#― mazz's letters

[narizaki]

what app do u use?

i use memimessage for texts & twinote for tweets :)

[narizaki]

you got ranchu goldfish! you are a silly little guy with silly little wiggles! you enjoy the company of other silly goofy goobers :)

thank u for the tag laila :o this is so cute

taglist: @cloveletter @toratism @skape1goat @nayupipi-asahi

@vmxkk & anyone else who wants to do it

FISH QUIZZZZ!!! FISH QUIZZZ!!!! TAKE IT!!! special request from my friend avery shoutout avery <3 it's right up my alley anyways... im so jellyfish coded !!

quiz made: june 2024

[tanglewoodpetz]

I sent out pets as a petzmas gift to some people. Discord flagged me as a bot and warned people that what I sent was a virus. it's not. I have 15-ish more to go, I think. I know there's people I missed. I feel bad about that, but I was going off the letters to SantaPaws and PSC's Wishmas.

I'm also feeling some major imposter syndrome suddenly. Like I'm not a real petz player because I'm not giving out fancy hexed petz or don't have fancy addballz hexed petz. Or something. I don't know.

All I know if I feel like a fraud for some reason.

It also feels weird asking for so many pets for the advent things. I don't know. just asking for them and getting them feels wrong. Like I'm begging, or not supposed to ask for so many. But I'm following the rules. (now that I know them and have asked and clarified.)

I'm for some reason feeling terrified of Celia. Maybe because I know she can kick me out? So can Hash and Harry, and Mazz, I think? I don't know.

Just feeling out of sorts today.

Have a picture of Carter, one of four Lisa Frank labs I hexed. I kept him and sold the other three on the Bazaar. Real simple, uses the lisav2 palette. They even had stamps with each of them (Casey, Caymus, and Candy.) I'm loving him. I want to hex other Lisa Frank characters like the cats, but I don't know if I'm good enough. Won't know until I try, I guess.

In other news, took Salem to the vet. (the fancy more expensive cancer-vet, not the normal one.) Got his exam, vitals, bloodwork done. His white blood cell count is a little low, but not too low to stop the chemo. Keep doing what we're doing. He's active and not acting like he's sick for the most part, despite the lumpiness of the cancer on his head. He even played with some yarn I was working with two days ago.

In other other news. On the last step to possibly having some online work again (after getting laid off in March.) Fingers crossed I pass the little exam. I'm feeling impostery regarding this too, but I think that's just because it's new-to-me jitters. Would feel this way with any job, most likely.

[damelucyjo]

i was tagged by @modern-day-classic Thank you, lovely 💛

rules: spell your url with song titles and then tag as many people as there are letters. (I used my 'every day' playlist)

D- Dreams - Fleetwood Mac A- At Last - Etta James M- Me and Mrs. Jones - Billy Paul E- Every Ending (Is A New Beginning) - Wynonna L- Like Real People Do - Hozier U- Under The Boardwalk - Bette Midler C- Could It Be I'm Falling in Love - The Spinners Y- You Were Made For Me - Mazz Murray J- Jackson - Johnny Cash & June Carter Cash O- Ooh Baby Baby - Linda Ronstadt

Tagging: @fangirl-corey @waddingham @writtenndust @kinkbycandlelight-blog @sarahtarth @evandstuff @gerri-berry @kjmulti @wadderz @broadwayfreak5357

But if you see this and want to do it too, then feel free!!

[caosdangsuy]

The Online Social Movement of #NeverAgain: the rise of students

After the shooting that resulted in the deaths of 17 students and staff in February 2018 in Parkland, a student council at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School (MSD) was formed to call for reforms in weapons control and prevent school shootings. The student council brings together many prominent names like David Hogg, Emma González, Cameron Kasky Jaclyn Corin, and many other students. It was forty days after the shootings at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida that a group of students mobilized to conduct a national protest to support gun control in the United States(Burch& Mazze,2018)

Operating under the banner of March for Our Lives, the emerging movement utilizes the hashtag #NeverAgain as a calling card (Alperstein& Jones, 2020). Many protests took place across the United States, attracting millions of participants, including "March for Our Lives" on March 24, 2018, in Washington, DC. In June 2018, members of this student council decided to travel across the United States and organize protests that summer, while encouraging teenagers who would turn 18 to vote in the 2018 election. The protest was energized after receiving more than $500,000 in donations from George and Amal Clooney and many other celebrities. Michelle and Barack Obama also wrote a handwritten letter to Parkland students, expressing admiration for their advocacy against gun violence in March 2018.

During the difficult protest, the MSD student body used the hashtag #NeverAgain on social networking platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) to raise awareness about the campaign. Emma González is one of the most typical and famous faces, having twice as many followers as the National Rifle Association (NRA) on X and she inspired others to join the movement, comforting the students who survived shootings around the world and criticizing politicians who she felt treated her and other student survivors of gun violence with little or no respect. Following that, a series of other members also shared their messages with #NeverAgain and #MarchforOurLives and called on other users to tweet. The hashtag #NeverAgain became a hot hashtag on search engines and created a large media wave on social networks.

Although passing new gun control laws still faces many political challenges, the movement has received many positive results. Specifically, the Florida legislature passed a bill titled the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act which raised the minimum age for purchasing firearms to 21, established waiting periods and testing background checks, providing arming programs for some teachers and hiring school police, banning the sale of guns, and banning potentially violent or mentally unhealthy people from being arrested under certain laws determined.

It can be seen that the success of #NeverAgain has become one of the typical examples of the spread of hashtags on social networking platforms.

Reference list

Alperstein, N & Jones, T 2020, ‘The Online Social Movement of #NeverAgain: How Social Networks Build a Sense of Membership, Influence, Support and Emotional Connection on Twitter’, The Journal of Social Media in Society, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 127–149, viewed 8 June 2024, <https://thejsms-org.translate.goog/index.php/JSMS/article/view/599?_x_tr_sl=en&_x_tr_tl=vi&_x_tr_hl=vi&_x_tr_pto=wapp>.

Appropriations Committee and Rules Committee 2018, ‘CS/SB 7026 — Public Safety’, Flsenate.gov, viewed <https://www.flsenate.gov/Committees/BillSummaries/2018/html/1886>.

Sippy, Z & Sheinerman, M-R 2024, ‘The #NeverAgain Movement Six Years Later’, www.thenation.com, viewed <https://www.thenation.com/article/activism/parkland-florida-never-again-march-for-our-lives-anniversary/>.

[qveenpoppy]

In Mr. Mazzara’s birthday video (look it up on YouTube) EJ mentioned that Mr. Mazzara wrote him recommendations letters to 17 schools he applied to. We know that EJ applied to Duke and some state school but there still 15 schools he applied to we don’t even know about it. EJ is smart how did he get into one school? I know Duke is a really hard college to get into. My guess is when EJ got rejected from Duke the only school he heard back from at the time was the state school he got into. 1/2

EJ never said what state school he got into I think he is referring to a state school in the state of Utah that might of been his back up school. I think the state school he got into was the University of Utah because it’s a state school in Utah. There was four colleges mentioned in Season 2 NYU, University of Utah, Duke and CalTech. Miss Jenn mentioned in 2x01 that she was waitlisted from the University of Utah this is the only college that was mentioned only once on the show so far. 2/2

Correction EJ said that Mr. Mazzara was too busy to write him recommendation letters so he wrote his own recommendation letters to the 17 schools he applied to. I still want to know what are the 15 other colleges he applied to?

ah, see, i’m only on ep 4 of s2 in my rewatch so i’m not yet up to any sort of additional college conversation ej and mazz have at carlos’ birthday party. 

i think we’re (or you’re the anon who’s floated the idea to a lot of people) all kind of assuming ej will end up at the university of utah but yeah, at least so far, he doesn’t really mention the school he got into. surely that’ll be where he winds up, right?

okay if he wrote his own recommendation letters, i would assume that’s why he got rejected by so many schools because surely there have to be some rules against that. but obviously ej had a past with cheating so maybe it’s like old ej who did that whereas current ej would twice? i’m surprised he couldn’t have gone to other teachers for rec letters. i know he and mazz become kinda close this season but ej doesn’t have any other teachers he likes to write rec letters for him? or, rather, teachers who like him? with his gpa, i feel like he’d probably be a class favorite in most of his classes. i had a great gpa throughout most of high school and i know most of my teachers liked me a lot. (i didn’t even use any senior year teachers for my letters, i think i went exclusively to two of my favorite junior year teachers.)

[tellywoodtrash]

immj2 04.12.20 lb

dadi is totes eskited, jaise pehli baar shaadi ho rahi ho. shipper ho toh aisi!!!!

lmao iskiiiii utaavli toh dekho. didn’t need to be told twice. not even a momenttttt of jhijakkkk he had. varmaalas hote toh kachchue ki taraah mundiii aage karta. 

yeh aage itna parking space kyun choda hua hai????

lol this unnecessary chacha is back for what joy???? he wasn’t here when vansh “died”, he’s here for this total random ceremony???

lmaooooo all of their faces are so tortured. ki ek baar hi iss shaadi se humara band bajaa hua hai, ab toh doosri baar bhi ho gayi.

solemn sorry to vansh. ki i have to do this to save the family.

meanwhile jisse sorry maang rahi hai, he’s hassi-khushi lootofying mazze of wedding # 2.

he needs to fucking stop looking at her like this, like she is the reason the sun rises.

dadi going hardcore on this ki yeh waali tootni nahi chahiye ok, chaahe duniya idhar ki udhar ho jaaye. this ends only when riddhima dies (because sadaa suhaagan, etc. 🤮🤮🤮)

happy affirmative nods from this one. lol he’s genuinely so psyched to have scored his own wife again. cute!!!!!!!

ishani is like bhakkkkkkkkkkkk, saara mood kharaab kar diya. poor thing,

and lol angre went trotting behind her immediately.

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA ISKA CHEHRA DEKHO LMAO.

this bitch tooooooooooooo soft for his wife. I LOVE IT.

warning glares to everyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyone as he takes her.

LMAO HER PETTY ASS COULDN’T HELP BUT RUBBBBBBBBBBBBB IT INTO KABIR’S FACE.

V on the outside:

V on the inside:

blah blah how could you let this behroopiya put sindoor in your maang, i’ll find out the truth and then badnaaam youuuuu, just waitttt. abbe jaaaaa na.

wow. champion scrabble player kabir must be.

abbe duffer scrabble mein checkmate nahi hota. i overestimated your intelligence.

also how the fuck he instantlyyyyyyyyyyyyy make vihaan’s name correctly????? like, there’s 6 letters and if you do permutations, 6!/2!=360. THERE’S 360 WAYS YOU COULD ARRANGE THOSE LETTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

idhar this one is babbling about what happened today was just part of contract, main sirffffffff tumhaari hoon vanshhhhhh. 

this one deciding to toy with her emotions a little by doing the vansh voice. not cool, my man. she looks genuinely devastated.

grief gives way to anger.

lmaooooooooo she’s saying take my vansh’s clothes off and ripping them off him.

i would do the same, sis. NIKAAALO KAPDEEEEE (but in a sexyyyyy way.)

passionate defense of mera vansh aisa tha, mera vansh waisa tha, tum mere vansh jaise kabhi nahi ho sakte, blah blah blah. behen, speech dene se fursat mile toh dekho ki tumhara vansh is looking at you like he wants to take you up against that fuglyass wall right this second. mandbuddhi aurattttttttttttttttttttt.

trying to tamp down his horny by saying all this love you have for vansh seems fake af. website doesn’t seem credible it seems, lol. riddhima forgot to update her security certificates.

i can’t stop lmao whenever he calls her Dollar Biwi.

who dis watching from outside now??????

pushing and prodding and poking (saying the truth only, ki kahin aise he khel OG pati ke saath bhi nahi khele the???) aaaaaand.......

“thappad se darr lagta hai sahiba.......”

“............lekin pyaar se nahi lagta!”

lmao who knew he was so filmy!!!!!

“toh agli baar, sirf pyaaaar, pyaaar.........”

“...... and only pyaar!”

he cute and all but asking for a good kick in the crotch rn.

“laaton ka bhoot nahi hoon main; pyaar se baat karogi toh baaton se maan jaunga.”

HE NEEDS TO STOP NUZZLING INTO HER HAIR THAT WAY!!!!!!

ALSO BRO IF YOU JUST TELL HER WHO YOU ARE, YOU’D BE GETTING SO MUCH NOOKIE TONIGHT. STUPID MASOCHISTIC FUCK.

i hate this stupid “ladki ka gussa is so hot” bs. i hate it so much.

finally she gave it to him nicely. idk wtf she was waiting for this long. main hoti toh kab ka miss congeniality waala S-I-N-G method deploy karti.

he’s really working on riddhima and my lassssssst nerve.

speaking of fuckers paaofying bhangra on women’s lasttttt nerve.............. all you men in this house are really asking to be fucking stabbed in the eye today, aren’t ya.

scrabble champion kahinnnnnn bhi shuru ho jaata hai haan?

maybe all this badla and mission is just a sad way to distract himself from the fact that he has noone in his life to play scrabble with. that’s literally all he wants. vansh could end this whole thing by just devoting one hour a day to him.

riddhima playing dumb. not that it takes khaas effort for her........... 

anyway challenge challenge challenge between the two. idc. 

15 min and kabir will have proof he’s saying. yeah right. popat banne waala hai tera.

running in to warn V, and................

V’s face whenever kabir talks to him:

kabir ka toh pata hai, but why is dadi sooooooooo eager and happy to hear this story about how vansh almost fucking died????

lol V tells the whole story (that AP had cooked up that day about the ghar mein gunday and all.......) and kabir’s reaction......

“beautiful!!!!!!!!!”

V is this close to beating the teeth outta K’s mouth lmao.

mishra’s sent the proof aaaaaaaaand....................

lmaoooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

askdjlsakjdlaskjdlaskjldkjaslkjdalsklkjas i hate him lolololololololol

a narrow win for our team!

“kya hua kabir? tumhare chehre se toh aisa lag raha hai jaise haath mein aate aate koi bohut badi daulat haath se nikal gayi!” HE’S SUCH A PETTY BASTARD LMAO

mrs. petty bastard has some extra salt to rub in. premium grade pink himalayan salt.

LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. container house ke itttu se gadde ko bye bye, hello again to my king size mattress!

ofc they’ll fight about contract, sanskaar, blah blah idc i’m just here for what i know is coming up .

there it isssssssssssssss.

MANS GOTTA STOP LOOKING AT HER LIKE THIS.

“main gentleman hoon. kisi bhi ladki, khaas kar meri Dollar Biwi ko taqleef nahi de sakta.”

i’m so sickkkkk of himmmmmmmmmm.

badiiiiiii jaldi maan gayi riddhima??????? don’t blame her tho.

IF THAT “BETA MANN MEIN LADDOOOOO PHOOOOOTA” CADBURY AD WAS MADE IN 2020.

lo ji naagin 5 mein vani ne pardaa utaar diya toh idhar inko gift kar diya.

standard “tumhaari neeyat bigad gayi, toh bhi main uss side nahi aane waala” dialogue.

UGH I AM SUCH A SUCKER FOR THIS BS.

he’s like achcha mujhe le toh aayi, but karna kya hai exactly??????

vansh ne property dadi ke naam kii thi. it’ll be transferred back to vansh, and i want you to write it all on my name.

great. he’s gonna think she’s a golddigger now. re devaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. kab milegi muktiiiiiii riddhima mujh ko innn tuchche misunderstandings se?????

[narizaki]

ty 4 the tag <3

do you have a pet?

the most recent pet i've had was a fish (dutifully named fish), but unfortunately he is no longer with us </3 but i'd love to have a cat one day!

comfort food?

lollipops.

how many languages do you speak?

i'm only fluent in english as of rn! but i'm learning spanish in school. i also hope to learn tagalog one day!

random fact about yourself.

i love canva. i also do colorguard!

something you're proud of.

making my school's yearbook class! a lot of my friends that were ― arguably ― better qualified for the position were rejected, which made me as equally confused as it did proud of myself.

tags: @poochiluvr @cloveletter @toratism @vmxkk

no pressure only goes to laila i'm forcing the rest of you to do it (joke)

Tag game because I want to know you better !

Thanks, @kkomaism 🐬

Do you have a pet ?

Not my own, but my sisters have lots of cats!

Comfort food?

Depends on the mood, but it's usually something sweet. Hot chocolate, taho, cake, gummies. Stuff like that ^_^

How many languages do you speak?

Two (English and Filipino). 여기 한국어도 대답하고 싶지만 나보다 1살 한국인 아기는 더 말하고 이해할 수 있는 것 같은데 😅 I can understand Bisaya to an extent, but attempting to speak it... An anecdote as an example: I once told my friend while we were crossing the road to hurry up so we wouldn't bleed through our skirts. (Ligsan = get hit by a car. Lapsan = bleed through one's clothes [when on their period])

Random fact about yourself

One time, I accidentally stapled my pointer and middle finger together. (Don't hold a stapler backwards, kids.)

Something you’re proud of

When I was around thirteen, we visited a relative's farm. While walking with my sisters, there was a dog (medium size, light coat, think coffee with lots of milk and clots of cream here and there) that approached us unprompted, and out of the three of us, it put its front paws on my tummy so it could smile up at me. We all showered it with lots of love, but even after it got tired and had to go down on all fours to rest, it stood back up against me again. The sun was blistering and my throat was a desert, but the pure joy and peace that moment gave me will stick with me till I die, I think. ^_^

No-pressure tagging @yersina @greyscale-enthusiast @diveintovortex @marcsnuffy @boinin @miyamiwu @hehearse @cat-tyy @forechoes @sctir @suosage

[narizaki]

sosmyon ⟶ narizaki

[weirdesplinder]

I Bridgerton

Questa settimana su Netflix uscirà la serie televisiva I Bridgerton (la prima stagione). Perciò ho pensato fosse il caso di parlarne, visto che è tratta da una delle mie serie di libri historical romance preferite e di cui vi ho parlato tante e tante volte, la serie Bridgerton dell’autrice Julia Quinn.

Una serie di otto libri dedicata ad una grande e simpatica famiglia formata da una madre e da quattro figli maschi e quattro figlie femmine, tutti da maritare.La serie è ambientata a Londra, a partire dall'anno 1813 e  ogni libro vede come protagonista uno dei figli che trova l’amore. Meglio leggerli in ordine cronologico, poichè tra un matrimonio e l’altro passano anche anni.

I libri sono per fortuna disponibili in Italiano, poiche sono stati tutti pubblicati dai Romanzi Mondadori.e per me è stata una ventata d'aria fresca in un genere che spesso si ripete, come i romanzi rosa storici., poichè è una serie moderna, romantica, ironica, divertente…. Per tutte queste ragioni amo molto questi libri e li consiglio a tutti.

Ho paura di come questi romanzi saranno trasposti per il piccolo schermo, sinceramente, perchè la loro sottile ironia e freschezza potrebbe andare purtroppo del tutto persa, perciò io vi consiglio di leggere i libri, piuttosto che di vedere la serie.

Ecco l’elenco completo dei romanzi che la compogono:

1. Il duca ed io Titolo originale: The Duke and I

Trama: Implacabilmente perseguitato dalle madri della buona società indaffarate a combinare matrimoni per la loro prole, Simon Bassett, il bel duca di Hastings, è stanco di essere cacciato. E altrettanto stanca è anche Daphne Bridgerton, la cui madre è assolutamente decisa a trovare alla figlia il marito perfetto.Né Simon né Daphne sono felici di questa sgradevole situazione, ed entrambi darebbero qualunque cosa per un po’ di pace e di tranquillità.Il loro desiderio di prendersi una tregua dal mercato matrimoniale del ton li porta a fingere di fidanzarsi - ma il loro piano è minacciato dal sospettoso fratello maggiore di Daphne, che guarda caso sa molto bene quanto Simon ci sappia fare con le donne.I due non hanno però previsto che l’attrazione reciproca li porterà proprio a quello che avevano deciso di evitare - e cioè al matrimonio. Ma Simon teme che il suo doloroso passato possa impedirgli di riuscire ad amare davvero. E Daphne, benché lo ami profondamente, è decisa a non accettare niente di meno del suo cuore… Il mio voto: 8

2. Il visconte che mi amava Titolo originale: The viscount who loved me

Link: https://amzn.to/3sdkY0H

Trama: Kate Sheffield, ormai ventenne, è decisa a trovare un buon marito almeno per sua sorella minore Edwina.A farsi avanti è il visconte Anthony Bridgerton, ma Kate si oppone: non è il tipo di uomo che stava cercando. Stranamente ansioso di assicurare un erede al proprio titolo, Anthony sembra nascondere più di un segreto.Ma il destino, maestro di giochi, farà incontrare le anime di Kate e Anthony in modo del tutto inaspettato.

Il mio voto: 9, alcune scene, specie quelle che riguardano il gioco con le mazze sono spassose, altre bollenti, veramente un gran bel libro 3. La proposta di un gentiluomo Titolo originale: An offer from a gentleman

Link: https://amzn.to/39pjSWY

Trama: Sophie Beckett non avrebbe mai immaginato che dopo la morte del padre la sua vita sarebbe cambiata così tanto.Lei, figlia di un conte, costretta a far da cameriera alla matrigna e alle due sorellastre. Ma una sera, durante un ballo, conosce l’ammirato e ricco Benedict Bridgerton, ed è amore a prima vista. Ma come Cenerentola, di cui condivide lo sciagurato destino, allo scoccare della mezzanotte Sophie deve lasciare la festa, abbandonando il suo corteggiatore e… un guanto, l’unico indizio che Benedict ha per ritrovare la sua misteriosa dama. Il mio voto: 6 (troppo come Cenerentola)

4. Un uomo da conquistare Titolo originale: Romancing Mr. Bridgerton

Trama: Penelope Featherington è segretemente innamorata di Colin Bridgerton, il fratello della sua migliore amica. Da anni lo osserva da lontano ma all’improvviso si rende conto di non conoscerlo affatto. Lo stesso Colin, rientrando da un viaggio all’estero, scopre che molte cose sono cambiate. Soprattutto Penelope: ora non riesce a smettere di pensare a lei. È davvero la donna che potrà renderlo felice?

Incipit: “Il 6 aprile 1812, precisamente due giorni prima del suo sedicesimo compleanno, Penelope si innamorò.Fu, in una parola, eccitante. Il mondo tremò. Il suo cuore sobbalzò. Restò senza fiato. Fu inoltre in grado di stabilire, con una certa soddisfazione, che l’uomo in questione aveva provato esattamente le stesse emozioni. Oh, non per quanto riguarda l’innamorarsi. Di certo non si innamorò di lei nel 1812 (e nemmeno nel 1813, 1814, 1815, maledizione, neppure dal 1816 al 1822, o nel 1823 quando restò addirittura fuori dal paese). Tuttavia per lui la terra tremò, gli sobbalzò il cuore, e Penelope fu certa che restò anche senza fiato. Per una decina di minuti buona. Una caduta da cavallo faceva solitamente quell’effetto a chi ne era vittima.”

Il mio voto: 10, il mio preferito di tutta la serie e quello che svela il mistero di chi sia in realtà a Lady Whistledown,

5. A Sir Philip con amore Titolo originale: To Sir Philip with love Trama: Eloise Bridgerton ha ormai ventotto anni compiuti ed è ancora senza marito. A spezzare il grigiore delle sue giornate arrivano le lettere di sir Phillip Crane, un botanico rimasto vedovo con due gemelli da crescere.

Dopo un anno di corrispondenza lui le chiede di sposarlo, ma quando finalmente si incontrano, Eloise scopre che Phillip, più che una compagna, cerca una madre per i suoi figli. Riuscirà il suo amore a fare breccia nel cuore apparentemente insensibile di Phillip?

Il mio voto: 9, molto divertente

6. Amare un libertino Titolo originale: When he was wicked

Trama: Quando Michael Stirling, il più audace libertino di Londra, incontra Francesca Bridgerton è amore a prima vista. Un amore non ricambiato: Francesca sta per sposare suo cugino John.E anche se un evento improvviso libera Francesca da qualunque vincolo, Michael non osa confessarle il proprio amore e per dimenticarla parte per l’India. Ma al suo rientro, inaspettatamente, Francesca gli chiede consiglio per trovare un buon marito: potrà Michael sopportare di gettarla tra le braccia di un altro?

Il mio voto: 8 commovente e hot al tempo stesso

7. Tutto in un bacio Titolo originale: It’s in his kiss Trama: Gareth St. Clair scopre che il suo passato, e forse anche il suo futuro, è nascosto negli eleganti caratteri di un antico diario, scritto però in una lingua che lui non comprende: l’italiano. Per Hyacinth Bridgerton, esperta traduttrice, è una sfida davvero intrigante.Ma quando insieme a Gareth si immerge in quelle pagine scopre che le risposte che entrambi cercano non sono lì. E che niente è più semplice, o complicato, di un bacio…

Il mio voto: 8 Carino e intrigante, adoro i tesori nascosti.

8. Il vero amore esiste Titolo originale: On the way to the wedding Trama: Gregory Bridgerton crede nel vero amore. Ma quando incontra Hermione Watson, la donna dei suoi sogni, scopre che lei ama un altro. Comunque deciso a conquistarla, Greg ha un asso nella manica: lady Lucinda Abernathy, più cara amica della fanciulla, si offre di aiutarlo. Quello che Lucy, fidanzata dall’età di dieci anni con il futuro conte di Davenport, non ha previsto è di innamorarsi perdutamente proprio del pretendente dell’amica…

Il mio voto: 5/6

La serie si conclude con un'antologia di racconti Intitolata I Bridgertons: happily ever after, cioè I Bridgerton: per sempre felici e contenti, e contiene i secondi finali degli otto romanzi, più un racconto inedito.(inedito in italiano per ora)

Quante volte vi è capitato di finire di leggere un romanzo e di desiderare di avere ancora qualche pagina in più da leggere, in modo da sapere cosa è accaduto dopo il finale?

Ebbene, Julia Quinn ci regala piccole scenette familiari delle otto copie che ci permettono di vedere cosa è successo loro anni dopo il finale del loro romanzo.

Simon avrà letto le lettere di suo padre?

Anthony riuscirà a battere la moglie Kate a Pall mall?

Francesca avrà avuto dei figli?

Che fine hanno fatto le sorellastre di Sophie?

Eloise come avrà preso la scoperta che la sua migliore amica non le ha mai rivelato la sua attività di scrittrice?

Come ha reagito Philipp quando sua figlia Amanda si è innamorata?

Che nomi avrà dato Gregory ai suoi nove figli?

E soprattutto, alla fine, la povera Hyacynth ha trovato i diamanti?

In questa antologia avrete risposta a tutti questi quesiti ed in più un racconto inedito che vede come protagonista finalmente la patriarca della famiglia, la madre  che ha cresciuto questi magnifici otto figli: Violet

Che dire? Quando ho iniziato a leggere il racconto intitolato Violet in bloom (Viola in fiore) ero curiosa di sapere se Violet aveva trovato un nuovo amore dopo la morte del marito e dopo aver sistemato i suoi figli…perciò ero impreparata per ciò che invece a deciso di raccontare Julia Quinn, e cioè il primo incontro tra lei e il suo futuro marito Edmund, ancora ragazzi, poi il loro innamoramento, la felicità totale dei due giovani appena sposati e….. l'improvvisa morte di lui. Quando ho letto come fu Eloise ad assistere alla morte di Edmund e come Violet incinta e pronta al parto deve affrontare quel dolore totale…..sono iniziate le lacrime e non sono più finite finchè ho continuato a leggere.

Sono i suoi figli che le hanno dato la forza di andare avanti, e qualche uomo si è anche mostrato interessato a lei, ma Violet non ha mai sentito il bisogno o il desiderio di risposarsi, lei aveva già conosciuto la felicità perfetta e non voleva accontentarsi di nulla di meno e semplicemente non ha trovato un altro uomo che potesse renderla altrettanto felice. E non ne aveva bisogno in fondo poichè aveva già i suoi figli che la rendevano felice. E’ questo ciò che lei stessa dice a Daphne e il racconto si conclude con una sua frase molto toccante:

“Andare a avanti senza tuo padre non è stato sempre facile, ma ne è valsa la pena.“

[thiswaycomessomethingwicked]

hi i love your writing, especially downey/vetinari. there's a plato quote (the republic 3.403a) that always makes me think of D/V. could you use your magic writing skills to make something of it? the quote is 'to love rightly is to love what is orderly and beautiful in an educated and disciplined way' thank you!!!

Downey does not consider himself a particularlygood lover in the sense of participating in relationships with ease andrefinement. He’s fine in the bedroom department, probably better there than in theemotional vulnerability department. Vacillating between cool, distant,collected and ardently in love I shall write you a letter a day tends to causedifficulties depending on who one is attempting to woo. By turns he is eagerand terrified. Wanting to love rightly but horrified of being hurt by someonewho would know exactly how to twist the knife. Which ribs are most vulnerable. Downeyfeels like his head is on fire much of the time, more so when affection andlove are involved. It exhausts.

To make such matters worse, historically Downeyonly really fucked with barely contained messes. Preferably those who were genteeland artistic and prone to languidly lying around in beautiful clothing. Walkingstereotypes of gentlemanly decadence. Men and women who could only be describedas Bad Decisions. He liked Bad Decisionsbecause Bad Decisions didn’t require deep love. They didn’t require fear oradoration (a close companion of fear) or loss because there was nothing to lose.There was safety in contained self-destruction that could be easily put rightwith a fortnight of sobriety and a few hot baths.

And in recent years there hadn’t really beenanything or anyone because of the guild and his work and his students and citypolitics to keep him busy and safe from himself. It’s been years since he’sdone much more than idly flirt with someone else’s wife for the laugh of it.  

What is all of this tending towards? Thepatrician of Ankh-Morpork wishes to have dinner. A date sort of dinner, if Downey isn’t mistaken.

Downey prods the uncertainty of his feelingsabout this. It’s an amorphous, un-named creature that exists between them. Thathas always existed between them. There are some people born into your life thatyou will always have a connection with even when you both wish to have nothingto do with one another. Downey once read a monograph on magnets and felt thatit was applicable.

He’s fifty-five, Vetinari is fifty-three. They’reboth too old for dinners.

But Vetinari is dark mountain water compared tohis usual choices. He is a stoic, an aesthete, Spartan. Downey reasons that itwould be difficult to lose oneself in a piece of cold marble. Everything aboutthe patrician extinguishes – mountain water; marble; steel; gears; ice; snow;late autumn days; wet cobblestones; iron hinges.

He reasons there is very little there that hewould be able to adore. In that, there is safety.

And he is bored.

And it would possibly be interesting.

And it would end a bet he made with Ludo threedecades ago. Back when Vetinari was Dog-botherer and the patrician was Snapcaseand Downey was a new teacher at the guild and the world was such a differentplace. A completely different land from where they are now.

He decides to accept. He relays this to thepatrician at the end of a weekly guild update (inhumation numbers up; studentapplication rates the same; no I have no idea why you think we need to beaudited we report all numbers relating to guild income accurately I assure infact I oversee it I don’t see why that makes you more suspicious). Thepatrician is suitably pleased and surprised. Downey isn’t sure how to respondto that so just says, ‘good. Um I’m free Wednesday or Friday.’

‘Wednesday then. Is eight agreeable?’

‘Eight is fine.’

Vetinari nods, takes up papers and says, ‘verywell. Shall we go to that one Agatean restaurant?’

‘Um, you’ll have to be more specific.’

‘The one riverside.’

‘Um-‘

‘There’s more than one riverside now I take it.Ah, it was open years ago. Perhaps it’s closed.’

Downey squints at Vetinari and clicks throughrestaurants he knows that have been open since before Vetinari’s ascension tothe patricianship. He lands on a possibility, ‘you mean the one I dragged youto after the food poisoning incident?’

Vetinari nods curtly.

‘Sure, I think it’s still open.’

‘Excellent.’

‘I won’t make them sing you happy birthday thistime.’

Vetinari’s expression becomes cool, ‘I shouldhope not.’

Downey grins in a cheeky manner, ‘No theatrethis time, either.’

‘Spare us all from that poor life choice.’

‘I think enjoyed it, if I remember correctly.’

Vetinari is prim, ‘there’s no accounting fortaste I suppose.’

Unsure of where to go in the conversation fromthis point Downey puts his hat on and says that he looks forward to it. Eight,Wednesday, the Mazz. He’ll book them a table.

//

Wednesday and they both turn up lookingrespectably well dressed and with papers so as to pretend to everyone it’s abusiness dinner. The Mazz is situated above the Ankh and this early springevening the cool air means that the fog isn’t too heavy resulting in a fineview of the river, the quay-side, boats rocking lazily in their slips. Acrossthe river to one side is the darkness of the shades, the glimmer of opera houseand palace lights to the other.

The Mazz has not updated its décor since theirfirst visit thirty-odd years ago and the faded attempts at Agatean glamour withits ivory and cherry wood decorated walls, its patterned seat covering full of blossomsand herons, dim lights, lends a nostalgic air to the evening.

The food is still good.

Downey is pleasantly surprised by this since hesuspects it’s gone through a few ownership turnovers since it opened.

‘I remember there was an illegal betting ringdownstairs for a time,’ he says. ‘I think Willis and I went for a laugh.’

‘Really? This seems rather upscale for such an operation– or was rather upscale at the time.’

‘I think that’s half the reasoning for it. Noone would suspect. Anyway, the owner was cleaning up some family money via therestaurant. But it actually turned out to be popular enough that it’s stayedaround.’

Vetinari is curious – how does Downey knowthis? Did Downey knows this years ago when they first went? How did he andWillis and Ludo always manage to end up in quasi-illegal dives?

Downey gently shrugs through the questions. Heheard it on the grape vine, the one did back in Snapcase’s time. The way oneheard about all sorts of things. That necessary whisper network that was set upto keep the more underground guilds safe and people who were associated withpeople the patrician hated. So, all assassins.

‘I wasn’t part of this,’ Vetinari says with afrown.

‘Sure you were. Ludo occasionally told youthings.’

‘Oh?’

‘Absolutely – but it wasn’t always necessaryreally. You didn’t go out to places the patrician’s men were likely to raid sotherefore didn’t need to stay up on that as much as the rest of us. Crown and Tigerwas raided regularly, Green Lounge every once in a while, Cloak and Daggerweekly, The Neon Light for a time was a hot spot, Green Tea over by the eastgate, uh that one underground speak easy The Pearl which operated out ofseveral locations was a regular target.’

Vetinari shakes his head, he had heard of mostof these places but Downey is correct, he rarely ever went. Indeed, there areseveral he’d never stepped foot in. ‘I do remember going to the Green Loungefor a time.’

‘Popular spot mostly because it was discreetand the beer was cheap.’

‘It was disgusting.’

‘Oh yes,’ Downey nods, ‘ that was part of thecharm I believe.’

Vetinari smiles at that. Charm indeed. It was adive. He would hate to see the couches they all sat on in clear light. He issure everything was beer and smoke stained to an unhealthy degree. Downey doesn’tdispute this. He continues to insist that when you’re twenty that’s part of it.Age brings a lower tolerance for unhealthy air and bad alcohol.

Dinner plates are removed. Both order a brandyand shuffle papers around for the look of the thing.

Downey, becoming aware of how much of thespeaking he is doing, searches around for something to discuss that isn’t workrelated. He lands on books. He recalls Vetinari had a soft spot for badyellow-back penny dreadfuls. He asks about them. Vetinari is amused but doesn’tgo on at length about it. Downey wants to gently flick his forehead – come on,I’m trying to make this work, give me something to work off of.

Of course Vetinari is difficult to parse, toopen up and dissect. He is an orderly and contained man which Downey appreciates.He likes order. He likes containment and control, most especially because hefeels like he has little of it. What he presents to the world, a quiet, neat,orderly gentlemanly sort of man, is a well-rehearsed and difficult to maintainmask. But it is one that he must wear. He is master of the Assassins’ Guild, heis a teacher, a tutor, a pillar of society. There are expectations and by thegods he will meet every one of them.

He still wishes he could take a week off and bea drunk, smokey mess. One day, when he retires. If he ever retires. Assassinstend not to, as a general rule.

All this said, there is a part of him that willalways envy Vetinari. Envy that he is the personification of Downey’s butterflycollection. So beautiful and neat.

‘May I ask why,’ Downey asks. They’re having asecond brandy. The restaurant is quiet now and Downey is pondering if he could convinceVetinari to go somewhere else after they eventually leave.

‘Why?’

‘Why,’ Downey motions to the two of them and therestaurant.

‘Ah.’

‘Ah,’ Downey repeats. Vetinari gives him a lookand he smiles charmingly. An expression of something like affection runs acrossVetinari’s face.

‘I thought it might be worth a try.’

‘I see.’

‘I have a matrix I apply to possibilities.’

‘Of course you do.’

‘You ticked off most of the boxes.’ Vetinari saysthis in a complimentary manner.

Downey nods. He both wants to and doesn’t wantto know what the boxes are.

‘That’s quite…disciplined,’ Downey says after amoment of thought. ‘How very Marcus Aurelianus of you.’

‘Indeed.’

‘I’m not sure how I feel about that.’

Vetinari looks mildly perplexed. What isn’tthere to understand? It makes perfect sense to apply a stringent set of rulesto something that could become complicated in a certain set of extenuatingcircumstances. If one is to do this it is right to love, if one may eventuallycall it that, what is orderly and beautiful in an educated and disciplined way.

Downey laughs. Vetinari blinks at him. Helaughs again. Gods of course this is Vetinari’s modus operendi. Of course this is his approach to whatever path itis they’re going down. Of course it is about order and education and discipline.That doesn’t shock him so much as amuse him. He knows Vetinari, has known himfor forty years. This is perhaps one of the most Vetinari-ish moments he has experienced.He wishes for more of them. Despite their cold manner, they are endearing. It’sa cool glass of water to how his affairs have operated in the past (withoutmuch thought, without much control, without much feeling).

Funny, how this evokes more tenderness in himthan any compilation of messy letters he has received from past lovers.

‘You know I’m not very orderly,’ Downeyclarifies after they have had time enough for rumination.

Vetinari frowns, ‘you are. In your own way. Theguild is functioning smoothly.’

‘Yes, I was speaking more of my personal life.My head is not an orderly place.’

‘No,’ a slight smile. ‘I never thought it was.’

‘So therefore your statement of it being rightto love what is orderly can’t apply to me.’

Vetinari finishes his brandy and looks atDowney in a very steady manner. It is a different gaze from the one used in theOblong Office which is meant to prompt a confessional style of speaking. Thisone is mild contemplation, perhaps affection. He says at length that hebelieves Downey underestimates himself in this department. Regardless, thematrix supports this decision. Downey shrugs. Fine, if that is Vetinari’sfeelings on the matter. He is happy to see what happens.

Leaving the restaurant they decide towalk for a time as the night isn’t too smoggy.

‘How does your leg hold up?’ Downey asks asthey linger over the bridge between Small Dogs and the main boulevard back toboth guild and palace.

‘It has its moments.’

‘But it’s fine tonight?’

‘Oh yes.’

‘Good. Excellent.’

They lapse into silence. Bells toll the hour foreleven and as they’re near enough Downey asks if Vetinari would like a nightcap. He adds that there are dogs to pay attention to as he believes that wouldbe an added incentive for the patrician to come along back to the guild.Vetinari considers the offer before agreeing saying that he has always admiredDowney’s dogs from a distance. They are large but very well trained.

‘And useless,’ Downey adds with affection. ‘Absolutelyuseless. Would show any intruder right to the valuables.’

‘They sound friendly.’

‘They are. Terrible guard dogs and not at allwhat an assassin should have.’

 //

Alsace and Harold are excited, as they alwaysare, when Downey enters his rooms and become doubly excited when they see thereis another person with him. More people to pay attention to them the better.Vetinari takes a seat by the fireplace while Downey makes them a drink. Haroldpositions himself immediately beside Vetinari while Alsace runs back and forthbetween the drinks table and the fireplace.

‘I never realized how big this dog is,’Vetinari says while petting Harold’s head.

‘Taller than me if he stands up on his hindlegs. By easily a head.’

‘Gods.’

Harold looks up at him with clear affection.

‘He likes you. Granted he likes everyone.’

Downey hands Vetinari his drink and takes aseat opposite him.

‘Was it solely the matrix that guided anydecision made?’ Downey asks. Vetinari shakes his head, oh no there were otherthings taken into account. He waxes on about his personal philosophy of how oneshould go about things such as relationships when holding a position ofconsiderable power. He has many views on it and they almost tumble out – or ifVetinari was anyone other than Vetinari they would be tumbling. He opines.Downey listens. He likes Vetinari’s voice, it is low and soft.

‘So in the end,’ Vetinari says. ‘It makes themost logical sense.’

It makes no logical sense, Downey doesn’t pointout. You’ve applied logic after the fact. This realization appeals to him buthe doesn’t wish to disturb Vetinari’s contentment so just says he is flattered.And he is. He never really considered himself someone a man like Vetinari wouldbe remotely interested in – their occasionally fraught childhood aside. It is aflattering thing to be wanted by someone who does very little wanting in hislife. And does Downey want Vetinari in return? He isn’t sure. He thinks perhapsyes. Very much it is a perhaps yes.

The conversation turns from the personal to thesocial in that they end night gossiping about Lord Venturi’s latest affair and thedrama it has brought to the Ankh-Morpork social scene. Though Vetinari does notcall it gossiping, he says they are engaging in polite exchange of informationpertinent to better engaging in the social climate of the city.

‘So, gossiping.’ Downey clarifies. ‘We’regossiping. I love gossiping. It’s a favourite past time of mine and Mericet’s.’

‘I’m hardly going to dignify that with a  response.’

‘Very well, if you insist.’

 //

At midnight Vetinari takes his leave asking atthe door if Downey would perhaps be interested in another evening to beconducted in a similar manner. Downey, feeling cheeky and bold, replies, ‘yes I’llgo on another date with you.’

Vetinari, pleased, uncertain, uncertain at howpleased and uncertain he is, says with great wit and grace, ‘um, good. Yes.Excellent.’

As they are alone and awkwardly staring at eachother Downey asks, ‘so, do I get a kiss?’

Vetinari blinks. Downey grins and goes to turnaway but Vetinari replies that as it is traditional he believes it in order.Downey wants to laugh. He wants to tell Vetinari that he is ridiculous but insuch a manner as to make his chest tight. Instead, he leans in, cups one sideof the patrician’s and kisses him. It’s uncertain and shy and strange but couldhave been worse.

‘So,’ Downey says to cover up his feeling awkwardness,‘next week we’re going to see a bad operetta right?’

‘Gods,’ Vetinari scoffs. ‘I’m never letting youplan anything.’

‘I’d be so good at it!’

Vetinari rolls his eyes. They stand for amoment longer together between dark hallway that leads out to a discreet sideentrance to the guild and the warm light of Downey’s rooms. Downey says that he’dbetter go, and Vetinari says oh yes him too he had better be off. Work to do.They both have work and early mornings and meetings and Downey says one minute andkisses him again because he decides that if they’re going to do this they hadbetter do it properly. He’s never done this properly before and he suspectsVetinari hasn’t either and so they might as well try – in for a penny, in for apound.

Vetinari leaves after inquiring about next Thursdayor Friday and Downey saying Thursday is probably best. Downey watches him goand stands with the door open until he hears the one leading to the outsideworld open and close. He continues to stand, staring where Vetinari had beenstanding only moments before then pulls himself back into the present, closesthe door, collects one of Marcus Aurelianus’ books and retires to bed.  

[patdcmsy1]

Now I really want to hear this door that had you freaked out for so long. I think with the name Mazz though I can see how you might have heard it from a random sound. It would have been a different matter if your name was something with a few more letters and syllables. Other than the door calling out your name, have you experienced anything else in the theatre? The buildings are usually that old that I'm not surprised if there is anything weird and spooky in them. Or, we just get told that and then believe we see stuff.

A couple of us at the theatre were talking about funny stories we had about doing theatre. It made me remember about something that happened quite some time ago. I was in a show at a theatre that some people were saying was haunted. Heading to my dressing room, I heard this noise that sounded like someone saying Mazz. It did start to freak me out a bit as it happened every time I went there. I told one of the cast when they came to see me and and went to prove that it always happened when I came here. Turned out it was the noise the door made every time it opened that was freaking me out. To be fair, that theatre is an old theatre. Anyway, I'm Mazz. And I don't really get freaked out that much.

@hillsfmsstarters

[scouts-mockingbird]

39 with a putv ship of your choosing :p

This got really long and it’s completely unedited but I like it. Chris D and Mazz deserve an origin story. 

39. “I think we really need to talk about what happened last night,”

“Hey, Mazz, um, I think… I think we need to talk about what happened last night.”

Mazz had, in his time on earth, made some rather poorly thought out decisions, some of which might even qualify as mistakes, but he prided himself on not being the kind of person who forgot the stupid shit he did, so when he looked at Chris and replied, “Huh?” He really meant that he had no idea what was going on.

Last night, as far as he knew, Paige had introduced him to Chris at the bonfire, and they had talked and flirted. It hadn’t gone further than that, though certain thoughts had crossed Mazz’s mind.

Chris flushed, looking like a deer caught in headlights, or like Mark when a teacher called on him in class. Also like Mark, Chris struggled for words for a second, then ducked his head. “Sorry. My mistake.” He turned and hurried down the hall into the crowd.

Mazz thought about calling after him, but he was already too far away for there to be much of a point. He attempted to shrug it off, but something about the exchange lingered, remaining with him for the rest of the school day while he spaced out in his classes.

He caught up with Mark on the way out of the building, in his usual rush to get as far away from school as possible in the least amount of time.

“Mark, buddy, hold up!” He reached out, but caught himself before he grabbed onto Mark’s sleeve; unexpected touching wasn’t something Mark liked. “This is going to be a weird question.”

“When isn’t it with you?” Mark asked, turning down the alley that would take him to Main Street and the post office.

“Did anything weird happen last night?”

Mark frowned. “I don’t know, weren’t you there?”

“Yeah, but that guy, Chris, came up to me and said he wanted to talk about what happened, but I have no fucking clue what happened, or what he wanted to talk about.”

“With Paige’s friend?” Mark shrugged. “I didn’t notice. You talked a lot, but that’s not weird. You always talk a lot.”

“Do you think I talk too much?” Mazz asked, momentarily distracted. “Wait, nevermind. Is that all you remember?”

“Yeah. Hang on I have to get my letters.”

Technically speaking, they were Harry’s letters, or that’s what the people who sent them thought. People like Mazz’s friend and crush, Confused, who he’d been talking to on the phone for a couple weeks now, starting not long after he’d found out that Mark and Harry were one and the same.

“Three today, that’ll be enough to keep the show going,” Mark said, “I didn’t have much to say tonight.”

That usually meant Mark’s day had been relatively good.

Mazz looked at the letter on the top. “How come that one’s fucked?”

Mark shrugged. “I don’t pay enough for them to take good care of the letters.”

It had been crumpled up and folded awkwardly, as if it had been forced into the narrow mailbox slit the wrong way. The address was scrawled across it, but there was no stamp.

“Can I read it?”

“Nah, I’ll save them for tonight. Are you going to come by after the show?”

Mazz smiled. “I’ll be there.”

“Let me know how it goes at the field.”

Hours later, Mazz was listening to Harry talk about their shit school, only half paying attention. The other half scanned the crowd, searching. Are you here Confused?

“This last letter is from a repeat offender,” Harry said, and Mazz looked at his car radio, as though that might make him talk any faster. “Dear Harry, remember me? I’m Confused. You gave my number to a friend of yours, and we’ve been talking for a few weeks. I liked him a lot, but I didn’t know who he was.”

Mazz was holding his breath, leaning into the radio like his life depended on it.

“I met him last night,” Harry said, still reading aloud from the letter. “I met your friend, and we talked, and it was just like being on the phone, but I could see his face and he was right there!” Harry stopped reading. “Folks, I think it’s important that you know that he underlined that.”

“Get on with it!” Mazz muttered, and he thought about driving to Mark’s house to take the letter from his hands, but he didn’t want to lose the signal on the way.

“I met him, but then today, after we’d talked practically all night, he acted like he didn’t recognize me at school, but I’m sure he knew. Why would he do that? Yours, Confused.”

Now Mazz did start the car, because he realized what an idiot he’d been, because everything made perfect sense.

He screeched to a halt in front of Mark’s house, leaping out of the car and over the wall into the back yard where he nearly ran directly into the glass door leading into Mark’s room.

He waved his hands frantically, and Mark looked up, slightly panicked. He covered the microphone. “What?”

“Tell him to… tell him to meet me where we were last night!”

Mark sighed and nodded. “Well, I just heard from my friend, Confused, and he really wants to talk to you. Meet him where you saw him last night if you want to hear him out.”

As soon as he’d heard the words, Mazz went back to his car and drove away, out into the desert until he’d gotten to the old campsite where they’d had their fire the night before.

It was cold enough to justify the many layers Mazz usually wore and he was grateful for his jacket as he settled in to wait.

It felt like hours went by as he sat in silence, too far from Mark’s house to get the signal for his show.

When he eventually heard the sound of tires crunching over old sand, he jumped out of his car, hitting his head on the door frame just in time to see Chris riding his bike into the campsite.

“You came!” Mazz said, long before his brain had caught up with him.

“What happened?” Chris asked, his eyes darted around as though he expected someone to pop out of the scruffy desert bushes any second. “This morning you acted like you didn’t know me.”

“I didn’t!” Mazz insisted, “Well, what I mean is, I didn’t know you were, you know, you. Confused. I thought you were Chris.”

“But last night…”

“I didn’t know last night!”

“How… We talked for ages, you didn’t recognize my voice?”

“You recognized mine? Mazz asked, feeling oddly warm, despite the cool breeze.

“Immediately.”

“Wow. I’m… Well I told you I’m kind of an idiot.”

“You’re not an idiot,” Chris answered. “I just… I thought you were embarrassed or something.”

“Me?” Mazz asked, gesturing to his outfit and his hair and trying to encompass everything about his existence with one word. “I have never felt shame in my life.”

“Oh.” Chris glanced at the ground. “So…”

“I like you too,” Mazz blurted. “Just, you know, in case you were wondering.”

“Right…” Chris hesitated. “So… what now?”

Mazz didn’t know how to answer that. He wasn’t the kind of person who made plans, or thought about things before he did them. So he relied on old habits and didn’t let himself think before he stepped closer to Chris and leaned in, stopping just before he kissed him.

You’re supposed to ask, right? He thought, hesitating for a fraction of a second. “Is this–”

Chris closed the space between them, drawing Mazz in with a hand on his neck.

The broke apart after a moment of awkward, fumbling perfection, blushing and a little breathless.

They made eye contact and laughed, both looking away.

“That was–”

“So how–”

Mazz paused. “You first.”

“Um… What now?”

A glance at his watch told him that they had probably missed the end of the broadcast. “We could… Do you know anything about stars?”

Chris looked momentarily flummoxed. “A… A little I guess. I know like… why they’re called what they’re called and stuff.”

“Perfect,” Mazz said. “Let’s stay here for a while and you can tell me about stars.” Now that he knew whose it was, he wanted to listen to that voice for a little longer.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

#10yrsago BBC sends legal threat over fan's Dr Who knitting patterns

Glyn sez, "Mazz has been posting knitting patterns to help other people re-create characters from the cult series using only two sticks and ball of wool. Impressive? The BBC, producers of the series, didn't think so. They sent Mazz a letter, which states:"

https://boingboing.net/2008/05/09/bbc-sends-legal-thre.html

[siciliatv]

“Un viaggio nel passato tra sogno e realtà” il libro di Peppe Veneziano

“Un viaggio nel passato tra sogno e realtà” è il titolo del nuovo, elegante  volume di Peppe Veneziano, impreziosito dalla stampa in copertina di un quadretto affascinante che richiama alla semplicità, sullo sfondo di un tempo passato, con un albero verde, segno della vita che continua, frutto delle  pennellate dell’impareggiabile Maestro Enzo Patti. Peppe Veneziano, così come preferisce essere chiamato dagli amici, è una persona di stile, con raffinata cultura su tanti versanti,   già noto al pubblico come scrittore per il volume autobiografico di qualche anno fa dall’accattivante titolo “Volare alto”. In cui le sue tante considerazioni sulla sua vita e sull’ambiente di Favara , –  (come facevo a suo tempo notare)  – sembrano e sono  finalizzate  ad aiutare  questa città a liberarsi  con progressiva determinazione da ogni forma di servilismo e rassegnazione, aprendosi con coraggio ad un speranza concreta e fattiva, valorizzando il passato con i suoi errori,  anche di persone e di programmi … di fiducia tradita e/o mal riposta. Un libro allora, questa sua nuova fatica di “Un viaggio nel passato tra sogno e realtà”, che intanto cade proprio a fagiolo in questo periodo, mentre i favaresi  si preparano a rinnovare democraticamente gli organi ammnistrativi di governo della loro città. Una considerazione questa  solo nostra e del tutto occasionale, sicuramente lontana dalla mente dell’autore, ma che tuttavia, anche se non messa in conto, può rivelarsi preziosa, favorendo nel confronto col passato remoto e (perché no ?) anche recente la riflessione. Riflettendo cioè  sul sogno del cambiamento che già è avvenuto,  predisporsi meglio a scegliere per i cambiamenti che si rendono oggi necessari, nell’attuale critica situazione che Favara ha vissuto e sta vivendo;  in cui è davvero necessario concretizzare un cambiamento nel modo di  governare questa città: un nuovo modo di presenza, di governo e di vissuto concreto. “Un viaggio nel passato tra sogno e realtà” , un romanzo imperniato sulla storia di una famiglia, formata da don Turiddu Monteleone, una moglie  intelligente, saggia  e perspicace come donna   Michela; i figli Pasquale e Vanni, con la loro sorella Maria Celeste, alla quale i  due fratelli, punzecchiandola,  dicevano ogni tanto: “Maria  Celè, nun ti po’ maritari si nun t’insigni a cucinari”. Una famiglia in cui, “anche negli antenati” comunque “non risultava che tra loro ci fosse stato qualche “mbami”, tragediaturi o sbirru”.  Quest’ultima affermazione è quanto dire, per capire la mentalità del tempo. Insomma una famiglia davvero perbene,   che in quei tempi sa bene destreggiarsi nelle diverse concrete situazioni, refrattaria all’illegalità  e nello stesso tempo altrettanto determinata a non subire forma alcuna di angheria. Insomma una classica famiglia  siculo-favarese, custode  dei veri valori siciliani. Una famiglia appartenente alla classe dei “burgisi”, con tanta “roba”, capace di intessere rapporti di amicizia e vivere concretamente i classici valori  dell’onestà,  della cordialità, dell’onore, dell’amicizia,  del rispetto della parola data; una famiglia che sa guardare sempre con fiducia al futuro. Per la trama delle vicende familiari narrate,  il romanzo,  – (che anche per lo stile, piano e scorrevole, si fa leggere con piacere) –   oltre che di carattere  storico,  senza esagerare, mi permetto di dire che  può essere considerato davvero un classico per la conoscenza delle tradizioni, del folklore paesano, degli usi e costumi di allora,   riguardo ai rapporti familiari, al fidanzamento, al matrimonio, alla politica,  alle ricorrenze e feste, civili e religiose, al culto e rispetto dei propri morti. Tanto per fare solo un esempio, su un tema delicato ed importante,  mi limito a citare lo scambio (clandestino) di lettere tra i due fidanzati Vanni e Caterina, nella raffinata analisi psicologica dei loro sentimenti,…  ha un contenuto così elevato di valori sul rispetto reciproco e sui valori del matrimonio, che si potrà suggerire di leggere a tutti i fidanzati nei Corsi di preparazione al matrimonio, anche e soprattutto di quelli che la Chiesa organizza,  esigendone la partecipazione,  per quelli che decidono di sposarsi in Chiesa. Intanto ecco un piccolo assaggio di termini che ci riportano al fascino di un’epoca che non c’è più, quando si sognava una nuova realtà. Termini come “(U vanniaturi” (il banditore), – i diversi tipi di giochi dei ragazzi: “di i mazzi” (delle mazze di legno), “di i pumetta” (dei bottoni), “di i tortuli”  (delle trottole), “di a tulì tulì” (salto  sulle spalle dei ragazzi posizionati tipo trenino); e questo per i giochi di allora, perché oggi tanti ragazzi hanno tra le mani ben altro, frutto della tecnologia più avanzata di oggi per trascorrer il tempo, magari senza socializzare  fisicamente con altri. Per non parlare dell’attesa che c’era per gli scalatori “d’antinna” nella festa di “mezzausto” Per i cibi: “ u brodu du gaddu” (brodo di gallo), “li lasagni cu sucu fatti a furnu” ( le lasagne col sugo cotte a forno); feste familiari con “dolci, fave, e ceci “calliati” (ceci lievitati e cotti con la sabbia”. Poi, nei grandi raduni per circostanze particolari o a ridosso delle feste principali, carne abbondante di maiale, salsiccia e tanto, tanto buon vino. Insomma non mi dilungo ancora; il mio vuole esser solo un assaggio per inivitare a leggere il libro utile dai  punti di vista più diversi, da quello storico-sociologico a quello politico, a quello psicologico e  folkloristico delle tradizioni, a quello religioso ed etico, e via dicendo. Buona  e fruttuosa lettura in queste ferie di ferragosto e complimenti all’autore. Diego Acquisto Read the full article

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Claims of Disappearances Caused by Shadow People Nothing More than a Marketing Campaign

Heads up! I’ve noticed this video floating around paranormal communities, being passed off as a case of missing persons caused by shadow people. 

This is a pretty transparent marketing campaign for a film. Not only do the “news sources” in the video have no specific call letters (and the “Tampa News” newspaper doesn’t exist), but the distributor of the video is Mazz Appeal Films. It’s Charlie Charlie all over again...

~ Equinox Paranormal