#28 Martie 2023

[ciochinaflorin]

87 I 2023. BINECUVÂNTĂRI MAI DEOSEBITE [Rut 4.11–12 I Psalmul 81.10 I Luca 1.76]

87 I 2023. BINECUVÂNTĂRI MAI DEOSEBITE I Podcast I Pasaje Biblice : Rut 4 : 11 – 12 I Psalmul 81 : 10 I Luca 1 : 76 I Meditaţii din Cuvânt I Cezareea I Reşiţa I 28 Martie 2023 I A „a conferi ce este benefic” este unul dintre sensurile cuvântului a binecuvânta. Să observăm cu ajutorul Lui Dumnezeu două exemple de binecuvântare mai deosebite. (more…) “”

[densi-mber]

A Gift of Joy

A/N: Yes, I’m being very self-indulgent, as usual, for my birthday.

***

“I scheduled the appointment to bring my SUV in for maintenance next week,” Kensi told Deeks. He glanced up from switching out a mini lightbulb from a strand of lights on the Christmas tree.

“Sweet.”

“Also, my water just broke.”

Deeks stilled, one eyebrow arching up as he processed this piece of information. “Are you having any contractions yet?”

“Yeah, but only one so far and not very strong,” Kensi answered.

“Ok, well, Sheila said we probably wouldn’t need to head to the hospital until you get to five minutes between contractions, right?” Deeks checked, clearly already three steps ahead in his head.

“Yeah. Unless I have any severe pain, get dizzy, or feel like I need to push.” She knew she wasn’t telling Deeks anything new, since he’d taken copious notes during all of their pregnancy classes provided by their midwife, Sheila. It was more to confirm that she wasn’t experiencing any unusual symptoms.

“All right. I’ll, uh, call Sheila so she’s ready when it’s time, and double check we have everything packed.”

Kensi watched him, unbelievably proud of his ability to stay calm. Aside from the first few days after finding out she was pregnant, when they’d both been in a state of shock and overwhelmed, Deeks had attacked the preparation with the same energy and focus he would a case.

“Thanks.” Kensi winced faintly as another contraction rippled through her abdomen and back. Deeks was in front of her, gently clasping her hand in a second.

“You ok, baby?”

“Yeah, that one was just a little stronger,” she explained. “It wasn’t that bad though and about 10 minutes from the last one.”

“Let me know if that changes,” Deeks said. “Do you wanna call Rosa?”

“Yeah, I will as soon as I grab something to eat.” He started to move away, but Kensi stop him with a brief tug of his hand. “Hey, thanks for taking such good care of us.”

“Alway. I love you,” Deeks murmured, kissing her softly. He sank to one knee and pressed his lips to her stomach, his touch so loving and gentle, Kensi felt her throat tighten. Standing up again, Deeks squeezed her hand one more time before rushing off to get things ready.

***

Caleb and Sophia Deeks entered the world 6 minutes apart and just short of four hours after Kensi went into labor. It was a remarkably uncomplicated, if fast, delivery. After checking that Kensi and the babies were all healthy, Sheila had left the family alone to bond.

“This is insane,” Deeks murmured, peering down at Caleb curled up on his bare chest. His hand looked giant against Caleb’s tiny back. For the first time today, he looked, and sounded, a touch overwhelmed. Or maybe awed was a better word.

It gave Kensi so much joy to see him realizing one of his most fervent wishes.

“Hey, come here,” Kensi called softly, not wanting to wake Sophia, who was similarly cradled in her own arms. Both babies had initially cried upon making their grand entrances into the world, then fallen asleep shortly after.

Deeks stood up carefully, keeping Caleb anchored to his chest with one hand. When he reached the side of the hospital bed, Kensi patted the mattress beside her. Deeks slid onto the bed, slipping his free arm around Kensi and Sophia once he was situated.

“I always forget how tiny and completely helpless they are at first. It’s incredible and so, so terrifying,” he said, brushing his finger over Sophia’s round cheek. She sighed in her sleep, shakily stretching one arm to the side before settling again.

“It is, but you’re a natural,” Kensi assured him. “You’ve always been. I mean, just look at how calm he is.” She snuggled closer to him. “I couldn’t have done any of this without you.”

Deeks scoffed. “Please. I just had to stand there while you pushed out these two.”

“You did so much more than that. You gave me the strength and courage I needed to get through labor.” Kensi smiled up at him. “Like you always do.”

“Either way, we made some cute kids,” he said with a smitten look. “I can’t wait for Rosa to meet them.”

“Yeah, just like their daddy.” Kensi tugged at one of his curls, and Deeks snorted.

“You’re ridiculous.” He gestured with his chin towards Sophia. “You wanna switch?”

They carefully made the swap, settling in once more. Kensi leaned her head against his, looking down on their two bundles of joy.

***

A/N: Yes, yes, yes, this time around I gave the babies my birthday. Title references my own middle name. And yes, this is incredibly cheesy.

[labyrinthofstreams]

Jewish musicians of the 1960s

✡︎ Bob Dylan (born Robert Allen Zimmerman; May 24, 1941)

✡︎ Lesley Gore (born Lesley Sue Goldstein; May 2, 1946 – February 16, 2015)

✡︎ Leonard Cohen (September 21, 1934 – November 7, 2016)

✡︎ Barbra Streisand (born April 24, 1942)

✡︎ Marty Balin (born Martyn Jerel Buchwald; January 30, 1942 – September 27, 2018) and Jorma Kaukonen (born December 23, 1940) of Jefferson Airplane

✡︎ Robby Krieger (born January 8, 1946) of The Doors

✡︎ Paul Simon (born October 13, 1941) and Art Garfunkel (born November 5, 1941) of Simon & Garfunkel

✡︎ Phil Ochs (December 19, 1940 – April 9, 1976)

✡︎ Cass Elliot (born Ellen Naomi Cohen; September 19, 1941 – July 29, 1974) of The Mamas & The Papas

✡︎ Mary (December 28, 1948 – January 19, 2024) and Elizabeth Weiss (born November 27, 1946) of The Shangri-Las

✡︎ Neil Diamond (born January 24, 1941)

✡︎ Janis Ian (born Janis Eddy Fink; April 7, 1951)

✡︎ Robbie Robertson (born Jaime Royal Robertson; July 5, 1943 – August 9, 2023) of The Band

✡︎ Gary Hirsh (March 9, 1940 – August 17, 2021), Barry Melton (born June 14, 1947), Joseph Allen "Country Joe" McDonald (born January 1, 1942), and David Cohen (born August 4, 1942) of Country Joe and the Fish

✡︎ Manfred Mann (born Manfred Sepse Lubowitz; October 21, 1940)

[midnight1nk]

WOTFI 2024 PREDICTIONS

Another year, another war.

WOTFI is just around the corner and this means a new arc!

Who will be our opponent this year?

Well, the most likely answer would be Marty, returning from WOTFI 2023. I mean, it was pretty obvious that would be him from the get-go in the episode 'We Must Kill Mario'.

This, personally, was a great episode that had some good foreshadowing and I love the dynamic between Four and Karen — I thought of it as 'SMG4 🤝 Karen ➡️ single parents who are just born to be parents'

...which made me want a dynamic between Three and Karen, single moms who would kill for their kids.

:)

Anyway, back to WOTFI, it makes sense for Marty to be the crew’s opponent timeline-wise. Looking at the calendar, we are expecting a WOTFI roughly sometime in October, based on the dates of previous WOTFI’s:

2011 - October 29

2012 - October 21

2013 - October 13

2014 - October 24

2015 - September 27

2016 - August 15

2017 - October 7

2018 - October 6

2019 - November 2

2020 - August 22

2021 - September 18

2022 - October 15

2023 - October 28

Assuming this arc would be 7 episodes and this being the first one, it lines up with our prediction. (Though, it may be subject to change depending on how many episodes it would actually have.)

What you may not know is this episode not only foreshadowed Marty’s return but the plot for WOTFI as well.

There is much more than meets the eye…

Join me as I go over the episode 'We Must Kill Mario' and discuss my predictions for WOTFI ‘24!

⚠️ But before we dive in though, I do want to put a disclaimer that while this is a theory, I want to be respectful to the crew behind SMG4. ⚠️

I don’t want any of my theories to influence/forcefully change any intended plans for the future so please don’t harass anyone working on the show just because whatever I said wasn’t true. It’s just a reminder to be kind and respectful. If they somehow see my post, uh hi, keep doing what you do and I hope for the best! ❤️

Now with that out of the way, Let’s-a Go!

CHANGE THE CHANNEL

The episode starts off in Karen’s house with her kids flipping through the SMG4 channel while she makes them dinner. In the scene where Zack, Cory, and Katie are fighting over the remote, we get a clip from the episode 'SMG4: You Made Mario Do This' when Marty was preventing the construction of the castle because he felt underappreciated for his hard work.

['SMG4: You Made Mario Do This' // timestamp, 2:15 ]

IT’S TO DIE FOR

In the next scene, Karen poured “Smarty’s Spaghetti Sauce” on the pasta.

…I mean, do I really have to spell it out here? If this cardboard cutout was able to run Casino Paisano before he and Mario went to jail, then it shouldn’t be a surprise. What is curious though is that somehow Marty, while on the run, has his face plastered on a Goober Eats bag in 'SMG4: Super SMG4 Wonder', owns a whole airline named “Marty Airlines” in 'Mario’s Plane Trip', and now has a pasta sauce brand in here. All with no one noticing anything.

['SMG4: Super SMG4 Wonder' // timestamp, 0:57 ] ['Mario’s Plane Trip' // timestamp, 0:13 ]

There is an ‘S’ put in front of his name, but the point still stands. Now, I wouldn’t say that this is “unusual”. It’s the SMG4 universe, after all, you can literally start a business and this is completely normal. Just some food for thought.

TAKING THE JOB

Back to the episode, Karen receives a call from the corporation that offers her a job — and when I mean ‘offers’, I mean ‘convinces her to take the job'. According to her former “boss”, it was a hit request on an international terrorist who has escaped from prison and is currently poisoning innocent people, who we later learn to be Marty. The “boss” also stated that Karen may know him. Karen initially refuses since she has abandoned that line of work for her kids, until her “boss” elaborates that if she doesn’t take the request, more lives could be lost, including children. Like her children. With no choice, she takes it.

But, who is this corporation?

Based on what little we have, I can determine this corporation may be affiliated with the government or something similar in power status.

They can keep tabs on all their agents, even if they quit, just as Karen did.

Apparently, they are able to get word on the people who interacted with them but not enough to know their personal lives (the corporation is seemingly uninformed about her kids.)

They are open to receiving requests from third parties.

They don’t take hits for kill’s sake, they prioritize people’s safety.

However, they don’t want any witnesses when taking the hit so they would kill IF they have to. For Karen, they trust her enough to know it won’t come to that since she is a professional, qualified agent.

Other than that, we don’t exactly know. There is a possibility that WOTFI could reveal who they are. But it also lead to Karen having her secret past revealed as well, potentially losing her job(s).

[side ramble: if that were to happen, it would be great if Three hired Karen to come work at his café. He needs the extra help after all, and Karen would be able to have more appearances in the series. I know it's not going to happen but hey, a guy could dream.]

TELL ME WHAT YOU KNOW

Karen catches Four eavesdropping on their conversation and after some convincing, the two decide to work together. They head down to the basement where Karen keeps a stash of her weapons and demands Four to tell her everything he knows about Mario.

Well, first off, I don’t think Mario can be killed except if it was through manipulation of his code due to the cosmology lore. Of course, the real target isn’t Mario but it does bring up the question:

How do you kill Marty?

In the episode 'SMG4: You Made Mario Do This', it has been established that Marty is practically invincible since he was able to stand a nuke for memes’ sake. Water may have slowed him down but it wasn’t enough to outright destroy him. We don't know if he can be destroyed, not even Mario knows — the guy who created him. Likely, for WOTFI, one of the crew’s objectives would be that they have to find Marty’s weakness to defeat him.

['SMG: You Made Mario Do This' ]

Then again, cartoon logic exists.

THE “SPAGHETTI APPRECIATION” CLUB

Karen and Four go out to tail Mario and stumble upon a cult working on the distribution of the sauce. Confused about why Mario would be here, they continued on through the warehouse… Until Four accidentally alerted the cultists of their presence.

[another side ramble: Four, you can’t just say you used to have a deviantART account and not drop the link, dude.]

After an intense between them and the cult, they were able to find Mario and realize that yeah, Mario’s being Mario and had no idea he was even in a cult.

Pure of heart, dumb of ass ❤️

That was when a dying cultist and a jar of “Smarty’s Spaghetti Sauce” revealed that the poison mentioned earlier in the episode was the sauce itself. It also was a horrifying revelation that Karen used the same sauce on the dinner she just left for her kids.

Like I mentioned before, Marty is somehow able to have a pasta sauce business. Not only that but recruit a cult who worship spaghetti to work for him.

The cultists that were in the warehouse are dead but it doesn’t mean it was all of them. Indeed, later on in the episode, more cultists came into Karen's house to fight. For all we know, Marty has multiple distribution plants in the Mushroom Kingdom so perhaps Marty would bring more as part of his army for WOTFI.

AN UNEXPECTED REUNION

Karen, Four, and Mario rush back to her house and were able to stop her kids from eating the spaghetti just in time. However, they’ve faced an unexpected guest: Marty.

Four and Mario immediately recognized him, but Karen was confused as to why a cardboard cutout was with her kids. That was when Four tells her about WOTFI 2023 — which I dubbed ‘The Notebook Arc’ — and how Marty stole Three’s notebook.

[i really have to stop making these side rambles: i absolutely loved it when they referenced WOTFI '23 :) ]

Then, Mario wonders how Marty managed to escape from prison, allowing Karen to piece together that Marty was the real target all along.

Wait a second, wasn’t she there in WOTFI '23? His face was literally all over the casino, how did she not know about Marty?

She was there but it’s likely that she assumed as everyone else did: Marty was just a cardboard cutout. A mascot. How much damage can he really do?

A lot, apparently. He was clever to take advantage of his appearance so that no one would suspect a thing.

Marty greets the familiar faces and reveals his motive behind his poisonous spaghetti sauce: after the events of the Notebook arc, Marty swore revenge on Mario after our local funny man escaped from prison and abandoned him for spaghetti.

“The one person I trusted the most has left me behind for… SPAGHETTI! Now I’ve escaped! …And it's time for… everyone to suffer like I have! At the hands… of the one thing YOU love the MOST.”

This will definitely be his motive for WOTFI 2024, this time going against Mario due to betrayal. Marty said it himself that he would be back, after he escaped with the help of a helicopter from being cornered by Karen.

WELL PLAYED

Even after Marty managed to escape from Karen, she felt relieved that her kids were safe, thanking Four and Mario for doing so.

This leads me to suspect that Karen will have a big role in WOTFI. Thematically, it makes sense since she has yet to carry out the request and would likely give the finishing blow, defeating Marty once and for all. Well, until the crew could find a weakness, of course.

.・-: ✧ :--: ✧ :-・.

And there you have it: my predictions for WOTFI 2024, all based on the episode 'We Must Kill Mario'! As this arc is just starting, it might be likely we will get to see more hints about Marty’s plan for revenge or anything related to the plot of WOTFI.

To this, my dear fellows, time will only tell. But hey, that’s just a theory…

AN SMG4 THEORY

🎶Thanks for dropping by🎶

✧

✧

✧

Do you really think that is all? How naive.

…?

[future-boi]

Doctober 2023 prompt #28: Metallic

@nopinestimeline dis one's for you 🤩 🥳 SURPRISE!!!

Literally would not have done this prompt otherwise. ik we talked about something else yesterday...dont worry im still working on it 😉🤫

This is the fun and absolute gremlin interpretation of the no pines Marty. While I was thinking that Hell Valley Marty would be a menace to society, this one's on another level for sure... I'll make more stuff with him in the future 👀

Inspo for this prompt: If you didn't get the reference, you need to do yourself a favor and watch Nimona 😤

[beardedmrbean]

Atlantic City Mayor Marty Small Sr. and his wife are both charged with physically and emotionally abusing their teen daughter, officials announced Monday. 

Small, a 50-year-old Democrat, and his wife, La’Quetta Small, 47, are charged with second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office said. Marty Small is also charged with third-degree terroristic threats, third-degree aggravated assault and disorderly persons simple assault. 

La’Quetta Small, who is the superintendent of the Atlantic City Public Schools, is also charged with disorderly persons simple assault. 

Investigators said the Smalls physically and emotionally abused their daughter on multiple occasions between December 2023 and January 2024 when she was 15 and 16 years old. During one incident, Small struck his daughter several times in the head with a broom, causing her to lose consciousness, according to investigators. 

During another incident in which they were arguing, Small continuously threatened to hurt his daughter by “earth slamming” her down the stairs, grabbing her head, throwing her to the ground and smacking the weave out of her head, investigators said. During another incident, Small punched his daughter repeatedly in her legs causing bruising, according to officials. 

La’Quetta Small at one point allegedly punched her daughter multiple times on her chest, leaving bruising. During another incident, La’Quetta Small dragged her daughter by her hair and struck her with a belt on her shoulders, leaving marks, investigators said. She also allegedly punched her daughter in the mouth during an argument. 

Reached by text Monday, Mayor Small refused to comment on the charges and directed NBC Philadelphia to his attorney, who didn’t immediately comment.

La’Quetta Small didn’t immediately comment on the charges.

Atlantic City's spokesperson on Monday declined to comment on the allegations and directed all questions to the mayor's attorney.

Mayor Small’s home was searched back on March 28. On April 1, Small, his wife and their daughter attended an Atlantic City news conference in which the mayor said he had “nothing to hide.” He also denied rumors that his daughter was pregnant and that his wife struck her while his son filmed the assault.

Small also discussed the arrest of Atlantic City High School principal Constance Days-Chapman on charges that she did not notify the proper authorities when a student told her that they were being “emotionally and physically abused by the juvenile’s parents.”

The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office’s Special Victims Unit investigated the case. If you have any further information, please call the Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office at 609-909-7800.

[heartlandians]

Block 3: Day 5 (28/6/2023). Photos by: Michelle Nolden, Megan Tracz, Michelle Morgan, Patricia Livingstone Jonzon, omnichuck, Marty Hanenberg and Michelle Morgan.

[bg-sparrow]

mcfly july 2023 || day 28 Halloween

xviii.

Marty’s feet stuttered to a stop at the foot of the driveway. 

“Holy sh —“

Jennifer elbowed him.

The vibrant orange leaves of the sugar maples framed an elegantly restored black-and-white colonial up the path lined with jack-o-lanterns and marigolds. 

Ivory pillar candles glowed in each window, a lush wreathe with wide ribbons and white gourds hung on the front door, and the heavenly scents of roast, pie, and hot chocolate greeted them at the porch stairs.

“This is Griff’s house?” 

“Mhm.” Marlene pulled the baggy sleeves of her sweater up and rang the doorbell. “His mom has a blog.”

[backwardscapcarlos]

Pepe Marti (Belgian GP - July 28, 2023) 📷 Joe Portlock

[alex-a-fans]

Inspired by alot of people, I'm making an BTTF Au MasterList!!!

These are all my Au's, some have no content whatsoever. Good luck reading all of this, and thank you for the support!

Created: 2023-04-24

Last updated: 2023-11-28

Steven universe au

Our favorite duo - gems. First made as an au for "Friends thought timelines" Collab.

Meeting.

Fanfic.

Art: (on my deleted tumblr, so its just the reblogs):

Collab with Unk!

Blue Tiger Eye (Doc and Marty fusion)

Hell Valley doc doctober day 22 "Newspaper"

"Marty won" doctober day 15 "Victory"

"Broken Mirror" doctober day 17 "Mirror image"

"Jules and Verne" (SCRAPPED IDEA) doctober day 10 "Origin"

"Training" Doctober day 8 "Fight"

"Fliddlstyx Gem Marty amongst many other Marty Aus"

Thank you @bg-sparrow for reblogging most of them!!!!

New ones:

Doc and Jules

Mojave Turquoise

Over the garden wall bttf au

A silly au inspired by doc and woodsman sharing a voice actor.

A summary is that it is Verne's and Jules fever dream (they are so sick they share a dream), who take place of Wirt and Greg.

During the dream, they encounter many characters that remind them of the people they know.

The school teacher - Clara (also a Brown... Coincidence? I THINK NOT) with that comes to the relationship of the school teacher and Jimmy Brown. Well, The school teacher reminded me of Clara after Doc told the truth about him being a time traveler.

Woodsman - another doc reference, this time just the voice and more of nature of his. Also made a post of them on my deleted tumblr.

Woodsman's daughter - MARTY.

Beatrice - my and my friends oc Emerson, who's backstory is that she left her family at a young age.

Art:

2022 McFly July: woodsman and doc switch (REBLOG)

HP BTTF

Browns and McFly's in Hogwarts! Before the battle of Hogwarts.

Ravenclaw - Doc, Jules, Clara.

Gryffindor - Verne, Marty.

Slytherin - Lorraine (I don't know why!)

Hufflepuff - George.

Wish granter doc

Inspired by Aladdin. It is in the name. But Marty finds him and does not make the brightest wishes, and tries to impress Jennifer and Needles to prove he is not a chicken.

Alien doc au

Inspired by the animated series episode "My pops an alien". And the concept of doc being an alien being taken literally.

Species

Info on doc

First apearence

Sticker

Request of his favorite food

Hell Valley AU

Dancey dance.

Ramble

Alien Verne!

Depressing pov:)

Alteration Au.

Future au + Villian au

"The story follows now-47-year-old Marty who seems to have his life together, it couldn't be better if he was honest. A famous star with a family that he loved. Dreams came true for him. But will the past come back to bite him? Or will it not only affect him but his family and reputation?"

playlist

Future au

(Mine and my friends)

Set in 2015, with Emma and Evan being Verne's kids, Caleb being adopted Jules kid.

Jules is a teacher and Verne is a writer/artist.

The kids get along with Marlene and Marty Jr very well.

Evan Brown

Clara Witch Au

again, it's in the name, inspired by the animated series episode "Witchcraft". Marty finds out about her being a witch first during bttf 3 and tries to warn doc, who of course, does not listen. Marty also thinks that Clara used some sort of Love potion and so he becomes a protective bestie.

Time Lord doc Au

again, the name. BUT. He lives in Clock Tower and Marty goes there as a dare. There were rumors of it being haunted, but you know. Marty is not a chicken, does what the rumors say to do (like a mini ritual). At first the Time Lord seems irratated and annoyed. But he seems cool :')

Very steampunk-y

REDRAW

Actually, I can expand on any of these, just ask away! Thank you for reading all of this!!!!

[bikebound]

Vincent Drag Bike! 1952 Vincent Rapide-powered quarter-miler, which ran 10-11 second E/T’s at 124-126 mph on gasoline in the late ‘60s to early ‘70s. Engine built by none other than AMA Motorcycle Hall of Famer Marty Dickerson of land-speed fame. “Nortons and Indians and Greeves won’t do, they don’t have the soul of a Vincent ‘52…” -Richard Thompson If you need a vintage drag bike in your life, this one will be crossing the block at the Mecum Las Vegas 2023 auction on January 24-28. It has a California pink slip, known ownership history, and a book of detailed specifications, time slips, and build sheets! Full story today on BikeBound.com! ⚡️Link in Bio⚡️ https://instagr.am/p/ClbRseeuBYA/

[bonjourmiaou]

TCM Saved?

from Entertainment magazine, June 28, 2023:

Lovers of classic cinema breathed a sigh of relief today — and it came out as a puff of gorgeously backlit cigarette smoke.

Esteemed directors and avowed film buffs Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, and Paul Thomas Anderson basically saved the beloved cable channel Turner Classic Movies, after a series of recent layoffs at the network.

As IndieWire first reported, the trio placed an "emergency" call to Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav last week following cuts to the majority of the network's leadership, including senior VP of programming and content strategy, Charles Tabesh.

Tabesh, however, will return to TCM with Scorsese, Spielberg, and Anderson acting as unpaid volunteers who will help guide and curate the network's programming, even including host intros and outros. TCM's Classic Film Festival will also continue.

"We have already begun working on ideas with [Warner Bros. executives Michael de Luca and Pamela Abdy], both true film enthusiasts who share a passion and reverence for classic cinema that is the hallmark of the TCM community," the directors said in a joint statement.

"This unique arrangement, initiated by David Zaslav, reflects his commitment to honoring the TCM legacy while also involving us on curation and programming," the statement continued. "We are thrilled that longtime programmer Charlie Tabesh will be staying with TCM and gratified to know that the team is focused on preserving TCM's mission of celebrating our rich movie history while at the same time ensuring that future generations of filmmakers and film lovers have TCM as a valuable resource."

Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group issued a statement of its own, saying, "TCM is a cultural treasure, and we are honored to help steer the future direction of this beloved brand with the partnership of three of the most iconic filmmakers of our time, Steven, Marty, and Paul."

[brexiiton]

These countries have travel bans against the United States

MARTIE BOWSER, APRIL 28 2023 2:42PM

Countries around the world have warned citizens about coming to the U.S for reasons including mass shootings and hate crimes.

Due to a rise in crime and fatalities, travel advisories are not uncommon. Travel advisories are the most efficient way for officials to provide safety information to their citizens about potential risks when visiting other countries.

Despite the media portrayal and opinions of other, the U.S is not immune to travellers questioning their safety precautions when entering the U.S., but some have increased the level of alarm. Increased hate crimes, violence, sexual assault and other forms of criminality, have countries warning their citizens about travel to the United States.

Travel Noire revealed why New Zealand, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, France, Venezuela and Uruguay encourage their citizens to say diligent when visiting America.

NEW ZEALAND

New Zealand's current travel advisory level for the U.S. is a 2 out of 4, meaning travellers are advised to exercise increased caution. Travel Noire state that, "New Zealand's government attributes the rating to the threat of terrorism. The U.S. remains a target of terrorist interest from both international terror groups and domestic-based extremists." New Zealand warns that individuals or groups may target the U.S through terroristic acts in areas where tourists frequent.

CANADA

The Canadian government mentions the high rate of firearm possession in the U.S and that it is "legal in many states for citizens to openly carry firearms in public." Due to increased mass shootings, Canada advises tourists to "familiarise themselves with how to respond to an active shooter situation." Canada's travel advisories also detail and warn residents about possible criminal incidents at the U.S.-Mexico border.

AUSTRALIA

Australia's travel warning has the U.S classified at a level 1, instructing travellers to exercise standard safety precautions. However, like Canada, Australia does warn citizens that violent and gun-related crimes are more common in the U.S The country also lists the possibility of an impending terrorist attack.

UNITED KINGDOM

The U.K. government advises its residents to stay vigilant when travelling to the States. They list possible occurrences of mass shootings and terrorist attacks, but claim those are rare occurrences with tourists. They suggest individuals read the guidance on responding to an active shooter.

FRANCE

The United States is considered one of the safest countries in the world, according to France's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. They do point out certain urban cities that pose potential threats, such as carjacking, theft and walking alone at night. "The ministry provides a breakdown of potential threats in neighbourhoods in major U.S. cities, such as Boston, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, New Orleans, San Francisco, and Los Angeles."

VENEZUELA & URUGUAY

South American countries, Venezuela and Uruguay, have had travel warnings issued against the U.S. since 2019. The "proliferation of acts of violence and indiscriminate hate crimes," was the reason that Venezuela recommended citizens postpone travel to the U.S. Uruguay's Ministry of Foreign Affairs urged travellers to take extreme precautions against the same hate crimes and increased firearm violence.

[andrewmoocow]

Little Homeworld Life chapter 14: It’s Tough To Be A Star (originally published on March 28, 2023)

AN: At long last, we're finally back! This set of thirteen all-new chapters will provide you with enough fun, mystery, and drama to keep you engaged in this world before I inevitably have to put it to an end with the upcoming Snake Eyes. When last we left off, the evil alternate universe versions of the Crystal Gems were sent packing back to their home universe by the Crystal Gems we know, with a little help from a good version of Black Rutile from the same universe. But where do we go from here? Well, let's find out, shall we?

Synopsis: The Gems learn of their newfound star-power from the President, but some have let it go to their heads more than others.

Cast:

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl

Shelby Rabara as Peridot

Jennifer Paz as Lapis

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Noël Wells as Black Rutile

Lauren Ash as White Topaz

Casey Lee Williams as Cat's Eye

Lin-Manuel Miranda as President Eduardo Suarez

Jon Wurster as Marty

Casey Robertson as Neil Michaels

Richard Horvitz as Christopher Cage

Alexia Khadime as Sardonyx

Billie Eilish as Turquoise

Featuring T-Pain as Sam Galley

Jay Leno as Leonard Jason

Anderson Cooper as Andrew Cooper

And Shanelle Grey as Sally Grove

--

"Welcome back, everyone!" Sardonyx yelled delightedly on a talk show set with Turquoise as her guest of honor while a canned audience cheered excitedly. "Hoo boy, that was quite a commercial break we had there, huh? Well, at least our sponsors won't be breathing down our necks now! On that note, please welcome our next guest, Turquoise!"

"Hey everyone, nice to see you." Turquoise awkwardly greeted her screaming fans. "Thanks for having me on here, Sardonyx, love your show." She said to the host of the show. "So, remind me, this is about fusions?"

"Why yes, my dear!" Sardonyx laughed. "We stage this program to interview the various fusions around Little Homeworld, get a taste of their bond, and maybe show off their abilities too! Which reminds me, kiddo, how does it feel being the embodiment of a rather rocky relationship?"

"Surprisingly stable, actually." Turquoise responded. "Lapis and Peridot have definitely had their issues, sure, but they managed to grow past all that. Through all the struggles and suffering like any other duo had, they've had each other, and that's all that-"

"OMG, is that Lapis Lazuli?!" a voice yelled as a tourist got up on stage to strike a pose with Turquoise. "Quick, Blaine, get a picture!"

"Hey, I was in the middle of a poignant speech here!" Turquoise complained as Blaine took a picture of her with the tourist. "Where did you come from?!"

"Yeah, that's what I want to know." Sardonyx added crossly. "Security!" As Topaz unfused to drag the excited tourist away, more of them began to show up and crowd around Sardonyx. "Where are you all coming from?!"

"Oh, we're just on a tour of Beach City, home to some of Earth's mightiest heroes!" another tourist replied eagerly.

"WHOO, AMETHYST FOR LIFE!" a particularly eager tourist yelled as he took off his shirt and began swinging it around, revealing that he had a tattoo resembling an amethyst gem on his chest. "Hey, you wanna know who Amethyst reminds me of? My mom!"

"Well, unfortunately, it looks like we'll have to cut this short so we can get to the bottom of this." Sardonyx said while preparing to unfuse. "Until next time everyone, remember to- "

"KNOW! YOUR! FUSION!" the audience yelled in unison as Sardonyx unfused into Garnet and Pearl.

"So let me get this straight: you consider us Earth's mightiest heroes?" Pearl asked the growing horde of tourists. "I mean, sure, we had saved the Earth multiple times in the past, like last month when we fought those evil versions of ourselves, but I wouldn't consider us heroes."

"We need to get to the bottom of this." Garnet declared while Turquoise unfused into Lapis and Peridot. "Lapis, Peridot, get the others. We need to call someone about this."

--

Once Garnet, Pearl, Lapis, and Peridot contacted Bismuth, Amethyst, Jasper, and White Topaz about the current situation. There was only one person who could give them some answers on what was happening, and he was only a video chat away.

"Uh, for the last time, Sorayama, I'm unsure if I can trust you with our nuclear weapons array." US President Eduardo Suarez groaned as he turned around in his chair, only to realize that he was actually speaking to the Crystal Gems. "Oh, dios mio, the Crystal Gems! Feels like we haven't talked in a while! How are things holding up in Beach City?"

"We're doing muy bien, Eddy!" Amethyst replied. "Hey buddy, could you be a pal and answer us just one question?"

"We've discovered some tourists visiting Little Homeworld and treating us like celebrities." Garnet said. "Please tell us why this is happening."

"Oh yeah, forgot to tell you about that." Eduardo sheepishly proclaimed. "Ever since your recent victories against Black Rutile, The Sickle, and now that Crystal Regime or whatever it was called, your approval ratings have skyrocketed! People from all over the world are cheering your names! Words cannot describe how pleased I am to hear all this praise pouring out from all over, especially after how Black Rutile nearly turned the world against you!"

"Wait, we're famous?!" Amethyst cried eagerly. "YAHOO!"

"About time we got some credit for our deeds." Garnet smirked pridefully. "But let's not let this get to our heads, everyone. We're still citizens of Earth at the end of the day."

"Are you kidding me?!" Peridot exclaimed. "We're now on par with the likes of Christopher Cage, Jacob Steele, Edward Christian, and Bella Anastasia! Just imagine it, our names in shining lights, our footprints on the Los Diego Crosswalk of Legends!"

"Yeah, I'm pretty excited too, but why me?" Lapis asked. "Didn't I drown hundreds of people across three third-world countries, nearly cause tons of economic crises, and put tons of ocean life at risk of extinction?"

"Frankly, I'm not too sure how to feel about this." Bismuth stated. "I mean, what's it like as a celebrity?"

"Yeah, that's what I want to know too." Jasper added. "Like, is it anything like Peridot said?"

"Yeah, kind of," Eduardo answered. "As a celebrity, you are expected to preserve your image by treating your fans and the general public with respect, committing to endorsement and major motion picture deals, and try not to succumb to any human vices that'll cause you to get canceled on the spot. In fact, I already contacted a freelance talent manager to come give you the lowdown on what you'll be doing from here on out!"

"Talent manager?" Pearl asked just as the Gems heard the door open, and discovered a short, dark-skinned man in a suit and trilby hat standing before them with a briefcase in hand. "Is that you?"

"Why yes, that's me. Sam Galley, freelance talent manager at your service." The man introduced himself like a gentleman. "I've worked with some of the finest actors in the business for as long as I could remember. John Chaney, Velvett Johannason, Jack L. Samuels, all of them some of the highest grossing in the business, thanks to me. But never have I thought my latest clients would be so out of this world. I truly think this partnership could benefit me, I mean us, in the long run."

"Oh, why thank you, Mr. Galley." Pearl said while shaking Sam's hand. "Now then, is there anything you'd like for us to do?"

"Oh no, no need to ask him, girls." Eduardo stated. "Just listen to what he says, and you'll do the rest! Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go have lunch with the familia. Bye!" As soon as Eduardo ended the chat, Sam shut the computer and pushed it away so he could sit on the coffee table.

"Okay, girls, work with me here!" Sam exclaimed. "There's a whole world of possibilities for you to explore! I'm talking film deals, television, goodwill tours, music labels, and all the merchandise you could imagine!" To prove his point, Mr. Galley presented the Gems with some ideas for the merch. "Clothing lines are huge, for one. Just imagine your attire being the next big fashion trend! Ooh, or maybe an autobiography or two! And let's not forget, the Lapis Lazuli brand flamethrower!" He presented some concept art of a blue flamethrower, which made Lapis raise her eyebrows at the irony of the idea. "The test audiences love this one!"

"I still have no strong feelings about this, one way or the other." Bismuth proclaimed.

"Ooh, I'll take twenty!" White Topaz eagerly said.

"Guys, you have no idea what this could do for us." Amethyst declared. "Soon, we might not need this old beach house anymore; we could just give it to Greg while we, I don't know, build ourselves a mansion or something!"

"Now, let's not get too ahead of ourselves, Amethyst." Pearl cautioned the Quartz. "I swear, this is exactly what I just warned you about, and you're so quick to forget it."

"Now, Pearl, no need to get so worried." Peridot smugly responded as drum music began playing, and she began to sing. "I hardly think I'm qualified to come across all sanctified; I just don't cut it with all my followers."

"Yo Peri, what are you talking about?" Amethyst asked the green Gem while gesturing to legions of fans bowing before them. "There again, they're on their knees! Being celebrities is a breeze! Which I think suits the two of us no lower."

"Us no lower, us no lower! Just me and her!" Peridot began to realize. "Oh, my stars!"

"IT'S TOUGH TO BE A STAR!" the duo sang together while Sam served as a backup dancer, and the other Crystal Gems looked around at the sudden musical number taking place.

"Movies, TV shows, and a fancy car! Being worshipped, not like it's a high bar!" Peridot declared as she perched atop a giant statue of herself. "Be the object of devotion, the subject of shrines!"

"It's quite a heartfelt notion; all the autographs and camera shines." Amethyst remarked as photographers and autograph hounds surrounded the duo.

"And who am I to bridle when people consider me an idol?" Peridot asked in exchange. "If they say that I'm an icon, that's what I am!" She then took Amethyst aside to tell her the drawbacks of celebrity godhood. "What's more, if we don't comply with the fanbase's wishes, I see ourselves being canceled online."

"Oh yeah, that's definitely possible." Amethyst concurred. "So let's be stars; the perks are great!"

"Yeah, all of entertainment on a plate!" Peridot exclaimed with big cigars for her, Amethyst, and Sam to stick in their mouths.

"Now we're talking!" Amethyst cried in delight. "Everyone's feelings should not be rebuffed!"

"Never rebuff, a-never rebuff our public's feelings!" Peridot scatted. "No, my friend!"

"It's tough to be a star, but if our fans raise the bar!" the two proclaimed. "Count your blessings, keep 'em happy; that's our advice!"

"Really great advice!" Peridot stated.

"Be seen as pure perfection; they worship us like a cult." The pair parroted. "Showered with praise, no time for reflection, when the multitudes exalt!"

"This could become a habit!" Amethyst cued for the song to end while the Gems and Sam hopped in a limo.

"Call us insane not to grab it!" Peridot agreed.

"You got it!" Amethyst yelled.

"So sign these shining stars up for paradise!" the star duo exclaimed. "PARADISE!"

"Uh, what just happened?" Lapis asked worriedly once the song finally ended.

"I don't know, and I'm not sure if I'm going to like what this will lead up to." Jasper agreed. Unbeknownst to the Gems, however, Black Rutile was watching the entire thing, and the big musical number had given her some ideas.

--

"So let me get this straight," Cat's Eye said as Black Rutile sat down on her computer. "the Crystal Gems are apparently celebrities now? Frankly, I'm not surprised it's come to this point, but I find this a little ridiculous."

"Well, that is why I need your help." Black Rutile said while browsing the popular social media site Yatter. "How do I gain as much attention and supporters as theirs to get somewhere with my newest plan?"

"Oh, funny you should mention that." Cat replied before turning her phone over to Black Rutile. "You're pretty famous as well." To Black Rutile's delight, dozens of users were pouring out their support for her under the hashtag #BlackRutileWasRight, with messages varying from how they're fascist sympathizers or poor excuses for role models. "Yeah, you're pretty popular among incels, conservatives, homophobes, skinheads, conspiracy theorists, users utilizing the tag to fantasize about their favorite Korean boy bands, and just people abusing the Internet's power of anonymity to get away with whatever they want."

"This can't be real, can it?" Black Rutile muttered in amazement before she suddenly had an idea. "Remind me, Cat, what do all these have in common?"

"They're complete idiots who shape their identity around believing everything they read?" Cat replied while filing her nails.

"Exactly!" Cat proclaimed while looking at one of the most liked posts on the tag that read "The Crystal Gems basically thrive on white savior complex, discuss." Her mouth curled into a cat-like smile before tapping on the user who posted it, who went by Sally Grove. "Ooh, she's probably your biggest fan! You should talk to her!"

"I'm sorry; what is this white savior complex?" Black Rutile squinted in disbelief over the sheer audacity of such an opinion. "Besides, Steven has a slightly pinkish skin tone, and everyone else has varying inhuman skin colors."

"You'll find out soon enough." Cat said. "Want me to reply for you? Maybe I can arrange for you two to meet up!"

"Fine, I'll dictate for you what the post must say." Black Rutile said before Cat began typing precisely what she said. "Greetings, Sally Grove. I am Black Rutile of the Rutile Rebels, an organization dedicated to combatting the oppressive regime of the Crystal Gems and their little champion, Steven Universe. I recently came across this post and insist we meet up somehow because I feel you might relate so much to me. Please respond ASAP."

"And send!" Cat's Eye proclaimed as she finished the post and submitted it, when she suddenly got a response. "Wow, that was quick!"

"Dear Black Rutile, I am amazed to be in your presence, considering that you're a wanted criminal under house arrest." Sally's response read. "I never trusted the Crystal Gems to begin with. Their message of kindness and love makes me feel so uncomfortable since I am a total cynic who sees the worst in everyone and vehemently despises any act of goodwill."

"Wow, she wears her hatred of good people on her sleeve, just like me!" Black Rutile exclaimed. "What else does it say?"

"If you wish to talk with me, I shall DM you my contact info so we can video chat. Hope to see you soon." Cat's Eye finished reading before putting down her phone. "Can you believe this?! We've struck paydirt!"

"One question though, what does DM stand for?" Black Rutile asked.

"It means direct message." Cat's Eye answered. "The humans who use the Internet have a very strange vernacular they use. Like for example, OMG means oh my gosh." Just then, a DM popped up from Sally Grove asking to video chat with Black Rutile. "Well, here goes nothing."

The two Gems sent the link to Black Rutile's computer and opened the invite. On the screen, a blonde woman with aqua-green eyes behind a thick pair of glasses sat down staring at Black Rutile. "Hello there. I suppose you may be Black Rutile, correct?"

"Yes, I am she." Black Rutile stated. "I have only just discovered you, yet I feel like the two of us could become like sisters to each other. United by our shared hatred of the Crystal Gems!"

"Yeah, but I prefer to discuss my dislike of them through my controversial opinions." Sally stated. "You prefer plots to try and take over the world or something corny like that."

"My schemes are not that corny!" a very offended Black Rutile exclaimed before composing herself. "Anyways, I discovered your posts through a little hashtag proclaiming #BlackRutileWasRight, used primarily by people who share my viewpoints."

"Oh yeah, that." Sally casually said. "I was the one who started that hashtag because I find it so hard to believe that a rampaging monster is actually a hero of the universe!"

"Exactly!" Black Rutile cheered. For what felt like hours on end, the two continued talking with each other, sharing stories and decrying the Crystal Gems over the Internet. For the first time in forever, Black Rutile felt like she had found someone who could finally understand her. And now, she has the perfect tool to use to further her vengeance.

--

In the meantime, the Crystal Gems were now living the life of celebrities and all it entailed. For Pearl in particular, she was sent off to the set of a big-budget movie under Sam's orders. Things seemed innocent enough, but something about the sets, the props, and the giant dinosaur-like creature seemed familiar to her.

"Uh, hello, everyone." Pearl shyly greeted. "I'm Pearl, and I've been sent here by Sam Galley to star in whatever movie you're making here."

"Well, well, well, look what the cat dragged in." the familiar voice of Neil Michaels, Pearl's one-time rival from Los Diego, purred as he strolled in. "Hello there Pearl, long time no see."

"Neil Michaels?!" Pearl gasped in alarm. "What are you doing here?!"

"What am I doing here?!" Neil exclaimed. "This is the set of my newest movie you've come upon! It shall be my latest box office masterpiece in the making, and I call it-"

"Michaels, what are you doing?" another voice asked as he strolled towards Pearl. He was visibly far older than Neil and had a bit of a shark motif to his clothing. "Oh, are you one of those Crystal Gems everyone talks about?"

"I'm sorry, I'm kind of drawing a blank on you, and we know pretty much everyone in Beach City." Pearl said. "Who are you again? I feel like I've heard of you somewhere before."

"Don't you remember? It's me, Marty!" Marty exclaimed. "I was Greg's manager; I was the guy who made him rich with that burger jingle! Come on, not ringing any bells?"

"Oh yes, Morty!" Pearl realized despite getting Marty's name horribly wrong. "I think I remember you. What brings you here?"

"I'm here working with Neil Michaels after I got sued for my Guacola causing food poisoning." Marty stated. "I got into the film business to recoup my losses, and business is booming."

"That reminds me, what film are we making here?" Pearl asked. "I feel like I'm getting a sense of déjà vu here."

"I am so glad you asked!" Neil proclaimed as he pulled out his phone and presented a trailer for his new movie. The mood was set quite well, Pearl admitted to herself, but then came the film's title.

"Oh my lord, it's coming!" the motion picture's leading man, played by Christopher Cage, screamed in horror before it cut to the words "THE PINK BEAST OF THE BAY" in big pink letters. "Based on a true story." An announcer declared. "This film is not yet rated."

"Wait, is this based on Steven's meltdown?!" Pearl screeched angrily at Neil and Marty's toothy grins. "How could you?!"

"Yes, and we thought you'd make a perfect leading lady!" Neil replied happily. "Given that you were there that day, your point of view could really make our-"

"Don't tumble my rocks here, Michaels!" Pearl roared as she grabbed the arrogant director by his collar and dragged him so close, her nose could almost poke his eye out. "You knew exactly what you were doing when you conceived such an idea!"

"Cut me some slack; I didn't realize that was your little friend when I saw him on TV that time!" Neil tried desperately to save face while struggling to free himself from the angry Gem's grasp. "Listen, I'll allow you full creative control over the writing, I'll let you do whatever you want if you don't kill me here! Seriously, I have not been this disrespected since that party at Jeffrey's island!"

"Oy, Gems." Marty rolled his eyes in disgust. "Okay, Pearlie, put the nice man down and hear him out."

"And what will I get if I comply?" Pearl coldly asked as she dropped Neil to the ground when Marty suddenly presented her with a big sack of cash. "What is that?"

"Approximately 4.3 billion dollars, give or take." Marty said. "If you want this much cash, you gotta accept our offer. Capische?" he suggested with a sharklike smile. "Come on. You wouldn't want to disappoint Sammy, right?"

Though she had a bad history with Neil Michaels and absolutely refused to partake in this mockery of Steven's mental health, Pearl couldn't bear to disappoint anyone, least of all an important figure in the entertainment industry. "Okay, fine, I'll do what you want, you mongrels."

"Happy to be working with you, Pearl." Marty stated as Pearl replaced the sack of cash with her hand, and the two shook. "You're going to love what we have planned."

--

"IT'S THE AFTER DARK SHOW, WITH YOUR FABULOUS HOST!" the announcer of a talk show excitedly cried as its aging host jogged on stage, high-fiving some of his fans in the front row of the studio audience along the way. "LEONAAAAARD JASON!"

"Thank you, thank you! You're all too kind!" Leonard Jason chuckled as he sat down at his desk. "We got an interesting show tonight, folks. I've had some unique guests before, but none are quite this out of this world. Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you Amethyst and Peridot!"

The audience cheered wildly as the camera panned to show the two Gems sitting on a couch across from Leonard. "Thanks for having us, Leonard; being on here is like a badge of honor." Amethyst said.

"Please, you're too kind." Leonardo smiled in reply. "Now tell us, your friends tell me that they found you years after the war ended in a Kindergarten. Tell me what that's like."

"Well, being the runt of the litter who emerged for a war that already ended certainly took a lot out of me." Amethyst responded. "Feeling like I'm useless, like I never asked to be made, a sorrowful story. Which you can read all about in my latest book!" She then presented her book with a portrait of Amethyst on its purple cover. "The Kindergarten Kid On the Run, coming soon everywhere where books are sold!"

"And on the topic of writing, I'd like to announce that I've begun pitching my ideal reboot of Camp Pining Hearts to its original network, The DW." Peridot declared proudly, to the excitement of thousands. "In addition to being a far superior reboot than the atrocity we already got that'll appease both original fans and new generations, I also made sure it appealed to my personal tastes. Which means yes, Percy and Pierre will be an official couple from the start."

"Wow, an author and a TV writer right off the bat, what more could you want?" Leonard asked his audience. "But I think we've all seen enough TV shows where the character becomes famous for an episode to know what could come next. Eventually, the fame will get to your heads, and you'll start ignoring your friends in favor of your fellow celebrities before realizing that friendship matters more than fame, hm?"

"Geez, you're starting to sound like Pearl." Amethyst snarked, causing the viewers to laugh. "But no, Peri and I are ensuring that doesn't happen. I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"

--

Faraway from Beach City, meanwhile, Lapis was now on a private jet with Sam flying through the skies towards Africa. "So, where did you say we were going again?"

"We'll be heading off to a little village in Tanzania, which I hear was one of the many third-world countries you attacked." Sam stated while reading a newspaper. "You remember that, right?"

"Yes, very well." Lapis groaned in embarrassment as she buried her face in her hands.

"Aw, don't be too guilty," Sam assured Lapis. "this is all for a goodwill tour I've arranged to improve your reputation. According to your approval ratings, you're not very popular among these countries you've nearly drowned."

"Great." Lapis replied dryly before the plane touched down in Tanzania, and the two disembarked to be greeted by a group of suspicious civilians. "Uh, hello, everyone."

"It's here, the water witch!" one of the citizens screamed, causing a riot where everyone started throwing trash, rocks, and produce at Lapis, making her look very worried as she tried to shield herself with her wings.

"Now, friends, we don't have to fight!" Sam tried to placate the furious masses while quietly passing out pamphlets. "My companion here is simply here to talk with you about how much she has changed since that day she nearly killed you all. I can assure you, she has had time to think about the consequences of her actions and went to many lengths to atone for them."

"Yeah, I've changed so much since then." Lapis agreed with Sam. "Please, just give me the benefit of the doubt, and maybe we can get along then."

"Oh, so does that mean we can take down this statue of you we deface every day in honor of everyone you drowned?" another civilian said while pointing at that very Lapis statue, which was covered in toilet paper, graffiti saying things like "BURN THE WITCH!", "WANTS TO GO HOME MY ASS!" and various obscenities, and some stains that Lapis doesn't even want to know where they came from. And this all just made her feel even worse.

--

"Hello, everyone, and welcome back to 90 Minutes." Andrew Cooper, the host of the news program 90 Minutes, announced as the show returned from a commercial break. "With me right now are four members of the esteemed Crystal Gems, Garnet, Bismuth, Jasper, and White Topaz. Welcome, ladies. So glad you could accept this offer."

"Well, technically, we didn't accept it. It was just arranged for us." Bismuth answered. "But regardless, it's nice to be here, Mr. Cooper."

"Now, onto today's topic." Cooper said while shuffling some papers in his hands. "You may consider yourselves alien lifeforms, but I have seen people online say that you are an inspiration to people of color and abuse survivors. Would you care to share your opinions?"

"As delighted as I am to see people consider us role models, I'm not sure I'm following this." Garnet said. "You're allowed to believe what you want, but I'm not sure I'd consider us people of color because we are from another planet. Therefore, we don't fit your definition of race."

"I think they mean color in a literal sense, like how Bismuth is purple, Jasper is orange, etc." White Topaz replied to Garnet. "No, wait, I think I'm getting this wrong.

"Let's remain on subject, girls." Andrew interrupted the banter. "As I stated, Garnet, you may not actually be human, but your struggles are very human, which is what makes you relatable."

"Okay, that; I can definitely see your point!" Jasper exclaimed. "For example, I was the victim of a mutually abusive relationship that lasted for months while my partner and I were trapped under the sea!"

"That is a sentence I never thought I'd hear on my show." Andrew deadpanned. "That reminds me, would you care to discuss your version of human relationships?"

--

"Boring!" Cat's Eye grumbled as she switched the channel from 90 Minutes to some kind of sports game. "Ugh, I can't stand this! I've already had enough of everyone here singing the praises of those Gems in Little Homeworld, but the entire world is doing it now? Someone get me an aspirin; I have a headache!"

Black Rutile ignored Cat's complaining as she continued chatting with Sally over the Internet and was utterly enamored with what she was hearing. "You know, you have taught me so much in our time together. For example, what is this 420 I hear people laughing about?"

"Oh, that's just a random number that's code for "ha ha ha, drugs are funny" or "adults who still watch cartoons." Sally answered bluntly. "So tell me again, what are you planning?"

"I've concocted many revenge plots over my imprisonment here in Little Homeworld, but I think this one might be my deadliest yet." Black Rutile proclaimed as she presented the torn page of Rasputina's grimoire. "This is a page of a magic book I stole that tells of an ancient being of chaos known as Flipso. Once I unleash him onto the world, I'll be utterly unstoppable!"

"Interesting." Sally smiled evilly. "How can I possibly help?"

"I'm not sure if you can fit into my plot at the moment, but I do have one mission for you." Black Rutile answered. "If you have the time, use that hashtag to gather me more followers, and together, the two of us will restore the Rutile Rebels into an unstoppable army!"

"I'll see what I can do." Sally stated. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to start recording my newest video. It's about why KA Howling isn't actually a bigot; people are just jealous of a woman being superior to them in every way imaginable."

"Isn't that the lady who wrote all those wizard books?" Black Rutile asked. "Ooh, you truly are evil! You're wasting your time as an Internet personality when your personality is more befitting that of a supervillain!"

"Oh, you're too kind." Sally blushed. "Bye-bye now!" The chat then finally ended, causing Black Rutile to get up from her chair and walk over to Cat's Eye with an excited grin on her face.

"Sounds like you two had a good time." Cat's Eye said while taking a long drag of her cigarette. "What did you two talk about?"

"Oh, we went on and on about how repulsive and hypocritical the Crystal Gems are; it's like meeting a human version of me!" Black Rutile sighed dreamily. "She completes me."

"Oy, get a room, you two." Cat rolled her eyes. "That reminds me, are you sure she genuinely hates the Crystal Gems, or is it born out of jealousy that they're superior to her in every way and will be remembered for centuries while she'll be even less than a mere footnote in history?"

"Don't say that!" Black Rutile exclaimed. "I just have living proof that there are people who despise the same individuals I do, and therefore they will believe everything I say! Which reminds me, give me your phone." Cat's eye complied, and Black Rutile immediately took to Yatter. Almost instantly, she found numerous new posts on the #BlackRutileWasRight tag talking about her chat with Sally, and how Sally was using the tag to gather many new followers for the Rutile Rebels. "You know, we should make a dedicated page to the Rutile Rebels soon. Would you like that?"

"Oh yes, very much." Cat nodded eagerly.

--

"Now, onto our next subject for tonight." Cooper continued. "Recent social media posts claim that you are, quote, "fascist sympathizers" simply because you dared to show a hand of kindness to the oppressive rulers of your race. Is that true?"

"Wait, what?!" Bismuth yelled. "Who's saying such things?"

"Just an online influencer calling herself Sally Grove who is using the tag #BlackRutileWasRight." Andrew proclaimed as he brought the tweet up on the screen. "And if my admittedly barebones knowledge of your social media rings true, cancel culture might be working its magic soon enough."

"It was either reach out to the very people we've sworn to fight or let those corrupted Gems languish in agony!" Bismuth yelled abruptly, giving Cooper a spook. "We never forgave the Diamonds; we're simply giving them a chance to atone for what they've done!"

"And I think we're done for tonight!" Cooper nervously declared as Garnet dragged Bismuth away. "Join us next week for another episode of 90 Minutes where we ask ourselves if artificial intelligence can revolutionize the paperclip industry!"

--

As soon as word got out about the tag, the Crystal Gems reassembled at the Crystal Temple to discuss this recent development. Pearl had just finished shooting for The Pink Beast of the Bay and had to avoid Marty following her home; Garnet, Jasper, and White Topaz pacified Bismuth enough for her to return home, Peridot and Amethyst were on the run from an inexplicable mob, and Lapis decided to fly home after her goodwill tour.

"So tell me, what happened again?" Amethyst asked as she immediately dug up something to eat from the fridge.

"Someone really has it out for us, aside from Black Rutile, of course." Pearl explained while examining the posts on her phone. "She's saying all these hurtful things about us and our way of life, and for what reason? Is she just jealous, or does she get a kick out of making people's lives miserable?"

"I think I've heard of this girl before." Peridot stated. "She has some pretty toxic opinions, yet so many people follow her despite how blatantly abusive she is!"

"People will always follow whoever has the biggest voice, no matter how terrible they are." Lapis remarked. "They're basically everywhere. TV, movies, online, politicians, the news, the works."

"Who would've guessed celebrity life would be this tiring?" Jasper asked. "I mean, I didn't ask for this, but here we are!"

"That reminds me, I have something to say as well." Sam said as he stepped forth. "You may think I'm saying this completely out of nowhere, but I admit that I've been kind of taking advantage of Crystalmania because going freelance isn't very kind to me. The moment I first heard of you guys, opportunity started knocking, and I just had to open that door to strike it rich. Surely you must feel mad at me for using you, right?"

"I never even realized it, probably because this came straight out of nowhere." White Topaz said. "But hey, if you legitimately feel sorry, then I guess we can let this slide."

"On the grounds that we take a bit of a break from celebrity life." Garnet added. "However, if we feel like it, we'll definitely call you."

"Wow, you're way cooler about this than I thought." Sam said before the door opened to reveal Marty, out of breath and desperate to get Pearl's attention. "Martin, what brings you here?"

"I just need to give the Crystal Gems another offer!" Marty panted as he presented a certain dessert treat that Steven loved so much. "I pulled some strings to get Cookie Cats back in production, and I need you guys to be the mascot!"

"Yeah, I don't think we're interested." Pearl declared before shoving Marty out the front door.

"Freaking immortal broads." Marty grumbled to himself as he walked away. "Black Rutile had the right idea about them."

"Well, that certainly got tied up pretty quick." Sam said as he put on his trilby and began to leave the beach house. "So long, everybody. I'm off to find my next muse!"

"Have a safe trip!" Peridot and the other Gems bid farewell to Sam Galley as he left the beach house for greener pastures. "So glad we got the call before Amethyst and I let the fame go to our heads like on those TV shows."

"But that begs the question," Amethyst added. "Who in their right mind would believe Black Rutile?"

--

"And that is why Pearl is a bad example of a strong independent woman and is no better than the narcissistic sociopaths plaguing our superhero movies." Sally ended another hot take on Yatter and pressed send as she sat back to let the replies and likes fly in. "Those Crystal Gems have no idea what they'll be in for."

Meanwhile, Black Rutile was browsing her computer as she and Cat's Eye continued setting up a social media account for the Rutile Rebels when Cat's Eye suddenly got another message for Black Rutile. It was signed, "Dear Black Rutile, we need to talk. Signed, Marty."

--

At long last, Season 2 begins! For the next twelve weeks after this chapter, expect more musical numbers than the last season, a lot of social commentary and mockery of certain controversial YouTubers, celebrity guest stars both old and new, and an epic finale to lead directly into the final story of this little universe. But that's for much later. Next time we meet, we get a glimpse into Steven's side of this story with A Quick One While I'm Away. Yes, I'm not afraid to admit that's a Bojack Horseman reference.

[pmcmarty]

PMC at Fenway, Our Pedal Partner, and a Big Milestone!

Living Proof Celebration at Fenway Park

This past Friday I took my family to PMC Night at Fenway Park where the Boston Red Sox hosted the Pan-Mass Challenge and honored Living Proof Riders, riders who have survived cancer, by allowing them to parade around the field on their bikes. 

Among them was a PHAT Tuesday Teammate, Sharon Foster. This year she will be riding in her 7th Pan-Mass Challenge. Sharon is active, healthy and thriving today due to the amazing treatment from her doctor at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Teagan's Last Treatment...

This Tuesday, our 2023/2024 PMC Pedal Partner, Teagan,  is scheduled for what is supposed to be her LAST treatment. They also are waiting to hear about port removal.  Teagan has been battling B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia since being diagnosed in May of 2022.

It has been a tough journey for Teagan. She has been hospitalized a number of times with bacterial infections, side effects from her Chemotherapy treatments, and even severe acute necrotizing pancreatitis with hypovolemic shock. In addition to this Teagan has had additional complications from pancreatitis and other reactions to various medications.

Teagan is fortunate that her oncologist is the doctor who wrote the protocol for treatment of her specific type of leukemia. Hopefully this last scheduled treatment today is the beginning of the end of her 2+ year cancer journey.

Prior to receiving her diagnosis, Teagan was a dedicated, competitive dancer.  With hard work and a little bit of physical therapy, she has returned to dance on a small scale.  She's your typical high school girl; she loves her friends, her phone, music, clothes and shopping. 

In Other News...

As of last Friday, the Pan-Mass Challenge surpassed $28 million raised so far this year, bringing the fundraising total since 1980 to $1 billion for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

With just over 2 weeks to go I am just over halfway to my $12,000 goal. I am hoping to at least hit $10,000 by the end of July. Please help me reach my goals by making a donation.

100% of every donation goes directly to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston and supports cancer research & patient care.

Click here to make $25 donation

Click here to make a $50 donation

Click here to make a $100 donation

Click here to make a $250 donation

Click here to make a $500 donation

Click here to make a $1,000 donation

Click here to make a donation of any other amount

Click here to donate using your Fidelity Donor Advised Fund

Thank you for your support!

Marty Middelmann

My 2024 Fundraising Goal: $12,000

Raised for 2024: $6,447

Number of Donors: 64

Corporate Matches: $450 (Including $200 Pending) 

My Progress Towards that Goal: 53.7%

[pop-culture-diary]

Mieszkali na ulicy, którą zna niewielu...

Premiera: 28 grudnia 2023

Autor: Grzegorz Uzdański

Adaptacja, dramaturgia: Tomasz Jękot

Reżyseria: Paweł Świątek

Scenografia, kostiumy: Karolina Mazur

Muzyka: Weronika Krówka

Produkcja: Fundacja Imka

Występują: Mateusz Banasiuk, Magdalena Boczarska, Oskar Hamerski, Tomasz Karolak, Monika Janik-Hussakowska

Tekst pisany na podstawie spektaklu z 4 czerwca 2024

Gdybyście rok temu powiedzieli mi, że na warszawskich scenach będzie można w jednym tygodniu obejrzeć dwie sceniczne adaptacje książki Grzegorza Uzdańskiego, chyba bym wam nie uwierzyła. A jednak. W Teatrze Syrena od lutego można oglądać musical na podstawie “Wypióra”, zaś Teatr Imka proponuje bardziej klasyczne spojrzenie na historię trojga ludzi (w tym jednego wampira) i skomplikowanych relacji między nimi. 

Czasy współczesne. Para zwyczajnych trzydziestolatków: Marta (Magdalena Boczarska) i Łukasz (Mateusz Banasiuk) mieszka w wygodnym mieszkaniu przy Placu Zbawiciela. Lokum ma jednak jedną wadę, wampira mieszkającego w szafie. I to nie byle jakiego wampira, bo samego Adama Mickiewicza (Oskar Hamerski), co źle wpływa szczególnie na Łukasza, aspirującego poetę, który zazdrości mu talentu i uwagi Marty. Nawet zafascynowana wieszczem Marta dostrzega niebezpieczeństwo mieszkania z wiekowym stworem ciemności. 

Mateusz Banasiuk jest na scenie aż zbyt charyzmatyczny. Mimo oczywistych przywar postaci, ciężko nie lubić Łukasza z jego szelmowskim uśmiechem i chłopięcym urokiem. Szczególnie, że w wykonaniu Banasiuka rysuje się bardziej jako człowiek powodowany zasadnymi obawami niż przewrażliwiony Piotruś Pan, który przenosi na partnerkę własne skłonności do zdrady, To powiedziawszy, w jego wykonaniu scena przed lustrem wypada szczególnie ciekawie jako komentarz na temat nieuzasadnionych kompleksów. Ma też świetna dynamikę z grająca jego sceniczną dziewczynę Magdaleną Boczarską. 

Marta Boczarskiej to postać fundamentalnie sfrustrowana; brakiem weny, ludzką głupotą, zazdrością Łukasza, brakiem uwagi Adama. To kobieta, która chciałaby zmienić świat, przekonać do swoich poglądów jednego człowieka po drugim, a kolejne niepowodzenia tylko ją denerwują. Nie zamierza jednak zaprzestać prób. Jednocześnie to zdenerwowanie wynika z troski o drugiego człowieka, choć chwilami nieco przesadzonego. 

Oskar Hamerski jest fenomenalnym Adamem. Porusza się wolno i celowo, jakby musiał się zastanowić nad każdym ruchem lub gestem, tworząc tym samym postać w widoczny sposób odstającą od pozostałych. Całkowicie panuje nad swoim ciałem. Tym lepsze wrażenie robi, gdy pod koniec spektaklu Adam traci tę kontrolę. W zestawieniu ze wcześniejszą obojętnością i stoizmem, jego gniew i rozpaczliwa walka z instynktem jest naprawdę imponująca.  

Monika Janik-Hussakowska dobrze sprawdza się jako tajemnicza istota znana też jako kot Eks, świadek i narrator wydarzeń, a także inne potrzebne postaci, jak na przykład wampirzyca, która przemieniła Adama. Długowłosa, ubrana w czarną suknię i wspaniale demoniczna idealnie wpisuje się w archetyp wampirzycy. Ale i kota. 

Jeśli chodzi o kostiumy to szczególne warto wspomnieć strój Adama, będący dokładnym odwzorowaniem najczęstszych przedstawień wieszcza. Hamerski wygląda jakby właśnie wyszedł z podręcznika do polskiego, co dobrze współgra z prezentowaną przez Teatr Imka wizją wampira Mickiewicza, który żyje praktycznie odcięty od współczesnego świata. 

Scenografia (tak jak i kostiumy zaprojektowana przez Karolinę Mazur) bardzo dobrze oddaje mieszkanie w starym budynku w centrum Warszawy, które od lat prosi się o remont. Na scenie odwzorowano trzy kluczowe pomieszczenia, łazienkę, duży pokój i kuchnię razem z najważniejszymi sprzętami. Zachwyca gra światłem oddająca zmieniające się pory dnia. Atmosferę sprawnie buduje też płynąca zza sceny muzyka. 

Adaptując książkę Grzegorza Uzdańskiego tak, by zmieściła się w 90 minutowej jednoaktówce trzeba było poczynić pewne ciecia. Tomasz Jękot postanowił skupić się na watkach współczesnych bezpośrednio dotyczących związku Łukasza i Marty, a wspomnienia Mickiewicza ograniczyć do niezbędnego minimum. Skrócono też rozważania Marty na temat jej książki i analizę jej relacji z rodzicami. W efekcie powstał twór uboższy od oryginału, lecz spójny i sprawnie opowiadający historię dwojga ludzi z Warszawy. 

Podsumowując, “Wypiór” Teatru Imka to sprawna adaptacja książki Grzegorza Uzdańskiego, skupiająca się na relacji między Martą i Łukaszem. Jej niekłamaną zaletą jest Oskar Hamerski jako nieludzki wampir Mickiewicz. Brakuje w niej niestety niektórych wątków z książki, szczególnie tych dotyczących przeszłości Adama, ale spektakl nadrabia pięknym, płynnym językiem, stworzonym po to, by go deklamować. 

Ale to tylko moja opinia, a ja nie jestem obiektywna.