#venus chosen!maverick

[sunlightmurdock]

When All Is Said and Done | Bradley Bradshaw x Reader (18+)

In which Maverick’s best man and his daughter come together to plan a wedding, then celebrate the success of their endeavours.

Warnings: smut, porn w very little plot, unprotected pinv (use protection pls), oral (f receiving), choking, drinking

“I do.”

“I do.”

“And do you, Penny Benjamin —“

“I do.” Your mother beams, smiling at the love of her life from across the alter. She has been waiting for this day for a long time. Pete was her first real love. They had met when she was wild and he was even wilder. They’ve been on and off for decades, but this time, they’re making it official.

You were a result of one of their on times, followed by some pretty bumpy offs through your childhood. They did their best to keep you out of the ugliest parts of it, you know that they’ve loved each other for as long as you’ve been alive.

But, not always like this. There was Stu, your Mom’s second husband, Amelia’s dad. He was there through most of your adolescence. Not to mention the countless women that Mav has introduced you to.

Your parents reconciled about a year ago. It’s been a whirlwind, you’ve never seen them this in love. So, when they announced two months ago that they were engaged and wanted to be married as soon as possible — you had known that the pressure was on.

This was your seven year old dreams coming true, it had to be perfect. Unsurprisingly, you were chosen to be maid of honour. More surprisingly, Maverick chose Bradley Bradshaw to be his best man.

As kids, you saw Bradley frequently. Whenever you would stay with your dad, he would drop you over at Aunt Carole’s house often. Bradley was a couple of years older, he wasn’t ever really that interested in playing with you but Carole adored having you around.

As teenagers, you barely saw him at all. He was always at sports, or in his room with friends, or out of the house. Then he and Maverick had had that huge argument. You hadn’t seen him since he was maybe seventeen.

Then he had come strolling back in to your life.

Taller than he was back then. Stronger. Broader. Tanned, wearing a Hawaiian shirt, a neatly groomed moustache on his face, calling himself Rooster now. At first, you had thought he had shown up in costume.

You were quickly corrected by him. That had been an embarrassing mistake to make.

Your parents lasted through a week of wedding planning before they were butting heads and arguing about different shades of green for the chair covers. Sitting at the kitchen counter, looking between the two of them disapprovingly, you had known that you would have to intervene.

“Just relax, Rooster and I will take care of everything.” You had breathed, stepping between the two of them.

“We will?” Bradley frowned.

“Yes, we will.” You had insisted.

The two months that had followed had been hard. Planning the wedding that your parents had wanted in two months had proven to be damn near impossible. You had to take time off work, stay up late. The majority of your early summer had been spent arguing with venues and coordinators to make sure that the wedding went off without a hitch.

Bradley had been busy with work. Unable to take time off like you could. Too busy to help with decorations and suit rentals, even though that was what you had allocated. Somehow not too busy to plan your father’s bachelor party.

Things had changed at the end of May. You had cornered him and told him that things had needed to change. He insists that you had threatened his life — you aren’t so convinced that you did, but either way, it had worked.

Now, in the middle of June, your parents lean together and kiss softly. The church, filled with your closest family and friends, cheers for them. You clap, grinning at your parents.

“I want to start off by thanking everyone who helped out, and worked hard to make today special for my beautiful wife and I,” Mav begins, smiling softly. He turns his head and looks at you and Bradley individually, “Especially our incredible daughter, and my best man over here, Bradley.”

You lean back in your seat and extend your champagne glass behind Penny and Maverick’s chairs, towards Bradley. He smiles softly and takes his, leaning around them to clink his glass against yours.

“We did it.” You mouth across to him.

“Told you we would.” He whispers back. You grin, bringing your glass back and taking a sip from it.

You sit there politely, listening to your father’s speech, feeling Bradley’s eyes on you every couple of minutes.

After Maverick has thanked everyone for their part in the wedding, the band takes over for a while to give your parents some time to talk to each other and to their guests. You get up to stretch your legs, Bradley heads over to his friends to greet them for the first time since the reception.

You walk out onto the patio, the buzz from the champagne and the breeze from the dropping temperature hits you all at once, but it’s a pleasant feeling. The stress from the past few months fades as you walk down the steps and into the garden. The decorations from today’s ceremony are still up. You look around at them, proud of yourself for the work you did.

You walk up to the front, taking a seat on the bench closest to the arch. You sit down and take a drink from your champagne glass.

The peace and quiet is nice, you sit with your sense of accomplishment and mild buzz, listening to the wind in the trees.

“Hiding already, Mitchell? — Mav’s not even rapping yet.” Bradley teases, calling back to the Eminem incident at your father’s fifty-eighth birthday party, as he follows along the same path towards you. You cringe at the memory, unable to stop yourself from letting out a soft groan.

“Oh, don’t,” You complain, letting out a dry laugh. You shake your head as he steps around and sits down next to you. “He was so wasted that night.”

“So were you, if I remember right.” Bradley comments, taking a sip of his beer, stretching his legs out in front of him. He’s handsome in his tux, especially under the twinkling lights strung above the garden. He turns his head to you, his expression a mixture of amusement and challenge.

“I was not!” You insist, shaking your head again as you sip at your champagne.

“So you dance like that when you’re sober, good to know.” Bradley comments, lips quirked up into a soft smirk. You scoff and drive your elbow into his ribs playfully. He laughs and shifts closer to you. He extends his arm along the back of the bench.

It’s not technically draped around your shoulder, but it’s also not not around your shoulder.

You turn your head to look at him. He bumps his beer bottle against your champagne flute gently, “You did good. Today was incredible.”

“We did.” You correct him, fully aware of how close you’re sitting. You’ve never noticed that he’s got soft brown freckles dotted along the bridge of his nose before today.

He shakes his head, lifting his hand from the back of the bench. His thumb strokes along your bare bicep and makes you shiver, “This was all you and we both know it. Your parents are so lucky to have you.”

“I can’t believe those words just left your mouth,” You scoff playfully, leaning your head back to look at the twinkling lights above both of you. There’s a soft breeze tonight, you can still hear the music playing inside. Bradley’s warmth radiates onto you. This is nice. “Aren’t you the one who called me a control freak a couple of months ago?”

Rooster smiles, caught.

“I didn’t think your Dad was going to snitch on me, in my defence.” Bradley replies, stroking his fingertips along your arm. “I don’t think that anymore, anyway. You’re just bossy.”

“I am not—“

He raises an eyebrow at you, challenging you to go ahead. You bite your cheeks to keep from smiling, staring him down. Rooster smirks. His eyes flicker between your eyes and your lips.

Oh. This is happening. He leans in, closing his eyes, tilting his head, pressing his lips to yours. You lean slightly into him, lips tenderly moving against his.

Rooster leans closer, resting his hand against your knee, trailing it along your skin. It slides along your thigh, trailing the slit in the side of your bridesmaid dress.

“Hey - woah, oh no - oh, ew!”

You pull apart sharply to look at your younger sister. Amelia raises her eyebrows as she looks between the two of you.

“Were you two…?”

“No!” You answer sharply, Rooster looks between her and you. “What do you want?”

“Can I use your ID to get a drink?”

“No.” You frown at her. She groans, rolling her eyes and walking away from the two of you. Bradley takes his hand away from your thigh and shifts back slightly.

He covers his mouth with his hand, brushing it over his jaw and sighing, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—“

You curl your fingers into the fabric of his shirt and pull him forwards again, pressing your lips to his. He nips at your bottom lip, the taste of champagne on your tongue as it slides against his.

He slides his hand up your back, curling it around the nape of your neck and pulling you closer against him. Your chest presses into his as he caresses his tongue into your mouth.

You pull apart abruptly again at the sound of footsteps behind you.

“Not here.” Rooster mumbles. You slip your hand into his, leaving your drinks on the bench as you pull him up and guide him back into the building. Trailing your fingers along the wall, you push open a random door on the right of the hallway.

It’s a small room, someone’s office maybe. A desk in the middle that’ll work just fine for what’s about to happen. You round on him as the door closes behind him. Rooster’s hands find your waist as yours drape around his shoulders.

His hands wrap around your waist and trail down to cup your ass, causing you to let out a small gasp. Rooster presses himself into you, walking you back until you bump into the desk. You tense up as he grabs your hips and drops you onto the desk.

This has been a long time coming. All those bickering arguments, late-night phone calls, all those hours you’ve spent planning today. Deep down, you had known this was coming.

Rooster lips his tongue into your mouth once again, grabbing your knees and parting them, moving to stand between your thighs. His fingertips trail up along your legs, as far as the slit in your dress will allow him. Not far enough.

This time, not skipping a beat, he hikes up your dress. Thick thumb swiping over your cleft, eliciting a soft purr from your lips. The honeyed sound has him growling softly in anticipation, pressing his mouth hard against yours, picking up his movements.

You reach forwards, tugging at his bow tie, loosening it in one movement. Your hands fumble with the buttons on his white shirt. Rooster presses himself against you, nipping at your bottom lip as you tug his shirt out from under his belt to finish unbuttoning it.

Rushing to get him out of it, he works with you, shrugging his suit jacket and his unbuttoned shirt at once. He tugs hard at your knees, almost making you slip off of the desk as you’re pulled to the edge of it.

“Holy shit.”

Leaving him in just his trousers, you take a moment to marvel at his bare chest — god, he’s so much hotter now than he was when you were kids. He pushes your dress up further around your waist, grabbing the back of your knee with one hand, cupping your throat with the other.

“So wha— god,” Rooster breathes out as you pepper a dozen kisses over the length of his neck. “What are you into?”

Your brows furrow slightly, grabbing onto his bicep for leverage as he pushes the thin strap of your dress of your shoulder, attaching his mouth to the skin.

It’s hard to think when he’s nipping at your skin like this. Your head lulls back, a soft moan slipping your lips.

“Uh — I — I’m pretty into reading, and s-stuff— um —“

“In bed, Mitchell — I meant what are you into in bed?” Bradley interrupts, pulling back and giving a soft shake of his head. You stare at him, letting a moment of silence fall between the two of you.

“Choke me.”

“Huh?”

You grab the back of his neck and pull him in again, humming softly as he relaxes into you. The kisses grow more passionate, there’s a certainty between the two of you about what’s going to happen here.

Braldey’s hand found its home back between your legs, pulling your panties to the side this time. You’re dripping for him already and he has barely touched you.

Circling his digits around your sensitive clit, you mewl quietly. Dipping into your wetness, he pushed the tip of his finger into you and lifts his head to look you in the eye. Your head just about spins, met with soft honey coloured eyes and parted lips.

Pushing deeper until his entire middle finger is in you, Bradley groans out. He works the digit into you, stretching you open more and more. Dripping onto his palm, you gasp for breath. Rooster eagerly presses another finger into you, making you whimper out softly.

He picks up the pace, kissing your lips as his fingers massage that spot inside of you that makes it hard for you to keep your eyes open. His other hand brushes the other strap of your dress off of your shoulder.

His attention quickly focuses on your exposed breasts, nipples peaked from the cold air. He groans softly.

You lean back on your palms, lips parted as his mouth works its way along your bare chest. Open-mouthed kisses, leaving a warm trail along your collarbones and down your chest.

You gasp as he curls his fingers especially deep into you.

“Fuck, Rooster — like that.”

He palms at your breast softly with his free hand, rolling your nipple between his index finger and thumb. It hardens further under his touch as his mouth attaches to the other, flicking his tongue softly over the sensitive bud.

“Oh my god…” You lean your head back, sliding your fingers into his neatly styled hair as the knot in your stomach grows tighter.

Rooster lowers himself to his knees, parting your knees further. You gasp as his teeth graze the inside of your thigh, fingers curling into his hair. He sucks softly at the tender skin, his mustache scratches softly, in the best way.

He pulls back for just a moment and hooks his fingers into the sides of your underwear, you lift your hips, he slides them down your legs, trailing their path with his mouth. He kisses your ankle tenderly and guides it over his shoulder.

Bradley shoves them into his pocket and nestles himself between your legs, glancing up at you. You look so beautiful, staring down at him so eager, but he doesn’t have time for heartfelt proclamations. He wastes no time in tasting you. Licking a stripe over your folds, he groans softly against your core.

You jolt at the feeling, watching him between your legs. He continues lapping at your core, thick fingers curling into you. You spread your legs wider for him — he grabs your thighs and guides them around his shoulders, pulling you impossibly closer.

He takes one hand away from your legs and palms himself over his dress pants, uncomfortably hard against the already tight fabric.

The wet muscle of his tongue dips inside of you, his nose brushing against your clit as he drags it slowly up again to the swollen nub. He traces the tip of his tongue around it before sucking hard then soft and letting go.

Your fingers curl tighter into his hair, panting out. Bradley groans against you, repeating the movements again and again until you’re crying out.

He grins against your skin at the shattered cry that slips your lips, sucking harder. You tug hard at his hair as his teeth gently scrape over it, your thighs squeezing around his ears. Rooster sucks at it softly again, fingertips digging into your thighs.

“What’s my name, baby?” He murmurs against your skin.

“Rooster, fuck!”

Bob and Fanboy stop walking at once, turning their heads to look at the door and then to look at each other. Mickey grins as he slips the joint between his lips, both of them shake their heads as they walk by the door.

They both laugh as they continue outside.

Your toes curl, heels pressing into his shoulders as he draws your orgasm from you. You cum, shuddering against his mouth. Rooster doesn’t ease up, lapping up your release, giving hums of approval as he guides you through the aftershocks.

He pulls away, raking his nails along your thighs. His eyes seem darker as he looks up at you this time. You push yourself upright, breathless. Rooster’s hands go for his belt as he stands up, tugging at the leather.

The sound you make is almost a growl. You pull him closer to you by his belt. He sighs contentedly as you pull it open, lips pressing hungrily to his throat. You leave his belt open, yanking down his zipper, pushing his boxers down just enough to expose him.

He rests one of his palms down on the desk, the other wrapping around the base of his cock. You both gasp softly as he pushes into you. You look up, met with pretty brown eyes. You whine softly.

“Oh fuck,” Rooster shivers, cupping your throat with his hand, pulling you in for a heavy kiss. You groan softly against him as he presses forwards until he’s buried into you completely. “Fuck. You feel so good.”

He rocks back, pulling almost all of the way out. Rooster rests his forehead to yours, lips parted as he looks down between the two of you, watching as he slides slowly back in. You whine through bitten lips, brows knitted in focus as your body stretches to accommodate him.

Forehead to forehead, your eyes meet for just a second. He curls his fingers tighter by just a fraction, guiding you in by your throat until his mouth is on yours. He nips softly at your bottom lip and uses the surprised gasp that follows as an opportunity to slip his tongue in against yours.

You moan softly against his lips, the sound catching in your throat as he squeezes at the sides of your neck and drives his hips forwards sharply.

“Ah - oh my god.” You whimper out, breathless, your eyes focused solely on him. He squeezes slightly tighter, setting a pace that has your head lulling back in pleasure.

“Look so fucking pretty, Mitchell.” He murmurs affectionately, lips brushing your earlobe as he fucks into you, constricting the airflow just enough to dizzy you without it hurting.

You smile at him, taking your bottom lip just slightly between your teeth. Rooster’s lips part. He takes in the sight of you, grinning devilishly at him, his hand around your throat as he fucks you.

“So pretty.” He breathes out unsteadily. He releases his hold, wetting his lips with his tongue as you gasp for air.

“Bradley - R-Rooster - fuck, fuck - that’s so good.” You whimper, grabbing onto his bicep for leverage, wrapping your legs around his waist.

He leans forwards and presses his lips to your hair, snapping his hips forward and making you cry out.

He goes right to setting a brutal pace, ruthless as he fucks into you. Just how you need it. You’re gasping, moaning out for him as he grunts in your ear.

“You gonna cum again for me, honey?” Bradley teases, punctuating his question with a hard snap of his hips that draws a pleasured shriek from your lips. You nod eagerly as his hand wraps around your throat once more.

A strangled moan slips your lips, your heel pressing into the small of his back. Rooster growls softly into the curve of your jaw, tugging at your hair as he pounds into you.

Your nail drag sharply down his back, leaving scorching red marks in their wake. Rooster’s hips stutter slightly at the feeling, he squeezes his fingers tight at the sides of your throat as he rams himself into you, hard. You cry out into his shoulder as your vision goes blisteringly white.

“Bradshaw? You in there?” Three heavy knocks rattle the door. Rooster takes his hand from your throat and clamps it over your mouth. Jake bangs at the door again.

“I’m gonna cum, fuck.” Bradley whispers. You squeak against his hand, the sensitivity making you tremble through the aftershocks of your second orgasm. You nod hurriedly, moaning against his palm.

You're vaguely aware of Rooster’s praises raining over you, telling you how good you feel — how good you’re doing for him, as you tremble under him. His hips stutter to a stop as he releases inside of you, pressing himself as close as he could possibly be.

He rocks his hips a little, riding out his high, groaning against the curve of your jaw.

“Bradshaw!” Jake pounds at the door again. “Maverick’s looking for you!”

Rooster blinks, looking down between your bodies and then back up at your face. You watch his adam’s apple bob in his throat.

“One second!” Bradley answers, curling his fingers around your hips. He rests his forehead against his shoulder, both of you whining just slightly as he pulls back and slips out of you.

“Oh my god.” You breathe, legs trembling. You push yourself up from the desk, hurrying the straps to your dress back up your shoulders to cover your chest.

“Rooster — you have a speech to give, man, you have to get out there!” Jake insists, knowing that Maverick is happy and smiling now but that things are likely to take a turn if the best man doesn’t show up soon.

“I’m-“ Rooster tucks himself back into his pants and rushes to buckle his belt. “I’m coming! — Just hold on.”

He looks to you and finds you smirking as you fix your hair. He’s not coming now, but he was a couple of seconds ago. Rooster grabs his shirt and jacket, slipping them on in one motion and fumbling to button up his shirt.

You turn around and look into the reflection of the candle holder, fixing up any smudged make up. You smooth your hair out once more, making sure there aren’t any indents from Rooster’s fingertips.

Rooster finishes buttoning his shirt and smooths out his hair, knowing it must be fucked up from how you were grabbing it when he was between your legs.

“I gotta go, I’ll - Just let me do this, I’ll come back-“

“Rooster, wait!”

He turns quickly.

“Rooster!” Jake calls again on the outside of the door, smacking his fist into it. Rooster’s eyes widen as you dip your hand into his pocket. You pull your underwear from it and hold it up.

“Oh, shit - sorry, honey. You look beautiful. I gotta go.” He leans in quickly and kisses your cheek. You step back, making sure Jake won’t spot you when the door opens.

Bradley opens it a fraction, slipping through the gap and slamming the door shut behind him.

Jake steps back and furrows his eyebrows, “Mav’s going to fucking kill you.”

“What? — Why? — I didn’t do anything.” Rooster rushes out, his cheeks flushed, eyes wide. All in all, looking fairly disheveled. He tucks his shirt into his pants.

“Because speeches started fifteen minutes ago and you were supposed to start. You’re going last now, but there’s only so long that Penny’s dad can stall for you, man — where’s your tie?” Jake frowns. Rooster looks down and realises his bow tie is still on the floor of the room he just exited. He shakes his head.

“Doesn’t matter. I have to pee, two seconds and I’ll be right there.”

“What? — I thought that was the bathroom, what were you? Oh. Oh, Bradshaw, you were not fucking one of the bridesmaids!”

“Shh!” Bradley hisses. He glares at Jake. “Go, stall for me, two seconds.”

Bradley rushes into the men’s room to clean up. You have the same plan. Jake’s handing Bradley the microphone when you step back into the room and cross to take your seat at the head table. Bradley’s on Mav’s left, you’re on Penny’s right.

“Where did you disappear to, honey?” Penny whispers as Bradley cracks jokes about Maverick’s wild, younger days.

You swallow, adjusting your dress slightly, lifting your head to look at Bradley. “Had to get some air.”

“Hm,” Penny hums, nodding her head softly. She smiles and pats your knee, “Amelia already told on you, sweetheart. Is that your lipstick on Bradley’s collar?”

You pick up the glass of champagne in front of you and take a long gulp.

…

[y0umgsandwiche]

“Wasted”

Lt. Jake “Hangman” Seresin x Fem!Pilot!Reader

Here’s another story! I kind of just had this idea, so yeah. That’s pretty much it. If y’all have any comments, suggestions, or literally anything, my inbox is open. Happy reading!

Summary: Having a strong bond with her father, the reader had a hard time of fully enjoying the reception of Maverick and Penny’s wedding. To her surprise, she found herself doing something interesting with Hangman.

Reader’s Callsign: “Iceberg”

Warning/s: Hangman being hangman + iceman’s death + something almost happening(?) 

Word Count: 2.5k

Being Iceman's adopted child had its own ups and downs, and following my dad's footsteps got me to be the best of who I can be, especially in terms of my career. On the other hand, there is a fine line in between, and that is being able to see the infinite flings with countless women that I saw Maverick had as I grew up. That is why I still cannot believe that I am here in his wedding, celebrating how he finally tied the knot with the woman whom fate worked really hard on to make them bump into each other multiple times in their lifetime, Penny Benjamin. According to my dad, they have been seeing each other even way before he met Maverick. A safe guess would be that the two met when Rooster was still a toddler, but for a sure answer, it was way back before I was even born. Being an eyewitness to their love dating even years back, I was chosen to be the maid of honor, whilst Rooster became Maverick's best man.

"Dad, would you believe that Maverick finally married Penny? I wish you were here with me, you would definitely be my plus one. Love, your Little Ice." I clicked send, even with the knowledge that my dad will never reply to me ever again. Even though his time had already passed, I still texted him, telling him anything and everything, just as if he was still there, in his office or in our family house, ready to listen to my stories. Although we were not in any way related by blood, we shared a very special bond; he was my biggest inspiration. During my training, everyone called me "Iceberg" because everyone thought that I was like the female version of my dad. Highly similar to him, I was someone who is ice cold, who flies with no mistakes. They said that I am the pilot whom no one should underestimate despite my soft, kind demeanor, hence my callsign. However, when he departed the living world, I don’t think I deserve to be called “Iceberg” again.

Putting my phone back into my purse, I lifted the nth glass of cold champagne over to my lips, causing me to be relatively tipsy at this moment, observing the guests and the place itself as the lights surrounding the venue gently blinded me with a bunch of love songs softly playing from the speakers. The cool breeze from the air conditioning units made the happiness rate of the guests high. It was nice to see how the people were already grouped by their friend circles, chatting about things that I honestly might not even want to know, it was easier for me to locate the people that I know and have no clue of who they are. The only group that I actually happen to be friends with are obviously the aviators, my teammates, Maverick's former trainees. I knew some of the other attendees, but I never really talked to any of them. Still enjoying my drink, I decided to pace towards my colleagues.

"Well, who do we have here," I heard a familiar voice say, stopping me from my tracks.

I turned around, to see the one and only Jake Seresin, wearing a neatly pressed button down polo, holding his coat, "What do you want, Hangman?"

"I love that dress on you," he said, looking at me from head to toe. "I know that you look hot all the time, but that just emphasizes your features perfectly, but that would look better on my floor."

"Oh god," I chuckled. "When you got your personality, did you have to get the douchebag custom? Or did you carefully choose how to be the perfect bastard?”

"Come on, Y/N! I just want to know how long it will take my fingers to travel every single inch of your body. Who knows, your beauty might just be a lot like your callsign, just like an iceberg, there's a lot more underneath it," he smirked, looking into my eyes, moving closer to me for each word that he uttered, stopping with an uncomfortable distance between us.

I could feel his warm, fresh breath gently touch my skin. His abnormally inviting green eyes locked onto mine. Topping it off with his annoyingly attractive face just a few inches away from mine. I have to say, he's got the looks, but this is Hangman that we are talking about. "I would rather fucking die than be one of your girls, Seresin," I replied, walking away to my seat as I saw the newlyweds arrive.

I arrived at my table, claiming the seat just beside Rooster, just in time when Maverick and Penny entered. Every single individual in the room stood up, sending a round of applause as the host announced their arrival. With the spotlight turned up to follow the now married couple, you could definitely see bliss painted all over them, and the guests reciprocated that feeling as well. I felt genuinely happy for the two, for finally sealing what they had together after years of going on and off. I swear, if my dad was still here, and if Rooster joined us, Maverick would surely never hear the end of us three, something that I wish could have really happened.

The program commenced as it should. I took photographs of any sort of highlight, which I would immediately send to my dad and I's chatroom, which we conveniently named “The Ice Life”. I really just wish that he could be here, to see one of his closest friends in the Navy finally find someone. With my mind being too occupied with my father, I did not notice how time already flew by, making it my turn to deliver my speech.

"You got this," Rooster, who is like my brother, reassured me as I stood up from my seat.

I responded with a smile right before I left to go to the makeshift stage. Making my way through the tables, I was admittedly nervous to say the least. I knew that I wasn't the best when it comes to public speaking, and not being able to prepare for this moment was an absolute nightmare. I could feel everyone's eyes on me, especially Hangman's, putting more pressure on my shoulders. Dad, please guide me through this, you always know what to do. As I reached the microphone stand, it was as if my dad felt how much I needed him to be on my side; I felt the weight on my chest fade away all of a sudden.

"Thanks, dad," I muttered, not caring if anyone heard me, before I held the microphone. "Good evening, folks! As our lovely host has mentioned, I am Y/N Kazansky, or Iceberg, and besides Rooster, or Bradley, whichever y'all prefer to call my 'self-proclaimed' brother, I am the next biggest witness of this love who happens to be here this very night. Growing up, I knew that there was something special brewing between these two love birds here, as Aunt Carole mentioned, Uncle Maverick here had always been ballistic over the ravishing Penny Benjamin," I said looking at the two, then quickly back to the crowd. "When I was still a little kid, I remember asking my dad— if y'all still haven't figured it out, I am Iceman's daughter— when will this day come. He would always tell me the word 'someday'. Now that the ‘someday' has happened, throughout the night, I am actually still updating him, pretending that he is just at his office. Anyways, I know that if he were here, he would definitely be happy to see his wingman get married, just as much as I am so glad to finally see this day happen. On behalf of the two Ices, we are really delighted for you two! Now, I won't make my speech longer, and I know that I am not a cop nor a lawyer nor a judge, but you two have been given the best life sentence out there. Now, shall we raise our glasses for my Uncle Pete and his wife Penny!"

Everyone drank whatever it was in their glasses as the host announced that the dance floor will be open for all, and that the mobile bar will be open until midnight.

After my speech, I just wish that I could say that I was fine, that I was happy, that I got through it. I mean, I am glad that I survived uttering the words that I just said, but I really wish that my dad could be here to celebrate this event with me, with us! It's just sad that if it was my turn to tie the knot with someone, he wouldn't be there to see his little Ice get married. I would not get to have my dream father and daughter dance that we have been practicing since I was a teenager. I really did not want to rain on their parade, but I couldn’t stop a tear from falling down from my eyes.

"Have a drink," Rooster said, appearing out of the blue.

"Thanks," I said, grabbing the drink from his hand, a small smile planted on my face.

"Hey, Iceman wouldn't like the sight of his Lil' Ice crying at his wingman's wedding," he grinned. "I don't want him to visit me in my dreams, giving me a sermon regarding his daughter's weeping."

“I'll take advantage of the open bar then," I chuckled, grabbing his drink from his grip, finishing it down to the brim in one go. I patted Rooster on the chest as I left for the bar.

Upon reaching the bar, I took the entire, unopened bottle of tequila within my arm range, earning myself a "hey" from the bartender whom I just pissed. Laughing, or cackling rather, I ran swiftly out of the venue and towards the parking lot, looking as if I was a bandit who was having the time of her life. With my luck, he did not have the time to chase me, thanks to the amount of people waiting for their drinks to be served. The moment I got to the clear, I lessened my speed until I began to walk normally. As expected, the hot, humid San Diego air greeted me the moment I got out to the parking lot. I quickly searched for Rooster's truck, which also happens to be my ride, and upon seeing it, I proceeded to that direction, hopping on to the back of the said vehicle.

I stayed there, enjoying my own company, looking at the dark blue sky, stars scattered all over. Although I know that there is no way that I can connect with my dad again, I still found myself occasionally glancing at my phone, with the hopes of seeing a message or anything from my dad. Obviously, I am still in the denial stage, I still cannot convince myself that he is already gone. I cannot fathom a life without him; he was my strength, my backbone— my biggest idol. I began to uncontrollably sob at the back of my so-called brother's car.

I heard someone clear his throat, "You okay there, miss?"

Hearing the voice, I briskly recognized who its owner was, Hangman. For a second there, I was astonished, thinking about how it was highly unusual for Jake to actually show that he cares, but then I realized that it could just be one of his schemes to get girls to trust him, even just for a night at least. Although on the other hand, he can charm his way through any woman that he meets, and he knows it. He doesn't need any sort of strategy to get any girl that he wants.

"What do you want, Seresin," I asked, putting the bottle down for a bit.

"Nice ride," he jumped onto the back, throwing his coat in, and eventually settling beside me. "You know what, ladies are like cars—"

"What? If you treat them nice and gentle, the longer you can ride them," I cut him off with my sentence causing the both of us to laugh. "I have a question for you. Do you have any feelings that don't come from your penis?"

"I get hungry sometimes," he chuckled.

"Fair enough," I replied, lifting the bottle up again to drink straight from it.

"Woah, Iceberg, hold on there!" He grabbed the almost empty bottle from my hand.

"Hey," I protested. "I'm still drinking."

"Stop it," he finished the remaining tequila from the bottle. "You're wasted. You've been a lot different, you know?"

"I've been flying a lot better than you? Thank you for noticing," I said, smirking.

"It's not that," He smiled, an authentic smile, not one of his world famous smirks appeared on his face. "Ever since Iceman—your dad died. You were just never the same. I know it because we've trained together, and now seeing you treat yourself like trash, it's just not the same." He looked at me, "You know why I stopped calling you by your callsign? It's because you stopped being your callsign, you started to doubt yourself."

"Ouch," I said, acting as if I was hurt. Although he wasn't wrong about those assumptions, I really began to change when my dad passed. I was never the same again.

"We call you Iceberg for a reason," he changed his position, sitting in front of me. "You are the fiercest and prettiest woman in the naval aviation history," he moved closer to me, playing with the strap of my dress. "And looking at you underneath the moonlight, I can see how much you can soar with those wings that you have in you, Iceberg."

I felt myself become vulnerable, as if I have allowed Hangman to get into me, that I have permitted my heart to be swooned by the words of the man before me. I knew that I would mentally slap myself for moving closer to him, but as if on cue, we both crashed our lips together. We moved in sync, kissing as if we have needed to do this for a long time now, that we have been longing for each other’s tongue. I knew to myself that I once had a crush on Hangman, but my feelings never went further due to his character. Moreover, I never imagined myself doing this in the back of Rooster's truck. Never in my wildest dreams have I pictured myself to even be in this type of situation with Hangman.

Without breaking the contact within our lips, things began to escalate between the two of us. I started to unbutton his polo, which he then took off afterwards, revealing his body that might be sculpted by a god. He untied the straps of my dress, causing them to fall down. Fortunately, due to the tight fit of the dress, it did not leave me half naked in this very parking lot, which is something that I am thankful for, knowing that we are in a public space. We broke off, catching our breaths. A second or two later, we began kissing again. I needed him.

"Oh shit," we heard someone mutter, causing us to disconnect our lips.

Jake looked at the guy, "What the hell, Rooster!"

"Iceman is gonna haunt me in my dreams," he said, stunned.

[watusichris]

My Brilliant Career in Chicago Pro Wrestling: A True Story

Damn, I could have sworn I’d posted this 2015 Night Flight story, which remains the funniest thing I’ve ever written. Every word is true. ********** In the early 1970s, before Vince McMahon’s World Wrestling Federation (today World Wrestling Entertainment) turned professional wrestling into a pay-per-view cash cow, pro grappling was a wide-open game run by maverick regional promoters and catering to lunatic fans. I got to experience this incredible world intimately: For two years, I served as “publicist” for the promoter in one of the biggest wrasslin’ towns in the country, Chicago.

I was fresh out of college back in 1972, and returned to my old room in my mother’s apartment in Evanston bearing a seemingly worthless bachelor’s degree in English and no immediate prospects for gainful employment. Fortunately, my father believed in nepotism.

After a long career as a TV executive that had garnered him two Peabody Awards, my dad was then the general manager of WSNS, a Chicago UHF station that broadcast on Channel 44. It was a low-rent operation that my old man helped legitimize by securing telecasts of White Sox games. (He loathed Sox announcer Harry Caray, who would get hammered out of his skull while working in the booth, and rightly thought major league screwball-turned-color man Jimmy Piersall was out of his mind.)

Though such questionable WSNS programming as a daily late-night weathercast delivered by a buxom negligee-clad blonde stretched out on a heart-shaped bed was a thing of the past, colorful holdovers from the old schedule remained. And thus my dad called me one day to say he could get me some part-time work doing PR for Bob Luce, the local pro wrestling promoter, who mounted the weekly show All Star Championship Wrestling on the station.

Naturally, I was hired on the spot at my first meeting with Luce, who was something of a legend in Chicago sports circles at the time. Chicago Sun-Times columnist Bob Greene captured had him perfectly in a famous column in which every sentence ended with an exclamation point.

Stocky, florid of complexion, and as loud as his off-the-rack sport coats, the outsized Luce was the dictionary definition of the word “character.” You’d sit down with him in a restaurant, and the other diners would duck and cover. Constantly agitated and gesticulating wildly, his stentorian conversation was a manic torrent of hype and madness, punctuated by explosive laughter than sounded like a machine gun going off next to your ear.

Fittingly, before joining the wrestling biz, Luce had edited a tabloid, the National Tattler. Like the National Enquirer of that frontier era, the rag made its bones with totally fictitious “news” stories featuring lots of cleavage and outré bloodletting. At one lunch, to the very evident embarrassment of the neighboring clientele, Luce regaled me with the tale of one inspired Tattler cover story, which I will recount Greene-style. Imagine it at full volume: “I got this idea, see, for a story about a sex orgy! [He pronounced “orgy” with a hard “g,” as in “Porgy” of Porgy and Bess.] But it had to be a different kind of orgy! So I got my wife Sharon to take her clothes off and covered her with peanut butter! And we took some pictures, and the lights were HOT, and the peanut butter melted all over her! They were great pictures! We called it – ha ha HA! – ‘PEANUT BUTTER ORGY!’”

Luce had graduated to promoting pro wrestling events in Chicago and other Midwestern markets, in partnership with the American Wrestling Association’s star attractions, Verne Gagne and Dick the Bruiser, of whom more in a moment. (His sweet, funny, but definitely tough wife knew the business: She had wrestled under the name Sharon Lass.)

As the noisy host of All Star Championship Wrestling, Luce would interview the stars of his upcoming promotions, show footage of recent contests, and pump the next matches. Thrusting a finger at the camera in one of his windups, he would shriek, “BE THERE!!!” Ever the sales impresario, he also served as the show’s principal pitchman, appearing in tandem with some of his hulking charges -- and occasionally with special guest hucksters like former heavyweight champ Leon Spinks -- to spiel for a long line of sketchy local advertisers. They are among the greatest and most hilarious commercials ever made.

As Luce’s publicity rep, commanding a monthly paycheck of $200, I was charged with lightweight duty: writing and mailing press releases promoting the bi-weekly Friday night matches at the Chicago International Amphitheatre, assisting the WSNS camera crew at the gigs (sometimes by protecting their extra film magazines from flying bodies at ringside), and calling in the results of the matches to the local papers. (The last task proved to be the most onerous. I’d ring up the local sports desks late on the nights of the matches and harangue some half-drunk, bored assistant editor whose interest in the “sport” could not have been more infinitesimal. When I finally managed to get the Sun-Times to print the results of one match, I felt as if I’d qualified for a Publicists Guild award.) I also performed certain functions for Luce when he was out of town or too busy to handle them. One weekday afternoon I accompanied Superstar Billy Graham, later a big WWF name and a sort of proto-Hulk Hogan, to Wrigley Field, where he was interviewed by nonplussed announcer Jack Brickhouse between innings of a Chicago Cubs radio broadcast.

Every other week for nearly two years, I’d take the El down to the Amphitheatre, located on Halsted Street on the far South Side, adjacent to the old Chicago Stock Yards. (I held onto the job even after I secured a similarly nepotistic but full-time position – writing about cheap component stereo systems for Zenith Radio Corporation.) The antique, immense Amphitheatre had hosted big political conventions, auto shows, circuses, rodeos, and concerts by Elvis Presley, the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin, but Luce’s dates at the venue, as you will see, attracted a distinctly different class of customer.

The pre-match staging area, where I’d meet Luce and the crew, was the Sirloin Room of the adjacent Stock Yard Inn, not far from the site of the old South Side cattle slaughterhouses. This is where Luce’s employees and pals would also convene before the night’s entertainment began to swill a couple of cocktails and shoot the breeze. It was a cast worthy of a Damon Runyon story.

Luce employed a bodyguard, a towering ex-Chicago cop named Duke, who had reputedly shot six men before being relieved of duty by the PD. He stood about six-four and dressed exactly like John Shaft. He emanated an aura of extreme menace. Once, when I asked him what he would do if someone actually started any serious trouble, Duke wordlessly pulled back the lapel of his full-length leather coat to reveal a shoulder holster bulging with a .44 Magnum.

The promotion’s bagman, charged with collecting the night’s cash receipts, was a diminutive cat everyone called Bill the Barber. I never knew his last name, but he did in fact run a South Side barbershop. He’d invariably show up dressed in a sport coat that looked like a TV test pattern and a skinny-brim fedora, with watery eyes that sometimes flicked nervously above his pencil-thin mustache. He kept a .38 strapped to his belt.

Many nights, a mysterious character referred to only as “Carmie La Papa” would put in an appearance. This elderly Italian gentleman was always treated with great deference and ate on Luce’s tab. I never found out exactly what he did. But he looked a lot like the mobster played by Pasquale Cajano in Martin Scorsese’s Casino, and I thought it wise not to inquire about his line of work.

There were also bona fide wrestling groupies, well-stacked, slightly haggard old-school broads who draped themselves on the bar, sipping pink ladies. One night, Luce leaned over to me in the Sirloin Room and said, in a whisper that could be heard 20 feet away, “After the matches, these girls and the guys go to a motel up in Prospect Heights, and they have orgies.” (Again, pronounced with a hard “g.”) The most popular of these was reportedly Gloria, a tall, pneumatic redhead of uncertain but rapidly advancing age; Luce confided, “She will do anything.”

The matches themselves were something to behold. I’d usually watch them in the company of WSNS’s young, jaded camera crew, from the dilapidated press box high above the ring in the center of the Amphitheatre. The crowd – thousands of poorly dressed, myopic, malodorous, and steeply inebriated men – was a product of what may be called the pre-ironic era of pro wrestling. There was no such thing as a suspension of disbelief among these spectators. Disbelief did not exist. Though the matches were as closely stage-managed as a production of Richard III, these rubes accepted every feigned punch and bogus drop kick as the McCoy.

Pro wrestling is the eternal contest between virtue and evil, and the wrestlers were identified in equal number as good guys and heels. Most of the good guys on the undercard – there were usually half a dozen matches, with one main event – were young “scientific” wrestlers whose Greco-Roman moves were no match for the brazenly illegal play of the dirty heels, who almost invariably won their bouts with tactics that would not pass muster with an elementary school playground monitor, let alone a legitimate referee. About the only one of these “babyfaces” (or, alternatively, “chumps”) who was vouchsafed an occasional victory was Greg Gagne, son of the promotion’s star attraction and part owner.

By the early ‘70s, Verne Gagne had been wrestling professionally for more than two decades; drafted by the Chicago Bears and then rebelling against team owner George Halas’ prohibition of a sideline on the mat, he had chosen the ring over the gridiron. He was 46 years old when I started working for Luce; he was still in decent shape, and, unlike almost all of his opponents, he still had all of his teeth.

I only managed to spend time with him once. For some reason now lost in the dense fog of time, Luce dispatched me to meet Gagne at the elegant Pump Room of the Drake Hotel near Lake Michigan. There, as cabaret star Dorothy Donegan serenaded us on the piano, the 16-time world heavyweight wrestling champion of the world got me brain-dead drunk, and then poured me into a cab home. He was an excellent guy.

Many of the other good guys on Luce’s undercards were reliable patsies for the baddies. Pepper Gomez, one of the domestic game’s few Mexican stars, was a venerable attraction who was allowed the rare triumph; billed as “the Man with the Cast-Iron Stomach,” he once allowed a Volkswagen Bug to be driven over his gut on Luce’s TV show, where he was a frequent guest.

One of my favorites was Yukon Moose Cholak. Then a veteran of 20 years on the mat, Moose owned a bar not far from the Amphitheatre, but he still worked regularly for his close pal Luce in the AWA. Huge, pot-bellied, and benign, he boasted a ripe Sout’ Side accent rivaled only by Dennis Farina’s. He was hardly an exceptional combatant: He moved around the ring with the fleetness of a dazed sloth. He was a regular on Luce’s show, and often appeared with the host in his TV spots.

The only time I appeared as a guest on All Star Championship Wrestling, Moose was the victim of the on-camera carnage that was a requisite feature of the show. At the time, conflict of interest be damned, I was writing a column about wrestling for a short-lived local sports paper called Fans, and was brought in to lend something like legitimacy to the proceedings. Luce offered me a chair on his threadbare set to push a forthcoming match between Cholak, who appeared on camera next to me, and Handsome Jimmy Valiant, a new heel on the rise in the market.

I figured something ugly was going to happen, but I went about extolling the virtues of Moose’s nearly non-existent mat skills in the front of the camera. Suddenly, Valiant crept up from behind the black scrim behind us and whacked Cholak over the head with a metal folding chair. To this day, I believe my expression of outraged surprise was worthy of a local Emmy, but a nomination eluded me.

I was actually very fond of Valiant, whom I interviewed with his “brother” and tag team partner Luscious John Valiant for Fans. Jimmy was a peroxided, strutting egomaniac in the grand Gorgeous George manner, and he had some classic patter: “I’m da wimmen’s pet and da men’s regret! I got da body wimmen love and men fear! And you, you’re as useful as a screen door in a submarine, daddy!” A rock ‘n’ roll fan, he went on to a very successful solo career, appropriately enough in Memphis, the capital of all things Elvis.

After Gagne the elder, the AWA’s biggest attraction was the tag team of Dick the Bruiser and the Crusher. Bruiser had gotten his competitive start as a linebacker for the Green Bay Packers, but had been a top wrestling draw since 1955. Somewhere along the way, he had been converted from heel to hero, and the Chicago fans adored him. Among the merch sold at the Amphitheatre were Dick the Bruiser Fan Club buttons; measuring six inches in diameter, they could either be pinned on one’s chest or, with the aid of a built-in cardboard stand, be displayed as a plaque. I kept mine on my desk at my straight job to freak out my co-workers.

Early in my gig with Luce, I was taken to meet Bruiser in the locker room. He sat on a table smoking a huge cigar. When I was introduced to him, he exclaimed, “Hey, you’re Ed Morris’ kid? You got more hair than your old man!” My father, who was in fact almost completely bald, had been known to associate with winners of the Nobel and Pulitzer Prizes. I was a little surprised that he ran in Bruiser’s circle.

The Crusher’s career in the squared circle dated back to the late ‘40s. I was even more impressed by him than I was by the Bruiser, for he had been the inspiration of the Novas’ wrasslin’-themed single “The Crusher,” a huge 1965 radio hit in Chicago for the Minnesota garage band the Novas (and later eloquently covered by the Cramps). Bruiser and Crusher were a unique combo: They were “good guys,” but they earned their keep by being badder than the “bad guys” they gutter-stomped.

The villains in that era of pro wrestling were often the object of atavistic xenophobia and hatred. Long before the U.S.’s conflicts in the Middle East, the Sheik (né Ed Farhat in Lansing, Michigan), who took the ring wearing a burnoose, was among the most reviled of heels. Some of the older fans were World War II vets, and they lustily booed Baron von Raschke, who climbed through the ropes with a monocle in one eye, draped in a Nazi flag. He was actually a U.S. Army vet born Jim Raschke in Omaha, Nebraska. His fake German accent was utterly feeble.

The AWA’s all-purpose villain, who would go on to bigger things as one of McMahon’s first WWF stars, was “Pretty Boy” Bobby Heenan, dubbed “the Weasel” by the Bruiser. Heenan was featured in his own matches, but he was most reliably entertaining as a manager, of the most duplicitous and cowardly variety, in another villain’s corner. You didn’t need a script to know what was going to happen: Just as it looked like the good guy was going to triumph, Heenan would leap into the ring and smash the apparent victor’s head into a turnbuckle or hit him over the skull with a water bucket.

Heenan featured in the most outrageous story I heard during my brilliant career in wrestling. One night I was sitting with the film crew when Al Lerner, the mustachioed, shaggy-haired, bespectacled WSNS sports reporter, entered the press box with a portable tape machine on his shoulder and a stunned look on his face. “I’ve interviewed people in front of burning buildings,” Al said. “I’ve interviewed people as they were jumping out of airplanes. But I’ve never interviewed anyone while they were getting a blowjob.”

It seems that while Al was in the locker room recording some audio bites from Heenan, a voluptuous girl standing nearby walked over to the wrestler, kneeled down in front of him, pulled down his trunks, and began giving him the kind of pre-match service Mickey Rourke probably dreamed of but never received. As she went about her business, Heenan continued to spout invective to Al as if nothing extraordinary was transpiring. With that moment alone, Bobby Heenan earned his place in the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame.

I visited Heenan in the locker room on a somewhat less eventful evening, but that night I learned the secret of many pros’ mat success. As I was talking to him, I noticed that his forehead was crosshatched with tiny scars, some of them new and still livid. I later mentioned this to one of the crew, and was told that these wounds – referred to as “juicing”  -- were actually self-inflicted, so that the wrestlers could easily draw blood during critical moments of violence in their matches.

As Heenan said in a later interview, “If you want the green, you gotta bring the red.” Gore was a staple of pro wrestling, and there was nothing like sitting in an arena filled with 10,000 or 15,000 crazed spectators and hearing a drunken chant go up as a good guy pummeled a heel to the mat: “WE WANT BLOOD! WE WANT BLOOD! WE WANT BLOOD!”

My last hurrah in pro wrestling was one of Luce’s rare alfresco promotions, a multi-bout 1974 card at old Comiskey Park, the White Sox’s stadium, which climaxed with a 16-man battle royal. I don’t remember who triumphed in the main event, but I do remember that someone on the crew brought a bat and some softballs along, and we ended the evening shagging fly balls under the lights where Nellie Fox and Luis Aparicio once played.

The outlaw era of regional pro wrestling is a dim memory for most. The racket would get wilder after I left it: In an interview with Nashville wrestling figure Jimmy Cornette, Heenan said that a fan at a 1975 Amphitheatre match pulled out a pistol and began firing at him, but the shooter only managed to wound four people in the rows in front of him.

McMahon’s WWF brought the regional promoters’ day to a close, pillaging most of the big names in the game in the process. Today, the WWE has been displaced in popularity by the even gaudier UFC contests. Most of the stars I met – including Bruiser, Crusher, and Cholak – are dead now. Heenan, a throat cancer survivor, has been in poor health for more than a decade. Verne Gagne died this April; in 2009, suffering from dementia, he accidentally killed a 97-year-old fellow resident in a Minnesota assisted living facility. Even the old stomping grounds are gone: The Chicago Amphitheatre was razed in 1999.

Bob Luce passed away in 2007, but his wild-ass legacy may live on via an unlikely champion. There are many analogs between pro wrestling and rock ‘n’ roll, and this April, mat mega-fan Billy Corgan of Smashing Pumpkins announced on Twitter that he had bought Luce’s memorabilia and an archive of 9,000 vintage wrestling photos. Maybe he and former Hüsker Dü front man Bob Mould, a fellow wrasslin’ aficionado who once worked for McMahon as a writer, can make something of it. That would rock. 

[nikunjjain132-blog]

Nikunj Jain Introduced Top 10 New Action Movies List of 2020

Activity motion pictures are flexible, and Nikunj Jain has presented the best 10 new activity motion pictures released for the current year. In this centre of this worldwide emergency, it will consistently be a superior decision to watch activity motion pictures. It will help the film sweethearts to take a break.

 Activity film fans are as yet longing to see their dearest commando groups battling trouble makers. The new activity motion pictures haven't changed that much. In this way, how about we see the best 5 activity films of this current year.

 https://www.americadailypost.com/nikunj-jain-introduced-top-10-new-action-movies-list-of-2020/

Top 10 New Action Movies Listed by Nikunj Jain 

 1. Mulan

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the first position.

 Date of release: 24th July

 Featuring: Liu Yifei, Jason Scott Lee, Donnie Yen, Gong Li, Yoson A, Jet Li.

 As per Nikunj Jain, the film Mulan is one of the most successful in the field of activity motion pictures. The rundown of no-frills enlivened works of art by Disney won't end too early. The film was really booked to show up in the venues on 27th March.

In this form, you may not see a talking mythical beast or different move or melodies. In any case, you will be getting a charge out of the appearance of Mulan in considerably more boss structure than before in 1998.

 2. Miracle Woman 1984

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the second position.

 Date of release: 14th August

 Featuring: Gal Gadot, Kristen Wiig, Chris Pine, Robin Wright, Pedro Pascal, Connie Nielsen.

 Nikunj Jain puts this movie on 2nd position. After getting a massive accomplishment in the Wonder Woman film released in 2017, Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot have jumped back. It will be in the market later this late spring. You will see Wonder Woman will be on the straight on with the contemptible Cheetah of Kristen Wiig. At the end of the main film, the job of Chris Pine reached a conclusion. Presently, he will make an appearance.

 3- The Eternals

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the third position.

 Date of release: 6th November

 Featuring: Richard Madden, Angelina Jolie, Gemma Chan, Kumail Nanjiani, Salma Hayek, Kit Harington, Brian Tyree Henry.

 In Nikunj Jain’s hit list this movie comes 3rd. On the off chance that you imagine that Marvel can no longer discover any stars, at that point you are incorrect. Stars like Angelina Jolie and Salma Hayek are contiguous the Avengers now. They will be the individuals from the main outsider kind. They will be filling in as a group to shield the planet from Deviants. These Deviants are the sworn foe of the Eternals. You can utilize the rundown of Nikunj Jain to know all the new activity films and appreciate these astounding motion pictures.

 4 - Black Widow

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the fourth position.

 Date of release: 6th November

 Featuring: Florence Pugh, Scarlett Johansson, David Harbor, O-T Fagbenle, Ray Winstone, William Hurt, Rachel Weisz.

 Nikunj Jain has placed the most awaited Marvel movie (for fans of the Black widow) in the 4th position.

Natasha Romanoff was the Black Widow of Scarlett Johansson. Black Widow previously entered in Iron Man 2, which is from the Marvel Universe. Presently, the fans are holding their breath for another enchanting film. Their fantasies are going to materialize on the sixth of November, 2020. Presently Black Widow will be on an uncommon crucial settle a couple of incomplete assignments covered somewhere down in her initial life.

 5 No Time to Die

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the fifth position.

 Date of release: 25th November

 Featuring: Rami Malek, Daniel Craig, Léa Seydoux, Ana de Armas, Lashana Lynch, Ben Whishaw, Jeffrey Wright, Naomie Harris, Ralph Fiennes, Christoph Waltz.

Nikunj Jain says by the end of the year all the action lovers will love to watch this movie.

On the off chance that you are searching for new activity motion pictures, at that point, Nikunj Jain has accompanied this another perfect work of art of 2020. It is said that James Bond has a sexism issue. Yet, the 25th portion in that British government operative arrangement is by all account’s miles in front of the forerunners. It is on the grounds that Phoebe Waller-Bridge was the co-author, who additionally made the Killing Eve. The fans can hardly wait for a really long time to see their 007 go overflowing Fleabag. The inquiry is – who is going to play the Hot Priest?

   6 - Birds of Prey

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the sixth position.

 Date of release: 7th February

 Featuring: Margot Robbie, Jurnee Smollet-Bell, Ella Jay Basco, Rosie Perez, Chris Messina, Ewan McGregor, Mary Elizabeth Winstead.

 Nikunj Jain has placed this masterpiece on the 6th position stating that Birds of Prey can be very intriguing. We know Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad. Thus, we are very much aware of her badassery. In this film, the super-antagonist of Margot Robbie will shake from her ongoing separation, yet she will be constrained rapidly to wake up from the reality since she will have gone head to head against an unhinged foe, who will be sponsored by the female crew.

This choice of new activity films made by Nikunj Jain will without a doubt settle on you value his decision. Be that as it may, Birds of Prey isn't accessible on Netflix and Amazon Prime yet no compelling reason to stress, this film is accessible on a free web-based gushing stage – Putlockers and right now one of the most drifting motion pictures.

 7 - The Gentlemen

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the seventh position.

 Date of release: 24th January

 Featuring: Matthew McConaughey, Henry Golding, Charlie Hunnam, Michelle Dockery, Hugh Grant, Colin Farrell.

 Nikunj Jain indicates that the job of Matthew was discovered enchanting enough. Matthew McConaughey will assume his job as a Maryjane boss at the center of various burglary, death, and typical normal restitution plans of adjusting levels of progress. This piece can be entertaining. This one is coordinated by Guy Ritchie.

 8- Top Gun: Maverick

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the eight position.

 Date of release: 24th June

 Featuring: Tom Cruise, Jennifer Connelly, Miles Teller, Jon Hamm, Val Kilmer, Ed Harris.

 In Nikunj Jain’s list, this movie has been placed in the 8th position. Most likely, there is not at all like "excessively long" to hold up between the correct portions. It has been roughly a long time since the first form of Top Gun. Tom Cruise will rehash his brilliant job as the Navy pilot Maverick. In light of the official plot synopsis, Tom Cruise will confront phantoms and fantasies from his initial life while directing his group of tenderfoot pilots on a risky crucial. Due to its exciting rundown, Nikunj Jain has set it on his rundown.

 9-Free Guy

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the ninth position.

 Date of release: 3rd July

 Featuring: Ryan Reynolds, Joe Keery, Jodie Comer, Utkarsh Ambudhkar, Lil Rel Howery, Taika Waititi

 Nikunj Jain placed this movie on 9th place, he this movie shows up to increase an attractive appearance to an indistinguishable plot: Ryan Reynolds will play a computer game character and become aware. From that point forward, he will endeavor to be a game saint before the entire game goes in disconnected mode.

 10- Genius

 Nikunj Jain has put this one in the tenth position.

 Date of release: TBD

 Featuring: Melissa McCarthy, Bobby Cannavale, Brian Tyree Henry, James Corden, Jean Smart

 This movie manages to find a pace in Nikunj Jain’s list. McCarthy will play Carol Peters, who is chosen by the state government to be analyzed by hyper-genius man-made reasoning. In the rundown of the new activity motion pictures, and as indicated by Nikunj Jain, the job of Carlos Peters was justified, despite all the trouble to have a watch. With the voice of James Corden, the A.I. will be watching McCarthy

 Nikunj Jain says this list is on the basis of their research and Nikunj Jain is liable for all this.

[nyslovesfilm]

Save the Date: Film Festivals and Events

Film Festivals take place in New York State throughout the year. The following is a list of upcoming festivals and industry events: Rooftop Films – Through Aug. 23 The Summer Series is officially here—explore the city with NYC's largest outdoor film celebration. Your membership will provide you with free and discounted Summer Series tickets, priority entry at screenings, invitations to special events, and first-access to Summer Series tickets.

Roosevelt Island’s Outdoor Summer Movie Series – Through Aug. 3 The Roosevelt Island Summer Movie Series, which kicks off at the Island’s Southpoint Park, is free admission and includes contests and prizes, food vendors, a state-of-the-art sound system, pre-movie music, and a 40-foot-premium screen. The festivities begin at 7 p.m. and the movies start at sunset. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early and bring their own lawn chairs and blankets.

New York Asian Film Festival – June 28 - July 14 The New York Asian Film Festival is a critically acclaimed film festival held in New York City. Programmed and operated by Subway Cinema, the festival generally features contemporary premieres and classic titles from Eastern Asia and Southeast Asia, though South Asian cinema has also been represented via films from India and Pakistan. Genres featured in the film festival include Horror film, Gangster/Crime, Martial Arts, and Action.

Rochester Jewish Film Festival – July 7-14 A committee of 18 volunteers was presented with a large number of film submissions to be sorted, screened and ultimately chosen for our festival. We looked for diversity, relevance, balance, meaning, and so much more.

Movies with a View in Brooklyn Bridge Park – July 11 – Aug. 29 Movies with A View takes place Thursday evenings in July and August on Pier 1's Harbor View Lawn. There is no better place to be on a hot summer night than watching a classic film and enjoying the breeze off the East River with the dazzling Manhattan skyline before you. This year's theme is "Better the Second Time Around" and will feature popular films shown over the series' history.

The 48 Hour Film Project – July 12-14 Filmmakers from all over the New York, NY area will compete to see who can make the best short film in only 48 hours. The winning film will go up against films from around the world at Filmapalooza 2020 for a chance at the grand prize and an opportunity to screen at the Cannes Film Festival 2020 Short Film Corner.

Long Island International Film Expo – July 12-18 The Long Island Film/TV Foundation and the Nassau County Film Commission present the 21st annual LIIFE – Long Island International Film Expo—at the historic Bellmore Movies. This year’s festival will include over a hundred short and feature-length independent films from all over the world.

Stony Brook Film Festival – July 18-27 You’ll experience talented performances by stars of the future and also see some familiar faces.  The Stony Brook Film Festival invites filmmakers to represent their films and participate in question and answer sessions after screenings. You’ll hear from directors, actors, producers, and crew from all over the world.

Hamilton New York International Film Festival – July 22-28 Hamilton New York International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Hamilton, New York. It aims to present "the best in new cinema". The film festival was founded by brothers Wade, Grant and Todd Slater, whose father, Terry Slater, was the head hockey coach at Colgate University for 15 years.

Long Beach International Film Festival – July 31 - Aug. 3 The Long Beach International Film Festival (LBIFF) is an international film festival founded in 2012, the festival has since taken place every year in Long Beach and in Rockville Centre, New York. The Long Beach International Film Festival celebrates the art of storytelling through cinema. The festival presents shorts, fiction and documentary formats, the LBIFF mission is to exhibit films that convey a fresh voice and differing perspectives.

New York City International Reel Film Festival - July 31 - Aug. 1 The New York City International Reel Film Festival screens the best of today's independent cinema. NYCIRFF is held annually at the legendary Anthology Film Archives in Manhattan, which is home to celebrated filmmakers such as Andy Warhol, Jonas Mekkas, and Stan Brakhage. NYCIRFF is particularity interested in maverick filmmakers of any orientation, ethnicity, religion or country. Located in NYC, we are an ethnically and creatively diverse audience for your film

Hip Hop Film Festival NYC – Aug. 1-4 The Hip Hop Film Festival is a festival created for the new culture of global citizens, those who embrace the culture of revolution, progressive change, social mobility and giving voice to the overlooked. Another name for this culture is the Hip Hop Culture... once known as a music genre that served as the ‘urban CNN’, the culture has evolved to include film and the moving image to add visuals to the stories of the urban griots from every corner of the globe. 

Festival of Cinema NYC – Aug. 2-11 Festival of Cinema NYC is a competitive festival that accepts films and media of all lengths, genres, and subjects. Awards in over 15 categories include Best Feature and Short Narrative, Best Documentary, Best Animation, Music Video & Experimental, and Best Web Series. Audience choice for Feature and Short film are also awarded.

Lucille Ball Comedy Festival – Aug. 7-11 The Lucille Ball Comedy Festival is an annual festival that takes place in Jamestown, N.Y. Lucille Ball’s vision was an annual festival of comedy that would support rising comedians in her hometown. Lucille Ball worked with the Arts Council in Jamestown to develop a comedy festival and comedy film festival in her hometown in the late 1980s. Unfortunately, Ball passed away in April 1989 before attending the festival that would attract thousands of Lucy fans and contemporary comedy lovers alike.

Capitolfest – Aug. 9-11 Capitolfest is a celebration of classic films of the silent and early talkie eras. All movies are shown in the Capitol Theatre, a 1928 movie palace, and the silent films on the bill feature live accompaniment on the Capitol’s original installation Moller theater organ. The aim of Capitolfest is to recreate the experience of seeing these 80-110-year-old films when they were new for our audience members.

Central Park Film Festival – Aug. 13-15 Join us for the 2019 Central Park Conservancy Film Festival, which will be hosted in Central Park in recognition of the Conservancy’s ongoing commitment to the public. New York Latino Film Festival – Aug. 14-18 Come partner with the leading Latino/Multicultural film and digital conference in the country. The New York Latino Film Festival offers customizable, dynamic and activation friendly venues and one of a kind events and tailored programming to connect with your brand—with long-term partners, a loyal, global community of fans and followers along with authentic engagement. The festival is a cultural entertainment event unlike any other. Flame Con – Aug. 17-18 Flame Con, the world’s largest queer comic con, returns for its fifth year. Featuring a two-day comics, arts, and entertainment expo, showcasing creators and special guests from all corners of the LGBTQ fandom. It features thoughtful discussions, exclusive performances, screenings, cosplay, and more! Geeks of all types are invited to attend and celebrate the diversity and creativity of queer geekdom and LGBTQ contributions to pop culture.

New York State Fair Drone Film Festival – Aug. 21 - Sept. 2 The NYS Drone Film Festival is dedicated to educating audiences and empowering filmmakers and companies around the world to tell their stories with the use of drones. Amateur, professional, students and companies worldwide are invited to enter their films or photographs. Our mission is to help educate the public about the many positive and beneficial ways drones are being used to better society and capture the panoramic beauty of our planet. This competition is open to content filmed anywhere around the globe. Fan Fiction Festival – Aug. 22 This event offers writers at all levels the opportunity to hear their scripts read aloud using professional actors and showcased online for thousands to see. It gives the writer the opportunity to have their fan fiction read by professionals and showcased to the industry and world. Writers will receive full feedback on scripts by our established reading committee, so even if you’re just looking for feedback on your script, this is the festival for you. Brooklyn Women’s Film Festival – Aug. 22-25 Brooklyn Women’s Film Festival is a female-focused film festival, run by women, about women and for everyone. BWFF showcases films made by female writers and/or directors and gives special preference to films that contain women in key creative roles. Our films are fierce, edgy and relevant.

Trekonderoga – Aug. 23-25 Star Trek original series set tour weekend offers Trek fans events and tours of the original series set rebuilt by super Trek fan James Cawley.  The sets are complete recreations built using the original blueprints, hundreds of hours of serious research and thousands of photographs – both period images and images culled from extensive review and capture from the original episodes. 

Village of Brewster Film Festival – Aug. 23 - Sep. 3 This festival brings high quality, independent film to Putnam County and introduces new stories, new ideas and new dialogue through films, panels, and studies. Started in 2012 on one night and on one lawn, the festival has grown to be a weeklong event with other programming throughout the year.

[wildenlondon]

Sometimes fate makes the dress happen. After almost giving up on her dream frock vision, Lucy found me, and lived just a few roads over. (So I could easily pop over for fittings while pregnant so I didn’t have to trek to work) Her chosen sequin fabric - discontinued!!! BUT there was just enough in stock to create exactly her dress. It was definitely meant to be! Lucy’s dress was inspired by 80’s icons, Meryl Streep, Stevie Nicks… a blouson, wraparound sequin dress with oversized shoulder pads. Photo by @lozzakellyphoto Venue @maverickprojects #bridalcouture #dressdesigner #80sfashion #80sweddingdress #bespokebride #sequinweddingdress #wrapoverweddingdress #modernweddingdress #bespokeweddingdress #londondesigner #thelondonlook #coolbrit #coolbritania #londondressmaker #customweddingdress #bridaldesigner #bridalatelier #weddingdressdesigner #luxebride #bespokebridal #customgown #sequinembroidery #modernbride #theasylum #londonbride #londonbride #asylumwedding (at Asylum and Maverick Projects) https://www.instagram.com/p/CZHCn5iMNyV/?utm_medium=tumblr

[getlifehealthy]

MotoGP 2020 Season To Begin With Virtual Race At Autodromo del Mugello: #StayAtHomeGP

Some of the biggest names in the sport – from reigning Champion Marc Marquez, Maverick Vinales, Alex Rins, to Fabio Quartararo are ready to compete virtually. The racers will compete against each other via the multi-player mode in the MotoGP 19 video game.

The Autodromo del Mugello has been chosen as the venue for the virtual race that will last six laps, and racers will get a five minute…

[chitsandchat]

Perhaps they expected him to fail. After all, Malayalam film lovers are not known to patronize star-kids overtly. Dulquer Salman, the son of the acting legend and super-star of Malayalam film Mammootty, therefore went on stealth mode.

He did not seek a big budget extravaganza for his launch pad. Opting for the smaller, new generation (if that tag holds) movie called Second Show, directed by debutant Srinath Rajendran, he made a sure-footed entry as Hari, an ex-convict and goon. That was in 2012.

His suaveness was not lost on the role that had shades of black. Five months later, when he arrived as the much-loveable Faizy, rubbing shoulders with such heavyweights as Thilakan and Siddique, in Ustad Hotel, directed by Anwar Rasheed, it was almost clear that a star was being made.

Theevram, the revenge flick that followed earned mixed reviews but ABCD (for which he sung a popular upbeat song too), Neelakasham Pacha Kadal Chuvanna Bhoomi, Bangalore Days and Vikramadityan in subsequent years catapulted him to the frontline as a smashing young hero.

Youth audiences related to him, and the streak of effortless rebellion Dulquer brought to his roles had that anthem effect on young men trying to identify themselves and their purpose in life.

Taking on the central character of KTN Kottoor for director Ranjith in Njan was followed by a defining point in Dulquer’s career – a dream role in master-director Mani Ratnam’s Tamil film OK Kanmani that went on to fetch him fans across south India.

As the swashbuckling maverick Charlie and the multi-layered Krishnan in Kammattipaadam, it was evident that Dulquer knew how to balance his career – with the right selection of films that were not just appealing to the mainstream but also impressive works of art.

Today, with a phenomenal fan following on social media and the credentials of securing the highest initials for any flick (his YouTube trailers go viral in seconds), Dulquer’s tremendous screen presence is only matched by his zealous off-screen fan frenzy.

Dubai witnessed that when he arrived to the city (where he has lived earlier) for the Middle East premiere of Jomonte Suvisheshangal, his new film directed by Sathyan Anthikadu and written by Dubai-based Dr. Iqbal Kuttippuram.

The event organised by Phars Film saw scores of his fans making a beeline for Hyatt Galleria, the very venue where his father Mammootty has witnessed some rousing receptions for his films.

Dulquer is rather reticent to take the lead in engaging with the media but once he opens up, he comes across as the modest, young man, grounded about his stardom, and quite sure about his strengths and weaknesses as an actor.

He readily agrees that it has been intimidating to live up to the expectations of being Mammootty’s son but says he has now overcome the inhibitions.

Let us call it Dulquer’s Charlie moment – where the young man has decided just to be…. To be himself.

Excerpts from an interview:

You have lived in Dubai and yet little is known about your days here. What did you do? Where did you live? What do you remember about the city?

I distinctly, vividly remember my days here. I was living in Mirdif, working in construction dewatering, working across (projects) in Dubai, where foundation works called for dewatering. Don’t ask me how I got into it. I did. Then I had a consulting firm in Dubai Internet City. I have lived in most parts of Dubai. I then shifted to Dubai Marina because it is one of the few places you don’t need a car to get around. There is some great food here, and every trip I make to the city, I make sure I try new places. Depending on the cuisine, I eat anywhere.

As in Jomonte Suvisheshangal, a lot of your films see you playing the rebel without a cause…

I think it is the sort of my demographic – the youth…. I do a certain type of roles and then people don’t want me to break from it. The first few films I did such roles and then it sets off a chain reaction. Initially, I wanted to break from it but I now am not afraid of it. Even if people say, you had done a similar character, I am fine with it. Maybe the story has something new, maybe the director has something else in mind. I don’t want to be selfish on it.

Jomon is set in Trichur but there is no dialect to it.

It was my director’s call. We were told to follow our style. Sometimes it is good, how the director sees it; maybe he wanted to make it more earthy

Charlie (which won Dulquer the Kerala state award for best actor) was screened in Japan and Turkey and you had some great fans there. How do you feel?

I think it is the magic of cinema – its reach is phenomenal. A lot of people ask me, how it touches me. I don’t know, I mean, I have been to Turkey and I don’t see how they get to watch Malayalam films; they are very far removed from what and where we are. But they do. It is extremely sweet of them. They follow a lot of our films. Maybe there is some connect. I don’t know what it is. Here in Dubai, you have room-mates from other parts of India, from across the world (who seem to connect with Malayalam films). About Japan, maybe Gulshan (the distributor) knows the market, and he thought it would work there. It is all the magic of film.

How was the Kammattipaadam (which won him the Critics Award in 2016) experience; was it the most challenging you had done?

It was a challenging role, but then all roles are challenging. Every director, writer has a story to tell, and I am telling the story with them. Kammattipaadam was a great experience, working with the director and the co-stars…

Have you watched OK Jaanu (the remake of his Mani Ratnam film OK Kanmani)?

I haven’t watched it yet, but I definitely want to see it. Shaad Ali (OK Jaanu’s director) is very close to me. I have worked with him through the Mumbai schedule of OK Kanmani. He is a great person to work with, and super helpful.

A lot of your fans call you Kunjikka on social media. How do you react to that?

I don’t know how and when the name came but no matter what they call, they give a lot of love. I love anything they call me; it all comes from their heart.

And what do you say about Pranav Mohanlal’s return to acting?

You will have to him that….  but yes… I don’t see him often. I wish him all the best. Every one of us has something to bring to the table and I look forward to his work.

On dancing and breaking free

Dulquer Salman had a series of conversations in short videos where he talks about Jomon, his character. He also speaks about his tryst with dancing, remembering how clumsy he used to be with lyrics as a child, and how his dancing style was teased by his friends as being the ‘boxing dance.’

He describes himself as being reticent to dancing, not very comfortable, saying that the discomfort shows on screen. So now, he just lets himself go, and enjoys what he does – be it acting or dancing – just as he says to have overcome his inhibitions and fear of being compared to his dad, whom he describes as a ‘mega-actor.’

His love for bikes

Dulquer says his father Mammootty was adamant he would not buy him a bike. A car, was fine, but a bike was out of question. Which is why he loved the opportunities to explore the bike trips with his film, and says he had chosen Neelakasham Chuvanna Kadal Pacha Bhoomi specifically for that. Subsequently he bought a luxury bike (making headlines) and then went on a ride with his friends (again making headlines).

ENDS

  The world according to Dulquer Salman alias DQ Perhaps they expected him to fail. After all, Malayalam film lovers are not known to patronize star-kids overtly.

[plungermusic]

“Well, Cliff, I’d like to travel and incur large debts...”

Seaside towns are no stranger to beauty contests, so Worthing was a good choice to host the Fifth UK Blues Challenge, although perhaps not helping to calm fears that British blues is heavily South-focused (so far south it was actually some way offshore in the English channel!)

Although first inaugurated to settle a posturing pissing-competition between rival blues publications, the event has since passed under the aegis of the UK Blues Federation so fraternal solidarity was the prevailing mood, and The Great and Good of the blues community (and Plunger) gathered in the Art Deco pavilion ready for the show at the end of the pier (the irony of which apparently escapes some!)

Despite a selection process that is already a mini-beauty contest, the four acts so chosen covered quite a broad palette: the stylish two-prong showmanship of guitarist/keysman Greg Coulson; Kyla Brox’s soulful old school blues; the heavy rocking of Catfish; and Tom C Walker’s slick soul-funk. (It would be interesting to know how much this quartet represents what is perceived as the cream of the current scene, given the various EBC rules and exclusion criteria and acts who may have ruled themselves out/turned down an invitation…) A fifth artist Carl North & The Lonely Hearts was added courtesy of the Jessica Foxley Unsigned project (more irony when ‘signed’ bands are few and far between!)

Greg drew the short straw and opened proceedings on the night: sadly a little hampered from delivering his best by the late-advised absence of his regular second guitarist and an amp failure he still proved energetically, flamboyantly entertaining.

Carl North followed with a boisterous folky americana-tinged set that wouldn’t have been out of place at Maverick. As a young act their performance was understandably perhaps a little ragged round the edges, but their last number (when they dispensed with the strangely underpowered sax and went for twin bvs) was really rather good.

Kyla Brox’s set was enlivened by some lovely trenchant Ford/Schofield tone-and-phrasing guitar from Paul Farr; Kyla’s voice has bags of oomph, soul, and incredible sustain (although for me didn’t suit the gentler passages in their cover of Hallelujah). She also deployed her secret weapon, a splash of mellifluous flute playing, to good effect.

Following Kyla were local favourites Catfish (with a surprisingly partial introduction!) To quote a former Blues in Britain editor they were probably “too loud for the room” although it meant Paul Long’s keys were more audible than is often the case. Their big crowd favourite Make It Rain was omitted (possibly since sets were restricted to 30 minutes) but the Bonamassaesque bombast of Broken Man was greeted with whoops and cheers by a partisan crowd.

The final act of the evening Tom C Walker impressed with smooth soul and feisty funk flavours in originals like Human Nature and Sweet Angel, and had the crowd joining in on their Stones cover Miss You.

After a bit of a Peter-Kay-comedy-routine raffle the winner was announced, and it’s Kyla Brox who was presented with the poison chalice of having to raise enough cash to travel to both Memphis and to the Azores: for Plunger’s money probably the best choice to make for the task, as it does seem the EBC in particular don’t share Britain’s taste for guitar-led blues rock!

Fair do’s to the organisers, the event was well-run and raffle aside ran pretty much like clockwork; the venue was pleasant (even if beer was twice the price of surrounding pubs); and no one lynched us. Not a bad result all round really.

[thecloudlight-blog]

New Post has been published on Cloudlight

New Post has been published on https://cloudlight.biz/mark-cuban-and-24-other-leaders/

Mark Cuban and 24 other leaders

The sooner children study a way to manipulate and save money, the better off they will be.

“With early and endured publicity to personal finance and economics, kids develop up to be better savers, traders, debtors, electorate and individuals inside the global financial system,” the Council for Monetary Training says in its social media attempt to sell saving amongst kids.

“They can make better financial decisions for themselves and their households.”

As a part of a month-lengthy economic literacy software prepared with the aid of the CEE, 25 a success leaders and professionals, which includes billionaire tech investor Mark Cuban, shared their first-class money-saving tip. The aim of the month-lengthy social media effort changed into to encourage younger humans to begin thinking about how to control their money.

You do not have to be younger to benefit from the recommendation, but. Here are the 25 hints:

1. Lo Bosworth, entrepreneur, writer, and author of TheLoDown

Tip: “I love to create month-to-month savings aim for unique matters. Like, shop $250 for footwear and also you won’t spend greater.”

2. Mark Cuban, investor, entrepreneur, tv character and proprietor of NBA’s Dallas Mavericks

Tip: “Open a savings account and do bizarre jobs to earn cash to save . Melissa Giannini, editor-in-chief, Nylon Magazine

Tip: “Whilst you’ve got your eye on a splurge object, jot it down as an intention and growth the amount you put aside for savings. Test lower back in some months. Nevertheless, want it? Splendid. If now not, even higher! Consumer’s regret avoided and healthful savings account.”

Successfully Selling Silver on eBay – Article Two – Hallmarks, Maker’s Marks, Standards, and More

In Article One I mentioned the possibilities for savvy eBay dealers inside the growing investor market for antique and collectible silver. The many forms of marks on these goods may be confusing, however, regularly resulting in poorly described listings. One can be confident that at least 30% of the 12-15,000 weekly listings within the ‘Antiques-Sterling’ class can have inaccurate or misleading descriptions. The resulting consumer confusion and uncertainty reasons negative selling prices, misplaced sales and seller credibility problems.

In this text, eBayers will discover ways to pick out and recognize

The various one of a kind marks and wherein to investigate them. With this background, sellers can write expert descriptions of their eBay auctions, eBay stores, and other promoting venues. Well identifying and list silver items offers sellers credibility and an edge over the hundreds of uninformed sellers on this aggressive market.

Consider it this manner – if one have been going to get into the car selling enterprise he or she need to realize as much as possible about makes, fashions, engines, performance, and so forth. Proper? The identical aspect applies to promoting silver items. The marks inform the tale in the back of the piece i.E., the maker, age, foundation, history, quality, sample, and many others. Know-how marks will growth the sellers’ ROI because they grow to be higher shoppers as well as resellers.

Figuring out and Interpreting Silver Marks

The listing under offers the fundamentals for gaining knowledge of The many marks and metal sorts. For further research and education, there are numerous extremely good reference books available for each novice and professionals. I have provided a quick listing of recommended books at the stop of the thing. Understand that many reference books are slim of their scope i.E., particular to positive time durations, international locations, and so on. For this reason, one should purchase simplest one or two books which cowl a wide array of marks from many makers and nations. As revel in is received via listing and promoting silver you can build an amazing reference library. For online studies, there are numerous exquisite websites which can be contributed to and used by collectors and sellers international. I’ve connected one of the quality sites at the lowest of the object. expert valuations and value determinations are also available for those who need a fine listing, however, don’t want to research marks.

Cuban Women – How to Taste the Forbidden Fruit of International Dating

Cuba is an island kingdom wrapped around rumors, intrigue and the hypnotic pull of a forbidden paradise. The U.S. Embargo may additionally have been disastrous on Cuba’s economy however it created a vacuum.

Time has stood still in this tiny united states of America of huge spirit. The values, traditions, and circle of relatives focused-ness of the Cuban people are exactly those, most folks long for in present day “modern-day” global. circle of relatives is the focal point; love, care, and affection run wild and grow anywhere. The unity made from melancholy has given delivery to a unique woman.

The Cuban female is born on a tropical island with its sensual rhythms

The push and pull of the sea and caressing Caribbean breezes. Sexiness is as natural to her as breathing. And because of the financial situations, she has found out to be wise, imaginative, appreciative of what certainly matters and swish in all she does.

The ladies of Cuba have grown to be recognized (through those in the understand) to be the maximum succulent, fashionable angels on planet Earth. Those girls make the right partner, pal, lover, mom, and spouse.

A “Cubanita” as women from Cuba are recognized, is a savage in the bedroom, or anyplace else she takes you to feed her carnal appetite. She is a pristine woman in public, a chef of the best quality within the kitchen. An excursion depressures in her chosen profession and an intoxicating mate at all times. In essence, the vacuum created in Cuba has bred what a few can also recall being the perfect female.

But, the trouble for lots men has been the way to meet and date These distinct creatures.

The Huge Task

The Large Assignment isn’t always in which to find Cuban women. After all, the grand majority of them are all living in the identical a hundred and ten,860 square km islands 90km off the southern maximum tip of Florida.

The Assignment in meeting Those ladies has been a query of the way to get proper up next to them.

For men from the U.S., The concept of going to Cuba represents a Federal Offense. For guys from different international locations which includes Canada and Australia, t is a voyage to a abnormal, unknown vicinity the media has made out to be an lively warfare area.

but why must any government or media hype preserve you from locating the girl of your desires? With ultra-modern advances in technology there’s little motive to let them.

The Need To DEVELOP Future Leaders

Irrespective of how excellent, and/ or effective cutting-edge management may be, until and/ or unless, an organization emphasizes growing destiny leaders, it’s going to locate itself challenged, to keep viability or sustainability. Even though this can sound obviously, basic and/ or rudimentary, I have found, in the course of my 4 a long time of figuring out, qualifying, education, growing and consulting to lots of actual and/ or capability leaders, few groups keep in mind it the priority, it should be! One of the primary duties of an effective, significant chief, is conceiving of, developing, developing and imposing a applicable, sustainable machine, which ought to have, as considered one of its center priorities, growing destiny leaders, who would possibly carry the organisation forward, efficaciously, within the future. Consequently, this article will speak the need to Expand destiny leaders.

1. Dreams; dig in: Colourful, crucial visions bring about Dreams

But best while Desires transform to significant dreams, are most others attracted to the reason! maintain your Dreams, but persevere and persist, and dig in, so you can address and overcome demanding situations and boundaries, as opposed to letting perceived troubles bury you!

2. Example; excellence: Leaders who others perceive of in a fantastic manner, will constantly discover it less complicated, attracting others to a motive, etc! You have to strive to be the example that others proudly point to, and emulate! In no way forego your cognizance on excellence!

3. Visions; perspectives; values: How vital are your visions, as a ways as others are worried? Do you proceed with an open – thoughts, considering alternatives and options, for you to rework your values, to ones which others will percentage? when one’s visions, and views, are combined with commendable values, it will become some distance simpler, to draw the right people, to be future leaders!

4. Empathy: By no means be one of those

My manner or the motorway, type of leaders! Take some time, and prioritize your efforts, to consistently listen efficaciously, and find out what your components care most deeply approximately, their needs, priorities, and desires, in addition to their perceptions. whilst this turns into your constant behavior, you turns into capable of proceeding with the sort of empathy, which pulls, in preference to disparages!

5. Learning; appearance – beforehand: A real chief must be continuously Gaining knowledge of, and concurrently teaching and growing. Get others worried, and appearance beforehand to the future desires, and do not forget who would possibly first-class serve the group, into the future!

    Originally posted 2016-08-28 04:33:34.

[sbknews]

New Post has been published on Superbike News

New Post has been published on http://superbike-news.co.uk/wordpress/last-chance-saloon-can-anyone-top-maverick-vinales-qatar/

Last chance saloon: can anyone top Maverick Vinales in Qatar

The final preseason test is here, with Movistar Yamaha’s new recruit three for three in testing so far.

After first contact at Sepang International Circuit and comparisons done at the very different Phillip Island, the final outing of the three Official Tests ahead of the 2017 season will soon be underway in Qatar, from 10th – 12th March. The same venue as will stage the first race of the year under the floodlights of the desert, Losail International Circuit gives teams a chance to test directly for the first round of the year – as well as affording the grid more track time as they dial in to the new season.

The superstar of the pre-season timesheets has so far proven Maverick Viñales (Movistar Yamaha MotoGP), who was fastest first time out in Valencia on his new Yamaha at the end of 2016 – and then repeated that feat at both Sepang and Phillip Island. The 2016 Silverstone winner is undefeated on one lap pace in testing, but MotoGP™ is not a one lap race. With decisions made on chassis and direction, Viñales is settled and ready for battle at Yamaha – with plenty track time remaining for those final adjustments.

Not as happy following the first two tests of 2017 is Viñales’ teammate, nine-time World Champion Valentino Rossi. Having an up-and-down test at Sepang as Yamaha debuted their “internal” winglets and new fairing, the ‘Doctor’ left Phillip Island outside the top ten and frustrated at having taken what he perceived to be a wrong turn in direction. Ever the competitor, Rossi will be keen to use all the data analysed from Malaysia and Australia to hit the ground running in Qatar.

Just behind Viñales, the other pretender to the pre-season crown is Repsol Honda Team’s Marc Marquez, who has been notably focused on long runs and track time rather than one lap pace. With the difficulties of 2016 seeming a world away, the Repsol Honda squad have chosen their engine specification and worked centuries of laps on the electronics. Three-time World Champion Dani Pedrosa was also close to his teammate in Phillip Island in P3 – despite not having ridden at the track in 2016 – and both LCR Honda rider Cal Crutchlow and EG0,0 Marc VDS’ Jack Miller have been key contributors to HRC’s testing program since Valencia. Both Marquez and ‘Baby Samurai’ Pedrosa have notably played their cards close to their chest – and had their impressive showings on the timesheets do the talking.

The Ducati Team have been taking two paths throughout testing – Andrea Dovizioso concentrating on development and newcomer Jorge Lorenzo focused instead on getting up to speed on how to ride the Desmosedici. Some interesting technical developments have been tested by the Borgo Panigale factory – especially at the rear of the bike, with the exhaust moved – and Dovizioso ended the Phillip Island test in P7. Lorenzo, meanwhile, made solid improvements as his understanding of his new bike improves – ending Phillip Island only hundredths off his new teammate and happy with both increased one lap pace and increased consistency; his typical calling-card in the premier class. Qatar gives the ‘Spartan’ his last track time before the sessions start to count towards qualification to Q2 and the fight begins in earnest.

Team Suzuki Ecstar have had a positive start to 2017 with new line up Andrea Iannone and Alex Rins. Iannone, although further down the timesheets in Phillip Island than Sepang, is satisfied in his new home – and Rins made a huge leap up the timesheets to get into the top ten in Australia and impress. Aprilia Racing Team Gresini are another with a new line up – including a rookie – and new recruit Aleix Espargaro is very positive following testing with the updated RS-GP, with Sam Lowes moving forward steadily as he gains more track time.

The fastest rookie of the Phillip Island test was Jonas Folger (Monster Yamaha Tech 3). Ending the three days in P4 overall, the German got ahead of fellow rookie and teammate Johann Zarco. Both Tech 3 new arrivals seem to have settled into premier class life impressively, largely trading laptimes until Folger’s last minute dash in Australia.

The Red Bull KTM Factory Racing squad were another that impressed on the final day in Australia. After a huge program to get through during the first two tests – including three chassis options – the Austrian factory then put it all together to get both riders Pol Espargaro and Bradley Smith down into the 1:29 bracket. And there’s still another test remaining before the battle begins in earnest.

Losail International Circuit awaits for the final frontier, before the lights go out for another incredible season of MotoGP™.

[anyabeketova]

A Review of Re-enchantment

A Report of Re-enchantment: Celebrating Modern Magic, an Exhibition at The Asylum on 3 April 2016

 ‘It is my belief that one of the primary roles of a curator, whether in the field of art, history, anthropology, or science, is the creation of context’ (Cook 2013, p.170).

Throughout my curatorial endeavours, I have kept in mind this claim from Sarah Cook. At the same time I have, through my research, begun to establish that a context will always exist, whether or not it has been consciously created and whether the space be the public realm or a so-deemed ‘white cube’ gallery. Certain arguments, such as those of Brian O’ Doherty, suggest that in a white cube space it is easier for both curator and viewer to establish a specific context. As a space categorically designed for the presentation of art, it is without the distractions that may come with other multipurpose environments. The aim of the setting, ‘not unlike the purpose of religious buildings’ (McEvilley 1999, p.7), is for the art to appear ‘untouched by time and its vicissitudes’ (O’Doherty 1976, p.15).  Yet a white cube itself still exhibits work through a specific frame of reference, and is loaded with its own histories and connotations. It becomes ‘a value giving repository’ and, if we follow conceptual artist Daniel Burren, ‘a place architecturally adapted to the needs of the market implied and allowed by such a transportable commodity’ (2005, p.224).

Since an environment can never be free from its contextual constraints, a challenge for a curator is not to overcome this context but to acknowledge the affect a space may have on what is exhibited in a way that offers viewers an understanding. Whatever the curator’s intentions, each context will appear differently depending on the viewer, and the ideologies they project upon an exhibition. However, a ‘good’ exhibition will enable viewers to come away questioning their own frame of reference.

Exhibition Concept and Aims

The exhibition I am curating is entitled Re-enchantment: A celebration of Modern Magic and very much starts with the space in which it inhabits, a context that has already been created, but where artworks and organisation redefine its meaning. A link can be drawn with This is the Gallery and the Gallery is Many Things, the first exhibition at Eastside Projects in Birmingham, in terms of attributing art the role of environment evolver. This exhibition took place while galleries were being constructed around it, an act which challenged assumptions of how a gallery space should be. For Eastside Projects ‘the space and its transformation is both the context and the subject’, and the exhibition aims ‘for a transformative potentiality inherent to the processes of exhibition production and formation’ (Fite-Wassilak, 2015, p.203-4). On a meta-level, the show is confronting the process of exhibitions within an exhibition. Re-enchantment seeks also to do this, whilst developing this ‘transformative’ quality, and demonstrating the strength of an exhibition to transfigure a space and develop a new context. In this case then, it seems appropriate when tackling the ‘wh’ questions, to begin with ‘where’.

The chosen venue, and to some extent the inspiration, for Re-enchantment, was The Asylum, a deconsecrated and derelict chapel in Peckham, dating back to the late Georgian period. The chapel served as the heart of the Caroline Gardens Community, which was a ‘complex of almshouses’ built to house ‘decayed members of the [licensed victualler] trade’ (Maverick Projects 2016). In the Second World War the chapel was bombed and ‘completely gutted by an incendiary device’ (ibid), and was not used for its original purpose again. It was de-consecrated and left predominantly unused until 2010 when it began to be used for artistic and theatrical ventures. It is now a flexible project space and its authenticity and unkempt appearance forms its appeal. The vision took root that Re-enchantment could strive to re-animate the space, and to highlight the power of exhibitions to both transform an environment and enhance engagement with it.

The concept of the exhibition was borne out of its space, which within the framework of contemporary exhibition planning is rare. ‘The work of art exists, can be seen, in the context of the museum/gallery surrounding it, the museum/gallery for which it was destined and to which however no special attention is paid’ (Limites Critique 1970, as cited in Buren 2005, p.222). Here rather, the decision to curate an exhibition in a former sacred space was the very catalyst for the questioning that subsequently formed the essence of the show.

Re-enchantment, for the purposes of this exhibition is, in short, the notion of replacing religion with art. This is reflected in the venue, once a sacred space, now used for artistic purposes. The idea itself is also one that, although not frequently considered, applies to many of the lives of the people both exhibiting and visiting the show. While in the past, this audience may have spent the day in the same space worshipping God, they will now spend the day in the space worshipping art and artists. This is not to say anyone is expected to be in awe of any individual piece, but rather that the existence of the demonstrated modes of creativity has allowed them to be bought together in this space in the first place.

Before expanding on the specific communities involved in the construction of the event, I will delve deeper into the history of the concept of re-enchantment, and how its contemporary prominence allows a claim of particular relevance.

The notion of re-enchantment was established by Max Weber, to express a way in which modernity strives to save itself from ‘disenchantment’, that is the rational and secular thought processes inherent in scientific discoveries. I first came across the concept when reading Gordon Graham’s 2007 text ‘The Re-enchantment of the World’. Graham draws on Weber’s theories of disenchantment and Nietzsche’s claims that ‘God is dead’ (1882). However, as opposed to Joshua Landy in Re-enchantment of the World – Secular Magic in a Rational Age, who proposes that ‘modernity produces an array of strategies for re-enchantment, each fully compatible with secular rationality’ (2009, p29), Graham specifically focusses on the arts and their ability to fill the void previously occupied by religion.

As human’s we require ‘more than health, satisfaction and longevity’ and seek ‘meaningful lives’ (Graham 2007, p.14). Meaning, Graham suggests, is found with vocations, the category into which both religion and art can fall. What correlated with scientific discovery was a substantial decline in religion, and this plight for ‘truth and explanation’ (Ibid p.19) and a progressive future led to ‘disenchantment’.  A disenchanted world is a world without faith, everlasting life, and furthermore without the art, music and splendour in a place of worship that may aid in evoking feelings of divinity. These aspects, for the secular society, Weber thought, were increasingly replaced by science, rationalism, and the paradoxically deflating concept that everything can be explained.

 An important question is what happens here with art. In the West, art and religion had been inextricably intertwined throughout history, with art being a means of depicting the miracles of God. Religious art could be didactical to those who couldn’t read, and in many cases serve as inspiration for worship.  Art’s struggle, then, as Graham suggests, was to ‘remain important whilst becoming autonomous from religion’ (2007, p.142).

Towards the 18th century, art began to be viewed as a separate entity, as a form in itself and not as a ‘handmaid’ (ibid) for religion. What happened in this moment, according to Graham, was that those feelings of awe and wonder attributed to religion, were found to be triggered by the contemplation of art. According to Weber, a disenchanted world was too hard to bear for mankind (Shull 2005, p.62). Art, we can suggest, in all forms, was a suitable sphere of meaning, to aid the completion of human life. Art additionally, as a form of expression, allows for the release of human emotion, and a way in which to heal. ‘Art’, Graham suggests, can be seen as ‘a way of celebrating what it is to be human’ (2007, p.15). 

It is this idea that has been shared with the artists in the Re-enchantment exhibition, and what forms the basis of the show.

Using this as a theme, there are few limitations to the work that can be shown, as to be human encompasses uncountable disparate notions. What is important for the work is that the artists demonstrate an understanding of their practice and its ability to ‘play and import role as arbiter of social relations, meaning and action’ (Graham 2007, p.19).  Secondly, the work must allow for the visitors own interpretations, for ‘an exhibition’, comments Donna de Salvo, ‘is a beginning, a catalyst for critical inquiry’ (2001, p.47).  My intention was for the show to trigger both contemplation and debate in its audience.

This then was the first lens through which I searched for contributors to the show. The second was that, while artists and musicians celebrate what it is to be human, the show celebrates them and the way in which they provide for others an expression of, and relief from, existence. In this sense, the exhibition uses art both instrumentally and for its own sake, the art is used as a tool in which to draw attention to its own importance. 

The particular artists chosen are mostly in early, developing stages of their career. All have exhibited in numerous exhibitions previously and most have studied artistic practices. I was surprised by the initial level of interest from artists who have previously exhibited in established and prestigious art spaces. It struck me that there is possibly a lack of platforms for today’s emerging artists, with galleries having very specific agendas and finding spaces that exhibit the work of young artists, outside graduate shows, quite difficult. Certainly many have formed collectives and artist-led exhibitions, but it seems in London this is easier said than done. Finding a space for an exhibition is increasingly expensive, and comes with countless practical considerations. Even the most successful artists ‘rely on a show… in order to propel the work’ and so have very busy points followed by ‘periods of six months where nothing happens’ (Claydon 2015). This arguably is where the curator comes in: whilst without curatorial input the artworks would still exist, their union allied with the text that accompanies them, will draw attention to the show’s purpose.  If my exhibition allowed this young talent exposure, free of charge, to both potential buyers and their own contemporaries, then on this level at least, it could be deemed a success.

The funding model for Re-enchantment was inspired by the Royal Academy Ai Weiwei exhibition in 2015 which, due to its controversial nature, was unable to appeal to its usual sponsors and entirely funded by a Kick Starter campaign. I decided to set up my own online crowd funder with a reached target of £600. This would account for rental of the space (£250), transport of works and hanging structures, marketing materials, lighting and refreshments. The hanging materials themselves were predominantly sourced through Freecycle and in particular its museum page which advertises used exhibition materials, which can be picked up and reused. From this I acquired two large plinths and a selection of wood. 

There were ethical concerns in terms of deciding if the artists were paid. Given the limited budget, I felt it would have been difficult to pay for artists in addition to providing materials to make a high quality exhibition. I decided, however, that I would not take any commission for works sold, and hoped that the show would provide a platform that would lead to contributors not just having works bought, but also gaining recognition as emerging artists. Both of the show’s musicians, Phoebe Coco and Mia Julia, are young artists in the process of releasing albums, and so felt performing at the show was an opportunity to publicise this. 

It could be argued that the notion of re-enchantment can be experienced on an individual level, without the necessity of a large scale exhibition. Reading a book, or watching a film, Graham suggests is a form of ‘individual refreshment’ (2007, p.141) that can also be considered akin to religion. What differentiates an exhibition is the ‘public grandeur’ of the space, which ‘suggests what is to come is the re-enchantment of the world for the community as a whole’ (ibid). This, he writes ‘is why the artist is more than an entertainer. He or she speaks not just to individual desire and personal satisfaction but to and for a culture’ (ibid). A supplementary objective of the exhibition was to bring together a community for re-enchantment, rather in the way a church would. Re-enchantment: Celebrating Modern Magic was to take place on a Sunday, the traditional holy day of the Christian faith. Hence, visitors would essentially be ‘attending church on Sunday’, in terms of the architectural environment. Within the space they would also be engaging in ritualistic activity, experiencing wonder at the artistic creations and also interacting with each other, forming bonds and relationships, and a micro community within The Asylum.  

The community element of the show also reflects one of the original purposes of the Asylum:

 ‘At the time, the chapel was the beating heart of the community. A contemporary account declared that: “The services are bright and, though eminently congregational, are partly choral. The excellence of the congregational singing is mainly due to the establishment, some years since, of the Licensed Victuallers’ Choral Association, composed chiefly of the younger members of the various families who attend the Asylum Chapel.”’ (Maverick Projects 2016)

It was the intention that the space, which had laid waste for so long, would be reactivated in a very similar way, in terms of its becoming a meeting point for a certain community, re-enchanted by music and creative expression. The difference would clearly lie in its secularity, as visitors to the space would be celebrating art, rather than demonstrating Christian worship. Arguably this would make it a more inclusive environment, welcoming people of all backgrounds and beliefs.

I don’t want to assume by any means, that an art exhibition can be totally inclusive, because its nature implies that only an audience with an interest in, and engagement with, art is likely to attend, and indeed what for each individual constitutes art? Using the Audience Agency Spectrum I was able to estimate the demographic of people that might attend the event. Given the London location and the event very much revolving around art and music, I believed the audience would mostly fit into the categories ‘metroculturals’, described as ‘prosperous, liberal, urbanites interested in a very wide cultural spectrum’ and ‘experience seekers’, who are ‘highly active, diverse, social and ambitious, engaging with arts on a regular basis’(Audience Agency 2016). I also hoped that my marketing may mean that certain other groups might be present, such as ‘Heydays’, older people with interests in crafts and church groups, as a result of the space and the surroundings, and ‘Facebook families’ due to the invitations extended to the families of those involved in the show.

But what I also wanted to stress was the locality of the event. ‘From a sociological perspective, the notion of community refers to a group of people united by at least one characteristic’, (Olodo 2008, p.18) and whilst I hoped the art would provide a shared interest around which to create a (temporary) community, I also hope that those united geographically, living in the vicinity of the chapel, might be engaged.  The day was intended primarily as a celebration of art, but that did not mean it could not also provide community cohesion through its other aspects, with music and free refreshments perhaps drawing in those with limited experience of or interest in the art. An example from the Audience Agency might be the ‘Kaleidoscope Creativity’ group who tend to have a low engagement with culture in general but are likely to visit a free arts or music festival. Possibly a local, living in the surrounding accommodation, would be drawn to visiting the show for a cup of tea in a welcoming and aesthetically pleasing environment. Once in the space the works, and the way in which they are conceptually framed, in relation to how they re-enchant existence, might in turn ‘enchant’ them. The space is accessible for wheelchair users and children-friendly so I hoped that this would make the audience as diverse as possible.

I can say then, that I had expectations but no preferences regarding the range of audiences that might visit the show. I sent out invitations, both physically and via a Facebook event, to people I already knew, but also made numerous attempts to publicise the show for the local community. These methods included posting fliers, contacting local press and online forums, and delivering leaflets to the houses around the Asylum in the hope this would attract some interest from unknown people in the vicinity.

It was then dependent on the curator to sculpt an environment that was able to both host and re-enforce a community atmosphere. Within this though, a certain argument might unfold. In a sense an exhibition is like a scientific experiment or an academic debate. For the duration of its existence, it intends to both prove and reflect something. In addition to ‘selecting, obtaining, and positioning artworks, [the curator’s] primary contribution concerns honing exhibition hypotheses so that the exhibition team can exact an exhibition that inspires spectators to grasp the curator’s hypotheses’ (Spaid, p.88-89, 2016). The exhibition concept then, becomes its hypothesis, and an attempt can be made to ‘prove’ this through the artworks and viewers’ reactions.

Sue Spaid, in an essay for The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, suggests that ‘artists sometimes also recommend particular artworks in response to honed hypotheses’ (2016 p.89). The challenge in this case becomes admitting the works that will strengthen the hypothesis, and how they then converse with one another. Hypotheses need results to be proven. Does it then become necessary to measure responses, in order to establish whether or not the hypothesis has been validated? In light of this, it seemed important to measure the impact of Re-enchantment. As well as gathering simple quantitative date, such as number of attendees, I also made the decision to gather qualitative feedback by means of comment cards on which visitors were encouraged to reveal how the show had affected them. It was hoped that the comments would reveal elements of ‘re-enchantment’.

The space is fundamental to what is being argued, the intention being that it would play a pivotal role in the reallocation of re-enchantment from religion to art. Through its very nature, it would reasonably set up a visitor to experience the divine. Whether because we have been socialised to understand sacred spaces as places to encounter these emotions, or because the ‘architecture frames ritual’ (Wescoat & Ousterhout 2012, xxii), visitors generally associate prescribed rituals with a sacred space.

The Asylum though, was not only going to shape the concept of the exhibition, but also place certain limitations on the way it could be curated. This, it seems, is an inescapable obstacle of whichever space is used and a curator must always ‘grapple with constraints of our institutions operating criteria’ (De Corral 2001, p.41). As it happens, the Asylum is a grade II listed building and thus the rules dictate that nothing can be stuck on, or drilled into, the delicate walls. For an exhibition of this scale this was no small obstacle, so it would be necessary to be creative in making innovative viewing platforms instead of simply hanging work on neutral walls. What also had to be brought into consideration is the traditional sacred ‘art’ already in situ. The Asylum, though elements of its interior now resembles an urban warehouse rather than a church, still retains its prominent 19th century stain glass windows (figure 2).

Remarkably, the windows survived the Second World War bombing that destroyed so much of the chapel, as did the exquisite stone funerary monuments underneath the windows, that themselves provide aesthetic delight in an environment that could otherwise appear dreary. They can certainly be seen as an asset to the space, and my intention in this exhibition was to allow them to be seen in all their grandeur, without any artwork in their vicinity. Given such features, and the grandeur of the space, there is the risk that any work displayed could become lost amongst these historically rich elements. I therefore made the decision to place the majority of the collection in the centre of the room on hanging structures, on plinths, or on those walls which were bare so as not to have them rivalling what’s already there.

Exhibition Set Up

Even with the constraints of the building, outlined above, there were still many options for displaying the content. What was essential was that the method of display was able to reflect the notion of re-enchantment, and relate to the viewer the role art has to play in creating modern magic. I wanted each work to have its own sphere, and its own atmosphere. One example is Megan Willis’s ‘Space’, a collection of textile pieces, that I decided would work well as a hanging mobile that could move with the environment, rather than against wall, and so create shadows on the floor and re-enforce the macabre feel of the chapel. This drew interesting parallels with the recent Alexander Calder exhibition at the Tate Modern in terms of the effects hanging objects can have on their environment (in creating shadows) and what the environment can do in terms of ‘bringing movement to static objects’ (Tate 2015).

Forrest Hu’s Systems of Infection (2016), having an acetate base, lent itself to a position with optimum light. I first placed the work in front of one of a large window so that the sun would shine through the acetate and light up the impressive work. With varying weather conditions, however, this meant the piece risked not being fully lit. Instead, the work was placed directly above a large floor lamp, hanging from the top of the church altar where it could be clearly viewed. This worked well with Alex Baranovskij’s flags, which in their vibrancy completely altered the atmosphere and meaning of the space.

Hanging in the centre of the space, opposite Baranovskij’s flags, was Jo Katsuno’s ‘Tree Yantra Mandala’, which has a similar round target structure to the flags and evokes a cathedral rose window, a circular, brightly coloured and glistening piece. The painting is inspired by the Hindu goddess Devi, who appears amongst the layers of mixed media as a tree spirit. Elements of Hinduism within what was once a Christian environment both brought to light the diversity of the environment and reflect a society that welcomes all faiths. This work became a distinct focal point for those first entering the chapel, serving as reminder of both the space’s original purpose and its 21st century re-invention.

In this way, the works were viewed in relation to one another, rather than autonomously. ‘Contemporary art history and art criticism continue to privilege the single art object as an autonomous experience’, comments Bruce W Ferguson in in ‘Exhibition Rhetorics’ (1986, p.177). It was my intention that the curatorial decisions enabled works to be seen as a combined entity, rather than individual items, and that viewers were able to contrast and compare works in a way which would re-enforce the disparate powers of each medium. I anticipated that in this way the exhibition would also be understood as a work of art in itself, and allow the audience to question their ideologies in accordance to the whole show.

What was particular to this show is that some of the works and display structures were made for the space within the space, their site specific nature meaning they only served a purpose for the duration of the show: ‘a work taking into consideration the place in which it is shown/exhibited cannot be moved elsewhere and will have to disappear at the end of its exhibition’ (Buren 1996, p.223). This included designing and assembling a hanging structure, that was both economical and simple to erect and dismantle, from which to hang works that were not able to go on the wall. The structure was built on the morning of the show, using wooden bars, metal brackets and screws, and created an effective, multifaceted space within which visitors could walk around and witness distinct but conceptually connected works.

The work of performance artist Thomas Douglas, was also designed specifically for the space. I got the perspex, the mirror was too large to carry, 2016 was performed on the altar and involved the artist’s relationship with materiality. Cradling a hoover, Thomas seeks to evoke the image of the Christ and the Virgin Mary – providing a prominent link with the space and specific positioning on the altar. Through the performance he also destroys stone with a hammer – which similarly reflects on the temporality and vulnerability of a man-made space. The work seemed particularly relevant to the Asylum in that it was badly damaged as a result of bombing. Thomas’ work was only performed once during the exhibition, in the hope it would evoke reactions leading to vibrant discussion, and therefore in itself result in a community creation.

After the Exhibition – Evaluation and Feedback

Impact was assessed using both quantitative and qualitative measures. The quantitative measure was the number of artists and visitors the event attracted, and the qualitative information was that gathered by means of feedback cards distributed to visitors and follow up comments through email and Facebook. Judging from comments on the suitability of the venue, the high quality of artists and performers and overall enjoyment, the event seems to have been a success. However, there were undeniably many obstacles to overcome.

The limitations of time raised several issues. Whilst I had created a floor plan of the space and plotted where each piece would go in relation to it, several works were newly commissioned and I had not physically seen them until the morning of the show. It was then necessary to play around with some of the works within the space, and make strategic decisions as to what worked well where. This meant that any floor plan created in advance for the show’s visitors would not have been accurate. I drew up a final plan to place in the entrance that visitors could refer to along with their written guide – but it was certainly not the most convenient option. Very soon before the opening I decided to cut the descriptions out of one of the programmes and to use pegs and string to hang them next to the relevant works. I had initially decided against this approach, feeling that accompanying descriptions can often be distracting and didactic, and I very much wanted a personal approach from each viewer but it seemed a practical necessity.

 Descriptions of each artwork, and information about the artists, were available in a specially-made programme. Putting this together also gave rise to concerns. The nature of the contributions varied from artist to artist but while some were able to provide a very detailed concept for their piece, others seemed quite reluctant to talk about, and to conceptualise their work. For some works which were specifically chosen for the show the re-enchanting element was clear. Dewi Natalegawa’s trio photograph is exemplary, for it shows an everyday scenario that has been re-enchanted merely through it becoming a piece of art. The description she supplied read simply: ‘There were once three people who waited on a platform together. They will most probably never congregate like this again and yet they will always be united here.’  Using this I was able to demonstrate to the viewers the role art, and in this case photography, can play in both framing and retaining moments, and thus re-enchanting a fast paced and meaningless existence. Other artists perhaps did not attribute such meaning to their works, such as Florence Sharp, whose paintings, were re-enchanting merely by the process of applying the paint. The pure aesthetics and abstraction of this form that had no intentional concept were able to evoke certain emotions in the viewer, such as a follow up comment from the buyer of one of Florence’s larger works ‘that the ‘precision and boundaries of the shapes in the work… combined with the fluidity of the broader work shows structure in a chaotic and random world’. A link can perhaps be drawn with a sacred environment, or even religion itself, which can offer a source of comfort and stillness in an unpredictable existence.

 Outcomes and Conclusion

I will measure the success of the show in relation to three outcomes: re-enchanting both a sacred space and its viewers through art, bringing together a community and providing a platform for young artists.

The latter is perhaps the easiest to prove. The show had 14 artists, mostly in their early twenties, and all from a range of universities, art schools and countries. They worked in a broad range of mediums, giving the audience a diverse insight into the work of some of today’s emerging artists. The community element in some respects was in direct correlation, as the show bought together the friends and families of the artists and curator, with local visitors who had happened upon the exhibition. While the majority of the 150 or so visitors were in their twenties, the age range of those attending was from ten to seventy-five. Older visitors and dependent children tended to visit during the day, with the number of younger visitors peaking in the early evening.

The impact in terms of re-enchantment can be gauged through the visitor comment cards, which are mostly anonymous. ‘It’s as if you have breathed life into what would otherwise remain a dormant space’ wrote one ‘I feel enchanted and magical: a feeling I expect to stay with me’ wrote another. ‘Let’s worship art’ seems a rather apt way of demonstrating how the accumulation of the art works illustrated Nietzche’s concept of art replacing religion.

With hindsight, there were both advantages and disadvantages of exhibiting in a space which wasn’t built purely for housing art. On a practical note, it was less than ideal to have constraints on where work could be placed, and yet this led to more adventurous methods of display. I also believe the former church itself had a profound effect on both the art and music. The voice and piano performances reverberated in the grand space, and created a magic that might not have seemed so apparent in a ‘neutral’ white cube space. The music also re-enchanted the art work, as one follow-up comment stated, for it ‘injected another dimension into the already sensory experience’.

I believe the space also attracted a different audience to the exhibition, than it would have had it been in a gallery. ‘Art, particularly contemporary art, often feels intimidating. An art gallery can be like a maze without an obvious entrance’ (BBC 2013). A church, on the other hand, ‘should be open and welcoming to everyone in the community’ (Jackson 2002), and so perhaps the associations relating to the Asylum’s original purpose make it a more approachable space. One comment stated: ‘Formal, white-washed galleries often close my senses up, forcing me to adhere to ‘proper’ functions. However, in a relaxing yet uncanny space such as this, I can question appearances with more curiosity’. Another expressed a hope that the venue would ‘continue to support art for the community’ which I take as reflective of the sense of community the exhibition managed to create.

Ultimately I have faith that, in addition to the stated aims, the exhibition has drawn attention to the way non-gallery spaces can transform how art is seen within them. I hope too that it was able to demonstrate the sheer power of art to both establish and re-enforce communities, whilst simultaneously entirely re-enchanting a forgotten space and all who visit it.

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MotoGP 2020 Season To Begin With Virtual Race At Autodromo del Mugello: #StayAtHomeGP

Some of the biggest names in the sport – from reigning Champion Marc Marquez, Maverick Vinales, Alex Rins, to Fabio Quartararo are ready to compete virtually. The racers will compete against each other via the multi-player mode in the MotoGP 19 video game.

The Autodromo del Mugello has been chosen as the venue for the virtual race that will last six laps, and racers will get a five minute…