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pennswoodsman · 3 years

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I’m at the Acme on Passyunk ave with my dad. I’m really struggling to keep my head up lately. I made the mistake of deciding to let my prescription for Zoloft run dry to see if I still need it. Clearly I do. This last week on several occasions I got triggered with something then fall into a crippling depression for the next few hours, sometimes until the next day.

I got a raise at work for the first time in 4 years. At first I was thrilled. Then I find out it’s because their minimum wage has increased and they had no choice but to raise it. So....I haven’t bothered to tell anyone. It doesn’t feel like a victory. In fact it depressed me knowing that I’m now just making the banks minimum wage, I went from being a supervisor to an aimless loser making shit wages...again.

A few days later I’m at the Amity park for an ice cream social with the boys. This is the first time I’ve been to this park in about 5 years. A sudden rush of memories of being happy with Dawn and socializing with other parents and their kids overcomes me. I find myself again re-living all of Dawn’s lies and the hurtful things she said and did in 2017 and 2018. I realized I was about to have a panic attack right there and then...while I was waiting in line for ice cream with the boys. I was trying so hard to be pleasant and strong for Kevin and Nate, but I felt that god awful nothingness in my chest and that feeling of about to tear up. Plus my teeth were sore from clenching my jaw so much. I drove home feeling exhausted. I felt a little better hanging out with the boys and watching a movie together.

Now it’s Thursday and I have a long shift. I am so depressed I can barely speak above a whisper. Everyone is annoying me. At one point a team member puts me on mute to talk to a customer and I start looking at naked chicks on Reddit. Without thinking about it I mutter to myself “man, that’s an edible vagina” to suddenly realize I said that while on mute, not on hold. I panic and hang up. It’s a recorded line and now I am wondering if it’s only a matter of time before they hear it and fire my ass.

That night, I had a series of nightmares. One was right when I first fell asleep. I was driving the Rogue by myself late at night. It was somewhere in Berks county. I felt really out of it, like I was drugged up on prescription meds or something. I accidentally drove up on the sidewalk and just stopped myself from crashing into a tree. I continued to drive even though I knew I was severely impaired. I was reversing to get back on the road and I ended up driving off the road again, this time going into the woods. My seatbelt was wrapped around my right arm, pinning it against my chest. I was trying to free it with my left hand but it kept slipping out of my fingers. I finally got it out but, right on queue, the car slide down a refine and off a cliff. I calmly watched the car plummeting toward the ground through the windshield. I said “goodbye world” and I knew that was it. I woke up with a jolt as the car was literally about to smash from 200 feet.

A couple of days later I was on Reddit again and a man who was in his 40s was asking a question in “dating over 40”. The man said he doesn’t have a good job, his mother pays his mortgage and grocery bills and is this a deal breaker for the ladies. Not that I was shocked by this, but I don’t recall a single woman saying anything but negative things. Saying why would anyone want a loser? Why would anyone want a man who can’t take care of himself? Etc. I sent him an encouraging message to not listen to them, shit happens and if you have a parent who can afford to help you it shouldn’t be the end of the world. I then suggested to not mention his mother pays his mortgage and other bills until a few months in so that way, she could get the know the “real you” and not pre judge you. Some random woman sent me a reply stating that not telling his dates right away is being manipulative. I honestly don’t agree. Since when do you discuss how you pay your mortgage and bills in the first few months of a relationship? I know I never have and would never ask. I said that and all she said was “look up manipulative in the dictionary”. It made me remember how Dawn claimed I was manipulative without even the seeing the slightest bit of irony in that accusation and it got me spiraling towards another panic attack.

Which brings me to today. I worked my Saturday shift, gathered as many family photos to bring to my dad’s house as my trunk would carry and headed out. I put on the “AskReddit” things to hear about entitled celebrities from the stage hands. Once that story is done it automatically went to “ladies what are examples of a man child?” By the first 5 minutes I was so depressed I could barely lift my head up. I am a fucking man child. My house is filthy, I have a shit job and my father pays my way through life. I have a brand new car which is normally a thing to be proud of but I find myself feeling shame that it wasn’t me who paid for it. I feel massive shame for almost being 46 and still dependent on my father. I feel massive shame for being 46 and still having no real career to speak of. For having this generous GF who deserves such a great man but sometimes I feel like she deserves better than I.

The thing is, it hasn’t even really been a bad week per se. Kristan got us SECOND ROW TICKETS FOR DEAD AND COMPANY!! She loves Jimmy Buffett, which is great because making the leap from Buffett to the Dead really isn’t that big of a change. Plus she has heard Scarlet Begonias live a ton of times and didn’t even realize it was originally a Dead song. Her birthday was last week and I wanted to send her some Scarlet Begonias from a florist. I checked all the websites of the local florists and none of them had any. So, I ordered some faux ones from Target. I also got her Jimmy Buffett tickets this coming August. Mine are only lawn seats though. So, not quite as awesome. I did agree to wear a grass skirt and coconut tits at the show. Hey, when in Rome, right?

Sigh....

#depression #anxious #deep breath

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etraytin · 4 years

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Quarantine, Day 123

July 12

A-B-C, it’s easy as Day 1-2-3!

Another quiet day in quarantine, a near-mirror to yesterday except none of us went anywhere today. We are being ever so good in advance of the wedding! I did get a message today about a mama cat and some kittens very close to me that I'm going to check out tomorrow, just to get the lay of the land. The contact person says the kittens are 6-7 weeks old, but a lot of people are pretty bad at guessing the ages of kittens from far away. If they are young enough to socialize we can trap them and get them into the foster system, but if they are too old they will have to wait a little longer because we are backed up all to hell at the spay/neuter clinic. They have had to go to reduced hours again, so we're only getting slots on certain days. Tuesday I will actually be trapping at a different site with one of my friends, and this time we will be wearing masks even outdoors because one volunteer tested positive recently. It would really help if it were not 90 degrees out!

The kiddo has made a full-on fort in my closet now; he is very proud of himself. He mostly goes there in the evening, in the time between the end of screen time for the day and bedtime. He is listening to a lot of music on Spotify now, and I would feel old for not recognizing most of it except that I have never recognized much in the way of pop music. I'm just pleased when he occasionally busts out with a Jimmy Buffett song because I know that's all my influence. He has also mentioned that he likes a lot of the songs he likes because they make him think of fanfiction stories inside his head, which is also just like me and I will always encourage that. He doesn't seem to like the quiet; there is always something coming from his room, whether it is Youtube or Spotify or podcasts.

Barry has forgiven me for the unthinkable crime of allowing him to jump out of my arms last night, and it only took a bit of groveling and a bunch of treats. These guys are going to have a lot of fun when they get to the rescue and have more room and other kittens around! Hopefully they will also learn how to use the litterbox without kicking up a sandbender-sized mess about it. Their mama probably taught them how to scratch in the dirt, which requires a lot more energy and enthusiasm than a couple inches of Tidy Cat. A high-sided litterbox has helped a lot, but some good examples should also be good for them. They are out and playing right now until I finish all my typing for the evening. I have held off on the evening serving of wet food so I can use it to put them away without having to chase anybody.

Two different people have texted me in the past two days to ask me about homeschooling curriculum. Kiddo had some problems in first and second grade before we got his medication settled and when we were in a much worse school district. I ended up pulling him and using the virtual public school option that Florida makes available for free to any student. We did Connections Academy for two years and it was good, but very time-consuming. It's funny because I hadn't even been thinking about homeschool again until my sister asked me about what we had used, but I understand why people are looking around. The idea of sending kids back into the classroom right now is scary, especially for people with young children like both of the parents I talked to.

I honestly don't think that any back-to-school-in-person option is going to last very long, just as a matter of logistics. What happens when someone tests positive? Does the class quarantine? Does the teacher quarantine? What if a teacher has to quarantine or gets sick, or someone in their family gets sick? Who's going to teach their classes? There was already a severe shortage of substitute teachers before all of this happened, and a lot of the subs were retired teachers themselves. Who on earth is going to go into a classroom where someone just got quarantined for COVID and teach there for eighty dollars a day and no benefits? I got my letter authorizing me to sub during the 2020-21 school year and just threw it in a drawer. I mean, some people are going to be desperate enough to do it, but if you're that hard up, it's probably safer to work at McDonalds right now where you're only close up with ten or eleven people instead of thirty or two hundred. Teachers already had an incredibly shitty deal before coronavirus; I believe that we will soon start to see what happens when conditions get so bad that nobody will teach. Guess we'll see pretty soon, some schools are getting ready to go back in just a few weeks! Virginia schools don't start til September, so we've got a little time yet.

#quarantine #feral kittens #tnr #back to school

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theentiregdtime · 5 years

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dennis buys a boat.

PHILADELPHIA, PA 5:00 ON A FRIDAY

"Look, Mac, I don't- I can't even comprehend what you're saying right now. How can you possibly not be excited about this? Are- Are you even human?"

"It's not that it's not cool, dude! I just- When you called me down here and said you were gonna blow my mind, I- How did this even happen?"

"It happened because I'm a genius, goddamn it, now are you going to get in or should I call Charlie instead?"

"No, I'm sorry, man! Look, don't call Charlie, I'll get in the boat."

Dennis is a visionary and Mac is a fool. Dennis is the king of the Delaware and Mac is a Hessian cretin. Dennis is... he's fucking Poseidon and Mac is but a lowly fish.

Mac could have come down here to the marina, chanted about how 'awesome' this was (he calls everything awesome!), and been goddamn Nerites. Not that he would have allowed him to take the reigns of this supercharged chariot, but still! Alas, he doesn't get the boat, not like Dennis does, so now he's just a fish.

Still, though, it feels good.

Dennis is stood aboard a 2007 Sea-Doo Challenger, of which he is now the proud owner, perched with his hands on his hips like a navy-clad demigod. The warm sun is shining down on his back, the speakers are blaring Steve Winwood's The Finer Things, and Dennis Reynolds is on top of the world, baby!

"So like," Mac says tentatively as he steps in, "where did you even get this? Last night you told me we couldn't afford two orders of fried rice."

A self-satisfied smirk twists Dennis' mouth.

"How does anyone get anything, Mac?" he responds, dipping his sunglasses down to flash his eyes. "The world's not about money. It's about charm."

"That makes absolutely no sense, dude."

He's not certain why he expected someone like Mac to understand. He hadn't exactly grown up with the same... entitlements as Dennis had. His idea of recreation as a child was poking dead things with a stick and throwing rocks. As a matter of fact, he had probably thrown rocks at boats! The savage.

But Charlie would have gotten sewage and toothpaste and cheese and other mystery stains all over the vinyl, and Dee would have ripped a hole in the seat with her goddamn jagged bird arms.

Mac was the obvious choice. He was usually such a fantastic hype-man, and Dennis would be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed at the lack of enthusiasm here.

"That's because you don't have any charm, Mac," he retorts as he sidles into the captain's chair, curving his fingers around the steering wheel. "You tumble into rooms and knock things over and spit when you yell like the damned Tasmanian Devil."

"Be that as in May," -that's not the phrase, but Dennis doesn't interject- "I get stuff through the power of intimidation."

Mac plops himself down, rather gracelessly, in the passenger seat.

"When has that ever happened? And don't say the time you 'intimidated' that man at the mall into giving you a free massage, because I hate to break it to ya', but that's not what that was, buddy."

He pouts so overdramatically that his frown reaches his chin.

"Hey. I'm tough, Dennis," he persists, and per usual, appears to genuinely believe it. "But don't worry, that doesn't overshadow your charm thing!" Mac's smile perks back up and he reaches out to brush his knuckles against Dennis' shirt. "Like, you look way better in sweaters than I do, man."

It's not so much a sweater as it is a nautical polyester zip-up pullover, but hey, he does look good in it- so he'll let that slide.

"Okay, okay, just... shut up and hold onto something, all right?" Dennis rolls his eyes, but there's an excited sneer forming on the edges of his lips.

He screws the safety key around his wrist onto the slot until it clicks into place. Mac would say something along the lines of 'safety is for bozos' before surely setting himself on fire or plummeting off of a rooftop, but Dennis will not be murdered by his own boat like some sort of seafaring Cronus.

He gives a quick wink to- well, not so much Mac, more to the boat- before adjusting the trim and wrapping a hand around the throttle.

"Prepare to have your mind blown."

Before Mac can ruin the moment, Dennis sends the throttle forward. The dock is relatively clear, so he's out on the water doing 45 in no time. He leans back in his seat to catch a glimpse of his reflection in the rearview mirror (shame it's so small) just as the song tells him about the golden things life could be, and yeah, he looks pretty damn cool. Obviously, Mac must think so, too. Not that he cares.

He darts his eyes over to see if Mac is looking at him.

And oh man, is Mac looking at him.

But not like he's admiring how 'awesome' he is or thinking about how he wishes he could be so goddamn glorious- not like that at all. It's like he's just happy to be out here with him for no other reason than to be here. He's got this stupid little grin on his face... The nerve!

Dennis focuses his gaze back on the river.

Well, if anyone with half a brain is watching him, they will certainly admire how cool he is.

After a half-hour or so of going near-60 (perhaps to show off, perhaps not...), Dennis kicks it back down for a while, and they coast along the river maintaining a comfortable speed over which they can actually hear each other speak. Dennis can hear the music again, too, Wouldn't It Be Nice bamp-bamp-bamping through its last chorus.

Part of him regrets it, because Mac immediately shifts in his seat and starts babbling, like he's just been wriggling anxiously, waiting for an opportunity to speak. He gets that way, after they haven't talked in a while- a day, an hour, fifteen minutes- like he has to tell Dennis every single thought that's gone through his head in the meantime.

"Hey, what do you think fish think about?" he asks.

Dennis' eyebrows tense. He rolls his teeth over his lip. "What?"

Mac seems offended, as if the question were self-explanatory. "You know, fish," he reiterates.

"That isn't the part I was confused about."

That answer doesn't satisfy him, and Dennis can feel his stare burning a hole into the side of his head without even having to look. He's like a child.

Rick Astley is pumping through the speakers now, and Mac is totally ruining it.

"I don't know, Mac, what do you think about all day?" he deadpans.

The connection to Mac having the brain of a common herring flies right up the windshield and over his head. "Oh, uh-" he starts excitedly, "like, the bar, ideas for stunts, who would win in a fight between Dutch Schaefer and John McClane, you, french fries, whether or not I could put a bear in a headlock, which I think I could if I got a running start-"

"You've made your point!" Dennis has to stop him, because he already knows all of this, and Dutch would obviously win because John is more stealth than muscle and Dutch clearly has experience with stealth. "I don't think fish think about fast food, which they have no access to, or whether or not you could fight a bear, because they don't know you and you cannot, or..."

Or me, Dennis just now registers. Did he really say that?

He shakes his head and dismisses it.

"I think they think about absolutely nothing! Some part of their tiny, gelatinous brain reminds them to move and to swallow smaller fish, but I can tell you with great confidence that there is nothing else. There is not some- some tangled, Desperate Housewives-esque drama playing itself out down there, damn it!"

Mac whistles through his teeth. "But, like... can you prove that? Can we be sure? Because science has only come so far-"

"Oh, I will not have this debate with you again!" Dennis inches his speed up just a bit in an effort to drown Mac out. "Are you determined to ruin fish for yourself by... by subscribing to the notion that they are capable of complex thought? You know how much fish we eat, Mac!"

"That's why I'm asking, dude!"

Dennis nudges the throttle up further, keeping his eyes trained on the water passing underneath them like sheets of polished glass.

"If they've got stuff going on up here," -he imagines Mac is pointing to his head, where quite clearly nothing is going on- "then maybe we should switch to duck or something, man!"

"Why- You- You think a duck thinks less than a fish?!" Dennis sputters.

He's almost up to 60 now.

"I'm not saying that for sure!" Mac transitions into shouting over the engine, the goddamn lunatic. "I'm just saying, flying back and forth every year seems like a waste of time!"

"Are you criticizing the migration of waterfowl?!"

"Well, why don't they just stay in the city, Dennis?! There's always food there!"

There's a rattling sound now, and Dennis assumes at first that it's a migraine forming from his teeth scraping together, but it's so loud and-

Ah, shit, it's the boat.

The needle on the speedometer starts creeping down despite the throttle being all the way up. Dennis adjusts it, as well as the trim, but the grinding only seems to intensify and the boat only gets slower. He checks to make sure the safety lanyard is still connected- which it is- and everything on the dash seems normal...

He can hear the music clearly once more. God, I wish I was sailing again, Jimmy Buffett mocks him.

"Uh, how much smoke is too much smoke for a boat?" Mac asks hesitantly. For once, it's actually a relevant question, and not some sort of riddle or existential crisis.

Dennis turns to look over his shoulder as the gauge creeps towards 20 and, yep, delightful, that's smoke.

"Did you suck something up?" he inquires rather stupidly.

"Yes, I absolutely did, and I did it on purpose," Dennis spits as he unhooks the lanyard and pulls the levers back down, "and you know what? I hope it was a fish, Mac, I hope it was the biggest, smartest fish in this entire goddamn river," -he hops up and paces towards the back, his heavy footsteps echoing off the sides of the boat- "with hopes and dreams and aspirations, a thousand times more superior than any duck! And I've just crushed it with the impeller like meat in a blender!"

"Why would you put meat in a...?"

Dennis rips the sunglasses from his face and tosses them to the floor. He doesn't know what else to take out his anger on.

"Is that the takeaway, Mac?!" he squawks, spinning back around to look at his idiotic fish face. This is why Poseidon is so engulfed with wrath all of the time! "Is that the one thing you choose to pick out of this entire situation?!"

Suddenly, Mac is on his feet and closing the distance between them. He has that pitying, holier-than-thou expression on his face, and for a moment, Dennis thinks he's going to pick a fight with him (and he would lose just like he'd lose to a bear!), until he feels steady hands clamp down on his shoulders.

"Den, listen to me," Mac says softly, lifting two fingers to point them back and forth between their eyes, "I'm with you. I'm on your side, man. Fish are stupid and they suck and we're gonna keep eating them, okay?" He lifts his palms to press them against Dennis' jaw. "But I need you to stay calm so we can figure this out."

Dennis should feel patronized and belittled, but he doesn't- he's simply stunned in place. His breathing is starting to steady, and he thinks he's nodding. Whatever Mac says or does next, he has a feeling he's going to believe him- even if he claims trout are capable of high-order thinking.

"Okay," is all he manages.

Mac parrots back, "Okay."

He gives Dennis a double-pat on the cheek before passing him to peer over the stern. There is utterly no chance he has any idea what he's looking at, but that doesn't stop him.

"Well, I don't see anything."

Ordinarily, Dennis would ask him what he expected to see- some sort of hook hand hanging off of the boat? Instead, he merely shrugs his shoulders.

He's oddly at peace with this. Jet-boating is kind of boring, anyways. It's nothing like a yacht, there are not nearly as many bachelorette parties waving to him as he'd envisioned, and there's next to nothing to see out here. There's a reason John McTiernan does not direct movies about flat water.

"I'm so sorry, Dennis," Mac apologizes, for some reason.

Now that they're floating sans engine, the smoke has died down, and there are no more ear-splitting scraping noises. Dennis would rather spend the night on this thing than hear that sound again- it's going to give him an even worse headache if he does.

"Just- open that up." Dennis gestures to one of the storage compartments.

Mac nods dutifully and does as requested, looking like he thinks it might lead to something he can repair. When it opens to a mound of ice and Coronas, he raises a surprised- but not displeased- eyebrow.

"Oh. All right."

Not two minutes later, they're sitting on the back row of the boat, beers in hand, having given up trying to remedy the situation. I'd Really Love To See You Tonight (absolute classic) is playing just as the sun is starting to set. They'll call for a tow once it gets dark- Dennis doesn't have the energy to think about it right now.

Mac's got his arm on the back of the seat, around Dennis, but not really touching him. There's much more space they could be utilizing, but this is fine. It makes it easier for Mac to open Dennis' beers for him, anyways.

"I think you should start paying for boats with money instead of charm, Den."

Dennis scoffs. He leans back onto Mac's arm as he takes another swig.

"I don't know..." he mutters, the ghost of a smile playing on his lips. You see, it really doesn't matter much to me, the speakers remind him. "This isn't so bad."

Mac chuckles through his nose. He doesn't object.

It's quiet for a while as Seals and Coley harmonize and Dennis polishes off the last of his drink. He discards the empty bottle, letting it roll until it meets up with his shattered sunglasses.

"You want me to get you another one?" Mac offers.

"No," he half-whispers and scoots a little closer- just to get comfortable. There's no sense in being uncomfortable.

Mac's hand rests on Dennis' shoulder, drawing him in gently.

"Okay," he whispers back.

He passes Dennis his own, half-empty beer. Without taking his eyes off of the sunset, Dennis takes a sip, then hands it back to Mac, who immediately does the same. They trade it back and forth a few times. Dennis hums I'm not talkin' 'bout moving in...

"Dennis?" Mac mumbles in his ear.

"... Yes?"

He could ask him anything in the world right now, and Dennis thinks he might give him a real, honest answer. He imagines the answer to a lot of those questions would be 'yes, I do, I'm just so scared to tell you'. He would really love to tell him tonight.

"How many pennies do think there are... in the river?"

Dennis takes another drink. He's too tired to argue. It's warm, the sky is amber-peach, the boat is rocking gently, Mac's arm is around him, there's a warm wind blowing, the stars are out, and I'd really love to see you tonight.

Dennis sighs.

"Just pennies," he replies, passing the beer back, "or are we talking all change?"

#the companion piece to mac buys a motorcycle!#it's finally done!!#unlike motorcycles i actually know how boats work but not newer ones so sorry if i got anything wrong #do y'all care if i mess up a description of a sea doo we're just here for the gay #it's always sunny in philadelphia #it's always sunny #iasip #dennis reynolds #mac mcdonald #macdennis #fics #my writing

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margaritaville · 6 years

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celebrated national margarita day the way jimmy buffett would be proud of: drinking a too strong poorly made frozen margarita alone in my house

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thethirdencore · 6 years

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Eagles and Jimmy Buffett in Minneapolis, June 30, 2018

Here's my complete review of the Eagles concert at Target Field in Minneapolis, MN.

Now that I've gotten my thoughts together about Saturday's Eagles concert in Minneapolis, it's time to post about it!

First off, I want to mention that the venue of Target Field was... hectic, to say the least. There was seemingly one entrance to the whole stadium where everyone had to file through and go through bag checks and metal detectors. Apparently there were over 42,000 people at the show, so you can imagine the pace of just getting through the line to go in!

It was incredibly hot, surprisingly, for a Minnesotan summer day. Jimmy Buffett even called it "tropical." It would have been considered uncomfortable and almost unbearable if the anticipation of seeing the Eagles play hadn't set in. But, Jimmy Buffett came first as an opening act, and thankfully arrived promptly to the stage right at 7.

I'm no "Parrothead," but I found Jimmy and his Coral Reefer Band's set to be enjoyable. He played all of his recognizable hits, like "Cheeseburger in Paradise," "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes," "Come Monday," and "Margaritaville." He also played "Knee Deep" and "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere," songs that were originally recorded with Zac Brown and Alan Jackson, respectively. I was also impressed with his cover of Crosby Stills and Nash's "Southern Cross," a crowd-pleaser that brought everyone together to sing along to the chorus, as well as Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl." He also included the live rarity "Gypsies in the Palace," which he attributed beforehand as a co-write with his late friend and former neighbor, Glenn Frey.

Walking around the stadium and seeing the droves of fans, I found it striking that so many of them had on Margaritaville t-shirts and parrot hats. One guy seated in my section was swinging his hips to "Fins" wearing a belly-baring tube top, a skirt, and a hat piled high with an assortment of fruits. He looked like the mascot for Chiquita bananas!

After reading the review of the show in the Pioneer Press, I was surprised that the reviewer called Jimmy's music "terrible." Are his lyrics filled with deep meaning? For the most part, no. But his music is something enjoyable that you can get up and sing along to. It's also the first show I've seen where the crowd bops beach balls back and forth throughout the whole stadium. Something about that was oddly appealing to me, even though I got hit in the face with an errant ball not just once, but twice. 😂 His set just gave off a chill, easygoing vibe that I think set up the Eagles show pretty well. And I'm sure Jimmy doesn't care one bit that the Pioneer Press called his music terrible... I'm sure he's laughing all the way to the bank, considering he's got a successful Broadway musical to his name, as well as Margaritaville retirement communities and his own Land Shark Lager beer.

FUN FACT: According to the Wikipedia article on "Parrotheads," Timothy B. Schmit was the one to coin the term during his tenure with the Coral Reefer Band.

Now, onto the Eagles set. They opened the show promptly at 9 PM with "Seven Bridges Road," which I thought was a great song for an opener; it was a song that I thought should have been in the set list for the History of the Eagles tour. The three remaining Eagles' voices meshed with new voices Vince Gill and Deacon Frey perfectly, and it shows that they've really been working at perfecting the harmonies in this new phase of the band. The second song was "Take It Easy," which introduced Deacon Frey on lead vocals. Later when Don introduced Deacon to the crowd, he said, "We are particularly delighted, our hearts are full, and we are grateful to have Glenn's son Deacon up here with us." The crowd erupted into applause as Deacon emerged into the spotlight to soak it all in for a few seconds, wearing a Minnesota Twins jersey with "Frey" emblazoned on the back. As the applause died down, Deacon thanked the crowd and went on to say that he had spent some time in Minnesota before, saying, "My dad used to take me fishing in Brainerd." Some can recall that Glenn played a concert with Deacon in Brainerd in 2008 at the Manhattan Beach Lodge. It was probably one of the first, if not the first time that Deacon took the stage with his dad publicly. Fast forward ten years, and that young man's playing in front of 42,000 people at Target Field! I'm sure Glenn would be so proud of how cool, calm, and collected Deacon is onstage! He delivered solid performances on "Already Gone" and "Peaceful Easy Feeling," and I honestly believe that he's perfectly capable of handling more of Glenn's songs in concert.

The third song was "One of These Nights," and I was honestly in awe that Don Henley could still hit those high notes almost spot-on, after all these years! Next up was "Take It To The Limit," which introduced Vince Gill on lead vocals, and, in my opinion, it was perfection. He seemed to hit all the high notes just right, and I would venture to say that it's the best I've seen the song performed since Randy Meisner sang lead vocals on it in the 70s.

Can we just talk about how great Vince Gill is for a second? Not only does the guy have the voice of an angel (seriously, look up his solo work if you aren't familiar with it), but he can keep up and hold his own playing guitar licks, too! I'm thrilled that he's playing with the Eagles now, because I've been a fan of his for a long time. His backing vocals add something special to the mix, too, especially on songs like "I Can't Tell You Why," where he's singing harmony to Timothy's lead vocals. Vince recorded his own version of "I Can't Tell You Why" for the Common Thread album of Eagles covers, and that's a great listen, too!

Some reviewers have said that Timothy's voice sounds "rougher" than it used to, but in my opinion, it still sounds really good. As I said before, Vince and Timothy's voices compliment each other well, and Timothy gave great performances of "I Can't Tell You Why" and "Love Will Keep Us Alive."

I was pleasantly surprised to hear a track from Long Road Out of Eden played at this show, with Deacon and Don trading lead vocal duties on "How Long." I actually captured a video of the full song, so I'll post that soon. It also shocked me that Don didn't sing as many songs as he used to during this tour, but instead chose to stay in the background, playing drums. I suppose this is all by design, to get the audience acquainted to the new faces in the band, but I still missed hearing him sing songs like "The Long Run" and "Victim of Love." Still, his live renditions of "Witchy Woman," "Life in the Fast Lane," and "Those Shoes" can't be beat!

Another welcomed surprise was the addition of a Vince Gill solo song to the mix, "Don't Let Our Love Start Slippin' Away." Vince traded a few guitar licks with Joe Walsh and Steuart Smith, and the audience ate it up. I heard a guy in the stands behind me yell, "Atta boy, Vince!" Atta boy, indeed.

Speaking of guitar riffs, I should mention that this latest incarnation of the band has not just one or two, but THREE skilled guitar players between Joe, Vince, and Steuart. I have no other words to describe Joe's playing on Saturday except that he kicked ass! In my opinion, he's got to be one of the greatest guitar players of all time, and it still shows to this day when he just blows everyone away with his guitar licks. From "Funk #49" to "Rocky Mountain Way," Joe had the audience up and energized!

Just to mention a few random tidbits:

•Don began the show by saying, "We are gonna play about two and a half hours of music for you... because we can!" 👏 👏 👏 I was so relieved to hear that the Eagles are still a band that plays 25 awesome songs every night!

•The horn section is back in action! They played a big part in the performance of "Funk #49" and the instrumental horn introduction to "Hotel California."

•Since I mentioned "Hotel California," I'll mention that NOTHING beats the sound of 42,000 people singing right along with Don, and the rhythm of that fantastic guitar duel between Joe and Steuart... absolutely nothing!

•The screen graphics for this tour are pretty cool. Songs that had graphics that stood out to me were "Witchy Woman" and "Hotel California." Both gave off a creepy-in-a-good-way vibe, with "Witchy Woman" panning past scraggly-looking trees and barbed wire fences in a night lit by a full moon, and "Hotel California" passing through the empty, tiled corridors of the mysterious hotel. My description doesn't do it justice... just go see a show to see it in person!

•A photo of Glenn was projected on the screen at the end of "Peaceful Easy Feeling," and I came close to crying. Not out of sadness, totally, but for the fact that Deacon was up on stage, doing such a great job of keeping his dad's legacy alive.

•The main difference I noticed between this show and the one I had seen when Glenn was alive was how much I missed Glenn's jokes. Now the joking is almost solely Joe's thing, and I miss hearing, "This was written for my first wife, Plaintiff," before "Lyin' Eyes," among other things.

•I also miss Glenn's band intros. We all know that Glenn was an illustrious master of ceremonies at Eagles shows, and he always took the time to introduce each and every member of the band, along with where they were from.

All things considered, the Eagles still know how to put on a good show, even without Glenn. Moving forward with Deacon and Vince singing Glenn's songs is keeping his legacy alive for future generations of Eagles fans. And while things will never be quite the same without Glenn, I'm sure glad that these guys chose to continue playing together, "because (they) can," and I can't wait to attend another show!

#jimmy buffett #margaritaville #eagles band #don henley #deacon frey #joe walsh #timothy b schmit #vince gill #minneapolis #target field #concert review

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whitejeweler · 3 years

Video

youtube

Welcome to Music Monday when we bring you great songs with jewelry, gemstones or precious metals in the lyrics or title. Today, folk-rock legend Gordon Lightfoot sings “14 Karat Gold,” a song that uses a precious metal metaphor to express just how much he appreciates the love of his life.

Repeated throughout the song is this memorable phrase: “She’s more than money / She’s 14 karat gold.”

“14 Karat Gold” appeared as the first track on Lightfoot’s 15th original album, Shadows. Prior to its 1982 release, the Canadian singer/songwriter/musician provided radio stations with an “interview album” that included his commentary about each of the tracks.

The velvet-throated vocalist described “14 Karat Gold” as surrealistic and a departure from some of the other songs he’s done.

“It has to do with the human relationship,” he said. “What it says is that you don’t know everything there is to know, about everybody else, or about each other, or about anything for that matter. But [the song is] saying that you appreciate your lady in very positive terms.”

“14 Karat Gold” was apparently one of Lightfoot’s favorite performance pieces.

“The song works extremely well on stage,” he said, “because I’ve sung it many times.”

Rated fifth on the CBC’s list of the greatest Canadian songwriters ever, Lightfoot’s music career has spanned 63 years and counting. Lightfoot has produced more than 200 recordings, including the chart topping “If You Could Read My Mind” (1970), “Sundown” (1974), “Carefree Highway” (1974), “Rainy Day People” (1975) and “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” (1976).

He has written songs for prominent artists, such as Bob Dylan, Dan Fogelberg, Jimmy Buffett and Jim Croce.

Dylan famously said of Lightfoot, “Every time I hear a song of his, it’s like I wish it would last forever.”

In March of 2020, the 82-year-old released his 21st studio album.

Please check out the audio track of Lightfoot performing “14 Karat Gold.” The lyrics are below if you’d like to sing along…

“14 Karat Gold” Written and performed by Gordon Lightfoot.

If you see me smile don’t think I’m acting strange I got my just reward for all my pains If you see me on the TV talkin’ proud Please understand if I don’t talk too loud

Step around and dance a bit Polish up the dice Set ’em loose and let ’em roll This is my advice Keep your mind a mystery Running hot ‘n cold She’s more than money She’s 14 karat gold

If you wonder why I’m acting up this way Gonna cash my chips I’m leaving town today I got more love than I could ever spend So long, farewell, good-bye, this is the end

Step around and dance a bit Polish up the dice Set ’em loose and let ’em roll Be as cool as ice Keep your mind a mystery Running hot ‘n cold She’s more than money She’s 14 karat gold

If you get hit by the bug that bit on me If you get caught with something soft and sweet If you get found with something you can’t waste Then listen bud, let me give you a taste

Step around and dance a bit Polish up the dice Set ’em loose and let ’em roll This is my advice Keep your mind a mystery Running hot ‘n cold She’s more than money She’s 14 karat gold. Sold.

Step around and dance a bit Polish up the dice Set ’em loose and let ’em roll Be as cool as ice Keep your mind a mystery Running hot ‘n cold She’s more than money She’s 14 karat gold

Credit: Image by Arnielee, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Visit our website at whitejewelers.net

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keywestlou · 3 years

Text

MISSISSIPPI WOMEN GRACE THE CHART ROOM

Three Mississippi women graced the Chart Room last night.

I walked in to find them sitting at the bar. They had arrived in Key West a couple of hours earlier.

John and I chatted with them. They were interested in where to go, what to do, etc. Three charming people readying themselves for a ladies night out that would last several days.

Sibyl the only one still working. A school teacher. Resides in Madison. Mother of 2 sons.

Jan and TA retired.

Jan from Brandon. Formerly worked with the telephone company. Mother of a daughter.

TA’s career as a social worker. Lives in Brook Haven. Mother of two boys.

First time staying at the Pier House. First time in Key West.

Their energies were up. Anxious to discover Key West.

Jimmy Buffett always comes into a conversation with tourists who visit the Chart Room. I was not aware that Jimmy Buffett had a Mississippi connection. He attended the University of Southern Mississippi.

The ladies were interested in good music. John and I suggested Smokin’ Tuna, Sloppy Joe’s and Irish Kevin’s.

They had a specific interest…..The Blues. Mississippi Blues. The ladies die hard fans.

They had done their home work. Read up on Key West before making the trip. They already were aware of some spots they wanted to hit.

Sibyl and I had a brief discussion re Mississippi being one of the 4 states with low vaccination numbers. Sibyl saw the blacks as the problem. They refused to be vaccinated. Feared the vaccine for a number of reasons.

Sibyl was proud to have been vaccinated. One of the first. Better safe than sorry.

Enjoy ladies!

One of the ocean’s most beloved creatures are manatees. They frequent Keys waters. Many spotted in Key West. Generally at a boat dock drinking fresh water from a hose someone is holding to their mouths. People rubbing their backs as they drink.

A recent study revealed manatees are dying in record numbers. More than at any other time in Florida’s recorded history. Primarily from starvation due to a loss of seagrass beds. A record number died in the first six months of this year. Eight hundred forty one.

Scientists believe there is a second cause of their deaths, also. Boat strikes. Manatees swim into marinas knowing humans will give them fresh water. Unfortunately, the manatees come into contact with moving boat propellers.

Many of Lincoln’s words were pearls of wisdom. Some befitting not only his time, but also the future. The following especially fitting today: “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.”

We are in those destructive days. May we save the nation before it is too late.

A big day for the perpetrator/leader of our problems. Yesterday, Trump was interviewed by FOX New. Later in the day, he addressed the CPAC meeting in Dallas.

His words generally not comforting. Assuming you are not blind and can see what has been and is happening.

In the interview, Trump repeated there were a “million” people present who supported him on January 6. He added, you could feel “love” in the air.

I did not see the million or sense the love he referred to on TV that day or since.

Some interesting statements by Trump at the CPAC rally itself.

“I’ll never stop fighting for you.” When did he start? He only fights for himself.

He chidded the press for stating there was no “widespread evidence of election fraud.” Why then did judges in 62 separate cases throw out election fraud lawsuits?

Trump accused the “radical left” of cheating. What cheating? He who is without sin should cast the first stone.

Trump called the 2020 election “a disgrace to our nation.” Incorrect. It was Trump who was a disgrace in the 2020 election, not the election itself.

He and his lying arousing statement that the election was “rigged” and “stolen” from him was the issue that dominated part of his speech.

Trump is a believer in the Hitler/Goebbels’ line to the effect that if a lie is repeated over and over, the people will eventually believe it. Trump keeps repeating and repeating ad naseum: “There are now two sets of laws in this country – one for the left…..the rioters and rampagers. ….and another set…..for law abiding conservative Americans who happen to be Republicans, who simply want to speak their minds and exercise their rights to talk about the election.”

I wonder what Trump would be talking about today were it not for he and his followers made up claims concerning the election?

Coronavirus is on the rise in 42 states. Dr. Fauci says it’s “horrifying” to see people cheer lack of vaccinations.”

America owes a debt of gratitude to Richard Bronson and his successful flight to the edge of outer space yesterday. America will owe a similar debt of gratitude to Jeff Bezos next week when he rides a rocket space ship to the heavens.

Both of these men are zillionaires. No one compels them to spend huge sums of money to do these things. They do it because they want to and for the fun of it.

There is a third element involved. It has been some 50 years since America’s first flight into space. Man must continue the flights. Wonders are out there awaiting man’s discovery. The government does not have the type of money to put such programs forth in this day and age. Bronson and Bezos do and are willing to spend a part of their monies for a good cause. They are to be congratulated. The men are patriots.

Enjoy your day!

MISSISSIPPI WOMEN GRACE THE CHART ROOM was originally published on Key West Lou

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attina-the-responsible · 7 years

Photo

JEFF Triton -- Character Sheet

Archetype — The Ruler Birthday — April 25, 1967 Zodiac Sign — Taurus MBTI — ISTJ Enneagram — 6; the Loyalist Temperament — Melancholy Hogwarts House — Huffleclaw (with a Slyth model) Moral Alignment — Lawful Good Primary Vice — Pride Primary Virtue — Diligence Element — Earth

Overview:

Mother — JODY Triton (nee Poole) Father — Cyrus Triton Mother’s Occupation — homemaker? Father’s Occupation — mer-government? Family Finances — uh all mermaids are rich are mermaids a communist dictatorshiP? Birth Order — Oldest Brothers — None Sisters — JEAN, JUNE, JULY, JANE, JILL, JADE Other Close Family — Octopian, Trent -- brothers in law; Jewel, Jasmine, Jetta, Jem, Jennite, Jasperine, Julia -- nieces; Jordan -- nephew; Athena’s family. Best Friend — Sebastian and Scuttle Other Friends — Mufasa, The Prince ??, Benjamin Enemies — uh humans? lmao Pets — nah fam. Home Life During Childhood — More introverted but still friendly, didn’t get in much trouble (Athena was the #rebel). Kind of a nerd, his sisters’ deaths made him stoic. He loved them a lot and was kind of the peacemaker of them. Liked to explore, spent time collecting things/cleaning. Loved the environment. Town or City Name(s) — Boscombe Reef off the coast of Bournemouth; Swynlake, England What Did His or Her Bedroom Look Like — it was under the ocean?? do they live in caves?? do they have infrastructure? do mermaids sleep in dens do they have "blankets" (makes no sense) and mirrors and toys??? BUT UH pretty clean and neat?? like if he did have toys and, sure, he had toys, they were always put away. Any Sports or Clubs — mer-debate, mer-student council, stuff like that Favorite Toy or Game — mer-chess, mer-monopoly (and the regular versions) Schooling — fish school? HAHA get it? puns. Favorite Subject — history but also really liked science and finds it v applicable to his job Popular or Loner — was very friendly and had friends, but they were mostly “school” friends. liked to be rather solitary, but lots of people liked him. Important Experiences or Events — his sisters’ deaths, moving to land, marrying/meeting athena, athena’s death, his daughters’ births Nationality — er English? I guess? Culture — Merculture Religion and beliefs — Merreligion

Physical Appearance:

Face Claim — Sean Bean Complexion — had acne and has scars, but otherwise dark, tan, leathery skin and kinda red sometimes Hair Colour — Copper-y brown/red but going grey Eye Colour — Blue Height — 5’10 Build — Stocky and powerful Tattoos — a whale across his chest, multiple smaller ones--probably all the girls’ birthdays somewhere listed under a fancy letter “A” Piercings — had a nip piercing, ear piercings -- still wears ear piercings when dressing up Common Hairstyle — on the longer side but nicely groomed--def going grey but still pretty brown/red, beard is super nicely groomed it is his best feature ofc (alana makes him special beard cream) Clothing Style — DAD™ wears cargo pants, sandals and socks, CROCS, hawaiian shirts, etc Mannerisms — strokes beard when thinking, talks with hands, frowns when deep in thought Usual Expression — resting bitch face, but he’s actually so soft

Health:

Overall (do they get sick easily)? — decent, probably gets colds every now and then but overall pretty robust health-wise Physical Ailments — n/a Neurological Conditions — depression, PTSD, anxiety Allergies — seasonal allergies Grooming Habits — rather good, sometimes falls to the wayside bc depression, but mermaids pride themselves on their appearance, esp concerning their hair Sleeping Habits — insomnia which gets worse the more worried he is. Goes and sits in his office a lot at night. Doesn’t sleep very well at all. It makes him tired. Probably falls asleep watching TV in the evenings Eating Habits — eh, he can forget to eat if he’s busy and is a snack addict. But he always has dinner with the girls when he is home. Exercise Habits — not suppppppper active, but he swims which is really good for you, isn’t unhealthy but isnt like JACKED Emotional Stability — about a 7. He’s pretty stable unless the girls are giving him hell or something happens in Swynlake that throws off the sense of safety. Body Temperature — Normalish Sociability — 4-5, pretty average. He has been masquerading as a human for al ong time but sometimes he makes little mistakes and says weird things. Doesn’t really seek out conversation but can hold one very well. Not shy, just quiet. Addictions — uhh coffee probably Drug Use — nah Alcohol Use — occasionally, likes a good craft beer; RARELY gets drunk

Your Character’s Character:

Bad Habits — indulges with food, dwelling on the past Good Habits — good grooming, good listener, organized, quick learner Best Characteristic — the biggest heart, he cares deeply about his fam and community Worst Characteristic — stubborn, suspicious, anxious Worst Memory — his sisters and athena’s death Best Memory — marrying athena! His daughters’ births! Proud of — his daughters, his company Embarrassed by — his daughters -- benjamin probably lol Driving Style — too damn cautious, grandma, soccer moms you if the car stops too fast, Safe Driver ™ Strong Points — resilient, strong, detail-oriented, smart, studious, hard worker, meticulous, community-oriented/family-oriented Temperament — stoic, laidback til u piss him off Attitude — cautious, realistic, lil sassy but like subtle Weakness — his fears and anxieties Fears — losing his daughters Phobias — ?? Secrets — he’s a MERMAID Regrets — not being with athena/being able to save his sisters/wife, def relationships w lana and ariel Feels Vulnerable When — when he doesn’t know what is going on, lack of control, when his girls are upset with him Pet Peeves — littering, not being listened to, putting their feet on the dashboard Conflicts — wants his daughters to be independent v wants them to be safe; family versus community: mermaids are community oriented and it is hard for him to not fully be himseLF and not be useful -- would choose fam over community. Motivation — be a good community leader, keep his daughters safe, give back, keep the lake/ocean/community safe and clean, be a good dad Short Term Goals and Hopes — daughters succeed academically, board stuff, community safe Long Term Goals and Hopes — safe and happy for his fam, WANTS GRANDBABIES Sexuality — heteroflexible/demisexual Exercise Routine — swims p regularly Day or Night Person — wants to be a day person, but his depression/insomnia force him to be a night person Introvert or Extrovert — extroverted introvert Optimist or Pessimist — pessimist with realist leanings

Likes and Styles:

Music — Jimmy Buffet and dad rock, also Jazz Books — biographies! Magazines — nat geo, home improvement magazines, men’s health, takes teen vogue quizzes w the girls Foods — p much likes everything, lots of fish, also likes sweets and junk food Drinks — craft beer, water, coffee Animals — his marine counterpart is a turtle!! But he likes most animals--just not in the house w a bunch of daughters,, Sports — eh not particularly Social Issues — left-leaning on most social issues, but more fiscally conservative. Big running points are always SAFETY SAFETY. Big on environmental stuff Favorite Saying — “if life gives you limes, make margaritas” - Jimmy Buffett Color — Green, like Athena’s eyes /tear Jewelry — wears bracelets, rings, necklaces, mostly hemp and beaded stuff, occasionally metal if Dressing Up Websites — watches TED talks, loves youtube (for animal vids), is that dad that comments on everything on facebooks, decent w the internet bc y’know he runs a company, TV Shows — home improvement, cooking shows, bad reality telly, historical dramas (mad men, house of cards), sitcoms Movies — tbh likes romcoms on the lowkey, hates horror, will watch anything hte girls want (but horror) Greatest Want — keep his family safe, happiness for his girls Greatest Need — learn to let go, safety/security/peace

Where and How Does Your Character Live Now:

Home — lives in the Woods, five bedroom, three floors, mansion Household furnishings — relatively modern but also homey Favorite Possession — his photo albums and his wedding ring Most Cherished Possession — HIS DAUGHTERS!!! Married Before — to the LOVE OF HIS LIFE Athena Significant Other Before — probably one girlfriend Children — Attina, Andrina, Adella, Arista, Aquata, Alana, Ariel Relationship with Family — has a good relationship with his sister who is still alive and that fam, they live on land these days tho closer to the shore tbh?? They probably work together. Really close with Attina, Andrina, Aquata. Has a good relationship with Arista too. Strained relationships with Ariel and Adella and Alana (in that order of most to least strained lol) Car — 2012 Honda Odyssey in grey -- “The Humpback” Career — CEO of Triton Industries, a nonprofit that works towards ocean clean up. Dream Career — Uh, probably exactly what he is doing tbh Dream Life — being able to move between the land and the ocean freely without fear of repercussion, athena alive, all his daughters happy, retired with grandbabies Love Life — non-existent /tear; tho tbh probably gets hit on all the time. This makes him uncomfortable. Talents or Skills — good at chess, good cook, handy around the house, knows sign language/french/spanish, can sew a bit, play an instrument ?? (something brassy maybe the trumpet or drums) Intelligence Level — 8, he’s v intelligent. Finances — they rich af holla @ sunken treasure

Your Character’s Life Before Your Story:

Past Careers — uhhh worked in mer-government tbh probabyl like environment conservation Past Lovers — like one girlfriend, he was not very smooth w the ladies Biggest Mistakes — being too controlling, letting athena out of his sight Biggest Achievements — watching attina and adella graduate, all his daughters being safe and (mostly) happy!!, his company, his solid place on the board

#character sheet #featuring triton #triton #inspiration

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lichlover · 7 years

Note

yoooooooo for the ask meme: 6, 16, 22 for lup, 31, the question being whats your favorite line from rise bc im curious, 34, 35, and 42 for debate team au barry but only if you want

an ask meme for fic writers ♥

6. hardest/easiest character to write for?

gosh, merle gives me so much trouble. he’s incredibly fun to write, but i find his motivations in any given situation very complex, and i have to really think about how he would react to things (especially in cyberpunk au, good lord). i feel like he’s a hit-or-miss character to write—you either get him or you don’t. i hope i’m on the positive end of that spectrum, but you never know.

on the other hand, i talk a lot about how difficult she is, but lup actually comes super easy to me? a lot of what i’ve written for taz so far—and i mean a lot—has been from lup’s pov. i don’t even know why. it just sort of happened. and it probably doesn’t help that i’m uhhhhhhh super gay for her.

16. do you ever hand write? why or why not?

oh gosh, no. i’m a very fast typist, and my thoughts move super quickly, so i do all my writing via typing because it’s the only way i can keep up with myself. i also have pretty bad wrists, so a lot of it is out of pure self-preservation!

22. favorite line/quote/inner monologue from this character? / lup

you know what? i take it back. i am feeling lucky.

31. any other questions you want to ask / what’s your favorite line from “rise”?

“This place was specifically designed as a pocket dimension, where the laws of nature don’t apply and arcane baddies can’t do their thing. But it’s not linked to any particular planar system, and I’m not from this one, anyway.

“So, logically, there are no gods here.”

writing lup was especially great in this fic because we don’t get to see it in action a lot, but she is so, so smart. anytime she gets to use her logic and reasoning in rise was very fun for me, but particularly here, where she uses that logic and reasoning to get caught up in an illogical train of thought. it was a great place to foreshadow the sway of the umbra staff and also, imo, produced a generally kickass line.

34. a scene/paragraph you wrote that you’re proud of

from cyberpunk au, because i feel super good about my worldbuilding and atmospheric writing here:

“She doesn’t have to tell him, not really—not when this is par for the course on their cluttered street. Trouble is attracted to the narrow margins between sagging apartments, the crumbling sewer grates and gaudy, flickering signs that cast an eerie glow overhead. The one they’ve commandeered was cobbled together from spare neon strips and the enormous side of a Model 4 Pantheon. REPAIRS AND REMODELING — 1500C FLAT, it proclaims. Theirs isn’t the only rundown shop this side of the city, but it is one of the few you can find without six different underworld connections and enough credits to buy a cybernetic and a half.”

35. any foreshadowing/symbolism you wrote that you hope readers didn’t miss?

ohhh boy. there’s so much in cyberpunk au, people. it’s been extremely subtle, because i’m not inclined to write super obvious foreshadowing? mine is more along the lines of something you read, think nothing of, and then realize later that it was foreshadowing all along. don’t feel bad if you’re not picking up on it now—i’m being cryptic for a reason.

42. five songs that this character has on their ipod/iphone? / debate team au barry

[griffin voice] take it back by jimmy buffett. nautical wheelers by jimmy buffett. jolly mon sing by jimmy buffett. stEAMER BY JIMMY BUFFETT. TREAT HER LIKE A LADY BY JIMMY BUFFETT. MAÑANA BY JIMMY BUFFETT. WHEN SALOME PLAYS THE DRUM, BY JAMES BUFFETT. (he had a case of the mondays.)

#helloyoubeautifulsoul #ask #writing tag #EDEN I WOULD DIE FOR YOU

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brian-enthusiast · 7 years

Text

and it’s enough just to make you go crazy.

the title of this fic is a lana del rey lyric because it’s my fic fuck you. here’s around 2000 words of dadsona being in denial about being in love with brian.

contains an angery twink named harper and a soft boy named brian being in love with eachother.

1. everything he does is endearing.

Harper doesn’t think he’s ever really going to fall in love with Brian. It’ll be more of a slow dip into those familiar waters. Love is a term that was very much reserved for Alex―and therefore, a little bit of a bittersweet thing to return to.

So he figures it’ll be a bit like going to the pool when the water is too cool―only the brave and foolish jump straight in, so Harper figures he’ll dip a toe in before slowly submerging himself in the water. Except instead of water it’s romantic commitment and love, or something like that.

Or, maybe he’ll just be grateful that he’s finally back in the dating game and stop coming up with dumb metaphors to explain to himself why he’s so hesitant to use the word “love” in situations where it might be fitting. Whatever, he’s happy with Brian, and as far as he knows, Brian is happy with him. It’s a symbiotic relationship, though Harper supposes all romantic relationships should be.

Harper snaps out of his thoughts when he comes across a post on Dadbook. There’s a picture of Daisy receiving a badge from an older, sinewy girl, supposedly her scout troop leader. In the caption, Brian has written sentence upon sentence about how proud he is of her. A smile crosses Harper’s face as he reads through it.

“What’s got you all happy?” Amanda is standing in front of Harper, and he comes to realize that he’s kind of just been sitting on the couch, scrolling through his phone with a dopey expression while an episode of Long Haul Paranormal Ice Road Ghost Truckers played in the background. “You’ve been smiling at your phone for, like, a full minute.”

“Nothing.” Harper presses the power button on the side of his phone, “Daisy got a new Girl Scout badge, and I was reading the post Brian made about it.” Simple question, simple explanation.

“I thought you hated it when Brian bragged about Daisy.” Amanda says, raising an eyebrow, “Something about him being your mortal enemy and a reminder that you aren’t as great a dad, despite the fact that you’re both great dads?”

Harper waves a dismissive hand. “Amanda! That was the me of the past. Now, after our time at the carnival, inevitable team-up for the benefit of our children, and my overwhelming guilt for being a competitive asshole, Brian and I are unlikely friends.” And unlikely people who are dating, but whatever.

“Uh-huh. Well, you have me and Daisy to thank for that.” She says, a sly smile on her face, like she knows something. “And Brian the Goldfish. May he rest in peace.”

“Why did we go through all that trouble for a carnival goldfish, anyway?” Harper asks, “Just so we could be that much more attached when we inevitably flushed him?”

“That, and because we’re ridiculous and over the top.” Amanda shrugs, taking a seat beside Harper. “I’m glad you could get over your petty rivalry, though. And, as an unexpected bonus, you got over your fear of rollercoasters.”

“‘Got over’ is a strong way to put it. I’m still horrified of roller coasters, and now I have that memory to prove to myself that they are just as horrifying as I thought they were.” Just thinking about heights, and dropping down from heights, and dropping down from heights at a fast speed is making him a bit queasy.

“Still, progress.” Amanda says.

Harper rolls his eyes and turns on his phone again, immediately being greeted by another Dadbook post with a picture of Maxwell wearing a trucker hat, and if that wasn’t adorable enough, Harper remembers being in the mall when Brian bought that stupid hat, and he smiles fondly upon thinking about it.

Then he scrolls down and sees another picture from Brian, one where standing by his car, smiling brightly at the camera and celebrating his new proud parent of an honors student bumper sticker.

Okay, maybe Harper’s just a little bit in love with Brian. Just a touch in love.

2. you see him in everything.

Lately, Harper’s been exhibiting worrisome behavior for someone who’s just a little bit in love.

It’s just little things. Recognizing things like “oh, this is Brian’s favorite song!” when a certain Jimmy Buffett song plays over the radio or, “this picture of a dog is so cute! I should send it to Brian!” when faced with… really any picture of any dog. Damien’s Dadbook page is full of pictures of dogs.

It’s starting to get bad when it becomes subconscious, because Harper is sure that he’s never heard what Brian’s usual Coffee Spoon order is, but he definitely knew it when he was standing at the counter, asking for an Iced T with extra sweetener by default.

(“How’d you know I love these?” Brian said when presented with the sweetened ice tea, “You’re so sweet. Kind of like this tea.” At that point he was laughing and Harper was laughing and everything was fine―except that Harper was internally panicking because how did he know Brian loved those.)

Of course, none of that is a really big deal. Harper is a chronic overreactor and has a tendency to exaggerate problems in order to fit his own narrative, but he’s still kind of panicking because even his friends are starting to pick up on his infatuated behavior.

He’d been hanging out with Robert and Mary a few weeks ago. The usual stuff, a couple drinks before Harper inevitably went home to cuddle with his pillow and have dreams about his life with far more money and far less back pain.

“I’ll get a whiskey.” Robert said, and Neil turned to Harper.

“Oh. Uh. I’ll just get a beer, thanks.” To be honest, whenever Harper hangs out with Robert and Mary he feels severely outclassed. He’s not exactly a lightweight―ok, that’s a lie, he’s the lightest weight. The last time he got drunk he was found crying about how the Skammunist Manifesto was never as appreciated as it should have been―but Robert and Mary literally bring glasses of whiskey and wine almost everywhere. And they’re also much more attractive and much better friends than Harper could hope to be, and hanging out with them sort of digs up some deeply repressed inferiority issues that Harper struggles with on a daily basis, but whatever. One time he got drunk and explained this to them and they gave him a pat on the shoulder and told him that if they didn’t like him they wouldn’t hang out with him.

“So.” Harper said, swirling the beer in his cup. “You know, I was―”

“Hanging out with Brian?” Robert said, resting his chin in the palm of his hand.

“Uh… yes, actually. How did you know?”

“Wild guess. Also you talk about him a lot.” Robert shrugged, “Not that that’s a bad thing. He is the closest you’ll get to dating Mario Batali, after all―”

“Ok, one, when did I tell you about my celebrity crush on Mario Batali?”

“Same day you told me about your repressed issues with your dad, and your repressed memories of killing a man in cold blood.” Robert waited a few seconds before adding, “Kidding, of course.”

“And two, I don’t talk about Brian a lot. I talk about him a reasonable amount. Because we’re friends.” Harper said.

“Friends who have sex with each other?” Robert raised an eyebrow. “Not to say I’m against that kind of arrangement, though I have to say Brian isn’t exactly the friends with benefits type. I don’t really know him well enough to say that, but you know. I just kinda see it in his face. Kinda like I see the empty eyes of a killer in yours, you know?”

“Every time you make these jokes about me being a murderer I get more and more convinced that I am, you know that? Anyway,” Harper said, “Okay, so Brian and I are dating, but I’m not always talking about him or anything.”

“Of course not. I’d say Brian takes up a good eighty percent of subjects that you talk about, the other twenty percent being your own emotional issues and talks you’ve had with your daughter about how cool she is.” Robert said, “But it’s fine, no one’s blaming you. You’re practically in love with the guy, so―”

“Well, I wouldn’t say that―” Harper interjected, before Mary walked up from behind them, draping her arms over their shoulders.

“You guys talking about Brian?”

So, yeah, Harper’s a little on edge about… everything. He still doesn’t think he talks about Brian that much, but sometimes in idle moments he thinks about Brian’s stupid smile and it’s kind of a really nice thought so it is a topic that’s often on the brain.

He considers all of this while walking down the street, and then he sees a colorful Hawaiian shirt in the window of a store that he knows Brian would love, and he doesn’t really think about how he’s doing it again until after he buys the shirt for him.

(For the record, Brian does love the shirt. Harper is fucking reeling at how absolutely transparent he is even to himself, and also at how nice Brian looks in that shirt.)

3. you’re in denial about it. sweet, sweet denial.

It’s hard to convince himself he isn’t in love when he looks at Brian.

Because there’s just so many feelings―there’s giddiness and admiration and something very genuine that Harper can’t quite put a finger on―that it’s hard to pinpoint all of them, and he’s not sure love is a part of any of them.

(Because love is complicated and love is weird and love is so far away from him at this point that the idea of being faced with it now is kind of scary.

But it’s hard to deny that looking at Brian now―at his smiling face while he regales Harper with some story about fishing for rainbow trout or some shit―makes Harper feel a certain lightness in his chest.

“What’re you smiling about?” Brian says, “I know I’m not that entertaining.”

“Nothin.” Harper is still smiling dreamily, like he’s in fucking love, but he isn’t. Not yet. “Just listening to you talk.” Listening to him talk and thinking about how cute he is and being just steps away from falling in love with him.

“You’re adorable.” Brian says, and then he continues. And Harper listens, and maybe (just maybe) gets a little more comfortable with the idea of being in love with Brian. “I love you.” Brian says.

Oh, shit.

4. you accept it.

Harper doesn’t say I love you to Brian that night―but he does stand on his toes to press a kiss to Brian’s lips when they’re standing by the front door of his house.

Harper doesn’t say I love you to Brian that night―but he giggles like a child when they make their way to Brian’s room. He doesn’t say I love you―but he feels giddy beyond belief when tangled in Brian’s sheets.

Harper doesn’t say I love you to Brian that night―but in the morning, when he’s looking at Brian through sleepy eyes, he has a sort of lopsided smile on his face and this feeling like his heart is caught in his throat.

“Okay, fuck it.” He says, to a Brian who is clearly still unconscious on this fine morning. This’ll be a practice round, he supposes. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.” Brian says, eyes still closed, and Harper realizes with little uncertainty that he professed his aggressively denied feelings to a Brian who was pretending to be asleep, and he’s not sure if the red on his face is from embarrassment or frustration.

“Aw, babe. ‘S nothing to be embarrassed about. I love you, too.” Brian says, and Harper squints.

“I said it first.” He says.

“Actually, I said it first. About a day before you did, so.” Brian stretches and yawns. “But nice try.” He grins, playfully.

“Goddamit. Okay. You win this time, I guess.” Harper rolls his eyes, “But listen, I think we can both agree that I―” Harper loses track of what he was arguing about when he catches sight of Brian and his stupid, soft, adorable face. “Oh, fuck it. I love you.”

They kiss and normally Harper would have a billion gripes about their morning breath, but this is a nice moment and he doesn’t wanna ruin it.

Okay. He’s in love with Brian. And that’s fine, and good, and fun, and Harper doesn’t exactly know what that means for them or the future, but he’s willing to find out.

#brian harding #ddadds fanfiction #harper is an angery twink who has difficulty expressing his emotions but thats ok because he's obvious as FUCK

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steelmagnoliamusic · 7 years

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26 January 2018

Music Appreciation: Rock legends (The Beatles, The Police, U2, Jimmy Buffett)

This article is a little different than my previous one. Instead of highlighting one artist, I’m highlighting several. The reasons are these artists were my dad’s favorite artists and, therefore, they were my musical foundation. I felt compelled to write this due to a recent event in my life that has left me lost for lack of a better term. That event was my dad’s death. See, my dad loved music. It was one of the many things I learned from him. We bonded over these artists. He took me to my first Jimmy Buffet and Duran Duran concerts. The Yellow Submarine by The Beatles was the first album I ever listened to—I loved that movie as a kid. My dad met Sting in 1984 when Sting was playing a soccer game at my dad’s college. He loved U2 because they just make good music and because my dad was proud of his Irish Catholic side. For these reasons, I have a deep connection to these artists because they connect me with my dad. For this article, I’ll briefly run through a few songs from each artist that have resonated most with me over the years—and especially since my dad’s passing.

First is The Beatles. As I mentioned previously, The Yellow Submarine is the first album I remember listening to. I remember going to Blockbuster (so ancient!) and renting the animated motion picture. I would ask my dad to play his album in the car, and we would sing along. The title song was always my favorite. It was always the best in my opinion, though they’re all phenomenal. I also loved “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band” and “All You Need Is Love.” These three songs have been my roots from the start. I love singing along to these songs, and so did my dad.

The Police was probably my dad’s favorite band—either them or U2, it’s been hard to tell. I’ll be honest. I don’t know a lot of songs by The Police or by Sting, but I do know “Message in a Bottle,” “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic,” “Every Breath You Take,” and “Roxanne.” Those were the songs my dad always had playing if The Police/Sting was on. These are the songs I know the most. Fun Fact: Whenever I called my dad, I got to listen to “Message in a Bottle” because that used to be his waiting tone for a long time. My dad met Sting a long time ago. I have never seen Sting in concert before, but for Jazz Fest this year, he is one of the headliners, so I am going to honor my dad. It’ll hard without my dad there to sing me all the words—because knowing him, he’d know all the words—but he’ll be there in spirit. With a drink in his hand no doubt.

Speaking of U2, my dad’s other favorite band, I know every song on the U2 18 Singles album. These were the songs I was raised on. I can sing all the words, though not by memory. I think “With or Without You,” “Windows in the Skies,” and “Where the Streets Have No Name” have had the biggest impact on me. They’re good songs, and they keep me hopeful. They had the Joshua Tree tour last year. I couldn’t go because of school, but my dad went, and I wish I could’ve gone with him. It would have been one hell of a night, and according to my dad, it was incredible.

Last, but not least, is Jimmy Buffett. I must tell you. I know “[Those] Songs You Know by Heart.” God, my dad loved him some Jimmy Buffett. If we weren’t eating out at Port of Call, we were at Margaritaville. “Margaritaville” and “Cheeseburger in Paradise” were his favorite songs. I like those, but I think my favorites are “Son of a Son of a Sailor” and “One Particular Harbor.” I also like “Volcano.” That’s a good song too. Either way, these songs make me feel better because they remind me of my dad and the kind of person he was and that things will get better.

Let me know who your favorite rock legends and inspirations are. I’d like to know. Until next time.

For the love of music,

Big Shot

#music appreciation #appreciation friday #u2 #the police #the beatles #jimmy buffett #rock legends #love you papa #miss you papa

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