#also talking to horses and fish!! horse girl gene guys.. horse girl gene

[t4tdanvis]

I think it’d be funnier if gene was a hades kid and dante was a poseidon kid implying Maria pulled 2/3 of the big three. Or if Gene’s parent made no fucking sense. Mf’s an Aphrodite kid somehow.

You have NO IDEA how tempting it was to make Gene's godly parent this specific version of Aphrodite...

But I chose Neptune for a lot of reasons :) Mainly because the greek/roman dichotomy is Awesome, and also because his powers are more focused on the "earthshaker" aspect of Neptune (because the Romans hated the ocean for a Long time and it makes more sense for Gene's powers to not be super water-centric because of that!) and I think Gene being able to cause earthquakes is Mmmmmmmm

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #443

“it’s not a life sentence, but a death dream for you”

When was the last time you were in the hospital? Me personally, uhhh sometime in 2017? Why were you there? I had a cyst removal surgery. Do you like Cheez-Its or Cheese Nips better? Cheez-Its. Have you worn headphones at all today? Yeah, I pretty much always do because YouTube is always open and on a video. When was the last time you had blood drawn? A few months ago or something? I'll be getting some drawn shortly though for genetic testing; due to my mom having some dysfunctional cancer prevention gene, all her children are getting tests to see if we inherited it. The last time you got blood drawn, what was the reason? I want to say I was tested for anemia most recently. What color eyes does/did your father have? Brown. What do you daydream most about? Things I wish I didn't daydream about. What is your relation to the last child you spoke to? They're my niece and nephew. Do you believe the Holocaust happened? No fucking shit? Do you prefer zebra stripes, tiger stripes, or leopard spots? Tiger stripes, ig. When did you last see a dog? At my nephew's b-day party a couple weeks ago. Nicole brought her dog Zeke over. Have you ever been in the mountains when the moon and stars were up? No, but omg I wish!!!!!!!!!! Do you know anyone from Canada? Yep. Has a cat ever licked you? Yeah. Roman especially loves to give kisses. Where would you most like to go in your state, etc. that you haven’t been? The Wizard of Oz park, probs. Are you scared to look at your own organs on x-ray or ultrasound? No, that shit's rad. o: Have you ever walked on a frozen lake/river? No, that sketches me out. I'd be afraid of the ice breaking and me falling in. Have you ever seen a volcano? No. Have you ever met an Alaskan? Met in-person, no. But I do have an online friend who's from Alaska. Or may still live there? Idk. Have you ever mowed the lawn (even a little bit)? No. Have any unpleasant public transit stories to tell? Nah. Do you know any German words? Seeing as I took four semesters of the language in high school, I know a good deal. However, my skill has definitely atrophied with time and lack of application. Do you have a passport? No. Are your teeth straight? I mean, mostly. I had braces for too long, but I didn't wear my retainer, so they've moved back some. Would you mind dating someone significantly shorter than you? Yeah, sure. I've never understood why height is an issue for some people. Can you quote the movie Mean Girls? No. I personally never got the craze. Have you ever swam in the Atlantic Ocean? I have. The Pacific? No. Can you make yourself cry? No. Have you ever held a starfish? Not a live one. What would you do if you found out your ex was pregnant/fathered a child? Faint or vomit. Wail. All three. Are you very close to your siblings? No. :/ Can you do CPR? No. Favorite sport to watch in the summer Olympics? I don't care. Ever flushed a fish? Yes. Ever been paid for sex or a sexual favor? No. I wouldn't agree to that. Last friend you talked to online? Sara. Has anyone ever said you looked like a celebrity? No. What is the best ice cream flavor? Vanilla. You have so many topping options. What’s your favorite thing to do outside? Photograph nature, especially wild animals. What would you spend $1,000 on? A big, really pro tattoo. What was the best (non-romantic) night you’ve had? Hm. I don't know. Who did you last lay in a bed/couch/recliner with? Mom and I sat together on the couch some time ago. Do you keep a planner? No. What are you craving right now? I've got a seriously random craving for shell pasta with a nice, meaty tomato sauce. Do you want kids anytime soon? DEFINITELY not soon, but also never. Has anyone ever drunk called/texted you? No. Have you ever slept in the same bed with the last person you kissed? Yeah. What’s the best feeling in the world? Knowing you're in love and really feeling it. What’s something you really want right now, be honest. There's a lot of things. Who in your family do you act like the most? I don't know, really. Who has made the biggest sacrifice for you? My mom, 100%. Do you believe that your first true love can be your only love in life? Of course not. Have you ever kissed under water? Yes. Is there that one guy that you’ll always have feelings for no matter what? Suuuure is. Wish it wasn't like that, but I don't see it ever changing, to be real... Are you 100% over the last person you kissed? 100%? No, I can't say I am entirely. Have your parents ever caught you kissing a guy? "Caught me?" How old is this question meant for? Yes, they've seen me kiss a guy before. If you mean like, seriously kiss-kissing, no. Which one of your exes hates you the most? Probably Jason. Are you named after anyone? No. Well, my middle name has been passed down, but "Brittany" wasn't from anybody else in specific. What reminds you the most of your last relationship? The song "The Only Exception" by Paramore. Have you ever rejected someone but they still wouldn’t give up on you? In elementary school, yes. When growing up, did your family always eat at the dinner table together? Usually, yes, at least when growing up. Sometimes we'd use little tables to eat in the living room though while watching TV. What is the greatest source of happiness in your life? My mom, best friend, and pets. What was the last charity/cause you donated to? I'm unsure, actually. Who was the last person you got a handwritten letter from? Sara! :') Did your parents read bedtime stories to you when you were little? Mom did. Have any of your worst fears ever come true? Yes. The greatest fear I've ever had was losing Jason, and that happened. Is anyone in your family divorced? My parents, for one. My older half-sister has also be divorced because her ex is an absolute piece of manipulative horse shit. Has anyone in your family gotten pregnant as a teenager? I think my mom? No, maybe not... Idk. I ain't doing the math. What’s your greatest talent? If you want a serious answer and not something self-depracating, I suppose writing. Would you ever want to get a master’s degree? It'd be cool, but I've never *actually* wanted to pursue that. Have you ever worn revealing clothing in order to get attention? No. Have you ever been falsely accused of being racist? I've never been accused of being racist, because I'm not. To you, is sex just about physical pleasure, or do you see it as an expression of love and commitment? Absolutely the latter. I could never engage in sex without deep emotional commitment. How many times have you been drunk in the past 6 months? Zero. What’s your favorite French food? I have no idea. What’s the most elaborate recipe you know how to cook? Nothing. Which rooms of your house have doors that lead outside? The living room and kitchen. Best purchase you ever made? My snake. :') Is there anybody you think is hot over the age of 40? I haven't seen him a long time, but boy did I have a thing for James Hetfield in high school. There are defs others, but no one else immediately comes to mind. Have you ever been caught sneaking out? No, because I've never tried to. How many Facebooks have you had? Just the one I still use. Have you ever been punched in the face? No. When was the last time you talked to the first person you kissed? The beginning of February, 2017. What is the latest you have ever slept in? Past 5. Do you have to watch yourself in the mirror while you brush your teeth? No. Do you text when you drive? Fuck no. You couldn't pay me to. What movie do you really want to see that’s out? I don't even know what movies are out right now. Did America really put a man on the moon? Eventually, yes. Call me crazy, but I do believe the supposed first one was faked, though, to "beat" Russia in the space race. Do some research and it's pretty shocking. Would you like to date someone a lot purer than you? Idc. Do you turn your phone off at night when you go to sleep? No, but I turn the brightness down for if I wake up in the middle of the night and want to check the time. Have you slept in a bed with the last person you kissed? Yeah. Has anyone ever told you that they loved you, and you didn’t say it back? Yes. Has anyone ever played a prank on you? What happened? I don't believe so. Do you like tattoos and piercings? Helllll yes. :') What are you really into? Animals, art, some weird Korean guy on the Internet... Do your parents like your best friends? Yes. Have you ever taken a nap with a member of the opposite sex? Yeah. Do you have weak upper body strength? Yes. What color was the last cup you drank from? It's just clear glass. How old is your oldest sibling? I actually don't know her exact age. 30-something. What was the last thing you ate that had nuts in it? A Nature Valley cashew bar I had earlier today. How many pieces did the last puzzle you completed have? I have no idea. Who did you last shake hands with? uhhhhhhhh Has anybody asked you out on a date recently? Nah. When was the last time somebody asked you to be their girlfriend? When Girt asked me out a few years ago. Name something you’re picky about: Food. Who did you last ask for help? My mom. Do you like corn? Yeah. If you were offered to smoke some weed right now, would you accept? Right now I honestly probably would, believe it or not. Honestly, who is the last person to tell you that they love you? My mum. Have you ever made out for more than a half hour straight? Yeah. How do you earn money? The only occasions where I ever and very rarely earn money is if someone (non-family, of course) pays me to take pictures for them. Where were you raised? All you need to know is a crappy town in eastern NC. Are your ears gauged? No, but I want the first holes in my earlobes to be, but only with very small gauges. I just can't figure out how to do it myself, at least with the gauges I have. I think I'm missing something. Explain what triggered your last kiss? We were saying goodbye. Could you go a month without talking to your best friend? I mean I could, but it'd seriously fucking suck. Have you ever made out in a park? No, because I don't do that in public. What are you listening to? "Paint You With My Love" by Marilyn Manson. I wasn't big on the album when it came out, but this is one of the songs that's aight to me. Last thing you said out loud? I gave Venus a little wave and said "hey babe" or something like that like I do sometimes when she's slithering around and looks out towards me. Are you sad? Always at least a little bit. I have been kinda down this evening. Where is your dad? I would hope at home. He's probably watching TV, or maybe in bed.

[introvertguide]

Unforgiven (1992); AFI #68

The next movie on the list is multi-Academy Award winner, Unforgiven (1992). The film won for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Editing, and Best Supporting Actor (Gene Hackman). In total, the movie receive 48 critical awards and 44 nominations making it one of the most decorated westerns of all time. It also has the rare honor of being nominated for best director and actor when that nomination is towards the same person. Clint Eastwood’s face showed up on screen in little boxes during awards ceremonies a lot that year. This movie is also an AFI favorite, as it gained 30 places between editions and the institute also named it the 4th best western of all time. 

By the way, SPOILER ALERT!!!! since I break down the plot a lot more than the previous movies and this is a “newer film” comparatively (only 20 years old). I know that I said that the full reviews would have some spoilers in them, but this one seems to especially so.

The film starts with a calm text crawl but is immediately followed by the driving force of the film: a violent knife attack on a prostitute by two cowboys in Big Whiskey, Wyoming. How the attack occurs is important because only one cowboy does the cutting and the other holds her for a second before realizing his friend is crazy and tries to pull him away. The woman is slashed in the face multiple times making her less valuable as a prostitute. The local sheriff named “Little” Bill Dagget (Gene Hackman) releases the cowboys saying that they have to bring back horses for the bar owner to pay for the prostitute. The other women take offense to being treated like cattle and decide to put their money together to offer a reward for the deaths of the two cowboys. The viewer is supposed to question whether these men deserve death for their crimes, but definitely should feel they deserve more than some loss of property. I feel that the prostitutes want to show the world that the may have sex for money, but they are more than just beasts of burden. This “whore’s gold” does not go over well with Little Bill because he doesn’t like guns in his town. He fears that the reward will lure in bounty hunters from all around to try and earn the reward. I love this kind of story: the goal is set immediately so that interesting characters can be dropped in and the viewer can witness what happens.

Meanwhile, out on the plains, the main character is introduced to be Will Munny (Clint Eastwood), a former outlaw and all around nasty person who now lives on a pig farm with no wife and two children. His young wife died a couple of years prior, but brought out the good side of Will before passing away (no more guns and no more drinking). With only two minutes of establishing shots and conversation, we learn that Will is neither a very good farmer nor is he really a very attentive father. Some of the pigs have the fever and he is attempting to separate them when a young man calling himself the Schofield Kid (James Woolvett) rides up and asks Will to be his partner to kill the two cowboys in Big Whiskey and get the reward. Will is hesitant since he is old and stopped killing and drinking years ago, but eventually decides to catch up with the Kid and join the mission. 

Because Will is old and out of practice, he stops by and recruits his old friend and partner Ned Logan (Morgan Freeman) to help him and join the group. Ned has a Native American wife that does not seem to approve of Will and acts like she knows there will be trouble. The two seem to be very good friends and know each other’s history, which is great because there is a lot of character establishment along with some funny banter.

Meanwhile, in Big Whiskey, a gunslinger named English Bob (Richard Harris) rides into town, ignoring the ordinance forbidding guns, looking to talk to the prostitutes offering the reward. English Bob is so well known that he has a biographer named W.W. Beauchamp (Saul Rubinek) who writes books (not letters and such) and wants to take notes for an upcoming dime novel. This man is very cowardly and very integral to the story. He acts as a fish-out-of-water character since he asks a lot of questions about history, morals, and tactics involving the traits of a successful gunman. Little Bill hears about the appearance of English Bob and, knowing who he is and what his intent is, ambushes him outside the town barber shop with a bunch of deputies. Little Bill viciously beats English Bob in the street for all to see as an example for any other cowboys who want to ride into Big Whiskey and claim the reward. English Bob is sent away on the next day’s train, but Beauchamp stays to learn from Little Bill about being a gunslinger. 

The trio of Will, Ned, and The Kid show up in Big Whiskey at night during a rainstorm and don’t see the sign about the ordinance. They go straight to the tavern to talk to the prostitutes. Ned and The Kid go up to discuss terms with the ladies leaving a seriously flu-ridden Will downstairs. Little Bill finds Will and viciously beats him like he did with English Bob and the trio retreat to a barn outside of town so that Will can recover. After a week of staking out and recovery, with the help of the prostitutes, the trio track down the two cowboys and formulate a plan to kill them. 

They ambush one of the men by hitting him with a rifle from a cliff. Ned is the best shot, but finds himself unable to shoot an injured man that has done nothing to him so Will fires the killing shot. Ned leaves the group to go back to check on Will’s kids since he can’t help, so Will and The Kid set up around the other cowboy’s ranch and wait for him to use the outhouse. The Kid successfully runs around and shoots the other cowboy while he is on the pot and the two go back to collect their reward and get out of town.

Unbeknownst to them, Ned was captured while returning home and brought back the night before the second assassination. Little Bill maniacally, almost joyfully, beats and tortures Ned to death trying to get information about Will and The Kid. They are informed about this when picking up their reward and Will decides to go into town in a fit of rage to get vengeance for his friend. At this point, the audience has seen that Will can kill in cold blood when he is sober and talks about what a nasty person he was drunk. Will gets good and hammered before going out to the tavern to surprise the sheriff and his posse, so it seems pretty obvious that bad things are going to go down.

Will goes into the bar while Little Bill and his posse are celebrating the capture of one of the assassins (Ned, who is in a coffin displayed out front). Will immediately shoots the owner of the bar for disrespecting his friend, and then aims at Little Bill. The gun jams but Will is still able to shoot the sheriff and all of the deputies. It becomes apparent that it was the commotion, luck, and a lack of any hesitation that win the day for Will as he finishes off Little Bill as he lay already shot on the floor and helpless. Will leaves the town and threatens that he will kill any man and his whole family that tries to stop him. And nobody does. The movie ends with a text crawl like the start, saying that it is not certain what happened to Will and his family, but it is suspected they moved to San Francisco. And credits.

There are so many anti-western themes in this western, it is as if the writer looked up the definition of a western and did the opposite save the time period. This story was written in 1976 by David Webb Peoples, right before he worked with Hampton Fincher to adapt Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep into Blade Runner. The story for Unforgiven was kicked around for almost a decade before Clint Eastwood bought it, and then he held on to the story for another half decade before making it into a movie. Peoples apparently likes a very human and somewhat complicated lead instead of the superhuman, moralistically superior hero. Deckard in Blade Runner was somewhat weak and flawed and the lead in Unforgiven is so much more so.

William Munny is shown to be an anti-hero from scene one as he is dismissive of his children, leaving a very young boy and girl to handle a pig farm alone for weeks. He is shown to be old and somewhat weak as he is unable to separate pigs or even climb on to a horse. He also can’t shoot well. He shoots an injured young man who is dragging himself with a broken leg (after missing with a couple of shots). Will is in a protected outcrop of rocks above a wounded boy who really didn’t do that much wrong. The boy slept with a prostitute, held her for a total of one second before realizing what was going on and then tried to help her, and then paid more than asked for his crime because he felt remorse and shame. But Will still kills him for the money. Will pulls his friend in and is unable to save him from a horrible fate. He helps a kid (The Kid, actually) murder a man who is sitting on the toilet. Finally, he goes in and murders five lawmen in a tavern, three who were just doing their job and definitely did not deserve the cold blooded death they got. It is debatable whether the tavern owner (treated women like horses and displayed Ned) and Little Bill (joyfully and viciously beat men, some to death) got what they deserved, but the others where simply cops doing their job and they were shown to take no joy in Little Bill’s attacks.

Ned is a friendly guy that is just going along with Will like the old days, but freezes when it comes to cold blooded killing. He dies worse than anyone else when he might have deserved it the least. He did leave his wife at home alone to go on a mission of murder and then slept with prostitutes. But does that deserve that he be tortured to death? He couldn’t kill a boy and felt remorse for getting involved in the first place. He even offers to go back and check on Will’s neglected kids. But he still ends up suffering horribly and dying when the man he is protecting gets to live. 

In a different story, I think that Little Bill could be the hero. He just wants a quiet, gun-free town for all of the locals. He want’s a porch so that he can sit back and watch the sunset (even though he doesn’t have a family or even a dog). He makes an example of the bad people that come into town and he is somewhat justified in this treatment. These men are evil and they are wrecking his sanctuary. I completely understand. It is how much Little Bill seems to enjoy hurting others that makes him so bad. Gene Hackman does such a great job portraying that fine line between a man who wants to protect his town and somebody who gets his jollies off of hurting others. 

I wanted to point out how badly women were treated in this film and that there is a point to it. All of the main female characters that appear are discussed simply as something to have sex with. They are treated like cattle that are used to satisfy the drive for sex instead of the drive for hunger. The prostitutes of Big Whiskey call for the death of two boys that harmed one of their girls and give out all their savings to do it. This seems harsh, but I can see that it is to try and keep some dignity and to teach cowboys that there are repercussions beyond financial for harming another human being. It seems like a painfully accurate portrayal of how many women were treated in the past and that aspect of the film is not fun to watch. 

Many people (including my mom) have an issue with the simple brutality of the film. There are no extended fist fights with barely a scratch, people don’t immediately die when shot, and people don’t survive by their wits. The fights are extremely one sided and consist of surprise or superior numbers. People are shown to suffer when they are wounded and fear death. Gun fights are not won by superior shooters, but by luck and a cold blooded disregard for life. There is no glamour in this western, but a portrayal of a dirty hard life filled with pain that can end at any second. That is truly brutal.

While watching with my housemates, there were a lot of laughs from the group. There are legitimately entertaining running gags in this film that are completely unexpected. Will can’t get on his horse and he does not improve at all throughout the film. The Kid can’t see well and has to constantly ask what is going on. Little Bill is a terrible architect and his house is horribly built (everyone keeps making fun of him behind his back). The girls just have sex with anyone, anywhere, and at any time as a form of payment, conversation, planning, warming up, etc. Admittedly, it is not really funny with the girls as much as it is a “wow...again?” kind of feeling. 

In my opinion, the movie is great. It is not what I would call a fun adventure, nor even easy to watch, because of the realistic portrayal of violence and death, but the gallows humor makes it a little lighter. The film is very deserving of its awards because it is a deep look at the western from the side of what a western isn’t. I also think that this is a genre redefining movie and deserves to be on the AFI list. I would definitely recommend it, though I remember seeing it when I was 12 and now think it might be a bit much for younger kids. A fine film and a perfect end for Clint Eastwood and his work with American westerns. 

[damianaandonova]

Dami’s Chicago

Back when I was a Gold Coast girl, I used to sip coffee at Mariano Park and people watch.  I was so in love with the people there, I wrote a poem about the Gold Coast’s aubergine sky once as horse-drawn carriages click-clacked to the sound of my fingers typing on my Mac.  The thing about the Gold Coast is that everything changes and stays the same at the same time. New restaurants settle in, others leave, but not without leaving their mark. 

I suppose I developed a routine...here’s a list of my favorite places (and a few that I avoid!) 

Where do you go for coffee? 

Saturdays, I’d run to Cafe des Architectes or HendrickX for a coffee reading my papers, or with girlfriends. At Hendricks, the Belgian owner would talk to me in French. I love their ham and cheese croissants too. 

Soup?

Winter-time, I sprinted to Tavern on Rush to get a hot tomato soup. I also love Pierrot Gourmet’s lentil soup, but they only have it on Sundays. 

Sushi?

Hmm. This is a difficult question. I am as loyal to momotoro as I am to my first love--I remain obsessed to this day. But you should give Jellyfish a go I suppose and Sushi Dokku. 

Where do you write at night? 

When I want to have a drink and write in company, I love the booths at Maple and Ash’s lounge area. I also like the terrace at Starbucks on Rush. 

Where do I take my girlfriends to lunch?  3 Arts Cafe, but don’t go too often, or else you’d tire of it. The salad with watermelon radishes is bomb, so are their cookies. 

Date night? 

Ahh date nights. I recommend you start at The Game Room at 12 S. Michigan and then go to the Gold Coast for dinner at the Pump Room (if it was good enough for Sinatra, it’s good enough for me!)  and then walk up to Lincoln Park to finish off the night on a swing set listening to GnR or whatever it is you’d like to do.  

Where do you hate to love to go? 

Agh, the west loop. A guy took me to Green Street Meats and I loved it despite my horror at the decor. I took my sister and she had a similar visceral reaction: “Awgaaaddd this is soo good--oh my gaawwwdd, is that a skeleton?!” The Allis is really good too for tea and brunch, quite instagrammable if I say so myself, but not as inventive as I would hope. The thing I hate about the West Loop though, and its why I avoid the Publican and other restaurants over there, is the strict “no reservations” rule that creates an air of false demand when you pass by. Some crowds get super attracted to the long lines thinking it must be good, but when I have 2 hours to spend with my guy and appointments all afternoon, every minute sitting and enjoying rather than standing counts.

So what about other over-rated restaurants? 

Ahhh Sienna Tavern. Lord oh Lord. The first time I went to ST, my octopus was beyond burned. The second time I went we friends, we blew over 400 dollars on a dinner that no one ate. The manager was shocked the plates were full when we asked for the check so he halved the bill. Haven’t been back since.

Latest obsession? 

Most recently, my friend and I went to Somerset, a new restaurant in the Gold Coast, where I had a pretty well-balanced halibut dish, a very light octopus appetizer, a really heavy polenta side and a St. German spritzer. Everything was delicious although the richness of the polenta killed me. I felt like two spoonfuls were all that I could eat. 

I also love the dragonfruit smoothies at Chicago Health Foods!

Guiltiest pleasure?

After a night on the town with the girls, I always end up at Velvet Taco to finish the night with a post-mort on all of the events. I end up getting fish tacos. 

Ethnic foods? 

Mehanata or Balkanica if you want Bulgarian and Barba Yanni if you want Greek food. I also enjoy Psisteria.  For the best best best cakes, I say go to Oak Mill Bakery.  And what about the best rooftop? 

Nomi if you have to impress the parents. 

Cindy’s when your bff from college is visiting Chicago for the first time and is asking you to wake up at 10 am on a Saturday, and you just NEED a Bloody Mary. 

Gene’s Sausage Shop rooftop when you and your boyfriend are on babysitting duty (cute niece is in town!) and both of you just want to drink beer and eat German sausage while the babe nibbles on Kinder. 

.