#most popular gift boxes 2020

[mistimstar]

Savage Soaps : The Coolest Gifts of 2023

[songsofadelaide]

Joined in a dream

cw/tw: no curses AU set in the 2020s, birthday fic, female reader, established relationship, fluff, slice of life, another marriage proposal, popular teacher!gojo x private kind of gf— gojo decides to gift himself... a wife. wc: 685

Satoru proposed to you in the quietest way possible— in the confines and comforts of your shared bedroom, away from people's peering eyes. It caught you off-guard, too, the way he presented you with the ring in a velvet box that seemed to have been opened and closed a lot. He must have rehearsed the whole thing so many times that the box was already worn out.

For someone so ostentatious, you'd expect him to propose in front of a crowd, or your friends, at least… But he did this in a way so intimate that you couldn't help but question his motives— and if you truly knew him at all.

Satoru was an unforgivably loud person. He was a teacher, after all. Your friends called him Mr. Congeniality. He was always the talk of the town and always the life of the party— He was expected to be everywhere even though he was busy with his job but his social battery was always fully charged.

On his 30th birthday, he decides to gift himself one of the most important things he could ever want and he could ever ask for.

When you were both tucked in bed and ready to turn in for the night, he fished out the box from his bedside drawer and held it out to you.

"I could have easily asked our friends for help with this," he chuckled in an attempt to mask the nervousness in his voice. "They could have helped me plan something grand, but I know that grandiosity really isn't your thing."

"S-Satoru?…"

"I know it's always a riot with me. We're never not surrounded by our friends and it gets pretty tiring at times," he said, finally lowering the ring box but raising his glassy blue gaze to hold your own. "But would you please do me the honour of being my hiding spot, my safe space, like always?"

Satoru took your hands in his, warmly and tenderly. Though always surrounded by people, he was never really an open book. There was still some reticence in his usual smile, and it gave you so much pleasure that it was only you he would open up to so willingly.

His lips curled up to a crooked smile. "Spare me from the loneliness of not having you by my side every morning. Spare me from the solitude of having dinner alone when we can share in each other's days while enjoying our meal. Release me from this uncertainty that one day, you'll just get up and leave because you can't handle all the commotion I bring…"

He ran his thumbs over your freezing knuckles, attempting to warm them up with his touch. "Marry me, won't you?"

And when you smiled right back at him, he knew just what you were about to say.

"We could have a party with our friends or a party for two. It doesn't matter to me at all. In the chaos or in the quiet, I will always choose to be with you, Satoru. I know that you'll always find ways to find the fun in our simple, mundane life together," you finally answered him, squeezing his hands right back. "So sure… Of course I'll marry you."

"You know I did this so I could savour the way your eyes lit up when you saw the ring," he said with another small laugh as he eventually slid the ring on your ring finger so you could finally marvel at it. "There are just some things I don't want others to see. That includes this, I guess…"

"You proposed at the most perfect time, too," you told him, scooting over to his side of the bed so he could embrace you. "You and I share a pillow, after all. There's no way we won't be joined in a dream tonight."

"The sweetest dream, guaranteed," Satoru stated with another laugh as he welcomed you into his arms. He was certain now that he was your hiding spot— a corner of the world just for the two of you— just as you were his.

Author's notes: Happy birthday, Toru! 🥺🩵🍰 This is my second intimate proposal fic and I have so many feels about this one because I'm also not a grandiose kinda girl lol. 😆 I'm looking forward to reading a lot of Gojo fics later today (tomorrow), too! Hope you enjoy this simple one as well. 🩵

[webkinzwonders]

Dr. Quack- The Webkinz Killer!

Since Webkinz was very popular with school children it was a very relevant topic to discuss amongst themselves. Through this playground chatter, some conspiracy theories formed. There were various theories but a majority had the common thread of a “killer.” Something in the game that would murder your pet.

There were theories of a virus boxes appearing in your pet's room. Clicking on a box would create an event that ended with your pet dying or all your money disappearing. If you click on black and red boxes a, "Neopet pops out with a knife, and chops your Webkinz head off." Clicking a yellow box, "you loose all your webkinz possessions and "money." according to a 2008 Snopes article all about the Webkinz killer conspiracies. In this article they collected emails from 2007 from players seeking their opinions on all these conspiracies, one player passionately wrote,

"This webkinz virus thing is TOTALLY true. it happened 2 half my friends on webkinz. there is either some kind of gift on the floor or some kind of bomby thingy. it pops out like you got a gift. then Dr. Quack or Miss Birdie pops up, lights go out, red eyes come, it makes slashing noises on your computer, and then the lights turn on and your webkinz are dead on the floor with blood on them. You probably think that webkinz people would never do that. you are right, but NEOPETS would. Why? because they got angry that everyone went on webkinz and nobody went on neopets anymore, so they hacked into webkinz and put in some kind of virus. It is pretty scary for kids, so be careful with what you do with your webkinz and DONT GO TO YOUR ROOM!!"

One of the most popular theories targets Dr. Quack, the former Doctor of Webkinz World. The theory goes; if you go to the doctor's office to visit Dr. Quack for a check-up and make him mad enough, he murders your pet in front of you. Ways to make him mad were clicking on a poster in the background of the room 32 times, visiting him at midnight, or making him do a house call.  This terrified children all over and schools and parents even got involved. Children were terrified to visit the sinister doctor and Ganz even had to release a statement defending the duck. 

Karl Borst, the long-time creative director, later commented in 2021 on the situation in an interview with Forbes’ Jackson Weimer saying it was  “Really really annoying. I mean I should have seen it coming. As kids age up into their tween/early teen years, scary and gross humor becomes more popular. But we had worked so hard to keep the game kid-friendly and non-violent that hearing about kids honestly being scared that a virtual killer would kill their pets ticked me off. Writing those articles acknowledging the rumor was something I didn’t want to do, but had to.”

Dr. Quack later retired from being the Webkinz world doctor after finding a "cure" with the scientist dog Goober to all Webkinz illnesses. He uploaded many journal entries on the whole process, saying in his last one he has made the decision to retire,

"I'’ve had lots of time to think, now that pets are no longer getting sick and don’t need my medicine at the clinic. A quick snack or a bit of exercise is all that anyone needs to get feeling healthy again. I love the town of Kinzville and all of the citizens living here, but the truth is that they no longer need the services of a doctor.

This is why, after 10 years of loyal service, I have made up my mind to retire and close the clinic."

His clinic closed its doors and it is not able to be visited anymore when clicking on the map a pop-up message appears, “Dr Quack has retired and the Clinic is now closed.”

Doctor Quack's career was not over just yet though. He was elected Mayor of Kinzville in 2016 and again in 2020.

In 2020, during the pandemic players were commenting we need Dr. Quack more than even now. He released a statement rerunning for election with the promise, "That is why, if I am elected, not only will I return back to work as your mayor, I will also open my “Dr. Quack’s Caring Clinic” in the Clubhouse." 

Currently, you can still visit Dr. Quack in one of the chatrooms. In the clubhouse, there is a room called, “Dr. Quack’s Caring Clinic” where you can interact with other players. The only interaction you can have with the doctor is by clicking on him to receive a lollypop. He says standing in one place, he doesn’t get any bigger than the standard size you can see below. Here is my Webkinz pug named "puggs" visiting:

Dr. Quack had had quite the career for a virtual duck. From murder accusations to becoming mayor, Dr. Quincy Quack has done it all.

[a-silent-symphony]

NIGHTWISH's FLOOR JANSEN To Release New Solo Single 'Invincible' This Friday

Floor Jansen, best known as the lead vocalist of the Finnish symphonic metal band NIGHTWISH, will release a new solo single, "Invincible", on Friday, January 13. She says: "This song tackles a sensitive and important subject."

"Invincible" is the fourth single from Floor's upcoming debut solo album, "Paragon", which will arrive on March 24. The LP showcases the Dutch-born singer's impressive vocal range and powerful voice on a diverse collection of pop-infused tracks and emotional ballads influenced by the sounds of her career.

"Paragon" includes the following tracks:

01. My Paragon 02. Daydream 03. Invincible 04. Hope 05. Come Full Circle 06. Storm 07. Me Without You 08. The Calm 09. Armoured Wings 10. Fire

Jansen said: "To renew yourself and take leaps into the unknown makes you grow. To age is a gift not everyone gets. I am a fortunate woman who got to make an album I never knew I could make. One that even defines me, where I am on my path. I have reached my PARAGON! I am so proud of this work! And grateful for all the amazing people in this beautiful life that helped me get here!"

With its mix of influences and powerful vocal performances, "Paragon" is an album that will appeal to fans of pop music and metal alike. It's the perfect addition to any music collection, and a must-have for fans of Floor Jansen and NIGHTWISH.

"Paragon" will be released digitally and physically on CD, vinyl, and a limited-edition deluxe box set. The album will be available on all major streaming platforms and at music retailers worldwide.

Following the release, Jansen will embark on a tour of The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria in April and May of 2023.

Floor has already released three singles from "Paragon": "Me Without You", "Storm" and "Fire".

As part of NIGHTWISH, Jansen has landed two number one albums in Finland, and Top Five albums in Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

Born in the Netherlands, Jansen joined her first band, one of the world's first symphonic metal bands, AFTER FOREVER, when she was only 16 years old. The group went on to release five albums from 2000 to 2007, before they broke up in 2009.

Jansen's next band, REVAMP, released two albums in 2010 and 2013, before she joined NIGHTWISH as a full-time member. NIGHTWISH's first album with Jansen as the lead singer was 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", which landed in Top 10s around the world. This was followed by 2020's "Human. :II: Nature." , which was also an international success.

Jansen has toured extensively with the band and appeared on three of NIGHTWISH's live albums "Showtime, Storytime", "Vehicle Of Spirit" and "Decades: Live In Buenos Aires".

In 2019, Jansen participated in the popular Dutch TV show "Beste Zangers" where she scored a big hit with "Phantom Of The Opera" together with Henk Poort. She was recognized with a Dutch Popprijs award — a prestigious accolade for artists that has made important contributions to Dutch music. In the same year, her first solo tour sold out in less than 24 hours.

Jansen performed live with NIGHTWISH for the first time on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington following the abrupt departure of the band's lead singer of five years, Anette Olzon. Jansen officially joined NIGHTWISH in 2013.

[crimswnred]

all of my fics | updated March 16th, 2024.

chaptered stories

□ "Baby, kiss it better" bobby x oc | on hiatus.

Bobby McKenzie had a massive crush on one of his friends, Barbara Jones. It was silly, unwanted and a pain in his arse but when they kissed for the first time, it was everything. The biggest problem? Barbara had a boyfriend, a cool and suave pilot who everyone seemed to think was perfect, and everything just gets worse when Bobby and Barbara have to plan a wedding together.

playlists: bobby goes to church / depressed bimbo

□ "Paris' To-Do List" oc x everyone | on hiatus.

After ending a 3-year-long and boring relationship, Paris is ready to taste the pleasures of the world and tick some boxes on her Bucket List. A story about a reformed good girl. 32 chapters, 31 items on her list. Written for Kinktober.

□ "The View Between Villages" oc x seb | in progress

After losing her job over reasons she would rather never speak about again, Marissa Sarabi moved back to her old parent's house at Graycott, where her now-married sister lives with her family.She expects days of peace and quiet away from the big city she used to live in, but her sister has other plans. She takes Marissa to help out in an old friend's record store but Sebastian looks way more grumpy and melancholic than she remembers.

□ "Paris, France" oc x youcef| in progress

All that she wants after her breakup is to have fun and focus on her career. But when Sullivian Investments chooses her to be the face of their fashion take-over, feelings Paris doesn't understand start to surface.

□ "The Dangers of Being Too Cool" oc x bobby | in progress

5 months after breaking their two-year relationship, Lisbon Evan's ex-boyfriend, Lucas, announces his engagement. Devastated and confused, Lisbon ends up lying she's dating the well-known and very popular hospital caterer, Bobby McKenzie. Luckily for her, he has his reasons to join her in a fake relationship.

one-shots

mine

■ "Mirror" valentina x oc

Hollywood and its drama have been cruel to Valentina, who just recently managed to successfully reach stardom. She's sure her most recent scandal will be the end of her career. But things are not as they seem. Written for the February Femslash Gift Exchange.

■ Stuck With You rohan x jake

It's 2020 and Rohan wakes up in his quarantine routine.

■ bad idea, right?! levi x oc (kinda?)

When Maddie gets a text from her ex-boyfriend at one of those frat parties, things escalate pretty quickly. But don't worry, Maddie just sees him as a friend (the biggest lie she ever told).

r/LITGfanfic monthly prompt

■ "gold rush" kassam x oc

I don't like a gold rush. I don't like that you make me anticipate my face in a red flush. I don't like that anyone would die to feel your touch. Everybody wants you, and everybody wonders what it would be like to love you. I walk past you, there's a quick brush, and I don't like this slow motion, double vision in a rose blush moment. I don't like that falling feels like flying to my bones crush. No, I don't like this gold rush.

litg writers' room blog

a blog where my bffs (i-boop-you, MrsBSmooth, tammyisobsessedwith and ellegreenwxy) and I work with asked prompts/submissions for your favourite islanders ♡ check it out if you wanna read something for your favourite LI.

■ "All's Fair in Casa Amor" oc x bobby | complete

A canon rewrite set during Casa Amor. A Bobby and MC fic if MC had been a Casa Girl instead of in the original lineup.

□ "Love Island, Actually" multiple pairings | on hiatus.

The LITG Cast set in a Love, Actually fic. Five stories, five MC's, all about love, centred around Christmas. The Bride, the Mistress, the Runaway, the Maid of Honour, and the Divorcee.

[rebeccawangart]

A look back on 2022

I will typically do a blog article at the end of the year talking about all the paintings I did in the year and my plans for the following year. Since this is my first year on Tumblr I thought I would post it here as well for anyone who cares to read my drivel.

2022 was a hell of a year. I completed 19 pet portrait paintings on canvas, 8 pet portrait ornaments, and 4 original paintings (with plans to make at least one more before the year is over!) The ornaments are something new which I added a few months ago, and thought it was a nice addition to my pet portrait offerings. I am already booked into April of 2023 for portraits! I did my very first chameleon commissioned painting, thanks to my sponsorship of the wonderful Chameleon Forums, and already have two more scheduled for next year, which I am eager to paint. I created a wonderful original painting of a capybara which has become my most popular work of this year, as well as a box turtle, another red fox, and a polar bear.

The natural color style really seems to have taken off this year, with almost half of the 19 customers requesting that style. This is a deviation from my typical style, which is using bright colors on both the pets and the backgrounds. A couple of years ago, my most frequent customer requested that I paint some of her portraits with more natural colors with colorful backgrounds, and I thought it was a nice change. After doing a few of these I decided to add it to my choices for customers in the hopes that maybe it would encourage more sales of portraits. Maybe not all customers want bright rainbow colors but like my style anyway. In 2020 I did two portraits like this, and again in 2021. But this year for some reason about half of the customers wanted that style, so I think it was a good decision to add the style choice.

Etsy Store News

My Etsy Store has been doing very well this year. I changed my blanket printer, and the new blankets are much thicker and softer than the old ones. They also offer two sided printing, which is spectacular, and was an often requested option from my customers! I also added 15oz accent mugs to the 11oz listings, and added some more color options. I added several new holographic sticker designs, including the infamous capybara, gecko, peacock, panda, tiger, and mandalas. I added die-cut magnets, which are cut out to the shape of the animal. There are cool new ceramic ornaments as well, most of which are available in circle and heart shaped. Garden Flags seem to be a popular product, and make great gifts! I added a few wall tapestries as well, and will add more with time. I also have three cool holographic art prints which have a crystal shard effect. This was a unique find a few months ago when I saw another artist selling these prints, and I found the company that makes them and got a few to start.

The Upending of the Normal

This year has been a never-ending shit show for artists all over the internet. I myself have not been immune to the shit storm this year. Personally, I have had to close down two long standing accounts, move my website, and deal with the Twitter fallout by opening two new social media accounts. It honestly feels like the entire internet just collectively took a massive shit on artists this year, and I am so tired of it.

New Webhost

First, my website. I have had a website in some form since 1996 when it was hosted by Geocities. In 2000 I created my own hosted website with my own domain name. My site had gone through countless iterations in the past 22 years, from self-taught HTML, to plug-and-play templates, to a Wordpress site. Websites have changed a lot since the early days, and it is hard to keep up with all the changes. I have always been on top of security and safety, and am very careful with how my website is set up. That being said, my former webhost was constantly sending me emails saying that I was over limits, which is impossible, as this site is tiny and uses very few resources. They refused to help me diagnose the problem, so after 22 years I jumped ship to another webhost and could not be happier. It was a hard decision at first, but I am glad I left.

Closing Zazzle Store

Next, I had to close my Zazzle store permanently. I have had that shop since the early days of 2008, and was one of the mass-exodus from CafePress at the time. I have generally been extremely happy with the site and their products. But I can no longer recommend them to any of my artist friends. They have made a series of changes over the years which has really hurt artists and designers on that site, and I almost left in 2020 when they made changes that really impacted the quality of the site. They implemented banner ads for one, which make the site look like a trashy scam site and additionally steer customers away from buying products on the site. Not to mention most of the ads were for actual scam and illegal sites! They introduced collaborations and custom backgrounds, which took away a huge portion of the original designers income from that sale. They also had an issue with products continuing to be allowed to be purchased if the product was a customized one, even if the original product had been deleted.

But the straw that broke the camel's back was the removal of the watermark, the increased size of the preview images by almost double, and the implementation of allowing customers to download a full resolution digital copy of the artwork. The changes basically enable thieves to take designs from the site wholesale. I already have tons of problems with copyright infringement, I don't need to compound it. Not to mention the major lawsuit that Zazzle is facing in regards to possibly illegally obtaining the fonts they use in their product design tools.

So I made the difficult decision to close my store earlier this year. Which really sucks because it actually made me a decent amount of money, their products were great and unique, and their design editor was unparalleled.

Closing my DeviantArt and Artstation Accounts

I have been with DeviantArt since 2006. While they have made changes which have upset the artist community, none compares to the bullshit they puled last month. Not only are they doing nothing to stop the massive influx of AI art on their platform, they are encouraging it by having their own in house AI "art" generator called Dream Up which uses the controversial LAION-5B database that StableDiffusion and other platforms use. This database scraped the internet of 2.3 BILLION copyrighted images without artists consent to train their algorithm, which means the database is highly unethical and rife with theft. Due to this, I abandoned my DeviantArt site and just left up my links.

At the time of writing this article, ArtStation is pulling similar shenanigans, so I have closed that account as well. They have made it explicitly clear in their terms of service that they support AI "art", and will not ban it from the site. They are also shutting off comments of artists who are protesting. And apparently earlier this year they were also deleting posts about supporting Ukraine from their site. So I am done with them now too.

Social Media

I will not get into the Twitter issue here, since it has been discussed ad nauseum for the past several months and I am honestly tired of hearing about it. I hear worse and worse news about it every day. I honestly don't want to leave Twitter because it has been a major factor in driving traffic to my Etsy store, especially since Pinterest took a dump 2 years ago and stopped working for me. But will leave if the dumpster fire gets more severe. It will not be a big loss to me.

So in preparation for that, I have opened two new accounts: Tumblr and Mastodon. I actually had a Tumblr account many years ago, but closed it due to inactivity. Mastodon is very new to me, and so far I have liked the experience. I am stretched kind of thin right now so I think that is enough social sites for the time being.

Reopening TeePublic

I reopened my TeePublic store after it was closed for a year and a half. I originally closed it since I was not getting many sales. Also I really dislike the interface for uploading new art. It is cumbersome, and tedious, and the inability to select different files for each product means that I had to upload new "designs" for different products, meaning a lot of duplications in my store. But since I closed my Zazzle store I needed to make up for the loss of income so I thought I would give it another shot. So far it seems to be doing ok.

Conclusion and Hopes for Next Year

My plans for next year are to basically continue what I am doing already. This year saw so many changes as it is, and I am not really antsy for any other major changes at the moment. I will be actively making spaces in my schedule for original art, which has become a very important part of my portfolio. I will continue to offer portraits, and as always improve my skills and hone my style.

I will be monitoring my Society6 store this upcoming year. It may be on the chopping block if it fails to turn around. I do not have plans to open any more e-commerce stores next year. Instead I will be focusing on driving traffic to my existing stores, as well as adding products and new designs to my Etsy store.

And that is all. Hope everyone has a great new year!

[thisisapaige]

hi!! 3 12 & 20 for the writer asks <3

3. what fic are you emotionally attached to?

This question is difficult, difficult, lemon difficult. All of them?

There's stay, my most popular fic, that made it possible for me to still be in this fandom after the ending fiasco. It's canon to me <3.

There's Still Waters Run Deep, my Casgirl ending thesis and my first Big Bang fic. I never thought I'd be able to do something like that.

There's The Angel, the project that got me through 2020, which fulfilled my desire to write an epic fantasy.

There's Empty Spaces, the very first writing project I finished. I started it after I failed to get into the creative writing program when I was in uni. I went "screw it, I'll write for myself." Without it, there'd be no thisisapaige.

12. What’s your perfect environment to create/write?

My comfy chair by my bookshelf, laptop, fuzzy blanket when it's cold, background noise (I'll often write with Supernatural or Star Trek in the background, but sometimes a playlist), and no interruptions.

20. What’s the greatest gift you’ve gotten from your writing?

You know when people just, like, yell at you in the tags and ao3 comment box? And they keep doing it on all your fics? And then you're friends? That.

And, gosh, can't forget the warm fuzzy feeling of finding my name on a rec list (I still remember the first time I saw yours, by the way!), or getting art from someone (during bangs or unprompted!).

There's a little community we made here and I love it. <3

deep fic writer asks

[witchern]

1, 10, 13 and 19!

✅ book asks

1. book you’ve reread the most times? oh boy, it's gotta be the neverending story by michael ende. that was my SHIT as a kid/tween, and my paperback copy was read so many times that i had to put duct tape around all the edges of the cover to keep the thing from splitting apart.

10. do you have a guilty fav? i'm trying to wean myself off the concept of a 'guilty fave' (why feel guilty about stuff i enjoy??) but the first thing i thought of was the ACOTAR series by sarah j. maas. i got really into it during lockdown in 2020 and i'm not apologizing for shit!!

13. do you have a goodreads? i do! but since it uses my real identity i'm not gonna link it here </3

19. most disliked popular books? i couldn't get into holly black's folk of the air series at all. i got the boxed set as a gift one year and barely made it through the first book before i gave up. i also REALLY didn't understand the hype around emily a. duncan's wicked saints, which has since been outed as an antisemitic pile of shit, so i'm assuming i'm not missing much there lmao. and the last popular book i tried was from blood and ash by jennifer l. armentrout. loved the concept, couldn't get into the world or the characters.

[usagirotten]

Series Review: Gen V is cynical, violent, authentic and honest

When we think of superheroes, the first thing that comes to mind is the classic pop culture icons, Superman, Batman, Spider-Man, Wonder Woman, X-Men, and many more, all of them have gone through changes throughout their history, They have evolved themselves to adapt to a more modern environment. Not everything has been said nor is it the end of an era that has been more than productive for the studios, whether they earn millions of dollars at the box office or are a complete failure, these films and television series are liked by everyone and everyone. Comics have been the main source of inspiration for these stories and these characters to become real on screen, in the very particular case of The Boys created by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson came to give that dark and sinister turn to these heroes. As a television series in its 3 seasons, The Boys has been a success for its crudeness, its violence, for touching on political themes, the intrigues, and how well structured its characters are, this chaotic universe is completely apart from what we all already know. , where no one is all good. In 2023, The Boys franchise evolves with the development of Craig Rosenberg, Evan Goldberg, and Eric Kripke and serves as a spin-off of The Boys, based on the comic book arc of The Boys We Gotta Go Now, Gen V promises that nothing is what it seems.

What is the series about?

At America's only college for gifted teens, talented students test their moral and personal limits as they compete for the college's highest ranking and the chance to join The Seven, Vought International's elite superhero team. , when the school's dark secrets come to light, each of them must decide what kind of heroes they want to be. Interestingly, a spin-off is being made of a series that at the time caused a lot of controversy for being strictly for adults, its graphic and explicit violence brought more followers and alienated some more, there is no doubt that this work has evolved and now they present to a group of young people who want to occupy a place in this world either because they want to help people or to gain fame and money. This popular genre, whether in film or television, has come to saturate the general public for a few years now, the varying box office figures and the critical work on the failures of many franchises are what is most talked about on social networks, being DC has had the worst productions, while Marvel is already seeing the twilight of what was a glorious era for them. Since the premiere of the Prime Video series The Boys in 2019, it has managed to do something that other superhero movies or television shows had not even imagined, attracting more serious criticism and debates about the genre at hand. When it was announced in September 2020 that there would be a spin-off of The Boys, both fans and critics were surprised that this franchise could expand even further. Talking about a spin-off as such is not so easy if it is not They have things very clear because it is precisely at this point that other productions have had a resounding failure and proof of this is the various Star Wars series that Disney + has, this was planned to introduce us to new characters that "study" in a university. The above may sound very well known, but there was already a great cinematic failure in the X-Men franchise with the film New Mutants that promised to have a group of teenage mutants in an environment more of horror than adventure and that did not work, in Partly due to the numerous changes and the global situation that existed at that time, the truth is that what starts badly ends badly. Gen V is not only a series that promises to be spectacular but also wants to deal with other types of topics and the typical problems of a teenager in a university, we have the typical sports team with possible superstars, the pretty girl who is the handsome boy's girlfriend, the misfit, the nerd, the gay, the African American and all those clichés that we have seen thousands of times but the twist here is that they all have superpowers, we have the fire boy, the one who can control minds, the telekinetic, the who can become small, the invisible boy, the one who can change gender, the one who has super strength and the one who can control his blood and make it a weapon, yes, it sounds stupid but that's how it is and he is precisely the central character of this story. It all begins with a girl named Marie Moreau (Jaeda LeBlanc) who gets her menstrual period for the first time, surprised by not knowing what is happening to her, which seems very absurd if we take into account that we are in the 21st century. and he is even more so when his blood begins to float as if the substance had a will of its own, from this event what will happen next is even stranger and more violent, his mother on the other side of the bathroom door wants to enter to see what happens and by doing it by accident this tender and innocent young girl releases part of her blood, killing her mother and then doing the same with her father before the eyes of her little sister. This beginning is intended to be as shocking as the first minutes of the pilot episode of the first season of The Boys when A-Train (Jessie T. Usher) kills Hughie Campbell's (Jack Quaid) girlfriend, it is not surprising what we see if we already We know what things are about in this series, a violent beginning to give way to more violence is the charming thing about this show in which super abilities and the consequences that this can bring to normal people are involved in a very irresponsible way. We continue with Marie Moreau (Jaz Sinclair) who is already a traumatized teenager who desperately wants to escape her past and become what she has always dreamed of, a superhero. After what happened to her parents, her sister is separated from her and adopted by another family. while having to deal with his acceptance to Godolkin University, a crime-fighting school that specifically houses students with superpowered abilities where they will be taught more than the basics and that is to understand and know how to use those abilities in the world around them. if they want to become the best. Gen V is not only the portrait of the trite and cliché-filled teenage student life, it is also the portrait of the emotional and, above all, social disorder that they face, going from being stupid teenagers to responsible adults, as is to be expected if we have a group such as the use of drugs, sex, more drugs and more sex but not everything is as it seems in this fantastic school on the night of her arrival Marie sees how the security personnel employed by the university take into their custody a young man allegedly drugged who uses his powers to take them all down and in the end, he is subdued and taken to another place, later it is revealed that this boy is Sam (Asa Germann) an essential character in the story, without understanding what he has seen. is overlooked until other mysterious events make her and her new friends believe that this is not an isolated incident and that perhaps these students are not the ones causing harm but there is something more going on. The plot begins to reveal the dark secrets and mysteries of this university, beneath it and in the basement there is an entire facility where problematic young people with emotional and mental disorders are held captive, they are potentially dangerous because they have super abilities, All this is out of the eye of the beholder in a facade made to distract the world's attention, it is not surprising that Vought International is the one behind all this, at the end of the day the supers are good business for the company and the whole world. Along with this, it is revealed that none of these young people were born with super abilities but that their parents injected them with compound V when they were born to follow a production line that guarantees that there will be supers in the world and which also ensures multimillion-dollar profits for its creators. When Richard Brinkerhoff, a renowned professor at Godolkin University and president of the Anti-Crime Department, informs Luke Riordan (Patrick Schwarzenegger) aka Golden Boy that he is already part of The Seven after the departure of Annie January (Erin Moriarty) aka Starlight, and Margaret Shaw (Dominique McElligott) aka Queen Maeve of the team, the company plans to revamp it and make this something new. A crazy night of drinking turns into a night of horror when the group attends a bar where Andre Anderson (Chance Perdomo) uses his magnetic manipulation powers to impress a girl, things get out of control when he fatally injures her. a woman and it is Marie Moreau who uses her powers to try to save her, thus being exposed, she is expelled from the university by Richard who in turn receives a visit from Luke who, using his powers, kills him and then causes a fight in the who finally commits suicide. Without intending to, Marie becomes a hero in the eyes of the public and her fellow students, becoming one of the most popular students overnight and becoming the first African-American freshman on the power rankings list. But not everything is what it seems. After that dazzling popularity, problems also come and of course, making enemies. When she attends an interview, Marie questions her integrity because she knows that she is not the heroine that everyone believes. She used this to stay and continue her training under the advice and tutelage of Superintendent Indira Shetty (Shelley Conn) who naively believes she can help her become what she most desires.

This is the premise of these 3 episodes that Prime Video premiered and they are:

1. God U. Congratulations! You have been chosen to attend Godolkin University and will be delighted to be part of an unforgettable journey to discover what kind of super you are, since its founding in 1965 Godolkin University has had as graduates the best and brightest superheroes in the world! have met including three members of The Seven.

2. First Day. The Godolkin University Mental Health Hotline would like to remind students that they are not alone in this difficult time, you may be bulletproof and invulnerable on the outside, but on the inside, we understand how difficult it can be for a student to cope. Our caring staff is trained to address the specific emotional needs of superheroes and is here to help however you need it remember that if you need to talk to someone, help is just a phone call or message away. #GodCares.

3. #ThinkBrink. You're invited to the #ThinkBrink Memorial Fundraising Gala tonight at Godolkin University, be sure to dress your best to dazzle everyone with your red carpet presence, then join the world's hottest superheroes and celebrities to take selfies with them and upload them to your social networks while you drink a glass of champagne, we will have a moving tribute video to the legendary Professor Brinkerhoff featuring the participation of A-Train, The Deep and Polarity.

As the series progresses we can seem to move further away from its original concept and immediately take on its personality, although we meet several characters from this world such as the son of a bitch Homelander (Antony Starr) or the perverted and stalker Deep ( Chace Crawford) or the bold idiot A-Train here are not so necessary or basic, each character is designed to be completely independent. Directors Nelson Crag and Phil Sgriccia along with writers Craig Rosenberg, Evan Goldberg, Eric Kripke, Zak Schwartz, Brant Englestein, and Erica Rosbe are very clear about where they want to take things, to begin, this series is set parallel to the fourth season of The Boys that will arrive at some point in 2024, each character develops a very particular personality based on the violence or trauma that their powers have caused them, here the moral discourse as well as the student clichés are more than a shameless mockery, the same as the media and social networks, there are no messages that talk about love or friendship or companionship and much less about family values, here what is talked about is the manipulation of people among themselves and the means, what you are capable of doing to achieve an objective even if you have to kill a few people to do so. The series itself is so cynical that it mainly makes fun of itself, students who want to be superheroes speech that we already know from The Boys with Starlight who sooner rather than later realized that this fantastic world in appearance is shit in reality. the one that no one would want to be in, something that is not very far from the reality in which we live. Gen V as a series has important things in its favor, the first is the teenage drama very much in the style of Beverly Hills 90210 taking it to the extreme then there is that surprise factor that gives way to more moderate violence than we can expect, there is also the intrigue and the conspiracy of a multinational company that only manipulates people who try to help the world, something notable almost always happens throughout the first three episodes, its agile narrative and good direction prioritize the efficiency of what we are seeing, which is engaging. immediate to the viewer to want to continue seeing more of what happens. However, this series does not seem to be competing to be the best but rather for something equally difficult to do in a more than saturated medium and that is to successfully franchise a concept antagonistic to its franchise, it makes excellent use of its youthful cast and brings out the best in them and presents it in a way that could seem simple but is more complex than it seems and it is like that, both The Boys and now Gen V have extremely complex characters in themselves and how they interact with others, how They face the consequences of their actions and worse or better yet, it is what has given it that turn that we all wanted to see. But not everything is so good, although it has good actors and good action sequences with good special effects, some things get out of hand and that is the proportion and scope of the powers they have, for example, in episode 3 we see this girl who becomes small interacting with a normal-sized boy, it is impossible that a detail like this has been overlooked. It is the fact that for her everything would have to be gigantic and terrifying just as any sound would be magnified throughout. Is it his size, or is there the fact that in several shots of Golden Boy the fire emanating from his body looks so fake that something like that couldn't burn, his appearance is completely artificial, we could justify this by saying that it is a series of science fiction and that this is possible, and it can be like that, what is not possible is that they want to pretend that this is real when it is not. Its cast is made up of Jaz Sinclair, Chance Perdomo, Lizze Broadway, Maddie Phillips, London Thor, Derek Luh, Asa Germann, Shelley Conn, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Clancy Brown who have done a great job so far. The music composed by Christopher Lennetz and Matt Bowen also has a more youthful personality, something that is very in line with what we are seeing, a good work that can be appreciated in its best moments. In conclusion, Gen V is not just a youth series for adults, it is an example that a franchise can be successful if it is in the right hands and doing what it should do, risking everything to make more authentic and honest entertainment. Gen V is now available on the Prime Video platform. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmkLMXN_lpI Read the full article

[writer59january13]

Devil's advocate claims Teflon Trump...

The demagogue reincarnate feels gifted to reign supreme

captivates, glorifies, lauds, renounces, yawps extreme

views bellows dogmatic fulminations

in an attempt to redeem

stolen 2020 capital one bid.

Which hunter (biden his time)

will reap grim statistic when citizens cast their ballots for president in the popular vote (viz 2024 election) unbeknownst one or the other lesser of two evils will accrue majority votes after

ramping up mudslinging

both candidates violently stirring cauldron

proffering toxic brew powerful blend to spellbind public

elixir ration to parlay a view to unleash vengeance laced with hate speech triggering doomsday clock to strike midnight when nuclear weapons get loosed out their silos on cue destroying vast swaths of flora and fauna, most innocent life forms will pay hefty due to assuage aggressively cruel, enjoyably growling goal, and indubitably kick arse mindset

worse than dengue fever will ensue

a combustible domino effect fueling global horror – scenario of webbed, wide world I eschew analogous to kindling tinder logs smoke jetting up fireplace flue witnessing sovereign spookiest

magnum opus – engendering, jump/kick starting, and transforming much of animal and plant life into goo (especially after special prosecutor

Robert Mueller let go some years back)

far scarier than any macabre production dreamt up by human frightful scenario hero she ma (paltry in comparison) will rescue us from deadly debacle, nor any safe haven such as cool igloo forsooth thee annihilation will surpass any prior world war, no one will be spared, neither gentile nor Jew which all out total mortal kombat, and attendant dystopian landscape

laying waste organisms livingsocial will instantaneously undergo cremation,

despite Georgia grand jury courtesy indicting former President Donald Trump that rained down upon his head and up the kazoo, where flecks of ashes will spread like Kudzu rendering world wide web

fetid, offal, and putrid far more noxious than the common loo yet even this general description

falls far short to where mew tinny, sans hardy species (according to Google search); such as tardigrade, mummichog, and cockroach decimating, heaving, leveling, poisoning nearly every cubic inch of Earth evincing voluminous vaporization extant eradication emphatically

nixed, punctuated, and radiated pulverization eviscerating bowels of mankind, where nary a survivor, especially foreigner

could weather and withstand hollowed out no mans land bereft of sustenance or water where seeds of life

and white lily when coalescence of oblate spheroid birthed, nursed, and weaned new life especially proto homo sapiens and subsequent kin grunting with ah and sheepish ewe where rambunctious fast tracked primates,

yet inherent within genetic coda, (perhaps poison ingredient bubbling within primordial soup - steeped qua pew tarnation housing crucible- analogous to planetary size mortar and pestle) queue sans predestination, where rue brick, dogma, and fealty

honoring justice slew by paws of one cancerous, fractious and idolatrous Lothario,

who opened Pandora Box (rigged by bobbies shut tight) thorough lee rendered civilization a footnote of cosmological history and universal view where if one eligible voter ideally chooses alternate Democratic, but hands down Republican candidate will clinch nomination,

witnessing elephants to stampede, the majority will exhale a collective whew and allow, enable and provide continuance of the human zoo.

[sofiarichards]

DIFFERENT WAYS TO HAVE THAT SPECIAL VIRTUAL WEDDING

2020 was hit by an unexpected virus which caused a pandemic, and because of this everything was shut down and people were forced to avoid going out and stay quarantined. This quarantine sounds simple but has affected a lot of things ranging from business to mental health to the very next level. Some people were separated from their loved ones and some even lost them which is a tough thing to accept and go through. During these days everyone deserves a warm and calming hug which can calm them down and let them feel relaxed.

There are many people who have planned for their weddings as well and it does upsets you when you get to know that things will not go as per your plan and will totally go the opposite side. Even if your dream location allows you to have a wedding but the chances of people showing up is on the lower side considering what the world is going through. This is one of the main reasons why most of the weddings are being postponed to the next year.

Nonetheless, there are many couples who do not want to wait for the next year and are opting for something unique which can fit well in the quarantine situation. If you haven’t guessed it yet, it is the virtual wedding! Virtual weddings are getting a lot popular during this pandemic, and this is safe as well when it comes to inviting people. There are many streaming services like Zoom, Google Meet, etc. where you can add 100s and 1000s of people.

Here are some tips which you can consider, to make sure that your special day is going amazing:

 SENDING A VIRTUAL WEDDING KIT Your guests won’t be present physically with you which can create a chance of getting that disconnection between you and the guest, to make sure this does not happens you can try sending some boxes that contain information regarding your virtual wedding and how they can join the wedding along with some other small gifts like wedding playlist, special notes, theme, etc. This might sound like a little thing but will make your guest feel really special and included.

 SET THE SCENE

As we are planning to steam your wedding and the guest will not be physically present, you have to put some thoughts when it comes to the overall decoration. You should not go all the way here because your whole wedding will happen in frame via internet, to make sure your plans are visible. You can try different decorations like wooden frame decorated with flowers and balloons or try making an arch with the balloons. You can definitely add something as per your personal style especially when it comes to the altar which will not only look great for your photos but can make things fun as well. If you are running on a tight budget there still some ideas which you can look for like DIYs.

 HAVE A BRIDAL PARTY OVER ZOOM Having your bridesmaid by your side is something you will be missing a lot but there is nothing you can do except being together on Zoom or Discord. You can try getting them some matching pajamas and robes and get ready for the special day over your preferred meeting app. You can also get ready for your for your wedding day with your bridesmaids which will avoid any nervousness considering how special the day is.

 OUTFIT FOR THE PARTY

Going with your initial wedding dress might just look too formal for your virtual wedding but you do not have to worry or panic about it. this is exact situation where you have to show what your personal style or just opt of any second options dress which you had in your mind.

This is important because in case everything goes back to normal condition and you can have an actual wedding, then you can use the initial wedding dress, because to be honest having an actual wedding is better than a virtual one but considering the situation this is our only option. If you are looking to have something colorful, then this is a great time to try this and avoid any type of over formal dress.

[sussex-nature-lover]

Sunday 5 March 2023

For Christmas I received a large and beautiful hardback book which contains a nature poem for every day of the year. I’ve got to admit that I’m not a poetry person and up to now at least, I’ve found the content extremely challenging, so the gift giver, Ms Nature Watch the elder, threw down the gauntlet and said, can you do better?

Well, I won’t say better, but I can do different, a present-day take on the same title and so I chose to write one poem for the birthday of each person close to me. The first in the year is my late father’s birthday.

Forever associated with spring, daffodils are a welcome sign that warmer days are ahead. An inspiration to artists across the centuries and entangled in myth and symbolism, there’s much more to these bright and cheery trumpets than meets the eye. I found an article with some fascinating and unusual facts about one of our most popular springtime blooms. It was published by the seed and bulb sellers, Suttons, so thanks to them for the following.

What do daffodils symbolise?

Daffodils are among the first flowers to appear as spring approaches, so it’s no surprise that they’re the birth flower for March as well as a symbol of rebirth and new beginnings. But daffodils have also represented many other ideas over the years. The Victorians, for example, considered them the flower of respect and friendship.

Traditionally given on a tenth wedding anniversary (I never heard that before) florists often add daffodils to these celebratory bouquets as a symbol of faith, joy and happiness. However, in days gone by, presenting someone with a single daffodil was seen as bad luck, while observing a bloom as its head drooped used to be thought to herald death. I never heard of that either, but then I’ve never known of anyone give a single daffodil to anyone.

That apart, daffodils remain primarily associated with hope. At the start of 2020 they were the inspiration for David Hockney’s daffodil artwork. Drawn on an iPad during the first COVID-19 lockdown, the piece was titled: ‘Do Remember They Can’t Cancel The Spring’. You can also see it here at The Art Newspaper.

Daffodils as medicine

Originating in the Mediterranean, daffodils are said to have been brought to the UK by Roman soldiers who used them for pain relief and wound healing. We know now that this is unlikely to have helped, as all parts of the daffodil are toxic and should not be consumed. Prolonged exposure to the sap can cause dermatitis.

That said, daffodils do contain the compound galantamine, which has been found to slow the progression of dementia symptoms. In certain parts of the UK, like the Black Mountains in Wales, daffodils are grown specifically to produce a treatment for Alzheimer’s. How incredible.

It’s very fitting that the daffodil is the national flower of Wales and is proudly worn on 1st March to celebrate St David’s Day.

Daffodils in poetry

We’re all familiar with the poem ‘I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud’, William Wordsworth, having taken a walk in the Lake District with his sister Dorothy, describes his feelings upon seeing ‘a host of golden daffodils’ growing at the edge of a lake. A lesser-known fact is that the poem was also inspired by his sister’s journal entry, and that the middle two lines of the final stanza were written by Wordsworth’s wife, Mary Hutchinson.

The Cornish daffodil industry

Bunches of daffodils have been sold in the UK for hundreds of years, but commercial farming of the flowers really took off in the late 19th century, courtesy of Cornish potato farmer William Trevellick. The daffodils around his farm on the Isles of Scilly bloomed much earlier than on the mainland, so he made use of the weekly freighter and the (then relatively new) Penzance to London railway link to get freshly-cut blooms to London within 48 hours of picking.

Island landowner Thomas Dorrien-Smith built on Trevellick’s idea by encouraging his tenant farmers to make bulb-forcing houses and transport boxes for the flowers, and also brought in different varieties to extend the flowering season. This in turn inspired mainland farmers to start planting bulbs, and the world’s largest daffodil grower, Varfell Farm, is still in operation today in Penzance, Cornwall.

Establishing the difference between ‘daffodil’ and ‘narcissus’ seems to cause confusion (throw ‘jonquil’ into the mix if you want to increase the head-scratching). To clear this up, daffodils and jonquils are the common names of spring-flowering bulbs that are members of the genus ‘Narcissus’ (the botanical Latin name for this group of plants)

Daffodils in Greek mythology

The name ‘Narcissus’ comes from a Greek myth about a hunter who spurned all romantic advances and then fell in love with his own reflection in a pool of water. Unable to tear himself away, he died and a narcissus flower grew where his body had been. The way that daffodil heads tilt towards the ground is said to mimic Narcissus dropping his head to gaze at his reflection. This story is also the origin of the term ‘narcissism’, which describes someone who is selfish, overconfident, and obsessed with their personal appearance.

Wild daffodils (Narcissus pseudonarcissus) are sometimes called Lent Lilies, as they commonly bloom and die back between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday. There are over 50 species of narcissus in existence and thousands of hybrids and cultivars. They come in a wide variety of colours, shapes and scents and I’ve never met one I didn’t like. Our own are slow to bloom compared to other local areas. I’ve seen lots of vibrant patches along with the snowdrops and odd drifts of crocus. We’re officially in meteorological spring now, even if the weather doesn’t seem to agree with that. Roll on Spring proper please

[researchanalystsblog]

Wine Chocolate Market Report Explored in Latest Research

According to a new report published by Allied Market Research, titled, “wine chocolate market by form, wine type, and distribution channel: global opportunity analysis and industry forecast, 2021–2030,” the global wine chocolate market was valued at $752.0 million in 2020, and is projected to reach $1,473.4 million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 7.2% from 2021 to 2030.

Wine chocolate is a very niche category product mostly popular in the European countries where the per capita consumption of both wine and chocolates is high. Wine chocolate is a blend of wine and chocolates that perfectly complements each other in terms of taste. The most common and the popular blend is the red wine with dark chocolate. The wine chocolates are available in wine like bottles in the liquid form and chocolate like boxes in the solid form. Both of these forms are actually a wine infused chocolate.

The growing demand for chocolates across the globe is a major factor boosting the demand for wine chocolates among the population. North America and Europe are the major consumers of wine chocolate owing to increased disposable income, increased consumer awareness, rising awareness regarding the health benefits of wine chocolates, and higher demand for the premium chocolate products. The unique blend of wine and chocolate and its unique and aromatic taste attracts the chocolate and wine enthusiasts. Therefore, the market has a high growth potential, especially in the developed markets.

Wine and chocolate are well-known for their health benefits such as weight management, reduce bad cholesterol, lower blood pressure, improve blood circulation, prevent cancer, and improve heart health. The rising awareness among the global consumers regarding the health benefits associated with consumption of wine chocolate is expected to foster the wine chocolate market growth in the upcoming years. Moreover, rising demand among the young population for its unique taste and a perfect gifting item is boosting the growth of the global wine chocolate market.

However, there are certain factors that may hamper the growth of the wine chocolate market. The low awareness regarding the availability and health benefits of wine chocolates and low purchasing capacity of people in the underdeveloped and developing economies may hamper the growth of the market during the forecast period.

According to the wine chocolate market analysis, the market is segmented on the basis of form, wine type, and distribution channel. Based on form, the market is segregated into liquid and solid. On the basis of wine type, the market is segmented into red wine, white wine, and others. Depending upon the distribution channel, the market is categorized into supermarkets/hypermarkets, specialty stores, and e-commerce. Region wise, the market is analyzed across North America (U.S., Canada, and Mexico), Europe (Germany, Belgium, France, the UK, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, and rest of Europe), Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, India, Singapore, and rest of Asia-Pacific), and LAMEA (Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, and rest of LAMEA).

As per the wine chocolate market forecast, based on form, the liquid segment dominated the market in 2020, garnering the highest global market share. This is attributable to the increased demand for the liquid wine chocolate among the consumers as an after-dinner drink. The solid segment is expected to be the fastest-growing segment in this market due to rising demand among the chocolate lovers for premium chocolate products.

Explore More @ https://www.alliedmarketresearch.com/wine-chocolate-market-A14197 

According to the wine chocolate market trends, based on the wine type, the red wine segment dominated the market with a highest share in 2020. The red wine is extremely popular among the consumers and it is one of the most desirable type of wine combined with dark chocolate preferred by consumers. Therefore, its immense popularity has made this segment the market leader and is expected to sustain its position during the forecast period.

Depending upon the distribution channel, the e-commerce segment is estimated to witness the highest growth rate during the forecast period. This is owing to rising adoption of smart devices, rising penetration of internet, and growing popularity of various food delivery platforms and e-commerce platforms across the globe.

Region wise, Europe dominated the global wine chocolate market. This is attributable to the increased per capita consumption of wine and chocolates in the top European countries such as Germany, France, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, and Switzerland. The wine chocolate is gaining rapid traction among the European consumers, and Europe is expected to retain its leading position throughout the forecast period. North America is estimated to be the fastest-growing market owing to rising awareness regarding wine chocolates, demand for healthy food, and rising demand for premium and luxury products among the population.

Key Players:

Players operating in the global wine chocolate industry have adopted various developmental strategies to expand their market share, exploit the wine chocolate market opportunities, and increase profitability in the market. The key players profiled in this report include Underberg AG, Duc d’O, Alfred Ritter, NEUHAUS, Raaka, Toms International, Ferrero S.p.a., Yildiz Holdings, Amedei Tuscany, and Halloren.

Key findings of the study 

The global wine chocolate market was valued at $752.0 million in 2020, and is projected to reach $1,473.4 million by 2030, registering a CAGR of 7.2% from 2021 to 2030.

By form, the solid segment is estimated to witness the fastest growth, registering a CAGR of 7.7% during the forecast period.

In 2020, depending on wine type, the red wine segment was valued at $350.9 million, accounting for 7.1% of the global wine chocolate market share. 

In 2020, the U.S. was the most prominent market in North America, and is projected to reach $327.2 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 6.4% during the forecast period.

[a-silent-symphony]

NIGHTWISH's FLOOR JANSEN Announces Debut Solo Album, 'Paragon'

Floor Jansen, best known as the lead vocalist of the Finnish symphonic metal band NIGHTWISH, will release her debut solo album, "Paragon", on March 24, 2023. The LP showcases the Dutch-born singer's impressive vocal range and powerful voice on a diverse collection of pop-infused tracks and emotional ballads influenced by the sounds of her career.

"Paragon" includes the following tracks:

01. My Paragon 02. Daydream 03. Invincible 04. Hope 05. Come Full Circle 06. Storm 07. Me Without You 08. The Calm 09. Armoured Wings 10. Fire

Jansen said: "To renew yourself and take leaps into the unknown makes you grow. To age is a gift not everyone gets. I am a fortunate woman who got to make an album I never knew I could make. One that even defines me, where I am on my path. I have reached my PARAGON! I am so proud of this work! And grateful for all the amazing people in this beautiful life that helped me get here!"

With its mix of influences and powerful vocal performances, "Paragon" is an album that will appeal to fans of pop music and metal alike. It's the perfect addition to any music collection, and a must-have for fans of Floor Jansen and NIGHTWISH.

"Paragon" will be released digitally and physically on CD, vinyl, and a limited-edition deluxe box set. The album will be available on all major streaming platforms and at music retailers worldwide.

Following the release, Jansen will embark on a tour of The Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, and Austria in April and May of 2023.

Fans can expect to hear more details and possibly some sneak previews of the album in the coming months.

Floor has already released three singles from "Paragon": "Me Without You", "Storm" and "Fire".

As part of NIGHTWISH, Jansen has landed two number one albums in Finland, and Top Five albums in Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

Born in the Netherlands, Jansen joined her first band, one of the world's first symphonic metal bands, AFTER FOREVER, when she was only 16 years old. The group went on to release five albums from 2000 to 2007, before they broke up in 2009.

Jansen's next band, REVAMP, released two albums in 2010 and 2013, before she joined NIGHTWISH as a full-time member. NIGHTWISH's first album with Jansen as the lead singer was 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful", which landed in Top 10s around the world. This was followed by 2020's "Human. :II: Nature." , which was also an international success.

Jansen has toured extensively with the band and appeared on three of NIGHTWISH's live albums "Showtime, Storytime", "Vehicle Of Spirit" and "Decades: Live In Buenos Aires".

In 2019, Jansen participated in the popular Dutch TV show "Beste Zangers" where she scored a big hit with "Phantom Of The Opera" together with Henk Poort. She was recognized with a Dutch Popprijs award — a prestigious accolade for artists that has made important contributions to Dutch music. In the same year, her first solo tour sold out in less than 24 hours.

Jansen performed live with NIGHTWISH for the first time on October 1, 2012 at Showbox Sodo in Seattle, Washington following the abrupt departure of the band's lead singer of five years, Anette Olzon. Jansen officially joined NIGHTWISH in 2013.

[sfarticles]

There’s still time to bake those cookies....

Here’s a preview of my column that will publish soon.....

Cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, Christmas trees, stars, candy canes, sleighs and snowmen all are popular flavors and/or shapes of holiday cookies. After Thanksgiving, cookie sheets are dusted-off, and heirloom family cookie recipes are dug up so we can begin to bake and share sweet treats with family and friends. Beautiful tins of cookies travel through the mail to those we love, who are not nearby.  There are families who bake cookies together virtually, too, especially if they are not around the corner.

Although National Cookie Day was December 4, let’s continue the celebration by learning a “bite” about a favorite treat and adding a few new creations to the cookie repertoire.

My research found that the term “cookie” is derived from “koekje,” the Dutch word for “little cake.” According to culinary history, to test oven temperatures before putting a cake in the oven, a small amount of batter was baked — and voila, the cookie was born.

Wikipedia says, “the earliest examples of Christmas cookies in the United States were brought by the Dutch in the early 17th century. Due to a wide range of cheap imported products from Germany between 1871 and 1906, following a change to importation laws, cookie cutters became available in American markets. These imported cookie cutters often depicted highly stylized images with subjects designed to hang on Christmas trees. Due to the availability of these utensils, recipes began to appear in cookbooks designed to use them. In the early 20th century, U.S. merchants were also importing decorated lebkuchen cookies from Germany to be used as presents.”

Speaking of cookie cutters, did you know there is a National Cookie Cutter Historical Museum in Joplin, Mo.?

According to the cookie Elf www.cookie-elf.com:

·      Americans consume over 2 billion cookies a year … about 300 cookies for each person.

·      Half the cookies baked in American homes each year are chocolate chip.

·      Girl Scouts sells 200 million boxes of cookies a year.

·      The largest collection of cookie jars numbers at 2,653 and belongs to Edith Eva Fuchs, a resident of Metamora, Indiana.

·      Massachusetts adopted the chocolate chip cookie as its official state cookie in 1997. Chocolate chip cookies were invented in 1930 at the Toll House Restaurant in Whitman, MA.

·      Biggest cookie: The biggest recorded cookie was baked on May 17, 2003 in Flat Rock, NC by Immaculate Baking Company. It clocked in at 102 feet wide and weighed over 40,000 pounds. Check out the story here https://bit.ly/2Wc0bOz

·      The first commercial cookie to be massed-produced in the U.S. were Animal Crackers, introduced by Nabisco in 1902.

More facts…..

·      Most cookies baked in an hour: According to The Guinness Book of World Records, Frank Squeo and Baking Memories 4 Kids of West Nyack, NY, 6,018 cookies were baked in one hour on December 7, 2019  

·      According to www.statesymbols.com “legislation to adopt a state cookie has been held up for years in Pennsylvania as lawmakers struggled between chocolate chip, Nazareth sugar cookie, and the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie.

So what new cookies will I be baking this year? A few will be from “101 Greatest Cookies on the Planet” by Erin Renouf Mylroie (2020, Page Street Publishing, $22.99). These cookie recipes include many favorite flavors. From New York City Giant Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies, Nutella Lava Cookies, Peppermint-Dipped Pumpkin Biscotti, Maple- Pecan Shortbread to Hot Cocoa and Marshmallow

Sno-Cap Cookies, the recipes are perfect to make your gift-giving and celebration effortlessly sweet, and, even better, most of the recipes can be prepared in a single bowl to cut down on cleanup.

Now light up the oven, get the kids involved and start baking these cookies from the book! For the recipe for Half-Dipped Peppermint Bark Cookies, visit https://bit.ly/3HESAPm

Dutch Spice Cookies

The author writes, “I’ve been making these Dutch spice cookies since Sailor and West were teeny-tiny. At Christmastime, we like to celebrate the Dutch tradition of Santa Claus. Sailor and West leave their shoes by the fireplace, and ‘Sinter Klaas’ fills their shoes with candy and these Dutch cookies that I bake the night before. It’s also a tradition to get new shoes this night since I don’t like the idea of leaving candy and cookies by used shoes. Ha!”

“You’ll recognize the warm, comforting flavors in these cookies from cookie butter, which has become so popular in the United States. In fact, if you want to make a little cookie butter, just crumble a few of these cookies and puree them with a little butter and condensed milk to form a peanut butter- like consistency. There you go: cookie butter!”

 ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1 teaspoon allspice

½ teaspoon cloves

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface

In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugar until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and stir to combine. Sprinkle the salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves and nutmeg over the batter. Mix for 2 minutes, or until all the spices and powders are thoroughly combined. Gently stir in the flour. Gather the dough into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill the dough for at least 2 hours, or up to 1 week. About 15 minutes before you are ready to bake, take the cookie dough out and leave it on the counter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Lightly flour a work surface. Roll the dough to a thickness of ¼ to ½ inch.  You can use a special Dutch cookie cutter, but I like to cut the cookies into rectangles. Simple! Bake the cookies on the prepared cookie sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between cookies, for about 12 to 15 minutes, or until starting to brown on the edges. Makes 40 cookies.

White Chocolate-Dipped Ginger Crinkles

The headnote says, “Do you ever get invited to those Christmas cookie exchange parties? I never know what to bring. Ironic, right? The best thing that ever happened to me at a cookie exchange was getting this gingersnap recipe. The cookies are gorgeous — full of deep crinkles and a sparkly sugar coating — but wait, there’s more! These pretty Christmas treats are dipped in white chocolate and sprinkled with red and green sprinkles — like they’re all wrapped up for Christmas. Look for holly sprinkles if you want to make these extra festive.”

 ¾ cup vegetable shortening, softened

1 cup granulated sugar, plus more for rolling

¼ teaspoon molasses

½ teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon ginger

2 cups all-purpose flour

8 ounces white chocolate melting discs, or white vanilla-almond bark

Red and green sprinkles

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line three cookie sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, cream the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add  molasses, salt and egg, mixing until well combined. There should be no streaks of egg or molasses. Sprinkle the cinnamon, baking soda and ginger over the dough. Stir until well combined. Gently mix in the flour. Shape dough into ¾-inch balls. You should have about 36 balls. Roll each one in sugar and place on the cookie sheets with 2 inches between each cookie. Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes, or until crinkled and puffed. Cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheets. Transfer to a rack and cool completely.

Melt white chocolate according to package directions. Dip half of each cookie in the chocolate and sprinkle the dipped side with the red and green sprinkles. Return to rack and let the cookies rest until the chocolate is completely set. If you need the chocolate to set quickly, you can put the cookies in the fridge. Makes about 36 cookies.

Glazed Cinnamon Roll Cookies

The headnote says, “Don’t let the tiny little bit of yeast in this cookie scare you away. You don’t have to do anything special. You can treat it like any other dry ingredient — just throw it in the dough when you add your salt. The little bit of yeast is going to give these cookies a tiny bit of lift and a little bit of the raised dough flavor that you associate with fluffy, homemade cinnamon rolls. They take a little bit of patience since the dough needs to chill for at least 4 hours. I usually just make them the day before. I love these cookies with a traditional vanilla glaze on top, but I also love them with an orange glaze (just add a teaspoon of orange zest and use orange juice instead of milk), or a maple glaze (trade the vanilla for maple extract). These might be my mom’s favorite cookies in the whole book. She loves to tell her friends about them.”

Cookies

½ cup unsalted butter, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon active dry or rapid rise yeast

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 1/3  cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the work surface and as needed

¼ cup brown sugar, packed

2 teaspoons cinnamon

Glaze

 ¾ cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

To make the cookies, in a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla. Sprinkle the salt, yeast, and baking powder over the top. Mix well. Gently stir in the flour. The dough should be the texture of Play-Doh. Add additional flour as necessary, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough is  slightly sticky.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough into a 15-inch-by-7-inch rectangle. Sprinkle the dough with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up the dough, starting with the long edge, into a cylinder. The dough might tear a little, but just keep patiently working and rolling. Any little rips will not show up in the final product. Pinch the dough to seal it tightly at the seam. Wrap the dough in waxed paper and place in the fridge. The cylinder of dough usually stretches a little. I notice that it’s usually about 18 inches long by the time I get it to the fridge. Chill the dough for at least 4 hours, or up to 1 week. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the dough into ½-inch rounds and place on the baking sheets. Bake until just set and golden brown on the bottom, around 8 to 10 minutes. Prepare the glaze by combining powdered sugar, vanilla and milk until smooth. Dip the top of the cooled cookies in the glaze. Makes about 36 cookies.

New York City Giant Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

 1 cup unsalted butter, cold1 cup brown sugar, packed

½ cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon salt

¾ teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

¼ cup cornstarch

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 cups chopped walnuts

Put the butter in a large, microwaveable bowl and microwave on high for about 20 seconds to soften — not melt — the butter. Stir in the brown sugar and granulated sugar. With a wooden spoon or an electric mixer, beat until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and stir until well combined. Sprinkle the salt, baking powder, baking soda and cornstarch over the dough. Stir or beat for 1 minute. Add the flour and stir very gently until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and the walnuts. Shape the dough into 8 equal balls. I like to gather the dough into a giant ball and cut it in half, then divide it in half again, and then again to get 8 semi-equal pieces. Place the balls on a plate and chill, uncovered in the fridge, for 2 to 4 hours. If you chill the dough longer it will take just a few more minutes to bake, which is fine, but be ready to adjust your bake time. While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 415 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Transfer dough balls to the baking sheets, spacing them out evenly. Bake one tray at a time on the center rack until tops of the cookies are just starting to brown, about 11 to 13 minutes. You can rotate the pan if the cookies are browning unevenly. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet before devouring, or before moving them to a rack to cool completely. The cookies are at their best after 10 minutes of rest when the chocolate chips are ooey gooey, but they will still be delicious after a few days. The chips will be set, but the cookies will still be soft and tender inside. Makes 8 giant cookies.

Recipes and images reprinted with permission from 101 Greatest Cookies on the Planet by Erin Mylroie, Page Street Publishing Co. 2020. Photo credit: Ekaterina Smirnova

Stephen Fries, is a newly retired professor and coordinator of the Hospitality Management Programs at Gateway Community College, in New Haven, CT. He has been a food and culinary travel columnist for the past 14 years and is co-founder of and host of “Worth Tasting,” a culinary walking tour of downtown New Haven, CT. He is a board member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals. Stephen@stephenfries.com For more, go to stephenfries.com.

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There's all this talk about Advent Calendars but do you know what Advent really signifies? When every company is promoting their products through a countdown box, what is it we are really supposed to be doing during the holiday season? Well, I'm here to help settle the question or in the very least explain the intention of the advent season.

It's simple really. Advent is the period of time in which Christians prepare for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. Advent begins not on December 1st as the calendars would have us believe, but rather on the 4th Sunday prior to Christmas Day or the Sunday which falls closest to November 30th. So that would mean the first Sunday in Advent for 2022 is November 27th. How do we celebrate Advent? Well, of course it varies wildly depending on your faith, church and religion. The lighting of an Advent wreath seems to be one of the most popular customs. The wreath consists of a candle for each Sunday in Advent and are different colours to represent different meanings. Three purple, one pink and one white. Purple represents repentance and royalty, pink means joy and rejoicing and the white means purity and light. Each Sunday in Advent a different candle is lit and scripture is read. If this custom interests you, read more about it here on Learn Religions.

Do you acknowledge Advent?

Our lives ebb and flow and sometimes we pay attention to these rituals and sometimes we don't. I do have some great memories from some Advent celebrations! Hubby and I were planning our wedding back in 1992. We picked a date a week before Christmas. The church we attended asked us as part of our marriage counselling to light an advent candle on a particular Sunday. Nearly 30 years later, I cannot recall which Sunday it was, but it seems like it might have been the first one.

I've also attended Christmas Eve services which of course is the culmination of Advent. One of my favourite memories is attending with my friend Olivia and her husband Ross. We had never been to their church before and upon entering were given a scrap of wrapping paper. During the service we were told to crunch is up and throw it on the floor. We weren't allowed to pick it up. By the end of the service, we'd found out the meaning behind this. It was about leaving our worries and giving them up to God and how He is there to help clean up our messes. That's not the only reason this service was memorable. At the end, everyone was given a candle and one by one they were all lit. The Congregation stood around the perimeter of the sanctuary with lit candles, and it was really quite beautiful. Then Ross leaned over and whispered, "I wonder what the fire regulations are in here!" It still makes me chuckle!

During the pandemic, we'd stopped attending church and like many churches the services went live on streaming platforms. Ours went on YouTube and still does. Christmas Eve 2020, Hubby and I had a nice meal and then sat in our living room with tree all aglow watching the service on our 55-inch tv. It seems so simple but that year it felt really special.

At the writing of this post, I cannot tell you what our plans are or how we will be involved with Advent or even the Christmas holidays this season. I do hope that I keep the meaning of Christmas alive in our home and even as we open the little doors on our calendars to see what gifts are in store. We do have so much to be thankful for this year and always.