My first post. I thought reddit would be a good place to share my writing. Elvis Presley is one of my favorite musicians of all time. Just thought this would be a cool idea. Word count: (907) December 20, 2020 Las Vegas, Nevada Amongst the bustle of traffic, a young man walked the streets of Las Vegas. His gelled up blonde hair shined in the Vegas moonlight. The Kentucky boy came to Vegas to strike it rich. He had one gig at a crummy motel and he blew it. He walked with his guitar on his back wearing a tweed suit and skinny tie. He loved the classic rockabilly sound. People in 2020 however, did not like good old fashioned rockabilly. The young man was named Charlie Mackenzie. As he walked, he walked up to a Mexican restaurant. A festive sombrero topped a sign advertising a carnitas platter special. The restaurant was small but inviting. “Alejandro’s Tex Mex”. He saw people eating through the glass windows and yellow curtains. Charlie entered the Mexican restaurant and sat down with his guitar. No one minded the young man as they munched on their cheap tacos and fajitas. He pulled out his phone and ordered a plane ticket back to Lexington. If he was lucky he could get his old office job back in Lexington. A young waitress walked up and clicked her pen and asked the young man what he would like to order. “I’ll have a fajita and a Pepsi.” Charlie said as he scrolled on his phone looking for a plane ticket home. The waitress obliged and left. Charlie put his hands on his face thinking that his music career was over. The steak fajita came along with a Pepsi, and some corn chips with salsa. Charlie rolled up the tortilla and put the steak and veggies onto the tortilla. As he ate, he thought about the great stars of the past. He thought of those that influenced him. Chuck Berry, Buddy Holly, Fats Domino, Little Richard and his favorite and final influence. Elvis Presley. He could never top the king. He thought as the steak juices ran down his face and the ice cold cola went down his throat. It was there were Charlie gave up and clicked the “book” button to go home to Lexington. Charlie has left the building. Not Elvis. Charlie thought as he finished his meal, put the money on the table and left the good people of Vegas behind. He had a flight to catch that night. He wasn’t going to sleep. It was a long walk to McCarran International Airport. 10 Miles to be exact. Charlie walked alone in the night. Only a few hundred dollars to his name and an apartment back in Lexington that had rent due in January. Charlie just kept walking in the lonely night. The lights of Las Vegas being his guide. He passed Caesars Palace, the Golden Nugget, and eventually made it to the airport. TSA was a bitch, as he took his shoes of and they scanned him. Shit would have been easier years ago. 9/11 made everyone a bunch of terrified little pussies he thought to himself. He sat down in the terminal. He had about an hour before boarding so he practiced his guitar one last time. He took out his amp and plugged in. He decided he was going to sell it. He remembered buying it and saving every penny to buy it. It was the same model as Chuck Berry’s guitar. It was a Gibson’s limited-edition Chuck Berry 1955 ES-350T. The wood on it was beautiful and polished. The sounds she made were from heaven itself. The last song he played was its now or never by Elvis. “It’s now or never, come hold me tight, kiss me darling, be mine tonight.” He continued to strum and sing under his breath. The people that were going to be on the plane clapped as they listened to the young man play. “Hey can you play some more?” An older gentleman asked. Charlie frowned. “I’m not any good.” He said as he unplugged the guitar and put it back in the case. “Listen kid, you have real talent. You just need exposure. Trust me.” Charlie scoffed as the first boarding call was made and people started getting on. Charlie grabbed his guitar and bag and boarded the plane. Charlie put his guitar in the overhead compartment along with another smaller bag, his other clothes were already checked in when he got to the airport. He closed his eyes and would sleep through the safety briefing which he had seen 100x before. The plane left Las Vegas. It had a connecting flight in Dallas before Charlie would be home in Lexington. The passenger jet soared over Nevada and eventually Utah. “Ladies and gentleman we are experiencing minor turbulence. Please remain calm.” The pilots said as the plane shook. Charlie woke up. He straightened his tie. The plane lit up into a fireball in the night sky over Utah. Metal debris fell to the desert ground below. Sirens wailed in the distance as the authorities came to investigate the crash. March 26th 1957 Charlie stirred in a bed that felt alien. The sheets clearly weren’t his. He fell out of his bed and looked in a mirror in the other side of the room. Looking back at him was Elvis Presley! Thoughts raced through his head as he stared at the foreign figure in the mirror. Last thing he remembered he was on a plane, and felt a searing hot pain. Right. He died.
Rachel Schneider ENG 477 Date 1/11/2021 Marsha Blackburn A Writing Portfolio I want to write my own fiction stories one day; I have had a book or two swimming around in my head so I will put the computer to good use and get that typed out one of these days. In this instance I chose my 5 stories and even though one is a marketing inquiry I had fun writing it, so here are my things and some background some of them. Resume: It is a basic one because my photo ones were not particularly good, and this is an honest resume besides the ones I made for class and I did fudge on those. Cover letter: I made up the cover letter though there is a penguin Books but it is always fun to use your imagination! Hike with Drew: I got the concept from a Writer’s Digest and entered it into a contes I never got a response but good practice. Short Story Vegas: Was one I did for another class but in here I changed it and the story was much better the second time. Marketing Flyer: This was fun to do those are stock photos of the dogs and squeaky toys, but I like Pit Bulls and dog toys are fun as well. Scott part 1-This is a story I am working on with another writer, warning its very sexy and some naughty words are in there as well. Writing Samples: I made these three samples up one day because as I have looked for writing work, I have seen people want a sample of your work, so I came up with these. Rachel Schneider 3867 Houghton Ave Riverside CA 92501 📷 951-743-8911 📷 [email protected] 📷 Rachel Schneider 📷 Rachel7Tori-Twitter 📷 📷 Objective To get a career going in the fiction/short story writing industry my imagination can run with any scenario and to write is to live. 📷 Education Bachelor of Arts in English | Grand Canyon University 2017 – 2021 Took 15 different writing courses, creative writing and even two fun marketing classes all to polish up my craft. Carried a 3.0 GPA and did the courses all online as well. No Degree Obtained | Riverside Community College June 1994 – December 1996 Took these college courses but did not finish got 32 Units of Child Development Courses though which is what I was going for 📷 Experience Cafeteria Worker 1 2008 Currently Employed. Cook, Prep, serve food in a middle school setting, also clean, count inventory and do next day prep, cash handling and POS register experience. Bell Ringer | Salvation Army November 2007 – December 2007 Rang bell and collected donations for the salvation Army in front of various stores during the holiday season. 📷 Skills Food handlers Card CPR First Aid certified Grammar Proficiency Spelling Proficiency Can work from home 📷 Activities Have good use of social media and can help update or bring in new followers with my creative writing side. Have a Reddit account as well with 30 stories up on that site. Can speak a little Spanish and Hebrew as well. 951-743-8911 [email protected] 3867 Houghton Ave Riverside CA 92501
Rachel Schneider
Writer
Penguin Books
Dear JENNIFER MCGREGOR,
1/21/2021 Jennifer McGregor Fiction Publisher 4587 Tropicana Rd. Las Vegas NV 89102 I have included my resume for the short story writer for young adult novels. It has been a few years, but I currently work in a middle school, so I do see all the angst and sass that goes with being a young teen. I do hope my writing samples can help me move to the top of the list. I look forward to working with Penguin Books and letting kids know being a teen is hard at first, but it does not last forever. Sincerely, Rachel Schneider Rachel Schneider 3867 Houghton Ave Riverside CA 92501 It had been a long cold winter Drew and I could not get out for a morning hike till today. Being 75 degrees, we did not have to wear many layers. He is an extremely sweet inquisitive boy who always asks a lot of questions. Why does moss grow on the north side of trees” he asks? Its times like this when it would be nice to have my husband here, but he is overseas where the work is. “well, it’s not just the north side it’s on the shadier side because that is where the moisture is.” On we went looking at snails on the ground watching the deer pass by along a ridge. Being quiet as to not startle them. “Mom he whispered it’s a bunny den they are coming out for food, he leaves a few carrot and lettuce scraps from last night’s dinner. I walked down the path and spotted some glorious Blue Jays and a Downey Woodpecker. “Listen Drew the woodpecker is getting the bugs out of the trees.” My sweet Drew was staring at the Bunnies, they are cute and fluffy after all. We followed our path down further after the bunnies went back to the den. The skies were getting cloudy, so I hoped the rain was not going to come back. Though the weather report said there was a chance. My little explorer with his school uniform on was undeterred, I wish I could wear shorts on a 75 day and not be cold, it is always nice to be young. Walking along our path we spot some squirrels running in circles around the tree. “Why do the chase each other like that” Drew asks. “Maybe it’s a game for them like ring around the Rosie.” On we trek to our favorite stream where the deer family are taking their drinks. I tell Drew we cannot skip stones right now we do not want to scare them. We look through the grass for more of his favorite bugs, saw some worms just below the dirt by a tree. Looking up we see a big spider web being made between two branches. The crows were making their calls in the distance. We are finally able to skip our stones in the stream. He gets some great skips going, and we collect some new rocks for our little garden back home. Walking past the stream we climb up the embankment and up along the ridge where we see a Fox off in the distance. He or she walks the opposite direction we are going so it is a relief we can continue to the clearing. Where there are more bugs, rocks, and Bunnies. We pass the Deer family as they run up the hill to were, they mostly frolic or maybe they live up there. We stop for a snack of Apples, Almonds, and some cheese sticks. When we were finished Drew put a couple of slices in his pocket to feed the Bunnies, I am sure. “Mommy we’re getting to the clearing now we can see the Bunnies and the last time Daddy, and I were here I got some neat rocks too.” Drew told ne enthusiastically, I did love his passion for nature, though again my husband is much better at the nature stuff. I am a pastry Chef ask me about desserts and I am your woman, about why moss grows on trees and hello Google. Since Dad is unavailable, I step in and let him explore and see the world outside of the house and off the screen. It is just another half mile and it is on to the clearing. He starts to pull me hand a little harder I know he is excited. We pass under the tree I glance up and see the Fox again. Then we stop and see “Daddy home…… Name: Rachel Schneider Course: ENG 361 Date: 4/14/2020 Instructor: Debbie Graves One Week In Las Vegas The countdown started Friday at 2pm I got the week off from this thing I call a job (just over broke). The car was packed, it was time to hit the road. The traffic was average and climbing the Cajon Pass was not that bad. I stopped in Baker to have my favorite meal at Bob’s Big Boy, the chili spaghetti, no onions. After making my way back on the highway the traffic picked up going out of Baker, through to Primm and Stateline. I had to stop for gas at Whiskey Pete’s, so I also went in and got some snack goodies. My favorite trail mix and some cheese potato chips because vending machines are too expensive. The road was beckoning so off I went, traveling through Jean is always nice, not much to see. A prison, a few remaining casinos, some outbuildings, and a truck stop. There slogan was always fun 40 smiles closer than Vegas. You can get bored so be sure to pack some music you can have your own car concert. “I’ll face it with a grin I’m never giving in, on with the show” (Show Must Go on by Queen) Finally, the Vegas skyline is in sight, the lights are not on yet, but they will be needing to navigate around the strip. I do say a few words the terrible drivers. This vacation was so needed my job is crazy, my kids are older now and do not need mom around anymore. Off they went to grandma’s house and I booked the week at the Delano, it is attached to the Mandalay bay so perfect access to all the fun of the strip, and just enough luxury to not look cheap. Getting the valet to take the car I check into my genuinely nice room I have a great view of the Luxor light (that comes off the top of the hotel) and the Excalibur. Now off to indulge in that genuinely nice bathtub and get some overdue reading done. My bathroom with a view has the Luxor light and that is the brightest light on the Vegas strip it comes right out of the top of the Pyramid shaped hotel. A brightness of 42.3 billion candela, you could read a paper from 10 miles straight up if you wanted to. Once I was well soaked and finished with my chapters it was time to find something to eat besides my snack foods. After cruising the room service options, I settled on some Mexican food of chorizo and eggs with nice corn tortillas. That hit the spot so with the extra energy it was time to get out for a stroll of the property. The indoor pool is nice but small and I want to soak up the sunshine and get some exercise so I shall hit the outdoor pool tomorrow. Back in the lobby I grab those ads for things to do in the city so I can plan out the rest of my trip. There are thousands of things to do in Vegas. Do not be disappointed if you do not get everything done, that is what the next trip is for. I have a beautiful week and I want to have a good time and not have to wait for anybody, I can do what I want. I got those and cruised up through the lobby and toward the casino on my way there I saw a sign for a food and wine festival. With that guy Zac from the travel channel. Thinking hmm I did not know he was interested in food or wine. I went down and found my favorite penny slot game Lucky cat. After 15 minutes I came out putting 20 in and winning 500, so I called it a night and went to the bar to catch a hockey game and grab a fun fruity drink (I like tequila sunrise, (Tequila, grenadine, and cranberry juice). As I am rooting for the Golden Knights (local Vegas hockey team) I looked over to my left and there was Zac from the travel channel, and he likes hockey too this is awesome, and I am trying not to be a fan girl. The game was in intermission and the Knights were winning so it was time for a new fruity drink so this time I turned around to get back to the bar and bumped right into Zac, boy was my face red. After some apologies and an offer to buy my next fruity drink (a Strawberry Daiquiri) it was a yes and I spilled that I was a fan. He told me he does have an interest in food and wine not just chasing ghosts with his crew. We had some great conversation and when the game came back on, we both sat in the booth cheering the golden knights to their victory. Now I am buzzed and standing up was going to be fun, but Zac was a true gentleman and helped me to my feet. He offered to buy me dinner. The Taco Hut was a good place the tortillas were fresh, and the company was so cool. The conversation turned to food, wine, travel, and some stuff about me. The midnight hour rolled around, and Zac had an early morning, so we said goodnight, but he was staying one floor above me, so we agreed to go to the diner in the lobby for breakfast or brunch. At 10am I was enjoying my company and this great stick to your ribs breakfast (scrambled eggs, sausage, hash browns and some great watermelon) The food offerings in Vegas are so varied you can get everything from a hot dog and beer for 1.99 at the Orleans, to a 5-star meal at Caesar’s Palace the buffets are great too. Although sometimes you want a nice sit-down dinner. The conversation was effortless the attraction was deep. We made plans to see each other again after the food contest he was judging was over. Saying goodbye was a bit hard but the hand holding was sweet and made me feel like a schoolgirl again. After saying goodbye and I did watch him walk into the convention hall I went back to my room to plan out the rest of my day. I chose a tour of the Mob Museum, they say that Vegas was built with Mob money, but it was a Mormon founded town that later Hollywood discovered. Then many people in Hollywood who were well connected (such as East Coast mobsters) financed Bugsy Segal to build the Flamingo Hotel. As I was putting my shoes on, I got a knock on the room door and as I opened it, I got some flowers (pink roses) and an all-access pass to the food and wine festival courtesy of Zac. Let us just say the Mob Museum can wait for later I got to go to a food and wine festival and spend the rest of the week with Zac. “hi Zac thanks for the flowers it was sweet of you to remember.” He said, “It’s always right to remember a ladies flower preference because that’s the right thing to do.” Smiling the rest of the day I meet other travel channel celebrities and got to taste some great foods and many different wines. The food and wine offerings at the hotels and restaurants are varied, the Las Vegas area have become very international, so the varieties are endless. The week went by in a blur of food, wine, conversation, and some sweet dates. I never thought I would get over the break-up that happened the week before. Getting a private Vegas tour was something completely special. I did get to see the Mob Museum, Mandalay Bay Fine Art Museum, seven magic mountains, Pinball Hall of fame and a private dinner at the food and wine festival. My days in Vegas were down to one. We had reservations at Rivera right here at the Delano the view is amazing, the food is impressive with Italian and French offers. “I have had a wonderful time this week Zac thank you for mending my broken heart.” He looked at me for a minute and said, “it’s been a pleasure to get to know you and I would not mind visiting your hometown, you always have a reason to come back to Las Vegas. The next food and wine festival is around Christmas, this one will include chocolate.” Hitting the 15 early the next morning I have visions of Christmas, a pass to the food and wine festival, also a brand-new relationship to take back home with me. The End When writing a short story, you want to keep it from rambling and have enough details to keep it fresh. When your reader gets into the story you want them to feel like they are there with you, going to the food and wine festival, on that hike through the seven-mountains or touring the mob museum. The details are the thing to see and make sure to watch out for punctuation and common language. An average short story is within 6,00 words or 24 pages. If you wanted too you could go short-short story and that is between 500 and 2,00 words. That comes out to be 6 pages (Minot, Steven Ch. 7 pg. 41), talk about short stories. The story is all your length and style matter as much as how you want it to come into focus. Minot, Steven and Theil Daniel Three genres the writing of literary pose, poems and plays Ninth edition Pearson Publications 2012 Bouncing Dog Toy Emporium August 18,2019📷📷 24755 Holly Grove Way Brookings OR, 97415 Dear Dogs, Rule the World I am Rachel Schneider from the Bouncing Dog Toy Emporium we make extra bouncy dog toys for our furry friends. We investigated different marketing companies and choose you to do our direct to customer marketing. The way the website is set up the customers can get the product’s directly from you is easier than a multi-level marketing plan. The distribution of Bouncy Dog Toy will be a one level channel, we will provide the toys you market, and we sell them. I would like to get some videos of our company dogs Mac and Stella playing with the toys so you can post on the website. A link for the company can also be included so the consumers know where the toys came from, what they are made of and any other facts about Bouncing Dog Toy Emporium. Sincerely, Rachel V Schneider Mac and Stella company dogs and testers 📷 📷 📷📷 📷A sample of our products, our bounciest toys. Scott’s Story Part 1 I am Scott Thorn, and I am going back to WDU for the first time in 15 years, I went here for a year but after I came out as gay there really were no gay dudes. I am all men but yeah lesbians were all around some BI guys but no real gay dudes. I went back to the mainland and attended Preston University I majored in administration and minored in Literature. I did at one point in my life have a girlfriend and wanted to marry her, but I could not quash the gay lifestyle. That part of my life is over and now the old school offered me a counseling job, have not done this in a while. I get to help students toward there after college career. I sit here on this boat and keeping an eye on my 75 Triumph I have some nerves, but it is mostly about seeing this place again, so as the boat pulls up, I get my bike going and make a stop at my new on campus apartment. Its west facing because I like sunsets more than sunrise, so I did not know it needed so much work. I have some handy skills but a little at a time. The kitchen is decent and so is the bathroom. The floors will need some polish and the deck needs to be stained, this is a duplex, so I hope the neighbors are quiet. It is furnished and done nicely so I cannot complain too much, but back on the bike to see the Dean. I get my bike set with the kill switch and walk up the way to the Admin building, I am pretty much the only one dressed. I am wearing my good black jeans and my dress shirt, in my favorite color Maroon. I do remember this place was obsessed with sex so I will stick out wearing clothes, as I enter the building at least more admin people are dressed. Miss Grant the secretary shows me to my new office, its spacious much bigger that my last one at Preston where I shared a cubicle with another person. I have files from past students and current ones, so I started filing them when Dean Kane walks in, booty shorts and a tank top. “Welcome back to WDU Scott, we look forward to seeing you succeed you come very recommended.” I could hardly concentrate because this Dean was hung but I persevered and said, “Thank you sir I look forward to helping young students find there after WDU careers.” After he left, I had to get my rise to settle then I continued filing and looking through some files. Clarissa Love that was a name that got around even all the way to Preston. I think she does the Jax in the bedroom or something like that. I started looking around and thought I need some life in this office so I asked Miss Grant about decorating and she said I could do what I wanted but no painting, so I went to town and checked out a flea market. I found some pictures of the beaches of Canada, some old homes in the area and a few movie posters from Rocky horror Picture Show (it is my favorite). The flea market said they will deliver to the school tomorrow so I told them I will be there at 9am. Now with my day done I get to the store to buy some groceries and realize this place uses sextons and I was down to my last few, so now I will need to exchange but thankfully a bank is nearby so I can get some of my mainland money exchanged. I pull up to my new pad off load my few groceries and notice some other tenant left beer in the fridge, talk about luck. I got the beer went to the deck and watched the sunset over the sky. It was going to be new here, but I needed a fresh start after getting dumped and losing the job because my ex was in upper management, never will I do that again. I will find someone who does not work in the school system. After I ate a roast beef and cheddar sandwich for dinner, watched some cooking shows it was time for bed. As I was brushing my teeth, I heard the neighbors having sex. Oh, goody they are not quiet. hope they do not have super energy either. Tomorrow is my first full day and I have decorating to do, fantastic they stopped, that is the thing with us older people we do not fuck like bunnies anymore. As far as I know the neighbors are lesbians so who knows. Sample 1- If I try my hardest, I could muster up enough courage to ask the prettiest girl in school to prom. I had a suit; bolo tie and I will shine my old boots up. The thing is my courage is not as strong as my best friend Nick, now there is one brave dude who just asked the girl I wanted to go to prom with and of course she said yes. I gather myself close my locker and put on my best smile for them both. Nick and I high five and I hug her, trying to be genuine but it is hard. I head to my Social studies class and sit down next to Megan she looks at me with some concern I tell her what happened, she then asks me to Prom…... Sample 2-Wishing I did not have to be here I sit at the back of the funeral and think about my old high school principal. I grew up in a small town and everyone knew everyone, we only had one school and you went there for kindergarten through senior year. After my graduation I packed up my old car and headed out to what I thought was the real world. Living in a bigger city only helped spur my loneliness so who says you cannot come home again, well Mom for starters because I abandoned my family, I am not welcome at home ever again (so tired of her drama), so I am staying at Principal Mason’s house yes, the same principal that I am at a funeral for I held her hand as she lay there succumbing to cancer…… Sample 3-If you really want to get over a breakup getting back on the horse will help things along. I thought that too seven lousy dates ago so here I am on date number 8 and I am not seeing any birds singing or rainbows in the sky. He steps away to take a call he is a particularly important lawyer after all (I need to fix my picker) after he comes back, he says it go time the jury has come back so off he goes. I finish my drink and head back to my brownstone close by, I pass the new chocolate shop that just opened, and I get inside and see chocolate heaven. Looking around I do not see him at first but there he is my old college lab partner Sam I just saw a rainbow…….
An idea for a Fallout game set in the Four state Commonwealth. Fallout: New Mexico (Update 0.5)
A Fallout game set in the Four state Commonwealth. • Fallout: New Mexico takes place in May 2296, 15 years after Fallout: New Vegas and 9 years after Fallout 4. 219 years after the great war. With the death of Caesar during the events of Fallout: New Vegas. The legion quickly implodes into waring warlord fighting against each other and some of them simply split off from the legion to from their own legions and doing their own identities. This cause a 15-long war between the many legions across Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado up to Denver, and eastern Utah. Caesar’s legion has broken into two major factions who are rule by two legions, the Maximius Legion and Red Legion. Addition other smaller legions factions. In central New Mexico there a five-way struggle among the Maximius Legion, Red Legion, The Midwest Brotherhood, Desert Rangers, and The Reservation. The prisoner, the player’s character, wakes up in abandoned prison after a recent prison riot had happened. Causing the guards to flee into the wasteland and remain prisoners left in the wasteland. There no background as to why the player’s character left in the prison. One day their door in their cell mysterious opens. The prisoner leaves the prison and venture the New Mexico wasteland to find clues why they were left in prison and soon after that change the New Mexico Wasteland forever. • Location: The are three main game worlds and alongside mini-game worlds in New Mexico Wasteland. First the Northern Central New Mexico Wasteland. The surrounding areas around Albuquerque, Santa Fe, and Taos. Addition Southern New Mexico Wasteland. The surrounding areas around Silver City, Las Cruces, Alamogordo, and Roswell. Final, Northwest New Mexico Wasteland. The surrounding areas around Farmington, Shiprock, and Navajo lake state park. The other locations like Gallup, NRAO Very Large Array, Dulce, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, and Fort Summer. These locations serve as their own mini-game worlds like The Witcher 3 game worlds and classical games of Fallout 1 and Fallout 2. • Fallout: New Mexico Atmosphere: The main theme must deal with the aftershocks of Caesar’s death regardless of what happens in Fallout: New Vegas. With the death of Caesar during the event of Fallout: New Vegas the legion quickly implodes into warlord legions waring against each other and some of them simply split off from the legion to from their own legions and doing their own things. This cause a 15-long war between the many legions across Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado up to Denver, and eastern Utah. This civil war among the Caesar’s Legion is called the “Wars of the Legions” It plays out like Alexander’s Successor’s Wars of the Diadochi who become successor states like the Mongol Empire. In 2296 when Fallout: Novus Mexicum starts there only major two legions remain the Red legion and Maximius Legion alongside lesser smaller legions who remain outside their territory rule. The lesser legions who survive the wars from their legion identities and customs across the wasteland control parts of New Mexico Wasteland. While some of them turn back into raider gangs who raid the settlements across the New Mexico Wasteland. In addition, new raider tribes have moved to various parts of New Mexico. Taking advantage of the chaos and lack of security to raid settlements in the region. Settlements who are not under control by the legions from their identities and customs. While some New Mexico settlements are trying to return to their original identities and customs. Most trades between settlements have drastically gone down because lack of safe roads to travel. This cause some communities to wither away or other communities invented new ways to survive. While the rest join the various factions in New Mexico for security. Traders once again travel on their own with guards New Mexico Wasteland, as all raider tribes are back raiding caravans and settlements. Some Legions factions still hold firm to their ideology against drugs and alcohol, punishing those they capture with the illicit substances severely. Some Legions factions still outsiders under their rule are considered to be "dissolute" or are called "profligates," referring to those lacking morals. In some settlements and legions use a mixture of Latin and English vocabulary. Since the fall Ceasar legion currency of aureus and denarius have to drop in value severely. This cause the people in New Mexico Wasteland to revert back to using bottle caps as their main currency. Some legion factions and other factions use their own currency, but minimalist of success. Different regions in New Mexico are war-torn by the of the Wars of the legions. These regions are desolate, destroyed land. Its people were killed, crucified, burned alive, raped, and hung – all the worst things imaginable. Signs of trench warfare, destroy bunkers, tunnels, barbed wire, anti-artillery bunkers, abandoned artillery, the skeleton remains, chemical warfare, tanks, ruin power armor suits, and crudely rebuild pre-war vehicles. Most of the NPCs in New Mexico are under the age of 30s and below. While the rest are the age of '30s to '50s. Even few are the age of '50s and above. The reason for this was that Caesar forcibly integrated the tribes and settlements into the Legion. The men were integrated into the Ceasar army. The sick and elderly were killed, the women sold as wives to ranking officers, and the tribe's identity is annihilated. Finally, all factions throughout New Mexico are preparing for the final war between the legions and other major factions. The New Mexico settlements and tribes are in danger of being eradicated or assimilated. So they fortify their defenses and train their people for the coming war that will change the New Mexico Wasteland forever. Lesser Legion Factions • Silver Shields - they were once veterans of Caesar legion, and now broken form legion to form their own legion call, Silver Shields. They were able to fight off the other legions and raider tribes since because most of them were over the age of sixty, they were feared and revered due to their battle skills and experience. They carried silver-plated shields and long pike spears plus they dress like Greek soldiers of the Hellenic era. Silver shields have an uneasy alliance with Apache Raiders, Spartan legion, and Tercio legion. They control Sliver City and surrounding territories around Silver City. • Tercio Legionario – Once veterans of Caesar legion, they form their own legion at Las Cruces call Tercio legion. The Tercio legion uses the Spanish pike and shot that known for its on the battlefields of Europe during the 16th century and the first half of the 17th century. They dress like Spanish soldiers from the 16th century to the first half of the 17th century. Until Maximus Legion try several times to take Las Cruces and surround areas. They were defeated by an uneasy alliance with Apache raiders, Spartan legion, and Silver Shields. They control Las Cruces and surrounding territories around Las Cruces. • Augustus Foreign legion – once a part of Caesar legion they form into a mercenary army in Central New Mexico Wasteland. They fight for money or other forms of payment rather than for political interests in the New Mexico wasteland. The Foreign Legion can be hired to sometimes guard caravans, service as arm guards for waste landers, bounding hunting for factions in New Mexico wasteland, sometimes clear out raider’s camps or monsters’ dens. Augustus Legionnaires are highly trained soldiers, and the Legion is unique in that it is open to recruits willing to serve legion. The Foreign Legion in New Mexico today known as a unit whose training focuses on traditional military skills and on as its men come from different parts of New Mexico with different cultures. The legion does not swear allegiance to anyone, but to the Foreign Legion itself. Any member who gets wounded during a battle for Foreign Legion can immediately apply to be a member under a provision known as "Français par le sang versé" ("French by spilled blood"). When the war of legions started, they form their own legion at Grants New Mexico. Eventually, they were defeat by Maximus Legion at Grants New Mexico, and retreat to San Ysidro New Mexico. The mercenary army/group loyal to the city of Santa Fe as along the bottle caps flow. They harass the Red legion, Urban Cohort, and Maximius Legion. They control San Ysidro New Mexico and surrounding territories around San Ysidro. • Commonwealth Republic - simply as the Commonwealth Republic organized by high-rank officers who once part Caesar legion who are led by Enclave remnants. When the war legion starts, they form their own legion call Triarii legion at Phoenix Arizona. They defeat Maximus Legion at Phoenix. They retreat to Very Large Array New Mexico were encounter enclave remnants. There they form an alliance and create the Commonwealth Republic. Made up of enclave remnants members who decide to break away from the main enclave force who were relocated to the Capital Wasteland. When the legions began entering the civil war the enclave remnants were able to use their military skills and tactics to control their own region around Very Large Array. They even control pre-war military bases across New Mexico Wasteland. The Commonwealth Republic has enclave vertibirds, but only a few inside their bases. Right around 2296 the Enclave remnants children are now adults who now high-rank officers of Commonwealth Republic with few old-timers still in charge. They bit like the Enclave faction, but they openly recruit anyone who not ghoul from the New Mexico wasteland. The Commonwealth Republic considers humans outside its ranks as Abominations to be destroyed so that "true humanity" could take its place as the "real" America. They promise the people of wasteland where could guide American back to the golden age of mall shops and drive-in movies. There are propaganda Eyebots that spewed “Stars and Stripes Forever” found in New Mexico Wasteland. The Maximus Legion try several times to take Very Large Array but was meet with defeat each time. They control Very Large Array and surrounding territories around Very Large Array. • Varangian legion – once part of the personal bodyguards to Caesar legion. The praetorian guards from their own legion call Varangian legion at New Constantinople in ruins of Farmington New Mexico. They are Descendants of the Eastern Orthodox dwellers from Vault 41. Who resettled and rebuild most of Farmington in 2101. Later name it New Constantinople. They know for being primarily composed of recruits from outside their realm of influence. They are a mercenary army/group in New Mexico wasteland. Loyal is their core value for the Varangians. Once someone paid them, they have their undying allegiance. They lacked local political loyalties and honor also was another key virtue of these mercenaries. They wear heavily armored, adorned in mail hauberks, vambraces, and iron conical helmets with Norse-style round shields for protection. They have weapons like the Dane ax in their inventory. Eventually, they were defeat by the Red legion at Navajo Dam and New Constantinople. Their remaining forces retreat to Carson National Forest. They are now a mercenary army/group loyal to the city of Santa Fe as along the bottle caps flow. They control Carson National Forest and surrounding territories around Carson National Forest. • Urban Cohort – Once the slavers of Caesar legion, they form their own legion at call Urban cohort at Bernalillo New Mexico. They were able to fight off the other legions and raider tribes eventually because of allies to the Maximius Legion. • Cataphract legion – Once a part of Caesar legion they form into the Cataphract legion in Pecos New Mexico. They were able to fight off the other legions and raider tribes. They form into a mercenary army loyal to the city of Santa Fe as along the bottle caps flow. They control Pecos National Historical Park and roads that connect Santa Fe and Las Vegas around Carson National Forest. • Spartan legion – Once part of the personal bodyguards to Caesar legion. The praetorian guards from their own legion call Spartan legion at Truth or Consequences New Mexico. Later they renamed Truth or Consequences to Sparta. Spartan legions have an uneasy alliance with Apache Raiders, Silver shields, and Tercio legion. Major Settlements Los Alamos – Rename to The Reservation – made up of Los Alamos scientists who have survived to become ghouls, and other ghouls from across the wasteland. The Reservation itself remained relatively intact thanks to most of the facility being underground. Its large growing ghoul community and mandated that all the knowledge and research that was archived and stored in the Reservation's libraries and laboratories for the ghouls' cause. Research continues in the Reservation, and over the course pass two centuries, weapons and war materials. The Reservation ghouls a very paranoid group that believes it is inevitable that the smooth skins will invade their precious facility and try to wipe out the ghouls. This paranoia feeds the ghouls' desire to scavenge, create, and build new weapons with whatever they can find in the "gold-mine" of a research facility. In addition, the labyrinth of underground tunnels makes hiding the ghouls' accomplishments and numbers from prying eyes easy. In fact, the casual passer-by on the surface of the Reservation would only see one ruined one-story office buildings, two dilapidated aircraft hangers with decaying aircraft, and roughly two dozen ghouls meandering about. Surrounding this decaying mess is a large stretch of barbed wire and sheet metal (probably from destroyed planes in the hangers) that keeps trespassers away and the ghouls on the surface feeling more secure. No other organization or faction is aware that deep underground this ruined community there is a multitude of ghouls living and working. Since the area surrounding the Reservation is highly radioactive, the only safe way to approach the makeshift surface community by a human is with a lot of Rad-X, or a radiation suit. When the makeshift gate guards are approached by someone wearing a radiation suit, the ghouls will be civil, but not necessarily friendly. Mention that you are here for trade and they will let you into a holding area just big enough for perhaps two-dozen people. Santa Fe – Once the capital of New Mexico four commonwealths are now home to former slaves, war refugees Vault dwellers from Vault 55, and trade folks who rebel after Caesar’s fall. Santa Fe is a major trading city in the entire New Mexico Wasteland. Santa Fe is an enormous trading center and settlement established in an old town relatively untouched by the Great War. Caravans are organized here, carrying goods north to Pueblo City, Taos, the Great Plain commonwealth, and south to the Roswell. It houses a large community of traders, barterers, gamblers, and other interesting individuals. The wide variety of people passing through ensures that there is always something interesting going on. The caravan houses that work the routes trade in everything: chems, tires, guns, bullets, food, brahmin, dirt, even scraps of metal. Some of the people of Vault 55 left the Vault who were lead by a man named Franco who resettle in the city of Santa Fe in 2102. They rebuilt in ruins of the old town and was build a wall around the old town in the same year. A wall that was built around the old town was named Wall Franco 2110. Another series of walls was built outside the old town in 2158. The Wall is the name, Wall Miranda. In 2234 six raider tribes attack Santa Fe but were stop by Desert Rangers. By the year 2265, another wall was built after they surrender to Caesar's legion in 2264. The wall once has once name Ceasar’s Wall, but later name Wall Carlos. It the largest settlement in the region and it a major Trading city settlement. Three layers of the wall surround the settlements. 1.The lower ring is home to former slaves, Mormons, and war refugees who made up much of the population in Santa Fe. Due to the impoverished state of the citizens of the Lower Ring, as well as the influx of refugees, the crime rate is significantly higher. The Lower Ring is also the most densely populated area of Santa Fe. Buildings in the Lower Ring are generally small because the Lower Ring houses most of the populace and many people need to be crammed into the space available. The Lower Ring's status and poverty have remained unchanged since 2265. 2.The Middle Ring of Santa Fe contains the city's middle-class populace. Inside this ring are a vast assortment of shops and restaurants as well as the financial district and Town. Santa Fe University, a great repository of knowledge anywhere in the New Mexico wasteland. The buildings of this Ring are is generally wealthier and have a more peaceful atmosphere than the Lower Ring, and there are many flowers and trees. Citizens of the Middle Ring are free to enter the Lower Ring, and Middle Ring without needing permission. 3.The Upper Ring contains the city's upper-class population, as well as military and government officials. The most important citizens of the city reside here. The Santa Fe old town is in the center of the Upper Ring, within its own walls. The buildings of the Upper Ring are generally huge walled compounds. Upper Ring citizens are free to go wherever they please within Santa Fe. The Palace of the Governors once again served as the seat of government for the Santa Fe since 2175 after the settlement was found. The Palace of the Governors is the oldest continuously occupied public building in the United States. They are an independent settlement who are free from the Major factions. There are several Roman aqueducts that provide water from the surrounding mountains. The people use the water and the farmers water their fields outside Roman-style Wall Carlos. Much of the buildings are rebuild with Spanish, Pueblo, in the historic downtown or rebuild in series of walls. The rest of the Settlement has a mix of Spanish, Pueblo, and Roman Architectural. Armguards dress like Spanish conquistadors patrols the Roman style walls surround the Settlement from their Watchtowers. Schools are found here and kids in Santa Fe go to schools. Newspapers the Santa Fe New Mexican, Santa Fe Reporter, Santa Fe Times provide news for the past and current events in New Mexico wasteland. There is a Zoo that currently being built outside the walls of Santa Fe. There one Brothel for each ring of the City. Canyon Road, east of the Plaza in the old town, was once the highest concentration of art galleries in the city, and it was once a major destination for international collectors, tourists, and locals during the pre-war’s day. The Canyon Road galleries are trying to preserve Historical knowledge of the Southwestern, indigenous American, and newly Roman Artifacts. There are three Dinners found in all three in each wall in Santa Fe. Ghouls are ban from entering Santa Fe Settlement. The reason for this is outright prejudice and fear of being kidnap by Ghouls from The Reservation. At the same time defenses are being built and soldiers are being trained for the coming war between the legions. Most traders across New Mexico Wasteland stop by Santa Fe before they reach Plains Commonwealth or elsewhere. Las Vegas – Headquarters of the Midwest Brotherhood in who established their foothold in Las Vegas and the surrounding areas. It was a small settlement found in 2220 by some of the people from Vault 55. In 2220 Las Vegas was saved from raider attack by Desert Rangers. The Desert Rangers protect and train Vault Dwellers of Las Vegas. When Caesar's legion comes they welcome them and thank them for destroying the raider tribes. When the War of legion start the legion garrison left to fight other legions in the region. When the brotherhood arrives they again welcome them and thanks to them of sense of security. In 2296 they slowly prosper once again. They are made up of Brotherhood soldiers, former raider tribes, ex-slaves, war refugees, vault dwellers, wastelanders, and ghouls. The Midwest Brotherhood is stranded from Main Headquarters from Chicago. Their airship crashes land nearby Las Vegas in 2290. The people of Las Vegas welcome them. Eventually, the Brotherhood offers their protection to Las Vegas from raider tribes and legions raids. They traded advanced medicines in exchange for food and labor. They also traded protection from bandits in exchange for new recruits. It one of the few places where ghouls free from prejudice. The Brotherhood's position was still not as secure as it would prefer it to be and the supply lines were stretched thin. As the supplies carried by Brotherhood vehicles, food, weapons, and medicine, were all in high demand among the waste landers, this created ample opportunity for raiders and other troublemakers. The Brotherhood focused on securing its position in the region. One vital aspect was maintaining their stocks of advanced technology, which included securing old military and scientific installations and removing anything of value, particularly rare fusion batteries. Another involved securing new allies. In exchange for military protection, the Brotherhood takes recruits, raw materials, and other goods to sustain its expansion and existing rule. Anyone living under its control is also expected to submit to Brotherhood's rules without question. The most expedient way to achieve this in the Brotherhood's opinion is to terrorize its enemies and strike fear in the heart of those they 'protect', by dealing with all threats without hesitation or mercy. All settlements under its protection must also accept the laws of the Brotherhood or suffer the consequences. Collateral damage is generally dismissed out of hand, as the Brotherhood considers a few lives lost by accident to be a small price to pay for a free, prosperous world, particularly if those who died were mere tribal. Ensuring obedience is its justice system: Swift, harsh, and far-reaching. If any subject of the Brotherhood severely breaks its laws, they may expect swift retribution. At the same time defenses are being built and soldiers are being trained for the coming war between the legions. Cuba – Rename to The Red Fort - Red Legion Main HQ in the central New Mexico Wasteland. Home of Red Legion’s who controls surrounding areas. Found in the year 2294 it was once home to an unknown tribe who were destroyed in 2263 by Caesar Legion. It becomes a trading outpost during the Ceasar legion. When the War of legions starts. It was again destroyed by various legions and raider tribes. The Red Legion forces took Cuba to rebuild into a fortress. The Red Legion has vast reserves of manpower and industrial capacity to maintain its edge in the main fort. The fort serves as an outpost for Red Legion. Outside the walls of the fort are land mines and pulse fields, capable of literally frying power armor operators alive in their suits. The Red legions who live in the fort enjoy a stable, consistent flow of electricity and water, a steady and ample food supply, and exceptionally low crime and corruption levels. They enjoy safe and productive lives with one caveat: “never disobey or disturb the Union.” Anyone outside the Union ranks or under their rule is "Bourgeois" (lacking in morals), while those that are both outsides of it and are called " Capitalism " Farmington - Rename to New Constantinople - Recently capture by Red Legion back in 2294. It was founded by the Eastern Orthodox dwellers from Vault 41. They resettled and rebuild most of Farmington in 2101. Later name it New Constantinople. The Desert Rangers help them when a Raider tribe almost destroy New Constantinople in 2204. Again in 2234 when three Raider tribes attack New Constantinople. Slowly over time, it come the biggest settlement in the Four Corners Wasteland. Trading with other settlements in the region and new settlements appear all along the San Juan River. They eventually rebuild the Navajo Dam, PNM Resources Power Plant, and APS Four Corner Power Plant to power New Constantinople. When the Caesar Legion come in 2264 they surrender to the legion. New Constantinople becomes prosperous under Caesar's legion. When the war of legions started the praetorian guards from their own legion call the Varangian legion at New Constantinople. They begin to recruits from outside their realm of influence. As War of legions wage, they are able to fight off the other raider tribes and legions attack. Until they were defeat by the Red legion at Navajo Dam and New Constantinople. Some of the remaining citizens of New Constantinople who don't follow the Eastern Orthodox were spare. The rest were killed, escape, or send to Red Legion re-education camps. The siege by the Red Legion has left most of New Constantinople a ruined city. There are still signs of battle around New Constantinople and various other settlements in the region. Its slowly repopulated by traders, ghouls, war refugees, and citizens from the Red Legion. Their remaining people retreat to Carson National Forest. The Entertainment Vault - The people of Entertainment Vault offers their rare goods and entertainment items to the wastelanders and traders at a heavy price. In addition, willing to buy any pre-war goods that are in good condition. Eventually, the people of Vault 55 renamed their Vault to The Entertainment Vault. In 2150 they open their doors. By using their only GECK, combined with power from Vault 55's fusion generator, they created fertile grounds and buildings. In 2189 two raider tribes attack Entertainment Vault but stop by a group of Desert Rangers. Years after residents of Vault 55 emerged, they offer their rare goods and entertainment items to the wastelanders and traders at a heavy price. In addition, willing to buy any pre-war goods that are in good condition. Wastelanders and traders flock across the New Mexico Wasteland to The Entertainment Vault to buy and trade their goods. The Entertainment Vault creates their own police force and hires Mercenaries, guards, to patrol the roads. In time, quickly become the best available places to buy products of post-war America. In addition, become the richest people in New Mexico Wasteland. The remainder people of Vault 55 resettle in the city of Las Vegas in 2220. When Caesar's legion comes they welcome them and thank them for destroying the raider tribes. When Entertainment Vault has integrated the goods and entertainment items related to homosexuality were destroyed. The Entertainment Vault become prosperous under Caesar's legion. When the War of legion start the legion garrison left to fight other legions in the region. Entertainment Vault uses their police force to enforce the law and again hires Mercenaries guards to patrol the roads. When the brotherhood arrives they again welcome them and thank them for a sense of security. In 2296 they slowly prosper once again. Pueblo City - What use to be Santa Cruz is renamed Pueblo City. Most of the pueblo tribes from Pueblo Vault found a settlement in Pueblo City in the ruin of Santa Cruz in 2095. It is known for an urban center built from scratch, using pre-War ruins as the foundation. A protective wall was also erected to protect the city from raider tribes that formed in the winter, raiding outlying communities to replenish their food supplies. In 2226 alliance with Desert Rangers stop the raider attack by three raider tribes. By 2296, it is the biggest but thriving settlement second to Santa Fe in central New Mexico Wasteland. It completely self-sufficient, as they managed to irrigate the wasteland soil to support crops (primarily maize and cabbage), harness from the Rio Grande to provide them with water, and even establish brahmin herds, chickens, sheep, and goats. They grown crops and resources sustain the settlement and provide goods for trade with other towns. Pueblo City does keep order within its walls with a large and competent police force. Outside the walls, the Pueblo City has so far been operating through others, buying and trading for things. The settlement kept mostly to itself, trading with the occasional merchant from Santa Fe or Taos. When the Caesar Legion come in 2264 they surrender to the legion. Pueblo City becomes prosperous under Caesar's legion. When the War of legion start the legion garrison left to fight other legions in the region. Pueblo City then creates its own police force to enforce the law and protect from raider attacks. In 2296 one of few thriving settlements in Central New Mexico. Former raider tribes, former legions, ex-slaves, and war refugees have flocked to Pueblo City. The settlement is having a hard time feeding their population and tensions are happening with citizens and war refugees. At the same time defenses are being built and soldiers are being trained for the coming war between the legions. Taos - Found and rebuilt Protestantism dwellers from Vault 41. They eventually resettled and rebuild most Taos in 2101 with the help of Pueblo tribes from Pueblo City. Slowly over time, it come the biggest settlement in the Central New Mexico Wasteland. Trading with other settlements in the region. In 2206 alliance with Taos Pueblo, Desert Rangers defend Taos from 4 Raider Tribes. PIn 2215 a man named Michael P. Joes and his followers arrive at Taos. Michael P. Joes was a former Vault Dweller. He ask the people of Taos that people to emigrate to Settlement. They at first did not convince and until his people begin to use structures built under his direction utilize everyday trash items like aluminum beverage cans, plastic bottles, and used tires. Instead of using conventional, energy-consuming, recycling methods. His people emigrated to the settlement. Ever since then the town of Taos began to expand rapidly. When the Caesar Legion come in 2265 they surrender to the legion. Taos become prosper under Caesar legion. When the War of legion start the legion garrison left to fight other legions in the region. In 2296 one of few thriving settlements in Central New Mexico. Former raider tribes, former legions, ex-slaves, and war refugees have flocked to Taos. The settlement is having a hard time feeding their population and tensions are happening with citizens and war refugees. At the same time defenses are being built and soldiers are being trained for the coming war between the legions. Roswell - Found and rebuilt by the Hubologists dwellers from Vault 41. They resettled and rebuild most of Roswell in 2102. Trading with other settlements in the region and eventually into a grew thriving settlement. In 2223 the Apache raiders almost destroy Roswell but were stop by the group of Desert Rangers who completely outnumber. The Desert Rangers protect and train the Hubologists of Roswell. When Caesar's armies arrive some of the Desert Rangers and alongside the Hubologists of Roswell fought the legion. They were eventually defeated by the legion. Desert Rangers and alongside most Hubologists were killed. The surviving Hubologist were slaves by the legion. When the War of legion starts the remaining Hubologist returns the Roswell. As years pass they rebuild Roswell with help of Desert Rangers. Brotherhood has an outpost in Roswell, although it is outwardly indiscernible from other Brotherhood outposts. Its distinguishing feature is an extensive basement stocked with Brotherhood technology and armaments, but otherwise, the faction maintains a low profile in Roswell. (This is all concept idea and is a work in process. Addition subject to change) Feel free to add more ideas, if you want to.
Today, I stumbled upon a YT video from the excellent Nick Crowley discussing the phenomena known as 'the backrooms'. As someone who has spent literal decades savoring the strange, the dark, the occult, the conspiratorial, I have somehow missed out on this particular phenomena/story/concept. Watching his short but intriguing overview of the backrooms, it made my skin crawl. I had a very real, very waking experience, just a few years ago, which took me to a place that is disturbingly similar to these so-called 'backrooms'. Imagine my surprise when the video - and most related content - described this as nothing more than a creepypasta with its roots in 4chan. And while my experience does have a seemingly innocent explanation, the similarities are far too intriguing to ignore. This is all 100% true, as it happened, to the best of my recollection. For background - I am a professional musician and record producer, with a career that started in 2010. Nowadays I spend my time in the studio, but for many years, I toured the US full-time as a bass player with a wide variety of bands. In mid 2017, one of the larger bands I toured with - 40 Oz to Freedom, a Sublime tribute act - was hired to play the Brooklyn Bowl in Las Vegas. This was an excellent gig, paid great, and we were always treated very well by the staff. The Brooklyn Bowl is a part of the Caesar's family of properties. As such, we were always put up in very nice rooms at one of the Caesar's-owned casinos on the Strip. On the night in question, we had been placed in individual suites at the Linq. After playing the gig, we all went back over to our rooms. My bandmates were excited to spend the rest of the evening partying it up on the Strip and hanging with fans. However, I had a very early flight out of McCarran the next morning to play with a different group back home in CO. I decided to forgo the offer of a night of fun and just relax in my room until my flight left. Sometime around 3am, I decided to go down to the lobby for a snack. So I got dressed, put on my shoes, and left my room. I walked to the end of the hall and called the elevator. Getting on, I pressed the big, rounded "L" button - Lobby. That's when things got strange. The elevator lurched slightly, as if it didn't quite know what to do with my request. The overhead light flickered out for a split second. But after a beat, as if nothing was amiss, it began its descent without further protest. In the moment, I didn't think much of it. It was late, after all - perhaps it had been sitting for a moment or just needed maintenance. But when I reached my destination, I knew something was wrong. The doors slid open, but where there should have been a bustling casino lobby, there was simply a large, empty, white room. A rusted, red-painted metal staircase led down from a landing in front of the elevator to the floor. Opposite the staircase - an enormous red metal door. Above the staircase - a loudly humming, off-yellow florescent light. Initially, I was baffled. I looked at the display in the elevator. In confirmed this was indeed the lobby. My mind raced to all of the stories and places I'd learned about - glitches in reality, underground cults, human trafficking rings, illicit auctions, Silent Hill. But all of that was just lore. I had to know what I had stumbled on. I walked down the staircase and approached the door. By sheer luck, it was open. I swung it open and stepped through. Around a sharp corner, there stretched a long, faded hallway, with seemingly infinite rooms branching off in either direction. Aging greenish-yellow wallpaper, patterned with what looked like a leaf or floral motif. Dank, musty, moist carpet. All lit by humming, flickering fluorescent tubes. A sharp sense of danger and wrongness tingled through me. What the hell is this place? How did I end up here? I decided to press forward a bit, overcoming the impending sense of doom that had consumed me. I walked up the hallway a short distance, peering into the rooms. Each was dark and empty, devoid of windows, and covered in the same fading wallpaper. There was what looked like graffiti here and there, scrawled illegibly on the walls in black ink. After venturing past three or four rooms, each step became a dare. I knew I should turn around and get back to my room. Whatever this place was, it was not a pleasant place to be. It made no sense. And so, trusting my better judgement, I turned around, went back through the red door, up the staircase, and called the elevator. After what seemed like an eternity, the doors slid open, and I was whisked without incident back to the plush confines of the Linq. I had decided that I suddenly wasn't that hungry. Several hours later, I readied my things to leave for the airport. I got on the same elevator, wondering if it would take me to the same strange hallway. I pressed the large rectangular L once more. No shudder, no flicker this time. And just a moment later, the doors opened to reveal the bustling pre-dawn casino lobby that should have been there all along. ---- Now - as I said at the beginning of this story - there is a partially plausible explanation for this experience. The Linq was established in 2014, after a short 2-year stint under the name 'The Quad'. But prior to 2012, the lot belonged to the aging Imperial Palace casino. The Imperial Palace was built in 1979, and featured an Asian-themed decor. My best guess was that I somehow happened upon a section of the hotel that was simply a part of the old Imperial Palace that hadn't yet been renovated. Descriptions of the interior of this old property roughly match what I saw. However, there are still key elements of my experience that make no sense to me. The Imperial Palace was destroyed to be rebuilt as The Quad in 2012, 5 years before I was there. How would any section of the old hotel still remain? Even if there was, in theory, still an untouched portion of the Imperial Palace left after the building itself was torn down, 5 years of renovation renovation were done and 2 name changes occurred, why would this area be easily accessible to guests? And through a strange service entrance, no less? The elevator took me to the ground floor, yet the area I was in was clearly old hotel rooms. The ground floor of casinos almost never house rooms, only food courts and gaming floors. Rooms start on the third or fourth floors, typically. Why were these rooms seemingly on the ground floor? The exact button on the exact same elevator took me to the Linq lobby the second time around. Did the elevator massively glitch the first time? These questions all remain unanswered. There is one last thing I'd like to mention as well. I hate to be this guy on Reddit - but while I was exploring this area, I filmed it on my phone. I will do everything I can to find that phone - I'm somewhat certain I still have it. If I can, I will happily post the video. So - did I just find a derelict hallway buried in the bowels of a casino, awaiting a much-needed renovation? Or did I stumble through a strange barrier into the backrooms? I leave it to you to decide.
OPINION/ANALYSIS: The Weeknd is in hell/is Satan for this chapter.
A couple points to back up this theory:
Heaven or Las Vegas is the name of a song from trilogy. Aka Las Vegas = hell. Well guess where those promotional photos for heartless and blinding lights were taken? Las Vegas. This can be proven by the fact that on his Instagram he captioned a post titled “Caesar’s palace” check his page if you don’t believe me.
He is dressed in a red suit and and the lights he stands under are yellow. The imagery associated with the brightness of these colors is of fire and flames and hell.
He told us this chapter will be dark and psychotic and brain melting- this imagery can all be associated to hell.
In some of the visuals that he used for heartless on Spotify you can see that he is a dark figure surrounded by an aura of writhing red colors around him. Again alludes to hell/Satan.
The lyrics of heartless themselves are devilish. He’s heartless, he sells dreams to girls with their guard down, he swims with sharks, etc.
The whole Memento Mori thing he’s been going with. Memento Mori = remember death which is something the grim reaper would say.
It makes sense for him from previous chapters. In Tell Your Friends music video he shoots the devil to get rid of his demons, but the devil reappears in Can’t Feel My Face music video essentially implying he can’t get rid of them. Now I think in chapter 6, him becoming the devil is the next step stylistically.
I had been called to the city of sin for a bi-annual conference that I had taken for the past 24 years. I had sat through it in health, in the cold, rain, and sickness. I was there 10 days after Tupac was murdered, and was walking down Fremont street several months later on the day when they took Christopher Wallace. A year later in 1998, a colleague and I woke up to a phone call from my then wife telling me about what happened to President Clinton, and that was when the words, "For a blowjob?" coming from my companion led me into a similar predicament. For the next several years, a tangled divorce that I've never fully unwinded from, occupied my attention. It wasn't until the morning of September 11th in 2001 that gave me the wakeup call I needed. I scooted the young blonde out of my room and told her to call her dad, since I knew Tom was in New York that day. Mosque bombings, terrorism, market bubble bursting, swine flu, recession, succession, shootings, a shooter, second divorce, new house, new life, and the same old job on the same old beat all meant that Las Vegas and I had been doing this dance through the thick and the thin for over two decades. And I have never seen it like this. My uber driver nodded, "Yeah man. Shit is wild. I only picked up 8 people in the last 9 hours." He was young, the new leather interior in a wide bodied Escalade smelled like an expensive loan. His eyes were twitchy as he tried not stare at me, wondering if I was going to cough from all the dry mouthing I had been doing from the LAS to my hotel. I had grown used to the stares, the selective social distancing for looking Chinese and all of its stereotypes as the weeks leading into March of 2020. The beginning trend of people instinctively coughing whenever they saw me soon became a daily ritual. It was all a part of tribe mentality I convinced myself, chuckling as I remembered the pie scene from the movie Stand By me. That made my uber driver nervous. "Here we are," he finally breathed. I thanked him and proceeded to the service counter with my carry on. "Sorry for the wait," replied the representative, "We laid off 80% of our staff this morning." I was taken aback by her candid greeting. "Looks like you'll be in a private room owned by one of our guests. And as it is not through the hotel, please contact your host for any services that you require. We will need a $500 deposit on a credit card for any incidentals." Several minutes later I found myself riding the elevator up 26 stories and into my rental. I contacted my host through the app to let him know that I had arrived. It was my first time using the app service so if anyone wants to chime in on how necessary or unnecessary that action is, please, enlighten me. I had chose this room because there was a large, deep soak bathtub. I don't have many preferences in life but if there is a chicken fried steak on the menu I must get it at least once, coke over pepsi, and onion rings. Don't ask me why they are all food based, but they are, except for the bathtub. At nearly 6'1 I am always trying to find a decent soak. When I was younger my grandmother owned a Japanese soaking barrel, and ever since then I have been chasing after that nostalgic experience. Instead I often find myself cramming, contorting, and cold above the chest. There was not much for me to do as President Trump had canceled his conference with the Jewish Coalition, which meant that other subsequent CEO's began withdrawing from all the other Vegas conferences. Something that I should have foreseen, which could have otherwise prevented me from traveling during this time. But there was no helping it, and this was definitely not the worst place to be stuck in. I looked into the bathroom mirror and decided to wash the trails of the airport from my face and then made my way down to the casino floors. Everything was closed. All the restaurants anyways. So I hailed a cab and found my way to Gordon Ramsay's Hells Kitchen. The best lobster risotto I ever had, a mediocre bar experience, a change of hands for an 8 ball on the street, and I was on my way into Caesar's Palace. I had reasoned with myself that my foresight was not the best at this time so blackjack and poker were out of the question. I stuck to roulette and craps, winning big at the dice. And if you've ever been to a high roller table then all the movies are true, there you will find willing women to blow on the ivories for you. Somehow we found our way back to my room, a slew of fancy cocktail dresses and Victoria secret's underwear were strewn in a near comical fashion. A rolled Benjamin walked down Abbey road. And there's nothing quite like two young and beautiful women taking pictures of your junk to brag to their friends later to accentuate your high. Everyone loves an anomaly. The two of them were in town for CONEXPO, one of the world's largest construction gatherings. One was 28 and a leading architect for a large firm and the other was a 32 year old forewoman who was sent to accompany her to fill in the job's specifics. "You've got soft hands for a construction worker," I quipped. She raised her drawn in eyebrow at me, "Not as soft as a desk jockey's." We both laughed until our eyes were drawn to the young architect who had begun to slowly undress in front of us. She swayed her hips to the lofi soul of Joji. My champagne glass sparkled in the light as the smells of girl scout cookies lit up the bathroom. "You don't mind if I smoke do you?" "Oh, give it here," came the architect's voice. "I should probably get an ashtray." I got out of the tub and walked into the living area. I pulled open a few drawers, and found nothing. I tugged on the handles of the cabinet underneath the wetbar only to find it locked. That was when I noticed the notice stickied on its door, "Please do not open. These are my private possessions," made with a cheap labeler. "There's probably alcohol in this thing," I said aloud. I turned to look into the bathroom but neither of them seemed to care as I watched the water falling from their hair and down their backs. The rest of the night was well, you can imagine. I woke up around 4:30 A.M. and heard an ungodly rattling. As I stirred in bed, I heard a voice asking sleepily, "What was that?" "I don't know," came another voice. "It's probably the pipes or something." The architect was unsure so she got up and turned on a light. She turned to look at me, "Did you get this on AirBNB?" "Yeah, something like that." We heard the rattle again. I could tell that she was afraid so I decided to get up with her. "Do you know where the light is," she asked? "Nope," I said as I struck a match for dramatic effect. "Oh god," she rolled her eyes. I smiled, "It's more fun this way." She grabbed my arm as we made our way into the larger part of the suite in search of the noise. We looked in the closet, the bathroom, the enclosed toilet, and I even pulled a few drawers open for effect. "What is this," she asked me. She had found the cabinet under the wetbar. "I don't know. It was locked when I got here." I struck another match, "It says not to touch it or something, owner's possessions I think." "Oh god, that is so creepy," she moaned. "I once went to this place in Lake Tahoe and it wasn't until the last day that my boyfriend found a loft that was hidden because the stairs had been removed. When he climbed it, there was a router and a twin sized bed in the corner. Super chills man." "Well, the cabinet is too small for anything weird to be in there," I told her. "You don't know that, have you ever seen those double jointed circus people?" "Well, if there's some more champagne in there, then I wouldn't mind breaking the lock." "It would be warm," she said. "Ah yes, the important things." We laughed, but just as we were going to get back into bed she ran into the bathroom and got a towel and tied an extensive knot around the handles. Several hours later we were woken up with a loud banging. I bolted up in bed. "Sir!" My mind raced to gather itself and assess at least 9 things wrong with my current situation. Cops, someone's boyfriend, my wife? Oh shit, why was I still getting myself into these predicaments? You would think I've learned a thing or two by now. "Sir! This is hotel security. Are you in there sir? We're asking everyone to evacuate the building." I got out of bed and rushed to open the door before they keyed their way in, "Hey what is going on?" A man in an N95 mask and gloves was at the door, "Sir, we've been asked to evacuate everyone out of the building immediately. The hotel will be closing due to SARS-COV-2." "What's going on," one of the girls asked. "Miss, everyone needs to leave. We are evacuating the building. Please gather your belongings." I looked at my companions and subsequently told them, "I can't believe they canceled Vegas." For the next 20 minutes we scrambled to get ready. For a group of strangers it worked decently well. We cut the last lines and split it between the three of us. A smile, a kiss, and a hurried goodbye later meant that we found ourselves rushing for the elevator. "Oh god, I forgot about the towel I tied to the cabinet," the architect said. "It shouldn't be that much of a problem. Someone will just take it off later," I tried assuring her. "What if no one gets back in there for weeks?" She looked at me slightly anxious, as if she was afraid to breathe the words, and a side of me knew what she was going on about. "Alright, I'll go back," I told her. The forewoman looked confused. "I'll got with you," the architect said. "No, you two get downstairs and see what is going on." She looked at me with these doe eyes, the same look that has kept me awake for the past several days as I am laying here in boredom. "I'll be fine I told her." I ran back to the room, slid my keycard and began to untie the knot on the cabinet. And in my paranoia I took a video recording of the place before leaving, just so that I had evidence that the room was left in relatively good order later. The door slammed behind me, I pulled up my app to request an Uber as I made my way to the elevator. My phone vibrated, it must be the app I reasoned as I began shifting through my luggage to make sure I had gotten everything. When I reached the ground floor I searched for my two companions but found hotel personnel were rushing people into open taxis and Ubers to the airport. An entitled prick stood outside the valet desk as a manager profusely apologized for the inconvenience and how the hotel would compensate for one thing or another as he opened the door to a Porsche Panamera. There was nothing for me to do except get into an Uber. I pulled up my phone expecting to see a familiar message that notified me that my driver would be arriving in 3 minutes, but instead it was a message from my host that simply said, "Thank you."
A federal judge has thrown out evidence collected by FBI agents who posed as Internet repairmen to get into Las Vegas Strip hotel rooms last summer during an investigation into illegal bookmaking, and is giving prosecutors until Friday to decide whether to drop criminal charges altogether.
Random observations from a fan who stayed at the same hotel/casino as most of the Starrcast Wrestlers and Media members.
So anyone who looked into Starrcast II noticed that the official Hotel/Casino for the event (and the second location for some events) was the Tuscany which is located about a mile from Caesars Palace slightly off the Las Vegas strip. I (and a ton of wrestling fans) ended up staying there this weekend as well, I ran into and saw a ton of the Starrcast wrestlers, in fact I think I ended up meeting more just by staying at the same hotel than if I purchased meet and greets from Starrcast. Here are some random observations from interacting with them this weekend. Spoiler Alert: Nothing salacious went on that I noticed, so its all positive stuff below: Joey Janela - Absolutely cool guy and easy to approach, genuinely seemed touched when fans would come up and say they were fans of his. Also the bad boy thing is not a gimmick, the dude can fucking drink and party. MJF - In character the entire weekend. Dressed in his suit making disgusted faces at every wrestling fan he would see in an AEW t-shirt, and this was just him walking around the Casino floor at Caesars. This guy is a fucking legend already. Hornswoggle - Was in the casino pretty much the entire time, another easily approachable dude, and was a favorite of the casino dealers/staff who all said he was a really nice guy and they legitimately liked him the best of all the wrestlers staying there. He seemed to really enjoy talking to the Whatculture guys. Stevie Ray of Harlem Heat - Funniest moment of the weekend was when one of the craps dealers at the Tuscany tried to talk Stevie Ray into playing craps. Seeing this made my weekend and I couldn't stop laughing. She was trying to give him the "hard sell" on why he should play, and he kept telling her how she was trying to take his money, to his credit he stood his ground and he never ended up playing craps. On a side note every fan that approached him he would actually take the time to talk to them for a bit. He kept asking me how much money the casino was taking from me when he saw me at a table. Blue Meanie - Meanie attended a few of the Starrcast panels just as a regular fan, if someone noticed him he would "too sweet them" say hi and would talk to fans. Matt Stryker - Would stop, shake hands and talk to any fan who approached him. He also handled the curveball of a random fan trying to "hijack" the Talk is Jericho Podcast when we realized Jericho wasn't actually showing up. Instead of just kicking the fan off the stage, he rolled with it and was totally cool about it. Also Matt went out of his way to help out a fan who was trying to get a picture with (Tommy Dreamer I think?) Anyway the fan was let down by Jericho not showing up and asked for Matt's help in trying to find Tommy (That's why I assume it was Dreamer) and Matt told him he would go find Tommy for him. I left before the conclusion of this so I don't know if it happened but I thought it was a cool gesture by Matt Stryker. Dave Meltzer - Holy shit is this guy revered by just about everyone. When he arrived to the MGM Grand he was mobbed by fans who wanted pictures with him. He was totally cool about it. I was able to say hi to him a few times at the hotel and he was very pleasant but you can always tell that his brain is in "Wrestling Observer" mode. Alicia Atout - Would always stop to talk to fans and take pictures with them, even outside of her own meet and greet. I'm not gonna lie I was too intimidated to go up and say hi to her. She's like an 11/10 and I'm exactly what MJF says I am. Honestly most of the Wrestlers were able to walk around normally throughout the weekend without being bothered too much (Except Uncle Dave at the MGM Grand) and most fans were respectful of their time, and anytime I noticed a fan approach a WrestlePersonality they always seemed to be very friendly. I was really impressed.
A federal judge has thrown out evidence collected by FBI agents who posed as Internet repairmen to get into Las Vegas Strip hotel rooms last summer during an investigation into illegal bookmaking, and is giving prosecutors until Friday to decide whether to drop criminal charges altogether.
A federal judge has thrown out evidence collected by FBI agents who posed as Internet repairmen to get into Las Vegas Strip hotel rooms last summer during an investigation into illegal bookmaking, and is giving prosecutors until Friday to decide whether to drop criminal charges altogether.
Hi! We're back and here is our first weekly #augmentedreality digest in 2020!
📰Adshir’s LocalRay software enables real-time, energy-efficient ray tracing on smartphones ⠀ Adshir is unveiling its LocalRay real-time ray tracing graphics software that it says will enable the highest-quality graphics to run on mobile devices that only consume a couple of watts of power. ⠀ Tel Aviv-based Adshir and its founder Reuven Bakalash, a graphics expert with 150 patents, have been working on the technology for more than seven years. ⠀ LocalRay is a cross-platform solution that works on Arm, Intel, Microsoft, and Google operating systems, with Apple’s iOS coming soon. The company has showed demos at a suite at Caesar’s Palace during CES 2020, the big tech trade show in Las Vegas last week. ⠀ LocalRay enables real-time performance with full skin animation, soft shadowing, ambient occlusion and natural reflections in games and AVR. ⠀ 📰Pay-per-minute fitness club app FlexIt gets AR and VR gym tours FlexIt is a pay-as-you-go app that lets you access fitness clubs without a membership. ⠀ Historically, fitness clubs have operated on a membership model: Customers pay fixed fees for monthly memberships, regardless of whether they show up once or 30 times, and sometimes continue to get charged even after quitting the gym. FlexIt changes that model, providing Android and iOS users with pay-per-minute access to over 1,500 fitness clubs across 20 U.S. states, charging only for time actually spent in the facility. For users, the key question then becomes which gym to choose for a given day’s workout needs. ⠀ With new AR features in the core FlexIt app, users will be able to take pre-tours of gyms to survey their layouts, as well as seeing the brands and features of specific pieces of equipment — details that will help people determine whether a location has whatever they’re looking for. ⠀ The company is also adding a personal training feature to the core app, enabling users to pay for sessions in 15-minute increments rather than signing up for bundles of sessions or gym memberships. ⠀ FlexIt is available for download now from both Apple’s App Store and Google Play for Android. 📰 WebAR Adoption is Going Mainstream in 2020, Here’s Why WebAR is still in the early stages but powerful shifts are already moving brands in its direction. In 2020, that could change thanks to three powerful shifts already moving businesses in WebAR’s direction.
Increased Awareness of WebAR’s Benefits
The more use cases demonstrating how brands can successfully leverage the technology, the more businesses can see WebAR’s clear benefits. Compared to traditional AR campaigns with native apps or social media platforms, for example, WebAR offers unmatched reach and scale. The distribution opportunity alone should be enough to turn brands’ heads as they look to free themselves from apps and platforms and imagine more seamless executions across the mobile web. One brand leading the charge of executing WebAR campaigns is Coca-Cola. As part of its #Refreshwherevs campaign customers could scan a QR code on the packaging to launch a branded WebAR page and then take a selfie with a range of branded face filters that unlock over time. Without needing to download an app, customers could simply enjoy the in-the-moment experience thanks to WebAR. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, is that WebAR also allows brands and businesses to get a valuable treasure trove of data at two key moments of assistance – pre and post-purchase.
5G 5g Is Going to Empower Bigger Ideas
Pretty much every industry is going to feel the ripple effects of 5G. And the world of AR is no different. In fact, Verizon is already preparing for 5G’s impact on AR by pre-installing Snapchat on select 5G phones. One major advantage of 5G is its ability to unchain AR from reliance on a strong WiFi connection. Large scale experiences like sporting events and outdoor festivals struggle the most with maintaining a strong WiFi connection throughout. As a result, the kinds of AR campaigns possible in such settings have had limited potential. In theory, 5G would lift these limitations and make way for bigger, more powerful AR campaigns to be engaged with. Instead of hundreds of event attendees struggling to download an app to each of their phones, they only need to go to a WebAR page to engage with the experience.
The Democratization of AR Tools
Accessibility is one of the biggest perceived barriers to entry for businesses exploring AR. Small businesses, in particular, are turned off at the thought of budgeting and developing for a native app from the ground up. That said, today’s AR platforms offer feature-rich, intuitive tools. They also offer custom solutions such as branded WebAR splash pages, variable triggers via web links, QR and branded codes. Many of these platforms have integrated tracking tools that help paint a clearer picture of engagement, on top of general web analytics tools. Better yet, the ability to instantly publish WebAR pages makes streamlining deployment even easier. This can come in handy for tracking engagement with campaigns around branded events, such as Puma did during the grand opening of their flagship New York City store. Customers could interact with Puma’s web app by scanning QR codes found on shoe tags and throughout the store. This granted them access to an AR experience while turning around real-time engagement data to Puma’s team. Though WebAR is gaining recognition, native AR apps will still be important in 2020. They provide a different kind of value in the right context, like retail rewards programs and learning and development applications. The point is that AR is becoming more accessible and readily available. The need for more flexibility and easier access to the technology is what is going to push businesses in the direction of WebAR. And with more exploration and real-world use, AR’s overall visibility and applications will only increase – a self-perpetuating cycle set to accelerate in 2020. You can also find us on Instagram, Medium, Pinterest and LinkedIn
Peaches tour CANZUK: The Georgia Band, the peaches is bringing American rockabilly to the greater Anglosphere. They are premiering their new album “The New American Pie” and will be touring the following cities and countries. UK: London, Birmingham, York, Liverpool, Cardiff, Plymouth, Edinburgh, and Glasgow. Canada: Montreal, Toronto, Niagara Falls, Kingston, Winnipeg, Regina, Calgary and Vancouver. Australia: Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Darwin, Melbourne, Perth. New Zealand: Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. The Peaches, all four of them, Joe, Billy, Josh and Zack are known for dressing in leather jackets, blue jeans and white t-shirts, rocking the greaser look. Zack Simmons, recently ditched the greaser look adopting a Buddy Holly persona, wearing a blue suit with a red tie and vintage glasses. Julian Lennon, son of John Lennon, his daughter, Victoria Lennon recently engaged Zack Simmons and will be on the CANZUK tour. It’s all happening this June, of 2030. Tickets are on sale now. Their new album drops June 01st of 2030 as well. Talks are ongoing about a second US tour and a Europe tour. BACKSTAGE: Zack strummed his guitar and started to sing. “It’s so easy to fall in love . . . It’s so easy to fall in love.” Victoria loomed over the young Zachary. Zack was the main figure in the band, inspiring everyone and keeping everyone together. The other three hit the drums and maintained the beat. “It seems so easy, so doggone easy, it seems so easy . . .” All band members playing their cover of Buddy Holly’s it’s so easy. After playing and practicing, the four got on a bus and headed to another show in Las Vegas. Zack could hardly believe his eyes as they drove through Los Angeles, new architectural marvels popping up across the city, new cars styled in cherry red, yellow and turquoise speeding down the Los Angeles freeway along with kids out surfing in the ocean. “Its weird really . . .” Billy said on the bus. “This is the stuff my grandpa told me about. He told me he thought he would never see something like this again in his lifetime. Here we are living in a new decade of prosperity and cultural achievement.” Billy said. He lit up a cigarette as he looked out the window of the tour bus. Zack just smiled. “I always loved the 50s, even back in the 2010s before it was popular. I’m just glad it’s back.” The band members nodded in unison. On the bus, they got back to writing new songs as they drove through the California desert once they left Los Angeles. Once they got to Las Vegas there was a sea of teenagers screaming outside the bus. “We love you peaches!” Girls in poodle skirts, with ponytails and boys wearing the greaser look all cheered as the bus entered Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. They had a big show tonight, and a big tour ahead of them. Who knew what the future held?
What to do with a coffee table that can't be removed?
You all have been so awesome throughout this wedding planning process. I now have a new conundrum that I could use some help! FH and I are getting married in Las Vegas. We rented the Penthouse suite & surrounding rooms at Nobu in Caesars Palace for our reception. Nobu has been great so far and are clearing out unnecessary furniture in the suite (and adding more seating!). However, in the suite there is this massive, stone coffee table that they are unable to move or remove from the area. It's in the middle of the room. There is enough room for a dance floor on either side of the coffee table, so that's great. I am trying to incorporate the massive table into the party somehow. I don't want to surround it with seating because it's literally in the middle of the room. It's kind of low to the ground, so I don't want people running into it or anything. So far, my ideas include:
ice sculpture -- though, I think these are kind of useless.
It’ll come as no shock to you that Las Vegas is not the most pleasant city in the world. From the insane cabs that won't hesitate to steamroll you right into the ground, to the borderline-toxic stench wafting from the sewer grates, it's easy to see why the place wouldn't top too many travel lists. But as I sit in this cheap hotel room about two hours from the Strip, typing with the one arm I have left, I know for a fact that I will never return to Las Vegas. “Hey, hey!” Reggie said as I walked up to the gate. “There he is! what took you so long?” Mike said, giving me a high five. We had been planning this for months. My friend Danny was getting married, and we had decided to have the bachelor party in Vegas. Behind Danny’s back, we had all chipped in to book a suite at the Bellagio hotel. We were obviously pumped for a weekend of slots, booze, and girls. “Where's Danny?” I asked, dropping my carry-on. “Went to the bathroom”, Reggie said, pulling a handful of chips out of a bag under his chair , “ he’ll be back in a minute”. Mike leaned into me and Reggie, and lowered his voice. “Alright boys, final check. Reggie, you booked the room, right?” He blinked a couple of times and scratched his stubbly chin. “Uhh… yeah”. “Awesome. Mitch, you got our rental car?” I held up my receipt. “ Of course”. “Alright!” Mike said a bit too loudly. “Alright what?” A familiar voice rang out from behind us. I turned around to see Danny walking towards us, shaking water off his hands. His khaki pants and button up shirt putting to shame my sweat pants and faded hoodie. “Jesus. Nicole must really be changing you, man”, I said, laughing and pulling him into a hug. “Trust me man, if I had never met her, I’d be naked half the time.” A few minutes later, they called our flight. With a few whoops from Reggie, we boarded the plane. Two hours later we had touched down in Sin City. Reggie went to check in for the rental car while the rest of us watched the turntables for our luggage. As I absentmindedly watched the perpetual row of bags emerging from the plastic-flap-covered opening, I suddenly felt eyes on me. I raised my eyes from the bags and saw who those eyes belonged to. On the other side of the concourse, leaning against a wall, one guy stood out from the crowd. A black guy in his early twenties, wearing what appeared to be an old timely bellhop uniform. The gold buttons on his crimson jacket gleamed under the fluorescent lights. As I stared at him, with no small amount of confusion, the man whistled at me in two short bursts, equal in pitch, as if he were calling a dog. Dan put his hand on my shoulder, making me jump slightly. We picked up the rental car and made our way to the Strip. As we gawked at the lavish hotels with flashy signs that could’ve been seen from the stratosphere, Danny turned to me. “ Shouldn't we get to the hotel first?” I smiled at him. “Sounds good to me,” I said turning into the Bellagio’s self parking area. “Wait…” Danny’s eyes lit up “ you didn't..” “ 15th floor.” Danny looked like a kid on Christmas morning. I will never forget that face. “You didn't tell me you got a suite!” Danny said as he looked around the gigantic room we had rented. “Anything for the man of the hour”, I said, shoving the pocket sized Fireball I had bought on the plane into the mini fridge. “What’re we sitting around here for?” Reggie yelled, emerging from the bathroom. Mike looked up from his phone “ there’s a sick nightclub at Caesars Palace. Let's check it out.” After shot number four, I was feeling like a king.I made my way from the bar back to my table, through the crowds of people silhouetted against the multicolored lights of the club, and found Danny,Mike,Reggie, and a girl who Reggie introduced as Lolita. After shooting Reggie my world-famous she’s-not-staying-the-night glare, I took my seat and laughed at the tail end of the joke Mike was telling. After a few minutes, I noticed a rather out of place man a few feet from our table. He looked like a real greaseball, with a shiny balding head that housed a combover synonymous with the word creepy. Had I not been so hammered, I would have been more suspicious when he walked up to our table. “Hello Gentlemen” He said with a grin that showed off slightly crooked, yellowish teeth. “You seem like the kind of guys that belong in some place other than a cramped one room night club. Perhaps someplace more… exclusive would better suit you.” Eying Danny’s expensive blazer and tie clip, the man leaned in close, putting his hands on the table. “ I'll cut right to the chase: if you follow me, I'll take you to the most exclusive casino in Vegas.” He raised his eyebrows. I turned to see what the guys thought, only to see Danny standing up from his seat, with Reggie close behind. I turned to look at Mike. He shrugged. “What the hell! It's Vegas after all,” Mike stood up and I followed suit, jogging a few paces to catch up with the group. After passing a row of Rocky Horror Picture Show themed slot machines, the greasy man banged open a door marked “Staff Only” to reveal a dark staircase with lights strung on either side of the stairs like a movie theater. Reggie let Lolita go first with a slurred,“ladies first”, Reggie then took a step down,stumbled, and proceeded to slide down the stairs, taking out Lolita like a lone bowling pin. Danny,Mike and I had to grip the handrails as we descended, due to us laughing so hard. A strange mix of thick perfume and cigarette smoke greeted our nostrils at the bottom of the stairs. Mike could barely hold back a gag as we walked further down the hall. As we rounded a corner, I saw a large golden sign above the main entrance to the casino. “The Thomas Bernard club of Las Vegas” It read, with the image of two dice outlined with fire underneath. “Before everyone gets started, will you follow me please!” The greasy man said, leading us past rows of blackjack tables to a blue metal door that seemed out of place with the rest of the casino. “Here,” said the greasy man, abruptly open the door, “ is where you join the club”. “Choose anywhere you want, sir.” The tattoo artist said, as Reggie sat down in the chair. If I had been in better shape, I would have thought that a tattoo was a pretty weird membership requirement. “ I'll give you $100 if you get it on your ass” Dan said, giggling. Reggie wasted no time dropping his jeans and pointing out the perfect place on his right cheek. Within the hour, Reggie was holding a mirror to admire the Devil’s Tongue flower that had been printed on his butt. Dan came next, who got his on his left shoulder blade. Mike got his on his bicep. He told us he could make it dance, but winced in pain as soon as he flexed. Reggie practically fell over laughing. I got mine on my left shoulder. As I stood from the chair, the greasy man entered. “All set?” He asked in a jovial tone. We nodded. “Excellent!” The man said, clapping his hands together, “Have fun!”. All four of us exited the room, and Reggie immediately jumped on one of the slot machines, dragging Lolita behind him. Strange, I had forgotten Lolita was even with our group. Did she even get a tattoo? Dan grabbed my shoulder. “ we're headed to the craps table. Come on!”. An hour later, I was running the craps table like a champion. Cheers went up every time I rolled the dice, and a particularly good looking girl in a short club dress had been making eyes with me across the table the whole time. I jumped out between games and asked if she wanted to grab a drink. After we ordered,the girl grabbed my arm. “Have you heard the rumors about this place?” she whispered to me, with eyes that sparkled with curiosity. “Like what?” I replied, taking a sip of my beer. “Like about the people who run this place? I heard one of them went insane.” She spoke with the voice of an idle teenager, and I found myself slightly on edge as I responded. “Really? Interesting.”my hand curled tighter around the bottle I was holding. The bartender startled me when he walked over to us. “Miss, that's only a rumor. Trust me, I've worked here for almost 30 years. Mr. Bernard and his brother were killed when the boiler underneath their personal ski lodge exploded one winter. Bodies were never recovered. Horrible ordeal.” The bartender said, looking past us into thin air for a second, before turning to help a big buff dude who had just approached the bar. Something had seemed… weird about that bartender. He had rattled that story off almost as if he had memorized it beforehand. Like he’d had to say it more than once .I glanced in the direction the bartender had looked, where two casino security guards were staring directly back at me. “Hey are you ok?” The girl’s words snapped me back to reality, and I was vaguely aware that my hands were shaking. “Yeah” I said, clearing my throat. “Will you excuse me for a second?” She barely got a chance to respond before I was sprinting away from the bar. Something definitely wasn’t right. I needed to find the guys. Dan wasn’t at the craps table. As I ran down the rows of bright, flashing slot machines, air reeking of cigarette smoke filling my lungs, I began to well and truly panic. I felt like I was drowning on dry land. I needed to find the guys. I must not have been running as straight as I thought; I ran into a group of people, and almost knocked a few down. Turning a corner, I saw Reggie and Lolita, facing a slot machine at the end of the aisle, seated with their backs to me. Relieved, I sprinted over to them. As I got closer, my relief slowly melted into horror. The first thing I noticed was that Lolita was crying, tears streaming down her face, smearing her cheap makeup and turning her tears black with mascara. Then I noticed that she was whispering something I couldn’t hear into Reggie’s right ear. The third thing I noticed was that Reggie was dead. Not just dead. He looked like a burn victim. Though somehow his shoulder length hair and thick glasses remained in tact, his skin was a sickening, ashy black. His eyes were gone, and his mouth was open in a silent scream of agony. The final thing I noticed, and something that has rattled around in my brain for years, was that Reggie’s right hand was clutching his right buttock. Right where he had gotten his tattoo. His other hand was melted to his phone, where what was left of the screen displayed the frozen image of a phone call marked “Mom”. I don’t know what I intended to say when I opened my mouth, but before I got the chance, I wretched, and vomited my dinner all over the tacky casino carpet. The room began spinning again, my skull throbbed like my brain had been replaced with a hornets nest. What the hell just happened? Why was no one else helping, or even noticing? That’s when I felt a hand on my shoulder. “ You don’t look well, friend.” The voice was the exact opposite of comforting. I looked up and found myself face to face with the greasy guy that brought us here. He was so close I could smell his rancid breath under a thick shroud of cologne. “Here, come with me.” I wanted to protest, to get this disgusting man away from me, but I was so in shock that I could only stand there as he put a hand on my back and guided me away from Reggie’s corpse. It took me a while to realize that he hadn’t noticed him. Or if he did, he sure as hell didn’t say anything. The next thing I remember is sitting in a large, comfortable chair. I looked around and found I was in a lavish office, similar in design to the suite we had bought for the bachelor party. One thing that caught my eye, however, was the Devil’s Tongue flower in a vase on the bar. That was when all of the memories of what had happened flooded back into my head. I went to stand up from the chair, but found I was unable to pull myself from it. Why was I so weak? “Don’t bother” a voice came from behind the chair. I heard the sound of wheels on the carpet, and I started panicking all over again. My mind was awash with fear as saw through the large mirror on the wall,what, or rather, who was being brought in. The greasy man from earlier was wheeling in a wheelchair with an IV bag attached to it, as well as a respirator. But I quickly realized it wasn’t for me. In the chair was what appeared to be the charred corpse of a man, barely more than a blackened skeleton in a pinstriped suit. His eyes were covered by the gauze wrapped around the top half of his head. Even so, the two black stains on the gauze right where his eyes should be made me feel like he could see more of me than I would ever like. Before I had a chance to say anything, ask why I was being shown this horrible sight,the greasy man shot me a wink and left. The door slammed, And as I sat helplessly, the corpse spoke. “Allow me to introduce myself” despite how emaciated he appeared, the “man” spoke with perfect clarity. “ I am Mr. Thomas Bernard. I suppose you’ve already heard about me, though.” Mr. Bernard sharply inhaled through the nasal respirator. “What the hell?” I was able to sputter our in my dazed state. “Yes I know. You’re thinking I should be deep in the Colorado mountains,frozen under layers of ice in the ruins of a long forgotten ski lodge. And above all, I should be dead, right?” My mind warped like heated metal. My mouth could only take in shallow, staccato breathes. What had they done to me? “If you haven’t already guessed, that story is about as true as the cheater at a poker table.” Said what was left of Mr. Bernard, with a chuckle that sounded fit for a crow with a broken neck, “Now I guess, considering you don’t have that much time left, I can tell you about how I came to own this...place”Mr Bernard said, seeming to choose the last word carefully. “In my prime, I was the greatest businessman on the face of the earth, if I do say so myself. With monopolies in real estate, car manufacturing, and specifically… casinos. I owned some of the most popular casinos in the United States, and ended up bringing more tourists to Nevada then anytime in recorded history. I was a king.” “ I believe it was a Wednesday. I remember going to sleep in my house, and waking up in a room that I could only describe as...as beautiful beyond the concept of beauty. It was as large as a stadium, surrounded by pillars connected by large, medieval arches. The floor was an intricate, polygonal mural that seemed to shift wherever I stepped. The pillars were covered with carvings. Looking closer, I found that these carvings were all different languages, From English, to French to Korean. Towards the bottom of the pillars, languages that were so old I hardly recognized them. Looking up, I noticed that the arches sat in the middle of the pillars rather than the top, and the pillars rose high above them into murky darkness.” Under the desk, I gained movement in my left big toe. “A voice emanated from the infinite darkness surrounding me.” Mr. Bernard’s emaciated hands gripped the arms of the wheelchair. “I felt both fear and comfort in that moment. It was a voice unlike any other; Speaking English, yet somehow devoid of any accent or defining speech pattern.” “ I was dead. I had died in my sleep, and was now in what it referred to as Fegefeuer. And whatever dwelled in this place…” Bernard leaned forward, and I swear I could hear his bones creaking and popping beneath his suit. By now I had completely regained feeling below my left ankle, and was swiftly feeling more and more of my entire leg. “ ...offered me a choice. To my right, a simple, red door appeared. ‘Through that door,’ the voice whispered, ‘is your afterlife. And this…’ from behind me came the bright, twinkling glow. Turning, I saw the geometric tapestry of the floor morph into a city street, and the pillars into Vegas strip signs. ‘is the powerful, regal life you ran prior to this very moment.’ Everything below my waist tingled as though it had fallen asleep, and was regaining feeling. “I suppose you’ve been wondering why I look the way I do, Mr. Ross.” Bernard said, leaning back in his chair. “ I am a man of chance. My gambling has lead me to the most extravagant experiences and luxuries on this earth. I have also lost fortunes the working man could only dream of. With the future of my existence hinging on one choice… I played it safe.” Even with barely any flesh still attached to his blackened skull, and his eyes covered by bandages, I could clearly see anger spreading across his face, making small pieces of flesh fall like bits of paper into the ashtray on his desk. “It didn’t like that. One. Bit.” And that’s when Mr Bernard stood up. I don’t know why, of all things, that haunts me the most. The fact that such a spindly, crude mockery of the human form had the ability ( or at least the compulsion) to stand as a man would. “Come one more!” Bernard suddenly roared, pulling me up by the front of my shirt so that we would be eye to eye if his head were not wrapped in gauze, “Maybe now I can sleep!”. I realized very quickly his ramblings were not directed at me, as the vacant stains on the gauze were aimed off in the distance. Beyond the walls of the office. As quickly as he had lifted me, Bernard dropped me. “Not Enough?” He said, his voice suddenly strained, hands clutching his head. I realized in that moment that all of my feeling had returned. I knocked the chair over sprinting out of the office. Strange enough, it was not locked. As I sprinted down the hallway back to the casino, I began hearing something loud. As I rounded the corner back into the casino, it dawned on me exactly what that sound was. Dozens of voices, all screaming. All around me, people were screaming for help, or groaning in pain. It was then that I started…smelling it. Burning flesh tearing through the tomblike shroud of the casino’s stench. I saw people who seemed healthy an hour earlier crumpling to the floor, clutching at various body parts. I thought nothing. I ran, ignoring the dampness at the crotch of my pants. Ignoring the sweat running into my eyes, causing me to slightly stumble. Ignoring the group of three people I pushed through. That is, until I heard Danny’s terrified voice. “Mitch! HELP ME!” his voice cracked in desperation, trying to free himself from the grip of the two security guards holding each of his arms. I turned back, dazed and petrified, as I watched my friend get dragged further into the crowds of writhing bodies. If she had not been there in that moment, I would have never made it to the door ten feet from where I stood. I would have crumpled onto that singed casino carpet and shut down like a robot in a cartoon. But the girl from the bar was there, and I didn’t realize it until she grabbed a hold of my suit jacket. She screamed one word into my face: “Run!”. I lunged to the door, and it came off its hinges as soon as I pulled on the handle. As I fell out into the dark corridor, I turned and watched as the entire casino seemed to...disassemble. Slot machines became bare wires and sparking lights. Roulette wheels telescoped upwards in layers. The ceiling seemed to melt into concrete and steel beams. My eyes were fixed, however, on the girl in the black dress, crawling on her elbows towards the doorway. I hadn’t noticed how radiant her light green eyes were, until the moment before her head was crushed by a large antique fire extinguisher. Her defined cheekbones and long brunette hair were suddenly lost in a mess of blood and jagged teeth. My eyes rose to the person responsible, and I initially could not understand what I was seeing. I knew it was the man who had lead us to the club, but his face was nothing more than a pile of flesh that wouldn’t look out of place on the Elephant Man. Bulbous skull, eyes swollen shut, and a wide mouth with no teeth. A mouth that was laughing. I heard footsteps behind me, and turned to see the man in the bellhop uniform, the one who I had seen in the airport. He walked forward until he stood parallel with me, and turned. He gave me an acknowledging nod, then walked into the casino. As he did, the doorway gave off a blinding white light. There was a sound like lightning hitting a gas truck. Then, nothing. I stood up, and stared at the solid concrete wall where the hellish casino had stood. I knew then that I had witnessed something no one else would believe. People gave me strange looks as I walked down the strip, but I hardly noticed. I made it to the rental car, and the next thing I remember is standing at the front desk of a motel. I sat on the bed,not knowing what to think or feel. My questions outnumbered my answers one thousand to one, and even attempting to comprehend the tiniest things: The guards, her eyes, the roulette wheel breaking,that bellhop… and Danny’s voice, saturated with terror, fading into the dynn of screams. My phone buzzed on the bedside table, and I didn’t have to look to see it was Nicole calling me again. I stood and looked out the window, at the sun rising over the barren desert. Staring into that crimson ball of gas, all of my anger and confusion funneled into one solid pit in my stomach. I felt so… small. It took me a second to notice the burning pain shooting down my arm. I heard myself yelling, and felt the pain pulsing in my left shoulder. I frantically removed my shirt to see that the veins around the Devil’s Tongue tattoo had turned black. One more answer I didn’t need. I spent hours cutting off my arm in the bathtub with the swiss army knife I kept in my back pocket. I used my belt as an improvised tourniquet, and bit down on one of the bath towels. I was scared when the first blood started to drip. After a while, it became nothing more than a morbid chore, intercut by crying and grunting from the pain. When I had finished,I covered my stump with the towel. The ambulance should be on its way right about now. We’ll see if it runs into any stubborn taxi drivers along the way.
First of all I saw this on a post from ieatyourskin in his post here so credit goes to him/her thanks!
Just wanted to share the answers for the quiz to avoid having to google for them. Warning it's 40 questions and quite tedious, but it credited as soon as I hit the results page showing 100%.
Q1: Cornerstore Q2: 1 Q3: 5 of clubs Q4: B Q5: Green Q6: 2 Q7: D Q8: B Q9: C Q10: 3 Q11: A Q12: Blackjack Q13: King of Jades Q14: D Q15: B Q16: 5 cards of sequential rank, all of the same suit Q17: Silver Pony Dash Q18: 2 Q19: 23 Q20: Macau, China Q21: B Q22: B Q23: A Q24: Solitaire Q25: C Q26: ckckjblaa Q27: C Q28: Ace Q29: C Q30: New card causes total to exceed 21 Q31: Authorized Opponent Q32: 1/37 Q33: 71 Q34: A Q35: 13 Q36: D Q37: Caesar's Palace Q38: Las Vegas Q39: Basket Q40: Black Lady or Black Maria
So tonight it was all pool with multiple added riders every time! (What's so great about that?) I'm glad you asked. First pick up... Venetian to Golden nugget. A fifteen minute ride at most....girl and her German boyfriend. Headed to I 15 on Sands... (added rider), we now have to pull a u-turn in front of Sands Convention center. Back to 7-11 at Twain and Paradise. Pick up one... Drive back towards freeway on Sands... (rider added)... Another u turn, same exact spot as the first u turn. Back to Corporate Drive and Paradise... Pick up another rider... Back to Venetian to drop him.... (rider added). Go to TI and pick up rider... Drop (7-11 guy) at Spearmint rhino....everyone gets to wait while I get my $20. Off we go (rider added, Trump International) pick up Trump. Drop TI guy at Peppermill... Drop Trump guy at Stratosphere...off we go, get to St Louis and Las Vegas Blvd (rider added) round the block, and back to Allure. Original Pax girl is now on the phone crying "Sorry we are SO late... Took a pool to save money " (lol) Pick up at Allure takes 12 minutes (and I wait) .... Drop at the D. One hour and 18 minutes later I drop off OP (original pax) at GN. I know two tourists who will never use pool again! Best part was the way TI guy smelled! I had no clue pool would add like that. I thought it was 2 stops max on a pool... So delighted it went so wrong for them! Funny, as I was pulling the first u turn on Sands I muttered "oh here we go" girl asked what I meant and I explained how awful pool was on the way to pick up pax #2 She believed me by the end of the ride! Uber x from GN to TI full car... Ping to Mirage (pool) as I drop. Three drunk girls show up (I say nothing and start trip (Mandalay Bay) (rider added) go to Caesars...two big guys show up (no room) They go off about the lack of space... ("nothing I can do, cancel if you want") they did at 7 minutes (fee for me) (rider added) go to Cosmo...two pax again ("no room, cancel if you can't fit") they did, another fee. (rider added) at Monte Carlo... Single rider with suitcases. Drop at Mandalay Bay... Single guy is pissed I didn't go directly to airport and is whining about how he will be late... Go up Koval, turn on to Trop (rider added) Pirhanna at Naples... Two drunk guys added.... Off to airport. Drop at Terminal 3, one of the drunk guys starts complaining he has to pee (rider added) ha-ha! Off to the car rental center. Pick up 2 and head to Henderson.... Get to Green Valley Ranch (casino) drop car rental people, back to freeway. Pax starts do the "pee pee dance" (I can feel him fidgeting as I drive...there is actually a footprint in my back floor carpet from him pressing down on the floor so hard with his foot) (Rider added) now it's off to Sam's Town.... (pee pee boys are going to Wagon wheel drive) "dude, you gotta stop, I can't hold it anymore" he gets out and pisses right there beside the car in a Dotty's parking lot....i can tell it is upsetting Sam's town couple. I don't care. Drop them.... Drop pee pee boys. Head back to resort corridor.... Ping to Sunset Station... Pick up two drunk girls (21 if a day) (rider added) pick up Mr smooth at an apartment complex. He starts speed dating them. All the way to UNLV he hit on them. Drop the poor girls at apartments near UNLV... (rider added) back to the Fruit loop.... Mr smooth smoothie is joined by two screaming queens.... Tables turn and they try speed dating him. Drop smoothie off in Chinatown... (rider added) pick up a very straight southern couple at golden Tiki.... Uncomfortable silence to palace station, drop off queens at Palace Station (rider added) Straight couple talk about how violated they feel all the way to pickup at SLS.... Pick up an obvious prostitute... More uncomfortable silence. Drop straight couple off at Circus circus manor.... Drop hooker off in the Alphabet streets. (another tourist who will never use pool) Third pool trip. 4 Queens to airport... Pick up two older women with luggage (rider added).. .off to Artesian. Pick up two guys, drop them at Linq... (rider added) go to Caesars....wait 15 minutes for 2 drunk girls.... Off to Mirage (you mean it's next door) (and the opposite direction from airport) ...drop off (rider added) at Mirage, going to Harrahs (across street) drop.... Head towards airport (rider added) pick up drunk at Tuscany suites (rider added) pick up another at Hard Rock....go to Twain and Swenson, drop off Tuscany drunk.... Go to IHOP on Maryland parkway and drop off second drunk (rider added). Off to pick up at apartments at swenson and Flamingo.... Going to Trop and Wilber. (women are complaining they have 15 minutes to get to airport) Drop at Liberace Mansion....back to Trop.... (rider added)...back north to Harmon and Paradise ...pick up.... Drop at MGM signature tower 2....off to airport again. As we approach terminal 3 pax announced they are too late.. Blames me.... Books a room real quick and has me take them to Hooters....announces she is going to sue me as I drop them ("give me your full name! " No you stupid twat, you booked pool, it's YOUR FAULT.) Whatever... Fuck pool fuckers, they got exactly what they deserved tonight!
Hi guys! So I was on the /rupaulsdragrace sub and I got so inspired by u/evilsnowcookie's "Where Are They Now" post that I decided to incorporate that idea for ANTM So this will be a compilation of the different websites and news articles, as well as posts from the girls' social media accounts on what they are up to these days. Maybe if you guys enjoy this, I'd consider making one for the succeeding seasons but for now, lets reminisce on the girls from Cycle 1.
Name: Tessa Carlson Placed: 10th Age: 33 First Call Outs: 0 Bottom 2: 1 Twitter Followers: N/A Instagram Followers: 521 (@tessacarlson) Tessa Carlson on IMDB ANTM CYCLE 1 Tessa was a contestant on the first season of America’s Next Top Model. She, along with fellow model Giselle, were the only models of the cycle who were not part of the pool of 20 semi-finalists (they were scouted for and joined the cast after a separate audition). During her brief stint on the show, she was shown to bond with fellow contestant Adrianne Curry through smoking after moving into their NYC Apartment. At their first photo shoot for swimsuits from J.Lo by Jennifer Lopez, photographer Elizabeth Moss commented that “She probably had people teach her how to model the wrong way … that was her problem.” In the end, she was eliminated for lacking a dominant personality and her inability to pose. POST-TOP MODEL After the show, Tessa modeled for Noah Kalina and Joey Quintero, but has since decided not to pursue modelling. Despite being eliminated after the first photo shoot, she was included in the next photo shoot for Stuff Magazine, but was not shown in the episode. Since the show premiered in 2003, Tessa has gotten married and has focused on being a mother to two beautiful children. Name: Katie Cleary Placed: 9th Age: 36 First Call Outs: 0 Bottom 2: 1 Twitter Followers: 47.1k (@katie_cleary) Instagram Followers: 29.2k (@katiecleary11) Katie Cleary on IMDB ANTM CYCLE 1 Katie was a contestant on the first season of America’s Next Top Model. During the casting week, she was called fifth out the eight finalists for the first season (Tyra and the producers planned for 10 models to move into the NYC apartment, but could only agree on 8. The last 2 were scouted in a separate audition). She was eliminated in the second episode for because the judges felt the she photographed too sexy. POST-TOP MODEL Katie has been busy since the show’s premiere in 2003. She’s appeared in spreads for Maxim online, Rukus magazine, Marie Claire, Lifestyle magazine, and Vegan lifestyle magazine among others. She has appeared in over a dozen national advertising campaigns for brands such as InterContinental Hotels, Sketchers, Elastiderm Skin Care, AT&T, Nike, Chandon Champagne, Supreme Protein, Cadillac, ProActive, Payless, and as part of the Refreshment Duo for Labatt's Blue Light. She has since landed a role on NBC’s Deal or no Deal where she starred for over four years. She has hosted shows on the TV Guide Channel, E! News Now, as well the travel show “Get Out,” on HDTV. Katie has also has roles on popular TV shows such as CSI NY, Las Vegas, Entourage, *Rules of Engagement,Chuck,Working Class and more recently on How To Get Away With Murder and Two And A Half Men. She is currently represented by Paradigm Talent Agency, Abstract Talent Agency, and CESD Talent. Katie is also a philanthropist, founding the Peace4Animals organization. She is also an award winning creator and producer of the documentary Give Me Shelter which premiered on Netflix in 2015. Katie is also the Founder & Producer of the network World Animal News on the popular animal news site WorldAnimalNews.com. Since the show, Katie has dated Evan Liss and Gregg Pitt. She was also married to married to Andrew Stern from 2010 until his death in 2014. Name: Nicole Nastazio, née Panattoni Placed: 8th Age: 37 First Call Outs: 0 Bottom 2: 1 Twitter Followers: 3,280 (@NicolePanattoni) Instagram Followers: 6,172 (@nicolepanattoni) ANTM CYCLE 1 Katie was a contestant on the first season of America’s Next Top Model. During the casting week, she was called first out the eight finalists for the first season (Tyra and the producers planned for 10 models to move into the NYC apartment, but could only agree on 8. The last 2 were scouted in a separate audition). She was eliminated in the third episode due to her lack of commitment (in both her photo shoot and in the makeover). POST-TOP MODEL After Cycle 1 aired, Nicole appeared in several maternity catalogs and magazines. Like all the girls from this cycle, she has appeared in a spread for Stuff Magazine. She has appeared in Maxim, Rebel Ink Magazine, ePregnancy, and Surf Illustrated. Nicole has also modeled for Yandy Lingerie, Bikinilicious.com, Nordstrom, Due Maternity, Gnar Lube, For Issuez, Inc., Top Floorr, & La Isla couture. She has been featured in advertisements for Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas and for Palm’s Casino Resort. Nicole has started Bronzed Body SD, Mobile Sunless Tan Mobile Spray Tan servicing all of North County SD. She has also been featured as one of the models on “Deal Or No Deal”, and has appeared on The X Life with boyfriend BMX rider Cory Nastazio. The couple has 2 beautiful children and recently tied the knot in October 2017. Name: Ebony Haith Placed: 7th Age: 38 First Call Outs: 1 Bottom 2: 2 Twitter Followers: 464 (@EbonyHaith) Instagram Followers: 539 (@haithebony) Ebony Haith on IMDB ANTM CYCLE 1 When Ebony became one of the finalists in America’s Next Top Model, Cycle 1, she was met with harsh criticism from the two very devout Christian ANTM finalists, Robin and Shannon. The conflict escalated when Ebony’s partner dropped by the house, further angering Shannon and Robin. Things turned uglier for Ebony during the judging, as she became the fourth contestant eliminated. The judges reasoned that it was Ebony’s weak performance that drove them to cut her from the show. Source POST-TOP MODEL After the show, Ebony was signed onto Downtown Model Management, before moving on to Uptown Model Management (UMM) and Models Management Group (MMG). Currently, I’m not sure what agency she is signed to. She has walked in fashion shows for SA-SHEA and Ice Blue. She’s been shot by photographers such as Quavondo Nguyen, Isabelle Choi, and Umari Jason and has appeared in spreads for Esquire, and Height Magazine. She has also appeared in appeared in Real Gay (a 2005 TV film) and Violet Tendencies (A 2010 movie). According to her instagram, she has shot her first sports shoot/TV show. Name: Giselle Samson Placed: 6th Age: 33 First Call Outs: 0 Bottom 2: 2 Twitter Followers: 249 (@GiselleSamson) Instagram Followers: 1,295 (@GiselleBelle84) Giselle Samson on IMDB ANTM CYCLE 1 Giselle was a contestant on the first season of America’s Next Top Model. She, along with fellow model Tessa, were the only models of the cycle who were not part of the pool of 20 semi-finalists (they were scouted for and joined the cast after a separate audition).During the fifth week of Cycle 1, both Giselle and fellow finalist Ebony fell into the bottom 2. Giselle was spared as Ebony was sent home, but her performance the following week betrayed her lack of confidence. Her photos with 2003 NFL Rookie of the Year Clinton Portis were not impressive enough to convince the judges to keep her, and so she became the fifth finalist to be cut from the show. Tyra said it was her lack of confidence that hindered her performance. Source POST-TOP MODEL After her season aired, Giselle appeared in SWITCH magazine and modeled for the brand Simply Fashion. Giselle was also a model on Deal or No Deal, has hosted segments on the Tyra Banks Show, Fox Sport's Net's "54321", and has appeared on TV shows such as Chuck, The Bold and The Beautiful, the short “Black?”, and has attended The 18th Annual Soul Train Music Awards. As a dancer, she has performed in Disney’s Fantasmic and in Pitbull’s music video Blanco, as well as dance for late Michael Jackson’s 45th birthday celebration. These days, according to her LinkedIn, she works as an Account Executive at HireTalent Executive Search, Temporary Staffing, Recruiting & SOW and is the founder of GLS Enterprises LLC, as well as the CEO of Kiss the Planet. She is currently listed as a model on the Trade Show Models (TSM) agency website. Name: Kesse Wallace Placed: 5th Age: 35 First Call Outs: 1 Bottom 2: 2 Twitter Followers: N/A Instagram Followers: N/A Kesse Wallace on IMDB ANTM CYCLE 1 During the sixth week, the show flew Kesse and the other remaining Top Model finalists to Paris, where they were asked to pose with a male model wearing only lingerie. The challenge allowed a number of Parisian designers to view the models, and although all of them tried their best to produce spectacular pictures, the judges felt that Kesse did not possess enough desire to advance in the competition. Consequently, Kesse became the sixth finalist to be eliminated. Source POST-TOP MODEL As of late, Kesse has been keeping a relatively low profile. Since appearing on the show, Kesse has gone on to work under the management of Gilla Roos (but closed in 2009). Her runway projects include Yeohlee Teng Fall 2005/Spring 2006, Renee Larc for Milan and Francis Hendy. Kesse has also graced the pages of King Magazine and Complex Magazine and has appeared in a Church’s Chicken television commercial. She has also appeared in King Magazine and in Complex Magazine. Name: Robin Manning Placed: 4th Age: 41 First Call Outs: 0 Bottom 2: 1 Twitter Followers: 208 (@Robbyne) Instagram Followers: 554 (@robbynemanning) Robin Manning on IMDB ANTM CYCLE 1 Being a Devout Christian like her fellow finalist Shannon Stewart, Robin often criticized the other girls when she felt that they were doing something immoral. She was extremely affected when openly gay model Ebony brought her partner to the house. On the seventh week, the challenge was to pose nude for a jewelry advertisement. She, along with Shannon, refused to participate, saying that it was against her morals. Consequently, she was eliminated from the show, becoming the seventh contestant to be cut. Source POST-TOP MODEL Robin, who now goes by the name Robbyne, has kept a relatively low profile since the show. She was the only contestant whose photos were not included in the Stuff Magazine shoot featured during the third episode (even though Tessa, the first contestant eliminated, was included in the issue). After her appearance on the show, Robin went on to do a Baby Phat fashion show with Elyse and Kesse. She was featured in the July 2003 issue of the TV Guide, on the cover of the 2003 Holiday Issue of Grace, as well as appear next to Janice Dickinson in an issue of O. She has also appeared in the popular soap, The Young and the Restless, and the films, Without You and Holla. Robin is pursuing an acting career and has been in two movies. She did some church-related print work and some test shots, as well as a pictorial for Especially Yours, but is not currently with an agency. Robin’s name was once again brought to the attention in the media in 2014 when Dominic Jeffries (together with his 6 year old sister) went missing from Manning’s home. Robin is the child’s legal guardian, but it is not certain why (Dominic’s mother and Robin know each other from pre-school). Name: Elyse Sewell Placed: 3rd Age: 35 First Call Outs: 2 Bottom 2: 2 Twitter Followers: N/A Instagram Followers: 1,031 (@_elysesewell) Elyse Sewell on IMDB ANTM CYCLE 1 Sewell's was a contestant on the first cycle of America's Next Top Model. She was known on the show as the "edgy pre-med student". She placed third, after Adrianne Curry and Shannon Stewart. She was eliminated due to the fact that her intelligence came across as “derogatory”, despite her high fashion look. Her infamous confessional clip from the show, in which she expressed a profanity-laden rant against the people on the show, earned her 16th place on E!'s Most Outrageous TV Moments in 2005. She attributes this outburst to the unusual requirement on the show to voice one's private thoughts and to soliloquize in a "confessional booth". POST-TOP MODEL Elyse is probably the most successful girl out of all the contestants on Cycle 1. As a model, Elyse has been incredibly successful, especially in Asia where she has had print advertisements for Giordano, Chanel and Chow Sang Sang Jewelry and appeared on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar Hong Kong. Sewell’s first book, Beauty and The Biz: The International Adventures of America's Third-to-Next Top Model, based in part on her LiveJournal Weblog, was published in Hong Kong in 2006. She appeared in multiple book signings across Hong Kong. She has been featured in advertisements for brands such as Azona, Chow Sang Sang, Dao, Darquer, DTC Diamonds, Flair by Joc, Giordano, iMaroon, Mae Von, Motorola, Paule Ka, Sa Sa CyberColors, and Staccato. Overseas, Elyse has been signed with Zucca Tokyo, ZEM Osaka, Mannequin Singapore, Model Genesis Hong Kong, Chadwicks Sydney, Eye For I Milan, Dream Models Hong Kong and Elite Santiago. Locally, Elyse has also been signed with Wilhelmina West Models, M4 Models, Q6 Models Portland, Model One (Hong Kong), Studio KLRP Paris, Seattle’s Model Guild, M4 Hamburg, Good Fashion Shenzhen and Model 1. Elyse dated Martin Crandall of the Shins until January 2008, when he allegedly assaulted her in a Sacramento hotel. Both Crandall and Elyse were charged with felony domestic assault, though their cases were later dismissed. Previously, Elyse told the Singapore Straits Times in an interview that she had dumped her boyfriend because he cheated on her while she was working in Japan, though they reconciled shortly afterwards. She’s not active on social media, and only has an instagram (which was last updated in 2015). A facebook page pops up if you search her name on facebook, however, I’m not sure if she runs it or if it is a fan account. She also participated in a Reddit AMA where she spoke about her experiences on the show. Name: Shannon Ratcliff, née Stewart Placed: 2nd (Cycle 1)/6th (Cycle 17) Age: 33 First Call Outs: 3 (Cycle 1)/0 (Cycle 17) Bottom 2: 2 (Cycle 1)/2 (Cycle 17) Twitter Followers: 17.3k (@ShannonStewart1) Instagram Followers: 12.5k (@shannonstewartratcliff) Shannon Stewart on IMDB ANTM CYCLE 1 Stewart competed on the first season of America's Next Top Model. In the first week of competition, Shannon landed in the bottom two and if she hadn't won that week's challenge, she would have been eliminated. However, the following two weeks Shannon received two consecutive first call-outs, and performed consistently in the following weeks. But, in the semi-finals during a nude photoshoot in Paris, Shannon and fellow contestant Robin Manning caused controversy when they refused to take part in the photoshoot because of their Christian faith. However, this did not hinder Stewart's progression in the competition finishing second overall to Adrianne Curry. Source. Shannon later appeared during a fashion show during the show’s 7th season, in the 8th cycle of the show as a guest for one of the photo shoots, and was also the only contestant from Cycle 1 to be invited to participate in the All Star cycle. ANTM CYCLE 17 In 2011, Shannon was invited back to participate in the first All-Star edition of the show, together with several other returning models from the different seasons. Stewart placed 6th overall in the All-Star competition after confusing the judges for refusing to wear lingerie that looked like a bathing suit while allowing herself to be photographed in a skimpier bathing suit in a previous week. She was the only model in the top 6 to have not won best photo. POST-TOP MODEL Since America’s Next Top Model, Shannon has modeled for Harmony Bell Boutique, Nuj Novakhett, Macy’s, Dillard’s, Sephora, Bakers Shoes, Speedo, and Allyson Smith Jewelry. She has appeared in magazines such as Elle Girl Magazine, Teen Vogue, Sydney Magazine, Six Degrees Magazine, and Ford Fusion. Shannon has appeared on the cover of Nashville Lifestyles Weddings, Arizona Foothills Magazine, and Sound & Vision Magazine. Her runway shows include Richard Tyler, Alvin Valley (2004), Alice and Olivia (2006), Sprite Street Couture (2006), and Elle Girl presents Dare To Be You: Wal-Mart Meets America’s Next Top Models (2005), Fashion Institute of Technology (2006), Gustavo Arango (2006), Alice Dobson (2006) and Olympus Fashion Week (2006). During Cycle 8, Shannon told the contestants that she had switched over to Elite Model Management in Chicago. She was also signed to Bleu Model Management. Fashion Model Directory states that she is currently signed to Major Model Management in New York and Factor Women in Chicago. Nowadays, Shannon actively interacts with her fans through her different social media handles, and runs her own personal blog. She has been married to Matthew Ratcliff, a fellow Christian model, since 2007. Name: Adrianne Curry Placed: 1st Age: 35 First Call Outs: 1 Bottom 2: 2 Twitter Followers: 416k (@AdrianneCurry) Instagram Followers: 132k (@AdrianneCurry) Adrianne Curry on IMDB ANTM CYCLE 1 Adrianne Curry competed on the first season of America's Next Top Model. She beat out fellow contestant Shannon Stewart. After her stint on ANTM, Curry has been very outspoken about her time on the show . Curry told various interviewers, including Steppin Out Magazine, that she wasn’t given the Revlon modeling contract that she was supposed to get as winner, and that “Tyra really didn't help us out and the show didn't put any money into us.” She even went as far as saying that “Basically, it was our show that saved the network and it was the biggest show ever…We trusted Tyra, but we've all been screwed over.” POST-TOP MODEL Nowadays, Curry continues to act, model, and do cosplay. She was signed to Wilhelmina Models in New York City. She has modeled for several magazines, including Life & Style Weekly, In Touch, Sync Magazine, Us Weekly, Star, OK!, Stuff, People, Maxim (and made the Maxim Hot 100 list in 2005), both the North American and Spanish editions of Marie Claire, Lucky Magazine, Supermodels Unlimited, Agenda Magazine, Von Dutch, Von Dutch Watches, Salon City, Macy's, Famous Stars and Straps, Lucky, Ed Hardy, Kinis Bikinis, NailPro, Beverly Hills Choppers, and Merit Diamonds. In 2016, she was briefly signed on to LA Models, however, she was quickly dropped from their roster. According to her personal website, where she constantly updates her blog, she is also works as an avon lady. Curry's runway shows include Anne Bowen Spring 2005, Jaime Pressly, Pamela Anderson's line, Ed Hardy, Von Dutch, and Christopher Deane. She has appeared in a commercial for the Merit Diamonds Sirena Collection that ran from November 2004 to January 2006. She appeared on the cover and in a nude pictorial for the American edition Playboy in February 2006. She returned for a second cover and nude pictorial in the January 2008 issue. Curry made Playboy´s 2008 top 25 sexiest women, along with the top 100 Playboy spreads 2008 edition. In late 2006, Curry modeled for a technological demo created by Nvidia to showcase their video cards. She is a spokesmodel for The Flex Belt with Denise Richards. Curry was a co-host on the television game show Ballbreakers. In 2006, she appeared on Gameshow Marathon as a celebrity panelist on the Match Game episode. She starred in Rock Me Baby (2004) and Half & Half (2003) on UPN. Curry also appeared on Dirt starring Courteney Cox, with whom she shared scenes. She appeared in rock band's The Click Five's music video "Just the Girl", along with her then husband Christopher Knight. She has also starred in the films Fallen Angels, Light Years Away and Jack Rio. In early 2005, Curry appeared on VH1's fourth season of The Surreal Life. On September 11, 2005, VH1 began airing My Fair Brady, a show that documented their life together and paid her an estimated US$450,000. The show led her to being featured in Maxim's Hot 100, a list of the "hottest" women on earth. and ranked #100 on the Maxim Hot 100 Women of 2005. Adrianne loves cosplay and video games. Between November and December 2010, Curry worked as the Resident Celebrity Gamer panelist judge on the second series of The Tester, a reality program on the PlayStation Network. She has returned to the panel in the third series which began on the 7th February 2012. Curry hosted live coverage of Blizzcon for Direct TV in 2011, as well as hosting live from E3 for Namco Bandai in both 2011 and 2012. Christopher Knight proposed to Curry on the season finale of My Fair Brady, on VH1, which aired on November 6, 2005. The show was renewed for a second season that began in June 2006, and focused on the couple's wedding preparations. In 2007, Curry and Knight appeared on the Dr. Phil Show to discuss their marital issues on an episode dealing with large age gaps in relationships. Dr. Phil predicted that their style of arguing, particularly Knight's hurtful comments, was a strong predictor of impending divorce in couples.The couple announced their separation on May 29, 2011. The couple filed for divorce on August 19, 2011 and it became final in 2013. As of 2017, she is currently engaged to Matthew Rhode.
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