#gary's writing workshop

[player1064]

for the carraville prompts: jamie’s pov of your fic it’s just not what’s done, and him doing/saying increasingly gay things that fluster gary who thought he’d never have a chance with the straight boy

honestly I could write a full length fic of this I LOVE this idea but I am exercising restraint (read: i am too sleepy to keep writing but want to post it anyway) and cutting it off at 1.3k words. Jamie is so so annoying in this god bless xx

---

1996.

There’s a weird buzz in the air when Jamie arrives at Melwood in the morning, and not the usual frustration he’d expect the morning after the first team have lost a game. Everyone’s grouped in little huddles, hushed whispers that cut out when anyone else walks by, but the weirdest part by far is that everyone is holding a fucking newspaper.

He walks into the apprentice’s dressing room and snatches a paper out of one of the other lads’ hands. He turns straight to the back page, but there’s nothing particularly noteworthy there – United won the league, big fucking whoop – so he frowns and flips the paper back to the front page.

Jamie would normally dismiss anything The Sun prints as garbage, but a quick glance around the dressing room shows a few other papers scattered around, all with similar headlines. All with the same photo, printed to take up most of the page, full colour even on a weekday.

The Sun’s headline is not a particularly creative one, but is does get the point across quite succinctly: there, right above the grainy, dimly lit photograph, are the words GAY NEVILLE?

“Oh my fucking God,” he hears Michael whisper from behind him.

Gary Neville, right-back, Jamie’s brain helpfully supplies. Manchester United, 21 years old and already eight caps for England.

His next thought is: what a fucking idiot.

He doesn’t give a shit about the gay thing, not really – he did spend two years at boarding school, he knows what some of the boys got up to there. No, his issue is more that United have just won the league, and everyone knows in a few days they’ll be getting the double when they win the FA cup too. 21 years old, a starter for a team that’s about to make footballing history, a spot in the squad for this summer’s Euros, and the stupid prick’s just thrown it all away because he felt like getting off with someone at a club where anyone could see him.

Maybe he should ask his coaches about practicing in right-back. He has a funny feeling a spot’s about to open up on the England team.

 *

2004.

“Not so brave now that yer boyfriend’s fucked off to Spain, are ye?”

Neville gives him a disinterested look from across the tunnel.

“Not my boyfriend,” he says flatly, rolling his eyes like he’s recited that line a thousand times before.

He probably has, actually. Jamie needs to come up with better insults, something more original. He’ll workshop some for next time.

Still, better to dig in on this one. “No, I s’pose he’s not now that he’s traded you in fer better things. Yer not exactly a Galactico.”

Neville’s expression is still blank but there’s a hint of fire behind his eyes, which tells Jamie that he’s on the right track, that if he pushes just a little bit more he’ll be able to tip him over the edge.

He sees Keane step out from his place at the front of the line, turn to Neville and mutter “d’you need me to –”

“Couldn’t give a fuck, he’s not worth worryin’ over,” Neville replies, raising an eyebrow with a smirk.

There’s no time to say anything back, because the referee walks to the front of the tunnel and then it’s time to go start the game.

*

2006.

“How’s it work, then?”

Neville looks up from the bowl of Weetabix he’d been intently focused on and glances around the room, like he doesn’t believe it’s him Jamie’s talking to.

He shrugs. “How’s what work?”

“The gay thing. Did yous get to bring a WAG over too, or is that only for the normal lads?”

“Wouldn’t be a WAG, would it?” Neville mutters snobbishly.

He’s right, Jamie supposes. But that’s obviously not something he can admit, so he decides to lean in to the ‘stupid Scouser’ bit. “Why not?”

Neville squints at him suspiciously. “’cause he wouldn’t be a wife or girlfriend, would he?” He clears his throat, looks back down at his bowl. “If he existed, that is. Only brought my dad over for this tournament, does that answer your question?”

“Hmm,” Jamie says, ignoring the obvious cue to leave and taking a seat opposite Neville instead. “What would they call ‘im, if you weren’t a sad lonely old spinster… husbands and boyfriends… HABs? Doesn’t ‘ave quite the same ring to it, does it?”

*

2013.

“Why’d you never get married?”

Neville – Gary – looks up from his iPad to give Jamie his familiar ‘I can’t tell if you’re having me on or if you’re actually just stupid’ squint. “’s only been legal a few months, give us a break.”

“Civil partnered then, whatever. I don’t get it. You’re rich, you were a footballer. I know you’re ugly but looks don’t really factor into it, if your brother’s marriage is anythin’ to go by.”

Gary scowls at him. “Different measures of attractive when you’re gay. I’ll ‘ave you know men find me quite good looking, actually.”

“Do they fuck,” Jamie snorts, because he’s willing to bet that there isn’t a single man on Earth, gay or otherwise, who finds Gary Neville in his current state attractive. Maybe in his playing days, when he was all lean muscle and intense glares, but not now. “They’re just queuin’ up to get a piece a’yous, are they?”

“Maybe they are. Not that it’s any of your business, but I actually ‘ave a date tonight.”

“And that’s after he’s had a look at you?”

*

2015.

“Don’t go.”

Gary looks exhausted, pale skin and dark shadows under his eyes. His hair needs a trim, his stubble needs a shave, and he needs to not move to fucking Spain.

“Don’t look so stroppy, Carra. You’re about to become Sky’s number one pundit.”

“Don’t want it. C’mon, Gaz, what’m I gonna do for my Monday mornin’ entertainment without tales of your endless bad dates.”

“Most people just read the news.”

 “What’re you gonna do, you’re bad enough at pullin’ as it is without a language barrier makin’ things harder. It’s like you want to spend the next five months celibate.”

“Yer awfully concerned about my personal life, James, for someone who not two weeks ago was tellin’ me that I needed to, and I quote, ‘spend less time thinkin’ about fit men and more on thinkin’ about fit footballers instead.’”

“And I stand by that.”

*

2016.

Jamie’s changing out of his gym clothes when his conversation with Gary earlier in the week echoes in his mind, the dreamy way Gary had said his arms…

The guy probably doesn’t even train as much as Jamie does, probably just exaggerates because for some reason he’s trying to impress Gary. As if Gary is someone you’d want to impress.

He stands in front of the changing room’s mirror and flexes his bicep, notes with pride the bulging vein that leads up from his elbow. It’s a shame, really, that he has to wear suits when he’s on Sky. He’s sure viewing figures would go up if he was allowed to wear something a little more form fitting, maybe he should pitch it to the wardrobe people.

Gary would probably have a fit, his tends to get in a tizz at the suggestion of any change to the strict set of rules he’s got in his head. Jamie had once tried to wear his suit without a tie (because he’d spilled coffee on the one he’d brought, not that he’d told Gary that), and Gary had screeched at him for a good half an hour about professionalism until he relented and went to wardrobe to find a spare tie he could use.

Imagine if he wore a t-shirt. Gary’s head would probably explode.

All the more reason to do it, really.

[mthollowell-writes]

Writer Q&A Tag Game

Thanks again to @digital-chance for the tag! You can find their original post here!

1)What motivates you to write?

My own ego (I kid...sorta).

I love creating worlds and giving life to the various voices inside my head. I love teasing out ideas and constructing (too) intricate plots and scenarios. Writing is my escape from the daily grind (for good and bad) and my main outlet for expression. I honestly wouldn't be me without my writing.

2) A line/short snippet of your writing that you are most proud/happy of. If not maybe share a line of someone else's work you love (just please credit them)

I'll share something from a short story currently on ice until I get around to editing it. It's tentatively called "Cosmic Self-Serve"

Unfathomable eldritch horrors weren’t on my Tuesday night bingo card but it takes all types to keep a gas station in the black. I took another pack of gum from the rack and popped a stick in my mouth, praying for brain freeze. Cool mint took over my senses and I felt like a person again. Gary won’t be happy with my lack of respect for “stock integrity” but that’s why our corporate gods gave us shrink. Also Gary’s an asshole so screw Gary.

3) Which OC makes you smile every time you think/talk about them and what are they like?

I'm going to have to give this to September from my Festival Project WIP. He's such a mess of a character despite his best efforts to keep it together. He has a pretty lengthy backstory for "reasons that drift a smidge into spoiler territory." On the surface, he's calm and collected and can weather any storm with clear head, but that comes from a long history of battling demons (both real and internal). He currently puts these talents towards being the Editor in Chief at his newspaper office.

4) What process of writing do you enjoy the most?

The initial brainstorming and outlining stage. I love plotting out stories free from the expectation of making the words sound pretty. I do still enjoy making the words pretty but sometimes I stall getting too caught up in that.

5) What part of writing do you think you are the best at? (Yes stroke your own ego it's okay)

The dialogue, though I will be the first to admit that I can get carried away with it. I also credit myself as a very meticulous plotter, in the actual plot and with character backstories. I've been told that my shorter stories tend to subvert expectation and go in unexpected places (but this too has its pitfalls as my earlier writing has been labelled as confusing by certain peers in writing workshops).

Even when I'm trying to stroke my ego, I keep offering caveats.

6) What is something in the writeblr community is most enjoyable?

Honestly, how supportive everyone is! We're always trying to build each other up and the discussions I see on my feed where people excitedly talk about their stories and OCs remind me why writing is so much fun. And the games, of course. My god, these games! I love them!

7) A writing tool/device you use that helps you with writing? (It could be speech to text, a writing program etc)

I recently took the plunge and bought Scrivener and I'm liking it so far. It's a bit of a learning curve with all the features you can play with, but I love how you can organize stories and bookmark things within each text section for referencing. Best of all, (and as far as I'm aware) you only have to pay once for it (unlike some other subscription based programs). With that being said, I do love Microsoft Word for smaller projects and its backup feature.

I also use a timer on my computer (I have Windows so there's a clock app that you can adjust). On days that I'm really struggling to motivate myself, dividing my time into smaller increments can get me through the slog.

8) A piece of worldbuilding that you like in your own story? (It could be the magic system, a particular place in the story, a law etc)

Egad, what a broad question! I have to think about that for a second...

There's a unique Protestant-inspired church branch within Hollow Grove that's known as the Edelhaus Coalition Church. It's also uniquely American, whose foundation is the old Puritan work ethic that emphasizes hard work as a core tenet that guarantees a path to heaven.

Where it diverges is its belief in The Founder and the concept of The Faithful. The Faithful are the true believers that have gained immense favor with God through their hard work and aptitude. As evidence of his favor, he gives The Faithful powers over nature. The Founder (who many believe was the original historical founder of the town, Goodwin Hollow) was the first Faithful and every Festival of Shadows, the evidence of his will is seen in the resurrection of the recently deceased every festival year. This holiday is celebrated by all in the Edelhaus Coalition church for this reason. It's also why many acolytes within the church opt for natural burial for a chance to walk the earth again.

There's more to it but in the spirit of brevity, that's all I'll say for now.

9) What piece of advice would you say to encourage others to write if they are having a rough patch?

I'll say it again, write what you love. There's no point in writing something you don't.

I also want to emphasize the importance of breaks. Sometimes if the words aren't flowing (or there's just so much going in your life), never feel ashamed of putting the pen down and coming back to a story later. The time away can offer fresh perspective. It can divert your attention to something else that you're equally passionate about. I sometimes like to procrastinate on one story with another. If I can't write at all, sometimes reading or watching something can inspire you.

10) Tag some people whose works you love/have been your biggest supporters

I'm truly inspired by reading the snippets of stories from @digital-chance (that's two mentions now!) @rmgrey-author @palebdot @tabswrites @writingbyricochet and @fatexweaver. I appreciate the support and interactions I've had with @vintagecivet @macabremoons @friendlyshaped @aestatismors @leisoree @words-after-midnight @axl-ul @nai-nty-8 and @nonsenseramble. Seriously, you all rock and I appreciate all of you!

I'm going to go ahead and gently tag all these beautiful folks listed above as well as some newer mutuals who I hope to get to know more @girlfromthecrypt @elhuei @isherwoodj @poemsbymo @robin-writes-a-lot and anyone who would like to participate!

[arufikalam]

-MENEMUKAN DIRI 2-

Semua berubah saat negara api menyerang. Tapi ini bukan tentang Avatar, the legend of Aang. Bukan.

Ini tentang menulis fiksi yang ternyata tak semudah yang di bayangkan. Mulai dari mengolah ide cerita menjadi premis sederhana yang dapat menerangkan isi cerita secara keseluruhan. Menentukan tokoh dan penokohan yang harus tampak nyata. Berlanjut juga dengan alur dan plot serta konflik yang terjadi dalam cerita, yang mungkin bisa divisualisasikan kelak oleh pembaca. Dan kesemuanya itu butuh RISET. Setelah riset dilakukan, unsur-unsur cerita diperoleh, barulah menyusun outline. Outline ini yang nantinya berfungsi sebagai pemandu, supaya cerita tetap berada di garis edarnya.

Tidak berhenti disana, ketika bercerita pun, perlu memperhatikan diksi, rima, majas dan segala rupa, supaya tulisan menjadi nikmat ketika dibaca. Apakah kamu mulai mengira-ngira bahwa semuanya memusingkan? Memang begitu yang kurasakan. Tapi Mas @kurniawangunadi pernah memberikan wejangan yang menakjubkan, katanya,"Menulislah untuk memulai menulis, apapun itu. Nanti cerita akan terbentuk dengan sendirinya." Aku yang sangat awam ini, hanya bisa mengikuti sarannya. Baiklah, ku nomor sekiankan teori-teori itu, yang penting memulai dulu, pikirku.

Aku terpantik untuk memulainya dengan mengerjakan tugas-tugas selama enam pekan. Awal mula hanya ditentukan tema, makin kebelakang makin kompleks saja. Ibarat langkah sudah terseok-seok, tersandung, terjerembab pula tiada hentinya. Tapi hal itu justru mengajariku banyak sekali hal baru yang tidak hanya sekedar teori kepenulisan semata.

Siapa sangka, secara autodidak, aku akhirnya belajar meriset hal-hal apa saja yang sekiranya dekat dengan keseharian, belajar tentang diksi dan memperkaya padanan kata untuk membuat tulisan menjadi menawan. Kemudian, belajar patuh menulis sesuai dengan outline yang sudah dibuat, mengasah kepekaan dan kepercayaan diri untuk bisa mempublikasikan tulisan yang menurutku itu bagian tersulitnya.

Hal yang tak kalah penting lainnya yang aku pelajari dari Workshop Writing&Publishing ini adalah meluaskan jejaring sosial dan pertemanan, memperbanyak opsi bacaan dari karya teman-teman, dan manajemen waktu, antara menulis, bekerja dan melakukan hal lainnya.

Jadi bisa dibayangkan bukan bagaimana jadi aku dan teman-teman peserta yang lain? Sudah tentu pusing tujuh keliling, tapi pasti menyenangkan dan melegakan perasaan. Tidak percaya? Coba tanya saja pada mereka.

Terima kasih @careerclass @bentangpustaka-blog

[end]

[myinternshipjourneymroyal]

Entry 6: Career aspirations including goal setting

When thinking about my future career aspirations and goals, there are a few objectives that are in my sight. I would like to become involved in a communications role, overseeing social media, public relations, and customer engagement. I enjoy interacting with people, and am a social person, so I believe that I will thrive in a role like this. This is also similar to my current volunteer role at the Bentleigh Football Netball Club, where I am the social media and communications coordinator. I have enjoyed my time in this role and aim to fulfill a similar role at a professional organisation in a full-time capacity. The enjoyment I have more communications has also led me to enjoy the marketing aspect of media, and I would like to gain professional marketing experience to support my knowledge.

I also have digital content creation and design in my future plans. At my internship at DSR, I thrived in the creative tasks where I was creating and designing graphics and images, and editing the videos for the organisation’s media platforms. Because of this, I have gained confidence in this area, and it is something I developed a deep passion for. DSR allowed me to develop my skills and apply them in a professional, time-pressured environment. Following the conclusion of my internship with DSR, I am now doing freelance work for them in digital content creation and design. This has led me to the idea of possibly starting my own business in the near future.

After working with the Skills and Jobs Centre at Holmesglen, I have now built a strong resume to begin my career. After building on the existing resume that I had, I was able to expand and add detail to better reflect my skills, achievements, and my aspirations. This was an important step for me, as my resume had not been updated in a few years and was updated to reflect my current abilities.

My resume. (Royal, 2023).

Through these workshops, we learnt that a resume should only be two to three pages long (Gary, 2023), and should be customised and targeted to each position (Kellie, 2023; Welton & Moody, 2023). Using key words (Welton & Moody, 2023) and having important, relevant information at the top is also essential, as this can increase the chances of progressing to the interview stage of the application (Gary, 2023). Including a statement is also a necessary section (Kellie, 2023), which is something I did not have on my resume before. My resume, interviewing skills and career objectives have been developed and I feel ready to begin applying for relative positions.

References:

Gary, A. (2023). Résumé-Writing for Success. Nursing (Jenkintown, Pa.), 53(9), 43–46. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NURSE.0000942852.47041.25

Kellie, H. (2023, December 8). How to make a resume in 2024. My Perfect Resume. https://www.myperfectresume.com/career-center/resumes/how-to/write

Royal, M. (2023). My resume [image].

Welton, R., & Moody, L. (2023). CE: How to Write an Effective Résumé. The American Journal of Nursing, 123(4), 34–45. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.NAJ.0000925500.62874.39

[asfearlessasamango]

1, 5, 9, 10, and 30?

what is the best book you have ever read?

this is sooo hard >:( on the basis of pure storytelling craft, I think a visit from the goon squad by jennifer egan is seriously up there.

5. what book do you think everyone should read?

the fire next time by james baldwin-- critical, prescient, and very clear-eyed about race in the US

9. do you have a favorite author?

I don't have one favorite! I don't think anyone can have one favorite. But since I already mentioned baldwin and egan, who are seriously both very good, I'll add toni morrison, joan didion, f scott fitzgerald, patricia lockwood, and honorable, mandatory millennial lit mention to sally rooney.

10. what book are you reading right now?

*inhales*

One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston-- cutesy lesbian romance. Yk that name because she also wrote red, white, and royal blue. On pause from summer, but I'm determined to finish it soon

The Mirage Factory by Gary Krist-- a history of LA's founding through the lens of 3 influential figures. Same situation as above. I will finish this and find closure, I am determined

Writing on The Margins by David Bartholomae-- picked this old thing up at a library sale and am perusing it to inform my TA workshops

Frog by Mo Yan-- for my world lit class. I recommend it

No Plot? No Problem: A low stress, high velocity guide to writing a novel in 30 days by Chris Baty-- for my novel writing class.

Who Says? Point of view in fiction by Lisa Zeidner-- supplementing my novel writing class readings with this one in my free time

I Like To Watch: Arguing my way through the TV revolution by Emily Nussbuam-- a Pulitzer-prize TV critic's essay book. I got it to give to my little brother on his bday and I am rushing to read all of it beforehand

The I Love Trader Joe's College Cookbook-- also a rush read before I give it to my brother, lmao. It's probably the first cookbook where I feel able to make all of the recipes and inspired to make about 10 of them, so 5 stars

And finally, I'm about to begin Virology: Essays for the living, the dead, and the small things in between by Joseph Osmundson-- a reading for the class I'm TAing. He's a gay leading microbiologist, and the book is about viruses like COVID and AIDS and their impact on our social and political systems. I recommend!

so yeah, that's... nine books. send help

30. is there a book that changed your life?

Looking back on my formative influences, The Core of The Sun by Johanna Siinslao was definitely a big one. It's this finnish author's misogynist dystopia, and i don't want to make it sound like a ripoff of the handmaid's tale but it's definitely very similar! I got it in like 8th grade bc it looked cool and read and re-read it, so it definitely had a major influence on the way 13-16yo me was thinking about gender, sexism, and feminism. can't imagine what i'd discover about myself if I reread it lol

book asks!

[highaltitudedude]

Beyond Listening: How Playing and Creating Music Boosts Mental Health by Gary Dranow

We've all had those moments where a song comes on, and we're immediately transported to another time, place, or emotion. While listening to music is a therapeutic experience in itself, the act of creating music takes this experience to another dimension. From strumming a guitar to writing heartfelt lyrics, the journey of music-making can be a profound tool for mental well-being.

1. Active Expression Over Passive Absorption

Listening to a song allows us to resonate with the emotions it conveys. But when we pick up an instrument or pen down lyrics, we become the storytellers. This active expression can serve as an outlet for bottled-up emotions, frustrations, or even joys, providing relief and clarity.

2. The Rhythmic Reprieve

Playing an instrument or singing demands focus. For those fleeting moments, the world's chaos takes a backseat, and all that matters is the rhythm, the notes, and the melody. It's a form of meditation where one can lose oneself and find oneself, all at once.

3. Building Self-esteem and Confidence

Mastering a musical piece, hitting that high note perfectly, or writing a song that resonates with others can be a tremendous confidence booster. The sense of accomplishment in these moments reminds us of our capabilities and potential.

4. Physical Benefits

Engaging with instruments, especially percussion or wind instruments, can be quite the workout! From enhanced lung capacity due to deep breathing to improved hand-eye coordination, the physical benefits are manifold. And as we know, a healthy body often leads to a healthier mind.

5. Social Connectivity

Joining a band, choir, or even attending music workshops can forge connections with like-minded individuals. This sense of community and belonging can be especially therapeutic for those feeling isolated or seeking a shared experience.

6. The Cathartic Release of Songwriting

Songwriting is akin to journaling but with an added melodic touch. It provides a safe space to confront and process complex emotions. And sometimes, articulating feelings through lyrics can lead to better understanding and acceptance of one's self.

Conclusion: A Symphony of Self

Engaging with music goes beyond mere enjoyment. It's a journey of self-discovery, healing, and growth. Whether you're an expert or a newbie, the world of music creation is vast and welcoming. So, pick up that instrument, voice out that tune, or jot down those lyrics. Your mind will thank you for it.

In harmony with the soul's melodies,

Gary Dranow.

[vickiabelson]

What a glorious reunion with the brilliantly talented prolific songstress, Harriet Schock, who wrote the Grammy-nominated #1 hit, Ain't No Way To Treat A Lady, and her stunningly talented, vocal accomplice, Andrea Ross-Green. It was thrilling to hear them again in perfect harmony with new songs from Harriet’s upcoming album, Paintings (the title track she treated us to is an absolute killer), as well as the mash-up of her Ain’t No Way to Treat A Lady and One Time Lover. We were also treated to my request, Over and Over, one of my all-time favorite Schock classics, and My Now, a new tune from her soon to drop, Paintings. 

We went back to Dallas, her musician doctor father who encouraged her with all his heart, coming to LA, the heartbreak that inspired that #1 hit, being covered by The Partridge Family, Helen Reddy, Manfred Man, Johnny Mathis, Smokey Robinson, Roberta Flack, to name just some, her films with Henry Jaglom, ongoing songwriting workshops which attract the creme de l creme in LA and now with Zoom, from around the world. Harriet’s system she maintains is full-proof. Her scores of talented, thriving students offer proof. Come in with nothing, leave with a song. A well-crafted, good one at that, whether you’re a seasoned pro or a beginner. Interested?  Contact Harriet at HarrietSchock@gmail.com

In addition to Harriet’s new album, there’s an upcoming show at The Coffee Gallery, A Lifetime Achievement Award, Gary Lynn Floyd’s new album, Present Schock: The Songs of Harriet Schock, and Tom Solari’s documentary, Hollywood Town, The Harriet Schock Story. I’m exhausted typing it. 

I adore this woman and her music. Harriet and I appeared in Henry's The M Word and spent countless Tuesdays over the last decade sharing creative adventures and miracles at Women Who Write, where Harriet also performed at least a half dozen times. It was fantastic to catch up with this treasured friend and be treated to her magnificent music. Ditto Andrea! 

Harriet Schock Live on Game Changers with Vicki Abelson

Wed, February 22nd, 5 pm PT, 8 pm ET

Streamed Live on The Facebook

Replay here:

[prismaticstreams]

The nine love languages of NFs, empaths and HSPs

I’ve been thinking more about the five love languages model recently, and decided I wanted to do my own blog post elaborating and adding four extra love languages that many NFs, empaths and HSPs would relate to – creative expression, personal growth, humour and spiritual practices. As well as that, I wanted to add more nuance to the original five love languages popularised by Gary Chapman.

There is a great deal of overlap between the different love languages, and many activities could fit into more than one category. For instance, creating an artwork for someone could be a gift but also a form of creative expression. Cuddling with a partner could be a form of sensual touch as well as quality time. A handwritten letter involves words but also is a gift.

Creative expression:

Personal artistic expression (writing poetry, composing a song/music piece, or creating a visual artwork for someone)

Sharing other’s people’s music or creative works (making a playlist or mix tape for someone, sending them a song that’s very meaningful to you)

Collaborating on a creative project together (being part of a band or choir together, creating a collaborative visual artwork, writing a play with someone)

Religious and spiritual practices:

Praying with or for someone, meditating together, singing or chanting with another person

Participating in private ceremonies or rituals together (celebrating Sabbath with a partner and/or family, pagan seasonal celebrations)

Attending group or public spiritual/religious services or events with another person (going to a meditation group together, attending a church/temple/synagogue service)

Personal growth and healing:

Going to therapy, individually and together (this could include coaching, mentoring and couples therapy)

Attending a personal growth or relationship workshop together

Reading a book, watching a talk or listening to a podcast together and discussing what you are learning

Supporting one another to do inner healing work

Humour and laughter:

Telling jokes to make someone laugh, teasing, flirty banter

Sending funny memes, photos, songs or videos

Creating shared in-jokes or giving each other silly nicknames

Watching something comedic together

Original Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman:

Words and communication:

Words of affirmation (compliments, encouraging words)

Frequent texting/check ins (asking “how are you?” regularly, good morning and goodnight texts)

Handwritten letters and cards

Sharing quotes/articles with someone (usually online but could also include printing an article and sharing with with a friend, lending them a book of interest)

Gifts and financial provision:

Practical gifts (buying someone kitchenware when they move out of home for the first time)

Handmade or sentimental gifts (handmade cards, personalised scrapbooks)

Buying an experience with someone (a holiday/vacation, a hot air balloon ride, etc)

Giving money and financial support

Acts of service:

Helping people with things they need, e.g. assisting someone with illness or disability

Doing acts of service to make someone’s life easier, that are not necessary but a nice bonus (cooking for someone who is healthy and able)

One off favours or help (bringing a meal after someone has an accident)

Ongoing and regular support (driving someone to appointments on a weekly basis)

Quality time:

Spending time together in silence (being the same room doing different things, cuddling in silence)

Quality conversation (listening, asking questions, being emotionally vulnerable)

Doing enjoyable activities together (attending to a concert together, going out for a meal, playing sport with someone)

Physical touch:

Platonic affection (hugs, pats on the shoulder/arm, kisses on the cheek)

Sensual touch (non-sexual cuddles, massage, gentle caressing)

Sexual intimacy (making out, or activities involving genitals/breasts/bottom and sexual arousal)

What love languages are most important to you? Do you prefer giving and receiving in different ways? Do you prefer different love languages with friends or family versus romantic partners? Please share in the comments!

[hardlyfatal]

gary’s writing workshop: lesson 6: point of view, part 2

aka: POVs/Subplots Are My OTP

To discuss the connection between POVs and subplots, first we must revisit the topics of plot structure, flow, continuity, purpose, and readability.

Subplots add complexity and depth to a story.

They give the writer the opportunity to show another aspect of the main character’s personality, how people can wear multiple hats in their lives. Brienne is a fearsome warrior, but she’s also sensitive and gentle. Jaime is a snarkmaster deluxe, but he’s also a huge romantic and secret chivalric hero.

Unless you can find a main plot that somehow showcases all of the above at once – not easy – you need to add a subplot or two in order to provide opportunities to display all the facets of their personalities, not just the ones that are used in the main plot. If you don’t, you run the risk of a story that feels monotonous and characters that feel flat.

Likewise, when a story gains the complexity of subplots, it can start to feel unrealistic, too busy, or even claustrophobic when everything is from a single character’s POV. She’s everywhere at once, has a finger in every pie and no time off. My recommendation is that no main character should be the POV of more than two plots. If your story has more than two plots, it might be best to have the third one related by another character, to permit some fresh air into the narrative.

In the Plot Structuring lesson, we discussed how scenes need to have a purpose: they must connect the prior scenes to the next, and push the plot forward in a substantive way. They need to make sense within the timeline, in forming one in a series of steps from the story’s start to its finish. Similarly, scenes need to make sense regarding whose POV they are placed in.

Who Should Get a POV?

Choosing who gets a POV in a story is a very big and important decision, because they are the character(s) who the story will be filtered through. Their thoughts and feelings and motivations will be visible to us in ways they will not be to the other characters.

The strength of narration tends to become weakened with each character added, because the reader becomes used to one person’s headspace, and then you’re shoving them into someone else. And many writers get so invested in the ratio of POV trade-off1 that the plot’s needs are ignored in order to follow this pattern. Instead of carrying through with the momentum created from the prior chapter, “It’s a Jaime chapter!” they exclaim, and so they switch to him even though they really should be sticking with Brienne, etc.

In other words, there should be a point to why we’re in another person all of a sudden, and that point should not be “It’s easier to describe this scene from the other characters’s POV”. POVs should belong to characters who are either primary in the main plot, or primary in their own subplot. In a romance, that would probably be two people: both halves of the romantic couple. In non-romantic plots or sub-plots, whoever are primary2 characters in them might have the POV.

If you do choose to have multiple POVs in a story, it shouldn’t just be for a single scene or chapter – POVs should not be squandered, as they’re more integral to the flow and continuity of a story than many people think. Shoehorning in a new POV for only one chapter can be a Chekhov’s Gun; if there’s no future to the person having their own POV, if there won’t be follow-through later on, it weakens the story. The reader is left wondering why we’ve been granted access to the new POV character’s head, only to never visit it again.

Exceptions: Sometimes at the beginning or end of a story, an alternate POV can serve as a quasi-omniscient POV, serving to provide information that the main characters have no access to but with a more personal touch, thanks to the character’s limited POV. I’ve done this twice, and looking back, I’m not sure I’d do it again, because in hindsight it feels like one of them is a Chekhov’s Gun and the other is a Deux Ex Machina.

Questions to ask yourself when deciding whether or not to add another POV to a story:

What inner voice/narrative/introspection is so important for the reader to witness that it justifies adding another POV to the story?

What inner voice/narrative/introspection is so important for the reader to witness that it justifies adding another POV to the story?

Will the story lose something if you don’t have access to the other character’s POV?

Is suspense an integral part of your story? If so, this is an especially important decision, because including other POVs can kill the mystery you need to maintain. OR will the suspense be enhanced because switching to another POV means that the cliffhanger you left the previous chapter on will be permitted to ripen?

If the conclusion you draw to these is that yes, adding another POV to the story will be a good idea, then go for it.

Headhopping

Headhopping is frequent switching of POV from one character to the next. How you define ‘frequent’ is subjective; IMO, more than twice a chapter is too much. Unless there’s a damned good reason for it – i.e. there are multiple strong and important subplots that take place in different locations3 – it’s best to limit the number of narrating characters to the minimum required to write a good story, without dumping in superfluous POV just ‘cuz.

Otherwise, you run the risk of the story feeling chaotic and disorganized to the reader: who’s the main character? Who are we supposed to identify with? Oh, we’re back to the first guy now? Who’s next? If your reader is questioning what’s going on, you’ve killed your readability4.

Having many characters as focal points can prevent the reader from making a connection with them, with the result that they become acquainted but don’t really get to know and identify with any, and thus they don’t become too emotionally invested, losing the compulsion to keep reading. Worse, they might take a disliking to a character and skip chapters featuring him/her5.

Pantser alert: I find that people who don’t plan out their plots, and whose POV each chapter will be written in, ahead of time end up being headhoppers. They’re just writing the story as it occurs to them, one chapter at a time, and when they hit a snag, or can’t figure out how to describe something they want to show, they hit on switching POVs as the solution instead of restructuring.

This tends to result in not only a weaker narrative but also weak characterization in the new additions, since little to no thought was put into it and there’s little actual function the new POV provides besides fixing the corner the author wrote themselves into.

If you want to reveal an event occurring without the main character(s) being present, instead of introducing yet another character6, maybe try to restructure the plot instead; can it be captured on video that the character can see later? Featured on the news/in the paper? Recounted by another character who was there? If the character is perceptive/deductive/good at drawing conclusions, perhaps include hints and signs of what occurred and have them figure it out on their own?

Bottom line: Including more than two characters without compromising the flow of the narrative and without becoming chaotic is possible, of course. It’s just not as easy as many people think it is and often can lead to a weak story. Be critical and selective when you choose to add another POV to your story, and see if there are alternatives, first.

How Many Is Too Many?

There’s no law stating how many – or how few – POVs you are allowed to have. However, a general rule of thumb is that the shorter the story, the fewer subplots (and thus, the fewer POVs) your story should have. More POVs = more complexity, and shorter stories just don’t have the length needed to do each of them justice. You need time to develop a character’s inner voice, and it’s just not possible7 with fewer than ~5,000 words per POV.

Here’s a rough idea of how long various types of stories are, and a recommended maximum number of POVs in each.

Drabble: 250 – 1,000 words. One POV, one plot.

Short story: 1,000 – 10,000. One POV, one plot.

Novelette: 10,000 – 30,000. Up to two POVs, max of two plots if done carefully, otherwise one plot.

Novella: 30,000 – 60,000. One or two POVs, at least two plots.

Novel: 60,000 – 80,000. At least two POVs, at least two plots and max of three plots.

Super Novel: 80,000 – 100,000. At least two POVs, at least two plots and max of four plots.

Epic: 100,000+. At least two POVs, at least three plots.

Switching POVs

Making your way, as a writer, from one character’s POV to another can be done in two ways: a hard, clear break, such as beginning a new chapter or inserting a scene break; and a gradual, smooth transition in the middle of the narrative.

I used to use the latter, and you can see it frequently in my Bleach fic, Become A Ghost. I have come to feel that it weakens the narrative because when you a read a scene, you become accustomed and settle into the mindset of one character… and then sliiiiiide into another’s, and it causes a moment of realization that you’re now in the head of someone else.

It’s not hugely objectionable, but I think it does compromise the readability of the story, and thus I’ve come to eliminate it. My stories now only feature hard POV switches, or don’t switch at all, remaining in a single character’s POV the entire time.

Deep POV

Deep POV is a narrative technique that works to eliminate the distance between the reader and the POV character. There is no headhopping, no visible narrator, and as few marks of authorship as possible. Its purpose is to coax the reader to submerge themselves in the character’s perspective and ‘become one’ with the character as much as possible.

Marks of authorship are things like filter words, dialogue tags8, and any wording that would be unnatural to a character’s narrative. To write with Deep POV, you have to commit to limiting the character’s knowledge to only what they’d personally be aware of.

The first Jaime POV scene in Desperado is a decent example of Deep POV because it’s very introspective and mostly avoids these characteristics. Some still exist, however, so I’ve revised instances of them to be more in line with a deep POV. 

Depending on word choice, it can be as purple9 as you want… or not. Just tone it down, if you have concerns about things becoming too overwrought.

Footnotes

1 1:1, 2:2, etc. i.e. a chapter featuring one main character, then a chapter with the other main character, then the first again, back and forth, etc.

2 This doesn’t mean “anyone who has any involvement whatsoever in the sub-plot”, just those to whom it pertains critically.

3 For example, in the A Song of Ice and Fire series of books, Jon’s at the Wall, Sansa’s in King’s Landing, Daenerys is in Essos, Brienne and Jaime are fucking about in the Riverlands, Sandor and Arya are fucking about in the Vale, Bran is prancing about the North, Tyrion is all over the damned place, etc.

4 Readability being defined, as mentioned in prior lessons, as how effortlessly a reader can become immersed in a story and move without interruption through it. Readability means there are the fewest number possible of things that can snag the reader’s attention, confuse them, or otherwise drag them back out of the story to the real world. Our goal as writers is to infuse our work with as much effortless readability as possible.

5 As someone who has been told many times that readers are skipping chapters in one story because they feature characters or pairings they don’t like, it’s really fucking annoying. You work so hard to create a complex story, build people and relationships, and weave the plot and subplots through it all in a way that’s at least marginally coherent, and you get “LOL I just haaaaate this character, I don’t read those chapters!” and “Gawd, these other characters bore me, I skip those! Tee hee!”. Well, fuck you very much.

6 Especially if you’ll only be using them for a single scene in the middle of the story: that’s a Chekhov’s Gun situation where the character his/herself is the gun, and not an item or situation.  

7 At least, it’s not possible to do well with fewer than ~5,000 words per POV.

8 We will go over both filter words and dialogue tags in more detail in later lessons.

9 Prose can be called “purple” when it’s so overblown, ornate, or fancy that it distracts the reader and draws attention to itself, and not in a good way.

© 2019 to me

[frozenfries]

Love your writing! May I please request Killjoy, Reyna & Skye cuddling and being fluffy with a fem! reader (general is okay too). Just them in bed or something being cute & cuddly. Thanks in advance!

This was such a sweet request! I’m happy to have finally received one for the game’s awesome female agents. Thank you for reading!

Safe Haven (Killjoy, Reyna and Skye)

Prompt: Cuddling with Killjoy, Reyna and Skye

Word Count: 627

Killjoy

• Always working away in her workshop at all hours of the day, she’s less into cuddling and more into hugs from behind.

• If she’s extra tired, sometimes you’ll make her jump if it’s a surprise embrace.

• She’ll protest halfheartedly at the interruption, but allow herself to be dragged away for a break.

• After a short one, you pour her a fresh cup of coffee and pull up a chair next to her to keep her company for the rest of the evening.

• It usually ends with you dozing off in her lap while she’s chatting away animatedly in the wee hours of the morning about her latest invention, but she’ll stop immediately when she notices you’re out like a light.

• She doesn’t have the heart to wake you, so she’ll just sleep with you, one hand patting your hair and the other under her face as she rests her head on her desk.

• You two will wake up groggily sometime in the afternoon, bones aching from sleeping in uncomfortable positions. But you’re both warm - thanks to a blanket Cypher drapes over you at some point in the night.

• She’ll smile at you through her mess of hair, her glasses askew from sleep, and squeeze your hand. She could get used to waking up with you.

A purpose you never dreamed.

Reyna

• She’s got a different side to her when in bed cuddling with you, so much so that other agents would be shocked if they knew.

• Usually she’s merciless and a bit selfish, blazing into battle and taking what she wants when she wants it.

• But with you, she’ll lay you down as though you’re a delicate piece of glass. Your needs and comfort are placed above her own every time and if you protest, she’ll hush you with a gentle kiss.

• She definitely enjoys teasing you with flirty jokes just to watch you get flustered up close.

• Prior to her time in the Protocol, she created a sanctuary for others and served as a protector of sorts. But unbeknownst to you, she regards you as her safe haven; being in your embrace brings her peace and helps calm her feelings of rage and chaos that may have accumulated throughout the day.

• Her chest pulses and shimmers warmly whenever you two snuggle up.

• She adores being held by you and laying on your chest. She’ll close her eyes and relish in the steady beat of your heart.

• You swear you can feel her hug you a little tighter and bury her face a little deeper in your chest when she tells you she loves you.

Where broken things can mend.

Skye

• She adores exploring nature with you whenever you’ve both got some free time.

• Her hawk will soar overhead and serve as your guide, making sure you two don’t get lost on your adventures.

• Hiking, animal watching and outdoor picnics are her go-tos. After lunch, you two would lay back on the picnic blanket and simply watch the clouds go by.

• More often than not, Gary her Tasmanian tiger will be present. He likes to curl up at your heads and sometimes serve as a pillow of sorts for you two.

• She’s a fan of you laying your head on her chest with one leg slung atop hers and one arm hugging her midsection while she lays back, one arm behind her head.

• She’ll surprise you by turning her head to the side and running a hand through your soft hair. When she pulls back, she leaves you with a beautiful flower on the side of your head.

A wild beast brought to heel.

[goneahead]

The (very) Unofficial Bob Ross’ Happy Trees Poetry Tools Workshop Day 26 —Adding Variety!

Poetry workshops tend to talk a lot about syllables, and stressed and unstressed meter.  Personally, I find that varying length of words and lines is often a much more useful tool in writing modern poetry.

Let’s start with a quote:

“This sentence has five words. Here are five more words. Five-word sentences are fine. But several together become monotonous. Listen to what is happening. The writing is getting boring. The sound of it drones. It’s like a stuck record. The ear demands some variety.

Now listen. I vary the sentence length, and I create music. Music. The writing sings. It has a pleasant rhythm, a lilt, a harmony. I use short sentences. And I use sentences of medium length. And sometimes, when I am certain the reader is rested, I will engage him with a sentence of considerable length, a sentence that burns with energy and builds with all the impetus of a crescendo, the roll of the drums, the crash of the cymbals–sounds that say listen to this, it is important.” ~~Gary Provost, 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing

Changing the length of words and sentences creates stronger, more interesting poetry. Let’s look at two examples where the poet deliberately altered the length of their lines:

Your Moon

if I had never loved you, would I have ever known the difference between light and darkness…. in the holding I am whole, and your moon always calls to my ocean. @black-dog-in-the-woods

Did you catch that the poet used an ellipsis for one of the keriji (day 11?) and this poem is really a variation on a waka (day 9)?

if I had never loved you, would I have ever known, the difference between light and darkness (idea 1) … (kireji) in the holding, I am whole (idea 2) , (kereji) and your moon always calls to my ocean. (related to idea 1) @black-dog-in-the-woods

Silent morning– The earth has just been shaken To her core. The birds sing joyfully as ever Above. Quiet day, The only hope lying In the dark. The flowers that surround Soak in the fresh warmth Of the sun. Still night– Sorrow implanted In their abandoned hearts. He begins his ascent Towards dawn. @moment-of-november

Way back on day 3, we talked about dissonance (deliberately changing the meter/length of a line) and on day 9, we talked about how Asian poetry traditionally is several smaller poems/ideas linked togeher. Did you catch how the poet used dissonance between each idea as an extra emphasis?

Silent morning– (dissonance) /The earth has just been shaken To her core. The birds sing joyfully as ever Above./ Quiet day, (dissonance) /The only hope lying In the dark. The flowers that surround Soak in the fresh warmth Of the sun./ Still night– (dissonance) /Sorrow implanted In their abandoned hearts. He begins his ascent/ Towards dawn. (dissonance) @moment-of-november

Tip! There are also times when this tool isn’t useful: When the poem is about something that is boring or repetitious. For example, a poem about a teacher droning on and on. When the poem contains action,or a sense of movement. Short, abrupt lines tend to convey action/motion better than longer lines.

Have fun writing happy trees!

[ownedbybooks]

End of Year Reading Tag 📚

I was tagged on my main account by @therefugeofbooks so I thought "what a better way to start my new bookblr blog, then through my 2021 readings?". Thanks for the tag, Caah! <3

Let's go to the questions:

did you reach your reading goal for the year (if you had one)?

No, I didn't :( But I almost reached it! My goal was to read 55 books and I finished 2021 by reading 44 books. I was happy, though, because I've read 40+ books!

what are your top 3 books you read this year?

The Song of Achilles, by Madeline Miller;

La vie devant soi, by Romain Gary;

Time's Divide, by Rysa Walker.

what’s a book that you didn’t expect to enjoy quite so much going in?

Proteja-me, by Mila Wander & Josy Stoque. It was clearly from the beginning that it was a more madure and erotic book. And even though i like the spicy scenes, till this book I haven't found one that had a really good plot, characters and writing. So I started reading it with precaution, knowing it was going to be hard to me to like it. But, surprisingly, IT WAS EVERYTHING I WANTED. The writing was great, the characters had depth, the plot was more than the "i want to fuck her/him", it had drama, it discussed important topics, it had emotional growth, the majority of the female characters respected each other (even though they might despise each other at some points). Great, great, great reading!

were there any books that didn’t live up to your expectations?

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson. I think that great part was from the fact that I already knew major spoilers about it, because of pop culture references. But still, I was hoping I was going to enjoy the read a bit more.

did you reread any old faves? If so, which one was your favourite?

I did reread some books, but none were previously my favourites. I don't even know if I can considere one of them my favourite rereads of 2021 ahhahah Maybe Glass Sword, by @vaveyard since I decided to finish the whole series and for that I needed to reread the first 2 volumes :)

did you dnf any books?

Only the ones I couldn't finish before the new year arrived (but spoiler: i already finished one of them):

Making and Breaking the Grid: A Graphic Design Layout Workshop, by Timothy Samara;

Broken Throne, by @vaveyard

did you read any books outside your usual preferred genre(s)?

Even though I LOVE Historical Romance movies and tv shows, I'm not very used to it as a book genre.

So, after binge watching the first whole season of Bridgerton on 2020, I decided to read the first book of the series: The Duke and I, by Julia Queen. I thought it was okay (apart from a specific scene), but still I feel I'm not 100% used to this genre.

what was your predominant format this year?

Well… e-book and digital reading. Even thought I've read a lot of physical books, e-book was 50% of my most read format.

what’s the longest book you read this year?

Horror Clássico, a 3-in-1 ebook: it has together Frankenstein, The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Dracula. I am now considering myself an gothic literature affectionate hahhaha

what are your top 3 anticipated 2022 releases?

I'm not much in touch with releases… So I don't know…

what books from your tbr did you not get to this year, but are excited to read in 2022?

I don't normally do TBRs, only during read-a-thons. But I'm going to answer this question based on my "Want to Read" pile from Goodreads (which for me is kinda like a TBR):

Oscar et la dame rose, by Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt;

The Mirror & the Light, Hilary Mantel (I have even already bought it!);

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, by Suzanne Collins;

Clockwork Angel, by Cassandra Clare;

The Hobbit, by J. R. R. Tolkien

[brooklynmuseum]

Springtime in Brooklyn by Nancy Rosoff, Andrew W. Mellon Senior Curator, Arts of the Americas

As I look out my window at the falling rain, I know that these April showers will soon be followed by May’s flowers. The vibrant colors of budding trees and blossoming flowers give us hope that we will overcome the current crisis, and the world will be rejuvenated, stronger, and more unified. The following works from the Brooklyn Museum’s diverse collection celebrate the arrival of Spring and our hope for a healthy and more peaceful world.

Brightly colored plants and flowers made of faience once decorated the walls of the Great Palace of king Akhenaten at Amarna. Sun light and the disk of the sun itself became the focus of religious worship in the Amarna period (1353-13336 B.C.E.). The floral motifs of these tiles were meant to evoke rebirth of life brought about by the sun. See the artwork in our open collection.

While the Nile was revered as a life-giving place, the desert was also teeming with nature. Here one can see animals breeding in their desert environs. To the right, a feline is showing interest in another feline. At the lower left, a male antelope, mounting his mate, rears his head into the row above. At the lower right, the hindquarters of an antelope giving birth and the emerging head of her calf are partly preserved. The bovine calf at center left completes this depiction of the cycle of life. See the artwork in our open collection.

This detail from a Nasca mantle not only illustrates some of the plants and animals native to Peru’s South Coast, but it also conveys how the society’s spiritual beliefs are connected to agricultural seasons. The blossoming huarango tree seen here represents life and is shown growing out of a human trophy head on the back of a pampas cat. The trophy head symbolizes death but it is also a germinating seed from which life sprouts in a never-ending cycle of life, death, and rebirth. See the artwork in our open collection.

This late-seventeenth-century painting from viceregal Peru shows Saint Joseph standing hand-in-hand with the Christ Child in a field of blooming flora and enclosed within a border of bright carnations and lilies. Saint Joseph’s popularity flourished at this moment in the Spanish Americas as he embodied ideals of fatherhood, marriage, divinity, and masculinity. Here, he holds a stem of white lilies, which symbolize his holiness and purity. See the artwork in our open collection.

This sculpture would have served as a means for people to contact spiritual intermediaries for aid. Its raised arms are said to refer to prayers for rain, crucial to survive and thrive in arid the Mopti Region of Mali. See the artwork in our open collection.

The use of naturalistic floral motifs, such as carnations, tulips, and hyacinths, was a trademark of the design workshop of the Ottoman court in Istanbul in the mid-sixteenth century. This design principle was adopted in central and distant areas of the empire and applied to different media, such as manuscript illuminations made in Istanbul, textiles made in Bursa, and tiles made in Iznik and Damascus. This octagonal tile from Syria brings the beauty of spring indoors permanently. See the artwork in our open collection.

Vibrant greens and blues bring a spring woodland scene inside the Museum, creating an eternal verdant landscape. The effects of changing sunlight or a passing cloud can animate the glass used to depict the stream, tree trunks and leaves. Originally installed in the Universalist Church of Our Father at Classon and Atlantic Avenues in Brooklyn, the windows were purchased by the All Souls Universalist Church on Ocean Avenue and installed in 1945, before coming to the Brooklyn Museum a few years ago. Tiffany Studio was extremely skilled at creating panoramas that open onto lush, brilliantly colored vistas. See the artwork in our open collection.

This elaborately decorated cabinet brought ever-blooming flowers into the owner’s bedroom. Inspired by Japanese precedents, New York’s most important late-19th-century furniture manufacturing firm Herter Brothers employed different colored woods to create the densely packed, abstracted flowers and leaves on this luxurious, yet functional chest-of-drawers. See the artwork in our open collection.

In the Japanese tradition, cherry blossom season is a time for celebration: the world wakes up after a long winter and people head outside to gather under the pink-and-white canopies created by trees that seemed barren only a week or two earlier. This year the picnics were cancelled, but in nature the show goes on whether there’s an audience or not. See the artwork in our open collection.

In this painting, Gustave Caillebotte offers a glimpse of his private garden in Petit Gennevilliers, a small village on the Seine opposite Argenteuil. The apple blossoms are rendered in thick touches of paint, which contrast with the sketchy treatment of the path that leads toward the denser foliage beyond the tree. See the artwork in our open collection.

Nothing celebrates Spring more than this dazzling child’s cap with its delicate beadwork on vibrant rose-colored velvet. It was lovingly made by the mother or female relative of a little girl who would have worn it with pride during special occasions. See the artwork in our open collection.

A table set with bread and coffee in a blooming garden along a sun-dappled path conjures the pleasures of the warmer months to come. Robert Delaunay would become known later in his career for more abstract work, but in this early painting the 19 year old artist was still working under the influence of Impressionism. See the artwork in our open collection.

Redolent with the sweet scent of peonies, American Impressionist Ernest Lawson paints his flowerbeds in a dazzling display of jewel like tones in the Cos Cob art-colony located along the Connecticut shore. See the artwork in our open collection.

This Balinese cover features bright brocade rosettes in purple, blue, red, yellow, and green. The gilded gold overpaint features patra cina designs borrowed from Chinese floral patterns. Together, they create a glittering textile that is awash with color and floral motifs. See the artwork in our open collection.

One of the Brooklyn Museum’s most important Japanese paintings is a folding screen showing a group of urbanites walking together, followed by a musician and a servant with a big box. The only clue that they are heading to a cherry-blossom-viewing picnic comes from a woman who extends a branch of flowering cherry back toward a group of men. Attached to the branch is a long strip of paper of the type used traditionally in Japan for writing poems. What does the poem strip say? We don’t know, but it seems fair to guess that it serves as an invitation to romance. The screen reminds us that the spring tradition of partying beneath the cherry trees wasn’t solely about communing with nature. See the artwork in our open collection.

Inspired by Japanese folding screens or byōbu, Elizabeth Boott Duveneck’s five panels bring the natural world into the interior of the house depicting all four seasons from Autumn Foliage to Apple blossoms throughout the year. See the artwork in our open collection.

Beginning in the early 1930s, Consuelo Kanaga became one of few white photographers to make artistic portraits of Black Americans. This closely cropped and sharply focused image of a girl’s face with a flower was likely included in Group f.64’s inaugural exhibition in 1932, which announced a new realist direction in photography. Considered radical in its time, Frances with a Flower explores powerful ideas about beauty, gender, and race. See the artwork in our open collection.

Mary Wollstonecraft was a renowned women’s rights activist who authored "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman," (1792), a classic of rationalist feminism that is considered the earliest and most important treatise, advocating for equality and education for women. Akin to the nature of Spring, Wollstonecraft's life symbolized the fruition of a legacy—from which infinite linages of women continue to reap the fruits of her labor. See the artwork in our open collection.

With rose-patterned leggings and an elaborate floral armature/headdress, Nick Cave’s Soundsuit transforms the human body into a lush garden. Since the early 1990s, Cave has been fabricating inventive sculptures out of scavenged materials, which he often overlays with beadwork, stitching, and other embellishments. One of the first, crafted from twigs, was made to be worn and created a rustling sound, which led to the eventual name of such works: Soundsuits. Cave’s costumes draw from a variety of sources, including both African and Caribbean traditions of masquerade. See the artwork in our open collection.

Posted by Nancy Rosoff with contributions from the Curators and Curatorial Assistants of African, American, Ancient Egyptian, Arts of the Americas, Asian, Contemporary, Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, and Islamic Art 

Photos: Gary Alan Bukovnik (American, born 1947). Rhododendrum, 1980. Lithograph on paper. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the artist, 81.15.2. © Gary Alan Bukovnik(Photo: Brooklyn Museum); Tile with Floral Inlays, ca. 1352-1336 B.C.E. Faience. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Egypt Exploration Society, 35.2001. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum); Relief with Desert Scene, ca. 2472-2455 B.C.E. Limestone, pigment. Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 64.147. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum); Nazca. Mantle ("The Paracas Textile"), 100-300 C.E. Cotton, camelid fiber. Brooklyn Museum, John Thomas Underwood Memorial Fund, 38.12; Cuzco School. Saint Joseph and the Christ Child, late 17th-18th century. Oil on canvas. Brooklyn Museum, Museum Expedition 1941, Frank L. Babbott Fund, 41.1275.191 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum); Dogon. Nommo Figure with Raised Arms, 11th-15th century (possibly). Wood, organic sacrificial material. Brooklyn Museum, The Adolph and Esther D. Gottlieb Collection, 1989.51.39. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum); Octagonal Tile Depicting Peacock in Prunus Tree, 16th century. Ceramic; fritware, painted in black, cobalt blue, green, and manganese purple under a transparent glaze. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Jack A. Josephson, 1990.21. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum);  Tiffany Studios (1902-1932). Dawn in the Woods in Springtime, 1905. Stained glass window. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of All Souls Bethlehem Church, 2014.17.1. Creative Commons-BY; Herter Brothers (American, 1865-1905). Chest-of-Drawers, ca. 1880. Ebonized cherry, other woods, modern marble top, brass. Brooklyn Museum, Modernism Benefit Fund, 1989.69. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum); Utagawa Hiroshige (Ando) (Japanese, 1797-1858). Suijin Shrine and Massaki on the Sumida River (Sumidagawa Suijin no Mori Massaki), No. 35 from One Hundred Famous Views of Edo, 8th month of 1856. Woodblock print. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Anna Ferris, 30.1478.35 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum); Gustave Caillebotte (French, 1848-1894). Apple Tree in Bloom (Pommier en fleurs), ca. 1885. Oil on canvas. Brooklyn Museum, Bequest of William K. Jacobs, Jr., 1992.107.2 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum); Woodlands. Child's Cap, ca. 1890s. Velvet, cloth, beads. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Edward J. Guarino Collection in memory of Josephine M. Guarino, 2016.11.2. Creative Commons-BY; Robert Delaunay (French, 1885-1941). In the Garden (Dans le jardin), 1904. Oil on canvas. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Iris and B. Gerald Cantor, 86.28 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum); Ernest Lawson (American, 1873-1939). Garden Landscape, ca. 1915. Oil on canvas. Brooklyn Museum, Bequest of Laura L. Barnes, 67.24.10 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum); Cover, 19th or early 20th century. Silk, pigment. Brooklyn Museum, Dick S. Ramsay Fund, 45.183.110. Creative Commons-BY; Cherry Blossom Viewing Picnic, ca. 1624-1644. Ink, color and gold leaf on paper. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Frederic B. Pratt, 39.87. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum); Elizabeth Boott Duveneck (American, 1846-1888). Apple Blossoms, 1882. Oil on wood panel. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Joan Harmen Brown, Mr. and Mrs. William Slocum Davenport, Mrs. Lewis Francis, Samuel E. Haslett, William H. Herriman, Joseph Jefferson IV, Clifford L. Middleton, the New York City Police Department, Mrs. Charles D. Ruwe, Charles A. Schieren, the University Club, Mrs. Henry Wolf, Austin M. Wolf, and Hamilton A. Wolf, by exchange, Frank Sherman Benson Fund, Museum Collection Fund, Dick S. Ramsay Fund, Carll H. de Silver Fund, John B. Woodward Memorial Fund, and Designated Purchase Fund , 2005.54.3 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum); Consuelo Kanaga (American, 1894-1978). Frances with a Flower, early 1930s. Gelatin silver photograph. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Wallace B. Putnam from the Estate of Consuelo Kanaga, 82.65.10 (Photo: Brooklyn Museum); Judy Chicago (American, b. 1939). The Dinner Party (Mary Wollstonecraft place setting), 1974–79. Mixed media: ceramic, porcelain, textile. Brooklyn Museum, Gift of the Elizabeth A. Sackler Foundation, 2002.10. © Judy Chicago. Photograph by Jook Leung Photography; Nick Cave (American, born 1959). Soundsuit, 2008. Mixed media. Brooklyn Museum, Mary Smith Dorward Fund, 2009.44a-b. © Nick Cave (Photo: Image courtesy of Robilant Voena)

[atomicblasphemy]

Blight Industries Board Meeting

I have some thoughts about that EE episode. Being myself I just couldn’t put them out in a sensible fashion, so I put on some crust in my headphones, amped everyone’s cynicism, and here’s the result.

                                                       O: Good evening everyone and welcome to the Blight Industries board meeting of number...            

Ed and Em shoot glances at each other as confused about how they ended up there as when it happened for the first time.            

Al looks longingly at his workshop door.            

Amity glares.            

Am: Mom, can we try to have dinner like a normal family which, according to Merriam-Webster at least, we technically are? For once at least?            

O: That can wait, Mittens. Anyway, I called you all here to announce I shall be making some changes to our company. Namely, I shall change the job titles of the three of you. I’m still CEO, Alador still development, research and, well, the assembly line I suppose. As for you, Emira, Edric, you’re now in charge of security. I don’t want to hear about company secrets leaking out, okay? Mittens, you’re our new marketing department.            

Am: Marketing?            

Em: Seriously, mom?            

Od: Dearests, this is a meeting please use our appropriate titles.            

Ed: No no no no. They have a point. Okay, let me see if I understand your thought process. So, you’re the head of a company, right?            

Od: I don’t like your tone, Edric. But okay, I’ll humor you. Yes I am, go on.            

Ed: And said company essentially sells only guns.            

Od: Mhmm, what’s your point?            

Ed: And you think that the best way to convey that is by using your local annoyed teenage lesbian that half the time looks like she would be rather doing literally anything else? Is that a correct assessment, ma’am?            

Od: Oh, and I suppose you have a better idea?            

Em: Yeah, we do. ANYONE ELSE. We *frantically and repeatedly points her finger from herself to Edric*  could do this, I mean we tried to leak our sister’s journal just a few weeks ago so we clearly know nothing about keeping secrets. You could do it. I mean, no offense, but putting up a show seems to be your only useful skill because if this your idea of how to run a company, we... aaaaand now I’m suddenly starting to realize where we get our decision making incompetence from. Anyway. This guy *points at Alador* could do it if you just made sure to remind him that that’s what’s funding his little research. Heck, you could hire Luz. She’s pretty charismatic and just took a shot at the Emperor himself. I’m sure having someone like that vouching for our products would do wonders for our business. See? That’s how you make a half-decent marketing strategy. Besides, I hear Luz could use the money and I’m sure Mittens would be happy to have her working here.            

Am: Yup, normally I’d have other reasons but honestly I’d just be happy someone else is doing this particular job.            

Al: *woop there goes gravity* Why? I told you this wasn’t the best idea. Besides, we agreed, twice at least, that I would take care of the abominations and you’d be in charge of everything else *leans in closer to whisper conspiratorially to Odalia* I don’t like dealing with them *points at their very loving children*.            

Ed, Em, and Am: HEY!            

Al: *sighs* Listen to your boss, children.            

The children huddle closer, they are the conspiratorial ones now.            

Am: We’re gonna end up broke and starving, aren’t we?            

Em: Yeah, isn’t it weird though? I mean, you’d think they’d have found someone better to... sponsor by now. Apparently that’s not the case. Moreover, why do they, our parents I mean, keeping putting so many resources into product development then? And it’s not even like we’re branching out into new markets, making some groundbreaking products. Nope, just shinier versions of the old stuff.            

Am: Hum... Can either of you teach me how to write a resume?            

Ed: I... uh... was going to ask you the same thing.            

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

Later.            

Em: Okay, let’s recap the recent events, shall we?            

Odalia and Alador were sat side by side in flimsy wooden chair at the factory’s storage area. Their children loomed over them with stern faces.            

Am: First off, you decided to entirely restructure the company, you know, the one with our name in it. And you did so by making all possible wrong choices. Especially putting me as the face and head of marketing.            

Ed: Then, secondly, when you realized that wasn’t working due to Mittens, justifiably I might add, wanting to do pretty much anything else with her time. So you two in a strike of parenting brilliance decide that the best way to deal with all of that was not to, oh I don’t know, hire some specialist or anything like that for the position and let her, and us, be teenagers like any normal parent would do. No, instead you think: “Hey, I’ll double down and alienate the one of my children giving me a hard time from the only people she seems to like.”            

Al: In our defense...            

Em: AND THEN, when one of said people decide to actually do something about, and in a very diplomatic fashion given the circumstances, mind you, you go ahead and try to commit murder in front of a large audience of potential witnesses. Granted, not a particularly morally upstanding audience given the type of products they were trying to buy, but still. Do you have any idea how many people would want a piece of you if you actually hurt the human? You have three of them standing in front of you right now.            

Od: Well, Emira dearest, you can’t argue with the numbers. Tonight’s sale was an astounding success.            

Am: And she still has her poise despite all the failures... Look, the three of us, we’ve been talking. We somehow are also part of the board, right? Moreover, we are, despite all evidence on the contrary, still employs of this company. So we put things through a vote.            

Ed: First off, we’re unionizing. And your first demand is better working conditions...            

Od: I’m not putting apple blood fountains in the factory floors. That’s off the table. I already told this Edric. The abominations take a surprising liking to the stuff.            

Em: We can discuss the specifics later. We have other topics at hand.            

Al: Okay, like what?            

Em: You two are out. Actually just you mom. We still need dad for development of new products and stuff.            

Od: WHAT? You can’t do this.            

Am: Let me rephrase what Emira said: you’re not CEO anymore. She is.            

Al and Od: EMIRA?            

Ed: Yes, Emira. I’ll be in charge of supply and distribution as well as any other duties dad still had besides research and develop. Mom, you’re the new Mittens. I mean, marketing. You’re in charge of marketing now. Just marketing and literally nothing else. I’m sure we won’t regret giving you this much responsibility. And, by the way. One mistake and we’re hiring Luz for the job. AND we’re giving her enough shares to sit at the board.            

Od: *starts chuckling while reaching for a small book in her vest* I can’t say I’m not angry at the three of you, but it is indeed nice to see you trying to take a more active role in the company. But there’s a big flaw to your little coup. You see, according to article 15 of the Blight Industries statute, Alador’s vote, as well as mine...            

Al: I’m voting with them, Odalia.            

Everyone else turns to look at him, wide eyed.            

Al: Look, I’m not ecstatic about this or anything. But at the end of day if Edric is taking half the load off my shoulders then I’ll have the more time in my workshop. And away from them. Odalia, don’t look at me like that, I told you the other day I was wanting us to develop magic powered air fryers. Now I’ll have the time for that. We can tap onto more markets this way, more money.            

Od: ... You’re sleeping on the couch tonight.            

Al: *sighs* How about Mittens, what will she do now?            

Am: Librarian. That’ll be my new job title.            

Al: We have no use for a librarian, Amity. You know that, don’t you?            

Am: I know. I’m not working here anymore. Gary had been telling me for some time about this internship opening. I start Monday. But don’t go thinking I’ll leave the board. I’m keeping my shares and besides, Ed and Em agreed to keep me as an adviser.            

Od: Oh look at our daughter, Alador. Going all out on that daily grind, making the minimum wage. Are you sure you can handle it, Mittens my dear?            

Am: Well, you paid me in passive aggressive comments and threats so far. I consider minimum wage a raise if anything.            

Od: Whatever you say... In any case. I suppose I’ll now be some sort of glorified secretary then.            

Em: What do you mean, mom?            

Od: Oh, right. You weren’t there at the time. We struck a big contract, big enough so we won’t need to worry about marketing for the foreseeable future.            

Em: What? HOW?            

Al: That uhh... That kid, what’s his name again? The new head of the Emperor’s coven. He came in after the sales ended, said we should go around building Frankenstein mercenaries, and that the Emperor would be buying all of our Thanos thingies aaand on top of that the state would fund all our future research.            

Ed and Em: Oh... Oh... Ohh Titan... Didn’t he get ahold of Eda’s portal? Mittens, we have to tell Luz.            

Am: *chuckles* Yeah, good luck with that, Emperor.            

Ed: I... Are you okay? Shouldn’t you be worried?            

Am: Eh... I mean... First things first. Yeah, I know he’s building an army to invade the human realm and yeah, I know we’ll be supplying the weaponry and that I should probably give Luz a heads up. But, you know. That’s pretty stupid of him when you think about it.            

Ed: What?            

Am: I mean, think about it. He is getting a supplier that he knows, for a fact, has a positive connection to his enemies. Meaning it would be in our interest - especially mine, you know, the other Blight with Abomination know how and the one closest to the one human living in the Boiling Isles, as proven today - to put some back doors in all the tech we’ll be selling them. Moreover... Sure humans don’t have magic but they make up for it in other ways. Luz was telling me about her realm the other day and... Well... Let me put it this way: we are not humans, meaning we are not covered by the Geneva convention. Best case scenario once Bellos opens the portal we, not them, become a colony. And humans don’t make a habit of treating their colonies with any decency. So, you know... Anyway. Worst case scenario, they’ll just start pumping napalm, anthrax, mustard gas, and all sorts of fun stuff chemical and biological weapons through the portal. Meaning we’ll die. Painfully. Heck, they can even make good on their anti-nuclear proliferation treaties and just throw it all here and make it go boom. Trust me, that alone will be enough to finish sinking the Titan.            

All the other four Blights look at her wide eyed.            

Am: Eh... But you know, I’ll go and tell Luz and Eda. Fir witchkind’s sake or whatever. So... See you guys later.            

Od: *shaking the shock away from her head* Oh... Quite a hurry to go and see Luz, aren’t we Mittens? *a sly smile forming* I’m sorry... I meant YOUR Luz.            

Ed and Em: Oh yeah, I forgot about that. Damn, missed the joke.            

Al just nods in agreement.            

Am: What are you people talking about?            

Od: Oh, it’s nothing really Mittens, my dear child. It’s just that, you seem to be rather attached to her, aren’t you? In a very weird way, but still.            

Am: Weird? Weird how? You’re talking non-sense.            

Ed: No, Mittens, the lady has a point. I don’t get your thought process tonight either.            

Am: I have no idea what...            

Ed: No, seriously. I mean, no need to beat around the bush here: you have a gargantuan crush on her. That’s plenty obvious to everyone here.            

Am: *blushing* No comments.            

Ed: Whatever, I’ll take that to mean you do. So, you see your crush up on the stage. She’s fighting dad’s Thanos thingy. Which, might I add, was being controlled by him. Seriously, what the hell, dude? Is this a way to meet your potential daughter-in-law? Anyway. She’s potentially in mortal danger. And your first thought is: I’m gonna woo her.            

Am: That’s... not what I thought...            

Em: Yeah, Mittens. Sure. That’s why the first you did was to turn around and start climbing the ladders.            

Am: I... They were fighting up there, I wanted to get to close quarters.            

Em: Nope. Not buying it.            

Ed: We were watching it all unfold Mittens, you started climbing the ladders before, long before, they were up there.            

Am: But... the crowd.            

Ed: Dispersed pretty quickly, and knowing Abomination magic, as you do, you definitely knew Thanos would have that effect.            

Am: I... But... I wanted to fight close quarters... and I wanted... the higher ground.            

Em: So... You are up in the pipes, and by then Luz and Thanos are already back in ground level. So you position yourself in the spot with the best lighting and a means for you to quickly climb down - I swear, I’m certain I saw you double checking to make sure you were positioned just right. Then you take your sweet time pulling your hood back up. And finally, then and only then, you go to Luz’s rescue by using your magic. And you do that before you climb down, meaning your magic has enough range, as we’ve all always known, to be effective without the close  quarters or the higher.            

Ed: Come on, Mittens. Just admit it. You wanted to do a super-hero landing in front of your crush. Come on...            

Am: I... Do you think it worked?            

Everyone, expect for Amity, looks at Alador.            

Al: I dunno, why are you asking me?            

Ed: Because somehow out of all of us you’re the one most likely to pick up that sort of stuff.            

Al: Right, and I’m also the one least likely to care.            

Am: I’M YOUR DAUGHTER.            

Em: *taking a deep breath* Okay, lets pause for a second here. Ed, Mittens. Pat yourselves on the back. Come on, do it. Look, I’ll do it too. *begins  patting her own back in tandem with her siblings’ more tentative display*            

Am: Em... Why are we doing this?            

Em: For not succumbing to drugs and alcohol (shrewd ad campaigns on Twitter aside). *Edric and Amity begin patting their backs more enthusiastically, Emira turns to their parents* You know, you two. You should pat yourselves on the back as well. I mean, sure, we’ll need years of therapy to undo all the damage the emotional neglect the both of you show us has caused so far, but no one can say we don’t get plenty of variety.            

Al: Are you done being passive aggressive, Emira?            

Em: What can I say? I’ve learned from the best. *looks at Odalia, who just rolls her eyes*            

Al: *sighing* As for your previous question. The human seemed to be blushing as well. So my best guess is that Amity’s little... spectacle... did work.            

Od: See? And you dare say it was a bad idea to put her on marketing.            

Am: That’s because I had a reason to care when I was doing all that.            

Od: Ohh right, then what do you suggest I had done to make you care about our, emphasis on our, business.            

Am, Ed and Em in unison: Pay us for our labor.            

Am: I mean, seriously. You guys built a whole business model around Abominations: a.k.a. free labor. Sure you could afford to pay us, a.k.a. self aware creatures that are not (and I’ve checked this) Abominations, something.            

Ed: So... again to recap the day. Mom and dad lost their company, Bellos shot himself square in the foot. Hell, even this new coven head pretty much proved his lack of intelligence gathering competence by doing business with us. Today was a failure on every front. Even Luz when you think about it.            

Em: Luz?            

Ed: Yeah... She trusted... her *points at Odalia*.            

Em: Ohh...            

Od: HEY! I’m still your mother.            

Em: Nominally, maybe. Jury still out on that one. Anyway, that reminds me. I want all our financial books for the past five years i my desk, formerly yours, in two days.            

Am: I think my day was pretty successful. I have reason to believe my crush likes me back and I’ll know what a healthy professional and financial life looks like for the first in these 14 groolling and long years of existence. So things are looking up for me. Anyway... Are we done here?            

Am: I guess so, why?            

Am: Cool. Gonna head out.            

Em: Oh, going to let your Luz know of the Emperor’s plan and bask in her presence.            

Am: Emira, I swear in the Titan’s name that if you ever address her like that in front of her they will never find your body. But yes, that’s the gist of it.            

Em: Fine. Actually, wait up. Lilith is living there now isn’t she? I wanted to talk to her.            

Am: Lilith as in Lilith Clawthorne? Eda’s sister? Former head of the Emperor’s Coven? My former mentor? That Lilith?            

Em: Yup.            

Am: Why, pray tell, do you want to talk to her?            

Em: Wanted to hire her. We need a new accountant.            

Am: And you thought of her because...?            

Em: Lack of options?            

Am: I... You know what, fair enough.            

Ed: Hold up. I’m coming with. I don’t like being around them *points at Odalia and Alador*.            

Am: Sure.            

They leaving. Only Odalia and Alador are left in the room.            

Al: Wow.            

Od: I know.            

Al: Just... wow...            

Od: I know.            

Al: I don’t know how to process any of this. It happened all so fast.            

Od: I know.            

Al: Like... no sense of pacing at all.            

Od: I know, Alador. Titan do I know.            

Al: Almost as if everyone’s words were being written by an extra-dimentional entity that reaaally wanted to rant but didn’t want to put out their opinions in a more reasonable manner, and wasn’t even remotely concerned with making it sound like a normal conversation.            

Od: I know.            

Al: Anyway. We failed as people, didn’t we?            

Od: *sighing* I know.            

[popculturebuffet]

Paul Dini’s Jingle Belle: “Sanity Clauses” review or Santa’s Court Ordered Family Therapy Holiday Special

Merry Christmas everyone! I”m finally back on the reviewing reindeer after a week out with a cold, aside from the usual ducktales review, and it’s once again a comission from friend of the blog and the only guy who pays me for reviews weirdkev27. If you have your own holliday hyjinks you’d like me to review I do reviews of television and comics for 5 dollars an episode/issue, wtih variable prices for trades in comics case depending on length. Hit me up via my dm’s here on tumblr or send me an ask for my discord if you want to know more. WIth that plug out of the way away we go.  This one was a bit unusual... in that when Kev bought it up I assumed he was going to buy a few issues of Jingle Belle, Paul Dini’s creator owned character we’re talking about today, and just have me review those. What I didn’t realize is he was buying me the full package, a collection of pretty much every jingle belle tale, as well as the released after it “Handmade’s Tale”. one shot. So yeah, while I had’nt really thought of rules for this kind of thing before from now on your free to buy a work for me to review... just keep in mind i’ts both not required for me to review something, and will not wave the commission fee as I use those fees to pay bills, buy things I need like charger cables, and just generally keep my bank account afloat while I look for a day job. 

But... since I hadn’t firmly established any of this yet, and since Kev’s gift means a bunch more commissions from a guy who not only made sure I could afford Christmas, but who has provided me steady work while i’m out of work... this one’s on the house.  So with all the jargon settled, who is Jingle Belle? Jingle Belle is an indie comics character created and owned by Paul Dini in 1998. Paul Dini is an animation god, who thanks to this review I know more about his career than I did before and as much as I always should have. Dini got his start in the 80′s, writing for everything from He Man to Gary Coleman Adventures, before getting called up to the big leagues for Tiny Tune Adventures around the time of the animation renaissance. To my shock, as  I wasn’t aware he wrote for that fine program, he wrote 35 episodes including my personal favorite Prom-ise her Anything.  But while a talented comedy writer, his main talent would show when he moved on to Batman the Animated Series as a writer and story editor. He was one of the main creative forces along with Bruce Timm, with the two going on to make the DCAU, aka some of the best superhero shows ever made, after already making easily one of if not THE best with BTAS. And Timm’s influence showed, Co-Creating Harley Quinn with Timm, and writing the series best episode Heart of Ice, which reworked Mr Freeze from a hoaky silver age villian into the tragic and thoroughly sympathetic character he’s been since that episode. Seriously that’s another one to add to the review pile.. which is giant and sentient at this point. And seriously EVERY episode on his imdb page credits is an utter classic and one I remember fondly. The guy is one of the most talented and seemingly nicest guys in the business and both the world of batman and the world of animation owe him a LOT.  So to my surprise, I found out in the 2000′s he had a comic, Jingle Belle.. then for whatever reason just never dug into it till now. But now post digging Jingle Belle is Paul Dini’s long running series of one shots and series at various companies following the adventures of Santa’s rebellious teenage-ish daughter.. techincally she’s in the 200′s but still looks and acts like a teenager. The idea came about when he got a christmas card from Stephen Speilberg, and wondered how the kids of famous folks dealt with that and if they resented their famous fathers. And whose more famous than santa?. The series spins both out of that brilliant idea and out of Dini’s love for sunday comic strips, back when the panels were larger and creators were given more freedom to go nuts, though even today i’ve seen plenty of great stuff so it’s not all lost pauly.  So in that spirit rather than one long ongoing Jingle Belle is instead a series of one shots, stories in anthologies and what have you, one and done stories more focused on the comedy. The comic has bounced around from various publishers, starting as something pitched to Oni Press, home of Scott Pilgrim and not much else, and has bounced around various publishers since, most recently ending up at IDW, where the trade i’m reading from comes from. So how does a great concept from one of the world’s most creative minds shake out? Let’s unwrap this present and find out. 

We open with an appropriately christmasy rhymey opening as we get the story of Jingle Belle: She’s the daughter of santa claus and mrs. claus, in this case the Queen of the Elves. Which isn’t established until the next story but whatever. And as you’d expect she grew up a cheery, rosey little girl who loved helpiing dad in the workshop.. then everything changed when puberty attacked. 

As you can see Jingle is now your standard Bratty Teenage Daughter sterotype. At least in this story. See this initial story feels much like a pilot: It’s clear things aren’t ironed out 100% for the idea, and i’ts more a self contained way to get across the general idea, that being Santa has a rebellious teen daughter, via what comes off as an snl skit in comic book form. THat’s not an insult, it’s a GOOD snl skit, and I am genuinely surprised only one movie company’s attempted adapting this comic: the concept is great. I’m just letting you know what i’m working with is all. 

So naturally as a high concept comedy skit, Jing soon, after sharing some cigarettes with the local eskmo boys and accidently lighting her Reindeer’s butt on fire and wrecking her sleigh and some surrounding property, Santa is at his witt’s end and we end up in family therapy. And honestly.. Santa in a family therapists office is a great concept. IT’s why I compare it to a sketch: It’s just a simple one line proposal that’s really damn funny and really damn eye catching. It’s often REALLY hard to get a good santa parody going, so I admire how well he pulled it off here.  But what really centers it is Jing giving her side, making her a bit more than the mostly one dimensional bratty rebellious daughter she’s been pegged as. Oh sure tha’ts still mostly what she is here, I’ll leave it to later stories to flesh her out hopefully, but she gives vallid reasons WHY she acts out: She points out no one even knew Santa had a daughter, and she has no songs or specials or any of that about her. The most Santa can offer up is “Jingle Bells” because the boys say “jingle all the way”... which really, especially in 2020, just makes HIM come off worse for not only slut shaming his daughter, but that the best defense he can offer is “Well some local boys talk about how you boned them that counts right?”. 

That.. poorly aged joke aside Jingle brings up another good point on how sh’es on his shit list.. errr.. naughty list. Still a good gag. And yeah the therapist is understandably surprised Santa dosen’t give his own daughter presents, though his wife does give a valid counter to that: He has to hold a higher standard than anybody. 

And that’s why I’m really intrigued by this concept and want to read more: WE have plenty of stories about Santa’s kids, i’ll grant, from him adopting a kid like in elf, to him passing on the legacy with films like Arthur Christmas and Fred Claus, or even just films about his legacy, like the Santa Claus, aka that time Santa died and his clothes forced Tim Allen into a job he dosen’t want with weight and beard gain he didn’t ask for via yuletide mummy’s curse to become the new santa and nearly loose custody of his child. What i’m saying is the concept is inherently fascinating and The Santa Clause is deeply terrifying if you stop to think about it for two seconds.. as is the sequel what with it’s Nazi Robot Santa Claus Tim Allen. Yes really. 

But this one’s unique in that it’s not about the legacy. Oh sure Santa tries to get Jing interested, and his last attempte wound up with them having to take the bus, another great gag and i’m glossing over most because this is a very funny little comic, but the main focus is more on what kind of pressure that puts on a kid: wouldn’t you rebel too if your parents wanted you to be perfect and to follow in the family business of being basically a perfect human being? Jing herself sums it up perfectly towards the end of the story. 

Granted after a tearful hug, Jing internally says “that new snowboard is mine.. but i’ts hard not to feel that a godo chunk of this is genuine. Sure she’s playing her parents a bit but.. you’d crack too if your dad was freaking Santa. I’m really intrigued to see where this goes both comedically and character stuff wise. 

So we end on another christmasy narration bit as Belle plays good for a while, snapping only when it docent seem like she gets her snowboard. A comedy ending and an eh one. Not the best honeslty, I feel the comci would’ve been better ended just at the snowboard is mine bit, but i’ve seen worse. 

Final Thoughts: A really good story. WHile it’s rough around the edges, clearly Dini and others have buffed them out over two decades, and i’m really intrigued to see more of this this holiday season and others. Again some parts, mostly playing Jing being sexually liberated for “OH HAW HAW SHE’S A SLUT” laughs is cringe inducing, but most of the jokes have aged well and for a pilot it’s not bad. I really look forward to reading more of the character and diving into her this season and beyond. 

Until then be good to one another, have a happy holidays and always remember: There's  always another rainbow. 

[irinnisar]

Waktu di Hidupku, Hidup di Waktuku

Well, sebenarnya aku bingung mau kasih judul apa 😊. Itu judul ngasal aja jadinya hehe. Pokoknya I’m going to write about time and life.

Ceritanya tiba-tiba ada seserang yang ngasih aku hadiah. A woman that I can say close to me. Ni orang suka kasih wejangan, semangat, dan apresiasi. Orangnya bijaksana and bijaksini. Dulu sempet satu kosan, dan kadang sebelum tidur malam suka deep talk ngalor ngidul yang gatau ujungnya kemana. Nah, si sister ini tiba-tiba ngasih buku Time of Your Life-nya Pak Random Kim. Tentu aku sangatlah senang, dan mulai baca buku kuning versi Indonya ini. Thank you Sistur.

Basicaly, semua yang ditulis Pak Random Kim itu isinya nasihaattt semua, bisa dari pengalaman beliau sebagai dosen, maupun pengalaman orang lain yang beliau kenal. Bahasanya ringan, jelas, padat, tepat tujuan. Jadi lebih mudah dicerna namun langsung nembak, "Am I like that?". Dan jangan salah, meskipun ini buku ditulis 10 tahun yang lalu, sampai sekarang tuh masih relate banget.

Jadi, karena aku adalah orang yang gampang lupa, dan kalau udah jalan ke depan kadang out of track, suka tiba-tiba butuh asupan, gak ada salahnya aku tulis disini yang gunanya jelas untuk pengingat.

Keyy, beberapa poin yang harus diingat adalah:

1. Jika kita masih berusia 24 tahun, berarti jam kehidupan kita baru jam 7.12, masih pagi dan banyak waktu yang belum kita lalui. Tapi itu dengan asumsi usia kita 80 tahun. Aku jadi ingat sharingnya Kak Nyoman di TED talks tentang momento mori, bagaimana kematian atau garis finish di hidup kita ini menjadi pengingat. Beliau mengasumsikan usia kita mencapai 60, 70, atau 80 tahun, sehingga kita bisa set up target-target kita di masing-masing usia. Target di usia 30 dengan asumsi usia mencapai 60 tahun akan berbeda dengan target usia 30 di asumsi 80 tahun. Intinya, menyegerakan melakukan kebaikan, mana yang bisa dilakuin nanti dan mana yang harus segera dilakuin sebelum terlambat.

2. Yang kedua yaitu tentang bunga mekar pada musimnya. Kalau kamu sekarang masih belum mekar, ya berarti belum musimmu. Bunga sakura dan bunga krisan sama-sama indah namun tidak mekar di saat yang sama. Santai saja, jangan mau jadi yang bermekaran di awal musim semua.

3. Menambah kualitas diri lebih penting daripada berinvestasi yang hasilnya nanti juga belum tentu menguntungkan atau mendapat nilai investasi lebih. Dengan kualitas diri yang semakin naik, tentu akan meningkatkan jenjang karir kita yang bahkan akan memiliki nilai lebih daripada hasil investasi tersebut. Ya, kalo mau aman sih cari investasi dengan nilai yang stabil dan tetap meningkatkan kualitas diri dengan belajar, ketemu orang, tukar pengalaman, cari pengetahuan, ikut workshop, sertifikasi, kursus, dan lain-lain.

4. Tipe anak panah dan perahu kertas, atau diantara keduanya. Tipe anak panah adalah ia yang sangat tahu apa tujuannya, dan menyusun langkah-langkah atau tujuan sementara yang harus dicapai. Tipe ini sangat idealis dengan apa yang mau ia capai sehingga mengesampingkan tujuan-tujuan lain yang sebenarnya tidak buruk juga. Sedangkan, tipe perahu kertas adalah tipe orang yang tidak punya tujuan, tujuannya ya kemana air sungai itu membawa. Tipe ini sangat bergantung dengan situasi, tidak punya tekad dan percaya diri yang kuat. Sehingga bisa kita sebut tipe tanpa arah. Yang paling baik adalah menjadi diantara keduanya. Kita punya tujuan, tahu apa yang akan kita capai, bagaimana mencapainya, namun tidak menutup mata atas tujuan-tujuan lain sehingga lebih fleksibel jika ada sedikit atau beberapa perubahan tujuan karena keadaan.

5. Tentang tujuan, metode, dan tindakan. Kalau ini sama persis kayak lagi ngerjain skripsi atau penelitian hehe. Apa tujuan akhirnya? Pakai metode apa yang paling tepat biar sesuai sama tujuan yang kita capai? Terus tindakan atau langkah-langkah apa yang harus dilakukan? Tentukan tujuan yang benar-benar berasal dari apa yang kamu mau. Kamu punya andil besar atas tujuanmu sendiri. Bukan karena pengaruh orang-orang sekitarmu. Dan yang terpenting adalah teruslah bertindak, karena jika terlalu lama berhenti kita susah untuk memulainya lagi. Ini yang disebut hukum kelembaban seperti Hukum 1 Newton. Sigma F sama dengan 0.

6. Persiapan adalah segalanya. Mengetahui apa yang harus dipersiapkan adalah penting agar persiapan itu tidak untuk tujuan yang salah dan tidak dengan metode yang salah atau sia-sia. Cerita ini diumpamakan dengan si penebang pohon yang terus-menerus menebang batang pohon dengan mata kapak yang tumpul. Hal tersebut tentu membutuhkan waktu yang lama tanpa kepastian kapan pohon akan roboh. Penebang pohon seharusnya mengasah mata kapaknya dahulu sebelum mulai menebang. Ini juga disebut dengan persiapan yang matang adalah segalanya. “Jika aku diberi waktu delapan jam untuk menebang sebuah pohon, aku akan menghabiskan enam jamnya untuk mengasah kapakku,” Abraham Lincoln.

7. Segala sesuatu yang menakutkan adalah ketika kita tidak mengetahuinya apa itu. Seperti saat berada di tengah tali dalam sumur namun kita sudah kelelahan untuk memanjatnya dan tidak tahu sedalam apa sumur tersebut. Daripada berusaha terus memanjat dengan ketidakberdayaan, lebih baik lepaskan tali tersebut. Jangan hanya bergantung pada seutas tali. Cari tali lain yang bisa membuatmu naik, toh dasar sumur pun yang kamu kira dalam ternyata tidak jauh dari ujung kakimu. Lepaskan genggaman tanganmu dari tali itu dengan penuh percaya diri. Lalu, kepakkan sayap-sayap kepercayaan dirimu.

8. Jangan gunakan kesibukanmu sebagai alasan untuk melakukan suatu hal baik. Atur waktu yang kita punya sebermanfaat mungkin, bahkan, hal yang ingin kita lakukan, justru akan terealisasi saat kita sibuk, karena saat kita bersantai-santai kita cenderung menunda untuk memulai melakukan kebiasaan baik tersebut.

9. Hilangkan hobi yang tidak berguna dan ganti dengan kebiasaan yang berarti, karena sejatinya perubahan adalah meninggalkan hal yang kurang berguna menuju hal yang lebih berguna.

10. Carpe Diem: Nikmati apa yang kamu miliki hari ini. Jangan biarkan hari ini dipenuhi penyesalan masa lalu. Jangan biarkan dirimu menderita hari ini karena rasa tanggung jawab akan suatu hal di luar jangkauanmu. Jangan izinkan dirimu digoyahkan oleh rasa takut akan masa depan yang belum jelas. Buat tujuan yang jelas, dan melangkahlah dengan pasti ke arah tujuanmu.

11. Buat seperangkat aturan yang kamu ikuti sendiri dalam rutinitas keseharianmu, seperti rima dan irama dalam sebuah syair lagu.

12. Yang lebih penting dari uang di usia 20-an adalah perkembangan karakter dan kemampuan kita, karena di rentang usia ini kita bisa mengeskplor berbagai hal yang ingin kita coba, sebelum memasuki usia 30-an yang mana kondisi perlahan berubah stagnan.

13. Naiki saja keretanya dulu, ambil kesempatan apapun yang ada di depan mata selagi kita belajar bertahan, bertanggung jawab, mengembangkan skill yang kita punya, dan lain-lain. Setelah itu, saat menjumpai persimpangan berpindahlah menuju kereta eksekutif dengan bekal yang sudah kamu punya.

14. Pertahankan keseimbangan, jangan condong ke satu sisi. Tali yang tergantung antara keberhasilan dalam bekerja dan kebahagiaan pribadi, maupun keheningan dan kesibukan.

Oke, jadi kurang lebih itu yang bisa kujadikan pengingat untuk diriku sendiri, maupun, kalau kamu mau, kamu bisa menjadikannya pengingat juga untukmu. Selain beberapa poin di atas, masih banyak nasihat-nasihat yang sangaatt berguna, seperti banyak-banyaklah membaca dan menulis, dan lain-lain. Semoga bermanfaat dan hari-hari kita menyenangkan ya! 😊