#low quality leon is so funny to me

[shadesoflsk]

Leon is so cat coded.

Like...... look at him. There's no reason for him to do all of that...

[lipglossanon]

Total Control

• ೋ•✧๑♡๑✧•ೋ ✧๑♡๑✧•✧๑♡๑✧•ೋ •

Stepbro!Leon S. Kennedy x fem!reader

Special shout-out to @gumiegumie 💜

Warnings: 18+ so minors DNI, pet play, leash and collar, bratty Leon, stepcest, stepbro!Leon, dirty talk, spit kink, unprotected sex, breeding kink

not proofread ✍️ this idea wouldn’t stop circling my brain so I had to get it out 😩 just a silly little standalone

Title from Total control by Djo

• ೋ•✧๑♡๑✧•ೋ ✧๑♡๑✧•✧๑♡๑✧•ೋ •

“C’mon just try it on! You know it’ll be funny!”

Rolling his eyes but silently agreeing, Leon lets you snap the collar closed and attach the leash to the front metal ring. 

“There.”

You’re both looking in your vanity mirror, Leon seated on the chair with you standing behind his shoulder. 

You bite your lip at the image of your step brother, in your bedroom, wearing a leash and collar. 

He grins at you, smug written all over his handsome features, “What do you think?”

“It’s hot,” you blurt out feeling embarrassed immediately afterwards.

“Yeah?” his voice has that low raspy quality that makes your thighs clench. 

He turns toward you and tugs you down into his lap, thighs straddling his. He hands the leash over to you. 

“You like it, don’t you Princess?”

“Yes,” you whisper feeling hot, “you look good.”

“Mmm,” he hums, “well what’re you gonna do?” 

“Leon—“

“Is that my name?” He smirks, hair falling into his eyes. 

“Y-yeah,” you bite your lip.

“What else, little owner?”

You moan, hips grinding down on the bulge you can feel underneath you. 

“You want me be a good puppy for you?”

“Yes,” you whimper. 

“I can be with the right incentive,” he smirks, bucking his hips up. 

“What kind of incentive?” you tug on the leash lightly. 

He noses at your hairline and kisses the shell of your ear, “Mmm fucking wet little pussies is a good one.”

Gasping, you yank the leash back to pull him away from you. Leon goes with the motion, gaze hot and heavy. 

“O-only good puppies get a treat,” your hips rock down onto his, “you have to promise to be good.”

He grins at you, hands gripping your thighs tight enough to bruise.

“I’ll try to be good,” he moves his hand down to run across the seam of your flimsy sleep shorts, thumb grazing your clit. 

You whine, back arching forward and pressing your chest against his. 

“You’re touching without permission, b-bad puppy,” you whimper as his thumb continues to circle the bundle of nerves, making slick pool in your panties. 

“Oh,” he coos mockingly, “m so sorry, I guess I haven’t been house trained.”

A gasping mewl leaves your mouth as he slips his fingers under the fabric of your shorts and panties; he presses the tips of his middle and ring finger into your leaky hole to glide them through your folds and tease at your clit. 

“Leon! N-no, bad puppy,” you moan, tugging the leash until he actually stops.

You feel his cock kick and throb in his loose sweats. He slips his fingers out of your shorts and sucks them into his mouth; you watch as his pupils swallow the blue until his eyes are dark and hungry. 

“So sweet, little owner,” he groans, “want a taste?”

You shakily nod yes and he grins. 

“You gotta give me some slack here, baby,“ he gestures to the collar. 

You smile bashfully while loosening your hold on the leash. In a split second, Leon crashes your mouths together, tongue slipping past your lips. You moan at the taste of your slick on his lips and tug the leash to pull him closer to you. 

“So fucking sweet,” he murmurs between kisses, “always taste so fucking good.”

He starts to messily lick into your mouth, spit dripping down your chins. He runs his tongue across your bottom lip and up your cheek. He repeats the action to the other side. Leon dips down to lick slow, hot trails of spit up your neck until you squirm in his lap, feeling wet and hot—pussy clenching down on nothing. 

“Am I being good? Giving my sweet little owner messy kisses?” He chuckles, mouth pressed against your throat so you feel the vibration. 

He goes back to running his tongue over every inch of your skin. He licks into your mouth again, getting drool all over your lips and tongue. You’re openly whining now, pussy wet and wanting, hips rocking down onto his hard dick. 

“Leon,” you mewl into his mouth, sucking on his tongue. 

He growls low in his chest, the baritone making you squeeze your thighs around his waist. He wraps one arm around your waist and the other cups your ass as he stands up from the chair. He splays you out in your unmade bed, hovering over you with greedy eyes. 

“Think I deserve a little treat, Princess.”

You shake your head no, “You’ve been misbehaving, Leon.”

His eyes harden, lips thinning, “Oh I have? Well that just won’t do.”

He scoops under your waist and flips you over, hiking your hips up so your ass is in the air and upper body pressed down in the bed. 

“Leon!” 

You realize you’re still holding the leash so you try to tug on it while rolling back over, but he cages you in, his broad chest pressing down on your back while his forearms cage your head. 

He grinds his dick into the swell of your ass. 

“Mmm no, I don’t think so little owner. See, I’m going to mount you and fuck this needy cunt and you’re gonna like it.”

You moan, hips pushing back against his slow grind. He quickly yanks down your shorts and panties, moaning when he sees the clear strings of slick dripping from your cunt. He leaves your clothes tugged down to just below your thighs, keeping your legs trapped in the fabric. Shifting, you realize you can’t move your legs making your clit throb.  

“Bad, Leon,” you gasp out, hands twisting in the sheets. 

He shoves the band of his sweats and boxers down and using one hand, smacks the fat tip of his cock against your drippy cunt. You both moan when he ruts against your slick pussy lips and bumps your swollen clit. 

“So fucking wet,” he hisses, guiding his cock into your needy hole. 

He eases in slowly, letting you get used to the stretch of his thick cock. You try to move, to thrash your hips but he grips them in his big hands to hold you still as he fills you up. 

You weakly tug on his leash moaning, “Bad puppy, you’re being so bad right now.”

“Yeah I am,” he simpers in your ear, running his tongue across the shell, “such a bad puppy. But I just can’t help myself, need to breed my pretty little owner.”

You’re drooling into the sheets, cunt squeezing so tightly around Leon’s fat cock.

“Bad, Leon,” you gasp out when his fingers slip under your body to rub and tease across your sensitive clit

“So bad,” his smoky voice murmurs in your ear, “I am being so bad, but what’re you gonna do, baby?”

You try to tug on the leash, but he just growls and fucks into you harder—deeper.

He laughs mockingly, “Gonna have to do better than that. C’mon show me who’s boss, little owner.”

He’s so thick inside you and at this angle, you can feel how stretched open your cunt is around his cock. He bottoms out with every thrust, his fat tip kissing your cervix, making you squeal and bury your face in the sheets.

“That’s what I thought,” his voice is all low and heated, “gonna let this bad puppy breed your little cunt, right? Mmm, nothing but my little breeding bitch, huh.”

Leon grinds his dick deeper into your pussy, making you grip the sheets with a high pitched cry. You smother your pants and gasping whimpers into the bed, titling your hips up even higher as Leon fucks down into your slick heat. You shakily raise up on your elbows, your chest brushing against the mussed sheets— a low groan leaves your kiss bitten lips when your hardened nipples brush against the cool fabric. 

“God, love this pussy, baby,” he mouths at your shoulder blade, spit trailing down your skin. 

He pinches your clit roughly making your pussy clamp down on him, slick gushing around his pistoning cock as you cum so hard your toes curl. He presses your face further into the bed to muffle your moans. The action makes your clit pulse as your pussy walls continue to flutter and milk his cock.

“Fuck me,” he laughs, “that’s right, fucking cum on my cock, princess.”

Your tongue feels too heavy for your mouth, so you only whimper when his hips snap into your squelching cunt harder and harder. With a low groan, he buries his cock deep in your hole and fills you with his hot, sticky cum.

He uses the hand pressing your head down to wind in your hair and tug you up. He leans forward as he pulls you back until you’re nearly looking at him upside.

He gives you a sloppy kiss, tongue lazily licking into your panting mouth.

“Maybe I wouldn’t mind doing this again sometime, princess.”

[wurmeatworld]

As an artist, I think ai art is a very complex issue. Yes it can be used as a tool to advance creativity, but capitalism ultimately twists it so that it is not used ethically.

I like some ai generated memes. Its really funny to watch Joe Biden banter with Leon S Kennedy, or watch deepfakes of Preminger singing Lady Gaga. But I feel like the same humor could be achieved without the use of ai. You could splice together lines ala ytp or animate Preminger singing. It just requires more time and skill, and thats really the draw of ai. Ai helps a greater pool of people do things they normally couldnt do because it cuts out the work.

The capability to expand what people can do and create is good! I once followed a disabled person on tumblr who made ai art for personal use because his disability meant he couldn't draw. Ive also used ai art generators in the past, back when the results were super uncanny and whacky, to generate funny images or interesting eldritch horror-y art. If ai art wasn't built upon so much stolen art, that'd be a completely beautiful thing. Id love to donate my art to an ai program that only trains on explicitly donated work. I think thatd be really cool. But most people Ive seen making ai art and ai art generators are tech bros who only care about end results and money instead of appreciating the intent, technique, and artistry that artists pour into their work. And of course, not giving two shits about us getting paid.

Ive seen people make ai to intentionally copy the works of particular artists. It's almost indistinguishable from their art style, and to me, that feels insulting. These artists put so much work into their art, only for someone to churn out much more art in their style, and faster. Copying art you like has always been a thing among artists, to pay homage to creators and to learn new things by studying, but these ai art pieces that explicity train on an artists work and replicate their style feel... really hollow. Wheras among most artists, their replication comes from a place of respect and admiration, and requires truly learning and following the techniques an artist used, ai art just pulls from already existing assets with no real direction to guide it except a simple prompt. Theres no respect for the artist here, just someone who wants more of an artists work but doesnt actually care about the artist themself.

The amount of labor you need to create ai art vs regular art, and how ai art steals work from artists, is a discussion all on its own. This doesnt really have an easy black and white solution because of capitalism. In a world where we wouldnt need money to survive, it wouldnt really matter that ai art takes less effort to make because it wouldnt infringe on artists livlihoods. But as it is, and especially in our "quantity and familiarity over quality" consumerist culture, the attention it takes from artists can cause loss of revenue, and people offering ai art commissions only hurt artists more. The most popular areas of the internet already arent great platforms for artists, even though were forced to use them. Our culture doesnt really value our work, and most artists offer their work for ridiculously low prices just to sell anything at all. My pixel art commissions are $9. $9 for hours of sitting at my computer, working and shaping and reworking the pixels until theyre just right. Color, position, everything has a lot of time, care, and skill put into it. I wish I could charge double what I pay, but I have an extremely small platform, so Im forced to charge barely anything at all. If we did not need money to survive, it wouldnt be that big of a deal. But we do. So it is.

And as things stand, even disregarding the problem of capitalism, theres just too many harmful ways ai can be exploited because theres barely any regulation. The deepfaked nudes, the easy misinformation, etc. I personally dont think regulation will be enough bc the base problem is caused by capitalism, and tbh I think media literacy plays a huge part, but there still needs to be. Its just an incredibly dangerous technology as it stands right now.

Also worth noting, is how algorithms can easily lead to radicalization. A study came out showing that new tiktok users who watch certain "gateway" content will gradually be shown more and more extremist stuff. (Source: x *) Especially on social media sites, which are designed to promote controversial posts because theres more engagement, this can lead to someone potentially becoming part of a hate group. I bet theres ways algorithms could be written to prevent this, but everyone wants money, so its probably not gonna change anytime soon. Consumerism is a bitch.

Also, algorithms promote the most commonly accepted ideas, which causes bias and can cause social and scientific progress to become stagnant at best, and actively harmful at worst.

Basically, ai needs to be better regulated, capitalism sucks, and ai art is a whole can of worms. I feel like humanity needs to keep ai art on the highest shelf until we can work out the ethical dilemmas we already have.

(This was originally a comment I left on this video, but I put a lot of thought into it so I thought I'd repost it here. Please watch the video, it brings up more ideas on ai and is just a fun watch)

*Its a youtube video and the info is compressed and presented quickly, but sources are all linked.

[c0s-lettuce]

cute - piers nivans x reader, part three

writing + social media au, female reader

a/n: there is writing in this part and some social media at the end!! sorry to stray from the social media, but it's for the plot. and apologies for taking so long! lockdown is driving me insane. please enjoy :)

word count: 880 + 7 screenshots

warnings: minimal swearing

< part two - masterlist - part four >

------

Claire came to pick you up on Friday afternoon. It was a pleasant car ride that consisted of chatting and listening to songs while your baked potatoes and her salad sat in the back. Not to your surprise, Claire asked you about Piers. And not to her surprise, you refused to say anything. You brought up Leon in retaliation, and like the two peas-in-a-pod you two are, she just smiled in return.

------

You and Claire arrived first. Upon entrance, Chris and Jill greeted the two of you. But your attention was immediately diverted when you heard high-pitched yapping coming from down the hall.

Chester came running full speed towards you and Claire. You bobbed down to greet Chester, and he jumped up to give you kisses. You concluded then that Chester is your new baby, and you must protect him.

The others arrived soon after. The union of you, Sherry and Rebecca brought upon welcomed chaos. And Leon greeted you fondly after seeing you for the first time in a while.

Dinner was marvellous, and the food was off the charts. Laughter was passed along with the food as stories and jokes were shared. It was great being with who you would always consider your second family.

------

As dinner finishes and people start mingling around the house, Jill announces that she feels a bit unwell and goes upstairs to lie down. Everybody hopes her well.

As others are scattered around, Chris goes to check on Jill. You find yourself with Leon. Continuing with your streak from the car ride, you ask him about Claire. Unlike the car ride, however, Leon actually fills you in. He tells you that he and Claire are still casual, but he's still waiting to see what happens. Leon also tells you to keep it on the low. You tell him sure.

Chris comes back downstairs and walks over to speak to you, "I'm sorry, but is it alright if I stay in case Jill needs me?"

"Of course," you say.

"I can get Piers to drive you home."

"Oh yeah, sure."

Chris pats your shoulder, "Thank you."

You watch Chris go over to Piers as you return to your conversation with Leon.

"Oh, this is funny," you say.

"What is?" Leon asks.

"Out of everyone here, he wants to get Piers to drive me."

"Doesn't he live the closest to you?"

"No, he doesn't... you do, actually."

Leon takes a long sip of his drink.

You look at him, "Are you in on this too?"

"In on what?"

You're good at detecting bullshit. Of course, you wish Jill well, but the abruptness of her getting unwell made your senses tingle. And you most certainly weren't deaf to the whispers that go between your friends and coworkers about you and Piers.

You squint your eyes at Leon, watching for any sign of uncertainty. You then remember he's a trained agent and is probably a professional at hiding facial expressions.

"Hmm, nothing... So, anything exciting happening at the DSO?"

"Eh, not much," you take note of how quickly Leon was willing to change subjects, "unless you count installing new software on all the computers exciting."

You nod, "How's Sherry doing?"

Leon smiles, "Sherry's amazing. She's doing more and more good every day."

You can't help but find his response adorable. You always loved hearing about how Leon and Claire saved Sherry amidst the horror of Raccoon City all those years ago.

The rest of the night goes nicely. Everyone spends quality time catching up away from their usually busy lives. You were especially delighted to see how much Chester seemed to like Piers, even sneaking pictures of the two of them together. Y'know, for safe-keeping.

-------

Later, while people start to leave, you're in the kitchen getting your tray to take home. Piers is waiting by the door as you exit.

"Looks like I have the pleasure of taking you home," he quips.

"Yep, lucky you," you reply, smiling.

As the two of you leave, you say goodbye to Chris and extend your regards to Jill. You take extra time to say goodbye to Chester.

You and Piers exit and are embraced by the cold night air. You follow him as he leads you to his car.

"Cute dog," Piers says.

"Yeah, very," you reply.

You hear him chuckle.

Long nights of thinking about Piers have had you diving into the concept of mortality, the whole 'you only live once' thing. Carpe diem. Horace said that. And then he died.

The truth is, you do like Piers, even though you deny everything when other people talk about it. You enjoy the nonchalance and juvenility of the whole ordeal. And continuing with the way things are now seem easier than confessing your feelings and possibly ruining a friendship.

But at this moment, in an empty street lit up by street lights, you decide. If this whole thing has been a ruse by your friends to get you and Piers to spend time together, then why not give them something to talk about?

"You want to go grab a drink?" you ask as you reach the car.

The short pause of silence fills you with regret. But it's quickly washed away when Piers smiles back and says, "I'd love to."

------

[dweetwise]

dbd retrospection: bhvr’s negligence and our spending habits

i’m making this post following the talk of a dbd boycott and the (justified) outcry in regards to bhvr’s continuing subpar treatment of the game and its community.

it’s going to be a lot different than my usual content, and if you don’t want the negativity right now and just want to keep enjoying the game, it’s completely ok for you to ignore this post!

the problem

over the years i’ve been playing dbd, it’s always had a lot of jank and bugs—some of which were even said to add to dbd’s charm. funny flying survivors and falling through the map glitches aside, the last 6 months have made it abundantly clear that the bugs and myriad of performance issues have only gotten worse.

bhvr is no longer a small indie studio and you’d think that the more experience the devs got, the less issues would make it through to the live version of the game, right? wrong.

bhvr struck gold with dbd and they’re taking full advantage of the cash coming in while putting in minimal effort. from the way they handle things, i’m pretty sure their business model is as follows:

attract new customers with dlc every 3 months (doubly so with licenses)

sell as many dlc:s, skins and rift passes to those customers as possible

ignore all complaints when those players get tired of the game and focus on getting new customers in their stead.

new players are more valuable because they spend more money. they’ll buy not only the base game and newest dlc that attracted them in the first place, but they’re also the sole demand for old dlcs. who else buys the halloween dlc in 2021, if not new players wanting to play as horror icon michael myers or get access to the only perk that prevents them being tunneled as survivor?

think of all the times bhvr has ignored the community’s complaints: hud, spirit, keys, legendary skins and so on. not to mention the issues they take months or even years to fix: iri head, haddonfield, blight pov, old ds, infinites and moris to name a few. it screams loud and clear that they don’t care; and why would they? the opinions of existing players don’t matter, when new ones will flock in to replace them anyway.

i’m almost convinced the devs have the competence—they’re just lazy. when the almo controversy happened, it took less than 24 hours for the colorblind mode to be announced. either they were able to code it in from scratch that quick and just didn’t want to, or they’d been working on it as an (inexcusably) low priority feature before, having it nearly ready but just couldn’t be bothered to push it out before it directly affected them—to be honest, i don’t know which option is worse.

sometimes, their business practices are outright predatory, like the recent resident evil locked sets and the original mettle of man. this time, the outrage was enough to get the affected players a refund, but we’ve forgotten every other instance where that was not the case. and the refund still doesn’t solve the problem; if anyone wants those leon and jill outfits, they’re still paying nearly $4 for an identical haircut—which brings me to the next issue.

skins

i could write an essay on dbd skins alone. in a nutshell, they’re overpriced af and the issue gets completely ignored because they’re an optional purchase.

remember skin rarity? where the quality of the skin was supposed to reflect the rarity, and therefore the price? then let me ask you; when was the last time we got anything less than a very rare (=full price) outfit after a character’s initial release? well, let me answer that for you: july 31st 2018, with ace’s lovable rogue, meg’s athletic active, and dwight’s wine n’ dine collections.

and, sure, you could argue that the cosmetic team has only gotten more skilled since then, with a few skins standing out as having an incredible amount of detail and completely changing the character’s appearance. but that’s not the case with the majority of the skins. how does ace vegas or cowboy jake have the same price tag as apocalypse jeff or harajuku nea?

and don’t even get me started on auric cell only skins. even when skins were cheaper and came in several color variants, bhvr has had a nasty habit of locking the best skins in a collection behind a paywall. never mind the fact that it takes nearly 100 hours of time spent in actual matches to even get 21 600 shards to buy one skin, very rare skins are priced at over two times the price of one entire character and their perks.

one very rare skin costs:

50 % of the base game

216 % of one character through the in-game store (auric cells)

240 % of one character through the in-game store (iridescent shards)

250 % of one character when buying a chapter (2-3 characters)

476 % of one character when buying a chapter on sale.

it’s no secret that the majority of the sales from existing players come from skins. let’s assume that over a period of three months, a player with moderate spending habits buys the new dlc chapter, the rift pass and one skin for their favorite character. in that scenario, actual new content (the new chapter) only accounts for 28 % of the money spent. is it any wonder, then, that new chapters are riddled with bugs and issues, if the majority of the $$$ comes purely from cosmetics?

there’s also the issue that fog whisperers only exist to sell skins and promo dlc:s, but i don’t want to open that can of worms. the fact that they get free codes for the newest skins speaks for itself.

the rift pass and fomo

you didn’t think i’d skip this one, did you? no matter how much “value” you get from the pass compared to buying skins from the store, it’s still a blatant cash grab that’s essentially making us pay for playing the game.

“but you get your money back!” hey, if you see paying $10 to grind for bad recolors and filler charms as a worthwhile investment, good for you. no matter if you religiously play dbd enough to complete every rift, you still have to fork over that $10 the first time. bhvr has advertised a 25 million playerbase across all platforms, and even if only 5 % of those players have bought the pass once, that’s still a hefty income just for the rift—not to mention the fact that most people don’t get anywhere near tier 70 and end up with a net loss.

it’s a genius marketing move that preys on people’s fomo. by including exclusive charms and recolors that you can’t get anywhere else (cries in ace’s card shirt) and placing the best items at the very end, even light spenders are tempted to buy the pass or at the very least grind the free track. and once you’ve bought the pass, you feel obligated to play as much as possible to get your money’s worth—and the more you play, the more likely you are to buy new characters or skins from the store.

what can you do?

after all this negativity and complaining, it sounds like i think we should just stop playing the game and never pay for anything, huh? not at all.

i think what everyone can and should do, is reflect on their own spending habits when it comes to dbd.

do you buy the newest chapters as soon as they release, even if you know bhvr’s track record of recent dlc:s?

do you hate the way cosmetics are handled and the multiple fiascos regarding legendary sets, but still buy several different skins for your favorite characters?

do you buy the rift pass because oh god it has ace charms that i won’t be able to get anywhere else and i need them for all my characters—you get the point.

we can whine and bitch all we want, but as long as bhvr continues to make money even off of disappointed and angry customers, nothing will change. i’ve heard friends proclaim they hate the game and that bhvr’s actions are inexcusable, yet they, like me, continue to buy into the hype of new content or cosmetics masked as content.

what i’ll do from now on and i hope you’ll also consider:

hold off on buying new chapters until at least the worst of the bugs are fixed. if initial sales drop even after all the hype bhvr always tries to create, they might finally be forced to take action.

alternatively, buy new characters with shards. if you mostly play one side like me, 9000 shards is well worth an original character. it also lowers the sales of a chapter release, which hurts bhvr.

think long and hard about buying the rift pass. is there only one skin you really, really want? then the grind and price isn’t worth it, as rift exclusives get priced as rares when eventually released the store: aka 675 cells instead of the 1000 of the pass.

save up shards to buy skins. yes, i just said they’re overpriced, but if you buy the sets piece by piece the grind isn’t unbearable. and usually by the point you’d have enough, you might realize there’s only one part of the outfit that you actually want, or a better skin has been announced. saving your money and hurting bhvr; win-win.

ok whew, i think i’m done! thank you for reading my little rant. if you have any thoughts feel free to yell in the tags or replies, and remember that it’s completely ok if you enjoy the game as it is and want to keep doing so! you’re not forced to boycott anything or feel guilty about spending money. the game brings or has brought all of us a lot of joy and we’re free to enjoy it however we want <3

in a nutshell, i love the game despite its flaws, i only wish bhvr treated it (and the community) with the care it deserves.

p.s. my regular content will resume tomorrow <3

[costellos]

Hello, pumpkin💫how are you? Hope you eat well, drink enough water and have a good sleep! Thank you so much for reopening request. You are very generous💖 May I ask you to write hc for Bucci gang about how they wanted to be comfort and how they would provide it to s/o in a moment of need? (smth like your love language piece) Thank you again, feel free to skip my request if you'll feel like that! I love you, friend🌻 Also, you are looking really great. I was happy to see your face!

hello, dear!! I just filled up my water bottle, thank you for the reminder 💕 I hope you’re doing the same! and ofc, thank you for the suggestion (and the kind words about my face reveal 🥺). this was super fun to work on, I love being able to pick apart #thefavs like this!! analyzing them in a romantic lens is just so 👀👌 I went a lil crazy as a result, but I knew you wouldn’t mind. ty again for the request friend, I love u!!!!

BUCCI GANG & HOW / WHO THEY LOVE.

➝ tw: swearing

❥ ┋ ❝ bucci gang, how they want to be comforted, & how they comfort in return!

bruno bucciarati.

how he comforts you: admittedly, Bucciarati isn’t one for physical affection. he’ll do it if it’s something you enjoy, but there are ways to love that are much more natural to him. his biggest are doing things for you. he’s very perspective to those little changes in your mood. if he senses that you’re feeling down, he’d take you out on a spontaneous date. where you go depends on what he thinks you need. if he can tell that you want something low key, he’ll take you out at sea to listen to the water and relax. if you’re in need of something different, he’ll treat you to a pop-up art gallery he think you’d enjoy. it’s during your dates that his second way to comfort you comes up: buying you gifts. it doesn’t have to be something extravagant like a new accessory, it can be something as simple as your favorite coffee shop order. ↳ quotes: “is something the matter, amore?” “hm? no, nothing’s on my mind. I just miss seeing your smile.” “I’m taking you out. ...no, you don’t get to know where. just put on something nice.”

how he wants to be comforted: once you can recognize his facial expressions and body language, telling when Bucciarati is upset is quite simple. so is comforting him. he’s an easy partner to please. all he asks is for your time. he’s big on quality time since mobster work takes up so much of his time. as such, you just need to show him that you care. this can be as simple as doing his paperwork for him, to something more elaborate like taking him out. for the latter, Bucciarati needs to be taken somewhere where he can be distracted. it can’t be someplace still like the ocean or a picnic in the vineyards. it has to be something stimulating, like a museum. he has to push whatever’s bothering him to the side. he prefers to sort through his problems by himself, so this is your best bet. ↳ quotes: “there’s just a lot on my mind. ...no, it’s nothing you have to concern yourself with.” “you... you made all this for me? I’m... thank you. I love you, tesore.” “that was thrilling. thank you for taking me out, amore. I don’t know how you do it, but you always manage to make me feel better.”

leone abbachio.

how he comforts you: Abbacchio is, unfortunately, the worst out of the gang when it comes to comforting you. he knows your bothered face far too well. and when he recognizes it, he’s not sure what to do. he’ll be there for you if you want to talk about your feelings (but it doesn’t go much further than that). he’s great for providing a listening ear in that sense. as a result, Abbacchio turns to comforting you by providing for you. I headcanon that he’s a phenomenal cook; he’d learn how to make your favorite dishes and ensure that they’re ready as soon as you get home. likewise, he’s not that great at baking, but he’d do it just for you. another way he’d try to make you feel better is through little favors. he would talk to Bucciarati about assigning you your favorite mission types and making sure your coffee / tea is ready to go in the morning.  ↳ quotes: “what’s that face for?” “here. I know you really like this. I... I hope it tastes fine. it was my first time making it. ...yeah, you’re welcome.” “hey, wait. don’t forget your coffee. ...don’t mention it. I love you, too.”

how he wants to be comforted: Abbacchio is still coping with the death of his partner. it’s been years, yes, but sometimes the thought creeps in through the back of his head. when that happens, he just needs to be left alone. there really isn’t much you can do, anyway. he’d try to stay away from you because he knows that if he gets too antsy, he could snap at you. nothing physical, of course, more so verbal. the last thing he wants is to hurt you. if you want to help him, keep interactions at a minimum. don’t force him to talk, don’t force him to hold you. leave notes reminding him that you love him, make him his coffee in the morning, do his laundry for him. just try to make his life easier while reminding him that your feelings won’t change for him.  ↳ quotes: “look, it’s not you, alright? just... give me some time to myself.” “thanks for the coffee.” “ugh, I’m sorry you had to see all that. let’s go out today. I don’t care where, I just want to treat you. I... I really appreciate your patience. thank you.”

giorno giovanna.

how he comforts you: Giorno is the most perceptive out of the gang. it doesn’t matter how well you think you’re hiding your emotions. he can read right through you. that said, once he detects that you’re upset, he’ll ask what he can do to make it better. part of it is that he’s not sure how you want to be comforted, part of it is that he doesn’t want to waste either of your times guessing. so he’d do whatever you want. go on a date, compliment you, make you your favorite flowers or animals from a board of wood — regardless of what you want, you can count on him to make you feel better. if you leave it up to him, Giorno would opt for just talking with you. he’s the best at comforting you via talking through the issue. he can break down the problem with ease, helping you rationalize your thoughts and what others have said to you. as a result, he gives the most logical advice out of everyone.  ↳ quotes: “mm? what’s wrong, [Name]?” “no, you’re not wasting my time. I love you and I want to help you. so let me help you.” “you’re okay, [Name]. I promise. everything is okay.”

how he wants to be comforted: Giorno tries to hide his feelings from you. it’s easiest that way. less of a burden for you and him. besides, he prefers to figure it out by himself. unfortunately for him, you’ve gotten too good at reading him. Giorno prefers that you just be there for him when that happens. he doesn’t want any frills. you don’t have to guide him through the issue or treat him to dates of any kind. just give him little reminders that you care about him. he loves when you pull him into your chest in bed, but he loves it more when you volunteer to do his hair in the morning. he’s closed off due to his childhood. it’s why he won’t divulge his problems and why it took so long for him to be comfortable with physical attention. but being here with you, your fingers raking through his hair, your nails running along his scalp... it reminds him that nothing matters other than being with you. ↳ quotes: “don’t worry about me. I’m alright.” “ah, are you sure? you don’t have to.” “there’s something about you that reminds me that everything will be okay. I don’t know how you do it. but... thank you, [Name]. I love you.”

guido mista.

how he comforts you: finally, someone who’s good at physical affection! Mista loves spoiling you with lots of hugs, kisses, and anything more (wink wink). the moment he sees that you’re upset, he’d pull you into a hug and start kissing your neck. not in the romantic, sexy way. the goofy way. the way that makes you squeal and pull away because it feels funny, but unfortunately for you, he won’t stop. Mista won’t do this if the vibe isn’t right, however. he’s not stupid. if that’s the case, he’ll just sit with you and ask what’s bugging you. he’s a good listener in that he asks a lot of questions to help you navigate through the problem. if it’s a self-image issue, he would hold you and tell you all the reasons why he loves you. and he’ll talk for as long as you want him to, sharing every one of your physical and personal characteristics. 

↳ quotes: “whaaa- babe! what’s with the long face?” “c’mon. let’s talk about it. tell me everything.” “for starters, I think you’re hilarious. you’re so funny you made Abbacchio snort wine through his nose, so that counts for something, right? hmm... I also love your thighs. ugh. can’t get enough of ‘em.”

how he wants to be comforted: Mista gets mopey when he’s upset. he seems sluggish, with his dragging his feet and unfocused attention. thankfully, he’s one of the easiest to comfort. Mista needs a reminder that you care about him, that you remember all those little details about him. you just need to bring him takeout from his favorite restaurant or put on a Clint Eastwood movie, even if you think all his films are corny. another option is to spoil the Pistols. he loves seeing how gentle you are with them. and that he can get a moment of silence for once. the Pistols might even give you hints as to how you can help him feel better! they’re pretty straightforward. likewise, because they’re an extension of Mista himself, any change in their mood would directly affect him, too. it’s a win-win. ↳ quotes: “you got me the tripe from Angelo’s? ...babe, that’s a 30-minute train ride from here! wow... I have to be the luckiest man alive.” “oi, leave them alone! I already have enough on my plate! ...wait, you don’t mind spending time with the Pistols? ...well. if you say so.” “you know I love you, right? I feel like I don’t say that enough.”

narancia ghirga.

how he comforts you: Narancia is also really good at physical attention. he loves holding you, tracing his finger from one of your moles to the other. he’s not as obnoxious about cuddling as Mista is. he’ll talk about whatever’s on his mind to distract you, but if you want him to be quiet, he’d be happy to oblige. he wouldn’t directly ask what’s wrong; he knows when you’re upset, he just doesn’t want to put you in a spot where you should talk about it. that’s what he would want, anyway. so aside from being more physically affectionate or leaving you gifts to make you feel better, he wouldn’t engage about what’s on your mind. Narancia is an excellent listener when you do confront him about it, though. he’ll gossip with you if you’re ranting about someone else. but he’d mostly just sit and listen, letting you divulge everything that’s on your mind. ↳ quotes: “he did that? god, he sounds like a real shithead!!” “you should just punch her. that’d solve a lot of your problems, yanno.” “don’t let it bother you too much, okay? you should put yourself first more. you deserve it!”

how he wants to be comforted: like Giorno, Narancia is closed off emotionally due to his childhood. he won’t talk about what’s on his mind, but you can tell he’s upset. he becomes more irritable and less talkative, like he’s half a second away from fighting anyone. Narancia insists that he doesn’t need any help. after all, he’s gotten this far without it. yet the moment you pull him into your arms, telling him that you love him and that you’re worried about him, that whole cool guy facade melts away. his arms wrap around your figure, his head burying itself in your shoulder. although he won’t say anything, you know that you’ve finally gotten to him. Narancia becomes really clingy after that. he wraps his arms around your waist while you make dinner. he holds your hand while you eat. he even asks that you lay down with him so that he can hold you.  ↳ quotes: “what? nothing’s wrong with me. quit askin’.” “hey... can we go to bed now? ...I just... I just wanna hold you...” “hey... um... I know I can be annoying. thanks for not giving up on me. I... I love you...”

pannacotta fugo.

how he comforts you: Fugo is the best at comforting you, hands down. although he’s not as perceptive as Giorno, his photographic memory allows him to capture all the previous moments where you were upset. he then analyzes every situation and applies what made you feel better then. it’s an analytical way of handling it, but it does work. sometimes, however, people are more than numbers. during those moments, Fugo does what he does best: talking with you. he’ll want you to run through what’s bothering you, even if you try to avoid it. he insists that you need to get it out of your head. thankfully, he’s a phenomenal listener. he can switch between giving advice and offering comfort flawlessly. ↳ quotes: “hey, c’mon. you can’t hide from me. what’s wrong?” “my take? you’re overthinking this. everything will be okay, [Name]. no one hates you. especially not me.” “how are you feeling? ...better? good. please don’t hesitate to come to me. I love you and I’ll always want to help you.”

how he wants to be comforted: unlike the others, Fugo directly comes to you when he’s upset. he’s already established that he can trust you. you can tell something is bothering him when he starts getting quiet. when that happens, he comes over to you, no matter what you’re working on, and drapes himself onto you. he loves feeling how warm you are against him. that in itself is therapeutic. from there, you’re well-aware that he wants you to hold him back. to remind him that he’s loved. that he’s not a burden. he won’t say anything to acknowledge what you tell him, but you know that he’s listening. he runs his fingers over the creases of your shirt, his eyelids low. and when you’re done, he just asks that you lay in silence with him.  ↳ quotes: “can we just lay here? I... I just want to be close to you.” “thank you... I love you.” “I don’t know what I’d do without you. you make my thoughts sit so fucking still. I care about you a lot, okay? don’t do anything stupid. not without me, at least.”

[metalotaku-da]

voltron mafia au: kaltenecker

Chapter 1: auction

“So far this has been enlightening so far. Not sure what I was expecting from a black market auction. But this so far has been surprisingly interesting.” Lance whispered quietly at Keith champagne flute number 6 resting just off his lips.

“I think that’s gonna be your last one babe.” Keith chuckled lightly. “So far.” he chuckled again.

“Hey, I’m just a little tipsy. I was nervous. Don’t know why though. This has been surprising normal.” Lance laughed quietly himself though head tilted down slightly and eyes closed. But he opened them to watch the stage once the auctioneer started to go into the next item. A small baby cow was brought out on stage. Lance almost choked on this drink. That was very different than the other items that had been presented already. A quick glance around though, noted Lance, that no one else seemed shocked. The auctioneer’s assistance were displaying pictures and x-rays on a projection on the stage.

“Ah we have a late piece to add, this parcel contains 300 carats of uncut diamonds from Sierra Leone. They range from 2-5 carats a piece.” the projector switched to images of a bunch of diamonds close up, maybe from a magnifying glass even. He continued on going over the quality of the diamonds.

Lance scrunched his brow up till he looked at the displayed x-rays. He had to hold back his laugh with his fist, but a small snort escaped.

“What is so funny?” Keith asked.

“It’s a cash cow. A literal cash cow.” Lance snorted, before throwing back the rest of his champagne to contain hos slap happy giggles at his own joke. Though he wasn’t alone. He turned his head to catch Kolivan clear his throat and try to cover the smile on his lips with his fist.

Keith also quietly chuckled. “Yeah, yeah it is.”

“Added bonus of your purchase of this parcel, a nice veal diner.” the auctioneer chuckled. “I’m sure if the buyer would like, we can even find a list of well recommended butchers.” the auctioneer started to go through the slides again one more time before starting the bids.

The smile and mirth immediately fell from Lance’s face. “Keith, he’s joking right?”

“Joking about what?” Keith asked confused.

“About butchering the little cow.” Lance asked turning in his seat slightly to face Keith. “Someone isn’t really gonna do that right? They’ll take him to the vet, to get them out or just wait for them pass?”

“No, most likely they’ll just gut it and toss the carcass, maybe feed their dogs if they have them.” Keith says Matter of fatly with a shrug. Keith turned to face Lance, he gave his boyfriend a concerned look. “You ok Lance?”

Lance was stiff as a board mouth slack and face pale. Before he finally moved grabbing ahold of Keith leg shaking it. “We have to do something. We can’t let that happen to him.”

“Lance what are talking about?” Keith asked taking Lance’s hand on his leg.

Lance’s eyes darted to the cow then back to Keith. “The cow, you have to buy him, Keith.”

“It’s a cow Lance. I’m not buying a cow.” Keith deadpanned

“No, no, no. Keith you have to.” the bidding started. “Koli help me out here, tell him. Tell him to buy the baby.”

“Sorry Lance. That’s not my call. Or my place” Kolivan replied softly patting Lance���s leg.

“But…” Lance turned back to Keith. “Keith please we have to save him. He’s a baby.”

“It’s a cow Lance no…” Keith made the mistake of looking back at his boyfriend again to catch his eyes. Which were as wide as can be glistening with tears. Keith shifted his eyes down. Wrong move. Now he had a perfect view of Lance’s pouted quivering lip. He gulped and tried to set his face into a stern look. “It’s not going to happen Lance.” Keith tried to sound stern. Lance let out a soft whimper. “Stop that no!”

“Keith please. I’m begging you.” Lance kept his best puppy dog face up while clutching tightly with both of his hands to Keith’s nearest one. “Keith, please” he said in the most pitiful pleading voice he could working them tears out to the corner of his eyes. He watched as Keith’s brow started to twitch ever so slightly followed by a low growl and a number plate lifting into the air. Lance’s face immediately lit up.

“I can’t believe…”

https://archiveofourown.org/works/12914265/chapters/29506122

[wisdomsword]

🔥

Unpopular Opinion (accepting)

Okay, I’m going to put this under a cut because it’s going to get long. I’m going to give my personal opinion on all story arcs in the original DM anime, ordered from best to worst. This doesn’t include Season Zero/YGO Toei, Capsule Monsters or the movies, but it does include all filler arcs. Please respect that this is just my opinion and I fully understand if anyone disagrees, and please do note that I recognize that each arc has flaws and qualities of its own, but depending on general opinion on the arc, I will focus more on the qualities or the flaws.

Again, this is ranked from best to worst in my opinion, I fully understand if you disagree with me and I’m willing to listen to your opinion as long as you’re civil about it. Feel free to approach me over IM or ask, you’re even allowed to go on anon as long as you’re not being mean, and discuss things with me.

1. The Doma/Waking the Dragons Arc. Okay, I’m very much biased because I have a massive weak spot for a lot of things that were done in this arc, but this is my personal favourite of them all. The story is really well thought out and adds something new to the series, we actually get to see the protagonist (Yami) at his weakest and most flawed, the villain is an amazing manipulative jerk who still has redeeming qualities (*cough*tragicbackstory*cough*), and the minor characters introduced in this arc are really interesting. A lot of people hate it just because it’s a filler or just completely ignore its existence and I think that’s a real shame. It deserves more love than it gets.

2. The Duelist Kingdom Arc. I love the quirky mechanics in this arc, especially with the field (why do so few people use Field Spells in the rest of the series??), and I like how simple the game is at this point. Okay, it’s extremely unfair and luck-based, but I think that fits the theme of this arc really well. Looking past all the sad stuff, Pegasus is really the kind of person who just wants everyone to have fun playing his game, so he doesn’t care if it’s a little unfair or luck-based as long as everyone gets to use the cards they like. Adding to that, Pegasus is a really amazing villain imo, the poor guy is just crazy with love. That doesn’t excuse him from being an ass, but I love how he has a very reasonable (from his point of view) motivation behind what he’s doing.

3. The Dawn of the Duel/Egypt Arc. My opinion on this arc is… Mixed, by lack of a better word. I really love the story, even if it is a little rushed, and I like a lot of things they did in this arc, it used to be my favourite before I watched the Doma Arc, but I started seeing a lot of flaws after rewatching it once and watching the rest of the series and now I just can’t love it as much anymore. It’s a good arc, with a lot of potential, and it’s a shame that it was so rushed, but there are a few things earlier on in the arc that were not necessary (*glares at Bobasa/Hasan*) and there were a few things the manga just did better in my opinion. For example, we get a better idea of the Priests’ personalities in the manga, thanks to that hilarious mock battle that wasn’t in the anime. It’s a really small scene, but it adds a lot of depth to characters that were left a little bland in the anime. On the plus side, the anime did an amazing job on the death scenes (even though Isis’ death was unnecessary imo) and basically everything from the moment Horakthy is summoned.

4. The KC Grand Prix Arc. Okaaaaay, maybe I’m not allowed to judge this one, seeing as how I haven‘t watched all of it (I skipped a lot of early-arc duels), but I think it’s actually pretty good for what it is. It’s kind of bland, and most characters introduced in this arc are really not memorable at all (Vivian and the Schroeder brothers are the exceptions, and even they are not that great, just good enough to be memorable), but damn, is it hilarious! I went into this arc with the idea that I should take it as a lower-stakes comedic version of Battle City, and ended up loving it for what it is. It’s really absurd as a tournament, and just like with Pegasus in Duelist Kingdom, I love how the antagonist (I can’t think of Siegfried as a villain) has a motivation that makes sense to him. And I just really feel sorry for Siegfried and Leon. This arc is another that just gets a lot of hate for being a filler, in addition to having not-so-good timing in the series (second filler in a row, that’s kinda annoying) and being low-stakes compared to the rest of the series, but I think it has enough redeeming qualities, if you just take it as a comedic imitation of Battle City rather than a serious tournament.

5. The Battle City Arc (both parts). As much as I liked Battle City in the manga, I always feel like it was done very poorly in the anime. It’s too long for its own good, there are too many side-stories and other things going on at the same time (so many different things going on in one single episode!!) and it was interrupted by the Virtual World Arc at the wrong moment. I wouldn’t even have minded the interruption if it happened before the blimp left, but it was just very poorly timed. That aside, I think it was a really good arc with a lot of potential and the anime just messed up on that a little. It doesn’t help that I’m not a big fan of Marik and Bakura and I think the fandom severely overhypes them. I love Marik’s backstory (pun not intended) though, and the finale of the arc and all the character development going on in this arc are really good, I just wish this arc had better pacing and focused on one or two things at a time.

Honorable mention: The mini-arcs. I’m talking about those funny little filler side-stories that don’t really fit in any major arc (Otogi’s story arc counts as a mini-arc as well). These side-stories vary so much in quality that I don’t know where to put them on the list, but in general they’re pretty decent, despite not being very memorable. My personal favorite has to be the video game one (you know, the one in which Mokuba is a princess). I like watching these because they never fail to amuse me and for small fillers they’re really well thought-out for what they are.

Whoopsie: I never watched the Virtual World Arc (while watching the full series I was getting tired of Battle City and wanted to be done with it so I skipped over the Virtual World Arc and I never found the time to watch it) so I can’t put it on the list. As far as I know, it’s decent and most of the hate it gets is because it was poorly timed, but I can’t judge something I have never seen.

…This got SO long lmao. Anyway. Rant over, unpopular opinion posted, again, this is my opinion and I’m willing to listen to yours as long as you’re civil about it, feel free to IM me or toss a thing into my ask, on or off anon.

[larryland]

by Roseann Cane

During a talk-show interview some years back, Mel Brooks relayed an anecdote about a fight he had with his late wife, Anne Bancroft. The shouting escalated, and Brooks became so frustrated that he grabbed his wife by the shoulders. “How dare you put your hands on my instrument!” Bancroft exclaimed. Brooks paused, and then said, “Can ya play Melancholy Baby?”

Most actors are taught early on to regard their bodies as instruments, that an integral part of their skill set, in addition to the characterizations they create and the dialogue they speak, is the physiological component: breathing, voice, movement. One thing I always look forward to when I attend a Shakespeare & Company play is the troupe’s beautifully honed physicality, the seemingly bottomless well from which their actors of all ages draw their energy and stamina.

 And so it was with the company’s outdoor production of A Midsummer’s Night Dream, which just opened at The Dell at The Mount, Edith Wharton’s home in Lenox. Outdoor theater provides significant challenges to those who perform it. They are at the mercy of Mother Nature and modern technology alike, challenged by changes in weather, low-flying aircraft, unpredictable insects, and an audience less inclined to stay seated and quietly attentive than they would in a more formal indoor theater. I’m delighted to report that the cast and crew of A Midsummer’s Night Dream not only rose to the challenges, but, for the most part, embraced them.

I’ve seen so many productions of this play over the decades that I’ve lost count. Fairly or un-, it’s a little difficult to surprise me. But I knew I was in for something special from the moment my companion and I entered The Dell. Some of the actors casually milled about and greeted audience members as we searched for a spot to place our folding chairs. Because the grounds open 90 minutes before the show begins , the actors have ample time before they dress and prepare for the show, and I found it refreshing that they greeted and exchanged pleasantries with us.

Director Jonathan Croy was charming and low-key as he explained to the audience the fight call exercises the actors were doing. (Duels and other fights in plays are tightly choreographed by experts, and it is customary, and necessary, that the actors have a rehearsal, a “fight call,” before every show.) Another lovely touch, I thought; there’s no reason that people who are not theater professionals would otherwise know this, and I believe it strengthened the bond between audience and cast.

And oh, what a cast! A mix of Shakespeare & Company regulars and newcomers, many of these young actors had participated in the Company’s Northeast Regional Educational tour of the show, and they were engaging, hilarious, and acrobatic. With a few minor exceptions, they made themselves heard and seen despite the expansive outdoor wooded space, a whimpering baby, and the occasional low-flying aircraft. There was one unusually loud and extended flyover during which the actors continued speaking and they were impossible to hear, but I’m sure that the performers are unable to discern the differences between noise levels, so I think it only fair to chalk that up to the vagaries of outdoor theater.

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I was disappointed that I was unable to see a substantial amount of downstage action because of the location of my seat. There is a “blanket zone” (a designated place for those sitting on blankets rather than chairs) right before the stage, and I wonder how many people in rows above that zone missed out on the action, too. This is really my only quibble with the direction; Croy and Douglas Seldin kept the action going at a wonderfully zany pace, expertly weaving contemporary songs, acrobatics, and surprises that are thoroughly engaging. I loved the interactions between actors and audience throughout the play, and in the hope that you will go, I’ll withhold any description.

Thomas Randle is outstanding as a sharply drawn, wickedly funny Puck. He is certainly one of the most fully realized, devilish Pucks I’ve had the pleasure of seeing. Also delightful were Caroline Calkins as Hermia; Madeleine Rose Maggio as Helena; and as the motley group of actors, the Rude Mechanicals, who perform Pyramus and Thisby, Tim Dowd (Nick Bottom), Caitlin Craft (Snug), Rory Hammond (Peter Quince), Mairead Koehler (Tom Snout), Leon Schwendener (Francis Flute), and Dara Silverman (Robin Starveling).

The splendid faeries (David Bertoli as Oberon; Kate Kenney as Titiania; and some aforementioned actors who doubled as faeries, including Rory Hammond and Madeleine Rose Maggio) were a feast for the eyes in their jewel-toned costumes, designed by Govane Lohbauer. All of Lohbauer’s costumes, in fact, a potpourri of period mixes, mostly Edwardian, were stunning and eccentric in the best possible way.

Hats off to director Croy, who also designed sets and sound. While I found the music and sound effects well-chosen, their execution left something to be desired. The sound quality seemed a little ragged, and each time we heard music, it came to an abrupt stop, rather than fading out.

 This family-friendly show, abridged to 90 intermissionless minutes, would be a great introduction to Shakespeare for children. A talk-back with the cast follows the show, and the cast members were friendly and forthcoming. You may bring your own chairs or rent them. You may also bring a blanket to sit in the aforementioned Blanket Zone, which is available a bit later than the rest of the seating area, which opens 90 minutes before the show. Picnics are encouraged. In the event of rain, the company will stop the show and invite you back for no additional charge.

The Shakespeare and Company production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, directed by Jonathan Croy, runs from July-August in The Dell at The Mount, 2 Plunkett Street in Lenox MA. Costume Design by Govane Lohbauer; Vocal Coaches Gwendolyn Schwinke & Ariel Bock; Stage Manager Cindy Wade; Wardrobe Elizabeth Bray CAST: David Bertoldi as Oberon, Caroline Calkins as Hermia, Tim Dowd as Bottom, Lori Evans as Egeus, Rory Hammond as Peter Quince/Cobweb, Luke Haskell as Lysander, Kate Kenney as Titania, Mairead Koehler as Snout, Caitlin Kraft as Hippolyta/Snug, Madeleine Rose Maggio as Hippolyta/Snug, Devante Owens as Theseus, Thomas Randle as Puck, Thomas Reynolds as Demetrius, Leon Schwendener as Flute, Dara Silverman as Philostrate/Starveling.

REVIEW: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in The Dell at The Mount by Roseann Cane During a talk-show interview some years back, Mel Brooks relayed an anecdote about a fight he had with his late wife, Anne Bancroft.

[lenaglittleus]

Listen to Tony Horton’s High Energy Cardio Workout Playlist

Sometimes, if you’re lucky, fandom and fitness can go hand in hand. Long before Tony Horton created the P90X series, he was helping musicians like Usher, Bruce Springsteen, and Annie Lennox get in stage-ready shape.

“It was a really fun learning experience for me,” he says, adding that he never got starstruck. “I don’t treat Bruce Springsteen or a Beachbody Coach any differently. I try to be as encouraging as possible, and I’m always checking on form and making sure that I’m cueing them right so they get the most out of the workout.”

Tony continues to be a big music fan, actively seeking out new music through the recommendations of friends and using Shazam to identify songs that catch his ear. These discoveries inevitably make it to his workout playlists. On days when he’s focusing on weights and resistance training, “sometimes I’ll just play a Police playlist or an ’80s rock Pandora channel,” he says. “But when I’m doing cardio, it’s got to crank.

“You’re constantly moving if you want it to be a cardio routine, so the music has to be the same way,” he continues. “The beat of the song will allow you more revolutions on the bike or to run faster on the treadmill. If you’re doing one of my workouts, there’s a tendency to move quicker based on the beat of the song. You’re not going to get that with Barbra Streisand ballads.”

For his Beachbody Super Trainer playlist, Tony assembled a program of contemporary alternative hits that mix big guitars with beats designed to keep you on your feet. He also threw in a handful of punk classics that nod to his roots. Below, he walks us through his selections for a cardio workout.

Listen to the full Spotify playlist below, and follow Beachbody On Demand on Spotify for more great playlists to pair with any kind of workout.

Motivational Music: Tony Horton’s Cardio Playlist

“In this particular playlist, these songs don’t have to line up with any particular series of moves. There’s a certain quality they all have that works well with almost any fast-paced workout, like boxing, a 22 Minute Hard Corps routine, or Triometrics in P90X3. ”

–Tony

“Born 2 Run”

Artist: 7Lions

Album: Born 2 Run

“Tell me that doesn’t make you want to get going right there. What I like about this song is it starts out really low, and then the beat comes in. So you put your headphones on, you start your run and you’re slow, and then maybe a few seconds in you start picking up your speed.”

“Radioactive”

Artist: Imagine Dragons

Album: Night Visions

“This song also starts out super mellow, like you don’t think it’s going to be what it’s going to be. I just love a song that builds. It’s not just hitting you in the face right out of the box, and then [when the beat] comes, you just want to run your ass off.”

“Bodysnatchers”

Artist: Radiohead

Album: In Rainbows

“Radiohead is like learning how to drink booze for the first time. Nobody likes beer or wine or booze initially; it takes time. I don’t drink at all anymore, but Radiohead is just a band like that. When I hear this song when I’m on a run, blood shoots out of my ears, man. This song makes me want to just crank.”

“Salute Your Solution”

Artist: The Raconteurs

Album: Consolers of the Lonely

“This is The Raconteurs. They’re really an offshoot of The White Stripes. This song has that same kind of beat. All these songs have that in common.”

“This Head I Hold”

Artist: Electric Guest

Album: Mondo

“It’s kind of lighter. It doesn’t drive as hard, but it has that sort of double beat to it, and it’s still a get-up-and-go song. It’s terrific. I’m always playing with the sequence of these songs. This particular sequence seems to work, but every once in a while I’ll just play this song on random just for fun.”

“Kill Your Heroes”

Artist: Awolnation

Album: Megalithic Symphony

“This band, I think they’re great. It’s thumpier, it’s a little slower, but the beat itself just works for me.”

“The Golden Age”

Artist: The Asteroids Galaxy Tour

Album: Fruit

“This is a song that nobody knows about. I think I Shazam-ed it on a really funny, eclectic, goofy Heineken commercial. It’s got a great beat, and there are highs and lows.”

“Punkrocker”

Artist: Teddybears featuring Iggy Pop

Album: Soft Machine

“It’s an old, old song. It went under the radar for a lot of people. I just love the ‘Birth, School, Work, Death,’ part of the song. It’s like, ‘Hey, this is life, man. It’s these four things. You better get busy and make the best of it.’ There’s the beat right out of the box. It’s just killer. I’ll be working out with a group of people, and maybe two will know this song, and then when the chorus comes up, they’ll look at me like I’m out of my mind.”

“Optimistic”

Artist: Radiohead

Album: Kid A

“When this song plays and I’m on a run, I automatically get emotional. I start to tear up, and I don’t know what it is. There’s just something really powerful about it. It’s almost theatrical. If I was a director, this would be my opening song in my film; some guy on a highway out in the middle of the Mojave Desert with cactus or Joshua trees going by really fast, hands on the wheel.”

“People”

Artist: Awolnation

Album: Megalithic Symphony

“We have another Awol song, which is more of the same stuff. This is like another anthem to me. [Aaron Bruno]’s got a great voice.”

“Sex On Fire”

Artist: Kings of Leon

Album: Only by the Night

“If you can’t move to this, then you’re not supposed to ever move. What’s great about this is the double beat. Why don’t more bands do that? There’s two of them. There’s three different bass lines in this song at the same time. It’s genius.”

“Soul Wars”

Artist: Awolnation

Album: Megalithic Symphony

“This beat goes 100 miles per hour. It’s like a machine gun. It’s just too good. It reminds me of early punk.”

“London Calling”

Artist: The Clash

Album: London Calling

“Of course, you’ve got to have one Clash song or forget it, right? This is in my top five songs of all time. I just want to put my fist in the air. It’s one of the greatest rock songs.”

“Sweet Disposition”

Artist: The Temper Trap

Album: Conditions

“This is another one sort of on the lighter side. Everything is sort of up and high and airy and cool. You feel like you’re running on the moon when this song comes on. This is a song that I would even play in a yoga class. It’s got a great, strong beat, but it’s not knocking you over the head. It just feels like after that ‘London Calling,’ you just needed to change it up a little bit, right?”

“Roll It Up”

Artist: The Crystal Method

Album: Tweekend

“This thing is almost electronic meets alternative a little bit. It jumps the playlist back into that beat again.”

“Message of Love”

Artist: The Pretenders

Album: Pretenders II

“Another one of my top five songs. This is one of those songs where I sing every damn lyric. It’s just super inspiring. To me, that’s really important. The message is really about the importance of love in general. This line makes me cry: ‘When love walks in the room, everybody stands up.’ Are you kidding me? ‘The reason you’re here as man and woman is to love each other. Take care of each other.’ That just kills. Come on. I’ll be hanging out, working out, playing this with a bunch of Millennials who have never heard this song before, and they think I’m insane. I don’t know why everybody who hears that doesn’t just want to start a nonprofit right then and there.”

“This Is Why We Fight”

Artist: The Decemberists

Album: The King Is Dead

“Another really great tune. All these songs have one thing in common, and that is they’ve got a great beat for cardio-type routines. They’re high energy, big beat songs, but they’re all very different. There’s alternative, alternative punk, electronic, and rock and roll. There’s even a little pop. That’s the world I live in. That’s the world I grew up in. That’s what gets me going.”

from News About Health https://www.beachbody.com/beachbodyblog/fitness/workout-playlist-tony-horton-cardio