#i've never won any academic award before??

[trans-corvo]

I WON AN AWARD FOR MY THESIS??

[goodluckclove]

Edgar Gallows Blog Takeover - Intro Post!

Uh - hi! Hello!

I don't really know what I'm doing here or why I'm doing it, but Scott told me there's no way he's trying this unless he sees me do it first. And if Scott's not doing it Tenzin won't be comfortable enough to try either - really, Katy's the only one here comfortable chatting to strangers. It's a delicate web otherwise.

But yeah, my name is Edgar. I'm 30 and I live in New Orleans. Scott and I looked up what people put in intro posts like these and a lot of them had genders and pronouns, so let's just say I have both of those and not go any deeper than that.

I've worked in a few tourist-y traps in NOLA, mostly back of house doing prep and assembly work. Right now I'm a bartender and I'm great at it. I'm the best in the world. I've won awards. You can lie on the internet without consequence, right?

I should say that I am ex-Academy. I won't say which one for the sake of anonymity (And - let's face it - my own safety as well). I wasn't expelled or discharged or whatever. Technically I wasn't even released. I don't practice anymore, or really keep up with the news and politics of Academic witchcraft, so don't expect me to get into it unprompted.

Interests

I don't think there's a genre of music that I don't love, but I'm a big fan of funk, disco, new wave and Japanese city pop. Talking Heads is my favorite band of all time.

I'm a self-taught chef. I think I'm pretty good at it. I also bake, which I am less good at. Those skills do not transfer like you might think they do.

Scott's looking over my shoulder and he's telling me to mention that I like birds. I do. I feel weird saying that because I don't really know that many bird facts for anything other than my few favorites (Goldfinches and Buntings). I just like looking at them.

I say that I play video games but the only video game I'm remotely good at is Old School Runescape, which I don't think is that cool to say.

Things to Ask me About?

I would love to talk about cooking or food. This could be to give advice, recipe suggestions, food pairings, knife skills - ask me something as simple as how to scramble an egg and I'd be happy to share my technique.

In regards to the Academy, I will say that I'm Legacy and so I never actually enlisted. If you're thinking of going down that path at your own branch, I worked at the University of mine as a librarian for maybe five years, so I got a good perspective as to what the process looks like. I'm open to offering insight and tentative guidance if you aren't weird.

Scott says I should mention that I'm also a birthright. He's really the one that has more authority to talk about that since he actually grew up in a witch town, but apparently he has a lot of opinions on how I should do this for someone who barely understands how the internet works.

He's watching me type now. Fuck it, you can ask me about Scott too if you want. I assumed I was straight until about a week ago. Now I seem to have bagged myself an ethereal magical boyfriend. He saw me use the voice command on my Pixel and now he makes me say goodnight to my goddamned cell phone before we go to sleep. I love him.

DNI List

I heard admission rates for Academies hit a major spike recently, and I'm just putting it out there that I really would rather not debate anyone super invested in the "mission statement" of their local University. The newer members never seem to realize that the culture of the Academy differs like crazy depending where you are, and because of that there really isn't the kind of centralization they claim exists to Junior Members.

Also - and this might be a divisive take - but I was born into this world. I spent decades of my life in the Academy. I truly do not care about the opinion of someone who trained for two years after joining straight out of high school. I won't block you, but I will send your username and any comments you make to my friend who is far more Anti-Academy than I am (Hi, Katy).

Anyway that's all! I look forward to posting things today and maybe talking to some new people! I hope everyone is nice and not weird and I do not regret this happening!

who is this? why is this happening? check out the pinned post on my blog to learn more!

[nocompromise-noregrets]

five good things

Time for one of these, I think.

I'm now off work for a week, hooray. I have no concrete plans except some studying and hopefully some writing, and a bit of touristing around town, possibly combined with lunch or a coffee with one of my longest-standing colleagues from job number one who retired yesterday and wants to get out of the way of the builders who will be starting to redo her bathroom on Monday, rather than months ago, as planned, when she'd be out of the way at work all day XD

I went in to job number one yesterday to make some hours up and tackle a particularly complicated task that needed some sustained concentration to get it done; I'd been intending to do it over Christmas but then managed to get the plague and didn't feel up to it, then didn't manage to do it on any of the weekends since then, so when Kate announced she was having a retirement do in our function room at the end of her last day I thought it was a good opportunity to get it done since it was on a Friday which is my non-working day these days. I got done everything I needed to do and also had a good long chat with Pauline, one of my other longstanding colleagues who's been volunteering with us since she retired nearly 20 years ago; I never see her any more because she comes in on Fridays when I'm not there, so it was really lovely to see her. I'm really going to miss Kate, as she's the last member of the team I first worked in back in 1997 to retire - but she's going to be coming back in and volunteering so hopefully we won't lose touch. I've known her (and Pauline, and Julie, our erstwhile manager who retired five years ago) more than half my life and they've all been so incredibly supportive over my career, but none more so than Kate. She's incredibly perceptive and understanding, kind to a fault, and I think she knows me better than I know myself (I am not at all self-analytical or perceptive or any of that stuff). We've been meaning to go for lunch for at least six years, since we haven't worked so closely together after the last restructure eight years ago, and never getting round to it, so I rather hope we can sort something out soon.

The retirement do was lovely - Kate's family were there (including her Oscar-winning son, for those of you who remember that particular excitement this time last year) and colleagues past and present, everyone brought some food, Kate gave us a quiz about herself to see how much attention we'd all been paying over the 36 years we'd variously known her (she started working with us in the autumn of 1987 - so ten years before I did) which was huge fun - my table won, enormously satisfyingly XD although we did have a bit of an advantage with both me and my work wife Helen as we both know her pretty well :D - and it was enormous fun, although I'm in huge denial that she's actually left. I went on to the pub with three former colleagues who I don't see nearly enough of, and wended my way home at the end of the night feeling warm and happy and generally rather good. I'll be getting my long-service award next year (25 years!!!) and I do feel rather as though it's about time I stepped into Kate, Pauline and Julie's very supportive shoes for our younger members of staff.

On Thursday I had a very productive online meeting for job number two, for a project that my predecessor handed on to me without really any guidance as to what I was going to do with it or how (he was very much a project manager and I am very much not, and I think he just expected me to be able to take it and run with it) - I'd had it on the back burner for several years as I just did not know what to do with it, but this year I feel like everything's coming together a bit and I got in touch with the academic who'd thought of it in the first place to say I was almost in a position to facilitate something, and she nearly bit my hands off XD we finally managed to get our schedules aligned on Thursday and she and a colleague and I got a bit of a plan together which is likely to involve me facilitating but not doing much else, which suits me absolutely fine.

Also for job number two I had an enquirer at location number two who wanted to come and look at the house's Catholic chapel registers for a history of the neighbouring village where he lives in a monastery because he is a Benedictine monk. I had never met a monk before, so I was completely intrigued, and he was really lovely - quite young, and very nerdy about history, so we hit it off very well, he found what he wanted in the registers, and then we went for a wander in the Anglican churchyard next to the house looking for gravestones for the family he was looking for. Dealing with enquiries and enquirers isn't my favourite part of the job, but it's always rather rewarding when someone finds what they wants and goes away happy.

Since those five were all work-related...I've done a bit of writing this week on two Femslash February prompts and a birthday fic for @lemurious in her Astronomer!Arwen 'verse, and it's been so nice to be back at it. I haven't felt much inspiration just lately and I've really missed it.

We're plotting fun things for Barduil Month in April over at @bi-widower-dads :D

We have a new boiler! We have heating! And a much better thermostat and more economical boiler and better radiator controls and everything is so much more comfortable. :D

It's nearly spring! Our daffodils have been out for weeks, and one of my peach trees has been in full bloom for about two weeks at this point, although the other one is still only thinking about putting buds out, which is a bit weird because normally they flower together - but the later one is in a shadier position so maybe that's got something to do with it.

I had a couple of nice walks round the docks to and from the garage where the TT was having a couple of things fixed, one first thing in the morning when everything was misty and the water was still as a millpond, and one late in the afternoon when the sun was just beginning to head for the horizon, and it reminded me how beautiful our little city is. I don't usually see the pretty bits, but I feel like I should make more effort to go up to the docks more regularly than once a year around my birthday, when we don't usually enjoy it because all the pubs are showing the Six Nations and the horse racing and we have no interest in either of them. Thinking we might go up during the week this year, instead of the weekend, when the rugby at least isn't on, although it's Gold Cup week so there's no escaping the horses. Still, there are a couple of new places opened now so maybe one of those doesn't have a TV. XD

I have some lovely Lumene skincare stuff again, having discovered that John Lewis sells it over here. It's just the nicest stuff, from Finland, all full of Nordic botanicals and things, and after a while where they weren't shipping to the UK, they are again now, plus I can also get it from John Lewis (I have clearly arrived among the middle-aged middle classes, I have a John Lewis online account now XD ), hooray.

It's nearly bike weather again! I might see if I can get him started up this week, as long as it's not too cold and/or wet.

I've been having so much fun with @mihrsuri RPing in-universe fandom drama in her Tudors OT3-'verse :D :D :D <333333

good lord, thirteen things. Not bad :D

As always, if anyone wants to take this idea and run with it, do feel free. Five (or more!) good things, no matter how big or small. A little bit of positivity in the midst of everything else.

[atlafan]

Ur totally right that it’s not Harry’s fault but u can admit that Beyoncé was robbed… she’s always winning the smaller categories of awards. The Grammys are continuously prioritizing white ppl- that’s just a fact. Renaissance, Kendrick’s and bad bunny’s albums were important for queer/POC culture in a way that I don’t think Harry’s was. Either way- I’m happy for all but I’d be cheesed if I was any of them :/

I honestly thought Kendrick was going to win AOTY because of how impactful it was, so when he lost I was genuinely shocked. As far as the Beyonce issue goes...I don't think she was robbed of anything. I know it must be frustrating to see her be nominated in this category time and time again only for her to lose, but she also now holds the record for most grammy's won, so I feel like she still had a good night. And I really liked Renaissance, I had it on repeat for months after it came out, but I honestly only really like about half the album? I've never been a giant fan of hers anyways, mostly because of how scared I am of her fans lmao

I'm not on the recording academy voting squad, so I don't know what boxes need to be checked for an album to be considered AOTY. Do they take streams/units bought into account? Do they look at how many songs were written by the artist? How the songs were produced? Who the songs were produced by?

For me, compared to the other albums, I feel like HH consumed the year. As It Was got popular on tik tok by accident, whereas Cuff It/Break My Soul/America Has a Problem were purposely used on tik tok to gain more popularity. And same goes for Lizzo with About Damn Time, she does the majority of her marketing on tik tok. And I was so excited for Adele's new album, but it fell short for me. I don't like Easy on Me at all. I know the album was deeply personal for her, and that's fine, but it just wasn't what I wanted/expected from her. Same sort of goes for Special??? Lizzo's first album has some of my favorite songs on it. Like I really wanted another song like Tempo, you know?

all that being said, the Grammy's are a joke and they're rigged. Artists get nominated on the basis of how much they schoomze the academy with gifts and reasons why they should be nominated. The Grammy's don't mean shit when they exclude other artists. How can you say someone is the best when you're not taking in a full spectrum of artists? The Weeknd is a perfect example of this. Blinding Lights should have been nominated for song of the year, right? And it wasn't, the academy still had the NERVE to ask him to perform after snubbing him! After Hours is an insanely good album, and it got paid dust. And don't even get me started on Plastic Hearts being snubbed. Miley put so much into that album, and it was so different and fun, and they snubbed her too.

I don't think anyone is ever going to be happy with any type of voting results. I just hate to see people being nasty online and making fun of other people. If you don't like someone's music, that's fine. If you don't like an artist, that's fine. I'm not perfect when it comes to this because I shit on TS all the time, but I do try to keep it civil and academic. I love a good critique if we're really getting into it. I love a good debate as long as it doesn't get personal.

I was shocked Harry won AOTY because he won pop vocal album. I figured they gave that to him so someone else would win the former, but I was surprised. We all know his music writing/making process, and I think that in itself is worthy of note. He goes off, does his thing, makes sure his album is cohesive (to the best of his ability, he's not always right), and then is strategic with how he puts his singles out. He makes sure the full body of work is done before releasing new music. Many artists in that category are notorious for releasing random singles/EP's instead of full albums because their record companies just want to see money and numbers.

I'm rambling now, but I love that we're having this conversation! I think it's important to have these discussions.

tldr: fuck the recording academy :)

[dirtyratkai]

I wrote!! I did it!! Have a snippet on why/how Anjou got expelled from his fancy rich prep school

"Mr. DuPonts, would you come with me please?"

Anjou was almost greatful to be pulled into the head teacher's office at first- he got to skip biology, afterall.

Walking to the main office, Anjou passed flocks of his peers. He couldn't quite make out what they were saying, but from the way they were side-eyeing him and whispering to one another, he guessed it was about him.

...

Glancing around the office, he admired the certificates and awards that were plastered on the walls, along with pictures of different sports teams- which were always neiling around some big trophy in the center.

Anjou was even in some of them. He was the crowning achievement of Malvern Prepatory's tennis team- almost never losing a match, even against the coach.

"Won't you have a seat please?" Mr. Harrington sat on the other side of his desk, across from Anjou.

As Anjou made himself comfortable, he started again. "Anjou DuPonts. How has your week been? I hear from Mr. Hampton that you led our team to victory last week. Congratulations."

Anjou narrowed his eyes. "Thank you sir. My week has been.. exceptional." He tried to sound as pretentious as the adults he had observed at the business parties that his father would attend, dragging Anjou with him.

"Can I ask why I'm here?" He prodded. Anjou was fine with skipping school on his own, but the idea of missing class to talk to a pompous old person was unbearable.

"Straight to the point then hm? I like that. Very direct." Giving a chuckle, Mr. Harrington pulled a file out from his desk and opened it. "Here at Malvern, we take grades very seriously, as I'm sure you've been made aware of."

Anjou thought back to the times he would rush to get home before his parents in effort to dig through the mail box and pull any letters from Malvern and trash them. He stopped reading them after the first few, but from what he could gleam they wanted him to get a tutor.

"I've tried reaching your parents, but they haven't responded. I thought I would inform you directly." He slid a grade sheet across the desk and tapped on it. "I think it's too late now for extracurricular help. Now, I can assure you that we have a wonderful summer program here-"

Anjou cut him off. "Summer school?! Hold on- these are average grades!!" He pointed to the many C's on the report.

A little surprised at Anjou's assertiveness, the principal followed up with "These grades would serve at a more... accessable school-" he inhaled deeply. "But here at Malvern, we have higher standards."

Anjou's now widened eyes set his face alight with emotion, lush green clashing with carmel brown freckles on creamy white skin.

"S..so what does this mean for me?" He replied in shock.

"Well, unless you're planning on being placed in remedial classes next year, you'll be attending our summer program" his glasses slid down his nose as he deadpanned towards Anjou.

"You're...sending me to summer school...for average grades?" Confusion still spelled out on his face, Anjou stared at him, mouth agape.

"That's not all, I'm afraid" Mr. Harrington cupped his hands together underneath his chin. "You're being suspended from the tennis team as of now until your academics improve."

Anjou's eye twitched. "You're what?" Mr. Harrington opened his mouth but Anjou raised a hand, silencing him before he could speak. "You're cutting me, the lead player, from the team? I just won us Nationals! Without me this team doesn't win!" His voice was desperate.

"Well, let's be thankful that it's the end of the season then" a sly smile slid its way into his face as he stood up, gesturing for Anjou to do the same.

"You..you cut me after I won for us?" Anjou looked up at him, eyebrows knotted in distress.

There was no further discussion as Anjou was ushered out of the office, papers in hand. He attended biology- because Mr. Harrington escorted him to the class. But as soon as the lunch bell rang Anjou left school, going out to the soccer field to blow off some steam.

"He completely played me! He waited until after Nationals to kick me from the team!" He kicked a couple pebbles while venting. "I've had crappy grades all year! He's just doing this now because there's no more competitions!"

Cicadas hummed in the background as Anjou threw off his school bag. He picked up a rock that was of decent size and threw it as far as he could. Picking up another rock and turning, he launched it at the bleachers. Birds flew away as he struck his target, a loud metal clang sounding across the field.

Anjou continued to pace around in the grass, incomprehensible cries of frustration ringing through the trees. Thoughts raced through his brain, making his head spin.

What was he going to tell his parents? How was he going to convince them that he was trying to get good grades? Would he be able to persuade them into getting him out of summer school? How could that pontificial, domineering old man do this to-

Suddenly Anjou's thoughts untangled. He knew what the problem was- Mr. Harrington. This was all his fault, and now that he had pinpointed that, he could act.

His best course of action was vandalism, or at least that's what Anjou decided. Retrieving his bag, he filled it with as many rocks as he could find.

Strolling up to the staff parking lot, Anjou picked out the nice looking SUV parked in the spot marked "Head Teacher" and pulled a rock from his bag.

He arched his arm back and struck his target, chipping the glossy white paint job. He began to throw as many rocks as he could. A few dents in, Anjou heard a door slam open across the lot.

Normally, he would have snapped back to his surroundings by now and ran, but his vision seemed to cloud over with rage, emotions swirling before his eyes. There was nothing more in the world that he wanted to do than this.

As hurried footsteps made their way towards him, Anjou pulled out the final stone and thought of the best way to make it count.

He threw it at the windshield, shards of glass filling the passenger compartment and spilling out onto the pavement.

An arm landed swiftly on his shoulder, pulling him back to reality.

...

Twenty minutes later, Anjou's father was in the parking lot, along with the police officer that Mr. Harrington had called just a few minutes earlier.

As his father sorted things out with the both of them, Anjou could only stare at the ground. He had grown used to tuning out these sorts of conversations- a skill he picked up from the many times a situation similar had happened. Luckily, he was only a kid and his father had enough money and pride to do anything possible to get him out of legal trouble.

From what Anjou could gleam, he was being permanently expelled from Malvern. Mr. Harrington would get a restraining order against him, and his father would pay for all of the damages to his car.

Anjou tried his best to hold back the tears that stung his eyes- they weren't from fear or regret. Well, maybe a little regret, he thought. They were mostly from anger and frustration- at everything. At himself for acting so rash, at the school for being so unfair, at his father for enrolling him there in the first place. He was mad at the world for making him exist.

Getting into his father's car, he heard him sigh. "I don't know what to do with you- honestly Anjou, I really-" the rest turned to fuzz as Anjou looked out of the car window.

The ride home wasn't too long, thankfully. Although when they pulled into the garage his father locked the doors.

"Won't you even look at me?" He questioned. "Anjou, I'm your father, look at me when I'm speaking to you."

Anjou tried his best to keep a tough face as he looked Winthrop directly in the eye. However, the tears in his eyes now felt stronger than they had before.

Winthrop's gaze softened as he noticed this. "Anjou- it will be okay. I will enroll you at a different school. None of this will go on your permanent record." He tried to sound as comforting as possible.

"Mhm" Anjou gave a quick nod, eyes squeezed shut, and the doors unlocked. He could get through this- just don't think until the bedroom door is closed-

Winthrop let him be as he raced off to his room.

He had business matters to attend to. He would also have to explain this to his Anjou's mother, which would be a completely different and more challenging task than dealing with Anjou's teen angst.