#also apologies no set lamb design yet STILL

[counterfeit-cryptid]

The One Who Doesnt Have Wisdom Teeth

Drawings of Narinder based off my experiences waking up after anesthesia

Drawing the One Who Waits with his wisdom teeth freshly removed and loopy af because I just got all 4 of mine taken out today and the entire experience leading to it and after it was wild

[singtheskyandfightlikehell]

BatFamily Headcanons: Stuffed Animals

In an attempt to productively combat my recent writer’s block, I’m practicing writing the batfam characters through short character study fics (which I will post once I make enough) and comparative headcanons. I might end up making short fics out of these, as well, since some of them got a bit long anyways

Today I decided to explore how many stuffed animals each member of the batfam (plus an adjacent character or two) has, what they think of them, how they got them, etc. I’ve got eleven characters on this list (and I’m still missing some, sorry)

Bruce:

Bruce put aside stuffed animals when he was eleven, deciding it was time to become serious. However, since acquiring children, he has been gifted a number of stuffed animals, ranging from a small and realistic brown bat to a child-sized bear wearing his cape and cowl. None of the children know this, but he keeps them all in a prominent position in his walk-in closet. Sometimes, when he has a particularly nasty fight with one of his kids, or he discovers something (like an injury) that they were hiding from him, he’ll tell the stuffed animals all the things he struggles to tell his children in the hopes that, one day, he’ll figure out how to express himself when it actually counts.

Alfred:

Alfred has no stuffed animals of his own, but he keeps the old, worn teddy bear that was once Thomas’ and later Bruce’s, alongside the somewhat lopsided bunny that Martha attempted to sew for Bruce when he was two. They sit side by side in a spotless glass cabinet filled with other memories that various members of the family have at one point or another attempted to cast aside.

Dick:

Dick has a pair of stuffed elephants, Eleonore and Zitka, and a teddy bear of his own, all from the circus. Most of the time they sit on the shelf under one of his nightstands, but when he has a particularly bad day, he’ll hold them all tightly until he falls asleep. If he’s crying, he finds it slows the tears to press kisses to the tops of their heads, or just smoosh his whole face into them. Sometimes, if he’s having a particularly good day – especially if no one else is sharing in his good mood – he’ll tell them about whatever made him happy. The rarest occasions are a bittersweet combination of both, the moments when he dwells on his happiest memories of his parents. When this happens, he is more likely to address them than his family, talking to them like old friends who were “there” for the things he’s recalling. It reminds him of the parties he would host as a small child, attended by his stuffed animals and his parents and sometimes other people from the giant family that was Haly’s, and for just that moment he’ll feel suspended somewhere between grief and content.

Barbara:

Barbara had lots of stuffed animals growing up, but as she got older, she gave most of them away. The only one she kept was a little otter that her father gave her for her first birthday. She doesn’t remember this, of course, but they have an old home video of that day which she’s seen a few times, and she know it’s one of her dad’s favorites to watch when he’s feeling nostalgic. She does remember the way she used to drag the otter with her everywhere she went when she was about four, and it’s so worn now that all of its original fluffiness has disappeared. She sets it up near her main computer and uses it in place of a rubber duck.

Jim:

When Babs decided she was too old for her stuffed animals, Jim was instructed to give them away at one of the Gotham children’s toy drives he helps run as commissioner. Only about half of them ever make it out of the house, because he keeps looking at them and remembering little moments that involve each of them. He has two boxes full of them that he swears he’s going to bring to the next drive, but he’s been swearing that for over ten years now.

Jason:

When Jason first arrived at the manor, he swore up and down that stuffed animals were dumb kids toys that he was way too old for. The first time Dick showed up at the manor after Jason was there, he brought a plush dog he’d picked up on the way there, unsure what to get his surprise new brother but not putting an excess of thought into it either. After all, he wasn’t about to ask Bruce what Jason might like. Jason made a show of scorn and tossing the toy in the trash, but when Dick was gone he dug it back out. When he was sleeping, he clutched the dog protectively against his chest like it might be snatched away at any time. When he wasn’t sleeping, he kept it hidden in a box wedged under a floorboard beneath the bed, alongside his other contraband. It was there when he died and it’s still there now. Every time he’s in the manor, he thinks about sneaking into his old room to retrieve it, alongside some of his other old belongings, but he never does. His reasoning alternates between not caring, being too old for toys, not wanting to set foot in his old room, and not wanting to get caught caring after all these years.

He does however have an obnoxiously long bright red snake that Roy won at some sort of archery carnival game while they were supposed to be tracking a suspect. He’d griped at Roy for wasting time with frivolous games, a complaint that was very on brand for their relationship. He’s pretty sure Roy saw through him, though, and understood the real reason he was so antsy to leave the carnival, given his soft apology later that night. He also recently acquired a floppy stingray, a gift from Lian for his latest birthday. She told him that she’d gotten to pet a stingray at the aquarium where she’d bought it, and it reminded her of him. Specifically, she’d said he was, “Kinda dangerous and maybe a little scary, but actually really soft to anyone who’s nice enough”. He wasn’t sure how he felt about that description, but the gift had a place of pride, resting atop an old model of his helmet that Roy had “defaced” with a sweet message that always made Jason smile.

Cass:

Cass grew up without stuffed animals, and was honestly a little confused at first about why she might want one. The first one she ever got was a tiny key-chain cat that was given to her by a little girl she saved. She was unsure what to make of the object itself, but she treasured it as a symbol, proof that she was doing good in the world. It was Steph who convinced her to look for more, to look for stuffed animals in her “style”. Eventually, she got two of the most different ones she could find: an iridescent octopus packed tightly with beans and made of a coarse fabric, and a large fluffy goose that squished like a cloud and was made of the softest fabric imaginable. She likes tossing the octopus lightly in the air to feel the weight of it, and faceplanting into the giant goose. She also has a big bear holding a plush heart that Steph got her for their first Valentine’s.

Tim:

Tim’s relationship with stuffed animals is a bit more complicated. He had five growing up: a dog, a bear, a lion, a rabbit, and a lamb. They had names, stories, personalities, and they were his friends (his only friends, at the time). When he was seven, he woke up one day to find them gone. His mother scolded him for his tears, explaining that he was too old for baby toys, and that his attachment to them would only hinder his path forward. For years, he felt ashamed whenever he thought of his grief towards them, because he knew they were just toys, he knew he was being a baby about it, and yet…

It wasn’t until he was fifteen years old and stumbled across an article about autistic people and the projection of feelings onto objects that he understood why he had been willing to sneak out at night to search through pawn store after pawn store and – once – the landfill in the hopes of seeing his beloved toys again. As a teen in the Wayne household, he knew he could get as many stuffed animals as he liked, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so after what had happened before. He got one giant, floppy moose, barely half a foot shorter than himself, that he clings to like an octopus when he manages to lay down, whether he succeeds in falling asleep or not. Additionally, on a night after Jason made amends with the family, Tim returned to his room to find a fifteen inch plush latte with a cute little face on the mug portion and a sticky note on top that simply read: Sorry for trying to kill you a bunch. My bad :) He keeps it on top of his dresser, and while he doesn’t really hug it, he did discover it was the perfect object for chucking at his siblings’ heads whenever the situation calls for it.

Steph:

Steph loves stuffed animals. While she never got any of the fancy brand name ones, or the luxuriously soft ones, or the hyper-realistic ones, her mom had a tradition of buying her one for every birthday, Christmas, and Easter. She soon had quite a collection, and – like Tim – she gave them all names and personalities. She played out complex scenarios with them and the few dolls she had, designing an intricate world of wild concepts and plots. She also used her stuffed animals to conquer her fears, like thunderstorms and darkness, by pretending they were all more scared than she was, so she had to be brave for all of them. Steph still has her whole collection, as well as quite a few “nicer” (though equally loved) ones that she has acquired from various Waynes. At this point, pretty much everyone in the Wayne family has given her a stuffed animal at some time or other. For a couple of years now, she has taken to posing with her massive collection and making fake family Christmas cards to send out to everyone she knows, where she will update them on the well-being of any plushie they’ve given her.

Duke:

Duke also has a great love of stuffed animals, although he doesn’t match Steph for quantity. He only had a few beloved animals growing up, all of which he’s held onto (a panda, a penguin, a turtle, a frog, a leopard, and a pikachu). Since being fostered by Bruce, Duke has taken to searching out and buying only the rarest stuffed animals he can find: an anteater, a platypus, a manatee, a sloth, and an axolotl have made the cut so far. Bruce knows about this and has taken to keeping an eye out for anything interesting whenever he’s out. After accidentally mentioning it at a gala one time, it has since become his favorite topic, as getting drawn into an intense discussion with Bruce Wayne about where to acquire strange plushies for his son elicits one of two reactions from his guests: delighted awws or hilariously awkward attempts to steer the conversation back to high society definitions of business and pleasure. At Duke’s request, a large shelf was built around the top of his room, so that all of his stuffed animals can sit comfortably and be clearly seen.

Damian:

Damian was much like Jason when he arrived at the manor in more ways than one, but his determination to prove himself above stuffed animals was certainly on that list. He sneered at his siblings’ attempts to treat him like the child he swore he wasn’t. And honestly, even after he began to lower his walls just a little, he still wasn’t particularly fond of stuffed animals. Sure, he privately thought they were cute, and sure he might (might) find himself holding one at night if it happened to have been left in his bed by an annoying sibling, but in general he preferred live animals to fake ones. Real animals had personalities and feelings, fake ones did not, it was as simple as that, no matter what Stephanie claimed. But as time went on, Damian found himself acquiring a small army of stuffed animals against his will. Some of his siblings (Jason, Tim, sometimes Duke) gave them to him because they found it funny to watch him growl about how he was not an infant in need of deceitful comforts. Some of his siblings (Dick, Cass, sometimes Duke… sometimes his father as well) would give them to him because they knew he liked animals so they assumed he’d like imitations of animals as well. Steph would just give them to everybody, every now and then. But regardless of motive, Damian soon found his room overflowing with stuffed animals that were moderately cute but ultimately pointless.

It wasn’t until a patrol a few years after he’d taken on the mantle of Robin that he discovered a solution. Tim had hidden a tiny stuffed bear in the medical supply compartment of his utility belt, a felt bandage wrapped around its little head. He hadn’t been wounded, but the young girl he’d rescued had been bleeding from a wound that looked worryingly dirty. The bear had fallen out of the pouch, right into her lap, and she’d stared at it with wide eyes, surprise halting the flow of her tears. She’d held onto it the whole time he disinfected her arm and bandaged it, and afterwards he had insisted she keep it. For the first time that night, she’d smiled. After that, Damian began taking a few of his many stuffed animals out on patrol with him, ready to hand out to any and all injured, lost, or otherwise traumatized children once he’d rescued them from their troubles. Eventually he began running out of toys he’d been gifted, even though he kept getting new ones, so at some point he begins to regularly sneak out for the sole purpose of acquiring stuffed animals to hand out. He never tells his siblings, but he suspects they’ve found out anyway, when the presents they give him drastically decrease in size.

[adelaidedrubman]

Wildfire chapter five we finally did it yo!!!!!!

and as you can see from todays meme, best girl is here. sorry for the wait and thank you to everyone who gave me advice or encouragement on this, especially those of you who suggested i did need to cut the baby in half and make it a two parter. (part 2 coming up soon).

also very short deleted scene (set at beginning of chapter) below cut as a treat. i ended up cutting it because at the end of the day it was unnecessary and a little too goofy and distracted from the overall tone. (and as much as i like making john into just an entire joke, i still need him to be a little more genuinely threatening.) but also going with the "if it made me laugh i post" rule. below cut and warning for NSFW and small drug references.

She had stopped his heart, just for a second.

It was shock just prior to the makings of a full panic that froze in John's chest when he heard the unmistakable sound of a gunshot, a sound that stole the air from his lungs. A wave of worry at the possibilities built inside him, different scenarios playing out in his mind.

One of the guards posted to watch her shot her as she tried to escape. She'd managed to locate the guards and take them out. She'd turned the gun on herself rather than be turned over to him in the morning, that possibility cresting fear highest.

But just before it broke to wash over him, her voice met his ears again, that high-pitched yet gravelly timbre that melded so naturally with the piercing static of the radio.

"Or let me go when I asked," the speaker buzzed. "Because I'm back on the clock now, fucker."

He let her words hang in the air, trying to arrive at their meaning, swelling with gratitude that she was alive.

"And don't ever fucking talk to me like I'm an idiot again, you bastard."

Gratitude was quickly pushed away by heat burning at his cheeks, the pit of his stomach. A sweltering mix of shame and fury, a confusing and nauseating storm still too clouded with shock to feel tangible and articulable. His pride felt wounded, although he couldn't yet identify exactly how.

He almost didn't wish to know, would have preferred to sit his radio back at his nightstand and continue laying motionless and praying for sleep, as he had been when she'd first broken the lull with false promises of remorse. But John knew that wasn't really an option, so he flipped through the output frequencies instead until he landed on the number he'd designated for communications with the men posted to guard in camouflage the little nest he'd built for the lamb.

"I think you might have some updates for me," he hissed slow and deadly calm into the speaker.

The device in his hand remained dead for a tense moment, and he was about to try another frequency when he finally heard the crackle of a response.

"W-We've been trying to, sir. We all have."

"Brother," he replied curtly, coldly correcting the statured title.

"Brother!" Was the nearly instantaneous response.

"Brother," a second voice, slightly more distant, stumbled over the first in correction, getting louder with a rustle of what he assumed was the man grabbing the radio from his companion. "And we swear to the Father we kept eyes on the place the entire time, nobody had told us about the hole in the floor, we thought we were supposed to keep watching from a distance, and —"

"You can profess your apologies later," he cut the man off. "Where is she now?"

Silence, and he drummed fingers against the plastic of the handheld impatiently as he waited.

"...You haven't heard?"

"Heard what?"

"She's in Fall's End, s… Brother."

"Well have them take her to my Gate right away," he replied, "I'm not risking another escape."

A cough, and the first man took over again. "She's in Fall's End, Brother John, but our brothers and sisters…"

"Yes?"

"Well, some of 'em managed to flee and get to Sunrise Farm, but…"

"But what?!"

"S-She took the town, sir."

The plastic of the radio cracked beneath his forceful grip, irritation crossing the line into fury as realization struck him, and his radio struck the paneling of his wall where he flung it without even processing the automatic movement of his arm.

"Brother John? Brother John?"

He barely registered the muffled calls back to him still buzzing in the air either, pounding a fist down at his nightstand.

She took the town.

He knew she'd been up to something, and that her parting gunshot had been a strike back at him, but he hadn't imagined the magnitude of her violence. He'd known something about her was corrupted from the moment he saw her, light brown eyes wide with what should have been fear at the impressive show of subtle intimidation he'd styled at the compound after being tipped off about the warrant, but instead resembled vacant indifference. But he had never imagined this.

He'd watched her kill, watched her put bullets in faithful men and women who meant her no harm, wished to make her their family. But he hadn't dreamed that the panicked little creature he watched flee into the woods could commit that level of violence while calmly feigning interest in salvation. Obviously he sensed the insincerity from the very beginning, hardly the first time someone tried to mislead him with an exaggerated show of sudden penance. He hadn't been foolish enough to actually believe the ruse, but he had been foolish enough to find it harmlessly adorable.

But it was nothing of the sort, it was entirely treacherous. And she was bloodthirsty beyond imagination.

She had fucking taken out an entire town while making small talk.

And to even imagine he'd allowed himself to think for a moment the subtle rasp of her labored breathing as she spoke to him had instead meant…

Fuck. No. He wasn't going to think about that, it's bad enough her coy little diversion had polluted his mind with the notion once.

He wouldn't make that mistake again, thinking her sins were limited to such simple, carnal impulses. No, he had been wrong. She was much more dangerous than that, she was a creature of violence and bloodshed.

She was slaughtered crusaders and conquered cities. She was cold-blooded murder without remorse. She was death itself.

She was inhuman, not even resting a single evening before clawing her way through the county to kill again.

And what would such a vicious beast even look like touching herself anyways? Certainly not the shy creep of fingers slowly reaching to explore between folds he'd instinctively conjured, no, she would be far more untamed than that, legs spread wide and fingers frantically pawing and plunging and possibly —

No, he reprimanded himself, halting his racing thoughts and the roll of hips he hadn't even realized had begun pumping the hardness in his pants against the mound of bunched up bedding to his side.

His knuckles bleached white from the force he gripped the blankets with, matching the white hot rage growing inside him. This was the epitome of insult to injury, not only did she take down his fucking army, she somehow managed to leave him humping his sheets like a teenage boy over it. And he was not fucking doing that.

He had to focus on what strategic information he could actually learn from the temporary defeat. She was adept at concealing her purpose, not easily shaken. She admonished him for speaking down to her, so she was prideful. Spiteful as well. And relentless, only someone with incredible physical endurance could do what she did as exhausted and injured as she must have been. Yes. These were the things he truly needed to reflect on.

Besides, he probably didn't even have it right the second time either, a depraved creature the likes of her wouldn't even be satisfied with her own slender, dainty fingers, deceptively powerful as they might be. He would wager his soul a shameless little heathen like that would need something more substantial, would —

NO. He was not going to think about that. She was a vile, merciless monster, who killed his brothers and sisters and defiled his thoughts and would probably look so pretty around his —

NO! He threw back the covers he had unconsciously begun chasing friction against again, standing and marching to burst through bedroom door with determination, incidentally grateful he had banished all his guards to patrols outside the ranch for the time being as he stormed down the hallway with arousal still visibly straining against the thin fabric of his pajamas.

If John Seed was going to sin, he was going to do it like a grown fucking man, not a hormone addled boy, he thought resolutely striding with arms swinging at his sides towards his office and the bag of grass still stashed in his desk.

He gave a silent prayer that Faith was telling the truth when she assured him it was a pure indica strain, he desperately needed to calm down.

[ncisladaily]

This Sunday will be twice as nice for fans of CBS’ NCIS: Los Angeles, which is serving up not one but two fresh episodes, beginning at 9:30/8:3oc.

In the second hour, titled “Raising The Dead,” a prison break lets loose a man with designs on killing the President of the United States, so Special Agent Kensi Blye (played by Daniela Ruah) is forced to grill the other, captured escapee, David Kessler, for a possible lead. Thing is, Kessler is a bit of a Kensi Blye “superfan” — and a very twisted one at that — seeing as she was responsible for his prison stint to begin with.

TVLine spoke with Ruah about the intense face-off ahead, acting opposite NCIS: LA writer Frank Military, and her newly announced directorial debut.

TVLINE | What was your reaction when you heard Kensi would be getting her own Silence of the Lambs moment? You know, I don’t know that I even made that connection at first. First of all, when I read the script, I thought, “They’re going to have to hire a really strong actor to play David Kessler,” because the character’s so beautifully written — and it wasn’t until I walked into hair-and-makeup and saw Frank Military, who is the writer of the episode, walk in as well. I was like, “Oh, hey. What are you doing here so early?” He was like, “I’m playing David Kessler,” and it blew my mind.

I was so happy and excited, because who better to play to play this dark, twisted character than the guy that thought him up? Frank was an actor 20 years ago before he became the incredible writer that he is, so to be able to go back to those chops…. It’s interesting because now that he’s a father, I think age gives us a certain gravitas, a certain weight to certain types of storytelling. So he was just incredible, and I was honored, really. That’s the word — I was honored to work with him in this capacity.

TVLINE | How would you describe Kensi’s strategy when she is first sent in to talk to Kessler? You talked about Clarice in Silence of the Lambs, but I think there’s a big difference  — and when I explain this, you’ll see why. The difference between them is that Kensi is not green in her experience in dealing with sick minds, right? Clarice was in kind of a discovery mode, and it was almost like a weird “love story” between those two, and that’s not what’s happening here at all. Kensi is an experienced agent. She doesn’t have a young mind that is easily manipulated. Much to the contrary, she’s very aware of this man. She’s the one who put him in jail for 30 years, and it was the case that got her into the Office of Special Projects, it was the case that got Hetty’s attention. So, she knows exactly what she’s doing when she’s going in there, and she knows exactly what kind of language he’s going to use, but that doesn’t mean that she doesn’t crack. When he starts talking about her inability to have children, and how he can tell her “hips haven’t cracked” yet, it’s still sick. It’s still shocking because she obviously is a fundamentally good person fighting for good in everything she does. He definitely manages to create some cracks in her, but that’s so fascinating to me, to watch this journey between them. And then the end is a complete twist.

TVLINE | When I watch a scene like this, I often wonder if there is a moment before you start filming where Frank “pre-apologizes” for all the really awful things he’s about to say? I don’t know how it would work if it were a movie or anything, but not here. I mean, Frank and I are good friends outside of the show. We are couples that go out to dinner together. The incredible thing about Frank is that he writes the darkest of episodes that we have. I can’t remember what season it was, but the young girls were being buried alive, and the guys that were cut up and stitched back together in different body parts. That’s all Frank. So, that’s a pretty dark place to go when you’re writing an episode, and Frank Military in real life is the complete and absolute opposite of that. He is a ray of sunshine! And he is the most loving, calm, wonderful husband and father. It’s really fascinating to see where he’s able to go in spite of his real personality. He once told me that the darker you go, the more the light shines at the end of it, and that just made so much sense to me. He’s essentially super dark so that he can then brighten up.

TVLINE | While all this is going on between Kensi and Kessler, she’s also got some drama going on at home with Deeks. They’ve got financial issues and job concerns to deal with…. Exactly. Kensi and Deeks are looking to buy a house, and they’re wanting to have children, and all that obviously requires some sort of financial planning. But now, all of a sudden with all the police reform, Deeks’ LAPD liaison job is in jeopardy. There’s definitely a lot weighing in on their personal lives, which always seems to ebb and flow. Like, last season Kensi got really paranoid and freaked out about the fact that she wasn’t getting pregnant after three months of trying. But anybody who’s had children knows that it probably takes a lot longer than that. And yet this season, we see her sort of as a ray of sunlight, telling Deeks, “It’s going to be OK. We’re going to figure it out. We’re going to have a baby, and we’re going to get a house.” It’s interesting how he was driving the positivity last season, and so far this season Kensi’s the one who’s turned the page and is like, “This is going to happen for us.”

TVLINE | Speaking of Kensi and Deeks, I was curious: With COVID and everything, is your husband [costar Eric Christian Olsen’s brother, David Paul Olsen] “on standby” to race to the set and do an intimate scene if needed? [Laughs] You know, just like the rest of the season has been adapted to accommodate the pandemic — you’ll notice that you don’t have the whole cast in the OPS Center like you used to, and there are a lot of phone calls — Eric and I are very conservative quarantiners, especially because he has a newborn at home.

TVLINE | That’s right. Yeah. And all four of our kids are homeschooled right now, so there isn’t any external influence. Really, Eric and I are the only ones really going out of the house for work, but we’re in masks all day, the crew is in a mask all the time…. When they come in to adjust certain lighting, we leave the set, and then they sanitize everything, and then we come back in….  The fact that we’ve made it thus far, to Episode 9, unscathed is a miracle, and we’re very grateful and thankful and everybody’s pushing for it to stay this way because we all want this season to go to the end.

TVLINE | Knock on wood. Knock on wood, for sure.

TVLINE | Tell me everything you know about the episode you’re directing, to air in February. Yeah, it’ll be my first experience directing television. It is not a big jump, I don’t think — I mean, living in a show like this for 12 years is essentially like attending film school, right? If you open your eyes, and you open your ears, and you pay attention, you’re going to learn most of what you need to know on a theoretical basis.But then it’s a question of putting it into practice, and I am surrounded by people I trust blindly to help me, to collaborate with me on everything. I know how hard it is to get a job like this to begin with, and I’m very fortunate to have my first experience be with my family because that’s what it is.

TVLINE | Do you know if you’re getting, like, a helicopter chase or…? I don’t think I’m getting a helicopter chase [Laughs], but I don’t think that’s because of me, I think that’s just the general logistics of that. No, I have [the script] for almost the whole episode, and thus far it’s pretty wonderful.

Also, just in the last few years, [showrunner] Scott Gemmill and our other producers have been, I think, more creative with how the show is put together. We are a network procedural and you have to have those boundaries that we fall into, but I feel like they’ve made those parameters a little wider than they used to be, and I find that directors are coming in and being able to be a bit more original with what they are able to shoot, and how they are able to shoot. So, I look forward to being creative and collaborating with my family.

[247krp]

— Rejoice, little lambs! We have recovered our own Son Naeun, spotted prancing about in the Southeast Side. I remember seeing her with the Plastics Committee back in high school, but I’m not here to spill yesterday’s tea. So straight to the rundown: can you say unforthcoming and sardonic? Apparently now she spends time as a socialite, heiress and university student, and keeps skeletons buried at Macheon Hill Gated Community, 402. But those won’t stay hidden for long, if you and I have any say on it. Welcome back, Venus; we missed you so.

In case you don’t remember the devil’s name, here’s to refresh your memory:

for those that don’t personally know son naeun, she’s an after thought. with an air of slight ditziness surrounding her, eyes seemingly glued to her compact mirror, it’s no wonder that people fear her only due to the people she hangs out with; however, for those that have conversed with naeun know that she’s stone cold plastic and it’s dangerous to assume anything less.

despite the uninterested flutter of her fingers whenever her friends tore apart girls in their designated restroom, her sharp tongue can tussle with everybody (and for boys it’s in more ways than one) and she’s good at setting her foot down and getting her point across, even if it means playing dirty to prove her point.

her poker face is impeccable so many mistake naeun for one of the nicer ones but there is no ‘nicer’ in the plastics. one wrong move and she’ll laugh along with the rest of her friends, judgmental eyes following the scene with a simper on her face but really? are we surprised?

Nevermind the memory lane though, the present is always the ripest fruit:

it’s not surprising for people to do a double take when they spot naeun at a party. her eyes are no longer cold and sharp but curved into crescents as she smiles along with the chancellor of yonsei university, politely covering her mouth to laugh at his jokes. someone bumps into her and it’s fleeting but the cold glare is present for less than a second and she’s back to reassuring the server that it’s no big deal.

naeun seems like a changed person. she glides through each social convention with an unrivaled elegance, her zuhair murad dress fluttering behind her but all that glitters is not gold and when she steps away from the watchful eyes of the party, her mask crumples and it’s like cheongnam all over again.

she’s learned how to twist words and meld people to do her bidding without being overwhelmingly ‘chick flick mean girls’ but the deceptive nature is still there if one squints. it’s borderline horrifying how good naeun has become at portraying herself as her father’s very own sweet heart then turning around and stabbing people in the back with her acerbic words and conniving nature. (ah, doesn’t she remind you of someone?)

naeun may not be a good person yet she isn’t a bad person either. growing up too fast and giving away too much of herself in the process has left her broken but even so, naeun knows where her loyalties lie and is surprisingly amicable to those that are dear to her heart. quick to adapt and humorous banter proves to be a norm to those she considers friends.

But we are nothing if not open books – my job is to ensure you get to the best pages:

it’s not surprising to find out that children who are born to happy families flourish, despite the circumstances they’re put in. children born into unhappy families, however, wither — they grow bitter and angry at the world, a mask of regal indifference plastered onto their face as they attend family dinners and black tie gala’s.

born to save the marriage between a stay at home mother and a ceo of a multi million dollar pharmaceutical company, it didn’t surprise anybody in the upper side when son naeun’s parents agreed on a divorce. we just fell out of love, her mother would breezily dismiss. i was just too busy with work, her father would tell a 6 year old naeun. (her face crumples with sadness and her father makes it up to her by buying her an expensive set of swarvoski earrings.)

nobody minus the family knows the real reason is that son naeun is an illegitimate child between her mother and her father’s best friend but even if naeun wasn’t his own flesh and blood, he still adores her like she is. she smiles up at him, her front two baby teeth gone, when her father tugs her away from the court room — he gets custody over son naeun, seeing how her mother didn’t even have a steady income to support herself let alone a child.

( “i hate you,” her mother would seethe on the days the divorced papers were signed. naeun merely shrugs but when she’s lying on her bed sheets, fingers splayed over her stomach, she wonders if anybody does love her.)

naeun grows up too fast but she’s still a child. she pours herself some cereal in the morning but can’t help but sadly stare at her father’s back when he’s leaving for work, washing her dishes and dressing herself for kindergarten as her butler chauffeurs her back and forth from school.

the next day, her father presses a quick kiss to her temple and, in apology for being out so late, gifts her the latest iphone and tells her he loves her.

giving, she equates to love.

(yikes! childhood is calling — phone is on vibrate. son naeun can not come to the phone right now, please leave a message at the beep.)

she meets her first boyfriend at the ripe age of 14 and she swears they’re in love. he’s chivalrous and kind but he’s also being encouraged by his parents to pursue their business partner’s daughter to make things go smoothly between the two companies. he dates other people behind her back but he’s perfect — and it’s never his fault. she listens to his problems, tracing a finger down his shirtless chest until he’s kicking her out of his bed. she zips up her plaid skirt, assuring him that she’s on birth control and leaves his house at 4 am in the morning, utterly infatuated with the boy she’s with.

when naeun’s father cancels the merger between the two companies, he dumps her, telling anybody that would listen that they weren’t truly dating. naeun trashes his one year anniversary present in the dumpster, bawling by herself. she spends the rest of the year sleeping around (she loses track by the third guy.)

“they’re all the same.” naeun muses to herself. it’s around here does she truly realize that giving is pathetic. she becomes strong (re: manipulative) and naeun learns how to take, ripping things away from people with a cruel smile.

it proves to be useful when she joins the plastics. her pretty face and her black credit card does wonders for her social status and while she’s not the alpha, she’s content in playing behind the scenes. ruling cheongnam high was fun but now that naeun is older, she’s claimed to have become much more forgiving (she hasn’t but who’s going to call her out on her lies when she has a soft smile plastered onto her face?) but it’s hard to change when it’s proved to be so useful in getting her where she is today.

[melindarowens]

Democrats pick nominee in PA-18

The following newsletter is an abridged version of Campaign Pro’s Morning Score. For an earlier morning read on exponentially more races — and for a more comprehensive aggregation of the day’s most important campaign news — sign up for Campaign Pro today. (http://www.politicopro.com/proinfo)

THE NEXT SPECIAL — “Conor Lamb is Democrats’ pick to replace Tim Murphy,” by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Chris Potter: “Over 500 Democratic committeepeople gathered in Washington, Pa., on Sunday to pick former federal prosecutor Conor Lamb, who has never run for office before, to be their champion in a special election for the 18th Congressional District to replace Tim Murphy. … In a speech before the vote, Mr. Lamb said his ‘mission’ would be to confront Republicans on what he called ‘a public hypocrisy fully equal to the private hypocrisy of Tim Murphy,’ who resigned in October amid allegations he was having an extramarital affair. Mr. Lamb, 33, of Mt. Lebanon was an assistant U.S. attorney in the Pittsburgh office until he stepped down just after Mr. Murphy stepped down. He is a Marine Corps veteran and prosecutor whose cases included the successful prosecution of a Naval Academy instructor who lied under oath about sexual misconduct involving female servicepeople. Mr. Lamb is from a notable public family: His uncle Michael Lamb is Pittsburgh’s city controller, and his grandfather Thomas Lamb was the Democratic leader in the state Senate during the 1970s, later becoming Gov. Robert P. Casey’s top legislative aide. …. Mr. Lamb was widely regarded as a moderate choice for Democrats. … Asked whether he would support California Democrat Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House, he said answering would be ‘presumptuous.’” Full story.

Story Continued Below

— Republicans picked state Rep. Rick Saccone as their nominee last weekend. The special election is set for March 16.

THE ETERNAL QUESTION — “Republican Governors’ 2018 Dilemma: What to Do About Trump?,” by the New York Times’ Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns in Austin, Texas: “In a series of closed-door meetings, governors tangled over how best to avoid being tainted by Mr. Trump, and debated the delicate task of steering Mr. Trump’s political activities away from states where he might be unhelpful. Several complained directly to Vice President Mike Pence, prodding him to ensure that the White House intervenes only in races in which its involvement is welcome. … Several candidates and strategists said the governors association had been pressing recruits to define themselves early and develop independent personal brands. But that is a more complicated task than it was during the Obama years, when Republican governors shared an easy template of railing against a Democratic administration and fiscal profligacy at the state level. What Republicans agree on is that their candidates must avoid the contortions of Ed Gillespie, their Virginia nominee for governor, who embraced Mr. Trump’s divisive messages on immigration, crime and Confederate ‘heritage’ but danced inartfully around whether he actually supported the president. ‘You can’t be halfway in and halfway out,’ said Gov. Phil Bryant of Mississippi, a conservative and admirer of Mr. Trump’s.” Full story.

— HE’S BACK — “POLITICO Pro Q&A: Colorado Republican Tom Tancredo,” by Campaign Pro’s Daniel Strauss: “You’ve run two times before for governor. What makes this time different? The polls indicate that, certainly No. 1, I have the best chances of winning in the primary. And No. 2, I am tied with Jared Polis; he’s most likely the Democratic candidate. Now, that’s more than anyone else out there. So why would I not say that’s a pretty good indication? So your expectation is that Polis will be the nominee? Yes. Anybody that’s going to put $30 million into the race, which is what he has promised, will almost certainly — even though he is not, I would say, the favorite of the Democratic establishment. I think $30 million can turn a lot of heads.” Full story.

THE YEAR’S BEST ROMANTIC COMEDY — “Trump still loves polls,” by POLITICO’s Josh Dawsey and Steven Shepard: “Aides in the White House often show Trump polls designed to make him feel good, according to aides and advisers. Usually they’re the ones that focus just on voters who cast ballots for him in 2016 or are potential Trump supporters —Trump’s base — but occasionally include public polls like Rasmussen, depending on what the numbers say. … When the White House sent internal poll numbers to about 15 legislators last month in hopes of pressuring them to support tax reform, it wasn’t the usual approve-disapprove. Instead, the polls delineated by the president’s base, steady Trump voters, soft Trump voters, lean Dem independent voters, white working class men, suburban women. For example, in New Jersey’s seventh congressional district, a wealthier stretch that includes Trump’s Bedminster golf club, 72.7 percent of the president’s base approves of him, while 67.9 percent of Republicans approve, internal polls obtained by POLITICO show. There was no data on his approval rating overall. The numbers came from the Republican National Committee. … Aides in Trump’s political affairs shop shrug off public polls that survey the general public. Most of the public pollsters are seen as ‘not understanding him,’ one senior White House official said, a position carried over from the campaign, when many polls underestimated support for Trump.” Full story.

MONEY CHASE — FIRST IN SCORE: The DSCC raised more than $4.1 million in October and has more than $17.5 million cash on hand. The committee had $15.7 million on hand and $8 million in debt at the end of September.

Days until the 2018 election: 354. (Updated for 11/17)

Thanks for joining us! You can email tips to the Campaign Pro team at sbland@politico.com, eschneider@politico.com, krobillard@politico.com, dstrauss@politico.com and mseverns@politico.com.

You can also follow us on Twitter: @politicoscott, @ec_schneider, @politicokevin, @danielstrauss4 and @maggieseverns.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: Morning Score will not publish from Nov. 23-Nov. 26. Our next Morning Score newsletter will publish on Nov. 27.

FRANKEN FALLOUT — “Sen. Al Franken faces fallout from account of sexual harassment,” by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Maya Rao and Brandon Stahl: “Supporters, political allies and former employees of U.S. Sen. Al Franken responded with dismay, confusion and support Friday following his public apology for unwanted kissing and groping of a woman in 2006. Some distanced themselves from the Democratic senator, including a Minnesota rape survivor who said she no longer wants Franken to sponsor legislation she has championed to aid sexual assault survivors. At the same time, a group of eight women who worked for Franken in recent years released a letter of support stating that he always ‘treated us with the utmost respect.’ … Two DFL candidates for governor in 2018, State Auditor Rebecca Otto and state Rep. Erin Murphy, said Franken should resign, while a third — St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman — said that was for Franken to decide.” Full story.

— “Lujan Grisham: Senate leader should leave race,” by the AP’s Russell Contreras and Morgan Lee: “New Mexico Democratic gubernatorial candidate Michelle Lujan Grisham said Friday that Democratic Sen. Michael Padilla should end his bid for lieutenant governor over claims he harassed women as a city of Albuquerque supervisor. Padilla has long denied the harassment claims dating back to 2006 that he links to issues of a hostile workplace environment and not sexual harassment. But Lujan Grisham said in a statement to The Associated Press that Padilla should end his campaign as the decade-old allegations began to resurface on social media and amid sexual harassment cases involving other political leaders and celebrities.” Full story.

DAILY WAR EAGLE — “Roy Moore scandal ignites fundraising explosion for Democratic challenger Doug Jones,” by NBC News’ Alex Seitz-Wald: “The Roy Moore scandal has unleashed a torrent of online donations to Democrat Doug Jones, who was collecting around $250,000 per day in its immediate aftermath, according to two sources familiar with the matter who spoke to NBC News on condition of anonymity.” Full story.

ANOTHER ONE — “Indiana candidate’s DC-area home complicates Senate campaign,” by the AP’s Brian Slodysko: “His family lives in McLean, Virginia, keeps a vacation house in Dandridge, Tennessee, yet sold their home in Indiana two years after his election to Congress in 2012. They now say a two-bedroom house Messer co-owns with his mom in Greensburg is the family’s Indiana residence. … For his part, Messer says he relocated his family in order to stay close. He was raised by a single mother and wanted to be engaged in his three kids’ day-to-day lives, unlike his own father. Plus, his family’s move to Virginia was well known and never a secret, he said. ‘I am proud to serve our state, but being a dad comes first,’ Messer said in a statement Wednesday. ‘My opponents think that’s gonna cost me this election. If it did, I would never regret it.’” Full story.

PRIMARY CONCERNS — “Dems opt for state-run primary in Virginia’s 10th District,” by the AP: “Democrats will hold a state-run primary next year in their race to unseat Republican Barbara Comstock from a northern Virginia congressional district. … The 10th District Congressional Committee voted Saturday to hold a state-run primary, rather than a convention or ‘firehouse primary,’ to nominate a candidate for the 2018 race. Nine Democrats, including state Sen. Jennifer Wexton, have already announced plans to run for the seat.” Full story.

— FLASHBACK — “Democrats weigh convention instead of primary in top House battleground,” by Campaign Pro’s Kevin Robillard on Sept. 13: “Democratic officials in one of the nation’s most contested House districts are considering picking their nominee through a convention rather than a primary, a step opposed by all but one of the leading candidates: Virginia state Sen. Jennifer Wexton, the only Democratic elected official in the race against GOP Rep. Barbara Comstock. … Some Democrats in the district think Wexton, the only candidate with experience running elections in the 10th District, may prefer a more insular convention to a more expensive primary.” Full story.

2018 WATCH — “Wolf starting to look like ‘two-term Tom’ as 2018 approaches,” by the Associated Press’ Marc Levy: “Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf likely has wrapped up his biggest first-term fights with the Legislature’s huge Republican majorities and his record is largely set a year before voters decide whether to give him a second term. He now heads into the 2018 election year with political winds at his back. Wolf’s polls currently resemble those of former Gov. Ed Rendell’s, the Democrat who won a second term in 2006, rather than former Gov. Tom Corbett’s, the Republican who Wolf beat in 2014 to make the first Pennsylvania governor to lose re-election and the original ‘one-term Tom.’” Full story.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Did he go visit them in jail? Did you go visit them in jail? If you went to visit them in jail then I would say, ‘Thank you.’” — LaVar Ball, explaining why he isn’t thanking President Donald Trump for freeing his son.

Source link

source https://capitalisthq.com/democrats-pick-nominee-in-pa-18/ from CapitalistHQ http://capitalisthq.blogspot.com/2017/11/democrats-pick-nominee-in-pa-18.html

[everettwilkinson]

Democrats pick nominee in PA-18

The following newsletter is an abridged version of Campaign Pro’s Morning Score. For an earlier morning read on exponentially more races — and for a more comprehensive aggregation of the day’s most important campaign news — sign up for Campaign Pro today. (http://www.politicopro.com/proinfo)

THE NEXT SPECIAL — “Conor Lamb is Democrats’ pick to replace Tim Murphy,” by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Chris Potter: “Over 500 Democratic committeepeople gathered in Washington, Pa., on Sunday to pick former federal prosecutor Conor Lamb, who has never run for office before, to be their champion in a special election for the 18th Congressional District to replace Tim Murphy. … In a speech before the vote, Mr. Lamb said his ‘mission’ would be to confront Republicans on what he called ‘a public hypocrisy fully equal to the private hypocrisy of Tim Murphy,’ who resigned in October amid allegations he was having an extramarital affair. Mr. Lamb, 33, of Mt. Lebanon was an assistant U.S. attorney in the Pittsburgh office until he stepped down just after Mr. Murphy stepped down. He is a Marine Corps veteran and prosecutor whose cases included the successful prosecution of a Naval Academy instructor who lied under oath about sexual misconduct involving female servicepeople. Mr. Lamb is from a notable public family: His uncle Michael Lamb is Pittsburgh’s city controller, and his grandfather Thomas Lamb was the Democratic leader in the state Senate during the 1970s, later becoming Gov. Robert P. Casey’s top legislative aide. …. Mr. Lamb was widely regarded as a moderate choice for Democrats. … Asked whether he would support California Democrat Nancy Pelosi as Speaker of the House, he said answering would be ‘presumptuous.’” Full story.

Story Continued Below

— Republicans picked state Rep. Rick Saccone as their nominee last weekend. The special election is set for March 16.

THE ETERNAL QUESTION — “Republican Governors’ 2018 Dilemma: What to Do About Trump?,” by the New York Times’ Jonathan Martin and Alexander Burns in Austin, Texas: “In a series of closed-door meetings, governors tangled over how best to avoid being tainted by Mr. Trump, and debated the delicate task of steering Mr. Trump’s political activities away from states where he might be unhelpful. Several complained directly to Vice President Mike Pence, prodding him to ensure that the White House intervenes only in races in which its involvement is welcome. … Several candidates and strategists said the governors association had been pressing recruits to define themselves early and develop independent personal brands. But that is a more complicated task than it was during the Obama years, when Republican governors shared an easy template of railing against a Democratic administration and fiscal profligacy at the state level. What Republicans agree on is that their candidates must avoid the contortions of Ed Gillespie, their Virginia nominee for governor, who embraced Mr. Trump’s divisive messages on immigration, crime and Confederate ‘heritage’ but danced inartfully around whether he actually supported the president. ‘You can’t be halfway in and halfway out,’ said Gov. Phil Bryant of Mississippi, a conservative and admirer of Mr. Trump’s.” Full story.

— HE’S BACK — “POLITICO Pro Q&A: Colorado Republican Tom Tancredo,” by Campaign Pro’s Daniel Strauss: “You’ve run two times before for governor. What makes this time different? The polls indicate that, certainly No. 1, I have the best chances of winning in the primary. And No. 2, I am tied with Jared Polis; he’s most likely the Democratic candidate. Now, that’s more than anyone else out there. So why would I not say that’s a pretty good indication? So your expectation is that Polis will be the nominee? Yes. Anybody that’s going to put $30 million into the race, which is what he has promised, will almost certainly — even though he is not, I would say, the favorite of the Democratic establishment. I think $30 million can turn a lot of heads.” Full story.

THE YEAR’S BEST ROMANTIC COMEDY — “Trump still loves polls,” by POLITICO’s Josh Dawsey and Steven Shepard: “Aides in the White House often show Trump polls designed to make him feel good, according to aides and advisers. Usually they’re the ones that focus just on voters who cast ballots for him in 2016 or are potential Trump supporters —Trump’s base — but occasionally include public polls like Rasmussen, depending on what the numbers say. … When the White House sent internal poll numbers to about 15 legislators last month in hopes of pressuring them to support tax reform, it wasn’t the usual approve-disapprove. Instead, the polls delineated by the president’s base, steady Trump voters, soft Trump voters, lean Dem independent voters, white working class men, suburban women. For example, in New Jersey’s seventh congressional district, a wealthier stretch that includes Trump’s Bedminster golf club, 72.7 percent of the president’s base approves of him, while 67.9 percent of Republicans approve, internal polls obtained by POLITICO show. There was no data on his approval rating overall. The numbers came from the Republican National Committee. … Aides in Trump’s political affairs shop shrug off public polls that survey the general public. Most of the public pollsters are seen as ‘not understanding him,’ one senior White House official said, a position carried over from the campaign, when many polls underestimated support for Trump.” Full story.

MONEY CHASE — FIRST IN SCORE: The DSCC raised more than $4.1 million in October and has more than $17.5 million cash on hand. The committee had $15.7 million on hand and $8 million in debt at the end of September.

Days until the 2018 election: 354. (Updated for 11/17)

Thanks for joining us! You can email tips to the Campaign Pro team at sbland@politico.com, eschneider@politico.com, krobillard@politico.com, dstrauss@politico.com and mseverns@politico.com.

You can also follow us on Twitter: @politicoscott, @ec_schneider, @politicokevin, @danielstrauss4 and @maggieseverns.

PROGRAMMING NOTE: Morning Score will not publish from Nov. 23-Nov. 26. Our next Morning Score newsletter will publish on Nov. 27.

FRANKEN FALLOUT — “Sen. Al Franken faces fallout from account of sexual harassment,” by the Minneapolis Star-Tribune’s Maya Rao and Brandon Stahl: “Supporters, political allies and former employees of U.S. Sen. Al Franken responded with dismay, confusion and support Friday following his public apology for unwanted kissing and groping of a woman in 2006. Some distanced themselves from the Democratic senator, including a Minnesota rape survivor who said she no longer wants Franken to sponsor legislation she has championed to aid sexual assault survivors. At the same time, a group of eight women who worked for Franken in recent years released a letter of support stating that he always ‘treated us with the utmost respect.’ … Two DFL candidates for governor in 2018, State Auditor Rebecca Otto and state Rep. Erin Murphy, said Franken should resign, while a third — St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman — said that was for Franken to decide.” Full story.

— “Lujan Grisham: Senate leader should leave race,” by the AP’s Russell Contreras and Morgan Lee: “New Mexico Democratic gubernatorial candidate Michelle Lujan Grisham said Friday that Democratic Sen. Michael Padilla should end his bid for lieutenant governor over claims he harassed women as a city of Albuquerque supervisor. Padilla has long denied the harassment claims dating back to 2006 that he links to issues of a hostile workplace environment and not sexual harassment. But Lujan Grisham said in a statement to The Associated Press that Padilla should end his campaign as the decade-old allegations began to resurface on social media and amid sexual harassment cases involving other political leaders and celebrities.” Full story.

DAILY WAR EAGLE — “Roy Moore scandal ignites fundraising explosion for Democratic challenger Doug Jones,” by NBC News’ Alex Seitz-Wald: “The Roy Moore scandal has unleashed a torrent of online donations to Democrat Doug Jones, who was collecting around $250,000 per day in its immediate aftermath, according to two sources familiar with the matter who spoke to NBC News on condition of anonymity.” Full story.

ANOTHER ONE — “Indiana candidate’s DC-area home complicates Senate campaign,” by the AP’s Brian Slodysko: “His family lives in McLean, Virginia, keeps a vacation house in Dandridge, Tennessee, yet sold their home in Indiana two years after his election to Congress in 2012. They now say a two-bedroom house Messer co-owns with his mom in Greensburg is the family’s Indiana residence. … For his part, Messer says he relocated his family in order to stay close. He was raised by a single mother and wanted to be engaged in his three kids’ day-to-day lives, unlike his own father. Plus, his family’s move to Virginia was well known and never a secret, he said. ‘I am proud to serve our state, but being a dad comes first,’ Messer said in a statement Wednesday. ‘My opponents think that’s gonna cost me this election. If it did, I would never regret it.’” Full story.

PRIMARY CONCERNS — “Dems opt for state-run primary in Virginia’s 10th District,” by the AP: “Democrats will hold a state-run primary next year in their race to unseat Republican Barbara Comstock from a northern Virginia congressional district. … The 10th District Congressional Committee voted Saturday to hold a state-run primary, rather than a convention or ‘firehouse primary,’ to nominate a candidate for the 2018 race. Nine Democrats, including state Sen. Jennifer Wexton, have already announced plans to run for the seat.” Full story.

— FLASHBACK — “Democrats weigh convention instead of primary in top House battleground,” by Campaign Pro’s Kevin Robillard on Sept. 13: “Democratic officials in one of the nation’s most contested House districts are considering picking their nominee through a convention rather than a primary, a step opposed by all but one of the leading candidates: Virginia state Sen. Jennifer Wexton, the only Democratic elected official in the race against GOP Rep. Barbara Comstock. … Some Democrats in the district think Wexton, the only candidate with experience running elections in the 10th District, may prefer a more insular convention to a more expensive primary.” Full story.

2018 WATCH — “Wolf starting to look like ‘two-term Tom’ as 2018 approaches,” by the Associated Press’ Marc Levy: “Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf likely has wrapped up his biggest first-term fights with the Legislature’s huge Republican majorities and his record is largely set a year before voters decide whether to give him a second term. He now heads into the 2018 election year with political winds at his back. Wolf’s polls currently resemble those of former Gov. Ed Rendell’s, the Democrat who won a second term in 2006, rather than former Gov. Tom Corbett’s, the Republican who Wolf beat in 2014 to make the first Pennsylvania governor to lose re-election and the original ‘one-term Tom.’” Full story.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: “Did he go visit them in jail? Did you go visit them in jail? If you went to visit them in jail then I would say, ‘Thank you.’” — LaVar Ball, explaining why he isn’t thanking President Donald Trump for freeing his son.

Source link

from CapitalistHQ.com https://capitalisthq.com/democrats-pick-nominee-in-pa-18/

[voiceactinguk]

Final Fantasy 4 Radio Show! Casting!

Now casting for Season One of the Final Fantasy 4 Radio Show! Final Fantasy IV (known as Final Fantasy II in the U.S.) was a video game originally published by SquareSoft for the SNES in 1991. It has since been re-mastered and re-made multiple times for multiple systems and now we are creating an unofficial radio adaptation of the classic story of sword and sorcery. The game follows Cecil, a dark knight, who begins to question his king's motives, which sets off a chain of events that leads him on the path to righteousness. Along the way he and his friends discover an ancient forgotten history of their planet (and beyond!). Season One (6 episodes) follows the story of FF4 up to, and including, Cecil's climactic transformation into a paladin. Season Two will see the heroes valiant efforts to stop Golbez turn deadly. Season Three will follow their time in the underworld of the dwarves. And, finally, Season Four will reveal the secret of the crystals as well as Cecil and Golbez's tragic shared past before culminating in a battle for the fate of the world that you will not want to miss! This is a FULL RE-SCRIPT of Final Fantasy 4 into radio play format, and will be published on YouTube and as a Podcast on iTunes (fingers crossed). I'm taking full artistic license with the plot, characters, and dialog; pulling from every different version of the game. It is still very much FF4, but delivers a fresh, exciting new adaptation! using the format: AUDITIONS ARE OPEN UNTIL WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1st  Send your audio files (one file per character) to ff4radioshow@hotmail.com using any standard audio format Listen to the PILOT EPISODE or take a look at my previous project, The FINAL FANTASY 6 FANDUB To contact me directly with any questions email ff4radioshow(at)hotmail.com *The actors for Cecil and Rosa are continuing their wonderful work from the Pilot episode. Apologies to anyone hankering for those roles. *A NOTE ON ACCENTS* I love accents! I want you to try any accent you believe you can do well consistently or you believe fits the character. BUT be warned that I am a HARSH CRITIC of sub-par accent work. No Dick Van Dyke nonsense. OPEN ROLES NARRATOR Male/Female, Ageless Delivers an intro and outro for each episode. Warm, pleasant voice tone.  Able to project excitement and generate interest in the show to come. Audition Lines: Quote:This is a tale of far away and long ago... A time when knights and kings gripped the world with fists of iron and steel! A world where magic and technology clash together in awesome competition for power! This is The Final Fantasy Four Radio Show! Quote:The airships of the mighty Red Wings from the Kingdom of Baron race across the sky on their way home after a successful mission in the mystical country of Mysidia. The crew look forward to their return to hearth and home, but one man, their Captain, Cecil the Dark Knight, casts his gaze backward... --- EXTRAS! Male/Female, Varied Ages Crew of Red Wings (x3), Merchant, Baron Soldiers (x2), Cap'n, Chancellor, Sailors Nine varied background roles. Nine chances to try out your crazy voices! THESE ROLES ARE VERY IMPORTANT! I love to have a bouquet of extras available just in case. Please audition here if you are unsure of which role to try for! Audition Lines: Quote:Hey! How's it going? You doin' anything later today? Quote:Y'arr. Fifteen souls went ashore that day. An' only ol' Flint himself sailed away.  Quote:Bilbo Baggins was a hobbit who wanted to be left alone in quiet comfort. But the wizard Gandalf came along with a band of homeless dwarves. Soon Bilbo was drawn into their quest, facing evil orcs, savage wolves, giant spiders, and worse, unknown dangers. Finally, it was Bilbo -- alone and unaided -- who had to confront the great dragon Smaug, the terror of an entire countryside... --- BAIGAN Male, age 20-40 Baigan does not care about you.  Baigan only cares about Baigan. Sarcastic and apathetic. A drawling, sneering, douchey voice. This character may return in Season 2. Audition Line: Quote:Hmph, isn't killing what you do? You are a Dark Knight after all, Cecil. I didn't think you could still feel pity. --- KING BARON Male, age 40+ King of the country of Baron. Regal and imposing. He has a secret plan for which he is gathering the world’s Crystals. This character will return in Season 2. Audition Lines: Quote:Ah! Cecil! The Kingdom of Baron hails your return! We trust you have the Crystal? Quote:If the state of the Red Wings so concerns you, Dragoon, that you would eavesdrop on the Royal Chamber, then you may join him in his penance. Take the ring! And do not enter Our sight again until it is done!  --- KAIN HIGHWIND Male/Female, age 18-30 Cecil’s closest friend. A sporty sort of person who enjoys fighting for it’s own sake, rather than for any cause or loyalty. Kain was abandoned as a child and now clings to Cecil and Rosa. Perhaps Kain clings a little too closely though, and wishes for things to always stay just as they are between them. Kain has noticed Rosa’s affection for Cecil and is beginning to grow jealous. Voice type: Athletic and yet also oddly indolent. Think Jaleel White's Sonic the Hedgehog, or Ashleigh Ball's Rainbow Dash I would prefer to cast this role female to balance out the skewed gender ratio of the original story, but am accepting male voiced auditions. Audition Lines: Quote:Majesty! I petition on Cecil's behalf. Please reconsider! He has done no wrong, he questions out of care for his subordinates. He meant no disrespect, I assure you! Quote:Ahh, I woulda come with you anyway. Slaying monsters is right up my alley! Anyhow, the King'll relax as soon as we finish his "mission of contrition". We are his favorites. --- CID POLLENDINA Male, age 30-50 A rough, tough, jolly sort of fellow. Cid takes life as it comes and is enthusiastic about everything he does, damn the consequences!  He has a daughter whom he is very proud of but not very close to. Cid is always working on airships and other mechanical inventions. Cid's voice should feel bombastic and loud (without actually clipping out, plz!) Think Brian Blessed or perhaps John Lithgow. Audition Lines: Quote:What's the matter, kiddo? You and your goons better not have wrecked up my airships! Quote:The King's been acting mighty peculiar. You know, the other day he asked me if I could design an airship that can torch an entire city? I mean, obviously I could! But... makes me wonder if Baron will be going to war soon. --- MIST DRAGON Female, age 20-40 A mysterious dragon made of living mist. And also Rydia’s mother. The strongest of the valley’s summoners and it’s chief protector. One time, Non-recurring role Audition Line Quote:Leave at once and no harm will come to you. We will not allow further trespass. --- RYDIA  Female, age Child/Teen A young child just beginning to learn the way of the world and find her incredible strength in summoning and taming beasts. Rydia has a kind heart and has been taught to never kill or injure. She is able to sense the feelings that others carry, even if they are not aware of it themselves.  Rydia will be aging for season 2 to teen age. Priority may be given to actors able to play both ages. Voice Type: Childish but not immature. Sounds like 10-14 years old. Audition Lines: Quote:Mother! Get up! Please! The fire- *gasp!* Quote:He kills everything. Do you think... can I help him? Or is it too late? Quote:I'm coming with you! You'll need all the help you can get to tame that creature! --- DOCTOR Male/Female, ageless  A blustering medic. Will talk anyone’s ear off if given half a chance but has a kind heart and a charitable streak a mile wide. *First season role only Audition Line: Quote:Oh, you poor lamb. What has happened? Oh, but, no. You needn't say if you don't wish to. Lost your parents. I'm sure, I'm sure. Tragedy! Oh cruelty! But let's just look at you! All worn and filthy from traveling. The earthquake, no doubt? Thought we might see a few come through here, I did. But you're the first. And such a dear young thing! --- TELLAH Male, age 40-80 World renowned sage of the mystical, magical arts. Tellah settled in the desert to raise his daughter, Anna, and to meditate on the mysteries of the shifting sands. Tellah has lived by his own code for a very long time and believes wholly in his own judgement. Stubborn to a fault, Tellah’s strength is his greatest weakness. Voice Type: Cranky old guy, slightly reedy or nasal. Audition Lines: Quote:You there, Knight! Did I hear that right? You aim to clear the waterway to Damcyan? I beg you, let me come with you! I have tried to get through the waterway alone to no avail. The beast is strong. Strong, I warn you! But perhaps the three of us together... Quote:It is vicious. A writhing mass of tentacles and malice. And I am too old now to face it alone. Once, perhaps... But I fear something else may be waiting for us. I sense a darkness beyond. A doom yet clouded in the fog of the future... Quote:Stay and weep if you must! Do what you will; I don't care! Anna will be avenged. You keep your nose out of it! This death will be mine alone. --- EDWARD CHRIS VON MUIR Male/Female, age 18-30 The prince of the country of Damcyan and husband of Anna. A highly skilled musician and a born diplomat. Edward believes that any disagreement can be solved with communication. He detests violence. I would like to cast this with a female/feminine voice but keep Edward as a male role. Audition Lines: Quote:You're right. I'm nothing but a coward, just as you say. I only wanted him to leave. Leave us in peace. My Anna... and me... Quote:Put your sword away! There has been enough death today. Antlions are docile creatures. I shall get you your pearl. You stay here. Quote:Anna... what can I do now that you are gone? Everything is lost. Our kingdom is fallen, and I... I could do nothing. I still can do nothing. You loved to hear me sing and play but what good are they? What good is music in a world falling apart!? --- ANNA Female, age 18-30 Tellah’s daughter and wife of Edward. Anna is just as headstrong as her father and has eloped with Edward. A powerful magic-user, but not strong enough to stand against Golbez. Audition Line: Quote:Father! Stop it! ... just stop. There's... nothing you can do. Edward is... my husband... I love him... --- YANG FANG LEIDEN Male, age 20-50 Master of the monks of Fabul. Yang is highly disciplined Despite this, he is a humble man, and so does not bask in his glory, but rather tries his best to be respectful. Voice type: A deep, gentle, calming voice.  Audition Lines: Quote:I was lucky. We are all lucky. Most of their force already left, certain of victory. My comrades... we were ambushed. Drawn out onto the mountain by a decoy. Quote:Had enough of my friend's sword? Then perhaps you'd like to try my fists!? Hy-aahh! --- GOLBEZ Male, ageless Unknowable master of darkness. Golbez is the Dark Knight who replaces Cecil in the Red Wings. Little is known about him, but he shows a callous disdain for life and only a grudging respect for power. Golbez hides a terrible secret in his past. Voice Type: Deep and scary. Vader-esque. Audition Lines: Quote:Hmm? Ah. You must be Cecil. My predecessor in the Red Wings. Enough. I did not come to gabble with insects. Kain! Take the crystal. Quote:Ask not the eagle how he soars, little prince. My motives are beyond your ken. Quote:Fighting? This is no fight. I am simply collecting crystals. You are the ones who insist on throwing yourselves in my path. --- YIN  Female, age 20-50 Wife of Yang. (AKA Sheila, Ursula) Not much is known about Yin. She is fiercely protective of her husband and home. Audition Line: Quote:Soon after you left the sentries spotted those airships coming in from the west. The King ordered the city to evacuate. But I stayed put! None of those Baron thugs are going to touch MY house. --- "KING" FABUL Male/Female, ageless Ruler of the country of Fabul. All the more regal for their humility. Can be "Queen" or "King". Could be a child ruler or an aged monarch. Audition Line: Quote:Yes, we have been informed of the situation. And I must apologize to you, Master Yang. I unwisely sent your monks to their doom in the mountains, and shamefully fled when the airships appeared. --- PALOM Male, age Child/Teen An apprentice Black Mage from the land of Mysidia. Though young, Palom has proven himself a skillful, if arrogant, student of magic. He is a casual show-off, even to adults, and refers to himself as "The Mysidian Genius" or "Prodigy".  Audition Lines: Quote:Watch it, buddy! You're talkin' to the most powerful dark wizard in the whole world! Quote:Some people say that a monster from the depths of night resides at the summit. Others say there's nothing there. Like, it's a metaphor or something. Like, the whole time, YOU were the obstacle. --- POROM Female, age Child/Teen An apprentice White Mage from the land of Mysidia. Mature for her age, Porom is already an accomplished spellcaster. She is respectful and polite, and often has to keep Palom in line. She loves her brother and supports his quest to become a Sage, but believes he lacks the discipline. Audition Lines: Quote:Perhaps you were unaware, sir. I just so happen to be one of the most puissant white witches in the world. Quote:Well, I WAS just gonna lead him quietly into a cell in the tower. But you're right, Palom, yelling and making a scene is a much more sensible option! --- ELDER OF MYSIDIA Male/Female, age 40+ A leader of the town of Mysidia. Unusually long-sighted and kind. They are Porom & Palom’s teacher and an old friend of Tellah. Audition Line: Quote:Escort this man to the summit of Mount Ordeals. I see a dim star shining in the once-dark night sky... this will be a test for all of you. --- SCARMIGLIONE Male/Female, ageless The archfiend of Earth and appointed guardian of Mt Ordeals. It is an undead monster which Golbez has set to keep Cecil out of the summit cavern.  Audition Line: Quote:I am the gaoler of this forsssaken peak. Golbez set me here and now I have company at lassssst. Come! I shallll pulllll you into my embrace. --- KLUYA Male, 30+ A mysterious reflection in the summit cavern? Or something more? He is only a dim, echoing voice now.  Audition Line: Quote:I have waited for you for an age, it seems. And yet our meeting has come too soon, for now I must do as I have been dreading. The time is come! Hold your sword of darkness to the light!   FF4moonLogo3.png (Size: 366.21 KB / Downloads: 0) http://dlvr.it/PvCr4m www.voiceacting.space