#SUPPORT THE COMIC FAM LETS GET RISE BACK!!!

[sugarpasteltmnt]

LOUD SOBBING

[pageofheartdj]

SOOOO

We know there were supposed to be two more turtles, right? I don’t know the turtle lore but people have names: Venus and Jennika!

They would be their own characters, like everyone else in Rise so thankfully I don’t have to know much turle lore for this xD

FIRST. The ages! Wanna the girls to be the oldest sisters cause that would be funny xD And give Raph yet another existential crisis! He is not a leader anymore and he is not the oldest sibling anymore xD Mikey - 14, Donnie and Leo - 15, Raph - 16, Venus - 17, Jennika - 18.

Now, we know like 99% where is one of the turtles.

I wonder if Big Mama knows. There is a chance she doesn’t since she didn’t try once to pull anything with Lou. She probably found a turtle baby and took her in thinking she is a yokai and raised as her assistent. I hc her to be Venus.

The next own is my top favourite headcanon I will NEVER let go until canon says otherwise xD

JESSICA! Sounds suspiciously like Jennika xD And as far as I remember she is the only not-background girl who doesn’t have lipstick and in general her mouth is more wide, turtle-like. Now that makes me wonder what does this mean for her character and her not giving anything away to Leo. She described Leo’s look like a costume. Is she not aware or lying? And she herself looks like a human and I don’t see any cloaking brooch on her.

Their weapons probably would be from comics. With Venus wielding tessen? and Jennika wielding kuzuri?

NOW! The more specific headcanons xD Jennika is a bit taller than the twins and Venus is slightly shorter than the twins. yes kjsha

Their mystic abilities.

I don’t have much xD I would give Jennika illusions because she has to look like a human SOMEHOW. Would be cool for her to discover it on her own early on. I am curious how she ended up on the surface. Personal hc for now: she was found by a human and was took in and because she looked like a turtle she couldn’t get out and was home schooled by her overworked mom. That made her determined to learn how to fend for herself. She unlocked her mystic abilities, got into Lou Jitsu movies(everyone has to have it as a part of their childhood!!) and eventually got into wrestling where her showmanship’s strike was revealed and she quickly earned a stable job in there. She dislikes her turtleness and that’s why she refused to engage with Leo further.

And Venus? How about magnetic field. She can pull things in to herself and push them back for extra speed and damage. What if she did not discover it yet because of the repressed life style despite living among yokais. She also knew of Lou Jitsu and secretely idolized him. Though she knew about him not from movies from the human world, but from his fights in Nexus. She also unconsciously envied him for ‘getting away’. She is still loyal to Big Mama.

Now the relationships with the fam once they are discovered.

Jennika is very loyal to her mother but she is not interested in such a sudden big family. She is not much into it but is dragged anyway xD She can bond with Raph over their love for wrestling and will be openly critical about Leo’s humour(yes the Neon Leon xD) and not respect the squirt. Mikey will be fawning over her and she will be a bad influence on him, she likes him though, he is funky xD Donnie isn’t sure about her and constanly goes back and forth between liking her and being sus xD And she tries to use him which is not THAT hard xD (not malicious intent and hey the kid can get something out of it too xD)

Venus is... she WANTS a family but she doesn’t really know how to have one. The proper one. She is very much into hierarchy so she will be supportive with Leo being sort of adviser for him, but will shut Raph down, which will frustrate him. Mikey will be frustrated with her too, since he will try to be as open and welcoming with her as possible but she is just unreachable. She isn’t used to show her real emotions and frankly she doesn’t know how and doesn’t reciprocate Mikey’s attempts in inclusion. She will get along with Donnie very nicely though. Since Donnie doesn’t push himself on her and she is very interested in his science since she was deprived of human things.

[bigskydreaming]

Okay but so technically, Jason beginning his rise to power as the crime boss the Red Hood happened in the comics AT THE EXACT SAME TIME....as Dick was working undercover as an enforcer for the mob.

Dick literally even ‘auditioned’ for Black Mask????

So what if....dun dun dun....their paths crossed here? Before Jason even did most of the stuff that made him most infamous as the Red Hood and strained his homecoming with his family to the point of near impossibility? And Jason’s like....umm wtf??? But he’s pretty sure Dick’s just undercover and faking all this, but like....he’s a way better actor than Jason ever gave him credit for. (Because of course Dick is justifiably emo as hell at the time).

So he’s about ready to call off his little investigation and get back to his own plans, he’s let Dick distract him long enough....when things ramp up. And suddenly, Dick’s working for fucking Deathstroke and calling himself Renegade, and again, Jason would just like to know....umm wtf??? And Dick’s infiltrating the Secret Society of Supervillains or whatever they call themselves, WHICH Talia is a member of, and so in this AU, Talia’s like wait what is Nightwing up to here, AND because she’s Talia and is funding Jason/keeping tabs on him, she’s aware he’s been looking into what Dick’s doing...and so SHE cashes in some chips with Jason and says he owes her, and thus pulls him into the Society to act as her own enforcer, which puts him and Renegade in frequent contact and even running missions together, and Dick still has no idea that the Red Hood is Jason, because nobody but Talia knows at this point. 

And like....Jason finds himself bonding with this version of his brother more than he expected and he DOES NOT LIKE IT because it just feels WRONG, having certain things in common with him while they’re both working for freaking supervillains, and its like looking in a mirror and not at all liking what you see, and eventually of course Dick clues in because he’s depressed, he’s not all of a sudden a dumbass, and because family is the magic word with Dick all of a sudden its like “Must....claw....self...out...of...pit of despair...and drag little brother kicking and screaming along with me ugh he’s such a drama queen why” (lol Dick you lovable hypocrite. I mean, dont get me wrong, both Dick and Jason have EARNED their drama queen status, they worked HARD for that crown, but doesn’t mean they both don’t wear it with gusto).

And so it becomes a who’s saving who here, really, kinda thing, only they’re both kinda saving each other because that’s really the only way it works, and its the way it SHOULD work with that family anyway. And it definitely clears a path for Jason to be reunified with the family on MUCH better terms and like, actually a part of it, but don’t get me wrong, Jason’s still Jason and he still believes what he believes. He and Bruce still are gonna have to clash like that in a big way, but Jason’s less invested in like, proving it AT his family’s expense here, and he’s got more support from the sibs here due to not like....trying to kill half of them at some point, so I picture him ending up in like a Red Hood and the Outlaws kinda team ultimately, but where he’s on good terms with most of his family except for tense but okay-ish terms with Bruce, and he’ll kill when he has to but doesn’t go LOOKING for opportunities to do it just to make a point, and Bruce is super not happy about that but in this AU we stan a democratic Batfamily not a dictatorship so the rest of the fam is like boo hoo, you big baby, get over it, you’re outvoted and we’re not letting you kick our brother out of the family, who even does that.

And they all live dysfunctionally ever after. I mean its comics, so they die a lot too, but they always come back, bc plot armor is fucking amazing like that. Highly recommend.

[littleredinmotion]

Top 10 Klaroline Fandom Moments

This is it guys. Tomorrow is the beginning of the end. With Klaroline coming back tomorrow, I’ve been thinking a lot about the past 7 years and all the great memories I’ve made in the Klaroline fandom and I thought it’d be cool to flashback to some of my favorite moments this fandom has been though starting with number 10 and counting all the way back to number 1...

10. The Originals

More like the announcement of The Originals. Ever since they were introduced, fans (especially Klaroline fans) had been begging for the Original fam to get the spotlight they deserved. When it was first announced that the Originals were getting a spin off, I was the first person to say how excited I was because 1) Klaus is my favorite and 2) it opened the gate to making Klaroline more that just a supporting ship. Many other people in the fandom agreed. There were so many fanmade trailers and manips that kept the hope for Klaroline alive even though the writers stupidly tried to keep them apart for 4 seasons. I mean who can forget the iconic fanmade Klaroline/Originals poster that made it in an actual magazine! 

9. Comic Con 2016

Probably the most unexpected attack of Klaroline feels I’ve ever had in my life was in 2016 when Candice and Joseph were at the same SDCC party together much less ENDED UP IN 3 DIFFERENT PICTURES TOGETHER. No one was expecting Jodice to interact because... well... the cast hates giving us what we want. But out of the blue we were graced with these horribly lighted and Persia filled pictures that to any other fandom may have been nothing but to us it was HUGE that they were even breathing the same air!

8. The Meltdown Post 5x11

Watching 5x11 live for the first time is still one of the best times I’ve had watching TV in my entire life. Seeing Klaus and Caroline kiss after YEARS of waiting was the most rewarding experience (even though they havent breathed the same air since). I remember so vividly watching that scene and screaming and crying and jumping up and down and I don’t think and moment of TV will ever give me that level of excitement ever again. But to make it better, I loved seeing everyone else in the fandom react to it as well. Knowing that after all the years of waiting that we all rejoiced together at the same time was such a cool thing to experience that I’ll cherish forever. 

7. British Acting Lessons

This video was iconic and legendary in the Golden Age of the Klaroline fandom. Oh how I wished they would have made a part 2...

6. TVD endgame

Going into the TVD series finale the only hint from Julie about Klaroline is that we would “sort of” see them which was easily taken to mean “you’re gonna be let down” because we had been let down so many times that it was almost second nature... BUT BOY WERE WE WRONG. Seeing that Caroline’s last scene on TVD being her smiling at a letter from Klaus with Alaric saying “that’s the beginning of another story” was more than I could have even dreamed of. With no promise that The Originals would even be picked up for season 5 or that Candice would even crossover at all, in that time, the entire Klaroline fandom took that ending as a sign of endgame in the future. The promise that Klaus was still waiting “however long it takes” and that their story was only just beginning wasn’t a “and they lived happily ever after” ending but it was pretty dang close which was more than I could have ever imagined. 

5. Shooting the end of Season 4

Along with the British Acting Lessons, Joseph and Candice made it so clear that big things were in store for Klaroline. Knowing that they were shooting 4x13, 4x14, 4x17, 4x18, 4x19, and 4x23, the fandom was in full swing and we were THRIVING. Seeing all the BTS photos and watching slowly to see how all this new Klaroline content would unfold was such a thrill. There was always new content from the creators and the fans and it really was the most fun time to be in the Klaroline fandom. Of course with it all ending with Klaus intending to be her last love and waiting for her however long it takes, that was more than enough to sustain us throughout the Great Klaroline Drought that is finally almost over. 

4. The Summer Before S4

This time was so especially important to me and I am so thankful for it because this was the time when I hastily binge watched all of TVD SPECIFICALLY for Klaroline. Before I even watched the show, I can say I shipped Klaroline. If it weren’t for this amazing fandom with their fan vids I never would have known about this beautiful ship or even watched the show at all. I remember watching a Klaroline vid and thinking “wow they have so much chemistry and seem like something I would totally ship I need to check out this show.” I without a doubt watched this entire show solely to see Klaus and Caroline interact and I still do to this day. I remember waking up at like 5 in the morning one day in August before school just because I had finally gotten to the episode where Klaus appeared and I’ve been hooked to that man ever since. Though I didnt join the fandom until season 4, I am so thankful for the fans that came before me because it was THEM that led me to Klaroline and have absolutely changed my life. 

3. The Date

Finding out that Klaus was gonna be Caroline’s date to Miss Mystic Fall put the entire KC fandom into a frenzy. I remember everyone speculating about what would happen and while most of our headcanons never happened, those scenes are still some of my absolute favorites. During that time the whole fandom was so positive about Klaroline becoming canon and everything was going our way and it was so much fun. We’ve been though so many hard times as Klaroline fans but the weeks before 4x07 were definitely some of the greatest times in the Klaroline fandom when things were actually going our way. But I’ll never forgive Plec for cutting out that scene where apparently THEY KISSED and all we got from it was that iconic still....

2. Shooting The Originals 5x13

Knowing that Klaroline was gonna be in more scenes together and SEEING THEM ACTUALLY FILM THEM are two completely different things. I remember when the videos from them filming in NOLA were released that I actually couldnt believe it. It had been so rare to see Candice and Joseph in the same picture together and have it not be a manip but to have actual footage of them playing Klaus and Caroline in the TO finale was such a triumphant moment. Knowing that no matter what the final episode of The Originals will end with Caroline in NOLA just like Klaus said he wanted in the pilot was such a great way to bring things full circle. Seeing the videos it was like I could feel the fandom rising from the ashes. I’m so thankful that the KC fandom never once gave up on them but we finally are getting the respect we deserve. 

1. The Australian Promo

If you’ve been in this fandom for a while you already know how ICONIC this promo was. Before 5x11 aired, all we knew was that Klaus was making an appearance and that he was gonna have at least one scene with Caroline. THEN the Australian promo for 5x11 dropped and THE FANDOM WENT NUTS. Before the promo a couple optimists guessed that maybe Klaus and Caroline would finally kiss but after how horrible the writers of TVD and TO had been to us since The Originals started, most of the fandom was super doubtful. But about 24 hours before the episode actually aired the promo dropped in Australia what confirmed that in fact Klaroline was gonna kiss. Usually I hate spoilers but having a 24 hour notice before your OTP officially becomes canon gave way to the best experience in fandom I’ve ever had in my life. The entire fandom was so HYPE and we were all 100% prepared for the Klaroline kiss we had been waiting YEARS for (lol we WEREN’T ready for the hot Klarosex though). Seeing that tiny glimpse of Klaus and Caroline leaning into kiss in that iconic gif from the promo still gives me chills. I have never seen a fandom so excited and hyped as I did in those short 24 hours and honestly it was my favorite experience as a Klaroliner.

It’s been a great 6 years being part of this fandom. I can’t wait to see how it all will end. Let me know some of your favorite Klaroline fandom memories and why! I’d love to reminisce all the good and bad times we’ve been through together. I can’t wait to take on this one last ride with my Klarofam. 

[blschaos3000-blog]

Its 12:43 pm Hot in Topeka

Welcome to another edition of “8 Questions with……”

So I went back to the well and went looking for another bunch of talented and committed folks who wanted to share their stories with me. They say the third time is the charm and after getting the responses that I have received this go around,I am a total believer in that saying. Which is great considering all the flakes and posers (oh yeah,I do get those as well) I had to deal with in the past month or so. What better way to get the ball rolling then getting the chance to chat with one of the most talented and skilled performers I have met,the incredible Carolyn Paine. This mazing hard working lady is dancer,stand-up comic,actress and is also highly sought after choreographer.  She is a teacher,activist,runs a podcast and is most likely a member of some superhero group in her spare time. Carolyn has reinvented one of the oldest Christmas traditions,taking “The Nutcracker” and turning it from old and stale into something beautiful,colorful and appealing to all ages.  She also used dance as way to express how domestic violence is with us and in many states is back on the rise,its a reminder that we as a society still have a long way to go but we can get there by loving and respecting our partners. Please check out the video that I added to Carolyn’s interview. Oh,did I mention that Carolyn is close friends with Prince Harry??? Its true and Carolyn was kind enough to share a couple of pictures of the Prince himself…you don’t meet too many people who personally know Royalty,even the cheetah was impressed by that…

Well come along with me as I adagio in and ask Carolyn 8 Questions……

    Please introduce yourself and tell us what you are currently working on.

I am Carolyn Paine and I am a dancer, choreographer, actress, and comedian. Currently I just finished working on a short dance film called “Pulling” that I choreographed, directed, and danced.

In this 3 minute dance, I look at domestic violence through heart-wrenching and dynamic choreography. Statistics state 1 in 3 women will experience domestic violence in their lifetime. My work aims to inspire those affected by this issue, or anyone who thinks someone in their life is being affected, to know they are not alone and to consider speaking out and getting help because most cases of domestic abuse are never reported.

Making this video was emotionally and physically exhausting. The choreography was inspired by my personal experiences. I have sadly seen first hand and from close friends that abuse comes in many forms. And I felt that telling this kind of story through dance on film is such a beautiful, intimate, and powerful way to look at an abusive relationship because it offers a unique perspective in how you can show the emotional and physical struggle.

“Pulling” is my fourth short film and my third film done with social purpose. My comedic political musical short film “You Can’t Do That” recently was a winner at the Women in Comedy Festival and the International Comedy Festival in California.

You can watch the video online-see my website at www.carolynpaine.com.

Also, on the theme of domestic violence, I have recently been doing a podcast about the HBO show “Big Little Lies” called Big Little Podcast with two other friends that I are regular guest panelists on the same WNPR radio show I am on. We started this podcast because we are fans of the show and always needed to get together with wine to cope, watch, and discuss. So we figured why not record it and make it a podcast. It’s the closest I am probably ever getting to working on something with Meryl Streep. You can check it out on itunes and stitcher or at www.thebiglittlepodast.com.

   What was it like growing up in your home? Is your family artistic?

My family is not artistic necessarily, but they certainly supported the arts and exposed my brother and me to them. I grew up in Boston, MA and we were very lucky to be able to get to experience all the culture there including museums, music, theatre, dance. So I got lots of inspiration from and education in the arts even at a young age. And growing up, my brother and I would engage in a lot of creative play together. We also loved watching movies-especially comedies and I gathered a lot of inspiration from that. And I totally pushed my creativity and love of performing on all around me. Several times I led my neighborhood friends into putting on full scale productions for our parents and other neighbors and friends. I was just a natural born performer and director who was lucky to be in a home environment that encouraged me, supported me, and let me dream big.

You are the definition of multi-talented- actor,dancer,stand-up comic…which came first to you growing up? How do you balance yourself as all three crafts have different demands?

So growing up I started studying dance young. I was in the professional training program at Boston Ballet starting at the age of 7 and was one of their select professional child performers. So that was an amazing experience to grow up backstage in professional productions. I always loved performing and knew from a young age that it was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I started getting involved in theatre and studying acting more when I was in high school and my degree from college is in theatre. It is hard to balance life in multiple areas, but honestly I have always felt that it keeps me busy and energized to work in all three. The challenges with scheduling, rehearsals, physical demands and training as a dancer, and traveling for gigs can be a lot but in pursuing all three I am almost always busy which is better than being bored or not working! Plus I love when I get to combine all three-whether it be through short dance comedy videos I create or on stage in a show. I feel proud that I have accomplished so much in each area and that not just one thing defines me and my life.

 What is CONNetic Dance?

CONNetic Dance is the professional contemporary dance company I founded in CT 10 years ago. I had been dancing professionally around the world with various choreographers and dance companies and I was inspired to create my own place to make dance collaboratively and evolve the possibilities of combining different genres of dance and art and theatre to make productions and works that changed the way people see dance. Making it fun and accessible. The company has grown a lot over time but it has been amazing to get to continue to work with many of the same artists I started it with. Funding for the arts is hard, so we don’t get to perform as much as I would like, but it has been a great experience to have this troupe to work with and create on. We also have gotten involved in communities in CT doing outreach programs, education, and inspiring the next generation of dancers who think outside the box. And I love that.

 You have reinvented the holiday classic “The Nutcracker”,what did you do and how was it received?

My “Nutcracker Suite & Spicy” is my brain child. I am so proud of this show and still in awe that my vision became a reality and now is celebrating its 10th season! This show is unlike anything you have seen. It takes the classic holiday ballet that is so old-fashioned and not at all culturally woke and shakes it up and makes it wild and funny and relatable. I have an amazing cast of talented professional dancers filling the stage with hip hop, acrobatics, ballet, ballroom, jazz, and tap. The score is Tchaicovsky’s but some different versions including Duke Ellington’s as well as hip hop, rock, and techno remixes. The show packs in audiences and I love how the audiences just feed off the energy on stage and really appreciate this modern take. I knew that we for sure needed a reboot of this holiday dance show, and that’s what I set out to create, but I wasn’t sure early on if audiences would embrace it. But they have and it has been so fun to see the show grow and become a real part of the holiday season in CT and get recognition beyond. I would love to see this show tour nationally. It really is the most fun holiday dance show you could imagine. We have ugly Christmas sweaters, tap dancing soldiers, a dizzying snowball scene with ballet dancers doing acrobatic dancing while floating on giant pearly white snowballs, and a sassy hip hop Sugar Rum. What else could you want?

 What do you draw upon for your stand-up sets? Can you walk us through your process?

I think that with writing stand up, it’s like with anything you write, you should write about what you know. So for me I focus on personal experiences, struggles, anecdotes, weird observations…..I find that the things that I am so embarrassed about or worrying about are the things that I can make the funniest. And those things are also so relatable-it’s just that most people don’t get up on stage and talk about them. As a comedian you have this great power because you can help people feel less isolated and laugh at themselves by allowing them to enjoy laughing at you and your struggles-that are often the same problems that a lot of us have. I love when people come up to me and say that they totally related to what I was saying-especially when it is something absolutely ridiculous like eating moldy bread thinking it was multigrain or a bit about moving a lightbulb from one room to another because I don’t have my life together enough to remember to buy more lightbulbs. So my process is about finding those things that are awful, annoying, or stressful in daily life and making them funny.

 Why do you think comedians can effortlessly do drama but dramatic actors can’t do comedy? (I’m always amazed at how great comedians can do this…)

I think it is because a lot of comedians, including myself, draw some of their comedy from the darker sides of life, experiences, and feelings. I have often found that when I am struggling or going through a lot of stuff, I am funnier. Or when I have close friends or family struggling, it has always been my instinct to be the clown to get them laughing again, even if for a moment. It is my coping mechanism. And I have read that several great comedians feel the same way. So I think that the fact that a lot of comics may actually kind of live in this darker place that they aim to bring light to makes it in some ways easier for comedians to go dark in their performances and embody dramatic roles. Also, comics are used to putting themselves out there- fully exposing themselves and taking risks so they apply that same approach to drama. That’s my theory anyway.

 What were the three best pieces of advice given to you professionally and how have you applied them to your career?

Well, I think for sure the best advice I was ever given was from some agent I met with early on who was helping me get started in commercial acting and said “no matter what make sure you show up looking like your headshot” So true.

But also, my college theatre professor, Sally Porterfield, was an amazing influence who gifted me so much inspiration and influenced me a lot. One of the things she taught me that really helped me to drop inhibitions and approach all performing without fear was telling me that everyone is so worried about themselves that they aren’t even thinking about you. That’s good advice in life too. Sometimes we do or say something and we are so mortified and dwell on it, but chances are the other person or people who were there didn’t even realize it as they were probably freaking out in their own heads. This kind of freedom from judgement helped me not worry about looking pretty, or being silly, or getting dirty and allowed me to just open myself up to risks and just be more me. I really think I would never have had as much courage to pursue comedy without her having helped me get past myself.

Also, I had some amazing dance teachers along the way. I was so lucky to get to study ballet from the Ballet Academy in Monte Carlo with ballet great Nureyev’s teacher, Marika Bresobrasova. She was both terrifying and loving. Sometimes she would sit there and watch you dance and you could feel her eyes going through your body into your soul. She once said that she could see I “needed to dance.” And she was right. I do. Dancing is so hard that you have to need to do it. I carry that with me, even on days where I have to dance but I don’t want to do be doing anything but sitting at home on my couch.

 What does “creative” mean to you?

Creative to me means pushing past your own comfort zone and finding something that challenges you to produce thoughts and art that excites you. Maybe even scares you because of how much work it will take to get to the end result you envision. But, in the end, I find those are the creative projects and risks that are most worth it.

 What challenges you the most?

Getting up and being somewhere before 10am.

 What advice would you give someone who wants to start a performing career?

Go. Try lots of things. Be on time. Don’t be afraid. Know that you are being judged constantly but try not to let it get to you too much. And show up looking like your headshot.

 Which do you prefer as an actress- live theater or film and why?

Theatre. Because I for sure love the feeling of that high from a live audience and applause.

The cheetah and I are flying in to watch you dance but we are a day early and you’re now our tour guide,what are we doing?

Ok, so let’s say you are coming to Hartford, CT to see The Nutcracker Suite & Spicy where it is performing at the beautiful and historic Aetna Theatre at the Wadsworth Atheneum. I would say for starters, you have to check out the Wadsworth-it is the oldest art museum in the country and houses amazing classic and contemporary works of art. Then you should go get a delicious and ridiculous instagram worthy milkshake from The Place 2 Be restaurant also in Hartford. Next, because it is Christmas time, go see the Victorian decorations at the historic home of the great author/humorist Mark Twain. And if you are lucky you may also see a ghost there. I hear it is haunted and I for sure love a good mystery and ghost story. And then I’ll go grab a delicious cocktail with you at this bar called Tisane.

    I like to thank the lovely and talented Carolyn Paine for agreeing to have a chat with us. She doesn’t know it yet but we aren’t done with her just yet but more that later… But for now,you can follow Carolyn on her social media platforms:

twitter: @carolynpaine

instagram: @c__paine Follow Carolyn’s IMDb page

Feel free to drop a comment below!! Thank you for your continued support!

8 Questions with……..dancer/actress/comedian Carolyn Paine Its 12:43 pm Hot in Topeka Welcome to another edition of "8 Questions with......" So I went back to the well and went looking for another bunch of talented and committed folks who wanted to share their stories with me.