#2007 Canadian Nationals

[figureskatingcostumes]

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir skating their original dance at the 2007 Canadian National Championships and, with a different flower, at the 2007 World Championships. Their music was Luis Bacalov's Assassination Tango.

(Sources: 1 and 2)

[aryburn-trains]

Amtrak P42DC #54 leads the eastbound Maple Leaf through Stuart Street Yard in Hamilton, ON. October 21, 2007

[theresattrpgforthat]

Canada, Truth & Reconciliation, & Indigenous Games

Hello friends,

Today (September 30th) is the National Day of Truth & Reconciliation in Canada. It is a very recent holiday in this country, and it’s also very important to me. I want to spend some time today telling you about it, and then (since this is a ttrpg blog) directing you to some indigenous storytellers and designers that deserve a spotlight for various reasons.

I am not Indigenous. This information is a collection of knowledge that I have gained through university coursework, personal research I've undertaken, and relationships I've cultivated with indigenous friends who have taken pains to educate me and highlight how these issues have personally affected them. I am aware that the summary I'm providing is incomplete, and there may be elements that I don't fully understand the implications of.

If you are Indigenous, please keep in mind that this post may recall some painful and personal moments of history for you. Proceed with caution. The shout-outs to indigenous creators can be found after the heading “The Storytellers.”

The Truth.

Canada has been engaged in a cultural genocide of its indigenous peoples since European settlers started the colonization of the country. This genocide had many avenues, including the creation of the Indian Act, the relocation of many Indigenous peoples to restricted Reserves, and a disturbing trend of missing and murdered Indigenous women. For the purposes of today however, I’m going to stick to just talking about Residential Schools, and the impact they had on Indigenous families and their children.

Residential schools were designed to “kill the Indian” and “save the child”, in the words of John A Macdonald, the prime minister who authorized their creation. They were designed to sever Indigenous children from their culture and raise them in a Christian, colonial context. These residential schools were harsh, forbidding Indigenous children to speak their mother tongues, cutting their hair, and forcing them to learn skills considered “useful”, in the language of the colonizer, away from their parents. The schools were also hotbeds of abuse. Alarming numbers of children fell ill and died at these schools - the death toll to this day is unknown. From April 1, 1920 to some time in the 1990’s, residential school attendance was mandatory for Indigenous children from the ages of 7 to 16.

The Sixties’ Scoop is a reference to a mass kidnapping of Indigenous children in the 1950’s and 60’s, who were forcibly removed from their homes and “adopted” into non-Indigenous families. While the last residential school in Canada closed in 1997, Indigenous children still make up over 50% of all children in private foster care, despite only accounting for just over 7% of all children under age 15 in Canada.

The Reconciliation.

Reconciliation is a goal prompted by Indigenous groups and elders. It is a choice that promotes "balance and harmony," a way of life that encourages coexistence, according to the words of one residential school survivor, Hereditary Chief, Dr. Robert Joseph.

In 2007, The Indian Residential Schools Settlement came into effect, offering compensation to survivors of many residential schools.

In 2008, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada was officially launched, intended to be a guide for the Canadian government to help establish lasting reconciliation. This commission was a way to formalize a method of collecting data, and it also had the responsibility of developing a list of recommendations for the country of Canada to follow, in the goal of pursuing a relationship between the Indigenous peoples of Canada and the government of Canada.

In 2007, Cindy Blackstock, a First Nations (Gitxsan) activist launched a court case against the Canadian government, for under-funding social services provided to children living on First Nations reservations. This was in regards to Jordan’s Principle, a child-first Canadian policy that is meant to ensure that First Nations children have equal access to all government funded public services as other Canadian children. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission made the respect of Jordan’s Principle one of its 94 Calls to Action for the Canadian government.

The Canadian Human Rights Tribunal became involved in 2016, when they found more alleged breaches of the Canadian Human Rights Act in regards to Jordan’s Principle. As of September this year, the Federal Government is still attempting to dismiss human rights complaints regarding the use (or, in fact, neglect) of Jordan’s Principle.

Canada’s history of residential schools and use of the foster care system has grievously wounded Indigenous families and children. The disruption of family life and the forcible removal of children from their culture has created legacies of loneliness, pain, and suicide. Indigenous people today can trace their own familial wounds to the legacy of residential schools and the lack of resources provided to them from the government. The National Day of Truth and Reconciliation is a day to remember this legacy and provide a space for education, but it isn’t enough.

You can learn more about this day and the history behind it by visiting the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation Website.

You can also watch this 18-minute Youtube video about Residential Schools, or We Can’t Make the Same Mistake Twice, a free 2 & 1/2 hour documentary about Blackstock's continuous fight regarding caring for children using Jordan’s Principle.

I also recommend 21 Things You May Not Know About The Indian Act, by Mary-Ellen Kelm and Keith D. Smith, which breaks down some of the key elements of the Indian Act for everyday person.

So, how do we connect this to ttrpgs?

When it comes to the milestones that have been achieved in Canadian history, those milestones have been made because we listened to Indigenous voices. The recommendations made by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that have been followed are having real and positive effects for Indigenous peoples in Canada. Listening to the stories of Residential School survivors has been integral to the processes recommended and undertaken by the Canadian government.

We need Indigenous stories. We need Indigenous storytellers.

The Storytellers

Coyote & Crow.

Coyote & Crow Games is a tabletop games publisher, primarily focused on the tabletop roleplaying game, Coyote & Crow. This is a world and game whose design team is fully Indigenous, from various First Nations people groups across North America. Coyote & Crow is a futuristic game about a land untouched by colonization, a land changed by a series of climate events that have changed the geographical and social landscape. It involves supernatural powers, a completely unique form of civil organization, and a unique d12 dice pool system

In a recent update, Connor Alexander, as the face of Coyote & Crow, announced some business decisions that include a creation of a consultant branch of the company, to provide professional consultation services for other creative endeavours that are looking to include Indigenous Representation in games.

What I love most about Coyote and Crow is that it’s a world where Indigenous creators have been given full reign over the ways they are represented in the fiction, and it provides a unique social and political imagining of society that pulls from many First Nations cultures. It’s refreshing, it’s exciting, and it provides a lot of guidance for non-Indigenous players so that they can engage with the world in a way that’s respectful.

Wendigo Workshop

This is a small team based in Quebec, Canada. I’m not entirely sure whether the team is fully Indigenous, but there are Indigenous creators as part of the team.

Currently the Workshop is working on a number of different games, including… Anomaly Hunters; a monster hunting ttrpg built on the Breathless SRD. Arkelon Chronicles; a science-fantasy ttrpg surrounding the discovery of an Alien ruin. Last Hope; a Caltrop Core game about magical girls fighting to protect the world while balancing their student lives.

Bramble Wolf Games

@sahonithereadwolf is an Indigenous creator based in Appalachia looking to make games that mean something. I found out about him through his game Exceptionals, a game about community, activism and kinetic eye beams. It’s inspired heavily by X-Men, but instead of telling superhero stories, it’s more about the fostering of a community outside of the systems created and enforced by colonial governments.

Sahoni is also currently working on a game called Protect the Sacred, a game inspired by Indiana Jones, but focused on the protection and preservation of monsters and artifacts in the interests of the cultures that have been stolen from by colonial powers. The game is about your relationship to your culture, and resistance to fascism - and you can get sneak peeks to this game through Sahoni’s Patreon.

Both Protect the Sacred and Exceptionals involve character creation that requires players to answer questions about who they are, what they do, and how they affect the community around them. They both recognize the community around you as integral to your success, and I think that this point of view is such an important concept to consider when using games as an art form that can expand your social imagination.

Also...

There is a consultancy service in Alberta, Canada called Pe Matawe Consulting, which is not focused specifically on ttrpgs, but does provide consulting for various creative endeavours. They provide consulting services as well as workshops, with the goal of providing a broader understanding of Indigenous culture and folklore.

[jeynearrynofthevale]

I was interested in the 4 Nations rosters and how much various draft classes were represented. So, I put some data in excel and checked.

There are 92 players on the rosters for the tournament. There is only one undrafted player participating, Kevin Lankinen (Finnish). The youngest player on any roster is Leo Carlsson (Swedish) who was drafted in 2023. The oldest player on any roster is Sidney Crosby (Canadian) who was drafted in 2005. So, there is an 18 year difference between the oldest and youngest player in the tournament.

The most represented draft class at this tournament, to the surprise of no one, is 2015. There are a whopping 16 players drafted in 2015 named to the tournament rosters. The only other draft class with double digits participants is 2014.

The 2007, 2021, 2022, and 2024 drafts are all unrepresented with 0 participants. And of course, no draft class prior to 2005 is represented.

Canada's most represented draft class is 2015 with 6 draftees on the roster.

Finland's most represented draft class is 2017 with 5 draftees on the roster.

Sweden's most represented draft class is 2014 with 4 draftees on the roster.

USA's most represented draft classes are 2014 and 2015 with 4 draftees from each class on the roster.

[yourdailyqueer]

Norval Morrisseau (deceased)

Gender: Male

Sexuality: Bisexual

DOB: 14 March 1932  

RIP: 4 December 2007

Ethnicity: First Nation (Ojibwe)

Nationality: Canadian

Occupation: Artist

Note: Widely regarded as the grandfather of contemporary Indigenous art in Canada

[rjzimmerman]

Good story from Yale Environment 360, without a paywall (I think), about beavers, public land, wildfires, endangered species, the largest beaver dam in the world, the degradation of that land and the large pond behind the dam due to the tar sands mining activity in the vicinity. In other words, a microcosm of all the bad stuff and good stuff intersecting in one place in Canada. Excerpt from this story:

Wood Buffalo National Park, the largest national park in Canada, covers an area the size of Switzerland and stretches from Northern Alberta into the Northwest Territories. Only one road enters it from Alberta, and one from the NWT. If not for people observing it from airplanes and helicopters, and satellites photographing it, little would be known about big parts of it. The park is a variety of landscapes — boreal swamps, fens, bogs, black spruce forests, salt flats, gypsum karst, permafrost islands, and prairies that extend the continent’s central plains to their northern limit. The wood buffalo in the park’s name are bison related to the Great Plains bison. In this remoteness, the buffalo descend from the original population, and the wolves that prey on them are also the wild originals. Millions of birds summer and breed here. The park holds one of the last remaining breeding grounds of the whooping crane.

Other superlatives and near-superlatives: the delta in the park’s southeast where the Peace River and the Athabasca River come together is one of the largest freshwater deltas in the world; last summer, some of Canada’s largest forest fires burned in the park and around it; and — just inside the park’s southern border — is the largest beaver dam in the world.

The dam is about a half-mile long and in the shape of an arc made of connected arcs, like a recurve bow. The media has known about it for 16 years, and in that time no bigger beaver dam has come to light, so it’s still known as the biggest, and scientists believe it almost certainly is. Animal technology created it, but human technology revealed it.

Many of the beavers that have reestablished themselves globally are descended from beavers that were planted by wildlife biologists. The thriving beaver population of Tierra del Fuego (another place Thie has studied) is descended from beavers brought to Argentina from Canada’s Saskatchewan River, who are themselves scions of beavers transplanted from upstate New York. No reintroduction of beavers was done in Wood Buffalo Park. Thie believes that the beavers who built the dam are of original stock. Like the wood buffalo and the wolves, they were too remote to be wiped out.

The park is suffering the worst drought in its history. Flows are down by half in many places, owing to climate change, water diversion, poor seasonal snowpack, and dams on the Peace River, upstream in British Columbia. A danger that seems inescapable comes from the oil sands that are being mined for crude-oil-containing bitumen, and from tailing ponds that hold trillions of liters of mine-contaminated water. The ponds are near the banks of the Athabasca River, just upstream from the park boundary. They are fatal to birds that land on them. Given the direction that water flows, conservationists and native people fear the tailings will pollute the park eventually. Toxic chemicals have already been found in McClelland Lake, just southeast of the park. Locals stopped taking their drinking water from the lake years ago.

Gillian Chow-Fraser, the boreal program manager for the Northern Alberta chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, in Edmonton, travels in the park often by helicopter, canoe, and foot. She has described the park’s environment as “super degraded.” When I spoke with her by phone not long ago, she talked about a recent tailing basin leak that was not reported to the First Nations downstream of it for nine months. In places that used to flood regularly but now don’t, the land is drying out and vegetation disappearing. Though she crisscrosses the park, she has never seen the world’s largest beaver dam, but she’s grateful that it’s there and bringing the park attention.

[sparklingcurepeace]

Cartoons from my childhood pt. 1

In no particular order, I thought it might be fun to share the titles of old cartoons I would watch every now and then to pass time. Sometimes DVDs my mother bought in a store near her workplace, if my memory is correct. Other times, it would be shows I'd find on channels that I could never quite recall the name of or those Saturday morning type cartoons. Actually, let's count Netflix in there, too! Some of these are gonna be a bit vague cause I remember them, but I don't recall how much I actually WATCHED.

You might know them, or you might not, but this could be a way to discover if anyone else ever watched these! I'm trying to go for the more "obscure" cartoons so i won't mention every possible thing. Might include movies, too. I will probably dedicate a post based on Qubo and PBS kids' shows as well :).

Scruff (yr.2000)

Pocket Dragon Adventures (yr.1998)

Kimba the White Lion– the Canadian (?) Dub (yr.1965)

Chucklewood Critters (yr.1998)

Dot and the Whale (yr.1986)

Thumbelina: A Magical Story (yr.1992)

Dinosquad (yr.2007)

Spider riders (yr. 2006)

Horseland (yr. 2006)

Voltron: Defender of the Universe (yr. 1984)

Oswald (yr.2001)

Krypto the Super Dog (yr. 2005)

Cubix (yr. 2001)

Magi Nation (yr. 2007)

Sonic Underground (yr. 1999)

I think that's all for now since I am choosing to keep some titles off the list. If I remember any worth sharing, I will add.

[cypher2]

2023 Women's World Cup records

In addition to breaking numerous worldwide social media and viewing records, the 2023 Women's World Cup set and broke a number of unique tournament records as well. The players and teams that participated in this WWC should all feel extremely proud for the history they have made. Their performances continue to show the world that these athletes are capable of so much more than they are ever fully recognized for.

First team from their nation to qualify for a men’s or women’s senior FIFA tournament: Vietnam WNT 8 nations had their debuts for first time appearing in a FIFA women’s World Cup: Haiti, Portugal, Zambia, Vietnam, The Philippines, Republic of Ireland, Morocco, and Panama. Canadian midfielder Quinn starts for Canada and becomes the first non-binary athlete to play at a FIFA World Cup.

Christine Sinclair (Canada) and Marta (Brazil) become the 3rd and 4th players in history to appear in 6 World Cup competitions men or women, with Homare Sawa (Japan) and Onome Zeno (Nigeria) being the other two. The player with the record for most world cup appearances in history remains Brazil’s Formiga, the only player to compete in 7 world cups (men or women).

Kristine Lilly still holds the record for most WC appearances by men or women with 30 games played - a record set and held since 2007. Followed by Formiga with 27 as of 2019 and Lionel Messi with 26 as of 2022. Brazil’s Marta still holds the all time leading record for most goals scored across all World Cup competitions with 17 goals in 23 appearances across 6 tournaments.

Zambia’s Lushomo Mweemba scores the fastest goal of this year’s tournament in group stage at 2min 11 sec, also marking Zambia’s first ever world cup goal in their debut. The fastest goal in a FIFA Women’s World Cup has stood for over 30 years - it remains the goal scored by Lena Videkull of Sweden, who scored after just 30 seconds against Japan in the inaugural 1991 tournament. Zambia’s Barbra Banda scores the 1000th goal in WWC history. Nouhaila Benzina of Morocco becomes the first Women’s World Cup player to wear a hijab.

Ary Borges of Brazil scores a hat trick in her WWC debut and the first hat trick of the tournament. First Caribbean nation to reach the round of 16 in WWC history - Jamaica First Arab nation to qualify for a WWC and reach the round of 16 in WWC history - Morocco Of the eight debutants, Morocco was the only one to advance to the round of 16. Two teams reached the round of 16 having conceded no goals so far in the tournament- Japan and Jamaica.

First time four African nations have been represented at a WWC with three of them qualifying for the knock out stage at this years competition - South Africa, Morocco, and Nigeria. 3 of the 4 African nations appearing in this year’s WWC all finished 2nd in their groups (Morocco, South Africa, and Nigeria). The US suffered its earliest elimination in WWC history, getting knocked out in the round of 16. The U.S. has never finished below 3rd place in all previous editions of the competition. Sweden’s Zećira Mušović sets a new record for most saves in any WWC 2023 game with 11 saves vs the US in the round of 16.

First manager to lead two different nations to a World Cup final (Netherlands and England)- Sarina Wiegman First goalkeeper to take and convert a PK in a WWC penalty shootout - Alyssa Naeher

Golden ball (best overall player of the tournament) - Aitana Bonmatí Silver ball - Jenni Hermoso Bronze ball - Amanda Ilestedt Golden boot (most goals scored in the tournament) - Hinata Miyazawa (5 goals) Silver boot - Kadidiatou Diani Bronze boot - Alexandra Popp Golden glove (best goalkeeper of the tournament) - Mary Earps

FIFA young player award (best player of the tournament under 21 years old) - Salma Paralluelo FIFA fair play award (team with best record of fair play during the tournament) - Japan Best mascot of the tournament (unofficial) - Waru Longest penalty shootout in World Cup history (20 penalties taken) - Australia vs France quarter final

The 2023 competition was hosted by Australia and New Zealand, making it the first edition to be held in the Southern Hemisphere, the first Women's World Cup to be hosted by two countries, and the first FIFA senior competition for either men or women to be held across two confederations (Asia and Oceanic).

First edition of the women’s tournament to feature an expansion to 32 teams and 64 matches, and largest women’s sporting event in history with 32 teams and 736 players. Only team to play all matches (group stage + knockout) undefeated with a 6-0-0 record - England All 4 previous winner nations (US, Germany, Norway, and Japan) were eliminated before the semifinal stage, marking the first time this has happened in the competition’s history.

For the first time in its 32 year and 9 tournament history, the WWC has a new champion (Spain) and new runner up (England) in 2023, with both nations never having made it to the final stage before. Only the 2nd nation in history to win both a men’s and women’s World Cup - Spain Top scoring country at the 2023 WWC - Spain with 18 goals First time a senior English football team has made it to a WC final in 6 decades - England WNT

First time advancing past quarterfinals in their WWC history and first host nation to advance to semifinals in 20 years - Australia placed 4th place for best in all 8 WWC competitions they’ve participated in and broke attendance records through all stages of the tournament, with an overall stadium attendance across all matches at 1.978 million. More than 1.5 million tickets were sold for the WWC, surpassing the entire tournament’s projected target in the first 5 days alone.

Two attendance records were broken for both host nations on day one of the WWC - largest crowd ever for a men’s or women’s football game in New Zealand (42,137) and largest crowd ever for a women’s football game in Australia (75,784).

Brazil's opening match v Panama was simulcast live on TV Globo and SporTV, delivering a combined audience of 13.9 million viewers - higher than any audience in the territory during the 2007, 2011, and 2015 WWC. China v England produced the highest audience for a single match, reaching 53.9 million viewers, becoming the highest in any global market so far. 17.15 million people tuned into the Australia v England semifinal cumulatively across Channel 7, Optus Sport, venues, and live-sites, comprising approx 64% of the entire Australian population - the biggest television event not just in any sport in the country, but in Australia’s television history.

The record for highest single match attendance still remains the 1999 WWC final between the US and China with 90,185 in attendance - a number that hasn’t been reached since the men’s tournament at the 1994 WC final between Italy and Brazil at 94,194.

The largest 2023 attendances were at Stadium Australia in Sydney, which saw four capacity-crowd fixtures, including Australia's opening win over Republic of Ireland and the final between Spain and England. The crowd of 75,784 was a record home audience for a women's football match in Australia and the third largest individual crowd attendance in Women's World Cup history. Over 50% of all matches had near sell out or at stadium capacity with a total of 1,977,824 fans in attendance at the 64 games in total, setting a new record for highest overall attendance in Women’s World Cup history across all 9 editions of the tournament. Highest grossing Women’s World Cup in history with a revenue of over half a billion dollars ($570 million), surpassing the projected revenue estimate by $100 million.

[kimingyuslover]

YOU WERE (ARE) BEAUTIFUL

synopsis : their relationship getting harder to the point that they decided to break up for their own sakes, but fate have another plan, they met again after they debuted as idols.

profiles : ricky, when i catch you ricky (young and rich, tall and handsome, charisma boss baby + minions)

previous episode | masterlist | next episode

@ rickyhater & @ traumaticrizzy a.k.a Ricky Shen : 04L, friends with riize's anton, TOZ's haruto, evnne's yunseo & seungeon, enhypen's jungwon

we call them, the minions.

the oldest minion is, of course, our lovely father Kim Jiwoong, who was born in 1998. He's an actor too, probably a vampire (@ sluttyman)

the second one is our beloved leader, Sung hanbin, who was born in 2001 and a social butterfly because he literally knows everyone (@ ddungjjungham)

third, he's one of the baby girlz members, Zhanghao, who's born in 2000, can play violin, piano, and he got a teacher certificate (@ sassymf)

fourth, we have Seok Matthew, who's born in 2002. He's the canadian buff man who is a gym bro but also a cutie patootie (@ gymbros)

fifth, another baby girlz member, Kim Taerae, who's born in 2002. he's the sassy church oppa, and he has that deep, sweet voice (@ mothertaeraesa)

sixth, Kim Gyuvin, who's born in 2004. he's basically ricky's bff but he won't admit it. Poor gyuv (@ mangopin)

seventh, Park Gunwook, who was born in 2005, the honorary member of baby girlz, he looks tough but inside he just a pookie (@ gunwookiepookie)

eighth, Han Yujin, who's born in 2007, the loveable maknae, nation's son!!! everybody wants him to be their child (@ ppoddori)

ఇ ◝‿◜ ఇ – ς(>‿<. ) – ఇ ◝‿◜ ఇ – ς(>‿<. ) – ఇ◝‿◜

taglist (open) : @kaynunu @vash-yuu @mimisamisasa @whippedforbeomgyu @xiaoquanquans @lonelyladyghost @s4turnb1tch @marvelfanatic4life @honeywonuu

[ask-the-characters-blogshow]

Characters that you can ask with! East Coast Sparky's/Elizabeth Doloras Universe:

Garrett Altman (21) - is a quick-witted math student living in Maine with his parents Vanessa Altman (nee Pendle) and William “Bill” Altman, Garrett is the leader among his friend because he was the oldest of them all. Garrett is determined to make his father proud, Garrett is quick witted solves every equation and math thing that’s why Kenneth Kirby hired him for the Westview branch of Sparky’s after Kennteh saw him and his friends in a career day exhibit at the Lacome Stadium in North Carolina. Garrett has been pining on Pomni but there’s one person who is jealous of Pomni - his other friend Zoey Toadstool. Garrett has a stepsister from his father’s second wife Alma Altman named Giullia Marie.

Zoey Toadstool (17) -  is the black sheep of the friends of Garrett, growing up without a mother, because she never met her since she was born, Zoey was technically an orphan after her father Douglas Toadstool was arrested for driving under the influence, Zoey feeling sad for the loss of her both parents, Zoey took meds and bottling up her emotions, then became hostile towards her boss, Grenola himself, and advicing him to do the same thing as she did for herself, after Nola’s own trauma of Chuck Atwood/RJ Schmidt despite Chuck is being in jail since 2007. Zoey and Garrett remained friends even though Zoey is a bit different than his other friends. Zoey almost got herself expelled after hurting a teacher by words, but Pomni shielded her. Zoey is currently living in Heathever, Georgia alone with her hound dog named Elvie, named after Elvis. 

Pomni Taxinoff (Помні Таксинофф) (20) -  Pomni is a Ukrainian woman who lives in Menken, Maryland with her mother Marsha Taxinoff, father Olig Taxinoff and maternal grandma Alyna Zylinskiy. Pomni’s parents immigrated from Ukraine to United State to have a better life after her parents was on the run from USSR officers, she was born in 1989 right before her parents are on the run for betraying the nation’s rule, Marsha knowing wanted the safety of her daughter against USSR officers went to United States in 1990, to live a normal life, then USSR collapsed in 1991, when Pomni was two years old. Pomni is crafty and shy one in the group of new employees of the East Coast branch of Westview. And she was in love with Lincoln Miller-Chien despite Garrett having a crush on her. And Pomni according to Garrett is “most lovely woman that her touch is felt like a tulip petal on a spring day”. Pomni likes animals, especially her favorite, the sea otter and her favorite foods are borscht and ice cream. 

Albert “Al” Wartwhiz (20) -  Al was the bulky one in the group of the new Westview branch of Sparky’s, he currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts, Al was a son of a former soldier Naveen Wartwhiz and a gumbo restaurant owner Tiana Wartwhiz, Al grow up in a close-knit black family who cares about values of kindness and loyalty, when he met Garrett, Al and Garrett became close friends despite of their races being different to another. Al is the resourceful on the food sources for Sparky’s, despite being a vegetarian.

Lincoln Hal Jordan Jeremy “Lincoln”  Miller-Chien (19) -  Lincoln Miller-Chien is the “chief of tech” among Garrett’s friends, he is Hong Kongese-Canadian, the son of the single father William Thomas Fred “Willy” Miller-Chien, Lincoln grew up in Palo Alto but he moved to New Jersey with his dad for a new leaf for education and meet Garrett and his friends, Lincoln was a huge tech whiz since 8, and he was really bad at biology that he treated Al like his BFF and Lincoln also was Giulia’s favorite among her stepbrother’s group of friends. Lincoln also likes to make small computer out of his father’s old computers for reducing e-waste.

Elizabeth Doloras (27) -  a Latina-American woman who works as the new security guard at Sparky's, a well-known ice cream parlor in San Fransisco bay started in 1938 by two Japanese couple who wants to set foot on the United States, Elizabeth, commonly known as Betsy was  Nina Doloras (nee Adormidera) and Hector Doloras’ eldest daughter, Elizabeth had a cat named Alex and 2 younger siblings named: Johnny (6) and Abby (2) and had an elder brother named Zachary (37)

Elizabeth’s love interest is Claude Gauza, her childhood friend, and Elizabeth was hired by K&A Hiring LLC to investigate some mysterious disappereances of kids in New Kansas City, Missouri. But little does she know that her life will turn upside down to the all supernatural and paranormal experiences will she had to face.

Claude Gauza (31) -  an American-British man who was also a bi, is the childhood friend of Betsy, they been on together since 3, and they stick together even Claude has a crush on another girl - Grenola Robinson, Claude was always this last kid left out when he is in elementary. Claude is the son of Mrs. Eva Gauza, a proud single mother who raised Claude without even knowing his father was - Claude had always looked up to Mr. Hector Doloras as his father figure, since Claude didn’t have a biological father, Claude’s lacking of a real dad led him to meet his love interest slash best friend Elizabeth Doloras.

Thomas Hamilton (22) - is a bisexual man who likes football and Air Supply, he is claude’s first ever friend after Betsy, Thomas is Gerrit Burr’s boyfriend and Thomas is skilled writer and he wrote only 4 books before. Thomas is an orphan who was adopted by Nora and Samuel Hamilton, a realtor and a former security guard respectively. 

Gerrit “Gerry” Burr (24) -  is a gay man who was Betsy’s friend at her past work at a hospital as a janitor, he is a storage manager, he came out as gay at the age of 23 in secret. Gerrit was the son of  Kevin and Ashley Burr, the co-founders of the K&A Hiring LLC, Gerry was in the closet for most of his life until he met Thomas, the love of his life. Gerry likes to put bacon on his sundae, because he like the texture of it. He and thomas are inseparable.

Allegra Akeeni (27) -  is the former high school bully of Elizabeth Doloras, now a frenemy of Elizabeth’s. Allegra was the daughter of the Gusqlo, California mayor Aundre Akeeni and the D-list model Ashley Akeeni (nee Maison-au-Canard), Allegra once dated Claude, until second grade college, when Claude broke up with her after she spread bad rumors about Grenola, Claude’s crush back in the day. Allegra is a makeup model for the New Jersey-based brand Westmend, despite being rich - Allegra is morally grey, she is sometimes nice to Claude and also Allegra’s the reason Elizabeth is jealous to Grenola, Allegra is mostly remembered as a mean girl to Betsy’s life, calling poor Elizabeth Doloras “Lizzie” instead of Betsy, but Allegra put her past behind her and made amends with Betsy, for now - they’re frenemies. 

Janise San Juanita (early 20s) -  is a really nice Latina woman and Betsy’s co-worker at Sparky’s, Janise wanted to have a kid but her infertility prevents her from having one, so Janise was attached by one of the kids who’s keeps on coming back to Sparky’s,Samson Leith, a kid with extremely high intelligence 

Logan Adams (23) -  is one of Thomas’s friend in the queer community and also a former bully, he is bi just like Thomas, but Logan is more attracted to girls just like Claude, and one thing about Logan is that he likes to paint and his idols were Georgia O’Keefe, Frida Kahlo and Margaret Keane, Logan is also caring and kind to his grandpa, Timely Adams, who raised him when he was a baby. Logan doesn’t have a girlfriend yet. But he wants to have someone to be with forever. He tried to date Allegra Akeeni but failed, Allegra just flatout broke up with him after 4 months of seemingly loving but toxic relationship.

Reina Kate Gauza (22) - Reina is Claude’s non- binary sibling, and uses they/them pronouns, they are a smart but shy person, they like to dance, paint but they are terrible at painting, Reina is also the child of Eva Gauza, being non-binary makes Reina’s life even more challenge, since they had to face some really bad things about them, but Reina is proud to have Claude as their brother. Reina likes to dye their hair in pastel colors, since Reina really loves the show “Care Bears”. Reina is a loving and generous person. 

Daryl "Spike" Allen (28)- Daryl is the one of the persons who really likes Elizabeth as a friend, and for a good reason, he has a rocky and disastrous relationship with ever Miss Perfect, Grenola Robinson herself. Daryl was hopeful that he and Grenola would end up together but end up with a hurtful break up for Daryl and a liberating break up for Grenola herself. Daryl doesn’t know that’s the last time he’ll see her as Grenola mysteriously disappeared. And due to his presumed heartache, he came out as pansexual.  Grenola Robinson (16)/” Stephen Hassenfeld”/Stephen Robinson Kugler (47) - she is the former college rival of Elizabeth Doloras, Grenola is the daughter of Nino and Abigail Robinson, she is a bit jealous at Elizabeth for being in love with Claude Gauza - and it’s not Grenola’s fault, Claude and Elizabeth are friends since forever. While she’s the definition of perfect, she was in fact one of the worst-ranking employees of Sparky’s, making things worse, doesn’t give the things customer wants and still being jealous at Elizabeth, after being assisted to Avalon to the infamous ball pit, she and Avalon mysteriously disappeared, days after the mysterious reappearance of Stephen D. Hassenfeld make the people confused, since the real Stephen passed away in June 1989 due to pnemonia and cardiac arrest. No one knows Grenola became Stephen because of the “magical” but cursed ball pit.

Sunshine of the Bliss (SOTB) Universe:

Tulip Betrand/Cho Jae-ra/Faye Willow Cho-Hassenfeld  (18,as of 2005)  is the daughter of the former Hasbro CEO Stephen D. Hassenfeld and a former actress and Sang-Dwan’s sister, Cho Jin-li, and the adopted daughter of Tom and Gabriella Betrand, Tulip grew up in a household with free lunch - that her “parents” make in the bakery downstairs, Tulip at a young age was curious about the stars and the dwarf planet (back then before 2006 a planet) Pluto. After she take her dream job as an intern in a space camp near Toulouse, Tulip experienced some hate after some workmate notices she looked different than her parent that was her “mother” Gabriella say that she is not her and Tom’s real daughter rather a daughter of Gabriella’s close friend, Jin-li with the late Stephen D. Hassenfeld.  Tulip at a young age, was fascinated in the world of Transformers and the GI Joe without knowing her past. Geno Courgeouand (17, as of 2005) -  is an African-French timid and shy man and also Tulip’s best friend since 10, Geno is a really timid and shy but really creative and loyal person who defends Tulip from her bullies in high school and also mean workmates in space camp. Geno likes courgette as a food, and he really likes to read manga with his friend Tulip. Geno also thinks Tulip’s beautiful. Geno likes to read sci-fi novels too and Geno’s parents Sabrine Courgeouand (nee Cragrise) and Orion Courgeouand  in fact named him after Geno, a character from Mario RPG game.

Fleur Fontaine (22,as of 2005) -  is Tulip’s worst enemy and the workmate Tulip hated the most, Fleur is a pretty woman but mean to Tulip, Fleur is a daughter of one of Gabriella Bertrand’s friends, Deanna Fontaine. Grew up with a single mother, Fleur grew up to mean because she’s a daughter of a maid in Meilee au Fromage, and treating her like a spoiled princess, that is until Jae-ra (Tulip) in 1987 and Jeanette in 1992, when the maids are taking care of the two instead of her - Fleur became jealous on what Tulip had become - the favorite, that’s why she’s tailing the job of Tulip - because if she can’t fight enemy, join her, the word “join” meant for Fleur that expose her “worst enemy on earth”, Tulip Bertrand aka Half of An Asian Girl or Faker Girl to Fleur.

Mitchell Cawthon (19,as of 2005) - is Tulip's bi co-worker at the Toulouse International Space Camp, he is closeted most of his life until he met Connor,and he came out to Tulip in an after sleepover party. Mitchell used to date Fleur before Tulip came to work, but after Fleur is mocking Tulip, he calls it quits, but Mitchell is bisexual because he was attractive to both men and women. Mitchell's parents approve of his relationship with Connor. Mitchell is a big fan of the shows, Star Trek and Scrubs. 

Andrew Robeurre (30, as of 2005) - is one of Tulip's co-workers, Andrew is a tech wiz and was hired by Toulouse International Space Camp in 1998 making him the oldest employee in the batch of the “New Generation” in TISC, Andrew grew up as the only son of his parents, he only has 4 sisters, and he grew fondly of computers during his childhood. 

Connor Astruc (18,as of 2005) - is one of Tulip's co-workers, Connor has been openly gay man since 2004, but he didn't openly say he is dating Mitchell, until Tulip came as a co-worker of his. Connor grew up on a farm in Versailles, France, and likes to crack jokes and explore space, and also computers. Connor is a fan of Scrubs, Naruto and he likes to play hockey. Norinne Agrasse (28, as of 2005) - is a headstrong employee of Toulouse International Space Camp, she is the one of the two daughters of George and Zharie Agrasse, Norinne grew up in a small cottage in Toulouse, and grew up to be a beautiful and brave woman who stands up for herself and her friends, she met Andrew in a job fair in 1996 and Norinne has a crush on Andrew and she hid it as a secret until 2007, a certain Tulip Betrand let Norinne date with Andrew for real. Besides being an employee of space camp, she is also the leader of the 2000s fan club of Cho Jin-li despite knowing that Jin-li abandoned Norinne's co-worker Tulip in an orphanage as a baby years ago.

Abigail Julie Marie Zaslav (20, as of 2005) - is the twin sister of William Christopher Patrick and the biological brother of Tulip Bertrand, Abigail or Bhie is the favorite of Scott Matthew Zaslav, Abigail as a kid likes to watch anime and do voice impression, as she grew up, her dreams isn’t fulfilled as she became a board member of AlphaHelius that she hated on, but her only dream is to be a voice actress or a voice coach, after her twin stepped down as CEO, Abigail was hired by Les studios Starlight de magie et d'histoires as a voice coach for the voice actors for new dubbed movies. Beside that, Abigail had a weird talent - she could lick her elbow. She discovered that she’s Tulip’s sister from a DNA test.

William Christopher Patrick Zaslav (20, as of 2005) -  is the twin brother of Abigail Julie Marie and the biological brother of Tulip Bertrand, he and Abigail was given away by Cho Jin-li to Scott Matthew Zaslav, due to she can’t have child with Stephen Hassenfeld without getting bombarded with the paparazzi, well technically he’s not an adopted child of Scott, so does Abigail until 2000 after Joanne’s passing, Scott adopts them properly, William, like his sister Tulip had a brief CEO stint that he hated, now he is a golf player and free from the burden that he once thought his gateway to have his late biological dad’s love.

Kim Sae-chang aka Zoey Kimber Kim (16, as of 2005) -  is Tulip’s biological half-sister and the heiress of BINGO Corporation, Sae-chang was initially was the “evil stepsister” figure of Tulip when we first met her, that’s until Sae-chang met Edmond in one of the parties she is attending in the bar, that is when Sae-chang’s childhood shines - she was raised by her dad, but her mom - she just neglect her like a day old muffin or a fake Transformers toy, because of an “errand” in Rhode Island alone, “errand” meant was to visit a man she loved - and it’s not Sae-chang’s uncle Sang-Dwan or Sae-chang’s dad Seu-tim, it was someone else, Stephen Hassenfeld.  Sae-chang’s English name is Zoey Kimber, she was named after Zoey from Zoey 101 and Kimber Benton from Jem and the Holograms. 

Narcisse Betrand (37,as of 2005) -  is the oldest child and the breadwinner of the Betrands. Narcisse is the most beautiful woman and she is a college professor in Ecole de Resevoir de Chien, a school for veterinarians, Narcisse is a perfectionist, but a kind big sister to Tulip.  Narcisse likes to study the wonders of cats and dogs - in fact her mom Gabriella gave her first pet, the dalmatian named Ollie, that Narcisse really loved cats and dogs since then. 

Aster Bertrand (34,as of 2005) -  is the middle child of the Bertrands and an amateur fashion designer, Aster was used to be Tom and Gabriella’s favorite daughter until her sister Tulip came into the picture. Aster was very funny and gifted and had a very fine eye on good fashion. Aster and Tulip are like best friends and they have maintained their long-lasting friendship since Tulip came to Tom and Gabriella’s life as a baby. Aster is like the cool sister of Tulip and likes anything in fashion that she became a fashion designer and had designed Tulip’s Halloween costume since Tulip’s 7.  

Jobs: Amateur fashion designer 

Daisy and Marigold Bertrand (27,as of 2005) -  are the twin daughters and the [SPOILER] the youngest children of Tom and Gabriella Betrand, Daisy is the preppy daughter who likes to collect Barbies and bunch of tamagotchi, and Marigold is the athletic and tomboyish one, and it shows, Daisy helped her sister Aster in her fashion show and Daisy won local French tournaments on cricket contests, Daisy and Marigold at least had one hobby that make them similar on one way on another is their love of video game, the Gamecube game Luigi’s Mansion is their favorite.  Daisy likes to play hockey too, but as a hobby not a competitive one. Marigold’s  full name is Marigold Cream-Peaches Bertrand and Daisy’s Daisy Princesse Bertrand. 

Jeanette Samantha Marina Delaney (20,as of 2005) - is a fellow orphan and the first friend of Tulip, when she was Jae-ra, Jeanette likes to play  in the playground, her favorite game is “ jump on the moon aka “Atterrissage Par Saut sur la Lune”, where the person sing Frère Jacques song and count to six and jump as high as you can, she was daughter of Sandra Cerise Delaney (nee Verdi) and Zachary Terry Delaney who both died in a long battle of subdural hematoma (Sandra in 1988) and bile duct cancer (Zachary in 1990), she arrived at the Meille de Fromage when she was 7 in 1992, was adopted by Zachary’s brother, Michael Jean Delaney and Sabrina Rose Delaney in 1996, a year after Tulip was adopted by the Bertrands. Jeanette, as of 2005 is working in a local observatory near the orphanage and she had braces when she’s 17.

Amelia Caberra “Amy” Collins  (19, as of 2005) -  is also a fellow orphan of Tulip, back when she was Jae-ra, Amy was a big secret Jin-li fan, that’s why she joined the theater group in Meilee du Fromage Orphanage, Amy was a very passionate actress, she was introduced by Jae-ra (or Tulip) to the world of theater during a field trip to London in 1992, and Amy fell in love with the plays and musicals in the first place - in fact she married her co star in a play [Les Mis] and had currently had three kids. Amy is the son of Ferrett and Brittany Collins, with the former divorced Brittany and Brittany, in the safety of her own being against Ferrett’s abusive dad, Caesar Paul Collins, Brittany leaves to the orphanage and stays there from 1988 to 1996, until Brittany gets her back, and shares custody with Ferrett.

Carlos Bellanger (22, as of 2005) -  is a very energetic boy in the Meilee du Fromage, he likes to spend time to be in the library, and he is the only of three kids in the orphanage with none of the parents alive beside Jeanette and Edward, Carlos is a person who  has a passion to be a writer, in fact - Jeanette was his best friend beside Jae-ra (Tulip), Carlos grow up to be a lanky boy - and became a B-lister freelancer sci-fi author and is now currently a single father  with one daughter. Carlos’ parents died in a rainy-day truck accident in 1989, hence Carlos was sent to Meilee orphanage.

Jeremy Andy Olsen (23, as of 2005) -  is happy go lucky kid, despite one of his parents died, he is in the orphanage, because his mom couldn’t care him anymore, but promises she’s gonna come back - and she does in 1998, Jeremy is currently finding some hobbies, and currently doesn’t have a job - because he didn’t want to and was going to enjoy his inner childhood until had a job. Currently is working on a new AI chatbot since 2019 called JAVO, named after his own acronyms but he had the meaning different, related to grief therapy.  Jeremy’s dad Abe died due to cancer, and Shelley remarried to Fritz Ramirez, and Fritz adopted Jeremy as his own son. (On the contrary to popular belief Jeremy is not Mitchell Cawthon)

Ashlan Brinleigh  (16, as of 2005) -  is very smart girl who likes to explore the space and the only orphan who does have foster parents, when she grew up, growing up in the orphanage, Ashlan is very strong girl despite looking like a regular girl, and Ashlan became one of the astronauts who is working in Toulouse International Space Camp, the same space camp her follow alumni in Meilee du Fromage, Tulip Bertrand (Cho Jae-ra) worked at.

Marva Arlena (19, as of 2005)-  is a girl who was raised in a farm before her mother died in 1990 of a cardiovascular disease, Marva grew up in a simple farm in Bulgaria, and her father put her in the orphanage after her mom’s passing - the only thing that she kept from her mom after death is the pink bonnet she sewed for her since she was a baby, Marva grew up to be a beautiful woman who is working as a charity service worker for Meilee du Fromage orphanage. Currently living with her life partner and their kids in an apartment in Avignon.

Edward Deresin (19,as of 2005) -  is a boy who likes to collecting car parts, he is one of the three Meilee du Fromage Orphanage’s batch of orphans from 1987-1994 who doesn’t have both of the parents alive, Edward was born to two British couple, and the two raised him and live a normal life  until his parents death - Victoria’s in 1987 due to drowning and Ilya due complications of Parkinson’s disease to in 1988, then Edward was sent to the orphanage, he was adopted by a Dominican couple because the woman (Camilla) has a condition that she couldn’t get fertilized by her husband. They adopted Edward, Edward grew up to be a car lover, and became a car dealer in Sta. Cruz, California and met his wife there, and they got married virtually in 2020, and had one son. Edward is currently living in Sta. Cruz California  with his wife and son, now has a car seller shop of his own, his first shop opened in 2013, his first name might be an acronym of a well known avenue in the Philippines - but according to the orphanage it might be coincidence that Edward was born the same day the People Power Revolution happened. But Edward’s parents are history fanatics so it’s no coincidence.

 

Goldy Mertice (21, as of 2005) -  is the sweetest orphan in Meille du Fromage, born in 1984, she was raised by her mother and grew up on fairy tales, but after her childbirth her father Kurt died of stroke in 1990, ended up in the orphanage, Goldy never give up on her dream, then in adulthood, she became an author under the wing of Penni Germaine, and Goldy married a fellow author name Cris Shaun Collins Kelly and had 4 kids named after fairy tale princesses (well two of them are twins and both named after Sleeping Beauty) What is Persevering:

Alessandra Owens Payne (18) -  Alessandra, or better known as Sandie,is a very energetic girl who likes to make her art feel so close to her, she's also the head cheerleader of a prestigious school in California, she was bullied for how she looks or how she acts as different from "Americans" which had Sandra sank deeper to her guilt of having her "red thread of love" cut off because he was dead - but that makes her more hated by her peers at her school, because her so-called soulmate is nothing but dark effects of their bullying - a man who died way before Sandra was born, the legendary CEO of Hasbro, Stephen Hassenfeld

Sandra is now very reserved and quiet and if you approach her, play along or she might hate you for saying that her love isn't possible. Alessandra or Sandra or Sandie likes to paint and has an expertise in ballet and gymnastics. She is the daughter of Farini Payne (nee Kasakana) and Eddie Simon Payne

Cassandra Leressa McLearson (18) -  Cassandra is the bestest friend of Sandra - she’s sweet and smart, and anything of a best friend-type of person, Cassandra is the class president of Saint von Halechi School in California, but there’s one thing Cassandra or Cass didn’t know about Sandra - is that her bestie suffered in a silent grief from a man she never knew ever. Cassandra is 2007 Best in Math in Summerville Elementary in Juguete de Oscuridad Nocturna,California.

Marie Turquoise and Samuel Topaz DeBeerse (19) -  Prepare for double trouble - here comes the twins that ruins poor Alessandra’s life, Marie Turquoise is the popular girl and Samuel is the head jock of the school’s football (American Football for the international readers) team, Marie and Samuel are the twin children of Miss Allity and Evan DeBeerse, a well known but smaller businesspersons who owned DeBeerse (the e is silent), a rip-off of the famous diamond company DeBeers.  Marie is a straight up, mean, bonafide bully and fellow cheerleader in Sandra’s peers, who stirs up nothing but trouble Sandra and Cass and thinks she’s superior to them. Samuel, on the other hand, was not your typical jock, and beneath his jerky outside, Samuel is sensitive and never shows it to his sister, who treats him like a tool rather than a brother. Their middle names are actually named after gemstone  because their parents owned a rip-off DeBeers company 

Stella Schenstrucc (17) -  the only female member of the Mathlete club, Stella’s one of a kind bonafide math student who knows math, even in her sleep, Stella is a typical nerd - glasses, bookworm, and likes math, but Stella not like every other nerd is a great artist, likes to make clay sculptures of animals like ducks, dogs, and even endangered species like red panda, Philippine eagles and even the macaws. Stella is the daughter of the local philanthropist Leith Schenstrucc and the former ballerina turned teacher Claire Schenstrucc (nee Schuyler). 

Olivia M. Ritterman (18) -  Olivia Ritterman is a mysterious, elusive, and really private student, she is the leader, founder and the only member of the computer club in Saint von Halechi School, Olivia or only known as her username in the messaging app of the school as Info_retro4709, Olivia knows about everything in the school - every nooks and crannies, she knows, Olivia born as Olivia Merma Ritterman to a middle-class couple Meridith Lyndsey Ritterman and Edwyn Brent Ritterman, Olivia, during her childhood her mom called her Ollie, and growing up Olivia/Ollie never wants to play with the other kids, and wants to tinker on computer parts on her father’s garage, in college, Olivia’s anonymity sometimes is useful when sometimes needed her without knowing her true identity for some useful tactics: like when Marie cheated as class president, Olivia hacked to the school mainframe and exposed what a phony Marie was and other useful white hat hackers Robin Hood-like tactics. But Olivia on Sandra is like a predator peeling her fragile little world after Marie and Olivia/Ollie had truce to salvage Marie’s ruined reputation after the class elections in the past. 

Elliot Zachary Orensteene (19) -  Elliot is a member of the Glee Club, and know Sandra longer than Cass, Elliot was Sandra’s best friend since “diapers”, Elliot is a great singer and has a voice of an angel, Elliot was the son of DeBeerse (not a typo) employees, Venetia and Daryl Orensteene, Elliot likes to compose music and wants to go as a film composer when he grow up to an adult, for now - he’s the leader of the Glee Club’s cheering band.  Ask Symbols:

🍨- East Coast Sparky's/Elizabeth Doloras Universe 🧵 - What is Perservering 🌷- SOTB

[damianstarastrology]

Neptune in Pisces – the "end times", fear mongering, and right-wing hysteria

Back in 2012, Neptune entered Pisces just in time for the 2012 phenomena; a cultural conspiracy movement which believed the world would come to an end in 2012. During the time of the 2007-2009 recession, the percentage of Americans who were unemployment doubled. Poor economic circumstances lead to more Americans attending church and we are seeing similar patterns today as inflation and rent prices continue to rise in the US.

Neptune is currently in the late degrees of pisces, and as Neptune closes out this cycle, we are collectively frustrated and disillusioned with our current systems. It is no surprise to me that with the rise in popularity of new age spirituality during the pandemic of the early 2020's came this movement of Christians as we are seeing today.

The homesteading community has sent my girlfriend and I straight down the conservative pipeline on both Tiktok and Instagram. With this has come a slue of videos outcrying about how we are in the end times -- a young man is close to tears as he describes a Canadian law that would "put Christians in jail for quoting the Bible" and that is was proof of the supposed end times. What this young man described was the proposed Bill C-367, "currently under review in the House of Commons, would repeal “religious exemption” in Section 319 of the Canadian Criminal Code, which critics say could open up Christians and other religious groups to “hate speech” charges over any comments or criticisms of the LGBT movement."

Jupiter and Uranus are currently conjunct in the sign of Taurus right now. The divide between the far left and the far right, the rich and the poor, and the privileged and underprivileged, has never been more palpable, and tensions are high. The two planets will exact one another around April 21st 2024, I expect some major world news/events to take place, perhaps an increase in protests.

Saturn is also in pisces. This week, the NYC governor declared a state of emergency and called in the national guard to patrol subway stations for vague and unclear reasons. This has lead many to speculate about what this could mean and understandably there is a lot of fear.

Overall: Loss of faith (neptune, pisces) in existing systems, structures and institutions (saturn) leading to belief in a higher power.

Confusing, vague circumstances surrounding security. Conspiracies surrounding homeland security. Our institutions and government systems (saturn) are lacking clear definitions and boundaries (pisces). Boundaryless authority (saturn pisces). Fear (saturn) of the unknown (pisces).

[figureskatingcostumes]

Emilie Demers Boutin and Stuart Chutter competing in the 2008 Junior Canadian Nationals, in the free skate.

(Source: Janet)

[dweemeister]

Best Animated Short Film Nominees for the 96th Academy Awards (2024, listed in order of appearance in the shorts package)

This blog, since 2013, has been the site of my write-ups to the Oscar-nominated short film packages – a personal tradition for myself and for this blog. This omnibus write-up goes with my thanks to the Regency South Coast Village in Santa Ana, California for providing all three Oscar-nominated short film packages.

If you are an American or Canadian resident interested in supporting the short film filmmakers in theaters (and you should, as very few of those who work in short films are as affluent as your big-name directors and actors), check your local participating theaters here.

Without further ado, here are the nominees for the Best Animated Short Film at this year’s Academy Awards. The write-ups for the Documentary Short and Live Action Short nominees are complete. Films predominantly in a language other than English are listed with their nation(s) of origin.

Yet again, this completes this year’s omnibus write-ups for the Oscar-nominated short films for the upcoming Academy Awards:

Our Uniform (2023, Iran)

Director Yegane Moghaddam used to be a primary school teacher in Iran and often “observed the students… struggling with their uniforms and headscarves all day.” These observations informed her film and narration in Our Uniform, which won Best First Film at Annecy (the largest animation-only film festival, in the French Alpine resort town of the same name) in 2023. Only the fourth ever non-Western/European and non-Japanese nominee in this 92-year-old category – following 2014’s Bear Story (Chile; that year's winner), 2020’s Opera (South Korea) and 2021’s Bestia (Chile) – Our Uniform adopts a unique style never before seen in this category. Instead of traditional cel animation with ink and paper or computers, Moghaddam nearly single-handedly painted images directly on clothing fabrics (pants, jackets, shirts, scarves – all from her personal wardrobe) to illustrate the memories her narration shares. These memories, of attending public school in Iran, invariably intersect with Iran’s theocratic politics. There are references, never pedantic, about government propaganda as part of the school curriculum, and the segregation between boys’ and girls’ education. Most vividly, Moghaddam remarks on the restricting school uniform and compulsory hijabs for girls at school, issues which enflamed protests against such laws beginning in 2017 (and spiking after the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022).

Moghaddam, who cites graphic novelist/director Marjane Satrapi (2007’s Persepolis, 2011’s Chicken with Plums; the former I consider among the finest animated films of this young century) as her primary artistic inspiration, curiously does not contain as much messaging in her film as one might expect. As an Iranian citizen who currently has no plans to officially distribute the film within her home nation due to fear of retribution, how could she? But the film’s slightness cannot distract from its painstaking, loving artistry. Without relying on inventive camerawork, Moghaddam uses the natural pockets and folds of her clothes to suggest dimension and personality. To Moghaddam, all clothing has a personality and personal history to the wearer, even compulsory clothing, all of which she uses to wonderful effect. What originally began as a fun side project that Moghaddam had no expectations for gifts audiences a truly original viewing experience.

My rating: 7.5/10

Letter to a Pig (2022, Israel/France)

Qualifying for the Academy Awards after winning the Grand Prize for Best International Short Film at Anima, the Brussels Animation Film Festival, in early 2023, Nal Kantor’s Letter to a Pig sees a Holocaust survivor retelling a story of survival to a group of largely disinterested and scornful teenagers. As the elderly man recounts how he wrote a letter to a pig that inadvertently saved his life, a handful of students start insensitively snorting. Quietly, Letter to a Pig adopts the standpoint of one of the girls in class, half-listening at first. Here, Kantor seamlessly switches between the man’s memories and the reality of the classroom, through heavy rotoscoping to outline her figures, mixing it with live-action footage for the limbs or eyes, but only using a few ink scribbles to outline facial features and hair. Generally, the more movement either the schoolgirl or Holocaust survivor show, the more scribbles and live-action footage that appear. For all other figures, they remain mostly abstract.

As a young man, the Holocaust survivor recalls how filled with rage he was, long after his near-death encounter. Now, physically unable to exact retribution on those who harmed him, he tells the students “you are my revenge” – passing along his trauma to those not realizing what they have just received. The schoolgirl’s vision in the surrealistic final minutes is her absorption of the Holocaust survivor’s story. This masterfully drawn finale is the emotional apex of Letter to a Pig, fully justifying its black-and-white palette (with one exception: pink for the pigs, considered an impure animal in Judaism) in service for its profound sense of dread. Symbolizing memory, the pig appears throughout the film as a savior, a monster, or something worthy of mockery, depending on who is on screen. It is in these final moments Letter to a Pig leaves the audience with pressing questions. Can one impart painful memories without the trauma that gives such memories form? Most urgently, can we choose not to act on the trauma we inherit? May it be possible not only in dreams.

My rating: 8.5/10

Pachyderme (2022, France)

Stéphanie Clement’s Pachyderme, like Letter to a Pig, is an unsettling short film that delves deeply into the mind of a troubled character. In this film, a young woman named Louise (Christa Théret) recalls her days visiting her grandparents in Provence (southeastern France) during her childhood. The sun-bathed rural landscape is picturesque, the grandparents’ house gorgeously stylized. Beyond this, some of Louise’s recollections feel incomplete, with no apparent structure or chronology. That might read as a criticism, but Clement and screenwriter Marc Rius fully intend for Pachyderme to seem fragmented. The film strongly implies – and some viewers will pick this up earlier or later than others – that the grandfather sexually abused Louise. In reaction, Louise, while recounting her memories for the audience, has repressed her memories and is showing signs, in her narration and in her visual recollections, of disassociation. I do not recall ever seeing disassociation, a common symptom of those who have been sexually abused, portrayed as cinematically as seen in Pachyderme. It is best exemplified, metaphorically, in the scene where our protagonist disappears into the wallpaper (this scene was originally the first bit of test footage made for the film).

But perhaps there is no better visualization of all Pachyderme has to say than the moment where Louise’s grandfather notices her index finger bleeding. He grasps her hand, and his hands dwarf hers. The simultaneity of Pachyderme’s picture book visuals and its horrifying implications show the viewer a woman who has not fully processed what has happened to her. It is not helped by the defensiveness of Louise’s grandmother following the grandfather’s death. Family denial, too, is playing a role in how Louise is choosing, consciously and subconsciously, to remember the past. In its eleven minutes, Pachyderme passes in a dreamlike haze, its illusory moments enabling the viewer to more closely connect to Louise’s (both the young adult narrating the film and the child on-screen) feelings. Unlike many nominees in Best Live Action Short Film down the years that addressed childhood trauma (it's a long-running trend for that category), Pachyderme prioritizes healing in as cinematic a way as possible.

My rating: 8.5/10

Ninety-Five Senses (2023)

If the names Jared and Jerusha Hess are familiar, that is because this husband-and-wife directorial team also made Napoleon Dynamite (2004) and Nacho Libre (2006). Some of those same comedic sensibilities carry over to Ninety-Five Senses, which qualified for the Academy Awards by winning Best Animated Short at the Florida Film Festival in 2023. The film features an old man named Coy (Tim Blake Nelson, a Coen Brothers regular whose voice fits the narrative here) reflecting back on life – a reverie that jumps, hops, and skips across time and place. At first, Ninety-Five Senses, with its wildly shifting style changes, does not seem to have much of a point or purpose. But the film gradually reveals itself: first through the subtle shading of what appear to be prison bars and, later, the mountain of discarded food cartons sitting on the table in front of Coy. We soon realize that Coy is in the final hours or minutes of being on death row, and he is describing to the audience his internal peace before he meets his fate.

Ninety-Five Senses is not here to make a point about capital punishment, incarceration, or the terrible actions that landed Coy in prison. Foremost, this is a film that attempts to capture the last gasp of humanity of an individual before their execution. In contrast with the drab grays whenever Coy is seen in his cell, his flashbacks are intense – a fount of color, with both crude and elegant character designs, hand-drawn and computer-generated (sometimes appearing side-by-side). Not every vignette – of which there are five, one for each human sense – showcases as much aesthetic excellence as the others, such as an early instance where Coy recounts his childhood. That vignette does not evoke the respective human sense it covers as well as it thinks it does; the art style of that vignette also recalls hand-drawn television animation, but flows too smoothly to exactly replicate it. In any case, this is a promising first foray into animated film for the Hesses.

My rating: 8/10

War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John and Yoko (2022)

War Is Over! (you cannot make me write or say the full title ever again) has the basics of a promising animated short film. Yet its simplistic take on humanity and warfare and close association with John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” condemns the film as pure hogwash. On second thought, I retract “hogwash”. That is an insult to Letter to a Pig and to porcine animals. This is self-congratulatory treacle from director Dave Mullins and co-writer Sean Ono Lennon (the son of John and Yoko). In a supposedly alternate World War I reality, a pigeon delivers messages between an Allied and a Central Power soldier on opposite sides of No Man’s Land. The messages contain chess notation, as they, somehow, began a game of chess with each other without ever meeting. One day, at presumably Christmas, the two armies inexplicably charge toward each other and, amid gunfire and a mass mêlée that should leave many more soldiers dead than shown, our two soldiers encounter each other on the battlefield in combat shorn of its gruesomeness.

Despite the film using the Unreal Engine for its animation, I admire the film’s lighting effects, character movements, pigeon animation, sound effects, and art direction for the otherwise sanitized trenches. That may be all the positives I can offer.

The contrived scenario sinks even further when our two chess-playing soldiers discover a critical message from their pigeon messenger. Cue the second-most embarrassing needle drop among this year’s fifteen short film nominees (somehow, the closing moments of The After are worse than this). Unlike The After, War Is Over! feels as if constructed around its respective song. Is this now a glorified music video? In an instant, the film reduces the tragedy of the Great War to something akin to a soft drink commercial or that “Imagine” video (could we stop disrespecting John Lennon and his fellow Beatles?). The sanitized depiction of war and farfetched resolving actions undercut the film’s message, embarrassing itself as it lurches through its excruciating final minutes. That the first credit in the end credits read “music and message by John and Yoko” rather than director Dave Mullins leaves an even more sour taste. At the heart of War Is Over!, Mullins and Sean Ono Lennon want us to know that war is bad. I never could have guessed!

My rating: 4/10

^ Based on my personal imdb rating. My interpretation of that ratings system can be found in the “Ratings system” page on my blog. Half-points are always rounded down.

From previous years:  85th Academy Awards (2013) 87th (2015) 88th (2016) 89th (2017) 90th (2018) 91st (2019) 92nd (2020) 93rd (2021) 94th (2022) 95th (2023)

Two other films played in this package as honorable mentions: Wild Summon (2023, dir. Karni Arieli and Saul Freed; 6/10) and I'm Hip (2023, dir. John Musker; 6/10).

For more of my reviews tagged “My Movie Odyssey”, check out the tag of the same name on my blog.

[wheelscomedyandmore]

Ryan, the youngest of four brothers, was born into a family with a strong sense of duty and discipline. His father, James Chester Reynolds, initially served as a Royal Canadian Mounted Policeman before switching to the food wholesaling business, while his mother, Tamara Lee, worked in retail. Growing up, Ryan was surrounded by a close-knit family, and two of his older brothers chose careers in law enforcement, following their father's footsteps. His family also had political ties, with his paternal grandfather, Chester Reynolds, having served as a politician in Alberta. Ryan was born on October 23, 1976.

He spent his early years in Vancouver, British Columbia, and attended Kitsilano Secondary School, where he studied alongside future actor Joshua Jackson. Ryan’s love for acting became evident in high school as he participated in various school productions. After finishing high school in 1994, he briefly attended Kwantlen Polytechnic University but quickly left to focus on acting.

Ryan’s acting journey began at age 13 when he landed a role in the Canadian teen series "Hillside," also known as "Fifteen" in the U.S. However, despite this early start, his career slowed down, and he even considered quitting acting altogether. At 19, he took a break from the industry, feeling frustrated with his lack of success. However, after some encouragement from his friend Chris William Martin, Ryan decided to give acting another try, and the two moved to Los Angeles.

Ryan’s breakthrough came in the late 1990s when he was cast as Michael "Berg" Bergen in the sitcom "Two Guys and a Girl," which ran from 1998 to 2001. This role helped Ryan gain recognition and led to more opportunities in Hollywood. He later moved into film, starring in comedies like "National Lampoon's Van Wilder" (2002) and romantic films such as "The Proposal" (2009), where he starred alongside Sandra Bullock.

Although Ryan initially made his name in comedic roles, he expanded into action with films like "Blade: Trinity" (2004). His willingness to explore new genres led him to take on physically demanding roles, eventually landing him in the world of superhero films.

Ryan’s defining moment came in 2016 with the release of "Deadpool." His portrayal of the witty and unconventional superhero became a massive hit, making the film one of the highest-grossing R-rated movies ever. Although the character had appeared earlier in "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" (2009), it was the standalone "Deadpool" movie that truly launched Ryan to new heights. He reprised the role in "Deadpool 2" (2018), both of which were praised for their humor and Ryan’s engaging performance.

Outside of acting, Ryan has ventured into the business world. In 2018, he became a part-owner of Aviation Gin, which he helped turn into a highly successful brand through his marketing efforts. In 2020, he sold the brand in a deal worth up to $610 million. Ryan is also a co-owner of the Welsh football club Wrexham AFC alongside Rob McElhenney. Their experiences as club owners were captured in the Emmy-winning series "Welcome to Wrexham."

Ryan’s personal life has drawn attention as well. He was once engaged to Canadian singer Alanis Morissette, but they ended their engagement in 2007. In 2008, he married actress Scarlett Johansson, though they divorced in 2011. He later married actress Blake Lively in 2012, and they now have four children together. The couple is known for their playful and humorous interactions on social media.

Despite his fame, Ryan has remained grounded, often discussing his struggles with anxiety. His openness on the subject has resonated with fans and contributed to his relatable persona.

In recent years, Ryan has balanced his acting career with his business ventures. His films, including "Free Guy" (2021) and "The Adam Project" (2022), showcase his versatility as both a comedic and action star. His continued success in both entertainment and business has solidified his place as a beloved figure in pop culture, admired for his humor, charm, and dedication to his craft.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

BOOKS I READ IN 2023 Here's what I read in 2023. What has now become an annual tradition of sorts!

An unusual year in reading for me. The first half of the year was very slow, and I mostly finished two long books I've been trying to finish for years by William Morris and Robert Musil. Then the PSAC strike, and more time to read. After that, I made a reading plan and stuck to it, trying to read every day at least a chapter of a book on the list. I also ended up re-reading several books this year - transcribing notes at first, I ended up going over the entire book a second time. I also tried to take extensive notes on every new book. I also snuck a few theses I read onto the list - it feels weird not to include a several hundred page work I went over with a fine-toothed comb. Mostly academic books, germane to my own research and writing, but some strong forays into topics I don't normally think about much. Plus some genuinely good 'amateur' history, too.

Re-reads are marked by a plus sign and my most enjoyable or interesting reads are marked with an asterisk.

First Row:

Jesper Vaczy Kragh, Lobotomy Nation: The History of Psychosurgery and Psychiatry in Denmark (2021)

William Morris, The Well at the World's End (1896, Ballantine edition 1975)

Robert Musil, translated by Sophie Wilkins, The Man Without Qualities (1930, Picador edition 2017)*

Gavin Walker, ed., The Red Years: Theory, Politics, and Aesthetics in the Japanese ’68 (2020)*

Garrett Felber, Those Who Know Don't Say: The Nation of Islam, the Black Freedom Movement, and the Carceral State (2020) *

Robin Jarvis Brownlie, A Fatherly Eye: Indian Agents, Government Power, and Aboriginal Resistance in Ontario, 1918-1939 (2003)

Second Row:

Steve Hewitt, Riding to the Rescue: The Transformation of the RCMP in Alberta and Saskatchewan, 1914-1939 (2006)

Maeve McMahon, The Persistent Prison?: Rethinking Decarceration and Penal Reform (1989)+

Rebecca McLennan, The Crisis of Imprisonment: Protest, Politics, and the Making of the American Penal State, 1776–1941 (2007)+

Anne Guérin, Prisonniers en révolte: Quotidien carcéral, mutineries et politique pénitentiaire en France (2013)+

Anson Rabinbach, The Eclipse of the Utopias of Labor (2018)

Scott Thompson & Gary Genosko, Punched Drunk: Alcohol, Surveillance and the LCBO, 1927-1975 (2009)

Third Row:

Erin Durham, "In Pursuit of Reform, Whether Convict or Free: Prison Labor Reform in Maryland in the early Twentieth Century." (2018 thesis)

Chester Himes, Yesterday Will Make You Cry (1998)*

Harvey Swados, Standing Fast: A Novel (1971, 2013 Open Road edition)

Charles Upchurch, "Beyond the Law": The Politics of Ending the Death Penalty for Sodomy in Britain (2021)

Barry Godfrey, David J. Cox & Helen Johnston, Penal Servitude: Convicts and Long-Term Imprisonment, 1853–1948 (2022)

W.J. Forsythe, Penal Discipline, Reformatory Projects And The English Prison Commission, 1895-1939 (1991)

Fourth Row:

Neal A. Palmer, To the Dark Cells: Prisoner Resistance and Protest in Nineteenth-Century Britain (2008)

Frances H. Simon, Prisoners' Work and Vocational Training (1999)

Meera Nanda, Science In Saffron: Skeptical Essays On History of Science (2016)*

Gene Wolfe, The Book of the New Sun (four volumes, 1980-1983, Folio Society edition 2021)+

David J. Rothman, Conscience and Convenience: The Asylum and Its Alternatives in Progressive America (2002)+

Kathryn Cooper, "The Infamous Convict Museum Ship Success : an Archaeological Investigation of Material Culture and Identity Formation Processes." (2014 thesis)

Fifth row:

Barry M. Gough, Gunboat Frontier: British Maritime Authority and Northwest Coast Indians, 1846-1890 (1984)

Edward Jones-Imhotep, The Unreliable Nation: Hostile Nature and Technological Failure in the Cold War (2017)*

Larry A. Glassford, Reaction and Reform: The Politics of the Conservative Party under R.B. Bennett, 1927-1938 (1992)

Don Nerbas, Dominion of Capital: The Politics of Big Business and the Crisis of the Canadian Bourgeoisie, 1914-1947 (2013)

James Naylor, The Fate of Labour Socialism: The Co-operative Commonwealth Federation and the Dream of a Working-Class Future (2016)

Michael Martin, The Red Patch: Political imprisonment in Hull, Quebec during World War 2 (2007)

Sixth Row:

Ruán O'Donnell, Special Category: The IRA in English Prisons, Vol. 1: 1968-1978 (2012)*

Ruán O'Donnell, Special Category: The IRA in English Prisons, Vol. 2: 1978-1985 (2015)*

Cheryl D. Hicks, Talk with You Like a Woman: African American Women, Justice, and Reform in New York, 1890-1935 (2010)*

Clarence Jefferson Hall, A Prison in the Woods: Environment and Incarceration in New York's North Country (2020)

Scott Thompson, "Consequences of Categorization: National Registration, Surveillance and Social Control in Wartime Canada, 1939-1946." (2013 thesis)

H.V. Nelles, The Politics of Development: Forests, Mines, and Hydro-Electric Power in Ontario, 1849-1941 (2005)+

Seventh row:

Chief Thomas Fiddler & James R. Stevens, Killing the Shamen (1985)

Ashley Johnson Bavery, Bootlegged Aliens: Immigration Politics on America's Northern Border (2020)

Patrick Brode, Dying for a Drink: How a Prohibition Preacher Got Away with Murder (2018)

Hamish Maxwell-Stewart & Michael Quinlan, Unfree Workers: Insubordination and Resistance in Convict Australia, 1788-1860 (2022)*

Victor Serge, translated by Ralph Manheim, Last Times (1946, 2022 NYRB edition)

Christopher Cauldwell, Studies in a Dying Culture (1938)

[heavenboy09]

Happy Birthday 🎂 To A Beloved Canadian 🇨🇦 & American🇺🇸 Actor 👨Who Was Part Of 1 Of The Biggest & Greatest Comedy Sitcom TV 📺 Series In NBC Television 📺 History. Who Is Now No Longer with with us today😔😢😭☁️.

Matthew Langford Perry was born in Williamstown, Massachusetts, on August 19, 1969. His mother, Suzanne Marie Morrison (née Langford, born 1948), is a Canadian journalist who was press secretary to Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau. His father, John Bennett Perry (born 1941), is an American actor and former model.

He was an American and Canadian actor. He gained international fame for starring as Chandler Bing on the NBC television sitcom FRIENDS (1994–2004).

Perry also appeared on Ally McBeal (2002) and received Primetime Emmy Award nominations for his performances in The West Wing (2003) and The Ron Clark Story (2006). He played a leading role in the NBC series Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip (2006–2007), and also became known for his leading film roles in Fools Rush In (1997), Almost Heroes (1998), Three to Tango (1999), The Whole Nine Yards (2000), Serving Sara (2002), The Whole Ten Yards (2004), and 17 Again (2009).

Perry was co-creator, co-writer, executive producer, and star of the ABC sitcom Mr. Sunshine, which ran from February to April 2011. In August 2012, he starred as sportscaster Ryan King on the NBC sitcom Go On. He co-developed and starred in a revival of the CBS sitcom The Odd Couple portraying Oscar Madison from 2015 to 2017. He had recurring roles in the legal dramas The Good Wife (2012–2013), and The Good Fight (2017). Perry portrayed Ted Kennedy in The Kennedys: After Camelot (2017) and appeared as himself in his final television appearance, Friends: The Reunion (2021). He voiced Benny in the video game Fallout: New Vegas (2010).

For most of his life, Perry suffered from severe addictions to drugs and alcohol. Through his recovery, he became an advocate for rehabilitation and a spokesperson for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals. In 2013, Perry received the Champion of Recovery Award from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. In 2022, he released his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.

On October 28, 2023. The Unexpected Happened. He Passed Away From A Lethal Drug Overdose 💉 😪 😕 😔 😢 😭 Of Ketamine. 5 People Are Charged in Connection To His Death

HE WAS 54 YEARS OLD

TODAY WOULD HAVE BEEN HIS 55TH BIRTHDAY 🎂 😪 😔 😕 😢 😩

PLEASE WISH THIS ICONIC & BELOVED GREAT ACTOR & STAR 🌟 OF NBC'S BEST COMEDY SITCOM 😆 OF THE 90'S

A HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎂 IN HEAVEN 😇☁️😔😢😭✨

YOU KNOW HIM

YOU LOVED HIS CHARACTER IN NBC'S FRIENDS , HOW HE MADE US LAUGH 🤣 & MADE US FEEL GOOD INSIDE

& HIS PRESENCE WILL TRULY BE MISSED ON THE EARTH 🌎 😢 😔 😪 💔

THE 1 & FOREVER ALWAYS

MR. MATTHEW LANGFORD PERRY 👨🇨🇦🇺🇸 AKA CHANDLER BING OF NBC'S FRIENDS ❤

HAPPY HEAVENLY 55TH BIRTHDAY 🎂 TO YOU MR. PERRY 👨🇨🇦🇺🇸😇☁️😔😢😭❤ & MAY YOUR MEMORY & YOUR LEGACY LIVE ON.

& ALWAYS REMEMBER, 🎶YOU'LL BE THERE FOR US. 🎶 YOU'LL BE THERE FOR US. 🎶YOU'LL BE THERE FOR US & WE'LL BE THERE FOR YOU TOO😔 ❤ ☁️

#MatthewPerry #FriendsNBC #AllyMcBeal #TheWestWing #TheRonClarkStory #FoolsRushIn #TheWholeNineYards #ServingSara #TheWholeTenYards #17Again #GoOn #TheOddCouple #FriendsTheReunion #ChandlerBing #IllBeThereForYou