#also love thinking about the culture war to decide if she races as italian or spanish. good god.

[moonshynecybin]

this is gonna be baby rosquez

https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGeuBJjU5/

rosquez baby would never be so swagless as to have a british accent

[birdlord]

Everything I Watched in 2020

We’ll start with movies. The number in parentheses is the year of release, asterisks denote a re-watch, and titles in bold are my favourite watches of the year. Here’s 2019’s list. 

01 Little Women (19)

02 The Post (17) 

03 Molly’s Game (17)

04 * Doctor No (62)

05 Groundhog Day (93)

06 *Star Trek IV - The Voyage Home (86)

07 Knives Out (19) My last theatre experience (sob)

08 Professor Marston and his Wonder Women (17)

09 Les Miserables (98)

10 Midsommar (19) I’m not sure how *good* it is, but it does stick in the ol’ brain

11 *Manhattan Murder Mystery (93)

12 Marriage Story (19)

13 Kramer vs Kramer (79)

14 Jojo Rabbit (19)

15 J’ai perdu mon corps (19) a cute animated film about a hand detached from its body!

16 1917 (19)

17 Married to the Mob (88)

18 Klaus (19)

19 Portrait of a Lady on Fire (19) If Little Women made me want to wear a scarf criss-crossed around my torso, this one made me want to wear a cloak

20 The Last Black Man in San Francisco (19)

21 *Lawrence of Arabia (62)

22 Gone With the Wind (39)

23 Kiss Me Deadly (55)

24 Dredd (12)

25 Heartburn (86) heard a bunch about this one in the Blank Check series on Nora Ephron, sadly after I’d watched it

26 The Long Shot (19)

27 Out of Africa (85)

28 King Kong (46)

29 *Johnny Mnemonic (95)

30 Knocked Up (07)

31 Collateral (04)

32 Bird on a Wire (90)

33 The Black Dahlia (05)

34 Long Time Running (17)

35 *Magic Mike (12)

36 Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead (07)

37 Cold War (18)

38 *Kramer Vs Kramer (79) yes I watched this a few months before! This was a pandemic friend group co-watch.

39 *Burn After Reading (08)

40 Last Holiday (50)

41 Fly Away Home (96)

42 *Moneyball (11) I’m sure I watch this every two years, at most??

43 Last Holiday (06) the Queen Latifah version of the 1950 movie above, lacking, of course, the brutal “poor people don’t deserve anything good” ending

44 *Safe (95)

45 Gimme Shelter (70)

46 The Daytrippers (96)

47 Experiment in Terror (62)

48 Tucker: The Man and His Dream (88)

49 My Brilliant Career (79) one of the salvations of 2020 was watching movies “with” friends. Our usual method was to video chat before the movie, sync our streaming services, and text-chat while the movie was on. 

50 Divorce Italian Style (61)

51 *Gosford Park (01) another classic comfort watch, fuck I love a G. Park

52 Hopscotch (80)

53 Brief Encounter (45)

54 Hud (63)

55 Ocean’s 8 (18)

56 *Beverly Hills Cop (84)

57 Blow the Man Down (19)

58 Constantine (05)

59 The Report (19) maddening!! How are people so consistently terrible to one another!

60 Everyday People (04)

61 Anatomy of a Murder (58)

62 Spiderman: Homecoming (17)

63 *To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (95) Of the 90s drag road movies, Priscilla is more visually striking, but this has its moments.

64 Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (92)

65 *The Truman Show (98)

66 Mona Lisa (86)

67 The Blob (58)

68 The Guard (11)

69 *Waiting for Guffman (96) RIP Fred Willard

70 Rocketman (19)

71 Outside In (18)

72 The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (08) how strange to see a movie that you have known the premise for, but no details of, for over a decade

73 *Star Trek: The Undiscovered Country (91)

74 The Reader (08)

75 Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (19) This was fine until it VERY MUCH WAS NOT FINE

76 The End of the Affair (99) you try to watch a fun little romp about infidelity during the Blitz, and Graham Greene can’t help but shoehorn in a friggin crisis of religious faith

77 Must Love Dogs (05) barely any dog content, where are the dogs at

78 The Rainmaker (97)

79 *Batman & Robin (97)

80 National Lampoon’s Vacation (83) Never seen any of the non-xmas Vacations, didn’t realize the children are totally different, not just actors but ages! Also, this one is blatantly racist!

81 *Mystic Pizza (88)

82 Funny Girl (68)

83 The Sons of Katie Elder (65)

84 *Knives Out (19) another re-watch within the same year!! How does this keep happening??

85 *Scott Pilgrim Vs The World (10) a real I-just-moved-away-from-Toronto nostalgia watch

86 Canadian Bacon (92) vividly recall this VHS at the video store, but I never saw it til 2020

87 *Blood Simple (85)

88 Brittany Runs a Marathon (19)

89 The Accidental Tourist (88)

90 August Osage County (13) MELO-DRAMA!!

91 Appaloosa (08)

92 The Firm (93) Feeling good about how many iconic 80s/90s video store stalwarts I watched in 2020

93 *Almost Famous (00)

94 Whisper of the Heart (95)

95 Da 5 Bloods (20)

96 Rain Man (88)

97 True Stories (86)

98 *Risky Business (83) It’s not about what you think it’s about! It never was!

99 *The Big Chill (83)

100 The Way We Were (73)

101 Safety Last (23) It’s getting so that I might have to add the first two digits to my dates...not that I watch THAT many movies from the 1920s...

102 Phantasm (79)

103 The Burrowers (08)

104 New Jack City (91)

105 The Vanishing (88)

106 Sisters (72)

107 Puberty Blues (81) Little Aussie cinema theme, here

108 Elevator to the Gallows (58)

109 Les Diaboliques (55)

110 House (77) haha WHAT no really W H A T

111 Death Line (72)

112 Cranes are Flying (57)

113 Holes (03)

114 *Lady Vengeance (05)

115 Long Weekend (78)

116 Body Double (84)

117 The Crazies (73) I love that Romero shows the utter confusion that would no doubt reign in the case of any kind of disaster. Things fall apart.

118 Waterlilies (07)

119 *You’re Next (11)

120 Event Horizon (97)

121 Venom (18) I liked it, guys, way more than most superhero fare. Has a real sense of place and the place ISN’T New York!

122 Under the Silver Lake (18) RIP Night Call

123 *Blade Runner (82)

124 *The Birds (62) interesting to see now that I’ve read the story it came from

125 *28 Days Later (02) hits REAL FUCKIN’ DIFFERENT in a pandemic

126 Life is Sweet (90)

127 *So I Married an Axe Murderer (93) find me a more 90s movie, I dare you (it’s not possible)

128 Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner (67)

129 The Pelican Brief (93) 90s thrillers continue!

130 Dick Johnston is Dead (20)

131 The Bridges of Madison County (95)

132 Earth Girls are Easy (88) Geena Davis and Jeff Goldblum are so hot in this movie, no wonder they got married 

133 Better Watch Out (16)

134 Drowning Mona (00) trying for something like the Coen bros and not getting there

135 Au Revoir Les Enfants (87)

136 *Chasing Amy (97) Affleck is the least alluring movie lead...ever? I also think I gave Joey Lauren Adams’ character short shrift in my memory of the movie. It’s not good, but she’s more complicated than I recalled. 

137 Blackkklansman (18)

138 Being Frank (19)

139 Kiki’s Delivery Service (89)

140 Uncle Frank (20) why so many FRANKS

141 *National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (89) watching with pals (virtually) made it so much more fun than the usual yearly watch!

142 Half Baked (98) another, more secret Toronto nostalgia pic - RC Harris water filtration plant as a prison!

143 We’re the Millers (13)

144 All is Bright (13)

145 Defending Your Life (91)

146 Christmas Chronicles (18) I maintain that most new xmas movies are terrible, particularly now that Netflix churns them out like eggnog every year. 

147 Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse (18)

148 Reindeer Games (00) what did I say about Affleck??!? WHAT DID I SAY

149 Palm Springs (20)

150 Happiest Season (20)

151 *Metropolitan (90) it’s definitely a Christmas movie

152 Black Christmas (74)

THEATRE:HOME - 2:150 (thanks pandemic)

I usually separate out docs and fiction, but I watched almost no documentaries this year (with the exception of Dick Johnston). Reality is real enough. 

TV Series

01 - BoJack Horseman (final season) - Pretty damned poignant finish to the show, replete with actual consequences for our reformed bad boy protagonist (which is more than you can say for most antiheroes of Peak TV).

02 - *Hello Ladies - I enjoy the pure awkwardness of seeing Stephen Merchant try to perform being a Regular Person, but ultimately this show tips him too far towards a nasty, Ricky Gervais-lite sort of persona. Perhaps he was always best as a cameo appearance, or lip synching with wild eyes while Chrissy Teigen giggles?

03 - Olive Kittredge - a rough watch by times. I read the book as well, later in the year. Frances Mcdormand was the best, possibly the only, casting option for the flinty lead. One episode tips into thriller territory, which is a shock. 

04 - *The Wire S3, S4, S5 - lockdown culture! It was interesting to rewatch this, then a few months later go through an enormous, culture-level reappraisal of cop-centred narratives. 

05 - Forever - a Maya Rudolph/Fred Armisen joint that coasts on the charm of its leads. The premise is OK, but I wasn’t left wanting any more at the end. 

06 - *Catastrophe - a rewatch when my partner decided he wanted to see it, too!

07 - Red Oak - resolutely “OK” steaming dramedy, relied heavily on some pretty obvious cues to get across its 1980s setting. 

08 - Little Fires Everywhere - gulped this one down while in 14-day isolation, delicious! Every 90s suburban mom had that SUV, but not all of them had the requisite **secrets**

09 - The Great - fun historical comedy/drama! Costumes: lush. Actors: amusing. Race-blind casting: refreshing!

10 - The Crown S4 - this is the season everyone lost their everloving shit for, since it’s finally recent enough history that a fair chunk of the viewing audience is liable to recall it happening. 

11 - Ted Lasso - we resisted this one for a while (thought I did enjoy the ad campaign for NBC sports (!!) that it was based on). My view is that its best point was the comfort that the men on the show have (or develop, throughout the season) with the acknowledgement and sharing of their own feelings. Masculinity redux. 

12 - Moonbase 8 - Goodnatured in a way that makes you certain they will be crushed. 

13 - The Good Lord Bird - Ethan Hawke is really aging into the character actor we always hoped he would be! 

14 - Hollywood - frothy wish-fulfillment alternate history. I think the show would have been improved immeasurably by skipping the final episode.

[b-kitsune]

Many ways to say I love you: Day Four.

Kidge-a-palooza 2019 Prompt: Fireworks. Pairing: Kidge (VLD) Universe: Supernatural! AU Status: Complete. 

''You know? Definitely green is your color.''

''Do you think?''

Pidge looked back at the mirror in front of her suspiciously, with the fabric of two kimonos around her shoulders to decide which of two choices for that night. After several hours deciding along with Shiro, that had been the only ones who had truly called her attention away from too flashy colors and extravagant designs that carried some. But at that point, she couldn't decide which of the two to use.

She wasn't good at deciding her own clothes from day to day. Many times, Pidge chose to use the first thing she found. The specialty of her work often meant that only a dress and a good suit of armor was enough to get through the day. And on special holidays, her family used to take care to dress her correctly to follow the established protocols of her maternal race.

How could she do it with a garment that wasn't even related to her culture?

But she had to do it, for Shiro. Pidge had agreed to bring something consistent to the situation, excited to Shiro as soon as she let him know she wanted to wear one of the traditional Japanese and visually comfortable outfits, to accompany him to the temple while they enjoyed what awaited them that night.

It wouldn't be fair to repent now when she had him almost all morning helping her choose a good kimono.

Damn it, even Curtis had been depressed (and somewhat jealous) as soon as Pidge got Shiro's full attention even before they got off the ship.

One of the clothes she had chosen was an Italian red with a sophisticated pattern of black sparrows around them, while a disgrace of the same color began at the beginning of the knees. Although it was stronger than the others, Shiro had considered it elegant, also, in case of encountering mud while walking through the sanctuary cause of the recent rains, the spots wouldn't be noticed as much.

The other was green, the same light green that she loved to wear in her adolescence, before meeting Shiro and her friends, when she was kept hidden under the protection of the trees and her family. The white degrades began to the middle of the torso and had lovely patterns of cherry branches stamped around it, which contrasted quite feminine.

Both were really beautiful.

When she turned around to see Shiro, she could see a slight tremor in his feet when his gaze moved towards the door, as if he were slightly nervous.

''Shiro?''

''Yes?'' He put his attention on Pidge as soon as she called his name, somewhat disoriented. ''Sorry, what did you say?''

''I didn't say anything ... Is everything all right?'' Asked worried, it wasn't normal (nor good) to see Shiro anxious about an issue, especially if he remained silent. ''You look altered.''

''It's not that ...'' Shiro stopped a few minutes to think while covering his mouth with one of his hands. After a few seconds, he sighed loudly. ''It's been many years since I've been here ... It's just, weird.''

''Do you feel okay?''

''Something like that.'' He shrugged, grieved. ''It's just ... I never expected to return to my native country, not after a war that took us so long to stop it. I have forgotten my own language a bit. It just feels weird, see all this.''

Pidge smiled in sympathy for his words when she saw Shiro's metal hand take one of the embroideries of the kimonos that were scattered around the room, with a look of nostalgia over his eyes. She could understand what he was referring to.

They had been fighting a war for many years and reestablishing the balance of magic in the world, which took, perhaps, the best years of them with them.

Returning to normality has been an odyssey for everyone. Maybe even more for Shiro, who has trained all his life as a warrior in the face of what was coming, losing his right arm.

Everyone's future would have been different if things hadn't become so dark over the years.

Allura would surely have married Lotor in different circumstances before he became corrupt and perished in the power of quintessence.

Lance would have continued to flirt with girls around him while making great fortunes with the search for unknown treasures.

Hunk and Romelle might never have met. And surely, they would have led normal lives around their villages and families.

Shiro may have inherited the title of kami as it was predestined from birth, protecting and guiding young souls from fatal fates.

And Keith ... Surely, he hadn't even known his supernatural heritage, or her.

But everything was finally over, even at the cost of many sacrifices in the process.

Like her own wings, for example.

It was a strange feeling, a sense of belonging faded by the passage of time and multiple experiences beyond comprehension. And for Shiro, it could be even worse considering that he had no family to return to the place he had called home. They had all perished before they sent him away to foreign lands to save his life.

But he had wanted to show them a habit that he remembered with longing in his childhood days, and go back to reliving his forgotten roots. For that reason, everyone had decided to accompany him to Kyoto and see the Tanabata festival, together as a family.

''We'll have a good time, isn't it?'' Pidge said, at last, Shiro smiled affirmatively after a few minutes of reflection. Rising from the ground to stand in front of her. Pidge looked at him expectantly, his kimono had opened slightly, showing part of his chest. Although Shiro didn't seem to mind.

''Yeah, everything will be fine. Although ...'' He touched her neck uncomfortably. ''I hope that Lance and Keith get to behave like adults who are, and not cause problems.''

''Well, they haven't been fighting as they did in the castle of the lions if that's what you mean. It is rather a friendly competition.''

''I wouldn't trust so much in them. Besides ... "He turned her back so Pidge could see herself in the mirror again, placing the red kimono on his shoulders and ordered it with his hands. ''Keith has been especially active in recent months as if he was demonstrating something ... Or for someone. Can you know the reason, Katie?'' The mention of her name caused a bad feeling to travel on her back, Shiro was insinuating something.

''Keith is weird, I thought you were the one who knew him better than all of us.'' She looked away nervously, without letting go of Shiro's inquisitive tone. Nor his penetrating gaze that could feel her even through her reflection.

''Speaking of which, Krolia told me that dragons usually have quite interesting rituals about the courtship of a couple.''

''Oh yeah?'' Pidge tried to look casual while Shiro approached one of the furniture to take a cloth that worked as a belt. Deciding on the black that matched her kimono. ''Like which?''

''Call attention through fighting, obviously.'' Shiro laughed lightly. She would have, too, if she weren't so nervous, remembering the last controversies Keith had been having with any male entity that was in his way. Especially, around her. ''She also said that it usually happens in later stages of adolescence. Because of course, they are very busy demonstrating how impressive their first years of life are.''

''That would explain why Keith didn't court any nymph when he was young.''

''You're all still young Pidge, you're under twenty-five.'' This time, it was her turn to laugh. Shiro sighed with regret. ''Out of games, don't think I haven't seen what you two are playing since the war ended. You can cheat the coalition, Lance or Hunk, even your parents with some care and a few charms of altering reality ... But I would like you to be truly honest with me.'' Pidge swallowed lasted for the sincerity of his words. ''Keith and you ...''

''I don't know, Shiro.'' She vomited, finally, rolling the kimono with her fingers, she felt a little nervous about the situation. Pidge didn't expect to be talking about that kind of thing with him, for Pidge, Shiro was like an older brother. ''I ... Sometimes it seems like yes, we go out, we spend time and all that. He is kind to me and always lets me go behind his back to have the feeling of flying again, but ... He always ends up going for months on a humanitarian aid mission across the continent. And he returns as if nothing had happened between us.''

''I don't understand ... You two didn't fuck when I was missing?''

''Who told you that!?'' Pidge's face achieved a furious red, similar to the folds of her kimono. Shiro snorted funny.

''Allura told me, she always knows everything.''

''Of course, she always knows everything ... Meddling Elf ...'' Shiro smiled faintly when he saw the frustration on her face. It was understandable, Allura was always very irrelevant to personal space. And the hereditary side of Colleen came to light in Pidge of being extremely reserved with her private life.

''You don't have to worry about that, although I'm a bit funny that you're doing things the other way around. You know, usually you know the person, talk about your interests, then start a relationship. And after that, you start-

''We were in a war, he had lost his only remaining family, and I had lost my wings to save him from Zarcon's attack.''

Pidge stopped for a moment, touching one of her shoulder blades subtly, where the unmistakable characteristic of her father's inheritance was supposed to be. But she knew that if she took off her clothes, there would be nothing there except for big scars that sometimes resented the cold.

She had sacrificed her identity for the greater good at a time of which Shiro's voice had sounded so loud in her head that she doesn't doubt at any time.

She hadn't blamed Shiro for ordering something so risky. If she went back to that moment, would have done it again without hesitation. Pidge would have returned to save Keith from devastating death.

''After you disappeared for months ... Keith and I were broken in different ways. We simply complement each other without thinking too much about it. We needed to keep going at all costs, looking for you in the process.''

''I see ...'' Responded Shiro reflexively. It sounded like something Keith would do.

''With respect to his attitude as adolescent emo reinvented, I don't know where it came from, honestly.''

''Don't worry about that, it's possible that it's because he has spent too much time with Lance and something ... In his genetics, it could start to take sides in his decisions, it may happen over time. You may not even be aware of it. A few years ago, he knew where he came from, who his mother was and who he really was. Give him some time, I'm sure you're important to him Katie, even long before you could imagine.''

''I hope so…''

Pidge looked up once she heard Shiro sigh contentedly for his work. The kimono had been placed on top of her clothes, but he felt a strange sense of pride as it shone on her body. The Asian females were naturally thin and without pronounced curves, so the traditional clothes fulfilled the function of not accentuating anything, but hiding and giving an elegant harmony to the female body.

For the first time in many years, she felt pretty with herself. She turned to see Shiro who was as happy as she was.

''The red will be then.''

''It's good that you say it, do you know what is another of the courtship traditions that Krolia told me?''

''Which one?''

''That the dragons add the color of their scales to their suitors as a sign of acceptance.''

 ...

 Keith was somewhat anxious about that night. Rather, quite anxious, enough to keep moving while Lance gave a few touches to his hair before heading to the event that night. So much so that Lance grumbled in frustration when Keith looked up at his hand clock, completely ruining his work in a few seconds.

''You know what? I'm done with you; I don't want to continue with this if you're going to squirming all the time.''

''Sorry, Lance ...'' He answered tired, reaching before he got up and left the room. Keith looked down at the ground, saddened by his behavior. ''It's just, it's kind of hard to keep quiet tonight.''

''Is it cause of the people? Keith, nobody in this country knows us, everything will be fine. Also, there are more rare things than a fire dragon around the streets. They will not try to hunt you down.''

'What? No, it isn't that.'' Keith snorted when Lance returned to his place and again felt his hands in his hair. ''I want ... Ask Pidge to be my partner.''

''Cool! For what?'' Keith watched him confused through the mirror for his relaxed attitude to his open statement. Usually, Lance was extremely protective of Pidge, treating her almost like a younger sister. ''Will you go on a distant trip? Or are you in a kind of scientific research that requires some nymph?''

''Lance, I want to marry her, not to accompany me somewhere.''

''You what!? Who told you could do that !?''

''Oh, there it is.''

''This it's serious Keith! If it's just another one of your transient dragon things, I'm going to-''

''It is not.'' Responded determined, stopping Lance's verbiage. ''I've been thinking about it for many years, and I know it's the right thing to do. I ... I want to be with her, I'm sorry. Pidge is the only one I need on my way.''

''Wow, you're serious.''

''Of course, I'm serious, it's Pidge!'' He shouted frustrated, but Lance didn't allow him to turn to face him.

''Really? I never saw you as a romantic couple, when we were together, it seemed rather that you took care of her by Shiro's orders.''

''At first, if it was like this ... But when I started talking with her, I felt strangely understood. She is a hybrid, just like me. And when I found out who my mother was, Pidge was the one who supported me most to accept me.'' Keith smiled wistfully; it had been many years since then.

''Well in that case ...'' He took his hair again, handling it in a different way while he was taking out small ornaments through the drawers of his shelf. ''I want you to know, that, although this is all very strange for me, I love you both, and I know from Allura that you have been shooting each other since the war ended.''

''Meddling Elf ...'' Whispered with annoyance, and found it strange that the mice came to them every time they were alone. Lance tugged at his hair when he heard it, but he smiled quickly.

''Do the best you can Keith. I will be supporting you in the shadows.''

When he looked at himself in the mirror, Keith could see something curiously interesting. His hair had been collected in a simple braid, which fell on her right shoulder. He could see small rows of smaller braids coming together across the road, and silver ornaments that shone beautifully around him.

It was a flashy hairstyle, but simple in turn, that reminded him momentarily of the one used by the fairies in ascension rituals, and it looked vaguely like Matt's when they first met him.

Something of the heritage that Pidge so longed to connect with.

Keith smirked, giving Lance a big hug for the gesture and moral support. He really needed it. After that, they decided to go with Shiro to choose the ideal kimono for that night.

 ...

 The night quickly fell in the foreign sky, with a magical air around it that enchanted everyone when they descended the stairs of Shiro's house. The roads were full of people who wandered from the temple and back, looking for snacks that the stores had to offer and one or another daily game for the moment.

Keith and Pidge were at a safe distance while the others came forward talking about the news they were watching. Pidge was leaning with Keith's arm at the difficulty of walking in sandals that she didn't use, and Keith was trying to do everything possible not to die of a shame since he saw her leave Shiro's room.

She wore a beautiful kimono of sparrows taking flight to the surroundings, which were lost in the sleeves, which accentuated wonderfully to her body giving her a much more elegant image, and her hair taken in a simple hairstyle with a hairpin at her side, gave to Pidge the maturity that used to be lost in its fine features most of the time.

But what caught his attention was the color so gloomily similar to his scales that she wore with pride. Wondering if maybe it had been Shiro's work since he was the only one who knew about the courtship rituals of his race.

He tried to take a deep breath as he followed the path his friends led as soon as they entered a much more agglomerated sector while attending to what Pidge used to tell him when something caught her attention.

Everything would be fine; Lance had assured him before leaving.

''Hey Shiro, why are there papers in the trees?''

Pidge took a few moments away from Keith to touch the papers that hung on the top of the bamboo at the main entrance to the temple. Giving them a pretty colorful appearance. They could see more than one person that they were hanging while away with some happiness on their faces. For what Shiro decided to explain.

''These are desires that people hang for them to come true, written in the tanzaku, the small papers they see there. Whatever you want, you hang it here, and after the festival, they are burned to reach the gods.''

''What a curious tradition.'' Coran approached while he saw other ornaments that accompany the wishes around the branches.

''Can we try?''

When Allura asked a little excited about the idea, Shiro nodded amused and guided them where they could find some tanzaku to start writing what they wanted in the bamboo. When they finished, they went to the highest part of the temple to wait for the fireworks that would appear in a few minutes more.

In the bustle of conversation while Hunk and Coran tasted some candy they bought on the way, Keith took Pidge's hand and asked her to follow him to a desolate part of the forest that surrounded the temple, quietly so that no one would notice at the time. She nodded curiously, holding his hand tightly, it's not as if it was the first time Keith had acted so mysteriously. Her heart beat with anticipation.

They walked many minutes in silence, observing the wonderful fauna of the place so different from their own home, and similar at the same time. The noise of the festival could still be heard from above, along with the lights that adorned the streets warmly. Their clothes gave them an air of comfort that they appreciated enough when moving around the earth.

They were far enough away until Pidge stopped to sit on a wooden chair at the end of the road. Keith approached her worriedly.

''Something happens?''

''No, it's just the sandals. I'm not handled using something like this for a long time.'' Pidge put them aside while massaging the contour of the instep. ''Still a lot to where you want to take me?''

''No, I think that's fine here.''

Keith approached her to remove the strange sock on her feet. The skin looked slightly red and somewhat swollen by the use of sandals. So, he continued to do a light massage to calm the pain of the area. Pidge complained weakly but didn't move away from his touch.

''Fairies shouldn't bring that kind of stuff on their feet.'' Keith said sympathetically, making Pidge grumble with a crooked smile.

''Well, I also have nymph blood thanks to my mother, and we wear shoes even inside the house.''

''But you're not used to this, besides ...'' He kissed one of her fingers as soon as he stopped, making her jump by surprise. Pidge was embarrassed when she felt his lips on her bare skin. ''Your kimono looks better with bare feet''

''Oh yeah?'' Pidge replied with some coquettishness in her tone of voice, taking the foot that Keith had in his hands to his chin, making him look up at her. His eyes seemed to pierce her soul. ''I can read your thoughts, Keith. You know I would look much more beautiful without the kimono.''

''Pidge ...''

Keith's tone warned her that she had lit the fire inside him, approaching her like a hunter on his prey, feeling his breath close to her lips, expectant. Pidge had a big smile on her face, she had pressed the right button.

''Why did you bring me here, away from all our friends?'' It surrounded the neck of Keith to approach it towards her in a slow movement. His lips resting on the outline of her neck. ''Are you trying to stain the precious and innocent date that Shiro organized for all of us? What a cruel dragon you are ...''

''Just me?''

He said funny, walking away from her before he couldn't think correctly. Pidge could be seen as someone completely oblivious to worldly desires, which was a complete lie. The lust of that petite nymph competed with his. He gave her a soft kiss on her lips, demonstrating all the sincere love he had for her. Pidge looked at him expectantly, reflecting the stars on her beautiful golden eyes, that red color highlighted her beauty in a way that Keith’s heart beat wildly, like a teenager in full swing.

Any questions he might have before while talking with Lance had disappeared. He was completely sure that he loved that woman.

He didn't know at that moment, or in what second, they heard an explosion so strong that both turned their eyes to the sky. There they could see the fire consumed in multiple colors that painted everything in its path.

So that's what Shiro meant with the fireworks.

It was truly a wonderful image.

While Pidge was distracted watching the explosions, Keith whispered those important words in her ear. To be sure that she heard it the first time.

Pidge looked away slowly, forgetting the spectacle, then nodding frantically as she hugged him with a smile he had never seen since he met her in that war.

The heart of both couldn't feel warmer that night while watching the fireworks explode over the sky and their hearts were filled with intense love. They didn't need the tanzaku, their wishes had come true.

[kinny93ethz]

[supified]

Only Modern Thinking: Review of The Infinite Now

The Infinite Now, written by Mindy Tarquini is an interesting book which seems to cross a few genres.  It might not technically fit as a historic fiction, but given the amount of research the author apparently did, it is hard not to see the parallel.  I don’t want you to take my word for this, I’ll try to explain what parts of the book seem to work and what do not and why so you can decide for yourself.  Comments are always welcomed.

 Mindy Tarquini is a talented author and while you may not feel it appropriate to consider the author of the story, it can be an interesting way to gain meaningful insight. Mindy is a self-described Italian traditionalist and it shows in this book.  The historical accuracy seemed to be of interest to her as she sneaks in little details about the experiences of Italian immigrants during the early twentieth century.  She also has a very sharp wit, which is evident if you follow her twitter feed.  The light heartedness finds itself in her book between the moments of intense drama.  If you ever find yourself bored and a little more interested in the author I highly recommend reading some of her tweets, they can be quite entertaining.

 One of the first things the summary of the book, expresses is the passage of time and the future. There is a time bubble involved and one of the first questions this begs is just what does that mean?  Without giving away the story, this is going to be one of the central themes, but it would be a mistake to see this complex story as something so simple.  Right? If a concept like freezing time isn’t complex enough, but even with the myriad of possibilities here the book manages to be far deeper than that.

 If this alone has convinced you to give this book a try then great, but that’s just scratching the surface of what is going on in this book.  She uses a lot of common tropes and techniques in unique ways thorough her story.  Early on there is a hint of a romantic interest and the way the characters interact may seem familiar, but it would be a mistake to think this book is going to be in any way predictable.  Giving up on the book early on would be a big mistake since things do not necessarily play out as expected.  This also shows up in the way the book portrays traditional values versus modern thinking, something which you may recall is dear to the author.

 One of the main themes in this book is modern vs traditional.  The battle between these two concepts is waged practically the entire time and it may seem like the author is trying to push one view over the other.  I won’t spoil where this goes, only that you shouldn’t assume you know or that the book is going to fall into predictable patterns.  One of the things that is most fascinating here is the setting, around 1920’s when a similar battle was being played out in the US.  The culture wars may never cease and this book captures it well and wraps it up into the theme along with the time element.  If you have a horse in this race then try not to let the early book bother you, it is just setting the stage for what is to come.  I do not recall what city the book takes place in, but it could have easily been Boston or New York.  

 The Setting is an extraordinarily fleshed out view of this time and prospective.  The descriptions are not limited to just the lives, but also the houses and even the technology at the time.  No small amount of effort is put into describing the individual aspects of the daily grind or the struggles that go along with them.  The story weaves these aspects so closely to the plot that it ends up feeling integral to the overall narrative of traditional versus modern with a heavy dose of personal responsibility tossed in.  Some of the descriptions may not be for the faint of heart and the loss that occurs as a fact of life is likewise not sugarcoated.

 Is this book a straight historical fiction? It is not.  There is magic in the book even if the book leaves some room for the possibility that the magic occurs all in the MC’s head.  That interpretation would probably be a bit of a stretch and for those seeking something entirely mundane in terms of fantasy elements, this book might not be for you.  The magical part is questionable in what is going on, most of it is vague and without a great deal of explanation for better or worse.

 LGBT is a rather big theme these days and a lot of books will address it in one way or another. Given the setting, it would be entirely forgivable if it didn’t come into this book, but it does.  How it comes into play and where it goes would be a spoiler, so I’ll avoid specifics.  This might be a bit of a sticking point for some and given the resolution it may seem like the book is walking a very tight rope, risking offending people on both sides of the isle.  The only spoiler, non-spoiler I can give is that the book doesn’t pass judgement on the subject.  Ultimately the book does try to lampshade this a touch by reminding the reader almost instantly that this portion is written in the context of the era.

 The biggest thing that might bother some readers is probably the sheer number of topics being covered, or at least their combined complexity.  Even as they do tend to work well together, things like family, responsibility, friendship, time, change. . etc..  These all come up and are very important to this book.  Amazingly everything is managed, but not exactly neatly.  Some of the resolutions may seem to be a little poorly explained or require imagination by the reader to fully grasp.  It may not have been possible to tell this story without taking some risk, so it’s up to you if this sort of thing will bother you or not.

 Ultimately this is a very thought-provoking book that does a good job of weaving a story that doesn’t exactly fulfill the expected paths it will take.  The historic setting is nicely mixed with a modern view of the world, even though it is written from the eyes of someone living in the century it was written.  Though Mindy self-proclaims to be in love with traditional Italian culture, she isn’t afraid of showing an evolving view of the world and the constant march of change, nor does she ultimately pass judgement on that either.  Though the start may be slow, the destination is worth the effort and there are many treasures to be found in this book.  I personally found it quite recommendable for this day and age.  Only modern thinking.

[hellofastestnewsfan]

The Italian journalist Oriana Fallaci was born in 1929, before the outbreak of World War II, and died in 2006, after 9/11. These two horrifying events shaped her writing and worldview. Traveling the world, she covered some of its worst conflicts as a war reporter, with a tone fans would call incisive and critics would call caustic. In the process, she developed a deep fear of Islam’s influence in Europe.

She is most remembered—and often reviled—for the views informed by this fear. Fallaci believed that the Western world was in danger of being engulfed by radical Islam and, toward the end of her career, she wrote three books advancing this argument. She claimed that Muslims were colonizing Europe through immigration and high fertility, and that the passivity of the European left to the dangers she saw would soon turn Europe into a “colony of Islam,” a place she called “Eurabia.”

Her views have led her to posthumously develop a reputation as a darling of the far right—a dubious honor that would have troubled the woman who was in life an anti-fascist activist. A new biography, Oriana Fallaci: The Journalist, the Agitator, the Legend, emphasizes the diversity of Fallaci’s colorful career, and makes the case that her critics are mistaken in judging her based on her writings about Islam.

Fallaci was, for one thing, an interviewer of great men and women. She was wary of power, having grown up under authoritarian rule, and she took pleasure in challenging it. In one of the most famous examples, while she was interviewing Ayatollah Khomeini before the Iranian Revolution of 1979, she so irritated him with questions about women’s rights that Khomeini exclaimed, “If you do not like Islamic dress you are not obliged to follow it. The chador is only for young and respectable women.” Fallaci then tore the chador off her head, saying, “I’m going to take off this stupid, medieval rag right now.”

For a public figure and provocateur, she could be a private person, which makes the publication of her first authorized biography especially noteworthy. Her biographer, Cristina De Stefano, drew on unprecedented access to the journalist’s personal records. I spoke with De Stefano about Fallaci’s legacy, the manipulation of her memory, and what she got right—and wrong—about Islam in Europe. Below is a condensed and edited transcript of our conversation.

Annabelle Timsit: How did Oriana’s views on Islamism in Europe affect her career?

Cristina De Stefano: Oriana’s last trilogy almost destroyed her career, so she took a great risk in publishing it. She went from being a respected left-wing intellectual to being considered an Islamophobic icon of the far-right.

But Oriana Fallaci was not a political commentator—she was a novelist, she was a writer. I think that, in talking about politics, she often asked the right questions, like: What is Europe’s position toward Islamic culture within its borders? Is Europe ready to stand up for its values? How can two such different cultures meet?

But I am not sure she provided the right answers. She made often-simplistic accusations against European Muslims; she was violent in her expressions and negative in her view of the future. She was more a prophetess of catastrophe—a Cassandra, as she used to say—than a provider of concrete suggestions. Let’s keep in mind that we are talking about an artist here, someone who was, first of all, inhabited by her creativity.

Timsit: Can you tell me about her identity as a feminist and her views about Muslim women?

De Stefano: Oriana had a first-hand experience of Islam. She was a war reporter and covered a lot of conflicts in the Middle East. She was one of the first to understand that the Iranian Revolution of 1979 marked the return of political Islam on the world scene.

She [witnessed] the condition of women in Islam very early, in the ’60s, while traveling across the world for her book, The Useless Sex. In it, she wrote that Islamic countries were prisons for women. At the same time, she was never in a position of proselytism, she never tried to bring equality to these countries—she just said she didn’t like it, but if they wanted to live like this, in their own countries, it was fine by her.

The problem she pointed out was the danger of these different values coming to [Europe] through immigration. She stressed that we have to stand up for our values, and we have to say very clearly that immigrants have to accept our rules.

Timsit: But did she really think Islamic values were an existential threat to Europe? Do you?

De Stefano: I don’t believe that [Islamic values] are incompatible [with European values]. There are difficulties with integrating highly-religious immigrants into secular societies, and that can create problems. We need time to find a way to coexist. In the long run, I am optimistic. On this matter, I am in a completely different position than Oriana [who], on the contrary, was very pessimistic. She was particularly worried about the role of religion in society and about the condition of women.

Her declarations and writings after 9/11 were not the fruit of a mature political reasoning, but of a mix of rage, solitude, and illness. She was dying of cancer, alone, struggling with time and writing her last book. She was at the end of her life and she considered the attack on America, and then on Europe, as the end of the world.

Was she Islamophobic? Yes. Do I agree with her? No. But are the last words of a person a good reason to [negate] their whole life? Also no. That’s why I wrote the book and that’s why I hope people will read it: I wanted to show that there was another Oriana before, a person who accomplished great things, and was an inspiration for many women.

Timsit: Can she really be considered feminist, if she excludes Muslim women from her views?

De Stefano: Oriana’s position as a feminist was very interesting, because she was not a part of the movement of feminism, and she was often critical [of it]. She pointed out the contradiction within feminism. For example, after the [2015] New Year’s Eve sexual attacks in Cologne, many feminists in Europe were afraid to encourage xenophobia, so they kept silent. If Oriana was there she would have been furious at this silence. She would have considered it a lack of courage—and she praised courage above all.

She never took a stand for Muslim women, but she never did for Italian women either. She wasn't an activist. I would say she was a feminist in her actions, in her own life.

Timsit: What was it about her actions that was feminist?

De Stefano: Her [feminist] legacy is her story as a woman who was able to become a world-renowned journalist during a time when journalism was a man’s profession; it is her invention of a new and personal way of doing political interviews; and it is the millions of novels she sold all over the world.

Timsit: What can her writings teach us about the resurgence of the far right in Europe?

De Stefano: When we think about Oriana and politics, we tend to think about Islam. But in fact, the center of her political ideas and her obsession was not Islam—it was fascism. For her, the first stage of fascism is to silence people; and for her, political Islam is another form of fascism.

[She] would be very shocked by what is happening in Europe today. She would have said that we have to be vigilant, because the freedom we have can be taken back from us.

Timsit: Doesn’t this fail to take into account the different ways in which political Islam expresses itself across the Muslim world?

De Stefano: She did not explore the whole range of today’s Islam. She underlined the extremes [because] she considered herself in a battle for civilization, and for this reason she was often too extreme herself, [hence] the accusations of Islamophobia. The central focus of her writing wasn’t against a race or a religion, but rather an attitude. She claimed that political Islam is aggressive, while Europe is too shy to react to it. She was worried that Islamic culture isn’t afraid to claim its own cultural and religious superiority, while European culture is uncomfortable about defending its own values and achievements.

I think there are a lot of attacks on Oriana that are hypocritical, in the sense that they focus on the form but they don’t discuss what she said. Of course, you can be opposed to what she said, but you can’t deny that she asked some very important, uncomfortable questions that still need to be answered today. That was the main point of her trilogy, [to ask]: Europe, are you ready to fight for your values? And Europe has no answer to this question.

You can love or hate what she wrote, but she was quite right in pointing out what the future would bring. Today, Europe is facing a real crisis from migrants and she saw this coming.

Timsit: So, for her, immigration was a tool of invasion?

De Stefano: Yes. She wrote the famous, awful phrase, “The sons of Allah breed like rats.” Of course, it’s awful. But she was saying that Muslims don’t need to kill [non-Muslims]—they will just outnumber [non-Muslims].

The problem with Oriana, and the reason why a lot of readers don’t like her, is that she said a lot of uneasy things. [After World War II] the continent decided that war was over and that we would never fight again. Oriana told Europe that, in fact, war was not over; that political Islam is bringing war back to the continent.

Timsit: What is the most striking thing that you learned about Oriana in writing her biography?

De Stefano: Oriana made a feminist out of me. I was born in 1967, and I was convinced that feminists were old and out of fashion. Writing about her life, I realized how much women before me had to fight to work and live like men did, to be accepted and recognized. And through her writings, she convinced me that the rights that women [achieved] in the past can be taken away from them—so we have to be vigilant all the time. I am a different person now.

from The Atlantic http://ift.tt/2Ch9pLg

[motorsportclubofottawa]

Words: Omar E. #550 Points: Naresh D. #27 Photos: Richard D. #30 & Naresh D. #27

.xls – Final 2017 Autocross Championship Points

As another autocross season wraps up, we sit and reflect on what is … or what could have been. History becomes etched into stone, as the top drivers reap the fruits of their accomplishments. Sponsorship deals and fancy stickers aside, the progression as drivers is what keeps us coming back for more. Victory…an intoxicant that arouses the mind with new possibilities, new limits, new direction and new bank accounts. Let us begin.

Women’s Cup

MCO autocross was blessed to have many more women lace up the race boots in pursuit of the women’s cup title.   Leading the way was the pride of Derbyshire, Kathleen I. displaying her fighting irish roots.  The soft-spoken doctor used some Italian spice in her recipe for victory taking top spot honours amongst the ladies, not to mention her class. 

Women’s Champion – Kathleen I.

It all came together for Natalie “dry beard? coconut oil will gitter’ done” F. piloting the “Green Mile” miata.  Improving step by step was the order of the day for this future Hollywood stylist.  Ms. Facette locked up second place gathering a whopping 6380.92 points…excellent work!

Women’s Cup – 2nd Place – Natalie F.

The final podium position went to Eva “I can’t believe this is legal!” G.  In her second season of competition, Eva kept it together taking in as much experience as possible from every event.  Well it paid off! Eva takes third place amongst the ladies with a points total of 6235.46.

Women’s Cup – 3rd Place – Eva G.

Sidenote: This year, MCO made a concerted effort to  attract more women to our sport and our community, including a Women’s Track Day and a presence at the Women’s Show this past spring. We were ecstatic to have even more female participation than we did during last season’s high-water mark. If you know a woman who loves being behind the wheel, you owe it to her to get her out to Lot 9. 

Rookie Cup

An injection of new drivers is important for the future of autocross. We have been fortunate to have many rookies make an impact quickly as they develop their driving skills and contribute to the success of the series. For this year, top spot amongst the rookies goes to none other than Gerard B.! The Focus ST driver almost won his class but came up a tad short. Despite that, Gerard still walks away with the Rookie of the year title.

Runners up, and husband and wife duo, Scott and Heather M., put down some very respectable times. Scott in the Mini Countrymen managed to amass 6552.55 points while Heather in the Mini Cooper S managed 5075.38 points at the season’s end.

Rookie Cup – 2nd Place – Scott M.

Rookie Cup – 3rd Place – Heather M.

Class Champions

A Class

A class saw a new champ take over as the battle in the “souped up” segment heated up at the end of season.   As has always been the case, the amazing Kevin S. was dominant all year long utilizing all the Fong S2300 had to offer.  The humble Swiss native didn’t really concern himself with podiums and accolades.  It’s all about the driving!  And drive he did!!  MCO’s Stig completed the season with 6840.79 points to take first overall in the class. 

A Class – 1st Place – Kevin S.

Next up was the S2300’s pimp, Steven F.  Also in the S2300, Mr. Fong locked up second accumulating 6689.31 points.  When Mr. Fong was asked about the secret to his success he simply said “I just do whatever…”  Well that is some superb feedback, I’ll wait for the e-book.  Rounding out the top three was Naresh Dibs and Ginger for the most part. 

A Class – 2nd Place – Steve F.

Naresh really only shows up to autocross to sing karaoke…maybe do some driving.  Now in retirement mode, the prolific autocross manager pumped out 6637.18 points all while managing an autocross series…this is a testament to Naresh’s commitment to the series and it’s participants.  Awesome work my friend!

A Class – 3rd Place – Naresh D.

B Class

It was a season long war between Aaron Z and the Wolf.  Both competitors utilizing different styles of the same weaponry and sometimes at the request of fans, they would exchanges weapons between themselves and try them out against each other.   Such is the nature of autocross.  At curtain close it was Aaron Z who held off a menacing attack by the Wolfpack managing 6981.28 points.  That’s good for top spot and class champ bragging rights!!

B Class – 1st Place – Aaron Z.

Not the slightest bit concerned with where he finished, the Wolf takes second with 6970.33 points.  Colin was the only podium winner who competed in every event…He is…the autocross ironman!  Well, Well, Ralf was right…new tires change the game. 

B Class – 2nd Place – Colin W.

Taking third place was your write up guy, Omar “Don’t be an angry Arab and smile already!” E. in his esteemed Omaro.  This culturally dynamic mismatch shows what can be done when differences are put aside grudgingly.  When approached for an interview, representatives from Team Omaro declined to comment and gave me a look that suggested that I was invading their intimate space.  Tallied points for Team Omaro totalled 6541.38. Hurray.

B Class – 3rd Place – Omar E.

C Class

Mr. Kevin S. shows up for a second tour of accolades this time in C class.  On his crusade to dominance, the quiet Kanata resident selected Goldie as the tool of choice as he decimated the competition by obtaining the maximum number of points possible, a whopping 7000!

C Class – 1st Place – Kevin S.

Cameron W. in the “Chariot of Fire” took away second place from course design connaisseur, Mike S..  For the Brockville resident, wearing matching socks had everything to do with his 6831.52 points tally.  Looks like the new suspension setup did its job for Team Cameroooon!

C Class – 2nd Place – Cameron W.

Everything came together at the last event for Mike S. driving the “Green Mile” miata where he was able to lock down top spot.   Suffering from an autocross obsession like many of us, Mike spent hours, if not days designing and mapping course layout after course layout all season long.  The contemporary solo 2 course design artist rounds out the top three for the season with a points total of 6814.51.

C Class – 3rd Place – Mike S.

D Class

Mr. Slow played his underdog card all season long.  Silently counting his first place stickers in the dark, the questionably certified bean counter needed a general ledger to keep track of his victories.  Michael Carroll Shelby, also known to the autocross secret service as the “silver fox” made it rain with the help of his most trusted ally, the silver bullet.   Together, they utilized the power of perception to sway the public into thinking they were nothing to worry about…”I’m just a frail old man driving puny insignificant powerless girly car…what impact could I possibly have” he would exclaim.  So one by one, they brushed him off buying into the image and feeling relatively optimistic about their chances.  But the wise fox knew the truth…and with a simple “click” of the bullet’s seat belt buckle triggered the rise of the autocross Goliath from within…”Say hello to my leettle friend…RE71 ARRRRRRRRRR…”.  The poor dejected competitors never saw it coming resulting in their…decimation.  Hitting less than a handful of cones throughout the season, the silver fox asserted his dominance racking up 6977.20 taking top spot in class.    

D Class – 1st Place – Michael C.

Well played Michael, …well played!  Known to many as the “suspension fiddler”, Mr. Brodey “Michelle, It’s damping, not dampening” D. certainly made his case in the Italian stallion.  Constantly adjusting the Abarth to the point where it will have an identity crisis, Brodey was persistent in his search for that extra tenth.  His work has paid off as he gobbles up second place overall with a points total of 6906.89.

D Class – 2nd Place – Brodey D.

Third place overall went to Colin F. in the FRS.  The silent semi-pro course chalker is becoming somewhat of a legend with his consistent driving.  Colin and Co. continued on their winning trajectory gathering a stellar 6846.66 points.

D Class – 3rd Place – Colin F.

E Class

A first-time class champion has risen from the ranks.  Mademoiselle Kathleen I. in her Abarth was dominant early on and kept it that way until her last event.  Confident she had won her class, the good doctor decided to go on holidays missing that last few events.  It didn’t matter, as ���the medicine woman” found a way to victory amassing 6959.72 points. 

E Class – 1st Place – Kathleen I.

Hot on her heels though was the “newb” Gerard B. in the Focus ST.  Mr. Butler sure made things interesting finishing in first place in the last four events.  Sadly for Gerard, that would not be enough as he settles for second place overall managing 6908.15 points.  This will make for an interesting battle in the upcoming autocross season. 

E Class – 2nd Place – Gerard B.

Another new guy managed his way onto the podium showing us that half the battle is showing up!  John “H2O” W. in the Volvo machine was a pillar of driving consistency.  Running what he brung, the S60 held it down long enough for this tandem to take third place collecting 6319.35 points.

E Class – 3rd Place – John W.

Overall Champion

This year’s overall autocross season champion is…Kevin “I’ve run out of things to say about you” S.  Kevin competed in two classes and managed to win both of them.  On a couple of occasions Kevin came close to beating a formula car using a street legal car.  Impressive stuff! Congrats Kevin!

Before we leave you, we’d like to thank our amazing 2017 sponsors who have made this past season truly memorable. Please consider supporting these fantastic local businesses. After all, they support you and your passion:

Title Sponsor

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  2017 Autocross Championship Results Words: Omar E. #550 Points: Naresh D. #27 Photos: Richard D. #30 & Naresh D. #27…