#Sarah Bowden

[faded-florals]

[derekklenadaily]

• July 30, 2023 - Derek, Jojo Levesque, Maya Bowles, and Sarah Bowden all took their final bows at 'Moulin Rouge'. Each of them embarked on new exciting journeys in their lives and continued on with their respective career paths as an actor, actress, dancer, singer, teacher and including an author!

Several months later, all of us got surprise news that Derek would be returning to the stage again at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. Derek reprised his role as Christian from February 6th to July 21st alongside Courtney Reed as Satine. Following their run, Jojo took over the role of Satine, performing alongside Aaron Tveit as Christian from July 23rd to October 13th, marking their final performances.

(source: https://www.instagram.com/p/CvXeZt9ucyi/?igsh=YTVuOWRzcG12YnBw and **credits to @michaelah.jpg and @moulinrougebway **)

[ballumville]

Oh, the good life...💖

Another majestic queen, Sarah.💖

[reppyy]

[medium-observation]

September Release!

The Lord of the Rings - Chicago Shakespeare Theater

August 28, 2024 (Matinée) - Medium Observation

Video

Cast:

Spencer Davis Milford (Frodo), Michael Kurowski (Sam), Lauren Zakrin (Galadriel), Ben Mathew (Pippin), Will James Jr. (Aragorn/Strider), Tom Amandes (Gandalf), Tony Bozzuto (Gollum), Alina Taber (Arwen), Eileen Doan (Merry), Matthew C. Yee (Boromir), Justin Albinder (Legolas), Ian Maryfield (Gimli), Jeff Parker (Elrond/Saruman), Rick Hall (Bilbo Baggins/Steward), Suzanne Hannau (Rosie Cotton), John Lithgow (Voice of Treebeard), Joey Faggion (Ensemble), Mia Hilt (Ensemble), James Mueller (Ensemble), Jarais Musgrove (Ensemble), Hannah Novak (Ensemble), Adam Qutaishat (Ensemble), Laura Savage (Ensemble), Bernadette Santos Schwegel (Ensemble), Ty Shay (s/w Ensemble), Luke Nowakowski (s/w Ensemble)

Notes:

Fantastic capture of this incredibly immersive and beautiful production. there is a bar in the bottom right corner of the screen that doesn't take away except for one moment where Gandalf and Frodo are talking on the stairs in act one, but overall I worked around it and you can always see Frodo and sometimes Gandalf. At points people are in the audience and I wasn't able to capture them but you can always hear them and I do my best to always try to make sure to capture anything in the audience that I could. Some washout and shakiness throughout.

NFT Date: March 1st, 2025

Screenshots: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBFvi6

Video is $20

Moulin Rouge! The Musical - First US National Tour

April 7, 2024 - Medium Observation

Video

Cast:

Christian Douglas (Christian), Nicci Claspell (u/s Satine), Amar Atkins (u/s Harold Zidler), Nick Rashad Burroughs (Toulouse-Lautrec), Andrew Brewer (The Duke of Monroth), Jordan Vasquez (u/s Santiago), Sarah Bowden (Nini), Renee Marie Titus (La Chocolat), Adea Michelle Sessoms (u/s Arabia), Max Heitmann (Baby Doll), Kamal Lado (Pierre), Tommy Gedrich, Tamrin Goldberg, Cameron Hobbs, Nathaniel Hunt, Chloe Rae Kehm, Melissa Hunter McCann, Luke Monday, Tanisha Moore, Kenneth Michael Murray, Elyse Niederee, Omar Nieves, Kent Overshown, Stefanie Renee Salyers, Connor McRory

Notes:

Really beautiful capture of Nicci, Amar and Jordan as Satine, Zidler and Santiago respectively. Some washout and shakiness throughout.

NFT Date: March 1st, 2025

Screenshots: https://www.flickr.com/gp/196227588@N02/a6RiV4g980

Video is $20

Beetlejuice - First US National Tour

June 30, 2024 - Medium Observation

Video

Cast:

Justin Collette (Beetlejuice), Isabella Esler (Lydia Deetz), Megan McGinnis (Barbara Maitland), Will Burton (Adam Maitland), Jesse Sharp (Charles Deetz), Sarah Litzsinger (Delia Deetz), Hillary Porter (Miss Argentina), Abe Goldfarb (Otho), Brian Vaughn (Maxie Dean), Maria Sylvia Norris (Maxine Dean/Juno), Madison Mosley (Girl Scout)

Notes:

Beautiful Capture of Abe, Larkin and Haley's last performance with the company. My camera was having a lot of issues for Act 1, 2 minutes is missing during ready set (still has audio), And then after every song there's a short 2 second blackout. Act 2 is perfect with no issues with my camera. Also the last US stop before a month break and then Mexico! Some washout and shakiness throughout.

NFT Date: March 1st, 2025

Screenshots: https://www.flickr.com/gp/196227588@N02/7B2h6860bv

Video is $18

Videos can be purchased through me at mediumobservationtrading@gmail.com

Discord Server: https://discord.gg/ZGMqkeb9p5

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Matt Davies :: @MatttDavies

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

September 11, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson

Sep 12, 2024

Today’s fallout from last night’s presidential debate between Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican nominee former president Donald Trump has shown Harris solidifying her dominant position. Trump increasingly looks as if the anger he has been displaying is a way to hide the fear that he is losing control. 

After debates, surrogates for a nominee talk to journalists in what’s known as a “spin room,” where they try to spin the event in favor of their candidate. John Bowden of The Independent described his time in last night’s spin room as “the strangest moments of my political career.” As usual, Republican surrogates immediately attacked the moderators for fact-checking the debate.

But it was clear, Bowden wrote, that the campaign officials were panicking. Even Fox News Channel reporters said that Trump had performed badly, and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called the debate a “disaster.” But MAGA Republicans, whom Trump has elevated far beyond any position they could achieve without him, were lashing out on his behalf. 

Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance attacked the moderators and doubled down on the lie that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating their neighbors’ pets, despite statements from Springfield police and the town manager that there is no evidence for such a statement. Anti-immigrant Trump advisor Stephen Miller melted down when Hispanic reporter José María Del Pino asked him where he got his figures saying that crime in Venezuela had dropped dramatically. 

The Trump campaign had told reporters that Vance would be the top surrogate for the evening, but after the debate, Trump himself appeared in the spin room to override his surrogates’ attempts to blame his performance on the moderators and instead assure reporters that he had won the debate. It is highly unusual for a candidate to go to the spin room in person, and his appearance demonstrated that Trump was aware that he was in trouble. Reporters seemed to agree: “If you won tonight, why are you here?” one can be heard saying to him. “Why not let the performance speak for itself?”

“Trump has come in the spin room and he is desperately trying to get the attention that I think he needs as oxygen at this point,” an MSNBC reporter told MSNBC host Rachel Maddow. “Is he literally standing there like he’s his own surrogate trying to get people to talk to him about his own performance?” Maddow asked. “Wow. That’s something. That is not a sign of strength or confidence in your own performance when you’re trying to extend past the final bell….” 

Answering questions did not appear to help him. When asked once again to answer whether he would veto a national abortion bill, he answered: “It was a perfect answer on abortion, and I’ve done a great job on that, and I’ve brought our country together.” And then he walked out.

All day today, he posted and reposted statements that he had won the debate—including a message of support from former Tenet Media commentator Benny Johnson, whose paycheck was paid by Russia—but it was hard to miss that Trump’s performance was historically bad. Sarah Longwell of The Bulwark, who studies focus groups, said that “[a]cross the board,’ a “focus group of swing voters from swing states” thought Harris won the debate. Longtime Republican pollster Frank Luntz went on record saying that Trump’s debate performance would cost him the presidential race. The Harris campaign’s ongoing trolling of Trump was perhaps even harsher: it posted the entire hour and forty minute debate as a campaign ad.

Meanwhile, by 2:00 this afternoon, Taylor Swift’s endorsement had prompted 337,826 people to start the process of registering to vote. 

All day today, reporters fact checked Trump’s statements, proving them lies. But lies have never damaged him; they reinforce his dominance by forcing subordinates to agree that the person in charge gets to determine what reality is. Victims must surrender either their integrity or their ownership of their own perceptions; in either case, once they have agreed to a deliberate lie, it becomes harder to challenge later ones since that means acknowledging the other times they caved.

That’s why the lie about the size of the crowd at Trump’s inauguration is so important: it is the foundational lie on which all the others stand. Harris, who spent her legal career dealing with criminals and abusers who depend on this technique, knew exactly how to undermine it. She made fun of it, making his “obsession with crowd sizes” a national joke. The jokes set him off not only because he cannot bear to be laughed at, but also because challenging that lie challenges all the others. 

Following Harris’s lead, posters on social media turned to memes today, setting Trump’s assertion that “they’re eating the cats,” to Vince Guaraldi’s theme “Linus and Lucy” from the Peanuts movies, for example, and designing the same statement as a Dr. Seuss book, as well as posting pictures of live pets wrapped in bread and rolls. 

Observers correctly noted that the racist trope of immigrants eating pets dehumanizes marginalized people who are already vulnerable, putting them in danger. While posters and media have repeatedly pointed out that the Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are there legally and have revitalized the city, making fun of those sharing such a stupid lie has a different kind of potential to defang it.  

And, aside from Trump’s evident worry, there are signs that Trump is vulnerable. House speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) had scheduled a vote today on the continuing resolution to fund the government before the government will have to shut down on October 1. That measure included the voter suppression measure Trump demanded yesterday in all caps. Today, Johnson pulled the vote. 

Republicans are also breaking with Trump over the idea of an interest rate cut. Trump does not want the Fed to lower the cost of borrowing money before the election despite the softening job market—cheaper money should bolster the economy and provide more jobs—and has vowed that if he is reelected, he will take control of the Fed, which is now an independent institution. But Republicans are backing away from his demands. Representative Dan Meuser, a Trump supporter from the swing state of Pennsylvania, told Jasper Goodman and Eleanor Mueller of Politico that he supports a cut. “You’ve got to put the greater good ahead of looking political,” he said. 

Today the share price of Trump Media & Technology Group (DJT), the owner of the Truth Social platform, fell to new lows. The stock fell more than 10% today, ending the day at $16.68 from a high over $60 a share in April. In May, Trump’s stock was valued at more than $6 billion, although the company is losing money and has very few users. The drop over the last several months has wiped away more than $4 billion of that value. Trump needs money for his legal bills and settlements, as well as his businesses, and can begin to cash out on his stock soon, but selling much of it was always going to be a problem because if he dumped it, the bottom would fall out. Now selling is a problem because its value is dropping. 

In the face of concern that Trump and Vance have been suggesting they would challenge the results of the 2024 election, the Department of Homeland Security took steps to protect the January 6, 2025, session of Congress that will count the electoral votes that will decide the presidency. They have put January 6, 2025, on the same security level as the Super Bowl or a major event like the U.N. General Assembly. 

Finally, today is the 23rd anniversary of 9/11, the day terrorists from the al-Qaeda network used four civilian airplanes as weapons against the United States, and Trump used its commemoration to demonstrate another dominance trait: that he will behave however he wishes. Trump attended a remembrance with right-wing extremist Laura Loomer, who has shared not only the false pet-eating conspiracy theory, but also the false theory that “9/11 was an Inside Job!” Recently, she posted an appalling attack on Vice President Harris. Today she posted that she joined Trump because “I believe in unconditional loyalty to those who are deserving. And there is nobody more deserving of our loyalty and unwavering support than Donald Trump."

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris each issued statements about the anniversary. Biden vowed that the nation will never forget the attack, those lost, their families, and “the heroic citizens and survivors who rushed to help their fellow Americans. And never forget that when faced with evil—and an enemy that sought to tear us apart—we endured.”

Harris echoed Biden. She also emphasized the national unity the crisis created as people came together to deny the terrorists the achievement of their goal “to attack and destroy our way of life—our democracy, our freedoms, and everything we hold dear as Americans.” She thanked the military personnel who served in Afghanistan and elsewhere to root out terrorism, and urged Americans to “reflect on what binds us together as one: the greatest privilege on Earth, the pride and privilege of being an American.” 

All three were at a commemoration of 9/11 today. Trump and Harris shook hands, and he tried the dominance trick of using the handshake to pull Harris toward him, which she firmly resisted. His social media website confirmed that the world of professional wrestling is very much on Trump’s mind as he apparently tried to reassure himself he, and not Kamala Harris, is the dominant political figure in the country. He clearly doesn’t want to agree to another debate and is trying to spin his reluctance as a show of power. 

“In the World of Boxing or U[ltimate] F[ighting] C[hampionship] when a Fighter gets beaten or knocked out, they get up and scream, ‘I DEMAND A REMATCH, I DEMAND A REMATCH!’” he wrote. “Well, it’s no different with a Debate. She was beaten badly last night. Every Poll has us WINNING, in one case, 92–8, so why would I do a Rematch?”

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[toofunktastic]

Thanks to @angelofmusicals87614 making covers i felt inspired to track the two audios I gifted out so linking them again:

Moulin Rouge! The Musical - First US National Tour September 24, 2023 - madeapactwithsatan Matinée

Cast: Yvette González-Nacer (Satine), John Cardoza (Christian), Austin Durant (Harold Zidler), Andrew Brewer (The Duke), Nick Rashad Burroughs (Toulouse-Lautrec), Pepe Muñoz (u/s Santiago), Libby Lloyd (Nini), Harper Miles (La Chocolat), Nicci Claspell (Arabia), Max Heitmann (Baby Doll), Kamal Lado (Pierre)

Notes: Last show for Yvette, John, Austin, Libby and Jennifer Wolfe. They made a speech recognizing everyone departing the show which is included in the video. Also I'm sorry not sorry for all the crying at the end. Never to be posted on any social media.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical - First US National Tour January 4, 2024 - madeapactwithsatan

Cast: Mark Doyle (u/s Christian), Arianna Rosario (alt Satine), Robert Petkoff (Harold Zidler), Andrew Brewer (The Duke), Kevyn Morrow (s/b Toulouse-Lautrec), Danny Burgos (Santiago), Sarah Bowden (Nini), Harper Miles (La Chocolat), Nicci Claspell (Arabia), Max Heitmann (Baby Doll), Kamal Lado (Pierre)

Notes: Everyone should see Moulin Rouge in Ohio actually especially for their 10th time seeing tour. Mark and Arianna's second time on together and they were incredible! Gift upon request, but do not ever post anywhere publicly including (especially) on any social media.

[lakecountylibrary]

Read -> Reading -> To-Read

Here's what's been in Beth's TBR pile lately!

✅ Just Finished:

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

This magical novel is a love letter to books, readers, authors, libraries and bookshops. Traveling between 1922 and a modern timeline, Woods captivates the reader by weaving magic with reality. She builds extremely strong, passionate and complex women in Opaline, Martha and Madame Bowden while keeping in line with the events evolving around them. Small but special appearances by James Joyce and Ernest Hemingway will delight readers, as will locations in France, England and Ireland.

Last Call at the Local by Sarah Grunder Ruiz

A charming rom-com, especially perfect for March (set in Cobh)! Raine and Jack's charisma and connection will have readers chuckling and cheering. Jack has OCD and runs the LOCAL pub. Raine has recently dropped out of medical school, copes with ADHD and travels the world playing music. Full of lovable characters, readers will breeze through this novel and feel full-hearted after.

♾️ Currently Listening: Factory Girls by Michelle Gallen

Perfect match for viewers of series Derry Girls. Maeve Murray and her friends work in the local factory as they await the results of their exams and what they hope will be the start of their new lives—away from their small town and The Troubles.

🔮 To Read: We Don't Know Ourselves: A Personal History of Modern Ireland by Fintan O'Toole

I'm looking forward to reading this author's viewpoints on growing up in a changing Ireland. The prelude indicates a promising journey through his experiences.

See more of Beth's recs

[marivelsblog1503]

🚑 Parte I: ¿Hasta dónde hemos llegado? 🩺

Con: 557 palabras en total. Anterior: || Índice: || Siguiente: Los personajes que conoceremos en esta historia, a partir de ahora. © Todos los derechos reservados.

«— La vida es muy cruel, las personas pueden cambiar, algunas permanecen igual. —»

«— El dolor y la perdida son difíciles de olvidar, por más que lo intentes, nada puede reparar la grieta de un corazón, incluyendo la mente. —»

«— Algunos dicen que las pérdidas pueden ayudarnos a superarnos, pero, ¿Qué pasa si no es cierto?, ¿Qué pasa si solo te encierras en ese dolor? —»

«— Estás sufriendo y nadie lo nota, lloras en silencio y nadie te consuela, esta bien querer ser fuerte para no preocupar a las personas que amas, pero recuerda que ellos siguen en tu vida. —»

«— No te alejes de ellos, sigue adelante. —»

«— Ponte de pie y sigue luchando. —»

╔═══════ 🚑 ═══════╗

Cast:

╚═══════ 🩺 ═══════╝

|| Lilan Bowden como Dina Boden. ||

«— Chicago es mi hogar y no importa lo que otros digan, yo sé que soy una buena capitana para mi equipo en la 61, pero también una doctora. —»

|| Brian Tee como Ethan Choi. ||

«— Soy un veterano de la marina, seguí los mismos pasos que mi padre, sin embargo tengo recuerdos dolorosos de aquellos días y eso, las pesadillas me siguen atormentando. —»

|| Anna Kendrick como Carol Boden. ||

«— Esto es muy sencillo, yo te cubro y tú a mí, me cuidas todo el tiempo y ahora es mi turno de hacerlo contigo, estoy preocupada por ti y no quiero que te pase nada, no quiero perderte. —»

|| Eamonn Walker como Wallace Boden. ||

«— Aun recuerdo aquella noche como si hubiera pasado un día, y sin importar los riesgos, las volvería a salvar, me importa muy poco lo que digan, ambas son mis hijas. —»

|| Melissa Ponzio como Donna Robbins de Boden. ||

«— Aunque no las sostuve entre mis brazos cuando eran unas bebes, las tendré a ambas aquí conmigo, porque ustedes también son mis hijas, nada va a cambiar eso. —»

|| Sophia Bush como Erin Lindsay. ||

«— Atrapamos al maldito que provocó todo esto, sé lo que siente encerrarte en tu propio dolor y te culpas por no estar con aquella persona que tanto amaste, pero no te preocupes, ellos ya no estarán sufriendo ahora. —»

╔═════════ 🚑 ═════════╗

Cast de los demás personajes:

╚═════════ 🩺 ═════════╝

🚒 Chicago Fire. 🔥

|| David Eigen como Christopher Herman. ||

|| Robyn Coffin como Cindy Herman. ||

|| Christian Stolte como Randall “Mouch” McHolland. ||

|| Taylor Kinny como Kelly Severide. ||

|| Jesse Spencer como Matthew “Matt” Casey. ||

|| Monica Raymund como Gabriela “Gaby” Dawson. ||

|| Lauren German como Leslie Shay. ||

|| Kara Killmer como Sylvie Brett. ||

|| Joe Minoso como Joe Cruz. ||

|| Yuri Sardarov como Brian “Otis” Zvoecek. ||

|| Charlie Barnett como Peter Mills. ||

|| Randy Flager como Harold Capp. ||

|| Dushon Monique como Connie. ||

🚓 Chicago P.D. 🚔

|| Jason Beghe como Hank Voight. ||

|| Jon Seda como Antonio Dawson. ||

|| Jesse Lee Soffer como Jay Halstead. ||

|| Archie Kao como Sheldon Jin. ||

|| Elias Koteas como Alvin Olinsky. ||

|| Patrick Flueger como Adam Ruzek. ||

|| Laroyce Hawkins como Kevin Atwater. ||

|| Mariana Squerciati como Kim Burguess. ||

🚑 Chicago Med. 🩺

|| S. Epatha Merkerson como Sharon Goodwin. ||

|| Oliver Platt como Daniel Charles. ||

|| Marlyne Barrett como Maggie Lockwood. ||

|| Torrey DeVitto como Natalie Manning. ||

|| Nick Gehlfuss como Will Halstead. ||

|| Yaya DaCosta como April Sexton. ||

|| Roland Buck como Noah Sexton. ||

|| Colin Donnell como Connor Rhodes. ||

|| Rachel DiPilo como Sarah Reese. ||

╔══════════ 🚑 ══════════╗

Playlist de esta primera parte:

╚══════════ 🩺 ══════════╝

|| Arcade de Duncan Laurence. ||

|| Could Have Been Me versión Halsey. ||

|| Fight Song de Rachel Platten. ||

|| I’ts Time de Imagine Dragons. ||

Anterior: || Índice: || Siguiente:

[dear-indies]

Hey Cat and Mouse! I hope y'all's days are going well. After finding out P*obe T*nkin is pro isreal I'm in a bit of a bind. Do you happen to have any suggestions for a character who is an Italian lesbian (or at least Italian)? The character is in her 30s. I have no other preferences on race or ethnicity. Thank you for your help!

Aisling Bea (1984)

Troian Bellisario (1985) American, Louisiana Creole [African, French, English] / Italian and Serbian.

Sepideh Moafi (1985) Iranian.

Sonam Kapoor (1985) Indian.

Lilan Bowden (1985) Taiwanese / White.

Haley Webb (1985)

Giulia Michelini (1985)

Diane Guerrero (1986) Colombian.

Alba Flores (1986) Romani, Spanish [including Andalusian] - is a lesbian.

Jenna Coleman (1986) - donated an auction to Cinema4Gaza.

Lily Gladstone (1986) Kainai Blackfoot, Amskapi Pikuni Blackfoot, Nez Perce, Dutch, Cajun - uses she/they.

Anjana Vasan (1987) Tamil Indian.

Mary Lambert (1989) - is a lesbian.

Gratiela Brancusi (1989) Romani and White.

Katy O’Brian (1989) African-American and White - is a lesbian.

Emma Watson (1990)

Mitski (1990) Japanese / White.

Shirine Boutella (1990) Algerian.

Rosaline Elbay (1990) Egyptian.

Sarah Kameela Impey (1991) Indo-Guyanese / White.

Seychelle Gabriel (1991) French, Mexican / Italian, including Sicilian.

Tasha Cloud (1992) African-American - is a lesbian.

Hari Nef (1992) Ashkenazi Jewish - is a trans woman.

Joana Ribeiro (1992)

Medalion Rahimi (1992) Iranian, Iranian Jewish - uses she/they.

Tara Emad (1993) Egyptian / White.

Rose Williams (1994)

All these suggestions have spoken up for Palestine too! I've bolded those that are Italian / part Italian and those that are lesbians. 💌

[lightleckrereins]

The Moulin Rouge heels/skirts/female ensemble part two

Bria Jene Williams (Broadway), Heather Makalani (Broadway), Sarah Bowden (Broadway), Lauren Celentano (swing, Broadway), Olivia Cece (swing, Broadway), Stefanie Renee Salyers (first US tour)

Jimena Flores Sanchez (first US tour), Chloe Rae Kehm (first US tour), Halli Toland (swing, first US tour), Jada Simone Clark (swing, first US tour), Bree Stephens (Australia), Avigalle Mendoza (Australia)

Natalie Foti (Australia), Danielle Gibson (onstage swing, Australia), Brittany Page (swing, Australia), Honey Joseph (West End), Shiobhán James (West End), Catrin Thomas (West End)

Katie Deacon (West End), Alice Readie (West End), Vicky Riddoch (Germany), Lina Leter (Germany), Elle Ma-Kinga N´zuzi (Germany), Daisy Quainton (Germany)

Roxanne Karsten (Germany), Sixtine Vanderschooten (Germany), JulieThomas (swing, Germany), Gabrielle D’Anthouard (swing, Germany), Grace Simmons (swing, Germany), Azzurra Adinolfi (swing, Germany)

홍윤영 | yunyeong hong  (한국 | South Korea), 하유진 | Eugene Ha (한국 | South Korea), 이슬이 | Seul Yi Lee (한국 | South Korea), 이승은 | Lee Seungeun* (한국 | South Korea), 김현지 | Hyunji Kim (한국 | South Korea), 박신별 | Shinbyul park (한국 | South Korea)

김주현 | Juny (스윙, 한국 | Swing, South Korea), 김영은 | Rachel/Youngeun Kim (스윙, 한국 | Swing, South Korea), 최하은 | Choi Ha Eun (스윙, 한국 | Swing, South Korea), 平井琴望 | Kotomi Hirai (日本 | Japan), 富田 亜希 | Aki Tomita (日本 | Japan), 加藤さや香 | Sayaka Kato (日本 | Japan/swing, Australia)

加島 茜 | Akane Kashima (日本 | Japan), 杉原由梨乃 | Yurino Sugihara (日本 | Japan), 田口恵那 | Ena Taguchi (日本 | Japan), まいまい | Mai Wada (スウィング, 日本 | swing, Japan), 篠本りの | Rino Shinomoto (スウィング, 日本 | swing, Japan), よねしまふみこ | Fumiko Yoneshima (スウィング, 日本 | swing, Japan)

Part one

[mongrelmutt]

My books read list for 2023! For the first time I met my goal of at least one book a week!! 😁

1. "A Conspiracy of Kings" -- Megan Whalen Turner

2. "Thick as Thieves" -- Megan Whalen Turner

3. "Return of the Thief" -- Megan Whalen Turner

4. "Vatican II" -- John O'Malley

5. "The Catholic Church: A Short History" -- Hans Küng, translated by John Bowden

6. "Confessions" and "Letter to Coroticus" -- St. Patrick

7. "Through the Brazilian Wilderness" -- Theodore Roosevelt

8. "The Wind in the Willows" -- Kenneth Grahame

9. "Period: The Real Story of Menstruation" -- Kate Clancy

10. "Star Wars: Padawan" -- Kiersten White

11. "Star Wars: Master and Apprentice" -- Claudia Gray

12. "Deep Down Dark" -- Héctor Tobar

13. "The Lost World" -- Michael Crichton

14. "Provida Mater Ecclesia: Apostolic Constitution of Pope Pius XII Concerning Secular Institutes" (English translation) -- Pope Pius XII

15. "Frankenstein" -- Mary Shelley

16. "Kenobi" -- John Jackson Miller

17. "Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law" -- Mary Roach

18. "Trigun" and "Trigun Maximum" -- Yasuhiro Nightow

19. "Contagion of Liberty: The Politics of Smallpox in the American Revolution" -- Andrew M. Wehrman

20. "Gay and Catholic: Accepting My Sexuality, Finding Community, Living My Faith" -- Eve Tushnet

21. "The Making of Biblical Womanhood: How the Subjugation of Women Became Gospel Truth" -- Beth Allison Bar

22. "Turtles All The Way Down" -- John Green

23. "All Systems Red (Murderbot Diaries #1)" -- Martha Wells

24. "Artificial Condition (Murderbot Diaries #2)" -- Martha Wells

25. "Rogue Protocol (Murderbot Diaries #3)" -- Martha Wells

26. "Exit Strategy (Murderbot Diaries #4) -- Martha Wells

27. "Network Effect (Murderbot Diaries #5) -- Martha Wells

28. "Fugitive Telemetry (Murderbot Diaries #6) -- Martha Wells

29. "Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History" -- Erik Larson

30. "The Johnstown Flood" -- David McCullough

31. "The Last Days of the Dinosaurs: An Asteroid, Extinction, and the Beginning of Our World" -- Riley Black

32. "Beastly Brains: Exploring How Animals Think, Talk, and Feel" -- Nancy F. Castaldo

33. "The Rise and Reign of Mammals: A New History from the Shadows of the Dinosaurs to Us" -- Steve Brusatte

34. "Dog Sense: How the New Science of Dog Behavior Can Make You a Better Friend to Your Dog" -- John Bradshaw

35. "Evolution Gone Wrong: The Curious Reasons Why Our Bodies Work (or Don't)" -- Alex Bezzerides

36. "Immune: A Journey Into the Mysterious System that Keeps You Alive" -- Philipp Dettmer

37. "Catholicism and ADHD: Finding Holiness Despite Distractions" -- Alex R. Hey, PCAC

38. "The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons: The History of the Human Brain as Revealed by True Stories of Trauma, Madness, and Recovery" -- Sam Kean

39. "An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us" -- Ed Yong

40. "Lesser Beasts: A Snout-to-Tail History of the Humble Pig" -- Mark Essig

41. "The Mind's Eye" -- Oliver Sacks

42. "Loveless" -- Alice Oseman

43. "The Monkey Trial: John Scopes and the Battle Over Teaching Evolution" -- Anita Sanchez

44. "The Great Quake: How the Biggest Earthquake in North America Changed Our Understanding of the Planet" -- Henry Fountain

45. "Kiki's Delivery Service" -- Eiko Kadono (translated by Emily Balistrieri)

46. "Origin: A Genetic History of the Americas" -- Jennifer Raff

47. "Ancillary Justice" -- Ann Leckie

48. "An Elegant Defense: The Extraordinary New Science of the Immune System: A Tale in Four Lives" -- Matt Richtel

49. "System Collapse (Murderbot Diaries #7)" -- Martha Wells

50. "Spying on Whales: The Past, Present, and Future of Earth's Most Awesome Creatures" -- Nick Pyeson

51. "Howl's Moving Castle" -- Diana Wynne Jones

52. "We Have Always Lived in the Castle" -- Shirley Jackson

53. "Sarah, Plain and Tall" and "Skylark" -- Patricia MacLachlan

54. "The Haunting of Hill House" -- Shirley Jackson

55. "All Creation Waits: The Advent Mystery of New Beginnings" -- Gayle Boss (illustrated by David G. Klein)

[derekklenadaily]

moulinrougebway: Happy trails, until we meet again! 🎶

•

📸 @michaelah.jpg

[misfitwashere]

September 11, 2024 

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

SEP 12

Today’s fallout from last night’s presidential debate between Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican nominee former president Donald Trump has shown Harris solidifying her dominant position. Trump increasingly looks as if the anger he has been displaying is a way to hide the fear that he is losing control. 

After debates, surrogates for a nominee talk to journalists in what’s known as a “spin room,” where they try to spin the event in favor of their candidate. John Bowden of The Independent described his time in last night’s spin room as “the strangest moments of my political career.” As usual, Republican surrogates immediately attacked the moderators for fact-checking the debate.

But it was clear, Bowden wrote, that the campaign officials were panicking. Even Fox News Channel reporters said that Trump had performed badly, and Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called the debate a “disaster.” But MAGA Republicans, whom Trump has elevated far beyond any position they could achieve without him, were lashing out on his behalf. 

Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance attacked the moderators and doubled down on the lie that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, were eating their neighbors’ pets, despite statements from Springfield police and the town manager that there is no evidence for such a statement. Anti-immigrant Trump advisor Stephen Miller melted down when Hispanic reporter José María Del Pino asked him where he got his figures saying that crime in Venezuela had dropped dramatically. 

The Trump campaign had told reporters that Vance would be the top surrogate for the evening, but after the debate, Trump himself appeared in the spin room to override his surrogates’ attempts to blame his performance on the moderators and instead assure reporters that he had won the debate. It is highly unusual for a candidate to go to the spin room in person, and his appearance demonstrated that Trump was aware that he was in trouble. Reporters seemed to agree: “If you won tonight, why are you here?” one can be heard saying to him. “Why not let the performance speak for itself?”

“Trump has come in the spin room and he is desperately trying to get the attention that I think he needs as oxygen at this point,” an MSNBC reporter told MSNBC host Rachel Maddow. “Is he literally standing there like he’s his own surrogate trying to get people to talk to him about his own performance?” Maddow asked. “Wow. That’s something. That is not a sign of strength or confidence in your own performance when you’re trying to extend past the final bell….” 

Answering questions did not appear to help him. When asked once again to answer whether he would veto a national abortion bill, he answered: “It was a perfect answer on abortion, and I’ve done a great job on that, and I’ve brought our country together.” And then he walked out.

All day today, he posted and reposted statements that he had won the debate—including a message of support from former Tenet Media commentator Benny Johnson, whose paycheck was paid by Russia—but it was hard to miss that Trump’s performance was historically bad. Sarah Longwell of The Bulwark, who studies focus groups, said that “[a]cross the board,’ a “focus group of swing voters from swing states” thought Harris won the debate. Longtime Republican pollster Frank Luntz went on record saying that Trump’s debate performance would cost him the presidential race. The Harris campaign’s ongoing trolling of Trump was perhaps even harsher: it posted the entire hour and forty minute debate as a campaign ad.

Meanwhile, by 2:00 this afternoon, Taylor Swift’s endorsement had prompted 337,826 people to start the process of registering to vote. 

All day today, reporters fact checked Trump’s statements, proving them lies. But lies have never damaged him; they reinforce his dominance by forcing subordinates to agree that the person in charge gets to determine what reality is. Victims must surrender either their integrity or their ownership of their own perceptions; in either case, once they have agreed to a deliberate lie, it becomes harder to challenge later ones since that means acknowledging the other times they caved.

That’s why the lie about the size of the crowd at Trump’s inauguration is so important: it is the foundational lie on which all the others stand. Harris, who spent her legal career dealing with criminals and abusers who depend on this technique, knew exactly how to undermine it. She made fun of it, making his “obsession with crowd sizes” a national joke. The jokes set him off not only because he cannot bear to be laughed at, but also because challenging that lie challenges all the others. 

Following Harris’s lead, posters on social media turned to memes today, setting Trump’s assertion that “they’re eating the cats,” to Vince Guaraldi’s theme “Linus and Lucy” from the Peanuts movies, for example, and designing the same statement as a Dr. Seuss book, as well as posting pictures of live pets wrapped in bread and rolls. 

Observers correctly noted that the racist trope of immigrants eating pets dehumanizes marginalized people who are already vulnerable, putting them in danger. While posters and media have repeatedly pointed out that the Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, are there legally and have revitalized the city, making fun of those sharing such a stupid lie has a different kind of potential to defang it.  

And, aside from Trump’s evident worry, there are signs that Trump is vulnerable. House speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) had scheduled a vote today on the continuing resolution to fund the government before the government will have to shut down on October 1. That measure included the voter suppression measure Trump demanded yesterday in all caps. Today, Johnson pulled the vote. 

Republicans are also breaking with Trump over the idea of an interest rate cut. Trump does not want the Fed to lower the cost of borrowing money before the election despite the softening job market—cheaper money should bolster the economy and provide more jobs—and has vowed that if he is reelected, he will take control of the Fed, which is now an independent institution. But Republicans are backing away from his demands. Representative Dan Meuser, a Trump supporter from the swing state of Pennsylvania, told Jasper Goodman and Eleanor Mueller of Politico that he supports a cut. “You’ve got to put the greater good ahead of looking political,” he said. 

Today the share price of Trump Media & Technology Group (DJT), the owner of the Truth Social platform, fell to new lows. The stock fell more than 10% today, ending the day at $16.68 from a high over $60 a share in April. In May, Trump’s stock was valued at more than $6 billion, although the company is losing money and has very few users. The drop over the last several months has wiped away more than $4 billion of that value. Trump needs money for his legal bills and settlements, as well as his businesses, and can begin to cash out on his stock soon, but selling much of it was always going to be a problem because if he dumped it, the bottom would fall out. Now selling is a problem because its value is dropping. 

In the face of concern that Trump and Vance have been suggesting they would challenge the results of the 2024 election, the Department of Homeland Security took steps to protect the January 6, 2025, session of Congress that will count the electoral votes that will decide the presidency. They have put January 6, 2025, on the same security level as the Super Bowl or a major event like the U.N. General Assembly. 

Finally, today is the 23rd anniversary of 9/11, the day terrorists from the al-Qaeda network used four civilian airplanes as weapons against the United States, and Trump used its commemoration to demonstrate another dominance trait: that he will behave however he wishes. Trump attended a remembrance with right-wing extremist Laura Loomer, who has shared not only the false pet-eating conspiracy theory, but also the false theory that “9/11 was an Inside Job!” Recently, she posted an appalling attack on Vice President Harris. Today she posted that she joined Trump because “I believe in unconditional loyalty to those who are deserving. And there is nobody more deserving of our loyalty and unwavering support than Donald Trump."

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris each issued statements about the anniversary. Biden vowed that the nation will never forget the attack, those lost, their families, and “the heroic citizens and survivors who rushed to help their fellow Americans. And never forget that when faced with evil—and an enemy that sought to tear us apart—we endured.”

Harris echoed Biden. She also emphasized the national unity the crisis created as people came together to deny the terrorists the achievement of their goal “to attack and destroy our way of life—our democracy, our freedoms, and everything we hold dear as Americans.” She thanked the military personnel who served in Afghanistan and elsewhere to root out terrorism, and urged Americans to “reflect on what binds us together as one: the greatest privilege on Earth, the pride and privilege of being an American.” 

All three were at a commemoration of 9/11 today. Trump and Harris shook hands, and he tried the dominance trick of using the handshake to pull Harris toward him, which she firmly resisted. His social media website confirmed that the world of professional wrestling is very much on Trump’s mind as he apparently tried to reassure himself he, and not Kamala Harris, is the dominant political figure in the country. He clearly doesn’t want to agree to another debate and is trying to spin his reluctance as a show of power. 

“In the World of Boxing or U[ltimate] F[ighting] C[hampionship] when a Fighter gets beaten or knocked out, they get up and scream, ‘I DEMAND A REMATCH, I DEMAND A REMATCH!’” he wrote. “Well, it’s no different with a Debate. She was beaten badly last night. Every Poll has us WINNING, in one case, 92–8, so why would I do a Rematch?”

—

[medium-observation]

FEBRUARY RELEASE

Beetlejuice - First US National Tour

January 21, 2024 - Medium Observation

Video | Matinée

Cast:

Justin Collette (Beetlejuice), Larkin Reilly (u/s Lydia Deetz), Megan McGinnis (Barbara Maitland), Matthew Michael Janisse (s/w Adam Maitland), Jesse Sharp (Charles Deetz), Sarah Litzsinger (Delia Deetz), Hillary Porter (Miss Argentina), Abe Goldfarb (Otho), Brian Vaughn (Maxie Dean), Lexie Dorsett Sharp (s/w Maxine Dean/Juno), Haley Hannah (s/w Girl Scout), Ryan Breslin (s/w Ensemble)

Notes:

Excellent video of Larkin and Matthew as Lydia and Adam respectively. Minimal washout with very little to no obstruction.

NFT DATE: August 1st, 2024

Screenshots:https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBbtWz

Video is $20

Moulin Rouge! The Musical - First US National Tour

January 6, 2024 - Medium Observation

Video | Matinée

Cast:

Mark Doyle (u/s Christian), Arianna Rosario (alt Satine), Robert Petkoff (Zidler), Kevyn Morrow (e/c Toulouse), Andrew Brewer (Duke), Danny Burgos (Santiago), Sarah Bowden (Nini), Harper Miles (La Chocolat), Nicci Claspell (Arabia), Max Heitmann (Baby Doll), Kamal Lado (Pierre), Sam J. Cahn, Darius Crenshaw, Jimena Flores Sanchez, Tommy Gedrich, Cameron Hobbs, Tamrin Goldberg (s/w), Pepe Munoz (s/w), Tanisha Moore, Brayden Newby, Elyse Niederee, Kent Overshown, Stefanie Renee Salyers, Adéa Michelle Sessoms, Preston Taylor

Notes:

Absolutely perfect video of Mark, Arianna and Kevyn as Christian, Satine and Toulouse respectively! Zero obstruction, minimal washout.

NFT DATE: August 1st, 2024

Screenshots:https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjB9sf1

Video is $20

Wicked - Second US National Tour (Munchkinland)

January 28, 2024 - Medium Observation

Video

Cast:

Olivia Valli (Elphaba), Celia Hottenstein (Glinda), Colin LeMoine (u/s Fiyero), Timothy Shew (The Wizard), Kathy Fitzgerald (Madame Morrible), Tara Kostmayer (Nessarose), Kyle McArthur (Boq), Boise Holmes (Doctor Dillamond), Mitchell Tobin (Chistery), Jane Brockman (Midwife), Alexia Acebo (Witch's Mother), Wayne Schroder (Witch's Father / Ozian Official), Jennifer Mariela Bermeo (Ensemble), Remmie Bourgeouis (Ensemble), Sean Burns (Ensemble), Jōvan Dansberry (Ensemble), Matt Densky (Ensemble), Marie Eife (Ensemble), Jenny Florkowski (s/w Ensemble), David Kaverman (s/w Ensemble), Lauren Leach (Ensemble), Megan Loomis (Ensemble), Madison Claire Parks (Ensemble), Jackie Raye (Ensemble), Kat Rodriguez (Ensemble), Anthony Santos (Ensemble), Derek Schiesel (Ensemble), Tregoney Shepherd (Ensemble), Brett Stoelker (Ensemble), Maggie Van Wieringen (Ensemble)

Notes:

Fantastic video of Colin Fiyero! Some readjusting throughout, minimal washout. 

NFT DATE: August 1st, 2024

Screenshots:https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBcqfY

Video is $20

Videos can be purchased through me at mediumobservationtrading@gmail.com