#my best friend lives across the country where i used to live because we’ve been friends since we were super young

[even-if-in-another-time]

god i fucking hate amanormativity

[generalllimaginesss]

Loom

Trevor Zegras imagine based on Zach Bryan’s song Loom…solely my interpretation of the song.

As always there will probably be mistakes, but I hope you enjoy!

Heads up: Jordan is Y/N’s bf

a/n: this has been sitting in my drafts for almost a year. Also, I am alive, just going through a different stage of life and trying to find my passion for writing again.

How do I make you fall in love with me?

And how would I let you know I care?

And how would I say that the man your laying with is not the man that should be laying there?

How would a boy like me put it?

A man with some sense probably wouldn’t,

But I don’t give a damn, I am not a smart man

I’m gonna say some words I shouldn’t.

Some would say that Trevor Zegras’ best friend was Jack Hughes, Jamie Drysdale, Cole Caufield, or some random hockey player. That person would be partially correct, Trevor loved all of his friends deeply. However Y/N Y/L held a spot in his heart for best friend. Their families had been close friends since before the two were ever even a thought. They had watched each other grow up and turn into the young adults that they were today.

Where Trevor was outgoing and charismatic, Y/N was laid back and reserved. They balanced each other out in the most perfect way. Trevor’s flirty personality was something that the girl had grown used to, she didn’t take him seriously when he commented on her body, or made advances. That was Trevor, and there was no changing that.

Things started to change, however, when Y/N started dating somebody in college. Trevor had been drafted by the Ducks, so the two really only saw the each other on random FaceTime calls or holidays when they both happened to be home. Y/N lived clear across the country, but she loved watching her best friend show out in Anaheim.

“What are you doing?” Trevor’s voice echoed from Y/N’s phone throughout her apartment. Trevor had just gotten home from a game, his hair still wet from the shower he took, but his FaceTime with Y/N was a priority.

“I’m cleaning up. Jordan is on his way and I don’t want the apartment to look like a wreck,” she explained as she wiped the kitchen counters.

“Why the hell is he still in the picture? I thought we had a conversation about his douchey tendencies,” Trevor questioned as he began to play his Xbox.

“I don’t know, he’s just what I envisioned as my future. We’ve got similar beliefs, he loves my family, he’s kinda hot….there’s just something about him that I can’t let go of,” Y/N rambled on as she lit a candle. She walked back over to her phone, only her forehead showing on the camera, and watched as Trevor bit his lip in concentration.

He was acting like the whole ordeal was strictly a worried best friend, but in reality it ate him alive that his best friend was being treated like she was replaceable. In Trevor’s eyes she was far from replaceable. There would never be anybody that could take that place in his life, and he prayed to God that he could show her how she deserved to be treated.

“He’s a fucking prick, Y/N. I mean he went golfing with his buddies when your grandmother died. Who was left picking up the pieces? Me,” Trevor rolled his eyes just thinking about that instance where he realized how shitty of a boyfriend Jordan was.

“In his defense, we had only been dating for a few weeks. Like, that’s a lot of emotion for the beginning of a relationship, so I get it. It would have been awkward,” Y/N defended him, resulting in Trevor tossing his remote to the side and looking at Y/N.

“You have got to be fucking kidding me. I’m almost positive that he’s only with you because you’re hot and gave him sex the first date,” Trevor couldn’t stop it from rolling off his tongue. As soon as the words left his mouth he wanted to grab them back and destroy them. He knew Y/N confided in him about intimate things in her life, and for him to be throwing them in her face broke and unspoken rule.

“Fuck you, Trevor,” Y/N’s voice rose slightly as a tear threatened to spill out of her eye.

“I didn’t mean it, Y/N,” he tried to apologize, but Y/N was having none of it.

“Yes you did, dumbass,” she responded as she ended the call.

Trevor didn’t know how to go about these emotions with his best friend, but all he knew was that he had to do something about it. He couldn’t take it out on her or anybody that had interest in her.

And I had a dream I was falling

And maybe that’s a fucked up metaphor

Maybe it just means, when I meet you in my dreams

Nothing stops me from going through the floor

Almost a week had passed from the time that Trevor had a word vomit and the present day. There had been a few messages between the two since then, but not the regular communication that the two were used to. Trevor had finished a workout and could not get her off of his mind. No matter what, all he could see was her face of hurt from his poor word choice.

As soon as he got home, he crashed on the couch. His muscles and mind were exhausted from a long day’s work.

He didn’t know if it was because she was weighing on his mind so heavily, or if it was because he was so tired, but he dreamt of a life where him and Y/N were totally in love.

“I’m gonna marry you one day, Y/L/N,” he held her in his arms and kissed her temple. She tasted sweet, like the vanilla body wash that she always used. He swore he could smell strawberries in her hair, a few pieces lingering on his face as he pulled away and looked at her.

“And what makes you so sure of that, Z?” She playfully bantered back. Her cheeks were rosy, but it could have been from the summer sun that they had been in all day.

“Because nobody will ever love you the way I do,” he whispered as he closed in on her light pink lips.

Before the kiss had finished, Trevor jolted awake. The sound of Jamie closing the door interrupting his slumber. He had been out cold for a good 3 hours, sweat drenching the curls that covered the nape of his neck.

“You good, Z?” Jaime asked from across the living room.

“No, man. I don’t think I am,” he groaned as he got up, patting Jaime on the shoulder and heading to his room. He climbed into his bed while scrolling through his phone, hoping to see his best friend’s name pop up on something. He reread their last texts going over plans for their summer break coming up. They weren’t the normal talks of exciting things, but discussing who was and wasn’t going to be there. The only thing that could make matters worse was the fact that Jordan would be there for a wedding that they were all invited to.

Trevor plugged his phone in on his nightstand and tried to go back to sleep as best as he could, but the thought of his girl made the task feel impossible. He settled for staring at the ceiling fan until it lulled him into a dreamless sleep.

And I know all the bad things about you

But I still think you’re the purest of our kind

I remember being younger with an awful pining hunger

For a good that a boy could never find

And the fear of a man still left behind

Trevor always thought he couldn’t pinpoint the exact moment that he fell in love with his best friend, but the plane ride back to Bedford gave him plenty of time to rethink that. All of the memories of growing up with the girl seemed to pass as a blur, but he could remember one night that the two were playing truth or dare with a group of friends. The two of were probably 15, at most, going through that awkward stage of freshman year and trying to figure out who they were were.

“Y/N, truth or dare?” Trevor displayed a devilish grin as she rolled her eyes and groaned.

She gave it a considerable thought. Trevor knew some pretty embarrassing things about her. He knew that she carried her childhood blanket everywhere she went until she was twelve. He knew that she was the one that stole her grandfather’s dentures and tried to put them in the dog’s mouth. He knew every single guy that she claimed to have a crush on, so she definitely knew what she wouldn’t pick.

“Dare, but please go easy on me, jerk,” she practically begged her best friend. Nothing could prepare her for what he decided, however.

“Kiss me,” he smiled as the whole group of friends giggled and pushed Y/N towards him.

Trevor thought back to how it was a simple peck on the lips, but he distinctly remembered the nerves in his stomach and the race of his heart after it happened.

Y/N had immediately wiped it off and ran to wash her mouth under the sink, leaving the group in fits of laughter. Everybody except Trevor, of course. He kept his appearance of the clown of the group, continuing on with the game like he didn’t just steal his best friend’s first kiss.

The sound of the captain of the plane interrupted his thoughts, announcing the plane’s landing in LaGuardia. Trevor took one AirPod out as everybody began to get their carry on bags and joined in the jostling in the aisle.

After picking up his checked bag, he began to look for his brother’s car outside of the airport. Immediately, he spotted his little brother, but nothing could have prepared him for seeing Y/N standing beside him, sporting a wide smile with her arms crossed in front of her chest.

He gave his brother a hug and then turned to Y/N, rolling his eyes as he forced her into a hug. She gave up her tough persona and buried her head into his shoulder, squeezing back.

“I thought you were still pissed at me, to be honest,” he let go of her and ruffled her hair.

“I was for a while, but I had to keep the surprise so I just kept it up,” she admitted and stuck her tongue out at him. Griffin let his older brother drive and Y/N sit in the passenger seat.

Maybe, just maybe, Trevor might have a chance with his best friend. He pined for that feeling he had at 15.

So I guess I’ll just love you from the window

While you’re dancing with the charmers in the room

And I’ll sneak out that door like I have a time before

And just let that lost love loom

And just let that list love loom

Summer was going amazing, that is until Jordan showed up the day before Y/N’s cousin’s wedding. Trevor knew this was inevitable, but the disappointment was there nonetheless. Hearing his best friend laugh with him, watching them sneak kisses when they thought no one was looking, the whole thing made Trevor sick to his stomach. One, because it was actually disgusting to watch the douche kiss his girl, but two, because that should have been Trevor. Trevor swore that she laughed more genuine with just himself though. He smiled at the thought.

The next day came quickly. The Zegras family had gotten dressed and drove to the Y/L/N’s house to help with anything they could. Y/N’s mom was grabbing last minute details that she had been responsible for, so Julie began to help.

Trevor was making small talk with Griffin when he glanced up the stairs and saw Y/N coming down. His breath hitched for a second, but he let out a slightly audible groan when he saw Jordan walking down behind her. Griffin shot a confused look at his brother, but shook it off.

The families loaded up into a few vehicles and made their way to the venue. The ceremony was beautiful and the reception was so much fun. At least at first.

The DJ had been playing upbeat songs that everybody was dancing to, but as the night progressed the first slow song began. Trevor left the dance floor to go outside and sit at one of the tables that was set up. He could still see everything that was happening through a window, hearing the slow song continue. He thought he would be ok, but when he saw Jordan and Y/N swaying to the music he felt a surge of jealousy rise up. He wanted to march in there, tell Jordan to go to hell, and steal Y/N. He watched Y/N, her dress swaying with the movement of her body. The lights gave her a sort of glow. Trevor longed to be the one holding her, whispering sweet nothings into her ear.

“I know I have no say in the matter, but I do wish that something would have come from the two of you’s relationship,” Y/N’s dad startled Trevor, eliciting a chuckle at the reaction.

Trevor gave off a sigh and turned to the man that was practically his second dad.

“I don’t know if I should be telling you this, but me too,” Trevor rubbed the back of his neck, glancing back at Jordan and Y/N. The slow dance was coming to an end, but Trevor really wanted to get this off his chest, even if it was just with Y/N’s dad.

“I love her a lot, Trevor. She’s my only girl,” Her dad laughed and slug an arm around Trevor’s shoulders, “But she has been so oblivious to your feelings,” the man gave Trevor a squeeze.

“Have I really been that obvious?” Trevor’s cheeks were burning, especially when Shut Up and Dance With Me by WALK THE MOON started playing and he watched as Y/N was looking around the room, desperately trying to find her best friend. This had been their song since 8th grade homecoming, and there was no way she was going to let it play without dancing with Trevor.

“Extremely,” Y/N’s dad chuckled, “My opinion counts for nothing, but I think you should tell her.”

Trevor smiled at the idea, but he didn’t even know where to begin with that. Was it really worth ruining their friendship? A 22 year long friendship?

“I think, for now at least, things are better left unsaid,” Trevor responded.

“If that’s what you think, then that’s what you think,” The older man laughed as he watched his daughter stomp towards them.

The conversation was interrupted as Y/N stepped in between the two men.

“There’s no way in hell that you’re getting off without dancing with me to this song,” She grabbed Trevor by the hands and pulled him onto the dance floor. The two danced hard, sweat beading on their foreheads as the song played.

Trevor’s personality was shining through his dance moves, and Y/N was letting him have his moment. Neither one of them were thinking of Jordan until the song ended and her boyfriend tapped Trevor on the shoulder.

“I’d like to steal my girlfriend back,” he slurred slightly, totally oblivious of Trevor’s feelings toward him. Y/N squealed as Jordan took her to a corner of the venue, placing kisses on her cheeks and lips. Trevor had made his way toward Griffin, but not before seeing Jordan whispering in Y/N’s ear, something that made Y/N blush and giggle.

Trevor couldn’t watch it anymore. He found Griffin, let his parents know that they were leaving, and made their way back home.

His mind was in a cycle of asking himself if he should tell his best friend his feelings, to reasoning why that would be the worst idea, to genuinely being curious if something would come of it. Maybe this feeling is better left hanging between the two.

How do I make you fall in love with me?

Is it lost in the emptiness of apathy?

Should I fight for it like war, should I nail it down to boards

Or do I live in a love I’m dying for?

“I should have listened to you,” Y/N admitted to Trevor, snuggled to his side on the couch as some random movie played in the background. The thunderstorm outside provided the perfect ambience for a cozy movie day with Trevor.

Y/N had found text messages that Jordan had sent to girls while the two had been together. Messages that revealed that she was not the only girl occupying his mind and bed.

“I’m not going to say I told you so, but I do recall a conversation that went a little like me explaining how he was a douche,” Trevor mindlessly twirled her hair around his finger.

“I know you’re so satisfied with being able to say that,” Y/N rolled her eyes. She should have listened to Trevor. She was never going to admit that, but it was true. There were many red flags that she put blinders to, and in the end it bit her in the butt. It really hurt, but Y/N knew in a small place in her heart that Jordan wasn’t the one. He was fun, but he didn’t have everything that Y/N was looking for. The relationship was on the downhill stretch, so his cheating just sped things up a bit.

“I’m not satisfied. I wish he didn’t put you through this,” Trevor corrected his friend. He didn’t want to rub it in her face, but he wanted her to know that he cared. He cared before the relationship, he cared while they were dating, and he’s going to care when she can’t remember his name anymore.

“Is it terrible that him cheating gave me an excuse to break up with him? I wanted him to do something to end it. Like yeah, we had sex every now and then, but it just feels like after the wedding things started to fizzle out,” Y/N admitted as she picked her fingernails, a habit that she picked up at an early age to deal with conversations and feelings that were hard.

“If that’s how you feel, then no, it’s not terrible. You feel what you feel. You can’t help that,” Trevor reassured her.

“I just wish somebody would love me for me. I wish that somebody could match my energy, or maybe just not cheat? I don’t know, I feel like that’s not asking much,” She chuckled and wiggled around to get more comfortable.

Trevor grinned at his friend. “Y/N Y/L/N, why don’t you just ask me on a date,” he half joked, but a small part of him was serious. It didn’t matter, though, because Y/N let out a laugh at him, and her laughter was the most important thing right now.

“In your dreams, Z,” She flashed him a smile and focused her attention back on the tv in front of them.

“You have no idea,” he whispered, not expecting her to hear it.

“What?” Her head snapped at him as his eyes grew wide.

Was now his chance to finally admit his feelings? Should he give her a chance to get over her relationship she just got out of? He didn’t have much time to decide, so he let his mouth take over.

“Look, you’re dad already knows,” Trevor sighed as he began to admit his feelings.

“Already knows what, exactly?” The confusion was written all over Y/N’s face.

“I think I just need to wait to tell you this,” Trevor tried to drop the conversation, but Y/N wasn’t budging.

“No, you made the comment, so you have to explain it. I’m fine. I don’t need you to tip-toe around me,” Y/N explained as she gave the boy her full attention.

“Ok, well I’m going to lay these feelings out there, but please don’t freak out. I’m always going to be your best friend no matter what,” With those words, both of their hearts began to speed up.

“Just say it, Z,” Her patience was wearing thin with the boy.

“I love you. I’ve loved you since I stole your first kiss. The thought of another guy being with you makes me sick. Like physically makes me feel like I want to vomit. You say you want somebody to match your energy, but I’m the exact opposite of you and we’ve been inseparable since birth. You have this idea of what you want, and it sucks because never once did you consider me in that. Like is this hopeless? Could anything possibly come from this?” Trevor lost control of what he was saying. Every feeling that crossed his brain regarding his best friend was spoken. In a way it was relieving, but the fear of being rejected quickly took place.

“Z…” Y/N was speechless. Never in a million years did she expect her best friend since birth to admit he loved her. She truly didn’t know what to say.

“Well say something. I just told you I loved you, so I’m gonna need a little more elaboration than just ‘Z’,” Trevor was desperate for her to say something.

“You just laid it out there huh,” Y/N snickered.

“Right there on the floor, yep,” Trevor raised his eyebrows and bit the inside of his cheek. For the first time in his life, he wanted to crawl in a deep dark hole and die there. Die a recluse that didn’t admit to loving his best friend.

“Wow,” Y/N took a deep breath in. Things had never been awkward between the two in their whole life, but this was painfully awkward. It wasn’t that Y/N didn’t love Trevor, she did. And truth be told, she had a slight crush on him growing up. However, she got over it. That wasn’t to say that she couldn’t open up to the idea of a relationship with Trevor, but it would have to take time to unfold.

“I’m leaving,” Trevor began to put his shoes on and stuffed his keys in his pocket when Y/N grabbed his arm.

“Just hold on. I know you’re feeling embarrassed telling me this, but think about me hearing it. That was the last thing I expected you to say today. I’m just shocked, that’s it,” She became aware of her hand wrapped around his forearm, pulling him back on the couch.

"I wish I never told you,” He ran his fingers through his hair, strands going in many different directions. He situated himself next to you once more, his leg bouncing at a rapid rate once he stilled.

“Trevor, I mean this with the utmost respect….shut the hell up.”

If your words didn’t catch his attention, then your side eye most definitely did.

“Okay, I’m sorry.” He sighed, resting his head on the back of the couch. He steadied his breathing, waiting for your voice to pierce through the silence in the room.

“I love you, too.”

Trevor’s interest piqued, rotating his body so that he is completely facing you. He could tell you had more to say, so he let you.

“I’ve loved you for 22 years. I mean, not that I can remember much when we were younger, but I know you’ve always been my very best friend. I’ve gone through phases where I thought you were cute, I used to think any girl that you hung out with was a threat to our friendship. I remember our first middle school dance…I told your date your favorite color was neon green so she’d wear that awful dress,” You chuckled as you recalled that night. It definitely ended with his date telling her mom that Trevor was cheating on her with you. You were 12.

“You didn’t, Y/L…”

The corners of his mouth were curving upward as the memory played in his head.

“Oh, I did. I remember the first time I met Jack and Cole…you were jealous that me and Jack had hit it off so you told him about me throwing up the first time I had to give a presentation in speech. I was so mad at you, but you guys lost the game that night because you missed a goal. I promised myself that night that I would take the responsibility of being louder than your thoughts. You beat yourself up so bad for days after that, but all I could think about was that you saw a sunflower growing in a random field and decided to pull over and pick it for me that day. You are the most selfless person I know. You are the hardest on yourself, and you use your humor to deflect that. I know that you worry everyday if you’re truly good enough to be playing at the level you’re at,” You brought your thumb up to wipe away a tear that was puddling in the corner of his eye.

Trevor knew everything you were saying was true. He was jealous when you met Jack because he knew that Jack was capable of getting all of the girls. And he could have all of them, just not you. He also remembered that car ride home from practice when he was driving home from practice and there was a single sunflower in the middle of nowhere. That was your favorite flower. Maybe it was a sign?

“Trevor Zegras, I can’t promise that I can be in a relationship right away. But what I can promise is that I can learn to be a different role for you. Don’t you ever have regrets. I love you, you idiot,” You ruffled his hair and pulled his cheek to your lips.

Cheekily, at the last second he turned his head and smashed his lips on yours. You both smiled into the kiss, but when you pulled away you thumped his ear as hard as you could.

He winced, but flashed a cheeky grin, “That was for 15-year-old me…”

“I hate you,” the two of you laughed.

As the rain kept pouring and the candles scattered around the room flickered, you both were consumed in your own thoughts. Would this complicate things? Probably. But relationships were difficult anyway. Might as well figure it out together.

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*I would also like to say that I’m stuck between going ahead and posting the second part of Reasons to Stay and making it a tiny series or just writing a long ass piece. I have no creativity for anything else though. I also wrote the majority of this before Jaimie was traded and just didn’t want to go back and change that.*

[callsignspark]

Mar[r]y Me | part one

pairing: Bradley “Rooster” Bradshaw x Mariella “M&M” Vertucci (fem!OC)

summary: A love story told through friendship, laughter, and food.

series warnings: 18+ minors DNI, discussion of insecurities, difficult family relationships, discussions of food and alcohol use, eventual smut, warnings to be added as needed

word count: 2.0k

main masterlist

note: happy Friday! I'm so excited to share the first part of Bradley and Mary's story! a very special thanks to @gretagerwigsmuse for yelling in the DMs with me over this. Jordan without you the Bradley brain rot would not have taken over, and we wouldn't be here. after you read this, everyone go read about her version of Bradley and Smart Aleck; they are everything.

part one - indecision cookies

“C’mon, M&M! You’re not deciding on purpose! Just to be annoying!”

She knows he’s teasing; they’ve been friends for over a decade. That doesn’t stop the hurt from bubbling in her stomach or keep her from snapping at him. “Yeah, Reuben! That’s exactly what I’m doing! I’m purposefully going down to the wire on a decision that will change everything in my life just so I can piss you off!”

Guilt settles in her chest the second she finishes. It’s not his fault she can’t make a choice. “I’m sor-”

“No. Don’t apologize. I shouldn’t have made the joke. I know this is stressing you out.” She can hear him pacing through his house. As long as she’d known him, he had walked at the same volume as an elephant. “I know it’s a big change, and there’s a lot of things to consider, but what’s going on?”

“Nothing. I made indecision cookies. So you know… I’m basically there.”

“Wow, okay, never once have you been close to making a choice and made those. So, that literally does nothing except give you delicious cookies to eat. Which is great, but it’s already been a month, and I can’t even tell which way you’re leaning.”

It’s only been twenty-one days. Her brain interjects, but she doesn’t voice the thought, knowing her best friend won’t appreciate the correction.

It’s been twenty-five days since she flew from Pensacola to San Diego. Twenty-four days since she spent the evening with Danielle, Reuben, and his teammates. Twenty-three days since she interviewed for a new position. Twenty-two since she was offered the job, one that came with a big salary increase, better benefits, a higher security clearance requirement, and a thirty-day decision deadline. Twenty-one days since she returned home, a serious case of imposter syndrome setting in, mixing with her anxiety.

“I haven’t decided because I can’t figure out the right answer. It’s a great opportunity, and I know I’d enjoy the work, but it’s such a huge change, and frankly, I don’t know if it’s worth moving across the country. I like what I do now, I’m settled here, and I’m finally starting to make real friends instead of just having acquaintances from work. It’s taken-” A crash interrupts her. “Reuben! What was that?! Are you okay?”

“I tripped over Boo-Boo and almost took out the side table. Stupid ass cat.” She can hear him fighting with the fat, orange tabby under his breath. “I’m fine. Keep going; we’re listening.”

“You were probably in his way!”

“Stop defending the cat! He can’t hear you, and he was in the wrong! And stop deflecting. You were saying it’s taken…”

“It’s taken me four years to get comfortable, to this point where I’m not spending all my free time alone in my apartment. I move, and I have to start all over again. With everything. The search for where to live. Getting comfortable with the job. Making friends.”

“You have plenty of friends out here already!”

“You and Danielle don’t count; we’ve known each other since freshman year.” Her voice is flat, already knowing where his argument is going.

“Okay, fine! You’re friends with Mickey. And you liked Natasha and Bob! Plus, there’s Rooster and the rest of the Dagger Squad!”

“Reuben, knowing your team’s callsigns and spending a few hours drinking with them when I was out there doesn’t mean I actually know them or that we’re friends.”

“Yeah, true, but they’re good people, and you’ll get along with all of them. And you’ll make friends of your own! What I’m saying is that you’re not starting over with friends; you’ve got a foundation to build on, so that’s one less thing to worry about.”

“Okay, well, I’m also thirty-three and not getting any younger. I’d like to have a family one day; I want a husband, a few kids, and maybe a dog. That dream gets harder to achieve if I have to start over again.”

“Is this because of your parents?” Danielle’s voice is a surprise.

“Damn it, Fitch! Have you had me on speakerphone this whole time?!”

“I told you we were listening!”

“I thought you meant the damn cat!”

“Why would I mean the cat?”

“Because you’re an idiot-”

“As fun as it is to listen to the two of you argue.” Danielle’s scolding cuts them off before it can devolve into a repeat of The Incident of 2013. “Let’s get back to my question. Is this indecision because of your parents?”

“No! Why would you even think that?”

“For starters, you’ve never mentioned kids before!”

Danielle smooths over her husband’s indignant statement. “We know it’s something your parents harp on you about.”

The understatement of the decade. 

Mary’s family is a large group of stereotypical Italian immigrant Catholics from New York. Thirty-one people on her father’s side came from Sicily through Ellis Island in the late nineteenth century and settled in East Harlem. The men worked municipal projects, performing back-breaking labor to build bridges and dig subway tunnels, while the women suffered through the dangerous working conditions of the Manhattan garment factories. The family worked hard, the entire brood saving money to open a bakery just like they had back home. Vertucci’s Bakery – named for the family – opened in 1925 and was an instant success; people waited in lines that went out the door to get a taste of the old country. As the family grew, so did the bakery; everyone working to churn out bread, cakes, and pastries as fast as possible. Eventually, they outgrew the first shop, moving to a bigger location in Brooklyn the same year Mary’s father was born.

The other side of her family, the Romanos, immigrated just before World War II. Settling in Carroll Gardens, Mary’s great-grandfather was a dock worker at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, while her great-grandmother took care of the children and worked as a seamstress out of their apartment. Through the generations and the gentrification, the family stayed in Brooklyn, enjoying the strong Italian community.

Carlo and Lisa met on a busy Saturday morning when he was working Vertucci’s front counter. They fell in love quickly and were married just over a year later. Four boys in the four years after they were married, with Mariella “Mary” Vertucci following several years after the twins. She was a happy mistake. Wording that never failed to make her feel like she was two inches tall.

Despite being the youngest by ten years, as the only daughter Mary was subject to the most guilt trips and punishments growing up, her brothers seemingly unable to do no wrong in the eyes of the rest of the family.

When she was little, she didn’t eat enough food, and the women of her family criticized her for being too skinny. Then with puberty, she gained weight, and suddenly she was eating too much food. The yelling she had to endure when she went away to school - the first one in her family to do so - practically shattered the windows in her parent’s living room. Her mother was exceptionally upset because she had found a nice Italian boy for Mary to date, one who didn’t care that she was chubby. Constant complaints about distance when she moved to Missouri after graduation to work for Boeing, where she learned the ins and outs of all the mechanical systems of the Navy’s top fighter jets and worked on maintenance procedures to keep them running. The knock-down-drag-out screaming matches when she announced that she was being transferred to Florida to act as a senior engineering liaison between the company and the Navy, not once receiving any congratulations for her impressively quick advancement.

Not to mention all the subtle implications that she was a bad daughter for not producing grandchildren yet. Despite all of her brothers being married and having provided numerous grandchildren.

“I love kids, I’ve always wanted them, but given my luck with relationships, they’ve always kinda been a pipe dream. And I barely talk to my family anymore, my parents, least of all, no one knows I’m up for a new job. Only a few people here even know I went to California, and they all think I just went for a long weekend to visit some old friends.”

“If you take the job, when are you gonna tell them you’re moving to California?”

She snorts, “I’ll just call Danny’s wife as I’m about to get on the plane, and she’ll do all the work. By the time I touch down in San Diego, the entire Vertucci network will be informed of the address change.”

“You’d do that to your favorite brother?”

Danny is her favorite by default. Being the oldest meant he usually could be counted on to stop the other three from being too brutal in their taunts, but he also joined the teasing as much as he stopped it.

“He left my name off the Mother’s Day bouquet last year; this’ll make us even.”

“You didn’t chip in for flowers?” Reuben sounds shocked, knowing the importance of Mother’s Day flowers in the Vertucci family.

“No, I did. I covered Michael’s portion, too; that’s when Mia was going through treatment. He forgot to put my name on the card.”

“Wow…”

“Yeah, surprised me too. Especially when I got a call at the ass crack of dawn the next day, asking why I was ignoring the woman who gave me life on the most important day of the year.”

“Not to interrupt this venting session, but we still haven’t gotten to why you’re holding back on making a decision.” Danielle interrupts.

Mary hesitates, embarrassed to tell her closest friends about the problem. “I just keep thinking about the worst things that could happen. Which I know is stupid, and it’s just making my anxiety act up even more, but I can’t stop thinking about what could go wrong.”

“Well, that’s obviously not working, so what about the best things that could happen? I can kick Reuben out if you want. He doesn’t need to know everything.”

“Hey! She’s my best friend, too! And I’ve known her longer than you!”

“Only by six months! And you wouldn’t have become friends if she hadn’t taken pity on you and forced you to be her lab partner.”

“Let's see, good things… good things.” She interrupts the argument over who is her bestest friend. “Well, I could live near both my best friends for the first time since college. I could live in the same town as my goddaughter for the first time in her life. I could end up loving the job - not just tolerating it - and work there until I retire. The time difference could be good. I might be able to have a better relationship with my family if there’s extra distance between us. I could…”

She trails off, simultaneously feeling silly about what her next sentence would be and also afraid saying it out loud would jinx it.

“You could?” Danielle gently prods.

I could fall in love. I could be happy.

Her answer is just above a whisper, “I could be happy.”

Reuben gently breaks the silence that follows her vulnerable wish. “Are you not happy now?”

“I’m content. Which is good, but it’s not the same as being happy.”

“What do you think it would take for you to be happy?”

“I really don’t know… Force myself to make some changes? Shake things up?”

“Shit, I hear Annabeth waking up from her nap, but - and I’m sure you’ve already had this thought - but if you think shaking things up could help, I think you have the answer about the job.” Crying crackles over the baby monitor. “Okay, I’m gone. Love you - text me later!”

“Love you too, Dani!”

“So… what are you thinking?”

“How would you feel about turning the office into an official guest room while I find a place to live?”

“As long as you join the diaper-changing rotation, I think we could swing that.”

“Deal.”

tagging: @gretagerwigsmuse | @bobfloyds | @bussyslayer333 | @hangmanbrainrot | @mothdruid | @notroosterbradshaw | @princessphilly | @rhettabbotts | @roleycoleyreccenter | @roosterbruiser | @seresinsweetie | @thesewordsareallihavetogive | @waklman | @withahappyrefrain | @a-court-of-roscoe-and-baby | @genius2050 | @ohtobeleah

fic tag | credit for dividers here

[bagellu]

i feel like there’s a general apathy towards voting in the US currently, and frankly, i don’t blame you. the political landscape in the last few years across a majority of western countries has shifted further and further to the right, which is scary. it makes for a very hopeless picture of the future where we get by with some of our rights being stripped back, even by the “progressive” parties because they want to appeal to the widest voter base.

i’m not here to tell you to vote because it’s some idealistic “those rights have been fought for”, which they have, but that’s beside the point. i’m not going to tell you to find the best way to compromise your ideals in order to vote for a candidate that you’re not really fussed about. i find that hard myself at the best of times.

instead, i’m going to ask you a question.

how much do you hate this man? how much do you loathe everything that he and his ilk stand for? how much would you enjoy seeing him suffer?

the way to get any of that cathartic recompense is to vote. to vote against him for whichever candidate is the other one.

we’ve seen the french do it recently. they threw aside personal grievances and disagreements in order to ensure that, while they still gained ground, the far right was held back by collective effort and the votes of many people like you.

i would love a third party option to be a realistic candidate in any election. it would give thousands, if not millions, of people hope that actual change could happen in their lifetimes. but, from my understanding of how the US’s political system works, that is going to be something that you will need to work towards over the course of decades. that change is not going to happen between now and november.

do get involved with those movements. organise at the local level in counties and states to offer people a realistic alternative in their everyday lives. it can be done, but you will have to start small and work at it to make any meaningful change.

people will no doubt be annoyed with me for this post saying to vote for whatever democrat is on that ticket. i get it! i’d be pissed off too! the fact you are given a choice between fascism and “the other one” is awful.

but you don’t have to love them. use whatever emotion gets you to hold back the KKK in a suit and make it so. be it fury for the things they have done or will do, or something closer to home. think of your friends; those who weren’t born in the country who face the desire to deport people en masse, those who are queer and deemed acceptable targets for violence, those who have been hurt by the system itself simply for who they are.

hate the far right with every fibre of your being if that’s what it takes to vote, but remember who to show compassion for at the same time. the result of this election can and will have consequences that reach far into the future, for you and any children you have.

make sure you’re registered and do what you have to do kick them back for another few years at least. you might not win, but they can certainly lose if you vote.

[polyamorouspunk]

this sleepover friday i’ve got an honestly funny story

me and my best friend (we’ll call her C) are very close, and neither of us really give a shit what people deem “inherently romantic” so we do whatever we want, including kissing, cuddling, all that

about a year ago i moved across the country, and i for the most part fell out of touch with most people from where i originally lived, C was pretty much the only person i stayed in contact with

now because we’re so close, a couple people have thought that we’re dating or at least are romantically attracted to each other, which me and C find absolutely hilarious, and we don’t really try to stop this because it’s fucking hilarious to us, so we continue what we’ve been doing and make jokes about it around these people (it’s especially funny to me because i’ve realized there’s a good chance i’m aro spec)

as i mentioned, i didn’t stay super in touch with most of the people where i used to live, but C has, and yesterday, he found out that one of the people thinks we are DESPERATELY romantically attracted to each other and in denial about it, and we find this HILARIOUS so we egg them on

a few minutes later i get this message from someone i’ve barely talked to, but still knew from where i used to live and i fucking lose it

i’m waiting for the perfect time to reveal that i’m aro spec but for now this is fucking hilarious, people just cannot comprehend me and C’s friendship

This is great this is great this is great. Clown them.

[cargopantsprentiss]

I love the fact that our speech patterns and behaviours are formed by the people who we’ve known and loved over the course of our lives. I love that sometimes I’ll make a joke and my wife will roll her eyes and say “my dad used to say that” and I’ll laugh because so did mine, even though they grew up in different countries. I love that she calls tongs “badazzas” because that’s what her African mother calls them because she forgets the word. I love that I still sometimes quote things my childhood best friend said, or use a phrase that’s gone out of “internet talk” but my friend used to use it on livejournal in the 00s and I never grew out of it. I use the same fanfiction tag on here as I did when I wrote my first one, 20 years ago.

We collect phrasing from friends all over the world, and mimic their wording without realising it. “Same hat!” I say when my wife and I accidentally say the same thing in the group chat, and she sends a hat emoji at the same time. I remember explaining that phrase to her after my American friend used it. Now it’s a part of her. In France, they say “je suis mort!” the same way we say “I’m dead” when something is funny, and my best friend lives in France now, so now that’s how we all say it. They’ve adopted language from their new friends - friends who are Dutch and Irish and French and British but from a different generation - and the words have been sent across like a care package, unwrapped and pressed into the pages of my own vocabulary. “You sound just like M!” they’ll say, and we’ll laugh because we don’t know who that is. “No, we sound like you, and you sound like M.” And so on and so forth, until nobody remembers where they got a phrase from, it just exists.

I love that.

[raplinesmoon]

tw: long post (thankful if you spare a moment to read)

if you know me irl, you know my little sister is my absolute best friend in the whole world. we’ve grown up side by side, being two halves of the same soul, and we’ve never been far apart from each other in terms of distance (probably due to our mutual dependence on each other). which is why I was both proud when she got into the school of her dreams this past summer, and devastated when it meant she had to move across the country. for the first time, i couldn’t just drive over or take a train to her when i needed her.

i remember my mom being worried sick at the thought of her having to move so far away. it was right around Eid, a holiday we’ve always celebrated together as a family, and we knew she wouldn’t be able to come home this time. and it broke our hearts that distance meant we couldn’t be together, couldn’t take care of each other like we used to.

she found a roommate. a roommate who happened to be Palestinian. she has family in Gaza, family she can trace back for generations. we were honestly worried how’d they’d get along, but it turns out we didn’t need to be worried. because when my sister was spending her Eid alone, missing her family, her roommate’s mom brought her ma’amoul just so she wouldn’t feel the absence of a mother that day. when my sister is tired from studying for exams, her roommate will make her breakfast, so she can have the joy of a warm meal on days where she can barely take care of herself.

i think about this girl, who i barely know, and how she takes care of my sister in a way that brings me to tears. and then i think about her, and her family, and i wonder who’s taking care of them. i wonder if when this is all over, they’ll even be able to sit down at a breakfast table together. or send each other ma’amoul on Eid. after living through generations of brutal oppression, i want them to find a family in the rest of the world, just like my sister found a family in them.

i write this because i’ve seen too many numbers and statistics in the media, and i know how desensitizing seeing them can be. how it can feel like something going on so far away from the fabric of our ordinary lives. if you read this, i hope you remember this story, and if you’ve heard others, those stories as well. these are real people. they’re fighting for the chance to do the things we do every day - go to doctor’s appointments, do their homework, share dinner with family, listen to music, read books, walk peacefully on their streets. please keep them in your hearts.

[denimbex1986]

'Organisers of a legendary fundraiser for striking miners are returning to the same venue in Camden Town for a “good old bop” 40th anniversary event.

Tickets for the London Lesbian and Gays Support the Miners’ return to the Electric Ballroom, on May 16, are already selling out.

The Pits and Perverts line-up is yet to be finalised but it promises a night of music, dance, drag, political speakers and compered by cabaret and performance artist David Hoyle.

Synth-pop political agitators Bronski Beat headlined the original gig, in December 1984, which drew more than 1,500 fans, gay activists and striking coal miners from across the country to Camden Town.

The story of the LGSM and the night at the Ballroom has become iconic after it was retold in the 2014 film Pride and its glittering cast including George MacKay, Dominic West, Andrew Scott, Imelda Staunton and Bill Nighy among others.

One of the original LGSM organisers, Mike Jackson, told me this week how proud he was about the group’s role in not only supporting the miners – but also changing attitudes towards lesbian and gay people.

Mr Jackson, who lives in King’s Cross, said: “This is the only Pits and Perverts event we’ve had since the original. And it’s really pleasing to be back at the Electric Ballroom. It’s going to be a very diverse night and a good old bop.

“I hadn’t been back there since that day so it was a strange feeling to go in there when we were organising.

“There are lot of ghosts in the Electric Ballroom. So many famous acts have passed through.”

I last spoke to Mike when a signed original Pits and Perverts poster – designed by Kevin Franklin – was put up at the King Charles I pub in King’s Cross in 2022.

On Sunday he was up in Rotherham, Yorkshire, speaking to the miners at a 40th anniversary event.

He said: “I harked back to what it was like as a young gay man in the 60s and 70s. Nobody liked us: politicians, courts, police.

“We had no rights to fight back with. It’s great that things have changed so much with that – and to think how we played a role in it all.

“The unions played a role too.

“Because long before we got those rights enshrined in law, the trade union movement had been helping by starting to look at employment rights, and all the other things that trade unions do.

“When the equalities legislation came in with Tony Blair, there was already a worked-out template for employment rules thanks to the unions.”

Mr Jackson said the LGSM had been “reconstituted” following the Pride movie and that he was part of a group of four remaining working on the legacy.

“We’ve all this merchandise that is still incredibly popular.

“People love our T-shirts. We give the profits away to good causes. We don’t want to be a charity.

“We want to be political. It’s been great to work with the Lesbian and Gays Support the Migrants.

“They are like our next generation really.”

Mr Jackson, a horticulturist who worked at Camden Garden Centre for 16 years, said he was tiring a little physically in old age but still remained as angry as ever.

“The fire is still there. The anger is still there.

“What is this nonsense about people becoming more right wing as they get older? The older I get the more angry I get.

“Because in so much, f*** all has changed.

“I am 72 days before the gig. I can tell you what the news will be: housing, education, war, benefits, the welfare state, greedy capitalism.

“At the same time my best friend is my bed. Sometimes I scream at my bed: ‘I love you, bed.’

“So with all this I am a bit surviving on adrenalin. It’s a bit scary. We are a bunch of amateurs really and it’s a big venue to sell tickets for.

“With the original, we felt the same but once we secured Bronski Beat – I think their Smalltown Boy was No 1 – we knew it would be a success.”

And he revealed his latest theory on where the night got its very excellent name from.

Mr Jackson said: “There’s a great little video you can find called Framed Youth – The Revenge of the Teenage Perverts.

“It was a video project created by the Lesbian and Youth Project, as they were called then, where youngsters had been given training and access to making a video – it was a Ken Livingstone thing, I think.

“This was 42 years ago – two years before the miners strike.

“They go into Ridley Road market in Dalston and simply ask the question: Can you tell me what a lesbian is? It’s like ‘a murderer’, ‘a sex maniac’.

“It’s so comical, but also quite dark. The lesbians were p***ing themselves laughing.

“But that’s what we wanted to do – take the insult, neutralise it and throw it back at people.”

The film, which won an award, is available on YouTube.

The original concert raised more £5,500, which was distributed to families in need.

Tickets for the 7pm event cost £20 and are available on the Electric Ballroom website.'

[umichenginabroad]

Madrid Week 11: Basque-ing in Nature

Hola a todxs! Niko here, back again with week 11 (writing this during week 12 oops [I had a huge databases project that I grinded on all of last week, expect a double blog week soon]) of studying abroad in Madrid!! I’ve got a little over a month and a half left in Madrid. Near the beginning of the semester, I mentioned a VSauce video about time that I enjoyed a lot. Recently in my culture class, we discussed the same concepts. Upon reflection, I think that I’m experiencing time in an incredibly ideal way.

What do I mean? Time flies by fast. It feels like weeks go by in the blink of an eye. Last week, what seems like yesterday, it was March, and now we’re already halfway through April. Time flies when you’re having fun, and I think that much is true. I’m having a blast, experiencing a new world every week, and as a consequence, I’m not thinking about time as it passes. It doesn’t drag; It goes by quickly. 

But I’m still in lecture every week. And two of my classes (the engineering ones) are oftentimes unbearably boring. I feel time pass when I’m sitting in those chairs waiting for the time to go home. My life during the week is simple: go to class, cook meals, go to cafes to study. But on the weekends, I’m traveling across Spain and Europe, meeting new people, partying, the list goes on. So it’s kind of like a long-short time sandwich. I get to experience time dragging on in the moment, and I also get to experience it flying by. And, because the exciting experiences happen regularly and frequently, weekends fill up huge blocks in my memories that make it feel like I’ve been here for years. I would say that “it feels like just yesterday that I stepped foot off the plane” but no, it really doesn’t. It feels like an eternity ago, truly. 

So, I’m kind of milking time for nearly all that it’s worth, which I think is a W. We’ve only got so much of it in this life. Anyways, there goes my bi-monthly rant on time. Hopefully it didn’t drag on too much. Or hopefully it did. Or both. 🙂

Anyways, last weekend, I learned a very important lesson. Two of my roommates (Eli, Max) and a close friend (Jack) rented a car (#JeepTrailhawk) and took a trip up to Northern Spain (Please don't mind the terribly cheesy title), splitting our time between Basque cities and Spain’s best national park. The lesson? As much as I love cities — incredible amalgamations of culture, humanity and energy — I’ll never experience the same type of awe and amazement looking out over a skyline as I do gazing upon a range of staggeringly huge snow capped mountains. Let’s talk about the trip:

Gatzetelugatxwho?

We set out from Madrid late Thursday evening. After a short-lived yet intense fiasco with google maps sending us in a couple of loops around Madrid after someone (the driver) (Max) missed a couple of turns, we were on the highway headed North. We had about 4 hours of driving until we reached Bilbao, where we had rented an Airbnb for the night. It was a pretty drive — Madrid is surrounded by a beautiful Sierra not even 30 minutes outside of the center. We arrived at our Airbnb (which was situated in a weird liminal space-ish neighborhood) and crashed, ready to tackle the morning task: Gatztelugatxe.

Huh? Yes, I was as confused as you probably are the first time I read that word. Especially the tx, which is pronounced as ch in Euskera, the mysterious language of the Basque people that has no known origin or connection to any modern tongue. It looks and sounds weird, and in the Basque country you’ll see it everywhere. It almost feels like it could have been spoken in some far off kingdom in Game of Thrones. 

Speaking of, we went to Dragonstone, AKA Gatztelugatxe. Shout out whoever the location scout was for those scenes, because they absolutely killed it. The site was beautiful, and I think the pictures will speak for themselves.

After that, we drove a few more hours to San Sebastian and explored. The energy was incredible. Sunny weather, beautiful city side beach, Burnt Basque cheesecake, calming sunset and delicious food (pintxos = tapas in Euskera!). There’s not much more that I can say other than the fact that simply walking around and taking it all in was an absolute joy. 

We proceeded to drive 4 hours west that evening to our second stop of the weekend: Picos de Europa national park (driving quickly through Bilbao, which has a really cool modern architectural style). We arrived at our Airbnb in the pitch black around 12 am, stumbled our way inside, cooked a comically oversized dinner (1.5 kg of pasta is too much for 4 people btw) and prepared for our big hike the next day.

The Hike

We woke up bright and early (it was like 10am) Saturday morning, ready for the 7.5 mile, 3000 foot climb ahead of us. I’d done a 13 miler with a similar increase in elevation once before in the Texan desert (Marufo Vega trail in Big Bend, highly recommend), so I wasn’t too concerned with the difficulty — only with whether we picked a worthwhile trail. I was silly for underestimating “Lon - Río Burón - Peña de Mañimoco”.

We started by driving into a tiny town in the national park, parking on the side of the road and setting off into a dirt trail that winded shallowly up the mountain. At this point, I was unimpressed. Most of our view of the mountain ahead of us was blocked by trees, and the path felt too well kept to be the basis of the true rugged backcountry experience I desired. Jokingly, we pointed to the top of the mountain we were hiking towards when we got to a clearing, asking damn, wouldn’t it be crazy if we went up there.

Yeah, it would have been crazy, but I guess 3000 feet is not to be underestimated, especially if you start at 1000. The paved trail split off into a smaller one once we broke through the treeline, which split off into a gravel shoot winding up the ridge of the mountain we had joked about a mile or two earlier. The wind started picking up, threatening to throw us off the mountain at any second as we climbed higher and higher (it was seriously intense wind. Jumping up, we actually caught a little extra airtime).

Each switchback revealed a view of the mountain and the valley below that was more stunning than the last. We passed through a huge diversity of different terrains, each so distinct they felt like Minecraft biomes stitched together. We even happened upon a herd of domesticated cows (which we were terrified of passing out of fear that they would attempt to butt us off the face of the mountain... we thought they were wild at first). At one point, we came across a meadow that looked like it came straight out of a studio Ghibli movie. We quite literally frolicked in the grass as another hiker (the only other person we saw on the trail) watched us from behind a tree, hiding from the wind. We talked to that guy later, we called him the Wind Wizard.

On this hike, I felt something reminiscent of the feeling I got as a 6 year old playing imagination games in the basement of my childhood home — unashamedly wide-eyed excitement. Looking out over the Picos de Europa (literally, the peaks of Europe) I couldn’t help but smile. This is the feeling I mentioned at the beginning of this blog that I think I can only experience whilst totally immersed in nature. At its core, it’s rooted in mindfulness and gratitude for the present moment -- something that I try to practice as much as possible in my everyday life. 

However, the reason this trip ended up being one of my favorites I’ve taken so far wasn’t just for the things that I saw — it was for the people that I spent it with. As much as I enjoy the independence and exploration of solo-traveling, I think that experiencing new things with trusted friends will almost always be more enjoyable. Being rooted in that feeling of wonder with others makes it feel more exciting, more significant, more real — both while it’s happening, and in the memories that stay with us forever. 

We finished the hike with a steep decline down the mountain and ended up back at the car, where we drove into the larger town and got some drinks at a local cafe (where they had original craft beers on tap, and where I tasted the best Vermouth I've ever had). We left our airbnb early the next morning, but not before buying a block of cheese from the local Queseria (which was also absolutely fire). En fin, this was one of the most beautiful and rewarding hikes I've ever done, rivaled only by the aforementioned Marufo Vega. I think we chose well!

So, my key takeaways from this trip? Nature is awesome, and so is experiencing it (and life in general) with other people. At the end of the day, we’re just really smart animals who evolved (in nature) to be biased towards social behavior, so I guess that makes sense (#evolutionarypsychology?). I’ll be in the Bay Area this summer for an internship, and I’m really excited to go backpacking over the weekends in all of the epic nature that surrounds the area, meeting new people along the way.

Here's the itinerary list for this week's trip:

Basque Country Google Maps List

That’s all for this week’s blog! As always, check out the picture descriptions for a little more info. Thank you all very much for reading, and I’ll see y’all next week 🙂

Adios,

Niko Economos

Aerospace Engineering

Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

Madrid, Spain

economos@umich.edu 

[qnewsau]

Award-winning Kath & Kim drag parody play goes on tour

New Post has been published on https://qnews.com.au/award-winning-kath-kim-drag-parody-play-goes-on-tour/

Award-winning Kath & Kim drag parody play goes on tour

Crack open the Tia Maria and Jatz Crackers, because the award-winning Kath and Kim drag parody starring Art Simone & Thomas Jaspers is touring Australia, and Fountain Lakes on Lockdown is anything but a drag!

Covid lockdowns inspired comedian Thomas Jaspers to turn tragedy into comedy, as he fantasised about his favourite TV characters and it inspired an award-winning show that’s touring the nation.

“I started imagining Dorothy from the Golden Girls trying to teach online or making sourdough bread while in lockdown. And I have always been obsessed with Kath and Kim and Big Girl’s Blouse,” Jaspers told us.

“In lockdown, I couldn’t get the thought of mashing these two big parts of Australian culture together. Gina Riley and Jane Turner’s humour and the bizarre two years we spent in and out of our living rooms.”

Thus Fountain Lakes in Lockdown: A Drag Parody Play was born. It’s a love letter to a unique style of Australian comedy, as well as our unique pandemic experience.

“I kept the show in a drawer for a couple of years. I was sure it was a crazy idea that nobody wanted to see,” he said.

“Surely it was too niche, but every time I’d speak about it, it kept building.”

Niche it was not

Selling out its first extended season in Melbourne earlier this year, the show returns for Melbourne Fringe and is also touring across the country, including to Drag’d Out Beechworth.

“When Thomas reached out, I was excited,” Art Simone said who plays the Kath and Kim matriarch in the show.

“Live theatre is a whole new step for me. The world of drag I come from is very disposable. You put all this effort in, do it once and then you’re onto the next thing.

“It’s exciting to sink my teeth into a project where I can put all the detail and effort in. It’s also really rewarding to do such an iconic series justice.

“Audiences have said it’s like watching an episode live onstage. That’s the highest form of flattery, especially from die-hard fans. I’m so excited to take it across Australia.”

With the cast including Scott Brennan and Leasa Mann playing multiple characters, including the Covid virus and the Daniel Andrews Dancers and more. It’s set to have audiences across the east coast of Australia in stitches.

There’s always time for a laugh

“There’s something affirming about people wanting this show to come to their town,” Thomas told us.

“When you initially hear we are doing a parody or drag, you might think it’s tacky. But there’s a lot of heart in it.

“Many have found it a fun cathartic way to process the lockdown trauma they’re still harbouring post lockdown.”

Art added, “It’s wonderful we can all laugh about the most ridiculous parts of it now.

“It’s our shared experience. It will be interesting seeing how audiences in other states react and connect to it in their way.”

“Everyone is very much in on the joke,” Thomas added. “We’re watching these Kath & Kim characters go through COVID for the first time, but luckily we all know how it ends.

“Making light out of tragedy is what a lot of the character comedy in Australia is about.

“Taking people in difficult situations and trying to get some humour out of it. That’s very much what we’ve done with this show.”

Art laughs, “You won’t believe it, but I have friends who have never watched an episode of Kath and Kim. Those people exist!

“But regardless, they had the best time. They didn’t get half the references, but still enjoyed the comedy. Fountain Lakes in Lockdown has something for everyone.”

So what are you waiting for? From Beechworth to Brisbane and even the Sydney Opera House, grab your tickets to Fountain Lakes in Lockdown: A Drag Parody Play here.

For the latest LGBTIQA+ Sister Girl and Brother Boy news, entertainment, community stories in Australia, visit qnews.com.au. Check out our latest magazines or find us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

[gurugirl]

hey miss guru and anons 🫶🏼

i really need some advice/wisdom/tips, literally anything lol.

my bestest friend then turned situationship for 2yrs is leaving. We weren’t with anyone else but each other and basically acted as if in a relationship but without the title only cause I had this overwhelming fear of something going wrong and losing him… which inevitably happened.

I love him with everything in me and I know he does as well. But we both mutually called it quits bc he got offered an amazing career opportunity in another state. And I couldn’t leave where i’m currently living. I love my job but couldn’t have him pass this opportunity which he was debating to do. I pushed him to follow his dreams cause it’s what he’s always wanted and I ended up getting promoted at my job too which he said he wouldn’t want me passing either. We both talked about long distance but knew that it just wouldn’t work out. We can’t keep flying back and forth to see each other and our lives are too busy and it’s costly. So we came to the agreement that we’re just on different paths in life… and see where life takes us.

For the past 2 weeks we tried remaining just friends before he officially leaves (tomorrow morning) but we can’t and it hurts so much not being with him. And I selfishly want him and hate the idea of him with anyone but me. I’ve been constantly crying and literally had a breakdown/panic attack about him leaving… but I try my best to hide it around him because I know he’ll deny the offer if i’m hurting. We’ve been friends since kids. He was my first everything and I for him. He says how he’ll call me every day and made me promise him that i’ll stay in touch with him. But anytime we talk/call it always ends in one of us getting emotional. And he keeps trying to pass this opportunity bc he doesn’t wanna leave me but I can’t let him do that. I love him too much to allow him to give something up for me.

I talked with multiple people and everyone keeps saying that I need to let him go so he can move on too. But it hurts so fuck!ng bad and I just wish it didn’t have to end like this. I’ve never loved someone more and I don’t think I ever could. He was everything I’ve ever wanted in a man and he helped me through my darkest times. We always talked about a future together and he wanted it for the longest.

So how do I move on from someone who was so amazing to me and that I love deeply? Because no matter what I do everything reminds me of him. I wish I had a reason to hate him it would be soooo much easier.

Hi hon 💕 Ahhh this is so hard ☹️ And what I’m going to say won’t make you feel better necessarily, not now at least, because stuff like this isn’t made better with anything but time. But what you’re both doing is probably for the best. I don’t know how old either of you are but if you’re still very young you should know that having a broken heart is kind of just part of life.

Letting him take the good job opportunity will, in the end, be a better decision.

I’ve actually been through something like this before. The first guy I loved left to go across the country and it felt like the hardest thing either of us ever did. We were still very much in love when he had to go. My situation was a little different but it felt so painful. It was so painful. I felt like part of me was severed and it took a lot of time to start feeling better.

Spending time with friends and allowing myself to cry helped but over time I started to feel better and it’s been a long time since that and while I still do think of him every now and then, we have much better lives apart with other people than we would have if we had stayed in our home state and continued dating.

This is hard hon. It’s not easy. Many compare the pain of a breakup (when you’re in love) to the pain of the death of a loved one and I believe that.

There’s nothing to say that one day you two couldn’t reunite but maybe for now it’s okay to step away and just feel all the feel and experience life without him.

I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this. I feel your pain and anyone’s who been through this knows the way it feels excruciating and like it’ll never stop hurting but one day it will and you’ll feel better. I promise.

I’m sending you all my love sweetheart ❤️

Xoxo

[mwilliams93]

Blog 13 1/17

People in France were generally nicer when we went places and didn’t know how to speak the given language. This really surprised me because I feel like there’s a stereotype of French people not liking Americans given the language barrier. I went to a French cafe and ordered a sandwich. No one working there spoke English in complete sentences. When I couldn’t figure out the ticket system it seemed like everyone behind the counter wanted to help me get the sandwich. Eventually I got my sandwich and I still felt like I was welcomed into the restaurant to eat despite not speaking the language. This contrasts with my experience in Siena where my friends and I went out to eat. The woman who was serving us very obviously didn’t want us in there. Her English was good enough to get by but she seemed very upset that she had to use it. It was the only time in our time in Europe that I felt truly unwelcome in a restaurant. The food was great but the woman serving us took a lot away from the overall experience. We had a similar experience one night ordering gelato.

As I write this, I realize how much of the culture I’ve experienced has been through the food. Eating food was one of the main things we had time to break away from the group for. Eating outside of the group allowed us to live how the people in the city we were staying in lived. My friends and I started this almost immediately in Rome when we found a local coffee shop we went to every morning before meeting with the rest of the group at breakfast. I can count on one hand the bad meals we’ve had. One specific night that stood out was when we wandered around in Old Nice, trying to find something to eat, and we came across a place called Pasta. This was after a lot of Googling and walking around. It ended up being one of the best pasta dishes I’ve had so far. Both countries have consistently had great food regardless of the price point, quality of service, or location. Eating food in the two countries allowed us to be surrounded by the local people, not just tourists.

[sweatyhumanoiddreamclam]

It’s been a while since my last update. Life has changed for me in so many ways since the last time I wrote. It just goes to show that when you try to make plans for your future, God just laughs at you. No, I am not religious, but I do believe everyone has a path they are meant to take and sometimes it’s not always the path we think it is. Accepting that has been actually very freeing for me. 

Before 2022 came to an end, I was convinced my life needed so much changing. Like I said previously, I was hyper-fixating on a lot of the negativity in my life. I was also so fixated on the idea that I need to do everything on my own going forward, and I’ve come to realize that’s just not the case. It’s okay to accept help, and it’s also okay to not be alone. Being independent is good, and you can be independent, even if you’re not always doing everything by yourself. 

My plan was to move across the country and start a new life. I am still open to that entirely, but I’ve been tossing a lot of new ideas and places around in my mind. Maybe Colorado isn’t where I need to be. Look, don’t get me wrong, I love it there. My 2 very best friends in the world live there, and I miss them dearly. All the time. Lately, I’ve just been feeling different. Maybe it's because of all the new things that have entered my life, maybe it’s just me growing in a new direction, I don't know for sure. But I’m feeling slightly less called to Colorado than I was a few months ago. However, I do still plan to move out of state. I’ve been leaning towards the warmer states, as this harsh winter in Minnesota has me feeling a bit down lately. But onto the new-new things going on for me. 

Here’s the thing.. I met someone. I was not looking for love at all, but they do say, when you stop looking for love, love finds you. I guess it’s true. I’ve met a really incredible guy, and not to get all mushy, but I mean he is truly perfect for me in every way. Over the course of the past year trying to meet someone I am compatible with, I’ve been on numerous nightmare dates and had casual flings that never really went anywhere, and it honestly made me feel a bit used at times. As a matter of fact, looking back at my dating life the past few years has been excruciatingly painful and difficult for me. Man, I think I might even make a separate journal entry about those men just because there is so much to share, and honestly, a lot of it is story worthy. No doubt. 

But this guy. I mean he just treats me like a literal angel. He simps for me so hard. He takes care of me, and honestly is obsessed with me in a way that I absolutely love. I guess I’m just used to dating emotionally unavailable men, but this man makes me feel so seen, heard, and cared for. In ways I never imagined a partner would. We met in July of 2022, but we did not become a couple until just under 2 months ago. I’ve loved every minute being with him and I can see that it is mutual. And get this: He’s on board with my plans to move, and he wants to come with me! I feel so blessed. 

Yes, I know that's a huge commitment, to move across the country with someone you’ve only been with for 2 months might seem ridiculous. Maybe it is. But we have decided to run a test trial on ourselves. So starting the end of next month, I will be moving out of my current apartment and into his. We are going to see what living together is like before taking the step of moving away together. We’ve already moved my cat into his apartment with his 2 cats, and it's actually going really well. I am excited for our journey together.

So, as you can see, my plans and mindset have definitely shifted since the last time I posted an entry here. It’s exciting. It also has me realizing that I should not focus too much on being in control of my life, rather than just go with the flow and allow my path to take its course. I can get behind that. In case it isn’t obvious by now, I am really happy. 

Here’s to the new year, and new beginnings! 

P.S. I think I really will make an entry about the nightmares of my dating life previous to my current relationship, so if you’re interested, keep an eye out! #TheTeaIsHot

(I do not own the rights to the attached photo. Source linked.)

[mali121216]

Saturday 7th January 2023 @ 0212h

Hey Babu,

I’m not sure why I still write to you to be honest, you and I are in a good place in real life at the moment, there’s no awkwardness or uncomfortable silences, you actually text me unprompted to update me on things in your life now, but I guess we still only really talk at surface level.

So much happened in 2022, it feels like it simultaneously flew by and also stretched on forever, I suppose it depended on what was happening at the time, but that was a whole year we’ve been apart, well almost 13 months now.

13 months feels like it should be enough time for me to have entirely moved on and left our relationship in the past, and to an extent I have, I almost fell for 2 people last year, Cal and Josh, both of whom were so different to you, and both of whom I could actually see a future with. Circumstantially I didn’t get a chance to properly explore a relationship with either of them, however, I’m still on goof friendship terms with both... very true to my style. Sometimes I can go a whole day without thinking about you, without anything triggering a memory of us, it’s rare but it surprised me that it was possible. Thankfully now when I do think of you and us, it’s no longer painful (with the exception of major dates like birthdays/holidays/anniversaries), most of the time it is a positive thought or memory that arises, sometimes neutral, but more like remembering times with a best friend that moved away and your lives grew apart. If I stop to properly analyze my feelings for you, I don’t think it would be accurate to say I’m still actively in love with you, I definitely still love you with all my heart, and I still believe you to be the love of my life, and I think were I to go back to spending time with you frequently; I would easily fall back in love with you... I don’t know if there is a word or phrase to describe this stage, maybe in some dead or foreign language, but it is strange, and I wish I knew how long it would last, because despite the time, despite the distance, despite the clear separation of how my feelings are now to how they were 13 months ago, deep down it still feels like I’m waiting, like I know we’re destined to get back together eventually even though I know that rationally it will never be the case. I don’t have the experience or understanding to distinguish whether this is just longing for your comfort and familiarity or a cosmic sensation, I would give anything to have the answers... instead I wait; wait for things to fall into place while I work my ass off to make myself the best version of who I am. 

I kind of wish I could brag to you about how far I’ve come in 2022... I left you and 5 years of what I built my life towards behind and moved over 1000kms away across a border, I moved back to a hometown that no longer felt like home and rebuilt myself in your absence. I got my own house and started living entirely independently, I even became a mother/protector figure to the girls I live with, I began a career in medical admin and worked in both a psychology clinic and a general practice - I helped a lot of patients, I rejoined the AAFC and put my all into 335SQN - getting back into teaching and admino work, I bartended LGBTQIA+ events and emo raves, at one point I was consistently working 3 different jobs every week. I made new friends and reconnected with old, I got a loan and booked a trip to Europe where I’m going to travel through 17 different countries, I went to music festivals and house parties, I sat my GAMSAT twice, had my graduation, and was the subject of a boudoir photoshoot. I went museums and galleries, stand-up comedy, musical theatre, and the ballet. I ticked actual items off my bucket list... 

I’ve come so far, and I’ve done it completely alone, financially and emotionally, I’ve done this entirely myself. It’s empowering and invigorating and I’m proud of myself, but there is still that voice in my head that yearns for you to be a part of it, to be in it with me... we always did do a good job of taking on each other’s battles and supporting one another through our accomplishments... I loved that about us. 

I miss you Ali and my mind goes crazy thinking about what could have been if I’d never left, where would we be now... would you have fallen out of love with me regardless, would your mind have changed about marriage and children if we managed to get our own place and independence, would I have still broken up with you because of the problems we face with your lack of emotional awareness and communication skills. I’ll never know but at this point I don’t think I’ll ever stop waiting to find out. 

[cyarskj1899]

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Angela Yea Bids Farewell to 'The Breakfast Club': 'This Has Been Legendary' [Video]

December 02, 2022 12:24 PM PST

After holding it down for 13 years on the radio as the only female member of The Breakfast Club, Angela Yee finally saying goodbye to The World’s Most Dangerous Morning Show.

via: HipHopDX

Various clips from the celebratory day surfaced online, and it was all a fan of the popular radio program could want from the trio that spent 12 years together dominating the Hip Hop radio waves across the country.

In one clip capturing Yee’s final moments on the show, Charlamagne Tha God shared touching words for his co-host, telling her what a great job she has done on the show.

“I do want to just say, Angela Yee, job well done,” Charlamagne said. “Job well done. They can never take away what we built. We’ve all made history together as a radio show, we’re in the Radio Hall of Fame. We are linked together forever, and us three have created a blueprint for a lot of people to follow.”

He continued: “I just thank God for bringing us together, and I thank God for the last 13 years. I can’t wait to see what God has planned for us next, and I know that it’s going to be incredible and I know you’re going to have tremendous success with Way up with Angela Yee.”

DJ Envy added: “I’m going to miss my sister. I’m not going to miss you taking stabs at me, [but] I’m going to miss my sister.”

Drink Champs co-host and former rapper N.O.R.E. called into the live broadcast, with The Breakfast Club crew sharing their memories with him over the years. However, he didn’t want to take the limelight away from Yee too much.

“Come on, let’s let it be about Angela today,” N.O.R.E. said. “That’s right, we’re gonna miss you. We’re gonna miss you, even though you’re gonna be right down the block. You’re still getting that holy moly N.O.R.E. guacamole, so I want to wish you the best. I want to wish The Breakfast Club — you guys have broke ground, you guys have made history.”

He continued: “There’ll never be another Breakfast Club. I want to give y’all flowers, and I especially want to give it to you Yee because you’ve been my sister throughout this whole thing, and I love you and continue to have your success to all three of y’all.”

N.O.R.E then closed out his call with a prayer, where he said he hopes Kanye West “goes back to normal,” which caused Yee to say they’re not going to mix the two during the touching moment. The prayer continued with the “Superthug” MC wishing The Breakfast Club the best on their next journey.

Angela Yee’s mother also called in to say how proud she was of her daughter and sent her best wishes. She also avoided any questions regarding Angela being up to no good with her friends.

Detroit City Council President Mary Sheffield had a few words to share with Yee over the phone as she praised her for representing her hometown and inspiring those in the city. She also celebrated Yee’s entrepreneurial spirit and always giving back to Detroit.

At the end of the broadcast, Angela Yee shared a final toast with the entire Breakfast Club crew backstage as everyone said their final goodbyes to her.

“We’ve had quite a run, so I just want to thank everyone that was up here with us. Looks like the pandemic is over, this is like a super spreader,” she joked. “But thank everybody for just being here with us and rocking with us for so long. We’re in the Radio Hall of Fame, that is a huge deal, we don’t take that for granted.”

She continued: “It takes a team of people to be able to do this so I’m excited for what The Breakfast Club is going to do. So I want to make sure if there’s anything I can do to make the transition smooth other than come up there and work, I will make sure to help in anyway.”

Yee closed out her speech by saluting the 12 years she put in with Charlamagne Tha God and DJ Envy while also establishing their dominance by asking who else has done it like them.

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[awakeanytime]

Alright. Now that I’ve had some time to process the last few days of horrors it’s time for me to talk some bullshit

I think it’s so important that no one has really acknowledged any of the outfits. Not that they’re ignoring Gerard’s expression, but that the energy is so totally normal and comfortable up on those stages all across the country, that they don’t need to say anything, because what is there to say? It’s just four people, best friends, opening their chests in hopes that some of us out there might feel the same way as them.

We find meaning in where we place our hearts. We find love and acceptance and sheer, unbound joy in those we have looked up to from our darkest days. We are not who the performance is for, but the generator that provides the energy for it to happen. We are the veins, the arteries. They are the heart.

None of it is for us. It’s all for him, and his sense of self, and the freedom they feel letting us into something that is so, so important to them. I think I could write every poem in the universe, and I could stitch together every possible combination of words, and none of it would ever convey just how I feel about any of what we’ve been allowed to experience in the past few months.

My Chemical Romance is an American rock band from New Jersey, and it is the people within it, the hearts beating around it, and every life touched by it. It is a living, breathing message. It is dangerous. It is loud. It is forgiveness, and it is acceptance, and it is care.

My Chemical Romance is made of love. I don’t know if I’ll ever experience something like it again.