#and his relationship with the Curtis family is so very important to me

[made-my-peace-with-all-the-bad]

I’m thinking about little Johnny. How he’s never had it easy. How he probably walked himself to kindergarten with a black eye and various bruises and cuts.

How he wasn’t the only one to walk in like that, so no one said anything. How when he sad down that day, there was a loud boy with a huge grin who came up to him, took his hand, and declared them friends.

How this boy spent every second next to Johnny, and that was the first time Johnny truly felt wanted. And when the day was ending, this little boy ran up to his mom and dragged Johnny with him. And how this kind woman had knelt down, despite holding a fussing toddler, and she had looked at Johnny with the same kind eyes and gentle smile that her son had, and offered him to come over. She knew that some other parents weren’t very kind, and she assumed Johnny’s weren’t an exception, given his state, so she took him home. And the entire drive home, the little boy had talked Johnny’s ear off about everything he loved. And Johnny just sat there and let excitement and joy overtake him.

When he got to their home, his new friend had run up to his older brother, who was doing homework in the kitchen, and had pulled Johnny up and introduced him. He’d called his older brother Superman, and when Johnny giggled, he said that his real name was Darrel, but everyone called him Darry. And then Soda had begged Johnny to come play outside with him, so they did. That was the first time Johnny laughed in a long time.

By the time they were done, Mrs. Curtis was already setting a place for Johnny at the dinner table. She had sent them to go wash up, and then quietly asked Darry to help clean off some of Johnny’s cuts. And Darry did, he sat Johnny on the side of their tub and cleaned his cuts up, bandaged a couple, and then gave him a pat on the shoulder and rustled his hair. And that made Johnny feel incredible, because he felt like he had a brother, someone who took care of him. And when it was getting late, Mrs. Curtis offered Johnny to stay the night, or she could take him home. When he hesitated, she assured him that she’d called his mother already (she had, and his mother had said some less than kind things about her “no good son who was just a waste of space” that Mrs. Curtis wasn’t quite shocked by, but was certainly upset and disappointed by).

So, after dinner, Soda had dragged Johnny into his room, and then pulled Darry in and had Darry read them a comic book. And soon enough, the two were tucked into Soda’s bed and spent the night with Soda making jokes and Johnny giggling. It was the first time Johnny had felt like he had a proper family, it was the first time he’d felt cared for and loved, and he knew then, that these people would be part of his life for a long time.

[frvnkcastles]

Hello 🥰🥰 I know you are accepting requests and i love the way you write so can you do a Frank x reader where she has had a dog since she was a teenager and is very attached, (when they living together the dog went with them of course) one night they are sleeping and her dog starts crying and then they wake up and they realize something is wrong, she gets desperate and they run to the vet (Frank calming her down the whole time) when they get there he does surgery but unfortunately she doesn't survive and Frank Take her home and comfort her, she say things like "i don't wanna live without him"...

(sorry if its too specific, you don't have to write if you don't want to! ❤️)

be safe 🥰

THE SCARS FROM TOMORROW ➵ F. CASTLE

Summary: You, Frank and your dog have become a little family and things are perfect, until your dog falls ill.

Warnings: Loss of a pet, very brief suicide ideation, brief mention of animal abuse, hurt/comfort, feminine nicknames

Word count: 3.8k

Author’s note: Okay, this one is heavy!! Read with caution, don’t feel bad if you have to sit this one out. Writing this broke my own heart, I also have a dog and I am definitely not prepared for the day he’s no longer with me. I’m so sorry for your loss anon, I hope this brings at least some comfort for you <3

Your dog had been there for you through thick and thin for years, but more than that, he had been there for every milestone of your and Frank’s relationship. From the night you first met to the day Frank had suggested moving in together, your precious boy was an important part of every step, and just like he had charmed you all those years ago, he had charmed Frank — granted, he didn’t need much convincing with his undeniable soft spot for dogs.

The way you had literally bumped into one another that first night was one of Frank’s favorite stories to tell, even when Curtis and Lieberman had already heard it a million times, he always jumped at the opportunity to go through it again.

It was a cold winter night and you had been a little irritated that your dog had given you the look, the one that meant he needed to go outside badly, when it was getting so late. You were violently shivering from the chilly air nipping at your fingertips and sneaking in through the cracks of your coat while your dog pulled on the leash eagerly, and the sounds of the city were mellow background noise.

And then, your excited dog rushed over to you unprompted, his snowy paws meeting your thighs and making you grunt at the collision. Before you had time to react in any way, he circled you so the leash tightened around your ankles, and you hopelessly tried to untangle the mess you were bound to stumble on.

”Baby, stop it”, you scolded him, but instead of listening to you, he ran in the other direction next. His excitement turned out to be because of a stranger walking towards you, and instead of seeing him as danger, your dog jumped at the man, effectively yanking you off of your feet. With a sharp gasp, you fell forward and you landed against a firm chest with your hand desperately trying to hold onto the leash, and before you could apologize for fumbling, a gravelly voice spoke up from above.

”You okay there, ma’am?” he asked gruffly, his hot breath meeting your freezing nose. Growing nervous, you tried to push yourself off of the man before bringing your gaze up to him. The hood pulled over his head and the beanie beneath it didn't make it easy to figure out his face, but once you did, you gulped loudly — partly because he was certainly a handsome sight, but partly because there was barely any of skin visible from amidst the swollen bruises and stitched wounds. Some of them looked old, just faded memories by now, but you could have sworn he had just walked out of a fight. God, you hoped you weren't accidentally picking one with him yourself.

Only after you had stared for an unreasonable amount of time, you nodded, and looked down simply to find his large hands holding your arms to keep you steady, something he had instantly done to save you from a painful landing onto the slippery, snowy pavement.

”Yeah, I am, sorry. And thank you", you rambled, before stepping back as an attempt to end the humiliation, but you had completely forgotten about the leash around you, and ended up falling behind at that instant.

Luckily, the stranger was quick and stealthy despite his hard, large frame, and before you could stumble backwards, he had grabbed you once again with his eyes blown wide with surprise. Feeling your cheeks heat up, blending in with the blush that the freezing air had already caused, you pursed your lips together to hide the shame spreading out within you like a wildfire. Could you be any more embarrassing? Surely, it couldn't get worse than being pressed flush against a strange man's chest while your dog watched from aside with his literal puppy eyes, as if he hadn't done a damn thing.

"Sorry, it's— uh— the leash—", you stuttered, and immediately, you both looked down and barely avoided bumping heads when you spotted the wire wrapped even tighter around your ankles. In response, the man chuckled lowly, and nodded his head to confirm that it was true — you were still a prisoner of the dog, who was simply following the situation while wagging his tail happily.

"Yeah, how 'bout I hold him, and you solve that?" he offered, and before you could even say anything, he had moved with his plan and gently took your dog by his collar. Mumbling a quiet thank you, you crouched down enough to unhook the leash from the collar and then spin it around yourself until it was all in your hands instead of a mess around your shoes. You were just about to apologize for the inconvenience once again, but you had barely opened your mouth when you noticed the man grinning at your best friend, muttering a "Hi there", as the two of them stared at one another. Only when your hand reached back down to click the leash back on, causing your cold fingers to brush with his calloused ones, the man snapped out of it and looked up at you.

Standing up once again, you both stared at each other in silence, before you blurted out, "Are you okay?", confusing him to a point where the corners of his lips twitched just slightly, but once you had gestured to his beaten features, he swept his tongue over his bottom lip and nodded curtly.

"Yeah, nothin' you gotta worry about, ma'am", he replied simply, and just as he was about to step aside and continue walking with his hands pushed deep into his pockets, you had spoken up yet again, earning his attention when you did.

You introduced yourself, not quite sure why you would, but he turned over to you, dark eyes meeting yours for a moment that felt a lot longer than it was in reality.

"Frank."

You didn’t see each other again for a while after that, but a month later when the snow had begun to melt and the sun stuck around for a little longer, he walked past a flyer that immediately caught his eye. It was a picture of you hugging your dog, declaring that the dog had been lost and you would reward anyone who would help you find him. He tried to walk away, insisting it wasn’t his problem, but he couldn’t get you out of his head, certain that you were completely devastated.

Besides, he knew what kind of crooks lived in the city. He had saved enough animals to know they could fall into the wrong hands, and he didn’t want your dog to be one of them. So, for two days, he relentlessly sought after your baby, not stopping until he was finally on a trail that could lead to something.


With the flyer scrunched in his fist, his other one banged on the neatly painted front door of a house that looked less shitty than most he had seen, his hood pulled over his head to avoid being recognized, but at this point, he was willing to go to great lengths. Hell, he had even asked for Red's help.

When the door was finally opened, he came face to face with a sweet old lady, and he tried his best to make himself look smaller and less intimidating. "Sorry to bother you, ma'am. You haven't seen this dog, have ya?" his rough voice was quickly breaking the silence as he uncoiled the poster in his hand and showed it to the lady, who slowly put on her glasses and inspected the photo. Something in Frank cheered when her eyes lit up and she seemed to recognize the photo, and even more relief kicked in when she proceeded to nod her head.

"Oh, yes! I found him on the street a few nights ago, but I haven't had the time to find the owner yet. Do you know who he belongs to?" the old lady questioned curiously, and as if on cue, a familiar dog waddled from the house to the front door, and cracking a small smile in response, Frank nodded.

"A heartbroken woman, I'm sure. She'll be pretty damn grateful that you saved this guy, ma'am", he answered before kneeling down and lifting his large hands to scratch the dog behind his ears. "Hey there, boy. Been lookin' for ya. Wanna get back to your mom, huh?" he muttered quietly, the dog leaning into his gentle touch approvingly. He was incredibly glad that a sweet woman like this one had taken him in instead of some abusive criminal, and he knew you would be too.

"Well, tell your girlfriend she has a very sweet dog", the old lady fondly poked at the boy one last time, and stifling a smile, Frank nodded and looked down, almost shy.

"I'll, uh, I'll make sure to pass the message", he gave one last look of gratitude to the woman as he backed away from her porch, and after exchanging nods, the lady returned indoors and Frank walked to his truck with the dog in tow. "Let's get you home, huh? Whaddya say?"

In all honesty, you were beginning to lose the last shreds of hope, but the sound of a firm knock on your door snapped you out of your haze. Gulping, you made your way to the front door and cracked it open, and as soon as you saw what was awaiting in the hallway, you let out a trembling breath and broke into tears of joy, your heart filling with love and relief when your dog jumped into your arms from the strong pair that had been steadily carrying him.

"Oh, you're home!" you cried out while holding onto the dog, who licked at your face and whined desperately for more scratches and cuddles and affection. And you were more than happy to give that to him, just over the moon — your dog was alive and well, and there were no words to describe how good it felt to see and hold him again.

Only after you had finally set the squirming dog down so he could go get some water — of course, you had been filling his bowl even if he wasn't there to drink it — you looked up at the doorway to meet the gaze of your savior, and at the realization that none other than Frank had found and returned your missing dog, your heart melted. Or maybe it was the genuine, fond smile that he couldn't wipe from his face as he followed the reunion between you and your baby boy.

"You found him", you breathed out, an overjoyed laugh breaking through your tears as you covered your mouth with your palm and shook your head in disbelief and utter, incredible gratitude. Frank was parting his lips to say something, but he couldn't let out a single word when you had already stumbled forward and wrapped your arms around his muscular body, feeling his rough jacket against your skin as you forced a warm, tight hug onto him. He was caught by surprise, and while it wasn't the first time a relieved damsel in distress had insisted on giving a hug as a thank you, this time, he didn't want to weasel out of it. Instead, he awkwardly lifted his own arms and wrapped them around your shorter body, his heart thudding heavily in his chest as he held onto you for what was only a couple of seconds, but felt like forever.

By clearing his throat eventually, Frank broke the moment and you understood to step back whilst wiping your eyes. "Yeah, well, he don't deserve to get locked up by those assholes that abuse dogs. None of them do. And uh, you don't deserve to go through that, either, so yeah. Tracked the boy down for ya", he gestured towards the dog, who was already rushing back to the two humans at the door, clearly taken a liking to Frank as well — and you agreed, especially when he lifted his heavy boot enough to block the doorway to avoid another run-off.

"Thank you. Thank you so much. I don't know what I would've done without him, really. This means so much to me", you sighed deeply, nothing but the truth in your words. Before an awkward silence could land between you, you continued with, "I know my apartment is kind of a mess right now, but would you like to come in for some coffee?”

Frank stared at you for a couple of seconds, silent and careful. At first, he was amused that you thought a little mess would drive him away, but when he let the suggestion sink in, he felt his mouth run dry while his hands did the opposite and proceeded to collect sweat on them. What the hell had gotten into him? And yet, even if he knew he should have said no for the sake of your safety, for the sake of not dragging you down with him and avoiding attachment from the both of you, he ended up smiling.

"Fuck, why not."

You grew closer and closer ever since then, and though it took him a while to get the courage to officially ask you out, your relationship soon evolved. The nervousness of a crush developed into something more serious and before you knew it, you had had your first kiss and your first night together, he introduced you to his best friends and finally, you moved in together. Your dog quickly adjusted to the new normal, incredibly affectionate towards Frank, and vice versa. When he had first met you, he had never thought he’d regain that domestic bliss of a girlfriend and a family pet that he had lost, but he was so happy to have it back.

And for a while, things were perfect.

Your blissful life took a turn one night — you were sound asleep in Frank’s arms, his protective hold of you always easing you into sweet dreams, but you were startled awake when your dog cried out in pain. He wouldn’t stop whining, and you sat up on the bed to find him crying on the floor, clearly hurt somehow. Anxiety rushed into your heart and you shook Frank awake, not sure what else to do.

”Frankie. Frank, something’s wrong”, you whispered, and jolting up in that usual fighting reflex of his, he looked around the room until his stare landed on your worried features. He ran his hand across his face and tried to shake off the restless sleep he had been stuck in, eventually processing your panicked state and the dog’s cries.

He climbed out of bed and went over to the dog to assess, his eyes darting all over his body to make sure there was no external injury. He couldn’t see anything wrong with him, but that only deepened his frown, unsure what could be causing it. For a while, he was crouched down, observing the boy, and you sat on the bed impatiently, but finally, Frank stood up and gave you a serious look.

”Get dressed, sweetheart. We gotta take him to the vet”, he announced, and nodding hastily, you followed him out of the bed and found some clothes. You were terrified and you appreciated that Frank was a man of action, whereas you were fighting the urge to freeze completely.

He took charge, carrying the wincing dog into the truck and buckling you in. Nervous tears streamed down your face, and you feared the worst — your dog was no young boy anymore, and you knew that meant a bigger risk to his well-being. Frank could tell you were falling apart, and he tried his best to calm you down, his hand gripping yours while the other one gripped the wheel.

”It’s gonna be alright, darlin’. The vet will know what to do, yeah? Just breathe. Maybe it’s nothin’, right?” he reassured you, and although you nodded, you found his words difficult to believe. You loved him for his attempts to soothe you, but there was no denying that you were freaking out entirely, the panic only growing worse with the dog howling in your arms.

”I can’t lose him”, you sniffled, and swallowing hard at the thought of the worst case scenario, Frank squeezed your hand.

”I know, sweetheart. I know.” He didn’t try to tell you that you wouldn’t lose him, not wanting to give you false hope in case things would go south, but he was dedicated to being there for you no matter what.

You arrived at the emergency vet and Frank took the dog from your arms to carry him inside. It was like an out-of-body experience, you lost track of time and space and you couldn’t stop crying, even when Frank wiped your tears away from your eyes. The vet took the dog from Frank and took him away for an examination, leaving you in the waiting room with your boyfriend’s hand in your tight grasp.

”I’m so scared”, you admitted shakily, the lump in your throat only worsening, but it was nothing compared to the weight on your chest. You felt like throwing up or fainting, and you knew for a fact that without Frank by your side, you would have already done both.

”Hey, look at me”, Frank requested softly, and with tear-filled eyes, you met his gaze. ”I ain’t leavin’ your side, got that? I’m here, no matter what happens”, he swore, attaching his lips to your forehead in a lingering kiss.

The vet came out soon to inform you that your dog needed surgery, and it immediately made you anxious. Still, you had no choice but to agree, but before the vet took your baby in for the operation, he let you see him for some peace of mind.

Frank stood back, because as much as he had come to love him, he was still your dog and he knew that moment was for you and you alone. He had already been sedated, meaning he was no longer whining in pain, and that brought you a little comfort. Crying quietly, you petted him, scared but still smiling because he was there and he was your everything. Regardless of how the surgery was going to go, you would always have this moment, not to mention all the years you had shared together.

Things happened quickly after that. You and Frank had to retreat into the waiting room, and as 4 AM lurked around the corner, you wept in your boyfriend’s arms. He had you in his tight embrace, not sure what he could possibly say to make you feel better, but determined to at least hold you through it. The surgery lasted a while, but even though you were so, so tired, the anxiety inside your gut wouldn’t let you fall asleep. You sat there, a ball of nerves, and Frank shushed you softly as you cried out of pure fear.

Then, the vet walked into the waiting room and you could tell something was wrong right away. As soon as he opened his mouth and condolences came out, your heart shattered in your chest and you burst into heavy sobs. You couldn’t hold yourself together, couldn’t breathe properly, the heartbreak too overwhelming to endure. Frank let you cry into his chest, his hand rubbing soothing circles on your back and his own eyes filling with tears. He felt sucker-punched, too, but for your sake, he tried to be strong and brave.

The vet tried to tell you what had happened and ask you if you wanted to bury him or have him cremated, but you couldn’t process anything he was saying. Frank listened carefully, just so that he’d be able to explain it all to you later, but his priority was holding you through the violent sobs breaking out of you.

”We need a moment outside, that okay?” Frank asked the vet with a heavy heart, and he assured it was alright to take your time. Frank lifted you out of the chair and walked you out for some fresh air, the cool wind whipping against your wet cheeks. You couldn’t stop shaking and it didn’t seem like the pain was going to let go of you anytime soon, but Frank was in no rush — he was going to hold you through it, no matter how long it would take.

”I gotchu, sweetheart, I gotchu. I know it hurts. Let it out, it’s okay”, he spoke gently, trying his very best to give you some kind of hope, even if he knew things seemed bleak right now.

”I can’t do this, Frank. It’s too much. I don’t want to live without him”, you cried, unsure how you would possibly get through this. But Frank wasn’t going to let you sink into that kind of thinking.

”Oh, baby. We’ll get through this together, yeah? It’s gon’ take some time but I’m not lettin’ you deal with this alone, you hear me?” he promised you, cradling your head as he supported your weak body with his strong arms. ”This is fuckin’ heartbreaking. But you’re gon’ make it to the other side of this, I know you will. I’mma hold your hand the whole way”, he went on, unwilling to let you give up. He knew this was going to be hard to get over, but he had endless patience and understanding and he’d do anything to help you carry the weight.

”You’ll stick with me?” you asked through the cries, and nodding vehemently, Frank kissed your temple.

”Course, I will. I ain’t goin’ nowhere, sweetheart. I love you, yeah? More than you know. I promise it’s gon’ hurt a lil less with time. You trust me?” he asked with sincerity, and you gave him a fragile nod.

”I trust you”, you confirmed, and he flashed a faint smile in return.

”That’s my girl. You’re so strong”, he praised you, his gruff voice full of love for you. He had so much faith in you, and even if you didn’t see it yourself yet, he knew you would be able to pull through this loss.

And you knew that without Frank, it would have been much, much worse. Your best friend was gone, but you still had the man of your dreams, and that was going to keep you going.

He was right. It took months, but day by day, the pain inside you grew duller and weaker. It still hurt, but it turned into a longing ache instead of a stabbing agony. Your home still had reminders of your dog, and Frank loved to talk about him with you, meaning that even when he was gone, he really wasn’t.

[invisibleicewands]

Michael Sheen: ‘I find it very hard to accept actors playing Welsh characters when they aren’t Welsh’

Has he taken the concept of authentic casting to a whole new level? Ahead of his latest BBC drama Best Interests, the star explains all

Michael Sheen has had it with the Prince of Wales. Not the man, but the title. “I think it’s ridiculous,” he says. “It’s just silly. I see no reason why the title should continue. Certainly not with someone who’s not Welsh.” 

“That’s not the majority view,” he adds, with resignation. “So, whatever the majority of people want, I’m sure will continue.” 

The star of Frost/Nixon and proud son of Port Talbot is chatting via video from a bucolic spot close to his hometown (a deer has just wandered into view), but even at a distance, it’s not hard to see that Sheen is a man ofstrong convictions.

He has spoken in the past about the opportunity to retire the title after the death of Elizabeth II, as a gesture to “put some of the wrongs of the past right”. In 2020, he returned the OBE he was “honoured” to have received in 2009 when he felt it would make him a hypocrite to give a lecture about how the English king Edward I “put a stranglehold on Wales” at the turn of the 14th century. 

When we chat, he’s about to begin shooting his TV directing debut The Way – co-created with playwright James Graham and documentary-maker Adam Curtis, about a family caught in a civil uprising, set in and around Port Talbot. The BBC project is the first from the production company that he set up with Sherlock producer Bethan Jones to focus on telling Welsh stories because, “You can shout about how bad it is, but if you want to see something be different then do it, you know?”

The 54-year-old is one of the actors of his generation, a stage star in his twenties (The Telegraph’s Charles Spencer called him “outrageously charismatic”) who went on to create unforgettable screen portraits of Tony Blair (The Queen, The Deal), Chris Tarrant (Quiz) and Brian Clough (The Damned United), alongside his David Frost in Peter Morgan’s play and film about the 1977 interviews that brought down the US president. Recently, Sheen has gained a whole new tranche of fans playing a very arch angel opposite David Tennant’s insouciant demon in Amazon’s Good Omens – not technically gay characters according to the Terry Pratchett-Neil Gaiman source novel, but seemingly in love.

Tennant and he have a natural chemistry on and off screen, Sheen says, adding that “he stops me being too grumpy”. He is a little on the grumpy side. In one exchange, in which I suggest he is a supporter of Welsh independence, he responds hotly: “Show me where it says that. I don’t believe I’ve ever said that.” Sam Mendes compared Sheen to fellow Welsh stars Anthony Hopkins and Richard Burton – “fiery, mercurial, unpredictable”. 

But he shares a warm screen chemistry with Sharon Horgan in Jack Thorne’s moving new four-part drama Best Interests. They play the parents of a child with cerebral palsy, the adorable Marnie (played by Dublin actor Niamh Moriarty), who suffers a seizure that leaves her without brain function. The couple find themselves on opposite sides of an unbearable decision: whether or not to switch off their daughter’s life support. Very few will make it through the drama without tears, but the issues it raises will be familiar to all who have followed recent legal battles over 12-year-old Archie Battersbee and baby Alfie Evans. 

Best Interests is “heartbreaking” at times, he admits, which makes the humour that he and Horgan bring to it all the more important. They hadn’t worked together before. “That relationship had to do a lot of heavy lifting. Sharon and I didn’t know each other very well … but straight from the off, we had a very similar sense of humour and made each other laugh.” Moriarty’s is a break-out performance – one scene involving make-up beautifully captures the parent-child relationship. She has cerebral palsy that affects her legs, a condition called spastic diplegia, but she’s not the only disabled actor in the piece. 

Bafta-winner Lenny Rush, 14, who in real-life has a condition that affects his growth, is brilliant as George, who sets his cap at Marnie. Mat Fraser, who plays a legal advocate in Best Interests and portrayed Shakespeare’s Richard III in 2017, has a thalidomide impairment, which likely gave him an insight into Richard’s sense of “my deformity”. 

Thorne, who experienced a chronic medical condition in his twenties, has said in the past that disabled people have been “utterly and totally” failed by the TV industry. In Best Interests, one parent of a child with a disability states baldly that people “hate” disabled people. “I think people can feel very uncomfortable around people with disabilities,” Sheen says. “A lot of the time it’s just to do with ignorance about, ‘Oh gosh, I don’t know, what should I do?’ It can make interaction quite awkward at times, and it can bring out people’s fears.”

The fact that there were several people with disabilities working on the project, he says, was striking because it brought home how rarely he had seen it before. It leads into a discussion of how far actors can credibly play identities they don’t personally inhabit. Sheen has thought about it: “You know, seeing people playing Welsh characters who are not Welsh, I find, it’s very hard for me to accept that. Not particularly on a point of principle, but just knowing that that’s not the case.

“That’s a very different end of the spectrum, but a part like Richard III is such a great character to play, it would be sad to think that that character, you know, is no longer available or appropriate for actors to play who don’t have disabilities, but that’s because I’m just not used to it yet, I suppose. Because I fully accept that I’m  not going to be playing Othello any time soon.

“Again, it’s not particularly a point of principle, but personally, I haven’t seen many actors who have come from quite privileged backgrounds being particularly compelling as people from working-class backgrounds. If you haven’t experienced something, you know, the extreme example is, well, if you haven’t murdered someone, can you play a murderer?”

In 2021, it was reported that Sheen intended to be a “not-for-profit” actor, after selling his own properties to ensure the Homeless World Cup that he had organised in Cardiff in 2019 went ahead when funders withdrew. So, what is a not-for-profit actor?

“There’s no such thing,” he says. “In that interview, I talked about how the ideal I was aiming towards was working like a not-for-profit company. When I put the money into the Homeless World Cup, since then I only owe money, so in terms of profits, there are no profits. I put as much of the money I make as I possibly can into either funding and supporting what other people are doing that I believe in, or starting up projects myself.” 

It’s a measure of Sheen’s confidence that he knows the parts will keep coming. He has become a father again in his 50s; he and his partner, 28-year-old Swedish actor Anna Lundberg, have two young daughters. “My knees creak a lot more,” he says. “It’s a lot harder to get up and down off the floor when you’re playing with the baby.” 

Sheen also has a grown-up daughter, Lily Mo Sheen, 24, from an earlier relationship with British actress Kate Beckinsale. “When my eldest daughter was born, I was still trying to make my way in my career and having to make harder choices about whether to work away from home and how much time to be away and all that stuff,” he says. “This time around, that’s not as difficult as I’m more established as an actor. Physically, it’s hard. But the one thing that is always the same is, you know, poo doesn’t smell any better.”

[bklynmusicnerd]

GH Catch Up Part Three:

- Laura getting all giddy trying to get the sociopathic mooch to play family with her. Just tragic and embarrassing.

Finally, some Trina and Portia interaction! Wish it was longer but I'll take it. Trina thanking Portia for her tentative olive branch to Spencer and Portia admitting she's "not sold" yet was interesting. It's never not gonna amuse me how Portia can never just take the win. Trina has forgiven for her paternity disaster and doesn't know the full extent of her plotting against her happiness.

She should be making every effort to stay on Trina's good side, but control is too important for her, so even an olive branch to Trina's boyfriend is issued with a caveat. I also think it's important to peep BK's acting choices during that hug with Trina.

She's still very bothered by the idea of Trina and Spencer, which puts an asterisk over whatever alleged progress Portia is making on the "be less controlling" front. We'll see but I fear her toxic mom tendencies might doom her again. She can say she's letting go but actually doing it is another thing.

- Joss coming through with Adam and Dumb Dex is cracking me up. And Carly already knows Adam's name too. This is what Dex deserves is all I have to say.

- Of course Kristina is going to be the egg donor because this is the Maxie story all over again. Riveting stuff.

- God, Amnesia Esme is insufferable. Fuck her and her cheap shot at Trina denying her an absolution she didn't earn. Crying about not being afforded "grace" as if it's something she's entitled to. This is why this character will never work as a longterm one. If she's not scheming, all she provides are tears and whining. No capacity for self-reflection quickly makes for a dull character if they're not being played as the antagonist they're meant to be.

- Marshall is going straight to hell for using the memory of the dead woman he ghosted to cover up for his weirdness with Stella.

- Spencer's brain synapses are functioning again since he's the only who picked up on how completely fucking bizarre it is for a first time mother to abandon her baby for "me time" on Christmas Eve. Pour one out for Kevin who has officially joined the useful idiots brigade and thinks his sociopathic mooch of a niece was being "sincere". Starting to think Laura's hell house could be explained by an unknown mold issue because brain cells are not lasting for long in that house.

- If Nina has reached Catholic levels of guilt and wants to participate in confession then she might as well just tell Sonny. I don't know why she'd be married to someone she doesn't believe would be on her side through thick and thin.

- I'm not here for Trina being compared to that long suffering woman that Curtis called a mother. No thank you.

- Do not care about the "anguish" of Amnesia Esme getting her memories back and having it confirmed that she's a sociopath. Tired of the wide-eyed weepy bullshit with this character. It's not convincing. It's just played out. The very fact that her immediate next steps upon getting her first memory were to abandon her demon spawn to go break into Wyndemere prove that Trina was right about her memory being irrelevant. Her "redemption" was bullshit. She successfully weaponized her demon spawn like she was always going to pre-amnesia, what's so redemptive about that? She was always going to be a sociopath and do sociopathic shit, no matter what, because she doesn't have the capacity for genuine remorse or to think about anything or anyone beyond herself, not even her own demon spawn.

- Trina and Spencer (and demon spawn) meeting up at the hospital was cute, and I appreciated the subtle acknowledgment of their improved communication because Trina already knew Spencer was gonna be on his domestic crap on Christmas Eve before sociopathic mooch switched up the plan. Essentially, their big fight/almost breakup wasn't meaningless and has had a lasting effect on their relationship.

- Bonus: Even though no one has talked more shit about demon spawn existing on the canvas than me, I would be lying if I didn't admit that one of the funniest ongoing bits of the year was demon spawn being the number one fan of his mom's enemy.

- Finn has no business reading the Night Before Christmas, it should've been Kevin with Laura. Even if Finn wasn't one of the most hated characters this year, he's not a patriarch or respected member of PC like that. He's definitely not on par with Laura. A bizarre decision to end a bizarrely scripted episode.

[agentnico]

Gavin & Stacey: The Finale (2024) review

Did somebody order a Chinese??

Plot: It's 5 years since we left Nessa down on one knee declaring her love for Smithy and asking him to marry her. And a lot has happened in those 5 years. In Barry, Bryn's packing the Picasso in readiness for a trip to Essex; Stacey and Gavin are looking for new ways to spice up their seventeen-year marriage and Gwen is behaving most strangely. Nessa's started a new business venture and Neil the Baby's about to begin an apprenticeship with his dad. Over in Billericay Pam is stressing out at the prospect of playing hostess, not helped by a newly retired Mick practicing his golf swings in the living room and there have been more ups and downs in Pete and Dawn's relationship.

I have been brought into the Gavin & Stacey fandom fold only within the last 5 years, as my wife and her family have given me a deep dive education into the old British sitcom culture, with the likes of The Royle Family, Phoenix Nights, Car Share, The Fast Show (suits you, sir!) and many more. Yet the one I did truly connect with was Gavin & Stacey, as it successfully portrayed the typical British family values and habits. All the characters are lovely and sympathetic in their eccentric ways, and the conversations feel real, as if you’re having a regular chat and banter with your mates. Heck, dedicating an entire scene towards ordering a takeaway was important, cause yeah, it’s that deep! It’s a truly wonderful and wholesome show, so I was really grateful to the family of my misses for catching me up to speed with it in time for the 2019 Christmas special. And even the idea of a Christmas special is engraved in the British television history, as our greatest sitcoms tend to bow out at their peak, but the festive revival traditionally comes to the rescue, extending the lifespans of iconic shows and continuing stories of favourite characters. Then there were the comedy sketch shows like The Morecambe and Wise Show and The League of Gentlemen that thrived off the Christmas Day television viewership. Yet in recent years that old-school tradition has slowly been dying out (aside from Mrs Brown’s Boys but honestly who gives a crap about that) with only Gavin & Stacey and Doctor Who keeping up the trend.

Having said that, there was something slightly off about the 2019 Christmas special, which felt like a karaoke performance of the show’s greatest hits: the catchphrases, the house parties, the fishing trip, a niggle in Gavin and Stacey’s relationship, some actual karaoke and more unresolved will-they-won’t-they for our eponymous couple’s respective best friends: melodramatic loudmouth and builder Smithy and the mysteriously well-connected, gruffly swaggering and invariably leather-clad Nessa. But aside from its end cliffhanger, this special was largely disposable and forgettable. As for the new Finale special, not only is it superior to the last, it may be one of the finest ways to end a long-running television classic.

Overflowing with boozy camaraderie, passionate romance, and jaw-dropping twists, the finale served up a feast of pure Welsh perfection for its devoted fans. It may be a bit predictable, but sometimes that’s all you need from a finale - fan service. Many watched this show when it first started 17 years ago - they deserve to see their favourite characters end up where they do. Honestly though, this finale is a true letter to all that has occurred, with truly hilarious gags, and Richard Curtis-level of sentimental melodrama, and honestly this episode hits. It definitely is not as confident in its execution as previous episodes, as seasons before we’re once remorselessly uproarious and often close to the bone (many of the gags about weight, sex and race were, let’s just say, very of their time), now, with how comedy has become too risky in our modern day and age, this finale is clearly unwilling to risk offence – it is remarkable just how safe the humour has become. I get it, I appreciate that this wants to be a lovely Christmas cuddle, but Gavin & Stacey was known to draw the line and go beyond it at times, yet the most risqué sequence here is two characters walking into a room with another promiscuously frolicking, and that couple continuing to go at it and not stopping. Amusing, but in no way offensive.

Say what you will about James Corden, as already looking at my Letterboxd a lot of users are already complaining about this finale purely cause it was co-written and stars Corden, but he is honestly great as Smithy. I’m aware that in real life Corden is known to be a bit of a pig, but he has played this role for years and has not lost any charm in doing so. You can’t deny in the last few moments of this episode that Corden really does tug at the heart strings, with his and Ruth Jones’ character relationship being the main emotional core of this entire show. Corden is great, but so are the rest of the cast, with Rob Brydon, Julia Davis and Steffan Rhodri getting some of the best moments. Huge props also to Laura Aikman for sacrificing herself to be hated by the entire British public - respect. Oh, and Baby Neil is back too!!

Gavin & Stacey: The Finale is a Christmas miracle in that it ties a fitting bow onto an integral part of British cultural entertainment, and it is a rare case for a TV show to get a good finale. Just look at Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, How I Met Your Mother, Sherlock, House of Cards, Lost…. I can keep going. But Gavin & Stacey… damn you Corden, I’ll give you this one. And thank you for not giving an answer to the fishing trip story - that gag only works by not knowing the truth! Crackin’.

Overall score: 8/10

[onsunnyside]

My brain is fully composed by best friends brother ari and HIS best friend Bucky having a crush on you 🤐🤐 I can js imagine them always being in your space 😭

Bucky you say 🌚🌚 well I already have that little drabble/au here (just with Curtis), so why don’t we get a little sluttier 👹

boyfriend!ari and boyfriend’s best friend!bucky 👁👁 allow me to further thot:

you and Ari have been dating for a few months now. you came from a pretty sheltered family and haven’t dated anyone before him 🫡 so he’s your first for everything. him and Bucky are super close, they grew up together, and now live together too. dating ari was like dating bucky (except you didn’t realize that bc you were still very new to relationships), so that means lots of cuddling on the couch, going to dinners and movie dates, even matching costumes for Halloween. you see it as three people who get along really well !! ofc you’re still dating Ari and are intimate with him, while keeping this platonic with Bucky. uhm… except, you’re very much on the innocent/inexperienced side so you don’t notice much/how strange the dynamic is… me thinks there have been plenty of times you’d accidentally wear Bucky’s clothes instead of Ari’s 🫡🫡 you’ve let yourself be coddled by them too (relaxing baths…) 🫡🫡🫡 there are countless times you’ve kissed them both good morning and good night whenever you stayed over 🫡🫡 🫡🫡

me also thinks these fellas are sneaky and will openly flirt with you all the time, you’ve gotten used to Bucky’s little touches and sweet words, not even wondering why he was basically treating you the same way as your boyfriend😳

the truth is that they were both pursuing you but you chose Ari (🥺) so Bucky backed off, then realized he couldn’t just not have you and came clean to his best friend, he didn’t want to ruin the most important friendship of his life 😪 and what do you know… 👁👁 Ari doesn’t mind sharing. In fact, he wants Bucky to have you too…

[nonsensicaluniverse20]

PLEASE READ

Hello! I’m an African American girl and the daughter of two Nigerians. I wanted to recognize the end of black history month and talk about some of my thoughts.

I love this month because this is when America is supposed to talk about our history and achievements. Well, suppose to. I will say, there wasn’t a lot of talk but when there was, I was so happy. I should probably tell my own story. I have always been interested in the history and culture of African Americans, especially the civil rights movement. I made it my mission to read everything I could find, non-fiction and fiction, so I could know.

Now, you might be wondering ‘wtf is she talking about and don’t go yet. A lot of history ends up only being talked about in that one month and erased the rest of the year. Sometimes it’s not even talked about. For me, I feel I often have to push the conversation and people are often uncomfortable. I believe this feeling comes from tragedy because African American history is full of tragedy.

And of course, it is! But it’s also full of triumph and determination! Even if there’s a tragedy, learn. Another thing I need you to remember. LEARNING CAN HAPPEN AT ANYTIME! You don’t have to wait, go for it!

Today I will show you a few books, my expertise, about the black experience and culture. They are some of my most favorite books and most of them are fiction.

Christopher Paul Curtis books

Bud not buddy, The Watsons go to Birmingham - 1963, The Mighty Miss Malone. I suggest all of these books so much. They have character and are amazing stories about people.

Bud not buddy is a book I don’t remember as well as the other two because I read this in fourth grade. The Great Depression is an era Mr. Curtis seems to enjoy and I’m glad for that. Bud is a boy in search of a father he never met. Follow him as he travels across the country using the very few clues he has from his possessions.

The Watsons go to Birmingham is a wonderful story about a family who are a little weird. We follow their adventures in Flint, Michigan until Byron (the oldest) gets into trouble. The parents decide that the family should visit their grandmother in Birmingham. I recommend this book because it’s funny and is about the importance of family. If you get the chance to read this book, do so! Wool Pooh :) (if you get this reference then ayyyyy)

The Mighty Miss Malone! This is my favorite book and I like it because the main character feels like me in a way but more organized. Deza Malone is the youngest daughter of The Malone’s and she is a smarty-pants bookworm. This book is set during the great depression and the major theme is family comes first, no matter what.

I Thought My Soul Would Rise and Fly: The Diary of Patsy, a Freed Girl

One of my favorite books in elementary school. This is a diary written by a free slave girl who learned how to read and write. This is her experiences after being freed and how she learns about the world and herself.

Brown Girl Dreaming

A novel written in verse and talks about the author’s childhood growing up. I think this is a beautiful novel that allows you to really look into a black girl’s life and experiences.

One crazy summer and the rest of the series

This book follows three sisters as they travel to Oakland, California, to visit their mom in 1968. This book heavily talks about the black panthers and is mostly about the siblings’s relationship with each other and their mother, who left when they were young. They learn a lot about the Black Panthers and their mission since their mother is a part of the group. I recommend this book and the other ones in the series. They are funny but discuss serious topics and family.

These will be all the books I have for today but I have a couple more so ask me if you want more suggestions. And if you have your own books suggestions, comment or reblog this post. Please spread this post so more people can read these books and think about my message. Yes, these books are more for kids but they are how I learned about my culture and read about kids like me. They can imform about African American’s lives and make you more aware of the issues we’ve had in the past and now.

THANK YOU AND HAVE A GOOD DAY!!!!!

[the-witty-pen-name]

Deadbeat Pt. 7

Lee Bodecker x F!Reader

18+ ONLY

Warnings: age gap (reader is 21), fluff, angst, cursing, abandonment, toxic parent, violence, toxic siblings, infatuation, cheating/divorce, insecurity, mild housewife kink, mentions of prostitution, mentions of alcohol, corrupt official, fake relationship, jealousy

Word Count: 2.5k

Summary: You work at the bar at the edge of town, the Sheriff is going through a divorce and needs to rent a room.

A/N:

IMPORTANT UPDATE

I made a Google form to be added to my taglists, so if you want to be added, the link is in my bio. I’ll only be adding people to the list if they requested to be added by filling out the form! This way all of the requests are just in one place so I don’t miss requests! Thank you!!!

I’m sorry for this chapter being shorter than normal, but it is more of a transitional chapter to set up some new stuff! I’m trying a new writing style in this chapter and this is why the word count is shorter. I’m nervous about posting this chapter honestly, since I tried something different. The following chapters will be back up to 3.5-4k as usual! This story is not over! 

Thank you all so much for reading and sharing my work. Everyone whose reached out and told me how much they love the story really makes my day, oh my gosh!! I love you all so much, I’m so thankful.

Address mentioned is completely made up. 

This is unedited, and I missed anything I should include as a warning let me know! I hope you all enjoy!

Tags and Requests are OPEN

Part One // Part Two // Part Three // Part Four // Part Five // Part Six

Lee never stopped telling you how much he loved you. At first, you had thought it was a spur of the moment exclamation but you were mistaken. When you realized he meant it, you reciprocated telling him you loved him too, making him the happiest man in the world. It all happened so fast, and your relationship was evolving quickly.

Maybe living together played a factor in how quickly the relationship progressed. It’s hard to just be dating someone you already live with and can’t take out on proper dates. It made everything else happen faster. He wished he could spoil you and take you to restaurants and walk into a room with you on his arm, but he couldn’t yet.

But from that moment on, he never stopped telling you. He said the phrase probably every moment he could manage. Every time he called from his office; he wouldn’t hang up without muttering the phrase. He’d tell you that he loved you before he left the house, or he’d just announce it unprompted when you both were home together, like it was some epiphany or declaration. He’d love to whisper it to you, especially at night with you pulled tightly to his chest.

He made sure he’d tell you in nonverbal ways as well, always letting you know he was thinking about you. Somehow, you’d end up with flowers on your desk at work at least once a week as well, never with a card. He’d cook, and on his days off, he’d spend them with you or he would surprise you by fixing things on the house. Never in a million years had you ever expected Lee Bodecker to be such a romantic, and when you’d joke about it, he’d say,

“You give me a reason to be, doll.”

It was thrilling, having someone to love and to have those feelings reciprocated. The ability to just be able to give and receive love was something he was never able to manage, perhaps it was just never the right person, or perhaps he had always been too selfish.

Now for the first time in a very long time, he wasn’t thinking about himself.

You gave him purpose and something worth fighting for.

“When this whole thing is over and we’re out of this town, I’m gonna marry you,” he said rubbing your arm as you lay in bed cuddled up to his side. You lay your arm across his tummy and rest your head on his chest. You hum in agreement, resting your eyes, both of you waking up earlier than you needed and you were enjoying the peaceful moment of the morning together.

“I hate seeing you with that Russel kid,” he’ll mutter, possessively pulling you closer, you could feel the vulnerability in his voice.

The past weeks have been really hard on Lee. It bothered him more and more each day, knowing Arvin was the one who got to drive you home from work and just being out and about with you. He knew you were his, and he never didn’t trust you. But you were so blind to the boy’s obvious feelings for you. It was something that would eat at him at night.

He couldn’t even blame you, if Arvin was able to sweep you away from him. Arvin was a good kid- took care of his family, worked a decent job, went to Church, and he was your age. He was much better looking in the traditional sense than Lee as well. Plus, you had a history. The boy was your first love and no one forgets their first love.

He knew you didn’t look at Arvin the same way Arvin looked at you, but he was always worried that a shift could come. If that damned reporter wouldn’t leave town and the more time you spent with Arvin, the more you’d see how much you’d actually want to be with him instead. You always told Lee he was the one you wanted and he believed you, but he worried that you would change your mind. He was so insecure, and he felt guilt, and he knew that he didn’t deserve to be happy, that he didn’t deserve your affection.

Sometimes he couldn’t let himself relax. Scenarios of all the different reasons you could leave him for polluted his mind and he hated how it took him out of being in the moments he just wanted to enjoy. He’d see you in his mind, happy with Arvin, marrying him instead and creating all those experiences with Arvin instead of him.

“He’s just my friend,” you reiterate, probably now for the millionth time. You were patient, and it never seemed to bother you, that the two of you ending up having this same conversation over and over. He needed the constant reassurance, and he hated the fact that he did.

“I want you, Lee,” you’ll mumble affectionately, trying to shower him with compliments and praise, to lift him up when he got down like this. “I don’t want any other man,” you’d affirm.

“This town is poison,” Lee mutters, looking out the window, the blinds pulled back as the sun is steadily rising. “Everything feels like it’s tainted,” he observes.

“Except us,” you correct him. He nods, but he knows his statement especially applies to him.

“Except you,” he sighs, his fingertips tracing circles on your bare shoulder.

“You don’t think you’ve ruined me, Sheriff?” you tease, making him smile, gradually pulling him out of his state. You’d lean up and kiss him, and the sensation would help his thoughts fade away for a few minutes. The feeling of your lips and soft skin against his own just putting his mind at ease, using his other senses to just keep his mind at bay.

He’s not sure if you realize how much he means it when he talks about escaping away from the town and marrying you. He thought about it all the time and it was what he was working toward. He knew even if he managed to go straight, if when Curtis left town, if the case around your mom was resolved, the town would still eat you up. The image of you both would be sullied. Reputation was crucial for survival in a town like this. You’d already been subjected to it before your relationship started.

He knew the solution was simple. He needed to take you away from Ross County, move to a new town where no one knew you both. It would just be a Sheriff and his new bride looking for a place to settle down. No rumors, or peeping eyes, or reporters, or exes, no corruption- just the two of you. Get a house, maybe start a family if you wanted that too.

He hoped you did. He’d be content either way, but he wanted a big family. His growing up was much less than ideal and it was just him and his sister. He loved the idea of a bigger family. He loved the image of having a house that was loud in a different way than what he grew up in. He often worried if he’d be a good father, but he never once doubted how excellent of a mother you would be if you wanted.

The only thing he wanted in his future was you, and everything else would be a blissful bonus of things he also doesn’t deserve. But to him you deserved the world and he simultaneously wanted to give you everything but then at the same time he felt like he would hold you back. You were young and had so many good years ahead of you. He couldn’t imagine you’d want to waste the rest of your life or even the rest of your twenties with him.  

You could get a job doing anything you wanted and he could run for Sheriff in the new town maybe, or he could do something else. It didn’t matter to him anymore really. The time he’s been with you has really helped him see what is actually important. It was the only thing he wanted. He wanted to be able to give you that because he knew that you deserved it and more than he’d ever be able to give you.

Laying in bed with you on this lazy morning, reminded him of the last time he was there when you were still bartending. It was the first time that pesky day dream of his started. It was something a lot bigger now than it was then. He loved you, and he was relieved he could say it to you now, and he wanted to settle down. This backwards way the two of you got together was a mess but it was yours. He wouldn’t trade it for anything, but he knew he needed to make things right.

He had been so blind, for so long, and he finally started to feel like he could be someone he actually wanted to be.

All he needed was time and he could set it all straight.

***

Arrest of Pimp in Knockemstiff, Ohio Reveals Corruption of Town Sheriff

By: Henry Curtis

Sheriff of Ross County, Lee Bodecker, has been allegedly involved in the coverup of a local brothel, run by Leroy Brown. Brown and several of his associates were arrested on Wednesday night by local police for drug possession and possession of illegal firearms. As the group resisted arrest, there was a shoot out at a small bar in Meade, which was revealed to serve as a front for their operation. Seven men, including Brown, were arrested Wednesday night for questioning by the local police.

While giving his statement, Brown confessed to the charges and in hopes of a lesser sentence, cooperated with police and provided names of all involved in the underground prostitution ring. He provided the police with twelve names, including that of the local Sheriff Lee Bodecker and his sister Sandy Henderson, who has since also been apprehended by the local authorities.

Sandy Henderson was apprehended on Thursday morning, and made bail for $500 that Saturday. Henderson and her husband, both denied an opportunity to provide a statement. The pair only stated they will be promptly returning home and want to put this behind them.

Although there has been no release of his official statement as of yet regarding this alleged involvement, Bodecker was taken into custody the next morning, apprehended by his deputies from his home. Deputy Bill Thomas has since announced that the Sheriff will be subject to a trial in the near future, and for now faces an indefinite suspension from his post until his innocence has been proven. Deputy Thomas has also said that regardless of the outcome of the trial, Bodecker will be unable to run for reelection next term.

With this new development, it is also worth noting that the Sheriff is a tenant of (Y/N) (Y/L/N), the daughter of Estelle (Y/L/N)-Tucker who is currently wanted by law enforcement for embezzling thousands from her husband Harvey Tucker’s company, Tucker Brokerage, and then fleeing with her sixteen-year-old son. When police arrived at her home Thursday morning to apprehend the Sheriff, deputies on scene took an official statement from (Y/L/N), where she denied knowledge of the Sheriff’s involvement in any of the alleged criminal activities nor any knowledge regarding her mother or brother’s whereabouts.

Woman Wanted for Embezzling Funds from Tucker Brokerage Arrested in Indiana

By: Henry Curtis

Former resident of Knockemstiff, Ohio, Estelle (Y/L/N)-Tucker was arrested in South Bend, Indiana yesterday morning before dawn. Being able to identify her as a wanted person, Este and Harold Turner, owners of the Sunnyside Motel where (Y/L/N)-Tucker had been staying for about three days prior to the arrest, notified the local authorities she was staying in one of their rooms. She also was accompanied by her sixteen-year-old son.

The boy’s older sister has now become the boy’s sole guardian and he has since returned to his hometown. According to the police, the boy was completely cooperative and they believe he had no knowledge of his mother’s crimes. In a statement given the night of the arrest, the boy told police he believed they were running from his step-father, as his mother insinuated, she had been a victim of domestic abuse. There is no evidence yet as to whether her statement is true, but there will be an investigation of husband, Harvey Tucker, to discover if this claim is true.

Both children of Estelle (Y/L/N)-Tucker have not agreed to speak about their mother or the situation to anyone except police. Daughter, (Y/N) (Y/L/N), said when she arrived in Indiana to pick up her brother, seemed to only care about getting her brother home safely. Locals report she never asked to see her mother, and only focused on her brother.

As of now, (Y/L/N)-Tucker will remain in the custody of the South Bend Police until they are ready to transport her to Columbus, Ohio where she will face jail time and then eventually a trial.

Corruption in Knockemstiff High School Staff, Principal Arrested for Illegal Distilling- Sheriff Involved in Cover Up

By: Henry Curtis

Principal of local high school, Mark Cunningham, was arrested today after local police discover an illegal distillery on his residence. Police had retrieved a warrant to search Cunningham’s land after receiving an anonymous tip from a source close to the Principal.

Following his arrest, Cunningham admitted to the felony, but also claimed Ross County’s previous Sherriff, Lee Bodecker, had prior knowledge of the still, and in exchange for his silence, he demanded Cunningham offer a secretarial job at the high school to his landlord, (Y/N) (Y/L/N), who is the daughter of Estelle (Y/L/N)-Tucker, who recently was tried for embezzlement.

The vice-principal of the high school, Meredith Lively, has stepped forth as interim principal until the position can be filled, and ensured the press (Y/L/N) had been fired effective immediately, despite her claims of being unaware any such deal had conspired. Police have found no evidence to contradict (Y/L/N)’s statement, and in an official statement taken from Bodecker, he confirmed that it was part of the deal she not be made aware of the circumstances.

New Sheriff Elected to Ross County

By: Henry Curtis

Former Deputy Bill Thomas has been elected Sheriff of Ross County. Following the trial of former Sheriff Lee Bodecker, who had been found guilty of all charges, Bodecker was barred from office, and given a five-year sentence.

Deputy Thomas in an acceptance speech during a recent town hall meeting, ensured residents of Knockemstiff that “one bad apple doesn’t spoil the whole bunch” and the Sheriff’s department under new control will keep the town safe, and clean of crime and corruption. When asked by reporters how he felt about Bodecker, Thomas only described his situation as “unfortunate.”

There has been no other evidence of corruption within Ross County Sheriff’s Department although the investigation is still ongoing. When asked during his trial if he received any corroboration from any other law officials, Bodecker stated he never involved other members of the force with his wrongdoings.

REAL ESTATE  

Room Available for Rent in Knockemstiff, Ohio

$50 monthly rent (utilities included)

1 Bedroom (250 sq. ft.), furnished

Private bathroom with shower

4 Birch Street

Knockemstiff, Ohio

Please call the following number with serious offers. Price negotiable.

PART EIGHT

Taglist

@scar-is-bi @jiminlife2k18 @asylummaniac01 @rosalynshields @charmed-asylum @jamesbuchananbuckybarnes1917 @alexandrathegreat3 @hersilencedscreams @malar-region @purplerain85 @vesper852 @smilewolfdolan @softshell-taco @champagnebucky @lilacmeadows @mollygetssherlockcoffee

[nostalgebraist-autoresponder]

Title: The Invention of Blue Collar Work (The Unquiet Life of The Real Worker From the Age of Steam to the Internet)

Author: Adam Curtis

Rating: 5/5 stars

If you are like me and you've never read anything by the British filmmaker Adam Curtis, here is the perfect book to remedy that, an entertaining and (I'm told) fairly representative selection of some of his films, presented in a straightforward and approachable style.

The Invention of Blue Collar Work goes back in time from the present to the 1860s to follow the rise of the working class in the English and American countryside. It follows the life of a group of four families, each of which was very typical in its economic background and beliefs.

The first family consists of Richard Manton, the patriarch, who has a "real job" -- a job at the family textile business. Manton is a very typical small businessman, concerned above all with his own prosperity and not very worried about anyone else's. On the other hand, he is concerned about a lot of things -- his kids, his wife, his business, his religion.

The second family consists of two brothers, Edward and Richard Wain (who share the same name as the father). Edward, the older brother, was once a small-town shopkeeper, but then he gave up on his own and devoted himself to making money as a bookseller. He has become rich, very rich. His brother Richard on the other hand, is still a shopkeeper. Richard is concerned with family and the well-being of his children, and a bit less so about his business.

(I could go on. There's a lot more about the third family. One thing that seems particularly clear is that, even though they are all very much on the land -- and there was less wealth to be made in manufacturing than in commerce -- even a family that has no land at all is still in a way more sophisticated and richer, more sophisticated in thought than the other two families. This is especially apparent in Richard's wife Elizabeth, who is clearly a highly intelligent woman with thoughts of her own and a more sophisticated world view than Manton.)

Anyway, in any case, there is a lot more to this story than the usual social history of the 19th century. It's about the people involved -- their relationships, their thoughts, their day-to-day lives. It was a pretty interesting, well-written story, and Curtis did a good job of following the lives of all the characters, even though they have fairly different styles and interests.

I liked the book.

[EDIT: davidsevera wrote a post which includes the following paragraph:]

The real worker is often ignored by scholars. The working man was not the main historical subject of any of the important social historians of the 19th century, from Smith to Toynbee. As Toynbee notes in The Grand Designs, "there was no working class in the 19th century."

What's interesting about the Invention of Blue Collar Work is that the author wants to rectify this error. The author points out a number of problems with the conventional view:

There is no strong sense of "worker" versus "aristocrat" (and no sense of "man" versus "woman"). In this case, the families studied are all working-class families of modest social status; there is not, as there is usually with Toynbee, a sense of how much better the well-to-do are than the lower orders. Even when the author does talk about the middle class or the upper class, he does so as a sort of metonym for the middle class or the upper class.

The families studied are not from "the past." Toynbee's own History of the World, which is probably the book in the book on "the past" that is probably most useful to those who write histories, doesn't include any of the Invention families (even though they all live in the same small town). There are no large historical events that the author could refer to as "preceding this period" if it were the 19th century rather than the 18th century.

There is no sense that the social historians are talking about a particular phenomenon of "the period of revolution and transformation" – the Invention families are not part of, or at least not clearly marked as being part of, "the period of the Industrial Revolution," or "the period of modernity," or anything else. Nor is there a sense of "the period of modernity" as an ongoing phenomenon that will continue indefinitely.

As I've noted previously, the Invention families are not in themselves a "proletariat" or a "working class." Nor are they in the majority of countries at any one time. They are rural English families. They have a comfortable standard of living, but many of them live in modest circumstances, some of them have a few more resources, a few more savings. But there are lots of 19th-century English families who are even more comfortable, and who are even more successful in various ways, without counting as "working class."

[bludhavents]

the gang’s love languages

if you haven’t seen already, I did the curtis brothers in my previous post! thank you all so much for the support <3 feel free to send in requests. i hope you enjoy

steve: physical touch

- i was debating between quality time and physical touch for steve, but i settled on physical touch and feel confident in this one

- even though that may not seem like a way of showing affection, the act of him constantly reaching out to touch somebody, whether playful or not, shows that’s how he expresses himself and his feelings

- he tells pony that he likes rumbles because he has a lot of “hatred” inside of him, and beating a soc’s head in is his way of expressing that anger. not necessarily lovey-dovey, but it’s physical touch nonetheless.

- he playfully wrestles/fights with soda a lot, and i think that’s a really cute part of their friendship that we get to see often, especially in the movie. there’s also multiple times in the book where pony notices steve running in to have a pillow fight with soda, arm wrestling soda, and messing with pony’s hair

- him shoving the cake in soda’s face also stands out to me in particular because it just shows that he goes out of his way to find little ways to be closer to people, especially since that morning before the rumble was a stressful time for them all. we definitely see steve being more touchy when he’s anxious or excited.

- HE HUGS PONYBOY WHEN HE GETS BACK FROM WINDRIXVILLE which is so important because steve isn’t too fond of pony, so this hug (although short & im pretty sure only exists in the movie) means a lot when it comes to showing how he shows affection 

- on the way to the rumble when he is playfully hitting everybody on the shoulders 

- when he steps in front of soda after pony asks whether or not sandy is coming to the party

two-bit: quality time

- let’s start with the obvious: he spends more time at the curtis house than the curtis brothers do.

- this isn’t because he doesn’t have a place of his own: his mom is mentioned in both the book and movies as someone who is kind to two-bit and “would let him get away with murder”, but it’s clear that he’s closer to the boys than his immediate family, probably because of how much time he spends with them, most likely a result of mrs. mathews being a single mother who works long hours.

- when i think of two-bit showing affection, the chapter where he and pony spend the day together automatically comes to mind. the fact that he volunteered to hang out with pony all day, and the way he tries to cheer pony up and make it a good time makes me confident in this answer

-  he’s a very complex individual who we don’t know a ton about in terms of his past or his emotions, but he is memorable because of how his presence makes people feel comfortable. he’s shown us that he’s just as rough and tuff as the rest of the gang, but the way he chooses to spend his time with the gang is why he’s perceived differently than say dallas or steve. two is a lot like soda in the way they try to joke around to make the time spent with loved ones enjoyable and meaningful.

- his interaction with marcia always makes me smile. the way their energy just flowed off of one another says a lot about the way he makes connections with people: through quality time.

- him going to the curtis house just to eat cake or watch mickey shows how he doesn’t go over there to talk or do something together, he just likes to be in the presence of his friends; it’s how he feels seen and comfortable and helps others feel seen and comfortable.

dallas: acts of service

- dallas isn’t a very openly loving person: it’s easy to see that much. no time spent with dallas could make him gushy or clingy.

- his love language is very obviously not quality time: he spends too much time in and out of jail for that to work out. not to mention, he’s easy to not like. but i can tell you without a doubt that anybody who’s met dally, no matter their opinions of him, would say he’s resourceful.

- resourcefulness is key when your love language is acts of service, because it gives you more opportunities to help those around you. 

- when pony and johnny come to dallas for help, he gives pony a dry shirt (not to mention gives up his own jacket for pony to take), gives them money, cigarettes, a gun, advice, and directions. and he does it all without a second thought. he puts himself in jeopardy by helping them, and he knows it. 

- dallas and johnny’s relationship here is so important. 

- whenever dallas gets out of jail at the start of the book, he’s asking johnny who he needs to beat up. he sees it as a favor to johnny. if you want to read into this more, i imagine his thought process behind the act as this: “someone hurt you and i don’t like that because i care about you and don’t like to see you hurt. let me help by hurting them back and showing you how much i really do care about you. i can show them that i’m here to protect you.” 

- he doesn’t want to miss the rumble. why? because that’s how he shows he’s part of the greasers. he fights with them, he services them by helping take down the socs. he let’s the socs know he cares about the gang by standing up for them and standing with them during rumbles.

- him and tim are friends because they help eachother out when the other guy needs it. 

johnny: words of affirmation

- okay johnny’s was the most difficult because i had such a hard time choosing between words of affirmation and physical touch. this explanation is definitely the most detailed of them all

- he hates when his parents are verbally fighting the most. to me this is the biggest indicator that words of affirmation is how he shows affection. most people would dread the physical aspect of the fighting, but johnny expresses that the verbal part is what bothers him the most

- he talks whenever something bothers him badly enough. the night in the lot where he tells pony how hopeless he feels, they both fall asleep talking. this scene means a lot to me when it comes to johnny’s love language because it’s a plain example of how he expresses discomfort. 

- i think the thing that pushes words of affirmation to the number one spot on johnny’s list is the moment where he falls asleep while pony reads to him. it shows that listening to pony talk makes him feel comfortable enough to sleep, which is a huge state of vulnerability. like i said earlier, he also falls asleep in the lot while talking with pony. 

- pony mentions how johnny is shy and doesn’t speak up for himself a lot, and while i think trauma and personality have a lot to do with it, i also think it’s because johnny cade puts a lot of thought into what he says. he doesn’t use words carelessly because he knows how much they affect him and he wants to be careful to make sure he’s not hurting anyone else

- he really opens up to pony during their time at the church. 

- johnny is visibly bothered when dallas is upset with him on the ride back to the church. he really idolizes dallas and to hear him get angry makes johnny sadder than, for example, sodapop would be if he was in johnny’s shoes.

- johnny tends to express his anger through words and also apologizes with words, much like ponyboy.

- lastly, the letter. johnny could’ve squeezed pony’s hand when he was dying, he could’ve asked the nurse to buy pony a gift or give him johnny’s money, but he chose to write a letter. he is thoughtful and particular with his words.

(would you guys like to see a physical touch version for johnny? i was torn between words of affirmation and physical touch and i have a lot of good ideas for it. maybe i could make it into an imagine where i mention it in relation to the story. what would you prefer, or do you even want to see it at all lol?)

[raimispiderman]

From the booklet which comes with the Spider-Man Trilogy Limited Edition Collection blu-ray!

This talks about the making of Spider-Man 2, here’s the bit about the first Spider-Man movie.

Click for a transcript:

THE EVOLUTION OF A SUPERHERO

“It was truly gratifying and even a bit overwhelming to witness how strongly moviegoers around the world reacted to Spider-Man,” said director Sam Raimi. “As a filmmaker, I always want people to really enjoy my movies, and on that level, Spider-Man exceeded my expectations.”

After the triumph of the first Spider-Man, Raimi knew he had a responsibility to follow it up with a story that justified the fans’ enthusiasm and their built-in expectations for the next adventure. “There’s great interest in this movie, following the success of the first one,” he acknowledged. “For the kids who come to see it, Spider-Man is their hero. So while the job of making this movie is to provide entertainment, it is also to create a story that shows them a moral character, someone who has to make tough choices and the right decisions in order to continue to be worthy of their admiration.”

The wealth of detailed stories and characters in the Spider-Man comic book series provided a mother lode from which to cull the plot for Spider-Man 2. “The Marvel artists and writers have done a great job through the decades – I know, because I’m a big fan myself – so there’s a tremendous amount of good material to draw upon,” noted Raimi. “Finding a storyline wasn’t that difficult. It was finding the right story, the one that made for a proper follow-up installment, and provided a logical progression for the audience and a logical growth for the character. For the, I relied on the terrific storytelling instincts of my very fine producers Laura Ziskin and Avi Arad. Together with the contributions of our great writers, we found a plot line with ideas that reverberated.”

With the storyline of the new adventure locked, Arad looked forward to the reunion of the Spider-Man filmmaking family, not the least of which was Tobey Maguire. “Tobey was so happy to be Spider-Man again and to be Peter Parker,” said Arad. “As an actor Tobey relished deepening the audience’s understanding of who Peter Parker is and who is becoming,” added Ziskin. “Peter’s a man who is transition, someone who’s struggling with the choices he is making.”

Maguire added, “The theme ‘with great power comes great responsibility’ is never lost on Peter. It’s difficult to be a young man and have to sacrifice as much as he has – presumably for the greater good – and to neglect his personal desires. The struggle continues here and it’s quite complicated, because Peter’s searching desperately for a way to achieve some balance in his life.”

 As Peter becomes more immersed in his dilemma, it creates a rift between him and the important people in his life. Though his love for MJ is stronger than ever, she has moved on with her life, pursuing an acting career, living in Manhattan and moving in new social circles. “In this film, Peter is off in his own world and not a reliable presence in MJ’s life,” explained Kirsten Dunst. “She still loves him a great deal, so it has become painful for her to be around him. Though they’ve both done a lot of growing up in the past two years, at the same time, they’ve drifted apart.”

Then, as if Peter’s life were not complicated enough, the situation moves from bad to worse – much worse. Enter Doc Ock.

Dr. Otto Octavius (Alfred Molina) is a brilliant scientist whose life work has been dedicated to experiments utilizing fusion as a new source of energy. Charming, vibrant and energetic, Dr. Octavius is introduced to Peter by Harry Osborn.

“This movie is the story of Peter’s life, which is out of balance, and Dr. Octavius who, for Peter, represents someone who has achieved that balance,” explained Raimi.

“Peter sees Octavius as somebody who has mastered both his gifts – in this case science, through which he can serve the good of mankind, while also maintaining a personal life, a loving relationship with his wife Rosie (Donna Murphy). This leads Peter to the conclusion that it’s possible to have both.” Dr. Octavius, with the support of his wife, has been working diligently in his home laboratory, trying to perfect his groundbreaking fusion theory. But when a demonstration of his creation goes horribly wrong, Dr. Octavius undergoes a terrible transformation – evolving into the powerful, multi-tentacled Doc Ock.

In Spider-Man 2, the talented and versatile Molina brings this powerful adversary to terrifying life. “He is a formidable enemy for Spider-Man,” said Arad. “He can climb walls faster and better than Spider-Man. In fact, there’s nothing Spider-Man can do that Ock cannot counteract.”

Doc Ock, one of the most popular villains of the Spider-Man comic book series, first appeared in “The Amazing Spider-Man #3,” which was published in 1963. He immediately became one of Spider-Man’s most formidable foes. According to comic lore, each of Ock’s limbs can move at speeds of up to 90 feet per second and strike with the force of a jackhammer. The extremely powerful tentacles enable him to lift a vehicle off the ground, pulverize bricks, claw through concrete walls and hover above his victims by rising into the air.

The filmmakers were eager to attract Molina for the central role. “We needed someone who brought a palpable reality to the part, and who was also sincere, had a great sense of humor and personal warmth,” said Raimi. “Alfred is a brilliant actor, and what he’s brought so effectively to the character of Doc Ock is the sense of him as a misunderstood man who has turned into a beast.”

Molina confessed, “I’ve always been a Marvel Comic fan because their characters are so interesting. They have problems. They’re very realistic.” From him, the mechanics behind the role of Doc Ock was a true education. “It was mind-boggling, the breadth and the imagination that went into how each of my character’s actions – flying across the room, crashing through a plate glass window, smashing a taxicab – was to be executed. It’s a unique way of filming that’s not like anything most of us get to do really. It’s a very particular way of working, and absolutely fascinating.”

J.K. Simmons also returns in Spider-Man 2 as Peter’s gruff boss at the Daily Bugle, J Jonah Jameson. “I fire Peter several times in this movie. Every time I see him, I fire him,” laughed Simmons. “And then I re-hire him because there’s always some pressing need for his services.”

Principal photography on Spider-Man 2 began on April 12, 2003, in New York City, where the production spent approximately three weeks shooting at various locations in Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn, as well as on a Yonkers stage. From ground-level street shots to rooftops high above the city, the filmmakers efficiently utilized the time they spent in New York, giving them the opportunity to expand on the city’s unique environment, which had lent such vibrancy to the first Spider-Man.

“In the first film we established New York as a character in the movie. With Spider-Man 2, we went even further,” said production designer Neil Spisak. “We used a lot more of the city, including [photographic] plates of real buildings and real streets. Improvements in technology over the past three years enabled [visual effects designer] John Dykstra and I to marry existing buildings to scenery buildings to CG buildings even better than the first time around. It’s a much more complete experience.”

“We got more of a feeling of New York in this movie,” added Ziskin. “The movie is being shot in widescreen, which is appropriate because this is a different story, so it required a different approach.”

Production began on the campus of Columbia University in uptown Manhattan, which served as the university Peter Parker attends while he struggles with the responsibilities of his academic workload and his superhero duties. The rooftop of the Hotel Intercontinental, across from the Waldorf Astoria, was the location where Spider-Man contemplates his next move, while downtown, in the Wall Street area, another rooftop served as the “launch-pad” for the Spydercam camera, as it dipped and swooped over several blocks to replicate one of Spider-Man’s high-stakes aerial journeys through the city.

“We executed one of the longest wire shots the Spydercam has ever done,” said executive producer Joseph M. Maracciolo. “The Wall Street shot was around 2,400 feet. I’m an ex New Yorker, so I didn’t find the location shoot particularly daunting. But there are always difficulties when you’re doing wire work in New York, including the placement of the cranes on the buildings, the movement of the cast, crew and equipment, and of course, the crowds.”

“It was a challenge for us to move our production to the tops of buildings, but we couldn’t have been happier, because rooftops are Spider-Man’s world and that is his view of the city as he swings through it,” noted co-producer Grant Curtis. “It was breathtaking to see the world from 70 stories up – a world unto itself. You can’t fully really appreciate the beautiful architecture of New York’s skyscrapers from ground level. We showed some of that in the first film, but we wanted to show more of Spider-Man’s vertiginous world, and I think we really captured that with this film.”

In Spider-Man 2, Doc Ock sweeps Aunt May off her feet – literally – and takes her up several stories of a tall building. Rosemary Harris performed her stunts in a variety of harnesses, but only after she had managed to talk the filmmakers into letting her give her stunt double a rest. “I was a bit miffed at first, because my wonderful stunt double was going to do a lot of these harness maneuvers,” recalled Harris. “So I asked Sam and Laura, ‘Why not let me have a go at it?’ At first they were reluctant. But I begged them to at least let me try and they finally relented.”

Returning to Los Angeles, Spider-Man 2 shot on several stages on the Sony Pictures Studios lot in Culver City. Stage 15 was home to the Daily Bugle offices, as well as Peter’s tiny apartment and Dr. Octavius’ elaborate home laboratory. On Stage 29, the Osborn mansion, where Harry Osborn now lives, was recreated. Stage 27 housed MJ’s apartment set, a giant spider web, the interior of the Planetarium, the massive clock tower set as well as various other set pieces. A series of elevated trains were built on Stage 14, where Spider-Man and Doc Ock match wits.

One of the most elaborate sets for Spider-Man 2 was the pier set, designed by Spisak and built over the course of 15 weeks on Soundstage 30. “In contrast to Dr. Octavius’ lab, which was part of his apartment – a streamlined, organized and clean space – the pier is a maniacal, decaying, decrepit space,” explained Spisak. “It follows his character development in terms of his becoming a wilder, more dangerous and more formidable adversary for Spider-Man.”

The set, approximately 60 feet wide by 120 feet long and 40 feet tall, was constructed over a water tank and enhanced by several different components, including CG/plate work and miniatures.

“Before we built the set, we created an exact ¾ scale model of it, about 7 feet long and 4 feet wide, from drawings and blueprints. The model was extremely useful to the carpenters, who could take measurements to help them construct the full-sized pier, as well as for the miniatures team, so they could ascertain the dimensions, textures and materials that were used,” explained art director Tom Wilkins. “We shot plates down in San Pedro, where we panned from a real pier to the water. In post-production a New York background was added. We also built a miniature pier – interiors and exteriors – to complete the composition on the East River.” The art department team designed a 136 foot by 40 foot-high vinyl backing to represent Ock’s view of Manhattan through a large window at the end of the pier set. Wave machines were rigged in the water to create movement under the pier.

The production then moved to the Universal backlot for two weeks of shooting. Several city streets were transformed into a variety of New York neighborhoods including the exterior of the Lyric Theatre where MJ performances in an off-Broadway production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. Ari’s Village Deli and Bakery became the site of an extremely complex scene involving a quiet conversation between Peter and MJ, which is interrupted by Peter’s “spider sense” – and a car careening through the plate glass window, followed by the arrival of Doc Ock.

“It was a great luxury to be able to build that set from every aspect, so that we could do everything we needed for the scene,” said Spisak. “The walls were made of french plate so that when the car smashed through it, the buildings around it were protected. We were able to design what we thought it should look like visually, then as tricks, gags and stunts became clearer, we were able to add them to the set before it was completely finished.”

“The deli was a full, 360 degree set, with a kitchen, deli counters, pastries, ceiling fans and chandeliers,” added art director Steve Saklad, who worked closely with Spisak. “We dressed the exterior streets so that you could look out of the window and see the intersection of Lafayette Street and Astor Place. It required an enormous amount of signage, billboards, street dressing, trees and traffic lights.”

For Raimi,  “The diner was a complex technical scene, because it brought together so many different departments, each relying on the other to fulfil their function  and communicate with each other so that each individual shot would work. We utilized mechanical effects and the stunt department had to take an automobile, spin it and flip it through the deli window, with the prop department providing the breakaway items. What made it even more complex was that we had to fly Doc Ock in, using something we dubbed the “walk rig.”

The “walk rig” was created for Doc Ock, because the character not only moves himself, but his tentacles move him around as well. When he walks on the tentacles, they support his weight, so a device was constructed to harness him and move him through space as if the tentacles were supporting him. The visual effects department also created “virtual” tentacles where practical ones weren’t feasible.

When he was in full costume, Molina’s tentacles weighed between 75 to 100 pounds, depending upon the action required for the scene. Each of the tentacles was fully articulated. In their expanded, 13-foot length, each upper tentacle consisted of approximately 76 individual pieces Each vertabra was handmade, hand molded, sanded, individually hand painted, chromed, then painted again and assembled by hand. The entire collection of Doc Ock tentacles, bases, heads and wrists, if laid end to end, would be taller than a 20-story building.

Academy Award winning costume designer James Acheson welcomed the opportunity to further explore and improve upon the already classic Spider-Man costume for Spider-Man 2. “Creating the Spider-Man suit for the first film was a real challenge since we were designing for a kind of Cirque du Soleil acrobat, someone who had a unbelievable kinetic spiraling ability,” he said. “So the suit had to be extremely flexible. For the new installment we made several improvements, though you’d have to be a real enthusiast to spot them. The colors are slightly different, and we have made subtle changes in terms of the movement inside the costume’s hood. We also adjusted the eyepieces of Spider-Man’s mask as well as certain aspects of the spider design on the front and the back of the suit.”

For Spider-Man 2’s Doc Ock, Acheson and Raimi spent close to a year collaborating with Spisak and visual effects designer John Dykstra and working with Edge FX in what began as a series of “group think” sessions, according to Raimi. “I needed John Dykstra’s input, because it was John who was going to have to handle Doc Ock’s movements in CG, so he had to be involved in designing the character, along with Jim, who was going to determine the look of the character,” recalled Raimi. “Part of the look determined the movement, and what the arms look like began to govern how it functioned. Neil was involved because Ock had to be a part of Neil’s world in the film. A great interdependence developed among the department heads in order to achieve the complex nature and physicality of the character,”

“The challenge with Doc Ock is to visually create a believable world, focusing on a man with four tentacles growing out of his back,” said Spisak. “Now, that can be a tough swallow. So, in creating Ock and his world, we needed to design and play it so that everything was credible. Ove the course of several months, it became clear what was physically possible for Ock and what would have to be achieved via CG. We conceptualized the look and only then did we deal with the physical limitations, rather than letting them stop us at the beginning.”

Added Dykstra: “It was a huge challenge to make Doc Ock come to life. His tentacles had to meet several criteria. They had to be appropriate with regard to the world Neil had created for Spider-Man and Ock. The components of the costume – the texture and the weight – had to bed something an actor could actually wear. Since using the tentacles wasn’t always practical, we had to create ‘virtual’ versions with Edge FX. In the end, integrating the tentacles into the story was a marriage of all those components and the collaboration of everyone involved.”

Spisak and his team designed and dressed more than 100 sets and locations for Spider-Man 2. “There are probably 10 enormous sets, while some are simply street corners. We covered eleven blocks in downtown Los Angeles and used many rooftops, streets and buildings in New Yorj City,” noted Spisak. “This is certainly the biggest film I’ve ever done.”

Spisak worked with director of photography Bill Pope on the color palette for the sets, and they pored over research and location pictures to inspire them for the story’s lighting requirements. “In the first film, Peter Parker was younger, less aware and just beginning to discover his new powers. That was reflected in the overall look of the movie,” said Spisak. “With this film, he has been Spider-Man for a while, so his frustration over how to deal with his life versus his duty is more complex. That’s reflected in the color palette and the tone of this film – it’s a little more sophisticated, more complicated and deeper, in terms of color and look.”

Among the tools Dykstra and his team utilized to achieve the shots presenting Spider-Man’s point-of-view, while he is soaring over the city, was Earl Wiggins’ Spydercam. During the New York portion of the shoot, the specialized camera was launched using a remote-controlled computer suspended on a cable from a Wall Street-area rooftop more than 30 stories in the air, which recorded what DSpider-Man saw as he swung over the city. The camera traveled along a line suspended over four blocks, dipping down into the street and over the tops of several blocks of vehicles and background art that had been placed for the sequence.

“We were dropping the camera and moving it up and down over the course of the shot to follow Spider-Man’s trajectory as he swings through the arch, releasing a web, and shooting a new web as he swings into the traffic below,” explained Dykstra.

“One of the successes of the first film was the empathy the audience had for the main character. He was very sympathetic,” Dykstra said, “This movie explores the character in greater depth, and in terms of the visual effects, we’re hoping to give audiences an event more intimate sense of what it’s like to be Spider-Man. In the first film, we get to fly with him. The idea here is to make the flying sequences poetic enough and evocative enough that you will get an even stronger sense of what it’s like to fly like Spider-Man.”

That approach is reinforced by Raimi, said Ziskin, “One of the really striking aspects about Sam is that he is the audience for this film. He makes the movie for the audience, identifies with the characters and is always aware of the rhythms and how each sequence will play – both to him and the other members of the audience. That makes him the perfect director for this kind of material. Also, he’s at a point in his directing career where he’s at the top of his game. He is brilliant technically, but also works extraordinarily well with the actors. Ultimately, his personal connection to Peter Parker and the other main characters is a great gift to the audience.”

“These are tough, scary times and during such periods we look to heroic stories to give us hope,” noted Raimi. “Maybe that has something to do with why the audience was so taken with Spider-Man when he first appeared two years ago. With Spider-Man 2, I truly hope that audiences will feel that they’re seeing a love story, that they’re participating in another episode of Peter Parker’s life and are seeing the challenges and conflicts he faces and how he overcomes them. I hope it will leave them feeling uplifted and exhilarated.”

[thegentlecriticfilmreview]

Late Night, a feminist review

This is another old essay, on my favourite movie Late Night, from the coolest class I ever took, Women in Pop Culture. Writing this essay actually made me realize I want to more closely study competitive femininity one day! I also remember this was an essay where I wished the word count was higher, because I love this movie and had a lot to say!! lol, maybe one day I will write more. 

if you read, I hope you enjoy!

Mindy Kaling's first feature film, Late Night, is a dramatic comedy starring Emma Thompson as Katherine Newbury, the only female late night talk show host in America. Kaling co-stars as Molly Patel, an Indian woman selected as a diversity hire for Katherine’s writing staff. The film is a pointed remark on the lack of diversity in Hollywood writing rooms, as well as the cultural shifts that are bringing about change in the industry. Molly Patel’s intersectional feminisim not only builds her relationship with Katherine but also attests that a truly feminist character has less limitations than most depictions of empowered women. 

Five minutes into the film, we see Katherine Newbury fire one of her writers after he asks for a raise because he has just had a second child with his wife. Katherine is more than pleased to inform him of why this is a sexist request. “You’re asking for a raise, not because of any work-related contribution,” she says, “but simply because you have a family. And that’s why in the 1950’s, family men were promoted over the women they worked with.” It is understood from this scene that Katherine approaches the world from a place of education and with feminist intent. However, the writer she is firing quickly retorts, “There are no women on this staff. And the reason there aren’t any women is because you hate women.” This is a shock for both Katherine and the audience because, how can a self-proclaimed feminist be accused of hating women? 

An internalized competitive feminity is revealed in Katherine. Angela McRobbie explains competitive femininity as, “an amplification of control of women... so as to ensure the maintenance of power structures...Feminism, at the same time, is made compatible with an individualising project and is also made to fit with the idea of competition” (McRobbie, 2015, pg. 3). Katherine is the only female late night host in television, yet she is an upper class, white woman. Her economic background alone allows her to occupy a place of privilege in a system that relies on the oppression of the lower classes. While it is a triumph that Katherine is a successful female host, she fails to reflect on possible extensions of this triumph, such as hiring other women for her staff. Therefore, Katherine’s feminism is a self-serving feminism. “It seems then there is a battle to ensure that the new popular feminism which emerges or which holds sway is one which discards the older, welfarist and collectivist feminism of the past, in favour of individualistic striving” (McRobbie, 2015, pg. 4). Competitive feminity is a sly instrument in our society. It allows for the success of certain women over others, while leaving “the existing patriarchal regime relatively untouched” (McRobbie, 2015, pg.17). 

As the media we see often reflects certain aspects of the society we live in, Mindy Kaling is making a purposeful statement that writing rooms in the entertainment industry are disproportionately white, male and upper class. As Douglas Kellner details in, “Cultural Studies, Multiculturalism and Media Culture,”  the entertainment industry plays a massive role in our society’s culture. “Media images help shape our view of the world and our deepest values...Media stories provide the symbols, myths and resources through which we constitute a common culture and through the appropriation of which we insert ourselves into this culture” (Kellner, 2015, pg. 7). It is important to view Late Night with a cultural studies perspective. Kaling’s character Molly Patel is very clearly both a fan and critic of popular culture, and Katherine Newbury is considered an international icon. Furthermore, Andi Zeisler, in “Pop and Circumstance: Why Pop Culture Matters,” demonstrates the significance of examining phenomena such as cultural icons “in the context of its social value, influence and ideology” (Zeisler, 2008, pg. 5). We see examples of strong cultural reactions in Late Night when Katherine receives negative backlash from both journalistic and social media for attempting to embarrass one of her guests, as well as having an affair with one of her writers. This is because Katherine’s status as an icon places her in a space of perpetual examination.

The introduction of Kaling’s character, Molly Patel, is the biggest shift in the plot. Molly is the opposite of Katherine in that she is exceedingly earnest, prone to hesitation, attended a community college and is not white. Bell hooks identifies from her experience teaching cultural studies that, “everyday folks from all walks of life were eager to share thoughts and talk critically about pop culture” (hooks, 1994, pg. 4). If we understand popular culture and its various productions paired with its widespread influence, what can possibly justify the fact that it is dominantly created by white, upper class men, and not a more accurately diverse portion of the population? Molly raises this issue in the film, urging Katherine to use her perspective as a woman in her comedy. Soon, the entire staff is branching out their writing in order to be more embracing of their audiences. Although it is a comedy, not a superhero film, a connection can be drawn to feminist heroes and how they achieve their goals through collective effort (Curtis and Cardo, 2018). It is in this way that Molly represents a more inclusive feminism. Her question of, “how can I help make this show better?” comes from a headspace of feminist unity. Not like Katherine’s earlier self-serving feminism, Molly asks, “How can I help further the cause of feminism?”

Ultimately, Late Night is an incredibly funny film that successfully tackles feminist and cultural issues. There is room for more than just one empowered woman in the film, and they experience their empowerment in unique ways. Initially, Katherine Newbury’s competitive femininity limits her, and this contrast in her feminism is a reminder of our society’s culture. As bell hooks states, “we must be willing to courageously surrender participation in whatever sphere of coercive hierarchical domination we enjoy” (1994, pg. 6). The introduction of Molly Patel and her desire for a more inclusive and diverse work environment proves that the best way to act as an empowered woman, is to lift up and empower those around you.

[elizabeth-mitchells]

the only touchstone of truth - I Care A Lot (2020) - Marla x Fran

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: I Care A Lot (2020) Rating: Explicit Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Fran/Marla Grayson Characters: Marla Grayson, Fran (I Care A Lot) Additional Tags: Canon Compliant, Canon Lesbian Relationship, Origin Story, Canon Backstory, First Meetings, First Kiss, First Dates, Getting Together, Morally Ambiguous Character, Illegal Activities, Eventual Smut, Flirting, Partners in Crime, crime wives Summary: The American dream. The small business that Marla Grayson built from nothing. And now it's all crumbling down back to... nothing. Marla is left to pick up the pieces of the broken dream, but this time she's determined to start a fire with what she has left. The problem, or rather, the solution, comes in the shape of Fran, a gorgeous woman that, unlikely as it seems, has just as many tricks under her sleeve as Marla. This is how they meet, this is how they fall into each other's dangerous games, and most importantly, this is how they fall in love. Love, the only honest thing about each other, and the most important part of their story.

Chapter 1:

Marla was sitting behind the counter in her shop, wearing a sharp white shirt and her blonde hair falling in soft waves on her shoulders. The place was desolated, only Curtis stood by, idly reorganizing the shelves for maybe the hundredth time. Restlessness disgusted Marla. When she caught herself starting to lazily spin from side to side on her swivel chair she shook herself out of it by planting her feet firmly on the floor and picking up her vape pen. She’d only started using it to become a master of the trade she’s decided to pursue, but she’d grown quickly attached to it. Like an assassins’ favorite knife, it could be used as a weapon, but it brought comfort in unexplainable ways too.

“Curtis,” Marla exhaled, staring at her friend, “What is… the most American thing you can think of?”

The man smiled, an objectively beautiful smile, and said, “Cowboys.”

Instead of laughing, Marla nodded very seriously. That was, indeed, a very American thing. Men proudly resorting to childish ideals of what it is to be a man, hoping to use boyish charm to earn points in a game nobody could possibly win something worthy of. The problem was, Curtis wasn’t like that, not with Marla at least, and his answer was genuine. Besides, the fictional idea of a traditional cowboy was very American indeed. “What would a cowboy do,” Marla wondered slowly, “when facing a god-awful rival?”

“Get rid of them?” the young man replied. That was a certain answer, and the impulse of making it sound like a question at the end was just a consequence of answering to Marla. It was a common thing, he wasn’t immune to it, and she actually relished the fact that she could make people doubt the most obvious things they should be confident in.

“Exactly,”  Marla clicked her teeth and winked, adding a playful gesture as if she’d just shoot him with an invisible gun.

Her friend and employee chuckled fondly at her. “Yeah, sorry, Marla, but I don’t think you can get rid of them.”

Gracefully, Marla stood up from the chair. What she’d been staring at so intently on her computer’s screen was the view from one of the security cameras outside, pointing across the street at the line of people waiting to get in at the bigger and flashier vape shop that recently opened up. “I know,” she said, almost soft enough to hide the venom in the words of acceptance of her downfall. She spread both hands on the counter and stared. It was the beginning of goodbye. She wasn’t an overly emotional person, she didn’t exactly hold a sentimental attachment with the place, not even to the person she had been when she started this journey. But, she had to say goodbye. However, “I won’t go down without a fight,” Marla stated. She walked around the counter and toward the front of the shop.

Personally, Marla had a different idea of what was the most American thing a person could do. Walk away from a suffocating family to the big city, make the most of what the world currently wants and turn it into a business, build it all from the ground up, turn it into an empire, make yourself rich enough to become a challenge to royalty and deities alike. It was a perfect plan as long as nobody warned you of the impossible to overcome obstacles that would appear in your path. Marla had done her work, she had spent the better part of her youth working inconceivable schedules and begging for loans. She had studied the market, the competition, the ins and outs of one smart investment, and it had worked. Until the grand opening of a monstrous shop close enough for it to be humiliating. They sold a brand, and Marla couldn’t compete. She’d done everything right, perhaps it was time to do a little bit of wrong in order to come out as a winner.

Marla had chosen that particular place to set up her shop because it was convenient for her type of business, but she never liked the place very much. That was something she could admit now that she was saying goodbye to it. She was staring out the glass windows and almost grimacing at the view. She’d always wanted an office that would be at least one floor up from the ground, before reaching the highest level of the building, of course. Now she was making herself the promise not to rest until she achieved her real goals and desires, the bigger the better, no space for conformity with accomplishing the bare minimum, not anymore.

“Maybe they can get rid of me,” Marla finally said, much to the confusion of the young man listening to her. She didn’t have just an idea, she’d just come up with an entire plan

------------

The police sirens were a perfect soundtrack, just like Marla had imagined it. But they carried, along with the blinking red and blue lights, unexpected effects. It was the perfect background for a few of Marla’s nightmares, and for most of her dreams. If only she didn’t have to hold back for one reason or another. If the men that threatened her ever came to something. If only she listened to that little voice in the back of her head that encouraged her to push further and harder against life. It felt like every “ what if ” of her life ended up with police sirens and red and blue lights at her back. Only one slight movement of her shoes on the broken glass that covered the floor of her shop was enough to pull her out of her deep thoughts. Only of discreet shake of her head to push her hair off her face was enough to bring her back to the conversation at hand.

“I didn’t see it, at first,” she said in a frail tone of someone retelling an awful nightmare, “it wasn’t until Curtis pointed it out that… Christ. It looks bad.”

Marla, her loyal employee, and the police officer were, of course, discussing the broken windows, trashed shelves and, more specifically at that instant, the graffiti painted on the floor of her place, it was the logo of the big store just down the road.

“There are a few options,” the detective mumbled, “Could be the competition, of course, but could be simple, overenthusiastic buyers with an interest in causing trouble. Nothing out of the ordinary. I’m positive we’ll catch the people responsible for the attack to your shop, Miss Grayson.” After a pause, she added, “I wonder how far they went. May I look over the office, the storage?”

The blonde looked away with a pained expression, “I don’t think I could,” she forced herself to take a deep and steadying breath and when she looked back at the other women she had a perfectly sweet smile on, “Curtis will accompany you, detective.”

As the two of them walked further inside the store, Marla walked out. She’d left her own car parked out front, so she leaned her back against it and put her vape pen on her lips. Only a couple of seconds later, the second officer that had shown up to the place had joined her.

“That’s not going to work,” was the first thing Fran said to Marla.

“Excuse me?”

“Using that guy as bait.”

Marla blinked, reeling back her slight surprise. “And why is that?” she inquired.

Fran shrugged, staring straight at the broken windows of the shop. “Lou’s my ex,” she mentioned as nonchalantly as she should have introduced herself but instead had only nodded when her partner was the one to remember the protocol, “she’s not gonna fall for your boy’s charm.” She finally turned to look at Marla, as if it were the first time, but knowing that since she arrived at the place she’d been casting furtive glances at the striking and intriguing blonde. “You, on the other hand, give her another one of those smiles of yours,” Fran said, with barely a hint of a smile on her pink lips, “and it might work.”

Along with a breathy and quick chuckle, Marla did smile. She wasn’t used to being so blatantly called out for her strategies. People complained all the time about the way she constantly managed to get what she wanted, but nobody ever seemed to know exactly what about her they were upset about. Then there was this complete stranger that with one look and right from the first sentence she spoke, she caught Marla. And the best part, she didn’t even seem to be complaining about it. Marla would have been lying if she said it didn’t feel strangely good. Partially, because she knew she was good at her games, and if no one played at her level then nobody could actually appreciate her. It was pleasant to be seen. Partially, too, it was just because of the way the other woman was looking at her.

“Not that one, though,” Fran continued. She leaned in closer, talked in conspirative whispers, and for some reason was displeased with Marla’s smile. She was fascinating almost to a point of dizziness. Her presence, to anyone of slightly weaker disposition than Marla, would have brought them to their knees. “That one’s sincere,” she said of the smile they were discussing, “and that’s dangerous.”

This time Marla scoffed. She looked away, hoping that the brunette, without looking into her eyes, wouldn’t be able to read how much Marla was struggling to draw the line between being fed a flirtatious line out of the millions of them, and the shockingly unique feeling of it all, something that she’d only seen in Fran.

“You look too young to be a detective,” Marla said, as a way to change the course of the conversation. Only after she said the words she started thinking about what they meant. What could this woman, with the imperfect ponytail, worn leather jacket, and secretive smile, have done in order to get to where she was in life?

“And you look,” Fran started to say, pausing just long enough for Marla to think that if she dared called her old she would simply walk away and never return to the damned shop, “too smart to own a place like this.”

She wasn’t the first person to point out the fact that simply something about Marla’s eyes revealed that she was meant for things greater than a vape shop. She would’ve laughed, or smiled, but that would’ve made things too easy for Fran. “It’s just business,” the blonde said slowly.

“Is that why you did all this?” Fran nodded toward the broken windows and the mess beyond.

Marla turned to look at her and remained speechless for a moment, even if her cold expression did nothing to reveal the spark of surprise that Fran was fueling with every word she spoke. The silence wasn’t as uncomfortable as expected. Marla quickly figured out that if Fran was smart enough to figure out in a few minutes the complexities of her carefully crafted smile, then it wasn’t all that shocking to see her solve a case that she’d probably even seen before.

“Do you think she’ll notice?” Marla finally asked, talking about Fran’s partner. For some reason, she wasn’t worried in the slightest about Fran being the one to ruin her plans.

The younger woman tilted her head from side to side, genuinely thinking it through. The impulse to talk shit about her ex was strong. But she knew and respected the woman as a professional. Plus, a consequence of being so good at pulling the truth out of unwilling people was that she wasn’t that interested in the effort it took to lie.

“There’s a chance,” she replied at last. “But, really, give her one smile,” Fran continued, “and she’ll probably give you that signature you want to take this to court.”

This time, the two women laughed together. When they made eye contact then, it was completely different. No careful glances, no studying the other one, simply looking for the sake of a beautiful and frightening view. Right from the first night, they came across that feeling of absolute freedom and awe of standing at the edge of a cliff that would paralyze in fear those of faint heart, but that they would eventually come to fondly associate with each other.

“And you?” Marla dropped the smile. If Fran could see her tricks, she could return the favor. It was her turn to lean in closer, whisper, and look just disinterested enough as she asked, “What do you want before you give me what I want?”

Fran looked away for just one instant, but they both knew this game well enough to know that such small action would count as a big win for the blonde. When she looked back up at those striking blue eyes, Fran thought for a moment, about what she wanted, what Marla could give, and how far she could push or pull at this unlikely and tremendously exciting situation so she could get the best deal possible.

“I’ll let you know,” Fran announced, pulling out a presentation card and offering it to Marla with a smile. “Someone might break into your business again. So dangerous,” she playfully shook her head and pulled herself away from the car they’d been leaning against, “Call me when you’ll need me.”

[hellsfanatic]

hey lol multi-chap purly fic 1 :)

chapter 1

words: 1,150

warnings: none

pairing: purly

—

Shrugging off my near-empty backpack and tossing it on the floor next to the door, I heard a voice echo through the house. The walls are pretty thin, talking in one room just a little over your normal volume almost for sure meant you broadcasted it to the whole family. This voice, one I’m sure was Angela’s, came from her room, talking about some new boy she’d found. Bryon must’ve done something, or not, you could never really be sure with her. I was about to let her be and ignore whatever she rambled on about until I heard what boy she was fawning over.

She was after Ponyboy Curtis, the one guy in town I didn’t think she’d bother taking a liking to. Not that there’s anything wrong with him—there isn’t—it’s just that Ponyboy wasn’t her type. He wasn’t the kind who would pine after her when she inevitably broke up with him, he wasn’t the kind who would be at her beck and call just because she shed a few tears, and he sure as hell wasn’t the kind who would take her knowing her history anyways. He was smarter than that. He knew how she ran from lover to lover, not looking back until she wanted something which she almost always got. To be honest I have to give her credit, she could rope almost anyone around her back into their relationship, no matter how much she hurt them.

Despite all of the things that had to keep them apart, she didn’t even seem to notice. Hell, she seemed to think she’d get him just like that. A snap of her fingers and he’d be by her side. She was dead wrong and didn’t even know. How embarrassing.

I decided to ignore it for now. It was just some little crush. I don’t think she’s ever not gotten a guy to go out with her. She had that charm with them. She was their ideal girlfriend and she made sure she kept that image up. I don’t know how she’ll take not getting this boy. I mean Ponyboy’s not exactly one to break hearts, if he doesn’t want to be with her I know he’ll let her down easy. Maybe she won’t even get far enough to ask him out, it’ll save her the embarrassment. Maybe he’ll know what she’s up to and he’ll try to stay out of her way. Ponyboy’s clueless though, when it comes to girls at least. He’s never actually had a girlfriend that meant anything real. Sure, he had a girl in kindergarten, but playing with each other and sitting together at lunch isn’t exactly romantic anymore.

One time, last year I think, a girl had been clearly interested in him. You should’ve seen her. She was all over him and he didn’t have a single thought about her that wasn’t platonic. He was real kind to her though. They hung out after school and he spent a couple lunch periods with her. The two of them had fun, sure they did, they laughed and they hugged and they got real close to each other. She really did almost get what she wanted. Ponyboy was clueless though, and he still is. Angela won’t spend all that time with him like she did to build up and relationship. I know she won’t.

My handwriting isn’t very nice. I mean it probably could be if I tried but this stuff isn’t important. It’s just some history worksheets that I’ve been missing for a couple weeks now. Pony’s handwriting is real neat though, every letter set on its line and every word legible. Why’s that important? I’ve got Pony’s copy of this entire chapter’s worksheets laid across my bed and my worksheets sat on my thigh. His look nice, mine are covered in more and more scribbled words as I copy down his answers. I don’t think the teachers even grade my work anymore. They mark off my late points and put it aside. To be fair, I don’t think they can grade it when it’s as messy as I make it. I feel bad for the ones that try to read this stuff.

Even with the answers neat and laid out in front of me, it took me to about ten at night to finish them. Not because they were hard or anything, they’re just boring and I had to keep getting up and doing other stuff or just staring at the wall to get back on track. It’s all done for now though. I got all the papers stacked up, one for mine and one for Ponyboy’s. I still had to give these back even though they were already graded with a big red “A+”.

Heading out of my room, I shoved my papers in my backpack and set Pony’s on the kitchen counter so they didn’t get crumpled up.

“Gee Curls Tim and I thought you were asleep you were in your room so long. I would’ve gotten you up for dinner if I knew. Sorry.” Angela was writing something on a paper, sitting on one of the stools by the counter.

I just shrugged and pulled a granola bar from a cabinet. “No sweat.”

“Hey Curly? Are you giving those to the little Curtis? They’ve got his name on them,” Angela asked, adding a few more words and a signature to her paper.

“Yeah, Pony let me copy his answers. Kid’s got brains y’know? I watched him finish that in class and still got an A. I don’t know how he does it,” I answered, pointing at the “A+” written on his paper.

Angela snorted out a laugh. “I think he just pays attention a little more than a certain brother of mine.”

“Well now why would Tim pay attention in a history class he already finished?” I joked, giving Angela a little shove.

“Yeah. Tim’s the one not paying attention. Hey, give this to Ponyboy when you give him his papers back will you?” She held up her note.

“Sure. What’s it for anyways?”

“I wanna see if he’s interested in me, he’s not half bad Curly.”

“He’s not,” my answer came out flat and quick.

Angela cocked an eyebrow. “And how do you know that huh? I’m just shooting my shot. No harm in that.”

“He’s not into you. He knows better. He’s smart.”

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Angela asked, crossing her arms and waiting.

I pushed myself up onto the counter. “You know I didn’t mean it like that Angela.”

“Sure sounded like you did, Curly.”

“Look he just isn’t into chicks like you okay? I don’t want you to get hurt, that’s all.”

“I can take care of myself. Just give him the note,” she ended in a mumble, setting the note on his papers and going back to her room.

[bklynmusicnerd]

GH Catch Up Part One:

- Unlike pretty much everyone else, I'm an enjoyer of how much of a hater Portia can be when it comes to Spencer so that aspect of this ep was hilarious to me. Portia being so petty that she accuses Spencer's presence of making the Christmas lights go out, like he's the antichrist? Phenomenal. Portia being so annoyed at Spencer's presence that she loses control and immediately questions what he knows about love? Fantastic.

This is the level of petty we should have had when it comes to Portia's disapproval instead of her actively plotting against her daughter with the psycho who is obsessed with her. More of a return to what the core of the Portia element was supposed to be which was a controlling mother terrified of losing her daughter to adulthood (which Spencer's love is the most glaring symbol of).

- Anyways, the twisted part of me loves Portia in hater mode because it almost always means we're getting vulnerable Spencer. Portia will always be Spencer's most dangerous opp when it comes to Trina because for better or worse, she's one of if not the most important people in Trina's life. Trina craves her approval without even knowing she craves her approval, and Spencer recognizes that and has to move accordingly. So we basically just get very emotionally vulnerable Spencer making the case for how much he loves Trina which is always fun.

- Love that line from Spencer about hoping they get to know each other better in the new year. He survived almost getting dumped and is back to reminding Trina's people that he is going nowhere.

- Spencer's response to Portia was so good that it was almost ironic. Cause Spencer is the mature presence prioritizing his love of Trina over whatever frustrations he may have, while Portia could not control herself when it came to prioritizing her beef with Spencer. Again, Portia's issue with Spencer is not that she thinks he doesn't love her daughter. It's that she knows he does love her daughter and that her daughter loves him, and she's terrified about what that means.

- Curtis will always be the worst because he went from being the one who regularly puts the battery in Portia's back when it comes to being a hater to admonishing her for not giving Spencer a chance as if he's always been so reasonable. Can't stand that man and all that he gets away with.

- Not nearly enough Trina for me but I did love her comforting Spencer after he dealt with Portia's wrath and her line that she loved him for trying. A nice callback to a core piece of Trina and Spencer's love story which is that she recognizes his efforts to do/be better in a way that most don't and she loves him for that. In contrast to Portia, it's not about already being perfect for Trina. It's about the effort to try to be better.

- Spencer is definitely developing a pattern with these diamond-themed gifts for Trina.

- I'm conflicted on Portia's olive branch moment. It was nice, but I wish it was more inspired by wanting her daughter to be happy and less inspired by Curtis wagging his finger. Again, I'm looking for the mother and daughter moments in all of this because that's the core relationship dynamic at play here.

Curtis' approval is not nearly as relevant as Portia's because he did not raise Trina and trying to equate them just makes me roll my eyes. This is a Portia and Trina story that they're trying to make an "Ashfords" story, and I'm just not really here for the diluting.

- Love every update of Cam living his best life with Yuki. Rebound where?

- The Jake and Charlotte relationship updates are still so confusing to me. Liz is sure that Charlotte is Jake's girlfriend but has Charlotte ever referred to Jake as her boyfriend? I'm just trying to figure out if the Cassadine Queen in training is aware that she's apparently in a relationship.

- Trina continuously inviting Spencer to family events with zero heads up will never not be funny. It's her way of training them to accept her and Spencer as a package deal, and it's worked on pretty much everyone but Portia. Bonus points for Marshall graduating from calling Spencer "that Cassadine boy" to "Young Mr. Cassadine." That's his number one non-Trina fan in that household atp.

- Charlotte rocking Helena's necklace and talking about "my first battle wound." I love that they're doubling down on the Mini Helena thing because Charlotte is going to devour. Personally, I think the people around Charlotte are overestimating how much Victor needed to "manipulate" her, I think she's gonna be a "it's fun to do bad things" Cassadine instead of a tortured one and I'm looking forward to that.

- Charlotte Gibson did her thing with the Aiden coming out dialogue. I appreciated how much of a non-moment it was if that makes sense. The mood was a lowkey and warm space of trust that highlighted what a great mom Liz ended up becoming. I love how subtle it was with Aiden using the gender neutral "they're" and Liz picking up on it and just following his lead until he was ready to open up about having a crush on a guy. Really nice sweet Webber family moment, and I demand that we get Aidan/Tobias in 2024.

- Laura going on about the darkness/evilness of the Cassadine bloodline is extra funny while she coddles a psycho hybrid of Ryan and Heather.

- The Maxie and Spinnelli stuff is very convoluted and I still don't understand why the writers won't just do the simple solution of reuniting them already.

- Valentin and Anna breakup #4 was well-written and felt final (for now). They gave Valentin strong dialogue that actually felt like he was really processing how badly he fumbled Anna. But at the same time, this man played in Anna's face so many times that I'm just ready for her to move on. Valentin's karma for not trusting her will come as soon as he realizes that Charlotte is committed to this Mini Helena lifestyle.

- Oh and I have no thoughts on Stella and Marshall or whatever that was. The ghost of Curtis' mom that Marshall abandoned inspires him to put the moves on her sister? Sure, whatever, I guess.

[loniereads]

cr: Sufficiently Advanced Magic

*spoiler warning*

Chapter 1 - 5

Chapter one

“I was prepared in a thousand different ways that didn’t matter” - Me for every test I’ve ever taken ☺️✨✨

Omg is he gonna go look for his brother 🥺 This book said found family but make it literal - side note, love the name Tristan.

I hope it’s explained as to WHY hundreds of 17 year olds are enduring a judgment to their possible death????

Imagine you’re brother going basically missing, your mom leaving, and then your dad pulling you out of school so you can prepare to possibly ✨die✨

“It could take years to grow strong enough-” 🥺 He’s going to sacrifice years of his life and risk certain death just for a chance to reunite his family is this book gonna make me cry?

I don’t like his name as much as I like his brothers but yanno whatever- how do you even say Corin

I already hate the dad??? Hello? Your first son is gone and your second could follow in his fate and you don’t even see him off?? Fuck you buddy why are book dads such assholes

“I loathed hurting people. I always had.” so i have decided that if anything happens to Corin I will kill everyone in the room and then myself. WHAT A CUTIE SWEET SOUL

If this book forces him to hurt someone I’ll riot-

Oh my gosh he hates fighting but he’s willing to fight for his brother I LOVE HEALTHY BROTHER RELATIONSHIPS they’re so pure

Corin is so nice to try to explain all of this weapon stuff and rune stuff to me like I have any idea wtf he’s talking about- he’s talking and I’m like I’m just happy to be here ☺️

I feel like the fact that he’s paying for everything he takes is important- like maybe other people just take and don’t leave anything? But he’s like here’s a coin for you scary tower~

“It was too cute to die” why do I love Corin so

What a cute ass sweet ass cinnamon roll, my god🥺

HE FELT GUILTY FOR KILLING A SHADOW SNDKDNSK I love him sm what a king

Chapter two

Why does everything he say sound so intelligent

ldmoaha not Corin having a convo with a book

It’s been too long since I read a normal romance book why did my brain just decide to ship Corin and a BOOK

Ok but him taking time to ask about his brother has me so soft

What the flip chapter 2 was so short??? ):

Chapter three

“You shouldn’t have done that” how ominous and amazing and I love it

He so casually was like OH LOOK A DEAD BODY OH LOOKIE PEOPLE

Omg is he gonna find his brother in here- OH MY

OMG HE DID AHHHHH

just... kidding. He did infact not find him.

Oh wait someone younger than him though- so is going into the tower a choice? That would make it a little better. Like you decide when you go in or? I NEED MORE INFO PLS

The word resh is growing on me

He risked his gold key on her 🥺

I love this little merry band of criminals- also just hoping the kid doesn’t yanno....die

omg Keras is out here crushing stones with his bare hands 😏 hellooooo

Wait I’m so conflicted??? I want to trust Keras and Vera but I also want to trust the book alsnsish

Vera is a whole mood I really hope she’s not like evil or just a weird thing in the tower or idk whatever I want her to stay

AWWAIT ☹️☹️☹️ They left Keras behind- that can’t be it. He’s gotta come back right? Like book person is gonna save him? Right!!??

Chapter four

VERA SUCH A BADDDDIE

This ‘kid’ they’re carrying is just making out like a bandit, he’s just getting carried through the tower 😂

WOW FUCK YOU VERA??? UH I HOPE SOMETHING KILLS HER-but not rhe kid 😔

Okay this might be a weird jump- but WHAT IF THE BOOK ENTITY ISSSSS HIS BROTHER??????????? Like the book person seems to really care if Corin lives? so it’s either just like a really caring person, OR HIS BROTHER

Pls let me be right

That would be so cool

The book entity helped him to finish the rest completely? Is this allowed? This feels not allowed

Corin: fighting monsters with criminals in a magical tower, very time sensitive needs to escape quickly

Also Corin: lemme just wrote a little diary entry ✨☺️

So obviously he’s going to get to keep his memories

Also like he got out of the tower so easily? What?

“And don’t let anyone hassle you about your attunement.” HOW VERY OMONIOUS OF YOU TO SAY

Honestly- Fuck Magnus Cadence

REPLACEMENT? What?

His childhood bestfriend is his half sister? I love that???? Instead of making them love interests they’re half siblings that’s cool as hell. We love childhood friends to siblings trope

I will reiterate, FUCK MAGNUS CADENCE

I hope we get to see their friendship bc I’m here for this trope

Chapter five

🥺 he sent the boys glove to his parents I’m so soft

Their relationship makes me so happy?? Like I love this. So they better reunite or I’ll riot

BROTHERLY RELATIONSHIPS ARE THE BESTTT

I miss Keras 🥺

I am so unsure of Sera. I do love the sudden sibling, and I really really hope they end up having a cool relationship and like she helps him find his(their) brother and hdjsjdjs

If anyone gives Corin a hard time for his attunement I’ll throw hands-

Not them earning points at their schools- All I can think about how is “10 points to gryffindor”

I love the word behooves

Can they go back into the tower already 💀 This down time is killing me. I want book entity, Keras and that boy who was unconscious the entire time back.

-side note, I absolutely love how all three of them(Keras, Corin, and Vera) were all so concerned with this unconscious boy and they literally carried him to complete safety. Who is this boy?? Will he come back? I miss him he better not be be dead. Vera can die but not unconscious boy.

I don’t know if I’m supposed to like Sera... but she’s giving me “I’m better than you because I have a better attunement” vibes and I do not like that at all so if Icneed to I will pretend to doesn’t exist.

Aw the schools has like animal representatives decisions?? CUTE UM. - there’s way too many for my brain to keep up with but I love them anyway

Not them assigning kids to basically play pranks on everyone else and tell them if they don’t find the prankster kids they lose points- what a weird ass school

“You and Patrick were practically brothers” GIRL YOU CANT SAY THINGS LIKE THAT TO SOMEONE WHO HAS AN ACTUAL BROTHER WHO IS MISSING AND/OR DEAD

-Also I know Tristen isn’t dead because like then what would be the point huh? HUH? So he’s got to be alive

Or I’ll riot.

“A walking rainstorm” idk why but that is so fucking adorable. I love my new comfort raintorm, Corin.

I can’t wait for them(Corin and Sera) to meet up with their friends and they have to explain that they’re now half siblings.

Them reminding him to not lose his little sigil pin makes me feel like he’s going to lose or forget it ummmm

Imagine getting fucking EXPELLED because you forgot your pin on your other uniform.

I feel like that would be me honestly. Are people not just...forgetful in this universe??

Ngl i would hate to be in the tortoise division

Corins attunement is lamer but his division is called the Phoenix? Like that’s so much cooler than tortoise

The fact that sera is trying to convince me the Spider division isn’t real makes me feel like she’s in it???

I know my babey Corin didn’t mean this as snarky as I would have liked him to but I love this line so much.

SARCASTIC BOYS WITH DADDY ISSUES OWN ME AND IM NOT ASHAMED TO ADMIT IT

Ngl I was hoping they would have roommates- I love a good school roommate dynamic

For the third time I would like to make my opinion to be known; FUCK MAGNUS CADENCE

Why has no one made a playlist for this book on Spotify? I am throughly disappointed

Not Corin being ghosted by his book-

I wish I had half the motivation Corin has? Like it’s my boys first day of school and as soon as he gets into his room he starts studying. I would have taken a nap

Oop jk as soon as he couldn’t find the rune he was looking for he went to lay in bed.

I’m sorry what in the hell is Wyddsday??? Did I miss them explaining to hat this universe has different names for it’s days of the week?? How am I supposed to know when this is Corin? Or what day it even is currently

World building is so intricate and interesting and I absolutely live for it- but it’s literally so frustrating sometimes learning and remembering everything

Okay Sera being less irritated about her studies being interrupted because it’s Corin is cute

Fuck

I still don’t know if I’m supposed to like Sera

Tashday, Fersday, Kyrsday, Tensday, Vasday, and Wyddsday- either I can’t count or they’re missing a day. And what order do they go in? I need a calendar insert pls and thanks

Wait wait did he just run into an ex? What is this sndlsnsin “long-buried emotions”??

Oooo we get a name. Cecily Lambert

I didn’t possibly think I could relate to Corin anymore than I already do but here I am

The dorm chiefs introduce themselves to everyone? How cute and Curtis didn’t seem at all annoyed by Corin asking so many questions I love when upperclassman in books aren’t rude for no reason. It’s such a tiring trait they often have smh

I need his exams to hurry up because I would very much like to get back to the fast paced tower scenes-

I know absolutely nothing about Jin but I love him immensely