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yumi-michiyo · 7 years ago

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[The Shortest Distance] - extended author’s notes and meta

Watch this space! Instead of making a whole new post for each chapter, I'll be compiling everything here as I post the chapters. [Updated 27th January 2019]

Rating: M for language and explicit sexual content. TW for mentions of eating disorders and anxiety

Genre: Slice of Life/Angst/Friendship/Humour/Hurt/Comfort/Fluff/Romance/Friends to Lovers

Couples: Marley Rose/Quinn Fabray (main), side Santana Lopez/Rachel Berry, side Finn Hudson/Brittany Pierce, side Wade "Unique" Adams/OMC

Pairings: Marley Rose/Quinn Fabray, mentioned Marley Rose/Jake Puckerman, Rachel Berry/Quinn Fabray friendship, Quinn Fabray/Santana Lopez friendship, Marley Rose/Wade "Unique" Adams friendship, all the friendships okay

Summary: It starts with a friendship composed of books, lazy summer afternoons, and understanding; and blossoms into more. Slowburn Fabrose. Season 4 canon divergence!AU.

Links: FF.net | AO3

On the origins:

This. Work. Took. Too. Long.

Seriously, the plot got written, scrapped, revived and revised, scrapped, etc. far too many times to count. From being a slight supernatural!AU like For You I'd Burn the Length and Breadth of Sky, to a fic running parallel to canon, to a canon fix-it fic... I'd all but thrown in the towel on this. Most of it only existed in a scraps folder in my Google Drive, and I'd go add more unconnected scraps whenever I needed a break from other WIPs.

Eventually, the scraps accumulated such that there was some semblance of plot, and I got very fond of some long scenes; enough that there was motivation to turn it into a fic on its own.

On the writing process:

A few scraps and loose ends from my other Fabrose fic found their way inside, but quickly grew into their own thing. I think the reason why I've struggled so much with this fic is because I don't have a good handle of Marley's character. I'll be the first to admit that I don't even like many of the canon main characters, and that my headcanons are mostly derived from other fanfic, but there isn't much Marley in the first place, meaning I had to work hard lol.

Most of the actual writing took place in transit, on my weeny iPhone 6s screen, with my overworked thumbs. Not something I recommend to casual writers. I upgraded my phone! Now I have a much larger screen for on-the-go writing, and a new mechanical keyboard for editing/more stream-of-consciousness ramblings.

On the chapter titles:

A special mention! I don't think I've written much about how I choose my fic titles; I think it's because half the time it's a slapdash process, and the other half comes with a lot of thinking.

I love music, and it shows when I use plenty of song lyrics in fics and titles. My taste in music is pretty eclectic, but I can assure you that I actually like all the songs I pick for my writing, and I'm not just picking random profound-sounding lyrics off the Interwebs lol.

I do have a few criteria for picking song lyrics. One, it has to be relevant to the subject lol. Two, it has to have some depth which alludes to whatever hidden message is in the fic. Three, of course it's something I actually enjoy, as mentioned earlier. I think this is really important because I do pick up music recommendations from fanfic, and treasure them for the positive assocations brought from fic I've enjoyed. I think it's important to do the same.

Instead of linking endlessly, I've created a YouTube playlist collecting all the music used in this fic. Find it here.

Prologue: Title is from Marina and the Diamonds. I loved her first album Electra Heart and not because she was covered on Glee; Marina has this punchy, catchy style with awesome lyrics. She later released Froot, another genius work that needs a lot more attention than it's gotten.

Part One: Another Marina and the Diamonds lyric. Can I just take this opportunity to plug her album?

Part Two: Sam Smith, my love. His music always makes me want to write the angstiest, most heartbreaking things. He's one of the few artists out there now who writes the most obscure and complicated feelings into music.

Part Three: This was supposed to be the title of the entire fic, but I forgot lol. I like the Charles Bukowski quote better, but at the very least this wonderful song from Leonard Cohen gets a mention.

Part Four: Very different in tone from all the previous songs mentioned. I found the Arctic Monkeys' lyrics to be deep and intriguing, which is interesting compared to their melodies and catchy beat.

Part Five: This was a struggle! There are so many good songs out there with really great lyrics that could fit into the chapter and the themes I was going for, but in the end, I went back to Lea (as I tend to do for my fics). I wanted that aimless feeling Marley has for most of the chapter.

Part Six: I love Yellowcard. I've been a fan for more than a decade, for their excellent lyrics and wonderful melodies, their instrumentation and their creativity. Most of their songs deal with heartbreak, so it's rare that I come across a song of theirs that encapsulates so well what I wanted to convey in their early relationship.

Part Seven: One of my best buddies, IRL and in fandom, loves K-pop. She's been trying to brainwash me for years, and so far she's been having quite a lot of success; I've written a few things that are inspired by K-pop lyrics. The inspiration for this fic came from a new song from Mamamoo, which is made up of four very talented ladies.

Part Eight: I haven't been discovering music for a while, but Paramore's latest album was a pretty refreshing find. I was looking for something light that described the mood of this chapter.

Part Nine: Apparently, Vienna Teng's work has been something of a mainstay in fandom; which makes sense, with her poignant lyrics and soulful piano ballads. I discovered her through the Studio Ghibli fanfics written by Saddletank, who makes extensive use of her music with great effect.

Part Ten: I discovered the genius of Fleetwood Mac through Glee. It was the perfect time, now that I was going through things IRL that made the music relatable and meaningful. While not one of my favourite songs, the lyrics resonate best with the chapter.

Part Eleven: William Ryan Key (better known as the frontman of the pop-punk band Yellowcard) recently launched a solo career. He writes the gentlest, most profound acoustic ballads I have ever heard. Most of what I envision Marley's music to be is his work (with elements of Kina Grannis' artistry and Sara Bareilles' lyrics), and I would pay good money to hear Melissa actually perform his songs.

Part Twelve: Those who read my fics can definitely tell that I'm a massive Sara Bareilles fan. The woman is a delightful human being, and an immensely talented singer-songwriter (is it obvious I have a thing for talented people?). Again, the reasons for picking songs is really to set the mood and atmosphere for the chapter; the lyrics may or may not be directly relevant to the story.

Part Thirteen: Kina Grannis recently rose to fame performing a cover of Elvis' Can't Help Fallin' in Love With You in the movie Crazy Rich Asians. I love her style and interpretation of songs.

Part Fourteen: It's rare when canon and fanon intersect, and I'm always very happy to make a big production out of it. I loved Melissa's performance of this song, and I was actively looking for some way I could give it a nod. And so when I was writing this chapter, I listened to it on repeat.

Part Fifteen: It's always nice when things work out :) earlier I had a Marley song, and now it's Quinn's turn (conveniently ignoring Puck's part lol). While Marley's part was about taking the plunge, Quinn's was about getting over past hurts and building a stronger relationship.

Epilogue: I've used Sara Bareilles' music plenty of times in my work. Normally, I hate reusing music, but it was impossible to pass up the opportunity to use this beautiful song to wrap up a giant labour of love.

General Meta:

Prologue-Part One: These two chapters were intended to set the tone of the early relationship between canon!Marley and canon!Quinn, which then contrasts their new/old relationship when they meet again a few years later. They establish a friendship out of common interests (and a lack of anything better to do) which I think also gets them to understand each other a little better. I hope.

I took this opportunity to also set the friendship between Marley and Unique. Strong female (?) friendships are something always lacking in Glee, and I wanted to pay homage to these two awesome ladies. Also, Unique and Marley's friendship acts as a foil to the one Quinn and Marley start to forge here - because, clearly, the latter two are gonna end up together lol.

Part Two: Rachel gets introduced! Again, more comparing and contrasting: Quinn and Rachel's friendship vs Marley and Unique's, Quinn and Marley's friendship vs Quinn and Rachel's. Our girls also start to open up to each other. Recently, I've been following Chuck Palahniuk's writing advice (which I have printed out and stuck on my wall): Instead of characters knowing anything, you must now present the details that allow the reader to know them. Instead of a character wanting something, you must now describe the thing so that the reader wants it.

Part Three: A bit more background, a bit more development. In the previous chapter Marley opened up to Quinn about her eating disorder, in this one Quinn starts to open up about some of her past. It was hard writing this one mostly because Marley, unlike Rachel, wasn't privy to a lot of the things Quinn went through (this plays a big part in their relationship after they get together later down the line).

Rachel and Santana are together in this one! I would say more stuff about foils, comparing and constrasting, but by now you should've noticed it's something I do a lot. It's crucial that they're together in this fic because the girls do help our clueless pair move things along.

Also, I think y'all are pleased that I finally had Quinn dump her (off-screen) boyfriend lol.

Part Four: I loved writing this chapter. Now that we've established the friendship between our girls, I panned out a bit to cover more of the world they live in, and the people and events that shape their lives. It was a bit of a challenge since Quinn is now working, and Marley still a college student, but I hope I've done a decent job.

I get the feeling y'all hate me for putting Marley with some random man, but I think it's important. Marley is still very underdeveloped as a character herself, with loads of confused feelings. She needs to mature a little more emotionally, make decisions for herself, experience a little heartbreak, before she can be ready for an emotional minefield like Quinn Fabray.

It's not a coincidence that Quinn's ex is named Blake, and Marley's (soon to be ex?) is named Alex, by the way... Also, speaking of names, it will likely never be mentioned in the fic but Stan's full first name is Æthelstan (poor dude). Valentino is an arowana because of that fantastic expression. I headcanon that he's always judging the goings-on in that apartment.

Part Five: THEY FINALLY KISSED ALKSFHO

In which the girls take a step forward after nearly 60k+ words of slowburn - trust me, it was killing me almost as much as it was killing you guys. But I was trying to make it was organic as possible, and as y'all know Marley doesn't have much of a stable romantic background to draw from, and her closest role models are all certifiably insane.

There are a lot of challenges upcoming for them, which I will have to spend a good deal of time delineating. I am really invested in these two at this point.

Part Six: After all that slowburn, my brain kinda went into overdrive. The draft I had for this fic originally ended here, but I couldn't do that to you guys aren't you glad I didn't. So the first half came into being, with its gratituous fluff and their friends' reactions.

The second half came while I was developing Millie's reaction; I wanted to make a comparison between Millie and Judy as single moms. But to be a foil to how open Millie is, Judy had to be the bad mom. I hadn't intended her to come off as so cruel, but she's not truly evil. Quinn has to get her sharp tongue from somewhere LOL.

Also! Finn and Brittany! I gave them a brief moment in my other fic For You I'd Burn the Length and Breadth of Sky but killed Finn off uwu. I've been fond of this rarepair for a long time now, and it seemed fitting to put another rarepair into this fic. Additionally, I am such a sucker for couple angst, like the Rachel/Santana/Finn/Brittany dynamic. They really deserve a fic of their own, the poor things, but we'll see how it goes. This fic is primarily a Marley/Quinn, and will remain that way because I lack the mental capacity and patience to write a fic with two main couples without wanting to gouge my eyes out.

Some of you active and astute readers might notice a lot of mentions of stuff foreshadowed earlier in the fic, with extremely tiny throwaway moments being revisited in this chapter. I assure you this wasn't intentional, and I'm in no way the awesome and masterful writer all this makes me out to be.

Part Seven: Dear god, I was so busy with life I totally forgot to write the author's notes for this chapter... Anyway, the entire thing is about tying up loose ends. They're dealing with their problems while the shadow of Marley leaving hangs over them, and making the best of their time together.

And yes! I heard a lot of happy squeals when this fic finally earned its M rating. For those of you who are wondering about the sudden sexytimes in the middle of bigger issues, well... let's just say that it has consequences.

On a side note, I hope none of you out there were rooting for Marley to stay in NY. Don't worry, this is a romance fic, and there will be a happy ending.

Part Eight: When you don't have time to update the author's notes when you update the story... This was a pretty interesting chapter to write. Mostly because I was figuring out how they build up after the loose ends in the previous chapter have been taken care of.

Not really knowing Marley's canon character has been an obstacle in writing this fic, right from the beginning. She's also not a popular fanfic character but I do like a challenge.

Can you tell I watched La La Land as research for life in LA for this chapter? The music has been pretty stuck in my head too but none of it really fit the mood for this chapter, so I was forced to omit it. But yes, some of the bits and locales in the movie sneak into this fic.

Part Nine: Quinn's trip to LA, and the various things they get up to. Lots of indulgent fluff and smut, and a dash of plot at the end...

Part Ten: I love the friendship Marley and Santana have in this story. My headcanon for Santana is that she's the tough, worldly big sister type, and she's taken Marley under her wing. This is my attempt at advancing the plot by exploring the conflict in the long-distance relationship, with plenty of Marley-Santana-Rachel interaction (and throwing in loads of foreshadowing). Since there's so much heavy content, there's plenty of fluff to go around, padding the spaces between character development and plot. The Skype cooking idea was taken directly from my real life :)

Part Eleven: Mostly fallout from the drama in the previous chapter, and more advancement of the plot. It's intentional that there's so much drama, because it's something they both have (thanks canon) and I believe it's important for a healthy long-term relationship that they are able to resolve it. Also, Shelby is a convenient villain here, though I loved putting Beth into the mix, and having the characters react to the non-canon pairings in this fic. Doctor C makes a reappearance, as does Millie. Their growing absence from the main story is also intentional; Marley is growing into a character of her own, and she becomes less reliant on them.

Part Twelve: Initially I thought this chapter was going to be filler ahead of the big decision, but I was wrong. There was so much plot in this one ugh. I wanted Finn and Brittany to get their turn in the spotlight, but it had to be relevant to the plot as well. I wanted Marley to show us how much she'd grown over the course of the story, and from her canon self.

Part Thirteen: A lot of people thought they'd broken up in the previous chapter. I made them properly break up in this one >:) I wasn't going for a big dramatic shake-up or anything; the point was that people have relationship troubles. A lot of people have difficulty being an us, and this was supposed to be the result of the major cracks hinted at earlier, and the final part of their development as individuals before they can be in a relationship with each other. There's a lot of fluff and recovery; they have to break up to figure out how to be together, if that makes sense (but they do get their happy ending!)

Part Fourteen: The timeskip is important. It shows how far they've come, and the difference in how they now interact. While I can't show you how much Quinn's grown since this fic is from Marley's POV, I put as much of it into the story as humanly possible, and without making Marley into some mind-reading alien. Things are different now. The first break-up was necessary to put their past behind, and by getting together again, they're both prepared to work hard to grow from that. I do believe that it was absolutely necessary for them to break up to know exactly what they've lost.

Part Fifteen: The idea for this chapter came when watching Bones, and when talking to some friends. I needed to have them overcome what happened in the past, and symbolically walk forward together. Then I remembered a throwaway line about Rachel workshopping Jesse St James' musical, and the chapter pretty much wrote itself from there.

Epilogue: Not much in this one, honestly. I wanted to tie up loose ends, represent them moving forward without hesitation, and bring the story to a conclusion worthy of such a long journey. The smut was a bonus treat for everyone that's been following this.

On Marley Rose:

Confession: I don't watch Supergirl. There's only so much my poor heart can take from shipping non-canon lesbian couples who have a ton of onscreen chemistry, but who are paired off with guys. Bitter? Not I

So I take canon!Marley, pad her personality with a lot of extrapolation, add a hearty dose of logical explanation for inexplicable quirks from canon, and toss her into this fic to do a lot of growing up. If this sounds like a recipe, I think I'm too hungry.

Melissa's current turn on Broadway is inspiring a lot of the fic's direction.

On Quinn Fabray:

If it isn't already obvious that I'm in love with Quinn Fabray (and Dianna Agron for giving her so much depth), this fic should just help you reach that conclusion lol. no thanks to R*** M*****

The other Fabrose I wrote is from Quinn's POV, who basically spends the whole time sorting out her issues and stumbling into something she had never imagined could happen to her. This one is from Marley's POV, and also features her sorting out a ton of personal issues.

A lot of Quinn's character and experiences with her mother is taken from real life LOL.

#fabrose #quinn fabray/marley rose #quinn fabray #marley rose #fanfic #my writing #yumi_michiyo #the shortest distance #glee #fanfiction #music

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dumpsterfireblog · 7 years ago

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JENN’S *FUN* TOP 10: WEEK OF 7/24

A shit-ton of k-pop artists have had comebacks recently, which is simultaneously exciting and very overwhelming. I can really only handle a couple at a time (because I’m old and frail and overstimulation will likely cause a heart attack and subsequent death), so I purposely staggered listening to them. The ones that I have heard so far haven’t disappointed, even if there’s a stylist or two out there that need to be crucified asap. In any case, that makes this particular week’s top tracks a little stacked towards k-pop. Complaints can be sent straight here.

1. Red Flavor (빨간 맛) - Red Velvet

Is it too early to say that Red Velvet saved summer? It’s pretty rare for me to love a girl group song at first listen (it usually takes a few repetitions for the full Earworm Effect to sink in). Red Flavor somehow managed to dig itself so far back into my head that I would hear Irene’s voice (“ 빨간 맛... 궁금해 Honey~”) constantly throughout the day, sometimes even when I was listening to other songs. That’s right, Red Flavor bullied its way onto the #1 spot of this list. I love how summery and upbeat this track is, not to mention how goddamn catchy it is. SM taking me on a wild LSD trip with the music video was just the cherry on the cake. The song definitely has major Happiness vibes, but I hated Happiness. I don’t know. I’m fickle.

2. Palette - IU

Basically a sequel to IU’s 23 (which, until now, was indisputably my favorite song from her), Palette came as a pleasant surprise when I stumbled across it in May. I’m a big fan of the relaxed, yet self-assured mood of the track... enough to have listened to it multiple times before every job interview I’ve gone to in the past two months. Her breathy vocals might not be the pinnacle of technique, but it sure sounds good to me. GD also ‘softens’ his rap to match the song, and it all fits quite naturally. The only problem I can find is that IU claims that she’s 25, even though she looks the same as when she was 15. Immortal vampire or not, I like the direction that IU is going with her music and I hope she manages to escape the ‘idol’ sphere and make it as an artist.

3. Really Really - WINNER

I’ll be honest, I know next to nothing about WINNER except that they were picked from a YG survival show and that both 센치해 and BABY BABY have gotten stuck in my head for extended periods of time. Really Really surpasses both of those songs by a long shot. What can I say? It’s a catchy song. A house track that’s chill enough that I can listen to it on repeat without feeling exhausted, yet interesting enough that it never gets boring is a gem to find. Plus the “널 좋아해” - pause - chorus drop make my ears happy every time I hear it.

4. Get Used to It - Ricky Montgomery

I wasn’t exactly sure which Ricky Montgomery song to put on this list, because I’ve been listening to This December, Get Used to It, and Last Night on a continuous loop. Get Used to It represents everything I like about Ricky Montgomery. It’s bouncy, quirky, and catchy as hell. It’s also just light enough to be a song I can listen to in the background without even realizing that I’m humming along.

5. The Eve (전야)- EXO

EXO finally made a comeback this week with The War, and everyone is in a craze about the cocoa puffs. After a full listen of the album, I would actually say that I prefer The Eve over their actual title track. I much prefer the chill side of EXO ( 으르렁 is still my favorite song from them) and this pleased my little ears more than the aggressively hype Ko Ko Bop. It also manages to be a little moody when it gets to the chorus, which was a nice twist. From the pop rock intro to the strangely enjoyable sax sample (to D.O. saying “What’s the situation”... not that I’ve been replaying that recently), The Eve is the true standout track on their album to me. Kai’s hair was fixed for the live performance of this, so that automatically gives the song a point over the rest.

6. Dinosaur - AKMU

I’ve been rooting for AKMU ever since their audition on Kpop Star, and I can only really think of one song that I’ve ever disliked from them since (and even then, it was because it was too generic but not particularly bad.) When I saw the teasers for their comeback, I didn’t know what to think. Was it a spoopy song? Their pictures made it look like they were in a horror movie or something. Even with that in mind, Dinosaur still caught me off guard. The song is a departure from the siblings’ usual heavily instrumental/acoustic sound and a foray into the magical world of EDM. But AKMU can’t just do EDM the way everyone else does it. Unlike some of the other songs in this genre, Dinosaur doesn’t overload you with unnecessary synth sounds and keeps itself simple, light, and refreshing. It’s fitting for both the summertime and the song’s theme of childhood dreams and innocence. Suhyun’s clear voice cuts through the music and it lifts your mood just listening to it. All in all, AKMU continues making good music, which isn’t really a surprise.

7. 4 O’Clock - RM & V

I completely missed this song when it was released during BTS Festa (Bless me Jinsus, for I have sinned) and finally got around to listening to it once I caught up. 4 O’Clock (or ‘Your Poem’) is nothing short of beautiful. There are so many good things about this song: V singing in his natural baritone (AMAZING), the absolute poetry that are the lyrics, Vocal Monster making a late appearance... the only downside is that this is meant for a different season. My favorite part has to be when V imitates the call of a mourning dove while singing “Where are you” because it gets me sentimental as shit. This is definitely something that fits the mood for staring contemplatively out of your window at 4AM, feeling soppy about nothing.

8. Let’s Get Breakfast - Walter Mitty and his Makeshift Orchestra

This song has always been a treat to listen to, and it’s just a pity that it’s so short. Let’s Get Breakfast is a sweet and fluffy song that is also incredibly addicting. Its simplicity is also a strong point, with just a voice and acoustic guitar helping the song keep its authenticity and charm. I know literally nothing about this band or any other song that they’ve made, but I’ve never felt like I needed to know more... only because this song can keep be occupied enough to not need anything else.

9. As if it’s Your Last (마지막처럼) - BLACKPINK

Another comeback that’s a summer bop. I heard a lot of people complaining that this wasn’t as hard-hitting as they expected, but YG did announce beforehand that this was going to be the first ‘PINK’ song that the group released. The chorus of 마지막처럼 sounds more like old-school kpop than anything else, and that’s not a bad thing. Lisa gets another iconic rap segment to add to her resume, and Jennie makes sure that you know she can sing. This isn’t my favorite song from BLACKPINK, but it’s fun and easy to listen to. I found myself putting it on whenever I wanted something to fill the silence.

10. Leave Out All the Rest - Linkin Park

When I heard that Chester Bennington committed suicide, I didn’t really know what to do but go back and listen to all of the Linkin Park songs that I had grown up with. They were all painfully relevant, but Leave Out All the Rest was the one that I ended up listening to the most. In a way it was me mourning a part of my childhood, so it only makes sense that this makes it on the list.

#jenn #top ten list

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themumdaytimes · 7 years ago

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My Mini MOT

Wrinkles and age spots and greys OH MY! Time to take action...

The last two years have been the most ageing years of my life. Obviously I am the oldest I’ve ever looked because I AM the oldest I’ve ever been (and yes, I know that is a blessing in itself) but man, oh man the process has definitely sped up recently. I’m identifying a year and a half of baby broken sleep, trying to get work done late at night and not really looking after my skin (read: uses shower gel to wash face on a regular basis) as the major culprits.

Now that I am finally getting some sleep and the milky haze of tiredness is clearing *clutches lucky paw*, I’ve been throwing my parched, wrinkled skin regular pity parties in the bathroom mirror and gasping at the zillion extra threads of grey in my roots. Add to that the regular clobberings I’ve been receiving from my infant son (two black eyes and a split lip that resulted in an trauma lump that had to be removed by surgery) I’ve felt more squeezed out than a tube of Cilla Black’s toothpaste ( Can’t think of any contemporary people with big teeth so feel free to insert more relevant alternatives here. God Bless Cilla). Time to play Cher songs and hold back the hands of time.

Step 1. Book a Facial at The Light Salon

At the depths of my skin woes I was invited to try an Express LED Light Facial at the The Light Salon in Harvey Nichols. Cue harp music and grateful sobbing. I have to admit I was a bit scared about lights being beamed at my face through something that looks like a hair dye processor but I did some reading up on the treatment and it sounded amazing and I really liked the fact it’s a super quick treatment that gives an instant boost, meaning that I could drop my son with my mum, have the facial and be back before her blood pressure was on the ceiling. I had an introductory session that lasted 15 minutes (cost £35) and was really impressed with the results as well as how ‘up’ I felt afterwards. Apparently one of the side effects of this treatment is a mood boost! Bonus! The treatment consists of a thorough cleanse and exfoliate, a session under the LED lights which flash continually for 11 minutes (you can wear an eye mask if this annoys you) and is followed by a heavenly face massage and moisturise. I genuinely thought my skin looked a lot more glowy and less line ridden than before the treatment but the real benefits are cumulative, with 10 treatments over a fortnight recommended for serious results. There is also a blue LED treatment that targets acne and congested skin that I hear people swear by.

Here I am recording my latest album. Okay, here I am under the LED lights which helps boost collagen production, elastin and hyaluronic acid.

My face post treatment. It looks a lot better than it did before trust me. The positive effects of the facial last up to three days if you have just one session. Would thoroughly recommend. I’m booking my next session with some friends so we can have a nice afternoon and a glass of something (green juice, not) together.

Step 2. See a Hairdresser

Next on my list of de-aging treatments was a Kerastase Touche Chromatique treatment and a blow dry from a very understanding man who didn’t flinch when I told him my hair was eighty percent boot polish (root touch up) and the water *might* not run clear when he washed it. Having not made it to the hairdressers for around eight months my hair was looking very brassy and unflattering where the colour had gone sort of orange so I was given a Touch Chromatique treatment in Cool Brown which is mixed in with Kerastase Masque Chromatique and left on to enhance and tone your existing colour/dye. You can choose from different shades to either enhance your colour or tone down and neutralise any brass or yellow tones and the idea is to use it at home to prolong and enhance your colour in between dying it. Sounds like a great plan! I will try to remember to book myself in for a home treatment when I’ve remembered to book myself in for a salon session with my hairdresser who probably thinks I have left her by now.

Sorry. More of my face with some make-up this time and no I won’t show you my three inch grey roots. Again, this hair looks 100% better than it did pre-treatment! Unflattering orange tones are significantly reduced! And yes I am going to get my haircut before it eats me.

Step 3. Make Time for Good Skincare

A huge part of feeling better about my skin was committing to a regular and nurturing skincare regime. Like Duh! I hear you say. But having been so tired that groping for the wipes on my bedside table felt like a Herculean effort the thought of this earlier in the year was laughable. And anyway, I had lost all my creams on a camping trip. Make that, couldn’t remember which wash bag i’d put them in and then moved house…

I am currently using Aurelia Probiotic skincare (two weeks and counting) and I LOVE it. My skin is usually super dry and these products are so cosseting, rich and creamy with all-natural ingredients and the most gorgeous smells. They really make each cleanse and moisturise feel like a mini treatment every time you use them. I use the Miracle Cream Cleanser which you wash off with a muslin a bit like Eve Lom but not as sticky and doesn’t smell like a pet shop, followed by the serum and then either the day or night cream. I feel so uplifted by the essential oils and the ritual of using them and I definitely see smoother, happier skin. I will not be taking these products camping. Ooh, unless someone gets me the travel kit for my birthday! Hint, hint! Other products that I really like and that do make a difference to my skin are Elemis Pro Collagen Marine Cream and Bobbi Brown’s Extra Repair Moisturising Balm which is definitely for very dry skin.

FYI: The treatments above were gifted to me by PR’s who felt deep pity for my ravaged hair and face. I am however extremely fussy about what treatments I have and what products I write about so please know that these are genuinely positive reviews and are things that I would and will be splurging on in the future.

#skincare #ageing skin #natural skincare #led facial #The Light Salon #kerastase #Kerastase Touche Chromatique

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benandcoblog · 6 years ago

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Nashville's Next Sweet Country Belle w/ Melanie Meriney

Melanie Meriney is an up and coming urban pop country artist who is a hat tippin', boot wearin', word slingin', country singer-songwriter making big moves in Nashville, Tennessee. I was lucky to grab her before the end of the year to ask her a few questions before she receives her first Grammy for influential and inspiring music. During our interview she mentioned she needed some help with her independent companies branding, I offered to help define her art and production company logos. Nothing like collaborating with like minded individuals striving to make something through passion and dedication.

[Ben]: You were born in Pittsburgh, what were your first 15 years like as a youngster?

[Melanie]: I was actually born in Los Angeles, and we moved to Pittsburgh when I was just three. I had a pretty awesome childhood. My parents and siblings were always supportive of my music dream, and I spent a lot of my younger years singing in church choirs, local choruses, open mics, and talent shows. I played travel ice hockey as well as field hockey at school and tried to keep my grades up so I could come to Nashville for college!

[Ben]: When did you decide to move to Nashville? Were you inspired by someone or something?

[Melanie]: When I was in third grade, I went to a Shania Twain concert with my parents. I watched her from my dad's shoulders with binoculars and thought she had the coolest job in the world. The next day, I asked if I could take voice lessons and I've been pretty single-minded ever since. I picked up a guitar and began trying to write songs. I knew Nashville was my next step after high school, so I applied and got accepted to Belmont University.

[Ben]: Do you notice a difference in the communities between Pittsburgh and Nashville, such as midwestern hospitality? Or is everyone more or less the same?

[Melanie]: There are slight differences. I'm not sure Pittsburghers identify with the midwest so much as they do with the east coast. People in Pittsburgh are pretty straight-up, as in, they tell you what they think and don't try to dress it up, for better or worse. That's different from the south, where people can be sweet to your face while masking their actual feelings. Strangely, a lot of my closest friends in Nashville are from northern states—I think we just naturally gravitate towards people with similar attitudes.

Both cities give me a strong sense of community. I feel at home in Pittsburgh, and now Nashville is also home. I've been living here going on nine years, so I think I can pretty much call myself a local.

[Ben]: Parents have a significant influence on our lives… did yours push you to become a musician? Did they ever have a doubt you shouldn’t be in music and encourage you to pursue something else? Were they always supportive of your decisions?

[Melanie]: My parents were integral to my development of musical tastes and style—my dad would play all the '80s rock bands he loved, and my mom would always have country radio on in the house. Both have been my biggest supporters while keeping me grounded. I talk to them pretty much every day to let them know what's going on with music and get their advice. They're the best.

They (and I) want me to be independent and have the ability to get a job that supports my main career aspirations. So, I attended Belmont as a dual English and Songwriting major, and then went on to get my Masters in Education. I admire the whole all or nothing path that some of my peers have taken, but I don't ever want to be dependent upon someone financially if I can help it.

[Ben]: Was there ever a time in your life when you essentially almost hit rock bottom via money, job, emotions, and/or feelings? What happened, where were you in life, and how did you overcome it? (I ask because I’m currently at this stage, and on vacation for winter writing and interviewing awesome people!)

[Melanie]: Aw no! You'll climb out! I pretty much have a breakdown every other month, honestly. It's such a conundrum choosing a career in a volatile field like music and still needing some sense of stability and sanity. I occasionally get anxious and depressed when I feel like nothing I do is working or mattering, and I'm struggling to break even financially or can't afford career moves that I feel are important. It's easy to look at the highlight reel of other people's lives and think that everyone is doing it better than you. But I've found that life is more like a rollercoaster—when you're low, you have to know that you're going to go up again.

I try to surround myself with people who remind me of my worth. A good support system is my perpetual saving grace. Make a list of everything you are accomplishing (even if it doesn't feel like a lot to you at the moment) and then catch lunch with someone who cares about you and can keep you motivated, on the right path.

[Ben]: Can you share a song you've written that has a hidden meaning or one that is emotional to you and your future as a growing musician/artist?

[Melanie]: I love writing tongue-in-cheek songs because I'm pretty sarcastic. One song you may have heard is the title track of my last EP, “Up in Lights.” It talks about the pressures of the entertainment industry, like the way we dress, act, perform, network, interview, etc., and how easy it can be to lose your sense of self. The song says ridiculous things like, "Nobody got anywhere by being just who they are," and, "You're only as good as they're saying; you may not be you, but your name is up in lights." I hope that listeners pick up on the sarcasm and understand that song actually means the opposite! As an artist, your most important responsibility is hanging onto the values and the tenets that make you YOU.

[Melanie]: I don't doodle when writing, although I always loved drawing and art when I was younger. Sometimes, to de-stress, I'll put my phone down for two or three hours and paint with watercolors. I'll show you [Or here is] a bird I painted a few weeks ago when I was especially stressed!

[Ben]: There are many musicians out there wanting to break into the industry. Most start their careers through social sites such as Instagram or YouTube. How were you found? Do you have advice for others?

[Melanie]: A solid fan base will always be the most effective way for an artist to become relevant. Finding your fan base can be easier with social media, primarily if you have limited resources and can't fund an entire cross-country tour. I've made a lot of great connections through live streams, DMs, and have been working on building my YouTube presence. We are creatures with short attention spans, so content is huge—I try to post at least once a day (sometimes I'm better at it than others) to keep a constant stream of engaging content going, whether that be music, videos, live streams, or pictures. Socials are a great way to start!

[Ben]: The holidays came and went like crazy! It seems like just last month we had filled our bellies with Thanksgiving turkey, stuffing, gravy, and Grandma Barb’s famous strawberry rhubarb pie. What’s your favorite holiday? Do you believe in Santa? And since Christmas just flew by, can you tell us your favorite present so far from a friend, family, or someone else?

[Melanie]: I have a tie for my favorite holidays, which are Christmas and the Fourth of July! I love Christmas because it's cozy and you're surrounded by family; and the Fourth of July because it's right in the middle of summer, providing some of my best memories. I believe in Santa in the spiritual sense—someone who brings together the most important things in life!

My favorite gift ever was my childhood kitty, Kristey. I got her in second grade. My parents put her in a cute little box, and she was my best friend until college when she passed away.

[Ben]: I’m a stickler for creative puns and jokes, though when it comes to music, it isn’t my forte. Puns like mine could get me in treble, they also usually fall flat, and people get tired, so I might give this sentence a full rest. Maybe if I had some sheet music, I’d take a lot of notes. Can you give us your best one-liner?

[Melanie]: (Laughing) I love it! Um... I'm definitely not the funny one in my family—that'd be my brother... hm... is your fridge running? If so, you better go catch it! (Best I got, sorry everyone.)

[Ben]: What’s next? Do you have a 3- and 5-year goal?

[Melanie]: My goal for 2019 is to put out new music and fill my calendar with tour dates! You can find them on my website at melaniemeriney.com! Even though I'm a planner, I'm finding this career path difficult to schedule. In five years, I would love to have a record deal with some solid radio airplay! Ultimately, I want to be financially secure and able to work on my music full time.

[Ben]: You currently have a crowdfunding campaign; can you tell us more about it? Is it hard to fund new endeavors? Do crowd campaigns for an already established musician provide more exposure while your backers get something to take home?

[Melanie]: I do! The last day to donate was December 24th (Christmas Eve). Our goal is $10,000 for recording and marketing new music. It's definitely a grassroots endeavor and takes a lot of humility to ask for help. Luckily, I'm able to give back in the form of signed CDs, t-shirts, hand-written lyric sheets, Skype concerts, and backer-selected cover songs. Crowdfunding is a great way to find out who truly cares about your career, and it's not always who you expect! The support has been phenomenal.

[Ben]: This wraps my interview questions for you, would you like to add anything else for our readers? Any words of inspiration?

[Melanie]: You are where you are in your life for a reason—whether it's to learn something, meet someone, or hear a good story. Embrace where you are knowing that as long as you are doing what you love, you won't look back with regrets.

[Ben]: Thank you, Melanie. That's excellent advice that I can certainly take to heart, and I'm sure others will as well. I've been loving your music since I first heard you, and know our readers will be just as inspired as your music continues to evolve and delight.

We look forward to hearing and seeing what you've got in store for us in 2019.

Melanie Meriney is an up and coming pop-country artist from Pittsburgh, PA now living in Nashville. She has opened for popular acts such as Little Big Town, The Commodores, Restless Heart, and Steve Augeri of Journey, as well as having been nominated for a Nashville Independent Music Award for Best Female Solo Artist. Her single, "Lifeboat," rocketed to #2 on both the UK HotDisc chart and Music Row (with the corresponding video receiving GAC rotation placement). Melanie is a "2018 Artist to Watch" on AXS and has received multiple mentions in Billboard, Country Aircheck, and Music Row Magazine. She is currently promoting her newest single, "Flame," with a music video release this month.

Follow Melanie Meriney on Instagram @melaniemeriney, Twitter @melaniemeriney, Facebook @melaniemerineymusic, and YouTube at /user/melaniemerineymusic.

For tour dates, you can find Melanie’s most recent touring schedule on her website at melaniemeriney.com.

#musician #nashville #country #melaniemeriney

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pamphletstoinspire · 7 years ago

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Our Universal Mother - Part 84

Mary: God’s Yes to Man - Part 1

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The Sign of the Woman - An Introduction to the Encyclical “Redemptoris Mater” - by CARDINAL JOSEPH RATZINGER

An encyclical on Mary, a Marian Year — neither exactly arouses enthusiasm among certain Catholics. They are concerned about negative interference's with the ecumenical dialogue. They see the danger of an overly emotional piety that will not measure up to serious theological standards. To be sure, the appearance of feminist thinking has added an unexpected new aspect that threatens to create some more confusion. On the one hand, feminists tell us that the Church’s teaching on Mary simply codifies the dependency of women and glorifies their oppression. By extolling the Virgin and Mother, the obedient, humble servant, the role of women, as it were, has been restricted for centuries. Exalt the woman better to oppress her! On the other hand, however, the person of Mary is used by some to initiate a new and revolutionary interpretation of the Bible: liberation theology points to the “Magnificat”, which proclaims that the mighty will be deposed, the lowly raised up. Thus Mary’s song becomes the motto of a certain theology that considers it its duty to advocate the overthrow of established social structures.

A feminist reading of the Bible sees Mary as the emancipated woman who, uninhibited and conscious of her destiny, confronts a culture dominated by men. Together with other presumptive elements she is used as a “hermeneutical key” that allegedly discloses an original, totally different Christianity whose liberating energy was soon enough smothered and buried under the dominating male power structure. Such interpretations are easily recognized as tendentious and forced; but they still may do some good in directing our attention to the Bible and its uncorrupted message on Mary. This could well be the right moment, then, to expect more willing listeners for the teachings of a Marian encyclical whose entire purpose is to bring out what the Bible has to say.

In order to facilitate the reading and understanding of this papal document, I begin with some explanations about its specific methodology. A second section discusses four of its basic concepts.

I. METHODOLOGY

1. Unity of the Bible

The encyclical presents itself in large part as a meditation on the Bible. A historico-critical exegesis is presupposed; but the next step then leads to theological interpretation proper. What does this mean? How is it done? The basic rule for such an approach comes from Vatican IPs Constitution on Divine Revelation, chapter 3:

But, since Holy Scripture must be read and interpreted in the same spirit in which it was written, no less serious attention must be given to the content and unity of the whole of Scripture if the meaning of the sacred texts is to be correctly worked out. The living Tradition of the whole Church must be taken into account along with the harmony which exists between elements of the Faith (no. 12).

The basic precondition for all theological interpretation, therefore, lies in the conviction that Scripture is one book with a true inherent unity, in spite of its conflicting tensions, its many human authors, its long history of composition. This precondition, again, derives from the conviction that Scripture ultimately is the work of a single Author who appears under both a human and a divine aspect. First, Scripture originated with the one historical embodiment of the People of God who through all the turns of its history never lost its inner identity. Whenever this People of God is speaking, not just incidentally and on the surface but from the heart of its identity, it indeed speaks within the stages of its history, yet nevertheless always as one and the same subject. And this leads us to the second, the divine, aspect: this inner identity results from guidance by the one Spirit. Wherever the core of this identity is manifested, there speaks not merely a man or a people, but God himself in human words: the one Spirit who is the abiding inner power leading this People through its history.

Theological interpretation of Scripture, then, means this: not only to listen to the historical authors and their concurrent or conflicting messages, but also to search for the one voice in the totality of the texts, to search for the inner identity that sustains and unites this totality. A merely historical methodology, as it were, tries to single out specific facts neatly at the historical moment of their origins, thus isolating such a moment from all the rest and fixating it in its time. Theological interpretation, in contrast, while not disregarding this endeavor, goes further: the historical moment does not exist in isolation; indeed, it is part of a whole; it can be understood correctly only against the background and in the context of the whole. So, the methodology here is really very simple: Scripture interprets Scripture. Scripture interprets itself. Listening to Scripture’s own interpretation through Scripture itself is a characteristic property of this encyclical. There is no attempt to explain the biblical texts in their individual moments through outside sources that may add much historical flavor, but no deeper understanding. Rather, the encyclical tries to let the biblical texts speak entirely on their own, in their multi-voiced diversity, and so it searches for an understanding from their inherent relationships.

Further, to emphasize the unity of Scripture implies a second principle: Scripture is to be read as a testimony for the present; it offers not just testimony about things and thoughts of the past but about timeless truth. This, too, cannot be the primary purpose of a strictly historical exegesis that looks back on Scripture’s origin in the past and perforce reads it as a document of the past. From this, of course, we can learn something as well, as from all history, but only by analogy. The question about truth is essentially alien to modern science. It is a naive and unscientific question. And yet, it is the proper question of the Bible insofar as it is the Bible: What is truth? For enlightened Pilate this is a non-question; to pose it means already to dismiss it. We are not that different either. This question makes sense only if the Bible is a testimony for the present; if in the Bible we hear the words of someone who is present, and if this someone is distinguished from all other living subjects of history by being linked to the truth and so being able to proclaim truth in human language.

Faith in these principles lies at the core of all theological exegesis. With such an attitude, the Pope converses with the Bible. He considers the Bible’s words within the larger biblical unity and accepts them as truth, as testimony about the true relationship between God and us. Thus the Bible is truly relevant for us; without any artificial updating it is in itself highly “up-to-date”.

2. The female line in the Bible

The so-called Gospel of the Egyptians from the second century has Jesus say: “I have come to abolish the works of woman.” This expresses a basic theme in gnostic interpretations of the Christian message. It also appears, used somewhat differently, in the so-called Gospel of Thomas: “If you make the two into one . . . that which is above and that which is below, and if you make into one what is male and what is female, so that what is male is no longer male, and what is female is no longer female. . . then you will enter the kingdom.” There we read further, in clear opposition to Galatians 4:4, “When you see the one who was not born of woman, fall on your face and worship. He is your Father.”

It is interesting, in this context, to note what Romano Guardini sees as an indication that in Saint John’s writings the basic gnostic viewpoint has been overcome and rejected. He points out that “the general architecture of the Book of Revelation accords men and women equal status, the way Christ intended it. True, in the figure of the Whore of Babylon the elements of being evil, lustful, and female do go together; but this would indicate a gnostic conception only if, on the other hand, all goodness were to reside exclusively in male figures. In truth, however, goodness finds a brilliant expression in the vision of the woman crowned with stars. If we still wanted to look for imbalance, then the female factor would seem rather favored; for the world, after its final redemption, appears as a bride.”

Guardini’s observation clearly addresses a basic question regarding correct biblical interpretation. Gnostic exegesis is characterized by its identification of everything female with all that is mere matter, negative, worthless, and therefore not admissible into the salvific message of the Bible. Such a radical approach, of course, may provoke a totally opposite position, a revolt against its standards, turning them upside down.

In modern times, and for different reasons, there evolved a less radical, yet not less effective, elimination of everything female from the Bible’s message. The overstated insistence on Solus Christus! (Christ alone!) logically led to the denial that we as creatures could cooperate with grace or respond to it on our own, which in this view would imply contempt for God’s all-embracing grace. Consequently, nothing in the female line in the Bible, from Eve to Mary, could possibly have theological significance. All the respective pronouncements of the Church Fathers or medieval theologians were relentlessly branded as a reappearance of paganism, a betrayal of the one and only Savior. Contemporary radical feminism can probably only be understood as the final eruption of indignation about such extremes, promptly falling into the other extreme, indeed adopting truly pagan or neognostic positions. We witness here the rejection of the Father and the Son, a stab to the heart of the Bible’s testimony.

This makes it all the more important to read the Bible itself and read it in its entirety. Then it becomes evident that in the Old Testament, alongside the line from Adam through the Patriarchs down to the Servant of God, there appears another line from Eve through the Matriarchs to figures like Deborah, Esther, Ruth and finally to the personified Divine Wisdom. This line simply cannot be dismissed theologically, although it is unfinished and its message open-ended, incomplete — just like the Old Testament as such, which still awaits the New Testament and its answer. The line from Adam receives its full meaning in Christ. Similarly, the significance of the female line in its inseparable interaction with the Christological mystery is revealed in Mary and in the symbolism applied to the Church. Major currents of contemporary theology ignore Mary and the Church, thus manifesting an inability to read the Bible in its totality. If we abandon the biblical concept of the Church, we lose the place where the unity of the Bible’s testimony is experienced. This has inevitable logical consequences. On the other hand, in order to discern the Bible’s complete fabric, we have to accept the Church as ground to stand on and thereby reject any historicist’s pick-and-choose approach to the New Testament; an approach that attaches validity only to what is deemed more ancient and thus disparages Luke and John. Yet only by considering the whole do we comprehend the whole.

It seems to me that the actual importance of this encyclical stems not the least from its encouragement for us to rediscover the female line in the Bible with its specific significance in salvation history. We should become again aware that Christology does not exclude or suppress the female aspect as inconsequential, and that recognition of the female role does not diminish Christology. Only in the right coordination of one to the other can we discover the truth about God and ourselves. Those radical ideas of our time — which tear us apart and push class struggle to the very roots of human existence, namely, the relationship of man and woman — are heresies in the original meaning of the word: they pick and choose, and disregard the whole. We have to regain the whole of the biblical message in order to regain that spiritual center in which we as human beings become whole. The dramatic struggles of our time may well prompt a better appreciation of the call to read the Bible under a Marian perspective as well, a development which had seemed improbable only a short time ago. We need such a reading in order to deal with the anthropological challenge of our present era.

3. A historico-dynamic Mariology

A linguistic observation may help us to understand better the specific Mariological reasoning of the encyclical. Mariological thought of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries aimed foremost at the would imply contempt for God’s all-embracing grace. Consequently, nothing in the female line in the Bible, from Eve to Mary, could possibly have theological significance. All the respective pronouncements of the Church Fathers or medieval theologians were relentlessly branded as a reappearance of paganism, a betrayal of the one and only Savior. Contemporary radical feminism can probably only be understood as the final eruption of indignation about such extremes, promptly falling into the other extreme, indeed adopting truly pagan or neognostic positions. We witness here the rejection of the Father and the Son, a stab to the heart of the Bible’s testimony.

3. A historico-dynamic Mariology

A linguistic observation may help us to understand better the specific Mariological reasoning of the encyclical. Mariological thought of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries aimed foremost at the interpretation of Mary’s privileges as summed up in her great honorary titles. After Mary’s bodily Assumption into heaven was proclaimed as dogma, the dispute began to center on the title of “Mediatrix” and “Co-Redemptrix”. The title “Co-Redemptrix”, as far as I can discern, is not used at all in the encyclical. The title “Mediatrix” appears very seldom, mostly marginally and in quotations. The emphasis, instead, lies on the word “mediation”, underlining its aspect of activity, of historical mission; the underlying reality transpires only through the mission, through historical action.

This linguistic shift reveals the new approach to Mariology chosen by the Pope: not to display before our wondering eyes any static, self-contained mysteries, but to enter into the dynamic quality of salvation that reaches out to us as a gift and a challenge and that assigns to us our place in history. Mary dwells not just in the past or in the lofty spheres of heaven under God’s immediate disposition; she is and remains present and real in this historical moment; she is a person acting here and now. Her life is not just a reality that lies behind us, nor above us; she precedes us, as the Pope repeatedly emphasizes. She offers a key to interpret our present existence, not in theoretical discourse but in action, showing us the way that lies ahead. Within this framework, indeed, we also recognize who Mary is, who we are, yet only by considering the dynamic aspect of her role.

In the second part we shall have to consider in more detail how Mariology thus turns into a theology of history and a directive for action.

4. Bimillenarianism?

The Pope’s first encyclical, Redemptor Hominis, already sounded a theme that returned with more emphasis in his encyclical of 1986 on the Holy Spirit, and that now occupies an important place in this Marian encyclical, namely, the anticipation of the year 2000, the great commemoration of Christ’s birth “in the fullness of time” (Gal 4:4), which should be preceded by an Advent time of history and humanity. It may almost be safe to say that the two latter encyclicals intended to initiate such an Advent. The season of Advent, in the Church’s liturgy, is the time of Mary: the time, indeed, when Mary offered her womb to receive the Savior of the world, when she carried in herself the expectations and hopes of all mankind. To celebrate Advent means to become like Mary, to enter into and become part of Mary’s Yes, which, always anew, is the area of God’s birth, of the “fullness of time”.

The marked emphasis on the year 2000, and the interpretation of our present time from this view, cannot fail to provoke criticism. The question arises whether this might not be a new form of millenarianism, a numbers mysticism, which would miss the true importance of the Christ event. In its historical dimensions this event was unique and cannot be repeated; in its redemptive power it has been, ever since then, equally present to every moment; indeed, it bestows the aspect of eternity on all time. What we have said above already hints at the basic answer to these objections: the Risen Christ is in truth directly present to all time and so each moment is of equal value in relation to him. And yet, there do exist privileged occasions for remembrance: times of celebration. John Paul II, in a short discourse on famous Marian shrines, points out that in spite of God’s presence everywhere, and in spite of Christ’s sacramental presence in every tabernacle around the world, we still find a certain “geography of faith”. Similarly, there are certain structures of time that invite us to reflect, to recognize God’s revelation in our human time and thus to experience God’s perpetual presence to us.

Raniero Cantalamessa, in this context, points to a helpful observation that Saint Augustine develops in his theology of celebration. The great Doctor says in one of his letters that there are two kinds of celebrations: those which simply observe an annual commemoration, the recurrence of a specific date; and those which celebrate holy mysteries. The former emphasize a specific date to awaken remembrance; the latter do not center on a particular date as such but rather on entering into the inner reality of some outward event and identifying with this reality.

We can say, then, that the jubilee of the year 2000 does not so much celebrate a particular date — and not at all as if such a date itself would automatically accomplish anything — the way a clock strikes at the present time. Decisive, rather, is the reminder inherent in our chronology as such and identified again by any jubilee: that God holds all time in his hands. He is the “Holy Mystery”, both touching and transcending time; and so he enables us, in this ever-changing, ever-flowing stream of time, to find firm ground to stand on, to grasp the abiding elements in all that passes away.

#our universal mother

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