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mariacallous · 11 months ago

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Oxford University Press’s word of 2023 was “rizz,” which the publisher defines as “someone’s ability to attract another person through style, charm, or attractiveness”—a shortened version of charisma.

But geopolitics entered the world of buzzwords, too, and delivered a string of expressions that found enthusiastic use in the corridors of power and think tanks, not to mention the real world. There was the ubiquitous “de-risking,” but also “AIS gaps,” “subsea infrastructure,” and “maritime terrorism,” which similarly became words that the well-informed citizen should know.

The runner-up to rizz in Oxford University Press’s selection was reportedly “Swiftie,” and such is Taylor Swift’s global power that Swifties include British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. But not even the American megastar has managed to divert the world’s attention away from the dark geopolitical clouds in the Black Sea and the Taiwan Strait, or at the Finnish border.

Indeed, in 2023, geopolitics came to dominate the news agenda. The year began with the swearing-in of Brazil’s returning president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and the subsequent storming of government buildings by supporters of the outgoing—and defeated—Jair Bolsonaro. Lula’s return to power and his swift outreach to Russia failed to deliver a new geopolitical term, though the anti-Western fraternity involving leaders eager to distance themselves from West indisputably deserves one—BRICSit, perhaps?

Another geopolitical development already underway did, however, deliver a new term: AIS gaps. As Foreign Policy readers will know from my columns throughout the year, gaps in merchant vessels’ automatic identification systems (AIS) occur regularly as a result of bad weather or mechanical errors, but during 2023, AIS gaps have become part of daily life in the world of shipping.

Ships carrying goods to and from Russia regularly turn off their AIS so as not to be spotted, which violates international shipping regulations and puts other ships at risk, but what can anyone do? The world doesn’t have maritime police. AIS gaps will be there as long as countries are at loggerheads.

2023 also brought de-risking into the mainstream. The term was picked up by countless academics but used rather less among the people executing this strategy of reducing exposure to various countries—especially China. The reason that de-risking established itself with such force during 2023 was, of course, that people realized that decoupling from China is not possible or even desirable.

During 2023, lots of Western companies announced plans to reduce operations in China, but even such a partial departure is complicated. Moving parts of the manufacturing process to a different country is like selling one’s house and buying a new one—times 1,000.

Then there was BRICS+, the constellation that emerged after the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) decided to invite another six countries, including Argentina, Saudi Arabia, and Iran, to their group. BRICS+, in fact, symbolizes a new kind of geopolitics. The group’s members don’t have a great deal in common, and they certainly don’t share the same deep values that form the basis of Western groupings. But they’re pragmatic and team up with allies for mutual benefit. Iran and South Africa can trade with each other and engage in other cooperation—and like the other BRICS+ countries, they’re in the group not because it represents anything unique, but because it’s a counterbalance to the West.

Subsea infrastructure was another geopolitical phrase that countless people discovered this year. Subsea infrastructure is an unsung hero of modern societies, operating day in, day out, without ordinary citizens worrying about it or even realizing it exists. But in 2023, many ordinary citizens heard of subsea infrastructure because it experienced mysterious malfunctions in different places.

First, the two undersea telecommunications cables connecting Taiwan’s Matsu Islands to the main island were severed by Chinese commercial vessels, leaving the islands isolated from the rest of the world. Then two undersea cables connecting Sweden, Finland, and Estonia were damaged, most likely by a well-connected Chinese container ship called NewNew Polar Bear, and the nearby Balticconnector pipeline was damaged around the same time. Last year, the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 pipelines were crippled by a mysterious blast—that some now attribute to Ukrainian operatives. Now subsea infrastructure everywhere has become the subject of activities that appear geopolitically motivated.

Then, starting at the end of November, Yemen’s Houthis provided the year’s final geopolitical word of the year: maritime terrorism. Though the term is not entirely new—remember the USS Cole and Somali pirates?—the Yemeni militia demonstrated that a nonstate actor can attack global shipping using statelike skills and equipment by carrying a string of attacks on merchant vessels it deemed were linked to Israel in the Red Sea. Such maritime terrorists are not like the privateers of previous centuries, because while they’re linked to a sponsor government, they operate on their own and are ideologically motivated. Money is not their objective.

That makes maritime terrorism a decidedly frightening scenario for global shipping, because other groups, whether supported by protector governments or not, are likely to want to imitate the Houthis. And because shipping is fundamentally global, with all manner of countries linked to a vessel through its flag, crew, owner, or manager, a militia can target a ship on the basis of any of those links.

These groups don’t even have to be very conscientious in establishing the details: By declaring a random vessel to be linked to the country it wants to target, a nonstate group will strike fear in vessels representing other nationalities, too. Just consider the prospect of a water-based Wagner Group.

Happy New Year!

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iamthenightcolormeblack · 3 years ago

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Pride and Prejudice 1940: "When Pretty Girls T-E-A-S-E-D Men Into Marriage"

Made during the Great Depression, this classic black and white film is loosely based on Austen's novel and is set in what is likely the 1830s rather than the Regency Era (late 18th century to early 19th century). It is an escapist piece which capitalizes on nostalgia for a simpler time by transporting its viewers to a chocolate-box vision of the past, while paying homage to Austen's social satire by delivering plenty of laughs along the way.

Overall Thoughts on the Film:

The first time I watched this movie, I was confused because the plot as well as the setting was revised significantly (the events after Darcy's first proposal are changed to hasten the happy ending; Darcy's letter and Elizabeth's visit to Pemberley are not included in this movie). This changing of plot points makes the 2005 movie a much more faithful adaptation in comparison with this version, in spite of the creative liberties both take with the novel.

Production Design:

The movie is a typical example of Golden Age Hollywood productions, with beautiful actresses and melodramatic flourishes added to increase the drama. Some of the lines are delivered very quickly, in keeping with the comedic style of the time.

The music: definitely not historically accurate. A lot of sentimental, "ye olde timey" string arrangements that emphasize emotions or fast-paced waltz music for balls/parties.

The 1830s costumes are beautiful; it seems as if no expense (or quantity of fabric) was spared in making them. The bonnets are way taller and have more decorations than typical 1830s bonnets. Some of the patterns/fabric choices are very 1930s, and the costumes are exaggerated in such as way as to make the wearers look like fancy turkeys.

Hair and Makeup: very 1930s, with finger/sausage curls, plucked eyebrows, lipstick/lip makeup, and long lashes.

The sets: the dollhouse-like interiors are lavishly gilded and made to look as opulent as possible. Outdoors scenes are lush, with lots of flowers and bushes; the garden in which the second proposal takes place is gorgeous. The set design transports the viewer into an idyllic vision of the bucolic English countryside.

The Lead Actors:

With the exception of Laurence Olivier, the majority of the actors are American, since this is a Hollywood production. Many of the characters in the film's imaginary vision of pastoral Britain speak American or make clumsy attempts to imitate British English.

Greer Garson: while she is definitely too old for the part, she perfectly conveys Elizabeth's intelligence, outspokenness, and sarcasm. Her facial expressions are killer as well; with the arch of an eyebrow along with a snarky side eye, she captivates us all. All in all, Garson effectively shows off Elizabeth's impertinence through her nonverbal acting (this reminds me strongly of Jennifer Ehle's Elizabeth Bennet).

Laurence Olivier: he effectively conveys Darcy's pride while hinting at his deeper feelings beneath the surface (I can see why Colin Firth spoke so highly of Olivier's portrayal of Darcy). Most importantly, the film emphasizes Darcy's intelligence; he is certainly Elizabeth's intellectual equal. While this portrayal of Darcy is very accurate to the book, Darcy's pride does go away pretty quickly (he and Elizabeth form a tentative friendship early on) and his social awkwardness isn't immediately obvious thanks to his charm. Also the unflattering hairstyle with the greasy hair and painted on sideburns makes me sad.

Key Scenes:

Opening scene: The title card appeals directly to the audience's nostalgia for a sentimental, romanticized past: “It happened in OLD ENGLAND (this was actually capitalized), in the village of Meryton…” The Bennet women are at a fabric shop, where they gossip with aunt Phillips about the rich people moving into Netherfield Park.

The carriage race: this scene, which isn’t in the original novel, represents the rivalry between the Bennets and Lucases. The mothers both want their daughters to be the first to snag the rich bachelors.

The first ball: There is a historical anachronism as the music is a waltz by Strauss, who became popular in late 19th century, specifically the Gilded Age; far too early for the Regency Era or 1830s England. Other changes from the original novel include Elizabeth meeting Wickham before Darcy; other events from Aunt Phillips’ ball (which isn’t included in this movie) and Wickham and Darcy’s confrontation are included in this scene.

Elizabeth’s impression of Darcy at the ball: she puts on airs and mocks his casual dismissal of her as tolerable (definitely a parallel with the 1995 version, where Jennifer Ehle does the same, but privately with Jane).

Great comedic change: Darcy introduces himself to Elizabeth after calling her tolerable and asks if she will dance with him (this originally takes place at Mr. Lucas' ball). Right after rejecting Darcy, she instantly agrees to dance with Wickham; in a humorous moment, Darcy evacuates to a corner of the room to sulk while seeing Wickham dance with Elizabeth.

The “Accomplished woman” scene: the dialogue lifted directly from the book for the most part. Darcy, in a departure from his trademark seriousness, shows off his playful side when reacting to Caroline Bingley's "turn about the room." I particularly like this added repartee from Elizabeth Bennet to Darcy, which is clever but also foreshadows her prejudice: “If my departure is any punishment, you are quite right. My character reading is not too brilliant.”

Elizabeth can't stand Mr. Collins: After twirling about his monocle, he pronounces that: “It might interest you to know my taste was formed by lady Catherine de Bourgh.” The best part of this scene is when Elizabeth plucks a wrong note on her harp when Collins gets really annoying.

The Netherfield ball (which is now a garden party):

Elizabeth running away from Mr. Collins: She looks rather ridiculous, almost like an overdressed turkey, in a white dress with puffy sleeves as she runs away from an overeager Collins. Then she hides in the bushes while Darcy helps her to hide, telling Collins he doesn't know where she is. It's fun but most likely not something a proper lady and gentleman would do (two people of the opposite gender out alone, shock!).

The archery scene: Darcy attempts to teach Elizabeth how to shoot a bow and arrow, even though he doesn’t hit the bullseye. She goes on to impress him by perfectly hitting the bullseye every time; Darcy learns his lesson: "Next time I talk to a young lady about archery I won't be so patronizing." Caroline Bingley, very passive aggressive as usual, shows up for her archery lesson right after and it's absolutely perfect.

Mr. Collins attempts to introduce himself to Mr. Darcy: Laurence Olivier captures Darcy so perfectly in this scene (really set the precedent for Colin Firth). When Mr. Collins starts talking (inviting Elizabeth to dance with him) Darcy tries to keep himself well-composed but has a pained expression on his face as if he’s about to pass out. Olivier masters the way Darcy can look so miserable but also disgusted and proud at the same time.

Mr. Collin's proposal to Elizabeth: I like the added touch of Mrs. Bennet pulling Elizabeth back by her skirt when she tries to run out of the room. The dialogue is taken directly from the book, and the scene is made even funnier when Collins holds on to Elizabeth's hand desperately and doesn’t let her get away. My only quibble is that Elizabeth isn’t indignant enough when Mr. Collins doesn't take no for an answer.

Elizabeth and Darcy at Rosings: I like that Olivier subtly indicates that Darcy is clearly affected upon seeing Elizabeth at Rosing, hinting at deeper feelings beneath the surface. I also like how the scriptwriter emphasizes that Darcy indirectly praises Elizabeth and enjoys their conversations, while she remains convinced that he hates her. Sadly, the original dialogue of the piano scene is not included, which is unfortunate as it allows Darcy to reveal his introvert tendencies, calling into question Elizabeth's assertion that he is unpardonably proud.

First proposal: The famous opening lines are mutilated with awkward punctuation: “It’s no use. I’ve struggled in vain. I must tell you how much I admire and love you." While the rest of the dialogue matches up closely with what happens in Austen's novel, both of the actors aren’t emotional enough; instead Elizabeth cries very daintily, and Darcy remains serene, which conflicts with the book's description of both of them being very angry and defensive at each other.

THE SCRIPT:

The first half of the film up to Darcy's first proposal follows the events of the original book closely, though certain blocks of dialogue are moved elsewhere and other events such as Mrs. Phillips' party are skipped over. The most significant changes, besides updating the setting to the 1830s, are made to the second half of the book to squeeze the key events of the story into the movie before delivering the inevitable happy ending.

Brilliant Quotes:

Mr. Bennet's reaction to Mrs. Bennet's despair over the situation of their 5 unmarried daughters: “Perhaps we should have drowned some of them at birth.”

Darcy insists Elizabeth cannot tempt him: “Ugh. Provincial young lady with a lively wit. And there’s that mother of hers.”

Darcy is an arrogant snob: “I’m in no humor tonight to give consequence to the middle classes at play.” (Technically the Bennets are part of the gentry; they just are less wealthy than Darcy).

Elizabeth's reaction to Darcy pronouncing her to be tolerable at best: “What a charming man!”

Elizabeth rebuffs Darcy's offer to dance after overhearing his insult: “I am afraid that the honor of standing up with you is more than I can bear, Mr Darcy.”

Elizabeth favors Wickham after witnessing the bad blood between him and Darcy: “Without knowing anything about it I am on your side.”

Mrs. Bennet's comment after she sends Jane to Netherfield under stormy skies: “There isn’t anything like wet weather for engagements. Your dear father and I became engaged in a thunderstorm.”

Mr. Bennet's reaction to Jane's fever: “Jane must have all the credit for having caught the cold…we’re hoping Elizabeth will catch a cold and stay long enough to get engaged to Mr. Darcy. And if a good snowstorm could be arranged we’d send Kitty over!”

The sisters' description of Mr. Collins: “Oh heavens! what a pudding face.”

Caroline Bingley at the Netherfield garden party: “Entertaining the rustics is not as difficult as I feared. Any simple childish game seems to amuse them excessively.”

Darcy reassuring Elizabeth after helping her escape Mr. Collins: “If the dragon returns St. George will know how to deal with it.”

Darcy learns his lesson after Elizabeth beats him at archery: “The next time I talk to a young lady about archery I won’t be so patronizing.”

Elizabeth comments about a curtain: “Oh that’s pretty. It’s a pity you didn’t make it bigger. You could have put it around Mr. Collins when he becomes a bore.”

Elizabeth on Kitty and Lydia: “2 daughters out of 5, that represents 40% of the noise.”

Elizabeth sees Lady Catherine for the first time: “So that’s the great lady Catherine. Now I see where he learned his manners.”

Lady Catherine's attitude towards philanthropy: “You must learn to draw a firm line between the deserving poor and the undeserving poor.”

Darcy takes Elizabeth's advice: “I’ve thought a great deal about what you said at Netherfield, about laughing more...but it only makes me feel worse."

Elizabeth and Darcy have a conversation with Colonel Fitzwilliam: “He likes the landscape well enough, but the natives, the natives, what boors, what savages … Isn’t that what you think, Mr. Darcy?” With a smile: “It evidently amuses you to think so, Miss Bennet."

CHANGES FROM THE BOOK:

The first half of the film up to Darcy's first proposal follow the events of the original book closely, though certain blocks of dialogue are moved elsewhere and other events such as Mrs. Phillips' party are skipped over. The most significant changes, besides updating the setting to the 1830s, are made to the second half of the book to squeeze the key events of the story into the movie before delivering the inevitable happy ending.

With the exception of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, the portrayals of the characters are (generally) true to the book.

As I said earlier, the film neglects any sort of historical accuracy when setting the story in romanticized "Old England," where genteel people pass simple lives that revolve around dresses, tea parties, social gossip, and marriages. A lot of Austen adaptations present an idealized vision of Regency life, where people are dressed immaculately, flawlessly adhere to "chivalry," and find love in the ballroom. This contributes to the misconception that Austen's novels are shallow chick-lit books with flat characters who live for lavish parties and hot men, instead of stories of unique, complicated women who happen to be well-off but aspire towards love, respect, or independence instead of being content to make economically advantageous marriages. Austen's novels are character novels and she doesn't waste time writing about dresses or tea parties; balls, while exciting, are just another part of daily life for her characters rather than some Extremely Big Special Once In a Blue Moon Event.

Austen's multifaceted view on marriage turns into a game of matchmaking. She recognizes it as necessary for women to survive in the patriarchy, since they cannot provide for themselves unless they marry well, but at the same time, presents marriage as a means for freedom if it is a loving partnership between two people that respect each other. In contrast, marriage is a game of manipulating the partners into wanting to marry (ex. Lady Catherine and Darcy's trickery). Also, it seems to be a given that Elizabeth will marry for love, unlike in the book where it is uncertain whether she will achieve this.

Kitty and Lydia's antics are viewed much more sympathetically as those of young people having fun; in the book, their behavior harms the family's social reputation, reducing the chances the Bennet daughters have of making good marriages.

Louisa Hurst, Georgiana Darcy, and Aunt and Uncle Gardiner are not in the movie.

Wickham is introduced much earlier than in the book; he is friends with Lydia from the very beginning. Interestingly, he doesn't begin to trash-talk Darcy until Bingley leaves; in the book he does so much earlier, before the Netherfield ball.

Darcy is more considerate towards Elizabeth at the Netherfield party (ex. rescuing her from Collins), until he overhears Mrs. Bennet scheming to get the daughters married. Elizabeth forms a tentative friendship with him until finding out that he separated Jane from Bingley.

Jane is more obviously heartbroken over Bingley's departure than in the book, where she keeps her pain to herself. In the movie, she runs away to cry, which is uncharacteristic of her.

Collins is a librarian instead of a clergyman. I dislike this change because some Austen scholars/fans think that Collins being a clergyman is a deliberate choice as part of Austen's social criticism. Collins is representative of how hypocritical the Church is, since he worships Lady Catherine's wealth instead of God, and preaches moral lessons instead of actually using religion to help people. My theory is that the change was made because of the Hays Code, which led to the censorship of movies for "unwholesome" or "indecent" things; the religious criticism could have been offensive.

Elizabeth reacts rather too kindly to Charlotte marrying Collins by showing concern for the loveless marriage. While she does worry about the lack of love in the marriage, initially she is extremely surprised, outright shocked, and confused.

The scene where Darcy tries and fails to talk to Elizabeth (the "charming house" scene in the 2005 movie) just before the proposal is removed.

Darcy's letter is skipped over and Elizabeth overcomes her prejudice of Darcy very quickly, as shown when she tells Jane she regrets rejecting his proposal. This is contrary to the book, where overcoming her prejudice is an emotionally exhausting and slow process that continues all the way up until the second proposal.

The Pemberley visit is removed; instead, Elizabeth returns home to the news that Lydia has eloped. Visiting Pemberley is very important as part of Elizabeth's re-evaluation of Darcy's character and provides an opportunity for Darcy to show Elizabeth that he has changed for her. The visit is key in increasing Elizabeth's love for Darcy, and removing it means that the characters have less personal growth (also wouldn't it have been great for the audience to be treated to another gorgeous estate of "Old England?"). Instead, Darcy visits Longbourn on his own and offers his help in finding Lydia. When the news comes that Wickham accepts very little money in exchange for marrying Lydia, it isn't as shocking as it is in the book because Darcy had already expressed his intentions of helping Elizabeth earlier.

Here's the change that bugs me the most: Lady Catherine becomes good; though she is a busybody, her main priority is Darcy's happiness. Her confrontation of Elizabeth is a scheme hatched between her and Darcy as a test to be certain of Elizabeth's love. This does not make sense on so many levels: first, Darcy insists that "disguise of every sort is my abhorrence," so why would he resort to trickery, however well-intentioned, to find out if Elizabeth still loves him? Second, Lady Catherine is a social snob and objects to Elizabeth's low connections; also she has an arranged marriage planned for Darcy. Third, in the book, because Elizabeth likes Pemberley and gets along really well with his sister Georgiana, Darcy would have had some evidence that Elizabeth, in the very least, cared for him. And the added claim that Lady Catherine approves of Elizabeth because she likes rudeness and thinks Darcy needs a humorous wife irritates me further because the marriage of Elizabeth and Darcy is revolutionary since it was made in defiance of societal rules!!! Why, why, why in the name of comedy did they have to do this?!

Darcy kisses Elizabeth (in a stagey and melodramatic way) after she accepts his second proposal. Seems a bit uncharacteristic of him.

All the sisters get married at the end. Happily ever after.

CONCLUSION

This movie certainly was not aiming for faithfulness to Austen's novel; it ignores her detailed portrait of Regency era society and its attitudes and focuses on the "light, bright, and sparkling" aspect of Pride and Prejudice that gives the story its timeless appeal.

All in all, this comedy of manners is definitely a classic thanks to the clever dialogue and jokes within the script, along with some great acting.

@appleinducedsleep @dahlia-coccinea @princesssarisa @colonelfitzwilliams @austengivesmeserotonin

#pride and prejudice 1940 #pride and prejudice #pride and predjudice #jane austen #movies #movie review #laurence olivier #classic movies #we stan p&p 1940

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retro-mint45 · 3 years ago

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FLORIDA - WHEY - CHRISTINA GRIMME -

SHOT - AT - L & R - CHEST - HEAD - FOR -

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'SERVICE - DOG' - MEANS - VESTS 4 -

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THAT - THEIR - HEADS - GOING - YES -

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DROPPING - 2 - MANY - TIMES - AS -

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THEIR - GRANDFATHER - DIES - LESS -

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HOSPITAL - THEN - AMERICANS ARE -

WEARING - BLK - AND - LISTENING 2 -

LAST - WILL - & - TESTAMENT - 4 - YES -

NON-TAXED - BENEFICIARY CHECKS -

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AS - PEOPLE - NOTICED - OBSERVED -

($25.45) - BCOZZY - CHIN SUPPORT -

TRAVEL - PILLOW - OR - AT - HOME -

AS - U - READ - OR - TYPE - WORDS -

4 - TUMBLR.COM - ESPECIALLY XO -

DURING - GRAVEYARD - SHIFTS -

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GO - DOWN - & - UP - AS U XO -

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U - REST - ON - SOFA - BEHIND - THEN -

FELL - ASLEEP - CHIN - UP - SO - 2 - YES -

FINISH - TYPING - SO - COMFORTABLY -

KOREAN TV DRAMA NEW - SBS NOW -

MONDAYS - 'LOVERS - OF - THE - RED -

SKY' - WHEN - BLIND - MALE BABE IS -

THIN - AND - SKIN - PERFECT - JUST -

LIKE - LEE JOON GI - BOTH - LOOK -

SO - GOOD - WITH - LONG - HAIR -

BELOW - ALWAYS - SAYS - FICTITIOUS -

NEVER - HAPPENED - WELL - GBC XO -

FILMS - COMEDY ROMANCE DRAMA -

MUSICAL - & - MORE - WE'LL - MAKE -

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LIKE - SEE - THRU - ABOVE - HAT YES -

BOTTOM - BUT - GIRLS - IN - MAKATI -

NOT - ALL - HAIR - LONG - SO - DIBA -

LOOKS LIKE - BLK - TAE - ON - THEIR -

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BOTTOM - OF - HAIR - PARANG - IT -

IS - THE - FUTURE - SHORT - HAIR -

SO - IT - WILL - B - LIKE - PONY XO -

TAIL - MAYBE - THEY - AS - KOREANS -

FELT - 'THEY - AS - MALES - LOOK XO -

BETTER - THAN MALE HORSES' - SO -

ETO - 'HINDI' - LAGI THOROUGHBREDS -

MADAMING - MAS - GANDA - LOOKING -

AND - OWNERSHIP - 'AGE - OF - MEN' -

MALE - STAR - RED EYES - PERO LITTLE -

YOUNG - GIRL - BLUE - PUKE - EYES - 2 -

SHOW - POOR - AND - KOREAN - GIRL -

BLIND - LOOKS LIKE - PEBBLES - WHILE -

HE - MALE - BLIND - LOOKS - LIKE - YES -

EXOTIC - BEAUTY - KOREAN - MALES -

WILL - NEVER - CRY - IF - 200,000 KR -

FEMALES - DIED - TOMORROW CASI -

BAKLA - AND - CONCEITED - ABOUT -

THEIR - BEAUTY - TANGA - ALSO FOR -

MALE & FEMALE - PRODUCE - WHAT -

WILL - INCREASE - THEIR - POPULATION -

NOT FERMENTED - KIMCHI - CABBAGE -

SPICY - RUB - AFTER - EATING - WHAT IS -

LEFT - THEN - KOREAN - BABY - WILL XO -

APPEAR - ON - THEIR - BLANKET YES XO -

DURING - FULL MOON - SOME DID YES -

SOMEWHAT - BELIEVE THAT - SO CUTE -

OUR - JOSEON - LIKE - HORSE PONY -

TAIL - WHERE - HAIR - IS - SEE - THRU -

BLK - HATS - ALL WORE - BLACK - XO -

THAT - AREA - NOT - SEE - THRU - XO -

AND - JOSEON - 500 YEARS - POOR -

ALL - WORK - WHITE - INFERIOR YES -

COLOR - WHITE - AND - NOT - SOFT -

INFERIOR - COTTON - CLOTH - AS U -

HAVE - NEVER - SEEN ANY KOREAN -

TV - DRAMA - WITH - THAT - TRUTH -

ONLY - SPECIAL - HOLIDAYS - ANOTHER -

COLOR - ALLOWED - GRAY - BUT - SAME -

INFERIOR - COTTON - BUT - THERE WERE -

TIMES - GRAY - PUT - ON - TOP - OF - SO -

THEY - CAN - ADJUST - 2 - WHITE AGAIN -

SOONER - THAT'S - SO - THEY'LL KNOW -

WHO - ARE - POOR - FASTER - SO - THEY -

WON'T - KNOW - SOFTNESS - OF - YES -

RICHLY - MADE - CLOTH - LIKE - PUPRLE -

WAS - ONLY - ALLOWED - ROYALTY - ON -

EARTH - ESPECIALLY - IN - EUROPE - HAI -

KOREAN - TV DRAMA - JOSEON - ONLY -

USED - BLK - PAINT - NO - COLORS - OR -

THEY - NEVER - CREATED - ANY - 4 - AS -

LAZINESS - AFFECTS - WHY - MAKE XO -

COLORS - WHEN - SKY - BLUE FLOWERS -

HAVE - COLORS - 2 - MAKE - COLOR XO -

PAINT - COLORS - EVERYWHERE - WHY -

THEY - WERE - JUST - GENIUNELY - HAI -

LAZY - LIKE - WE'RE - LAZY - WITH - YES -

AS - GIRLS - ARE - WE - INLOVE - WITH -

BLOND - NCT DREAM RENJUN - CHINESE -

OR - ARE - WE - INLOVE - WITH - KOREAN -

6'1 FT - AGE 20 - SUNGCHAN - MC HOST -

NCT - NCT U - 'HAPPY - BIRTHDAY' - DOLL -

'MONDAY - MONDAY' - (13 SEP 2021) -

'YOU'RE - BEAUTIFUL' - CUTEST DOLL -

'GLAD EVERYTHING - U - WANT 2 DO -

U - DO' - GORGEOUS - SUNG - BIBLE -

'THE - SUPERNATURAL - STRENGTH -

OF YOUTHFUL - MALES' - SEOUL KR -

SUNGCHUN - DARLING - MONDAY -

BOY - BCOZZY - CHIN - SUPPORT 4 -

TRAVEL PILLOW - 4 - NECK AROUND -

THEN GOES UP - 4 - CHIN SUPPORT -

USA POLICE - NON-VIRGINS - THEY -

NEED - VACCINE - NOT EVEN - YES -

MARRIED - THEY'RE - NOT - LEGAL -

DEFINITION - OF - SANITIZED YES -

HUMANS - AGE 246 - NO MANNERS -

AMENDMENTS - NOT - MILITARY XO -

FORCE - ILLEGALLY - ARMED - METAL -

HANDCUFFS - ILLEGAL - WEAPONS -

& - USE - OF - METAL - THEY - BIND 2 -

REMOVE - LIBERTY - RIGHT - 2 - ACT -

AS - ONE - PLEASES - 14TH - NO US -

STATE - (FLORIDA) - CAN - DEPRIVE -

DENY - ANY - PERSON - OF - LIFE & -

LIBERTY - (SHERIFFS - ILLEGAL) - XO -

OCCUPATION - NO - US - STATE XO -

CAN - DEPRIVE - ANY - PERSON OF -

PROPERTY - ESPECIALLY - FULLY XO -

PAID - ILLEGAL - LAW - REPOSSESSION -

OF - HOMES CONDOS - BUSINESS XO -

PROPERTIES - LANDS - 'DEPRIVED - OF -

PROPERTY' - 18TH - 'CRUEL - AND YES -

UNUSUAL - PUNISHMENT' - RIFFLES -

FIREARMS - 21 AND OLDER - MALES -

FEMALES - AMERICANS - AGE 246 -

LA LA LAND - LAND - OF THE FREE -

THUS LONGEVITY - AGE 78 ONLY -

4 - US - SUNG - 'IN - GOD - WE -

TRUST' - THEY'RE - CHANGING -

THAT - 2 - 'IN - TAXES WE TRUST' -

'IN - MONEY - WE - TRUST' - YES -

COOL - BETTER ANCIENT - EGYPT -

INVENTED TAXES - 'REPRODUCTION -

IN - PART - OR - FULL - OFF' - ILLEGAL -

MURDERS - ROBBERS - LAWLESS USA -

SO - NEED - 2 - TALK - 2 - USA POLICE -

SEOUL POLICE - BCOZZY - CHIN -

SUPPORT 4 - TRAVEL PILLOW FOR -

- NECK - 2 - KEEP AWAKE - WHILE -

TALKING - 2 - VULGAR - NON-VIRGIN -

POOR - POLICE - THEY'RE - NOT RICH -

MAKATI - PHILIPPINE - ISLANDS - WE -

ARE - TRAINING - MALE - CATS ONLY -

AS - OUR - DOMESTIC - SERVICE YES -

JUNIORS - SENIORS - 2 - ESCORT THE -

BLIND - COMFORT - BABES - BE - AN -

EMOTIONAL - SUPPORT - NOT - JUST -

1 WORD - COMMANDS - HAND YES -

MOVEMENT - HAND - SILENT - TRUE -

COMMANDS - 2 - CONFUSE - EVIL -

HUMANS - OUTSIDE - MAKATI FOR -

CATS - DON'T - BARK - SO - MORE -

PEACEFUL - 4 - THE - BLIND - THEIR -

MASTERS - ADDITIONAL - SERVICE -

DOMESTICS - NOT - JUST - MALES -

DOGS - AS - GUIDE - DOG - SO XO -

FUTURE - SEOUL POLICE - STATION -

MY - (NOT RELATIVES) - GRANDPAPIES -

WEARING - BCOZZY - CHIN SUPPORT -

2 ROUNDS - THEN - AROUND - NECK -

2 - SUPPORT - WON'T - DOZE - OFF 4 -

PRIVATE - SMALL - PLANES - STILL HAI -

NAVY - BEDS - SO - NICE - 2 - GO - TO -

ARMED - LOCATIONS - OF - UNIFORM -

POOR - PEOPLE - WHO DON'T KNOW -

HOW 2 SHOWER - (FILTERED) - WATER -

THEY - SMELL - ONLY - ARMED - IN - KR -

LIKE - NCI - CIVILIANS - LIKE - CANADA -

NOT ALLOWED - ARMED - UNTIL THEY -

DIE - SO - KILLED - WITH - KITCHEN XO -

KNIVES - STRANGLED - 2 - DEATH - OR -

PUSHED - FR - TALL - BUILDINGS - WILL -

BE - THE - USUAL - LIKE - OSTRICHES -

WHO - BURY - HEAD - IN - SOIL - FOR -

THEY'RE - FEARFUL - CREATURES ARE -

SUICIDAL - ALSO - AS - MALES - EVEN -

AS - 8 FT - TALL - BUT - SOFT - COVER -

ON - HEADS - 2 - COVER - EYES - YES -

ESPECIALLY - SUICIDE - & - FEAR - XO -

GONE - 2 - THAT DOES - WORK FOR -

THEM - SO - BRINGING - MY - BRIT -

MALE - CAT - HOPE - SMALL CHILD -

SIZE - (AGE 3-7) - WILL - FIT MY XO -

MALE - PUREBRED - KITTEN - 4 - IT -

IS - WHAT - THEY - NEED - THOSE -

BEAUTIFUL - LIVING - FUR - SUCH -

PERFECTION - OF - BEAUTY - AS I -

MAKE - SURE - THEY'RE - WEAR'G -

SHOES - AND - WELL - DRESSED 4 -

WEATHER - ALSO - CLEAR - FACE -

SHIELD - WITH - COLORS ABOVE -

LIKE - SUNGLASSES - THEN THEY -

WEAR - CHILD - BCOZZY - CHIN -

THEN - ALSO - NECK - SUPPORT -

AS - IT - ROUNDS - ITSELF - IN 2 -

AREAS - I'M - WEARING - SAME -

BOTH - OF - US - MATCHING XO -

THEN - LIKE - CARRYING - BABY -

HOLDING - MITSUO - ONE SIDE -

SO - HANDS - FREE - HIS - COLLAR -

ATTACHED - 2 - IF - SUDDEN - RUN -

INCREASES IN LENGTH BUT AUTO -

GENTLY - EASES - 4 - END - OF THE -

LEASH - BRINGS BACK - 2 ME FOR -

NOTHING - WILL - DEFEAT US - MY -

DARLING - MITSU - IN - FUTURE XO -

WITH - MY - 2 - TEACUP - MALTESE -

MALES - ALL - 4 - OF US - A - QUAD -

WE - WILL - 'WAKE UP - THE - SUN' -

GOD - SAID - 'COMMAND - HIM' - SO -

I - COMMANDED GOD - 2 - MAKE MY -

LIFE - MORE BEAUTIFUL - RICHER YES -

BETTER - HEALTHIER STRONGER AND -

COMMANDED - GOD - 2 - MAKE - MY -

LOOKS - YOUNGER - ADAM - 900 YRS -

OLD - NO - WRINKLES - PERFECT - EYE -

SIGHT - I COMMAND - GOD - 2 MAKE -

MY EYES - SEE - BETTER - THAN ADAM -

NOT - BORN - AGAIN - COULDN'T XO -

SPEAK - IN - TONGUES - WE'RE MORE -

POWERFUL - THAN - PEOPLE - 2,000 -

YEARS - AGO - B 4 - JESUS - ARRIVED -

ON - EARTH - COMMANDED IN THE -

NAME - OF - JESUS - MAKATI - I'M XO -

BRINGING - MITSUO - MANY PLACES -

BOTH - OF - US - ALWAYS MATCHING -

BETTER - CAMOUFLAGE - BLENDING -

ALWAYS - THAT - BCOZZY - NECK - 2 -

KEEP - CHIN - UP - COMFORT - NECK -

TRAVEL - PILLOW COLORS - 2 BLEND -

WITH - OUR - CLOTHES - MY - YES AS -

CAT - DOMESTIC - SERVICE TRAINED -

JESUS - IS - LORD - USA - POLICE - YES -

SHOOT - DOGS - CATS - EUROPE AND -

ASIA - EAT - THEM - THUS - THE BLACK -

PLAGUE - WIPED - OUT - NORTH ASIA -

EUROPE - AFRICA - TOTAL IN EUROPE -

1347 - 14TH - CENTURY - GOREO - XO -

ENDEED - IN - THE - 14TH - KINGDOM -

OF KOREA - (+1 MILLION - YEARS - KR) -

BLK DEATH - PLAGUE - CLAIMED - AN -

ASTONISHING - 20 MILLION - LIVES -

JUST 4 YEARS - REASON - THEY ATE -

CATS - KITTENS - DOGS - PUPPIES & -

SELDOM BATHE - AS - HUMANS XO -

& - PROMISCUOUS - LET - KIDS - GO -

ANYWHERE - DO - ANYTHING - SO -

NEVER CARED - THAT MUCH - FOR -

SOCIAL - REASONS - ACCEPTANCE -

KIDS - MADE - NOT - BECAUSE - SO -

2 - LOVE - THEM - NOT LOVING XO -

PEOPLE - CURRENTLY - COV-ID - 19 -

KILLED - WORLD - TOTAL - & - NEW -

(4,701,438) - (2,276) - ASIA - TRUE -

(1,096,130) - 608 - LARGEST - POP -

CHINA - (+1.4 BILLION) - INDIA - 2 -

(+1.3 BILLION) - EUROPE - THAT'S -

(1,203,173) - (865) - CORONAVIRUS -

RESPIRATORY - DISEASE - BUT - USA -

AMAZON - CLEAR - FACE - MASK - 2 -

OPEN - ON SIDES - SO - INVENTORS -

EASY - 2 PERFECT - THAT - CLEAR XO -

MASK - THEN SELL - CHEAPER - HOT -

BRITISH - SHORTHAIR - CATS USING -

U - PUT - LIKE - GLASSES - BUT CLEAR -

COVERING - FACE - CUTE - BUT ALSO -

BLOCKS - FOG - SO - FACE - DOESN'T -

BECOME WET - (PNEUMONIA) - AND -

THAT - KILLS KIDS - BABIES - SENIORS -

EVIL - ARMED - MEN - AND - WOMEN -

NOT - MARRIED - AND - NON-VIRGIN -

EVIL - GOATS - FLORIDA - ALL - NUDE -

COLONY - LIKE BACK - 2 - CAVE AGE -

THEY MERGE FAST - SO - ABORTION -

CLINIC FREE - 4 - AGE 18 - & - OLDER -

LIKE - XFINITY - BACK - 2 - CABLE SO -

EXCITED 4 U - GOT - MORE MONEY -

ME - THEY - FORGOT CABLE BOXES -

ANOTHER - CALL - NEW - ROKU TV -

STICK - USB - AND - HDMI - OR - XO -

ELECTRICITY - PLUG - WITH - HDMI -

XFINITY - STREAM - PLUS - OUR XO -

NEED - GOOGLE - MOVIES - WE -

PAID 4K - 8K - HD - ($39.99) - AT -

AMAZON.COM - WE'VE - BEEN -

PAYING RENTAL BOXES - ILLEGAL -

OMISSION - OF - TRUTH - FAMILY -

OWNED USA - ($0 - $250,000 FINE) -

(AND - OR - IMPRISONMENT) - THEY -

EMAIL - MONTHLY - NONE - THAT -

SAID - ROKU - STICK - ($39.99) - SO -

NO - NEED - ANYMORE - 4 - CABLE -

BOX RENTALS - OWNERSHIP NOW -

2 - SONY HDTVs - 1 MORE - $39.99 -

GOOGLE - MOVIES - 4K - 8K - & HD -

MORE - MONEY - 2 - BUY - FILMS & -

U - OWN - BEST - PART - IN - EVENT -

OF - FIRE - YOU'RE - INSURED AND -

GOOGLE - MOVIES - FOREVER YES -

STORAGE AND - WHAT U BOUGHT -

DIDN'T - BURN - WHEN - YOUR XO -

HOUSE - OR - APT - BURNT - TIME 2 -

BUY - WISELY - IN - THE - FUTURE - 4 -

CAN'T - B - BURNT - IS - EXCITING & -

THE - FUTURE - (6:23A EDT) - SMALL -

COUNTRIES - MAS - MAGANDA - XO -

MANY - MEAN - 'LABO' - WE - LOVE -

AND - SERVE - OUR - INVISIBLE GOD -

WHO - LOVED - US - FIRST - WAITED -

'TIL - WE WERE - BORN - AND NOW -

THAT - LOVE - WE - HAVE - FR - HIM -

OTHERS - DON'T - HAVE - KOREA -

DOESN'T - HAVE - SO - THEY ARE -

LIKE - LAMBS - SLAUGHTERED - & -

FAN DOM - INCREASES - LAUGHS -

THEN - 3 KOREAN - FEMALES - AS -

THEY'RE - STABBED - 2 - DEATH -

VICOUSLY - SWIFT - AND - FAST -

BY - UGLY - KOREAN - MALE - AS -

HE - ENJOYED - HIS - VICTORY 4 -

HE - AGE 24 - KILLED - FAST ALSO -

AGE 24 - KOREAN - GIRL - 4 THEY -

DON'T - DATE - OR - PLANNED - 2 -

MARRY - POOR & UGLY KOREANS -

HE - STABBED - THEM - 2 - DEATH -

WENT - ALL - THE - WAY - AFTER -

STABBED - MORE - THE KOREAN -

GOAT - KILLED THEM - 4 - HE XO -

DETESTED - SHE - WAS NOT -

GOING 2 MARRY - HIM FOR -

THOSE REASONS STABBED -

HER MOM - BECAUSE - NOT -

LIVING - WITH - HER HUSBAND -

NOT - MARRYING SOON - AND -

HE - DIDN'T - LIKE THAT - KILLED -

THEM - 4 - NOT - ORGY - 4 - HIM -

2 OF THEM - WITH HIM - 3 DAYS -

ATE - FOOD - FR - THEIR - APT - IN -

SEOUL - NORTH - KOREAN MOM -

& - YOUNG - SON - DIDN'T STAB -

FR - THE - DOOR - OPENED - 2 -

KILL - ALL - INSIDE - 2 - EAT ALL -

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ritaofwar · 4 years ago

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ABOUT RITA

full name: margaret qiuyue zhang nicknames: rita (primary name) age: thirty-six pronouns: she/her zodiac: pisces sun, capicorn moon, pisces rising mbti: intj-a, the architect alignment: true neutral

+ Imaginative: Think outside the box is a saying that Rita struggles to understand. Why impress upon people that there is a box in the first place? Thought, in and of itself, is boundless, reaching further than the outer limits of the universe. For Rita there has never been a box. Independence in thought allows the imagination to roam through the peaks and valleys of possibility and rationale, to toy with ideas and theories. It’s this quality that enables Rita to swiftly and cleverly untangle problems, and rearrange modes of operation. If patterns can be detected, information can be found, and with a mind that works like hers it’s a thrilling challenge to imagine solutions. And when she isn’t solving problems this imagination of hers runs wild, lending the woman an entire galaxy of her own.

+ Tenacious: Rita has heard the stories of her family’s lives in China. Of the Japanese invasion, the Moaist regime, the famine, and her familys’ journey from the world they knew and loved to one that offered opportunity and security with a sacrificial price. Her ancestors’ strength moves through her, catapults her into action, and Rita knows that she has to fight for what she wants. Society has constantly tried to convince her that she’s less than, that her potential is not enough, and it’s only added fuel to her fire. People can count on her to get things done, to see it through and done right because for her there is no other choice.

+ Decisive: Bossy. Utilitarian. Arrogant. Rita has heard it all, but in reality the woman, since girlhood, has simply been unafraid to take initiative and make decisions. Lacking hesitation, she finds herself ahead because of her resolution and unwavering assuredness. For her it’s not a question of whether or not she makes the “right” decision, because once it is made, it no longer matters. Instead, Rita focuses on turning every decision into the right one. This aspect doesn’t always make friends, or present as the most attractive trait, but Rita appreciates, and takes pride, in this part of herself.

- Manipulative: In pursuit of her own desires there are very few lines that Rita is wary to cross, and those she uses are often thought of as little more than pawns. What she lacks in innate charisma, she has learned to make up for through observation and perception. Perhaps she can’t simply charm you into doing what she wants, but the woman can certainly convince you that what you want is synonymous to what she wants by deftly pulling on the strings of logic and desire, reality and fantasy, until the lines blur and she can reap the benefits. But as handy a tool it is, Rita herself can often be left questioning what is real and what is not.

- Detached: As a girl Rita’s mother lamented that she didn’t understand her own child, an enigma, a puzzle, she would mutter in Mandarin. And others shared the sentiment. She was hard to keep up with, hard to pin down, and ultimately hard to connect to. When one feels as though people are constantly struggling to understand them, tolerating rather than grasping them, distance grows. What is often misinterpreted as haughtiness, is really a fear of being misunderstood, and showing her authentic self. Rita’s emotional well runs deep, and she’s terrified to drown. It’s a lonely way to live.

- Paranoid: Rita once thought that power and persuasion would bring security. People value her, money has made her more than comfortable, and intel keeps her prepared and in control. But now, in a world as cruel as the one she finds herself in, Rita fears it’s only a matter of time before the gaping maws come snapping at her. Her sense of reality melts away, and in its place delusions of betrayal and deception close in. Suspicion and anxiety follow suit and suddenly her coveted power is the enemy. Then, as quickly as it came on, it recedes, lurking in the shadows until it seizes her once again.

BIOGRAPHY

Margaret Zhang was born in a humble, upstairs flat in Camden, London. Her mother’s screams could be heard from the street, but Rita was as silent as a lamb when she entered the world. She would hear the retelling many times by her grandmother-- eyes like saucers, unblinking and astute, as though she had been waiting for this moment, knew it was coming, and couldn’t bear to delay her first glimpse at the world. Their flat sat above the family’s business, a portrait studio, and though they didn’t have much to their name the Zhang’s were overjoyed at the arrival of their small, plump daughter.

Largely silent until the age of two, Rita’s father often had to ease her mother’s mind as the woman worried over their daughter’s development. The quiet, sharp-eyed baby grew into a reticent, and pensive girl. Even at a young age it seemed that the child was lost in thought, floating somewhere just beyond reality, wondering about the whistling tea kettle, about the cars beyond the window, the flick of the cat’s tail, and the weather report on the television all at once. Her thoughts were scattered about, picking apart different details and examining them like their own separate mysteries. And when her mother would say her name, you could practically see the threads of thought gathering back together, tethering the girl once more. Rita lived inside her head. Her thoughts, curiosities, and dreams weaved an intricate web as if to ensnare anything that passed through her mind. She wanted everything-- yearned for extravagance, craved knowledge, thirsted for intrigue, ached for significance. But how to attain it?

Growing up, one of Rita’s favorite past times was helping her father in the studio, fetching batteries, a different lens, extra stools, ... whatever was necessary to gain those moments where she got to observe people. She’d watch them gently handle the new baby that was proving to be more work than either parent had signed on for, or watch as siblings bickered over the center, ruining multiple shots so that their mother delivered swift swats to the back of their ginger heads. Newly weds, ancient faces, best friends... People of all colors, speaking in foreign languages, happy, tired, frustrated... Their worlds were hers for those few moments, and in their worlds possibilities multiplied beyond her ability to comprehend, and it was in these worlds that she felt most at home. Their faces smoothed with practiced composure when her father dipped his head to look through the viewfinder, but oftentimes they were so focused on what was to come, that they were most open in the seconds before. It was there, in that small room with low ceilings and the subtle smell of wet wood that Rita learned to read people, to guess their desires, their hardships, their fears. She would come to spend everyday after school there beside her father, inserting herself into the lives of others to escape for just a few moments.

In reality growing up as a British Asian came with challenges and hardships. Her mother held her head high when store clerks belittled her with slow speech or offensive imitations. Her father did well to catch the eyes of those who dared to stare or sneer on the Tube. Her grandmother, who never quite caught onto the English language, was spared the exact slurs that were muttered as they passed a group of teenage boys on the street, but the sentiment transcended speech. Kids were cruel and even Rita felt the flames of shame lick at her cheeks when Sarah McCormick loudly remarked upon the foreign smell of Rita’s Shuizu, or when Jeffery Louse announced that his father thought people like her didn’t belong in England. Humiliation, rage, injustice, and hurt are wonderful catalysts, C-4 placed at the base of a dam; it honed her vision, sharpening what had once been a soft, dreamlike quality to her desires. Rita would have a life that put everything at her fingertips, allowed her to say what mattered and what didn’t, things would not happen to her, she would make them happen.

Her parents needn’t push her to excel, she wanted it for herself, needed it for herself, so the girl plunged herself into tuning her mental acuity. And when she didn’t have the means to make do on her own, the young woman dove into her treasure trove of manipulative skills. She read their body language, mimicked their energy, and picked apart their words to gain what she could from them. She used her imagination, knowing that if she reached far enough, jumped high enough, and let go of how things should be done, that there was a world of endless possibilities and delights. It was this willingness to stray beyond the beaten path that blazed her through secondary school and propelled her to London School of Economics and Political Science. But when she arrived at university, Rita was hopelessly lost. She had spent so much time dreaming of different lives that she floundered when it came time to decide which direction to take. Having already chosen and thrown away the ideas of business and politics, Rita had recently turned to law when, by happenstance, she found War.

A colleague heard that a position had recently opened up in the accounting department for the company Bellum Nova. Rita had heard of it, of course, a name that garnered attention from news outlets, caught hers as well, and though Rita was learned in mathematics, she knew next to nothing about weapons manufacturing. Still, she applied, naive to the fact that the “open position” was in fact the role of a scapegoat in case reports were dragged into the blinding light of an interrogation room. Still, they used her for the legal proceedings of the company, and although the work was mundane and rather monotonous, Rita felt that Bellum Nova was the sort of place where things happen.

And they did. It was a routine file submission, a cross examination of current assets, and the invoices presented to accounts receivable, the busy work they often handed down to her. But this time she noticed a discrepancy. Thousands of pounds missing from a single client. She double checked, triple checked, then, heart pounding in her chest, filed the invoice away like any other. No one had asked her to ignore it, in fact she never even mentioned it to her boss, but she was suspicious of what it meant. In the weeks to come more and more evidence of revenues being underreported trickled down between the numbers. She did the same equations over and over to be sure, finding again and again that the figures didn’t lie. It was simple to cover up, and with decisive fingers, she changed the dates on back up reports to align with requirement contract overages. She worked quickly, and without instruction, acutely aware that this wasn’t a simple case of oversight. One evening her boss stopped her on the way out. Bellum Nova, or rather War, was in need of a capable accountant, and the illegal transactions in her possession were, more than anything else, a test of confidence and initiative, and, unlike the poor chap before her, Rita had passed.

An angel, they called it. Funny name for a role that was a far cry from any celestial being. She remained a scapegoat, a fall man if anything should go awry, but now she had purpose. Changing her major to economics, Rita suddenly saw a dazzling future amidst the figures before her. She had come to understand long ago that there wasn’t a straight, honest line to what she wanted, and if it meant fudging numbers and forging invoices, she would do it. In fact, there was little she wouldn’t do. The thrill of it all engulfed her, and like Persephone she found herself trapped in an underworld she desperately adored. University taught her how to legally orchestrate finances for a global company, and War taught her the workings of a world of crime. She held her position at Bellum Nova throughout university, eventually gaining her initiation and a place among the Powers just months after she had graduated.

In the years to follow Rita continued to learn about the weaponries industry, and what it required while continuing on for a certification in jurisprudence. Rita learned the law in order to avoid it, and where she had once prodded the line of right and wrong the woman now strode across the barriers, watching as her influence grew, her knowledge bounded, and her pockets grew heavier. She was as willing to carry out a delivery, as extort a politician, as to place her signature on a forged invoice. It was this dedication, along with her tenacity to retain what she learned, and her aptitude for problem solving that put Rita in place for the role of Dominion. It was nearly a decade after joining that she ascended to the position. Some claim she only received the title because of Remus, that nepotism was as alive and well in War as any institution (legal or otherwise), but Rita knows how many hours she poured over textbooks new and old, how much blood she tasted in her mouth, how often she had berated herself over the details of her decisions. It might have been Rita alone that knew how much she really deserved it, but that was enough for her, and no one dared say otherwise to her face.

#about #over a decade of roleplaying and i cannot do graphics for the life of me #this will eventually move to a page of its own

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orthodoxydaily · 4 years ago

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Saints&Reading: Thu., Aug. 6, 2020

Saint Christina of Tyre (300)

The Martyr Christina lived during the third century. She was born into a rich family, and her father was governor of Tyre. By the age of 11 the girl was exceptionally beautiful, and many wanted to marry her. Christina’s father, however, envisioned that his daughter should become a pagan priestess. To this end he placed her in a special dwelling where he had set up many gold and silver idols, and he commanded his daughter to burn incense before them. Two servants attended Christina.

In her solitude, Christina began to wonder who had created this beautiful world. From her room she was delighted by the stars of the heavens and she constantly came back to the thought about the Creator of all the world. She was convinced, that the voiceless and inanimate idols in her room could not create anything, since they themselves were created by human hands. She began to pray to the One God with tears, entreating Him to reveal Himself. Her soul blazed with love for the Unknown God, and she intensified her prayer all the more, and combined it with fasting.

One time Christina was visited by an angel, who instructed her in the true faith in Christ, the Savior of the world. The angel called her a bride of Christ and told her about her future suffering. The holy virgin smashed all the idols standing in her room and threw them out the window. In visiting his daughter Christina’s father, Urban, asked her where all the idols had disappeared. Christina was silent. Then, having summoned the servants, Urban learned the truth from them.

In a rage the father began to slap his daughter’s face. At first, the holy virgin remained quiet, but then she told her father about her faith in the One True God, and that she had destroyed the idols with her own hands. Urban gave orders to kill all the servants in attendance upon his daughter, and he gave Christina a fierce beating and threw her in prison. Having learned about what had happened, Saint Christina’s mother came in tears, imploring her to renounce Christ and to return to her ancestral beliefs. But Christina remained unyielding. On another day, Urban brought his daughter to trial and urged her to offer worship to the gods, and to ask forgiveness for her misdeeds. Instead, he saw her firm and steadfast confession of faith in Christ...keep reading OCA

St Declan bishop of Ardmore, Ireland ( 5th c.)_Celtic and British

If thou hast the right, O Erin, to a champion of battle to aid thee thou hast the head of a hundred thousand, Declan of Ardmore" (Martyrology of Oengus).

Five miles or less to the east of Youghal Harbour, on the southern Irish coast, a short, rocky and rather elevated promontory juts, with a south-easterly trend, into the ocean [± 51° 57' N / 7° 43' W]. Maps and admiralty charts call it Ram Head, but the real name is Ceann-a-Rama and popularly it is often styled Ardmore Head. The material of this inhospitable coast is a hard metamorphic schist which bids defiance to time and weather. Landwards the shore curves in clay cliffs to the north-east, leaving, between it and the iron headland beyond, a shallow exposed bay wherein many a proud ship has met her doom. Nestling at the north side of the headland and sheltered by the latter from Atlantic storms stands one of the most remarkable groups of ancient ecclesiastical remains in Ireland—all that has survived of St. Declan's holy city of Ardmore. This embraces a beautiful and perfect round tower, a singularly interesting ruined church commonly called the cathedral, the ruins of a second church beside a holy well, a primitive oratory, a couple of ogham inscribed pillar stones, &c., &c.

No Irish saint perhaps has so strong a local hold as Declan or has left so abiding a popular memory. Nevertheless his period is one of the great disputed questions of early Irish history. According to the express testimony of his Life, corroborated by testimony of the Lives of SS. Ailbhe and Ciaran, he preceded St. Patrick in the Irish mission and was a co-temporary of the national apostle. Objection, exception or opposition to the theory of Declan's early period is based less on any inherent improbability in the theory itself than on contradictions and inconsistencies in the Life. Beyond any doubt the Life does actually contradict itself; it makes Declan a cotemporary of Patrick in the fifth century and a cotemporary likewise of St. David a century later. In any attempted solution of the difficulty involved it may be helpful to remember a special motive likely to animate a tribal histrographer, scil.:—the family relationship, if we may so call it, of the two saints; David was bishop of the Deisi colony in Wales as Declan was bishop of their kinsmen of southern Ireland. It was very probably part of the writer's purpose to call attention to the links of kindred which bound the separated Deisi; witness his allusion later to the alleged visit of Declan to his kinsmen of Bregia. Possibly there were several Declans, as there were scores of Colmans, Finians, &c., and hence perhaps the confusion and some of the apparent inconsistencies. There was certainly a second Declan, a disciple of St. Virgilius, to whom the latter committed care of a church in Austria where he died towards close of eighth century. Again we find mention of a St. Declan who was a foster son of Mogue of Ferns, and so on. It is too much, as Delehaye ("Legendes Hagiographiques") remarks, to expect the populace to distinguish between namesakes. Great men are so rare! Is it likely there should have lived two saints of the same name in the same country!

The latest commentators on the question of St. Declan's period—and they happen to be amongst the most weighty—argue strongly in favour of the pre-Patrician mission (Cfr. Prof. Kuno Meyer, "Learning Ireland in the Fifth Century"). Discussing the way in which letters first reached our distant island of the west and the causes which led to the proficiency of sixth-century Ireland in classical learning Zimmer and Meyer contend that the seeds of that literary culture, which flourished in Ireland of the sixth century, had been sown therein in the first and second decades of the preceding century by Gaulish scholars who had fled from their own country owing to invasion of the latter by Goths and other barbarians. The fact that these scholars, who were mostly Christians, sought asylum in Ireland indicates that Christianity had already penetrated thither, or at any rate that it was known and tolerated there. Dr. Meyer answers the objection that if so large and so important an invasion of scholars took place we ought have some reference to the fact in the Irish annals. The annals, he replies, are of local origin and they rarely refer in their oldest parts to national events: moreover they are very meagre in their information about the fifth century. One Irish reference to the Gaulish scholars is, however, adduced in corroboration; it occurs in that well known passage in St. Patrick's "Confessio" where the saint cries out against certain "rhetoricians" in Ireland who were hostile to him and pagan,—"You rhetoricians who do not know the Lord, hear and search Who it was that called me up, fool though I be, from the midst of those who think themselves wise and skilled in the law and mighty orators and powerful in everything." Who were these "rhetorici" that have made this passage so difficult for commentators and have caused so various constructions to be put upon it? It is clear, the professor maintains, that the reference is to pagan rhetors from Gaul whose arrogant presumption, founded on their learning, made them regard with disdain the comparatively illiterate apostle of the Scots. Everyone is familiar with the classic passage of Tacitus wherein he alludes to the harbours of Ireland as being more familiar to continental mariners than those of Britain. We have references moreover to refugee Christians who fled to Ireland from the persecutions of Diocletian more than a century before St. Patrick's day; in addition it is abundantly evident that many Irishmen—Christians like Celestius the lieutenant of Pelagius, and possibly Pelagius himself, amongst them—had risen to distinction or notoriety abroad before middle of the fifth century.

Possibly the best way to present the question of Declan's age is to put in tabulated form the arguments of the pre-Patrician advocates against the counter contentions of those who claim that Declan's period is later than Patrick's...keep reading this riveting life

Luke 21:12-19 NKJV

12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake. 13 But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony. 14 Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will [a]answer; 15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or [b]resist.16 You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death. 17 And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. 18 But not a hair of your head shall be lost. 19 By your patience possess your souls.

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Footnotes

Luke 21:14 say in defense

Luke 21:15 withstand

Roman 8:28-39 NKJV

28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

God’s Everlasting Love

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? 33 Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 As it is written:

“For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”

37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 38 For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 39 nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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#orthodoxy #orthodoxchristian #firstchristian #sacredtext #scripture #spirituality #ancientfaith #apostles

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liam-93-productions · 5 years ago

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Liam’s Interview for Men’s Health Australia

When we arrive in springtime London to meet with singer Liam Payne, he’s at the centre of a heaving team of staff, fussing around a small hotel room in the heart of the city. It’s a small whirlwind overlooking a comparatively peaceful Hyde park.

Amongst all the drama, Payne remains unruffled. He’s alert, aware of every person and conversation in the room, yet oddly at ease with the lunacy ensuing, greeting me with a traditional British bro-shake.

His calm under pressure is perhaps a product of his adolescent stint as one-fifth of the world’s biggest boy band, One Direction, an experience in which an ability to find your equilibrium amid chaos was an essential survival skill.

What’s immediately apparent is that Payne is a surprisingly self-aware and largely egoless 25-year- old, no mean feat for a man who’s helped sell over 50 million albums in the past decade.

“You’re kind of known sometimes as, ‘the guy from that band’, which is not really where you want to be at a certain point,” Payne says within minutes of our first meeting. It’s a refreshing show of vulnerability so early on, setting the tone for a poignant, sometimes emotionally raw two-day encounter with the star. “If you are what you think you are, then you don’t have to fucking prove anything.”

Delivered with a hint of defiance, it’s a sentiment that applies whether you happen to be a popstar or a product manager.

“I’ve got a lot of things wrong in my time, but they were also the moments that I’ve learned the most about myself,” Payne adds. “The moments to do with fear, patience, intelligence, all those different things.”

The truth is, Payne has lived his life in fast forward, cramming youthful missteps, naïve blunders and redemptive wisdom into one dizzying decade in the crucible of pop-culture stardom, a vortex that generally chews up and spits out young men. Instead he’s emerged, if not fully formed, then certainly as a man acutely aware of who he is. He’s as unsure as the rest of us what happens next – there aren’t many five-year plans in pop stardom – but you’d be hard-pressed to find a guy more ready to seize his potential and make his mark. And that’s an enviable position to be in, whatever direction you want life to take you.

BOY BAND BLUES

At the height of their success, One Direction achieved the impossible, inducing Sixties-style hysteria in an era deemed too atomised for such levels of superstardom. A five-piece boy band, manufactured on TV’s X-Factor by none other than Simon Cowell, with universal appeal. The mop-top haircuts, cheesy grins and wholesome values echoed boy bands of decades past, with an updated millennial twist.

To fully grasp the band’s gigantic pop-cultural footprint consider this: One Direction are the only band in history to have their first four albums debut at Number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, a feat not even The Beatles managed in their heyday.

“It literally was the perfect storm,” remembers Payne. “There were so many scenarios that had to fall into line for that to happen. It’s not something that can easily be recreated or probably ever will be because of the way the Internet was kicking off, the way The X Factor kicked off. I just think it was just dumb luck.”

Prior to meeting Payne I’d been given strict instructions not to ask any One Direction-related questions. As it turns out Payne freely offers up details of his decade in the eye of the boyband storm. Indeed, he’s happy to share, almost as a cautionary tale.

“It’s difficult when you have the level of fame that we had in the band,” he says. “There have been a lot of people in trouble with mental health that aren’t really getting the help that they need and I think that’s a bit of a problem in our industry. It’s the same shit that happens to everyone, that’s been happening since the 70’s. You know what the traps are and if you are lucky enough, like me, to be able to get out of that scenario and back into a sense of normality, then you know it’s a bit different.”

Payne was only 14 when One Direction blew up. Forced to grow and mature under the magnifying glass of the global media, his adolescence quickly became click-bait fodder and, despite the companionship of fellow band members, he remembers his 1D days as a lonely time, punctuated by alcohol abuse.

“When you’re doing hundreds and hundreds of [concerts] and it’s the same 22 songs at the same time every single day, even if you’re not happy, you’ve got to go out there,” he says. “It’s almost like putting the Disney costume on before you step up on stage and underneath the Disney costume I was pissed quite a lot of the time because there was no other way to get your head around what was going on. I mean it was fun. We had an absolute blast but there were certain parts of it where it just got a little bit toxic.”

It’s the only time in my two days with Payne that the mood darkens. The sentiment echoes around the empty room for a moment, Payne’s eyes glazing over as he’s transported back to those riotous days. Did he ever feel in control during those times? “No. Never.”

“I still struggle with it now,” he adds. “I really struggle to say no because I don’t like to let people down. It’s in my nature.”

If there’s anything Payne hopes his fans take away from his time in fame’s spin cycle, it’s to embrace your past for what it is and grow from it. That way, at least, you ensure the only direction in which you can head is forward.

PAYNE AND GAIN

As if to remind us that we are in fact in the UK, on my seconds day with Payne the spring weather gives way to frosty winds and constant light drizzle. It doesn’t seem to bother anyone in Payne’s camp. Today is the singer’s turn in front of the camera and he wears the dreary London day as well as his perfectly-tailored suit.

After much negotiation, we manage to get onto the rooftop of The Beaumont Hotel, giving Payne a chance to survey his turf. It’s the most at ease I’ve seen him in our time together, the rain seemingly washing away the last traces of his boyish nervousness.

For all his self-discovery and reflection, Payne seems to have solace from the trials of pop stardom in fitness. He’s energetic and you get the sense his next workout is never far from his mind. Even as we shoot on The Beaumont’s suddenly wet rooftop, he jumps at the chance to squeeze in a few triceps dips on a flimsy railing. It’s an odd look, the former boy-band star dressed in a beautifully tailored Hugo Boss suit, the contrast perhaps symbolic of the crossroads Payne now finds himself at.

The less than optimal workout gear not withstanding, Payne credits his newfound fondness for fitness for keeping him on the straight and narrow.

“For me, working out was one of the things that I really wanted to tick of the list ‘cause I always saw myself as that sort of sporty active person and I actually wasn’t,” he says, “I was smoking tons of cigarettes and drinking alcohol. It was the complete opposite but in my head I was still a 14 year-old cross country runner who was fucking on top of the table.”

And although it seems Payne may have simply traded one addiction for another, there’s no denying the positive effects his commitment to movement has had on him.

“I run every morning at the moment,” he says, showing off pictures from this morning’s run on his phone. “I’ve been getting up and doing a before sunrise sort of thing, whereas before I would have been out of bed at 11 and smoking cigarettes.”

Surprisingly for a man of his age, Payne’s workout motivation remains relatively pure, free of any vanity and at odds with the current gym-bro culture.

“I think it’s just having a gentler approach to things and not thinking that everything has to be brawn, muscle and testosterone,” he says. “Man, just fucking be a man about it but do it gently.”

At the same time his fitness journey isn’t solely about pursuing emotional growth. Payne is keen to increase his strength, offering inspiration to fellow “lanky lads”.

“My biggest problem training wise has always been trying to bulk up,” he says. “Bulking up is super hard and my metabolism is just so quick and I’m always on the go, so fitting food in has always been quite hard.”

Currently eating over 12,000 kJ a day in pursuit of size, no doubt spurred on by his latest workout partner, Mark Wahlberg. Payne needs to mantain this high-energy intake and systematic recovery plan to sustain his vigorous training schedule. And it doesn’t come easy. “I have ice baths every single day”, he says. “It’s a fucking mission to get yourself in and out.”

Hard as it may be, fitness has become Payne’s sanctuary, the therapy that keeps his mind in the right place. “The moment you have that little bit of time to yourself where you put your body through a bit of stress, it’s like everything just starts to fall into place.”

FIND YOUR BEARINGS

As I accompany Payne to meetings with stylists and photo shoots for German fashion house Hugo Boss, it’s hard not to reflect on the duality of his circumstances. It’s clear Payne is caught somewhere between boy and man. He mantains the youthful energy and humour that endeared him to millions of teenage girls worldwide, yet there’s a vulnerability and self-awareness many pop stars could benefit from. The partnership with the fashion giant makes a lot of sense, with Payne looking to solidify himself as a man of style and the brand hoping to appeal to a new generation. In Payne, they’ve found the perfect bridge between the old and the new.

The singer certaintly brings edgy appeal and a generous dollop of street creed to the table.

“I haven’t really managed to settle,” he says (...), as we approach at his mate’s photography studio. “(...) Everything happens five years earlier in my life. I should just blame Brexit. It’s fucking Brexit.”

“I’m single... with a goal,” he continues, as he holds me back from a passing black cab. He has a cheeky look, (...).

(...)

(...) although Payne isn’t in a rush to define himself as a solo artist just yet. Unlike his fellow 1D grads, he’s yet to release a full album, instead biding his time to explore his sound and, indeed, himself.

“At the moment, I’m kind of song searching a little bit, which is hard because a lot of songs sound the same to me,” Payne says. “I hope to tell more of a story about myself with the music. I think the first few songs I’ve done were fun and we were very lucky with the success we had, but it doesn’t necessarily paint the right picture of me.”

Indeed, Payne is keen to distance himself from the image he initially portrayed following the 1D departure, despise the success he enjoyed. On sales alone, he’s the most successful of the One Direction alumni. But he insists that the “Lamboghinis, big houses, flash shit, gold chains” have given way to “pick up trucks, lakes, sunrises”.

“It might seem crazy, like a midlife crisis, but I don’t give a shit,” he says. “That’s what I enjoy doing. And then you just kind of have to develop on top of what you like. And I know what I like is getting up and watching the sun come up. And I can do that every single day, free of charge.”

He admits that it’s a complete transformation. He’s not wrong. For a man whose life and career have been shaped by sharp and distint trajectories, this qualifies as a very clear 180.

#liam payne #men's health australia #liam's interview #03.06.2019

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hortascountrysidenotes · 5 years ago

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Swifts and Swallows

It was inevitable following such a dry spring that the weather patterns would shift and deliver welcome yet unwelcome rain at rose and young bird time! Last week gave almost four days of uninterrupted rain, together with miserable temperatures and glorious floribunda heads of Buff Beauty rose to name but one, hung their heads in misery, their petals rotting before even allowing the buds to open. Fortunately there are still some roses that haven’t yet begun their peak performance for example the Great Maidens Blush but if the last 3o years of building the Beck Farm Garden tell me anything, it is that it rains off and on for the entire three weeks she is trying to look her best!

Indeed storms are forecast again for today and tomorrow, I feel I have only just repaired the damage from last week’s weather - propping up plants with hazel twigs and trying to get some order into the veg patch. The swallows have fledged and thankfully have had five pretty good days to get fully conversant with getting in and out through the garage door hatches. There are three and we love to watch them learning the ropes from their graceful parents. It would seem we have three pairs of swifts nesting under the tiles and after the low cloud of last week they are back screaming and wheeling over and around our roof and chimney pots.

Two families of wrens are causing amusement and there are several young great and bluetits visiting the bird table, together with young robins and blackbirds. It is always amusing to see how slow they are to react to movement that might be threatening - the baby blackbird in particular will sit on the table long after everyone has dived for cover, looking around in an innocent way as if to say “where has everybody gone” and one just hopes that the sparrowhawk doesn’t swoop in with a final answer!

Having thought the broad beans were not going to be much good, we have in fact got lots and they are delicious. There is nothing quite like broad beans and new potatoes - the Charlottes are cropping well. Globe artichokes are a treat but we still need to replace the three plants we have lost to get back to the numbers we like to have. Salads continue to be strong, but it has been a struggle on some of the other veg and I am becoming suspicious of the numbers of ants in the raised beds. Lovely rows of newly sprouted spinach seedlings suddenly seem to dwindle despite being covered by netting, so a ground attack must be the reason!

Mr Horta always says how pointless gardening is for we grow things and fuss about, only to then cut everything down again! As I deadheaded the Maigold rose yesterday I did slightly see his point - and cutting the box hedging - the annual cutting etc seems to come awfully quickly and really from now through to the end of autumn there will be a shrub, a hedge, a rose or a perennial that will have done its bit and then need cutting back. Apart from box cutting which is my all time least favourite job it is now time to cut the flower heads from Brunnera and Geranium phaeum - two plants that give and give from early April until mid June, but then need shearing off in the case of the Geranium to provide good foliage for the rest of the summer. They are usually under shrubs or at the back of borders and therefore awkward to get to, and more than anything harbouring horseflies, nettles or both.

We are in the June gap for the bees - there is a big shortage of forage for them now the rape and broad beans are over. In our high density arable countryside there is very little for pollinators to go at - the gardens therefore are vital and even more vital the verges - it was encouraging to hear a woman from the British Beekeepers Association on the Today programme this morning talking about the verges - we must badger councils and farmers to be much more selective about how much and when they cut - and as with so many aspects of climate change - plastics etc., I do believe it is UP TO US and not just the government which is US, to actually stop people and ask why and why not etc. At the risk of being thrown out of supermarkets, a friendly enquiry as to why it is necessary to buy bananas in a plastic bag could just convert one more person.

Back to the bees, they are therefore being fed sugar syrup at the moment as they are noticeably grumpy and need a boost. Soon the blackberry flower will be strong and they will be happy.

Two nights of dog training coming up - Mavis is in good form and a good session last week was most encouraging. She needs revving up before a session so she is excited and keen and then we start to get success! Scout and Inca are content, they join in some of the training - Inca certainly has not lost her mojo at all and wants to outstrip Mavis all the time. Scout just enjoys lying in the grass and being given one task to make her feel important.

HORTA

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littleredroseonthevalley · 6 years ago

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East End

Summary: After another round distributing bread, Ernest Sinclaire stumbles on something he was not supposed to know.

Rating: T - Content not suitable for children. Suitable for teens, 13 years and older, with minor suggestive adult themes.

Words: 2109

Notes: So, this is basically an introduction to the MC I have been using on my stories these last few weeks. I expanded, with some (A LOT) of creative liberty, on the White!MC’s backstory provided at that diamond scene with Hamid three weeks ago.

What is historically accurate: The Count of Provence and most Bourbons were living in Britain from 1809 to the Restoration, under an invite from the then-Prince of Wales.

Most of them lived in semi-reclusion in Buckinghamshire, and Louis XVIII did publish several manifestos claiming the crown and outlying what he would do if he were to become king, but, in 1811, it seemed pretty clear that it would never happen. They were on exhile for almost twenty years by then, and Napoleon seemed to be winning, read ‘not losing’, the war against... Europe, pretty much.

It is also true that the British crown was pretty much indifferent about Louis XVIII’s claim. They did support attempts to invade France during the 1790′s, and they were part of the First and Second Coalitions, which intended to restore ‘order’ and ‘legality’ to France, but as Napoleon not-lost wars against three consecutive coalitions, he cemented somekind of legitimacy as the head of the French State.

What is not true: courtly etiquette. I really don’t know how the French greeted their king. I do know, though, it is horribly intricate and took too much research that a 2,000-word piece warrants to get it right. So hand-kissing it is, deal with it.

Without further ado, enjoy!

It was the dead of the night in East End, the weather was cool and a soft mist was forming near the uneven wet cobbles of the street.

They were having an abnormal cold and wet springtime on that year of the Lord 1811. Not a good thing for those who lived on that area of the British capital, for they had not enough money for food, lest for wood and heating.

For Ernest, who had just finished his rounds delivering bread to the starving workers of the area, the weather was, like most things that surrounded him, indifferent.

So is the life of eternal boredom and disinterest. Everything was ambivalent and grey.

It was, however, a hassle. He thought the night would be pleasant enough to walk back to his house, as he preferred, and had dismissed his driver for the night. At this hour, there would be no rentals available, so he would wet his coat over nothing.

He preferred not to be bothered by the curious stares of his groom, but he was better stared at than wet and cold, to be sure.

As the esquire turned a corner, he saw something that greatly confounded him. It was a carriage, and one he knew quite well.

Luke Harper, the groom on the employ of his neighbours, was driving the distinctively luxurious carriage, moving lazily through the fog, believing, within good reason, that he would not be seen or recognized in any way.

The horses stopped at front of the best-kept house on the street. The conductor makes no move to get down from his seat to open the door, as it would be expected of him if he carried one of his patrons.

Ernest had taken this as evidence he was carrying nobody, or that his business at the neighbourhood were of a personal order. Desiring no further entanglement with whatever business the man was conducting, lest it to be something unsavoury, the blond man crossed the street to continue his way to his house, trying to pass unnoticed.

However, before he lost eyesight of the carriage, a woman steps out. She wore a black dress and a cape, but the hood was not covering her head, where a beautiful stem of brown hair, tied neatly to form a thin cascade just past her shoulders.

Ernest could recognize that hair anywhere. He spent much more time than he cared to admit thinking about it, and about the rest of the person who wore it so gracefully. Lady Susan Beauchamp, the natural daughter and current heir of the Earl of Edgewater.

Just as soon as her feet touch the sidewalk, Mr Harper prompts the horses to move forward, and soon it disappears on the mist. The cloaked figure knocks on the door and is quickly ushered inside.

Feeling the curiosity and the concern getting the best out of him, he walks surreptitiously to the building. It was detached from its neighbours, a rarity in that particular street, but it was a guarantee there would be another point of entry or a window to peek.

Walking around the place, the esquire finds such a window, on the left side of the building, overlooking an alleyway. Benefitting with the prevalent darkness at the streets, he could sneak into a comfortable watching position.

Inside, there were about ten people, all wearing black aside from a single overweight man dressed in white, sitting on a chair right about on the far end of the room, on Ernest’s left. None of them wore jewellery, either, probably advisable due to the dangerous nature of their surroundings.

Another thing that resonated with the landowner was the fact there was no women in the room, aside the one brought by Edgewater’s groom and another one, a blonde, standing right next to the fat man.

A few moments later, Susan approaches the man in white, kneels and kisses his hand. Ernest contained his gasp, as it was a much too weird gesture to dedicate to a person, especially one as disgusting-looking as that man on the chair.

The young heiress stands once again and takes a few steps back. Her sights cross with the only other woman’s, who smile kindly at her presence. The man in white starts talking, though, and all eyes are on him.

Ernest could not hear what was being said, but whatever passed through the filter of the glass was certainly not English.

He stood there, observing attentively the exchange, for good part of thirty minutes. However, his focus on the scene meant he did not take proper care of the environment around him, and he was then tackled by a dark figure.

The esquire was hardly a man devout of physical activities, horseback riding and some gardening being the most that brought him outside in the sun. That, coupled with his distractedness, made him to be easily overpowered and taken inside the building.

Once inside, he was placed on his knees in front of the figure in white, being held in position firmly through his shoulders.

“Votre Majesté,” The man holding Ernest said, deferent. “Mes excuses pour l'interruption. Cet homme a été retrouvé à l'arrière du bâtiment. ”

The man in white pressed his lips, a sign of anger. Ernest could feel Susan staring down at him, but he did not look up to meet her glance.

“Vous ne pensez pas que cet homme pourrait être un espion, monsieur?” The fat man asks.

“Il n'est pas un espion, Votre Majesté.” Susan says, with an edge of anger on her voice. “Je le connais, c'est un ami de mon père. Puis-je être autorisé à traiter avec lui? ”

The man signals his approval with a hand-wave and he is taken to a side room, followed closely behind by Susan. She seats on an armchair, while he is forced to stand. The man that guarded him so far brings a few candelabras into the room and leaves them to themselves.

“What in Lord’s name are you doing here, Mr Sinclaire?” She asks impatiently, as soon as they are left alone. “This is not a neighbourhood where I can believe a man of your station happens to be spending his night.”

“I could very well ask the same of you, Lady Susan.” He counters, trying to maintain a haughty position of moral superiority. “If it is no place for a gentleman, it is also no place for a countess in the making.”

Her clear eyes formed a glare one might wonder if it is indeed incapable of murder. “As I am sure you have noticed, seeing you are spying on my every move for God knows how long, I have done nothing unbecoming or inappropriate for my station tonight. I am sorry to say I cannot say the same about you.”

“I apologize, milady, if it seemed as if I followed you here from Trafalgar Square, but do not assume I frequent houses of ill-repute for reasons of my libido.” He says, matching her raging tone. “If you believe me, I say I was on the region for a charitable work. I give out loaves of bread to the women with children.”

The woman evaluates him carefully with her glinting eyes, finally softening her stance. “I believe you. Now, I must ask for you to leave.”

“You will not hand me the courtesy of explaining what was that I saw tonight?” He asks, in equal parts defiant and pleading.

“I do not think I should, but anything you thought you saw would probably be much worse than the actual truth.” She weighted. “Very well. What would you like to know?”

The esquire withholds a scoff. It would serve him no good. Instead, he says, “Who is that man in white? The one you kissed the hand?”

Susan gives him a side smirk, an amused reaction of those who know something their interlocutors do not. “That man, Mr Sinclaire, is Louis, the Count of Provence. Or, if you so prefer, King Louis XVIII of France. In fact, most of those people are members of the Bourbon dynasty. The Count of Artois, the Duke and Duchess of Angouleme, the Duke of Berry.”

The information takes some time to be internalized by Ernest’s mind. The King of France? He remembered reading on the paper a few months back that the surviving Bourbons had come to Britain upon invitation of the Prince of Wales, but he also recalled they were to remain in Buckinghamshire, quite ways off London.

Regardless, why would Susan, the natural daughter of a middle-tier English noble, have any business with the pretender French king or any of his family? Especially one that allowed them such familiarity with the Bourbons?

Predicting it to be the next question from Mr Sinclaire, Susan commences her tale: “You see, Mr Sinclaire, my mother is not English. She is from the continent, more specifically Brittany. Her parents, my grandparents, were landowners, country gentry not too different from yourself or my natural father.

“In 1789, came the Fear.” Her voice grows dark. “I cannot say whether my grandparents were good people, if they were charitable and just or if they were cruel to their serfs. I never met them. In whichever case, they were lynched and their house was set on fire.

“My mother, being just a girl on the cusp of her fifteenth birthday, was spared, but she was now homeless and an orphan. She, then, walked to Caen, where she met an Englishman who was besotted with her singing voice, so much so, he was willing to pay her journey across the Channel and sponsor her entrance to an opera company here in London. Given the ill-feelings the English had towards the French, my mother preferred to conceal her nationality.

“The next part of the story you probably know, my mother meeting my father, he promising to marry her, only for his father to deny him and imposing a match with Henrietta instead.” The woman gloss over the information. “After I was born, my mother started corresponding with several émigrés. She even helped a few settle in Britain under assumed names. In turn, she requested for them to send books to help raising me properly.

“One of those correspondents happened to be the Duchess of Angouleme, who referred me and my family to her uncle. I came here to meet with them, to discuss current events and their plans for the future. It is all.”

“But why here?” Ernest asks, pointedly. “Why so covert about it?”

She sighs. “Britain’s position regarding the legitimacy of the Bourbon claim has changed. While the British Crown sees positively the return of a Bourbon to the throne of France, they are no longer willing to support a takeover on the lines of those in the 1790’s. Restoration depends on whether a final solution with Napoleon can be reached, and how this solution presents itself.

“That being said, and reminding that they are in England under a personal invitation of the Prince Regent, it could be damaging to their standing in the country if they are suspected to be gathering émigrés for another attempt at a takeover. It is better if our meetings, be mine with the Bourbons, be with any other Frenchman, to be as discreet as possible.”

“I understand, Lady Susan.” He nods, soberly. “Thank you for you kindly sharing this story with me. I apologise for imposing into your affairs, especially one of this nature.”

“Pay no heed, Mr Sinclaire.” The woman bobs her head gracefully. “However, I must ask for your absolute discretion on the subject.”

“Of course. I will tell no soul.” The esquire promises, voice even and eyes looking deep into hers.

“Good. Now come, I will escort you out and arrange for a carriage to take you back to your house.”

Susan leads him outside, where a horse car waited, probably for one of the men inside the place. She talks with the groom in French, probably persuading him to take the Englishman home.

As London passes by the window and the East End is left behind, swallowed by the white fog, Ernest considers what he saw and heard from Lady Susan.

The woman was beautiful and fascinating, that was clear to anyone with two eyes and sense, but she also had secrets, and scars, she hides behind that natural debonair of hers.

Perhaps it was childish of him, just some petty curiosity that would bring no satisfaction, if not offense, but if Ernest was sure of one thing, is that he was eager to find out more of what hide beneath Lady Susan’s appearances.

Taglist: @catlady0911; @choicesyouplayandmore; @cocomaxley; @llholloway; @mrsernestsinclaire; @shelivesinthewoods; @tornbetween2loves

#desire & decorum #ernest sinclaire

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utt-archived · 6 years ago

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Continued from: @ironhardpacker

If you'd told her even a few months ago that they'd share anything more a cordial working relationship she might have laughed. For a long time after the war over the Phionex force that seemed the best any Avenger or X-Man could aim for, and honestly mending fences with her tempory teammates never became a high priority. So that somehow after the dust from her annulment, Logan's death and the Terrigen crisis had settled Tony was now considered a genuine friend, near and dear as almost any other, still surprised the weather witch.

Sometimes the feeling hit anew during the commercial break discussion over The Great British Bake Off, when receiving the please remember to eat something lunches he has delivered, or those four am somehow she just knew he hasn't slept in days flybys passed the tower. Tonight glancing over the text notifications while fixing her evening cup of tea surprised didn't quite cover it.

[text: Antonio] Color me shocked.

Not by the offer. Tony Stark asking a beautiful woman on a date isn't a world-changing headline. The drop of armor, the vulnerability that can be read in-between the lines while sharing his feelings, perhaps not a heroic act but certainly one a brave.

[text: Antonio] You're really going to drop that bomb and run to bed?

[text: Antonio] No, sorry.

Here her fingers stopped typing for a moment making a quick swipe to her calendar.

[text: Antonio] I'll only give you an answer if you ask in person.

[text: Antonio] I'm free tomorrow night.

#ironhardpacker #(hehe see what she did there

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sounmashnews · 2 years ago

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[ad_1] He has been making ready for the crown his total life. Now, at age 73, that second has lastly arrived.Charles, the oldest individual to ever assume the British throne, turned king on Thursday following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. No date has been set for his coronation. But Clarence House on Thursday afternoon confirmed he can be often known as King Charles III.After an apprenticeship that started as a toddler, Charles embodies the modernisation of the British monarchy. He was the primary inheritor not educated at dwelling, the primary to earn a college diploma and the primary to develop up within the ever-intensifying glare of the media as deference to royalty pale.He additionally alienated many together with his messy divorce from the much-loved Princess Diana, and by straining the foundations that prohibit royals from intervening in public affairs, wading into debates on points akin to environmental safety and architectural preservation.“He now finds himself in, if you like, the autumn of his life, having to think carefully about how he projects his image as a public figure,” stated historian Ed Owens. “He’s nowhere near as popular as his mother.”Charles should work out tips on how to generate the “public support, a sense of endearment” that characterised the connection Elizabeth had with the British public, Owens stated.In different phrases, will Charles be as beloved by his topics? It’s a query that has overshadowed his total life.A shy boy with a domineering father, Charles grew right into a typically awkward, understated man who's nonetheless assured in his personal opinions. Unlike his mom, who refused to publicly focus on her views, Charles has delivered speeches and written articles on points near his coronary heart, akin to local weather change, inexperienced vitality and various drugs.His accession to the throne is more likely to gasoline debate about the way forward for Britain’s largely ceremonial monarchy, seen by some as a logo of nationwide unity and others as an out of date vestige of feudal historical past.“We know the monarch and certainly the monarch’s family – they’re not meant to have political voices. They’re not meant to have political opinions. And the fact that he’s been flexing, if you like, his political muscle is something that he will have to be really careful with ... lest he be seen as unconstitutional,” stated Owens, who wrote “The Family Firm: Monarchy, Mass Media and the British Public, 1932-53.”Charles, who would be the head of state for the UK and 14 different international locations, together with Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea, has defended his actions.“I always wonder what meddling is, I always thought it was motivating,” he stated in “Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70,” a 2018 documentary. “I’ve always been intrigued if it’s meddling to worry about the inner cities, as I did 40 years ago and what was happening or not happening there, the conditions in which people were living. If that’s meddling, I’m very proud of it.”In the identical interview, nonetheless, Charles acknowledged that as king, he wouldn’t have the ability to communicate out or intervene in politics as a result of the function of sovereign is completely different from being the Prince of Wales.Charles has stated he intends to cut back the variety of working royals, lower bills and higher symbolize trendy Britain.But custom issues, too, for a person whose workplace beforehand described the monarchy as “the focal point for national pride, unity and allegiance”.That has meant a lifetime of palaces and polo, attracting criticism that Charles was out of contact with on a regular basis life, being lampooned for having a valet who purportedly squeezed toothpaste on to his brush.But it was the disintegration of his marriage to Diana that made many query his health for the throne. Then, as he aged, his good-looking younger sons stole the limelight from a person who had a repute for being as gray as his Saville Row fits.

Biographer Sally Bedell Smith, writer of “Prince Charles: the Passions and Paradoxes of an Improbable Life’’ described him as being constantly overshadowed by others in the family, despite his destiny.“I think the frustrations are not so much that he’s had to wait for the throne,” Smith instructed PBS. “I think his main frustration is that he has done so much and that ... he has been sort of massively misunderstood. He’s sort of been caught between two worlds: the world of his mother, revered, now beloved; and Diana, the ghost of whom still shadows him; and then his incredibly glamorous sons.”It took years for a lot of in Britain to forgive Charles for his admitted infidelity to Diana earlier than “the people’s princess” died in a Paris automobile crash in 1997. But the general public temper softened after he married Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005 and he or she turned the Duchess of Cornwall.Although Camilla performed a major function within the breakup of Charles and Diana, her self-deprecating type and salt-of-the-earth sense of humour finally gained over many Britons.She helped Charles smile extra in public by tempering his reserve and making him seem approachable, if not happier, as he lower ribbons, visited homes of worship, unveiled plaques and waited for the crown.Her service was rewarded in February 2022, when Queen Elizabeth II stated publicly that it was her “sincere wish” that Camilla must be often known as “Queen Consort” after her son succeeded her, answering questions as soon as and for all about her standing within the Royal Family.Prince Charles Philip Arthur George was born November 14, 1948, in Buckingham Palace. When his mom acceded to the throne in 1952, the three-year-old prince turned the Duke of Cornwall. He turned Prince of Wales at 20.His college years have been sad, with the longer term king being bullied by classmates at Gordonstoun, a Scottish boarding college that prides itself on constructing character via vigorous out of doors actions and educating his father, Philip.Charles studied historical past at Cambridge University’s Trinity College, the place in 1970 he turned the primary British royal to earn a college diploma.He then spent seven years in uniform, coaching as a Royal Air Force pilot earlier than becoming a member of the Royal Navy, the place he realized to fly helicopters. He ended his army profession as commander of the HMS Bronington, a minesweeper, in 1976.Charles’ relationship with Camilla started earlier than he went to sea, however the romance foundered and he or she married a cavalry officer.He met Lady Diana Spencer in 1977 when she was 16 and he was courting her older sister. Diana didn’t see him once more till 1980, and rumours of their engagement swirled after she was invited to spend time with Charles and the royal household.They introduced their engagement in February 1981. Some awkwardness of their relationship was instantly obvious when, throughout a televised interview about their betrothal, a reporter requested in the event that they have been in love. “Of course,” Diana answered instantly, whereas Charles stated, “Whatever ‘in love’ means.”Although Diana giggled on the response, she later stated that Charles’ comment “threw me completely.”“God, it absolutely traumatised me,” she stated in a recording made by her voice coach in 1992-93 that was featured within the 2017 documentary “Diana, In Her Own Words.”The couple married on July 29, 1981, at St. Paul’s Cathedral in a globally televised ceremony. Prince William, now inheritor to the throne, was born lower than a yr later, adopted by his brother, Prince Harry, in 1984.The public fairy story quickly crumbled. Charles admitted to adultery to a TV interviewer in 1994. In an interview of her personal, Diana drew consideration to her husband’s relationship with Camilla, saying: “There were three of us in this marriage.”The revelations tarnished Charles’ repute amongst many who celebrated Diana for her type in addition to her charity work with AIDS sufferers and landmine victims.

William and Harry have been caught within the center. While the princes revered their late mom, they stated Charles was a superb father and praised him as an early advocate for points just like the atmosphere.Tensions persist contained in the royal household, underscored by the choice of Harry and his spouse, Meghan, to step away from their royal duties and transfer to California in 2020. In a televised interview, they later stated a member of the royal household had raised “concerns and conversations” concerning the coloration of their child’s pores and skin earlier than he was born. The explosive revelation compelled William to publicly declare the household wasn’t racist.Charles soldiered on, more and more standing in for the queen in her twilight years. In 2018, he was named the queen’s designated successor as head of the Commonwealth, an affiliation of 54 nations with hyperlinks to the British Empire. The course of accelerated after the loss of life of her husband, Prince Philip, on April 9, 2021.As Elizabeth declined, he typically stepped in on the final second.On the eve of the state opening of Parliament on May 10, 2022, the queen requested Charles to preside, delegating one among her most vital constitutional duties to him -- proof that a transition was underneath manner.Camilla stated in a 2018 documentary that Charles was snug with the prospect of being king.“I think his destiny will come,’’ she said. “He’s always known it’s going to come, and I don’t think it does weigh heavily on his shoulders at all.” [ad_2] Source link

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