#he also found it really funny that brendan gets to live with the fact that he bullied a kid who later hooked up with his mom

[ooihcnoiwlerh]

Update: my friend messaged me the following:

this episode REALLY feels like it wants to end in an Eve-Amanda-Julian threesome

and then immediately afterwards:

I FUCKING KNEW IT

[awigglycultist]

Pt 3 of The Guide: Tin Can Brothers (or Tin Can Bros or TCB) the sorta sister company of Starkid, created by three of the founding SK members (who not *actually* brothers) they started off doing skits but have also made many projects. Totally worth checking put their skits too though they're great. Fun fact all of these except Ex-Vloggers and Idol Worship canonically actually take place in the same universe. You do not at all need to watch one to understand another or anything but in WWG they made references to SIS, SAF and Flop Stoppers and then in SISBIB made another reference to SAF so its just a fun neat little thing that they all take place in the same universe.

Ex-Vloggers. It isn't like any of their other projects you'll see me list. In fact I wouldn't really call it a project. Its just a short webseries. It's much simpler and lower quality, not bad I just mean that this wouldn't have cost much to do compared to the others. It's actually really good and underappreciated in my opinion. It totally gives me nostalgia for 2015 youtube era and also it points out how fake youtubers can be putting up a front for the camera.

Summary: boyfriends Kyle and Brendan run a YouTube channel together, doing different challenges and tag videos. To their audience they seem like total love birds but behind the scenes their relationship isn't doing so well.

Spies Are Forever (SAF). This is a musical all about spies. I cannot describe how great this. It's the most loved TCB project. It's one of my fave musicals over all. There's stuff I'd love to talk about more but it'd spoil it. Just know it's great. It's really good story.

Summary: after his partner dies on a mission Curt Mega finally gets back into spying after 4 years and he ends up uncovering a super villains plot to rebuild the Nazi empire. Trailer

Choose Our Destiny: Improv Adventure. It's an improv show! Every month they had a different theme and they would do it live and do polls to let the audience choose different things to happen next. This was actually originally don't a different website that is now defunct, due to this all the episodes were luckily put on youtube by some fans but unfortunately several of them have audio issues. CHALLAHBack Girl and Murder... On The Rocks are particularly bad offenders but I promise you gets better after a while and the episodes are really great.

No summary or trailer for this one

Flop Stoppers. A short film musical with 4 songs that are all complete bops. It's a very fun little short film.

Summary: Two comic nerd YouTubers talk about their opinions on comics and movies on their channel. Until one day they're tasked with making sure one of the most hated movies by comic nerds including themselves is never made. Having to go back in time and kill the man who made it. Trailer

The Solve It Squad Returns (SIS/SISR/TSISR). A one act play that does also have two songs. It's a Sooby Doo parody and it's great the characters are so fun the jokes a fun. There's a few series moments but it's overall just really super fun and funny. Also there's only 5 actors, one for each squad member and then one that plays every single other character. And it's insane. There's literally a scene where it's just him playing every character and he has do these ridiculous quick changes and it's so funny.

Summary: The Solve It Squad is a gang of kids detectives well known throughout the world. When their dog Cluebert (Scooby) dies durning a case they whole gang breaks apart. 20 years later Scrags (Shaggy) has become apart of the FBI and his boss gives him the case that ended it all. He gathers the gang back together, Keith (Fred) who's become washed up and missing his peak in life, Gwen (Daphne) who became a self centered actor but is always stuck in a box of mystery solving, and Esther (Velma) who's became a druggie, to solve the mystery of who Cluebert's killer is once and for all. Trailer

Idol Worship. A short film about how fake YouTubers are and how much fans idolized YouTubers. It's good commentary. Pretty funny. It's not my favorite but I enjoy it for sure.

Summary: famous lifestyle youtube influencer Ashley puts on a con but it is outed for being fake from production crew. Trailer

The Wayward Guide For The Untrained Eye (TWGFTUE/WWG). This is an amazing horror comedy web series and podcast. In the webseries there's two ppl making a podcast they also released the actual podcast they made so you get to see what actually happens vs what is told to the public. If you watch this let me know before you watch it because it's suggested to watch the webseries and podcast in certain order (basically alternating every other episode) and I'll send you a playlist of it in that order. Its got a really fun cast of kooky characters. It's a mystery you can try and solve along the way yourself. I love it.

Summary: Twin siblings Artemis and Paul Schue-Horyn work at the American Podcasting Network and are trying to get the spot to the host the new season of the podcast The Wayward Guide For The Untrained Eye. When a strange man from a weird small town comes in their office to pitch the story of the corrupt mining cooperation in his town the shrug him off. Until their boss doesn't like their idea the give to him for the new season, as a last stitch effort they pitch the strange man's story and their boss loves it. When they arrive in town and their lead dies and they find out about the possible existence of werewolves the suddenly have a lot more on their hands to deal with than originally. Trailer

The Solve It Squad Back In Biz (SISBIB, or Solve It Squad the Animated but no one really calls it that). Ofc you have to watch SISR first before this. This also technically isn't fully on youtube but it is currently coming out. It's four script readings of episodes for an idea of animated series of the solve it squad, none of its actually animated (the title sequence/song is an animatic tho). It's fun getting to see these characters and it's funny. Also I'll go ahead and mention they're also currently working on a Solve It Squad musical for the holidays and the plan is too perform live and also release digital tickets for it around this upcoming Xmas and then it'll come out on youtube around the Xmas after that. I'm just mentioning this so you know that the solve it squad is like an expanding series. Anyway.

Summary: Ep 1 SIS to the (Dog) Rescue. A tiger was stolen at the zoo and the squad has to find out who stole it, Scrags is still sad about Cluebert and gets a new dog, the dog is an idiot and ruins everything they do. Ep 2 SIS Takes a Chill Pill. Gwen's life is busy with the squad, acting and her family. So her and Esther take a day off to relax. Esther gets them on drugs bc that's their idea of fun and relaxing, meanwhile Keith and Scrags take care of Gwen's kids and turns out that's not very easy. Ep 3 SIS Cashes Out. There's a certain case Keith really wants to investigate, about a cool tech billionaire, but the rest of the gang doesn't want to, so he brings back a favor from when they were kids to make them investigate it and they end uncovering the truth behind the billionaire. Ep 4 SIS Says No To Drugs. Esther tries out a new drug while the Squad follows a trail to find out more about said drug leading back to a Russian Drug Cartal while Esther has to hide that they're on this drug. It's basically a total fever dream (which make sense). I'm gonna give you two trailers for this also. First one. Second one.

[marginalgloss]

different and worse

‘…There were so many ways in which the vast army of the dead could be drilled, classified, inspected, and made to present their ghostly arms. No end to the institutions, civilian and military, busy drawing up their sombre balance sheet and recording it in wood, stone or metal. But if there was no end to the institutions there was no end to the dead men either. In truth, there were more than enough to go round several times over…’

Troubles was not the first novel by J.G. Farrell, but it was the first to achieve really significant literary success. Farrell wrote three novels set in a loosely connected trilogy set in the twilight of the British empire — I read The Singapore Grip last year, and I’ve been meaning to revisit this one, which I first read many years ago. It might be the best thing Farrell ever wrote, though I now find myself wanting to reread The Siege of Krishnapur as well.

Troubles is set in Ireland, in the immediate aftermath of the First World War. Having been freshly discharged from the army, Brendan Archer (mostly known as ‘the Major’) travels there to visit Angela Spencer; Brendan is more or less convinced that he and Angela are engaged, having met previously while he was on leave from the front lines. They have exchanged letters since, but on arriving at her home — the Majestic hotel — he finds her distant. Her father, Edward, is a model of English strength and reserve. And then there is the hotel itself: a gothic revival falling apart at the seams, overrun by potted plants and cats, populated by a skeleton crew of staff and flocks of elderly women. 

The hotel is labyrinthine and seemingly fathomless, like something out of Ballard or Borges. It is an unmappable confection of turrets and towers, sewn up with catwalks, stairwells, secret corridors. The tennis courts are thick with weeds; the glass ceiling of the ballroom is on the verge of collapse; there are strange things swimming in the murky remnants of the swimming pool. Here, at the end of a lonely peninsula, the residents are cut off from the outside world. The only reminder that the Irish exist at all comes from the figures glimpsed at the roadside, sometime seen standing in the fields, or rummaging in the bins at the house. (Many of them are starving.) 

We soon realise that the Major lives in a state of post-traumatic myopia. Everything around him seems to take place in a sort of dreamlike haze. Like a typical man of his class he makes a point of not seeing things about how the world is operating, but his experiences in the war place him at a further remove from the rest of society. He is typically English; he adopts an attitude of perpetual befuddlement, leaning heavily on privilege and impatience to get himself through the day. He is inflexible and uncommunicative. But he is also deeply traumatised. His memories are shot full of holes:

‘Although he was sure that he had never actually proposed to Angela during the few days of their acquaintance, it was beyond doubt that they were engaged: a certainty fostered by the fact that from the very beginning she had signed her letters ‘Your loving fiancée, Angela’. This had surprised him at first. But, with the odour of death drifting into the dug-out in which he scratched out his replies by the light of a candle, it would have been trivial and discourteous beyond words to split hairs about such purely social distinctions.’

Ireland is riven by violence. Rumours of killings are rife around the hotel. People are shot in ones and twos every day, apparently at random. Interspersed throughout the book are newspaper clippings, many of which seem absurd. It seems a bleak, purposeless cycle of assault and recrimination. But in spite of the resident paranoia, next to nothing actually happens on the grounds of the Majestic. No republican ‘shinners’ appear intent on massacring the residents in their beds. But regardless, the English are determined to make a stand — even if it is only in the bar of the local pub.

This novel was first published in 1970, at a time when Northern Ireland was seeing some of the worst violence in the latter half of the twentieth century. By comparison the level of strife depicted here seems almost parochial by comparison. But this is because the whole text of the novel is sunk within the consciousness of an observer who is too broken himself to see what’s really happening. After all, this is 1919: in historical terms we are in the thick of the Irish war of independence. The country would finally become its own nation state a few years later. But none of it feels that way to the characters in the book.

Perhaps there’s something about it that approximates the feeling of watching the news in the late sixties or early seventies— while living in England, of course. It is a constant drip-feed of appalling atrocity, delivered with the benefit of distance so that the expected response from the audience is to feel exactly as the Major does: ‘An old man is gunned down in the street and within a couple of days this senseless act is both normal and inevitable,’ reflects the Major. For him these killings might as well be happening in a vacuum. Names like De Valera float through the air, but they might as well belong to legendary beings. There’s no awareness of history or context. There is barely a line in this book which affords a glimpse of the world from an Irish perspective. We don’t know how they might feel about it because we aren’t told. 

‘The Major only glanced at the newspaper these days, tired of trying to comprehend a situation which defied comprehension, a war without battles or trenches. Why should one bother with the details: the raids for arms, the shootings of policemen, the intimidations? What could one learn from the details of chaos? Every now and then, however, he would become aware with a feeling of shock that, for all its lack of pattern, the situation was different, and always a little worse.’

We are stuck in the belly of the beast, and the beast is dying. The Major is trapped in ‘the country’s vast and narcotic inertia’. The hotel is falling apart. Angela vanishes not long after the Major arrives, and then she dies. Somehow this is not a cause for much regret. From then on, he has no reason to stay in Ireland, but the place has a strange gravity that seems to draw him back. And there is Sarah, a local woman who seems to have taken an interest in him. She is fiery, direct and open — far more than he — and initially she is mostly confined to a wheelchair. There are shades of Stefan Zweig’s Beware of Pity in their relationship: the Major is a model of polite restraint, while Sarah is openly flirtatious, at times frantic with emotion:

‘One day when he had been speaking, though impersonally, about marriage and its place in the modern world, she interrupted him brutally by saying: ‘It’s not a wife you’re looking for, Brendan. It’s a mother!’ The Major was upset because he had not, in fact, been saying he was looking for either. ‘Why are you so polite the whole time?’ she would ask derisively, while the Major, appalled, wondered what was wrong with being polite. ‘Why are you always fussing around those infernal old women? Can’t you smell how awful they are?’ she would demand, making a disgusted face, and when the Major said nothing she would burst out: ‘Because you’re an old woman yourself, that’s why.’ And since the Major maintained his hurt and dignified silence: ‘And for Jesus’ sake stop looking at me like a stuffed squirrel!’’

It’s a very funny book. Farrell was a masterful stylist, and he wields irony here like a weapon. There is humour to be had at the expense of the English in a way that recalls P. G. Wodehouse. But with Jeeves and Wooster there is the pleasure of retreating inside a world which is entirely its own — for the most part, nothing really awful can happen there. Whereas here, we are never allowed to forget that something awful is perpetually happening only just outside of that friendly bubble. And it isn’t so cosy inside the bubble either. 

Either way, we cannot forget that the characters of the novel are all implicated, if only through their vast unthinking ignorance. There is something very dark crouching at the heart of this book, something made all the more tragic by the Major’s essential simplicity, by his constant air of strained incomprehension. We know that he will never learn, that he will never grow. Somehow he is both entirely innocent and fully responsible for everything that goes wrong. 

He is not the only pathetic creature here. The author reserves a special combination of pathos and threat for the animals that reside at the Majestic. They are vehicles for fables in this story. There are the countless stray cats, which ride the dumb-waiters, climb through the chimneys and nest inside the wrecked sofas. (The biggest cat has orange fur and bright green eyes; a noteworthy colouring, perhaps.) And there’s Edward’s old dog, Rover, who has an especially hard time of it:

‘By degrees he was going blind; his eyes had turned to milky blue and he sometimes collided with the furniture. The smells he emitted while sitting at the feet of the whist-players became steadily more redolent of putrefaction. Like the Major, Rover had always enjoyed trotting from one room to another, prowling the corridors on this floor or that. But now, whenever he ventured up the stairs to nose around the upper storeys, as likely as not he would be set upon by an implacable horde of cats and chased up and down the corridors to the brink of exhaustion. More than once the Major found him, wheezing and spent, tumbling in terror down a flight of stairs from some shadowy menace on the landing above. Soon he got into the habit of growling whenever he saw a shadow. Then, as the shadows gathered with his progressively failing sight, he would rouse himself and bark fearfully even in the broadest of daylight, gripped by remorseless nightmares. Day by day, no matter how wide he opened his eyes, the cat-filled darkness continued to creep a little closer.’

There’s another elderly dog in Farrell’s later novel The Singapore Grip — an elderly spaniel who is nicknamed ‘The Human Condition’. The irony there is a bit less subtle, but the implication is equally bleak. By the end of this novel Edward and the Major will both be reduced to growling at shadows, each in their own way. But perhaps the Major has more in common with the deserted pet rabbit who has been left to fend for himself in the grounds of the hotel: 

‘…Old and fat, it had been partly tamed by the twins when they were small children. They had lost interest, of course, as they grew older, and no longer remembered to feed it. The rabbit, however, had not forgotten the halcyon days of carrots and dandelion leaves. Thinner and thinner as time went by, it had nevertheless continued to haunt the fringes of the wood like a forsaken lover…’

Of course the rabbit ends up riddled with bullets. He is shot to death by British soldiers for fun. But the twins are not as upset as the Major expects them to be. They only want to know if they can eat him. 

[guerins]

Hello, I really love your blog. I always visit it when I am feeling nostalgic. Thank you for being here. What are your favorite Micheal and Maria episodes? I am sorry if you already answered this type of question >

hey! thank you :3 I’m actually working on a little roswell meme so there’s gonna be more nostalgic feels coming your way! lol. I honestly love running this blog so much. I hope I never get tired of it. I always have so much fun being here and talking to the roswell peeps. it’s great fun. 

I think I have answered that question before, but whatever, here I go again. I might even give different answers right now, who knows? lol

258 South (OBVIOUSLY. this is IT for them. realizing they have more in common than they thought. they understand each other. in a weird way. in an unexpected way. in a... ‘what is this?’ way. maria is so fucking strong, and fearless and she’s got spunk, you know? and then she’s suddenly vulnerable, and scared about being alone with him, away from home and the way he looks at her when he sees she’s not so tough after all and how his voice is quiet and gentle before he goes to find food and tells her to lock the door. it just... it slays me. AND let’s not forget: ‘not even if you were the last human/alien on earth.’  - ‘There’s gotta be something better out there for me than Roswell, New Mexico.’ Funny thing: the something better they’ve been looking for? They will grow to find it was EACH OTHER.)

River Dog (T H E  K I S S) *fun fact: majandra wanted it to look really good so she gave brendan some pointers. in my mind, they totally rehearsed it tons of times*

Heat Wave (♫ ah-ooh, got you where I want you ♫)

The Balance (the episode where michael realized he’s really into maria. he dooooves her *-* he can’t keep denying it. ‘no more running.’ he says to max, but looks at maria when he says it.)

The Toy House ( ‘when I’m around you sometimes I don’t feel like a stone wall anymore.’)

Independence Day (because michael’s in trouble and has nowhere to go, and yet, he finds himself outside maria’s window. ♫ have I got a long way to run ♫ ‘it’s okay. you don’t have to tell me, it’s okay.’)

Disturbing Behavior (michael & maria + roadtrip? sing me the hell up! also, maria TELLING michael that they’re back together and he doesn’t have a say in it, is GOLD)

How The Other Half Lives (the episode where they investigate, chill and then almost get killed. LOVE IT.)  

Cry Your Name (greatest boyfriend ever being the gentlest thing ever under the worst situation ever. maria has to be okay. maria has to be calm. maria hates barbacue. she will not deal with lame barbacued chicken on this day of all days. nope. no way. *goes off to caress maria’s face till the end of episode*)

It’s Too Late And It’s Too Bad (michael continues to be the best boyfriend ever. maria freaks out. he compares himself to a garbage disposal. amazing amy advice. goodness-all-around.)

The Departure (you know why. italian food, scooby plates, ‘I want you to see me speech.’ - ‘I can’t go. I finally found home.’ HOME = MARIA. ‘You opened the door and you came out, why? ... You stayed for me.’)

Significant Others (maria’s speech to michael in the bowling alley is EVERYTHING.)

Behind The Music (OH, NO. This is bad. But there’s so much feeling in this episode. And it’s an important one. Also, MARIA’S SINGING = ♥)

Samuel Rising (SANTA AND SNOWFLAKE ARE KISSING! ‘fetch me a snapple!’ ‘and I’ll need a foot rub later, too. thanks.’ ‘I don’t want to be alone.’)

Graduation (the end of the whole long stupid story. but also a new beginning for them. ‘wherever I’m going, whatever I’m doing, just know I’ll always love you.’ -‘my future's here. this is my choice. this is what I want. and whatever that is in the end that's what it'll be but, we're doing it together.’)

I KNOW THAT’S A LOT, BUT I LOVE THEM, OKAY? ♥ 

Nevertheless, if we’re talking TOP 5, I’d go with 

285 South

Independence Day

Cry Your Name

The Departure 

Samuel Rising

[sassydrew]

Let’s talk about the Malloy family for a second.

So first off, most of you know that I really love Fiona Malloy and wish her story was developed more. I really don’t like HAU as a game, but from my last playthrough, I have some Things we need to discuss. So in this, I’m going to talk about who the Malloys were, how they died, and what happened to Fiona.

So let’s begin. 

What Kyler says here is, basically, that it is unknown for whom Brendan’s jetpack/rocket technology was going to be used--it’s entirely possible he was developing his technology for the Nazis, which is....an uncomfortable prospect to be faced with. But there is, as far as I can tell, nothing we can find in the game that indicates his true loyalties.

Both Malloy parents died in 1944 when the left side of the castle exploded. Fiona was either not present (i.e., somewhere on the grounds) or on the other side of the castle, which was unscathed. Everyone assumed Fiona died because she couldn’t be found, but there are a couple of unsettling options of what she did after the explosion:

She saw her parents’ dead bodies (or what remained of them), and, distraught, ran to go get help. Being young enough (six years old--which I’ll explain in a second) that trying to find her way to the town was probably difficult and confusing.

She tried to do something to help her parents or put them back together before going to get help somewhere else

She was traumatized and unable to articulate what she needed help with and who she was

It’s possible it was a combination of all three. In any case, Fiona ultimately found the hermit who lived in the bog. There is no indication of whether her parents knew the hermit even existed, or if Fiona did, either. But somehow an understanding was reached between the two (regardless of Fiona’s ability to vocalize her needs) and Fiona found herself under his care.

So what exactly was Brendan doing when the explosion happened? We’ve seen his lab, which wasn’t exactly the most organized place, but certainly not disorganized enough to have caused an explosion by turning the wrong way in the room. And the lab was below ground, so what was happening on the left side of the castle that caused the explosion?

Well, Caitlin (Fiona’s mom) states in her diary that Brendan set up a fake laboratory on the left side of the castle and would show it to curious locals. Here’s what’s confusing about this, though, as a reason for their death:

Caitlin makes reference to the fact that whatever Brendan was developing in the lab would have terrible consequences if discovered by the general populace/the “wrong” people. What we know is that the real lab was for the exploration of different sources of fuel for rockets. There’s nothing particularly dangerous about the development of rockets, per se--so what exactly were these consequences? Either that the Axis or Allies (whoever Brendan wasn’t actually working for) would get hold of his research, and use it to what end? It’s unclear, because since they died in 1944, the war in Europe was almost over. Using rockets for more dangerous and more accurate bombs? I’m not entirely sure.

If Brendan was giving tours of the fake lab, then he would have been foolish to have put material as dangerous as what he was working with in his actual lab in a room with clumsy strangers who definitely weren’t as educated in science as he was. But the fake lab was almost definitely the source of the explosion, so what could he have done in there that caused the damage equal to that of a bomb? More importantly, it doesn’t seem right for the explosion to be written off as an accident, given how careful Brendan was in many of the other places his work was--by this I mean I just don’t see Brendan being clumsy and accidentally causing a devastating chemical reaction, or throwing several jetpacks at each other to cause an explosion.

If the lab was truly just for show, then what was Brendan doing in there if he wasn’t showing it to townspeople? As far as we know, the only people who died in the blaze were the Malloys. The explosion could not have been caused by Fiona, because she would have instantly died. It was either Caitlin or Brendan who were in there, and they definitely didn’t have business being there if they were by themselves.

So basically, to sum all this up: the circumstances of the explosion are very suspicious and very weird. They don’t really shed light on what (or who) exactly Brendan’s experiments were for.

Now let’s talk about Fiona and the life she led before the accident.

I’ve edited this picture to include two of the other samplers in Fiona’s room to point out what an immensely sad and depressing environment her room is. Every sampler makes reference to being silent and quiet (”See not what you see and hear not what you hear”, ���truth speaks even though the tongue were dead”, and “a silent mouth is sweet to hear”). She has an enormous chalkboard that says “EVIL RETURNS TO THE EVIL DOER”, which I seriously doubt Fiona ever wrote herself, even after the accident (the handwriting is too dissimilar from her handwriting on the family tree). Her toys are broken like she smashed them in a fit of rage.

And yet, she has the custom made dollhouse from her father filled with handmade dolls. She has what was once a beautiful rainbow display with gemstones on her wall. And when we see the (presumably) last birthday card her parents ever gave her, it feels so impossible to believe they would have decorated her room so poorly:

Not only that, but Caitlin’s diary indicates both her and Brendan’s deep love for Fiona:

Caitlin worked at the inn, but still spent lots of time with Fiona. Even if the jetpack made her understandably nervous, she still gets joy from watching how happy it makes Fiona. And Brendan custom made her a jetpack, and his lab has this on the wall:

So it doesn’t really make sense that parents like the Malloys, who so clearly doted on and adored their daughter, would put up samplers insisting on her silence and reminding her of how bad the world is. But incidentally, if Fiona did grow up with those constant reminders of how silence is important and evil will return to her eventually, it would make sense that she really struggled with her communication after her parents’ deaths.

What came of Fiona in the years she was with the bog hermit, who also eventually died? This little girl, with basic reading/writing skills and who likely went mute/struggled with language after her trauma, grew up, but never saw the world in any way but through the eyes of her young self. 

Donal is at least 20 years younger than Fiona, who is around 70 or 80 by the time the game happens. He knows there are rumors about a hut in the bog with a woman who lived there, but no one ever checked to substantiate whether or not that was true. Obviously, we know it’s true, which means that by the time Fiona was around 20 or 30, the bog hermit was dead, and she was alone.

Fiona understands her parents are dead. She understands that her many crows have died, too, as well as much of her family. Which is weird, because I really don’t know how she would know who of her extended family was still living. But in any case, Fiona puts big stars on the family tree by those important to her who have died. She works to update the tree.

And then we come to the events of the day we meet Fiona.

Before we open the drawer in the tower, we see Fiona flying away after doing something in the tower. I think she left the key in the desk and didn’t do anything else in there. The key opened a box to reminders of the family she loved and would never find again, and a grief she literally could not articulate, even if she wanted to. That box was a literal manifestation of who Fiona was before she became the Fiona that she is. Leaving the key with her parents’ things (also locked away) kept her from torturing herself by constantly looking at the past, but still gave her the option to, if she so chose. It’s also interesting that it seems that the only area of the castle she still interacts with is her parents’ room, not her own room. And, of course, as she leaves the tower, she emits her signature wail--although this time, she may actually be crying.

This screenshot doesn’t really capture it, but Nancy addresses Fiona by name, and she is probably the first person to do so in literally forty or so years. She is probably the first person Fiona has even come physically close to in literally forty or so years. And upon hearing her name, Fiona reacts with shock and confusion. She backs away a little from Nancy. She doesn’t know what to do or understand why Nancy is in her space. And those things she locked away and hid the key for--she’s confronted with them. She becomes aware that she is Fiona Malloy, whose parents were tragically killed, and who has lost everything important to her in her life.

And just as I said before, Fiona responds the way a six year old child who feels threatened might respond: she pushes Nancy down into the tunnels leading to the lab and cackles while she does so.

It is very childish, and the only reason I think she pushed Nancy down her was to get her out of her space and because it would be funny to watch her fall. Again, Fiona is really still seeing through the eyes of her younger self.

I think Fiona fed him and stuff because she kind of understood that he needed food, similar to how her crows need food and like she needs food. I don’t know if it was benevolence or kindness that she did this--like Matt says, he’s kind of like her pet. Even if she knew a way out of the tunnels, she wouldn’t be able to tell him how to leave. And I don’t think she had any incentive to make him leave, or just couldn’t understand why he would want to leave. To her, Matt is probably just another intruder like Nancy. Castle Malloy is the only home she’s ever known, and now two people have disrupted that. She cares enough not to let them die, but I don’t know if she could reason out any other options beyond continuing to feed them.

On some level, Fiona understood part of what Matt was saying, as he claimed before. She has enough of a grasp on language that she knew enough about him to have some idea of why he was there. And this leads us to another instance of Fiona only knowing how to interact with the world as a child: she makes dolls of Matt and Nancy. She knows Matt is the groom at a wedding, and so his doll is a groom with his ring around its neck. She doesn’t know much about Nancy, but she does know enough to know that her car key is what should go around her doll’s neck. And she knows that she doesn’t have the ability to explain how to leave, or how to get Matt (and Nancy) out from the tunnels, so she tries to explain without using her words: she leaves Matt’s doll behind. Fiona knew or hoped someone would understand what she meant when they found the doll and found out about her. Lucky for her, that person was Nancy.

And that brings us to Nancy building a rocket to help her and Matt escape. What follows is probably one of the most poignant, sad moments in the games.

After the rocket explodes into the sky, Fiona sees it and falls to her knees. She stares up at the sky, bewildered, emotional, and probably unable to explain how she feels yet again. Literally in the sky above her, unavoidable and bright, is the object that inadvertently led to her father’s death. It was his research that, directly or indirectly, caused the explosion that ripped Fiona’s parents away from her. And there is his research, finally coming to fruition, right before her eyes. Nancy got closer to Fiona’s father in a way that Fiona probably was never able to: she understood his research and completed his project. And in her grief at this fact, Fiona collapses.

We know that after the events of the evening, Fiona got put into a nursing home where she worked on developing her communication and emotional skills. I don’t know if she ever was able to process or work through her intense, raw emotions about how she had lived her entire life. And I don’t know how useful she would have found language in conveying it, having not properly spoken in many years. But she does make progress, and she’s clean and well-kept for the first time in more than forty years. And that is very encouraging.

If you’ve made it this far, I hope you found this interesting. If you have any answers or theories in response to the questions I’ve posed throughout, I would love to hear them! The Malloys are a much less understated version of, say, GTH’s outer, intense family drama and emotion. And Fiona is a character who I adore, because there is just so much to her that is unbearably sad and yet utterly fascinating. The game should have given us more about her.

[bricktomarble]

Okay,

Almost exactly a year ago, I finished up a humanities course at my university about the history of Rome. When I signed up for it, it was partly to fill a gen-ed requirement, and partly because I had to registered late, so everything else was full. I figured what the hell, I had enough background in Classics that it would be manageable, and anyone can survive anything for ten weeks anyway (college words to live by). As the universe would have it, that ten weeks ended up being some of the hardest I have ever experienced.

By the end of Spring term, I had:

finished up a year-long Comparative Lit program (fun)

presented my paper at a—very tiny—conference (scary)

learned to kickbox (badly. Thanks for trying, Graham)

tried to make peace with the first death of someone my age that I had ever experienced firsthand.

It was a slogging, exhausting mess of a term that also managed to be a screaming, unstoppable rollercoaster. Welcome, children, to serious existential crisis time™️. Through it all, the one aspect of my entire life that I maintained any motivation for (because it certainly wasn’t looking good or being social) was my City of Rome class, and at the end of it, the thought of letting it go was sort of inexplicably heartbreaking. In the biz, I think it’s called an “emotional crutch”. But classical archaeology had turned from a random multicultural credit to something that kept my mind off my grief, and genuinely fascinated me. I walked out of class on the last day and found myself hovering outside, lacking any sense of finality.

Someday I’ll apologize to the man for what a spastic choice it was, but I caught sight of my professor and decided that the totally normal and acceptable thing to do was, I guess, chase him down. I booked it across the lawn and, without any actual goal, ambushed him with a question about rare books (which to be fair, he talked about a lot). Instead of brushing me off for no doubt looking sweaty and manic, he invited me up to his office, and we spent the next bit of time talking about books, and school, and the work he does. At the end of it, I felt that closure I was looking for, a little nod of recognition from the universe and the topic I had fallen so in love with. But as I made to leave, he mentioned one last thing, a golden ticket to my directionless floundering: a summer excavation open to undergrads.

That brings us to now-ish.

I made this blog an embarrassingly long time ago, as a sort of hibernating reminder of my goal. I gave it a cheesy historical callback name, and put “summer 2019” in the bio, like it would magic the event into existence through sheer force of will. I’ve spent the interim year since my conversation with my professor fitting as many Classics courses into my psychology-major curriculum as possible, and I’m accidentally also a year into learning Latin. Funny how that works. I’m not an impulsive person, but sometimes it really gets you places.

In a month and ten days, I’ll be flying to the country that’s become the center of all my daydreams, and on top of that, I’m going to learn to work on an actual dig site. Doing real archaeology (or the dumb untrained 20-something equivalent). Watch out, Brendan Fraser in The Mummy (1999), I’m coming for you.

Unless something cataclysmic prevents me from physically getting there, I’m in the home stretch. Maybe I’ll update this as I go along, or maybe it’ll become a photo-dump after the fact, who knows. I’m not gonna hold myself to anything, but I wanted to get at least this much written down.

That’s what you do for important things.

[estrelatzia]

do all pls

It took a while, and I am sorry for taking so long, but I finally had the time to do it ;u;

Thank you for the ask!

Favorite video game?

I can’t choose just one, I have quite a few in my heart.

Professor Layton Series (My fave being Miracle Mask)

Pokemon (Of course! My faves being ORAS, RSE, HGSS, SUMO, B2W2)

And Animal Crossing (New Leaf and HHD)

First console you owned?

The super NES.

I come from a family of “gamers”, in a sense that my dad and most of his cousins are big video game fans.

However, when he was younger, they couldn’t afford any video game, it was too expensive and well, the income was very low, so they mostly spent their times in Arcades. So when my dad got married and finally had a budget, like one of the first things he did was buy a NES lol

He taught me how to splay super Mario when I was very young, tho I don’t even remember the first time I played it.

The first console my parents bought for me was the nintendo 64. And the first one that only belonged to me (Cuz I shared the 64 with my dad and my cousins) was the game boy colour.

A game that holds a special place in your heart?

I think Pokemon Ruby! God, I have so many good memories of this game! Like it was such a good experience for me!

I kinda was “kinnie” with May and saw myself a lot in her. And I fell in love with so many pokemon in that gen, like Torchic, Milotic, Absol, Azuril, Jirachi etc.

I got my first pokemon to lvl 100 (My blaziken). I found my first ever Shiny Pokemon (Trapinch who evolved into Flygon) and was lucky to get a lot of jackpot at the casino (Which I really sucked before lol). I also had a lot of fun times with the secret bases. And I loved the characters like Brendan, Winona and Wally. I discovered a lot of stuff on my own that up until today was memorable to me, like finding the 5% chance of fishing Feebas and trying to discover how to get Azuril (we didn’t have bulbapedia at the time and couldn’t read very well in English.) I also fell in love with the wonders of Hoenn! 

After like 200 hours I think, the games had a thing were the clock just stops moving and you can’t plant berries and such and it kinda sucks. I know it doesn’t change much in game, but when I was a kid it felt like the end of the game for me. And it kinda made me sad, but I still have the cartridge intact. I never had the heart to reset the game, I just moved my pokemon to other games (HGSS). Ruby will always be like a special treasure for me.

Favorite video game character?

This one is difficult, because I love so many lol Like I could talk about days, especially since they have a lot of characters in pokemon.

But I guess I will spare the details and go straight to a video game character that I appreciate and love a lot: Professor Layton.

That man is just such good guy? Like he is charismatic, fancy, so kind and so smart! It is fun playing along with him as a main character! And it’s super funny considering that the plots get so weird sometimes, that someone as logical as him can always figure out what is going on before everyone lol

He is just such a nice guy that you would like to meet you know? Also his voice is so calm and nice, it’s soothing!

He is voiced in Japanese by  Yo Oizumi (Which I would recommend everyone to give a listen to! You won’t regret! It’s so soothing and beautiful!) And Christopher Robin Miller in English!

Least favorite video game character?

I don’t have a character that I dislike with a big passion, but since I am given the opportunity I need to talk about one that annoyed me and I will probably put lot of people in a bad mood….please don’t take it personal, it’s just my opinion ;;

But for me, Zin/nia in ORAS made my experience with the post game some much more annoying!

Like I already have kinda a hate-love relationship with Post game ORAS (The delta episode). I like that they added it to the game and gave more story, I adored the moment you go to space and fight Deoxys. All this was so wonderful. I dislike however how you are like “Place A, fight someone. Ok now go to place B. Fight someone again”. It’s really annoying���and the fact that Zinnia’s character was rushed(?) into the story made it more annoying to me. Like we have some details of her story but not a whole lot. We can probably connect the dots…but still?? It felt weird to me. I thought there would be more to it, but it didn’t. And because of that it made the whole experience annoying and almost frustrating, because we don’t know a whole lot of what’s going on, but Zinnia doesn’t explain either. She is just angry and in a rush, and instead of just explaining what is happening, she goes around and steal stuff and punch people??? And when Steven the champion tries to offer some help, she is just rude?? which honestly I don’t care if she hates him, but logically if you want someone to listen and help you, why are you just being horrible to everyone?? And all that alternate universe will be destroyed…is like ok…I get what you mean but HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT FOR SURE??? How is anyone supposed to know that?? I just…idk it frustrated me. And I thought they would one day explain, but it has been like 5 years? and GameFreak maybe forgot about it, so it’s still a bitter memory to me. I know may love her and it’s ok, but to me she came off as unsympathetic at the time.

Favorite genre?

I would say RPG, but I haven’t complete any RPG in years, except for Pokemon. So I guess just relaxing games? Like Animal Crossing? Or games you can explore? Because one of the thing I love the most about games is exploring the vast worlds and interesting cities.  Idk, I also like puzzle games a lot lol

Video game character you’ve had a crush on?

Well when I was a young kid, I had a crush on Silver and Bugsy lol But now I don’t think I have crushes on any characters to be honest. I kinda lost having crushes on characters, but I am not sure why.

I guess if I have to choose, I would say Henry Ledore from Professor Layton: Miracle Mask, because I really liked that character and his personality. And it’s the closest that I have to a character crush, even though it is barely one lol

First video game you remember playing?

Super Mario for the SNES. But my memories are kinda hazy, so the one I remember the most is playing Diddy Kong Racing lol.

Age you started gaming?

I was super young, I can’t really remember when I played a video game for the first time, but I really started being interested in games around 7-ish. When I started playing Pokemon and discover other video games with my cousins.

Hardest video game you’ve played?

Listen…I don’t have the patience to play hard games…when it gets tough I give up…If I have the choice I would choose the easier mode…so I can’t even answer this question, because I would be saying a very easy game and people will be laughing at me and saying I am a fake gamer or something.

Video game you’ve spent the most time on?

Tomodachi Life (Don’t judge, I love it!)

Animal Crossing New Leaf

Pokemon Alpha Sapphire

Most embarrassing gaming moment?

When I was a kid I got stuck playing Golden Sun at the Mercury Lighthouse. It was early in the dungeon, like right after you get Mia, there was a statue you had to do Ply on, and I never got it. So instead I wondered for hours in the few accessible places in the world and did almost everything else I could. when I discovered, I cried almost of joy, my characters were so over-level at that point lol

I tried to play Pokemon competitive mode a few years ago because everyone was talking about it and lost almost immediately, I had no regrets because I dislike competitive modes, so it just proved that it wasn’t for me, but at the same time, it was darn embarrassing.

My first ever game of Kingdom Hearts was 358/2 Days. My experience with KH so far was only KHI that my cousin had. So I never really played it or knew the story, I just knew there were Disney characters and Mickey was apparently a King??? But I just wondered around Traverse Town (thus why I guess that town is so nostalgic to me), I wanted to explore like Atlantica because Ariel was there, but my cousin didn’t let me because it sucked (tho to be fair, he was right, but I didn’t know that!). Fast forward to Days, I was excited to finally start my own adventure and rapidly got confused. Like where was Mickey? My companions Donald and Goofy? Why was everyone talking about nobodies?? (Which for the longest time I thought meant like a insult instead of actually a real thing in the games lol). And to me the game tutorial felt soooo long. I just wanted to explore, and I lost patience so rapidly. Like if you would ask me, I would say that I spent almost 100 days on that game, but apparently I gave up so early, right before going to the first Disney World (one day before according to my brother lol…). I got roasted by my bro and cousins.

Scariest video game you’ve played?

I also don’t do scary stuff lol ;u; I get scary pretty easily! Like I got scared from playing limbo and couldn’t sleep well that night (I am not kidding lol)

Most memorable gaming moment?

Getting my Shiny Trapinch, finding Feebas and hatching my first Azuril in Ruby!

Also when me and my cousin were exploring the Silver islands (? myabe not the proper name, but I am too lazy to search) in Pokemon Silver, we found Lugia!! And It was super exciting for us! We were super happy for the rest of the day!

Video game character you wish you could meet in real life?

I guess Professor Layton, Aqua from KH and Maya Fey from the Ace Attorney games (She is so funny!).

PC, Xbox, Playstation, or Nintendo?

Almost only Nintendo.

Gaming company you’re most loyal to?

Nintendo, mostly because they make the games I am the most interested in, like Pokemon, AC, Mario, etc.

If you could only play one video game for the rest of your life, which would you choose?

I guess Pokemon, because I can’t imagine leaving without pokemon. But honestly, I can’t just live with ONE game, I would get bored eventually.

Do you use strategy guides?

I used when I was a kid. Now I just use references online when I need it.

How often do you use cheats?

If it’s a in-game glitch, I love trying it. If it’s a cheat that you need to use like a 3rd party, then I never use it.

The only time I cheated was when I was playing DPP, I really wanted to capture Creselia and other event legendary (which I never got, because I live in an obscure town and Nintendo didn’t even give events close to us here so… :) ). I made myself had like 100 master ball in the game, I was just so tired of chasing after Creselia. And honestly I don’t regret doing it. The only reason I don,t use 3rd party cheats is just because I don,t like to use it in the game, I’m paranoid and afraid I will loose my file or something lol

Competitive or single player?

Single player, definitely.

Video game character you want to/have cosplayed?

At a con I went, there was someone dressed like Donk City! Peach. I kinda want to try this but maybe a Roselia or Daisy version!

The other I want to try is KH3 Kairi, just because I adore her outfit. But I feel like it would be difficult and kidna not comfortable to wear, so I am pretty sure I will never lol

Ever go to a video game convention?

No never. It is quite far from where I live. But someday I would like to go.

Hardest boss fight you’ve been in?

I don’t remember honestly.

Video game you wish you could burn from your memory?

Time Hollow. It was kinda a boring game.

The other would be Sims…because I get really distracted and addicted to it to the point I don’t do much else when playing with it and I don,t like being like this since I feel like I am wasting my free time when I play for too long.

Favorite gaming series?

Pokemon

Professor Layton

Animal Crossing

Kingdom Hearts (Even though, I didn’t even played half of the games...)

Do you skip tutorials, or find them useful?

I try to listen when I am not familiar with a game, but I most likely get bored and eventually skip…

Best online gaming experience?

I don’t play online.

Worst online gaming experience?

I don’t play online.

Why do you game?

I game cuz I like gaming. lol It is just a nice hobby and a nice way to relax honestly.

[newssplashy]

Entertainment: Worthy of a romance novel, with a touch of mystery

“I was nervous about the swiping,” Pomerantz, 38, said of that moment in Los Angeles three years ago. “Elizabeth had a great photo with just her name and age. I was intrigued.”

Lauren Rae Pomerantz, an Emmy-winning writer and producer, was new to Tinder when she came across the profile of Elizabeth Higgins Clark, also a writer.

“I was nervous about the swiping,” Pomerantz, 38, said of that moment in Los Angeles three years ago. “Elizabeth had a great photo with just her name and age. I was intrigued.”

About he same time, Clark, 34, who is a granddaughter of best-selling author Mary Higgins Clark, landed on Pomerantz’s profile and also swiped right.

Clark texted first, asking if they had met before. Pomerantz said she didn’t think so. In fact, both had grown up in New Jersey, and their parents still live there: Clark’s in Hillsdale and Pomerantz’s about an hour south in East Brunswick.

More texts ensued. A meeting date, time and location were set: Saturday at 3 p.m., at Laurel Hardware, a store turned restaurant in West Hollywood, California. Both also made post-drink plans in case the evening was a bust.

Pomerantz was the first to arrive. “I watched her come in,” she said of Clark. “She had a good swagger strut. It was confident. She was wearing a bright blue dress, had long flowy hair, and I thought, ‘Who is this?'”

But, Clark wasn’t feeling confident at all. She met a friend for coffee that morning and had mentioned that she was contemplating returning to New York.

“I had been dumped a few months before, which had blindsided me,” she said. “I was having a tough time. I wasn’t where I wanted to be professionally or relationship-wise. I felt a little untethered.”

Pomerantz, she said, put her at ease. “Lauren was easy to talk to. She was together and humble and very funny. We had a really fun two-drink date.”

Clark paid for drinks and goodbyes were said.

The following day someone was expected to text first. “I have a thing — it’s weird with women,” Clark said. “Usually the one who doesn’t pay should reach out and say, ‘Thank you.’ But I didn’t hear from Lauren. I broke my own rule. I wanted to see her again so I texted her. It took her six hours to get back to me. I was horrified. I was confused. I thought our date went well.”

Pomerantz happened to be on a bike trip. “I didn’t know what to say,” she said. “Elizabeth was only my third date with a woman. I wasn’t really out to anyone. I was very reluctant to deal with it but knew I had to.”

Pomerantz redeemed herself when she texted back that evening, suggesting they have dinner at Pace Restaurant, also in West Hollywood. It turned out to be one of Clark’s favorites.

Their second date surpassed the first. Wine was shared. Stories about family and work lives were swapped. Pomerantz’s late texting was forgiven.

After dinner, they went to retrieve their cars. Pomerantz had valeted hers. Clark had not, and was parked a block away. “I consider this her ‘move,'” Pomerantz said. “Elizabeth said, ‘Walk me to my car and I’ll drive you back.’ We shared our first kiss in her car.”

The third date consisted of watching the movie “Grandma” at Pomerantz’s home. They had pizza, and a heartfelt talk on her deck.

“Lauren wasn’t out to her parents or any of her family,” Clark said. “I thought, maybe this isn’t going to work. She was amazing but had a lot of work ahead of her. I knew things could get complicated. I’d have to keep my expectations in check.”

They had a fourth date. Then a fifth. Pomerantz told Clark she would tell her parents. An opportunity arose when she flew to New York for work a week later. Both took the news well.

“I was proud of her for telling her parents,” Clark said. “I found her to be remarkable. When she got back from the trip, everything seemed more possible.”

Tinder accounts were ceremoniously deleted and exclusivity followed. Thanksgiving and Christmas brought about the meeting of each other’s families. New Year’s was spent together at Pomerantz’s friend’s home in the Berkshires.

“It was an important moment: It was the first time I had anyone romantic and significant to kiss on New Year’s,” Pomerantz said. “I knew early she was the one. I say no a lot to things because I’m scared. I didn’t say no to being with her. I kept going forward.”

Other trips followed: Bali; Mexico; and Napa, California, for Clark’s birthday. In May 2016, Pomerantz quit her job at the “Ellen DeGeneres Show,” where she had worked since 2007 as a writer and producer. Clark shifted gears, too, focusing on playwriting rather than acting.

“Our first year was magical. I couldn’t wait to see her every single time,” Clark said. “One night we were watching ’60 Minutes’ on the couch like 75-year-olds. We were trying to estimate Lesley Stahl’s net worth. I thought, ‘I’m never going to run out of things to talk to her about.’ I didn’t care what we were doing. It always felt exciting.”

In August 2016, they celebrated their first anniversary by going to an Adele concert, and with Clark moving into Pomerantz’s Beachwood Canyon home in Los Angeles.

“I hadn’t had a roommate since I was 23, but it became clear this was a real thing,” Pomerantz said.

By fall, both had fallen into a groove of togetherness: writing, eating, going to the gym.

Almost a year later, on July 27, 2017, Clark proposed.

They drove to Calamigos Ranch, in Malibu, California, where Clark had booked a room. She suggested they have a drink in the lobby and do The New York Times crossword puzzle she had brought. (Both crossword enthusiasts, Clark had contacted Brendan Emmett Quigley, a crossword constructor, to create a custom one.) By the 10th answer, Pomerantz realized all the clues had to do with her.

“I could see my last name start to form; I was very confused,” she said. “My brain was not computing. It didn’t occur to me that she made a fake one.”

Clark unveiled a diamond ring. Pomerantz responded with a yes. The weekend was blissful.

They returned home. Three weeks went by. Pomerantz’s life got busy. Clark got antsy. Where was her ring? She wanted one, too.

“I hadn’t expected it to matter, but it did,” Clark said. “I was engaged and I hadn’t been asked. For the first time in our relationship I felt insecure.”

Pomerantz said, “It immediately became clear I was to counter-propose. She told me she liked the ring she gave me. And it would be good if I wanted to get her a similar one.”

Pomerantz picked up the slack and a vintage diamond ring.

“I found one I really liked,” she said. “I wanted to make sure Elizabeth said yes, before she looked at it, because I wasn’t sure she’d like it. Then I wrote notes on index cards, which all ended with the words, I do. ‘Remember the first time you came over? I do.’ I placed them all over the house.”

The last one was found on the deck, where their intense talk took place on their third date. Clark was moved. ‘Yes’ was uttered before the ring was revealed — which got a lackluster reaction from Clark. Then, simultaneously, they asked if they could swap.

“We’re both the same size. Why not be happy,” Clark said.

The couple married on May 27 before 250 guests at Clark’s grandmother’s home in Saddle River, New Jersey. Clark’s aunt, Marilyn C. Clark, a New Jersey Superior Court judge, officiated, while Pomerantz’s best friend, Kevin Leman, an executive producer for the “Ellen DeGeneres Show,” played master of ceremony.

“It’s going to be a wonderful wedding and not a backdrop for a murder,” he said, and gave a playful wink to Higgins Clark. “I always thought I would marry Lauren,” he continued, “just not like this.”

The ceremony included the reciting of “You Are My Sunshine” by Clark’s young brother David F. Clark and her cousin Courtney Morrison; a short reading from the Supreme Court ruling of Obergefell v. Hodges; the brides’ original Tinder exchange; and deeply moving vows each had written to one another. During the cocktail hour, four synchronized swimmers performed routines in Higgins Clark’s pool.

“They are both so lovely,” said Higgins Clark, whose forthcoming novel, “I’ve Got My Eyes On You,” is dedicated to the brides. “And they look at each other so lovingly.”

Clark’s mother spoke similarly. “They are so well matched: Both are bright, talented, and sensitive. They understand each other,” said Mary Jane Behrends Clark. “I saw them looking at each other last night at the rehearsal dinner and thought, ‘They are really, really in love.'”

Decorative lanterns hung from the glamorous clear top frame tent, which was decked with couches, love seats, and array of tables and chairs. Buffet stations, from Peter Luger dishes to infused mozzarella bombs, were among the offerings.

“We both had our own challenges in coming out and getting to this place,” Pomerantz said. “For everyone to be here supporting us is overwhelming and amazing. The fact that it all worked out and I got to marry Elizabeth is mind-blowing.”

Clark, beaming, said, “I am very excited I have a wife. I hope being with her every night is as wonderful as this one.”

—

On This Day

When: May 27, 2018.

Where: Mary Higgins Clark’s 4-acre home in Saddle River, New Jersey.

Sophie Cake: The brides made a Rice Krispies treat to resemble Sophie, their Maltese mix, sitting on vanilla cake with chocolate butter cream and crushed Oreos. “It would have been too overwhelming for her to be at the wedding and I really wanted her there, so we represented her in cake form,” Pomerantz said.

Swipe Right: Actor Jason Mantzoukas and producer Matthew Wright read the brides’ Tinder conversation from the app. “We wanted a little gender bending in all this,” Clark said. “We thought it would be great entertainment.”

Libations: Two watermelon- and lime-infused cocktails — the Lauren, which had tequila, and the Elizabeth, which contained vodka — were served as a nod to the drinks each ordered on their first date.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

Alix Strauss © 2018 The New York Times

source https://www.newssplashy.com/2018/07/entertainment-worthy-of-romance-novel_1.html

[absweet-blog]

London Marathon 2018 Race Report

AHHH ITS MARATHON DAY It’s 5.40am, haven't slept, a thunder storm kindly ruined that.

A bagel with strawberry jam for breakfast.

Kit all ready from the night before.

I hug my Mum goodbye and try not to think about the next time I'll see her I'm running the marathon.

Check the weather a thousand times, yes still going to be 24.5 degrees the hottest on record.

Off I go from sunny Croydon.  Let's do this.

GETTING IN THE RED 'ZONE'

I followed the sea of trainers to Greenwich. I made my way up to the red starting zone - found my lorry to dump my bag in. And then queued for the loo's twice even though I didn't need to go - just a ritual really. My coach had told me to do a 15min warm up before going into the pens. I was looking around thinking where the hell am I going to do this as there were bodies of people everywhere. I felt pretty overwhelmed but knew I needed to make a plan. So I decided to do my stretches in the shade under a tree. 

WARMING UP (LITERALLY) Then I was like right where am I going to warm up these legs. I saw near to the fenced off start area 'more serious' looking runners wearing their club vests simply doing an up and down lap by some portaloo's - yessss on a boiling day, not an ideal location. I got myself in the mix, I did feel like a bit of a dick as I think I was the only girl doing it.  I did 5 mins and then thought its getting so hot I don't want to start the race a sweaty mess.

So off i went to find my start pen and my coach had also said if I couldn't do the warm up to do some squats while waiting. Again felt like an idiot. No one else was doing it but I thought what the heck I don't know anyone so just did it. In my head before the marathon I thought I would perhaps make friends with people in the start pen and it would be super chatty. However it really wasn't like that, people were either getting in the zone, or sat down under the trees to the side to save energy.  I surprised myself as it was quite an emotional moment when the queen started the marathon and the national anthem played. For a minute I felt like I was an olympian and I knew it was the start of a special day!  

As we made our way down I had two other groups start in from of me - the sub 3.45hour and the 4.15 hour crew behind. For a mass organised international race, almost 41,000 people I was hugely disappointed that there was no red zone sub 4 hour pacer. I hadn't planned on running with one but when I knew there wasn't one to help set the first few miles pace I was disappointed and I'm sure a lot of other people in my start group were feeling that too.

THE ROUTE This will sound weird but before the marathon every time I tried to look at the marathon route I felt sick to my stomach with nerves so would have to stop. A lot of the route for someone who's lived in London for 8 years it was still a magical mystery tour to even me.

LETS GO The first 3 miles, I felt good, it was a pinch myself moment reality check. I couldn't believe I was running the London Marathon something I had watched for years on TV growing up and it was really a dream to think it would ever been possible. The crowd support from the get go was in incredible and it's so wonderful to see how the city of London people will scream, shout and cheer for random strangers. I loved it! The signs were hilarious too and did make me smile inside even during some pain cave moments. I have so many favourite moments but early on when we merged with the other waves green and blue around 3 miles - I suddenly felt like this is it, this is really happening. this is the London Marathon 2018.

SEEING YOUR CHEER SQUAD Around mile 5 I could see Charlie AKA '@TheRunnerBeans' a little ahead, Charlie was pacing the green wave 4hour 45mins. This year was the first year the organisers to prevent congestion and to try to get people to start more quickly tried 3 different start areas - all to merge together at mile 3. This meant that even though I was trying to pace myself for sub 4 hours I would see the pacers for all different timings over the course. So when I saw Charlie ahead I wasn't panicked as I knew I was running the correct pace for when I had started the race. Anyway I shouted out to say hi, Charlie was running with someone dressed as an ice cream, incredible costume but such a tease as would of loved an ice cream. Charlie gave me a nice little motivational boast, to say "I better not see you again and off I went".

Around mile 10 I was happily surprised to see my triathlon partners in crime Hannah and Leigh and even with my headphones in managed to spin round to give them a wave. I hadn't realised they were coming to watch but gave me another big wave of motivation to keep on at it. I knew the next person I would see would be my Mum at the Guide Dogs UK cheer station. At this point was still holding onto the sub 4 hour pace.

11.5miles - There she is my Mummy waving away at the Guide Dogs UK stand, I remember seeing her first and shouting as I saw the Guide Dogs UK banners, I could tell she didn't know what to do when she saw me, if she should give me water, take a photo but she waved lots and shouted, which was perfect. 

HALF WAY My girlies Yiselle and Emily - I literally see them a mile off, they were on the other side of the returning runners, I weaved to the edge to shout across as they've got these brilliant bright hot pink banners with my name on. Again its funny because when you spot your friends first you startle them and they gave me the biggest cheer, which is just the best feeling to keep going. With a big smile on my face I keep chugging on.

15 miles - a dark cloud of pain comes over me. I hoped but knew it wouldn't be a race without pain. I'd been having physio for about 4 weeks before the marathon. My right knee which had been a little shit before when I did the Edinburgh Marathon in 2015 had been causing me a lot of discomfort on the long runs in training. It was a total repeat of Edinburgh, no knee pain (magic tape) but my hip went. It feels like your joint and bone are grinding down on each other. Its vile and deeply a lot of swear words unpleasant. I was armed with Ibuprofen and Paracetamol which I popped back (not easy when your mouth is as dry as a desert)

I had to have a strong word with myself here as It felt like I had gone from a good pace to a total shuffle. I knew I had to slow down or I'd do a lot more damage too early to be able to keep going to the end. I had been clinging onto the sub 4 hour pace and didn't have much buffer time to keep it. This was now fading... I couldn't get upset about it because there really wasn't much more I could have given at this stage 25km in. I had to carry on and do my best. It was a mental fight now not to stop, especially as so many people were walking around me. That's tough. (When you look back at the race times on average I slowed down 10 seconds per km. Thats really not much but at the time I felt like a total snail)

17/18miles (It's a blur) I see Mummy again and its a nice early surprise as thought she was going to be around 20/21 miles. It's a welcomed surprise because she hands me an extra gel and I take it then.

Somewhere around canary wharf I see another penis - Who would have thought! Or was I hallucinating.... okay it was inflatable. (this will make more sense if you keep reading)

Mile 19 I couldn't tell you in what order this happened as its really blurry as I’m drunk on running. I saw Yiselle and Emily again -those signs they made were so easy to spot. Loved it. Emily handed me a bottle of water which was really needed as was baking. I was struggling still but the girls said they couldn't tell (or they were just being polite)

A few moments later on the other side of the road I see Brendan and Christian. Brendan has been an absolute running rock during the training and came out with me in the beast from the east x2 totally voluntarily. I owe you a lot!!! I wasn't the most joyful runner on that training run - I shouted at him at one point in Victoria Park for 'running up a hill' it was pretty much flat but at the time in the cold, wet, wind and snow it felt like Everest. So cool to see them though.

Mile 20 ish A proposal!!! Not for me... I hear a big loud cheer echoing around (almost like a Mexican wave in a cheer form) a guy is on one knee proposing to his girlfriend in the crowd. I smile and keep running. God knows how he managed to get back up from being on one knee! But a special moment to see.

THE FINAL HOUR In my head when I was struggling I was like Abi all you have to do is get to mile 20, you know this part of London, you love running along the embankment and you've done this part a zillion times so it won't feel so hard. This was pretty much true when I got to it. Its strange because I've been running for 3 hours, seems like a long time right? But it went so fast. I was in a lot of pain, I took another round of painkillers for the final push.  I had really wanted to negative splits for the second half but it was frigging hot and tough. By this point I was happy to hold onto my current pace. I knew I was still not that far over 4 hours so was still on for a huge PB. In fact after I learnt I overtook almost 3275 people and only 163 people who took me on the second half.

Mile 24 Running in Blackfriars tunnel, its dark, shady and some relief from the sun, I let out a massive FU******K for some reason that made some of the pain disappear for a second.  Oh and my head phones die. PERFECT.

Mile 25 Who knew there's a bit of a incline of the embankment. Was glad to see the band at the top. The tarmac temperature is now 27 degrees. I'm really in a zone now of getting to the end. I see a lot of charities cheering, my Mum had told me where she was but I totally miss her and my other friends Lily, Lorna and Phil who were at Somerset House. I see the bend for Westminster, a lot of people are struggling now walking, some alone, some aided by the marshals.  I'm coming onto birdcage walk (another one I ran a lot in training, which is good as mentally I can work out how far I have to go)

600 metres to go I can do this, I smile at the camera, I've got this.

385 yards, that famous bend at Buckingham Palace. I can see it. I'm know the end is in sight. From here I pick up the pace, and find the strength to pump those arms to go for that sprint finish.

I can see the finish line, hang on a minute theres 3 different finish lines... which one to go for. I can see the middle is more crowded, I make a run for the left side. I cannot believe it I'm over the line. I've completed it. 26.2 miles. 4.09.53 (PB of 31mins 52secs)

Thank you to Guide Dogs UK for letting me be apart of their team, it was a proud moment. The biggest thank you to every single person who sponsored me, thats 99 of you! All brilliant people and very lucky to have you as friends.

If you want to read more about the high/low lights and just want more details keep reading on...

SEEING THE SIGHTS / THE HIGHLIGHTS Greenwich had a great vibe, it was packed with people and you feel incredible seeing them all cheering people on. This is where I saw my first penis (inflatable) but it got my attention!

First big wow wow moment was Cutty Sark, I saw less of the boat than I would of liked just remembering all the hoarding around it with advertising but the atmosphere was totally electric. LOVED IT. Felt like a running superstar at that moment.

Tower Bridge. Now theres a lot of hype about this bridge and it was pretty magical but for me it was a bit overwhelming. So many amazing charities and people cheering you just don't know where to look. 

Embankment Its wall to wall people and thats exactly what you need at this stage. Its perfect. I loved running along here normally but actually couldn't see the thames at all.

Big Ben Its super cool here, you know you're going to do it. MAGICAL feeling.

Keep reading now, its almost like you've finished a marathon reading thus far.

HYDRATION It was hot early on and even though I had my hydration vest on with electrolytes I was getting through it faster than usual. I avoided the first few water stations where it was like feeding time in a shark pool with people fighting to reach a hand to get water. After a while I knew I needed to bring my body temp down. I wore white to not reflect the sun but from then on I would take a sip of the water, tip the rest over my head, down my back, chest and wrists - basically everywhere. it wasn't a sexy wet competition vibe, defo would have lost if it was. (Disclaimer, I had a lot of body glide on so was protected fortunately from the chaffing)

I kept to the plan, after 30mins first gel and then every 50 mins and in between took a cliff shot blok - this seemed to work really well for me as officially I didn't hit the wall but hit something else later...

SHOWERS I've never been so happy in all my life to see the fireman, they're hoses were big and full of water... and it sprayed the whole road. Running through it felt like heaven. I wish there had been more. The London Marathon official showers were puny and again was a total stamped of chaos to get anywhere close.

MY OOTD I got a lot of stick from my friends for my outfit. However I know it wasn't particularly the most stylish look it kept me cool. (I would also of taken the mick out of me too)

2XU Visor (I felt like my Grandma, but she's cool so thats okay) Love the colour - first time wearing one in a race, and yes would wear again if sunny.

2XU Compression Shorts These were great, as didn't ride up or give me a wedge.

2XU Compression Socks These were good, no blisters, they are however pretty thick and found it hard at mile 20 bashing my feet in them when I had cramp. I think I might prefer a thinner sock. They slightly rolled down on my knee too but didn't cause much bother.

Nike Medium Support Bra Its a trusty bra, and only had a tiny tiny bit of chaffing. So pretty happy with that.

Nike Dri-FIT top I tested out my hydration pack in other runs and it rubbed with vest tops. I normally don't like wear tops with capped sleeves but to save the chaff it was fine. The fabric absorbed my sweat and water quickly which was just what I needed in the climate.

Saucony Guide ISO I've worn these since 2013 when I first had gait analysis done and they've been great. I was a bit unsure about the latest updated design - new fancy fabric but all good. No blisters and foot was well supported.

Sunwise Sunglasses Think I need to upgrade these are some point. I bought these from Runners Need in Brighton back in August when I was training for a half marathon. I look hideous in them but they didn't move or slip. They did the job they needed.

Nathan Hydration Pack I did a bit of research on these before I bought one, but saw a post Charlie (@The Runner Beans) had done on them and she had got on well with this one and its pink. Done deal  No chaffing.  Room for phone, gels and shot bloks with easy access at the front.

I'll be surprised if you read this far but this is the best bit...and I can write it because I don't anyone would read this far - this is basically an ultra marathon now in writing. 

PRE RACE FEARS My biggest fears before the marathon were:

1. Not being able to run the whole way.  2. Not being able to run and take the gels and...3. Shitting myself because of the gels. (We all know about Paula, its happens)

I'd struggled with all of these things over the training, doing your long runs is tough because your bound to come to traffic lights or reasons to stop so I had a real fear that I wasn't fit enough to run the whole way. I know its mental when I tell people because their like you trained so hard for this but I was still worried.

Gels, are my best friend and worst enemy. Without giving you TMI training had been a total mixed bag with these. One run totally fine, next run I'm SERIOUSLY panicking looking for a loo in a random cricket club, cafe or shopping centre. I can pretty much tell you were all the public loos are now in London. However for running that amount of time I needed those gels. I took an Imodium in the morning before I left and as soon as they were doing the countdown for the marathon to start I felt a nervous pang in my stomach and thought this is too risky and took another Imodium.

BIGGEST TIPS If you can avoid telling people what time you're aiming to do it in, it will save you some stress you don't need.  I really struggled with the pressure because I had been very open that I wanted to do it under 4 hours. I was always on the fence whether I could do it. And actually had there not been so much congestion around parts of the course/it was stand still at some water stations. I may of been a bit closer. Who knows on a less sunny day. Good job I've got New York when it certainly won't be hot in November.

Lastly smile and enjoy it, it goes in a flash and you'll want to remember as much as possible. I was on cloud 9 for days after - and just wanted to do it all over again. I really couldn't have had a better experience and really urge anyone to give it ago. You won't regret it!!! / You might hate me in January when you start training but when you've got the medal theres no better feeling. It's totally worth it.

Thank you for reading and if you enjoyed reading it let me know as maybe I'll keep doing it. And if you hated it let me know that to so I keep doing it :-)

[clyshnasfavoritehello-blog]

BOOK 1

Book Title: Crazy for You by Jennifer Crusie                                       February 22, 2017

Part 1:

A. Reflect- Quinn McKenzie has always lived what she calls a “beige” life. She’s dating the world’s nicest guy, she has a good job as a high school art teacher and she’s surrounded by family and friends who loves her. I was amazed by how she got her life so nice and how she managed to hold everything precisely in order. But everything changed as she decided to change her life. What upsets me most was because it all started by adopting a stray dog. Everything begins to spiral out of control. I guess it’s such a nasty thing to do—changed everything and she did neglect a two-year relationship just for a dog and I pity Bill so much for that. But as I started to figure out why Quinn did such thing, I think it’s the best thing she’d done. At least it freed her mind and herself from being unable to do what she wants to do and have—unlike when she’s still with Bill where her actions were limited and she couldn’t just get the things that she want because Bill is acting too superior on everything, including Quinn’s personal decisions.

B. Connect- Crazy for you is a book about obsession and freedom, which happens in reality. As soon as I’ve read the quote above, it reminds me of all the things and dreams I have with me and the reason why I’m here—reading books, complying such requirements and gathering my ideas.

Few years ago, like Bill, I began believing and soaring high to fulfill my dreams and I achieved some of it already. A lot of difficulties came along my way, I met few people who were meant to test my patience and determination. Few of them also helped me realize everything and even encourage me to dream big and that nothing is impossible.

Reading this book amazes me a lot. At first, I find it real-boring and such a waste of time and my mind is pinned to the thought and idea that the story is nonsense at all. Imagine yourself writing a story where the world of the female character goes round for the life of a stray dog. It make sense to me that Quinn is such a loving and a kind-hearted person, of course. I know that I’ll do the same thing that she’d done—keeping the dog and giving him/her a shelter but I couldn’t imagine myself neglecting the person I love just for a stray dog—and that was my mistake. I misjudged Quinn then.

One scene that leaves a mark in my mind and awakens my senses was when Bill maltreated the dog—whose name is Katie. Bill and Quinn argued ‘coz of the fact that it’s only Bill’s wants and needs that she’s always after to and it hit me right there and then.

In my 18 years of existence, I’ve met a lot of people who were really hard to deal with. I always end up following them, not because I’m afraid to lose them (well, partly yes) but because I’m not that kind of person who loves to argue and I always end up being aggravated. That became my habit—not until I finished this novel. I realized that sometimes, it’s much better to follow what your heart is really beating for and that saying NO is not a bad thing—in fact, it’s the best that you can do for yourself to be happy because at first, happiness starts within yourself and you should not depend your happiness to others.

C. Question- At the beginning of the story, I find it so dull and it really puzzled and confused me a lot on the fact that how could a stray dog be the reason why a two-year relationship is ruined? I mean, I don’t get it why it has to be complicated and if it’s me on the position and situation of Quinn, I wouldn’t change and end everything just for a dog—people will find it funny. Why would she prefer their relationship to be ruined and end than to send the dog to a pound? Does it has something to do with their “couple issues”? What kind of a boyfriend is Bill? What kind of a person is Quinn?

 D. Predict- I think the reason why Quinn made a choice of letting their relationship to end is that because the dog gives her happiness that she never experience and less than Bill can do. I think it has something to do with their issues as a couple such as Quinn isn’t contented anymore on the way Bill have made her feel important and on how they view things individually and as a couple for example on giving importance to the thing called “life” – of the dog. I presume that Bill is a kind of boyfriend who only wants the best for his girl and always want her to feel that she’s safe and loved without thinking that he’s already doing too much that causes pain to Quinn without him knowing it while on the other hand, Quinn is a kind-hearted person who loves to help her loved ones no matter what and love to take risks to help the ones in need not thinking of what will be the consequences that she’ll face after helping them—and I think that’s what make Bill and Quinn totally different and unique.

 Part 2:

           Dear Ms. Crusie,

                       Hi Madame! This is to let you know that I admire your work a lot but sorry ‘coz I also need to be honest that I find it boring at first. I love the way how your story flows. It’s very timely up to now and I presume that the millennial’s could relate themselves to the character of Bill. Partly obsessed to music and entertainment, so as to the different social media accounts, to the different trends in fashion and of course, when it comes to love to the point that they’re willing to kill their rival just to win the love of their life back, just like what Bill did when Quinn broke up with him.

                        I wonder how and who’s or what’s your inspiration when writing this story. Your story just come together with the right touches of humor and some pretty-sexy-funny dialogue. It’s a little wild too. I’m now rooting around for more of you. Though it takes me three-long weeks to finish reading it, I can prove and humbly say that it’s definitely worth the read and I hope you wouldn’t mind if I find it boring at first.

                       Ma’am, thank you for making me hold my sides with laughter. I also want to thank you for making me cry my heart out and for making me too fascinated. May you continue to write more inspiring and breath-taking yet very fulfilling and timely story that everyone can relate themselves to it. God bless you and long-live in the industry of writing.

             Yours Truly,

           Kae Shane Namion

-oo00oo-

 Sometimes you need something new to feel alive again..

Sometimes what used to be good isn’t enough no more..

Old Quinn McKenzie’s changed—totally..

Is it because of a stray dog? Well, partly MAYBE.

 ..

Obsession, superiority, love, and hatred..

Wits combined and the outcome’s a little bit funny..

McKenzie’s known for her independency..

Who could’ve thought she’d be needing someone to insure her security?

 ..

It’s been declared that things between Bill and her is totally over.

Bill’s anger is ruling him over and poor little Katie’s in danger..

His obsession has gone too far..

Hurting his Quinn—neglecting his promise not to make her cry or even a frown..

 ..

Maybe ‘twas just right for them to part ways..

Quinn finally realized that sometimes,

Someone needs to be mature enough to understand and protect her..

Right there and then, the handsome-devilish Nick Ziegler,

Her best friend—came as her rescuer.

tps:/w ���)�

--

BOOK 2 

Book Title: Sam’s Letter to Jennifer by James Patterson

February 22, 2017

 Part 1:

 A. Reflect- Jennifer is a woman who first lost her husband and miscarried their little “peanut” and being summoned back to her hometown because of a phone call regarding Sam—her best friend. Back in the house where she spent her most magical years, she found a bundle of letters at the top of the bedside table on her old room. Astonished by how she handle and deal with everything she’s in to. Well, maybe she’s somehow faking the emotions that she shows but it’s not really what she feel—and yes, she’s good at it. She’s been strong enough for such a long time, not until she met Brendan Keller—her “brother” in Lake Geneva back on those summer days. Wondering who Sam really is plus the fact that she have Brendan makes my thoughts jumbled. I guessed about it too many times and ending up with a thought “Lucky her, she’s got two men who loves her.” Continually reading the text helped me sort out my ideas and freed my mind to know the characters more.

B. Connect- Have you ever gotten a letter or a message and even a certificate that changed your life completely? It happened to me once way back in the year 2015. It was the month of September when I first received a message that our dearest Victorio—my grandfather, was sent to the hospital because of seizures and some underlying diseases. I was in the middle of a review for my upcoming exams that time and as soon as I finished reading the message makes me want to have a long jump way to the hospital where he was confined but I just can’t. I was mentally absent the whole time not until I got a phone call from my mama telling me that everything was under control and he’s doing fine already.

Weeks have passed and he was still confined, he’s doing fine but his body isn’t. He’s partially paralyzed and isn’t able to talk and that broke me into pieces. I don’t have anything to do, I’m way too far and that thought add the guilt that I have. The doctor sent him home reassuring that he’s already managed to be well. Everything that was normal before he was diagnosed had changed. Totally changed as soon as I received a call from my cousin—who’s such a numb one not giving me warning or even asking me a question. I got my knees with me as I sat down. Our Victorio’s gone, forever. Like Jen, I went home with an empty mind and with tears from my eyes—with mixed emotions. As I arrived home, I didn’t mind and manage to take time to pay respect to the elders and hurried to the room where I last saw him. Before I noticed, I was already yelping on the floor. He made a promise that he’ll be strong and he’s strong like Sam, but he’s already gone. One of the reasons why I’m striving hard is gone. Funny and scary how a message could change your whole life, isn’t it? But like Jen, I—together with my family managed ourselves to overcome and recover from it.

C. Question- I wonder who is Sam in Jennifer’s life. Is he a he or a she? What’s the cause of Danny’s death? Not much for a woman like Jen but what’s Brendan Keller’s role in her life then? To whose hands will Jenn end up?

D. Predict- Maybe Sam is her admirer hiding with the label as “best friend” and only have the guts to confess the feelings. Maybe he’s really a she, no—he’s really a he. I think Yeah, I think he’s really a he. Danny’s death was because of a cancer, a stage 4 lung cancer. Brendan Keller on the other hand may be a rival and a lover and maybe, if given the chance, Jennifer will fall on Brendan’s hands and she’ll be happy again and will be able to fulfill the role she failed to do the first time she had the chance—being a mother.

PART 2:

           The part or scene of the stort that really leaves a mark in my mind and in my heart was when Brendan left Lake Geneva—on his way to Chicago, without Jenn knowing what the real reason was. It happened the night after Brendan’s birthday celebration where Brendan himself surprised Jennifer that it’s his birthday.

           I think the reason why Brendan left without saying a word to Jenn, personally because he can’t find the right words to say and that maybe because he’s changed his mind and he doesn’t really love Jennifer.

                                           -oo000oo-

 The best things is yet to come out.

Like living the life that you ever wanted to work out..

We (I) get tired and left out...

But come to think of it as obstacles or some kind of things that needed to be sorted out..

..

What are we but our stories?

Sample was life’s like a wheel, spinning and turning upside and down..

We met people out of plan but with good purpose to us and in the society..

Some were meant to pass by and give test our capabilities..

Only few were meant to stay and determined not to leave no matter what..

 ..

Then one day, we woke up realizing everything about life..

Got up from bed and went back and cried..

You and I—we aren’t sad. Not at all, my friend..

It was just so beautiful to have an intense feeling and the right words at the same time..

The thought that for such a long time, it seemed that life was about to begin—a REAL LIFE.

Though there’s still some unfinished business and the time still needed to be wisely served..

The importance of life is yet to be fully-discovered.

 ..

One thing it taught at times is that “Love never dies...”

Somehow hidden but not at all times..

One more thing is that second chances are always worth given a try..

--

BOOK 3

Book Title: Bright Hopes by Pat Warren                             March 23, 2017

 Part 1:

         How two people with opposite beliefs, opposite attitudes and contradicting principles can will be able to create a harmonious relationship? How love and a loving relationship—except having a positive mental attitude, became an effective way to lessen the progression of a disease?

         I adore how Pam Casals’ became a bright, vivacious and a dedicated person and on how her infectious enthusiasm and courage inspires everyone around her. Yet, it is awful how someone like Patrick Kelsey tries real hard to get close to her and she always seem to back herself off.  I, myself shares half of what Patrick have felt but also considering Pam’s personal reason of doing such action.

As I went on reading and as the characters helped me know every single details of their lives as well as how mysterious the town of Tyler is, I understand why Coach Casals tend to hide the truth—both from the Titans, from Patrick and the whole town itself. It’s never been right and easy running away from the reality but it’s a lot harder how the person you once love and once spent your life with could easily throw everything you’ve went through together just because he’d known that you have a disease that could not only affect your future alone but also his future. Pam have been hiding it and I guess she just did the right thing, not because of selfishness and to keep her poise intact, but because she don’t want to be loved because of pity and that she don’t want to end up hurting herself by letting another man love and enter her life then just leave her easily after knowing that she’s got with her an MS that could ruin everything. Pam’s mindset has always been that way for two long years, I guess not until she’d realized that she needs to let it out and tell Patrick everything about her disease—and she’s not mistaken by her decision because Patrick Kelsey prove that not all gentleman she’d known will do just as the same how the coward Bobby, her ex-boyfriend had done. They both work out in dealing with the disease and it helped them both on knowing each other more than before and they end up with each other on Christmas Eve. I guess she now find and have the happiness that she’s been looking for.

         Way back in my high school days, I’ve been diagnosed having an acute anemia wherein if my platelet count drop once more, the diagnosis will no more be anemia but leukemia. I pity myself more instead of being strong for myself. My parents once keep an eye on me because it felt like I can’t do anything alone by myself. Even walking way through the comfort room of the hospital ward, I need someone by my side. Before the transfusion, my parents have gone crazy looking for four bags of blood type AB, the blood type that’s hard to find. My doctors says I need to undergo the transfusion as soon as possible because if not, it will be too late and sure real, leukemia will rule over my life and take away all the possibilities and chances that I can still manage to fulfill my dreams and aspirations in life. Glad that God has given me a chance to surpass it all. They were able to produce two bags of blood.  Yet it’s not as easy as pie before my total recovery. During the transfusion, there’ve been a complication, I was suddenly having a hard time to breathe and I need to have a tank of oxygen beside me. My attending physician found out that there’s quite an amount of water in both my lungs. After spending thirteen long days at the hospital bed, I’m freed by them but just like Coach Pam, a lot of do’s and don’ts are held by my doctors—from my gynecologist down to my attending physician. And just like Pam, I choose to keep it from my friends and continue to live normally as if nothing happened and as if I never known how and what it feels to almost lose the fight.

         The lesson that Pam Casals have embarked on my mind is that your disease is not a hindrance and will never be a hindrance to achieve whatever goals you have in life and that no matter how painful the truth is, we or you should always learn to accept and consider it as a blessing just in disguise. Having a life with limitations at the outset of recuperating from a severe illness is a hard thing to deal alone, but with the help of those who love us, sooner or later—you’ll never know that you’re used to living with it already. Acceptance is way better than fooling yourself and the people around you. Life is for the living. Don’t let yourself miss a thing and end up wishing you’d done this and that. Life is short and we should not let any disease take us down. Enjoy it while we/or you have it.

I think what makes Pam and Patrick able to create and strengthen their harmonious relationship is that the understanding between the two of them and their uniqueness that cannot be explained. Truly, being loved and knowing that you’re being loved by those around you really helps a lot in dealing with such illness. Their love is one of the factor and reason why you keep on fighting and why you’re still determined to live your life—just like what Pam Casals did. She’s fighting with her MS because of her family, the boys of Tyler High, her friends, his dog Samson, her therapist—Rosemary, the football game, her goals and dreams, those who believes her capabilities as a person, a woman of her own, as a daughter, a friend, a coach and most especially as a lover and because of Patrick Kelsey. I think that’s what also makes her the miracle coach.

 Part 2:

Diary Entry and Letter to one of the characters.

 August 1, 1992

Dear Diary,

              I just arrived a few hours ago at this town named Wisconsin, Tyler. I don’t know if the residents will like having me as the Tyler high’s new women football coach, I doubt they won’t. Earlier at the central square of the town, I already have seen and partially inspected the town. They got a beauty shop, a diner, a bank on the other side of the street, there’s also this usual array of grocery stores and drug stores and so on which filled out the other side of the block. The town’s atmosphere really pleased me a lot. As my eyes continuously roamed around the town and as my feet began to take me to nowhere, I spotted handful of youngsters playing tag on the far side. There were also some of the adults at the center of the greens. Amazing how they get along with each other isn’t it?

              A few minutes, my friend and roommate Rosemary Dusold arrived to fetch me but before we headed to the apartment where I will be staying, she introduced me to some of them. Particularly to the Kelsey’s. I was out of focus as she introduced to me this one big guy, about several inches over six feet, with curly black hair falling on his lean face etched with laugh lines at the corners of those incredible eyes. He smiled at me! He was Patrick Kelsey. As Rosemary introduced me to him, he was startled and I wondered by. He has this frown on his face which seem like he’d already known about me coming. I found out that he’s a gym teacher and also a basketball coach.

              I also meet Kathleen Kelsey, Terry Williams, Al Broderick and Brick Bauer. Oh, and also Nick. We didn’t stay long although I want to. I’m too tired to meet the others. Anyways, I’ll have the next of days and months knowing and living with this people.

              Rosemary led me to the apartment a few blocks from the central square. It was a two stories high white frame house with a wraparound porch and green shuttered windows on Morgan Avenue. There seems a Victorian elegance to the old building. Samson is with me as I transfer here, so I guess I’ll live comfortably and at peace here. Maybe I’ll get total remission here. Hopefully.

              Let’s call this a day my friend. I need to be early tomorrow. I’ll be meeting the Tyler high’s principal for my interview. I hope everything will be fine and my MS will not be a hindrance to me and on my career. Wish me luck as well!

 Pam.

--

August 9, 1992

Dear Diary,

              It’s been a week since I first arrived here at Tyler. I’ve met some more of Tyler’s individuals like Marge who owns the diner few blocks from my apartment and Dr. Phelps whom Rosemary works with. After seeing Ms. Mackie and passing the interview, I watched some of the tapes of the Titans previous plays and I guess the boys’ capabilities is there but what makes the team weak is that because they don’t have the word teamwork. I’m not blaming Coach McCormick for such but I guess he lacks the authority and he’s just more focus on winning than on molding the boys’ moral.

              It’s the first practice of the team with me and it honestly didn’t go well. Of course, as I expected, they were a little rusty after such a long summer break plus their coach have just retired and I can’t blame them for that. I also talked to my boys two hours after we began the practice and told them that they have the potential of winning the next game and that they’ve got many strengths and a lot more is going to work out well BUT I as their coach and them, as the players, have a lot of work to do as a team for us to win. I noticed that some of the boys are out of shape so I decided to have a weight requirements so that those who gained a lot of weight could start their diet and that those who didn’t reach the limit will also work out to gain the weight requirements. A lot of them protested. I don’t want to be too harsh but they don’t have any other choice. If they still want to be in the team, then they need to follow my orders, right?

              I released them right after I discussed my rules and concerns. Alone in the bleachers, I realized that I was having less trouble winning over the boys than the man whose amused blue eyes seems to hint that she wouldn’t last. Sorry but I’ll prove him really wrong.

              After studying the notes that I’ve taken during the practice, I went home straight. It was such a long tiring day and I guess I deserve a good food from a diner right? Nah! After this day, I’m keeping much more than an eye to the boys’ practice. All the way through the pre-season game and championship in the Thanksgiving Day! I hope tomorrows practice is going to be fine. I’m really rooting for the boys’ improvement, both in their mental and physical state. For now, I’ll be going out with Samson, and maybe Rosemary can follow or maybe I’ll go take out something good for her. Ciao!

 Pam.

--

September 21, 1992

Dear Diary,

              It’s the team’s last practice before the pre-season game. I’m nervous and anxious and here I am, acting strangely. It seems like I lost my appetite and I wonder why. I’ve never been like this before when I’m nervous. Patrick drop by and he stayed a bit. We have some popcorns and a conversation about the team and my life. I was wondering about this feeling I have inside me whenever we’re together. As far as my MS is concerned and I am concerned, I haven’t been like this not after my last relationship. Well, whatever this feeling means, I know he’ll leave me too as soon as he find out that I’ve got an MS with me, just like what Bob did.

              After the pre-season game, I’ll tell him about my MS. I can’t let this agony last long. I can no longer resist it. Especially this past few days where I’ve been experiencing some tingling and sudden numbing on my legs which usually and supposedly it’s just my left leg. I already told Rosemary about this and I’ve decided too, to see Dr. Phelps to seek some advice and have me examined. And after this pre-season, I’ll find out if I’m staying or I’ll be going back to Chicago.

              Well, my mind now is preoccupied by the pre-season game. I’m confident that the team will win but I’m nervous because this is the first game that the Titan will be playing with a women coach. There’s no such sure thing as winning, who knows? I don’t want the town to be disappointed and I don’t want to prove Patrick Kelsey that I’m no better than a man could do.

              I hope the game will went well. But no matter what the result will be, I’ll still be looking forward and continue to train the boys. I know they can do it and I trust them as much as I trust myself and my way of coaching them.

              Samson and I will be going out tonight. A walk around the street will not be bad and I don’t think it will affect me that much. It’s not warm outside but also not too cold. A corduroy will do. Rosemary have been out of town with friends. She’s got this weekend tripping and camping and she’ll be away for three days. Alone with Samson is such a great but boring time sometimes.

              Wish me and my teams’ luck fellow!

Pam.

--

November 15, 1992

Dear Diary,

           After the Titans won the championship game and after I fully recovered from the last time I collapsed which almost end my life, Patrick and I got engaged and is now preparing for our Christmas wedding. I supposedly don’t want it to be held on Christmas day but Patrick insisted that it would be perfect and it’s really a perfect day to have our wedding done. Both our families agreed with him too. My father and brothers already know about the wedding and sure they were coming. Kathleen helped me looking for my wedding gown and we found the perfect one. I’m excited with the thought that Pam Casals will be retiring soon and Pam Kelsey wants to live every moment to the fullest. Anyway, life is for the living, right? None of us know how long we have left and I don’t want to miss a thing and wind up wishing I’d done this or that. I want to do it all and be happy. And Patrick taught me that.

About my MS, after I collapsed and confined and after the findings were out, the chitchats were spread in just one day and the whole town already know about it. I was expecting that they’ll have ruthless reactions about my disease but instead, they send me flowers and fruits and some of them visited me and wished for my total recovery. Patrick’s grandma, Martha came with some of the lady’s with their lovely quilts. Her boys also knew it already and it’s such an overwhelming feeling how the whole Wisconsin town accepted me and how they made me feel being loved especially the Kelsey’s—her soon-to-be second family.

           The whole town is really quite a great place and I guess, the wish that I once make before I drove into town—I wished that I hope I’ll be able to find happiness here and I guess I just did. I’ll be soon marrying the man I love and the man who loves me without minding my shortcomings and I’m surrounded by those who loves and accepts me plus I’ve got with me a career of my own. I couldn’t wish for more but hope that God will bless me and Patrick a happy family.

           Enough for this. I’ll get going. I need to fix everything and finalize the details of our wedding. Wish us luck!

 Pam.

 --

March 18, 2017      

Casals, Pam Football Coach Tyler High school Wisconsin, Tyler

 Ma’am:

 Greetings of peace and prosperity!

 I would like to congratulate you first for bringing your boys to the top 1. Madam, I adore you as a person, a daughter, a friend, and as a coach. I adore you on how you were able to cope up and deal with your MS as well as managed to control and even hide it away from the community of Tyler. But I was wondering how did you come up with a decision to be a football coach? It’s not that I’m doubting your capabilities madam, I was just overwhelmed and amazed that a woman like you would prefer choose being a football coach than be working at the office or putting up her own business.

Coach, I know how it felt to be hiding something from whom you used to live and spend your everyday life with, not because of selfishness but because you don’t want them to pity you. I also know how painful it is to know that the person you love gives up on you because you have a deficiency. But hiding the truth won’t totally make you happy. It just prolongs your agony and it’s bothering you slowly without you noticing it. Why don’t you just don’t hide it from anybody the next time? As you can see, Patrick and the rest of the Tyler community still accepts you and they never judged you, right?

I’m glad knowing that you can now live your life freely with your family, friends, new family—the Kelsey’s, and of course yours and Patrick’s own family soon. Before I forgot, I want to thank you for inspiring me through your words and for sharing your experiences. What I really love about you is the way how you value the meaning of life—which is learning as well as the value of life.

It’s really such an honor for me being able to attain new learnings from your succinctly definitions and way of giving importance to something just like the sermon that you did in front of the boys: “Honoring commitments, fostering integrity and molding one’s character is way more important than just winning a silly game...” simple yet each words means a lot and really leaves a mark.

Coach, may you continue to inspire more people either through football, or setting as an example by means of being a strong woman battling with MS. I’m wishing you a happy marriage and I look forward to hearing more of you and Patrick.

Thank you for allotting time reading my letter. God bless you and your family! Keep fighting coach!

 Truly Yours

Kae Shane R. Namion

BOOK 4

Book Title: Leather, Lace and Rock-n-Roll by Mia Dymond    

 April 22, 2017

 Part 1:

           What secrets are there behind the personality of Jaydon Hawke? Why on earth does he need to get information’s from Rachel whose only intention is to give a better public service and help others? Will he be able to achieve his goal—to seduce the highly commended architect on Diablo? Or will he loose his grip and be the first one to fall in love, instead?

           I felt it was brave of Rachel, a decent well-respected architect to speak up for herself and go to a concert with a naughty yet responsible girl-best friend of her, Cameron who happen to pursue her to be there. I thought that was all. But I was so shocked when they made it to the front of the muscle man and found out that Rachel’s pass is gone and Cameron’s got a way of slipping the two of them way to the catwalk by doing a strip tease which eventually, worked well. I didn’t think it was right for Cameron to do that and order Rachel to do it as well. I share half of Rachel’s awkwardness and shame for herself especially because she’s not used to going on an event and do crazy stuffs. At least, it worked out well and gave Rachel a satisfaction as the author said it helped her get out of her shell and comfort zone.

           Leather, Lace and Rock-n-Roll is a book with combined genre of erotic and mystery but with a moral that will help its reader realize some sort of things. Like taking risks for not just for yourself and what mission you’re in to but also for the person you love. As I went on reading, it’s so amazing how the characters were able to manage every situation—and right there and then, I understand the side of Jaydon and also Rachel’s, why they tend to hide the truth. Jaydon for keeping the mission a secret and Rachel for denying her feelings and tend to show that she don’t care. I guess telling and keeping something a secret isn’t that bad at all. Sometimes, it’s more on protecting that person from pain.

           A year ago, I unexpectedly fell in love with this guy. He did to—and everything seems so perfect. I took the risks although I didn’t know that much of him. I tell lies and make excuses just to make sure I’ve got enough time for him, and for myself. But the intention is not to hurt anybody but to protect and keep anyone from the possible pain that I can cause. In the end, I figure it all out wrong yet helpful in a way that I realized something. Life isn’t always worth the risk, worth the lie, and worth and excuse. Because sometimes, it plays tricks on you.

           What this story have left with me is that we need to be careful on what we do. We need to be careful on everything and to those people around us. Taking risk and telling lies not to hurt someone but to help him is her is not a bad thing to do, just know your limit though. Making choices is a tough job to do but you got to get through it unless you want to have regrets your whole life for not taking risk and not making a choice and grabbing the chance at all.

           I think what makes Jaydon Hawke’s mission a success is his determination and his patience. He’s being careful in everything he do. Because he’s passionate and kind knowing that he just didn’t come for the mission alone but also to help the community of Diablo. I think that’s also one of the factor why the fan girls. And I think that what makes him irresistibly handsome and idolized.

 Part 2:

Character Profiles. Draw a picture of how you imagine a character would look like if he/she was standing before you. Underneath his/her picture describe his/her role in the book. Describe his/her good qualities as well as any shortcomings.

 Draw pictures of your favorite part of the novel.

[newssplashy]

“I was nervous about the swiping,” Pomerantz, 38, said of that moment in Los Angeles three years ago. “Elizabeth had a great photo with just her name and age. I was intrigued.”

Lauren Rae Pomerantz, an Emmy-winning writer and producer, was new to Tinder when she came across the profile of Elizabeth Higgins Clark, also a writer.

“I was nervous about the swiping,” Pomerantz, 38, said of that moment in Los Angeles three years ago. “Elizabeth had a great photo with just her name and age. I was intrigued.”

About he same time, Clark, 34, who is a granddaughter of best-selling author Mary Higgins Clark, landed on Pomerantz’s profile and also swiped right.

Clark texted first, asking if they had met before. Pomerantz said she didn’t think so. In fact, both had grown up in New Jersey, and their parents still live there: Clark’s in Hillsdale and Pomerantz’s about an hour south in East Brunswick.

More texts ensued. A meeting date, time and location were set: Saturday at 3 p.m., at Laurel Hardware, a store turned restaurant in West Hollywood, California. Both also made post-drink plans in case the evening was a bust.

Pomerantz was the first to arrive. “I watched her come in,” she said of Clark. “She had a good swagger strut. It was confident. She was wearing a bright blue dress, had long flowy hair, and I thought, ‘Who is this?'”

But, Clark wasn’t feeling confident at all. She met a friend for coffee that morning and had mentioned that she was contemplating returning to New York.

“I had been dumped a few months before, which had blindsided me,” she said. “I was having a tough time. I wasn’t where I wanted to be professionally or relationship-wise. I felt a little untethered.”

Pomerantz, she said, put her at ease. “Lauren was easy to talk to. She was together and humble and very funny. We had a really fun two-drink date.”

Clark paid for drinks and goodbyes were said.

The following day someone was expected to text first. “I have a thing — it’s weird with women,” Clark said. “Usually the one who doesn’t pay should reach out and say, ‘Thank you.’ But I didn’t hear from Lauren. I broke my own rule. I wanted to see her again so I texted her. It took her six hours to get back to me. I was horrified. I was confused. I thought our date went well.”

Pomerantz happened to be on a bike trip. “I didn’t know what to say,” she said. “Elizabeth was only my third date with a woman. I wasn’t really out to anyone. I was very reluctant to deal with it but knew I had to.”

Pomerantz redeemed herself when she texted back that evening, suggesting they have dinner at Pace Restaurant, also in West Hollywood. It turned out to be one of Clark’s favorites.

Their second date surpassed the first. Wine was shared. Stories about family and work lives were swapped. Pomerantz’s late texting was forgiven.

After dinner, they went to retrieve their cars. Pomerantz had valeted hers. Clark had not, and was parked a block away. “I consider this her ‘move,'” Pomerantz said. “Elizabeth said, ‘Walk me to my car and I’ll drive you back.’ We shared our first kiss in her car.”

The third date consisted of watching the movie “Grandma” at Pomerantz’s home. They had pizza, and a heartfelt talk on her deck.

“Lauren wasn’t out to her parents or any of her family,” Clark said. “I thought, maybe this isn’t going to work. She was amazing but had a lot of work ahead of her. I knew things could get complicated. I’d have to keep my expectations in check.”

They had a fourth date. Then a fifth. Pomerantz told Clark she would tell her parents. An opportunity arose when she flew to New York for work a week later. Both took the news well.

“I was proud of her for telling her parents,” Clark said. “I found her to be remarkable. When she got back from the trip, everything seemed more possible.”

Tinder accounts were ceremoniously deleted and exclusivity followed. Thanksgiving and Christmas brought about the meeting of each other’s families. New Year’s was spent together at Pomerantz’s friend’s home in the Berkshires.

“It was an important moment: It was the first time I had anyone romantic and significant to kiss on New Year’s,” Pomerantz said. “I knew early she was the one. I say no a lot to things because I’m scared. I didn’t say no to being with her. I kept going forward.”

Other trips followed: Bali; Mexico; and Napa, California, for Clark’s birthday. In May 2016, Pomerantz quit her job at the “Ellen DeGeneres Show,” where she had worked since 2007 as a writer and producer. Clark shifted gears, too, focusing on playwriting rather than acting.

“Our first year was magical. I couldn’t wait to see her every single time,” Clark said. “One night we were watching ’60 Minutes’ on the couch like 75-year-olds. We were trying to estimate Lesley Stahl’s net worth. I thought, ‘I’m never going to run out of things to talk to her about.’ I didn’t care what we were doing. It always felt exciting.”

In August 2016, they celebrated their first anniversary by going to an Adele concert, and with Clark moving into Pomerantz’s Beachwood Canyon home in Los Angeles.

“I hadn’t had a roommate since I was 23, but it became clear this was a real thing,” Pomerantz said.

By fall, both had fallen into a groove of togetherness: writing, eating, going to the gym.

Almost a year later, on July 27, 2017, Clark proposed.

They drove to Calamigos Ranch, in Malibu, California, where Clark had booked a room. She suggested they have a drink in the lobby and do The New York Times crossword puzzle she had brought. (Both crossword enthusiasts, Clark had contacted Brendan Emmett Quigley, a crossword constructor, to create a custom one.) By the 10th answer, Pomerantz realized all the clues had to do with her.

“I could see my last name start to form; I was very confused,” she said. “My brain was not computing. It didn’t occur to me that she made a fake one.”

Clark unveiled a diamond ring. Pomerantz responded with a yes. The weekend was blissful.

They returned home. Three weeks went by. Pomerantz’s life got busy. Clark got antsy. Where was her ring? She wanted one, too.

“I hadn’t expected it to matter, but it did,” Clark said. “I was engaged and I hadn’t been asked. For the first time in our relationship I felt insecure.”

Pomerantz said, “It immediately became clear I was to counter-propose. She told me she liked the ring she gave me. And it would be good if I wanted to get her a similar one.”

Pomerantz picked up the slack and a vintage diamond ring.

“I found one I really liked,” she said. “I wanted to make sure Elizabeth said yes, before she looked at it, because I wasn’t sure she’d like it. Then I wrote notes on index cards, which all ended with the words, I do. ‘Remember the first time you came over? I do.’ I placed them all over the house.”

The last one was found on the deck, where their intense talk took place on their third date. Clark was moved. ‘Yes’ was uttered before the ring was revealed — which got a lackluster reaction from Clark. Then, simultaneously, they asked if they could swap.

“We’re both the same size. Why not be happy,” Clark said.

The couple married on May 27 before 250 guests at Clark’s grandmother’s home in Saddle River, New Jersey. Clark’s aunt, Marilyn C. Clark, a New Jersey Superior Court judge, officiated, while Pomerantz’s best friend, Kevin Leman, an executive producer for the “Ellen DeGeneres Show,” played master of ceremony.

“It’s going to be a wonderful wedding and not a backdrop for a murder,” he said, and gave a playful wink to Higgins Clark. “I always thought I would marry Lauren,” he continued, “just not like this.”

The ceremony included the reciting of “You Are My Sunshine” by Clark’s young brother David F. Clark and her cousin Courtney Morrison; a short reading from the Supreme Court ruling of Obergefell v. Hodges; the brides’ original Tinder exchange; and deeply moving vows each had written to one another. During the cocktail hour, four synchronized swimmers performed routines in Higgins Clark’s pool.

“They are both so lovely,” said Higgins Clark, whose forthcoming novel, “I’ve Got My Eyes On You,” is dedicated to the brides. “And they look at each other so lovingly.”

Clark’s mother spoke similarly. “They are so well matched: Both are bright, talented, and sensitive. They understand each other,” said Mary Jane Behrends Clark. “I saw them looking at each other last night at the rehearsal dinner and thought, ‘They are really, really in love.'”

Decorative lanterns hung from the glamorous clear top frame tent, which was decked with couches, love seats, and array of tables and chairs. Buffet stations, from Peter Luger dishes to infused mozzarella bombs, were among the offerings.

“We both had our own challenges in coming out and getting to this place,” Pomerantz said. “For everyone to be here supporting us is overwhelming and amazing. The fact that it all worked out and I got to marry Elizabeth is mind-blowing.”

Clark, beaming, said, “I am very excited I have a wife. I hope being with her every night is as wonderful as this one.”

—

On This Day

When: May 27, 2018.

Where: Mary Higgins Clark’s 4-acre home in Saddle River, New Jersey.

Sophie Cake: The brides made a Rice Krispies treat to resemble Sophie, their Maltese mix, sitting on vanilla cake with chocolate butter cream and crushed Oreos. “It would have been too overwhelming for her to be at the wedding and I really wanted her there, so we represented her in cake form,” Pomerantz said.

Swipe Right: Actor Jason Mantzoukas and producer Matthew Wright read the brides’ Tinder conversation from the app. “We wanted a little gender bending in all this,” Clark said. “We thought it would be great entertainment.”

Libations: Two watermelon- and lime-infused cocktails — the Lauren, which had tequila, and the Elizabeth, which contained vodka — were served as a nod to the drinks each ordered on their first date.

This article originally appeared in The New York Times.

Alix Strauss © 2018 The New York Times

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