#going to personally make sure she takes home that grammy this sunday

[1dmonthlyficroundup]

1D Monthly Fic Roundup 

Hi, and welcome to the 1D Monthly Fic Roundup for April 2021! Below the cut you’ll find 17 One Direction fics that were all published this month in the order they were submitted to the blog. We hope you’ll check out these new fics! If you would like to submit your own fic, please check this post on how to submit or visit our blog @1dmonthlyficroundup​. 

To Begin Again by @chloehl10​ / lovelarry10 

[Harry/Louis, 23k, Teen and Up, tumblr post] 

“I, uh, I’m really sorry for yelling at you like I did.”

“Hey, I deserved it and more. I’m lucky you didn’t come and deck me on the nose,” Louis said, holding his hands up as if to surrender. “Seriously, you went lightly on me. If a crazy dog was leaping around me and my kids, I’d have lost my shit long before you did, and it would have been a lot more sweary than yours as well.”

Harry laughed at that, quite liking the man now he was getting to know him. This Louis seemed to have a good sense of humour, and his dog was fairly likeable too, laying there sound asleep, sunbathing.

“Well, I don’t usually lose my temper, so I just wanted to apologise.”

“It’s me who needs to say sorry. My stupid dog ate their bloody eggs, and on Easter Sunday at that. It’s a good job we don’t go to church, Cliff, or we’d both be going straight to hell. Nice ears, by the way. I meant to say earlier.”

*＊✿❀○❀✿＊*

Harry’s ready to spend a fun Easter morning with his two children at the park, but it’s thrown into chaos when an over-excited dog and his owner come barrelling into their lives…

A Small Matter (A Matter of Trust) by @kingsofeverything​ 

[Harry/Louis, 18k, Explicit, tumblr post] 

Harry knows he and his Grindr hookup would be perfect together, if only he could convince him to give a relationship a chance. 

Or Harry has a thing for jock straps. Louis likes to wear them. 

Are you proud of me? by @sadaveniren​ 

[Harry/Louis, 2k, Explicit, tumblr post] 

Louis was completely naked, except for a silk scarf that Harry had never seen before. It was tied around his neck like a bow. His lithe body was cast in dramatic shadows as he descended the stairs and all Harry could think was holy shit, mine, mine, mine.

“Well this is a shame. I was hoping you’d keep the boa.”

Harry blinked in surprise at his voice. He was too caught up in his perfection. “What?”

“I guess the leather will do. I do love you dressed in leather.”

aka I show up 2 weeks late with Grammy Fic

Right Back Home to You by @behindmeday​

 [Harry/Nick Grimshaw, 4k, Teen & Up, tumblr post] 

It wasn’t the first time Harry and Nick were cut off before they really got started talking. In fact, it seemed to be happening more often than not. Nick had an insane schedule that no rational person would choose, but Harry’s was even worse. Between the early mornings on The Breakfast Show and the never-ending time zone changes of tour, it seemed that Harry and Nick weren’t really meant to have any real conversations these days. 

Or, Harry writes Nick a song. 

take my hand (my whole life too) by @beckydoesthings​ / beckywritesthings

 [Harry/Louis, 44k, Explicit, tumblr post] 

“You’re famous?” he asks, deciding to dive straight into the heart of the issue.

Harry winces, dropping his gaze to the table. “Erm… famous is one word for it.”

Well, that’s reassuring. Louis raises an eyebrow until Harry heaves a sigh and continues.

“How much do you know about the British monarchy?”

His stomach drops to the floor in a heartbeat, jaw following suit. There’s no way that what Harry’s insinuating is possible. But as the time ticks by, there’s no change in the deadly serious expression on Harry’s face, fingers twitching steadily on the table as he waits for Louis’ answer.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

Or a Crazy Rich Asians AU with a royal twist where Harry is a prince, Louis is most definitely not, and there’s a royal wedding to attend.

Forever Is In Your Eyes by @so-why-let-your-voice-be-tamed​ / we_are_the_same 

[Harry/Louis, 126k, Teen & Up, tumblr post] 

Harry looks fragile in the moonlight, and Louis stands there, pondering, not even sure what it is that he’s thinking of. It’s all just noise in his head, a mix of melancholy and desire, of longing for something that he doesn’t even have a name for.

He wants-

He wants love. He wants to be held and cherished and have a home. Not just a place to lay his head down at night. He wants to be loved the way that Louis had loved creating Harry. He wants his perfect man, but he wants him to be real. He wants Harry to be real-

His lips press against marble, against something cold and unforgiving, and it’s not until his hand comes up to rest against a sculpted neck that his eyes fly open and he stumbles backwards, nearly falling off the stepladder that he’d stood on.

“Jesus Christ.” He whispers, shaking his head and resisting the urge to brush the back of his hand against his lips, erase evidence that isn’t even visible to the naked eye. Harry stands there, as though nothing’s changed, and of course he does, because he’s a statue.

A statue that Louis has just kissed.

Stuck in an eternal spring by @chrysopon​ / flamboyo 

[Louis/Zayn, 4k, Teen & Up, tumblr post] 

Louis is about to go crazy in the silent solitude of London’s lockdown. The only breach into the grey monotony of his days is the hope of catching a glimpse of the dark-haired guy who lives in the building across the street. One night they have their night cigarette together while both in their flats, twenty meters and an empty, quiet street between them. It becomes a habit, but maybe there’s hope for it to become something more. 

It’s Been So Long by @elsi-bee​ / elsi_bee 

[Harry/Louis, 31k, Teen & Up, tumblr post] 

Harry Styles’ first crush was one of his sister’s best friends, a certain someone named Louis Tomlinson. And Louis? He just vaguely remembers Gemma’s younger brother from back in the day. 

A lot can change in ten years. 

Featuring Niall and Liam as Harry’s friends, flirting, fluff, and flashbacks to the awkward days of high school. 

This Dream Lost by @zanniscaramouche​ / zanni_scaramouche

[Liam/Louis/Harry, 5k, Mature, tumblr post] 

It’s a dangerous game to play his Alpha like this, and it gives Harry a thrill through his spine he’s not sure he likes. It’ll be worth it, but he doubts he’ll be pulling any surprises on Louis for a while after this. He can’t fucking stand it as is and it’s not even really for Louis, it’s for Liam. 

Mercy by @zanniscaramouche​ / zanni_scaramouche 

[Niall/Shawn Mendes, 5k, Explicit, tumblr post] 

“I-” Shawn licks his lips, eyes bright and wide with the shock. 

Balls in his court now. He could refuse, step away from the line they’re toeing and laugh it off. But he doesn’t, just like Niall knew he wouldn’t. Because Shawn wants this. They both do, and that’s what makes it so fucking insane. 

Blind Faith by @2tiedships2​ 

[Harry/Louis, 18k, Mature, tumblr post] 

“Harry?” Liam prompted.

“I’m blind,” Harry eventually said, trying his best to keep himself from crying.

Liam was silent for a few moments, before responding, “That’s not exactly news, H. You were blind when I met you a year and a half ago. Have you been in denial this whole time or something?”

“No, Liam,” Harry cut in. “This is different. I’m not legally blind like I used to say. It’s not just my night vision. The tunnel from my tunnel vision has closed. I’m fucking blind! I moved halfway around the world in the hope of finding my soulmate and it’s obviously not happening now. Not even a soulmate is going to want to put up with a blind alpha.“

The Journal by @wait4ever​ / RecycledStardust & @evilovesyou​ / 4ureyesonly28 

[Louis/Harry, 14k, General, tumblr post] 

When Harry finds himself purchasing an antique journal in the ancient bookshop of a town he’s never heard of, he doesn’t exactly want to admit that he has no idea how he got there. A myriad of odd coincidences and a few kind smiles from the shopkeeper have the two of them working hard to solve the mystery of this strange journal that seems to have been waiting for Harry for almost a hundred and thirty years. 

But I’m the Quarterback by @evilovesyou​ / 4ureyesonly28 

[Harry/Louis, 52k, Explicit, tumblr post] 

Harry Styles is the quarterback of Sunny High’s football team, dating the beautiful head cheerleader, and determined to enter his senior year with focus and discipline. That is, until a strange man shows up at his home, makes his girlfriend break up with him, and convinces his parents to send him off to a “reparative therapy camp” over the summer. 

At True Directions, Harry meets four other boys and five girls, all there to be cured of their homosexuality. He has to find a way out of this place as soon as possible—Christ, he isn’t even gay! 

Know a Trick or Two by @sadaveniren​ 

[Harry/Louis, 45k, Explicit, tumblr post] 

The night before Louis is scheduled for a Portkey to begin training with the Vratsa Vultures in Bulgaria he heads into Muggle London for one last night of fun. A few months later he finds out he’s having a child. 

Eleven years ago Harry had a one night stand and now there’s a strange man on his doorstep telling him his daughter is something called a wizard and she’s got a place at the British wizarding school Hogwarts. 

Aka the one where Muggle Harry and Wizard Louis have a one night stand and get more than they bargained out of it. 

Until That Day by @kingsofeverything​ 

[Harry/Louis, 44k, Explicit, tumblr post] 

Harry Styles is days away from walking down the aisle when his previous failed weddings are turned into a public spectacle by jaded London journalist Louis Tomlinson. Hoping to witness Harry leave another groom at the altar, Louis heads to Holmes Chapel, where nothing goes as planned, and he finds himself falling for the serial heartbreaker. 

A Runaway Bride movie AU 

Caught In Your Gravity by @lululawrence​ 

[Harry/Louis, 63k, Not Rated, tumblr post] 

It felt like the blood froze in Harry’s veins even as he got a bit lightheaded. He hadn’t even made it two practices, only one of which he was remotely in charge of, without giving it all away and now he and Liam were both absolutely fucked.

“Shit,” Harry breathed out. “Who all have you told? Does everyone know? I thought I covered it better than that…”

“No, no,” Louis said quickly. “They’ll figure it out soon enough, though, because they’ll get used to you changing things up, but you’re only going to trip over your so called Americanisms for so long before they realize it’s because you don’t actually know fuck all about football.”

Harry sighed. “Yeah. I figured. I just need to bullshit for long enough to allow Liam to get the situation figured out from his end.”

“Right, which brings me to my entire point. I think we can find a mutually beneficial arrangement with all of this.” Louis leaned forward. “You need to learn the ins and outs of the sport incredibly fast. I can help you with that.”

“What do you want in exchange?”

Or, an AU inspired by a 30 second trailer of Ted Lasso that doesn’t actually have much in common with the show at all.

Passing By by @larryyouknow​

[Harry/Louis, 48k, Explicit, tumblr post]

Sometimes, people are in each other’s lives just for the briefest of moments. They meet and then go their separate ways because being vulnerable is scary and it might be easier to not let anybody else in. But some people aren’t meant to be just passing by. Maybe when they open their eyes, they can learn things about themselves they haven’t known before. If they let their hearts speak they will find a way to be together.

Or the one where Harry doesn’t even know he’s into guys until he meets Louis on a boat trip. There’s something more to their friendship but it ain’t gonna be smooth sailing.

[tswiftdaily]

Taylor Swift on "Lover" and haters

You might say Taylor Swift's happy place is at the piano in her Nashville home. "There have been so many songs that were written at this piano," she said.

"And it's often the middle of the night?" asked correspondent Tracy Smith.

"It's usually in the middle of the night," she replied. "Or if I'm trying to get to sleep and I can't and then I get an idea. And I'm, like, 'Well, I'm not tired anyway!' And then kind of wander over here."

It's kind of a rare sight, not just because "Sunday Morning" was there ("I haven't serenaded someone in a while, hope you know that!"), but because, for the moment, Taylor Swift was actually sitting still.

I promise that you'll never find another like Me-e-e, Ooh ooh ooh ooh I'm the only one of me Baby, that's the fun of me – "Me!" by Taylor Swift, Joel Little and Brendon Urie

And there never really has been another like Taylor Swift. After only 13 years in the business, she's become a musical force of nature, with an armload of #1 hits, more Grammy Awards than The Rolling Stones, and (according to Forbes) the distinction of being the highest-paid celebrity on the planet.

By any measure, she's an amazing young woman. But there were times, she says, that being young, and a woman, worked against her.

"You're always gonna have people going, 'Did she write all her own songs?'" she said. "Talking about your personal life, talking about your dating life.

"There's a different vocabulary for men and women in the music industry, right?"

"Gimme an example," asked correspondent Tracy Smith.

"Okay. A man does something, it's 'strategic'; a woman does the same thing, it's 'calculated.' A man is allowed to 'react'; a woman can only 'over-react.'"

And it seems her usual reaction is to get to work. Swift writes or co-writes all of her songs. And what's more, her music videos are all her vision, from the pastel wonderland in "Me!"…to the giant dollhouse in her latest video, "Lover."

That's also the title of her critically-acclaimed new studio album, her seventh. She wrote "Lover" on her piano at home, and polished it up in the studio. And once she recorded the music, Swift (accompanied by and her cats) went to Hollywood to make the music video, and she invited Smith along to watch.

There's a love story here, and like a lot of Swift's work, it's an echo of her real life.

Born in Reading, Pennsylvania, Swift discovered her love for music as a toddler. She set her sights on a career in country music, and eventually her parents and younger brother moved to Nashville to help her do it.

"My brother's a real bro for doing that," Swift said.

"Yeah, they all upended their lives," Smith said.

"For sure."

"It worked out well!"

"Yeah, I buy 'em lots of presents," she laughed.

The rest reads like a fantasy: Swift became a country music phenomenon, and, in the last few years, a pop icon. But the superstar is, by her own admission, as emotionally fragile as any other 20-something, "I'm still someone who is the first to apologize when I'm wrong," she said. "But I think I'm better at standing up for myself when I've been wronged. So, that's something that I think also comes with growing up."

Which brings us to Scooter Braun. Earlier this summer, Braun, a talent agent with whom Swift says she has a contentious relationship, acquired the rights to her previous recordings – her masters – when his company bought Scott Borchetta's Big Machine Label Group for a reported $300 million. Borchetta, who worked with Swift for years, says she and those close to her (including her dad, who was an investor), knew about the deal in advance, and that Swift had previously been offered the chance to buy her own masters.  

She remembers it differently, and told Smith she didn't see it coming: "I found out when it was online, like, when it hit the news."

"Nobody in your inner circle knew?" Smith asked.,

"Nobody knew."

"And you didn't smell it?"

"No. I knew he would sell my music; I knew he would do that. I couldn't believe who he sold it to, because we've had endless conversations about Scooter Braun. And he has 300 million reasons to conveniently forget those conversations."

With the sale of the masters to her first six albums, there has been speculation that Swift might re-record her back catalog, in order to control the recordings of her songs.

Smith asked, "Might you do that?"

"Oh, yeah," Swift replied.

"That's a plan?"

"Yeah, absolutely!"

Scooter Braun may not agree with her side of the story, but he did reach out to Swift in a tweet last week, calling her new album "brilliant."

It's clear that Swift wants to control her music:  When it's time to release one of her new songs, she does it personally, talking to her fans live on Instagram. This personal connection has earned her a loyal following. But her openness comes at price: She's followed just about everywhere she goes these days, by people who are crazy about her – or just plain crazy.

Smith asked, "Where is home for you now?"

"It's a very good question," she said. "I try not to ever really say where I am the most, because since all my addresses are on the internet, people tend to show up uninvited. Like, you know, dudes that think we have an imaginary marriage."

"And you mentioned that you keep wound dressing with you?"

"Yeah. I've had a lot of stalkers show up to the house, armed. So, we have to think that way."

And she's come under attack in other ways: You need only glance at the tabloids to see some very well-publicized feuds, and she often hits back at her haters through her music. For instance, in "You Need to Calm Down," she calls out anti-gay protesters and online trolls:

You are somebody that we don't know But you're comin' at my friends like a missile Why are you mad? When you could be GLAAD? Sunshine on the street at the parade But you would rather be in the dark ages …

Control your urges to scream about all the people you hate 'Cause shade never made anybody less gay – "You Need to Calm Down" by Taylor Swift and Joel Little

Smith asked, "I'm curious, because I feel like almost every album, you have a song where you address the haters, at least one song. Sometimes more than one song."

"I probably do have that habit. I imagine that I might have that habit, yeah."

"Why is that? Why sing to the haters?"

"Well, when they stop coming for me, I will stop singing to them," Swift replied. "You know, people go on and on about, like, you have to forgive and forget to move past something. No, you don't. You don't have to forgive and you don't have to forget to move on. You can move on without any of those things happening. You just become indifferent, and then you move on."

"Do you believe in forgiveness?"

"Yes, absolutely, like, for people that are important in your life who have added, you know, who have enriched your life and made it better, and also there has been some struggle and some bad stuff, too. But I think that, you know, if something's toxic and it's only ever really been that, what are you gonna do?"

"Just move on?"

"Just move on. It's fine."

Taylor Swift's music is always personal, sometimes intensely so. "There's one song on the album called 'Soon You'll Get Better' that it's, I can't even really hear. I can't even listen to it."

She won't talk specifically about her inspiration, but it comes at a time when her mother Andrea, who was battling cancer, suffered a relapse.

Swift said, "It's really interesting because I don't think I have written a song quite like that before. And it's just sort of, like, it's just a tough one."

"I can imagine. But I can also tell you, having listened to it, that it's universal."

"It's just not something that we deal with until we have to, until we see it, until we experience it, until someone close to us is going through something like that. And so, writing about it was really emotional. And I'm just gonna stop talking about it now."

She's more comfortable plunging into her work. On the Hollywood set, a large glass tank will become a symbolic fish bowl in the "Lover" music video.

"I very oftentimes remark that my life is like a fish bowl, and that, like, if I were to, like, fall in love, you know, somebody's choosing to be in that fish bowl with me. To jump into the fish bowl with me and live in that world just with me – it's not as depressing as it sounds, I promise! It's just symbolic!"

Talk about fish bowls: she's been dating British actor Joe Alwyn for three years. Seems he's up for a swim.

At the moment, Swift is, well, fully immersed in today. Beyond that, she says she doesn't know … and doesn't really want to.

Smith asked her, "Do you think about, you know, 'What am I gonna do in 20, 30 years?'"

"No, 'cause that puts me into what I call a panic spiral," Swift replied. "Like, I cannot do that. I've never been able to do that."

Why? "It just freaks me out. When I zoom out too far, I freak out. Do I know where I'm gonna be or even wanna be in 20 years? Absolutely not. Like, not taking a single day for granted."

"So, how far ahead do you look?"

"Six months. Just 'cause I have to plan shows and stuff. But I don't know what I'll do after this album. And I think that's great. I tell myself, like, it's actually really ungrateful to just assume that you have 20 years. Like, be stoked that you have today."

(x)

[boop-e-pie]

hallluuu! i’m back with a second story! idk who liked my previous story but thank you! i give you, hallway no.7!

Well, every family has that one thing they hide from everyone. My family has 7. For us, we hide the fact that we are cold blooded murderers. Trained from birth to bring death upon people. For the right price, of course.

My Grammy, Grand Papi, Mom and Dad, they are absolutely skilled killers. No one in our bloodline has ever got caught. We intend to keep it that way. My brother, Henry, his weapon of choice are daggers. I have no idea how many he carries but they seem to never run out. At times I thought he had magical abilities. Spoiler alert: he doesn’t!

Then we meet my little sister, Joey. She’s 16 and her weapon of choice is a spear and katanas. Dad made it so that she can adjust the length of her spear at any time, to ease her in her battles. Body count: 27. Not bad for a newbie.

I’m Sonic. I know, I have the coolest name in my family. I forced them to change it when I was 6. I would kill the house cats every time they said no. It’s pretty fucked up if you think of it... Anyway, my weapon of choice is anyweaponIcanfindbecauseIamindecisiveandcannotchoosetosavemylife. I would bring the first thing my eyes land on the second we enter the weaponry. There’s anything and everything you could imagine. Katanas? Check! Guns? Check! Portable mine bombs? Check! Phone bomb? Check!

Like I said, anything and everything you could imagine. Literally ANYTHING! My dad can make anything he puts his mind to. I, on the other hand, am helpless when it comes to creating weapons. I failed every single attempt and would end up just hurting myself. Nevertheless, I am the best assassin in my bloodline. I am very versatile and I adapt to the situation very quickly. I beat my dad multiple times under 2 minutes and he held the title for best assassin so badabing-badaboom, I’m the best now.

Every year we would hold an election day. We would choose 1 person in our beautiful country of Velenznova, the best of the best of fighters and see if they can survive a treacherous night in the hallways of our house. We would scare and maim and hurt the challenger. If they survive... I don’t know what will happen if they survive, no one in 27 years has been able to survive the house. Everyone who survived ended up getting killed by my stupid bloodlust controlled brother, Henry.

Apparently this year, things are going to change. For some reason, a group of 10 kids are going to be living with us, in our massive house for about a month and as per my dad’s rules, they cannot know a thing. If they came at any other time, I would be fine but right now, requests are coming in hot and coming in fast. At times I would come home all bloodied and messy, only to drop dead in the lobby. I can’t do that now.

Sunday night, they arrive at our house with their bags and their books and their little nerdy things. I don’t know, okay? All of them look absolutely weird and awkward but smart and composed. One of them catches my eye. I jump from the first floor window, all the way down to the pebble covered ground. I land in front of a young lady, delicate looking and sweet.

“Name‘s Sonic. You are?” I put my hand out and she smiles and accepts it.

“Eden. Sonic is a pretty weird name. Also, where did you come from? You appeared out of nowhere.” She asks me with a shy look on her face and my heart completely melts. I take her hand, folding every single finger except for the pointer finger and points to the windows I jumped from. She giggles and tells me that’s amazing. I know I’m amazing but I like hearing it from her.

Henry drags me by the collar and pulls me away. Eden lets out a small giggle before I wave my hand at her as I was being dragged by my brother. Henry warns me about flirting with other people and I roll my eyes. He is such a party pooper.

My sister informs me that I have to leave for work and Henry let’s go. Joey pulls me by the ear and drags me into the office. That was not a fun experience. I unlock the secret door to enter the weaponry and a whole bookcase moves out of the way.

We close the door behind us and punch in the code so that we can walk through the iron vault door. My eyes meet with a beautiful freshly forged Karambit. I take it off the glass table and test it out. I absolutely love it! The small size, the speed it gives me, the cool spinny thing I can do with it. My dad truly is the best.

I enter the changing room to change into something more comfortable to fight in and I put on my “assassin cloak”. My family still does that for some reason. I get out of the room and I pick and choose other weapons too like a couple guns, a few hidden daggers and a garrote wire just because I can bring it.

My sister and I leave the mansion through the secret back door and we start doing our job. Today’s job is to burst into a meeting, kill everyone and not die. Apparently they’ve been importing cheap drugs and selling it to a drug lord saying it’s a premium drug. That’s just a death wish if you ask me.

The meeting is taking place in a reserved casino, that makes things so much easier. We kill whoever isn’t involved and kill whoever that’s involved, easy. We enter through the kitchen door, obviously as no one is stupid enough to try and hurt us while we’re bringing katanas and guns.

To be honest, only one person has to die but why not finish all of them? Why not? We burst through the door and to our surprise, they have guns. Well so do I.

I give Joey a smile before we start completely obliterating everyone. Some dude really tried to pull me back by yanking my cloak but guess what? There’s a thing called velcro. I stick a dagger through his chest and he falls to the ground.

I make my way to the boss and there’s 4 men defending him. None of them are armed? That’s is so stupid. Joey finishes off the rest and I take my gun out from the back of my pants and shoot the boss straight in the head while Joey finishes off the other 4 guys. Everyone is now on the floor, bleeding one way or another and to make sure everything is all fine and dandy, I place a bullet in each of their heads, finishing each and every one of them.

Joey and I return to the car and drive away as fast as possible.

“I’m tired, aren’t you?” Joey asks me.

“I am totally drained. You wanna get some food after this? My treat,” I offer and she nods. “Right now, we have a problem. How the hell are we going to be able to return to our rooms? Windows? I’m so tired to climb—“

“Basement,” we say we at the same time and I step on the gas. We get home and we sneak to the back of the house all bloodied and dirty and enter the basement through a trapdoor.The basement hallways are always lit so we don’t have to worry about a single thing. We open the door leading to the kitchen and my dad is standing on the other side.

He’s making food. Joey’s eyes light up instantly. We’re not allowed to get food until after we’re clean so Joey and I run up to our rooms, taking off our cloaks, gloves and masks on the way up the flights of stairs. I entered my room, shower and cleaned myself before heading to the kitchen. My dad made us steaks and mashed potatoes.

“They’re here because we are one of the founding families. Play nice and absolutely no flirting. I’m talking to you, Sonic. Henry told me your little encounter with one of the girls.” My dad glares at me and I look away, pretending to know nothing of the incident. “All your missions are on hold for now. We’ll figure out something.”

“Wait, what? Then what am I going to do all month? Just sit around at the estate?” My sister glares at me, knowing that she can’t leave the house for any other reason other than work. I roll my eyes at her and turn my attention at my dad. He nods and I groan.

I don’t really have a say but he’s paying me while I am stuck at home so whatever.

~

“My grandparents give us the money to buy whatever crap we want because we can’t leave the estate until we’re 18. My sister can’t leave home yet so I rarely leave too. My brother on the other hand, loves to go out. Understandable,” I tell Eden what goes on in our house and she lets out a giggle. “You can’t leave the house until you’re 18? Wow. What do you do here? Let me guess, laptop and lotion?”

“That’s where you put the bar, Eden? Ouch. The estate is massive. We would go horse riding or swimming or archery or tennis or combat training or sit inside and read. We do sports a lot. Up until I was 19, my dad made me study 8 hours a day. From the age of 6, we’ve been spending a lot of time studying. We’re pretty smart for people who don’t leave the estate much.” I tell her and she seems pretty amazed.

We continue walking and she notices a pretty hidden door that we keep several weaponry. My dad explained to me last night that they can know that we are weaponsmiths but they can’t know that we are assassins. I place my hand on the RFID detector and the chip in my wrist unlocks the door. I pull out the hidden compartment and I notice a bloody dagger that I use in one of the missions.

She looks at it and picks it up by the handle, careful not to touch the blood. She asks for an explanation and I lift up my shirt, pointing to one of my many many scars. I take the dagger out of her hand and I keep it in my pocket. She takes out a katana and she hands it to me. I do a few tricks here and there with the sole reason to impress her.

I hear my sister’s very high-pitched voice and I know that I am in trouble. I am holding her sword without her permission and I know I am in very very deep trouble. I turn towards her and she has 2 other people following her. “You are supposed to give her a tour, not show her tricks and do funny business! Dad is taking away your card if you slip up and all access to your thing!”

I crouch down to her height and tease her. “When have I ever slipped up? I know my place, kiddie. I am done with the tour, okay? Don’t worry about me.” I pat her head and she glares at me.

Eden takes my hand and pulls me to the end of the hallway. She points to the door and she asks me what’s inside that room. I tell her that there's a hallway that no one can enter. It’s a lie but she doesn't know that. Oh well. I lie to her that I can’t enter by tapping my wrist on the detector and it won’t open.

There’s a special code we have to tap to get in and obviously I didn’t do that. Hallway number 7 is absolutely off limits to anyone and everyone outside of our family. In there, lies our deepest darkest secret and NO ONE can find out or we’re done for.

I lead back to the kitchen and I tell the chef to cut up some fruits for us. He obliges and I turn my attention to Eden. “What information do you want to know about my family? What’s not enough on your little notebook of yours?” She thinks it’s flirting and she starts blushing. Lord, save me.

“I want to know what was like growing up in the estate. You can’t leave, you’re locked inside. How did it feel?”

“Pretty normal. It’s not like we don’t have the internet and I can leave but for a good reason. My parents didn’t lock me up in here, I just didn’t like leaving. I get anxious and this house is a safe place for me. I played a lot and I got really fit but I still enjoyed reading and stuff. In our house, there’s always a balance. My childhood was mostly my siblings and I playing in the field, classes with Mr Harrows and helping my dad and mom in the workshop and the tailor. Most of the time, I don’t like people outside of my family because we can’t just trust anyone right? My dad and mom really taught me to know who to trust and not to.” I lied again. My childhood was mostly school and combat training. We did play around but that’s after 8 hours of ‘school’ and 10 hours of training. By the time we finish our training, all of us would be completely drained, no one wanted to play.

We continued chatting and thankfully none of the questions were about how we even get the money we have. My dad sells weapons and my mom is a fashion designer/tailor. Neither of the jobs is enough to pay for the estate. Not even close. I wonder what my dad said about that question. It’s probably about old money or some bullshit like that. It’s not a full lie like the ones I’ve been telling her but our ‘old money’ is in the Velenznova bank. We just don’t use any of it. The money in the bank is just for show.

Later that night, all my family members were required to meet up at the forbidden hallway and one by one entered the hallway. Making sure none of us looked suspicious. the door actually leads to another room but we just call it Hallway Number 7 to throw people off. The door will automatically close after 30 seconds and I was the last one to enter so I didn’t think about anything as I walked in. I take my seat and I say, “I don’t like tradition being changed. The kids can enter the house, look though our shit and we can’t kill any of them? That’s a bummer. That Eden girl is so tiny, I just wish to break her neck and—“

I hear a gasp from the door and it’s Eden. I smirk at her and walk towards her. The door closes, completely sealing off the sound proof and windowless room. “You know a little too much, Princess… I’m sorry but you have to leave.”

Crying, she says, “Sonic, I won’t tell anyone. I promise. Please don’t hurt me.”

I glide my hand on her cheek and with a swift motion, I break her very delicate neck. The sound she made as her neck was being snapped sounded so soft. I turn to my family and shrug. The look of disappointment on their faces are obvious. My grandmother groans and says, “we’ll deal with the family. Sonic, you clean this up. Henry, follow me. Joey, pack her things. Sonic, make sure she’s really dea—“ I pierce her heart with the dagger I have in my pocket from before, cutting off my grandmother. “Micheal, you did a poor job in raising him… you really did.” I start laughing and my dad glares at me, cutting me short.

Eden’s dead because she knows the secret. Guess what?

YOU'RE NEXT!

[msayalailalim]

“My Hero Academia” inspired Fashion Week

          Earlier this year even when I was just counting down the days till I file my resignation already, I was still so numb from everything but there's this Anime show that pulled me out of it: "My Hero Academia". I was so excited to go home every after my shift to watch it like how I was excited to go home from school to watch my favorite cartoon shows back when I was still in elementary. It felt pretty nostalgic. ☺ I fell in love with everything about it so here I am with my 2nd fashion week project dedicated to the series!

          This time I challenged myself by making 7 looks! That's 2 looks more than my first one! I took this opportunity to use new materials for the designs like cotton swab, candle wax, clay, and foil wrapper. I even used more sewing thread for her wig here with different colors! 🤩

          Presenting my BNHA Fashion Collection! 😎

Instagram caption:

          “My first fashion week project was very fun and productive despite the challenges I encountered during the process. I certainly learned a lot, and now I'm headed to my next ball! 🤩 This week I'm challenging myself to create looks inspired by characters from this Anime series I love so much: "My Hero Academia"! 🥳 My goal is to incorporate the character's personality, design, and story with the looks I'll create this week as high fashion as I can. 😊 I'll be sharing what I'll come up with here from today until Sunday (October 4).

          Today is the first day, and I'm kickstarting this project by giving you nothing because there's literally nobody here! 😆 Only this vintage-looking ball gown with the letters "UA", the name of their academy, embellished on it (just like how their PE uniform is designed) with matching floppy hat! This whole look and also the absence of the one wearing it is inspired by the girl with the invisibility quirk/power named Toru Hagakure. 🙂 With this design I made sure that even if nobody can see her, you can still clearly see that she's fashionably plus ultra! 😊

          One thing I especially love about this Anime series is the fact that it features a diverse set of characters. They even have one who's literally invisible! I just really appreciate that they used different quirks as a symbol of their world's diversity because just like in our world, I believe we are all unique in our own ways and we should all celebrate that. 🥰 - Marv :)”

          When I was choosing the characters I'll take inspiration from, I knew I had to do Hagakure. Not because it seems easy but because it's fun and actually challenging! Taste the Fashion Plus Ultra realness! 🤗

Instagram caption:

          “My Hero Academia Fashion Week, Day 2! 🤩 Serving you hot and cold realness sprinkled with introversion and some daddy issues, this is inspired by the undeniable fan favorite, Shoto Todoroki! 🥰

          It wasn't on my initial plan to put bangs on it but when I tried to, I realized that it perfectly captured Shoto's mysterious, quiet and calm nature. I know he wouldn't let his bangs grow that long, it was just me being extra thinking it looks so high fashion. 😆 I went for the robelike outfit that's two toned representing Shoto's two quirks, and I cut it in two showing her tummy which is so stylish for me. 👌 Overall, I think it's a simple look but I believe I was able to project that subtle elegance and charisma I see in Shoto with my interpretation. 🥰

          Todoroki is really one of my favorite characters from the series not just because of his character's aesthetic but also his depth in general due to his high-pressure and toxic upbringing. I'm just glad that in the recent season, there's already a development in his relationship with his father, Endeavor. I want nothing but the best for him. 🤩 - Marv :)”

          "Sia in the house!" is what it seems but it's just my doll challenging her Todoroki fantasy! It was supposed to be a robe but the material I used wasn't the most cooperative. Nonetheless, I believe this is still a serve! 😎

Instagram caption:

          “My Hero Academia Fashion Week, Day 3! 😊 This look is inspired from the ultimate ship of the series, our boy Deku and hospitalization. ☺

          I know this project wouldn't be complete without our beloved hero, Izuku Midoriya so here it is! The look is based on his need to be healed after constantly using his much powerful quirk beyond his limit since he's still learning how to have full control of it. I wrapped my doll with bandages, and gave it a plunging neckline to make it look so chic. There's also a touch of sky blue in it since it's a common color used by hospital with their gowns. Then, I added the cane and shades to complete the posh just-got-home-from-the-hospital look! 😎 I didn't have a "Deku" shade of green for the hair though. Nonetheless I believe this "Billie Eilish - Grammys 2019" shade perfectly fit the look I was going for. ☺

          Deku is really that protagonist that you'll definitely root for. His character is so well written so I can't help but feel proud of him with all his heroic deeds! Indeed, anyone can reach their dreams as long as they believe, and go plus ultra! ❤ - Marv :)”

          Serving you fashionable hospital discharge fantasy! A little fashion won't hurt, baby! 🤣

Instagram caption:

          “My Hero Academia Fashion Week, Day 4! 🥳 The fashion inspiration for this look is none other than the "Alien Queen", Mina Ashido! 😊 Her quirk is the ability to secrete Acid which she skillfully uses for offense and defense! 😍 Without a doubt, she's one of the most lovely characters from the series with her fun and upbeat energy as a student and hero! 🤩

          The concept I was going for with this look is to kind of reimagine her character, and this time as a fashionable member of the League of Villains! Anyone should already be warned by the flowing Acid from her hands to her dress that she's about to make ALL FOR ONE proud even with her eyes closed. *Evil Laugh* Just kidding. 😂 Anyway, I had so much fun doing that Acid effect using candle wax! I've been meaning to use it for one of Ayala's looks for a long time now so I didn't let this opportunity pass, and I'm very happy with the outcome! 😭

          For the record, this is one of my favorite looks I've done for my doll so far. Cheers! 😭🥳 - Marv :)”

          Make way for this diva! One of my favorite looks that I've done so far. I was just so stunned by it the whole time. Even now. Speechless. 🤤

Instagram caption:

          “My Hero Academia Fashion Week, Day 5! 😊 If I were to create a look inspired by Class 1-A's incredible homeroom teacher: Shota Aizawa, I might as well do one that I know will get his approval which is none other than using his yellow sleeping bag! 😂

          This had certainly been done by many fan arts already but it didn't discourage me to not do one myself since it's indeed iconic, fun and relatable! I just had to put my own twist on it so it would fit this project I'm doing perfectly. I made it look like a fitted dress with a hoodie while still making it obvious that it's in the shape of a sleeping bag. I also styled her hair in a way that would cover half of her face to channel Aizawa's elusive nature just in case the attachment to sleeping bags isn't enough to do so. 😆 I even added a sleep mask with false eyelashes 'cause why not? HAHA. 😂

          I believe I could've done more with this look, but the clay wasn't super friendly to me at all. 😂 Regardless of that, I still think that this is a fun look, and it surely makes me squeal over how cute it is. It's so comfy that even my doll fell asleep during our photoshoot! 😂 - Marv :)”

          There was a silhouette I planned on doing with this one which is like the base of a wine glass but I don't think I achieved it. Anyway, still had fun with the clay. I'll shut up now, we wouldn't want to wake up a sleeping diva. 😆

Instagram caption:

          “My Hero Academia Fashion Week, Day 6! ☺ The hero I'm channeling today is the funny and lovable Tetsutestsu Tetsutetsu! 🤩 Simply mentioning his name makes me giggle already. 😆 I find his steel quirk very cool so I knew I had to include him in this project! 😍

          The narrative I was going for with this look is a straight guy heading to the basketball court alone with his fashionable streetwear. No one wants to join him out of intimidation from his looks. First of all, he's got an awesome luminous skin tone. He's confidently rocking a crop top which makes their fragile masculinity even more fragile, and he'd rather play using his ball with pastel blue color because he can. They simply can't catch his drip! His daily mental reminder is: "Well, you can't blame them." 🤣

          I wasn't planning to do a menswear for this project, but when I thought of the idea, I couldn't let it go! Metallic skin tone, black and white combination plus crop tops for men plus oblong shaped shades and even that pastel colored ball, they're all so thrilling together! I believe that all the colors worked well with each other, and with that I'm sooooo satisfied! ☺ - Marv :)”

          Second time doing a male look! Catch all this drip, Mama! 😎 I don't play basketball but if you give me a pastel blue ball, I might. 😅

Instagram caption:

          “My Hero Academia Fashion Week, Day 7! 🥳 For the final look of this week's fashion project, I have chosen to create one that's inspired by the current Number 2 Pro Hero, Hawks! 😊

          Obviously, I didn't stray away from the basic elements of his overall look, I just really took inspiration from each of it and tweaked some with the hooded trenchcoat with a horizontal V-cut in the middle (which isn't really obvious in the photo 😆), face shield that covers the entire face, and glittered wings! His look is just too good to be changed entirely so that left me no choice. ☺

          I'm so excited to see more from Hawks in the Anime! He wasn't really featured much in the recent season since he just got introduced, but he's definitely outstanding already with his personality, quirk and majestic wings! 👑

          I'm so happy that I got to finish my second fashion week project! It's been a fun and fulfilling week for me! I can't say this is the first and only tine I'll feature My Hero Academia because there really are a lot of inspiration I have from the series, the ones I featured this week are just some of my many favorites. For the meantime, the long wait for Season 5 continues. 😭😆😍 - Marv :)”

          Brace yourselves for the landing of my finale look! Again, I'm just in awe. Speechless. This time, I really felt fulfilled. I just finished my second fashion week project! 🥳

          By the end of it, I got this comment from a lovely fellow doll lover who's obviously a BNHA fan as well.

          There really are a lot of characters from that show, and I do plan on making more soon but getting a request like this from a fellow doll lover for the first time means so much to me as someone who's a beginner at this craft. 😭

          I'll definitely use everything I learned this week to go beyond! Plus Ultra! 🦸‍♀️🦸‍♀️🦸‍♀️

[kayincolwyn]

In Memory Of Roxy

Yesterday my family and I sadly had to say goodbye to our beloved family cat Roxy, whom we have had in our family for about 16-17 years, nearly half my life.

Within the last week she got very sick and went downhill quickly, and she showed all the signs of fading away that we've seen in cats of her age that we have had in the past, so rather than prolonging her suffering we decided to take her to the Humane Society to have her put to sleep yesterday. Sadly because we are still in the midst of a global pandemic I wasn't able to be with her in her last moments like I wanted to be, but thankfully she was quiet and calm when we gave her over, and they said it went smoothly and she didn't struggle. We believe she was ready to go, and that gives us some comfort.

I realize that losing a 'pet' in the midst of a global pandemic and widespread civil rights protests, all of which are of course important and need our attention, seems small and inconsequential, and I can understand that as I know others are having to face far more pain and loss than I am right now, and no doubt some would say 'well she's just a cat'. Trust me, I know that the timing of this is crazy, as having to deal with the weight of everything that is going on around me as well as my grief is just surreal for lack of a better word, and I know that there are those who see animals as having less importance or value than human beings, which I can kind of understand at least to a point (even though I don't wholly agree), but then in my experience you can love an animal as much as you can a person, if not exactly in the same way, and you can certainly grieve for the loss of them as much as you can for the loss of a person, as I know from experience

C.S. Lewis, the author of The Chronicles Of Narnia, once said this when speaking of love:

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”

I agree with Lewis here, that, and whether we like it or not, with love comes vulnerability, and if we want the joy of bonding with another person, or even with an animal, we must accept also the potential grief of losing them, as we inevitably will lose both humans and animals that we love at some point in our lives. That vulnerability, that potential grief, is all part of a package deal that just we have to accept as best we can if we choose to love. Love and loss must go hand in hand in this world that we live in as difficult as that reality may be.

With all of that said, I just wanted to tell you a little about Roxy.

Like my dog Shasta (who I also wrote a tribute for a few years ago), we inherited Roxy from my aunt Stephanie after she passed away when Roxy was a kitten. Stephanie bought Roxy at a pet store, and I think she named her after the song Roxanne by The Police. Roxy stayed with us in our trailer along with Shasta and my sister's cat Smokey (who passed away last year at about the same age as Roxy) for about the first ten years of her life, and I admit to my regret that I didn't pay as much attention to her or bond with her as much then as much as I did with Shasta or Smokey, as she was at that time more standoffish and something of an 'ice queen', and there were times I would lash out at her in anger, and I feel that I ignored her far more than she deserved.

But about seven years ago when we moved out of our trailer and into our apartment where we now live, with my sister taking Smokey with her and with my dad helping Shasta find a new home (as we couldn't take Shasta with us) with some friends of his on the coast, we took Roxy with us, and once she got over the usual anxiety of being introduced to a new home, she began to blossom in ways that she hadn't before. I think we realized overtime that she had been more standoffish and 'icy' because she didn't like having to compete with other animals and was more comfortable having the place to herself, so for the next seven years we let her 'rule the roost' so to speak, and she opened up more and became more affectionate, and my mom and I bonded with her more overtime, and when my wife Kaylyn moved in about a year later she bonded with her more as well.

Roxy could be something of a 'diva' at times, demanding our complete attention, but she could also be very sweet, and she was often quirky and silly, and as many animal lovers will talk about, overtime we developed our own little traditions with her, like her love of sitting in front of the heater while eating some goodies, also known as 'heats and treats', or 'Sunday dinner' when we would give her a can of wet food as a special weekly treat which she was always ecstatic about, or how she loved to lay in between my mom's legs when she was sleeping in bed, or lay on my lap while I was watching movies or shows or writing or chatting with friends on my laptop on the couch in our living room, or how she would greet me at the door almost every night I came home from work, waiting and hoping for more treats, or how she would 'help me' with my exercises by plopping on the floor next to me while I was working out in my room, or how she would plop on the floor in the midst of gatherings of family or friends at our place, as if saying 'look at me', or some of her favorite sleeping spots in our apartment (or should I say her apartment), including my 'Tardis' (or should I say her Tardis), a Doctor Who throw blanket that Kay bought me a few years ago, which she often laid on while Kay and I hung out together in our room, keeping us company, or how Kay and I would refer to my mom as 'grammy' or to ourselves as 'mom and dad' and would call her our 'fuzzy daughter'.

There were all of these traditions, and more, that we developed over our seven years with her here in our little two bedroom apartment, and her presence and these moments with her would make us smile or laugh or would give us a little more joy than I believe we would otherwise have, and while for the first half of her life I admit that we may not have appreciated her as much as she deserved, in the second half we realized what a wonderful little soul she was and really bonded with her and were grateful that she was a part of our lives.

Roxy seemed to be very healthy for her age, and looked very good for her age as well, even to the point that I had begun to call her 'the Sophia Loren of kitties', and I had hoped that she would be one of those very rare cats that made it into her twenties, but I knew her time would come someday and with her age that it could come anytime, though I wish we had had more time with her, and as many animal lovers will say, I wish that she could live longer, as long as us 'hoomans' can live.

After Roxy was put to sleep she was wrapped in my Tardis (her Tardis, now and forever) blanket and placed into a sealed canvas bag that the Humane Society gave us, and then my mom and I took her up to my dads place out in the country up in Washington, and we buried her in a garden area behind their house, under an open sky and next to a fence with a big beautiful green pasture behind it. We also sprinkled some of our friend Bryan's ashes in the grave with her, as our friend Bryan (who passed from cancer about three years ago, and who I also wrote a tribute for) had a special bond with Roxy and she with him whenever he came over to visit us, so we think he would have appreciated if some of his ashes were left with her.

These last few days have been hard for me I admit, especially knowing that I was somehow, in the words of my wife, 'her favorite human', with her wanting to be around me more than any of us, but with that honor I also bonded with her the most I think, so I have been doing a lot of crying the last few days, which is unusual for me, and it has been hard letting her go, and like I was telling a friend a little while ago, it now feels like a part of our home is missing.

A couple nights ago with the encouragement of my friend Annie (who also sadly recently lost her cat Paws) I took about an hour to just hold her in my lap and tell her how I felt about her, apologizing to her for all of those times that I was mean to her or ignored her, especially in the first half of her life, thanked her for being with me for nearly half my life and for all the joy she had given me and telling her how much I loved her and would miss her, and just crying over her while she burrowed quietly in my lap, not understanding my words but maybe understanding how I felt about her on some primal level.

It was still hard to let her go, but I tried to do my best, and am still trying. But I am grateful for the time that I and my family did have with her, and for all the ways she enriched our lives. I also hope that somehow she will live on in spirit. Like my family and I have been saying, maybe Shasta or Bryan or Stephanie were there to help her cross over into whatever spiritual realm there may be for animals beyond this one, which I hope there is. Maybe if all dogs go to heaven, perhaps all cats do too... My medium friend Claire Broad (the author of What The Dead Are Dying To Teach Us) told me, when I shared about losing Roxy with her, that 'She will definitely go into spirit.  She’s consciousness after all like we all are.  I’ve seen many spirit animals.  She’ll be with you still.'

I will try to take that to heart, and I hope that maybe I will see her again someday, somewhere, somehow. But until then I will try to be grateful for the time I had with her, and will try to let her go and move on as best I can. My wife and I are hoping to eventually get another cat after we have had some time to grieve, but we will always remember Roxy and the time we had with her.

So again I know well that compared to the enormity of everything that is going on in our world today that losing an animal can seem like such a small thing, but even so for us it feels like a big thing, and I am grateful to everyone who has offered their condolences and support to us through this, it is much appreciated, thank you.

With all of that said, here is to Roxy, my silly and beautiful and lovable little  'fuzzy daughter', may you rest in peace and I hope that on the other side you have all the treats and laps and love that you could ever want, and I and others will miss you until hopefully someday we meet again.

[makistar2018]

Taylor Swift on "Lover" and haters

John D'Amelio August 25, 2019

You might say Taylor Swift's happy place is at the piano in her Nashville home. "There have been so many songs that were written at this piano," she said.

"And it's often the middle of the night?" asked correspondent Tracy Smith.

"It's usually in the middle of the night," she replied. "Or if I'm trying to get to sleep and I can't and then I get an idea. And I'm, like, 'Well, I'm not tired anyway!' And then kind of wander over here."

Taylor Swift at her piano, with correspondent Tracy Smith. 

It's kind of a rare sight, not just because "Sunday Morning" was there ("I haven't serenaded someone in a while, hope you know that!"), but because, for the moment, Taylor Swift was actually sitting still.

I promise that you'll never find another like Me-e-e, Ooh ooh ooh ooh I'm the only one of me Baby, that's the fun of me – "Me!" by Taylor Swift, Joel Little and Brendon Urie

And there never really has been another like Taylor Swift. After only 13 years in the business, she's become a musical force of nature, with an armload of #1 hits, more Grammy Awards than The Rolling Stones, and (according to Forbes) the distinction of being the highest-paid celebrity on the planet.

By any measure, she's an amazing young woman. But there were times, she says, that being young, and a woman, worked against her.

"You're always gonna have people going, 'Did she write all her own songs?'" she said. "Talking about your personal life, talking about your dating life.

"There's a different vocabulary for men and women in the music industry, right?"

"Gimme an example," asked correspondent Tracy Smith.

"Okay. A man does something, it's 'strategic'; a woman does the same thing, it's 'calculated.' A man is allowed to 'react'; a woman can only 'over-react.'"

And it seems her usual reaction is to get to work. Swift writes or co-writes all of her songs. And what's more, her music videos are all her vision, from the pastel wonderland in "Me!":

…to the giant dollhouse in her latest video, "Lover." 

That's also the title of her critically-acclaimed new studio album, her seventh. She wrote "Lover" on her piano at home, and polished it up in the studio. And once she recorded the music, Swift (accompanied by and her cats) went to Hollywood to make the music video, and she invited Smith along to watch.

There's a love story here, and like a lot of Swift's work, it's an echo of her real life.

Born in Reading, Pennsylvania, Swift discovered her love for music as a toddler. She set her sights on a career in country music, and eventually her parents and younger brother moved to Nashville to help her do it.

"My brother's a real bro for doing that," Swift said.

"Yeah, they all upended their lives," Smith said.

"For sure."

"It worked out well!"

"Yeah, I buy 'em lots of presents," she laughed.

The rest reads like a fantasy: Swift became a country music phenomenon, and, in the last few years, a pop icon. But the superstar is, by her own admission, as emotionally fragile as any other 20-something, "I'm still someone who is the first to apologize when I'm wrong," she said. "But I think I'm better at standing up for myself when I've been wronged. So, that's something that I think also comes with growing up."

Which brings us to Scooter Braun. Earlier this summer, Braun, a talent agent with whom Swift says she has a contentious relationship, acquired the rights to her previous recordings – her masters – when his company bought Scott Borchetta's Big Machine Label Group for a reported $300 million. Borchetta, who worked with Swift for years, says she and those close to her (including her dad, who was an investor), knew about the deal in advance, and that Swift had previously been offered the chance to buy her own masters.  

She remembers it differently, and told Smith she didn't see it coming: "I found out when it was online, like, when it hit the news."

"Nobody in your inner circle knew?" Smith asked.,

"Nobody knew."

"And you didn't smell it?"

"No. I knew he would sell my music; I knew he would do that. I couldn't believe who he sold it to, because we've had endless conversations about Scooter Braun. And he has 300 million reasons to conveniently forget those conversations."

With the sale of the masters to her first six albums, there has been speculation that Swift might re-record her back catalog, in order to control the recordings of her songs.

Smith asked, "Might you do that?"

"Oh, yeah," Swift replied.

"That's a plan?"

"Yeah, absolutely!"

Scooter Braun may not agree with her side of the story, but he did reach out to Swift in a tweet last week, calling her new album "brilliant."

It's clear that Swift wants to control her music:  When it's time to release one of her new songs, she does it personally, talking to her fans live on Instagram. This personal connection has earned her a loyal following. But her openness comes at price: She's followed just about everywhere she goes these days, by people who are crazy about her – or just plain crazy.

Smith asked, "Where is home for you now?"

"It's a very good question," she said. "I try not to ever really say where I am the most, because since all my addresses are on the internet, people tend to show up uninvited. Like, you know, dudes that think we have an imaginary marriage."

"And you mentioned that you keep wound dressing with you?"

"Yeah. I've had a lot of stalkers show up to the house, armed. So, we have to think that way."

And she's come under attack in other ways: You need only glance at the tabloids to see some very well-publicized feuds, and she often hits back at her haters through her music. For instance, in "You Need to Calm Down," she calls out anti-gay protesters and online trolls:

You are somebody that we don't know But you're comin' at my friends like a missile Why are you mad? When you could be GLAAD? Sunshine on the street at the parade But you would rather be in the dark ages …

Control your urges to scream about all the people you hate 'Cause shade never made anybody less gay – "You Need to Calm Down" by Taylor Swift and Joel Little

Smith asked, "I'm curious, because I feel like almost every album, you have a song where you address the haters, at least one song. Sometimes more than one song."

"I probably do have that habit. I imagine that I might have that habit, yeah."

"Why is that? Why sing to the haters?"

"Well, when they stop coming for me, I will stop singing to them," Swift replied. "You know, people go on and on about, like, you have to forgive and forget to move past something. No, you don't. You don't have to forgive and you don't have to forget to move on. You can move on without any of those things happening. You just become indifferent, and then you move on."

"Do you believe in forgiveness?"

"Yes, absolutely, like, for people that are important in your life who have added, you know, who have enriched your life and made it better, and also there has been some struggle and some bad stuff, too. But I think that, you know, if something's toxic and it's only ever really been that, what are you gonna do?"

"Just move on?"

"Just move on. It's fine."

Taylor Swift's music is always personal, sometimes intensely so. "There's one song on the album called 'Soon You'll Get Better' that it's, I can't even really hear. I can't even listen to it."

She won't talk specifically about her inspiration, but it comes at a time when her mother Andrea, who was battling cancer, suffered a relapse.

Swift said, "It's really interesting because I don't think I have written a song quite like that before. And it's just sort of, like, it's just a tough one."

"I can imagine. But I can also tell you, having listened to it, that it's universal."

"It's just not something that we deal with until we have to, until we see it, until we experience it, until someone close to us is going through something like that. And so, writing about it was really emotional. And I'm just gonna stop talking about it now."

She's more comfortable plunging into her work. On the Hollywood set, a large glass tank will become a symbolic fish bowl in the "Lover" music video.

Taylor Swift filming the fish bowl sequence from her music video "Lover."  CBS NEWS

"I very oftentimes remark that my life is like a fish bowl, and that, like, if I were to, like, fall in love, you know, somebody's choosing to be in that fish bowl with me. To jump into the fish bowl with me and live in that world just with me – it's not as depressing as it sounds, I promise! It's just symbolic!"

Talk about fish bowls: she's been dating British actor Joe Alwyn for three years. Seems he's up for a swim.

At the moment, Swift is, well, fully immersed in today. Beyond that, she says she doesn't know … and doesn't really want to.

Smith asked her, "Do you think about, you know, 'What am I gonna do in 20, 30 years?'"

"No, 'cause that puts me into what I call a panic spiral," Swift replied. "Like, I cannot do that. I've never been able to do that."

Why? "It just freaks me out. When I zoom out too far, I freak out. Do I know where I'm gonna be or even wanna be in 20 years? Absolutely not. Like, not taking a single day for granted."

"So, how far ahead do you look?"

"Six months. Just 'cause I have to plan shows and stuff. But I don't know what I'll do after this album. And I think that's great. I tell myself, like, it's actually really ungrateful to just assume that you have 20 years. Like, be stoked that you have today."

CBS News

[tasyoungreckless]

may these memories break our fall. – Nashville secret sessions story

“Is that Kara?” she asked loudly over the music as she grabbed my hands and twirled me around. I was stumbling on the pillows below my feet but grasped her hands so tight. All I could do was aggressively nod and hope she couldn’t see the tears forming in my eyes in the dark, candle-lit room.

I have read dozens, if not hundreds of Taylor meet and greet stories. I have cried out of love for her and happiness for my friends and sadness that it wasn’t me. I have felt so close to meeting her and insanely disappointed when it didn’t happen. But the feeling I had on October 25? The feeling like my dreams were coming true but that I was also maybe going to pass out? That feeling was worth it. It was worth everything to me. So, here’s my story. It’s been a long time in the making. (I’m leaving out the stuff from before because it was just getting so long, but I got my message on tumblr from TN on Saturday and my call on Sunday. i bought flights Monday and my mom insisted on flying from DC and meeting me there to make sure it was all legit, even though she couldn’t come with).

OKAY SO once we got to the secret spot, I saw people I recognized and made lots of friends waiting (hi everyone!!!) We got checked in, did security all that jazz. We finally got to her house and mingled outside and ate. There were chick-fil-a nuggets (which is so funny because a few months ago I messaged Taylor to come to my Fourth of July party and all I said was “Come to my party. We will have chick fil a nuggets” LOL. on brand) and sushi and the REP cookies and M&Ms. Not a lot of people were eating much but you BET YOUR ASS i was chowing down. 

They let us into the room where we would listen to the album and I got a spot slightly to the left of where Taylor would be sitting. The floor was just covered in blankets and pillows and it looked like a huge slumber party was about to go down. 

Before we knew it, Taylor walked in with Abigail and of course we all lost it. I think you have all seen what they were wearing by now, but god they looked like angels. Taylor looked exactly like I imagined and yet so different too. It is such a strange feeling seeing someone you have always seen in pictures in real life. Someone you see virtually every single day. I teared up because I just was so so excited and felt like it wasn’t real life. 

So obviously y’all know what is next and that is she played us all of reputation. The album blew me away. It’s not like I was surprised, because I knew it would be good, but like it was just SO good?! And so cool to watch Taylor and Abi, Tree, Andrea and Scott singing along and doing these little dances. All of us were just JAMMING on the floor listening along.

I thought it was really incredible how Taylor made eye contact with every single person in that room. Every single one. Multiple times. It didn’t matter where you were sitting. She looked at you and sang to you and smiled so big. I love her. 

It was when we got to Look What You Made Me Do that she decided we could have a little dance party to shake out our legs and take a break. Someone dimmed the lights and since we all knew this song, we were able to just sing (scream?) the lyrics together with our idol dancing along our side, which was a dream. She was towards the middle of the room, so I made my way over there to dance near her. 

Before I knew it, she reached out to grab my hands and looked me dead in the eye. “Is that Kara?” she asked me, trying to get closer to see my face. It was like a million butterflies were released in my stomach at once. I was in shock. I was so happy. But I was speechless. I nodded and we danced to the bridge. It was literally at the “I’ll be the actress starring in your bad dreams” part, which was my tumblr bio. SO ON BRAND. SO PERFECT.

So we heard the rest of the songs and they continued to blow us away. Before long, we had finished the album. She was so honest with us about each song and I absolutely love her for that. She trusts us so much it is unreal. And y’all are not prepared for how good this album is. i CANNOT WAIT

OKAY OKAY NOW THE FUN MEETING HER PART

At first they called a few people by name to go first, but then they let everyone else just go whenever they wanted. A bunch of people seemed to want to wait until the end, but I knew my nerves would only get worse. I watched her meet some people from the corner, which was so incredible. It is honestly almost as exciting as meeting her yourself. You get to watch how she interacts with each person and takes her time. She also looks them dead in the eye and listens so intently. She never rushed anyone. It was beautiful.

OKAY SO FAST FOWARD TO MY TURN HERE WE GO

“Kara!!! Oh my god I’m so happy you’re here!” she said as she quickly walked toward me with her arms outstretched. I hugged her so tight trying to keep the tears back.

“Thank you SO much for coming!”

“Are you kidding, thank you so much for having me!”

We pulled away from the hug and I was looking right in her eyes, slightly looking up because she’s so tall. She said something along the lines of “I’m so glad we are finally meeting. You’re so lovely!” and I just sort of laughed and said “Oh my god Taylor, my mom isn’t going to believe you said that” (referring to her knowing my name and such).

“But you are Kara! You’re so lovely and sweet. Like you’re amazing, tell her I said that!”

oKAY SO YOU KNOW IM DYING ON THE INSIDE BUT TRYING TO STAY COMPOSED. MY LEGS WERE SORTA SHAKING BUT I WAS DOING BETTER THAN EXPECTED. 

I tried to keep myself together and tell her how much I loved reputation and just said “Taylor, the album is amazing” and she smiled, but she looked a bit distracted as she was looking at me and sort of interrupted and just said “Kara you’re even more beautiful in person. Like you are so naturally beautiful! Like you aren’t even wearing makeup and you’re so pretty?!”

excuse me WHAT. In my head I’m laughing as I know I’m definitely wearing makeup but that a lot of it came off when I cried earlier and that I don’t wear all that much in general but like WHAT I WAS SO SHOOK LIKE SHE CALLED ME BEAUTIFUL ??? THE FUCK 

All that I could muster up was a “Oh my God” and “thank you so much” as I wrapped my arms around her neck again and she pulled me in for a hug (and yes she smells so good like a vanilla goddess).

So after she SHOWERED me with compliments that my poor heart couldn’t handle, I knew I had a few things I could talk about with her. I told her about studying abroad in London last semester and she asked what school. I explained my program through my home university and told her about how I interned in SoHo. I joked because I told her I knew she was there at the same time, supposedly undercover, and said that we probably ran into each other on Oxford Street. She said how amazing it was that I had that opportunity. We talked about other places I traveled and I mentioned going to the Canary Islands for spring break and said “how casual” and she laughed and nodded. I just said how much I loved London and that city life. She said something along the lines of “That is soooo amazing. You’re getting to see the world and have these opportunities! I’m so excited to see all you do, Kara. I’m so proud of you!” she said, giggling.

....this woman....is proud of ME....im proud of YOU you queen WHAT 

I think I said “thank you so much for saying that” and hugged her again. I needed a second to think of the next thing to talk about so I asked her if we could take our picture. She said of course and pointed to the mantle behind us that had Grammys and Moonmen and a bunch of her awards on it. “Do we want to hold a Grammy or something?”, but I hesitated and said “well..” and she asked “or did you have a pose in mind?” and I just said “Can we just act we’re best friends having the night of our lives because that’s basically how I feel right now” and she smiled and said “of course!”

So we turned towards the camera, which was probably the only time I looked away from her during our entire time together, and we hugged super tight and I smiled bigger than I probably ever have before. I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE IT BUT IM NERVOUS 

She turned back to me and I still had a few more things to say and ask. Something I thought about during the session was just a silly question for her. “So I’m in college and like I just need to know what’s your favorite drinking game?” and she laughs and says “Oh God, my favorite drinking game?!” as she turned away to think about it. “Well I will play any of them and I love playing them…and I sorta think that’s the problem…” and she smirked at me. I NEED TO GET DRUNK WITH TAYLOR SWIFT ONE DAY OKAY LIKE WHAT 

I was feeling like my time was running out so I hugged her again and she said “It’s so cool meeting you. Like I sort of feel like I’m just your older sister…just like stalking you on the internet” and my jaw kind of dropped. “I love seeing your life online and I’m sure we will talk there!” and I just said “That means so much to me. Thank you so so much” and we hugged again.

“I’ll see you on tour and of course online,” I said. She smiled and said goodbye and that it was nice to meet me. I turned to leave and looked behind my shoulder and just said, “love you!”

It was the most surreal experience ever. I think i blacked out like i can barely remember it anymore, but wow it was so amazing and the fact that she KNEW ME AND RECOGNIZED ME made it even more incredible ? i never expected that in a hundred million years. 

AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF SHE STALKED ME AFTER AND LIKED SIX OF MY POSTS ABOUT THAT NIGHT INCLUDING DANCING WITH ME AND RECOGNIZING ME. LIEK WHAT THE FUCK SHES SO INCREDIBLE AND I FEEL SO SO LUCKY. PLEASE DONT GIVE UP YALL I NEVER EVER SAW THIS COMING

From the bottom of my heart, thank you Taylor and thank you Taylor Nation. I didn’t think things like this could just happen to people like me ? I’ve never felt that special or deserving of things like this, but you’ve proved that we all deserve this opportunity. I love you so so SO much. I’m still not sure how it happened, but oh my god am I glad it did. I will never forget this as long as I live. 

See you on tour and online, big sister. 

[worldsoldestswiftie]

SS-LA My Story

My LA SS Story, October 22, 2017

So I received a message on Tumblr from TN on Wednesday, whilst I was at work.  I almost fainted and then made sure it was real(!) I checked and re-checked like 1,000 times!! I responded back and thanked them for recognizing the Senior Swiftie crew! I called my boyfriend right away and told him I might be meeting Taylor soon! I was sick to my stomach, but in a good way! On Thursday when I got home I saw I missed a call from a number in the states and thought oh well, there goes that! Luckily on Friday am they called back asking if I could be in LA on Sunday! As soon as I got off the phone with TN, I booked my flight out for the next day at 900am and my hotel. We weren’t supposed to tell anyone but of course I had to tell my BF, as someone needed to know where I was going and like oh yeah by the way I am going to LA this weekend..bye!!

We met at the secret spot on Sunday and I was hoping so badly that @swiftthisway would be there! And she was! Wohooo…one more senior swiftie!

When I signed in at the secret spot, I said my name and the TN person was ohhh you’re one of the Senior Swifites! Yup, that’s me!

We had so much fun singing Taylor songs in the van on the way there. Myself and 13(!) other Swifties!

When we arrived, there was food by the pool (sushi, pizza, cheeses, m&m, chips, buns and on and on) so we ate a bit and stood around the pool trying to soak it all in. Tree was also out there talking to people. Then we were led inside the house! Luckily was able to get a window bench seat and not have to sit on the floor. My poor body wouldn’t be able to take it! :-)

Taylor popped out from the back and behind her was Haim, Ruby Rose, Max Martin and Jack Antonoff! You know you’re in LA when!!

There are no words to describe watching Taylor bestow her baby Reputation on us! Watching her face, her reactions, her enthusiasm, her pride, her dancing, her singing, her interactions with us, with her friends, with TN…wow wow wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are no words to describe how good and different this album is! I keep replaying it in my head! Need, want!!

Myself, Belinda and Kayla did a group photo. So the 3 of us walk in and she greets us, Kayla first, then Belinda (asking Belinda if she darkened her hair, cuz it looked different) then says to me “You’re Tracey, right?”  WTF! How what…when…almost fell over.

Got to hold a Grammy, we did our group photo, where the 3 of us sat on the LWYMMD throne, whilst I was on the phone! Then it was one on one time.

I talked to her about Gorgeous and how it reminded me so much of my relationship with my BF and invited her to our cabin in Manitoba!

On our way out we got our merchandise bag and back on the van. I think we were all pretty much in a daze. Like what just happened!

So grateful! So MANY thanks to @taylornation for all the hard work that goes into these events. Can never thank @taylorswift enough for her time, her care and her generosity and making each one of us feel special.

Never stop dreaming. Never give up.

Is it November 10 yet!?!?

[uptightcitizensbrigade]

ANNIE DOES DALLAS!

(download pdf of article + pix here)

As St Vincent, she is the art-rock provocateur who has been declared the spiritual heir to David Bowie, fronted Nirvana, modeled for Marc Jacobs – and dated one of the most famous women on the planet. Andy Morris meets the singer in her Texan hometown. Photography by Kate Martin. Styling by Laury Smith

It’s shortly after 9am on a temperate Sunday in Lake Highlands, Texas. Clark is wearing a white Parisian minidress with a pair of tangerine Barbarella-esque boots that defy both the laws of physics and the sanctimony of the state. Clark’s brother-in-law Andrew looks up from his coffee, her niece Stella discards her fidget spinner and Clark’s mother, Sharon, snaps the first of approximately 1,000 photos she will take during the day.

At 34, Clark is one of the boldest individuals in music. Under the moniker ‘St Vincent’, inspired by both a Nick Cave song and Dylan Thomas’s last-known address, she specialises in tracks with a human feel and a machine sound. She exists in the creative intersection between Brian Eno, Joan Didion and PJ Harvey – by turns personal, political, fearsome and funky. David Sedaris sung by David Bowie, if you will.

In the past decade she has made five studio albums, including Love This Giant with Talking Heads’ frontman David Byrne. She sang Lithium with Nirvana for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Prince watched her perform in New York and David Lynch booked her for his own festival. Clark’s last LP won a Grammy, beating both Arcade Fire and Jack White. She has spent the past year recording a radio show for Apple Music, directing a horror film set in suburbia and designing a unisex guitar – at some point she’ll also probably release a new album, which she has already described as “the deepest, boldest work I’ve ever done”.

Alongside her musical career, Clark has become the darling of the fashion set – and not just because of her relationship with British supermodel Cara Delevingne. Clark has appeared in a Marc Jacobs campaign, DJed for Max Mara and become a front row favourite, appearing at Burberry (alongside Kate Moss, Sienna Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch) as well as Chanel (alongside Karl Lagerfeld’s then seven-year-old godson, Hudson Kroenig, who happened to be dressed as an airline pilot).

But before her globetrotting began, Clark’s childhood was spent in this Dallas district. One of her earliest memories is of calling on her great aunt, a Texan socialite. Three generations would come together for a ‘sit and visit’ but even at the age of five Clark was easily distracted. “I remember  sneaking off to the bathroom where she had Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights and then staring at that for a really long time.” She shows me the St Christopher pendant her great aunt passed on: “I haven’t taken it off since I started touring, bar the occasional photo shoot. I’m not sure she was particularly religious: I think her faith was ‘sherry’.”

Clark’s musical education began in Dallas. “It was really kismet,” she says. “There was a giant box of CDs outside our house one day. Someone with great music taste had been moving and it had fallen out of their car.” Clark learnt to play guitar with Tommy Hiett from Zoo Music and created a bedroom studio at home with help from her uncle, jazz guitarist Tuck Andress. She played her first shows in Texas – for a secular audience in a bar in Deep Ellum and a devout one in the First Unitarian Church. It was to Dallas that she reluctantly returned after dropping out of Berklee College of Music in Boston, aged 22. At this point her sister, Amy, suggested Clark might be better off getting a job at Starbucks.

We hit the road in a 50-foot ‘Entertainer’ coach, whose retro styling and racks of fringed clothing make it feel as if we are in danger of an Almost Famous style singalong. Clark clearly delights in showing us her hometown – it takes some creative chutzpah to pose like Anita Ekberg outside a venue selling a ‘Loaded Up & Truckin’ Burger’. Having spent ten years on various tour buses, Clark is agreeably no-nonsense. “Make sure you ask her what it’s like being a woman in music,” says her mother Sharon, mischievously. Her daughter offers an eye roll for the ages. “Yes, I really love justifying every decision I have ever made through gender.”

As we cruise along Interstate 75, Clark flips through magazines, alighting on Cara Delevingne’s Chanel ad campaign: “It’s the goof! She’s so pretty. That’s definitely what I’d wear to skateboard.” Delevingne has visited Clark in Texas: “I’ve never seen someone eat so many tacos!” We discuss the British model’s status – a lone irreverent figure on the catwalk. “For someone so beautiful and so lauded by the fashion industry, she’s the least vain person ever.” I ask if the pair are dating again. “Erm… I would just say we’re really close and important to each other. She’s the sweetest, kindest person. That charm and being genuine is a rare combination.”

We arrive at the last location: a cocktail bar called Lounge Here. The owner, Julie Doyle, managed and sang with The Polyphonic Spree, the befrocked choir Clark joined in 2005. “Annie was shy but eager,” Doyle explains. “She grew quite a bit as a performer and guitarist in her time with us. She was a star before she even knew it, I believe.” Clark recalls that particular tour with unabashed glee: “I remember feeling so cool – we’re playing all these stages around Europe. Sonic Youth is playing after us! People were big and friendly and fun and manic. It was a dream come true.” Clark’s travels have given her a newfound affection for her countrymen. “There is an openness to Texans: there’s a saying, ‘Don’t get too big for your britches’. There’s a premium put on humility, which is nice and very rare in the world.” Yet many misconceptions about Dallas endure. “Either people have seen the TV show or they think of cowboys,” she explains. “I can’t tell you how often I’ve said, ‘I’m from Texas’, and people say, ‘Oh, did you ride a horse to school?’”

The following day is what Texan traditionalists might describe as “hotter than a two-dollar pistol”. Clark picks me up in her own black BMW saloon. She’s wearing a black Tupac T-shirt and shorts decorated with skeletons. The look is a little ‘Wednesday Addams at Summer Camp’ – until she changes with delight into the vintage Pearl Jam T-shirt I’ve brought along as a gift (she lost hers after a close encounter with West Texan wildlife, immortalised in her track Rattlesnake). She reverses the car, turns off her Steely Dan album, tells a true crime story that chills me to the bone, picks up an iced coffee and we drive to White Rock Lake.

Clark has brought me to her teenage hangout. It’s a chance to see a different side to Dallas, under Cormac McCarthy’s ‘unsheltering’ Texan skies. We park between Boy Scout Hill and ‘Big Thicket’, before walking over Mockingbird Bridge. At one point a cyclist overtakes us, his stereo blasting the preposterous sax solo from Gerry Rafferty’s Baker Street. As he puffily pootles away, Clark doesn’t bat an eyelid. She thinks that Texas still has an ability to bring out strangeness. “Throw in a touch of fire and brimstone, a splash of cowboy spirit… and you have a Texas weirdo.”

The temperature rises and we take a seat in the shade. An elderly couple fishing nearby politely  enquire, “We’re not going to distract y’all are we?” I ask Clark about life on the radar of international designers. “I feel like fashion has given me two kisses on the cheek. It’s not a full bear hug,” she says. Clark agrees Dallas is a city obsessed with style: “If you’ve ever watched Frederick Wiseman’s documentary film The Store: it’s all footage of women in the 1980s at the downtown Neiman Marcus buying clothes. Back in that day, fur was the biggest status symbol in Dallas – because for 364 days it’s completely irrelevant. It’s hot in Dallas. All. The. Time.”

Clark’s own memories of her time in Dallas centre on attempting to extricate herself from her surroundings by sheer force of will. “I remember driving around this lake alone, listening to music, waiting for something to happen,” she says. “I wanted to find the cool people, who were doing things and living wild lives. And I naively thought if I just drove around with the windows down, listening to music that I loved, that people would see and go, ‘Oh, I also love this. We can meet each other.’” She prides individuality above everything else: “I think it was Brian Eno who said cool is the by-product of being uniquely yourself.”

Performing live remains a cathartic experience. “At times, it has been an exorcism,” she says. “There have been moments on stage when I can feel everybody’s sorrow, joy, fears, hopes. It’s almost like looking into a vortex…” She stops herself, keen not to sound pretentious. “I’m a person who is frankly allergic to spirituality – I don’t want to ever say ‘Namaste’ to a white girl.”

What’s clear is that Clark’s in a good place: spiritually, metaphorically and, for the next few days at least, literally. She has also shown what’s possible with a life on the road. How you can grow up in Texas, educate yourself in Boston, experience Europe, work out of LA, New York and Seattle – before returning to your family and the places you’ll never forget. Hell, along the way, you may even fall in love with a British supermodel who loves Mexican food. Travel gives you a new perspective on home. It teaches you to love the state you’re in.

[kristens-chaotic-life]

Big Update #2

So my update part 2...as far as the changes going on in my life.  I think this one is going to be harder and longer to write than I planned.  And now I question if I should have saved this one for last! So the last I’d say 6 months or so..maybe more, it might be closer to a year now I’ve been really working more on my relationship with God.  I’ve believed in God since I was young...and during high school and college spent a lot of time helping with worship and such.  But as an adult I really just hadn’t been going as much. It got hard, and I just didn’t go. Just the thought of getting the kids ready and dragging them out alone, and keeping them occupied during a service didn’t seem fun to me. Yes I know there is childcare. BUT as YOUNG kids my kids had nothing to do with being away with me and stuck into a room with other kids. Michael is still this way. He sits with me, or his Grammy if I happen to be singing during the church services. That toddler room is NOT for him. So anyways...I just didn’t go. Finally like 2 years ago we had started going. Went for a few months but then once Zach's mom and grandma went down south for the winter I again decided it was way too much work for me to do on my own. So this fall we started going again. And then in October I became part of the worship arts team. And it has been WONDERFUL. Being a part of a group like that is so great.  Helping lead others to worship is just so amazing! Super huge to thanks to Zach's mom for helping out with the kids so I can be apart of something like that because it involves kid shuffling on our busy night of the week on the weeks that I have rehearsal. (taekwondo and cheer) And getting up a little early on Sundays and picking up the kids and bringing them church, getting them to their classrooms, and entertaining Michael during the service. And then getting them back home and most times feeding them lunch, because I’m not back for another couple hours. It's quite a bit! So I am super appreciative of that.  Now even though she’s gone for the winter we are still going, and still making it work. Well this week we didn’t go because Michael is sick so we stayed home. And there was 1 week we had a snow storm. But aside from that we are still going :) And I’m still helping with worship, about once a month.  Zach&Stephanie are helping do the kid shuffle. 

In January(so originally when I typed this it was still January lol but I put it off and now am rereading and editing) I got to sing “Your Great Name” when learning that I was going to be doing that I put a lot of thought into the meaning of the song when I was working on it and what it means to me. I do usually spend a bit of time connecting with all the songs, because I feel that it's important.  But I spent extra time on this one. And just every single line of the song is something. The whole song is just so powerful! Take a listen below(the entire service which is also great can be found somewhere on my fb page) Big thanks to my uncle for cutting down this video for me so that I was able to share it :)

https://youtu.be/GmmuuFimaoQ

Another thing I have been doing, well trying to do but I’m not great at doing it daily. But I was given this book The Purpose Driven LIfe, by my therapist. It has 40 days of short readings, and things to think about. (Insert picture here) It really and just reminds you that YOU have a purpose. YOU were planned by God and he knows everything about you and has a plan for you. I’m excited to keep going in that. I just find that I forget to read from it daily, because ya know distractions and life. BUT it's pretty awesome.(Update here, I should be done with this, but I’m only about half through. BUT it is still awesome, life is just busy) 

So..now this brings me to this next part. And now that I’m here I’m not sure if it belongs in this entry, or if it really belongs in the next one. Really I think it relates to both. The counseling office I go through hosted a prayer event, a HeartSync conference.  When I got the invite for it, it immediately caught my eye, and I just KNEW I HAD to go. Not even fully understand what it was about, or much about it at all. But I felt I needed to be there.  So I registered right away. I told my therapist I was going, and he said that was cool and that it's very powerful. And wow, was he right. I don’t even know that powerful is the word to explain it. But I can’t think of a word that means something more than powerful right now. So we’ll just go with that.  The conference was on a Friday night for a few hours and then all day on Saturday.  I had 2 friends there too. My friend April who we had planned to attend together so that we didn’t have to be alone. And then Christy, who I have known for years, but we hadn’t talked all that much and this even really brought us together. All 3 of us really, it's been a blessing..but that's an update for another time :)   When I got there I recognized many other faces. Not really people I knew, but people I had seen at the counseling office before, as well as a handful of the therapists/counselors(not mine, he was unable to be there). Friday night was very emotional and moving.  Spent a lot of time praying...and while praying God would reveal some other aspect of something going on in my life. And it was just truly emotional. I couldn’t think of another time that I had spent so much time crying. We had talked about defense mechanisms that we use, and I hadn’t even really thought of many of them, but then going through them it was like yep, I do use that..and that..and really a handful of them. One of the last times we spent praying Your Great Name was played.  And that brought in so much emotion for me, as I had just spent so much time a week ago and even before that connecting with that song.  The night ended and I was talking in a group with a few people, one being one of the therapists from the office and he asked if I wanted him to pray with me because it seemed like I needed to. And we did. And there is something very powerful about that, and so helpful that I’m not quite sure how to explain. It had been awhile (I think since my first counseling session, maybe 2nd with my therapist) since I had someone pray with me. I could tell after all of this that night that God was doing something in me. But couldn’t quite grasp what was happening. 

So day 2. LONG day! 830 in the morning. I’m not a morning person. Well, in a way I am because I workout early everyday..like 5/530. But as far as my brain being working and taking things, not so great.  I was exhausted because the night was long and I hadn’t slept much and I was struggling to get my heart in the right place. But during our first break I had a quick yet much needed chat and was able to get my head and heart in the right place so that I could continue to let God work.  We spent a lot of time discussing trauma. And what all it was. And that it's not just the physical things, or grieving a loss or some sort of abuse like a lot of people would think. But there's another type. The absence of something. Ok...so as I’m writing this I’m thinking I’ll at some point do an entire entry talking about what this is. But through this I saw God work in me and I saw God working in others...and at some point I will do an actual heartsync. I just don’t feel that I’m ready yet. I need to let my guard down more I think, and I feel like the process can leave you feeling pretty vulnerable through it, I could be wrong. But just based off of how I was feeling while praying there and everything else...I think I have some praying to do to get there.   But after the conference I talked for a few with Steve, who did the conference and is the director of renewal. He told me when I was ready to do a heartsync to talk to Chad about it, because he is trained in doing it. So this is something I have been praying about..and if you are a person who prays, pray for me! Steve also  gave me a copy of his book, the Divided Heart, which is next on my list to read. Kind of to summarize what happened...letting God in, being able to let go of things, and just letting God work, and show you things. It was very very powerful. Also...I need to share my fortune from a fortune cookie from when we were out to lunch. This couldn’t be more perfect.

Some of you may wonder if I’m done yet...well no. I’m not :) This has really been a journey. A journey of growth...so much spiritual growth, and I know that will continue. Since I started this one I also had the opportunity to lead another song, which is a favorite of mine, “Who You Say I Am”. Take a listen :) 

https://youtu.be/1gA_ZQYg0Fs

This coming week I’m leading 2 songs. And I’m really looking forward to them. And it amazes me how things tie together sometimes. And I know it's just not a coincidence.  So one of the songs I’m leading is “I am not alone”. Which of course is another very powerful song. Friday while I was at counseling the conversation we were having we were talking about how God is always there, and praying. And he asked what I was thinking. And I was like...so...the song I’m leading is I am not alone. I feel that God is really reminding me of that right now. And if you are reading this now...I want to remind you that, too. You are never alone. God is always there. No matter what it is we are going through. Depending on what's going on it can be easy to forget...but at that moment when things seem too much, just pray. He is there. For some people I know being told to pray might seem silly. I understand. I was told that a lot. And I’d be like ok...yea. I will. Sometimes thinking why bother...but seriously. JUST DO IT! It really does help. And maybe, find someone to pray with. And don’t be afraid to ask someone to pray with you. And when I say that, I am talking to myself too. I am not sure why, but I DO like people to pray with me. And sometimes I NEED that. But I’m afraid to ask. So, to the people who might be a little more on the outgoing side, if you can, ask someone if they would like you to pray with them. Some of us need that person to ask….

I know this was long...and I know it might not have all made sense. My mind is kinda all over and there’s so much more to say...but we’ll get there. This update was long overdue!

[balarouge]

Grammy nomination ‘personal validation’ for London music producer | The London Free Press

Just days before Dan Brodbeck is due to attend the Grammy Awards, he’s still waiting for a pinch to wake up from a dream.

But it isn’t a dream and Brodbeck will be among the other nominees at the Staples Center in Los Angeles for the 62nd annual Grammy Awards ceremony.

The Londoner is among the nominees for best rock album of the year for The Cranberries’ final album, In the End. It was released about a year after the death of lead singer and principal songwriter Dolores O’Riordan. The band has since disbanded.

“It is extremely . . . It’s a weird  . . . It doesn’t feel like it’s real. It’s just beginning to settle in,” said Brodbeck, for whom the award is bittersweet because of O’Riordan’s untimely death at 46. They had become friends through more than a decade of writing and recording together.

“I’m sure it’s weird for the band, too. It came right out of the blue for them that, after 25 years making music without getting nominated, they’re nominated for a Grammy.

“And after 30 years in the business, it’s to me like personal validation. It’s obviously an honour. For me, it’s like winning an Olympic gold medal with the (recording) team.”

Initially, Brodbeck didn’t know whether he’d be invited to the ceremony along with others who worked on the album, although it should never have been in doubt given his fingers touched at least eight of the album’s 11 songs, including recording work and a writing credit with O’Riordan for Summer Song.

The only question, now, is whether the 52-year-old married father of two grown daughters wins alongside the rest of the team on the album, including the surviving members of The Cranberries (Mike Hogan, Noel Hogan and Fergal Lawler) and other production members, led by producer Stephen Street.

Other albums up for the rock Grammy are Amo by British rockers Bring Me the Horizon, Social Cues by London, England-based American rockers Cage the Elephant, Trauma by Michigan rockers I Prevail, and Feral Roots by California’s Rival Sons.

Brodbeck taught music production at Fanshawe College’s music industry arts program in 2007-2008, then at the Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology in 2009 where he had been a student in the late 1980s, returning to Fanshawe the next year where he is now the program co-ordinator.

Music has been a major focus of his life since he first picked up a guitar at the age of six, influenced by his father, the late Rick Brodbeck, who owned the Music Mart store for years and played guitar “for fun.” Dan Brodbeck’s mother Leslie still lives in London.

“I’ve basically done nothing else since but play guitar,” said Brodbeck, who rejected the idea of touring with bands in favour of submersing himself in the studio.

“I love performing, but I didn’t love the idea of being in a band and touring. But I loved the studio, especially the creative side of it . . . and music. I love music and as long as I’m in music, I’m happy.”

Brodbeck, a graduate of South secondary school, said he learned much of his trade from mentors in the business.

“My training was basically trial by fire and working with some mentors on records, such as David Bendeth, Andy Wallace, Jack Joseph Puig and Michael Brauer, all who mixed records I produced from 2000 to 2006,” he said. “I learned so much from them in the short time I worked with them on those records.”

He founded his own studio, dB Recording Studios, in London and operated it for a decade before he became a partner at EMAC Recording Studios, also in London, in 2000. Over the years he’s worked with many local and national artists, including Helix and its lead singer Brian Vollmer, Garnet Rogers, The Salads, Ivory Hours and Texas King.

Count Vollmer among the fans of Brodbeck’s work.

“When I went to master my first solo album with world famous Nick Blagona, he commented to me, ‘Whoever recorded these tracks for you sure knew what he was doing,’ ” wrote Vollmer in an email.

“It was Danny Brodbeck . . . He always took it to the next level.”

Brodbeck started working with O’Riordan in 2003 on her debut solo album, Are You Listening?, which was released four years later.

The Cranberries’ hits included the songs Zombie, Linger and Dreams. (WENN)

“She had a holiday home in Buckhorn, north of Peterborough (the Irish-born O’Riordan was married at the time to Canadian Don Burton, the former tour manager of Duran Duran), and she was working on a solo project and needed someone to work with,” recalled Brodbeck.

“I got a call and we met at her place in Buckhorn, had dinner and barely talked at all about music. It was about getting along personally and we just hit it off . . . A friendship was very important to her because her previous musical experience was obviously the band and they were very close friends, so if she didn’t hit it off with someone personally, she would not work with them”

He continued working with O’Riordan in Canada and in Ireland, including on her second solo album, No Baggage, released in 2009. They continued to work on music and communicated right up until her death in 2018.

“It never stopped,” said Brodbeck. “I became a partner, musically.”

It was his work with O’Riordan that earned Brodbeck his lone Juno in 2010 for recording engineer of the year for one song on each of her solo albums: Apple of My Eye off Are You Listening? and Be Careful off No Baggage.

Brodbeck said he was “shocked” when informed of O’Riordan’s death, then discovered she’d sent him an email hours before she died. They had just worked out each other’s share of Summer Song.

“Her talent was incredible,” said Brodbeck.

“I could come up with something musically and had an idea of how a vocal melody might go and every time she surprised me. It always went to a way different place . . . . a place only she could take it to. She had an incredible voice and sense of unique melody.“

He said writing with O’Riordan was a “very organic process. . . . For her it was a gut reaction and if (the lyric) didn’t come, she’d throw it away. I remember she said, ‘I have to feel it when I sing it.’ She only wanted to make music that she and I loved. It changed my view of recording music. A lot of people try to force things when they’re in the studio. For her, it was all about the art.”

In her last few years, it was known that O’Riordan suffered physically with a bad back and mentally from a bipolar disorder. At the time of her death, determined to be by accidental drowning in a hotel bathtub, O’Riordan had consumed alcohol but no drugs.

Brodbeck said O’Riordan “hated” celebrity.

“It’s strange when you get to know someone outside the public glare,” said Brodbeck. “Fans look at her as an icon, but she hated celebrity. She just wanted to write and sing songs and be an artist.”

Brodbeck was contacted by the band after her death, since he and O’Riordan had worked on many songs over the years that were never recorded for an album. Those included Summer Song, which he gave to O’Riordan around 2014 with the description of the music as “a summer song.”  She wrote lyrics for it and recorded vocals.

“The band took what we had worked on and made it their own,” said Brodbeck.

“If we actually won, it would be a pretty neat thing and a great way to commemorate (O’Riordan) and cap off the band’s career and for me.”

Brodbeck was in Los Angeles for a music industry trade show last week and has stayed an extra week to attend the awards on Sunday.

His wife Taryn and daughter Taylor, a well-known area tattoo artist, will be at Fanshawe’s The Chef’s Table restaurant on Sunday for a Grammy party where students, staff and friends of the music industry arts program will watch the afternoon Grammy award session when many of the award winners are announced.

“I’m humbled and a bit embarrassed that they’re planning a party for me (and) I’m not going to be there,” said Brodbeck.

“But I’m here and I’m going to the awards.”

This content was originally published here.

[duketheman]

Generation 4 Part 5

It's 7:00am! George, JR & I are enroute to the Hospital. George will stay & visit Lucy & little Anabel. We'll take Marry & our little boy home after she's discharged! Richard & Lewis will be arriving later this afternoon from Dallas. It's 7:45am & we're on our way up to the rooms where our wives are staying. 7:55am JR & myself are entering Mary's room. Mary is sitting on the side of her bed. Harry Jr is in a plastic see through Infant bed next to her. They're waiting for Dr Jameson to release them so she can be discharged! 8:05am & Dr Jameson is checking the baby out once more. He says: ~The little guy doing fine! Everything's looking good. How are feeling Mrs Newport?~ She replies: ~I'm feeling great, I'm ready to go home Doctor.~ He replies: ~I would say you are! If you need anything, just call me, night or day! Good luck & Merry Christmas to you!~ The nurse hands her a clipboard & Mary happily signs it. The nurse rolls a wheelchair in, says: ~Hospital policy my Dear, we have to wheel you out to the door!~ We get to the exit, I pull the car around, JR insists on helping his Mother into the car! He's crazy about having a little brother, he's always since he was a young child himself, wanted a little brother. His wish has been fulfilled! We're on our way back to the Mansion. It's 9:15am & we're pulling onto the Grounds of Newport Mansion, Mother is waiting for us on the porch! We pull up, JR jumps out of the car, opens the rear passenger door, takes the baby from Mary. I help her out of the car, she's doing great, but let's face it, she just had a baby. She's still moving slow! Mother immediately takes the baby from JR & she says: ~Another addition to our family. How handsome he is Mary! How are you feeling Dear? She replies: ~I'm fine Mom, thanks for asking! Just a little slow right now!~ Mother replies: ~That's to be expected Dear! I'm so happy you both are okay! God has truly Blessed this family when you came into Mary, & now with Harry Jr, come inside Dear & sit down.~ We all go I to the house & Mother tells Huntington to bring some Sweet tea. She asks: ~Mary, is tea alright with you?~ She replies: ~Yes, I would love a glass, thank you Mom!~ She says: ~Your parents will return in a little while Mary! They insisted on going to town to pick something up for the Baby! Rachael is feeling a bit better this morning! The nurse says she wants to see the baby, & nothing is going to prevent her from it!~ The nurse helps Rachael to the Drawing room! Rachael says: ~Hello Mary, Harry, John Ross! Where is he, the little Angel?~ JR says: ~Here Grammy, I have him!~ He takes the baby to her & says: ~His name is Harry, like my Dad!~ She replies: ~You happy John Ross, a little Brother, 'O he's beautiful Mary! I'm so happy for you!~ Kellyanne walks in and says: ~Ohhh, can I hold him, please?~ JR hands her the baby, saying: ~Like this Kellyanne!~ He's showing her how to support his head, I really didn't know who taught him! I see he's already protective of him! I'm glad he loves the baby! I ask Mother: ~Where's Father? She replies: ~He & our Driver has taken the Limo to the Airport to pick up your Brothers!~ Jamie comes in: Oh my Goodness, is that Little Harry? Hi Mary, he's so Beautiful! May I hold him?~ She takes the baby from Kellyanne gently! She's got tears running down her face. My sister hasn't been able to conceive! She wants a child of her own so terribly bad! I feel sorry for her......

It's 12:30pm & Father walks in with my Brothers, Richard & Lewis! I greet them with a Handshake & a hug. Father says: ~Where is my new Grandson?~ He sees Jaime holding him & says: ~Now there, who do we have here? Look at his little hands! They're balled up in a fist! That's a sign of a fighter! A Newport if I ever seen one! Mary, how are doing? You did a fine job little girl! You made us proud!~ Mary replies: ~Thank you Dad, he is something, isn't he?~ He replies: ~Yes indeed, he is something!~ My brothers are fighting over who's going to take him Fishing & Hunting first! Huntington takes their bags upstairs while Father fixes them a drink: ~Anyone else would like something to drink?~ We're drinking Sweet tea so we good! George calls my Cell: ~Harry, the Doctor, he say me Lucy & Little Annabel, Me can bring dem home dis day! 6:00pm Harry!~ I reply: ~ Wonderful George, I'll see you then!~ We hang up & I pass the news on! Kellyanne's eyes get big! She remarks: ~Tonight, I can't wait, 'O I'm so happy, I have a baby sister!~ Mary's parents walk in her her say: ~Mary, my sweet child, where's our Grandchild? 'O look at him Will. Isn't he just Beautiful?~ He replies: ~Yes Dear, he's a very good looking boy. Strong, kind of looks like me, don't you think?~ She replies: ~He looks like his Father silly~ Father ask them if they'd like a drink. They both ask: ~Coke please? Laura says: ~Mary, look what we got for Little Harry! Aren't these just darling?~She's bought a Blue set of baby clothes, rattles & other assorted baby needs! They're really happy about the baby! The baby is now laying in a Bassinet next to where Mary's sitting! Laura reaches down & picks the baby up! Oh my Goodness, he's Beautiful Mary! You two made an old lady happy! It's 5:00pm & I have to go pick George, Lucy & Annabel up from the Hospital. I ask Kellyanne if she wants to come along & she decides she does! We're enroute! We have arrived at the hospital & it's 5:45pm. We go up to Lucy's room! She's ready to leave as soon as the nurse brings her some formula ordered by the Doctor. She's having some difficulty Breastfeeding, little Annabel isn't latching on! The nurse is here with the formula & a wheelchair. Lucy gets in the wheelchair & the nurse wheels her down to the exit. George helps Lucy into the backseat of the car with Kellyanne & the Baby. George rides shotgun! We're enroute to the Mansion. 6:55pm we're pulling onto the grounds of Newport Mansion. My parents & JR meet us at the car. George helps Lucy out, JR helps Kellyanne out with the little Annabel in her arms. Her big sister has already grown attached to her! Mother greets Lucy & says: ~Welcome Lucy, How you feeling Dear! How the baby, Anabel, right?~ She replies: ~Yes Mam Mrs Newport, & we're both doing fine thank you!~ Mother replies: ~I'm so happy to hear that, come inside my Dear, you need to sit down & rest!~ We all go inside & we now have two stars in the house! Mother has a Bassinet already set up next to little Harry for her! Lucy places Annabel in it & everyone is here. One big Happy family. Mother announces: ~Tomorrow we shall decorate the tree!

"Rachael's Gift To John Ross"

Rachael calls JR over: ~John Ross, I have something for you!~ She hands him a box. He opens it, a Christmas Ornament. He remarks: ~It's beautiful Grammy!~ She replies: ~It was your Mother's when she was young! It's got her name on it~ It's eight dolphins pulling Santa's Sailboat pass a full moon! Her name is Boldly printed on it. Rachael adds: ~It's hung on our tree every year since she was six years old. I thought you could carry on the tradition! ~ I see JR starting to tear up, as he thanks his Grandmother & hugs her: ~I promise Grammy, thank you!~ It's 7:45,pm & Huntington rings the bell & announces: ~Dinner is being served in the Dining room!~ We're all hungry except for Rachael. Her stomach is unsettled, so she excuses herself & the nurse helps her up the stairs! Mother has Beef Broth, crackers & Apple juice prepared for her & will have it brought to her room! The rest of us go into the Dining room & are seated at the table. My parents at each end, the rest of us are pretty much pairing up with our mates. This meal is not formal, though some may think so!

It's a dinner of Aged beef, Roasted baby potatoes, Broccoli & cheese, Green Garden salad, Onion Soup Crackers & Fresh yeast rolls! Drinks of choice are served. We have Baked Alaska for dessert! I've forgotten my Mother's choice of menus, she's a classy woman! 9:00pm we finish up dinner & retire to the Drawing room! Father serves Drinks. Mary & Lucy request Sprite, Laura a Glass of Red wine, as does Mother. The kids are off visiting each other. The Babies are both asleep in the Bassinets. We five men have a Cognac. It's nice for family to be able to congregate after dinner! I only wish Rachael was able to enjoy herself! I'm not sure she's going to make to Christmas, we can only pray!

It's 10:00pm, Mary & Lucy pick up the babies, say Goodnight. George & myself excuse ourselves so we can join our wives! We miss them & want to spend time with them! Personally, I miss sleeping with Mary, without her, it's hard to even close my eyes! I take the baby from my wife's arms & carry him, while helping her up the stairs! We get to our room & she's beat. She takes a shower the I take mine as to be able to keep a close eye on little Harry! Mary feeds the him & we go to bed!

Sunday, December 01, 2019

It's 7:00am we're all up getting ready to attend Church as a Family! Rachael insists on attending, though not feeling well! She says: ~I don't miss Church. Please help me?~ We load up her wheelchair into the trunk of the Limousine. The nurse will accompany us. It's 9:00am & the sixteen of us load up into the Limo, Father's & my Sister's cars, forming a small caravan & go to Church! 10:16am we arrive at Church & are greeted by the Pastor. He is happy to see the whole family attending. He informs the Door Keepers to assure an easy in & out for Rachael!

12:30pm, Services are over & we're enroute home to Newport Mansion!

We're pulling into the grounds of the Mansion. We pull the wheelchair out of the trunk of the Limo & help Rachael out. The nurse wheels her into the house! She wants to stay downstairs & visit. The nurse administers her a shot to help her with pain! It's 12:00pm & Huntington announces: ~Lunch is will be served in Dining room!~ We enter the Dining room & be seated! Split pea soup & a variety of Finger sandwiches are served! After lunch, we all go out to the Garden & sip on Mother's Sweet tea! The nurse wheels Rachael so she can have some fresh air! She asks for water only. She's getting worse & I'm truly worried for her! I've made arrangements to have the Reverend moved from Shreveport to our Family cemetery to be intermed next to his daughter! I pray Rachael will make it to the New Year......

The Tree

It's 3:00pm & Mother announces: ~Everyone, it's time to decorate the Christmas tree! Come on, everyone to the Grand Foyer!~

Everybody gets in on the decorations, each have a personal Ornaments. JR will place his, as well as: Julia's on the tree! Mother has created an ornament each for little Harry & Annabel.

Little Harry

"Baby's First Christmas Rocking horse Ornament"

Little Annabel

"Baby's First Christmas Basket Ornament"

Mother has a large array of other ornaments, including belonging to my Grandparents!

There's Gold, Silver, Blue, Green & Red tinsel. She has lights & Candy Canes too! Little Angel's & Tree Candles! The tree is Beautiful & fits nicely in the Grand Foyer! Now that it's finished, we place gifts under the Tree for the final touch!

It's now 6:30pm, giving us enough time to wash up before dinner!

7:00pm Huntington rings the bell & announces:~Dinner is being served in the Dining room!~ Rebecca wants to eat with us tonight. Cook has prepared Chicken broth, crackers & Jello for her! The main menu consists of: Clam Chowder, Salad, Veal, Lobster, Caviar, Truffles, Choice of Drinks. Dutch Chocolate Cake & Strawberries for dessert. A typical Sunday meal for my Parents..... It's 8:45pm & we've finished Dinner. The ladies retire to the Drawing room. Father asks us men to follow him to the Library. He pulls out a Bottle of his very best Cognac & a Box of Havana Cigars! He says: ~Men, two new lives have Blessed us with theirs! Tradition calls for a Good Cigar & a Great Cognac!~ He passes a cigar each to my Brothers, Will, Robert, George & myself! He then takes one for himself! We each cut the tips off & Father lights them. He pours each of us a Cognac & we raise our glasses, toasting our Newborn Children! After, we join the women in the Drawing room for conversation! Huntington serves Coffee & diluted juice for Rachael! Rachael apologizes & excuses herself, retiring for the night! The nurse will see her to her room & administer her medication so she can sleep!

It's 10:00pm & I my wife say our Goodnights & take Little Harry to our room. Mary feeds the baby once again as I shower! Afterwards, I take the baby & hold him for a while! I feel as if he's already grown since we left the hospital! Mary comes out of the bathroom & puts the baby in the Bassinet next to the bed. He's really a good baby, as he doesn't cry very much. He goes right to sleep... Mary & I climb into bed & she falls asleep in my arms! I love my wife, Goodnight!

December 02, 2019

3:15am

Grammy says Goodbye!

Knock at my room door: ~Mr Newport, Sir!~ it's Rachael's nurse at the door: ~Mr Newport, you're needed Sir!~ I reply: ~Coming, I'll be right there!~ She didn't wake the baby or my wife, thank the Lord! I put my robe on & open the door & ask: ~What's wrong?~ She replies: Sir, she's slipping fast, Mrs Marcantel! She hasn't long & she's asking for you, I've already called the Doctor!~ I reply: ~Of course, let's go!~ I knock on JR's door as I pass & tell him to come to his Grandmother's room!

I enter the room, she's looking bad, can hardly hold on as her breathing is shallow! I let her know I'm there: ~Mom, I'm here!~ I take hold of her hand! She replies in a low & almost diminished voice: ~Harry, my Jimmy's calling me, I can hear him! My baby is with him! Harry, where is John Ross? Is he here?~ John Ross answers: ~I'm here Grammy, I love you Grammy, please don't leave me?~ He's got tears in his eyes & is hurting! She says: ~John Ross, I see your Mother, she's with your Grandpa! Harry, remember what I asked? I love~ She takes her last breath & is gone! John Ross kisses his Grandmother on the forehead, lays his head on her chest & begins to cry! He's lost his Mother, Grandfather & now his Grandmother to Cancer! The Doctor is here, he checks for a heartbeat, then calls it. Time of Death: 3:45am! He calls the Mortuary to pick up Rachael! Mother comes into the room: ~I'm so sorry, I just learned! She walks over & touches Rachael's hand & says: ~Farewell my friend!~ She says to JR: ~Son, she loved you deeply, you were all we ever talked about on the phone! She looked so forward to seeing you before the end! She was proud of you! She's not in pain any longer!~ She leaves us alone & wake's everyone to give them the news!

It's 7:00am & the Mortuary’s here! She'll be buried here, next to Julia. Everyone's in shock! We knew she didn't have long, but this was too soon!

Skipping forward:

Saturday, December 07, 2019

Rachael's Funeral

It's 6:00am & everyone is getting to attend the funeral of Julia's Mother. The viewing of the body is at Madison First Baptist Church, from 8:00am to 9:00am. Burial will be at the Newport Family Cemetery at 10:00am! It's now 7:00am & we're all enroute to the Church! I've notified her Church in Shreveport & a number of their Parishioners have flown in to attend to include her Pastor who will officiate! Its 7:55am & we're arriving at the Church! Reverend Johnson of The Madison First Baptist Church & Reverend Toussaint, Rachael's Pastor greets us at the doors. The Church is packed with friends of the Marcantels & people from Madison that knew her! She was truly loved!

It's 9:00am & we're loading up in vehicles forming the Funeral Procession! 9:35am we're enroute to the Cemetery where Rachael will be intermed next to her daughter, JR's Mother & my first Love! We are arriving, it's 9:55am. Myself, Father, Bill, the Professor & my two Brothers are Pallbearers. We remove Rachael's Casket from the Hearse & walk it to the Gravesite. We place her Casket on the lowering device & are seated! JR's trying to hold back the tears, he loved his Grammy deeply! Kellyanne is trying to console him! That girl loves my son! Reverend Toussaint says a Prayer: ~Forasmuch as it hath pleased Almighty God of his great mercy to take unto himself, the soul of our dear Sister Rachael Jane Marcantel, departed, we therefore commit her body to the ground; earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust; in sure & certain hope of the Resurrection to eternal life, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who shall change our vile body, that it may be like unto His glorious body, according to the mighty working, whereby He is able to subdue all things to Himself, Amen!

A single Carnation from atop her Casket, is passed to each member of our Family. JR touches the Casket & says: ~Goodbye Grammy, say hello to Grandpa & Mommy! I love you Grammy!~ They lower the Casket into the ground & the funeral is over. We all depart the Cemetery, leaving a loved one in the Hands of God!

It's 12:15pm & we've all returned to the Mansion! Everyone is in a somber mood, Rachael was a part of us all! She left an impression on each & everyone she met.

Huntington announces: ~Lunch is being served in the Dining room!~ We go into the Dining room & are seated. Mother announces:~The menu today is Chicken & Sausage Gumbo. It's Rachael's own recipe & she made me promise to serve it, if & when she was laid to rest!~ She raises her glass in Toast: ~Here's to you old friend, may you look down on us & smile!~ We all raise our glasses & to Rachael!

Monday December 09, 2019

5:30am

I'm getting ready to fly to Shreveport & escort Julia's Father's remains back to Madison, for burial in our Family Cemetery! He'll be buried next to his wife & daughter! My flight leaves at 7:15am. I'll return tomorrow evening! It's now 6:00am & I kiss my wife Goodbye & Father is driving me to the Airport. We arrive at 6:35am, I'm only taking one carry on bag! I tell my Father: ~I'll see you tomorrow night, thanks for the ride!~ He replies: ~Until tomorrow, be careful son, we love you!~ I go through Security & straight to the departure gate, they're already loading the plane! We take off on time & will arrive in Dallas at 11:30am. I will rent a car for the final nearly three hours to Shreveport. 11:40am my flight is landing ten minutes late! I rent a car from Hertz & enroute to Shreveport where I have a room reserved at The Remington Suites! The Reverend's remains have already been recovered & waiting at the Coroner's office. I'll sign for them & have them delivered to the Airport tonight! They have to arrive there before morning to assure they're on my Flight. I leave at 2:00pm & am scheduled to arrive at Valdosta Regional at 6:30pm. I call Mary to let her know I've arrived safely! It's 12:30pm & I'm enroute to Shreveport. It's 4:30pm, I arrive at the City of Shreveport Coroner's office, I've called the Mortuary in advance to meet me there! I sign for the body & give instructions for the Driver to deliver the Casket to Delta Airlines Freight! It's 6:00pm & I'm signing into the Remington. I have dinner delivered to my room. I take a shower, have a scotch from the Wet Bar & call my wife to say Goodnight! I'm going to sleep!

Tuesday

6:00am I'm awake & shaving, washing my face & Brushing my teeth. 6:30am I'm going downstairs to the Restaurant to eat Breakfast. I'm ready to the road! 7:30am I'm checking out. 8:00am I'm enroute to the Airport. I arrive at 12:00pm, turn my rental in Check in. I'm going to the Coffee Bar & wait! 12:45pm I'm going through Security to the gate where I'll wait for Boarding. 1:30pm I'm boarding my flight. We take off on time, scheduled to arrive at Valdosta Regional at 4:30pm. I called Father to assure he's there when I arrive......

It's 4:25pm & landing on time. I go through Security & meet Father at the loading zone. I've arranged for Burns Funeral Home to pick up the Casket with Julia's Father's remains. He'll be buried next to Rachael in our Family Cemetery tomorrow! We're enroute back to Newport Mansion. I can't wait to see Mary & my sons. It's 5:30pm & we're pulling onto the grounds of the Mansion. We go inside & I immediately find my wife & kiss her. I say: ~Darling, you're my life & I'm so happy to be able to tell you that! I love you Mary Grace Newport, with all that I am & all that I'll ever be! You are what makes my life worthwhile & I thank God for you every moment of my life! She replies: ~Harry, what's gotten into you? I love you too my Harry! I've always loved you Harry, from the very beginning! You are & will be the only man I'll ever love!~ I sit down & Father pours me a drink! It was a trip of sadness, but also of reuniting three special people of my past to rest in peace together! I can pretty much take care of Rachael's affairs from home. The House will stay in the family for JR, as that was her wish! Mother asks: ~Are you hungry son? Dinner will be ready soon!~ I reply: ~I am Mother, famished! I'll be glad to sit down with family & eat. Hotel food sometimes just doesn't hit the spot!~ Mary remarks: ~My poor Harry, you look tired as well my Love!~ I reply: ~Quite so Darling, with all that's on mind; I didn't hardly sleep a wink!~

It's 6:30pm & Huntington rings: ~Dinner is being served in the Dining room!~ We go to the Dining room, be seated. Dinner I great: Roast Ham, Corn, Sweet potatoes, Slaw & for dessert; Peach Cobbler! 7:30pm, we finish eating & retire to the Drawing room to have a Drink. I inform everyone that the Reverend will be buried next to Rachael & Julia tomorrow morning at 10:00am. It's 9:00pm & I'm extremely tired. Mary takes my hand & says: ~Let's go to bed my Harry, you're beat!~ We excuse ourselves, pick up the baby & retire for the night.

Wednesday December 11, 2019

The Reburial of Julia's Father

10:00am we're at the Family Cemetery, & the Hearse carrying Reverend Marcantel arrives. My Father, Brothers, myself, George & Bill act as Pallbearers & removed the Casket containing Julia's Father's remains. We carry him to the gravesite & place the Casket on the lowering device. We all pray silently & the Casket is lowered into the ground! It's 11:15am & we leave the Cemetery enroute back to the Mansion.11:30am we arrive & all go inside & into the Drawing room to talk. It'll be Christmas soon & we need to get in the mood! Mother turns on Christmas music & demands that we cheer up! 12:00pm Huntington rings: ~Lunch is being served in the Dining room!~ We go into the Dining room & be seated. We're having Moroccan salmon and foie gras stuffed pastry. It's really quite delicious.... It's 1:30pm, we finish lunch & retire to the Drawing room to listen to Christmas music. Tomorrow George & myself will take our wives & babies in for a Doctor's appointment.

Thursday

8:00am

George, myself are drinking regular coffee & our wives are drinking Decaf in the Drawing room. Mary will Breastfeed little Harry before we leave. Lucy is already feeding Anabel formula! Both babies are eating & sleep well. Our appointments with Dr Jameson are starting at 10:00am. I'm borrowing Father's car for the day. We'll eat lunch in town & do a little shopping while we're out! It's 9:00am & we're enroute to town for the appointments! George is playing with Annabel. He's a happy Father. It's 8:45am & we're at Dr Jameson's office. We go in & check in! 10:05am, the nurse escorts Lucy, George & Annabel to the back! 10:40am George, Lucy & Anabel come out, George remarks: ~Me wife & little baby, they be good da Doctor he say!~ The nurse escorts us back to the exam room. She weighs little Harry, lays him on the table & measures him. She then measures his head, looks in his eyes & ears. She hands him to me, smiles & leaves the room. Dr Jameson knocks on the door & opens it. Never understood why they always knock on the door, not like we're going to get caught doing something! He enters, asks how we're doing & asks Mary to sit on the exam table. He does a quick exam & asks: Have you been having any problems?~ She replies: ~No Doctor ~ He says: ~Good, everything is looking good with the baby, he's right where he should be on growth & weight! You're doing fine, but if you have any problems at all, you have my number. Day or night!~ She replies: ~Yes Doctor, thank you so much!~ He gives her some vitamins for her & little Harry! We go out to the window & pay the bill. It's 11:55am & we're hungry!

We've decided to eat at O'neal's Country Buffet on Base street. Ribs are sounding really good to me! Cook prepares delicious meals at the Mansion but, sometimes you just want regular food! It's 12:15pm & we're walking into O'neal's. We seat ourselves. The waitress asks us what we want to drink & we reply: ~Ice tea all around! We go to the Buffet & our wives both choose Catfish & George likes Chicken wings & I'm craving those BBQ Ribs! The babies are sleeping, though it's quite loud in here. Country music's playing. The food is delicious!

It's 1:45pm, we finish eating & go shopping at Southern Grace Gifts. We arrive at 2:20pm. It's 3:00pm & the wives want to visit Madison Antiques. It's now 4:15pm & we're enroute back to Newport Mansion. Mary & Lucy both are tired,

& carrying newborns around takes its toll!

It's 5:00pm & we're pulling onto the grounds of the Mansion. I pull up to the front, we help our wives out of the car with the babies & go inside! It was a good day, Mary, Lucy & both babies are doing well! JR asks: ~Mom, how'd things go? You & little Harry ok?~ She replies: ~We're fine John Ross, everything is good! Baby's healthy & I'm healthy! No worries my John Ross!~ Kellyanne asks: ~Mama, you & Annabel ok too? ~Lucy replies: ~Yes sweetheart, we're fine!~ Both kids are relieved! They're showing such grownup aptitudes! The wives both want to go to the rooms & freshen up. George & I help them with the babies. We come back downstairs! I ask George: ~Well Old man, how about a cold one?~ He replies: ~aye, Me be thankin ya Harry! Harry, ya be me best friend!~ I reply: ~George, thank you, you're my best friend too, even more, you're family!~ I've never had a friend like George! He's been there every time I've needed him since the day we met! We have a Bud & just relax. 6:30pm Mary & Lucy join us. Mother & the Mary's parents are spending time with little Harry & Annabel. Father is out & about. 7:00pm, Father walks in just as Huntington rings: ~Dinner is being served in the Dining room!~  

Continued

[wiremagazine]

HIALEAH PRIDE 2019

By Rafa Carvajal

Wire Magazine is proud to sponsor the second annual Hialeah Pride, returning to historic Hialeah Park, located at 2200 E 4th Avenue, Hialeah, on Sunday, October 13. The theme of this year's Pride will be "One Love," further unifying our LGBTQ community and allies under one fabulous celebration. Getting together as a community for this Pride is particularly impactful because Hialeah, Florida is the fourth most conservative city in the U.S. This festival is a huge step forward and Hialeah Pride Co-founders DJ Citizen Jane and Karen Larrea will continue to push boundaries and break barriers in the pursuit of full equality and happiness for every one of us.

Last year, during its premiere, Hialeah Pride hosted over 6,000 attendees. This year, the Pride festival is expected to double those numbers for what will be an extraordinary celebration of love for everyone regardless of your gender identity or sexual orientation. Grammy-winning and Emmy nominated songwriter-producer Desmond Child will be the 2019 Hialeah Pride Padrino. Desmond will be on the mainstage to receive the honor, and he will also perform and be available for a meet and greet in the VIP area. Be sure to get your VIP tickets, which include open bar, buffet, a take-home swag bag, access to VIP parking and restrooms, and more, by visiting hialeahpride.com. General admission to Hialeah Pride is free for everyone.

There will also be plenty of other special performances and two additional great headliners. Julio Iglesias, Jr. will sing live, and DJ Citizen Jane will rock the house. Several other supporting artists and main stage hosts will also entertain us throughout the day and night. In addition, Hialeah Pride is very proud to be hosting a same-sex marriage ceremony on the main stage. According to Co-founder Karen Larrea, "We are so excited to be holding this special event at Hialeah Pride. Hialeah Pride will be the first Pride in South Florida to hold a marriage ceremony at their Pride event and where better than at Hialeah Pride."

Wire Magazine sat down with Hialeah Pride Co-founder DJ Citizen Jane, headliner Julio Iglesias, Jr. and Hialeah Police Department's Officer Erik Martin to preview the upcoming festivities. Check out what they had to say!

DJ CITIZEN JANE

Rafa Carvajal: Why did you decide to create a Pride celebration in Hialeah? Citizen Jane: I grew up in Hialeah and when I came out of the closet, I had nowhere to go and be myself because this has always been a very conservative city. Therefore, I had to move and start my life in a new city that would be more accepting. I told myself that one day I would come back to Hialeah and make a difference. A couple of years ago, I approached Karen Larrea about a dream I had for a while, which was to have a Pride in Hialeah. Now being an Internationally known DJ and leader in the community, I was able to go back to the city that I grew up in and make a difference by creating a safe space for the LGBTQ community to celebrate freely, and also take home with them a piece of what this festival has to offer. Karen was fully on board with me to do something to move the community forward. Especially when she found out that the City of Hialeah is the fourth most conservative city in the nation.

RC: What can attendees expect at this year's Hialeah Pride? CJ: A full day extravaganza celebrating diversity and community with live entertainment, DJs, a marketplace, food trucks with delicious delights from all over the world, photo ops throughout the park, a family zone, exclusive VIP Areas both indoor and outdoor, Miami Heat's "Heat Nation" interactive zone, a game zone, health zone, lots of dancing and overall fun.

RC: Who are the headliners at Hialeah Pride 2019? CJ: This year's headliners are Julio Iglesias, Jr. and me. Legendary Grammy Award-winning Producer Desmond Child is our 2019 Padrino. We are excited to have back our inaugural year Padrino Enrique Santos and Madrina Roxanne Vargas. Other international and local performers will also be on the Hialeah Pride mainstage.

RC: What does it take to successfully have an event of this magnitude? CJ: A lot of detailed organization and a huge love for our community. People do not realize the amount of work that goes into an event this large. It truly is a labor of love as we want to achieve equality for every letter that makes up our community.

RC: How do you raise the funds to put together Hialeah Pride? CJ: In our inaugural year, we contributed from our personal funds to make this event happen and we were also blessed to have our presenting sponsor, AIDS Healthcare Foundation, believe in us from the minute we spoke to them about Hialeah Pride and come on board. We also had smaller sponsors that made this festival come to life. For year two, AIDS Healthcare Foundation came back as our presenting sponsor, and we have had large companies such as Tito's, Walmart, and the Miami Heat, along with several more, want to be a part of this amazing Pride.

RC: What does Pride mean to you? CJ: Pride to us is being proud of everything you stand for and accepting who you are. It's saying to the world, "This is who I am, and I'm proud of it." Nobody should ever make you feel ashamed of who you are or what you stand for.

RC: What do you think sets Hialeah Pride apart from other gay Pride celebrations in South Florida? CJ: Let's begin by saying that we are a Pride founded by two women which is a rarity. Hialeah Pride is held in the Nation's fourth most conservative city, that alone is mind-blowing as we are only 20 minutes West of Miami. We are a true community with Pride, a Pride where we don't separate any in our community in separate spaces, every representation in our LGBTQ community has their shining moment on the main stage and we all are equal, including local talent. We are a Pride with a purpose more than a party, we want to break barriers for our community and move equality for all. We want you to come to dance and have a great time but also go home with information. Whether it is from our health zone, connecting with a community organization you may have not known about, or learn about community events. There is so much happening in our different festival zones.

RC: What are you looking forward to the most about this year's Hialeah Pride? CJ: Wow, that's pretty hard as we put so much thought and hard work into each area of Hialeah Pride. We just really felt such a sense of unity in our community and received that compliment over and over from so many people who attended. We had many people attend as far away as Orlando and Tampa, and to know the hard work our committee puts into making Hialeah Pride happen is just overwhelming. But, if we have to choose one thing, it would be when we stand once again on the main stage together as a family and see our community family dancing and just living their true life is amazing. Oh... can we add that we can't wait to see sexy heartthrob Julio Iglesias, Jr. perform?

RC: Is there anything else you would like to share with Wire Magazine readers? CJ: We hope to see everyone at Hialeah Pride on Sunday, October 13 at Historic Hialeah Park showing their pride and having an amazing time together as one. General admission is free, limited VIP can be purchased at hialeahpride.com.

HIALEAH PRIDE SCHEDULE: 

This was originally published in Wire Magazine Issue 21.2019

[eyez-ff-blog]

○○ eyez | fifty-three

March 22 – New York City

The Italian spot in Tribeca was a frequent spot for the Coles in which their memories there date all the way back back to the early recesses of their friendship; Beija could pack some plates away when she chose to, and with Jermaine being a bottomless pit that would try a multitude of things at least once, she all but dragged him to Pepolino when he notified her that he had never been. She could remember back in her years at NYU where her roommate introduced her to the place. It was expensive to most kids in college, but it was always worth every penny. Ever since she had introduced J to the place, he took her there whenever he could. After-studio dinners and quiet weekend getaways always consisted of their favorite seat by the window and a shared plate of pasta and all the peach tea their waiter or waitress could bring over to the table.

Every time they came back to the city and to this restaurant specifically, Beija was reminded of little things that made her fall in love with Jermaine without even knowing it. They’d sit and talk about every and anything, from the heated debates about the past election—she still didn’t truly understand why he wanted Bernie Sanders to win the Democratic nomination over Hilary Clinton—to the daydreaming they indulged in together, just happy about living in the now and hoping for the best in the future. His intelligence was attractive and his attentiveness to the things she said was touching. Now every time she thought about the restaurant, she realized that it was just their thing that they had. It was one of those foundation blocks that led to a strong friendship which would lead into a roller coaster of a love story.

Even now as she sat at the table across from her husband, she couldn’t keep her eyes off him as her mind jumped from subject to subject. She wasn’t even supposed to be eating pasta—she had put herself on a strict diet while she was pregnant, but Jermaine insisted she ‘splurged’ since they were in their city and embarking on a great feat in two days. The festival that Beija put together was all but complete in planning, and now all that needed to be done was to have it. “Dreamville Presents: The Block Party,” it was called, and featured a weekend of star-studded performances. The festival was actually already in motion—as they sat and ate, tons of teenagers and young adults alike were enjoying a guest list of electronic, dance, and alternative artists with Zeus and Whitney sharing the top billing with The Weeknd. Saturday would be a pure soul lineup full of Neo-Soul, Jazz and easy listening artists that catered to the older crowd. And Sunday would be the final day filled with mega-stars, from Rihanna, Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Jermaine as the largest artists to perform. Beija was listening to the radio earlier and heard the commercial spot for the event, and the radio VJ notified the public that the festival was being hosted by ‘Grammy Award winning rapper, J. Cole.’

She still beamed in pride at the thought of it.

Grammy weekend was probably one of the most overwhelming of Beija’s life, and she had nothing to do with it personally. She was nervous for Jermaine down to the last second on the clock, so to see him finally nab the awards were nothing short of amazing. She felt like she had a hand in witnessing nearly every step of his long-running career from being a fan to being his partner in both business and pleasure—it was like watching a movie and finally seeing the triumphant end. But she knew it was far from the end of his career and the things that would come from it. She always believed in his potential even when she never knew him, and it wouldn’t change. But as often as she thought about how well he was doing in his career, she thought about her own. She had so many things going on and so much success falling before her feet that she was hoping that she could keep up with herself, let alone him. With the added roles of being a wife and a mother, her uncertainty was always a nagging part of her thoughts. And now with her second child to be due in the summer, she still had her worries both emotional and logical...

“J, I think we should get a bigger house,” Jermaine glanced up from his plate of Tagliolini Al Limone, and he licked his lips briefly before he squinted his eyes in questioning. He grabbed his glass of peach tea and downed it, allowing B’s request to truly register. Beija slightly furrowed her eyebrows at his silence before she used the fork in her hand to push a portion of Penne Con Zucca e Ricotta across her plate. “I mean, I was just thinking about it. With the new baby coming, we have no space. Niya is still fairly young and I don’t want them cramped up in one room together, especially when she’s about to be two,” She explained.

“Okay,” He said before he ran a hand over his hair. He rested the hand upon the back of his head before he leaned back against the plush seat of the booth. “So what do you suggest? Or where, for that matter?” He asked.

“Maybe we can...come back here? There’s plenty homes in the outskirts of the city, then if we ever want to come in town it’s a short ride. Or we can go to Jersey since Ib and Nicole just moved with the girls,” She explained.

“True. There’s an option. Or maybe we could go down to Texas? There’s probably plenty of homes out there, and we can be close to the family,” Jermaine suggested, and Beija nodded as she stared down at her food. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” Beija said softly before she glanced up at him. “I’ve been thinking about it, but I also don’t really want to leave our home. I like where we live—we have nice neighbors, we’ve made friends, and plus...you bought that place for me,” She said, and his questioning expression softened a bit. “We found about Niya in that house...you proposed to me in that house. A part of me feels guilty for asking for more when you’ve given me so much already. And I think I’m also being super sentimental,” She shrugged.

“And you know that’s okay, right?” She twisted her lips to the side as a means to disagree, but she knew she really couldn’t; her silence confirmed that. “I’m gonna miss that place too but you’re right about us needing more space. Plus, you really need an office space and although I said I didn’t want to have a recording studio in the house, I might need it for whenever I decide to make another album. I don’t wanna be away so much and have you alone to take care of the kids,” He said. “We’re just gonna have to bite the bullet and get it done. And it will be fine, just like when we moved the first time.” She felt his hand cover hers, and she glanced up to see his eyes on her. “And I don’t want you to feel guilty—you’re not asking out of greed, baby. It’s a logical reason why you asked. Plus, you know I kinda like spoiling you,” He smirked, causing her to chuckle a bit.

“Yeah...alright, alright. I don’t know why I’m being all emotional when I suggested it,” Beija’s chuckle evolved into a soft laugh as J reached over to playfully nudge her cheek. “But go ahead and call Gina, let her know we’ll be back at the hotel soon. I can’t eat another bite,” She pushed her plate away from her.

“I told you to just let us share a plate but your greedy ass just had to have something to yourself,” J teased before letting out a low chuckle.

“Fuck off, because look at how much you ate,” Beija gestured to his nearly empty plate. “I wouldn’t have even gotten half if we shared so hush,” She pouted as she waved over the waiter that was serving them.

Once their bill was paid for and their takeout boxes were filled with leftover food and the lemon tart that Beija bought at the last minute, they headed back towards their ‘vacation apartment;’ after staying in it back in October, Jermaine decided to go ahead and set up a long-term lease for when they had to be within the city. It would prove to be a bit cheaper and more convenient than booking a hotel and now that Ibrahim and Nicole had moved out of the city to Jersey, there was no guest room to bum in. Beija figured it all worked out, but now her mind was clouded with what she would be looking for in a permanent home. She had to make sure it was a lively enough city with a nice neighborhood and proper schools...so much to do, so little time.

When the couple returned to the apartment, Beija could hear Janiya playing with Gina in one of the bedrooms, her childish laughter echoing through the house. “Niya?” She called out, and she heard a sudden flurry of small footsteps.

“Hi!” Janiya greeted her mother warmly as she stopped at the kitchen island, slowing her stride before she walked over to Beija, gently taking the woman’s hand with both of her own.

“I brought you home some pasta, and a treat we can have later,” She watched as Jermaine picked Niya off of the ground, and she smiled warmly at Gina once she laid eyes upon her.

“Were you good for Miss Gina?” J asked, and Niya nodded as she blew a raspberry on his cheek.

“Oh, she’s always good!” Gina laughed a bit as Beija began to rummage through her purse to find her wallet. “She just woke up from a nap not too long ago, so she’ll be up for a little bit,” Beija handed the woman the proper payment before the two shared a quick hug. “I’ll see you guys on Sunday,” She said.

“Gotcha,” Beija let the woman out before closing and locking the door. She slowly walked to the fridge and placed the leftover food inside before she sat her purse on the nearby barstool. “Ugh, my feet are killing me. They never hurt this bad when I had Niy,” She complained as she sat down on the couch.

“They say pregnancy symptoms differ every time. This might just be a new thing,” J said as Niya reached to rub Beija’s belly slowly.

“Belly,” Janiya said before she looked back, and rubbed J’s stomach as well, causing Beija to let out a loud laugh.

“Oh my God—baby don’t bother daddy like that,” B shook her head as she heard the faint vibration of her phone. “J, get that for me?” She requested, and she watched as J grabbed her phone out of his purse, glancing at the caller ID before picking up the phone.

“Hello? ...What’s up, Kieran?” Jermaine relaxed in his seat on the couch as he watched Janiya climb onto him, laying against his stomach comfortably. “She’s sitting right here. Yeah...what?” His tense voice made B sit up a bit straighter, and she watched her husband closely as he listened to her brother over the phone. “Okay. We can come after the show on Sunday. Don’t worry about me, traveling after a show isn’t new. Alright. Love you too,” He hung up, and sighed as he passed Beija her phone.

“What’s wrong?” She asked as she tilted her head.

“Your father’s in the hospital,” He announced, and Beija’s face paled as she felt her stomach turn. She couldn’t immediately respond verbally, but her body was already in motion as she peeled herself off the couch. “B?”

“I have to go,” Beija said softly as she walked towards the bedroom. “You can come after the show, but I need to be there tonight. I’ll get me and Niya a ticket,” As she spoke, she was already shuffling through the closet and dressers to try to pack some clothes.

“Are you sure—...?” Beija was sure Jermaine had more to say but her head wasn’t clear enough to decipher what he had told her. He must have gotten the message, because soon she could feel his presence and saw him helping her pack her things. She was pretty frightened about traveling alone with a small child and being pregnant all at once, but she needed to be with her family.

Beija was able to get two tickets to Houston on a one-way flight, and the whole way there she felt jittery and out of place in comparison to how she had been for the past couple of months. Of course she had her down days, but for the most part she was able to stay emotionally stable. But now she seemed to be so stuck in her thoughts as she flew across the country. She had to wonder what happened to Mekhi or what could be ailing him. He was the picture of decent health for as long as she could remember, and he went to the doctor faithfully to make sure that he stayed that way. So how did he end up in the hospital? She was just hoping he was okay.

Once they got off of the plane, Beija went to pick up she and Janiya’s bags before she led the little girl through the airport. “Mama...hungry,” Niya said softly, and Beija nodded as she glanced down at the girl.

“I know, baby. We can get some food when we get with Uncle ‘Quis,” She said, and she glanced up as they headed outside to where the ‘car pickup’ area was located. She saw Marquis waiting on them, and she approached him before they shared a hug.

“Here, I’ll get your bags,” Marquis grabbed the girls’ luggage and put it in the back of his car before he came around to pick Niya off the ground. “How’s my baby?” He asked as he kissed her forehead.

“Hungry,” Niya answered, and he chuckled as he nodded, opening up the back door.

“We can get some chicken nuggets, alright? Then we’re gonna go see pawpaw,” He said as he helped Niya into the booster seat he had set up in the backseat. Once he got her in the car, he helped Beija in the front before he got in and drove away from the curb. “How was the flight?” He asked as he began his departure from the airport area, making his way towards the freeway.

“Long and tiring. What happened to dad? Is he okay?” Beija asked, and Marquis shrugged as he sighed.

“They’re not entirely sure what happened yet—I know mama found him passed out on the floor, and they took him to the emergency room,” He explained, and Beija sighed as she sank into her seat. “They’ve still got him in the ICU, so you came at a good time,” He mumbled as he kept his eyes on the road.

“I don’t understand. Dad’s always been so careful about his health. He stopped smoking, he barely drinks anymore, always goes to the doctor—what could it be?” B sat back in the seat as she tried to think things over.

“You know, it could just be old age. You know he and mama are getting up there, so for all we know it could just be exhaustion,” Marquis sighed a bit before he tapped his fingers against the wheel. “At least, I hope that’s all it is.”

After getting Janiya some food to eat, the three headed up to the hospital downtown, heading towards the waiting room where everyone was waiting. As soon as Janiya saw Alisha, the girl broke from Beija’s grip and ran towards her. “Nana,” She called out.

“Oh hi, baby,” Alisha scooped Niya into her arms and kissed her cheek softly before she glanced up at Beija, smiling softly. B could see the redness in her mother’s eyes and it was no doubt that she had been crying. “Thank you for coming. I know you had work this weekend,” She said.

“Work comes second to this,” Beija said as she sat down next to her. “J would be here too if not for the fact that he’s performing on Sunday. He’ll be here after though,” She explained.

“I understand,” Alisha softly bounced Niya on her lap as she spoke. “So, they are still trying to figure out what happened to him. The doctor said it would be another 30 minutes,” She explained, and Beija nodded as she stared down at her feet.

“I don’t understand,” Beija mumbled.

“I don’t either,” Alisha agreed.

Within that half hour, Beija had pretty much did all she could to keep her mind off what may had been wrong with her father. Between attending to Janiya’s needs and answering Jermaine’s frequent texts she didn’t have to make much of an effort to keep her mind clear. But every so often she kept circling back to the same thought—she just couldn’t understand this. Mekhi was the healthiest man she knew, and despite the health history of his family he made sure to keep up with himself. For a man his age he was pretty in shape much like Alisha was, so this was a shock for everyone. She was sure that everyone was straying away from the worst case scenario, but Beija couldn’t help but be afraid. She was certain that if worst came to worst that she’d suffer far more than when Rashaad was murdered. Her brother’s removal from the earth was quick and forceful, but if Mekhi was going through something serious, his potential removal would be slow and torturous. Beija would have to watch him die if that was in the cards, and she wasn’t sure if she could take that.

Every time a nurse came into the waiting area Beija seemed to tense a bit, not knowing when it’d be a nurse beckoning for Alisha to tell her whatever news there was to be bestowed upon the family. It was probably unhealthy to be so would up, but she couldn’t help but to worry about her father. “Alisha Demarco?” One of the nurses came into the room.

“Come here Niy,” Beija requested, and once Janiya moved off of her grandmother’s lap, Alisha stood up and headed out of the waiting room to speak with the nurse. The little girl sat in the chair next to her mother, and she yawned as she laid her head on Beija’s arm.

“Sleepy,” Niya complained.

“I know baby. We’ll be going to nana and pawpaw’s house soon, okay?” Beija promised. Once she at least knew what was wrong with Mekhi, she would have Marquis take them back to the house. “Right now, just lean on mama and go to sleep.”

“Kay,” Janiya slowly snuggled against Beija’s side once the woman lifted her arm, and it wasn’t long before she heard the girl’s deep breathing.

Alisha came back into the waiting room, and her children all looked at her expectantly, waiting for whatever news to finally be revealed. “Dehydration,” She announced, and Beija let out a small sigh. “They did say that his heart rate was irregular and higher than usual, so they want to at least keep him for the night to see what the real cause is,” She explained.

“Well that can’t be too bad. Maybe it’s just high blood pressure,” Alonzo reasoned, running a hand down his face. “It’s not life threatening, it seems. So that’s good,” He mumbled.

“Yeah, that’s a bright side,” Kieran stood up slowly before stretching his arms over his head. “Do you want to come home with me, mom? Or do you want to stay here?”

“I think I should stay, but I want to at least go home and shower. Then, you can bring me back,” She said, and he nodded as he pulled his keys out of his pocket.

“I’ll stay here with mama, so I’ll wait here for you guys to come back,” Alonzo announced.

“Come on sis, I’ll take you and Janiya home,” Marquis offered, and Beija nodded as she gently shook Niya to wake her. Once Marquis helped Beija out of the chair, they headed back down to his car and they headed back to their familiar side of town.

Once they got back to the old house, Beija bathed and put Niya to bed before taking a shower herself and getting dressed for bed. As she entered the bedroom, Beija saw her daughter lying in the middle of her old bed, cuddled close to a stuffed animal. She chuckled lowly before she slowly made her way towards the bed, climbing in next to Janiya before she kissed the girl’s forehead. Although she shut off the light, she didn’t fall asleep for some time. Her mind was still at ill ease—until the cause of Mekhi’s dehydration was truly solved, there was no true peace in her mind. She didn’t usually become incredibly antsy when she and Jermaine were apart, but she certainly wished it was already time for him to com down and be by her side. She needed his strength.

That following Monday

“You are a little spider monkey,” Alonzo mumbled as Janiya crawled all over his back, chuckling softly as she hugged the back of his neck. “Your kid’s nothing like you. You were never this clingy as a child.” He teased Beija, who was in the kitchen cooking breakfast.

“She’s only clingy because she doesn’t see much of you and her other uncles. Most of the time she’s pretty independent unless she doesn’t see me or J some days at a time,” Beija explained as she yawned, making sure to watch the bacon she was frying.

“Speaking of, when is he supposed to be arriving?” Zo asked.

“Today—apparently all the flights last night were booked so he had to wait,” B said as she placed the finished strips onto a paper-towel-covered plate. “I think his flight just got in, so he shouldn’t be long now.”

The knock at the door brought the two out of their conversation, and soon they heard the door open. “I’m home,” Kieran announced as he walked into the living room. “And guess who arrived with the wind?” He chuckled softly, and Beija smiled when she heard Janiya’s squeals.

“Daddy!”

Beija could hear Jermaine interacting with both his step-brothers and his daughter, and before long she felt the warmth of his arms around her. She relaxed against his body and let out a comforted sigh—it was the most relaxed she felt since they had gotten home. “Hey,” He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “You okay?”

“Yeah...now I am,” She said before she glanced back at him. “I think they said they’d have an official diagnosis for dad today. Once we eat we were going to head up there,” She said, and he nodded as he ran his hand up and down her stomach.

“You need any help in here?” He asked, and Beija poked her lips out with skepticism. “Don’t be like that. I’m the king of eggs now,” He laughed softly.

“Alright, alright. You go ahead and get a skillet in that cabinet,” She pointed at the proper cabinet where the other pots and pans were. “I still have to make pancakes. While I do that, you can scramble the eggs.”

Once the breakfast was cooked and eaten, most of the children were off to see their father—Beija stayed behind for a bit to bathe Janiya and let Jermaine shower off the plane grime, but they arrived at the hospital some time later. Beija had already grown tired of seeing hospital waiting room. She had been here every single day since she had gotten back to Houston, and the anxiety had never left her. The smells, the sounds, and the fears that consumed her seemed to always rush over here when she walked past the sliding doors. She was slightly more at ease with her husband there, but she still hated the place. She had finally decided that hospitals just weren’t her scene.

“Oh, you’re all here,” Beija glanced up as she saw Mekhi being pushed in a wheelchair, with Alisha and his nurse by his side.

“Hey daddy,” Beija smiled as she stood up and walked over to him. The two shared a hug as she kissed the side of his head. “You scared me,” She mumbled.

“Ah, I’m sorry. But I’m alright, promise,” He nodded as he was embraced by his sons next. “I hope I didn’t worry you all too much. Guess I wasn’t drinking enough that day,” He said.

“Gotta be more careful, pops. What did the doctor say, though? What’s going on with your heart?” Kieran asked.

“Well, that seemed to be the cause of it; apparently my heart has enlarged abnormally,” He said, and the kids grew uneasily quiet at his reveal. “It’s nothing life threatening unless I put myself under any intense stress, which I don’t as it is. They put me on medication and I should be okay,” He nodded.

“That’s still super rough. At least you’re okay,” Marquis commented.

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I be?” He glanced up and smiled a bit at the sight of Jermaine and Janiya, watching as Niya reached for him. “There’s my angel,” He pulled her into his lap. “You doing alright, J?”

“Yes sir. I’m glad you’re out too,” Jermaine said, and the older man nodded quickly.

“Thank you, son. Let’s go home, though—I want to hear about your concert. Plus I’m hungry and I’m sick of this terrible food,” Mekhi shook his head as the rest of the group laughed.

As the family began to file out of the hospital, Jermaine and Beija kept close to her parents as they headed out of the facility with Janiya still in Mekhi’s lap. The little girl continued to talk her grandfather’s ear off, and he sat and took it all in stride. Beija felt J’s arm drape over her shoulders, and she laid her head against his shoulder before he kisse her forehead. “You feel better now?” He asked.

“Yes. And I really think we should look for houses when we get back. Down here’s where I want to be,” She announced.

“I understand,” He concluded, gently squeezing her shoulder as the two headed out into the spring air.

[americanahighways]

WoodyFest Day 2

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The Virtual Woody Guthrie Festival continued Saturday July 18. Beginning at noon, the festival resumed with action packed line-up of panels and workshops streaming live and completely free via a plethora of streaming options. First up, there was a songwriting workshop hosted by Ellis Paul, and the invaluable education series went on to include: Appalachia: This Land is Home to Me hosted by Tom Breiding, Folk Collusion hosted by Tim Easton, Woody’s Country hosted by Rik Palieri, Collecting Woody Guthrie hosted by Barry Ollman, This Land is Your Land: A Celebration of 80 Years hosted by Deana McCloud, and lastly, fascinating panels discussing Native Music of Oklahoma presented by Oklahoma Film + Music Office, moderated by Sterlin Harjo & Dr. Hugh Foley |and included Zoom Panelists: Samantha Crain, Jula Harjo, Kylee Robison, Johnny Akeketa, Nokosee Fields, K-OSS, and Kalyn Fay and a second panel, Something to Say: Making Music That Matters presented by Oklahoma Humanities Moderated by Barry Ollman |and featuring panelists, Louie Pérez, Mary Gauthier, & Dr. Sunu Kodumthara. Strategically place between the last two informative panels, the winners of the 2020 Woody Guthrie Songwriting Contest were announced with Randy Lewis Brown taking top honors with his song, “Desoto Parish Nights.” In second place was Sharon Goldman with “Woody & Marjorie” and in third, Daniel Neihoff and his song, “Appalachian Cry.” Congratulations to these songwriters as well as all that entered. I have no doubt we’ll hear more from all of them.

The panels continued on until 7pm when the music schedule took over, with this evening’s host, Jaimee Harris, who nearly immediately hit you right in the feels with her powerful Texas “folk-n-roll” take on the late Jimmy Lafave/Woody Guthrie composition, “Peace Town,” followed by her own “Catch it Now.” What a beautiful start to what was an action packed evening. Next up, Jared Tyler delivered his “A Little Tonight”from his 2017 release, “Dirt on Your Hands” followed by Paul Burch and his take on Guthrie’s “Pretty Boy Floyd”. At the 2019 fest, Betty Soo joined Michael Fracasso for his Crystal Theatre set, but this year, she delivered a simply stunning, stop you in your tracks version of “Deportee.” Betty Soo is currently performing with Rebecca Loebe and Grace Pettis as the trio, Nobody’s Girl, and their album self-titled release should definitely be on your radar. Detroit songwriter Chris Buhalis with “Don’t Kill My Baby and My Son” a song Guthrie wrote about Laura and L.D. Nelson, a black mother and son lynched from a bridge over the Canadian River near Okemah in 1911. Buhalis’ rendition was one that truly resonated.

Next, the legendary Graham Nash who played the festival in Okemah back in 2016 returned, virtually to the festival, contributing “Be Yourself”, the classic sing-a-long “Teach Your Children” and what I believe was a new song, “Stars & Stripes.”  It’s got to be tough to follow a real legend like Nash, but that’s exactly what Crys Matthews did, and did admirably, with a trio of socially charged songs, “Change Makers,” “We Must Be Free” and “Battle Hymn For an Army of Lovers”. Next up, was Massachusetts songwriter and autism activist, Seth Glier, first with, “Coronation,” then “Justice For All” and finally with a bunch of friends joining in via Zoom for “This Land is Your Land.” The multi-talented, Gregory Page followed with Woody’s “Danville Girl” which was just a great version. Oklahoma’s own, Samantha Crain was next with perfect timing, having just released her brilliant new album, “A Small Death.” Crain’s recorded performances here, “Time On Your Side” and “High Horse” were definitely a highlight for me. Tom Breiding followed with a pair of songs addressing the blue-collar union workers, “Now It’s Here” and “This Land Is Home To Me.” Next, and moving down south we had Houstonian Matt Harlan and his timely “Low Pressure” which really impressed me.

Bonnie Whitmore was next, and dropped some wisdom, reciting Woody’s quote, “It’s a folksinger’s job to comfort disturbed people and to disturb comfortable people,” before unleashing her 8-string bass for a brand new song, “Time To Shoot” from her forthcoming album, Last Will & Testament due September 1st. Live from his barn, we had Jacob Tovar delivering memorable takes on “I Felt Love” and “Three Good Reasons (For Leaving Tulsa)” providing a necessary honky-tonk atmosphere. The captivating Branjae returned to WoodyFest, this time with Josh Westbrook on guitar for a great pair of tunes, “Who Knows” and “Everybody Knows”.  Branjae and the band she co-fronts, Count Tutu were a highlight of last year’s festival, so it was great to see her back. If any musician has gotten the whole livestream thing down, it’s BJ Barham. The man’s a workhorse by nature, and has been sharing songs online ever since this damn pandemic coincided with the release of his amazing new American Aquarium album Lamentations. Barham is one of my favorite songwriters presently, and he certainly didn’t disappoint by delivering two of his recent bests. “Me + Mine” (Lamentations) is from the new album, and I personally think it might be the best song he’s written. Of course, his performance of “The World Is On Fire” from 2018’s Things Change was perfectly chosen as well.

Next was Emma’s Revolution featuring Pat Humphries and Sandy O., joined by Grammy Award winning fiddler and Klezmatics member, Lisa Gutkin performing, “Gonna Get Through This World” along with a Zoom screen collective of other musicians. Another Texas songwriter that’s won over the hearts of WoodyFest, is Jamie Lin Wilson, who provided a beautiful version of “Oklahoma Stars” written with Okemah’s own, Evan Felker. Hot on the heels of his album release, “Bloomin’”, the fabulous Josh Okeefe delivered two of the album’s best, “We’re All The Same” and “Son Of The Working Class”. Okeefe was one of the artists I was most looking forward to seeing and talking to at this years fest, but his performances here certainly hit the mark. Fresh from his “Folk Collusion” panel earlier in the day, Tim Easton returned to play two of his best, “Old New Straitsville Blues” and “Don’t Spectate, Participate”. Next, Brennan Leigh brought her smart country flavored storytelling with a great protest song, “Pipeline.” Following Leigh, we had songwriter and activist, Seth Bernard with a cut from his brand new album, “Let Love Light The Way” and “This is the American Earth”, before Raye Zaragoza presented “Fight Like A Girl” and a new song from her upcoming release Warrior.

WoodyFest just wouldn’t seem complete without John Fullbright, and though he’d been featured on the Tuesday night broadcast with a song recorded from 2019’s fest, tonight he was back with a new song, tentatively titled, “Sailors At Sea”, and the wonderful “Fat Man.” It’s got to be hard to follow Fullbright, but if anyone could do it, Glen Hansard certainly could. Now, I’m not sure if Hansard was going to be a performer had the 2020 WoodyFest actually gone forward in Okemah this year. But having been fortunate to see him perform live in 2019, I can only imagine how great of a performance the man would have delivered from the Pastures of Plenty stage. As it was, Hansard gave one of my favorite performances of the evening, with recorded songs from his home in Dublin. “Leave A Light,” a cover of Woody’s “Ramblin’,” and what seemed to be a brand new song capturing the turmoil in our streets. Hansard is one of my favorite music discoveries of the past ten years or so, and I highly recommend diving deep into his catalog of solo songs as well as with the Frames and The Swell Season. His new album, last years, The Wild Willing is nothing short of genius.

Taking us into the evenings home stretch, Mary Gauthier was joined by host, Jaimee Harris for stunning versions of “Make America Great Again” and the perfect story song, “Last of the Hobo Kings.”  Jason Mraz and his ukulele were up next for “Look For the Good,” before moving to the piano for “Make Love,” and lastly, joined by Joel Rafael for an intimate version of his song “Under Our Skin” from Rafael’s 2019 “Rose Avenue.” Finally, Jaimee Harris returned to her hosting duties to close up shop for the evening with a tale of the great Jimmy Lafave and a clip of Lafave and friends closing out the 2014 WoodyFest with “This Land Is Your Land.” Always a perfect choice.

WoodyFest continued its Virtual 2020 Festival for its final day on Sunday July 19th hosted by Terry “Buffalo” Ware, and featuring Carter Sampson, Butch Hancock, The Red Dirt Rangers and more. I’ll detail this final day and recap WoodyFest 2020 in a final piece later this week. Stay tuned!

https://www.woodyfest.com/

A replay of this first night can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8P2ZoMCZ-I

  Show Review: Woody Fest 2020 -- Day 2 @woodyfest @tim_easton @bettysoo @jaimeeharris @thegrahamnash @pbwpa @sethglier @crysmatthews @sjcrain @branjaemusic @bjbarhamtweets @lisagutkin @johnrfullbright @emmasrevolution @marygauthier_ @ellispaulsongs @latterette WoodyFest Day 2 The Virtual Woody Guthrie Festival continued Saturday July 18. Beginning at noon, the festival resumed with action packed line-up of panels and workshops streaming live and completely free via a plethora of streaming options.

[celebritylive]

What do musicians Bublé, Bieber, The Barenaked Ladies, and Bryan Adams have in common (besides possessing ‘B’ names and simultaneously self-isolating)? They’re each proud to call Canada their ‘home-and-native’ land while also representing a handful of the more than 70 A-list artists, actors, and activists who’ll be live-streaming Sunday night from their respective remote locations in support of Canada’s food banks and its front-line workers battling the fight against the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

The historic Canadian event entitled Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble (the French-language equivalent) will debut on the heels of last week’s successful and star-studded One World: Together at Home virtual global benefit hosted by Lady Gaga (with appearances made by Taylor Swift, Elton John, Paul McCartney, and Oprah, among others) to raise money for, and awareness around, the critical issues facing healthcare workers as they brave the frontlines to fight the coronavirus.

Canada’s upcoming similar-themed (and streamed) show will include a creative mix of music and messages of hope and resilience from multiple personalities—including the ‘B’ boys mentioned above — as well as digital pop-ins from Ryan Reynolds, Amy Poehler, Eric McCormack, Jason Priestley, Sarah McLachlan, Avril Lavigne, Mike Myers, David Foster, Kiefer Sutherland, Céline Dion, Howie Mandel, Shania Twain, and the cast of Schitt’s Creek, to name just a few more. Even dystopian bestselling author Margaret Atwood and guitar-strumming astronaut Chris Hadfield will be on hand for the event.

Sunday’s show will mark a ‘Part Deux’ performance for Grammy-Award winning crooner Michael Bublé, who also had lent his vocal support to One World. Today, Bublé joined a live Twitter press panel to promote Canada’s variety-show version while sharing his personal feelings on the impacts and unprecedented challenges this pandemic has presented for millions of Canadians, including his own family.

While he affirms that he and his wife Luisana Lopilato have been trying “to take more time to pray” — and watch less news —”we try to really just take it one day at a time, and that’s it.”

But, he admits his family is “scared.”

“We’re worried for our moms and dads and people that are vulnerable in our family. I know my wife is scared for her people in Argentina — and we just wanted to do anything we could,” Bublé said. “Just like every other family in our country, we have good days and we have bad days. We have moments where we’re uncertain, and we’re scared and we’re worried, and we just try to, you know, keep a positive, good perspective, and at the same time, we just want to be there, whenever we can, to do what we can, for the people that have given us so much.”

Bublé, 44, who shares his birthright city of Vancouver with actor Ryan Reynolds, said that while he and his family have been safely isolating, celebrities like himself have it easy compared to so many others less fortunate.

“We have privilege, we’re lucky, and it’s — in many cases — of what our country’s given us,” the singer-songwriter said.

“I’m here safe with my kids and my wife, and I’m not worrying about having to get groceries … What I’m dealing with is nothing compared to what the doctors and nurses who are on the front lines are worried about… their own families are worried about.”

Bublé and Lopilato have an intimate familiarity with the medical system themselves, as their now 6-year old son, Noah, battled liver cancer from 2016-2018. (The couple are also parents to son Elias, 4, and daughter Vida, 21 months.)

“ was a big reason why my wife and I got so involved. We were driving one day early on, before this was massive news, and we were talking about all the people that were going through medical issues where …they were more vulnerable, and my wife and I just cried about it,” he told PEOPLE.

“The same things that our healthcare specialists have been asking us to do, I think, are just as important today; I think we need to stay strong and hold the fort down by making sure that we social distance, and making sure that, when you can — if you can — not just support our people in healthcare, and support this beautiful Holy Grail of a healthcare system, but at the same time be there for people that are vulnerable.”

Food Banks Canada Chief Development and Partnership Officer Tania Little said that every month 1.1 million Canadians feel the pressure of not having enough food to eat. The current pandemic has obviously made things far more grim and dire. She added that her organization kicked off its relief-effort campaign five weeks ago with a goal to raise $150 million — which will, effectively, provide three months’ supply of items to food banks across her country to provide for people in need.

“We’re very fortunate to work in such a caring nation where so many wonderful organizations can partner to address issues of food insecurity in this country,” said Little. “And, I’ll tell you, now more than ever, we’ve banded together to provide that support for Canadians in need.”

With the “overarching theme” of the show being “hope and optimism” Little said she wants Canadian viewers to “watch with awareness,” while, hopefully, becoming inspired to donate in support of Canada’s multiple local food banks coast-to-coast as they navigate the multiple organizational challenges — namely, not having enough food or volunteer staff — brought on by COVID-19.

For his part, Reynolds did Canada’s food banks a solid two weeks ago when he donated $4,000 to the Edmonton Food Bank—part of his and wife Blake Lively’s $1 million donation to food banks across both that country and the U.S. (The Rookie star Nathan Fillion also shelled out $5,000 to the same Edmonton not-for-profit.)

Bublé said he feels a “duty and responsibility” to help out in Sunday’s relief efforts.

“It’s funny, my wife will say to me … ‘Mike, when does it end?’ and I wish there was some magic answer. Because, for the first time in history — not just in all of Canada, the whole wide world, it doesn’t matter what color, what religion you are, whether you’re gay or straight, rich or poor — every single person is scared and uncertain, and there is no answer, and all we can do is try to love each other … and take it a day at a time, and keep perspective and, hopefully, with things like this people will have food.”

Bublé recalled the 2010 Winter Olympics hosted by his (and Reynolds’) beloved hometown of Vancouver. At the time, he felt he’d seen Canadian artists and athletes “put on one of the greatest Olympics that anyone had ever seen.”

Until now, that is.

“Ten years ago, we watched our country come together — all our artists, our athletes … We pulled together as a country and we blew the world away. For me it’s very emotional to see that 10 years later, under much different circumstances, our country is going to show its mettle once again, and we’re going to show the world what great Canadian firepower is all about — and how resilient and how strong and how much love we have.

… it doesn’t get more emotional than having all these incredibly talented people come together and do it once again — something completely different — probably a lot more important.”

RELATED: Beyoncé Donates $6M to Coronavirus Relief Through BeyGOOD Initiative

While Bublé hasn’t spilled any tea on what rhythmic tricks he has up his sleeve for Sunday, he did say that when it comes to planning a performance from home while self-isolating, “it’s definitely a lot more low-tech.”

Citing some of the ‘amazing’ work he’s done recently with bands like The Barenaked Ladies and other artists, he added, “I watch all these people putting things together at home, and in their kids’ bedrooms, or offices, where maybe they’ve never done this before. And, while it may not be as perfect as a studio setting, I think the heart is there.”

I’ve officially started working on a brand new album. pic.twitter.com/GlqfmyhuyW

— Michael Bublé (@MichaelBuble) April 23, 2020

https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js

On Thursday, Bublé announced on Twitter he was combining his quarantine duties with work on a new album — his 11th since dropping 2018’s Love that November — and, on Instagram Live earlier in the week, fans got a chance to witness the shared singing chops of his daughter when she spontaneously appeared on-screen to help duet with her dad in a hilarious ‘family take’ version of Camila Cabello‘s and Shawn Mendes’ (another Canadian) song of the summer, “Senorita,” followed by a quick rendition by the pair of “I Like to Move It.”

Stronger Together, Tous Ensemble airs at 7 p.m. EST on Sunday, April 26. Fans and viewers from around the globe can live-stream the event on CTV.ca, CBC.ca, and Globaltv.com.

from PEOPLE.com https://ift.tt/357XL54