#movin' right along monday

[imaginationinstitutes]

hello and welcome to MOVIN’ RIGHT ALONG MONDAY

[uproariousscarecrow]

a new batch of sideblog doodles!!

[itskateak]

Mint Ice Cream & Bubblegum Kisses - Chapter Four

(Bucky Barnes X Single Dad!Reader)

Series Summary: Y/N L/N works as an intel specialist at the Avenger’s Compound. He scans chatter on the international - and intergalactic - level for any information that might be helpful to the Avengers and other agents. But he’s also a single father to a beautiful eight-year-old girl: Angelica L/N. It’s tough raising a little girl on his own and working a full-time job, but he’s managing. A promotion has him launched up in rank at the Compound, leading him to work directly with the Avengers team. The only problem is it’s a 24/7 job. Life around the compound gets a little strange when his daughter is added to the mix of enhanced humans and ex-assassins.

Chapter Summary: Rumors had always surrounded Bucky Barnes. A very early morning has Y/N thinking that every single one of them are wrong.

Word Count: 3.9K

Warnings: Meet-cute, fluff, unwanted romantic advances (again), minor language, Bucky being a little self-loathing

A/N: I wish y'all could've seen what happened in the middle of revising this - we got a 5.1 earthquake out of nowhere that jolted the house pretty good and in my rush to pick up my glass (and not move from the couch because screw that, I'm lazy and mother nature would have to throw me off the couch herself like that guy in the bathtub on Nov. 30th, 2018 - which, by the way, who is just soaking in the bathtub at 8:30 AM???), I slapped the keyboard. Oops. And then we got two more in the next two minutes.

Masterlist

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Y/N sank into his desk chair, sleep hanging at the corner of his eyes. He almost had hit his alarm and gone back to bed, but since Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes were returning from a mission, he forced himself out of bed. They'd have information for him to add to the system that could be urgent. So, here he was, half-awake and booting up his computer.

He hadn't even had his caffeine this morning so his personality had yet to catch up. He was just a walking, mumbling shell of Y/N until his brain woke up entirely. That could take ten minutes, or it could take two hours. 

A knock on the door made him look up and blink to see who was in his doorway. The hall outside was still dark and his office wasn't very bright either so it was a little difficult to see.

Steve smiled in greeting and leaned against the doorframe. He was still in his tactical gear, a bloody scratch on his cheek proving that he'd come straight from the helicarrier. "Hey, Y/N. You're up bright and early."

"Well, you two decided to come back before even the roosters are awake, so...here I am. Just in case you guys had sensitive intel for me." Y/N tiredly smiled in return.

"Ah. Buck's the one who gathered most of the intel. He wanted to shower first since he was, in his words, sweatier than a sinner in a church and smellier than a nightclub on Wednesdays." Steve shrugged. "Sometimes I wonder if he's okay when he says stuff like that."

"A...nightclub on...Wednesdays?" Y/N asked, head tilted curiously.

"Apparently, Wednesdays were some of the busiest nights back in the day at the clubs he used to go to. Packed with people. We didn't really use deodorant in that time...so, it smelled pretty bad after a while." Steve explained. "Anyway, I came by to ask you a very important question."

"What's up?"

"What is your favorite caffeinated drink?"

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Y/N didn't realize he had fallen asleep on his desk until someone had carefully placed a cup next to him. He turned his head as he woke up, leaning his cheek against his arm. He blinked awake, noticing the mug.

"Bless you, you beautiful, beautiful person." He mumbled sleepily, straightening up and taking the warm drink gratefully.

"An apology for making you get up really early and somethin' to get you movin'." The person said with a soft voice. "Steve told me that was your favorite."

Y/N looked up at them and paused. He was tall - but that may have been the vantage point - and had wide shoulders. His eyes were a glittering blue and filled with friendliness. He gave a lopsided smile.

 "I'm Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes, but everyone just calls me Bucky."

"Y/N L/N. Nice to meet you. And thanks for the drink." Y/N extended his hand to greet Bucky. "So, what do you have for me?"

Bucky set a small stack of old files on the corner of the desk before sitting down on the couch pressed against the wall meant for visitors. He laid his ankle on his knee, leaning back and lounging against the couch. He hitched his chin towards the dusty files.

"Grabbed them from the Hydra base we raided. Not sure what all is in there but it seemed pretty important given how it was locked in a safe within a safe, behind a vaulted door and guarded by people armed to the teeth." Bucky explained then sighed deeply, his head falling back against the top of the seat. He stared at the ceiling, shaking his head slightly.

"Sounds crazy. You okay?" Y/N swiveled in his chair to face Bucky, tilting his head slightly. He warmed his hands with the drink he'd been brought, taking slow sips periodically to avoid burning his tongue.

"Yeah, just tired and glad to be back." Bucky picked his head back up and brushed his hair back out of his face. It was obvious he had just gotten out of the shower not too long ago, his hair still damp and starting to curl up. 

"Did you get hurt?"  Y/N asked, concerned. From the looks of Steve, the mission had been rough on them. They'd been gone for almost two weeks.

"Nothin' major. Few scratches and bruises. Maybe a pinched nerve or muscle in my knee, but Bruce isn't awake yet to get it checked out." Bucky gestured with his head to his left knee before shrugging. "How're you settling in? I heard about Stark's smooth promotion offer."

"Oh, yeah...that scared the shit out of me. Everything's working out well. A little strange being my own boss, really, but it feels great. I know Angelica's having a blast with the fact there's a pool downstairs and she's surrounded by some pretty cool people." Y/N shook his head fondly. "New office, new room, new environment. It's different...but good."

"That's how I felt when I first moved here. Though, everyone wasn't as welcoming...and they had every right not to trust me." Bucky looked at the floor, expression faltering. "I'm...not the easiest to get along with somedays."

"I think we're getting along just fine." Y/N gave him a friendly smile. "I might be biased since you brought me my favorite drink."

Bucky laughed then, a warm sound that filled the space, and the corners of his eyes crinkled up. "So you figured out my plan. Bribe you into likin' me." 

"Don't think you have to bribe me very much." Y/N broke into laughter, too, happy to see a smile back on Bucky's face. "You should get some food and get some rest if you can."

"I won't be able to sleep until later. Too wired still and probably will be for most of the morning."

"Maybe Wanda will make some tea for you." Y/N set his cup down. "My daughter doesn't know that you two were coming back this morning. She can be very hyperactive and excited when meeting new people. I didn't want you to come back from a mission and possibly be in a bad state of mind only to be met with a kid who wants to ask you rapid-fire questions for an hour."

"I appreciate that. I won't be against meeting her this afternoon. It's a Monday, right?" Bucky glanced at the clock on the wall. It was almost five in the morning. "Yeah. Sometime this afternoon, if you want me to swing by and meet her, just let me know."

 "Of course. Thanks, again, for the drink. I'll get to these files soon." Y/N smiled, waving his hand vaguely at the stack of files.

"No problem. I'll get out of your way and leave you to it. Nice to meet you, Y/N. Happy to have you on the team." Bucky stood raised his arms above his head in a stretch. "Oh, and if you need translating or cracking the codes, let me know and I'll help with what I can. See you around, Y/N."

"See you, Bucky." Y/N watched him walk past the glass front of his office and down the hall. All the rumors he'd heard about Bucky being gruff and cold to everyone he meets seemed to be untrue. He already liked the ex-assassin, despite only knowing him for ten minutes total. His rough exterior was offset by his kindness and concern for others.

Y/N pulled the top file and opened it. He sighed. It was all in Russian. Luckily, he could scan the documents into the computer and a program would translate them all out. The only thing he'd need to do afterward would be to create a decoder for the system Hydra used. He shook his mouse to wake his computer.

This was similar tedious work to what he'd used to do, but at least he could wear what he wanted and play music out loud without disturbing anyone. And his daughter could come in and out whenever she wanted when she was tearing around like the little gremlin she was. 

With a wayward glance at the clock, he stood and started scanning the documents.

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Angelica came running into Y/N's office after school had gotten out, her backpack thrown on the floor near the couch. She flopped onto it on her back, limbs sprawled out, groaning loudly.

"Well, hello to you, too." Y/N said, glancing up from his computer to look at his daughter. "How was school?"

"Boring. Like usual." She whined, throwing her arms out but nearly falling off the couch in the process. She squealed and steadied herself. "I wish we did harder math things or read more interesting things."

"Can't be as boring as what I've been doing." Y/N teased, scrolling through the newly translated documents. He was still scanning the files that Bucky had brought that morning and he had yet to start cracking the codes that HYDRA used. "I have at least thirty-eight papercuts on my hands now."

"Whatcha looking at?" Angelica rolled off the couch and moved to see his computer screens. He switched tabs quickly to a google home page. "Papaaa."

"It could be sensitive content, Angel. Can't show you that. And I have no idea what kind of content is in there. Some of it might not be suitable for you." Y/N picked her up and settled her on his lap, an arm around her waist. She leaned back against him, leaning her head against his. "I could take a break and we can watch some YouTube."

"Ooh! Can we watch some dog videos?" She asked, excited.

"Whatever you want, kiddo." He leaned forward and brought up YouTube, typing in a search for funny dog videos. "We can have a fifteen-minute break before I should get back to work and you should start on homework."

"Don't ruin this for me." Angelica groaned, lighting kicking his shin. "Ooh! The first one looks adorable. Look at his little paws!"

Y/N grinned and clicked on the video, turning up the volume. Her giggles and laughter always brightened his day. He watched a puppy stumble and tip a water dish over. Everyone needed a puppy break in the middle of the day and it was definitely needed after the very early morning. 

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"Oh, wow. This is fancy. You sure moved up in the world." Kiera's voice startled Y/N and he looked up from his notes. 

"Oh, hi! Come in, Kiera." Y/N minimized the tabs on his screens and closed his notebook. "What can I do for you?"

"Well, I have a few files from our department that are directly related to a mission that's coming up that they want you to look at." She said, holding up two folders. 

"I've not been told of any mission but let me see what's up." He held his hand out and she crossed his office to pass the files over. He opened the top one and scanned over the words. "I'll have to talk to Tony or Steve to see what this is about, but this seems pretty important."

"The boss man wanted me to run it up here as soon as it was compiled. Are you sure you don't know what it's about?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"They might've told me and I just forgot. It's been a crazy few days with Natasha and Sam prepping to leave for a mission tonight and the intel I had to send to the Guardians." Y/N set the files down on his desk.

"So, how's it feel to be in the elite club?" Kiera sat down on the couch, crossing her legs. She was wearing a pencil skirt and heels, which he didn't actually pay attention to after doing a quick scan over her. 

"I had to get up at like...three-thirty this morning because Rogers and Barnes decided to return from a mission with sensitive files at four." Y/N buzzed his lips, leaning back in his chair. "Rogers stopped by first to say hi and tell me Barnes had all the files."

"Sergeant Barnes makes me...uncomfortable sometimes. He's really quiet in meetings and always looks like he's angry or doesn't want to be there." Kiera pursed her lips. "And whenever he talks, he's really short and gruff. He just seems really cold and unapproachable. Did you have to deal with him alone?"

"He brought me my favorite drink, apologized for making me get up so early, and asked how I was settling in. He was nice and offered to help  decode the files he'd brought." He shrugged, thinking back on their conversation that morning. "He was really friendly and open. I think he just isn't comfortable around strangers or large groups of people."

"Y/N, I'm worried about you and Angelica. What if he tries to hurt either of you? I know they say he's stable but is he really? What if he just snaps one day and turns back into the Winter Soldier?" Kiera stood and crossed to him, sitting on the edge of his desk. 

Y/N arched a brow slightly as she laid a hand on his shoulder, her thumb rubbing in a circle over the fabric of his shirt. "Kiera, why are you even bringing this up? If there was even the possibility of him being a threat to anyone, especially Angelica, they wouldn't have let us move in here or he would still be in Wakanda."

"All I'm saying is that you should be careful, okay? I don't think you should get too close to him. I don't want to see you get hurt and I really don't want to see Angelica get hurt." Kiera said. She didn't even know Bucky other than what she's heard through rumors or the news, so why was she pushing this so much? In his eight-minute conversation with Bucky that morning, he'd already dismissed all the rumors and other experiences people had told him about because of how open and friendly he'd been.

"Kiera," He started, voice low and stern. "If I had any concerns about Bucky, I would speak to him directly about it. Talking about him behind his back and perpetuating rumors only hurts his reputation and the way people view him. He knows people don't trust him and feels that it's rightfully deserved."

"Just...be careful, okay? That's all I'm asking. I just fear for Angelica." Kiera said quietly.

"Oh, uh...I'll just...come back in a few minutes." A voice made them both turn and Y/N shrugged Kiera's hand off his shoulder. Bucky was standing awkwardly in the doorway, a hand raised to knock on the door.

"No, come on in, Bucky." Y/N flashed him a warm smile and gave a side-eyed glance at the woman still hovering near him. "Kiera was just leaving." He said through his teeth.

"The boss will want me back in my little cubicle." She stood and walked past Bucky without sparing a glance at him and paused in the doorway. "I'll see you Wednesday night." She winked and smiled before sauntering down the hall.

"Did I interrupt something?" Bucky avoided eye contact, looking at the pictures on the wall instead as he moved further into the office. He looked awkward, his arms hanging limply at his sides. Y/N wondered if he overheard their conversation. 

"She was just bringing files relating to a mission coming up that I may or may not have been told about." Y/N turned back to his computer, opening his tabs and notebook again. Bucky could see the intel and he didn't have to worry about the confidential issue.

"Seemed a little more friendly than that." Bucky snorted, sitting down on the couch, and immediately sinking into it. He was relaxing with every passing second. "Wednesday, huh?"

"I have absolutely no idea what she was talking about. The only plan I have Wednesday night is to go to the library after getting ice cream at Pop's Shoppe with Angelica like we do every Wednesday night." Y/N said, looking at him with an open expression of honesty. 

"Sounded like a date to me." Bucky threw an arm over the back of the couch, his ankle resting on his knee. "Nothin' wrong with that if it was."

"She's just a friend." Y/N sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I should clear that up with her in case she got the wrong impression." 

"I don't think you called me down here to talk about your workplace drama, though." Bucky gave him a lopsided smile, head tilted slightly. Any awkwardness or discomfort was gone. "What's up?"

"Need your help deciphering the codes. I've identified four different codes they use but I can't figure out what they mean." Y/N pressed his lips together in frustration. "I've written each of them down."

"Got a pen?" Bucky sat up, hand extended.

"Yeah. Here's the notebook, too." Y/N passed them to him, noticing that he didn't hesitate with reaching out with his metal arm. Not that he minded the metal prosthetic in the first place. "While you work on that, I can look over the files Kiera brought."

"She seems nice. Seen her in a couple of briefings. Knows what she's talking about and is really good at her job." Bucky said, eyes scanning the notebook as he wrote. "Not a bad choice, honestly."

"She is nice, but not my type." Y/N responded, opening one of the new files, ignoring the flush rising on his face. He was so embarrassed for absolutely no reason.

"Don't think she knows that." Bucky snorted before muttering something in Russian under his breath. He glanced up for a moment. "Maybe you should make it clear to her."

"Last week I used going to Operations Control - even though I was actually going to Accounting - as an excuse to leave just to stop her from asking me to dinner because I didn't want to turn her down." He admitted, keeping his gaze on the papers as his face warming up even more.

"Just let her down easy. Tell her you think she's nice but you aren't interested in a romantic relationship with her." Bucky suggested with a shrug.

A comfortable silence settled between them as they both worked on their respective tasks. Occasionally, there was a soft whirring of the computers as the fans turned on to cool them down or of Bucky's arm as he moved. It was because of this that they both heard the footsteps rushing toward the office.

"Papa, I finished my homework! Can you check my multiplication worksheet?" Angelica came dashing in, holding a folder to her chest, and smiling broadly.

"Inside voice, kiddo. Inside voice." Y/N looked up with a gently chastizing expression. "But, yes. I can check your math." 

Angelica stopped with wide-eyes, actually noticing the man on the couch for the first time since she'd sprinted in. There went the plan of setting up a meeting time for Bucky and the ball of energy.

Bucky glanced up and gave her a quick smile that reminded Y/N of the one he gave to people when they held doors open for him. It was full of awkward friendliness and Y/N had sympathy for him.

"You're James Buchanan Barnes." She said in amazement, smiling broadly in return. She bounced on the balls of her feet, barely containing her enthusiasm.

"Uh, yep. That's my name, but you really don't need to call me James or Barnes or whatever. Just Bucky works." He tucked a strand of hair that had fallen into his vision behind his ear. "And you're..?"

"Angelica. Kiddo, you can barrage Bucky with questions here in a second but I need your math homework if you want me to check it." Y/N chuckled. His daughter snapped out of her daze and rushed to hand her folder to him. She then skipped over to the couch and flopped down next to him.

"Whatcha working on?" She asked in her adorable way, her head tilted.

"Code cracking for your dad." Bucky hummed, shifting so he wasn't so closed off.

"Is it fun?"

"Sort of. I'm tired so I'm not exactly at a functioning level." He bounced his foot slightly. "I think you're the only person I've met who has been starstruck and knew my actual name."

"I did a project last month about you for history. That lesson was the only one that was not boring." Angelica swung her legs. "I think you're pretty cool."

"Oh," Bucky said, looking at the notebook. "Uh, thanks."

Y/N glanced up from the multiplication problems to see a blush spreading across the badass Winter Soldier's face. He smiled secretly and returned to the multiplication, scanning just to be sure his math whiz of a kid hadn't missed anything in her speed demon functions.

"Everyone else wanted to do projects on Natasha or Steve or Wanda and no one wanted to do a project on you. Made me mad 'cause they had all these ideas about you that were, like, not at all true but they didn't know that 'cause they jus' listened to their parents and didn't take ten minutes to think for themselfs." Angelica glared at the floor in her very childlike stern manner. "There's a reason you're a hero but they wouldn't know that 'cause all they'd heard was that you were a bad guy. So someone had to tell them otherwise."

"Alright, kiddo. This all looks correct. Good job." Y/N tucked the papers back into her folder and set his pen aside. She hopped off the couch and took her folder back with a smile. "Bucky and I need to get back to work, so you'll have to scram, okay?"

"Wanda said she'd teach me how to make some food from her homeland when I was done with my homework," Angelica told him.

"You remember the rules?"

"Yep!" 

"Then scram. Have fun." Y/N gently shoved her shoulder and she giggled.

"Bye, Bucky! See you later!" Angelica said, pausing at the door to give him a wave.

"See ya around, sweetie." He waved back with a friendly smile before she took off running down the hall again. "She is quite the ball of energy."

"You have no idea." Y/N laughed, picking the file back up. "She didn't make you uncomfortable or anything, right? She tends to get loud and talkative when she's super excited."

"No, no. It was cute. I've...never really had someone act like that the first time I've met them. Usually, they're all wary and distrustful like I'm some feral dog that has to be danced around." Bucky sighed, running a hand through his hair. His lips were pressed into a firm line and he glared at the notebook.

"You know, when she did that project on you, she wouldn't stop talking about you for weeks. I've seen her get passionate about things before, but for some reason, she was extra determined to prove to everyone that you're a good guy now." Y/N smiled fondly. "She likes seeing the good in people. Always have, and probably always will."

"I think she takes after you on that one," Bucky mumbled under his breath. "This should let you decode the information. They mixed codes a lot just to be extra sure no one could sell the intel."

Y/N took his notebook and pen back with a nod. "Thanks. This will help a ton."

Bucky stood, wincing slightly as his knee popped. "I'll leave you to it, then."

"Oh, I have a deal proposition before you go." Y/N stopped him with a smirk. 

"I'm listening." Bucky arched a brow.

"You bring my drink every morning and every time Angelica plans a prank on you or a prank that could affect you, I'll let you know. If she asks, just say it's a super-soldier superpower or something." Y/N offered with a mischievous grin. "We have a deal?"

"We have a deal." Bucky shook his hand. 

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Taglist - @supernaturalwintersoldier​ @shadowolf993​ @myybebe @pastel-boy-sungjae​

[johannadc]

Today’s mental radio: “Movin’ Right Along” by the Muppets. In honor of getting things done! 

“Good times and good news, with good friends you can’t lose.” Happy Monday, friends! 

[packsbeforesnacks]

Misguided Ghosts || Matty & Winn

TIMING: Monday, May 25th, 2020, after Unbreakable Oaths and before The Trail Begins. LOCATION: Candleton Cemetery PARTIES: @likeamattoutofhell & @packsbeforesnacks SUMMARY: Matty and Winn are both lookin’ for an escape. Nothin’ like the quiet of the dead to liven up a conversation. Winn makes a decision. WARNINGS: Alcoholism (mention), addiction (mention).

Running. Faster, faster. Had to get somewhere quiet, somewhere safe, somewhere with no people. Couldn’t hurt anybody, didn’t want to hurt anybody. Leave. Go away. Come back? Maybe. No time to think about that. Just run. Just… run. Winn’s lupine form cracked through the trees of the nature reserve, tripping over the odd grave marker in a thunderous one-wolf stampede. The wolf howled at him, telling him to go back, to k— No. No. He wasn’t like that. He didn’t hurt people. He wouldn’t hurt people. (Anymore?) He came to a halt in a patch of unclaimed (he hoped) grass, collapsing onto the ground, breathing in the late spring air and exhaling hard, labored, shaky. The sun had set past the horizon, and night was fast approaching. Winn couldn’t change back yet but, here, he’d be alone.

Drinking in a graveyard. Drinking and — Matty slumped back from his last line of ash, drawn across the smoothest edge on a bit of tumble-down masonry. With a sniff, another, he fumbled for the bottle of tequila he’d brought along. There. Sunk in the soft dirt at the back of this crumbled-open mausoleum he’d settled into. Because, now, there was a reason, for this. A good reason. To turn up hammered in a graveyard. Not the fuckin’ ambience, for sure. No. Easy: everyone was dead, already. Meaning, he could get stupidly, dangerously trashed, and be a danger to precisely no one. That was the idea. Going great, so far. He just hadn’t wanted to be at home, where some hunter might come knocking — fuck ‘em — or out, surrounded by loud, living hearts and songs he knew the words to. Songs they’d listened to together, howled out the van window, together, Bennie and him. Not right now. Right now, all he needed was…

Not that. He flinched, shrinking back against the stonework as something big, and quick, streaked by. A sudden thump. Panting. Real close, shit. Was it, like — hurt? Matty stayed put, listening, swallowing that tequila, finally. And snuffling, abruptly, twitching as the heat of that ash rolled down the back of his scalp, his spine, bone to bone, sinking in. Clapping a hand across his mouth, he didn’t quite manage to catch a couple rough coughs, shaken out as the high dug in. Fuck — just had to hope that thing didn’t hear. Whatever it was. Besides big enough to snap him in half.

The smell of this place was a mixed bag for Winn. The earthy, fresh smell of the flowers, the trees, the grass, relaxed him as he picked himself up off of the ground. The smell of dead, of death and decay, was here too, though, and Winn knew he could never fully relax so long as that smell soaked into everything good and alive about this place. When in France, Winn had seen the Parisian Catacombs and, though it was before he’d become a wolf, he’d felt like it was a fine place for the dead to rest. There was nothin’ in those corpses, no soul to speak of. He knew that, for sure, now, and the scent of rot had only given him more cause to support it. When he died, Winn wanted to be spread across the Appalachians, the ashes of his form giving life to the world. The thought of his body, fading away slowly under the earth, repulsed him — even if he knew, rationally, that his ghost wouldn’t care (if he even had a ghost).

He heard a cough, and his ears perked up, a low growl forming in the back of his throat. Was it a Hunter? No. No, they’d be smarter than to wait for him to hear them. But, then, he was at his near-weakest, even the run from the clearing to here had worn him out. He was close to shifting back into his human form. If it wasn’t a Hunter, though, the next-worst option was a regular human. Oh, they’d try to rationalize it (a deformed moose? bizarre coyote?), but Winn would always be nervous that the truth would come out, and that he’d end his entire species because of a careless mistake. He listened for a heartbeat, trying to suss out where the cough had come from, but heard… nothing. The wolf raised itself, ready to fight (if need be). He wanted to get away, not go to an early grave. He prowled, slowly, looking around the markers and the mausoleums, searching for a sign of another living being. Could he howl? No. Too dangerous, even this far away from the Moon. Scare it away? Unlikely, if it hadn’t run already. Just leave? No. Couldn’t risk the secret gettin’ out.

‘Course, when he’d been absorbed in his thoughts was when he came face-to-maw with a scaredy-ass lookin’ motherfucker.

Oh, fuck. Was it — no. Not the full moon. Almost no moon, actually, so… well, that didn’t change the fact that that, over there, was definitely a werewolf. Matty had seen a few. Enough to appreciate how much fuckin’ damage they could do, any day of the month. Even to a vampire. Eyes wide, bloodshot, Matty watched this monster watch him, slowly raising his hands. Hand. The tequila wouldn’t do him much good, unless he had to clock the thing. Really rather not get that close, to start with. “Uh — hey, there,” he slurred, the heat of that ash starting to burn a little, like usual. Normally, it was nice. Like sunshine. Now, staring down a werewolf, all he felt was antsy, boltish. No way, though. Couldn’t outrun that. So. Just had to hope they weren’t hungry. Or in the mood for playing. Such big teeth. A laugh jangled out of him, sounding nothing but nervous, the high at work. “Sorry. Sorry. I’ll, I’m gonna…” He was sort of getting to his feet, more or less. Less. “I’ll get outta your hair, yeah?” Another snicker, dry, thin. Panicky. Goddammit, he was gonna die a chew toy, in Candleton. Seriously? Did he have to get eaten unalive, too?

Oh, Christ, the dude was nervous. Winn listened again for a heartbeat, and found none. He logged that information away for later — he’d never met somethin’ without a heartbeat, though the list of suspects was scant. He could feel the wolf, exhausted, try to slip back in, so Winn let it, changing back into his human form, not really givin’ two shits about his nudity. Sighing, Winn  tore a hand through his hair. “Nothin’ to be sorry for, looks like I was walkin’ in on a party.” He gestured at the bottle of tequila in the other man’s hand. “Don’t let me stop you; drink up. Just need to… rest for a minute, and I’ll be outta your hair.” He sat down on the grass, some semblance of modesty the only reason he didn’t stretch out and think about his life some. The stars were comin’ out, thank fuck, ‘cause he really needed somethin’ to wish on right now. “Name’s Winn,” he said, always sick of silence before it had a chance to settle. “Local werewolf.” Maybe about to be less local. “Can I get a swig o’ that, actually? Been a long fuckin’... year.” Sure, he wasn’t happy in January, but his life was less… complicated. Less movin’ parts, less people to keep track of, to keep ahold of. “What brings you here, Mr. No Heartbeat?”

Honestly, that was fuckin’ gnarly. Matty cringed, finger curling at the sight of all that… rearranging. And the sound of it. Fuck, man. But, okay. No more murder-claws-and-fangs. Solid. Just, just a lot of dude. A lot. With a blink, slow and sandy, Matty kept things cool. Respectful, you know. Wasn’t like this guy had decided to let it all hang out, not really. Must be a thing, for werewolves. Just. Yeah. “No, no, you’re cool. To stay, or whatever. I mean, it’s… a free cemetery,” he croaked, wrung out from — from everything. Sliding the rest of the way up, somehow, he stepped just close enough to pass the bottle. Would’ve gone back where he’d started, but. That was too far, now. So. He found himself a perch, some cracked headstone, and shook out of his jacket, a warm flush riding over his cheeks, his chest. Like sunshine, yeah. Best burn he’d ever had. “Matty. Local…” Mr. No Heartbeat. Of course he, Winn, could hear the difference. Werewolf shit. “Dude who drinks in cemeteries, apparently.” That’d do. One of those laughs came around, again, as he shook his head, hair a mess. What brings you here. Fuck. “Nothin’ good.” Wait, wait. He held that jacket out. Not like he needed it. “How about you, man? How’s shit?” Shit, obviously. Winn seemed like he wanted to talk, though. So. Given he wasn’t going to be wolf-chow, yeah. Matty could talk. Ash made that kinda stuff easy. Didn’t it?

Winn barked out a laugh at the man’s free cemetery quip. “Pretty sure the dead folks who had to pay for these tacky-ass mausoleums would wanna have a word with you, bro. Only free death is lettin’ the earth take you, or…” He shot the other man a glance, head tilted. “I mean, is it a free death if it doesn’t stick? No ‘ffense, first, uh, person-of-undead-persuasion I’ve had the pleasure to meet.” A swig from the bottle, the tequila burning as it went down his throat. Tequila made him sad, but, fuck it. Winn should be sad. Another glug, this time longer, just enough to buzz his head, make the stress headache go away. He wasn’t ‘bout to get caught drunk with his tail out… again. He stood, handing the bottle back to Matty, and took the jacket he’d been offered. He had half a mind to slip it over his chest, but figured he should cut the guy some slack. Looked like he was havin’ a time of it. There was a buzz about him, kinda like… well, Winn had known enough frat boys in college to know when someone was strung out. His head panged, sharp, decidedly not a stress headache. Huh. “Shit’s… bad,” he said, honestly. “Almost hurt a friend o’ mine. Didn’t, but… It can be hard, y’know, separatin’ the man from the beast. The more I try to push it back, the harder it fights to rip outta me.” He sighed. “I don’t know why ‘m tellin’ you this, bro, you didn’t expect a sob story when you came to, uh, drink in a cemetery. I’m… a counselor, almost. Wanna talk about it?”

Yeah, those tacky-ass mausoleums. Bennie wouldn’t have wound up in anything like that. Not that Matty knew, honestly, what she’d wanted — seemed to change all the damn time, every picture a little wilder than the last. They’d laughed about it, back then. Tie my corpse to a rocket, and send it off into space. Why not, yeah? Why the hell not? Matty scuffed a hand across his face, his nose, sniffing again, and swallowing, barely. Looking out, away. At a lotta night, and gravestones. A shit-ton of nothing. “Mm. Nah. Nothin’ free about it.” He glanced back, trailing a handle-with-care kinda chuckle. “More like some kinda sick cosmic debt than anything. And the fuckin’ interest. That shit’s killer.” Laugh it off. Had to try. God, was he ever happy to get that tequila back. Boot heels kicked up against some knocked-over statuary, knees poking through his worn-to-pieces jeans, Matty had a chug, then a sip. Just drifting, with the cool, loose breeze. Well, not just that. Listening. Seriously. Ash made that easy, too. Made everything easier. Even in arm’s reach of a werewolf. Fuck. If he were sober, or close as he got, he’d have booked it. Maybe that would’ve been the smart thing to do.

But Winn just sounded fuckin’ sad. And— Matty was nodding along, wincing, here and there. Hit close, some of that. “Fuck.” More tequila. “Yeah, it’s… you try. Trying matters, right?” It had to mean something. Not enough, maybe. Not all the time. But something, some days. “And you didn’t actually, actually do any damage, like you said. That’s—” that’s more than he’d managed, when it counted most. Not that everybody he half-or-less remembered hurting, since Arn, weren’t anything. They just weren’t Arn. Matty let that hang, and drop. “That’s good.” Another drink, then he passed the magnum back, with a weak shrug. “You say what you want, seriously. Counselors gotta get counseled too, huh? Not that I’d be, like, a good pick, for that. But.” But he was avoiding the question, and even an almost-counselor would catch that. Ground-up bird bullshit could only do so much, in the end. Tossing his hair out of the way — a bit, at least — Matty scraped up a smile. Something close enough, anyway. Folded fast, though, and crumpled hard. “I... I lost somebody.”

Winn had never given much thought to immortality. Death… It didn’t scare him, not even before he’d been turned, before he’d found out that there was something after this world. A debt. Nothing came without a price, he’d just said that to the guy, and he’d been serious, but he hadn’t considered what that might mean. “It must be… hard,” Winn tried, “to watch the world pass you by and not change with it, physically. Emotionally? All the time in the world t’ change, to really work at… whatever, but… all. Wow. ‘S almost too much, right? Our lives are so fuckin’ short, spit in eternity’s swimming pool. Most of us, we try to do everythin’ we can with that drop, but…” He trailed off, not wanting to be a bummer summer about it. Matty’s laugh was nice, considering how fake it felt. Winn hadn’t known the undead could drink themselves to death, but this guy sure was tryin’, by the looks of it. The wolf, when it was out, when the Moon was high and full, craved blood, craved flesh, and it had taken years to pull that urge to animals, stave off the uglier, cannibalistic parts of his adopted species. If this guy, what, drank blood? Had to, to keep livin’? Well, Winn could sympathize. Animal-to-animal.

“Thing is,” Winn started, taking a ‘bad idea’ pull off the magnum, “I’ve been tryin’, been tryin’ for years and years. Shovelin’ my own shit into the fire, hopin’ to burn up all the bad parts of me, to kill the guilt. And this…” He was too tired to be angry, really, and so he settled on: “This guy came into my life, recently, tried to tell me who I am, that I was… different, than I think I am, thought I was. And the thing is, I can’t tell ‘m he’s wrong, ‘cause I don’t know if he is.” He sat the tequila beside him on the ground, hands fisted in Matty’s jacket. Winn knew a thing or two about avoidance, wouldn’t have held it against him, but. Loss. How many folks did an immortal lose and care about? Would it be harder to care? Or would your heart stay open, painfully so? Winn coughed, the lingering tequila in his throat burning, just for a second. “Tell me about them,” he said. “They might be…” Winn’s mouth curved into a scowl, never an easy way to say this. “They might not be here anymore, but you remember them. I’m not sayin’ some cheesy, ‘don’t be sad ‘cause it’s over, smile ‘cause it happened’ bullshit. Naw, fuck that. You should get to grieve, and scream, and drink yourself stupid. But y’can’t keep it bottled up, ‘cause then no one gets to hear about that person, their memory stops with you. And that’s… well, worse than death, I’d think, to be totally forgotten. Stories, man. They stick with you, change you, even if you can’t feel ‘em changin’ you. So. Storytime.”

Hard. Fuck. Matty’s chest was caving in, word by word. Who just out and said that kinda shit, anyway? Like he wanted to think about how hard it was. All the time he had. What he was doing with it. That was the whole fuckin’ point of coming out here, like this, just… not thinking. Thinking as little as possible. That was the point of most things, these days. Honestly. “Yeah,” Matty started, hollowly. “It’s… a lot,” he finished. Or, almost. “I don’t know. S’what you make of it.” If that sounded like a fuckin’ platitude, it’s because it was. Because he didn’t have anything else. Just something to say, dragged off the bottom of this barrel he was seriously trying to drink dry. What the fuck was he supposed to make of this? He knew what it was supposed to make of him, had met enough real vampires to know what they all wound up as. Monsters. Those freaks who’d opened him up, laughing, and left him to die alone, with a smile. So, barring that. What? What did you get to be, living like this? Unliving. None of it made sense, on any, like, serious level. Never had. And nothing made that simpler, made it softer. Not really. Not for good. Just for long enough.

But that’d sound pretty fuckin’ miserable. For small, spiraling talk. In a graveyard. God, this must look bad.

Matty’s eyes ticked towards the tequila, hopefully. Nope. Didn’t seem to be coming back. He sure as shit wasn’t getting close enough to take it. Anyway, Winn clearly fuckin’ needed the stuff. “Sounds like an asshole.” He worked up a smile, sort of, another one of those brittle little laughs crumbling away from him. Wasn’t wrong, though. “C’mon. Maybe you don’t know if he’s wrong, but — if he was so right, if he really had you figured out, I mean, it’d…  well, you’d know that. Yeah? And you don’t, so. Sounds like an asshole. People have to sort out their own shit, eventually. Nobody else can come along and fuckin’, like — tell you what you’re about.” His therapist had said something like that, ages ago. Ages and ages. Everything was ages ago. Bennie’s stories. Their stories.

With a sniff, and a brush at his nose, Matty managed a raw, watery chuckle. “Fuck, I’d have you out here all night. All week, shit…” He itched at that ashy, smoldering sensation, fingers scratching up the back of his neck. Resting there, cheek in his own hand. Eyes squeezed shut, burning in a way that had fuck all to do with all the phoenix he’d just blown through. “She was my fuckin’ hero. Like — like the best big sister you ever had. Didn’t take shit from anyone, wouldn’t let you, either. And she went out and did her thing, did her. Said stuff. What she thought. I ever wanted a real answer, about anything, I asked Bennie. Every time.” Dan, he’d be all easygoing. Key, a total enabler. Arn — Arn was always so goddamn gentle with him. Bennie, though. “She just — she kicked the door in. Everywhere. Didn’t apologize for fuck all, and, and yeah. Kind of a dick, sometimes, but.” But he’d loved her. Like they’d all loved each other, back then. When they were a thing at all. “It was like she walked around on fire, man. And I knew, if I just stuck close to that… nothing was ever gonna be too dark to deal with.” Only, he hadn’t. Not like Matty had meant to run, had — had even really been there, at all. Not like that mattered. Because she was gone, and it was done, and… he just had to smile because it happened. Sure. Smile and drink, if Winn ever tossed the tequila back.

Winn wouldn’t pretend that Matty’s words had no effect on him. He wasn’t a crier, for all of his loud emotionality. But he wondered if he had anyone like, what’s her name, Bennie? Someone like a sister, someone who wouldn’t take anyone’s shit. It sounded, honestly, like Blanche and her would’ve got on like a house on fire. Blanche… His mind wandered back to the clearing, trying to suss out what exactly had happened. Now, removed from the realness of the situation, back in his human form, Winn went through the scenario again, staring at the night sky pokin’ out from behind the clouds. He had been fine, until he hit the tree. Then, the wolf had, what, taken over? It hadn’t done that before… or, at least, not to Winn’s knowledge, his memory. Which… well, there was the rub. It wasn’t impossible that, when he’d been turned, when he’d… that the wolf had had a hold on him. That year or... two, all of it, was a blur of forests and dirt, and no specific memories stood out to him. He thought, again, of the way Salva’s scent had set him off. Was it even about Salva? No. It wasn't. But how had he come back to his senses? And… well, who would know? Winn— he needed more answers before he even knew what questions to ask.

“I’m sorry,” Winn said, lamely. Typically, he was, well, not amazin’ at grief counseling, but better than he was frankly prepared to be right now. “It sounds like you really loved her.” When he was gone, who would miss him? He had cut all of his ties, run away, lied and lied and lied. Even the folks he knew now, people he… cared about. They didn’t know half of the shit rolling around in his head. And some of that… some of that, he could keep to himself. But some of that, goddammit, he was so tired of being people he wasn’t. Winn Zhou. Winn Woods. In the space between them, that was where Winner was. The last time he’d felt real, the last time he’d had enough of himself to hold onto. Had people he loved, really loved, and who loved him in return. Hearing Matty talk about something so… final. It slotted something into place, something it felt like he should’ve learned a long time ago. He took that kernel of truth and laid it in the place in his heart next to where the wolf was caged. It wasn’t everything, but it was a start. Speaking of starts…

“Matty,” Winn said, rising from his place, holding the jacket delicately in front of his dangly bits. He left the magnum on the ground; he needed to be sober in order to drive and, even with his increased metabolism, it would take a little bit before he was ready to go. Enough time to get back to the cabin, talk to Blanche, and then some. “I’m sorry to leave you alone, and this is gonna be an extremely shitty thing to say. I’m off my game, forgive me, but you sound like you need someone to be honest with you, to tell you how it is.” He wrapped the jacket around his waist firmly, gesturing to Matty to figure out if it was alright for him to borrow it. “I don’t know much ‘bout Bennie, but I do know this: She would hate to see you drink yourself into an after-afterlife. I’m sorry she’s gone, really, I am. But you gotta keep livin’. Grieve, and push forward. Aaaaaand,” he turned to go, “come back here, same time next week. I’ll be on my game, and we can talk.  You seem like you need someone to talk to, and, like I said. Almost-counselor. I work for free.” Winn turned his head back over his shoulder, winking, before walking off. “And don’t forget!” he called back. “I’m a werewolf! I can find your ass if you miss your appointment!”

No more lies. It was time for him to go home.

Yeah. Sounded like. Because he did. Always fuckin’ would. Matty just nodded, though, wrung out. At least that phoenix-heat was simmering properly, now. Almost felt alive to the touch, with enough of that stuff in him. Almost. He glanced up, barely, as Winn stood. Was that what he needed? If he’d had more in him, Matty might’ve bridled at the point. But he didn’t. The jacket, that got most of a shrug. Whatever. Poor dude needed it more.

Fuck, though. Winn wasn’t wrong. Bennie would’ve totally, fairly reamed him out for a stunt like this. The way she always did, when anyone was a good shake away from thinking right. Keep livin’. A smile snuck up on him, around there; not a strong one, but all the same. Hell of a thing to say to a vampire, yeah? Kind of funny. Kind of a punch in the kidneys. A good laugh, though. Could always use more of those. Someone to talk to — sure. He’d take that, as well. Or, at least, he might. Easier to think that sorta thing from up here, drifting on a stupid amount of everything. Yeah, from there… from there, he could see next week just fine. And that tequila. About to be unspoken for. Actually, fuck it. For later. Throwing off a loose wave as Winn ambled away, Matty took a long lean back, the world, the stars, spinning and sliding overhead. “Sure thing, man. You — look after yourself, huh?” Of all the people to track him down, honestly — Winn didn’t seem anywhere near the worst on the list. Which was saying something, at least.  

Maybe something real shitty. So, nothing Matty wanted to look any closer at, right now.

Maybe next week. So long as Matty managed to drag his ass into the dark before morning. So long as Winn sorted out whatever was going on, over there. Seemed like some pretty rough shit. Maybe he needed somebody to talk to, as well. Hopefully over some more, you know. Therapeutic tequila.

[vincechambers]

Late Night Snuggles || Gince

Who: Vince & @xjoiexgabriel Where: Gabe’s room When:  Monday, October 7 What: Vince comes over to Gabe’s to snuggle Triggers: N/A

Vince

Vince threw on a pair of pajama pants before heading down to Gabe's room. He figured a shirt wasn't necessary since he lived with a bunch of guys anyway. He walked up to Gabe's room and quietly opened the door so he wouldn't wake Myles up. "hi." He said quietly to his boyfriend before carefully closing the door behind him. Vince made his way over to Gabe and kissed him gently. "How's he doing?"

Gabe

Gabe sat on the bed with his twinkle lights on, he smiled to see Vince come in. "You don't have to whisper but like don't yell. I don't want him to get use to only silence while sleeping." Pointing to how the tv was on and playing while he slept. Kissing him once more, he pulled his boyfriend into his lap. "He's doing better each day, took him to meet the puppies today, he loved it and he's sleeping better. He wakes up like once during the night and its only for a diaper change then back to sleep." Nuzzling Vince's neck.

Vince

Vince nodded a little, not sure how quiet he needed to be. Vince smiled at Gabe before movined to sit on his lap once Gabe pulled him down. He wrapped his arms around Gabe, listening to him. "That's good then. Means he feel comfortable around you." He said, reaching up to run his hand thorugh Gabe's hair. "How're you adjusting to it all?"

Gabe

Gabe shrugged.  "It is a lot, but I know I can do it. I mean both Addi and I can do it, we have family and friends that want to help so I think it will be good."  Leaning into Vince's touch. "but I do miss you...miss kissing you and holding you at night. Miss touching you." his hand sliding over Vince's back to cup his ass.

Vince

Vince nodded along to what he was saying before sighing a little. "I miss you too." He told him before giving him a look. "But I don't want to do that when there's a baby in the room. It'd be awkward." He said, moving off Gabe's lap onto the bed, pulling Gabe down with him. "But I do miss you holding me so that's definitely going to happen tonight."

Gabe

Gabe chuckled, laying down and wrapping his arms around Vince. "I can still kiss you and leave you pretty marks." he whispered, starting to kiss along his jaw and down his neck. Sucking softly at the skin, Gabe licked it as well.

Vince

Vince smirked a little. "You can. And it's going to be very hard for me to not get completely turned on by it." He admitted, letting the other suck on his skin.

Gabe

Gabe chuckled some with a nod. "Kind of half the point, but also because i just miss you and wanted to kiss your skin a lot." he whispered there.

Vince

Vince ran his hand through the other's hair with a sigh. "but we can't do things so it's not fair." He whined a little. "But I have missed you."

Gabe

"We can do things quietly." he whispered. "I mean I'm not going to fuck you but I can get you off." Still moving along his skin kissing it until he came to his lips. Gabe kissing him slowly and deeply.

Vince

Vince hummed a little thinking about it. He kissed him back gently before pulling back for air. "But I don't want Myles waking up." He countered.

Gabe

"he won't wake up if you're quiet." Gabe whispered back. "I wont make you though, we can just talk and cuddle and kiss."

Vince

Vince bit down on his bottom lip before nodding a little. "I'm just not used to him being here yet." He admitted. "I don't know how heavy of a sleeper he is or anything, you know?"

Gabe

"Yeah I know so we'll stick to things that wont maybe wake him." Kissing him once more. "I haven't told Jack yet about us, I wanted to make sure you were okay with me doing that."

Vince

Vince smiled at him before kissing him again. "You can tell your brother. I told mine and Benji." He said, cuddling into Gabe.

Gabe

Gabe kissed his hair then. "You're so cute." he whispered then kissed him once more. This was nice and easy, it was also just something that felt right.

Vince

"Thank you!" He said with a smile before kissing him back. "I'm really proud of you. I know I told you that before... but I really am." Vince said, cuddling into him again.

Gabe

"Welcome my love, sorry it took this long for me to see that it should have been you and I." he whispered to him, rubbing his hand along the boy's back softly. "I'm proud of me too, I think I'm finally getting it right. Now I just need to tell my dad about Myles."

Vince

Vince closed his eyes as Gabe started rubbing his back. "Neither of us saw it though." He countered. "But I'm glad we figured it out. And I hope your dad doesn't kill you..." He said, looking up at him. "I hope he doesn't."

Gabe

"I think I saw it though, I was just too scared to think I could have it and Max...and Nate..." He shook his head some. "Doesn't matter, just happy now. He won't kill me but he wont be happy either."

Vince

"And I thought you were completely happy with Max..." Vince trailed off, nuzzling back into the other's chest. "Me too. Do you want me there when you tell your dad?"

Gabe

"I was but at the same time...I always thought about you too." Gabe blushed. "It was kind of why I wanted it to be open so I could still see you." He grinned, holding him closer. "You can be if you want."

Vince

Vince wrapped his arms tighter around the other. "I guess it all was just meant to be this way. For all of this to happen just so we could see what it was we really wanted." Vince said before nodding. "I'll be there if you want me to be. If you'd rather do it alone, that's cool too."

Gabe

"yeah, I think you're right." Gabe yawned a bit, letting his eyes close. It was getting late and he should rest when the baby was too. "hmm well then, I'd love to have you there so he can meet you as well."

Vince

Vince closed his eyes, yawning just after Gabe did. “I hope he likes me... maybe I can meet him before you tell him about Myles so he doesn’t hate me.”

Gabe

"He won't hate you, he's not like that. That's more my sperm donors thing. " Gabe smiled and then started to hum to him.

Vince

Vince nodded a little, moving his head up to kiss Gabe’s chin. “Still makes me nervous to meet him though. Meeting parents is a big deal.”

Gabe

"Hmm yeah...does that mean i should be scared to meet yours?" Gabe chuckled a bit, loving the kisses to his skin though.

Vince

Vince shook his head a little, nuzzling his head back into Gabe's neck. "nope. They'll love you and Myles."

Gabe

Gabe yawned and hummed, soon he was fast asleep again. Just lost in the feeling of his boyfriend there for him.

Vince

Vince smiled to himself, feeling Gabe fall asleep with his arms around him. He placed a gentle kiss on the other's neck before drifting to sleep as well.

[scithemodestmermaid]

Movin’ right along!  Got the second cutscene written up (with shippy moments between Henry and/or Levi and You, with it being your choice whether to indulge or not!) and wired up to the second fight.  The second fight has different goals set up, too!  Monday, just need to wire THAT conclusion up to the third cutscene and we can keep going!

Crystal Lakes page is here, nothing to play yet but feel free to keep an eye on it!

[gaycocksmodels64]

Asian Boy With Juicy peewee Nashville

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[iwantsomeore]

Silver Lining: Chapter 2

SUMMARY:

Velox, Prompto’s twin, along with Noctis, Gladio, Ignis and Prompto himself, must push the broken down Regalia to Hammerhead.

PREVIOUSLY:

Prologue Part 1 Prologue Part 2 Prologue Part 3

Chapters:

1

2

AN:

hello everyone! I’m off to Orlando, more specifically the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, at 4:00 am and I’m sooo excited! I’ll be returning Monday night, so I may be inactive this weekend… I wanted to get this chapter up before I left, so it may not be perfect. nonetheless, please enjoy this update! I’ll be tagging some regular followers of this story as well as my usual pals!

TAGS:

@kerrtrashwrites @joioliviapolaroid @themissimmortal @ruby1126 @awelllitplace

—————————————

Prompto had collapsed onto the scalding pavement road, his limbs widely spread as if making a snow angel. Filling the empty space beside his friend, the prince tiredly plopped onto the ground. Ignis, who had been attempting to repair the engine with The Sheild and Velox, now occupied the driver’s seat. His arms were crossed over the wheel and his head rested on top of them. Gladio slowly paced beside the Regalia while Velox sat on its trunk.

“Just our luck, huh?” she said, swinging her legs back and forth.

Ignis’ head raised in response before returning back to the wheel. “‘Luck’ isn’t the word I’d use.”

“Yeah, it takes talent to bust a car like the Regalia,” the prince chimed.

The gunslinger groaned, “You guys are never gonna let me live this down, are you?”

Velox gazed down at her brother. She gave him an empathetic smile before lifting her head to look at the road. The blonde noticed a shiny object in the distance and squinted to see what it was. She adjusted her glasses and kept her eyes on the glint as she hit Gladio’s chest.

“Incoming,” Velox announced, hopping off of the trunk to stand in front of The Shield.

Gladio followed her stare and readied himself. As the car came nearer, he waved his arms in the air and the blonde jumped up and down, demanding its attention. The car drove past the retinue and continued on the endless stream of black pavement.

Gladio leaned against the Regalia. “I think we can forget about hitching our way there.”

“Aren’t folks outside the city supposed to be friendly?” the blonde frowned.

Ignis sighed, “You can only go so far on the kindness of strangers.”

“So no luck with the engine?” Velox asked.

“None.”

The Shield stretched his arms and rolled his shoulders back. “Just gonna have to push her all the way.”

“I’ve already pushed myself… to the brink of death,” Prompto professed theatrically.

Gladio and Velox moved to the back of the car where the boys slumped.

“Oh, get up,” said The Shield, kicking the prince’s boot. “C'mon, car isn’t gonna move itself.”

They bellyached loudly. Velox outstretched a hand to her brother, who gladly took it. She pulled Prompto to his feet and brushed some dust off of his vest before sending him to the front of the car.

“I thought the car was supposed to move us,” the blond stated.

“Wouldn’t that be nice,” Noctis said, exasperated.

“Can it,” Gladio barked. “Ready…”

Noctis and Prompto stood on opposite sides of the car. They grabbed the doors with one hand and held onto the frame of the windshield with the other.

Velox and Gladio remained at the back of the car and placed their hands on the trunk.

“Steady…”

The Sheild looked at Velox and nodded.

“Push!” they shouted in unison.

The quartet began pushing the Regalia while Ignis steered. The air began to permeate with complaints and moans.

The prince clenched his teeth. “Un. Believable.”

“Pretty believable, if you ask me,” the blonde remarked.

“Not exactly a fairy tale beginning, huh, Prince Noctis?” The Shield joked.

“We let ourselves get carried away,” Ignis claimed.

“Look, these things happen!” Prompto conveyed.

“Let’s just hope this isn’t some omen,” Gladio declared.

“Gladio,” Noctis grumbled, “do me a favour.”

“What?”

“Push this thing by yourself.”

The Shield snorted, “All by myself?”

“You wouldn’t even notice if we just let go.”

“Prompto, don’t even think about it.”

Velox shook her head and smiled. “At least you’d still have my help.”

“If only Prompto followed your example,” Gladio smirked.

“Hey!”

“Save some breath for pushing,” said Ignis, clearing his throat in order to gain everyone’s attention.

“Ignis, c'mon—time to switch!” Noctis begged.

“Nuh-uh!” The Shield disapproved. “We just switched back there!”

“And it’s my turn, Noct,” Prompto insisted.

“To be fair,” Ignis said as he thought for a moment, “it’s actually Velox’s turn.”

“You’d give it up for your precious twin brother, wouldn’t you, Sis?” yhe blond whimpered optimistically.

Velox mirthfully sighed and grinned. “Unfortunately.”

“You’re the best!” Prompto praised. “It’s a good thing you said that, ‘cause my hands are killing me.”

Gladio growled, “You rather I kill you with mine?”

“Easy there, tough guy.”

The prince turned to Ignis, who was tinkering with the radio. “Any luck?”

“Only a busy signal.”

“Throw in a CD, then,” Velox suggested. “Music’ll make this a little more bearable.”

“Hold the phone—is it just me, or was it supposed to be way closer?” Prompto inquired.

“I assure you the map is correct.”

“The map said Hammerhead was right there.”

Velox looked at the boys. “Have you guys ever even seen a map before?”

“Geography, remember? First year of high school,” the prince recalled.

The mention of high school sent Velox’s mind into a flurry of memory. She reminisced on the semesters she spent with her twin and the prince. Geography was amongst the many classes the three had taken together and it had been one of Noctis’ worst subjects.

“Remind me what you got in that class,” she snickered.

Noctis remained quiet for a few moments, mentally reliving the scolding he received from his father that year. “… Point taken.”

“It was literally next door,” Prompto repeated.

“Looks that way on a map of the world,” Gladio informed.

“The world’s a big old place.”

“Filled with wonders,” Ignis added.

“Find anything, Iggy?”

He opened the glove box and rummaged through it.

“This will do nicely,” said the advisor, sliding a disk into the slot above the radio.

“Are you guys even pushing?” Gladio yelled.

“Hard as I can!” Prompto sang.

Noctis agreed, “With everything I’ve got.”

Velox laughed, “I think we have different definitions of ‘push’, guys.”

When the night has come And the land is dark And the moon is the only light we see No, I won’t be afraid Oh, I won’t be afraid Just as long as you stand, stand by me

•••

The exhausted group had finally arrived at Hammerhead. Noctis sagged against the car and panted. Gladio wiped the sweat from his forehead and Ignis stepped out of the Regalia to stretch his legs. Prompto and his sister sank to the ground, leaning on each other for support as they caught their breath.

After a few moments, a voice interrupted their restful silence.

“Hey there! Y'all kept a girl waitin’!”

A young woman with curly hair of gold and dazzling green eyes strode towards them. She wore a cap, a yellow jacket, denim shorts, a tool belt and tall boots.

“Now, which one’s the prince?” she asked, tapping her chin as she surveyed the area.

Noctis stood and patted the dirt off of his clothes.

“Aha!” she exclaimed as she approached him. “Hello, Your Highness. Congrats on your wedding!”

“Not hitched just yet,” the prince stated.

The blonde placed her hands on her hips. “Lady Lunafreya’s groom-to-be, here in Hammerhead.”

“Apologies for taking so long.” said Ignis, stepping towards her.

“You’d best save your apologies for Paw-paw,” she advised, inspecting the Regalia.

“Well, that makes you…” Gladio trailed off, awaiting an answer.

“Cindy—Cid’s grease-monkey granddaughter.”

“Roll ‘er in while I’m still young!”

An elderly man emerged from behind Cindy. He had a beard and a maroon cap that sat atop his messy grey hair. He wore dark pants and a maroon jacket accompanied by and leather gloves. Velox assumed that this was the 'Cid’ Cindy had mentioned.

“Didn’t yer daddy tell ya? She’s a custom classic, not some beat-up ol’ clunker,” he informed. “Prince Noctis.”

“Uh, yeah,” the prince answered timidly.

“'Prince.’ Like they took your old man and kicked the dignity out of him,” the man spat.

Noctis’ face flushed with surprise and confusion. “What?”

“You got a long way to go, son. And that slack jaw’s gettin’ you nowhere fast.” Cid said, retreating to the garage. “She’s gonna take awhile. Y'all get her in and run along.”

“Y'all heard him!” Cindy instructed cheerfully. “Let’s get movin’. Right this way.”

The retinue returned to their prior positions and pushed the Regalia into the building. Cid waved his hand, signalling for them to exit.

“And now we play the waiting game.” Ignis said as he stepped out of Cid’s workplace.

“Never liked that game,” Prompto said, crossing his arms.

“Never any good at it, either,” Noctis nodded.

Cindy approached the group with a welcoming beam. “Y'all ain’t never been out this way before, have ya? Go on, have a look around! This’ll make sure y'all don’t get lost.”

She handed a map of the world to the prince. They thanked the blonde and she left to join her grandfather.

“Well, might as well make good use of the extra time,” Gladio shrugged.

The Shield and Noctis headed for the restaurant in the lot while the siblings entered the shop neighbouring the garage. The twins tried to drag Ignis along, but he insisted he would catch up with them after her spoke with Cindy.

They entered the shop and Prompto immediately began scanning the shelves. His gaze fell upon a tall black can with big white writing on it.

“Whoa! They got Ebony out here! Ignis is gonna flip!” he gasped as he studied the can intently. “Wait…”

“What is it?” Velox asked.

Her brother handed her the can and pointed at the sticker on it.

“Uh, what’s a 'gil’?”

“I’m pretty sure that’s the currency here.”

“Really?!”

“Mhm.”

Prompto continued to explore the shelves in wonder. Velox pointed at the window displays and noticed Ignis standing outside of the shop. His face was now painted with a thin layer of concern.

“Hey,” she said, turning to her brother and pointing at Ignis, “does he look worried to you?”

The twins left the shop and made their way to their friend.

“A moment, you two?” Ignis asked.

They nodded and followed him. The trio entered the restaurant, where Ignis collected Gladio and the prince.

“We’ve expended the last of our funds on the repairs,” he spoke seriously. “I suggest we confer with Cindy.”

[trippinglynet]

Burning Man 1998 | Rebecca Pitt

Dear Reader,

It's late January, 1999, and I'm homesick. I haven't been in Black Rock City for about 6 months, and it will be just as long before I can go back. Right now the city exists only in the collective memories of its citizens, and in the everpresent playa dust that still inhabits our cars. We've successfully settled back into the groove of "normal" life, now that our co-workers are REALLY tired of hearing about "that festival" in carefully censored snippets.

Of course it's more than just a festival. Actually, I consider myself one of the lucky ones for whom the experience of Burning Man is year-round. Not only do I keep in touch with some of my fellow citizens on a daily basis (through a rather extensive network of e-mail and cell phones) but we actually see each other quite often at various events and celebrations in the San Francisco area.

Plans for Black Rock City 1999 are already being formed as the winter rain beats on our windows. Some of us are even thinking of ways to make our creative lifestyle more permanent. I'm excited to find out what this means, because I know these seeds are being sown by so many Burning Man participants all over the world. According to a comic store clerk I talked to last week, "The festival is too large and popular now to be interesting." Maybe true, but then the woman relented that she's never actually attended the festival, and all of her opinions have been formed second-hand.

The following articles are a diary-style account of my experiences at Burning Man 1998. These thoughts are not meant to convince anyone to attend.....in fact, for some of you the reaction might be quite the contrary. You might think the hardest work is packing supplies and building a shade structure, but no one can ever really prepare for such a life-changing experience. People who go for a party only see a fraction of what Black Rock City is all about; people who arrive as tourists will only get some pictures and a heat rash. It's a lesson that seems obvious, but it takes living in the city to make it real. You only get out what you put in....and through Burning Man you may just realize what your capabilities really are.

#1 (August 16, 1998)

The contents of my car distinctly reflect the chaos of my life the last few months. Feather boas, glitter body paint, silver lame' flags, and masks nestle alongside the metal tent stakes, glow-light sticks, a box of 3,000 CD-ROMs, and a roll of Astroturf.

I'm taking time off of my "real" job, modular office cube, morning commute, and suburban lifestyle to spend ten days at the Burning Man festival of 1998. I will be joined by a traveling group of 7, our village of 150, and over 15,000 others. I'm looking forward to experiencing life through my own eyes and fingers, rather than a screen and a keyboard.

It's less than 2 weeks until we leave for the desert, and everyone's stressed. Our Burning Man e-mail list is over 150 posts per day and growing. Then again, it's no small task to plan an entire village over the internet. Our area of camp, called the Blue Light District, will have its own post office, kitchen, radio station, decorated porta-potties (with elevator music), Yacht Club, karaoke bar, and nuclear power station.

The last several weekends have been devoted to village meetings, Burning Man volunteer meetings, construction parties, and shopping sprees at thrift and hardware stores. We're scouring mail order catalogs for the cheapest rates on battery operated Christmas lights, surplus camo netting, and faux gemstone rings. My neighbors are prepared to see strange things being erected in my front yard for the third year in a row.

I bet my laundry and gardening won't get done this weekend, either, because we still have to work on the bus. Last month, four friends and I bought a converted 1962 school bus to get the group and our copious supplies to the festival. It has already been nicknamed the "Hippie breakdown bus" due to its Prankster-esque appearance. I hope we'll be able to bleed the brakes, get new tires, and find someone to insure it this week, because we're cutting it pretty close.

Getting to the festival is only part of the nightmare...I mean, fun. This year I decided to really bite off more than I could chew by building a large art installation. In other words, spend a lot more money and time to build something significantly smaller than originally intended, and burn it anyway.

Actually, I'm just upset because I realized last Tuesday that I am running really low on money, and I'll have to scale down my construction plans yet again. I've already scoured the back lot of my office building for wooden pallets, metal poles, and other "trash" that I can recycle into art. The people in the shipping department think I'm crazy. "You're going to build a Tower in the middle of the desert?" they ask, warily eyeing my conservative suit.

I decide not to elaborate. It's not just any Tower that I'm building, but The Tower of Babel, complete with the Garden of Babylon and the Ark of the Covenant. I've been doing historical research all year, as well as recruiting performers, construction volunteers, and healers from my web site. This Tower is meant to symbolize the gateway to the subconscious mind, where inside are stored the fears and obstacles that we create for ourselves. I hope that when people encounter this sculpture at Burning Man, they will be able to confront their fears and release them. And I can predict when this Tower will fall...on September 6, 1998, the night the Man burns.

#2 (Saturday, August 29 through Tuesday, September 1)

Our journey to Burning Man could be summed up by quote from the Muppet Song "Movin' Right Along". "Getting there is half the fun, come share it with me." I should have known it would take over 12 hours to pack the bus. We were supposed to leave "around noon" on Saturday, August 29th, but we didn't pull out until close to midnight. We miraculously fit everything inside, attached a zebra-striped VW Bug to the trailer hitch, did a good luck ceremony, and then drove a grand total of ten miles before our first breakdown.

I've lost track of how many times the hippy bus broke down on the way to the festival. It dosen't really matter, since once you've left the driveway, you're on playa time. You become a stranger in your own land, wandering towards an unexplainable temporary mecca. Though we relished the sideways looks from other travelers at every gas station, one of the funniest moments occured at a deserted truck stop in the middle of the night. We had quickly pulled over when the fuel hoses gave way, and piled out to assess the damage. Ray, our saintly mechanic/driver, crawled under the bus and inspected its badly corroded underbelly. He announced that he needed some metal strips, so we quickly drained 3 aluminum cans and cut them apart. Don and Ray then "MacGuyvered" them into a temporary patch as the rest of us took pictures. After that episode, we decided that the Elephant-headed Hindu god Ganesh (the remover of obstacles) was the patron diety of the bus. Sixteen hours later, over twice the usual trip time, we pulled onto the playa to the relief of waiting friends.

Monday was spent trying to get acclimated to the intense heat. Setting up the camp took a lot longer than expected, since temperatures were over 110 degrees in the shade. I thought it commendable that we erected 3 tents and actually found the stove amidst the rubble. From bedraggled lounge chairs, we kept an eye on the neighboring city blocks, already reserved for an assortment of e-mail "listizen" friends. Already our village is growing beyond its pre-mapped boundaries. Emulating the original homesteaders of the wild west, we staked our claims with piles of bamboo and little plastic flags.

On Tuesday, my birthday, we commandeered the village "Runaway Choo-Choo" train at dusk and and took a ride around the city. You had to be in your birthday suit to get on the train, which was full in less than 10 minutes. Through her bullhorn, my friend Jen commanded passersby to "give us a cocktail for the birthday girl!" As we rode around the city and all the way out to the man, it was easy to see that distinctive neighborhoods and theme districts are already in place.

The tire tracks from bicycles, art cars, and mobile couches have formed our corner at Atlantic Avenue and North 7th Street. Desert flowers have emerged from the once-barren surface; elaborate contraptions made of pvc pipe, rebar, parachutes, flags, and tarps flutter in the afternoon breeze. We've put up some blue lame' flags on top of the bus; their shimmer helps us find our way home at night. Another afternoon of unrelenting heat and creative painting yields strange slogans on the side of the bus; "Kiss a Republican Today", "Crunchier than Thou", and my personal favorite "We may be filthy, but we're not hippies!"

The heat is also causing tensions in our camp to run high. We are all frustrated because there's so much to see and do, and not enough time or motivation to leave the village for very long. Several times we've barely managed to start up the stove, and strangers have appeared at our impromptu kitchen, demanding free handouts of food. Even though our fresh food supply is low, sharing isn't the problem. It's the attitude of these people that is really surprising....they show up unprepared and then expect that others will do all the work and clean up afterwards. It's definitely a window into the ugly side of human behavior, and an unfortunate result of a quickly growing community.

On the other hand, the process of building my sculpture has been really uplifting. I had asked for volunteers to help me with this project, and people from all over the country contacted me and offered their assistance. It's inspiring to meet people for the first time, who will come out in the afternoon heat to work on a project they know little about. The Tower of Babel, a 12 foot tall wooden structure, now stands on the open playa outside our village gate. Ok, realistically it looks more like a dilapadated "guard shack". But with the addition of a parachute-covered "teepee" behind the Tower, there is a place to rest in the shade. It's also a great place to get a wide-angle perspective of the growing city. I'm too hot and tired to finish decorating today, but from the looks of my neighbors' unfinished sculptures, so is everyone else.

#3 (Wednesday, September 2 through Thursday, September 3)

I relish the caked dirt under my broken, glittery-orange fingernails; the serious magnitude and the complete insanity of the playa have now taken hold. Though I'm having fun, it's still hard to believe that I'm actually here. It's not surreal; it's too real.

Yesterday I met Dave, a student from Virginia who is doing his thesis on Burning Man. As we wandered past the Black Rock University and the discount Soulmate outlet store, we discussed cultural anthropology, tarot cards, the future of the human race, and where to get more suntan lotion. Inspiration seized as we passed a mud puddle, and we covered ourselves from head to toe in the thick greenish paste. On our way back home for a shower, we walked meditatively through a labyrinth scratched into the dirt.

This morning I dined on Green Eggs and Ham, washed down with mimosas, at the Blue Light Village brunch kitchen. There were over 30 people gathered in the shade, reading the daily paper and discussing last night's big event, the Aging Hipsters Cocktail Party. (You were supposed to be over 40 to attend.) Also, it seems that a team from the village to the north, Disturbia, raided us last night with water guns. We began to plot our revenge.

As a quasi-official member of the media, I also made my way to the Media Mecca tent to check in. Everyone is supposed to contribute to the community, and the media are no exception. All media now have the camera turned on them, as their photo is taken in a goofy costume and placed on a wall.

For the past two afternoons, we have been volunteering as "Greeters" at the front gate. Carrying a frilly parasol and city maps, I sashay up to the approaching cars, wearing a blue feather boa and lacy knickers. The greeters answer general questions, direct people to their camps, and through creative interaction, make people relax after the long drive. After we remind everyone to "Leave No Trace" and clean up after themselves, we are handed cold water by strangers who are grateful to be welcomed home to their city.

A public service announcement on the radio for more volunteers yields replacements, and we limp home after the exhausting, but fun, seven hour shift. I now have a full case of "playa throat" brought on by dust and talking all afternoon in the heat. There are lots of people working very hard behind the scenes to ensure that the citizens of Black Rock City enjoy themselves safely. It's not uncommon to see unpaid "staff" members working 12, 13, 20 hour shifts. Many people are also inspired to help out when they realize just how much work it takes to provide basic services under these harsh conditions.

I am a little worried about The Tower of Babel. So much of my free time this year was dedicated to planning for this project, and now that I'm here it dosen't seem like it was enough. There are many large, inspired, and beautiful projects here, it's almost painful to explain to people what this one means to me, because it dosen't look like much. I wonder if I have failed myself or others in seeing this project through, even though I've been busy helping out in other areas. I hope that the healing tent is at least a peaceful spot amidst the chaos of our city. It will be interesting to read the guest book when this is all over.

#4 (Friday, September 4 through Saturday, September 5)

Simple pleasures go a long way out here. Fresh fruit, often shunned for fast food at home, becomes a rare treat in the hot sun. Today Tammy, Jen, and I set up the lounge chairs and washed each other's hair, then put lotion on our dry, cracked, swollen feet. I thank Holly as she brings out the spray bottle and proceeds to mist my face and shoulders for the umpeenth time.

Tired as we are, we never miss a chance for playful interaction. Dressing in cheap Santa suits is a several-year tradition, and last night, over 30 of us met to bring a little Cacophonous Christmas cheer to Black Rock City. We responded to idle threats from the clown camp, and "raided" their circus ring. Red rubber noses were tossed into the air with Santa beards during the playful scuffle. We ended up at a local dive in the "NeighBARhood", laughing with some disgruntled postal workers.

Black Rock city is serious about its entertainment. The drumming and performances begin right after sunset and continue late into the night. This year, there is even a replica of Reno, Nevada, called Draino village. It comes complete with a casino, two stages, a "brothel" staffed by men, and a jail. There are also two ballrooms and an Aikido dojo. Meditation occurs nightly at the Zen altar, and you can do sun salutations every morning in Yoga camp. You can catch a city tour on the mobile bed, bar, or sofa. The radio, newspaper, and bulletin boards announce events all over the city, though the chance for interactivity is never farther away then your front yard.

All this makes me wonder why so many people have complained about the ticket prices this year. At home, the cost of a single concert ticket can set you back over $50.00, and a week's worth of Black Rock City is only slightly more expensive. I don't think there is any price that can be put on the freedom to express yourself 24 hours a day, and be around others who are doing the same. The right to expression is a very American concept, and it's amusing that Burning Man has been pigeonholed as a place for only dropout freaks.

Actually, its the careless, self-absorbed people who cause the biggest drain on city resources and volunteer time. We took care of a lost, hungry cat last night. When the owners showed up to claim their pet, they didn't even seem worried that it could have died in the heat. Other people choose to leave their camp without water and end up in the medical tent suffering from dehydration. The biggest mistake most people make is in not understanding how much effort it takes to survive in these harsh conditions.

The air siren rang through camp this afternoon, heralding an oncoming storm. We all struggled to batten down the hatches, and then I headed out to my sculpture to sit in the tent and weather the high winds. I pulled my painter's mask over my nose and mouth, and breathed a little easier as I walked onto the open playa. The city soon disappeared behind me, masked by the dust of a complete whiteout. As I walked up to the tent, I dispiritedly wondered if anyone else had enjoyed this space, or been affected by my project. Then I noticed that there were two people inside.

The man explained to me that he had been walking by, and thought the tent looked inviting. Inside, he met a friend of mine who does hypnotherapy and massage. She proceeded to work on him, and they told me that they both felt better than they had in months.

Hearing about their positive experiences made me feel a lot better. Burning Man can be incredibly transformational...it has been for me....and I wanted other people to experience this as well. I decided to spend the night in the tent, and later met another interesting couple from England. As we laughed together for hours, strangers turned into friends, and we greeted the sunrise with loud applause.

#5 (Sunday, September 6 through Wednesday, September 9)

Today the city is restless; it's the day of the burn. People were still streaming into the gate late last night, looking for a place to camp. Apparently there are those who still feel that Burning Man is all about burning down a big wooden statue, and so they arrive at the last minute looking for a spectacle. But the real beauty of this city is more subtle. A walk through town will show you more about this community than merely attending the big bonfire on Sunday night.....

For example, this afternoon I heard the familiar tinkling melody of an ice cream truck. People ran toward the truck, waving coupons to be exchanged for the free ice cream sandwiches and rocket pops. I had gotten a coupon earlier today, as thanks for giving directions to some strangers. Not only does the barter system work in Black Rock city, it's inspirational to see people motivated to be generous to others around them...with no immediate incentive.

Coming home, I passed by the "Mafia camp," decorated with laundered Monopoly money, garlands of grapes, and Catholic saint candles. Unfortunately, I was greeted with some tragic news. The Don was shot last night! The radio station reports that the Calzone family are among the prime suspects. My companions and I on our guard as we show up to the "funeral" dressed in black, with lace veils and a bottle of wine for the grieving "family". When the group swells to over 60 people, the Don is placed on a funeral "barge" (a small motorboat on a trailer) and paraded through center camp. The Calzones attack with water guns, and after a much-appreciated soaking, we retreat to our camp to prepare for the evening ahead.

By 8 pm, people are streaming out to the man from all directions of camp. A parade of floats, fire breathing stilt walkers, glowing fairies, and other apparations circles around the man, and then the crowd is pressed back to a safe distance. The burn is spectacular, and I scream and howl until I am hoarse. As the pyrotechnics are lit, the Man is hidden by a brilliant white light; then he appears through the smoke and majestically falls to the ground.

We make our way back to the village, where it's now time to burn our individual offerings. As a community, we helped each other create our projects, and now it's fitting that we are together when they are burned. We circle around the "Jenni Board," dedicated to a friend who died this year, now covered with dedications from other participants. A 15 foot blue mushroom is lit on fire, and then we walk over to my project. The Tower takes several tries to light, but once it is on fire, it burns hot and brightly. I solemnly cast a bracelet that I have worn all year, in remembrance of my commitment to this project, into the flames.

Now that it's over, I breathe a sigh of relief. I realize that it's not about the size or beauty of the sculpture, it's the experiences in creating, sharing, and destroying that leave the biggest impression. The art at Burning Man may not be the most meaningful, or even made by "real" artists; it's made to be seen, touched, encountered. There doesn't always have to be a point or a meaning. It's about challenging your boundaries and not taking anything too seriously.

Unfortunately, the time has come for the hardest jobs: cleaning up and packing the bus. I head out to the site of The Tower to pick up the nails and turn over the scorched earth with a shovel. The city has almost disappeared overnight, and the beautiful empty playa has re-emerged. We are supposed to leave early on Tuesday morning, but bad storms on Monday leave the camp muddy and our gear soaked.

We pull out of camp on Tuesday at 3 PM, and immediately get stuck in the mud at the front gate. After knocking the claylike goo off of the tires, the bus gains some traction and zooms ahead to the highway, leaving 3 of us to catch up. I loved every moment of the slow exodus over the slippery road, as the wind whipped my hair and white robe. We exited under a leaden sky roiling with impetuous clouds.

But the return trip wasn't finished yet. Our alternator gave out in the middle of the night, leaving us stranded in a suburban mall parking lot only 3 hours from home. We spent one more night in the bus, waiting for the auto parts store to open. The local residents didn't know what to make of the light blue behemoth and its dusty inhabitants.....we must have looked like "genuine" road-tripping hippies, even though among us were employees of several well-known computer companies.

I've finally made it home to the civilized comforts of a soft bed and running water. And yet I already miss the playa, with all its hardships and simple joys. So until the city rises again next year, I will return only in dreams.

-- Rebecca Pitt

[cynthiajayusa]

What’s Hot Central Florida: January 2019

Welcome to the What’s Hot Column, where we feature countless events in the Greater Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and surrounding areas. This is also your connection to activities and events by local LGBT+ Organizations. Continue reading on to learn What’s Hot this New Year, well at least in January!

Tuesday, January 1

Disney Springs Town Center presents Kingdom Hearts III Experience – A one-of-a-kind, limited-edition experience featuring the chance to be one of the first to play a demo of the new game, a special Keyblade exhibit featuring life-size replicas directly from the upcoming game, larger-than-life art inspired by characters and worlds from the game, and more. Now through January 29, admission is free.

Join Stonewall Orlando as they welcome 2019 with their Inaugural Guilty Pleasures New Year’s Day Party. Taylor B. & James C will be behind the bar for this special occasion serving up cocktails. Tommy Mot will be bringing in some friends and new Stonewall DJS rocking the day away along with surprise guest DJ’s.  Tako Cheena will be serving up the food so come hungry. Free admission, and free parking, It all starts at 11am!

Saturday, January 5

The Parliament House proudly presents New Years REHAB as their first party of 2019. Footlight Players at 10pm & 12am along with DJ Brianna in the Disco till 3am.

Monday, January 7

Wilde Lexus Sarasota & ABC 7 in association with the Van Wezel present Something Rotten, “Broadway’s big, fat hit!” (New York Post). Set in 1595, this hilarious smash tells the story of Nick and Nigel Bottom, two brothers who are desperate to write a hit play. When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing and acting at the same time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s very first Musical! With its heart on its ruffled sleeve and sequins in its soul, Something Rotten! is “The Producers + Spamalot + The Book of Mormon. Squared!” (New York Magazine). Show runs till January 8. For Tickets and Information at: Vanwezel.org.

Wednesday, January 9

Dr. Phillips Center in association with AEG present Diana Ross. In a remarkable career spanning over 50 years, Diana Ross has proven herself the consummate music artist as well as one of the most iconic female singers of all time. For Additional information and Tickets Drphillipscenter.org.

Friday, January 11

Southern Nights Orlando Welcomes Bob The Drag Queen, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 8 (18+ Welcome) with drag shows at 11pm & 12:30am featuring Roxxxy Andrews, Maya Andrews, Tasha Long, & Sassy Devine! (Don’t worry if you can’t make the show, she will also be at Southern Nights Tampa the following day Saturday, January 12)

Amor & Southern Nights Tampa present international Dj Nina Flowers, as they take you on a Journey! Doors open at 9pm with admission $10 before 10pm, and $15 after. 18yr+ welcome.

The Amway Center proudly presents Billy Joel. A Songwriters Hall of Famer, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, Tony Award-winner (“Movin’ Out”), and six-time Grammy Award-winner (“Just the Way You Are” – Record of the Year and Song of the Year, “52nd Street” – Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance and “Glass Houses” – Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance) including the prestigious Grammy Legend Award. For additional information and tickets gp to: amwaycenter.com.

98.1 Salsa y Más, DJ Frankie G Productions and Fuego Night Club present Freestyle meets Salsa. Performing live all their Freestyle and Salsa hits are George Lamond & Brenda K Starr backed by Orquesta Mambo Lebron. Featuring DJ sets by Frankie G, Baron Lopez, Blazer One, Baby D & Benny Velez. Doors open at 9:30pm with show time 11:30pm sharp. This is an 18+ event, and for additional information and tickets go to: Fuegonightclub.net.

The Annual Orlando Home and Garden Show returns to I-Drive for its 11th year at the Orange County Convention Center . This is a premier show talking about things that are related to home accessories, kitchenware and bathroom ware. This international expo will facilitate the home owners and buyers by giving them an opportunity to have a direct conversation with the landscapers and gardeners of the contemporary times. Orlando Home & Garden Show will bring into lime light the importance and value of various kinds of home improvement ideas and techniques. By attending this expo the home owners and buyers can also understand the significance of all kinds of home accessories and kitchens and bathroom accessories, architecture & designing, and hand, machine & garden tools. For tickets, which start at $9, or additional info go to: Showtechnology.com.

Saturday, January 12

Crawl With Us in association with the Bars and Nightclubs of Ybor City present the “Onesie Bar Crawl” featuring Kelly Days Firehouse Tavern, Flynns Retro Bar, Bad Monkey, Big Easy, Boneyard, Dirty Shame, Southern Nights Tampa, Bradleys on 7th, Honey Pot, Coyote Ugly Saloon, The Bricks, Tampa Bay Brewing Company, Brass Tap, Double Decker Pub, First Chance Last Chance, Gaspars Grotto, James Joyce, Reservoir Bar, Tequilas and many more. Presales are only $10 till day of the event, and $25 day of. 

Sunday, January 13

The Van Wezel Foundation presents Air Supply. Graham Russell & Russell Hitchcock have been singing together for over 40 years and this season they return to the Van Wezel to share some of their famous hits including “Lost in Love,” “All Out of Love,” “The One That You Love,” “Sweet Dreams,” “Making Love Out Of Nothing At All,” “Goodbye,” “It’s Never Too Late” and “Dance With Me.” Showtime at 7pm. For additional information or tickets go to: vanwezel.org.

Tuesday, January 15

The Tampa Bay Times in association with The Straz Center present Les Misérables, which is Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon. Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an unforgettable story of heartbreak, passion and the resilience of the human spirit. Featuring the beloved songs “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More” and many more, this epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history. With its glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, this breathtaking new production has left both audiences and critics awestruck. Show runs till January 20th. For additional Information or tickets go to: Strazcenter.org.

Thursday, January 17

Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando & AGoldPhoto Pet Photography along with Orlando Brewing present their annual Pet Photo Shoot Fundraiser. Adam from AGoldPhoto uses photography to tell stories of adoption, rescue and highlight various animal welfare issues. The goal of the photos is to bring traffic to his website, but once you are there, you’ll learn something too. His unique approach to working with animals allows him to showcase the pet’s personality in ways most people haven’t seen. Event runs from 5-7pm and shoot start at $50 per pet with $35 of that going to the Shelter. For additional information and to schedule your timeslot go to: Agoldphoto.com.

The Van Wezel presents Linda Eder, one of the original stars of Broadway’s Jekyll & Hyde, Linda has one of the greatest voices of our time, and her diverse repertoire spans Broadway, standards, pop, country and jazz, making her one of America’s most beloved singers and dynamic live performers. Showtime at 8pm, with tickets and more info available at: vanwezel.org.

Friday, January 18

Southern Nights Tampa presents “Surge Fridays” with International DJ Sensation Kidd Madonny, spectacular décor, sexy Go-Go dancers and much more. This is an 18 event with doors opening at 9pm and no cover till 10pm.

Saturday, January 19

The Parliament House presents RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 10 alum Blair St Clair with shows at 10pm & 12am with the Footlight Players. This is an 18+ event with general admission $10, and VIP admission $25, which includes reserved theatre seating for the midnight show and photo opportunity after the show. DJ Brianna spins till 3am. 

Join Friends, family and your four-legged companions at the 3rd annual St. Pete Beer and Bacon benefiting Pet Pal Shelter from 12pm – 8pm at Vinoy Park. This event will feature 100+ craft beers (3-7pm), option to sample from 15+ Craft Spirits & Cocktails, 60+ bacon dishes from 15+ food vendors, live music from 4 bands, games, prizes & tons of fun. Sample & vote for your favorite brewery.  For more information & to purchase tickets, go to StPeteBeerandBacon.com.

Monday, January 21

Join Orlando Downtown Recreation Center and GayDodgeBall.com as they host their first welcome all $5 pick-up game. All skill levels are welcome and everyone is encouraged to make new friends and have fun playing dodgeball. GayDoodgeBall.com has the largest Gay Dodgeball League in Florida. This is an 8 week league, with 8 Teams Maximum, with 13-20 Players a team. For additional information go to: GayDodgeball.com/orlando.html.

Tuesday, January 22

Fairwinds Broadway in Orlando presents Hamilton, which is the story of America’s founding father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the new nation’s first treasury secretary. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B and Broadway, Hamilton is the story of America then, as told by America now.  Show runs till February 10, in the Walt Disney Theater at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. For additional information and tickets go to: Drphillipscenter.org.

Friday, January 25

Southern Nights Tampa presents “Surge Fridays” with DJ Twisted Dee, sexy Go-Go dancers and much more. This is an 18 event with doors opening at 9pm and no cover till 10pm.

Orlando’s Hard Rock Live presents TLC in concert. They scored nine top-ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including four number-one singles “Creep“, “Waterfalls“, “No Scrubs“, and “Unpretty“. The group also recorded four multi-platinum albums, including CrazySexyCool (1994) which still remains the only album by a female group to receive a diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. The Ultimate Flashback Friday starts at 8pm. For tickets which start at $33 or more info go to: hardrock.com/live/locations/Orlando.

Sunset Events & Disco Donnie present Steve Aoki at the Ritz Ybor. After years of relentless touring, EDM producer, promoter and label owner Steve Aoki is now recognized as one of the most exciting live performers in the world. Doors Open at 10pm for this 18+ event. For tickets or more info go to: Theritzybor.com.

Saturday, January 26

The world famous Seminole Hard Rock Gasparilla Pirate Fest is today and tomorrow. For the full line up go to: Gasparillapiratefest.com.

The VanWezel Foundation & Hyatt Regency Sarasota present “The Empress of Soul” Gladys Knight. This seven-time Grammy winner has enjoyed #1 hits in Pop, Gospel, R&B and Adult Contemporary, and has triumphed in film, television and live performances. Hits include: ”You and I Ain’t Nothin’ No More”, “Midnight Train to Georgia”, “I Heard it Through the Grapevine”, “If I Were Your Woman,” and “That’s What Friends are For.” Show time is at 8pm. For additional information and tickets go to: Vanwezel.org.

Amor & Stonewall Orlando present: The Miss Orlando Universo Latina USA Reunion with show time at 12am starring: Chris Sant Lorans featuring Sasha Fiercee (Miss Orlando Universo Latina USA 2017) Rakell Riviera (Miss Orlando Universo Latina Usa Plus 2018) & Gucci Michelle Reyes (Miss Universo Latina USA Plus 2018) alongside the Dynasty Girls Norma Fis-Vernaza , Bella Fis & Spiidey Montalvo. With sounds by Johan Mateo Quintero, Kraig Matthews & Franklin Cruel, the doors open at 9pm.

Sunday, January 27

The Amway Center presents Marc Anthony in his Legacy Tour. Anthony is one of the most influential artists of his time and a true ambassador of Latin music and culture. He has had 25 Billboard chart hits, sold over 12 million albums worldwide and has been recognized with countless standard gold and platinum certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America.  Doors open at 7pm. For additional information and tickets go to: Amywaycenter.com.

Tuesday, January 29

Bank of America Broadway at The Straz and Tampa Bay Times present A Bronx Tale. Broadway’s hit crowd-pleaser takes you to the stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he’d love to be. Bursting with high-energy dance numbers and original doo-wop tunes from the songwriter of Beauty and the Beast, A Bronx Tale is an unforgettable story of loyalty and family. Academy Award winner Robert De Niro and Tony winner Jerry Zaks direct this streetwise musical – based on Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri’s story that The New York Times hails as “A Critics’ Pick! The kind of tale that makes you laugh and cry.” Show runs till February 3rd. For Additional Information and Tickets go to: Strazcenter.org.

Thursday, January 31

IMG Artists present We Shall Overcome: A Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. In this thrilling, emotional tribute inspired by the words of Dr. King, producer and musical director Damien Sneed showcases repertoire from across the African-American music traditions that have electrified generations of civil rights activists and defenders. Pulling together a concert of works by Nina Simone, Duke Ellington, Aretha Franklin, Wynton Marsalis and more including traditional gospel, modern gospel, jazz and Broadway tunes, Sneed interweaves these musical flashpoints with King’s impassioned oratory from recorded historic speeches. The end result is a stand-up-and-cheer celebration of one of America’s greatest heroes. This event takes place at the Straz Center, Tampa.  Show starts at 8pm, with tickets starting at $25 at Strazcenter.org.

source https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2018/12/27/whats-hot-central-florida-january-2019/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazin.blogspot.com/2018/12/whats-hot-central-florida-january-2019.html

[imaginationinstitutes]

it is that time again, folks!! welcome back to movin’ right along monday!! may your dreams be as big as big bird!!

[uproariousscarecrow]

time for another batch of sideblog doodles!! this time we have a scene i wish we saw in kingdom keepers, the BEST parks characters, a gidget, and TWO movin’ right along mondays!!

[hotspotsmagazine]

What’s Hot Central Florida: January 2019

Welcome to the What’s Hot Column, where we feature countless events in the Greater Orlando, Tampa, St. Petersburg, and surrounding areas. This is also your connection to activities and events by local LGBT+ Organizations. Continue reading on to learn What’s Hot this New Year, well at least in January!

Tuesday, January 1

Disney Springs Town Center presents Kingdom Hearts III Experience – A one-of-a-kind, limited-edition experience featuring the chance to be one of the first to play a demo of the new game, a special Keyblade exhibit featuring life-size replicas directly from the upcoming game, larger-than-life art inspired by characters and worlds from the game, and more. Now through January 29, admission is free.

Join Stonewall Orlando as they welcome 2019 with their Inaugural Guilty Pleasures New Year’s Day Party. Taylor B. & James C will be behind the bar for this special occasion serving up cocktails. Tommy Mot will be bringing in some friends and new Stonewall DJS rocking the day away along with surprise guest DJ’s.  Tako Cheena will be serving up the food so come hungry. Free admission, and free parking, It all starts at 11am!

Saturday, January 5

The Parliament House proudly presents New Years REHAB as their first party of 2019. Footlight Players at 10pm & 12am along with DJ Brianna in the Disco till 3am.

Monday, January 7

Wilde Lexus Sarasota & ABC 7 in association with the Van Wezel present Something Rotten, “Broadway’s big, fat hit!” (New York Post). Set in 1595, this hilarious smash tells the story of Nick and Nigel Bottom, two brothers who are desperate to write a hit play. When a local soothsayer foretells that the future of theatre involves singing, dancing and acting at the same time, Nick and Nigel set out to write the world’s very first Musical! With its heart on its ruffled sleeve and sequins in its soul, Something Rotten! is “The Producers + Spamalot + The Book of Mormon. Squared!” (New York Magazine). Show runs till January 8. For Tickets and Information at: Vanwezel.org.

Wednesday, January 9

Dr. Phillips Center in association with AEG present Diana Ross. In a remarkable career spanning over 50 years, Diana Ross has proven herself the consummate music artist as well as one of the most iconic female singers of all time. For Additional information and Tickets Drphillipscenter.org.

Friday, January 11

Southern Nights Orlando Welcomes Bob The Drag Queen, winner of RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 8 (18+ Welcome) with drag shows at 11pm & 12:30am featuring Roxxxy Andrews, Maya Andrews, Tasha Long, & Sassy Devine! (Don’t worry if you can’t make the show, she will also be at Southern Nights Tampa the following day Saturday, January 12)

Amor & Southern Nights Tampa present international Dj Nina Flowers, as they take you on a Journey! Doors open at 9pm with admission $10 before 10pm, and $15 after. 18yr+ welcome.

The Amway Center proudly presents Billy Joel. A Songwriters Hall of Famer, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, Tony Award-winner (“Movin’ Out”), and six-time Grammy Award-winner (“Just the Way You Are” – Record of the Year and Song of the Year, “52nd Street” – Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance and “Glass Houses” – Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance) including the prestigious Grammy Legend Award. For additional information and tickets gp to: amwaycenter.com.

98.1 Salsa y Más, DJ Frankie G Productions and Fuego Night Club present Freestyle meets Salsa. Performing live all their Freestyle and Salsa hits are George Lamond & Brenda K Starr backed by Orquesta Mambo Lebron. Featuring DJ sets by Frankie G, Baron Lopez, Blazer One, Baby D & Benny Velez. Doors open at 9:30pm with show time 11:30pm sharp. This is an 18+ event, and for additional information and tickets go to: Fuegonightclub.net.

The Annual Orlando Home and Garden Show returns to I-Drive for its 11th year at the Orange County Convention Center . This is a premier show talking about things that are related to home accessories, kitchenware and bathroom ware. This international expo will facilitate the home owners and buyers by giving them an opportunity to have a direct conversation with the landscapers and gardeners of the contemporary times. Orlando Home & Garden Show will bring into lime light the importance and value of various kinds of home improvement ideas and techniques. By attending this expo the home owners and buyers can also understand the significance of all kinds of home accessories and kitchens and bathroom accessories, architecture & designing, and hand, machine & garden tools. For tickets, which start at $9, or additional info go to: Showtechnology.com.

Saturday, January 12

Crawl With Us in association with the Bars and Nightclubs of Ybor City present the “Onesie Bar Crawl” featuring Kelly Days Firehouse Tavern, Flynns Retro Bar, Bad Monkey, Big Easy, Boneyard, Dirty Shame, Southern Nights Tampa, Bradleys on 7th, Honey Pot, Coyote Ugly Saloon, The Bricks, Tampa Bay Brewing Company, Brass Tap, Double Decker Pub, First Chance Last Chance, Gaspars Grotto, James Joyce, Reservoir Bar, Tequilas and many more. Presales are only $10 till day of the event, and $25 day of. 

Sunday, January 13

The Van Wezel Foundation presents Air Supply. Graham Russell & Russell Hitchcock have been singing together for over 40 years and this season they return to the Van Wezel to share some of their famous hits including “Lost in Love,” “All Out of Love,” “The One That You Love,” “Sweet Dreams,” “Making Love Out Of Nothing At All,” “Goodbye,” “It’s Never Too Late” and “Dance With Me.” Showtime at 7pm. For additional information or tickets go to: vanwezel.org.

Tuesday, January 15

The Tampa Bay Times in association with The Straz Center present Les Misérables, which is Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg’s Tony Award-winning musical phenomenon. Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an unforgettable story of heartbreak, passion and the resilience of the human spirit. Featuring the beloved songs “I Dreamed a Dream,” “On My Own,” “Stars,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More” and many more, this epic and uplifting story has become one of the most celebrated musicals in theatrical history. With its glorious new staging and dazzlingly reimagined scenery inspired by the paintings of Victor Hugo, this breathtaking new production has left both audiences and critics awestruck. Show runs till January 20th. For additional Information or tickets go to: Strazcenter.org.

Thursday, January 17

Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando & AGoldPhoto Pet Photography along with Orlando Brewing present their annual Pet Photo Shoot Fundraiser. Adam from AGoldPhoto uses photography to tell stories of adoption, rescue and highlight various animal welfare issues. The goal of the photos is to bring traffic to his website, but once you are there, you’ll learn something too. His unique approach to working with animals allows him to showcase the pet’s personality in ways most people haven’t seen. Event runs from 5-7pm and shoot start at $50 per pet with $35 of that going to the Shelter. For additional information and to schedule your timeslot go to: Agoldphoto.com.

The Van Wezel presents Linda Eder, one of the original stars of Broadway’s Jekyll & Hyde, Linda has one of the greatest voices of our time, and her diverse repertoire spans Broadway, standards, pop, country and jazz, making her one of America’s most beloved singers and dynamic live performers. Showtime at 8pm, with tickets and more info available at: vanwezel.org.

Friday, January 18

Southern Nights Tampa presents “Surge Fridays” with International DJ Sensation Kidd Madonny, spectacular décor, sexy Go-Go dancers and much more. This is an 18 event with doors opening at 9pm and no cover till 10pm.

Saturday, January 19

The Parliament House presents RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 10 alum Blair St Clair with shows at 10pm & 12am with the Footlight Players. This is an 18+ event with general admission $10, and VIP admission $25, which includes reserved theatre seating for the midnight show and photo opportunity after the show. DJ Brianna spins till 3am. 

Join Friends, family and your four-legged companions at the 3rd annual St. Pete Beer and Bacon benefiting Pet Pal Shelter from 12pm – 8pm at Vinoy Park. This event will feature 100+ craft beers (3-7pm), option to sample from 15+ Craft Spirits & Cocktails, 60+ bacon dishes from 15+ food vendors, live music from 4 bands, games, prizes & tons of fun. Sample & vote for your favorite brewery.  For more information & to purchase tickets, go to StPeteBeerandBacon.com.

Monday, January 21

Join Orlando Downtown Recreation Center and GayDodgeBall.com as they host their first welcome all $5 pick-up game. All skill levels are welcome and everyone is encouraged to make new friends and have fun playing dodgeball. GayDoodgeBall.com has the largest Gay Dodgeball League in Florida. This is an 8 week league, with 8 Teams Maximum, with 13-20 Players a team. For additional information go to: GayDodgeball.com/orlando.html.

Tuesday, January 22

Fairwinds Broadway in Orlando presents Hamilton, which is the story of America’s founding father Alexander Hamilton, an immigrant from the West Indies who became George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War and was the new nation’s first treasury secretary. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B and Broadway, Hamilton is the story of America then, as told by America now.  Show runs till February 10, in the Walt Disney Theater at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. For additional information and tickets go to: Drphillipscenter.org.

Friday, January 25

Southern Nights Tampa presents “Surge Fridays” with DJ Twisted Dee, sexy Go-Go dancers and much more. This is an 18 event with doors opening at 9pm and no cover till 10pm.

Orlando’s Hard Rock Live presents TLC in concert. They scored nine top-ten hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including four number-one singles “Creep“, “Waterfalls“, “No Scrubs“, and “Unpretty“. The group also recorded four multi-platinum albums, including CrazySexyCool (1994) which still remains the only album by a female group to receive a diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. The Ultimate Flashback Friday starts at 8pm. For tickets which start at $33 or more info go to: hardrock.com/live/locations/Orlando.

Sunset Events & Disco Donnie present Steve Aoki at the Ritz Ybor. After years of relentless touring, EDM producer, promoter and label owner Steve Aoki is now recognized as one of the most exciting live performers in the world. Doors Open at 10pm for this 18+ event. For tickets or more info go to: Theritzybor.com.

Saturday, January 26

The world famous Seminole Hard Rock Gasparilla Pirate Fest is today and tomorrow. For the full line up go to: Gasparillapiratefest.com.

The VanWezel Foundation & Hyatt Regency Sarasota present “The Empress of Soul” Gladys Knight. This seven-time Grammy winner has enjoyed #1 hits in Pop, Gospel, R&B and Adult Contemporary, and has triumphed in film, television and live performances. Hits include: ”You and I Ain’t Nothin’ No More”, “Midnight Train to Georgia”, “I Heard it Through the Grapevine”, “If I Were Your Woman,” and “That’s What Friends are For.” Show time is at 8pm. For additional information and tickets go to: Vanwezel.org.

Amor & Stonewall Orlando present: The Miss Orlando Universo Latina USA Reunion with show time at 12am starring: Chris Sant Lorans featuring Sasha Fiercee (Miss Orlando Universo Latina USA 2017) Rakell Riviera (Miss Orlando Universo Latina Usa Plus 2018) & Gucci Michelle Reyes (Miss Universo Latina USA Plus 2018) alongside the Dynasty Girls Norma Fis-Vernaza , Bella Fis & Spiidey Montalvo. With sounds by Johan Mateo Quintero, Kraig Matthews & Franklin Cruel, the doors open at 9pm.

Sunday, January 27

The Amway Center presents Marc Anthony in his Legacy Tour. Anthony is one of the most influential artists of his time and a true ambassador of Latin music and culture. He has had 25 Billboard chart hits, sold over 12 million albums worldwide and has been recognized with countless standard gold and platinum certifications from the Recording Industry Association of America.  Doors open at 7pm. For additional information and tickets go to: Amywaycenter.com.

Tuesday, January 29

Bank of America Broadway at The Straz and Tampa Bay Times present A Bronx Tale. Broadway’s hit crowd-pleaser takes you to the stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he’d love to be. Bursting with high-energy dance numbers and original doo-wop tunes from the songwriter of Beauty and the Beast, A Bronx Tale is an unforgettable story of loyalty and family. Academy Award winner Robert De Niro and Tony winner Jerry Zaks direct this streetwise musical – based on Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri’s story that The New York Times hails as “A Critics’ Pick! The kind of tale that makes you laugh and cry.” Show runs till February 3rd. For Additional Information and Tickets go to: Strazcenter.org.

Thursday, January 31

IMG Artists present We Shall Overcome: A Celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr. In this thrilling, emotional tribute inspired by the words of Dr. King, producer and musical director Damien Sneed showcases repertoire from across the African-American music traditions that have electrified generations of civil rights activists and defenders. Pulling together a concert of works by Nina Simone, Duke Ellington, Aretha Franklin, Wynton Marsalis and more including traditional gospel, modern gospel, jazz and Broadway tunes, Sneed interweaves these musical flashpoints with King’s impassioned oratory from recorded historic speeches. The end result is a stand-up-and-cheer celebration of one of America’s greatest heroes. This event takes place at the Straz Center, Tampa.  Show starts at 8pm, with tickets starting at $25 at Strazcenter.org.

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2018/12/27/whats-hot-central-florida-january-2019/

[livinglifeonpause]

Taeyang - Ringa Linga

Lyrics: 토끼, G-Dragon Composer: G-Dragon, Shockbit Album: RISE Year: 2014

Put your hands up like the country’s been liberated

Run like you’ll twist your ankles

Shake it like you have a spasm

Everyone sing along

My name is T to the A to the E (to the) Y to the A N G (hot, it’s hot) I’m always hotly burning up (boiling) Girls cry over my body, my songs Whether it’s a slow jam or a dance, just trust your body Don’t be scared, just close your eyes Wanna get high? Then be my pair We’ll go on a rollercoaster ride tonight There’s no seat belt, you just need to sit next to me

Don’t stop baby don’t kill my vibe Because I like how things are going right now To the left, to the right, follow me just like tha Yeah ah ye ye yeah

Put your hands up like the country’s been liberated Run like you’ll twist your ankles Shake it like you have a spasm Everyone sing along Ringa linga ring ringa linga ring (like) Ringa linga ring ringa linga ring (like) Ringa linga ring ringa linga ring Ringa linga (ahssa) ringa linga (it’s good)

It’s a fiery Friday night so be careful of the burn The crowd looks good so don’t worry and keep your body movin We partying so hard like it’ll break Monday is so far, like it’ll never come again Forget everything of yesterday, just like how you did with the day before Erase everything of tomorrow, just like it’s someone else’s business Everyone jump jump jump, as if you’re playing jump rope Ladies bump bump bump shake shake that thing for me

Don’t stop baby don’t kill my vibe Because I like how things are going right now To the left, to the right, follow me just like tha Yeah ah ye ye yeah

Put your hands up like the country’s been liberated Run like you’ll twist your ankles Shake it like you have a spasm Everyone sing along Ringa linga ring ringa linga ring (like) Ringa linga ring ringa linga ring (like) Ringa linga ring ringa linga ring Ringa linga (ahssa) ringa linga (it’s good)

It’s our party we can do what we want to Step to this rhythm, everyone 1, 2 1, 2, 3 baby 1, 2 step Ye ye ye ye ye ye ye Don’t let go of my hands, don’t run boo I’ll give you the whole world Hey DJ, turn up the volume now

Put your hands up like the country’s been liberated Run like you’ll twist your ankles Shake it like you have a spasm Everyone sing along Ringa linga ring ringa linga ring (like) Ringa linga ring ringa linga ring (like) Ringa linga ring ringa linga ring Ringa linga (ahssa) ringa linga (it’s good)

lyrics cred

[dragonflycap]

S&P 500: Movin' on Up!

Back in the 1970's The Jefferson's depicted the life of an African American couple that had made it, in a sitcom format.  They had moved to the Upper East Side in Manhattan.  This neighborhood is still one one the wealthiest places on the planet.  The theme song from the show, "Movin' On Up!" stuck in my mind Monday after the S&P 500 closed at another record high.  It too is moving on up.

The chart below of the S&P 500 ETF, $SPY, shows the dramatic rise since the election, almost 20%.  There have been a few pullbacks and consolidations along the way but it has been a steady trend, higher highs and higher lows.  So how high can it go?  Many will give you an answer but making that prediction is a Fools Choice.  It is easier to follow it higher until it stops.

So what can we say about the S&P 500 then?  Several things.  First, the movement Monday clearly broke through what had been some resistance at the price level of 248 in the ETF.  Break outs after long consolidations, 2 months in this case, can move higher for a while.  Momentum is on the side of higher prices.  The RSI indicator is in the bullish zone but it is also rising to a higher high.  The MACD is also rising and is now positive, but well below levels where the price has reversed in the past.  

Maybe the prettiest part of this chart is a look at the SMA's as they rise, nearly parallel, from the lower left to the upper right.  I do not know when this is going to stop but the S&P 500 is clearly moving on up!

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