#William Seabrook

[sensualawareness]

Around 1929 William Seabrook commissioned Man Ray for three photo sessions. One with Lee Miller (at that time in a relation with Man Ray) in a bdsm dynamic. Lee is wearing a collar created by Man Ray.

[werkboileddown]

[horrorhistory123]

Cold Case Files: 10 Heinous Crimes Still Seeking Resolution | True crime

Carl Tanzler: A Love Gone Too Far

Rick Gibson: The Taboo artist

Mario Cimmarrusti: Disgusting priest

James Sligo Jameson: Wealthy psycho

Vince Li: Disordered passenger

Mitchell Johnson and Andrew Golden: Playground to prison

William Seabrook: Creepy cannibal Connoisseur

Pedro Lopez: The Monster of the Andes

Karla Homolka and Paul Bernardo: The Barbie and Ken Killers

Issei Sagawa: Glorified Cannibal

Delve into the captivating world of true crime as we explore the stories of criminals who managed to escape the clutches of justice. From shocking murders to chilling acts of violence, these true crime stories will keep you on the edge of your seat. Join us on a journey through the darkest corners of human nature as we uncover the truth behind some of history's most notorious criminals.

[kvetchlandia]

Man Ray Lee Miller and William Seabrook, from the "Fantasies of Mr Seabrook" Series, Paris 1930

[passerkirbius]

Rusty Quill Saga - 24 Hour Follow Up

Hi everyone! I appreciate all the new follows! Might actually get me posting more about stuff!

So, it's been about a day since I posted my response to the Rusty Quill article, and reading some of the tag comments I wanted to respond to a couple, again in the interests of helping those who aren't within the audio fiction community get a little context that you might not otherwise have had.

But I also wanted to put my cards on the table - why should you listen to me? Hi! My name is Lee Davis-Thalbourne, I'm Australian, and I'm one half of the Fiction Podcast Production team Passer Vulpes Productions. We're the creators of a number of fiction podcasts, including Love and Luck and Supernatural Sexuality with Dr. Seabrooke. I also have a reasonable resume of small VA roles with a lot of different podcast production teams, I have a history of theorycrafting around podcast production, and I'm currently engaged in some part-time independent research around fiction podcast production that, if people are interested, I might actually get around to finishing one day. Myself and my partner Erin were the founders of AusFicPodMakers, which was/is an informal group supporting audio fiction producers in Australia, and as part of that support, I currently curate a list of Australian Fiction Podcasts (which I encourage you to take a look at!). In terms of affiliations, PVP is not associated with any podcasting network (though a few have knocked on our door), and I'm not currently producing audio fiction right now - I have no projects on the boil, so to speak.

So, I think I can say, with some evidence, that I'm a part of the audio fiction production scene, that I care about audio fiction in general, that I might have some thoughts worth listening to about it, and that I'm a mostly disinterested party regarding this - I have no particular stake in Rusty Quill's fortunes one way or the other.

Tag Responses

Okay, so I wanted to quickly respond to a few of the tag comments that have popped up in response to yesterday's post, mainly because I feel like it's worth expanding on some of them:

#i also feel bad because i was always kinda wary on tma2#now it feels even more like a cash grab

Look - as a podcast producer, I can respect a cash grab. If you can grab that cash, I'm a strong believer in doing so, because making audio fiction without cash is kinda sucky. It's like any other big endeavour - when you get nothing out of it, it eats away at you. That's part of the reason why PVP isn't producing at the moment - We tried to scale up to multiple productions and it damn near killed us. We weren't really getting the income we needed to do more than just barely break even - we, as producers, weren't making a dime off of our podcasts, even with Patreon and crowdfunding. Rusty Quill is actually an extreme outlier regarding their ability to get cash from their audiences. How extreme? Well, before the TMA2 kickstarter, the most successful Audio Fiction crowdfunding campaign was Unseen, from the producers of Wolf 359, one of the seminal audio fiction shows of the modern audio fiction renaissance, and it hit a little over US$40,000. Which, just to note, was significantly higher than any other audio fiction crowdfund project before it - very few audio fiction crowdfund campaigns get more than around US$5,000-10,000.

So, sure, it's a cash grab. It might still be good anyway though! Don't disregard it just because they're making financially-dominated decisions.

#Adding onto this while the evidence isn't conclusive (because as many people have said it is conjecture and opinions and stuff)#and also the author's credibility is...in question

So, first things first, Newt Schottelkotte is an extremely credible journalist in the Audio Fiction space - they've broken a number of big stories, and written a lot in support of the audio fiction production scene. Wil Williams, who helped edit the piece, is also a highly respected critic and journalist within the space, while Tal Minear is a very prolific audio fiction producer of good repute. Personally, I have absolutely no concerns about their integrity or credibility - they've all done incredible work.

But it is worth noting that Audio fiction is kinda odd, in that journalists, critics and producers all pretty much come from the same group of people. The honest fact is that Audio Fiction, as a beat, has pretty much no prestige, there are (currently) no publications that are dedicated to audio fiction coverage, and the whole sector is mostly considered an afterthought to the real podcast industry. So, the few people who do create audio fiction meta-content, even if they begin as separated from the industry, don't stay separated for long - they will start making contacts with producers, they may start finding people offering cameo roles in shows, and eventually, they'll consider moving into podcast production. If your requirement for a "credible" voice within audio fiction journalism is one that has absolutely no connections with any actual production, I'm sorry but that ain't happening - the scene is too small, and people move between production and commentary so often, that "true independence" isn't a thing.

With that said, these journalists do a lot to make their affiliations visible up front, which is the other way to manage conflicts of interest within the scene - by declaring them. I'd be a lot more suspicious of a journalist that doesn't put their affiliations up front, honestly.

The Rusty Quill Response

So, I wrote yesterday that I wasn't expecting a response from Rusty Quill for a good three days - they are a group, it takes time to coordinate a response, I figured I could relax for a bit. However, Rusty Quill has already produced a response, and that alone says something - it says that a single person has dictated this response. Considering the record speed, I also doubt that it has been looked over by anyone else. Knowing these things, I find it very likely that this is Alex Newall's response specifically, speaking for Rusty Quill, rather than one that that the leadership at Rusty Quill has worked on together.

I'm not going to go through the whole thing point by point - I don't have the time, and this post is already too long for most Tumblrites to consider going through it. But on a more general level, I find it interesting that the response contains not a single link, not a single pointer towards contrary evidence. Almost certainly this is due to the timeframe - were I in RQ's position, I would be going through our paperwork to find some boilerplate contracts to provide some counter-evidence to the article, or providing some financial details to show where the money is going, but finding, redacting, and publishing these things takes time. RQ has done none of this, and this isn't necessarily a point against them, but it does mean that Rusty Quill hasn't done much more than shout "Am not!" into the audience.

To talk about one specific point, I also find it interesting that, having been attacked on the subject of crew pay rates, they talk about how their cast have very good pay rates. This might be true, I don't have the resources to fact check that, and I hope it is - actors do deserve pay. But it is worth noting that actors are on a production for very little of the time - it's the editors, sound designers, musicians, transcribers, etc who put the most time on to a production. In general, you'd expect that the crew would be getting more money than the cast, because the crew is going to be putting in more time (although, fair's fair, the vast majority of audio fiction out there doesn't do this, because the only "crew" is the producer, who is usually financing the production out of their own pocket).

Questions?

So, I figure that if I'm putting myself out there, I might as well offer the opportunity for people to pick my brain. Have a question about Audio fiction production? Want to hear my explicit comments about something someone has said? My asks are open, I'll do my best to come back and answer any asks that come my way.

[prophetofthemuse]

I have learned quite a few things in this recent half-hour, one of which is that according to American adventurer William Seabrook, human meat is most comparable in taste and flavor to “fully-developed veal, not young, but not quite beef”; in fact, it’s almost an exact match: “It was so nearly like… veal that I think no person with a palate of ordinary, normal sensitiveness could distinguish it from veal.” It is also, at least in that experiment, described as “slightly tougher than prime veal” and “a little stringy, but not too tough or stringy to be agreeably edible.”

There is also a chart for the best cuts of meat in the human body, if anyone was interested in knowing that as well.

[transgenderer]

Gonâve Island or Zile Lagonav is an island of Haiti located west-northwest of Port-au-Prince in the Gulf of Gonâve

On July 18, 1926, U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Faustin E. Wirkus (1896–1945) was proclaimed by the residents of the island as King Faustin II, where he ruled over the island with the tribal queen Ti Mememnne as co-monarchs. His reign lasted until 1929, when he peacefully abdicated and returned home to the United States.[6] Ti Memenne would continue to unofficially rule the island until her death in that same year. For context, Haiti is a republic and abolished the monarchy in 1859 with Fabre Nicolas Geffrard.

According to an official biography,[5] Wirkus was born in 1896 in Rypin (Congress Poland, in the Russian Empire) a small town now in Poland, however, numerous ship passenger lists (records of the U.S. Customs Service) show his correct birth place as Pittston, Pennsylvania.[6] He and his parents settled in Dupont, Pennsylvania, a coal mining community northwest of Wilkes-Barre, where he was raised.[5] At the age of 11, he started sorting coal in Pittston.

Wirkus enlisted in the US Marine Corps in 1915 and served in the 1st Advance Base Brigade in Haiti and rose to the rank of corporal in 1918 then to gunnery sergeant in 1920.[7] During his service in the Marine Corps, he was promoted to a lieutenant in the Garde d'Haiti, commanding a squad of native troops on La Gonâve. After rescuing a young woman in trouble, he found out that she was Queen Timemenne of La Gonâve. He was welcomed by the population as Timemenne had told them how kind he was to her, and in part, due to the unusual circumstance that he had the same first name as the former emperor of Haiti, Faustin Soulouque, later known as Faustin I ("Faustin the First"), who died in 1867. Somewhat bizarrely, the natives proclaimed him Faustin II in a Voodoo ritual[8] and he ruled jointly with Queen Timemenne for three years.[5][8][9] He became known for dispensing ready but gentle justice.[10]

Queen Ti Memenne of La Gonâve (also written as Timemenne; 19th-century – fl. 1929) was the tribal ruler of La Gonâve, a Haitian island located west of Hispaniola in the Gulf of Gonâve, in the 1920s. While her reign was not officially recognized by the republican government of Haiti during American occupation, she maintained political, economic, spiritual, and social leadership of the island. Arrested by the Garde d'Haiti for being a practitioner of Vodou, she was shown compassion by Faustin E. Wirkus, an American military officer who assisted in her release. She later proclaimed Wirkus to be the reincarnation of former Haitian Emperor Faustin Soulouque and crowned him as a co-ruler over La Gonâve.

???

i THINK the only direct sources for this are this guy's memoir and the magic island by william seabrook which seems pretty sensationalist. so i think this might not have happened. the us military believes it though

[carter-harris]

[cisman he/him] Welcome to Aurora Bay, [CARTER HARRIS]! I couldn’t help but notice you look an awful lot like [TOM HOLLAND]. You must be the [TWENTY-THREE] year old [APPRENTICE FOR FATHER’S BUSINESS]. Word is you’re [ADVENTUROUS] but can also be a bit [COCKY] and your favorite song is [RADIO BY LANA DEL REY]. I also heard you’ll be staying in [SEABROOK QUARTER]. I’m sure you’ll love it! **Rhett Harris’ younger brother connection**

Everyone says the youngest child is always the favorite, the one who always gets his way, and the eldest siblings are always pushed aside. It’s an unfair assumption, really. Carter grew up in the shadow of his older brother and sister. He was only ever acknowledged when he was getting in trouble. With a father so involved in his business, Carter could maybe understand not having as much time, but William never seemed to go out of his way for them at all. 

It was lonely for Carter, so he clung to his friends in high school and even his siblings, but what helped him the most was his piano. Music was an important part of the Harris’ lives after all, and he began to find himself in it. His love for it was not wasted, he was incredible and even joined an orchestra, but he’d never forget looking for his father in the crowd only to never find him. 

William began talking about one of the boys needing to take over the family business some day and wanting to show them the ropes now, but with Rhett going off and doing his own thing with his band, it seemed Carter was the only hope for the business in William’s eyes, so within a day, the rest of Carter’s life was planned out for him.

Looking back, Carter wished he’d realized that the only reason he was remotely interested was because his father was finally paying any kind of attention to him. It made him feel seen for the first time in years. But as time went on, Carter realized just how unhappy he was with the life planned out before him, especially after learning he was accepted into Julliard. Carter now had to watch his brother work on his band while Carter was stuck going on business trips for the family. He felt so bitter towards his brother for getting to do what he wanted. 

Things changed a bit when Rhett had his accident. Carter stayed with his brother when he could but even then he was frustrated that duty called, and he often had to leave with William again. Things only seemed to get worse when Cynthia got sick.

After being on a business trip with William for the past few months, Carter is back home in Aurora Bay. Despite setting aside their differences for Rhett’s accident, Carter still finds himself bitter with Rhett.

@aurorabayaesthetic

[willxmeyers]

[cis man and he/him] Welcome to Aurora Bay, [WILLIAM MEYERS]! I couldn’t help but notice you look an awful lot like [THEO JAMES]. You must be the [THIRTY-NINE] year old [OWNER OF CORAL COTTAGE B&B]. Word is your [CHARMING] but can also be a bit [MOODY] and your favorite song is [THE TRAPEZE SWINGER by IRON & WINE]. I also heard you’ll be staying in [SEABROOK QUARTER]. I’m sure you’ll love it!

INFORMATION:

fullname. william jacob meyers

nicknames. will.

gender. cis man

pronouns. he / him

d.o.b. may 10th, 1983 | ( 39 years old )

astrology. taurus ☀ aries ☾  virgo ↑

birth place. kensington, england.

hometown. los angeles, california.

current residence. aurora bay, california. ( @aurorabayaesthetic​ )

occupation. owner of coral cottage bed and breakfast.

religion. atheist.

tattoos. none.

piercings. none.

marital status. divorced.

sexual preference. fluid.

family. gregory meyers (father), sophia meyers (mother), anna meyers (younger sister).

children. none that he knows of.

CHARACTER INSPO:

kendall roy ( succession ), dean winchester ( supernatural ), logan echolls ( veronica mars ), schmidt ( new girl ), adam pratt ( you ), dorian gray ( picture of dorian gray ). 

PERSONALITY:

+ charming, adaptable, shameless. - moody, stubborn, careless.

BIOGRAPHY:

( tw: drug use, overdose, domestic abuse, cheating ) 

Born with the world on a silver platter in the Kensington England, Will Meyers was born via surrogate to an older, wealthy baron couple. His father, a business tycoon with a ruthlessness that could rival Robert Moses - it was the unspoken rule of their family that the Meyers dynasty would fall to William when the time was right. They moved to Los Angeles when Will was eleven, as his father decided that all business would filter through the City of Angels. It could have been easy to fall into the loneliness of his family; raised by nannies, without parental supervision - but Will knew how to make the best of most situations. Creating lasting friendships wherever he went, for better or for worse. 

As he grew taller, Will had to bear witness to his angry father berating his mother on a daily basis. While it didn’t always turn to physical alterations, there was an air of tension that surrounded every quiet dinner, that one thing could cause an uproar. The move from England to California took an even heavier strain on the family, with his mother being apart from her own family. It wasn’t until William was 15 years old that his father became violent with him. After bringing home an “C” on his report card, his father smashed a bottle at him and gave him with a black eye. The trend continued for many years, leaving him a disgruntled and overall, damaged teenager who knew better than to taunt his father. All he wanted was approval, but something deep inside him knew that he was never going to get it. 

His schooling was filled with small rebellions. Whatever he could do to avoid being at home, Will would. He attended parties, mostly for the elite party favors that his classmates could provide. It was from an early age that Will learnt that his life felt so much better when he was strung out. He got through most of his studying abusing Adderall, while on the weekends, he’d try whatever was floating around. Keeping up appearances was all that mattered to his father so Will knew that whatever he did, needed to be in private. 

After graduation, William got accepted to his father’s alma mater with his somewhat average grades and a large donation from his father. He studied business, as though there was anything else that was acceptable to the Meyer’s patriarch. Eventually getting his MBA at Harvard Business School where he was set up with another high society families daughter to court. Their relationship was another business transaction that Will knew he had to see through, even if it didn’t make either of them particularly happy. It didn’t stop Will from exploring other romantic ventures and his impression was that, like his own mother, his new wife would look the other way. But she wanted real love, and that was something Will didn’t know how to do. Their marriage lasted less than a year. 

As time went on, his father’s health began to decline. A heart that had never really been used had started to decay and it eventually gave out. At the age of 87, Gregory Meyers passed away and the Meyers dynasty.. was not passed onto his son, as expected. In the ultimate power move from beyond the grave, all that was promised to him was not given but Will was cut out entirely. Feeling as though he was shaped for nothing, Will felt without a path or any sense of direction. He had a choice of working his way up the corporate ladder, as was his father wish - to actually “achieve something of his own” or step down entirely. William decided to find his own path. 

While he didn’t receive the various businesses that he thought, Will was given a large inheritance. Of which, he had no idea how to use it. At the tender age of 35, he felt as though he could do whatever he wanted. And whatever he wanted, he did. William became the party boy that his father would have detested. But flying too close to the sun meant that Will was starting to burn. And eventually, the fast lane caught up with him. It took three paramedics to get him back to life after a nearly fatal overdose. 

Realizing that the love he never got from his father was not worth dying over, William finally had an epiphany (after a brief stunt in rehab). The only times he had felt happy was on the odd occasions his family would head down to Aurora Bay for their annual summer holiday. His father owned a beach house in various locations but the small town of Aurora Bay was always Will’s favourite. On a whim, Will decided to purchase a beautiful B&B with his inheritance, hoping that small town life would fulfil him in some manner.

POSSIBLE CONNECTIONS:

will moved to aurora bay around january 2023 where he originally planned to try and by the seascape hotel but then settled on the cottage on a bit of a whim. very active with local businesses around town now that he's apart of the community. currently a part of the aurora bay community garden club. ( possible connections: fellow business owners, garden club members )

he’s an early riser, loves waking up at 5am every morning. he usually jogs down to the local gym for a work out or goes for a swim at the beach. ( possible connections: run club, gym bros, fellow early risers )

born in kensington, england but moved to los angeles when he was eleven - his family travelled around a lot so there’s lot of people he could have met throughout his life. ( possible connections: childhood friends from england, ex-la natives )

the meyers family was very well off until his father passed and will would have been hanging around los angeles nightlife like a moth to the flame. until he hit his limit. ( possible connections: ex-la natives, ex-party friends, old flames, fellow ex-addicts, bad influences )

will’s father, gregory was notorious throughout the united states, the united kingdom and hong kong for being a ruthless businessman. while it seemed like will would follow in his father’s footsteps, things didn’t work out that way. ( possible connections: family friends, confidants, ex-business acquaintances )

( tw: drug overdose ) after a relapse episode that nearly took his life in may last year, will has a pacemaker as he was diagnosed with a genetic heart condition. he has to take frequent trips to the hospital to keep on top of his health. ( possible connections: doctor and nurses around the hospital, other frequent visitors )

his family vacationed at aurora bay drive for many summers, especially when will was around 11 to 17. he would have gotten up to all kinda of mischief at that age. ( possible connections: first love, childhood friends, vacation buddies )

will attends narcostics anonymous every thursday night in the local church basement without fail. has been sober for about a year now, apart from the occasional drink. ( possible connections: narcotics anonymous attendees, sponsor / sponsee )

this man doesn’t really like cook for himself as he never had to learn. so often has his meals at the various cafes and restaurants around town. and so far, his favorite places around aurora bay are: aquatica as he loves the creatures of the sea, driftwood coffee shop as he can’t live without his morning coffee, oceania bookstore as he loves to read now that he’s living “the quiet life" and reef bar as he can’t stand being alone longer than five seconds. ( possible connections: friends with owners/workers, fellow regulars, random run-ins, one night stands )

CURRENT CONNECTIONS:

older cousin of @esmemaxwcll (on his mum's side)

madly in love with @lemielewis

pseudo big brother to @luckylewis and @lorelailewis

shitty ex-husband to @connievanderbilt

dated @delilahcarreno while still married

best friend / biggest annoyance to @pcrdita

attends N.A with @samucl-kane

has @laureljacobs on retainer

forever hater of @firefighterrojas

ex-hook up with @esmaxdemirci

consistently swapping jojo siwa tiktoks with @cricketcampbell

rehab frememies with @tillycai

life was saved by @erickxng and @noah-atwood

@colexwalters is forever his bad influence

get his ass kicked in poker by @santiagodeleons

[werkboileddown]

[lboogie1906]

William Ellisworth Artis (February 2, 1914 – April 3, 1977) was an African-American 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, then 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 https://www.instagram.com/p/CoKUW6GLsZ9/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[clementinecompendium]

To Be Read July 2023

The Mind

The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity―and Will Determine the Fate of the Human Race by Daniel Z. Lieberman & Michael E. Long

The Brain: A Very Short Introduction by Michael O'Shea

Consciousness: A Very Short Introduction by Susan Blackmore

The Mind-Gut Connection: How the Hidden Conversation Within Our Bodies Impacts Our Mood, Our Choices, and Our Overall Health by Emeran Mayer MD

Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino

Sensitive is the New Strong: The Power of Empaths in an Increasingly Harsh World by Anita Moorjani

The Highly Sensitive Person by Elaine Aron

Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price Ph.D.

Wired to Create: Unraveling the Mysteries of the Creative Mind by Scott Barry Kaufman & Carolyn Gregoire

The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel A. van der Kolk

Music & The Mind (Art Philosophy, Aesthetics, Neuroaesthetics)

Saved by a Song: The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting by Mary Gauthier

The Song Machine: Inside the Hit Factory by John Seabrook

This is What it Sounds Like: What the Music You Love Says About You by Ogi Ogas & Susan Rogers

Why You Like It: The Science and Culture of Musical Taste by Nolan Gasser

The Story of Music: From Babylon to the Beatles: How Music Has Shaped Civilization by Howard Goodall

Of Sound Mind: How Our Brain Constructs a Meaningful Sonic World by Nina Kraus

Aesthetics: A Very Short Introduction by Bence Nanay

Equipment for Living: On Poetry and Pop Music by Michael Robbins

How Music Works by David Byrne

General Non-Fiction / History / Science

The Russian Revolution: A Very Short Introduction by S. A. Smith

The French Revolution: A Very Short Introduction by William Doyle

Linguistics: A Very Short Introduction by P. H. Matthews

Mathematics: A Very Short Introduction by Timothy Gowers

After the End of Art: Contemporary Art and the Pale of History by Arthur C. Danto

Flappers by Judith Mackrell

Marketing for Dummies, 6th edition by Jeanette McMurty MBA

Sinatra: The Chairman by James Kaplan

Get Happy: The Life of Judy Garland by Gerald Clarke

Self-Improvement

Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Dr. Kristin Neff

Self Compassion for Dummies by by Steven Hickman PsyD (in progress)

The Nice Girl Syndrome: Stop Being Manipulated and Abused -- and Start Standing Up for Yourself by Beverly Engel

The Assertiveness Guide for Women: How to Communicate Your Needs, Set Healthy Boundaries & Transform Your Relationships by Julie de Azevedo Hanks, PhD, LCSW

Anatomy of a Breakthrough: How to Get Unstuck When it Matters Most by Adam Alter

Fierce Self-Compassion: How Women Can Harness Kindness to Speak Up, Claim Their Power, and Thrive by Kristin Neff PhD

The Art of Possibility by Rosamund Stone Zander

Be Angry: The Dalai Lama on What Matters Most by His Holiness the Dalai Lama,

Anger: The Conflicted History of an Emotion by Barbara H. Rosenwein

The Power of Fun: How to Feel Alive Again by Catherine Price

In Awe: Rediscover Your Childlike Wonder to Unleash Inspiration, Meaning, and Joy by John O'Leary

Creating a Life That Matters: How to Live and Love with Meaning and Purpose by Manis Friedman & Rivka Goldstein 

Fiction

Babel by R. F. Kuang

The Last Bookshop in London by Madeline Martin

A Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne (narrated by Tim Curry)

In/Spectre #2

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (in progress)

The Poisoner's Handbook ed. Raymond T. Bond

[noellemcxllistcr]

[cisfemale she/her] Welcome to Aurora Bay, [NOELLE MCALLISTER]! I couldn’t help but notice you look an awful lot like [KATHERINE MCNAMARA]. You must be the [TWENTY SEVEN] year old [ARCHITECT]. Word is you’re [ENDEARING] but can also be a bit [TEMPERMENTAL] and your favorite song is [GLORY AND GORE - LORDE]. I also heard you’ll be staying in [SEABROOK QUARTER]. I’m sure you’ll love it!

Okay so ya girl grew up in OC SoCal and lived a bit of a prim and proper life for the most part. She and her brothers never really wanted for anything, but at the same time, their parents still made them work a bit for the things they wanted in life. They had what most would look at from the outside and think "picket fence beach view perfect life"

In reality, her dad was really sick (the big C) and they were struggling v much with that. they just did a lot of it in the privacy of their own home. He was in remission for some time before passing away when Noelle was fifteen. He was her best friend and it kinda killed her a bit.

It was something she was once again, thanks to her parents, very good at keeping to herself.

Inevitably, when her HS sweetheart, Chase Williams, picked up to go to Notre Dam, she went with him and saw it as the perfect fresh start she needed with a full ride.

Thanks to all the values her parents instilled in her, Noelle somehow managed to juggle two part-time jobs, college, and being the ever-supporting girlfriend of her up-and-coming NFL player boyfriend.

Telling him she was pregnant was almost entirely the icing on top of a decadent choccie cake!!!! all was well. she had her mans, her plans and nine months later their lil princess.

which was ultimately far too many good things for Noelle to have. She didn't see the drunk driver coming with enough time to warn Chase. which was only half as horrifying as him telling her their daughter didn't make it.

Whatever light was left in her was quickly snuffed out and she fell into a deep, dark hole of PTSD and depression. It ruined her relationship with Chase and her brothers and she ended up isolating herself to the point of being a recluse for about two years.

Until she found an old letter from her dad that kind of gave her back a lil bit of bite. Girl picked herself up, got back on her horse, and fixed everything she could. Her relationship with her brothers, her health - she attended AA meetings religiously and has been sober ever since.

Finished her degree in architecture and has just started her master's.

Eight months ago she was offered a job at an architecture firm who were looking to score a few expansion contracts in Aurora Bay and she's been here ever since.

So now she's here, trying to cling to the sunshine. instead of a mans and her plans. she now has too many plants and her fat tomcat luca (plus a tonne of underlying issues but eh, if i cant see u - u cant see me.)

We want any and all connections pls! wc page will be up asap

[lemielewis]

NAME: Clementine Lewis

NICKNAME: Lemie, Lem

PRONOUNS/GENDER: Cis female, she/her

BIRTHDAY: October 29th, 1992

BIRTH PLACE: Aurora Bay

SEXUALITY: Pansexual

RESIDENCE: Seabrook Quarter

OCCUPATION:  Cook at Coral Cottage Bed & Breakfast

FAMILY: Lucky Williams (younger brother)

TW ANGER ISSUES, BULLYING, DIVORCE.

From the moment Clementine poked her little blond head out, her parents knew their second born was going to be nowhere near as angelic as the son they already had. The first hint was the powerful wails coming out of her. The second was her refusing to drink, well, anything. Things didn’t get easier as she grew into a toddler. She might’ve looked adorable with her little blonde curls and big blue eyes, she acted like a demon most of the time. Very quickly, her parents stopped trying to control her at all, letting her run amok and terrorise her brothers and neighborhood kids.

While most people mature as they age, wisdom came to Lemie in the form of knowing when to hide her mischievous streak in order to avoid trouble. She found a way to get the kid that sat next to her in class in trouble when she stuck a piece of gum in the annoying girl that sat in front of her’s hair. She somehow always got away with tripping other girls’ in soccer practice by flashing an innocent smile in the ref’s direction. Her parents, meanwhile, were too busy fighting amongst themselves to notice their daughter was kind of a menace.

 As the years went on, Lemie’s pranks stopped, but the messiness didn’t. The anger she exteriorized when she was younger suddenly started building up inside her and she just... blows up from time to time. High schools was a series of detention, fist fights and a lot of terrible decisions. Her parents’ eventual divorce didn’t exactly help matters.

Despite her teachers and parents’ not having much faith that she would end up anywhere that wasn’t a jail cell, Lemie developed a passion for food and cooking. She leaned how to reign in her anger just enough to make it through cooking school (not that there weren’t a few outbursts along the way) and found herself a job at a quaint little bed & breakfast. She stands out like a sore thumb, but she’s good at what she does and so gets away with the occasional yelling.

Thanks to the help of a good therapist and a whole lot of self-control, Lemie’s now mostly in control of her temper. There are still things that set her off, but she’s also smart enough to understand that the consequences for getting into a fight at her age are more severe than they were in high school. 

[callme-harris]

“The bitter taste on my tongue.Too many holes, the damage done”

Welcome to Aurora Bay, [RHETT HARRIS]! I couldn’t help but notice you look an awful lot like [LEWIS PULLMAN]. You must be the [TWENTY-SIX ] year old [BOUNCER at OASIS NIGHTCLUB]. Word is you’re [PROTECTIVE] but can also be a bit [HOTHEADED] and your favorite song is [BITTER TASTE by BILLY IDOL]. I also heard you’ll be staying in [SEABROOK QUARTER]. I’m sure you’ll love it

[tw:car accident, depression, cancer, and fighting ]

Family

William Harris- Father

Cynthia Harris- Mother

NPC Harris- Sister

Carter Harris- Brother

Wanted Connections

Ex Girlfriend/former bandmate: UTP

Former bandmates: Rina Cicero(NPC), Mack Montgomery,

Ex: Sterling Levin

Friends: Imani Linh, Mack Montgomery, Wes Evans, Liza Levin, Sterling Levin,

Girlfriend: Gwen Moreno

Former Hookup:

Enemies:

Bio

For Harris family had always meant everything. Whether it was his biological family or those he had considered family; Harris believed that there were ties that bound people together forever. As he’s gotten older he realized that he may have been wrong about a few things.

His family had lived in Aurora Bay almost since the formation of the town and the family name was well known for being the kind of people you could count on for anything. His father was the kind of man to believe that hard work would get you everything you wanted. He was also the kind of man that would fix any problem thrown his way. Due to his father‘s reputation, many believed that the entire family was the same and in several ways they were.

The oldest of three siblings; Harris always felt like a the position of protector fell on him. He seemed like he had it all, a good family, a good home, good grades; it all seemed like everything was perfect. The truth was though that Harris wanted more than what Aurora Bay could offer. Though he was excelling in athletics and academics, his true passion was music. An avid drummer; Harris began his musical aspirations at a young age and was hoping to follow them into a full time career. While his parents believe that their sons success would be found in different fields, they still supported him, because it was what made him happy.

By the time he was in college, Harris found a band that had a lot of potential, however they were missing a very important member; a lead singer. After searching the town for someone who fit, the band came across a singer that not only clicked with the groups vibe but also had Harris instantly smitten. They became the classic rock band couple who would write together and whose chemistry could be felt from the audience. It seemed that Harris’ dreams of musical success were within reach. Luck was on their side again when the band had been scouted and offered a tour and contract. It all seemed too good to be true, and for Harris it was. Just when things seemed perfect; tragedy struck.

On his way home after a late night rehearsal Harris was caught in a devastating car accident that left him in the hospital with an arm and both legs broken among other injuries. The bands tour had to be postponed till their drummer was back on his feet. However, what seemed like a couple months was closing in on a year and Harris was still dealing with nerve damage, the possibility he would never walk again, and the fear that he may never leave the hospital room. Realizing her window of opportunity might come to a close, the bands lead singer and the love of his life packed her bags and left Harris without more than a goodbye note. Harris’ world shattered that day and the hole left in his heart from her began to grow into a bitter pit. He started to withdraw from others and argue with those who were trying to help him. Harris was on his way to alienating everyone in his life and burning every bridge in his path. The only thing he hadn’t completely abandoned was his recovery; which he started to put more time into till he was back in his feet and feeling like he could start to drum again. The nerve damage in his left hand was still a problem, but he didn’t want to let his love of music fade away into nothing.

A few years later, tragedy struck again when Harris’ mother had begun to feel unwell. Her condition started to get worse over time and was later revealed to be cancer. The family unit needed to be close by to try to make the most of the situation, so Harris felt like he had to to stick around and help take care of his mom. While his younger brother was in college and his sister wasn’t coping with the diagnosis well, Harris felt like things fell on him and his fathers shoulders. As much as he wanted to find a way out of town, he couldn’t leave again. His parents supported him his whole life and he felt it was his duty to do the same.

Since then, he’s been trying to not let what has happened in his life make him bitter, but it’s been easier said than done. He’s still mad over what his ex had done, he’s sad over how his mother is in poor health, and he’s frustrated and the lingering pain from his accident. It was all of these emotions that led him to his current job. While having a drink at the Oasis Nightclub, a fight broke out and Harris felt the need to step in. Despite the pain he felt in his body on his worst days, on a good day the former drummer knew how to throw a mean punch. He had started boxing in an attempt to help try to recapture some of his athleticism and it came in handy that night. After throwing the guy out of the club he had been offered a job on the spot.

His life isn’t what he hoped it to be and it frustrates him to feel both so stuck and powerless but he’s trying his best to do something with his life in Aurora Bay. Perhaps maybe happiness isn’t to be found in running away but in sticking around and falling in love with his hometown again.

[pop-sesivo]

El primer zombi suelto en Hollywood

Por Gonzalo Jiménez

Los zombis, tal como los conocemos, son una creación de George A. Romero. Ese es el canon que, de alguna manera, ha imperado en Hollywood desde que Romero dirigiera en 1968 La noche de los muertos vivientes. Los zombis en Romero no guardan relación con el mito haitiano, salvo en el detalle de que son muertos reanimados; pero su origen es la radiación de un satélite que cayó del espacio.

El zombi ya posee entidad como uno de los monstruos clásicos del cine; hasta puede hablarse de un género de películas. Los muchos fanáticos de los filmes y series de TV sobre zombis ignoran cuál fue el primer gran éxito que el tema tuvo en Hollywood: un largometraje que había sido olvidado durante décadas hasta que la TV lo rescató en los años 60 y volvió a ser apreciado por una nueva generación. Esta es la historia de ese filme, White Zombie (La legión de los hombres sin alma, 1932).

Parte de la razón para que White Zombie no tuviera el estatus de otros clásicos del cine de horror como Drácula o Frankenstein (ambas de 1931) es que White Zombie es un filme independiente, financiado por un pequeño estudio de cine, Halperin Productions, que formaba parte de la llamada Poverty Row, que era como se designaba a los estudios menores que operaban independientemente en Hollywood, como Monogram, Majestic, Mascot y Puritan, entre muchos otros, que ya no existen y pocos recuerdan ya.

Según indica el libro Forgotten Horrors (Midnight Marquee Press. Baltimore, 1999), de George Turner y Michael Price, la palabra “zombie” fue introducida ante grandes audiencias en Estados Unidos con el libro sobre vudú haitiano The Magic Island, de William Seabrook. El concepto luego llegó al teatro, con la obra Zombie, que produjo Kenneth Webb en Nueva York y se estrenó en febrero de 1931. Sólo se ofrecieron 21 funciones de esa pieza. Curiosamente, Webb amenazó con demandar en marzo de ese año a los productores Edward y Víctor Halperin cuando estos anunciaron que iniciarían el rodaje de una película llamada White Zombie.

La historia de los hermanos Halperin es singular. Ambos arribaron a Hollywood a comienzos de la década de 1920. Tenían formación universitaria e inclinaciones por el teatro. Juntos produjeron una docena de películas mudas para los estudios First National, United Artists y Vitagraph; casi todas melodramas. Nada presagiaba que les interesaría incursionar en el género del cine de terror.

Los hermanos tenían una obsesión: encontrar una aproximación científica a la forma de hacer cine. En pocas palabras, teorizaban sobre hallar una fórmula que garantizara en 100% el éxito de una película. Sus análisis de filmes exitosos los condujo a preguntarse por qué funcionaban en la taquilla Drácula (Universal) o Dr. Jekyll y Mr. Hyde (Paramount). Los Halperin (Víctor siempre dirigió y Edward era el productor) concluyeron que los diálogos debían limitarse al 15% del filme y que el resto debía ser pura acción.

Esta aproximación a la trama también se reflejó en su manera de hacer cine. White Zombie se completó en apenas 11 días de rodaje. Víctor Halperin y Garnett Weston escribieron el guión, con la asesoría del sargento Faustin Wirkus, otrora administrador de la isla de La Gonave, frente a Haití. El presupuesto fue de 65.000 dólares, aportados por la empresa Amusement Securities Corp. y por el productor independiente Phil Goldstone. Y como estrellas del filme se contrataron a Madge Bellamy (actriz del cine mudo que anhelaba un regreso triunfal) y Bela Lugosi, fresco del éxito de taquilla obtenido en Drácula y Murders of the Rue Morgue. En algunos libros se indica que Bela Lugosi sólo recibió 800 dólares como pago por White Zombie (en el libro Forgotten Horrors se indica que fueron 500 dólares por una semana de trabajo), pero cuesta creer que, si bien era una producción independiente, el actor húngaro se tranzara por esa cifra. Madge Bellamy, por ejemplo, comentó que le pagaron 5.000 dólares por su papel, que es estrictamente secundario frente al de Lugosi.

Lo cierto es que White Zombie en absoluto luce como una película barata. Sin duda, los diálogos y ciertos aspectos de la trama han envejecido mal. Pero todavía sorprende la dirección de fotografía de Arthur Martinelli (de lejos, lo mejor de la película). El filme se rodó en los escenarios de los estudios Universal, por lo que los hermanos Halperin le sacaron provecho a los decorados de primer nivel de la empresa; el director de arte fue Ralph Berger, quien comisionó a la empresa Howard Anderson Co. para hacer los efectos especiales y los trucos de cámara, que simulaban escenarios inmensos. Por ejemplo, el interior del castillo de Murder Legendre (Lugosi) fue usado en Drácula y en El jorobado de Nuestra Señora de París.

Jack Pierce, creador del legendario maquillaje de la criatura de Frankenstein, hizo el maquillaje de los zombis en la película, así como del personaje de Bela Lugosi, Murder Legendre. Lugosi creó con Legendre uno de sus villanos más memorables. No sólo era una cuestión de maquillaje; ayudó también los acercamientos que la cámara hacía de su rostro. Legendre crea zombis a través de la magia negra para valerse de mano de obra que trabaje sin parar en su molino de caña. Pero los zombis a los que hace alusión el título del filme son seis hombres blancos, que fueron enemigos de Legendre y éste los transformó en muertos vivientes: Latour, el brujo antiguo mentor de Legendre; Von Gelder, un terrateniente adinerado; Víctor Trischer, ministro del Interior; Scarpia, oficial del ejército; Marquis, capitán de la policía; y Chauvin, el verdugo de la isla.

White Zombie, pese a sus limitaciones, probó ser un éxito en la taquilla y eventualmente, con el paso del tiempo, encontró defensores en los espacios menos esperados, como en el del músico (y ahora cineasta) Rob Zombie, quien bautizó a su primera banda con el título del filme. En YouTube es posible ver la película completa. Una curiosidad, para quienes son fanáticos del género de horror.

(Publicado originalmente el 11 de diciembre de 2012 en el blog de los Hermanos Chang).