again. Not a comfort show exactly, but a familiar one, an important one.

Better Call Saul isn’t quite the same for me - I think it’s the kind of show that would’ve benefited from a slower watch, rather than my rushed marathon to catch up in time and watch the finale in almost real time. (I’ll watch it tomorrow morning, but I’m not watching it live. Last time I watched an episode of television live it was the episode that doesn’t exist, and I won’t do that again.) But I’ve had such a fun time with it, and I’m far more emotionally connected than I thought I would be. I’m not sure what kind of ending I’m expecting. I want a happy one, but I don’t know that we’ll get one.

Regardless of how this series ends (and the brba/bcs universe, but saying “regardless of how this universe ends” is a bit dramatic even for me), I’m very grateful to you for bringing it into my life.

thank you so much for this message, sweetheart, i was saving it for after the finale, and it made me really happy to read.

I’d written off Breaking Bad as a violent, overhyped show that I wouldn’t enjoy, but when I saw you posting about it, I reconsidered. this is not an uncommon opinion, and i don't blame you (i thought the same back in the day!), its reputation on the internet has gotten a bit away from what the core of the show actually is. i'm very glad you decided to take a chance on it anyway.

i mentioned this (though not by name) in my post, but breaking bad and dexter were ending at the same time in 2013. i'd started watching dexter a few years before that, and the last season was rough on me (lol little did we know), and breaking bad was exploding in popularity in its final run. i was mostly like, hmmm, maybe i'll consider watching this as distraction from this other story i loved going badly, and it ended up hooking me and being far more meaningful than i anticipated. but dexter was the same for me as you described, i would never have thought i'd get so attached or care about it with the expanse of emotion that i felt, that i still have when i go back to it. i've loved being able to discuss that with you too, and that you got to experience lumen's story especially. and as i've discussed many times, the show that started it all, on the surface, shouldn't have been for me necessarily either - male-focused and seemingly violent and machismo laden, and yet that isn't what it is at all. each of these stories are far more intricate and emotionally resonant than that, and i'm grateful they've had presences in my life, and led me to explore the themes and hold onto the characters.

If it and Better Call Saul were so important to you, then I would probably at least like them. And if I didn’t, then I could at least like Aaron Paul’s face. this is SO real (it is a very good face!), but it's wonderful that you ended up truly enjoying the shows too. 💕💕💕

breaking bad is inherently bingeable, you just NEED to know what's happening next. it's the fastest show i've ever gotten through a show the first time too, though i was racing to the finish line with it at that point, it was still easy to, as you said, devour it.

i have a collection of shows i love that aren't necessarily comforts, and yet there's something about the familiarity of them, the profound feeling of them, that makes them easy to fall into nonetheless. brba and bcs have both found homes in that category. they crafted such a profound and breathtaking universe, in the way the narratives intertwine (i can no longer recommend one without the other at all!), in the complexity and multifaceted pieces of all of the characters. they are truly treasures of the artform to me, and it has been a gift being able to share them and the conclusion of this journey with you.

[damejudyhench]

Interview With A Fic Writer

Thanks for the tag @sleepswithvillains ! Passing it along to @jackalgirl @the-lastcall-main @corancoranthemagicalman @strangefable @funkypoacher and @captastra plus anyone else who’s like to join in

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

52! And there should be more; I accidentally orphaned a bunch.

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

154874 slutty, slutty words

3. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Misuse of Institute Property (fallout 4)

Instruction (midnight Mass)

No Church In The Wild (the outer worlds)

The Wednesday Zone (the outer worlds)

Praise The Law And Pass The Ammunition (the outer worlds)

4. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Always! I appreciate them so much. I figure anyone who takes the time to let you know how much they enjoyed your work deserves acknowledgment. Plus if it’s a somewhat detailed comment it can be a good way to start a conversation.

5. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

Probably Embrace The Chaos; aka The One Where Pearl Kills Max

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

Now He Speaks French, the fic that ends with Max singing to Benjamin.

7. Do you write crossovers?

I am proud of both my Aquabats/Fallout New Vegas crossover and my VLD/Jurassic Park crossover.

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Yeah, when I was writing Half-life 2 fic someone took real umbrage at my take on Alyx for some reason.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Almost exclusively smut. I’m open to most things, but I always try and put some emotion behind it.

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not 100% but I have my suspicions.

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Not as far as I’m aware.

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No.

13. What’s your all time favourite ship?

Nick Valentine/the Sole Survivor. The way Nick’s reaction shots, incidental dialogue and affinity points mesh so well with the main quest, from the meet-cute right through to the climax of the game in the place where both of you had your lives forever changed… it’s kind of beyond belief he’s not romanceable.

14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish, but don’t think you ever will?

Pretty much all of them now.

15. What are your writing strengths?

Smut and character voice, Imo.

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

Plot!

17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

As long as you’re competent in the language I don’t see a problem. Ich könnte es vielleicht für Deutsch.

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Half-life 2! On ff.net no less.

19. What’s a fandom/ship you haven’t written for yet, but want to?

I’d love to write some fucked up stuff for John Tyler. McWexler from Better Call Saul. And I’m sure once I watch Our Flag Means Death I’ll be into that too.

20. What’s your favourite fic you’ve written?

It would have to be Fear In A Handful Of Xenocytes (the outer worlds). I loved the Peril On Gorgon dlc so much, and I felt like I was able to use the premise to really explore how Max and Pearl are impacted by their own past decisions. It’s the only thing that could break them down enough that they drop their guards completely and admit their love. Also I love the Sprat Shack. And it’s some of my favourite smut I’ve written.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

One Night🌙5

Warnings: noncon sexual acts (to be warned later in series)

This is dark!Andy Barber and explicit. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: One night changes your entire life.

for @kittykatlow​‘s 200 Follower Celebration

Note: Sorry there’s no Eye of the Storm for today. I’m currently going through physical and emotional hell but I hope you don’t mind some Andy Barber.

Hope you enjoy it. Thank you. Love you guys!

Please leave some feedback, like and reblog <3

You went to bed angry. You were always warned against it and you always learned your lessons the hard way. Hence, your current predicament and that stabbing just above your eye brow.

You got up slowly. You groaned and grumbled as you forced yourself to your feet. It was early and you had a shift at the diner. You never thought you'd be eager to be in your greasy apron but it was better than the alternative.

The night before, you'd spent a few minutes looking around the bedroom. There was an attached bathroom and you were thankful for that as you'd awoke once to relieve yourself before stumbling back to bed. 

You pushed through the half-open door and pulled your night shirt over your head. You stretched and reached to start the shower. There was a hand towel hanging from the ring above the sink but nothing else. You went to the closet but upon opening the door, you were surprised to find another bedroom on the other side. 

You swore and slammed the door before Andy could look up from his tie. You searched the handle for a lock and clicked it into place. God damn it! What kind of house was set up like that?

You heard his bedroom door in the hall and he knocked on your own. You scrambled to pick up your night gown and pull it back on as the hinges whispered and he appeared at the bathroom door. He looked confused as he crossed his arms.

"What was all that about?" He asked.

"I needed a towel," You huffed. "And I thought it was... a closet."

"Ah, linen closet's right next to my room." He explained. "I never really liked the layout but Laurie... I'll get you a towel."

You nodded and he left you. He returned with a dark blue towel and offered it to you. You took it and he reluctantly let it go. His gaze never left you; sombre and serious.

"Did you decide?" He asked.

"I'll tell Saul today," You said. "Is that acceptable?"

He sighed and sniffed.

"Call me." He said. "Doesn't matter when, I'll pick up. You let me know when your next appointment is."

"Okay," You resigned. "So, can I shower or...?"

"I gotta head out," He tucked his hand in his pants pocket. "I'll leave your breakfast on the counter."

"I can take care of myself." You insisted.

"Yeah, you keep saying that," He gave a sarcastic smirk. "What time are you done?"

"Seven," You answered dully. "I'll be home before curfew, dad."

He rolled his eyes and backed away.

"Well, won't be long till I am," He countered. "Isn't that right, mommy?"

He left you, the door closing with a snap. You listened as he went back to his own room and left shortly after, his footsteps fading down the stairs.

You set the towel down on the toilet lid and felt the warmth of the shower’s spray with your fingertips. You'd thought living with your mom was hard. Now you almost missed it.

🌙

You felt like you had a secret victory. While you'd given up the job that had seen you through the last decade, your job at the cafe was starting to look more promising. Many of your co-workers were college students and handed off shifts quite often. 

By the time you left the diner, dispirited as you were after the last few days' events, you had picked up two half-shifts for the next week. Another and you'd have more than thirty hours away from Andy and his suburban prison.

It was short-won as you found a bitterly familiar car waiting by the curb as you walked out of work. Andy sat in the front seat, his hand leaned against the steering wheel as he squinted at the glowing screen of his phone. You were tempted to ignore him and catch the bus instead but you didn't want another night of arguing. You just wanted to be home. You could hide in the guest room and try to forget. Well, as much as you could.

You knocked on the window and he looked over. He gave you his usual disapproving look and unlocked the doors with the flip of a switch. He tucked his phone away and turned the engine as you climbed in.

"I messaged." He said as he peered out into traffic. "Why didn't you answer?"

"I haven't checked my phone," You frowned. "Sorry."

"I told you to call me." He pulled out and his knuckles whitened as his grip tightened on the wheel. "You make your appointment?"

"Monday," You muttered. Only three days away. "Ten thirty."

"I can make it work," He said. "You wanna grab some dinner? It's a bit late to cook."

"You gonna spoon feed again?" You challenged.

"Only if you make me," He said. "I want a copy of your schedule. Every week. I need to know when you're working and not."

"You're not serious?" You scoffed.

"I think I have a right to know. And look, we're having a kid and we should learn to get along before it gets here." He glanced at you in the rearview. "It wasn't so hard that night in the bar."

"Andy, forget that night," You breathed. 

"I can't." His voice was low, dusky. "Even if... if I hadn't run into you again, I'd still be thinking about it."

"Don't do this," You begged.

"I love-- Loved my wife," He continued. "But it was never like that. Never that--"

"Stop," You interrupted. "Andy, I get it, well, I can't really understand what you're going through but you're grieving your family. It's confusing, scary, but you can't expect me to fill that hole. It was a one night stand. As far as I know those are suppose to end the morning after, at latest."

He was silent as he pulled into the drive through of a local burger joint. You'd been to the place once, they had great potato wedges but charged a bit much for limited portions. He stopped at the speaker and turned to you.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"Chicken burger, extra mayo, side of wedges," You craned to read the menu around him. "And an iced tea?"

"That's a lot of sugar. You should have a water for now and I have some stuff at home."

"Why did you even-- fine," You relented. "Water is fine."

Andy ordered and idled between the windows as he waited for the food. When it was his turn at last, he drew up and paid. He took the paper bag and the tray of drinks and handed it to you. He tipped, well, and thanked the server before pulling away.

"You don't understand. You're right." He said stiffly. "You can't but you can at least try. A baby... do you know what that means to me? Especially now, after everything. I never really put much faith in God but it feels like... a sign."

You lowered your head and shifted the paper bag on your leg as its warmth seeped through your pants. You felt bad. You were so concerned with what you were going to do, you hadn't really thought about him or his feelings. Sure, he was bossy, angry, but could you blame him? After a tragedy so uncontrollable how could you not be desperate for an ounce of control?

"Thank you," You said quietly. "For buying me dinner. For... letting me stay with you."

"You don't have to thank me for that. Decent people do those things." He stared at the road grimly. "I'm... sorry I've been so angry."

"It's alright. I haven't really been easy to deal with." You chuckled darkly. "I'd blame the hormones but I think it's just me."

"No, it's not," He turned down his street. "I'll be home late tomorrow night. There's lots of food in the fridge. You working?"

"Closing." You answered. "I'll be late too."

He nodded as he pulled into his driveway.

"Alright," He killed the engine. "I still want that schedule. It'll make things a lot easier."

You wanted to slap yourself. He came around as you managed to open your door and took the bag from you as he left you the tray of drinks. You followed him to the door, shaking your head at your own idiocy. He might be decent but it didn't make him any less overbearing.

🌙

Your days continued on a tightrope. You did your best to balance between Andy's irritability and your own misery. He might have apologized but there was something about the man that just kept you on edge.

And it was difficult to adjust to living with a man that was barely more than a strangers. To live in the shell of his former life. Even when you were alone, you stayed in the guest room, kept to yourself. It felt wrong to be there.

When Monday came, you woke to ready for your appointment. You dressed and went downstairs to find Andy awake and put together as always. The smell of his coffee made your mouth water.

"Any left in the pot?" You asked.

He shook his head as he blew the steam away from the rim.

"You can't have coffee. Too much caffeine." He said. "I'll buy you some decaf if you want. There's a gourmet place in the market."

"Don't worry about it," You grumbled. "I'll just have some orange juice."

"And some fruit, toast, yogurt..." He began as he set his mug down. "You should start writing down your meals. Keep track. You don't want to undereat." He opened the fridge and pulled out a basket of blueberries and a tub of yogurt. "We should also look into some supplements for you. Iron, probably." 

He grabbed a bowl and measured out the yogurt and then rinsed some berries to go on top. He slid the bowl across the island and put everything back in the fridge. He grabbed the loaf from the breadbox and shoved two slices in the toaster.

"They should be able to let us know what after today," He continued. "I was reading up. They're gonna take some blood, probably some urine, and you might even have an ultrasound."

"Reading?" You narrowed your eyes. "Did you do all this with... before?"

He pressed his lips together and cracked his neck.

"I was younger then. Naive," He said. "Nine months is a long time. A lot can go wrong."

You were quiet. You scooped yogurt into your mouth and tried not to scowl. You didn't need to walk into the doctor's in a mood. The whole thing was stressful enough.

He finished making your toast and offered you peanut butter. You took butter and accepted the dry dark rye. He tapped his fingers on the counter and reached for a book on the end. He slid it over and flipped it open just as you read the title; 'What to Expect When You're Expecting'. You wanted to laugh. You chewed instead.

"That's your research?" You asked.

"You should read it," He said without looking up, crossing his arms atop the counter as he bent over it. "You'd learn a lot."

"Oh yeah?" You swallowed. "I'll see if I can fit it on my reading list."

"Huh," He looked up at last. "I saw that you had quite a few hours next week. Thirty-three."

"You said I couldn't work two jobs," You shrugged. "So I have one."

"I thought we were getting somewhere," He stood straight. "I really did."

"What else am I supposed to do? I can't just sit around and wait for the baby."

"You can," He snapped and rubbed his beard, feeling the bristle of his beard. "Jesus, I just-- I'm trying to do what's right."

"For you? Me? The baby?" You wondered.

"For us," He said pointedly. 

"Us?" You echoed and set down the last crust. "What do you think is going to happen when the baby is here?"

His brows crinkled and took a breath.

"Well, I hope to have the nursery set up by then. Some clothes ready. No surprises, we'll need to know the sex so that we're ready." He slowly smiled as he spoke. "And maybe a pump for you, just in case. And I can take some days off to help out. It can be exhausting--"

"Andy!" You spat. "Andy, do you think-- do you think I'm going to stay here... forever?"

"You gonna pop this thing out and just go?" He asked. 

"I never said I'd stay. Why would I--?"

"Because we're gonna be parents. Together." He hissed. "Because I won't have my child bouncing back and forth like volleyball."

"I'm not doing that." You said. "No, I'm not--" You stood and rounded the counter. "I'll find my own way to the appointment. There's no reason you need to be there."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa" He stepped in front of you and blocked you. "I wasn't asking."

"You can't make me--"

"I can do whatever I want," His voice grew deeper as he backed you against the island. "I can tell the police you abandoned your child. I can sue you for support. I can have you arrested for neglect."

"Prove it," You snarled.

"Won't be hard. I got buddies in the PD. I don't even have to plant the evidence," He smirked. "I just gotta give them the go ahead."

"No," You tried to push past him and he grabbed your sides, pushing you back against the counter.

"Let me tell you something, sweetheart," He leaned in to whispered in your ear. "You're gonna do a lot of things you think you don't wanna do." 

His hand slipped to your hip and you caught his wrist, grasping his chunky watched. He stood straight and looked down at you nonchalantly. 

"You're right," He wrenched his arm away and looked at his watch. "We're gonna be late."

[aion-rsa]

What We Do in the Shadows Season 3: What is an Energy Vampire Anyway?

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

This article contains spoilers for What We Do in the Shadows season 3’s first two episodes.

Boredom, tedious, tiresome, flat. These are not the first words which jump to mind when thinking of vampires or comedy, but What We Do in the Shadows wields them like secret weapons without sacrificing a single laugh or scare. The FX horror farce, which is a series adaptation of the 2014 feature film created by Taika Waititi and Jemaine Clement, follows four vampires. They have been roommates since, well, forever, but one is different from the rest.

Nandor the Relentless (Kayvan Novak), Nadja of Antipaxos, (Natasia Demetriou), and Laszlo Cravensworth (Matt Berry), are traditional vampires. They drink blood, a virgin’s if possible. This is usually supplied by their familiar-turned-bodyguard Guillermo (Harvey Guillén). A probable virgin himself, but off limits. Even vampires know not to feed on their own supplier, especially one who has taken down the entire local vampire hierarchy. The fourth vampire does not drink blood. He subsists on the lifeforce of others. He is an energy vampire, and no one is safe from his appetites. Familiars are fair game, and so are the other vampires.

Colin Robinson (Mark Proksch) looks like an office drone, talks like an automated menu, and has the presence of an interdepartmental meeting memo. A simple watercooler chat can drain a listener of the very will to live. It’s tasty. The Staten Island vampires have been named head of the entire Tri-State vampire community and Colin, who will be celebrating a major milestone this season, is undergoing a search for self.

You don’t have to look far from Colin to find Mark Proksch, the actor who plays him. In Better Call Saul, he played Daniel “Pryce” Wormald, the ineptly arrogant pharmaceutical connection who was very particular about his baseball cards. On The Office, he played Nate, a proven entity, but not without handicaps, like hearing, vision and cognition. With offbeat roles on This Is Us, Modern Family, Portlandia, Drunk History, Bob’s Burgers, and Adventure Time, Proksch has spent his career playing yo-yos, his first appearance was as a self-proclaimed master.

Proksch spoke with Den of Geek about vampire centennials, television perennials, and freezing his genitals playing kickball in the snow.

Den of Geek: Hello and thanks for doing this, and I wanted to wish Colin Robinson a happy birthday.

Mark Proksch: Well, it’s a little premature, but thank you.

I know the season is building to it, but will you be throwing a big celebration?

Yes. There will be some festivities, Colin Robinson style.

Do you know his sign?

I don’t know his sign. Gosh, that’s a good question. I don’t think he knows it, even.

Is there anything he wants for his birthday?

I think what he wants most is to know where he came from, and where he’s going. He’s in a bit of an existential funk right now. And he’s doing a lot of research about energy vampires. The problem is there’s not much out there on energy vampires because no one likes them. So, there aren’t many books about them. When he goes into the big Vampiric Council library, he can’t find a single word about energy vampires. And that’s probably because they’re so reviled within that community, that they don’t respect the energy vampires, or have any of their books.

You’ve been doing a lot of research on the history, and the nature, of energy vampires, as you said. What do you think, or, what do you call what he is feeding from? Is it Prana? Chi? Neurotransmissions?

Oh, yeah. We haven’t learned. He still doesn’t know. I think he’s feeding on the exhaustion of others. The everyday life exhaustion of others, I think, is what he feeds on.

Does Colin ever contemplate the carbon footprint of the energy vampire?

No, I think Colin’s in for it just for himself.

How come Colin can stand fire, he laughs it off, but he can’t deal with a cattle prod?

Yeah. Tony, you’re poking holes here. I don’t know. That’s, again, a very good question. Why doesn’t fire hurt him, but a cattle prod shocks him? Maybe, because one is energy? I mean, electrical energy, I should say. I guess heat is its own energy.

In the Cloak-of-Many-Nandors episode, how did it feel to hear Kayvan Novak do you? And did you give him pointers? Did he drain you in the process?

Yeah. Well, Kayvan has been doing all of us, since day one of shooting. So, it wasn’t a revelation to hear him do my voice. That said, we all sent recordings to him so he could perfect it. I haven’t seen the episode yet. The night we were filming my scene, it was about 4:00 a.m., it was one of the coldest nights in Toronto. So, I didn’t stick around to hear him do my voice. But I’m sure it’s as good as he was doing it on day one.

There’s a lot more location and exterior shooting this season. Is that more fun? Or is it just another day in a different cubicle?

I love our set. Kate Bunch, who is our set designer, is an absolute genius. And we film in the cold months, in Canada. So anytime we get to be on set, near the fireplace that actually works, is a plus. Filming on location has its limitations. We can’t film during the daytime, because the vampires will be burned up. So, we always film at night, when on location. And it looks like it’s 11:00 p.m. or 10:00 p.m., when in fact, it’s usually 3:00 a.m. or 4:00 a.m. And so, when we go on location, we’re usually shooting pretty unpleasant evenings. So, I’d much rather film on set. Filming on location can be fun though, because you have a lot more interaction with real people. And I think that’s one thing that makes the show really funny, is seeing these idiot vampires dealing in the real world. So, it’s kind of fifty-fifty for me.

Did you have fun in the snowball fights?

Yes. There are a lot of snowball fights, yes.

The last time I spoke with you, Colin had just gotten a promotion and it kind of went to his head. How is it for Colin now, to be in power at the Vampiric Council?

I think, as much as Colin loved having some power, I think his M.O. is really, just fading into the background. That way, he can prey a lot easier. Just trying to mix into the group. Be a spider with his web, in the background. I think that’s how he prefers to prey. And so, even when he becomes part of the Vampiric Council, he still allows others to exceed him in power. And so, this season, when Nandor and Nadja are the heads of the Vampiric Council, he’s more than happy to be the secretary. The most boring job you can have in a council setting, taking the notes.

Who do you think Colin would prefer on the throne, Nadja or Nandor?

That’s a great question. I think he would probably prefer Nandor, because Nandor is so stupid. Nandor is very, very dumb. And so, he, Colin, can get Nandor to do pretty much anything he wants. Whereas Nadja, I think Colin likes Nadja. And I also think that Nadja’s too smart to fall into Colin’s traps.

Does he get a jolt out of things like the heart ripping?

Yeah, I think so. I think he does enjoy that type of stuff. Yeah.

Can you feed off Nadja’s ghost in the Nadja doll?

I can’t. And I think I’ve tried to several times. I don’t remember what made it on air. But there’s been several times where I’ve tried to feed off of the doll, and it doesn’t go anywhere.

Will Colin’s research turn up any famous energy vampires? And have you come up with your own?

I’ll drop in names for energy vampires, every once in a while. I don’t think any of them have made it so far. I mean, I’ve done Andy Warhol, who seems, to me, to have been an energy vampire. Truman Capote. I would love to have Bob Newhart on as an energy vampire, because I think he’s brilliant, and he would absolutely kill it. Yeah, I’ve thrown in some of those names. David Crosby, I’ve thrown in. I mean, the more left field, the better. But I don’t think any of those have gotten in. I don’t think they want to insult people.

When you look back on your character’s past, do you find any trace of Les Nessman DNA?

Only in my acting. I loved WKRP, and Les Nessman was definitely a good energy vampire. Just a great character, and acted brilliantly. Yeah, I’m sure I stole from him. You know, it’s interesting, I mostly watch classic television. And I’ll see something, and I’ll be like, “Oh, that’s where I got that. That’s where I took that from.” I haven’t seen him since childhood, but it made an impression on me that, “Oh, okay. That’s why I do that.” And that becomes very eerie to me, when I realize I’m just a culmination of things I’ve been watching my whole life.

I’ve recently been watching it and was amazed by the physical comedy. Arthur Carlson was a genius. So, tell me about the physical comedy in What We Do in the Shadows. Because you’re using not just you, the actors, but you have the effects, and there’s a lot going on, especially, in the backgrounds.

Yeah. I personally love being able to do physical comedy. And Colin Robinson is so great for that, because he’s so at two with his body. He’s not a physical human being. He’s not athletic, to say the least. And I think it adds an extra layer to the character, when you actually see him physically emote, really. Whether it’s dancing, or playing kickball, he’s very unsettling in his movements. Then when you add in the ability to fly, once in a while, or throw people against a wall, it really becomes a playground that not a lot of shows let you get to do. Explore those extremes of physical comedy. And so, I love it for that reason.

You mentioned being free to emote. In the opening episode, you actually are peeved when you can’t feed off of Nadja and Laszlo, and when they shut you down. Does Colin get drained when the feedees don’t give with the Prana?

Yeah, I think he gets really frustrated. It’s almost like a dog that’s always promised a treat, but never is actually given the treat. I think he becomes furious. And he thinks it’s unfair, I would expect, and thinks that they’re not playing by the rules. His bizarre social rules, in which he should be allowed to feed on whenever he wants. Because he gets to do it all day long at work. Anytime he’s out of the house, he gets to do it. But when he’s in the mansion, they know what he’s up to, and they can shut him down pretty quickly. I think he gets frustrated.

Also, still with the first episode, your toilet duties. They only seemed designed to annoy you. So, when you’re actually annoying yourself, isn’t that like cannibalism?

I don’t know if he’s annoying himself. I think he’s really into what’s going on in those toilet buckets. That’s all. I think he’s curious.

You meet a big fan in the rogue vampire house, in Queens. Does Colin’s reputation precede him? And will we see a growth in his vampire community renown?

That’s a great question. I think his reputation does precede him. That said, I don’t know what the writers have in store in that story. I mean, it would be interesting to see him rise to a level of energy vampire stardom, and how he would handle that. But I don’t know.

Is that a little counterproductive?

It would be in his mind, absolutely. Again, it goes back to him being the spider with the spider web, and just, kind of, hanging out in the background.

Do you think the connection you make with energy vampires is different from the connection traditional vampires make? And might we be seeing something of an underground, within the underground?

I think with the traditional, bloodsucking vampires, I think it’s mostly sexual. For them, they just want to get their rocks off. I think with energy vampires, it’s much more subtle, and a little more complicated. And I don’t know if those relationships could last, the energy vampire relationships. What we saw with Vanessa Bayer’s character, Evie, I think that ran its natural course, as far as romantic liaisons with energy vampires.

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What We Do in the Shadows season 3 airs Thursdays at 10:00 p.m. on FX.

The post What We Do in the Shadows Season 3: What is an Energy Vampire Anyway? appeared first on Den of Geek.

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[macgyvertape]

50 or so hours into Cyberpunk 2077

This should be roughly the correct amount of time, ive been leaving the game running as I get up to get food or do stretches. Quests are roughly in order I did them

non spoilers above cut:

 i haven't found a single hat/helmet i like, and since you can't hide them I just am not wearing any. It matters that much.

I posted the other day about bugs, every few hours I play I find new bugs. some require me to go back and reload a save others I honestly can’t tell if it’s a bug or just really poor development

there are several perks that don’t quite do what the description says, like the Anamesis perk. Based on reddit and trying it out it seems to just not do anything.

sometimes in car chase segments the passenger will say “look out” as cars spawn in my path and hit me. Can’t tell if that was deliberate or a pop in issue

Yeah I’ve just totally given up on doing pacifist things unless required by a mission. Given up on doing stealth too unless a mission objective, except for sneaking around to set up a fight.

:readmore:

the delemain car quest is fun. From the shock of the one going "beep beep motherfucker" and doing a hit and run to start it off, to the GLADOS car i see a lot of people talking about. It was fun to explore the city when i might have missed places like the landfill apparently there is follow up on T-bug's death if you go back to the quick hack shop in Kabuki. It's not much but better than nothing I made the pass with Panam of "what if the room just had one bed". I know she won't do a wlw romance, which is fine since I wouldn’t have chosen her.  I enjoy her as a character, don’t get me wrong, my V considers her as a friend, but it seems like theres always drama going on which would be tiring. I would have gone for a fling, i like her leotard-pants combo with all the straps

but also her questline was buggy as hell. Multiple cases of having to reload due to clipping into objects, including her in a driving section, or just insta-dying when collision physics with some rocks broke "your neural network can no longer function independantly of the chip" me slapping my desk: s y m b i o te!!! come on lets have some s y m b i o s i s

in the scene with hellman i really liked how Johnny moved around the room. It made him feel like he was really there. it was hard to follow the convo as I left the room, i would not have understood it without subtitles. But i guess Takemura fucking waterboarded hellman. :|

lol I hope the dialogue is different b/c i refuse to smoke for Johnny

i am level 18 and still can't beat the first opponents in the fist fighting quest. ffs

I looked up the romances options so I went to do the I fought the law quest as soon as i got it. ACAB, but like I literally just met River Ward 2 minutes ago, and I really like him. His earring and cyborg eye, his big fluffy coat. I'm definitely gonna sleep with him Ok i like how when River Ward is dealing with the tiger claws if you interject it leads to a fight. It goes better if you follow his instructions and let him deal with it. Seriously I enjoy that sometimes its good to not pick a dialogue choice.

during the red queen club part, there was no dialogue over the phone. So i reloaded a save and got myself spotted and attacked. Then River showed up to help me <3 and it was more enjoyable having him there. I honestly am not sure if him not going to the club level is bug or not.

then uuuuuugh the worst of irl police "cops are my family" from Detective Han. Again ACAB "FRATERNITY OF CITY COPS RESEMBLES A [Nomad] CLAN NOT AT ALL" ok a few minutes ago i was complaining about bugs, but the character modeling in this game is good (when they're there). You can see body posture, characters jiggle their legs when they are nervous. Like I though character A was just throwing a cigarette on the ground, but then character B flinches back; I realize Char A threw it at B as a fuck you

I'm honestly curious if "I fought the Law" quest will have any impact later on. My choices were that I thought there was more going on than Holt being the only person behind this (based on how complicated the main questline heist is, and keeping an eye on some of the in game news), and told him not to take it to internal affairs, and I loved his response of how he doesn't give a shit what we think, he's doing it anyway.

In the elevator to report in, Johnny said "this muck is deeper than you think, tell them nothing", so i just said that the case was complicated. anyway i love how much of a sarcastic asshole V is

I thought i was being nonlethal with the monk quest, but it seems i accidently killed someone. RIP, but thats kind of the problem with this game. Like when i do the non lethal cyberpychosis quests I equip my non lethal modded gun and hope for the est. I like how a go here kill things quest led to Charles the ripperdoc. He's getting all his parts from scav gang members so I felt obligated to take him out. I got a police bounty for it but w/e.

I merged the Delemain fragments with the whole. Guess he's the meta now. (Side note: some of my favorite rvb fanfic plots are Ai consiousness/memory merging with the humans, so I’m having fun with this game and look foward to introspective fanfic)

Honestly Jonny made some good points, the fragments didn't deserve to die; but also destroying the core and freeing the fragments, they couldn't really function alone.

I was able to rescue Saul fine with stealth. Using cameras and the synapse overload really made it easy.  Can't use the sniper rifle reward b/c I don't have the stats for it, and while it has a silencer the fact that it's a ricochette weapon and not a shoot through walls weapons, makes it not as good imo; and theres a legendary one that is stats free for only 100k.

Lol made a pass again at Panam, and she immediately shut me down. I then did Mitch's quest and I love every time someone tells V they area  good person.

I hacked the operation carpe noctem shard, and wow the corporations are using ai to make people have cyberpsychosis, or something like that. What a shocker /s, I've played Deus Ex HR before

lol driving through the unifinished interstate, past the fight from Panam's first quest I found a "batcave" with a very nice car, and a manifesto written by "muckman'. But here's my complaint about the loot, there is a legendary top, but it had 16 armor. My current top has 84 armor, like why would i switch?? then later i found a bunker with soviet spies in it. Wild

Doing River's second quest, love the timing of as soon as you ask, why are we breaking in, someone shows up to tell you he got kicked off the force. It's funny how Johnny comments how maybe River's into you, and V just doubts Johnny's words. Love how the first kid asks River if I'm his girlfriend. also wow like oof both the second parts of Judy and River's quest are SUPER fucked UP!! oof like i stopped doing first person mode on the braindances for those quests as soon as i could, just made me too uncomfortable seeing that in first person.

DRIVING IN THE GAME IS BAD! nowhere is it more apparent than the sinnerman quest, which took me 3 times to get the driving section done, as cars spawned out of nowhere to hit me. Then when you restart, there is a bunch of dialogue it doesn't let you fast forward through. The rest of the Sinnerman questline is interesting. My V took every option to tell the dude that he was messed up, and what he was doing was wrong. idk, I was surprised how much dialogue there was that let you buy into his whole "forgiveness thing" and how there wasn't any real dialogue to call him the fuck out, that in seeking forgiveness he continues to do harm both emotional to the mother of the man he killed, but also that he got the husband killed via cop. The later follow up quest, I told him that what he is doing is crazy, studio is just going to profit off this vid. Then I refused to join him prayer, and told him fuck no i wasn't going to hammer him to the cross, or even watch. Yes, the man is scared of dying, and the corporation is exploiting him, but he keeps creating burdens for others.  I think the discussion on this quest will be interesting to read, it's definitely my own personal experience with religion coloring my view. Anyway back to a main quest, yeah i don't trust Placide, especially in that scene where he grabs my hand, then jacks in. I ran off to do most of the sidequests here and got some criticism from him. I do love how in the cinema the western movie switches to a mission brief as the netwatch agent talks. its a fun enviromental detail.  I took the netwatch offer, i don't think he's being fully honest with me, but he didn't put a virus in my head. As I told Placide later, I didn't pick a side. I like how you can then talk with the agent, who is a fan of Western movies, b/c they show "a simpler time where all good guys carry badges" :eyeroll:, and then V recommends Unforgiven, which from the wiki summary goes against that theme.

Looks like the Voodoo boys all got killed by Netwatch, but I as revenge for them trying to set me up I'm fine with it. Honestly after speaking with ai!Alt I don’t believe their plan of trying to be on good relations with AI would work. 

doing the johnny flashback 2, and wow Johnny really is an asshole. Like I had gotten so used to him in side missions I forgot how self centered and unlikable he was.You constantly get prompts to drink or do drugs, which I ignored. But i do love the goth/punk love Rogue and others have.

lol i called it, when Hellman said that the engram would seek to override the host, put V on the engram. I really like how as the relic malfunctions, you wind up in the chair with a cigarette, which you can either smoke and say you are turning into Johnny or throw away. My dialogue "your problem is the ends justify the means", which is true!!! He and Rogue detonated a nuke downtown, does anyone know that, and like ask Rogue about it????

(Funny you can ask Rouge about Johnny silverhand, over the phone, then the game bugs out and spawns her npc where you are. She doens't say much about the nuke, but she does say no one trusts you for jobs). The line of no one trusting you for jobs is pretty funny at level 46 street cred where im at “respected” status. really loving the family atmosphere at River's 3rd quest. Also his big strong arms, and the fact he is no longer a cop. I totally let the kids win, and wow the family dinner where they GRILL YOU over the relationship and try to set the two of you up, then the water tower scene!!!!! I don't love the first person sex cutscenes but they do have personality. I'm glad afterwards you got to tell River about the biochip and that you might die. Because he's so far removed from your personal plot. So I took that option to back out of a relationship.

I do love that you wake up with "river's tanktop" that says "fuck the police" It actually has extremely good armor stats, so thats what I'll wear now.

panam 3rd quest, when shes like why did you help me, I'm like "because it's important to you". Basically the closest you can get to "when a friend asks for help you help them", which as an ex-nomad backstory I really choose the nomad options when ever i can Paralezes quest part 2! I love the piano song but I always think of it as ocean's 11 music. It's also fun to see the computer and see Judy recommended you for the first quest. The emails talk about "forgetting" to hire a staffer, on the balocony a strange antennia was scannable, the color of the roses was remembered wrong...  lol guess i was right with those giant wall screens. Its fun environmental details that spell things out before you can notice, and it ties into some other quests where people's behavior is being altered. Actually, this quest "Dream On" I love it! For a while I've been like "wheres the illuminati conspiracy! Here it IS! I chose to follow Elisabeth's wishes and not tell her husband he was being brainwashed. In best case they program him to forget again, in worst case he ends up dead. The gaslighting Elisabeth described is CHILLING, her husband describes a vacation she can't remember and she doesn't know whose memories have been messed with. On your way to the plaza you get a call from someone/something that says the know exactly WHAT you are, any you black out!!! It's such a great feeling of helplessness that you're just one person in a world so big that you can't fight every power. As Johnny said, could be a corporation, could be a rogue ai, either way Jefferson is fucked (and so are you).

[multifandomhaven]

Tip Part II

A/N: So I’ve been re-watching Better Call Saul in preparation of the new season and rediscovered my love for Nacho Varga. Pairing: Nacho Varga x OC

Nacho chewed the last bite of his food before finishing off his drink. He felt the warmth of the New Mexico sunset filter through the window, the rays filling the window of the diner, bathing everything it touched in an ethereal glow.

He wiped his hands on the napkin and cleared his table as nicely as he could, waiting on the waitress to bring him his tab. He glanced around as he sat, noting that, apart from himself, the establishment was empty. It was odd for everything to be so quiet - usually there was chatter coming from behind the counter at least, and he found himself a little more than disappointed when he listened for the laugh he longed to hear, only to be deprived of it.

He turned toward the counter slightly, watching as Sarah closed a book she'd been looking at with force before tucking it somewhere beneath her workspace. She looked up, met his eyes, and apologized. She strolled over to his table, looking deflated.

"Hey, sorry. I was distracted." Her voice, however, was just as lovely as it was dejected. "Enjoy your meal?"

"Yeah," he replied softly, his brows furrowed. He couldn't recall a time he'd come in and not been greeted with a blinding smile from the girl. "Want me to grab the dishes for you?"

Sarah shook her head and gathered the plate and cup from him, marching back toward the register. Nacho watched as she sighed and punched in some numbers, tucking a stray piece of caramel colored hair behind her ear before she glanced up at him. The smile she so clearly forced made his stomach clench.

"Alright, that'll be 8.48."

He nodded and pulled a fifty dollar bill from his wallet. He went to reach it to her, but thought again, his hand freezing between them. "Is everything alright? You seem a little... off today."

Sarah winced and Nacho felt a twinge of regret for even bringing it up.

"Sorry," she apologized to him. There was sincerity in her voice - he knew he wouldn't have been able to hold anything against her. "It's just been a long day."

"Anything I can do to help?" Nacho looked at her from under his eyelashes, a smirk on his lips. "Rough someone up for you, maybe?"

Sarah's eyes softened a bit and she blew a humorous breath from her nose. She reached under the counter and grabbed a thick text book, tossing it onto the counter with a thud. "Not unless you want to throttle my anatomy book."

"You're in college?" He watched her nod and handed the money to her. "Anatomy, huh? You gonna be a doctor?"

"A nurse. Hopefully, anyway."

She counted his change and he held his hand up to her when she held it out to him. He shook his head, gently pushing her hand back toward her. "It's yours."

"N-Nacho," she exclaimed. "That's way more than 20%."

"Please." He watched her fight with herself before sighing and giving him a gentle nod. A surge of pride shot through his chest when she placed it in her apron. He liked helping her.

"So." She shook her head, a smile playing at her lips. "You make a habit of tipping every waitress you have so generously?"

"No." Nacho huffed a laugh, but shook his head. "Not all. Just the pretty one at Ray's."

He delighted in the way her hands stilled and her face flushed pink. "O-Oh."

"Anyway." Nacho sat at on a stool at the counter, his hands folded atop one another as he talked with her. "How much longer do you have before you graduate?"

"It shouldn't be long," she told him, turning to get a spray bottle and cloth. "I only need a few more classes to be finished, but working and going to school isn't as easy as I thought it was going to be."

Nacho watched her swipe at the bar, her face falling a bit as she spoke of her troubles. "I could imagine."

"It's really not something I should complain about, I know. I have a job, I'm furthering my education, but...," she stopped and looked at him and grimaced, tucking the hair that had once again fallen from it's tie back behind her ear with a deep sigh. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to unload on you."

He shook his head. "I don't mind. I like listening to you talk."

"You do?"

He nodded. "Your voice is very relaxing."

She laughed, a full, tinkling sound, and Nacho found himself drawn closer to her just from the sound of it. "You're a peculiar man, Nacho."

He shrugged. "Maybe, but it's true."

"Thank you," she smiled. "Today has been awful and it's nice to have someone to talk to."

"Of course." He turned sideways on the stool, keeping his eyes on her as she scurried around the diner, cleaning and sweeping as she went. "Are you the only person working tonight?"

She nodded and made her way over to the table where he sat only moments ago, cleaning it too, before she shook the cloth out over the floor and began to sweep the area. "Up front, anyway. Doug's in the back cooking." She gave him a pointed look, almost as if she was disgusted by the fact.

Nacho raised his brow. "He all right?"

She stepped closer to him, her voice considerably lower than it was before. "He's... handsy."

Nacho sat straighter, anger burning red hot in his chest. "Toward you?"

"Unfortunately." Sarah's hands tightened around the broom and she moved closer to him still. "Today's been especially unnerving - his parents are out of town, so they aren't here to reel him in."

"He the owner's kid?" Nacho asked tightly.

"Yes." She nodded. "That's the worst part - there's no one I can really talk to about how he's acting with me. I don't like it, not at all, but if I go to his parents and complain to them about their only child... there's no way I can pay for school without this job, Nacho. No way."

"He touches you again without your permission you let me know," Nacho all but ordered. "I'll talk to him."

Sarah opened her mouth, as if she wanted to protest, but then she glanced to the back, shivering when she made eye contact with the man in the window. Nacho followed her line of vision and tensed when he saw the curly haired man wink at her, his mouth stretching into a wide smirk.

"Okay," she relented, turning back to look at Nacho. Her eyes were thankful, desperate. "But only if he keeps being as... forward as he has been."

Nacho nodded and reached into his pocket, fishing his phone out. "We'll swap numbers. You call me, alright. Anytime. It doesn't matter."

"Thank you." She whispered, typing her number into his phone, then shed handed her own to him as he did the same. Nacho took note of the background she had saved - a little fluffy dog lying on it's back on what looked like a colorful bedspread. "That your dog?"

She laughed, tension gone, as she pocketed her device and got back to sweeping. She looked at him, accusation clear in her eyes. "Yes, that's my Lola."

"Lola," he repeated her. "Cute."

She chuckled and dumped the contents of the dustpan into the garbage. "Hey, don't knock my dog, okay. She's a sweetheart."

Nacho raised his hands in defense. "I wasn't knocking your dog. Just her picture."

Sarah raised a brow at him, a smile still etched onto her lips. "Keep talking, Varga, you're just digging yourself a deeper hole."

Nacho laughed, then checked his watch and raised to his feet. "Listen, I've gotta go, but you keep what I told you in mind, okay? Anytime."

The woman nodded, leaning lightly onto the broom. "I will."

Nacho bid her goodnight and walked out the door to get into his two-toned van. He sat still watching as the woman made quick work of the cleaning she had left before she sat down at one of the booths at the back of the diner, her pen between her teeth. He turned his thoughts to the man in the back of the diner, etching his every feature to his memory, and then drove off.

[fluffyunicornofdanger]

Stability

A/N: My dudes, I’m so sorry that I have been kinda MIA. I finally got the Steven Tyler fic out that I had been working on for ages. Well, I’ve been working on this one for a lot longer and it’s finally finished. I hope to get all my current requests done soon. Let’s hope in a timely manner. I just need to get my butt in gear and sit down and write this shit. I also hope to have the second part to songs for any occasion done soon. But, time flies when you’re doing just about anything, so we’ll see. Requests are open and I hope you enjoy. Love you guys!!!

*~~*~~*

Masterlist

Slash x Reader

Summary: Y/n’s parents are like every uptight Christian parents of the 80s. So, thinking Footloose would be the right direction. They want nothing to do with rock music and want to keep their daughter far from it. That is until she starts dating a man in a rock band. Now, Y/n’s afraid that they may never see him the same way she does.

Word Count: 1.5k

Warnings: None??? (Slash is referred to by his actual name because Y/n’s parents definitely wouldn’t approve if they had to call him Slash).

Y/n sighed, bored with the conversation that had been going on for what felt like hours even though it had been mere minutes. It wasn’t like it was the first time she’d had to have the conversation - it seemed that every time she’d mention or alluded to rock this conversation would start.

“I’m not saying you can’t date him, Y/n,” her father told her while he flipped through a stack of bills. “All I’m saying is that he isn’t good enough for you. Will he be able to support you once his music career fails? Will he even want to marry you or just discard you once he gets bored?”

Y/n rolled her eyes, leaning against the kitchen counter, wishing nuclear fall out were an option.

Her mother nodded from her place in front of the stove. “Your father has a point, dear. Stability is key to a happy life and he may not be able to offer you that,” she told her daughter while she stirred the pot in front of her. “So, why waste your time with him if you may never get married?”

Like always, she just shrugged. There was no use in arguing as her parents weren’t going to listen to reason. They were those good Christians that the 80s were known for. And like good Christians of the time, rock music was what the devil listened to and Ronald Reagan was the ideal president. Why not? Y/n didn’t care much for politics, so she never cared to understand what was so great about the president. Rock, on the other hand, was something she cared about but her parents never wanted to hear about.

They had been sucked in on the propaganda about the musical genre that had spread around the neighborhood. Anything of the genre was outlawed in her house, which was alright with her. She was limited when around them and anyone else her parents associated with, but she still had freedom outside of the house. As much as her parents wanted to create a safe enviorment like the pastor in Footloose, it wasn’t going to happen. Whether they liked it or not, she listened to the Devil’s music more than she listened to God’s words. 

But what really hurt wasn’t that she couldn’t enjoy herself at home and do as she pleased, it was that anything remotely related to that dreadful music wasn’t good enough for her parents. Y/n didn’t care if they liked the same music she did or called her favorite artists and bands Satanist, what she cared about was that they wouldn’t even given the man she loved a chance.

Y/n groaned, sucking in a deep breath. “Who said I want to get married? And that’s not even close to what I was talking about.”

“Than what were you talking about, dear?” her father asked, hiding behind a newspaper. 

“I just wanted to know if Saul could come over for dinner or something like that. You know, so I don’t have to hear any more about how he’s not good enough for me from the two of you when you haven’t even met him.”

“I’ll think about.”

She rolled her eyes, pushing herself off the counter. “You do that, dad, you do that.”

*~~*~~*

Saul rocked on his heels nervously, waiting for the door to open. He had been excited to meet Y/n’s parents, after all, his parents were head over heels in love with her. They wanted to be around her more than him, which stung a little. But, damn, it was better than them hating her. After a few seconds, the door opened, exposing an older woman that Saul assumed to be Y/n’s mother.

Opening the door all the way, the woman smiled, “You must be Saul.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Do come it.” She moved out of the way to let him in. “Y/n will be out in a minute. Why don’t we take a seat in the living room.”

It was odd how formal the woman was, but at least she was kind. Her smile didn’t meet her eyes, but how many smiles really did? Y/n didn’t talk about her parents often, but when she did nothing good was said. From what he’d gathered, they were people pleasers and one with the crowd. But, some people were like that, society bred people that way and it took too much strength for some to break away from the crowd. 

Stepping into the living, the guitarist glanced over the photos and paintings that dawned the wall. Pictures of Y/n as a small child among her family on vacations, Christmas, and school events. Even if she complained, at least her parents were present. Saul let out a small sigh as he made his way over to the couch, pillows and a blanket strategically placed. He could hear what he thought sounded like a knife hitting a cutting board and feet hitting stairs. Not even a few seconds pasted before Y/n walked into the living room, a huge smile upon her face.

“I’m so glad you’re here,” she said with a smile, embracing him before looking over his apparel. “And I’m so glad you finally figured out how to dress nicely.”

He scoffed, rolling his eyes. “My mother happened to teach me how to do that, I’ll have you know.”

Y/n glanced behind her to see her mom walk off to the kitchen. Turning to her boyfriend, she let her shoulders relax. Around Saul, she didn’t have to be the good girl her parents wanted her to be. Around him, it seemed that anything and everything was possible. There were no cookie cutters or boxes that she couldn’t think outside of. The world was her’s to conquer with him by her side and she hoped, she prayed to god, that her parents would see that he was more than just some drugged-up rock star.

“She didn’t give you a hard time, did she?”

Saul shook his head, giving her a small smile. “She was actually really polite. You made her out to sound like she tears heads off of children.”

Y/n laughed, shaking her head. Her mother, tear of heads, not a chance. “She would never do such a thing, not with god watching. And I don’t know why I expected less from her. She’s a saint, I’ll have you know.”

“Then I’m sure my mother will love her. They can discuss saintly things over tea,” he joked, running a hand through his hair, which he through into a neat ponytail. 

“My mom doesn’t like tea.”

“Coffee then.”

Before any more could be discussed on what the potential meeting of their mothers, Y/n’s mom poked her head into the room, her presence silencing their conversation. 

“Dinner’s ready if you two will head to the table.”

*~~*~~*

With food piled on their plates, everyone was silent. Y/n munched on her green beans, trying to pretend she couldn’t feel the tension that filled the air. Saul seemed unfazed, but Y/n knew better than to believe that. He played cool whether he was internally or not. That was how he went through life. He’s acting skills were amazing whether he knew he possed them or not.

“Y/n tells me your a musician,” her father stated, picking through his salad.

“Yeah, I am,” he confirmed.

Her father shook his head, disappointment written all over it. She knew he was hoping for a different answer. “I hear there isn’t much money in that. Have you considered any other career options?”

Y/n let out a sigh, wishing the world would just swallow her whole. It was no surprise to her that this conversation would come up, but she wished it didn’t matter. The average blue-collar job isn’t for everyone, her father should have known that. Her grandfather was a member of the circus for years. Of course, no one talked about it because it wasn’t an acceptable job in their minds, it still paid the bills.  

Placing his silverware on the table, Saul thought for a moment before looking the man in the eye. “Well, I have thought of other career options but I have no passion for them. I know, without a doubt, that music will never be boring to me. Plumbing or accounting or anything else, sure I may make more money doing that, but how long until I get bored? And to be honest, sir, money means nothing to me. It may buy you fancy things, but it really can’t buy happiness, that’s found in the heart.”

Y/n’s father was speechless, but not angry like Y/n and her mother thought he would be. His eyes seemed to light up right before his lips tugged into a smile. “That is a better answer than I gave your father,” he turned to his wife, shaking his head. If only he was smart enough to think of an answer like that.

Y/n couldn’t help but smile with him as she realized that Saul was at least acceptable in her father’s eyes. Her mother, well… she would eventually see the same thing Y/n did. But at least there was no fear of them not approving of him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Let me know if you want to be added to the permanent taglist and feedback would be appreciated.)

Permanent Taglist: @rexorangecouny @jennyggggrrr @zestygingergirl @slash-me-up @tommyleeownsme @sheldonsherlocktony @teller258316 @fandomshit6000 @lucyboytom

[saibh29]

She’s gone Girly (1/2)

Pairing: Tom Hiddleston x Reader

Warning: Maybe a little bit of swearing and some fluff

AN: Oh wow, it’s bit so long since I posted anything I’ve wrote. To start with I had a very clingy baby who bless her suffered badly feeding wise and then I was just so uninspired.  I’m trying to write again though and have started with this.  A little Hiddleston bit of fluff that I wrote for my sister, who as background is in the military and heavily pregnant at the moment herself and suffering greatly. She also has an unhealthy obsession with Loki and Tom himself.  So hope you enjoy.... 

******

“I’m a whale"

You half wailed as you spun slightly too fast and your new frontal centre of gravity over balanced you, sending you skipping forward a few steps into your brother Sam’s chest. He grabbed your upper arms to steady you before patting your head in that slightly comforting, slightly condescending way that brothers did to younger sisters.

“true" he said with a smile “for a good reason though"

“You aren’t meant to agree with me, ass" you whacked his arm as you stepped away from his body. “You’re meant to comfort me. Tell me I look radiant or whatever other crap people say to heavily pregnant women to make them feel better about this" at the word this you waved at your extended stomach.

“You’re radiant" Sam agreed as you narrowed your eyes at him. “not just radiant, practically glowing with maternal energy"

“if I could move fast enough you’d be in serious trouble right now for those words Samuel"

“but you can’t and stress isn’t good for the baby, remember what the doctors keep telling you Y/N, you need to rest, take it easy"

“I hate you"

“no" Sam reasoned giving in and wrapping an arm around your slumped forward shoulders “you hate being pregnant. Which I could have told you that you would months ago"

“I do" you agreed “I know I’m not meant to, that it’s meant to be glorious and everything a woman dreams off but Jesus it’s just making me miserable I just want it to be over already"

“what did Tom say?”

“He muttered something about hormones" Sam winced which made you smile. “exactly. He retreated fairly quickly after that one"

“surely it can’t be much longer till the sprog makes their arrival"

“sprog?”

“well you won’t tell me what it is so I had to improvise"

You might have carried on being annoyed at his nickname for your child but said child chose that moment to viciously kick your ribs and you decided that whatever insulting name Sam wanted to bestow on them was probably deserved.

“3 weeks" rubbing at the top of your belly you tried to press the baby further down from under your rib cage so you could breathe at least semi comfortably. “3 weeks until the due date at least"

“it could be longer though"

“not if it knows what’s good for it"

You suddenly yawned almost breaking your jaw in two with the force of it. You hadn’t slept much last night as the baby had decided 3am was a wonderful time to take up Irish dancing on your bladder. You had contemplated waking tom and making him read to you but he had had an early start this morning and you weren’t quite that cruel. So instead giving up on laying down you had waddled to the couch and watched back to back episodes of Ru Paul’s drag race as the sun crawled over the London skyline.

“hey" Sam nudged your chin shutting your mouth once more. “you can do 3 weeks Y/N. If you can handle months in an Afghan desert with no comforts or privacy, and training then you can deal with 3 more weeks of pregnancy"

“I know I can... I just don’t want to"

“you don’t want to?”

“No, no I don’t. Shit Sam I have to pee every 5 minutes, I can’t breathe, I’m constantly hungry and the baby thinks kicking me is an ongoing joke of legendary proportions. I’m tired but every time I lay down I just get stuck and this whole thing is just...” you had to stop talking because you had started crying and hiccupping along with your words. Sniffing like a sick toddler as your nose ran with your tears.

Sam looked both horrified and scared at the same time. You never cried, you never got emotional and you were never a girl. To be fair he was still semi in shock that you were having a child in the first place, that you’d actually been attracted to a male. After living in the desert with a platoon of soldiers he’d doubted that you would ever find the male species attractive again. So, to see you sobbing like a real girl was just a step to far into the abnormal.

“there there" he patted you uselessly on the back. “shit Y/N... don’t cry" when all you did was sniffle more he gave in once more and tried to hug you, although the baby bump kind of made it awkward. “look it’s going to be fine. You got this, if you can’t sleep laying down then sit up, if you’re hungry just bloody eat and... and well I don’t know what to do about the kicking or the peeing but hey, this is all going to be forgotten in 3 weeks when you have a baby. A real baby Y/N"

“I...I...”

“words sis, I need words to understand you"

“idiot" you managed to wrench the tears back under control and smacked his chest once more at the teasing. You even allowed yourself to be led to the sofa and helped to sit down.

“tea?”

“That shouldn’t even be a question"

Happier now there was something for him to be doing rather than trying to comfort you Sam left you sat there flicking through Netflix films as he went to pop the kettle on. Seeing you cry was just one step to far into weirdness. It didn’t happen.

Tom arrived back just as the kettle had boiled and Sam was stirring coffee into his cup and tea into his sister’s. He smiled at his brother in law who dumped his bag on the floor and came over.

“didn’t expect to see you here today”

“Y/N called... she’s...well…"

Tom sighed rubbing at his temples “Is she alright?”

Sam fidgeted slightly before it came bursting out “she cried! Y/N never cries, even when we were kids she never cried. God she’s practically gone full 100% female all of sudden"

“apart from the fact she was crying that sentence was almost amusing"

Sam sighed sliding the tea over to Tom. “you take it to her I can’t deal with anymore shocks from my sister right now. I have to meet Saul anyway we have plans that involve drinking things our sister currently can’t"

“you want to risk not saying bye to her? Brave man”

Sam just smirked “4 years with my sister and still you haven’t learnt that discretion is the better part of valour, it’s much easier with Y/N to simply apologise for what you’ve already done rather than ask permission for what you want to do."

He gave Tom a quick man hug before grabbing his coat and disappearing through the door.

Tom took the tea and the abandoned coffee Sam had made through to the living room where you were sat flicking through films on the sofa. Your face lit up in a way that made his heart soar when you saw it was him not Sam.

“I didn’t realise you’d be home so early"

“it finished early" that was a lie.

His recording hadn’t finished early but he’d been worried about you. He knew you hadn’t been sleeping and the pregnancy wasn’t easy for you.

His wife was possibly the worst pregnant woman ever, too used to being active and independent. At the beginning the morning sickness had made you suffer, you’d had a few weeks between the first and third trimester that hadn’t been so bad and then you’d started to get too big to be as active as you wanted to be. That was when the real misery had started. You only truly relaxed when he was around as well, even if you wouldn’t admit it. So, he had just wanted to be here for you.

Kissing the top of your head Tom sat beside you letting you take the tea off of him. “Sam ran, didn’t he?”

“something about a sister who had suddenly turned female, that and the lure of alcohol"

You managed to laugh at that leaning over so your head went to his shoulder. Tom wrapped his arm around you, fingers naturally resting on the baby bump.

“I cried" you admitted softly. “I’m not really sure why I cried maybe you were on to something with the hormone comment. That’s a good excuse, right?”

“I don’t think you need an excuse darling" he pushed you forward gently so his hands could move to your shoulders rubbing at the tension there. “You’re pregnant, quite literally growing another human. You can react how you’d like"

“that is the correct answer" you couldn’t help but groan in pleasure as his hands dug a little harder into your muscles. “god I am just so tired Tom. I wasn’t even this tired after a full 15-month tour of Afghan"

“Would you like me to read to you?”

Normally that suggestion would have your instant agreement. Tom reading anything to you, even the phonebook, in that deep voice would get you to agree to anything. Right now though. “not if it means you moving"

He chuckled to himself but still pulled you back to his chest so you were laying on him once more.

You wriggled a bit as the baby decided to kick hard, this time into your liver. Your hand going to the left side of your bump and pressing trying to get the baby to quit battering its mother.

“Darling?”

“Your child likes beating up its mother” you winced as one more kick collided with your already bruised organs. “Jesus, I swear people said this was meant to be a magical experience”

Tom allowed himself to smile, but only as he was fairly certain you couldn’t see his face. Moving your hand, he pulled your shirt up and put his own hand on the bare skin of your stomach gently rubbing. “Hello little one, if you could please stop kicking your mother that would be wonderful”

The baby kicked hard once more against Tom’s hand, he would never get tired of feeling that, but then he did accept the fact that he didn’t have to feel it constantly on varying organs.

“Shhh, calm down” he soothed hand continuing to trail lazily over your stomach. “Shall I tell you a story? But you have to stay still and let mum sleep. Deal?”

The baby didn’t kick and you couldn’t help but smile. “Quick speak” you hissed “and don’t you dare move your hands, this child only seems to listen to you”

Tom continued speaking in that soft low voice telling the baby some sort of story about his day and the animals he’d seen in the zoo while they’d been shooting. It was just as good as reading to you and without the pain of the baby’s foot in your ribs and with Tom’s voice just behind your ear you finally fell asleep.

*******

@diinofayce​ @hisatumb​ @golden-guide​ @just4muggles @hp-hogwartsexpress @morganlb23 @yet-another-lockup @theraputicwritings  @unevenpages  @littlepartofheaven  @this-is-bucky-barnes @cassandras-musings @callmebucky-doll @frostbyte-horan  @QueenDarkMuffin @justsomeboringperson @tomshollandz  @chameerah @itsbrxkenblxck @aya-fay @no-good-ideas @angelicshinigami @winterhalcyon @my-cloudy-blue-dream @vxidnik @stuckinthestarrysky @iwillalwaystrymyhardest @elizabeth-rose771 @weirddemiwood @frcgile-little-flcme  @scarletmeii @angelaiswriting @selldraug @angryares @thenovarose @georgiagrl1990

(If you no longer want to be tagged just let me know and I’ll take you off the list)

[villa-kulla]

Quarantine Q&A

Tagged by @fontainebleau22 thanks! What an excellent ask meme lol

Are you staying home from work/school?

~rant ahead~

Yeah, so the school I work at is closed until at least May, and it will likely be closed for the rest of the year. We’ve moved to online learning which is a mix of live video class and independent projects. However, unfortunately as a support teacher who isn’t paid an annual salary, I’m covered for absolutely none of this:S I’m also not even guaranteed the same hours of work with my usual students (I work only with the international ones) because people’s families are so in flux right now. It’s totally understandable that they wouldn’t want to pay for their kids to have support anymore, since their kids won’t be able to get the same specialized classes/IEPs they’d usually get with me in person. So we’ll see, one family has basically jumped ship, and I’m still waiting to hear back from a lot. I had a mini class this morning though with one of my second graders and it was adorable quite frankly. But yeah I’ll have missed essentially two weeks of work at this rate, am paid for zero of the online prep work I’ve done (which has been a lot lol fml), I have no idea how many more (if any) students I’ll get and it’s definitely a bit of a stress. Anyways this could be a much longer rant haha but I do really need to speak to the school about my current position because the support teachers are really being left out in the cold on this one. This was going to be my last year there anyways, and depending on what work I’m even able to get with them now, I sense unemployment insurance in my future lol

~rant over~

If you’re staying home, who’s there with you?

My cat and I are actually staying with my parents at the moment which is...an adjustment haha. My parents and I are very close and I love spending time with them, and it’s probably better to stay with family than rattling around my apartment alone but...I’m also a grownass woman and the parental microinvolvement......is grating!!! :)))))))) As much as my parents and I get along we should probably all just make sure to give each other some space regularly haha, because having to adjust to their routines after having been moved out for almost 10 years is...a lot lol.

(My cat, however, is a delight as always and continues to be the fluffiest, most charming creature in existence)

Are you a homebody?

Oh totally. I’m excellent at lounging and keeping myself entertained at home for long stretches so I’m not going too stir crazy yet. But that being said, I always used to balance it by going out a lot and seeing friends, so I’m definitely missing that piece right now.

An event that you were looking forward to that got cancelled?

The main one was James Taylor which I was SO looking forward to, never having seen him live. My family adores him and so my sister and brother-in-law and I bought tickets to see him for the family as our big Christmas present for my mom and dad. It’s been postponed so maybe someday! Oh also one of my best friends was getting married in a couple months and I was looking forward to his wedding

What movies have you watched recently? What shows are you watching?

For shows I’ve been looking forward to Better Call Saul more than ever lately! So glad the new season is happening right now. Also because I was just in Albuquerque I’ve been having a renewed interest in Breaking Bad lol so I rewatched season 4 semirecently. But yeah I have a literal ton of movies on my to-watch list and I should really take advantage of the extra time I have now by seeing some!

What music are you listening to?

I now finally have the time to build up my music library on my newish iphone (the music didn’t transfer over when I switched from my android), and am going genre by genre, mostly focusing on getting good running music first. So far I have a lot of funk/pop/classic rock. Also added some kpop I used to enjoy which got me all nostalgic haha there’s some good stuff. And as always Hozier owns my life, and Wasteland Baby has never felt more relevant lol.

What are you reading?

I’m currently reading The Shipping News for the first time, but nothing else yet! Grabbed some books from my apartment to keep me busy though. I have Germinal in French for if I want to practice and Germinal in English for if I want to actually enjoy it lmao. Turns out I own a copy of Emma which I’ve never read so I’ll try that. Oh and maybe I’ll actually finish Stephen King’s The Stand for some pandemic-themed mood-reading haha. I basically chose long, dense things that I won’t rip through too fast. Oh and I NEED to catch up on some fanfictions! I’ve been so slow!

What are you doing for self-care?

Running pretty much EVERY day and it feels great. My gym closed earlier in the year and running outside in the winter is so icy/slippy/wet/slushy that it’s not worth it, so I took most of the winter off. But now the snow’s almost gone and my parents live in a great area for running and I’ve been going for long stretches along the river every day, and it’s probably the best part of my day. If they eventually ban jogging I will actually cry lol.

Anyways the overall quarantine situation is ‘not ideal but could be MUCH worse’. I could do with some more work, but big picture I should be fine.

tagging @thenightisland @dreamsinteacups @purplespacecats @yoporkchopsandwiches

[porkchop-ao3]

A Thrill I’ve Never Known (Chapter 23)

Flimflammery

In this chapter, John and reader run a con together :) This part was inspired a lot by Better Call Saul and some of the scams that Jimmy and Marco would pull in season 1! I love writing this kind of thing :P you’ll notice this story focuses on the jobs reader does as well as the romance plot, I just cant help myself!

(All chapters tagged with #ATINK and also posted on Ao3, username PorkChop)

-   

I was up first. I brewed the coffee, poured myself a cup, yawned and stretched and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Draping my blanket around my shoulders and shuffling across the camp towards the horses with my journal tucked under my arm, I glanced towards Arthur's bed. He was curled up on his side, cheek smushed into his pillow, arm hanging off the edge, fast asleep. I smiled, his appearance endearing. I figured he must've gotten back late with Sean after causing whatever mayhem he had at the Gray's, so I left him alone. I couldn't help but think of the Pinkertons, Leviticus Cornwall, the countless people who wanted him dead or locked up, and seeing him looking so peaceful and harmless curled up asleep like that… none of it seemed possible. 

Who on Earth could be mad at a face like that?

I took a drink of coffee as I sat down by the hitching posts. Some of the horses were still sleeping, including Rayna, bless her. But Jet was awake, chewing his way through a bale of hay, tale flicking, ears twitching. He looked up at me once, decided I wasn't enough of a distraction, and carried on eating. I put my coffee down beside me, pressing the tin cup into the grass until it felt stable enough to leave, then opened up my journal, ready to draw Arthur's gift. I did a couple of warm up sketches; I'd never really drawn horses before, so this would be interesting. I did a couple of little doodles of Rayna first, considering she was asleep and I figured I'd do better without a moving target. 

I approached it the same way I would a portrait, blocking in her basic shape, putting down a few guidelines to plan where her eyes would go, then her ears, her nose, the curve of her neck and the scruff of her mane. I made a mental note to give her a thorough brush later, then sketched away. I produced a few little drawings. Some of just her head, some of her full body. I was certainly doing better with the close ups of her face; proof that I shouldn't run before I could walk. I filled up two pages, remembering to drink my coffee before it went cold. 

Once I felt comfortable with the subject matter, I turned to a fresh page and studied Jet for a while, noting the markings on his face; a white splodge right between his eyes. In the early morning light his coat looked very close to black, but as the sun moved further up in the sky, it hit him and picked out plummy tones on all his high points. I started drawing him, just his head, where he was swooping down to the water trough, noisily slurping away. I took my time just like Arthur advised, keeping my eyes on him as my hand moved slowly across the page to capture the roundness of his jawbone, all the way along the straight plain towards his muzzle. Fully warmed up to the action, I found myself able to look at him more than my page, just like Arthur did that day in Scarlett Meadows. He was rubbing off on me. 

I put a lot into the drawing, very tempted to start again on numerous occasions. I forced myself to keep at it rather than wasting paper, knowing that nothing was set in stone and I could tweak as I needed, rework areas until they satisfied. Jet began to emerge from the page, not just any horse, but him, and I was pleased with my tenacity as I created something I was genuinely proud of. I hoped that Arthur would be proud too, once I gave it to him. 

Pleased with my efforts, I leaned back against the hitching post and settled down to finish my coffee, chewing through a biscuit from the almost empty tin I'd snagged from Pearson's wagon. I enjoyed the early morning solitude, but I could hear movement across the camp as Pearson started his work for the day, butchering up that bear meat, ready to cook slowly throughout the day to keep it tender.  I leaned my head back against the post and closed my eyes, taking a deep, still breath and listening to the wind in the trees. Just taking a moment of peace before the day truly began. Susan would be up and about soon, and she'd find something for me to do.

She was a lovely lady, but I'd soon learned that she didn't take kindly to layabouts. You had to earn your right to sit down and relax, with her sniffing about, so every day it was a challenge to have her catch you doing something worthy of some downtime in the evening. Otherwise, there was hell to pay. 

"Morning, sunshine," the voice caught me by surprise and my eyes snapped open, settling on Arthur's dominating figure blocking the cloudless sky behind him. 

"Arthur. Good morning," I smiled at him, patting the space beside me. 

"Keepin' the horses company?" He mused as he sat down cross-legged next to me. He blew across the top of his coffee before taking a tentative sip. I hummed my affirmation, nodding and glancing out at the animals.

"Well, my coffee buddy was sleeping, so," I told him, and he chuckled. "Exciting night?"

"One way of saying it," he tutted, huffing in mild amusement. "If committing arson is your idea of excitement."

"Well, depends what I'm setting fire to," I joked. "Boxes full'a dynamite are always a good time. Just gotta remember to stand well back." 

"Yeah? What do you reckon to fields of tobacco?"

"Hmm, I'd say that's at least a little exciting."

"Well, you should've been there last night," he laughed. I smiled, eyes lingering on him even when he looked away. I tapped on the tin of biscuits and he took one, crumbs catching in the stubble that he was yet to shave. 

I thought about Isaac, his son, and tried to imagine Arthur as a father. I'd never seen him in that light before, but I could imagine him being good at it. Not that I had any desire to test the theory, I thought, blushing at the very idea. 

It was as if he was reading my mind, with his next words. "I was thinking, last night, laying in bed. I'm glad I told you about Isaac. I don't speak about him much – at all, really – don't wanna bother folk with it. None o' these ever met him," he made a vague gesture to the camp. "They never mourned him, so I felt like a nuisance bringing it up, dragging people into my suffering. But telling you…"

He looked at me, really looked at me, in the eye. It always pulled me out of something when he met my eyes so intensely, as if I forgot the world was real until those moments. 

"I figured, if we're doing this. If we're starting something together, then, you ought to know me. My pain, and all," he continued. "I hope that I can do the same for you, listen to your hardships. You're just like me; lost just about everyone. You put on a brave face, but you don't have to. Not with me, at least."

"Thank you," I told him under my breath, reaching to squeeze his knee. I took his words to heart, and after a moment I sighed softly and spoke. "I miss my father a lot more than I let on."

"Your father?" He repeated. I hummed and nodded.

"I take after him a lot. I loved my mother, of course, but she drank a lot. I didn't notice as a child but as I grew up, I reckon that drove a wedge between us. She never remembered anything I told her, was like having the same conversations every day, stopped me from really knowing her, and her me, I think," I shrugged, then smiled. "But my pa, he used to take me out riding, put me up front on his horse, and we'd sing songs together on the road."

Arthur smiled too, eyes still fixed on me. 

"I miss that. More than anything, I do. But I try to miss it in a way that makes me happy to remember it, instead of sad that it's been and gone, you know?" I looked up in time to see his brows raise thoughtfully.

"That's a pleasant way of thinking, you got there. Something I'll try and keep in mind myself," he nodded. He chuckled and looked up to the sky absentmindedly. "I remember the time I went to see Isaac and Eliza, after he'd started walking. Kid came stumbling out the house when I showed up and you know what I did?"

"What?"

"I burst into tears. I weren't sad. I don't know what came over me, just seeing him growing up, doing stuff for himself, it made me so proud, ain’t ever felt anything like it. Eliza laughed at me, not being malicious or nothin', I just don't think she expected it. Anyway, that's one'a my most treasured memories."

"It's an honour that you shared it with me, then," I told him, stroking my hand across the top of his thigh. He put his hand over mine, stilling it and squeezing my fingers. “I’m glad that you have those memories.”

“Me too. If memories is all I have, I’m grateful for ‘em,” he told me. I glanced over towards Pearson, checking his view of us was obscured before I leaned across and kissed Arthur’s cheek. 

He caught me before I moved back, capturing my lips in a true kiss, one that was quick and risky but just as sweet as they always were. When it ended, we remained close, sharing breath between us and enjoying the moment, despite pushing our luck.

“Been thinkin’ about the other night, a lot,” he whispered. Tone timid, yet there was a look in his eyes that smouldered and dared. I pressed my lips together, letting my eyes drop to his mouth. “Can barely believe my luck.”

“Luck’s got nothing to do with it,” I exhaled a laugh, a sharp shake of my head. Arthur smiled, licking his lips, tongue just barely ghosting over mine and making my breath stutter. “I ain’t quite sure what you mean by that.”

“Lady like you? And it's me who gets to see her like that?”

“Shhh,” I said softly, shaking my head. “You don't need to flatter me, Arthur, you’ve already got me.”

“I’m doin’ no such thing. I mean it, I sure ain’t done anything deserving of this good fortune, you know my life,” he told me through a breathy laugh. I leaned away from him, shaking my head again with a tut. 

“Well, you better wrap your head around it, or get used to it, or something. I don't plan on that being a one off.”

“Oh?” the sound was playful, musical even.

“Mhm,” I nodded, keeping my eyes on the ground in front of me, fire igniting in my belly and, of course, my face. Arthur hummed softly, fingers reaching to brush some of my hair back. He came close and hovered there, mouth inches from my neck. 

Footsteps, light but graceless, scuffing to a stop just a little way away. Arthur’s head snapped up to their owner, and I gingerly took a peek to my left. It was the feller Mary-Beth had been mingling with a fair bit, Kieran. My conversations with him had been few and far between, mostly small talk when we were both tending to the horses; but he seemed like a nice enough guy. Always really timid, though, especially then. His eyes were locked on Arthur’s and he looked ready to wet himself. 

“Mind your goddamn business, O’Driscoll. And keep your mouth shut,” Arthur’s voice was dark, gruff and downright chilling. I hadn’t heard anything close to it since the first time I’d seen him at Horseshoe Overlook, and he’d been yelling at Strauss. It rose goosebumps on my arms and made me feel something in the pit of my gut that would’ve been fear if it was directed at me, instead it was a sort of exhilaration.

Kieran visibly gulped before giving a jerky nod and carrying on his way. I had no idea what the issue between the two men – well, between Kieran and most of the camp – was. It wasn't the best time to ask, however.

Arthur sighed loudly and leaned away from me. I couldn't help but let a small giggle escape, prompting a quizzical look from him.

“We’re not doing well with the whole ‘keeping this to ourselves’ thing, are we?” I said. Arthur scrubbed a hand over his face, releasing a tenuous groan. “Which reminds me. Abigail knows,” I added through another laugh.

“I don’t mind you telling your friends,” he shrugged.

“It wasn't me,” I gave him a look and his expression soured when the penny dropped.

“Dumb as rocks, no good, little bastard–”

“Hey, come on. Don't be like that.”

“Sticking his oar in–”

“Arthur,” I said sharply, capturing his attention. “Just remember he saved my life.”

“‘Bout the only useful thing he’s done since he dragged his scrawny ass back to us.”

“You don't hate him that bad,” I cocked my head and Arthur shrugged indifferently.

“Anyway,” I said suddenly, changing the subject. I presented my sketchbook to him, dropping it in his lap. “Couple pages in, I drew your boy.”

“You did?” he seemed surprised, opening up the sketchbook and flicking through to the drawing in question. He beamed when he saw it, face breaking into an unrestrained smile. It made my heart thump  “Look at that,” he chuckled.

“You like it?”

“You did a fine job on this, of course I like it. Y’ should be proud of yourself,” he patted me on the thigh, began rubbing up and down. “Thank you, princess.”

“You’re most welcome,” I said, preening under his praise just a little. 

He opened his mouth to speak, but his name met my ears from across camp. His hand froze its subtle movement and he looked over his shoulder. A newly risen Dutch was shouting him. He let out a little breath then looked back down at the drawing.

“I better go see what he wants,” he told me, eyes still roaming over the drawing of Jet, thumb kneading the edge of my thigh. “You going out with the girls tonight, that thing John was on about?”

“Oh, that. Yeah, I reckon so,” I nodded. “Are you coming?”

“Ahh, no. I think it's best I avoid that place, last time I was there, Hosea and I caused a little trouble,” he admitted sheepishly, and I didn't ask. “Anyway, you be careful,” he said, giving my thigh one last squeeze.

“I will,” I smiled, seeing him mirror it before he was heading off to see Dutch.

-

Rhodes Parlour House was as pleasant as I remembered it being from the few times I’d been there before. The place was clean and nicely decorated, crisp white table cloths and ornate furniture, a lovely curved staircase dominating the room, a polished bar at the back. Anyone would think we were somewhere like Saint Denis. The place was busy, the piano being played to grace the patrons with a lively tune, men were packed around the bar, others were taking up the tables. Women roamed the place too, but it seemed as though they were looking to make a dollar rather than spend one.

Mary-Beth, Karen and Tilly mingled with the patrons in their own ways; Karen was going solo while the others teamed up together. I was still sat with John, observing as the two of us sat opposite one another in a booth by the entrance. He'd been approached by three different prostitutes, now, prowling like kittens to try and coax him upstairs, and for once I found myself reveling in a perk of being female. Though, I didn't get off completely scot-free, the third of the women eyed me in a way that turned my face cherry pink and made John burst into fits of laughter. Perhaps it was something in my decision to wear pants that evening, despite the other womens' confusion at the choice. 

I'd told them that desirability wouldn't benefit my plan. 

The plan I'd told John all about, explaining that it'd require his assistance. He'd been more than happy to oblige, and now all we needed to do was wait for the right time and the right mark. Lucky for us, a man walked through the doors, dressed to the nines, a lady at least half his age hanging off his arm; fat guy with a perfectly curled moustache, cream coloured suit and a top hat. He looked like money, walked with his gut puffed out a mile ahead of him, and he was sliding into the booth behind us. I shot John a look and he nodded, and I pulled out what was hiding in my satchel. A piece of cloth wrapped around a tiny rock. 

"Alright," I said, not keeping my voice down. "I think I've waited long enough. Do you have my money?"

"Show me the goods, first, then we'll talk money," he replied, leaning back and folding his arms across his chest. I saw the man, who was sitting in the space behind John, turn his head at the mention of the word.

"I showed you. My money, sir," I pressed through gritted teeth, and John sighed heavily. 

"I want another look. Gotta make sure I'm getting the real deal, here," he countered and with a tense sigh I pushed the cloth bundle towards him.

"Alright, one more look, but we agreed a price last week. Remember that," I warned. John unfurled the cloth carefully. He stared down at the small, sandy chip of rock I'd picked up from the edge of Flat Iron Lake, carefully selected, even had little polished parts that shined in the light. It wasn't great, but it'd be good enough for someone with an untrained eye and under the bar's dim light.

John picked it up and held it up to the light, arm stretching out of the booth as he made a show of inspecting it. All the while I could see the guy in the seat behind him taking curious peeks over his shoulder. John made a humming sound, and sucked on his bottom lip for a while, making me wait for some kind of response. 

"A hundred," he finally muttered.

"Excuse me?" I scoffed. "We agreed on two. And I know damn well even that's generous."

"I'm sorry? Who's the expert?" John snorted, putting the stone back down on the cloth and cocking a brow at me.

"I don't care to listen about your education again, sir. Two hundred," I smacked a hand on the table, and the mark finally made his move, slinking out of the booth.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but I can't help but overhear your conversation. This feller trying to go back on a done deal?" He questioned, leaning his palm on the table, back to John, effectively cutting him out.

"Damn right he is," I hissed, jabbing a finger in John's direction in disgust. 

"Maybe I can be of assistance? I'm somewhat of a businessman myself," he said proudly.

"I don't know. I doubt you'll know much about it, unless you're a gemstone expert," I shrugged, shifting in my seat and reaching under the triangle created by his arm and his body to fetch back the rock.

"I ain't an expert in gemstones, but I don't need to be to help you two figure out a good deal. For a cut, of course," he smirked, straightening up again. "What'chu got here?"

I paused for a while, not wanting to appear too eager. I sighed, finally answering; "Australian opal. Mined it myself, this is the last of my lot. Trouble is, I come back to the US for a family matter and I've got every man and his dog trying to swindle me out of a fair deal. This feller's the third."

"Opal? Huh. That dull thing?"

"It's unpolished, of course. They don't come out the ground wrapped in gold ready to go on a lady's finger, you know," I narrowed my eyes at him and he nodded thoughtfully. He picked it up, and I flinched for show. He eyed up my reaction, then put it back down.

"Two hundred, you settled on? What's the issue?" He turned to John.

"No issue, friend. Just doing business. I'm sure you understand, being a businessman yourself," John shrugged. The man looked him up and down. 

"You don't look like the type to be walking around with two hundred dollars in your back pocket," he sneered and John snorted, shaking his head. 

"How'd you think I manage to keep it there? Feller like you, flaunting it, surprised someone ain't tried robbing you yet," John retaliated, and I very nearly laughed. The man hummed, considering his point. "Anyway, no one asked you. Get out of here. Best I can do is one-fifty, ma'am. Take it or leave it."

"I sold chips half this size in Saint Denis for three hundred. I ain't taking no less than two hundred," I wrapped up the stone and pocketed it. 

"Thought you needed fast money," John said, leaning his elbows on the table. The man stayed put, watching the exchange. 

"Not that fast, I ain't willing to get totally ripped off. Two hundred."

"You keep saying that, ain't gonna make the money appear," he laughed, shaking his head at me. I narrowed my eyes. 

"I've got fifty dollars on me, should be buying my wife a fancy new frock from Saint Denis tomorrow, but she can wait. Also got a pocket watch worth a hundred or more depending on who you sell it to. Can give you the name of a feller, a collector, he'll pay top dollar," the man suddenly butted in. My belly squeezed in excitement. 

"Didn't I tell you to get out of here? This ain't your deal," John stood up, meeting the guy at eye level. 

"Hang on, that don't sound too bad," I pondered aloud, staring ahead and pursing my lips.

"We shook hands," John spun towards me, brow mashing down angrily. I laughed maliciously.

"Yeah, we did. At two hundred," I purred, enjoying the way the man glanced between us, eating up every word. John gnawed on his bottom lip for a while, leaning down to my level.

"I ain't got that much on me right now. I can do one-seventy," he told me under his breath, but loud enough for the man to hear it.

"I'll throw in my wife's necklace. Gold. Gotta be worth something, right?" Came his bid. 

"Hey, like hell you will!" His wife yelled from the other booth.

"I'll buy you a new one, sweetheart," he called back.

"Stay the hell out of it!" John spat in his face, but the man was ignoring him, his eyes set on me. I hummed, pursing my lips and looking up to the ceiling. 

"Seventy-five, the watch, plus my wife's necklace. You could get, what, at least three hundred out of all that?" He offered, forehead shiny, hands fidgety. I levelled my gaze to his, kept him on his toes for a few long seconds, then offered my hand to him. He grinned and shook it.

"Fuck you!" John yelled, storming out of the booth, his shoulder smacking into the guy as he stomped towards the bar. He only laughed, glanced at his wife in time to have a necklace thrown at him, then gathered together my items.

We made the exchange, tucked away our goods, and bid each other a pleasant evening. I sat back in the booth, draining my bottle of beer and smiling to myself, pleased as Punch.

[strawberrygardenkisses]

favorite books, music, movies, tv shows, etc.?

🍓Favorite books: This is always such a difficult question for me! I was part English major in college, so I spent majority of the time reading books, but I always blank on my faves. My other major being French, I ended up taking a French lit class and fell in love with a lot of the novels there. I know that Le Petit Prince is probably my fave of all time. I also really enjoyed Notre-Dame de Paris (Hunchback in English.) Madame Bovary is really good too. One book that’s always stuck with me is The Master and Margarita (originally a Russian novel.) I’m also a big poetry fan, so I enjoy a good poem too (Baudelaire and Plath come to mind there as faves.) 

🍓Favorite music: My fave genre is alternative, and some of my fave artists/bands include: Foster the People, Passion Pit, Lorde, Marina, The Cranberries, Weezer, Gorillaz, twenty one pilots, Nirvana, the 1975, Arctic Monkeys, Grimes, and Declan McKenna. 

🍓Favorite movies: I’ve said for a while that my fave movie ever is Kill Bill (I consider them both just one movie). I also love Interview with the Vampire, Whip It, Sweeney Todd, and the Jump Street movies. I know my taste is varied lol. I’m also a HUGE scary movie (scary anything really) fan, so a few of my faves there are Hush, It Follows, The Shining, The Ring, and The Blair Witch Project.

🍓Favorite tv shows: I love Killing Eve, Bates Motel, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, RPDR, Ink Master, and Stranger Things (though that last season killed me! they didn’t have to kill off my fave character!!!)

I’m sorry this took me a while to answer! I was on vacation and just got back today. I also wanted to be near a laptop so I could type this all out! I hope you have a lovely day tomorrow! 💕💕💕

[dailyaudiobible]

06/12/2019 DAB Transcript

1 Kings 9:1-10:29, Acts 8:14-40, Psalms 130:1-8, Proverbs 17:2-3

Today is the 12th day of June. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian. It's great to be here with you as we pass through the center of a week, not “a” week, this week and move ourselves toward the back half and we’re moving ourselves in the middle of the month friends. It just keeps…it just keeps happening. Like magic, day by day, step-by-step we move through another year and we move through another revolution in the Bible and another revolution in our lives. So, we take that next step forward. We’re reading from the English Standard Version this week. This is kind of a special day. This is the 163rd day of the year and we have been traveling on a journey, since pretty much the beginning of the Bible toward a Promised Land, right? And, so, we took that journey all the way until we were at the banks of the Jordan River with Joshua and we came into the land and then the land was conquered and today we reach what is the apex of that Promised Land in the Scriptures. Everything starts to slide downward, downhill from here. So, I'm telling you that in advance so that as we read through our reading from first Kings today, that we can experience this apex, this mountaintop experience that we've been journeying toward since almost the beginning of the year. So, having said that, we’re reading from the English Standard Version this week. First Kings chapters 9 and 10 today.

Commentary:

Okay. So, as I mentioned at the beginning, we were moving into the apex of the ancient land of Israel that we had been journeying toward and that is what we witness today. We will see that as we begin to read tomorrow things are going to go off the other side. Like, we've been working our way up this mountain to this greatest moment when everybody is on board and prosperity is boundless. I mean, can you imagine the things that were described today, like eating utensils made of pure gold, right? Silver being so plentiful that you don't even count it. Just imagine the buildings that have been described today. We may see them now and think, “I don’t know, that's not such a big deal”, but at the time this was the absolute center of a progressive culture. So, you imagine this fleet of ships at Ezion-geber, right, by Eloth. Eloth is still a city down at the Red Sea. So, you imagine this fleet of ships sails away down into deepest Africa coming back with these treasures. You imagine dignitaries coming from all over the world to just see this spectacle, right? We read the story of the Queen of Sheba and her fascination, deep fascination with Solomon, and everything and everything that was going on. So, we are right in the middle of the absolute tip, the best moment and we should just enjoy it. We've climbed a long way to get here and it will only last for one day and tomorrow we’ll begin to look at its the latter years of Solomon's reign and what comes next after Solomon.

In the book of Acts, Philip is instructed to follow the road out of Jerusalem down to Gaza, which is the road going down into Egypt, which is one of the main roads that connect the continents. So, a main road for sure and he obeys and there's this Ethiopian and the gospel is shared with the Ethiopian and the Ethiopian is baptized. And it's like a little bit of an aside like and then Phillips gone. And the next thing he knows, he's in his Otis and then he is on his way to Caesarea and it’s just this kind of quick thing. And yet this Ethiopian was a very prominent official, right, of Queen Candace of Ethiopia. And, so, no doubt because he's been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus he’s going to take the story back to Ethiopia, so back to Africa. And, so, we begin to see that the gospel is spreading in all directions. It's making a beeline out of Jerusalem because Saul is on a rampage persecuting Christians. So, it’s going in all directions and we see that now it's moving southward into the continent of Africa.

Prayer:

Father, we thank You for Your word. We thank You for bringing us to this point and we enjoy this point under King Solomon's reign in the Old Testament because we’ve been journeying toward this point, even when we crossed the Jordan into the Promised Land, and we finally were able to step foot with the children of Israel in the Promised Land, it was still in undeveloped land. And, so, now we have a picture of things as they reached their pinnacle. And we already know that since we reached the mountaintop and it's not gonna stay here, that it's gonna begin to deteriorate. And we ask, Holy Spirit, that You allow us to see how that happened and what happened and where those roads lead because they all apply to our own lives and our own mountaintop experiences and the same reasons why we go down the other side. So, come Holy Spirit we pray. In the name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website, its home base, its where you find out what’s going on around here.

And as we have been talking about for the last week, something that's coming up, that's gonna be going on around here, something we’re really excited for, our second annual Daily Audio Bible Family Reunion where the global campfire comes together. And this will be taking place August 31st through September 2nd. So, this is Labor Day weekend for those who live here in the United States. And you are invited. Come to the rolling hills of Tennessee here in Nashville where we come from, where all of this goes down every day. Just come together. We’ll come together as a community. We can stay out there by the lake. There's plenty of room. Check it all out at dailyaudiobible.com in the Initiatives section. Look for Family Reunion 2019 and you can get all the details there and we’ll look forward to seeing you. Can't wait to see you. That’s one of the beautiful things about these events, that we know each other, and we love and care for one another and we’ve been following each other's stores, but we know each other by voice, which is beautiful, but it’s so nice to put a face with a voice…at least for me…it just makes me want to throw my arms around…like…when I hear a voice and like I know who you are…it's just like…well…it's like a reunion…it's like a family reunion. So, I will look forward to seeing you August 31st through September 2nd this year here in the rolling hills of Tennessee. And you get all the details, like I said, in the Initiatives section at dailyaudiobible.com.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, you can do that dailyaudiobible.com. There’s a link on the homepage. Could not possibly thank you enough, other than to say what I say, which is, we wouldn't be here, we wouldn't be making this journey together if we weren't doing this together. So, thank you for your partnership. There’s a link on the homepage. If you are using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the Give button in the upper right-hand corner or, if you prefer, the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill Tennessee 37174.

And, as always, if you have a prayer request or comment, 877-942-4253 is the number to dial.

And that is it for today. I'm Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayer and Praise:

Morning Daily Audio Bible, this is Laura Lee in Boynton Beach. I’m calling for prayer for myself as I was walking out this morning and asking the Lord for wisdom on how to love my mom, my mommy. I pray for her salvation and continue to cover the wounds that I always think are healed and then they come back up when we spend time or try to spend time. So, I’m praying for wisdom. I’m asking you to help me be filled with the Scripture of wisdom on how to give the life of Jesus away to an unbelieving mom with many hurts and wounds that even I could not understand. But I understand the salvation and redemption of my own. So, when Brian said he missed his mom, I just ask the Lord, keep showing me something that I would miss if she wasn’t here and it’s…that’s what I’m praying for. Lord, help me to remember the good things my mom did for me that was long-suffering, that was loving. Anyway, in the name of Jesus, thank you family. And anyone that wants to share the wisdom of Solomon and the two prostitutes, the gospel is in there. When we give the love of even a baby Jesus away in its infancy us and instead of keeping it to ourselves we let the baby live and the baby is the Savior of the world and He can handle it and years ago, 40 years ago my…my…

Hello from beautiful Cincinnati Ohio, this is Danielle Johnson Junior and it is Sunday, June the 9th, 2019. How you doing? What’s going on? I am so encouraged today. I listened to the…through the comments then, you know, and then the prayer requests after today’s reading and I got to hear Diane Olive Brown. And as soon as I heard your voice sister I went, YES, because I’ve been praying for you, I’ve been thinking about you, you’ve been in my heart because I just…I don’t know…there’s just something about your Spirit, whenever I hear, you’re so encouraging. And I just love whenever you call, and I just don’t know if…and there’s so many callers that call in every so often that it is just such a joy to hear your voice. And I am just so grateful to God for this community because even though we kind of…we are separated by so much geography we’re connected through what God has brought forth through the Internet and I am just very grateful to God for all of this. Can you please pray for me? I am going through a grief and recovery program through our church and just to build better skill in dealing with grief as __ can have recovery. Thank you so much. God bless you all from beautiful Cincinnati Ohio, Daniel Johnson Junior, make it a great day.

Hey family this is Viola from Maryland I hope you’re all doing well. Brian and Jill, God bless you. China, I’m praying for joy, laughter, much blessing upon your new home and I’m praying that God will bless your marriage. Johnny Silver from Colorado, I am praying for your friend Nick. I’m happy that you called in and that you know God that’s such a young age. My young brother, I am praying that God will touch and step into Nick’s situation and help him in the name of Jesus. Psalm 68:6 says that it is God that sets the __ in families and it leads out prisoners. With authority I speak it. So, I’m paying that God will put Nick in a good family in the name of Jesus. My brother, Paul, from California, don’t lose heart because of what is happening in marriages. You know God does __ all of that __ your heart can be __ and I’m praying for your friend that God will restore his marriage, God will touch him, and God will touch his wife and I pray __ over them, that they will be kindhearted towards one another, they will be quick to forgive in the name of Jesus. My sister Bridget from New York, I heard your advice to another DABer and I heard you say your husband smokes and dabbles in other things. Listening, I’m praying for complete freedom for your husband in the name of Jesus. The Lord knows what is going on in his life and I pray that God will touch him in Jesus name. Pastor Gene, I’m praying for you my sister, my friend. I’m praying that God will touch your body and heal you completely. He’s sees the desires of your heart and is able to bring it to pass in the name of Jesus. Lastly, I want to pray for my sister Don who called in about her son, Tyler Davidson. I am praying for Tyler, that God would step into his situation, touch his body, heal him and set him free in the name of Jesus. I’m giving a shout out to Prodigal…

Hello Daily Audio Bible family, this is DABber Drew from the central coast of California. My wife and I have been driving around the country for the last five weeks looking for a farm to buy with a historic house and we haven’t yet found, but while listening to the Daily Audio Bible…I’ve been a listener for a little bit less than a year…yeah...I get so excited about the people that call that are desperate, that really are just barely able to contain their emotions as they pour out their stories on the phone. And I just want to encourage everybody who’s in a desperate place to go ahead and call because I will pray for you and others will have compassion on you also. And, so, for me, I’m asking for my prayers for your prayers for Drew and Lisa for our trip and to find what the Lord wants. And for those of you who are desperate and alone, please call in and let us pray for you. Thank you, friends. Bye.

[soysaucevictim]

Kind of uneventful few days... except I’m getting annoyed with my sleeping habits... orz.

-

May 3

I did initially get up a bit after noon,

But then only stayed up a couple hours poking some games before sleeping till almost 4PM. orz

Spent my day with the usual, gaming and YouTube. Also watched a bit more Better Call Saul with pops, made dinner, some Therapy HW (dx stuff), and exercised. I was way too damn late with that last one. - starting everything a bit before midnight. But I got them done.

First, today’s DD. 2′ side elbow plank with EC (1′/1′). I was tempted to table it - having the timer up on a desk was not great for the neck. But using my MP3 player as a timer was helpful. I listened to Dr. Steel's "Fibonacci Sequence" and tried to lip sync to distract from the fatigue. Oof. :U

Second, Day 6 of the YCal. Today’s video was “Peaceful Warrior Yoga“. This one got pretty demanding on the quads - what with the focal exercise and adjacent ones (like the lunge variations and those chair poses). I do like holding the lizard pose, though! But, this one is not quite favorite material (for me, at this time, anyways).

Third, Day 6 of the PWC. 4′ march steps. I counted 450 steps this time. Not too shabby.

Last, Day 6 of the 1′MC. Same thing as usual, here. A good invitation to sit down and chill.

I then went to bed obscenely late... like past 5AM, late. orz

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May 4

Woke up proper at pretty much 3PM.

Most of my day was spent gaming and watching YouTube. Again.

And this was another day where I did all my exercises late...

First, today’s DD. 40 bridge taps with EC. Oi, distractions... but, I still enjoy this exercise! :D

Second, Day 7 of the YCal. Today’s video was “Yoga For Self Doubt“. Whoo boy, this is thematically timely and one I need to revisit and better allow to percolate. Headspace been hitting that note for some time of it. But anyways, this was very enjoyable and chill. I rather liked how it opened up with alternate nostril breathing - it’s pretty soothing (and grounding)!

Third, Day 7 of the PWC. 2′ march steps. I counted 251 steps tonight. I kinda went slower to not make a whole lot of noise. But I did try to do these with good form, at that pace.

Last, Day 7 of the 1′MC. Was a bit fidgety, but mostly from knowing I needed to be in bed hours ago... orz

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May 5

I had been up since about 3PM.

Same old, same old. Exercise included.

First, today’s DD. 30″ push-up plank hold with EC. Not stellar form, but acceptable. Wound up doing this with bit wider grip than standard. No less tough to do, for me!

Second, Day 8 of the YCal. Today’s video was “Stress Melt - 26 Min Yoga Break“. I’ve done this one before, and I still very much enjoy this sequence. This was nice and restorative and gentle.

Third, Day 8 of the PWC. 4′30″ march steps. I counted 415 steps. And it got kinda tough to focus on my count and form while watching Leo’s metal cover of Madonna’s “Vogue“. Entirely possible I lost track of a few steps, but c’est la vie.

Last, Day 8 of the 1′MC. Though I thought I would be a bit too hopped up on caffeine to really appreciate this sesh... I managed to stay present with the breath pretty well today.

I really need to stop getting to bed at nearly 6AM...

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May 6

Been up since about 1PM... amazingly.

Been mostly up to the usual stuff. But I did also some dishes and made the fam shrimp fried rice, before exercising.

First, today’s DD. 40 plank jacks with EC. That go me a bit winded and it definitely started to get intense in the last ~10 reps. But I found it to be very manageable. :P

Second, Day 9 of the YCal. Today’s video was, “Yoga for Strength and Focus“. Whoo boy... this one kicked my ass. Mostly my quads, but still. I eventually had to dial down the lunges.

Third, Day 9 of the PWC. 2′ march steps. I counted 192 steps. A bit tougher to get the knees up with fatigued quads. But still pretty mild work.

Last, Day 9 of the 1′MC.

Then I took a shower... should be winding down sooner than later, now.

[paralleljulieverse]

This week marks the anniversary of the birth of Robert Wise, the celebrated Hollywood filmmaker who was born 104 years ago on 10 September 1914 in Winchester, Indiana.  Wise holds a special place in the affections of the Parallel Julieverse as he directed two of Julie Andrews’s finest screen musicals: The Sound of Music (1965) and Star! (1968). What better occasion, therefore, to post a brief pictorial tribute to this supremely talented Star!-Maker…

                             –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Across a long and distinguished career, Robert Wise directed close to forty feature films including such major successes as The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951), Executive Suite (1954), Run Silent, Run Deep (1958), I Want to Live! (1958), The Haunting (1963), West Side Story (1961), The Sound of Music (1965), The Sand Pebbles (1966), The Andromeda Strain (1971) and Star Trek (1979). Running the gamut from melodramas and war films to musicals, ghost films and science fiction, Wise’s output was striking in its diversity and a testament to the ease with which he could work across a very broad cinematic palette. 

The eclecticism of Wise’s oeuvre was, however, a double-edged sword. In professional terms, it served the director extremely well, earning him “wide respect…both at the box office and in the industry” as one of Hollywood’s most versatile and commercially successful genre filmmakers (Busch, ii). But it proved far less advantageous to Wise’s critical reception. Lacking the kind of identifiable stylistic patterns or thematic consistency prized by authorial film critics, Wise’s work has tended to be overlooked, if not actively devalued, in the received canons of ‘star-directors’ (Busch, viii-ix; Leeman, 5-7). Even Wise was aware of the critical disregard with which his work was viewed in certain quarters: 

“I’ve been taken apart sometimes for not having a really consistent style…but that’s exactly what I wanted. I try to address each script in the cinematic fashion I think is right…and since I’ve done such different kinds of stories, there’s no straight stylistic line in my work” (Leeman, 7) .

Modest in temperament and collaborative in work practice, Wise was the antithesis of the egoistic director striving to put a personal imprint all over a project. An old-school practitioner of classical narrative filmmaking, Wise preferred to make the work rather than his personality the focus of attention (Leeman, 5). As Justin Busch (2010) asserts, Wise’s “stylistic eclecticism is not accidental” but a direct expression of his  filmmaking rationale, an “organic connection to the material” where “[w]hat matters is the manner in which the presentation is grounded in the events being presented” (ix).

Not that Wise was a disengaged or back-seat director. Far from it. Rising through the studio ranks in the 30s and 40s, first as a sound and music technician and then film editor, before graduating to full directing honours, Wise possessed a detailed insider’s knowledge of cinematic craft and a rare capacity to actively shepherd a film through the whole industrial cycle from pre- to post-production (Gehring, 3ff; Leeman, 17ff). For all his soft-spoken gentlemanly manner, Wise was intensely passionate about his work and staked a deep intimate investment in each of his films. “Even though I don’t make so-called personal films,” he asserted, “they are personal to me in what they express about matters I feel very strongly about” (Leeman, 5).

So what were the aspects of Star! that appealed strongly and personally to Wise? In a nutshell: Julie Andrews. She was the alpha and omega of the whole project. As trade reports explained at the start of the film’s production:

“So much did Wise and Miss Andrews enjoy working together [on The Sound Music] that they each hoped to find a proper vehicle for the reuniting of their talents. Wise…began combing the field for subjects and discovered that rights to the colorful story of Gertrude Lawrence were available” (Arneel, 7). 

By the director’s own admission he “never had the slightest interest in filming the life and times of Gertrude Lawrence” but was “motivated entirely by a desire to find a vehicle for Julie Andrews…I would never have made the picture if Julie…had declined” (Hale, S7; see also Arneel, 7). 

Together, Wise and Julie worked harder on Star! than anything else either had done before. A “movie of epic proportions,” the production required a herculean commitment from the director-star duo, consuming over two years of Wise’s life and a full twelve months of Julie’s (Kaplan, 12). “This is the most difficult film I’ve ever made,” exclaimed Julie in an on-set interview, “It’s like going into training. I must take care of myself or I’d be dead” (Wilson, 11) It was a sentiment confirmed by Wise who remarked with a mix of admiration and concern, “I believe [Julie’s] role in Star! represents the toughest assignment ever accepted by a screen actress, anywhere, anytime” (Heffernan, 42).

When Star! subsequently crashed at the box office, Wise took the film’s failure to heart:

“I’ve had films that haven’t paid off, but STAR! was my biggest disappointment because I think it’s a better film and more of an achievement than was acknowledged by the mass audience” (Leemann, 195).

He was especially sorry for his leading lady:

“It has always been a mystery to those  of us who made the film why it did so poorly on its original release…I was particularly disappointed for Julie Andrews who gave such a superb performance as Gertrude Lawrence. She worked so very hard on all aspects of the film and never got the recognition she deserved for it” (Wise, personal communication, 3 December 1996).

The hard work wasn’t completely in vain, however, as Star! went on to enjoy a rosier after-life, growing in cultural stature and recognition. Indeed, the film acquired something of “a cult following almost from its inception” with a dedicated base of enthusiastic fans and a growing chorus of critical champions (”Be Glad”, 1). 

Happily, Wise lived to see the latter day reappraisal of Star! In 1993, on the occasion of the film’s 25th anniversary, Wise personally supervised a meticulous restoration of Star! to its original roadshow glory, after which it was given a lavish re-release to select theatres, cable TV and home video markets (Edwards 1993: 4-5). It not only inspired renewed appreciation for this “lost classic” but also helped introduce the film to younger audiences who marvelled at the big screen pizazz and beautifully crafted production values of “this most lavish of musicals” (Edwards 1993: 5). “I am so relieved that it is going to be out there and not forgotten,” said a genuinely delighted Wise at the time, “I think it’s one of the fine[st] musicals that has ever come out of Hollywood” (Edwards 1993). 

So do we, Mr. Wise, so do we!

Postscript:

In a sure sign of the deep and genuine affection Wise enjoyed among those who worked with him, for his birthday in September 1967 the whole cast and crew of Star! threw the director a surprise on-set party. They even sang a birthday song in his honour with special lyrics penned by Saul Chaplin set to the tune of one of the film’s numbers, “’N Everything”:

Who is the man that we admire the most? It’s Robert Wise. And so we’ve gathered here to drink a toast To Robert Wise. This Sunday is his natal date, And that is why we celebrate, We’re glad to know him, And so to show him, We’re giving him his own Stage Eight. And even though our schedule almost daily They revise, They’ll never throw us cause we’re all the way With Robert Wise. Though actors come from near and far, To us he is the star of STAR! And that is why we planned this small surprise To honor Robert Wise!  (Edwards 1993)

Sources:

Arneel, Gene. “How Wise-Andrews Encore Came About.” Film Daily. 6 June 1967: 7.

“Be Glad They Still Make Discs Like This!” Laser Disc Newsletter. No. 133. September 1995: 1

Busch, Justin E. A. Self and Society in the Films of Robert Wise. Jefferson: McFarland and Co, 2010.

Edwards, T. J. “Rare Julie Star!: After 25 Years, A Lost Classic Returns.” American Movie Classics. 6: 7, July 1993: 4-5.

Edwards, T. J. “The Saga of ‘Star!’”. Star! Special Edition LaserDisc. Beverley Hills, CA: Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, 1993.

Edwards, T. J. Silver Star! (Video Documentary) Robert Wise Productions, 1994.

Gehring, Wes D. Robert Wise: Shadowlands. Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Society Press, 2012.

 Hale, Wanda. “Film Biography of Gertrude Lawrence.” Daily News. 13 October 1968: S7.

Heffernan, Harold. “Julie Andrews Undertakes Toughest Role in ‘Star’”. Philadelphia Daily News. 21 April 1967: 42.

Kaplan, Mike. “Will Julie Hit the Big Jackpot Again?” Press and Sun-Bulletin. 6 May 1967: 12.

Leeman, Sergio. Robert Wise on His Films: From Editing Room to Director’s Chair. Los Angeles: Silman-James Press, 1995.

Wilson, Jane. “Thoroughly Wholesome Julie.” West: The Los Angeles Times Magazine. 15 October 1967: 11-17.

© 2018, Brett Farmer. All Rights Reserved.