#so have many other women including marina

[lucreziaborgiagf]

i don’t talk about bridgerton on here but just to clarify. i will not be having ANY eloise hate on this account. i will bite.

#eloise bridgerton they could never make me hate you!! #addressing the normal talking points one by one to get them sorted: #- ​no i don’t care that eloise called pen some names after the discovery. she was devastated and furious. #she can apologise in the future but in the moment of course she said it #- ​yes pen did write about eloise as a way to save her but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t possibly ruined eloise’s life #- similarly: eloise isn’t (just) angry that she was written about. daphne also went through whistledown and it very much terrified her #so have many other women including marina #- eloise is betrayed because she told pen everything and is realising pen told her nothing #(and she’s probably thinking about any secrets she might have said to her best friend that could now be used against the ton and her family) #- as claudio said: being regency gossip girl isnt a moral girlboss thing its deeply harmful tbh #- ​pen did have reasons to become whistledown! that doesn’t mean that she’s innocent or right! #- eloise isnt now friends with cressida to spite pen lmao she’s alone and scared and cressida was the last person who offered her friendship #she has no idea how to manage society by herself #(and she needs someone to improve the reputation of her and her family) #- im also convinced she has other ulterior motives for befriending cressida. like she’s keeping an eye on her or smth #- eloise didn’t just ignore anything pen said and that’s why she only just figured it out. pen deliberately didn’t speak like lw to hide it #the moment she did eloise was like huh that’s weird she doesn’t normally talk like that. and THATS when she figured it out #- eloise just found out her best friend has betrayed her and been hiding this massive secret #but she hasn’t told anyone. not even her own family. im not hearing out any accusations of HER of being disloyal #- also pen clearly wasn’t that upset at writing about eloise bc the moment eloise and colin upset her she went straight back to it lmao #side note but no i don’t think the queen is going to name her the ‘emerald’ or anything because she’s suddenly in the spotlight #eloise is tbh the only debutante she actually consistently recognised (for good or bad) #a new dress is not going to be interesting for charlotte to change her whole tradition #tl;dr i love eloise and i will die on this hill #eloise bridgerton #bridgerton

[juju-or-anya]

It's hard not to find irony in the criticisms directed towards Eloise Bridgerton and the elevation of Penelope Featherington as a more genuine and hardworking figure in contrast with Eloise's supposed privileged circumstances and her discourse on feminism. Indeed, some voices have pointed out Eloise's feminism as something white and privileged, and while this is not without merit, it's akin to rediscovering what others have already noticed, akin to Christopher Columbus "discovering" America.

Understanding the context in which "Bridgerton" unfolds is essential. The series is set in Regency England, between 1813 and 1825. This historical period is marked by a highly stratified and conservative society, where women, especially those of the upper class, were relegated to traditional roles and lacked basic legal rights. In this context, any discussion of feminism must consider the unique limitations and challenges of the time.

It is true that Eloise Bridgerton, being part of a respected family in English nobility, embodies many of the characteristics associated with the white and privileged feminism of the time. However, this should not diminish the value of her role in advancing feminist ideas in her historical context. It is thanks to women like Eloise, who challenged social expectations and dared to question the status quo, that doors were opened for future, more inclusive feminist movements.

On the other hand, when analyzing Penelope Featherington's role in contrast with Eloise Bridgerton's, intriguing nuances worthy of a more detailed critical exploration are revealed. Although both come from upper-class families, Penelope's experiences differ significantly from Eloise's. In the society depicted in "Bridgerton," Penelope is portrayed as a more marginal figure, overshadowed by the prominence and glamour of the Bridgerton family. She is often seen in the background, struggling to find her place in a world where her social status does not put her at the center of attention.

Throughout the series, Penelope exhibits a distressing lack of empathy and solidarity towards other women. Instead of fostering unity and support among her peers, her writings are propelled by feelings of envy, resentment, and desires for revenge. Striking examples of this include her actions to publicly reveal Marina Thompson's pregnancy, intending to undermine her relationship with Colin Bridgerton, or defaming individuals such as Daphne, Edwina, and Kate Sharma, often with no apparent reason other than personal gain.

Penelope's behavior as Lady Whistledown sheds light on her complex nature and motivations. While it may represent an attempt to find her voice in a world dominated by more powerful figures, it also reveals a tendency towards manipulation and selfishness. Ultimately, her role as the mysterious chronicler is more than just a quest for identity; it is a reflection of the moral and ethical complexities underlying the society of "Bridgerton."

In summary, asserting that Penelope is more feminist and hardworking than Eloise due to her role as Lady Whistledown is, at best, simplistic and, at worst, deeply misleading. Both women, while privileged in their own right, have chosen different paths in life and have faced their own challenges. However, the narrative of Penelope as a morally superior and more genuinely hardworking figure should be questioned in light of her actions and motivations, which often reveal a lack of integrity and empathy towards her peers.

It's important to note that when Theo confronts Eloise, questioning her understanding of the real world and her privileged position, Eloise doesn't reject this criticism but uses it as a catalyst to seek greater understanding. Recognizing the validity of Theo's observation, Eloise actively seeks to broaden her horizons. She engages in conversations with Theo and John, seeking to break free from the bubble of privilege in which she has lived so far.

On the other hand, Penelope takes a different stance towards her own privileged position. Instead of acknowledging her situation and seeking to understand the realities of those less privileged, Penelope vehemently denies any suggestion that she also benefits from the system. Rather than accepting her position of privilege, she portrays herself as a victim, despite her actions suggesting otherwise. Ultimately, this divergence in attitudes between Eloise and Penelope highlights the complexity of individual perceptions of privilege and personal responsibility in an unequal world.

PS: The comment: "Penelope saved Eloise by writing that she hung out with radicals, she doesn't know what it's like to be grateful" is shit. Whose fucking fault is it that the Queen is on a crusade with torches and pitchforks, looking for blood and a rolling head? From Penelope because she doesn't know when to keep her hand still and stop writing, if it weren't for Penelope, the queen wouldn't think that Eloise is Lady Whistledown, Penelope wasn't looking to help Eloise, she was looking to save her skin.

#anti penelope featherington #penelope featherington #eloise bridgerton #the bridgertons #bridgerton #theo sharpe #I swear I'm going to cry if I read again that Penelope is an icon of feminism and women's empowerment #Eloise does not deserve all the hate they are giving her #I do want Eloise and Theo to be together forever. #Because they love each other and would be very happy together #marina thompson #madame delacroix

[bcacstuff]

I think people will jump and say he’s dating her but the facts are still facts. They haven’t seen each other (that we know of) outside hyrox related stuff. He didn’t go watch her in Birmingham when he was in London for St Patrick’s day, he didn’t go watch her when he had a free day in Paris instead of going to Germany which is a short flight and he was signed up then to. I think he enjoys these competitions and would like to compete but couldn’t this year. I think he is her friend and supports her as friends do. I think they did not stay at the same hotel just as she stayed at a hotel in Glasgow instead of at his house, where he has friends stay all the time. Including female friends like Marina. I truly get a brother sister vibe from what I’ve seen. Men and women can be friends. I’d say they don’t flaunt the friendship because of his crazy fans but they’re not hiding it either, which I think they’d be much more discreet if actually dating. Anyway that’s my take on it as I’m sure you’re getting bombarded with anons. Also I still don’t believe that’s her with him at lunch. But again my take.

Thank you Anon, you're message sums it up in a realistic way which I can agree on. Next to the 3 times they met (that we know of), all the time fitness/Hyrox related, there's a huge list of facts that we know of that just leaves us with the conclusions you made in your post. You didn't even summed up all of them but just a few.

The thing is people go overboard when something fits their narrative, and make much more of it than there really is to see. In this case he's already the 'perfect stepdad' and people jump to the conclusion that he's 'only in London for her'. No idea how they know, they're all not there and he's been so many times to London, a place he lived for years, has many friends there, his agent is there... and I can go on for a while. He has a bank holiday, so not such a surprise he's in London to begin with.

It happens in all fractions however, they all take what fits their narrative, and when it doesn't they're all quick to jump to all the excuses they can think of. The woman is paid, she's a beard, the fan that posted the video is a PR plant, she's a liar. It's actually disgusting how people get attacked. I've felt these attacks myself as well (I just need to look at my inbox). You can see it in the comments of the fan who now also posted her video on IG:

I don't know about you all, but how disgusting are these accusations. (and btw. I do know very well who the cherylecheryl account on IG is, and it isn't the one P always claims it is! Yes I have proof for that).

This doesn't only happen by this account, which is btw. not a shipper (so you make your guess) but I saw similar accusations on shipper blogs as well, amongst others calling her a liar.

I don't know why this is necessary. Why can't we just accept that he's having female friends as well, or can have a lunch near a Hyrox location and then go there to see her race? The same happened so many times in the past as well, whenever I posted a video of him having lunch, or a drink with a female person. A short video, or even just a picture, a moment in time. And people start to argue and fight and call others names and accuse them of all bad things. WHY?

I told you earlier today, it is Liberation Day here in the Netherlands. 79 years ago the Netherlands was freed of the Nazi occupations by the allied forces. Half of the Netherlands was freed a year before, the other half had to endure the hunger winter and another year of oppression since Operation Market Garden failed halfway.

I told you a number of times, I live very close to the German border, it's just a 10 minute walk away. Here in the place we live, our liberation celebration is always shared with our German neighbours. Representatives of the collaborating cross-border organisations and even representatives of the Deutsche Bundestag are invited as speakers. They are always impressed and very grateful to share the celebrations with us Dutch inhabitants of this border village.

The message is always simple, freedom and peace is not a given fact, it's not granted, we have to cherish it, we all have to work on it every day. A line on a map, being an inhabitant of another country doesn't change that. Having another opinion, should not be a reason for hate, violence, aggression. We can have different opinions, we just need to be adult enough to accept it.

I don't want to compare this fandom to the wars and differences in the world, loss of lives and all the grief and terrible, horrible situations people need to survive in. But I do wonder if there can be so much aggression and hate thrown at people over a simple thing like SH having a lunch with a woman, how on earth are we able to make this world a more peaceful place?

Now have a thought about that! Thank you for listening to my TED talk

[mayasdeluca]

Well here we are at the end. It feels incredibly weird and surreal that this is the last time I'll be doing a reaction post after an episode. I think it will really sink in months from now when the show really doesn't come back but honestly I'm feeling so many different emotions right now and it's because of the episode and also just because of knowing this is the last of everything.

I feel like this finale episode really summed up my whole experience with this show. They'll do some things really well and some things that really just make you question why on earth did they think that was the right choice. Stuff that makes you so frustrated because they just get in their own way and could be doing things that isn't wasting the potential of real magic.

It feels like Maya and Carina were never able to really shine and be highlighted in the way they could have been. They shied away from the true chemistry and connection and love story that they had instead of embracing it. As soon as they would get some focus, they had to give it to someone else or insert someone else into the storyline. It was like they couldn't give the queer women too much for whatever reason. This has been a pattern since their relationship started so I'm sadly not surprised it ended the same way.

I get they had a lot to fit in so I wasn't expecting everything to happen like I envisioned. But they really didn't pay off the cliffhanger in any way. All this speculation about Maya quitting her job, all this worry about how she'd be freaking out about being near death and realizing she could lose the family that she finally has, all these possibilities about her getting injured, having some smoke inhalation, Carina being worried tat she'd have to raise their children alone and practically none of it gets addressed? Carina doesn't even find out that Maya was in that situation? We don't get to see them hug in relief as soon as they see each other? Maya doesn't even make a comment about how she thought she was going to die and lose everything she finally has? Again, didn't expect all of this, but not even a little of it?

And then instead of Maya being the one to collapse from smoke inhalation after being surrounded by an insane amount of flames, it's Andy...because of course Andy would have to be the focus. She's Captain, it's her station, they all had to come together to rally around her. Because it was already too much for them to worry about Maya for the first two minutes of the episode. We couldn't have Carina even come across Maya while she was in the field (what exactly was the point of that then? Delivering babies is a Maya and Carina thing)

I enjoyed the scene of Carina telling Maya she was pregnant. I love that it paralleled their proposal scene and we got the great camera spinning kiss like in 4x14. But again it's like we just have to be satisfied with the bare minimum and that's it. That was our only glimpse really of present Marina in the last episode. The way they did the flashforward scenes was super confusing and choppy in my opinion, not really knowing if it was the real thing at first or just what these characters were envisioning. (And don't get me started on how Maya and Carina's visions only included becoming mothers).

I don't know how to feel about Maya being Captain of 19 again honestly. Andy being Chief was...an interesting twist because I wasn't expecting that either but it always felt like 19 was Andy's station so why did they get away from that already? The whole series led up to that moment. Why couldn't Maya have her own station? I do love that her shirt had Deluca-Bishop on it though.

Will always be grateful that the show gave us Maya and Carina. What Danielle and Stefania did with these characters both separately and together will always be special. But part of me will also always feel a little sad and bitter about what could have been if they really embraced Marina as the main couple of the show and didn't let double standards get in the way and just let them be the bisexual loving wives that they are. So many missed opportunities and it's a shame.

Sending love to everyone feeling all types of things after that. It was a lot and I'm here for anyone who needs to vent. ❤️

#station 19 #station 19 spoilers #carina x maya #this all feels so weird i can't believe its the end #now off to make gifs for the last time after an episode...crazy

[and-then-there-were-n0ne]

During my conversation with Richard Hanania about the 2019 Academy Award-winning film Parasite, I talked about how viewers and critics were quick to assume that Parasite was about a rich family and a poor family.

It shows how little people know about class.

This is how the director of the movie, Bong Joon Ho, characterized the Kim family:

“The father has accumulated numerous business failures, the mother who trained as an athlete has never found particular success, and the son and daughter have failed the university entrance exam on multiple occasions.”

This is not the profile of a poor or working class family. The Kims are not poor, they are failed middle class.

This is why, in an early scene in the movie, they were so bad at folding those pizza boxes.

In high school, I worked at an Italian restaurant as a busboy and dishwasher.

In his terrific memoir on slum tourism, Down and Out in Paris and London, George Orwell uses the French term plongeur—a person employed to wash dishes and carry out other menial tasks in a restaurant or hotel—to describe his occupation as he was struggling in Paris.

Plongeur sounds much better than “bus boy.”

Anyway, my coworkers in the pizza station were, like the rest of us in the back of the restaurant, guys from fucked up families. They drove beat-up motorcycles and had long hair and tattoos, or were stoners or community college dropouts whose highlight of the week was getting paid on Friday and drinking away the weekend.

The girls mostly worked as servers, and were generally more put together. Though there was plenty of binge drinking and drug use among them as well. Many restaurants function like this, with sweaty guys in the back cooking food and scrubbing pans and the cheerful women up front, serving food and interacting with patrons.

Guys I worked with could fold a pizza box with their eyes closed while stoned out of their minds.

So the Parasite scene didn’t make sense to me at first, until I realized what I was seeing.

Working class people would figure out how to fold pizza boxes and do it fine. Bitter middle class people think they’re too good for it.

The Kims middle class origins also explains why they were able to seamlessly interact with the well-to-do Park family (more on them soon).

Skeptical viewers have questioned why the Kim son had a friend who studied in a university. And why the Kim son was able to teach English to the Park daughter so well despite his poor background.

And astute critics have wondered how it’s possible that the Kim daughter who is obviously adept at graphic design (forging her art credentials) and interacts easily with the Parks came from a poor family.

The Kim son and daughter were raised by middle class parents, that’s why.

The Kim family represents a great fear of affluent people, including film critics: Downward mobility.

The Kims are middle class people who slipped down the economic ladder. The Parks are middle class people who ascended the economic ladder.

The Park mother is easily duped by the Kim daughter’s discussions of art and its therapeutic powers. This is because the Park mother is a philistine who doesn’t actually know that much about art. She’s not from some well-bred old money family. She and her husband have only recently arrived at their current economic station.

Parasite is not about entrenched class divisions. It’s not about a poor family and a rich family. It’s about a downwardly mobile middle class family and an upwardly mobile one.

Which is why resentment builds and explodes into violence. Envy is reserved for those who are similar to ourselves.

Working class people are generally not envious of the very rich. Nobody I knew growing up hated Bill Gates or Hollywood celebrities. They mostly envied well off people in town. People who had big houses or had a boat docked at the Shasta Marina.

Who envies the actual rich? Upper middle class people.

People tend to envy and resent those close to their social strata.

In his fascinating book Envy: a theory of social behaviour, the sociologist Helmut Schoeck wrote:

“The best means of protection against the envy of a neighbor is to drive a Rolls-Royce instead of a car only slightly better than his...overwhelming and astounding inequality arouses far less envy than minimal inequality.”

There are a couple of reasons for why resentment and envy are strongest for those nearest to us.

First, there's proximity.

Working class people work for, and take orders from, upper middle class professionals. This (sort of) describes the relationship between the Kims and the Parks in Parasite.

But upper middle class professionals work for, and report to, the very rich. We never see the father of the Park family at his job, interacting with much wealthier colleagues.

The second reason people reserve scorn for those close to our social strata is that they remind them of their failings.

When people have expectations for their lives that are not met, but they see others similar to themselves achieve the same things they desire, they experience resentment and anger.

This is why people feel the most schadenfreude, joy from seeing others’ misfortune, when the person experiencing the misfortune is similar to themselves.

Other research has revealed that similarity and domain relevance are key predictors of malicious envy.

This means that a person who is similar to ourselves and who is successful in a field we also aspire to do well in is especially likely to trigger feelings of resentment and a desire to take destructive action to sabotage them.

This is why critics and the chattering classes loved Parasite. The film allowed them to identify with resentful middle class people who are down on their luck, under the guise of sympathizing with the poor.

Parasite allowed identification with resentment and envy to masquerade as compassion.

#rob henderson #parasite

[girlactionfigure]

The Night Witches

They didn’t even have parachutes.

The “Night Witches” were a regiment of daring female fighter pilots in the Soviet military who played a crucial role in the Allied victory against Nazi Germany.

The unit was formed by Marina Raskova, aka the “Soviet Amelia Earhart.” Maria was the first female navigator in the Soviet Air Force and held many long-distance flight records. She traveled all over the USSR and everywhere she went, she was approached by women who wanted to fight Nazis. Watching the German aggressors kill their brothers and husbands and destroy their homes and villages made these brave Russian women want to do more for their country than knit sweaters. They were determined to fight.

Marina used her personal contacts to get a message to dictator Joseph Stalin, asking for permission to form a women’s fighting battalion. Stalin immediately issued orders to deploy three all-female air force units and create the all-female 588th Night Bomber Regiment. The women’s mission would not be to drop bombs, but only to return fire. The Soviet Union was the first country to allow women on the front lines of battle.

As soon as the new plan was announced, thousands of women submitted applications for 1200 positions – four hundred for each of the three units. The women ranged in age from 17 to 26, and were mostly students. Those selected for this dangerous job moved to Engels, a small town near Stalingrad, to train at the Engels School of Aviation. There was no time to spare and the women learned in a few months what most airmen take several years to understand. Each woman had to be trained and fully prepared to fill four roles: pilot, navigator, maintenance, and ground crew. They faced mockery and harassment from male soldiers and officers.

The women of the 588th received bargain bin equipment. The military had to outfit them on the sly, giving them hand-me-down male uniforms to wear, including boots that were so large they had to stuff them with rags. Their planes were primitive 20 year old crop dusters made of wood and canvas, providing no shelter from the harsh elements. Flying at night in the Soviet winter, the female aviators endured sub-zero temperatures, fierce winds, and even frostbite. The planes were too light to carry parachutes, radar detectors, radios, or guns. Instead they navigated with low-tech items such as maps, compasses, flashlights, watches, rulers, and pencils – which doubled as eyeliners. They were fierce fighters, but they found ways to add a feminine touch, wearing makeup and putting flowers in their planes.

Each plane could only carry two bombs at a time, one under each wing. Every night, the regiment sent out 40 two-person crews. They flew 8-18 missions each night. The flimsy planes struggled under the heavy load of bombs, and they had to fly at very low altitudes, making them easy to shoot down. This danger is why the 588th Regiment flew only at night.

Each unit had a nightly routine – the first plane would go in as bait to attract German spotlights, which illuminated the path for the other planes. The next plane would release a flare to light up the target. Then the last plane came in, idled its engine and swooped in silently for the kill. Germans called them Nachthexen (night witches) because the whooshing sound their primitive wooden planes made sounded like a sweeping broom. This eerie sound was the only warning Germans had that the fearless women of the 588th were about to attack; the planes were too small to show up on radar.

The Nazis were so threatened by the Night Witches that any German soldier who killed one was automatically awarded the prestigious Iron Cross.

The fearless Night Witches flew over 30,000 missions over the next four years, dropping 23,000 tons of bombs on advancing German armies. They lost 32 pilots including sadly Marina Raskova. She died on January 4, 1943 when her plane was shot down heading to the front line. She received the first state funeral of World War II and her ashes are buried in the Kremlin. Twenty-four of the fliers were honored as “Hero of the Soviet Union.”

For flying into battle with primitive equipment to defeat the Germans, we honor the 1200 brave women of the 588th Night Bomber Regiment, led by  as this week’s Thursday Heroes.

#Thursday Hero

[bookcalanthedaily]

It's funny how you ignored the fact that I sent you an apology. I offered you peace, but I ignored it. You continued to throw mud at me and my ship, trying to ban it and make it look wrong. And now you're making a bad villain out of me, calling my psychological trauma a "little drama"

Marina. Sweetie. Darling.

I have NEVER said a single thing about your ship.

"I don't like when people ship Ciri with older men, I think it's immoral, I wish people would stop." does NOT mean "VernonCiri is shit and I hate Marina".

"Hey my followers please be careful because the post under the cut includes an age-gap ship that might make you uncomfortable" does NOT mean "VernonCiri is shit and I hate Marina".

"Personally I think Ciri wouldn't feel good in a relationship with a man which is why I only show her with women" does NOT mean "VernonCiri is shit and I hate Marina".

"Omg an anon requested Ves and Ciri as a ship they are actually so cute" does NOT mean "VernonCiri is shit and I hate Marina".

And guess what? "Hey Marina I don't like that you copied my Calanthe design would you mind at least crediting my work?" Also does NOT mean "your ship sucks and I hate you".

Please give me a screenshot of a SINGLE time I called VernonCiri shit. I'll wait. Because we have 50+ screenshots of you harassing people who did not even know you for creating content with a ship you did not like. Have any of us commented on your posts? Have any of us sent you messages and spammed you or sent you hateful anons?

You've harassed at least 10 people by now. But today you've crossed a line, when you harassed and sent unsolicited sexual content to a NINETEEN YEAR OLD.

Several of us have reported you to Tumblr support, also because going around the block is breaking Tumblr's terms of service and all the screenshots from the people that have been bombarded with hate by you will be compiled and published.

You created that "psychological trauma" for yourself. I'm sorry, that's just a fact. You took people innocently shipping a ship as a personal attack on yourself. You should look up Besieged Fortress Syndrome. And honestly, genuinely, from the bottom of my heart - get professional help.

I'm tired of you. But I will not stop doing what I love and what I believe in. I will not stop creating content with Ciri and Ves, or Ciri and Cerys. I will not stop speaking up against the erasure of bisexuality and romanticization of pedophilia. (Pavetta and Duny, and ships with book Ciri! NOT VernonCiri because it's NOT pedophilia and I never say it is!!!) Because that's my morals. And I will not abandon my morals and I will not stop fighting for them. just like I will not stop speaking up against glorification if imperialism and erasure if war crimes commited by Nilfgaard.

But you know what, I'm thankful to you actually. Because you helped me make so many new friends. Friends who support each other in the onslaught of abuse from you, friends who enjoy the same thing (Vesiri) and exchange art and ideas for that beautiful ship.

[mskatesharma]

Everytime someone compares Edwina and Kate's beauty and say Kate felt inferior- i just think that why would 18 year old kate feel jealous of 10 year old Edwina. They're so far apart by age they wouldn't have gotten that experience. The show never said Kate was ugly or unattractive or she felt less in looks. Why is fandom so hung up on it? She has a bazillion insecurities which are far more complex

Don't you know anon, only sad white boys are allowed to be complex and have a multitude of insecurites and traumas that affect their personality and how they relate to the people and world around them. WOC only get to be insecure about how they look, especially in relation to white women/their sister who is 1/4 white, and not about the many ways in which their grief and trauma has affected their life and how they feel like an outsider in their own family, despite almost giving up on themselves for said family. There is so much to explore with Kate, especially considering the way the show shafted really delving into her grief and trauma, and yet, so much of this fandom is too stupid to realise that and think they're really ~doing something by having Kate only ever really be insecure about her appearance. (And of course I'm not saying that being insecure about your appearance can't be complex...it's just as a WOC, I'm tired of reading it, especially from white writers who fall back on it in a frankly lazy way.)

And it makes literally ZERO SENSE for the show, because like you said, for the majority of Kate's adulthood, Edwina has been a child. Are people insinuating everyone the Sharmas know are perverts now? It would be really fucking weird for Kate to be insecure like that in relation to Edwina. (There is other stuff to explore in relation to Kate and Edwina, how Edwina is getting everything Kate had to give up to ensure Edwina would be happy, for example.) I honestly find it so weird the way parts of the fandom CLING to Kate being insecure about her looks, especially with the added layer of Edwina being 1/4 white...because whether the author has even thought about that or not, it adds such an uncomfortable layer (that is never addressed) to the whole "Kate isn't as pretty as Edwina" bullshit that so many authors insist on shoehorning into their fics. Why is this one of the things from the books that people INSIST on including, when it's actually one of the only things that I think the show got right in not even mentioning it jfc.

(We could also talk about the way that it feels like the fandom seems uncomfortable with having WOC who are comfortable in their sexuality, and knowing what they want sexually (Kate? Marina?) because apparently that's only for the white women in the show, but that's for another post.)

#ask #anon #bridgerton #kate sharma

[dil-ibaadat]

Excited for more Dowry!

Just wanted to applaud you regarding your ask about emmys - I am shocked so many people are disappointed, unfortunately I think romance isn’t a valued genre, and despite how much I think JB should have got a nomination, it was obvious to me that they wouldn’t.

Also, people forget that when S1 got all those nominations, hardly any TV had been released that year, and there was less competition. It’s a popular show for ratings but it’s never going to sweep the awards.

Also regarding JB getting this new part (which I cannot wait for), again we knew they would have less screentime in S3, he is coming back and I’m sure they have planned around it, and also less screentime means it’s less likely there will be drama for them which has been my biggest worry.

Plus, if the actors are able to work on other projects while also being in Bridgerton, surely they will be around for longer? Because they can do both and don’t need to pledge their soul to Shonda for eternity.

And as you say about fanfiction - I’ve read some great fanfic that has included Simon in S2 which we wouldn’t have for if he had been in the show. We can just let our imagination floooowww

i completely agree!

regarding s1's emmy nominations, i do think s1 in general had a better-crafted story and a fresh take on a woman's agency in a very traditional and staid era. romance as a genre, especially in the regency, basically invented the concept of unresolved sexual tension as a way to build romantic conflict without actually having to refer to sex or physicality in any real way. bickering and banter replaced physical touch and simulated the sexual intimacy people longed for in these dramas.

bridgerton's season 1 flipped that script by showing what happens after the happily-ever-after on screen in a very explicit way and also raised the little-thought-of issue of women not having adequate sexual education. it's mindblowing to me that a girl such as daphne would get married at 18 and enter her wedding night with zero knowledge of what was going to happen to her. i also appreciated how they depicted pregnancy as a legitimately terrifying thing for women to go through and how many women (like eloise) were afraid of it. historically, media and society have rarely talked about these kinds of anxieties primarily to ensure that women were not put off by the idea of marriage and sex. these were important issues the show raised, and some of them struck a chord.

while i think season 1 made a grave error in following the book plotline of sexual assault and not addressing it in a more nuanced way, the overall story in season 1 was cohesive and focused on one thing: the lack of agency women had in society and how they were the only ones who could help and understand each other in such an oppressive atmosphere. this is shown by daphne's marital issues, marina's unplanned pregnancy, violet's struggle to assert herself against anthony, and even penelope and eloise's varying attempts to establish themselves independent of the role society had trapped them in. and all of these plotlines were connected to each other, in at the very least a tangential way. i was not that interested in saphne, but overall, season 1 was somewhat engaging and poignant, even if there were no characters i fell in love with or majorly rooted for. i understand how it garnered a nomination for outstanding lead drama (although, as you pointed out, it was definitely helped by the weak showing that year because of COVID).

season 2 on the contrary kind of lost the plot and had no cohesive storyline. all i took away at the end was that there was a love triangle because anthony proposed to the wrong sister (but don't worry, he figured it out in the end!), penelope became progressively meaner as lady whistledown and still nursed a major crush on colin, and the featheringtons were broke and had resorted to white collar fraud to keep themselves afloat. these are three different stories. none of them have any real connection to each other. it was like watching three movies broken into chunks and layered over each other. i'd only bought the ticket to see one of them. it was ill-paced, disjointed, and exhausting to watch. thank god for the chemistry between the leads and their excellent performances or i'd've checked out long ago.

re: your other points, i think we all knew next season would be polin-focused and that kanthony would have a role not unlike daphne's in s2. that's OK! as long as they're happy and content, i'm happy. i don't need the show for content, i have fanfic for that. i'm good, :DD.

oooh, simon in s2 would have been quite interesting. now you've got me thinking about him and daphne interacting with kate... hmmm...

#anon #bridgerton #sorry for my long answers #i have... much to say i'm finding out

[docpiplup]

@asongofstarkandtargaryen

The première event of Un Asunto Privado was n Friday 19th in the Callao cinema of Madrid, just a week before the première, with the member of the cast and some other guests.

The interviews are mainly about a little description of the charactersand their roles, they mention the mix of several genres like mystery, comedy, action, drama, romance and adventures.

I have read the first critics and they are very positive, one of the best things of the show is Marina and Héctor's relationship.

I read that the intro will be different in each one of the 8 episodes, with different drawings or pictures related with the events or clues of each episode, but with the same music.

Apart from this I found a bit more info about the characters.

Set in Galicia in the 1940s, its main character is Marina, the daughter of a deceased police officer who educated her in a freedom that was inappropriate for women at the time. He gave wings to her fantasies, to her desire to be a police officer and made her her best student. The problem, with which the character of Aura Garrido deals throughout the season, is that she is a woman. That closes the doors of the police station. What is expected of her is that she behave like a calm young woman, get married, start a family and not give trouble. But, of course, she has other plans and conformity and submission are not among them. The character has a point of naivety. She's a free spirit who rebels from her comfortable position against the norms imposed by the time – a dictatorship about which fiction does not even tiptoe. Although she has a family who insists on getting her married, they consent to her 'eccentricities'. Money is also not a concern for her. This allows her to dedicate body and soul to fighting for a freedom that is denied her, impulsively and recklessly getting into all kinds of trouble in her efforts to solve a case that has shaken Galician society.

A serial killer is on the loose and she's determined to get ahead of some agents she considers, because they are, much worse than she is at her job. Thanks to her father's training, her ingenuity, her scientific interests and the invaluable help of Héctor, the family butler, Marina ridicules with her detective skills an entire police department led by her brother, recently promoted to commissioner.

Héctor (Jean Reno) is a discreet and helpful man whose sensitivity and audacity always place him at the key point of the investigation.

The couple formed by Aura Garrido and Jean Reno exudes chemistry. Some particular Sherlock and Watson where the comedy is very present and is one of the best of the series. It works with the two of them and even better when Pablo (Gorka Otxoa) enters the equation, the best official student (he was able to go to the academy) of Marina's father.

Beyond his contribution to comedy, the character of Otxoa, who responds to the archetype of a good, formal and trustworthy guy, introduces the three-way romantic component of the series, which could not be missing. Pablo and his handsome, mysterious and dangerous 'opponent', about which it is not convenient to say more so as not to anticipate events, give shape to the classic love triangle. The cast includes such interesting names as Ángela Molina, who plays Marina's mother; Tito Valverde, also a policeman and his father's former partner; and Pablo Molinero, who gives life to her brother. And with them, Alex García, Irene Montalá and Andrés Velencoso along with a long list of secondary characters.

Apart from this there's a curious story related with Ángela Molina and Jean Reno. The recent winner of the Goya of Honor in 2021 and Reno share an admiration for many years that also involves their respective families. “My kids watched the Reno movies 80 times. I knew them by heart”, declares Molina. "Even my grandson is named after the character he played in Le grand bleu," she adds, referring to Enzo Koa, son of Mateo Tirmarche, one of the three children the actress had with Hervé Tirmarche. For his part, Reno confesses that his father had all of Angela's father's records, the singer Antonio Molina, which means that "over time, parents are here."

(Edit: I found some more videos of the premiere)

#un asunto privado #premiere #aura garrido #jean reno #ángela molina #pablo molinero #gorka otxoa #andrés velencoso #interviews #a private affair #Youtube

[iwcwatches]

Success Story - Rachel

“IWC led me to this incredible journey, moving across countries in various positions, gaining valuable experience and skills along the way. Over the years, I have always felt appreciated by my supervisors and work colleagues as I work with people who are passionate, supportive, and respectful to each other.”

My name is Rachel, I was born in Philadelphia to Taiwanese parents. I have studied and worked in the US, Taiwan, UK, Singapore, Hong Kong and recently moved to Switzerland. As a student, I always had a strong interest in fashion and luxury goods but was unable to enroll in the design school of my choice and instead studied Japanese culture and literature, which also fascinates me. Out of passion, I went on to complete a master’s in International Fashion Business at Nottingham Trent University. After graduating, I applied to work in the Women´s Fashion department at Harrods London but was pleasantly surprised to be offered a position in the A. Lange & Söhne Boutique as a Sales Consultant. Through this experience I gained a good knowledge of watchmaking and fell in love with mechanical watches ever since then. Nine months later, I joined Watches of Switzerland on Oxford Street as Chinese Business Manager, driving the Chinese business by promoting the store and products to the local Chinese community and recruiting/retaining Chinese customers and tour guides.

In December 2013, I joined IWC as a Boutique Manager of Marina Bay Sands Singapore. In this position, I learned so much about running a business that it helped me build a solid foundation for other future positions. In 2016, I took on a new challenge by moving to Hong Kong as Area Boutique Manager, managing the boutiques on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon, as well as supporting some retail office duties. The experience of managing 6 boutiques in different countries, including the Hong Kong Flagship 1881 Heritage, is very valuable as each boutique has a different environment and customer profile. In 2019, I was further promoted to Retail Operations Manager and then Retail Manager of Hong Kong and Macau. The most difficult times in retail came during these years, with the social unrest in Hong Kong, followed by COVID. I was involved in various projects such as opening, closing and relocating boutiques, launching new pop-up concepts and retail tools, and many exciting activations and events.

In my current position as Retail Operations Manager APAC, I monitor closely performance, commercial development of retail tools and develop actions plans with markets to achieve Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Furthermore, I act as the main Point of Contact (POC) at the Headquarters for retail topics, operation guidelines and retail HR related topics in my responsible region.      

Throughout the years, I have always felt valued by my managers and work colleagues who showed me that my opinions mattered. Moreover, I received many trainings and felt excited and proud at each new launch and event. All in all, I feel very lucky to be able to work in a company like IWC.

Rachel Lo | Retail Operations Manager APAC

#iwccareers #successstories

[savingthrcw]

opinions time!

When it comes to B.rigerton don't get me wrong, I love Penelope and when I write of Eloise and Cressida's emotions I'm simply writing from their pov, I *want* Eloise and Penelope to become friends again (even if it should take years, realistically, and probably Eloise getting over the leftover feelings of her crush for Theo and of how badly it ended), I am not saying that my characters are right and innocent. I am writing my characters believing they are right, no doubts, the same way we all think we are right when we fight with someone! But Eloise has plenty flaws and Cressida, sympathetic backstory and ability to change aside, has been a d*ckhead.

However I do think that Eloise is 100% right to be mad, just like I think Penelope did literally everything she could to protect her, and that includes giving her good advice and making sure the queen would never suspect of her again. Her hand was forced in writing (but I also do think that she didn't want to give herself up and face consequences and wouldn't have done so even if the queen might believe her, she didn't really consider all the ways she could make the queen believe her) (but she would have also never written again after saving Eloise because she was genuinely horrified about almost ruining her friend)

I also do think Eloise was reckless, careless, in going back to Theo, but so are literally all other Bridgertons because all of their love-stories went the non-acceptable route and the men were arguably more careless than the women. She also felt lied to and when they argued I'm sure that Penelope telling her she's all talk while she, Pen, did something about society, hit her hard because "is that how she always felt about me?". But Eloise was still too okay to go see Theo after being gossiped about, she was the one to risk her family's honor there. But she was in love and her brothers did equally dangerous things (the duel??? Anthony's entire life in the last two years? Colin proposing to Marina after 5 seconds? Daphne making an arrangement with the Duke way worse than Penelope asking Colin for help??) and hell, Penelope given the chance didn't exactly tell Colin 'stop, let's wait until we are married'.

And I think we should not underestimate that Pen is literally putting lives at risk with what she writes, gossip in their universe/time is not gossip in ours, a woman with a bad reputation is ruined and so are all her siblings, especially the female ones: a woman who can't marry has NOTHING left, can't work, will have to live with her parents in shame, has no other prospectives, which is why Marina was literally trapping Colin with the intention of telling him she got pregnant right away (and no, that's not okay but she didn't have many choices. Still, she should feel bad and not act like she's somehow superior to Colin because he dared to reject her over finding out he was being tricked). And yes women shouldn't break the rules if they don't want to risk it, but that's just not realistic, no couple would exist in the show if rules weren't broken, since when we expect love to follow bureaucracy?

But also Eloise just assumed Penelope wanted everything she did and didn't listen to her as much, and doesn't seem to really be judging Penelope for the fact that she's doing the time-period equivalent of writing about disabled people working in secret to evade taxes (yes that's the closest thing to it we have today, because really, it's a choice, but it's ridiculous to expect disabled people to survive if the money they receive isn't enough but also for them to work like an abled person with nothing in between, and they are risking being ruined for the rest of their lives and possibly poverty. Same as following your heart is a choice, especially hoping it will end up in marriage, but in many situations these women have no real choice but to throw themselves at men, and risk being ruined if caught), no, Eloise is just mad when it's her family that gets written about, it's not a moral opposition, it's a SELFISH one, and she still wanted to chitchat with Lady W. She felt almost superior to all for not wanting what they did, and then got a taste of what's life is like when you actually will not be accepted by society and ran to buy stylish dresses because yeah, guess what, maybe women around you have a point in not wanting that life. Then again, Penelope found so awful to almost ruin Eloise because she cares about her, meanwhile all women she didn't like were fair game, also not great.

But I think we'd all be mad like Eloise if our friend lied to us for years and did stuff that could damage our families, and convinced us to interrupt the secret relationship we had going (which none of our siblings had to do, they got to marry their loves instead) just like we'd all feel like Penelope about having the right to keep secrets especially if we think our friends wouldn't listen to us, and not being given the choice to earn money and find some satisfaction in life outside of this because our gender means no work, no freedom unless married.

So when writing Eloise I find thousand of motivations for her be angry and if I wrote Penelope I'd justify her in a thousand of ways, but I also think they BOTH have a point and the fandom is too quick to demonize one or the other.

#about eloise; #I'll be the first in line to say ELOISE IS SO STUPID #but you'll catch me doing the same with literally every other character #it's kinda the point of the show #but I clearly can't look at photosets because they get me worked up

[mygainyear2024]

Day 6 Lagos, the one in Portugal!

The sun rises quite late here, but it was light when I left the apartment at 7.50 am to catch the train to Lagos.  The streets were quiet but typically there were men wandering, men drinking beer (I imagine homeless), people walking dogs, a dude who hit me up for 50 cents after I said English! I followed it up with “no coins”! 

I thought I might see the Canadians I met earlier in the week, who told me about the monthly market in Lagos, at the train station and I did! I quizzed them about the safety of the cliff walk to Alvor. Apparently there’s the cliffs, then there’s an actual path! They told me about a café in the caves which I will check out.

On board, the ticket inspector came around and I said “it's on my phone” and got ready to show him, then he said “Jody?”…ummm I’m being monitored 😂 

The Lagos train station was very clean and so were the toilets, and I didn’t have to pay for any toilets all day!

Lagos was Eva's (of Upwork) first recommendation about where to base myself in the Algarve. It was interesting to compare it to where I am in Portimão. From my experience, a few days in Lagos would be great, but I think it's a bit far from other parts of the Algarve.

I did some research before today, first stop a latte, bypassing the markets, at The Studio Coffee Roaster, they roast their own coffee, it was fantástica at €2.50! I did walk past some market stalls along the river, so many fake cork bags! So that was one leg down the Avenida dos Descobrimentos. I then headed back and passed the mercado / fish markets, then on to the weekly farmers markets, then followed the google directions to the monthly gipsy market. Hmm a row of vans and stalls around an oval, mostly full of cheap crappy kitchen products, clothes, more fake cork bags etc. So a second time back along Avenida dos Descobrimentos, passing a really interesting outdoor women's art exhibition, to a recommended homewares store for authentic Portugese products (I purchased a pottery coffee mug to use now and a cute figurine - pictures tomorrow) and had a wonderful conversation with the store owner, which included a short conversation about Marilyn Monroe! I was keeping my eye on the time as I had a lunch reservation at Tasca do Kiko for tapas (recommended by Eva), before my boat tour; however the store owner indicated that I didn't make it to right markets. So I hightailed it for my second loop. When I got closer to where I was supposed to be and wondered where these bloody markets were I asked some people, they said I was heading in the right direction but it seemed to be back where I’d already been.  I said there were vans in a circle on an oval with cheap stuff and they said “yes, we call it the pants market!” I did see a few stalls with undies 😂

I asked their advice about an alternate lunch spot. I went to Artesão at the Marina for a fresh tuna sandwich and chips (very yummy) and tried to delay my boat trip as the weather had also turned a bit ugly, but too late to change. 

I met two young French women who were waiting for the same boat tour. They have just started their 5 month journey around Europe in a van, sounds wonderful, not the "in a van part, although it would be a step up from hostels maybe).

The boat was pretty small, seating about 9+ passengers plus the skipper and some other dude! The skipper announced the waves were about 3 metres high, I thought he was joking!! I'm so pleased I didn't have wine with the fresh/slightly raw tuna sandwich. We headed for Ponta da Piedade, about 2.5km south of Lagos. According to google it's a dramatic wedge of headland with contorted, polychrome sandstone cliffs and towers. On calmer days boats can pass through. Along the way we passed other interesting historic sights, original walls of the old city (the remainder were destroyed in the earthquake of 1755 which I keep hearing about) and Praia da Dona Ana Beach, according to the skipper, named in the top 10 European beaches (not sure what year, as it doesn't seem to be as recent as he suggested).

He also pointed towards Sagres, which apparently has amazing sunsets, I may get there and then 30 kms from Sagres, is the southern most point in Europe.

Then I headed back up Avenida dos Descobrimentos for my fourth leg to visit the Forte da Ponta da Bandeira (fortress) and another recommended homewares shop and GeIícia - Italian Gelato (another three scoops - speculoos (spicy cinnamon cookie), fondente intenso and salted carmal, before heading back to the train station (28,448 steps today).

I will go back to do the walk out towards that rugged coastline from the cliff tops and a set of 230 stairs down to one of the many beaches, and maybe the board walks of Lagos, and potentially get to the tapas spot. The temperature is set to increase to high 20°s next week though!

[fashioneditswebsite]

Dries Van Noten’s most memorable looks, as the Belgian fashion designer steps down

Many famous people, such as Florence Pugh, Cate Blanchett, and Margot Robbie, have worn Dries Van Noten's designs. After 38 years, Belgian designer Dries Van Noten is stepping down as creative director of his namesake fashion brand. "In the early '80s, as a young guy in Antwerp, my dream was to have a voice in fashion. Van Noten fulfilled his dream with the help of many supportive people. He now wants to focus on other things. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dries Van Noten (@driesvannoten) He will step down at the end of June. His last collection will be menswear in spring/summer 2025, in Paris in June. His studio team will create the women's collection. They have been working closely together for years. I have complete confidence that they will do a great job." This doesn't mark the end of the Dries Van Noten fashion brand The House that Van Noten treasures so much will soon announce a new creative director, and he has stated that he will continue to stay involved in it. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dries Van Noten (@driesvannoten) Van Noten completed a fashion design course at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Belgium in 1981. After opening his flagship store in Antwerp in 1989, he became a member of 'The Antwerp Six,' a group of Belgian creatives revolutionizing the fashion industry. The group included Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Dirk Van Saene, Dirk Bikkembergs, and Marina Yee. Five years later, he debuted his first collection. In 1991, he debuted at Paris Fashion Week with a menswear collection. Two years later, he launched womenswear and became a regular on the schedule. Fashion firm Puig acquired a majority share in the brand in 2018. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Dries Van Noten (@driesvannoten) Over the years, Van Noten has built up a reputation as a quietly experimental fashion designer. He blends the old with the new. He plays around with silhouette. This is mainly seen in the ballooning, oversized shapes of coats and sleeves. The design was showcased at his recent Paris Fashion Week show in February. Florals are a recurring theme in his clothes, and Van Noten says the flowers often inspire him in his garden. While Van Noten's work isn't a red carpet mainstay like some of the other major brands on the Paris Fashion Week calendar, celebrities make an impact when they choose to wear his designs. Florence Pugh was nominated for a BAFTA for her role as Amy March in Little Women back in 2020, and she brought a welcome splash of color to the red carpet in her pink and black Van Noten creation. A fuchsia dress-meets-cape was worn over a black mini dress, with the voluminous sleeves and bow detailing giving a subtle nod to Amy March's fashion. Pink and black were central to Van Noten's work in 2020, as Margot Robbie also wore that color combination to the London premiere of Birds Of Prey the same year. She paired her full black skirt with a feathered bralette, tapping into the trend for underwear as outerwear, and donned hot pink opera gloves. Cate Blanchett chose to wear Dries Van Noten to the Oscars in 2008 when she was pregnant with her third child, Ignatius. The midnight blue gown had an empire line for her bump and gold accents. Additionally, the sequinned flowers on the skirt were particularly eye-catching. Kirsten Dunst wore a floral Van Noten gown to the Baby2Baby Gala in Nov 2023. Noomi Rapace wore a navy and white floral print dress with statement red gloves at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2022. The dress, created by Van Noten, featured dramatic oversized sleeves. Read the full article

[thewidowstanton]

The Widow's Best of 2023

Jane Hobson 2023: Following such a desperate year for so many in the world this quotation by Nietzsche seems pertinent. "We have art in order not to die of the truth." So, in an effort to uplift whoever might read this, here's a somewhat curtailed list of a few of our favourite things we've seen this year. It wasn't the hottest time for live shows; we walked out of five! One every few years, maybe, but five! Disappointing. However we still managed to find some wonderful things, not all of them new. Let's begin with…

MOST SPECTACULAR: Phelim McDermott's Akhnaten at the London Coliseum. We'd been asked so many times: "Have you seen Akhnaten?" No, we hadn't but now we have and, OK, it's a Philip Glass opera (pictured above and below) but really, with a set by Tom Pye and costumes by Kevin Pollard it's a full-on feast for the senses, with the ever-inventive Gandini Juggling, choreographed by Sean Gandini, doing what they do best.

Jane Hobson BEST CIRCUS SHOW: Cirque Le Roux's thrilling and ambitious Entre Chiens et Louves – staged at Le Bon Marché department store in Paris (take note Selfridges) – took our breath away even without the sublime Lolita Costet in the cast; and Circa's Humans II at the Queen Elizabeth Hall at London's Southbank Centre.

COMPANY TO WATCH: Hoops Désolé! A “crazy” six-strong troupe of artists drawn from the circus school in Quebec, Cirque du Soleil and Cirque Éloize.

Emma Kauldhar BEST DANCE: Wayne McGregor’s Woolf Works at London’s Royal Opera House, with the mesmerising Alessandra Ferri, who at 59 was the same age as Virginia Woolf when she died. Another dancer with astonishing longevity is the Spanish Lucía Lacarra, now 48, who appeared in the Ballet Icons Gala at the London Coliseum.

BEST SHOWBIZ MEMOIR: Walking Through Walls by performance artist Marina Abramović; Do It For Your Mum by Roy Wilkinson, then manager of his brothers' band British Sea Power.

MOST TERRIFYING: He's done some daring things in his time and on World Circus Day Hungarian high-wire artist Laci Simet performed a sensational walk across the River Danube – 40 metres up in the wind – with only a balance pole to keep him safe.

BEST FILM: German film Afire or Roter Himmel by Christian Petzold (he’ll never let you down); Babak Jalali’s Fremont, set in a fortune cookie factory; and the Mexican film The Empty Hours directed by Aarón Fernández.

BEST ARCHIVE PIC: Josephine Baker and Dalida at L’Olympia music hall in Paris in 1968. A legendary pair!

LONGEST-SERVING FEMALE DJ: Texan Mary McCoy, who at 85 has been on the air for almost 72 years, and entered the Guinness Book of Records.

BEST DESERT ISLAND DISCS CASTAWAY: Actor/comedian/writer and so on, Adrian Edmondson; snooker star Ronnie O’Sullivan.

MOST INSPIRING: The Maricarmen dance school in Chorrillos, south of Lima, in Peru, run by retired dancer Maria del Carmen Silva, offers free classes to girls of all abilities from low-income areas.

BEST DOCUMENTARY: Never Be a Punching Bag for Nobody by indie rock musician Naomi Yang; My Indiana Muse, in which artist Robert Townsend discovers his Kodachrome muse, Helen.

FOND FAREWELL: Actor David McCallum, who, as The Man from U.N.C.L.E.’s Illya Kuryakin was an enduring heartthrob for a certain generation of girls and women. Closer to home the UK lost its leading circus director, Phillip Gandey (above), at 67, whose shows – including Cirque Surreal, The Chinese State Circus and The Lady Boys of Bangkok – were always far and away the most creative and exciting; and The Circus of Horrors – a show I reviewed more times than any other, except perhaps Cirque du Soleil – lost its co-creator and frontman, Doktor Haze (below) at 66. Along with Gerry Cottle, they were notable as two of the nicest circus men I met during my reviewing years, and are greatly missed.

LAST WORD: It wouldn't be a Widow Stanton 'Best of' without some showgirls. This picture was taken by the Argentinian photographer Luisita Escarria, who with her sister Chela, documented all the artists appearing in revues in Buenos Aires from 1958 to 2009. Their story and wondrous archive might have been lost had it not been rescued by filmmakers Sol Miraglia and Hugo Manso. Their documentary Foto Estudio Luisita will warm your heart… and fortunately both the sisters lived long enough to see it.

Compiled by Liz Arratoon

#Best of 23 #Akhnaten #Woolf Works #Gandini Juggling #Hoops Desole #phillip gandey #Doktor Haze #circus of horrors #Foto Studio Luisita

[adanseydivorce]

ask game:

tsc (i’m sorry i always ask about them, my brainrot is strong and i love hearing your thoughts)

and community

don’t apologize pls lol I also am brain rotting hard and have few people to talk about it with so it’s appreciated :)

The Shadowhunter Chronicles

M/F OTP: there are others I really like or love in a more normal way, but Emma/Julian Will/Tessa and Jem/Tessa are the ones that hit on another level for me emotionally, I’m clinically insane about them. Also it’s a bit hilarious to think about, since this was formative media for me (I first read TID in late elementary/middle school and TDA as they were coming out in high school) how my taste in ships generally speaking was shaped… like if you look at pairings I gravitate towards in other fandoms since there are def patterns xd. The impact!

Other M/F ships I have love for (including this category because ik i don’t talk about them as much and in another fandom where I had less dynamics I’m super fond of to choose from I could have placed them in that first category think of them as like second tier Otp’s for me ): Mark/Cristina, James/Cordelia, Simon/Isabelle (last one also was formative they were thee hot girl/soft boy nerd ship to me in middle school. But it has been a while so unsure if they’d hit the same on reread, they are the tmi couple I would most like to see in the better in black collection though!)

M/M OTP: Jem/Will! And then follow up Kit/Ty Surefire ways to get me invested in a ship: they do necromancy together, meet cute with a knife to the throat, they break up without ever dating. Triple check.

F/F OTP: along those lines it’s Lucie x Grace literally the main reason I want to reread TLH (well I do also just want to see how it reads back to back and not broken up and I have other reasons but like. Those are less important) is to be able to properly write fic about them, like it genuinely pisses me off this fandom is so boring and tasteless I can’t believe I actually miss the legacies fandom they were annoying as hell but at least they understood that when women do dark magic together it’s polite to write detailed analysis of how gay they are 😭. The way I know cc has seen Buffy too like flop. Also it just fits archetypes of antagonistic femslash I tend to love in general see: Julia/Marina Aria/Alison Elena/Rebekah and more

OT3: Herongraystairs and then Kierarktina

Friendship OTP: Tessa & Magnus + Will & Magnus! And for familial relationships I adore all The Blackthorn siblings in TDA and their dynamics but especially Julian and Mark’s relationship is v compelling to me and I also love Cordelia and Alastair’s relationship v much it was my favorite overall development in TLH. And then for psuedo familial dynamics I Love Charlotte’s relationships with Tessa Jem Will and Jessamine. her relationship with Jem might be my softest spot overall especially because they have moments in CP2 that make me go 🥺 but as a documented Tessa lover I adore how having Charlotte as a mentor figure effects her arc. So those are my favorites Ik I failed at picking just one. Oh I also adore Emma and Cristina’s friendship although I also sometimes ship them romantically

Canon OTP: Blackstairs Wessa Jessa like I said

Crackship OTP: what even counts as crackship? I will admit that during my CP reread I did look up how many Will/Magnus fics there are on ao3 although I did not read them (there are 12 for inquiring minds).

Anti-OTP: The worst ship to me is Jordan/Maia but it’s been a long time so the vitriol has worn off and I don’t have another solid notp besides them but the other canon pairings I’m #unimpressed with are Clace Ghostwriter and Gracetopher … Lucie/Jesse probably irks me the most these days because I actually want to like them because the concept is so good but the execution falls flat for me and I really like Lucie and want someone more interesting for her (like Grace lol.)

Community

M/F OTP: ultimately when I’m actually watching the show it’s Jeff/Britta love their emmaxknightleycore vibes. But I did get really into Abed x Annie at one point and even wrote some fic about it over quarantine (when I first got into Comm) so I have a soft spot for that concept too

M/M OTP: Troy/Abed. They of course are The otp of the show.

F/F OTP: not really otp status but well I did write this Annie x Britta Carmilla Au: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27728689?view_adult=true

(I orphaned that account post quarantine)

OT3: Troy/Abed/Annie

Friendship OTP: I mean all the study group dynamics but I especially have soft spots for Annie and Troy + Abed and Britta moments

Canon OTP: Jeff/Britta

Crackship OTP: what even counts as crack …

Anti-OTP: I just don’t like Jeff/Annie I used to viscerally hate it these days I’m just like. It’s not for me lol.

#s speaks #asks #tsc #tid #tda #tlh #tmi #community #myhouseofivyandstone