#miles kane appreciation club

[perfectly-clear-from-here]

my collection of miles kane looking like a literal fantasy:

[somecunttookmyurl]

gonna need you to elaborate on those 'famous people you've met' tags, queen. like what. what is your life.

god sorry this has probably been here all day but i’ve been belting out chicago songs all morning (the musical not the band) @scimmymunkeh can verify that my life, especially from like 2009-2014 (before i moved to scotland) was like. so weird.

in my misspent youth i travelled around the UK and europe seeing The Horrors just like. so many times. they were cheap enough to follow around on tour and i like travelling so that’s what i did. and i’m sufficiently not weird (lmao, i know right) as a person that i got to know them decently well (mostly rhys, tbf) so a some of it happened from that. side note - this actually gained me an honest to god real life stalker from tumblr who also lived in london and would like... see me out at the weekend and then send me anons about what i was doing? very weird time. anyway.

alex turner & miles kane - would go to cave club (a night ran primarily by rhys monthly) sometimes and because i am, again, not A Weirdo i’d be chilling with them. mostly miles, bc alex is pretty shy actually. but for some reason i truly do not know like don’t ask i have no idea every time miles and i got drunk we’d make plans to... buy... a pig? and raise it together? i think we were going to call it penny or peggy or something idk. quite what our plans were for co-parenting a FUCKING PIG in LONDON when we didn’t even live together were but. we really wanted to get a pig for some reason. technically i’ve also met alexa chung (this was WAY BACK when she was still dating alex) but she was deeply sus of any woman in his vicinity so just. left that one alone.

peaches geldof - was dating/later married a guy called thomas who was in a band called S.C.U.M. that rhys’ little brother was in. due to them being around all the time (also they were good listen to them) thomas and i knew each other. we weren’t friends or anything - mostly i was pals with sammy seven - but knew each other to talk to each other. something peaches apparently had a massive problem with because every time she saw me she’d shoot daggers at me across the room like oh my GOD i cannot express enough that i’m not interested in tom. chill. anyway she’s dead now.

i forgot about bobby gilespie (primal scream) and lou hayter (new young pony club) who also used to hang out at the cave.

adam ant - the first time i met him was at a 60s night. like literally an event called ‘le beat bespoke’. he was just... there? for some reason? i dunno. had a drink and a smoke with him. nice man. LITERALLY 2 weeks later on my actual 20th birthday i was at a night called ‘stay beautiful’ which was a heavily-manics-inspired regular event ran by music journalist simon price... adam ant turned up and did a ranom guerilla performance. which??? anyway he recognised me and we hung out for a bit again. he was VERY manic and off his meds at the time (adam ant is bipolar). invited me back to his hotel, nudge nudge wink, but uh. did not do that. as funny as “i boned adam ant once” would be as a story in my life............... no. dude’s old enough to be my dad. haven’t seen him since, just weird that it happened twice so close together in a city of 9 million people.

damon albarn - there was a very bizarre period of maybe 3-4 months where every time i went out i bumped into damon. like literally. every event i attended he was there. again, city of 9 million people, and we lived on opposite sides of it. permanently drunk, and asked me for a lighter every single time he saw me even though (at the time) i wasn’t smoking. at one point i bumped into him at waterloo train station like “okay that’s it i have to leave the city. i can never go outside again. this is getting fucking weird”. haven’t seen him since, either. on a related note i’ve met paul simeon as well.

richard oakes (suede) - saw suede a bunch of times and as one of the few people who love and appreciate richard oakes i always spoke to him and he was really excited about it and would remember the smallest details. had a backstage pass to a show in paris once. richard also has a side project called artmagic that i’ve seen and no matter how many years pass, he still recognises me and will run over like an excited puppy. met his parents twice, who are lovely people.

simon gilbert (suede) - similar but less dramatic, but will add fans on personal facebook if he’s seen you often enough bc he’s a lovely guy.

obviously i’ve also hung out with the rest of suede but didn’t interact with them as much. it’s mostly me x richard brotp 4eva.

sean patrick flanery (actor, boondock saints/mongolian death worm) - i made a joke about his hair being stuck in the 90s on twitter once and he’s followed me ever since which is at this point LITERALLY YEARS i really don’t understand.

[movedyourchair505]

Vecchia Fiamma (I)

Napoli, 2006. The night Alex met Miles.

(II)

x

The lights were lower than expected, the darkness offering no comfort, no contrast to the breeze that had chilled him in the streets. It was beyond midnight now, the early morning hours now reminding him that it had been a while since he’d gone to another club at this time, that usually by now he would be at home, or someone else’s home, or at least knew who he was going to spend the following hours with.

The music that filled the darkness of the establishment was surprisingly slow, and surprisingly, Miles didn’t mind. He was picking specs of glitter from his tight black suit, traces that the dancer had left mere moments ago. His eyes were still glued to her, the way she bewitched most men that had gathered close to her, the way she shook her hair and spun from the pole, teased one of her spectators by leaning down right in front of him, stealing his cigarette for a slow drag before demonstrating yet again the power she held even in her position.

Miles crossed his legs, took a drag from his own cigarette before leaning forward and crushing it in the ashtray that had even within the few minutes they had been here filled up already. Once again, he allowed his gaze to wander, wondered for a moment if he should call the dancer back, should offer to take her home, then his thoughts were interrupted.

“Fancy another dance, Miles?”

He turned his head, a small sigh falling from his lips as he looked back at his friend, shaking his head. “Fink I’m good for now” he shrugged. “Joost considerin’ me options.”

“Are you sure?”

Miles smiled, pursing his lips before nodding, a larger smile spreading across his face and he waved off the concern with a flick of his wrist. “I’m alreyht, Luca” he chuckled.

“What about her?”

He followed his friends gaze, focused his own on a blonde stood leaning forward over the bar, her body clad in a tight satin dress, her head nodding to the slow beat that had blended into the background and Miles found his attention drawn away when Luca pointed out a man dressed in a white suit, dirty blond and displaying much more of his chest and arms than necessary.

“Or him?”

Miles pondered the thought, figured it would be simple to convince either, he even wondered if he would get too bored going home by himself soon. Without passing judgement verbally yet, he lifted his hand to stop one of the dancers that were serving the guests when all poles were occupied, but froze mid-wave, as the girl had already turned away, her hips swaying as she approached another man at the far end of the bar.

Miles shifted in his seat, scratched absently at his stubble. “Or wha’ about…” He nodded into the direction of the man with the dark hair, his body clad in a tight suit, black and pinstriped and accentuating his most prominent features. “'im?”

Luca’s eyes widened and he leaned closer to him, none of their other friends having noticed the exchange. “No.”

Miles looked away from the man at the bar reluctantly, the way he took a slow sip of his drink as the girl served him, seemed to know exactly what he wanted without him needing to tell her. “Wha’?”

“Miles, you can’t.”

“Yeh ever seen meh bein’ rejected?”

“If you go over there, that’ll be the least of your problems” Luca chuckled, shaking his head and taking a sip of his own drink. “No, Miles-…” He tensed as he watched his friend down the rest of his drink, identified the sparkle in his eyes. “You’re gonna get us kicked out, that’s-…”

Miles paused, looked back and forth between the bar and his own table, raising an eyebrow.

“That’s Alexander Turner. David Turner’s son.”

“And why would tha’ stop meh?”

Luca shook his head. “He doesn’t do … men. He’s … do you see his security? You’ll get thrown out, alright? Or worse…”

Miles wiggled his eyebrows, now rising to his feet with determination, the decision final in his mind. He raked his fingers through his short hair, adjusted his rings and fixed his collar. “Well, tha’ sounds like sumfin’ I can’t miss.”

Whisky after whisky had not allowed Alexander to forget about the argument that had happened mere hours before, if anything, it had made him more tired and more determined to drink the night away. Going home meant facing his mother, facing his sister, both sent by his father to truly demonstrate that he had disappointed his family. He was more frustrated because of their false judgement than he was convinced he had made a mistake, the anger the frustration had fuelled blurring with the bitterness and the cloudy daze the whisky had offered.

The glass felt cold pressed to the heat of his palm, the sound of his rings against it irritating him even at its minimum. He’d almost finished another glass when his attention was occupied from the corner of his eye and before he knew, there was a hand on his shoulder, a slight squeeze and he was surrounded by a heavy cloud of floral perfume, suggesting one of the dancers had come close to him but instead, his gaze lifted and looked right into the eyes of a man that was slightly taller than him, several gold necklaces dangling from his neck to cover the skin his shirt offered a clear view of.

“Buona sera, bello.”

His shoulder was tense and despite the influence, the blur on his mind, he could think clearly, could not possibly fathom how a stranger would approach him this way, blinking back at him slowly, once, twice, clearing his throat and he shifted back slightly. “Scusi?” He asked, raising an eyebrow. Despite his attempt to create distance, the other man was still abnormally close to him.

Miles chuckled, his spirits reignited by the challenge. “Can I buy ya a drink?”

Despite his evident irritation, he was curious nonetheless, tense as he stayed on guard and glanced over to Matthew to ensure his safety before he began nodding slowly, welcomed the unexpected distraction, knew he could not leave the man’s motives unexplored. He stretched his top lip, swallowing. “Impress meh.”

A smile played around Miles’ lips, his gaze wandering from the sharp jaw to the darkness of his eyes, the way his fingers were clenched around his glass and his shoulder remained tense under his touch. He let go, turning to the bartender. “Scusi? Wha’ are the chances of gettin’ a Platinum Passion for this stunner reyht ‘ere?”

Despite his reluctance to give the man the satisfaction of getting away with the way he had so inappropriately approached him, he tilted his head curiously, his undeniable way of impressing him prevailing the nerve of discarding who he was. “Yeh kno’ yehr liquor.”

Miles cackled. “Kno’ quite a few fings I can show ya.”

Alex pressed his lips together, nodding slowly in disbelief. “Yeh 'ave no idea who I am, do yeh?” He asked, found himself increasingly amused.

“I 'eard this is ya club, bello” Miles shrugged, licking his lips. “I 'eard of ya.”

He didn’t allow the surprise to be evident in his features, his interest fuelled even further as he could not comprehend how especially someone that did know him would dare the way he was being spoken to. “Are yeh gunna compliment meh on me dancers then?” He asked, letting his gaze wander to the poles in the centre of the room.

Without taking his eyes off him, Miles shook his head, chuckling. “I’ll compliment ya on ya bum, bello.”

“Scusi?”

Miles smirked, immensely satisfied with the way he had broken the pokerface, had prompted a reaction he knew the other man had not rehearsed. “Like a juiceh peach.”

Alex pursed his lips in an attempt to hide the way he had been caught off guard, resisted the urge to lower his gaze and instead stared right back, his lip twitching and he could feel the heat in his cheeks. “Never 'eard tha’ one before” he drawled.

With another smirk, a quick wink, Miles stuck out his hand, licking his lips. “Miles Kane.”

There was no way to wipe his palm so he hoped the glass had cooled the heat as he shook his hand, his jaw slightly tense. “Y'kno’ who I am.”

Miles cackled. He could tell by the way Alexander’s gaze wasn’t entirely steady, by the slight slur in his words that the alcohol had affected him more than he realised and he wondered how long he’d been sat there, looking out across his own kingdom. “I do.” He couldn’t resist once again to touch him, to drag his hand up his arm, the tight fabric of his suit not concealing much of his bicep. “D'ya work out teh relax after workin’?” He asked.

Although the sudden touch came unexpected, it didn’t make him flinch this time, he had at least regained some sort of control, grateful for the distraction of his drink being set down in front of him and he nodded slowly, despite the strange exchange unable to suppress the sense of flattery he felt. “Are yeh not drinkin’?” He drawled, raising an eyebrow.

“A white wine spritzer for meh, luv” Miles said, smiling at the bartender, yet merely taking his eyes off Alexander for a split second. “As ya wish.”

The sense of suspicion and uncertainty had been overshadowed now, there was no suggestion of danger and he reveled in the offer of undivided attention focused entirely on him, found himself shifting uncomfortably when Miles’ hand moved from his arm to grab his glass instead, taking a slow sip and momentarily closing his eyes.

“Is ya work as stressful as one would fink?”

Alex tensed, taking a slow sip from the drink he had not chosen for himself in a very long time, savoring the sweetness of it contrasting the bitterness of the whisky. “Why’re yeh askin’?” He drawled.

Miles’ eyes widened. “Joost 'eard ya conduct business well, tha’s all” he shrugged. “Ya 'ave so mooch power, eh?”

The sheer disrespect that had originally irritated him had been replaced entirely by the flattery and appreciation he was now offered in a way he was not used to and he nodded slowly, unable to help a small smile as he sipped on his drink again before busying himself drawing a cigarette from the pack in front of him and placing it between his lips.

“Let meh get tha’ for ya, bello.”

Alexander watched as the flame danced across Miles’ face, flickering and accentuating his features, his gaze still locked on his as he drew the cigarette from his lips and blew the smoke into the air. He observed as he then proceeded to light his own, his chest rising and falling as he took a deep drag, a relaxation spreading across his face that made him wish he felt the same, yet instead he was unsettled by the strange sense of unease that was in no correlation with the comfort he felt as the tension slowly left him. He followed the movements of Miles’ heavily jewelled hands with his eyes to distract himself, noticed the way he pursed his lips around the cigarette, then his face was once more lit up by a smile that reached from one ear to the other effortlessly.

The moment he opened his eyes again, stared no longer into Alex’s, he focused on his fingers, the way they were still wound tightly around the glass, the cigarette trapped between his fingers. “Got good 'ands, dun’t ya?”

Alex was snapped out of it instantly, raising an eyebrow. “Wha’?” He asked, unable to look back into his eyes.

“Are ya good wif 'em?”

His eyes narrowed, his lip twitching and he stretched it slowly before stretching his fingers, the cigarette trapped momentarily between his lips before he took another drag. “I do play the piano” he stated dryly.

“D'ya play this?” Miles asked, sitting down and shuffling closer with the high barstool, his thigh tense as he held himself up before he shifted and sat comfortably against the velvet red cushion on top.

Alex followed the vague gesture of his hand up to the speakers, the corners of his mouth tugging upward. “Puccini, yeh” he drawled in a desperate attempt to maintain his expression of indifference despite the excitement he felt due to the recognition.

Miles cackled, nodding eagerly. “Bloodeh brilliant. Wha’ else d'ya play? Well, 'n listen teh?”

“Vivaldi.”

He nodded knowingly. “Tha’s reyht” he smirked, his palm grazing Alex’s thigh momentarily and he instantly felt the firmness underneath, the tension returning.

Alexander forced himself to look away, swallowing hard in a way that made his adam’s apple strain visibly, frustrated as well as angered by his own reaction.

“Oh, tha’s a fookin’ nice suit, innit?” Miles said, his eyes wide with excitement as he brushed his flat hand over the soft material that was tight on Alexander’s thigh.

His instinct was fuelling an urge to push him away, to alert his security, to react the way he would have reacted with any other stranger that disrespected him this way, discarded who he was completely and yet, he merely rose to his feet, pursing his lips in an attempt to maintain his composure yet again, yet caught himself not satisfied with the way the perfume had faded.

Alex’s heart missed a beat as Miles rose to his feet as well, his head spinning with anger that he somehow hoped he would touch him again and then the warmth of his long fingers was at his throat as he toyed shamelessly with the chain around his neck.

“This real gold, bello?”

It was the second question he left unanswered, licking his lips, comforted instantly by the scent that surrounded him again, the hair at his neck rising up when he felt Miles’ hand move from his chain to brush through his hair to move it from where it had fallen over his forehead and to his own surprise, although he should have known by now, the touch was not threatening, was despite the sudden impact gentle, slow.

“Yeh’re so pretteh, darlin’.”

Alex breathed out shakily, before he knew he was tilting his head into Miles’ hand, the words threatening to break his poise, tugging at the corners of his lips before they curled into an inevitable smile.

Miles felt an ache in the pit of his stomach, had been tempted before, but in comparison to his eagerness when he saw Alexander’s genuine smile, any attraction beforehand had been mild. “Fook, let meh take ya out of 'ere.” He swallowed, his own eagerness taking over. He cleared his throat when he sensed the huskiness and the depth of it. “Let’s go sumwhere more private, eh, luv?”

Alex raised an eyebrow, unable to trust himself speaking, taking a moment to swallow, to make sure he was composed enough. He wasn’t threatened by Miles, he wasn’t threatened by his words, his offer. He was threatened by the fact that he himself wanted to. “Wha’s in it for meh?” He asked, realised then that Miles had stepped even closer, that Miles’ body was shielding him, stood between him and the rest of the club and he didn’t flinch when his hand sprawled out over his ass.

For a moment, Alex didn’t realise he was holding his breath, exhaled shakily and held his gaze, shifting backwards slightly, unsettled by how far Miles was willing to go, how far he was pushing it despite the awareness of who he was dealing with, dared more than anyone Alex had ever experienced in his presence.

“The time of ya fookin’ life” Miles cackled, wiggling his eyebrows. “I’ll make ya a nice drink, sweet'eart” he coaxed. “Can make ya feel better than ya 'ave ever felt before.” A smile was playing around his lips as he spoke, irresistible. “Come back t'mine and I’ll 'elp ya unwind.” His other hand was now flat against his chest, smoothing down the material of Alex’s shirt. “Promise ya.”

Even he knew he was bordering dangerous territory now, the reluctance on Alexander’s face as evident as the curiosity and he held his own breath, knew he was unprepared despite his awareness if he pushed it too far. “Say the word 'n I’ll take ya 'ome.” He tilted his head to the side. “Are ya finkin’ about it?”

Alex swallowed, stretching his lip, refusing to be reduced to something so unfamiliar to him. “A drink, huh?” He drawled, the depth returning to his voice. “Sumfin’ strong? Not gunna disappoint meh?”

Miles chuckled, relieved despite the tension he could feel in Alexander’s entire body. “You’re gunna need sumfin’ strong, luv” he stated. “Gunna beg meh for more when I’m done wif yeh, bello.”

Alexander clenched his fists, hardly managed a nod into the direction of his security to step back slightly. He swallowed yet again in an attempt to get rid of the lump in his throat, left him angry at how he felt so out of touch with himself and yet so stimulated at the same time. “I dun’t beg” he announced, his voice straining as he blinked once, twice.

Miles chuckled knowingly. “'ave ya got a car, darlin’?”

His lip was trembling, the hair stood up at the back of his neck. He was watching Miles’ lips move as he spoke, could no longer deny at least to himself that he was intrigued, tempted, drawn in. He refused to deny it then, had never denied himself anything he wanted, he was Alexander Turner after all. “I’ll 'ave teh bring me securiteh…” He was reluctant as he finally spoke.

“Wha'ever ya need, Al.”

Alex raised an eyebrow. “Weh on nicknames now?” He asked sceptically, defensive.

Miles chuckled. “You can call meh wha'ever ya want, sweet'eart.”

He had chosen to ignore the tease, the suggestion behind the pet names, couldn’t find it in himself to ponder exactly why he had allowed him to get away with them, refused to believe it was because he enjoyed the sentiment. “I’ll … I’m…” He leaned forward, found his movements were beyond his control. “I’m not committin’ teh anehfin’…”

Alex inhaled shakily when Miles once again withdrew his hands, merely reached out to brush his fingers through his hair again. “You’re in control, Al.”

He pressed his lips together, relieved when Miles only stepped back for him to be visible to the rest of the people in the club again after he’d drawn his hand from his hair, his cheeks still flushed with the way he’d leaned into the touch, found himself instantly craving more. Another deep breath and he gave a nod to his security stood close by, then looked back at Miles.

“Lead the way, sexeh.”

With his security before and behind him, Alex headed for the door, tempted to tell himself his head was spinning with booze but it was the excitement of the unknown, the awareness that once in the car, it was all going to be under his control, that no one was watching and he knew that had they stayed at the bar much longer, he would have owned up to his urge, his craving.

Miles smirked as he turned his head slightly when passing his friends, wiggling his eyebrows and giving a quick wink in front of Luca’s direction, the entire group starstruck. Although he had never been rejected, Miles felt a deep sense of satisfaction as he shifted closer to Alexander and placed his hand on his hip the moment they stepped outside, felt the way he relaxed under his touch. “Oh, fookin'ell” he drawled when the two security guards opened the doors for them. “I’ll get used teh this.”

Alex shot him a glare, only reluctantly stepped to the side to climb into the backseat while Miles walked around the car and announced his address, requiring for him to let go. As the doors shut and Matthew and James sat in the front, leaving them alone in an awareness that chilled Alexander more than he would have cared to admit, he stayed sat on his side, close to the door but the moment the engine started and the long car joined the late night traffic, Miles was right there, sat so close to him that he was surrounded by his perfume yet again and could feel his breath tickling his skin.

“Ya can sit wif meh” he drawled, raking his fingers through his hair. “I dun’t bite, Al.”

Alex tensed his jaw to maintain some sort of control, sucking in a breath visibly when Miles’ large hand sprawled out on his thigh, his legs apart far enough for him to let it wander lower, stroke the inside of his thigh and inching upwards slowly, allowing Alex to relax when he moved towards his knee again, then shaking his breath once again as he fell into a rhythm.

Alex could feel sweat gathering at his collarbones, swallowing hard before he lifted his gaze, turned his head, his heartbeat irregular when he was met with the intensity, the wild look in Miles’ eyes.

“D'ya want teh sit in me lap, zucchero?”

Alex breathed in shakily, the heat of Miles’ palm on his thigh, the slow stroke of his skin even through the fabric, it didn’t leave him as unaffected as he’d have expected. In a desperate attempt to demonstrate his control, he held his gaze. “Wha’ are yeh plannin’ teh do teh meh, Miles?”

Miles chuckled, licking his lips. He could tell that the inhibitions were slowly fading, that he was allowing himself to admit that he was intrigued, that subtly, he was asking for more, wanted to know what he was getting into, wanted to be coaxed in, owned, earned. But he wasn’t going to give in that easily with the restraint he could still sense. “Joost wanna see 'ow ya work, Al.”

Alex blinked in disbelief, despite his hopes had expected a response entirely, although he was unsure what that would have entailed and he swallowed, the skin at his throat straining.

“Alexander Turner…” Miles drawled. “Quite sumfin’, eh? Wha’ makes ya unwind, mm, sweet'eart?” He spread his fingers out further, could feel the tension in Alex’s firm thighs, his entire body on edge. “I bet ya like teh tease, eh, bello?” He hummed. “D'ya like teh play games?”

Alex realised then he was holding his breath, but the words ignited a spark within him, the words that he would have expected to fuel him to look away made him lean into the warm touch on his thigh.

Miles smirked at the sparkle, the twinkle of excitement and clear confirmation in the dark brown eyes he had lost himself in back at the club, enticed with how they lit up merely from the simple question he’d posed. He cackled, stroking his fingers through his hair, reveling in the way he leaned into it. “Ya do, dun’t ya?” He smirked. “Ya get off on games, eh?”

Alex bit his lip, holding his gaze as he found himself unable to speak, unable to figure out his own responses to the unfamiliar touches, the unfamiliar attention.

Miles’ touch on his thigh tightened slightly. “I wanna play wif ya so bad, Al…”

Alex cleared his throat, exhaling. “Yeh won’t tell anehbodeh?” He cursed himself instantly for admitting he was ashamed, willed himself to stand by his decision, he was Alexander Turner and he was not going to apologize.

“’s our secret, darlin’, dun’t ya worreh” Miles promised, leaning in to press merely the hint of a kiss on his collarbone, feeling the shiver even on Alex’s warm skin. “I kno’ you’re worried, luv, but ya dun’t 'ave teh worreh 'bout anehfin’ wif meh…”

Impulsively and unable to stop himself, Alex tilted his head back, exposed his neck and realised he was giving, offering Miles better access to him, his chest rising and falling shakily when he felt his lips against his neck, wet, open-mouthed kisses against his throat, his jaw, the sound of them, the warmth and scent that surrounded him leaving him motionless as Miles’ hand traveled up his thigh, spread it further to the side.

“Relax for meh…” Miles whispered. “'ow maneh 'ave ya 'ad?” He asked quietly, his breath against Alex’s neck. “Are ya a rough lover?”

Before he could respond, Alex’s eyes widened as Miles tugged lightly at his hair to angle his neck slightly backwards, drawing a strangled moan from him that lit up Miles’ eyes.

“Like teh beh treated rough yaself?”

Alex’s voice was merely a hint, his breath shaky. “’m … n-not sure…” He swallowed, his mind clouded with lust. “'aven’t realleh…”

Miles hummed, attaching his lips lightly to the base of his throat, sucking just before a bruise would have begun to form.

“Tha’ feels … mmm…”

Miles drew back to look at him. “Fook” he drawled thickly. “I’m gunna 'ave so mooch fun wif ya, Al…”

Alex swallowed hard, blinking, only subconsciously aware of the way Miles was waiting, asking, hoping and he gave a faint nod, his head spinning and his eyes falling shut when Miles’ hand came down to cup his face, to draw him in and pressed his lips to Alex’s.

He kissed him slowly, slightly taken aback when it took mere seconds until he felt himself pulled in by his shirt, hard and rushed and it was Alex that moaned into his mouth and kissed him back harder, demanded more and Miles was only too happy to give what he’d been dying to offer, excited by the evident shift, cackling excitedly before forcing Alex’s lips apart with his own, heated, eager, reveling in the way Alex groaned in response, whimpered at another tug on his hair as he cupped the back of his head and pulled roughly on those soft brown locks, the kiss feverish, the surprise of Alex suddenly pulling back as striking as the way he’d grabbed at him.

Alex was breathless, his head spinning, his chest heaving, his eyes wide as he stared back at Miles, his heart pounding in his chest. The man in front of him was not scared, Alex felt that for the first time, it was him that felt more unsettled by someone than the other person did by him, but there was no fear. Miles remained calm, his own breath slightly irregular, but the playful smirk had not been wiped from his handsome features, his jaw twitching slightly, a twinkle of mischief in his eye and he let go of Alex’s hair, scratched at the stubble of his jaw with his fingertips, his other hand still firmly placed on Alex’s thigh.

“Dun’t ya worreh, bambino” Miles drawled, leaning in to press his lips faintly to Alex’s skin just below his ear, felt him shifting into his touch yet again. “Yeh’re safe in me 'ands.”

//

Elana helped me so much with this, it was our notes and screenshots back and forth that I wrote this out of, thank you endlessly. This was a bit of fun, I desperately hope it does not take away from the main story, but I was inspired. My first ever Milex. Y’all know this could have a part two.

N A P U L E  N I G H T S

[voltronlegendaryimagines]

Hey, could you write headcanons where the reader makes a mixtape for her crush and their reaction to it for the Paladins, Matt and Allura please? Obviously when you have the time, I know you're busy xx

This was just what I needed to get back in the swing of things! I ended up actually… Making mixtapes for each of them orz

Know that the playlists are all more so meant to be music that I think each character would like more so than playlists that I think describe each character. Like, less fanmixes and more what I think they would have on their mp3 players, you feel?

Links next to each character (youtube playlists) + track lists under the cut

Keith (Listen here)

He’s??? So thankful????

He probably constantly had music on when he lived alone so it’s really special for him that you would do this

Can’t believe you took the time to make him a mixtape like holy shit

Listens to it for the first time on his own and he blushes the whole time

Not only did you pretty much nail the kind of music he likes

He also couldn’t get you out of his head when he was listening to the mix

Afterwards, he’d make you one in return

Doesn’t really know what to put on it though so he sort of guesses what kind of music of his he thinks you’d like

Lance (Listen here)

So excited!!!

He isn’t a big music guy (mostly listens to whatever other people have on at any given time) but he loves that you picked stuff out for him

100% wants you to listen to it with him

He doesn’t talk much while you guys are listening to it but every now and then he catches your eye and tells you how much he loves it

Would try to get you to dance with him during a few songs

Gives you a BIG hug once it’s over because wow he’s just so happy you did this for him

Probably plays it all the time afterwards

Would figure out how to rig it so he can play the mix in his lion

The only reason he’d stop is if you made him a new one

Shiro (Listen here)

Thinks it’s really sweet and like??? The cutest thing

Probably asks you if you want to listen to it the second you give it to him

He pauses it in the middle of the mixtape and is just like “??? How did you know I like this kind of music?????”

He really enjoys music but he doesn’t really talk about it or his tastes much so he’s SUPER surprised

Tries to act all cool and mature but he’s screaming inside the whole time because he’s so smitten with you rn

Asks you if you have any more artists and songs that you think he might like because at this point he 100% trusts you to recommend him some quality stuff

Pidge (Listen here)

She’s so into it holy shit

Offers to listen to it with you later that night after she’s done working

Probably just relaxes and hangs out with you while listening

Talks while it’s playing but sometimes she goes quiet to listen more closely

v surprised bc you didn’t strike her as someone who would be into this kind of music?

v excited about it though

Recommends you a bunch of other bands

If you’re not *actually* into more electronic and indie-electro stuff though, she tries gets super flattered that you looked into it for her? like that’s so nice ????

Really appreciative of it ;-;

It’s her new work playlist and the only way anyone’s turning it off is over her dead body

Hunk (Listen here)

He doesn’t like sitting in silence, and tends to have music or ambient noise on in the background at All Times so this is a perfect thing for him

That being said, it probably takes him a day or two to give it a listen

Probably turns it on when he was getting some work done or during training

Screams because holy shit he hasn’t really heard this type of music before but he is into it

You pass by him one day and he’s singing along to your mixtape

He gets kind of embarrassed when he notices you but also wants to tell you how much he loves the tape

Would probably put it on whenever you guys were hanging out

Matt (Listen here)

Dies on the spot

Already planning your wedding, he’s so flattered you did this for him

IMMEDIATELY goes to listen to it the first chance he gets he’s so excited

Doesn’t mention it though until the next time you guys hang out alone

That’s when he starts singing some of the songs to you

He’s a pretty alright singer too and it’s very cute

It’s very cheesy though and honestly even he’s a little embarrassed

It’s worth it tho to make you smile

Asks if you have anymore music you think he’d like

This time though, he wants to listen to it with you

Probs would blush the whole time though

You think it’s pretty cute

Allura (Listen here)

Doesn’t really understand what it is at first

After you explain it though? She’s very curious and excited and so happy you did this for her

All but drags you to go listen to this with her

Listens very intently the whole time

Really likes earth music!! It wasn’t what she was expecting at all

Wants to try out other kinds of music too but what you showed her on the mixtape ends up being her favourite

Mostly because it’s what you specifically picked out and thought she would like

It means a lot to her that you did that

Decides that she’s going to make a mixtape for you, but of Altean music!

Keith

Eyes Half Closed (Acoustic) - CrywolfElectric Feel (Gespleu Downcast Edit) - Henry GreenThe World At Large - Modest MouseR.I.P 2 My Youth - The NeighborhoodRoom To Breathe - You Me At SixAlways - blink-182Follow You - Bring Me The HorizonIt Ends Tonight - The All-American Rejects

Lance

Lisa Baby - Walk The MoonHold Me Tight or Don’t - Fall Out BoyYou’re Gonna Go Far, Kid - The Offspring15 Dreams - New PoliticsAnimal - Neon TreesSmile Like You Mean It - The KillersTokyo (Vampires & Wolves) - The WombatsMy Type - Saint Motel

Shiro

I Wanna Be Yours - Arctic MonkeysC’est Toi - Cameron AveryBad Habits - The Last Shadow PuppetsMadness - MuseSit Next to Me - Foster The PeopleDon’t Forget Who You Are - Miles KaneDark Necessities - Red Hot Chili PeppersAin’t No Rest For The Wicked - Cage The Elephant

Pidge

Leave A Trace - ChvrchesSeptember - St. LuciaOur Fragment (feat. Missio) - SkruxFreesol (Dabin Remix) - Seven LionsProfessional Griefers (feat. Gerard Way) - deadmau5Midnight City - M83Up All Night - BeckGive Life Back To Music - Daft Punk

Hunk

Buddy Holly - WeezerKarma Police - RadioheadThe One Moment - OK GoDiane Young - Vampire WeekendYou Only Live Once - The StrokesNaive - The KooksDon’t Look Back Into The Sun - The LibertinesLittle Black Submarines - The Black Keys

Matt

Fingerprints - POP ECTSwimming Pool Blues - Miniature TigersSomething Good Can Work - Two Door Cinema ClubTake Me Out - Franz FerdinandKiwi - Harry StylesLove, Selfish Love - Patrick StumpParis - Magic ManCardiac Arrest - Bad Suns

Allura

Lonely Hearts Club - Marina and the DiamondsToo Much is Never Enough - Florence + the MachineGreen Light - LordeBody Talk - FoxesOf The Night - BastilleThe Sound - The 1975New Rules - Dua LipaPaper Love - Allie X

[klararaskaj-blog]

Paranormal books to read

20. The Nymphos of Rocky Flats, by Mario Acevedo (2006) This is the first book in Acevedo’s Felix Gomez saga, a series that went a long way toward redefining the genre when it was released in ‘06. And talk about great opening lines: “I don’t like what Operation Iraqi Freedom has done to me. I went to the war a soldier; I came back a vampire…” 19. Forbidden Feelings By Sherlyn Peterson (2018) Sabastian Jones has always been a player, never staying with the same girl for more than a few late night booty calls and for good reason; he doesn't belong in the human world. But when he meets Olivia Miles, a hot young nurse, at the club during one of his hunts, he is left confused by feelings he didn't think he was capable of having anymore. Torn between keeping her for himself or protecting her from the secrets and death that surround his life, he is forced to make a choice; turn her or kill her. 18. No Hero, by Jonathan Wood (2011) This sadly underrated debut is one of the most audacious novels I’ve ever read. The novel’s main character, Oxford police detective Arthur Wallace, is obsessed with Kurt Russell. Throw in conjoined triples, an antisocial ninja assassin, prophesizing twin girls who live in a pool with octopi, battery-licking sorcerers, grimoires hidden in Peruvian temples, killer cats, and more tentacled monstrosities than you can shake a sword at, and you have an unforgettable read! 17. Rosemary and Rue, by Seanan McGuire (2009) The first book in McGuire’s October Daye saga, this series is an utterly readable fusion of dark fantasy, mythology, and hard-boiled mystery. It’s a profoundly deep series that is at times filled with starkness and existential angst and at others with breathtaking images of magic and beauty. 16. Moon Called, by Patricia Briggs (2006) The first Mercy Thompson novel, this series has experienced a few ups and downs in the last few installments, but for my money, Moon Called has to be on this list. A sexy, tattooed shape-shifting auto mechanic, Mercy is arguably one of the most memorable paranormal fantasy heroines ever created. 15. Already Dead, by Charlie Huston (2005) Huston’s first novel featuring vampire Joe Pitt, this series expanded the boundaries of paranormal fantasy. In my review, I described this novel as “a savage and sardonic novel that blends blood-sucking fantasy and horror elements with the hard-boiled style of noir thrillers.” 14. and Falling, Fly, by Skyler White (2010) White’s debut novel was an intensely passionate, sublimely poetic, soul-rending work of art. The entire novel—which revolves around the relationship between a vampiric fallen angel named Olivia and Dominic, a neuroscientist with a “bizarre” affliction—reads like dark ethereal poetry. Unforgettable. 13. Four and Twenty Blackbirds, by Cherie Priest (2005) Priest’s debut and the first of her Eden Moore novels, this haunting and poetic read marked the fledgling steps of a writer who has become one of the most innovative—and significant—figures in genre fiction. This novel and its two sequels are vastly underrated. 12. Blue-Blooded Vamp, by Jaye Wells (2012) The concluding volume of Wells’s stellar Sabina Kane saga, this is how you end a series! This novel is chock full of shocking plot twists and bombshell revelations. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: this series will go down as one of the best paranormal fantasy sagas of all time. It’s that good. 11. The Taken, by Vicki Pettersson (2012) This was just an amazing read. From my review: “This novel transcends genre categorization—yes, paranormal fantasy readers will LOVE this novel but so too will hardcore mystery and romance fans and, most importantly of all, mainstream fiction fans. This is Vicki Pettersson’s coming out party—and we’re all invited.” 10. A Rush of Wings, by Adrian Phoenix (2008) Phoenix’s debut novel—and first installment of The Maker’s Song saga—is one of the edgiest series out there. I mean, c’mon! How can you go wrong with a duo that includes an undead rock star and a sexy FBI agent? A hugely under-appreciated series. 9. Dead to the World, by Charlaine Harris (2004) The fourth book in Harris’s Sookie Stackhouse series, this is when the series really got good for me. You can say what you want about the HBO series True Blood but, regardless, this is an iconic series featuring an iconic heroine. 8. Tempest Rising, by Nicole Peeler (2009) The beginning of one of the most beloved paranormal fantasy series on the shelves, the novels are powered by selkie-halfling heroine Jane True, who is in many ways the the antithesis of the conventional paranormal fantasy heroine. She’s short, not exactly athletic, socially awkward, works in a bookstore, and instead of wearing stiletto heels and leather miniskirts, Jane rocks comfortable jeans and purple Converse. I love this series! 7. Cerulean Sins by Laurell K. Hamilton (2003) LKH’s Anita Blake saga is easily the most divisive saga on the shelves. This long-running—and historically significant—series has had its ups and downs over the years, but a high point for me was Cerulean Sins, still my favorite book in the series. 6. Greywalker by Kat Richardson (2006) Richardson’s debut novel and beginning of her Greywalker saga, one of my all-time favorite series. Featuring Seattle-based private investigator Harper Blaine, who can see into the realm of the dead, these novels are exceptionally written and almost flawless in their execution. Classy and classic, this is one series that will stand the test of time. 5. Blood Blade by Marcus Pelegrimas (2009) The Skinners novels read like a cool, supernatural-powered video game—nonstop action, ghastly monsters, unique weapons, intriguing and well-developed protagonists, and plot twists around every turn. But the series is so much more than that. It’s a highly addictive blend of splatterific horror, dark fantasy, mystery, supernatural thriller, and sardonic social commentary. I’ve called Pelegrimas “the Bram Stoker of the 21st Century” for good reason. 4. Unholy Ghosts by Stacia Kane (2010) The first novel in Kane’s Downside saga, this is the most socially significant fantasy saga I’ve ever read. From my review: “Never before in paranormal fantasy have I read a series that features the combination of grand-scale world building, labyrinthine mystery, superb character development, and social relevance. Stacia Kane’s Downside saga is taking paranormal fantasy to another level…” 3. Dead Beat by Jim Butcher (2005) Butcher’s Dead Beat—the seventh installment in his Dresden Files—was a blockbuster book when it was first released. Not only was it the first Dresden Files novel to be released in hardcover, it was a clear indication of just how much the series had expanded to embrace mainstream fiction readers. The first printing sold out in a just few days! The commercial success of the Dresden Files paved the way for countless other noteworthy protagonists, including Charlie Huston’s Joe Pitt and Mario Acevedo’s Felix Gomez. 2. Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey (2009) An in-your-face fusion of fantasy, horror, and hard-boiled mystery. It’s Kadrey’s biting wit that makes this novel so unforgettable. His blunt and acerbic writing style makes for simply addictive reading. For example, here’s how he describes Los Angeles: “L.A. is what happens when a bunch of Lovecraftian elder gods and porn starlets spend a weekend locked up in the Chateau Marmont snorting lines of crank off Jim Morrison’s bones. If the Viagra and illegal Traci Lords videos don’t get you going, then the Japanese tentacle porn will.” Classic. 1. For a Few Demons More, by Kim Harrison (2007) The fifth installment of Harrison’s phenomenally popular Hollows saga featuring endearing gray witch Rachel Morgan and company, this novel was the first hardcover release in the series and, at least for me, heralded its ascension to elite series status. With only two novels to go until the series concludes, there is no doubt in my mind that the Hollows saga will go down as arguably the very best paranormal fantasy series ever written.

[torentialtribute]

PETER CROUCH: We are just footballers… not targets for abuse

Peter Crouch is a columnist for Sportsmail

The first time I truly appreciated that life as a professional footballer would be different came one night in a bar when I was playing for Portsmouth.

I was only 20 and was doing what all 20-year-olds like to do, having a few drinks and a good time.

I'll never forget this night, though, as someone came up behind me and punched me in the face. He ran after doing it and I never saw him again. I also never set foot in that particular bar again.

It was a painful lesson but I told the story of the Jordan Jordan incident experienced last Sunday.

I´m not here to condemn Jordan, a goalkeeper I greatly admire, as I know exactly how he would have felt after extreme provocation.

Jordan Pickford made headlines this week after getting involved in a pub brawl

When I played for Liverpool, Abbey and I booked a holiday to Ibiza at the end of one season and were going to take an EasyJet flight from Manchester. When we got to the gate, a few of our fellow passengers were already in the party mood and they started heckling me.

None of that bothered me – I'd heard everything they said a thousand times and more – but when the insults were aimed at Abbey, the situation changed. I knew if we had boarded that plane there would be problems so we made the decision to leave it. We flew from London the next day instead.

That's what I find so frustrating. Had I reacted in the way Jordan did, my name would have been in the media while those who had been antagonizing us would have got no mention. I understand why that is but how can it be right that those who cause the issues remain anonymous?

Critics have the idea that footballers do not want to mix with the public but, believe me, that isn't the case. We aren't different but the profile that comes with our professional means you're always going to be a target for someone, somewhere.

I remember during my time at Tottenham, I was at a bar in Surrey. I was walking to the toilets and I heard two lads, as clear as anything, say: "There’s Peter Crouch, let's go and have some trouble." I walked straight out the door and went home. I was speechless.

Pickford flew into a craze when his girlfriend and the mother of his child was insulted

Reading the above, you might think my life is difficult but, honestly, that's not the case. The good times far outweigh the bath and I am lucky that the majority of opposition fans tend to be good-natured when I meet them. I don't turn down photos or autographs and I'm never, ever rude.

There is this aspect, though, because we play football, some people believe they can treat us how they want or say what they want. They want us to be approachable but I've seen enough cases of the line being stepped about and what happened to Jordan was another example.

He knows, or course, that he made a mistake in reacting, even if it was only human nature. You have to learn – no matter how hard the situation – the best thing is to always walk away. But, as I said, there is something sad about it all.

Jordan Pickford only wanted to be in a place that he knew with his friends and family. It hasn't changed. His circumstances – effectively a job promotion with a move to Everton and becoming England's No 1 – have changed.

Why should he be a target?

Why should any footballer be a target?

It looks very much like we will have an English club in the Champions League final once again this season and I can't wait for this week's quarter-finals.

I've been invited to White Hart Lane to watch Tottenham's clash with Manchester City and that fixture always brings back special memories, given I score a goal against City in 2010 to put Spurs back in the Champions League

City are favorites, or course, but it would be unwise for them to underestimate Tottenham.

I've been invited to White Hart Lane to watch Tottenham's clash with Manchester City

I just feel the second leg being in Manchester will prove decisive and I'd expect them to be in the last four against Juventus, who should beat Ajax.

On the other side of the draw, I believe Barcelona will beat Manchester United and Liverpool will take care of Porto.

I think Liverpool are the most likely winners of the competition as Europe transforms that club. The affinity with this tournament just isn't there with Man City – I know, as my mum and half her family are City fans – but that's not the case with Liverpool.

They got close a year ago and I wouldn't be surprised if they go one step better now.

I have been won over by Watford's wow factor

The game I'm most fascinated by this weekend is the FA Cup semi-final between Watford and Wolves.

Regular readers will know how much I admire Nuno Espirito Santo's side and I knew after Stoke played them last July they would have had a good season.

I said as much in the predictions I made last summer but I couldn't gauge Watford.

They have been a hard club for people on the outside to have an affinity for, simply because of the high turnover of managers and players. They don't have household names and you don't see kids coming through.

But through this campaign, they've been superb and credit must be given where it is due. Javi Gracia has done a fantastic job and my mates who support Watford are pinching themselves at how things have gone. Nobody expected them to do so well.

For Watford to get to FA Cup final would be such a huge achievement but, equally, how good would it be for Wolves, in their first year back in the Premier League , to crown it with a trip to a Wembley final?

They were excellent once again when they beat Manchester United on Tuesday and have already won at Wembley this season.

It´s a difficult match to call but it will be a right contest as Wolves and Watford are the best teams outside the top six.

Watford have been superb this season and credit must be given where it is due

MY WEEK

WHO'S CAUGHT MY EYE: Virgil van Dijk

The way the hero Moussa Sissoko up and didn't let him pass to Heung-Min Son was a genuinely amazing piece of defense and the reason Liverpool were able to beat Tottenham last Sunday.

Raheem Sterling and Sergio Aguero have been outstanding but for me Van Dijk looks every inch the Player of the Year.

NEXT UP FOR ME …

The win we were talking about Wolves last week was massive and now we've got to make sure we maintain the momentum.

We go to Bournemouth on Saturday and while we respect them, we've got an opportunity in the next few weeks to get ourselves further away from trouble.

WHAT I'M LISTENING TO …

I've always been a big fan of Miles Kane (below) and I've had the Coup de Grace album on all week. It's been out since last summer but there are so many top tracks on there, such as Too Little Too Late. Love his stuff.

WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO …

I had appendix surgery last week and that was the reason I was out of the squad for the win over Wolves.

I'm having rehab. The problem came as a surprise but the operation was a success and while any lay-out has its frustrations, I hope I can play again this season.

Source link

[csrgood]

The Greatest Gift

On a Monday morning in August ARG’s plant radio crackled to life, sounding the call, “Man down.”

But let’s go back to the beginning …

***

Tom Rook is the kind of guy who gets up and goes to work. Simple as that. In 35 years, he has been out sick three times – those on consecutive days and due to, knowing Tom, what must have been the worst stomach virus in history.

So Aug. 14, despite feeling unusually lightheaded, when he grabbed his coffee and jumped in the car for his commute from Kane to Bradford, he did so without the slightest inkling the decision would, quite literally, save his life.

*** 

Tom arrived a short time later at his job as senior specialist with ARG’s quality lab knowing only that he just didn’t feel like his usual self. Preparations for the day included some discussion with fellow lab technician John Landes and their supervisor Chris Manning. The conversation finished, they dispersed to set about their work.

“I don’t know what made me turn around,” Manning said.

“But I turned around, and saw Tom just fall … and hit his head off of a drawer handle. I went over to him and got down there with him,” Manning recalled. “He was breathing, but he was just gasping for air and his body was tense. I was trying to just talk to him … keep him with us.”

Manning’s next move set in motion the brief but intense chain of events that would accomplish exactly that.

***

Anyone who has played golf knows how frustrating that particular game can be. But the weather was fine – in the mid-70s and dry – for Tom to enjoy a Sunday round with his son, Jeff, at Kane Country Club just hours before this story would begin to unfold.

Not playing as well as he’d hoped and distracted, perhaps, by the prospect of starting another workweek, Jeff was feeling that irritation familiar to virtually anyone who has ever played golf. A naturally upbeat and optimistic person even then, Tom took the opportunity to impart some fatherly wisdom.

“I just told him not to worry about it,” Tom remembered. “I said, ‘Every day is good no matter what you’re doing. Every day is a good day.”

*** 

“I immediately grabbed the radio and called that we had a man down in the lab,” Manning continued. “Within seconds our Emergency Response Team was there.”

From one end to the other, ARG’s refinery spans literal miles. Safety professional Kitzie Pingie spends almost no time at a desk, being deployed throughout the day to any and all points within the facility. So the odds of her being right next door to the lab in an office were, it’s safe to say, rather slim. Yet, that’s exactly where she was when the call came through.

***

ARG Emergency Response Specialist Matt Rettger, who came to ARG with more than 25 years of experience in the field (the bulk of which were spent as a paramedic with the Bradford City Fire Department), was thankfully also nearby and arrived quickly to assess the situation. Pingie, a certified EMT and American Heart Association-certified instructor of CPR, AED and First Aid, was already there and performing chest compressions.

Manning described it as, “Chaotic and scary. Very scary. I was just hoping and praying that he was going to be OK.”  

It was a scene where a head wound that would require five staples to be closed was very much a secondary concern. 

***

Not long before Tom started working at the quality lab in August 2008, ARG added a couple of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to its arsenal of safety equipment. While the company has always been safety-conscious due to the potential dangers inherent to an oil refinery, ARG has doubled down in recent years with an even more concerted effort to improve facility and employee safety. Among many other investments, the company purchased (at an initial overall cost of approximately $2,000 each) additional defibrillators to bring the total number of AEDs on site to nine. Plans are in place to purchase at least two more in 2018. According to the American Red Cross, it would be ideal if all Americans were within four minutes of an AED and someone trained to use it.

***

Rettger concluded, “I don’t like the way this looks. Get the AED on him.” ERT members at the scene proceeded to cut away Tom’s shirt while Pingie retrieved and prepared the AED for use. Having powered it on, she placed the device’s electrodes on Tom’s chest and allowed it to evaluate his heartbeat; in this case, the lack thereof as Pingie had already established that he had no pulse. The device advised defibrillation – the electrical shock that stops cardiac arrhythmia – and Pingie pressed the button.

***

Less than one minute later and fewer than 90 seconds after Manning had called for help, Tom woke up. It was just inside of only three minutes before the Bradford City Fire Department had arrived.

“Tom was in cardiac arrest, meaning his heart was not functioning at a capacity to sustain life,” Rettger explained. “We went from that state, to him being able to stand up under his own power less than five minutes later to get on the ambulance cot. It’s unheard of.

“I’ve seen it before when things like this happen; the patient will go back into cardiac arrest … and he didn’t. In all my years in this field, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

***

Tom, at 52, had never before experienced heart problems. Testing after the incident revealed Tom’s heart had no buildup or blockages of any kind. His doctors are still not entirely sure what caused the arrhythmia, but stated they could tell him with certainty that if he had not been at work and the ERT not responded as it did, the morning would have reached a much different conclusion.

“They told me that if my coworkers hadn’t reacted the way they did, I definitely would not be here. If I had been at home, my wife (Julie) would’ve found me dead in the kitchen.”

Manning added, “I was so impressed with our ERT, how quickly they responded and how well they were able to deploy their training. There were guys up in man-lifts welding out in the refinery who were down, in a truck and at the lab in what seemed like seconds. It was pretty amazing.”

*** 

He soon underwent surgery for an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), which can attempt to correct the rhythm of Tom’s heartbeat and, if necessary, deliver a correcting electrical impulse. He admitted that while it feels strange, it is somewhat comforting to have that protection in place.

“The doctor told me I have no restrictions – just don’t be lifting any refrigerators.”

As soon as he was able, Tom paid a visit to ARG.

***

“What do you say to someone who saves your life? Besides, ‘Thank you’?” My goodness … you can’t repay that,” he said.

So while he was not sure how he “would ever repay everybody,” some heartfelt Christmas gifts seemed like a nice start. Tom’s humble offerings were received with appreciation and the unanimous sentiment that simply having Tom back at work was what everybody valued most of all.

“Hearing his voice was the greatest gift I could have been given,” Manning said, “to hear him say he was coming home.”

“Kitzie was a little uncomfortable with my thank-yous,” Tom said. “She said the AED is what saved my life and she was just trying to help. I said, ‘Kitzie. That’s what makes you special.’”

***

Tom pointed out that in cases of cardiac arrest, the survival rate is less than 5 percent because people aren’t where they can get help.

“It was a miracle. Somebody was watching out for me that day,” he said, adding rhetorically, “Not seeing my sons (Jeff and Jamie) graduate from college?

“It changes your whole outlook on life. Everything slows down for you, you don’t really worry about stuff so much anymore. It just puts everything in perspective … and not just for me, but for my family and everybody,” he continued. “Kitzie doesn’t know them, but she has a whole big family who loves her.”

Photo cutline: Kitzie Pingie and Tom Rook look over an automated external defibrillator (AED) at American Refining Group Inc. Pingie credits the device with saving Rook’s life earlier this year.

--30--

source: http://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/40671-The-Greatest-Gift-?tracking_source=rss

[cinema-tv-etc]

Blow-Up (1966)

A mod London photographer finds something very suspicious in the shots he has taken of a mysterious beauty in a desolate park. Director: Michelangelo Antonioni Writers: Michelangelo Antonioni (story), Julio Cortázar (short story "Las babas del diablo") (as Julio Cortazar) | 3 more credits » Stars: David Hemmings, Vanessa Redgrave, Sarah Miles |

See full cast & crew »

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060176/

'Blowup' is frequently mentioned as one of the most influential movies of the twentieth century. And I believe it is. But it is no dry and dull document that the viewer must force himself to "appreciate" while he stifles his yawns. Like 'Citizen Kane', 'Breathless' and 'Psycho' it is not only an important movie milestone, it is still a living and breathing work of art that will fascinate and impress any movie lover who approaches it with an open mind. 'Blowup' lures you in with its snapshot of swinging 60s London, and it's tease of being a murder mystery, which it really isn't, but by then you're hooked. This movie is a puzzle with no solution, a text with any interpretation the viewer cares to bring to it. That may sound heavy going and off putting, but this is a surprisingly watchable movie. Even the "boring" sequences are interesting! Anyone who enjoys David Lynch, Dario Argento (whose 'Profundo Rosso' deliberately referenced this), Nic Roeg or Jim Jarmusch, movies where atmosphere and visual images are more important than characterization, plot or dialogue, will appreciate this 60s classic. I think it gets better with every viewing.

Storyline

A successful mod photographer in London whose world is bounded by fashion, pop music, marijuana, and easy sex, feels his life is boring and despairing. Then he meets a mysterious beauty, and also notices something frightfully suspicious on one of his photographs of her taken in a park. The fact that he may have photographed a murder does not occur to him until he studies and then blows up his negatives, uncovering details, blowing up smaller and smaller elements, and finally putting the puzzle together.                Written by Anonymous            

The plot is 24 hours in the life of a glamorous fashion photographer named Thomas (David Hemmings), inspired by the life of an actual "Swinging London" photographer, David Bailey. In the opening scene, Thomas wakes up after spending the night at a doss house where he has taken pictures for a book of art photos. He is late for a photo shoot with Veruschka von Lehndorff (playing herself) at his studio, which in turn makes him late for a shoot with other models later in the morning. He grows bored and walks off, leaving the models and production staff in the lurch. As he leaves the studio, two teenage girls who are aspiring models, a blond (Jane Birkin) and a dark-haired brunette (Gillian Hills) ask to speak with him, but the photographer drives off to look at an antiques shop. Wandering into Maryon Park, he takes photos of two lovers making out. The woman (Vanessa Redgrave) is furious at being photographed and demands that Thomas hand over the film, but he refuses. When she walks away to rejoin her boyfriend, he is gone and she runs away with Thomas taking photos of her as she runs. Thomas then meets his agent for lunch, and notices a man following him and looking into his car. Back at his studio, the mysterious woman from the park arrives asking for the film, but he refuses. The woman introduces herself as 'Jane' and tries to seduce Thomas by removing her top to entice him to hand over the film and negatives. Thomas agrees without going any further, but he deliberately hands Jane a different roll of unused blank film. She in turn writes down a telephone number to give to him. After Jane leaves, Thomas begins work on developing his photos that he took that day. His many enlargements of the black and white film are grainy but he finds something strange. In the Maryon Park photos, Thomas notices a figure hiding in the bushes near Jane and her boyfriend and upon enlarging them in a series of 'blow-up' shots, sees that it is a man with a gun (the same man he saw following him earlier). In the shots where Jane is running away with her back to the camera, Thomas also notices something on the ground in the distance. The blow-up shots of the blurred figure on the ground that Jane is running to appears to be a body in the grass. Thomas gets the feeling that he just witnessed the before and afterwards of a murder. Thomas is disturbed by a knock on the door, but it is only the two girls again, with whom he has a group-sex romp in his studio and falls asleep. Awakening, he finds they hope he will photograph them but he tells them to leave, saying, "Tomorrow! Tomorrow!" As evening falls, Thomas goes back to the park to investigate and finds a dead body (Jane's dead lover), but he has not brought his camera and is scared off by a twig breaking, as if being stepped on by someone unseen watching him. Thomas returns to his studio to find that someone (possibly Jane and her gunman accomplice) has broken into his place and all the negatives and prints from the park are gone except for one large, very grainy blowup showing the body (which proves nothing). He tries to call the phone number Jane gave him, but learns from the operator that the number does not exist. After driving into town, he sees Jane and follows her into a club where The Yardbirds, featuring both Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck on guitar and Keith Relf on vocals, are seen performing the song "Stroll On." A buzz in Beck's amplifier angers him so much he smashes his guitar on stage, then throws its neck into the crowd, the photographer makes a grab for it as a souvenir. Thomas grabs the neck and runs out of the club before anyone can snatch it from him. Then he has second thoughts about it, throws it on the pavement and walks away. A passer-by picks up the neck and throws it back down, not realizing it's from Beck's guitar. Thomas then goes to a drug-drenched party in a house on the Thames near central London. He finds a strung-out Veruschka, who had told him that she was going to Paris, and when confronted, she says she is in Paris. Thomas then meets his agent Ron (Peter Bowles), whom he wants to bring to the park as a witness to show the dead body. However, Thomas (after taking a few puffs from a joint given by a party guest) cannot put across what he has photographed. Ron invites him to stay and they take LSD. Waking up in the house at sunrise after the party, Thomas takes a spare camera from Ron's house with film in it and goes back to the park alone to take photos of the murder victim, but the body is gone without any trace. Befuddled and emotionally defeated, Thomas (aware that someone has just gotten away with murder), begins walking out of the park when, he watches a group of mimes arrive and play a mimed tennis match. Thomas is drawn into it when the mimes beckon him to retrieve their imaginary tennis ball that they have "lost". Beat and deciding to play along, Thomas picks up the imaginary ball and throws it back to the two mimes playing. While he watches the mimes, the sound of the ball being played is heard. Thomas walks out of the park as his image fades away, leaving only the grass as the movie comes to an end.

During the 1960’s, life was all about sex, music, drugs, and night life. People loved expressing their life through their own freedom. The 60’s photography was booming and sex was selling and films were being told in very different ways through the use of cameras. Carlo Di Palma’s Blow-Up was a film that broke all the rules in cinema, which is exactly what people loved. His cinematography is legendary when it comes to taking chances.

Director Michelangelo Antonioni had to have every shot perfect. He is noticed as one of the most successful and visionary directors of his time, if not the best. He would change the whole environment of his films, where he would even end up having structures built. Antonioni had wonderful ideas, but would have had masterpieces if his ideas were not matched with expertise cinematography. The way he illustrates the 60’s in London in this film makes in a living time capsule of the era. The scenes and angles make the film provide a feeling for the viewer as if one was there.

Di Palma said that “there was a lot of preparation for [the film].” He used four cameras to shoot the movie sequence, which was the first time director Antonioni has ever done that in his movies. The lighting was very crucial to the film. They had so many different lights for the movie to look well. Since they had four cameras, it was hard to hide all of the lights in all of the different shots that would happen. The four cameras all had different size lenses, and some of them were moved ways they have never been moved before on cranes and dollys. “We did things that we had never seen before,” Di Palma said about the lightening and cameras.

Blow-Up took the win for the 60’s visionary cinematography. It did, and still is, inspiring both producers and directors through it’s cinematography. Di Palma stated how fortunate he and Antonioni were to complete this film with all of the struggles and problems they faced. Antonioni ended up being the first European director to shoot a film with four cameras. Their hard work paid off and Di Palma and Antonioni became the most looked up to when it came to directors and cinematographers. At this point in time, they were the best the world had to offer. If you watch any movie today, there is a great chance that you will find something that was based off of Anonioni’s ideas and Di Palma’s cinematography.

Whether you love the movie or hate it, you can not deny the fact that the picture of this film opened up a new world for filmmakers. People loved that fact that this photographer was seducing women, and at one point, almost rapes two girls but ends up having a threesome. There are many affairs happening in this movie, whether it be with Thomas and all of the models, or with Jane and her men. Overall, I think that this was a good movie and had even better cinematography. The reason why it became so popular in 1966 is still one of the reasons it is popular today.

https://dollar26.wordpress.com/2014/12/08/blow-up/

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heres my current top 10 mk songs/recommendations because he deserves all the love and appreciation in the world!

10. adios ta-ra ta-ra - change the show - just recently got into this one (thankyou, you know who you are 👀) and i cant stop listening to it!! also very much milex coded...

9. better than that - dfwya - the amount of times ive screamed "maybe its the time and place or maybe its your stupid face thats turning me onnnnnn" in the past week alone is absurd-

8. better left invisible - colour of the trap - theres so much to say about this good lord- i just love it so much *coughcough more milex*

7. rearrange - colour of the trap - ive listened to this exactly 100 times, if you havent danced around your room to this on full volume youre doing it wrong

6. inhaler - colour of the trap - literally inspired the entire vibe for my current wip fic (pinned post ahh!) the bassline aswell- good lord

5. dont forget who you are - dfwya - this song has a very special place in my heart and it has got me through more than i can admit

4. before it's midnight - b-side - sooooo underplayed but christ its such a gorgeous song and it is very firmly stuck in my head ahh

3. wrong side of life - coup de grace - another heart breaker, literally start bubbling every time i hear it oh my god

2. telepathy - colour of the trap - um oh my god? love it love it love it (also milex coded ahhh)

THE COMPETITION!!! - b-side - this is one of my favourite songs of all time and it is SO criminally underplayed so please give it a listen!!

thank you for listening to my silly little opinions <3

(i struggled narrowing it down to ten so badly so honourable mentions to: cold light of the day, night runner and dont let it get you down!! and little illusion machine w/ death ramps ahhh how could i forget)

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got sad and put Don't Forget Who You Are on shuffle. im no longer sad nor happy but a secret third option-

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LISTENING TO THE DEBUT PLAYING OF THE WONDER AND CHRIST I HEARD THE FIRST PART AND FULL ON SCREAMED "LESFUCKINGOOOO" BECAUSE THIS WAS MY FAVOURITE IN THE CAR RIDE VIDEO AHHHHH 🙏

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i hope miles knows that that photoshoot made a solid portion of tumblr go absolutely feral.

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me sobbing my face off uncontrollably whenever I hear miles singing 'let it out let it out let it all out' on rearrange:

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suddenly I see your face

leading me astray

secretly I contemplate

resigining to my faith

MILES. MILES WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO US 😭😭

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me every 30 minutes for the past few days: right time to listen to baggio again.

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IM SORRY WHAT IS GOING ON- BAGGIO IS AN ABSOLUTE GODSEND I MIGHT ACTUALLY JUST COLLAPSE??