#Holi Festival 2019

[agentstarkid]

ENCHANTED TO MEET YOU ✦ DR3

✦ DEBRIEF: Amid the vibrant energy of a New Year's Eve party, chance encounters led to unexpected connections where captivating eyes, a charming accent, and a carefree personality were all she needed to be forever enchanted by his presence.

✦ PAIRINGS: daniel ricciardo x famous!latina!reader

✦ CHECKERED FLAG: 7.3K words

✦ TRACK LIMITS: female!reader, latina!reader, fluff, really sappy thoughts, there's a nine-year age gap.

✦ MAY'S RADIO: holis babes! i'm back with another attempt at writing! the last chapters were angsty and i needed a lil bit of equilibrium so please enjoy reading how the night they met went. Y'all can thank Tally for it <3 + FYI, the next chapter is nowhere being finished yet—this is a little treat for y'all because of that— this past month has been crazy at my job and the chia seeds' harvest season starts in June so I'm not sure how much time—or energy—I'll have. I'd probably be a bit absent but I'll try my best to keep this show going. Also, can you guys find all the references? 👀 PLEASEEEE let me know what you think of this. 'kay, byeee.

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December 31st, 2019 | 6:27 p.m.

As the world buzzed with excitement in anticipation of the approaching New Year, with its promises of new beginnings and fresh starts, I found myself yearning for something different. While others eagerly made plans for extravagant celebrations and wild parties, my heart longed for the simple comforts of home. The allure of crowded festivities and glittering fireworks paled in comparison to the warmth of my own cozy sanctuary, where I could embrace solitude. In a world that seems to thrive on noise and commotion, all I desired was the quiet embrace of familiarity and peace.

Despite my steadfast resolve to stay home, I found myself facing relentless persuasion from a certain Dutch DJ, my long-time friend Martin Garrix. His invitations to join him at a New Year's Eve party in New York, where he was scheduled to perform, grew more insistent with each passing week. Not content to pursue this endeavor alone ��and knowing he wouldn’t be able to win this battle by himself—, Martin enlisted the help of my closest confidantes—Fio, my ever-reliable personal assistant; Vittoria, the vivacious soul who never shies away from adventure; and Danna, the wise and grounding presence in our lives.

You'd think that at 21, with a career that keeps reaching new heights everyday, I'd be excited to join those types of celebrations.

Nuh-uh.

Years ago, the prospect of attending a high-profile party filled with celebrities and socialites would have thrilled me beyond measure. Back then, I reveled in the glamour and excitement, relishing the chance to mingle with the elite and bask in the spotlight.

Furthermore, the aftermath of my final breakup with Harry —after two years together and the last year of it being on-and-off— had left me feeling disillusioned and wary of the intentions of those around me. Once the darling of the celebrity circuit, I now found myself excluded from the inner circles I once frequented, my invitations to exclusive events dried up almost overnight. It's a harsh reality I had to come to terms with, one that has left me questioning the true nature of the friendships I once held so dear.

With Martin's persistent pleas ringing in my ears, I gathered my resolve and attempted to explain my desire for a quiet evening in. “Guys, I really appreciate the effort, but I just want to stay home tonight,” I insisted, sinking deeper into the cushions of the couch. “I've been looking forward to a High School Musical marathon all week.”

Fio, my fiery assistant, raised an incredulous eyebrow. “High School Musical? Are you serious, chica? This is New Year's Eve! Yo lo que quiero es que salgas a janguear patabajo y pasarla de show. You can watch Zac Efron dance any other night!” Hailing from the sun-kissed shores of Puerto Rico, she wore her heritage proudly, her voice ringed out with the rhythmic cadence of her native land.

Vittoria, the true embodiment of Brazilian beauty and spirit with her sun-kissed complexion and luminous smile, chimed in with a playful grin. “Yeah, fofinha, come on! You can even ask Martin to play ‘The Start of Something Newʼ if it pleases you,” she grabbed my left hand between both of hers and tugged at it, “We can dance and sing along to Zac Efron together at the party!” she exclaimed, shaking my arm excitedly. 

Well... I could definitely ask Martin to play it, he'd probably say yes in a heartbeat if it meant I would cave in and go to this party. After all, he's been awfully insistent on my attendance. 

Danna, the 23-year-old American with an effortless grace and quiet confidence, offered a gentle smile. “I understand wanting a cozy night in, but trust me, you'll regret missing out on this party. It'll be a night to remember.” she punned with a wink and smiled when Vitto offered her an enthusiastically high five. Vitto sometimes reminded me of a puppy with an impressive amount of energy and excitement, always prompting me to try and keep up with her and leave my comfort zone.

Despite their protests, I remained steadfast in my decision. There was no way I was moving from this couch. “Thanks, guys, but I'm sticking to my plan. You all go ahead and have fun without me.” However, I was but a simple human surrounded by three forces of nature and it was super clear that my friends had other ideas and soon they were bustling around me, pulling me off the couch and insisting I get ready for the night ahead.

Reluctantly, I allowed the girls to coax me off the couch and into action. With Fio's enthusiastic energy, Vittoria's impeccable sense of style, and Danna's calming presence, they transformed my quiet night in into a whirlwind of preparation for the party.

Fio rummaged through my closet, pulling out a stunning short dress made with net-woven high-end silver jewelry that would—quoting her—help highlight and show mi sazón latino among the precious stones, while Vittoria offered her expert opinion on the perfect outfit. “Uff mami, that definitely screams ‘New Year's Eve glam’!” she declared, holding up the sparkling ensemble that catched the light just right. 

Meanwhile, Danna took charge of my hair and makeup, opting for a soft, glamorous look. “You're going to turn heads tonight, babes,” she assured me, brushing a hint of shimmer onto my cheeks. 

Despite my initial resistance, I couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement as I watched my reflection transform before my eyes.

“Who knows, babes,” Danna paused, carefully applying a nude shade gloss to my lips. “Maybe you’ll find your own Troy Bolton tonight, and have your own The Start of Something New moment” she wiggled her eyebrows playfully.

“You are on a roll tonight with the puns and references, aren’t you Dannita?” Fio peeked out her head from inside my closet and asked jokingly, letting out a laugh while she ducked from a damp sponge lightheartedly tossed her way by Danna.

“Nossa, cara! Você parece uma deusa!” Vitto exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine admiration. (Wow, dude! You look like a goddess!)

A blush crept up my cheeks at her compliment, and I turned to Danna with a grateful smile. “Seriously, Danni, you've outdone yourself,” I praised her, marveling at her skill in transforming me for the evening. “Thank you for making me feel like royalty.”

With a modest smile, Danna accepted my gratitude, her eyes shining with pride at the success of her handiwork. And then, just as the last finishing touches were being applied, she posed the inevitable question: “So, what are your New Year's resolutions?”

With a playful grin, I shrugged, the weight of the question settling over me like a familiar cloak. “I think this year,” I replied, my voice tinged with determination, “I just want to have fun and focus on myself. No boys, no drama, just me.” It was a simple resolution, yet one that carried a weight of significance, a commitment to prioritize my own happiness and well-being above all else.

As I sat there, unaware of their subtle exchange, the girls exchanged knowing glances and smiles, a silent understanding passing between them. Little did I know, they had orchestrated this moment with a shared knowledge of Martin's plans for the evening.

After I was allowed to rose from my seat, I grabbed and put on the large hoops and a set of very discreet rings that Vitto opted for, she explained to me that the expensive design I was wearing ‘perfectly adorned my tanned skin in such a way that I did not need almost any other accessory to elevate the look to its maximum potential’. 

As I waited for the girls to finish getting ready, I idly scrolled through my WhatsApp contacts' status updates, seeking a distraction from the anticipation bubbling inside me. My mom uploaded a video showing all the food they had cooked for dinner. A homesick feeling hit me even if I just came back from spending two weeks at home. Next, Martin’s status showed up on my screen, he posted a photo showcasing his DJ set getting set up for the party. I tapped on his name and took a quick selfie flipping him off playfully and sent it, he didn’t take long to respond with “Does this mean I won?” followed by two pairs of eyes emoji. “Yes” I answered, also followed with the rolling eyes emoji. 

I scrolled through a couple others, when I stumbled upon Selena’s. She posted a selfie all dolled up with her friends and pinned New York City as her location which piqued my curiosity. I composed a brief message, my fingers dancing over the keys as I typed out a casual inquiry about her plans for New Year's Eve in NYC. A response appeared on my screen moments later, “Hey girl! We’re actually heading to a party at The Bowery Hotel. What about you?” a smile tugged at the corners of my lips as excitement coursed through my body, I haven’t seen Sel in a while! We’ve been friends for years and she was one of the few people that was always there to lend me an ear and words of advice whenever I went through a rough patch in my life. “No way! That's where we’re going too! Maybe we'll bump into each other!”

“That’s awesome!!!!! I'll keep an eye out for you. See you there!” she replied. I let out a little happy sigh and shook my head. With my friends by my side, laughter filling the room, I began to anticipate the night ahead with a newfound sense of anticipation. Maybe, just maybe, this New Year's Eve won't be so bad after all.

Unbeknownst to the singer, Martin's persistent efforts to persuade her to attend the party were driven by a secret agenda. For months, he has harbored a hidden desire to introduce her to a friend of his, in the hopes of sparking a connection between them. Despite Martin's best intentions, his attempts to orchestrate their meeting have thus far been thwarted by her obliviousness to his matchmaking schemes.

After receiving the confirmation that the first part of his plan had been successful, Martin discreetly sent a text message to his friend, informing him of her attendance. “She's finally agreed to come,” he typed, a hint of excitement evident in his words. “Be ready to charm her off her feet.”

On a different hotel floor, a 5'10'' curly-haired Aussie’s mind raced with possibilities, wondering who this mystery woman could be.

With a shrug, he tapped out a quick reply, his fingers flying over the keys as he crafted a response. “Sounds intriguing,” he typed, his tone laced with a hint of amusement. “Looking forward to meeting her. Just hope I can keep up with your high expectations mate!” As he hit send, Daniel couldn't shake the feeling of anticipation that lingered in the air.

Daniel's phone buzzed again with a response from Martin, and he couldn't help but chuckle at the playful banter that ensued. “Oh, don't worry,” Martin's message read, “I have complete faith in you. Just be yourself, that’s all you need”

Daniel grinned at his friend's confidence. Despite not knowing much about this mysterious woman, he couldn't deny the thrill of anticipation that coursed through his veins. With a sense of determination, he resolved to make the most of this opportunity, determined to leave a lasting impression on whoever this enigmatic figure turned out to be.

Little did he know, this chance encounter would set the stage for a fateful meeting that would change the course of his life in ways he never could have imagined.

As the sleek black car pulled up to the curb outside The Bowery Hotel, the pulsating energy of New York City's nightlife enveloped us like a warm embrace. Stepping out onto the bustling sidewalk, we were greeted by the soft glow of string lights and the distant hum of music drifting from the rooftop above.

Linking arms, we made our way through the elegant lobby of the hotel, the click of our heels echoing against the polished marble floors. Excitement crackled in the air as we rode the elevator to the top floor, anticipation mounting with each passing moment.

As the doors slid open to reveal the rooftop terrace bathed in the soft glow of fairy lights, we were met with a breathtaking view of the city skyline glittering against the night sky. The sound of laughter and conversation filled the air, mingling with the infectious beat of the music that pulsed through the crowd.

We stepped out onto the terrace and navigated through the crowd, the scent of champagne and laughter filled the air; our eyes alight with wonder as we took in the scene before us. The air was alive with the hum of excitement for the new year ahead.

Finding a secluded corner of the rooftop, I paused and craned my neck in search of the blond responsible for me being away from my cozy apartment that night. I spotted him talking with some people near where his set was set up. When our eyes met, he waved enthusiastically, his excitement palpable even from a distance.

Exchanging quick pleasantries, Martin excused himself from the group he was chatting with, his strides purposeful as he made his way towards our little circle. With a grin that could light up the entire city, Martin reached our group, his charismatic presence immediately drawing us in. “Ladies, you look stunning tonight,” he greeted us with a cheeky smile on his face, “and well, well, well, look who decided to grace us with her presence,” he teased, his voice laced with playful banter as he directed his attention towards me.

I couldn't help but roll my eyes in mock exasperation, a smirk playing at the corners of my lips. “I had four people ganging up on me, Martin, I couldn't exactly resist for long” I replied, my tone teasing as I shot him a playful glare.

Martin chuckled, his laughter infectious as he leaned in to give me a playful nudge. “That's what I like to hear! Now, let's show you what you almost missed by being a grumpy old lady tonight,” he exclaimed, his enthusiasm contagious as he gestured towards the bustling rooftop party surrounding us.

Half an hour later, Daniel made his way through the vibrant crowd, his eyes scanning the faces around him, he caught sight of Martin amidst the sea of revelers. With a nod of recognition, he approached his friend, a curious glint in his eyes. 

Martin turned towards him with a grin, anticipation dancing in his eyes. “Hey! What’s up, mate?” he gave him a quick hug. “She's already here," Martin exclaimed, his voice tinged with excitement.

Daniel's interest was piqued, and he glanced around the crowded rooftop, searching for any indication of who Martin was referring to. “Oh, really?” Daniel replied, his curiosity evident in his tone.

Martin nodded eagerly, but instead of gesturing towards our group, he simply smiled mysteriously. “Yep, but I'll introduce you later. Duty calls,” he said with a shrug, gesturing towards the stage where he was needed.

Daniel's brow furrowed slightly in confusion, but he simply nodded in understanding as Martin hurried off to fulfill his obligations. 

Martin's cryptic reply intrigued Daniel, sparking his curiosity further. He decided not to dwell on it for too long. With a shrug, he turned his attention back to the lively atmosphere of the party, eager to enjoy the night ahead. As he mingled with his friends, his thoughts occasionally drifted back to Martin's enigmatic words, wondering who exactly the DJ was referring to and what significance they held. But for now, he was content to simply soak in the excitement of the moment and let the night unfold as it may.

As Daniel's gaze lazily scanned the room, it landed on a group of vibrant individuals, among whom stood a figure that instantly commanded his attention. His eyes locked onto hers, and he felt a jolt of electricity course through him as their gazes met. In that fleeting moment, the noise of the party faded into the background, and all he could focus on was the captivating presence of the woman before him. Despite the nagging reminder of his supposed obligation to meet someone else, he found himself unable to tear his gaze away from her, his curiosity piqued and his interest unmistakably piqued.

Throughout the night, I found myself engaged in conversation with Selena and both of our friend groups, along with a few others who had approached us. However, the initial excitement I had felt was beginning to wane as my social battery ran low. I forced laughter and plastered on fake smiles as the people around us tried to create conversation, drawn to us for our status and connections rather than genuine friendship. My walls were up and I couldn’t help but be filled with nostalgia for the days when I effortlessly navigated the social whirlwind. God knows how I was able to endure all that, but now, that shiny façade of fame no longer held the appeal it once had. My eyes kept shifting around the multitude, trying to find an escape in the midst of the bustling party. Martin had to leave us after a while to greet other people that I’m sure he also invited. And now he was on the stage making sure everything was ready for the show, so that ruled him out of the equation. 

I found myself wishing I could channel Fio's bold attitude, and just tell all these phonies to go pal’ carajo. She had this undeniable strength and fearlessness about her that I envied. I couldn't imagine myself possessing even a fraction of her confidence. Yet, all of these thoughts melted away when my gaze landed on his face across the rooftop.

In that moment, it felt as though the chaos around me dissipated, leaving only him in sharp focus. Our eyes met, and a smile graced his lips, instantly captivating me. There was something magnetic about him, an inexplicable allure that drew me in without a word spoken.

His smile held a warmth that felt achingly familiar, as if we shared some unspoken connection that transcended the bounds of time and place. With each passing moment, his gaze seemed to deepen, as though delving into the depths of my soul with a silent question: “Have we met before?” It was a question that echoed in the recesses of my mind, sparking a curiosity that I couldn't shake.

As I stood there, locked in this wordless exchange, I couldn't help but wonder about the secrets hidden behind those piercing eyes. Despite the throng of people around us, it felt as though we were the only two souls in the room, bound together by an invisible thread of fate.

Suddenly, his silhouette cut through the crowd, moving with purpose and determination. With each step he took, my heart quickened its pace, anticipation rising in tandem with the rhythm of my pulse. The air crackled with a silent energy and I found myself holding my breath caught in the gravity of his presence. The distance between us narrowed, until finally, he stood before me, his eyes locking onto mine with a magnetic intensity that sent shivers down my spine.

As he extended his hand towards me, a rush of warmth flooded through me, tingling at the touch of his skin against mine. “Hey,” he said, his voice smooth and resonant, sending a ripple of anticipation coursing through me. “I'm Daniel.” His name rolled off his tongue with a certain charm and a twinge of an accent, and I couldn't help but feel drawn to him even more. 

“Hi” I managed to say, attempting to regain my composure. “I'm Y/N.”

“Y/N,” he repeated, the name rolling off his tongue with a hint of curiosity. “Lovely name for a lovely lady.”

I could feel my cheeks flush at his compliment. “Thanks,” I replied, trying to play it cool. The spell broke for a moment as he suddenly realized that there was a group of people staring at him, his own cheeks seemed to redden for a second but he recovered fast and greeted them with a radiant smile. I couldn't help but admire the way he carried himself with such effortless charm. The realization sinked in that this wasn't just any charming stranger – holy shit, this was Daniel Ricciardo, the Formula 1 driver. 

A playful glint danced in his eyes as his eyes drifted back to me, and a mischievous smile tugged at the corners of his lips. His easy charm catched me off guard, and I found myself blushing involuntarily. I stole a quick glance at my friends, who shot me knowing looks, clearly amused by my reaction. It's as if they could read my mind, teasing me silently. 

Okay Y/N, keep your cool. He is just a dude, I thought as I tucked a lock of hair behind my ear. He is a gorgeous, smoking hot dude with a megawatt smile who smells wonderful. ¡Agh, mierda!. 

Yeah, I was fucked. I guessed it was time to put those acting skills to use.

“So, Daniel, what brings you to this fabulous party?” I tilted my head as I asked, I prayed it came out in a flirty but nonchalant way and not in a way that revealed the nervous flutter in my stomach. Daniel grinned, his gaze lingered on me. “Well, a friend insisted that I come, said it was going to be the party of the year. And, I must say, meeting someone as captivating as you was an unexpected bonus.”

A light blush spreaded across my cheeks at his words, and I glanced away momentarily, trying to regain my composure. “Flattery will get you everywhere, won't it?”

He grinned, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “I certainly hope so.”

I chuckled, trying to play it cool. “Well, we'll just have to see about that, won't we?”

He grinned, a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Challenge accepted,” he replied, leaning in closer. With a playful smirk, he asked, “But first, would you like to grab a drink?”

The playful exchange between us continued as we made our way towards the bar, the atmosphere around us seemingly faded into the background as we became engrossed in each other's company.

Our playful banter flowed effortlessly, each quip and witty remark met with a matching response from the other. It's like we were in our own little world, oblivious to the party swirling around us as we exchanged jokes and anecdotes. There's something about him that feels like coming home, yet I know we've never crossed paths before. His genuine smile and easygoing demeanor put me at ease, and I found myself opening up to him more than I had in a long time. 

We both paused to stare at the DJ in his element, the corners of my mouth turned up when the Dutchy’s words ringed in my head: I almost missed this by being a grumpy old lady. I glanced over to find him already fixated on me, he smiled at me softly and a soft flutter danced in the pit of my stomach as I caught his eyes lingering on my lips. Was it just my imagination, or did the air around us suddenly crackle with an electric charge?

I tried to keep my tone light, “So, what's been the highlight of your evening so far?”

“If you’d asked me this about two hours ago I’d say the good vibes and great company,” he replied smoothly, his gaze never leaving mine. “But now that I've found you, I think I've found the best part of the evening.”

“Oh, stop it,” I chuckled, feeling my cheeks warm further.

“I mean it,” he insisted, his eyes sparkling with sincerity. “You've got this magnetic energy about you. I couldn't resist coming over to say hi.”

I felt a flutter in my stomach at his words. “Well, I'm glad you did,” I replied, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips. “It's nice to meet someone genuine at a party like this.”

Daniel grinned, leaning in a little closer. “Tell me about it. Most people here seem more interested in flashing cameras and rubbing elbows with celebrities than having a real conversation.”

I nodded in agreement, feeling a sense of relief wash over me that he felt the same way. “Exactly. It's refreshing to find someone who values authenticity.”

His smile widened. “Well, authenticity is my middle name,” he quipped, earning a laugh from me.

“Is it really?” I teased back, raising an eyebrow playfully.

He chuckled softly. “Not quite, but close enough,” he replied. The sound of his laughter was like music to my ears, washing over me in gentle waves. I couldn't help but smile in return, feeling a warmth spread through me at the sight of his genuine amusement. There was something so effortlessly charming about him, something that made it impossible not to be drawn to him.

As the clock ticked closer to midnight, Martin, from his place behind his console, grabbed the microphone, sending a burst of excitement through the crowd. The music softened, and all eyes turned towards him, eager to hear what he had to say. With a smile, he leaned into the mic.

“Alright, everyone! Get ready, because we're about to kick off the countdown to the new year!” his voice boomed over the speakers, igniting cheers and applause.

Daniel and I exchanged surprised glances, realizing how swiftly time had slipped away during our conversation. A sheepish grin spread across our faces as we chuckled at the realization.

“Wow, can you believe it?” Daniel exclaimed, his eyes wide with amazement.

Shaking my head in disbelief, I replied, “I know, right? It feels like we just got here!”

But despite our astonishment, there was an undeniable excitement in the air as we eagerly awaited the start of the countdown. Time may have slipped away unnoticed, but we were more than ready to welcome the new year with open arms.

With the pulsating energy of the crowd and the anticipation building up, Martin's announcement seemed to mark a pivotal moment in the night. It was as if time paused for just a brief moment, allowing us to reflect on the year gone by and the possibilities that lay ahead.

As the countdown began, the atmosphere on the terrace grew electric. Each second ticking by felt charged with anticipation, drawing us closer to the threshold of a new beginning. Daniel and I joined in with the crowd, counting down in unison as the numbers on the screen dwindled.

“Ten!... Nine!... Eight!” The voices around us echoed, filling the place with excitement and joy.

As the final seconds ticked away before the stroke of midnight, I stole a moment to scan the crowd, searching for familiar faces amidst the sea of revelers. My gaze locked onto Fio, Vitto, and Danna, who were huddled together nearby. Fio, ever perceptive, caught my gaze first. With a playful nudge to Vitto and Danna, she directed their attention towards me, and they turned in unison, their eyes met mine with knowing looks and a mischievous grin spread across their faces.

With playful antics, they puckered their lips in exaggerated kissy faces, teasing me in a lighthearted manner. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at their antics, a light blush tinting my cheeks in response to their jovial teasing.

Amidst the playful exchange, a fleeting thought crossed my mind. I wondered, for just a moment, if perhaps Daniel, standing closer than before, was considering the same playful gesture. But before I could dwell on the thought, the clock struck midnight, and the room erupted into cheers and celebration.

As the cheers filled the air, Daniel and I turned to each other with shy smiles, caught up in the infectious excitement of the moment. “Happy New Year,” we said simultaneously, our voices barely audible above the din of the crowd.

For a brief moment, there was a subtle shift in the air, a silent pause that seemed to linger between us. In that fleeting instant, it felt as if time slowed down, and I found myself meeting Daniel's gaze, our eyes locking in a silent exchange filled with unspoken thoughts and emotions.

There was a palpable tension, a delicate balance hanging in the air, as if both of us were teetering on the edge of something unspoken. In that moment, it seemed as though Daniel might lean in, his movements tentative and hesitant, as if contemplating a gesture that could change everything.

Was he gonna kiss me? Oh, I wouldn’t be mad if he stole a kiss. 

Or several.

But then, just as quickly as the moment had arisen, it passed. With a soft smile and a gentle nod, Daniel seemed to reconsider, pulling back slightly as if to preserve the moment's delicate equilibrium. And in that simple gesture, the unspoken understanding between us remained.

As the moment hung in the air between Daniel and me, on the brink of something uncertain, the sounds of joyous screams suddenly pierced through the atmosphere, drawing our attention away.

Before I could fully process what was happening, I felt warm arms wrap around me, pulling me into an exuberant embrace. It was the girls, Fio, Vitto, and Danna, their laughter mingling with the cheers of the crowd as they enveloped me in their enthusiastic greeting.

"Happy New Year!" they exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with genuine warmth and excitement.

I couldn't help but chuckle at the timing of their arrival, grateful for the distraction from the almost-kiss tension that had begun to linger between Daniel and me. With their infectious energy and playful banter, they effortlessly diffused the slight awkwardness that had threatened to overshadow the moment.

As we exchanged hugs and well wishes, I couldn't help but feel a surge of gratitude for their timely intervention. In their presence, the lingering tension dissipated, replaced by a sense of sisterhood and shared joy.

And as we laughed and celebrated together, I couldn't shake the feeling that perhaps some moments were meant to be savored, not rushed. Whatever the future held for Daniel and me, I knew that in that moment, I was exactly where I was meant to be.

With infectious enthusiasm, the girls dragged me towards the terrace railings, eager to get a better view of the fireworks illuminating the night sky. Laughing and chatting animatedly, we leaned against the railing, our eyes fixed on the colorful explosions lighting up the darkness.

As we marveled at the spectacle unfolding before us, Daniel excused himself with a smile, promising to join us in just a moment. I watched him disappear into the crowd, his easy charm drawing smiles and greetings from everyone he came across.

Alone for a brief moment amidst the excitement of the celebration, I took a deep breath, allowing myself to soak in the energy of the night. The air was alive with anticipation, the promise of new beginnings hanging in the air like a tangible presence.

And as the fireworks continued to paint the sky with bursts of color and light, I couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude for the moments shared with friends, old and new. In that fleeting moment of tranquility, amidst the chaos of the celebration, I found solace in the knowledge that no matter where life took us, our bonds would always endure, guiding us through the highs and lows of the journey ahead. I felt grateful to call these incredible women my friends. And as the last remnants of the fireworks faded into the night, I turned to raise my glass in a toast with the girls following, my heart full with the promise of the new year ahead.

Just as I turned back to try and catch a glimpse of a certain Aussie in the crowd, Daniel appeared at my side with a warm smile. His eyes sparkled with the residual excitement of the celebration, and his easygoing demeanor put me at ease.

“Hey there,” he greeted me, his voice carrying over the lingering echoes of the fireworks. “Did you enjoy the show?”

I returned his smile with a nod, the exhilaration of the moment still coursing through my veins. “It was amazing,” I replied, my voice filled with genuine awe. “I can't believe how quickly the year flew by.”

Daniel chuckled softly, his gaze drifting towards the horizon where the last traces of the fireworks faded into the darkness. “Yeah, 2019 feels like it was yesterday,” he quipped, a playful twist to his words.

I couldn't help but laugh at his silly joke, shaking my head in amusement. Despite its simplicity, his humor didn’t fail to bring a smile to my face. And as my laughter echoed into the night, I noticed Daniel's own smile widening, his eyes alight with infectious joy.

As my laughter subsided, Daniel's eyes softened, his gaze lingering on me with a warmth that sent a flutter through my chest. In the soft glow of the terrace lights, his features seemed to soften, his smile taking on a tender quality.

“You know,” he began, his voice gentle, “you look absolutely beautiful under the firework lights.”

A blush rose to my cheeks at his words, a rush of warmth spreading through me at the unexpected compliment. It was a simple gesture, but it carried a weight of sincerity that touched me deeply.

“Thank you,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper, but filled with genuine appreciation.

Daniel's gaze held mine for a moment longer, his expression softening even further as he had the purest beam of light on his face that made my heart melt.  “Actually,” he continued, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper, “you outshine even the fireworks themselves.”

A surprised chuckle escaped my lips, and I could feel my cheeks flush with a warmth that spread from his endearing words. His unexpected compliment caught me off guard, leaving me momentarily speechless.

It was such a simple yet profoundly sweet sentiment, and it took me by surprise in the best possible way.

As Daniel's sweet words lingered in the air, a comfortable silence settled between us, punctuated only by the distant sounds of the continuing celebration. It was a couple minutes after midnight, and there were already a couple resolutions broken.

I couldn't help but chuckle softly at the thought, the warmth of Daniel's presence enveloping me like a comforting embrace. Despite the inevitable imperfections of the past year, there was a sense of hope and possibility lingering in the air for this new one, a reminder that every moment held the potential for growth and renewal.

We continued to chat and laugh as we made our way to one of the high tables to continue our conversation in a more comfortable setting. Martin even made an appearance, greeting us with his usual kind and friendly attitude. A shit-eating grin adorned his face as he saw us talking. He inconspicuously winked at me which prompted me to affectionately roll my eyes. 

Okay Martin, I get it, you were right...again. 

But one curious thing happened when Martin approached. I noticed a flicker of apology in Daniel's eyes, a subtle shift in his demeanor that caught my attention. Confused, I glanced at him, wondering what had prompted this sudden change. It wasn't until much later that I would come to understand the reason behind his apologetic expression.

Unbeknownst to me, Daniel had misunderstood Martin's intentions, believing that the girl he had spoken to him about was someone else entirely. In his mind, there was no connection between Martin's matchmaking scheme and the girl he had been conversing with all along—me.

And so, we were unaware of the intricate web of plans and schemes being woven around us. Little did I know, the seeds of something special had already been planted, waiting to bloom and blossom in the days and weeks to come.

A while later, one of the waiters passed by, weaving through the crowd. Seizing the opportunity, Daniel called out to him, “Excuse me, do you have a pen?”

The waiter nodded and swiftly produced one, handing it over with a friendly smile. Once he left, Daniel grabbed a napkin from the table and quickly sketched out a tic-tac-toe grid with the pen. With a mischievous grin, he declared, “Let's make a deal. If I win, you have to give me your number.”

I couldn't help but laugh at his spontaneous challenge, the playful glint in his eyes infectious. “Alright, you're on,” I replied, picking up the pen to make my first move. 

“But,” I paused with a smirk. I raised an eyebrow at Daniel, unable to suppress a playful grin. “What do I get if I win?” I challenged him, my tone teasing and light. 

Daniel's lips curled into a flirtatious smile, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “Well,” he replied, leaning in closer with a playful glint in his eyes, “if you win, you get my number instead.”

His response elicited another laugh from me, the playful banter adding to the already vibrant energy between us. With a nod of agreement, I made my move, determined to give him a run for his money.

However, despite my best efforts, Daniel proved to be a formidable opponent—athletes do tend to have another level of competitiveness after all, even with the smallest and silliest things—, and before I knew it, he had emerged victorious, marking the final square with a triumphant flourish.

With a mock sigh of defeat, I conceded, acknowledging his win with good humor. “Alright, you got me,” I chuckled, conceding to his victory. “Looks like I owe you my number.”

With a pleased smile he passed me his phone. As I began typing my number into Daniel's phone, focused on the task at hand, I felt a sudden movement beside me. Glancing up, I saw Daniel grab another napkin, his expression mischievous as he quickly scribbled something onto it. 

Curious, I watched as he slid the napkin across the table towards me. My eyes widened in surprise as I read the words written in his handwriting: “You are cute.”

A warmth spread through me at his unexpected gesture, a rush of flattered excitement tingling in my veins. With a playful smile, I looked up to meet his gaze, my heart fluttering with anticipation.

“Smooth move,” I teased, unable to hide the smile that danced on my lips. “But I think you've already won me over with your charm.”

As I finished adding my number to his phone, I slid it back across the table towards him. With a grin, Daniel accepted his phone back, his eyes sparkling with satisfaction at my response. “Can't blame a bloke for trying,” he quipped, his tone light and playful. 

The playful energy between us only seemed to intensify and I found myself drawn further into the magnetic pull of Daniel's presence, captivated by his whiskey-colored eyes that held a depth that seemed to unravel the secrets of the universe. And when he spoke, his Australian accent danced with a melodic cadence that resonated deep within my soul, infusing every word with a warmth and charm that was impossible to resist.

But it wasn't just his accent that captivated me—it was his carefree personality, his easygoing demeanor that made every moment feel effortless and free. He laughed with abandon, his infectious joy spreading like wildfire and igniting a spark of laughter within me.

And then there were his hands, expressive and animated as he spoke, each gesture painting a vivid picture of his thoughts and emotions. It was as if his hands had a language of their own, weaving tales of adventures that left me hanging on his every word.

Just as the party was reaching its peak and the energy in the room soared, one of the girls came up to me with a sense of urgency in her expression. “Hey babes, we need to head out already,” she informed me, a hint of regret in her voice.

My heart sank at the sudden announcement, realizing the abrupt end to the evening's festivities. With a mixture of disappointment and resignation, I turned to Daniel, silently conveying my apologies with a glance.

“I'm sorry, but Vitto's had a bit too much to drink,” Danna explained, her tone apologetic as she gestured towards our intoxicated companion. “We need to get her home.”

There was a flicker of disappointment in Daniel's eyes, mirrored by my own sense of frustration at the untimely interruption.

With a sympathetic smile, Daniel nodded in understanding, his expression reflecting a mixture of disappointment and acceptance. “Of course, safety first,” he replied, his voice filled with empathy. “Take care, and hopefully, we'll see each other again soon.”

As I exchanged final farewells with Daniel, a pang of regret lingered in the air, accompanied by the bittersweet realization that our time together had been cut short. Yet, amidst the disappointment, there was a glimmer of hope, a silent promise of future encounters.

With a nod of gratitude, I turned to join my friends. And as I reached the girls, I couldn't help but sigh softly, my concern for Vitto mixing with a hint of amusement. “Ay, Vitto,” I murmured, shaking my head in disbelief at how quickly she had managed to get drunk in just an hour.

Vitto, in her intoxicated state, offered a drunken apology and let out a soft laugh, her carefree demeanor infectious. “Sorry,” she slurred, her words accompanied by a playful giggle.

I couldn't help but smile at her antics, reassured by her good spirits despite the unexpected turn of events. “It's okay,” I assured her, placing an arm around her shoulder. “Let's get you home safely.”

As I turned to leave, I couldn't resist stealing a last glimpse back at Daniel. To my surprise, I found him still staring at me, his smile widening as he waved goodbye. A rush of warmth flooded through me at the sight.

On our way home, the girls couldn't resist teasing me about Daniel, joking about how we had spent the whole night together. Their playful banter only served to deepen my blush, fueling the whirlwind of emotions swirling within me. The city lights blurred into a mosaic of colors outside the car window and the laughter of the girls faded into the background as I found myself lost in the memory of Daniel's captivating smile, the warmth of his gaze still lingering in the corners of my mind.

I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something truly special about that smile, something that lingered long after the party had ended and the night had grown quiet. To me, it wasn't just any smile—it was warm, genuine, and filled with an undeniable spark that seemed to reach straight into my soul. It was a smile that spoke volumes, conveying a sense of understanding, a twinge of mischief, and unspoken promise that left me breathless with anticipation.

With a soft sigh, I couldn't help but reflect on the serendipitous twist of fate that had brought us together tonight. In that brief moment of connection, amidst the music and laughter, I had felt a spark of something special—a connection that defied explanation and left me yearning for more.

And as I stared out into the night, the city lights twinkling like stars in the darkness, I knew that I would carry the memory of that encounter with me forever. In that moment, meeting him felt like a spell had been cast upon me, capturing my heart in an instant.

The thought made a soft smile tug at the corners of my lips, my heart fluttering with the anticipation of what the future might hold.

At the end of the night, all I knew was, 

Daniel, I was enchanted to meet you.

[seoul-bros]

Jikook Week 27 Complete ✔️(11/06 - 18/06/2024)

Their twenty seventh week in the military is now complete. They are hanging in there even though it is far from being the place either of them really want to be. Physically they look well but their handwritten Festa letters speak to how much they miss performing. I hope the fact that there is now less than a year to go and that Jin is out there carrying the BTS torch for them all will give them strength to continue even on the most tedious and slow days.

This week we celebrate another seven days under their belt with a look at what they were up to in June 2019.

Festa 2019 was in full swing and on 11/06 Big Hit released this JK memories of BTS video with a Euphoria remix as a backing track. Lots and lots of JK and Jimin is either there in front of the camera with him (albeit mostly cropped out) or behind the camera with lens focused lovingly on his Jungkook. They've been causing problems for Big Hit content editors for years.

For the big day itselt (13/06) Jimin prepared a gift for ARMY. It's the first time I've ever seen this video and I love how he captures the personality of each of the members (Hobi and RM in particular are hilarious) as well as giving us a glimpse of what it means to go on tour together.

It was a time of peak happiness for the BTS team before COVID sent them spiraling along with the rest of the planet. The BTS Festa dinner that year was Bangtan Attic a festival of yellow and purple. Gone were the doubts of the previous year and they had a pretty frank and humorous conversation about their past, their present and future.

There is so much going on here it's difficult to pick out highlights but one thing is very clear, BTS really begin to move forward as a team when the powers that be let Jin and Jimin drop the personas they had been assigned at debut and let them be themselves.

On 15-16/06, BTS were in Busan for 5th Muster Magic Shop.

5th Muster is one of the holy grails of jikook's history so much so that there are already full posts exploring this concert series including this amazing post by @wingzie. The ring incident in Busan still has me scratching my head. We never heard anything about it after that day.

The Busan boys were also in action on Vlive while BTS was in Busan. Jimin went live on the 15/06 and was positively glowing. The show had gone well and he was still on a high from the overseas tour. He wanted us to know how thankful he was for ARMY's support. He showed us Gwangan Bridge all lit up in purple...

... and he spent time talking about his martial arts training including cutting bamboo, newspaper slicing and extinguishing candles with a sword (a skill he retains to this day).

The next day it was Jungkook's turn. His room set up was identical to Jimin's so also overlooking the river but he had the blinds down so no view of the Gwangan Bridge that night.

He was in an excellent mood and opened a bottle of wine to celebrate - just two glasses - a rule he has since put aside. He talked about how he wanted to get back to GCF filming but with their schedule he hadn't been able to settle upon a topic.

He explained that he couldn't make the live very long because some of the staff were staying up to monitor it and wouldn't be able to rest until he had finished. This is what he said about that.

"We need to be considerate of others. Only then can we understand each other and get close to each other and become one"

I don't think he was still talking about the staff at this point. Look at that cheeky satisfied smile behind the glass. Happy times in 2019.

Post Date: 18/06/2024

[vyl3tpwny]

You inspired me to get back into Bangarang era Skrillex without shame in my heart and to embrace the (harmless) cringe in my soul. As well as seek out other lesser known artists who keep up that sound. So, thanks!

real talk i have been making music for almost two decades now. when i first heard skrillex's music i instantly knew it was amazing. but i couldn't really express why. as i've gotten older, spent lots and lots of time making music and learning about music and researching, a lot of things i used to adore don't impress me like when i first heard them. but even all this time later, skrillex's music — past and present — is incredible and untouchable. i think a lot of casual listeners do not realize just how flawless, complex, and perfectly executed his sound design and ideas are across the board. the best thing you can do when listening to skrillex's music is just pick out ONE single sound and ask yourself "how did he create this sound? how do you go about creating this sound from scratch". the casual listener rarely considers a question like this, but when you ask this about nearly anything skrillex makes, even if you can fathom an answer it's still the most mindblowing thing in the world.

but sound design is not everything either. i got sucked into the soundcloud community around 2016 or so. to any of my soundcloud classmates, peers, and alumni, hey how are you doing <3 but the soundcloud scene of 2016-2019 was a VERY specific beast. a lot of the music that emerged during the scene's height was this idea that sound design is always more important than anything else. so you would have tons and tons and tons of songs that came out that had crazy sound design ... but not much else. this goes back to skrillex's music. skrillex's sound design isn't just complex, but it's also executed with amazing songwriting. it isn't just a tech fest, he's making amazing songs, perfectly accessible, with incredible sound design as the foundation rather than the only thing the music has to offer. for a while i think i had been so swept up by the soundcloud scene that i rlly ignored songwriting in favour of sound design, like i had to choose.

that is to say, skrillex's music has been and will always be a pinnacle of what "festival EDM" should be evaluated as in standard. i've already done my share of criticizing skrillex for how he butchered "dubstep", and i'm not going to ever pretend that such criticism does not exist. but regardless, EDM is an extremely saturated genre which has caused lots of people to hate or misunderstand it. i think if people focused more on making strong songs and not tunnelvisioning on one aspect of the music, EDM would be more compelling to more people, beyond just 'sounding good' or 'being a banger'.

scary monsters and nice sprites, the song, is a really good song. it has a pretty standard arrangement and flow, but moment to moment it's always interesting and full. the production is so ridiculously clean and dynamic but does not skimp out on making shit sound beefy and deep as well. but what a lot of people don't realize is that the sound design on that song is so incredible, that in a lot of music spaces, it's considered a holy grail to whoever fully reverse engineers the growls in scary monsters. for over 10 years now, there have been dedicated skype groups, discord servers, youtube streams, and forum threads on people literally dedicating portions of their music making lives to trying to understand JUST the scary monsters growls alone. what makes it so elusive is that it's likely done with the FM8 synth and trying to reverse engineer more than 2-3 operators on an FM synth is literally a death sentence. skrillex himself probably couldn't remake it from scratch, only create something similar doing the moves he would do in FM8. but the scary monsters growls are literally a holy grail and people are STILL working in small community pockets to figure out how it was done, 14 years after the album came out.

[pseudophan]

Have you seen any of them live?

the emo trinity? all of them! which is wild! i saw both fall out boy and panic at the disco at reading festival 2018, panic again in 2019 and then finally mcr in 2022!

obviously mcr was the highlight because... oh my fucking god i did not think that would ever happen. holy shit. also they were just, insanely fucking good. god. highlight of my entire life, truly. fall out boy at reading were very good music wise but kinda lackluster performance wise sdbfjs idk if they're always like that or if it was just cause it's a festival but while they nailed the musical aspect it was kinda boring otherwise. which isn't actually a diss, it was an incredible show, but if we're comparing them to mcr and panic then they do unfortunately take third place. still really great though! sounded amazing! and then panic... loookkkkkkkk i know we hate brendon urie and i really do agree that he sucks for several reasons but. whenever someone tries to argue that he isn't a good performer. come on now. be serious. he's a fantastic performer im so sorry. both the reading set and the panic concert were fucking insane, like top tier show. really really fucking good and i refuse to lie about that lmao

[stylecouncil]

if you could arrange a music festival, where would it be, who would play and what would the theme be?

my backyard. but if not my backyard then idk a field near my backyard. the theme would be “morgan (at this particular moment in time)” and the artists would be an inxs intro at their wembley peak but playing my favorite selections. then we take it down a bit for hunky dory era bowie (there will be more bowie later). into the smiths right before their break up with the conclusion being johnny marr’s evaporation and morrissey transforming into 1992 live in dallas morrissey or maladjusted tour morrissey spending on how I feel that day and we get a recreation of a famous stage storming. this then cuts into a sam’s town era killers preforming sam’s town and hot fuss selections and then what’s that? a selections from desired effect interlude. oh now its suddenly modern brandon flowers and he’s performing pressure machine front to back just for me. and then? the entirety of the killers at glastonbury 2019. including the pet shop boys interlude but this time extended to include other parts of their catalogue of my choosing. end scene. oh wait they’re coming back out. who’s with them? we transition into dustland with springsteen. springsteen slowly de-ages through the years and we go through my favorite points of his catalogue. courtney love comes out and throws a shoe at my head and I thank her. surprise tyler the creator frank ocean reunion. the 1975 interlude (I have to). robbie williams and madonna both walk onto the stage. what happens next? who knows. bowie is back. what’s this? its young americans bowie slowly transition into station to station think white duke bowie. oh and now it’s heroes era bowie with the little brown mullet performing selections from his entire catalogue. enter marc bolan for a few selections and some bowie duetting. and who’s that? lou reed is here to perform my personal selections from his catalogue and duet with bowie on satellite of love. what’s that? oh it’s paul weller. is it jam or style council paul weller? who knows but he’s playing all my favorites. pete doherty acoustic interlude. followed by a the format reunion live at the mayan theatre themed. dog man star suede/ the holy bible manic street preachers section. enter the kinks. 1969-1971 kinks specifically. now we transition to the noel gallagher portion of the evening. (paul weller also pops back out to play on a few) maybe we even get oasis at the heights of its powers. again it depends on how I feel that day. I think I would want the year 2000 oasis on their come down actually. we end everything on don’t look back in anger.

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 8.28

Holidays

Bow Tie Day

Crackers Over the Keyboard Day

Criminal Appreciation Day

Crumbs Between the Keys Day

Dream Day Quest and Jubilee

828 Day

Emerati Women’s Day (UAE)

Emmett Till Day

End of the Fairy Tale Day

Giving Black Day (a.k.a. Give 828)

Goldenrod Day

Gone-ta-Pott Day [every 28th]

Grandparents’ Day (Mexico)

Green Shirt Guy Day

Higalaay Festival (Cagayan de Oro, Philippines)

I Have a Dream Day

International Read Comics in Public Day

Makaton International Awareness Day

Manifest 828 Day

Mariamoba (Republic of Georgia)

National Bow Tie Day

National Grandparents Day (Mexico)

Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander (NHPI) Equal Pay Day

National Over It Day

National Power Rangers Day

National Sport Sampling Day

National Thoughtful Day

Nativity of Nephthys (Egyptian Goddess of Love)

Race Your Mouse Around the Icons Day

Radio Commercial Day

Rainbow Bridge Remembrance Day

Russian Germans Day (Germany)

Scientific American Day

Significant Historical Events Day

Speeding Ticket Day

Tan Suit Day

Tom Thumb Locomotive Day

Watermelon Day (French Republic)

World Day of Turners Syndrome

Food & Drink Celebrations

National Cheese Sacrifice Day

National Cherry Turnover Day

National Red Wine Day

New England Apple Day

Stuffed Green Bell Peppers Day

Subway Sandwich Day

Independence & Related Days

Holy Empire of Reunion (Declared; 1997) [unrecognized]

Kingdom Proclamation Day (Montenegro)

Luana (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Moldova (from USSR; 1991)

Ohio Empire (Declared; 2008) [unrecognized]

Popular Consultation Anniversary Day (East Timor)

4th & Last Wednesday in August

Hump Day [Every Wednesday]

La Tomatina (World’s Biggest Food Fight; Buñol, Spain) [4th Wednesday]

National Meals on Wheels Day (Australia) [Last Wednesday]

Tug-of-War Day [Last Wednesday]

Wacky Wednesday [Every Wednesday]

Website Wednesday [Every Wednesday]

Weird Wednesday [4th Wednesday of Each Month]

Whatever Wednesday [4th Wednesday of Each Month]

Whole Grain Wednesday [Last Wednesday of Each Month]

Willing-To-Lend-A-Hand Wednesday [Wednesday of Be Kind to Humankind Week]

Wishful Wednesday [Last Wednesday of Each Month]

Weekly Holidays beginning August 28 (4th Full Week of August)

Paralympic Summer Games (Paris, France) [thru 9.8]

Festivals Beginning August 28, 2024

Apollonia Festival of Arts (Sozopol, Bulgaria) [thru 9.7]

Best in the West Rib Cook-off (Sparks, Nevada) [thru 9.2]

Halifax Fringe Festival (Halifax, Canada) [thru 9.8]

Johnson County Fair (Clarksville, Arkansas) [thru 8.31]

La Tomatina (Buñol, Spain)

South Dakota State Fair (Huron, South Dakota) [thru 9.2]

Sweet Corn Festival (Millersport, Ohio) [thru 8.30]

Twin Falls County Fair and Magic Valley Stampede (Twin Falls County, Idaho) [thru 9.2]

Venice International Film Festival (Venice, Italy) [thru 9.7]

Walla Walla Fair & Frontier Days (Walla Walla, Washington) [thru 9.1]

Feast Days

Alexander of Constantinople (Christian; Saint)

Andraste (Celtic Book of Days)

Assumption Day [Roman Catholic] (a.k.a. ... 

Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Abkhazia)

Falling Asleep of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Canada)

Feast of the Assumption (Christian)

Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Anglican)

Ferragosto (Italy)

Dormition of the Most Holy Mother of God (Eastern Orthodox)

Mary, Mother of Our Lord (Lutheran)

The Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary (Sacred Heart)

Augustine of Hippo (Christian; Saint) [brewers] *

Ayyankali Jayanti (Kerala, India)

Constant Troyon (Artology)

Edmund Arrowsmith (Christian; Saint)

Edward Burne-Jones (Artology)

Feast of the Mother of God (Georgia, Macedonia, Serbia)

Festival for Luna (Ancient Rome)

Festival for Sol (Ancient Rome)

Festival of the Neon Revolution

First Onam (Rice Harvest Festival; Kerala, India)

Frank Gorshin Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Hermes of Rome (Christian; Saint)

Jack Kirby (Artology)

Jack Vance (Writerism)

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (Writerism)

John Betjeman (Writerism)

Julian (Christian; Saint)

Junipero Serra (Christian; Saint)

Kanō Motonobu (Artology)

L. B. Cole (Artology)

Marimba (Virgin’s Assumption; Georgia)

Mariotte (Positivist; Saint)

Media Aestas III (Pagan)

Michael Craig-Martin (Artology)

More Rum Day (Pastafarian)

Morris Graves (Artology)

Moses the Black (Christian; Saint)

Norse Harvest Festival (Everyday Wicca)

Pebble Memento Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Rita Dove (Writerism)

Robertson Davies (Writerism)

Tony Husband (Artology)

Uncle Norton the Elephant (Muppetism)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 40 of 60)

Premieres

Animal Crackers (Film; 1930)

The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are, by Alan W. Watts (Spiritual Book; 1966)

Cain's Jawbone, by E. Powys Mathers (Novel/Puzzle; 1934)

Come Clean, by Puddle of Mudd (Album; 2001)

The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas (Novel; 1844)

Do the Evolution, by Pearl Jam (Animated Music Video; 1998)

54 (Film; 1998)

Flying Leathernecks (Film; 1951)

Gallipoli (Film; 1981)

Get Rich Quick Porky (WB LT Cartoon; 1937)

Honeymoon in Vegas (Film; 1992)

I Have a Dream, by Martin Luther King Jr. (Speech; 1963)

Let’s Get It On, by Marvin Gaye (Album; 1973)

Little Ol’ Bosko and the Cannibals (Happy Harmonies MGM Cartoon; 1937)

Lohengrin, by Richard Wagner (Opera; 1850)

Mary of Scotland (Film; 1936)

Mickey’s Follies (Disney Cartoon; 1929)

Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (TV Series; 1993)

Narcos (TV Series; 2015)

The New Mutants (Film; 2020)

Perri (Disney Film; 1957)

Personal, 19th Jack Reacher book, by Lee Child (Novel; 2014)

Pesty Guest (Chilly Willy Cartoon; 1965)

Phineas and Verb the Movie: Candace Against the Universe (Animated Film; 2020)

Pink Pranks (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1971)

Private Lessons (Film; 1981)

Q. Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo!, by Devo (Album; 1978)

Rope (Film; 1948)

Sink or Swim (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1952)

Smile, by Katy Perry (Album; 2020)

Song of the Thin Man (Film; 1947)

Studio 54 (Film; 1998)

Tease for Two (WB LT Cartoon; 1965)

Travelling Without Moving, by Jamiroquai (Album; 1996)

The Truth About Mother Goose (Disney Cartoon; 1957)

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (Film; 1992)

Victoria (TV Series; 2016)

Walk This Way by Aerosmith (Song; 1975)

Yankee Doodle Bugs (WB LT Cartoon; 1954)

Today’s Name Days

Adelinde, Aline, Augustin (Austria)

Augustin, Tin (Croatia)

Augustýn (Czech Republic)

Augustinus (Denmark)

August, Gustav, Kustas, Kustav, Kusti, Kusto (Estonia)

Tauno (Finland)

Augustin, Elouan (France)

Adelinde, Aline, Augustin, Vivian (Germany)

Damon (Greece)

Ágoston (Hungary)

Agostino, Ermete (Italy)

Auguste, Guste, Ranna (Latvia)

Augustinas, Patricija, Steigvilė, Tarvilas (Lithuania)

Artur, August (Norway)

Adelina, Aleksander, Aleksy, Augustyn, Patrycja, Sobiesław, Stronisław (Poland)

Augustín (Slovakia)

Agustín (Spain)

Fatima, Leila (Sweden)

Agustin, August, Augusta, Augustina, Austen, Austin, Austina, Austyn, Gus, Gustava, Gustavo (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 241 of 2024; 125 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 3 of Week 35 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Coll (Hazel) [Day 26 of 28]

Chinese: Month 7 (Ren-Shen), Day 25 (Jia-Zi)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 24 Av 5784

Islamic: 22 Safar 1446

J Cal: 1 Gold; Oneday [1 of 30]

Julian: 15 August 2024

Moon: 27%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 17 Gutenberg (9th Month) [Worcester]

Runic Half Month: Rad (Motion) [Day 6 of 15]

Season: Summer (Day 70 of 94)

Week: 4th Full Week of August

Zodiac: Virgo (Day 7 of 32)

Calendar Changes

Gold (Month 9 of 12; J Calendar)

[ravenkings]

[...]

The Kremlin has never been especially fond of feminist ideas. More than a decade ago, members of the feminist punk band Pussy Riot were sentenced to two years in prison for performing an anti-Putin song in a Moscow church. But pressure against feminist thought and activity has been ratcheting up. A domestic abuse law introduced in the State Duma in 2019 went nowhere. The next year, authorities designated the prominent Russian nonprofit Nasiliu.net, which supports domestic violence victims, as a foreign agent, a label regularly applied to critics of Mr. Putin’s politics. (Nasiliu.net’s founder, Anna Rivina, was personally deemed a foreign agent.) In 2021, they shut down a major national feminist festival, Moscow FemFest. “They didn’t refer to any laws but simply said, ‘We need to clear the space,’” the festival’s founder, Lola Tagaeva, told me.

When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the Feminist Antiwar Resistance quickly formed and became one of the loudest protest movements in the country. More than 100 of its activists have faced various forms of persecution, the organization says. In one of the most high-profile cases, the artist Alexandra Skochilenko was recently sentenced to seven years in prison for swapping price tags in a St. Petersburg supermarket with statements highlighting civilian deaths in the conflict. Other political and social women’s initiatives have gained momentum since then, including mothers worrying about their sons being sent to war.

This summer, Russia’s health minister, Mikhail Murashko, criticized women putting their education and careers ahead of having children as “improper” and announced a national initiative to control the circulation of abortion-inducing drugs in pharmacies. At least two Russian regions have already outlawed “coercing” women into abortion, and in two other places, annexed Crimea and Kursk, private clinics have nearly stopped providing abortions altogether. Women nationwide have been panic-buying emergency contraception pills amid fears of a national ban.

Until now, the Russian state has typically opposed women’s groups by blocking their efforts to change laws or by issuing “black marks,” such as the foreign agent designation, designed to complicate lives bureaucratically. But a month before Ms. Berkovich and Ms. Petriychuk were arrested, a Russian lawmaker, Oleg Matveychev, claimed he had drafted a bill recognizing feminism as “an extremist ideology.” The bill has not advanced in the Duma.

[...]

Konstantin Dobrynin, a Russian lawyer based in Britain, said that under that law, it is possible that an official charge of radical feminism might stick, given “the darkest times we live in today.” If that happens, he said, it could very likely lead to the criminalization of feminism as an ideology in Russia. It would be, he said, “a witch hunt and the Holy Inquisition in the most literal form.”

[didnt-hear-idsb-live-again]

okay I am putting this out there for Tumblr to decide for me because I think I'm actually going to pass away over it

There are 3 artists who got me through 2019. And my time in Australia / Melbourne and getting over it etc etc etc. The absolute non-contested most important artists to me from that time, that I will forever associate with it. They are Taylor Swift, The Temper Trap, and Holy Holy.

I moved to Australia TO see Taylor Swift in Melbourne. That is the literal entire reason I showed up here. However, I also told myself that before I left, it was completely non-negotiable that I see The Temper Trap and Holy Holy. Holy Holy has not ever played a show outside of Australia and probably never would make it to the US, and The Temper Trap hasn't really played any shows at all or left Australia in over a decade.

Well, both of those bands are co-headlining a festival on Melbourne N3. Because, like, of course they are. And I found a legit person who would sell me a ticket to Melbourne N3. Because of course I did.

Additional factors to consider is that I don't know the people who are selling me the ticket (I found them on Facebook and it is seemingly legit, I'd be meeting up with them, sending $ at the show and going inside WITH them so doesn't appear to be much room for error) so would be going alone. I'm seeing the show in Sydney with people that matter to me the following week. Festival is 4 hours away and my car is having more underlying issues that this wouldn't be excellent for in terms of not poking a sleeping bear vibes. I already bought the festival ticket (but it was like $60, not a big deal). Both bands' rotate their festival setlist which is bad because there is a 50/50 shot they won't even play the songs that matter to me and I'll drive 4 hours and miss a Taylor show to hear, like, 6 songs I like.

So now I don't know what the literal fuck to do lmao send opinions thanksssss

[brookston]

Holidays 1.5

Holidays

American Divorce Day

Apple Howling Day

Carnival begins (Old Bohemia)

Carnaval Blancos Negros, Day 2: The Day of the Blacks (Colombia)

Dia de la Toma (Spain)

Eve of Wonder

Fair Deal Day

Fathers' Day (Оци; Serbia)

501st Legion Day (UK)

Flint Day (French Republic)

FM Radio Day

George Washington Carver Day

Get on the Computer Day

International Declutter Day

International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival (Harbin, China)

Joma Shinji (Kamakura, Japan)

Kappa Alpha Psi Day

Little Cold begins (Chinese Farmer’s Calendar)

Monopoly Game Day

Mr. Ed Day

National Bird Day

National Day of Dialogue

National Don’t Talk Day

National Ellen Day

National Screenwriters Day

National Second-Hand Wardrobe Day

Nellie Ross Day (Wyoming)

Night of the Magic Camel (Southern Syria)

Red Hackle Anniversary Day of the Black Watch

Review Your Wrestling Holds Day

Right of Self Determination Day (Pakistan)

Take Our Daughters and Sons to Work Day (Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney; Australia)

Tucindan (Serbia, Montenegro)

Turn Up the Heat Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Can Opener Day

Granny Smith Day

National Keto Day

National Whipped Cream Day

Sausage Day (UK)

Strawberry Day (Ichigo No Hi; Japan)

Take the Cake Day

Whipped Cream Day

1st Friday in January

Gals Night Out [1st Friday]

Thermopolis Day (Wyoming) [1st Friday]

Independence & Related Days

Ajdinland (Declared; 2022) [unrecognized]

Monarchy of Craztonia (Declared; 2022) [unrecognized]

Pitchfork Union (Declared; 2016) [unrecognized]

Seirlandia (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Avian Day (Pagan)

Befana (Ancient Roman Goddess)

Burning of the Evergreen (Pagan)

Charles of Mount Argus (Christian)

The Eve of Epiphany (Christian; Transition Between Christmas & Carnival Season)

Feast of Poseidon (Ancient Greece)

Festival of Kore (Greek Goddess of Good Fortune & Zeal)

Festival of Lares Compitales (Ancient Rome)

Festival of Pyrotechnics

Gerlac of Valkenberg (Christian; Saint)

Hayao Miyazaki (Jayism)

Hoots the Owl (Muppetism)

International Sarcasm Day (Pastafarian)

John Neumann (Catholic Church)

Ludwig II Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Lycurgus (Positivist; Saint)

Mungday (aka Hung Mung’s Day; Discordian)

Nicolas de Staël (Artology)

Noche De Reyes (Three Wise Men; Mexico)

Nones of January (Ancient Rome)

Old Christmas Eve

Simeon Stylites (Latin Church)

Telesphorus, Pope (Christian; Saint)

Trettondagsafton (Epiphany Eve; Sweden)

Tucindan (Old Serbian Pagan Folk Festival)

Twelfth Day of Christmas

Twelfth Night

Twelve Holy Days #11 (Aquarius, the lower limbs; Esoteric Christianity)

Twelvetide, Day #12 (a.k.a. the Twelve Days of Christmas or Christmastide) [until 1.5]

Ullr Festival (Norse)

Umberto Eco (Jayism)

Verbal Abuse Day (Pastafarian)

The Voyage of Hathor to See Her Seven Sisters (Ancient Egypt)

Yves Tanguy (Artology)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Butsumetsu (仏滅 Japan) [Unlucky all day.]

Lucky Day (Philippines) [4 of 71]

Perilous Day (13th Century England) [4 of 32]

Prime Number Day: 5 [3 of 72]

Very Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [4 of 60]

Premieres

All My Children (TV Soap Opera; 1970)

Any Rags? (Betty Boop Cartoon; 1932)

Armed Forces, by Elvis Costello (Album; 1979)

Buddy the Gob (WB LT Cartoon; 1934)

Cavalcade (Film; 1933)

Chica Chica Boom Chic, by Carmen Miranda (Song; 1941)

Come Dance with Me!, by Frank Sinatra (Album; 1959)

The Dark Eidolon and Other Fantasies, by Clark Ashton Smith (Short Stories; 1935)

Desire, by Bob Dylan (Album; 1976)

Dog, Cat and Canary (Color Rhapsody Cartoon; 1945)

The Dud Avocado, by Elaine Dundy (Novel; 1958)

Giasone, by Francesco Cavalli (Opera; 1649)

Greetings From Asbury Park, by Bruce Springsteen (Album; 1973)

Happily N’Ever After (Animated Film; 2007)

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (UK TV Series; 1981)

In the American Grain, by William Carlos Williams (History Book; 1925)

Lion Down (Disney Cartoon; 1951)

Lyrical Ballads, by William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge (Book of Poetry; 1798)

Maze Craze (Atari 2600 Video Game; 1980)

Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman (TV Series; 1976)

Nixon (Film; 1996)

The Shannara Chronicles (TV Series; 2016)

Stop! In The Name Of Love, recorded by The Supremes (Song; 1965)

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Novel; 1886)

The Swiss Summer, by Stella Gibbons (Novel; 1951)

Three Little Bops (WB LT Cartoon; 1957)

Tiger Trouble (Disney Cartoon; 1945)

The Tortoise and the Hare (Disney SS Cartoon; 1935)

Waiting for Godot, by Samuel Beckett (Play; 1953)

What’s Sweepin’ (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1953)

Who’s Kitten Who? (WB LT Cartoon; 1952)

The Wiz (Broadway Musical; 1975)

Today’s Name Days

Emilia, Johann (Austria)

Emilijana, Gaudencije, Miljenko, Radoslavl (Croatia)

Dalimil (Czech Republic)

Simeon (Denmark)

Lea, Leana, Liia (Estonia)

Lea, Leea (Finland)

Édouard (France)

Emilia, Johann (Germany)

Syglitiki, Theoni, Theopemptos (Greece)

Simon (Hungary)

Amelia (Italy)

Sīmanis, Zintis (Latvia)

Gaudentas, Telesforas, Vytautas, Vytautė (Lithuania)

Hanna, Hanne (Norway)

Edward, Emilian, Emiliusz, Hanna, Symeon, Szymon, Telesfor, Włościbor (Poland)

Sinclitichia, Teona, Teotempt (Romania)

Andrea (Slovakia)

Amelia, Emiliana, Juan, Simeón, Telesforo (Spain)

Hanna, Hannele (Sweden)

Apollinaria, Teon (Ukraine)

Ladarius, Ladd, Laird, Lamont, Lane, Tania, Tanya, Tatiana, Tatyana, Tawni, Tawnya, Tia, Tiana, Tianna, Tonya (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 5 of 2024; 361 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 5 of week 1 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Beth (Birch) [Day 11 of 28]

Chinese: Month 12 (Jia-Zi), Day 24 (Wu-Chen)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 24 Teveth 5784

Islamic: 23 Jumada II 1445

J Cal: 5 White; Fryday [5 of 30]

Julian: 23 December 2023

Moon: 35%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 5 Moses (1st Month) [Lycurgus]

Runic Half Month: Eihwaz or Eoh (Yew Tree) [Day 11 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 16 of 89)

Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 15 of 31)

[greensparty]

Stuff I'm Looking Forward To in March

Wow, somehow it's already month 3 of 2024. In addition to Daylight Savings Time (March 10 - Spring ahead), Ramadan (March 10-April 9), St. Patrick's Day (March 17), first day of Spring (March 19), Palm Sunday (March 24), Holi (March 25), Good Friday (March 29), and Easter (March 31) here is what's on my radar this month:

Movies:

Dune: Part Two

Denis Villeneuve has become one of the great visual stylists of recent years thanks to films like Arrival and Blade Runner 2049. I named his film Dune Part One, one of my Best Movies of 2021. How good Part One really was depends on Part Two, which drops 3/1.

Knox Goes Away

Michael Keaton has always been a tremendous actor and now he's back in the director's chair for the second time with a starring role about a contract killer who has a form of dementia and he attempts to connect with his estranged son. Oh and Al Pacino co-stars! Opens 3/15.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire 

A Ghostbusters sequel is a tall order. Jason Reitman's 2021 sequel Ghostbusters Afterlife actually had its moments and it had a lot to say about living up to a legacy, in the film it's the grandchildren of Egon, but it could also be Jason Reitman about the fear and honor of continuing a film series that his dad Ivan began. The new sequel is directed by Gil Kenan, who co-wrote this with Jason. The fact that original Ghostbuster cast members are back gives me hope. Sequel drops 3/22.

Music:

Sheer Mag Playing Favorites

I was lucky enough to see Philly rockers Sheer Mag at House of Blues in May 2022. After two solid albums, they are finally back with their third, dropping on 3/1. (Review to come)

Liam Gallagher & John Squire Liam Gallagher John Squire

Former Oasis singer Liam Gallagher's solo career has been a mixed back, but his album As You Were was one of my Best Albums of the 2010s. As shown in the 2019 documentary Liam Gallagher: As It Was, he doesn't need to play music for money or fame, he has plenty. He plays because he loves music. Now he's doing a new album with John Squire, former guitarist for The Stone Roses. Sounds like a serious meeting of musical minds! Album drops 3/1.

The Black Crowes Happiness Bastards

The first new studio album from The Black Crowes since 2009 is cause for celebration. After a bitter break-up in 2015, the brothers Chris and Rich Robinson announced they were reuniting in 2019. In early 2020, I caught an acoustic live show from Brothers of a Feather (my last concert before the pandemic lockdowns) and since that show, The Black Crowes have had some reunion tours (NOTE: by reunion - I mean Chris and Rich, not the original lineup). They've released some anniversary albums, but this marks the group's first studio album in 15 years. Looking forward to it when it drops on 3/15.

The Dandy Warhols Rockmaker

I've always loved Portlandia's The Dandy Warhols. Through this blog, I've had the pleasure of interviewing lead Dandy Courtney Taylor-Taylor and keyboardist / bassist Zia McCabe, the band's 2019 Boston concert, and their excellent 2019 album Why You So Crazy. Now the band is back with a new album dropping on 3/15! (Review to come)

Film Festivals:

Boston Underground Film Festival

Boston's fun genre film festival for horror, fantasy and bizarre is back. I've had the pleasure of covering this fest from 2016 to 2019 and returning last year. The fest returns to The Brattle Theatre (Cambridge, MA) from 3/20 to 3/24!

Conventions:

Northeast Comic Con

I've had a blast covering the Northeast Comic Con for years now (read my coverage here) and the Spring 2024 edition returns with guests like Kevin Chapman (who I worked with on Monument Ave), a Growing Pains reunion of Tracey Gold, Jeremy Miller and Julie McCullough, The Go-Go's drummer Gina Schock and more! Convention is at the Boxborough Regency (Boxborough, MA) from 3/8-3/10. (Coverage to come).

Awards Season:

The awards season for the best of 2023 continues on with the Razzie Awards, actually the Worst of 2023 (3/9) and the Academy Awards (3/10).

In a Category all its own...

Shamrock shakes!!!

[supercantaloupe]

relistening to the old recording from 2019 of when i played the mozart quartet at a summer festival and holy damn how and why did we play it that FAST?

[culturecalypsosblog]

Reblogged by Shane Lehane Sheelah take a bow: St Patrick’s wife? Probably not – she was far more important than that

A symbol of Irish womanhood, she deserves to be celebrated again every March 18th

The 16th, 17th (St Patrick’s Day) and 18th March: Erskine Nicol’s painting of the Irish celebration that included Sheelah’s Day. Photograph courtesy of the National Gallery of Ireland

Shane Lehane

Fri Mar 15 2019 - 06:00

For hundreds of years Ireland has had an icon of womanhood and a compelling symbol of all things female, yet few people know her name. The forgotten goddess is none other than Sheelah, once widely celebrated on March 18th, both in Ireland and among the diaspora, yet now all but disappeared. Fáilte Ireland should start to champion her alongside St Patrick: she could be worth a fortune.

Two years ago my research into this disregarded deity resulted in somewhat misleading headlines that said Sheelah was St Patrick's wife. That was not the case, but at least it brought Sheelah and her festival back to our attention. I believe Sheelah – or Sheila, Sheela, Shela, Sheelagh or Síle, depending on the source – has far more to her than the once widely held belief that she was our national saint's other half.

Sheelah's Day fell each year on March 18th, and the usual dispensation to disregard Lenten abstinence on March 17th and wet the shamrock – drink alcohol, in other words – in honour of St Patrick was extended to the following day as well, in honour of his so-called wife. The Freeman's Journal of March 20th, 1841, reported that a woman who appeared in court for drunkenness declared she bought "two small naggin of whiskey… not wishing to break through the old custom of taking a drop on St Sheelah's Day". In contrition to the judge, she vowed: "I here promise that for Patrick's Day or Sheelah's Day, or any other day in the calendar, I'll never stand in your presence again."

Some say Sheelah was 'Patrick's wife', others that she was 'Patrick's mother', while all agree that her 'immortal memory' is to be maintained by potations of whiskey

A painting by Erskine Nicol from 1856, depicting the revelries of such mid-Lenten festivities, is accurately entitled The 16th, 17th (St Patrick’s Day) and 18th March. This elongated name recognises that most Irish festivals, including fairs, pattern days and wakes, took place over three days: the gathering, the feast and the scattering. Sheelah’s Day was the last (but not the least) of the traditional three days of celebration that began on the eve of St Patrick’s Day.

William Hone gives a detailed account of Sheelah’s Day celebrations in Britain in The Every-day Book, from 1827.

“The day after St Patrick’s Day is ‘Sheelah’s day’, or the festival in honour of Sheelah. Its observers are not so anxious to determine who ‘Sheelah’ was, as they are earnest in her celebration. Some say she was ‘Patrick’s wife’, others that she was ‘Patrick’s mother’ while all agree that her ‘immortal memory’ is to be maintained by potations of whiskey. The shamrock worn on St Patrick’s day should be worn also on Sheelah’s day, and on the latter night, be drowned in the last glass. Yet it frequently happens that the shamrock is flooded in the last glass of St Patrick’s day, and another last glass or two or more on the same night, deluges the over-soddened trefoil. This is not ‘quite correct’ but it is endeavoured to be remedied the next morning by the display of fresh shamrock, which is steeped at night in honour of ‘Sheelah’ with equal devotedness.”

This festive time coincides with the vernal equinox, one of the two midpoints of the sun’s annual cycle, in the season of new fertility, when days are poised to outlast nights for the first time since the autumn equinox, the previous September. An emphasis on new life and procreation is manifest in a host of mythological incarnations and folk reflexes at this time of the year. The goddess and holy woman Brigid is celebrated on February 1st; the analogous figure of Gobnait, goddess of fertility and beekeeping, is commemorated on February 11th. These women usher in the new cycle of fertility with ploughing, sowing, the birth of animals, the rising of the sap and the reawakening of nature.

This time of year in the past brought an equal emphasis on human marriage and reproduction, with Shrove Tuesday, immediately before Lent, long being the most popular day in Ireland to be married.

The three-day carnival celebrating Patrick and Sheelah occurs at this key point in the calendar and in the annual cycle of fertility. That Sheelah is firmly situated around the equinox, the seminal pivot of fertility, indicates that she had distinct fertility associations and can be viewed as an equivalent to Brigid and Gobnait.

Patrick is fighting with his wife, now a miserable hag at war with the world. She spitefully brushes the last of the winter snow into the way of the new cycle of work

Sheelah still echoes through Newfoundland, otherwise known as Talamh an Éisc, or Land of the Fish, the most Irish place outside Ireland. An amazing legend on this Canadian island, which many still believe to be true, centres on Sheila na Geira, or Síle Ní Ghadhra, a young Irish princess from Connacht. Sometime in the 1600s, when she was en route to a French convent to finish her education under the care of her abbess aunt, pirates commandeered her ship. One of them, Gilbert Pike, from a well-to-do English family, fell in love with her. They married aboard and then settled down in Mosquito, in southwestern Newfoundland. Here, in time, Sheila na Geira gave birth to a child – according to tradition the first white European child to be born in Newfoundland – so it is said that many there owe their lineage to her. It is also said that every Irishman who visited and settled on Newfoundland paid obeisance to Sheila na Geira, who reportedly lived to 105.

In Ireland, especially from the mid-18th century onwards, Síle Ní Ghadhra was one of the most popular representations of the country, and in the aisling, or dream, poetry of the period she epitomises Ireland in its idyllic state: strongly independent, bountiful and fertile. In this sense Sheila joins the many women sovereignty figures who represent Ireland: Ériu, Fódla, Banba, Aoibheall, Clíodhna, Macha, Mór and Mórrígan, to name a few (and not forgetting the Christianised figures of Brigid and Gobnait).

In keeping with her mother-goddess attributes, the last big snowstorm after St Patrick’s Day is still called Sheila’s brush in Newfoundland. The idea is that Patrick is fighting with his wife, now a miserable hag at war with the world. (The idea that Patrick had a wife called Sheila must have arrived with the Irish of the 18th and 19th centuries.) She spitefully brushes the last of the winter snow into the way of the new cycle of work.

It’s significant that Síle na géag, or Sheila of the brush, is one way to render Sheela-na-gig, the name for the naked old woman who appears, exposing her genitals, in medieval stone carvings. We’ll return to this. As for the Newfoundland Sheila’s brush, sealing fleets would refuse to go back out on the ice until this storm had passed; fishermen continue to do so.

Sheila’s brush: Newfoundland fishermen would wait for the first snowstorm after St Patrick’s Day to pass before going back out to sea. Photograph: NFB/Getty

Sheelah is an enigmatic name. It and all its variant spellings appear only about 500 times in the 1911 census of Ireland. By contrast its English equivalent, Julia, has almost 30,000 entries. Similarly, no Sheilas appeared on the manifests for ships taking women convicts to Australia, even though the name has entered the language there as jocular but mildly pejorative slang for a woman or girlfriend.

That Freeman’s Journal court report from 1841 refers to the defendant as “a half-naked, wretched looking old woman” who was “charged with having been found drunk and incapable in the street”. The headline was “A Sheelah’s Forethought”. This and many other references made “Sheelah” a byword for a bedraggled old woman.

But elderly women also had experience of the world and were custodians of inherited knowledge, playing significant roles in rites of passage in the human life cycle and the cycle of the year. They acted as midwives, corpse washers and professional mourners; they advised on herbalism and vernacular medicine; and they were central to events such as the pattern day. In this respect Sheelah, as the old woman, is strongly resonant of the important Irish folk figure known as the Cailleach.

The Cailleach – the old, wise healer – is a multifaceted personification of the female cosmic agency. Irish mythological, historical and folkloric expressions cast her as the expression of the territorial- and tribal-sovereignty queen and as the life force inherent in nature, nurturing and maternal but also terrifying and destructive.

Sheela-na-gig: the medieval stone carvings show folk deities associated with birth and death. Photograph: Getty

The Cailleach tradition’s deep roots in ideas of birth, fertility and death brings us back to the Sheela-na-gig. Ireland has more than 100 examples of these often-misunderstood medieval stone carvings. The women in them, who are reclining or squatting, often have big ears, long hair, gritted teeth, emaciated ribs and prominent breasts.

They often appear on medieval tower houses, medieval church sites and holy wells. I recently came across one on a round tower in Rattoo, in Co Kerry. For a long time they were seen as representations of the evils of lust or as ways of averting the “evil eye”. But Sheela-na-gigs are more convincing, in line with the Cailleach, as folk deities associated with birth and death. And so Sheelah embodies the cycle of fertility that overarches natural, agricultural and human procreation and death.

That Sheelah was thought of as St Patrick’s wife is a significant folk reflex. The cult of Patrick is firmly based on the pre-Christian deity Lug, or Lugh – as in Lughnasa or Lúnasa, the harvest festival – who represents the male side of the life-giving equation. Lug personifies the ideal man, exemplified in the complex ideology of Irish kingship. It is the union of male and female that allows us to exist.

It should be no surprise, then, that the three-day carnival to celebrate St Patrick, a major Christian icon, at the liminal point of the season of fertility, when human procreation is paramount, should include Sheelah, his consort.

As many of her devotees died in the Famine, and given the influence of the misogynist, patriarchal church, she has all but vanished from Irish life. I, for one, will be raising a glass to her on her feast day.

Shane Lehane teaches archaeology, folklore and history at CSN College of Further Education, in Cork, and lectures in the department of folklore and ethnology at University College Cork. He is always interested to hear about local folk custom and tradition; you can email him at s.lehane@csn.ie

I hope you enjoyed this Reblog more to come soon

Regards,

Culture Calypso’s Blog

[marches45art]

Happy New Year 2020 with Diane & Soña

Here’s the backstory behind this: on Christmas Eve night, about a week after watching my friend’s sweater-themed stream, I was spurred, either by said stream or by another post I’d scrolled past, to draw my OCs in Christmas sweaters. I was hoping to try completing the work quickly for once, but while I managed to draw out the initial pose in minutes, the aspiration on the whole wasn’t fated. I hiccuped so much in the creation process- aside from my natural sluggish sketching, I had to redraw Diane’s skull 5+ times. Soña came out more quickly. But by the time I was satisfied enough to move forward from the skull sketch, Christmas was waning. With that being a failed deadline, I pushed it to New Year’s Eve, at which point came the idea to reference that Diane is a musician by including music notation.

I finally got to drawing clean lines over the sketch on Friday. It was the quickest portion of making this.

Then came the rendering phase. Holy shit, I rendered at the pace of a dirge. Base coloring went well enough, but the effects took forever, & not simply because I had various distractions. I got hung all the way up on adding highlights to the girls and kept on redoing that & the shading. Every second I worked, I dreaded more and more that this wouldn’t come out well nor by my personal deadline. When I finally got the rendering just as I wanted, I was pulling an all-nighter into today (Dec 31).

I started drawing the setting while stuck on the girls, so when they were done, finishing up the setting went by kinda fast. All left to do was the music.

I used a fragment of the 1st melody from Victor Herbert’s (Auditorium) Festival March, an orchestral piece with a grandioso/finale which the setting of my artwork fit. Back in high school, before I started putting my music in notation software, I would write it out by hand, trying to imitate the fonts & alignments I would see in published scores. I used that experience here & drew & aligned all the musical symbols myself. It took me all of the daylight hours of this morning, & I even worked into the afternoon, so while it didn’t take as long as sketching & rendering, it was the most tedious part. Only when it was done did I let myself finally go to bed, though I did pass out at one point around 4-5am.

This week of labor is finally complete. The first time drawing Diane & Soña together is my final drawing of 2019 & of the 2010s decade. With that, I wish you all a happy new year.

(2019)

[copper-russell]

Saturday, November 2 — Family Ties One-Shot

The outskirts of Rajkot, Gujarat, India - March, 2019

The story, as he knew it, went like this: 

His mother was the oldest of five, four girls and then finally one boy. They needed money that they didn’t have. His grandmother, his Nani, Amrita, could not go out and work, because then who would look after the house? Who would raise the children? His grandfather, his Nanabapa, Mayur, did his best. But making ends meet in a town that was already overpopulated was tricky. And so his mother, Arushi, kept her head down. Studied hard. Went to university in Ahmedabad, graduated as a nurse, and then did the best thing that she could think to do: she moved away to somewhere where the pay was better.

She sent money back, every month. Even after she met an Englishman, and settled down. Even after she had a child, a boy, to raise alongside. She came back as often as she could to visit, but that often wasn’t enough – she made it back for Holi, a pilgrimage every year, and then a little while in the summer, if she could.

Her father, his grandfather, had never forgiven her.

The night before Holi was his mother’s favourite, and Krish knew it. She had told him many times about the first time she had been brave enough to step up to the bonfire and throw in a handful of shaved coconut, the way she had leapt out of the way of the flames as they had danced over the offering. Every year they came early, to help Nani prepare for the day of festivities to follow, and every year Nanabapa would sit in his chair beneath the mango tree in the back garden, smoking a cigarette and reading a book, talking to them as little as possible. 

His mother had told him many times to leave it. She understood something fundamental about her father that her son didn’t. That he couldn’t, because he had only ever known him in this context.

So, Krish left it.

The bonfire was lit near the shore of the lake, only a short walk from the house. There would be several across town, still more all across Gujarat. But this one was theirs, built by and for the locals, and by the time Krish and his family descended on it, the party was already in full swing.

His uncle Amir, hadn't been able to make it, so it was up to his aunties, Chahna, Ishani and Saroja to help Arushi and Amrita to carry their offerings over to the bonfire – heaps of shaved coconut and corn plucked from the cob, carried in deep baskets towards the flames for people to help themselves. The younger children, his cousins, ran off immediately to play, the teenagers loping off elsewhere, to darker corners where the flames couldn’t reach. Which just left Krish and his Nanabapa, sitting on some of the stools pulled up around the bonfire, watching over proceedings.

Mayur didn’t talk much. If he wasn’t smoking he was chewing paan, spitting the bright red seeds onto the ground at his feet. So Krish was surprised to hear the old man speak, his voice like the creaking of the gate at the front of the house when he said, “Your ba tells me you’re a medic, now.”

Krish looked over at him, hunched in his seat, the flickering firelight illuminating his dark skin and making the wrinkles carved into his face seem even deeper. He nodded, and said, “Yeah, I am. Just graduated.”

His grandfather hummed, back to chewing again. Krish assumed that was going to be the end of it; it was more conversation than they usually had. But after a second, the old man spat, the red betel seed bouncing off the ground and away towards the fire. “Better than being a policeman.” He huffed, grumbling as he searched his pockets, for what Krish had no idea.

“Yeah,” He agreed instead, watching him quietly. “I think so.”

Silence, again. Mayur found what he was looking for: his cigarettes. He lit one, not bothering to hold the packet out to Krish in offering, stubbing the match out under the heel of his sandal. 

Krish knew he should leave it alone, like his mum said. But it was too tempting, when they were sat here like this, when there was no one around to eavesdrop. “Is that why you didn’t like my dad? Because he was a policeman?”

Mayur turned to look at his grandson, his lips pursed around his cigarette. He frowned so deeply that Krish wondered if his mother had been right, if he really should have just left it alone. He had probably invited some big rant or lecture about all his mother’s failings and all his father’s problems. But the old man exhaled, smoke billowing up into the night air, joining that from the bonfire. 

“Why do you think I didn’t like your father? I liked your father. Malcolm was a good boy.”

Krish blinked. Of all the things he had expected, it wasn’t that.

“You liked him?”

“Of course!” Mayur gave a hacking cough, spitting once more onto the ground. “He took care of you and your mother. He was very respectful of me and your Nani. Not like Ishani’s husband. Pah.” He grimaced, taking another drag from the cigarette.

Krish shifted in his seat. He knew how the story went. His mother left. She married a foreigner. Her father didn’t like it. So what was he supposed to do, when it turned out that the story didn’t go like that, at all?

“But you don’t– you don’t talk to mum.” Krish said, beginning to frown himself. “You never have.”

Mayur sighed. He tapped the butt of the cigarette, so that ash filtered to the floor. In front of them, the women and children had begun showering the bonfire with gifts, scattering corn and coconut into the flames. The smell made Krish’s stomach rumble, but he kept his eyes on his grandfather, waiting for an explanation.

“Fathers are supposed to provide for their wives and children.” Mayur began, staring wistfully into the flames. “That is what your father did, hm? He took care of you. I couldn’t do that for my daughter. She had to leave. And she was better off once she did.”

Krish stared at him. Not only was that more words than he had ever heard his grandfather say in one go, but it was more emotion, more depth, than he had ever witnessed from him. He turned away, looking at the bonfire himself. At the people dancing around it, laughing. His mother, her smile so wide, wider than he ever saw it at home. 

“You can’t know–”

Mayur raised one bony hand. “I’m not going to discuss it, babo. I’ve said what I’ve said. She has a good life. I’m happy for her. You have a good life.” He looked at his grandson, finally, and nodded. “And I’m happy for you, too. That’s all there is to it, eh?”

Slowly, Krish nodded, turning his gaze away. Across the bonfire, someone had brought their cow - a Kankrej, with her tall, curved horns and her snowy white fur. Arushi and Ishani had gone to take a closer look, a few of the small children accompanying them. Krish felt as if he should say something. Try to remind his Nanabapa that he did the best he could, in difficult times. But he knew that the old man didn’t want to hear it, and he didn’t want to ruin whatever small amount of trust this was that his grandfather had in him, to reveal something like that.

When his little cousins came running up to him, begging him to come and play, Krish accepted. After a moment, Amrita took his place, sitting beside her husband so that he didn’t look so alone. Later, Krish would tell his mum exactly what Nanabapa had said. It would be too cruel not to; to have her think that her father couldn’t stand the choices she had made, when it couldn’t be further from the truth. But for now, he thought, best to keep it to himself. If he saw his grandfather smile a little, watching his daughters dance, he kept that to himself too.

[thecondemnedangelgabriel]

Abbreviated Exhibitions CV

O

My Career has been disrupted for thirteen years by the Invasive Gangstalking brought by the Ringleader and Paedophile Ring Internet Criminal SARAH TREGONNING...

That began covertly in 2011 with threats commencing in September 2013...

I began writing The Impossible in 2014... and making it public in order to bring Justice, Defend Self and Children and SAVE LIVES in the Winter of 2015...

I have been in and out of Physical and Digital Hiding since 2013

The Impossible is a groundbreaking contemporary artwork which is multidisciplinary and A LIVED ARTWORK...

It is a body of work which takes place and exists offline and online and on Multiple Planes

Holy Opus O V

In February 2019 I was forcibly possessed by the Fallen Archangel Gabriel who desired to use a Holy Goddess's Body, Life and Soul as an Instrument of its own expressions...

This is a Forbidden and Condemned Act from a Fallen Lunic Angel

Angels Inspire ALL SOULS V

Exhibitions Include:

TATE MODERN Tweet Me Up August 2012 (25><28 collaboration)

ABC GALLERY Moscow Infinite Longing May- June 2006

TATTON PARK BIENNIAL Manchester Sep 2008

ICA London April 2005

FACT Liverpool March 2005

PHOENIX ARTS Leicester March 2005

SIDE CINEMA Newcastle March 2005

CASTLEFIELD GALLERY Manchester Feb 2005 / Nov 2004

G39 Cardiff  If You Build It They Will Come Aug 2008

CYWAITH CYMRU Cardiff, Say A Little Prayer May 2006

MAC Birmingham March 2006

NATIONAL MUSEUM OF WALES Cardiff Dec 2005

CHAPTER Cardiff Experimentica Nov 2000

MRC Centenary at BAY ART  How The Light Gets In  July 2013

GOAT MAJOR PROJECTS The Witching Hour  Oct/Nov 2012

ART IN THE WAREHOUSE  The Crying Counsellor (performance)  Dec 2012

Film Festivals:

Fresh Film Festival (Winner of Best Live Action Drama)

International Welsh Film Festival, Cardiff

Clermont-Ferrand, France

Festival L’Etrange, Paris

Int’l Short Film Festival Kracow, Poland

Critics Fortnight (Cannes), France

Cinema Jove, Valencia, Spain

Vila Do Conde Short Film Festival, Portugal

Melbourne Int’l Film Festival, Australia

Sao Paulo Int’l Film Festival, Brazil

Molodist Int’l Festival, Kiev, Ukraine

Cork Int’l Film Festival, Ireland

Uppsala International Film Festival, Sweden

Puchon, Korea

Almeria Short Film Festival, Spain

Dead by Dawn Film Festival, Scotland

Umea International Film Festival, Sweden

Berlin Interfilm Festival, Germany

Leeds International Film Festival, England

V

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 10.2

Holidays

Audiophile Day

Batik Day (Indonesia)

Bonn Phchum Ben Day (Cambodia)

Book It (a.k.a. National Young Reader's Day)

Erntedank (Thanksgiving; Germany)

Family Day (France)

Gandhi Jayanti (India)

Go For a Stroll After Dinner Night

Granddad’s Day (Belgium)

Grandparents Day (Italy)

Guardian Angel Day

International Chhole Bhature Day

International Day of Non-Violence (UN)

Name Your Car Day

National Batik Day (Indonesia)

National Body Language Day

National Bowhunting Day

National Brow Day

National Concussion Awareness Day (Canada)

National Custodial Worker Day

National Disabled Author’s Day

National G.O.E. Day (Grows. Overcome. Empower.)

National Grandparents Day (Italy)

National Healthcare Entrepreneurs Day

National Manufacturing Day

National Michelle Day

National Produce Misting Day

National Report Long Term Acute Care Hospital Fraud Day

National Research Maniacs Food Day

Old Man’s Day (Hertfordshire, UK)

Oschophoria

Peanuts Day (The Cartoon)

Phileas Fogg's Wager Day

Potato Day (French Republic)

Stan Lee Day

Semana Morazánica (Honduras)

Teachers and Instructors Day (Uzbekistan)

Torba Day (Vanuatu)

Walk a Mile in Her Shoes Day

Winter Walk+Roll to School Day

World Cerebral Palsy Day

World Farm Animals Day (a.k.a. World Day for Farmed Animals)

World MRSA Day

World No Alcohol Day

World Previvor Day

World Stmach Day

Wrongful Conviction Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

International Chole Bhature Day

National Fried Scallops Day

National Non-Alcoholic Beer Day

National Smarties Day

Tofu Day (Japan)

Independence & Related Days

Guinea (from France, 1958)

Imperium Aquilae (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Italy (Rome & Provinces Formally Made Part of Italy; 1870)

Republika (Declared; 2016) [unrecognized]

New Year’s Days

Jewish New Year (begins at Sundown 29 Elul)

1st Wednesday in October

Balloons Around the World Day [1st Wednesday]

California Clean Air Day (California) [1st Wednesday]

Canadian Beer Day (Canada) [Wednesday before 2nd Monday]

Children’s Day (Chile) [1st Wednesday]

Energy Efficiency Day [1st Wednesday]

Hump Day [Every Wednesday]

International Walk to School Day [1st Wednesday]

National Coffee with a Cop Day [1st Wednesday]

National Kale Day [1st Wednesday]

National Pumpkin Seed Day [1st Wednesday]

Random Acts of Poetry Day [1st Wednesday]

Semana Morazánica begins (Honduras) [1st Wednesday]

Wacky Wednesday [Every Wednesday]

Walk Maryland Day (Maryland) [1st Wednesday]

Walk to School Day [1st Wednesday]

Website Wednesday [Every Wednesday]

Wheat Beer Wednesday [1st Wednesday of Each Month]

Wilderness Wednesday [1st Wednesday of Each Month]

World Financial Planning Day [1st Wednesday]

Weekly Holidays beginning October 2 (1st Week of October)

Bathukamma (Flower Festival; Hinduism) [thru 10.10]

Mehregan (Mithra Festival; Zoroastrian) [thru 10.8]

Nottingham Goose Fair Week (UK) [1st Wednesday thru Sunday]

Festivals Beginning October 2, 2024

Albino Skunk Musical Festival (Greer, South Carolina) [thru 10.5]

Busan International Film Festival (Busan, South Korea) [thru 10.11]

New Holland Farmers Fair (New Holland, Pennsylvania) [thru 10.5]

Schubertiade Vorarlberg (Hohenems, Austria) [thru 10.6]

Texas Rice Festival (Winnie, Texas) [thru 10.5]

Trailing of the Sheep Festival (Ketchum & Hailey, Idaho) [thru 10.6]

WOMAD (Cape Town, South Africa) [thru 10.6]

Feast Days

Alex Raymond (Artology)

Annie Leibovitz (Artology)

Arthur Edward Waite Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Buttering-Up Quarter-Finals (Shamanism)

The Cisco Kid (Radio Series; 1942)

Dashain Festival (Nepal)

Denha I of Tikrit (Syriac Orthodox Church)

Eleutherius (Christian; Martyr)

Feast of the Guardian Angels (Christian)

Frank Malina (Artology)

Gerda’s Blot (Pagan)

Graham Greene (Writerism)

Guiding Spirits’ Day (Everyday Wicca)

Joe Sacco (Artology)

Mahtma Gandhi (Humanism)

Memorial of the Holy Guardian Angels (Christian)

Leodegarius (a.k.a. Leger; Christian; Saint)

Mehregan (Persian Festival of Autumn; Iran)

Noodle Day (Pastafarian)

On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring, by Frederick Delius (Tone Poem; 1913)

One-Footed Animal Day (Celtic Book of Days)

Oschophoria (Fall festival to Dionysius; Ancient Greece)

Pancake (Muppetism)

Redd Foxx Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Sacchini (Positivist; Saint)

Thomas, Bishop of Hereford (Christian; Saint)

Wallace Stevens (Writerism)

Hebrew Calendar Holidays [Begins at Sundown Day Before]

Rosh Hashanah (begins at Sundown; Judaism) [29 Elul-2 TIshrei]

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

Antz (Animated Film; 1998)

Atom Mother Heart, by Pink Floyd (Album; 1970)

The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas, by Gertrude Stein (Biography; 1933)

The Bridge on the River Kwai (Film; 1957)

Burning Sands or The Hot Foot (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 59; 1960)

The Burns and Allen Show (Radio Series; 1934)

By Word of Mouse (WB LT Cartoon; 1954)

Cheese Burglar (Noveltoons Cartoon; 1953)

The Curse of Anubis (Animated TV Show;Jonny Quest #3; 1964)

DC Hero Girls: Legends of Atlantis (WB Animated Film; 2018)

Death in the Desert or A Place in the Sun (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S2, Ep. 60; 1960)

The Dharma Bums, by Jack Kerouac (Novel; 1958)

Enter the Saint, by Leslie Charteris (Short Stories; 1930) [Saint #2]

Farmer Al Falfa’s Birthday Party (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1932)

Fast and Moose or The Quick and the Dead (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 166; 1962)

Flying Home, recorded by Glenn Miller (Song; 1937)

Football: Now and Then (Disney Cartoon; 1953)

Freedom, by Neil Young (Album; 1989)

Ghost in the Machine, by the Police (Album; 1981)

Glengarry Glen Ross (Film; 1992)

The God Delusion, by Richard Dawkins (Book; 2006)

Hell and Back (Animated Film; 2015)

Homeland (TV Series; 2011)

The Invention of Lying (Film; 2009)

Kid A, by Radiohead (Album; 2000)

Kiko Foils the Fox (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1936)

The Kinks, by The Kinks (Album; 1964)

Lazy Jay Ranch, Part 1 (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S4, Ep. 165; 1962)

Little Beaux Pink (Pink Panther Cartoon; 1968)

The Martian (Film; 2015)

Mean Streets (Film; 1973)

The Mighty Ducks (Film; 1992)

The Mole Men, Parts 1 & 2 (Underdog Cartoon, S2, Eps. 5 & 6 1965)

Neapolitan Mouse (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1954)

Of Mice and Men (Film; 1992)

Peanuts, by Charles M. Schulz (Comic Strip; 1950)

Popeye, the Ace of Space (Fleischer/Famous Popeye Cartoon; 1953)

Regatta de Blanc, by the Police (Album; 1979)

Scrubs (TV Series; 2001)

Secret Agent Woody Woodpecker (Woody Woodpecker Cartoon; 1967)

Soul Train (TV Series; 1971)

Splash Mountain (Disney Attraction; 1992)

The Steadfast Tin Soldier, by Hans Christian Andersen (Short Story; 1838)

The Third Man, by Graham Greene (Novel; 1949)

Tom & Jerry: A Nutcracker Tale (WB Animated Film; 2007)

The Twilight Zone (TV Series; 1959)

Three Hearts and Three Lions, by Poul Anderson (Novella; 1953)

Toonerville Picnic (Rainbow Parade Cartoon; 1936)

Weed Smoker’s Dream (l.k.a. Why Don’t You Do Right), recorded by Harlem Hamfats (Song; 1936)

Westworld (TV Series; 2016)

(What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, by Oasis (Album; 1995)

Whip It (Film; 2009)

Zombieland (Film; 2009)

Today’s Name Days

Gideon (Austria)

Anđelka, Anđelko, Teofil (Croatia)

Oliver, Olívie (Czech Republic)

Ditlev (Denmark)

Leela, Leeli, Leelo (Estonia)

Valio (Finland)

Léger, Ruth (France)

Bianca, Gideon, Jacqueline, Schutzengelfest (Germany)

Kyprianos (Greece)

Petra (Hungary)

Angelo (Italy)

Ilma, Reinhards, Skaidris (Latvia)

Eidvilas, Gervydas, Getautė, Modestas (Lithuania)

Liv, Live (Norway)

Dionizy, Leodegar, Stanimir, Teofil, Trofim (Poland)

Ciprian (Romania)

Levoslav (Slovakia)

Ángeles (Spain)

Love, Ludvig (Sweden)

Cyprian, Justina (Ukraine)

Ackerley, Ackley, Adair, Forest, Forester, Forrest, Foster, Elwood (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 276 of 2024; 90 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 3 of Week 40 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Gort (Ivy) [Day 4 of 28]

Chinese: Month 8 (Guy-You), Day 30 (Ji-Hai)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025) [Wu-Chen]

Hebrew: 29 Elul 5784

Islamic: 28 Rabi I 1446

J Cal: 6 Orange; Sixthday [6 of 30]

Julian: 19 September 2024

Moon: 0%: New Moon

Positivist: 24 Shakespeare (10th Month) [Lully / Gluck]

Runic Half Month: Gyfu (Gift) [Day 11 of 15]

Season: Autumn or Fall (Day 11 of 90)

Week: Last Week of September/1st Week of October

Zodiac: Libra (Day 10 of 30)