#1857 arrangement

[mod-a-day]

James Pierpont, Brad Watson "The One Horse Open Sleigh" (Christmas "1998" Mix) The One Horse Open Sleigh (1857, 1998) Oliver Ditson & Co.

We don't usually pay attention to the seasons or holidays therein, but for a change of pace, have these six pieces of Christmas-themed music for this, Christmas Week of 2023!

Merry Christmas!

[nupaintings]

[laurasimonsdaughter]

is there any aromantic themed folklore stories?

I think that very much depends on your personal definition. Of course there are plenty of folktales that do not include romance, but for me that usually isn't quite enough to consider them aromantic. For me the folk- and fairy tales that feel the most aromantic to me, are the ones where the plot makes me expect there will be a love interest along the way or a wedding at the end, but instead there is neither.

Here are the ones I've taken a personal liking to so far:

The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces

Source: Cape Verdian folktale, collected by E. Parsons from Antonio Soares Rosa in 1916-1917.

Content warnings: princess-shaming.

Character I read as aro: The hero.

Why: He answers a royal proclamation that states that whoever is able to find out how the princess wears out seven pairs of shoes every night can marry her and have half the kingdom. When he accomplishes this, however, he declines the marriage and returns home to build his mother a new house.

Read it: Full text online.

How The Devil Married Three Sisters

Source: Italian folktale, published by Widter and Wolf in 1866.

Content warnings: fairy tale violence, abusive spouse.

Character I read as aro: The youngest of the three sisters.

Why: While the first sister is pleased by her handsome suitor (the devil) and the second sister is also described as "wooed and won" by him, the third agrees to marriage only because he is rich. She proceeds to save her sisters, outsmarts the devil, and they all get away.

Read it: Full text online.

David Cotterson

Source: Danish fairy tale, collected by Jens Kamp, published in 1879.

Content warning: suicide contemplation, fairy tale violence.

Character I read as aro: The hero, David Cotterson.

Why: His biggest desire is to become a sailor and see the world. In his biggest adventure he defeats a seductive witch, saves a prince who has been cursed to be a dog. He then decided what he wants most of all is to got home to his loving parents, which he does.

Read it: Offline in this book, or my summary online.

The Squire’s Bride

Source: Norwegian folktale, collected by Asbjørnsen and Moe, published 1841-1844.

Content warning: attempted arranged marriage, attempted kidnapping.

Character I read as aro: The heroine, a farmers daughter.

Why: She's being courted by an old, rich squire. She rejects him, not for a better (kinder, younger) suitor, but simply because she doesn't want him. He doesn't back down so she humiliates him to teach him a lesson.

Read it: Full text online.

The Three Brothers

Source: German folktale, collected by the brothers Grimm, published 1857.

Content warning: ends with natural death.

Characters I read as aro: The protagonists, three brothers.

Why: Their father tasks them to learn a trade to show who deserves to inherit their family home. They become a master barber, blacksmith and swordsman, and the third inherits the house. But because they love each other so much they decide to share the house. They live happily and grow old together, after which all three die close together and are laid in the same grave.

Read it: Full text online.

Diarmaid and Grainne

Source: Celtic legend, Scottish variant collected by H. MacLean in 1859, from Alexander Macalister.

Content warning: tragedy, coercion, murder of protagonist.

Character I read as aro: The warrior Diarmaid.

Why: He has a love spot on his face, which he keeps hidden to prevent women from falling in love with him. Grainne (who is married to his lord Fionn) sees it and falls for him, but he refuses to go with her until she outsmarts him and places him under obligation to do so. He goes with her but they live in a house with separate beds. Grainne betrays Diarmaid for yet another man and Diarmaid ends up being killed by Fionn before he realises that Diarmaid has never touched his wife.

Read it: Full text online.

Slawa

Source: Romanian fairy tale, found in a German collection from 1977, sadly unsourced.

Content warning: attempted kidnapping, fairy tale violence.

Character I read as aro: The heroine, Slawa

Why: She is a poor young woman so beautiful that the cruel tsar wants to marry her. She keeps refusing and he gets violent, so she resorts to defeating him with magic (which she has because she was once a doll brought to life through the love of her parents), so she is free to go see the world.

Read it: You can download my translation here.

King Bear

Source: Danish folktale, collected by Jens Kamp, published in 1879.

Content warning: animal death.

Character I read as aro: One of the two protagonists, the eldest of two brothers.

Why: The older brother doesn't fully understand why his younger brother has fallen in love with an imprisoned princess, but helps him win her hand anyway. He stays happily at the royal court, but never marries himself.

Read it: Offline in this book.

And just because I still love them, I did write two literary fairy tales with aro protagonists myself some years ago:

The Man and the Mermaid, in which a man meets a mermaid after losing the woman he thought he wanted to marry.

The River Sprite, in which a woman helps a river sprite who is determined to repay her.

Hope there's something on this list that makes you happy!

[city-of-ladies]

An unprecedented female monarch in her dynasty, Rudrama Devi (r.1262-1289) presided over an age of prosperity. A successful warrior queen, she triumphed over both internal and external threats.

Her father’s heir

Rudrama Devi was the daughter of King Ganapati Deva (r.1199-1262) of the Kakatiya dynasty, who ruled over parts of present-day Telangana and Andhra Pradesh in Southern India. Their capital was located at Orugallu (Warangal). 

Ganapati Deva was a successful monarch. His kingdom was famed for its’ diamonds and beautiful fabrics. He had no son to succeed him and his older daughter was already married. He thus decided to make his younger daughter Rudrama Devi his heir and gave her the requisite training.

A female monarch would nonetheless be a in vulnerable position and see her legitimacy questioned. To make female rule more acceptable, he arranged a Putrikayagna ceremony for his daughter. This religious rite allowed a sonless man to declare his daughter or his daughter’s son as his son. After that, Rudrama Devi was also known by the masculine name of Rudra Deva. She also attended all public meetings in masculine attire. 

Her story is similar in that regard to that of her near-contemporary, Raziya Sultan of Delhi.

A warrior among warriors

In 1259, Rudrama Devi became her father’s co-ruler and assumed sole rule in 1262. She married the Chalukya prince Virabdhadra, who played no part in her administration, and with whom she had three daughters. 

Rudrama Devi faced many threats at once. Her neighbors saw an opportunity to conquer her kingdom and her feudatory noblemen couldn’t stand being ruled by a woman.

She stood her ground and prevailed, proving her might as a warrior queen. Many of her nobles rebelled, but she successfully defeated them. The Seuna Yadava king, Mahadeva, invaded her territories and reached her capital. Rudrama Devi chased him after 15 days of fighting and forced them to pay a heavy tribute in money and horses. 

To commemorate her victory, she styled herself “Rayagajakesari” or “the lion who rules over the elephant kings”. In the pavilion she built, she was depicted as a warrior mounted on a lion, holding a sword and a shield, with an elephant trunk holding up a lotus to her in sign of submission. 

In 1262, another of her neighbors occupied the Vengi region. She was able to recover it after 12 years of fighting. She was nonetheless unsuccessful in fending off the attacks of her southern rival Ambadeva.

Meritocratic policies

Rudrama Devi completed the construction of the nearly impregnable Warangal Fort. She bought large tracts of land under cultivation, increasing her kingdom’s revenue. She also recruited non-aristocratic warriors from diverse castes. Only 17 percent of her subordinates were of noble background. Prominent commanders could receive lands and become feudatory nobles. She thus established a new warrior class. Since the nobility had rejected her rule, this meritocratic policy allowed her to surround herself with loyal retainers.

Marco Polo, who mistook her for a widow of the previous king, wrote about her very flattering terms, calling her a “lady of much discretion” and a “lover of justice, of equity and of peace”. 

A warrior to the end

At the end of her reign, she chose her grandson, Prataparudra, as her heir. 

Rudrama Devi likely died in 1289 (though some sources date her death from 1295) according to an inscription made by a member of her army commemorating her recent death and that of her army chief. The cause and location of her death are unknown. She likely died facing Ambadeva's armies, leading her troops as she had always done.

Further reading

Gupta Archana Garodia, The women who ruled India, leaders, warriors, icons

Janchariman M., Perspectives in Indian History From the Origins to AD 1857

Talbot Cynthia, "Rudrama‐devi, Queen of Kakatiya dynasty (r. 1262–1289)", In: The Oxford Encyclopedia of Women in World History. 

Talbot Cynthia, Precolonial India in Practice: Society, Region, and Identity in Medieval Andhra

[thepaintedroom]

Delphin Enjolras (French 1857-1945) • Arranging Flowers • Unknown date

[joybd27]

c.1890s: Empress Market, Karachi, Pakistan by Hossain MD Kaiser Via Flickr: The Empress Market (1884-1889), was built to commemorate Queen Victoria's golden jubilee, initially served as a communal market and later became an integral part of the city's urban fabric. The site of the market had historical significance as it was situated on the grounds where a number of native sepoys were executed after the failed 1857 uprising against British rule. Accounts mention that the sepoys had their heads blown off by cannonballs in an attempt to suppress any mutinous feelings among the locals. 

The British fearing that the local population will build a monument to honor the executed sepoys instead built the Empress Market to commemorate Queen Victoria. The foundation stone of the Empress Market was laid by the-then Governor of Bombay, James Fergusson in 1884, who also laid the foundation of the Merewether Memorial Tower. It was designed by James Strachan (architect), the foundations were completed by the English firm of A.J. Attfield, and the building was constructed by the local firm of 'Mahoomed Niwan and Dulloo Khejoo'. 

The building was arranged around a courtyard, 130 ft by 100 ft, with four galleries each 46 ft wide. The galleries provided accommodation for 280 shops and stall keepers; at the time of its construction it was one of only seven markets in Karachi.

[opera-ghosts]

Today I will remember the extraordinary soprano Adelina Patti (1843-1919). Here we see this antique Postcard from 1898.

Spanish-born soprano who was one of the greatest of her century.

The Spanish-born soprano Adelina Patti was the most renowned singer in Europe and the United States for over 30 years. She was born in 1843, the youngest of three children, into a family of opera singers and musicians. Her parents were opera performers well known in Europe by the time of Patti's birth in Madrid, where they were on tour. Her Italian father was Salvatore Patti; her Spanish mother was Caterina Chiesa Barili-Patti , known before her marriage as Signora Barili. Caterina also had four children from an earlier marriage, and all seven of her children would enjoy successful careers as singers.

When Adelina Patti was four the family moved to New York, where her father became an opera house manager. Her half-brother Ettore Barili gave Patti voice lessons starting at age five; by the age of seven Adelina was recognized as a child prodigy and the next year she gave her debut concert at New York City's Tripler Hall. Audiences and critics at subsequent concerts were stunned by the maturity, range, and purity of her voice. Her success in New York led to a three-year tour of American cities, unprecedented for such a young child, from 1851 to 1854. A second concert tour followed in 1857. Patti's sister Amelia Patti was married to the renowned pianist Maurice Strakosch; he took care of Adelina while on tour and served as her manager, instructor, and accompanist. She received only a minimal education, although her family background and musical training made her fluent in Spanish, French, Italian, and English. Her parents and Strakosch continued training Patti in the demands of operatic singing until they felt she was prepared to sing opera professionally. They arranged for her critically praised debut in the title role of Lucia di Lammermoor at the New York Academy of Music in 1859; she was 16, and would perform in opera continually for the next half-century, enjoying a career that was decades longer than that of most opera singers. Soon after her debut Patti faced serious family crises, as her father's struggling opera house failed and her mother left the family in 1860 to return to Rome. Patti then began to provide much of the family's income through her performances.

She toured the eastern United States and the West Indies from 1859 to 1861. In 1861, she went abroad, under the care of her father and Strakosch, to perform in La sonnambula at the Covent Garden opera house in London. She was enthusiastically received in London, where she was to perform every autumn for 25 years.

Patti remained on tour in Europe virtually continuously for 20 years, not returning to New York until 1881. She played to crowded houses in Berlin, Brussels, Amsterdam, Vienna, Paris, and across Italy. The operatic roles she chose ranged from light comedy, which she preferred, to tragedy, but whatever role she appeared in, critics were universal in their praise of her acting ability and the emotive power of her voice.

While in Paris in 1866, through her friendship with Empress Eugénie , Patti met the aristocrat Louis de Cahuzac, marquis de Caux, who served as a personal servant to the French emperor Napoleon III. They wished to marry but the marquis was not allowed to retain his privileged position at the French court if he married a working woman. Since Patti would not consider giving up her career, de Caux eventually resigned his post. This freed the couple to marry in 1868, when the new marchioness was 25 years old and her husband 42; however, the marriage lasted less than a decade, and they obtained a legal separation in 1877. As Patti was by then a celebrity throughout Europe and the United States, her marital problems brought scandal to the opera world and were the subject of often sensationalistic newspaper articles in many of the countries she had performed in. In the divorce suit, de Caux charged Patti with an adulterous affair with her co-star, Italian tenor Ernesto Nicolini. She admitted to the affair, but maintained in her defense that de Caux was jealous, controlling, and violent, and that he allowed her no access to her substantial income. The divorce would be finalized in 1885, when de Caux was awarded a settlement of $300,000 from Patti. Freed at last from her unhappy marriage, Patti married Nicolini a few months later.

Despite her personal problems during the separation and divorce, Patti continued to travel widely. She did a concert tour on her return to New York in 1881, followed by two operatic tours of the United States. Throughout the 1880s and 1890s, she was the most highly paid and most visible singer in Europe and the United States, receiving press coverage for her appearances as well as for her shocking personal life, legendary jewel collection, enormous wealth, and for her demanding, often capricious personality. She maintained homes across Europe, where she was friends with and frequently host to Europe's royalty and aristocracy. Her fame even led to mentions in contemporary literature and drama, such as Tolstoy's Anna Karenina and Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Patti gave a farewell performance at the New York Metropolitan Opera House in 1887. She and Nicolini then left for another extended tour abroad, performing in Spain and Argentina. In 1895, at age 52, Patti gave six farewell appearances at Covent Garden. She and Nicolini then went into semi-retirement on an estate in Wales called Craig-y-Nos Castle which Patti had purchased some years before, and where she lived with Nicolini prior to their marriage. Patti adopted Wales as the native land she had never truly had, and was respected by the Welsh for her generosity to charitable causes and to her poor neighbors.

Ernesto Nicolini died in 1898. Patti, age 56, remarried a year later. Her third husband, a Swedish aristocrat named Baron Rolf Cederström, was a former military officer who, at the time Patti met him in 1897, was director of the Health Gymnastic Institute in London. At the time of their marriage, Cederström was only 28; their age difference and his occupation made the renowned opera star once again the subject of a flood of news articles and gossip columns.

The urgings of Patti's American fans called her back to the stage in 1903, when she began her last operatic tour at New York's Carnegie Hall. Although Patti was by then considerably older than most opera singers were at retirement, audiences were still moved by her powerful performances. In 1906, at age 63, she made her formal farewell appearance at Albert Hall in London. She also made numerous recordings which have preserved her work and demonstrate the remarkable purity and range which captivated her admirers and which had once led the composer Giuseppe Verdi to call Patti the greatest voice he had ever heard.

Adelina Patti was called out of retirement to perform occasionally at charity events in Wales and England through 1914, when she left the stage for good at age 71. She spent the remaining five years of her life at Craig-y-Nos Castle, where she died in 1919, at age 76. At her wish, her husband buried her in the celebrity cemetery Père Lachaise in Paris. He eventually remarried, selling Craig-y-Nos Castle to the Welsh National Memorial Association which converted it into the Adelina Patti Hospital. The hospital remained in operation until 1986, when the castle and its grounds were turned into a national park and cultural center.

[grandmaster-anne]

Coronation Music at Westminster Abbey

The Royal Family | Published 18 February 2023

Twelve newly commissioned pieces of music will be performed at The Coronation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 6 May 2023, showcasing musical talent from across the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

A range of musical styles and performers blend tradition, heritage and ceremony with new musical voices of today, reflecting The King’s life-long love and support of music and the arts.

His Majesty The King has personally commissioned the new music and shaped and selected the musical programme for the Service.

Andrew Nethsingha, Organist and Master of the Choristers, Westminster Abbey, will be overseeing all musical arrangements and directing the music during the Service.

Sir Antonio Pappano, Music Director for the Royal Opera House, will be conducting the Coronation Orchestra which comprises a bespoke collection of musicians drawn from orchestras of The former Prince of Wales’ Patronages including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Six orchestral commissions, five choral commissions and one organ commission, have been specially composed for the occasion by world-renowned British composers whose work includes Classical, Sacred, Film, Television and Musical Theatre. Commissioned works include a new Coronation Anthem by Andrew Lloyd Webber, a Coronation March by Patrick Doyle, a new commission for solo organ embracing musical themes from countries across the Commonwealth by Iain Farrington plus new works by Sarah Class, Nigel Hess, Paul Mealor, Tarik O'Regan, Roxanna Panufnik, Shirley J. Thompson, Judith Weir, Roderick Williams, and Debbie Wiseman.

Soloists will include bass-baritone, Sir Bryn Terfel; soprano, Pretty Yende and baritone, Roderick Williams. The organ will be played by Sub-Organist, Westminster Abbey, Peter Holder, and Assistant Organist, Westminster Abbey, Matthew Jorysz.

The official Royal Harpist Alis Huws will perform as part of the Coronation Orchestra in recognition of The King’s long-standing and deeply held relationship and affiliation with Wales. One of the liturgical sections of the ceremony will also be performed in Welsh.

At the request of His Majesty, in tribute to his late father His Royal Highness The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, Greek Orthodox music will also feature in the Service performed by the Byzantine Chant Ensemble.

The Service will be sung by The Choir of Westminster Abbey and The Choir of His Majesty’s Chapel Royal, St James’s Palace, together with girl choristers from the Chapel Choir of Methodist College, Belfast and from Truro Cathedral Choir. The Ascension Choir, a handpicked gospel choir will also perform as part of the Service and The King’s Scholars of Westminster School will proclaim the traditional ‘Vivat’ acclamations.

Fanfares will be played by The State Trumpeters of the Household Cavalry and The Fanfare Trumpeters of the Royal Air Force.

Sir John Eliot Gardiner will conduct The Monteverdi Choir and English Baroque soloists in a pre-Service programme of choral music. A small group of singers from The Monteverdi Choir will also join the main choral forces for the Service.

Music by the likes of William Byrd (1543–1623), George Frideric Handel (1685–1759), Sir Edward Elgar (1857–1934), Sir Henry Walford Davies (1869–1941), Sir William Walton (1902–1983), Sir Hubert Parry (1848–1918) and Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958) has historically featured in the Service over the past four centuries and will be included in the programme along with the music of one of Britain’s most loved and celebrated living composers, Sir Karl Jenkins.

[ltwilliammowett]

Rig

We know rig or rigging in relation to the ship (not the oil rig). Here we know the cordage, masts, spars, and sails - everything that contributed to the movement of the ship. The actual arrangement of the rig would differ between ships, for instance a square-rigged ship would have a completely different setup from a ship rigged fore and aft.

Rigging of the Picton Castle

But the rig was also known for other things, namely the sailor's clothing. The officers came with two different rigs, the dressed uniform and then the undressed uniform. The ordinary sailor, on the other hand, did not have his own uniform in the Royal Navy until 1857 and so the men had to acquire their own clothing. If the poor soul had also been pressed, he often had nothing more than what he wore on his body, so he still had to put together his rig. If he was lucky, he might be able to buy the clothes of a deceased comrade cheaply, but if he was unlucky, he had to buy them expensively from the purser or live with what he had. These were mostly, shoes, neckerchief, breeches, trousers, slops, stockings, shirt, waistcoat, a short jacket and a hat. But it was often the case that some sailors kept a good rig for shore leave. They were then rigged out, i.e. in their best clothes.

“The sailor’s description of a chase & capture” by George Cruikshank, a print of 1822

Where the word rig comes from could have different origins. In old Anglo-Saxon wrigan - to clothe- or from Scandinavian rigga/rigge- to set up a horse. Middle English rig- to bind/wrap is also possible.

[crimsonlyinglilly]

Familiar faces - Elijah past life notes.

Elijah Mikaelson - Original Vampire, born around 977. Cursed by the ancestors, to suffer his body burning his soul in 1822 in return for the attack on the witches Klaus had caused to cover his and Kol's bloodbath.

Klaus kills many witches before manage offered to help, she came up with the plan to remove his soul then remove the curse before return Elijah's soul.

The ritual was interrupted by an apparently suicidal Witch who stole the amulet that held Elijah soul, she was found shortly after he dragged her back with the amulet where it was found that most of Elijah's soul was missing.

She gloated about returning it to the earth to relive as a human, Klaus killed her shortly after it was found they couldn't fix it unless they had the new human Elijah.

Eight years later Celeste in her newest body stole the amulet back and the piece of Elijah soul in it.

Currently his soul is spilt in three pieces, a small piece within the Original Body, the piece within the amulet and most of it living as a human. the three pieces are still connected so channelling the smaller pieces lashes back on the human life.

Elijah's soul isn't human, it hasn't been since 1001, even if his bodies are.

-

Elijah Todorov, 'Ellis', Born in 1823 to a pair of Bulgarian immigrants.

Born to his parents, in later life, he was the much younger brother to Maria and Aleksandra. His parents died when he was five leaving him to be raised by Maria and her husband afterwards. Sickly child, who needed a crane most of his life, an episode during this life would have lasted days and taken weeks to recover from by which time he was likely to have another.

When he was his sister died given birth three years later, Elijah pretty much ran the house alone after that from age 8 until his brother in law, Sean, overcame the grief.

Mainly called Ellis by Sean unless in trouble and Uncle El by his girls.

Killed his other brother-in-law, Antonio, at twelve, months after Aleksandra's death when he noticed bruises on the niece he wasn't raising and realised his remaining sister's death wasn't an accident.

After that he raised Daria 'Ria' and Minerva 'Minnie', he taught Minnie to paint and helped Ria with her first instrument.

Minnie was a doppelgänger. 

He died shortly before he turned 35, just as his nieces thought he was recovering from the illness, an episode caused him to go down hill quickly.

Years later Ria was forced to sell most of Minnie's painting to raise money after her death, her last painting of Elijah caught Damon attention but was brought by an associate of Klaus who had known Elijah and sent word to him.

Klaus arrived shortly after Damon had visited Ria, after seeing the painting he visited Ria himself.

Klaus arranged to buy all of Minnie's sketchbooks, including many stretches of his brother. He doesn't ask any more, he doesn't want to hear about Elijah life without him or the hardships he faced alone because of Klaus mistake.

He does however arrange a Family mausoleum for Elijah's family, unable to stand the idea of Elijah being buried somewhere he couldn't check.

During moving the bodies, Klaus stole the small crane that Elijah had buried with him, and placed in his 'real' coffin.

Ria is very confused about so much interest in her, at this point long dead uncle.

--

Elijah Salvatore 'Eli', born 1857 before Lily's 'death', younger brother of Damon and Stefan.

He was Nine nearly ten when he died, to hide it Stefan buried him under his favourite tree, thirty year later his body was found and his half brother had him buried properly without a name on his grave stone.

Stefan was a Doppelgänger

---

Elijah, 'E' born 1867- farm boy, drowned at age seven after saving his little brother.

----

Elijah born 1874 - born to well off parents, trampled by horse and died in Klaus arms, he was ten.

Klaus paid the family for the funeral and when he visits the city places hand carved wooden toys on the grave.

He also compelled them to give him any photos they had that contained Elijah, this is the reason Zach couldn't find any photos of Elijah from this life.

His cousin was a Doppelgänger.

-----

Elijah born 1884 - died as a toddler after the frequent series of episodes proved too much for his body.

The reason the Episode were so often and strong was because of Klaus renewed desperation in reaction to just having Elijah die in his arms, ordered his witches to channel the original body in hopes of find his new life.

His mother was a doppelgänger. 

------

Elijah S. born into a minor noble family in England in 1888, a distance European branch of the Salvatore family.

Arranged to marry his social better by age ten, the pair had a happy marriage as they had no interest in each other but as friends.

Learned the basics of witchcraft when he met another in boarding school.

Didn't want to go to war but was forced to by his father as it was 'his duty' as a member of the nobility, his father died while he was away at war.

Out of all Elijah's past life his is the most documented, since they have his journals, however a few volumes are missing.

Made 'his biggest mistake' during this life when push to his breaking point by his dreams and the trenches. Afterwards and realising he couldn't control what he made he spilt it and sealed it within him and made himself forget it later burning all the pieces of his journals that mentioned witchcraft.

Served in wars, and lived until shortly after turning 70. by the end of his life he had figured most of what was going on with him out.

His great grandnephew was a Doppelgänger.

-------

Elijah - 'Elias' 'Street Kid' born in 1958 to a pair of parents that had no interest in having kids.

Pretty much raised his younger siblings until, in the aftermath of one of his episodes he woke up to his little brother trying to smother him after their parent told him to, 'as a mercy'.

He ran from home shortly after that so his parent couldn't make his brother a murderer.

As a child he was more haunted by the black eyed monster in his mirror than his nightmares.

Started self medicating when he found certain drugs dulled the dreams, turned to selling himself to get them. After a while the dreams did dull but by them the addiction meant he couldn't stop the drugs.

Which is how Tristan found him, he spent a year as Tristan's 'ward/pet/servant' it depended on Tristan's mood.

Elijah realise much later he lost track of his own age due to the drugs and had just turned eighteen before he died, instead of the nearly twenty he had thought

--------

Elijah Salvatore- 'E.J.' born in 1976, ten month after his 'father's' death, he truly is result of his mother and uncle's grief filled night.

His mom left when he was three to get help with her grief as his episodes were making her unstable, leaving him to be raised by his uncle.

Was Zack's shadow until his nightmares got so bad he couldn't tell being awake and dream apart and started hurting himself by clawing at his skin.

Institutionalised at six, accidently killed a orderly in his early teens and killed himself at sixteen.

---------

Elijah Gilbert, born June 22, 1992 to Isobel and John, younger twin of Elena, adopted by Grayson and Miranda. He was the surprise as until he was born they believed Elena was alone.

Grayson used vampire blood in an attempt to help Elijah during a bad series of episodes when he was seven, while it did lessen the worse of the episodes, it made his nightmares far more violent.

Most people compared the twins to their mom but it was very clear to those in the family that Elijah idealized his dad.

Elijah learned about witchcraft when he was eight, after Miranda took him to Sheila Bennet. mostly yo stop him lighting any unplanned fires.

[fearfully-fiction]

Ashmore Estates pt.3- Alex Schroeder x Reader

word count:3566

warnings: language, fluff, I think that's it

summary: based on season 4, episode 6 of DF. so all credit goes to the crew, the show, and the channel/network. The packet is read, and it's time to start the investigation.

(gif not mine!)

“Sequestered within the never-ending cornfields of eastern Illinois, can be found the decaying remains of Ashmore Estates,” Dakota started. “Opened in 1857 as the Coles county poor farm, it had 30 buildings spread across 260 acres,” He continued. “The day-to-day operation of the poor farm was unmonitored leading to unhygienic and unsafe living conditions. In the 1870s alone 12% of the residents passed away. One such inmate was Joe, a maintenance man for the almshouse. He had been walking back from town when he was hit by an oncoming train. Though a good samaritan carried him back home his injuries were too grave and he passed away,” Dakota explained and your heart sank. It always made you sad, when you heard stories like that, life truly was just unfair and unkind sometimes. “That’s so sad,” Chelsea said. “I was just thinking the same thing. I couldn’t even imagine,” you said and leaned your head against Alex’s shoulder. He squeezed your waist as Dakota read on. 

“But perhaps the most tragic death to occur was that of 5-year-old Elva Skinner in 1880 in a building previously on site. She had been left alone inside while the adults went out to work the farm,” He said and your heart dropped. You knew this was going to be terrible, and it was. 

She had passed away after her dress had caught on fire despite them doing everything they could to help her. Everyone at the table was horrified by the way she died. “What a terrible way to die,” Chelsea said and you couldn’t help but nod. There had been accounts of seeing her and hearing giggling. 

“Dude when we were here last time and we were all in our sleeping arrangements there was a girl giggling that was captured on camera,” Dakota brought up. It all came back to you, you remember watching the footage back and it scared the hell out of you. 

“That, like, puts validation to what happened to us,” Dakota said. “And now going back we have a name to go off of,” Alex spoke. “Elva Skinner,” you repeated the little girl's name out loud. 

The packet was handed to Chelsea and she began to read. “Those lucky enough to stay alive had to contend with truly atrocious conditions. Flies reportedly swarmed everywhere and there was noticeably rotten food prepared for dinner,” she explained and you shivered at the thought. “That’s disgusting,” you said and shook your head. 

“By 1916, the conditions were so appalling that the original buildings were torn down and a new one was built in their place, operating for the next 40 years. It then transitioned to a private psychiatric hospital. Allegedly the most violent patients received electroshock treatments. It closed its doors in 1986,” Chelsea stopped. 

“I forgot how layered this place is,” Dakota said. 

The packet was then handed over to Alex. “The most active areas include The first floor. This floor is active with every kind of paranormal activity imaginable,” he said before holding the packet in front of you. You accepted it from him and began to read. 

“The second-floor green room. A former poor house resident named Mary can be found in this room. People have heard her raspy breaths follow them through the building. She’s known for throwing and knocking over items,” You finished and passed it to Tanner. 

“The boiler room. Joe. the former maintenance man is found here. While he is normally friendly if he feels disrespected, he can become quite agitated,” Tanner read. He was known to not like females in the boiler room, they would get shoved, grabbed, and even have their hair pulled. 

You reached for Alex’s hand and he held yours tightly. He knew you didn’t fare well with that kind of information when it came to an overnight. It made you impossibly nervous, and he always made sure that you were ok before, during, and after. 

There was a man who had actually been thrown across the room after defending the girls he was investigating with. 

Alex held you tighter. He knew how much worry you held for your friends and so hearing that was something that made you very uneasy. You got protective easily, and so it was something you didn’t like to hear. 

Alex picked up the packet and began again. “The third floor. This entire floor is incredibly active, especially by the former electroshock therapy room. Though Elva, the five-year-old who passed away on site is known to play up here there is another unknown entity that grabs people appearing as a phantom mist before disappearing completely,” Alex described. That entity was known to cause scratches and hurt anyone who may be vulnerable when up on that floor. It’s like he can sense it and preys on the more sensitive and weak. 

“We did not know about that phantom mist on the third floor, reaching out and grabbing people,” Dakota said. “What I captured on film looked exactly like that description,” Tanner pointed out and it immediately took you back to that night, and what you had seen on camera. It was terrifying, especially back then when you were completely new to all of this. 

“So creepy, like I have the chills right now,” Dakota said and you nodded your head. “I do too, I remember that so well,” you added. 

“To be honest what you caught there was the reason I wanted to see this location so badly,” Alex admitted. “I have to see this for myself,” He added. 

“I think it’s going to be a jam-packed night. What do you say we load some gear and get going,” Alex suggested and you internally cringed at the thought of staying there again. 

“Let’s do it, dude,” Dakota said and Alex replied, “let’s start this night,” 

You all got up and walked back to the RV to get your gear. “I cannot believe we are back here,” You said to yourself as you looked at the building over your shoulder. “It’s been so long, I wonder if they will remember us?” Chelsea wondered aloud. “I bet they will,” you said and shook your head. You headed into the building for the first time in almost 7 years and it took your breath away. It was like taking a step into the past. You remembered your exact words when you first stepped into the building. 

“Guys I think we’re screwed,” you repeated yourself from 7 years ago. “That’s exactly what you said when we first stepped into this place,” Tanner recalled and you chuckled. “Well, it’s equally as true now as it was then,” you said. Everyone chuckled, and Alex walked over to wrap his arms around you. “Everything is going to be just fine, I promise you. I won’t let anything happen to you. I know you can do it, babe,” he said softly and kissed your head. 

“I hate solos, Al,” you spoke quietly. “I know, but just think when it’s over we won’t have to come back. I know you’re nervous, but I also know how strong you are. You have so much more experience than you did last time, I have full confidence that you can handle this. And if anything happens I’m right here, I’m gonna be right here,” he tried to put you at ease. “Ok,” you breathed out and wrapped your arms around him tightly. You pulled away the slightest bit so that you could lean up on your toes to place a kiss on his lips. Your hands clutched the fabric of his shirt tightly and his rested firmly on your hips. 

You pulled away and softly smiled at him. He smiled back before pressing a lingering kiss on your forehead for good measure. 

“You guys ready to start?” Dakota asked and you looked over at him before sighing. “I’m ready when you guys are,” you said and looked up at Alex as if asking him the same question. He just nodded his head. “I’m ready, let’s go,” he said and grabbed your hand in his. 

“So we just got done setting up the gear room, we are about to jump into solos,” Alex announced and you shifted your weight nervously. “Who’s ready?” He asked. “I am never ready for solos,” you told him. “I’m not ready either,” Dakota followed up. Everyone else agreed, and you chuckled. “See, this is not a good idea Alex,” you said and softly glared at him. “You guys will be fine,” he playfully brushed it off and you rolled your eyes. “This is the worst. And we have no flashlights,” Tanner reminded everyone. Your heart dropped. 

“Tanner!” Alex spoke up. “Yeah?” he asked. You could tell he was not excited at all, and you couldn’t help but feel the exact same way. “Since you won the contest today, and you are a superior athlete, and a strong man,” Alex continued. “Yup,” Tanner said as if telling him to continue. “You win the privilege…” Alex paused. “The privilege,” Tanner repeated. “Of going into Ashmore Estates, first,” Alex finished and your jaw dropped. “What?” he asked incredulously. You could hear Dakota snickering beside you and you slapped his arm. “Why?” Tanner questioned again. “You won the contest. You get to go in first,” Alex shrugged his shoulders like it was obvious. “That’s not a prize, that’s losing,” Tanner said. “Alex that’s just mean,” you said and glared at him. “Well first place goes first right?” he shrugged again and you shook your head. 

“It’s so mean, to let him go in first,” Dakota joked. “You wanna take his place?” Alex asked and looked at him, “No,” Dakota admitted and you chuckled. “This is a crappy prize,” Tanner said and you agreed. “Then pride is your prize,” Alex suggested and you once again rolled your eyes. “Pride is my prize?” He asked quizically. “You are a sore winner,” Alex told him. 

“This literally makes no sense. Did you put any thought into this?” Tanner questioned your boyfriend. “You know-you know what?” Alex slightly stammers. “Go for it,” Tanner encouraged him. “How about, oh, I don’t know maybe you’re wearing the enhanced recorder the entire time,” Alex spat out. “Oh no! I’m so scared. Not!” Tanner mockingly said. “Alright, this is good!” Alex said back. “Perfect,” Tanner retorted. “This is good,” Alex reiterated. “Cool,” Tanner said one last time. “Whatever, you know I’ll just go in there first,” Tanner said and you shook your head. “Stir it all up,” He told you and you sighed heavily. “I mean there you go, that’s super positive of you,” Alex said in mock positivity. 

“Alright, let’s get going,” Tanner breathed out heavily. Before he walked away you went over and wrapped him in a hug. “You got this Tanner,” you said and he smiled softly and kissed your head. “Thanks, (n/n),” he said before taking a deep breath and making his way into the building. “Remember, you’re a winner,” Chelsea called after him. “Biggest winner out there,” Alex reiterated. “Doesn’t feel like a winner,” Tanner spoke up. “You’ve got this!” you tried to encourage him. 

As soon as he was in the building you walked over and smacked your boyfriend's arm. “That was no prize Alex,” you said with a slight look of annoyance. “It was for us,” he shrugged and smiled down at you smugly. You rolled your eyes. “You’re gonna be the death of me Alex, I swear it,” you mumbled and he chuckled before tossing an arm around you and pulling you into his chest. “You love me,” he whispered before kissing your head. “You’re lucky I do,” you said and held his arm that was around you. 

“That I am,” he said and leaned forward to kiss your cheek. 

“Hey, what about us?” Dakota asked with his arms out in mock hurt. “Aww, I love you guys too,” you said and walked over to hug Dakota before kissing his cheek and doing the same with Chelsea. 

“They’re such babies,” she said and you laughed. “They really are, honestly. I don’t know how I put up with him sometimes,” you nudged her shoulder and she chuckled. You all sat at the table once again. You set your camera down so you could grab his free hand and hold it in your lap. Just to hold him in some way. It eased your nerves. 

“That was kinda mean, not gonna lie,” Dakota said and you nodded your head. “He’s right Al,” you said and looked at him. “Are you like mad at him?” Chelsea asked softly. “No. He just won. The prize was not a good one at all,” Alex explained it simply. “Obviously Alex,” you said and nudged his shoulder. “What’s the moral of this story? Don’t win? Don’t try?” Dakota asked curiously. “Just be cautious. Watch your back,” Alex told you. “Oh wow, that’s nice,” your sarcasm practically dripping from your words. “A prize can turn into a surprise, real fast,” Chelsea spoke up and you gave her a tight-lipped smile. “True, true,” Dakota agreed with her. 

“Do you think he’s ok up there?” you asked nervously. “He’s Tanner, I’m sure he’s ok why don’t you check on him if you’re worried?” Chelsea asked and smirked playfully as she handed you the walkie. You rolled your eyes and took it, “I’m not trying to scare him I’m just gonna check on him. But if it does scare him then that’s what happens,” you shrugged and softly smiled. They all chuckled. “You’re too good of a person,” Dakota shook his head and you laughed. “Sure, ok,” you said and stuck your tongue out at him playfully. 

You held down the button for a few seconds before speaking, knowing that it might not scare him since he would hear that. “Hey, Tanner,” you said. “Shit,” you heard him curse and you internally cringed. “Yeah, go for Tanner,” you heard him say and you could tell he was already a bit drained from being in there. “I’m sorry to scare you, I just wanted to check in and make sure that you were ok,” you spoke. “It’s ok, I just wasn’t expecting it. It’s freaky up here honestly,” he told you and you nodded despite him not being able to see you. “Are you ok?” you asked sweetly. “Yeah, I’m ok, just a bit freaked out. I’ll see you in a bit ok?” he asked and you just sighed. “Alright, We’re here if you need us at all,” you said genuinely hoping to ease his nerves. “Thanks (n/n),” that was the last you heard. 

“Are you ok?” Alex asked and pulled you closer to his side. You rested your head on his shoulder and nodded. “I’m ok, just uneasy,” you said and sighed. “I know this may sound weird, but why don't you go next?” Chelsea suggested with a small smile. You looked at her with wide eyes. “What? You want me to pee myself?” you asked in disbelief. Everyone chuckled, “No, I just thought it would be a good idea to get it over with and not have to wait and let anxiety build up even more,” She explained and you let your shoulders fall. 

“You’re probably right, it would just be easier for me to go and get it over with. Gosh, this really sucks Alex,” you said and nudged him. He kissed the top of your head and smiled down at you. 

“Can I talk to you before I go in Al?” you asked him and he looked down at you in concern. “Yeah, of course, babe,” he said and you began to get off of your seat. They all looked at you in worry. “Is everything ok,(y/n)?” Dakota asked and you just nodded. “Yeah, I just wanted to talk to him for a second. “We’ll be right back,” you said and grabbed Alex’s hand. You both set your cameras down before walking away a bit.

“Is everything ok?” Alex asked as he placed his arms around you. “I really am scared Al, what if they do recognize us and something bad happens?” you told him. “What if something grabs Chelsea if she’s in the basement or something and she gets hurt? What if one of you gets hurt? There are just so many what-ifs and I’m scared,” you relayed your fears to him. He looked down at you with a soft gaze. “Hey, hey, don’t think like that. I know you’re scared but nothing will happen. And even if something does, we have each other. All of us have each other's backs, that’s the way it’s always been and I’m sure that’s the way it will always be. So if you need to break down or fall apart, we’re right here. I’m right here,” he said and pulled you in close. 

You wrapped your arms around him and held onto him tightly not wanting to let go. “I just want us all to be ok,” you spoke softly and he leaned down to kiss your head. “We will be,” he said and pulled away from you slightly so he could look at you. 

You moved your arms up and around his neck to pull him down and place a kiss on his lips. He reached up to place a hand on your cheek and you leaned into his touch. He couldn’t help but always want you closer, he could never put his finger on it but something about you was just so endearing. Maybe it was everything?

Just like that, he made you forget where you were, and what you were about to do. He made you feel at home, and secure. That was always the case, he took the fear away even if only for a few seconds. It was just gone. 

Before you knew it you had to pull away, and for a few seconds, you felt like you could breathe. He smiled down at you and pushed a strand of hair away from your face. “Promise, you’ll be here when I get back?” you asked looking up at him with a worried gaze. “I promise you,” he reassured and kissed your forehead. “Ok, ok I’m fine,” you said trying to be sure of yourself. “You ready?” he asked and placed his arm around your shoulders. You nodded your head curtly and took a deep breath. “I’m ready,” you said and he guided you back towards your friends. 

“Hey, you ok?” Chelsea asked when you sat back down.” Yeah, I’m ok,” you smiled softly at her. Before Dakota got to speak Tanner came rushing out of the building. “Woah, Tanner are you ok?” You asked as he quickly made his way over to the table. “I just heard whistling,” he told you, you could hear the shock in his voice. “What? A whistle?” Dakota asked incredulously. “Like on the second floor, I started to hear this faint whistling. There’s no way if I didn’t have this device that I’d have heard it,” Tanner explained and your heart rate picked up. “That’s crazy, Tanner,” you expressed. Alex and Dakota let out a simultaneous ‘what?’. 

“Yes, it was the second floor,” he informed you. “That’s freaking terrifying,” Chelsea said. 

“Dude, I heard it multiple times,” He told you. “Whistling, for sure?” Dakota asked. “100%” Tanner assured him. “Like, it, enough to where it, it, froze me,” He described his experience. 

“That’s super weird because there’s supposed to be a woman, Mary, on that floor. She’s a poltergeist on that floor, she’ll move things around, and other claims are that there is raspy, like, whispering and breathing,” Alex explained some claims from that floor. “Did you go like, approach where it came from?” Dakota asked. “Fuck that,” Tanner stated and you chuckled. “I concur,” you agreed. “See, thank you,” Tanner said and gestured to you and you just nodded at him. “You didn’t go towards it?” Dakota asked again. “I am not exploring this place by myself the entire night. Someone else can take that second floor and do the follow-up,” Tanner said. “I’m proud of myself. I’m calling it quits,” he said and you just nodded. “I’m proud of you too Tanner,” you said and got up to give him a high-five. He instead wrapped his arm around your shoulder and brought you into a big side hug. “Alright, (y/n), It’s your turn. You’re next up,” Alex said and you sighed heavily. 

“This is great, I’m so excited,” you said sarcastically and threw your arms up in mock excitement. They all chuckled. “You’ve got this,” Tanner said and squeezed your shoulder. “Alright, alright fine. I’m going,” you sighed and you got handed the Ovilus. “Bye guys,” you waved and as you walked away you felt someone come up behind you. You turned around to see Alex and smiled. “What? Did I forget something?” you asked. He just leaned down and pressed his lips to yours for a few seconds before pulling away. “Just that,” he said and smiled back at you. You shook your head, “You’re too much sometimes Al, now go on, I have to get this over with,” you said and shooed him away. “If I die, I love you guys!” you called over your shoulder. “We love you too!” you heard them call back. 

“Alright guys, let’s do this,” you spoke and opened the door. 

Taglist:

@jaziona92

@beautybyfire

@thefandomthings

@kippykasey

@kristin813

@katelynanna

@nyx2021

[lunamarish]

James McNeill Whistler Arrangement in Yellow and Grey (1857) Symphony in Flesh Colour and Pink: Portrait of Mrs Frances Leyland (1871) Arrangement in Brown and Black: Portrait of Miss Rosa Corder (1876) Harmony in Pink and Grey: Lady Meux (1881)

[singeratlarge]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to The 1998 Khmer Rouge apology, Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers’s first movie FLYING DOWN TO RIO (1932), Gali Atari, Baltimore artist Eric Block, Mayor Tom Bradley, singer-songwriter Ed Bruce, Pablo Casals, Bernard Cribbins, Rick Danko, Ted Danson, Yvonne Elliman, Marianne Faithfull, Neil "Spyder" Giraldo, New Orleans clarinetist Willie Humphrey, Scott Joplin’s 1902 song “The Entertainer,” Bollywood actor Rajesh Khanna, Jude Law, Franz Liszt’s 1857 symphonic poem "Die Hunnenschlacht,” jazz-Celtic singer Laurel Massé, Clyde McCoy, Dina Merrill, Mary Tyler Moore, Matt “Guitar” Murphy, cellist-composer Kiyoshi Nobutoki, Glen Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket), Paula Poundstone, Cozy Powell, rockabilly DJ/singer-songwriter Glenn Reeves, Jim Reid, The San Francisco Symphony, Marco Antonio Solís, Barbara Steele, The Supremes’s 1965 single “My World is Empty Without You,” Ray Thomas (Moody Blues), “Billy” Tipton, Jo Van Fleet, Jon Voight, Roger Voudouris, and my friend and musical compadre “Easy” Mark Tomeo. I lack photos of Mark and I together, so I grabbed pivotal images from Mark’s fascinating career as a champion of pedal steel, resonator, and twang guitar + singer-songwriter. He was in the Grammy-nominated “New Wave cowboy” band Rubber Rodeo (shown here)—in the 80s RR played at Mabuhay Gardens in San Francisco while I just happened to be lurking nearby. The world got smaller when Mark and I met in Pennsylvania, performing and recording with Ben Kaplan, some Badlees-spinoff projects, and extensively with the band Neon Cactus. Circa 2000 I was working with Davy Jones (Monkees) on his JUSTME series of original recordings. Davy wanted a pedal steel guitarist, and I summoned Mark. Here’s “Hold Me Tight,” a Tex-Mex samba we did; the Mike Nesmith-ian arrangement was Davy’s idea: 

Meanwhile HB EMT. By the time I get to Phoenix anything can happen…

#MarkTomeo #Easy #pedal #steel #guitar #resonatorguitar #DavyJones #Monkees #Neon #Cactus #Badlees #BenKaplan #RubberRodeo #pennsylvania #phoenix #arizona #Tex-Mex #samba #Mike #Nesmith #johnnyjblair #performing #recording

[jules-has-notes]

The Sing-Off, s.4 ep.7 — Finale

And then there were three. But in the spirit of the holiday season, the show brought back all ten groups for one last hurrah. Most of this episode feels more like an old school variety show than a competition, but the individual performances from the three finalists are all excellent.

.

Group opener

It can be easy in the modern world to discount the impact that art has on people's lives. But in times of difficulty, we often turn to music for comfort and inspiration. If this version of Michael Jackson's classic anthem doesn't stir something inside you, I don't know what else to say.

Details:

title: Man in the Mirror

original performer: Michael Jackson

written by: Glen Ballard & Siedah Garrett

arranged by: The Sing-Off arrangers

air date: 23 December 2013

My favorite bits:

the gradual layering and building of complexity throughout the arrangement

featuring a few more soloists than previous opening numbers

the eliminated groups entering the upper stage-side boxes and from the audience aisles just in time for the big key change

alternating Emoni's gorgeous riffs and Austin's high "woo"s over the full chorus

ending the season as it began, with everyone together, and a well deserved standing ovation

Trivia:

Austin from Home Free was sick in the final days of the competition, and ended up whistling his vocal parts during rehearsals to preserve his singing voice for filming.

VoicePlay recorded their own version of this song eight years later, which ended up being their send-off video for J.None.

.

Order of performances

Nick Lachey & Jewel — "It Had To Be You"

AcoUstiKats — "Jingle Bell Rock" bumper

Ten & Shawn Stockman — "Joyful, Joyful" from Sister Act 2

Street Corner Renaissance — "White Christmas" bumper

The Filharmonic — "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" bumper

Pentatonix — "I Need Your Love" by Calvin Harris, feat. Ellie Goulding

Calle Sol — "Feliz Navidad" bumper

Home Free — "I Want Crazy" by Hunter Hayes

98 Degrees — "I'll Be Home For Christmas" by Bing Crosby

Princeton Footnotes — "Deck the Halls" bumper

Vocal Rush & Ben Folds — "Peace on Earth / Little Drummer Boy" by David Bowie & Bing Crosby

Element — "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" bumper

VoicePlay — "Jingle Bells" bumper

Ten — "Love On Top" by Beyoncé

Home Free & Jewel — "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" from Meet Me In St. Louis

a cappella 101 tutorial

five eliminated groups with Pat Benetar & Neil Giraldo — "We Belong"

Vocal Rush — "Roar" by Katy Perry

.

VoicePlay performance

[h/t to voiceplay_randomnness on IG for archiving this clip]

Give these guys forty seconds and a chance to riff on a classic song, and they'll give you three different musical genres that will all have you grooving in your seat.

Details:

title: Jingle Bells (commercial bumper)

original song: traditional American carol, first published as "The One Horse Open Sleigh" (1857)

written by: James Lord Pierpont

arranged by: VoicePlay

air date: 23 December 2013

My favorite bits:

staying true to their name by playing with the beats and harmonies

their outfits — The wardrobe department clearly had so much fun dressing them for every episode, and this is no exception.

Trivia:

VoicePlay have never recorded a traditional version of this song, but they've done two mashups that include it – "Bollywood Jingle Bells" on their 2012 holiday album "Peppermint Winter", and "Mission: Jingle Bells" as a promotional tie-in for the home media release of "Mission Impossible: Fallout" in 2018.

.

A Cappella 101 segment

Nick and the other judges may have poked fun at Ben for his vocabulary, but music does have a lot of specific technical terminology and jargon. (Props to Chris Rupp for actually offering one serious answer among the jokes.) A little wordplay never hurt anybody, though.

.

Tour announcement

I couldn't find a clip from the broadcast episode, but this promo video seems pretty legitimate.

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Group performance

If there was one consistent theme for the whole season, it could be expressed by one line from this song: "We belong together." Dozens of talented singers coming together to create beautiful harmonies and rhythms are sure to brighten someone's day. This performance certainly puts a smile on my face.

Details:

title: We Belong

original performer: Pat Benetar

written by: David Eric Lowen & Dan Navarro

arranged by: The Sing-Off arrangers

air date: 23 December 2013

My favorite bits:

all five groups starting with traditional a cappella phonations that replicate instrumental sounds

building to a powerful backing chorus

the percussive stomping and clapping in the final section

everybody leaning in for hugs at the end

Trivia:

VoicePlay were a little starstruck performing with one of the biggest pop stars of their childhoods.

Several of the competitors joked on social media during the broadcast about Neil Giraldo bringing an instrument into an explicitly a cappella show.

.

And the winner is…

Congratulations, Home Free!

.

With VoicePlay mostly being in the boxes or in the middle of big groups for this episode, we didn't get a great look at their full outfits, which is a shame. Luckily, they uploaded a bunch of backstage photos to their Facebook page.

VoicePlay's stalwart sound guy Paul and his mom were in the audience for the finale.

Vocal Rush's videographer shot some wandering videos of the post-finale party with competitors and crew members, as well as some friends and family. VoicePlay can be seen mostly in the background of the second video.

[rivstyx]

woe, characters be upon ye

massive thanks to @juiceofthebox44 for the most amazing commission art ever!! it was a wonderful experience. go check out its pinned post and throw money at her

image transcriptions below the cut!

Image 1:

Mary Anne “Annie” Ogden she/her Born May 7, 1842, Chattanooga, TN Died Sept 4, 1876 (34) Deadwood, SD Cause of death: Hanging Life occupation: Nurse Museum occupation: Sharpshooter mini Gender: Woman/Sexuality: Pansexual Kill count: 7 Good memory: Splitting her first bullseye out on the firing range with her father Bad memory: Skipping town in the dead of night to escape an arranged marriage Favorite food: Chicken soup Least favorite food: Raw carrots Curse of choice: Shit Annie Ogden is a cheerful woman with a disposition as fiery as her hair and a past as speckled as her freckled cheeks. She’s clever, self-assured, and stubborn as they come; rumor has it she once beat a trophy head in a staring contest. She firmly believes that a rule is only worth following as long as it helps somebody. Her experience with first aid has made her indispensable to the clumsier residents of the West, and years of experience has honed her instincts to a razor edge - if a bar fight breaks out, she’ll be the first to know, and you had better hope she’s on your side when she does. The speed and accuracy of her mind is only rivaled by her weapon: a Whitworth long range rifle, taken from the corpse of a Confederate sniper. 

Image 2:

Jane Lee Leung she/her Born February 10, 1862, San Francisco, CA Died January 22, 1900 (37) Sacramento, CA Cause of death: Plague Life occupation: Laundress Museum occupation: Barkeep mini Gender: Butch/Sexuality: Lesbian Kill count: 0 Good memory: Listening to the railroad workers tell stories around the fire at night Bad memory: Narrowly surviving a building collapse in an earthquake Favorite food: Homemade potstickers Least favorite food: Shrimp Curse of choice: Fuck Jane Leung is an even-keeled butch who serves up dry cocktails and an even drier wit. Born to a Chinese rail worker father, she doesn't mind living in the Western diorama; the clamor and chaos reminds her of home. Besides, it takes a lot more than rowdy cowboys to scare her.  Her take-no-shit attitude might make her seem aloof, but she's the most loyal friend you could ever hope for - she's always ready with a listening ear and solid advice. She spends her days slinging bottom-shelf liquor and keeping her finger on the pulse of the town gossip. There are some benefits to running the only saloon.

Image 3:

Born December 1, 1849, Nauvoo, IL Died August 6, 1878 (28) Utah Territory  Cause of death: Sunstroke Life occupation: Cattle hand Museum occupation: Cowboy mini Gender: Nonbinary man/Sexuality: Bisexual Kill count: 0 Good memory: Watching the stars on a clear summer night, surrounded by fireflies Bad memory: Running away from home at 16  Favorite food: Pork and beans Least favorite food: Beef liver  Curse of choice: Damn Luke Maitland is a laid-back redhead who loves kids, the outdoors, and adventures, though he really doesn’t get along with the sun. You can usually find him hanging around the bar, losing at cards and being terrible at darts. Though luck is hardly ever on his side, he never lets that stop him from trying, and he always keeps a sunny disposition even when things are at their darkest. He would hardly call himself an angel, though; he can hold his own against the Romans, and he definitely holds his fair share of grudges against them. He’s a gentle soul, though. He loves his partner, Micah, more than anything – except their kids, Maria and Max, of course. 

Image 4:

Micah Rios Hernandez he/him Born July 8, 1857, San Antonio, TX Died October 12, 1886 (29) southern Texas Cause of death: Mine collapse Life occupation: Coal miner Museum occupation: Cowboy mini Gender: Nonbinary man/Sexuality: Gay Kill count: 0 Good memory: Learning to swim in the lake near his childhood home Bad memory: Nearly drowning in the lake near his childhood home Favorite food: Oranges Least favorite food: Eggs Curse of choice: Shit Micah Rios is a longsuffering Tejano man with two bad habits: smoking and falling in love far too easily. He’s borne witness to a lot of strange things in his life, so nothing really phases him anymore – not even living in a history museum a century and a quarter in the future. He’s often serious and quiet, though he’ll always volunteer to help if someone needs it. He just prefers to stay in the background. When it comes to fighting the Romans, though, it’s good to remember that it’s always the quiet ones you have to look out for. When he isn’t kicking Roman ass, he prefers to spend his time hanging out in Leung’s Bar with Luke, his partner, and their kids, Max and Maria. 

Image 5:

The Twins aka The Seedlings aka Maria Jane Ogden Rios Maitland she/her and Maximiliano Isaiah Ogden Rios Maitland he/him Maria and Max Rios Maitland are twins who are joined at the hip in every way but literal. Maria is bouncy, outspoken, and passionate about her friends, while her brother is softer, shyer, and highly opinionated about what’s right and wrong. Like all siblings, they have their ups and downs, but they always resolve it in the end; the fact that they share a bed probably helps. When they aren’t in school or out playing with their friends, they can be found drawing on any available surface. They’re proof that a family doesn’t have to be conventional - sometimes, a family is a little boy, a little girl, their two gay dads, and the lesbians whose bar they all live on top of. 

[scotianostra]

June 30th 1857 saw the beginning of the trial of Madeleine Smith for murder.

It was labelled as the ‘crime of the century’, and even now, 163 years on, the Madeleine Smith murder case continues to fascinate criminologists and forensic experts around the world.

Accused of poisoning her lover, Pierre Emile L’Angelier,- and with a clear motive to do so - the authorities could have very easily thrown the key away. But instead she got away Scot-free. Opinion remains divided over her innocence to this day.

As a 20-year-old in 1855 she began a secret affair with Pierre Emile L'Angelier, an apprentice nurseryman from the Channel Islands. The two met late at night at Smith’s bedroom window and wrote passionate letters to each other, which would become evidence against her.

During one of their infrequent meetings alone, Smith lost her virginity to L'Angelier.

However her parents, unaware of the affair with L'Angelier, whom Smith had promised to marry, arranged for a fiancé for her within their upper-middle class community. He was William Minnoch.

Desperate now, Smith attempted to break her connection with L'Angelier and, in February 1857, asked him to return the letters she had written to him. Instead, he threatened to expose her in an attempt to force her to marry him.

Early in the morning of 23 March 1857 L'Angelier died from arsenic poisoning. And after Smith’s numerous letters were found in his lodging house she was arrested and charged with his murder.

It emerged that she had been spotted in a druggist ordering arsenic, signing for it as MH Smith.

Early in the morning of 23 March 1857, L'Angelier died from arsenic poisoning. After Smith’s numerous letters were found in his lodging house, she was arrested and charged with murder.

Despite this, and evidence that she had signed for the deadly doses of arsenic as MH Smith – Hamilton was her middle name – the jury of her peers, middle class, returned a not-proven verdict.

There has been a number of books written on the subject, and there’s a no shortage of articles online about the Madeleine Smith case, here is an article at the link below asking if she was guilty.....