If you want to have a little extra fun, be a little more yourself, and be part of keeping the site open for everyone in the future, we can’t wait to see you in our new subscription-based section with exclusive content and events.
Everything you’re used to seeing at the Hot Pink Palace that is Smart Bitches Trashy Books will remain free as always, because we remain committed to fostering community among brilliant readers who love romance.
TL;DR: if you loved Heated Rivalry, and/or if your diaphragm is bored and you’d like to entertain it by laughing for 75 straight minutes, go and see The Heated Rivalry Unauthorized Parody Musical at The Culture Club on West 27th in New York.
I’ve written pretty often about how much I love affectionate satire and parody. You might have guessed from the past 21 years of our examination of romance fiction that this might be my jam. So clearly THRUPM would appeal to me, right?
Except I thought I didn’t like musicals. But would you believe that because of THRUPM, I figured out why I didn’t think musicals were for me and how wrong I was?
This is a powerful show, folks.
I do like musicals! And I like this one especially because it’s cheeky, enthusiastic, sarcastic, clever, and so freaking funny. Every inhale was a laugh on the exhale.
This is the official description of The Heated Rivalry Unauthorized Parody Musical:
Inspired by the hit show about hockey, Heated Rivalry: The Unauthorized Musical Parody follows starry-eyed golden boy Shane Hollander on his journey from power center to power bottom.
Relive all of the moments from the show that made you wet (with tears) up close on the small-stage by an incredible cast of Broadway actors who thought they were auditioning to be in Season 2. Sporting a bop-infused score, scene-stealing cameos by characters like “Rose Landry” and “Ilya’s Ass”, and time jumps absolutely no one can keep track of, audiences will find themselves hot, bothered, and probably saying, “….Girl!”
Because with love, sometimes it comes when you least expect it… and sometimes, it comes hands-free. So, grab a Canada Dry and join us for this hot and steamy romp!
Accurate copy is accurate.
The theater is a small venue on 27th between 10th and 11th avenue, with a lobby on the first floor and the theater several floors above (the audience is escorted to the elevator by a volunteer usher – ours had seen the show more than 10 times and loved it still).
This is the entrance ticket before the box office:
The framing of the show starts in the first number, where three Susans explain how watching the show was all they could think about, and now that “the lunches are packed” and the husbands has been given her iPad and told to “go play,” they’re ready to re-watch.
Their re-watch is the musical, with Susan 1, played by Ryann Redmond (WHO IS FABULOUS) and the other cast members retelling the plot with a few minor and hilarious changes.
I’m not a theater critic by a long shot, and don’t feel as qualified to evaluate a musical production as I do a historical romance with a “musicale” in it, but this show rocked my socks clean off.
Dylan MarcAurele wrote the book, music, and the lyrics, and holy crap. I would stutter and blink a lot and form half words if I met them; seriously, I am in awe of this person’s talent. The songs are lyrically hilarious, and swing from silliness to surprisingly touching without warning. I should not expect to find myself tearing up from a song titled, “Cold Heart, Big Ass.”
Every person on the stage was jaw dropping good.
The acting, singing, stage direction, choreography, writing, and the score were all top notch, and all of it was performed like a sort of DIY high-school-theater production with interchangeable set pieces on wheels, and a very, very small stage. The theater itself is also small, and that enhances the exuberant “we’re all having a ball together” feeling of the show.
Jimin Moon, who plays Shane, was magnetic. He even imitated some of Hudson Williams’ expressions and mannerisms to the point that he looked a LOT like Hudson on stage. Jay Armstrong Jones held all the cold intensity and smolder of Ilya and his dangly cigarette, and as the story progressed, allowed that coldness to become almost clumsy, like Ilya was tripping over his own persona. Rose Landry gets her own number, which is excellent, and yes, Ilya’s Ass is a whole plot point.
…”point’ is too small a word. Plot mound? Plot dump truck? Ilya’s ass is a whole thing, is what I’m saying.
My favorite part was the audience. There were four Rozanov jerseys, two Hollanders and a Hunter, and an audience comprised of a very wide range of ages and styles. When I arrived, there were older-than-me couples waiting already, and what looked like a small book club.
Then a group of four sat down next to me in the lobby, and the women started telling their partners what Heated Rivalry is about while they were going upstairs to the theater.
Surprise! (All of them were laughing the entire show.)
That blue line of lights at the top is the the stage.
I love the energy of being with people who love something tremendously and also poke gentle fun at it with sharp, clever wordplay. There are more innuendos in this show than there are in the entire archive of this website. Every person involved seemed to be having a great time, and what’s more, they were as earnestly engaged with their respective characters as they were winking at the story and at the audience.
If you find yourself able to see it, or want to make a trip to NYC for it (I did) it’s extremely worth the effort. As of right now, tickets are available through 7 September.
Some of the most talented people in every department came together to create this hysterical confection of a show. This was truly one of the most fun, silly, campy, loving, and funny performances I have ever seen, ever.
It's about being a lesbian teenager in a closed Soviet city on the verge of the collapse of the Soviet Union... on the site of the Tunguska event, which causes Strange Things to happen in town and gives the teenage lesbian protagonist glimpses of her terrifying future.
I'm just amused by a lesbian comic set in the Soviet Union. Poke a bigot in the eye!
I forgot how long the days are when you wake up before 4am. I mean this is in a good way (just don't ask me again when the afternoon comes!) I did too much and crashed for a bit, was unexpectedly restored after spending time with dear friends in a spectacular location, and now I find myself off balance and worried I'm just about to step on the same path again, but there won't be an unexpected restore point this time. I'm being careful, I guess, but that vigilance is also exhausting in itself.
Structural editing for the ST comes in rasping gasps and wheezes -- I need the thinking time as I work around and on a turning point -- but I like this story a lot, still. I like the deeper aspects that resonate with past experience, and I like that I know the characters will overcome and find each other, and I like the tiny bits of worldbuilding that I add just because they please me even though they don't serve much beside the Rule Of Cool. They serve my joy!! Because I'm too disjointed to live in the present I keep jumping too far ahead and worrying that I love this story too much and it means I won't be able to take in feedback about it properly, while at the same time knowing it's such a stupid thing to worry about now. Harness the enthusiasm! There'll be another round of deep editing for line edits after this! We're far from the time of feedback. The spreadsheet has remained pretty clear, even through the hiccups: this current round will be completed sometimes in October. There is time. I wonder if I should plan for a break to write (short!) fic in the middle. I'm reluctant to step away from the project, but at the same time my previous rounds of editing never lasted longer than 3 months before and psychologically that was a lot. This is set to become my longest piece of writing so far.
Feedback for CW is coming in! I read and ponder but don't take action, not yet. I'll wait for it to be all there first, find the common points, make lists, get to it.
I feel better after hitting that restore point, but I still don't fully feel like myself again. Kinda like long distance air travel, when you reach your destination quickly enough but it feels like your soul travels slower and needs a day or two longer to find you again. Train travel isn't like that, usually, even for long trips. I need to find the right kind of train. The cat woke me up today, hopefully this time won't become a habit.
Comment with Just One Thing you've accomplished in the last 24 hours or so. It doesn't have to be a hard thing, or even a thing that you think is particularly awesome. Just a thing that you did.
Feel free to share more than one thing if you're feeling particularly accomplished! Extra credit: find someone in the comments and give them props for what they achieved!
Nothing is too big, too small, too strange or too cryptic. And in case you'd rather do this in private, anonymous comments are screened. I will only unscreen if you ask me to.
Shows: SGA Rec Category: Teyla Characters: John Sheppard/Teyla Emmagan, Rodney McKay, Evan Lorne, Jennifer Keller, Todd Categories: F/M Words: 12,259 Warnings: no AO3 warnings apply Author on DW:saraht Author's Website:SarahT on AO3 Link:when I came I was a stranger on AO3 Why This Must Be Read: This is Vegas!John, set after canon, with Teyla central and playing a crucial role. SarahT often writes John/Teyla, leaning into Teyla being close to a Wraith queen, and in this fic she's darker and a bit more traumatised than in canon. Rodney also features, trying to persuade John to join the team, and in this AU, Lorne is the military commander of Atlantis. It's well written, with great characterisations of John and Teyla in particular.
Good news includes all the things which make us happy or otherwise feel good. It can be personal or public. We never know when something wonderful will happen, and when it does, most people want to share it with someone. It's disappointing when nobody is there to appreciate it. Happily, blogging allows us to share our joys and pat each other on the back.
What good news have you had recently? Are you anticipating any more? Have you found a cute picture or a video that makes you smile? Is there anything your online friends could do to make your life a little happier?
The cooling did not stop at the park edge. For every 100 meters (330 feet) into the built-up streets, temperatures climbed by more than 0.5°C (0.9°F), a trend that held up to 300 meters (980 feet) from the boundary. Inside the park, the air shifted the other way, cooling by about 0.2°C (0.4°F) for every 100 meters toward the center.
Soheila Khalili is a postgraduate researcher at the University of Surrey’s Global Centre for Clean Air Research (GCARE). “This is proof that the benefits of parks extend far beyond their boundaries. Shaded areas with trees particularly improved thermal comfort during hotter periods of the day,” said Khalili.
This is the first case I've seen where people measured park benefits very closely, especially the temperature gradient. It's very useful if you want to make your city cooler and otherwise healthier...
I’m reading Beck Weathers’ book. He’s the guy who was left for dead during the big storm on Everest, but he woke up and saved himself. He got into mountain climbing to fight depression. I should get into hiking for the same reason. An app that I have suggested hiking in Meadowbrook Park.
My stomach is upset. I need to get to bed.
Hmm. The local Pilates place has a free intro session on Friday at 4PM. We get Friday off because of Juneteenth, so maybe I should go? I need to think about that.
Hmm. The Urbana Park District has personal trainers. Maybe I should sign up. I can’t do personal training and Pilates though. Though I asked ChatGPT to come up with a training plan.
I woke up at 6 AM to pee, and then overslept until a little after 8 AM. I ordered the shipping tape and some other items for delivery from the local grocery store.
I’m feeling a little chilled. Emailed in sick and went back to sleep. Got the mailing tape. I’m going to eat lunch, feed the fur faces, and go back to sleep.
I was thinking about how I call Zara “Lovey”. She loves me but hates everyone else (human, canine, or feline). They’d be surprised at how “lovey” she can be.
Hmm. It’s pouring. I checked, and the UPS store opens at 8 AM. But there’s no guarantee that tomorrow will be drier. Going to shower and package up my return and see what the weather is like.
Went and mailed my return and picked up the travel CPAP. The UPS store was near Panera, so I stopped in for a bite. Their French Onion soup is as good as ever. Bought light bulbs at Lowe’s and a towel at Target.
I sat outside with the dogs when I got home. Gracie and Bella were racing each other, and, to my surprise, Gracie was winning. Bella is a little taller than her and heavier, but Gracie is manic and has the almost-puppy energy.
I’m reading Jim Whittaker’s autobiography. He was good friends with Bobby Kennedy and told Bobby that what he was doing was more dangerous than mountain climbing. Sadly, Whittaker was right.
Whittaker also was an early CEO of REI. I found an REI three-person tent (they said “or one person and two dogs”) that I’d like to get.
Gracie is being manic and chasing Oliver. I want her to settle down.
(I think this is the only icon I have with a baby.)
(This probably should be a fic, but I don't have the brain space to write fic right now.)
Preamble
Firstly, this isn't vague-blogging or subtweeting or whatever, and I'm not intending to tell any specific person they're wrong on the Internet. It's something that I've been thinking about since I saw FF:FS last year.
I'm further not telling anyone they should like the film if they didn't, or that they're bad for not wanting to watch a Disney movie prominently featuring pregnancy and parenthood. I'm sympathetic to having had enough of that genre and/or have been burned by it too many times. Totally fair! If you don't like plots with babies, you won't like this movie. There is definitely a baby!
I do, however, intend this to be something of a rebuttal to the "I don't like that the only female character was just a mom" line of criticism, which I've run into since the trailer. I also want to explain why I think that framing Sue's role as primarily a mother is reductive, and ignores some of the more interesting things the film was doing with her character.
A few months ago the largest wildfire in Nebraska history burned a thousand square-miles of ranch land. It burned every foot of grass on Mike and Kayla Wintz’s 11,000-acre ranch.
But when they and their neighbors faced the threat of losing their livelihoods, something remarkable happened. Thousands of anonymous donors stepped up from across the U.S. The Wintz ranch alone was gifted $80,000 worth of hay—from mostly anonymous donors.
This is a generous response to the disaster, but there's more to the backstory and the developments in upcoming months.
This week is recycle pickup so I went looking for pointless manga to throw out. The bedroom boxes are pretty much empty by now so I looked in the hall closet. OK, well, not my Onmyouji manga or Yomi Henjo whatever, baffling and annoying as all those are. But a bunch of Belne's version of swinging London for sure. Oh, and maybe some of those magazines stashed away in the long ago Canada Census bag. The Time magazine featuring Nureyev from 60 years ago, now crumbling to dust, and something from the 70s with a not safe for work cover, and some equally crumbling newspaper sheets, and the incredibly heavy French art magazines from, good heavens, 1951, I wouldn't have thought the country had recovered sufficiently by then to be producing luxury artifacts of the kind featured within, nope not throwing those out, and a Classics Comicbook (remember those?) of Rider Haggard's Cleopatra, which tells you quite as much as anyone needs to know about Rider Haggard's Cleopatra, and no, cozy afterword, I don't think I'll be reading the whole thing available in my school or public library. I mean, maybe people did: there was a time when kids read all sorts of things, but does anyone anymore?
But then there were two envelopes of photographs and my god, *here* are the photos I took on my first trip to Japan that I've been searching the house for these last twenty years and more. I take them out and... can pictures taken with a camera, an actual 'adjust the lens and viewfinder' camera, fade? My European pics from the mid-80s are still crisp but these are all dull, washed out, and every one of them has a blank dirty cream sky that leeches colour from the world: even the ones where shadows indicate that the sun is shining. Yes, yes, Tokyo pollution: but evidently Kyoto pollution and Kanazawa pollution and pollution from the Shinkansen windows.
My one hope is that these are the rejects, because I was sure I took more photos than these. But if so, why would I stash them in a safe place, and what happened to the ones taken on the sunny blue-skied days I remember?
Last week's searing temperatures have calmed down, and we're back to the merely uncomfortably warm. B. runs the fans in the bedroom all night, and this enables us to sleep - in fact, I need to keep a heavy robe on because of the moving air.
All we have to worry about locally right now is the World Cup. My interest in this is best measured with a zero, but I do have to worry that when a game is scheduled at the big local stadium, the traffic closures can extend as far as the passing highways, which I sometimes use. So I've put little "avoid 237" stickers on my pocket calendar for days that games are scheduled, one of which is today. But I don't think I'll have to go that way any time soon.
So before I drive to PA I go to the BMV to get my title reissued. Joy, they can do it on the spot. YAY. I literally put my hand on my heart I was so shocked.
ANd then...you don't own this car. It says you still owe on it. OMFG. They never put it in the computer when I took the title there back when I paid off the loan. Head desk. Do you have the letter saying it's paid off? Yes I think so. I don't have it in ANY of the bags (and I'm pretty sure I just saw it and packed it). Then I realized oh fuck me. I cleaned out the fridge but forgot to take the garbage out of my place.
I go back home. Do that. Look for the paperwork. I find all the original purchase stuff for it (plus the two civics before it because I don't throw out paperwork). I can't find the you paid it off letter. Ugh. All I have to do is to get Honda to resend it (or maybe that paperwork is in a bag I couldn't get to). I go home.
There is a silver lining in all this. Can you imagine me being at the car dealership ready to do a trade in only to find out my title isn't valid because OH didn't put it into the system?
The drive was fine. Get here and find out yay, I forgot to pack all my socks. Well then. Guess I'll be buying socks. Dumb ass.
Fannish 50 post (again this is from Buffy tVS
Day 7: Favourite friendship - Buffy and Willow, hands down. You know what, this is a rather shippy show even in canon and there aren't a lot of straight up friendships. Sure there's Xander but since I don't like him, he doesn't count (for me). Buffy and Willow starts mostly as two outcasts and it goes from there. I do like their friendship and that's why I noped out in S7 when Willow participates in throwing Buffy out of her own house. Eye roll. I don't even remember why (I have never rewatched that season or s6)
Clouds, in a thousand shades of gray and blue, purple and cream and palest peach, some rolled long like bats of wool, others thrusting like tufts of fur plucked upwards, some clumped like great fistfuls of cottonballs, others feathered into mare’s-tails combed thin by the wind, some spun into smooth sheets of satin, others still in little rills like waves coming in, or scalloped like seashells and fishes’ scales, all seen in a single sky, as if God had gotten to the bottom of Her craft-box and decided to use up all the loose ends at once.
* * *
Notes:
This poem was originally published in PanGaia Summer 2003. Today seemed like a good time to post it here, because it was that kind of sky again.
I started coloring in the first pigeons for my Fancy Pigeon mood theme last night, and decided to take screencaps of the process as I went! I figured that it might help demystify the process for anyone who might want to get started, or who's just interested in how I do things.
I've decided to call this style my "painted" style, as opposed to my "pixel" style, which, in contrast, is almost entirely pixel art with a lot of very minor changes.
I hope that was entertaining and/or enlightening for you! I don't anticipate doing this for every mood (especially since I already finished Okay without saving any mid-process examples 😂), but I think it was fun to do at least once 👍
![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
smartbitches_feed
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
