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emerald-studies · 4 years

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How to be an Ally

Discussions on Race Pt. 2

June 29, 2020

Day 1 of 7

Post with fixed links here!:

https://emerald-studies.tumblr.com/post/626271345488150528/how-to-be-an-ally

Reblog this one!

[ These are just some thoughts I have in my head about this topic, it isn’t meant to be a purely academic discussion. It’s meant to be a conversation to learn about another perspective. ]

Also sorry this one took longer than previous posts, I had to do a lot of research.

1. Check In On Your Black Friends/Acquaintances

In my opinion, I believe the best way to be an ally is to reach out to your Black friends and check in on them, consistently. If you can recognize the times we are living in are absolute hell, you should be checking in on the most effected. None of my friends have checked up on me to see how I was doing or just to talk. They didn’t even bring up the protests until I did. It feels very very lonely and scary to not be checked up on by the people who say they support and love you. So, I’m making this the first point because I don’t want anyone else to feel this way, not trying to complain.

2. Learn More About Black History

It’s important to learn about the Black activists that our history books left out. Yes, Martin Luther King Jr. was, and is, important but we need to reflect on why he was pushed on us so much in our history classes, compared to other Black leaders. Is it because our government would rather us walk down the street holding signs than actually defending ourselves against the cop who’s beating us?

Here’s a master list of activists to start you off.

3. Go to Rallies and Protests

Find protests and rallies in your area by looking on Twitter and search #yourcityprotest. Or watch your local news channel to see where they are (if they’re being covered on the news). Also search on Facebook. Wear a mask.

4. Donate and Sign Petitions

If you don’t have extra money to donate, that’s fine. If you still want to be an ally then sign all the petitions you can. Take a day to research all the ones you can sign/haven’t signed and sign them!

(Also you don’t need to donate to change.org! Directly donate to non-profit organizations and victims’ families!)

George Floyd - change.org

George Floyd - amnesty.org

George Floyd - colorofchange.org

Get The Officers Charged

Charge All Four Officers

Breonna Taylor - moveon.org

Breonna Taylor - colorofchange.org

Breonna Taylor - justiceforbreonna.org

Breonna Taylor - change.org

Breonna Taylor - thepetitionsite.com

Ahmaud Arbery - change.org

Ahmaud Arbery - change.org 2

Ahmaud Arbery - change.org 3

Justice for Oluwatoyin Salau

Pass The Georgia Hate Crime Bill

Defund MPD

Life Sentence For Police Brutality

Regis Korchinski - change.org

Tete Gulley - change.org

Tony McDade - change.org

Tony McDade - actionnetwork.org

Tony McDade - thepetitionsite.com

Joao Pedro - change.org

Julius Jones - change.org

Belly Mujinga - change.org

Willie Simmons - change.org

Hands Up Act - change.org

National Action Against Police Brutality

Kyjuanzi Harris - change.org

Alejandro Vargas Martinez - change.org

Censorship Of Police Brutality In France

Sean Reed - change.org

Sean Reed - change.org 2

Kendrick Johnson - change.org

Tamir Rice - change.org

Tamir Rice - change.org 2

Fire Racist Criminal From The NYPD

Jamee Johnson - organizefor.org

Darius Stewart - change.org

Darius Stewart - moveon.org

Abolish Prison Labor

Free Siyanda - change.org

Chrystul Kizer - change.org

Chrystul Kizer - change.org 2

Andile Mchunu (Bobo) - change.org

Eric Riddick - change.org

Amiya Braxton - change.org

Emerald Black - change.org

Elijah Nichols - change.org

Zinedine Karabo Gioia - change.org

Angel Bumpass - change.org

Sheku Bayoh - change.org

Angel DeCarlo - change.org

Sandra Bland - change.org

Sherrie Walker - change.org

Darrien Hunt - change.org

Cornelius Fredericks - change.org

Elijah McClain - change.org

James Scurlock - change.org

Darren Rainey- change.org

Visit these sites for more info:

http://www.pb-resources.com/

https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/

5. Educate yourself and others.

Articles:

- “America’s Racial Contract Is Killing Us” by Adam Serwer | Atlantic (May 8, 2020)

- Ella Baker and the Black Freedom Movement (Mentoring a New Generation of Activists

- ”My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant” by Jose Antonio Vargas | NYT Mag (June 22, 2011)

- The 1619 Project (all the articles) | The New York Times Magazine

- The Combahee River Collective Statement

- “The Intersectionality Wars” by Jane Coaston | Vox (May 28, 2019)

- Tips for Creating Effective White Caucus Groups developed by Craig Elliott PhD

- “Where do I donate? Why is the uprising violent? Should I go protest?” by Courtney Martin (June 1, 2020)

- ”White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack” by Knapsack Peggy McIntosh

- “Who Gets to Be Afraid in America?” by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi | Atlantic (May 12, 2020)

Movies/TV Shows:

When They See Us

American Son

Hello Privilege, It’s Me, Chelsea

The 13th

Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story

What Happened Miss Simone?

The Two Killings of Sam Cooke

Who Killed Malcolm X?

The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson

Homecoming: A Film by Beyonce (Lighter in tone)

LA 92

Dear White People

Videos:

- Black Feminism & the Movement for Black Lives: Barbara Smith, Reina Gossett, Charlene Carruthers (50:48)

- “How Studying Privilege Systems Can Strengthen Compassion” | Peggy McIntosh at TEDxTimberlaneSchools (18:26)

- American Oxygen - Rihanna

- Formation - Beyonce

Podcasts:

- Malcolm X Speeches

- 1619 (New York Times)

- About Race

- Code Switch (NPR)

- Intersectionality Matters! hosted by Kimberlé Crenshaw

- Momentum: A Race Forward Podcast

- Pod For The Cause (from The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights)

- Pod Save the People (Crooked Media)

- Seeing White

Books:

- The Autobiography of Malcolm X

- Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About RaceBook by Reni Eddo-Lodge

- Black Feminist Thought by Patricia Hill Collins

- Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Dr. Brittney Cooper

- Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon

- How To Be An Antiracist by Dr. Ibram X. Kendi

- I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

- Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson

- Me and White Supremacy by Layla F. Saad

- Raising Our Hands by Jenna Arnold

- Redefining Realness by Janet Mock

- Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde

- So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

- The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison

- The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

- The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander

- The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty-First Century by Grace Lee Boggs

- The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson

- Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

- This Bridge Called My Back: Writings by Radical Women of Color by Cherríe Moraga

- When Affirmative Action Was White: An Untold History of Racial Inequality in Twentieth-Century America by Ira Katznelson

- White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo, PhD

Follow:

- Shaun King: Instagram | Twitter | Website

- Antiracism Center: Twitter

- Audre Lorde Project: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- Black Women’s Blueprint: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- Color Of Change: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- Colorlines: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- The Conscious Kid: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- Equal Justice Initiative (EJI): Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- Families Belong Together: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- The Leadership Conference on Civil & Human Rights: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- MPowerChange: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- Muslim Girl: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- NAACP: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- National Domestic Workers Alliance: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook

- Ziwe | Instagram | (She has discussions about race with White people, kinda grilling them, every Thursday at 8 p.m. EST. Super thrilling to watch.)

Here’s Some Music Too:

Change Gonna Come - Sam Cooke

Chain Gang - Nina Simone

Missisippi Goddamn - Nina Simone

Fuck Da’ Police - N.W.A.

New Slaves - Kanye

This is America - Childish Gambino

I’m Not Racist - Joyner Lucas

Fight the Power - Public Enemy

Glory - Common, John Legend

Freedom (Live) - Beyonce

I Can’t Breathe - H.E.R.

American Oxygen - Rihanna

Brown Skin Girl - Beyonce

My Playlist With A Few More

Black Artists Matter Playlist

What a large list! It looks so overwhelming! Don’t worry, you don’t have to read/watch/listen to everything. It takes a lot of effort!

Jk.

If you don’t want to do some homework and good deeds, then you don’t want to be an ally. And that’s perfectly fine. Just don’t lie to yourself about it.

Tough shit.

Discussion time.

Who are your favorite Black activists that you didn’t learn about in school?

(Mine is Huey P. Newton)

Favorite song by a Black artist?

(Mine is Freedom by Beyonce but the live version)

Let me know what you think here

-Faith

#blm #blacklivesmatter #black lives matter #activists #allyship #petitions #talkingwithfaith #black women matter

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millenniumfae · 3 years

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Video Game Cooking: Nectar (Hades 2018)

Nectar is one of the in-game items Zagreus can collect. By gifting these bottles of golden liquid to other characters, he raises his affinity with them, which in turn gives him powerup items and advances character questlines.

Hades (2018) is a retelling/adaptation of the classical Persephone and Hades mythos. All items, settings, and characters are from classic Greek mythology; Zagreus’ foster mother is the primordial goddess of night. Achilles’ personal questline is about reuniting him with his lover Patrocles. Zagreus has spent his entire life sheltered underground in Tartarus, so he doesn’t know what birds are, or what winter is.

In turn, ‘nectar’ exists in Greek mythology. It’s sometimes interchangeable with ambrosia; both are the legendary foods/drinks of the gods, said to grant immortality to anyone who consumes them, amongst other positive effects. In-game, nectar is the more commonplace counterpart to ambrosia; Zagreus finds nectar as a dungeon drop. But he needs to defeat the champion of Elysium boss to gain a single bottle of ambrosia.

Today, we’re gonna re-create the nectar of Hades (2018) for ourselves! It may be contraband in Hades’ domain, but it’s not like anyone pays attention to that rule, anyways.

Why are we recreating nectar, and not ambrosia? Because there already exists tons of ‘ambrosia’ drink recipes. Maybe not based off of the Hades (2018) version, but there’s nothing new or exciting in making yet another ambrosia drink. Nectar, on the other hand, gives us more room for invention.

Hades (2018) Nectar Recipe (Makes One Serving)

1 1/3 cups Martinelli's sparkling cider

2 tablespoons orange flower water

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 teaspoon edible gold shimmer powder (make sure it lists all ingredients, and is certified food safe)

A pinch of coarse sea salt

A pinch of lemon zest

A drop of mint extract

The first times Zagreus gifts nectar to npcs, they describe honoring some sort of godhood custom and exchange with him with a ‘keepsake’ - an in-game powerup he can wear. Unlike with gifting ambrosia, their eyes don’t pop out with shock at receiving such a luxurious gift, it’s instead just something nice, even if relatively commonplace. But nectar is still prestigious enough that gifting the actual Olympic gods nectar goes over well.

If ambrosia is the equivalent of Zagreus gifting $30,000,000 Breguet watches to his friends and family, then nectar is the gourmet-wrapped basket of cheese and crackers you see in the ‘gift’ section of the grocery store. Something you spot while on errands, and impulsively buy so you have a hostess gift the next time someone invites you over. It’s a gift borne of societal custom, and implores the giftee to give you something in return, eventually. Everyone from your multimillionaire uncle Poseidon to your humble jailbird neighbor Sisyphus are pleased to receive such a gift, even if they might value its contents differently.

(In the early-access versions of the game, nectar was ambrosia. The final release wrote ambrosia as the coveted, rare prize you earn after defeating the champions of Elysium. True enough, Zagreus can only find ambrosia after defeating the Elysium boss.)

In original Greek mythology, ‘nectar’ and ‘ambrosia’ aren’t two distinct things. Homer describes nectar as the god’s drink, and ambrosia is the food. But in Sappho’s and Anaxandrides’s poems, it’s the opposite. There’s more recorded mentions of ‘ambrosia’, rather than nectar. Some take this to mean that both nectar and ambrosia can be seen as something both food and drink, like honey.

Both share canonical similarities. Ambrosia and nectar are fragrant foods/drinks, sometimes used as literal perfume by the gods. Makes sense that nectar smells good, if in the AD period we’ve taken the word to mean the sweet stuff within flowers.

Other than its smell, we’ve no canonical information about nectar (other than in the Odyssey, nectar is described as either ‘rose-red’ in color, or in scent). Hades (2018) rendered nectar’s appearance as an opaque, warm gold liquid in a cute little round bottle, wrapped with a ribbon to benefit its ‘gift merchandise’ reputation.

Nobody in Hades (2018) describes the taste/smell of nectar. Ambrosia, on the other hand, is said to be rare ‘vintages’ that you’re guaranteed to like. Sometimes, gifting either results in a cutscene where Zagreus and co. hang out at the lounge, complete with a sound clip of uncorking a bottle and pouring it into a tall glass. You can also see characters drink nectar amongst each other, savoring both the occasion and the taste. Eurydice also offers a ‘Refreshing Nectar’ power up item, which just kinda looks like normal nectar but in a tall glass.

There’s a clear alcohol equivalence. But nobody references drunkeness in-game. Even original classical Greek culture didn’t have a drunk culture like we do; wine was revered, but it was mixed with water to be savored, not to intoxicate oneself. Maybe nobody in-game can get drunk in the first place; everyone’s either an immortal, or a ghost.

(In my opinion, it’s always a bit weird when videogame characters can nurture deep, trusting relationships purely built upon a system of gifting items. But Hades (2018) does make it clear that Zagreus already has established relationships with most of the cast.)

Ambrosia’s a rare vintage. So what does that make nectar? We need to make something sweet, pleasant, attractive-looking, and also tangibly related to its rarer sibling. So we’re using another liquid that’s distilled and sometimes fermented; apple cider.

A bit of this decision comes from the soundbite of opening up a nectar in the lounge; it’s a thin viscosity with a slight hint of foam, almost sounding like beer. And the color matters too, since different distillations of apple cider can result in different colors, ranging from dark brown to a light, bright gold.

Apple juice, when fermented, can have alcohol contents going from light apple wine, to brandies that have 10-25% alcohol. As a culinary ingredient, its modest fructose content means a higher temperature tolerance, and its citric acid can be used as a brine. It’s a popular ‘new world’ ingredient in cooking and baking.

It’s also an ‘old world’ food. Hades (2018) doesn’t take itself super seriously, with its foil-wrapped gyros and french fries as in-game healing items. But any character/worldbuilding they do have, they keep it consistent.

Zagreus says that Hermes’ symbol “almost looks like a bat wing”, when it’s very clearly a bird wing. Because he’s lived underground his whole life, he doesn’t know what a bird is. Weapons upgraded with the aspect of people like Guan Yu, or King Arthur, are time-bending powers that no one has ever heard of, with hints that these mysterious people live in places with their own gods/mythology. Zagreus catches a trout/bass/sturgeon fish for the first time, and it’s completely foreign to him, but Achilles fondly recalls these Greece-native fish fitting of his Nereid heritage. Characters have discussions about how mortals fear death, despite Thanatos being a gentle god represented by butterflies. There’s no sun, therefore no time, in the underworld. Hades is the god of minerals as well as the underworld, hence gems and diamonds being an in-game loot.

Apples originated in Central Asia. During the Classical Greek era, they would have resembled what we call crabapples; small, hard, sour, cherry-sized. “At the Sammardenchia-Cueis site near Udine in Northeastern Italy, seeds from some form of apples have been found in material carbon dated to around 4000 BCE.”

It implores me to find ingredients that fit the setting, as with my other Video Game Cooking recipes. No pumpkins, no corn, potatoes, chocolate, tomatoes, vanilla. Instead, we have things like almonds, lentils, oranges, honey, garlic, onions (haha, suck it Achilles)

To reflect nectar’s ‘sweet smelling’ trait, we’re using an ingredient common in Persian cooking - and later the French royal court of King Louis; orange flower water. I found mine in my local Asian grocery. It’s a byproduct of making essential oil, and it’s colorless/flavorless, but with a strong aromatic smell that affects any food you mix it with. It’s also a known ingredient in modern day Greece, called anthonero (ανθόνερο).

(Eeurydice is confirmed to use both nectar and ambrosia as a cooking ingredient, and her food is apparently amazing. Maybe one day, I’ll make another Video Game Cooking recipe based off of her Pom Porridge, or Ambrosia Delights.)

And to really make it look like the food of the gods, we’re adding an ingredient found more and more in swanky bars worldwide; edible glitter powder. Originally, people only used this to decorate baked goods and candies, but come Instagram, people are making these really picturesque cocktails that shimmer rainbow. You gotta be careful when buying these for yourself, though; the tiny tins of decorative edible shimmer power you find at Michaels may not actually be as edible as they claim. I found Bakell-brand Luster Dust at a bake-supply shop. If it doesn’t list its ingredients, or certify itself as FDA-approved, then don’t use it for food.

And since it’s called ‘nectar’, we’re also adding honey. Which has long history of its divine status as a holy food. To take down the intense sweetness a bit, the tinest pinch of sea salt - another holy, pure substance. And to really bring out the brightness of the apples, we’re adding a sprinkle of lemon zest. A tiny drop of mint extract brings a complex depth to the orange flower smell.

To make a glass of nectar; cover the bottom of the glass with mint, lemon, sea salt, honey, and orange flower water. Then, pour the apple cider with the gold shimmer dust together, so that the two mix together a bit, to avoid clumping of the powder. Then you mix the drink a bit, so that the honey, zest, and salt aren’t sitting at the bottom.

It only now occurs to me that this recipe might actually be a rendition of Eurydice’s Refreshing Nectar item, rather than pure nectar itself. But just take my word for it; when you open up a bottle of nectar, you get that whiff of blossoms with the slight coldness of mint, and the sea salt/honey taste goes really well with the apple juice. I imagine that Eurydice’s somehow making a further delicious drink by adding a splash of Bailoni and ice.

Enjoy! Just imagine that you’re hanging out with Zagreus and his three partners, cracking a cold one open over stories about how crazy the surface world is. Did you know that we have machines called computers that instantly relay information all over the world??

#hades game #hades #hades 2018 #hades (2018)#hades supergiant #video game cooking

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thelightofthingshopedfor · 3 years

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tagged by @jivewise; thanks!

rules: tag nine people you want to know better.

three ships: Steve/Loki might be my favorite ship; it’s one of very few I’ve actually written for. definitely fond of Loki/Valkyrie. and I guess I do genuinely ship Loki/Sylvie--for various reason I might’ve been happier if the show hadn’t made it explicitly romantic, but it’s a canon queer ship for my boy, and they’re both so cute, and the fanart is great, and also there’s pain, and the anti-Sylki stuff from disgruntled Lokius shippers is, uh...well, I did say their behavior would make me start genuinely shipping Sylki out of sheer spite, and here we are.

last song: apparently, “You Are The One” by A Place To Bury Strangers, because it’s in my huge playlist of completely random songs I got from completely random places

last movie: uhhhhh. I...don’t know? I mean, the last movie I saw in theaters was Birds of Prey...and the last disc I stuck in my Xbox was the show recording for Cirque du Soleil’s La Nouba, which is not actually a movie (and I was only playing it because I wanted to drown out my asshole neighbors’ noise and we were close enough to our data cap that I didn’t want to stream anything)...I think it might have actually been Haywire, which was months ago, and I only watched it because I’d been vaguely interested when it came out and it was about to leave Tubi or one of the other free streaming sites. no, wait, around the end of July I watched Burrow, a short film on Disney+. and a couple weeks before that I watched Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth, a different and longer short film on Apple TV+. does that count?

currently reading: The Night Manager by John Le Carré, because I liked the show a lot (primarily for...reasons that I imagine are obvious) and had some mild fic/headcanon ideas about a specific scene, so I figured I might as well read the version that actually lays out Jonathan’s thoughts about various events to see if I’m totally off base. (verdict: nah, I was dead on about some of it, and I still had a reasonable interpretation for the part that wasn’t explicitly mentioned in the book.) in general it’s, hmm, in that genre of media that I’m pretty sure I’m too stupid to appreciate entirely because apparently I need a lot more things spelled out for me? (if the word “intrigue” shows up anywhere in a plot description, I’m probably lost. or even if it doesn’t but it could.) and of course there are various passages that make me roll my eyes about cis straight dudes, and I’m partial to the show (again for reasons that are probably obvious, but also because we don’t get Jonathan’s internal monologue in the show and sometimes he thinks some shitty straight-dude things about women), but it’s still interesting, and there’s the occasional passage that makes me sit up and go “well okay, dude can write, damn.”

currently watching: nothing, I guess. I’ve been meaning to rewatch the whole Loki show now that it’s all out, and I still need to watch the behind-the-scenes episode for it, plus several other things on Disney+ (WandaVision, TFatWS, The Mandalorian, What If I guess, behind-the-scenes stuff about Disneyland/WDW that my dad mentioned yesterday, probably other things I’m forgetting), but I don’t have Disney+ right now and I don’t want to use the 30-day code I have until I think I’ll make better use of it than I did the two months I bought. which is impossible to know because I’m just...very bad at TV, somehow. I was watching Earth At Night In Color, See, and Ted Lasso with the last few days of the free year-and-a-half Apple TV+ subscription I ended up mostly wasting...and that’s definitely not “current” because it was over a month ago. uh, I’ve also had an anon message in my askbox for a week or so recommending Crash Course Mythology’s videos on tricksters, so that’s something else I’ve been meaning to watch.

currently consuming: just ate some lasagna

currently craving: if you mean a food item, 95% of the time when I’m craving something, my brain and body very helpfully refuse to tell me what it is, and the other 5% of the time it’s something that isn’t available to me. for non-food, I don’t know, I’m always craving more Loki merch.

gonna tag, um... @ladylowkeyed @taaroko @bedlamsbard @simuran @aurorawest @swinging-stars-from-satellites @adreamer67 @iamanartichoke @scintillatingshortgirl19 but only if you feel like it, of course. and/or anybody else who sees this and wants to do it should consider themselves tagged

#ask memes

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carewyncromwell · 3 years

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Next Cinderella AU part ahoy!

Conical hats were actually considered very fashionable during the Middle Ages and the early Renaissance. What’s fascinating, however, is how they evolved into two very distinct and oddly opposing styles of hat: the stereotypical “Pilgrim” hat and the pointed hat that witches are generally depicted wearing! Around the turn of the 17th century, the most stylish variation of black conical hat was called the capotain, which is a cone, but with a rounded top -- the hat McGonagall wears in that top sketch is one of these types of hats (her dress is based on this design, which also features a shorter version of the capotain). The hats were originally fashionable among both men and women, but over time, one group of women that was most associated with wearing them were Quakers, a branch of Christianity that broke away from the Church of England and advocated quite liberated views for the era, such as the abolition of slavery, women’s rights, and a refusal to involve themselves in war. They also passionately believed that one didn’t have to attend church in order to be close to God and that one could practice one’s faith out in the world by living and dressing modestly and being active in charity work. (To learn more about the history of how the conical hat evolved into our modern image of “the witch hat,” check out this awesome fashion history video on the subject.) As one can expect, Quakers and Quaker women in particular were not well-taken-to by a lot of European society, especially by the religious movement on the opposite site of the political scale in Britain, the uber-conservative, Bible-purist Puritans. Many of these same Puritan-types got very involved in hunting witches both in Europe and in the Americas (the Salem Witch Trials are a perfect example). But yes...if one looks up pictures of historical clothing for Puritan men and/or “the Pilgrims” (A.K.A. the group of Americans that colonized Plymouth, who were Puritans), they very often wore a variation of the capotain! Although it’s been theorized by historians that the capotains worn by Quaker women ended up being associated with sin and therefore witchcraft, similar hats were also worn by the men who persecuted them. The hats were worn by both sides -- victim and accuser -- and yet most of us today look at the capotain and immediately think “witch” exclusively. Talk about irony.

Greensleeves is often ascribed as being commissioned by King Henry VIII for his second wife, Anne Boleyn (even Six the Musical references this)...but it actually was written in the later half of the 16th century, when Anne’s daughter Elizabeth I was Queen. So yeah, that’s sadly just an old wives tale. But it is a lovely song! The melody for Greensleeves has been remarkably long-lasting, even being rewritten as multiple Christmas songs over the centuries, including the still popular What Child is This?, which was written in 1865.

Previous part is here -- whole tag is here -- Katriona “KC” Cassiopeia belongs to @kc-needs-coffee -- and I hope you all enjoy!

x~x~x~x

Carewyn very quickly threw on her mother’s green-sleeved yellow dress and as many warm wool petticoats as she could before fetching her white horse from the palace stable. She rode up through the gate in exactly twenty-five minutes, to find Orion on his black mare waiting for her. Carewyn was ready to ask Orion if everything was all right, but almost as soon as they’d left the perimeter of the gate, Orion urged his horse into a fast gallop.

“Come, my lady,” he cried over his shoulder, “let us chase that horizon!”

Carewyn had to send her horse charging forward in its own gallop to catch up with him. They rode right through the market and then out of the capitol altogether -- they avoided the road that led toward the Cromwell estate, dashing eastward. They weaved in and out of the rolling snow-capped hills, riding beside and around each other. The freedom of riding alone was enough to bring some life back into Orion’s cheeks, and Carewyn despite herself soon found herself smiling.

When they came to a stop at the top of a hill close to the northern border, Orion looked out over the edge with a handsome, endless gleam in his eye, like that of a sailor looking out to sea. Carewyn once again prepared to ask Orion if he was all right...but once again, Orion dodged the question.

“Do you see that eagle, overhead?” asked Orion.

Carewyn looked up. She did -- it was a truly handsome golden eagle, gliding in a circle through the air over their heads.

“I’ve seen eagles just like that nearly every day, up and down the border,” said Orion. “Shall we see if we can ride fast enough to overtake it in flight? Could we take flight as birds do, without ever spreading wings?”

“Orion...”

Carewyn brought a hand gently down on his arm.

“I know there’s something wrong,” she whispered.

Orion looked at her, his expression losing most of its levity and becoming much blanker and more inscrutable again.

“I understand if you can’t tell me,” she insisted softly. Her blue eyes rested on her own hand on his arm rather than his face -- with the intense concern she felt, she didn’t dare expose them further by looking straight into his eyes. “And I truly don’t want you to feel like you have to tell me anything you don’t want to. Your secrets are your own, and I know you have a reason for them.”

Just as I have mine.

“I only...I can tell you’re running from something...maybe even the thing you’ve being running from, every time you’ve come to see me, all these weeks...and I don’t know what to do, to protect you from what you’re so afraid of. Please...tell me what I can do.”

Orion’s black eyes trailed over Carewyn’s face, rippling with many tiny flickers of emotion that were hard to properly identify -- pain? Affection? Anxiety? Evasiveness? Shame? Longing? Who knew?

At last the Prince of Florence brought a hand out to gingerly rest on top of Carewyn’s on his arm.

“Chase that eagle with me,” he said softly.

Carewyn looked up at Orion and then at the eagle overhead as it soared off toward the nearby woods. Then she gave him a small, sad smile and nodded.

“...All right.”

Dislodging herself from Orion, Carewyn steadied her grip on her horse’s reins and flicked them to make it gallop toward the woods.

“Well, come on, then!” she called over her shoulder with the strongest smile she could. “T’would be a shame if I out-rode you in a challenge you set yourself!”

Orion’s face broke out into a brighter, fond smile and he pursued her.

The two rode their horses down the hill and into the trees. Racing side by side, overtaking each other in their strides and then catching up again -- all while Orion smiled so fully and handsomely, and looked at her with such blazing midnight-black eyes -- was a joy that Carewyn had trouble putting into proper words. His expression was full of such silent, and yet unbridled joy -- free, in every sense of the word.

“You should be allowed to feel like that more often,” Orion’s words returned to her. “Free.”

You should be allowed to feel like that too, Orion, thought Carewyn. You deserve to feel this free all the time.

The two rode with speed until they’d finally lost sight of the beautiful golden eagle. Slowing their horses into a calmer trot, they then journeyed through the trees, enjoying the peaceful serenity of the chirping birds and the pools of sunlight scattered across the muddy, snow-dusted ground.

“I’ve never been out this far before,” Carewyn confessed, her almond-shaped blue eyes trailing over the interlaced branches overhead.

Orion looked at her out the side of his eye. “...This close to the border, you mean?”

“Yes.”

Carewyn caught a strange scent in the distance -- something vaguely like the fires she’d tend to back at the castle and the Cromwell estate.

“...Something’s burning...”

Orion nodded solemnly. “Bonfires. The Royaumanian and Florentine camps aren’t far from here.”

Carewyn looked at Orion, slightly startled. His gaze had wandered northward, but it was clear his mind was far from the trees his eyes were idly resting on.

“We’re near the war front?” asked Carewyn softly.

“Yes...” Orion glanced her out the side of his eye. “...Are you frightened?”

“No,” said Carewyn.

She looked through the trees in the direction Orion had been facing.

Jacob could be over there right now, she thought to herself. The idea of seeing her brother for the first time in nine years -- of hugging him again and seeing his relieved smile -- it made her feel like her heart was being squeezed.

Orion’s black eyes scanned her longing, but fearless face, before shifting back in the direction of the trees that obscured the path toward the war front.

“The scales are going to shift again, soon,” he whispered. He could feel Carewyn’s eyes on him again. “The two sides have constantly fought for dominance...lashing out ruthlessly and then retaliating, back and forth, until they’re forced to come to a stalemate, just to catch their breath. Then one lashes out again, and the precarious balance is thrown to the winds once more...”

Carewyn’s blue eyes rippled with concern. “Orion...is something bad about to happen, out there?”

Orion closed his eyes. His father claimed he needed him, in order to lead the Florentine army in the two-pronged attack on Royaume...but it wasn’t unlikely that the King might make do and find someone else to fill that role...

“Hopefully not,” he said softly.

Carewyn reached out a hand and took hold of Orion’s wrist. Orion looked down at her hand and then up at her face -- she had trouble looking at him, but he could tell her eyes were rippling with concern. His heart felt like it was suddenly being harshly compressed, just to fit inside of his chest.

You wish to protect me from what I fear...but what I fear, I should wish to protect you from.

The King’s words returned to his mind.

“When you make mistakes, the people you cherish, that you want most desperately to protect, pay the price!”

But how could he hope to protect Carewyn from the War and the cost it would demand? How could he hope to stop it, when his own father unknowingly would be sabotaging his efforts for peace? How could he live with himself, if he had to chain himself to the War the way the King had -- to fight against the Royaumanians he’d met and broken bread with as equals?

Orion took several deep breaths before speaking again.

“...My father wishes me to join him, at the front,” he admitted lowly.

Carewyn looked up, startled. “...Your father’s in the army?”

“Yes,” said Orion. “He’s...a high-ranking officer. He expects that I will follow his example and lead our ranks into battle.”

Carewyn considered Orion for a moment. “...You don’t want to.”

Orion’s eyes darkened significantly. “...I don’t want to.”

When Carewyn didn’t respond, he pressed on.

“My father believes that the War can only be ended through force -- that justice can be only brought about by utterly destroying our enemy. But...I cannot believe that. I grew up on the border between Florence and Royaume. The town I’m from is so close that one could hop easily from one to the other. It caused some tensions, yes...but it also made it so that at first meeting, or even third or fourth, you never knew what side of the divide a person was on. And so I found myself constantly thinking...what is it that truly separates us? Is it morality? Is it values? Humanity? And yet I don’t think either side can boast having any of those things exclusively. It instead all comes back to a mistake made fifty years ago -- a land dispute that ended more violently than it should have. So many people have died, all because of that...and because neither King has decided to be the better man and choose forgiveness over vengeance.”

Orion bowed his head, his eyes closing solemnly.

“...My father asked me to help him lead the army, in an upcoming attack on the enemy forces -- one that he believes could end the War once and for all. But...”

He exhaled quietly through his nose.

“...I couldn’t accept that burden...so I left.”

Carewyn didn’t respond. Orion scanned her face, trying to read her reaction, but it was proving difficult when she wouldn’t look at him.

Does she...disapprove? he couldn’t help but think. She did think he was Royaumanian -- she didn’t understand that he wanted to protect her brother, not prevent him from returning home...but how could he explain that to her, without...?

“I know that the War could end, if my father’s strategy succeeds,” Orion explained, trying to keep his voice level despite the anxiety he felt, “but this is only one strategy of hundreds, all of which have failed. And even if our side was victorious...however many lives I could potentially save by fighting, I would be snuffing out far more. I realize that this is my responsibility alone, and sometimes one must be willing to do what others will not, to reach their goal...but flowers bloom under sunlight and water, not blood. If we could avoid burning a forest to the ground, wouldn’t it then be easier to bring it back to life?”

“Yes...but if someone wants to set a forest ablaze, you have to act if you want to stop them.”

Carewyn’s response was very soft and solemn, but there was no anger or disapproval -- instead, to Orion’s immense relief, it sounded almost encouraging.

“If you believe that Royaume could make peace with Florence, then you need to speak out for it,” she said firmly. “If you see it and believe in it, that’s great...but you need to make others see and believe in it too, if it’s going to really come about. Talk to your father, make him see things as you do -- and if he isn’t able to, then...well, I’ll talk to Andre, and you and he can discuss it together.”

Her lips spread into a gentle smile and she gave his wrist a light squeeze.

“My own family may have profited because of the War, but the people of Royaume, the common man, would celebrate, if peace could come about without further loss. If Florence would also, then that’s a step in the right direction. There’s more than one way to fight for something...all it requires is enough courage to place one’s goal over whatever risks stand in their way.”

Orion stared at Carewyn for a long moment. As he did, the black of his eyes seemed to melt, gaining a warmer, softer light that resembled candlelight rippling in endless, dark water.

“...Carewyn...”

Before he could say anything more, however, there was a loud explosion in the distance. Carewyn’s horse reared back in terror, which in turn spooked Orion’s, and both Carewyn and Orion had to quickly calm their steeds.

“Whoa, whoa,” Carewyn whispered in her horse’s ear, “easy, boy...it’s all right...”

Orion stroked his horse’s mane with a slightly trembling hand, breathing in and out as he tried to steady his heart rate. He then looked at Carewyn with a more serious eye.

“...Perhaps we should make our way back to the valley. It’s not safe here.”

Carewyn looked northward through the trees again. “Do you think your father’s started the attack?”

“No. Coordinated attacks require both strategy and assignments, as well as the element of surprise. I’d say this is a skirmish between younger, less experienced soldiers -- and if so, it’s likely to run farther afield and cause damage outside the designated battlefield.”

Orion could see Carewyn still hesitating. Although there was no fear in her face, she seemed reluctant to leave -- likely thinking of her brother, more than the risk to her own safety...

After a brief flicker of uncertainty, Orion reached out a hand and took hold of Carewyn’s arm not unlike how she’d taken his earlier.

“From everything I’ve heard from you about your brother, I truly cannot see him not doing everything he possibly can, to look out for your well-being...including looking after himself.”

A second smaller explosion in the distance made Orion stiffen slightly, his fingers tightening that bit around Carewyn’s arm.

“...We should move out of harm’s way,” he said as levelly as he could.

Seeing the paleness of Orion’s face, Carewyn relented at once.

“Yes.”

Bringing a hand up onto Orion’s horse’s reins, she directed both of them around so they could start riding back out the way they came.

As they came around a cluster of trees, however, their attention was caught by the sound of the cry of an eagle and many snapping branches. Carewyn’s horse reared back again, just barely dodging a large clump of golden-brown feathers that collided sharply with the ground.

Carewyn once again rushed to soothe her horse. Orion quickly climbed off his horse and bent down to get a better look at what had fallen.

It was a golden eagle, just as brilliant as the one they’d chased into the wood -- perhaps even the same one. It was conscious, but clearly in pain when it tried to return to the air -- its left wing crumpled up against its side and covered in blood and what looked like grayish ash.

Orion’s black eyes narrowed.

“Gunpowder,” he said. “The poor creature’s wing must have been struck by a stray bullet.”

Once she’d successfully soothed her white horse, Carewyn likewise jumped off its back. She dashed over to Orion, hitching up the skirt of her mother’s gown as she went.

“Can you hold him?” she asked.

The eagle gave an angry-sounding cry, baring its sharp talons at both of them, and it tried to hobble away back into the air with its one good wing.

“I don’t think he wants our help,” said Orion.

Undaunted, Carewyn ripped off some fabric from her outer-most petticoat. “Well, he needs it, whether he wants it or not. Can you hold him, please?”

Orion looked at the eagle. Rather than try to grab it, he met the eagle’s eyes and tried not to blink. The eagle looked back at him with a piercing gaze. When Orion extended a hand, the eagle lashed out its talons again -- Orion withdrew, but didn’t flinch.

“Steady,” he said gently.

He waited a moment, keeping eye contact with the bird, and then tried again. This time he was able to move close enough to touch before the eagle lashed out with its claws again.

“Peace,” said Orion patiently. “We mean you no harm, feathered friend.”

Another loud explosion in the distance made both the eagle and Orion flinch.

“That one sounded closer,” said Carewyn, her voice faintly tense but as gentle as she could. “We need to be quick.”

The flames of his childhood home were returning to Orion’s mind despite his best efforts, and he shut them out as best he could, closing his eyes and breathing in and out several times. Once he’d reestablished his focus, Orion opened his eyes again.

The eagle looked from Orion to Carewyn almost critically. Finally, after Orion reached in for a third time, it let the Prince run a gentle hand over its back. Once the bird was calm, Orion then carefully extended its wing so that Carewyn could reach it.

“This will likely hurt him a little,” Carewyn told Orion. “Please hold him still, so he won’t fly away.”

Orion brought a hand around the eagle, which fidgeted and cried out indignantly, but did not claw or snap at them. With Orion holding out its wing, Carewyn was able to reach into its blood-soaked feathers and dislodge the bullet. The eagle gave an angry, pained cry, and Carewyn very quickly set about wrapping up the wound with the white fabric she’d ripped out of her petticoat.

“There,” breathed Carewyn, her red lips spreading into a smile. “That should help...”

The bird looked down at its wing, gingerly folding up against its side as it surveyed her with a very beady eye. With a soft click of her tongue against her teeth, she slowly extended an arm out, holding it very still like a branch.

“Climb on,” she cooed. “That’s it...”

The eagle peered Carewyn over, but after a long moment, it gradually scooted over and leapt up onto her arm. Its talons dug into the sleeve of her dress with strength, and it was heavier than Carewyn expected, but she with some difficulty just barely managed to hoist it up.

“Your talent with animals shines through again,” said Orion with a wry smile, clasping his hands lightly in front of him.

“You weren’t half bad yourself,” Carewyn said amusedly. She brought a hand gently along the eagle’s comb. “You’re a very handsome bird, aren’t you? You poor thing...”

“You there!”

Both Orion and Carewyn looked up in great surprise.

Striding through the woods toward them was a very tall middle-aged woman. She wore a black capotain hat and an old-fashioned black dress with a white ruff around the collar, and her graying brown hair was tied up in an austere looking bun under her hat. Despite her apparent age, her step was strong and her posture as straight as a general’s.

“What are you doing here?” said the woman very sternly.

Carewyn stood a bit uneasily, thanks to the weight of the eagle on her arm, but she nonetheless straightened up, resting a hand on the eagle’s back almost protectively.

“We’re merely out riding, madam,” she said, not impolitely, but still confidently.

The woman peered down at both Orion and Carewyn with an eye almost as critical as the eagle’s had been as she crossed her arms. Her height made it so she towered over both of them with relative ease.

“Well, through your riding, you have trespassed on my land,” she said stiffly. “And it seems you’ve claimed something of mine.”

Her eyes flickered over to the eagle on Carewyn’s arm, taking in the makeshift bandage on its wing. The golden eagle gave a loud shriek -- the woman extended her arm, and it leapt the distance, landing on her arm instead. The older woman did not struggle to hold it up the way Carewyn had.

Carewyn blinked in surprise. “Then...he’s yours?”

“Do you have others, like him?” Orion asked curiously.

The woman peered down at the bird on her arm with a look that was rather like a scolding, but still affectionate mother’s. “No -- he’s one of a kind. All the more reason why I’m pleased to see him safe, after coming so close to the enemy camp.”

The eagle bowed its head, its gaze flickering back over toward Carewyn and Orion. When another cluster of explosions rang out through the air, however, both the bird and Orion straightened up abruptly.

The woman looked northward, and then beckoned Carewyn and Orion after her with her hand.

“Come with me -- with the armies positioned just north of us and a band of Florentine bandits just south, the safest place at present to wait out this skirmish is my home.”

The woman introduced herself as the Baroness Minerva McGonagall. Carewyn felt like the surname was familiar somehow, but she couldn’t quite place it in her memory. Regardless, McGonagall led Carewyn and Orion out through the trees. Only once they crossed the perimeter of the trees and McGonagall gestured toward the valley below did Carewyn and Orion see her country estate. It was odd that they didn’t spot it sooner, for although the valley seemed to cradle the small chateau, it was a rather beautiful and open estate framed by a wrought iron gate. The property itself was made of aged brick and stone with stained glass windows and overgrown with ice-trimmed ivy.

After holding out her arm so that the eagle perched there could jump down on the railing beside the stone stairs that led up to the front door, the Baroness invited Orion and Carewyn inside. As stern as she’d first appeared, she actually was a very kind host -- after Orion and Carewyn’s horses were settled in her stable, she escorted the two into the dining hall, where she served them some rose water and ginger biscuits. Once inside the house, none of them could hear the explosions from the battlefield -- it was as though the walls cancelled out all sounds from outside even though they must’ve been so close.

Seeing that the Baroness had no servants to help her, Carewyn insisted on taking the dishes to the kitchen and washing them, so as to thank the older woman for her hospitality. Despite being reluctant to accept the help at first, McGonagall eventually accepted it, her lips upturned in a rather dewy smile as Carewyn left the dining hall.

“Your riding companion has a very kind heart, Your Highness,” she said, once Carewyn was out of earshot.

Orion’s black eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly.

“...You know me.”

"Naturally,” said McGonagall. “You do very much resemble your grandfather -- and your father as well, I expect.”

“You knew my grandfather?”

“We met once, a very long time ago,” said McGonagall rather curtly. “Your name would also be Cosimo, correct?”

“I am called Orion,” said the Prince, his level voice dusted with the slightest edge. “By both my lady, and otherwise.”

McGonagall’s eyes grew a little smaller. “She comes from the Cromwell family, doesn’t she?”

Orion’s eyes narrowed that little bit more, but he did not reply.

“I suspected it due to her eyes,” said McGonagall, “but with how gentle they were, I wasn’t sure.”

Her eyebrows rose over her narrowed eyes as she leaned forward slightly and rested her elbows on the table.

“You have quite a predicament before you, Orion,” she said dryly, interlacing her fingers beside her chin.

Orion clasped his hands on the table in front of him, considering the Baroness carefully.

“Yet you decided not to approach me about it until Carewyn left the room,” he said levelly. “Is it because you suspected I knew your true identity, and why your house has been so miraculously shielded from the War raging on your doorstep?”

McGonagall peered at Orion over her hands with something like wry amusement. “Florentines are generally more favorable toward magic than Royaumanians. And considering your grandfather shielded my family after my mother accidentally killed the King and we fled across the border...well, it would be in-character for you, especially.”

“And yet you returned to the land that the King of Royaume had died trying to claim?” asked Orion. “Why?”

McGonagall gave a dismissive shrug. “It was our home. Even if we had to cast and recast illusions every day to prevent anyone else from finding it again, that was a cost we were willing to pay. And one I’m still willing to pay today, to protect those who live here.”

McGonagall’s eyes were drawn to the hallway -- a young man with tanned skin and a sharp nose had just paused in the door frame of the dining hall. His arm was in a makeshift sling and wrapped with what looked like bandages made out of petticoat fabric. When Orion turned around, the young man stared him down with just as beady of a look as the golden eagle from before had.

“The skirmish has ended, Baroness,” the man said brusquely.

“I hope you haven’t determined that by casting any more transfiguration spells, my young apprentice,” said McGonagall with a slightly reproachful look.

The apprentice’s nose wrinkled sourly. “No. The explosions have just stopped -- they probably decided it wasn’t worth trying to fire their cannons blindly in the dark.”

“Very well,” said McGonagall. “Orion, you and Carewyn may leave when you wish. Though I would recommend you steer clear of the border. The bandits in these woods are Florentines, so I doubt they will harm you...but I cannot be sure how they would respond to a Royaumanian, especially one related to one of their wealthiest noblemen.”

Orion nodded. “I understand.”

“Make sure you bring her back to the palace safely,” said the apprentice, his eagle-like eyes still rather critical upon Orion. “It’s the least you can do, considering she doesn’t know the extent of the risk she’s taking, interacting with you.”

He swept down the hallway and out of sight, still holding his arm. Orion was a bit surprised that the Baroness’s apprentice knew where Carewyn worked -- but then, he recalled, he’d seen an eagle flying over his and Carewyn’s heads once, while they were walking through the market together, hadn’t he? Might it have been this man then, as well -- as it likely had, every time he’d seen an eagle while crossing the border?

McGonagall looked back at Orion, her expression a bit more solemn. “I understand your rationale behind not telling her of your identity, Orion...but remember -- deception is just like any magical spell. Even the most powerful ones in the world don’t last long.”

Orion bowed his head. “...I know.”

He knew none of this could last. He knew that once Carewyn knew who he was, everything between them would change, whether he wanted it to or not. He did think that Carewyn would understand -- he desperately hoped so -- but even so, it was sad to him, knowing that his happy times with Carewyn were doomed to be so fleeting...

“I just...want to enjoy my time with her as long as I can,” said Orion softly. “However fleeting it might be...even when it is over...at least then I can cherish the memory of those moments forever.”

McGonagall’s face grew a bit gentler, almost sympathetic. "I see...”

Carewyn returned at that moment, wiping her bangs out of her eyes with her arm.

“Orion,” she said, “it looks like the stars have come out.”

Orion looked out the window. The sky was dark with night and shining with stars.

“So they have,” he said with a soft smile. He turned to McGonagall. “Forgive me, Baroness...but might we sit in the valley outside your home for a short while, before we leave?”

McGonagall smiled. “Of course.”

Orion and Carewyn found a grassy spot in the crest of the valley where they could sit and look up at the stars. Upon learning that Carewyn hadn’t ever gone stargazing before, Orion lay back against the grass and pointed out each constellation above them to Carewyn in turn -- the hero Perseus, his enemy the Cetus, and his future wife Andromeda -- -- the divine twins, Castor and Pollux, otherwise known as a pair as Gemini -- and the queen Cassiopeia, which made Carewyn laugh, thinking of her friend, KC. Carewyn loved listening to Orion’s stories: the way he would vividly embellish every detail and go off on philosophical tangents in the middle was oddly endearing. After he told his first tale about Perseus, Carewyn was reminded of the Song of Roland, an epic about a similarly grand hero, and soon Orion would ask her to sing something in response to every story he told, however weak the connection was. When they reached Cassiopeia’s tale, Carewyn sang one of her favorite songs, Greensleeves.

“I have been ready at your hand To grant whatever thou would’st crave; I have waged both life and land, Your love and goodwill for to have.

Greensleeves was all my joy; Greensleeves was my delight; Greensleeves was my heart of gold, And who but my lady Greensleeves...”

As before, Orion found himself closing his eyes and relishing the feeling of Carewyn’s voice washing over him. At the end of this song in particular, however, when he opened his eyes, he found himself chuckling softly.

Carewyn raised an eyebrow. “What?”

Orion’s black eyes were sparkling like two miniature night skies as they ran over Carewyn sitting just below him. “It’s a lovely song, as always...but I have not ever seen my ‘star twin,’ so to speak, wearing green -- only ever black and blue. You, however...”

He took her hand so that he could extend her arm out like they were dancing, showing off the olive green sleeves of her dress.

“So it seems you are ‘my lady Greensleeves,’” said Orion with a wry smile.

“Oh, stop it,” Carewyn huffed, her cheeks burning as she withdrew her hand.

Orion laughed fully. It was the first time Carewyn had ever heard him laugh so openly before -- it was a soft sound in the back of his throat, like a chuckle, and yet so much brighter and warmer. Despite herself, Carewyn couldn’t fight back a full smile of her own. Her shoulder brushed up against Orion’s as she reclined back onto the grass, her body tilting slightly toward him as she looked up at the sky.

“...There’s a constellation called Orion, isn’t there?”

Orion smiled and traced the stars of the constellation with his finger. “Just there. Do you see his chest? And there’s his bow.”

“I see it!” said Carewyn excitedly. “His arm is arched back, right?”

“Yes -- he’s holding a club in his other hand. He was a great hunter, you see -- the greatest hunter, they say, aside from Artemis, Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt. Some say that he hunted alongside her. Others say she was his one and only love...and that she, likewise, never loved any other man, in all her days.”

When Carewyn didn’t respond, Orion looked down at her. She was considering the constellation very carefully, looking oddly deep in thought.

Orion tilted his head to look better at her face. “Your eyes resemble a dark pool.”

Carewyn looked up, startled.

“They’re so deep and mysterious, I hardly know what is within them,” said Orion. “Yet I would dearly like to know, if you were willing to share their contents.”

Carewyn’s eyes drifted back up to the sky uncomfortably.

“It’s just...I’m realizing that I don’t even know if Orion is your real name,” she murmured. “You said I could call you it...you did not say it was your name.”

Orion’s face became grimmer. His hands clasped over his chest and he too looked back up at the sky.

“...It’s not the name I was born with,” he admitted. “I chose the name myself, when I was young.”

The memory of the older boys at the workhouse shoving him, piling extra work on him, and mockingly bowing whenever he walked by rippled over his mind.

“Clear the floor for the Prince!”

“Why thank you, Prince Cosimo -- you’re too kind!”

“Does the mud add flavor, your Royal Highness?”

“When I was at the workhouse, my name...antagonized the other boys. So, to try to preempt the reactions, I started avoiding telling anyone my name. I would dread anyone ever asking.”

“Like when I asked you?” whispered Carewyn. Even though her eyes were averted, she was clearly very ashamed and upset.

Orion leaned against her slightly, offering her a gentle, reassuring expression. “No, Carewyn. I dreaded it when I had no answer I could give at all. It made me anxious...made me feel like I didn’t know who I was supposed to be...made it difficult for me to interact with much of anyone at all.”

He closed his eyes.

“But...after hearing the tale of the great hunter whose skill put him on the same level as a goddess...I decided that was who I’d be. I’d chase my dreams with just as much single-minded focus -- be just as free and strong of a man, by fighting the monster inside of myself.”

Carewyn looked up at Orion, her eyes rippling with sadness. “The monster inside of yourself?”

“Mm,” said Orion. “Mine is a frenetic beast. It makes it hard for me to think, act, or even breathe, when it’s particularly intense. It makes me question absolutely everything, including myself. It shouts so many things in my ears so loudly that I can’t move or react properly, and I have to break away from everything and everyone, just to silence it. Sometimes it even brings back bad memories that make the experience even worse.”

Carewyn was once again avoiding his eye, but it was largely because she was having trouble keeping her face stoic.

“...It’s terrible, when you feel like you can’t do anything,” she said lowly.

Orion didn’t speak. He wanted her to feel comfortable enough to continue -- after a silence, she finally pressed on.

“When Jacob first went off to War...I felt so helpless. So...alone. And worse...I felt like that’s how I should be. Like I should be alone, and empty, and cold, and in pain, when Jacob was off at War suffering, while I’m stuck here.”

Her eyes darkened.

“There are times when...I think I still should be. Sometimes...well, it’s all the time.”

She closed her eyes, exhaled heavily through her nose, and then looked up at Orion with a firmer expression.

“...But I know I can’t afford to sit around and feel sorry for myself -- not when I need to be strong, for Jacob’s sake. So I don’t.”

Orion’s black eyes softened visibly, rippling with empathy. “No...you certainly don’t.”

He paused. His eyes ran over Carewyn’s face, trailing through her hair hesitantly.

“Carewyn...” he said at last, very softly, “may I...?”

He swallowed.

“...May I rest my head, on top of yours?”

Carewyn’s face broke into a very sweet, tender smile.

“Of course,” she murmured.

Orion shifted over and, very tentatively, leaned back against the grass so that Carewyn’s head rested in the crook of his neck and his cheek rested against the top of her head. He closed his eyes -- she felt so warm...

“I...realize that the beasts inside of us are ours alone to face,” said Orion softly, “but...should you need a hunter to help you beat yours back...I will be here.”

Carewyn’s blue eyes rippled with emotion as she stared up at Orion’s face. Her red lips slowly turned up in a smile that was full of pain, and yet also fuller still of love.

“And I will always help you fight yours,” she whispered. “If you need me...I will fight for you.”

Orion’s expression cleared, losing all tension as a smile pricked at the corners of his lips. He breathed deeply, his heart slowing to a wonderful peaceful beat as he took in the smell of her hair. Carewyn watched his serene, handsome face, and she found herself moving into him that bit more, just to get a better view. For that moment, it felt like the whole world outside wasn’t there -- that the War and the palace and the Cromwell clan and everything she was and wasn’t didn’t even exist...and in that moment, Carewyn realized...

If she was ever truly free, she would want to love the man called Orion with all of her heart.

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cynthiaandsamus · 3 years

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Custom Toonami Block Week 73 Rundown

Code Geass: Lelouch and co. are still stuck in China and Xingke’s flipping out because the Chinese assholes are gonna kill the Empress and go with someone less problematic for their political marriage to Britannia’s creepily overaged prince. However Lelouch pulls out a Knightmare that’s basically the Twink version of the Gawain and busts everyone up as well as pulling a Father Cornello on them and letting the people know they’re all elitst 1% assholes that don’t care about them, which I suspect all countries probably know about their leaders but it sucks to hear it in a recording so riots show up all over China and CC Geass Flashes Anya to take her out so Britannia has to back out because the Chinese Hierarchy are now the least popular people in the world. So Xingke gets to be with his Empress and joins the Black Knights but Dietard wants the Empress to marry someone on their side so they can basically do the asshole move Britannia just tried to do but for them. All the girls are like ‘hey no’ and Lelouch is like “Oh hey Tamaki buddy, let’s go talk and get me the fuck out of here” so before Lelouch actually has to give Tamaki more lines and elevate him beyond the Black Knight’s Yamacha Shirley calls and Lelouch just straight up asks Shirley about love in a weirdly forced series of circumstance. But Shirley’s like “Yeah don’t fuck with love, don’t you love anyone?” and Lelouch is like “Yeah I do, Nunally!” and I don’t think that’s at all what Shirley meant but it does mean Lelouch sees that fighting for something beyond politics is powerful and agrees to not marry off the twelve year old girl, so that’s good. Lelouch decides to return home while they hunt down the Geass cult which is in China for some reason despite that being one of the like two places on earth Britannia doesn’t control and the Geass Cult largely being a Britannian affair. Meanwhile Sayoko is basically a Lelouch Vtuber at this point with her insanely accurate Lupin III mask of Lelouch and kisses Shirley so Shirley’s a little bit more gay than she was before and is not sure how to feel about that. When she’s about to tell the real Lelouch he kisses like a girl, Anya and Gino show up because we’re retreading the whole ‘sleeping with the enemy at school’ thing from the first season except with way less interesting enemies. Also the preview for the next episode is Lelouch dramatically talking about enemies finding out he’s Zero overtop footage of Shirley and Milly absolutely naked in a batthouse scene so I think we know what kind of episode that’ll be.

Inuyasha: The Panther Demon filler concludes with everyone meeting at the site where the Panther Master is being revived behind a strong barrier, if only someone just got a barrier upgrade to their sword, oh wait. But yeah everyone manages to free the hostages so even though Kagome’s jewel shards revives the Panther Master he’s still a zombie without a sacrifice which is weird since Naraku managed to completely revive the Band of Seven with one jewel shard each from skeletons and the Panther Lord has three shards so idk the rules here but yeah he steals the souls of his own men to revive and is Wind Scar Proof because he just is. It’s pretty cool to see him shooting his claws and lightning and shit but he’s too big and slow for it to be much of an interesting fight. Sesshomaru’s about to go full demon which would be interesting since we haven’t seen his full demon form since he lost his arm but in a neat bit of character development, Tenseiga calms his rage and tells him to use it instead. You get the feeling Sesshomaru only goes full demon when he flies off the handle and forgets about speed and strategy so him opting to not repeat the mistake he made against Inuyasha is pretty cool. Anyway Tenseiga heals the souls of the Panther Demons and drains their energy from the lord so he’s back to Zombie Cat Man which Inuyasha can Wind Scar because that’s what happens to villains on this show, all Wind Scars all the time. The Panthers don’t wanna fight anymore since their boss just killed them and tell Inuyasha to tell Sesshomaru the feud is over and they’re going back to the West. Honestly this is basically the same backstory they gave Kirinmaru in Yashahime so it’s funny for them to say they’re going back to the same place Kirinmaru is from, wonder if it’ll ever come up in Yashahime since most filler seems canon there.

Yu Yu Hakusho: Yusuke and Kuwabara continue the assault on Tarukane’s compound and basically plow through the lower demons easy since they’ve been fighting minor deities up to this point. It’s always pretty cool in Shonen to just have a few rounds to show how much power creep the heroes have had where certain things just don’t bother them anymore. Toguro murders a Chimera which has an oddly similar backstory to Nina from FMA and he seems really bummed about it but he’s like “Hey we’re both monsters made by humans telling us to do shit, so sorry for killing you bro”. And Tarukane basically sees Toguro is the next boss and is like “Yup time to scam some people off of this” and he sets up a betting ring for how far Yusuke and Co will get into his compound. This is kinda neat because it puts Tarukane in the weird position of betting against his own guards and hoping Yusuke will make it all the way to Toguro and then lose after everyone else has seen how awesome Yusuke is and bets on him. And funnily enough Sakyo’s in on the betting and he’s watched anime before so he knows to bet on the plucky teenagers with weird powers. So yeah Yusuke and Kuwabara finish plowing through the demons while Hiei kinda stalks them and remembers getting his eye surgery and wanting to help his sister but it’s kind of against spirit world rules for demons to just go plow through humans even if they’re scumbag humans so now Yusuke and Kuwabara have to go fight the Triad of boss demons Toguro has under him before Hiei busts in and just murders everyone for kidnapping his bird-loving jewel-crying little flower of a sister.

Fate Zero: So Kiritsugu can break Kayneth’s Terminator 2 Gaara defenses with rib bullets that just say ‘no’ to using magic and fucks his arrogant ass up. Saber and Lancer do some combo shenanigans to stab Caster right in the book and disrupt all his hentai tentacle demons but the book heals so idk why he can’t just make more. Kirei fucks up Maiya and Iris but didn’t double tap Maiya and DID double tap iris but she’s got Saber’s bullshit healing scabbard on her which no one knows about so Saber’s like “uhhh why are you healing” and Iris can’t tell her so she’s basically “Uhh internet?” Lancer comes in to save Kayneth’s worthless ass and tells Kiritsugu to stop being a dick to Saber because she’s pretty dope. But as usual for an early Fate encounter, no one dies and nothing of terrible consequence happens despite it being teased a couple times. I’ve noticed a trend with Fate that it really doesn’t like killing characters early so you’re basically guaranteed to have the first 2-3 major battles have a zero net gain/loss. Rider in UBW was probably the subversion to that since it happened crazy fast and anticlimactic but even that wasn’t till like ten episodes in.

Konosuba: So we finally meet Wiz the big booby Lich and Kazuma learns a new skill, both fun things. Also the gang gets a house to stay in after escapades with an army of haunted dolls and the most “I need to pee” in a horror setting since Corpse Party. But yeah, good progress this time honestly, the living in a stable gag was getting kind of old so Kazuma’s a bit stronger now and they have a home base so that’s pretty cool. Also Wiz is a Demon General or some shit but no one cares cause there ain’t no money in murdering busty zombie waifus.

Sailor Moon Crystal: So turns out Minako is Princess Serenity, except everyone who knows anything about Sailor Moon or indeed plot structure knows Sailor Moon is Princess Serenity, that’s like the Luke I Am Your Father of this series. But still turns out Minako has been guiding everyone with the power of video games but also thinks the power of friendship sucks and she’s gotta go do everything alone. This makes things super awkward because Mamoru’s pretty sure he was in love with the Princess but likes Usagi, now instead of running with this interesting thread of a reincarnation falling in love with someone new we’re gonna do the reveal that Usagi’s the princess and the whole ‘till death do us part’ part of marriage was just a metaphor and you’re stuck with one person no matter how many times you reincarnate. But yeah, Minako fights the bad guy on top of the tower but he has Naraku’s Barrier now and Minako doesn’t have the Red Tessaiga upgrade yet so she needs the power of friendship but this barrier is friendship-proof and this fight is basically a bunch of kids on the playground making up increasingly stupid powers that negate the other powers the other guy just made up. Anyway Tuxedo Mask shows up and is like “Holy shit Sailor Moon I love when you kiss me and kick ass, go get em sweetie I’ll hold your flower” and they kiss and Usagi has learned that if she just pretends she got this the power of her confidence will beat the bad guy. Unfortunately she does not got this and Tuxedo Mask has to pull a Piccolo and throw himself in front of the blast.

Durarara!!: So now that we’ve had our climax for the arc we have a six month timeskip and everyone’s just kinda living life, Mika and Seiji are being clinically insane together, there’s cops harassing Celty to the point of mental breakdown (normal cop stuff) Shinra’s dad’s in town, Namie’s become Izaya’s secretary for blackmail shit, you know, normal stuff. Also there’s a katana-wielding maniac going around slashing people and Anri’s being bullied and sexually harassed to the point of mental collapse, normal stuff.

#ooc #Toonami #Custom Toonami Block #Code Geass #Inuyasha #Yu Yu Hakusho #Fate Zero #Konosuba #Sailor Moon Crystal #Durarara!!

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jsenvs3000 · 3 years

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Natural Notes ♫

As William Shakespeare once said, “The earth has music for those who listen”. My key takeaway from this unit is that nature and music are intimately connected. Music is found in the natural world and the natural world is found in music (Hooykaas, 2021). For example, the undersea songs of humpback whales are similar in structure to bird and human songs and prove that these marine mammals are inveterate composers (Gray et al., 2001). Something incredible to think about is that humpback whale songs are constructed according to laws that are strikingly similar to those adopted by human composers (Gray et al., 2001). I think this demonstrates how deeply music is embedded in nature...

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Humpback Whale Singing Hervey Bay 2014

Music serves as a powerful cue to recall emotional memories back into awareness. Furthermore, music can elicit new emotions and connect listeners with other emotional sources. Maria (2012) allowed me to imagine myself in a forest; a place that offers radical experiences of spirituality and sacredness for a modern individual. This got me thinking: if music can not only trigger emotions, but also elicit new emotions, could the integration of forest sounds into music foster a sense of spirituality?

Can you hear the creek?

Just like how nature interpretation through art can elicit emotions and allow audiences to notice something they may have never expected to see, nature interpretation through music can spark a very similar reaction. To examine this further, I focused on my ideal environmental interpretation position, specializing in curriculum design and knowledge translation. Social media, the internet, and open science (sometimes referred to as open access) provide interpreters with powerful tools for reaching enormous numbers of people, including people who do not ever visit natural and cultural heritage sites (Beck et al., 2018). I think music should be incorporated more often into online learning resources. Animations, interactive content, videos, etc... are becoming more and more popular, however, music is often overlooked. For instance, complementing content with a podcast containing music, or an introductory audio clip could enhance the learning experience for musical/auditory learners as well as make the experience more engaging and enjoyable for everyone.

“Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable” - Leonard Bernstein

I believe it is fair to say that for most people on earth, including myself, music is an integral part of everyday life. Our memories are often tied to certain songs or genres associated with the paths of our emotional lives. A song can carry us back in time and draw forgotten emotions from deep inside ourselves. For me, the song “Brown Eyed Girl” by Van Morrison takes me immediately back to the natural landscape of Georgian Bay. This is a bit of a strange camp tradition, but mid-campfire (which took place each Saturday), councillors would dress up in yellow raincoats (and were called ‘shmangees’) and hide behind the jumping tower on the water. When “Brown Eyed Girl” was sung, around mid-song, the ‘shmangees’ would emerge on the jumping tower and the camp directors would take turns shooting them into the water. The shooting instructor would be behind the stage shooting blanks. Of course, as an 8-year-old, I actually through the directors were shooting these strange creatures into the water! Our camp version sounded a little different, but I think the repetition really ingrained the song into my head. As a result, whenever I hear it, I picture Georgian Bay and the many ‘shmangees’ being shot off the camp jumping tower.

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The ‘Shmangee’ Song

This unit has taught me that music can strengthen our relationship with nature, and vice versa. What are your feelings, opinions, and thoughts on this?

Jacob

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References:

Beck, L., Cable, T. T., & Knudson, D. M. (2018). Interpreting cultural and natural heritage: For a better world. CHAMPAIGN: SAGAMORE Publishing.

Gray, P., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., & Baptista, L. (2001, January 05). The music of nature and the nature of music. Retrieved March 01, 2021, from https://science.sciencemag.org/content/291/5501/52.full

Hooykaas, A. (2021). Nature Interpretation through Music. Retrieved March 01, 2021, from https://courselink.uoguelph.ca/d2l/le/content/666945/viewContent/2593375/View

Maria, M. I. (2012). Spiritual values of protected areas of Europe: Workshop proceedings ; workshop held from 2-6 November 2011 at the International Academy for Nature Conservation on the Isle of Vilm, Germany. Bonn: BfN Bundesamt für Naturschutz.

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schnowydays · 4 years

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The “Herne and the Red Kite” Analysis Nobody Asked For

WARNING: This is probably a very long and unnecessary post.

Wah, so at first I was quite nervous on posting this at all because this is just so embarrassingly long and it is really overly thought out. Plus no one even asked for it and there does not seem to be a need for this since the song is kind of straightforward. But, I still put work into this so I’m going to post it anyways cuz it would feel like a waste if I didn’t. Plus, I’m immensely busy with school right now, so why not just let this fester while I’m away? So,,, here we go:::

Okay, so this was spun out by this post and I just became so interested in what the heck this song was about. I’ve always loved listening to it but I had no idea what the heck was going on - who is Herne? A red kite?? Does this relate to Hadley and Rosalie???

Plus, I love reading analysis on stuff so, here I am, attempting to make my own.

Anyways, to give a quick overview, I am going to be analyzing both the words and the instruments used in the song, going strictly by the studio recording. Everything here will be MY OPINION ALONE so it could be possible that I am horribly wrong on certain things. This research was INCREDIBLY LIGHT so there are probably a lot of details that I missed. Plus, I don’t really have strong music or literature knowledge, nothing beyond what you’re taught in high school. I’ll try to clear up the blocks of text with pictures or videos of things I think are helpful.

I’m basically going to be the English Teacher who finds meaning in everything meme. You know, the:

So, without further ado...

Background

The Song Itself

As we all know, “Herne and the Red Kite” was written by Hadley Fraser and was released on his EP Just Let Go. Although it was released in 2014, I’m not entirely sure when this song was written, so it could have been really any time before then. Just to get it out there, based on what others have already said (from that post, yes), this song is most likely to be about Hadley and Rosalie Craig. Here is the song itself if you’ve (somehow) never heard it before. You can also listen along and read at the same time :D

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Characters in the Song

Herne

Based on only a Google search, “Herne the Hunter”, an English folklore ghost, is really the only thing that shows up. He is mentioned by Shakespeare in The Merry Wives of Windsor in which he is described as “the ghost of a former Windsor Forest keeper who haunts a particular oak tree at midnight in the winter time” (Wikipedia). He is associated with the Windsor Forest and the Great Park in Berkshire. He basically does a lot of not cool stuff, like making cows produce blood instead of milk and making trees die. Another version states that he was made so that parents can scare their children into being more obedient. Herne is also the surname of a bunch of people. Because Herne is such an interesting name to use for a song like this (why didn’t he pick literally anything else??), then there is probably some intention behind the use of this name and probably the connotations that come with it.

Red Kite

So, apparently, the Red Kite isn’t actually a kite but is actually a kind of English bird. Fun fact, during Shakespeare’s time, it was considered to be an insult to be called a kite because this bird, back then, was regarded as quite a lowly bird since it was literally associated with trash. It was related this way because it eats dead things haha... However, it was hunted intensely until it became basically extinct except for a few in Wales. Over time, as the population began to thrive again, the Red Kite became a celebrated symbol of Wales (probably) (source).

According to a lot of different sites, apparently Red Kites also have some meaning to them. I think the most consistent and most important one is how they are a connection between the living and the underworld. This mystical connection binds well with Herne being a folklore ghost who, of course being a ghost, is probably dead. So, already, they are a pretty good match.

A good thing to note as well, birds, in general, are usually used to symbolize freedom. Also, as far as I can tell, there are really no previous stories or songs or works or whatever about Herne and Red Kites together.

Hadley and Rosalie’s Relationship

I got this information from here (brought up by @peonybooks in a chat, thank you!!)

So, depending on where you look, in 2008 or 2009, Hadley and Rosalie met on the set of A Christmas Carol production in Birmingham, although at the time, they were both dating other people. A piece of the set had fallen on Rosalie during that time and basically destroyed her arm. However, she was determined to swiftly come back to the stage because she was afraid that if she hadn’t, she’ll never be able to come back at all. That, and “because [she] had fallen in love with [Hadley]” (my feelings waaa).

Once the production was over, Hadley shipped it back to LA while Rosalie stayed in London. Hadley returned a year later and called up Rosalie for a drink. It was then discovered that they had actually liked each other this entire time!! They just never told each other. They lived together in Crystal Palace after that and married in 2014. This makes it around the time that this EP was released.

Hadley and Rosalie as Herne and the Red Kite

Something interesting I noticed was the relation of their names to these characters. H is for Hadley and Herne. R is for Rosalie and the Red Kite.

Of course, this little fun fact breaks a bit if Hadley is using his real first name, Robert, haha. The “Red” in “Red Kite” can also be a relation to how Rosalie has red hair (thanks @alittlepawblog hehe).

Also, something worth noting is how Rosalie sings all the lines that are in Herne’s perspective, and Hadley sings all the lines about the Red Kite’s perspective. That trade-off is quite neat, actually. They are both narrators together in this story, but they are swapping who talks about who. It makes the whole song feel like they are speaking for each other together.

Lyrics and Instruments

I think for this part, I am going to break it up by when each person sings. So basically, whenever there is a new singer or if they start singing together, that will be a new section. Italics are lyrics, regular print is the analysis.

Instrumental

The story is introduced by an accordion. To be honest, it sounds quite static, or maybe even stoic. There is not a lot of feeling in it, maybe to demonstrate how Herne and the Red Kite’s lives were like before meeting each other.

The sprinkles of hi-hats spring the beginning of the song, which consists of a guitar melody, bass and a violin. The violin has a recurring melody that is highlighted every time there is an instrumental break. It could perhaps represent Herne as both Herne (and subsequently Hadley) is mentioned throughout the song consistently, while the Red kite is only mentioned after the introduction.

Rosalie

Herne lived alone, lived alone in a wood Staring at swallows, wishing he could Join their migration from flower to flower Finally deciding to rest on some bower

Herne is introduced right off the bat, making him kind of the main character. That, and the fact that he has the most lines in the song directly about him. Makes sense if Herne is supposed to stand in for Hadley, since Hadley wrote this song. The fact that he lives in the woods also fits nicely with how he is supposed to be a ghost associated with the Windsor Forest and the Great Park.

The lyrics state he is lonely and stares at swallows, wishing he could join them and fly far away visiting beautiful things (“flower to flower”). Swallows are typically symbols for very very good things, like happiness, protection, connection, conflict resolution, etc. The words “finally deciding to rest” kind of makes it like he has been on this long trek for happiness for a while. He’s been doing this search for so long that he just has to rest, finally. And, in case you didn’t know like me, a bower is “a pleasant shady place under trees or climbing plants in a garden or wood” (thanks Google).

So, just to recap Herne is a lonely ghost who doesn’t want to be this way. He wants to be happy, have a connection with something, but being isolated in the wood just doesn’t let him do that. This may indicate how lonely or just duller things seemed to be for Hadley before he met Rosalie. He didn’t feel a true connection or see true beauty, something he desperately wanted to experience, until her.

BOTH

With another With another

Albeit being very short, these can potentially have meaning behind them. “With another” - another what? They also start singing together here for the first time. Perhaps the “another” is each other, Hadley and Rosalie, or a foreshadow that Herne will be joined by another person or being soon, a sort of set up for the Red Kite, who is introduced in the next line.

Hadley

Herne lifts his head and the Red Kite goes drifting by Suddenly in love with something that caught her eye

Hadley now sings but from the perspective of the Red Kite. Notice before that Rosalie sang the last verse, but all about Herne. They kind of mirror each other in this way.

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With the video above, you can see how, while they drift, the Red Kites move their head a lot. Maybe this is a normal bird movement and I’m just too dumb to know, but they seem to be actively searching below them. I think this derives from how they are scavenger birds. However, instead of spotting food, she spots Herne and is “suddenly in love”. This could parallel into real life, where Rosalie might have seen Hadley in passing on the production and experienced love at first sight. These lines indicate that Herne (Hadley) has clearly seen the Red Kite (Rosalie) as well, probably having the same love at first sight moment, something that can be inferred once the song progresses into the next Rosalie verse.

In this verse, the accordion returns as well, possibly indicating some remnants of the past sadness still lingering. There is uncertainty. However, a new instrument is also introduced simultaneously: the mandolin. To me, it kind of sounds very happy and bright and hopeful, especially in the plucky way it was used. This new instrument, as well as the potentially cheesy representation (rip me), can indicate that something new and exciting is going to begin.

BOTH

Something that's shining so bright in the sunlight Let's hope we never...

If we’re sticking with the definition of bowers being shady, then should it not be very unlikely that the Red Kite or Herne have spotted each other at all? Perhaps through this line, they are saying how unlikely their relationship was to have occurred, but when it ultimately did, it was glorious. In the following line, they say “Let’s hope we never lose that thing that shines in the sunlight ever again”. Maybe it was just so unbelievably good, so amazing, that they were afraid that they would lose it because it just feels so unimaginable. Besides, this flips well into reality since they never told each other they liked each other and kept it secret for a whole year!! PLUS, they were dating others when they first met!! Very unlikely relationship indeed.

...then again, this could just be them saying the other is really great haha.

The accordion is fazed out as if the longer Herne and the Red Kite gaze at each other, the past sadness and loneliness are slowly melting away. The violin returns, swelling into the next line.

BOTH - HADLEY MELODY, ROSALIE HARMONY

...lose that thing that shines in the sunlight ever again

Them singing together makes it like they are in total agreement with each other. It’s like Hadley is making this statement in the melody, and Rosalie supports wholeheartedly with her harmony. From Hadley to Rosalie, and Rosalie to Hadley, they feel like the other outcompetes the sun (the sun!).

Instrumental

The violin melody from the beginning returns, as does the guitar melody. However, after the violin does its melody once, the trumpet now copies it! If the violin represents Herne because of how both he and the violin are introduced at around the same time, then the trumpet could represent the Red Kite, bringing new a much more vibrant, bold and triumphant vibe to Herne’s life. Plus, the fact that the trumpet copies the violin’s melody probably means there is a connection between the two. This would make it somewhat like an instrumental duet or could also possibly foreshadow that something very good is about to happen.

Rosalie

Only one Herne and not enough wood Climbed up the bower and atop it he stood Called down the Red Kite from high up above Come land down here and be my love

Herne feels so attracted to the Red kite that he feels a physical pull to her, so much so that he climbs up on top of the bower. With not enough wood, he’s too far away from the Red Kite, and with only one Herne, it feels like nothing is there to support him in what he is trying to do. So he calls down the Red Kite to be with him instead, kind of like how Hadley called Rosalie for a drink all those years ago. It was him that reached out at the end that called her to him. “Be my love”, they will soon declare to each other during/after that fateful meeting.

This also begins the hunter-bird relationship, if we are going to take this a little more literally. Hunter and bird relationships are very mutualistic. They help each other, with the birds guiding the hunters to their targets and the hunters paying them back in some way, usually through food or other means.

BOTH

Forever Forever

Singing together, they both want to be together forever (haha, pretty obvious?)

Hadley

Red Kite flies down (he's waited his life for this) Whispers to Herne something, whispers, and then a kiss

As the Red Kite flies down towards Herne (as Rosalie gets closer to Hadley, or comes to meet him), Herne (Hadley) thinks that “he’s waited his life for this”. This goes back to the beginning where we know that Herne really wanted to go beyond the wood to see new beautiful things. Now someone beautiful has come to him instead, making his once isolating and lonely world so much more dazzling and loving.

They also whisper, which is a pretty intimate choice of word. And they kiss! Literally spelling out a loving relationship. The happiness, love, protection, connection that Herne (Hadley) yearned for, for such a long time, is finally here.

The mandolin also returns, the hope has its pay off! It continues to play throughout the rest of the song until after a few “Herne and the Red Kite” repeats at the very end of the song.

BOTH

Something that's shining so bright in the sunlight Let's hope we never...

BOTH - HADLEY MELODY, ROSALIE HARMONY

...lose that thing that shines in the sunlight ever again

Once again, they repeat these words, as if to reaffirm this message that they are the best thing to have happened to each other. This is also at the end of the song, you can interpret as the end of this segment of the story, but the start of something beautiful. As time goes on, this magnificent idea they hold of each other never changes, despite anything that happens.

Instrumental

This instrumental segment sounds like a slightly altered version of the instrumental breaks we’ve heard before. It is a lot more energetic, with the first threeish notes being kept from the original, but now tacked on with something extra. Overall, it just sounds so much happier than the instrumental breaks we’ve been getting before.

BOTH

Herne and the Red Kite (repeat)...

This line is repeated 12 times (yes, I counted). The overall feel just sounds so triumphant and happy, like we’re celebrating. The joyous melody has the mandolin fade out, and if you really listen, the trumpet and violin seem to be having a very animated conversation with one another, calling and responding to each other and at times responding really quickly. The same guitar melody that we hear during the instrumental breaks is back as well.

Instrumental

All the instruments fade away, with the violin’s recurring melody closing the celebration off until there is only the guitar left. With only the violin standing out at the very end, it's nice that the original solo melody is now surrounded by all these other exciting things, making it kind of say that Herne is still Herne, but now he is surrounded by so many wonders now that the Red Kite is here. With the guitar having its ending solo, It makes it sounds like this is a tale gone by, and now we talk about it as if it were a folktale or a legend. It kind of feels like we’re just talking about this story around a campfire instead. Herne and the Red Kite grew old and grew old together, closing off the song like a musical “happily ever after”.

Extra Stuff

Interesting Notes

The way it is written sort of sounds like a children’s poem, describing a simple but cute story

The song, overall, personally has a folklore vibe to it haha

There are a few pairs that can be picked out

Herne and the Red kite

Hadley and Rosalie

Male and Female voice (duet)

Violin and Trumpet

Accordion and Mandolin (Accordion is replaced by the Mandolin)

Any time the two sing together, it kind of just reinforces the narrator aspect of things, how they seem to be telling us the story of how they met and ultimately fell in love from a long time ago

Unanswered Questions

Why use Herne of all figures? Herne is supposed to be a very scary ghost. If it truly is supposed to represent Hadley, does this mean he identifies with the ghost in some way? Or did he derive some meaning from Herne’s presence in the works he shows up in?

Conclusion

Waa ok, that’s all I have for now about Herne and the Red Kite. If you made it to the end, thank you so much!! Truly appreciative that you read all the ramblings <3

Here is the super general story: Herne was yearning for something more and was feeling lonely. Then he saw the Red Kite drift by, and for both of them, it was love at first sight. He desperately wanted to be with her, so he called out to her despite the odds or the distance, and as she descended to him, he felt excited that his loneliness was finally going to end. From then on, they shared a happy and joyous relationship until the end of time. The end~

The writing of this post took much longer than the actual light research and speculation part of it. Again, I might be completely wrong because this is just what I think is going on, and I might also just be looking waaaayyy too deep into things. If this is truly a proper, or at least somewhat proper, reflection of Hadley and Rosalie’s relationship, then I feel incredibly soft :’)

If you have any other ideas, or if you agree/disagree with my analysis, please let me know!! I’m really excited to see what others have to say. :D

Until next time, I guess haha

#hadley fraser #rosalie craig #herne and the red kite #personal analysis #personal insight

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newevents641 · 3 years

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How Do You Play Paintball On Game Pigeon

Here are 6 tips to win a paintball game. This tips will help you to improve your paintball game. If you stick to them, then you will see a huge improvement and that will get you a win. So here are the tips:

How To Play Paintball On Game Pigeon

How Do You Play Game Pigeon Paintball

How Do I Play Paintball On Game Pigeon

Practice aiming your paintball gun. Practice looking down the barrel and aiming your paintball gun, and take the gun into a safe location with a solid backstop and take a couple shots to get used to the accuracy. If you have a vertical feed gun, look down the right or left side of the barrel to aim. If i shot a bird with a paintball gun would the bird die? Learn how to paintball! Everything beginners need for playing paintball - where to play, paintball rules, equipment, guns & paintball marker reviews. Do not be afraid, it is only name of this game. Run as long as possible. Do you want to play in PVP “battle royales”? Do you want survival games, team games, and more? How to Play Paintball Net at Work.

How To Play Paintball On Game Pigeon

1. Learn How to Move

I don’t know if this will be your first game of paintball or you played before. But one thing is for sure and that is that you will need to learn how to move on that paintball field.

How Do You Play Game Pigeon Paintball

Check out guys in the video below. They are running, sliding, hiding and shutting while laying on the ground and so on. To be better in paintball you need to practice this kinda movements.

When I started playing, I was like Pinocchio compared to the other players. Then I started to practice, first without the guns and later on with the gun. That resulted in me having better games.

2. Communication on Paintball Field

If you are a lonely player then this is harder to practice. On the other hand, if you have a team, then a really important thing is to learn how to communicate. Play as many games together, plan how to let other them players know where are the enemy and other things. Go true game and set the rules of communication. Remember, there is no “I” in teamwork.

You can learn that skill not just playing paintball but also playing video games and other things.

3. Get to Know Your Paintball Field

Always good idea is to know your playing field. Take a few minutes and walk through the field. Take your team players with you and get to know all the obstacles, terrain…

Make your plan of attack in the head, try to imagine where the enemy will be and how to get to them without them knowing. This is a really important tip to remember, don’t be that guy that go full YOLO attack.

4. Plan the Attack

As I sad in tip number 3, don’t be that guy that you full attack without the plan. Take the time and make a plan of attack. Select the best positions on the field, and use them.

Also, make a plan of movement. Select which team member will go where. And that will prevent misunderstanding and increased a chance to win the game.

5. Play it Cool

Don’t let the adrenaline gets you. Play it nice and come, hide behind the barricade and wait a little bit, check out what part of the field can you cover from that position. Basically, observe surrounding and make a plan in the head. Don’t just do things!

6. It’s a Game

How Do I Play Paintball On Game Pigeon

Paintball is just a game, make sure to have as much fun while playing it as you can. Remember to make friends while playing it and don’t be a guy who won’t give hand after a good game. Play it fear and make sure to be nice to your everybody.

This tip is important, people that you become friends will most likely play with you again. Plus they can hang out in your free time.

Why This 6 Tips?

Those 6 tips to win a paintball game really was my approach to playing the game. If I don’t stick to them I just play poorly. My main things are, make a plan, keep your head come, learn to communicate with your team players and know the field. A movement will come with time.

I hope this blog post help you to, feel free to comment down below.

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This is the OLD PbNation channel! Go watch the newer version of this video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCpVniJJ08c Subscribe to the new channel: http://pbnation.com/pbnation Paintball is played with all manner of specialized equipment like the masks, markers and air tanks but the truth is, you don't need any of it to play paintball for the first time. Paintball fields all over the world rent every piece of equipment you need to participate right on site. So, what do you need to actually bring when you go to play paintball for the first time? The most important part is to dress for the weather. Most paintball fields are outside so make sure what you wear is comfortable and you won't be too hot or too cold. Remember, you will be running around so if it is cold, make sure you wear layers you can remove if you get too hot. You will want to wear long sleeves and definitely avoid wearing shorts. If it is chilly enough to warrant it, bring it a hoody. That's a great removable layer. If possible stick to darker colors and bring loose-fitting clothes that you don't mind getting dirty. The paint will almost always wash out of darker colors but dirt and grass could possibly stain. More importantly, you want to be free to have fun and not worry about ruining expensive clothes. It's very common to see people playing for the first time in jeans and a long sleeve t-shirt or a hooded sweatshirt. You won't look out of place. It's not a bad idea to bring something to cover the top of your head. A baseball cap works just fine. You can turn it backwards and wear it with almost any rental mask. If it isn't too warm consider at least bringing a beanie or a knitted cap. You can even bring a spare dark colored t-shirt to drape as an extra layer of protection around your neck. If you hunt or have camouflage laying around, that's a great choice to wear, but it isn't needed. It won't be a huge advantage so don't go out and buy it just to play for the first time. Don't feel the need to try and fit in. People will recognize you are playing for the first time no matter how much you look the part. Just like any game, the first time you play will be a new experience. Just enjoy yourself and have fun. You'll most likely be playing with and against other newer players so you don't need to look like an expert on your first trip out anyway. Some fields rent jumpsuits that cover your clothes and some fields don't. It's worth asking ahead of time but as long as you wear clothes you don't mind getting dirty, you'll be fine. You'll want shoes you can run around in. The terrain is different from field to field but old running shoes, cleats or hiking boots all work well. The most important part is you wear something that is comfortable and fits. You can bring gloves, but remember you are going to be holding the marker and pulling the trigger so big winter gloves won't work. If you are under 18, you probably need to get your parents to sign a waiver. If they are driving you to the field, then you are set, just make sure they hang around while you get signed in. Some fields require you do it on site but many allow you to print it online and just bring it with you. Check with the field first. Bring cash or at least check and make sure the field accepts checks or credit cards before trying to use one. Bring a little more money than you think you'll need, you might want extra paintballs and most fields also sell drinks. Some fields serve food as well so that's worth finding out before you go. Consider bringing a change of clothes for the end of the day too. All paint from paintball these days is washable and generally pretty easy to clean off, even out of a car if absolutely necessary, but that's work you can avoid by simply changing clothes before you go home. Also, there's a good chance you'll get your playing clothes dirty or even a little muddy so unless that's the type of abuse you normally subject your car to, bring some spare clothes to change into and you might even want to bring a plastic garbage bag to throw your dirty clothes into as well. Видео What to wear to play paintball for the first time? канала PaintballNationVideo

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kathyprior4200 · 4 years

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Velvety Rich and Sickly Sweet

Once there was an African American girl who lived in a big city. Her name was Venessa. As a little girl, she loved playing with dolls and getting dressed up. Tea parties with her friends were a favorite pastime. She adored candy, cake and anything sweet, a craving that lasted for the rest of her life. She dreamed of becoming a famous celebrity.

As Venessa got older, computers and phones started to arrive. It wasn’t long before she got into social media. She pursued a career in fashion and posted videos of herself in velvet dresses baking cakes and seductively sucking on candies for the males. Her videos went viral and she basked in the online limelight.

But the more well-known she got, the more she distanced herself from her former family and friends. Venessa soon partook in gossip, laughing at other women and being a self-centered bully. She enjoyed the reactions of hurt people less well-off than her. This was especially true when she became a risqué model and dancer.

Soon enough, all of Venessa’s actions came back full circle. Venessa soon found herself as a target of bullying and racism. She received one hate comment after another…from the n word, to bad things about her black curly ponytails. Some even called her fat and fake.

Venessa was furious…so furious that she began to track down the bullies and kill them with knives. Childish laughter could be heard among the screaming victims. Venessa covered her tracks well…after all, no one suspected famous model to be a killer. However, she kept pictures of herself posing with her victims holding her knife.

But she was soon found out, and almost got arrested. Venessa soon spiraled down into madness, having a crazed breakdown. Distraught over the mean comments, she overdosed on skinny creating drugs. Her body couldn’t take the amount and she died before she was discovered by the police. A mirror was in one hand while a headless doll was in another. Venessa died at age 22 in 2012, the same year as Vaggie.

Venessa soon arrived in Hell and became known as Velvet. Velvet was a fitting name, due to both her wealth and her fondness for red velvet cakes. She even made an Instagram account called radvelvetcakes. Rad was a word meaning “cool” and “trendy,” the things she always aspired to be. With her status as an overlord, it was…well, a piece of cake.

Velvet would’ve been demon food if not for two Overlords who decided to take her in. Velvet soon had two friends and fellow Overlords: “Daddy” Vox and “Daddy” Valentino. The former was a wealthy TV demon, who owned all the TV stations in Hell. The latter was a moth pimp, who owned Hell’s number one porn studio. Together, the three Overlords made a near unstoppable fearsome force to be reckoned with. They become known as the Triple Vs. The three of them often hosted lavish parties on yachts and in fancy soirees, electronic music and dubstep pulsing through the air. All three of them controlled the “stimulants” of Hell: TV, drugs, porn, social media and food.

Vox had a flat screen TV for a head and wore a black suit with a large red bow tie and blue stripes going down the suit. He wore a black top hat with antennas and a teal Wi-Fi symbol on it, the same symbol on his chest. When he first came down to Hell in the 1950s, he had an old boxy TV head. But thanks to his power over electricity, he upgraded himself as the years went on. In his full demon form, the red eyed, sharp blue-toothed man could cause entire blackouts. Formerly a white man named Vincent, with black hair and icy blue eyes, Vox died from a TV falling and crushing his face. In Hell, he continued his sinful actions he did when he was alive: hooking up, doing drugs, and hosting gruesome TV shows for entertainment. TV towers were everywhere, looming like impenetrable metal fortresses. With his showman personality, he stood equal to Alastor in power, if not more.

Valentino was a light purple moth pimp with antennas and fancy coats. He had a ring of fluff around his neck with small red hearts on it. His glasses were pink and heart-shaped. He was often found lounging on couches with female “clients’ in his lap, smoking red smoke from a cigarette. The smoke itself could drug demons and make them doped up. Cruel and greedy, he enjoyed using and abusing people for his own pleasure, in particular, his porn star and worker Angel Dust. He promised love and pleasure, both of them illusions in the long run. His victims would be helpless and obedient, unable to leave and think for themselves. Valentino was originally Vasilis, a dark-skinned man from Brooklyn who also did drugs, smoked and participated in human trafficking. Valentino had died in the 1970s…and his distant relative was none other than fellow moth demon Vaggie!

And then there was Velvet herself. She was a black-skinned doll demon, short but very deadly. One of her favorite outfits was a velvet laced white dress with small hearts around it and black shapes. She wore black stockings and pink shoes with white puff balls on it. Her hair was dark pink and in two thick pigtails. She had red sclera and white irises with black pupils. Although she looked and acted like a child, she was in her twenties. Velvet was the Overlord of sweets and social media. If Harley Quinn turned into an animated doll who loved gossiping and tea parties, then that would adequately describe what Velvet was like. Velvet once sat with Vox and Valentino safe in the porn studio during the Extermination. She eagerly checked her phone and took selfies while sitting next to Vox.

Velvet could go full demon form like the other Overlords, but her power was laced with an extra dose of insanity. For in her most powerful form, she could make deadly potions to use against her enemies. Velvet was skilled enough making regular potion for perfume and to use as beauty products. But she could also make poisons and noxious gas to defeat any demon who dared disobey her and her fellow Overlords. In her most extreme form, she could magically turn her victims into sweets, absorbing their souls as she ate them! Even Vox and Valentino steered clear from her when she was in that form.

Like a doll, Velvet was doted on by Vox and Valentino, as well as her many followers. All three of them went back and forth from doting their workers to abusing them with deadly threats. Although Velvet enjoyed being spoiled, she often felt like she was treated like a child too much. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself, even meeting up with Rosie and other wealthy ladies to eat demons in the streets. Velvet was also infamous for sometimes using demons’ blood and organs in her baking.

Yes, Velvet was living a life of luxury, perhaps second to the royal Magne family and the Eldritch family. Imagine her surprise when she found out that the princess was running a hotel to redeem sinners. She laughed it off, calling Charlie absurd. In many ways, she was similar to Seviathan, Helsa and Katie Killjoy: self-centered individuals who lived on gossip, trends, fashion and putting others down.

Velvet was frequently seen on and searched many media platforms in Hell: Voxtube, Voxflix, Voxbook, and Voxtagram. The movie and social media sites were all run by Vox, of course. His dimensional monopoly was getting closer to becoming permanent.

There was her Instagram account: “radvelvetcakes. Fun with the Overlords! Follow and comment to keep up on moth-pimp, voxtagram 8k and me!”

On July 6, 2020, Velvet posted a selfie of herself smiling on what appeared to be a dance floor decorated with green neon candy tiles.

“This is my newest account! Be sure to tell your friends! Ain’t I a cutie?”

On the same day, Velvet posted a selfie of her and Vox. Vox didn’t look very happy.

Vox said, “Chillin in the studio. Rad photo by my girl radvelvetcakes.”

On July 7, 2020, Velvet posted a picture of Valentino and Vox eating hamburgers at Hell’s version of McDonalds. Vox had his TV mouth open, a hamburger and French fries on his lap.

“Lol. Voxtagram8k is one to talk. He’s hardly as cool as he thinks he is.”

A later picture showed Valentino eating a giant chicken sandwich messily.

Valentino posted, “Picking up the goods,” as Vox and a smiling Velvet got into their limo after going to McDonalds. Vox had a bag in his hand, while Velvet carried two drinks. The McDonald’s M logo was upside down.

On July 9, 2020, Velvet posted a picture of herself showing off her manicured nails. Her sharp nails were decorated with sparkles, diamonds and little bows. The nails were extended ones. In the background, it looked like Vox’s leg was breaking down a door.

Later, Valentino mentioned that he would fuck up Velvet for posting bad pictures of him and Vox.

“Bored and missing the boys so I decided to do my nails up pretty!”

On July 10, 2020, Valentino posted a picture of Vox letting his pet shark loose on a tripping Velvet.

Valentino said, “Got her. This is the only time I’ll say this, but Vox having a giant demon pet shark actually comes in handy.”

On July 13, 2020, Velvet was seen beaming in a picture along with Vox, Valentino and their blue pet hammerhead shark.

On July 20, 2020, Valentino posted a selfie at his new club.

Valentino: “New club, new pole, anyone else wanna give it a whirl?”

Stolas: “No thank you. I’m sure even if things are new, the same slime is still around.”

When asked if Blitzo would do a dance on the pole for Valentino…

Blitzo: “No, no that won’t happen. I’m too busy with my horses and business.

Stola: It would be quite the sight. But I wouldn’t wish to see Blitzy working in Mr. Valentino’s establishment.

Stolas: Why would I ever want the rat to want such an excellent business venture?

Valentino: Watch yourself, bird.

Stolas: That’s a lot of talk for an insect.

Velvet laughed out loud as she read the comments.

On July 21, 2020, Velvet posted a selfie of herself about to eat a dirty green lollipop with a fly on it. Valentino stared in horror with wide pink eyes under his heart glasses.

“Val stopped me from eating a lollipop I found on the ground. But what he doesn’t know is that I grabbed it after he tossed it in the bin! #FreeCandy. #LivingFree. #RatsEatShitOffTheGroundAllTheTime.”

Valentino replied, “Stop, we have money! We can get you another one!”

Velvet: “It’s mystery flavored! We can do what we want!”

Vox said to Valentino: “I will not be the one cleaning the toilet tonight.”

Stolas said, “Wonderful parenting there,” and added a thumbs down.

Moxxie the imp added, “Why would anyone eat something that was on the ground?”

On July 23, 2020, Valentino posted a selfie of himself smoking, his eyes glowing pink under his shades.

Valentino said, “Dealing with Angel always puts me in a bad mood. Gonna go have some fucked up fun.”

Velvet eagerly asked, “Oooh, oooh, can I join?”

Valentino replied, “Sure, why the fuck not?”

On July 25th, Velvet went on a killing mission with Vox and Valentino. Velvet was seen in a picture, beaming while holding a knife in her hands. The blade was stained with purple cake frosting.

Valentino said, “Thanks for the backup today, baby doll.”

Velvet responded, “It was so much fun! Wish we could do it more often.”

Valentino added, “Always up for a little messy fun.”

On July 26th, Velvet posted a picture of herself doing a “duck” face while holding a piece of pink and teal cake on a plate. The rest of the cake was on a plate on a table, with suspicious bloodstains in the frosting. Nearby, a blue demon stood holding a piece while his right shoulder had a bloody bandage on it.

“So it turned out it was cake!” Velvet posted. Apparently, Velvet had thought that the demon was made of cake, so she had used a knife to slice his shoulder. Then she sliced up the cake and to her delight, it was, indeed, cake. Velvet had gleefully watched videos on VoxTube that showed artistically made cakes that looked like ordinary objects. This led to a meme or an online joke that everything was secretly cake. Velvet briefly wondered if she was cake herself.

On August 4, 2020, Velvet posted a video of a blue Vox writing down notes and a red Valentino screaming at him. Vox remained unfazed.

Velvet said: “Laughing my fucking ass off!”

Valentino wasn’t happy and said, “The fuck? You were supposed to advertise my company, not, whatever the fuck this is. Cute drawings, though.”

Velvet: “Thank you.”

Valentino: “Lucky you’re a crazy cute bitch.”

Vox said, “Ur lucky I have a built in mute button. Also, this is perfect! <3.” Vox was the more easygoing, “dad” type individual in comparison to Valentino.

On August 5, 2020, Velvet happily posed in a picture, holding a pink balloon she was about to pop with a pin. In front of her was an illuminated cake that read “Happy Birthday Gasu,” in reference to an artist who made character art for the show. Valentino had a scowl on his face as his red jacket got messy, the hearts on his fluff turning into broken hearts.

“Celebrated Gasuguma’s birthday with cake! Love his amazing pictures of Vox, Valentino and me! Happy Birthday!”

Valentino complained, “Yeah some celebration, stained my fucking jacket. Cake was good, though.”

On August 6, 2020, valentine posted a picture of Vox in a dark room with two cups of soda in his hands.

Valentino: “5:30 am. I asked Vox to get me a strawberry iced coffee several hours ago. The fucker shows up now with half a finished diet soda! Do I kill him, yes or no?”

Velvet was annoyed. “So that’s where my fucking diet soda went.”

Valentino: “Oh my fucking god, he didn’t even buy it for me.”

Vox: “I’ll send Vark the Shark to deliver your drink next time.”

Valentino: “You just wanted to see me.”

On August 7, 2020, Vox’s picture showed his TV screen cracked and one of his antennas crooked. Vox’s screen turned to colored bars and Valentino was grinning in the picture.

Valentino: “Thanks for the soda, Voxy. Don’t fuck up my order next time.”

Velvet sadly says: “My dads are fighting.”

Valentino: “Don’t worry baby doll, not my fault, Vox is a dumbass.”

Vox: “Velvet, you’re literally the same age as us, wtf?”

Sir Pentious: “Ha ha ha, that’s hilariously evil, Valentino. Or may I call you Val, we should “hang” soon?”

Stolas: “You can do better.”

Vox: “Time to get a new screen. Ungrateful rat. #notmyboyfriend.”

Valentino: “You woke me up. Sorry not sorry.”

Stolas said to Vox: “I would say you could do better, but I’m not entirely sure you can.”

Valentino: “Go fuck an imp.”

Stolas: Gladly.

Valentino: Sad.

Stolas: What’s sad is traipsing around in a giant tacky coat trying too hard to be intimidating.

Valentino: What’s sadder is watching you thirst over a tiny-dicked imp 24/7.

Stolas: From what I’ve heard, he has a bigger dick than whatever you have between your legs.

Valentino: From who? Lol. You obviously don’t have anyone, I don’t see nothing on your insta other than a thirsty dried old man.

Stolas: …

Stolas: You only like Vox because he can display glowing lamps on his screen, dirty moth.

Velvet laughed out loud, this was the most fun she had in a while.

On August 17 2020, Valentino posted another selfie.

Valentino: “Got some business to take care of.”

Stolas: I knew disco was dead, but I didn’t know it went to Hell.” Another successful roast.

Velvet said: “Looking pretty dapper, Val. Don’t worry, I know Vox will see it!”

Valentino said to Stolas, “Don’t hate me ‘cause you ain’t me, imp fucker.”

Stolas replied, “Why would I want to be a rat?”

Valentino: “Why are you so obsessed with me, baby cake? Want me to stop by? Help remove the stick from your ass.”

Stolas: The stuck up my ass would be more pleasurable than anything you’ve got.

Velvet was laughing so hard, tears came from her eyes.

Valentino: Don’t knock it till you try it, baby. You know what they say about moths.

Stolas: That they’re little pests obsessed with light bulbs? Owls eat insects, you know.

Valentino: They can go all night.

Stolas: Well owls eat rats. Wait this came out from the wrong particular situation…

Valentino made an erotic face.

Stolas: No.

Sir Pentious to Valentino: “I own the same shirt, maybe we can do business and hang.”

#velvet #vox #valentino #hazbin hotel #overlords

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angerinthenation · 3 years

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Reading: The Lost Skill

A Commentary by Idris Salaam

YouTube videos and other sites that radicalized those Yahoos to do what they did on 6 January can also brainwash you the same way. The thing I learned about information online from ANY source: they can say one thing one day, and change it the next day. What you read today may be something someone you referred differently the next day. Also, even when you read it, you may get half the story. The story you'll get is the one that angers you the most. I’m not knocking sites like Youtube. Youtube can give you a visual of a lot of things as well as the audio. But the one thing I learned about books, once they're written they are done. You can buy a new edition, true. But if you get that earliest Edition, you'll get the whole truth.

The books I had shown are just a few of the books I have. Many of the books I have were written way before any of us were born. The Clansman and Rise of the Purple Sage are very old books. These are the ORIGINAL prints: The Clansman (1905), Riders (1912). I keep the US Constitution in my backpack at all times. The Clansman and Riders taught me the mindset within the ranks. "Riders" is a novel, but it teaches a lot once you get into the minds of the characters.

Read a Book... an old Book. If you don't have books on your shelves delving into the minds of the Human Being, you're walking through a dark tunnel with hidden doors. Reading an actual book can be mind stimulating.

Other books: • Why the Caged Bird Sings • Why Black People Tend To Shout • The Quran • The Bible (1947, 1959 versions) • 48 Laws of Power • The Little Red Book • Nzinga • The Art of War

#reading #reading is magic #reading is good for you #reading is sexy #reading is fundamental #woke niggas #woke movement #black power #black knowledge #knowledge is power #wisdom #idris salaam #boscoe from the bronx #bigboscoe productions

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lovemesomesurveys · 4 years

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survey by xalikattx

FOOD What is your favorite salad dressing? I’m a ranch gal. I rarely have salad, but I have a lot of ranch, ha.

Favorite sit-down restaurant? I don’t have one, I rarely go out to eat anymore. And that’s even pre-Covid. I like getting takeout.

Favorite pizza topping? I had pizza last night that had lots of creamy garlic sauce, cheese, spinach, green onions, and ground beef. It was gooood.

What food could you eat for two weeks straight and not get sick of it? Ramen. I’ve been eating it for like 2 years straight every night :X

What do you put on your toast? Butter.

What food do you eat the most? Ramen, boneless garlic parm and lemon pepper wings from Wingstop, and chicken tenders.

Do you like food? I’m not a foodie like I used to be. :( I miss those days, honestly. My appetite and eating habits are so messed up now and I don’t/can’t enjoy a lot of the foods I used to. Most of the time I’m eating just cause I have to and it feels more like a chore than enjoyment. The times I do really enjoy it are nice.

Do you LOVE food? ^^^^

Do you even eat at all? I mean, yeah. Kinda have to. But like I said, my appetite and eating habits are whack.

What do you put on your ice cream? Strawberry syrup if it’s vanilla ice cream. Otherwise I don’t put anything. Well, unless I’m at an ice cream shop, in which case I might live a little and add some fun stuff like cookies or something. I rarely have ice cream at all though, to be honest. It’s been a few years since I’ve had any.

Do you like steak? No.

Or are you a vegetarian? No.

How about a vegan? No.

What food do you hate the most? I don’t do seafood.

TECHNOLOGY How many TVs are in your house? Three.

Do they all work? Yep.

Do you have Comcast digital cable? Nope.

AT&T Uverse? Nope.

Dish Network? Nope.

Something else? We have DIRECTV.

Nothing?

What's your favorite show? I have many.

What's the worst show? I’m not into most sitcoms like Big Bang Theory, The Goldbergs, 2 Broke Girls, Two and a Half Men, etc.

What color cell phone do you have? Coral.

What kind? iPhone XR.

What does the first text message in your inbox say and who sent it? I’m not checking.

What was the last text you sent and who did you send it to? I texted, “Done” with a thumbs up emoji to my brother a couple days ago. He sent me a link to do a survey he needed people to take for one of his classes and I texted him back letting him know I did it.

Who was the last person to call you? My mom.

Who was the last person you called? My mom.

CURRENTLY Are you missing someone? I’ll always miss my loved ones who have passed away.

What are you listening to? An ASMR video.

Watching? That ASMR video ^^^

Worrying about? I have my doctor appointment in a few hours and my doctor should have looked at my CT scan I had done a week ago, so naturally I’m just nervous and anxious about it. I don’t think think there’s anything new or surprising going on that I don’t already know about, but there’s always the “what if.” I always worry they’ll find something bad. I’m also worried she’ll want to do some surgical procedure or something, which I’m totally NOT for. And there’s also the chance she’ll decide to stop prescribing my medicine, which I worry about every appointment because of the strict laws against them.

Where are you? I’m in my room sitting on my bed.

What's it like there? It actually feels cool in my room right now, it’s nice.

How are you feeling? Anxious.

Is anyone with you? Who? Not in my room, but yeah my family is home.

Are you hungry? Not at the moment. Too nervous.

What do you want to eat? Nothing right now.

Thirsty? No, I have water and a Starbucks Doubleshot energy drink.

What do you want to drink? ^^^

What time is it? 5:10AM.

LASTS Thing you ate? Ramen.

Thing you drank? The water and Starbucks energy drink I just mentioned.

Thing you said? “Goodnight.”

Movie you watched? Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers.

Store you went to? What did you buy? I think it was Walmart for groceries. I haven’t been to the store myself since March. :O I’ve done a lot of online shopping, though, for clothes and stuff.

Person you talked to? My brother.

Person you hugged? My mom.

Kissed? Joseph, yearsss ago.

Yelled at? I don’t yell at anyone.

Book you read? I’m currently reading, “Miss Polly had a Dolly” by Willow Rose. It’s the 2nd book in a murder mystery/suspense series.

Thing you touched? Besides my keyboard, I just touched my phone a bit ago.

Person you became friends with on Facebook/Myspace/whatever other site? Someone I know requested to follow me on IG recently, which I accepted and followed back.

RANDOM Are a righty or a lefty? Righty.

Have you ever had anything removed from your body? Yes.

What is the last heavy object you lifted? I can’t lift heavy stuff. We’re talking like 5lbs maybe at the most. I’m weak, but I’m also a paraplegic with a bad back and I can’t lift heavy things for that reason alone. I’m also just really weak, ha.

Have any scars? I have a ton.

How did you get them? Any interesting stories? Majority of them are surgery related, but there’s non-surgery related ones as well.

if it were possible, would you want to know the day you're going to die? Absolutely not.

If you could change your name, what would you change it to? Nah, I’ll keep mine.

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? Nooo. I can’t eat or handle spicy food at all anymore D: Like, I’m super sensitive to it now. I couldn’t have a drop of hot sauce, let alone drink it.

How about 10 bottles of ketchup? Ew, no. Fun fact: I was grossed out by ketchup for several years because I saw someone do something like that one some gameshow as a kid and it just made me sick for some reason.

10 bottles of maple syrup? No. I like maple syrup, but it doesn’t take much at all for it be too sweet. A little goes a long way. I certainly don’t want to drink it.

A bottle of vinegar? NOOO. Also, how do people drink apple cider vinegar??? Just smelling it is horrendous.

10 jars of peanutbutter? I love me some peanut butter, but I couldn’t eat 10 jars of it. One jar will last me a long time. Also, it wouldn’t take long before it started sticking to the roof of my mouth and I started having a hard time eating it.

How many pairs of flip flops do you own? Zero. I don’t wear flip flops, sandals, wedges, or any open-toed shoes.

Favorite month? October and December.

Do you always answer your phone? Not always, like if it’s an unknown number or my doctor calling with an automated message to remind me of upcoming appointments. I always answer if my parents or brother call, though, which are pretty much the only people who call me, soo I guess the answer is mostly yes? haha.

It's four AM and you get a text message, who is it? I have no idea cause again my parents and brother are the only ones who text me, with the exception of my Nana now and then, and none of them would text me at 4AM. I live with my parents and brother for one, for two they’d all be here at home asleep at that time so yeah I don’t know why they’d be texting me. I imagine my Nana is asleep at that time, too.

If you could change your eye color what would it be? Green or blue.

Do you own a digital camera? Not anymore.

Do you take lots of pictures of yourself? Ew, no. I very rarely take a selfie.

Do you take them in front of the mirror in the bathroom? No.

Have you ever had a pet fish? Yeah, I had a ton when I was a kid.

Pet hamster? I had two when I was a kid.

Bird? Nope.

Rabbit? Nope.

Iguana? Nope.

Favorite Christmas movie? Aw, I love Christmas movies I have several favorites.

Favorite Christmas song? Same thing as the movies, I love ‘em.

Can you do push ups? Nope.

Can you do a chin up? Nope.

Does the future make you nervous or excited? Terrified.

Ever been in a car accident? No, thankfully.

Do you have an accent? Everyone does, but it’s weird for me, a Californian, to think of myself as having one. Like, it’s not distinctive like someone from Texas or North Dakota or New York, ya know?

What song always makes you cry? The acoustic version of Everlong by Foo Fighters.

Have any plans for tonight? Probably watch some Halloween movies like I’ve been doing just about every night this month.

What were you doing at 12 AM last night? My Bible study.

What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? I haven’t gone to bed, yet. I have a doctor appointment in a few hours so I’m just staying up. :/

#personal #text #survey #surveys #categories

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backstagechatter · 4 years

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📜Today I Music History 📜(RHC)

Hello Rockers 🤘 Welcome to Backstage Chatter🤩

What Happened Today In Music:

June 22nd

1956 - Elvis Presley

Elvis Presley started a three-day run playing 10 shows at the Paramount Theater in Atlanta, Georgia. The stage manager was told; “Pull all white lights. Presley works all in color, Presley act has no encore. When he leaves the stage, immediately close curtains.”

1963 - Stevie Wonder

13-year old Stevie Wonder first entered the US singles chart as Little Stevie Wonder with ‘Fingertips Parts One and Two.’ 'Fingertips’ which featured a young Marvin Gaye on drums was the first live, non-studio recording to reach No.1 on the Billboard Pop Singles chart in the United States since Johnny Standley’s 1952 comic monologue 'It’s in the Book’.

1964 - The Beatles

The Beatles played their first ever show in New Zealand at Wellington Town Hall. The local Chief Constable refused a police escort for The Beatles leaving just two policemen to control over 5,000 fans.

1968 - Herb Alpert

Herb Alpert started a four week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'This Guys In Love With You’. His first No.1 plus first No.1 for the A&M label and the writer’s Bacharach and David’s first chart topper. A No.3 hit in the UK.

1968 - Rod Stewart

The Jeff Beck group featuring Rod Stewart made their US debut at the Fillmore East, New York.

1968 - Otis Redding

The Otis Redding album Dock Of The Bay went to No.1 in the UK. The posthumously released album, and his sixth studio album contained a number of singles and B-sides dating back to 1965 and one of his best known songs, the posthumous hit (Sittin’ On The Dock) Of The Bay.

1969 - Judy Garland

American singer, actress, Judy Garland, died of a barbiturate overdose aged 47, she was found on the floor of her rented Chelsea home, in London, UK. Made more than two dozen films, played Dorothy in the 1939 film 'Wizard Of Oz’, sang 'Over The Rainbow’ in the film, (voted the 'Song Of The Century’ in a 2001 poll published in America). 1961 US No.1 comeback album 'Judy At Carnegie Hall’.

1970 - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin appeared at Laugardalsholl Hall, Reykjavik, Iceland on the group’s one and only visit to Iceland. It is suggested that Robert Plant was inspired to write the lyrics to 'Immigrant Song’ during this trip.“

1971 - David Bowie

The second Glastonbury Festival in England took place. Held over 5 days to coincide with the summer solstice, (the weather was, for a British 'summer’ very good). Acts who appeared included: Melanie, Quintessence, David Bowie, The Edgar Broughton Band, Pink Fairies, Terry Reid - with David Lyndley and Linda Lewis, Gong, Hawkwind, Arthur Brown, Brinsley Schwarz, Fairport Convention, Family and Traffic. Over 7,000 fans attended the event.

1971 - Joni Mitchell

Joni Mitchell released her fourth studio album Blue. The album is now generally regarded by music critics as one of the greatest albums of all time. In July 2017, Blue was chosen by NPR as the greatest album of all time made by a woman.

1980 - Don McLean

Don McLean had his second UK No.1 single with the Roy Orbison song 'Crying’. The song had been a No.2 US hit for Orbison in July 1961. In 1987, Orbison re-recorded the song as a duet with k.d. lang as part of the soundtrack for the motion picture, Hiding Out. Their collaboration won the Grammy Award.

1981 - Mark Chapman

Mark Chapman pleaded guilty to the charge of murdering John Lennon in 1980. He was later sentenced to 20 years to life.

1985 - Bryan Adams

Bryan Adams started a two week run at No.1 on the US singles chart with 'Heaven’, his first No.1 single, it made No.35 in the UK. The song had been featured in the film 'Night In Heaven’.

1988 - Jesse Ed Davis

American session guitarist Jesse Ed Davis died of a heroin overdose after collapsing in a laundry room in Venice, California, aged 43. Worked with Conway Twitty, The Monkees, John Lennon, Eric Clapton, Leonard Cohen, Keith Moon, Jackson Browne, Steve Miller, Harry Nilsson and Taj Mahal.

1990 - Ry Cooder

Ry Cooder and David Lindley, The Cure, Happy Mondays, Sinead O’Connor, Deacon Blue, De La Soul, Adamski, Blue Aeroplanes, Julian Cope, Del Amitri, Jesus Jones, James and The Pale Saints all appeared on the first day of this years Glastonbury Festival. A three day ticket cost £38.

1992 - Kurt Cobain

Nirvana’s Kurt Cobain was rushed to hospital after a gig in Belfast, Northern Ireland suffering from acute stomach pains brought on by ulcers.

1992 - MC Hammer

Three members of M.C. Hammer’s tour crew were wounded in a drive in shooting incident, three days later Joseph Mack, a dancer in Hammer’s entourage was shot on stage during a concert in Nevada.

1996 - Arthur Ross

The brother of singer Diana Ross, Arthur Ross and his wife were murdered by suffocation in the basement of their rented Detroit home. The badly decomposed bodies were discovered after neighbors complained of a foul odor coming from the house. Two men were later charged with murder and robbery. Arthur Ross had written songs for Marvin Gaye, The Miracles and Madonna.

2002 - The Edge

U2 guitarist 'The Edge’ married his girlfriend of ten years Morleigh Steinberg in Eze in the south of France. The couple first met when she was a belly dancer on the bands Zoo TV tour. Guest’s included Bono, Eurythmics Dave Stewart and Lenny Kravitz.

2003 - Clay Aiken

Clay Aiken, runner-up in the 2003 US American Idol went to No.1 on the US singles chart with 'This Is The Night.’ Luther Vandross was at No.1 on the US album chart with 'Dance With My Father’.

2008 - Coldplay

Coldplay went to No.1 on the UK singles chart with 'Viva La Vida’, their first UK No.1. History was made by this single, as it had no physical CD-single release in the UK, being available by internet download only. The song won a Grammy Award for Song of the Year in 2009.

2011 - Bono

It was reported in the Irish press that Bono’s wandering peahen was causing havoc for some south Dublin residents. The peahen the less spectacular-coloured female partner to a male peacock had arrived in the Ard Mhuire housing estate in Killiney near to where the singer lived. One newspaper ran the headline: "Bono’s cock drives me nuts”. Local woman Susan McKeon said she first noticed the bird at night. “It had a tiny head and a huge body. It was actually quite ugly but I don’t think it’s fully grown.”

2012 - Isle of Wight Festival

MP Andrew Turner called for a review of procedures after thousands of rock fans were delayed for hours heading to the Isle of Wight Festival. After heavy rain cars were unable to park on waterlogged fields - leading to gridlock as about 55,000 people headed to the site. Some fans were stuck in traffic for up to 16 hours on the way to the festival. Elbow, Lana Del Rey, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam all appeared at this year’s festival.

2013 - Robin Thicke

'Blurred Lines’ by Robin Thicke started a 13 week run at No.1 on the US singles chart. Featuring American rapper T.I. and American singer and producer Pharrell Williams, the video was made in two versions; the first video features models Emily Ratajkowski, Jessi M'Bengue, and Elle Evans being topless, the second features them covered. The topless version of the video was removed from YouTube for violating the site’s terms of service regarding nudity, though it was later restored, but flagged as inappropriate. 'Blurred Lines" peaked at No.1 in 14 countries.

2015 - P Diddy

P Diddy was arrested on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon in Los Angeles. The alleged incident occurred on the University of California campus where his son was on the football team. The weapon in question was a kettlebell, which is used for weight training. Diddy - whose real name is Sean Combs - was released on $160,000 (£101,000) bail.

2016 - Led Zeppelin

Led Zeppelin singer Robert Plant told a court hearing the 'Stairway To Heaven’ copyright dispute that he had a dim memory of the time the song was written. Plant also said he could not remember meeting the band Spirit, who claimed the band stole their guitar riff for Stairway to Heaven in the 1970s. “I don’t have a recollection of almost anyone I’ve hung out with,” Plant said, causing roars of laughter in the court. The case was brought on behalf of Spirit’s late guitarist, Randy Wolfe. His estate claimed the opening riff of the 1968 song Taurus is fundamentally the same as the iconic opening bars of Stairway to Heaven.

2019 - Elton John

Sir Elton John was awarded France’s highest civilian award, the Legion d'Honneur. The British musician was presented with the award by President Emmanuel Macron during a ceremony at the Élysée Palace. President Macron’s office praised Sir Elton as a “melodic genius” and as one of the first gay artists to give a voice to the LGBT community.

2019 - Jerry Carrigan

American drummer and record producer Jerry Carrigan died age 75. He first achieved widespread recognition by being part of the first wave of the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section and later as a first-call session musician in Nashville for over three decades. He recorded with Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Charlie Rich, Kenny Rogers Jerry Lee Lewis, Ray Stevens and Dolly Parton.

Born Today In Music

June 22nd

1936 - Kris Kristofferson

Kris Kristofferson, musician, actor, and writer, known for such hits as 'Me and Bobby McGee’, 'For the Good Times’, 'Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down’, and 'Help Me Make It Through the Night’. In 1985, Kristofferson joined fellow country artists Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash in forming the country music supergroup The Highwaymen. In 2004, Kristofferson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

1944 - Peter Asher

Peter Asher, Peter &Gordon, who had the 1964 UK & US No.1 single 'World Without Love’, written by Lennon & McCartney. Asher was a producer and Head of Apple Records in late 60s and went on to become James Taylor and Linda Ronstadt’s manager.

1947 - Howard Kaylan

Howard Kaylan, from the The Turtles who had the US 1967 No.1 single 'Happy Together’ and the 1967 hit 'She’d Rather Be with Me’. He later worked with Frank Zappa, alongside his friend and partner Mark Volman who used the stage names of Flo & Eddie.

1948 - Todd Rundgren

American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, and record producer Todd Rundgren. Member of Nazz and Utopia. Had the solo 1972 US No.16 & 1973 UK No.36 single 'I Saw The Light’. Rundgren engineered / produced many notable albums for other acts, including The Band’s Stage Fright (1970), Badfinger’s Straight Up (1971), Grand Funk Railroad’s We’re an American Band (1973), the New York Dolls’s New York Dolls (1973), Hall & Oates’s War Babies (1974), Bat Out Of Hell’s Bat Out of Hell (1977).

1949 - Alan Osmond

Alan Osmond from American family group The Osmonds. They had the 1971 US No.1 single 'One Bad Apple’, the 1974 hit 'Crazy Horses’ and the 1974 UK No.1 single 'Love Me For A Reason’. They had their own 1972–1973 Saturday morning cartoon series, The Osmonds, on ABC-TV. The Osmonds have sold over 75 million records world wide.

1949 - Larry Junstrom

Larry Junstrom, a founding member of Lynyrd Skynyrd and longstanding bassist with the band .38 Special. Junstrom played bass with Lynyrd Skynyrd from its formation in 1964 until he was replaced by Leon Wilkeson in 1971. He then joined .38 Special in 1976 with Donnie Van Zant, the younger brother of the Lynyrd Skynyrd frontman Ronnie Van Zant. He died on 6 October 2019 at the age of 70.

1953 - Cyndi Lauper

American singer, songwriter Cyndi Lauper, who had the 1984 US No.1 single 'Time After Time’, and the UK & US No.2 single 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun’, (first recorded in 1979 by American musician Robert Hazard). The song received Grammy Award nominations for Record of the Year and Best Female Pop Vocal Performance.

1956 - Derek Forbes

Derek Forbes, bassist with Scottish rock band, Simple Minds, who had the 1985 US No.1 single 'Don’t You, Forget About Me’, and the 1989 UK No.1 single 'Belfast Child’, plus over 20 other UK Top 40 singles.

1956 - Green Gartside

Green Gartside, singer, songwriter from British band Scritti Politti, who had the 1984 UK No.10 single 'Wood Beez, Pray Like Aretha Franklin’, and the hit 'The Word Girl’, as well as a US Top 20 hit 'Perfect Way’.

1957 - Gary Beers

Gary Beers, bassist from Australian rock band INXS, who had the 1988 UK No.2 & US No.1 single 'Need You Tonight’. Their 1987 album Kick has sold over 10m copies in the US alone and features four Top 10 singles; 'Need You Tonight,’ 'Devil Inside’, 'New Sensation,’ and 'Never Tear Us Apart.’ INXS has sold over 55 million records worldwide.

1959 - Alan Anton

Alan Anton, bassist with Canadian alternative country/blues/folk rock band, Cowboy Junkies.

1961 - Jimmy Somerville

Jimmy Somerville, UK singer, who with Bronski Beat had the 1984 UK No.3 single 'Smalltown Boy’. With British pop duo The Communards had the 1986 UK No.1 single with a cover version of the Thelma Houston hit 'Don’t Leave Me This Way’.

1962 - Ruby Turner

British Jamaican R&B and soul singer, Ruby Turner, who scored the 1987 UK hit single 'I’d Rather Go Blind’. As a session backing vocalist, she has worked with Bryan Ferry, UB40, Steel Pulse, Steve Winwood, Jools Holland and Mick Jagger.

1964 - Bobby Gillespie

Bobby Gillespie, guitar, vocals, from Scottish rock band Primal Scream who had the 1994 UK No.7 single 'Rocks’ and the 1991 UK No.8 album Screamadelica.

1964 - Mike Edwards

Mike Edwards, vocals with English group Jesus Jones who had the 1990 US No.2 hit with 'Right Here Right Now’ and the 1991 UK No.7 single 'International Bright Young Thing’.

1965 - Tom Cunningham

Tom Cunningham, drummer with Scottish band Wet Wet Wet who formed in 1982. They are best known for their 1994 cover of The Troggs’ 1960s hit 'Love Is All Around’, which spent 15 weeks at No.1 on the UK charts.

1970 - Steven Page

Steven Page, guitar, vocals, with Canadian rock band Barenaked Ladies who scored the 1998 US No.1 & UK No.5 single 'One Week’. The group has sold over 15 million records including albums and singles, and were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in March of 2018.

1976 - Sally Polihronas

Sally Polihronas, Australian singer from Bardot, winners of the Australian Popstars reality show, who had the 2000 Australian No.1 single ‘Poison’, and 2000 Australian No.1 self-titled album.

1981 - Chris Urbanowicz

Chris Urbanowicz, guitarist, with English rock band The Editors, who had the 2007 UK No.1 album An End Has a Start and earned the band a Brit Awards nomination for best British Band.

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garloszeczek-blog · 4 years

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My new review Birds of Prey

You'll see where this is going very quickly. All right. So that movie was about the horror of someone else playing with your toys in a way that you feel they are not supposed to be played with. It's a great site to see the Birds of Prey. It's a very jarring experience, and most of us have been there, but in line with the message of that movie, I think it's important that we all take a step back and recognize that at the end of the day, We're all loving the same characters.

And that's nice right now that said my problems with birds of prey are not simply the significant, significant changes made to DC Canon. That bothers me, but the film has plenty of its of its own problems as well. Uh, and we're gonna discuss them, but I just want to make it clear that I wouldn't say this movie is a bad movie, but I wouldn't say it's a good movie.

Either in fact, I have been struggling since I saw it as to whether or not as a rotten tomatoes critic. I should give it a fresh or a rotten tomato, because to be honest with you, I don't think it deserves either. I feel putting a rotten tomato on it. It's too harsh, but I feel like a fresh tomato is a bit too much of a pass.

What made me see the Birds of Prey

But I got to pick one. Right? So what was the deciding factor? Well, I've been talking to a lot of you, uh, you know, some of you who've been very nice. Uh, I'll be curious to see the box office on this movie. Cause while there's a small contingent, that's very vocal about film. Uh, you know, the tracking has still been very low and I'm curious to see how it all eventually shakes out.

We'll see. But to some people, I think it's undeniable that this movie means a lot to them. Uh, and then also it's viewed as an important staff. And I think this is true in regards to who's in movies and Hollywood and who makes those movies, that con you know, I think that is fair. So for that reason, I think that's enough of a tiebreaker that tip the scales to a fresh tomato, but I'm going to put in the comments that it was a real squeaker between fresh and rotten.

Cause you know, again, that's really the case. So now we're going to talk about the movie, right? No spoilers, but boy, do we have a lot to talk about the spoiler review? Uh, but first I'm going to start with what I like about the movie. There. Isn't a lot of stuff that I like, and then I'm going to talk about what I don't like.

All right. So the good. The acting, I think the acting is quite good in this movie, everyone. Well, I have to say Andrew Kane and rename on tour. Really one toy isn't bad. I just feel totally unnecessary in the movie. I did not like Cassandra Kane at all. Um, But everyone else I thought was excellent. And you know what?

I thought very, very committed to their roles. Nobody is doing a paycheck gig here, and I think that has to be respected. I certainly respect it. All right. So first off, Margot Robbie personally, I prefer the current animated version of the character to me. That's perfect. This Harley does a lot of things by accident.

Happiness at every turn

You know, she's very lucky. Let's say right. She could almost be black cat in terms of luck powers to some degree. And the Marilyn Monroe comparison by the way is actually very apt because Robbie is playing Harley Quinn, like a criminal clown, Maryland Monroe. And I totally understand that choice by the way.

And on that note, she looks absolutely gorgeous here. Not only on the outside, but on the inside. Sure. She does some mean things and she is, you know, a criminal, but she does, you know, she does radiate, um, a fun factor and a kindness factor, which is great, which is, I think one of the things that makes the character so likable.

Along with her cool look and her costume changes. She's fun, right? No wonder Margot Robbie is going on to play Barbie. Uh, and while I don't agree with many of her choices here as to how to play Harley. You can't deny that Robbie's definitely making strong choices and that she really has made the character her own.

Uh, and we're going to talk about this at the end of the review to many people. She's the only Harley Quinn they've ever seen and she's beloved. And I think that's great. You know, you love to see comic book characters succeed beyond the initial medium. Right. And she has one. Undeniably good gag where let's just say she punches Zass in the fun house.

Curiosity is the first step to hell

You'll know it. When you see it, it was the one genuine roaring laughter that came from my audience and it was totally deserved. Uh, you and McGregor, he's having a lot of fun here, right? Speaking of fun with a very camp, but also very disturbed performance, which is. Very important. The disturbed part two black mask, one of the most disturbing characters in DC comics, from what you know, from, from one fire, the joker to the next, right.

I wish that had been commented on more. There's a lot, that's not commented on here. Um, but anyway, you and McGregor's performance is a hundred percent believable. I mean, I really thought he did a great job. I don't like a lot of what's done with his character, but that's not on you and McGregor. And it's undeniable that like with Margot, Robbie, You can't take your eyes off of either of them when they're on screen. For your message, you won't see the movie on Netflix.

I hated the end with this character though. I absolutely hated it. I was like, this is where we part ways, birds of prey. I don't know if I can, I don't think I can get over this. And it's a real travesty of justice. We'll discuss it in the spoiler review. I was like, wow. That was a mistake. I can't believe he did that.

All right. So next up journey smaller much, much, much better than I'd anticipated. Very good. I can see why so many people were singing her praise. Um, you know, in the run up to this film's release, she has the best fight scene in the film fitting since black Canary of course is an iconic character in the comics.

For her fighting skills, the kick to the car door that I heavily criticized and the trailer is still weak, but it's her only weak kick. Every other kick is controlled and powerful and made to look even cooler by the gold pants and matching boots that she's wearing. It's really phenomenal. I was really impressed.

Unlikely personality

I thought that she could definitely kick butt. I loved it. And her look for most of the film I feel is much better. I mean, I know they eventually incorporate the fish nets. You've already seen this look in the trailers, but the leisure suit. It was bad. I was like, what are you wearing? That's really bad.

Like that fabric, you would think it was instant. No, no. The costumes on the other women are so bad. It almost seems intentional. It's it's for hunters. I actually liked Hunter's. We'll talk about her in a minute. In terms of her costume choices. I speaking of unnecessary though, the canal cry, which of course is something else that character is famous for in the comics.

It does make an appearance and it does look great, but it really came across. It's unnecessary because no one else has metal powers in the movie. So you were like, this doesn't really go with the rest of the film because you know, I think black Canary got the Canary. She didn't start out with it. She got that Canary crime.

So she could be in stories with other meta human characters in DC comics. They call them meta-humans. Uh, so that's why she has it, but here there no such character. And then I really didn't like what they did right after she did her Canary cry. Which really bothered me, which we'll talk about in the spoiler review.

Great combat scenes

But in addition to her fighting skills, small, like bell was simply very likable here, really likable. And while she doesn't have a lot of character development for shame, a smaller bell still manages through the sheer force of her acting and personality to come across very much like a real person with a lot of.

You know, dynamic elements. I really liked her a lot. Mary Elizabeth Winstead curious. So funny. She got, she got some good genuine laughs as well. Not as many as the Harley Quinn bed, but she got some laughs. She was good. I mean, Huntress has never been very particularly well-defined in the comics, but to see her go from a mid midriff wearing sex pot.

Too wearing a sweat, sweat sweatsuits, right. With anger issues and poor social skills playing up her New Jersey mafia angle. Well, that was just really clever and a true joy to see too bad. She has hardly any screen time. I mean, that was a real shame. Uh, both black Canary countries are very good. But they're really restricted in what they're allowed to do on screen.

It's unfortunate. I'm thinking HBO, or I'm going to make a video about it. I'm thinking HBO, max show for them just because. The actresses aren't as high profile and their stories seem a little bit smaller, but if the movie does really well, maybe a spinoff movie, but you know, streaming today is a hot, a hot spot.

And I think it would be very happy with the HBO max show. We were really, really explore both of their origins and there's good teases to their origins, but again, you know, kind of just shuffled in there to, for fan service and to give them a look it's a little as backstory as possible. Alright, so now we're on the positive.

Gotham never sleeps

A Christmas scene again, while I do not like it at all, what's done with his character. I did feel that Mussina fully commits here is that, and therefore is very engaging to watch on screen. Uh, also like black mask, he feels truly dangerous. I felt they were actually dangerous characters, which is great.

Especially if you're in an R rated movie. I'd also like to include director Kathy and here again, I don't feel she was the right choice for this movie. I think she makes it feel very small, but I have to hand it to her that she handed in a film that very much feels like a mainstream studio product. And that's incredible for someone who's never made one before.

I mean, you cannot tell that this is someone's first studio picture, so that's impressive. Then finally, in the good section, I would like to also include the police station raid, which is really three delightful sequences. They're not perfect. But they have the best visuals and some of the most clever elements in the movie. Besides, I recommend reading reviews of the movie on Metacritic.

And definitely the best overall action Harley really is good with the baseball bat. There was one where she one instance where she throws it and I thought that was incredible. I loved it. And a smiling Harley Quinn emerging from pink and blue smoke. Mimicking her hair. Holding a shotgun is probably my favorite shot in the film.

What it's like to be an anti-hero

I was like, wow. And I also liked the wanted poster joke. This is very good stuff. Now let's segue over unfortunately to the bat. And I have to say there was something about this police station raid that bothered me, even though I did enjoy it the most out of all the action sequences and that's that Harley is clearly using non-lethal rounds in a misguided thing to make her the antihero.

Right. They're like, yo, she can't shoot the police. The audience will not like her then. And I'm like, You know, either she's a criminal or she's not, I don't like things to try and have it both ways, which I think is a good way to describe this movie is we're going to discuss, but anyway, she's using non-lethal rounds, but yet still, for some reason, the police who have real guns cower in fear, and there are a lot of, Oh, whatever you want just don't hurt us.

I mean like the people of Gotham should be very upset. Okay. I mean, it also, at that point, the whole. Knows. She's no longer under Joker's protection for them. So there's really no reason for that this to be the case. And it just really bothered me. I thought it was sloppy writing to make her be able to pull off this raid.

I'm like, just figure out how she can do it for real, please. I also felt that even though Chad's the housekeeper came in here to help with the action with some reshoots, it just still didn't work out there. Isn't a lot of action. Um, even when there are action sequences, they aren't that great. Right? Uh, the fun house, for instance, it's a cool set, but it makes for a very awkward action sequence.

I mean, for instance, you can literally see the actors and the stunt people struggling to maneuver. In the fun house, their footing is very unsure. They're like, I guess I'm supposed to do this and it's not working. And you're like, it's not working. You should redo the scene. Um, my favorite moment in that sequence, by the way is again, black Canary, uh, needing a hairband to pull her hair back out of her face mid-flight she has to get it from someone else.

Women on top

And I just thought that was very real. I liked it. I thought a woman would really do that, but the fact that's my favorite moment in that fight sequence, I think says a lot about how little fighting is actually going on there. Uh, furthermore, for some reason, the tone dramatically changes in the third act.

And our leading ladies get really silly, like really silly it's on choice, considering that this is the time that they're in the most danger and also teaming up for the first time. I thought that was, I was like, this is a very weird tonal shift. Uh, next, I felt this movie had a lot of the same problems that suicide squad did yet.

For some reason, nobody is saying anything. I suspect that a lot of people in the media felt joker was irresponsible. I didn't like where joker was coming from. And this really is like the exact opposite of joker, um, which is unfortunate. Cause I feel like a really good Harley Quinn story could be as good as Todd Phillips do with joker, but talking about women in abusive relationships anyway.

I do feel that there's something of like, let's push this cause we want to see this more than joker. And I hope that's not how the conversation evolves because it's going to be super annoying. But anyway, um, so yes, a lot like suicide squad, like instead of doing the work and the script, a lot of things are written up on the screen.

A comedy movie

Sometimes it gets laughs, but I do feel it's a little bit sloppy. Um, similarly, the editing is very choppy. The story is told out of order. Um, And a lot, a lot. I don't, I don't know if suicide squad did that too much, but I have to say a lot of what we saw being filmed or was in the trailers, never makes it into the movie.

I know it. And you had it too. I know it had to be reworked, but there's stuff that's not in there that you feel should be in there maybe a little bit. Like for instance, Jared letter's joke or body double, even the body doubles doesn't show up. So it's kind of weird to have joke would be so much a part of what Harley's talking about yet.

You don't see him. I wish that they had managed to maybe. Work something out to Jared Leto could return cause his shadow weighs heavily on the entire film. Um, so yeah, there's a lot missing. There's a lot missing, right? Also many, many times just when the movie hits on a really good idea and you're like, wow, this might be something it stops short and moved on.

Right. A perfect example of this is the diamonds are a girl's best friend musical number. I didn't think it was going to work. But then when it was in the movie, I was like, wow, this is really working. I can't believe I'm good. Oh, it's over. That's what it was like. It was like less than a minute. It felt like there was less footage about dance sequence, that musical number in the movie that has been in the trailers. Before I watch a movie I always try to check the information on this page.

So that was weird. Um, I mean, I'm, I'm like, you must've felt more than this. Why did you not put more of this sin? For instance, also one of my favorite shots from the trailers when she does like the boom would hit somebody with her head. That's not in the movie. I also have a real problem with the hypocrisy of birds of prey.

What I didn't like

I really hate this kind of stuff. It really bothers me, which is maybe one of the reasons that I have a problem with this phone and it's has hypocrisy on a number of points. All right. So number one. It's supposed to represent women, right? Yet Harley Quinn is front and center and the other female characters have very little screen time in development.

Margot, Robbie has famously now said that you wanted to shine a spotlight on lesser known DC characters, which I think is admirable, but she's not doing that. They very much come across a cross as backup dancers, right. Instead of partners. Uh, that kind of works a little bit with where the story goes again.

I don't want to give away any spoilers, but you know, it's unfortunate. Uh, you could easily cut my least favorite characters Ram on toy and Cassandra Kane and give that screen time, which is very badly needed to black, Canary and hundreds. Also considering again, how great Harley Quinn's multiple costumes are.

It seems almost intentional that the other costumes are so bad. I like the joke of Hunter says, you know, sweatsuits, right. Or, you know, I think that's very funny, but black Canary should look much closer to her comic book origins. They don't even give her the leather coat. It's it's it's it's frustrating.

Um, but anyway, the movie is also supposed to support characters of color diversity, but bottom line it's it's hero and villain who have by far, the most screen time are white. And so I don't know why this movie is getting rewarded for doing something it does not do. And also again, I loved smell like bell and that she was great, but you can't ignore her.

Supporting LGBT communities

Hollywood's continued colorism. It's really unfortunate. The movie is also supposed to support LGBT representation. I felt I was worried about this. Some people misconstrued, my comments is not wanting in the movie. That's totally incorrect. I really wanted in the movie, in fact, in a moment, we're going to talk about why, uh, but I was worried that it wouldn't be done well, or it would be more queer baiting, which is exactly what it is.

Right. For instance, you only know that Montoya is a lesbian because Harley says so in voiceover, she never does a single thing on screen. To show that that's the case. Even her interactions with her supposed ex-girlfriend have no subtext to them whatsoever. They could just as well be friends, former friends, to be honest with you, uh, Harley Quinn who's famously by in the comics.

Not here. There is a quick visual gag, which could easily be cut for foreign audiences, uh, about her experimenting in college. And that's it on a side note while we're talking about it now, uh, black mask, uh, is very campy as a character, but some of you have actually written me and told me that foreign dubs take that out of the movie. It is worth noting that the main character was played by the wonderful Margot Robbie.

That's stripped away from the performance. Um, so there's the campy aspect, but the movie just refuses to commit to him being. Even potentially a gay character. It's very cowardly. I think even the moment where he puts his arm around as his shoulder, I don't think that's in the actual movie. I might be mistaken on that to be fair, but I was looking for it and I didn't see it.

Uh Zara's does Fort with black mask, but, uh, Zass flirts with everyone. Right. He just seems like he's just kinda like into everything. Uh, and he gets the most sexual gratification from violence. There's a specific kind of violence, but I don't want to give it away. Uh, then finally, I really don't like how this movie depicts men.

I think, I think it's problematic. I don't like this trend that for one thing to be awesome. Another thing has to be torn down. Why can't I, why can't, you know, again, from the Lego movie, why can't everything be awesome? Right. Harley Quinn can be a great villain without having to put out the idea that she was the one who came up with all of Joker's good ideas.

Joker-related threads

Right. I was like, why do you have to tear down joker to make her like, when a great character? I don't think that. Good at all in the comics and an animation Montoya, it gets along great with Gordon and books. She's part of the inner circle of the GCPD, but here she's ostracized, but every single man in the department bullied by them and her case is stolen by them.

Um, Now it's hard to go into many more specifics without spoilers. So we will definitely revisit this issue in my spoiler review. But I will say here that all the men are depicted as very rapey. And I just didn't see one positive male character in the film. There's one character that you can maybe argue as positive, cause he doesn't want to get killed, but like that's a really horrible excuse for what he ends up doing to a woman. We can read about the history of the Birds of Prey on the wiki.

I'm like, We'll talk about it. I mean, wow. I mean, their men are definitely portrayed as the enemy and at one point Harley even Moes down a male store manager with her shopping cart laughing, and we're supposed to laugh at it. And you're like, that guy is responsible for the paying. You know, he has to take the monetary loss for what you just stole.

Um, you know, joker was a man of the people I'm just saying, and, you know, Harley the selfishness, there's a little bit of a one character flaw for the character. I was also particularly devastated to see that even black mask is portrayed as hating women, like really being misogynistic. Right. And there's one scene in the film, which involves that other guy that is truly appalling and which we will definitely discuss in the spoiler review.

Does it pay to see

I'm not even sure if it should be in the movie. I don't understand exactly why it was put there, except it'd be just like the pinnacle of men hating women. I didn't like it. Um, And it made no sense story-wise either who would ever go to black masks club, but this kind of stuff happens there. Uh, and the, one of the main reasons that I find it disappointing is that gay men and women have historically had a bond.

youtube

Right. And I had hoped that that would be played up. And highlighted in this movie and might be a really clever reason or one of the really clever reasons for making black mask, a gay character in the context of this specific film about representation and victimization either. That could be really cool, but instead he's just another woman hater, which, you know, women have no friends who are men and I don't like that at all.

I mean, I think that there's definitely abuse that goes on. Um, and that I have, I have absolutely no problem. I'm being depicted. The Harley Quinn animated series does a great job with that, but I don't think you should vilify all men. I think that's not a good. That's a good path to go down. So yeah, I have a lot of problems with this movie and I'm surprised that so many people are seeing the film as revolutionary, right?

Public expectations

I suspect it's because the number of people have not seen it yet, but some people have and have been very laudatory. And I was thinking about it and it occurred to me that for many, many people, and this is sad, they've never read mad love. They haven't read any of the Harley Quinn comics, which admittedly.

Are really dodgy in terms of quality, but they've also let seeming wonderful new animated series, which is stuck behind a paywall. And unfortunately, very few subscribers to that service. I mean, it's really unfortunate because mad love and the new animated series, not the comics, unfortunately, but mad love.

And the new animated series are both much better than this movie, but have a smaller audience. So I guess at least the story's getting out there, but it's been told better. So that's my non spoiler review of birds of prey. My spoiler review will be coming very soon and again, as I said, we have plenty to discuss, but for now, share your thoughts down below.

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