#Richmond Art Association

[roseandxanderfics]

"A Gentle Touch" - Rebecca Welton x Touch-Starved Reader

Summary: Rebecca Welton notices the quiet vulnerability in a touch-starved reader and offers comfort through small, tender gestures. As their bond grows, so does their connection, shifting from simple touches to something deeper and more intimate.

---------------

Rebecca Welton was, by all accounts, a woman of power and poise, someone who had mastered the art of being in control. She was confident, composed, and had built her empire at AFC Richmond with an iron grip, ensuring that no one questioned her authority. Even in a room full of men, she commanded attention, never faltering, always in charge. But behind the sharp, business-minded exterior, there was something else—a quiet fragility that she didn’t often let others see.

You had noticed it.

You had always been attuned to those subtle things in people—the way their eyes flickered when they were hiding something, the tiny shifts in their posture when they were uncomfortable, the fleeting vulnerability they tried to hide behind a mask. And Rebecca, despite her strength, was no exception. Her moments of uncertainty were rare, but they were there, tucked away under her measured words and poised presence.

You weren’t much like Rebecca, at least not in the outward sense. You were quieter, reserved, someone who often preferred to stay out of the spotlight. Yet, like her, there was something beneath the surface that you didn’t let many people see. Unlike Rebecca, though, you didn’t hide it with confidence. You hid it with distance.

You had always craved affection, human touch, connection. It was a need that had only grown stronger over the years, though you tried to push it down, bury it beneath the layers of work and independence you had built up over time. You learned to deal with the absence of affection in your life, burying it deep, ignoring the ache that came from not being touched—just a simple hug, a hand on your arm, anything to remind you that you weren’t alone.

Rebecca, with all her power, seemed untouchable. But over time, something subtle shifted between the two of you.

It started with the way she noticed you.

It was a late afternoon when it first happened. The office had emptied out for the day, the only sound the hum of the lights and the soft rustle of papers as you went over the reports for the next week. You had been at your desk for hours, barely stopping to stretch or take a break. Your fingers ached from typing, and your back had begun to protest from sitting too long in the same position. But you couldn’t bring yourself to stop—there was always something else to do, another task to finish, another deadline to meet. You never quite knew when to let go, when to stop pushing yourself.

You had learned, over time, that it was easier to work than to sit still. It was easier to focus on something, anything, rather than sit with the uncomfortable silence of your own thoughts.

But that evening, you felt her presence before you saw her. Rebecca was standing in the doorway, watching you quietly, her sharp gaze softening as she observed you at your desk. Her usual confident stride was absent as she lingered in the doorway, her figure framed by the light in the hallway.

You looked up, startled by her sudden appearance.

“Still working, I see,” she said, her voice warm, though the usual edge was missing. There was something in her tone—something softer—that made you pause.

“Just finishing up,” you replied, trying to offer a smile. But it didn’t reach your eyes, and she noticed.

Rebecca took a step forward, crossing the room with that same quiet confidence that you had come to associate with her. There was something different about her today. She didn’t demand attention; she simply existed in the space, her presence something subtle but undeniable.

“You don’t have to stay so late,” she said gently, stopping beside your desk. She looked down at the papers in front of you, her fingers grazing the edge of the stack. “You’ve been here for hours.”

You shrugged, unwilling to admit how exhausted you really were. “I’ve got a lot to do. You know how it is.”

Rebecca’s gaze softened, and for a brief moment, you saw something in her eyes—a flash of empathy, perhaps, or maybe understanding. Then, as if she were considering something, she placed a hand on your shoulder.

It was a simple gesture, nothing extravagant, but it was enough to stop your breath in your chest. Her touch was warm, grounding, and it felt like a lifeline in the silence of the room. For a moment, the world around you slowed, the tension in your body melting away under her gentle touch. You hadn’t realized how tightly you had been wound until that moment.

“You need a break,” she said, her voice a soft command.

You didn’t pull away. You didn’t even think to. Instead, you found yourself looking up at her, suddenly aware of how close she was. The contact was so unexpected, so simple, but it left an impression that lingered far longer than it should have.

Rebecca’s hand remained there for a moment longer than necessary, and you couldn’t help but lean into the touch, just a fraction, as if seeking comfort from it.

When she finally pulled her hand away, you couldn’t find the words to thank her. You had never been good at asking for help, at showing your need for others. But in that moment, something between you and Rebecca had shifted, something unspoken but undeniable. You weren’t sure what it was yet, but you knew it had to be something important.

In the days that followed, Rebecca’s subtle care for you continued. It wasn’t overbearing, nor was it something she flaunted. But you began to notice the little things—the way she would offer a soft, reassuring hand on your arm when you were nervous before a big meeting, how she would give you a thoughtful glance across the room when she caught you looking tired, and the way she would always check in, asking if you needed anything, though she never pushed you to speak about it.

You found yourself drawn to these quiet moments, the ones that felt private and shared between just the two of you. Each gesture, each word from her was a step closer to something you hadn’t allowed yourself to consider before—a real connection.

Rebecca had always been an enigma to you. She was so strong, so composed, so unreachable in a way. But little by little, her walls began to soften, just as yours did. You began to see the cracks beneath her powerful exterior—the vulnerability she hid from the world. And the more you saw of it, the more you found yourself trusting her, allowing her into a space that you had kept locked away for so long.

One evening, as you walked out of the office after a long day, Rebecca fell into step beside you. The world outside was quiet, the air crisp with the early autumn chill. You walked in comfortable silence for a few moments before she spoke.

“You know,” Rebecca began, her voice hesitant in a way you hadn’t heard before, “I don’t think you give yourself enough credit. You’ve been working hard, and I’ve noticed.”

You smiled faintly, still not quite used to being complimented, especially from someone like her. “It’s nothing.”

“It’s not nothing,” Rebecca insisted, her gaze meeting yours. “And you deserve more than just empty praise. You deserve someone who sees you. Really sees you.”

The words hit you harder than you expected. You turned to her, finding her eyes sincere, thoughtful, and for the first time, you allowed yourself to believe her. You didn’t have to be perfect. You didn’t have to hide your need for comfort. Rebecca saw you for who you were—the quiet, reserved person you tried to keep hidden.

Her hand brushed against yours as you walked, a soft, fleeting touch, but it sent a spark of warmth through you. You didn’t pull away this time. You let your fingers linger, just for a moment, before the distance returned.

[door]

more queer houses!

Klovharu Summer Cottage by Raili Pietilä for Tove Jansson and Tuulikki Pietilä

1964-1965, Klovharu Island, Porvoo Archipelago, Finland

Tove Jansson and Tuulikki Pietilä spent every summer in this cottage for nearly 30 years. Tove chose the site by camping on various places on Klovharu, and they designed it with Tuulikki's sister-in-law, based on a fisherman's cabin on the island of Pellinge. It lacked electricity and running water, and if guests arrived, Tove and Tuulikki would give up the bed and camp outside. the cottage is a single room, with a cellar underneath--for food storage and a small sauna--built into the rock. the cottage is now an artist residency--with the original interiors preserved--but can be visited during one week in July. More about the cottage. Interview with Raili Pietilä. Tuulikki's films.

Hangover House by William Alexander Levy for Richard Haliburton

1937, Laguna Beach, California, USA

Hangover House, or Halliburton House, was designed by William Alexander Levy (he later dropped Levy from his name) for celebrity explorer Richard Halliburton and his ghostwriter and lover Paul Mooney. Supposedly, by the time the house was completed Halliburton and Mooney's relationship had expanded to include a third: Alexander himself. The house was built of concrete, with large public rooms and three small bedrooms, one for each of the men. Sadly, Halliburton and Mooney were lost at sea in 1939, and Halliburton's family sold the house and buried all references to his queerness. The house still stands today and is a private residence. More images here.

Azurest South by Amaza Lee Meredith 1938, Ettrick, Virginia, USA

Azurest South might be the first International Style home to have been built in Virginia, and instead of in a wealthy white enclave like you might expect, it's located just off of the campus of Virginia State University, an Historic Black College/University. it was built by pioneering artist, architect, and educator Amaza Lee Meredith for herself and her partner, Dr. Edna Meade Colson. colson was the head of the education department at VSU, and meredith was head of the art department (which she had created in 1930). we know from her scrapbooks that meredith was looking at european designs and experimenting with them in the house. the result was something unlike everything around it--flat roofs, glass bricks, bright paint and tilework inside--an antidote to traditionally conservative virginia architecture. azurest south today belongs to the vsu alumni association. it is not open to visit, but has received increased attention and grant funding over the past few years, so it may well be someday! More about Meredith as architect. More about Azurest South. And more! (additionally, if you're near richmond va there's an exhibition about meredith & azurest south at the institute for contemporary art until march 9 2025)

Six Acres by Mary Imrie and Jean Wallbridge 1954-1957, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

Mary Imrie and Jean Wallbridge were partners in work and life, establishing the first all-female architectural firm in Canada. in the 50s, they built a house to serve as their home and office along the banks of the north saskatchewan river and called it "six acres" after the size of the lot. they traveled enthusiastically and widely (pdf) and were avid outdoorspeople. like a lot of women architects at this point in the 20th century, they were largely relegated to residential commissions, which they found frustrating. that said, they gained a reputation for helping clients who were struggling with construction costs by encouraging gatherings of friends and neighbors to assist with the work, something they had hands-on experience with, having assisted in the building of their own home. the house is still standing and is now the office of the alberta land stewardship centre. timeline of their lives and careers. more about the house itself.

Finella by Raymond McGrath for Mansfield Duval Forbes c. 1850, renovated 1929, Cambridge, England, UK

Mansfield Forbes was an english don at clare college, cambridge. in 1928 he leased a victorian home called "the yews" and spent the next year working with Raymond McGrath (previous seen here) to transform it into a modern fairyland, named in tribute of Finella, a 10th century Pictish queen. the interiors were a celebration of new materials--there were floors made of induroleum (wood and asbestos powder), walls painted with iridescent cellulose paint, something called copper plymax (??), and the entry hall had a vaulted ceiling covered in glass panels backed with silver leaf. forbes intended it to be a gathering place of sympathetic minds, to host salons in celebration of modern art and architecture in a setting a queer and future-looking as he himself was. unfortunately, he vastly overspent in outfitting Finella, and when he died suddenly in 1935, the contents of the house were auctioned off. Finella is still part of Cambridge and houses fellows of gonville & caius college. the college recently restored the hall, which can apparently be toured on specific days. interior photos from 1929 and 2004.

112 Charles Street by Eleanor Raymond 1868, renovated 1922, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

When Eleanor Raymond began work on 112 Charles Street, it had recently had the front 10 feet sliced off to allow for the widening of the street, so her renovation was essentially a reimagining. eleanor designed the house for her mother, who had her own apartment, as well as eleanor herself, her sister rachel, and her partner ethel powers. the three of them shared a floor. powers wrote for the magazine House Beautiful (and would go on to be its editor) and featured the home three times. in the largest feature on its interiors, she emphasized that since it was a home of three business women, it needed to be "self running." raymond would go on to design and build much more modernist houses, and the conservative appearance of this one might be due to how early in her career it was (she graduated from her architecture program in 1919), but i think it's more likely that she was aware of the necessity of appearing somewhat inconspicuous in her surroundings, as a queer woman with a career. read more about her work here. and here.

[soon-palestine]

Can you recognize these faces? All these leaders made profound sacrifices for their people, and the artist who created this powerful drawing must be considered one of them. Kevin “Rashid” Johnson, who is extensively quoted in this shocking article, is one of them, one of the men being tortured 24/7 at Red Onion State Prison. Next to Mumia Abu Jamal, Rashid is the most read and respected prisoner in the U.S. Red Onion is a super-maximum security prison designed and built to be torturous in every way, just like Pelican Bay State Prison in California, where prisoners surmounted impossible odds in 2011-2013 to stage a series of three mass hunger strikes joined by 30,000 prisoners at their peak. To offer your help and support to the prisoners at Red Onion, use the contact information at the end of this article. – Art: Kevin “Rashid” Johnson

by Phil Wilayto

Just how bad are things at Virginia’s Red Onion supermax prison?

On May 24, 2023, DeAndre Gordon deliberately started a fire in his cell that caused a third-degree burn on his leg. Gordon, who is Black, said he had been badly beaten by guards at the prison and feared for his life.

“I didn’t know any other way that I could get out of their custody besides to set myself on fire,” Gordon told a reporter with Radio IQ. “Because they don’t have a burn center in Southwest Virginia, I knew that I would be going to Richmond.”

According to the American Burn Association, Virginia has just three facilities capable of dealing with severe burns. Two are in Richmond: the Evans-Haynes Burn Center at VCU Health, a state institution, and the Wound Healing Center at Doctors Hospital, a private hospital. The third is at the Eastern Virginia Medical School in Norfolk.

Red Onion, in Wise County, is about 375 miles west of Richmond.

On Aug. 23 of this year, Demetrius Wallace, 27, also Black, says he set fire to his leg to force a transfer out of Red Onion.

The Defender spoke with Wallace on Nov. 1.

“I did actually set my foot on fire,” Wallace said. “I got the charge that shows it. They came to my cell door and saw the flames on the side of my leg. They took me to medical, they assessed me right there that night, told me they don’t deal with burns, they would have to talk with the nurse practitioner, and that I would have to be taken off the mountain.

“That was Friday, Aug. 23 … so Monday around 2 in the afternoon, they drove me seven hours away to the VCU burn unit. As soon as the doctor sees me, he said, ‘When did this happen?’ I said, ‘Friday.’ He said, ‘Why haven’t you been here?’ I said, ‘I’m not trying to be funny, but I can’t drive myself from the prison.’

“He said to the COs [correction officers], ‘You see this foot? You tell your major I can’t treat him immediately, I have to put him on antibiotics’ to treat the infection.

“I stayed in the hospital for 14 days. They had to do an allograft [a temporary graft using skin from a skin bank] and a skin graft. After 14 days I was sent back to Red Onion state prison. Harassed me, everything is still the same, stuck me in the hole, still being denied access to my JPay [a commercial email service for prisoners] or my actual phone.”

Asked why he had set himself on fire, Wallace said, “I got a lawsuit in because I was assaulted and sprayed by the COs twice while I was handcuffed. So as soon as I filed the lawsuit, they started retaliation. They denied my fiance access to the prison, for no reason; you had COs and a lieutenant looking at her Facebook; they messaged her … She has screenshots.”

Wallace also said he wasn’t the only prisoner who has recently set himself on fire.

“I was in medical, and I witnessed five other offenders who came back there. They had burned their legs or arms. There are still two or three there now.”

On or about Sept. 15, Ekong Eshiet, a 28-year-old African-born prisoner at Red Onion, says he also set fire to his leg.

On Oct. 25, he gave an interview to Prison Riot Radio, a Philadelphia-based online program that provides a platform for prisoners to speak out about prison conditions and other issues.

In the interview, Eshiet said that, two days before, on Oct. 23, he had begun a hunger strike.

“I’m trying to get off of here. I’m doing my best, I’m going about this the right way, I guess, with the hunger strike way. But if I have to, I don’t mind setting myself on fire again, and this time I’ll set my whole body on fire.

“Before I have to stay up here and do the rest of my time up here, I would rather die before I stay up here, because every day I’m dealing with discrimination, whether it’s behind my race, my last name or my religion.”

The Defender has been in touch with Kevin Rashid Johnson, a longtime prisoner activist and author who last December went on a 71-day hunger strike, demanding to be transferred from Red Onion because he said there were no medical facilities in that area equipped to deal with his several severe medical issues. He eventually was sent to VCU Health, then transferred to Greensville Correctional Center, and is now back at Red Onion.

Rashid wrote the Defender that he was in the medical unit at the prison when Eshiet was brought in for treatment, and Rashid said he saw for himself the severe burns on the man’s leg.

“He had been placed in a cell next to me in the prison’s medical department, where I overheard him talking with others about a series of prisoners including himself setting fire to themselves. I could not help asking him what was going on.

“He told me simply that the racism, the horrid and inhumane conditions at the prison, were so intolerable that he and others were setting themselves on fire in desperate attempts to get transferred. These were not protests, he made clear, but acts of desperation hoping to get out of an insufferable situation.”

Rashid, at great risk to himself, wrote a report that he sent to outside news media and support groups. The report was picked up by Prison Riot Radio, the Arlington-based Interfaith Action for Human Rights and The Virginia Defender, among others.

On Oct. 25, this reporter called Red Onion and spoke with the warden, David Anderson. I explained that we had received a report that as many as a dozen prisoners at Red Onion had recently set themselves on fire, and asked if the report was correct.

“No, it’s not true,” Anderson said.

After a pause, he added, “I really shouldn’t be commenting on this.”

“So you’re saying that no one has set themselves on fire?” I asked.

“I can’t speak any further about that,” Anderson answered.

I told Anderson I would send him an email, with further questions. He said he would forward the email to the proper department for a response.

These are the questions sent on Oct. 25:

Over the last two months, did one or more prisoners at Red Onion set themselves on fire, as claimed by the letter writer?

If so, what are the names and prison ID numbers of the men?

What is now the location of each of the men?

What is the medical condition of each of the men?

Have any of the men been charged with institutional or criminal offenses as a result of these alleged actions?

As of this writing, on Nov. 4, there has been no response.

Meanwhile, we have been trying to find corroboration on the reports. undefined

In addition to speaking directly with Demetrius Wallace, we called Marsha Prichett, Eshiet’s mother, on Oct. 25. She said her son has had a very hard time since being sent to Red Onion in June.

“There’s been name calling, they call him Eat-Shit, they spit in his food. After he hurt himself, they treated him for minor burn wounds. “Then the hospital called us to let us know Ekong was in the hospital, but they said we couldn’t visit with him or talk to him because the warden said he was a danger to himself or others. So we couldn’t visit because of what the warden said.”

On Nov. 1, a Friday, the Defender reached out to VCU Health to ask if any Red Onion prisoners had been treated there recently for severe burns. At first we were told the hospital was not allowed to give us that information because of the issue of patient privacy. We hadn’t asked about any particular patient.

On Nov. 4, a Monday, we received a call from Danielle Pierce with VCU Public Relations. We asked if, from Aug. 1 until the present, any Red Onion prisoners had been brought to VCU Health for treatment for severe burns.

“I’m happy to look into it for you,” Pierce said.

Since our press deadline was the next morning, we didn’t expect to receive an answer in time for this story, but we will post any response on this newspaper’s website: virginiadefender.org. [Post-press update: As of Friday, Nov. 8, there has been no response.]

On Nov. 1, the Defender also called and left messages at the offices of Virginia General Assembly Delegate Don Scott, a former prisoner who is now Speaker of the House. We will report any response we get on our website.

We also have been trying to get various Virginia media to cover this story. What is Red Onion? red-onion-supermax-in-isolated-wise-county-va-by-google-earth, Conditions so bad that prisoners set themselves on fire: Crisis and cover-up at Red Onion super-max , Featured World News & Views This Google Earth map gives some idea of how isolated the Red Onion super-max prison is, situated on top of Red Onion Mountain in rural Wise County, far from the famiies of most of the men confined there.

The Justice Policy Center of the Urban Institute describes a supermaximum prison, or “super-max,” as “designed to hold the putatively most violent and disruptive inmates in single cell confinement for 23 hours per day, often for an indefinite period of time.”

Red Onion is a super-max prison. It opened in 1998 in the midst of a big right-wing and media scare about a new crime wave that supposedly was coming, but somehow never did.

Red Onion was supposed to house around 800 of “the worst of the worst” Virginia prisoners. As it turned out, there weren’t enough “worst” prisoners to fill the cells, so Virginia began taking in prisoners from other states – for a price. Further, many of the Virginia prisoners who wound up there were transferred from lower-level security prisons simply for breaking rules, not for committing violent crimes.

Red Onion quickly gained a reputation for extreme repression, cruelty and racism.

A 1999 report by Human Rights Watch stated that the “Virginia Department of Corrections has failed to embrace basic tenets of sound correctional practice and laws protecting inmates from abusive, degrading or cruel treatment” and claimed that “racism, excessive violence and inhumane conditions reign inside.”

In 2001, Amnesty International released a report citing human rights violations at the prison.

The 2016 HBO documentary film “Solitary: Inside Red Onion State Prison” focused on the use and effects of solitary confinement.

In one particularly notorious case, Nicolas Reyes, a Salvadoran immigrant, was kept in solitary confinement for 13 years because he couldn’t complete the mostly English-language Step-Down Program required to be released.

Reyes only spoke Spanish and couldn’t read or write in any language.

With support from the ACLU and other organizations, Reyes was finally released and received a monetary award of $115,000 – which works out to about a dollar for every day he suffered in extreme physical, social, cultural and linguistic isolation.

This is what Rashid has recently written about the prison:

“Red Onion and its sister supermax Wallens Ridge State Prison, are both located in the mountains of the far southwestern corner of Virginia in rural, segregated white communities, while their prisoner populations are near totally Brown and Black.

“Since opening in 1998 and 1999, respectively, both prisons have operated without oversight in regions where the local populations are culturally conditioned to secrecy and hostility to outside scrutiny. Which makes for prisons shielded by a curtain of secrecy, inhumane abuse and racism.

“And while Virginia has been closing down many of its predominantly Black staffed prisons across the state, it has shifted resources and focused new prison construction projects in favor of opening and operating prisons in remote, racially segregated regions of the state like where Red Onion and Wallens Ridge are located.

“The strongest public exposure and protest needs to be directed at these expensive, inhumane and unneeded human warehouses. They must be opened up to broad public scrutiny and accountability, and closed down.

“This exposure and protest should be continually directed against the Virginia governor, Virginia Department of Corrections Director Chadwick Dotson and the state’s General Assembly.

“Every effort must be made to share this information and increase public awareness about these places, their inhumane conditions and the desperate extremes they are driving fellow humans to in their pleas for relief.

“Dare to Struggle Dare to Win!

“All Power to the People!”

Interfaith Action for Human Rights has started an online petition urging change at Red Onion. To sign, log onto change.org and search for “Investigate Self-Harm Episodes and Improve Inhumane Conditions at Red Onion Prison.”

As we go to press, Kevin Rashid Johnson, Ekong Eshiet and Demetrius Wallace are all being held in solitary confinement – what the prison calls “restrictive housing.” All three men have reason to fear for their lives.

Rashid, who has been targeted because of his outspoken condemnation of the whole Virginia prison system, has outside attorneys working to try to get him transferred out of Red Onion.

Note: Both Rashid and Demetrius Wallace have given the Defender permission to quote them for this story. We haven’t spoken directly with Ekong Eshiet.

Conclusion

At this point, we are confident in reporting that at least two men held at the Red Onion State Prison – Demetrius Wallace and Ekong Eshiet, and possibly others, have taken the desperate step of setting themselves on fire to try to force the prison officials to transfer them out of that notorious hellhole.

And the prison system is not only denying that these events ever happened, but have taken steps to isolate the men involved in order to keep the public from knowing about it.

The Virginia Defenders are calling for an immediate, independent, impartial, outside investigation of the conditions of these three men, as well as the general conditions at Red Onion. We will be sending copies of this story to Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, all members of the Virginia General Assembly, U.S. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner, Virginia Department of Corrections Director Chadwick Dotson and all our contacts in the Virginia media.

[bronzecats]

National Rainbow Week of Action in Canada

In this post I have compiled all the information I could find regarding upcoming events for the Rainbow Week of Action. There are two online events, and dozens on in-person events across the country.

"Within the Rainbow Week of Action, we are pushing governments and elected officials at every level to take action for Rainbow Equality and address rising anti-2SLGBTQIA+ hate. As such, we have identified calls to action for every level of government. These calls to action can be reviewed here."

Event list below:

Events are listed in date order, provinces in general west-to-east order. I have included as much detail as possible, please reference the links at the bottom of the post. At this time, there are no events in N.W.T. and Nova Scotia. Last updated: May 14th, 9:53pm PDT. Please note that I am not officially affiliated with / an organizer of these events, I have simply compiled all the dates to share on tumblr. Original post content.

B.C. EVENTS:

15th: Fernie; Fernie Seniors Drop-In Centre, 572 3rd Avenue, 6:00PM. (Letter writing and Potluck)

17th: Vancouver; šxʷƛ̓ənəq Xwtl'e7énḵ Square - Vancouver Art Gallery North Plaza, 750 Hornby St, 5:30PM. (Rally)

19th, Sunday: Abbotsford; Jubilee Park, 5:00PM. (Rally)

ALBERTA EVENTS:

15th: Lethbridge; McKillop United Church, 2329 15th Ave S, 12:00-1:00PM (letter writing)

17th, Friday: Calgary; Central Memorial Park, 1221 2 St SW, 5:30PM. (Rally)

17th: Edmonton; Wilbert McIntyre Park, 8331 104 St NW, 6:00PM. (Rally)

SASKATCHEWAN EVENTS:

17th: Saskatoon; Vimy Memorial Park, 500 Spadina Crescent E, 5:30PM. (Rally)

17th: Regina; Legislative Grounds, 2405 Legislative Dr, 6:30PM. (Rally)

May 18th: Saskatoon; Grovenor Park United Church, 407 Cumberland Ave S, 6:00PM. (Art event)

MANITOBA EVENTS:

16th: Carman; Paul's Place, 20 1 Ave SW, 7:00-9:00PM. (Letter writing)

19th: Winnipeg; Manitoba Legislature, 450 Broadway, 12:00PM. (Rally)

ONTARIO EVENTS:

15th: Barrie; UPlift Black, 12 Dunlop St E, 6:00-7:30PM. (Letter writing)

15th: Chatham; CK Gay Pride Association, 48 Centre St, 5:00-6:30PM. (Letter writing)

15th: Peterborough; Trinity Community Centre, 360 Reid St, 12:00-3:00PM. (Letter writing)

16th: Midland; Midland Public Library, 4:30-7:30PM. (Letter writing and pizza)

16th: Ottawa; Impact Hub, 123 Slater Street, 2:00PM. (Letter writing)

16th: Toronto; Barbara Hall Park, 519 Church St, 11:30AM. (Rally)

17th, Friday: Barrie; City Hall, 70 Collier St, 6:00PM. (Rally)

17th: Cornwall; 167 Pitt St, 5:30PM. (Rally)

17th: Essex; St. Paul's Anglican Church, 92 St. Paul St, 6:00-8:00PM. (Letter writing and pizza)

17th: Hamilton; City Hall, 71 Main St W, 6:00PM. (Rally)

17th: Kitchener; City Hall, 200 King St W, 6:00PM. (Rally)

17th: London; City Hall, 300 Dufferin Ave, 6:00PM. (Rally)

17th: Sarnia; City Hall, 255 Christina St N, 1:00PM. (Rally)

17th: Sault Ste Marie; City Hall, 99 Foster Dr, 11:30AM. (Rally)

17th: Ottawa; Confederation Park, Elgin St, 5:30PM. (Rally)

22nd: Renfrew; 161 Raglan St. South, 7:00PM. (Letter writing, fashion and makeup event, and pizza)

QUEBEC EVENTS:

May 15th: Lachute; CDC Lachute, 57, rue Harriet, 12:30PM. (Letter writing event)

NEW BRUNSWICK EVENTS:

17th: Woodstock; Citizen's Square, Chapel St, Next to the L.P. Fisher Public Library, 12:00-1:00PM. (rally)

17th: Saint John; City Hall, 15 Market Square, 12:30PM. (Rally, flag raising)

18th, Saturday: Fredericton; Legislative Grounds, 706 Queen Street, 1:00PM. (Rally)

NOVA SCOTIA EVENTS:

May 17th: Middleton; NSCC AVC RM 121, 6:30-8:30PM (letter writing and pizza)

P.E.I. EVENTS:

May 15th: Charlottetown; Peers Alliance Office, 250B Queen Street, 6:00-8:00PM. (Adult drop-in)

May 16th: Charlottetown, Peers Alliance Office, 250B Queen Street, 6:00-7:00PM.

May 17th: Charlottetown; PEI Legislative Assembly, 165 Richmond St, 12:00PM. (Rally)

YUKON EVENTS:

16th: Whitehorse; The Cache, 4230 4 Ave, 2:00-7:00PM. (Letter writing)

NUNAVUT EVENTS:

May 16th, Thursday: Iqaluit; Four Corners, 922 Niaqunngusiariaq St, 5:00PM. (Letter writing)

Reference links:

About the Rainbow Week of Action.

Website letter writing events list (does not include all events)

General events website list (does not include all events)

Instagram general events image list

Instagram letter writing / pizza party image list

[newyorkthegoldenage]

A traveling style show of the National Association of Cotton Manufacturers at the Waldorf Astoria demonstrated the adaptability and wide application of the new cotton and cotton/rayon fabrics in the field of clothes, January 18, 1927. Fabrics for semi-formal occasions as well as sport wear were exhibited. Shopping and country club designs were also displayed. Displaying a wide field of fabrics are, left to right, Anita Luce wearing bathing suit, Elise Gay with Indian head print dress, Mary Keen, attired in Lido Beach pajamas and robe, Petty Mar in larreein's multicolored apparel, and Muriel Richmond in a madras dress.

Photo: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images/Fine Art America

[camisoledadparis]

THIS DAY IN GAY HISTORY

based on: The White Crane Institute's 'Gay Wisdom', Gay Birthdays, Gay For Today, Famous GLBT, glbt-Gay Encylopedia, Today in Gay History, Wikipedia, and more … November 25

1832 – Dr. Mary Edwards Walker, American feminist and physician, born (d: 1919); American feminist, abolitionist, prohibitionist, alleged spy, prisoner of war, surgeon, and the only woman to receive the Medal of Honor. Although she was called by her male enemies "the most distinguished sexual invert in the United States," Dr. Edwards, although certainly a transvestite, was not necessarily a Lesbian. She was an ardent feminist, obsessed by the feminist dress-reform movement begun by Amelia Bloomer, and a mover and shaker in stirring up trouble whenever she was refused the right to do anything a man was permitted to do.

Prior to the American Civil War she earned her medical degree, married and started a medical practice. The practice didn't do well and she volunteered with the Union Army at the outbreak of the American Civil War and served as a female surgeon. She was captured by Confederate forces after crossing enemy lines to treat wounded civilians and arrested as a spy. She was sent as a prisoner of war to Richmond, Virginia until released in a prisoner exchange.

She eventually was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for her work; and she became the first woman the U.S. permitted to dress in male attire - a right granted by Congress, no less! That she lived together with a younger feminist, Belva Lockwood, after she divorced her husband is provocative, but hardly proof that either of them were Lesbians. Eventually, Dr. Walker moved out of step with her sister feminists because her taste in dress offended them. It was one thing to wear men's trousers - that was at least practical - but it was quite another thing to go whole hog, as did Mary Walker. She affected shirt, bow tie, jacket, top hat and cane. A very full discussion of this fascinating woman appears in Jonathan Katz's Gay American History..

1892 – Stewart Mitchell (d.1957) was an American poet, editor, and professor of English literature. Mitchell’s editorship of The Dial magazine signaled a pivotal shift in content from political articles to aesthetics in art and literature.

Mitchell was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. After graduating from Harvard University in 1916 he taught English literature at the University of Wisconsin. He resigned his position for political reasons, frustrated that he was forced to give a "politician's son who should have been flunked" passing grades. Mitchell enlisted in the army, serving in France until he was discharged as a private two years later.

Mitchell returned to the United States and was hired by Scofield Thayer and James Sibley Watson as managing editor of their joint project, The Dial. Mitchell, in association with Gilbert Seldes, was managing editor from 1919-1920. His appointment as editor marked a shift in the influential, modernist little magazine’s focus on politics to an artistic, literary theme.

Mitchell’s work for The Dial involved not only editing but, as was common with the majority of The Dial's editors, active involvement with and submissions to the creative or literary content.

Mitchell’s associating with The Dial proved advantageous and profitable to his own literary career. He completed and sold a volume of poetry that was published in 1921. Several of the poems in his collection were first printed in The Dial. These were reprinted with permission from Scofield Thayer. Following Mitchell’s resignation as editor, he continued to submit book reviews as well as poetry.

His desire to travel led Mitchell to give up editorship of The Dial and pursue further education abroad. In 1922, following two years’ study at the University of Montpellier and Jesus College, Cambridge, he returned to the States and lived with his elderly aunt in New York. Mitchell privately studied foreign language and literature, focusing on French and Greek, before returning to Harvard and graduating with a Ph.D. in Literature in 1933.

While completing his degree he also worked as editor for the New England Quarterly in 1928. The following year he gave up his position to become editor for the Massachusetts Historical Society. It was as a historical editor that Mitchell, according to his associates, truly excelled. His "naturally keen memory and sharp eye, coupled with a sure ear for words and an occasionally brilliant wit, permitted him to excel." After eleven years' service he resigned but was recalled in 1947 as Director and editor.

Mitchell's long-time partner was Richard David Cowan (1909-1939), a student of Cornell University in the 1920s who met Mitchell in the 1930s and they lived together since then. When Mitchell died in Brookline, Massachusetts in 1957, he was buried alongside Richard Cowan, who had died before him.

While at Harvard in his youth, he befriended the poet e.e. cummings who drew the the above sketch of Mitchell.

1913 – Robert Friend (d.1998) was an American-born poet and translator. After moving to Israel, he became a professor of English literature at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Friend was born in 1913 in Brooklyn, New York, to a family of Russian Jewish immigrants. He was the eldest of five children. After studying at Brooklyn College, Harvard and Cambridge, he taught English literature and writing in the U.S., Puerto Rico, Panama, France, England, and Germany. He settled in Israel in 1950, where he lived the rest of his life. He taught English and American Literature at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem for over thirty years. He was well known in Israel as an English-language poet and a translator of Hebrew poetry.

Robert Friend was gay, and his sexuality found expression in his poetry well before the Stonewall era. According to Edward Field in the Greenwood Encyclopedia of American Poetry, Shadow on the Sun is "remarkable in that, for its time, it contains so many poems about the author's homosexuality." Friend's openness continued throughout his writing career.

1942 – Rosa von Praunheim is a German film director, author, painter and gay rights activist. Openly gay, he is one of the initiators of the gay rights movement in Germany.

A prolific director, he has made over fifty feature films. He began his career associated to the New German Cinema as a senior member of the Berlin school of underground filmmaking.

Born Holger Mitschwitzki, he spent his early years in East Berlin. In 1953, he escaped from East Germany with his family to West Germany. In the 60s, he took the artistic female name Rosa Von Praunheim to remind people of the pink triangle that homosexuals had to wear in Nazi concentration camps.

A pioneer of Queer Cinema, von Praunheim has been an activist in the gay rights movement. He was an early advocate of AIDS awareness and safer sex, but has been a controversial figure even within the gay community. His films center on gay related themes and strong female characters. His works are characterized by excess and employ a campy style. His films have featured such personalities as Jayne County, Vaginal Davis, Divine, and Jeff Stryker.

Praunheim's first big feature film was produced in 1970: Die Bettwurst(The Bolsters), a parody of bourgeois marriage. It became a cult movie, which had a sequel in 1973 (Berliner Bettwurst). In the same year, he also caused a stir with his documentary It Is Not the Homosexual Who Is Perverse, But the Society in Which He Lives which led to several gay rights groups being founded.Praunheim has centered his directorial efforts in documentaries featuring gay related themes. In the early 1970s he lived for some time in the United States where he made a series of documentaries about post- Stonewall American gay scene. In Army of Lovers or Revolt of the Perverts (1972-1976) he took on the American gay and lesbian movement from the 1950's to 1976.

Back in Berlin he made feature films such as Red Love (1980), Our Corpses Are Still Alive (1981), and City of Lost Souls (1983). These films were shown in film festivals worldwide.

With the irruption of the AIDS epidemic, Praunheim worked in a tetralogy of AIDS themed documentaries. A Virus Knows No Morals (1985), was one of the first feature films about AIDS. The documentaries Positive and Silence = Death, both shot in 1989 deal with aspects of AIDS activism in New York. Fire Under Your Ass (1990) focuses about AIDS in Berlin.

In Germany Rosa was very vocal in his efforts to educate people about the danger of AIDS and the necessity of practicing Safer Sex. These efforts alienated many gays who came to consider him a moralistic panic-monger. He would remain a highly controversial figure in his native country. On 10 December 1991 Praunheim created a scandal in Germany when he outed, among others, the anchorman Alfred Biolek, the comedian Hape Kerkeling and wrongly the actor Götz George in the TV show Explosiv - Der heiße Stuhl as gay. After the show several celebrities had their coming out. In 1999 he made Geisendörfer Medienpreis for Wunderbares Wrodow, a documentary about the people in and around a German village and its castle.

He lives in Berlin with his companion and assistant Oliver Sechting.

1963 – Kevin Chamberlin is an American actor. He starred as the butler, Bertram on the Disney Channel Original Series Jessie. He is openly gay.

Chamberlin has been nominated for Drama Desk and Tony Awards for Dirty Blonde (as Charlie), Seussical (as Horton), and The Addams Family (as Uncle Fester). Additional Broadway theatre credits include My Favorite Year, Triumph of Love, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, Chicago, and The Ritz.

He also appeared in the 1999 gay-themed movie Trick, and in Die Hard with a Vengeance as an enthusiastic NYPD bomb defusal expert. In Lucky Number Slevin, he again had a supporting role as a New York police officer.

Chamberlin's most recent work includes the role of Aron Malsky in the NBC prime-time series Heroes. He also made an appearance in a Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.

Chamberlin previously appeared as Uncle Fester in the musical The Addams Family, a role for which he won a Broadway.com Audience Award for Favorite Performance By a Featured Actor In a Broadway Musical.

He has said of his time with The Ritz:

We have a very large gay audience, which is funny, because some female friends of mine went to a preview and were exclaiming, "There was no line to the bathroom at intermission! It was all on the men's side." Someone actually walked out last night and had a row with the director. She was like, "I can't believe the Roundabout is putting on such flagrantly gay plays!" I mean, look at the poster, for God’s sake! And really, it’s a 35-year-old play. There’s nothing offensive — it just happens to take place in a gay bathhouse. This is pre-AIDS, in the middle of the sexual revolution. [Playwright] Terrence McNally was saying that it was an amazing, celebratory time of sexual freedom and also freedom for gay men. Where else could you go to have sex and watch Bette Midler sing at the same time?

1968 – Craig Seymour is an American writer, photographer, celebrity interviewer, music critic and former stripper. He was born in Washington, D.C.. He has written for The Washington Post, Entertainment Weekly, Vibe, and Spin, among other publications, and has served as pop music critic for The Buffalo News and the The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Heis now Associate Professor of Journalism at Northern Illinois University. He lives in Chicago.

He has interviewed and profiled some of the biggest names in music, including Janet Jackson, Mariah Carey, and Luther Vandross, who granted him numerous interviews. Seymour has also been a music analyst for CNN's Headline News.

As a graduate student at the University of Maryland in the 1990s, Seymour started frequenting and working in the strip clubs in Washington D.C. while writing his master's thesis: "Desire and Dollar Bills: An Ethnography of a Gay Male Striptease Club." He used these experiences to write the book All I Could Bare: My Life in the Strip Clubs of Gay Washington, D.C. Seymour stated that stripping gave him the confidence he needed to interview big stars like Mariah Carey.

In an interview with Dallas Voice, Seymour credited his stripping career with "the ease I had asking celebrities extremely personal questions, especially those having to do with sex and relationships. After all, when someone is playing with your dick in public, it's not only potentially awkward for you, the one being played with, it can also be weird for the person doing the playing, because he is exposing his desires so nakedly in front of other people."

1970 – Yukio Mishima (b.1925), homosexual Japanese author, commits seppuku (ritual suicide).

1997 – In South Africa, a demonstration was held at the Johannesburg High Court in support of an application to decriminalize sex between men. South Africa becomes the first country to enact a constitutional ban outlawing sexual orientation discrimination.

[lboogie1906]

William Ellisworth Artis (February 2, 1914 – April 3, 1977) was a sculptor, whose favorite medium was clay. The freedom of modeling gave him a broad range of expression. During the latter part of his life, he began to focus on potting.

He was a pupil of Augusta Savage and exhibited with the Harmon Foundation. He was featured in the 1930s film A Study of Negro Artists, along with Savage and other artists associated with the Harlem Renaissance, including Richmond Barthé, James Latimer Allen, Palmer Hayden, Aaron Douglas, Lois Mailou Jones, and Georgette Seabrooke.

He taught at the Harlem YMCA after finishing high school, he was involved with Works Progress Administration’s artist project.

He served in the Army during WWII. He earned his academic degrees. He studied at the Art Students League of NY and Syracuse University. After leaving Syracuse, he taught at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in SD.

He, with fellow artists Romare Bearden and Selma Burke, were together in the landmark Albany Institute of History and Art exhibit and over the next decade found the Black artist making inroads in national exhibits and major galleries.

He joined the faculty of Nebraska State Teachers College. He taught at Chadron State College, where he was a Professor of Ceramics, and at Mankato State College, as a Professor of Art. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 1.31

Holidays

Africa Day of Peace & Reconciliation

Apollo 14 Day

Appreciate Your Social Security Check Day

Backwards Day

Bob Ferguson Day

Brexit Day (UK)

Child Labor Day

Dicing for Maid's Money Day (Surrey, UK)

Eve of Brigantia (Ireland)

Explorer I Day

Final Fantasy VIII Day (Japan)

Feast of Great Typos

Green Hornet Day

Hell Is Freezing Over Day

Hug an Economist Day

Inspire Your Heart With Art Day

International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Men & Boys

International Day of the Magicians

International Omphalocele Awareness Day

International Street Children’s Day

Jackie Robinson Day

Me-Dam-Me-Phi (Assam, India)

National Appreciation Day for Catholic Schools

National Bug Busting Day (UK)

National Gorilla Suit Day (Don Martin, in Mad Magazine)

National Music Therapy Day (Mexico)

National Pick on Lindsay Day

National Punk Day

Pal-O-Ween (from “Kevin Can F**k Himself”) [Every 31st]

Phlegm - Green, Moldy - Gray, and Gazzard* Day (Goblins; Shamanism) [*Gazzard. A color unknown in the human world and one which, quite honestly, you wouldn't want to know]

Play An Old Game You Haven't Played In Years Night

Saint Brigid’s Eve (Ireland)

Scotch Tape Day

Street Children's Day (Austria)

St. Veronus' Day (patron saint of Lembeek & Belgian brewers)

Thermos Bottle Day

Train Hijacking Day

Twist Off Cap Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Brandy Alexander Day

Day of Russian Vodka

Eat Brussels Sprouts Day

National Hot Chocolate Day

World Vegan Chocolate Day

Nature Celebrations

Broccoli Day (French Republic)

International Zebra Day

Rabbit Rabbit Day [Last Day of Every Month]

Spring Crocus (Joy of Youth; Korean Birth Flowers)

Independence, Flag & Related Days

Ladoland (Declared; 2016) [unrecognized]

Nauru (from Australia, 1968)

Varladia (Declared; 2022) [unrecognized]

New Year’s Days

Año Nuevo en Tupiza (Tupiza New Year; Indigenous Bolivia)

Chinese New Year; Day 3 (Sin Jyu Yat; China, Malaysia)

Tet Holiday (Vietnam)

Third Day of the Lunar New Year (Hong Kong, Macau)

5th & Last Friday in January

Big Garden Birdwatch begins (UK) [Last Friday thru Sunday]

Comfort Food Friday [Every Friday]

Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day [Last Friday]

EITC Awareness Day [Last Friday]

Finally Friday [Last Friday of Each Month]

Five For Friday [Every Friday]

Flashback Friday [Every Friday]

Flatbread Friday [Last Friday of Each Month]

Friday Finds [Every Friday]

Fry Day (Pastafarian; Fritism) [Every Friday]

Great Mental Health Day (London) [Last Friday]

International Fun at Work [Last Friday]

National Big Wig Day [Last Friday]

National Have Fun at Work Day (a.k.a. Fun At Work Day) [Last Friday]

National Preschool Fitness Day [Last Friday]

RNLI SOS Day (UK) [Last Friday]

Stout & Chowder Festival (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) [Last Friday]

TGIF (Thank God It's Friday) [Every Friday]

Weekly Holidays beginning January 31 (Last Week of January)

None Known

Festivals Beginning January 31, 2025

Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Tenerife, Spain) [thru 3.9]

Englewood Seafood & Music Festival (Englewood, Florida) [thru 2.2]

Fajr International Film Festival (Tehran, Iran) [thru 2.4]

Gourd Festival (Casa Grande, Arizona) [thru 2.2]

Gulf Coast Watermelon Association Annual Convention (Biloxi, Mississippi) [thru 2.1]

Mar-Del Watermelon Convention (Cambridge, Maryland) [thru 2.2]

Meltdown Winter Ice Festival (Richmond, Indiana) [thru 2.1]

Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society Conference (Nebraska City, Nebraska) [thru 2.1]

SIKKA Art Fair (Dubai, UAE) [thru 2.9]

Six Nations Rugby Championship (thru 3.15)

Triangle Wine & Food Experience (Raleigh, North Carolina) [thru 2.1]

Waterfront Fine Art & Wine Festival (Scottsdale, Arizona) [thru 2.2]

Winterlude [Bal de Neige] (Gatineau, Canada) [thru 2.17]

Feast Days

Adamnan of Coldingham (Christian; Saint)

Amartithi (Meher Baba Remembrance Day; India)

Anacreon (Positivist; Saint)

Banyu Pinaruh (Water Purification Ceremony; Bali)

Celebration of the Triple Goddess (Goddess of the Moon and the Seasons; Old European Lunar New Year) [Thru 2.3]

Cyrus and John (Christian; Martyrs)

Day of Hecate (Goddess of Crossroads; Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Dicing for Maid’s Money (Guildford, UK)

Disablot (Norse celebration of new beginnings)

Disfest (Sacrifice Honoring the Disir, all female relatives from forever)

Domitius (Domice) of Amiens (Christian; Saint)

Eusebius (Christian; Martyr)

Feast of Isis (Ancient Egypt)

Feast of Sarasvati (Ancient Indian Goddess of Education; Nepal; Everyday Wicca)

Festival of Transmission Errors

Festival to Kuan Yin (Goddess of Compassion (Buddhism; China)

Francis Xavier Bianchi (Christian; Saint)

Geminianus (Christian; Saint)

Honey Badger Avoidance Day (Pastafarian)

Imbolc Eve (Celtic Book of Days)

Imbolc Eve: Day of the Bean Sidhe (Pagan)

John Bosco (Christian; Saint)

Julius of Novara (Christian; Saint)

Ludovica (Christian; Blessed)

Máedóc of Ferns (a.k.a. Maidoc, Mogue, Aidan, Aiden; Christian; Saint)

Marcella (Christian; Saint)

Mary the Gorilla (Muppetism)

Max Pechstein (Artology)

Me-Dam-Me-Phi (Ahom Veneration of the Dead; Assam, India)

Narcissus Flower Festival (Ancient Hawai’i)

Navajo Sing (Preparation Festival for Coming Agricultural Season) [Through 2.8]

Nicetas of Novgorod (Christian; Saint)

Norman Mailer (Writerism)

Peter or Pedro Nolasco (Christian; Saint)

Rodolphe Töpffer (Artology)

Samuel Shoemaker (Episcopal Church (USA))

Seapion (Christian; Saint)

Theodore Kaczinski Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Tysul (Christian; Saint)

Ulphia (Christian; Virgin)

Valkyries’ Day (Norse)

Veronus  (Christian; Saint) [Lembeek & Belgian brewers]

Wilgils (Christian; Saint)

Lunar Calendar Holidays

Chinese: Month 1 (Wu-Yin), Day 3 (Geng-Zi)

Day Pillar: Metal Rat

12-Day Officers/12 Gods: Close Day (閉 Bi) [Inauspicious]

Holidays: Spring Festival Golden Week

Secular Saints Days

Ernie Banks (Sports)

Carol Channing (Entertainment)

Minnie Driver (Entertainment)

Philip Glass (Music)

Zane Grey (Literature)

Don Hutson (Sports)

Ben Jonson (Literature)

Terry Kath (Music)

Richard Henry Lee (Politics)

Laura Lippman (Literature)

Alan Lomax (Music)

Norman Mailer (Literature)

Gerald McDermott (Art)

Grant Morrison (Literature)

Charlie Musselwhite (Music)

Kenzaburō Ōe (Literature)

John O’Hara (Literature)

Betty Parsons (Art)

Suzanne Pleshette (Entertainment)

Jackie Robinson (Music)

Nolan Ryan (Music)

Franz Schubert (Music)

Rodolphe Töpffer (Art)

Jessica Walter (Entertainment)

Ken Wilber (Philosophy)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Prime Number Day: 31 [11 of 72]

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

Ali Baba (ComicColor Cartoon; 1936)

All My Children (TV Soap Opera; 1949)

Aloha Hooey (WB MM Cartoon; 1942)

Along Came Fido (Hot Dog Bray Cartoon; 1927)

The Animal Fair (Aesop’s Sound Fable Cartoon; 1931)

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (TV Film; 1974)

Barney’s Hungry Cousin, featuring Barney Bear (MGM Cartoon; 1953)

The Bear and the Bean, featuring Barney Bear (MGM Cartoon; 1948)

Being and Time, by Martin Heidegger (Philosophy Book; 1927)

Bellerophon, by Jean-Baptiste Lully (Opera; 1679)

Betty Boop and the Little King (Betty Boop Cartoon; 1936)

Black Sunday, by Thomas Harris (Novel; 1975)

Cheerful Little Pierful or Bomb Voyage (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S1, Ep. 19; 1960)

Down and Out in Beverly Hills (Film; 1986)

Family Guy (Animated TV Series; 1999)

Gia (Film; 1998)

The Green Hornet (Radio Series; 1936)

Judge’s Crossword Puzzles #1 (Pioneer Films Cartoon; 1925)

The June Bride (Aesop’s Film Fable Cartoon; 1926)

Key & Peele (TV Series; 2012)

The Lone Ranger (Radio Series; 1933)

McDougal’s Rest Farm (Terrytoons Heckle & Heckle Cartoon; 1947)

A Mouse Divided (WB MM Cartoon; 19353

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Film; 1941)

Mr. Nobody Holme, He Buys a Jitney (Heart-Vitagraph News Pictorial Cartoon; 1916)

Murphy’s Romance (Film; 1986)

Mystery Girl, by Roy Orbison (Album; 1989)

Never Again (Gaumont Cartoon Comics Cartoon; 1917)

The Owl and the Pussycat (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1939)

Pagan Moon (WB MM Cartoon; 1932)

A Perfect Day for Bananafish, by J.D. Salinger (Short Story; 1948)

Ragnarok (TV Series; 2020)

Rough and Tumbleweed (Inspector Willoughby Cartoon; 1961)

The Saint on the Spanish Main, by Leslie Charteris (Short Stories 1955) [Saint #31]

Sara Smile, by Hall & Oates (Song; 1976)

Sharps and Flats (Krazy Kat Cartoon; 1927)

The Soup Song, featuring Flip the Frog (Ub Iwerks MGM Cartoon; 1931)

The Spiderwick Chronicles (Film; 2008)

Station to Station, by David Bowie (Album; 1976)

Summer Squash or He’s Too Flat for Me (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S1, Ep. 20; 1960)

Sydney Bulletin (Weekly Magazine; Australia; 1880)

Teddy, by J.D. Salinger (Short Story; 1953)

These Are My Children (TV Soap Opera; 1949) [1st TV Soap Opera]

Thoughts In Solitude, by Thomas Merton (Spiritual Book; 1956)

The Village Smitty, featuring Flip the Frog (Ub Iwerks MGM Cartoon; 1931)

Who’s Who in the Zoo (WB LT Cartoon; 1942)

The Witness for the Prosecution, by Agatha Christie (Short Story; 1948)

The Wonder Years (TV Series; 1988)

Today’s Name Days

Johannes, Marcella (Austria)

Ivan, Julije, Vanja (Croatia)

Marika (Czech Republic)

Vigilius (Denmark)

Meeland, Meelik, Meelis, Meelit, Meelitu, Meelo, Meelu (Estonia)

Alli (Finland)

Marcelle (France)

Johannes, Marcella, Rudbert (Germany)

Evdoxia, Kyros (Greece)

Gerda, Marcella (Hungary)

Geminiano, Giovanni (Italy)

Dekla, Jalna, Tekla, Tikla, Violeta (Latvia)

Astra, Budvilė, Marcelė, Skirmantas (Lithuania)

Idun, Ivar (Norway)

Cyrus, Euzebiusz, Jan, Ksawery, Ludwik, Marceli, Marcelin, Marcelina, Piotr, Spycigniew, Wirgiliusz (Poland)

Chir, Ioan (Romania)

Ksenia (Russia)

Emil (Slovakia)

Juan, Marcela (Spain)

Ivar, Joar (Sweden)

Cyrus, Kira, Kyra, Lona, Loni, Lonnie, Scarlett, Zane (USA)

Today’s National Name Days

National Seth Day

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 31 of 2025; 334 days remaining in the year

ISO Week: Day 5 of Week 5 of 2025

Celtic Tree Calendar: Luis (Rowan) [Day 11 of 28]

Chinese: Month 1 (Wu-Yin), Day 3 (Geng-Zi)

Chinese Year of the: Snake 4723 (until February 17, 2026) [Ding-Chou]

Coptic: 23 Tubah 1741

Druid Tree Calendar: Cypress (Jan 25-Feb 3) [Day 7 of 10]

Hebrew: 2 Shevat 5785

Islamic: 1 Sha’ban 1446

Julian: 18 January 2025

Moon: 6%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 3 Homer (2nd Month) [Anacreon)

Runic Half Month: Elhaz (Elk) [Day 10 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 42 of 90)

Sun Calendar: 1 Gray; Oneday [1 of 30]

Week: 4th & Last Week of January

Zodiac:

Tropical (Typical) Zodiac: Aquarius (Day 12 of 30)

Sidereal Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 17 of 29)

Schmidt Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 6 of 27)

IAU Boundaries (Current) Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 12 of 28)

IAU Boundaries (1977) Zodiac: Capricornus (Day 13 of 28)

Calendar Changes

Gray (Month 2 of 12; Sun Calendar)

Shaʿbān [شَعْبَان] (Islamic Calendar) [Month 8 of 12] (Scattered)

[mimicofmodes]

Before he married Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, King George III set his sights on marrying Lady Sarah Lennox, the daughter of Charles Lennox, the 2nd Duke of Richmond. Lord Bute, the King's advisor, reportedly vetoed the engagement. Why was Lord Bute against Lady Lennox as a royal bride?

So, the first thing to mention is that it was fairly normal to be against a monarch marrying a subject, particularly in England. This was rare in post-conquest English history, and would be mainly associated with some not-great periods/events - Edward IV's marriage to Elizabeth Woodville, which played into the civil wars between the houses of York and Lancaster, and of course most of the wives of Henry VIII and their sad fates. The proper thing for a monarch or even an heir to do was to marry someone else considered royalty in order to strengthen an international alliance and to prevent an imbalance of power in the aristocracy.

Another aspect of the situation was influence. As a young man of about 20 with little experience, George depended greatly on his mother (the dowager Princess of Wales who would never get to be queen herself, whose only hope of being in any kind of power was through her son) and Lord Bute (formerly George's tutor, definitely close to the princess, possibly her lover). If George was married to and infatuated with Lady Sarah Lennox, he would obviously listen to her above all others. A dutiful international match, on the other hand, could eventually produce companionate love but was unlikely to rupture George's interest in listening to those around him. This was particularly a concern because her brother-in-law was Henry Fox, a Whig politician and so Bute's opponent - as a queen consort with her husband's ear, she could have funneled information and opinions from Fox directly to the king, and Fox did promote the match for this reason.

However, we need to be careful in assuming a grand passion and broken hearts. Sources differ on the extent to which George was fixed on Lady Sarah - some say that he was forcibly detached from her by Bute's manipulation, others that he understood the problems with marrying a subject very well himself and would never have done it. We have an account of George making statements implying that he wanted to make Sarah his queen and her turning him down as directly as politeness and subjecthood allowed (ie, by not saying anything) ... from Henry Fox's memoir of the period, not exactly neutral, but at the same time it suggests that a major bar to the marriage was that she simply did not entertain the king's affections.

The 1837 memoir of Sarah's son, Captain Napier, likewise passes down accounts that George liked her and tested the waters but was shut down at first by her own refusal to engage; then after Sarah broke her leg and George had an opportunity to be kind to her rather than just flirtatious, she did accept a second offer of marriage (Napier says), but ...

Then came all the arts and intrigues of courtiers, of clashing interests, of politicians and ministers; then arose the pride and fears of family, then envy, hatred, and malice, and all uncharitableness reared their secret heads while they openly bedecked themselves in smiles and flattery.

Bute et al., of course. Still, according to Napier's recounting of what his mother told him, she was not in love with the king, and in the end she was more upset about the way he never let on that he was secretly contracting a marriage with Charlotte until it was officially announced, letting her think they were still engaged, than she was about actually not getting married to him. Supposedly she was also more upset about her pet squirrel's death around the same time. (Fox agrees with that, btw.)

From a letter by Lady Sarah Lennox to her friend, Lady Susan Fox Strangeways (best name), July 1761:

To begin to astonish you as much as I was, I must tell you that the --- is going to be married to a Princess of Mecklenburg, & that I am sure of it. There is a Council to morrow on purpose, the orders for it are urgent, & important business; does not your chollar rise at hearing this; but you think I daresay that I have been doing some terrible thing to deserve it, for you won't be easily brought to change so totaly your opinion of any person; but I assure you I have not. I have been very often since I wrote last, but tho' nothing was said, he always took pains to shew me some prefference by talking twice, and mighty kind speeches and looks; even last Thursday, the day after the orders were come out, the hipocrite had the face to come up & speak to me with all the good humour in the world, & seemed to want to speak to me but was afraid. There is something so astonishing in this that I can hardly believe, but yet Mr Fox knows it to be true; I cannot help wishing to morrow over, tho' I can expect nothing from it. He must have sent to this woman before you went out of town; then what business had he to begin again? In short, his behaviour is that of a man who has neither sense, good nature, nor honesty. I shall go Thursday sennight; I shall take care to shew that I am not mortified to anybody, but if it is true that one can vex anybody with a reserved, cold manner, he shall have it, I promise him. Now as to what I think about it as to myself, excepting this little revenge, I have almost forgiven him; luckily for me I did not love him, & only liked him, nor did the title weigh anything with me; so little at least, that my disappointment did not affect my spirits above one hour or two I believe. I did not cry, I assure you, which I believe you will, as I know you were more set upon it than I. The thing I am most angry at is looking so like a fool, as I shall for having gone so often for nothing, but I don't much care; if he was to change his mind again (which can't be tho') & not give me a very good reason for his conduct, I would not have him, for if he is so weak as to be govern'd by everybody, I shall have but a bad time of it.

This is followed a week later by an account of how she was freezing cold to him when he spoke to her at court, and her desire to be asked to be train-bearer at the coronation because "it's the best way of seeing the Coronation".

As for asking her to be a bridesmaid, Fox suggests that it would have "seem'd affected" to neglect her: she was enough of a fixture among the unmarried, high-ranking women at court that she merited being asked, and if he hadn't asked her after dumping her it would have looked like a very deliberate snub. Both Fox and Napier agree that she took it very mildly and wasn't bitter about appearing as bridesmaid rather than bride, and Napier says that while Charlotte was very gracious about it, George stared at Sarah through the ceremony. Sarah's letters explain that she thought turning down the offer might have opened her up to gossip - "I was always of the opinion that the less fuss or talk there is of it the better." (Her sister Caroline was very much against her accepting, and they fought about it; Sarah was pretty angry to overhear Caroline complaining about it to a friend outside the family and asked Susan, who was also against it, to keep her opinions to herself because she was sick of being criticized over the decision.) It was after the ceremony that Sarah was mistaken for Charlotte by John Fane, 7th Earl of Westmoreland, who was 75 at the time, hadn't been to court since Queen Anne's time as he was a Jacobite, and could barely see - since she was first bridesmaid, she was at the head of the line and was dressed very richly, so it wasn't so strange for him to make the mistake. Napier attributes her correction to embarrassment rather than fear of Charlotte.

You can find the primary sources I referred to reprinted together in the early twentieth century, which is very handy. It's interesting to read Fox's and Napier's recounting of events for posterity, which strongly uphold Sarah's virtue and wisdom, and compare them to Sarah's actual letters, which show a real human personality so much more strongly. Unfortunately, the letters skip from August to October in 1761, so we can't read Sarah's own description of the wedding and coronation, which took place in September!

(reposted from AskHistorians)

[maria-mga2024mi5015]

Spencer Gore - Research

22/02/2025

Hello everyone! I've been searching for so many articles related to Spencer Gore. Most of them speak on his early life and such, while a few of them talk about the places he has painted.

I will be taking my time to read through these articles so I can create a solid concept for the game.

Article links: -

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/research-publications/camden-town-group/spencer-gore-r1105355

I just finished reading through all 5 articles. I've found quite a lot of interesting information about Spencer Gore.

I will be compiling the necessary research points into a document for my next post.

My ideas after reading through the articles: -

For the game play, I have an idea of creating 3 islands. These 3 islands represent the places that Spencer Gore lived in with his wife and children. He lived in the following areas of London:

Letchworth

Mornington Crescent

Richmond

(More information on these 3 places will be mentioned on my next post.)

Another thing to make note of is the art movements he followed. These articles mention of him following the art style and techniques used in 'English impressionism' and 'Neo-impressionism'.

For the collectables, my initial idea was to have items related to events that took place in Gore's life.

e.g. Being a cricketer during his school time, Marriage Mollie, the founded associations (logos)

But I think we can have more personal collectables in the game. See, once the players reach the 'Richmond Park' island, their last stop would be near a bench in the park. So, I thought to myself, "Gore used to spend so much of time a dedication to create paintings of this park. So, what if we had his brushes, papers, and oil paints has his collectables? It would be a simple and intimate approach. Almost like the players get a chance to experience Gore's passion for art."

A point that stuck to me after reading through the 1st article was how Gore's friend Walter Sickert described his art. He wrote that at the hands of Gore, dreary and hopeless scenes were 'transformed into loveliness'. I would love to include this concept into the game.

My first thought on this was to create an apartment with basic colors. But once the player looks outside the window, they see how colorful and fantastical the 'Richmond Park' is. Basically, the islands will be made with a similar color palette to gores and will have some resemblance to his art movement.

[brookston]

Holidays 1.31

Holidays

Africa Day of Peace & Reconciliation

Apollo 14 Day

Appreciate Your Social Security Check Day

Backwards Day

Bob Ferguson Day

Brexit Day (UK)

Child Labor Day

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Explorer I Day

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National Gorilla Suit Day (Don Martin, in Mad Magazine)

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National Pick on Lindsay Day

National Punk Day

Pal-O-Ween (from “Kevin Can F**k Himself”) [Every 31st]

Phlegm - Green, Moldy - Gray, and Gazzard* Day (Goblins; Shamanism) [*Gazzard. A color unknown in the human world and one which, quite honestly, you wouldn't want to know]

Play An Old Game You Haven't Played In Years Night

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RNLI SOS Day (UK) [Last Friday]

Stout & Chowder Festival (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) [Last Friday]

TGIF (Thank God It's Friday) [Every Friday]

Weekly Holidays beginning January 31 (Last Week of January)

None Known

Festivals Beginning January 31, 2025

Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife (Tenerife, Spain) [thru 3.9]

Englewood Seafood & Music Festival (Englewood, Florida) [thru 2.2]

Fajr International Film Festival (Tehran, Iran) [thru 2.4]

Gourd Festival (Casa Grande, Arizona) [thru 2.2]

Gulf Coast Watermelon Association Annual Convention (Biloxi, Mississippi) [thru 2.1]

Mar-Del Watermelon Convention (Cambridge, Maryland) [thru 2.2]

Meltdown Winter Ice Festival (Richmond, Indiana) [thru 2.1]

Nebraska Sustainable Agriculture Society Conference (Nebraska City, Nebraska) [thru 2.1]

SIKKA Art Fair (Dubai, UAE) [thru 2.9]

Six Nations Rugby Championship (thru 3.15)

Triangle Wine & Food Experience (Raleigh, North Carolina) [thru 2.1]

Waterfront Fine Art & Wine Festival (Scottsdale, Arizona) [thru 2.2]

Winterlude [Bal de Neige] (Gatineau, Canada) [thru 2.17]

Feast Days

Adamnan of Coldingham (Christian; Saint)

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Anacreon (Positivist; Saint)

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Me-Dam-Me-Phi (Ahom Veneration of the Dead; Assam, India)

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Navajo Sing (Preparation Festival for Coming Agricultural Season) [Through 2.8]

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Lucky & Unlucky Days

Prime Number Day: 31 [11 of 72]

Sakimake (先負 Japan) [Bad luck in the morning, good luck in the afternoon.]

Premieres

Ali Baba (ComicColor Cartoon; 1936)

All My Children (TV Soap Opera; 1949)

Aloha Hooey (WB MM Cartoon; 1942)

Along Came Fido (Hot Dog Bray Cartoon; 1927)

The Animal Fair (Aesop’s Sound Fable Cartoon; 1931)

The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman (TV Film; 1974)

Barney’s Hungry Cousin, featuring Barney Bear (MGM Cartoon; 1953)

The Bear and the Bean, featuring Barney Bear (MGM Cartoon; 1948)

Being and Time, by Martin Heidegger (Philosophy Book; 1927)

Bellerophon, by Jean-Baptiste Lully (Opera; 1679)

Betty Boop and the Little King (Betty Boop Cartoon; 1936)

Black Sunday, by Thomas Harris (Novel; 1975)

Cheerful Little Pierful or Bomb Voyage (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S1, Ep. 19; 1960)

Down and Out in Beverly Hills (Film; 1986)

Family Guy (Animated TV Series; 1999)

Gia (Film; 1998)

The Green Hornet (Radio Series; 1936)

Judge’s Crossword Puzzles #1 (Pioneer Films Cartoon; 1925)

The June Bride (Aesop’s Film Fable Cartoon; 1926)

Key & Peele (TV Series; 2012)

The Lone Ranger (Radio Series; 1933)

McDougal’s Rest Farm (Terrytoons Heckle & Heckle Cartoon; 1947)

A Mouse Divided (WB MM Cartoon; 19353

Mr. & Mrs. Smith (Film; 1941)

Mr. Nobody Holme, He Buys a Jitney (Heart-Vitagraph News Pictorial Cartoon; 1916)

Murphy’s Romance (Film; 1986)

Mystery Girl, by Roy Orbison (Album; 1989)

Never Again (Gaumont Cartoon Comics Cartoon; 1917)

The Owl and the Pussycat (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1939)

Pagan Moon (WB MM Cartoon; 1932)

A Perfect Day for Bananafish, by J.D. Salinger (Short Story; 1948)

Ragnarok (TV Series; 2020)

Rough and Tumbleweed (Inspector Willoughby Cartoon; 1961)

The Saint on the Spanish Main, by Leslie Charteris (Short Stories 1955) [Saint #31]

Sara Smile, by Hall & Oates (Song; 1976)

Sharps and Flats (Krazy Kat Cartoon; 1927)

The Soup Song, featuring Flip the Frog (Ub Iwerks MGM Cartoon; 1931)

The Spiderwick Chronicles (Film; 2008)

Station to Station, by David Bowie (Album; 1976)

Summer Squash or He’s Too Flat for Me (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S1, Ep. 20; 1960)

Sydney Bulletin (Weekly Magazine; Australia; 1880)

Teddy, by J.D. Salinger (Short Story; 1953)

These Are My Children (TV Soap Opera; 1949) [1st TV Soap Opera]

Thoughts In Solitude, by Thomas Merton (Spiritual Book; 1956)

The Village Smitty, featuring Flip the Frog (Ub Iwerks MGM Cartoon; 1931)

Who’s Who in the Zoo (WB LT Cartoon; 1942)

The Witness for the Prosecution, by Agatha Christie (Short Story; 1948)

The Wonder Years (TV Series; 1988)

Today’s Name Days

Johannes, Marcella (Austria)

Ivan, Julije, Vanja (Croatia)

Marika (Czech Republic)

Vigilius (Denmark)

Meeland, Meelik, Meelis, Meelit, Meelitu, Meelo, Meelu (Estonia)

Alli (Finland)

Marcelle (France)

Johannes, Marcella, Rudbert (Germany)

Evdoxia, Kyros (Greece)

Gerda, Marcella (Hungary)

Geminiano, Giovanni (Italy)

Dekla, Jalna, Tekla, Tikla, Violeta (Latvia)

Astra, Budvilė, Marcelė, Skirmantas (Lithuania)

Idun, Ivar (Norway)

Cyrus, Euzebiusz, Jan, Ksawery, Ludwik, Marceli, Marcelin, Marcelina, Piotr, Spycigniew, Wirgiliusz (Poland)

Chir, Ioan (Romania)

Ksenia (Russia)

Emil (Slovakia)

Juan, Marcela (Spain)

Ivar, Joar (Sweden)

Cyrus, Kira, Kyra, Lona, Loni, Lonnie, Scarlett, Zane (USA)

Today’s National Name Days

National Seth Day

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 31 of 2025; 334 days remaining in the year

ISO Week: Day 5 of Week 5 of 2025

Celtic Tree Calendar: Luis (Rowan) [Day 11 of 28]

Chinese: Month 1 (Wu-Yin), Day 3 (Geng-Zi)

Chinese Year of the: Snake 4723 (until February 17, 2026) [Ding-Chou]

Coptic: 23 Tubah 1741

Druid Tree Calendar: Cypress (Jan 25-Feb 3) [Day 7 of 10]

Hebrew: 2 Shevat 5785

Islamic: 1 Sha’ban 1446

Julian: 18 January 2025

Moon: 6%: Waxing Crescent

Positivist: 3 Homer (2nd Month) [Anacreon)

Runic Half Month: Elhaz (Elk) [Day 10 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 42 of 90)

Sun Calendar: 1 Gray; Oneday [1 of 30]

Week: 4th & Last Week of January

Zodiac:

Tropical (Typical) Zodiac: Aquarius (Day 12 of 30)

Sidereal Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 17 of 29)

Schmidt Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 6 of 27)

IAU Boundaries (Current) Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 12 of 28)

IAU Boundaries (1977) Zodiac: Capricornus (Day 13 of 28)

Calendar Changes

Gray (Month 2 of 12; Sun Calendar)

Shaʿbān [شَعْبَان] (Islamic Calendar) [Month 8 of 12] (Scattered)

[creativemorningsrva]

THREAD | November 2024

This November we had a comeback from two of our virtual speakers. Thiss Richmond Community Discussion featured Ashley Williams & Michael-Birch Pierce as we explored their unique threads of creative expression and how art impacts life.

Catch the talk and inspiration here: THREAD Talk

Venue: Great Minds Photography: Antoine Robertson Videography: Double Take

A heartfelt thank you to our partners Frontier, Martin, Worth Higgins & Associates, Lavender Hill, Anthony Bryant, and The Anderson Accounting & Advising Group - for making this event possible.

[vaultathleticsandfitness]

The Benefits of Hiring a Personal Trainer for Athletes in Virginia

For athletes striving to reach peak performance, having a personal trainer is an invaluable asset. Whether you're a high school athlete preparing for collegiate sports, a weekend warrior looking to enhance your game, or a professional competitor, working with a personal trainer for athletes in Virginia can unlock new levels of strength, agility, and endurance.

Why Athletes Need Personal Trainers

Athletes have unique training needs that go beyond general fitness routines. A personal trainer specializes in developing customized workout programs tailored to the demands of an athlete's sport, position, and performance goals. In Virginia, personal trainers for athletes are experienced in working with individuals from a variety of sports disciplines, including basketball, soccer, track and field, and more.

By partnering with a personal trainer, athletes can benefit from:

Customized Training Programs: Each athlete has unique strengths, weaknesses, and goals. A personal trainer assesses these factors to create a program that enhances performance while addressing areas that need improvement.

Injury Prevention: Trainers understand the biomechanics of movement and can guide athletes through exercises that strengthen muscles, improve flexibility, and prevent injuries.

Recovery Strategies: Proper recovery is essential for consistent performance. Personal trainers educate athletes on effective recovery techniques, from stretching routines to nutritional guidance.

Motivation and Accountability: A personal trainer keeps athletes motivated and ensures they stay consistent with their training plans, even during challenging times.

Finding the Best Personal Trainer for Athletes Near You

Virginia boasts a range of training facilities and professionals who specialize in athletic development. Searching for a personal trainer for athletes near me in Virginia can lead you to experts who are equipped with advanced knowledge and the latest training techniques. Whether you're based in Richmond, Virginia Beach, or Northern Virginia, there are trainers who can cater to your specific needs.

When choosing a personal trainer, consider the following factors:

Credentials and Experience: Look for certifications from reputable organizations like the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) or the American Council on Exercise (ACE). Experience working with athletes in your sport is also essential.

Specialized Skills: Some trainers specialize in speed training, strength building, or agility enhancement. Select one whose expertise aligns with your goals.

Facility and Equipment: Ensure the training facility has state-of-the-art equipment and space to accommodate sport-specific drills.

Client Reviews: Testimonials from other athletes can provide insight into the trainer’s effectiveness and approach.

Athletic Development in Virginia

Virginia is a hub for athletic talent, with its vibrant sports culture and numerous athletic programs. From high school leagues to collegiate sports teams, athletes across the state are constantly seeking ways to improve their skills. Personal trainers in Virginia play a pivotal role in helping these athletes excel, preparing them for competitions at every level.

If you're searching for a personal trainer for athletes in Virginia, you're making an investment in your future success. These professionals have the knowledge and tools to take your performance to new heights.

Conclusion

The journey to athletic excellence requires dedication, discipline, and expert guidance. A personal trainer for athletes near me in Virginia offers the personalized attention and specialized training needed to help athletes achieve their goals. Whether you're aiming for improved speed, strength, or overall performance, hiring a personal trainer is a step toward becoming the best version of yourself on the field, court, or track.

Elevate your game today by partnering with a skilled personal trainer in Virginia—your ultimate ally in achieving peak athletic performance.

[jillpill08]

Why Timely Windscreen Repair in Richmond is Essential for Your Safety

Your car’s windscreen is more than just a window to the road ahead—it’s a crucial safety feature that protects you and your passengers. When cracks or chips occur, many drivers tend to delay repairs, thinking it’s a minor issue. However, ignoring even the smallest damage to your windscreen can have serious consequences. If you're in Richmond and facing windscreen damage, it's essential to prioritise a timely windscreen repair in Richmond to maintain your vehicle’s safety and roadworthiness.

The Importance of Windscreen Repairs

A small chip or crack in your windscreen might seem insignificant, but it can compromise the overall strength of your vehicle. Your windscreen plays a critical role in maintaining the car's structural integrity, especially in the event of a collision or rollover. Even minor damage can worsen over time due to fluctuating temperatures, vibrations, and road conditions. This is why a prompt windscreen repair in Richmond is not just a recommendation but a necessity for safe driving.

What Causes Windscreen Damage?

Windscreen damage can happen for various reasons, including debris from the road, flying stones, accidents, and extreme weather conditions. In areas like Richmond, the combination of urban traffic and unpredictable weather increases the likelihood of minor chips or cracks. These small damages can quickly grow, making the windscreen more vulnerable to breaking, especially under stress.

Benefits of Timely Windscreen Repair

Prevent Further Damage: One of the biggest advantages of repairing your windscreen promptly is preventing further damage. What starts as a small crack can quickly expand, leading to more expensive repairs or even a full windscreen replacement.

Cost-Effective: A quick windscreen repair in Richmond is much more affordable than waiting for the damage to spread. Many small chips and cracks can be fixed easily, saving you from the higher costs associated with full windscreen replacement.

Safety: Your windscreen is integral to your vehicle's safety, helping with the deployment of airbags and maintaining the car's structural integrity. By ignoring small cracks, you're not only putting yourself but also the passengers in your vehicle at risk.

Professional Windscreen Repair Services

Choosing the right service for your windscreen repair in Richmond is critical to ensuring high-quality results. Professional technicians, like those at Gold Class Windscreens, use state-of-the-art tools and materials to repair cracks and chips, restoring your windscreen to its original strength. They ensure that the repairs are seamless and meet the highest safety standards, allowing you to get back on the road with confidence.

When searching for a reliable service, look for one that offers quick turnaround times, transparent pricing, and experienced technicians. Gold Class Windscreens has built a strong reputation for providing efficient and affordable windscreen repair services in Richmond, ensuring their customers’ peace of mind.

Why You Shouldn’t Delay Windscreen Repair

Delaying windscreen repair can be more dangerous than you think. A small chip may seem harmless, but even minor damage can impair your visibility and weaken the windscreen’s ability to protect you in an accident. With Richmond’s unpredictable weather, the risk of small cracks expanding is even higher. Temperature changes can cause the glass to expand and contract, worsening existing damage. Avoiding a quick fix now can lead to costly consequences later, including the need for a full windscreen replacement.

Immediate windscreen repair in Richmond ensures that your vehicle remains roadworthy and reduces the likelihood of bigger issues arising in the future.

Maintaining Your Windscreen Post-Repair

Once your windscreen is repaired, there are some steps you can take to maintain its condition. Avoid extreme temperature changes, such as using hot water to clear frost, as this can cause repaired cracks to expand. Regularly inspect your windscreen for any new chips or cracks and get them fixed immediately. Following these basic maintenance tips will ensure that your repaired windscreen stays in top condition for as long as possible.

Conclusion

Windscreen repairs are an essential part of vehicle maintenance that should never be delayed. If you're in Richmond and facing windscreen damage, seeking professional services is crucial. Not only does prompt windscreen repair in Richmond save you from future expenses, but it also ensures your vehicle remains safe to drive.

Gold Class Windscreens offers fast, reliable, and affordable repair services, making them the go-to choice for windscreen repairs in the area. Don’t wait for a small crack to turn into a costly problem—address the issue today and ensure your safety on the road.

[lboogie1906]

James Richmond Barthé, known as Richmond Barthé (January 28, 1901 – March 5, 1989) was a sculptor associated with the Harlem Renaissance. He is known for his portrayal of African American subjects. The focus of his artistic work was portraying the diversity and spirituality of man. He once said: “All my life I have been interested in trying to capture the spiritual quality I see and feel in people, and I feel that the human figure as God made it, is the best means of expressing this spirit in man.”

He was born in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi to Richmond Barthé and Marie Clementine Robateau. His father died at age 22 when he was only a few months old.

He showed a passion and skill for drawing from an early age. His mother was, in many ways, instrumental in his decision to pursue art as a vocation. He once said: “When I was crawling on the floor, my mother gave me paper and a pencil to play with. It kept me quiet while she did her errands. At six years old I started painting. A lady my mother sewed for gave me a set of watercolors. By that time, I could draw very well.”

His debut as a professional sculptor was at The Negro in Art Week exhibition in Chicago. His first solo exhibition was held at the Women’s City Club in Chicago, exhibiting a selection of 38 works of sculpture, painting, and works on paper. The Whitney Museum of American Art decided to purchase a bronze copy of The Blackberry Woman after exhibiting it at the opening exhibition of Contemporary American Artists. He had an exhibition of 20 works of art at the South Side Community Art Center. The retrospective which included works from private collections shown for the first time, Richmond Barthé: The Seeker was the inaugural exhibition of the African American Galleries at the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum of Art in Biloxi.

His most recent retrospective, titled Richmond Barthé: His Life in Art, consisted of over 30 sculptures and photographs. The exhibition venues included the Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History, the California African American Museum, the Dixon Gallery and Gardens, and the NCCU Art Museum. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence

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Bungalows in New York City: A Hidden Architectural Gem

When people think of New York City, they often envision towering skyscrapers, bustling streets, and iconic landmarks like the Empire State Building or Central Park. However, nestled within the fabric of the city's vast architectural diversity is a lesser-known but charming housing style: the bungalow. While not as widespread as brownstones or high-rise apartments, bungalows  NYC represent an intriguing slice of the city's history and architectural heritage.

What is a Bungalow?

Bungalows are a style of small, single-family homes typically characterized by one or one-and-a-half stories, low-pitched roofs, and wide front porches. They became especially popular in the early 20th century as part of the Arts and Crafts movement, which emphasized simple, handcrafted design and a close connection to nature.

Although the bungalow style is most commonly associated with suburban developments in places like California or the Midwest, a few neighborhoods in NYC boast clusters of these quaint homes. Their presence offers a unique contrast to the more vertical and densely packed cityscape that surrounds them.

Where to Find Bungalows in NYC

The Bungalow Colonies of Far Rockaway (Queens): One of the most notable concentrations of bungalows in NYC can be found in the Far Rockaway area of Queens, especially near the ocean. Originally built as summer vacation homes for middle-class New Yorkers in the early 20th century, these bungalows provided a seaside escape from the city's heat. Though many have since been replaced or modified, clusters of these charming homes still exist, retaining their original coastal charm.

Richmond Hill (Queens): Another area where you can spot a number of bungalows is Richmond Hill. Developed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the neighborhood has a mixture of architectural styles, including a small but significant collection of bungalows. These homes, while more permanent than their Far Rockaway counterparts, still reflect the simple, functional design that defines the style.

Bungalow Row in Staten Island: Staten Island, known for its more suburban feel compared to the rest of the city, also has its fair share of bungalow-style homes. Bungalow Row, located in the South Beach neighborhood, is a unique enclave of these homes, many of which have been preserved or restored over the years. Their proximity to the waterfront adds to their charm, reminiscent of their original intent as vacation homes.

Other Notable Areas: While these three neighborhoods boast the highest concentrations of bungalows, scattered examples of this architectural style can be found in other parts of Queens, Brooklyn, and even the Bronx. These homes often exist as part of older, historic districts that have managed to retain their architectural diversity.

The Evolution and Future of Bungalows in NYC

In the early 20th century, bungalows were seen as an affordable and practical solution for middle-class families. They provided a sense of homeownership and space, with a small footprint and limited upkeep. However, as New York City grew and evolved, many of these homes were either replaced with larger apartment buildings or significantly altered to accommodate modern living needs.

In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in preserving and restoring these architectural gems. Their historical significance, combined with the allure of single-family living in a city dominated by high-rises, has made them an attractive option for homebuyers and preservationists alike.

However, the challenge remains: many of these bungalows are located in areas prone to flooding or coastal erosion, particularly those near the beaches in Queens and Staten Island. This has led to discussions about how to best protect and preserve these homes in the face of climate change and rising sea levels.

Conclusion

Though they may not be the first image that comes to mind when you think of New York City architecture, bungalows have carved out a unique and enduring place in the city's landscape. From the beachside retreats of Far Rockaway to the charming enclaves of Staten Island, these homes offer a glimpse into a different era of New York living. For those willing to seek them out, they provide a quiet, nostalgic retreat amid the hustle and bustle of the city.

As NYC continues to grow and change, the future of its bungalows will depend on the balance between development and preservation. But for now, they remain a testament to the city's architectural diversity and history.