#i LOVE mini-biographies like this <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[wonder-worker]

"[Emma of Normandy] was one of the [many] known children of Richard I of Normandy; almost certainly his daughter by his Danish-descended wife Gunnor and thus the sister of Richard II, who became duke of Normandy after his father in 996, and of Robert Archbishop of Rouen. She was the aunt of dukes Richard III and Robert and great-aunt of Duke William, better known in England as the Conqueror.

In 1002 she came to England to marry King Athelred II, the Unready. Emma was not the English king’s first wife. He had been married before, once if not twice, and already had a large family of six sons and at least four daughters. At the time of the marriage Emma’s French/Norman name was changed for an English one, Aelfgifu. She bore Athelred three children: two sons and a daughter, Edward, the future Confessor, Alfred and Godgifu.

Emma’s marriage took place against the background of the Scandinavian attacks which plagued Athelred’s England. These culminated in Swein of Denmark’s conquest of England in 1013. Emma, her sons and later her husband then took refuge at the Norman court with her brother Richard II. After Swein’s death early in 1014, Athelred returned to rule briefly until his own death in 1016. An armed struggle for the throne ensued between Athelred’s eldest surviving son, Emma’s stepson, Edmund Ironside, and Swein’s son, Cnut. Fierce fighting, the division of the kingdom, then Edmund’s death made Cnut king of all England by the end of 1016.

In 1017 Cnut, the Danish conqueror, married Emma, Athelred’s widow. By this second husband she had two more children, a son Harthacnut and a daughter, Gunnhild, who in 1036 married Henry III, then king of the Romans, future emperor. Again Emma was not a first wife. Cnut already had a union with an English noble woman, Aelfgifu, daughter of a former ealdorman of York, a union which his marriage to Emma [may or may not] have terminated. Before or after 1016 Aelfgifu bore him two sons, Swein and Harold Harefoot. Cnut’s reign is the second stage of Emma’s career in England, and is marked by most references to her in charters and similar documents.

The death of Cnut late in 1035 put an end to this phase and inaugurated a third, dominated by questions concerning the succession to his several kingdoms of Denmark, Norway and England, particularly concerning that to the English throne. During his lifetime Cnut had sent his son Swein and Swein’s mother Aelfgifu to act as regents in Norway, and dispatched Harthacnut to be regent in Denmark. At the time of his father’s death, Harold Harefoot was the only son in England. From late 1035 until 1037 the English throne was once again at issue. Harthacnut remained in Denmark, whilst Harold collected support in England. At first Emma remained at Winchester, with Cnut’s military household and in possession of the royal treasure; Godwine earl of Wessex was close to her. In 1036 her sons by Athelred, Edward and Alfred, returned to England from their refuge in Normandy. Alfred was captured, blinded and died in circumstances which left suspicion attached to both Godwine and Harold. Edward, who had gone to his mother at Winchester, now returned quickly to Normandy. In 1037 Emma’s stepson Harold became king of the English and she was exiled to Flanders; there she lived, enjoying the hospitality of Count Baldwin, until 1039.

In that year her son Harthacnut joined her, and in 1040, on the death of Harold Harefoot, mother and son, accompanied by a fleet, returned to England where Harthacnut was accepted as king. Emma now entered the final stage of her life, as queen-mother. In 1041 Edward was recalled from Normandy, and associated in some way in rule; after Harthacnut’s premature death in 1042, he became king in turn. A year later, in 1043, Edward deprived his mother of much treasure and land. Although Emma was restored to court by 1044, little or no evidence has survived of her activity after this and she disappears from view after 1045. Emma probably lived the rest of her life at Winchester, where she died on 6 March 1052. She was buried there in the Old Minster alongside her second husband, Cnut."

— Pauline Stafford, Queen Emma and Queen Edith: Queenship and Women's Power in Eleventh-Century England

[venuswarmlight]

HEAR ME OUT, a Modern Mizu x Reader AU, But the reader is a famous singer? Sorry this is a little bit cheesy and idk what Mizu would be in this AU all i got is that the reader is a singer. I got this idea because i am a huge Swiftie and a huge Mizu worshipper soo lol

I got you, bestie. I like Taylor Swift too, and this request just makes my Vigilante Shit headcannons more canon. I ALREADY SAID IT, BUT I'LL DO IT AGAIN. (Don't worry I'll make it large and full of details just for you<3)

Modern! Mizu × Singer! Reader

Warnings: NOT PROOFREAD, I guess. Mizu being a cutie patootie with you.

Summary: You wrote a song for Mizu, thinking about her last relationship with the ex-principal of your University.

PD: This is headcannons+mini-fanfic, I'll do my best. <3 (let's pretend that I'm not a fan of Reputation and Midnight)

Let's start really slow before we get to the juicy point(you can scroll to the end if you don't want to read aaall of this). Mizu would be studying Civil/Mechanical Engineering (don't know how to say it in English). And the University she's in is one of the best of the country, so the campus would be huge, and it would have a lot of buildings and areas, she does the mobthly payment on her own, and she also has a little help on her dad when she's too busy with her part time job.

She has an amazing music taste, The Weeknd, Lana Del Rey, Laufey, she listens to Pop, Rock, Alternatives and ofc Arctic Monkeys. She also listens to you, but only the popular ones, since you're not like a big deal for her. (SHE REALLY LIKES YOU IN SECRET)

But then, she heard that you were moving to this state just to finish your career since you're a bit busy with your musical career. She doesn't get surprised, she doesn't believe it, her reaction is just like “Oh really? That's amazing.” with sarcasm on it

It was lunch time, Mizu was eating peacefully while hearing all of the news and updates Ringo was telling her of his day, something casual, she had to adapt to his common behavior. They were on a bench, looking at the football game they had in front.

“And the teacher was sooo mad because this girl got late, and they started arguing, and— Oh! Did you heard that (y/n) is gonna study here? I'm so excited to know her! I love her music, and she's so beautiful, and...” Ringo couldn't stop talking about you, which made Mizu roll her eyes as she finishes her coffee.

“Okay, I get it Ringo.” She said, her face was neutral, not believing it.

“I think tomorrow is when she's arriving, do you think she's like in the photos?” He blushed, slightly.

“Uhm..” Mizu imagined the celebrity getting off her car and walking inside the building, then getting drowned and breaked into pieces by the fans and other people that just know her because of her looks. “If she doesn't end dead, maybe.”

The same night, she stalked your account, your biography in Wikipedia and EVERYTHING, basically.. She realized that Ringo wasn't lying, it was on the news, everyone knew it. That's when her heart went on the floor because if you were gonna transfer into this University, it meant: a massive crowd of people wanting to get inside. “Ewww, people” She thought.

It didn't looked like, but she was kickin' her feet and giggling of excitement, the fact that you would be near to her, makes her sick.

The next day, she did what she didn't do every day. She brushed her hair, took a bath after 6 days of focusing on studying, put on the best hoodie she got from Akemi, her favorite pair of shoes, everything. But acted like nothing happened, like she wasn't screaming inside to see you.

“Why are you dressed like that?” Taigen asked, as he looked at Mizu's persona, who was really... Pretty, not like other days.

“Like what?” She replied, her eyes were looking for you in the University alley's, but you were not there.

“Like you're gonna fuck with someone.”

“I don't know what you're talking about.” Then she chopped his bangs off.

She did know what Taigen was talking about.

The night came and everyone was in their dorms, in the whole day, the only thing that people was talking about was you. It made her sick, like, c'mon you're just a singer, what's the matter?

Then, she hears someone knocking her door, she gets up from the couch and goes to open it, her lazy was all on her body

“Wha-?” She didn't finished, her jaw falled onto the floor, surprised.

It was you. (Y/n) the Music Industry. Her heartbeat went fast, her hands started trembling and flickering, her beautiful blue eyes opened like plates, it was impossible.

“Hello! They told me this is my dorm, and I have to share it with.. You. ” You showed the card and the directions, gently, with a sweet smile on your face. “Your name is Mizu, right?”

Mizu was still in shock, but recovered fast, she went to her natural face again and nodded. “Yes, what's yours?”

“(y/n), nice to meet you!” You took your bags and entered with confidence. “Uhm- I thought you would scream and go wild, but happily you did not.. So, if you don't know, I'm a Popstar, and I work with music, so I hope it doesn't disturb you.”

Mizu just closed the door, slowly, watching you get inside and getting comfortable, her mouth slightly opened. “No.. not at all.”

Now that you're roommates, she has to deal with Ringo and Akemi fangirling about you all the time and asking Mizu if they can take pictures with you. It pisses her off because you're just a human... And because she feels like she's the only one that can do that(possesive and protective)

She's normal about it on the outside, but fangirls too in the inside. Not like you imagined.

As the times goes on, she introduces you to her friend group (Akemi, Ringo, and the fool of Taigen)

They're nice to you and you always hangout together, it's like a dream come true to Ringo, that is like a bodyguard to you, he's always protecting you and making sure you're okay... And asks you to sign his albums and photocards and the whole merchandising.

You start getting more connected with Mizu, and shes now the only one who knows all of your exes, your future albums, your songs and why you wrote them, it's like Mizu and you are besties. Best friends.

Mizu didn't knew when, but she was falling in love with you.

She loved your eyes, your body, your voice, she loves when she hears your voice echoing in your room, she loves hearing you okay the guitar, she loves the fact that she's so important to you, she loves how shy you get with your fans, she loves you. She does.

And you do too. You love how good she is with you, you love that she sees you as a person and not as a singer. You love her eyes, you love her silence, you love cuddling with her, you love how she priories you over everything. She's the best for you.

One day, she told you about this guy that was her fiance, two years ago, He was the Principal of the University but now was just the teacher of Veterinary medicine. How dumb.

You were mad. You could not believe what he put her through. You were in her bed, hugging her as she was on her knees in front of you, crying and getting vulnerable with you, for the first time ever, her eyes were crystalized in tears, her nose was reddish and her face was so warm and weak, your fingers were cleaning her tears rolling through her cheeks, while you saw her lips moving and telling you everything.

It was a mix of “Omg Mizu is so sexy when she cries” and “I want to kill that motherfucker” vibes.

You could do nothing about it... But making a song.

You worked day and night, wrote the lyrics, made the rythm, you did everything just to make it sound sexy but angry at the same time, like the vibes you felt when comforting her. Because let's be honest, she's too good for a man, she needs something better.

She needs a woman.

When you got summer vacations, you published the song, and made a concert in a Stadium.

That day was a bit stressful, there was TOO MUCH people in the campus, your suit was too tight, your make up felt heavy, but you were not leaving this.

You sang a few songs before the main could be presented, Mizu was in the VIP zone with her friends, she was excited to be there, to admire you.

“Picture me, thick as thieves with your ex-wife.” You cooed, you left hand was on a chair and the other holding the mic, your boot tracing an oval in the floor, and the flashes were pointing at you, it was your peak.

“And she looks so pretty. ” Your body turned a bit at the side, your leg stumped so hard on the chair anyone could hear it “Driving in your Benz.”

“Lately she's been dressing for revenge.” Then, your free hand passed through your body from your chest to your mount venus, your expression was the same of an orgasm, you let out a little moan, seductively, the public went crazy, screaming and getting wild.

From mizu's pov, when you released the new album, she listened to all of the songs, and played them on streaming apps everytime she could.

When she heard this one, she immediately downloaded it, it became her favorite, she never told you, but she was loving it.

But, listening close to the lyrics she realized You were talking about her and what she told you.

She would be shock first, then a bit angry because you took her situation just to make money, to see it like “Omg so (y/n) made this for me”

She felt harder for you.

When she was watching you at the stage, she couldn't stop feeling a warm spot on her core, her cheeks getting hot and her lip getting bitten.

You looked really good in that suit, it made you look sensual.

After the show, Mizu went on backstage and hugged you so hard, then, you both looked into each other's eyes, connecting souls, Mizu was so focused on you, your body, your face, your escense. She was honestly in love with the idea of you.

Relationship Headcannons.

When she confesses to you, she does it in a casual moment.

Just imagine the two of you super cozy in the couch, watching a movie, then, you make visual contact, and then kiss.

She wouldn't say “Im in love with you”. But she'd let you know, cause' when you know, you know.

She would give you a bouquet of flowers with a “I want to be your girlfriend” note. When you receive it, you'll nod at her and kiss her passionately, your heart going faster.

Since then, you wouldn't use your bedroom to sleep anymore, you would sleep with her every night, and every night is kissing and cuddling, if not, hugging and laughing, if not, just smiling at you, but Mizu is not letting you go anywhere.

She's too obsessive with you, to the point she would know when do you poop and when you get hungry.

Your first dates are private and in public just holding hands.

When you make it official, you let a paparazzi take a picture of you sitting in Mizu's legs while kissing, her hand on your ass.

Or maybe, it would be like the Kylie Kenner and Travis photo, where you're kissing at a party or sum place and Mizu realizes someone's taking a picture, so she does the middle finger thing.

Anyways, your relationship is hugely healthy, she's always working on making you feel relaxed and fine.

She also learns how to play guitar just to help you with your songs (like in Enchanted from Taylor Swift or Brooklyn Baby from LDR)

She's too private when it comes to arguments and problems. She's not letting anyone in your relationship, she always solve it when you're home.

She's always marking territory, with a hand on your waist or holding your hand. If she feels jealous she'll kiss you right there.

Mizu is the type of girlfriend that loves to talk to you with the eyes since she's bad at talking, be prepared for that.

Sometimes she will not be in the best mood. Mizu can avoid you for days and getting more distant if you insist on asking her why. She needs her space too.

If you're patient and stay by her side without being too dependient, you'll have her head over heels.

Always supporting you on the stage.

Always taking care of you and protecting you.

Always loving you.

[kirakroussemeren]

1/3

Amhut the Magnificent, the Destroyer of C'tan is ready! I may have partially messed up with the weapon, but overall, I like everything. Especially he it shines, blazes. ;^;

I will be brief with his story, which came to mind during the drawing of this child (However, by the standards of the other two who will be with him, he will clearly be young) :

...Skipping the moment from the moment of awakening after the Great Dream and realizing that the crown world of the dynasty had been destroyed, Amhut retained his original consciousness. Well, how did save it?.. Like all necrons, he did not remember his past before the BioTransfer, and what happened after that Great Sleep, he remembers very vaguely. But unlike others who currently want to lead a dynasty, he is sane. And he has his own problems.

His homeworld is literally located on the very edge of the Mefrith territory. The devastation was also accompanied by the disappearance of many other lords who were supposed to control the system in this sector. Left with his small legions, cryptek and another Overlord (whom he almost killed), Amhut is slowly restoring influence in this solar system.

The former necrontyr has a nasty temper when it comes to his personal attitude towards other necrons who are not related to his environment. Some may even call him too selfish in this regard. The nickname "Magnificent" was given not by anyone, but by Amhut himself, either to somehow stand out, or because of his opinion that he copes well with his weapon ..?

Speaking of weapons, it was a mixture of an axe and a staff (there is little left of the latter) and it requires some skills to fight with this weapon. Amhut loves battles and was always eager to fight if the enemy was worthy of it. However, now this "love" has cooled down in him. During the destruction of the invaders in the tomb, he lost his legs after meeting with an unknown creature, according to his memory. The latter disappeared somewhere or was destroyed, but after that he lost the opportunity to walk for a while. The living metal was not restored, so he and his cryptek had to look for, come up with, a replacement. But, as we can see, they found it. However, this had consequences - now Amkhut was literally blazing intermittently without burning down. Whether it was thought out, or some kind of mistake, he did not know. But he feels no anxiety or irritation towards the Anubitar. Such an effect even makes a good, in the bad sense of the word, impression on mortals and on his colleagues. However, after that incident, he became cautious. Yes, and some annoying shadow followed him...

-----

Kira said, "It will be short ..."

A mini biography was released, which, with the right path and knowledge, can be developed into a full-fledged story.

[kissmetwicekissmedeadly]

4 years, 40 facts about me loving napo... let's go 🏃🏻‍♀️

...or as @leonscape called it, 40 "Mopoleon" facts?! (picrew link)

the date of our "anniversary", June 19th, is one day after the date of the battle of Waterloo 💀

both our given names are of Italian origin

we're both leo zodiac signs

our birthdays are 8 days apart, in the same month

he's my first otome route ever played

i've only played his route once, in July 2019

i've never seen his dramatic ending

my first impression of him on a teaser tweet of ikevamp EN was that he looks like an asshole, and I didn't like his looks either...

my falling for him was utterly illogical as despite these thoughts I put him on my phone wallpaper a few days later (still before the release of ikevamp EN)

as of right now ao3 says he appears in 59 of my posted works: the total number of fics I have published with him is higher as a few of those are stand-alones in a multichapter fic (napoleon bday prompts 2019 +9, yumeweek 2020 +5, mini requests +4, headcanons +11 ) ...he appears in about 1/3 of all my fics!

we share a hobby of reading biographies! the official ikevamp character sheets state it as his hobby

our height difference is 18 cm

the @xxsycamore blog exists solely because of him, as well as my passion for writing - I started this blog because I wanted to express my love in some kind of creative way, as previously (and for the longest time) I thought my medium would be art instead of writing

despite that, my first ever posted fic is not with him but with Arthur!

I've always loved languages but he had influence over my choice of learning especially french in uni. It's hell but I don't regret it at all

I have a playlist with sleepy-themed songs for him 🥺

birds are my favorite animals (any kind) and he has a pet eagle!!

our mbti personality types are a so-called perfect match! infp + enfj

I don't like black-haired, blue-eyed men because of him, it was my type before him too! (not many such ikemens around but I have a handful of faves like that from other media)

as the fictional napoleon bonaparte is light years away from the historical figure, I thought I wouldn't be interested in learning about him - until I ended up reading multiple books on him, the thickest of which 680 pages... while I don't mix the two in my head, the napoleonic era history (+ russian empire history) is still pretty cool to know imo!

there's hardly any writer around here who hasn't received a napoleon request from me at least once... I'm so sorry...

it is implied in the game that napo has kissed boys (they were taking turns waking him up and they all know of his habit......) which gives me enough reason to headcanon him as bi....like me 🥺

I really suck at completing the bday creation challenges I host for him, as last year I did 0 prompts and the year before that 2....but in 2019 I did 10!

I love making bday gifts. I love birthdays. I don't have the exact number but last year a lot of characters received a bday fic from me but not napo 💀 partly because I was shadowbanned back then!

the only real tradition I have when it comes to his bday is to make homemade crepes since it's his favorite food! but my favorite part is eating them...

I still haven't watched the movie "Napoleon & Me"...

I don't have much napo merch, but I do have the Naplushieon doll which is plenty

I was still in highschool (11th grade) when I fell for him 🥺🥺🥺 it feels like ages ago

I love the song written for the ikevamp stage play and sung by his voice actor Nobunaga Shimazaki, "Lucida", so much you can even find it and play it on my blog... recently some kind soul uploaded the whole version on youtube (I've been waiting for so long....) and I haven't been the same since

my dream napo merch is the clothes hanger with his neck and face so that I can hang my silly little sundresses on him (I'm going to make it on my own actually, just watch)

after having so many random fic ideas for him that will never see the light of day, I accepted the facts at last and now I feel so much better and more chill

I'm currently working on fanart series where I try to post one tablet-drawn art of him every month... I have trouble keeping them simple as desired sometimes but I'm having lots of fun while learning (I still consider myself fairly new to drawing with my tablet)

once I wrote a death anniversary fic for napo!

the best napo song i've discovered so far is Wings by Su!YoON!

I don't know. anything. about his sequel. i just know the cgs. not that is hard to avoid spoilers LMAO

my most favorite napo cg is the 5th bday one (where they're in a field of roses) (it was on my phone's background for a very long time)

my most favorite napo card...that's a trick question but I think the one that is on the left banner in my blog (desktop view)

yes, yes I do want to go to Corsica one day what about it. I have a lot of other dream trip destinations too!

yes, I do love Napoleon cake (It's a russian recipe) (it was my bday cake in 2020)... but so do I love a whole lot of other cakes...!

Fact number 40 is that I love Napoleon a normal amount 😇 nono listen!! I do talk a lot about him, and here I tried compilating facts that are not too cheesy: believe it or not there are days I don't think about him, ok! I never pressure myself to get all the event bonus stories, or to always have a fic ready for him... in a world where im a worrywart about anything and everything, he's my safe place? my chill place? And if I begin to think about the gigantic mass of things surrounding him that are exactly aligning with what I love, with what comforts me, with what traits im looking for in a person, i'm going to get dizzy. So let's end this here with me saying, ily so much Napoleon 🥺🥺🥺🥺🥺 im such a nunuche sometimes but im your nunuche ‼️‼️

[farfallasims]

hello, its me again. <3 I've been meaning to launch my simblr but i get nervous due to me not knowing how to introduce my sims to the viewers. can you provide tips and tricks to ease my way into introducing my sims?

Hi gorgeous, hope you're doing well!

I do recommend doing a proper introduction about yourself, who you are, what your content will be like, etc. It sets up what your followers will be seeing from you and can paint a picture if you're someone they'd like to follow.

After that, then go into a sim introduction post if you plan to have a main OC or multiple, there is no limitation. But from there, I recommend attaching a couple photos and providing a mini biography about the sim. Doesn't have to be too elaborate or in-depth, but just something to make people intrigued and start to build a bond to said OC.

People love developing relationships with your sims & that is something I've learnt along the way, so definitely providing a biography of some level is important!

I hope these lil tips & tricks help you & your Simblr journey!

[brittxxbpierce]

I want to be as beautiful as the ocean

wait, is that BRITTANY PIERCE? they kinda look a lot like HUNTER SCHAFER, don’t they? i heard the TWENTY-TWO year old is known as the THE BRAINLESS BEAUTY around mckinley. it seems like they auditioned to be in THE TROUBLETONES which is so lame? people at campus have said they’re ALTRUISTIC, but don’t be fooled since they’re also GULLIBLE. rumor has it, you can find them at CHEERIOS when they aren’t belting show tunes. their entire vibe revolves around MINI SKIRTS, INCONVIENT BUT NECESSARY ANIMAL RESUCE MISSIONS, AND KISSING GIRLS but no one pays attention to that here in ohio.

LIST ABOUT 3+ HEADCANONS ABOUT YOUR CHOSEN CHARACTER!

Brittany only auditioned for Troubletones because she thought it was the nice thing to do after hearing so many of her peers talk badly about the “Glee” kids. 

Brittany drives a bright yellow Volkswagen Beetle that breaks down more often than it actually runs. 

Brittany has known from a young age that she’s at the very least not 100% percent hetereosexual and finds it very confusing that some people require a label or formal notice of her penchant for kissing pretty girls, namely Santana.

BIOGRAPHY 

Brittany Pierce, a 22-year-old college student, radiates warmth and determination. Growing up in a tight-knit family in a small town, Brittany’s love for animals and the ocean was nurtured by her supportive parents and her younger sister Jamie. From a young age, Brittany was captivated by the wonders of the natural world, spending weekends exploring tide pools and volunteering at the local animal shelter with Jamie by her side.

Personality: Brittany is a compassionate and driven individual with a heart as vast as the ocean she adores. Her optimism is contagious, and she approaches every challenge with a can-do attitude and a genuine smile. She values kindness, empathy, and authenticity, and her easy-going nature makes her a beloved friend to all who know her.

Education: Currently in her junior year at Oceanview University, Brittany is pursuing a degree in Marine Biology with a minor in Conservation Studies. Her academic pursuits are fueled by her passion for protecting marine life and preserving the world’s oceans for future generations. Whether she’s conducting research in the lab, analyzing data, or participating in fieldwork expeditions, Brittany’s dedication to her studies is unwavering.

Family: Brittany’s family is her rock, providing unwavering love and support as she navigates the ups and downs of college life. Her sister Jamie, just a year younger, shares Brittany’s love for animals and often accompanies her on beach clean-ups and conservation projects. Their parents, who run a local bed and breakfast, have always encouraged Brittany and Jamie to pursue their passions and follow their dreams, instilling in them a strong sense of determination and resilience.

Dreams and Aspirations: Brittany’s ultimate goal is to combine her love for animals and the ocean with her desire to make a positive impact on the world. She dreams of working for organizations like National Geographic or the World Wildlife Fund, conducting research, and advocating for marine conservation on a global scale. Whether she’s studying coral reefs in the Caribbean, tracking sea turtles in the Pacific, or raising awareness about plastic pollution, Brittany is committed to making a difference.

In her free time, Brittany enjoys spending time outdoors, whether it’s surfing, hiking, or simply soaking up the sun on the beach. She also cherishes quiet moments with her family, sharing stories, laughing, and making memories that will last a lifetime.

Driven by her love for animals, her connection to the ocean, and her unwavering determination to follow her dreams, Brittany Pierce is destined to make waves in the world of marine conservation.

[warwickroyals]

I think it’s time to hear a George and Alexandra love story! 💕

Yeah, I do think it's time to learn about George and Alexandra's love story.

King George was born the son of the Duke and Duchess of Glencairn. The was born during a time when Sunderland was struggling to produce a male heir to succeed George's uncle King Louis III. So when George was born he was celebrated as first in line to the throne . . .

That was until George's cousin Prince Louis was born a year later. Louis was the son of the Duke of Lennox, Louis III's heir presumptive, and was higher up in the line of succession than George. This angered George's parents because, what the fuck, George was the oldest surviving grandson of King Louis II, he should be king. When King Louis III died, the Duke of Lennox became King James. His mother did not like James or his wife Caroline, and to avoid the drama she took George and his sister back to her father's home in London. By this time George's father had also died.

Now, the Duchess's father was a British statesman and he filled George's head with all sorts of ideas about imperialism. He wanted to see Sunderland transformed into an Empire as mighty as Great Britian, with his grandson as king, of course. Pretty evil, huh? But you can't really start your super cool Empire without a family dynasty. George's cousin Louis was weak and rumoured to be impotent; it was widely accepted that Geroge would become King someday, and finding him a bride became a top priority.

So, George embarked on a journey to find a suitable wife. He originally had hoped to marry one of Queen Victoria's daughters, but these plans fell through. So, he travelled around Europe and eventually ended up at Winter Palace, where he met the eldest daughter of Alexander II, Grand Duchess Alexandra Alexandrovna of Russia. The two hit it off instantly and had a shared love of music, literature, and history. However, Russia was an enemy of Britian during the Crimean War, and George's ailing grandfather disapproved of the match.

But fuck him honestly.

Prince Louis became King Louis IV, but he was so sickly, he died three years later. George became king and one of the first things he did once his succession was secure was return to Russia and formally propose to Alexandra. One of the issues preventing them from getting married was George's questionable status, but now that George was King he was truly worthy of the daughter of an Emperor. Alexander II didn't want his daughter to leave Russia, but he saw how in love Alexandra was and he just couldn't say no.

George and Alexandra had two wedding ceremonies, a Russian Orthodox ceremony at Winter Palace, and then a Lutheran ceremony at St. John's Chaple at Woodbine Castle. When Alexandra arrived in Sunderland she was greeted with a lot of enthusiasm, people were genuinely captivated by this foreign princess. One of the first things George did for his new bride was build an Orthodox chapel on the grounds of Woodbine Castle so that Alix wouldn't feel homesick.

The pair were married for sixty years. It was one of the longest marriages in Sunderland's royal history. After decades of dysfunctional marriages between young women and Warwick princes twice their age, it was great that the public finally had two young people who were equally committed to each other at the centre of the monarchy. Over eleven years, they had nine children. Their marriage suffered some low points over the years, but both remained extremely passionate and devoted. It's a really fascinating relationship and we will learn more about them in the near future, I'm writing up a mini biography about one of their daughters as we speak <3

[rai-knightshade]

Get to know me tag game!

Exactly what it says on the tin, I was tagged by @samblerambles for this one!

Top 3 Ships: I hope this question means just, like, currently, cause no way could I choose a top 3 of all time 😭. Current Nuclear-Levels-of-Brainrot Blorbo ships are: 1) Jeca (Jesse x Beca, Pitch Perfect); 2) Zelink (Link x Zelda, primarily Breath of the Wild/Tears of the Kingdom); and 3) Zekkna (Jaina x Zekk, Star Wars Legends/Young Jedi Knights). Honorable mentions go to the polyam versions of these ships tho (JessexBecaxChloe and Jaina's Mini Harem aka JainaxZekkxJag(xmaybe Kyp but I'm not sold on him). And maybe also YonaxSidonxLinkxZelda, which I just think is neat and fun)

Favorite color: yellow! I love a good golden, sunny yellow I gotta say 😁

Last Song: unintentionally, Cake by Itzy (played on the radio at the boba place I went to today); intentionally, Mr. Perfectly Fine (Fearless Vault Track by Taylor Swift)

Last Book: you know what, it's been 7 months since I last read anything, I think that officially makes this answer None until I get around to reading another book 😅.... Or it's the Little Golden Books baby's first biography on Taylor Swift. Which might actually be cringier 😅 (cringe is dead and it's a cute book etc etc but goddamn does this still say something about my ability to read actual books nowadays rip)

Last Movie: The Eras Tour Movie, preceded by The Barbie Movie

Currently Watching: nothing intentionally. I like watching some of the MeTV block of classic 70's/80's/90's shows tho. I'm always down for classic Macgyver and Emergency!

Current obsession: while you might come to the conclusion, based on this post, that it's Taylor Swift, I'm actually still fairly normal about her I promise 😅 I maintain the distinction that I'm a swiftie, but I'm not a Swiftie™. There's a difference. No, the actual answer is only mentioned once so far: Pitch Perfect, more specifically Jeca (and also SwanSongs aka Jesse/Beca/Chloe), even more specifically the secret good sequel to the third movie where Jeca can still win (and everyone is truly, canonically queer in a myriad of ways) that lives rent-free in my head, multiple pages of my sketchbooks, and as the Big Damn Fic™ I've been posting very slowly to AO3 since last year. Don't believe me? I'm gonna add '#jeca' and '#not to Blorbo on main but' to the tags of this post, look through the reblogs and actual blogs I've tagged over the past couple years and you'll truly understand how deep it all goes.

Currently Working On: allegedly, it's chapter 2 of the Big Damn Fic™ I just mentioned, 'these hands had to let it go free and- (This Love came back to me)', for which i just posted the ending a couple weeks ago as its own fic in the series to show that I'm doing something with it.

Country You Want to Visit: Scotland, Norway, and New Zealand. And also maybe Iceland. Pretty much in that order. I'd take a tour of Europe too tbh but those are the Big 3 (4).

Tags for Funsies: @thesorrowoflizards @lord-owlsnake @qcboeifzzz @beautiful-flutey @avian-violet and anyone else who sees this and wants to do it! Go for it! (No pressure tho ofc)

[art-of-manliness]

Odds & Ends: November 3, 2023

End by Explosions in the Sky. I first discovered the instrumental rock band Explosions in the Sky from my favorite television show of all time: Friday Night Lights. I love the way their moody and atmospheric songs contain what the band calls “cathartic mini-symphonies.” Great music to work to. I hadn’t really kept up with them since their most famous album, 2003’s The Earth Is Not a Dead Cold Place, but recently saw they released a new album, End, in September, and have been digging it. County Highway — America’s Only Newspaper. I recently subscribed to County Highway, “a magazine about America that takes the form of a 19th-century newspaper.” I’m really enjoying it. First, the articles are top-notch and interesting. In the most recent edition, you’ll find an interview with a UFO whistleblower, an opinion piece on why GPS is ruining driving, and a deep dive into the cultural ramifications of Taylor Swift fandom. The second reason I love County Highway is that it’s really nice to read a physical newspaper again.  It’s a refreshing, tactile change to consuming the endless scroll of online content. The People Who Ruined the Internet. There’s been a lot of chatter in recent years about how Google search results have been getting worse and less helpful. The top link for search queries often goes to sites with generic answers written by what seems like a robot. People have been resorting to adding “Reddit” at the end of a search query so they can get to a Reddit thread with answers written by humans. What’s behind this seeming decrease in the quality of Google results? This article argues that it’s a result of a decades-long cat-and-mouse game played between Google and people in the search engine optimization (SEO) biz. As someone who makes his living online and has seen search traffic go up and down over the years due to the changes Google periodically makes to its search algorithm, this article was pretty fascinating (and highly entertaining). For the regular internet user, it may provide some insight into the dynamics of your web experience that you haven’t thought about.  Grant by Ron Chernow. I read this epic 1,000-page biography of General Ulysses S. Grant several years ago for my podcast with its author, Ron Chernow, and I still think about insights I got from the book today. Chernow does a masterful job of exploring Grant’s psychology, how this quiet, unassuming guy became the mastermind behind the Union’s victory in the Civil War, and how the same qualities that made him a good military leader didn’t translate to the world of politics.  Quote of the Week By annihilating the desires, you annihilate the mind. Every man without passions has within him no principle of action, nor motive to act. —Helvétius The post Odds & Ends: November 3, 2023 appeared first on The Art of Manliness. http://dlvr.it/SyNJ4V

[nounpolycule]

Tagged by @spacewives-in-spacetime!!!! Thank you I love saying things thank you for the opportunity to do so <3

Three ships: River Song/Rose Tyler (and all other nounpolycule combos but I, Tumblr user riverrose, do not shut up about riverrose. Shocking, I know.), Rumbelle (listen. I would be a different person if Emilie de Ravin had not become a regular on OUAT), and let's go Percabeth since they were my intro to fandom being a thing that exists.

Last song: Began writing this to Love Like Woe by The Ready Set, ended it listening to Drag is Magic by Nina West. Currently listening to my "every upbeat song that was in my music library the day I created this playlist" playlist as I work on latework.

Last movie: Antman! Genuinely a solid 90%+ of the movies I watch are Thursday movie nights with Eliza lmao

Currently reading: Define "reading"? Books I would claim to be reading at the moment include Trail of Lightning by Rebecca Roanhorse, Yiddishkeit: Jewish Vernacular & the New Land, The Talmud: A Biography by Harry Freedman, Le Petit Prince in the original French, and a collection of essays on spider evolution. In practice? I am skimming my reading for my history class and my evolution class just thoroughly enough to get by.

Currently watching: Once Upon A Time (my first time rewatching his early episodes since deciding I don't actually hate Hook so so so so so so so so so much and he is in fact a meow meow), Dexter, and the Doctor Who episode Mummy On The Orient Express - I mean I am watching Doctor Who and have not watched the same episode 4 times in the last like 3 weeks. Don't look at me. Also I am theoretically watching Lost but we'll see when I have the brain power to continue it.

Currently consuming: Trail mix! Specifically I'm picking out the wasabi peas which will inevitably lead to me being whiny about not having any wasabi peas in my trail mix later.

Currently craving: A six cheese bagel with garden veggie shmear like I'm craving every waking moment. Obviously. Also craving rewatching the 1996 Moll Flanders mini series staring Alex Kingston.

Uuuuuuh I believe this is supposed to be tag 9 people?: @zaricats, @ashdoesfandom, @regenderate, @godlovesdykes, @berylgrace, @tenteen, @quantumshade, @lesbiandonnanoble, and @lesbiantwelve

[daydreamodyssey]

15 mutuals, 15 Questions

Tagged by @blind-the-winds thank you so much!

1. Are you named after anyone?

My mom named me after a character in the Big Valley. A surly, rough fighter who was loyal to his family and could be a softie sometimes.

2. When was the last time you cried?

A breakdown last week.

3. Do you have kids?

No. I think I'd like to in the future, but I need to trust who I'm with, and there's a lot in the world I'd like to see and do without that on my mind.

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

Sometimes. Used to when I was younger but like Jax it could get twisted a lot, and honestly could be meaner than I intended, so I try to do it in close company or very cheekily.

5. What’s the first thing you notice about people?

Physically, hair. Mentally, their attitude.

6. What’s your eye color?

Blue.

7. Scary movies or happy endings?

Both lol. If it's a whatever watch with other people or I'm bored, scary. If I really like the movie and have a lot of care for the characters, then happy.

8. Any special talents?

Not that really stand out or feel practical. I'm creative in different mediums (writing, art, singing, sculpture, carpentry, etc), can solve puzzles and games pretty consistently, and can remember facts on animals, history, and other interests.

Sorta like Jax also there's a lot of things that maybe would've killed me but didn't, and just made me extra nervous and anguished or doggedly determined.

I can also roll my tongue like a burrito and can move my butt cheeks independently from each other. :D

9. Where were you born?

In a hospital.

10. What are your hobbies?

Like the arts and crafts earlier, reading (fiction of most stripes, biology, history, social sciences, biographies, manuals), hiking, learning Japanese and ASL, RPGs and video games, dancing, volunteering, list making, monologues.

11. Have you any pets?

Yes! Right now, a German shepherd who's going to be 7 soon. She's a bit of a hyper brat but she's very intelligent and loving.

12. What sports do you play/have played?

Not professionally because of physical impairments, but I used to like a lot in school. Baseball, dodgeball, mini golf (pro golfers are on thin ice), soccer, football, volleyball, basketball. I was bad at most of them but I liked the activity and rare times I won.

13. How tall are you?

5'4.

14. Favorite subject in school?

History, writing, art, and biology. Wood shop was cool too. I used to like math until my teens.

15. Dream job?

Different things pop in. Sometimes i want it to be biology or environmental science, sometimes an esteemed librarian, a niche writer, or a different thing popping up I try to merge with the others.

Tagging: @aquadestinyswriting @ayzrules @bloodlessheirbyjacques @crewneck @digitalcheesecake @emelkae @howdywrites @imissmypants @neonhorn @olivia-online @perringwrites @pluttskutt @somewhatlargerobot @tf2protipto @the-godtier-ninja-duelist @thecrateofaus @wordwizards

[djemsostylist]

I LIVE!

I know, you all were pining in my absence. In all truth, like usual at this time of the year, I have been absolutely swamped. I've been working a few extra jobs for the state and the district and it's made doing even my regular work exhausting.

I've also been a little...between fandoms.

Once House of the Dragon ended (and my come down from that particular obsession was hilariously fast--reading the novel and realizing how dumb as hell the story was, which mean the show was only going to get dumber helped), I sort of became ~between obsessions. I suppose the regulars are always there of course (Star Wars, Warhammer, the ever ubiquitous Arthur or Crusades and Medieval Europe), but with my focus so intensely on work, I haven't really been doing much of anything. Other than work, fantasizing about the house I'd have one day, watching too many Youtube videos of people living the sort of creative life I wish I could live, and intermittently deciding (and then ultimately not) to make dill pickle pizza (listen, it looks and sounds amazing, but what if it's actually disgusting and kills my love of dill pickles forever?)

Anyway, we are into the final stretch now. I have about 3 weeks until my next big break, and by then all the extra jobs should be over and the rest will be all smooth sailing. Home free, if you will. What will my obsession be then? idk really

I've been considering a Lotr re-read for ages, along with accompanying weekly posts and write ups of each chapter, but that may be a summer project. I have a biography on Eleanor of Aquitaine to read, and an accounting of the middle ages. And I could always do a mini Warhammer reread--the highlights, you know, before the end. Or I'll find a new tv show and get OBSESSED for like, a month, and fill this blog with spam until the obsession inevitably dies.

Anywho, I don't know if I'd say I'm back per say, but I'm not gone and that's at the least, a start.

[melichrous]

[ task oo1 ; introductions ]

"melichrous—having a honey-like color."

BASIC INFORMATION.

➾ CHARACTER NAME:: Jacqueline Woods ➾ NICKNAME(s):: Jackie ➾ FACE CLAIM:: Kiersey Clemons ➾ MUTATION STATUS:: Gen I Mutant ➾ BIRTHDAY:: December 17th ➾ SEXUALITY:: Bisexual ➾ MORAL ALIGNMENT:: Chaotic Good ➾ OCCUPATION:: Security Escort ➾ WORK SECTOR:: Sector VI ➾ AFFILIATION:: Rust & Ruin ➾ 3 POSITIVE TRAITS:: Goal-driven, Caring, Sweet ➾ 3 NEGATIVE TRAITS:: Naïve, Gullible, Sensitive ➾ BIOGRAPHY:: full biography here ; tldr below

Jackie spent an unknown amount of time in her mutated form, blindly attacking anything that moved until she was discovered by a group of foot soldiers. There were several failed attempts to eradicate her until they decided to capture her instead to administer the cure. The local troops took advantage of the citizens’ dislike for her and decided to take her in. After some years serving the military, Jackie had full control over her abilities and decided enough was enough. She then moved to Sol City to work as a Security Escort.

QUESTIONNAIRE.

How do they feel about living in Sol City? Have they always lived there or did they travel from another settlement?

➾ Jackie used to live in one of the smaller neighboring settlements. They didn’t like her very much. Absolutely LOVES it in the city! She’s always eager to meet new people.

Do they trust the council’s leadership? Why or why not?

➾ Of course! They’re all for the good of the people, aren’t they?

If they chose their sector and profession, why did they make that choice? If they didn’t, why not? Were they happy with their assignment or not?

➾ Jackie specifically chose to be a Security Escort. She had caused experienced so much death and violence in her life already prior to moving to Sol City. Having someone to protect gives her a strong sense of pride and purpose.

What’s one object that they always keep on their person?

➾ She has a little pouch that holds all sorts of stuff in it: antiseptic, bandages, plasters, saline solution, gum, lip balm, tissues… She’s always prepared. She even has a mini sewing kit for wardrobe malfunctions!

What is your character’s ability (or abilities)?

➾ Predalien Physiology. Specifically the Praetorian type.

Are they Gen I or Gen II?

➾ Gen I!

What can your character do? What are their strengths?

➾ Jackie can turn into a Predalien at will, though this usually takes some time. (Give her like a 15-30 minute headstart.) Her mutated form is approximately 8ft 10’ and possesses a pair of strong mandibles and a powerful tail. She’s very physically domineering and can easily overpower most local mutated creatures in the wastelands. Jackie boasts a heavier-set build and does best when dealing with threats up close. She’s able to take a lot of damage and is generally very very sturdy. (Very heat-resistant too!) In her mutated form, her blood turns into a dull yellow and is somewhat corrosive, though not as potent as a normal Xenomorph. It can burn through most organic and man-made materials with prolonged contact. She is also able to retain complete control over her mutated form but may start to exhibit some… unsightly instincts if she stays as a Predalien for a longer period of time.

What can’t they do? What are their weaknesses?

➾ Since she has a bulkier form, she isn’t very agile and can’t really scale walls unless they’re meant to hold a lot of weight. Her bigger form can also be a disadvantage in smaller spaces. She’s also incapable of talking in this form. If Jackie stays in her Predalien form for too long, she’ll slowly start to give in to basic instincts. Although her ability to “infect” other individuals has since been removed, the parts are still there along with the strong urge to expand her brood. This, along with lethal fits of aggressive territorial behavior, trophy-hunting and the like, makes it so that she generally tries to get the job done as soon as possible. Reverting back to her human form is also a long process. Any amount of time spent in her Predalien form, regardless of the amount of strength used, she will require a LOT of food and rest for her to fully recuperate afterwards. Additionally, if she overexerts herself to a point of exhaustion, she will revert back to human form.

Is there anything else you’d like to specify about them?

➾ Jackie has multiple obvious signs of mutation that she tries to conceal. She has very dense, metallic green-black fingernails and her incisors are longer and sharper than the average human’s. She originally had four vestigial growths sprouting on her back but they had been surgically removed when she was brought in to be cured - only four vaguely circular marks remain.

[likeclarabow]

happy new year abby!!!!!!! congrats on meeting your reading goal, i’m glad that despite your busy life you’re still able to enjoy reading for yourself <3 some bookish questions, if you don’t mind …

what was your favourite reread of 2023? what book did you mean to read but ended up not? what books were you looking forward to but disappointed by? what book took you by surprise? your favourite series? your favourite standalone? your least favourite book(s)? what book did you write your favourite review about? and finally, what book(s) are you most looking forward to reading in 2024?

may this year be full of blessings to you!

hiiiiii love, happy new year!!!! i'm finally back on my laptop so i'm sorry this is a few days late <333

favourite reread: i did a lot of rereading this year and i loved them all but probably six of crows!! every time i reread that series i'm a little nervous that its not going to have the same magic it did the last time and it always does and this time was no exception its just going to be a forever favourite and i'm so glad i reread it

a book i meant to read and didn't get to: there were a few i meant to at the very least start over my break that i didn't get a chance to (this biography i picked up at a school social and the hundred years war on palestine by rashid khalidi), books i had on hold at the library but it was just never the right time (as long as the lemon trees grow by zoulfa katouh), and my book lovers reread that i was all set to start and then i didn't read for like 3 weeks

a book i was looking forward to that disappointed me: greywaren by maggie stiefvater was soooo messy plotwise and there were things i wanted wrapped up that were just not addressed in a satisfying way yes i gave it 5 stars the epilogue made me cry those 5 stars are for declan lynch and for how much i love the trc/tdt universe as a whole pls take my rating system a little bit seriously (so i guess it wasn't 100% disappointing i just wanted more from the final book) (honourary mentions to nine liars by maureen johnson bc it was sososo fun for 99% of the book but the very end was so unnecessary i'll never forgive her, and harlem shuffle by colson whitehead i liked the writing i just thought the plot would be different from what it ended up being)

a book that took me by surprise: the day of the jackal was supposed to be something i picked up for a few hours for shits and giggles since i've never had any real interest in 70's spy thrillers but i actually enjoyed it enough to finish! also these violent delights by micah nemerever surprised me because i did not know what to expect at. all. and i still dont know how to describe the feelings that book gave me but i certainly didn't expect them

my favourite series: beartown!!!!!! you know exactly why i don't even have to explain </3 (honourary mention to sandra gullands josephine b trilogy its one hell of a historical fiction series and i enjoyed it SO much)

my favourite standalone: rebecca by daphne du maurier!! its just the most beautifully written book that captivated me from the very first page <33

least favourite books: the last word by taylor adams (extraordinarily mid upon first read and it just seems so bleh looking back), ready player one by ernest cline (i can see why my boyfriend loves it but it just didn't appeal to me at all), 20,000 leagues under the sea by jules verne (jules verne knows sooooo many facts about the ocean and electricity and he put every single one of them in this book in very long paragraphs but i forgive my prof for making me read it)

my favourite review: i didn't really write any solid reviews this year (something i'm hoping to do more of in 2024) but my favourite mini reviews are the ones i left for wuthering heights and 20,000 leagues under the sea bc i think i'm funny and bc i think they sum up my reading experience quite well

books i'm most looking forward to reading in 2024: soooo many a curse for true love by stephanie garber, a man called ove by fredrik backman, alone with you in the ether by olivie blake, divine rivals by rebecca ross (!!), penance by eliza clark to name a few

[all-pacas]

actually i want to talk about/recommend the You’re Wrong About podcast?

YWA is a fairly typical podcast in many ways — two friends take turns doing deep dives into subjects, one explaining to the other, with the “hook” being that they’re going to explain a misconception about the “popular memory” of that person or event. what makes it unique, however, is that both are journalists who happily obsess over their personal bugbears — Sarah Marshall has worked for a number of publications and is writing a book, and her obsession tends to be with mistreated women and fleshing out stories: she’s slowly doing a series on the OJ Simpson trial and, no joke, they’re about a twenty episodes in and haven’t even gotten to the trial yet, because Marshall keeps deep diving into the lives and histories and people involved. 

an early stand out episode she covered was the murder of Kitty Genovese, the famous case of bystander syndrome, which turns out to not be that at all: kitty was a gay woman whose sexuality and partner were erased from the story, whose friend witnessed the crime but was terrified to call the police because he was a gay man in the 1960s, and who a third friend ran out unarmed to try to help her, in whose arms she died. there were never a dozen witnesses: it was 3 in the morning. no one called 911 because  911 didn’t exist yet: it was implemented in part because of how hard it was for anyone to call for help (and, several people did). oh, and kitty’s murderer had killed a Black woman just a few days before, which no one cared too much about until it was a young white woman who could be made into a moral cause about the “corruption of the big city” and how apathetic and cold it made those living there. this famous murder that tons of people have heard of in passing, and everything you know about it was wrong or out of context.

the other host is Michael Hobbs, and his personal focus is less on maligned people and more on social and societal myths: a light episode of his is Y2K, where he talks about both how it was over and underblown at the time; he’s also done multi-part episodes on the Tuskegee scandal, Enron, and so on: a standout introductory episode of his is, i think, his covering of Disco Demolition Night, the so-called “end” of disco music as a popular thing, which he points out was actually a pointedly racist and homophobic event — not “accidental”, but very much intentional, from the promotions (he points out that the phrase “disco sucks” was used extensively, and straight up homophobic in a way that it doesn’t read as today, as “sucks” has become just a generalized expression  of dislike), to the history OF disco as a genre. where Marshall is all about going deep into people and their psychology and motives, Hobbs is endearingly — reporterly? — about his work: they joke about how every episode he hosts comes with 40 pages of notes and multiple interviews he’s conducted with experts.

the two also have great chemistry and while they do joke and talk like “normal” people (”ohhh, sweetie!” is one of the show’s catchphrases, whenever Hobbs is overcome with the foreshadowing the people in the story are missing), they’re never disrespectful and never… quippy. they both mutually love experts and statistics, always sympathize with the right people (while still holding them accountable), and just are always active and engaged listeners and hosts: a fun mini-series they did was reading Jessica Simpson’s biography not to make fun of her but to just… understand and reflect on her life, and they sincerely enjoyed the book! another fun one they did was the “Summer BookClub” episodes where Marshall (for whom the Satanic Panic is her life’s work) read aloud “Michelle Remembers,” a truly terrible book about a woman’s invented memories and the lithe psychologist who (accidentally) manipulated her into them, that more or less started and invented the Satanic Panic, as Hobbs slowly sank into despair: both very funny and very informative.

both hosts now have additional “spin off” podcasts that follow the same “one person explains to another” format: appropriately, both play on their strengths and personal obsessions: Marshall has “What Are Dads?” which deep dives into movies about masculinity; Hobbs has “Maintainence Phase,” a podcast dedicated to tearing apart every single diet fad and myth week by week. both are delightful!

they’re also entirely ad free: they have a patreon but do not require or solicit donations. like, i don’t begrudge podcasts for their ads or sponsors; it’s just the way it is sometimes. but it is a little refreshing, mixed with the obsessive note taking and research, that they’re also just… not that interested in profiting off their work. they’re ranting for four hours about why human trafficking statistics make no sense because they are just people who want to research and rant about that, and i think that’s just neat.

[charliethomascoxuniverse]

Interview: Charlie Cox

The man who plays St. Josemaria Escrivá in the upcoming There Be Dragons talks about forgiveness, Opus Dei and how playing a saint has affected him

BY PHIL FOX ROSE MAY 3, 2011 (X)

When I talked last week with Charlie Cox about his role as St. Josemaria Escrivá in the movie There Be Dragons (written and directed by Roland Joffe (The Killing Fields and The Mission), to be released this Friday, May 6), Osama bin Laden’s death and the public reaction to it had yet to occur, and while Blessed John Paul II’s beatification was on the calendar, it was not a topic in our interview. It’s interesting then that we spoke of the central role of forgiveness in Christianity. This should not be surprising however, since, as Charlie Cox said in referring to the film, forgiveness is “always going to be key when you’re talking about Christianity at all, especially if you’re talking about a man who is canonized.” Nevertheless, recent events have made this interview and the movie itself all the more timely.

Charlie Cox, born in London in 1982, is best known for his starring roles in Stardust and Stone of Destiny, and will appear in the upcoming season of HBO’s Boardwalk Empire.

Phil Fox Rose: First, I just want to say Stone of Destiny is one my favorite films of the last few years. It’s such a perfect little film, and you’re the driving force through the whole thing. But, even though that dealt with serious issues, there was a slapstick comedy element to it. It was a light film in many ways. So, how was preparing for this movie different than previous work you’ve done.

Charlie Cox: Well immediately, the first thing that became evident when I started researching this man — because initially I’d never heard of him, and I knew very little of Opus Dei and all that — was the immense amount of responsibility that I felt, in that, yes, the primary reason that we make films and TV shows is for entertainment purposes, but every now and again there comes along a project where there’s something more there and it’s not just about entertaining people. It’s not just about people losing themselves for a couple of hours in the movie theater. This story, and particularly this man, is of great importance to hundreds of thousands of people. If you look at those photographs from his canonization, you know, looking at 400,00 or 500,000 people who were able to make it to Rome, not to mention how many millions who couldn’t physically be there: that was an overwhelming feeling. I felt, this is not an opportunity for me to invent a character. I have to try and find some truth, and I have a responsibility to try and do this story and this man justice. That was the main difference that I noticed early in preparation.

PFR: What did you do to prepare for the role?

CC: I do a lot of reading. I love to read. I love to read what I can get my hands on, whether that’s some of the stuff that he wrote or stuff that was written about him, or biographies. The book that helped me the most was a book by Pedro Casciaro, who is one of his early friend-slash-followers, one of the original members of the Opus Dei groups. He wrote a book called ‘Dream and Your Dreams Will Fall Short’, and he describes in detail what everyday life was like for them and little memorable moments that he had of Josemaria, and he talks about what he felt Josemaria was battling with and where his troubles lay. Also, the film company was very generous and they sent me on a mini-tour of Josemaria’s life, so we started out in Barbastro where he grew up, and then we went to visit Zaragoza where the seminary was. We then drove around and went to areas of northern Spain, in the Pyrenees, where he would have traveled through, caves that he spent the night in when he was trying to get to Andorra. And we crossed Andorra in the same area where he did. Then I went and spent about a week with two members of the Opus Dei, one of whom is an Opus Dei priest, at a kind of priest’s retreat-slash-church in Catalonia, and we just talked a lot — Father John and I talked a lot about Josemaria — and we prayed and we meditated and we got into a priest’s routine. I just got to know the character as well as possible — and then you hope that the script will do the rest for you.

PFR: About Opus Dei, it’s not that well known in the mainstream except for Dan Brown and some things some of its opponents have said. Did you have any qualms about getting involved in the project — about the potential controversy around it?

CC: Not really, no. I only ever heard of Opus Dei from Dan Brown’s book, and I very rapidly discovered that what’s written in that book is seemingly based on no truth whatsoever that I can work out. It’s been a fair few years since I read that book. What was interesting to me is that when I talked to people — whether they be very familiar with Opus Dei or not, whether they were neighbors, or my parents or friends of the family — when people asked me what I was doing and I would say I’m going to do this job on Josemaria Escrivá and the Opus Dei, people’s reaction was very often fear-based. Their immediate response to me telling them that was, “Oh, be very careful of those people,” or, “Watch out.” Because I was researching the role and I was trying to be open minded about whatever people told me, I would always say, “Oh really? That’s so interesting. What do you know about them?” What was most interesting to me is that none of these people could back up their contempt prior to investigation with any sort of factual knowledge at all. It’s the most extreme case of contempt prior to investigation that I’ve ever come across. People have no clue about what it was at all. They just have an immediate instinctive kind of repulsion to it, and couldn’t back it up. It was really fascinating.

PFR: So then, what is the thing that you most want people to take away from your portrayal of St. Josemaria from seeing the film?

CC: My hope is that this film will not just appeal to Catholics or even Christians. My hope is that people will see the film, and regardless of whether you believe, regardless of your religious background, regardless of whether you consider yourself religious at all, or even an atheist, my hope is that you can watch this movie and walk away from it and say, “Wow. That’s an extraordinary story. I’m interested to know more. He was an extraordinary man.” — to be compelled to look at how this man approached the living of his own life, and what he tried to encourage others to do with the way they lived their lives, and hopefully see how you might be able to incorporate that into your own life, regardless, again, of your religious background. I don’t know how possible that is, but that would be nice.

I’m rarely even attending Mass on a weekly basis, so it was really enjoyable and interesting for me to get to throw myself into the religion that I was raised up in… I went to Mass regularly and I spent a lot of time with Father John… obviously when you’re doing that and you’re spending that much time with a priest, it starts to kind of segue into your own life… I’m still figuring out where that has led me now… and my relationship with the Catholic Church, and my relationship with God.

PFR: I know you were raised Catholic and still identify as Catholic. Many of Busted Halo’s readers are Catholics in their twenties and thirties, many are seekers. So, from that perspective and your own, how did playing the role, and learning about him through playing the role, affect your own spiritual journey?

CC: Well, you know, of all the questions that I’ve had to answer about the film, and this one has come up, this is the hardest to answer, for many reasons, but primarily because I’m still discovering all this. I feel like, in every area of my life, convictions for me of any sort, are dangerous, because I’ll believe something wholeheartedly, and then a few weeks, months or even years later I’ll realize that I’ve completely changed my mind about something, and that I don’t believe that any more, or that I’ve learned more since then. So, I don’t love to talk about my own religious beliefs publicly because, like I said, the more I know, the more I realize I know nothing — if that makes any sense. But, it was really enjoyable for me to — I haven’t been the most wonderful Catholic my whole life, meaning that I’m rarely even attending Mass on a weekly basis, so it was really enjoyable and interesting for me to get to throw myself into the religion that I was raised up in, and to learn more and to ask questions. I went to Mass regularly and I spent a lot of time with Father John, and would talk to him. A lot of it was about the movie and about Josemaria, but obviously when you’re doing that and you’re spending that much time with a priest, it starts to kind of segue into your own life, and you can’t help but start to grow and learn more about yourself and where you stand with it all. I know that sounds a bit confusing, but it makes sense to me. And I’m still figuring out where that has led me now, what that’s meant for me now, and what I’ve taken from it, and my relationship with the Catholic Church, and my relationship with God, or any of these things. I will certainly say I have benefited a huge amount from this period of my life where I got to immerse myself in it.

PFR: That’s wonderful. The movie certainly has some overarching spiritual principles that it’s putting out there. One is purpose and calling and how the two characters took such different life paths.

CC: I think what we attempted to do is show two people who grow up together and whose lives are affected by the same adversity, in this instance the Spanish Civil War, and the same troubles and circumstances, and through the course of the movie we see these two men make very, very different choices about how they live their lives — polar opposites in many ways — and hopefully most of us will identify with both of these characters. I think we have both of these characters within us. The hope is that we haven’t stereotyped either one of them too much. You’ll hopefully ask yourself, when faced with adversity, which of these characters do I tend to turn to? Do I look at these troubles and these problems and these adversities within my life and react with fear and hatred and anger, or do I attempt to see these as opportunities to grow, opportunities to help others and to maybe be of service in some way to humanity or to our fellow human beings? And again, whether the movie does that or not, whether that’s what your experience is, that’s for the audience members to say. That would be nice, if people could go, “Maybe I need to strive to think more about others and see how I can be of service to others,” rather than go immediately to “What about me?” when faced with difficulties.

PFR: You’ve talked about the role of forgiveness that’s portrayed in this movie.

CC: That’s always going to be a key when you’re talking about Christianity at all, especially if you’re talking about a man who is canonized. Forgiveness is a major part of this movie. What is interesting for me is that we think of forgiveness as a very pious character trait — of those that have the ability to forgive evils or the wrongs against them as being in some way saintly or holy. And actually the interesting thing about forgiveness is that it can be a selfish thing. Because when one has resentments against other human beings or organizations or life in general, it’s really you who suffers from those resentments. The world doesn’t feel it, you do. When Josemaria would talk about this I think he understood that. I think he understood that the reason one must forgive is because that hatred and that anger and that resentment lives in you. It doesn’t live in the person that you resent. More often than not, those people don’t even know know.

PFR: That’s right. It doesn’t t live in them, and it only exists in the past except that you’re keeping it alive.

CC: Exactly. Exactly that. Personally, I think that’s really, really important because what scientists are discovering about nowadays about harbored resentments and harbored anger and the relation that those toxic energies have towards cancer and other diseases is becoming more and more apparent. My grandmother, ever since I was a small boy, would always say, “Don’t worry. You’ll make yourself sick.”

PFR: And now scientists are proving she was right. We knew it all along.

CC: Exactly. Exactly.

PFR: I know we’re about out of time. Just one last question. I’ve asked a lot of questions about the spiritual dimensions of this very spiritual film, but what do you hope this movie offers to nonbelievers other than a good story; what lessons do you think it has for them?

CC: Well, it’s a great question. The honest answer is, other than a great story, I don’t really know. I guess my hope would be that nonbelievers could watch this movie — you know I don’t really have any interest in converting people to or from any religions, or anything like that, that’s none of my business — but if a nonbeliever can watch this and walk away from it and say, “Wow. This guy was a cool guy. He was an extraordinary human being, and I think he had some important things to say that we can all learn from.” That would be a bonus, I think.

PFR: I appreciate your time, and it will be interesting to see how the movie does.

CC: And you, thanks a lot. Lovely talking to you.

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