#Father Mark Morris

[possil]

CHRISTOPHOBIA

Christophobia is an ugly term which piggybacks on neologisms such as homophobia and Islamophobia. Islamophobia covers everything from burning down a mosque to looking sideways at a woman in a burqa or ‘greeting someone with “Merry Christmas” or saying “God bless you” after someone sneezes’. The growing use of the term Christophobia is just as imprecise. Continue reading CHRISTOPHOBIA

[ludinusdaleth]

im deeply enjoying the relationship ira is slowly building with fearne. he takes no umbrage with her for her father being zathuda, but their first meeting was marked by him not killing her because he realized she was of the calloways - and morri. she is nervous around him but naturally gravitates toward him and vise versa due to being the only fae in any given situation. they try to coerce fcg into being as whimsical as them on the silver sun. she steals his spyglass. they bond as ira tries to bring out the rascal fae instinct in her. he insults her by saying shes a disappointment where imogen is more powerful, but only says it because it's the unseelie perspective, and when he realizes she's hurt by it he spends the rest of the episode propping her up as fascinating, her father as shitty, and repeatedly says he would love her on his infiltration team, portraying her as extremely reliable before the volition.

ira is not a good man. and he knows that, and fearne knows that. but i think some part of him is deeply aware of the calloways' hospitality to him when he never deserved it, and even more aware this young woman is morrigan's ward. he is standing before a girl he doesn't see as a princess but the (grand)daughter of the people he truly does see as family. he never really knew how to treat people well, least of all them. but you can see him.... attempting, in his own way, to fit into a familial role to her. if there are two things fundamental to ira beyond his obscenity or his vengeance, it's his warped love of potential, and his even more warped, but even more sincere, care for a seldom few. he sees a literal fire of a youth before him, birthed & raised by those seldom few.

he wont let her peter out.

[dweemeister]

Whenever you feel alone, just remember that those kings will always be there to guide you. And so will I.

Born to a turbulent family on a Mississippi farm, James Earl Jones passed away today. He was ninety-three years old. Abandoned by his parents as a child and raised by a racist grandmother (although he later reconciled with his actor father and performed alongside him as an adult), the trauma of his childhood developed into a stutter that followed him through his primary school years – sometimes, his stutter was so debilitating, he could not speak at all. In high school, Jones found in an English teacher someone who found in him a talent for written expression, and encouraged him to write and recite poetry in class. He overcame his stutter by graduation, although the effects of it carried over for the remainder of his life.

Jones' most accomplished roles may have been on the Broadway stage, where he won three Tonys (twice winning Best Actor in a Play for originating the lead roles in 1969's The Great White Hope by Howard Sackler and 1987's Fences by August Wilson) and was considered one of the best Shakespearean actors of his time.

But his contributions to cinema left an impact on audiences, too. Jones received an Honorary Academy Award alongside makeup artist Dick Smith (1972's The Godfather, 1984's Amadeus) in 2011. From the end of Hollywood's Golden Age to the dawn of the summer Hollywood blockbuster in the 1970s to the present, Jones' presence – and his basso profundo voice – could scarcely be ignored. Though he could not sing like Paul Robeson nor had the looks of Sidney Poitier, his presence and command put him in league of both of his acting predecessors.

Ten of the films James Earl Jones appeared in, whether in-person or voice acting, follow (left-right, descending):

Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) – directed by Stanley Kubrick; also starring Peter Sellers, George C. Scott, Sterling Hayden, Keenan Wynn, and Slim Pickens

The Great White Hope (1970) – directed by Martin Ritt; also starring Jane Alexander, Chester Morris, Hal Holbrook Beah Richards, and Moses Gunn

Star Wars saga (1977-2019; A New Hope pictured) – multiple directors, as the voice of Darth Vader, also starring Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Peter Cushing, Alec Guinness, Billy Dee Williams, Anthony Daniels, David Prowse, Kenny Baker, Peter Mayhew, and Frank Oz

Claudine (1974) – directed by John Berry; also starring Diahann Carroll, Lawrence Hilton-Jacobs, and Tamu Blackwell

Conan the Barbarian (1982) – directed by John Milius; also starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sandahl Bergman, Ben Davidson, Cassandra Gaviola, Gerry Lopez, Mako, Valerie Quennessen, William Smith, and Max von Sydow

Coming to America series (1988 and 2021; original pictured) – multiple directors; also starring Eddie Murphy, Arsenio Hall, John Amos, Madge Sinclair, Shari Headley, Jermaine Fowler, Leslie Jones, Tracy Morgan, and KiKi Layne

The Hunt for Red October (1990) – directed by John McTiernan; also starring Sean Connery, Alec Baldwin, Scott Glenn, and Sam Neill

The Sandlot (1993) – directed by David Mickey Evans; also staring Tom Guiry, Mike Vitar, Patrick Renna, Chauncey Leopardi, Marty York, Brandon Adams, Grant Gelt, Shane Obedzinski, Victor DiMattia, Denis Leary, and Karen Allen

The Lion King (1994) – directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, as the voice of Mufasa; also starring Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Matthew Broderick, Jeremy Irons, Moira Kelly, Niketa Calame, Ernie Sabella, Nathan Lane, and Robert Guillaume, Rowan Atkinson, Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, Jim Cummings, and Madge Sinclair

Field of Dreams (1989) – directed by Phil Alden Robinson; also starring Kevin Costner, Amy Madigan, Ray Liotta, and Burt Lancaster

[disneytva]

Walt Disney Pictures Unveils Trailer and Key Art Of Night At The Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again.

Same Shift, Different Night

The 10-day countdown to the debut of the Original Movie Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again is on, and to celebrate, Disney+ released the trailer and poster for the all-new animated adventure. Based on the popular film franchise, Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again debuts exclusively on Disney+ on December 9, 2022.

Every night at the American Museum of Natural History when the sun goes down. Nick Daley’s summer gig as night watchman at the museum is a challenging job for a high school student, but he is following in his father’s footsteps and is determined not to let him down. Luckily, he is familiar with the museum’s ancient tablet that brings everything to life when the sun goes down and is happy to see his old friends, including Jedediah, Octavius, and Sacagawea, when he arrives. But when the maniacal ruler Kahmunrah escapes with plans to unlock the Egyptian underworld and free its Army of the Dead, it is up to Nick to stop the demented overlord and save the museum once and for all.

Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again features the voices of Joshua Bassett (High School Musical The Musical: The Series),Jamie Demetriou ( Warner Bros Barbie,Dead End: Paranormal Park),Alice Isaaz (Savage state), Gillian Jacobs (Invincible),Joseph Kamal (Call Of Duty:Blac Ops III), Thomas Lennon (20th Century Studios Night At The Museum Trilogy), Zachary Levi (Tangled Franchise), Akmal Saleh (Tracey McBean), Kieran Sequoia (Netflix’s Daybreak),Jack Whitehall (Jungle Cruise), Bowen Yang (Fire Island), and Steve Zahn (20th Century Family’s & 20th Century 2000 Pictures Diary of a Wimpy Kid Trilogy)

Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again is directed by Matt Danner (Legend Of The Three Caballeros) the writers are Ray DeLaurentis & Will Schifrin (Nickelodeon’s The Fairly Odd Parents); the producer is Shawn Levy (20th Century Studios Night At The Museum Trilogy); the executive producers are Emily Morris, Chris Columbus, Mark Radcliffe, and Michael Barnathan; and the music is by John Paesano (20th Century Animation’s Diary Of A Wimpy Kid Franchise).

Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again is produced by 20th Century Animation & Atomic Cartoons in association with 21 Laps Entertaiment and Alibaba Pictures with Walt Disney Pictures being the distributor.

[ericdeggans]

Purple Rain at 40: Speaking with The Revolution on the film which made Prince a pop superstar and changed my life

I sat in a darkened movie theater 40 years ago, transfixed by a story that felt like it was centered on my pop culture life. Only years later, would I wind up living a reality that felt imported straight from the film’s narrative.

The movie was Prince’s introduction to superstardom, Purple Rain.

That film is now celebrating its 40th anniversary – the actual date was Saturday – and to mark the occasion for NPR, I caught up with two of Prince’s bandmates from The Revolution, guitarist Wendy Melvoin and drummer Bobby Z Rivkin -- with Morris Day, lead singer/leader of the Purple One’s funk band offshoot The Time chiming in through email. (read the story here)

Back then, I was a straight up disciple of Prince’s Minneapolis sound – a fan after listening to his 1981 album Controversy, I sifted through albums like 1999, Dirty Mind and For You for the funk bits that made an aspiring drummer sit up and take notice. To be honest, like a lot of Black folks back then, I was little more into the hardankle funk of The Time, with me and my friends growing up in Gary Indiana regularly sporting the Stacy Adams shoes and baggy pants favored by the group.

So imagine my surprise when I saw all that pop culture uniqueness splashed all over a movie screen in July 1984 courtesy of Purple Rain. Prince charged through scenes on a custom-made, lavender colored motorcycle like a guitar playing superhero, thundering through dazzling musical sequences like a new school James Brown, while Day and his onstage foil Jerome Benton provided the kind of comic relief needed to keep the whole scene from taking itself too seriously.

As someone who had just started a funk band in college at Indiana University, I was in awe of the powerful pop tunes and kinetic, sharp performances in the film’s musical moments. And backstage scenes where Wendy fought with Prince – known only as The Kid onscreen – urging him to play a song she and her girlfriend/keyboardist Lisa Coleman had written together, felt like 100 arguments I’d seen in all the band I’d ever played in.

“It was sort of the perfect mix of time, place and people,” Wendy told me a few weeks ago, when I interviewed her by Zoom about the experience of making Purple Rain. “They wanted the dynamic to be as real as possible. So they did, when they were writing the script, come to us and say, okay, what would you say if this situation happened? Or how would you act if that happened? So they were able to capture a kind of authenticity and put in into the script.”

The film turned Prince into a superstar, powered by a simple story: The Revolution is on the verge of failure until The Kid agrees to play Wendy and Lisa’s song – Purple Rain, of course—at the legendary Minneapolis club First Avenue. His emotional performance kicks off a scorching finale that galvanizes the crowd and saves the band.

Just a few years later, I would live that same storyline when the group I co-founded in college, Voyage Band, was on the verge of failure, rescued by a hit single written for a charity record that exploded over local radio in 1986. When we played a show at a local club that we expected to be lightly attended, and the place instead packed with fans who sang along with our song when we played it onstage, I felt like I was living the story of Purple Rain in real time. Eventually, we signed contract with Motown Records, though our record was never released - the song Strange Situation, can be heard here.

Back in the mid-1980s, MTV had only recently begun playing videos by Black artists. And there was nothing like the level of information available to fans now about their favorite performers via social media. So seeing music videos and a film that provided a fictionalized history for Prince – showing him struggling with an abusive father and navigating tensions with his band – felt like a brief window into an artistic world fans had previously only seen through listening to the music and poring over album liner notes.

All of it was shrouded by a mystique in which Prince and his collaborators rarely talked with the press, which helped stoke interest in the work, but also made it tough for some musicians from The Revolution when Prince decided to disband the group in 1986.

“I kind of resented the fact that, you know, people just thought I turned on a machine and went to play and then turned it off,” said Bobby, who began working with Prince in the late 1970s and stayed friends with him until the pop icon’s death in 2016 of an accidental fentanyl overdose. “There was a lack of transparency about how it all went down…But I knew the mystique was cool…definitely didn’t want to blow that. And he trusted us to not give out the secret sauce.”

I actually met Prince months before his death at his home studio in Minneapolis, Paisley Park. He had invited the National Association of Black Journalists, which had a conference in the city, to his facility, sitting down with a small crowd of us to talk passionately about the need for artists to retain control of their work in the face of the streaming revolution (here’s the story I wrote for NPR about it).

Wendy says The Revolution had talked with Prince about year before his death about reuniting; her last conversation with him was about plans to visit him at his home studio Paisley Park with her young son. Bobby recalls hearing local news reports in Minneapolis about an ambulance called to Paisley Park and then later learning of Prince’s death.

“This shy kid that I met…turned into one of the greatest entertainers of all time,” Bobby says. “I got to know him. He was probably my best friend….someone that people just revere and are mystified by and I got to have an intimate relationship musically and personally [with him.] He changed the world. And it’s just incredible to have lived that moment with him.”

All of this explains why Purple Rain was such a landmark for me personally and pop music in general. It’s an achievement worth remembering, at a time when the march of technology and pop culture too often threatens to erase the memory of how we all got here, in the first place.

[see-arcane]

Hi I just wanted to say I loved your Hellsing Jonathan rambling and if you ever want to ramble again I will slurp it up like soup. Thick, delicious blood soup. Your brain is amazing!

--comments that come either from a friendly Anon, a hungry ghoul zombie, or both

Regardless of which it is, thank you! Some questionable soup for you:

-Jonathan and Integra are mistaken for relatives more than once. Dark skin, platinum hair, piercing eyes, big on vampire hunting. Is he a secret cousin or something?? (For extra weirdness, since Hirano never bothered to give him and Mina real designs in the manga, it'd be trippy if Hellsing'verse Abraham van Helsing had a strong resemblance to Original Jonathan Harker. Just for the ?!?!?! meta of it all.)

-Because of the whole technical time travel angle, Jonathan gets called 'Doctor Who' a number of times before the Hellsing soldiers warm up to him. The latter happens quick--as per Jonathan's general friend-magnet vibes--but is especially helped when everyone, Seras in particular (who is delighted to be considered a Normal Human(ish) Expert on Modern Happenings), introduce him to all the contemporary things he's clueless on, being from the 1890s.

When the Valentine brothers attack, Jonathan takes it almost as hard as the original crew when the soldiers are ghoulified...though perhaps in much smaller numbers, what with Jonathan the Surprise Cryptid as backup. Even so. Tears are shed.

-Speaking of the Surprise Cryptid factor. No one knows what to make of him. Not a vampire, not a werewolf. Yet he's crawling the walls, deadlifting impossible weights, seeing in the dark, and carving through the undead with what should be an ordinary kukri knife. They examine the blade and Jonathan assures him it hasn't been blessed in any way. Alucard hands him, of all things, a trowel. And politely invites Jonathan to stab him with it.

Jonathan hesitates. Alucard slips into Count Dracula pitch and starts making Comments and Remarks about Mina.

Jonathan cracks Alucard upside the head. The mark is hidden under his hair...but it stays there. A real scar. From a garden tool. Whatever Jonathan is, he's playing the divine battery source with any weapon put in his hands. Interesting.*

*Alucard is about to vibrate out of existence with or without Schrodinger's poison.

-Pip is Pip. Heroic final moments or not, he is...a very particular case of Classically Manful/Boorish at times, and several steps shy of Quincey Morris-brand gallantry. Jonathan is still Jonathan. It takes a While+ for either of them to not grate against each other. Especially with regards to how less-than-gentlemanly Pip initially is to Seras.

Some of that is soothed a bit when, being the newcomer and still some form of professional in a grisly business, he's spared the worst of Jonathan's ire following the bloody business in Brazil. He likely has his own flashback to boyhood, his first tears over senseless aggression, his shocked horror at his father's violent suggestion of retaliation--but even that was only against an enemy. Nothing like the horror show at the hotel.

He and Seras (who has admittedly already started packing this latest trauma away for later) are most likely the only ones Jonathan can stand to listen to under that roof. Probably the only reasons he doesn't try to up and leave right then.

[alynnl]

For what little lore we get in Stardew Valley, I thought of a possible origin story for Joja Corp (and why Grandpa knew The Farmer would get burnt out working there.)

Grandpa knew all about Joja Corp: how it started, and what it eventually became.

Grandpa and Lewis were friends with the founder, Mr. Joja. Joja had big dreams of starting a business and seeing the world. A lot of people doubted him, but his friends encouraged him. And one day (after alot of failed attempts) - he made the very first formula for Joja Cola. And it sold like hotcakes in Stardew Valley and the Calico Desert. Soon enough, he got investors' attention and he was able to sell his sweet, energizing drinks around the world.

The business grew larger than anyone could imagine. Joja opened up his first stores and sold more than just cola - he included food, medicine, and other essentials all in one place. And people enjoyed the convenience of a one-stop shop, along with lower prices.

But as the business continued to grow, things changed little by little. Stores remained open for longer hours. Employees were getting fewer raises. Local stores that couldn't compete with Joja Mart had to close their doors. And pollution went unchecked as more factories were built to keep up with demand.

Despite the problems, Mr. Joja felt like he made it big and that's all that mattered.

As time went on, Mr. Joja married and had a son, who he was teaching to be his successor in the business. He hadn't been back to Stardew Valley since he left decades ago, but it seems he still carries some fond memories of the place. It's the one plot of nearby land that wasn't been marked for future development. He also still had a framed photo of his best friends alongside another photo of his family sitting on his desk.

Mr. Joja passed away in his sleep at home, with his last thoughts being of his old home in Stardew Valley, and everything he left behind. Mr. Joja had regrets that he couldn't do it all over again and raise his son differently. He saw the error of his ways far too late to do anything about it.

A day after his funeral, the Founder's Son took over the company, and was even more profit-driven than his father. He wanted a taste of all the finer things in life and would do anything to get them, even if it meant ignoring safety and environmental laws to pad his bottom line.

One of the new CEO's first orders of business was to build a Joja Mart in Stardew Valley, as a way of expanding the company's reach into the countryside. He claims this was to "bring them into the modern age." The CEO hires his cousin, Morris to manage the store in Stardew Valley once it's built, and promises to let him on the Board of Directors if all goes well.

In the present day, the Farmer talks to Lewis in the saloon as they're settling into town. The mayor reminisces about "the good old days," talking about his good friends. He confirms that Grandpa was happy to spend his final days in the farmhouse, surrounded by friends and relatives. But Lewis also shakes his head in shame when he talks about Mr. Joja, and wonders how his dream turned into a nightmare.

[glitter-ink]

some newsies film & broadway musical theories that i've read (disclaimer, these are not my original theories):

jack's biological dad can be linked to alfred borden's character in "the prestige." this connection is evident in their physical resemblance & shared predisposition for legal troubles. borden's history includes visits to new york & numerous romantic liaisons.

jack's evolution into a vigilante reminiscent of the iconic batman takes shape in a unique narrative. his backstory is shrouded in tragedy, with the absence of his parents casting a long shadow over his life. perhaps their untimely demise occurred in a dark alley, thrusting jack into a life of orphanhood. alternatively, his journey might follow a path where he embarks on a quest to acquire the skills necessary for combating crime in the gritty underworld of 1920s gotham (which is also an old nickname for new york city). these acquired abilities encompass the realms of stealth, martial arts, & even the art of synchronized dance—a mysterious & unconventional arsenal he aims to employ in his quest for justice.

the outcome of "independence day" can be likened to a whimsical twist of fate. in a humorous interpretation, it could be suggested that an extraterrestrial species watched "newsies" & concluded that the incumbent president would respond to their threat with dance, anticipating an easy conquest. however, their expectations were wildly off the mark. instead of encountering a docile figure, they were met with a resolute leader in bill pullman. this unforeseen turn of events resulted in a level of resistance far beyond what the alien race had anticipated.

the delancey brothers' backstory indicates a history of childhood abuse & neglect. oscar's disclosure in the musical reveals that their father failed to provide proper care for them. additionally, their living arrangement with wiesel, who is referred to as their uncle in the film, adds a layer of complexity to their upbringing. oscar & morris exhibit signs of excessive aggression & violence, extending beyond the demands of their occupation. morris, in particular, displays a proclivity for resorting to intimidation whenever possible. these behaviors are often characteristic of individuals who have survived childhood abuse without addressing the underlying trauma. these experiences may also elucidate the pervasive anger exhibited by these characters, despite their youthful age, as violence can frequently be a learned response in such cases.

david & les have not been explicitly identified as jewish in the final version of the movie or the musical. however, an original script for the film suggests this aspect of their background. there are subtle clues in the narrative that allude to their potential jewish heritage. for instance, the name david jacobs implies a connection to jewish culture, & david's articulate & scholarly manner of speaking aligns with the jewish tradition's emphasis on education. the reason david & les do not openly discuss their heritage in the story could be attributed to various factors. one possibility is that their parents have a long history in america, spanning several decades or more. alternatively, they may be recent immigrants who have faced significant discrimination, prompting them to encourage their sons to assimilate fully into american society.

crutchy's previous stay at the refuge is a matter of record. he confided in jack that if anyone suspected he couldn't fend for himself, he'd be detained there indefinitely. it's possible that crutchy had a prior stint at the refuge, & if that were the case, jack might have played a role in securing his release. despite crutchy not fitting the typical profile of a criminal, his disability might have driven him to resort to theft as a means of survival. in the year 1899, opportunities for individuals with disabilities to secure employment were scarce or virtually non-existent. moreover, it's plausible that crutchy ended up at the refuge simply because of his disability, as the prevailing belief may have been that he had limited prospects for adoption, academic success, or societal contribution according to the standards set by able-bodied individuals.

jack's father shared tales of santa fe with him. mr. kelly (sullivan) harbored aspirations of relocating his family to that enchanting place, where they could pursue a ranching life, well before the bustling streets of new york had worn him down. jack became captivated by this vision, & he might have even harbored intentions of upholding his father's dream as the head of the household, had the family endured.

[transitofmercury]

Pulitzer Family Fact Post (Katherine's Siblings Edition)

I'm finally doing it, after threeish years, I'm finally making posts about my acquired knowledge of the Pulitzer family. I'm starting with what I know about his kids because I think that's what people would find most interesting. I'd quite like to go on about Pulitzer's siblings and what people have managed to figure out about his childhood but I'll do that another day. It's been a while so I might forget stuff or get things slightly wrong but I'm doing my best to be accurate. Information is mostly from James McGrath Morris' book, 'Pulitzer: A life in Politics, Print and Power' and records I looked at on Ancestry (I got really weird about this).

Pulitzer and his wife, Kate Davis, had 7 children: Ralph, Lucille, Katherine, Joseph, Edith, Constance and Herbert. I'm just going to go through kid-by-kid and reel off everything I remember that is actually semi-interesting.

Ralph Pulitzer: Born June 11th, 1879. Died June 14th, 1939. He was born in St. Louis because Pulitzer hadn't bought The New York World and moved the family to New York at this point.

All the kids seem to have been sickly (like their father) but Ralph was asthmatic and small for his age, his health was always a concern. The family would spend a lot of time in Europe but he and Lucille were the ones who usually joined their parents while the younger ones were left in America. He didn't like learning Latin (From a letter to Lucille: "I never imagined a language capable of such filthy, beastly rules and contradictions") and preferred Greek. He was educated at St. Mark's School and would've been at Harvard by the time that Newsies happened.

All the sons were a bit detached from the realities of how newspapers worked because they were raised in mansions and boarding schools but Pulitzer was surprised and very upset about them having limited journalistic skills. He really wanted them to be prepared to run the paper after him and they really weren't. He started to become president of The World around 1907. When Pulitzer died, he got 20% of the newspaper stock in the will. He was the main person running The World before they sold it in 1931. Ralph preferred high society life to newspapers. He married Frederica Webb who was vaguely a Vanderbilt in 1905. They had two sons, I think, and eventually divorced. He remarried and had two daughters but one died very young. He died in New York following complications to do with abdominal surgery.

Lucille Irma Pulitzer: Born September 30th, 1880. Died December 31st, 1897. She was probably also born in St. Louis but I haven't been able to find the record. Her middle name seems to come from one of Pulitzer's sisters.

She was Pulitzer's favourite, that's the key thing about her. He had very high expectations of his children and a lot of rules, and she managed to meet those expectations and didn't break those rules. She was focused on her studies, she could speak multiple languages and play multiple instruments. In Pulitzer's code-book, she's referred to as 'Lulu' instead of Lucille. Seems to have spent a lot of her younger years in Europe. When she was 14 she had a minor throat surgery and Pulitzer got upset that everyone was paying her more attention than they were him (his wife got really mad at him and he sent Lucille flowers to apologise).

I think I read about her graduating from Miss Brown's School for Young Ladies in May 1897 when she would've been 16. Summer of that year they held a party at the Chatwold (their place in Bar Harbour) to basically debut her. A couple days later, she became ill. She had Typhoid and despite the family's efforts, she died months later at the Chatwold on New Years Eve. After her death, Pulitzer established the Lucille Pulitzer Scholarship at Barnard College, which makes me think she wanted to go to college and that he would have supported this.

Katherine Ethel Pulitzer: Born January 30th, 1882. Died May 9th, 1884. Same as Lucille, probably born in St. Louis but I've never seen the records. She's the one daughter whose middle name I can't link to one of Pulitzer's family members but her first name comes from her mother. There's not much to say because she died so young. She died of Pneumonia in New York almost a year exactly (one day off) after Pulitzer purchased The World.

This is quite sad (it's already sad) but she is either omitted or forgotten in the 1900 census. They asked for the number of children born and the number of children living, at this point all 7 had been born and 5 were alive but the Pulitzers responded that 6 had been born instead. They weren't forgetting Lucille after three years, so it seems like Katherine was not counted.

Joseph Pulitzer II: Born March 21st, 1885. Died March 30th, 1955. One of the few children born in New York.

Less sickly than the others but Pulitzer was constantly disappointed by him. He was also sent to St. Mark's School. As a teenager he didn't do what his father told him to and didn't pay enough attention to his studies. He got thrown out of St. Mark's in 1901 after he and some friends snuck out to buy beer and then ended up climbing into the headmaster and his wife's bedroom when they were sneaking back in. Pulitzer was really angry about that. Pulitzer managed to get him into Harvard but he just kept being the same as he was before so Pulitzer pulled him out of Harvard.

He got sent to St. Louis to be trained by the people Pulitzer had at the Post-Dispatch and actually developed journalistic talent. His father could not see this talent and was still disappointed in him. He only got 10% of the newspaper stock when his dad died. He ran the Post-Dispatch far better than his brothers ran The World. He tried to punch Hearst which is just really funny to me. He married Elinor Wickham in 1910, she died in 1925 and a year later he married Elizabeth Edgar. He had similar health problems to his father towards the end of his life and after he died, the Post-Dispatch passed to his son, Joseph Pulitzer III, it stayed in the family's hands until very recently (either the 90s or the 00s) but there was a legal battle about whether to sell it in the 80s.

Edith Louise Pulitzer: Born June 19th, 1886. Died April 6th, 1975. She was born in Lenox, Massachusetts. Her middle name seems to come from Pulitzer's mother.

Pulitzer was not that interested in his younger daughters but he still had high expectations for them. When she was younger and her parents travelled to Europe, she seems to have been left in America more than her older siblings but later on she seems to have been just following her mother around to wherever she went. She was 13 when the Pulitzer house fire happened in January 1900. Morris mentions an incident where she got upset at her father for constantly criticising her and the two of them had a bit of an argument. She was sent to Miss Vinton’s School for Girls in Connecticut.

She married William Scoville Moore a couple weeks after her father died, I think I read that they had to have a pretty boring, scaled back wedding because, officially, she and her mother were still in mourning. They had five sons. William died in 1944 and then two of their sons died in 1944 and 1945 fighting in the war. Another son died in 1957. She lived the longest out of all of the children, and 1975 feels so strangely recent for a child of Joseph Pulitzer to have been alive then. She and Constance both got the same amount in the will and it was obviously a lot of stuff but I think she might've tried to claim that it wasn't enough and that her father wasn't in his right mind when he made the will.

Constance Helen Pulitzer: Born December 13th, 1888. Died July 14th, 1938. She was born in France, probably Paris, because the family (Joseph, his wife and the eldest two children) were in Europe looking for advice on his worsening health when she was born. According to census responses from the early 20th century, her first language was French while all her siblings' had been English. Her middle name seems to come from another one of Pulitzer's sisters.

Pulitzer did not see her for very extended periods of time in her early childhood. She was also at home when the Pulitzer house fire happened, she was 11 at the time. Once, when Pulitzer was away from home, he only received a letter from Constance and told his wife to tell the other children he didn't love them (that's a quote, "To all the rest of the children you can say I do not love them"). She also followed her mother around Europe a bit when she got older. She debuted in 1907.

In 1913 she married William Grey Elmslie who had been her younger brother's tutor. The family expressed their support for the marriage but I think only Edith was actually present. Oh, this is Newsies relevant: she and Edith shared a property in Santa Fe. She died at 49 which is young even by Pulitzer family standards and makes her the first child to die in adulthood but I can't find a cause of death so I don't know what went on there.

Herbert Pulitzer: Born November 20th, 1896. Died September 4th, 1957. He was born in New York. I see him get called Tony a lot, he might've had a middle name that gets forgotten.

This is a twist you're not expecting: he may have not actually been Pulitzer's son. There's (significant) evidence that Kate was having an affair with Arthur Brisbane when she got pregnant with Herbert and it's definitely possible that Arthur was Herbert's father. He was born a long time after Constance considering that the first 6 children were born within 10 years of each other. And if you look at pictures of Pulitzer and his older sons at around the same age, they look very similar - I don't think Herbert looked that much like him but he does kinda look like Arthur. We can't really know but I do think it's very, very possible. Pulitzer never doubted that Herbert was his, and he seems to have been the favourite of his sons since he got 60% of the newspaper stock. He briefly ran The World in the years before it was sold but apparently people who worked there didn't like him. He was very young when the Pulitzer house fire happened and Kate had to go back inside to save him.

I'm less certain about details in Herbert's life than the other children, I'm not sure why I know less about him but I do. He was the only child at his father's deathbed, when he was only a teenager. He learnt to fly and fought at the end of WW1. Married Gladys Munn in 1926 and they had two children together. Their son, also called Herbert, led a messy life (highly publicised divorce). Herbert died of uremic poisoning, which is described "urine in the blood" and, yeah, that's the note this post is going out on.

Again, it's possible I've made mistakes or forgotten stuff here. I also can't stress enough how much information James McGrath Morris' book has provided this post.

[aceofspades-sml]

Newsies 30/07 matinee - closing matinee

So yes the show closed almost a month ago but I just found this in my drafts and realized I never actually published my notes from this show so... Here you go ! (Also let me know if you want my actual notes from closing night because I just kept ranting about random moments but can totally do an organized post if required)

Cast : all the main actors were on, Les was played by Harry and Bobbie did Hannah but not Splint since she was still sick

Josh's presence on stage at the beggining is so good- like man just owns the stage for the first 30 seconds and oh boy does he enjoy it. Race of all times.

After Buttons steals apples at the beginning he gives one to Ike and then they both spot Tommy boy kind of sulking in a corner and Ike throws him an apple while they both look at him like "take care, kid"

When Tommy boy comes back on for Carrying the banner the apple is still in his hand and I think it's adorable

Matthew was definitely already losing it in the Prologue and like. Mood. I kid you not he was crying for the whole show

Carrying the banner being the mess it usually is

Jacob Albert was back and ready to throw hands with anyone coming close to him. Especially if that person happened to be Oscar Delancey.

"Whatever happened to rOmAnCe"

Henry getting on his knees and crawling toward Wiesel with a pout and Wiesel just sighing and giving him the papes

Harry was such a cute Les oh my god. Actually everytime he was onstage I just kept turning toward my friend mouthing "he is adorable" but like he is so precious and must be protected at all costs

"and guess what ? 🎶He got elected🎶"

"buy a pape from a poor orphan boy ?" "nO he's not an orph-" ft jack holding his boyfriend back

"why don't you come home with us fordinnerimean"

Bowery beauties <3 also Lillie Pearl giving Les a feather from her costume while Davey's entire attitude is just "les NO"

For the first time I noticed Specs and Albert on top of the stage directing the lights during that's rich I love them

Also during That's rich Ike, Buttons and another newsie (if anyone remembers who PLEASE tell me i can't believe I forgot) are watching the show and they are a mess

"hey baby I was just talking about you !" *points at Ike* ft Ike standing up super excited and Buttons going "sit DOWN" while violently gesturing to prove Medda was pointing at him

And then "Life is too short to waste it on youuuu" *points again* and Buttons just mimics following her finger like "see she is pointing at ME"

Anyway also Alex looking at Lindsay for the whole song

When Albert is getting back down after That's rich and Katherine arrives he just looks impressed and stands aside

"we got a father too !" Davey desperatly trying to get his brother to stop talking

Oscar pacing back and forth before world will know while Morris is just sitting there with his legs hanging from the structure

I don't know if it was just me or because I was really close to the stage for the first time or something but Wold will know was the most intense I have ever heard ?? As in I always get chills during this song but then more than usual. Even in the evening it wasn't like that idk this one was just super intense I loved it

Finch physically dragging Crutchie away from the gates of the World after jack, Davey and les are thrown out

"two cents for a glass of seltzer ? Just give me a watah" then Race (who is sitting at albert's table) snatching the glass of seltzer from Jacobi's plate and Jacobi just grabs it right back in a way that says 1- he was expecting it 2- this is totally a thing Racer does every time

Race then proceeds to look personally offended for the next five minutes of the show

"I would say we launched our strike in the most auspicious manner" *longest silence you ever heard* "I dunno about thaAT"

Another one to add to the list of "who wants Brooklyn ?" reactions : mark spending a good minute wrapping his neck ribbon thingy around his eyes

"why don't I tell you what I'm hoping for for tonIgHt" and "can't you see it ? In my eyyyyes ?" This is true comedy right here. Jack trying so hard to be a straight guy and failing miserably.

Bronté legend queen goddess nailing the best Watch what happens ever

When the scabs arrive and Albert just shoves Tommy boy so hard he falls on the floor and Buttons has to help him up oh my god

Anyway I will make no comments about Seize the day nor Santa fe because I was bawling my eyes out at this point. And so was everyone on stage. All I can say is during the name call when it was Les's turn everyone started cheering and it was the cutest moment ever

ANYWAY king of new york my baby love of my life

Everyone rolling their eyes to high heaven when Katherine shows up

"the world's your erster !" Josh Race ceo of saying the dumbest things you have ever heard with an unmatched level of confidence

Featuring Henry's entire "what the absolute hell" attitude I love him like "your WHAT ?????"

I could talk about this scene for hours but anyway sitting in the bronx was so scary when they started spinning on the lamps lmao

The spoon crown is still the cutest thing ever done in newsies to this date <3

And like I never talk about it but I absolutely love how they removed the awkward moment when Katherine starts tap dancing and they all look at her legs because urgh I always hated this moment. But here ? Nothing ! They are just having good fun !

Anyway Matthew already crying during Letter absolutely broke me so I won't talk about it

Did I ever mention Davey is gay

"Front page news above the fold ! Oh yes. Above *flips paper* the *flap* fold *flip* !"

WWH reprise had me absolutely dying because of how adorable Les was okay bye

"Can we table the palaver and *angrily stomps foot* go back to business ??"

Jack and Davey are gay. If you even care.

The scene in Pulitzer's office is always so heartbreaking because you have jack being so confident and all but then the second Katherine appears you can see how heartbroken and lost he is

Michael's facial expressions >>>

Also the way he just has a flight reflex the second Snyder appears like urgh

And Oscar and Morris grab him violently and one of them (I wanna say Morris ?) growls "let's don't" like Jack is trapped in every way possible

Brooklyn's here my baby my angel love of my life

As much as I missed Stray I absolutely loved Lucy's energy on "when you doooo" and her lil high five with Spot

Brooklyn girlsies have my heart now and forever like "Pips !" "Ritz !" "Mack !" "SPOT !!"

Queens

Anyway the rally was. something. I was finally able to catch some of the unscripted comments (what with being in the bronx and all) such as Tommy boy going "how is that realistic ??" and it just made the whole thing so much more heartbreaking

Also the way Davey has to build up so much confidence to speak in front of everyone and then Jack arrives and turn everything he just did to nothing

Finch booing Jack with his whole chest is honestly one of the best moments of the show he just puts his whole heart into this

Gosh I had missed Michael and Bronté's dynamic during Something to believe in they are. they were. them. the best.

"It's good to have you back" "...shut up"

Jack's reaction to bill and darcy will never not be funny because he fully says "I suppose you are the son of William Randolph hearst ?" as a joke and then Bill answers with the straightest face possible and Jack is left like "?????" (Picture that one Pikachu gif if it helps because that's exactly the face Michael makes at this moment)

Spot and Race were flirting idc

"he can't talk right now he'll call you bAcK" *hangs up* *picks up the phone again* *incoherent sobbing*

"no you can't come i-" see uksies is great because they actually made spot scary. Lillie Pearl just has to stomp in front of Bunsen and he backs up to the other end of the stage

I missed almost the whole scene in Pulitzer's office after Once and for all because I was busy looking at Ross Lindsay and Josh in the aisles behind me leave me alone. Also because I was sat right opposite ross's sister and they just spent the whole scene waving at each other

"I am told we once shared a carriage ride !" "I TOLD YOU"

Roosevelt pointing at Les and harry's reaction was just adorable

There is something so personal about Race just going "it's Snyder the spider !" in such a genuinely mean way and Tommy boy having to physically hold him back and dragging him away so he can chill

Anyway I was full on sobbing at the end but during the bows I could see Ryan and Harry making up their bow choregraphy in the back and they were adorable

...this got way longer than I expected I am so sorry I think I am slightly in denial

[themeatpit37]

STARDEW VALLEY MONSTER AU!!!!!

HERE’S A MONSTER AU TAKE IT!!!! ALL MARRIAGE CANDIDATES ARE HERE AND A FEW NPCS!

Shane- Catboy (Has ears, tail, paws, teeth, eyes, and back paws. Ear has a bite mark and he has a few scratches on his body.)

Marnie- Cat (Straight up furry. Has brown and white fur.)

Jas- Angel (three sets of Large fluffy wings, Gold rings with eyes around the chest in an X pattern, halo near her head, Puffy white dress, extra eyes appear randomly, and baby fangs.)

Harvey- Ghost (Has a translucent and fuzzy look to him, but looks pretty normal for someone who died except for the fact his eyes look glossy and empty, his face has a slightly blue tint, there is scarring on his neck, and he has a little wisp-like tail on his backside that you commonly see popular media ghosts have.)

Elliott- Naga (Constrictor snake lower half, VERY LONG. Has long fangs, snake eyes fork tongue, and claws. His eyes glow when it’s dark.)

Leah- Deer centaur (Deer lower half, has ears, freckles, horns, and nose.)

Abigail- Draconic humanoid (Human with dragon horns, wings, tail, purple scales around hands/feet, claws, pointed ears, fangs, and eyes. She can also breath fire but also can learn elemental magic due to her mother.)

Caroline- Dryad (Tree Nymph, wants to return to the woods with the wizard but feels obligated to stay with her husband and child. Her body grows branches and various leaves but tends to take the form of either a tree or a human woman.

Pierre- Dragon (Reddish brown anthro dragon. Has large wings and tough scales with an ability to breathe fire.)

Morris- Kobold (Small, chunky, dragon-like anthro lizard. Has a stubby tail and lacks wings.)

Emily- Half human Half spider (Lower half of a tarantula, upper half of a human. Has vibrant blue hair on the spider body, extra set of eyes, and uses her webs to make clothes)

Haley- Also half human half spider (Same as Emily, but has no hair on her spider body. Instead, has a shiny gold colored body with thin and pointy legs.)

Maru- Harpy (Anthro crow body with the head of a human and lips with a hard edge like a beak. Has been working on making herself robotic arms and maybe some for her father.)

Demetrius- Harpy (Also has an anthro bird body but as a raven with the head of a human and lips with a hard edge like a beak.)

Sebastian- Goat Minotaur (Minotaur but as a goat. Head, hooves, tail, and horns of a goat. Has a tattoo of a pentagram on his thigh/bottom because he thought it would look sick.)

Robin- Minotaur (Average Minotaur; Head, tail, prosthetic horns, and hooves of a bull.

Alex- Chimera (Has the head of a lion, a second head of a ram, the tail of a snake with a head, large tusks on the Lion head, paw-like hands, and hooves instead of feet. The heads on the top both are Alex, it’s just now there’s two. The snake head is more like an animal and acts on instinct.)

George- Manticore (Lion body with a scorpion tail and wings, but his mane is terribly thinned out and his fangs are dull. He has a more human face though, unlike his grandson, and is noticeably weaker. He no longer can fly or walk after the incident in the mines all those years ago.)

Evelyn- Anthousai (Nymph of flowers. Her hair is made of vines where flowers grow and her body houses many plants, fungi, and sometimes even bugs who enjoy the nectar of her sweet flowers. She lets both her human form and plant form mix into one, not letting herself be divided.)

Kent- Demon (VERY LARGE. Has a mouth full of pointed teeth with large fangs, sharp claws, tall upright horns, skin around the hands and feet are reddened and rough, pointed ears, Devil’s mark on his back, and a pointed tongue.)

Jodi- Werewolf (Looks human in the morning but becomes a wolf at night. She looks more like a regular wolf but if it was wearing her clothes and walking on it’s hind legs. Very polite as a werewolf.)

Sam- Hell hound (Got traits from both parents. In both forms he has tall yet slightly curved horns, claws, paws, a tail, dog nose, dog ears, has, a mouth full of sharp teeth, his body is covered in fur, he has digitigrade legs, has the muzzle and head shape of a dog, and has a devil’s mark on his back.)

Vincent- Imp (Got more traits from his father. Has small horns, fangs, a tail, pointed ears, baby wings, and claws.)

Penny- Moth creature (Akin to moth man, but more similar to poodle or rosy maple moths. She has large wings, fluff around the neck, an extra pair of arms, solid color eyes, antenna, fluff around the wrists, thin fuzz over the body, a long thin tongue, and the abdomen of a moth.)

Pam- Moth creature (Like moth man, but as a grease moth. Has damaged wings which means she cannot fly you to the desert, has an extra pair of arms, body has a dusty, almost powdery look to it rather than the fuzzy look of Penny, solid color eyes, antenna, a long thin tongue, and the abdomen of a moth. She leaves splotches of a dusty looking residue on moist surfaces and on others.)

Clint- Gargoyle (Completely made of stone. Has wings, pointed ears, claws, and tusks. His body has cracks all over and a few chipped pieces can be seen.)

Mayor Lewis- Jackalope (An anthro rabbit with horns of a deer. His ears stick up high, his tail is short but very puffy, has buck teeth, and still has a distinct mustache despite being covered in hair already. Has unnaturally good luck, which he says is because of the lucky shorts but is actually due to a jackalope’s natural luck based magic.)

[metal-mouse]

Lena Ravenwood

A more official character sheet for Lena.

Full name: Lena Aurelia Ravenwood

Born: 6th of June 

Blood status: Half-blood

Love interest: Ominis Gaunt

Nationality: English

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Bisexual 

MBTI: INTJ

House: Slytherin

Patronus: Jaguar

Boggart: Herself as the person her father wants her to be. 

Wand: 12 3/4”, laurel wood, dragon heart string 

Amortentia: Books. Apples and vanilla. Fire. 

Hair: Almost black, wavy, often braided back or has the top half pulled back. 

Eyes: Light brown

Skin: Fair. Blushes very easily

Height: 5’2” (157cm)

Face: A soft face. Heart-shaped. Big eyes. Button-like nose. Natural soft pout: lower lip is thicker than upper lip. Small chin: weakest feature. Dimples under right eye and on either side of mouth. 

Build:

- Curvy. Larger breasts, hourglass shape - solidly defined waist-to-hip ratio. Thick thighs and large booty.

- Broad shoulders for someone so small. 

- Strong looking. Muscle definition on legs and arms and back is obvious. 

- Has a soft tummy. 

- After her 5th year, Lena’s body is so covered in scars from fighting goblins and poachers that she keeps her entire body covered except her face. Scars all over her arms, legs, belly and chest, neck and back.

- Keeps the scars a secret for a really long time.

Weight: 140lbs (63kg)

Nickname(s)

Little One (Octavius)

Little Demon (Octavius)

Lee (Sebastian, Anne, Poppy)

Lala (Ada, Hazel. Sebastian tried once it didn’t end well)

Darling (Ominis)

Occupation(s): 

Seeker for Tutshill Tornados 

Seeker for the English National Quidditch Team

Potioneer

Family:

Octavius Ravenwood (Father)

Ada Ravenwood (nee Thistle) (Mother)

Alaric Ravenwood (Brother) 

Arcturus Ravenwood (Paternal Grandfather)

Felixa Ravenwood (Paternal Grandmother)

Agrippina Black (Nee Ravenwood) (Paternal Aunt)

Antares Black (Uncle by Marriage)

Serpens Black (Cousin)

Aquila Black (Cousin)

Franklin Thistle (Maternal Grandfather) [Deceased]

Hazel Thistle (Maternal Grandmother)

George Thistle (Maternal Uncle) [Deceased]

Leonard Thistle (Maternal Uncle) 

Sally Thistle (Aunt by Marriage)

Mark Thistle (Cousin)

Morris Thistle (Cousin)

Ominis Gaunt (Husband)

Athena Noctua Ravenwood (Daughter)

Elias Alaric Ravenwood (Son)

The Gaunt Family (By Marriage)

Alleged ancestors of Rowena Ravenclaw (Lena is 95% sure that is bullshit)

Key Traits: Quick-witted. Quick to temper. Charming. Caring. Sarcastic. Warm. Shy at first but it comes off as being mean.

Likes: Quidditch. Potions. Reading. Fighting and Dueling. Helping people. 

Dislikes: Killing. Homework. Losing. Stupid people. 

Strengths: Potions. Killing. Flying. Fighting and dueling. Talking her way into and out of trouble. 

Weaknesses: Will not ask for help. Hides emotions easily. Lies easily. Masks. Can be volatile. 

Fears: Ominis dying. Failure. Being forgotten. 

Close friends: Anne Sallow, Garreth Weasley, Imelda Reyes, Slytherin Quidditch team.

Best friends: Ominis Gaunt, Sebastian Sallow, Poppy Sweeting, Natsai Onai

Goals:

- Win a Quidditch World Cup

- Keep the Repository protected. 

- Find someone to take over as Keeper before Lena dies.

Character Inspiration: Nesta Archeron, Aelin Galathynius, Arya Stark, Eowyn, Dean Winchester.

Bio:

She is the eldest child of Octavius Ravenwood and his wife, Ada Ravenwood (nee Thistle). Lena had one brother who is three years her junior, named Alaric. Her father, Octavius, was born into a wealthy pureblood family and was in Slytherin house himself. He was prone to fits of rage, and was widely feared by his classmates. While attending Hogwarts, he met muggleborn Ravenclaw Ada Thistle and fell in love. Octavius was forced to hide his relationship from his family, who would certainly kill Ada if they found out she was muggleborn. When Ada fell pregnant, Octavius stole away his inheritance and hid it in a vault deep within Gringotts. He and Ada married in secret, and Octavius removed his wife’s memories of Hogwarts and all things magic using the memory charm. Once settled in a muggle village in the south of England, he removed his own memories of the magical world into a pensieve that was cleverly hidden within the cellar of their small home. Lena’s magic showed early. She had several experiences of unexplained events, such as the chicken coop combusting when she was pecked by the rooster, or appearing in the sweets shop when her mother said no to going in. Eventually, it grew too much to hide, and that is where Matilda Weasley and Eleazar Fig stepped in when Lena was in her mid-teens.

Lena was fierce and independent from childhood. She strongly dislikes being smothered, preferring to be left to her own devices. Lena has a very strict “do not touch me” rule unless you are on her very short list of the people she likes enough to have physical contact with. Touch is Lena’s love language, so she limits her touch to those she truly cares about. If you are outside of that list, Lena will punch you. She was introduced to fighting at a young age with her father instructing her to protect her younger brother, Alaric, no matter what. He was a soft boy with an open heart, and that made him a prime target for the older boys in the village. Lena is extremely protective of those she cares about, often tip-toeing across the line of moral codes to defend them. In the words of her father, do not harm your enemies - destroy them. On a surface level Lena is tough, intimidating, and cold. She often has an arrogant smile on her face, and she does not suffer fools gladly. 

Beneath the surface, Lena is far more complicated. She somewhat resents her father for forcing her to be the tough one. She carries an overwhelming sense of duty to protect others, however sometimes she also needs to be protected. Once she attends Hogwarts and spends extended periods of time away from her parents, she really blossoms into a friendly and warm young woman. Lena doesn’t mind going out of her way to help people, and she learns it is highly beneficial to have many friends in different corners of society. She copes with humour, often making her friends laugh. She prefers who she is at school, and compartmentalizes most of her rough exterior in favour of someone who offers free smiles and a listening ear. She’s a charmer and a flirt, often using her big light brown eyes and dimpled smile to get herself out of trouble - which she gets in far too much. While at home, Lena is like ice. When she has room to blossom into her own being, she learns she is fire and wind. She’s always down for a fight, and she’s a little firecracker with a big mouth. People tend to trust her quickly with deep secrets. Lena gathers these secrets, and keeps them to herself in case she needs to use them in the future. She carries an unfortunate talent for identifying a person’s greatest insecurity, and she absolutely weaponizes it when she’s pissed off and then feels awful about it. She falls in love quickly, and forgives her loved ones far too easily, which makes her a prime target for manipulation. Despite being very friendly, Lena is absolutely an introvert. She is most comfortable and most at peace when she is alone or with only Ominis. After large social interactions she’ll sleep for 16 hours straight.

Following Lena’s fifth year, she is prone to fits of depression where she withdraws into herself completely and becomes a ghost of a person. She suffers from horrible night terrors and sleep walks. Lena experiences overwhelming anxiety at times, and is no stranger to panic attacks. She speaks less, while previously it was difficult to get her to stop talking. She tries to play it off and mask it all with humour, and she does a well enough job that only those who are closest to her notice - but she actively tries to push them away so they don’t notice. It takes a long time for her to heal and learn how to cope with all she’s been through. 

[deadpresidents]

RONALD REAGAN •Dutch: A Memoir of Ronald Reagan by Edmund Morris (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •Reagan: The Life by H.W. Brands (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •The Reagan Diaries by Ronald Reagan and Edited by Douglas Brinkley (BOOK | KINDLE) •When Character Was King: A Story of Ronald Reagan by Peggy Noonan (BOOK | AUDIO) •Governor Reagan: His Rise to Power by Lou Cannon (BOOK | KINDLE) •President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime by Lou Cannon (BOOK | KINDLE) •Reagan: An American Journey by Bob Spitz (BOOK | KINDLE) •Rawhide Down: The Near Assassination of Ronald Reagan by Del Quentin Wilber (BOOK | KINDLE) •Reaganland: America's Right Turn, 1976-1980 by Rick Perlstein (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •The President Will See You Now: My Stories and Lessons from Ronald Reagan's Final Years by Peggy Grande (BOOK | KINDLE)

GEORGE H.W. BUSH •Destiny and Power: The American Odyssey of George Herbert Walker Bush by Jon Meacham (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •41: A Portrait of My Father by George W. Bush (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •All the Best, George Bush: My Life in Letters and Other Writings by George H.W. Bush (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •The Last Republicans: Inside the Extraordinary Relationship Between George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush by Mark K. Updegrove (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO) •The Man I Knew: The Amazing Story of George H.W. Bush's Post-Presidency by Jean Becker (BOOK | KINDLE | AUDIO)

[scotianostra]

December 25th 1875 saw the tragic death of one of the pioneers of professional golf, Young Tom Morris.

Many golf historians consider Young Morris the best golfer of his time. He trained under his father at Prestwick and beat his dad for the first time at the age of 13. At 14 Young Morris played in the British Open for the first time and at 16 he won a professional tournament at Carnoustie. Young Morris won his first British Open in 1868 at the age of 17.

He still holds the record for the youngest to win one of the four major championships. Old Morris finished second, which marked the only time that a father and son finished first and second in any major event. Young Morris captured the Open title again in 1869 and 1870. The winner of the Open during this period received a belt entitled the Challenge Belt. However, the rules stipulated that if anyone won the belt in three successive years then that person would permanently own the belt. Morris took the belt after his 1870 title, which left the Open with no prize to give out the next year.

In fact, the Open did not take place in 1871 largely because officials could not decide on what to give the winner. For the 1872 Open, the officials came up with the Claret Jug, which is awarded to the Open champion to this day. Fittingly, Young Morris won the first Claret Jug in 1872.

On September 11th during a marathon challenge match in terrible weather with his father in North Berwick against Willie and Mungo Park, Morris received a telegram that his wife of a year and son had both died during childbirth. It was a mournful party in atrocious weather that made the voyage across The Firth of Forth by boat to St. Andrews, and Morris never recovered from the shock of his loss.

Morris died on Christmas day in 1875 of an unknown ailment.

[lovingpromise]

Დ ▫ Bruce Banner

BASICS.

Full Name | Robert Bruce Banner Nickname | Bruce, Hulk, The Strongest Avenger Birthday | December 18th 1969 Age | 50s Gender | Cis Male (He/Him) Orientation | Demisexual Nationality | American Ethnicity | Caucasian Species | Human, Hulk Language | English Occupation | Scientist, Doctor, Avenger

PHYSICAL.

Eye Color | Brown (Bruce), Green (Hulk) Hair Color | Dark Brown/Black, Greying Height | 5' 8" (Bruce), 8ft (Hulk) Skin Markings | N/A Face Claims | Mark Ruffalo

MEDICAL.

Mental | Pending. Physical | Pending. Phobias | Pending. Eyesight | Pending. Vices | Pending.

CHARACTER.

Zodiac | Pending. Alignment | Pending. Strengths | Pending. Weaknesses | Pending. Skills | Pending. Abilities | Pending.

BACKGROUND.

Birthplace | Dayton, Ohio Current Home | Verse Dependent Headcanons | Links will be here

This Bruce is a fusion of 616 & MCU.

Robert Bruce Banner was born to Dr. Brian Banner and Rebecca Banner in Dayton, Ohio. From the moment of his birth he received his mother’s love and his father’s ire. Though a brilliant atomic physicist, Brian suffered from paranoia and delusions that fueled an illogical jealousy at the love that Rebecca gave to their son. Eventually that jealousy would lead to the physical abuse of both Bruce and Rebecca, especially when mixed with alcohol.

Brian eventually began to accuse Bruce of being a mutant, which was fueled by a delusion where he thought that his work as a scientist had altered his own DNA.

During summers when Rebecca felt Brian’s aggression flare, she made it a habit of sending Bruce to stay with his Aunt Elaine and her husband Morris for a few weeks. Both Rebecca and Bruce didn’t reveal much of the troubles they were having at home. Elaine and Morris were simply under the impression that the two fought often and didn’t want Bruce around to witness it. (These were the days where people didn’t pry into a married couple’s life unprompted and it didn’t help that they lived states away).

Bruce liked spending time with his Aunt and Uncle. With no children of their own at the time, Elaine and Morris treated Bruce like the son they never had. Staying at their home was a welcome escape to the turmoil in his own home, and… (both fortunately and unfortunately) it would become a permanent one.

Rebecca eventually built up the courage to leave Brian. She called Brian’s sister Elaine and told her the full truth of her predicament. Both Eliane and Morris told her to pack up her things and come live with them for the time being.

Rebecca and Bruce were in the middle of collecting their things when Brian came home earlier than expected. Her attempt to abandon him and their marriage set him off and Bruce was forced to watch the death of his mother.

Brian was arrested and eventually put into a mental institution, while Bruce was taken in by his Aunt and Uncle.

Elaine, in part fueled by shame for the actions of her brother, showered Bruce with more love and affection. Life with her and Morris was a completely different experience from the home he’d spent his early developmental years growing up in, but the damage had already been done.

Bruce grew up extremely withdrawn, unable to connect with his peers. His only friend was imaginary, one that he labeled “Hulk”. Elaine caught him muttering to himself often and eventually grew concerned. When she took him to professionals she was told that it was a coping mechanism in response to everything he had gone through and that eventually it would go away.

What they failed to realize, however, was that Hulk was a response to Bruce’s unhealthy relationship with anger. Having seen and felt the fury of his father first hand, Bruce refused to allow himself to be angry to the point that it was locked away into a separate persona. One that after high school would lie dormant until a certain experiment.

Instead of socializing, Bruce focused all his time on his academics. He was an extremely gifted youth, some even calling him a prodigy. He suffered bouts of delinquency in school (occurrences that he strangely never fully remembered), but due to his astounding grades such records were sealed away when he graduated.

Bruce was able to get into Harvard University and studying there was where he met Betty Ross and fell in love with her.

While he was away at College, Elaine and Morris had their daughter Jennifer. Bruce was happy for them and came to adore her as a younger sister. During his summers he would go visit and when she was old enough would take her to the library and read to her.

The rest of Bruce’s timeline matches up with the MCU.

RELATIONSHIPS.

Mother | Rebecca Banner (Mother) Father | Brian Banner (Birth Father) Siblings | Jennifer Walters (Cousin, Younger Sister Figure) Other Family | Elaine Ann Walters, nee Banner (Aunt), Morris Walter (Uncle) Significant Other | Betty Ross (ex-girlfriend) Children | Skaar (Son) Pets | N/A

[historyhermann]

“Craig of the Creek”: An Exciting Adventure for All Ages

Craig of the Creek follows Craig and his two friends, Kelsey and JP, who explore the creek near the fictional suburban town of Herkelton, Maryland. They face family conflict, snobs, witches, and other challenges along the way.

Reprinted from The Geekiary, my History Hermann WordPress blog o Feb. 9, 2023, and Wayback Machine. This was the forty-seventh article I wrote for The Geekiary. This post was originally published on July 21, 2022.

Craig of the Creek is an animated slice-of-life adventure-comedy series created by Matt Burnett and Ben Levin, who previously worked on Steven Universe. With the pilot debuting in December 2017, the series has run for four seasons and over 140 episodes. The season 4 finale aired on July 15, 2022.

As a warning, this recommendation discusses some spoilers for the first four seasons of Craig of the Creek.

Kelsey (left), Craig (middle), and JP (right)

Craig of the Creek centers around the adventures of a 10-year-old Black kid named Craig Williams (Philip Solomon) and his two friends, Kelsey Pokoly (Noël Wells) and John Paul "J.P." Mercer (Michael Croner). All three are the show's protagonists. Kelsey's animal companion, Mortimor, also has an important role.

As the opening theme states, the series is focused on mysteries, danger, and friends who are "always by your side". The theme asks who will be around to not "let you down" when you go on a "wild ride". It claims that Craig, the eponymous protagonist, will "save the day".

Other characters are introduced as the series moves forward. This includes Craig's family, such as his father, Duane (Terry Crews), mother Nicole (Kimberly Hébert Gregory), his 16-year-old brother, Bernard (Phil LaMarr), and younger sister, Jessica (Lucia Cunningham). Also appearing is his grandfather Earl (Phil Morris) and his grandmother Jojo (Saundra McClain).

There are many more characters that Craig, Kelsey, JP, and Mortimor come across in their adventures through the Creek. Since the series is aimed at children and families, it, predictably, has affirming messages. The family-oriented Common Sense Media described the series as filled with "creativity, joy, adventure, individuality, and self-discovery".

Unsurprisingly, that focus has garnered Craig of the Creek various award nominations since its premiere in March 2018. This has included an Annie Award, two Daytime Emmy Awards, an NAACP Image Award, and a GLAAD Media Award. In 2018, the entire series won the "Common Sense Seal, an award given by Common Sense Media for the "diversity of its characters and inclusion of minorities", meaning that the organization recommends the series for "children aged six and above."

This diversity is reinforced by the show's writing staff. In August 2021, Jeff Trammell, head writer for the series, stated that the series has a writing room full of people with "different backgrounds and different experiences". He said the room is open in such a way that "it never feels like you're the one representative", especially for people of color.

The series has garnered a broad fanbase since its debut, with hundreds of thousands of people watching each episode. This is reflected in the 120 fan fiction works on Archive of Our Own, 43 fan fiction offerings on FanFiction.Net, and over 15,000 followers of the crew's Twitter account.

Bernard and his girlfriend, Alexis

Although the series is for all ages, it also focuses on adult issues, like breakups and pressures on young adults. At the same time, there is a focus on safety, family clashes, and interracial relationships. This includes the romance between Bernard and his girlfriend, Alexis (Karen Fukuhara).

The untamed wilderness, i.e. "Creek", in this critically acclaimed series is a place where rules of the outside world don't apply and where children rule over all. However, there are some older kids. Three teenagers who play card games in a cave are known as the "Elders" (Mark, Barry, and David). While the show's creators voice two of these characters, Zachary Steel voices David.

There are many subgroups in the Creek. This includes the Junior Forest Scouts, the Horse Girls, the 10 Speeds, the Tea Timers, the Witches of the Creek, the Ninja Kids, the Sewer Kids, and the Alliance of Science. There's also Cardboard City and the Creek's main market, the Trading Tree. Some kids don't easily fit into any of the aforementioned groups.

However, these groups are occasionally united together by Craig. He organized the Council of the Creek, based on what his grandmother Jojo does as a local politician. He, and his friends, meet at the Stump, which they have turned into a hideaway.

Unlike other series, the Creek kids are a diverse group. The series has been praised for "broadening the ethnic-racial representations in children’s media" along with Molly of Denali on PBS, Dora the Explorer on Nickelodeon, and Elena of Avalor on Disney. The latter ended in August 2020 when Disney canned the series after three seasons.

Diverse characters in Craig of the Creek include Cannonball (Trammell), a member of the Ten Speeds, a group of kids who love riding mountain bikes. Then there's Carter Brown (Zeno Robinson), a kid obsessed with building cardboard contraptions. My favorites include Wren (Ashleigh Crystal Hairston), a nerdy girl who conducts wild experiments, and Kitherine "Kit" (Davis) who runs the Trading Tree.

This racial diversity is no accident. Black storyboarders and writers make sure the show "strikes the right cords". Characters like Craig's father were composites of Trammell and Tiffany Ford's fathers. Lamar Abrams created Craig's grandmother.

Levin and Burnett said that they wanted to have a "positive impact" with a show that is fun for kids and reflects diversity from the actual world. They argued that the show combines the experiences of the show's crew.

The show taps into, as some critics described it, the "adventurous side of Cartoon Network’s viewers". Plots are a combination of the character's real-life experiences and their vivid imaginations.

13 characters in the series stated as LGBTQ in Insider's LGBTQ characters and cartoons database

LGBTQ+ representation shines through in Craig of the Creek. The Insider database of LGBTQ cartoon characters lists 13 characters for the series. Some of these characters only appear occasionally. Others are more prominent.

This representation is genuine. For instance, Angel José, a 10-year-old that runs the Creek Daycare, is non-binary, agender, and uses they/them pronouns. For much of the series, non-binary storyboarder and writer Angel Lorenzana voices them.

In the show's fourth season, Ben J. Pierce, a non-binary actor, voices Angel. Laura Mercer, the older sister of JP, is a lesbian and in a relationship with another girl, Kat. Fortune Feimster, a lesbian comedian, voices her.

There are other lesbian characters in the series. Tabitha and Courtney masquerade as "witches of the creek". In the episode "The Haunted Dollhouse" they kiss. In others, they hold hands or hang out together.

Craig of the Creek also has implied queer characters. This includes Jasmine Williams (Tawny Newsome), daughter of Darnell and Kim, and Craig's cousin. In the episode "Cousin of the Creek", she tells her cousin that she is texting her girlfriend.

It is implied that Pullstring and Merkid are non-binary. Some reviewers compared the number of non-binary characters in the series to Steven Universe, where every Gem is non-binary.

In the episode "Silver Fist Returns", Ben (Cole Escola), the "Secret Kid", keeper of Creek kids' secrets, reveals his crush on George (M. Michael Croner), a member of the Tea Timers. George reciprocates Ben's romantic feelings. Ben is also gender non-conforming.

Kelsey is a queer series protagonist. In the episode "Fire and Ice", she confesses her love for Isabella "Stacks" Alvarado (Montse Hernandez), a Latine bibliophile who hangs out in the library. While it was implied that both had feelings before that episode, they become a couple in the episode after Stacks admits her feelings for Kelsey during a secret book club.

Kelsey seems to have a crush on Vanessa "Wildernessa" (Izabella Alvarez), a girl who roams across the Creek on a huge Tibetan Mastiff named Cheesesticks. However, Vanessa does not have the same feelings toward Kelsey. Instead, she has a crush on Craig.

Queer show writers such as Kate Leth and voice actors like Stephanie Allynne (voiced Marie) buttress this representation. The Creek is a place you can be free to be yourself, as a recent Cartoon Network tweet stated. Lorenzana's art accompanied the message.

Craig challenges King Xavier in the series Season 3 finale

Craig of the Creek goes further, with a clash between good and evil. King Xavier (Charles DeWayne) rules the other side of the Creek, known as Herkleston Mills, with an iron fist. He inherited the title from his older sister Cheyenne (Najja Porter). Previously, Kenneth (Lamar Abrams) ruled over Herkleston Mills as the first king, after a highway overpass divided the Creek.

Xavier's right-hand woman is Maya (Sydney Mikayla). She helps preserve Xavier's hierarchy. Others assist the King as well. This includes a fast-runner, Keun Sup /"The Blur" (SungWon Cho), Jackie / "The Arm" who is deaf and uses ASL, and Aggie / "The Squashinator" (Zahra Fazal).

Some are disaffected by Xavier's rule. This includes Raj (Parvesh Cheena) and Shawn (Croner) who are the Honeysuckle Rangers. Both are from a nearby neighborhood and have feelings for each other. Cheena is also a gay actor.

Raj and Cheena become allies of Craig. The Green Poncho, otherwise known as Omar (Robinson), becomes Craig's ally. He tries to protect Craig's side of the Creek from Xavier, and his domination, by standing guard at the overpass.

This all changes after Xavier takes photographs of Craig's map. He plots to take over Craig's side of the Creek. The final five episodes of Craig of the Creek's third season are a showdown between the King, his lackeys, and other Creek Kids.

At first, Xavier engineers a crisis to take control of Craig's side of the Creek. He takes over the Trading Tree, bans games, destroys skate ramps, and tempts kids to support him with candy.

It seems he has won, at first. He even screws with the magical girl-esque Sparkle Cadet (Kamali Minter). He even manipulates a situation that forces Craig to leave the Creek and return home. But, this is short-lived.

A high-stakes winner-take-all game of Capture the Flag begins. At the last second, Craig is victorious. Xavier loses his power. Craig declares that the Creek belongs to everyone. He says there is no need for a King and states that there is a whole other side of the Creek to explore.

This clash reminds me of the final four episodes of Steven Universe, which concluded that series. Considering that Steven Universe writers created the series and easter eggs to that show are present throughout Craig of the Creek, this may not be a coincidence.

The show's fourth season picks up where the third season left off. Craig, and his friends deal with the aftermath of Xavier's defeat. It somewhat echoes Steven Universe Future, where Steven dealt with the consequences of his victory over the Diamond Authority.

Omar, formerly the Green Poncho, becomes one of the stump kids. Craig tries to find his place in the Creek. Those from the "other side" of the Creek have more opportunities available to them as they are not hemmed in by Xavier.

These changes accompany continued diverse stories and characters. This includes a focus on the Filipino family of Sewer Queen, Latine mythologies told by Stacks in the library or Raj's Indian family.

In one episode, a Black woman, Maya, reconnects with Craig. She gives him advice, telling him that he should be himself, and not agree with what anyone else believes. In another, Craig bonds again with Sparkle Cadet.

Craig and animesque magical girl, Sparkle Cadet, in episode "The Sparkle Solution"

Craig of the Creek continues to have institutional support from Cartoon Network executives. The series has been renewed for a fifth season and an original movie. In February 2021, Jessica's Big World, a preschool spinoff series for Cartoonito, began production. While it is not known when the spinoff will premiere, the fifth season of Craig of the Creek will begin in 2023.

This means that this show will continue. This is a positive. It will be a boon for cultural diversity, LGBTQ+ representation, and inclusion in animation. It joins other series such as the Proud Family revival series, Amphibia, and The Owl House, all with similar themes.

While the music of the series is nice, as are rap beats by MC Deltron (Teren Delvon Jones). I stayed with the series thanks to its voice actors, animation, and story, more than anything else. The often fourth-wall breaks also made the series enjoyable.

I recognized some of the voice actors from elsewhere. This includes Gunnar Sizemore, Kari Wahlgren, Michaela Dietz, and Deedee Magno.

However, the number of episodes (145) and seasons is a major stumbling block. It is a huge time commitment, which wears you down by the end, even if watched over a long period of time. It is not a series that is easy to binge over one weekend. So, prepare yourself.

The series felt strange to me because it mainly appeals to kids. From early on in the series, I realized that I wasn't the intended audience. A series where the characters are young adults would be more my speed than this series.

Despite these criticisms, I would still recommend Craig of the Creek due to its characters, plotlines, and themes. After watching all the episodes, I came to realize why it is such a wonderful show. The fifth season will likely continue in the same manner. Xavier may make a reappearance in the upcoming season, although it remains unknown what role he would play.

For those interested, Craig of the Creek is currently airing on Cartoon Network and streaming on HBO Max. It is also available on Amazon Prime and other platforms.

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