#my big fat greek wedding is a good like reference for what i like
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My Big Fat Texas Family - Hangman x Reader
Ok ok ok so here's my #RomComChallenge entry for @sorchathered's Birthday Rom Com Challenge. It was based (loosely) on My Big Fat Greek Wedding, and in my head, the Seresin Family is very similar to the Portokalos Family - they're big, they're loud, they're very traditional. And Jake is bringing his girlfriend (of 6 months) home to meet them, for his sisters wedding. I wasn't too sure where I was going with this at first, but then I found some common themes, and that's when I added the quotes from the movie. It's just a lot of fluff, So...here you go!
OH! I also threw in a little head canon of mine, involving a relationship with Hangman and someone from TG '86, let me know if you spot it and the references!
Happy Birthday Sarah! I hope you like it!
“My family is big and loud but they're my family.”
Jake stared at the invitation in his hands. His sister’s wedding was only a month away and he had gotten the text last night that read “Jake, need to know if you’re bringing a plus 1 to the wedding - gotta send in the final numbers” He hadn’t texted back yet, because he hadn’t yet told you about it, nor had you met his family. His giant, very southern, very traditional family. He ran a hand through his hair, unsure if that was even close to an appropriate place to introduce a girlfriend, albeit that you two had been dating for almost 5 months. You were on your way over, he had dinner in the oven and he was ridiculously nervous. It was now or never.
The doorbell ringing shook him out of his internal debate and he set the invitation on the counter, before making his way to the foyer and letting you in “hey doll” he pecked your lips sweetly “hi, I brought wine” you held up a nice bottle that you’d gotten from someone as a gift and never drank. You followed Jake into the kitchen, while he grabbed the bottle opener you picked two wine glasses from the cabinet and set them on the island, in sight of the wedding invitation. “What’s this? An invite?” You picked it up to read the details, completely missing the slight look of panic across your boyfriend’s face. “Uhh yeah, my sister's wedding is next month, and I’ll be going home for that week…” he nervously rubbed the back of his neck as your big eyes met his, he knew you loved weddings, and parties and getting dolled up but he was nervous to bring you home, not because he didn’t think his family would approve, in fact it was the exact opposite. They would love you, so much so he was a little concerned they would scare you away.
His family could be a little overbearing. There were a lot of them, he was the oldest of 4 and the only boy, his mom had two sisters and a brother, and his dad was one of 6 kids, Not to mention his nan and pops. It was overwhelming on a regular family holiday, factor in a wedding where all of his cousins would be there too? He was sure some of the guys would hit on you, and the girls could just be, well, a lot. “Oh” you tried to hide the slight disappointment in your voice, you’d only been together a short while, surely he had a good reason for not telling you about it until now. It didn’t make it past him though, he saw the flash of disappointment cross your face, and he was over to you in less than a second, taking your hand and cupping your cheek to meet his eyes “I invited you over to ask if you would consider coming with me, but you should be warned. My family is big, and loud, and overbearing and I have a lot of cousins” you cut him off by pressing a kiss to his lips “I would love to come with you, but only if you really want me to” A smile reaches Jake’s lips as he rests his hands on your waist “yes, I definitely do, just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
~~
You’re luckily able to work remotely on the week of the wedding. You were currently wearing one of Jake’s Top Gun sweatshirts and curled up with your head on his shoulder as he quizzed you on his family tree. “Tommy, Samantha and Peter are whose kids?” You closed your eyes, racking your brain through what you already knew “Your uncle Ron’s kids, uncle Ron is your mom’s brother” Jake nodded proudly “yes, exactly” Your eyes fell closed for a brief moment as the altitude lowered and you prepared for landing. “Jake, you don’t have to quiz me, I’ll be fine.” Jake pressed a kiss to the top of your head “I know, and I’m glad you’re with me, I think I’m more nervous than anything…'' Before he could finish his thought, the pilot came on the system, announcing to prepare for landing. You shifted back to your own seat and buckled your belt. Peeking out your window, you saw the ground approaching rapidly - no turning back now.
Jake grabbed your bags as soon as he spotted them on the carousel and held your hand leading you out of the baggage claim section “so, I think my dad is picking us up” you nodded, wishing you could have at least changed out of his sweatshirt to meet any member of his family “ok I guess, they do have uber in Texas don’t they?” He simply chuckled, as he led you out to the arrival section. “Jake!” “There they are!” “Oh they look so cute together!” were the first things you heard, as you saw a group of what was certainly Seresin family members waiting for you. An older man who was no doubt Jake’s dad, was smiling the same eye crinkling smile you’ve seen many times on your boyfriend’s face, an older woman, sporting a beaming grin, blonde hair and the same blueish green eyes that you looked into on an almost daily basis, alongside two younger women, whom you assumed were Jake’s sisters. Now you really wish you had the opportunity and foresight to change into something nicer before leaving the plane.
“Momma” Jake hugged the older woman first, and then his dad, who patted him on the back, followed by his sisters, then he turned to you. “sweetheart, these are my parents, Annie and John, my younger sister, Callie, and my youngest sister Lisa.” You smiled shyly and held out your hand to his mom “Mrs Seresin, it’s so nice to finally meet you” Annie laughed and opened her arms to pull you into a hug “I’m a hugger, dear, and Mrs Seresin is my mother in law. Please call me Annie or momma, whatever works.” You blushed and nodded, and then were enveloped into a hug by his sister “it’s about time he brought you home! Everyone is waiting at home, they’re so excited to meet you.” Jake’s eyes widened “everyone?” Callie laughed as she linked her arm through yours “of course big brother, what else did you expect?”
“There are three things that every (Greek) woman must do in life: marry (Greek) boys, make (Greek) babies, and feed everyone.”
The ride to Jake’s family ranch was filled with the family discussing wedding plans. As you sat in the back quietly taking everything in, Jake seemed to be quite tense beside you. You slipped your hand in his “what’s wrong?” You whispered, he turned to look at you “my whole family is at the ranch, I just…. I’m worried, it’s going to be a lot.” You smiled softly, giving his hand a gentle squeeze “I’ll be fine.”
As the truck pulled into the ranch, you almost gasped in shock at how many other vehicles were there. Some of the family was outside on the porch, and some kids in the backyard playing games. As John pulled the truck to a stop and you got out, you heard someone from inside the house yell “they’re here!” Jake shot you an apologetic smile, while giving your hand a squeeze “I’ll be right there the whole time.” He exited the truck and jogged around to open the door for you, taking your hand and helping you step down, just as what seemed to be a flood of people approached. Jake was enveloped in hugs and kisses from his other sister, Julia, and his various aunts, while his mom stood next to you making introductions. There were so many names and you were swept into hugs and kisses by all the ladies, that is, until a voice rang out from somewhere at the back of the crowd. “Where is my handsome grandson!?” The crowd of family seemingly parted, making way for an elderly lady with gray hair and big glasses, wearing a flowery dress with an apron overtop. She moved through the crowd towards you and Jake, stopping just in front of the two of you, a big beaming smile on her face “Jacob!” She pulled him into a big hug, and pat his back “Hi Nana” She cupped his face and pinched his cheeks “you need to eat more, now, where is this girlfriend I’ve heard you brought to meet us?” Your eyes widened and you stood up a little straighter, a pink blush rising to your cheeks, as all the sets of eyes turned to you, and Jake stepped aside to reveal you to his grandmother. She approached you slowly, taking in your appearance and leaned her head to one side “oh she’s darling, Jacob” She reaches for your hand, linking it around her arm and patting the top of it “come on inside dear, I want to hear all about you”. She led you through the throng of family members, Jake following closely behind with the bags, but not before getting a knowing look from his mother.
“You better get married soon. You're starting to look... old!”
The week with Jake’s family went by in a blur. It was full of family dinners and wedding planning. While the boys went to watch football, you volunteered to assist tying bows on favors, and while this was happening, Jake’s mom, aunts and sisters, bombarded you with questions getting to know you. You answered each one in kind, all the while Jake’s grandmother sat silently at the end of the table, a small smile ever present on her face. Before you knew it, it was the day of the wedding. Annie had roped you into getting your hair done with all the girls at the salon, so when Jake kissed you bright and early in the morning to say goodbye while he went to get ready with the boys, you got up as well. Pulling on a pair of shorts and a button up shirt - so as not to ruin your hair when it was done - you made your way down to the kitchen. As you came down the stairs, you heard the hustle and bustle of voices and excitement. You hesitantly opened the door and everyone froze, then cheered and someone handed you a mimosa, you would think that you were the bride if you didn’t know any better. Once everyone had finished their coffees and mimosas, all the women loaded up into multiple vehicles and headed for the hair salon.
“So Jake, when are you gonna ask that girl to marry you and have all this hullabaloo for yourself?” his cousin Peter asked, as he held up a beer to his lips. Jake shook his head but smiled softly to himself as he worked on folding pocket squares for the boys, but avoiding an answer. His uncle Ron, chuckled “You better make a decision or come up with an answer when your grandma asks you the same thing boy, it’s about time you settle down and have a few kids too.” Jake just shook his head “it’s not all about that, but we’ve only been together for barely 6 months.” Uncle Ron patted his back a little harder than necessary “you’re a smart man, and a good pilot, you know when to take the shot.” shooting Jake a wink, before leaving the room to the younger boys.
"Are you kidding? Any second now he's gonna look at me and go, 'Ha. Yeah, right, you're so not worth this.'"
"Yes, you are."
You felt gorgeous, your hair was done perfectly to your inspiration photo and your dress fit like a glove. But somehow, the butterflies were still wreaking havoc in your stomach and you hoped that the nerves would dissipate with time. You made your way downstairs to the living room, where the rest of the aunts, uncles and cousins were waiting for Julia to come down. You helped yourself to a glass of the punch, and nearly choked when you realized how much alcohol had been put into it, but you drank it anyway, hoping to keep the nerves at bay.
When it was time for the ceremony, you sat with the bride’s side, with aunts and cousins that you’d only just met, and while they welcomed you with open arms, You felt ridiculously out of place. Your family was tiny in comparison, both your parents being only children, and all the traditions you’d been witnessing this past week, you didn’t have any of them as far as you knew. If you did marry Jake, even though you’d only been dating a short time, you knew it would be just this big, if not bigger with him being the eldest boy. You let your mind wander to what it would be like, so much so that you almost missed the doors opening and ceremony beginning.
"Why?... Why do you love me?"
"Because I came alive when I met you"
Jake held your hand as you sat at the table at the reception. By now the couple had been pronounced, dinner had been eaten, and cake had been cut. The party was about to really begin but he could tell you still seemed anxious. “Darlin’ do you want to tell me what’s wrong?” You looked at him with wide eyes “Nothing! Everything has been so beautiful, and I’m so full.” He raised an eyebrow that told you he wasn’t buying a word and you sighed, turning your attention to your now very interesting napkin, “I just got to thinking about what it would be like if we were to get married…” if he was surprised (he wasn’t) he didn’t show it. Before he was able to respond, all three of his sisters came over to you and grabbed your hands, one handing you a drink while simultaneously pulling you to the dance floor. They taught you the basics of a line dance, and Jake sat there with a whisky in his hands, watching his family including you like one of their own. That was when he was sure he was going to marry you, and soon.
--
THE END x
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I'm not good at favorites and usually not a big movie person, but my parents and i will basically drop everything to watch my big fat greek wedding. I'm 24 and we've quoted it regularly for as long as i can remember lmao
I’m not a huge movie person either I always have a hard time focusing on them tbh. Which is why I typically just rewatch the same tv and movies all the time. But I love that I love a family movie where the references are inside jokes it’s such a beautiful thing. I can’t think of any movie specifically like that for my family but we have jokes about what happened during the movies. Specifically related to me fully sobbing while watching the secret life of bees and also the movie wonder. Some man literally made fun me to my dad (not knowing he was my dad) after I sobbed to wonder. He said “someone was really crying up there” and my dad said “yeah that was my adult daughter” so yeah lmao.
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Was Loki The Series Truly A Success?
One thing I keep noticing in posts both from people who liked the Loki series and didn’t like the Loki series is that the show was a success. And the show was certainly not a gigantic flop. Just as no one thought a project with Tom Hiddleston as Loki would be.
But was the series a success? I mean, sure, first week, definitely. It had the highest ratings for a premier in Disney+ history. So, yeah, after the first week, you could definitely say Loki was a hit.
But this wasn’t a one-time event. It was six episodes. And ultimately, a show is not judged by the premier ratings. That’s why you can see a show get cancelled after one season after a premier that got amazing ratings. Ultimately, just the thrill of tuning in to see Hiddleston play Loki again is going to wear off. People have to at least somewhat like the actual series itself to keep watching. Or the buzz about the show has to be so great that even if original fans don’t continue watching, new fans will replace them. So did the show do that?
Because it’s not unheard of for a show to do great in a premier and then fall off so hard they don’t last much longer. This is a dated reference so some of you younger fans on here may not know this (or you may not remember this), but have you heard of the show My Big Fat Greek Life? If you haven’t, you can google it. Or I can just tell you about it here.
I thought this show would be a great comparison because there are similarities to it and Loki. Which I know sounds weird, but this show was based on a popular movie (My Big Fat Greek Wedding) with the same actress in a similar type role as the movie. Just like with Loki being a character from popular movies with the same actor in the same role. So both shows had a lot of people interested in the beginning. And the premier of My Big Fat Greek Life was a huge hit ratings wise. But after the premier of My Big Fat Greek Life, people stopped watching and the show only lasted a season.
So how did Loki do after the premier? Well, let’s look at ratings given by Samba TV. They judge viewership by household. All viewers have to be unique viewers. It’s obviously not a perfect way of tracking viewership (what is?) but it gives a good picture of what the viewership looks like.
So, Loki started with 2.5M viewers. And the last episode had 1.9M. Which obviously is a big drop.
Just how big of a drop? Well, to compare it to its two Marvel show contemporaries, look at its ratings projection versus WandaVision and TFATWS. I made this because I think it really shows the difference between the shows:
Sure, the finales of WandaVision and TFATWS also had less viewers than their premiers. But the way that Loki dropped viewers versus the other two shows is kind of mind-boggling, really. TFATWS had a decrease in ratings of about 5.5%. WandaVision had 12.5%. Loki had a 24% drop (!!!). That is really bad. There are no other ways around it.
But ultimately, this is just one number metric. And I’d like to look at more. Because I love numbers. And I had a marketing professor once tell me in college she would also give out a good grade if people had the numbers to back up their point even if she didn’t agree with it.
I think the best post with the best numbers is this post on Reddit, so I want to give credit where credit is due. After I messed around looking at the numbers provided by Samba TV, they pointed me to find other useful numbers:
This post shows how Loki’s ratings dropped over lots of different metrics. I definitely recommend a read. One thing I found interesting from reading this post is to look at how the show did post the premier.
Now, if a streaming show really catches on with viewers, people should start watching after the series ends, right? Like, I didn’t watch Stranger Things season one right away but after so much buzz, I tried the first episode and then stayed up all night watching the whole first season. That’s how viral shows work. People like to binge watch and series with good buzz people binge watch, right? Additionally, if the show was truly wonderful for all of Loki’s many fans they’d want to keep watching the show over and over, right?
So one thing I find interesting then is the numbers provided by Nielsen. Nielsen tracks minutes people watch rather than unique viewers like Samba TV. That is why I prefer numbers by Samba TV because it gives you a better indication of overall viewership rather than just what show has huge fans who watch the show over and over. But, it is still definitely worth looking at Nielsen’s numbers. They tell you not only numbers of different viewers but also can show you how passionate viewers are of a show. And the numbers by Nielsen paint an interesting picture. Especially when you look after the show ends.
So I made a chart showing the number of minutes watched during the week of the finale and then the two weeks after that for Loki and for TFATWS and WandaVision.
Now, all three shows had worse numbers after the finale. Which of course makes sense. There were no new episodes to watch and most people (outside of dedicated fans) don’t watch a series over again right after they watched it the first time.
But where it gets interesting is two weeks after the finale. That’s where, if the buzz was good, people should be trying this show and watching the whole season. Or it should be when satisfied fans watch their favorite scenes again and again.
But after the initial drop of views after the finale, when you look at the second week after the finale, the numbers for TFATWS and WandaVision kind of leveled off. But Loki’s numbers continue to nosedive. So much so that Loki had the worst numbers for all three shows two weeks after the finale. Even though they had the best numbers for the finale (and the premier)!
Numbers can always be spun positively. That’s how things work. I took enough marketing classes to know this. But it’s hard to spin those numbers positively. It just is. Numbers don’t lie.
And here are some other numbers that don’t look great for the series. I took this quote directly from the above mentioned Reddit post:
Flexpatrol says Loki dropped out of Disney+ top 10 faster than the other two shows (Loki stayed in top 10 for only 60 days vs 95+ and 105+ days for the other two shows in most territories).
Sorry but again...these numbers don’t paint the story of a show that was successful.
One thing that’s interesting, too, when you look at these numbers is that it’s not people deciding they dislike Tom Hiddleston or anything. Not that anyone would (or should) think that, of course, but if you click here, you’ll see that Tom Hiddleston was, per Parrot Analytics, the most in demand actor for the entire United States for July 20th through August 18, 2021 (and 9th for the world!). So people want to see Tom Hiddleston. Just, it appears, not the Loki series.
And I know I said I like numbers and if you’re like me, you may not take the next information as seriously. But I also noticed some non-number metrics.
From my own eye test, the show didn’t feel like a success. And what I mean by that is word of mouth. I’m talking about with the general public. Not with just Marvel fans.
Now, we are living in a world with a pandemic still going on, so there really can’t be “water cooler” moments like there used to be. A lot of us (myself included) are working out of the home still so we can’t really use office buzz as a metric like we used to. And I don’t go out of the house like I did pre the pandemic.
But I can say from my own experience, during the first two weeks of the show, I did hear random people talking about how good the show was as I went out and about during my day, like in the line at Zaxby’s.
But after the first two weeks? I haven’t heard a peep. I have worn my Loki Mickey ears at Disney World after that. I have gotten compliments on it. But when I have talked to people about It and about Loki I’ve mentioned I didn’t like the show, and the other person without fail always says oh I never watched the show (I promptly recommend to them not to watch it!).
And I do participate in other non-MCU fandoms online. One of those is a Los Angeles Lakers Reddit, and when WandaVision was going, people would talk about that show on the Lakers reddit and someone even posted a video of the trailer redone with LA Lakers players. But Loki the series? The only time someone brought it up was to say the show was dumb. That’s it.
Now, I am not surprised so many people think the show was a success. Disney and Marvel have deep, deep pockets and they work very hard to make sure people think all of their projects are a huge hit. And there are good numbers they can tout, like the numbers for the finale. They brag about the numbers when they can and stay quiet when they can’t, and they spin everything to look as good as possible.
But you know Disney and Marvel have to notice these numbers. Now obviously the show is coming back for a season two. But from everything I heard before the series even started, that decision had already been made before the first episode aired. So they might be “stuck” with a season two in a way.
But other things we have learned since the show ended don’t exactly paint the best picture in the world. Kate Herron immediately announced she wasn’t coming back. She said it was her decision. And obviously I don’t know her and of course it could be. Though she said it was to do her own projects and so far nothing has been announced.
But it seems like even if she wanted to do her own thing, she could have worked her own things around the schedule for season two. If the show had been really successful in Disney and Marvel’s eyes, you think they would have worked hard to keep her. At the very least, it would have been days before she announced she was gone as they tried to coax her into a salary she couldn’t refuse. But...none of that.
And then there’s Michael Waldron. He said he might or might not be back next year. Why not just say he’s back? If Disney wanted him gone, unlike with Herron, it would be a bit more complicated. Because he already wrote the Doctor Strange sequel before the show aired and the movie is already done. So Disney and Marvel want everyone to think Waldron’s writing was as successful as possible to help the movie. But if they really loved his writing, wouldn’t they have secured him for season two? And why would be so vague? Wouldn’t Disney and Marvel want fans to be reassured at least Waldron was coming back if they thought fans really liked season one?
And then’s look at what Feige said recently about season two. Here’s a snippet from this Collider article:
As for when Loki Season 2 might start filming, Feige promised he’s “not being evasive” but said he’s “not sure exactly where it falls between next year and the year after.”
Okay, now it sounds like there are a lot of things up in the air about season two. Which doesn’t seem likely if Marvel and Disney were happy with season one. I do understand that in the MCU it’s trickier than with standalone shows and everything has to work together on a schedule. But at the same time, if it was a big hit, you’d think they’d want to get a season two out as soon as possible.
I’ve paid a lot of attention to Disney as a company the last few years because I am a super business nerd and I know a big part of their business plan is wrapped up in Disney Plus. They believe streaming is the future. They have assured their shareholders that this will earn them a lot of money. If they thought Loki really helped Disney Plus, they would be begging Marvel to get a second season out as soon as possible. But, they’re not.
Which of course leads me to believe that Disney does not view Loki as a success. They had already renewed the series. And they know the potential of the show. They saw the early numbers. So that makes me think wonder if there is a break because Disney wants Marvel to retool the show. Because Disney saw the numbers that are out there and can plainly see no matter what they tell us viewers and (more importantly to them) their shareholders, they know the show did not live up to its potential and it needs to be changed if it is to be successful. Because season one, by all metrics I can see, just wasn’t.
TLDR: Marvel & Disney want you to think Loki was a success. And initially it was because of Loki & Tom’s popularity. But if you look at lots of numbers, the ratings declined at rates far worse than WandaVision & TFATWS which really makes you think the show wasn’t as big of a success as Disney & Marvel would have you believe
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OC Name Meaning Edits (Part I)
I’ve always thought it would be fun to do these, and I noticed one of Quill’s ( @quilloftheclouds) edits going around, so I thought I would give it a try! All of these use free images and templates from Canva!
Bonus name info under the cut!
All these characrers are Constellan!
A Note on Middle Names: You may have noticed, not everyone listed has a middle name. Why? Middle names are actually a regional thing in Constella as a holdover from their colonial days. Depending on which foreign power ruled which portions of what is now the fully unified and independent Republic of Constella, different linguistic and naming conventions took hold., as well as various policies and laws around names themselves. Whether or not you have a middle name largely depends on your family’s origins and geographic history. In more traditionalist regions where colonial rule was not as centralized, middle names didn’t take hold as prominently.
A Note on Name Order: Names in Constella also have a lot to do with social class, reflected in the order and origins of names. At one time, being upper-class meant blending into the norms of foreign powers, and since it hasn’t yet been 100 years since independence, such practices still leave their mark. For the uppermost classes (or those who aspire to be upwardly mobile,) it’s common practice to have a Constellan name on paper, but to use an English, French, German, or Nordic name in professional settings. Some use these adopted names in their social circles as well, but some observe their Constellan names among friends. Another common arrangement, most popular among middle-class folks, is to use a Constellan name in the front/as a first name and a foreign name in the middle. For those who hail from traditionalist strongholds, are devoted practitioners of the Marnesh ethnoreligion, or come from more disadvantaged material circumstances, Constellan names are used both in the front and in the middle, if a second name is present at all. The history of names here is a somewhat frought topic, but most would say a Constellan name is a marker of pride and the strength of the people.
Onto the bonus name info now!
Lizrendell Desslin- She prefers to go by a short and simple “Liz,” which some mistake to be short for the Hebrew name “Elizabeth.” Not so! Her full Constellan name means “dark eyes.” Hers are purple in color, something that pops up more rarely in comparison to brown, grey, or even green eyes. There’s a folk saying, especially among the older generations, that violet eyes are a mark of keen intelligence.
Nerissa Vannarjee-Just “Rissa” to most, her full name has associations with Greek mythology (the birth of Aphrodite, the nymph children of Nereus), as well as Shakespeare. A character called Nerissa appears in The Merchant of Venice. The meaning is quite appropriate for a hydrokinetic, don’t you think?
Tavi Victoria Simorian-I thought up this name especially for the character...or so I thought! Pronounced similarly to “tabby,” it means “someone who protects” in Constellan. Years later, I came to find its actually a real-life name! It can be used as a diminutive of David, primarily for girls, or as a diminutive form of Octavia, which is an old Latin name meaning “eighth.” Victoria is also Latin and a feminized name, too; this time for Victor. It’s meaning is quite easy to parse, “someone who brings victory.” It seems a good combo for someone like Tavi, who guards her family members with upmost dedication, and fights fiercely and passionately to correct injustice.
Ash Monroe Gutierrez-Ash chose their own name when they transitioned, and it’s very important to them. Sometimes used as a short form of Ashton, it can refer to ash trees, but Ash themselves chose it for its associations with fire and volcanoes. For a pyrotechnic with a penchant for geoscience (and a sparky personality), you can’t get better than that! Monroe is well-known as a surname, but it’s sometimes used as a unisex first or middle name, a common theme for Irish and Scottish names alike. I like its spunky sound! Bonus: Gutierrez is a Spanish surname which means “son of Gutierre.”
Aris Athena Portokalos- Fondly called Ari on occasion, hers is another case of me making something up, only to realize later, “Wait, that’s a name?” In Constellan, it’s a feminine name which means “ambitious”: that’s Ari through and through! It’s also a unisex Greek name which means “harvest.” Athena seemed appropriate for someone who is known for their intellect (to the point of basing their self-worth around it, Ari stop that.) Bonus: triple hit! Portokalos is also a Greek name, belonging to the family of the protagonist Tula in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” It’s said to mean “orange,” perhaps as a reference to farmers who tended orange orchards. I had forgotten where I heard it originally, but went ahead and picked it up.
Bethki Pemmer-Usually just “Beth,” her name is meant to compliment her gentle, curious, and rather shy nature. In Constellan, it means “she who observes.”
Ione Lee Nazir-We’re back with yet more Greek mythology: stories say that Ione was one of fifty sea nymphs called Nereids. Hmm, sound familiar? Hint: look at her partner’s entry! With a lovely purple meaning fitting for a gardener, the association with violet stones (and flowers) means that Rissa calls her “Violet” from time to time. It can be pronounced in a variety of ways: I use EYE-own, but eye-OH-nee and ee-OH-nee are also used. Lee is a short, unassuming English name which means “meadow.” In Ione’s case, it’s a family name, used by her mother and grandmother in the middle place as well. Bonus: Nazir is an Arabic name which can be used as a first or last. As a variation of Nasir, it means “helper,” but it can also be used to mean “beautiful,” “pure,” or “warner” as in “one who is sent by Allah to warn mankind,” in which case it is used as an epithet for the Prophet Muhammad. Ione shares her father’s Islamic faith.
Katri Newsome- A case of double names, Katri is her legal Constellan name, which means “knowing.” It’s the name she prefers, and how Aris and the rest of the family refer to her. Her parents, however, tended to call her Kendra, an English name with the same meaning. While she didn’t always know what Aris was up to in the early years of her apprenticeship at the tail end of her “villain years,” Katri came to know her better than virtually anyone else, second only to Ash. Sound-alike cousin Katiri, is another Constellan name, this one meaning “little wren bird,” which is used as an occasional nickname.
#dove creates#and rambles about names#dove’s useless ocs#writer friends#Quill#OC: Liz#OC: Rissa#OC: Tavi#OC: Ash#OC: Aris#OC: Beth#OC: Ione#OC: Katri#mine
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The Cure for All that Ails You
For the @carryonsparks Butter prompt!
This week has been wild. I’m in Minneapolis, and after grieving the murder of George Floyd for just a few short days, we suddenly have an influx of white supremacists trying to fuck with our city. So, I’ve been staying up all night the last few nights watching our neighborhood (they’ve committed quite a bit of arson, though mostly businesses, but homes started getting threats.) Anyway, I needed some total fluff and love from snowbaz this week, which is what you’ll find below. Black Lives Matter!
Baz
“Fuck!”
There’s a sweet smell of chocolate chip cookies filtering into the rest of the house from the kitchen. Simon’s stress baking. Again. He’s been unconsolable since he had to start work from home because of the pandemic. When the rest of the nation got an itch to bake from scratch, he got swept up in the craze. His clumsiness, however, has proven a formidable foe in his new hobby.
“Snow?” I wait a beat, then stroll over from where I’m reading on the couch.
The scene I walk into could only be described as total chaos even though it’s a chaos I’ve come to know well over these last dozen weeks or so since the pandemic started. Simon is wearing his pink apron, lined with thick ruffles (I think he must have ordered the first option that came up when he searched ‘apron’ on Amazon. There’s never been a more apron-ey apron.) The kitchen is littered with canisters, utensils, and bowls. Surely no recipe calls for five bowls. My eyes land on Simon’s back near the oven where he seems to be looking intently at something.
I keep my steps light as I stride over to him. I wedge myself in between the base of his wings, pressing my chest to his back and gliding my hands around his waist. My hands bump his, which are busy with movement, so I hook my chin on his shoulder to see what he’s doing.
“Snow, are you molesting the butter?” I ask with a scoff. He’s applying a stick of butter like chapstick to the side of his index finger. He lets out a low rumble while I (poorly) attempt to keep my smirk in check.
Simon
“I burned myself, prat.” I growl through the pain. I think I heard once that butter is good for burns. I think it’s working. Maybe it’s just ‘cause the butter is chilled. I twist around in his arms, and he releases me to step back and look at my hand, covered in butter.
“Is this like Windex in My Big, Fat Greek Wedding?” He chides, his eyebrow arched. “Do you think butter is the cure for all that ails you?” Baz references a movie I’ve heard of but not seen. But I’ve got enough context to understand. The idea of butter as the medicine for any sickness or worry wrestles the start of a smile from my mouth.
“No,” I stress as I roll my eyes. “Heard it helped with burns.” Before I even finish my sentence Baz is pulling out his mobile, almost certainly to Google it and prove me wrong.
He reads from his phone, “While using butter on burns is a common old wives’ tale, it is poor advice. To treat mild burns, wash under cool water, apply burn ointment, and keep wrapped to minimize pain.” My smile is growing at his predictability.
“Yeah, alright,” I say, setting down my not-so-miracle cure, and turning to the sink to wash the butter off. Baz leaves and returns quickly with our shoebox of aspirin, gauze, and ace bandages. We’ve accumulated a lot of first aid supplies over my years of scrapes and cuts. He takes my hand gently as we sit at the kitchen table side by side. I’m watching him examine my finger and my heart thumps a little louder. I think he can hear it, with that vampire hearing of his. The corner of his mouth twitches up, just slightly, as he rifles through the box and pulls out a small white tube.
Baz
I apply a spot of the ointment on Simon’s burn, careful not to press too hard. He winces slightly, nevertheless. I find some half-used gauze and softly wrap his finger, securing it with a piece of tape. Simon’s watching me work and my chest warms with fondness for this bungling git. My bungling git. I raise his hand to my mouth and place my lips over the gauze on his fingers. His half-smile widens into a beam of sunshine. His happiness is one of the greatest rewards of loving him.
I’m about to drop his hand, but he senses the movement and shifts his fingers to intertwine in mine. Without thinking, I’m leaning into him, pulled like gravity by the center of my stomach towards him until my lips meet his. He’s warm and gentle and so inviting. Simon’s other hand is immediately behind my neck, pulling me in, firm, but not frantic. His lips part ever-so-slightly and his teeth nip at my bottom lip. A low hum emits from deep in my throat and I have to hold myself back from following his lips as he sits back in his chair.
“So,” he says. “Want to put on a terrible romantic comedy and not watch it?” He’s not subtle, but Crowley, I can’t deny him anything.
“My Big, Fat Greek Wedding?” I ask. He laughs, short and bright and loud, and nods. He doesn’t let go of my hand until he’s abandoned his apron on a kitchen chair and we’re settled onto the couch to watch this terribly out-dated movie. He leans into my side as I stretch my arm around him, pressing a kiss to his temple.
“Mm, this is nice, Baz.” He says, soft and content.
“Yes,” I say. “Yes, it is, Simon.”
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So it turns out the wedding is going to be three chapters long in Brother Dearest. With a sort of My Big Fat Greek Wedding vibe, only substitute the Greek for Catholic. Found a video online for a good reference on a modern Catholic wedding as I couldn’t find an old one so that’s just what I’m going with and tweaked it a bit for James to be an excited soppy puppy.
Some guests from Asgard and Hel arrive for the wedding along with a new face from Themyscyra because I have absolutely no control. Hope you guys liked when it comes out and aren’t put off by the heavy religious part of it as i just have to push this point now and then I don’t see it being a common thing in the rest of the story past a few mentions of the church later on in passing. I know some religious things can drive some off, but my oc just wants to make her late parents proud by doing the big day up the right way and no one, not even King George or President Truman are helping to make it any less of a circus.
Oh, and James is a Baron now, again I’m a bunny loose in a candy store, no one is stopping me so there it goes. 😁
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GO Rom Com Spotlight: @raiining
The wonderful @raiining has claimed My Big Fat Greek Wedding to adapt for Good Omens in the Good Omens Rom Com Event.
For reference, here’s some information about the source material!
Synopsis of My Big Fat Greek Wedding: Everyone in the Portokalos family worries about Toula (Nia Vardalos). Still unmarried at 30 years old, she works at Dancing Zorba's, the Greek restaurant owned by her parents, Gus (Michael Constantine) and Maria (Lainie Kazan). After taking a job at her aunt's travel agency, she falls in love with Ian Miller (John Corbett), a teacher who is tall, handsome and definitely not Greek. Toula isn't sure which will be more upsetting to her father, that Ian is a foreigner or that he's a vegetarian.
We spent some time chatting about how the adaptation is coming so far, as well as future plans for it! Now, get to know @raiining (also here on Ao3) a little better!
* * *
goromcom: You know how if you open a Tumblr chat with someone you haven't chatted to before, Tumblr tells you two things they post about? I wanted to tell you that I was delighted to see that yours reports that you "post about #omg and #lol." Which is a mood for 2020.
raiining: Bahahaha, I forgot that about tumblr. #omg and #lol seems accurate.
goromcom: You chose to adapt My Big Fat Greek Wedding as your rom com. Has this movie been a favorite of yours, or is there some other reason you chose it?
raiining: Yes, My Big Fat Greek Wedding is an absolute favourite and, coincidentally?--one of the view movies on the list you circulated that I recognized/have actually seen. I have got to sit down and actually watch When Harry Met Sally one day because I have never seen it and I feel this is likely a terrible thing. But yes, MBFGW is an awesome movie and a favourite. I have a big family but not nearly as big as in the movie, so I can relate without it being all too painful. I also like how the suspense of the movie isn't so much "getting them together" as it is "making this work."
... so of course I want to use it to talk about Aziraphale and Crowley and their relationships with Heaven and Hell, and also Heaven and Hell's relationships with each other, and, also, I'm going to make my fic hinge on the fact that when this all starts Crowley and Aziraphale aren't actually in a romantic relationship and so "getting them together" is going to be a big part of the plot. Because why not.
goromcom: What's your favorite moment of your chosen rom com, and are you looking forward to presenting it in your adaptation? Any loose plans for that scene that you can share?
raiining: My favourite moment is the one I'm pretty sure I'm going to use in my summary, which is having Gabriel say "Well, he might as well meet the whole family."
goromcom: Hoo boy, Crowley, brace yourself!
Do you plan to stick very closely to the story beats of the original movie, or make bigger changes?
raiining: As I alluded to above, I'm going to be making some changes. I love AUs (and am currently writing two of them because I am terrible) but I really love the idea of NOT making this an AU and instead playing cut-and-paste. I'm going to use the idea that Heaven and Hell view the fact that Aziraphale and Crowley have lived together for a "year and a day" as the fact that they are already, in celestial minds, married. Gabriel has the (in his opinion) brilliant idea to use this as a way to make Aziraphale's situation seem officially sanctioned and not heretical and/or something that leads to other angels asking questions. So Heaven decides that they need to get married, and Crowley needs to be Officially introduced to Heaven, and then of course Beezlebub is not an idiot and isn't going to let Heaven steal all the good bits of this PR disaster, so... *rubs hands together* .. so I'm having fun, is basically what I'm saying. ;)
goromcom: What's an interesting decision you've made in your planning so far--a notable casting decision, a changing of venue, or some other plan you have to paint Good Omens all over your rom com?
raiining: I'm going to have Heaven play the part of the Portokalo's and Hell the Millar's, even though, going by personality, it should be the opposite way around. I'm definitely going to have fun with that, too.
goromcom: I love a good switcheroo!
I am blatantly stealing this last question from The Good Place: The Podcast, but here goes: Tell me something "good". It can be something big or small. It can be a charity you think is doing good work, or you can talk about how great your pet is.
raiining: Hiding half the kid's Christmas presents and bringing them out in July to shouts of, "Wow! New presents!" is awesome.
goromcom: Christmas in July is awesome!
There you have it! GO adaptation of My Big Fat Greek Wedding coming to an Ao3 near you soon!
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Since the dawn of time, there are 1. Confident people, and 2. Not confident people, and 3. People who want to be Greek (My Big Fat Greek Wedding reference). Now with the internet and social media as a designer/artist/illustrator it’s even easier to doubt yourself, compare yourself and have difficulty being confident, especially if you’re not naturally in group 1. × Personally, I vary in 1 & 2 (and let’s be honest, 3). Ever since I started up illustration again this year, I’ve wavered in and out. The biggest thing I literally have to tell myself is “I’m Nina, not (x).”I’ve got my own style, my own skills, and I need to continue to practice & learn.” (I just had to tell myself this while sketching.) It’s a bit of imposter syndrome (which I’ve experienced as well as many others I know have as well). The first social outing with my fellow @pittsburghillustrators we talked about the struggle of liking our own work. 🖤 we’re all in this together!!! 🖤✊🏼 × But if you won’t take your own advice/motivation, take my ranting, hands holding your face like Billy Madison to that kid wanting to go to High School (but in a positive way🖤): “There is someone out there right now who is not working as hard as you. Who is not as HALF as good as you. Who isn’t as amazing and talented as you, and they somehow are believing in themselves and getting the opportunities you deserve. Don’t let your doubt and low self-confidence make you think you can’t do what you want. Because you can and you will. You don’t have to be at 100%, you just have to do it. Bad art is better than no art at all.” × Now enjoy a funny and mean, but true? maybe? photo of Ron Swanson as a “Sagittarius” from Netflix’s Instagram Stories awhile back. (Yes, I’m a Sagittarius). Now get that bread. 🍞💰 × × #illustration #art #creative #illustrate #sketch #ink #handdrawn #design #designer #graphicdesign #livecreativediealive #ninazivkovic #illustrator #artdirector #pittsburgh #pittsburghillustrators #inspiration #designerlife #moody #designinspiration #inspiring #growth #motivation #empower #empowerment #advice #confidence (at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) https://www.instagram.com/p/Byx_LxhBcXT/?igshid=s0ipkhdkgws1
#illustration#art#creative#illustrate#sketch#ink#handdrawn#design#designer#graphicdesign#livecreativediealive#ninazivkovic#illustrator#artdirector#pittsburgh#pittsburghillustrators#inspiration#designerlife#moody#designinspiration#inspiring#growth#motivation#empower#empowerment#advice#confidence
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Dad Letter, 7 January, 2022
7 January, 2022
Dear Dad--
You probably won’t receive this letter for a long time, if ever, because you’re being a bit of a ding-dong right now. But that’s okay. It occurred to me while I was smoking in my bathroom just now (under the exhaust fan) that these letters don’t actually require your observation in order to exist. Perhaps they should continue, if, for no other reason, they serve as a documentary of my weekly life. So because you’re not reading this any time soon, I suppose I’m a bit more free to talk about potentially taboo subjects (Cocks! Cocks! Cocks and buttholes!) and I can make the letters as short as I wish (The End, motherfucker! Lol j/k). Before, I have always striven for two good, fat, single spaced pages, always retaining the option to make it longer if the muse was upon me.
It is my eight year wedding anniversary today. Me and Z have been gay married since we got our rings in the mail and put them on, which was January 8, 2014. I’ve just done some checking to confirm this. I think because we are both men, we’re naturally unskilled at remembering the exact date our marriage started, and have to write it down somewhere. And we didn’t have our wedding until some time later. There’s a guy I talk to in the smoking section at work, named Mike, who works in surveillance, and I think he just figured out in the last couple of weeks that I’m married to another man. (I believe I said something about my husband and it caught him off guard, as it sometimes does those who assume me to be straight.) So recently he asked what I had planned for my weekend, and I said it was my anniversary, eight years, and it caught him off guard again, because he’s only been married to his female wife for about (and it took him a good while to sort through the math) four years. It’s neat when you say you’re married X years and the person with whom you're conversing has been married LESS than that. It means you win, right?
And it’s snowing for our anniversary! Oh, it’s a nice day for a white wedding. It’s snowing hard, and it’s supposed to continue snowing hard all day. Because we’re expecting several inches of snow, it’s cause for a Winter Storm Warning. And we were going to try a Greek place we’ve never been to before for our anniversary dinner. Going to have to shovel the drive, but that’s okay, because neither of us hates doing that. I’ve heard that when a fat old guy has a heart attack shoveling snow, and he goes to the emergency room, he’s referred to as a shovel. “We got a shovel in trauma one.”
Oh, my closest coworker Justin has tested positive for Covid. This sucks in several dimensions; now I’ve been exposed, and if I’m carrying anything, but asymptomatic--whether temporarily or…not so much--I’m exposing everyone else I come into contact with. It also means Justin has to quarantine for five days, and can’t come to work. This means that, instead of coming to work, doing half the seven audits, taking my time, having a lunch break, etc., I’m doing all seven audits myself, which can take all day. It can take longer than all day if anything goes seriously pear-shaped, like getting locked out of our computers, which happens from time to time. This means that I’m also getting a one-day weekend instead of a two-day weekend. Today is my weekend. Today is it. That’s why I’m writing this letter now, even though it’s only Friday. It will be somewhat nice to get a paycheck with a few hours of overtime, but since it all evaporates once it hits the monthly bills, I’m having a hard time finding the inspirational part.
On top of that, I have about six days left in this lifetime when I can chew my own food with my own teeth. On the 13th of this month, the dentist is going to pull two wisdom teeth and a molar on my right back side. After that, I’ll have lost about 90% of my chewing teeth, with the few remaining ones all on the bottom left. I’ll still have my smile; all the front teeth will remain, but the big ones you use to grind up your steak will be gone. I’ve already begun the process of getting partial dentures. I hate pretty much everything about this, and when I think of it, or deal with it directly, it tends to be unpleasant. I can easily find the silver lining, however: I’m going to get all the problems with my teeth taken care of now, and by the time it’s done, I’ll have some store bought teeth I can use, and I won’t have any more pain. Right now I’m consuming uncomfortably large amounts of ibuprofen some days. I hope this dentist has very good pain management kung fu.
So I am not without a plan when it comes to chewing my future steak. I’ll get two partial dentures, I assume, one for top teeth and one for bottom. The dentist said they would have a reciprocal property that would reinforce their strength by, I assume, the top ones mashing against the bottom ones. Thusly is their position in your mouth reinforced, and thusly is your steak made more digestible through mastication. I’m trying to focus on the part about becoming pain free. (Shit, they’re going to want money for the copay for the three-teeth-extraction extravaganza. That’s going to be a problem. Shit. Now I shall get to work on this!)
But it’s snowing vigorously, and it’s going to continue doing so all day, and it’s beautiful! And it’s my day off, and it’s my anniversary, and soon I won’t have any more dental pain, and a less hockey-inspired smile.
Quit being a ding-dong, please and thank you.
I must go. That's all I have to say to you.
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crazy rich asians
Before I watch any film, I try my best to not have any expectations, regardless of how excited I am to see it. BUT, this film was everything I hoped it would be & more. It was funny, romantic, ~glamorous~ & of course it featured a good-looking cast (as most rom-coms do).
I believe that some people (critics if I am not mistaken) were predicting the film to be a flop, presumably because it features the unlikely all Asian cast. Again, if I am not mistaken, that would be because a minority cast has previously not attracted a large audience because White people tend to see a minority cast and assume that they aren't the intended audience.
I am half Japanese, half European, and growing up in Australia, many aspects of my lifestyle are very Australian – I am what Awkwafina’s character, Peik, would call a banana; yellow on the outside, white on the inside. However, regardless of the fact that the film centres around a Chinese family who lives in Singapore with a heavy focus on their family and culture, the overarching theme is family – which literally everyone can relate to. I will acknowledge that there were definitely a few references which are unique to an Asian culture that I am sure I could relate more to than the White couple sitting a row in front of me in the cinema, however, the idea could be understood, just like when I would watch a film like My Big Fat Greek Wedding, for example.
I also really liked the way the film portrayed its characters to (obviously) not portray stereotypes in multiple ways, but one way in particular was how the men were portrayed. Typically, Asian men are depicted to be scrawny, nerdy and unattractive, which this film did the opposite of. There were a few occasions where we would see a couple of the male characters shirtless, and they were b u f f , as well as possessing the ‘manly’ traits that we’d normally see in male characters on-screen.
It was almost satisfying how well the success of this film proved that a film that includes an Asian cast is still worthy of success, with a sequel being announced fairly quickly. To be honest, it’s quite annoying that it has to come to ‘proving’ that a film with an all Asian cast is bankable (like, c’mon it’s 2018), but I’m proud of the impact that this film’s success has had in getting the ball rolling towards creating a more diverse industry that reflects contemporary society.
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1036.
5k Survey LXXVI
3901. What is the most annoying tv ad?
>> Implying that they aren’t all annoying?
3902. If you died, how would you hope others would remember you?
>> I’m not concerned about that right now. I’m still on “are people even going to care?”, so.
3903. Name 2 questions that you will most likely never say 'no' to:
>> This reminds me of how Sparrow and I have “body snatcher” questions -- like, questions you’d ask if you’re suspicious that the other person has been possessed or replaced by a lookalike impostor or whatever. And one of hers for me is “do you want Red Robin?” because I never say no to Red Robin, lmao.
3904. What is the softest part of your body?
>> I don’t know, man. My organs???
3905. What family do you want to see in place of the Osbournes when they finally stop doing their show?
>> ---
3906. If you could pick 3 bands to go on tour together who would they be?
>> I don’t care. We can’t go to concerts right now anyway.
3907. What is a main differance between western and eastern philospohy?
>> Location.
3908. Would you be fooled by Joe/Josephine Millionaire?
>> Who?
3909. Do you believe Michael Jackson does innoprpriate things at his Neverland Ranch? Like what?
>> I don’t care. I don’t care I don’t care I don’t care. When he died the first thing I thought was, “oh, good, then I won’t have to hear about this shit anymore”. That’s how much I do not care.
3910. What do you think of gov. Ryan who cleared out Illinois' death row?
>> This means nothing to me.
3911. Would you want a $500 gift certificate to:
Kmart or Target? Target. Kmart doesn’t even exist in this area anymore.
Macy's or Hot Topic? Macy’s. As much as I nostalgically love Hot Topic, let’s be real -- the clothing quality is shit, not to mention that they really don’t sell the same shit I used to love about them anymore.
Border's Books or Spencer Gifts? oh, I miss Borders! :’(
Victoria's Secret or Frederick's of Hollywood? I don’t wear lingerie, so I guess you’ll be giving that Frederick’s gift certificate to Sparrow.
3912. What do you think of this website: www.blackpeopleloveus.com/
>> Oh, that’s hilarious. I’m glad I actually went to see what it was, considering I’m usually lazy about that on surveys, lol.
3913. Man vs Elephant. A zookeeper was treating a constipated elephant. He gave her too much laxitive. Suddenly everything exploded out onto the zookeeper. He was knocked to the ground where he hit his head on a rock and got knocked out. There he suffocated under a pile of elephant dung. True story. Is it a funy story?
If yes, what is funny about it? Why is it so taboo to laugh at death?
>> I can see the humour in it -- I love ridiculous death stories -- but the concept is too gross for me to think about. And it’s taboo to laugh at death because people often feel like if you laugh at something you can’t also take it seriously when need be -- which isn’t true at all, in my experience. I laugh at death jokes and funny death stories without fail, but if someone told me someone they loved just died in [insert ridiculous way here] I’m not going to fucking laugh in their face about it. (People are welcome to laugh if I die in a ridiculous way, though. I’d probably do it on purpose just to add some levity to the situation.)
3914. What are your favorite five things from this list:
alternate realities, animals, astronomy, birds, camus, cats, cheap trick, cocaine, cooking, costumes, dancing, elvis, gambling, greta garbo, james dean, jeff buckley, joy division, marilyn monroe, mixed drinks, moody blues, morrissey, mozart, my bloody valentine, orbital, pizza, playing flute, prince, radiohead, rummy 500, scrabble, table tennis, talk talk, van morrison, writing
>> Alternate realities, astronomy, dancing, James Dean, Joy Division. Also mixed drinks. Preferably while listening to Joy Division and looking at the stars.
3915. Do you have to read lots to be able to write well?
>> I think it helps.
3916. Vanilla ice. Everyone loved him, suddenly everyone hated him. What was the deal??
>> I’m sure there was a story, but I certainly don’t care enough to know it.
3917. If you could kick one person out of the grammies who would it be (Avril, Eminem, etc)?
>> ---
3918. Studies have revealed that when sending out a resume a person has a 50% higher chance of getting a responce if their name is white sounding than if it is black sounding. What do you think about this? Why do companies respond this way?
>> I don’t know what these “studies” are, whether they actually existed, or whether they were even reputable (or repeatable...), but in the case that that does happen, it wouldn’t surprise me. Like, racism is a real thing that has real repercussions, lmao. We been knew.
3919. Should Big Fat Greek Wedding really be a Big Fat Greek sitcom?
>> I don’t know???
3920. What are you addicted to?
>> Nothing.
3921. What fascinates you?
>> A lot of things.
3922. What is fascinating about you?
>> I’m not sure.
3923. Personality wise, is anything the same for all human beings and if so, what?
>> I don’t know, and I wouldn’t dare to speculate.
3924. What kind of a contest woud you have a shot at winning?
>> I’m not sure.
3925. You see a dirty punk kid who had a giant cowboy hat on who is rolling his own cigarettes. Your impression?
>> “hah, check out Mini Odin over here”, probably.
3926. What would you never want to have more than 2 of?
>> Ears??? I don’t know, dude.
3927. Is there a movie you just could not finish watching? What and why?
>> Yeah, there’s quite a few movies like that. Beyond the Black Rainbow was one. It was just too fucking esoteric for me.
3928. Is there anyone that you love and want to be around for no explainable reason?
>> Well, I mean, there’s a reason... it’s because Can Calah is wonderful and makes me feel good to be around.
3929. Would you go to times square for new years?
>> Fuck no. I used to live like a 15-minute walk from Times Square and I still wouldn’t go on NYE. That is literal pure hell and I really don’t know why people do that to themselves. Watching it on TV at home with people you like (or even just by yourself/with your dog) and some snacks and a bottle of champagne is the true ideal.
3930. Do you think that there are to many signs blocking up the scenery?
>> Like... street signs??? Is this a reference to something
3931. Did video really kill the radio star?
>> *shrug*
3932. What was your favorite atari game?
>> I’ve never played Atari.
3933. what is your favorite neon color?
>> Neon green.
3934. Do you get depressed eveytime it rains? If yes, why?
>> No, although a rainy day may exacerbate an already gloomy mood (I am absolutely solar-powered).
3935. 'The more you admit that all your actions are robotic, the less robotic you are.' What does Tim leary mean by this? Do you agree or disagree and why? How much of your actions do you admit are robotic?
>> I personally don’t know what the fuck he’s on about, but all those “LSD gurus” said some weird shit like that on a regular basis. It was part of their charm, I guess (and definitely fit in with all the counterculture stuff going on in that era).
3936. Are we not men?
>> Well, I’m not. I’m a spider.
3937. Is it easy to be you? Would being someone else make it any easier?
>> It is very much not easy to be me. Being me is often so exhausting and energy-consuming that I can’t do anything else some days. I don’t know what it is like to be anyone else, though, so I can’t comment on that. I’m doing my best with what I’ve got.
3938. Why are sex religion and politics such taboo subjects?
>> Because people usually have very strong, deep-set beliefs and opinions about those things, which can lead to strife if everyone in the room is not in agreement.
3939. Is there really a differance between republicans and democrats?
>> Yes. Otherwise the divide wouldn’t exist in the first place. I would allow that the differences are changeable (as the foundational policies of both parties have shifted over time), but they still exist either way.
3940. Imagine someone has a great personality, sense or humor, family and job. they also really really like you a lot. Would you consider dating them if they:
were fat?
limped?
were a midget?
had hiv?
were paralized in one arm?
had a glass eye?
had only 6 months to live?
3941. What makes you experiance nostalgia?
>> I mean, a lot of things.
3942. What do you remember about these historical figures:
Woodrow Wilson?
Hellen Keller?
Christopher Columbus?
3943. Out of the above three figures, one is a huge racist, one is a socialist and one is a slave trader. Can you guess which is which?
Racist:
socialist:
slave trader:
3944. Betcha they didn't tell you that in american history. Wilson, Keller and Columbus are painted as heros, impossibly good, ideal people. Why are so many things ommitted from and lied about in american history text books?
>> *sigh*
3945. Do you drink super caffinated energy drinks?
>> I don’t drink energy drinks, and I avoid caffeine levels higher than that which is in a cup of black tea.
3946. eminem or moby?
>> Eminem.
3947. spongebob or the animanicas?
>> I’ve never seen the Animaniacs, but I don’t much care for Spongebob, so I guess I’d watch Animaniacs if I had to choose.
3948. Why do people rush to grow up only to wish they were a child again?
>> Social pressure, and then disillusionment. *shrug* My best guess. That’s not the experience I had/am having, so I can’t speak from experience.
3949. Why do people sacrifice their health to obtain money and then use the money to restore their health?
>> Because capitalism is hell.
3950. Jetsons or Flintstones?
>> I don’t have a preference. They kind of strike me as the same show just set in wildly opposite time periods, lol.
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crowd vs. critic // BEST OF THE DECADE (2010s)
Well, people, I tried. I really tried to whittle down the decade to 100 movies or fewer just like a good little Best of Decade list does, but here we are. That is, here we are at 144.
Maybe it’s because movies have meant so much to me this decade. When I graduated from high school in 2010, I loved John Hughes and Audrey Hepburn, but since then, film has cemented itself as my favorite art form. A few highlights in this journey:
Taking film classes at Taylor University, including a trip to the Sundance Film Festival in 2013
Writing for ZekeFilm starting in 2016
Writing about every new movie I watched in 2016
Watching classic movies while podcasting about Gilmore Girls pop culture references
Discovering my love for Turner Classic Movies, including taking their online summer course “Mad About Musicals”
Watching every movie nominated for Best Picture in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2019
Beginning a slow (very slow) but sure trek through every Best Picture winner in history
And, oh yeah— starting this little blog!
I left Snow White and The Huntsman wishing someone would review it considering how fun it was even though it wasn’t a great art. Then I thought, what if that person was me? I hope my writing and critical analysis has grown since then, but I still ask the same questions about every movie I’ve watched since then: What is the popcorn potential? What is the artistic taste?
This decade I also spent July Friday nights watching outdoor movies on Art Hill, hosted annual Oscars watch parties with dear friends, attended my first midnight premiere (The Hunger Games), paid extra for the reclining seats to celebrate my first job (Interstellar), and found a laugh break with my whole family during a stressful summer (Ant-Man and the Wasp).
So here’s a small tribute to the time I spent watching, discussing, and reading and writing about movies I watched these 10 years: 72 Crowd picks and 72 Critic picks. They’re the 144 films that moved me, made me laugh, or made the biggest impact on me, and they’re the ones I recommend most from the 2010s.
Crowd-Pleasers of the 2010s
1. 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016) – An acting tour de force you’ll still be thinking about days later. (#JohnGoodmanForBestSupportingActor) Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.
2. The Age of Adaline (2015) - The color palette and costumes are dreamy, and the romance taking a back seat to Adaline’s personal growth is refreshing. On my Best of 2015.
3. Austenland (2013) – “This movie is for two kinds of people: people who love Jane Austen and people who think Jane Austen fans are funny.” – A paraphrased director Jerusha Hess. On my Sundance 2013 lineup. On my Best of 2013.
4. Ant-Man (2015) – All hail, Paul Rudd and his ability to make us care about ants. Read Crowd vs. Critic review. On my Best of 2015.
5. Avengers: Endgame (2019) - An impossibly satisfying conclusion that seemed impossible when Iron Man came out in 2008. A peak in the superhero subgenre as well as ensemble films, action flicks, sci-fi adventures, and time travel comedies. On my Best of 2019.
6. Baby Driver (2017) – If you forced me to pick my favorite on this entire list, here you go. A modern musical that lights up every spark in my brain. On my Best of 2017.
7. Beauty and the Beast (2017) – My favorite of the Disney live action remakes. On my Best of 2017.
8. Before We Go (2014) – I’m a sucker for Boy-Meets-Girl-and-They-Talk-All-Night stories, and this one’s an aesthetic dream. Excellent pick if your flight is cancelled and you’re stuck in an airport for nine hours.
9. The Big Sick (2017) – You’ll fall in love with the treasure Kumail Nanjiani. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2017.
10. Black Panther (2018) – WAKANDA FOREVER. On my Best of 2018.
11. Central Intelligence (2016) – No complaints from me when the Rock and Kevin Hart team up. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.
12. Colossal (2016) – The best quasi-superhero movie no one talked about this decade. On my Best of 2017.
13. Crazy Rich Asians (2018) – Three cheers for Awkwafina! On my Best of 2018.
14. Creed (2015)
15. The Dark Knight Rises (2012) – Controversial Movie Corner: My favorite of The Dark Knight trilogy.
16. Finding Dory (2016) – Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.
17. Frozen II (2019) – Controversial Movie Corner: Better than the original.
18. Fury (2014)
19. Game Night (2018) - Come for the sharp jokes, stay for the clever heist plotting and a hilarious ensemble. On my Best of 2018.
20. Ghostbusters (2016) – I had the option to rewatch this or the 1984 version for Halloween this year, and I chose to laugh through this one. FYI, the extra 15 minutes in the extended version make a difference. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.
21. Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) – Another modern musical. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews.
22. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 (2010) – Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews.
23. Home Again (2017) – Made of pure charm. Read ZekeFilm review.
24. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013) The best of the best dystopian YA adaptation series this decade. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2013.
25. I Feel Pretty (2018)
26. Inception (2010)
27. The Intern (2015) – Insanely rewatchable. On my Best of 2015.
28. Interstellar (2014)
29. Juliet, Naked (2018) – On my Best of 2018.
30. Jurassic World (2015) – Doesn’t hold up to scrutiny on second watch, but a big spectacle on a big screen. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2015.
31. The Kings of Summer (2013) – My favorite from Sundance 2013. On my Best of 2013.
32. Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014) – A course-correction of tired spy movie clichés. On my Best of 2015.
33. Knives Out (2019) – On my Best of 2019.
34. Kong: Skull Island (2017) – Very rewatchable. Very relistenable soundtrack.
35. Late Night (2019)
36. The Lego Movie (2014) – I didn’t choose this movie, but I laughed so hard I forgave my friends for dragging me to it.
37. Letters to Juliet (2010) – Very corny. Very rewatchable for its Italian countryside setting.
38. Logan Lucky (2017) – Channing Tatum, Adam Driver, and Daniel Craig at their funniest. On my Best of 2017.
39. The Magnificent Seven (2016) – Sometimes you just want to see a bunch of movie stars tearing it up. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.
40. Mary Poppins Returns (2018) – One of the most successful movies on this list because it knows exactly what it wants to be and then is that. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2018.
41. The Maze Runner (2014) – Let’s just forget those sequels ever happened.
42. Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015) – Fallout got the most attention, but I prefer the squad in this sequel. Bonus points for Jeremy Renner. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2015.
43. Moana (2016) – Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.
44. Monte Carlo (2011) – Wanderlust satisfied because it takes inspiration from Golden Hollywood fairy tales like Roman Holiday.
45. Morning Glory (2010)
46. The Muppets (2011) – Maniacal laugh, maniacal laugh.
47. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (2016) – Even bigger, fatter, and Greeker than the original. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.
48. Ocean’s Eight (2018) – The real heist? Eight funny ladies taking turns stealing every scene. On my Best of 2018.
49. Passengers (2016) - A near-perfect popcorn flick. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2016.
50. Paper Towns (2015) – Love me some Nat Wolff with an indie pop soundtrack.
51. Prometheus (2012) – Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews.
52. A Quiet Place (2018) – Where the best of commercial and critical filmmaking come together. On my Best of 2018.
53. Ready or Not (2019)
54. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) – Another entry in the Wanderlust Canon.
55. Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012) – Imperfect, but sticks the landing.
56. Shazam! (2019) – Read ZekeFilm review.
57. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011) – Charismatic movie stars + flashy cinematography = A great time at the theatre (even when the projector fails in the middle of your screening and you have to start over).
58. The Spectacular Now (2013)
59. Spider-man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
60. Spy (2015) – I still can’t believe how much I laughed at this.
61. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) – The best Star War since 1980. On my Best of 2017.
62. Super 8 (2011)
63. Tangled (2010) – Controversial Movie Corner: Better than both Frozens.
64. Thor: Ragnarok (2017)
65. Toy Story 3 (2010)
66. Warm Bodies (2013) – Who knew a zom rom com would become one of my go-to comfort foods? Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2013.
67. Wonder Woman (2017) – Anyone else almost cry in that No Man’s Land scene? On my Best of 2017.
68. World War Z (2013) – Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2013.
69. X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) – Why I’d pick the X-Men over the Avengers most days. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews.
70. Yesterday (2019) – You know a movie captures its audience when most stay through the credits to sing “Hey Jude.” On my Best of 2019.
71. Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) – Hello, my name is Taylor, and I declare Woody Harrelson a national treasure. Read ZekeFilm review.
72. Zootopia (2016) – Creatively and socially sharp. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.
Critic Picks of the 2010s
1. 12 Years a Slave (2013) – There’s no beauty or redemption in this chapter of America’s story, but the beauty of this is it restores humanity to millions denied it in their lifetimes. Read ZekeFilm review.
2. 20 Feet From Stardom (2013) – On my Sundance 2013 lineup. On my Best of 2013.
3. 1917 (2019) – Who needs suplots? Or more than one camera? On my Best of 2019.
4. Ad Astra (2019) – Prayerful poetry + one of Brad Pitt’s best performances. On my Best of 2019.
5. American Sniper (2014)
6. Argo (2012) – CIA work: It’s just like makin’ a movie! Read ZekeFilm review.
7. Arrival (2016) - The best Hollywood has to offer. I left wishing I felt this way after every film. Read Crowd vs. Critic review. On my Best of 2016.
8. The Artist (2011)
9. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood (2019) – On my Best of 2019.
10. Begin Again (2013) – Adam Levine singing in Begin Again > Adam Levine singing in Maroon 5. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews.
11. The Beguiled (2017) – Sofia Coppola = Queen. On my Best of 2017.
12. Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)
13. Blade Runner 2049 (2017) – Don’t @ me—I like this better than the original. On my Best of 2017.
14. BlacKkKlansman (2018) – Just when you think this undercover investigation can’t get riskier, Spike Lee finds another way to send your blood pressure rising. On my Best of 2018.
15. The Bling Ring (2013) – Sofia Coppola = Still Queen.
16. Boyhood (2014)
17. Brooklyn (2015) – I think that Saorsie Ronan is goin’ places. On my Best of 2015.
18. Circles (2013) – Love me some symbolism. On my Sundance 2013 lineup. On my Best of 2013.
19. Dunkirk (2017) – The freshest take on World War II since Schindler’s List. On my Best of 2017.
20. Fences (2016) – Denzel Washington and Viola Davis bring issues of race, class, gender, marriage, and intelligence to life in a story as relevant today as in the 1950s. Read Crowd vs. Critic review. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2016.
21. First Man (2018) – On my Best of 2018.
22. Florence Foster Jenkins (2016) – More proof Hugh Grant is just the best. Read Crowd vs. Critic review. On my Best of 2016.
23. First Reformed (2017) – I‘ve never heard a character pray in words so close to mine. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2018.
24. The Florida Project (2017) - For what this lacked in narrative momentum, it made up for in empathy. On my Best of 2017.
25. Get Out (2017) – I’m not one for horror, and I’m not one to watch the same film twice in one week, but this broke both of those rules. On my Best of 2017.
26. The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014)
27. Gravity (2013) – Maybe my favorite Sandra Bullock performance. On my Best of 2013.
28. Green Book (2018) – Read ZekeFilm review.
29. Hacksaw Ridge (2016) – Read Crowd vs. Critic review.
30. The Help (2011) – Prescient of the decade ahead for its soon-to-be-superstar cast and a story reminding white people they should probably just shut up and listen instead of thinking they have all the answers.
31. Hell or High Water (2016) – A modern Cain and Abel story. Read Crowd vs. Critic review. On my Best of 2016.
32. Hidden Figures (2016) – Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.
33. I, Tonya (2017)
34. If Beale Street Could Talk (2018) – Controversial Movie Corner: My preferred Barry Jenkins of the decade. On my Best of 2018.
35. Inside Out (2015) – “There’s inductive reasoning, there’s déjà vu, there’s language processing, there’s déjà vu, there’s critical thinking, there’s déjà vu…” On my Best of 2015.
36. Jackie (2016) – Changed my perspective on Natalie Portman. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2016.
37. Jojo Rabbit (2019) – Shows not just how ugly hate is but how winsome it can appear. On my Best of 2019.
38. Joy (2015) – An important film at a hard time in my life. On my Best of 2015.
39. The King’s Speech (2010)
40. La La Land (2016) – Already one of the Great Musicals. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.
41. The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019) – Like a novel on screen. On my Best of 2019.
42. Les Misérables (2012)
43. Lincoln (2012)
44. The Light Between Oceans (2016) – Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2016.
45. Lion (2016) – Read Crowd vs. Critic review. On my Best of 2016.
46. Little Women (2019) – I don’t sob in every film, but one of the most realistic onscreen depictions of sisterhood will make me do it. On my Best of 2019.
47. Love & Friendship (2016) - Captures Jane Austen’s sardonic tone and her eye for silliness in social etiquette. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews. On my Best of 2016.
48. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – Bananas, but the best kind of bananas. On my Best of 2015.
49. Marriage Story (2019) – A divorce story I want every engaged couple to watch. An Adam Driver/Scarlett Johansson acting show I want every film lover to watch. On my Best of 2019.
50. The Martian (2015) – Of all the fantastic space stories this decade, this is the most feel-good. On my Best of 2015 list.
51. Midnight in Paris (2011) – Another entry into the Wanderlust Canon.
52. Midnight Traveler (2019) – A documentary that feels more like flipping through a family photo album than reading a newspaper. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2019.
53. Molly’s Game (2017) – Sorkin Part 1!
54. Moneyball (2011) – Sorkin Part 2!
55. mother! (2017) - Exactly zero people on Earth can explain what this story means, but I think we can all agree we don’t deserve Jennifer Lawrence. On my Best of 2017.
56. Mudbound (2017) – A Greek tragedy set in the Deep South. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2017.
57. Parasite (2019) – A Southern Gothic set in South Korea. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2019.
58. Philomena (2013)
59. The Post (2017) – Hanks. Spielberg. Streep. Need I say more? On my Best of 2017.
60. The Report (2019) - Solely included here for the performance from Adam Driver, who elevated this so much he became one of my favorite working actors by the credits. Read ZekeFilm review. On my Best of 2019.
61. Selma (2014)
62. Silver Linings Playbook (2012) – I’m ready for more J. Law and B. Coop team ups in the 2020s. Read Crowd vs. Critic reviews.
63. Sing Street (2016) – Listen to “The Riddle of the Model” and you can thank me later. Read Crowd vs. Critic review. On my Best of 2016.
64. The Social Network (2010) – Sorkin Part 3!
65. Spotlight (2015)
66. A Star Is Born (2018) – Sometimes a film is everything you hope it will be. On my Best of 2018.
67. The Theory of Everything (2014)
68. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) – A needed dialogue with unexpected opportunities for redemption. On my Best of 2017.
69. Three Identical Strangers (2018) - Sucks you in with its stranger-than-fiction premise but keeps you because of its better-than-fiction characters. On my Best of 2018.
70. The Tree of Life (2011)
71. The Two Popes (2019) – On my Best of 2019.
72. Wind River (2017) – The story lead the way instead of its politics, which makes both more compelling. More of Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olsen in everything, please. On my Best of 2017.
Photo credits: All photos from IMDb.com.
#10 Cloverfield Lane#Ant-Man#Avengers: Endgame#Baby Driver#Beauty and the Beast#Before We Go#The Big Sick#Black Panther#Central Intelligence#Crazy Rich Asians#Creed#The Dark Knight Rises#Finding Dory#Frozen II#Game Night#Ghostbusters#Guardians of the Galaxy#Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1#Home Again#The Hunger Games: Catching Fire#I Feel Pretty#Inception#Interstellar#The Intern#Juliet Naked#Jurassic World#12 Years a Slave#Mary Poppins Return#Paper Towns#Ocean's Eight
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Sebastiani Theatre, the last of its kind
This week kicks off the 22nd annual Sonoma International Film Festival, which locals refer to as “Sonomawood.” The Sebastiani Theatre is a center-piece to the festival.
Members of the Sonoma League for Historic Preservation gathered at the Sebastiani Theatre on March 12 for a special 'insiders tour' of the historic movie temple.
Theater manager Roger Rhoten spoke to those gathered before providing the tour. He pointed out that the Sebastiani Theatre is now in its eighties and at that age it is doing alright. It has a good sound system and currently has the ability to show 35 mm, 9 mm and digital formatted films. But for the near future and beyond, the Sebastiani Theatre will need help.
"There is so much that needs to done to help preserve and upgrade this gem of a movie theater," he said. For one thing, as those gathered agreed, there are the seats. Comfortable seating is a must. "We want to keep the historical integrity of this theatre, said Rohten, so they will be as close to the original seating as possible."
Some in the crowd that Tuesday night asked if the seats in the future might have cup holders. "Well, okay, said Rhoten as the audience began to chuckle, but I will insist they be made of real wood, and not plastic."
He also wanted to impress upon them that the Sebastiani is among the last of its kind. "There are few if no more single-full screen movie theaters like this left," said Rhoten. "What we have here is unique in so many ways!"
Samuele Sebastiani the founder and first patriarch of Sebastiani Vineyards and Winery spared no expense to build his town a movie theatre. "And, that wasn't easy, added Rhoten, because it was in the midst of The Great Depression."
Using quality materials like rich oak wood for the doors and paneling and finely quarried marble the theatre was designed by well-known theater architect James W. Reid.
Rhoten mentioned that "the very first movie shown here, screened on April 7, 1934, and was called "Fugitive Lovers" starring Robert Montgomery. Admission price was 30¢."
"All the great movies were shown here upon initial release, ones we all know like, "Gone With The Wind," "Ben Hur," etc.
But as time passed and movie trends and tastes changed, the Sebastiani Theatre barely survived some lackluster years.
"I remember when there were bats up in the rafters, the seats were dilapidated and the air was musty," said Sonoma resident Kathy Ostram. That definitely was more than 30 years ago.
Even when the theatre was at its lowest point, it has always been a landmark, functioning as a movie theater.
Yet, Rhoten pointed out even with some of the most famous of movies, the longest running movie to show at The Sebastiani Theatre ever in all its history so far, was "My Big Fat Greek Wedding."
Since becoming managers of Sebastiani Theatre in 1991, Rhoten and his wife Diana have shown mostly independent and film festival type films over first-run big budget movies.
Rhoten explained the Sebastiani Theater's current dilemma."The film distribution system favors the owners of multi-screen theaters. They can show more films and have the flexibility to move lesser grossing films to smaller screening rooms. Single screen movie theaters like the Sebastiani, he said have to agree to show first-run films for a longer run than is profitable.”
One vision that Rhoten has for the future is to build a screening room upstairs to accommodate the contract obligations of first-run films. He also noted that with current ADA regulations, there is much work to be done to bring the theatre up to code and make it more accessible in all aspects to everyone.
He also explained that since 1986 the Sebastiani Theatre was sold to an Oakland-based investor. The Sonoma City Council leases the Theatre from the investor and splits the cost with the Rhoten family.
With the increasing popularity of the annual Sonoma International Film Festival, Rhoten would like to see more events held at The Sebastiani Theatre. Live concerts, plays and special events, he hopes the Sebastiani Theatre of the near future will be a mecca for as well as a rallying place for the community at large.
In 2008 the nonprofit Sebastiani Theatre Foundation was formed to raise money to contribute to the Theatre's operating expenses and improvements to the facility. As a result the Theatre now has a state-of-the-art digital projector and sound system.
This year the for-profit Theatre and the nonprofit Foundation will merge and the Sebastiani Theatre will become a 501(c)3 charitable institution.
Rhoten is hoping that groups like The Sonoma League for Historic Preservation and many others will help in the endeavor.
Since it is the League's mission to protect and share Sonoma's unique cultural heritage, it’s only natural that a historic building like the Sebastiani Theatre would be saved for the enjoyment and benefit of the Sonoma Valley community. And, that includes visitors from around the world, especially at film festival time.
The League’s executive director Chuck Bingaman noted later that it was an evening well-spent and enjoyed by all.
Rhoten hopes the entire community of Sonoma will help raise the needed funds and said that while over the next two years, plans are being finalized, he is eager to hear more ideas. To learn more about The Sebastiani Theatre visit its web site.
Article and photos by Jonathan Farrell, contributor to The Sonoma Valley Sun
#Sonoma#california#sebastiani#sebastiani theatre#film festival#Sonomawood#Roger Rhoten#Sonoma League for Historic Preservation#wine country
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School is starting. There are pictures all over my news feed of happy kids with their chalkboards and excited parents sending them off for their first day. Unfortunately, this was not our situation at first.
I’m going to write about something very close to my heart, which is difficult sometimes. You’re putting your heart out into the universe for – potentially – millions of people to read. It’s scary, yet can be completely empowering and fulfilling to help someone else who might be in the same boat. So hopefully, you can take my experiences and learn from them.
Mommy Radar
My oldest has always been an active, excitable kiddo. I didn’t really think much of it, except, holy wow it’s exhausting sometimes. When 2 years later my second kiddo came along and was the same, I just assumed that it was the norm. However, as time went on and we we were in Kindergarten, my Mommy Radar was going off and I felt like we might need to get things checked out.
Fast forward – both my beautiful, smart, caring girls have been diagnosed with ADHD. All kinds of thoughts and feelings overwhelmed me (see I Am Not Perfect – The Art Of Letting Go Of Perfection). Where do I go from here?! To avoid a lot of personal rambling about life and our struggles dealing, I’ll get to the meat of it.
Going A Little Nurse On You
I’m no doctor, but I do have my Bachelors of Science in Nursing and know a few things. I’ll skip over all the trial and errors and tell you where I’m at and let you know why and how Magnesium has become my “Windex” (If you haven’t seen My Big Fat Greek Wedding you’ll probably miss the reference).
Why Magnesium?
Magnesium is a mineral that plays a role in over 300 processes in the body. It is necessary for the production of fatty acids and is involved in muscle relaxation and energy production. Magnesium is also involved in neurotransmitter function, including dopamine and serotonin. This mineral has long been associated with calming and relaxation and can be helpful for many issues including anxiety, insomnia, depression, and hyperactivity, to name a few.
In the last 100 years, magnesium has been progressively declining in our food supply due to highly processed foods, modern fertilizers, and soil depletion. Refining grains removes up to 80% of the magnesium originally present. Consumption of refined sugars, soft drinks, and caffeine also deplete magnesium. It’s estimated that over half of Americans of all ages have an inadequate intake of magnesium. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency include irritability, difficulty with concentration, insomnia, depression, and anxiety. Because up to 95% of those with ADHD are deficient in magnesium, almost all ADHD kiddos (and adults) can benefit from magnesium supplementation.
No Kid Wants To Swallow A Horse Pill
So my kid could benefit from Magnesium, now what? They aren’t going to swallow a huge horse pill. I can’t even get them to eat their veggies sometimes!! Here comes the Windex moment… They love to take a bath. And that, combined with lotion and sprays that smell good are our saving grace.
Magnesium oil in Dead Sea Salts combined with Essential oils that making the bathwater smell yummy, is much more appealing than a giant pill. Mommy rubbing on lotion infused with Magnesium oil (scented with essential oils, or unscented for kids that are sensitive to smells) after a bath or shower makes your kiddo feel loved. A spray infused with Magnesium before bedtime on the bottom of the foot is a super easy way to get a dose. Each of my girls carry a Chap-stick looking lotion bar infused with Magnesium Oil in their backpacks for a little extra on the go. These items have helped our family in immeasurable ways – both reducing the outward symptoms of ADHD as well as increasing the sense of well being, helping with self esteem, and just feeling happier all around.
The safety of magnesium has been well established, just google it and you’ll find any number of articles touting the benefits. In addition to its effectiveness for treating hyperactivity, magnesium also benefits children in other profound ways: it can help kids sleep better at night, relieve discomfort from sore muscles and growing pains, relieve constipation, reduce anxiety, and reduce headaches among many other things.
To sum it up, topical magnesium has been instrumental in the success of our family dealing with the challenges of ADHD as well as growing up in general. With the combination of support of those around us, and Magnesium our kids experience:
– Better sleep
– More balanced moods
– Healthier appetites
– Better eating habits
– Less tantrums and quicker deescalation
– More focus at school which has led to academic growth
– Healthier relationships between friends and siblings
As a family we will continue to explore new things, focus on learning to communicate and deal with challenges, accept whatever “crazy” life throws at us, use “Windex” liberally, and love each other, because we have found something that works for us, and that’s enough.
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Finding Focus: Magnesium & ADHD School is starting. There are pictures all over my news feed of happy kids with their chalkboards and excited parents sending them off for their first day.
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An Insider’s (Honest) Guide to Finding Your Perfect Wedding Dress
If we were living in a fairytale, the wedding gown shopping experience would probably be, well, magical. Adorable little birds would deliver your immaculate (and perfectly steamed) dream gown on a gold hanger whilst tweeting a lively melody. In real life – and by real life, I don’t mean Say Yes to the Dress real life – choosing the dress you will wed the love of your life in often comes with its share of anxiety, stress, and discomfort. Simply put, it can be quite an exhausting hassle.
Bridal gowns are specifically designed to be beautiful; one of their primary goals to take your lover’s breath away as you walk down the aisle. But like any good double-edged sword, their amazing beauty can yield an arduous decision-making process. Bridal boutiques overflow with hundreds of gorgeous creations, yet you may only wear one – or two if you’re lucky – on your big day. But you’re in luck, because, I, an extremely single and very much unwed bridal consultant (how ironic), have a few tips to aid with the task of choosing your gown.
Start sooner than later
If you want to avoid the ‘my wedding is in two months and I still don’t have a dress’ panic attack, start shopping sooner rather than later. Most bridal boutiques only carry samples, meaning they will have to order a new gown in your size, which usually can take up to six months. Being organized and starting early will help relieve stress as you won’t be rushed into choosing a gown. Shopping ahead will also ensure you don’t have to cram all your appointments in one day…which is basically the ideal plan for ending up frazzled and in tears by 5 pm. If, for any reasons, you find yourself shopping for a wedding gown last minute and on a tight budget, don’t expect a miracle. You will probably have to buy off-the-rack worn samples from older seasons and it might not be your dream dress.
Plan a realistic budget
When heading to your first appointment, you should already have a good idea of how much money you’d like to spend on a gown. Remember to ask about the prices of alterations, because a good chunk of your budget might be needed just to make your dress fit you properly. Yes, alterations will probably be required because unless a dress was custom made to your body, it probably will not be an exact fit, and trust me, you don’t want a badly fitted gown on your big day. Remember that money constraints also yield an obligation to be realistic: unless you’re getting an haute couture custom dress, being overly picky won’t get you anywhere. Not everyone wants to spend $5,000 on a wedding gown –I certainly wouldn’t — but don’t expect to snag a stunning Reem Acra fully-beaded number for a few hundred dollars. High quality craftsmanship comes at a price.
Limit your entourage
Yes, your mom, you aunts, your five bridesmaids, your sister (plus her two children) and your grandparents may all want to be part of this magical moment, but try to avoid pulling a My Big Fat Greek Wedding while you’re still in the early stages. More people come with more opinions and generally make the process much more chaotic than it needs to be. I suggest bringing along two carefully-chosen people with you: the ones who know you and your style the best, so they don’t keep suggesting gowns that look like figure skating costumes when you’re aiming for minimalist elegance (and consequently wasting everyone’s time). Besides, these allies need to vow not to make you feel crap about your style or your body. (Yes, that unfortunately happens.)
Be prepared, yet open-minded
There are two types of brides in this world : the ones who like EVERYTHING (which, believe it or not, makes my job very difficult), and the ones who know specifically what they are looking for and consequently limit themselves. Aim for in-between. Prepare images of dress styles and silhouettes that you like, but remain open-minded. Use your first appointment to try on different silhouettes. More often than not, brides will end up selecting a dress that is quite different than what they expected to like. For every gown you slip on, pick the details you like – or don’t – on it and say it out loud, as it will help your consultant narrow the selection. Oh and don’t judge a frock on a hanger… the real gems are often the ones that look super basic when dangling from a piece of plastic. Just put it on!
Choose your dress for you
It might be an unpopular opinion, but you should not give a hoot about what everybody has to say about the dress, or who’s bank account is getting harmed in the process. You will be the only person wearing that white gown on your special day, so YOU should be in love with it. Even if your (small, please) entourage isn’t certain about the gown, if you’re happy and comfortable wearing it, that’s all that matters.
You really don’t have to cry
TV shows like Say Yes to The Dress have set, in my humble opinion, unrealistic standards for future brides. You won’t automatically burst into tears once you find The One. Each individual is different and, at the end of the day, it really is just a dress…that you will only wear once. Just because you haven’t cried or felt a spiritual connection doesn’t mean you haven’t found the right gown. Some people are just more rational and need some time to think about their choices. Make sure you take photographs of your favourite dresses (just your favourites, don’t take photos of the 15 others you hated) so you can refer to them during the decision-making process. Usually, after visiting a maximum of five boutiques, you should have tried enough gowns to know your contenders. It’s time to stop shopping and make a decision.
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10 Mistakes That Guys Brings in In Coming close to Lady.
I possess a really vibrant mind from residing in the 4th quality, standing up at the chalkboard with a lengthy department problem before me, feeling totally in the dark. If you beloved this article and you simply would like to get more info relating to yellow pages uk twitter (More about the author) nicely visit the web page. Do not make the oversight from arranging an individual or even one thing ahead along and create you happy. In shorts, the mistakes that occur in nominal profiles as well as products accounts are the events that have an effect on the internet profit. Most significantly, he picked up from the blunder as well as began to take a far more self-displined strategy to cash flow. BLUNDER 5: Poor internal linking- Links are the hookups in between websites and are actually critical in increasing the web visitor traffic.
The very first error providers bring in when opening their personal company is to in some way overlook to put aside a specific allocate advertising and marketing. In reality, life's ideal courses are actually typically found out at awful times and off awful mistakes. This insurance is made to defend professionals and also his employees against legal action arising from personal injury, neglect or residential or commercial property damages. My Huge Body fat Greek Wedding ceremony is actually just among the most effective films ever before created regarding near households and also their traditions. Also, the offender's dependence on any one of these resources must possess proven out, much like error from truth.
All points considered, these are actually some of one of the most well-liked mistakes that home owners commonly create the minute they decide to substitute their old home windows with PVC home windows. Work toward beating these errors and just about anything, and everything you yearn for is within your understanding. So, aim to observe oversights and also breakdowns as a best opportunity to expand as well as discover as a person. The substitute is your manager determining the mistake anyhow as well as locating that you are actually at weakness - which is certainly not a great situation to be in.
Slip refers to a small mistake in pep talk or writing, or to a small indiscretion: I misspelled his label by a lapse of the pen. For many years I produced some expertises with different assesses as well as other types of cords that I wish to show you. There is actually a ton of I'm ALRIGHT, you're FINE, blunders are ALRIGHT" talk on the market in both the business and also self-help planet. Moms and dads which raise their children to be afraid of miscalculating could often observing blaming as a response to the error.
Anybody that has ever before had the nerve to go out into the world and do one thing understands there are simply 2 sort of errors: ones our experts could recover from and also ones our company can easily certainly not recoup coming from. To find the most ideal answers to errors when installing marble flooring ceramic tiles mentioned in this post, you can possibly do so listed here. And consistently, ONE HUNDRED% of the moment, I made the examination costs back in renegotiations along with the property owner. This is constantly sensible to figure out and rectify the errors prior to the final accounts for the year are actually made.
The certain errors our team will certainly consider in this write-up are actually: They don't correctly set up their Gig, They say they'll cover just about anything, They over promise and also under supply, They do not create the most ideal they can, as well as They just assume they are actually making money $4. Recognize that everybody that properly journeys a worthwhile occupation road makes blunders at once or even yet another.
When I make a mistake, I assess the mental as well as psychological condition that led up to the choice In some cases, I realize that I made the decision out of fear. The mathematics instructor dealt with the student after university to identify where she was actually making a mistake while aiming to deal with the equation. Yet, if you profit from your mistakes as well as don't repetitive them, you will eventually reputable on your own once more, and be able to deliver actual dedication to the next individual. The business of the Conservatives is to stop the oversights from being actually fixed.
MISTAKE 4: Way too many images as well as Show off animations- Pictures and also computer animation make your internet site look eye-catching to the website visitors. Spend some time to exercise the response to these two concerns, and state them to your employer when you state the error. I am actually pertaining to company oversights that were made by accident, whether it was actually something your crew did (or even really did not) do, or this was one thing under your agency's duty. When she indicated to ask him about his election for the movie Hidden Bodies, Jenna was talking to Pharrell Williams at the Golden Globes on Sunday.
This problem, included here, is going viral given that this is actually made plenty of smarty-pants think that simpletons. You attract into your life what you pay attention to. Dealing with your errors will definitely certainly not protect you from helping make potential blunders. If this produced individuals question your competence, put a lot more information explain certainly there to reconstruct their rely on. When there is actually a component error concerning a product component of the deal, the vital reason from the agreement, there is actually the question from the presumption of the danger. Occasionally oversights are reasonably small and also create minimal damage or aggravation.
Popular music Licensing For Film makes certain that these relatively not known but gifted artists get noticed and they may move toward manufacturers which could be able to provide a proper path to their profession. Acquiring the potential to quit property on your blunders are going to produce you much more helpful, will certainly boost your self-confidence, and are going to produce you better.
Michael Keaton helped make the very same mistake as Jenna - and also on a considerably greater stage - however he didn't shed any type of tears for the error. In my THIRTEEN years as a Rhode Island Little one Safekeeping Attorney, I have actually viewed lots of fathers as well as mothers make inane and foolish decisions in the course of the program from Rhode Island Child Safekeeping Procedures. Bring in a listing of the activities from your lifestyle that you continuously emphasize and cannot appear to let go of. For each and every celebration, jot down what your mistake was actually, what you learned from this error, and something good you possess today because of the circumstance.
If you lied to your husband or wife, spent excessive on the bank card, or even performed anything which ultimately led to the split, you must pick up from your blunders. By steering clear of these oversights you could quickly modify your below communication as well as hereby transform the technique people react to you. The initial installation of the twelve part Merryll Mysteries made its own United States debut in the springtime from 2008. More mature flicks that you could have seen just before, now you receive the possibility to view all of them in Hd for the very first time.
These youngsters live in pair of different places-one spot where they possess the affection and assistance of their daddy (moms and dads), and also one more where they experience that if their blunders were discovered, they would certainly be undeserving of that affection. I am actually simply a very old entrepreneur as well as an incredibly expert business person which made every mistake in guide as well as can easily acknowledge one when I observe one.
I don't feel great when I screw up yet I perform attempt to keep points in viewpoint and tell on my own that people are not best which mistakes are about developing and learning as well as blah blah Oprah blah. This is actually no make use of disclosing an oversight or even complication and also having no concept how to solve it. Operate out exactly how you may recover this if you have actually deleted a critical documents mistakenly. coming from the backup body and also how long that will take. If you thoughtlessly dispose of details connecting to your profile then you are actually a simple aim at for identification thieves and scammers.
The listing can go on and on. However, my experience as a card-carrying participant from the POP Culture brings me to the conclusion that the essential blunder is actually the synthetic pas. Enable yourself to fantasize as well as believe big, take a chance one thing deserving, make lots of mistakes en route-- and also fill your expertise package to the brink! Plenty of people are afraid to even have a couple of small risks given that they may set off an oversight." So they don't make an effort anything new.
It was actually declared that Cullinan created the error after obtaining distracted when he tweeted a picture, which has actually since been erased, of Emma Stone after she succeeded Greatest Starlet at 9:05 pm - just mins just before the very best Picture mistake. The best type of mistake is where the costs are reduced however the learning is actually higher," Schoemaker states.
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