#saturday freestyle

[mccek]

Saturday Night Dance Ep:57

[unsponsoreduk]

Social Media Saturday 27 April 2024

Welcome to Unsponsored and Social Media Saturday 27 April 2024. Social Media Saturday 27 April 2024 Enjoy! Continue reading Social Media Saturday 27 April 2024

[freakquency96]

Freakquency - Like That Freestyle (Prod. By 2LegitJay)

[brinemcallister]

Haiku for Saturday

Sleep ‘til afternoon. Binge watch crime shows and dramas. Self care with calm; rest.

[sylvies-chen]

OFMD WEEK 2023

Ahoy there, pirates! OMFD season 2 is right around the corner so I wanted to organize an official OFMD WEEK to celebrate! I’ve tried to come up with some original prompts for each day, and it will run from Sunday, September 24th to Saturday, September 30th right before season 2 drops. Make sure to use the hashtag #OFMDWeek2023 so that we can locate your works and keep it all in one place. I hope many of you are able to participate and support those who do by liking and reblogging their posts, as well as reblogging this to get the word around! I’ll be posting reminders and updates leading up to it. Have fun and get creative with it!!

OFMD Week Prompts:

Day 1 (September 24th): Favourite crew member

Writers: write a fic about a character’s past or origins if they haven’t already been explored in the show. It’s your last chance to cement any headcanons into writing before season 2 adds new info to the mix on your favourite crew member

Gifmakers: freestyle/favourite character’s highlights

Artists: freestyle

Day 2 (September 25th): Music Monday

Writers: you know the drill, it’s song lyric title time!! Use lyrics from songs of your choice to inspire a story

Gifmakers: either use song lyrics from songs of your choice in your gifsets OR use your favourite song feature from season 1 in your gifsets

Artists: draw the crew/characters as your favourite bands or singers! wanna see Ed as Prince? Stede in full ABBA gear? The crew as KISS? Queen? Draw them at the Eras Tour? Get creative with it!

Day 3 (September 26th): Recurring themes/symbols

Writers: put your favourite recurring themes or symbols to action and expand them in a fic

Gifmakers: favourite recurring themes/symbols (i.e. the red handkerchief, the petrified orange, the lighthouse, the teal earring, the kraken, etc.) OR parallels

Artists: incorporate your favourite colour motif or symbol into your artwork

Day 4 (September 27th): Favourite ships

Writers: FLUFF GALORE! Since season 2 will undoubtedly serve us much angst, your mission is to write something as delightful and fluffy as can be for your favourite ships

Gifmakers: favourite ship + best moments from season 1

Artists: similar to the writers, draw your favourite ships, from canon couples to rarepairs, doing something fluffy and domestic

Day 5 (September 28th): AU/Crossover Mania

Writers: write any AUs or crossovers that you would want to see!!

Gifmakers: FREE SPACE - this is a hard one to attempt for gifsets so consider this day your day to post whatever creative, colourful, or fun gifsets you may have planned!

Artists: draw OFMD character(s) in an alternate universe OR crossing paths with another fictional universe entirely 👀

Day 6 (September 29th): Friendship Friday

Writers: prompt is found family or friendship fluff! take the time to explore in writing your favourite on screen (or not yet seen) friendships

Gifmakers: favourite crew moments or friendship moments from season 1

Artists: draw an unlikely duo and a passtime they’d both enjoy (or just any friendship from the show, this one has lots of flexibility to it)

Day 7 (September 30th): Season 2 theories and trailer moments

Writers: this is the last chance to get in any speculation fics!

Gifmakers: favourite moments and looks from the trailer

Artists: draw your predictions or your favourite outfits from the promos

Again, make sure to tag all your work using the #OFMDWeek2023 tag!

Oh, and post this to Twitter if you can. Get the word around! Happy creating everyone, season 2 is on its way! 🏳️‍🌈

[em-dash-press]

Drafting Your Creative Time: Your Guide to Planning a Year of Creative Writing

2024 is about to start. You’re going to venture into another year of writing incredible stories, but what will that practically look like? I feel more in charge of my creativity by planning rough writing schedules. Here’s how you can do the same without locking yourself into a too-strict calendar that leaves your writing spirit depleted.

Set One Writing Goal

Twelve months is a lot of time, but anyone can handle a single goal. Make the next year easy on yourself by picking one thing you want to accomplish (and let’s not make it “publish my novel” if you’re just starting the manuscript on January 1, given how it takes roughly 18 months of work after you get an agent) (and that can take a few weeks to a few years, depending on your querying experience!). 

Try picking a manageable writing goal like these:

I will write 10 chapters of my novel.

I will make a collection of 5 short stories I write this year.

I will submit a short story to at least 3 contests this year.

I will publish one new work of fanfiction in the next 12 months.

I will write one short story in a new genre.

Publishing a book can be a long-term goal, but your 2024 goal should be easy to break down into manageable steps you can accomplish by yourself. You’ll be more likely to reach the finish line and work toward another goal.

Establish a Stress-Free Writing Schedule

Creativity comes and goes, but your writing will never get done if you don’t form some kind of schedule. Your upcoming year could look something like this:

I’ll write every Wednesday night between 7-7:30 p.m.

I’ll use voice-to-text to get my story-related thoughts on virtual paper for five minutes every morning before school.

I’ll do freestyle writing for five minutes on Mondays and Saturdays to keep my thoughts flowing, even if I don’t find more time to work on my story that week.

Your schedule should be realistic, which means it shouldn’t stress you out. Make it match your weekly and daily routine. When do you naturally feel most energized? When can you carve out ten minutes for your craft? 

Remember, you can always (and should!) adjust this set schedule as time goes on. Your non-creative schedule most likely won’t look the same on January 1 as it will on December 31.

Save a Few Writing Prompts

You might have a few weeks here or there when you’re juggling life’s responsibilities and can’t get to your WIP. It happens to all of us!

When you’re busy, try answering a writing prompt in three sentences or less. Use your phone, a sticky pad, or whatever’s nearby. You never know if it’ll inspire you later when you’re free to write.

In the meantime, you’ll keep using the creative side of your brain so your writing abilities don’t feel so distant.

Check out these prompt apps if getting online isn’t your thing or takes too much time from your busy schedule!

Find a Writing Community

There are so many ways to build a writing community. Start a tumblr about it (guilty as charged) or join a Facebook group. Find an active Reddit thread about your favorite genre or join a Discord server with writers. 

You don’t even need to start talking to others and making friends if it makes you anxious. Read what people are saying to get inspired by everyone. You’ll naturally join in when you get excited about something they’re discussing and keep creative writing at the front of your mind.

Read Lots of Books

I always feel more connected to my writing when I’m actively reading. Artists of any kind need a source of inspiration to keep their creativity flowing. Keep an actively growing To Be Read list with apps like Story Graph (a Goodreads-type app that isn’t owned by Amazon and gives so much more information about your curated reading history!).

Visit your local library if you don’t have the money for new books all the time (who does?). As you get inspired by what you read, you’ll also pick up skills from authors you admire or note things you don’t want to recreate. Study each story’s structure and character development. You’ll return to your WIPs with renewed passion.

Embrace the Scary Editing Stage

Your first draft is your thoughts and dreams poured out on paper. The editing stage is where you refine and re-write your work until it shines. Set aside specific time for editing after completing a first draft of any story. Even if your editing phase doesn’t take very long, working on line edits and developmental edits will make your work so much better.

It’s also a normal form of frustration for writers, but one that happens no matter where your writing goes (on fanfiction websites, short story contests, a literary agent’s desk, etc.).

Schedule Your Rest

Writing might feel like a natural hobby, but your brain and body still need to rest after periods of intense focus/work. Schedule rest periods into your daily or weekly calendar. It’s time to recharge in whatever ways best suit your body, like:

Sitting outside

Walking in a park

Reading

Sitting in a hot bath

Going to the movies

Sleeping in

Keep in mind that sometimes you’ll need more rest than others. Extend some self-compassion by checking in with your physical and mental energy frequently during the next year. If you take time to rest, you’ll be less likely to burn out creatively.

-----

This next year will be full of growth, challenges, and joys in your writing life. Embrace every second by resting and writing in new ways.

[baby-alien11]

Procura coquetearme más

Ethan Landry (Kirsch, Bailey or I don't how what his real last name is) x mexican fem reader

warnings: no ghostface (in this universe Richie actually died in a car accident), friends to lovers

I found @katzluvs idea while looking more Ethan fics, and I instantly thought of the entire school year that I spend at quinceañeras every weekend (including mine) and I got a lot of memories

You and Ethan met during a tour of Blackmore University when both of you were still in high school, being you the one who aproached him noticing how he sent glances at you and his shy aura, let's say that for the entire tour he didn't left your side being a little scared to loose himself from the group

After that, the both of you were inseparable spending time together even knowing each others families (and even knowing what happenned with his older brother)

"So, my cousin is having her quinceañera this weekend", you said while the both of you were watching a movie in his house and eating pizza, "They told me I could bring someone, and I thought of you, what do you think?"

"I've never been in a party like that, or even a normal party", he responded a little nervous

"It doesn't matter, it will be fun, I promise, you could say it's like a family reunion"

"It sounds fun, okay", Ethan nodded making you smile, "But, I don't know how to dance"

"It's easy", you shrugged getting up from the rug, "Come on"

A little doubtful, he did the same while you searched in your Spotify for a song, which was 'Criminal' by Natti Natasha and Ozuna

"Let's have a little class, we will start with urban style, this is like freestyle", you instructed, "Try to move your hips and relax"

At first it was hard because he haven't dance in his entire life, but he kinda understood, kinda, following with something a little more coreographed, 'Procura' from Chichi Peralta

"This is a little more traditional, we could call it a cumbia if we want to say, the ones who dance this more are the adults, but it would help, take my hands and follow me"

Nervous, he took your hands following your moves feeling more confident and tought that the dance was fun

"Okay, with this you can dance all the songs in that style, but the more difficult challenge is this", you said playing 'Payaso de Rodeo', "This is indespensible to learn, beacuse everyone is on the dance floor during this, and if you could hold it, we are going to be one of the few people standing"

"Is this a contest?", Ethan asked with confusion

"No", you replied, "But is fun"

Due to being a little more active, both of you made more space in his room to start practicing the dance, often crashing into each other between laughes, not noticing that Wayne and Quinn were watching everything from the door with confusion, Quinn filming the whole thing for fun

The day of the party who was saturday, Ethan had a little breakdown due to the fact that he didn't know what to wear until he asked you, and you answered saying a suit will be fine

"Who wears a suit to a family reunion?", Ethan asked while pacing in the living room

"I was curious and searched for those type of parties", Quinn said, "It's a big deal, like their MET Gala, also, if she has some hot cousin, can you get his number for me?"

"Are you fucking serious right now?", Ethan exclaimed in disbelief

"Kids, calm down", Wayne interrupted the discussion, "Ethan, here you go, is my jacket and Richie's old formal pants and you have a white formal shirt, it should be fine"

"Thanks dad", Ethan sighed taking the pieces of clothes, "Do you think I need a tie or something?"

"First go take a shower and dress, we'll disscus it later", Wayne instructed gently pushing him towards the bathroom

"Do you think he's going to kiss her today?", Quinn asked her father Ethan entered the bathroom

"I hope so", Wayne sighed

A few hours later, Ethan was still in his room getting ready with Quinn's help, deciding that a tie was no needed, when they heard how the front door was being open follow by your voice, so they hurried to the living room

When Ethan saw you in a light pink jumpsuit and golden high heels with your hair in small waves and golden accesories, he stopped for a moment before Quinn moved his arm in a sign to come back to this reality

"Ethan, hi", you exclaimed hugging him, "You look great"

"Thanks", he smiled with shyness, "You look gorgeous, well, you always look gorgeous"

Laughing a little because of his nervous tone, you took the time to notice he was wearing a black jacket and pants with a white formal shirt with the first two buttons undone, no tie in sight

After a few minutes of Quinn taking photos of both of you, you and Ethan were free to go towards the entrance of the building were your family car was waiting in the street

"Ethan!", your little sister screamed running in his direction, at what him took her in his arms, "I'm so happy your coming"

"I'm too", he responded with sincerity, "You look like a little princess"

"Y/N help me to choose it", she said gesturing the bright pink puffy dress

"¡Niños, apurense!", your mom screamed from the passenger seat, "¡Vamos a llegar tarde!"

Making your way to the car, the six year old child was the first to enter followed by you and Ethan

"Mijo, te ves guapisimo", your mom said turning to watch Ethan

"Gracias", Ethan smiled with his cheeks burning red understanding what she said due to the fact that you teach him some spanish

The moment the car parked outside the building of the events room and Ethan saw all the cars in the parking lot, he knew his sister was serious about the topic

"Here's what you need to know", you said while walikg behind your parents, "La quinceañera will enter after everyone is here, it will probably take an hour, right know they are en la misa de celebración and they will take a lot of photos, after her arrival she will make her gran entrada, following with the waltz and her surprise dance, the snacks and desserts table is closed until after the dances, the little ones had their own menu which is like fast food or something like that, the adults have fancy food, only the adults get to drink the alcohol, gracias a Dios que ya tenemos dieciocho, usually the teens are on the dance floor during the reggeatón songs, and they are outside after that, mostly the couples, during the part were the teens are on the dance floor, the DJ usually gives ballons, hats with funny phrases, funny accesories, it's crazy, don't mind the kids sleeping in chairs it's normal, ¿alguna pregunta?"

"I think not", Ethan answered while the both of you sit in the lounge area, "I tought you only said family only"

"By family, I meant everyone alive from both sides, friends of the family, friends of the quinceañera, and also her brother's friends, oh, and be careful with the aunts", you explained while a waiter aproached to the small sofa, "Dos daiquiris de fresa con vodka, por favor"

"What do you mean to be careful with the aunts?"

"They usually made uncomfortable questions to people that they don't know, in this case, you, don't worry, I'll be by your side", you smiled while taking one of this hands

At first, that gesture took him by surprise but he eventually felt confident enough to bring your hand to his face to leave a kiss on the back, making you blush

Not noticing your parents watching from afar

"Definitivamente van a besarse para el final de la noche", your mother commented

"No estoy listo para que tenga novio", your dad argued with your little sister in his arms

"Me agrada Ethan", the six year old said while playing with a doll, "Cuando va a casa juega a las muñecas conmigo"

Back at the lounge, you and Ethan were enjoying your drinks or taking photos with your hands still together in his lap

Just like you said, some aunts aproached to say hi and ask about Ethan, some uncomfortable cuestions, some not, but the most common was if the two of you were dating, which both of you denied

Just like you said, soon, the entire room was full of people of all ages, everyone dress in their best clothes, when a group of teenagers aproached the both of you to ask if they could use the extra space in the couches, both of you ended up sitting in a corner with you almost on his lap for the lack of space

During the waltz you recorded part of the dance, not noticing the loving look Ethan was giving you, but some younger cousins did, gigling of how cute that was, but neither of you noticed that

After the dances and speach, Ethan was quick in running to the food tables to grab something for the both of you before the other teens ended it

After the dinner was done, all the teenagers filled the big dance floor leaving empty the lounge area, but even after that, you and Ethan stayed together just enjoying the party

"Do you want to dance?", Ethan asked suddenly making you to look him with surprise, "I-I mean, you teach me how to"

"I would love to", you interrupted him

Smiling in confidence, Ethan took your hand to lead you to a free area in the dance floor to dance without bumping onto someone, but you noticed his nervous self looking anywhere but your eyes, in which you took his chin between your fingers connecting your eyes

"Sueltate, ¿esta bien?", you said smiling, "Diviertete"

His body was a little stiff at the beggining, but seeing you move your entire body at the rythim of the urban and reggeatón music made him do the same taking your hands at first, moving them until they ended in your waist, while yours were in the back of his neck

Even when the more "traditional" songs came, both of you still dance with the song while laughing because all the fun both of you were having

"Do you want to get some air?", Ethan asked watching how you were sweating and gasping for air

"Por favor", you nodded

After telling your parents that you were going to get some air, both of you went to the terrace were you sit on one of the bunks in front of the pool, noticing the cold night, Ethan was quick to put his jacket in your shoulders

"So, what do you think?", you asked taking your heels off

"This is wild and fun", Ethan responded, "I definitely want to come to another"

"Well, you are lucky that another cousin is turning quince in a few months"

"But, I don't want to came as only your friend", Ethan said causing you to look at him in surprise, "I like you, since that day we met at the Blackmore tour, and I'm glad you aproached because I honestly couldn't have the courage to do it myself, and..."

Interrupting him mid-phrase, you leaned over to kiss him at what he was surprised at first but soon he circled your waist with his arms, while your hands were in his curls and neck

The lack of air was the thing that made both of you break the kiss, but your foreheads were still together, during those moments, one of Ethan's hands travelled from your waist to the back of your neck

"In that case, do you want to come to the next ones as my boyfriend?", you asked softly tugging at some strands of his hair

"Me encantaría", Ethan answered with almost perfect pronuncation

For the next few minutes, you and Ethan stayed in the same position sharing small pecks and holding each other, enjoying each other's company

That was until the first melodies of Payaso de Rodeo started sounding, causing the both of you to run inside the room to join the dance

[mccek]

Saturday Night Dance Ep:52 (4)

[unsponsoreduk]

Social Media Saturday 20 April 2024

Welcome to Unsponsored’s social media Saturday. This one is Social Media Saturday 20 April 2024. Social Media Saturday 20 April 2024 Enjoy! Continue reading Social Media Saturday 20 April 2024

[starrysnowdrop]

Happy Saturday everyone!! 👋

So Lalapril is almost over, and I’m very happy that all is going well! If I keep it up, I’ll have the whole month done, which will be the very first time I would complete a monthly challenge thingy without skipping any of the prompts! In fact, today’s prompt is my favorite one so far, and I hope you all enjoy it!! 🥰

Next is the realization I had last night, that Monday is my birthday and Hali’s nameday but I haven’t planned anything for it. I still have to do the Lalapril prompt for that day and so I’m thinking of combining the prompt with Hali’s nameday as well… but I’m still figuring it all out. I just hope I can be creative enough. We shall see.

As of right now, I’m not doing Mayncient like I had originally thought, because I’m afraid of burning myself out from two straight months of daily prompts. Instead, I’m looking forward to getting back to some more writing and freestyling with my gposes, because though I’m very proud of myself for making this far in Lalapril, I feel like I’ll just get burned out if I try another monthly project. I apologize if you were looking forward to that, but I think that’s what will be best for my sanity and to keep my creative energy going strong.

Anyways, I think that’s all I’ve got for now. Please look forward to the last prompts for Lalapril, and I hope you have a great weekend y’all!!!

💖 ~ Hali

[strangesickness]

more losers swim team AU hcs because yeah

bill is the first of the losers to break 30s on the 50 free and everyone is very cool and awesome and normal and not at all gay about how he looked when he was halfway dying gripping the edge of the pool and beaming up at the board (including beverly, beverly is also gay about it)

eddie and richie frequently get in trouble and have nearly been disqualified at meets because they talk so much shit at each other behind the blocks and after races when they're in lanes beside each other (which would happen frequently because lane placement is based on time and they are almost the exact same speed with one barely beating the other back and forth alternating forever)

since the women race before the men and therefore bev would never have races at the same time as the rest of the losers she has taken it upon herself to be their number one hypeman AND hater. she will cheer long after she's lost her voice but she will also be annoying as fuck about the rest of the losers and their various shortcomings (eddie breathes too often during sprints, bill gets nervous going into the wall, ben looks over his shoulder on backstroke, richie doesn't kick as hard as he should, stan comes up too early off dives, and mike takes strokes too quickly on breaststroke)

richie doesn't dry off before putting his deck shirt on so its always gross and damp and cold and sits weirdly on him. he also puts his parka on without drying off and he never hangs it up to dry after meets so it smells. SO bad.

also richie's hair is long & thick so his hair is like. always wet basically. by the time it dries he has another practice to attend. he has gotten pneumonia multiple times from going outside with wet hair in workout clothes

stan and mike were passing a medicine ball back and forth during dryland one time and they were so engaged in their discussion that they dropped it in the deep end. they were both dried off at this point so they made richie go get it lol.

all of the losers took their lifeguard courses together, they just spent an entire summer getting all of their qualifications. all of their instructors hated them but they had a blast. whenever they need to recert they go together and they all sleepover on the saturday night and make a thing of it

lifeguard training was hell on eddie's medical anxiety, but by the end of the course he feels a lot more confident and secure. he even finds the recerts fun!

stan and richie are At War and will pull each other under by their ankles whenever given the opportunity

ben is usually the last loser to race because he's a long distance freestyler (these races are typically extremely long and at the very end of the race order) so the rest of the losers pack up his stuff for him and wait by the end of his lane with a towel and water and clothes. they have gotten in trouble multiple times for being behind the blocks when they shouldn't be but the officials are usually too tired to give a shit lol

long distance freestyle races can take like. OVER TWENTY MINUTES and are incredibly boring so ben is definitely in the pool coming up with detailed literary analysis during the second quarter. he'll do like 200m of cooldown freestyle then just social kick with the losers until they get kicked out explaining whatever he was thinking about. he's like explaining why the great gatsby is gay as hell or something to eddie (who read it for school but like. in the way that he didn't actually read it he just. read all the words start to finish and looked for quotes he could use without absorbing any of it) (do usamericans read gatsby for school? i feel like thats a thing) while the officials are taking down the timing boards and trying to shoo them out of the pool lol

[mariatesstruther]

okay but wait @bumblepony u GENIUS. you gave me an idea:

mariatommy step up au

in which pro-dancer maria miller is in desperate need of a waltz partner for the american dance championships. to her rescue comes tommy miller, the younger and more troublesome and secretly phenomenal swinging-dancing brother of famous ex swing-dancer, joel miller

guess what i did 😋 i made it long

so we start with pro-dancer maria miller as she wins as many dance titles as she possibly can, trying to prove to her mother that quitting law school for dance was worth it. she’s already been taking home a fuck ton of titles as a ballet and lyrical soloist, but lately she’s been interested in smooth forms of ballroom, like the waltz and tango

a good friend of hers, frank, has been her partner for three months, and they’ve been unbeatable so far. literally every competition she they shows up at, other dancers will groan and rolls their eyes like “aw come on bro this is unFAIR” because they already know who first place is going to: maria motherfucking miller. every goddamn time

then, four titles in and two months away from their biggest competition, frank tragically breaks an ankle doing some stupid gardening shit with bill. and it is exactly that: a tragedy. he’s maria miller’s partner, and now he can no longer be that. he might as well be a dead man

frank makes bill tell maria, both because it was his idea to have sex do work in the garden and because he’s too scared to. when he does, she cusses him out so bad that, for once in his life, he has no grumpy smartass response. maria is fucking pissed—because that entire competition, that title, that trophy is supposed to be fucking hers. they already have the perfect choreography, the perfect costumes, the perfect music, the perfect everything. she’s already made space on her awards wall for the crown, the sash, and three-their trophy. this is a batrayal, frank. how could he do this to her????? how could he?????

but maria miller does not dwell on problems: she fixes them. she has replace bill or withdraw from the competition—which she has never done in her entire life. withdrawing, like losing, is not an option. she needs another partner, and she needs one fast

of course homegirl tess would come through—her best friend, retired fellow dancer, and one of the most reputable talent managers in the region. maria calls tess hoping to get in touch with her ex-partner, joel miller, because she wants only the best. he’s known and respected in the dance world as an amazing swing dancer and phenomenal lead in partner-work—much to her chargrin, unfortunately, he’s not dancing anymore. he’s apparently too busy with a new baby, which—great, beautiful, kids are great—does not help her. maria needs someone available, someone good, and someone now

enter tommy miller 🤠 who maria is at first not even willing to consider, because he’s never danced competitively in his entire fucking life (“are you fucking with me, tess? are you trying to fuck with me? i thought we were past the point of fucking with eachother. i though we were friends.” she says, when tess tells her. she gets an eye-roll in response)

to his credit, tess tells her, he’s been dancing alongside his joel all his life. he’s watched him and learned from him and is apparently just as good—he’s even danced with tess, and he impressed her. this impressed maria. when she asks tess why he hasn’t done anything officially to actually prove himself, tess says he’s “not the competitive type,” which is a major turn-off. maria is more than the competitive type—she’s the competition entirely.

still, tess convinces her to give him a chance. they basically meets blind-date style because tess is just like “dude just trust me trust me TRUST ME. meet him at our studio on saturday and freestyle with him. one song. then tell me what you think”

so maria goes, and she waits. she’s dutifully ten minutes early, as she is to every rehearsal. what would be five minutes before their meet time, she hears the studio doors open behind her and lets herself be only a little pleased that he is early. then she turns around to him—and boy, is she very much so pleased

tommy is broad-shouldered and well-dressed and tall, but not too tall, and well-groomed for a man—especially with one with so much hair. my god, just this man have a beautiful head of hair. as admires him, she also appreciates that (aside from his audaciously hot suede fur-lined jacket and cowboy boots, lord help her), he look’s ready to dance: black loose muscle tank, black breathable joggers, and black sneakers held in his left hand. in his right hand, to her suprise, is a single red rose.

is he fucking with me? she immediately thinks. a rose. a fucking rose?

“what’s that for?”

“uh, the rose? it’s—,” he hesitates, clearly thrown off guard. somehow, with only three measly words, maria notices that his voice is nice and low and gravely and— “it’s for you, ma’am. you’re maria, right?” —southern and sexy and distracting. his voice is far too distracting. it will present problems for her.

“right. i’m maria,” she repeats, mostly to remind herself who she fucking is—maria fucking miller. maria miller, who does not get distracted by tall sexy cowboys at dance rehearsals. “you’re tommy?”

“yes, ma’am.” he has to stop. he has to stop with the ma’am thing. it’s another distractor.

no distractions. she’s at a rehearsal, albiet an unofficial trial one. it is still a rehearsal—one for a competition that she will win.

maria straightens her shoulders, gets her head on straight, and steels her voice to say coldly: “well, tommy, i don’t like flowers. i like trophies. you think you can get me one of those?”

at that, tommy smiles as bright as the sun, white and pearly and perfect. distraction number three. she’s fucked. “i reckon i can,” he says, amused and sure.

“then prove it,” she responds, voice still steely. “let’s dance.”

and they do

for @bumblepony for your amazing writing as always and @marceltheshellwithflipflopson for your loveliness and inspiration and @clickergossip wifey and @ameerawrites miss u baby and @liveandletcry23 MISS U CAT and @hypnotisedfireflies because the work youve been doing with IO????? INCREDIBLE????? its been making me want to get back to writing so bad

all my mariatommy truthers love u guys kiss kiss kiss

[defjux]

200 of my favorite albums that I swear by, from any genre - limited to one per artist. I always wanted to do this since the start of the decade and finally got around to it. I’ve had a lot of different musical obsessions up to this point and periods where i was deep into specific genres so I tried to make sure all of that was represented here. Overall it’s a mix of personal classics that I go back to constantly, albums that helped form my taste, and some recently stuff I love. Didn’t want to stress too much over the order, but i’d say the first 50ish are pretty accurate. I’ll post the list below, and a version of the charts with the titles included. Let me know what you think - any favorites here? What would some of your picks be? Let me know. Peace. Charts with album titles included  1. At the Drive-In - Relationship of Command 2. Organized Konfusion - Stress: The Extinction Agenda 3. Aesop Rock - Labor Days 4. Ghostface Killah - Supreme Clientele 5. Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein 6. MF DOOM - MM..Food 7. De La Soul - Buhloone Mindstate 8. John Coltrane - A Love Supreme 9. Converge - Jane Doe 10. Billy Woods & Blockhead - Dour Candy 11. The Mars Volta - De-Loused in the Comatorium 12. Pete Rock & C.L. Smooth - The Main Ingredient 13. Portishead - Dummy 14. The Dillinger Escape Plan - Ire Works 15. Björk - Vespertine 16. El-P - I'll Sleep When You're Dead 17. The Roots - Illadelph Halflife 18. Isis - Wavering Radiant 19. The Pharcyde - Labcabincalifornia 20. Miles Davis - In A Silent Way 21. Edan - Beauty and the Beat 22. Deltron 3030 - Deltron 3030 23. A Tribe Called Quest - Midnight Marauders 24. Company Flow - Funcrusher Plus 25. Every Time I Die - The Big Dirty 26. Gospel - The Moon Is a Dead World 27. OutKast - ATLiens 28. GZA/Genius - Liquid Swords 29. DJ Shadow - Endtroducing..... 30. Dälek - From Filthy Tongue of Gods and Griots 31. Stereolab - Dots and Loops 32. Refused - The Shape of Punk to Come 33. Mos Def - The Ecstatic 34. Boredoms - Vision Creation Newsun 35. Freestyle Fellowship - Innercity Griots 36. Redman - Dare Iz A Darkside 37. Armand Hammer - Paraffin 38. Panopticon - Autumn Eternal 39. Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) 40. Godspeed You! Black Emperor - F# A# ∞ 41. Black Star - Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star 42. Ornette Coleman - Science Fiction 43. Electric Masada - At the Mountains of Madness 44. Orchid - Orchid 45. Alice Coltrane - Journey in Satchidananda 46. Digable Planets - Blowout Comb 47. Grouper - A I A: Alien Observer 48. Public Enemy - It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back 49. Charles Mingus - Let My Children Hear Music 50. Camp Lo - Uptown Saturday Night

51. Milo - who told you to think??!!?!?!?! 52. Boris - Flood 53. Stan Getz & João Gilberto - Getz/Gilberto 54. Dr. Yen Lo - Days With Dr. Yen Lo 55. Avantdale Bowling Club - Avantdale Bowling Club 56. zeroh - awfulalterations 57. toe - For Long Tomorrow 58. Sun Ra - Sleeping Beauty 59. Dark Time Sunshine - ANX 60. Kayo Dot - Choirs of the Eye 61. Kate Bush - The Dreaming 62. Boards of Canada - Geogaddi 63. Unwound - Repetition 64. Jeru the Damaja - The Sun Rises In The East 65. Massive Attack - Mezzanine 66. Black Moon - Enta Da Stage 67. Tim Hecker - Harmony In Ultraviolet 68. CunninLynguists - A Piece of Strange 69. Quasimoto - The Further Adventures of Lord Quas 70. Glassjaw - Worship and Tribute 71. Sonny Sharrock - Ask The Ages 72. J Dilla - Donuts 73. Aceyalone - A Book of Human Language 74. D'Angelo - Voodoo 75. Jam Baxter - ...So We Ate Them Whole 76. Pharoah Sanders - Karma 77. Danny Brown - XXX (Deluxe Edition) 78. Gravediggaz - 6 Feet Deep 79. Sonic Sum - The Sanity Annex 80. Death - Symbolic 81. Funkadelic - Maggot Brain 82. Mach-Hommy - DUMPMEISTER 83. Prince Paul - A Prince Among Thieves 84. Nas - Illmatic 85. Grant Green - Idle Moments 86. Gang Starr - Moment Of Truth 87. Agalloch - Ashes Against the Grain 88. O.C. - Word...Life 89. Ne Obliviscaris - Portal Of I 90. Joni Mitchell - Hejira 91. Mr Key & Greenwood Sharps - Yesterday's Futures 92. Little Brother - The Listening 93. Max Roach - Members, Don't Git Weary 94. Cult Favorite - FOR MADMEN ONLY 95. Deftones - White Pony 96. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On 97. Cocteau Twins - Treasure 98. Prince - Sign o' the Times 99. Pageninetynine - Document #8 100. Boldy James & Sterling Toles - Manger on McNichols 101. NoMeansNo - Wrong 102. Fiona Apple - The Idler Wheel... 103. Baroness - Blue Record 104. Drive Like Jehu - Yank Crime 105. Alcest - Écailles de lune 106. Raekwon - Only Built 4 Cuban Linx 107. David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars 108. Madlib - Beat Konducta Vol. 5-6: A Tribute To Dilla 109. Aphex Twin - druqks 110. Electric Wizard - Dopethrone 111. Siah & Yeshua dapoED - The Visualz Anthology 112. Discordance Axis - The Inalienable Dreamless 113. Mastodon - Crack the Skye 114. Juggaknots - Re:Release 115. The Cure - Pornography 116. Wolves in the Throne Room - Two Hunters 117. Erykah Badu - Mama's Gun 118. Fela Kuti - Expensive Shit 119. Blu - Below the Heavens 120. Ohbliv - Retrospective 121. Shibusashirazu Orchestra - 渋星 (=Shibuboshi) 122. United Nations - The Next Four Years 123. Mobb Deep - The Infamous 124. The Chariot - Long Live 125. Serengeti - Ajai 126. Heltah Skeltah - Nocturnal 127. Talking Heads - Remain In Light (Deluxe Version) 128. Autechre - LP5 129. Lil Ugly Mane - THIRD SIDE OF THE TAPE 130. Roc Marciano - Reloaded 131. Yndi Halda - Enjoy Eternal Bliss 132. Albert Ayler - Spiritual Unity 133. Open Mike Eagle & Paul White - Hella Personal Film Festival 134. Melt-Banana - Fetch 135. Bad Brains - Bad Brains 136. Deathspell Omega - Paracletus 137. Nujabes - Modal Soul 138. Nails - Unsilent Death 139. Cavalier - Private Stock 140. Flying Lotus - You're Dead! 141. The Avalanches - Since I Left You 142. Lightning Bolt - Hypermagic Mountain 143. Envy - Insomniac Doze 144. Gojira - From Mars to Sirius 145. The Doppelgangaz - Lone Sharks 146. System of a Down - Toxicity 147. letlive - Fake History 148. Goodie Mob - Soul Food 149. Death Grips - Ex Military 150. Jeromes Dream - Seeing Means More Than Safety 151. Standing On The Corner - Red Burns 152. Hüsker Dü - Zen Arcade 153. maudlin of the Well - Leaving Your Body Map 154. Oddisee - The Good Fight 155. Krallice - Years Past Matter 156. tricot - T H E 157. Gorguts - Obscura 158. Kvelertak - Kvelertak 159. Shabazz Palaces - Black Up 160. Sade - Love Deluxe 161. Opeth - Ghost Reveries 162. The Fall of Troy - Doppelgänger 163. Batsumi - Batsumi 164. Deafheaven - New Bermuda 165. Leonard Cohen - Songs of Leonard Cohen 166. The Number Twelve Looks Like You - Worse Than Alone 167. Dragged Into Sunlight - Hatred For Mankind 168. Earl Sweatshirt - some rap songs 169. Burial - Untrue 170. Mgła - Exercises in futility 171. Emperor - Anthems To The Welkin At Dusk 172. Fugazi - Red Medicine 173. Lord Finesse - The Awakening 174. Cult of Luna - Somewhere Along The Highway 175. Cryptopsy - None So Vile 176. The Ahmad Jamal Trio - The Awakening 177. Bohren & der Club of Gore - Black Earth 178. Lauryn Hill - The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill 179. Bear vs Shark – Right Now, You're In The Best Of Hands 180. Wormrot - Voices 181. Broadcast - Tender Buttons 182. Swans - Swans Are Dead: Live '95-'97 183. Yves Tumor - Heaven to a Tortured Mind 184. AFI - The Art of Drowning 185. Mazzy Star - So Tonight That I Might See 186. Botch - We Are the Romans 187. NEPTUNIAN MAXIMALISM - Éons 188. Sigur Ros - Takk... 189. Rubberoom - Architechnology 190. Herbie Hancock - Sextant 191. Big K.R.I.T. - 4eva Is a Mighty Long Time 192. Oh No - Oh No Vs. Now-Again 193. Weyes Blood - Titanic Rising 194. Hella - Hold Your Horse Is 195. Loma Prieta - I.V. 196. Defcee - Lacuna 197. Genesis Owusu - Smiling with No Teeth 198. Brutus - Nest 199. Bruno Pernadas ‎- Those Who Throw Objects At The Crocodiles... 200. The Koreatown Oddity - Little Dominiques Nosebleed

[justinssportscorner]

Katie Barnes at ESPN.com:

CLEVELAND -- South Carolina women's basketball coach Dawn Staley said Saturday that she believes transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in women's sports. During a news conference a day after her No. 1 Gamecocks beat NC State in the Final Four to advance to the national championship game against Iowa, the legendary coach was asked for her opinion on the issue. "I'm of the opinion that if you're a woman, you should play," Staley said. "If you consider yourself a woman and you want to play sports, or vice versa, you should be able to play." Hours later, Iowa coach Lisa Bluder was asked the same question. "I understand it's a topic that people are interested in," Bluder said. "But today my focus is on the game tomorrow, my players. It's an important game we have tomorrow, and that's what I want to be here to talk about. But I know it's an important issue for another time." The debate over whether transgender athletes should be allowed to compete in accordance with their gender identity has grown heated in statehouses, courthouses, sport governing bodies and the court of public opinion over the past four years.

The NCAA first adopted a policy governing transgender athlete participation in 2010, providing a pathway to participation for transgender women and men in accordance with their gender identities. It amended its policy on Jan. 19, 2022 to be sport-specific as determined by each sport's national governing body, international federation or the 2015 Olympic standard. That policy change came amid controversy surrounding University of Pennsylvania swimmer Lia Thomas, a transgender woman who was competing in women's swimming and won a national championship in the 500-yard freestyle. The NCAA currently requires transgender women wanting to compete in women's sports to submit documentation, including testosterone levels, to the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports. The committee's medical review panel determines eligibility.

South Carolina Gamecocks women's college basketball coach Dawn Staley is 100% correct: trans women should be able to play in women's sports competitions (and vice-versa for trans men in men's sports). 🏳️‍⚧️

[makeilayee]

May 7th 2024 Rating: 8.7/10

Sleep hours (the previous night): 9 hours

Hello everyone!!!

WHAT WONDERFUL SLEEP I GOT. I woke up in time for my chinese class at 11am. My LS7C class is recorded so I decided to go back to my dorm and hang out with my roommates for a bit. Then I met up with chlobo because I missed her 💝💝. We ate rende east. My favorite Japanese freestyle bowl. I get the undon curry 🍛 and chicken 🍗 katsu. ITS SO BOMB. Every Tuesday and Saturday! We finished eating and then went to my lounge to lock in. We did some work and the chlobo had to go to meet her upperclassman friend. I thought I had an event today but it got canceled last minute. Boy was I excited about that news. I ate dinner with Celine at Epic 🍝which was much needed because we hadn’t eaten together in a hot second 🫣🥰🕺🏻! After I got my to my dorm and packed BECAUSE MY DAD WAS PICKING ME UP TO GO HOME. My dad came and took me, my sister, my roommate, and Johnny home. Now I am home and so happy 🤗🤗🤗 I missed my parents🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒 Tomorrow I am excited to go on a walk on the beach AND RECHARGE. 🫶 you all and I will see you when I get back 🤓

Time Stamp [12:48 am]