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howaminotinthestrokesyet · 4 years

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When Hair Metal Was King: The Sunset Strip in the 1980’s

Guns N’ Roses was a Los Angeles band. They had all met during the 1980’s on the Sunset Strip. An important part of their story involves the Strip during that time. In order to understand the group as a band, I think it is relevant to take a look at the music scene in LA in the early to mid-1980’s. The Sunset Strip had long been a hotbed of rock music in the 1960’s and the 1970’s. In the late 1970’s, the music scene became grittier and dirtier as bands went from glam rock to punk rock. Yet, everything began to change into decadence with the arrival of Motley Crue in 1981.

A new genre of music, glam or hair metal, began to overtake the Strip fully embraced by Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx, and Tommy Lee of Motley Crue. As they began to make a name for themselves musically at clubs along the Strip, they moved into an apartment right by the Whiskey A Go-Go. They would hold after hours parties at their place that soon took on the stuff of legends. Vince Neil would later say, “We played the Whisky, half the crowd would come back to our house and drink and do blow, smack, Percodan, quaaludes, and whatever else we could get for free… There would be members of punk-scene remnants like 45 Grave and the Circle Jerks coming to our almost nightly parties while guys in metal newborns like Ratt and W.A.S.P. spilled out into the courtyard and the street. Girls would arrive in shifts. One would be climbing out the window while another was coming in the door.” He would go on to say in his autobiography, “We’d get drunk, do crazy amounts of cocaine and walk the circuit in stiletto heels, stumbling all over the place. The Sunset Strip was a cesspool of depravity.” The group would be discovered by a record company talent scout who saw the hundreds of kids wearing tight leather and big hair waiting in line to see them. Soon enough, more and more bands began to pop up including W.A.S.P. and LA Guns. A little later groups like Faster Pussycat Kill and Poison showed up on the scene. These bands begin to do more and more outrageous things in order to bring attention to their live show. For example, W.A.S.P. would throw raw meat into the crowd. Not to be outdone, Motley Crue would have Nikki Sixx pour gasoline on his leather pants, then at some point Vince Neil would set him on fire during the show.

One of the centers of the metal glam scene on the Strip was Tower Records. The store was for the most part completely employed by local musicians. Some would say that when you walked into the place; everybody that worked there looked like they were in Motley Crue. Axl Rose would become a manager at Tower, even hiring Slash to work there until he was fired. Columnist Alison Martino recalls, “Everybody from Elton John to David Bowie to Van Halen, they were all in Tower Records. I saw all of them there, buying their own records. I remember seeing Valerie Bertinelli with her mother at Tower Records the week that ‘Jump!’ came out. They used to have on the wall all the number one singles. I remember she went up to the cover of the ‘Jump!’ 45 and turned it around to see Eddie’s face and left it that way.”

Headbangers would line up all along the Strip at night, so much so that you could not even walk on the sidewalk. They would all be waiting to get into clubs like the Troubadour, Roxy, Gazzara’s, the Whiskey, and more. More than 75 bands would be competing for headlining slots at these clubs, which would eventually include Guns N’ Roses. For a while, this was merely a local music phenomenon until Quiet Riot released their album, Metal Health, eventually reaching number one on the charts. This event changed everything as record companies began to sign Los Angeles-based hair bands left and right from that moment on. Hair metal represented the most popular kind of music in the country. This led to people migrating from the northwest like Duff McKagan or from the Midwest like Izzy Stradlin and Axl Rose to become rich and famous chasing their rock and roll dreams. Another such band was Poison, who came all the way from Pennsylvania sensing that Los Angeles was the only place that they could make their name. As these bands fought for fans along the Strip, advertising on a flyer became ultra competitive. There would be flyers posted everywhere promoting in the most creative of ways usually emphasizing sex and drugs. Each morning, along with the plethora of booze bottles lining the streets, there could be found fliers everywhere making Sunset Boulevard look like New Orleans after Mardi Gras.

Another center for the hair band movement on the Strip was the Rainbow Bar and Grill. This place opened in 1972 to host rock and Hollywood royalty like John Lennon, Ringo Starr, John Belushi, and Elton John. Lemmy Klimster of Motörhead had become a mainstay at the corner of the bar for a very long time playing games on the video machine. Tommy Lee offered up this assessment of the Rainbow. “When the clubs began to close, we’d go to the Rainbow. The place was set up like a circle, with the coolest rockers and richest deviants sitting at the center tables. Guys had to be twenty-one to come into the club, but girls could be eighteen. The guys would sit at their regular spots and the girls would walk around the ring until they were called over to someone’s empty chair... Afterward, everyone would spill out into the parking lot: Randy Rhoads, Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist, would be hanging upside down from a tree screaming while junkies tried to score dope and everyone else tried to scam on girls.” No matter where you went along the strip at that time, you were bound to see some sort of insanity going on. Stephen Pearcy, lead singer of Ratt recalls, “I saw so many people f*** on the lawns behind Gazzarri’s that I actually got bored of watching and started to throw empty beer cans at them.” For its part, the Rainbow usually only saw people having sex in the bathroom stalls, not its lawn, but on occasion the dumpster.

The strange but true thing about all of these bands trying to get discovered on the Strip was that they were seemingly connected in some way. The 6 degrees of separation of all these groups has been noted by writers looking back at that music scene. Slash almost ended up in the band Poison. Tracii Guns of LA Guns helped to form the Guns found in Guns N’ Roses. GNR had a bit of a feud with Motley Crue, who’s founder Nikki Sixx once played in a band with Tracii Guns. The feud would later escalate to national headlines as guitarist Izzy Stradlin began hitting on Vince Neil‘s wife at a party. Axl Rose then got involved, which saw Vince Neil state on MTV News that he wanted to challenge Rose to a fight anytime, anywhere. For this reason, you cannot compare Seattle’s music scene to the Strip because to this day a lot of those bands that are still connected absolutely hate each other. These musicians would actually be members of multiple bands at any one time. In a VH1 documentary, the drummer from Quiet Riot said that before they were signed to a record deal, he had been in at least five bands at one time. One of the reasons for this also emerged in the fact that playing these clubs did not make you any money. All of these groups that would become very famous and very rich in the next few years were also struggling to find enough to eat or a place to sleep. For their part, Guns N’ Roses lived in a tiny apartment infested with cockroaches and squalor. Journalists have referred to their existence before Appetite For Destruction as street urchins. Their only saving grace was the financial assistance of waitresses and strippers, who served these bands as groupies. The females in Los Angeles at that time were completely enamored with any guy in a hair metal band. Half the time, they did not even care if you were any good or not.

With the arrival of Axl Rose on the music scene, one thing stood out at that time. Word began to spread that there was this singer, who gave off this incredibly intense and mesmerizing energy every time that he performed. The other guys in GNR always had to audition for any group, but Rose was wanted by every band on the scene that did not have a singer. Everyone wanted him to front their band. The second that this happened probably was the beginning of the end as far as Axl acting in any way humble towards his other bandmates. The question now becomes as to how the particular members of Guns N’ Roses actually came together. One answer to that was that Rose truly wanted to be in a band with Izzy Stradlin. They had been in one together with Hollywood Rose, but at the time of GNR’s formation, they were still trying for their own band. As for the other members, it represented a situation of the right place at the right time. Slash could have been in Poison by that time, but he still remained a free agent. Tracii Guns could have decided that he wanted to remain in that group with Axl Rose, but he did not. One important thing to remember is that unlike other groups, the guys in Guns N’ Roses really did not know each other too well when they got together. Axl and Izzy had been friends, while Slash, Steven Adler, and Duff knew each other quite well.

As for the scene itself, by the time of the release of Appetite For Destruction hair metal was slowly beginning to wear out its welcome. The death knell would not occur until the arrival of grunge in 1991. Yet, GNR did contribute just a little bit to this backlash as they represented something that was very anti-hair metal. They went out of their way to make sure the media portrayed them as a rock band like the Rolling Stones and Aerosmith, instead of any kind of hair metal band. Their behavior and actions followed up on this. Bands of that time like Poison and Motley Crue had gotten more and more outrageous and ridiculous in their blatant attempts to gain the attention of this new MTV generation. GNR changed things a little bit because everything that they did from drugs to sex to fights to snarky interviews was meant to be 100% real. For a time, the band had teased their hair and put on glam makeup, but they quickly stopped doing that for a new image. They made an overt attempt to scare the crap out of people showing fans and writers alike that they did not give a shit about anything or anyone, except themselves. This is not to say that each member was completely selfish, but instead that the only thing that mattered in their lives was the band. By the early 1990’s, this camaraderie between band members was slowly withering away as Rose began to exert more and more control over the group. The arrival of Nirvana and the bands from Seattle signaled the end of this music scene being the epicenter of popular rock in the United States. The death of River Phoenix in 1993 at the Viper Room foreshadowed the end of the strip as party central. Soon enough, more and more hotels began to pop up as that part of Los Angeles soon embraced tourists, rather than local musicians.

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gear-project · 5 years

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GG Character Development

Character development is important, and with fighting game characters in particular it sometimes goes ignored by the fans at large.

With Guilty Gear being as expansive a story as it is, I think it's a good idea to address the changes many characters have undergone throughout the series. I won't go in to finer details since the story is long and expansive, but I will touch upon some basic notions that have happened for some characters.

Sol Badguy: As Frederick he was withdrawn, reclusive, and very self-centered, but as tragedy upon tragedy piled itself on top of him, he faced despair and rage that would have nearly broken him if it weren't for his encounters with others like Ky Kiske. While his Gear powers have drawn out his ego, his desire to still be human keeps him humble to a degree. He still has his pride though, concerning his rivalries. He has learned to accept certain facets of his fate, but in doing so, he has gained friends along the way.

Axl Low: While he faced his situation as though it were a comical accident, it eventually dawn on him that he was at fault for much of the changes the world faced, and while he struggled internally for a while, even considering the prospects of turning the world upside-down for his own desires, he still longs for the day he can look at his girlfriend Megumi earnestly and with pride. He may be flirtatious with other women at times, but often times that's just his exterior personality, as in actuality he has kind intentions.

Chipp Zanuff: While growing up he never did overcome his crude behavior, rather than sweat the small stuff, he instead seeks true strength in himself and trust in those around him, and the results have made him suddenly popular, albeit imperfect as he is. His instincts have still been ridiculously accurate towards things he is suspicious of, despite his eccentricities.

Dr. Faust: While he still loathes himself to death for his past sins, just interacting with others around him has brought a change in his willingness to live on and atone. And while his personality blackens at the sight of the ones who wronged him (Zato), he has lost some of the blood-lust he once had in place of the intelligence and genius that made him a great man long ago. His role may be hidden from history, but it will still be very significant in the coming parts of the story.

Kliff Undersn: When he was alive and young, he at first seemed impenetrable, untippable even, but his encounter with Testament seemed to change his life, placing within him a deep sense of guilt for his actions, though he had no control over his fate during the war. Even so his actions can be felt and seen to this very day in the background of the story.

Ky Kiske: Everyone knows what kind of person Ky currently is, but he was once very strict and rigid, demanding and intense, even deadly to anything that wasn't human. Even when faced with the death of Justice, he still hated her for what she stood for... and even years later when he learned of the conspiracy with Ariels, he still lost his composure at what the world expected him to do, facing depression and fear for the future. Still, he is no longer alone, and found a strength he could share with others in their times of need, even someone like Sol.

May: While she still struggles with the mystery of her past, even to the point that she thought her existence was a threat to her dearest family, she has grown up a lot since her days treating Johnny as mere eye candy. She has even been able to touch the hearts of those who lost faith in themselves, like Faust and even Testament. She'll only get stronger from here on out.

Millia Rage: She despaired at the prospects of quitting her humanity, even willing to kill herself. But she learned from Zato and Eddie that that way served no purpose, and though she struggled with others like Venom and Slayer, she found herself dissatisfied with an ordinary life and sought to be stronger. While Zato's lust for power educated her on the foolishness of such a path, she has since learned to place balance and value in both her life and the role her powers have given her, even if such powers put her in a precarious position of 'borrowed time' with Angra.

Potemkin: At first all that mattered to him were his closest comrades and his pride as a warrior... but since tasting bitter defeat from the likes of Ky Kiske and Bedman, he has begun to question if there's more to whom he is and what he fights for. Ky offered a hand of friendship to him, something he seldom experienced as a slave in times past... What his large hands will do next is anyone's guess, but he appears to wish to fight for a better future for everyone... not just those of Zepp.

Zato=ONE: Having a second chance at life doesn't mean all is forgiven, as Zato was quick to learn from Faust, and his past certainly caught up with him when meeting with Millia, Venom, and Slayer once more. But the changes in his mind and heart appear to have been blessed with an even greater intellect and wisdom far beyond his years prior to his first death. Even Eddie appears to be far different than he once was. His ego may be missing, but that may very well be for the better, but what will this dead man walking do from now on, other than be Millia's Knight in Black Armor?

Baiken: Not much has changed since her decision to escape the Japanese colony and become a fugitive with a bounty on her head, but if anything has changed, it's the truth about her past. How will she face that past once everything is revealed? It's hard to say... but it appears she has others like Anji Mito and Answer looking out for her, so that she doesn't truly lose her way.

Testament: While his past isn't any less tragic than anyone else's in this era, what makes him different is the knowledge he carries with him... pieces of a larger conspiracy puzzle that may play a greater role in the future. While his grudge still hasn't disappeared from this world, there may come a time when he can face it earnestly and truly become the Testament to the Hero he once admired as his father long ago.

Anji Mito: For someone who hates lies, he sure hides a lot of the truth, though he has his own reasons, he's become more cautious than he once was, and less reckless. He will, without a doubt, play a pivotal role in the next chapter of Guilty Gear.

Bridget: While he was always carefree in some ways, he still sought to earn money for his hard work and talents. We haven't "officially" seen him since he last went after his missing twin brother... but what have these past six years taught him?

Dizzy: No longer afraid of her powers, she instead uses that power to give confidence and protection to others. She has since taken on a more motherly role, even for those who aren't her children officially, but she appears to face the future smiling and kind, making what seemed unlikely now possible. All that remains is the mysteries surrounding her to be solved... which will work itself out somehow!

Johnny Sfondi: When he was younger he had an ego-streak in him that made him only think for himself... but since facing his father's tragic death, he focused more on being kind to others in need, even if he went about it in illegal ways. While his past isn't crystal clear, or clean... He seems to have gotten more family-centric as time goes on.

Jam Kuradoberi: While Jam has always been a real piece of work when it comes to interacting with others... flawed though she is, she sees things in a perspective few examine, and the result gives them insights in to things they had not considered before. Nonetheless, while her growth is hard to spot by others, her true polish comes from the results of her continued hard work: in fighting and cooking!

Venom: For many years he harbored a seething grudge against Millia for possessing something he could never obtain, but he did not truly understand the meaning behind what that "thing" he wanted was, until he watched someone else lose their humanity and eventual life (Sir Gottfried, and later Zato himself). When faced with the responsibility of leadership, he became more ruthless, but also understood further what being a true professional was all about. He took that responsibility and surpassed Millia with it, nearly sacrificing his life for the sake of others he cared for. But it took an artificial human to teach him that even HIS life was precious. And while he no longer fights on the front lines, he obtained something he wished to protect, which was what Millia always had, what he'd sought all along!

Slayer: While you'd think someone like him unflappable and unchangeable, his growing attachment to humanity is a sight to behold, despite his stating he retired from this world. His is still a significant aspect of a grander story.

Zappa: While at first his life was full of chaos and random encounters, he eventually found a purpose working for the Illyrian government with his supernatural talents. He has since gotten far wiser and made unlikely friends. Still, his luck with women hasn't faired well despite the changes.

Robo-Ky: It's amazing to think something man-made can learn for itself and grow in human-like ways... But that only begins to describe the misadventures of this "collective" of shared experiences passed on from generation to generation of advanced robotics! So much so, that it impacted someone like Venom, who hardly thought of himself as human at one point! Maybe someday he'll plant that Tangerine Field he always wanted!

I-No: Her past, present, and future, still remain a great mystery, but while she does cruel things to others and harbors a deep hatred for Sol, she can be merciful if she wants to be like with Axl Low... which only furthers the mystery behind her. Just what will the truth eventually reveal about her... and what stage will she finally play on?

Answer: Originally he was a rough kid off the streets, but since encountering Chipp he cleaned himself up quite nicely. He's still eccentric in a few ways, and often treats Chipp like a gang boss rather than a president... but that will take time.

Bedman: He shows mercy to very few, but those to which he has have had their lives changed forever by him. His past is still a great mystery, but it can be said that if given the chance, he would make far better choices if he could start over again. A different kind of Deja Vu Dream. Perhaps his sister will be a key to that in the future.

Elphelt: Just like her sisters, she had a hard time understanding humans, even if she was given more knowledge on the subject than they were. But time has since taught her to put more faith in humanity's potential and believe in family. What happens next for her is anyone's guess!

Ramlethal: If there's one thing that makes her different from previous Valentines, it's that she understands individuality above all else and its importance. If only the first Valentine had known what Ram did, perhaps not so many tragedies would have happened. And while humans may still struggle to befriend Ramlethal and her sister, they will still at least be willing to keep the conversation open from now on.

Raven: If all you see from this man is a desire for death, you haven't seen the needle tip of who he truly is. He once thought himself a God, but was faced with the humbling reality that even he could never achieve such a role... since then it appears he has his own ambitions, but his belief in humanity is not as dead as it once was, thanks to Ramlethal.

Leo Whitefang: While his ego is ever-present... his willingness to work with others is JUST AS present! While he is by no means a perfect king, enough people believed in him to put him in that role, and he'll be darned if he doesn't do his job properly! (Reminds me of myself!?) His rivalry with Ky is the polishing stone he needs to keep himself sharp and alert.

Kum Haehyun: While her past isn't entirely clear, it can be said she is a workaholic and tends to put forth too much effort towards things. At least, being around the likes of May and Jam has taught her to pace herself... which may play a role in the future of the story.

Sin Kiske: In the past, Sin was childish and rebellious (especially towards his father Ky) as you'd expect... but what his young eyes have seen goes above and beyond what any youth should be forced to experience, human or not. He has since learned to make friends with nearly everyone he meets, and is probably a welcome contrast to Sol's dark moods. He's yet another important piece to the story... one that bridges the gap between Humans and Gears.

Dr. Paradigm: He once loathed himself and cursed humans for his fate, but has since taken stock in the "right humans" to trust! Hopefully one day he'll perfect his military strategies just as well!

Izuna: Shy though he was at first, he's fairly good at making friends and making important choices... He'll return eventually, bank on it!

Jack-O' Valentine: To understand Jack-O', you have to understand the reserved woman known as Aria Hale... the real soul behind the tragedy that is Justice. A scientist with a heavy sinful burden, much like Sol. While it was never her true desire to become something more than human, her attachment to others she loved was borderline selfish and childish... creating a chained shackle around those around her... like the ball and chain Jack-O' wears. You could say she became a prisoner of her own hubris, though Asuka was largely to blame for even caring about her tragic fate...

Though Jack-O', the Valentines, Justice, and even Happy Chaos are mere fallout to what happened with Aria, it's still unclear what Aria has since learned from her ordeals. Perhaps it has made her a kinder person... or someone more open-minded. It's still too soon to say.

At the very least, she can now be with Sol when he needs her the most, especially with Happy Chaos running amok!

Asuka R. Kreutz: Once known by history as the world's most infamous war criminal... He has since renounced the names "That Man" and "Gearmaker" and returns from his reclusive past to face his crimes... but will he truly face them? Or is this all another plot of his? What changes come from no longer being the Gearmaker?

#Character Development #Character Analysis #Long Post

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classic-rock-roller · 6 years

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1. Kevin was out all last night with Randy, Rudy and Co. for his bachelor party. You didn’t give him a specific time to check in, and he gets home at about 5 AM. You have to be awake for work at 9, so you get up to get ready. You come back into the bedroom from your shower and Kevin groans. “Morning, sunshine. How was your party?” you say. “Piss. Off.” Kevin says. How do you respond?

“I take it pretty good since you’ve got a horrible hangover.” I’d shove open the curtains, “Oh look how pretty it is outside today.” Kevin would cover his head with a pillow and groan. I’d get dressed and then go, “Kevin, Kev, Kev, Kev.” “What do you want?” he’d pull his head out from the pillow. I’d kiss him and go, “I love you. I’ll see you later tonight. Make sure to drink lots of water and there's Tylenol in the cabinet if you need it.”

2. You and Bonham are sick of Axl and his shit, and Bonham’s decided to take action, but unbeknownst to you. You get in the car with her one night and see the back seat full of cases of eggs and spray paint. “What’s that?” you ask. “Nothing to be concerned about.” she says nonchalantly. How do you respond?

“It doesn’t look like nothing...what are you planning to do? I feel like you’re going to do something to Axl.”

3. Your band and Crue are at a party one night toward the end of your collab, and Tommy passed out on the couch. Bonham takes advantage of the situation and goes over and starts drawing on his face with a magic marker. You go up to see what she’s doing, and when you get there, she pauses her drawing. “Maybe this is wrong,” she says. “Why?” you ask. “I don’t know, I said maybe.” she says defensively before going back to drawing. How do you respond?

“Maybe it’s because you’re not just writing on his face but drawing a dick on his forehead.”

4. Bonham’s trying to write in a bari sax part for one of your tracks with Crue, and Tommy is incessantly bothering her. She tries to ignore him, but after about an hour she whips around and says, “Would you quit it? Bari sax music is hard enough without you bugging me!” He just shouts back, “Not until you appreciate what a jerk I am!” Bonham looks confused. How do you and the rest of Crue respond?

Me: Tommy, why would you want that?

Mick just rolls his eyes and goes, “Knock it off Tommy and let Bonham work.

Vince is giggling and Nikki is a little too focused on writing a bass part to hear what Tommy said.

5. Axl has been being an extra creep toward Bonham lately, and for some reason he’s leaving you alone, even though you two live in the same house. He’s got her all on edge lately, so much so that she’s always jumping at every noise. One day, the doorbell rings, and she screams before ducking behind the couch and yelling, “Let’s hide and burn the house down!” How do you respond, and who’s at the door?

“God I hate Axl for making you feel so unsafe. It’s just Kevin. He was going to take me out on a date remember although I don’t want to leave you alone.” Kevin and I take Bonham on our date with us because I won’t go unless she comes with because I don’t want to leave her alone in case crazy Axl comes by.

6. You’re hanging out with Kevin, Randy and Bonham one day, and Randy decides it’d be funny to mess with Kevin. He says to him, “You know people have unique tongue prints just like fingerprints?” Kevin says, “Really?” and immediately presses his tongue to the restaurant table. Randy’s suppressing laughter and Bonham says, “Don’t just lick stuff!” How do you respond?

“Are you really that dumb Kevin? You know Randy likes to mess with you.”

7. Kevin and Randy are working on writing a song when Kevin says, “Randy hand me your guitar, I’ve got an idea.” Randy says, “No, the piano’s right behind you, use that.” Kevin says, “Come on, Randy, please, it’s just for a sec.” He says, “Alright, fine…when you pry it from my cold dead hands!” and picks up his guitar and runs away. How does Kevin respond and what do you do?

“Randy seriously, I need it. Come on, just let me use it this one time.” I watch as they chase each other around.

8. You left your 8 month old son Eddie with Randy and Bonham for the weekend while you and Kevin had a bit of a getaway. You get back to their house at about 4 in the afternoon on Monday and Bonham’s got him in her lap, and he’s giggling profusely. “What’d you do to get him so happy?” you ask. Randy says, “She let him try her soda.” How do you and Kevin respond?

Me: Well as long as it was only a little sip and not a whole bottle it’ll be ok.

Kevin: What?! You gave him soda! Don’t give him soda.

Me: Jeez, no need to overreact it was just a little. It’s not going to hurt Eddie.

9. Kevin went through with the resurrection of QR after Randy’s death, and they’ve put out their new album. Their popularity soars, and you and Kevin are ecstatic, but Bonham remains skeptical. “It’s not the same, and it’s a bit of an insult to Randy. Kevin and Rudy took the band that he started and have done something totally different with it. It’s not right.” How do you and Kevin respond to her stance?

Me: I’m kind of in the middle of the two of you. While it is different and I love and miss QR with Randy, this is a great way to make sure that his legacy goes on. Many kids will listen to this and then want to listen to the early stuff and discover how amazing Randy was.

Kevin: That is what I had in mind when I wanted to resurrect Quiet Riot. I don’t mean for it to be an insult, I want to try to make it a celebration of him as much as I can.

10. Your band has just finished touring, and Randy and Kevin made you two a nice meal to celebrate. It’s really good, and after the first couple of bites, Bonham says, “Oh my God, this is so awesome. It’s been so long since I’ve had real food.” This confuses the heck out of all of you, how do the three of you respond?

Me: What do you mean ‘real food’?

Bonham: You know an actual home-cooked meal. Not fast food or the greasy truck stops we stopped at.

Randy: Well, I’m glad it tastes really good.

Kevin: Yeah, Randy and I worked on it for a while which was challenging because we usually suck at cooking.

11. You and Bonham beat Crue to the studio one day, and you’re fiddling with the mixing when they get there. Nikki and Mick go up to you and say hello, Tommy just says, “sup bitches?” and Vince comes up to you two last. He greets you with, “Hey sweetheart.” and he greets Bonham by slapping her on the butt. She gasps and asks, “What the hell?” Tommy says, “Oh that’s how he says hello when he thinks you’re attractive.” How do you, Bonham, and the rest of Crue respond?

Bonham: While I’m flattered Vince, don’t slap my ass.

Me: I would suggest not doing that again, she may punch you next time.

Mick: You do not do that with coworkers. Stop being a creep.

Nikki: Vince, what did we talk about earlier? You were supposed to do that to BabyCarrot and Bonham as a joke.

Vince: Whoops. I forgot.

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1) Your singer finds an old pair of overalls she’s had since her first year of college. They're a little big but still fit. She comes out into the kitchen where you, Randy, and Kevin are sitting and says, “This is awesome! I love these. Check it out.” She grabs three candy apples from the table and shoves them into the front pocket, “This pocket is fucking huge.” How do you, Kevin, and Randy respond?

2) You, Kevin, and Randy are sitting at the kitchen table of your singer’s parents’ house when your singer comes up the stairs and says, “I have found the holy grail of cassette tapes.” And slaps down a cassette labeled ‘Party tunes’ on the table. How do you, Kevin, and Randy react?

3) Your singer has been in a funk all day and you, Kevin, and Randy don’t know why. She’s been really quiet and sad. About halfway through the day, you find her sitting on the couch quietly crying. When you ask her whats wrong she says, “Oh, I’m sorry. I don’t mean to bum you out or anything. It’s just the anniversary of a friend’s death by gunshot suicide.” How do you, Randy, and Kevin respond?

4) Your singer is driving you, Randy, and Kevin along the back roads of her hometown from her uncle’s. As you crest a hill, she slams on the breaks and you all fly forward. You look out to see a shirtless old guy standing in the road flashing a peace sign. Your singer mutters, “Crazy fucking old guy.” Before going around him. She then says, “At least we know he’s still alive he’s been around here since I was a kid,” How do you, Kevin, and Randy respond?

5) You, Kevin, Randy, and your singer are camping and all sharing a tent. It’s a little tight so when someone moves you feel it. About halfway through the night, your singer starts moving violently, and when you get up, you find that she is crying in her sleep. What do you, Kevin, and Randy do and what was her dream about?

6) You, your singer, Randy, and Kevin are sitting on the couch when all of a sudden, your singer sits bolt upright and says, “Oh, my god. Kevin, did we turn off the stove? I don’t think we turned off the stove. I should go check if we turned off the stove.” How do you, Kevin, and Randy respond?

7) You, your singer, Kevin, and Randy are at a social event for musicians. It is a black tie event so everyone is dressed to the nines. While walking around, your singer stops you and goes, “Oh my god, that’s Paul McCartney.” Kevin looks up from the beer he has and asks, “Who?” “Paul McCartney, The Beatle,” your singer responds. “Still never heard of him.” How do you, Randy, and your singer respond?

8) You’ve been complaining about being really cold in your house lately. One day, your singer comes over with a huge box and when you open it, you find a huge handmade blanket. “I thought you, Randy, and the boys could snuggle under it when your cold. It took me weeks to make and I almost spilled the beans a couple of times. But here it is.” How do you and Randy respond?

9) You and your singer get called down to your sons’ school one day because Mal and Will ended up punching kids. You and your singer are furious and your singer says, “Car. Now.” Once in the car, Mal pipes up, “But we had to do it!” Then Will says, “They called our dads fags!” How do you and your singer respond?

10) You, Randy, and Kevin are all going back to your singer and Kevin’s house for dinner. Your singer was off, but you, Randy, and Kevin all worked. Once you get there, you open the door to find your singer cooking and dancing while listening, rather loudly, to Slick Black Cadillac and singing along. What do you, Randy, and Kevin say and how does your singer respond?

11) You are over at Kevin and your singer’s for dinner because apparently, they have ‘big news’ to share with you. All of the kids are sitting with you at the dinner table but four-year-old Eddie can’t stop bouncing and constantly asks, “Can I tell Auntie Bonham and Uncle Randy now?” Kevin looks at him and goes, “Not yet, Ed.” You’re just about to eat dessert when he asks one more time and Kevin finally says, “Yes, you can tell them.” Eddie gets this huge smile before he screams, “Mommy and Daddy are getting me and Mal a baby brother or sister!” How do you, Randy, and your kids respond?

@osbournebemydaddy your move Bonham, love

#tag game #tag war

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hearteyesuris · 7 years

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Losers Club and their music tastes - Headcanons!!

Some 80s/90s music tastes of my babes, with a bonus modern for each of them!! @trashmoutheds i thought the hite stripes fit rich better, sorry bbz

Bill

The Cure (duh)

He owns all their vinyls and plays their tapes in the car whenever he’s driving, the others pretend to hate it but they don’t

Smashing Pumpkins!!!

He saw them live and never shuts up about it - inspired by my Dad’s story of seeing them, they all tried to sing along to ‘Today’ and Billy sang it so quickly they couldn’t

Blur

My boy Bill feeds into the britpop era BAD. Like. So much.

Pulp

see above point

The Romantics

He just really likes catchy music, okay?

MODERN!BILL is a slut for two door cinema club. he just is.

Ben

I mean. New Kids on The Block

He’s not even ashamed. Beverly talked to him for the first time when they were playing. That has to mean something, right? (It does, because they dance to them at their wedding)

Wham!

Duh. George Michael is a beautiful man with a beautiful voice. He plays last christmas when it’s November the first, and everyone groans (but they love it)

AC/DC

No one really ?? Expects this?? But boy. He loves them. So much.

Duran Duran

He just. Loves those boys, probably sprints downstairs when Top of The Pops comes on.

David Bowie

Who doesn’t? He dresses up as Ziggy Stardust one year for pride, and Bev is actually smitten.

MODERN!BEN adores Bon Iver. They’re just /so/ poetic.

Mike

Michael Jackson

Again - who isn’t? But Mike’s Dad really likes him too, so they listen to him together and it’s just so cute :’)

Eurythmics

Mike loves the techno beats of them, and Annie Lennox’s voice? beautiful.

Prince

What a beautiful man. An icon. Courtesy of Eddie for owning the vinyl and letting him listen to it. Prince may or may not be the reason Mike realises he’s not exactly straight.

Madonna

Queen of Pop amirite? Mike loves her. His actual queen. God bless Madonna.

David Bowie

He listens to him with Ben, and it’s like their best friend alone time. It’s really sweet.

MODERN!MIKE loves Dodie Clark. Like. C’mon

Eddie

Erasure

Is there a more reddie song (that isn’t Africa) than A Little Respect? someone write me a fic based off of that please.

The Smiths

Eddie loves Morrissey. I’m sorry. This is a fact. He thinks ‘Bigmouth Strikes Again’ perfectly describes Rich

Spandau Ballet

I don’t think this needs explaining. It’s just true ;) (ba dum tschhhh)

Prince

Bitch. Prince makes everyone realise their sexuality, that’s just The Rule

Bonnie Tyler

THE QUEEN OF BALLADS. Eddie is a sucker for a good ballad.

MODERN!EDDIE really really really likes Gorillaz. Imagine him doing the Noodle dance to DARE.

Beverly

Blondie

Debbie is the queen of being on drugs and still looking like a babe. Bev admires this.

R.E.M

They just. Make. Some. Really great. Songs.

Bikini Kill

Riot grrrrl bev is canon, I don’t make the rules sorry

Janis Joplin

those vocals. are brilliant. Bev would actually cry to Janis.

No doubt

Gwen Stefani is a feminist icon.

MODERN!BEV loves Florence + The Machine, and Long and Lost is her and Ben’s song.

Stan

The Cure

How many times do I have to say that Lovesong is Stenbrough culture?

Joy Division

Will fight you if you say that New Order are the same. Ian Curtis provided their band brilliance, Jan. Still listens to New Order though.

Orchestral Manoeuvres in The Dark

My boy Stan loves those bass beats.

The Smiths

We all love a good depressed cry to The Mozz, don’t we?

INXS

I just? Love the idea of Stan belting out Never Tear Us Apart whilst making Bill tea.

MODERN!STAN would love Hozier!!!! My Irish love.

Richie

Guns ‘n’ Roses

He has a poster of Axl Rose on his ceiling. Pansexual culture.

The B-52s

Just. Does this need an explanation? He just loves them. No one gets it.

Pixies

Of course. Birth of grunge and whatnot

The Rolling Stones

My rock baby

BLONDIE

HE IS A BLONDIE STAN. NO ONE CAN TELL ME OTHERWISE.

MODERN!RICHIE is borderline in love with The White Stripes. He just really likes them.

#it 2017 #losers club #music prefs #headcanons #babies

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jtq1844 · 5 years

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One day into this and I’m already behind ...

Where did the day go? So much for taking this opportunity to build in some writing discipline into my life. I actually have a Masters of Fine Arts in Creative Writing (Antioch University -- Los Angeles, 2017). It started out as “an external goal” in 2015, something to try after we moved as empty-nesters up to Washington State from Santa Cruz. The program is “low residency,” meaning it is mostly online. I had had a few stories published already, so I had reason to think it was doable. I like story-telling. I like writing. What I discovered was that, while I have some writing competency, I don’t exactly have a passion for it.

Here is one of the CNF essays from my official portfolio to amuse you until I compose a more heartfelt and informative post for tomorrow … er, I mean, today … um. You know what I mean.

-=-=-=-

Sister Clorina, Saint Blaise and Doubting Thomas by Jean Tschohl Quinn

It can take years to come to an understanding about something. Alternatively, an understanding can barrel into consciousness like a grand and glorious epiphanic elephant. Sometimes, both happens. I love paradox. I adore the celestial AND. It is in this sort of epiphany, decades in the making, that I found Bahá'u'lláh.

Sister Clorina hated me. No. That’s too strong. She simply did not like any girls not named Mary. She didn’t like me in particular because she had suddenly been “demoted” to second grade from fourth grade where my sister Mary was -- sweet, clever, pious and faithful. How could I compete? My best friend then was named Mary too. Mary Wirhanowicz was also sweet, clever, pious and faithful. I hold no grudge against the average Mary. They’ve got the whole Blessed Virgin Mother expectation thing to deal with and had no choice in the matter because that was their collective given name. It is, apparently, a lot of pressure. There is the occasional exception of the BVM standard when there are multiple Marys in a single classroom. Some of them get an out if they had, say, a younger sibling who called them something else and the teacher approved for clarity’s sake. One of my grandmothers was one of those. There were several Mary’s in her one-room schoolhouse in Nova Scotia. Her younger brothers and sisters called her Mayme already and so she was dubbed in the classroom and life in general. To this day, I consider her the sanest person I’ve ever met. However, in my second grade classroom, Sister Clorina felt she had reason to suspect me as nefarious. First, I was not named Mary. Second, I was “philosophical.”

Her move down to second grade was precipitated by Sister Marie Madison’s hasty withdrawal from the convent life after only a month with our class. We were informed that we had simply “driven her crazy.” Mea culpa. Mea culpa. Mea maxima culpa. (That’s not quite accurate; it was post-Vatican-II. We didn’t actually learn any Latin.) The girls of the class all knew the blame rested solely on the antics of Vince Wederath, Brian Doherty, and Eddie Marx. They were the bad boys. Maybe Tim Relihan too. We were sure of it. Twelve or so years after the fact, I bumped into Eddie on a bus as I headed home from college for a weekend of free laundry and food. He was still proud of his part in the good sister’s loss of faith. We choose our triumphs; this apparently was one of Eddie’s.

Sister Clorina emanated a stern energy. I cannot tell you whether she was tall or short from my second-grader memory, but I do recall her immense energy. Sometimes, she’d fill in on the organ at Mass when the ridiculously cherubic Sister Acquitaine was overwrought or under the weather. Sister Acquitaine was the music teacher. She felt my brother Kevin’s musical talent was extraordinary -- it is – and so she kept him in at recess for violin lessons because we already had a violin that Grampa Hanson had picked up at St. Vinnie’s for $7 in 1967. Kevin did not like missing recess. He abandoned the violin at his earliest possible convenience. I still have and play that violin, mainly because no one else had a use for it. I have always felt that I have a right only to that which is of no use to anyone else. It’s a youngest child thing. In second grade, I even went so far as to claim my favorite color as moss green because I felt sorry for it.

In any case, Sister Clorina as a substitute organist kept the tempo “up” much to the consternation of the older folks. My family liked it that way; it was zippy. She would shout over her shoulder, “Hymn number 8.” Only I thought she was saying “Hit number 8” like Casey Kasem might, so I thought we were going to sing Winchester Cathedral or Last Train to Clarksville depending on the week. I somehow knew never to expect Wild Thing.

I had high hopes as Sister Clorina glowered over us in the hall outside the classroom. I reached for her hand, trying to be the brown-noser I knew myself to be. She sniffed and tucked her arm inside her surplus. Her disdain for me was immediate.

First grade had been a long line of substitute teachers after Mrs. Conti-Morgan left to give birth after an entirely crabby last month. She and Mrs. Lambert, a squat dynamic storyteller, in the fifth grade were the only lay teachers in the school. Second grade looked like the beginning of a whole new world. I was finally going to be close enough to a nun to touch one.

After Sister Marie Madison bailed on us in the second-grade, I suspect Sister Clorina took the move from her already beloved fourth grade class to our clearly evil second grade as a demotion. The smaller four and fifth grade classes would be combined with the incredible Mrs. Lambert at the helm. My sister Mary was immediately named co-chair with Mrs. Lambert of their mutual admiration society. Mary has that mysterious charm that immediately made her teacher’s pet. Every time.

My year with Sister Clorina should have been a good one. She did Science. We studied the classic simple machines: lever, incline plane, screw, pulley, wedge, and wheel and axle. She even pointed out that a screw is really just an incline plane wrapped around a pivot point. This was good stuff. We learned about meteorology and taxonomy. Why wasn’t it working? For one thing, she had no joy once Mary Wirhanowicz got really sick and was gone for weeks. I brought homework to Mary and back to school regularly. Did I get any credit for helping the BVM wannabe? No I did not. Looking for credit is always a sure way to not get any. I was dead last in the rankings of teacher’s pet, even behind Renee Kucze and she NEVER adhered to the dress code.

Mary eventually recovered and returned to class. My only hope was merit by association. No luck. Christmas rolled around and the requisite study of the Nativity. We learned about the Magi, those astrologers from the East. The question was obvious, so I asked it, “If they understood how important Jesus was before He was even born, shouldn’t we be studying their Religion?” Sister Clorina never called on me again.

Second grade crawled on. I was dying to ask about the blessing of the throats on Saint Blaise Day, February 3, but I couldn’t ask Sister Clorina. I thought the hubbub was kind of cool -- how we’d line up and have blest candles criss-crossed about our necks with a little prayer for health offered – but still didn’t understand it. My mom, who was much more informed and cynical than I could have realized then, knew a little about it. One of the miracles attributed to Saint Blaise was miraculously saving someone from choking. His “day” was the day after Candlemas, February 2, when families traditionally brought in all their candles to be sanctified.

“While this is completely pointless in the 20th century,” she postulated, “imagine what candles meant to a family three hundred, five hundred, seven hundred years ago.” Having them blest would be a prudent gesture to Christians throughout Old Europe and the Byzantine Empire, she hoped I would agree. In my limited comprehension, however, I continued to attempt reconciliation of all of this with Groundhog Day. Maybe the flicker of candles cast interesting shadows on any groundhogs popping out of holes on the same day.

By Lent, I knew better than to ask questions. During the required Tuesday-after-school Stations of the Cross, I languished with questions. It’s not three days between the afternoon of Good Friday and dawn of Easter Sunday. It’s two. Much later, I learned that the Jewish day starts at sundown, so it was definitely only two days. I did not dare ask. And the renaming of Simon to Peter, the rock. What was that about? That was a whole lot of palaver over one little verse and the power that Saul/Paul grabbed anyway. I didn’t get it and couldn’t ask.

At Pentecost, I remember sitting amiably in the pew, gently kicking at the kneeler after the Gospel Reading, followed by a rambling homily about Doubting Thomas. He misses a visit from the post-Resurrection Christ and demands physical proof. Christ does come to revisit and offers Thomas a chance to “probe the nail holes.” Thomas believes even though there’s no record of him poking his fingers anywhere – seriously not in a single one of the four Gospels -- just being with Him again is sufficient. Christ then adds “blessed are they that have not seen but still believe.”

Yes, I committed to myself – kick, kick, kick -- I will never be like Doubting Thomas, needing proof like that. To this day, I have never witnessed any firsthand wowza moment. Some friends of mine have hosted these remarkable, spiritual ongoing events where miracles of joy, epiphany and synchronicity are a regular occurrence for years. Long-lost friends reunite. Extraordinary fund-raising. Mysterious healings. You name it. Whenever I show up, it’s invariably an “off night.” My friend who has witnessed it all invariably shrugs and says, “I don’t know what happened this time. Maybe it was the traffic.” I trust their reality. I have to, because I wasn’t there.

I was still mindlessly kicking the kneeler. Why didn’t they recognize Christ as Jesus when meeting Him after the Resurrection? Seriously, they don’t recognize Him at first. Why would that be? What was the big deal about a physical resurrection anyway? The Old Testament was full of them. I could get the importance of a spiritual one – I thought: Peter … Rock … denied Him and the hiding … rock rolled away … blah, blah, blah … Didn’t Jesus call His followers His body? I was not about to ask questions. The symbolism worked so much better than literal story. Don’t ask; don’t tell. Just get through second grade.

By the end of that year, Father Podolak, that gentle, rambling soul who would eventually preside over my wedding years later, announced that the school would be closing at June. My sister and I were devastated. My brothers and older sisters were already going off to junior high and senior high school, mercifully saved from attending more Catholic school by the cost of tuition times six. Mary and I lay in bed with the blankets kicked off, feeling entombed by the muggy heaviness of Wisconsin in the summer bemoaning our fate, a public school education with their loose morals and strange ways. Of this we were sure. No potentially free music lessons from Sister Acquitaine; no exciting tales about WWI in Italy from Mrs. Lambert; no stern preparation for junior high from Sister Rhodelia whose great contribution to our family was her encouragement to my parents that my shy, nervous, older sister Jackie would achieve every regular thing, just in her own time. We were off to public school and weekly Catholic CCD (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine. I kid you not).

How wrong we were! At the public school, we got free music lessons on any instrument we chose from hip young musicians; one for band instruments, the other for strings (my choice, obviously). And Mrs. Grossman taught us singing. She really liked how Mary (either one) and I sang together. By the following Christmas, my sister now a fifth grader and I a third grader sang in front of an audience of hundreds a harmonized duet of Mel Torme’s A Christmas Song. Afterwards Brian Doherty spoke directly to me, probably the only time he ever did, “You have guts. Double guts.” Respect. I don’t remember seeing him after that.

We also had a regular dedicated art teacher, Miss Sanford. She got a nose job the following summer and nobody recognized her when she returned. The best part was, my third grade teacher, Miss Nawrocki. She looked like a Barbie doll. She wore wigs of different colors and lengths. She got married halfway through the year and became Mrs. Raniewicz. Dang. We had just conquered spelling capital-N A W R O C K I. She directed a class musical. I had lunch with her a couple of years ago. She is still awesome, although significantly shorter than I thought. Public school was fine. Better than fine. It was great. To heck with you, Sister Clorina.

Around ninth grade, Confirmation rolled around. It was time for me to publicly commit to God and His Church, whatever that meant. Among the somewhat arbitrary options for going through a Catholic Confirmation is taking a new name. It has little or no intrinsic meaning within Western cultures, but the vestigial tradition hangs on. My 15-year-old self was interested in saving the world by becoming a medical doctor – didn’t happen: boys, booze, and a reading disability derailed that vague idea during the first semester of college – so I chose the name “Blaise” as my Confirmation name. I had mistakenly thought he was the patron saint of physicians. I was a piss-poor researcher back then too. So many of his miracles had to do with healing, particularly having to do with throat ailments and choking. Who am I kidding? I claimed the name Blaise because the choice was due the week after the whole Candlemas/Saint Blaise weirdness -- exactly forty days after Christmas. What was this thing with forty days anyway?  Noah in the Ark, Jesus in the desert, Buddha under the Bodi Tree, the Prophet Mohammad in a cave.  There’s Lent.  There are periods of mourning, of fasting or of thanksgiving in most belief systems.  

In any case, my choice of Blaise, a male name, upset a fair few people, so I had to write a couple of letters to some persnickety council of some kind. The request was okayed … with reservations. The actual Confirmation was forgettable other than choir director being in a car accident on the way there, so the choir – which included my mother, my sister Mary, Mary Wirhanowicz and me – had to wing it.

“So why was the name Blaise so important to you?” Father Podolak asked me months later.

“Well, if this spirituality stuff doesn’t work out, ‘Blaze’ is a good name for a stripper.” The words were out of my mouth before I ran them through my brain. I kept walking.

The next time I saw Fr. P, he said, “Jean, do you know how we make holy water?”

“You bless it?” I stammered.

“No, you boil the Hell out of it.” He smiled apologetically and gently clarified, “That was a joke.”

I chatted with a priest at a wedding I was hired to sing for a few years later, I mentioned the parish I grew up in. The priest said, “Ah! Bill Podolak, a kind man.”

“Yes, indeed.” I was running out of things to say.

“… not a dynamic speaker.”

“No, indeed.” We laughed, all too cruelly I believe.

In spite of my bad research skills, Saint Blaise continues to intrigue me. Having been martyred by being beaten to death with iron combs used for wool combing and carding, Saint Blaise has since been associated with any trade having to do with wool since the Middle Ages, not the healing arts. So, after all the hubbub about me picking a male saint’s name, perhaps it works for me. After all, what is my essay-writing but glorified wool-gathering?

The year after my Confirmation, I lived in Tunisia through a foreign exchange program the same summer that Monty Python’s Flying Circus filmed Life of Brian a mere 100 kilometers away. I did not find out until just after my return to the US, by watching an episode of Saturday Night Live hosted by Eric Idle. His monologue was about the long, sad love songs Tunisians sing with such relish and the ubiquity of jasmine there. Mr. Idle’s monologue went over like a fart in church as the saying goes. My family, however, laughed spasmodically as they recalled the similar stories from my letters home. Dad with his ever-present bowl of popcorn balanced on his chest, fell off the couch chortling. Mr. Idle’s underappreciated monologue notwithstanding, my summer in Tunisia changed my perceptions of just about everything. I had lived with a Moslem family in a Moslem neighborhood in a Moslem village. They valued education and kindness, respect and humor, the individual and the collective. The child peeking out of the doorway to see the American girl may have looked like an advertisement for C.A.R.E., but I came to know that her family loved her abundantly, fed her regularly if frugally, and had dreams and hopes for her. Neshua, the daughter of my host family closest to my age, and I were invited to several homes. Some of those invitations were offered because I was a curiosity to the village. In most of the humbler homes, there was a carpet in the works, a large frame taking up a wall in their main living space. A color plot hung taped to one of the loom’s posts. I learned to knot and trim the wool according to the plot, to shift the heddle and weft shuttle, to tamp work with the kleleh to compact the threads. We sat together, partly in fellowship, partly to contribute to the household. One little girl elbowed her way next to me knotting two to my one and announce that she would teach me the Arabic alphabet. “C’est très important” for me to learn how to read Arabic. I never did, except for “Coca-Cola” which I suspect had more to do with it being on large red billboards.

I was quite full of myself. Eventually the lessons of that summer, about the oneness of Religion, not the Arabic alphabet, sunk in. No longer would the coat of we’re-right/they’re-wrong Christianity fit me properly.

Eventually, I was off to college where at some point I made out with a guy who decided to become a priest. I think there may be something more to process about that. Maybe not. I ended up eventually working in Washington DC and met my future husband Mike at a Trivial Pursuit party in the apartment complex we both lived in. We were both Arabic-speaking (although mine was pretty patchy), left-handed (which has its own complications in Middle Eastern countries), green-eyed Catholics. It was Kismet. Oh, and we both preferred to drink milk with pizza. Like I said, Kismet. We went through all the Catholic wedding hoops and started our family when I got pushed onto a spiritual journey by a couple of Jehovah’s Witnesses. While the JW logic never worked for me, I will forever be grateful to Betty and LaVonne for starting me on the journey. Here I will skip chapters full of synchronicities that only Baha’is would find amusing, we attended some meetings referred to as Firesides after moving to San Jose, California a few years later.

The speaker one evening expounded on the subject of Progressive Revelation. In brief, Progressive Revelation encompasses the idea that Religion is unfolding over time as humanity becomes ready for a fuller understanding of the true nature of Reality. The speaker went on to offer examples of how Judaism begot Christianity and primarily affected Europe in its initial reach and development. Likewise, Hinduism begot Buddhism which moved out to Asia. Islam is also Abrahamic but was couched in Zoroastrian customs as well. It spread into North Africa, the Middle East, Oceania. The Baha’i Faith was revealed just as the world needed to start thinking globally, in the mid-19th century. Any corruption of Religion has to do with mankind messing with it, not with the purity of the original Message. This made some sense to me, but I didn’t know anything about Zoroaster. The speaker recognized my raised eyebrow-of-confusion and explained.

The moment the speaker explained that the primary understanding of Zoroastrianism in the West would be the Zodiac. He also mentioned that the priesthood was referred to as the Magi, as in the “astrologers from the East.” In that moment, all the disparate thoughts from the time I was seven onward coalesced in my mind’s eye like a jigsaw puzzle completing itself. I wiggled in my seat in excitement, trying not to disturb the tiny middle-aged woman of Asian descent or the black man next to me who had fallen asleep. He was snoring full out and no one was perturbed by it. His wife, a white woman at least a head taller than he was, later explained that he had had a stroke during brain surgery a few years before and often fell asleep. The oneness of God, the oneness of Humanity, the oneness of Religion all made sense to me. In that blink of an eye, I saw the interlocking of fact and legend, of the Magi and the Baby, of tradition and skepticism. I was back with Sister Clorina, Saint Blaise, and my family in Tunisia.

It was both in an instant and over the course of my lifetime up to that point that I came to this understanding. A few weeks after that night, Mike and I together declared our Faith in Bahá'u'lláh, that is to say, became adherents to the Baha'i Faith. We have found our lives infinitely richer because of that choice, so have our children (so they tell me). It is not easy to always keep in mind that each and every person that exists or did exist or will exist is unique and beloved by God, or that our individual Free Wills can send us in all different directions, or that "This is the changeless Faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future" as Bahá'u'lláh says. In fact, it's mostly challenging. Building Heaven on Earth is not for sissies. However, I know it is the right thing for me to pursue.

I still do not get my faith confirmed by fantastical measures. I’d love to see a crowd of people collectively gung their foreheads with the heels of their hands that the oneness of Humanity is a fact and the work it will take for every person to feel loved and beloved as the family we are will be worth the effort and sacrifice. I’d love to see someone healed miraculously. I still get the sense that I won't ever witness events like that first hand.

Occasionally, I do witness people who die with grace or see a smile generated from a purely motivated kindness perpetrated on an unsuspecting grump. It is things like that -- tiny, lovely indications that my spiritual path is worth toddling upon – with which I chose to be satisfied. I promised myself so long ago that it would be enough.

Sister Clorina was only in my life for six months over fifty years ago. She still pops into my head, usually when I am accused of being “too sensitive” about something. I’d love to prove to you that she’s not important to me now, but you’ll just have to take that on faith.

#Tunisia #saintblaise #doubtingthomas #bahai #baha'u'llah #SisterClorina

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broken-clover · 6 years

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Dust Strikers Story Mode 1/4

I haven’t seen too many resources available when it comes to Guilty Gear: Dust Strikers, a DS-only sidegame released in 2006. While I will agree that the gameplay and story did leave a bit to be desired, I still get a decent bit of fun out of it as the only GG game I own that I can play at college. I wound up going through all 20 story modes for the purpose of jotting down all the game dialogue, in case anybody needed it for reference for whatever reason and didn’t have a copy of the game. I’m gonna upload this in chunks for the sake of space.

Part 1 (Sol, Ky, May, Millia, Axl), Part 2, Part 3, Part 4

Dialogue for some scenes is repeated. I tried my best to keep this more or less lifted right from the game, though I did make a few edits just for grammar’s sake because this game isn’t very well edited. I did not try to change any conversations just for the sake of it.

Sol:...Whew... Jam: How rude. What's your problem? Faust: Is there something wrong? Sol: A doctor and a chef? This is a big joke. Quit following me wherever I go. Go back to your real jobs, man! Faust: This is what it takes to master the tricks of the trade. It's necessary to learn to see things from the patient's perspective. Jame: The art of cooking is also a quest. You're not gonna find anything new just by sitting around. Venom: Then I should get to know a wider variety of opponents. Let's roll! Sol: Move it. Just go to bed!

Bridget: Whoah, everybody looks tough Chipp: Hey! what's a kid doing here? Eddie: A child. Attractive in terms of her youthfulness but too immature to become my host Bridget: You're not taking me seriously? Then let me show you my moves Sol:...back off. Don't be wasting my time Eddie: Interesting. I shall keep a record of the battle results for future reference Bridget: Don't be surprised! Here I come! Sol: What am I, a babysitter? I can't deal with this...

Slayer: This is quite an unusual combination Sol: I'm starting to get tired of your face Testament: Different being. What do you want? Slayer: Nope. Nothing in particular. Just happened to pass by. Testament: Then please go away Dizzy: Oh, you're Mr. Slayer, aren't you? Please excuse Testament's words. He doesn't mean any harm. Slayer: I'm not bothered by it. Don't worry. But this is quite interesting. Sol: So what the hell is your point? Slayer: Those who have veered off the path. I guess the same must be said of me. Testament: What are you insinuating? You better have a good explanation Slayer: My apologies if I offended you. I'm just genuinely interested in your powers Sol: You using us to kill your boredom? I think it's time you hung em up.

Anji: Finally found you. Sol:...It's you again. Anji: Let me ask you straight out. Do you have any idea where 'he' is? Sol: So what if I know? Anji: Can you tell me where he is? Of course I'm willing to work for it. You and I have a bout, and if I win, you tell me. Sounds fair? Baiken: Wait! Let me in on the festivities Sol: Sorry, not interested. You guys enjoy each other's company Anji: Even Justice feared my powers...Still not interested? Sol:...! Baiken: Shut your trap! You're starting to get on my nerves. I'll kick all of your butts right now! Axl: Whoa!...Damn it...is this a bad time? Baiken: Eavesdropping, are we? I'm not impressed! Axl: I just wanted to ask chief something Sol: And even you. Why does everyone want to stick their noses in other people's business! Axl: No worries, chief! Just a quick bout, no hard feelings! Sol: I'm not responsible for what happens.

I-no: You're late. You shouldn't make ladies wait like that. Sol: shut up. What are you wandering around for? Johnny: Hey, what a coincidence. Didn't expect to run into you here....guess yu're busy with a woman Sol: You stay out of it I-no: Ooh, another cute guy Ky: All of you! Freeze right there! I-no: and now a cute boy, too. Ky: Sol..! And Johnny the pirate, and you're..! I-no: I'd stay out of it if I were you. Why don't you just go home to mommy? Sol: That's enough chit chatting. Let's let the fists do the talking! Ky: ...Sol! I-no: The violent guy as always. Sure, why not...I'll cut you all up into pieces! Ky: I guess there's no alternative. Holy Knight combat was initially meant for handling multiple enemies. I'll show you what it's all about!

Sol: Finally we meet... Gig: Grrr... Sol: I'm here to figure you out. Gig: Grrrgh! Sol:...Too late, I guess. Then die.

Gig: Grr...grr... Sol: Don't bother. It's over Gig: Grr.... Sol:...I'll make sure we get even for your sake. I guarantee you we'll find the dirt bag...

Jam: Ayah! Who's this cute guy? Ky: You must be...that chef, Ms. Jam Kuradoberi. Jam: That's right! You remembered me! I'm so happy! Ky: I'm glad to see you're doing well. May: Wahts...oops! Oh no! Ky: You must be May, the pirate May: Are you going after Johnny? You'll have to get by me first. Ky: Please, put your guard down. I'm not after pirates right now. Testament: So you're out bounty-hunting then. Probably after me then, aren't you? Jam: Ooh, you're quite the hottie too. Wanna work at my restaurant? Testament: Stop talking nonsense... May: It's two hot guys...but Johnny's way hotter than both of you!

Zappa: Hey! Miss! Millia:...Yes? Zappa: If it's possible, can you be my wi... Millia:... Zappa: Actually, never mind... Axl: Dude, let me show you how it's done. Hey, you in the beautiful blond hair! Let me buy you a cup of coffee so I can see which glows brighter, your hair or your eyes. Millia:...Um, I'm in a hurry. Ky: You're Millia, the former assassin. If you're not with the guild anymore, leave the rest to the police force. No need to put yourself in danger. Millia: I'll take care of him. It's none of your business. Ky: But no, we have to... Zappa: What's all this talk about? Even the police are here. Maybe I should get outta...NO!...Happiness. Hatred! Hatred! Millia: Why don't I ever have luck with men?

Faust: Traveling lady with the scent of blood. Where are you headed? Baiken: Get lost, you lame doc. It's none of your business. I can kill whoever I want. Chipp: Woman enduring countless bloodshed. So you're that Japanese beauty? Ky: There's nothing but anger inside you. As a protector of public safety, I can't let such hateful words pass Baiken: Kid, if you don't wanna get hurt, you should just keep your mouth shut Ky: I have confidence in my sword. Not exactly my favorite option, but in this case I have no choice Faust: What you need is some time off in total peaceful serenity. As a physician, it is my obligation to make sure that you are cured.

Anji: You must be Ky Kiske, former leader of the Sacred Order of Holy Knights Ky: Yes, that would be me. And who are you? Anji: Last name is Mito, first name is Anji. I'm just a journeyman Ky: So what can I help you with? Anji: I'd like to challenge you to a match. I wanted to see firsthand the skills of a top-class warrior like yourself. Ky: I can tell from your presence that you're not an ordinary foe. Asian martial arts? Interesting. I accept your challenge. Slayer: In that case, count me in too. Fighting for the sake of fighting. To me fighting is life's best form of entertainment. Don't you think? Potemkin: I myself haven’t had any worthy opponents recently. Sure, I'll take you on. Ky: This is getting interesting. It's been a while for me too. Bring it on!

I-no: You're late. You shouldn't make ladies wait like that. Sol: shut up. What are you wandering around for? Johnny: Hey, what a coincidence. Didn't expect to run into you here....guess you're busy with a woman. Sol: You stay out of it. I-no: Ooh, another cute guy. Ky: All of you! Freeze right there! I-no: and now a cute boy, too. Ky: Sol..! And Johnny the pirate, and you're..! I-no: I'd stay out of it if I were you. Why don't you just go home to mommy? Sol: That's enough chit chatting. Let's let the fists do the talking! Ky: ...Sol! I-no: The violent guy as always. Sure, why not...I'll cut you all up into pieces! Ky: I guess there's no alternative. Holy Knight combat was initially meant for handling multiple enemies. I'll show you what it's all about!

Ky: What overpowering energy! Gig: Grr... Ky: You telling me this used to be a man? Gig: Grrrgh! Ky: Damn! I have no other choice...

Gig: Grr...grr... Ky: Barely managed to hang on... Gig: Ghhh... Ky: It looks like his losing control of reason has maximized his powers to infinite levels... Gig: Grr.... Ky: ...Pease, rest in peace I-no: Good job for a young boy like you. Ky:! I-no: I can probably kill you easily now...but that wouldn't be fun. So I'll let you go. Ky: You tell the man who created Gears, that he will pay for his crimes! I-no: You don't stand a chance! Why don't you look at yourself in the mirror before you speak? But I'll let him know anyway. Seeya! Ky: ...hate to admit it, but I'm not strong enough yet...but I will eventually rise over the true Gear powers.

May

May: I've got the chills. Faust: Perhaps you have a cold. Here, let me take a look. May: Don't come near me! Faust: What's the problem? May: These vibes...I'm positive! You're...you're bald, aren't you! Venom: You must be Faust, the Dark Doctor. Or should I call you doctor- Faust: Stop it. I don't use that name anymore. Venom:...Excuse me for being disrespectful. Doctor, I'd like you to accompany me. Faust: I'm sorry, my job is to save lives. I don't know if I can be of much help to you and your comrades. May: Look at all that hair...I guess it's not as bad as being bald...doesn't it get in the way? Venom: Let's put your limitations into perspective, then. You'll realize there are only so many lives you can save! May: Who, me? Zappa: KILL! KILL! Let me kill! May: What's with all these weirdos? I'm fighting for real, then!

Chipp: Please, I'm begging you! Baiken: Geez, what is your problem? Chipp: Make me Japanese! Even samurai give mercy, don't they? Baiken: No samurai here. Not a chance, buddy. Be a big boy and get over it, willya? Anji: Hey, what are you doing here? Chipp: You'll do! Please, tell me how to become Japanese! Anji: There's no way in hell, man. Be content being the 'president' Chipp: NO! I wanna become the president, become a Japanese, surpass master's ninjutsu abilities and take revenge! May: You guys arguing over something? Chipp: Damn...what are you doing here? Anji: Yup. A 'Japanese' May: Japa...what? Why're you crying sir? Something wrong? Did I do something wrong? Chipp: I will reach the top! You watch me, master! May: Wow, you scared me! You know I'm tough when I'm mad!

Jam: Ayah! Who's this cute guy? Ky: You must be...that chef, Ms. Jam Kuradoberi. Jam: That's right! You remembered me! I'm so happy! Ky: I'm glad to see you're doing well. May: Whats...oops! Oh no! Ky: You must be May, the pirate May: Are you going after Johnny? You'll have to get by me first. Ky: Please, put your guard down. I'm not after pirates right now. Testament: So you're out bounty-hunting then. Probably after me then, aren't you? Jam: Ooh, you're quite the hottie too. Wanna work at my restaurant? Testament: Stop talking nonsense... May: It's two hot guys...but Johnny's way hotter than both of you!

May: Wow! Look how big you are! Potemkin: And so are you. May: Hey! That's not very nice! Potemkin: No, I just thought you grew a little compared to the last time I saw you May: Well thanks fr the compliment. Think I'm good enough for Johnny now? Eddie: Having a host in her growth spurt...might not be a bad idea. Johnny: Out of the way, May! Potemkin: Humph! May:...Thanks Johnny: Thanks. I owe you one. Eddie: How dare you... May: Now it's my turn! I'll prove it to you that a girl in love is unbeatable!

Millia: Long time no see...Honey, you look very different. Dizzy: It's all thanks to May, and all of my great friends. May: Hee hee. Stop, you're embarrassing me Dizzy...everyone loves you only because you're a good person, that's all. Bridget: Yes, I think so too. To think that there used to be a bounty on her is weird when you think about it now. Millia: Treasure that happiness you have. And don't turn out like me. May: Why don't you join Jellyfish too? I'm sure Johnny will welcome you. Not to mention you're beautiful. I'm a bit jealous...don'f forget though, Johnny is mine! Millia:...thanks. But I think I'll take a pass. I have some unfinished business. Plus...actually, never mind. I think I better go now. Okay, let me through.

May: Phew. Finally here. Gig: Grr.... May: Wow!...No worries. I'm not freaked out. Johnny always tells me I should lend a helping hand to those in need. Come with me, my friend. Gig: Grrrgh! May: What! Whoa!

Gig: Grr...grr... May:...Why? I didn't want to do this to you. Gig: Grr... May: I'm so sorry...

Dizzy: May! May: Dizzy...I couldn't do it...Couldn't help him like Johnny would. I just wish we could've been friends. Dizzy:...I think you did the right thing... May: Whatdya mean? Dizzy: Look at that peaceful face. Thanks to you, he's finally free from long suffering. May:... Dizzy: Let's go back. Everyone's waiting. May:...uh, all right (...rest in peace, my friend...and good night)

Millia

I-no: What do we have here, the desperate bachelorettes council? Baiken: What kind of greeting is that? That's not a very nice thing to say Jam: That's right! You're rude! And what about you? I-no: Oh dear, don't be so uptight. It's just a joke, honey. Or were you offended 'cause I was right on the mark? Millia: You're a joke. Why don't you get outta here. I-no: Oh no. I'm scared. I guess this is how women become as they get older. Baiken: You crazy! I'll cut you up into pieces! Jam: I'm not showing you any mercy either! Millia: If you're not gonna get outta here, we'll have to get rid of you. It's as simple as that. I-no: You're such sweethearts. Very well, I make you cry lots. We'll find out how loud you can cry.

Testament:...Long time no see. Millia: That's a first. You coming up to me to say hi. Things have changed, haven't they? Testament: You're still caught up in the past and changing the thorny path. Millia:...it's none of your business. Move out of the way, will you? Testament: I don't have a problem, but... Millia:... Testament: You seem hesitant. With such mixed feelings, it may cost you your life. Millia:!!! I must have lost my edge, to be getting advice from you. Potemkin: What he's saying is on the money. Those with swaying motivation never fight to their full potential. Please excuse my eavesdropping. Anji: Just happened to pass by. Millia: Then I guess I'll have to eliminate all doubts before I get to him. I'll need your cooperation for that.

Millia: So...we meet again...Zato. Eddie: So you still haven't gotten over him? Millia: Shut up, you damn beast...I'm talking to him, not you! Eddie: What do you want to talk to ME about? Millia: I'm taking you down. I'm sick and tired of looking at your pathetic, bony remains. Venom: Not so fast...! Master Zato is regarded as the crown-jewel of the guild. You'll have to hand him over to me...! Slayer: I've told you the Guild is no more. No raison d'etre and no purpose. Continued existence will only bring further regret and despair. Venom: Oldtimers can keep their mouth shut. The guild no longer belongs to you. Millia: It has nothing to do with me anymore, I don't care what happens to it. I just want to take care of this guy with my very own hands. Eddie: Do you think it will be that easy? What do "I" think?"...Not so easy, "I" say. Venom: I sense you...Master Zato. I am going to free you, Master, from the evil spell of death! Eddie: Ha ha...this is great! Lowly humans who cannot accept death. That's the right evil spirit to have! Slayer: I'm the one who started all of this. I must atone for my past deeds. Fine, let us put an end to it all.

Millia: You look very much like him. Gig: Grr... Millia:You resemble him...and you resemble me. Gig: Grrrgh! Millia:...All right. I'll let you rest.

Gig: Grr...grr... Millia:...good night. It's all over now. For you, and for me. Gig: Grr... Millia:...may your soul rest in peace

Millia: (Have I been watching my own future? Is this what you wanted to tell me? Zato...)

Axl

Axl: Hey, what's that you're holding? I didn't know you had those toys, even in this day and age. Bridget: This is not a toy! It's a tool of my trade! Axl: Ouch! I'm sorry! What have we here? Playing pool at a place like this? Venom: How dare you insult my combat style. I say you deserve a beating. Axl: Hang on a sec! Something wrong with this era. Every toy's being used as a weapon. So what do people actually play with? Johnny: The best for of entertainment, I'd say is the thrill and romance of playing with fireworks at night. I'm pretty sure that's the consensus. Axl: You know what you're talking about! I'm actually great with fire myself...here we go!

Chipp: Hey! I have a question. Axl: Hi there, you look very hot. I-no: You talking about me? Axl: Of course! Who else would it be? Great body, silky smooth hair, you're electrifying! I-no: You're very good with words. Let me ask you then. Who's hotter? That woman or me? Chipp: Hey, listen up! Millia:...don't bother me. Chipp: !...you used to be in the guild! Millia: Yes, but that was a long while ago. Now I'm in the same boat as you. Axl: Ah man, this is a tough one. They're both really hot. Chipp: I'm taking down the guild! You women stay out of it! Millia: That I cannot do. Just like you, I can't pull out. Axl: This is a tough decision... Millia: And...quit staring at me with that perverted look on your face! Axl: Oops, I think I got her mad at me.

Potemkin: You youngster there. I see you have some talent. How about testing some of that talent on my fists? Axl: Man, you've got a nice build. But what do you have to gain? Plus, are you sure you can handle me? Potemkin: I wouldn't underestimate me. My drive for freedom locked inside my heart is my greatest weapon. Axl: Cool. I love peace and freedom too. But you might get out of breath when you're so stiff all the time. Ky: So you're fighting in the name of peace and freedom. Perhaps I might come up with answers for myself too. Excuse me, I'd like in as well. Jam: Just drive won't take you anywhere. There's no victory for those who can't face reality. I'll prove it to you right now!

Faust: This is an interesting symptom. I see, it's a cause and effect cycle. Axl: You, I never asked you to check up on me! Even though it's true that I've been through a lot, I've never had any doubts about my body. Faust: Oh, is that right? If there aren't any cures, that may very well be the best treatment. Axl: I'm more concerned about your body. Looks a little mysterious. Faust: Not to worry. It's all functional Slayer: Irregulars with an added spice that changes the world of men. Axl: You talking about us? Slayer: It's because of people like you that makes humans interesting. Even though you're blessed with great powers, it's normal to you. Very typical of how humans behave. Axl: It'll stress you out if you think so deeply. Zappa: Hahahahaha! Slayer: Look. Yet another fellow favored by the goddess of fortune. Axl: I do like women but I'm not sure about the goddess. Slayer: It must be the uncertainty factor that led you into running into me Axl: C'mon, let's just have fun...I thought this was supposed to be a party!

Axl: Huh? You can still speak? Gig: Grr... Axl: Man, what am I gonna do? Gig: Grrgh! Axl: Sorry dude, it's not my time yet.

Gig: Grr....grr... Axl: Phew! Hey, man. Haven't you had enough? Gig: Grr... Axl: I think that should be enough....what? This sensation!!! That Man: It is not yet the time for you to find out the truth. When the time comes you will find out. Whether you like it or not! Axl: Who are you? That Man: We shall part for a short time. Time traveler. Axl:...Ahhhgh!

Axl: What period is this? Looks like a messy period in time. Oh well, things will work out. Since getting rattled isn't my style!

#guilty gear #Guilty Gear Dust Strikers #resources #dialogue #sol badguy #ky kiske #guilty gear may #millia rage #Axl Low

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