#and now i have more fun w anne if i interpret it like they all hated me dot meme

[wrishwrosh]

not to be reductive but i want to go back in time and give jane austen ssris. just to see

[touchmycoat]

mido, i would like to uhh ask for our thots on something - lemme preface this ask first by saying that this is more of a "me" problem, than it is the other party, but, here goes: if there's one thing that i've learned since consuming danmei, it's that you have two very different approaches to it re: fandom. on the one hand, you have the camp of ppl who like to go all out and wild w/ canon, do whatever, enjoy however, and on the other, ppl who try to stick closely to canon, or - 1/?

- those who don't even engage in fandom at all, and are just there to discuss the text as it is. there's nothing wrong with both approaches - we're all just here to have a good time. that being said, it kind of is giving me ??? doubt as to whether or not i'm enjoying fandom the right way. ofc there's no wrong or right way to enjoy a piece of media, and i like to think that this sin't an anne rice situation at all, but - i see ppl say fanon is shit all the time, ppl don't like certain ships.. 2/?

b/c the characters in the ships are so far removed from who they are in the text that they're pretty much just "ocs wearing the character's faces" that i have to just pause, and rlly ponder - am i doing fandom the *right* way? and it's cause for concern because i've done fandom like this ever since. i mean, my first foray into fandom was legit reading pwp/dead dove wild-ass content that was so far removed from canon, and it's been the same for every fandom i've ever been a part of 3/?

a bit of bg on me: before i came to danmei, i was knee-deep in comics. and if there's one thing you need to know abt comics - hell, even star wars - it's that anything goes re: canon because canon changes SO MUCH every few years - canon is always at the whims of the next writer who comes on board, and so it's more or less just a free-for-all pick-what-you-want buffet re: canon. doesn't mean you didn't have the occasional disk horse or meta re: canon & fanon, but. 4/?

i suppose it's just been quite.. the change of pace? anyway, fun fact: i came away from my last fandoms worrying abt and trying to be more dead dove, and now i'm worrying abt whether or not my interpretations will be canon-compliant enough. (damn @self, pick a struggle dude) anyways, one thing i've noticed is that, with mxtx, sv mains are well, i mean the book is legit sy reinventing pidw canon, and anything just goes in sv - so it's perfect. and i guess my worry is that there are - 6/?

- some mdzs-main authors whom i rlly rlly respect but am also so intimidated by because they have such amazing meta on canon events that i'm a little worried abt them seeing my works in the sv ao3 tag - even tho i know some of them don't rlly read fic - and well, getting vagued abt how my fic and interpretation of the story might be, or is, subpar. like i said, it's a me problem, because fandom is all abt writing for yourself, and the easy fix is to simply post on an altogether diff platform 7/?

but, yeah. i guess i'm just - i'm feeling kinda lost, and i get that this is borne out of my own irrational anxiety, but - what're are your thoughts on it? what do you think - is there like, not exactly *right*, but a more *aligned* way of interpreting canon that stays true to the spirit of the story, or should fandom be also all abt going crazy with your ideas? imo, u could adapt a "business in the front, party in the back" strategy on ao3 8/?

- use two complete separate profiles - one account for canon-compliant stuff and another for the id-stuff. but, yeah. i realize that the numbering of my asks may be wonky as hell, because i didn't write this ask in one go and section it off, so i'm rlly sorry if the numbering is confusing af when you view it in your inbox. anyways, that's abt it, and thank you sm for entertaining me, i rlly appreciate i. no rush, this is a super long and ?? ask, and i hope you have a nice day!

--

aah i hope you're having a good day too darling! it sounds like you're feeling anxious about the engagement aspect of fandom, that maybe there's a monolithic interpretation of canon and a "mainstream" way fans are supposed to enact fics/art/vids/etc. To deviate from that would garner negative notoriety, specifically from people whose interpretations are widely regarded as "good and true" and whose interpretations you also do personally like.

To directly answer your question, I do think that fandom should be all about going crazy with your ideas. I don't believe in any policing at all.

Let me try to impose a concrete example onto this real quick (do tell me if I'm misunderstanding). Back when I was on bird app, i followed two kinds of accounts: the Analysts and the Horny Folks. They're not mutually exclusive ofc lmfao but for the sake of ease: we have a set of tweets that are like, "SV identifies XYZ specific failings in stallion novel tropes, prescribes them to toxic masculinity, and reworks them in ABC ways" and another set of tweets that are like, "so Bingge kidnaps SQQ and LQG from canon timeline and fists them both one on each hand." Both kinds of tweets take hard (hard 💕) work to produce and both kinds feed me, god bless. But if you were to write fic based on these, only the first kind of tweets invites the question of whether or not you're going to incorporate that into your writing, which may or may not manifest as pressure bc it's 1) from a person you appreciate and 2) if you don't, you think maybe other fans who've seen those tweets will think you're doing something wrong or ignorant. Furthermore, if I want to write fic based on the second kind of tweets, do I then have to incorporate the gospel as spoken by the first kind of tweets??

Hell no!! You sure can but you don't have to. I feel like you know this is the answer already so let me just affirm that.

Look, I will say that I think there are fan interpretations out there that are more canon-aligned—but then I gotta ask myself the question, which fics are trying to be? When I read a Modern AU winter fluff 2k songxiao fic, I don't need it to have incisive commentary on the canon theme of blame and complicity, y'know? The fans who wrote that fic also aren't trying to give me that. Same thing with porn. I think the question at the heart of all reading endeavors is "what is the author trying to do?" The onus isn't all on the writer to be good, imo. Good readers will ask that question and meet the author where they're at, esp in fandom. It makes no sense to expect the same thing of a 4k coffee shop AU meet-cute and a 40k post-canon fix-it. It sounds like you're a generous reader and fan who is experienced with accepting, appreciating, and working with multiple interpretations of fandom (oh man, coming from comic fandoms?? you've got a soul of steel babe). So you know well that not everybody needs one definite and consistent reading of canon to happily engage in fandom. Many others are the same as you~! Even the BNFs, most likely. And if you follow people who post things that sour your self-confidence, here's the friendly reminder to unfollow them.

Another possible way to avoid concerns about being called out for misinterpretation is to write for smaller ships and audiences lmfao. Too many existing metas about the main character? Write about a minor character instead, wahoo! Too much ship content with a cemented dynamic? Write a completely new ship nobody's even heard of, ayooo. It's both good writing exercise and good for the soul 'cause people who find you want to be there and everyone else won't even see what you've done. I just think it's sexy lololol on both the reading and writing sides.

Okay also—there are interesting politics about "who has the more correct interpretation" when it comes to danmei bc not everyone has access to Chinese. I don't know if this plays a factor in your worries in any way? It's a whole other conversation lmfao so I'll keep it short but I definitely have had complex feelings about my own readings vs. non-Chinese speakers' readings vs. other "authorities" on interpreting the Chinese etc. etc.

At the end of the day, fandom is a sandbox and you should play how you want. Write your id fics, publish them on main, publish them on anon, don't publish them at all—whatever makes you happy! It sounds like visibility plays a large part in what you're anxious about? So yeah, maybe a side account or going anon is the way to go. I know people who do exactly what you said, one main for the character work and one side for the id food!! That's fucking valid fam. I have works on anon for the same reason.

As for people visibly chatting about the validity of certain characterizations or interpretations...that just can't be helped, y'know? It's the nature of the internet, and it's another way of fandom engagement. As long as it's not mean-spirited, I think you just have to make peace with it. Carry that dead dove spirit with you, maybe!! I fucking love dead dove fics. "I have done this and it is here and I'm not apologetic about it." That's just completely tits out and phenomenal. Alternatively, maybe try to manifest digital data in analog—this is what I do whenever I get anxious about my presence in fandom. The digital world distort the impact and importance of most things, y'know? Whenever I think someone is out of my league, it helps me to imagine a chat as a face-to-face discussion, and that reminds me this is a cool person yeah but they still have like, a real face and a real body with all of its real, normal things like itching and the possibility of tripping on stuff. A BNF might say something that makes me feel super insecure but i dunno, they still have to periodically scrub down the sink. They're still cool but they're also normal. Your methods of engagement are 100% valid with or without consideration to people you admire.

anyways those are my thoughts. It might also be worth mentioning too that people who apply strict standards of canon-compliance to their own readings and writings might not apply those same standards to others. I certainly don't. I mean, it's arguable how canon-compliant my interpretations are lmfao but I certainly try for it. But it's not so important for when I'm reading, y'feel? The central concern of reading, at least for me, is more "has this author sold me on their story" and less about whether or not it complies with "my" readings. if I'm only interested in my readings, I wouldn't be reading other people's works. And if I am in fact not interested in other people's interpretations, then maybe you shouldn't be so interested in my interpretations either hahahha.

[roc-thoughtblog]

Sense and Sensibility Readthrough Part 19

Chapter 22, Pages 111-119

Hubris is defined as not taking your medication for the week and assuming you'd still have a productive time. It's only 5pm Wednesday so it's not too late to humble myself.

Previously, the Miss Steeles were introduced. The older is very much into beaux, and the younger is very often socially mortified by the former. Elinor is disapproves, but, they mysteriously know Eddie Ferrars, so perhaps she will have to put up with them until they give up the goods.

Not that her opinion matters too greatly when Sir Middleton never runs out of social plans. :'D

Also, thank you for telling me beaux is plural of beau!

Commenting from after having read the chapter: Oh, Elinor...

Readthrough below.

Chapter 22

MARIANNE, WHO never had much tolerance for anything like [...]

And this first sentence goes the whole first paragraph for a whopping 11 lines! It's not exclusively about Marianne's intolerances but there's still quite a lot of that. The second half is about how the Steele sisters prefer Elinor because Marianne is just that standoffish with them but I wonder if there's a literary purpose to cramming all that information into one sentence? It's certainly taxing to get my mind around, though I'm not really sure that's reflective of the Steeles when it's partially about Marianne. Perhaps all parties are exhausting?

In Lucy Steele, the younger sister, Elinor finds a companion of natural wit and intelligence, but lacking in any formal education; though I assume by "illiterate" Austen means that Lucy is simply not versed in literature, as opposed to outright illiterate.

She still doesn't like her.

Seems she also finds Lucy to be flippant and lacking any consistency of opinion, and maybe also attention-seeky. Also that they can't really talk about anything interesting to Elinor as she's not educated enough to share any tastes. That's... a shame that Elinor takes this stance. She reads Lucy's constant flattery of everything as insincerety but I don't have any reason not to think Lucy is just a genuinely positive person about everything. Personally, I would call nearabouts everyone I meet really nice, but that doesn't mean I don't think it's true! As you can see as I try to defy the interpretations of almost every character that has been described unflatteringly by the Dashwood sisters. :'D

Except Mr. Palmer, I have no good interpretations of Mr. Palmer.

Also, just because she's not formally educated doesn't mean she can't be fun to talk to! Engage people on their interests Elinor, not just your personal tastes! Well, I say all this but it's not as though I always live up to my ideal of open sociability.

Lucy asks Elinor if she knows Mrs. Ferrars, Eddie's mother. Elinor is reticent to reveal that she thinks his mother is uh, controlling, but does I think truthfully respond that she's never met the lady in person.

Elinor replies without explicit dialogue a lot, which in the Dashwood sisters I've started to take as signifying instances where not merely do they have nothing interesting to say for the reader to read, but also that they are not invested enough in their conversation partner enough to give a proper reply. Elinor does this a little bit here to Lucy, until, that is, Lucy really catches her interest. Now it's ALL DIALOGUE.

See, Lucy really genuinely wants to know about Mrs. Ferrars, surprising Elinor indeed, who's still hung up on the question of how the Steeles are connected to the Ferrars.

"But if I dared not tell you all, you would not be so much surprised. Mrs. Ferrars is certainly nothing to me at present - but the time may come - how soon it will come must depend upon herself - when we may be very intimately connected."

Oh. Oooooohhhh no. Oooooooh boy. Hmm. Yes. Well. I remember Eddie has a more successful (younger?) brother, but I feel like this isn't a fake-out just to give Elinor a heart attack and then move on. Somebody familiar with Austen and queer readings correct me on this, but I also don't see the remote possibility that this is implying Miss Steele is hooking up with Eddie's mother. So.........

I'm sitting here having not turned to the next page yet. Good heavens! indeed, Elinor.

"No," replied Lucy, "not to Mr. Robert Ferrars - I never saw him in my life; but," fixing her eyes upon Elinor, "to his eldest brother."

T-there it is. And Eddie has the hair ring too, doesn't sound one-sided... could still be parental setup, but Lucy apparently doesn't know nearly enough about Mrs. Ferrars...

What Elinor felt at that moment? Astonishment, that would have been as painful as it was strong, had not an immediate disbelief of assertion attended it.

Oh no. As painful as it is strong? Poor Elinor, that's going to hurt when the shock wears off...

A moment of silence for Elinor before I continue, which I'm going to take a short walk on.

So Elinor's... outwardly taking it well. Lucy continues her explanation.

FOUR YEARS.

FOUR YEARS.

LUCY AND EDDIE HAVE BEEN ENGAGED FOUR YEARS.

EDWARD AND LUCY HAVE KEPT THEIR ENGAGEMENT A SECRET FOR FOUR YEARS.

"May I ask if your engagement is long standing?" "We have been engaged these four years."

FOUR YEARS.

ELINOR NEVER HAD A CHANCE.

"I know he has the highest opinion in the world of all your family, and looks upon yourself and the other Miss Dashwoods quite as his own sisters -"

SHE WAS JUST A FRIEND. SHE WAS JUST   A   F R I E N D.

S H E   W A S   L I K E   A   S I S T E R   T O   H I M.

Alright. Well I needed to process that a bit too.

See, it's one thing for me to expect that Eddie was already engaged to somebody else. I would've been ready for that. Maybe he just moved on after Elinor was gone or something. I would've been like "yep, yeah that was expected." But FOUR YEARS. HE WAS ALREADY ENGAGED FOUR YEARS AGO.

How does this recontextualise the earlier parts of the novel? It was a hundred pages ago I don't even remember! Was this all the Dashwoods' imaginations? Am I going to go back and find out the narrative very specifically refused to state anything except that the Dashwoods thought this to be the case? Was Edward leading Elinor along the whole time? Did he know?? He seemed to be feeling guilt or shame or something so he must know about Elinor's feelings right??? AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

ANyway.

So it's been a secret the whole time. Of Lucy's family only Anne Steele knows, and considering Edward I imagine literally nobody knows in general. Lucy and Edward have known each other for many years, ever since Edward stayed with her uncle Mr. Pratt, whom I don't recall coming up at all before but I wouldn't be surprised if he was name-dropped once in the beginning. Edward is so reticent about himself that Elinor barely knows/remembers anything about Mr. Pratt's existence.

I'm taking these quotes thoroughly out of order because I have been knocked out of order, but I want to highlight this;

Her astonishment at what she heard was at first too great for words; but at length forcing herself to speak, and to speak cautiously, she said, with calmness of manner, which tolerably well concealed her surprise and solicitude:

The forced calm, trying to suppress the adrenaline early, trying to keep up the mask of the disaffected. It was obvious enough that Lucy noticed and stopped mid-sentence to wait for her. Oh Elinor. How fast is her heart beating? Where has her breath gone? And "tolerably well concealed" is not "concealed." She's speaking slowly and carefully, before she's even calmed down. How much shakiness is still audible in her words? How taut has each syllable been stretched, to maintain control? Where was the misplaced pause, a necessity to find the next word?

"May- may I ask if your engagement has been long standing?" "May  I ask   if   your   engagement   has been long- long standing?" "May I   ask   if your engagement has been longstanding?"

Anyway.

Elinor's in either the denial stage or the bargaining stage. Well it's a lot to spring on her, we can't all have omniescent narrative security from beyond the fourth wall.

"Though you do not know him so well as me, Miss Dashwood, you must have seen enough of him to be sensible he is very capable of making a woman sincerely attached to him." “Certainly," answered Elinor, without knowing what she said;

PFFHAHA. Well, Elinor's composure is well and truly gone. If there's one positive thing that might come out of love triangles (positive negotiation sort, not toxic rivalry) it would be the sincere solidarity over the best qualities of the subject of their competitive affections. Though it doesn't seem like Elinor is disposed to be friends with Lucy, sadly...

I think Lucy just wants to be friends, but, uh, well. On the one hand I don't know how sensitive she's being right now really but on the other hand, I dunno how you can sensitively break it to someone that their crush has actually been your fiance for FOUR YEARS. Like, if Eddie knew, this is something he shoulda nipped in the bud long ago.

I think I've already spent an hour trying to process everything here.

The secrecy of the engagement makes sense too. I don't think Eddie's mother would ever have approved of any engagement without thorough vetting of the suitor's prospects. A secret youthful engagement must therefore remain very secret. No wonder Lucy's so concerned about Mrs. Ferrars now, too. And Eddie's only known the Dashwoods with the context of his sister hovering nearby, just ready to be generally Fanny. If information about Lucy had gotten out to Marianne that would already be a risk, but there was MARGARET too, and that sure worked out for Elinor. No wonder the Dashwoods heard nothing.

...

Elinor could tank this if she leaked the engagement. Please don't do that Elinor, it- oh no. Elinor won't do that. What if Marianne does it on Elinor's behalf? Oh no oh no. I hope that doesn't happen. Lucy's a nice girl. :(

Come to think of it, as far as underhanded deals go, there is a possibility that Lucy is actually faking this information, knowing that Elinor is interested in Edward, in order to drive her away. That... wouldn't be the case would it...? But he does have the hair ring... It's not like she pressed her into an engagement right...? AM I BARGAINING ON ELINOR'S BEHALF?

Lucy demonstrably proves she's talking about Edward Ferrars and nobody else by showing Elinor a picture of her beau. A thought, considering how much Edward has spoken to Lucy of the Dashwoods, no wonder she was so keen to meet them.

And Lucy is so happy to be able to confide in Elinor because she has noone else besides Anne, who is understandably a liablity in terms of secrecy, and gives poor advice in general. How fortunate to have somebody so level-headed as Elinor! Edward's name coming up at all from Sir Middleton did mortify her at the possibility of beans being spilled. Lucy is so stressed that the secrecy is such that she barely gets to see Edward at all, and never knows what will be of her future. Please Lucy, you know the context of Edward's being mentioned at all, spare a thought for Elinor. :(

Here she took out her handkerchief; but Elinor did not feel very compassionate.

... Yeah.

"Sometimes," continued Lucy, after wiping her eyes, "I think whether it would not be better for us both to break off the matter entirely. [...] What would you advise me to do in such a case, Miss Dashwood?"

Uh. Wrong person to ask. Elinor sure thinks so too. Ah but Lucy even explains why he's been despirited. So it's not as much any guilt or shame so much as stress about his future with Lucy. It does also explain him leaving in a hurry with no explanation, anything related to Lucy would have no explanation given.

And Lucy shows Elinor a letter sent to her by Edward; now all doubts are cleared. She also explains that the hair-set ring is hers, asking her if she had seen it;

"I did," said Elinor, with a composure of voice, under which was concealed an emotion and distress beyond anything she had ever felt before."

After sitting with them a few minutes, the Miss Steeles returned to the Park, and Elinor was at liberty to think and be wretched.

Poor Elinor. "at liberty to think and be wretched" is also a very nice line to end a chapter on. I've definitely felt that before too.

Well.

This chapter. A lot happened here. What's Marianne going to find out next about Willoughby when the Palmers return?? We still don't know about Brandon's daughter!!

I understand now too why the chapter with the Palmers got sandwiched between the preceding chapters and the introduction of the Steeles, and why the transition seemed strangely long. The lack of information lulls a false sense of security, and also it's a small buffer in the pacing to not immediately just, roll reveals onto the reader.

I can think of Lucy as nothing but earnest at least, though, quite insensitive to Elinor's feelings in a way that should have been obvious. Umm. I don't know what to say or think about Edward right now. He's barely appeared really, I can't get a read on him. Floating the idea at the end that Lucy is not secure in her engagement, and also that it could be easily broken by the secret getting out, does... leave the whole consequences of this reveal up in the air really. It's thoroughly within Elinor's power to break them up, but...

Ah, my minds a bit overloaded now and I've gone way overtime so I'll leave the rest to consider next time after I've digested it a bit.

Poor Elinor.

[austennerdita2533]

I'm so happy that you love Folklore too! It's not just my favorite Taylor Swift album, but easily one of by favorite albums, full stop :) Here's a fun challenge: which Folklore songs remind you of a certain ship? So is there a Folklore song that makes you think of literati? Another one that makes you think of a Grey's ship? A third that makes you think of Elizabeth/Darcy? A fourth that reminds you of Klaroline and - I'll shut up, you get the idea :) Pick any Folklore songs/ships you want!

Taylor Swift’s latest album is a masterclass of musical poetry and storytelling. Rarely do I download every song a musician puts out on a new album (I tend to pick and choose), but I can genuinely say I never hit DOWNLOAD so fast in my life before than I did with Folklore! I love all sixteen tracks! I’ve been listening to them on a loop for two days straight and I imagine that’s likely to continue for the foreseeable future.

Also, YASSS! That is a fun challenge! It’s also one I can manage because I’ve been thinking about how certain songs/lyrics apply to many of my ships since I first started listening anyway. Prepare yourself. This is gonna be long. 😁

Okay SO, for Literati... 

If I’m angling to lean into s3-s6 angst that was Rory and Jess at that point in the OG series, then I’d say the 1 is a good fit. That song has the same energy as someone who’s writing a goodbye letter to a loved one that will never be sent. It’s cleansing. Cathartic. An exorcism of feeling. It absolutely reeks of regret and longing with just a touch of look-back-over-your-shoulder-and-wish, just wish, that things could have been different:

“But we were something, don't you think so?”

“And if my wishes came true It would've been you“

“But it would've been fun If you would've been the one”

However, if I’m in more of a They’ll Come Back to Each Other mood with Literati then I think this is me trying screams Rory and Jess. That song emanates nostalgia! It’s haunting in tone (with the echoes, with some slight vibrato). The lyrics bleed with feeling, with emotion that should have rusted long ago but hasn’t. Love is still as red as it was at the beginning of everything only now...only now there’s realization and an attempt at atonement for past mistakes...

“I didn't know if you'd care if I came back I have a lot of regrets about that Pulled the car off the road to the lookout Could've followed my fears all the way down And maybe I don't quite know what to say But I'm here in your doorway“

It's hard to be anywhere these days When all I want is you You're a flashback in a film reel On the one screen in my town (the town, of course, made me think of Stars Hollow)

I just wanted you to know That this is me trying At least I'm trying

For Darcy and Elizabeth, I think seven works well for them in spots. If you listen to the song, there’s a little bit of an echoey timber to the way Taylor sings it and that gave me the sense of how classic love stories/literature kind of ripple across time, you know? How the pages may crinkle or yellow over the years, but they still leave their mark. Plus, there’s also the piano in the background. Almost feather light. It mixes with what sounds like violins in places. Idk, it has a slight P&P 2005 vibe about it to me:

“Please picture me in the weeds Before I learned civility” >> (Because did Darcy learn civility before or after Lizzie eviscerated him mid-proposal at Rosings? Did Lizzie learn to temper her prejudice before or after Lydia ran away with Wickham?)

“Passed down like folk songs Our love lasts so long“ >> (Elizabeth says herself she’s going to be happier than Jane because “[she] laughs; [her sister] only smiles.”)

I have a couple for Klaroline, too. hoax jumped out at me for them first because it’s layered with darkness and angst. The imagery pops. It’s all smoking guns and eclipsed suns and screaming on cliffsides; which, for a pair of supernaturals, and for an Original who has a history of leaving blood in his wake, I think some visuals of misery and violence are a fitting thing. I’m also obsessed with the piano in this. The way she strokes her fingers over the keys - quick tap, tap, taps then a slow one or two in places - gives you a sense of running. It’s a great parallel to her lyric about “sleepless nights.” Here are some other Klaroline-heavy lyrics in this song:

“You knew it still hurts underneath my scars From when they pulled me apart But what you did was just as dark Darling, this was just as hard As when they pulled me apart” >> (This whole section just booms with “I’ve shown kindness. Forgiveness. Pity. For you, Caroline It was all for you” energy.)

“Your faithless love's the only hoax I believe in Don't want no other shade of blue But you No other sadness in the world would do“

peace is the other song that had me crying in Klaroline. I like the softness of it, the vulnerability. I imagine it more from Klaus’s perspective, though, because it strikes me as more confessional in nature. Like it’s a revelation that’s being dragged across his teeth and he wants to scream. Almost as if these aren’t necessarily feelings he wants to share, or wants known, but there’s just no holding them back now. He’s thrown off the lid. Caroline needs to be able to walk toward him with her eyes wide open, so he only speaks truth, he only speaks honesty now. Similar to hoax, this song has darker imagery as well. There’s fire and fences and trenches and all that jazz:

“Your integrity makes me seem small You paint dreamscapes on the wall“ >> (Same energy as “you’re strong, beautiful, full of light.”)

“And you know that I'd Swing with you for the fences Sit with you in the trenches” >> (basically a promise that he’d fight FOR her and WITH her)

“But I'm a fire and I'll keep your brittle heart warm If your cascade ocean wave blues come All these people think love's for show But I would die for you in secret“ >> (THIS IS THE PART THAT HITS ME THE MOST BC so much of Klaus’s love is shown not spoken, so yeah, he dies for her in secret all. the. time. already. There are 5 other ways I could interpret that as well. But I will spare you haha)

“The devil's in the details

“Would it be enough If I could never give you peace?” >>With supernatural enemies everywhere, there won’t be much peace, will there?

I get walloped with Braime/Jaime and Brienne feels every time I listen to epiphany. Like, it’s actually rude how much this song makes me think of them. I can close my eyes and hear their swords clanging, taste the blood of their injuries on my tongue; feel the ash claw their throats, sting their eyes. Just--ah! The two of them serving, fighting back-to-back, two knights with an unspoken oath to protect a love they haven’t even voiced out loud yet...*cries*

“Only twenty minutes to sleep But you dream of some epiphany Just one single glimpse of relief To make some sense of what you've seen

“With you, I serve With you, I fall down Down Watch you breathin' Watch you breathin' out Out“

invisible strings makes me think of Shirbert/Anne and Gilbert. I love the pluck of guitar strings and how it has this air of innocence and sunshine and green grasses about it even though it’s being told/sung from a hilltop of experience. There’s so much imagery in this song, so much color and figurative language, that I can’t help but think it’s perfect for our imaginative dreamy-eyed girl and the boy who’s adored her since he first tugged her pigtails and called her Carrots in that schoolroom:

“Green was the color of the grass Where I used to read at Centennial Park >> (Can’t you just picture Anne lying in the grass, a book in her hand, flowers in her hair?) I used to think I would meet somebody there Teal was the color of your shirt When you were sixteen at the yogurt shop“

“Time, curious time Gave me no compasses, gave me no signs Were there clues I didn't see?“

“Wool to brave the seasons One single thread of gold Tied me to you“ >> (Love the warmth and vibrancy of this. The wool makes me think of Avonlea blanketed in snow; the gold has me drinking sunshine, smelling goldenrod in October)

“Time, wondrous time Gave me the blues and then purple-pink skies“

“And isn't it just so pretty to think All along there was some Invisible string Tying you to me?“ (Love the idea of the string representing their friendship, how it never snipped. How it only braided together, growing tauter, closer, all the time.)

august hits me with a waterfall of Darvey/Donna and Harvey feels. There’s a wistfulness about this song that settles in my gut, twisting it with longing, with musings of all those Almosts in relationships that were so close to coming to fruition then never did. It’s so incredibly reminiscent of how Donna and Harvey toe the lie between friends and almost lovers who-are-nearly-there-but-not-quite for 12 years. IT HURTS SO GOOD.

“Back when we were still changin' for the better >> (THIS IS SO EMOTIONALLY RESONANT IT HURTS) Wanting was enough For me, it was enough To live for the hope of it all Canceled plans just in case you'd call”

But I can see us lost in the memory August slipped away into a moment in time 'Cause it was never mine And I can see us twisted in bedsheets August sipped away like a bottle of wine 'Cause you were never mine >> (Obviously I’m swimming in the angst of this until my fingers get all pruny.) 

Finally there’s mirrorball which is Jisbon/Jane and Lisbon all the way! It’s funny because when I first listened to Folkore I thought that’d be one of the last songs I’d pair with a ship?? YET HERE I AM. Jane was in the carnival circuit growing up and I cannot, for the life of me, stop attaching him to all the descriptions of the circus/revelry. So much of his schtick throughout the show comes down to trickery and observation, which he uses to size people up, and sarcasm, which he often employs as a defense mechanism to keep people at an emotional distance. I like the theme of this song for him and Lisbon. As the mirrorball, he’s shining his true self only for her. She’s the only person who sees his “shattered edges”; she’s not distracted by all his “glistening.” Here are my favorite lyrics that are applicable to them:

“I'm a mirrorball I'll show you every version of yourself tonight

“I can change everything about me to fit in You are not like the regulars The masquerade revelers Drunk as they watch my shattered edges glisten” >> (Okay, so this makes me think Jane’s on camera confession to Erica Flynn: “I’m looking for someone who…uh, someone I can trust. Someone strong. Someone at peace with themselves. Someone better than me. Someone who knows the…worst side of me and still loves me.")

“And they called off the circus, burned the disco down When they sent home the horses and the rodeo clowns I'm still on that tightrope I'm still trying everything to get you laughing at me”

“I'm still on that trapeze I'm still trying everything to keep you looking at me“

I will stop there because otherwise I could sit here analyzing songs and ships for the rest of my life, boring you to tears haha. Thanks for this, lovely! (And obviously I’d love to hear some of your song/ship matchups as well!) xx

[project-nightshade]

11/11/11 - Tag Game

Thanks for the tag @ofinkblotsandscript !! :)

Rules: answer 11 questions, ask 11 questions of 11 people

——

1. What is your favourite genre to write?

Fantasy probably, especially high fantasy! It’s just so fun to build a fantasy world from scratch!

2. Who is your favourite OC and why?

I change favourites all the time but currently it’s Corinth because I’m so satisfied with his (planned) character arc!

3. Who is your least favourite OC and why?

I don’t really have a least favourite OC, but I do have several neglected ones haha

4. Do you ever find yourself self-inserting in your writing?

No, not really. But I do have something to say about self-inserts that is not actually related to the question.

This is going to sound controversial but I think the writing community is overly-critical of self-insert characters.

The main issue many may have with self-insert characters, is not so much the fact that it’s a self-insert, but that the writer can be too biased towards their self-insert character to a point where the writing becomes illogical. But if self-insert characters are given the same treatment and same amount of complexities as any other character, they can actually work really well!

For example, in Dazai Osamu’s iconic literary work ‘No Longer Human’, Dazai wrote himself into the protangonist of the story, and the character worked so well that I find myself crying at climatic parts of the story!

There are many other of such classic literary work, where the story is essentially a fictional autobiography of the authors themselves, like W. Somerset Maugham’s ‘Of Human Bondage’. And sometimes the author may write themselves into side characters of their story, like when Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote himself as the father in ‘The Brothers Karamazov’.

Heck, ‘Diary of a Young Girl’ was literally Anne Frank’s personal diary, and it resonated with so many readers worwide!

My point is made, it’s time to debunk the myth that self-insert characters are inherently bad, when they can in fact be written well when given the same amount of complexity as any other character.

5. Are you hoping to publish your work? If so will you submit your work or self-publish?

I actually don’t know. For Project Nightshade, I have the world, the character and the plot planned out, but I haven’t given much thought to publishing yet. Right now I’m inclining towards making it a visual novel, so I’m thinking maybe tapas? Idk I really don’t know yet, I might write instead if my art skills are not good enough :”

6. What is your favourite book and why?

Oh no it’s so hard to pick a favourite because I have so many! But if I have to, it’s got to be one is Jimmy Liao’s (幾米） book ‘Wo De Shi Jie Dou Shi Ni’ （我的世界都是你), which roughly translates to ‘My World is You’.

Jimmy writes short illustrated books, but he has such a unique storytelling style that it had struck a chord with me since I was very young (maybe 7 or so). His sentence structure and choice of words are very simple, such that even a child can understand it, yet the simplicity and authenticity of his words made them beautifully poetic. His accompanying illustrations are whimsical and beautifully composed, and lends his book such an iconic look, that it becomes immediately recognisable to his readers! I have so much admiration for him as both an author and an artist!

I adore all of his works, but his book ‘My World is You’ takes the cake for me. The book is about a little girl dealing with the loss of her mother (as represented by her puppy ragdoll), where each night she visits a different entity in a room and learns a different lesson about loss. The story is told from the little girl’s perspective and dealt with such a heavy topic in such a profound and astoundingly poetic way, that I find myself clinging tightly to every single word. The story is such a simple story, yet is so emotional that I still find myself crying my eyes out every time even though I’ve probably read it over twenty times already. The book is cleverly written, because while it appeals to children through its beautiful illustrations, it also grapples with mature themes like loss in a sophisticated manner, such that it can help children learn about loss in a healthy way. At the same time, his book also appeals to adults, who can relate with the little girl’s struggle with loss, and is also more capable of interpreting complex meanings hidden in the narrative.

Jimmy Liao is seriously underrated and I hope that someday his works can be translated so that they can reach a wider international audience. I had fallen in love with his writing (and drawing) at age 7 and even now I still absolutely adore his work, and if anything I learnt to appreciate them more! In other words, his writing is really one that ages well along with his readers, and his books will always have a special place in my heart.

7. Do you set yourself goals in your writing? If so what is your current goal?

Not really, I just work on my wip whenever I have free time. Right now I’m just focusing on polishing the worldbuilding as well as the outline :”

8. Do you like to handwrite your drafts or type them up?

Definitely type. It’s just so much easier to edit :”

9. What do you think is the hardest thing about being a writer?

Personally it’s writing in general, like finding the right turn of phrases, or appropriate metaphors. I only picked up English when I was like 10, and I wasn’t fluent in it until like 12 or something. Even now I’m still quite insecure about my English (especially pronounciation but I guess that falls outside of writing), but I am slowly gaining more confidence in my linguistic skills, and I hope one day I can reach a level that I can be proud of!

10. Do you plan out your projects or just start writing?

Plan, plan, and plan! I personally can’t dive into something without excessive planning, but I really respect those who can! I tried writing something spontaneously before but it was a trainwreck so I told myself never again haha :”

11. Do you like to stick to one project or have multiple ones at once?

One project. I can’t imagine juggling multiple projects at once, I’d be too overwhelmed! Heck, this entire blog is dedicated to just one wip! Mad respect to all of you out there with two or more wips. Wow!

——

Here are my 11 questions:

1. Tell us about yourself!

2. Tell us about your current wip(s)!

3. Tell us about the protangonist in your wip(s)! (Who are they? What are they like? What are their goals/motivations?)

4. What got you into writing? What was the first time you ever wrote?

5. What are some of your inspirations? (It can be a book, movie, tv show, anything!)

6. Is there a particular author you look up to? Who is it and why?

7. Have you ever experienced a writing block? How did you deal with it?

8. Do you outline your wip(s) or just go with the flow?

9. Is there a particular character archetype or trope that you are fond of writing? What is it and why?

10. Tell us how you name your OCs!

11. Tell us a random fact about either your OCs or your wip(s)!

——

Tagging: @hyba @sheabutterskyes @ofimber @amiable-cherry @royalbounties @nerdvanauniverse @the-real-rg @winonapeaks @coffeeandpurplepens @awritinglen @thelostandforgottenageha

Anyone else is welcome to answer the 11 questions too! Thanks for reading :)

[notmoreflippingelves]

The Case for Kristoph Gavin as a Shakespearean Tragic Hero/ Anti-villain (Pt 1: Iago, Richard III & Edmund)

So, as I former English major, I’ve been trying to put my finger on why exactly Ace Attorney’s Kristoph Gavin makes such a compelling character. And when I made an allusion to Othello in a Kriswright fic I’m writing, I suddenly came irrevocably to a stunning realization. 

Kristoph Gavin is a fantastic villain, because he was written in the mold of a great Shakespearean antagonist--complex, conflicted, and dripping in delicious ambiguity. Not only that but there are some pretty AMAZING parallels between character motivations and arcs of some of the most memorable Shakespearean villains/tragic heroes and Kristoph. 

(I’ve  decided to break the analysis into two parts, cause this part alone is WAY too long (So long I didn’t even get to all of my feelings about Kris as Brutus from Julius Caesar yet..)This part is for Iago, Richard III & Edmund the Bastard,  the three characters who are constantly vying with each other for the title of “most EVUL character in  all of Shakespeare.” Whereas in Part 2, I plan to focus on the more sympathetic antagonists ( including BRUTUS! I Can’t wait! It’s my favorite set of parallels. ) 

But enough intro, let’s jump into some analysis. (YAY!!!) I’m putting this under the cut, because  as I said it’s LONG.

Kristoph as Iago-- Okay, let’s tackle the giant elephant in the room first, shall we? The parallels are so glaring . (This parallel is kind of boring compared to the other two cause it’s so obvious. But it’s important to cover anyway.)

So we have Kristoph and we have Othello’s Iago. Two-faced “Big Bad friends” driven by envy to ruin another’s life.  One slightly surprising l thing that I’d  forgotten at first is that one of Iago’s proposed motivations is--like Kristoph’s-- thwarted professional ambition. Like Kristoph with the Gramarye case, Iago loses out on a job opportunity and decides to ruin the lives of those who passed him over.

 There’s also the VERY common scholarly interpretation that Iago is also driven at least in part by toxic love of/ excessive lust for Othello (It’s especially blatant in the Kenneth Branagh’s portrayal). One can definitely see a similar interpretation of Kristoph’s “friendship” with Phoenix--either  in a “if I can’t have you, no one will” way or  in “I will deliberately and methodically destroy everything you love until I’m the only the only thing left. Then, you’ll have to choose me” way. 

But there’s also hints that Iago could have mixed motives, completely different motives, or even no motive  at all. Now who does that remind me of? Kristoph “you’ll never break my five black psyche-locks”--Gavin. 

“Determined to be a villain”--Kristoph, Richard, and Edmund intro - When it comes to their motivations,  King Lear’s Edmund and Richard III are remarkably similar characters to each other  in terms of their motivations--even if their methods/results differ somewhat. So I’m gonna talk about their motivations together for a bit  before I talk about Kristoph parallels in terms of individual character arcs. 

Both  King Lear’s Edmund and Richard III are victims of a world that they believe had left them no other choice but villainy (Edmund because he was born illegitimately and Richard because he was born with multiple physical deformities)  When Richard III says that great line in his opening soliloquy  “I am determined to prove a villain,” he doesn’t mean  “I’m so excited about the fun evil I’m gonna do. Yay! YOLO.” (At least, he doesn’t mean ONLY that.)

“Determined” is actually part of  the verb in this sentence, not the adjective.If you tweak the  sentence structure to match how we’d express this in 21st century English, you can see that Richard is actually referring to himself as a passive subject: “I have been determined a villain by _______.” There’s an invisible indirect object there--the one that Richard believes has forced his hand: fate, his birth, his looks, divine judgement, or something else entirely. (Edmund also has a very similar monologue about how “nature” has made him a villain because of the circumstances of his birth but not gonna dive too deeply into that rn.)

Okay, so during that time and place, illegitimate children and those w/ physical disabilities thought they had little control over free will/personal morality. Makes sense. But how does Kristoph come into this? 

Well, he might if he had a serious mental illness instead. I have seen plausible cases being made for a Kristoph with PTSD (due to unexplained trauma suggested by his black psyche locks), anxiety, Borderline Personality Disorder, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, OCD, and/or paranoia. Any one of these could make someone believe that the dice are stacked against them and that the only way to enjoy success/happiness is to take drastic action to ensure it. 

Of course, none of the above excuses or justifies any of what Richard, Edmund, or Kristoph do in their respective arcs. It just makes it easier to understand why they might do those things.

Now we’re gonna look at Richard and Edmund respectively and compare their specific parallels with Kristoph. 

Kristoph as Richard the III:

 So the most obvious parallel between Richard and Kristoph is a visual one. During his final break down, Kristoph hunches over in a way reminscient of someone--who like Richard--has  scoliosis. There’s also the creepy spasm on his face when he loses his cool, which does give him a very Richard-esque look. 

In terms of parallels in their actual arcs, Kristoph may not have murdered his two nephews  like tricky King Dicky does but his poisoning of Vera Misham does show that he--like Richard-- is willing to hurt a child if said child threatens his ambition. 

 And one more little thing: Kristoph like Richard (and also like Edmund who’ll we will get to in a second) does have a magnetic personality which he uses to charm the pants off his would-be enemies. 

The biggest example of that is when he is somehow able to convince Lady Anne to marry him- while standing next to the body of her of her dead father-in--law whom Richard himself killed alongside her husband too! 

Kristoph may have not done anything quite that twisted, but “befriending” a man whose life he personally ruined is definitely Richard III-esque--especially if one believes that Kristoph also has a sexual/romantic interest in Phoenix and/or that their “friendship”  had a physical, non-platonic component to it. 

Kristoph as Edmund the Bastard:

And now for the grand finale. Edmund you magnificent bastard (literally as well as figuratively). I cannot believe I nearly missed this particular parallel. It’s just... stunning.  

So, the main b-plot of King Lear involves the rivalry between two brothers--Edgar the legitimate son and Edmund the other one. Edgar is impulsive and hot-headed with a insightful, sometimes caustic sense of humor, whereas Edgar is cold, collected and quietly compelling.  (Does this remind y’all of a certain pair of lawyer siblings yet? Hmm... Just wait.)

Just like in AJ, the conflict between the brothers in Lear reaches a breaking point due to...get this.. a forged document. (Le gasp! Is it really so? What a freaky coincidence. Yeah that was my thought too!) 

So, Edmund writes a fake letter from “his brother” that alleges he’s plotting to overthrow their father and then hands the letter over to dear old Dad who exiles Edgar which kicks off the plot. 

But wait, you say? Phoenix was the one Kristoph ruined w/ the forged document, not Klavier, and you’d be right about that mostly. If you actually look at the timeline carefully, you’ll see that Kristoph ordering the forgery pre-dates his being fired as  Zak Gramarye’s  attorney. And as others have pointed out , there’s only one reason why he might do that.  

Kristoph was planning to use the fake diary page himself in court and present “indisputably compelling” fake evidence to get his client off. He was gonna use this forgery against his own brother, just to ensure he got what he wanted. Just like Edmund... (*mind blown*)

It’s only after he’s fired as Zak’s lawyer that Kristoph switches his animosity to Phoenix, setting him up to take the fall, because a Gavin court victory is still more valuable than that of a nobody--even if the wrong Gavin has to win the day. 

So yeah...that’s all she wrote so far. Hopefully, I’ll be able to pull my Claudius and Brutus thoughts together soon for a follow up.

[dillydedalus]

what i read in july

THAT’S MORE LIKE IT aka i’m finally out of the (relative) reading slump for good & my bro james joyce was there

men explain things to me, rebecca solnit the original mansplaining essay is great, and still scarily relevant; the others in this collection (most on feminist issues) are also quite good; some aspects are a bit dated & problematic so be aware of that. 2.5/5

erschlagt die armen!, shumona sinha (tr. from french, not available in english) short but very impactful novella about a young french woman, originally from india, who works as an interpreter in the asylum system and becomes more & more broken by this system of inhumane bureaucracy and suffering, until she snaps and hits a migrant over the head with a wine bottle. full of alienation and misery and beautiful but disturbing language - the title translates to ‘beat the poor to death’ so like. yeah. 3.5/5

fire & blood: a history of the targaryen family I, george r r martin look, it’s a 700-page-long fake history book about a fictional ruling dynasty in a fictional world, and i’m just That Obsessed & Desperate about asoiaf (and i don’t even care about the targs That Much). anyway, now i know more about the targs than any ruling family from, you know, real history, which is like, whatever. this is pretty enjoyable if you are That Obsessed, although i will say that some bits are much better than others (there are some dry dull years even in everyone’s fav overly dramatic dragon-riding incest-loving family) and the misogyny really is. a lot. too much. way too much. BUT i did really like Good Best Queen Alysanne (her husband king joe harris is alright too i guess) and i found my new westerosi otp, cregan stark/aly blackwood, who both have Big Dick Energy off the fucking charts. 3.5/5 (+0.5 points for cregan and aly’s combined BDE)

the old drift, namwali serpell hugely ambitious sprawling postcolonial nation-building novel about zambia, told thru three generations of three families, as well as a chorus of mosquitoes (consistently the best & smartest parts). there is A LOT going on, in terms of characters, of plot points, of references to history (the zambian space programme) and literature (finally my knowledge of heart of darkness paid off) and thematically, and honestly it was a bit too much, a bit too tangled & fragmented & drifty, and in the end i probably admire this book more than i liked it, but serpell’s writing is incredibly smart and funny and full of electrical sparks 3.5/5

a severed head, iris murdoch the original love dodecahedron (not that i counted). iris murdoch is fucking WILD and i love her for it. this is a strange darkly funny little farce about some rich well-educated londoners and their bizarre & rather convoluted love lives. not as grandiosely wild as the sea the sea, but fun nevertheless. 3/5

midnight in chernobyl, adam higginbotham jumping on the hype bandwagon caused by the hbo series (very weird to call the current fascination with chernobyl a hype bandwagon but you know). interesting & well-written & accessible (tho the science is still totally beyond me) & gets you to care about the people involved. lots of human failure, lots of human greatness, set against the background of the almost eldritch threat of radioactivity (look up the elephant foot & see if you don’t get chills), and acute radiation syndrome which is THE MOST TERRIFYING THING ON EARTH . 3.5/5

normal people, sally rooney honestly this is incredibly engrossing & absorbing once you get used to how rooney completely ignores ‘show don’t tell’ (it works!), i pretty much read the whole thing in one slow workday (boss makes a dollar, i make a dime so i read books on my phone on company time, also i genuinely had nothing to do). i also think rooney is really good at precisely capturing the ~millenial experience in a way that feels very true, especially the transition from school to uni. BUT i really disliked the ending, the book never engages with the political themes it introduces (esp. class and gender) as deeply as it could and the bdsm stuff never really gets TIED UP LOL. so overall idk: 3.5/5

störfall: nachrichten eines tages, christa wolf quiet reflective undramatic little book narrated by a woman waiting to hear about the outcome of her brother’s brain surgery on the day of the catastrophe at chernobyl - throughout the day she puts down her thoughts about her brother and the events unfolding at chernobyl, as well as the double uncertainty she is trying to cope with. really interesting to read such an immediate reaction to chernobyl (the book came out less than a year after chernobyl). 2.5/5

the man in the high castle, philip k dick it was fine? quick & entertaining alternative history where the axis powers win the war, some interesting bits of worldbuilding (like the draining of the mediterranean which was apparently a real idea in the early 20th century?) but overall it’s just felt a bit disjointed & unsatisfying to me. 2.5/5

fugitive pieces, anne michaels very poetic & thoughtful novel about the holocaust, grief, remembrance & the difference between history and memory, intergenerational trauma, love, geology and the weather. i’m not sure how much this comes together as a novel, but it is absolutely beautifully written (the author is a poet as well) and very affective. 3.5/5

american innovations, rivka galchen short collection of bizarre & often funny short stories about neurotic women whose furniture flies away, or who grow an extra breast, or who are maybe too occupied with financial details. very vague & very precise at once, which seems to be the thing with these sort of collections. 3/5

fool’s assassin (fitz & the fool #1), robin hobb YAASS i’m back in the realm of the elderlings!!! i thought this was one of the weaker installments in the series - i still enjoyed it a lot, and Feelings were had, but it just doesn’t quite fit together pacing-wise & some of the characterisation struck me as off (can i get some nuance for shun & lant please?) and tbh fitz is at peak Selfcentred Dumbass Levels & it drove me up the fucking wall. molly, nettle & bee deserve better. still, completely HYPE for the rest of the trilogy. 3.5/5

JAMES JOYCE JULY

note: i decided not to read dubliners bc it’s my least fav of joyce’s major works & too bleak & repetitive for my mood right now AND while i planned not to reread finnegans wake bc……. it’s finnegans wake…. i kinda do want to read it now (but i also. really don’t.) so idk yet.

a portrait of the artist as a young man, james joyce y’all. i read this book at least once a year between the ages of 15 and 19, it’s beyond formative, it is burnt into my brain, and reading it now several years later it is still everything, soaring and searing (that searing clarity of truth, thanks burgess) and poetic and dirty, and stephen is baby, and a pretentious self-important little prick and i love him & i am him (or was him as only a pretentious self-important teenage girl reading joyce can be him - because this truly is a book that should be read in your late teens when you feel everything as intensely and world-endingly and severely as my boy stephen does and every new experience feels like the world changing). anyway i love this book & i love stephen dedalus, bird-like, hawk-like, knife-blade, aloof, alienated, severe and stern, a poet-priest-prophet if he could ever get over himself, baby baby baby. 5/5

exiles, james joyce well. there’s a reason joyce is known as a novelist. this is….. a failed experiment, maybe. a fairly boring play about an adulterous love-square and uh… love beyond morality and possession maybe??? about how much it would suck for joyce to return to ireland??? and tbh it’s not terribly interesting. 2/5

travesties, tom stoppard a wild funny irreverent & smart antic comedy inspired by the fact that during ww1, james joyce, lenin, and dadaist tristan tzara were all in neutral zurich, more or less simultaneously; they probably never met, but in this play they do, as dadaist poetry, socialist art critique, and a james joyce high on his own genius & in desperate need of some cash while writing ulysses, AND the importance of being earnest (joyce is putting on a production of it) all collide in the memories of henry carr, who played algernon & later sued joyce over money (tru facts). not my fav stoppard (that’s arcadia) but it’s funny & fizzy & smart & combines many many things that i love. 4/5 

ulysses, james joyce look i’m not really going to tell y’all anything new about ulysses, but it really has everything, it’s warm & human(e) & cerebral & difficult & funny & sad & healing & i always get a lot out of it even tho there’s bits (a lot of them) i’ll never wrap my head around. ultimate affirmation of humanity or whatever. also stephen dedalus is baby. 5/5

dedalus, chris mccabe the fact that this book (sequel to ulysses about what stephen dedalus might have done the next day) exists and was published ON MY BIRTHDAY is proof that the universe loves me. 

anyway this is very very good, very very clever, extremely good at stephen (less good at bloom but his parts are still good), engages w/ ulysses, portrait & hamlet (& others) very cleverly & does some cool meta and experimental shit. y’all it has stephen talking to a contemporary therapist about how he’s stuck in joyce’s text which is all about joyce & very little about whoever stephen is when he’s not joyce’s alter ego/affectionate but slightly amused look at younger self and ithaca is an interview w/ the author about how his relationship to his dad influenced his response to ulysses and I’M INTO IT. the oxen of the sun chapter replaces the whole ‘gestation of english prose’ w/ just slightly rewriting the first pages of about 10 novels published between ulysses and now & it does lolita w/ “bloom, thorn of stephen’s sleep, light in his eyes. his sire, his son’ and i lit. screamed. anyway i don’t want to give this 5 stars (yet) bc i think some of the experimental stuff ended up a bit gimmicky & didn’t add that much to the text but fuck. that’s my boy & i want to reread it right now. 4.5/5 ALSO it’s a crime no literary weirdo woman has written ‘a portrait of the artist’s sister’ about delia ‘dilly’ dedalus, shadow of stephen’s mind, quick far & daring, teaching herself french from a 3rd hand primer while her father drinks the nonexistent family fortune away and her older brother is getting drunk on a beach & starting fights w/ soldiers bc he’s a smartarse

[all-the-love-harold]

The Daily Anna- Chapter 12

It’s here! and there’s no way it would have happened without @lovesmelikebrandnewstarlight and her endless support. 

There’s only three or four more chapters left of the story, so please let me know how you’re felling about it! 

Master Post 

Cheshire.

 When I was 18 I picked my life up and moved it to London, I even took my best friend with me, but my favourite part about moving away has always been coming home. Not because I hate living in London, that’s far from the truth, it’s because when I go home everything is calm and part of me feels like a kid again.

 Conveniently, Harry is also from Cheshire, in fact we grew up not far from each other and somehow our paths didn’t cross until we both lived in London. Funny how fate works.  

 We’ve been spending the last few weeks sharing ourselves between both of our families and it’s been really nice to hear Harry share stories about his childhood here, it’s funny how we both have such different experiences attached to the same places.

 It’s been nice to escape everything. I haven’t been to a single doctor’s appointment in the last two weeks and Harry hasn’t been in a studio. We don’t have any responsibilities when we’re back here and it’s nice to have that time together, without the stress of our real lives.

 We head back to London tomorrow though and our two weeks of Knutsford ice cream and afternoon snuggles will come to an end. I’ll go back to having a doctor's appointment every second day and Harry will go back to spending almost all of his time in the studio.

 Our little Cheshire adventure has come to a close, but next we head to Australia with our families, in honour of my little brother’s 18th birthday, so ‘The Daily Anna’ will once again become a travel blog.

 ***

Since her diagnosis Anna had been poked and prodded like there was no tomorrow, but it wasn’t for nothing, her kidney functions had improved tenfold since she started her treatment and she was starting to get her appetite back again although he diet was limited to clean foods that wouldn’t cause a build-up of toxins between treatments.

 She was on dialysis now, which meant that every second day she would go into The Royal London Hospital and sit there while a machine did her Kidney’s job for her. It wasn’t all bad though, The NHS had assigned her own nurse who she got along with very well. Her name was Beth and she was just about the sweetest old lady that she’d ever come across.

Beth’s entire job was to make sure that Anna was comfortable and sometimes that just meant sitting with her if Harry couldn’t. They talked about almost anything under the sun, Anna gave her the rundown on what it’s like to date a pop star and Beth told Anna about her time as a midwife and she was completely fascinated by it.

 The treatment started almost as soon as they’d arrived home from Cheshire and Harry made sure he went to all the appointments that he could. With the tour over now his main focus was his second album but that could wait for Anna to get better. Anna was beyond grateful for all the support that she was getting from her friends and family during all this. She was never short of company, there were even times when she had to tell people not to visit. Ronnie had developed a habit of hovering since he found out, and that was fine, until one day, it wasn’t.

****

Anna’s Dialysis took around three hours. Three hours of sitting in a chair and staring at a wall, so she was happy to get a text from Ronnie, saying that he was going to come and see her. Harry was already sitting there quietly responding to some emails and keeping quiet conversation with Anna. That was the beauty of their relationship, they could talk about anything and they could do it for hours but sometimes it was nice to have some other company.

Ronnie stormed into the Dialysis centre of the hospital, camera bag halfway unzipped with the camera hanging out of it, his glasses about to fall off his head

“Christ Ron, you look like you’ve been hit by a bus” Anna giggled

“So do you” he remarked back to her eyeing off the dialysis machine “What the fuck is that?”

“My robotic kidney’s” she giggled

“She’s basically the terminator now” Harry said, putting his phone away in his pocket.

“Right” Ronnie nodded unable to make eye contact with Harry. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to get along with him, it was more that Harry was exactly where he wanted to be. He brushed it off as best he could and sat down next to Anna, opposite Harry.

“Busy day?” Anna asked, trying her best to keep the conversation going with the two of them.

“Big shoot” he nodded “with Mabel actually”

“Ahhh” Harry said fondly “How is she?”

“She’s great, fun to work with” Ronnie admitted “She got in contact with me after your gig actually”

“You’re welcome” Harry shrugged, a little arrogant smile appearing on his face. Anna cringed knowing that Ronnie would interpret that the opposite way to what Harry had intended. If he had though, he didn’t say anything, he simply shrugged and moved on and Anna had to admit she was quite impressed. She’d always known Ronnie to be the petty type, always overreacting to the smallest of triggers.

Anna’s nurse Beth, who would sit with her on the days that Harry wasn’t able to make it, made her way over to them the second she saw that Ronnie was sitting there.

“How are we going my dear?” She said warmly

“Feeling squeaky clean” Anna smiled

Beth shuffled behind Harry and checked on the machine that was currently attached to Anna with two big tubes in her left arm, one for the blood to go in, the other to take it out.

“You’ve still got a few hours left dear, can I get anyone anything, tea or coffee for the lads?”

“No thanks” Harry said with a charming smile on his face

“I’m ok” Ronnie nodded

“Is the famous photographer friend that took you to meet Prince Charming over here?” It was no secret that Beth thought Harry was wonderful and if she was thirty- or forty-years younger Anna might be worried about it, but she just found it endearing.

“Sure is” Anna nodded “this is Ronnie”

Ronnie shook Beth’s hand “nice to meet you” he smiled

“You too dear, I’ve heard a lot about you” she turned back to Anna “feeling alright dear?”

“Yeah” Anna nodded

“Great we’ll give me a buzz if you need anything, I’ll just be doing some paperwork over at the nurses station”

She left them sitting in silence and Harry reached over and put his hand on top of Anna’s in a comforting manner and she suddenly felt awkward. It was weird enough having Harry and Ronnie in the same room, but it was even weirder for that room to be in a hospital where she was having a machine do what her body couldn’t. It felt too personal. Too intimate having Ronnie there.

 “You guys can still have sex, right?” Ronnie asked out of nowhere

“Ron!” Anna said, taken aback by his forwardness

“Our sex life is just fine”. Harry’s voice was calm and unaffected by awkwardness that had just filled the room.

“I heard it took you awhile to put out for him though An”

“Drop it Ronnie” she glared at him with fire in her eyes

“Didn’t take you that long with me, did it?”

Harry blinked a few times, staring at Anna and then Ronnie. Did he hear that right?

“You should leave now Ronnie” Anna was blunt with her words and Ronnie knew that he’d crossed a line. He stood up and packed his things properly, before he turned and left the ward. Neither Harry or Anna spoke for a few minutes once he was gone, they both just started into space, not knowing what to say, but it was Harry who broke the silence.

“When?” is all he said

“Years ago,” Anna said quietly “It meant way more to him than it did to me. It was one time, but he hasn’t been with anyone since”

“So, he’s in love with you?”

“He’s not” she shook her head. “We’re just friends H”

“He definitely is” he said, “why else why would he still be around?”

“We’ve been friends since nursery Harry, he’s still around because it was one night”

“It’s a little strange An” he was still holding onto her hand so she knew he wasn’t mad but she could tell it bothered him, the way she guessed it would bother her if had had slept with someone he was that close to.

“Have you never slept with one of your friends?” she asked curiously, not to cause an argument but so that they could see eye to eye.

“Nope” he shook his head

“Never?” Anna sighed, in disbelief.

“Not even a kiss” he added

“It didn’t mean anything H”

“I know” he said, bring her hand up to his lips and kissing it softly “might have to thump the guy next time I see him though, so he doesn’t get any ideas”

“You wouldn’t do that” Anna smiled, making light of the whole thing “Please don’t hate me” she sighed

“We both have a past An, mine just isn’t my best friend”

“I know it’s complicated, and maybe he is in love with me just a little, but that’s where it ends”

“I trust you” Harry smiled “But I don’t know that I trust him”

“You don’t have to, you do have to tolerate him though”

***

Harry put his studio time on hold where he could to make sure that Anna was getting the care that she needed he wouldn’t be back into song writing mode until October.

As far as she’d come since starting her treatment, Anna wasn’t fully recovered and not yet able to miss three weeks if dialysis while they were gone, so Harry had taken on the responsibility of making sure that there was always a hospital close by and he’d even been in contact with a few specialists to make sure that Anna was getting the best care possible.

Everyone was going, Anne, Gemma, Debbie John, Gabby, even Ronnie had agreed to make the trip. For Timmy, of course.

Anna didn’t know if she was excited or nervous at this point, on one hand she was thrilled to be taking the trip with everyone she holds close to her heart, in honour of her brother, but on the other she wasn’t sure how it was all going to play out having everyone that close together for three weeks. Harry felt almost the same, he loved Anna, he wanted to do this all for her, but the thought of spending every day for the next three weeks with Ronnie made him cringe. He’d taken this flight only a few short months ago, but he’d forgotten just how long it took. A whole day. On a plane. With Ronnie. No wonder he was exhausted when they landed. But so was everyone else.

“I think we should just get dinner at the hotel restaurant tonight” Anne said, in the taxi on their way there “We can go exploring tomorrow”

Debbie nodded “Sounds good to me, Anna, Harry? Is that ok?”

“Sounds great Mum” Anna nodded with her head rested on Harry’s shoulder. Driving along she could see out the window and her heart fluttered as Sydney Harbour came into sight. She’d dreamt about this for years, of stepping off that plane and honouring her baby brother but she never thought it would be real, she never though she would get here. The sun was about to set over the harbour as it came into sight and Anna was taken away by its beauty. She’s seen it from the plane as they’d landed, but with the sun glistening off the water she really fell in love with the city that she’d been in for less than an hour.

Checking into the hotel was chaotic to say the least, it was already hard enough trying to get everyone sorted with so many of them there but then Harry was spotted by a few fans and what was already chaos turned into a disaster. It was Anne and Gemma that noticed them first, saying a quick hello in the hopes that that would be enough for them to leave. But of course, with Harry that close to them they weren’t going to leave without getting a picture. And in the middle of it all, Anna started to feel light headed. She knew the flight was going to knock it out of her, and she was due for another dialysis session in the morning, but right now she couldn’t stand up. She was standing out in the open, so she took a few deep breaths to centre herself and she leant up against her suitcase.

“Are you alright Anna?” Gemma said, a look of concern on her face

“Fine” Anna sighed, trying not to appear rude.

Ronnie’s arm snaked around Anna and all of her weight lent on him.

“I got you An” he said softly, “Hot shot over there just gave me the room key, let’s get you some proper rest”

At that Gemma dropped her suitcase and wrapped her arm around the other side of Anna so that she didn’t fall.

The rooms were stunning and as much as Anna wanted to stare out the window, she needed to lay down. She passed out almost immediately and she didn’t know how long Gemma and Ronnie hung around for, because when she woke up they were gone, and she could hear the shower running in the bathroom. She was feeling much better now, although dinner did feel like the least appealing thing and she was sure that’s why Harry was in the shower. The room was dark now, light only by the faint light coming from under the bathroom door and the city lights that surrounded the building. Anna sat up and rubbed her eyes while she searched for the glass of water that she vaguely remembered Ronnie putting next to her.

“You’re awake” Harry’s voice echoed around the room

“I am” her voice was still croaky with sleep

“How are you feeling?” His towel was wrapped around his hips and he made his way over to sit next to her on the bed.

“Much better” she smiled

“Good” he kissed her on the top of her head “I called the hospital while you were sleeping, we can go in any time after 8 am tomorrow”

“Thanks H, we should aim to be there by 8:30 so we don’t waste the whole day” Anna said, finally finding the water and taking a sip. She hated that half of this trip was going to be spent in a hospital, but she knew that there was no way she’d make it through three weeks without treatment.

“Sounds good,” he nodded “Dinner's at 7 so we should get ready”

Anna looked over at the clock and it was already 6:45 which meant that she didn’t have time to shower. Grateful that she’d packed face wipes and deodorant in easily accessible areas of her luggage she was able to get ready with five minutes to spare and manage to look half decent. Naps really were wonderful things, she thought to herself as her and Harry stepped out of the room and into the lift.

The hotel restaurant was quiet, the only table reserved was their own, but Anna had a sneaking suspicion that harry had paid to have it closed to the public tonight, so that they could have a little peace and quiet. They were the last to arrive and everyone else had already decided what to order.

“What are you going to have An?” Harry asked scanning over the menu

“I’m not that hungry H, I’ll just pick at yours if that’s ok?”

“That’s fine” he said, although he was concerned that her appetite had disappeared again “I think I’ll get the seafood basket”

They ordered, and conversation remained light between all of them. Harry and Ronnie were sat at opposite ends of the table, so there was no reason for them to start bickering and Anna had the chance to properly talk to her dad for the first time since they got on the plane yesterday.

 When everyone’s  food arrived Anne raised her glass, “To those we’ve loved and lost, and to good health” she winked at Anna.

Everyone followed suit and raised their glasses in a toast and then they started eating, silently for the most part until someone would occasionally speak up about how delicious their meal was.

Gemma broke the trend and dove in deep “Tell us about Timmy” she said sweetly

“Bravest eight-year-old I’ve ever known” Anna said quietly. This was something that had only dawned on her since she started her treatment, when he was sick she remembered everyone always telling him how brave he must be, but she never really understood just how scared he must have been, fuck, she was scared, and she understood everything that was happening to her, there was no way that he did.

Gabby nodded in agreement with Anna “He never let on that he was in pain”

“He was more than his illness though” Debbie added, “He was the sweetest little boy in the playground, always there to make sure everyone was ok. I was so proud of who he was” tears were filling her eyes and she picked up her napkin to wipe them away. Anna did the same and Harry hovered his hand over her lap, under the table until he found her knee and gently squeezed.

“He would have loved this” Anna said “having everyone together like this would have made him so happy”

“I’m sorry that we never got to meet him” Anne said “he sounds like an angel”

“Our little superhero” Gabby smiled

“Why Australia?” Anne asked sensitively

“He was fascinated by the animals, and I promised by fourteen-year-old self that I’d get here one day to see what he never got to” Anna said with tears forming in her eyes. It was strange to be feeling sad about Timmy’s death again, for years she’d been numb to it and then after months of therapy, she chose to remember only the happy things. Timmy as her energetic eight-year-old brother, rather than Timmy as her dead baby brother.

Gemma could sense the tone of the conversation becoming less than happy and raised her glass again

“To Timmy” she smiled “Our superhero”

[sillyfudgemonkeys]

I downloaded the soundtrack. I am not a fan compared to P4D soundtrack though =/

Same. ;w;I do think P3D is solid, and at least matches the visual theme/aesthetic of P3D (aka the techno theme). But…..I mean….P4D was disco….and they didn’t rely only on disco…. They had jazz, swing, pop, dance, rock, hard rock. P4D had a very big selection of different genres, both with it’s base and with it’s remixes, it helped that it drew A LOT on the P4 Reincarnation OST.

P3D DIDN’T draw on the Reincarnation OST tbh, it took two songs. When Moon Reaches To the Stars, and Burn My Dread (former isn’t really too different to the original game’s OST except it has more lyrics, and the full ver of BMD was first featured on the Reincarnation OST). Tbh those are the two songs that are the least Reincarnate-a-fied out of either P3′s or P4′s OST, and the Reincarnation has SOOOOOO many great songs to offer for P3D, and it really changes up the genre of each song compared to how it is in the original game. Like, I really do like Junpei’s Deep Breath remix song in P3D, but I’d drop it in a heart beat for my fun boppin little love song ver on the Reincarnation Album:

But you know what would’ve been fun? And it’s a dance I think Junpei could’ve pulled it off, I mean it def fits P4D’s aesthetic (aka the disco aesthetic), but Junpei was the first one to emanate this. And it’s this funky fresh remix of Want to be Close:

Like c’mon! If anyone could dance to that it’s totally Junpei! ;w;

Or how about something jazzy? Guess what there’s something for that too!

Heck….man, FeMC’s Sun is a great track too, and you know it’s not the fact it’s an FeMC song they didn’t use it (they def could’ve remixed it and maybe added lyrics if they REALLY wanted to):

Like why aren’t these in here? Like the remixes are fine, I actually really like them tbh (both as songs in general, and the fact they really got the beat down while I was playing, it really pulled me in) but these should also be in here (esp since P3/5D have less base songs than P4D, and like 4/5 less songs that aren’t MVs/are the characters actually dancing). Plus they also have PQ, Arena/Ultimax, the stage plays, the movies, EVEN THE PACHINKO MACHINE HAD AN ORIGINAL SONG! P3 had all these places to pull music from and it didn’t. ;w;

I also don’t understand why…..Burn My Dread is the last song…..I think the Last Battle Mix would’ve been better, or really just a remix of the song, I mean….P4D had a remix of it’s iconic song so you’d think P3D of their’s…..

Heck, ending on the Reincarnation remix of Memories of You would been good too (or even just a side song), it would’ve worked great as a interpretative dance too boot (just added this part but I guess there’s a limit to how many videos you can add 8U)!:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiiPjfueZEQ

OR! They could’ve done a dual mix of Memories of You, with Yumi and the PTS version (aka the male singer who did P3P’s opening, Shuhei), and make it seem like the two singers are singing at each other. Actually that would’ve been a great bonus song, esp if it involved Minato/Makoto and FeMC dancing at the Seal (with Yumi representing FeMC, and Shuhei for Minato). Ahhhhh so many possibilities flush down the drain cause they had to release P5D too instead of just expanding on P3D (with P5D being released later and being expanded on too). ;w; Also here’s a ref to Shuhei’s ver:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NGnocs3gzaY

Ok like P3D still had more variety in it’s OST than P5D, I’ll give it that. But there could’ve been more, there SHOULD’VE been more. 

Also like what were they thinking of for Aigis’ dances? Like I like the dances, they’re fine…..BUT WHAT THE FUDGE WHERE THEY THINKING? YOU HAVE A GD ROBOT! UTILIZE THAT! LIKE NO, THEY SAID THEY WOULD DO THAT AND THEY DIDN’T. THEY JUST AIRPLANE ARM’S HER THE WHOLE TIME! No no no, where’s the Mr Robot Dance moves? Why isn’t she the one dancing to the dubstep/techno stuff? I get the dancer could only do so much but oh my god there are people that specialize in these dance moves! Like I c’mon I was expecting AT LEAST ONE SONG/DANCE TO BE LIKE THIS:

But no instead Junpei is the one that gets these types of songs? Like he does a good job but…..c’mon ;w; 

P5D? The only remixed I really like was…..I think the Twins….Anne’s Rivers Remix did get me on beat like the P3D ones but I didn’t really like it. When it came to the P5D remixes I thought they were either “fine for the most part but overstayed their welcome and made the song go on longer than it should’ve” (how I felt about the Wake Up Remix), or they were “good when they weren’t resembling their base song” (and by that point they could’ve/should’ve been original songs, the original beat was wasted as a remix). I was really pulling for these remixes too tbh. 

I also think they misused a lot of the music with the dances. Anne, Haru, and Ren are pretty good dancers….the songs they chose for them SUCK ASS tho. Anne is a sexy dancer, and would thrive with either some sexy song (that Persona does not have so, crap can’t use that), or a pure pop song (something like in American pop, or P3/4, which P5 has zilch of any of those in it’s OST). Haru is a great ballet dancer, and while i think she makes her songs work the most, she’d benefit so much more from Yukiko’s songs imo, it’s really bring out her dances more (but P5 doesn’t have those songs either, except maybe Encounter: Lovers, but that’s not long enough). Ren, while I think the Wake Up Remix overstays it’s welcome, it’s so energetic and really fits him, but everything else I feel smother’s his talent. With the Last Surprise MV (ignoring the obvious problems of sexulizing the girls for now) it’s a good, well shot and danced to MV…..BUT WHY LAST SURPRISE???? Like with Anne’s base dancing, this MV is suppose to be sexy, it’s danced to sexy, it’s shot sexy….BUT LAST SURPRISE IS NOT A SEXY SONG! WE NEED AN ORIGINAL SONG! OR A SEXY REMIX OF ANOTHER SONG! WHY WASTE LAST SURPRISE? 

And then there’s P5D’s final dance (and again I had a similar issue with P3D)…..Why not be like P4D and remix an iconic song? Wake up and Last Surprise (or even Life Will Change, tho that one worked great as an MV so let’s focus on the former two instead) are your most iconic! Remix them if you need to! They should be your final closing number!

Ahhhhhhh such a waste for both games, they deserve better. ;w;

That being said, for the OPs and Eds. I think P3D had the better one compared to P5D (I’d tie it with P4D, but I found P3D’s 2nd half a little lacking, and one line made me face palm….which isn’t as bad as P5D’s which made me throw my head threw a wall out of embarrassment XP). But I think P5D had the best ending song out of the 3, but on the other hand it doesn’t sound like and ending song and is wasted as one (it would be a perfect alt night theme). It was also wasted as an MV song, it has fresh music to offer P5D and they won’t have anyone dance to it. ;w; Ngl I don’t remember P3D’s ending song, it wasn’t bad, but for now I gotta rank it lower than P4D’s since I can’t remember it. XD ;w;

SO uhhhhhh there’s my essay on P3/5D’s music and song choice I didn’t realize I was gonna write. Sorry Huh you opened up a can of worms. ;w;

[davidarc]

An Alternative Author Interview:

TCL’s Countdown Questions.

This week I’m featuring author, editor, speaker, writing coach, ghost-writer, (and my friend) Roz Morris.

I came to know Roz Morris when she contacted me with a request to read and review one of her books. Now, normally, when someone pitches me a novel in a genre I don’t usually read, I back off immediately. But there was something about that email that caught my attention, so I agreed, albeit reluctantly. Then, by chance (maybe because she recognized my reluctance), she told me she was also coming out with a memoir/travel book, Not Quite Lost. Well, that was it! I quickly begged off the novel and with my usual chutzpah, asked for the non-fiction book instead. And what a pleasure it was! (It even prompted me to ask her to do a guest post for me, and the book got an honorable mention as my favorite non-fiction book of that year.) Since then, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting up with her twice on our (frequent) visits to London. That’s why I had to ask her to answer my questions, and she lovingly replied…

If you could visit five (5) places you’ve never been, where would you go and why?

This is prose, not reality, so I’ll make full use of my poetic licence.

My first choice is the underwater ballroom in my novel Lifeform Three. Years ago, I read about a ballroom on the bed of a lake, the last remaining piece of a stately home in Surrey, UK. I have an over-romantic mind and have always loved stately homes, especially ones that have been demolished (this one burned down). I imagine the air retains their shape, a morphic resonance of attics, passageways and the dramas that were played there. But I digress. This underwater room is still in existence. It’s made of glass, grimed by algae and reached by a tunnel. Isn’t that amazing? It isn’t open to the public, though if you look on line you’ll find pictures from urban explorers.

My two next choices are also hidden.

Number two is the cubby hole where the transatlantic internet cables enter the UK. The pixels you’re seeing right now are probably streaming through there. I want to stand in that room and know I’m next to the aorta of our modern lives.

Choice three is the disused Tube Station at Down Street, London, between Green Park and Hyde Park on the Piccadilly Line. Or any disused Tube station. You can sometimes see them from the trains, though not much is visible. But as you stare into the darkness you can imagine old tiling, torn posters tattering in the wind. They are time capsules of the day they were closed. Get me there.

By Mike Quinn, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22849243

By Mike Quinn, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22849243

Choice four is outer space. This is not hidden, unlike my other choices, but I’d probably need special magic to visit it as I’m short sighted, and poor astronaut material.

For my fifth choice, may I have time travel? (TCL: of course!) Take me to 1909. That’s the year my childhood home was built. A couple of years ago I discovered it was knocked down, so I wrote an obituary for it in my travel memoir Not Quite Lost. If time travel is possible, I’d like to see it in its original Arts & Crafts glory, with its stained glass, leaded light windows overlooking the rolling lawns, carriages in the coach house and horses in the stables.   (Roz took most of these pictures, which also appear on an article she did at this website.)

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Name four (4) foods or dishes that you enjoy so much that they’ve practically become part of your personality.

I like a lot of food so this is a difficult answer.

My first choice is taramasalata. I first encountered it when I moved to London to start college. In Cheshire where I grew up, it was regarded as improper and uncivilised – if you even saw it at all. I’d never even heard of dips and suddenly, in London, here was this Greek stuff, invitingly gloopy, intriguingly savoury. And pink. It marked the start of an exciting, exotic, cosmopolitan kind of life. It’s still my go-to comfort food, or one of them.

My second choice is millionaire’s shortbread. Shortbread, caramel and chocolate. Essentially, it’s a posh version of Twix, which I like well enough anyway, but I’m on a mission to find the ultimate millionaire’s shortbread.

My third choice needs a preamble. I love adventurous ingredients and I have an enormous collection of recipe books. When people come to dinner, I ask ‘is there anything you hate to eat or will kill you? Tell me everything, even if you think it’s unlikely I’ll cook it’. Here’s a dish to represent this – belly pork braised in coffee, star anise, liquorice, quince and mushrooms, from Peter Gordon’s Fusion. You have been warned.

My fourth choice is aged steak, cooked rare. Sometimes a slab of bloody meat exactly hits the spot.

There is the past, the present, and the future – if you could choose, which of these three (3) would you prefer to live in, and why?

The present. The older I get, the more comfortable I am in my skin, and the more I cherish the people, creatures and places that are dear to me. I wouldn’t want to be without them or the history that has made me appreciate them. I hope I will always want to live in the present (but I wouldn’t mind a spot of time travel as mentioned above).

Best and worst – you choose which – name two (2) of either your best moments of your life, worst moments of your life, or one of each.

Worst – having to ask the vet to put my horse down. He was very old and arthritic, and I didn’t doubt it was the right decision. But I thought when the time came that the vet would say, as with any other treatment: ‘I think we should do this’ and I could say ‘I agree’. But it seemed she couldn’t make this a ‘yes or no’ question. I had to formulate a sentence to make the request. I felt bad about it in a complex way. I knew it was right, yet I was asking her to do something terrible. But you cannot kill a horse yourself. I then had to ask for the assistance of the stable yard who’d helped me look after him, and thus there were several people I involved in this terrible thing.

The best? When Dave asked me to marry him (and I realised I should take him seriously). I told you I’m a romantic. More than 26 years on we’re still very amused by each other.

Name one (1) book you’ve read in the past year (or so) that you wish you had written, and why.

Only one! Such cruelty. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. A group of people held hostage in an embassy in an unnamed country gradually form a kind of uneasy Eden with their captors, triggered by their reactions to the singing of a world-class soprano. It’s haunting and human, beautifully written. The pace may look slow but something is unfolding all the time. I first read it years ago, but reread it recently so I think it fits your criterion. (TCL: “or so” can be interpreted in any way you wish!)

Thanks Roz! I hope we can meet up again next time we’re in London. It is always fun! By the way, my husband read Bel Canto, but I haven’t gotten around to reading it yet. Perhaps I should!

Roz Morris is an award-nominated novelist (“My Memories of a Future Life” and “Lifeform Three”), and has branched into travel memoir with “Not Quite Lost – Travels Without A Sense of Direction”. She is also a professional book doctor to award-winning writers (Roald Dahl Funny Prize 2012), teaches writing masterclasses for The Guardian and has sold 4 million books as a ghost-writer. Find her at her website and on her blog, contact her on Facebook , find her newsletter and tweet her as @Roz_Morris. 

Links: My Memories of a Future Life Lifeform Three Not Quite Lost

TCL's Countdown Questions #15: Author Roz Morris. Find out how the most famous, best-selling, ghostwriter you've never heard of, who graciously answered my five, fast and fun questions. Thank you @Roz_Morris for participating in this. An Alternative Author Interview: TCL's Countdown Questions. This week I’m featuring author, editor, speaker, writing coach, ghost-writer, (and my friend)

[vikab]

p5 thoughts

After having drawn so much fanart of p5 (most of it being Yusuke) before the game even came out, even with my hype when I started playing on the release date, I only FINALLY finished persona 5 OTL

Below will be my mini-review and thoughts on the game?? spoilers are gonna here on the entire game

Total playtime - 87 hours 40 minutes

OK this is gonna be disorganized mess but i will try to be .. not messy Story: The story unfortunately was very weak :(  Like the game had an AMAZING start and it was tackling really important issues. I really started to care about Ryuji and Ann and their goals. Then Yusuke joins and I thought the game was just heading in perfect direction. Then I felt off during Kaneshiro’s arc as Makoto did not really feel .. really into the whole PT thing?? sorry Makoto fans i love her but she felt rly overrated... anyway Futaba’s arc no doubt was my favorite but then the game really started falling apart. like lets not talk about the whole series of events that were Morgana leaving the team that was straight up BAD. the pacing picked up a bit for the Casino dungeon and it was really intense then its Shido and thing kinda... fell back into this weird pacing ... Ah yes, let’s just wait 20 days to see if Shido has a change of heart or we die. After that the pacing was still all over the place then the huge plottwist happens. I knew about it but still liked it! The last arc had on point emotions and feels so it felt like a good ending to the game.  SEVERE PACING ISSUES KILL THE GAME FOR ME THOUGH.   I get that they still wanted the calendar system but honestly i dont think it worked any huge favors for the game . .. anyway yeah the game started amazing then dropped close to death then picked up again but not as good as the beginning Characters: I have not managed to finish a lot of confidants so near the end the parts where confidants help out it was .. very lacking lol .. . if that part wasnt so depended on the confidants that you have finished.... But overall the characters were good. Pacing of the story and the story itself did not do any justice to them I think and it feels bad bc everyone had so much potential but having a big cast it was obvious that not everyone was getting the attention they deserved Ryuji - good bro and I loved him but the middle part of the game and the constant “we gotta get the girls!” moments were so . . ugh ...  confidant rank and beginning of game ryuji was absolute best though Ann - same goes for her as with ryuji that the beginning of the game was best characterization moment for her. I liked her a lot and she’s pretty bro for female heroine! but the constant fanservice kills me guys Morgana - boy did i dislike morgana for the most of the game. he really felt like teddie 2.0 at times and i just did not have a lot motivation to like him. Last arc of the game tho?? i love morgana??? i wanna cry tbh those parts near the end really resonated with me so my final verdict is that i like morgana a lot now Yusuke - I LOVE THIS BOY. while i get the beef that people have with his recruitment arc (the whole nude modeling thing) I thought it was ok since my interpretation is that he was just pissed and really needed that inspiration he found in ann but idk. otherwise his arc was good but goddamn fuck you atlus for continuously treating him like a weirdo?? PT is supposed to be a gang of misfits and yet even the teammates keep treating him like a weirdo. . that was just really bad like come on  let me kiss yusuke and feed him. also will never forgive atlus for not letting yusuke move into leblanc. He’s a very good character and very level-headed so i love him sm. he has really great moments Makoto - I liked her a lot! i do think she’s a bit overrated and that she doesn’t fit well with PT but I think that’s just the issue with Atlus pacing of the story, because her issues during her recruitment were really good (as in i did feel like she would fit into PT well) Futaba - I LOVE THIS GIRL!! I played with jpn dub which I think does much better justice to her characterization. Her entire arc was so so good and I felt like she was a really solid character going through growth. her confidant was very very good. She has a lot of funny moments and I love her antics with Yusuke. they are the blessed characters of this game. too good for this game. Haru - love her too!!!! she was so nice and sweet but damn atlus did not do her justice at all. she is the “last” party member to join and it is so sad she does not get a lof interaction with PT. like I wish PT interacted with her somehow throughout the game before she joins, be it like help her out sometimes or something bc they go to same school so when she joins later the team dynamic can easily accept her. Goro - we dont talk about goro jk but honestly he was handled bad. his link was automatic and I get why but his initial personality just makes me hate him a lot. he was cool as a party member but not for long. I expect him to appear in spinoffs bc wtf was that ending for him goddamn atlus. i like a lot his potential as a character but everything else? hate Sae was for me quite funny during the interrogation (when you start the confidant parts) but after her casino her involvement in the story I really ended up liking Sae. she’s good Also gonna mention Sojiro bc i love that coffee dad. His dynamic with Futaba and protagonist was extremely good!!! such a solid family. I loved that he finds out the truth and how he handled it. love u sojiro Speaking of protagonist, I really really really wish atlus would ease up on the “silent protagonist” a bit more. for a game as huge as this, the silence does not do justice to the protagonist. idk i just wish there would have been a bit more voice to him and solid characterization other than some off-hand comments that imply the underlying personality. i get the whole “self-insert” part but it sucks stop putting it in games Overall character summary: pacing sucked so characterization suffered a lot. a lot of characters don’t get their time to shine and while I love them a lot it really sucks to see how they were treated. Pacing ruined a lot of things including team dynamic. Palaces: (in chronological order) Kamoshida/Castle - IT SUCKED I HATE IT. being the first freaking dungeon it sure was extremely hard and damn long. also not knowing about the calling car system really hurt lmao. i just hate this dungeon and i got stuck there a lot too Madarame/Art Museum - THE BEST ONE! Honestly I think it is the only palace that really did feel like a heist! It is a very beautiful palace and im probably also biased bc its Yusuke’s arc but this palace was legit fun to get through. Kaneshiro/Bank - it was ok, good music. i don’t really feel much for it and I was just mostly annoyed how long the vault part was. Futaba/Pyramid - I loved it  a lot too! 10/10 music I had a lot of annoyances with coffin shadows and the puzzles for a bit but overall the music and aesthetics really made the palace work well with the story Okumura/Spaceship - we don’t talk about the “lunch break” parts.... overall it was ok and I liked its aesthetic. also the implications about the workers there was good sad material. Sae/Casino - 10/10 music. overall i disliked it a lot bc some of the parts really dragged and I hated gambling in there to progress. Shido/Ship - 10/10 music. overall i liked it / it was ok. the mouse mechanic was a bit fun, the last part being ... 3 boss fights in a row without saving was sure something. 10/10 creepy outside aesthetic of sunken city. Mementos Depths - not to be confused w/ p3/4 style dungeon we know as mementos (which were pretty much mindless fun to progress thru), the depths was ... so good. mostly for the creepy aesthetic 10/10 would suffer again. the music track Freedom and Security, that plays during goro’s bad end credits, plays as the theme for this dungeon and jeez did it make me feel so emo. the parts where you can talk to locked up people who are apathetic to the world just gave me depression and i loved it.. . i didnt really like the later part of it (when tokyo merges with mementos) To rank the palaces overall its:  Art museum > Mementos Depths > Pyramid >> Ruse Cruise > Spaceship > Casino > Bank >>>>>> Castle Gameplay mechanics were very solid and fun. Movement a bit could be clunky (or that’s what i felt like) and stealth mechanic in dungeons was ok. The gameplay has A LOT of attention to detail and i appreciated it a lot. UI was cluttered but it worked and was quite Aesthetic. I think the game would have benefited if the stats weren’t so important to the social aspect or if the calendar system was revamped. Final boss imo was not as bad as P4 but still ... sucked. P3′s final boss fight is still ultimately my favorite. P5 comes close but once again, pacing issues. Protagonist summoning freaking Satanael was cool af though. Honestly my big issue with P5 was the PACING that made the story and characters suck a lot of times but overall the game was extremely solid and memorable.  Of the persona entries i played i think P5 is special so I can’t really rank it. I am really attached to the game despite its heavy flaws that kill me. P3 and P2 are still quite my favorites but P5 is like really close to them so I guess it’s a fave too i love those phantom thieves

[maritimemac-blog]

Just about now you may be thinking of where to go for your summer vacation. If an east coast holiday is in your future, I have put together my second annual list of favourite places I visited. I hope you enjoy them. (see here for  Top 20 Maritime Outdoor Escapes 2017  edition).

20. Bouctouche, New Brunswick.

Just 30 minutes south of Kouchibouquac National Park and and 45 minutes north of Moncton.  If you are doing the Acadia Coast Drive make sure to check out Bouctouche.  Here the Irving Eco-Center boasts great bird-watching and wildlife.  Meander along the boardwalk perched above the sand dunes and watch great blue herons wade in the shallows. Bring a lawn chair and towel – the beach is great too.

  View from the tower. Irving Eco Center, Bouctouche New Brunswick

19. Port Hastings, Nova Scotia, 

Should be your first stop on Cape Breton Island. Not only was the Canso Causeway an engineering wonder of its day, the view to Porcupine Mountain is amazing. Watch the boats pass through the canal between the Strait of Canso and the Northumberland Strait. You can walk out on the rocky point of land and take a photo at marker zero of the Ceilidh Coastal Trail. With a little luck you may see whales, seals, eagles and gulls congregate to feast on what the churning waters serve up.  Please see Cape Breton- Rediscovered Part 1 and  Cape Breton- Part 2-A Tourist at Home for further reading on the area.

18. Saint John, New Brunswick.

What’s not to love about Saint John? It’s geologically fascinating, historically important, has a trendy nightlife, lots for food lovers to take in and one of the hottest cruise ship ports around. Make sure to check out the City Market, Reversing Falls, Rockwood and Irving nature parks.  for further reading:

On The Trail of Loyalists,

In Honour of Canada’s 150th  

Summer Of The Beach

It All Started With Love

My Quest for the Forbidden in Saint John

The Art of Saint John

Saint John: The Rest of the Story

Irving Nature Park- Saint John, NB

17. Miramichi, New Brunswick

Miramichi makes it to my list for the second year in a row. I can’t get enough of the beautiful scenery.  Kouchibouquac National Park is 20 minutes south for camping and exploring. Hike in the French Fort Cove, catch a boat tour on the Miramichi River from Ritchie Wharf.  Learn about the hardships and courage of the Acadian people during the expulsion at Wilson’s Point and Beaubears Island national historic sites. Some of the best salmon fishing there is. Also a stop on the Via Rail train heading both westward and east towards Moncton and Halifax. Further reading. The Miramichi River Route, as I would do it.

16. Heartland, New Brunswick 

I came here for two things; the world’s longest covered bridge and The Covered Bridge Potato chip factory. Enjoy both while you are visiting. Please read Bridges To Cross, 2017 New Brunswick

  Hartland Covered Bridge The world’s longest covered bridge

15. St Peters, Cape Breton, NS.

An epic bucket list “must do” for sailors is to traverse the locks of the canal – within minutes you are transported from the Atlantic Ocean to Bras d’Or Lake.  The area was home to the Mi’kmaq people for thousands of years before the first European settlers came in the late 1580’s.  There is usually a ceilidh or festival going on somewhere. Nearby Point Michaud beach is excellent.  Further posts Cape Breton- Part 3. Mowat and St Peters.

14. Sackville, New Brunswick

This is bird-watching paradise. Land that was drained for farming by the early Acadian settlers has been reclaimed and is now  home to a waterfowl park.  The surrounding trail conjoins with the trans-Canada trail, so if you choose to you can walk or cycle all the way to Cape Jourmaine. Two national historic sites, several provincial historic sites, home to Mount Alison University and its fantastic library. There are dozens of artisans and craftspeople, it is a cultural playground. For further reading; Searching around Sackville, New Brunswick Part 1

Searching Around Sackville Part 2

Sackville, New Brunswick waterfowl park and so much more

13. Tignish, Nova Scotia

I came here to see Tignish Dock Provincial Park. Henry Ketchum had an ambitious idea to create a rail line and lifting bridge across the Chignecto isthmus from Fort Lawrence on the Bay of Fundy, to Tignish on the Northumberland shore. The ill-fated historic Chignecto Marine Transport Railway ran out of money before it was completed and was scrapped and dismantled to pay creditors. The provincial park pays tribute to its legacy.  It has a picnic area, toilets, a red sand beach and a suspension bridge. I loved it.

  12. Fredericton, New Brunswick

Fredericton, the capital of New Brunswick, is located on the banks of the Saint John River. What it lacks in size it makes up for in amenities. Theater, museums, cafes, pubs, parks, walking and cycling trails. A four-season vacation area. Please see further reading in my post My Fredericton, New Brunswick.

Black-eyed Susans in the botanical gardens of Odell Park

11. Springhill, Nova Scotia

If you have heard of Nova Scotia’s favourite daughter, Anne Murray, then you will want to go through her museum. It has a large collection of memorabilia including photos, accolades and videos from her career.  She usually visits town during Old Home Week in August each year. Make sure to go through the Springhill coal mine. You will feel what it was like to go underground in horrible working conditions and understand the fear many endured while being buried alive for days when the mine collapsed in the town’s famous mining disaster in 1958.  A poignant exhibit that left me shaken, yet so happy I went.

    10 Cape Jourmain National Wildlife Area, New Brunswick

Great hiking along the coastline to the lighthouse. I really enjoyed the views to the Confederation Bridge across to Prince Edward Island.  Lots of bird-watching and an excellent interpretive center.

Confederation Bridge from Cape Tormentine June 30th, 2017

9. Stanhope National Park, PEI

This is the land of of sand dunes, lighthouses and beaches. Go for a dip in the ocean, or kayak along the shore. Photograph birds nesting and endless sunsets. Take a drive along the gulf coast parkway to Dalvay-by-the sea. Only 25 minutes to Charlottetown.

Stanhope Beach inside PEI national park

8. Welsford, New Brunswick,

What a hidden gem. Make sure to see to see Welsford Falls and hike Bald Mountain. If you are more daring, rock climbers from all over come here to climb. For further reading; Welsford, New Brunswick. The Best of

    7. Victoria, PEI

A small, charming seaside community, old restored homes have been transformed into artists’ shops, chocolatiers, restaurants and museums. Be sure to see Prince Edward Island’s largest tree and if you sure-footed and not afraid of heights, climb the ladder to the top of the local lighthouse.

  6. Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island

Canada’s story started here and Charlottetown does our country proud.  Beautifully maintained heritage buildings,  seaside views and helpful residents to make you feel at home.  Dine al fresco on a patio on Victoria Row before taking in a production at the art center or just people-watch. A  very walk-able town.

        Charlottetown, Pedestrian area, cafes, artist shops patios in a historic district

    5. Cape George, Nova Scotia.

Called the “little Cabot Trail” for a reason,  the road hugs the bends of the coastline and climbs, affording magnificent views of the Northumberland  coast.  Hike to the lighthouse. I brought a lunch and enjoyed the views even in early March.

Cape George Lighthouse

4. Hampton, New Brunswick

This was one of my favourite places last year.  It had everything – scenery, a beautifully laid-out town filled with sculptures and historic buildings. The artisan quilt barn tour was fun to follow. Lots of hiking trails and famous for bird-watching.  I highly recommend Hampton.

Light House Park Hampton NB

  3. Fundy National Park New Brunswick

If they views aren’t enough to bring you here, how about the world’s highest tides, two covered bridges and miles of hiking trails. For a long hike go to Third Vault Falls or for a shorter one try Dickson Falls. There is a golf course, a hotel, cabins and plenty of like-minded folks enjoying nature.

Fundy National Park

2. Sussex, New Brunswick

I really enjoyed myself in Sussex.  Between searching for murals and covered bridges, I also found two of my favourite places to hike.  For further reading please read;

Walton Glen Gorge…….ous.

Sussex New Brunswick- Don’t Just Pass Through

Sussex Bluff. The Hike Part 3

Belise covered bridge

1. Fundy Trail Parkway

What can I say about this place? Home to the famous Fundy Footpath – 41 kilometers of wilderness trail along the Fundy coast. Listed as one of the 50 best hikes in the world. The scenery is breathtaking.  There are shorter hikes to waterfalls, rock formations and a sea-captain’s grave.  for more information please read The Fundy Trail Parkway, Is Not The Fundy National Park.

Flower Pot from Observation deck 1

There you have it, this year’s Top 20. Please join me again as I strike out on new adventures. Until next time, happy travels from Maritime Mac.

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  Top 20 Maritime Outdoor Escapes-2018 Just about now you may be thinking of where to go for your summer vacation. If an east coast holiday is in your future, I have put together my second annual list of favourite places I visited.

[k2kid]

Major George Whitford Nelson, Adjutant (2IC), 18th Battalion, CEF.

Introduction

The intent of this blog post is to expand upon a series of letters diligently transcribed by the Bruce County Archives entitled Correspondence from Lieutenant Colonel George Whitford Nelson to his sister, Mrs. William Kidd, 1914-1916, A99.058.008. This resource was found during research into this soldier and offers an invaluable insight into the feelings, attitudes, opinions, mores, and social perceptions of one soldier in the 18th Battalion.

This soldier had a unique opportunity to observe his soldiers. The then Major Nelson was second-in-command (2IC) of the Battalion, and as the chief administrative officer, had an intimate knowledge of the soldiers under his command. Necessarily his letters reflect the interests of the audience and the letters are not overly technical of his experience as an officer but there are openings in some of the letters where is unique position in the Battalion offers insights that illuminate his role.

The letters offer snap-shots in time and when cross-referenced with other historical material help us understand the lives of this soldier.

Format

The letters are taken from the original document. In most cases the original text is left “as is” but some context has been added by this author for clarity. In many cases these clarifications are “best guesses” taken from the author’s knowledge of the Battalion and military procedures. The letters use a box matrix system:

Item ID A994.058.008 (Number of Document) Format: Letter or Postcard. Addressee Who the letter is addressed to. For consistency, this format has not been changed. From An extrapolation of the address is made if unclear and blank if no address if given. Date The date or empty if not recorded. Text The body of the letter. The hyperlinks offer sources regarding the subject being discussed. Notes These notes are interpretations and explanations of the letter attempting to clarify and expand on the letter’s themes or ideas. Battalion Activity A summary of the Battalion’s experiences in and around the date of the letter to give context.

  Biographies

Edith Anne (Nelson) Kidd[i]

Edith Anne (Nelson) Kidd was the sister of George Whitford Nelson. She lived at Concession D, Lot 8, Amabel Township in Bruce County. She lived on a farm and was very active with its management. She also found time to be a church organist and choir member.

George Whitford Nelson[ii]

George Whitford Nelson was born May 4, 1884 and was one of four children born to Samuel and Sarah Ann (Johnson) Nelson. He attended business college after public school and took courses relating to militia service. He served in the 32nd Bruce Regiment before the First World War and then joined the CEF on November 7, 1914 (most likely in London, Ontario). He served with the 18th Battalion as Adjutant (second in command) until wounded in 1916. From that point he wished to retain active service on the Continent but, due to the nature of his wound, he was transferred to Canada and was involved in raising troops for the Western Ontario Regiment based in London, Ontario. After the end of the war he operated hardware stores, first in Harriston, Ontario, and then Scarborough, Ontario. He died at Christie Street Hospital of a brain tumor on April 6, 1935. He is listed as being buried at Saugeen Cemetery, Southampton, Ontario in plot number 134, west block.

The Letters

Item ID[iii] A994.058.001 (1) postcard Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From [Bnc 188?] West Toronto Date November 4, 1914 Text Dear Sister,

  You will see that I am still here. Haven’t had any word but inferred to be with this contingent. Officers have not been picked yet to London. Have made enquiries about potatoes & cannot get more then 50 to 60 cents per bag here in Toronto. I think it would pay to hold until spring as they are usually $1.10 then.

  Bye, bye,

George

Notes Major Nelson is writing from Toronto. The purpose of his visit is unknown but his concern about the price of potatoes is related to the farming the Kidd family was involved in in the Amabel Township area. As a point of reference, a kilogram of potatoes had an average consumer price in Canada of $0.14 in 1935. An article from 1931 indicates that the price for potatoes was $0.70 per ninety (90) pound bag. The price seems to correlate with Major Nelson’s letter indicating that he is referring to the wholesale price of potatoes for a 90-pound bag. Waiting for spring by storing the potatoes offers his sister’s crop a doubling of price.

  On November 7, 1914, Major Nelson appears to have attested in London, Ontario. He was on of the officers of the Battalion who had their completed attestation papers signed in West Sandling, Folkestone, Kent, England on May 20, 1915.

Battalion Activity The 18th Battalion is forming in London, Ontario taking recruits from Windsor, Chatham, London, Stratford, Galt, and other towns in what was then called Western Ontario. The 18th Battalion was part of the formation of the 2nd Contingent C.E.F.

    Item ID A994.058.001 (2) postcard Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From 18th Batt. CE 7

Wolseley [Bonater]

London

Date November 15, 1914 Text Dear Friend,

  Just a line to let you know that everything is going well with me. Have been appointed Adj. of 18th Batt. Would like to hear how you all are. Miss Edna[iv] & the children very much.

  Love to all,

George

Notes A quick note to his sister in which he references his wife, Edna and his two children. His children are Geraldine, born 1909, and Beryl, born January 4, 1914. Battalion Activity Major Nelson, who had [15] years military experience as a member of the 32 Bruce Regiment is appointed Adjutant to the Battalion. This position is effectively makes Major Nelson second in command of the Battalion and the assistant to Lieutenant-Colonel Wigle.

  Item ID A994.058.001 (3) postcard Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From Unknown but most probably from Wolseley Barracks, London, Ontario where the 18th Battalion was forming and training. Date Between November 15, 1914 and March 7, 1915. Text Dear Sister,

  Was glad to get your letters and hope you will write as often as possible. I enjoy your letters very much. Boby [baby] is getting better very slowly. I think we will have to take her back to Toronto soon – no word of going yet. I haven’t any promotion yet.

  Love to all, fun all,

George

Notes With no date of this letter any context is hard to derive. Major Nelson refers to “Boby”, probably the word baby (one of his children), who may have to return to Toronto. This would be Beryl who is not yet 1 year old. Battalion Activity Training in London, Ontario.

  Item ID A994.058.008 (4) letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From London, Ontario Date March 7, 1915. Text Dear Sister,

  I received your two letters all OK and enjoyed your letters very much. I don’t know any further when we go away but we are expecting the word every day. We are disappointed that we are not away before this but I guess all will come right soon. We have been here four months and all are very anxious to get away.

  Willie Fenton[v] is still here but they are trying still to get him out. Trying now to make out that his eyes are no good. I don’t think that it will work though however. I am not putting anything in his way to get out. When anyone has cold feet why they are better away from here. We had a big parade down city yesterday and it was a great sight. There was about 1000 of our Battalion in Parade in full marching order, just the same as we go to the front and 67 Horses and 19 Wagons. It was a great sight I can tell you and won’t be seen for some time in London.

  I was home to Toronto over last Saturday and Sunday. I intend going down next Saturday if we are still here. I really don’t expect to be here until the end of next week.

  Sid[vi] is getting along fine and makes a real good Soldier and I could not get a better one for the work I have to do. My S[s]addlery and clothes are kept in first class shape and he is all in love with my horse. I have a dandy Horse. I call him Barney and would not trade him for any horse in the Batt. He cuts up a lot when we are parading[vii].

  I haven’t got my Promotion yet but expect to get it soon. Col. Wigle wrote about it the other day. My pay will be $1.25 per day more than I get now & it will be dated from December so it will mean a lot for me and if I don’t come back Edna will get a real good pension & that is the main reason that I want it.

Must close now and hope you are all real well. Write as often as you can. Love to all,

  Bye, bye,

George

Notes With the formation of the Battalion in October 1914, the training now has been proceeding for approximately four months and the expectation for being shipped out to another locale for more advanced training and posting to active service was starting to become preeminent in the minds of the men of the Battalion.

  The paragraph referring to the then Private William (Willie) Fenton alludes to the army’s attempt to remove him from the army due to medical reasons, “Willie Fenton is still here but they are trying still to get him out. Trying now to make out that his eyes are no good.” But the next line then alludes Private Fenton’s suitability as a soldier by then stating, “I am not putting anything in his way to get out. When anyone has cold feet why they are better away from here.” This phrasing is elusive enough to make it difficult to determine Major Nelson’s intent but it could be that Major Nelson thinks that Willie is trying to fake poor eyesight to be rejected as a recruit but leave enough doubt in his narrative to leave this open to interpretation.

  Whatever the case, Private Fenton is given a clean bill of health and his medical records at that time indicate the there are no sight defects that would prevent him serving in the Canadian Army. He eventually would be Gazetted for the Military Cross and invested with the M.C. by King George at Buckingham Palace.

  The last paragraph indicates Major Nelson’s concern for his family. The reference to his promotion may mean that, at this time, is an Acting Major, a captain in rank with the pay of a captain but the responsibilities of a major.

Battalion Activity Training in London, Ontario.

  Item ID A994.058.008 (5) postcard Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From Wolseley Barracks

London, Ontario

Date March 24, 1915 Text Dear Sister,

  You see we are still here. We will likely be here two or more weeks yet. I don’t think that I can get up at Easter. I can only get away for a day & a half at a time. [?} even when I get back. I’ll spend a [long time?.] All are well at home & wish you all the same [? ?].

  Love to all,

George

Notes A quick note to his sister in which he references his desire to be posted to England and indicates that his off-duty time would not allow him to travel to see his sister in Elsinore, Ontario. Battalion Activity 18th Battalion training and awaiting orders to be shipped to England. It entrained in London, Ontario on April 15, 1914 for the trip to the embarkation point of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

  Item ID A994.058.008 (6) letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From Train #2

18th Batt. C.E.F.

Just past Campbellton, New Brunswick

Date April 17, 1915 Text Dear Friends

  We have just left Campbellton, N.B. and are skirting the Bay de Chaleurs.

Everyone is real well and [on] the [their] best of behavior. We have the best men on earth. We expect to be in Halifax tonight at 12 o’clock. This will be only a short note to let you know where I am and that we are all well. It is hard to write with the train rocking.

  The 18th left London Thursday night at 7:30 and 8:30 two trains. This train has 17 coaches and all are filled. Must close now will write aboard ship.

  Love to all,

George

Notes The 18th Battalion left London, Ontario on April 15, 1915 for Halifax for embarkation to England. Battalion Activity 18th Battalion in transit to Halifax, Nova Scotia by train. It is obvious Major Nelson is enthused to be on his way to war as “We have the best men on the earth.” Without doubt the expectation and frustration in waiting during the initial recruiting, training, and preparation for this event will be assuaged by the opportunity to train in England with the eventual posting to active service on the front line.

  Item ID A994.058.008 (7) letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From Canadian Pacific Railway Ocean Services

R.M.S. Grampian

Mid Ocean

Date April 25, 1915 Text Dear Friends,

  I can’t very well tell you where I am but will know better when I get a chance to post this. We left London Apr. 15 in two trains one at 7:30 and the other at 8:30. I was on the last one. We had a fine run through to Montreal making an average of 40 miles per hour arriving here about noon. Then we went over the Intercolonial to Halifax. The run from Montreal to Halifax is not very interesting, mostly all woods at one place near Rimouski & Fallen Point the [seam] must have been 2 feet deep. You can think yourselves lucky in that you live in Ontario. Old Ontario looked very sunny to me when going through Quebec, New Brunswick & Nova Scotia.

  When we were leaving London there must have been 1000 people out to see us off. There was some terrible scenes when the final Goodbye was said and I was glad when the train pulled out. It was heartrending to see the way they clung to each other. I must say that you people at home can never realize what some of these soldiers have given up.

  We arrived in Halifax at 2:30 am Sunday morning and went aboard the Grampian about noon and then at 6:20 we set sail. I have just been thinking tonight that when we sang Tipperary back in Ontario, that we did not know that it was such a long way. We have been at sea one week and where we are we don’t know. Today the Cruiser Cumberland joined us, that is the Northland & Grampian. This is the first Warship that we have had. She certainly looked as if she meant real business by the big Guns poking out here and there. We get the war news by Wireless & we got news today that the Canadians had won a victory in France[viii].

  Tell Russel & Gordon that I saw a whale yesterday. It passed between the Northland and us and every little piece he would come up and blow. I only got a look at him once. I will be able to tell you all about the trip when we get back. We hope to reach England next Wednesday. Well I must close now and will write again when I get to England. Write as often as you can. I will not have very much time for writing when I get new address. You mail to G.O.P. London Eng. I suppose Edna told you that I have been promoted to Major.

  Love to all,

George

Notes This letter is self-explanatory. It is interesting to note that there was an effort to keep up with the war news by ship’s telegraph and it is during the transit of the 18th Battalion aboard the Grampian that the 2nd Battle of Ypres occurred. The reports indicate a victory and this was the first major engagement for the C.E.F. with the units from the 1st Contingent. Battalion Activity 18th Battalion in transit from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Avon-Mouth, England.

  Item ID A994.058.008 (8) postcard Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From Sandling camp

Hythe England

Date May 4, 1915 Text Send all mail to me addressed to G.P.O. London, Engl. As we may move around some & that is the best, it will come there any way. All are well. Love to all. Write as often as you can. Notes A necessarily brief post card updating family on how to write Major Nelson now that he is in England. Battalion Activity The 18th Battalion has begun to record its War Diary and indicates on this day:

  “32 other ranks detailed to attend course on Physical Training and Bayonet Fighting at Napeir Barracks. Shorncliffe.”

The Battalion arrived at West Sandling on April 29, 1915, and begins to establish its routine for training for combat.

  Item ID A994.058.008 (9) Letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From West Sandling camp

Hythe England

Date May 26, 1915 Text Dear Friends,

  Will try and send you a few lines tonight. I received your letter, Edith, yesterday and also today got your third bundle of papers and of course you know that I am indeed grateful to you. Your papers today entertained the Beacon & Tara Leader and Mails. It is a treat to receive papers and letters over here. I don’t think there are any Mail & Empires come here but the ones you send and all the Officers are very anxious to get a look at them.

  We are in a beautiful spot down here in the South East of England and everyone has no kick coming of the way the English people have used us or the way everything has been provided by military Headquarters. I cannot begin to describe to you the beauty of the country here, roads winding here and there, hedges on both sides of road. Hedges for fences. Roads better than streets in our cities in Canada. All the roads are drained underneath, & every little piece you will see the sewer hole where the water empties into the drain. No ditches along the roads but there are some ditches in the fields along side the hedge. All the roads are made of cracked stone rolled with steam rollers. They are very narrow in fact lots of roads an ordinary wagon cannot pass but unlike Canada they can squeeze right up on the banks as there are no ditches. Most of the roads are sunken. This country has chalk after you dig down a few feet. France is the same way. A week ago Sunday I was down in Folkestown[ix] [sic] about several miles from here and I could see the white chalk cliffs of Calaise [sic], France I couldn’t help looking at them for a long time. It seemed to me that over there was the height of my ambition and I couldn’t help but wonder what was in store for me over there. About 50 miles from here they are fighting away. We haven’t any idea of when we will get over. Some are telling us that we go over next week. Then others tell us that we will be split up and sent over in [drafts?]. In that event the Battalion Headquarters will be left here & we will have to train up the Reinforcements that will be sent from Canada. We are hoping that nothing like that will happen and we don’t expect it. Our Battalion is showing up fine and they are giving us great praise. We are busy on Musketry now and as soon as we get that finished we will be ready for the front & we expect that next week we can say we are ready to go. Willie Fenton is doing well now that he is away from home and I think everything will be right[x]. I wrote Edna a description of the voyage over and also sent her some pictures and she will give you some. I haven’t heard from Tosey[xi] yet. I do wish things were right with you all & I wish that a special effort was made. I have been down in Dover and it is a fine old place. Has a big castle & the day I was there the Harbor was full of Destroyers & Battleships.

  Well I must close now and must say I met a Capt. Kidd[xii]. I think he came from Kingston & I was wondering if he was any relation to Will. He is a Chaplain. Write as soon as you can and give my best regards to all I know and thank you very much for papers & all.

  With kindest regards. I am

Sincerely yours

George

Notes The Battalion, being established now at its base for almost a month, offers more news as Major Nelson updates his sister. He appreciates the newspapers she sends and regales her with descriptions regarding the drainage of roads and other details. He indicates concerns about what will happen to the Battalion (will it be used for reinforcements or allowed to serve as a unit) and this concern would be prescient given the terrible casualties suffered by the 1st Canadian Division at the 2nd Battle of Ypres. Battalion Activity Battalion training per syllabus attached to War Diary.

  Item ID A994.058.008 (10) postcard? Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From West Sandling camp

Hythe England

Date June 20, 1915[xiii] Text Dear Sister

  You will see by this that we are still here. I have been over at Canterbury and the Cathedral is simply wonderful. Wish you could see it. The Black Prince is buried there.

  Love to all

George

Notes It appears that Major Nelson was able to visit Canterbury and its cathedral. By train it would have been approximately 1.5 hours travel time. Battalion Activity The Battalion was engaged in training for the month.

  Item ID A994.058.008 (11) postcard? Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From   Date June 22, 1915 Text Kindest Regards,

George

Notes A very short post card. Probably a picture post card. Battalion Activity The Battalion was engaged in training for the month.

  Item ID A994.058.008 (12) Letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From West Sandling camp

Hythe England

Date July 13, 1915 Text Dear Friends

  I received your letter dated June 28th today and you mentioned that you hadn’t a letter from me for a long time. Well, Edith, I am sure I have written you not longer than a fortnight or 3 weeks ago so it must have gone astray.[xiv]

  You see we are still here and expect to be here for a full month yet around about the 1st of Sept. there will be something for us all to think about. There is some talk of General Brooke taking a party of us over to France to see how things are going and if that is done I am almost sure of being one of the party. If I do I will tell you all about it.

  The War is going splendid over in France and Belgium. The Allies are going at it stronger every day. The Germans cannot break through and the situation as it now stands is that both sides have put up such strong field works that they are at a standstill. In the meantime the British are manning a lot of troups [troops] behind the lines. The Germans are going to try and break through during the next two months but they can’t do it.

  I get your newspapers all OK and we all certainly enjoy getting them. It seems like as if we are not so far from home when the newspapers come in. I also had a letter from Edna today. Everything seems to be alright but Edna is feeling lonesome.[xv] However this war won’t last forever and I think that we will have a happy letter home again. I would love to see them all. I will soon be nine months away from home.

  General Lord Brooke is in command of our Bde. So you see we have a real live Lord over us but we had the Bde. before he thought about our lot. Col. Welch who is second in command of the 1st Battalion was over here on a visit from France & he told us that it was common report at 1st Div. Headquarters in France that the 4th BDE. is the best BDE. that ever left Canada. We [?] as you know to the 18th Bn. 4th Bde. 2nd Canadian Div. Our Bn.is doing a lot of good work and I think will make a name for themselves in France.

  Willie Fenton is doing fine now. Since he got squared away he is doing well. I have him in the Pioneer Sect now. I have to look after the Pioneers and I have him in direct supervision.

  Well I must close now and hope that everyone is real well. I am sending you a couple of snapshots. Am thinking about taking a weeks leave and go up to Scotland. I have not had any leave and am beginning to feel as if I should have some.

  General Sam Hughes is expected here almost anytime to inspect our troops and I will not be able to get leave until after that.

  Give my kind regards to all that are my friends.

  Sincerely yours,

Geo W. Nelson

Notes With the Battalion in training since mid-April the members of the Battalion and the 2nd Contingent must know that the training would be ending. In part this is reflected by the activities of the war diaries of the battalions of the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade as they were involved in larger and larger training schemes. Company, then battalion, then brigade sized, and finally a divisional exercise would indicate to the officers and men that the work up for training was coming to an end.

  Major Nelson eludes to his estimation that the training will end at the beginning of September (“…about the 1st of Sept. there will be something for us all to think about.”) and still thinks that the war will end soon.

Battalion Activity The Battalion was engaged in training for the month. As opposed to the War Diary in June 1915, the War Diary for July 1915, begins to flesh out with more detail as the soldiers working in the Battalion learn their roles and responsibilities. The War Diary comprises of one page, type-written, with the briefest of details.

  For reference, the Battalion was engaged with the following on the date this letter was written:

6:30 – 7:00 – Parade Ground – Squad Drill

8:15 – 4:00 – Tolsford Hill – Entrenching

4:00 – 5:00 – Road to Camp – March Discipline

  One can imagine the entire Battalion, 1,100 strong going about their squad drill, probably before breakfast, and then marching from West Sandling to Tolsford Hill to dig trenches all day. And then the trek back to camp, dirty, sweaty, and wondering when they would be engaging the enemy.

  Item ID A994.058.008 (13) postcard Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From Not Stated Date Undated Text Kindest thoughts,

George

Notes A short postcard. Battalion Activity The Battalion was engaged in training for the month.

Lieutenant Tranter

Item ID A994.058.008 (14) Letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From West Sandling camp

Hythe England

Date August 1, 1915 Text Dear Friends

  Time seems to roll along at a very rapid rate & I can hardly believe that it is the 1st of Aug. This time last year we were spending some very anxious moments as to whether there would be war or not. Well it has come and we have been at it a year now and untold misery has been the harvest now. I hope it is a good. The harvest over here looks splendid. It is to be hoped that there won’t be another year of it. I guess you will be busy at the harvest now. I hope it is a good. The harvest over here looks splendid.

  Milton Aikens and Garfield Cleave were over here one day last week. Aikens spent a day and a half in camp and Cleave spent a half day. I was more than surprised to see them. Aikens is a great big fellow and looks the picture of health. He is a Sergt. now and is in charge of the Machine Gunner Sect. of the 1st Bn.[xvi] He has been doing fine work over there. He told me a lot of what went on over there at that battle of Ypres war. They suffered so much. The British Div. and our Canadian Div. had to attack a certain part of the line. The British had a terrible task to do and were not able to do it and when the Canadians got so far forward they had to retire. The 1st Bn. was to blame themselves as they rushed forward too fast. I think you will remember Rural Dean Robinson at Walkerton. I knew him well as he was Chaplain of the 32nd for a long time. Well, his son was in that fight and was struck by a shell. Nothing was left of him but scraps of bone and flesh. The old man has had a stroke and in a very bad way. Tranter[xvii] was in the charge and only got a short distance from his trench when he fell. Some of his men stopped to assist him but he told them to go on and that was the last they saw of him. Aikens said that he was loved by all of his men and Col. Hill said that he realized that Tranter should have got more out of it than he did. Col. Hill was not liked by any of them and they are all gone and he is left.

  Well we are to be received by the King next Wednesday and after that at night. I have heard we are all to be at a Reception in Folkestone. After that I don’t think we will belong here. Some say we go to the Dardenelles and others say we are to go to France but none of us know but I hope we get away soon.

  We all like to get the papers you send. Col. Wigle likes to see the Mail and Empire, yours are the only Mails that come. You really don’t know how good it is to get a look at the Beacon. I am sure it must be a nuisance for you sending them but I certainly am glad to get them.

Give my regards to all true British.

  Sincerely yours

George

Notes The first paragraph is awkward and the reference to “harvest” seems to be an accidental mixed metaphor. The first reference indicates that the harvest is one of “untold misery”, yet the second reference segues to a description of an agricultural harvest in England. As can be seen by his letter dated November 4, 1914, Major Nelson’s family background in farming explains his interest in farming (and drainage). But the first paragraph reads oddly with the two diametrically opposed reference to “harvest”. One of war and one of Peace.

  No reference to Aikens or Cleave was found at this time but the paragraph serves to illustrate that Major Nelson has direct personal experience with combatants that served in the 1st Canadian Contingent and that their stories would certainly make an impression on his, one in which he shares, especially the death of a fellow 32nd Bruce Regiment officers, Lieutenant Tranter.

  HRM King George the 6th would review divisions leaving for their combat assignments so Major Nelson now knows categorically the 18th Battalion is about to be posted to an active combat role.

  It is interesting to note that even at this date, Major Nelson is unsure of the final destination. The reference to the Dardenelles would have been worrisome to him and his family as that campaign was not successful.

Battalion Activity The Battalion was engaged in training for the month.

News story about a Zeppelin raid from the Daily Telegraph, August 14, 1915. Page 7.

Item ID A994.058.008 (15) Letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From West Sandling camp

Hythe England

Date August 15, 1915 Text Dear friends

  Just a year ago now we were all watching the first events of the War. The Germans were pouring into Belgium and France said things were going wrong. It seems to me to have been a very short year. A year that so far as experience I have lived a lifetime. In less than two months, I will have been with the colors for a year and during that whole year I haven’t regretted for a moment that I came forward. As time goes on and we become more fully trained we all become more satisfied with everything. I often in an idle moment wonder what you are all doing and what everything is like. I suppose everyone is very busy with the harvest. Harvest is in full swing here in England and they have a splendid one too. It would do your heart good to go through this grand old England and see everything as it is now with the wheat being cut. Any Englishman can be fond of this fine old land. I was of as far as Edinburgh, but no place like the South of England.

  Kent County is the finest of them all. The people here are wonderful and they can’t do too much for us. Everywhere we go we are welcomed with smiles and wide open doors, Yesterday Col. Wigle, Major Ingram and myself went for a motor ride to Dover and on our way back called at a place that Major Ingram knew and we had a splendid time. We had an air raid at Dover last week. Dover is only fourteen miles from here but they did not do any damage. The Battery hit one with its first shot and a Torpedo Boat destroyer brought the Zepplin [sic] down in the channel where it blew up. So you see we have no fear from them. You have no idea of what the British Navy is doing in this War. When a German Submarine is captured, it never appears in the papers but we get a lot of information from the Naval officers.

  We are about to go forward from here in about two weeks and probably by the time you get this we we’ll have left. We are all anxious to go over for that is what we came to do. The war is going alright. You have no idea of the numbers of troops that Britain has ready. I can say that there are millions in England and another million in France. This may surprise you, but all the same it is true.

  I get all your papers and are very glad and thankful to you for them. After reading them I give them to the men to read in their huts. I hope that you are all well and everything going right. I hope you will be able to go down to see Edna. She is pretty lonesome. But you all back in Canada must keep the camp fires burning, till the boys come home. Write as often as you can. I don’t get time to write as often as I would like to, but if I don’t write, my thoughts are always with those at home.

  Kindest regards to everyone,

George

xxxx

Notes A very descriptive letter.

  There is no record of a Zeppelin being shot down that week.

Battalion Activity The Battalion was engaged in training for the month. The War Diary entry for August 14, 1915 reads: “Attack on 5th. Inf. Bde. near BONNINGTON – 4th Bde. made very successful flank attack.” This is an example of the increased tempo of training as this exercise involves two Infantry Brigades. Each brigade had four battalions of approximately 1,100 men.

Item ID A994.058.008 (16) Letter – This letter combines letters written on two separate dates. Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From West Sandling camp

Hythe England

Date September 5, 1915/September 7, 1915 Text September 15, 1915 Letter

  Dear Friends

  I receiver your letter a few days ago and Sid showed me his letter so I wanted to write you all while we were in England. We all expect to get away very soon and in fact we did think this would have been one of our moving days. However, it will come very soon.

  There is not very much going on just now. We have sort of slackened down from Training during the past week and have been occupied in getting everything in shape for overseas. We have finished our Div. training and it ended up with four days of almost day and night work. My little mare came through it all fine and we had a few days of very hard work. We were up around Ashford where the Zepplins [sic] were dropping bombs.

  The German Zeps and Submarines seem to have got their stomach full lately as there doesn’t seem to be anything going on now. The British have caught a lot of their Submarines. There is lots of ammunition going forward now and the British are shelling the Dickens out of them over in France. The grip is tightening all the time on the Germans and they know it also.

From all the reports we get you must have had a terrible summer over there. It’s too bad now that we need everything so bad. I am going to send you two or three snapshots. I am taking my camera over to France. I really don’t know how I am going to get my film developed but I guess there will be some place over there.

  The King and Lord Kitchener inspected us last Thursday and the King said we were equal to the finest Div. that he had seen since the war commenced. It was a great sight to see them all. They all seemed very pleased.

  September 17, 1915 Letter

  I did not get your letter finished as it has been somewhat busy for me. I don’t get much time with tearing around. Everything comes to the adjutant and it is a certain stream of messenger clerks and others to keep me going. I don’t mind it a bit. In fact I love it. I think I must have been born to this work. I have a fine staff of clerks in the Orderly Room (that is the military term for Office). We get the name of having the best Orderly Room in the Brigade. I felt quite proud of that as I am responsible for the work of the Orderly Room. I have to do many a thing that seems so difficult, especially when some one is brought up for punishment. As man is brought up and I feel that we are man to man. Although one is a private & the other a major we are both men and I would rather do the punishment myself than award it.

  Probably it might be interesting to you to know how military discipline is worked. Our Bn. is divided as follows: Four companies 6 officers & 221 NCO’s & men. Then we have a Bare [Base] Company of 1 officer and 99 NCOs & men. Signal Section 1 officer 17 men. Pioneer Sect 11 [men]. Transport 1 officer & 13 men. Brass Band 25. Bugle Band 25. Stretcher Bearers 16. Army medical men 7. Machine Gun Sect. 1 officer, 34 men. Those sections that have an officer come under him for discipline [those] that [don’t] are directly under the adjutant. So besides looking after all my Battalion work, these over 100 to look after. The harder to [handle] are the Buglers. They are mostly all boys and the little devils are always in trouble & I can’t punish them. I always do what I think is just & right and use everyone as I could be dealt with myself. I don’t think there is a man in Bn. who has anything against me and I have the good will of all the officers. There isn’t an officer but will do anything I ask him. That is what every adjutant can’t say. I have had a wonderful experience since joining this Bn. I have gained in knowledge of men what I wouldn’t gain in a lifetime. I have seen so many different sides of life that I come to think that I couldn’t harbour an unkind thought of any one. So many things enter in our life to mold our thoughts and character that you really have to know all about a man before you can be hard with him. Some men have had many misfortunes and trouble which has soured them. Others were born under fun circumstance. Then others date back further. Oh I don’t know when to stop when I get on this subject.

  We had another air raid by the Zeppelin last night about 30 miles from here. It was an excellent night for them. A cloudy night when there is little wind. Tonight is another good one. We don’t mind them here. People have got over their first fright and now everything goes on the same. Britain is organizing all the time and daily growing stronger. When a nation can [?] their war, people subscribe a war [?] of over 600,000,000 pounds [currency] in 3 weeks they are not very weak. We are about 45 miles from our firing line and we hope before may day to be much nearer them. This is the last letter I will send from England. Will write as often as I can after we leave here. Write as often as you can. I get your papers regular and we all enjoy them. I send them out to the officers here. Love and kind regards to all that are interested.

  George

Notes This appears to be the only time that Major Nelson combines two letters together in the same mailing. The activity of moving the Battalion from England to Belgium was probably an intensive and all encompassing logistical exercise that would have tested Major Nelson’s organizational skills. Even though his first letter starts out by saying that “There is not very much going on just now,” when the Battalion left West Sandling on September 14, 1914, the day before the letter was written.

  The second part of the letter is an illuminating description of the composition of the Battalion during the latter part of 1915 and Major Nelson reflects on the role of disciplinarian, especially to the younger members of the Battalion that make up the buglers and how his military experience seems to help him assess the quality of a man.

Battalion Activity The 18th was going off to war.

  The Battalion was tasked with re-filling the trenches on Tolsford Hill and this arduous task took at least 5 full days of labour (September 6 – 10).

  On September 14, the final preparations for transiting to the Continent were completed and the Battalion marched to Folkestone and embarked transportation and arrived in Boulogne early morning September 15, at 4:55 am. They rested and proceeded travelled via St. Omer, Renescure until they reached Lecke where they stayed from September 16 to 21. The Battalion was in the trenches for the first time September 28, 1915.

  Item ID A994.058.008 (17) Letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From Somewhere in France Date September 24, 1915 Text Dear Sister and All,

  I have been able to get a few spare moments and will squeeze you in a few lines. Since enemy [coming] over here, I have been rushed night and day and I am afraid that I will fall asleep on this before I get it finished. You will no doubt be wondering where we are. That I cannot tell you for fear by any chances the enemy would get to know where our battalion is and in that way arrive at the struggle opposing them. But we are up in the front line or at least very close by: and it is a continued war of as big guns. I cannot give you any idea what it is like but the terrible bombardment I can only liken to thunder. It is a continual war and sometimes I wish it would stop. It usually lessens at night but then the rifle fire starts up in full in the interval.

  The day before yesterday I saw the German [soldier] for the first time. Of course I had to see them through a periscope. You can’t put up your head in the daytime what ever. But there is a lot of exciting things go on. It is rather funny at first getting accustomed to the bullets whizzing around. The Germans keep playing away[xviii] but don’t seem to accomplish anything. The allies have gained the ascendancy of [the Germans] now and they are fighting for their very life. The artillery is great and we are paying back old scores. The people over here don’t seem to amount to much. Of course I suppose the better class have moved out. But no one has much to live for either the French or Belgians in this part. You will see them going on with their [?] picking crops, ploughing, etc right in the range of the guns. Up around the trenches everything has grown up wild. A sort of a no man’s land. Long grass and weeds.

  Well I must close now and will write again as soon as I can. I am writing to Tony next and I hope that every one of you are real well. I am real well myself. Feel some times as if I could make use of 2 months sleep, but that don’t [amount] to much. I have had two hours sleep during the last thirty so you can why I would like some. However when the war is over everything will be alright.

  Give my best regards to all. I would love to slip in and see everyone. I miss Edna and the little girls very much but probably we will all be together soon. I get your papers regular and they come in mighty nice. Will close no period.

  With love to all.

George

Notes It appears from the date of the letter that Major Nelson was able to get access to the front-line trenches before the bulk of the Battalion officers as the War Diary relates that they were taken to the trenches for “instruction” on September 25, 1915, a full day after the letter was addressed and presumably written. This makes some sense as Major Nelson was 2nd in command and perhaps the intent was to expose him to the trenches so his familiarity would benefit that of the other officers. Sadly, he makes no mention of who else may have been with him.

  It is interesting to note that the Battalion sustained its first casualty by enemy action when my Grandfather, Private William Robb Dewar (53902), on September 21, 1915, sustained a bullet would to his thigh. It may be that Major Nelson did not want to burden his family with news that involved casualties. The Battalion appears to have suffered it first KIA on September 28, 1915, when Private H.J. Logan was killed[xix].

Battalion Activity The Battalion was “called out” on the night of the 23rd and morning of the 24th. This may refer to a heightened state of readiness but the 4th Brigade War Dairy makes no mention of any threat.

  The next day the War Diary relates that the officers of the Battalion were in the trenches for instruction.

  Item ID A994.058.008 (18) Letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From Belgium Date October 28, 1915 Text Dear Friends all,

  I received your letters this afternoon also two bundles of paper[s] and have just been looking them over. You don’t know how good it is to get papers over here and funny to say I look over all the local papers very thoroughly. News that will not interest you seems good reading to us.

  I also in the same mail received a letter from Edna. She is having quite a time moving. It is not a very nice job. I feel that it will be much better for her to be at Southampton some place where she will be away from that Brick Yard. They are a nice bunch down there. Oh well we are here first. But I had thought probably some of them could have been a little neighborly but I guess those I thought friends were only those who were trying to keep up a good side for their own interests. But the longer I live, the more I have come to the conclusion that the less we have to do with the [?] the better off from my experience with men in this Bn. I can tell a man for what he is capable of the minute I see him.

  At the present time we are resting out of the trenches at a little village behind lines. We have had it pretty steady since we came over and I can afford a little rest. I am billeted at a Belgium home and for the second time since leaving England I have been in a real bed. The first time was the second night we were in this country. I was billeted at a beautiful chateau and oh dear find I look back with fond memory to that place. The first night I was in the bed I could not sleep. I believe that the bed was too nice but I certainly can sleep now. The beds over here are so short that you have to lie crosswise.

  It is raining very heavy for the last two or three days and the country is a sea of mud. You have no idea of the mud in this Flanders. It is raw and cold also but we are all healthy and manage to keep fit [in spite] of the mud. We find much mud on our cap or clothes everywhere.

  The front along here has been very quiet lately with the exception of artillery and air fights. The artillery go after each other whenever the air is clear. I witnessed a couple of air fights the other day. In both cases the Germans had come down. One came down with in [??] lines. The other one our line of machines chased the Germans with machine guns. One landed all right and they captured several important documents.

  We have the best of the Germans all along our front. The artillery gives their fine shots for every one they give us and we also give it to them. Our men are in the best of health and all eager to give the Germans the cold steel[xx].

  Well I hope you are able to read this and I will have to close. Write as often as you can. I will try and write you as often as I can. We will be back in the trenches again in a few days and I don’t get much time when I am there. It is desperate weather to be up there now. The rain is pouring tonight. The Germans are very nervous [now] and are sending up their flares in large numbers and keep up.

  Well must close now. Good luck to you all

  George

Notes A very large gap in dates between letters with the possibility that other letters were written but lost in the mail.

  Several letters of Major Nelson indicate is appreciation for the local newspapers. He also gives some idea of the living conditions of officers having not been able to sleep in a real bed except on two occasions since the Battalion move to the Continent.

Battalion Activity The 18th Battalion War Diary is not much help here. Very little detail as to the activities of the Battalion. The Medical Officers War Diary is more instructive.

  Item ID A994.058.008 (19) Letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From Belgium Date November 21, 1915 Text Dear Sister,

  Will try and send you a few lines today. This is Sunday and I always try to get a few letters away today.

  Well we are just finishing up a turn in Reserve and will be back in the trenches soon. We are in hopes that the weather gets frosty soon so that the mud will be hardened up. The last three days we have had a little frost and it has [?] quite a bit. The air is very damp and raw and I really think we suffer more from it than if it was cold. We have had no snow yet, but a little hail. I don’t think I will ever forget the mud and water that we had to wade through. I never thought there could be so much, but it is all in the game and it might be worse. I was very glad to get your letter and the rose. I am sending it back to you as I don’t think this any place for a rose. Flowers seem to be a [?] [?] in this country. I am living in hopes of getting a few days in England in January as leave and am building on getting a rest and clean clothes for that day. Willis Fenton is in a hospital at La Havre with [Rheumatism?]. Anyone that has a touch of that will [?] be put out in this country. A man has to be physically fit to stand the strain here. Nothing unusual has happened since I last wrote you. The shells and guns get to be such a daily occurrence that we think nothing of it. We had several big shells dropped on a village [?] where we are quartered. They did not do very much damage. They certainly make us all skip when they commence to drop, and if a shell, which I think is coming directly at me, comes over me, I am going to dive for the first ditch whether it has water in it or not. Ha Ha. Our artillery soon puts the [?] on the Germans. We have the Germans’ Goat and they are pretty sick of it. There have been two German planes brought down near us and also one [?] came down on there [sic] own accord. They said they lost their way but it looked as if they came down to get out of Germany. Down our right The 1st Div. captured 12 Germans one night and killed about 100. They were Prussians and all were very untrained. The war on our front is going well. I wish that things would take a different turn in the Balkans. That is the worst place at present.

  I got your two bundles of papers and I want to thank you very much for them. I know that it must be great trouble to you, but they help a boy quite a bit over here.

  I am sorry to hear that Will had the bad luck with his shoulders and hope he is better now. Hope both Russell and Gordon are well also. I won’t know all the wee folks when I get back. I have a bad cold and don’t feel like writing very much so will close now. I have [?] your paper that you sent me.

Give my regards to all and hope every one is real well. I am writing to mother and Tosey this afternoon if I get time.

  Bye Bye, George

Notes The Battalion had been engaged in the front line for almost two months and the frequency of the letters appears to have decreased averaging one a month the past two months.

  Private Fenton was ill with balanitis from November 4, 1915 to January 15, 1916.

Battalion Activity The 18th Battalion War Diary is not much help here. Very little detail as to the activities of the Battalion.

  Item ID A994.058.008 (20) Letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From Belgium Date December 2, 1915 Text Dear Friends,

  I really don’t know to whom I owe a letter but I will try and write everyone in the next few days. We have been moving back and forth a lot lately and as a result I have not been able to write as often as I would, but if my letters are short you will know what the reason is on account of the wet weather. The troops have been moved in and out more often so as to save the men from getting what they call trench feet. This starts in [?] wet feet and not proper care, and if not properly cared for, they may have to have them taken off but I don’t think we have any that have had that done. One of our men who was returning to England with trench foot was on that hospital ship that went down and he was able to kick the bandages off and was saved. Two other of our men who were wounded and returning to England went down on this ship[xxi]. Poor fellows they had a livid time of it. The hospital ship struck a mine, but such is the fortunes of life – we never know what is going to happen.

  Everything is going along fine and we are all very healthy. One thing about this life we are able to say that there isn’t very much sickness. I expect that by the time this reaches you it will be Xmas and I hope that you will all have a very happy and merry time. I hope that when the next one comes around we will all be together again. I don’t think the war will last beyond another six months.

Well this is only to be a short letter. I have tried 3 times to get this far and it doesn’t seem as if I am going to make headway. It is a constant whirl in my room and sometimes I wish that I could get a day off. However I think that I will be able to get 8 day leave to England around New Year and you bet that I will sleep and eat all the time when I am over there.

  Must sign off now as mail is going. Love to all and a real Merry Xmas and a Happy New Year to come.

  Sincerely yours,

George

Notes The Battalion is being rotated more frequently and Major Nelson outlines his him for the war to end in “six months”. Battalion Activity The Battalion continues its service in Belgium.

  Item ID A994.058.008 (21) Letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From Belgium Date January 7, 1915 [1916] Text Dear friends,

  I have been very tardy in answering your letter. My intentions have been real good, but somehow I seem to get busier all the time. I am hoping to get leave in England some time soon and am intending to go to some place and have a good rest and catch up with my letters. But no leave has come through yet and probably it will be some time yet. Leave is one of the great things we look forward to. I wish I could get away to England tomorrow. Ha Ha. Well I received your box of good things tonight. Gave Sid his socks and everything came in first class order. The cake is dandy. Mother’s box with maple sugar came all OK also. I must write to her also. But I felt that I hadn’t written you for some time, so you should hear from me first. Those shirts that you all sent came along fine and the boys had them on inside of an hour. Socks is a thing that will come in very useful at all times. Don’t make any of those long scarfs for over here as the weather is too mild for that. Dry socks are the main thing over here. You see the trenches are so wet that with the continual standing and walking in wet trench and mud and water that the men get chilblains and also what they call trench feet. A bad case of trench feet [means] a man has to have his feet taken off. I don’t think we have had a case yet, but it takes an awful lot of looking after. The officers personally see that each man washes his feet in cold water and rubs grease on them. If this is not done the blood will not circulate and eventually gangrene will set in. So you can see what importance we give to socks. We have a very good arrangement to make everything as good as possible. Each Bde [Brigade] has a big wash house and Belgian women are employed washing socks and underclothes. Each Battallion [Battalion] has a drying hut built and we leave fires in it and we receive dry socks from the Bde and put them in the drying room. Then all any man has to do is hand in his wet or dirty ones and he gets a dry pair. Each night we send them to the Bde and get clean ones. In this way we have been able to get along fine. It wasn’t this way when we came over first and it was desperate the way things were. But big improvements have been made.

  We have terrible heavy work this winter and men are being gradually worn out by steady and hard work under the worst conditions. No rest whatever and it is pretty tough to see so many of our original Battalion gradually go away sick. But the work has to be done. When this war is over I will have done my share and no more war for me. I think we would all like it if it were summer time but this wet weather is very trying. Sid is well. He puts in his time at woodcutting. We have always a few men not able to do hard work so I put Sid in charge of party and it is his duty to get a supply of wood for the trenches to help out in the coke and charcoal which is 2 ½ pounds per man. You will know how long and how big a fire 2 ½ pounds will make.

  I received your letter the other day and I was glad to learn all about the people. I suppose your will be pretty busy but write as often as you can. I like to get letters even if I don’t get time to write very often.

  Thank you very very much for remembering me with the box of good things. Santa Claus has been real good to me this year. I must close now. Give my kind regards to those who are doing such splendid work in getting us some socks and shirts. Tell them if they knew how everyone appreciates a good dry warm pair of woollen socks they would feel their efforts are not in vain.

  Love to all,

Geo. W. Nelson, Major

Notes A wonderful and detailed description of the logistics involved in keeping the men in dry socks and the work needed to keep the Battalion functional in the front.

  During this time the Battalion was still based in the Ridgewood/La Clytte sector of Belgium and had passed their second Christmas together as a unit. The Battalion had been blooded with three months of combat experience and the wet weather and dampness was starting to take it toll on the troops. One example is Major Emmerton who initially suffered from laryngitis in December 1915 but had an attack of rheumatism January 15, 1916. Major Nelson and Emmerton were close and there are references to this officer in the letters of Major and Edna Nelson. He eventually was stuck of strength for duty in Canada due t his health.

Battalion Activity The War Diary begins to be a more valuable document, outlining in better detail the activities of the Battalion.

Miss Pollacks Hospital

Miss Pollacks Hospital

Item ID A994.058.008 (22) [Typed letter] Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From The Pollock Nursing Home[xxii]

50, Weymouth Street

London W.

Date February 23, 1916 Text Dear friends,

  I received your last letters all O.K. but have not been able to answer them as the Germans were able to give me a part of their hate in the right hand – a piece of rifle grenade struck me but I am glad to say nothing serious and will be around again in six weeks or two months. Write as often as you can and as soon as I am able I will write you a good long letter. We received the parcels all O.K. from the Red Cross and everyone was delighted with them.

  With kindest regards, I am, Yours sincerely,

George

Notes Major Nelson is wounded by a German rifle grenade. He had returned from leave on February 10 and was wounded was wounded on February 14, 1916. As his service records are not available at the publication of this post we do know he was sent to England for treatment and recuperation. Battalion Activity The Battalion is suffering from wastage and the War Diary reflects an influx of new officers, replacing those killed, wounded, or ill. Other officers are transferred to training and other duties for various reasons.

  Item ID A994.058.008 (23) Letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From 50, Weymouth Street

London W.

Date February 27, 1916 Text Dear friends,

  I received your letter the other day. It was forwarded from France. I think you have missed one or two of letters. I always wrote to each one about the same time and I can’t understand why you didn’t receive them. This won’t be much of letter as my left hand is very awkward[xxiii]. My wound is coming along fine. It is just two weeks today since it was done and it is really wonderful how they [?]. I get good care here in the hospital. I am the first officer in the 18th to be wounded. We had two killed but I am the first wounded. I rather think that I am the final Adjutant to be wounded in the 2nd Division so I am just a little proud of that. It shows that I have been where the trouble is. Sid was with me when it happened. He was thrown [?] with the explosion but did not get hurt. Edna cabled from N. York today. I am glad she is coming. I am looking very sincerely forward to seeing my family. I will help [keep?] them here until after the war. They can live here as easily as in Canada.

  Must close now as I am getting [?]. Got all your paper and thank you very much.

  Love to all,

George

xxxx

Notes This letter shows the relative efficiency of the military post office as Major Nelson’s letters are now being forwarded to his new address.

  His wife, Edna, is planning to come over to England to be closer to him. There is a series of letters by his wife, in particular one dated March 18, 1916 she posted from Surrey, England, were she describes in some detail the difficulties of finding accommodation for her family.

Battalion Activity  

  Item ID A994.058.008 (24) Letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From 9 [?] Grove, St. George’s Road,

Wimbledon, Surrey, England

Date March 24, 1916 Text I have received your letters all correct. I expect that they will make use of the papers over in France. I left Hospital last Tuesday but have to still go back to have massage treatment every day for a while yet. My hand is very stiff but I expect to get the use of it back shortly. The second finger is not very good and I have my doubts about it but still I can lock the pencil with it so that I will be alright. No, I won’t be going back to Canada until the war is over. Unless something happens that I don’t know about now. I hope to be back to the Bn. in a month time. Edna and the youngsters are looking well and like it over here. We have rented a furnished house for 3 months and after the 30th of March our address will be “Everfield” Ember Lane, Esker [Esher], Surrey, England[xxiv]. I hope you are keeping in better health now and that when the spring opens up you will be all O.K. I must close now and hope you are all as well as this leaves me.

  With kind regards to all,

  Sincerely your George

Notes It appears that Major Nelson is living with his family in Wimbledon. Battalion Activity  

  Item ID A994.058.008 (25) Letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From Everfield, Ember Lane,

Ester [Esher], Surrey, England

Date April 13, 1916 Text Dear Edith,

  Just a few lines to let you know that all is well. I am still going to the hospital but I think another week will finish everything. Last Thursday my hand became badly swollen and angry and the scab had to be taken off and since then quite a bit of pus has come out, but really it has been a lot better by getting that stuff out and my hand will not look as bad as I first thought. I have it still bandaged up so cannot do very much writing. I thought I had told you how it happened. I was talking to a boy that worked in the Brick yard and a German rifle grenade burst near me and a piece struck me in the back of the right hand. The large piece was taken out in Boloyau [probably Boulogne] but there is still a bit in the palm of the hand but the Doctors tell me it could hurt me. The bone of the second finger is badly broken and that finger will be ½ an inch shorter and I will not get full use of it … everything is coming along fine.

  I am going back to the front May 3, so you see I will be there about the time this reaches you. Am anxious to get back and be with the Battalion in this summer fighting. Two bundles of socks have come and I have sent them on to Col. Wigle. I am glad that they are letting you know that they receive them all O.K. Too bad about Hugh McRae. His folks must feel very bad.

  Well I must stop now. Give my regards to everyone. Geraldine is having a big time and Beryl is so healthy and fat that she falls asleep at her meals.

  Bye Bye,

George

  [P.S.] Wish you would send a Beacon[xxv] first chance …Edna gets a Beacon.

Notes Description of the circumstances of Major Nelson’s wounding.

  He is probably referring to William Hugh Roy McCrae, reg. no. 651790, who died in Canada during his service with the 160th Battalion on February 26, 1916.

Battalion Activity  

Item ID A994.058.008 (26) Letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From Royal Pavilion Hotel

Folkstone [Folkestone]

Date May 5, 1916 Text Dear friends,

  I am stopping here for a couple of days on my way back to France. Am going over Sunday evening if all is well. Hated to leave Edna and the little ones but we have to keep a stiff upper lip in this game.

  I read your letter to Edna and it grieved me very much to think that any one would think us guilty of taking socks that belonged to the men. I think it would be just as well if you stopped sending any more from the Red Cross as after all I look at it this way. Those that say the officers get them, know that you are sending them to me and I consider it a direct insinuation that I am gathering them. It fairly makes me sick to think of such a thing. I get socks sent to me from all over and I gave mine to those who are not so fortunate and why should I want any that are being sent by the Red Cross. Just the other day some man in Detroit sent me a box containing 100 [?] cigarettes and I don’t know who he is. That is just an example of what is sometimes done. So when these people are so miserable to think of such a thing, why I know that none of our men want their giving.

  Well everything is going along nicely. The Canadians are losing a lot of men now but we are holding the [?] and it won’t be long before he has to make a new lot of trenches. Wasn’t that a horrible thing in Ireland[xxvi]. It is just like that rabid crew to doing something when they got a chance. But they had a short time of it. They are [?] some of the leaders now. I must close now. Give my regards to all. I have received your papers. Many many thanks. I will write to Russell and Gordon soon. Hope you all are well.

  Sincerely yours,

George

Notes The Royal Pavilion Hotel was a hostel for officers during the First World War and was located on the shore by the docks of Folkestone.

  It is uncertain as to the context about the comments referring to socks but evidently someone has accused Major Nelson of some sort of impropriety in handling socks sent to him. Of note is the apparent activity of unsolicited packages from complete strangers to the troops in an effort to support those soldiers (re. the cigarettes from the man in Detroit).

  The last paragraph is contextually challenging as Major Nelson indicates that things are “going along nicely,” while losing a lot of men. Perhaps  irony or exaggeration to make a point?

Battalion Activity  

  Item ID A994.058.008 (27) Letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From Everfield, Ember Lane,

Ester [Esher], Surrey, England

Date May 28, 1916 Text Dear friends,

  I have been a long time writing you but have often thought of doing so but the last month has been cram full of happenings. I went back to France, put in a week in the trenches at St. Eloi but my hand kept swelling up and the Dr. advised me to come out so went to Hospital and have just finished up two weeks there. Am out now living at home but have to attend daily at hospital for 3 weeks for Electrical treatment and I expect to get the use of my hand again. I was foolish to go in so soon. So have made up my mind to get good and well this time. I got a lot of souvenirs. German Helmet, nose caps, Belgian steel helmet, French bayonet, etc. Will show you them when I get back. Well must close now.

  Love to all from all,

George

Notes Major Nelson returned to the Battalion on May 9, 1916 and was relieved the very next day. He was admitted to hospital on May 15, 1916. Battalion Activity Mostly in a reserve capacity.

Inns of Court

Item ID A994.058.008 (28) Letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From Little Lachire House

Willesboro, Sahfor [Ashford] Kent

Date June 21, 1916 Text Dear friends,

  I have received your two letters also package of papers. I intended writing sooner but somehow I did not feel like it and I always think that unless you feel like it you wrote a poor letter. Ha Ha. Well you will notice the above is a different address. We are still at Eversfield but we are moving tomorrow to the above address. The reason we are going there is that it cuts far from West Sandling Camp. About 14 miles I think. I go before a medical board next Monday and the hospital doctor advises a month or two of light duty so that I will have to join our reserve Battalion the 39th and be with them until I get back to France. When that will be I have no idea.

  I am going to try to get different work but may not. However I am going to try as I have done my share so far.

  I had a letter from Col. Wigle yesterday and he is to be here on the 8th of July and I will know better then what I will do. I hope that he doesn’t go back to the Bge [Brigade].

  The Canadians lost every being in the recent fighting[xxvii]. I heard that they lost in two weeks 11,000 of all ranks. I was quite disappointed in missing it all. But probably it is for the best. I will get lots of fighting yet. I don’t think I would be satisfied if I were back in Canada. I want to stay and see the finish.

Edna and I were at a very old church on Sunday last. It is one of the oldest churches in England and I am told there are only two others like it in England. It is what is known as “Inns of Court”, a very old part of London. It is supposed to have been built by the Masons and yet it is round. The oldest part which is round was built in the 11th century 800 years ago. Can you imagine a building of that age? The larger and later part was built later and the tradition is that of the Earl of Essex who was a very wicked robber. The Earl had amassed a large fortune for those days died and willed his money to the church provided he was buried in the temple church. He had been excommunicated by the Pope so could not be buried in a holy place. So they took his body and poured hot lead all over it and then hung it up in a tree in the courtyard. Then messengers were sent to Rome, and the Pope, not wanting to lose the money, said he couldn’t have been a very bad man and reinstated him. So he is buried near the center of the church. A marble statue full size is on top of the grave and during some alterations not long ago this slab was removed and one of the men stole the skull, but the lower jaw was missing. All the teeth in the upper jaw were there and the most remarkable thing was that every tooth was double, finest ones and all. So with the rest of the Earl’s money was built the new part of the church. The choir is all boys and men and the most wonderful singing I have ever heard. Their voices are wonderful. The organ dates back from the reign of Queen Mary and two were built and the lawyers of the middle temple wanted over and the lawyers of the middle temple wanted the outer and they couldn’t agree for five years, so the famous Judge Jeffries who was the master of the court at that time was called upon to decide which and the one he picked is the one that is there. It is a wonderful instrument and has a most beautiful tone. Judge Jeffries is the famous one who had his victims hung, and tried them after they were dead.

  Well I must close for now. You will be tired of reading this stuff. Edna and kiddies are all real well and I feel Edna will be writing real soon. Her address will be as above and mine will be attached to the 39th Canadian Bde[xxviii]. West Sandling Camp, Hyltie [Hythe], Kent. Kind regards. My hand is nearly right again, somewhat stiff.

  Sincerely yours,

George

Notes Major Nelson’s treatment for his wound is complete and he is being moved to assignment at the Sandling Camps where he will work as an officer with the 39th Battalion. He is still hoping to be posted to active combat with the 18th Battalion.

  He seems resigned to his fate and appears to have a preference not being assigned to active duty as he has done his “share”. He also references a letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Wigle as he has been relieved from command of the 18th Battalion earlier in the year and appears to have been assigned to a role at the 4th Brigade.

  Further in the letter he expresses a desire to “get lots of fighting…” and then relates a trip to London with his wife.

Battalion Activity  

  Item ID A994.058.008 (29) Postcard Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From   Date Undated Text Just a card. Major Emerton [Emmerton] and myself are in [L?] on our way to Scotland. Have been through St. Paul’s and Westminister [sic] Abbey. We will go [?] the [?] and attend service at Westminister [sic] this afternoon.

  Love to all,

George

Notes   Battalion Activity  

  Item ID A994.058.008 (30) Letter Addressee Mrs. W. Kidd

Elsinore, Ont., Bruce Co.

From West Sandling camp

Hythe England

Date Undated: Quite clearly this letter was written while the Battalion was training in England before going to the continent. Text Dear Sister,

  I received your letter today with the flowers from Gordon and I thought it would be nice if I sent them back. I have kissed them also and if you think of it they will have travelled a long way. I also had a letter from Edna today with some tulip petals enclosed. They all came nice and I am sending them back also. It seems almost as if flowers have a spirit. They are so beautiful and I don’t think anything seems to reach me the same as flowers. I received Mother’s box today and there isn’t a thing broken in it. It is a wonder those [?] were not broken. I am going to have a good supper tonight. I wrote to Mother and all last night, so will you let her know that I have received everything OK. I will write home again next week.

  We were all worried when we heard of that in the papers about us being in France. It must have been some fool reporter who did that. It will be bad enough when we do go without making such foolish reports. Edna and Geraldine were badly frightened. It is pretty tough on those left behind. We all know that our part is not nearly as bad as the part of wives and family. I have always told Edna not to be foolish and worry and be downcast even if the worst should come as it would only make her miserable and sick and make all around miserable and it does not do any good. Before we thought of the War I always desired that she do and look on the bright side. I am glad to see that you all also have the belief that I am coming back for I have always had a firm conviction that I would come back from this War and I also firmly believe that if people will only hear kin to themselves that a lot will be explained. I may be wounded but that won’t be anything. Major Ingram told me coming over on the boat that he had the same conviction. Other officers I know and they have told me so that they expect to get killed. It seems a very funny thing these convictions but I think that it is in around the proximity of danger that people think and listen to themselves. Well the war is going good. You may have had good news before this letter reaches you, but good things are on the way. Everything seems quiet now but all news are suppressed for a purpose. Good news will come from the East. Also we will not be in France before another month. That is the Battalion won’t go over before that time. But Colonel [General] Lord Brooke who is in command of our Brigade is taking a party of officers just to give them a better idea of how things are and how we might improve our training and I expect to go along. Am going to do my best to go anyhow. I think I have a good chance to go for I could make a lot of changes in readiness for our move. If I do I will be able when I get back to England to write you impressions of the war first hand.

  Well I must close now and try and get in a little reading before going to bed. First post has gone so that means it is 9:30 and it isn’t long before sun up. I am feeling fine and [?] all my hard work. Will send you some snaps of myself and horse. Have a dandy little mare. Rode down to Hyltie [Hythe] today and ordered a pair of riding boots. This cost me five Guineas – that is $20.00. What do you think of that? Shoes are very expensive in England but they are the very best. I had my photos taken and am sending them to Edna and she will send you one. You can address all my mail to West Sandling Camp, Hyltie [Hythe], England. Think it will reach me sooner. Love and kindest regards to all. Write as often as you can.

  Sending you also some Honeysuckle. It grows…[?] I haven’t seen Capt. Kidd for some time. I think he must be away. I will look him up as soon as I can. I seen Harvey Porter the other day and he looks real well.

  Sincerely yours,

George

Notes This letter was written between April and September 1915. The details in the letter do not allow a more definitive estimate of the date it was written but the references indicate that it was written before the Battalion left for the Continent as Major Ingram refers to a news story inaccurately telling that the Battalion was in France, when, in fact, it was not. Battalion Activity  

  [i] Primary source for this biography via Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre.

[ii] Primary source for this biography via Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre.

[iii] Using the Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre reference identification number.

[iv] Mrs. Edna (Merrill) Nelson. Married to Major Nelson on January 9, 1909 and they had two children: Geraldine (b. November 1909) and Beryl (b. January 4, 1914). Her letters are available via Bruce County Museum and Cultural Centre and give more context to the life of Major Nelson

[v] Private (later Lieutenant) William Henry Fenton (53225) joined the 18th Battalion. Two other men with the same surname belonged to the Battalion. Herbert Bishop Fenton (53025), relationship unknown, and Clarence Fenton (651033), brother to William.

[vi] Private Sydney Hampton (53040) was to become Major Nelson’s batman. It appears that he was a British Home Child who was raised by the Kidd family on their farm.

[vii] This reference is obscure but may refer to the horse showing off.

[viii] This is a reference to the 2nd Battle of Ypres, the first battle in the First World War in which poison gas was used.

[ix] Folkestone, Kent.

[x] See letter dated March 7, 1915. It appears that Private Fenton was suffering from homesickness.

[xi] Most likely Mary Tosina Nelson, Major Nelson’s sister.

[xii] Most probably Captain (Chaplain) William Ennis Kidd who would be the Chaplain for the sister battalion, the 21st.

[xiii] This postcard was written on a Sunday.

[xiv] Letter writing was a primary means of keeping in touch with family and friends during the First World War and this indicated the frequency Major Nelson kept in touch with his sister. One could surmise that he wrote his wife more frequently.

[xv] His wife was eventually to come to England to stay.

[xvi][xvi] No reference to this soldier can be found on the 1st Battalion nominal roll and other research is inconlusive.

[xvii] Lieutenant Joseph “Lionel” Tranter served with Major Nelson before the war in the 32nd Bruce Regiment.

[xviii] “playing away” may be a reference to the harassing rifle fire from the Germans.

[xix] His Circumstances of Death Register states: “Died of Wounds.” In the Field, Belgium. While on duty at a listening post thirty yards in front of our lines, at about 9.30 P.M. September 29th, 1915, he was wounded in the stomach by enemy rifle bullet and died shortly after.

[xx] The bayonet.

[xxi] Privates G.E. Knight (53350) and T. Priestly (53840)  both perished when the hospital ship H.M.H.S. Anglia struck a German mine and sank off the coast of Folkestone on November 17, 1915.

[xxii] Sir Robert Hudson Borwick established two nursing homes for Colonial officers which operated during the First World War.

[xxiii] Major Nelson is probably referring to the fact he is writing the letter with his left-hand. His right hand is wounded and he mostly likely if right-handed.

[xxiv] This road is located 2 kilometers just south of Hampton Court Palace. “Eversfield” would refer to the house name, as opposed to using a number to denote the specific address of the home.

[xxv] Referring to a newspaper.

[xxvi] The Irish Easter Rising began April 24 and ended April 29, 1916.

[xxvii] Major Nelson is referring to the Canadian involvement in the Battle of Mont Sorrel. Total Canadian casualties were reported as 8,430.

[xxviii] He probably means 39th Battalion.

Untold Misery Has Been the Harvest Now: The Letters of Major George Whitford Nelson Introduction The intent of this blog post is to expand upon a series of letters diligently transcribed by the Bruce County Archives entitled Correspondence from Lieutenant Colonel George Whitford Nelson to his sister, Mrs.

[sillyfudgemonkeys]

i've been following your blog for a while now and i was just wondering what is your opinion on Atlus pushing the Makoto/Akira ship? Just like what they did with Minato/Yukari and Yu/Rise? (I think it can also be Yu/Yukiko but Yu/Rise is more hinted) I love Makoto and everything about her but it's kind of unfair she has more moments with Akira than the other girls (e.g. the futaba palace scene, the sakura house incident) i'm a big fan of the Akira/Anne ship so is it just because i'm biased? ahaha

Ahh first off thanks for following! :D

As for the question… Haha really? And here I am thinking they’re really heavily pushing Anne/Akira (so much so I’m actually starting to feel bad ;w;). O-o I thought Anne got a lot more scenes imo, and one specficly important scene (imo) that I didn’t think they’d give to her (I thought Futaba/Sojiro cause family dynamic or Ryuji cause first friend but nope! Anne gets it!…tho I did sneak a peak at the english part of that scene and I think it got played down….. damnit AtlusUSA that is not what she says in the japanese ver! >:/), on top of all the merch and promotion she’s getting….I think Atlus(JPN) has a little crush on Anne. o-o

(continue under the cut cause my reasoning/evidence/”evidence”/whatever you wanna call it, gets long 8U)

Like no really, the anthology manga (while made by fans was still published and advertised by Atlus) had 2 chapters where it was very Anne/Akira (one was more subtle but the other was SOOOOO in your face lsadknflan;fansf;da). And by merch, like from the line up I saw she has more figures coming out than Makoto, but I think also more than AKIRA! O_O And in promotions (like with crossover games like that dungeon game) Anne is not too far from Akira in EVERY SINGLE ONE THEY’VE ANNOUNCED! Like if it doesn’t matter if Akira has the whole team there or is with someone else, Anne is right freaking there too (be it as a group or just by themselves). Like I’m kinda feeling bad for non-Anne fans considering how much stuff she’s getting (but this might be Atlus making it up to me for not having a lotta Naoto stuff back in P4′s days ;w;)

As for “pushing,” I didn’t think Rise was AS pushed as Yukari (who was confusingly grouped with Mitsuru as a package at times in the beginning) and kinda sort of Aigis (I say kinda sorta because unlike Yukari, the game doesn’t have NPCs shoving it down your throat months into the game that you went to school together ONE TIME cause you live in the same dorm as the school idol and the school prez jesus christ game I’m dating Yuko leave me be *ahem* So yeah, Aigis is pushed as a main option along with Yukari but….it feels more subtle/natural but it can still feel like their pushing it to some). For P4….Rise was….they gave Rise an obvious crush on you, which is fine except when you’re dating someone and she still hits on you (if they gave you the option to say at least “I already have someone I like” if not just “I’m already dating someone” I think Rise would’ve backed off instead of constantly flirting with you….but I don’t think Atlus thought of that/had the budget back then so sigh….). But I wouldn’t say Yukiko is pushed (or pushed at all), it’s more Marie…..it really ticks me off that you still have a valentines day event with her even if you’re dating someone else AND didn’t do Marie’s romance…..like wth Atlus? THAT BEING SAID, the P4 spinoffs give us an insight on Yu’s mind and whatever they kinda sorta built up for Rise/Marie is kind of handwaved by a socially awkward Yu….so there’s that for people who didn’t like what Atlus did with Rise/Marie…..THAT BEING SAID again, it seems they shifted their focus more towards Naoto having (or should I say maintaining) her crush that was shown at the end of P4. Unlike Rise and Marie tho, she’s more subtle about it and isn’t just outright flirting (like with Rise) so the dialogue is more laid back/comfortable cause Yu doesn’t have to hand wave her emotions like (”oh Rise, always messing with me” jesus side note what’s with all the “Yu’s” being so unaware of romantic/sexual love? Yu and Yusuke should start a club XP) So side game wise, the keep Rise’s crush on the MC but she also has Naoto as a contender with her (with Marie every so often, but not too often, poking out). 

But forcing in P5? While they did show a lot of Anne/Akira, I don’t think they’re forcing us. I think it’s cause Anne is very versatile in being either your bro or wife (or both 8U), so you can interpret her moments as just a bro (unless of course you romance her, then OBVIOUSLY you can’t view it as a bro moment unless you’re making fun of the “I love you bro” culture…OH MY GOD PLEASE! LET THAT BE A MEME! LET ANNE BE THE ONE WHO DOES THE BRO JOKES! LSDFAKNF;A *ahem*). As well as having chemistry with the rest of the cast (dslfka; Ryu gotta love Ryu, actually I think Atlus just wants us to ship Anne with everyone, not the MC 8U XD), and giving the rest of the cast A LOT of moments with the MC themselves….So while she gets a lot, she doesn’t feel forced/pushed (I also don’t think Makoto or anyone else is pushed biasly, MC’s smile at Futaba on the beach could also be viewed as almost brotherly, and saving Makoto could…you know….be viewed as saving your teammate…..cause you don’t want them to die…. so like an alternate interpretation is there for everyone….I think P5 is very equal to all it’s girls imo). So yeah I do think Anne is suppose to be a main ship in the game, as for her rival/other main ship (like P3 had Yukari and Aigis, and P4 had Rise and Marie with Spinoffs being Rise and Naoto), I think Makoto is the other main girl….but some might view Futaba as one (you can have 3 tho doesn’t matter imo). 

But anyways anon, just ship what you wanna ship, don’t worry about the game feeling “push-y”