#dear mr president. all of my friends are birds. help.

[natdrinkstea]

what do you guys think was in fakir's letter to the president

[theramseyloft]

i read your long pigeon poop post, and after some poking around online i saw that a loft in melbourne australia failed. do you have any idea why that is?

Oh... my fucking God. I am so furious.

Look at this thing!

$70,000 went into this monstrosity?

It looks like they converted a fucking water tower by punching holes in it and welding on entryways shaped like the stereotypical toddler’s first house drawing!

Who fucking researched this?!

Was it designed by a committee purely by aesthetic?!

Here is an article I found on it’s decomission and removal.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/victoria/melbourne-city-councils-70000-pigeon-loft-turned-into-scrap-metal-20160724-gqcmsc.html

According to the pigeon expert quoted in this article: 

“Frank Hayes is the president of the Australian National Pigeon Association. While his group is mostly interested in show pigeons, a different breed to the city pests, he says it was fairly predictable the coop idea was never going to work.”

“ "The nature of the pigeon is that they find a home and they stick with it. So finding them somewhere else to go is a bit of a dream," said Mr Hayes.”

“ "Trying to shift them is one big headache. It's a worldwide problem and no one has ever figured out how to deal with it." ” 

LOOK at this structure!!!

It’s made of fucking METAL!!!

In AUSTRAILIA!!!

In the fucking OPEN!!!!

From this charming article:

 http://melbournedailyphotodaily.blogspot.com/2011/03/pigeon-loft-batman-park.html

“The loft is painted with light coloured corrosion resistant to reflect the heat and minimise internal over-heating. It houses two hundred nesting boxes for pigeon breeding. Eggs laid will be replaced with artificial eggs intended as a humane way to control and reduce pigeon numbers.”

That is a metal structure in the Melbourne sun...

No amount of Paint is gonna make that less an oven.

And I can’t imagine you can add anything to paint to make it corrosion resistant that isn’t noxious in a small space when the metal under it heats up.

“Bird feeding around the loft base is permitted to attract birds out of the CBD to this area. Bird feeding is not permitted in any other area around the CBD.”

But the city council is not actually providing the birds with good quality fed...

“... and no one has ever figured out how to deal with it."

No one, you ignorant twit?

NO ONE?!?!

Here is the site of a successful branch of the German Stadttauben Projekt, translated:

https://stadttauben-stuttgart.de/

“The Stuttgart pigeon project

Dear prospective customers,

nice that you found our homepage. We would like to introduce our project to you on the following pages:

The Stuttgart City Pigeon Project is an animal welfare-friendly concept for regulating and reducing city pigeons for the benefit of people and animals. We operate several supervised pigeon shots in the Stuttgart city area, in which the pigeons are cared for and their eggs are exchanged for dummies so that no offspring hatch. By the end of 2019, there had been well over 45,000 eggs. By feeding grain mixtures in our shots, the animals are no longer forced to look for food on the streets and squares in the area. They spend 80% of the day and the entire night in the dovecote. Ergo - your droppings also stay there and no longer land on roofs or balconies.

We were awarded the Baden-Württemberg State Animal Protection Award 2015 for our commitment .

The city pigeon is one of the most successful residents of the urban living space and today populates all major cities worldwide. It is the free-living descendant of the wild rock pigeons from the coastal and mountain areas in Africa and Eurasia. Long ago, the rock pigeons were domesticated by humans primarily for the purpose of meat production and thus also carried to our latitudes and cities. In modern times, the stock of the archetypal rock pigeon increasingly mixed with breeding, racing and sports pigeons that either escaped, were abandoned or, exhausted by exhausting competitive flights, ran aground in the cities. Today's city pigeons are the overgrown children and children's children of these rock, breeding and sports pigeons.

In cooperation with the state capital of Stuttgart, the Tierschutzverein Stuttgart und Umgebung eV launched the pigeon project in 2008. The cooperation was formed with the aim of bringing about a permanent and humane solution to the city pigeon problem.

The concept of the Federal Working Group for City Pigeons or the so-called * Augsburg Model * was helpful. It is based on scientific publications, practical experience and has already been successfully recommended by several federal states such as Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg. Today it is implemented in more than 80 German cities and towns. For example, there are pigeon houses looked after in Aachen, Augsburg, Hamburg, Berlin, Frankfurt, Saarbrücken and Wuppertal.

We aim for a small, supervised and healthy pigeon population in Stuttgart. Then the image of the city pigeon may rise again. Because healthy animals, which have a permanent home and receive animal feed, do not bother anyone!”

https://stadttauben-stuttgart.de/?page=1,0,0,Chronik+%26+Fakten

“Care instead of fighting: our chronicle

2008:The first step was a dovecote at platform 1 in Stuttgart main station

2009:The second blow was made in the roof of the Leonhardskirche

2009:The third pigeon house was on the Mühlgrün parking garage in Bad-Cannstatt, which has since been demolished and replaced by the pigeon tower in the rope

2010:The fourth facility was the pigeon tower in the city garden on Max-Kade-Weg

2011:The fifth pigeon house stood on the roof of the town hall garage until February 2016. Reconstruction on the roof of the city comb in April 2016.

2011:The sixth dovecote was a second stroke on the roof of the Leonhardskirche (other roof side)

2013:The seventh dovecote was built in the roof of the Fairkauf building in Stuttgart-Feuerbach

2014:The eighth pigeon loft was built (as a replacement for the location at the main station) on a flat roof in the Kriegsbergstrasse

2016:Dovecote number 9 was inaugurated in July 2016 at the Marienplatz in Stuttgart in the roof structure of the imperial building

2017:

On Landhausstrasse in the east of Stuttgart, we were able to set up dovecote No. 10 in the attic of a residential building. It was opened in June 2017

2018:In summer, an indoor pigeon tower was opened at Seilerwasen in Bad Cannstatt as a replacement for the Mühlgrün pigeon house

2019In autumn a new pigeon facility was inaugurated at the station in Zuffenhausen and the first egg was laid in December.    

In addition, a dovecote (trailer) on the grounds of the shelter Stuttgart and Nistwand for about 30 pigeons on the will of the ASPCA Stuttgart  House  Adam Müller-Guttenbrunn in Stuttgart Zuffenhausen care.

... more dovecotes are to follow!

Health hazard facts

A health hazard due to pigeons flying around, running and sitting can be largely excluded. New scientific studies have shown (again) that pathogens that may be contained in the pigeon droppings are usually bird-specific and are therefore not transmitted to humans. This was confirmed in 1995 by the Federal Ministry of Health.

The general classification of the pigeon as a pest was withdrawn by the Federal Institute for Consumer Health Protection back in 1989 on the basis of research results at the time and the opinion from 2001.

Feed facts about pigeons

Feeding pigeons in Stuttgart is prohibited on public land. Well-meaning pigeon friends increase the population density of the city pigeons by regular feeding in the same place, without offering the additionally attracted animals sleeping and nesting places where they are tolerated or the clutch can be exchanged. This creates people who work there or often live more pigeon hate and more pigeon misery.

Above all, too many food scraps are thrown away on the streets and squares of the city! This waste is mostly not compatible with pigeons. They lead to illnesses, shortages and thus, among other things, to the unsightly liquid starvation. Nevertheless, due to the scarcity of bird-friendly feed in cities, these human foods are usually the main basis for the feeding of city pigeons, but their organism is designed for pure hard grain feed. So this means sick pigeon populations that nonetheless reproduce disproportionately due to their (pet) genes raised by humans.

If you would like to help sustainably, please contact us. Only other supervised dovecotes in the city area (including food and egg exchange) start at the root of the "problem". We welcome any support!”

From their gallery:

Here is a loft.

Small, wooden, well insulated from heat and cold.

Those openings are not the nests. They are just doorways with a landing ledge designed around the comfort of pigeons, which are social birds.

Here is the inside.

Lots of comfortable nest boxes, perches in the back, food, water, comfortable socialization space...

Here is an entry into another loft currently in use.

Here is the inside.

Water and feed are provided by the care takers. You can see feed and drinking stations all over the floor.

And this is the inside of a huge new loft in Frankfurt.

These German Taubbenhauses are designed around meeting the birds’ needs for food, comfort, safety from the elements, and socialization with their flock mates.

None of these birds had to be coerced or forcibly relocated.

Because their needs were better met, they came on their own.

Look at the $70,000 Melbourne monstronsity again!

More specifically, look at the bridge behind it.

And tell me where you would rather me.

Compact metal tower designed exclusively around convenient human access, metal nest boxes, 0 landing platforms, no socialization space, no protection from the elements, still no choice but to forage for what ever garbage people toss you...

or the comfortably Cool space under a concrete bridge with a convenient water source.

Three guesses what’s more comfortable for the pigeons.

Now, would you rather live under a bridge with constant noise from traffic, open to predators, 

or

A well insulated apartment building with comfortable suites, a spacious common area, and a nutritious free meal plan with clean water included by default.

"It's a worldwide problem and no one has ever figured out how to deal with it."

My ass, Mr. Hayes!

[shinymooncolor]

hey! you don’t have to answer this, but i know close to nothing about hockey and my family and i have never really watched it and i’m starting to get very interested, but i have no idea where to start 😅 what do you think i should focus on first, as a newbie? what should i absolutely know as a fan? what teams are pretty good in your opinion? again, thanks for your help if ever you see this p.s: i really love your posts and they bring a smile to me face, so thank you for your hard work! <3

Hi!

Ohhh well. First of all. Welcome to the nerve wracking, nail biting, jaw clenching, gut wrenching, heartbreaking and utterly incredible world of (ice) hockey. Angry muscle machines on skates chasing a tiny rubber puck in the nhl and their goddess equivalents in wnhl - what’s not to love?

You’ve decided on a hell of a year to join. Due to Covid, the normal system was paused and a recent bubble playoffs series played and later won by Tampa Bay Lightning a few weeks ago. The new season would’ve begun last week but is currently expected to start around December.

I’d say the best starting point would be to watch some games - YouTube has a lot of highlights, game compilations etc. and browse hockey tumblr. Hockey tumblr is a great combination of hockey gossip, game reviews, fans sharing their love, passion and (hateful) opinions about players, clubs and the sport in general.

My personal team faves are a handful - you see, the league is “split” into two conferences - east and west and within here a few other divisions dictating who the teams will play on a more recent basis. The clubs in the nhl being split over North America and Canada means a lot of ground to cover and therefore it’s split like this - time zones, distance and whatever. So maybe decide on a conference first? East or west.

I’m an eastern conference gal meself, but the west sure has its merits too.

So. Teams. You’re about to start a rumble here 😂

I am a personal fan of the Pittsburgh Penguins 🐧 they play good hockey, in spite of their idiot general manager (I’ve got posts detailing why he’s an ass hat extraordinarie). They’re captained by Canada’s hockey savior, Sidney Crosby: hockey robot, yellow crocs enthusiast , triple gold member (youngest captain to get all three?) and the goodest boy in the league. He’s been heralded as the next great one yada yada since he was about 5? And shot pucks into a dryer back in Canada - with that came a lot of shit for the poor guy who, in his own words, just wants to play hockey. And he’s good. He’s got his team of French Canadian d-men (letang, dumo), a whole lot of goalie drama which seems to be a pattern and his Russian (husband) assistant captain Evgeni Malkin who’s got the cutest kid, a really cool wifey (seriously her insta is 10000 better than geno’s own) and a wicked sense of humor which he conviently hides behind his “English big bad today” excuse to avoid media on a daily basis (he’s played this card since his wild escape and temporary defection from Russia back in 2006) seriously google it. It’s wild. They’ve won three cups since 2009, they’re contenders in the playoffs most years and their pr department provides some hilarious videos of captain Canada and his Russian (husband) A. It’s a true love story. Sue me. We’ve got an intense rivalry with philly and the caps. Seriously. That orange flyers jersey is intense - even if philly’s mascot is the next president.

Funnily enough, my strange obsession with Russian hockey players have led to the most disturbing but developing club crush on the Washington capitals who are the penguins’ nemesis.

I mean, this club led by the one and only gr8 8 mr Alexander Ovechkin is a rollercoaster of emotion and hot daddies in skates armed with sticks and a murder Swede.

So. Washington caps used to be a joke in the league until they went and drafted mr ovechkin first overall, brought him to the capital and let him do his thing. He’s got a rep for being a hell of a lot of fun on the ice (if you’re on his team) and one of those players that people love to hate (even if they can’t take away how freakishly good he is at hockey) - look up his impossible goal(s)! He’s an exuberant, fun loving Russian with a heart of gold and a missing tooth. In 2007, the caps went shopping for a center just for ovi who needed a playmaker and a slap shot feeeder - they went and drafted the Swedish angel (maybe assassin) (Lars) Nicklas Backstrom - and the purest hockey marriage was forged. The actual words (we needed a center for ovi and ovi wanted backstrom) have been said. Yes, these two Are now famously the mama and papa of the caps and they have a roster of unruly (and handsome) hockey babies with the fighting menace Tom Wilson, bird impersonator and Russian cat Evgeni Kuznetzov and a whole army of other adorable (albeit hockey playing menaces) babies. Most recently they had the leagues daddiest daddy goalie Mr Holtbeast as the fun and handsome canadien cowboy uncle but he’s ventured to Vancouver to adopt a new group of hockey babies. To compensate, the caps went shopping in New York and brought the one and only king Henrik from the crease in msg to be the goalie mentor for baby Russian caps goalie and to keep the daddy energy flowing.

(Seriously why are Swedish players part time models? Their national team strategy is to be so handsome the other teams are distracted. It’s a thing. Look it up)

I also love a handful of other players on other teams (I really don’t dislike any team in particular - but you’ll meet some dedicated and strong minded fans here)

Erik Horse Johnson, Cale Makar and Nikita Zadorov (Colorado Avs - zad have recently been traded to the blackhawks (not sure how I feel about that). Phwucking fun team. Who needs teeth anyways.

Marc Andre Fleury (Vegas now but hell always be a penguin to me)

The Russian gang in Tampa - and giant Swede victor Hedman (seriously he’s massive)

The canes (Carolina) and their collective of Finnish and Russian babies (aho, svech) with chaotic Marty and former penguin Baby Staal as captain

And a whole lot of others too. It’s hard to choose.

The Dallas stars and the most precious bean of them all (Russian) dobby - Anton khudobin their backup goalie turned playoffs hero and fashion icon. The man said we’re not going home and threw the entire team on his back and dragged them to the final. And their homoerotically charged captain and his alt captain and their Hollywood epic soap worthy relationship. Stallions, people, Stallions...

Btw we like to project our brash queerness onto this league. You’ll learn why quickly. There’s only so much talks about hot hands, slick moves, eternal love for teammates and quite frankly obscene (sexy) amounts of kneeling, roughing (let’s face its it’s just aggressive cuddling) and teammates honorably defending teammates.

Anyways. I love hockey. He. Sorry.

Fun fact I’ve dragged @canesinthecrease kicking and screaming into the hellhole that is the caps and I’m working on convincing @dontpuckwithme about the incredibly sexy thing that is Russians and Canadians being secretly married in Pittsburgh.

Great, sexy, amazing, cool, smart and wonderful hockey ladies to follow for even more amazing content on more clubs (the hurricanes - also a team I’m starting to love). They’re my queer sherpas and emotional support network.

Hope you can use this dear (new) hockey friend and mutual 💖🐧

[kristallioness]

2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019

*arrives a month late*... Happy 2021 to all of you, my dear followers! *raises a glass* It seems that my tendency to finish my artwork or personal posts on time has only gotten worse over time (I blame work *lol*). Oh well, better late than never, since there are things I would still like to take with me from this extraordinary year of 2020.

It is cringeworthy that I have two huge red X-s this year. But after I'd put these puzzle pieces together, I remembered far too well what was going on in my (work) life at the time, so it's completely understandable why I didn't have the time nor the energy to draw at all during those two months.

What were those typical statistics that I wrote about again to compare the years? *goes to read last year's post*.. Oh, right! In 2020, I managed to finish 3 full digital drawings (from the months of April, July and December) as well as work on several sketches. I wrote 28,154 words worth of fanfiction (oohh, that's a lot better than previous year), plus 3,126 words in English (I dare say I wrote an equal amount in Estonian) for the prompts I got during UYLD (making the total 31,280 words, which is quite impressive!).

I finished reading the 1st Kyoshi novel in the evening of the 20th and slightly past midnight on the 21st December (barely before the holidays, but I set this goal for myself and I did it!). Am already looking forward to starting with the 2nd part some time this year. Besides that, I ordered and received all the other new Avatar books that came out (3rd part of "Ruins of the Empire", "Katara and the Pirate's Silver", "Legacy of the Fire Nation") as well as BOTH Avatar series DVD sets (I still can't believe I found these on sale on some random online store in Estonia, but these are now among my most prized possessions!).

I finally started my Avatar rewatch last January, but merely got to the Ba Sing Se episodes in Book 2 (I need to continue with "The Earth King") and now it's been 5 YEARS since I last saw Korra. Reading through my journal personal posts from last year, I know far too well that it's not about rushing through it as fast as possible. Instead, I should enjoy the ride and continue watching the episodes when I'm well rested and in the right mood. That way I'll end up feeling much more at peace.

As for the entire year as a whole? I don't think anyone in this world of ours was prepared for the way this decade would begin - with an uncontrollable pandemic, the virus of which is randomly attacking and threatening to wipe out the weakest amongst us. If any of you (or even if you know someone who) have lost a loved one to this plague, there is not much else I can offer but my sincerest condolences! Me, my family, friends and colleagues seem to have managed to avoid catching it so far. *spits 3 x over her shoulder*

I had such high hopes for this year in so many ways. Event-wise I was looking forward to watching the Eurovision Song Contest in May (where Uku Suviste was supposed to represent Estonia for the 1st time ever after so many unfortunate failures to get selected as the winner of our local competition), the European Football Championships in June (asking my colleagues which countries they support, perhaps make fun bets / guesses with them to see whose team would win the matches), the Tokyo Olympic Games in July-August, the President of Estonia (Mrs. Kersti Kaljulaid) coming to visit my hometown to celebrate our Victory Day by taking part in the parade together with the Defence Forces (after 15 years *sigh*)...

I will always remember my last big event, which took place when life used to be "normal", so to say. It was the 102nd anniversary of Estonia on the 24th of February, when I took part of all the most important celebrations in Tallinn on our Independence Day, FULL-TIME (whenever I scroll through my Facebook timeline, I see the photos I uploaded of that day, my heart melts and I smile fondly). But the day after that.. utter hell broke loose. We had our first infected person in the country.

I will also remember the last day I went to work in "normal" conditions. Friday, the 13th of March (typically my lucky day-number combination): I missed the tram I wanted to get on in the morning, at work my team received great news that one of our colleague's family had grown bigger by a new tiny member the day before, we had our last team lunch together, we discussed the safety measures that we should take and joked about what might happen next week, I took the bus home instead of the tram (as the tram's route came from the airport and that place was considered to be more dangerous and with a higher risk of catching this virus).. It was another 2.5 weeks later by then (since the 25th of February) - Estonia (along with the rest of Europe) went into full lockdown.

The beginning was frightening and people were on edge, nobody really knew what to do nor what was gonna happen next. But in time, things began to shake into place and everybody developed a comfortable routine for remote work, including figuring out how to get everyday things done (such as grocery shopping). I found solace in taking photographs of various beautiful bird species, who began to fly around and serenaded me during spring, visiting the trees around my "nest" i.e. rented apartment (with a pair of them ACTUALLY building a nest in the chestnut tree right beside my window, thus turning me into a protective godmother of their chicks).

To be honest, I was awestruck by the positive / surprising aftermath of this lockdown: how the world / environment began to heal itself from the pollution that was normally caused by humans. I was taken aback by how dead silent our usually loud capital became in my neighbourhood (I could only hear trams passing by my house according to their schedules, practically no cars whatsoever, streets were empty of people.. absolute silence).

By May-June, things started to look up in Estonia (as well as the rest of Europe) and people were allowed to start travelling / moving around more freely. During my vacation in July, I managed to go to my last (open air) event (for the rest of the year) under these new "corona" conditions and ended up having a blast at the Open Farm Days in my home county for the first time.

Our country's shining moment came during the first week of September, when we hosted the first ever Rally Estonia of the World Rally Championship (WRC), where our very own Ott Tänak and Martin Järveoja won. The event was so well organized and successful that nobody caught the virus nor did the spectators / participants spread it to others, which surely must've helped in ensuring us a spot in the WRC calendar for 2021 as well.

The remainder of the year was rather dull, with the exception of the US Presidential elections in November, when we were all holding our breaths that Joe Biden would win (congratulations, my American friends!). This eventually led to the painful downfall of THE WORST government the Republic of Estonia has ever had, and to the rise of our first female Prime Minister, Kaja Kallas (both happening in January 2021, I couldn't believe it all spiralled so soon, ha-ha!).

Anyways, during the last 4 months, work was very stressful and driving me nuts, so badly that when I eventually went on vacation before Christmas, I had a slight anxiety disorder that wouldn't let me relax for several days (luckily it went away just as quickly once I began to take it easy and managed to get some proper rest / sleep).

In hindsight, I kind of get this weird feeling as if I saw this whole thing coming, given how actively I was living my life throughout 2019. My final year of the 2010's was so full of important events and personal achievements. It's almost as if something mysterious inside was driving me, telling me to visit all the places and do all the things I wanted to do, cause I wouldn't have this sort of a chance again for a very long time.

This must be the main reason why I am thankful for 2020 for going the way it did. Sure, I'm disappointed that a lot of events were cancelled, that so many people have had to leave this world so soon due to this unpredictable disease.. But I think there are so many lessons to take from what came out of all of this. I believe the world needed some sort of a restart or break, given in what direction we were headed (politically, economically, environmentally, socially etc.). I'm just sorry it's had to come with such a high price of innocent lives.

I have even higher hopes for 2021, given how amazingly January has already passed for me and my country, and what is to come in my hometown in February. Let's take the lessons learned from 2020 with us and keep on heading back towards the "normal" lifestyle we used to know. Except this time, let's improve our ways, put all the hatred behind us, be more considerate, keep a distance, stay safe, but still try to make the world a better place for everyone. Thank you so much for reading, for remaining by my side, and for your support and love throughout the years, my friends! I hope to see you all alive and healthy at the end of the white metal ox year of 2021! *virtual hugs*

[peachlolitasevillacourtstuff]

pmatga swap au (chapter 2)

It all starts in the morning at pac's school and his friends, pac as usual he always got up first to eat all his breakfast, this time he saw how his two friends chatted and tasted their breakfast, pac hardly knew that both of them they began their relationship.

"There are these two that would have occurred to you this morning"

he questioned himself, as he saw them the pac communicator started to ring, it was Sir.c who had called them, it seemed to be an emergency.

"GUYS! CALL US AT THE ROUND HOUSE!"

Scream pac towards cyli and spiral

"seriously let's go!"

Cyli said preparing

"Yes, don't forget about me!"

Spiral affirmed rising from his chair, during the direct way to the round house they could notice a large number of ambulances and police investigators, when entering the president's house they noticed much concern especially in the two guard backs of the president.

"What happened gentlemen, something happened with the president"

Cyli asked one of them.

"We do not know how it was, the president was asleep and until we heard a scream, and we intervened in his room and found him in a kind of catatonic state"

I affirm the bodyguard.

"What did they see?"

I ask again

"Obviously to the catatonic president, and if it were not the most terrifying thing, we found in his room a lot of scratches on the wall, as if a lion attacked him"

answered

"a lion would not have been betrayus"

he said clashing his fists pac

"then walk .."

the three went to president spheros, he was next to some nurses and scorers, he said what had attacked him last night, it was nothing out of the ordinary, president spheros had some bandages on his back, where he highlighted the Blood, Pac and his team only thought of one thing. Betrayus.

"Mr. President, are you better yet?"

"Yes for now"

he answered calmly

"Can you say what happened?"

"everything was fast and terrifying, it was like I came out of a movie, while I was sleeping I heard a fluid in my very cold and cutting, at first I thought it was the air conditioning, but I heard a photo break"

"could see what it was"

"Not at first, but I heard a very unbearable noise as if it were nails to the wall, until I heard a murmur in the background"

"saw what his appearance was like"

"Well, he suddenly appeared and attacked me and scratched me, I couldn't identify him, but since he had sharp claws I assumed he was my brother"

"As I suspected! betrayus was the one who did it!"

He said something annoying

"What do you propose to do boy?"

asked the president

"Betrayus has already done too much, but this was too much, enough to hit rock bottom"

"That's the way pacster is spoken!"

"Now let's go to the underworld and kick ass slime!"

Pac and his team said with much encouragement and even began to take all possible weapons and berries against betrayus, they would not let that evil ghost stun them again.

"Good luck, boys"

Sir.c said giving them a thumbs up

"there is no Sir.c"

Then Pac and his team went with the vehicle directly to the underworld to catch Lord Betrayus, on the other hand in the Sir.c round house as he had no more ideas of what to do next, he went directly to his laboratory where he began to Use among all your own things to see what ideas you had for this occasion.

"WAU! WAU! WAU!"

Fuzbits Ladro

"Oh fuzbitz are you hungry little rabbi?"

I ask

"Wau!"

he said shaking his head up and down

"That for me is a yes without a doubt"

"Excuse me Sir.c ..."

said a soft and sharp voice behind him, it was a white sphere with freckles, orange eyes, brown hair and split ends with a certain and little similarity to Lord Betrayus when he was still living.

"cedrick!"

said surprised Sir.c

"Your father has told you a dozen times not to enter this laboratory, what are you doing here?"

I ask

"He'll be fine right?"

"you know that yes son, the cut that tube was not so deep"

he replied with a kind smile

"Okay Sir.c, hello fuzbits and grinder!"

cheerfully greet you

"hahaha, there are these children now"

changing the scene we go to the side of pac and his team already in the underworld attacking and absorbing the ghosts, the ghosts tried to defend lord betrayus as best as possible, but the efforts were very futile.

"WHAT THEY DO USELESS! REINFORCE THAT DOOR!"

I yell at them Lord Betrayus.

"That we try my lord"

said one of the ghosts trying to reinforce the door

"Because that little lemon changes roles"

I beg Dr.Buttocks

"I don't know, just make him leave here!"

"You heard Master Betrayus already! Get that lemon and his team out of our master's room!"

Dr.buttocks deftly reaffirmed, however the efforts of the ghosts turned in vain and pac and his team suddenly entered ready to catch lord betrayus.

"WAAAAHHH! MAMI!"

Cowardly shout betrayus shielding buttlers.

"it's over betrayus! this time you hit bottom on us on the surface"

said pacstar approaching and at the same time devouring Dr.Buttocks very angry

"What do you mean!"

"For a long time we endured your tantrum, and now for attacking our president you will be detained on this occasion and forever"

he said turning into a cap of steel

"HAY! HAY! DO NOT STAY AWAY FROM ME"

I beg betrayus

"no, not today"

He pulled his elongated magnet tongue out of his mouth, and caught Lord Betrayus right there in his mouth, Betrayus was trying to escape, but Pac kept him very much held between his teeth and his tongue.

"now guys"

He said trying to keep Betrayus from coming out, at the same time Cylindra and Spiral were carrying a high resistance flask, when Pac vomited up Betrayus Cylindra's eyes with all his speed, he easily grabbed the floating eyes of Betrayus and put them in the flask, making it impossible for him to escape there.

"This bottle will be impossible to escape betrayus, now if we win"

later after that game won, finally after a long time they managed to do what they think impossible to take as a prisoner lord betrayus rather only his eyes, which were in a jar and right now they were about to freeze him so that the ghostly attacks would not return.

"For bringing peace and security back to the world-pac, and finally capturing my brother's wretched man, I compensate you not only as the hero of world-pac, but also as the guardian between life and death"

the president said, giving a large medal with a gem with the appearance of the planet pac, and thus showing the greatness of pacman to the whole world, and in turn that in the main square of the city they carved a large golden statue in the image and resembling pac, the yellow sphere.

"waaaaaaw .. you are not fascinated by my boy pac saved us all! and now we are free"

Pinky said vulgarly

"yes pinky, you and your fantasies"

he said in mock blinky

"Hahaha yes that blinky joke"

she said in annoyance

"Well now that betrayus has been defeated and locked up again and for life, what are we going to do?"

I question inky

"I don't know, we helped pac and his team for a long time, maybe they will return our bodies .."

said clyde excited

"If that if we go to the round house for our bodies!"

The 4 said, going to where Pac was, in the round house they all celebrated after a long time freeing themselves from the constant ghostly attacks of Lord Betrayus, and today had arrived that day.

"dear heavens, finally that idiot crybaby had that deserved, we didn't even want him here"

said his aunt spheria clapping him

"hehe don't thank me aunt .."

pac river

"Hey auntie now that Lord Betrayus is gone, what are we going to do?"

"I guess they will graduate easily, these ghostly adventures will only be forgotten"

"What do you know about love aunt?"

I ask uncomfortable

"love, well, knowing your mother and Sir.c, let's say that sometimes you become blind, but it is not so bad, at first it is a friendship, but then it becomes more profound, because you ask"

"Cyli and spi, they're dating .."

"seriously good for the 2"

he said rejoicing

"it's okay"

I reaffirm seeing how the two of them rubbed their noses, after that Pac went for a walk among the gardens of the round house without prior notice he saw that the gang of ghosts approached Pac, Pac was not afraid of them because he already knew them.

"Hello blinky, inky, pinky and clyde, what are you doing here?"

"well we were wondering if already .."

Clyde said uncomfortable

"yes what?"

"Our bodies are returned to us, it is that we help them a lot and betrayus no longer controls us, and we no longer have any sense of continuing to do it in the underworld"

"mmmmhh .. I didn't even think about that I will talk to the president"

"oh yes thanks pac! i love you"

said pinky crazy as she tries to kiss him

"HEY! Hey! Pinky not so fast!"

said pac embarrassed

"Leave her there is not going to change our crazy opinion"

I reaffirm blinky

"good, I'll come quickly"

He said going to the office of the president, when he entered, he saw everything calm as he always saw from the window of the president the view of every day, perhaps it feels like this the president spheros every day.

* CRAAACK! *

"WHAT WAS THAT!"

Pac ran to where the noise came from, it came from the president's room when he entered there was almost nothing, he thought that maybe it was a mouse or a lost bird.

"Mr. pacman, what are you doing in my room?"

said the president in surprise behind him

"Wah! Mr. President, would I like to ask you a question?"

"Which boy?"

"well now that betrayus has been detained and forever is a good time for blinky, inky, pinky and clyde ... you know, return their bodies"

"That, I'm afraid that won't be possible boy .."

replied the president

"WHAT! BUT IF I PROMISE THAT BECAUSE NOW HE SAYS NO !?"

"It is simple pac, the gang is not registered in the warehouse, they died at different times, the warehouse was built shortly after my brother died"

"Heavens, I don't know how I'm going to tell you this"

he said discouraged

"Don't worry son, be honest, they will understand ..."

Pac knowing the disappointment his ghost friends will have, he had no choice, he should have told them, but he would not know how they would react to the news.

"Boys.."

"well pac said yes!"

asked the 4 excited

"The truth, I don't know how to explain, the president told me that their bodies ..."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH !!!"

A scream was heard coming from not far away

"OH GOD! THE PRESIDENT IS IN DANGER AGAIN!"

Said he taking an ice berry and going straight to the president's room

"NO PLEASE! WHO ARE YOU! WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!"

I ask scared stratos

"I've waited a long time for this moment, but I've never seen myself so cowardly in this world"

he added with an evil smile.

[romansleftshoulderpad]

A Fairytale Romance

Hey uh there was kind of a mix up with the @secretsanders so I’m really sorry this took so long! Nonetheless, @xionical, I hope you enjoy ^_^

Ships: Royality

Warnings: Cursing, caps lock, and dead memes

Not doing my usual tags since it’s a Secret Santa whoops

Words: 2,402

---

Working in a bookstore was never one of Roman’s goals. Well, in reality, he was actually working in the cafe inside of the bookstore. Same difference. Roman hated the job, but he loved the money. So, for the sake of his pride and his bank account, the college student slapped on a smile every weekend and weeknight and made coffees until he couldn’t stand the smell.

“Hey, Rem, can you cover for me real quick?” Roman asked. “I gotta find the bathroom.”

“You mean you need to hide in a stall and scroll through Instagram before our boss finds out?” Remy asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Ha. Ha. Ha,” Roman said. “Just take care of everything for me and don’t be a prick about it.”

“Aww you love me,” Remy cooed as Roman unites his apron and left it on an old metal hook. He rolled back his shoulders as he walked, his legs desperate to move around more than 3 square feet. He walked across the store, trying to avoid any managers, supervisors, or anyone else who could yell at him for not serving coffees. He had quickly learned that sleep deprivation brought out the worst in people.

He walked, stretching his legs as much as he could but in no real hurry. The faster he got there and back the faster he’d have to deal with snobby middle-aged women and Remy. He tried to shake the thought which a deep breath, as a sudden motion caught his eye.

“Hey are you okay?” he asked the brown haired boy, kneeling next to him to help collect the fallen textbooks. “Let me help you with those.”

“Thanks,” he said, his more adult than Roman had expected. “I forget how clumsy I am sometimes.”

“You also seem to forget to tie your shoes,” Roman said, looking down to the man’s rainbow sneakers. “I like your shoelaces,” Roman added quietly under his breath.

“Thanks, I stole them from the president,” the other responded rather unthinkingly. The two looked to each other before bursting out in laughter. “My name’s Patton.”

“Roman.”

“Oh! That’s a wonderful name!” Patton exclaimed with a smile.

“Thanks,” Roman said, smiling at Patton’s limitless elation, “I, uh, got it for my birthday?” He looked to Patton who stared at him with the most awestruck expression lighting up his mocha colored eyes.

“Oh-em-gee, you DID!” Patton said, laughing so hard that his giggles evolved into snorting. Roman was lucky that he believed in fate.

“I should get going,” Roman whispered with a smile as he saw one of the bookshop managers staring at him. “I hope to see you around sometime,” he said quietly pressing his fingers to one of the books as he stood. He cast one last glance over his shoulder before he continued to walk away.

Needless to say, it wasn’t long before Roman got in trouble for all his bathroom breaks as well as a less-than-subtle recommendation to see a doctor if he was really peeing eleven times a day. “Busted,” Remy hummed quietly as the manager walked away.

“You’re not helping,” Roman hissed back in response. He resumed his job of organizing the entire collection of flavored syrups and honestly just trying to count the hours until his next paycheck.

“Um, hi, uh, I’m sorry to bother but is a Roman Noble here?” Roman’s eats shot up like a dog’s upon hearing the voice.

“Yeah hold on,” Remy’s voice said as he whipped around to face Roman. “Hey, Ro-punzel, your prince is here to rescue you.”

‘Wrong fairytale,’ Roman thought to himself as he turned towards Patton with a smile. “Feel free to ignore Little Miss Sleep Deprivation over there, he’s just jealous that I actually get to talk to people,” he said with a wink.

Patton giggled in a way that made Roman feel as though birds may start singing just upon hearing the gorgeous noise. “I don’t mind him, but I think I may have something of yours.” Remy wolf whistled from where he was laying out sugar packets. “I’m terribly sorry, I don’t know how it ended up in my textbook but, is this yours?” He held a gold ring in his hand, one that had Roman’s name inscribed on the inside.

“Yes, it is,” Roman said with a flirty smile as he slid the ring onto his finger. “Must’ve been fate that you found it.”

Patton looked to him with an obvious blush. “Must’ve been.”

“Holy shi- Sugar Packets,” Remy said, “if you’re both gonna be so thirsty, at least order a drink!”

Patton laughed awkwardly, darting his eyes anywhere other than Roman or Remy. “I’ll take a hot chocolate please.”

“Sure thing,” Roman said, scribbling Sharpie onto the cup with a smile. Patton paid and took a seat as Roman made the drink.

Patton fidgeted in his seat, bouncing his leg up and down as he frantically typed away at his phone.

Pawton: h e l p me

Dark Strange Son: with what?

Businessman: Why do I have a suspicion that this problem has nothing to do with our shared Astronomy class?

Businessman: And for the last time, I must request that you change my name back.

Pawton: The boy from the library!!!! I gave him his ring!!!

Dark Strange Son: ...okay. And?

Pawton: HE’S HOT WHAT DO I DO

Logic Man: Patton I’m not sure this title is better...

Dark Strange Son: Then perish

Patton twisted his lips into a nervous frown, having his attention pulled away only as someone yelled his name from the counter. He pushed his phone into his pocket and stood up, still tapping his fingers along the side of his jeans. He took the cup, feeling the warmth against his fingers when Remy looked up and muttered “Roman, you cheeky bastard.” Patton wasn’t sure if he had been meant to hear that, but nonetheless, he inspected the markings that had been previously covered by his fingers.

He nearly dropped the cup. He nearly screamed from excitement. Instead, he pulled out his phone and once again began to type an eloquent message that would perfectly allow him to express all of his emotions in a way that his friends would be able to understand.

Pawton: LDJDKFJSKGBXJNSKZMALA

Ah yes. Perfect.

Logic Man: Is he having a stroke?

Dark Strange Son: Did you get his number?

Pawton: YES!!! KFJFKFJKSFH

Logic Man: Virgil, how on Earth were you able to decipher that?

Dark Strange Son: Best Friend privileges.

Patton sipped the hot drink carefully and with a smile as he made his way through the book shop.

Logic Man: I call bullshit.

Dark Strange Son: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Cool winter air embraced him as he left the shop, making his way towards his car. He got inside the vehicle and curled cold fingers around the warm cup, taking a sip and letting the beverage warm his throat. As soon as he was warm, he put the cup down and pulled out his phone to video call Virgil.

It took approximately twenty seconds for Virgil to answer. His hair was pushed in front of his face by his large headphones. He was hunched over his desk and, from the camera angle, Patton could tell that his phone rested lazily against his pile of textbooks.

“Oh is this a bad time?” Patton asked

Virgil shook his head and continued working desperately on whatever was in front of him. “You’re fine, Pat. So how’d mystery man go?”

“His name is Roman,” Patton said with a smile. “And it went really well.”

“Well, I’m happy for you,” Virgil said. “Now, you’re gonna text him, right?”

“Well, yeah!” Patton said. “I just... don’t really... know what to say.”

Virgil pushed away from his desk, turning all his attention to the phone screen with a smirk. “Well, my dear Patton Cake, that is exactly what best friends are for.”

Roman was bored as hell for the rest of his shift. At least, he thought to himself, only ten more minutes until lunch break. With every cup of coffee, he was calculating how much time he had left. He wanted to go home. Not only that, but he wanted to quit. As he sprayed whipped cream into a cup, he silently lamented not having any other options.

A few more minutes. A few more orders. The second he was allowed on break he all but ripped off his apron and tossed it on the hanger. He took a sandwich from the cooler, slammed down enough cash for it, and took a seat with the rest of the customers and sleep deprived college kids. He had two unread texts on his phone.

Unknown: Hey!! Unknown: It’s Patton!!!

Roman smiled as he opened the plastic box and removed the cold sandwich from it.

‘Hello Mr. Hot Cocoa’

It was cheesy, Roman would admit, but he had a feeling it would work.

Mr. Hot Cocoa: That’s me ^_^

He tried to imagine Patton smiling as he typed, which, in turn, made Roman smile. He bit into a corner of the cold sandwich.

Mr. Hot Cocoa is typing...

Nothing.

Mr. Hot Cocoa is typing...

Nothing yet again. Anxiety crept up on Roman’s skin.

Mr. Hot Cocoa: So my friend Virgil told me I need to take more risks and I was thinking that, well

Roman put down his lunch.

Mr. Hot Cocoa is typing...

Mr. Hot Cocoa: Do you wanna go out some time?

“CHEW YOUR FUCKING FOOD AND STOP CHOKING YOU THIRSTY BITCH!” Remy yelled.

‘My shift ends at seven. I’ll pick you up at 8.’

Roman thought to himself for a moment before typing out the next text.

‘Wear something nice ;)’

Roman was more nervous than he wanted to admit, but ‘fake it till you make it’ right? He knocked on the door, steadying his breathing and trying to look as suave as possible. He failed as soon as he saw Patton.

“Uh, hi,” he said to the man dressed in black slacks and a matching blazer over his baby blue button down.

“Hi,” Patton said through a nervous giggle.

“I, um, they turned this club nearby into a ballroom. I, uh, got us reservations, but of course, if you’d rather do something else than we could always-“

Roman was quickly distracted by Patton’s hand locking into his own like Cinderella with her glass slipper. A perfect fit. “I’d love that, Roman.”

The drive there was nothing exciting, but Roman would swear that the highlight of his week was seeing Patton’s face light up at the sight of it all. Everyone was dressed to the nines, and two girls danced together in what appeared to be prom dresses. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling with hundreds of (faux) crystals adding to the atmosphere. Patton felt as if he were in a movie.

Roman held out a hand as the band started up a waltz. “May I have this dance?”

“Of course, my prince,” Patton said with a smile. He took Roman’s hand and let his free hand rest on Roman’s shoulder as Roman took his hand. Once they had gotten used to the pattern and the dance, Patton moved closer to Roman, his head just below Roman’s chin. He lay his head against Roman’s heart and the rest is nothing more than a dream...

Everything seemed to be going smoothly for them. They had been on a few more dates, approaching almost a month since their first, and finally, time had brought them to where they were now. Patton’s soft hands fit nicely against Roman’s rough and calloused skin. The two of them lay together in the grass, staring at the sky above, below, and around them. Patton was starting to remember what initially drew him to astronomy.

“It’s really rude of you to make me fall in love with you,” Roman said with a teasing smirk. “Inconsiderate, really.”

“Not what you had in mind?” Patton asked, his smile was innocent but his eyes filled with mischief.

“So inconsiderate,” Roman said, turning to lay on his side and face Patton.

“I’m not sorry,” Patton said, turning his head to face Roman.

“Me neither,” Roman said, reaching out to hold Patton’s cheek in his hand. “Can I kiss you?” he whispered softly.

“Yeah,” Patton said, his heart skipping a beat in his chest. “I think I’d quite like that.”

Roman pulled himself closer to Patton, laying his lips on the other. His kiss was soft and sweet, tasting of chocolate and sea salt. He kissed with the pure and gentle love that Patton had only read about in fairytales. Patton couldn’t help but giggle and smile as he kissed back. He was drunk with love and he wanted the world to know. He wanted Roman to know.    

As they pulled apart and rested their foreheads together, Patton wrapped his arms around Roman, pulling himself to be as close to the other as possible. “Roman, I’m so glad I met you,” Patton said, his voice whisper quiet. “You’re so wonderful and I- I love being here with you. And I love every single moment I get to be with you! And- and- and-” Patton took Roman’s hand, resting it against his own cheek as he gave himself just enough wiggle room to admire all of Roman’s face at once. Crickets echoed around them followed by rustling leaves and all the sounds of the glorious darkness as they approached early morning. “I love you, Roman.”

The shift from shock, to excitement, to just plain elation took only about a second, but Patton fell more and more in love with every expression. “I love you too,” Roman said. He smiled and quickly picked himself up from the ground. He extended a hand to pull up Patton from the ground as the sun rose around them. “I love you too,” he repeated, pure elation spilling fro his tongue. He put his hands on Patton’s waist, lifting him and spinning him through the air as the two laughed. “I love you so much, Patton, and I want the world to know it.” He pulled Patton into a kiss once more, this time much more rough and desperate but still dripping with the same puppy love as before.  And for the first time, Roman realized that happy endings didn’t exist, because they weren’t the end, after all, but the start of something wonderful.

[ofallingstar]

First lines from the books I read in 2018

Hawksmoor by Peter Ackroyd: Thus is 1711, the ninth year of the reign of Queen Anne, an Act of Parliament was passed to erect seven new Parish Churches in the Cities of London and Westminster, which commission was delivered to Her Majesty’s Office of Works in Scotland Yard.

Métamorphose en bord de ciel by Mathias Malzieu: Les oiseaux, ça s'enterre en plein ciel.

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen: The family of Dashwood had been long settled in Sussex.

Le plus petit baiser jamais recensé by Mathias Malzieu: Le plus petit baiser jamais recensé.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll: Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, “and what is the use of a book,” thought Alice, “without pictures or conversations?”

Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll: One thing was certain, that the white kitten had had nothing to do with it -it was the black kitten’s fault entirely.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson: Ba-room, ba-room, ba-room, baripity, baripity, baripity, baripity-Good.

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin: Dear James: I had begun this letter five times and torn it up five times.

The Secret in Their Eyes by Eduardo Sacheri: Benjamín Miguel Chaparro stops short and decides he’s not going.

At the Mountains of Madness by H. P. Lovecraft: I am forced into speech because men of science have refused to follow my advice without knowing why.

The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes: This books is the factual account of the life, up to now, of William Stanley Milligan, the first person in U.S. history to be found not guilty of major crimes, by reason of unsanity, because he possessed multiple personalities.

The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket: If you are interested in stories in happy endings, you would be better off reading some other book.

Puckoon by Spike Milligan: Several and a half metric miles North East of Sligo, split by a cascading stream, her body on earth, her feet in water, dwells the microcephalic community of Puckoon.

Piercing by Ryu Murakami: A small living creature asleep in its crib.

The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket: The stretch of the road that leads out of this city, past Hazy Harbor and into the town of Tedia, is perhaps the most unpleasant in the world.

And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini: So, then.

The Shape of Water by Guillermo Del Toro and Daniel Kraus: Richard Strickland reads the brief from General Hoyt.

Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell: He’d stopped trying to bring her back.

Down and Out in Paris and London by George Orwell: The Rue du Coq d’Or, Paris, seven in the morning.

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart: Welcome to the beautiful Sinclair family.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusack: First the colors. Then the humans. That’s usually how I see things. Or at least, how I try.

The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket: If you didn’t know much about the Baudelaire orphans, and you saw them sitting on their suitcases at Damocles Dock, you might think they were bound for an exciting adventure.

The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson: No live organism can continue for long to exist sanely under conditions of absolute reality; even larks and katydids are supposed, by some, to dream.

Battles in the Desert by José Emilio Pacheco: I remember, I don’t remember.

The Miserable Mill by Lemony Snicket: Sometime during your lifetime -in fact, very soon- you may find yourself reading a book, and you may notice that a book’s first sentence can often tell you what sort of story your book contains.

The Age of American Unreason by Susan Jacoby: The word is everywhere, a plague spread by the President of the United States, television anchors, radio talk show hosts, preachers in megachurches, self-help gurus, and anyone else attempting to demostrate his or her identification with ordinary, presumably wholesome American values.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare: Theseus, duke of Athens, is planning the festivities for his upcoming wedding to the newly captured Amazon, Hippolyta.

Madame Bovary by Gustave Flaubert: We were in study hall when the headmaster walked in, followed by a new boy not wearing a school uniform, and by a janitor carrying a large desk.

The Austere Academy by Lemony Snicket: If you were going to give a gold medal to the last delightful person on Earth, you would have to give that medal to a person named Carmelita Spats, and if you didn’t give it to her, Carmelita Spats was the sort of person who would snatch it from your hands anyway.

Lord of the Flies by William Golding: The boy with fair hair lowered himself down the last few feet of rock and began to pick his way toward the lagoon.

The Taming of the Shrew by William Shakespeare: Christopher Sly, a drunken beggar, is driven out of an alehouse by its hostess.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee: When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm badly broken at the elbow.

Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro: My name is Katy H.

Hear the Wind Sing by Haruki Murakami: “There’s no such thing as a perfect piece of writing.”

The Ersatz Elevator by Lemony Snicket: The book you are holding in your two hands right now -assuming that you are, in fact, holding this book, and that you have only two hands- is one of two books in the world that will show you the difference between the words “nervous” and the word “anxious.”

Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare: Two households, both alike in dignity, (In fair Verona, where we lay our scene), From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.

Adventure Time: The Enchiridion & Marcy’s Super Secret Scrapbook!!!: My Devoted Evil Daighter, Marceline, I admit we’ve had a somewhat volatile father-daughter relantionship ever since the regrettable Fry Incident.

A Game of Thrones by George R. R. Martin: Ser Waymar Royce glanced at the sky with desinterest.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley: You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accompanied the commencement of an enterprise which you have regarded with such evil forebodings.

Pinball, 1973 by Haruki Murakami: I used to love listening to stories about faraway places.

The Vile Village by Lemony Snicket: No matter who you are, no matter where you live, and no matter how many people are chasing you, what you don’t read is often as important as what you do read.

Dracula by Bram Stoker: 3 May. Bistritz. –Left Munich at 8:35 P.M., on 1st May, arriving at Vienna early next morning; should have arrived at 6:43, but train was an hour late.

The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare: I know this hartred mocks all Christian virtue, but They I loathe: their very sight  abhors me.

On the Road by Jack Kerouac: I first met Dean not long after my wife and I split up.

A Wild Sheep Chase by Haruki Murakami: It was a short one-paragraph item in the morning edition.

The Hostile Hospital by Lemony Snicket: There are two reasons why a writer would end a sentence with the word “stop” written in entirely in capital letters STOP.

The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince by Mayte Garcia: The chain-link fence around Praisley Park is woven with purple ribbons and roses, love notes, tributes, and prayers for peace.

Hamlet by William Shakespeare: Who’s there?

A Clash of Kings by George R. R. Martin: The comet’s tail spread across the dawn, a red slash that bled above the crags of Dragonstone like a wound in the pink and purple sky.

Out of Africa by Isak Dinensen: I had a farm in Africa, at the foot of Ngong Hills.

Carrie by Stephen King: News item from the Westover (Me.) weekly enterprise, August 19, 1966: RAIN OF STONES REPORTED.

The Carnivorous Carnival by Lemony Snicket: When my workday is over, and I have closed my notebook, hidden my pen and sawed holes in my rented canoe so it cannot be found, I often like to spend the evening in conversation with my few surviving friends.

Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick: The P-38 WWII Nazi handgun looks comical lying on the breakfast table next to a boal of outmeal.

The Turn of the Screw by Henry James: The story had held us, round the fire, sufficiently breathless, but except the obvious remark that it was gruesome, as, on Christmas Eve on an old house, a strange tale should essentially be, I remember no comment uttered till somebody happened to say that it was the only tale he had met in which such a visitation had fallen on a child.

Carmilla by Sheridan J. Le Fanu: Upon a paper attached to the Narrative which follows, Doctor Hesselius has written a rather elaborated note, which he accompanies with a reference to his Essay on the strange subject which the MS. illuminates.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson: No one has ever suffered as I have.

The Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka: One morning, when Gregor Samsa woke from troubled dreams, he found himself transformed in his bed into a horrible vermin.

House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski: I still get nightmares.

Othello by William Shakespeare: In the streets of Venice, Iago tells Roderigo of his hatred for Othello, who has given Cassio the lieutenancy that Iago wanted and has made Iago a mere ensign.

Dance, Dance, Dance by Haruki Murakami: I often dream about the Dolphin Hotel.

The Slippery Slope by Lemony Snicket: A man of my acquaintance once wrote a poem called “The Road Less Traveled,” describing a journey he took through the woods along a path most travelers never used.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou: “What you looking at me for? I didn’t come to stay…”

A Most Haunted House by G. L. Davies: The house first came to my attention a few  years ago.

Ghost Sex, The Violation by G. L. Davies: I met with Lisa at her home in Pembroke Dock.

Any Man by Amber Tamblyn: Am I in a body?

A Head Full of Ghosts by Paul Tremblay: “This must be so difficult for you, Meredith.”

A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin: The day was grey and bitter cold, and the dogs would not take the scent.

Macbeth by William Shakespeare: When shall we three meet again in thunder, lightning, or in rain?

You by Caroline Kepnes: You walk into the bookstore and you keep your hand on the door to make sure it doesn’t slam.

The Grim Grotto by Lemony Snicket: After a great deal of examining oceans, investigating rainstorms and staring very hard at several drinking fountains, the scientists of the worlds developed a theory regarding how water is distributed around our planet, which they have named “the water cycle.”

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys: They say when trouble comes close ranks, and so the white people did.

Mansfield Park by Jane Austen: About thirthy years ago, Miss Maria Ward, of Huntingdon, with only seven thousand pounds, had the luck to captivate Sir Thomas Bertram, of Mansfield Park, in the country of Northampton, and to be thereby raised to the rank of a baronet’s lady, with all the comforts and consequences of a handsome house and a large income.

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Brontë: My name is Gilbert Markham, and my story begings in October 1827, when I was twenty-four years old.

The Tempest by William Shakespeare: Boatswain!

Lucky by Alice Sebold: In the tunnel where I was raped, a tunnel that was once an underground entry to an amphitheather, a place where actors burst forth from underneath the seats of a crowd, a girl had been murdered and dismembered.

The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket: Certain people had said that the world is like a calm pond, and that anytime a person does even the smallest thing, it is as if a stone has dropped into the pond, spreading circles of ripples further and further out, until the entire world has been changed by one tiny action.

[undefeatednils]

Music Shuffle Tag Game

Rules: Put your music library on shuffle and post the first 10 (or 20) songs that come up I got tagged by @banashee, thank you ^^ 1) La Camisa Negra - Juanes

2) Deutschland - Die Prinzen

3) Smells Like Nirvana - Weird Al Yankovic

4) Die Horde Rennt - Jan Hegenberg

5) Lord of the Rings - Blind Guardian

6) With A Little Help From My Friends - Joe Cocker

7) Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) - Eurythmics

8) Can’t Feel My Face - The Weeknd

9) Make Me Feel - Janelle Monáe

10) Mmmbop - Hanson

11) Green Bird - Yoko Kanno/Seatbelts

12) Rehab - Amy Winehouse

13) Fiberglass Monkeys - Lemon Demon

14) Dear Mr. President - P!nk

15) All Star - Smash Mouth

16) Hotel California (Spanish Mix) - Gipsy Kings

17) Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It - Will Smith

18) Rock Your Body - Justin Timberlake

19) Freak Like Me - Adina Howard

20) There Is A Touch - The Proclaimers

Well, that’s certainly a diverse selection of music ^^ I’m tagging nobody today, FYI, but please, if you see this and you feel inspired to share your music tastes this way, feel free to tag me in your post!

[nijiryuu]

Songs I sang in my singing lessons during the years (2009 - 2018)

Some of you know I’ve had singing lessons for a while. Since November 2009 to be exact. 

I know no-one will read the full list, which I understand, since it’s terribly long; but when you’re taking singing lessons in the course of 9 years the songs keep piling up. 

So, here is the list:

Help The Beatles

She’s Got Her Ticket Tracy Chapman

New Soul Yael Naim

Bad Moon Rising CCR

And I Love Her The Beatles

Beat It Michael Jackson

Don’t Speak No Doubt

Drops of Jupiter Train

Brown Eyed Girl Van Morrison

Sunrise Norah Jones

Thousand Borders Papillon

Stranger Papillon

Me & Bobby McGee Janis Joplin

Thriller Michael Jackson

Another Part of Me Michael Jackson

Ain’t No Sunshine Bill Withers

Walking in Memphis Marc Cohn

You’ve Got A Friend Carole King

I’ll Be There Michael Jackson

Ist das alles? Die Ärzte (guitar practice)

The Joker Steve Miller Band (guitar practice)

Summer of ‘69 Bryan Adams

Wheel in the Sky Journey

The Rose Bette Midler

Far Far Away Slade

Jesus he Knows Me Genesis

No Son of Mine Genesis

Black Velvet Alannah Myles

Dancing in the Dark Bruce Springsteen

Soulmate Natasha Bedingfield

Runaway Train Soul Asylum

Rolling in the Deep Adele

A Night like this Caro Emerald

Poison Alice Cooper

Mama Mia ABBA

Big Spender Shirley Bassey

Dear Mr. President Pink

Dust in the Wind Kansas

Everything Burns Anastacia

Nothing Else Matters Metallica

Uptown Girl Billy Joel

Into The Night Carlos Santana feat. Chad Kroeger

Number One Hazel Fernandez

As I Lay Me Down Sophie B. Hawkins

Baccardi Feeling Kate Yanai

Wonderful Dream Melanie Thornton

Love The Way You Lie Rihanna

Broken Strings James Morrison & Nelly Furtado

Eternal Flame Bangles

Hackensack Katy Perry

Set Fire To The Rain Adele

Viva Forever Spice Girls

Amazing Grace John Newton (1748)

My Pace Sunset Swish

Somebody That I Used To Know Gotye

Impossible Shontelle

How to save a Life The Fray

I Will Follow Him Sister Act

The Winner Takes It All ABBA

Stairway To Heaven Led Zeppelin

More than words Extreme

Hymn Ultravox

Paranoid Black Sabbath

Dancing with tears in my eyes Ultravox

Tom Traubert’s Blues (Waltzing Mathilda) Tom Waits

The Long Way Home Norah Jones

Animal The Cab

An Englishman In New York Sting

Killing Me Softly (With His Song) Norman Gimbel

Landing In London 3 Doors Down

Key To My Fate Edguy

Space Police Edguy

Love Tyger Edguy

All The Clowns Edguy

Scarlet Rose Edguy

Time After Time Cyndi Lauper

Don’t Pay The Ferryman Chris De Burgh

Free Fallin’ Tom Petty

Video Killed The Radio Star Buggles

Flightless Bird, American Mouth Iron & Wine

I’m a Believer Neil Diamond

Burning Love Elvis Presley

Ironic Alanis Morrisette

Rehab Amy Winehouse

Budapest George Ezra

Back to Black Amy Winehouse

I’m No Good Amy Winehouse

Ring of Fire Johnny Cash

Lay All Your Love On Me ABBA

Valerie Amy Winehouse & Mark Ronson

Always On My Mind Willi Nelson

Dream On Aerosmith

I Can See Clearly now Johnny Nash

Dirty Diana Michael Jackson

Smooth Criminal Michael Jackson

Wind Of Change Scorpions

Circle of Life Elton John

Can You Feel The Love Tonight Elton John

Love Is All Around Wet Wet Wet

Hit The Road Jack Ray Charles

Iris GooGoo Dolls

Everybody Wants To Be A Cat The Aristocats

Someone Else’s Boy Connie Francis

Cups (When I’m Gone) Anna Kendrick

Hallelujah Leonard Cohen

Memory (Cats) Andrew Lloyd Webber

Total Eclipse of the Heart Bonnie Tyler

Let It Go (Frozen) Idina Menzel

Mrs. Robinson Simon & Garfunkel

November Rain Guns ‘N’ Roses

Kiss from a Rose Seal

Try Everything (Zootopia) Shakira

True Colors Cyndi Lauper

You’ll be in my Heart Phil Collins

Love, Hope And Misery Jake Bugg

Prisoner in Paradise Sunrise Avenue

I Don’t Dance Sunrise Avenue

Forever Yours Sunrise Avenue

Fairytale Gone Bad Sunrise Avenue

Angels On A Rampage Sunrise Avenue

Livesaver Sunrise Avenue

Little Bit Love Sunrise Avenue

Nothing Is Over Sunrise Avenue

How Far I’ll Go (Moana) Auli’I Cravalho

I’m Still Standing Elton John

Set It All Free (Sing) Scarlett Johansson 

You’re Welcome (Moana) Dwayne Johnson

Highway to Hell AC/DC      

Back in Black AC/DC

No Good Deed (Wicked) Idina Menzel

Defying Gravity (Wicked) Idina Menzel & Kristin Chenoweth

Sway Norman Gimbel

Drück die 1 Annett Louisann

Before He Cheats Carrie Underwood

Candy Man Christina Aguilera

I Wanna Be Like You (Jungle Book) Louis Prima

Smile Charlie Chaplin

Bad Michael Jackson

The Way You Make Me Feel Michael Jackson

Man In The Mirror Michael Jackson

We Are The World Michael Jackson & Lionel Ritchie

Blame It On The Boogie The Jacksons

Human Nature Michael Jackson

She’s Out Of My Life Michael Jackson

[caddyxjellyby]

Alcott Readathon 2018: An Old-Fashioned Girl (1869)

Alcott’s third or fourth depending on how you count Good Wives novel, featuring cane-shaking, a menage a trois, and America’s favorite fighting Frenchman. Polly Arrives Fanny tells Tom to pick up Polly from the station. Tom says "She'll think you cared more about your frizzles than your friends, and she'll be about right, too." Fanny says "If I was the President, I'd make a law to shut up all boys till they were grown; for they certainly are the most provoking toads in the world." I wonder what Tom means by wearing a thingumbob? A veil maybe? The naughty boy tells Polly the hack-driver is tipsy so he won’t have to sit with her. It boggles my mind that a fourteen year old would refer to herself as a “little girl.” I suppose back them children didn’t have to bend over backwards to be taken seriously. That is, if you refer to yourself as a little girl people won’t take you seriously. But if they just do it as a given you don’t bend over backwards to earn it. Polly sings for Madam Shaw, the grandmother, and they talk about how they were brought up properly unlike the Shaw siblings. Madam Shaw doesn’t approve of children calling their father Papa. What the fuck. I bet “the old man” would make her spontaneously combust. The girls see a vulgar play; Polly doesn’t understand half the jokes, and the girls on stage are dressed as jockeys, which I think means wearing trousers. Scandalous. Madam Shaw praises her innocence.

New Fashions

Apparently eyeglasses were trendy in 1869. Polly follows Fanny to school, where the girls gossip about Carrie who ran away with an Italian music teacher.

Fanny: "I like to read about such things; but it's so inconvenient to have it happen right here, because it makes it harder for us. I wish you could have heard my papa go on. He threatened to send a maid to school with me every day, as they do in New York, to be sure I come all right. Did you ever?"

Belle: "That's because it came out that Carrie used to forge excuses in her mamma's name, and go promenading with her Oreste, when they thought her safe at school. Oh, wasn't she a sly minx?"

Trix: "I think a little fun is all right; and there's no need of making a talk, if, now and then, some one does run off like Carrie. Boys do as they like; and I don't see why girls need to be kept so dreadfully close. I'd like to see anybody watching and guarding me!" GO TRIX KEEPING GIRLS THE SLIGHTEST BIT “CLOSER’ THAN BOYS IS PSYCHOLOGICALLY HARMFUL AND DISRESPECTFUL. ...I have a lot of feels about gender and child-rearing, okay? Okay. The constant ads for the Blockers movie keep bringing it to mind. (Kathryn Newton, the most recent Amy March, is in it.) The Bostonians gush over some exciting novels; Polly doesn’t know them. Polly: "My mother says a real gentleman is as polite to a little girl as to a woman; so I like Mr. Sydney best, because he was kind to me." I want that embroidered. “Polly was not a model girl by any means” Sure, Louisa. The kids say ain’t a lot. Creosote sent my mind straight to Discworld. Polly’s Troubles Polly wished the children would be kinder to grandma; but it was not for her to tell them so, although it troubled her a good deal, and she could only try to make up for it by being as dutiful and affectionate as if their grandma was her own. Awww. The fact that they name their sleds is adorable. Me, I’ve never been a person to name inanimate objects, other than occasionally referring to something as the precious. Fan reads Lady Audley’s Secret. "I shouldn't think you'd make him laugh, when he's always making you cwy," observed Maud, who had just come in. Good one, Maud. Little Things Polly is a perfect child who can do no wrong, except spend some money on bronze boots instead of presents for her family. We learn that she has a dead brother named Jimmy. They studied Latin together so she helps Tom with his. Tom falls off his new velocipede and hits his head. Polly holds it while a doctor gives him stitches. Scrapes AFTER being unusually good, children are apt to turn short round and refresh themselves by acting like Sancho. For a week after Tom's mishap, the young folks were quite angelic, so much so that grandma said she was afraid "something was going to happen to them." I kind of loathe this line of thinking? If you want children to be good, don’t insult them by not trusting them. Polly, if you’ve never had to lie to your parents then you know you have good parents, and not everybody is like you. A boy sends Fanny flowers and that’s unacceptable. “I'll send you to school in a Canadian convent,” says Mr. Shaw. Oh boy. Tom dresses up in Fanny’s outfit, then they and Maud look at Polly’s journal, which is full of sketches of the family and friends, and Polly’s thoughts on Fan. If she would be as she was when I first knew her, I should love her just the same; but she isn't kind to me; and though she is always talking about politeness, I don't think it is polite to treat company as she does me. She thinks I am odd and countrified, and I dare say I am; but I shouldn't laugh at a girl's clothes because she was poor, or keep her out of the way because she didn't do just as other girls do here. I see her make fun of me, and I can't feel as I did; and I'd go home, only it would seem ungrateful to Mr. Shaw and grandma, and I do love them dearly." Grandma Tom was reposing on the sofa with his boots in the air, absorbed in one of those delightful books in which boys are cast away on desert islands, where every known fruit, vegetable and flower is in its prime all the year round; or, lost in boundless forests, where the young heroes have thrilling adventures, kill impossible beasts, and, when the author's invention gives out, suddenly find their way home, laden with tiger skins, tame buffaloes and other pleasing trophies of their prowess. The Shaw kids find Polly up in Grandma’s room, listening to her stories. They’re like you never told us that story and Grandma’s like you never asked. "At eight o'clock on the appointed evening, several of us professed great weariness, and went to our room, leaving the rest sewing virtuously with Miss Cotton, who read Hannah More's Sacred Dramas aloud, in a way that fitted the listeners for bed as well as a dose of opium would have done.”Surprisingly snarky Grandma. "Wait for your turn, Tommy. Now, Polly, dear, what will you have?" said grandma, looking, so lively and happy, that it was very evident "reminiscing" did her good. "Let mine come last, and tell one for Tom next," said Polly, looking round, and beckoning him nearer. Oh come on now Polly. Tom wants to shoot cats? Okay. Polly asks about a glove; Grandma tells the story of Lafayette kissing the glove with his picture on it and then kissing her on the cheek to avoid that. Grandma’s Aunt was married to John Hancock, just like Abigail Alcott’s grand-aunt was married to him in real life. Also she thinks leg o’mutton sleeves are beautiful and becoming. Let’s not hold it against her. Colonel May, that’s LMA’s grandfather. Next we go even further back in history - Grandma produces a letter “written by Anne Boleyn before her marriage to Henry VIII, and now in the possession of a celebrated antiquarian.” How she acquired this letter is not explained, and it does seem to be the original letter and not a copy. Good-by [sic] We get it, Louisa, you think fancy clothes are sinful. They hold a going-away party for Polly, inviting some girls to keep Maud out of the way and Tom’s school-friends, Rumple, Sherry, and Spider. Polly and Tom open the redowa; he’s bad at keeping time to the music, like me. She doesn’t know how to dance the German so she plays with the little girls in the library. Aww, they snuck presents for her family in Polly’s trunk. Six Years Afterward "WHAT do you think Polly is going to do this winter?" exclaimed Fanny, looking up from the letter she had been eagerly reading. She’s returning to Boston to teach music. Mr. Shaw respects her for being independent. Tom says she’s pretty in a moment of foreshadowing. Madam Shaw has died. "Where did you learn so much worldly wisdom, Polly?" asked Mr. Shaw, as his wife fell back in her chair, and took out her salts, as if this discovery had been too much for her. "I learnt it here, sir," answered Polly, laughing. "I used to think patronage and things of that sort very disagreeable and not worth having, but I've got wiser, and to a certain extent I'm glad to use whatever advantages I have in my power, if they can be honestly got." What is this, the Shaws doing something good for once? Holy hell! “You must come and see my pets, Maud, for my cat and bird live together as happily as brother and sister," said Polly, turning to Maud, who devoured every word she said. "That's not saying much for them," muttered Tom, feeling that Polly ought to address more of her conversation to him. Geez, Tom, entitled much? Tom is engaged to Trix. Polly keeps bees at her country home. It must be so nice to be able to clean without the paranoia that you’re going to get mocked for doing it wrong. All hail living alone! Lessons Polly finds her drudgery a bit harder than she expected but her pupils love her. She found Fanny enduring torment under the hands of the hair-dresser, who was doing his best to spoil her hair, and distort her head with a mass of curls, braids, frizzles, and puffs; for though I discreetly refrain from any particular description, still, judging from the present fashions, I think one may venture to predict that six years hence they would be something frightful. The problem with writing books set in the future. Polly comes home one day to find her landlady, Miss Mills, sewing a dress for Jane, who also lives in the boarding-house and tried to kill herself because she couldn’t find work that paid enough for the rent. Polly goes to visit Jane. Brothers and Sisters Polly’s brother Will visits her every Sunday and they’re BFFs. Tom hates being called Carrots; I want an Anne of Green Gables crossover. Maud informs him that Polly thinks he’s handsomer than Mr. Sydney. "Don't make such a noise, my head aches dreadfully," said Fanny, fretfully. "Girls' heads always do ache," answered Tom, subsiding from a roar into a chuckle. Um, fuck you Tom. He suspects Trix of wearing makeup because she won’t let him kiss her cheek, only “an unsatisfactory peck at her lips.” That’s less satisfying than the cheek? Whatever you say, Tom. Fanny confirms it. He doesn’t approve. Will arrives to take Maud to Polly’s; LMA gets a dig in: “They were very good friends, but led entirely different lives, Will being a "dig," and Tom a "bird," or, in plain English, one was a hard student, and the other a jolly young gentleman. Tom had rather patronized Will, who didn't like it, and showed that he didn't by refusing to borrow money of him, or accept any of his invitations to join the clubs and societies to which Tom belonged. So Shaw let Milton alone, and he got on very well in his own way, doggedly sticking to his books, and resisting all temptations but those of certain libraries, athletic games, and such inexpensive pleasures as were within his means; for this benighted youth had not yet discovered that college nowadays is a place in which to "sky-lark," not to study.” We'll see more of that when we get to Jo’s Boys. Polly talks better than other girls who are coquettes. Seriously. Jesus Christ. Maud has “a talent for betraying trifles which people preferred should not be mentioned in public” and “a queer way of going on with her own thoughts, and suddenly coming out with whatever lay uppermost, regardless of time, place, or company.” Huh. Needles and Tongues Fanny’s sewing circle meets at the Shaw house. Polly listens to them gossip. “Another divulged the awful fact that Carrie P.' s wedding presents were half of them hired for the occasion.” That’s pretty funny. Polly and Trix butt heads over giving charity. “[Trix] felt the same antagonism toward Polly, that Polly did toward her; and, being less generous, took satisfaction in plaguing her. Polly did not know that the secret of this was the fact that Tom often held her up as a model for his fiance to follow, which caused that young lady to dislike her more than ever.” I am not entirely unsympathetic to Trix. Polly tells them about Jane and they’re very moved and resolve to hire her for sewing. Forbidden Fruit Polly, Fanny, and Tom go to the opera. Polly buys new gloves for the occasion and their dog chews them up and she’s like serves me right for buying something I didn’t need. Her new bonnet survives, though, and Tom mentions how becoming it is. "Dress that girl up, and she'd be a raving, tearing beauty," he whispers to Maud, and Polly overhears. A bit of sarcastic fourth wall breaking: I deeply regret being obliged to shock the eyes and ears of such of my readers as have a prejudice in favor of pure English by expressions like the above, but, having rashly undertaken to write a little story about Young America, for Young America, I feel bound to depict my honored patrons as faithfully as my limited powers permit. Otherwise, I must expect the crushing criticism, "Well, I dare say it's all very prim and proper, but it isn't a bit like us," and never hope to arrive at the distinction of finding the covers of "An Old-Fashioned Girl" the dirtiest in the library. Polly wears her hair down, holy shit. Maud comments on what a lovely bride she would be, Tom refers to her as “Mrs. Sydney,” and Fan goes to the carriage “in an usually lofty manner.” Love triangle ahoy. And who should appear at the opera but Arthur Sydney? Polly, on her reaction to heartbreak: "That's not my way either," she said decidedly. "I'd try to outlive it, and if I could n't, I'd try to be the better for it. Disappointment needn't make a woman a fool." Sounds like Rosamund. We are reminded that French novels are evil, and Polly calls Tom a modern Beau Brummel. The Sunny Side Fanny and Tom discuss Polly/Sydney. Tom thinks being a fine lady wouldn’t suit her; Fanny disagrees. Tom realizes his sister likes Sydney and says nothing about it. Polly introduces Fanny to her friends Becky and Bess, two artists who live together. Becky is sculpting “the coming woman” and needs to put a symbol in her hands. Fanny suggests a queen’s sceptre, Polly a man’s helping hand, and Bess a child. Becky turns those down. Kate, an accidentally successful author, suggests a ballot-box. They have a lunch of sardines, oranges, crackers, and cheese, on mismatched plates which one 1860s reviewer found too unfeminine to be realistic. We learn that "Bess is to be married in the spring, and Becky is to live with her." Kate wants to put Polly in a book. Very funny.

Nipped in the Bud Polly inner monologues about how she can’t love Arthur Sydney as a wife should, so she ought to tell him before he proposes. Particularly since he and Fan would suit each other. She changes her route home so as to avoid meeting him, then he sees her coming home from Fanny’s one day and they talk. He says that Fanny hasn’t improved with her years and Polly defends her friend. “She puts on that dashing air before people to hide her real self. But I know her better; and I assure you that she does improve; she tries to mend her faults, though she won't own it, and will surprise you someday, by the amount of heart and sense and goodness she has got." Breakers Ahead Tom gets expelled for knocking down the Chapel watchmen. At least he didn’t need that degree for a job. And Mr. Shaw’s business has failed, and Tom has acquired a significant amount of debt. Oh no. Polly comforts him and then Fanny, who doesn’t actually need much comforting, being glad for the distraction from her unrequited love. Indian cake . . . is that cornbread? A Dress Parade The big house was given up as soon as possible and the little house taken; being made comfortable with the furniture Madam left there when she went to live with her son. The old-fashioned things had been let with the house, and now seemed almost like a gift from Grandma, doubly precious in these troublous times. At the auction, several persons tried to show the family that, though they had lost their fortune, friends still remained, for one bid in Fanny's piano, and sent it to her; another secured certain luxurious articles for Mrs. Shaw's comfort; and a third saved such of Mr. Shaw's books as he valued most, for he had kept his word and given up everything, with the most punctilious integrity. Maud enjoys herself learning to housewife. Polly gives Fanny advice on freshening her wardrobe, such as turning her grey suit. Fanny used to give Maud her old dresses for tableaux. Polly’s story is based on real life. From LMA’s ”Recollections of My Childhood”: People wondered at our frolics, but enjoyed them; and droll stories are still told of the adventures of those days. Mr. Emerson and Margaret Fuller were visiting my parents one afternoon; and the conversation having turned to the ever-interesting subject of education, Miss Fuller said,-- "Well, Mr. Alcott, you have been able to carry out your methods in your own family, and I should like to see your model children." She did in a few moments,--for as the guests stood on the doorsteps a wild uproar approached, and round the corner of the house came a wheelbarrow holding baby May arrayed as a queen; I was the horse, bitted and bridled, and driven by my elder sister Anna, while Lizzie played dog and barked as loud as her gentle voice permitted. All were shouting, and wild with fun, which, however, came to a sudden end as we espied the stately group before us, for my foot tripped, and down we all went in a laughing heap, while my mother put a climax to the joke by saying with a dramatic wave of the hand,-- "Here are the model children, Miss Fuller!" Playing Grandmother Tom has a harder time than his sisters. He’s too bad at business to help his father so he hangs out with Mrs. Shaw. "I'd cut away to Australia if it wasn't for mother; anything, anywhere to get out of the way of people who know me. I never can right myself here, with all the fellows watching, and laying wagers whether I sink or swim. Hang Greek and Latin! wish I'd learned a trade, and had something to fall back upon. Haven't a blessed thing now, but decent French and my fists.” Oh my gosh I think Tom’s a millennial. Polly teaches Maud how to make raisin cake for Tom’s birthday. He receives two letters: one from Trix dumping him, and one from Arthur Sydney saying that’s he’s paid Tom’s debts. Tom, unwilling to owe him, decides to go West, young man, like Polly’s brother Ned. The Woman Who Did Not Dare POLLY wrote enthusiastically, Ned answered satisfactorily, and after much corresponding, talking, and planning, it was decided that Tom should go West. Never mind what the business was; it suffices to say that it was a good beginning for a young man like Tom, who, having been born and bred in the most conservative class of the most conceited city in New England, needed just the healthy, hearty, social influences of the West to widen his views and make a man of him. Polly goes home for the summer, Maud to the shore with Belle, and Fan stays home. I’m pretty sure Polly lives in Concord. Does she know the Marches? She returns to Boston in the fall and Fanny says have you been sick? No, it’s love. Polly gives vague answers and Fan replies that she thinks Sydney is starting to like her. She shows Polly a photo Tom sent and Polly’s face makes her go Aha. Winter passes, and in May Fan and Sydney get engaged. Tom’s Success "Come, Philander, let us be a marching, Every one his true love a searching," would be the most appropriate motto for this chapter, because, intimidated by the threats, denunciations, and complaints showered upon me in consequence of taking the liberty to end a certain story as I liked, I now yield to the amiable desire of giving satisfaction, and, at the risk of outraging all the unities, intend to pair off everybody I can lay my hands on. Tom comes home and tells Polly he loves her. "Now, Tom, how could I know you loved me when you went away and never said a word?" she began, in a tenderly reproachful tone, thinking of the hard year she had spent. "And how could I have the courage to say a word, when I had nothing on the face of the earth to offer you but my worthless self?" answered Tom, warmly. "That was all I wanted!" whispered Polly, in a tone which caused him to feel that the race of angels was not entirely extinct. I suppose if I liked Tom more the romance might work for me but I don’t and it doesn’t. Neither pairing seems to happen naturally, the narrative forces them together. Will marries Jane and Maud remains a spinster, “[keeping] house for her father in the most delightful manner.” The End and I’m glad of it! Next is Little Men.

[aswithasunbeam]

One Summer Day

Summary:  On a hot, rainy summer day in 1794, Hamilton finds his daughter bereft of other company and determines to spend some quality time with her. An adventure to the Philadelphia Museum, a sweet shop, and several hours of singing, dancing, and playing follow.

[Also available on A03]

Hamilton flipped through the morning paper somewhat lethargically. The words on the page kept blurring together. He closed his eyes for a moment and reached for the cup of coffee on the table. Eliza’s letter telling him baby John was out of danger had eased him greatly, but the heat and continued anxiety for his wife and baby conspired to make sleep difficult last night. The air was still hot and humid this morning, doing little to aid his focus. He’d forgone his jacket entirely this morning and rolled his shirtsleeves up when he’d sat at the table. Even so, he could feel sweat beading on his brow.

Footsteps on the wooden floor had him looking up to see Angelica coming to the breakfast table. She wore a light-weight white dress appropriate for the late summer heat, and one of the maids had drawn her dark curls back with a pink ribbon. She came up to his chair and kissed him on the cheek. He smiled. “Good morning, my little angel.”

“Morning, Papa,” she replied apathetically, sliding into her own seat.

He frowned at her lackluster greeting. “Are you feeling well, sweetheart?”

She nodded and reached for a bread roll. He studied her a moment longer and perceived no reason to doubt her, so he turned his attention back to the paper until he heard her heave a great sigh. His eyes snapped back to his daughter.

“What’s wrong?” he pressed, placing his paper down on the table.

She looked at him with a mournful expression. “It’s raining.”

He nearly laughed, but managed to hold it in. “I saw. Hopefully the rain will break this terrible heat we’ve been enduring.”

“Philip and Alex went back to school yesterday, Fanny is visiting Mrs. Morris, and it’s raining.” All those statements were factually true, but he struggled to reason out why she was reciting them. She sighed again. “I have no one to play with.”

Ah. He considered for a moment. As it was Saturday, he wasn’t expected at the Treasury office, but he did have work to do this morning. Still, he could schedule in some time with his little girl, he reasoned.  

“Perhaps we could spend some time together today,” he suggested.

Her brow furrowed lightly. “Don’t you have to work?”

“Well, I do have some things I need to do at my desk this morning. But you could sit in my office with me while you study or work on your embroidery. After that, we can do whatever you like.”

“Really?” Her dark eyes lit up with wary delight.

“Really,” he assured her.

She bit her lip, considering. “You could help me with my French lessons,” she suggested, clearly seeking his approval with this first request.

“Whatever you like, my darling girl,” he promised.

“Could we play the piano?”

“Of course.”

“And play marbles?”

“If you wish.”

“You could watch the new dance I learned.”

“I’d love that.”

She grinned, and dug into her breakfast with a new enthusiasm. He began to read his paper once more as he picked at some of the fruit on his plate. Still having difficulty focusing, he found himself glancing over the top at his daughter. The watermelon pieces disappeared rapidly from her plate, he noted with a smile.

When Angelica had finished her breakfast, he asked, “Have you finished all the work your tutor assigned?”

She nodded, her curls bouncing in their pony tail. “Yes, Papa.”

“Mama wants you to practice your needlework, then,” he directed, repeating the instructions Eliza had included in her last letter.

He laughed quietly as he watched her scurry away from the table to fetch her sewing, bounding back into the dining room in record time. Pushing away from the table, he motioned for her to follow him into his office. He settled in at his desk and looked back to see Angelica tucking her feet under her in the big armchair across the room. Her tongue poked out between her teeth as she focused on the needlework before her. With a sigh of his own, he set to his work.

Over two hours passed before he heard his active nine-year-old begin fidgeting in her seat. He smirked as he finished the letter he was writing, casting his eye over the rest of the papers on his desk. All the most pressing matters seemed to have been handled, he noted, thumbing through the stack beside him. A printed newsletter sat on the bottom, and he paused, reading over the heading.

He turned in his seat and announced, “I have an idea.”

Angelica sat up eagerly in the armchair.

“How would you like to visit Mr. Peale’s Museum?” He’d been a supporter of the Philadelphia Museum for several years, even serving on the board two years ago, but he’d yet to bring Angelica along for a visit. Despite his yearly subscription, even he had not been since it had reopened in its new location closer to the State House.

Angelica’s eyes lit up at the prospect. Philip had clearly shared details of an earlier visit with his beloved little sister, because she immediately began chattering about all the creatures she wanted to see. “We need to see the panthers, Papa. And President Washington’s Chinese pheasants. And the fish in the pond. And the cranes.”

“We’ll see all of them,” he assured her. “Do you know they have a yard outside with a live eagle?”

Her eyes grew to the size of saucers. “Can we go now, Papa?”

“I’ll call for the coach,” he agreed.

When he stood, Angelica surged forward and wrapped him in a tight hug.

He ran upstairs to put on a jacket and cravat, then had one of the servants bring the coach around and walk them out under an umbrella. Angelica bounced in her seat the whole way. Seeing her uncontainable excitement made him regret not thinking to bring her sooner.

The coach stopped outside the entrance to the hall of the American Philosophical Society, where Peale had rented the upstairs rooms for his expanded museum. A sign out front indicated the menagerie of live creatures could be found around the back of the building. Angelica spotted it immediately and asked, “Can we see the eagle first?”

A steady drizzle persisted in the muggy August air. He frowned and suggested, “Why don’t we go inside first, and see if the rain lets up so we can enjoy the animals longer.”

A flash of disappointment crossed his daughter’s face, but disappeared quickly when the entered the grand hall. Much of Philadelphia society seemed to have had the same idea to visit the museum today; crowds of ladies and gentlemen filled the space, the excited chatter of children echoing around them. He took Angelica’s hand and guided her to the ticket booth, where he gave his name and a shilling to cover Angelica’s ticket.

“We hope you have an enjoyable visit, Mr. Secretary,” the gentleman behind the counter wished.

He nodded his thanks and lead Angelica to the staircase and up to the second floor where the animal exhibits were housed. She was bouncing on her toes again, her head whipping rapidly from side to side as she took in the excitement around her. When they reached the long exhibit hall, Angelica halted, staring up in wonder.

Peale had suspended stuffed birds of all kinds in the air, positioned as if in flight. Hamilton guided her to the side a bit so families behind them had space to pass, smiling down at her delighted expression as she took in the scenery. After a long moment, Angelica clasped his hand and tugged him forward towards the glass encased exhibits along the walls.

“What’s this one?” she asked breathlessly, her nose nearly pressed against the glass of one window.

He found a plaque nearby that identified the stuffed creature as a pelican. “They scoop prey up from the water in their long beaks, and then drain the water before they swallow,” he read aloud.

Angelica’s head bobbed as she stared.

She turned around and gasped. “Look, Papa,” she exclaimed, tugging him over to a preserved grizzly bear standing on its hind legs, towering over the surrounding crowds. She pushed past a group of gaping children to examine the creature more closely.

“Have you seen the live one outside?” a little boy standing nearby queried.

“There’s a live one?” she gasped.

“Two,” the boy confirmed with a grin.

She turned back towards her father and begged, “Can we go outside and see, Papa? Please?”

He laughed. “We will, my darling girl, I promise. Why don’t we finish up inside first, though, hmm?”

She sighed in agreement, turning back to examine the stuffed bear more closely. When she had studied the creature to her satisfaction, she took his hand again and moved back to the walls to see the rest of the creatures. At the end of the hall stood a mound of grass covered earth and an artificial pond, surrounded by lizards, turtles, and frogs. Inside the pond were stuffed fish of all colors and varieties. Angelica released his hand and crouched down to examine a turtle more closely.

He paced over to look at the birds standing on the mound, and noticed the Chinese pheasants President Washington had donated some years ago. The birds had been a gift from Lafayette to Washington when they were alive, and the President had donated them upon their death to Peale to be preserved and enjoyed by the public. He smiled fondly as he thought of his old, dear friend.

“Angelica,” he called. She looked up and hurried to his side as he pointed out the pheasants.

“Were they really from Monsieur Lafayette?”

He nodded his confirmation.

“Mr. Secretary,” a voice called from the crowd. He turned to see Charles Willson Peale himself fighting through the masses of people to approach him. “I didn’t know to expect you today, or I would have greeted you when you arrived.”

“This was a rather spontaneous visit,” he replied, bowing respectfully in greeting. “My daughter was anxious to see your curiosities. She loves wild animals, and holds a special fondness for birds.”

“Have you seen our eagle, yet, Miss Hamilton?” Peale asked, bowing to Angelica.

She shook her head. “Papa said he wanted to wait for the rain to stop,” she sighed.

Peale laughed. “I see.” He turned his attention back to Hamilton. “Might I show you around our expanded space, Mr. Secretary? We have some new additions you wouldn’t have seen before. And perhaps we could visit the back room so Miss Hamilton can see our latest acquisitions not yet out for public view.”

Angelica grinned at the offer.

“Thank you, sir,” he nodded.

Peale took them around on a private tour, pausing for Angelica to marvel at the tiger and the panthers on display. When they had completed the circuit of the room, he took them back into the private offices to see several more animals in the process of being mounted to go out on public display.

Just as they were finishing, Angelica glanced at one of the windows and noted happily, “It’s stopped raining, Papa.”

“So it has,” he agreed, looking out the window see that the sun was peeking out from behind the thick cloud cover.

“I’d lay odds that there’s a rainbow about somewhere,” Peale added.

Excitement was coming off of his daughter in waves. “All right. Let’s go outside.”

Angelica let out a yip, which made him laugh. He turned to Peale and shook his hand warmly. “Thank you for the tour.”

“Anytime, Mr. Secretary,” Peale assured.

He and Angelica made their way outside to the menagerie. A monkey, two grizzly bears, and the American bald eagle were all on display. Angelica threaded her way through the crowds to get close to the eagle, where she stood for a long time simply admiring the creature. Glancing up, he noticed that indeed a vibrant rainbow had formed between the dark clouds and the struggling sun. He tapped Angelica’s shoulder and pointed up at it, pulling her against him in a hug as she beamed up at the bright colors. She turned to embrace him fully, and he bent down to kiss the crown of her head.

“Did you enjoy yourself?” he asked, petting her curls lightly.

She nodded against him.

“Are you ready to go?”

She looked up at him and nodded again.

He took her hand and moved away from the crowds down the path to the front of the building, where their coach was waiting. Before climbing inside, however, he noticed a sweet shop across the road. “Would you like to stop for sweets?” he offered, pointing the shop out to his daughter.

“Yes,” she said decisively, practically skipping across the road with him.

A little bell jingled overhead as they pushed inside. For a penny, he purchased a little bag which Angelica took around to fill with brightly wrapped chocolates, candied cherries, and a host of other delights. They settled back into the coach to go home, and Angelica unwrapped a chocolate, glancing at him warily.

He was sure Eliza would say something about spoiling her dinner were she here, but he decided this was as good a day as any to do so. Rather than stopping her, he leaned forward and asked, “Might I have a candied cherry?”

She grinned and dug around the bag to find one for him.

Arriving back home, he immediately pulled off his jacket and cravat, rolling his sleeves up once more to cool off. They sat down for a light meal, then moved into the parlor to practice at the piano for a while. Abandoning any serious pieces, they played several lively duets and sang loudly, often breaking off in giggles.

“What shall we do next?” he asked, when Angelica seemed to tire of the piano.

“Marbles,” she decided.

“Marbles it is,” he nodded. “Why don’t you go fetch them.”

He stood and dug around in one of the drawers for a piece of chalk. This was typically a game the children played outside, but the ground was still far too wet. He got down on his knees and drew a large circle around himself in the middle of the parlor, making a mental note to apologize profusely to the maid who would need to scrub out the line. Angelica looked both shocked and delighted when she returned to see the circle drawn on the wood floor.

“Ready?” he asked, moving out of the circle and motioning for Angelica to dump the marbles inside. He let her go first, watching fondly as she carefully lined up a shot.

She beat him soundly at each of the three rounds they played. After the last, she sat back on her haunches and asked, “May I show you the new dance I learned, Papa?”

“Yes, of course,” he agreed. He gratefully stood from his hunched position on the floor and sat on the sofa while Angelica demonstrated the latest steps she’d mastered in her dance lessons.

“Very well done,” he praised, applauding softly when she’d finished. He stood and offered, “Would you like me to show you a new dance?”

She bobbed her head excitedly.

He bowed low, as he would to any lady from whom he was requesting a dance. “Might I have the honor, Miss Hamilton?”

She took his hand and nodded primly, then giggled.

“If you would be so good as to step up onto my feet,” he invited.

She giggled harder. “That’s not how you dance, Papa.”

“Ah, I disagree. It is the best way to learn to dance.”

Still looking somewhat skeptical, she placed her little feet on top of his, and he held her around the waist to keep her balanced as he began to demonstrate the steps to one of his favorite dances. She picked up the steps quickly, and they began to dance more properly. Her whole face radiated joy as he spun her around at the end, her dark curls bouncing. She looked just like a tiny version of her mother, he thought, spinning her around again for good measure.

As night fell, the excitement of the day began to catch up with both of them. He settled back on the sofa after a light supper and suggested, “Why don’t you select a story for me to read aloud?”

Angelica did so, bringing him a book and curling up beside him on the sofa as he began to read her selection aloud. At the end of the first chapter, he glanced down to see her dozing against his shoulder. He pressed a kiss against her head to rouse her.

She blinked up at him sleepily, and he told her, “You should go get ready for bed now, sweetheart. I’ll come up to say goodnight when your ready.”

She reached her thin little arm around to embrace him. “That was the best day ever, Papa,” she declared.

“The best day ever?” he repeated softly with a fond smile.

She nodded decisively. “The best day ever.”

[sonofhistory]

show me your juciest jefferson facts my family is starving

At age ten, Jefferson was sent by his father into the woods alone with only a gun. The expectation was that he would come home with evidence that he could survive on his own in the wild. The test did not begin well, everything frightened the small child but he finally managed to catch a wild turkey (Meacham 4). 

Jefferson believe his first memory was of being handed up to a slave on horseback and carried, carefully, on a pillow for a long journey (Meacham 9). 

When Jefferson was first sent off to school as a boy he was also anxious for it to be over and often slipped away, hid and repeated the Lord’s Prayer in hopes of getting school over quicker. His prayers were never answered and he would come to believe orthodox Christianity was not all it was said to be (Meacham 10). 

Jefferson’s first extremely close friend outside of his sister Jane was Dabney Carr. They shared much in common and Jefferson recalled later had, “more of the milk of human kindness, of indulgence, of softness, of pleasantry of conversation and conduct.” The two young boys made a pact one day, whoever survived the other was to bury the one to die first beneath their favorite oak tree. Dabney was the first to go, and Jefferson did just that. (Meacham 14). 

At College of William and Mary, Jefferson studied fifteen hours a day, and ran from his room to the shore a mile from town and rowed a small canoe of his as well as did swimming (Meacham 19). 

Christmas Evening, 1762, Thomas Jefferson was rejected by Rebecca Burwell and then woke up on Christmas morning to find rats had gnawed at his pocketbook and his garters and a watch in his room which held a drawing of Rebecca. That night, rain had leaked through the house and soaked his watch, destroying it. This didn’t help that Jefferson was in the worst depressive episode of his life thus far (Meacham 24). The next day he was dancing with Rebecca and everything was going well until he opened his mouth and could only stutter (Meacham 25). 

When he found out his childhood home of Shadwell burnt down he asked if any of his books had been saved; they had not. He then asked if his violin had been saved; a slave then replied, “Ah! We saved your fiddle!” (Meacham 46). 

A pair of competing suitors for Martha Wayles Skelton once showed with at her home and heard Martha and Thomas singing quite beautifully together. They all looked at year other and left without even knocking (Meacham 56). 

One of Jefferson’s favorite stories to tell from his time in the Congress was of an exchange between fat Benjamin Harrison and wispy Elbridge Gerry. “Gerry, when the hanging comes, I shall have the advantage; you’ll kick in the air half an hour after it is all over with me!”

Fall 1776, Patrick Henry asked Thomas Jefferson to go with Benjamin Franklin and Silas Deane to France but Jefferson refused because his wife was too sick to go and he didn’t want to leave her. 

When Benedict Arnold was conducting his siege of Virginia in an attempt to capture and imprison the author of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson was told of the British troops rush into the Virginia Legislature in which they capture many of the delegates before they could even stand up and that the were heading to Monticello next, Jefferson climbed to the top of a hill near his home with a spy glass and saw nothing. On his way down, he slipped on some pebbles and curiosity got the better of him and he checked out his spy glass again; this time he saw that the British were actually coming and was forced to flee while shoving “in papers where I could” and had his slaves hide his silver. When he was able to return weeks later, he was surprised Monticello was still standing and was most upset about the fact that his wine stash had been drank. 

During his life, Thomas Jefferson broke his wrist three times. Once, in 1782 he fell from his horse and shattered his left wrist; then in 1786 he dislocated his right wrist attempting to impress Maria Cosway in France, and finally in 1825 he fell off a step at Monticello at broke his left wrist again. 

After his wife’s death, he considered suicide and was said by James Monroe for the first week locked in his room to be unable to look upon the face of any of his children until he finally came to for the last three weeks. He only didn’t commit suicide “for the infidelity of deserting the sacred charge left me, I could not ish its continuance a moment.” because of his children. 

He twice while in Paris attended masquerade balls (they began at eleven pm and ran until six am). Both he and John Adam’s son-in-law William S. Smith were hit on by a baronness: “When Mr. Jefferson had made his escape,” Smith wrote, “she had fastened her talons on me.”

In his later years, Jefferson acquired a bust of Hamilton and placed it opposite one of himself in the entrance hall at Monticello. According to a biographer, “The eyes settles with a deeper interest on busts of Jefferson and Hamilton, by Ceracchi, placed on massive pedestals on each side of the main entrance–’opposed in death as in life’, as the surviving original sometimes remarked, with a pensive smile, as he observed the notice they attracted.”

Jefferson decorated his walls with collections of portraits that included Sir Francis Bacon, John Locke and Sir Isaac Newton. Hamilton asked Jefferson who they were. “I told him they were my trinity of the three greatest men the world had ever produced, naming them,” Jefferson recalled. Taking this in, Hamilton paused, thinking before after a moment broke the silence. “The greatest man who ever lived,” Hamilton said, “was Julius Caesar.”

Usually a calm man, one time two ferrymen had been fighting between themselves when they took Jefferson and his younger daughter Patsy aboard for the passage. The peace was broke and the two men grew violent. Jefferson “his eyes flashing” then “snatched up an oar, and, in a voice which rung out above the angry tones of the men, flourished it over their heads. Weapon in hand, Jefferson told them to “row for your lives or I will knock you both overboard!” The men grew back to fighting and Jefferson seized control and forced his will on them. In this case, the life of him and his daughter were at danger. 

On the eve of the Fourth of July celebrations in 1800, a slave by the name of Thomas Jefferson died and rumors spread that it was Jefferson who had died at Monticello. The Federalists clung to this rumor, spreading it around even though by July 6th it was known that Jefferson was still alive and well (Meacham 325). 

As president, Jefferson kept a mockingbird whom he named Dick who hung in its cage in the window of his office. Dick was “the constant companion of his solitary and studious hours, sometimes settling on Jefferson’s shoulder or accepting “food from his lips”. When he retired to his chamber, the bird would hop up the steps after him. 

While President of the United States, Jefferson would get death threats. The best one thus safe that I’ve seen is this: “I think you ought to get a damn kicking, you red-headed son of a bitch. You are a pretty fellow to be President of the United States of America, you dirty scoundrel.” –Anonymous

The explorer Zebulon Pike purchased two bear cubs for Jefferson from a Native American along the Rio Grande. His men nursed them with milk and they arrived safety at the president’s house in 1808. But Jefferson found it was unpractical to keep them on the ground and sent them to Charles Peale’s zoo in Philadelphia (Meacham 410-411). 

The first child born in the White House was James Madison Randolph born to Patsy Jefferson Randolph, the eldest Jefferson daughter. 

He used to organize races on the grounds of Monticello for his grandchildren and let the younger ones have a head-start. Basically he just spoiled his grandchildren with a shit ton of dresses. 

May, 1823, Jefferson was on his solitary daily ride when his horse became “mirred in the river” and Jefferson, his legs tangled, fell into the current. His family feared he had drowned as he was carried down stream but he reached a more shallow part of the river and used his hands to get himself out. Again, during this occasion, Jefferson’s arm ended up in a sling. This event made four wrist injuries in his whole life. 

When Lafayette visited America, he paid a visit to Monticello and laid eyes on Thomas Jefferson for the first time in thirty years. They ran at one another in their old age, “My dear Jefferson!” and “My dear Lafayette”. They when proceeded to drink out a shit ton of wine from the cellar. 

Before his death as his final piece of writing he composed a poem for his daughter, Patsy Jefferson. 

[jaygilbert-blog]

COFFEE TALK [with Michael Kauffman]

“I’ve worked in music and technology during my career, largely in sales, marketing, and PR roles. I love to connect artists and companies with fans and customers -- and have been doing that in tech (YouTube on the marketing team and at Google via corporate communications), at start-ups like RightsFlow (a rights management and licensing company acquired by Google), and earlier in my career at labels and distribution companies like UMG, Verve, BMG, and Windham Hill.”

Q: What are a few of your favorite “industry moments?”

I loved spending time on the road with artists earlier in my career. While at Windham Hill in the mid-90’s, I joined Keola Beamer, Ledward Kaapana, and a few other Hawaiian slack key guitar icons on a series of dates up the eastern seaboard. It was one of the first times I spent a lot of time with a band who I had limited prior knowledge about. Pre-internet days. Not only did I fall in love with that music, but I got to introduce the band and crew to PA-breakfast-fave scrapple while eating at the Melrose Diner in Philadelphia. While at Verve, we arranged for the amazingly gifted vocalist Al Jarreau (RIP Al) to host the Music Biz Annual Conference Awards Dinner one year concurrent with his new release. Al arrived in San Antonio with a serious bout of the flu, and we didn’t know whether he’d be able to speak, let alone take the stage. But after a few hours of sweating it out, focused rest, home-brewed tea, and a mind-over-matter attitude, Al took the microphone and blew everyone away with his grace, wit, and charm.

I was fortunate during those years at Verve to work with a top-notch sales team (Tony Pellegrino, Jon Vanhala, Lisa Hopkins, Mark Callaghan, Jeff Lusis, Kim Smith, Missy Iredell), self-branded “The Jazz Pack”. We adopted a song-and-dance approach to many of our sales presentations and had a blast singing-while-selling our releases (I like to say that we were the last of the singin’ sales guys). Flashback to Los Angeles in 2001. The Universal Music and Video Distribution Conference was being held at the Century Plaza Hotel, and we were scheduled, along with all the other UMG labels, to present our upcoming releases to our friends at distribution. Instead of a generic video presentation, we opted to host an awards show called “The Tommy’s” (named for our beloved label Chairman Tommy LiPuma, industry icon, producer, and true music maker) packed with curated categories, spoof videos, and actual live performances highlighting our artists and releases.

The opening song-and-dance number involved us wearing Adidas tear-away track suits worn over tuxedos, doing a bit of choreographed dancing along with a backup crew consisting of the XFL’s LA Xtreme cheerleading squad. It culminated with Tommy himself being led through the curtains of the stage and down to his front-row seat amidst a rousing standing ovation (Tommy’s entrance is ~4:29 in this YouTube videohttps://youtu.be/Y09IwrNHO8Q). Furthermore, there was also an ice sculpture of Tommy, a raucous afterparty, the USC Fighting Trojan Marching Band performing "Tequila", balloons falling from the ceiling, and hundreds of customized Tommy bobbleheads that were presented to all in attendance. I vividly remember Tommy saying to me right before we stepped onto the stage: “Mikey! What's going on here babe?!” Most fun I ever had in a sales presentation. What a cool experience to work with that team and Tommy.

Another highlight happened at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City in early 2014: I spearheaded the music integration at our YouTube on Main Street pop-up experience. It was one of the more stressful planning periods I’ve endured — late nights, intense conversations, negotiations to book acts, and everything in between — but the effort was ultimately rewarded with goose-bump-inducing performances from Damon Albarn (“There’s no way we can fit a string quartet and a large keyboard on that small stage.”), Venus And The Moon (who asked me to rehearse with them in the parking garage), Carina Round, Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion, Sleeping At Last, Matthew Perryman Jones and Kate Tucker (many artists via a Paste partnership — thanks Josh Jackson), and a few roof-raising late-nite DJ sets from Young Guru, Neon Indian, and LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy -- who's agent phoned me on the day of his set to tell me he was stuck in Chicago due to snow. He arrived just in time to walk on the stage and start spinning records! It all came together and was magical. Plus so many other highlights: a post-dinner celebratory “toast” with Cheap Trick in Chicago, dinner in the Sinatra room at Patsy’s in NYC with Jamie Cullum, and of course live experiences like The Subdudes at Tipitina’s in New Orleans.

Q: If you were to make a playlist of the songs that are part of your DNA, the comfort food that you keep coming back to, that never fail to move and inspire you, what would those tracks be?

It would have to be a playlist of playlists… how many songs do I get?

Can I have 20 - 25? I love the Great American Songbook: Frank, Ella, Billie, Dean, Sammy, Tony, Dinah, along with Miles, Coltrane, Bird, Bill Evans, Ben Webster, Basie, and all the jazz masters.   Here's a happy hour playlist assembled by Ken Druker, our head of catalog while I was at Verve. He curated this “Jazz Pack Supertunes” compilation for our crew back in the late 90’s: Frank Sinatra & Count Basie - Come Fly With Me Dean Martin - Ain't That A Kick In The Head Buddy Greco - Around The World Bobby Darin - More Sammy Davis, Jr. - Hey There Jack Jones - You'd Better Love Me Count Basie - All Of Me Frank Sinatra - That's Life Eartha Kitt - C'est Si Bon Tom Jones - It's Not Unusual Perez Prado - Mambo No. 8 Wayne Newton - Danke Shoen Bobby Darin - Hello Dolly Frank Sinatra - Fly Me To The Moon Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme - This Could Be The Start Of Something Big Buddy Greco - She Loves Me Vic Damone - The Song Is You Al Martino - Speak Softly Love Nino Rota - The Godfather Waltz Dean Martin - Return To Me Johnny Mathis - Chances Are Sammy Davis Jr. - I've Gotta Be Me Frank Sinatra - The Way You Look Tonight Marilyn Monroe - Happy Birthday Mr. President (on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/user/michaeljoel/playlist/1mNOucMihzZ38hMLv2ptNB)

Q: Are there any artists that never really made it, that came across your desk, that you wish people could hear and embrace?

Action Figure Party comes immediately to mind (a group spearheaded by Greg Kirsten, founder of Geggy Tah, who over the past decade has become a Grammy-award winning producer of Sia, Beck, Kelly Clarkson, Ellie Goulding, Pink, the Shins, Tegan and Sara, Lily Allen), signed to Verve at the time by Bud Harner, our ultra-cool A&R rep. “Everybody Ready” now playing: https://youtu.be/Xud_KlHlqr0

Q: Who was your mentor? Why? Early in my career in advertising: Jim Coudal, the creative director at Weber, Cohn & Riley gave me a shot as a copywriter and helped me craft a voice for headlines and copy. Chris Balla and Bob Garbarini at BMG (now Sony) who provided the freedom and the guidelines to teach me how to think about music marketing. Pat Berry, my boss at Windham Hill (now running the Six Degrees label), who taught me pretty much everything I know about sales, much of it based on always framing decisions with what’s best for the artist. Also from the Windham Hill timeframe, Dave Morrell, who spearheaded AAA/non-comm promotion at our High Street imprint, is a dear friend and mentor who taught me how to love stories and to leave people with a smile. Dave has been releasing his memoirs — and they are a hoot! Horse-Doggin’: Volume 1 is available here: https://www.amazon.com/Horse-Doggin-Dave-Morrell-Archives-Vol-ebook/dp/B00IZLEFQ6/ref=la_B00LG1S4P0_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491231314&sr=1-1 and 1974 - The Promotion Man - Volume 2 is here: https://www.amazon.com/1974-Promotion-York-Morrell-Archives-ebook/dp/B015YV11M0/ref=la_B00IZQHCE8_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1491231441&sr=1-3. Read up. Plus Bob Schneiders at UMVD taught me the ropes as for retail sales when I started at GRP, and also showed me the importance of connection via common passions solidified with personalized outreach. And the host of other sales and marketing execs who guided me through the years: Ben Kline, Pat Monaco, Bob Anderson, Tony Camardo, Linda Finke, Saul Shapiro, Mike Davis, Cliff O'Sullivan, Mark Flaherty, Marc Zimet, Anthony Ellis, Rob Santos, Nell Mulderry, (can't forget you) Jay Gilbert, the Jazz Pack (Jon, Tony, Lisa, Jeff, Mark)... it takes a village obviously.

Patrick Sullivan (CEO / Co-Founder at RightsFlow) mentored me through his leadership to win against the odds through smart-thinking and a tireless work effort, while Scott Sellwood (our Head of Biz Affairs at RightsFlow, and Publisher Relationships at YouTube) inspired me with his brain, musical abilities, and tenacious commitment to finding common sense solutions. And finally Tommy LiPuma, of course, our Chairman at GRP and Verve, who taught me how to pursue quality in music, art, wine and life. A legendary music leader, visionary and Hall of Fame human being with a legacy of music and joy rooted in the artists, colleagues, employees and millions of ears and hearts that he inspired. A few of use traveled to Cleveland last year to celebrate his 80th. So glad we did. It was a night of stellar performances: Diana Krall, Dr. John, Al Jarreau, Leon Russell (RIP)… followed by the afterparty back at the Ritz-Carlton, drinking amazing wine while listening and laughing into the wee small hours to the many, many stories filling the room. Music biz stories for the ages. Tommy stories. So fortunate and thankful. Smart, passionate, creative mentors who rocked my world.

Q: What’s the best part of your job? Helping and listening (to people and to music). Anytime I can generate a creative conversation with an artist, a company or a colleague, and help them think about their audience and how best to share + super-serve + connect, it’s a good day.

That, and getting together with friends and colleagues for lots of happy hours and live music. Ketel martini, up. Ice cold. Olives.

[blackchristiannation]

LISTEN: Whyte House Family Devotions #324 (04/10/18): "What Is Most Important?" by Billy Graham

https://soundcloud.com/danielwhyteiii/whyte-house-family-devotions-324-041018-what-is-most-important-by-billy-graham

[caption id="attachment_40916" align="alignleft" width="156"] Daniel Whyte III[/caption] My family and I have had morning devotions, or family altar as some people call it, every day ever since my wife, Meriqua, and I were married 30 years ago. We have prayed and read the Bible together as well as other devotional books as a family, and it is the only reason why this family has stayed together, and the only reason why God has blessed our family and used our family in ministry all of these years. We read Ephesians 5 and 6 every morning as it relates to the role of each member of the family and how that we need to put on the whole armor of God to fight against the devil who is seeking to destroy our family and all Christian families, churches, and Christians. So, now after 30 years of doing this in our home, we are opening this up to others who don't have a family to pray with, who don't have a spouse, or who are single by choice, and to encourage all families who are still intact to go back to the family altar and have devotions together every morning. In these devotions, you may hear me deal with a temptation I'm facing in my life, you may hear me rebuke my wife about not doing what she should be doing, or you may hear me get on one of my children's cases about something they're doing. Don't be shocked; this is real life. SING "DOXOLOGY" Praise God from Whom all blessings flow Praise Him, all creatures here below Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost Amen Billy Graham said, “Becoming a Christian takes only a single step; being a Christian means walking with Christ the rest of your life.” ------ PRAY "THE NEW COMMON PRAYER" Almighty and most merciful Father; We have sinned, and strayed from Thy ways like lost sheep. We have followed too much the devices and desires of our own hearts. We have offended against Thy holy laws. We have left undone those things which we ought to have done; And we have done those things which we ought not to have done; And there is no peace and joy in us. But Thou, O Lord, have mercy upon us, miserable offenders. Spare Thou us, O God, who confess our sins, our faults, and our failures. Restore those of us who confess our sins and repent; According to Thy promises declared unto us in Christ Jesus our Lord. And grant, O most merciful Father, for His sake; That we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life. To the glory of Thy holy Name. In Jesus Christ's Name, Amen. ------ EPHESIANS 6:4 And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. So far, we have discussed how fathers may provoke their children to anger by capriciousness, unreasonableness, favoritism, selfishness, criticism without praise, demanding perfection, extremes of over- and under- discipline, and insensitivity. Steven J. Cole writes in his commentary on this passage, “Fathers may provoke their children to anger by not being available. I recently read a heartbreaking letter to Dear Abby from an eleven-year-old girl whose dad spends all his spare time with his friends, but won't do things with her. Children interpret an absent or unavailable father as rejecting them or not loving them. There is no such thing as quality time with your children, apart from quantity time! And when you spend time with your children, they know whether you're doing it because it's your duty, or whether you enjoy spending time with them because you love them. You only have a short window of time when your kids want to spend time with you. A wise father will capitalize on it by spending a lot of time with his children. By the way, if you're too busy for your kids because you're 'serving the Lord' at church, your kids will not grow up to love the church. You can involve them with you as you serve the Lord, but don't neglect them in order to serve the Lord.” ------- PRAYER ------- DEVOTIONAL PASSAGE: Psalm 124:6-8 6 Blessed be the Lord, who hath not given us as a prey to their teeth. 7 Our soul is escaped as a bird out of the snare of the fowlers: the snare is broken, and we are escaped. 8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth. Regarding this passage, Matthew Henry writes: “God is the Author of all our deliverances, and he must have the glory. The enemies lay snares for God's people, to bring them into sin and trouble, and to hold them there. Sometimes they seem to prevail; but in the Lord let us put our trust, and we shall not be put to confusion. The believer will ascribe all the honour of his salvation, to the power, mercy, and truth of God, and look back with wonder and thanksgiving on the way in which the Lord has led him. Let us rejoice that our help for the time to come is in him who made heaven and earth.” --------- PRAYER FOR THE ESTATES 1. Clergy (church) 2. Government 3. People (citizens) 4. The press (media) 5. New media/Online journalists PRAYER FOR CHURCH LEADERSHIP - For all pastors, church leaders, denominational leaders, Bible teachers, missionaries, and ministry workers. GOVERNMENT LEADERS 1 Timothy 2:1-2 says, "I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty." President Donald Trump and his administration Vice President Mike Pence First Lady Melania Trump Second Lady Karen Pence All White House staff including: Director of the Office of Administration Marcia Lee Kelly All leaders of federal agencies including: Small Business Administration Linda McMahon All state governors including: New Mexico Governor Susana Martinez All city mayors including: Belleview, FL, Mayor Christine Dobkowski All members of Congress including: Florida Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz All law enforcement officials including: Belleview, FL, Police Chief Terry Holland All military leaders including: Defense Secretary James Mattis / General Raymond A. Thomas, Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command Leaders of nations around the world including: Mali’s President Ibrahim Keïta and Prime Minister Boubèye Maïga For the peace of Jerusalem PRAYER FOR THE PEOPLE / CITIZENS PRAYER FOR THE MEDIA PRAYER FOR CURRENT EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD - For the comfort of the families of 27 children who were killed when their school bus plunged into a gorge in India - For the comfort of the families of 110 people killed in fighting in Syria over the past few days, and we pray for thee ultimate resolution of the conflict. - For the comfort of the families and community who are grieving over the deaths of 15 Canadian hockey players who were killed in a bus crash as they were traveling to a game. PRAYER REQUESTS Christopher please bless and provide for him, the orphans, his family, and church members; turn all the people in India from idol worship toward You; have millions to be saved through their seminars, crusades and conventions; help them to spread the Gospel effectively Rose please heal her pastor; please heal her of panic attacks and fear; give her peace of mind Justice please provide money for the artificial leg that he needs THOSE WHO HAVE ACCEPTED CHRIST AS SAVIOR Kerry Caro Japhet THOSE WHO HAVE RECOMMITTED THEIR LIVES TO CHRIST Stephen Makaela Wayne DEVOTIONAL READING: “What Is Most Important?,” by Billy Graham 1 Corinthians 15:13,14,20 says, “For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ must still be dead. And if he is still dead, then all our preaching is useless and your trust in God is empty, worthless, hopeless… The fact is that Christ did actually rise from the dead...” I was invited to have coffee one morning with Konrad Adenauer before he retired as the Chancellor of Germany. When I walked in, I expected to meet a tall, stiff, formal man who might even be embarrassed if I brought up the subject of religion. After the greeting, the Chancellor suddenly turned to me and said, “Mr. Graham, what is the most important thing in the world?” Before I could answer, he had answered his own question. He said, “The resurrection of Jesus Christ. If Jesus Christ is alive, then there is hope for the world. If Jesus Christ is in the grave, then I don’t see the slightest glimmer of hope on the horizon.” Then he amazed me by saying that he believed that the resurrection of Christ was one of the best-attested facts of history. He said, “When I leave office, I intend to spend the rest of my life gathering scientific proof of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.” It was the fact of the resurrection of Christ that called the disciples to go out as burning young revolutionaries to change the world of their day. They preached that Christ is alive. This should be our message every day of the year. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Now, if you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior, allow me to show you how you can place your faith and trust in Him for Salvation from sin and Hell. First, accept the fact that you are a sinner, and that you have broken God's law. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: "For the wages of sin is death…" Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." Now that is bad news, but here's the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will. Romans 10:9 & 13 says, "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. I am sorry for my sins, and today I choose to turn from my sins. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. I trust Jesus Christ as my Savior and I choose to follow Him as Lord from this day forward. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen. If you just trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, I declare to you that based upon the Word of God, you are now saved from Hell and you are on your way to Heaven. Welcome to the family of God! I want to congratulate you on doing the most important thing in life and that is receiving Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read "What To Do After You Enter Through the Door". Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, "I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." Until next time, May the Lord Bless You!

Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry. He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University's Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree. He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.

[loveletterstodonald]

March 7 & 8, 2017

March 8, 2017

My dear friend and President, Donald,

Beautiful morning here in Davis. The birds are tweeting. You are, too. I was happy to see you tweeting some nice things about International Women's Day! I still think you'd be better off using a different form of communication, but today's sentiments are laudable.

I understand that you will be visiting with Laurene Powell Jobs this afternoon. I love her organization, The Emerson Collective, especially the work they are doing related to schools. It's about time we rethought the American High School and made the curriculum more relevant, and that's one of the Collective's big efforts. I hope Laurene gets a chance to speak with you about the importance of public school as a place where students from all over a community come together to capitalize on the power of diversity.

Those schools, no matter what kind they are, private or public, depend on the loving labor of women. I'm glad that you are celebrating that labor today and that you will acknowledge the emotional, physical and intellectual effort that go into much of the work that women do, especially teaching and nursing. The women who are staying away from work today want to make the world appreciate those efforts and value them just as highly as the efforts of male workers. I hope you will!

I know that you love the women in your life and encourage their work. So give them a hug and a kiss and a huge dose of gratitude.

Your friend,

Rebecca Ambrose

March 7, 2017

My dear friend and President, Donald,

Another day, another letter. This correspondence campaign keeps me sane. When my friends start talking about you as if you were Satan, I tell them about my efforts to find connection with you. While I disagree with many things you do and am bothered by much of what you say and how you say it, I believe that there is God in you and I will keep looking for it. Besides it's great to practice discipline - to stick to the program even when other desires tempt one to break from it. I encourage you to be more disciplined about your twitter habit. Your tweets are often misguided and I suspect that you regret some of them. Avoid that temptation. You'll be better off.

I hope you enjoy your conversation with Mr. Kenyatta, President of Kenya, today. It seems he is having some trouble with the Doctor's Union. They have been on strike for months and he wants them to get back to work. They are getting ready for an election in August so he probably wants to get this settled so he can be reelected. I would love to go to Kenya. Every Kenyan I've met has been a gracious and gentle soul. Their environment is fascinating. I am eager to see elephants in the wild. If Mr. Kenyatta needs help protecting the environment I hope you will do what you can to help.

Have a good day,

Rebecca Ambrose

[icyandthefrostbites]

Why are you hiding these tags!?!

[ID: A tag that reads: “dear mr president. all of my friends are birds. help.” End ID.]

what do you guys think was in fakir's letter to the president