#bc he's always struggled with the four hills and i think maybe just

[vierschanzentournee]

hii eve this feels weird

ok so this might be controversial (i'm saying might because i honestly don't know how u guys felt about the comeptition because the tag is still acting up) but i think the competition was pretty okay?? the weather was nice and even tho the wind was a bit shitty from time to time, the jury did a good job?

i was about to say something about eisei's style marks but quite honestly we have talked so much about it in season 2019 i think?? that i don't know what else to say besides FIS FIX THE SYSTEM!!!

now to karle, it was startling to see him so upset and i am not used to it at all?? i watched an interview and he was obviously so lost in his thoughts and he even interrupted the interviewer because she started talking about innsbruck - the poor guy had so much pressure form the media and i HATE THEM FOR ALWAYS EXPECTING SO MUCH FROM ATHLETES (if i am not mistaken there is a number of rants about this on my blog already i am not starying again)

BUT i do have to say that i respect him so much because another interviewer tried to push the idea of the jury being guilty and he imediatelly said that he was absolutely not implying that (another reason why i fucking hate some journalists i'm so sorry for the outburst)

ALSO LOVRO KOS MY BELOVED finally got his first podium and i can only hope that he will stay calm and collected for the whole season

honorable mention stephan with amazzing second jump and 10 place

excited for bergisel!!!! (my fave hill pls don't dissapoint)

i feel so powerful!!! how the tables have turned!!!

honestly, looking back i think the competition was fine - i'm a bit salty about karl losing the yellow bib, but frankly after today it might do him so good to have a break from the pressure of leading, and as @bronzebluemind has mentioned recently, he seems to do better attacking than defending sometimes. and oh man i am cut up reading that about his interviews - i don't really get interviews because the english broadcasting team is composed of david goldstrom and no one else, so the last i saw of him was him being very grumpy after his jump and then celebrating with markus (i have a gifset of it somewhere on my blog but presumably not in the tag lmao). i'm glad he's not blaming the jury for anything, it would not be a good look, and as you said i think the jury did fine today.

now that you mention it, the style marks controversy is pretty much the same as in 2019 lol. i think markus was definitely marked unfairly high for his first jump when compared to ryoyu, but also i don't think the overall impact was too severe; the stupid 18.5 from the german judge was eliminated, at least. i'm kind of glad he didn't win the competition frankly, just because there would have been a lot of people (on here, reddit, etc) who were very angry about it.

poor lovro kind of got lost amidst the drama of markus and ryoyu's battle! they never even showed his reaction to knowing he had a podium secured (after marius was 2nd after his jump). but this was awesome for him, and like you i hope that he'll keep it together and produce some more good results.

i can only say that i am terrified about what bergisel might do to karl (if he or anyone else gets hurt before the olympics......)

[wienerbarnes]

Necessary Evil

Pairing: Bucky x Reader (Cheek to Cheek)

Word Count: 1,816

Warnings: nothing crazy, typical canon violence type stuff, special character appearance👀

A/N: so sorry for not posting this like two days ago when i said i was going to🥴 ive had a ton going on and ive been a busy bee but hopefully ill get myself organized for next week :) question for yall! should i keep the friday posting schedule or do thursdays instead bc of fatws on fridays? lmk!

MAIN MASTERLIST | CHEEK TO CHEEK MASTERLIST

It’s been a confusing couple of weeks. You’ve been placed on a temporary leave while you finish your recovery after the last mission.

You’ve been trying to learn as much about your new powers as you can, not really understanding what they are or how they work considering that most of the time they’ve shown themselves it’s been accidental.

Making Bucky drop food, slamming doors shut, sending stuff flying across the room. At this point you’ll tape your hands at your sides if it means you’ll stop making such a mess everywhere.

Everything has been put on halt. You don’t cook, in fear of starting a fire or making a mess in your kitchen, you don’t spar with anyone or workout unless it’s in a closed off and sealed training room used for when the Hulk was at the tower, in fear of hurting people around you, and unfortunately, you haven’t let Bucky be around you much in fear of hurting him.

He tells you that you’re not going to hurt him and that even if you did he wouldn’t take it personally, but you just can’t bring yourself to do it. The two of you got into a heated argument a few days ago when he offered to let you use him as a practice dummy for your new powers.

“How dare you suggest something like that to me?!”

“Well, I just meant that -”

“Meant what? How would you feel if I asked you to slap me around like a ragdoll with your metal arm? Make you go Winter Soldier on me?”

“That’s not the same thing, and you know it.”

“Isn’t it though?”

It wasn’t pretty.

It also didn’t help that Bucky was sent on a solo mission recently. He couldn’t tell you much about it, and you didn’t push it, knowing the two of you were still a bit rocky with each other, and knowing that it would only put more stress on you constantly thinking about his mission.

Boy, did you miss him though. You’re glad you put aside your pride to hug and kiss him goodbye, taking in his warmth, his love, his smell, savoring his arms around you and his lips on yours before he left. With the way he held and kissed you, you think he felt the same.

That was two days ago. Alpine has been the one to keep you the most company. She’s gotten big, and it’s a lot more fun to play around with her now. You trail a feather attached to the end of a string around the ground while she tries to pounce after it. A knock at the door doesn’t even pull her attention away from the toy as you let her win and catch it, standing up from your sitting position on the floor.

You open it to reveal Sam in more casual clothes than his regular tactical pants and shirt, and you return the smile he gives you.

“You busy?” He asks.

You look over your shoulder to see Alpine still pawing at the feather on the ground.

“No, I’m not busy, what’s up?”

“Just wanted to hang out, we both got the day off, figured I’d show you the best danishes in New York.”

You’re not sure if Bucky put him up to this or if this is a way to keep you from going batshit being stuck in your room not being able to do anything, but you accept the offer anyway. It’ll be nice to get some air.

“Do you, uhm,” You begin, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“What’s up?” Sam asks, the guy from the VA coming out, encouraging you to tell him.

“Do you know if Bucky’s okay? I haven’t heard from him, is all.” You ask, slipping on some shoes and heading back out into the hallway with Sam.

“I mean, I’m sure he’s fine, why wouldn’t he be?”

“Just that I know these solo missions can be anywhere and he could be doing anything, but I still worry. I didn’t know if you knew where he was or anything.”

He doesn’t. He doesn’t know, because Bucky told him Steve asked him for a few favors and he needed some off time for a couple of days. He thought Bucky was in rural New York. There’s no mission. But he supposes he’s not supposed to tell you that.

“Yeah, I don’t know much about it. Fury’s probably the one behind it.” Fury’s in Florida for his niece’s sixth birthday. He doesn’t tell you that either.

Luckily you accept it and enter the elevator to leave the private floor and go to the common area, able to leave out the backway of the tower.

“Avenger in the building, Captain.”

Sam doesn’t understand. Avenger? Who’s even around anymore?

“Uh, huh? Bucky?”

“No, Captain.”

“Clint?”

“No.”

“Who’s here?”

“Underoos.”

Underoos? Where has he heard that? Isn’t that -

The elevator doors open to the common room, a teenage boy stands with his back towards the two of you. His head whips around in typical teenage fashion and your eyebrows shoot up, unaware that the Avengers recruited teenagers.

“Is that a fucking kid?”

“Peter?” Sam asks, clearly surprised at the boy being in front of him. He hasn’t seen him in years. He wasn’t even sure where he was all this time, assuming he was in school, with his Aunt, but now he’s here.

“Sam! And his lady... friend. How are you?!”

“The lady friend has a name.” You chirp.

“What are you doing here?”

You and Sam speak at the same time. Peter addresses you first, “And your name is…?”

“Uh, Agent 51.” You didn’t think that through.

“Weird name, but alright.”

“Peter.” Sam brings his attention back to his question.

“Who is this guy?” You ask, clearly lost on who this person is and how he’s an Avenger.

“This is Spider-Man.” Sam tells you nonchalantly.

“Uh- Sam?!” Peter exclaims.

“What, she works with us, now. She doesn’t have anyone to tell anyway.”

“Sam?!” You elbow him.

“Why are you here, Peter.” Sam asks again.

“Well, you know, I was in school, doing some stuff here and there for Hill and Fury, and I figured I’d stop by.” He smiles.

You and Sam stare in silent confusion.

“Okay, look. I feel… lost. Like I feel like I’ve come to terms with Tony dying and stuff, but, I don’t know...” Peter finally cuts to the point.

You know very little about Spider-Man. You definitely didn’t know he was a kid, but you also didn’t know that he had some sort of a close relationship with Tony Stark. You’re becoming more and more like Bucky everyday; not knowing who any of these people are, not remembering seemingly important events, hell, not even knowing have these things happened because you were under Hydra.

“Peter, we don’t -”

“I’m not asking for help. More so asking if you have anything for me to do, or something.” His smile falls. You’re definitely confused, but you feel for the guy. You remember feeling lost as a teenager, losing the people you looked up to. And that lost feeling landed you in the Marines and the Marines landed you with a terrorist organization. We should help him, you immediately think.

“I’m sorry, man.” Sam offers. He wants to help Peter, as annoying as he finds him. Being a teenager is hard, and being Spider-Man is harder. But, Sam can’t forget that he’s still a kid in school with only his aunt and a few friends around him. He doesn’t want to put a person like that in the immense danger they throw themselves into, even if he knows he can handle it.

“No worries, I’ll be on my way, then.” Peter nervously scratches at his eyebrow.

“Sure you don’t want to stick around here for a bit? I know the Avengers aren’t much of a thing anymore, but, you always got a room here; a place to stay.” Sam tells him, assuming Peter’s on the verge of having a sort of coming-of-age moment.

“No, no, I need to be with May. I’ll see if I can, uh, maybe stop by more often. Maybe. If that’s alright. Nice to meet you, uh, Miss 51!” He bids farewell before walking away awkwardly, leaving Sam with a sort of sullen look on his face and you still very confused.

“What was that whole thing about?” You finally break the silence as you two make your way towards the private garage elevators.

“I’ll tell you over danishes.”

Bucky plants his fist into the HYDRA soldier’s face for the sixth time, the sound of metal hitting flesh making a slushy sound with little clanks, signifying teeth hitting the floor.

“This is the last time I ask you before I kill you. Where is Bychkov, Morozov, and that fuck with metal arms?” He pants beneath the black mask and goggles, an outfit he hadn’t dawned in so long.

Your list is heavy in his pocket, he thinks about the names he’s already crossed off and few he has left. He’s not going to stop until he finds the handlers that captured you and the supposed soldier with metal arms that shot you, details you only mentioned to him once after a nightmare that he refused to ever forget.

“They… went back… to base… in Kiev. Just… north of it.” He struggles out.

One step closer. Bucky stands taller, letting the man slump on the ground, and he reaches for the knife at his thigh.

“Wait! I - I told you… where they went!”

“I was going to kill you whether you told me or not, you Nazi fuck.” Is all he says before he slashes the knife, ending the bastard’s life.

Leaving the man’s home, he rounds a corner into the night and replaces his knife, taking out a pen in one of his many pockets as well as your list.

He crosses off Antonov, looking down at the four remaining names, two of which were the men that did this to you.

He takes a breath, the layers of leather and kevlar straining over his muscles as he sighs. He never thought he’d be hunting people down like this, Nazi or not. He never thought he’d have this black mask and these goggles over his eyes. But he also never thought HYDRA would touch the love of his life the way they did; never thought they’d put you in that chair.

So, now, he’s only getting revenge. It’s the least he can do after this organization has stolen his life, kept him from seeing his family forever, took his arm, gave him PTSD, gave his girlfriend PTSD and injected her with who knows what only to put her in that goddamn chair.

While he never thought he’d be in this position, they asked for it, and he’s not sorry.

On to the next name.

[suchdan-veryphil]

Goodnight, Solos - A Dad!Ben Solo Imagine

Request: Can we get an imagine where Ben has trouble with his and the reader’s toddler and the bedtime routine? Maybe it’s the first time he does it bc the reader is pregnant with their second child and is on bedrest? Their toddler gives him a hard time and just doesn’t wanna go to bed?

Fluff!!!

Word Count: 1,928

Trigger Warning: Swearing maybe?

A/N: I am absolute Adam Driver Trash. Ben Solo deserved better. 

---------

“Ben, are you sure that you’ve got her?” As you sat up against the backboard of the bed, your 7-month-pregnant belly protruded from the covers. The doctor had put you on bed rest, insisting that since your toddler had been born 7 weeks early, that you were at high risk for early labor with your ever-growing baby. 

Your husband put his dirty clothes in the hamper before he nodded his head and looked at you. “Not to be an ass, but I literally single-handedly took down a handful of Palpatine’s assholes. I think I can give our two-year-old a bath and read her a story before bed.” 

A deep breath ran through your body as you tried not to take offense to what he was saying. “Yea, well if you end up needing help, call me over.”

“I will not.”

“Need help or call me over?” 

“Both.” Ben turned around and kissed you on your forehead before he turned on his heels and walked out the door and down the hall towards your toddler’s room. 

“Reina, it’s time to take your bath. It’s almost bedtime.” 

Looking back at the 6′3″ man was a pair of (y/e/c) that reflected yours, and a head full of messy, curly, midnight hair that was definitely her father’s. “Daddy, not yet.” 

“Yes, yet. C’mon, wookie.” Ben had a way of making things sound stern, but not rude or mean. His voice was deep and sultry, but his tone was gentle and empathetic. 

“Can I do the bubbles?” her voice was the stereotypical voice of a toddler who knew how to make her father give her what she wants, accompanied by the slightest tilt of the head. She smiled at him, making her chubby cheeks turn light pink. 

In that moment, Ben knew that everything he had faced leading up to this point in his life was so that he could be the best father possible for this child and the one on the way. 

“Yes, you can do the bubbles. Let’s go.” Ben held his arms out, and they were soon holding your two-year-old tightly, carrying her into the bathroom. He ran the water and plugged the tub. “Reina, come do the bubbles!” 

Reina ran to the cabinet by the sink and pulled out the container of the bubble bath and used all of her 29-month-old strength to pop the top off and run towards the bathtub. With no thought, she turned the container on a 180-degree angle, dumping a good majority of the bottle into the tub. Ben quickly grabbed it, struggling to grip it well enough to turn it back over before he plopped it into the sink. 

“Bubbles, Daddy!” Reina giggled and put her hands in the running water as the bubbles began to form in the water. 

“Yes, lots of bubbles, wookie. Now you gotta take off your clothes?” Ben was grateful that you weren’t able to hear him questioning your two-year-old daughter on how to take a bath. 

“Yes and then I jump in the bubbles!” Reina squealed as she undressed and then ran out of the bathroom. 

“Wait, where are you going?” 

“On a mission!” 

“Reina, you’re not wearing clothes, come here!” Ben stood and used the length of his legs to stride quickly towards the naked child that was running through the house. 

“Catch me, Daddy!” 

Reina ran past Ben and into her bedroom. “Daddy, my wanna put my Rey doll to the bath!” Ben stood there for a moment, confused as to what she was trying to say. “Rey doll in my bath!” 

Ben shook his head as he realized what she was saying. “Yea, sure. Let’s just get in the tub, Reina.” He leaned over and scooped her up before he walked her back into the bathroom and put her in the tub before he turned the water off. 

Reina looked up at her father and smiled as she grabbed fists full of bubbles, and squeezing as they floated into the air, made their way back down and landed on various surfaces. “Daddy, can you use the force to blow the bubbles around?” 

As the Solo boy took a washcloth and made it soapy, he smirked a little and shook his head. “I cannot. But watch this,” and with that, he took a deep breath in and blew into a large hill of bubbles, causing them to fly everywhere and causing the toddler to go into a fit of giggles and laughter. Ben couldn’t help but also chuckle as he continued to bathe the child that taught him a kind of love that he never thought he would know. 

The rest of bathtime was pretty smooth if a mess of bubbles on the floor, counter, sink, and Ben was still considered smooth. Ben sat with Reina on her bedroom floor, wrapped in a towel that was made to look like a uniform from the Rebellion. Y/N bought it as a joke, and Ben didn’t find it very funny at first. Only when Reina decided she loved it did he come around. 

As soon as he ran the brush through her hair, she whined. “Ow! Daddy that hurted!” 

“It hurt?”

“Yea, I want momma to brush it. Can you go get her?” 

Ben frowned and gave her a small squeeze. “Momma can’t leave the bed, remember? She has to stay in bed so that she can keep your baby sibling safe and sound.” 

“Then we don’t have to brush my hair.” Reina pouted and gave him a teary-eyed expression that pulled at his heartstrings in a way that only her mother had been able to do before.

“Yes, we do, wookie. I’ll try to be more gentle. I promise.” And he was. He had combed through her hair in small sections and in small strokes. This caused the chore to take about four times as long as it should have, but the job was done and there were no more tears, which is what he cared about. 

“All done, kid. Where are your pajamas?” 

“Top.” 

Ben collected any random pair of bottoms and a top before he turned around to find his daughter opening the drawers on her crafting desk with her towel still wrapped around her. 

“What’re you doin’? It’s bedtime. Come get dressed.” 

“Not yet! I wanna color you a pitcher!”

Ben took a deep breath, not because he was frustrated but because he didn’t know how to get through to the toddler. He finally understood when y/n said: “she’s just like you, stuck in her ways.”

“Tomorrow morning, the first thing we can do is make a picture but now you need put your clothes on so we can lay down and go to bed.” 

“Daddy, a story first. Momma always reads me a story.”

“Yes, we’ll read a story but not until you’re dressed.” 

Ben had come a long way. If you had come from another galaxy and had heard of the late Kylo Ren, and then met your Ben, you never would have put two and two together. Ben was kind, and he was learning patience. It wasn’t easy for him. There were many days when you two had started dating where you could see his temper come out, but he truly was working on it. 

Then the day you told him you were pregnant with your lovely Reina, he really began to hold himself accountable for his actions. He wanted to be the dad he never imagined himself being and giving your daughter a life full of love, trust, and lack of fear and anger. 

He held the pajamas up in his hands as he waited for Reina to close her drawers and make her way over to where he stood. 

“I can do it.” Her arms reached up and stretched as if she would ever be able to reach any object held over her father’s head. Ben chuckled at the sight, and just to tease her a little, he reached them up higher. 

“Are you sure?” Another chuckle escaped his lips as she started to jump up in an attempt to get taller. 

“I’m gonna tell momma! My want my pajamas!” The small girl had a stern voice that she had undeniably learned from her father. Ben knelt down and helped her step into her underwear, pants, and lastly her shirt. 

“Don’t tell the big boss on me, you know that look she’ll give me. Ben then made a serious face, imitating the one you give when you have to discipline Reina. 

With a giggle, Reina lifted her tiny finger to her lips in a shushing motion. “Okay, daddy. Let’s play a game!” 

“No no no, let’s read a book and go to bed!” Ben said trying to match the toddler’s enthusiasm as he lifted her up and brought her over to the shelves of books by the window. 

The shelves were packed with all kinds of books. Comics, coloring books, books on animals, books on the universe, but Reina’s favorite was “Goodnight Moon”, so it was no surprise when her hand went straight to it. She slid it off of the shelf and held it tightly in her hands. 

“This one, Daddy.” 

“You got it Wookie.” Ben kissed the side of her head and smiled as he lowered her into her bed shaped like an X-wing. 

“Daddy, lay with me?” 

“I don’t think I’ll fit in the bed with you, kid.” 

“Make you fit! Come here!” Reina moved over all the way to the wall and patted the bed beside her. 

Ben watched and tried to analyze whether or not he would fit on the bed. With a light, sigh, he decided that it didn’t matter. As he flicked the lights off, Reina’s star projector night light lit up and covered the ceiling with stars. As he laid down, he pulled the blankets over the two of them and took the book gently from her hands. 

“Ok, get comfy.” Ben cleared his throat and opened the book. Reina cuddled into her father with her head on his chest and her arm over his abdomen. Ben smiled lightly to himself as he began to read. 

“In the great green room, there was a telephone...” Ben rested his head on Reina’s and continued to read in a slow, soothing voice. 

It was only when Ben was half-way through the book that their baby girl had fallen asleep, but he continued to read aloud as if she were still listening. 

You had already been waiting for almost two and a half hours waiting for Ben to come back to bed. You knew Reina could be tough to get to sleep, but she had never taken this long before. Getting out of bed, you slid into your slippers and waddled your way down the hall to Reina’s room. 

You were met with a dark room covered in stars and the sight of your Ben and Reina Solo cuddled up together, Ben’s stomach holding “Goodnight Moon”. 

His cheek was rested on her head and her arms were wrapped around his body. You could feel your heart swell with love as you took the sight in. Ben Solo had come a long way since his battle with Palpatine, and even if he still felt a struggle, you knew that he had changed forever, for the absolute best. 

You took one last glance and smiled as you slowly backed out of the bedroom and closed the door, leaving it open a crack. Before walking away, you glanced in and bit your lip. “Goodnight, Solos.” 

[brvdleymilligan]

HLO slinks in thru a bead curtain.......... truly sry this took me so long to concoct bt i’m here now, hand on hip, smiling coyly at u all...... i’m nai n i’m rly excited to b here so i’ll just dive right in!! u can find bradley’s pinterest board here n her muse tag here. like this or hmu for plots!

[ cis female, she/her, margaret qualley , twenty-four ] i can’t be sure, but i think i just saw BRADLEY MILLIGAN drive onto the parkway. don’t they know we’re not supposed to be driving on that haunted road right now? maybe it has to do with the fact that they’re so +RESILIENT and -VOLATILE that makes them feel UNPHASED about everything going on. i guess we could also chalk it up to the fact that they’re always reminding me of LEMON IN A FRESH CUT, THE AMBER BLINK OF AN ANGRY ALLEY CAT, GRINNING WITH BLOOD ON YOUR TEETH. either way, i hope they get back safely. [ nai, she/her, 24, gmt ]

aesthetics: singeing a hole in your fishnets with the cherry of a menthol, spitting a pistachio behind the bar just to hear it ping off the nozzle top bottles, lemon in a fresh cut, a war torn poppy standing alone in an empty field, pressing thumbs to yellow bruises, stomping over flowerbeds when there’s a path right besides it, dangling over ledges just to feel your chest jolt, a snarling rottweiler that needs muzzling, limp feet poking out behind a door, ‘I PROMISE I DON’T BITE’ scrawled on a name tag, slapping a bald head in front of you at the cinema like it’s a bongo, not owning a single jacket that isn’t stolen, driving a stranger’s car down the wrong lane against the screaming traffic, hair more feral than a wolf cub and eyes smudgier than a coal mine.  

BACKGROUND:

ok SO. her father owns a strip club in crescent hill named no angels. it’s kind of.... a seedy establishment i won’t lie. hs a red glowing sign like it’s lighting up a window in amsterdam. cigarette butts floating in oil slick puddles outside. unsavoury characters crawling all over like rats in a sewer. despite this it’s a legitimate business on the surface of things n it does pretty well in trade. it’s like.... that place people warn u NOT to have ur bachelor party at unless u fancy urself the type tht willingly enters a lion’s den bt tht almost??? adds to the allure in a way??? ppl r like wow so sketchy it’s the thrill of a lifetime........ i mean run while u still can bt go off i guess

it isn’t Confirmed Public Knowledge bt it’s pretty heavily implied thru the rumour mill that bradley’s father is the head of a gang of rly............ Not Nice people. all the ppl that work for him u would hands down NOT want to run into in a dark alley. while things seem legitimate on the suface it’s pretty clear they’re into shady dealings n the townsfolk that suspect that would indeed b correct! the club’s a front for a drug business n they’re also washing n running counterfeit cash thru it. they probably also have their hands dipped into a few other local businesses to run their cash thru these too n keep it all seemingly by the books so nobody comes sniffing around. they even r friends with a member of local law enforcement that’s working w them for a cut so they honestly have all bases covered to keep things airtight n foolproof. perhaps a business in reed too which bradley oversees bt i haven’t given this Too Much thought as of yet??

so ya she’s grown up fairly local most of her life n would maybe be known around town as such.................. the milligans r certainly Interesting as far as families go so like. it honestly wldn’t surprise me if ppl nudge elbows when they see one of them coming n immediately walk in the opposite direction. just quite an intimidating presence...... they’re like caged animals where ur specifically instructed NOT to stick ur fingers between the bars bc they WILL bite

on a more personal note her dad is pretty much the worst human being alive n bradley hs like….. a lot of issues with herself as a result of years of toxicity n abuse

in terms of more family bkground info her mum’s name was alyssa n she vanished when bradley was 12. jst like…. into thin air. nothing. no note. zilch. gan! n when bradley asked her dad abt it his response was essentially “guess she didn’t love us enough to stay”. as bradley’s got older tho n become (without intention) more involved in the business side of things, it’s become pretty clear there was far more to the story.

(abuse tw) they had a horrible marriage n tony ws emotionally manipulative at the best of times, violent at worst, which didn’t help the fact tht alyssa ws struggling a lot w severe depression n rly just… not in the mindset to b dealing w anything else, even where motherhood ws concerned. bradley p much… would look after her a lot n they’d both b scared of her dad n it was just a whole unhealthy mess.

(death implied tw) anyway im rambling bt basically tony (bradley’s dad) gt wind of alyssa sleeping w men tht worked fr him n he just… got rid. bradley’s kind of worked out over the yrs tht her mum didn’t jst leave on her own accord n tht something must hav happened to her bt she’s too scared of her dad to ever directly accuse him

when her mum went all of her dad’s cruelty pretty mch got channelled straight onto her. it ws diluted between two before bt as u can probably imagine her upbringing was jst…. a steep downhill decline

(drugs implied tw) she learnt ways 2 deal w the incurring trauma bt they weren’t healthy ones at all! bsically jst. will do or take anything fr the distraction. chases a thrill like it’s the only way to remind her she’s alive. has absolutely no regard fr her own wellbeing n often gets other ppl in trouble too bc she’s so insatiably reckless

(hospitalisation tw) she hd….2 separate stints of psychiatric hospitalisation n she never tlks abt it. like ever. acknowledging she’s been vulnerable is her worst nightmare n bc of the way her dad raised her she always thinks any sign of struggling within herself is weakness. truly does…. not kno how to properly emotion

CUT TO!!!! the present. she’s currently living at the motel which is like. the least homely place she cld ever live rly but bradley loves making her life uncomfortable n doesn’t rly believe in growing sentimentally attached to anything if she cn help it <3 probably gets into arguments all the time w her neighbours it’s a whole thing.... atrocious at feeding herself has breakfasts frm the vending machine like her organs aren’t screaming fr vegetables.... plays music too loud n sometimes vanishes for days at a time without a word. she’s a lot.

i honestly feel like the murders haven’t rly phased bradley too hugely....... i won’t lie she probably genuinely is like. oh maybe it’s smthn to do w my dad. n just blinks the other way not rly that phased. on some subconscious level i think she rly just thinks........ death follows her wherever she goes n is like. this is just life for me! kind of depressing. holds her hand bt then screams n pulls away when she inevitably bites me.

PERSONALITY:

the kind of sour cherry only certain people have a taste for

once drank a bottle of whiskey, insisted she could still do a cartwheel and accidentally kicked an old man’s front tooth out in the process. proceeded 2 collapse into a flower bed and laugh so much abt it that she cried

barely takes anything seriously 50% of the time and is angry the other 50%

if she was a coffee she’d be black with five grains of sugar that you couldn’t taste until the last sip

(alcoholism tw) high functioning alcoholic. if u ever see her w a coffee cup u jst kno tht one sniff will confirm high alcohol percentage. honestly idk hw she does it her liver must b yellin

loyal to a point of fault. if she cares abt u (rare) and u murder a man in cold blood (not so rare in the broad scheme of bradley’s life) she’ll brawl anyone that says ur guilty

honestly wld probably fight a person over anything. sometimes she’ll jst be having a bad day n she’ll burst n take it out on whoever says the wrong thing. minefield!

has the worst luck in romance…. ever. ALL her past bfs hav been absolute beasts n as a result she has the ‘romance is dead n love is a lie’ mentality. definitely NOT a romantic. very cut n dry abt these things. sex is mostly just sex n she’d kind of scoff at anyone that wanted more from her

mostly wears stolen clothes from strangers and jackets that swamp her. huge chunky stomping boots with steel toe caps that would RLY bruise if they gave u a kick. hair is p much always a wild mess n she usually hs kind of smudgy/smoky makeup bcos apparently she’s allergic to combs and generally looking presentable… relatable content. the only time she rly looks put together is when she has to do something/go somewhere/see someone on behalf of her father....... he kind of uses her as a sort of. honey pot sometimes fr shit his gang get up to it’s like. not! a way u should ever utilise ur daughter but :/ i cannot stress enough how much i wna drop kick him in the neck

she’s v sarcastic. blunt. kind of has a habit of…. assessing a person n she’s quite perceptive bc she’s been trained to b by the way she always has to monitor her dad’s expression fr the slightest emotion change. she’s very confident n can p much mke a conversation out of whatever if she feels like it. independent too like she hs a bunch of (predominantly surface connection) friends bt she doesn’t care abt going out places alone n does this often. she’s probably kind of known around town bt itd b a 50/50 balance between bein known as intimidating n bein known as that one girl tht always gets into anarchy

likes: drunken snow angels that drag on so long they flirt with pneumonia, stealing cars, throwing watermelons off rooftops to watch them explode, shooting pedestrian’s with bb guns from hidden spots on rooftops. 

dislikes: telling the truth, tulips so yellow it’s like they’re gloating, playing music loud enough to fry your brain and serve it on a piece of toast, going home.

PLOTS:

someone tht works at the ‘no angels’ strip club?? either as a dancer or bartender or whtever. just a forewarning it’s probably gna b a pretty….. seedy and Not That Pleasant environment bc it’s like. a crime hotspot inevitably bc it’s a gang hangout so. ur chara wld truly be in fr a rollercoaster ride to say the least

(drugs tw) she deals coke fr her dad’s gang so perhaps ur muse buys off her

anyone….. she’s brawled in the past like. she’s literally a menace i cnt express this enough. wil jst randomly throw a drink in someone’s face fr no reason bc she’s bored. she’s probably pissed off 1000 diff ppl in 1000 diff ways. the possibilities r endless n i jst think tht’s a sexy prospect!

fwbs perhaps??? exes??? (probably ws a tumultuous relationship honestly bradley is. a handful...... it’s also rly not often she ties herself down tbh so this would maybe have to b discussed/be circumstantial/kind of rare)

mayb someone tht she met at an aa meeting when she hd to go fr a court mandated thing one time after bein arrested fr public indecency. i feel like there’s probably a rly expensive statue somewhere thts fancily sculpted n she like. did a flying kick n broke the dick of it off n gt arrested fr it

ppl she……. Goes Wild Goes Crazy w. truly jst the most self destructive person alive so anyone w a similar mindset wld b a hellish bt fun combination

on the contrary a gd influence cld b nice perhaps? like someone tht genuinely cares abt her n she jst doesn’t kno hw to compute it

maybe people who r her neighbours that live at the motel too??

OH it could b fun if ur muse runs or works at a local business maybe like. a bar? idk? n bradley n ur muse have developed a rapport bc she frequents the place n is................ a Character

um. honestly the world’s our oyster. hmu n we cn brainstorm if none of tht catches ur eye!

[matildastuartsold]

hshq task twelve: a timeline

it reads as a semi lil self para’s and part news report...bc i didn’t wanna self para as a 3 year old. tw: abortion, implied drug used, mentions of underage, mentions of age differences, image issues, pregnancy, mentions of possible grooming, body image issues, possible signs of bulimia, 

december 19th, 1997

for the third time in the last four, almost five years, the town crier of edinburgh stood just inside the gates of holyrood announcing the birth of a third princess, named matilda. 

june 18th, 2001

at three years old, princess matilda made her first public appearance with her family at the royal highland show. the littlest princess made her appearance well known running off excitedly with yells of “maude-y!” following her, showing off her cartwheeling skills, and waving at everyone who looked especially those with a camera. 

november 30th, 2005 

she doesn’t know a life without the media and having to parade around them. like today, skipping through st. andrew’s day activities some of her earliest memories surrounded people with cameras desperately clicking and yelling the names of her mum and dad, her sisters and her. matilda liked it though, she could simply become the only name they yelled with a simple smile or a wave. she liked it, but she was tired of being called matilda. she didn’t want to be called matilda, she wanted to be called tilly, like her friends all called her. it’s why she turned around with a frown at the reporter who yelled matilda. “i’m not matilda! my name is tilly!” crossing her arms across her chest, she stuck her tongue out annoyed at the her full name. even with her mother and father’s scold of “matilda!” and her tilly let her father scoop her up in his arms making a face at the paparazzi as she was carried away. 

january 4th, 2010

“but i don’t want to go to gordonstoun!” not that even mattered, ever since her mother became a queen last year it was never even worth putting in her own thoughts, not that it ever had been. now though it was going against the queen, not just her mum.  tilly just didn’t want to go to gordonstoun with her sisters. it seemed so boring. still the press release was already out, trunks already in her room ready to be back. “if i have to go someone will regret it!” 

september 19th, 2011

crushes were nice, all the boys in her year, the year above her, some even in margot’s year paying her attention, she’d be dumb if she didn’t enjoy it. so what if she kept sneaking out with them to smoke cigarettes and drink beers on the roof. she likes the attention from it. what was the school going to do? make her do laps? please, she wouldn’t do it and they couldn’t make her. so she found herself giggling at whatever connaugh mcdaniels was saying and took the sip of beer he was offering, because all eyes were on her in a way that they hadn’t been before.

april 31st, 2013

“i’m the fucking may queen!” throwing her head back in laughter, tilly twirled around the flower crown a top her head never moving. sneaking out to go to beltane, was the smartest decision she’d made in a while. falling back against her favorite duke to be she’d been going almost all the way with frequently, she took the flask from her best friend, georgia, taking a far too long sip of the vodka. she was happily drunk, feeling the brisk spring air on the hill hit her. she didn’t care about the obvious presence from people taking pictures of them. it didn’t matter she was drunk and determined for her goal of the night, losing the v card. “richard,” she smirked up at him. “we should head back to the tent, your may queen demands it.” letting out a giggle she moved back going for another twirl as she reached for his hand.

july 27th, 2014

she still doesn’t understand what the big deal is, her mother pacing back and forth going on and on about propriety. catherine looking like a mirror of her mother’s upset. her father’s disappointment. “i’m sixteen, just because i’m under this bloody crown doesn’t mean i’m not gonna go out and have fun!” her eyes glanced at the various magazine and newspaper headlines in front of her. she doesn’t see the issue with it, minus the invasion of privacy, in the picture she’s just pressed against the wall making out with one of her guy friends. she’s hearing the words come from everyone’s mouths but she’s not listening. just blankly sitting there. 

february 3rd, 2015

“you’re what?! tilly you can’t sleep with your math tutor!” tilly turned at the exclamation from her friend, a look of confusion on her face. “why not? i need to pass and he apparently wants to fuck a princess it’s a win win! besides he’s not that old i doubt he’s even thirty.” besides it was better than any of the guys in their class asking to lose it with her. at least it would be good and she’d pass. she didn’t see an issue. plus it felt good to be wanted, to have someone want her and not want her to be like her sisters. who cared if he was a married man approaching his 30s? he wanted her. 

september 10th, 2015

she woke up on her bathroom floor in just the lingerie she wore under her dress before going out. not that she cared after all, she’d probs look skinnier from throwing up all the drinks from the night before. she brushed her teeth, throwing her hair into a ponytail. Wiping off the remnants of her make up from the night before she looked on at the stranger in her bed. “get out before a walk of shame is too embarrassing, for your own well being.” Watching the man leave she shook her head curling into bed ignoring her phone continue to blow up again and again, no doubt people seeing pictures of the night before. 

may 4th, 2016

“fuck! jesus fucking christ i look awful!” seeing the press release photo on the cover of the magazine sitting in front of her on the table, she picked it up and tossed it straight towards the trash can. looking back at her partner for her textile project, she gave her a look. another example of her being the worst of the family.  “tell me why you thought bringing a tabloid where i look awful in would really make a good study environment?” shaking her head, she picked up her phone seeing who could come over tonight, she might be able to convince richard to get on a flight. she’d slept with arthur a few times maybe him? there were more than a few posh boys at oxford she’d met on her visits. shaking her head she motioned at the fabric she brought. “they’re all recycled, should work for what we need.” 

january 3rd, 2017

"matilda herietta annabelle stuart how could you be so wildly irresponsible?!” her mother is screaming, her father looks disappointed. she knows she fucked up because it’s just the two of them. having her parents attention on just her, she could probably count the times that’s happened on just one hand alone. she doesn’t regret flashing the paparazzi though, the magazines printed with trainwreck tilly subtle covering where she’d lifted her top, but it was still obvious she had. “i was drunk, it was hogamany, i must have been black out by that point.” she knew it didn’t matter, watching her mother go into another rant. still, it felt nice for once to be the only person that mattered to her parents. 

 october 31st, 2017

she was didn’t know where she was really not that it mattered. she went up to oxford to party with the posh guys and all her. you could barely call the white lingerie she wore an angel costume, something she thought would an irony. she probably mixed too many liquors and too many drugs together. still she reaches for the hand of the guy she’s leaning on pulls him to a door, hoping one will be a bathroom or a bedroom. with her luck she’ll see what happened tonight on twitter in the morning. 

august 7th, 2018

they told her to be on her best behavior, that she’s technically working edinburgh fringe festival. still she thinks she’s doing a charitable deed. she’s buying these poor struggling actors alcohol and then getting into drinking contests with them. it’s all rather sensible if you ask her. she’s doing a charity besides it feels good being the center of attention. she’s sitting on the actual bar, a rather attractive actor from some play or some shit she watched today has his hand on her thigh. why would she do anything else? 

september 7th, 2019

she knew that the braemar gathering was a big deal, she’d been to it almost every year of her life. still it didn’t mean she wasn’t bored as hell after a day of it, it’s why she’d pulled richard aside at the noble dinner at balmoral later that evening. her own personal playground as a kid, she knew exactly which cupboard to push him in. it would have been so much nicer if her mother’s fucking cheif of staff hadn’t opened the door when she was on her knees. the yelling wasn’t even bad, it was the punishment. her life being packed into suitcases around her as she sat on her bed back in edinburgh 24 hours later. no what hurt the most was her mother’s last words to her before she got on the plane to dubai, “i wonder if you’ll ever stop disappointing me.”

december 23rd, 2019

“you’ve got to be fucking kidding me?! happy birthday, happy christmas, we’re marrying you off to the crown prince of venezuela! how could you do this to me mum? catherine just said-” she doesn’t think she’s ever been more furious in her life. opening the bottle of vodka and lining up the cocaine she said on her. “you know what i don’t care if i was drunkenly with him once, mother it doesn’t mean i want to fucking marry him! you’re ruining my life! forgive me, your majesty. i won’t forget from now on i’m your subject, not your daughter. have a happy christmas, goodbye.” she threw the phone, then threw a shot back looking at the lines she set up. “lola!” she screamed walking towards her suitcase. “i want to look sluttier than a prostitute whose rent is due tomorrow, a christmas present to my mother given my engagement. i don’t want to remember tonight.” 

janurary 21st, 2020

she knew for days, something was wrong. she wasn’t how she always was, then she got sick, consistently, three mornings in a row. sitting staring at the line of positive pregnancy tests that were in her bathroom sink she looked at cora rubbing her back comfortingly. “i need to call or text or- there are only two people i don’t make wear a condom and i haven’t slept with richard since september.” grabbing her phone she  sent a quick ‘come over now’ text. and threw her phone towards the bed. “burn the tests tonight, get them out of her, taking them to the fucking mcdonalds to throw them away if you have to. they aren’t gonna be anywhere near me though, it can not ruin everything. my mother already hates my existance, she’d send me to the fucking gallows if i ruined her one chance at getting rid of me. not a word of this to her spy either or catherine.” 

janurary 24th, 2020

it was cold and she was crying. laying on the chair in the doctor’s office, she held onto cora’s hand like it was her only way of living and she felt so much relief knowing that if she needed it neil would carry her out of the building. “i know, i’m not the model catholic or really any religion, but i still feel wrong, i feel guilty. i don’t know what else to do though.” so she cried, letting her communications advisor and his wife comfort her like they were her parents. sometimes they feel more like parents than her own. when the doctor comes in, tells her its going to pinch and might be uncomfortable, she lets cora distract her with stories of her and neil when they started dating. while she doen’t need him to carry her out, she leans on them both the whole way to car, letting herself come to terms that she wasn’t pregnant anymore. 

march 9th, 2020

“félix, i’m going to get fucking wasted at the beach,” she wasn’t sure when she got fucking domestic. she lives with her fiancé, they share a bed, fucking wedding magazines are sent to her. it feels like she’s in a snow globe. one where she barely recognizes who she is. she still looks in the mirror and remembers that if things had been different her stomach would probably have a bump now, not be the flat as it is. so instead, she’s taken to more day drinking, trying not to think about the thing only 6 people in the world know about and why it makes her feel so empty.

[mautadite]

october book round up

19 books this month, which brings me to 125 for the year, and i’ve officially completed the yearly challenge! :) a little later than last year, but still earlier than i expected. i don’t imagine that i’ll read as much as i did last year, but i can still get a good bit done in two months i think. this month was pretty much just different flavours of romance, once again all audiobooks.

poison kiss - ana mardoll ⭐️⭐️⭐️ mixed feelings about this one. urban fantasy/paranormal with a neat setup and world building, but i feel like the author didn’t tell the story in the most effective way? not enough time spent on certain sections, time skips that were not needed, too many flashbacks. the poly romance was really sweet, though i didn’t much care for the love at first sight aspect when the third character was introduced. but this was a good book overall, with a unique plot and cast; might revisit the series.

the best boy ever made - rachel eliason ⭐️⭐️⭐️ very cute coming of age/ya romance. a conservative country girl is at first shocked when her best friend comes out as trans, but she slowly finds herself becoming his biggest champion, and then falling in love with him. took me a while to warm up to it bc i found the protagonist to be kind of obnoxious. and some of the later plot events were kind of ham-fisted. but i definitely liked it, mostly for sam and how good and kind he was.

i wish you all the best - meason deaver ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ BRUH I’M CRYING IN THE CLUB. this was a really fucking sweet ya romance. the main character finds themselves homeless after they come out as nb to their parents. they move in with their sister, enroll in a new school, and find themselves making friends with (and slowly falling for!) a literal ray of sunshine. this was great, another one of those books i wish i could have read when i was younger. dealt with coming out, depression, anxiety and first love, had great writing, and i’m still thinking about how great the ending lines were.

the neighbour - gerri hill ⭐️⭐️ eh... a book that COULD have been good (woman with a stunted career as a writer moves back home to take care of her ailing mother, finds herself falling for the rich lesbian player next door) but both main characters were so thoroughly unlikable lmao. judgemental, snooty, made jokes about harmful things, kind of elitist... there was one aspect of this book that i really liked (the main character changed careers later in life and it wasn’t seen as a failure, just moving on) but otherwise this was a disappointment.

the turner series - cat sebastian ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ historical romance!!! always a fave. this was a pretty fun series; first three m/m, last one f/f. a bit of mystery and intrigue in all of them, good humour, and a great cast of characters through and through. the second one was probably my favourite; one of the mcs suffered from anxiety attacks in an era where there was a lot of wrong information about mental health, and his love interest (a cheat and a scoundrel) ended up being the best thing that happened to him. although now that i’ve said that i just remembered how very much i love the third book’s protagonist (the rake, to be specific). standout character for sure. the last book has a dear place in my heart bc even though you can tell that the author doesn’t often write f/f, and it was a pretty short novella, it’s still historical lesbians, and i eat up historical lesbians with a spoon. (i could make a pretty bad joke here but lo and behold; i have GREAT self control.)

the secret casebook of simon feximal - k.j. charles ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ when k.j. charles is good, SHE’S REALLY FUCKING GOOD. this is a paranormal-mystery/romance book styled after the adventures of sherlock holmes (if you must know one thing about me it’s that i’m a slut for acd holmes, don’t fucking @ me), set in the very universe itself. not quite a pastiche but close enough, and it was so well written, with great world building around the magic and paranormal events, great characters, GREAT ROMANCE. told as stories published by robert, simon’s biographer and lover. i adored this and will definitely reread.

puppy love romance - georgia beers ⭐️⭐️⭐️ a trio of f/f novels centred around an animal rescue, and the women who work and volunteer there and fall in love there. each of these novels was really sweet, grounded in a way that i like for contemporary romance, and they all had adorable dogs in them. and i feel like beers really knows her way around plotting and pacing a novel, especially small town romances. but i also had pretty sizeable nitpicks for each of them lol. part of it is that i just got tired of beers’ writing style (as you can see, i took a break between the series). this is such a weird complaint but oh my god she uses too many adverbs lol. also there was always an emphasis on how amazingly stunningly gorgeously beautiful all six women were and it got so tiresome. idk who wants to read about women who are physically perfect all the time, but it’s not me. and one half of the romantic pair in each book (lisa, emily and sydney, in that order) had attitudes that i found obnoxious and were not resolved and i felt bad for their girlfriends having to deal with them. a fun read all in all, but some of those things rubbed me the wrong way, and i’m ready to take a break from this author. 

bound series - ava march ⭐️⭐️ a resounding meh. historical m/m romance that wasn’t bad, but there wasn’t anything great about it. i only read these like maybe a week and a half ago but i’m struggling to remember details. there was bdsm, which i didn’t hate, but i also didn’t care. the plot was bleh, the sources of conflict were weak, and one of the dudes was kind of an asshole. /shrug emoji

reverie - eliza andrews ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ god... GOD. the ride i took with this book was like... a really sexy butch took me out to dinner, wined and dined me, and in the very last course she leaned over and spit in me food. the premise: a woman on the run from her abusive ex-husband settles into a small town where she find herself drawn to the only out lesbian in town, a sweet butch ex-marine, and her mysterious nurse of a neighbour. this book was soooooooo well written, so well crafted, so moving, so beautiful. a paranormal mystery that actual kept me guessing. i was ready to name it the best f/f book i read this year, if not the best romance period. and then the ending. the FUCKING ENDING. i’ve rarely been so let down in my life. i’m looking at the four stars i gave this and wondering if i should go lower because SERIOUSLY. thinking about it is getting me kind of upset. this book could have been SO good. uuuuuugh. 

brothers of the wild north sea - harper fox ⭐️⭐️ this is tricky because like. this book was definitely like, not good lmao, but it was good enough that i almost feel guilty giving it 2 stars. this is a historical romance that takes place more than a thousand years ago between a viking and a monk. it wasn’t badly written, probably wasn’t historically accurate but i mean, i don’t care. but it was too long, i didn’t care about the characters, it was badly plotted, and just really confusing overall. i think harper fox is great at writing romance, but all other aspects of this novel fell flat.

escape velocity - anah crow, dianne fox ⭐️⭐️⭐️ sci-fi m/m romance. a linguistic researcher and a pilot struggling with his religious beliefs fall into a whirlwind romance. pretty cute. i found it too short as i find most novellas, but i think the authors did a lot in relatively few words. definitely wish there was more worldbuilding. kind of hope the authors have plans to make this a series.

nowhere ranch - heidi cullinan ⭐️⭐️⭐️ a sweet romance between a farm hand and his boss. i didn’t think i’d like it much, but it was pretty enjoyable! very simple writing stuff that fit well with the gruff, no-nonsense, trying to shut everyone out protagonist. i really liked him; identified with him a lot, and his journey into opening up, dealign with his anxiety and self-worth issues. and the romance was sweet (though oooof, some of the sex scenes were too much). the book went from being really raunchy to really domestic and i kind of liked that. the resolution came a bit too quick, but i enjoyed it nonetheless.

that’s it for october! still currently unemployed, waiting for the people i signed a contract with to call me. since i don’t want to dip too much into my savings i’ve been doing odd jobs here and there, and might take a more steady part-time job in the meantime? all of that to say: i probably won’t be reading as much in november. i’m currently reading the first book in the spencer cohen series, and not... really loving it, lol, so i might pass on the others.

[toogoodmusic]

THE TOO GOOD TEN with CALICO

When the COVID-19 pandemic struck in March of 2020, four longtime friends, Tony Cecchetti, Chris Couto, JeanSe Le Doujet and Will Lloyd decided to use the lockdown to come together to create the Folk-Americana band CALICO. It all begin with Tony who had decided to find time between his six-month-old daughter’s sleep schedule to record several of the songs he had been sitting on. Chris joined in next - who Tony had played live music with to yoga classes in Squamish, BC - who produced the songs and added percussion. Shortly after JeanSe and Will were added to the mix to finish off with their additions of bass and electric guitar respectively. The result was the debut album, Under A Sudden Sun that came together with each musician being able to add their own unique style with no direct guidance and all while being completely separated geographically. Under A Sudden Sun resonates as an introspective and refreshing view on nostalgia, life and love. The band already has their second album recorded and while they continue to already work on their third album, we’ve been lucky enough to have Tony take on the latest Too Good Ten interview. Check out the full interview below to learn more about the album, how they felt about getting a song playlisted on Spotify, how Tony’s mom came to paint the album cover, his biggest pandemic learnings and so much more.

The Too Good Ten. Ten Questions. One Artist. Too Good.

1. Now you guys all started making music during the pandemic in early 2020. Describe how starting a band in the middle of pandemic has been? What were the pros and cons of doing so?

TONY [on behalf of CALICO]: Starting a band during the pandemic had many moving parts. In some ways, CALICO would never have been a thing if it wasn’t for the pandemic. When the world shut down and we were all stuck at home we had the time to do things we may of never had the time to do given the normal pace of life. We could record and really dive into the songs that I had written over the years. The pandemic allowed for us to do that. It was our silver lining during the incredibly difficult time. That said, we also didn’t get the opportunity to play together in the same room until this summer, in late July of 2021, just before we released, Under a Sudden Sun. We started CALICO in March of 2020, so that’s a really long time to not get together. We did a good job Zooming and creating music from afar but it wasn’t easy and it lacked the energy that bandmates bring to a room. All in all it was an incredible experience and is definitely a large part of the backstory of our band. 

2. Congrats on the release of your debut album, Under A Sudden Sun! What was it like putting this together? What was the most personal song to release off the album?

T/C: Thank you so much! We couldn’t be more excited. It’s been amazing to put music out and get so much support back from our community. The reaction has been above and beyond our expectations. Given that we all recorded our parts from different locations, putting together the album had a lot of components. The process for each song was more or less the same. I recorded vocals and rhythm guitar from home. That was then sent off to Chris Couto, who recorded percussion/drums. That was then sent off to JeanSe Le Doujet, who recorded bass. And lastly, sent off to Will Lloyd who recorded lead guitar. Chris Couto produced the album and put an incredible amount of time into making sure each song sounded like we were in playing in the same room. 

The most personal song off the album is “Oh My Mind.” The song is about searching for something that has yet to be fulfilled. In many ways it represents the album as a whole. I always wanted to play and make music. The pandemic allowed me to start a musical journey, with close friends, that seemed unattainable prior to. “Oh My Mind” is about putting one foot in front of the other, exploring, and searching for something that you know is out there, you just haven’t found it yet. 

3. Tony – your mom actually painted the cover for the album. What kind of direction did you give her for the album cover? Were there other versions of the album?

T/C: Yes, my mom painted the album cover. It is something I am very proud of that my mom could be a part of it. I did give her an idea but she had complete creative freedom to take that idea and run with it. I loved wandering the hills of Berkeley, CA when I grew up. Hills that my mom knows well and still hikes regularly. The initial vision was to capture that first light of day when the sun just peaks over the hills. It is a special moment. My mom did a wonderful job capturing it. I have the original painting at my house. I have yet to frame it but will soon and will treasure it for a long time. 

4. As mentioned, the title of the album is named after “that magical moment when the first light of the day peaks out from behind the hills.” What is so enticing about that moment that it inspired the name of the debut album? Which song off the album most encompasses that “tranquil and meditative” moment?

T/C: One of my favorite things to do as a kid was get up at the break of dawn and go fishing. We had reservoirs in the Berkeley Hills where I would go fish. When I was too young to drive, one of my moms would take me. When I became old enough to drive I would go with my closest friends and my sister. To this day, fishing at those lakes is one of the fondest memories I have of growing up in the Bay Area. We would sit for hours in our lounge chairs, look out at the beautiful scenery, and wait for a bite. It was so peaceful and a wonderful place to connect with myself and my favorite people. 

“A Little Light,” which is the first song of the album, best described that tranquil and meditative moment. It is about the importance of light in our lives and was first written as a poem about spending time in those hills as a kid. 

5. “My Darlin’” off the album made it onto your first official Spotify playlist – Renegade Folk. Where were you when you found that out? What does it mean as an artist to make it onto an official Spotify playlist? 

T/C: I got an email from Spotify a couple days after we released, “My Darlin’.” I was sitting at home feeding my 2 year old daughter breakfast. I was so excited. For me, it was a testament that we had made music that was quality enough to be grouped with some great names in the Folk world. I was very proud of everyone in the band. It means a lot to be recognized. I don’t think that Spotify is the be all end all but it’s important to be on that platform. Most people listen to and find new music there nowadays. I still think we have a long way to go. We have yet to play our first show and have a lot of things we want to achieve. We believe we have potential to write more music that moves people and plan to do so.  

6. Although the band started early 2020, you guys only recently got together in person to play songs and take band photos. What was that moment like – finally being all together and playing the songs live after over a year of working on them? Do you think the music would’ve sounded any different if you had all been in the same room instead of remote for the entire process?

T/C: It was an incredible feeling to watch the guys get off the ferry in Victoria, BC. Chris Couto had come out a few days early to settle in and do some prep for our recording session. Will and JeanSe came in on the Friday Night ferry and had to leave on Sunday morning. We didn’t have much time but we made the most of it. The four of us have been friends for years long before CALICO was a thing. Chris, Will, and JeanSe have all played in other bands together. When we all lived in Vancouver I would go hang out and watch them play. I always thought I had the most talented friends. They are incredible musicians and wonderful people. 

I do think there would have been some differences if we had all been in the same room. I am not sure how much that would come through with the sound but definitely with the energy in the room. There is an irreplaceable dynamic that is created when musicians physically  play together. It’s a vibe thing. I will say that recording from afar had immense perks, too. Everyone had complete creative freedom with their individual parts. What you hear as a final product is what four musicians felt added most to each song. There was little guidance. With everyone recording from afar, we could do it on our own time, when we felt we played best. There wasn’t the pressure of doing it at a specific time in the recording studio. 

7. What is the main thing you hope listeners take away from your music?

T/C: I hope that you all resonate with the stories that we share. Most of the songs began as poems and grew from there. They are snippets of our lives that bring us back to particular memories. My hope is that the music can do similar things for you. That you find some inner peace listening to the music and that, maybe when the album has finished, you’re brought back to a place that you think of fondly. 

8. For you, what was the biggest learning from this past year and a half in quarantine/pandemic? 

T/C: I learned to slow down and treasure the small things. The pandemic was a time to be introspective. I gained insights about myself, my ambitions and pursuits that I had never given space for. There was also immense struggle that we all went through. The virus was one thing but the loss of community was a whole other. Losing connection with loved ones was difficult. I had never felt so far from those I cared about. All in all I think it was a time to reflect on what’s important and begin to prioritize that. The pandemic really highlighted the fragility of this life. 

9. If you could only listen to (5) artists for the rest of your life who would they be?

T/C: If I could listen to 5 artists for the rest of my life it would have to be Bob Dylan, The War on Drugs, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, The Beatles, and The Highwomen.

10. What’s the rest of 2021 and early 2022 look like for CALICO?

T/C: We will continue writing and hopefully can start playing some live shows soon. Now that shows are happening again we plan to get our foot in the door. That might not happen until next summer but we are really excited about the idea and await the opportunity. We have recorded our second album, that will be released in 2022, and are working on our third album currently. Stay tuned for more music and we really look forward to playing live for you all one day. Thank so much for checking us out and giving our music a listen. 

Excited to have had Tony from CALICO join for the latest Too Good Ten Interview! Be sure to check out all their socials and music below and be on the look out for those upcoming shows and upcoming second album.

SOCIAL LINKS:

Facebook

Instagram

Website

MUSIC:

Spotify

YouTube

[martinlawless]

National Masters Circuit Race Championship 2021. Age Category 45-49 Race.

British Cycling, National A Race E1234 Leicester Cycle Circuit Sunday 4 July 2021

The National Masters Circuit Race Championships… a chance to win a proper National jersey for the year as recognition by British Cycling. There are separate category races in 5-year bands from 30+. Men and Women.

This year is my last in the 45-49 year band. Everyone’s UCI birthday is 1st Jan, so I’ll be 50 next year on the final bong from Big Ben. I did this race two years ago and really enjoyed the event and scene. So I made it a priority to sign up to this one early on and focus in on it.

The race would be on the Leicester Cycle Circuit. I’d never been there before. Turns out to be a very good 1km loop. Tarmac quality excellent and good safe run-offs onto grass (take note Colchester). It’s not technical, really. Though racing makes things technical. A simple circuit means more speed. More speed means more reaction times required on challenges and opportunities that appear in the bunch. And, as ever, the wind and weather makes a virtual hill - turning a stretch into a danger zone that can challenge riders and generate a split. The course is dumbbell shaped, with the northern loop being tighter than the southern one. The northern one rises a bit too.

I set off in the car in very good time. I didn’t have anything to hold back for and get there to see teammate Chris in his 40-44 category race. His field is smaller than ours. Maybe 25 riders. It’s a tough race. Chris goes heroic and into the first break of four from the gun. Hauled in and blitzed, he finds it hard to stick at the back recovering while fresh breaks occur. It’s a reminder to me that in my 75 mins race there will be several attacks. If I find myself in a break, it has to be decisive - or I’m bailing out back to the bunch. I’ll burn up easily otherwise.

I’ve got my crit wheels on. New second-hand Dura-Ace C35 tubular wheels. Ramped up to 110psi just to feel extra bad-ass. Super quick and nippy. I sign in. Pin up. I nearly forget to put on the transponder, which would be a disaster. There’s a good chance of a heavy shower, but it’s warm. So race suit only. Becoming less racy with every wash. Factor 50 suncream. I love my Koo eyewear, but for close-quarters crit stuff, I prefer my “100%” wraparounds that give me brilliant peripheral vision and eyes in the back of my head. I feel like a bit of a doofus Daft Punk wannabe. But - hey, safety first. I do a regular back garden workout. I always add in stretching around the neck and shoulders in simulation of the constant need to look around you in a tight race. I should do pilates and yoga as I get older too.

I have a good little chat with James from Cinnamon-Contour. He’s bandaged up like Roglic having had a crash in the sprint at Hillingdon in one of the rehearsal races last week. I’m impressed he’s back. I also bump into Chris from Verulam. I’m confident he’ll do well. The course suits his atomic finishing sprint power. He finished 3rd in one of the rehearsal races. Other than that, I don’t really know anyone - jut a few of the usual faces and backsides. It’s a good thing: it means the race is bringing in people from all regions - not just the south and east. I hear all sorts of accents. I’m concerned by how fit looking some of these old boys appear!

Our race is the most popular. I’m unsure why, but I have a theory it’s because mid-life crisis is peaking as people get to 50. One last chance to pretend to be Sam Bennett, Cav or Caleb.

This is a proper British Cycling event. The briefing is more stringent than the usual “rock-up with a banana and go” race. This adds nicely to the drama ahead. It feels significant. Points go down to 15th place. The top-third will score today. I am in a bit of a downward points spiral from my current 2nd Cat licence. The points started late this season - early races were zero-points post-COVID. And now I can’t see where I’ll get them from. I simply can’t find the time or BC events. To be honest though: a gentle relegation into 3rd Category doesn’t bother me at all. I’ll have more options to race.

There’s always something to forget or nearly forget. It’s a gel at the start this time. But I remember in time on the start line. I will have another halfway I reckon. I put my finger on my Wahoo to ensure I don’t forget to start the all-important Strava. We have two neutralised laps behind the car to get used to the bends and we’re released.

It’s a steady start. I expect we are all mostly unfamiliar with the course and each other and just want to walk into this one. Eventually, there’s a break and the peloton cranks up.

In a rather unconventional prep, I’d ridden a Hilly TT the Sunday before, a Zwift crit Monday, a tired chaingang Tuesday. Then did the Fred Whitton loop in the Lake District on Thursday with three friends. I’m unsure 110 miles featuring the toughest ascents in England, three sleeps before a short high energy effort, is in any training manual. After the Fred, I did not turn a pedal. I was unsure where my legs would be. In the first few laps I’m relieved to feel they are fine. A sports massage helped. In fact, I feel good. The Fred had raised my pain threshold it felt. When asked to dig deep, it was no problem.

I’m pleased to be lolling around the top third or so in the bunch. The first break gets a third of a lap gap. But the bunch aren’t really bothered. All the same, there’s always a rider or two getting frustrated about the lack of coherence in hauling them in. The laws of physics prevail, and the first break fizzles out eventually.

I can hear Chris cheer me on each lap which is motivating. I concentrate on my line, holding it, seizing gaps where possible and generally keeping my nose clean. As expected, I don’t feel I can be in a small break. I just need to watch out for a big split. I can feel this isn’t going to happen though after a while.

The wind is a bit tasty. As much as it’s valuable to look at those big flags you get at events for the direction, you can’t beat throwing a bit of grass up in the air before a race for the truth.

It gets tight at times. This Leicester doesn’t feel that wide. I go onto the grass on one lap to avoid a clash. In these situations you don’t panic, just glide back on and everything is all right. I get a good backside push on another lap. No problem. ‘On your left’, ‘On your right’. All the good calls you want in a race. No daft riding here which was appreciated.

A second break is brought in. Then on 37 minutes, the decisive break from Ian, who everyone seemed to fear, was made. He would take another rider with him and the bunch would let him go pretty easily.

The last laps approach and the race dynamic changes. The bunch gets top heavy as people prepare for the sprint. The last few laps are very twitchy. We are wide across the lane and very tight as everyone jostles for the sprint. I find myself in the middle of the bunch at times and hate it: locked in shoulder to shoulder. There’s few oohs and aaahs as riders barge each other. I see one rider barged and he has to unclip to save himself. He skips along the road on foot at 30mph+ and re-clips without losing too much momentum. It’s impressive control regained. I can see Verulam Chris inching forward. I want to keep on his wheel but the way through is blocked. It’s always remarkable how you might have a few laps to make a simple move up a few bike lengths - yet it’s just not doable. Stuck.

Into the final lap and final bend, it’s high speed but I’ve got something extra in the tank to give. I am forced wide if I’m to apply any sprint. This puts me out of the draught, and I lose momentum, but I gain a clean run. My sprint is OK. I can hold a decent effort for 10 seconds, albeit I won’t be strong enough to gain ground. The front of the tight sprint pulls away while I come in just off the back of it but ahead of the string of others behind.

I replay the last moments over and over. It’s hard to see what else I could have done except to maybe find more confidence in my endurance to move up and hold a premium position early on. I eventually scan the data. I’m 21st and ahead of me are many names I know to be strong. I’m happy with that.

I return to the car park and change. I have a good post-race chat with Chris. He has crazy high power and he’ll smash a race soon, with a bit of luck, choosing the right break. I decide to have a peep at the Cat 3-4 race going on after ours. As I rock up, there’s a crash at the most basic point of the course. Four riders down. Three get back up gingerly, one a lot slower. I’m thankful our race ended safe and well. Take out the neutralised laps and our race is well over 27mph average. Dynamic and speedchess-like reactions required at all times.

Tired of sugary things, I crave salt, so stop off at the nearby McDonalds on the way back. The most biblical thunderstorm kicks off in the drive-thru. I wonder what would have happened to our race in such conditions. As I carefully navigate the motorway with Lance Armstrong’s ‘The Move’ on Spotify, I wonder if they black flag circuit races for lightning as we all go around a big open field sat on quite metallic things.

I think about next year’s Masters and take a look at the results for this year’s 50-54 category. I’m slightly disappointed to see names of strong riders I know struggle to reach the points. It’s a useful reminder that it never gets easier - we just get older.

Strava link: https://www.strava.com/activities/5574763935

[beast-bae]

Sterek Fic Rec (last updated 21.2.17)

Stiles is used to selling himself to make ends meet. But it's getting harder to keep those ends meeting, and there's only so much of Stiles to go around. Until a too-fancy car shows up in his neighborhood, and he meets Derek Hale.All Derek wants is Stiles's time, someone to stay on his arm for events and smile for the cameras. It's the easiest job Stiles has ever had, the best-paying one he's ever had, and he's more than happy to sign up.Derek is everything and nothing Stiles expects him to be, with his tailored suits, sharp mind and his quiet way of caring. But it's just a job and Stiles never meant to fall in love.Hey :) because I’m always searching for new sterek fanfics on tumblr and I love seeing Sterek Fic Recs  I decited to make a post with all of my favourite (can I get this word even bigger? bc I love those fics to death!) Sterek fanfics. 

I will continue updating it ;) and I would really appreciate it if you could send me links to your favourite Sterek ffs <3 

All of them are on Ao3! Also all of them are complete (except for Home by  TheTypewriterGirl but there is only one chapter missing )!!

Also there is no specific order!

Also I try to find the authors on tumblr so you can visit them <3

This is gonna be a LOOooOOoONG post

Have fun reading :)

________________

Prince Among Wolves by  tylerfucklin (Deshonanana) | 101k, Explict | kid fic |

Looking for full day/evening sitter. 2 twin boys age 4. Must have exp. w/werewolves. Must be human. No pedophiles. No teenage girls. Pay negotiable. 

Home by  TheTypewriterGirl  | 160k, not finished yet 17/18!! |  @stiles-and-the-sourwolf |

January seventh. Seven days since the start of 2015, and seven days since his father’s death.

The bastard, he thinks bitterly. The past year Derek Hale had made it blatantly obvious that he hated his scrawny guts, taking every given opportunity to shove him up against a wall, growl threats in his ears and roll his eyes whenever he stepped into the room, muttering some snide comment about how spastic or idiotic he was.

So why did he fucking volunteer to take him in?

Move a Mountain by  ZainClaw | 69k, Explict | road trip/biker fic | @zainclaw |

Stiles goes camping with his friends in New Mexico after graduation where they befriend a biker gang led by Derek: a guy whom Stiles can’t decide if he will be either relieved or devastated to never see again once their week is up.

my wings a hurricane by  kellifer_fic | 20k | dracon fic | @kellifer-k |

Stiles had been like any other kid growing up in the era of dragons. He'd watched the cartoons, the news stories, had the lunch box. When his screening at Beacon Hills High had come up negative, he'd been disappointed but unsurprised. His positive results were returned three years too late for it to be in any way convenient or cool.

Or, the one where they ride dragons.

Fly a Little Faster by mirrorkill | 32k | time travel fic | @mirrorkill |

Everyone knows when you go back in time, you shouldn't step on an ant, just in case you accidentally kill your own grandparent or something. But what happens when you go back in time and, uh, accidentally interrupt the one event that apparently made the Grumpiest Alpha in Town into a ball of mindless manpain?

Well, if Marty McFly can do it, so can Stiles Stilinski. All he has to do is get Derek and Paige to fall in love before he gets pulled back to his own time. And before he makes anything worse. That's easy as pie, right? Right?

Sweeter Than a Cherry Pie by  kitsunequeen | 5k | pretend relationship | @stilesbansheequeen |

When Cora asks Stiles to be her pretend boyfriend for a New Year's family dinner, he figures he can do a friend a favor. When he hooks up with an incredible guy, Derek, the night before, only to wake up alone in the morning, he supposes he can handle that too. But when he shows up at Cora's house and Derek turns out to be her brother, well... that's a bit of a bigger problem.

Hale of a time by  jamesm97 | 3k | halebait!stiles | 

Stiles knows that his werewolf family are acting weird around him, not that that's strange they are werewolves after all but they don't know that he knows they are. They seem to be getting progressively touchy feely as his 16th birthday approaches.

HALEBAIT! STILES STILINSKI - where all the Hales are attracted to Stiles, but only one of them is insanely in love & lust with him

Settle down by  wearing_tearing, whatthehale | 153k, Explict | mpreg!!| @hoechliniseverything ( whatthehale) @dylansneck (wearing_tearing) |

Stiles is a struggling author barely making ends meet.

Derek is a successful architect whose biological clock is ticking.

Enter a surrogacy agency, two packs, and a particularly sticky and toe curling heat week and you get a match made in heaven.

Stilinski’s Home for Wayward Wolves by  owlpostagain | 35k | 

“At least your puppies knock first,” Stiles snorts. “Here I thought their alpha raised them to be well-mannered.” 



“There’s a sign,” Derek responds stiffly. 



Stiles, whose curiosity outweighs even his hardest of grudges, abandons his chilly façade of nonchalance in a heartbeat. He jumps right up and all but pushes Derek out of the way in his effort to get to the window, and sure enough when he leans outside there’s a laminated strip of cardstock duct taped to the vinyl siding: 



DON’T FORGET TO KNOCK Stiles gets cranky when we scare him

---

Or, in which Stiles Stilinski moves to Beacon Hills for his junior year of high school and accidentally adopts a pack of teenage werewolves.

I Was Present While You Were Unconscious by  CharWright5 | 19k, Mature | @kitstiles |

Stiles had often thought about how he'd meet his soul mate, the literal muscular man of his dreams. He just didn't ever imagine finding him on Facebook where a friend had shared a news article about a werewolf John Doe in a coma after a car wreck four hours out of town. And he also didn't expect to bond and fall in love with the guy's family before ever saying two words to him out loud.

But Not With Haste by  uraneia | 21k, Explict | x-man AU |

It's been years since Derek escaped from the hunters who killed his family and bound him in his human form. He travels solo, never staying in one place, keeping under the radar--until a skinny, smart-mouthed kid stows away in the back of his truck.

Four months ago Stiles's first kiss put his best friend in a coma. His dad gave him a couple hundred bucks and a hug and told him to run. By the time Stiles witnesses the cage fighter known as Wolverine take out a shotgun and its wielder with his bare hands, he's got a plan. He knows there's a school in New York for kids like him. All he has to do is get there.

OR, in which Derek is the werewolf version of Wolverine and Stiles is Rogue and the plot of X-Men progresses accordingly, with a few notable deviations.

Cornerstone by  Vendelin | 84k, Explict | @ljummen |

Suffering from PTSD, ex-Marine Derek Hale moves back to Beacon Hills to open a bookshop and find a calmer life. That’s where he meets Stiles, completely by accident. Stiles is talkative, charming and curious. Somehow, despite the fact that he’s blind, he’s able to read Derek like no one else.

just to know your name by  bibliosexual | 3k | @bibliosexxual |

They're about fifteen minutes into the Skype call on Tuesday night when this guy wanders straight out of one of Derek’s wet dreams and into the frame, wearing nothing but black boxer briefs and a tight grey Guns N’ Roses tee. He’s lithely muscled, with a cute upturned nose and some of the most beautiful bone structure Derek has ever seen. Derek can see his nipples through his shirt. He feels all the blood in his body rushing to his dick.

“There should be a note about that on page nineteen,” Scott is saying, distantly, while Mystery Guy yawns adorably, nose scrunching, and runs a hand through his messy hair. He looks like he’s totally oblivious to Scott’s webcam, or to Scott. He looks like he just woke up. He looks like something out of an underwear ad, or softcore porn.

Mystery Guy bends down, thigh muscles flexing, and starts digging through Scott’s dresser drawers for a pair of sweatpants. Scott doesn’t ever turn around. He just keeps talking about… something. Something unimportant.

Mystery Guy has a mole high up on the back of his right thigh and Derek wants to lick it.

Bite Down Hard by  KuriKuri | 26k, Explict | @authorkurikuri

For a moment, Derek can’t breathe.Because moles aren’t the only thing marring the pale skin of Stiles’ neck. Oh no, that’s –– that’s a bond bite. A bond bite which Stiles definitely did not have yesterday, and which appears to have roughly the same dimensions as Derek’s own mouth.Shit.

(Or: In which Secret Service Agent Derek Hale accidentally gets bonded to First Son Stiles Stilinski. Oops.)

Tangled Up In You by  Morgana, Winchesterek | 105k, Explict | BDSM! | @sterekbros

Something is missing from Stiles’ sex life. Maybe it’s the fact that none of his partners share any of his kinks. While doing laundry over Thanksgiving break at Berkeley, Scott finds a flyer adverting, “WALK ON THE WILD SIDE! LET US TAKE YOU INTO THE DARKNESS AND BRING YOU SAFELY OUT AGAIN! EXPERIENCE PLEASURE AND PAIN AT THE HANDS OF ONE OF OUR EXPERIENCED, DISCREET PROFESSIONALS.” Stiles thinks it’s his kinda thing, but doesn’t have the money to pay for a session. Scott offers, only if Stiles refrains from telling him all about his kinky needs, so Stiles agrees. Enter Derek Hale, professional dominant. Stiles has his first session with Derek and can’t get enough (plus, Derek is HOT and Stiles just wants him all for himself).

It’s a Schlong Story by  floatingstark | 33k, Explict | ex-porn star Derek | 

"Do you like him?"

"Of course I do, he’s great!"

"Then what is the fucking problem?"

"My dick!"

-or-

Ex-Porn Star Derek Hale has a lot of issues but Ice Cream Parlor Owner Stiles Stilinski is not one of them.

I Might Be A Fool by  prettylittlementirosa | 35k, Explict| College AU |  @bisexualbcky

The thing about Stiles, though, is that for him, turned on and angry are not mutually exclusive feelings. He may be painfully hard but that doesn’t mean he’s not also ready to strangle Derek for having the audacity to act like this is something that’s happening to him, not something that is almost entirely his fault. So when Derek let’s out what must be his hundredth long-suffering sigh, Stiles snaps.

(or the one that was supposed to be a GRΣΣK AU but is mostly just a study in the gratuitous and inconsistent use of punctuation)

Expiration Dates by  KaliopeShipsIt | 227k, Mature | mpreg! | @kaliopeshipsit 

When 13-year old orphaned Derek Hale tests positive as a male carrier, his newly appointed guardian and uncle Peter uses his influence to make the test result go away, aware that in their deeply carrier-phobic society his nephew’s status could prove to be the downfall of the family company.

16 years later Derek is pressured into firing eight months-pregnant Danny Mahealani, creating a publicity scandal that, as the Equal Rights for Carriers movement gains more and more ground, results in an unprecedented media outrage targeted towards Hale & Argent Publishers.

A very reluctant Derek finds himself forced into defending his company’s prejudiced views on national television, facing off in heated debates against Stiles Stilinski, a guy he happened to have a one-night stand with months ago and has been pining over ever since. Stiles is a disgruntled former Hale & Argent employee, a staunch supporter of the ERC movement, he hates everything Derek stands for … and, courtesy of an expired condom, he’s also, unknowingly, the father of the child Derek wasn’t even aware he could carry in the first place.

Between Dusk and Dawn by  impalagirl, wilddragonflying | 19k, Mature| vampire fic | 

He's in the middle of a crowded bar when he smells it. For the first time in fifty years, Stiles Stilinski's mouth begins to water, and he's suddenly on high alert, twisting in his seat to scan the room with sharp eyes. Of course, it doesn't take long to spot him. He's as gorgeous as ever, tall and broad with dark hair and light eyes. He's wearing glasses this time, and damn, he looks good with a beard. Stiles had almost forgotten that; it's been so long since he's seen him with more than yesterday's stubble.

Marks and Mics by  DLanaDHZ | 70k, Mature | Soulmate AU | @dlanadhz

Hale siblings Derek and Laura have been hired to run security for Stiles Stilinski's music tour. Business as usual, except someone is trying really hard to prove they're incapable and hurt Stiles. Derek finds himself curious about Stiles' bitter attitude and a strange illness that plagues the singer. And on top of that, Derek's soulmate remains elusive.

I Hunt For You With Bloody Feet by CharWright5 | 200k, Explict | SoulmateAU Stillinski Twins | @kitstiles

“Mates don't always mean happy ever after.”

When twenty-year-old born omega werewolf Stiles Stilinski received that cryptic email from his twin brother—who'd been missing for two years exactly—in a language the two of them had made up, his drive to find Stuart is doubled. The search leads him to Oak Creek, the most secured and heavily fortified city in all of California, where he finds that not only is his brother dead, but also the literal alpha of his Dreams in Derek Hale—who just happens to be his twin's Mate and the main suspect in Stiles' eyes. Despite an agreement to fight mutual feelings, the two are still drawn to each other as they try to solve the case themselves, uncovering a plot that goes deeper than the murder of just one wolf.

Hidden Omega by  Akinasky | 107k, Explict | College fic | 

As Stiles leaves for college, he must hide who he really is and then he meets his roommate and likes him ... a lot only there is no chance for him to fill the needs that Stiles has as an Omega. Then he also finds his Alpha, Derek Hale (of course) and they all struggle to find their way and learning more about the special aspects of being an Omega and trying to have a unique relationship that will never be typical especially with Stiles, pushing and bossy Stiles as the Omega.

Fucked Up Like You by  damnfancyscotch | 38k | @damnfancyscotch

The boy was dirty. Very dirty. Most likely from the trap he’d been found in, the leg snare Derek figured, even though Peter hadn’t mentioned what type of trap it was. Mud dried and flaked off in patches on his left forearm, caked into the front of his sleeveless rough-hewn tunic and threadbare pants, up from his bare feet all the way to his knees, a dark streak painting the right side of his neck and continuing up into his clumsily cut brown hair - clearly he’d done it himself with a knife and perhaps no reflective surface, though judging by his appearance, a pond or puddle could have done just fine for him. Derek realized a lot of the spots he assumed to be mud were actually moles that dotted all along the boy’s skin.

Derek watched as the boy studied him back in silence, sitting with his arms wrapped tightly around himself. He stared hard at the crescent-shaped insignia picked out in silver and green sewn onto the dark gray fabric over Derek’s heart, a slight frown wrinkling his brow. The boy had to know about the Hales if he was part of the Argent pack.

“What’s your name?”

“St… Stiles.”

I Could Be Long Gone by  idratherwrite | 26k, Explict | A/B/O-Dynamics | @ashleighblogs

Humans alphas and betas are used to treating human omegas like objects. Stiles and his father have managed to hide for years the fact that Stiles is an omega. When Stiles arrives at Beacon Hills he meets one Scott McCall and his friends and family, who are hiding an even bigger secret.

It's almost everything that Stiles wants.

Baking My Way Into Your Heart by theSilence | 178k, Mature | College AU | @effinlemon |

Derek is an uptight college student, all work and no play. His carefully scheduled life is thrown kilter when his regular barista is replaced with someone new.

A Princely Claim by  kaistrex (weishen) | 40k, Explict | Royal Stiles | @kaistrex

In a world where werewolves die if they’re unable to Claim their mate and to refuse them is classed as murder, Alpha Derek Hale makes his very public Claim for Crown Prince Stiles of Beacon. The Royal Family are left with no choice but to accept, no matter the Prince’s imminent marriage to Princess Lydia of Kanima, to whom he’s been betrothed since birth. After having already faced the future of one loveless marriage, Prince Stiles is determined to make things with Derek work.

Kaleidoscope by  Vendelin | 54k, Explict | @ljummen

Stiles spends a year before college working at the all-night coffee shop in town. It's nice and quiet, until one dark and brooding Derek starts coming in every morning, ordering coffee so strong that it should not be fit for human consumption. Ever. Stiles tries not to be affected by the mystery guy, but it's not like anything else happens around here, so really, what did you expect? And when he's already in too deep, he realises he might even be in way over his head...

Play Crack the Sky by  WeAreTheCyclones | 122k, Mature | Rock Band AU | @wearethecyclones

Excerpt from “Hale Pulls the Plug on the Future of Rock,” Rolling Stone, Issue 1203 – Oct. 2014 “Fans and music industry vets alike are left reeling in the wake of bassist Derek Hale’s sudden departure from Smokes for Harris. At a time when the foursome from Beacon Hills, California seems to be on the cusp of rock superstardom after just one double platinum record, Smokes has everything to lose.”

Excerpt from “Smokes for Harris: Gladiator,” SPIN.com – Feb. 2015 “Smokes for Harris gives in a little to the pop punk of yesteryear in their sophomore effort, but rather than pandering to fans of a lost era they elevate the genre in a way that hasn’t been seen in quite some time. Frontman Stiles Stilinski works double duty as singer and primary songwriter and proves that he can handle the task even without former bassist Derek Hale."

Grey Rainbow by  LoveActually_rps | 13k, Mature | @loveactually-rps

“Stiles?” Derek glanced at Stiles’ sleeping form. He didn’t even twitch. Derek continued. “If we…” his lips curved in a fond smile, fingers moving to smooth the creases of Stiles’ eyebrows, his voice coming as whisper. “... as in, you and me - If we get a chance someday… any day, to be together, y’know? I wouldn't mind you wooing me with flowers and all that cliched romantic shit. And you can even flirt with me. I approve.” He gazed at Stiles’ calm face for a long while before drifting off into quiet slumber with the sound of Stiles’ soft snoring in the background.

[aka, after pinning for his best friend for four years, Derek learns his teenage crush is easy, but his life isn’t]

Animal Instincts by BlueRunawayMoon | 262k, Explict | 2nd part is NOT FINISHED | @

Things are not going well for Stiles. Not only is he drifting from the pack, but he cant sleep and hardly eats, and its never been more clear to him that being a human leaves him at a major disadvantage. As if things weren't bad enough, he and Malia are on the rocks, and then there is the fact that Derek wants to kill him, of course. Derek, who he dreams about every night. Derek, who is losing control of his inner wolf, when said wolf seems to want Stiles dead.

But because Stiles is the universe's bitch, a new, terrifying and seemingly unbeatable monster arrives in Beacon Hills, and the pack have no idea how to stop it. When people start going crazy and attacking others, the Pack learn the creature is involved somehow. Now, with Stiles life in jeopardy, they must find a way to cure him before its too late.

Slow burn with lots of sexual tension and build up.

*There is a Stiles/Original Character pair up, but end game is Sterek. Pinky promise :) *

Strong Alpha, Strong Pups by  Snare | 7k, Explict | A/B/O -Dynamics | @4fuxake​

Omegas are weak. Stiles is an Omega, but Stiles has magic. Stiles is strong.

Stiles is strong, so Alpha needs to be stronger. Strong Alpha, strong pups.

Stripped & Polished by  Morgana, Winchesterek | 77k, Explict | 

Stiles is 17 and he’s sick of being a virgin. The last two and a half years of trying to get laid by every guy in the school (both straight and gay) haven’t worked out and the time he came onto his long time crush Jackson Whittemore blew up in his face. That was it. He was going to go out to a club and find someone to fuck him and they would be just as good as anyone else he was trying to have sex with. He goes to Jungle to scope out his prospects.

Just to See You Again by  MellytheHun | 15k, Explict | @loserchildhotpants​ 

A sterek college!AU where writing student Stiles specializes in love letters, runs a blog about it and can be commissioned to write love letters on behalf of lovers who are at a loss for words.

He makes some cash, he’s good at what he does (especially when he gets to be a little more explicit in his letters), it pays for his textbooks and that’s all he’s really looking for and life is fine. That is, until someone anonymously commissions him to write a love letter to mathematics student, Derek Hale.

Reach Out by  weathervaanes | 20k, Explict | @weathervaanes

Or, In Which Stiles Falls in Love Twice...With the Same Person

-0-

Stiles sees the flyer on his very last day at Beacon Hills High School. It’s hanging, unassuming, in the hall near the front entrance along with bulletins and other flyers, advertisements, posters for free student concerts, but the fact that the word “sex” is written in a font two times larger than the rest of the page catches his attention.

It’s an advice hotline for a whole range of things, from teenage angst to how to deal with your parents telling you you’re adopted and a whole mess in the middle. Stiles thinks it’s funny, though, that they offer advice on sexuality and sex education. It makes sense on the one hand, since high school sex ed does jack shit for actual learning, but anyone who really wants to know stuff has an infinite source of knowledge right on their phone—the internet.

So it starts off as a joke.

What I Did On My Summer Vacation by  grimm | 118k, Explict | @coyotoqueens

There's something weird about Beacon Hills that Stiles can't quite put his finger on. The way everyone in town knows his name the day he arrives. The way they insist the melancholic howling that echoes through the forest every night is just a dog. The way his dad denies getting a dog, even though Stiles comes home to find one sprawled across his bed, some big black thing whose eyes gleam red in the right light. The way that massive oak tree out in the woods vibrates under his touch, pulsing with sickly life.

There's something weird going on in this town, and Stiles is determined to get to the bottom of it.

One life stand by  Vendelin | 84k, Explict | @ljummen

Stiles is used to selling himself to make ends meet. But it's getting harder to keep those ends meeting, and there's only so much of Stiles to go around. Until a too-fancy car shows up in his neighborhood, and he meets Derek Hale.

All Derek wants is Stiles's time, someone to stay on his arm for events and smile for the cameras. It's the easiest job Stiles has ever had, the best-paying one he's ever had, and he's more than happy to sign up.

Derek is everything and nothing Stiles expects him to be, with his tailored suits, sharp mind and his quiet way of caring. But it's just a job and Stiles never meant to fall in love.

Can’t rely on me by  Littleredridinghunter | 116k | 

Set at the end of season 2, Gerard beats Stiles up, but it's a lot worse than anyone knows.

The pack let him down, that's not really a surprise lately.

When Danny finds Stiles nearly bleeding to death the next day it's the start of a beautiful friendship.

Can the pack make amends before it's too late? Will Stiles ever forgive them for not being there for him when he needed them the most?

[junker-town]

S&P+ spread picks for every Week 11 college football game

With GameDay watching, can BC impede a pre-ordained Clemson CFP run? Picks for that and every other FBS game here.

Clemson’s got four remaining hurdles to get to the College Football Playoff, and the Tigers are likely to clear all of them. S&P+ gives them a 75 percent chance of winning their final three regular season games (they’re at least an 18-point favorite in each) and would deem them a 29-point favorite against Pitt in the ACC title game, a 27-point favorite against Virginia Tech, or a 25-point favorite against Virginia.

The next few games feel like they’re as much about staying healthy as conquering challenges, but if one game still has even slight uncertainty, it’s this battle with Boston College.

Clemson will probably win. But BC has proved a tricky out this season. The Eagles are 7-2 with a top-30 defense and an offense that alternates between constant explosions and steady implosions. They can make big plays from any situation but might not make any; they’re horrible on third-and-long but don’t face any. Opponents avoid their run defense, passing constantly, but they defend the pass better than the run.

With the way Clemson’s been playing of late, though, it might not matter. Since the Tigers narrowly survived Syracuse with their freshman backup quarterback (as opposed to their freshman starting quarterback), they’ve been as dominant as ever.

They beat Wake Forest, NC State, Florida State, and Louisville by an average of 60-9 (!!). On offense they’re in the top 10 in both Rushing S&P+ and Passing Downs S&P+, and their defense is dominant in all but a select few categories. They have for the last month dominated at an Alabama level, and they are only a little bit behind the Tide in overall S&P+. This is a machine, and if the Tigers survive strangeness in Chestnut Hill, they’re just about to the finish line.

Below are FBS picks and projections using the S&P+ projections, listed in full for all 130 FBS teams here.

See the bottom of the post for more detail about these.

The spread (listed in parentheses) is shown next to S&P+’s pick for each game. The team in bold is projected to beat the spread. (At most books, there is no listed spread for FCS games.) When S&P+ predicts a tie or a push (a tie with Vegas, basically), I list the pick on the side S&P+ would pick if teams could score in decimals.

This document breaks games (and S&P+’s season performance to date) out into their decimal glory. This year, I am including and monitoring total (over/under) picks as well.

Weeknight games

Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

Syracuse’s Alton Robinson

No. 13 Syracuse 38, Louisville (+21.5) 22 (Nov. 09, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN2)

No. 14 NC State 38, Wake Forest (+17.5) 24 (Nov. 08, 7:30 PM ET, ESPN)

No. 23 Fresno State (-3) 33, Boise State 24 (Nov. 09, 10:15 PM ET, ESPN2)

Buffalo (-20.5) 41, Kent State 17 — Buffalo won by 34 (W)

Northern Illinois 27, Toledo (+3) 27 — NIU won by 23 (L)

Ohio 33, Miami (Ohio) (+3.5) 32 — Miami won by 2 (W)

After drubbing Louisville appropriately, Syracuse gets a shot at Notre Dame next week in a strangely big game, one that could determine the Irish’s spot in the Playoff or the Orange’s spot in a New Year’s Six bowl.

Ranked vs. ranked

Vasha Hunt-USA TODAY Sports

Mississippi State’s Nick Fitzgerald

No. 1 Alabama 37, No. 16 Mississippi State (+24) 19 (Nov. 10, 3:30 PM ET, CBS)

No. 2 Clemson 35, No. 17 Boston College (+20.5) 17 (Nov. 10, 8:00 PM ET, ABC)

No. 5 Georgia 33, No. 24 Auburn (+14.5) 20 (Nov. 10, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN)

No. 10 Ohio State (-3.5) 30, No. 18 Michigan State 25 (Nov. 10, 12:00 PM ET, Fox)

I’m curious how long Mississippi State can make Alabama uncomfortable on Saturday. Going by S&P+, MSU is the best team the Crimson Tide have faced this season. They defend about as well as LSU, and they can run the ball as well as LSU wishes it could.

The Bulldogs could make things interesting if quarterback Nick Fitzgerald can hit a couple of deep shots, but, well, it is putting it kindly to say that Fitzgerald has struggled to hit the deep shots — the MSU offense is third in Rushing S&P+ but 87th in Passing S&P+. Maybe he’s been saving up all his good passes for this moment?

Other ranked teams in action

Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Notre Dame’s Jerry Tillery

No. 3 Notre Dame (-18) 36, Florida State 13 (Nov. 10, 7:30 PM ET, NBC)

No. 4 Michigan (-39.5) 44, Rutgers 2 (Nov. 10, 3:30 PM ET, BTN)

No. 6 Oklahoma 45, Oklahoma State (+20.5) 29 (Nov. 10, 3:30 PM ET, ABC)

No. 7 LSU 32, Arkansas (+14) 22 (Nov. 10, 7:30 PM ET, SECN)

No. 8 Washington State (-6.5) 36, Colorado 25 (Nov. 10, 3:30 PM ET, ESPN)

No. 9 West Virginia 34, TCU (+12) 24 (Nov. 10, 12:00 PM ET, FS1)

No. 11 Kentucky (-6.5) 29, Tennessee 22 (Nov. 10, 3:30 PM ET, SECN)

No. 12 UCF (-25.5) 50, Navy 17 (Nov. 10, 12:00 PM ET, ESPN2)

No. 15 Florida (-6) 34, South Carolina 25 (Nov. 10, 12:00 PM ET, ESPN)

Texas Tech (+2) 35, No. 19 Texas 31 (Nov. 10, 7:30 PM ET, Fox)

No. 20 Penn State 31, Wisconsin (+9) 28 (Nov. 10, 12:00 PM ET, ABC)

No. 21 Iowa (-10.5) 30, Northwestern 18 (Nov. 10, 3:30 PM ET, Fox)

No. 22 Iowa State 36, Baylor (+14.5) 23 (Nov. 10, 3:30 PM ET, FS1)

Florida State’s still got a decent defense (it’s been downgraded from “good” after a couple of bad weeks) and certainly has the athletes to scare Notre Dame, but any thoughts you have about an upset disappear when you think about Jerry Tillery, Julian Okwara, Khalid Kareem, and the disruptive Notre Dame front taking on the sieve that is the FSU offensive line. That could be ugly.

Power 5 vs. Power 5

Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Pitt’s Darrin Hall

Arizona State 37, UCLA (+13.5) 24 (Nov. 10, 2:00 PM ET, Pac-12)

Duke (-10) 36, North Carolina 20 (Nov. 10, 12:20 PM ET, ACCN)

Kansas State (-10.5) 33, Kansas 22 (Nov. 10, 12:00 PM ET, FSN)

Maryland (+1) 26, Indiana 26 (Nov. 10, 12:00 PM ET, BTN)

Miami (+3.5) 33, Georgia Tech 26 (Nov. 10, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN2)

Missouri 38, Vanderbilt (+17) 22 (Nov. 10, 12:00 PM ET, SECN)

Purdue 34, Minnesota (+12.5) 26 (Nov. 10, 3:30 PM ET, ESPN2)

Stanford (-24) 47, Oregon State 20 (Nov. 10, 9:00 PM ET, Pac-12)

Texas A&M 37, Ole Miss (+11.5) 30 (Nov. 10, 12:00 PM ET, CBS)

USC (-5.5) 28, California 20 (Nov. 10, 10:30 PM ET, ESPN)

Utah (-4) 35, Oregon 24 (Nov. 10, 5:30 PM ET, Pac-12)

Virginia (+3) Tech 31, Pittsburgh 31 (Nov. 10, 3:30 PM ET, ESPNU) (Actual projected score: VT 31.3, Pitt 31.0)

Pitt vs. Virginia Tech in a tossup game for potential control of the ACC Coastal division. That sounds exciting, at least until you think about the teams’ combined 9-8 record.

FBS vs. FBS

Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

Illinois’ Reggie Corbin

Air Force 33, New Mexico (+13.5) 25 (Nov. 10, 3:30 PM ET, CBSSN)

Appalachian State (-21) 34, Texas State 13 (Nov. 10, 4:00 PM ET, ESPN3) (Actual projected score: App State 34.3, TXST 12.9)

Arkansas State (-6.5) 38, Coastal Carolina 28 (Nov. 10, 5:00 PM ET, ESPN+)

BYU 33, Massachusetts (+14) 26 (Nov. 10, 12:00 PM ET, ELVN)

Central Michigan (-7.5) 32, Bowling Green 24 (Nov. 10, 3:00 PM ET, ESPN+)

Cincinnati 31, USF (+14) 23 (Nov. 10, 7:00 PM ET, ESPNU)

Eastern Michigan (-12.5) 33, Akron 17 (Nov. 10, 12:00 PM ET, ESPN3)

Florida Atlantic 37, Western Kentucky (+20.5) 18 (Nov. 10, 5:00 PM ET, Facebook)

Florida International (-10.5) 32, UTSA 21 (Nov. 10, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN+)

Houston 32, Temple (+4.5) 29 (Nov. 10, 7:00 PM ET, CBSSN)

Louisiana Tech 40, Rice (+24.5) 17 (Nov. 10, 7:00 PM ET, ESPN+)

Marshall (-14.5) 32, Charlotte 10 (Nov. 10, 2:30 PM ET, ESPN+)

Memphis (-15.5) 39, Tulsa 23 (Nov. 10, 12:00 PM ET, ESPNU)

Middle Tennessee 32, UTEP (+13.5) 19 (Nov. 10, 3:00 PM ET, ESPN+)

Nebraska 40, Illinois (+17) 24 (Nov. 10, 12:00 PM ET, BTN)

Nevada (-14) 39, Colorado State 24 (Nov. 10, 10:30 PM ET, ESPNU)

North Texas (-14.5) 42, Old Dominion 21 (Nov. 10, 2:00 PM ET, ESPN3)

San Diego State (-22.5) 39, UNLV 15 (Nov. 10, 10:30 PM ET, ESPN2)

SMU (-19.5) 42, Connecticut 23 (Nov. 10, 12:00 PM ET, ESPN3) (actual projected score: SMU 42.2, UConn 22.7)

Troy (-1) 31, Georgia Southern 29 (Nov. 10, 1:00 PM ET, ESPN+)

Tulane 31, East Carolina (+14) 19 (Nov. 10, 4:00 PM ET, ESPNN)

UAB 28, Southern Miss (+12) 16 (Nov. 10, 7:30 PM ET, beIN) (actual projected score: UAB 28.0, USM 16.1)

UL-Lafayette 42, Georgia State (+14) 30 (Nov. 10, 5:00 PM ET, ESPN+)

UL-Monroe 34, South Alabama (+6.5) 30 (Nov. 10, 5:00 PM ET, ESPN+)

Utah State (-31) 46, San Jose State 10 (Nov. 10, 4:00 PM ET, Facebook)

Virginia 41, Liberty (+23.5) 21 (Nov. 10, 3:00 PM ET, ACCN)

I can’t believe these words are leaving my keyboard, but you should try to watch some of the Nebraska-Illinois game. It will be much more fun than you expect. Nebraska has scored at least 31 points for four straight games and is up to 44th in Off. S&P+ after a tough start. Meanwhile, Illinois — Illinois! — has one of the most enjoyable run games in the country. The Illini are sixth in Rushing S&P+ and rushed for more than 400 yards against Minnesota last week. Granted, they fall apart as soon as they have to rely on anything other than the ground game, but it’s something!

At 4-5, the Illini still have, per S&P+, a 10 percent chance of reaching bowl eligibility. Those odds would improve to at least 35 percent with a win in Lincoln.

FBS vs. FCS

Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports

Army’s looking to move to 9-2.

Army 30, Lafayette 1 (Nov. 10, 12:00 PM ET, CBSSN)

I would pay a lot of money to see a team win by a 30-1 score.

Each year, I post weekly S&P+ picks as a way of affirming the ratings’ validity. I use my S&P+ system as a complement to most of my analysis, and the picks are a way of showing it generally knows what it’s talking about.

S&P+ tends to hit between 50 (meh) and 54 percent (great) against the spread from year to year. It isn’t always the single best performer, but it holds its own.

Beyond picks, though, it goes deeper than any other set of college football analytics on the market. You can go into granular detail regarding team strengths and weaknesses in a way that no other set of ratings allows. (See the annual team statistical profiles as proof.)

[betweenthenotesblog]

Just What The World Doesn’t Need - Another Top 10 Band List

For going on two years now, since I first started this music blog, I’ve been fighting the urge to publish my all-time top 10 favorite artist list.

There are many faults in publishing a favorite artist list. First off, when the entity doing so (me), doesn’t have the street cred, a favorite artist list can fall flat. Let’s face it, I’m no Pitchfork or SPIN Magazine columnist. Also, such lists are very subjective. Finally, proclaiming a top band list can be seen as a tad narcissistic because who really cares what a blogger like me thinks?

That said, I’ve often wondered how I’d rank my favorite artists/bands. When I think about that, I can certainly come up with a few top candidates right off the bat, but after the first three or four obvious artists come to my mind, filling the list out seems difficult. I also struggle with how to rank those bands I loved when I was young versus those I gravitate to as I am close to entering my sixth decade of life.

Answering this question really isn’t as easy as it might seem. 

But recently, I  attempted to find my answer. I tried to do so as objectively as I possibly could. This is where my long-time, trusted friend comes in - “The Weighted Average.”

In an attempt to objectively determine who my top 10 favorite artists are, I did what I often do when making a big decision, things like purchasing a car or changing jobs. I developed a weighted-average spreadsheet to help bring objectivity to the answering of this question.

The spreadsheet I built involved quantifying the number of iTunes songs I have in my catalog for each artist, along with the breadth of each artist’s overall number of published songs and finally, and most highly weighted, I tried to rate the amount I listen to each artist at the present time. I weighted this factor more because I believe that anyone’s favorite artists can fluctuate based on their current listening habits. What I mean by that is if I were doing this list when I was 18 years old, Led Zeppelin and The Police would have made the cut. Now? Not a chance because I rarely listen to either of those bands, despite the respect I have for each.

Anyway, I used those factors to create a weighted spreadsheet using a 5-to-1 scale to try to officially quantify my top 10 favorite artist list. Those ten artists with the highest average score made the cut.

Without further explanation for how I got there, here is a look at my current Top 10 favorite artist list, subject to change.

# 10 - J Cole

I can thank my son Jonathan for bringing J Cole’s music to me. That boy has been singing J Cole’s praises for the last few years. I find myself listening to J Cole’s 2013 release Born Sinner constantly and his newer stuff is almost as good. Considering I’m an older Gen-Xer who missed the rap revolution by about five years, I was surprised and somewhat delighted to see a rap artist make my top 10 list.

Jim’s Favs: 1) Born Sinner, 2) 2014 Forest Hills Drive

Discography: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/j-cole-mn0001089515/discography

#9 - Husker Du

I am definitely a product of the mid-to-late 1980s pre-alternative music explosion and in my world, Husker Du was a big part of that. I still listen to their albums fairly regularly, especially their 1987 swan swan song double-album Warehouse: Songs and Stories. Most of their catalog still holds up, if you can get past the poor production quality that makes virtually every song sound like it was recorded inside an extra large tin can. I never saw them live, but have seen their lead singer Bob Mould play countless times. 

Jim’s Favs: 1) Warehouse: Songs and Stories, 2) New Day Rising, 3) Flip Your Whig

Discography: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/h%C3%BCsker-d%C3%BC-mn0000639053/discography

#8 - Pixies

See my Husker Du commentary for why a guy like me might fall in love with an awesome band like the Pixies. The Pixies changed the college music game for my generation like few others. I still listen to their albums quite often. There might not have been a Nirvana without these forebears who hit the scene a few years prior to the Grunge movement. They reunited a couple of years ago and while the new albums don’t move me as much as the older stuff, it is good to see them be able to still put out quality music.

Jim’s Favs: 1) Doolittle, 2) Trompe le Monde

Discography: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/pixies-mn0000895136/discography

#7 - Wilco

Where do I start with Jeff Tweedy and his revolving door of mates? As I reviewed my spreadsheet findings, I quickly realized that this band would have been in my top three just five years ago, as I really don’t listen to them as much now as back then. But, I certainly have a lot of their songs in my iTunes catalog and that counts for a lot. I have also seen them live 5+ times and although I’ve passed on doing so that the last couple of Kansas City tour stops, they are a great live band and definitely worthy of being in any top 10 artist list.

Jim’s Favs: 1) Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, 2) Summerteeth, 3) Sky Blue Sky

Discography: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/wilco-mn0000254215/discography 

#6 - The Good Life

I would not have guessed that this Tim Kasher side-project would make my top 10 list. But indeed, the spreadsheet tells me they are worthy. The Good Life, which doubles as the state motto for Kasher’s (and my) home state of Nebraska, has been described as the “softer-rock” side of Kasher’s artistry. Tim Kasher’s primary fame (if you can call it that) is for the work he has done with his band, Cursive. He started The Good Life in 2000 and they still put out great music out as evidenced by their under rated 2015 release Everybody’s Coming Down.

Then again, maybe I shouldn’t be surprised that The Good Life made the list. After all, they are one of only four bands, the others being Husker Du, The Afghan Whigs and Radiohead, for which I have adorned a band sticker on my car. Currently, a The Good Life sticker is attached to my Volkswagen GTI.

Their 2003 release Album of The Year is considered their finest work. It is a story of a lost soul, played out on the streets of Omaha and Council Bluffs. Just the recipe for a guy like me who grew up in Nebraska. 

Jim’s Favs: 1) Album of the Year, 2) Everybody’s Coming Down

Discography: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-good-life-mn0000059700/discography

#5 - The Afghan Whigs

Oh yes. The Afghan Whigs. 

There was a time in my life when this band meant everything to me. While most people have either never heard of, or are only vaguely familiar with, The Afghan Whigs, there are those among us who just can’t get enough of them. This is evidenced by the 1,384 ardent members of “The Congregation” a very active Facebook group for hard core fans like me. I never saw them live during their heyday, but when they reunited in 2013 after a 12-year hiatus, I flew to Atlanta with my college buddy and fellow Whigs disciple Tim, to see them play. That show and that album Do to the Beast proved that The Afghan Whigs are one of the best bands and live acts around, even as they enter the AARP zone. The Afghan Whigs will release a new studio album later in 2017 and I can’t wait to listen to it.

Jim’s Favs: 1) Gentlemen, 2) Black Love, 3) 1965

Discography: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-afghan-whigs-mn0000602859/discography

#4 - Cursive

Cursive is another former alt-music media darling that has never had legit mainstream success. But, that doesn’t diminish their greatness. These Nebraska natives and flag bearers for the critically acclaimed Omaha music scene have made a national impact and still sell out clubs all over America.

There are two main reasons why I love this band. First, there is Tim Kasher’s lyrics. This guy can tell a story like few others and it is usually a very twisted one. Several of their albums are concept works in nature. Secondly, the sounds this band creates using dissonant guitar chord progressions is very unique. Their sound is an acquired taste, for sure. This is one of those bands that I absolutely love, but that few of my contemporaries have ever gotten into. 

Despite that, I always feel solace when I either attend one of their shows or I read that they’ve sold out famous clubs in Chicago, LA or New York. This underscores the fact that there are others who also see this band’s brilliance. I find strange comfort in that.

Jim’s Favs: 1) Happy Hollow, 2) I AM GEMINI, 3) The Ugly Organ

Discography: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/cursive-mn0000138271/discography

#3 - Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks

Make no mistake. I’ve had a man crush on Stephen Malkmus and his guitar work for over a decade. It all started in 2003, when I saw Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks open for Radiohead in St. Louis.

I didn’t even know Malkmus’ name prior to that evening. I knew of his ‘90s band Pavement, but never really listened to them. 

It is pretty rare for an opening act to make an impact, but I was immediately struck by the sounds Stephen & The Jicks made that night. From there, I purchased a couple of his solo albums and eventually became hooked. 

While Stephen Malkmus is most known for fronting the 90s alt-rock band Pavement, I would say that his post-Pavement solo albums have showcased his guitar playing more than much of his Pavement work.

Beyond the excellent guitar sound, his unique song structures and quirky lyrics make him an acquired taste. But if you like excellent alt-rock guitar and unconventional lyrical structures, this guy just might be for you.

Jim’s Favs: 1) Real Emotional Trash, 2) Wig Out at Jagbags, 3) Stephen Malkmus (self-titled)

Discography: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/stephen-malkmus-the-jicks-mn0002016143/discography 

#2 - Pavement

If you’ve gotten this far, you know that I knew of the band Pavement before I ever knew who their frontman was. 

And when I say I “knew Pavement,” I really didn’t really know them when they were an active band. Pavement was a living, breathing thing from 1992 to 1999 but my only real knowledge was their radio hit “Cut Your Hair” which I never really cared for.

But after seeing Malkmus live, I went back and started listening to Pavement’s catalog, the whole time wondering what the hell I was doing in the 1990s to have not listened to them when it was all actually happening. 

I love Pavement for many of the same reasons I love Stephen Malkmus. It is the unique song structures combined with the incredible guitar playing. This band also had a penchant for long guitar outros, always a plus in my book. But something else that I found enduring with Pavement was the low-fi sense about them. Many of their early albums sounded like they were produced in a garage. The music was almost Guided By Voices-esque (another band I truly adore). 

Low-fi or not, Pavement is a great, great band. One that I wish I had gotten into when they were still producing albums. Luckily, they made Kansas City a reunion tour stop several years ago and played an excellent sold out show at The Uptown Theater.

JIm’s Favs: 1) Wowee Zowee, 2) Brighten the Corners, 3) Slanted and Enchanted.

Discography: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/pavement-mn0000752314/discography

#1 - Radiohead

To give you a sense for how much I love Radiohead, here is a stat for you. As I dug into my iTunes library to see how many songs I had downloaded for each artist, Radiohead’s total number came in at 181 songs, including bootlegs. The next closest band, Wilco, was at 105 songs. These 181 Radiohead songs did not include the countless dozens of songs I’ve downloaded that pay tribute to Radiohead. Compilations and albums like Radiodread, Strung Out On OK Computer “Radiohead Dubs” AmpLIve’s RainyDayz Remixes, etc. 

The sheer number of Radiohead or Radiohead inspired songs I own is maddening. Combine that, with the fact that the only time I have ever gotten choked up at a concert was when Radiohead played “How To Disappear Completely” the first time I saw them play live. That happened despite me being a guy who never cries. Yet there I was, getting all kind of the feels.

Knowing that Radiohead is my all-time favorite band is the easy part in my mind. The hard question I often ask myself is why? Why do I love Radiohead so much?

A skeptic would tell you that their songs are depressing, that many of their albums sound the same, that they’re a bit pretentious. And those observations aren’t necessarily off base.

So why do I love them? As I thought about this more, there are a myriad of reasons:

Radiohead aren’t has-beens. Instead, they have constantly worked to re-invent their sound, the way they release albums, how they do business.

They are arguably the best live band in the world.

They are all incredible musicians. Listen to their “The King of Limbs” album (my least favorite of theirs, by the way) and tell me that these guys aren’t world-class musicians.

They are nerdy, in the coolest way possible.

The sound of Thom Yorke’s vocals. Oh, that voice. It speaks to my soul.

Jonny Greenwood - He is timeless in every imaginable way. The creativity he brings to making interesting sounds is unmatched.

Longevity - They’ve stayed together, while remaining relevant for going on 26 years.

Tonight at Sprint Center will be the fifth time I’ve seen Radiohead play live. 

Great bands like Radiohead don’t last forever. I don’t foresee, nor do I even want Radiohead to hang on like The Rolling Stones or The Who. The reality is that I am getting older. And they are getting older. I get the sense that this may be one of, IF NOT THE last time, I’ll ever see them play. That is why I plan on getting as close to the stage as I possibly can this evening.

It’s not every day you get to see your all-time favorite band play music. So I’m going to make this count.

Jim’s Favs: 1) OK Computer, 2) In Rainbows, 3) The Bends, 4) Kid A

Discography: http://www.allmusic.com/artist/radiohead-mn0000326249/discography

[rctribvtns]

〔 JAIME LORENTE, 23, CIS MALE, PYROKINESIS 〕╰  ANDRÉS SERRANO  just  came  over  half - blood  hill .  you  know ,  the  child  of  HEPHAESTUS  who  was  claimed three months  ago ? i’ve  heard  chiron  say  that  he  is  INQUISITIVE & RESOURCEFUL ,  but  if  you  ask  the  aphrodite  kids ,  they’d  say  they’re  HOT-HEADED & STANDOFFISH .  i’d  say  they  remind  me  of  grease stains on dark coveralls, text messages left on read for 3-7 business days, stargazing on a tailgate in the heat of summer, and nicotine kissed lips ,  especially  since  they’re  NEUTRAL/AGAINST THE NEW CABINS .  

          hi  there,  hi  there,  hello  there  !! my  name’s  c,  i’m  old  as  hell  from  the  AST  time  zone,  and  this  is  my  trash  son  andrés.  i’m  going  to  keep  this  brief  bc  i’m  allergic  to  intros  but  even  as  i  say  that,  it’ll  probably  end  up  being  a  four  paragraph  essay.   apologies  in  advance.  

the  signs  were  always  there,  but  he  ignored  them.  call  it  naivety  or  ignorance,  but  everything  was  explained  away  with  rational  responses.  his  mother  couldn’t  see  the  monsters,  so  she  always  assumed  it  was  the  work  of  an  overactive imagination.  when  he  started  struggling  to  read  languages,  he  was  misdiagnosed  dyslexic  and  flunked  out  of  public  school  —  a  system  that  failed  him.   his  lighter  always  seemed  to  light,  even  though it  was  at  least  five  years  old,  but  he  never  thought  anything  about  it.   you  forget,  after  a  while.  no  one  questions  the  how’s  and  why’s  things  simply  work.

he  was  raised  by  a  single  mother.   they  never  had  much  money,  but  they  had  an  abundance  of  family;  he  was  an  only  child  but  his  aunt,  uncle,  and  six  of  his  cousins  lived  next  door  for  most  of  his  young  life.   he  never  really  felt  like  he  suffered,  not  having  his  dad  around,  because  he  had  a  strong  support  system  in  other  ways.

he  started  working  for  his  uncle  when  he  was  17.  he  might  have  struggled  to  read  but  he  was  a  genius  when  it  came  to  working  on  cars.  he  had  almost  a  sixth  sense  when  it  came  to  cars,  especially  on  how  to  fix  them  up,  and  he  was  a  quick  study  when  it  came  to  learning  the  tricks  of  the  trade.   the  pay  wasn’t  spectacular  but  he  knew  the  chances  of  getting  a  better  job,  or  any  job,  without  his  high  school  education  was  pointless.   he  made  the  choice  to  focus  on  what  he  was  good  at,  not  the  many  things  he  wasn’t,  for  the  sake  of  his  own  sanity.   IT  SURE  AS  HELL  MADE  HIM  HAPPIER.  

THEN  CAME  THE  CLAIMING

imagine  you  think  you  know  who  you  are.   you  have  these  ideas  about  yourself,  these  beliefs,  and  then  someone  bursts  in  like  the  kool  aid  man  and  tears  that  certainty  away  from  you.   when  he  was  claimed  as  the  son  of  hephaestus,  he  thought  it  was  a  joke.  he’d  laughed,  said  there  was  no  friggin  way,  and  had  been  shocked  and  pissed  when  he  found  out  it  was  true.   in  his  mother’s  defense,  she’d  never  known  about  the  truth  of  his  father.  it  was  as  much  a  shock  for  her  as  it  was  for  him.  

at  camp  half-blood,  andrés  isn’t  sure  he  really  belongs  there.  he  got  used  to  his  life,  liked  it  too for  the  most  part,  and  this  ‘demi-god’  business  feels  like  some  kind  of  get  rich  quick  scam.   all  in  all,  he’s  inherently  distrustful  —  especially  with  the  people  who  are  his  ...  siblings  ?   a  man’s  got  only  child  syndrome,  wyd.  

PERSONALITY

he’s  used  to  really  only  being  around  family,  or  people  he  trusts,  so  completely  out  of  his  element  he  comes  off  pretty  standoffish.  rude,  maybe,  or  anti-social  is  also  very  possible.  when  he  likes  you,  he  makes  sure  you  know  ...   and  he  can  be  a  flirt  when  he  wants  to  be.  

yes,  he  does  have  the  infectious  denver  laugh.  if  you  want  to  know  what  i  mean,  click  here.  (  warning:  possible  spoilers  for  la  casa  de  papel  /  money  heist  )

he’s  a  very  tactile  person.  his  hands  are  always  doing  something,  whether  it  be  running  through  his  hair,  rubbing  at  the  back  of  his  neck,  tapping  against  the  inside  of  his  arm,  or  playing  with  things  in  his  hands.  he  also  doesn’t  make  eye  contact  with  people  very  often  because  he  finds  it  uncomfortable.   when  he  knows  you,  trusts  you,  then  you  might  see  that  change.  

he’s  got  a  trigger  for  lying  and  hates  liars.  if  he  catches  you  in  a  lie,  especially  a  big  one,  there’s  going  to  be  trouble.  

he’s  not  the  sort  of  person  who  jumps  into  relationships.  the  few  serious  ones  he  ever  found  himself  in  probably  came  about  from  one  night  stands  that  just  never  ended.  no  strings,  no  grand  declarations  of  love,  just  ...  low  maintenance  relationships.   he’s  kind  of  an  intense  guy  —  also  pretty  guarded  —  so  i  feel  like  many  of  his  relationships  and  friendships  are  shallow  because  people  don’t  want  to  stick  around  long  enough  to  unlock  the  level  45  tragic  backstory.   he’s  used  to  being  underestimated,  or  written  off  because  he’s  poor  and  dumb,  so  while  it  makes  him  mad  (  and  he  might  pop  off  )  he  also  expects  it.  

he  has  a  very  short  fuse  and  a  wicked  temper.  it  isn’t  that  uncommon  to  see  him  taking  his  frustrations  out  on  walls,  or  the  old  boxing  bag  they  had  back  at  his  uncle’s.   he  doesn’t  punch  people  so  much,  not  unless  they’ve  really  done  something  to  deserve  it,  but  he  does  find  comfort  through  aggression  which  is  a  Choice  TM.  

ANYWAYS  YEAH  SO  I  DID  WRITE  A  4  PARAGRAPH  ESSAY.   IF  YOU  WANNA  PLOT  WITH  MY  DEVIL CHILD,  HMU  ON  DISCORD  @  jack the reaper#1764