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hphm-tanaka-chung · 4 years

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HPHM Profile - Emmett Chung

Template by @hogwartsmysterystory (condensed for conciseness) || Aesthetic by hufflepuffmystery on Instagram

Identity:

Name: Emmett Chung

Gender: Male

Birth date: March 13, 1973

Age: 16 as of June 1, 1989

Blood Status: Half-Blood (witch mother, Muggle father)

Sexuality: Bisexual (leans towards girls)

Ethnicity: Half-Chinese, half-British

Nationality: British

Residence: Cambridge, England

MBTI: ESFJ

Magic capability:

Wand: Hornbeam and Dragon Heartstring, 11 and ¾ inches, unyielding

Animagus?: In the canon game, Emmett is a dog animagus.

Magical Abilities: In the canon game, Emmett is a Legilimens.

Boggart/Riddikulus: Emmett’s Boggart is an impostor pointing a gun at his head, barrel pressed to his temple. It’s not just of the fact that he’s being ambushed and threatened for his life, but also from the close uncomfortable contact, unfamiliar flesh against his own, that constricts his breath in his throat. In the Riddikulus form, the impostor would turn into a man made entirely out of colourful inflated balloons, with a balloon gun that fizzled with air leaking out from the end. Well, what’s not to laugh about a useless balloon dummy?

Mirror of Erised: Emmett sees himself as an older man in the mirror with a weapon in his hand, a smirk on his face. It was an image of payback on those who hurt him long ago, and for him that was enough.

Patronus: Emmett’s patronus in the game is a leopard.

Amortentia: If Emmett were to get a whiff of Amortentia, he’d smell freshly made sugar doughnuts, ground basil, burning metal, and petrichor. If anyone were to smell his scent, they’d smell a whiff of barbecue sauce, honeysuckle, burning wood, and crushed pine needles.

Appearance:

Face claim: Song Wei Long

Voice claim: Josh Hutcherson

In-Game Appearance:

Height: 5’8”

Weight: …?

Physique: Very fit. He has defined biceps, fairly defined abs. On average otherwise though.

Eye Colour: Sky Blue

Hair Colour: Black

Skin Tone: Pale

Body Modifications: N/A

Scarring: a small red mark about the size of a pea on his collar bone from the time his family was ambushed by complete strangers armed with a gun. The hole had been stitched long ago, but the memory of the gunshot still remained

Inventory: (what do they carry on them?)

-a few extra quills and ink

-a bottle of pigeon feathers

-a box of frog spawn soap

-three glass marbles from his mother

Fashion: A more casual style is what Emmett prefers--he can’t exactly stand t-shirts, though, so he puts a jacket of some sort over it. With one layer he feels vulnerable. Add on a pair of jeans and sneakers, and that completes his look.

Allegiances:

Hogwarts House: Slytherin

Ilvermorny House: Thunderbird

Affiliations:

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry (Slytherin House)

Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes (Ministry of Magic, London)

Order of the Phoenix (UK)

Professions:

Ministry of Magic Employee (Dept of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes)

Spy (Order of the Phoenix)

Hogwarts info:

Class Proficiencies: Astronomy (E), Charms (E), DADA (O), Flying (E), Herbology (E), History of Magic (A), Potions (E), Transfiguration (E)

Electives: Care of Magical Creatures (A), Divination (A), Ancient Runes (E)

Quidditch: Slytherin Keeper (3rd-6th year)

Extracurricular: Duelling Club

Favourite professors: Professor McGonagall, (previously) Professor Rakepick

Least Favourite professors: Professor Snape, Madam Hooch

Relationships:

Best friends (canon): Rowan Khanna, Penny Haywood, Bill Weasley, Nymphadora Tonks, Tulip Karasu, Barnaby Lee, Chiara Lobosca, Jae Kim, Liz Tuttle, Diego Caplan

Rivals: Merula Snyde, Ismelda Murk

Enemy: R, his father’s ‘friends’

Love Interest: Torn between Tulip Karasu and Penny Haywood. While he did have a crush on Penny in first year, it was dampened in 3rd year when he learned of Tulip’s backstory and pulled a few pranks with her. He took her to the Celestial Ball and their first date...but then Penny came slipping through the cracks again...

Dormmates: Rowan Khanna, Barnaby Lee, two other male Slytherins

Pets: Mewy (cat); Hoppy (toad)

Closest canon friends: list above

Closest MC friends: Rose Tanaka

Familial relations:

Mother: Carlotta Chung (nee Trenton)

A woman of British descent and from a family with reputable wizarding ancestry, she attended Hogwarts and was Sorted into Ravenclaw. She was a fine pupil in her day, and eventually landed a job as a Ministry worker, working in the Department of Mysteries.

Father: Wallace Chung

A man with a long family background delving deep into banking and business, he graduated with an honours degree in economics at Oxford University. How he met his wife Carlotta was a mystery--in fact, his entire relationship with Carlotta was kept under wraps. However, he remained very faithful to her, even when the family was being pursued by Snatchers for a rumour that surrounded them since the eldest son’s disappearance.

Brother: Rodney Chung

Eight years older than Emmett, Rodney doesn’t know his younger brother as much as he would want to. The only memory he had of Emmett was that he was almost fatally shot when he was only 5--by someone armed with a gun and his head hidden with a wide-brimmed hat. He ended up going absolute berserk and detached himself from his family the moment he stepped into school.

Background/History:

Emmett’s childhood was very black and white--loved to bits by his mother and father, but constantly living in his brother’s shadow with the only wish that he got to know his brother more and why he was acting so distant. When he was 5, the family was ambushed by a group of Muggles belonging to a Mafia group, the claim being that his father owed them a huge sum of money for ‘breaking a deal’. Enraged, Emmett’s father tried to drive them away, but the group did not leave quietly--they raised hell in the home, shooting multiple bullets and wrecking a lot of things. One of the bullets entered Emmett’s body, striking him in the collarbone and narrowly missing his heart. It was Rodney who drove them away in the end with a stash of dungbombs--and eventually the family had to move to a private estate in Cambridge, living in fear. Emmett was sent away to a hospital to recover from both his wound and the trauma.

(The Mafia group in question was actually Emmett’s father’s ‘friends’--the deal was that as long as he was friends with them, he would not find himself someone to marry. He had no idea that they intended to end his family line, and got married in secret anyway.)

Rodney disappeared two years before Emmett began his journey at Hogwarts. While the rest of the family worried for him, Emmett resented his brother’s decisions. Even if he wanted to bring Rodney back home, he knew he had a lot to owe the family.

Hogwarts Mystery unfolded.

Once Wallace’s case was cleared up, Emmett began to leave home more often, not just for his job at the Ministry (and he did love working in the same place as his mother, don’t get me wrong) but for hanging out more with his friends. He became less and less closed up, and eventually found a place to live on his own, though he always paid his parents and Rodney a visit just to hear Rodney’s full story and to try and mend the broken bond between them.

Emmett joined the Order of the Phoenix as a spy in early 1996.

In May 1998, Emmett joined the Battle of Hogwarts, but he did not survive. He was killed by a heavy pillar pinning him to the ground while running through the corridors. He was honoured alongside all the rest of the fallen, survived by his brother who already had a family of his own.

Personality:

Is it appropriate to say that Emmett has trust issues? Other than his parents, whom he cared for deeply, Emmett had a hard time opening up to new people. Rowan was the first to break through that shell, though, showing him that not all people are as disloyal as he had been led to believe. Sometimes he still retains some venom which he doesn’t hesitate to spit out in his retorts--some people had to help him monitor that. He speaks with no filter, preferring to be blunt and straightforward with his opinions and preferences. Despite his bully-like attitude, however, he’s very studious and works hard. His ambition laid in getting justice for his father.

Misc:

Emmett’s a popular boy with the girls at school--first pointed out by Penny, whom he once had a small crush on despite their polar opposites. However, he couldn’t stand being an object for girls to ogle at, and at one point he snapped at one of the girls for staring starry-eyed at him.

Very few people knew about Emmett’s scar. Only his dorm mates knew, and once he was comfortable enough with his friends they would know of it too.

More facts to come.

#I legit used no effort I am so sorry #hogwarts mystery #hphm emmett chung #hphm #mc profiles #hogwarts mystery mc #about emmett chung

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idontreallyknowwwwww · 4 years

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UCONN Application Due at 5

‘’Have fun in Hell.’’ I looked at his lifeless body, slumped over the arm of the couch. His mouth was hanging open, and you could see the blue ring lining his lips from the detergent I had given him to drink. His eyes were glossed over, and his forehead was slick with sweat. I stared at him for a minute, amazed by my work, before I was launched back into reality. I have to get out of here. I left Raymond there, and exited through the back door. My heart was racing. I had to get home before I had an anxiety attack and gave myself away to the old lady tending to her garden next door.

I thought about it on the drive home. Can you justify murder if it’s for the right reason? He said he was going to kill me. Raymond said that if he didn’t kill me, something else would, so I should be thanking him for the favor. How fucked up is that? Well, look at how the tables had turned. I hadn’t been planning on killing him, but I just couldn’t stop myself. But who did I think I was fooling? Not myself, that’s for sure. And not the cops either. I had no proof that he had planned to kill me. No threatening text messages, no stalkerish behavior. But it would be fine, there was nothing to worry about. I had left no traces that it had been me. I had worn gloves, and I had made sure that he was dead before I left. So I should be fine. I should be jumping for joy, I had saved myself! That boy deserved to die. Why even bother going to his funeral? Actually, I should go to his funeral. He was my boyfriend. I had to at least pretend that I was sad about his untimely death. So I’ll go to the funeral, cry a few tears, and nobody will suspect a thing.

‘’Hi Mrs. Riker. This is Sarah. How are you?’’ It’s been a few days since the murder, and it’s been all over the news. Every hour of the day, Raymond’s face swarmed the tv screen. Gave me a headache. When will everybody get over him? He wasn’t even that big of a deal anyway. There’s been this boiling feeling in my stomach for the last few days. I don’t know what it is exactly. It’s not sadness. Definitely not. I would almost call it fear. But not of getting caught. I’m not sure what it is I’m afraid of, but this growing knot keeps on twisting itself tighter and tighter inside of me. And to make matters even worse, Raymond’s mother decided to call. ‘’I just cannot believe that someone would do this. Absolutely terrible. He was a beautiful boy, I know. And we all loved him so much. Saturday at one? Ok. No, I don’t want to make a speech. I get really nervous in front of big crowds. Yeah, Raymond would understand. Alright, well, I’ll see you in a few days then. Bye.’’

Saturday at one. That was when Raymond said that he was going to take me bowling for our one year anniversary. Well not anymore. I’d be taking him to his funeral instead. Hope he’s bowling with the devil, like he deserves.

So it’s Saturday now. I’m all ready for this bullshit funeral. This guy doesn’t deserve a funeral. He threatened to kill me! Nobody who threatens to end someone’s life should get a funeral. Whatever. I’ll go, weep a little, and then we can all move on with our lives. Nobody will ever think of Raymond Riker again. The bubble of panic in my stomach hasn’t gone away. I still don’t know what I’m afraid of. It’s been a week now, and I haven’t been caught. And it’s not like the police are going to come to the funeral and see me there. Raymond’s case will remain unsolved, and the police will have moved on to other cases by now.

‘’Let us all remember what a wonderful boy Raymond Riker was. He was a kind, compassionate soul, and we all will remember him dearly.’’ Raymond was lowered into the ground. His mom was crying, and it made me sad to see her that way. She had been nothing but kind to me. Oh well. I can’t let my guard down for some woman who didn’t even know her son was a killer. The snow crunched beneath everyone’s feet as they slowly began to leave the burial sight. After a while, it was only me, Raymond’s parents, and some old lady. I took one last look at the people left, and then turned to leave. I walked back to my car in silence. It’s all done now. It’s official. He’s dead. He’s buried. His existence had ceased to exist.

I sat in my car with my hands on the steering wheel. I had to get home. My application to UCONN was due at five this afternoon, and I hadn’t finished it yet. I reached to buckle my seatbelt, when someone knocked on the window. A young police officer was standing outside. He was short and stocky, and had a baby face with curly blond hair. His name tag said Officer Rodney. I rolled down my window. ‘’Ma’am, I need you to step outside your vehicle.’’ His voice shook a little bit. I stepped out of the car, trying to keep a straight face. ‘’ Can you tell me your name?’’ I shut the car door. ‘’Sarah Jay.’’ I clasped my hands behind my back. ‘’I need you to come down to the station with me. You’ve been deemed as a suspect in the murder of Raymond J. Riker.’’ Suspect? How? ‘’I’m not sure I understand.’’ I was swaying from side to side. The officer was probably taking note of that. I stopped. ‘’We have some questions for you. And a witness said that they saw you at the scene of the crime. Please step into my car.’’ What was I going to do now? I couldn’t run. Even though there’s no way this guy could catch me, he had a gun. He could shoot me. And if I run, they’ll know it was me. I gingerly slid into the backseat of his police car. All I had to do was deny everything. I just had to play the distraught girlfriend who loved her boyfriend. I could come up with the whole script right now, on the way to the station. I could say I saw myself spending the rest of my life with Raymond, how I envisioned walking down the aisle towards him on our wedding day. But who was I kidding. They wouldn’t believe that. And what about this supposed witness? How do the police know they aren’t lying? God, this was all a mess. This wasn’t going to plan, and now I had to do damage control on a situation that I put myself in.

The station was grimy. The smells of sweat and coffee intertwined inside my nostrils and suffocated me. My converse sneakers squealed against the linoleum floor, making me acutely aware of how loud my footsteps were. The officer brought me into a room with no windows. There was one door, and it was the one we came in. Inside the room was a different officer, this one with a crew cut and fair skin. He was taller than the other officer, and older too. His name tag said Officer Donald. I sat down in the chair across from him. I looked him dead in the eyes. My clasped hands were only about two inches away from his. If I extended one finger, I could probably touch one of his veiny knuckles.

‘’Did you know Raymond Riker?’’ His voice was deep. I decided to fixate in on his lips, instead of staring into his deep brown eyes. ‘’Yes.’’ I paused. ‘’He was my boyfriend.’’ The officer had the beginning of a moustache growing along his upper lip. ‘’And how long had you been dating?’’ His lips tended to lean over to the left side when he spoke. ‘’It would’ve been our one year anniversary today.’’ I kept a monotone voice. ‘’Tell me a little bit about your relationship. Did he ever take you out on dates? Did you ever invite him over to meet your parents?’’ His two middle teeth on the bottom slightly overlapped each other. ‘’He would take me to the movies sometimes. Sometimes we would watch movies at his house. We both really liked to watch movies.’’ My heart rate was slowing down. I could do this. Just tell the truth. ‘’And what is your favorite movie?’’ I looked up at his eyes. Was this some kind of trick? Why did this matter in the investigation? ‘’My favorite movie is Heathers.’’ I looked back down at his mouth. His gaze was too intense for me. ‘’Explain to me the plot of Heathers.’’ There was a scar on the left side of his chin. A very small scar that was in a half moon shape. ‘’It’s about a girl who starts dating a phsycopath, and they murder the most popular people in the school. Why?’’ I looked back up at his eyes. They had narrowed slightly.

‘’Do you know why you’re here?’’ He blinked. I blinked back. ‘’Because you think I killed Raymond.’’ I blinked again. And again. My eyes were drying up. ‘’And supposedly, someone saw me at the scene of the crime which is impossible.’’ This guy was good at his job. But I was better. I had to stay one step ahead of him. ‘’Yes. And do you want to know something that I found interesting?’’ He tilted his head slightly. ‘’I talked to Raymond’s mom, and she said that she has no idea who you are.’’

That caught me off guard. ‘’But I just talked to her on the phone the other day. I’ve been to her house for dinner. She made a platter of cookies for me around Christmas time.’’ I was rambling. I was sweating. I was blinking really fast. I was doing all the things that I had told myself not to do. I had to stop. I could regain control of the situation if I wanted to. ‘’Mrs. Riker told me that she received a phone call from you a few days before the funeral. She said that she thought she didn’t know who she was talking to, and assumed it was one of Raymond’s friends.’’ My bangs were sticking to my sweaty forehead. I unclenched my hands, and the officer looked down when I did. He had definitely noticed. ‘’Mrs. Riker said that she looked through all of Raymond’s contacts, and all his friends were male. Which makes no sense, because she had talked to a female named Sarah on the phone.’’ He leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. They were hairy, and he had a tattoo peeking out from under his short sleeve on his right bicep.

‘’How does this link me to the murder? How does this make me a suspect?’’ I had to stop sounding so defensive. ‘’How do you know that she wasn’t just making things up? Obviously, her mental health would have to have suffered from the death of her son.’’ I leaned back in my chair also. I folded my arms. The officer eyed me. ‘’We traced the phone call back to your house.’’ We sat in silence. I didn’t know what to say. Mrs. Riker was lying. She knew who I was. I had been dating her son for the last year.

‘’Raymond’s mother also said that he had never had a girlfriend, at least that she knew of.’’ The officer furrowed his eyebrows. ‘’Well maybe he just never told her about me. I was under the impression that he had told his parents about us, but maybe I was wrong.’’ My foot was tapping on the tile floor. It echoed through the empty room. The officer leaned forward. ‘’Didn’t you just say that you had been to her house multiple times for dinner, and she even made you cookies last Christmas?’’

Shit. This was making no sense. ‘’She knows who I am, ok? I don’t know what you want me to say.’’ I had raised my voice a little bit, and I was breathing heavily. The officer leaned even closer. ‘’Tell me, Stephanie, do you ever pretend to be someone you’re not?’’ What kind of question was that? ‘’No. Why would I do that?’’ My eyes scanned the room. There was nothing to see except white walls and the tile floor. ‘’My fellow officer Rodney, the one who brought you here, said that you told him your name was Sarah Jay.’’ He paused. ‘’But on your birth certificate, and driver’s licence, it says Stephanie Jones.’’

I stared at him. ‘’I’ve been doing some research on you for the last few days, Stephanie. It says here in my notes that you were admitted into Adam River’s Institute for the Mentally Disabled on July 29th of last year. You were held there for showing serious signs of Dissociative Identity Disorder, and you were violent at times. Does any of this ring a bell?’’ I felt like I was going to be sick. The knot in my stomach was tighter than ever, and it felt like it was squeezing me so hard I could hardly breathe. ‘’I got better. I was never going to have to go back there ever again because I was better when I left.’’ I was hyperventilating. How dare he bring this up to me? ‘’Well it doesn’t seem like you did get better, Stephanie, considering you are still struggling with more than one personality.’’ I glowered at him. I was pissed. ‘’Who told you they saw me? Who was it?’’ I was practically yelling now. Donald didn’t even flinch. ‘’Raymond’s next door neighbor, Mrs. Willowbey. She was in her garden when she saw you leave the house with black gloves and a bottle of Tide detergent in your hand, which is what was used to kill Raymond.’’

Tears were streaming down my face. The officer probably thought I was crying because he had figured it out. But no. I didn’t care that he had figured it out. ‘’How dare you call me Stephanie. My name is Sarah Jay!’’ I stood up. ‘’And yes, I fucking killed Raymond Riker! I gave him a cup of Tide detergent, because he said that he was going to kill me! I was in danger! I had every right to kill him!’’ Officer Donald stood up and backed away from me. He picked up his walkie talkie and called for backup. We stood there staring at each other for a second. I was out of control. The knot in my stomach had finally exploded, and everything that had been contained inside of it had come bursting out. Stephanie Jones had been what was trapped in that ball. And even though I had tried so hard to lock her away, she had somehow managed to claw her way back to the surface of my skin and inside the confines of my brain. She had maneuvered Sarah’s hands to do the deed that Stephanie wanted, and my body, Sarah Jay’s body, had become a robot, programmed to do as Stephanie wished. And together, Sarah and Stephanie had killed an unsuspecting boy named Raymond Riker that Sarah had convinced herself she was in love with, even though she had never met him a day in her life.

‘’I’m not going back to that place. I won’t. You can’t make me.’’ My whole body felt like it was being pricked with a thousand tiny little needles. I could hear my blood rushing in my ears. It sounded like a river. Like Adam River. Adam River’s Institute for the Mentally Disabled. The name was burning inside my brain. Like someone took a hot branding iron and pressed it into the soft pink flesh, and it was destroying all the tiny neurons and veins inside. Two pairs of burly arms wrapped around me. The feeling of cold metal around my wrists felt oddly relieving. I knew where I was going. I was going to jail. Stephanie was going to jail. And I finally felt some relief knowing that there was no way in hell that she was ever going to be let back out to control me again.

#idontreallyknow #writing #creativewriting #creative writing #stories #books #creepy #creepy stories #scary #mentally ill #hope you like this!

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blackkudos · 6 years

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Missy Elliott

Melissa Arnette (Missy) Elliott (born July 1, 1971), often known professionally as Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliott, is an American rapper, dancer, and record producer. Elliott embarked on her music career with all-female R&B group Sista in the early 1990s and later became a member of the Swing Mob collective along with childhood friend and longtime collaborator Timbaland, with whom she worked on projects for Aaliyah, 702, Total, and SWV. Following several collaborations and guest appearances, she launched her solo career in 1997 with her debut album Supa Dupa Fly, which spawned the hit singles "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)" and "Sock It 2 Me". The album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, the highest-charting debut for a female rapper at the time.

Elliott's following album Da Real World (1999), produced the singles "She's a Bitch", "All n My Grill", and top five hit "Hot Boyz" The remix broke the record for most weeks at number-one on the US R&B chart on the issue dated January 15, 2000; as well as spending 18 weeks at number one on the Hot Rap Singles from December 4, 1999 to March 25, 2000, which is still the longest reign at number one to date on that chart. With the release of Miss E... So Addictive (2001), Under Construction (2002), and This Is Not a Test! (2003) Elliott established an international career that yielded hits including "Get Ur Freak On", "One Minute Man", "4 My People", "Gossip Folks", and "Work It". The latter won her a Grammy Award for Best Female Rap Solo Performance; Elliott went on to win four Grammy Awards and sell over 30 million records in the United States. Elliott is not only a trailblazer, but a record-holder, reigning as the best-selling female rap album artist in Nielsen Music history

Early life

Melissa Arnette Elliott was born on July 1, 1971, in Portsmouth, Virginia. She is the only child of mother Patricia Elliott, a power-company dispatcher, and father Ronnie, a U.S. Marine no longer on active duty working as a Shipyard welder. Elliott grew up in an active church choir family, and singing was a normal part of her youth. At the age of four in 1975, she wanted to be a performer, and, as biographer Veronica A. Davis writes, she "would sing and perform for her family". In later years, she feared no one would take her seriously, because she was always the class clown. While her father was an active Marine, the family lived in Jacksonville, North Carolina, in a manufactured home community. Elliott blossomed during this part of her life. She enjoyed school for the friendships she formed though she had little interest in school work. She would later get well above average marks on intelligence tests, and she was advanced two years ahead of her former class. Her move in grades caused isolation, and she purposely failed, eventually returning to her previous class. When her father returned from the Marines, they moved back to Virginia, where they lived in extreme poverty.

Life in Virginia saw many hardships. Elliott tells of domestic abuse by her father. She refused to stay over at friends' homes out of fear that, on her return home, she would find her mother dead. When Elliott was eight, she was molested by a cousin. In one violent incident, Ronnie Elliott dislocated his wife's shoulders and, during another, Elliott herself was threatened with a gun. At fourteen, Elliott's mother decided to end the situation; she fled with her daughter under the guise of taking a joyride on a local bus. In reality, the pair had found refuge at a family member's home where their possessions were stored in a loaded U-Haul truck. Elliott tells that she feared her father would kill them both for leaving.

She later stated, "When we left, my mother realized how strong she was on her own, and it made me strong. It took her leaving to realize."

Elliott graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School in Portsmouth, Virginia, in 1990.

Career

1989–95: Sista and career beginnings

In the early 1990s Elliott formed an all female R&B group, called Fayze (later renamed Sista), with friends La'Shawn Shellman, Chonita Coleman, and Radiah Scott. She recruited her neighborhood friend Timothy Mosley (Timbaland) as the group's producer and began making demo tracks, among them included the promo "First Move". In 1991, Fayze caught the attention of Jodeci member and producer DeVante Swing by performing Jodeci songs a cappella for him backstage after one of his group's concerts. In short order, Fayze moved to New York City and signed to Elektra Records through DeVante's Swing Mob imprint, also renaming the group Sista. Sista debut song was titled "Brand New" released in 1993 Elliott took Mosley—whom DeVante re-christened Timbaland—and their friend Melvin "Magoo" Barcliff along with her.

All 20-plus members of the Swing Mob—among them future stars such as Ginuwine, Playa, and Tweet—lived in a single two-story house in New York and were often at work on material both for Jodeci and their own projects. While Elliott wrote and rapped on Raven-Symoné's 1993 debut single, "That's What Little Girls Are Made Of", she also contributed, credited and uncredited, to the Jodeci albums Diary of a Mad Band (1993) and The Show, the After Party, the Hotel (1995). Timbaland and DeVante jointly produced a Sista album, entitled 4 All the Sistas Around da World (1994). Elliott met R&B artist Mary J. Blige while Blige was in sessions for her second album My Life. Though videos were released for the original and remix versions of the single "Brand New", the album was shelved and never released. One of the group's tracks, "It's Alright" featuring Craig Mack, did however make the cut on the soundtrack of the 1995 motion picture Dangerous Minds. But by the end of 1995, Swing Mob had folded and many of its members dispersed; Elliott, Timbaland, Magoo, Ginuwine, and Playa remained together and collaborated on each other's records for the rest of the decade as the musical collective The Superfriends.

1996–98: Supa Dupa Fly

After leaving Swing Mob, Elliott and Timbaland worked together as a songwriting/production team, crafting tracks for acts including SWV and 702, but the most notable of them was Aaliyah. The pair wrote and produced nine tracks for Aaliyah's second album, One in a Million (1996), among them the hit singles "If Your Girl Only Knew", "One in a Million", "Hot Like Fire", and "4 Page Letter". Elliott contributed background vocals and/or guest raps to nearly all of the tracks on which she and Timbaland worked. One in a Million went double platinum and made stars out of the production duo. Elliott and Timbaland continued to work together for other artists, later creating hits for artists such as Total ("What About Us?", 1997), Nicole Wray ("Make It Hot", 1998), and Destiny's Child ("Get on the Bus", 1998), as well as one final hit for Aaliyah, "I Care 4 U" before her death in 2001. Elliott began her career as a featured vocalist rapping on Sean "Puffy" Combs's Bad Boy remixes to Gina Thompson's "The Things That You Do", (which had a video featuring cameo appearances by Notorious B.I.G and Puff Daddy), MC Lyte's 1996 hit single "Cold Rock a Party" (backup vocals by Gina Thompson), and New Edition's 1996 single "You Don't Have to Worry". Combs had hoped to sign Elliott to his Bad Boy record label. In addition Elliott written the bulk of Total's second and final album Kima, Keisha, and Pam and Nicole Wray's debut Make It Hot (both released in 1998).

Also, that year Elliott appeared on the Men of Vizion's remix of "Do Thangz" which was produced by Rodney Jerkins (coincidentally the producer of the original version of "The Things That You Do"). She instead signed a deal with East West Records, a division of Elektra Entertainment Group at that time, in 1996 to create her own imprint, The Goldmind Inc., for which she would record as a solo artist. Timbaland was again recruited as her production partner, a role he would hold on most of Elliott's solo releases. Missy also appeared in LSG's song "All the Time" with Gerald Levert, Keith Sweat, Johnny Gill, Faith Evans, and Coko in 1997 on Levert Sweat Gill classic album. The same year, she rapped in "Keys To My House" with old friends group LeVert. In the center of a busy period making guest appearances and writing for other artists, Elliott's debut album, Supa Dupa Fly, was released in mid-1997; the success of its lead single "The Rain" led the album to be certified platinum.

The success was also a result of the music videos of her single releases which had been directed by Harold "Hype" Williams, who created many groundbreaking hip hop, or arguably more specifically Afrofuturistic, videos at the time. The album was also nominated for Best Rap Album at the 1998 Grammy Awards, but lost to Puff Daddy's No Way Out. The year also saw Elliott perform live at the MTV Video Music Awards show on a remix to Lil' Kim's "Ladies Night" with fellow rappers Da Brat, Angie Martinez and TLC-rapper Left Eye. In 1998, Elliott continued her successful career in the background as a producer and writer on Total's single "Trippin'", as well as working with several others in the hip-hop and R&B communities. Elliott co-wrote and co-produced two tracks on Whitney Houston's 1998 album My Love Is Your Love, providing vocal cameos for "In My Business" and "Oh Yes". The same year, Elliott also produced and made a guest appearance on Spice Girl Melanie Brown's debut solo single, "I Want You Back", which topped the UK Singles Chart.

1999–2001: Da Real World and Miss E… So Addictive

Although a much darker album than her debut, Elliott's second album was just as successful as the first, selling 1.5 million copies and 3 million copies worldwide. She remarked, "I can't even explain the pressure. The last album took me a week to record. This one took almost two months…I couldn't rush it the second time because people expect more." Da Real World (1999) included the singles "All n My Grill", a collaboration with Nicole Wray and Big Boi (from OutKast), a remix to "Hot Boyz" and "She's a Bitch". Also in 1999, Elliott was featured, alongside Da Brat, on the official remix to a Mariah Carey single "Heartbreaker".

Missy Elliott next released Miss E... So Addictive in 2001. The album spawned the massive pop and urban hits "One Minute Man", featuring Ludacris and Trina, and "Get Ur Freak On", as well as the international club hit "4 My People" and the less commercially successful single "Take Away". The double music video for "Take Away/4 My People" was released in the fall of 2001, shortly after the 9-11 terrorist attacks and the death of Elliott's friend Aaliyah in August. The "Take Away" video contained images of and words about Aaliyah, and the slow ballad acted as a tribute to her memory. The remainder of the video was the more upbeat "4 My People", contained scenes of people dancing happily in front of American flags and Elliott dressed in red, white and blue. Though "Take Away" was not a success on radio, "4 My People" went on to become an American and European club hit due to a popular remix by house music duo Basement Jaxx in 2002.

Tweet's appearance on Elliott's "Take Away" as well as her cameo at Elliott's house on MTV Cribs helped to create a buzz about the new R&B singer. Tweet's own debut single, "Oops (Oh My)", was co-written by Elliott and released through Goldmind in February 2002. The single was a top ten hit, thanks partially to Elliott's songwriting and guest rap, and to Timbaland's unusual production on the track. Elliott co-produced the Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mýa and Pink cover of "Lady Marmalade" for the album Moulin Rouge! Music from Baz Luhrmann's Film, which went to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 2001.

2002–04: Under Construction and This Is Not a Test!

For her next outing, Elliott and Timbaland focused on an old school sound, utilizing many old school rap and funk samples, such as Run–D.M.C.'s "Peter Piper" and Frankie Smith's "Double Dutch Bus." Elliott's fourth album, 2002's Under Construction (see 2002 in music) is known as the best selling female rap album with 2.1 million copies sold in the United States. In 2002, Elliott won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Solo Performance for "Get Ur Freak On". In 2003, Under Construction received Grammy nominations for Best Rap Album and Album of the Year. The New York Times designated Under Construction "this year's best hip-hop album." Elliott released two singles off of Under Construction. The lead single, "Work It" reached #2 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and won the "Video of the Year" award at MTV's Video Music Awards. The second single, "Gossip Folks" featuring Ludacris, became a Top 10 hit on Billboard's Hot 100 chart, was one of the most-played music videos on MTV, MTV2, MTV Jams, and BET in 2003 and was embraced by the dance community, as well as the mainstream, due to a Fatboy Slim remix. A third single was never released, though a video was shot for "Back In The Day" featuring Jay-Z and Elliott was set to release the sexual-themed, "P***ycat", as the album's final single with a remixed version featuring Janet Jackson. Although not released as single and with no video, "Pussycat" peaked at number 77 on the Billboard Hot 100.

In between albums, Elliott produced the "American Dream Remix" (featuring Tweet's additional vocals) of Madonna's single "American Life," was featured rapper on Timbaland & Magoo's return single, "Cop That Shit", and produced "Fighting Temptation" (featuring herself, Beyoncé, Free and MC Lyte) for the soundtrack to the Cuba Gooding, Jr. and Beyoncé Knowles movie of the same name. The track reached #1 in Japan but failed to chart in the U.S. Hot 100. Elliott was also featured on Wyclef Jean's "Party to Damascus" and Ghostface Killah's "Tush" singles, the latter of which became a minor 2004 dance hit, and had a pivotal role in the film Honey. Gap approached Elliott later in the year to co-star in a commercial with Madonna, which received much media attention. Elliott furthered her relationship with Madonna by performing the controversial 2003 MTV Video Music Awards show opening alongside Madonna, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera.

A year after Elliott's most successful album to date was released, Elliott felt pressured by her label to release another album, hoping to capitalize on her recent success. Elliott's singles, "Pass That Dutch" and "I'm Really Hot", from her fifth album, This Is Not a Test! (released November 2003), both rose the urban charts. However, both were not as successful at pop radio in comparison to many of her previous efforts. This Is Not A Test sold 690,000 copies in the United States and has been certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Elliott has since stated "This Is Not A Test! came out extremely too quickly for me. I didn't want it to come out when it did." In 2004, Elliott was featured on Ciara's hit single "1, 2 Step", with her verse interpolating Teena Marie's single, "Square Biz". Elliott premiered her own reality show on the UPN Network, The Road to Stardom with Missy Elliott in 2005, though it was not renewed for a second season.

2005–06: The Cookbook and Respect M.E.

Elliott wanted to "give people the unexpected" by utilizing producers other than Timbaland and a "more to the center" sound not as far left as her other music. Her sixth solo album, The Cookbook was released in July 2005, debuted at number two on the U.S. charts and was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), selling 645,000 copies in the United States. Elliott's work during The Cookbook era was heavily recognized. Elliott received 5 Grammy nominations in 2005, including one for Best Rap Album for The Cookbook. The album's first single, "Lose Control," won a Grammy for Best Short Form Video and was nominated for Best Rap Song. "Lose Control" also garnered Elliott six 2005 MTV VMA award nominations (winning Best Dance Video and Best Hip-Hop Video). Elliott won Best Female Hip Hop Artist at the 2005 American Music Awards, and was nominated for Best International Female Artist at the 2006 BRIT Awards.

"Lose Control" featuring Ciara and Fatman Scoop, became a Top 5 hit in the early summer (peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100). The second single, Teary Eyed, did not chart, although the video charted on MTV's TRL for a few weeks, and BET's 106 & Park for a few days. The third single, "We Run This", was released with heavy airplay on VH1, MTV, and BET. It served as the lead single for the soundtrack to the gymnastics-themed film Stick It. The song was also nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Rap Solo Performance category in 2006. Respect M.E., Elliott's first greatest hits album, was released outside the United States and Canada on September 4, 2006, only in South Africa, Australia, Europe, Japan, and Brazil. The collection became her second top ten album in the UK and her highest charting album to date, peaking at number seven there.

2007–14: Production work

Elliott was an honoree of the 2007 VH1 Hip Hop Honors. In honor of her career, many artists performed some of her biggest hits. Timbaland and Tweet performed "The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)", Eve and Keyshia Cole performed "Hot Boyz" and "Work It", Fatman Scoop and Ciara performed "Lose Control", and Nelly Furtado performed "Get Ur Freak On (The Remix)." Since 2007, Elliott's seventh studio album has had several different forms with extensive delays. In 2007, she worked with Timbaland, Swizz Beatz, Danja, T-Pain and DJ Toomp and planned to release an album at the beginning of 2008. In January 2008, "Ching-a-Ling" was released as the lead single for the Step Up 2: The Streets soundtrack, which also featured "Shake Your Pom Pom" produced by Timbaland. While Elliott did also release the song "Best, Best" in 2008, she renamed the album from FANomenal to its current tentative title to Block Party in 2008. She later decided against Block Party and four years later, in 2012, Elliott released two Timbaland-produced singles ("9th Inning" and "Triple Threat") exclusively to iTunes. Though the songs managed to chart on Billboard Hot Digital Songs, in an interview with Yahoo's The Yo Show, Missy talked about her hiatus from making records: "Your brain needs time to refresh! Things happen in your life where you can then write something else instead of the same three topics. Like, how many times we gonna talk about the club? I gotta feel like what I'm giving the fans is 100 percent and that it's game-changing. I don't just throw out microwave records."

In between the recording of her seventh album, Missy Elliott found success behind the scenes. Elliott's writing and production helped her reach #1 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs with Keyshia Cole's "Let It Go" (2007), Jazmine Sullivan's "Need U Bad" (2008), and Monica's "Everything to Me" (2010). Since 2008, songs written and/or produced by Elliott for Fantasia ("Free Yourself"), Jennifer Hudson ("I'm His Only Woman"), Monica ("Everything to Me"), Keyshia Cole ("Let It Go"), and Jazmine Sullivan ("Need U Bad" and "Holding You Down (Goin' in Circles)") have all received Grammy nominations. Both Fantasia's "Free Yourself" (2005) and Sullivan's "Holding You Down (Goin' In Circles)" reached #3 on Billboard's Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. In the summer of 2010, Elliott embarked on a two part tour with stops in Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia, while she also performed at VH1's "Hip Hop Honors: The Dirty South" in a tribute to Timbaland, performing "Get Ur Freak On" and "Work It". In 2008 she made an appearance in "Whatcha Think About That" by The Pussycat Dolls, and performed live in different places with them. In 2011 and 2012, Elliott made guest appearances on "All Night Long" by Demi Lovato, "Nobody's Perfect" by J. Cole, the remix of "Why Stop Now" by Busta Rhymes with Chris Brown and Lil Wayne, and a remix of Katy Perry's "Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)" that helped catapult "T.G.I.F." to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. She also produced Monica's singles "Anything (To Find You)" and "Until It's Gone".

Throughout 2013, Missy Elliott was featured on Eve's album cut "Wanna Be," as well as international artists' singles, Little Mix's "How Ya Doin'?" and "NiLiria" with K-pop musician G-Dragon, which was named by Complex magazine as one of the "50 Best Songs of 2013". Elliott also contributed to her protégée Sharaya J's two releases, "Banji" and "Smash Up The Place/Snatch Yo Wigs". In December 2013, Elliott received a Grammy nomination with Fantasia and Kelly Rowland for their song "Without Me". As early as July 2013, Missy Elliott and Timbaland held recording sessions for Kat Dahlia's debut, My Garden (2015). In August 2013, R&B singer Faith Evans revealed that Missy Elliott would be featured on her sixth studio album, tentatively titled Incomparable. In March 2014, Evans revealed one of the tracks was named "I Deserve It", featuring Missy and her protégée Sharaya J, in which Evans cited it as a "banger" and "feel good" record. Evans also revealed that in total Elliott contributed three tracks to her album. On July 7, 2014, fellow R&B singer Monica confirmed that Elliott would be a feature on her upcoming eighth studio album. On July 29, 2014, a snippet of a Missy Elliott–produced song, nicknamed "I Love Him", premiered on Monica's official Instagram account.

2015–present: Upcoming seventh studio album

In 2015, Missy Elliott performed at the Super Bowl XLIX halftime show with Katy Perry. Elliott performed a medley of "Get Ur Freak On", "Work It", and "Lose Control". The performance was well-received, and boosted digital sales of Elliott's work that week, with a twenty-five-fold increase in album sales (to 2,000 units) and a ten-fold increase in sales of the three songs she performed (to 71,000 units) compared to the week before. It also became the most watched Super Bowl halftime show in NFL history, receiving 118.5 million viewers in the United States. On February 3, 2015, it was confirmed that Elliott would be a feature on the upcoming remix to Diplo and Skrillex's "Take Ü There". On February 11, Elliott stated that she was still in the process of recording her seventh studio album, Block Party, with Timbaland. On April 2, 2015, Pharrell Williams confirmed that he was working on Elliott's album during an episode of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. On November 12, 2015, "WTF (Where They From)" and its music video were simultaneously released to digital outlets. By November 19, the song and its video had been streamed 6.1 million times in the US alone, with an additional count of 16 million views per YouTube viewing.

On February 7, 2016, the day of the fiftieth Super Bowl, Missy Elliott released a promotional single, "Pep Rally". Later that month, Elliott reunited with former protégée Tweet and frequent collaborator Timbaland on the cut "Somebody Else Will" taken from the former's third studio album, Charlene. By March 15, 2016, First Lady Michelle Obama proclaimed that she had assembled a collaborative track featuring vocals from Missy Elliott, Kelly Clarkson, Janelle Monáe and Zendaya, alongside production credit from pop songwriter Diane Warren and Elliott, titled "This Is for My Girls". The iTunes-exclusive record will be used to both coincide with Ms. Obama's SXSW speech and to promote her third-world educational initiative "Let Girls Learn".

Following a surprise appearance with TLC on the 2016 televised special Taraji's White Hot Holidays, Elliott announced plans to release a documentary chronicling her impact on the production scene in both audio and video. The midnight of January 27, 2017, saw the full-length release to a new Elliott single titled "I'm Better", featuring production and vocal assistance from recurring sideman Lamb and shared directing credit by Elliott and longtime colleague Dave Meyers.

Personal life

Elliott has said that she wants to start a family, but she is afraid of giving birth. She stated, "I don't know if I can take that kind of pain [of labor]. Maybe in the year 2020 you could just pop a baby out and it'd be fine. But right now I'd rather just adopt." Elliott and her father occasionally talk, but the singer says she has not forgiven him.

In June 2011, Elliott told People magazine that her absence from the music industry was due to a hyperthyroidism disorder known as Graves' disease. She was diagnosed after she nearly crashed a car from having severe leg spasms. She experienced severe symptoms from the condition, and she could not even hold a pen up to write songs. After treatment, her symptoms stabilized, and she has announced that she would like to get back to her career.

Other ventures

Biographical film

In 2005, it was announced that there are plans to make a biographical film about the life story of Elliott and is to be shown in theaters. Producers include Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal, and the film is being written and directed by Diane Houston. In mid-June 2007, Elliott said she was still working on the script with Diane Houston in order "to come up with the right stuff 'cause I don't want it to be watered down. I want it to be raw and uncut the way my life was" Initially, it seemed Timbaland wouldn't be a part of the movie. When Missy asked him, he refused, citing he felt it dramatized his character; "the movie is about her life, her story, that goes deeper than putting me into the movie". However, Timbaland has since stated that he would reconsider if she could get others, including Ginuwine and Magoo to sign on.

Philanthropy

In 2002, Elliott wrote a letter on behalf of PETA to the mayor of her hometown Portsmouth, Virginia, asking that all shelter animals be neutered/spayed before being adopted. For the reality TV show The Road to Stardom, there was a contest for viewers to create a public service ad for the Break the Cycle fund.

In 2004, she joined forces with MAC Cosmetics to promote their "Viva Glam" campaign. In addition to the ad campaign, Elliott promoted the MAC Viva Glam V lipstick from which 100% of the sale goes to the MAC AIDS Fund.

In 2007, Elliott appeared on an ABC's Extreme Makeover and awarded four scholarships for a weight loss program to four underprivileged teens.

Discography

Albums

Supa Dupa Fly (1997)

Da Real World (1999)

Miss E... So Addictive (2001)

Under Construction (2002)

This Is Not a Test! (2003)

The Cookbook (2005)

Wikipedia

#Missy Elliott #07-01

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janspep · 6 years

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Family History (part1)

☡☡POSSIBLE TRIGGER WARNING☡☡

"So what's it gonna be, kid? The sturdy, raven haired man spat "You either join us, or she dies."

Andrew shook violently as he held back sobs if terror. "Don't," He pleaded "Rodney, please, I'll do anything, just don't hurt her. We were friends once, remember" Andrew couldn't contain his fear, nor could he comprehend the man's words. The world around him spum, his ears rang. He collapsed onto the already blood soaked floor beneath him. He could no longer tell if it was his or someone else's.

"Hansen, don't make us bring your father into this." a familiar girl dressed in all black behind him spoke.

Andrew whipped his head around "What do you mean father?? I haven't seen him in years!" He interrogated.

"Oh my, it seems your parents neglected to tell you a few things about their history together." She laughed.

"No! No don't! Just take my life and this can all be over with! He doesn't need to know, and he sure as hell doesn't need to join you monsters! There's no way in hell he could ever hurt someone, let alone commit murder on a daily." Blair snapped.

"Know? Know what? Blair, what are you hiding from me?" Andrew looked at his sister, worry building in the pit of his stomach.

"They seriously told her and not you? God, you really are pathetic! I always knew she was the golden child but holy fuck. I thought they'd atleast tell you at some point!" The girl observed.

"That's not why they kept it a secret, Lacy! They refused to tell him because they knew he couldn't handle it! They couldn't loose another child because of their occupation!" Blair revealed, trying to keep a stone face, but failing miserably as her tears rolled down her pale cheeks.

"Another?" Andrew whispered, almost afraid of what her answer would be. Blair didn't have time to answer, at that moment the door to the warehouse was thrown open violently.

"Drop your weapons, Lacy! You too Rodney!" A silver haired man ordered.

"But sir, you said to do whatever it takes to get him on our side!" The one who seemed to be Rodney comlained as he discarded his gun to the floor.

"Yeah, what the hell?" Lacy snapped

"Anything but kidnap and threaten to kill one of my kids!" The older man boomed.

"Dad? What are you doing here? Where's Mom? What happened?" Andrew croaked, looking up at his father.

"There are some things we need to discuss.. Rodney, untie those two, and let's just all act like civilized human beings." He responded, scratching the back of his head.

(I do have a really big plan for this, so just bare with me! If you want me to make a tag list and put you on it, just let me know! ~Jaz💛💛)

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brilliantorinsane · 7 years

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The Speckled Band on Stage: Yep, Still Gay

Note: I tagged those who reblogged the first part of this series. Please let me know if you would prefer not to be tagged in future posts.

This is the second installment in my series on obscure Sherlock Holmes film adaptations and their depiction of Holmes and Watson both individually and in relation to each other. (For a discussion of the 1921-23 silent films starring Eille Norwood, which appears to have been Doyle’s favorite adaptation, see here.)

I really didn’t mean to write a post about this one, seeing as it doesn’t strictly fit the theme of this series. It is a play, not a film, and it is only sort of an adaptation—although a retelling of The Speckled Band, it is written by Doyle himself. But while researching a very gay and very terrible 1931 film, I discovered that it was loosely adapted from this play. Naturally I read it as part of my research, telling myself that I wouldn’t get sidetracked writing a post about it. The failure of my self-control now lays before you.

In my defense, this play really is … well it really is Something. All sorts of wonderful and all sorts of tragic. If you’d prefer to read it for yourself before encountering the spoilers in this post, hop on over here and scroll to the second half of the webpage. And if you’ve got your subtext glasses so much as perched lightly on the end of your nose, be ready to be sent reeling by what you find.

(Spoilers below the cut)

Production and Reception

Doyle’s decision to adapt The Speckled Band for the stage was rather spur-of-the-moment. He had leased a theater for six months in order to showcase The House of Temperley, an adaptation of his novel Rodney Stone, but the play was largely unsuccessful (x, x). Threatened with considerable financial loss, Doyle set to work and within a week had written The Speckled Band. Despite its rushed composition the play was decidedly successful, and Doyle seems to have been quite pleased with it (x).

The play alters the original short story considerably. Some changes are so inconsequential as to be puzzling—the villain’s name is changed from Roylott to Rylott, the names of the stepdaughters are switched, etc—but other alterations are structural and make a significant difference. In particular, instead of following Watson’s pov, the audience’s perspective revolves primarily around the Rylott house. The scenes introducing Holmes and Watson are also considerably altered and expanded for potentially unfamiliar audiences, and a good deal more shouting and action is introduced throughout.

Oh, and Watson is engaged to Mary Morstan. Yeah. More on that later.

I have two complaints: First there is an uncomfortable dash of orientalism (i.e., western depictions of the east which cast it as mysterious, dangerous, and Other, and which played a largely unintentional but nonetheless significant role in justifying British imperialism), which is present in the original story but rather more prevalent in the stage play. Second, the female protagonist, although commendably brave, loses what little agency she had in the original story. But aside from these elements, I loved this play. The pacing is good and kept me engaged even when neither Sherlock or Watson are present, Dr. Rylott is genuinely frightening and I was really rather tense at times despite knowing the ending, and the occasional humor is on point—I actually laughed aloud once or twice. Further, ACD’s allegiance with the oppressed is out in full force, and there’s some genuinely touching commentary on the debilitating effects of abuse. And then, of course, there is Sherlock Holmes and Doctor John Watson …

Sherlock Holmes on Stage

Guys. This is, pure and undiluted, Sherlock Holmes at his best. If you ever start to fear that Sherlock really might be the cold and detached reasoning machine some folk have fixated on, just read the way Arthur Conan Doyle writes him in this play. You will never doubt again that he is anything besides a snarky ahead-of-his-time genius with a heart of literal gay gold. We’ll get to the ‘gay’ part in later section, so we’ll set aside his interactions with Watson for the moment. There is plenty else to discuss.

You see, this Holmes does spout a variation of that much abused line from A Scandal in Belgravia, saying: “[love] would disturb my reason, unbalance my faculties. Love is like a flaw in the crystal, sand in the clockwork, iron near the magnet.” I understand that the statement, here and in Scandle, refers specifically to romantic love. Yet I cannot think it’s an accident that nearly the very next moment Holmes is flatly refusing to find the wife of a clearly abusive husband, asking only enough questions to ensure that she has found a safe refuge, even though the law is on the husband’s side and the man offers a whopping fee of 500 pounds. As if Doyle wants to drive home that Holmes accepts cases purely on the basis of empathy for the downtrodden and not finances, Holmes then remarks: “I’m afraid I shall never be a rich man, Watson.” Added to this, the manner in which he listens to, comforts, and puts himself in danger for Roylott’s step-daughter Enid is genuinely touching. As many of us have asserted for years, Sherlock Holmes is the champion of justice, ally of the oppressed, and altogether a beautiful smol man. ‘Love is a flaw in the crystal,’ indeed.

There is also a pleasing dash of Holmes the psychologist. It appears most obviously in an early analysis of Dr. Roylott, but most touchingly toward Rylott’s mercilessly abused servant Rodgers. The man is essentially good-hearted but entirely incapacitated by fear of his master, and this leads to his betraying Enid’s attempts to contact Sherlock. It was obviously a shitty move, but Holmes, who earlier expressed understanding of the thoroughgoing damage caused by the man’s long, forced dependence on a maniac for his basic needs, responds compassionately: “He is not to be blamed. His master controls him.”

Added to this we have Holmes in disguises, bamf!Holmes, Holmes calling people idiots and taking far too much delight in dancing circles around them, and of course utterly brilliant Holmes (though that’s a given), so it seems almost an embarrassment of riches that we also get peak sassy Holmes. He makes a number of delightful appearances, although my favorite is the following, which occurs after he has agreed to protect Enid from Rylott:

RYLOTT: What I ask you to do — what I order you to do is to leave my affairs alone. Alone, sir — do you hear me? HOLMES: You are perfectly audible.

As utterly delightful as all of this is, Holmes’s darker side is not entirely absent, at least in his personal habits—the cocaine does make its appearance. But more on that later.

John Watson on Stage

To be honest, I found myself rather anxious about how Doyle would depict Watson. We fans have been in the habit of discovering Watson between the lines of the cannon stories—as the man is far more interested in talking about Holmes than himself, it takes a bit of digging to discover Watson’s outstanding qualities. But what if the Watson we love so dearly is our own invention, and Doyle himself was simply uninterested in the man except as a conduit to portraying Holmes?

I really shouldn’t have worried.

It is true that Watson rather disappears into the background once Holmes is working. But that is not to say he becomes at all useless. In fact, the Watson in this play is quite simply our Watson—kind, steady, intelligent, dangerous, and with something of a temper hidden beneath the steady veneer.

In the play, Watson is the doctor who examines the body of the first murdered sister (who is here called Violet) two years before Holmes becomes involved in protecting the remaining sister, Enid. Watson, bright fellow that he is, clearly suspects that something is off. Ultimately there is nothing he can do at the time, but his involvement allows for one my favorite moments: Watson employing Holmes’s deductive skills. True, it is for a single, relatively inconsequential matter; but he does it and he’s right and he impresses the whole room and guys! Watson! is! an! intelligent! man! I mean, we’ve all known that for forever, but its rather nice to get such a clear nod of agreement from Dyole.

In addition to his intelligence, Watson exhibits a empathy and compassion that in this story will be matched (not surpassed) only by that of Holmes. As an old friend of Rylott’s now-dead wife, Watson acts as comforter to the surviving girl. We are told that he came immediately and probably well in opposition to his own convenience when first he heard of the tragedy, and his treatment of Enid is gentle without being patronizing. Unsettled by the Rylott household and clearly wishing he could do more, he also repeatedly urges Enid to contact him if she has any suspicion of danger. All of this prompts Enid to declare: “Your kindness has been the one gleam of light in these dark days.” It is a lovely description of the man who has been a light in the dark for at least one other—the sort of testament we would have been unlikely to hear of if this story were reported through Watson’s own narration.

Again, I’ll leave the majority of his interactions with Holmes for the next section, but it is worth mentioning that there is no objection from him when Holmes turns down an easy 500 pounds. Watson is intelligent and he is good—he saw the signs of abuse and he would not have his friend benefit on those terms. These scenes also provide a wonderful dose of protective Watson. And while Holmes is of course at the head of the investigation, he and Watson are wonderfully in sync, and Watson proves his worth.

When it comes down to it, the Holmes and Watson in this play are transparently the two deeply compatible men we seek to dig out of cannon: mutually sharp and compassionate, courageous and quick to protect, with Holmes giving Watson stimulation and purpose and the means to aid others, and Watson providing Holmes with a firm right hand and a ready ear and a steadiness that counteracts the extremities that drive Holmes to cocaine. Watson and Holmes as Doyle portrayed them—as no other adaptation would portray them for far too many years—are just kinda perfect for each other.

But Watson is engaged.

So … What About Johnlock?

*buries head in hands* *giggles* *sobs* … Yeah. Yeah, it’s here. Yeah.

I really wasn’t sure what to expect from this play. I thought that perhaps the stage would strike Doyle as too exposed and vulnerable, or that perhaps he wouldn’t trust the actors, or that he would feel unsafe without the veneer of Watson’s narration—that, one way or another, he’d be persuaded to leave the gay subtext out of this one. But, um, Doyle? Buddy? Don’t get me wrong, I’m absolutely chuffed that you managed to avoid allegations a la Oscar Wilde. But also … how?

Honestly, I’ve always wondered whether Doyle was aware that he was writing a love story or whether that’s what wound up on paper regardless of his intent. This play just might be my answer.

a.) Sherlock Holmes: The Work as a disguise

The most blaring subtext is concentrated in Act II Scene II, where Holmes first enters the stage and his primary interactions with Watson occur. This play takes place during one of the dark times when Watson isn’t living at Baker Street, and when he visits Holmes to present him with Enid’s case, Holmes comes out disguised as a workman. (Before this Watson comments with dismay on the evidence of Holmes’s continued cocaine habits—this will be significant later). The disguised Holmes pokes fun at Watson, who doesn’t recognize him, accusing him of being responsible for Holmes’s untidy habits. There may be a rather tragic subtextual undertone to the whole conversation, but there’s too much else to discuss. So I’ll leave that aside and instead highlight the exchange that occurs when Holmes drops his disguise:

WATSON: Good Heavens Holmes! I should never have recognized you. HOLMES: My dear Watson, when you begin to recognize me it will indeed be the beginning of the end. When your eagle eye penetrates my disguise I shall retire to an eligible poultry farm.

Now, this could be innocent enough—just a fun way to introduce the clever detective. But if one is at all alert to the mere possibility of subtext, alarum bells should be ringing full force at the fact that the first on-stage interaction between these two characters consists of Holme demonstrating his ability to hide his true identity from Watson, and then saying that if he was unable to deceive Watson it would literally be the end of his life as he knows it. And it’s worth taking note of his phrasing: not “when you begin to recognize my disguises,” but rather “when you begin to recognize me.” Is this just a matter of professional pride, or is there something deeper that Holmes is afraid of having discovered?

But you know, maybe I’m just reading into this. This is a story about preventing Enid’s murder, its got nothing to do with romance or love, that would be thematically inconsistent and out of place—

HOLMES: Well, Watson, what is your news? WATSON: Well, Holmes, I came here to tell you what I’m sure will please you. HOLMES: Engaged, Watson, engaged! … The successful suitor shines from you all over.

Oh. Okay then.

Now, it is important to understand that Watson’s marriage has literally nothing to do with the Rylott plot. The engagement in no way affects Watson’s movements, and Mary never appears on stage. No; the first half of this scene is devoted entirely to introducing us to Holmes—the few clients he sees in this section are clearly selected to give us a sense of his character, methods, and values. That means that for some reason Doyle thought that a proper understanding of Holmes requires a discussion of love and marriage—specifically, Watson’s marriage.

Watson, being an imbecile as well as an intelligent man, thinks Holmes will be pleased with his news. Holmes rises to the occasion as best he can, calling the news “better and better” when he discovers Mary Morstan is the woman Watson has chosen, but not before he lets slip the sentence: “What I had heard of you, or perhaps what I had not heard of you, had already excited my worst suspicions.” Worst suspicions, Holmes? I thought this was supposed to be giving you pleasure? Well, perhaps he’s merely being facetious.

But next moment he slips again, saying, “You lucky fellow! I envy you.” When Watson suggests that Holmes might find a woman of his own one day, Holmes cryptically replies: “No marriage without love, Watson.” This might have been the first line that really floored me—the bare fact of Holmes’s conviction that he will never love a woman (‘woman,’ of course, being implied in the concept of marriage at the time). But when Watson asks why, Holmes falls back on the “[love] would disturb my reason” nonsense.

Now to be clear, I understand that Holmes is specifically discussing romantic love here, and that there is no connection between a lack of romantic attachment and a lack of sentiment and care for others generally. But here’s the thing: Holmes’s self descriptor doesn’t depict him as aromantic—i.e., ‘I just don’t feel romantic stuff.’ It depicts him as a reasoning machine—‘strong emotions disrupt my process.’ And in context of literally every friggin thing he does in this entire play, that’s nonsense. It is abundantly clear that reason is his tool, but compassion and sentiment are his motives.

One might argue that this is slightly sloppy writing (it was composed in a hurry, after all), or that Holmes simply doesn’t have the words to describe his aromanticism. Yet just moments before he said he envied Watson’s relationship, and moments before that revealed himself to be a consummate actor whose very existence as he knows it depends on disguise …

The already unwieldy length of this analysis requires that I speed a bit through the goldmine that follows: through Holmes punting aside requests from a royal family and the actual Pope because Watson has a case in which he has a personal interest—and I can’t resist pointing out that Holmes says he will of course take the case if Watson has “any personal interest in it.” It’s not ‘I’ll make time in my busy schedule if this is really very important to you,’ it’s ‘oh, you have a thing that you at least kinda sorta care about? The Pope can wait.’ I must gloss over Holmes transparently wanting to get as much of Watson’s company as he can, declaring that he has always seen Watson as his partner, and wishing for a plaque with his and Watson’s names on it, despite heavy implications that Watson has been almost entirely absent from Holmes’s work for some time. I’ll just mention in passing the truly remarkable number of “my dear fellows” and “my dear Watsons" Holmes manages to drop in a brief space of time, his clear desire to protect Watson from the dangers of the case despite later informing Enid that he is “a useful companion on such an occasion,” and his cry of “No, Watson, no!” when his friend leaps up to protect him from the poker Rylott is threatening him with.

I will not, however, pass over what occurs when Watson leaves Holmes, intending to meet him at the train station later that day. Watson’s final words on his way out are: “Good bye—I’ll see you at the station,” to which Holmes replies, “Perhaps you will,” adding to himself: “Perhaps you will! Perhaps you won’t!” Ah, what’s that? On about disguising yourself from your best friend again, eh Holmes? But then, within the play this refers to the fact that Holmes intends to actually disguise himself at the train station, so it has a literal meaning and not a metaphorical one, it has nothing to do with a deeper hiddeness, certainly nothing to do with love—

HOLMES: Ever been in love Billy? BILLY: Not of late years, sir. HOLMES: Too busy, eh? BILLY: Yes, Mr. Holmes. HOLMES: Same here. Got my bag there, Billy? BILLY: Yes, sir. HOLMES: Put in that revolver. BILLY: Yes, sir. HOLMES: And the pipe and pouch. BILLY: Yes, sir. HOLMES: The lens and the tape? BILLY: Yes, sir. HOLMES: Plaster of Paris, for prints? BILLY: Yes, sir. HOLMES: Oh, and the cocaine.

Oh … oh. Shit.

Please understand that this exchange—consisting of Holmes again raising the topic of love immediately after returning to the subject of his disguise, both of which he addresses as soon as Watson has left, as if he could not discuss them in front of his friend—comes apropos of nothing except Watson’s announcement of his engagement far back at the beginning of the scene. And I don’t see how the way he raises the subject and dismisses it can be seen as anything but the covering of some deep emotion—there is longing in the way he immediately brings it up, showing that it has stuck in his mind the whole while, and something tragic in the way he next-moment dismisses the clear preoccupation with the claim of being ‘too busy,’ clearly echoing the ‘I envy you … love is not for me’ progression of his earlier exchange with Watson.

And I get that in theory this longing for but dismissal of love could be read in a number of ways besides a socially forbidden love for his recently engaged partner. One might argue, for example, that he is aromantic but lonely and longing for the consistency of attachment others find in romantic love, or that he’s bursting with all sorts of hetero affections that he has chosen to sacrifice for the sake of The Work.

I would simply ask any inclined towards those arguments to consider the framing of this scene. I would ask them to question why ACD chose to introduce and conclude the scene which functions as an introduction to Holmes with the detective’s ability and need to disguise himself from Watson specifically, immediately juxtaposed with discussions of romantic love and Holmes’s desire for it which is clearly present but immediately veiled—disguised?—by his commitment to the work, with the cocaine hovering ominously behind. Then consider that between these mirrored book-ends we watch Holmes allow the man from whom he must disguise himself to disrupt the flow of the work which he claimed was supreme, making clear his wish that Watson be drawn into that work—a desire counteracted only by the transparent fact that he would prefer to risk his own bodily injury rather than put his friend in harm’s way. Add to all of this that Doyle works in a mention of the Milverton case and thus allows Holmes to comment on how his ruse to undermine Milverton involves courting and being courted by a woman and how distasteful he finds the experience and—well, you much reach your own conclusions. I have reached mine.

b.) Watson: Substitutionary desire

I began by speaking of Holmes because the subtext is monumentally more apparent on his part, and unlike Holmes it would be easy and even (though I cringe to say it) reasonable to read Watson as a comfortable heterosexual in this play. Does this mean that Doyle wrote one of those dreadful adaptations in which Holmes is pining away with an unrequited love for a Watson who is incapable of returning his romantic affections?

Not necessarily. As far as I can tell, without the clear implication of Sherlock’s affections one would be on shaky ground arguing that Watson was intended as anything besides a Hetero Bro. However, the clear coding of Holmes as in love with Watson causes one to wonder whether the affection might not be returned, and the results of investigation are inconclusive but intriguing.

Although he doesn’t make an appearance until the second act, Holme is mentioned by Watson in the first scene. Assuring Enid that she can turn to him if she is in any need, he admits that there is little he can do on his own. But he then adds: “I have a singular friend—a man with strange powers and a very masterful personality. We used to live together, and I came to know him well. Holmes is his name—Mr. Sherlock Holmes. It is to him I should turn if things looked black for you. If any man in England could help it is he.”

To be fair, it is not unusual in stories for someone to describe the hero in grandiose terms before he is seen directly by the reader/audience. Still, that’s quite a way to describe one’s friend. I find myself particularly fixating on “strange powers and a very masterful personality.” You do realize that you could have just said he’s smart, right Watson? I mean, maybe things were different back then, but if I described my friend as having a ‘masterful personality’ and then tried to claim they were my platonic bestie, I’m pretty sure I’d get my fair share of dubious glances.

Watson mentions his friend once more when his application of Holmes’s methods to clear up a detail of the investigation prompts an impressed exclamation from the coroner, to which Watson responds: “I have a friend, sir, who trained me in such matters.”

So at the very least, we have a Watson who idolizes, respects, relies on, and emulates his friend—all of which makes the fact that he is no longer living with Holmes something of a puzzle.

You see, the play never gives us a reason for Watson having moved out. The comment to Enid in which he mentions that they “used to live together” occurs two years before Sherlock becomes involved with the case and Watson becomes engaged to Mary, so it clearly has nothing to do with her. Yet not only has he moved out, his involvement in the cases is implied to have dwindled significantly or even stopped altogether—in one of the saddest lines of the play, Holmes comments that of course Watson wouldn’t remember Milverton because: “it was after your time.”

But why these degrees of separation? At no point are there signs of any ill-will between the friends. The danger certainly wasn’t an issue for Watson: when Rylott threatens Holmes Watson literally “jumps” to protect him, and he insists on sharing the danger of the Rylott house. Nor does it seem viable to speculate that Baker Street’s location became inconvenient for Watson—the speed with which Rylott makes his way to Watson’s home and from there to Baker Street demonstrates that they still live quite close. One might more plausibly theorize that Watson was becoming more invested in his medical practice and involvement in Holmes’s work was interfering, but why would ACD make an alteration so irrelevant to the story and then not even explain it? After all, the friends were still living together in the short story from which this is adapted. What could be the point of such a change?

Well, the fact is, while their bond is undeniable and remarkably strong, there are hints of something … off between the friends. Despite claiming to see Watson as his equal partner, Holmes fails to communicate with him about how they will be involved in the Rylott case, telling Watson to come on the 11:15pm train but neglecting to mention that he will be going to the house in disguise some hours earlier. The motive behind this omission is unclear—he previously tried to dissuade Watson from joining the case on account of the danger, so perhaps Holmes intends for Watson to give up and stay away when Holmes does’t appear. (Watson, of course, comes anyhow). Or perhaps Holmes wished to be apart from Watson for a time in the wake of hearing of his engagement (Holmes calling for the cocaine comes unsettlingly to mind here) but knew Watson wouldn’t allow him to go to Rylott’s alone. But whatever Holmes’s motive, Watson knows only that he has been excluded and cut out. Similarly, if in the past he has sensed that Holmes was on some level disguising himself from him would he would not have been likely to imagine a flattering cause. One cannot help but wonder whether it is these exclusions that cause Watson, despite inserting himself determinately when Holmes’s safety is at stake, to feel that he must offer to remove himself from the room when Holmes calls in clients. Certainly Watson has no inkling that Holmes might be in love with him—no kind friend who suspected as much would introduce his engagement by saying: “I came here to tell you what I am sure will please you.”

This then, is what we have: two men who deeply admire each other, long for one another’s company, and would clearly die for one another, and yet one of them is hiding and the other running first from the house and then into marriage. We have good reason to believe the one is hiding because he fears revealing his love; is it unreasonable to suppose the other is running for the same reason? Is it strange to think that Watson, feeling unable to trust to his powers of disguise in the way Holmes can, feeling the continual sting of Holmes hiding from him and cutting him off and unable to interpret those actions as anything besides distrust or indifference, would have sought safety in distance and ultimately comfort in binding himself to another?

A final note: we know nothing about Mary in this play. Despite having come in part to announce his engagement, Watson has no rhapsodies to offer on behalf of his fiancee—he seems far more interested in Holmes’s propensity for love, and, failing that, in Holmes’s work. Although Holmes’s (admittedly not impartial) deductions imply that Watson is genuinely pleased with his engagement, we learn precisely two details about Mary, both from Holmes: first that she has red hair, and second that Watson chose a woman who Holmes “met and admired.” Despite their seemingly limited contact over the past two years, Watson still seems unable to be married without at least some reference to Sherlock Holmes.

c.) Sorry … have some petty ACD as recompense

I feel I owe you an apology. I am aware that if you had the patience to read my ridiculously long ramble and are convinced by my interpretation of the Holmes and Watson’s relationship in the play, your ‘reward’ is having a dark but ultimately triumphant detective story transformed into a fucking tragedy that ends with two broken hearts. All I can offer is the comfort of knowing that for 130 years neither marriage nor death nor the near erasure of Watson from the first forty years of stage and film adaptations have been able to keep these two apart. They will find their way back to one another.

Oh, and you also might enjoy hearing that this play is totally ACD’s revenge on heteronormativity.

Okay, I can’t prove that. But it really looks like it. You may be aware of the 1988 play Sherlock Holmes, written by Doyle and William Gillette. If you’re like me a week ago, you may not know that Doyle wrote the original script himself, and Gillette became involved only when Doyle’s script was rejected and the producer urged him to bring Gillette on to rewrite it. I like to imagine that the rejection letter went something like: “Look, buddy, you can’t have Holmes staring forlornly after Watson while instigating a wistful conversation about love with Billy. You just can’t,” but realistically we don’t know why the first draft was rejected. But we do know that Doyle specifically requested that Gillette not give Holmes a (female) love interest, and that Gillette sent Holmes off into the sunset with a woman anyway (x).

Then, eleven years later with a failing theater on his hands, Doyle locks himself away in a room and says, “Fuck it. Imma write a Holmes play, and when I introduce him the first thing everyone is going to know is that he’ll never marry a woman, and the last thing the introduction will tell them is that he’ll never marry a woman and—you know what, I’ll take that Milverton story where Holmes groans about needing to date a woman and throw that in the middle.” And that’s true of the play even if you don’t buy the queer reading. But also, its super gay.

And frankly I just love that not only did Doyle refuse to give in to society’s attempt to fit his story into their heteronormative mold, it actually worked and Doyle made up all the money he was poised to lose and more by shoving a gay love story into his audience’s face.

Well done, ACD, well done.

Conclusion: Should You Read It?

I mean, I think my answer is fairly obvious by now. If you’re interested and have the time, it is 100% worth it. And I hope it doesn’t feel like I’ve spoiled all the good parts. There are reams of gems I didn’t even allude to—and that’s not counting everything I doubtless missed.

I just have one request: if you do read the play and end up posting about it on tumblr, would you tag me in your comments? Hearing someone else’s thoughts on this hidden treasure would be a delight.

@thespiritualmultinerd @a-candle-for-sherlock @missallainyus @steadymentalityengineer @iant0jones @devoursjohnlock @disregardedletters

#ACD cannon #Holmes adaptations #the adventure of the speckled band #the speckled band play #Arthur conan doyle #stage adaptation #johnlock #meta #sherlock holmes #John watson

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bigbrothereclipse · 4 years

Photo

EPISODE 1 - “I’M KINDA MAD I DIDN’T GET HOH, BUT I’LL GET IT NEXT TIME FOR SURE.” - ASHLYN

HOH - ELIJAH

POV - FROSBY

EVICTED - ASHLYN / 13-2

FROSBY - https://youtu.be/3J7_Nd8O57M

SARAH G - https://youtu.be/m-nPTenfhdM

JULS - https://youtu.be/U2RI53y6qgI

ELIJAH - https://youtu.be/IeEiggUn3f4

BROOKE

Night 1 is done and I just want to express my thoughts on my fellow housemates.

Ashlyn- I’ve reached out to her and got two words back and now no response so I’m not quite sure what to think of her. I’m not sure if it’s just me or if she’s gonna be the ‘Chloe’ of the season, which is not a bad thing, just a bit more difficult.

Bob- We go wayyyy back. I’ve played with him in like January and completely got fooled by him. I’m definitely going to be cautious of him but also try to align myself with him. On top of all that, I got best rivalry with his brother, Joe last season.

Cheatham- I’ve had a good conversation with him and would love to align with him.

Elijah- We’ve bonded a lot by being in the latest timezone (in America at least) and he’s even mentioned meeting in person since he’s only like a 6 hour drive from me. I can see Elijah becoming my ride or die and I definitely do feel like I could trust him.

Frosby- OMG FROSBY IS BACK TOO! We tried to work together last season, but it failed when we both found ourselves on the block on Drew’s HoH. Frosby was quick to use screenshots against me, so I will definitely be cautious knowing that about him.

Gabe- Gabe was the first one to ask me about my daughter. I definitely see him becoming an ally and a friend outside this game. He was asking me questions about Saphire’s father, therefore probably knows the most about me on a personal level.

Gigi- I’ve talked to her a little bit. I know I’m not supposed to judge people by their photos but she looks like someone who wouldn’t even hurt a fly. I feel like she will surprise me as I am not painting her as big of a threat as I probably should.

Indigo- I talked to them a little bit as well. We bonded over being lazy and loving to sing, but I don’t really see any potential in the long run.

Jacob- He seems nice. I’ve talked to him a little bit, but definitely need to talk to him more to get a full read.

Jordyn- I’ve reached out to her and have yet to get a response.

Juls- I played with Juls once before but that season didn’t go well for me. I would love to get to know her more.

Mackenzie- Okay, I know this is the same Mackenzie that took over my HoH in another game and I’m still a little unhappy about that. (I hold grudges, what can I say). Anyways, she thinks I forgave her but I will stab her in the back the first chance I get.

Nick- I haven’t talked to Nick enough to get an opinion on him, but my gut is telling me he could potentially be a backstabber.

Rodney- We talked about BB22 a little bit and bonded over that, not enough of a bond to make me want to work with him though.

Roxy- I’ve talked to Roxy a bit but don’t see them as an ally.

Sarah G- Omg where do I even start with Sarah G? Okay well she harassed and threatened me in the black hole last season (as a punishment). I still get PTSD from pings. I told her I don’t hate her, and that is true but I will NOT work with her unless my life depends on it. I will make it my goal to get her out ASAP.

Wren- I’ve talked to Wren a little bit and she seems like such a sweetheart. Definitely someone I might be willing to work with.

Right now, my thoughts are to form a 6 person alliance with 3 solars (Frosby, Bob, and Elijah) and 3 lunars (Gabe, Cheatham, and myself). Frosby and I agreed to meet up again after assessing the cast and we’ll go from there. With this twist in place, I think having 3 from each group would be a good idea.

ASHLYN

Elijah and I haven’t had much of a conversation, im going to continue trying to stay under the radar and let Elijah make enemies of his own. I won’t attempt to ally with him, for fear of being seen as a suck up- I’ll just try to be kind to him and pose not as much of a threat. My bet is he will nominate the other two highest scores, either that or someone he particularly dislikes. I’m kinda mad I didn’t get HoH, but I’ll get it next time for sure.

GIGI

So the HOH came down to Gabe and Elijah. Before it was announced, I was lowkey praying for Elijah to win over Gabe just because I have connected more to Elijah than I have with Gabe. He and I talked a little bit last night but I feel like that wouldn’t have been enough if he were to win. I’m hoping I’m good with Elijah because he seems really chill and he’s definitely someone I’d want to work with moving forward. I’m kinda hoping he nominates people from the other side because I do believe that team has more threats (just based off of first impressions).

As far as who I’ve been connecting with, I have basically talked to everyone on the cast with the exception of a few, but I’d say I’m more connected to Rodney and Roxy. Rodney and I have a little secret that no one else needs to know 😏 and that’s that we know each other! I met Rodney through a game we’re currently playing (OBB) and he’s been my number 1 ally in that game since week 1. We’ve become so close that we were talking about wanting to play another game together. He’s the one that actually sent me the app to this game so if it weren’t for Rodney I would not be here rn. He is 100% my number one ally in this game. And I want to make it far with him. But with this twist, it makes me so scared because we are on the same team and whoever wins hoh has the possibility of having to nominate from their own team. I hope he and I can survive and make it very far in this game together. Anyways I’m pretty sure like half of this cast knows each other and have some sort of pre deals going on anyways so I don’t feel bad. 🤪 I just don’t want to openly make it seem like we know each other so we don’t become targets, so RODNEY WHO??? Haha jk. They better not come for him or come for me bc it’s gonna go downnn😈. (Lmao)

With Roxy, it’s so easy to carry a conversation with and I feel like me and her are similar in a lot of ways so we kinda have gravitated towards each other.

I’m hoping to make more connections obviously as the game progresses.

The twist:

The twist is pretty cute ngl but it can fuck up my game 😫😫 which I don’t like. The fact that my own teammate can nominate me just doesn’t sit right with my spirit. I’m hoping I can avoid the block but we will see. 🥰 I’m so curious to know who Elijah is gonna nominate. Gonna try to find out where his head is at.

Anyways that’s all for now, sorry for writing so much <3

WREN

so.. i’m not very close to eli.. but we talked abt trees!! idk how promising that is. i’m trying to hang low, but i might’ve screwed up. what if people target me because they think i’m just a waste of space? i have to win the next comp that comes around.. or i need to get some “special power”.. either way, i have to get out of the shadows if i want people to see me as a game player.

BOB

I don't really mind Elijah winning, but at the same time, I haven't connected to him all that much so far so maybe I'm at risk. Who really knows? However, I have made my immediate connections with Frosby and Brooke that give me allies on both sides of the house immediately. Frosby is wary of Brooke, but that's dumb to worry about this early---everyone will want to stay safe. I get on super well with Rodney as well, loveeee talking BB with him so much. I'm trying to mend fences with Mackenzie, just don't have the energy for it lol. As far as the twist is concerned, I like the idea of it and I feel like it's not an overarching twist that will take away from gameplay so I see it like this: normal weeks as an option is great, but every other week it probably benefits me more to work with the other side. If you are going on the block by your own side, then you need the other side's votes. If you are going up at their hands, then you need to have good bonds with them. If they are getting nominated by either side, who friggin cares because it won't be me! I guess there are some benefits to maintaining relationships on my own side, but strategically, you cover more bases by cozying up to them.

WREN

so eli wants to make me a pawn against jordyn.. and that slightly worries me. she’s extremely inactive, so maybe i wouldn’t be kicked off. but everyone knows pawns go home a TON. i don’t know how i feel about it.. but if it wins me an one on one alliance.. it’s worth it. especially such a strong player. this can backfire or help me a ton.

0 notes

fart-gate · 4 years

Text

SGA

Season 4 episode 16

Notes by me

- kellers hair in this ep is 😍

- Sam Rodney and keller adventure!

- "I'm no ronon" the writers really like making fun of him huh

- down the rabbit hole!!!!

- surprise Rodney whump 😌

- love how keller says medical things casually in normal conversations. Very nice character detail

- "red means bad"

"Cant argue with that logic"

- Rodney and Sam together just cancel each others brain cells out

- wow a straight drop down a pitch black hole! Whats plan B

- crate stacking should work!

- Rodney has a thing for heights??? I dont remember it being an issue until now 🤔

- love Rodney helping Sam and holding her hand :) theyve come such a long way in thier friendship

- "that was fun" Sam so casual after falling 20 feet

- his face when keller immediately starts stripping

- also keller not hesitating to start taking her clothes off? Iconic

- THE WOULD YOU RATHER GAME love how Rodney doesnt get offended that they are giving Only Men options but is offended by the fact he doesnt want any guy to "force themselves" on him LMAO SUBTLE WRITERS 👀👀 I SEE YOU

- also keller playing games bc shes bored is me. Reminds me of how young shes supposed to be too

- okay wait I want to play too. George Clooney or brad Pitt? Clooney for sure

- Robert redford or Paul newman? Newman I guess

- children!

- I dont think threatening them is gonna help much Rodney lmao

- "show them your boobs"

"NO"

*turns to stare at keller*

- Rodney bringing up his jumper trauma and new claustrophobia 💖💖💖

- the zelenka argument lmfaooo ew hes wierd to keller?? Yikes

- "everythings a contest" welcome to surprise wisdom with rodney McKay

- steve carrell or Stephen Colbert? I think colbert yeah

- Rodney joining in on Boy Talk™

- hes adding guys that they didnt even say and we're still supposed to think hes straight????

- kellers casual interest in rodneys relationship 👀👀👀 youre not fooling me sister

- "a nice guy like you" ah my heart. His face💕

- wow these kids are so bratty

- let Sam do it bro shes got 5 plus years of experience ahead of you

- gas leak!!!

- Sam knows No Fear

- theres nothing for it to grapple onto guys smh

- LOVE how keller needs to explain what a bar bet is to them. Like it just shows how different each of their lives were

- alright Rodney and keller giving me real cute vibes "I'll buy you a keg if this works" and her face???? Like✨ Bruh ✨

- dammit I thought it would work

- oof Sam whump GREAT acting on amandas part

- worried!Rodney

- laughing at how they just let him stumble over his words bc they think its funny

- one of my favorite running gags for the show is when Rodney starts rambling off topic and all they say is "Rodney!" And then he gets on track again 😂

- nice cannon

- ooh SHIT

- no music is my favorite!!!!

- selfless Rodney is AMAZING especially when hes hurt but still helping 😭😭😭

- "youre just gonna die there on the rope?" I'm loving her in this ep

- "come on , swarzenegger, start swinging"

- in the nick of time!!!

- "you owe me a beer" there it is

- take a hint rodney! She likes you bro congrats!! Glad it took this long for the relationship to start being a Thing bc if it started out as soon as she got there it would have been a little weird. Also it would have made her look like she was only there for rodneys love interest but we actually got to see her be without his influence for most of the season and who she is and her character itself. Very glad we got to know her before the relationship started.

#hey what happened to her and ronon i was digging that #stargate atlantis season 4 #very good rodney self sacrifice in this ep loved it #whump

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buffycuddlespigs · 7 years

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I've just seen the John Sheppard picture (with his pointed ears) and I have a prompt for you: Rodney sometimes wondered about John's ears but he always thought it's just a /whim of nature/. But then he gets shot and John, who's half-fairy, heals him with a spell. And now John has a lot to explain :D

Dear anon, I’ve had this prompt for so long but it was only when reading When Family Nox that I appreciated the thought of John as fae so…here’s a belated fill.

John Sheppard had incited a lot of feelings in Rodney since that first meeting. Infuriation, certainly; Frustration, definitely; Infatuation?..well, maybe a little. There was one feeling though that John inspired over and above all of those. It wasn’t something Rodney ever expected, especially not while he was living in a galaxy as fear inducing and unknown as Pegasus, but the fact remained that, no matter what the galaxy threw at them, all Rodney had to do was look into John’s eyes - a different shade of brown, green or gold every time - and he knew that everything was going to be ok.

Loyalty, trust, whatever you wanted to call it, it all boiled down to the same thing: John made Rodney feel safe.

Even now, with John’s face flecked with dots of red, dots of red that Rodney knew to be his own blood, Rodney knew that it would all somehow be ok.

He opened his mouth to try and tell John that, to ease the pain and worry on his face, but the words didn’t come, a wet cough resulting in more dots of red on John’s face sounding instead.

“Don’t,” John’s voice choked on the plea as he cupped Rodney’s cheek with his hand. "Just, please Rodney, let me..“

John’s grip on Rodney’s face was hindered by the fact that his hands were shaking badly and Rodney ignored his earlier plea to not talk in an effort to soothe him.

“John,” he managed to spit out between his teeth, “s’ok. M’alright.”

“No, Rodney,” John shook his head, “it’s not OK. But it will be. It will be, buddy.”

An unexpected warmth started to flow into Rodney, entering his body from the source of John’s touch and quickly filling every pore, every inch of him with a warm, golden heat that matched the warm, golden glow of John’s eyes.

Rodney reached his hand out towards those glowing eyes, wanting to know if they were the source of the heat but the movement resulted in something cracking unpleasantly in his chest, a rush of cold coming behind the sound, threatening to overtake the pleasing warmth that John was pouring into him.

John’s eyes grew fierce, the golden hue darkening as he tightened his grip on Rodney. “Don’t you even think about it, McKay,” he warned.

Rodney didn’t know what John was talking about. Thinking about anything other than the warring sensations of warm and cold was beyond him right now. If he could think, he might have turned his mind to the unfairness of it all, to the fact that he’d never plucked up the courage to tell John just how safe he made Rodney feel, just how infuriating, how frustrating, how wonderful he was. He didn’t have room for any of that though, it was all he could do to keep his eyes from closing. Rodney didn’t want to close his eyes, he didn’t want the golden glow to go away but as the warmth pouring into him started to wane he found it harder and harder to manage. The last thing he heard before the gold disappeared was a desperate, whispered ‘please’’.

One frantic puddlejumper trip, one emergency surgery, and ten days of a medically induced coma later, Carson smiled down at Rodney and told him that he must have some kind of guardian angel out there.

Rodney only half listened to him prattle on about chest wounds that should have had him bleeding out in seconds and arterial damage that was much less pervasive than they had feared. He listened enough to nod in the right places, to accept the sip of water that Carson held out for him and assure himself that he was no longer in any danger. Miraculously so, apparently. The other half of Rodney was trying to make sense of what happened. He had felt that bullet rip through him as if he were one of the marine’s paper targets. He had felt the blood rushing out of him with each pump of his heart, had saw…he didn’t know what he’d seen. Something impossible. Something…something that he couldn’t explain. Or could he?

Rodney came to the realisation that Carson was right. Or half right, anyway. Rodney had someone, or something, looking out for him. But whatever John was, he wasn’t an angel.

“What are you?”

John half rose from his seated position on the bed when Rodney barged into his room, his golf magazine lying forgotten on the bedspread.

“Rodney,” he drawled cautiously, “aren’t you supposed to be in the infirmary?”

“Don’t Rodney me, don’t you…” Rodney ran his fingers through his hair, already dishevelled from almost two weeks in bed, not caring that he was messing it up even worse. “What are you?” he demanded again. “You’re not human. You can’t be. Humans don’t glow like you did back on that planet, humans can’t stop someone who was shot in the heart from bleeding out like you somehow managed to do, Colonel. So, I’m going to ask again: What. Are. You.?”

Rodney saw the brief moment when John considered bluffing his way out of this flit across his face, no doubt planning on blaming the entire thing on Rodney’s blood loss. That moment passed, rejected, obvious in the slump of John’s shoulders, in the way he collapsed back onto the bed with a heavy sigh and an expression like he was facing a firing squad.

Rodney refused to feel sorry for him, pushing the rush of sympathy away. John had lied to him, goddamnit. He’d made him believe that he was human, that he was someone that Rodney could count on, someone Rodney could trust. Wasn’t that a joke? How could he trust someone that had lied to him every day they’d known each other? Was he even Rodney’s friend? Was that even true?

Rodney collapsed onto an empty chair, the anger dissipating to leave behind hurt. “Is your name even John?” he asked weakly.

“Yes.” John seemed relieved to have an easier question to answer. “Of course my name is John. I didn’t…Rodney, I never lied to you.”

Rodney huffed indignantly but John’s voice grew stronger, surer of himself.

“No, that’s not fair,” he said. “I might not have told you everything about myself but what I did tell you, every word of it was true.” John was standing up now, moving around the room, pacing, trying to find the words.

After a full minute, Rodney grew impatient. “Preferably before Carson finds out that I’m AWOL, Colonel? Let me help you out. You’re an Ancient. This entire time, you’ve been hiding from us, watching us, watching me try to make sense of this city, of this technology, and - - “

John broke into Rodney’s accusations with his donkey bray of a laugh. “I’m not an Ancient,” he said. “I..look, Rodney, this is hard for me. I’ve never - - nobody except my mother knows this. Just…give me a minute to figure out how to tell you this, would you?”

Rodney leant back in the chair, careful not to pull his stitches, and waited as patiently as he could manage.

“I’m human,” John eventually said. At Rodney’s scoff, he bobbed his head in acceptance. “Ok, maybe not 100% but my father is. That makes me half human.”

John seemed to really need Rodney to believe him in this, the need for Rodney’s understanding clear in the line of his body, the punch of his words. Rodney nodded, accepting John’s words for the truth. Even now, he trusted John more than the situation warranted.

“Your mother?” Rodney asked.

John swallowed a knot in his throat and told the truth. “A fae.” Those two words seemed to release something in him and Rodney watched, bewildered, as John sank onto the floor, chuckling at nothing.

“A fae? You’re telling me, what, that you’re a fairy?”

John stopped chuckling, looking Rodney in the eye for the first time since he’d demanded to know what John was. “I’m pretty sure that I’m not allowed to tell you that under military regs. But, yeah. In both senses of the word.”

“In both…” Rodney took a moment to process but eventually landed on one burning, hurtful question. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

John huffed a laugh. “It’s not exactly getting to know you small talk. ‘Hey, I’m John Sheppard. I like college football, Ferris wheels, anything that goes faster than 200 miles per hour, oh and by the way, I’m half fae and have moderate healing and glamour abilities. What’s your name?’”

Rodney shook his head. “Not that. Why didn’t you tell me that you were - -”

“Rodney,” John pushed up to his knees and shuffled towards him until he was kneeling on the floor next to Rodney’s chair, his hands on Rodney’s thighs. “They’d kick me out if they found out. I can’t risk that. I can’t risk not being here to - to - “

“To save my life.” Rodney finished John’s sentence. “Just how often have you done that?”

John shrugged, his mouth twitched up into a smile. “Actually saved your life? Just that once.”

“But you’ve healed me before,” Rodney knew it with certainty. “All those injuries that should have been more serious, the energy cloud, the Wraith stunner, the head injury after the jumper crash. You made them all better. Why?”

John looked at him sadly. “You’re a genius, Rodney. You know why.”

Rodney did know, couldn’t believe that he’d been so blind for so long. Shaking his head, he reached out to trace the point of John’s left ear with his fingers. “It’s good to know that there’s a reason for these at least.”

John’s eyes twinkled as he smiled. “So, you don’t mind them then?”

Rodney’s eyes moved from John’s ears to meet his eyes. They weren’t glowing gold right now but they were still the most beautiful eyes he’d ever seen. He answered the only way he could. With the truth.

“I love them.”

#anonymous asks answered #mcshep #my fic #prompt fill #john sheppard #rodney mckay #stargate atlantis #Anonymous

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rustypenguino · 4 years

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A pandemic will not stop those, looking to capitialize

Worldwide we are facing a pandemic yet amidst it all, large gatherings continue under the guidance of televangelists. Pastors with large followings who dismiss the possibility hodling mass sermons could promote the spread of corona virus. Some even deny the pandemic as a whole. These Televangelists have deemed the deadly virus no more than a common cold, less dangerous than the flu. These pastors have also taken it upon themselves to not only misguide their mass audience with flagrant lies, but also share their own conspiracies about the virus with them. Pastor Chuck Baldin during an online sermon gave some insight into the conspiracy of what he believes is really behind Covid-19 where he implies “If it’s not a hoax, the virus is being used as a completely exaggerated, super-hyped, super-inflated psychological ops campaign against the American people – a coordinated full-court press of intimidation and fear-mongering by government, the mass media and the CDC.” Pentecostal Pastor, Rodney Howard-Browne located in Tampa, Florida has held two packed sermons at his River church. In one sermon, he shared his conspiracy beliefs with his followers. These beliefs included; the public health response to the virus was a plot involving the Rockefeller Foundation and World Health Organization, whose goals were forced vaccinations and mass murder. Though this mass misinformation may relieve the worries of the flock of the virus, it in the end is harmful. Televangelists like Kenneth Copeland and Jim Bakker seem to have their own ways of dealing with Covid-19, claiming to have their own cures. Kenneth Copeland offers his viewers the “wind of God” a miracle summoned by Copeland himself during his televised sermons. A mysterious force that Copeland claims destroys Covid-19. Though this claim has undergone some editing by God himself who seemingly speaks through Copeland, edits such as there is no need for it to be a fast wind and even better no need for wind at all. Copeland has such a grasp on Covid-19 that in a past sermon the pastor “executed judgment” on the deadly virus, claiming that the US is now “healed and well again”. Pastor Jim Bakker's, cure takes a less supernatural approach, something more materialized. A blue and silver bottle that contains the cure so sought after. Under the names of “Silver Solution”, *Silver Sol Liquid” and “Optivida Silver Solution”. Jim Bakker broadcasted his cure on his televised show The Jim Bakker Show alongside self proclaimed “natural health expert” Sherrill Sellman. There, Bakker and Sherill Sellman went on to claim that Silver Solution has a "cure all" with the ability to cure SARS and HIV. They continued to try to sell this when Sellman, self proclaimed “natural health expert”, is the cure that will eliminate, kill and destroy the deadly virus. Attention came but unfortunately for Bakker it wasn’t mass praise but rather mass lawsuits. The state of Missouri filed a lawsuit against Bakker for selling his cure all Silver Solution, and more followed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Federal Trade Commission gave warning to Bakker as it seems, he was selling his Silver Solution to his mass followers even though it was an “unapproved new drug” which violates the law. Jim Bakker’s cure all potion didn’t work out in the end but faith still lies with Copeland and his supernatural wind. In the end, these Televangelists insist on holding large sermons, something that has been proven to be dangerous and has the potential of becoming a breeding ground for the virus. Yet, they continue to give their reasons, their conspiracies, their cures, and in the end you are left womdering. How could these men who serve God be so blind when it comes to Covid-19, a pandemic that threatens the lives of the very people who attend their sermons? Unfortunately, it seems the televanglist are taking advantage of the circumstances to gain a profit by promoting these miracle cures and by dismissing the virus as a whole. In conclusion, it is important to be mindful of where you receive your information, and whether your source might have something to gain.

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courtneytincher · 5 years

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Will Brexit Trigger England’s Second Civil War?

(Bloomberg) -- At the outbreak of the English Civil War in 1642, Warwick Castle was attacked by soldiers loyal to the king who tried without success to unseat the Parliamentarian forces that held it. While a minor skirmish, the outcome would foreshadow the broader struggle for the country.Today, the town of Warwick is under siege of another kind, one that may similarly decide where the divided nation is headed after an escalation in the political drama over Brexit.The U.K. is witnessing an historic period of upheaval that has invited comparisons with events almost 400 years ago. Parliament has been suspended – illegally, a court in Scotland ruled on Wednesday. The prime minister is threatening to flout the law to get his way while lawmakers on all sides are in open revolt and Ireland’s future, north and south, is at stake. Even the Queen has become embroiled in the standoff. And violence is brewing, with scuffles outside Parliament last week.Lawmakers this week channeled an event from the runup to the civil war in the House of Commons to protest the so-called prorogation of the legislature. Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, one of the main architects of the vote to leave the European Union, has described the present constitutional crisis as the worst since that tumultuous period.A tour last week through some English counties scarred by the conflict suggests he may be right. With positions hardening and no obvious release for rising tensions, it’s anybody’s guess where the Brexit dilemma ends.Voters in Warwick opposed leaving the EU, seeing a departure as a threat to a key employer — the automotive industry — and to the university town’s international outlook. But as a pro-EU bastion amid a sea of Brexit territory, Warwick is at odds with neighboring districts, the U.K. as a whole and with Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative government. Those same divisions run through swaths of the country.“If we get out of the current impasse without shots being fired, we will be doing better than I expected,” said Diane Purkiss, author of “The English Civil War: A People’s History” and a professor of English literature at Oxford University. “The question from here is whether we can at the last minute and in the eleventh hour muddle together some kind of final British compromise.”With its timber framed houses, country parks and association with William Shakespeare, the county of Warwickshire is picture postcard England. But beneath the patina of Olde Worlde charm lie stark divisions in attitudes to Brexit.Of course the U.K. has always diverged along political lines, from Thatcherism to Blairism. What attracts today’s comparisons with the 17th century is the constitutional chaos on top. Then, the country chose sides as Parliament and Oliver Cromwell’s Puritans asserted authority over King Charles I and his Catholic household in a standoff over religion and power that ultimately led to war and regicide. In an echo of Brexit’s patchwork of “leave” and “remain” voting areas, the civil war cleaved along the lines of individual towns and cities depending on which way they declared, for Parliament or the King. Indeed, the political map of the Brexit vote resembles the distribution of support for both sides in the civil war, Stefan Collignon, a professor at the London School of Economics wrote in March last year.In Warwickshire, Stratford-upon-Avon was sandwiched between Parliamentarian and Royalist forces, and took in casualties from the war’s first major battle at Edgehill. Stratford, Shakespeare’s birthplace, is a 20 minute drive to the southwest of Warwick but a different world in its Brexit outlook. Whereas Warwick and its surroundings are home to workers from the nearby Jaguar Land Rover plants and left-leaning, pro-European students and academics from Warwick University, Stratford relies on tourism, the hospitality industry and foreign workers to staff it.Warwick voted 59% to 41% in favor of remaining in the EU. Stratford voted 52% to 48% to Leave, bang in line with the country as a whole.Walking around Stratford, past the Tudor houses and boats on the river Avon, there is little outward evidence of tension. That’s no comfort to Sophie Clausen, an artist and author originally from Denmark who first came to Britain as an art student in 1984.For Clausen, that sense of indifference cannot be excused by any amount of Brexit fatigue, and is the most worrying aspect of all. “People switch off, they don’t care, and that’s really dangerous,” she said.“People say they just want Brexit over with, but I don’t think it will ever end,” said Clausen. “Because if it doesn’t happen, the divisions will get even deeper and people who voted Leave will be even more angry,” she said. “No-one knows the way out any more.”Johnson has a little over a month to try and strike a new deal with the EU that’s palatable to enough parliamentarians to enable Britain to leave the bloc in an orderly way on Oct. 31. If he fails to do so, he is now required by law to ask for an extension, something that will almost inevitably lead to the general election he wants to break the impasse. QuicktakeHow to Follow the Latest Brexit TwistsComparisons between Johnson and Charles I over their treatment of Parliament are unhelpful, according to Purkiss, the civil war author, since the king waited 11 years to recall the legislature rather than the present five weeks. Yet there is a common “persistent ongoing failure of compromise” that contributed to the descent into conflict, she said.Other parallels lie in the existence of concurrent crises in “the three kingdoms” of England, Ireland and Scotland; and in the emergent print media’s alarmist headlines that mirror today’s social media posts, “weaponizing fear mongering,” said Purkiss. “I don’t think people are taking this threat seriously enough,” she said in an interview at Keble College in Oxford, one block away from St. Giles Church, which carries a plaque describing its damage in the civil war.At root, Brexit is the symptom of a crisis of parliamentary democracy, with both main parties pushed to extremes and the middle ground erased, eroding willingness to reach consensus. That presents a challenge for politicians like Jack Rankin, selected to contest the Warwick and Leamington constituency for the Conservatives at the next election.The district was held by the Conservatives for much of the 20th century, falling to Labour in 1997 as the Blair government came to power, and has changed hands between the two parties since. Matt Western retook it for Labour in 2017 with a majority of just 1,200 votes.His pro-European views were reinforced by a previous life as a marketing manager for French carmaker Peugeot in places like Vienna and Paris. Bridging the division “is very hard because both sides of the debate are becoming quite entrenched in their view,” said Western. “I’m really alarmed about what’s going on in society,” he said.To win the seat from Labour, Rankin, who voted for Brexit, will have to appeal to a strongly anti-Brexit electorate.He said that his experience on voter doorsteps shows “the overwhelming majority are fundamentally democrats and just want to get on with it.” The divisions are not as deep as commonly presented, he said in an email response to questions, and healing the Conservative rift “won't happen until we deliver what we said we would.” He said the future is bright regardless of how Brexit plays out.That may be wishful thinking. Jaguar Land Rover CEO Ralf Speth warned last year that a bad Brexit could put tens of thousands of jobs at risk. Warwick University’s Vice Chancellor Stuart Croft has called Brexit a “disaster” and said that losing access to international research networks could shut the U.K. out of the science vanguard and risk jobs.The warnings were not lost on Barry Archer, a maker of clay models used in car industry design who has worked across Europe, most recently for Skoda in the Czech Republic. He was at a “Stop the Coup” demonstration last week in Coventry, the city whose outskirts include Warwick University’s leafy campus, to protest the proroguing of Parliament. Archer was among the 200 or so who showed up.His latest job was canceled as a result of the uncertainty over Brexit. His two adult sons feel their future is being settled without their say, with freedom of movement set to go in the name of the “will of the people.” For Archer, Brexit is personal – his wife is German – but he still doesn’t see any chance to roll it back.“The problem is it’s divided the country so much there’s going to be no easy way around it,” he said as an autumn wind blew in the city’s Friargate. “Damage to the foundation of who we are, what we are has been done. It’s just damage control now.” Bernard Capp, an emeritus professor of history at Warwick, has seen the university’s development from its earliest days in the 1960s and still teaches a class on radicalism and the English Civil War. He sees parallels with the sort of polarization witnessed between 1640 and 1642, when the war broke out, and says that’s a cause for concern.During the civil war, Coventry was a Parliamentarian center, known for its extensive medieval city walls. Capp related that Charles I arrived in late summer 1642 on his way to raise an army, and demanded entrance. The mayor of Coventry refused, the first real act of defiance before the fighting started.“We should all be very wary because nobody wanted a civil war, nobody expected a civil war and look where that happened,” he said. Even at the war’s end, “no one thought there would be a revolution and the king would get his head chopped off, and yet that’s where it ended up,” he said.“So no one knows what the final destination will be once you get into a constitutional crisis.”To contact the author of this story: Alan Crawford in Berlin at [email protected] contact the editor responsible for this story: Rodney Jefferson at [email protected] more articles like this, please visit us at bloomberg.com©2019 Bloomberg L.P.

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erickmalpicaflores · 5 years

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Erik Malpica Flores Erik Malpica Flores recommends: ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO Debuts; SUPERNATURAL, DYNASTY, THE FLASH and More Return

What’s coming to The CW the week of January 13? ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO will be premiering, while many other shows are returning from their holiday hiatus. In addition, the Critics Choice Awards will be airing.

Sunday, January 13

“The 24th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards”: Hollywood’s best and brightest celebrate the finest in cinematic and televised achievement for the 24th Annual Critics’ Choice Awards. Hosted by acclaimed actor Taye Diggs (“All American”) and broadcast live from the Barker Hangar in Santa Monica, Calif., the Critics’ Choice Awards feature the best in film, television and streaming from the past year. Actress Claire Foy will be honored with this year’s #SeeHer Award and producer Chuck Lorre will receive the Critics’ Choice Creative Achievement Award.

Tuesday, January 15

THE FLASH 5.10 “The Flash & The Furious”: While Nora (Jessica Parker Kennedy) grapples with the revelation that Thawne (Tom Cavanagh) killed her grandmother, Team Flash must stop the formidable team-up of a newly sprung from jail Weather Witch (guest star Reina Hardesty) and Silver Ghost (guest star Gabrielle Walsh), a new meta-tech villain who can control engines and motorized technology. Meanwhile, Caitlin (Danielle Panabaker) and Cisco (Carlos Valdes) discuss creating a meta-human cure. David McWhirter directed the episode written by Kelly Wheeler & Sterling Gates.

ROSWELL, NEW MEXICO 1.01 “Pilot”: When Liz Ortecho (Jeanine Mason) reluctantly returns to her tourist-trap hometown of Roswell, New Mexico, she reconnects with Max Evans (Nathan Parsons), her teenage crush, who is now a Roswell police officer. But Liz soon discovers a shocking truth: Max is an alien who has kept his unearthly abilities hidden his entire life, along with those of his otherworldly sister, Isobel (Lily Cowles), and their friend Michael (Michael Vlamis). Elsewhere, Master Sergeant Jesse Manes (Trevor St. John) spearheads a long-standing government conspiracy — unbeknownst to his son, Alex Manes (Tyler Blackburn), who has recently returned from service overseas with emotional and physical injuries. The politics of fear and hatred that run rampant in Roswell threaten to expose Max and his family and could endanger his deepening romance with Liz…as well as their lives. Heather Hemmens, Michael Trevino and Karan Oberoi also star. Julie Plec directed the episode written by Carina Adly MacKenzie.

Wednesday, January 16

RIVERDALE 3.09 “Chapter Forty-Four: No Exit”: With Riverdale in disarray following Hiram’s (Mark Consuelos) takeover, Veronica (Camila Mendes) leads the charge against her father after he takes aim at La Bonne Nuit. Meanwhile, as Betty (Lili Reinhart) reluctantly houses the group of patients who escaped the Sisters of Quiet Mercy, Jughead (Cole Sprouse) confronts a group of desperate Serpents, who have resorted to drastic measures to make ends meet. Finally, Archie (KJ Apa) is forced to face his demons. Madelaine Petsch, Madchen Amick, Luke Perry, Ashleigh Murray, Skeet Ulrich, Casey Cott, Charles Melton and Vanessa Morgan also star. Jeff Hunt directed the episode written by Arabella Anderson.

ALL AMERICAN 1.09 “Keep Ya Head Up”: Spencer (Daniel Ezra) should be on top of the world – his football team is headed to the playoffs and he can finally be with Layla (Greta Onieogou) – but he can’t shake a major tragedy that occurred causing him to question everything. Meanwhile, Coop (Bre-Z) learns some disturbing information about a friend and Jordan (Michael Evans Behling) is worried about the results of a drug test that could end his football career for good. Taye Diggs, Samantha Logan, Cody Christian, Monet Mazur, Karimah Westbrook and Jalyn Hall also star. The episode was written by John A. Norris and was directed by Kevin Rodney Sullivan.

Thursday, January 17

SUPERNATURAL 14.10 “Nihilism”: Michael has re-taken control of Dean (Jensen Ackles) as his army of monsters continues to move in on our heroes. Sam (Jared Padalecki) devises a plan to try and reach Dean and stop Michael before anyone else has to die. The episode was directed by Amanda Tapping and written by Steve Yockey.

Friday, January 18

DYNASTY 2.10 “A Champagne Mood”: In the wake of a horrific accident, Culhane (Robert Christopher Riley) desperately needs Fallon’s (Elizabeth Gillies) help and protection, while she needs to process the sheer weight of his lies. Meanwhile, as Blake (Grant Show) shows no shame in using family to promote his own self-interest, Cristal (Ana Brenda Contreras) is reluctant to reveal a big development. Nicollette Sheridan, Rafael de la Fuente, Alan Dale and Sam Adegoke also star. Josh Reims and Kevin A. Garnett wrote the episode, which was directed by Michael Allowitz.

CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND 4.10 “I Can Work With You”: Rebecca (Rachel Bloom), agrees to help out Darryl (Pete Gardner) by offering to babysit and an unexpected guest crashes the evening. Meanwhile, Paula (Donna Lynne Champlin) throws a game night. Vincent Rodriguez III, Vella Lovell, Scott Michael Foster and Gabrielle Ruiz also star. Rachel Specter and Audrey Wauchope wrote the episode, directed by Kabir Akhtar.

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investmart007 · 6 years

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BUJUMBURA | Fearing bloodshed, Burundi faces vote on president's power

New Post has been published on https://is.gd/Bzzqw2

BUJUMBURA | Fearing bloodshed, Burundi faces vote on president's power

BUJUMBURA, Burundi (AP) — Burundians vote Thursday in a referendum that could keep the president in power for another 16 years and threatens to prolong a political crisis that has seen more than 1,000 people killed and hundreds of thousands fleeing to neighboring countries.

Many in this East African nation do not see a positive outcome no matter the results of the vote, which President Pierre Nkurunziza’s government forced through despite widespread opposition and the concerns of the United States and others warning of continued bloodshed. The country descended into crisis in 2015 when Nkurunziza pursued a disputed third term.

Now Burundi’s 5 million voters are asked to approve a change to the constitution that would extend the length of the president’s term from five years to seven and would allow him to stand for two more terms. Nkurunziza has forcefully urged voters to support the referendum.

“Whoever opposes this election will meet God’s power,” the president warned earlier this month while campaigning.

Tensions are even higher after unidentified attackers armed with machetes and guns carried out a massacre Friday in the rural northwest near Congo, killing 26 people, many of them children. The government blamed a “terrorist group.”

While it is not clear whether the attack was linked to Thursday’s referendum, it was “a very dangerous development,” United Nations human rights chief Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein said Tuesday.

Zeid, who has called Burundi one of “the most prolific slaughterhouses of humans in recent times,” warned that “everyone will suffer” if Burundi explodes into violence during or after the vote.

Some in Burundi’s opposition, which has faced hate speech from officials including threats of drowning and castration, say they have little choice but to fight back. Boycotting the vote is risky following a presidential decree that criminalized calls to abstain from casting a ballot.

“The only available option now is to use guns and we are determined to use all means to realize our cause,” said Hussein Radjabu, who was a Nkurunziza ally before being jailed on treason-related charges. He later escaped from prison and fled the country.

The referendum is rigged in Nkurunziza’s favor, Radjabu told The Associated Press by phone.

Burundi’s government strongly denies allegations it targets its own people, saying the charges are malicious propaganda spread by exiles.

The international community, however, has long expressed alarm. An estimated 1,200 people have been killed since early 2015, and International Criminal Court judges last year authorized an investigation into allegations of state-sponsored crimes.

As Thursday’s referendum approached, Human Rights Watch noted “widespread impunity” for authorities as they tried to swing the vote in the president’s favor, citing two recent deaths after beatings allegedly at the hands of state agents.

Opposition leaders call Nkurunziza, declared in March by the ruling party as “supreme guide of all times,” a dictator unwilling to leave office.

“President Nkurunziza had declared that he would leave in 2020,” Agathon Rwasa, chairman of the Amizero y’Abarundi opposition coalition, told a rally on Monday. “Now he wants to remain in power arguing that he was sent by God” while both the economy and diplomatic relations decline.

Impoverished Burundi has been volatile since the 1990s, riven especially by ethnic discord in the military as Hutu and Tutsi officers jockey for power.

The 54-year-old Nkurunziza, a former rebel leader who is the son of a Hutu father and a Tutsi mother, rose to power in 2005 following the peace deal ending a civil war in which some 300,000 people died. A born-again Christian who won some support with public displays of faith, he was re-elected unopposed in 2010 after the opposition boycotted the vote.

Protests erupted in April 2015 after Nkurunziza said he was eligible for a third term because lawmakers, not the general population, had chosen him for his first term. Critics called a third term unconstitutional, as the deal ending the civil war says the president can be re-elected only once.

Amid the protests, a group of senior armed forces officers attempted a coup. While peace talks between the government and the opposition stalled, Nkurunziza tightened his grip on the army, allegedly by purging officers deemed disloyal, according to the International Federation of Human Rights and local civic groups.

In the streets of the capital, Bujumbura, where the police have increased their presence this week, people say they are worried about what comes next.

One man told the AP he will vote for changing the constitution even though he opposes it because he fears there will be secret cameras spying on people in the voting booth.

“So I will go to vote for ‘yes’ in order to save my job,” the public transport operator said, speaking on condition of anonymity for safety reasons.

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Muhumuza reported from Kampala, Uganda. Associated Press writer Ignatius Ssuuna in Kigali, Rwanda contributed.

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA and ELOGE WILLY KANEZA,By Associated Press – published on STL.News by St. Louis Media, LLC (A.S)

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#Bujuburu #Burundi faces vote #Fearing Bloodshed #president power #TodayNews

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martens-movie-reviews · 7 years

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Released: August 2017 Running Time: 12 minutes

“In a post apocalyptic world where the air is toxic to breathe and oxygen is a precious resource, a young boy embarks on a perilous supply run to obtain water and medicine for his ailing mother. With just his toy robot as a companion on his journey, he faces many obstacles, but the real danger is waiting for him back at home.”

I will be reviewing one short film a month, beginning with ‘The Survivor: A Tale From the Nearscape.’ The film has seen some success during its continued festival run, winning Best Sci Fi at the Festigious International Film Festival, and Best Sci – Fi at the Top Shorts Film Festival.

I’m always interested in watching movies, and with short films it is always interesting to see how the filmmakers compress the story in such a small amount of screen time.

Below is the full short film, which can be found on Vimeo and Youtube, its runtime is 11 minutes and 53 seconds. Check out my review for it below the link, followed by a Q&A with the film’s director Christopher Carson Emmons.

The Survivor Short Film – Saga Flight Entertainment

Cast & Crew

The director of The Survivor is Christopher Carson Emmons, who has worked on numerous other short films, as well as 3 full length films, and several series. Emmons also has an upcoming short film called ‘Roebling’s Bridge‘ that is mentioned in the interview with him below.

Written by Mark Renshaw who has previously written other shorts such as ‘No More Tomorrows’ in and ‘Surrender’, he’s also written a television series in called ‘So Dark’ that will be premiering soon.

Nick Kordysh as Billy – Source: Saga Flight Entertainment

The cast of The Survivor includes Nick Kordysh, Valerie Dewie Lighthart, Sam Kozé, Anna Kordysh, Alida LaCosse, Tawnie Thompson, Carl Chopp, Zach McLain, Martin Doordan, Rodney Craig Dukes and Matthew Nichols.

Review

I found that the music in the film which was done by Zaalen Tallis, was futuristic yet familiar. I really enjoyed the ambience and hectic feel that it brought to the film. It enhanced the movie, just as music is supposed to do. I did find that the music was a little loud in some points of the short, however that could just be my preference and my inexperience with short films and their style. The acting in this short was well done, especially the young Kordysh, who portrayed the main character, Billy. The other actors while doing a good job with what what they were given, had too little screen time to get to know them as well as you might like.

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The quality in the story for The Survivor was really thought provoking and made you fear this dystopian future. We don’t have to worry about aliens or vampires or zombies in this movie, but each other. The humans in this film are what’s horrifying about this future, where people are capable of killing another human to use as food. At another point the cops are about to shoot Billy because they don’t want to have to deal with the paperwork that would be involved if they brought him in.

Roy killed Billy’s father because he wanted his mother, that is something that is reprehensible, and it makes you wonder in what kind of society would that be acceptable. It’s also telling of Roy’s character that he doesn’t acknowledge Winny anymore since she’s been sick, even going as far as turning his back to her and focusing on the television instead of trying to take care of her and lessen her suffering.

Another point that I might be misreading is at the beginning of the film, Roy is zipping up his pants after coming into the room with Billy, whatever that is supposed to imply is potentially even worse than killing the father to be with the mother.

I enjoyed the way in which Billy killed Roy with the rat poison that he had grabbed at the shop, when I first watched it, I thought it was just a comedic effect in the film to have a bodyguard be afraid of mice, but when the flashback happened, everything clicked together, and I appreciated that they didn’t show that part the first time around.

Matthew Nichols as Preacher – Source: Saga Flight Entertainment

I believe that this short has potential as full length film one day, as it sets up the world really well, and makes you want to know more. Who was that woman that saved Billy from the other cops? What organization is she with? What happens to Billy and his mother after the death of his step father? What disaster lead to the drastic change in society? These are all questions that I would like to see addressed if ever it would be turned into a full length film, which I hope it does.

Officer – Source: Saga Flight Entertainment

Overall, I feel like this film definitely deserved those awards that it has won, and I’d love to have this film adapted as a full length motion picture. I think that the story was simple, yet displayed a world that had been shown in many works of science fiction beforehand. The acting in the film was good, especially Kordysh, as from what I understand this was his first acting role.

The music in the short was really well done, as well as the cinematography which was done by Nate Haban. I loved the futuristic feel of the film, and every single part of the film was relevant to the overall story and world building. Based on other shorts that I’ve seen, I have to say that it told the story that it wanted in the limited amount of time, had great music, the visual aspects of the film were beautiful, and had a good message / warning for the audience to take from the film. I’m giving this short film, a final score of 8/10.

What did you think of the short film? Did you enjoy it? What are your opinions on the genre? Let me know in the comments below!

What movie do you want me to review next?

Thanks for reading,

Alex Martens

Q&A with Director Christopher Carson Emmons

What inspired the style and tone of Survivor? What nobody ever tells you about the phrase “ignorance is bliss” is that it has an expiration date. Ignore any problem long enough, it’ll make itself known to you in a way you can’t ignore. So this is a look at the world we’re hard at work on leaving for our grandchildren.

The theme I tried to zero in on during every decision made from pre-production through post-production was abuse of power. I tried to touch on many abuses of power within the context of the film’s short runtime, chiefly the continued burning of fossil fuels due to special interests we know still drive legislation, and if you watch closely there are three manmade earthquakes as a result of fracking in the film. The film also delves briefly into police brutality, child abuse, mass surveillance, and religious fanaticism. I tried to address these issues while still providing what was hopefully an entertaining narrative.

Are there any other projects that you are working on that you can talk about? Yes, I have a project called “Roebling’s Bridge” coming out that I’m very excited about. It’s about the family that created the Brooklyn Bridge. And then there’s that mountain of yet to be produced screenplays I’ve written

I know that Mark Renshaw was the writer for the film, but I’m curious about whose decision it was to not have Billy speak until the the very end? Mark Renshaw, the writer, made the decision to keep the lead character, Billy, mute until the very end of the film, which I absolutely loved. I’m the first to admit some of my earlier work was very talky, as if it would be the last time I could ever have a character speak to an audience so I desperately needed to seize it. Film is a visual medium, so what better way to receive information than through a protagonist who does not speak and we just see what they see? If you look at children who are living through wars or famines, they rarely emote or speak, and their eyes look like those of an elderly person, spare a few wrinkles. Our lead actor, Nick Kordysh, did such wonderful and subtle work in really capturing that.

What message or feeling do you want people to experience after watching the short film? If you listen to the words that the mother sings in the opening of the film, that really sets the stage for what it is about. She sings “The Black Snake comes, comes for the water, for our sons and daughters, the sun sets on the world.” She’s referencing the Lakota prophecy about the Black Snake, which in recent history was linked to the Dakota Access Pipeline.

Also if you listen carefully to the words in the video with the sunrise graphic that takes over the TV set twice in the film, which are “the sky is ablaze from the evils of men, survival’s for naught if not do we rise, to oppose those who oppress the very hope of sunrise,” you get a sense of what’s at stake. This is the chant from a resistance group in this world that is trying to change things around before it is too late. One of the members of this group is shown in the film, she poses as a cop and blows her cover to save the lead character’s life. This group’s chant points to something I think is important, the idea of survival for survival’s sake, vs. survival for a purpose. Consider the idea of a massive power outage in a large city. Do you want to live in a world where the power going out takes away the distractions we think give us meaning and purpose and we all go crazy, or do we want to live in a world where the power goes out and that has no effect on us because the human race shares a common united goal that is clear and Earthbound?

I’d love for us to get off the track we’re on so that this film isn’t anything like our future. When the candidates put forward by any given country’s left and right are both basically Scrooge McDuck with different catch phrases, you’ve punctured the condom on the phallus of inequality and hatred. Issues that literally threaten our species’ existence need to be dealt with immediately in a non partisan way. Or we can keep fracturing into smaller and smaller tribal sub groups as we are now and choose to finally consider the bleak options that remain later, as our major cities are underwater, and the remaining land above ground faces constant quakes and fires. Maybe as the ship sinks, we’ll watch the water rising to our throats, then look one another in the eye, and realize how beautiful we were.

The Survivor Review Released: August 2017 Running Time: 12 minutes "In a post apocalyptic world where the air is toxic to breathe and oxygen is a precious resource, a young boy embarks on a perilous supply run to obtain water and medicine for his ailing mother.

#Alida LaCosse #Anna Kordysh #Christopher Carson Emmons #IndieFilm #Mark Renshaw #Matthew Nichols #Nick Kordysh #Sam Kozé #Sci-Fi #Short #The Survivor #Valerie Dewie Lighthart #Zaalen Tallis #Zach McLain

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