#justus ward

[soapbubbles511]

With the news of Leslie's passing I found myself rewatching this Quartermaines vid I made almost 17 years ago. I'm having sad about Qs hours.

[superghfan]

In 1996, as Laura was arrested for Damian’s murder, Justus confessed to Edward that he had killed Damian,

[orii-blogs-stuff]

“Absolutely not.”

“But Ferdinand~” The new Aub Alexandria said, “Aren’t you curious about what could be inside it?”

It had been just another Fruitday for Rozemayne, waking up next to Ferdinand, sharing a gyu, having breakfast, doing paperwork until tea time and having tea.

However, unlike most Fruitday’s where they would have tea time in the drawing room, Rozemyne decided to exploit the perfect weather and have tea time outside in the gardens (Ferdinand could really use some sunlight, he was starting to look like a [vampire] staying inside for so long!).

Which had lead them to their current predicament as while getting ready to walk towards the garden in her new regency-inspired wrapper dress, a frantic Ordoschnelli from Philine made its way to her.

“Lady Rozemyne, there… There is a strange door in the middle of the garden with a wooden katze carved into it. I am unsure what to make of it.”

Ferdinand, upon hearing this, sent for Justus and Ekhart and had the knights on standby. Currently, they were trying to figure out what to do, Damule had sensed summoning magic had brought the door to the gardens, but who would do that? Why would they bring this random door into the gardens? Was it a trap, sent by a foe?

“Might I suggest I, myself examine the door and where it leads to?” Justus said, “I may be able to deduce how someone could have moved the door inside the castle parameter without alerting Lord Ferdinand’s wards.”

“Be careful…” Rozemyne said, “Who ever managed to get through Ferdinand’s defences… That too with none of us noticing… They must be very powerful and very skilled.” Nothing of such sort was described in the Book of Magic, not in hers nor Ferdinand’s, they were dealing with something new entirely.

“I will, My Lady.” Justus said as he opened the door.

As the door opened, Rozemyne saw the inside was bathed in a soft orange glow and�� Sniff sniff… Was that… Sniff sniff… Miso?! Without thinking Rozemyne ran towards the door.

“ROZEMYNE!” “MY LADY!”

“LADY ROZEMYNE!”

Inside looked to be the interior of a typical [Izakaya], how?!

“Hello and welcome~!” A server with dark hair and dark skin said, “Please! Have a seat.”

“Rozemyne!” Ferdinand started to scold her as Eckhart pulled out his sword and pointed it at the severs and the customers, Angelica and the other knights doing the same, “Stand back! These people are dangerous!”

“I’m fine!” Rozemyne argued, but Ferdinand was not having any of it.

“Not until we have done an in-depth background check on everyone here!” Ferdinand said.

Just then, the chef came out from the kitchen, “Hello there.” The man said, “And welcome, I intend no offence Sirs and Ma’ams, but please put away your blades, you are scaring the servers and the customers.”

“Who are you?” Eckhart said, though it sounded more of a statement than a question, not that Rozemyne was paying attention, the only thing she could smell was the heavenly miso! “And what is this place?”

“This is Nekoya.” The chef said, “We’re a humble restaurant serving western food, mostly.”

“A restaurant?” Ferdinand said, his voice was even but Rozemyne knew Ferdinand did not believe a word the man had just said, “Very well then, explain how your… restaurant had an entrance laying in our garden without any of us knowing.”

The chef just shrugged, something considered obscene amongst the nobility, “The details aren’t clear with me either, it just happens really. According to an elderly regular, it distorts space-time and multiple doors appear in many locations, all leading to this very restaurant which is in another world.” Another world? Rozemyne felt hope well inside her, were they in Japan?! “Please, have a seat, order whatever you like.”

Rozemyne pulled on Ferdinands hand, “Come on Ferdinand! You’ll love it! Everyone come as well!” Trust me! Rozemyne tried to say with her eyes.

Rozemyne could see the conflicted look on Ferdinand’s face, on one hand, he did not want to cause a scene, on the other, his survival instincts were telling him to take everyone hostage and look through their memories to see if they truly had no bad intentions, “Very well then.” Ferdinand said, “If Chaocipher hides within Gebordnung however, the consequences will be… Severe…”

“Excellent.” The chef said, “Riya, could you please hand out the menus? Oh and uh.” He looked at them, “Can you read the [Eastern Continent’s] Language?”

Rozemyne shook her head, “I do not know of this Eastern continent you speak about.” Ferdinand simply narrowed his eyes and Justus and the other retainers kept looking at everything, soaking up every piece of information about this place.

“I think they’re from that new place, Sir.” The server named Riya said, “That one where the other patron is from is from… Yurgenschmidt?”

“We are.” Rozemyne nodded, Ferdinand looked like he could pinch her cheeks for telling them such vital information.

“Ah well.” The chef said, “We have menus written in Yurgen as well.”

Riya showed them to their seats, because they were a large party, a few chairs and tables had to be pushed together closer. “Here’s the menu~!” She said, “I’ll come back in a [minute] to get your orders-”

“-Wait!” Rozemyne was acting unladylike, but she had to know, “This restaurant… He said this is a restaurant from another world… Is that world-”

“-Rozemyne-”

Rozemyne ignored Ferdinand, she needed to know, “-Is the original place, Japan by any chance?”

“Yes.” The server said, “How did you know?”

“We would like to have a few moments to discuss what we would like for tea.” Ferdinand said with a noble smile.

The server looked taken aback, “Oh- uh- Ok then, call me when you’re ready~! One more thing. I would recommend the melon soda, it’s a [fan favourite]!” With that, she left.

Ferdinand dropped his act, “What were you thinking?” He said in a low voice, “They could be enemies!”

“They know what Japan is!” Urano’s home country… How she missed it…

“Let us order something.” Justus said, “Keep our intentions under Verbergen’s shroud until Chaocipher comes out to play.”

Rozemyne looked through the menu, it was mostly western food such as spaghetti and pizza, but there were also japanese food such as chicken curry~ But what Rozemyne wanted was one thing and one thing only, “Excuse me?” She asked the server, “Do you have anything with [miso]?”

“All our set meals come with a bowl of miso soup.” The server said, “Are you [vegetarian]?”

Oh, the server must think she was looking for vegetarian options, “No, I just like soybeans.” Rozemyne said.

“Well, in that case we do serve [tofu] and [natto].”

They had tofu and natto?! “I would like natto with rice please!”

“Very well then.” The server started to write it down, “Would anyone else like to order?”

In the end, their table ordered:

1 natto with rice

1 chicken curry set meal

1 beef stew

3 chef specials

2 omurice

It took a while for the food to arrive, until then, they conversed amongst themselves.

“I believe they are telling the truth.” Justus said, “I sense no ill intent from any of them.”

“Keep your wits sharp.” Ferdinand grumbled.

“Ofcourse, My Lord.” Justus said, “I do find it odd however, they said they had another patron from Yurgenscmidht, I wonder who they are…”

When the food arrived, Rozemyne could cry tears of joy, but being a Lady (Aub no less!) She could not show weakness, instead, she slowly started eating, savouring the taste of every bite. Ferdinand, on the other hand, looked confused when the server did not taste test the food, “Don’t worry, everyone.” She said, “This is normal.”

“We must make sure this is not poisoned-” 

Rozemyne stopped him right there, “It’s not poisoned.‘ She insisted, “If it was, they wouldn’t have been able to stay in business.”

Ferdinand just stared at her, Rozemyne stared back, “Let’s not make the servers work anymore difficult than it already is.” She said, pointing to the servers who were working in a flurry, between greeting new customers and taking orders and giving food and collecting the money, the three servers barely had time to breathe.

“I shall take the first bite.” Eckhart said as he used his knife and fork to cut into the pizza, he took a bite and slowly chewed at, after a few minutes he finally said, “I do not taste a hint of poison.”

The rest of the table sighed in relief, finally eating the food, their eyes lighting up in wonder, “The food is befitting to be served to the Zent!” Leonore said.

“Indeed~” Angelica said.

“Despite the rustic atmosphere, the food is sublime…” Hartmut said, “But the food Lady Rozemyne had created is better!”

“I agree!” Clarrissa said.

OOO

Riya was unsure what to do with the small gold coin, the food all together was seven large silvers but the newest patrons told her to keep it as a ‘tip’. ‘I’ll just add it to their tab’ Riya thought, Mako paid her more than enough, because he was paying her the salary of a Japanese server in Tokyo and Kolkata was cheaper and she was still living with her parents. She had so much money she didn’t need any extra money, the money she made was enough to buy at least 30 family packets of oreos each day. “Please come again next time!” She said to the group. 

“We will!” The (maybe) twenty-year-old with dark blue hair and bright yellow eyes said. “We had a lovely time.”

“Please remember! The door only shows up once every seven days.” Riya said.

“Oh…” The lady looked heart broken for a split second but her demeanour became bright again, “We shall come next Fruitday again then!”

“Rozemyne.” The guy with the light blue hair said as he turned to look at Riya. “ We shall think about gracing this restaurant with our patronage. It seems Dregarnuhr the Goddess of Time has woven today's threads with exceptional speed and grace.” He said as he and the rest of the group left.

… What a weird way of saying goodbye… Riya didn’t have time to think about that as another customer entered, “Hello and welcome~! Oh it’s you, Shuu!” It was Shuu~! “I haven’t seen you in two weeks!”

“My manager kept wanting me to attend the Saturday meetings.” Shuu said with a sad sigh, “I managed to convince him to have those meetings on Friday, however.”

Shuu was a v-tuber, which one Riya didn’t know but she was pretty sure he was Akuma-Akuma (he won’t say however, that goes against his contract so Riya just has fun guessing). He lived near to the location of the actual Nekoya but after finding a door in his local library that lead to Nekoya one day, he also started coming every Saturday (Atleast, the ones he could manage to come). “Will it be the usual?” Riya asked.

Shuu nodded, “And today’s special.”

Riya gave him a thumbs up, “One melon soda float and one today’s special coming right up!”

[nonbinary-itachi]

Yuki Uchiha

Yuki and Saya Uchiha were siblings, with him being the oldest by two years.

When Saya married Tajima, he tried to pretend he was happy for her, but given everything he knew about the heir to their clan, he had no doubt, this was going to be a troubled marriage.

(He was not surprised to be right, but he was disappointed.)

He always held an interest in medicine, but because he was a man, he wasn't supposed to practice it. After all, medicine was woman's work.

He decided he didn't care and would sneak medical texts from the head medic in the clan and return them when she wasn't looking. Considering she wasn't much of a kunoichi, he still isn't sure whether she knew and didn't say or just genuinely didn't know.

He still had his regular training, though he didn't exactly excel in it. He was decent at taijutsu, okay at genjustu, and subpar at ninjustu, not having as much chakra as his clanmates due to an illness in his youth that affected his chakra coils.

His chakra control was his strength though, and he used that skill to practice his medical justu, the one thing he was exceedingly good at.

About the time Saya and Tajima wed when she was sixteen, he finally come out about his medical practice and managed to convince the medical corp head, he was actually good at what he did. She was insulted that a man was doing her job, but she couldn't deny that he was capable of doing an excellent job.

A year later, Saya fell pregnant and ended up giving birth during a rare storm of the century blizzard. Since he'd been staying with her in anticipation of her delivery, he was the only medic available and able to get to her.

Madara was born in the early hours of Christmas Eve, and Saya summoned her two partner cat summons (Kuro and Shiro, which would later be passed down to Izuna and eventually Fugaku) to keep him warm. He still believes this is the only reason the child survived the night.

Over the next ten five years, she would give birth four more times, having three more boys (Daisuke, Satoshi, and Takeshi) and a little girl (Izuna). Unfortunately during the delivery of the girl, she would hemorrhage and ultimately pass onto the next life.

Tajima, despite the rock marriage, did love Saya in his own way, and blamed his new daughter for her death. Yuki would hate him for this since Saya had always wanted a daughter and would have adored Izuna had she lived.

Since Tajima would throw himself into battle with the Senju, Yuki would end up watching the children until they were old enough to go on the battlefield themselves. Unbeknownst to Takima, he would teach each one of them a little about medical justu. Madara, Daisuke, and Takeshi would have no talent for it despite their best efforts, but Satoshi and Izuna would. Unfortunately, that wouldn't be enough to spare the boy from their eventual deaths.

Yuki would mourn the passing of each of the boys, lamenting that they were sent to their deaths much too soon. He would hold Madara and Izuna as they cried for their lost brothers while Tajima would have them train extra hard to make up for the loss.

He would also be the one to try and assure Madara that none of the deaths were his fault (Tajima would try to pin the blame on him since, as the eldest, he should've been watching after his brothers).

(He would also remain shocked that none of those deaths had resulted in the awakening of Madara's Sharingan).

He would rise through the ranks of the medical corp and become the head, ignoring the way people spoke about him behind his back. That he should be on the battlefield helping the soldiers, not in the medical ward taking a woman's job.

He would infuriated when he learned that Tajima had sold off his sister's hairpins after he decided Izuna should be a boy. He tried to find them so Izuna could have them back one day after Tajima died, but only managed to find one: a long ornamental piece with red, white, and black flowers. Since it's a wedding piece, he gave it back to her the day she married Asa. Izuna was too far deep in the male charade though and asked that she give it to Asa to wear instead. He obeyed.

He was one of the few people to support Izuna when she decided she was going to marry Asa despite her being a drag queen. He didn't understand it in the slightest, but he just wanted her to be happy, and if this would do so, then he supported her.

He was also one of the few people who never tried to pressure Madara into a marriage he so clearly didn't want (he knew that if he ever tried, Madara would probably agree and end up miserable, which was the opposite of what his sister would've wanted).

He was devastated when Izuna died, though he tried to remain strong for Madara's sake, knowing his nephew wouldn't take his last remaining sibling's death very well.

He was wary when the treaty for peace came from the Senju. He knew about the river incident when Madara was twelve (a forlorn Izuna reluctantly admitted it when Madara was ignoring her after the event), but had never expected anything genuine to come from it. Then again, if anyone could end the war between the Uchiha and Senju, Madara would be the one to do it. He wanted it to be Madara's decision though, not the will of the elders or some Senju.

When the village was founded, he was pleased but wished nothing more than for Izuna to be able to see it. He knew Madara felt the same.

He was among the first to notice the changes in Madara after the farce of a Hokage election. He became more withdrawn and seemed to care about little anymore. When he eventually defected, Yuki was questioned, but lied.

It wasn't until the village was founded that he would realize the true reason Madara never wed. He heart was already tied to another, more forbidden target. As such, when Hashirama questioned him following Madara's death, he lied, deciding this was a gentler way to handle things.

He would die of the same disease his niece's great grandson (Itachi) would have in a few generations. It was a slow, painful death, but one he welcomed, more than ready to see his sister and her children once more.

He never had children of his own, never even wed, but he loved the children of the clan as deeply as if they were his, and each loss cut him deeply.

He was not resurrected during the Fourth Shinobi War.

[bklynmusicnerd]

Plot twist: Neither Curtis and Taggert are Trina’s father

I remember when I was desperate for Trina to have any other father but Curtis, I thought Portia having a surprise retcon hookup with Justus Ward could've been a fun idea.

Now I'd settle for the miracle of Taggert being Trina'a bio dad after all. Anything but the most predictable outcome that no one wants which is Curtis.

[lboogie1906]

Joseph Connor Phillips (January 17, 1962) is an actor, writer, and conservative Christian commentator. He is known for his role as Martin Kendall on The Cosby Show and as Justus Ward on General Hospital.

He was a guest political commentator on News & Notes on most NPR radio stations (2004-09.

He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He attended the University of the Pacific as a communications major but transferred to the acting conservatory at New York University where he graduated with a BFA in acting.

He is an ambassador for the Sickle Cell Disease Association of America. He has spoken extensively about the disease and its effect on the family. He is a member of the Screen Actors Guild, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, Actors Equity Association, the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, was National Co-Chair of the African American Steering committee for Bush Cheney ‘04, was named a member of the Republican National Committee’s African American Advisory Board, was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to the state board of directors of the California African American Museum and was named a 2005 Claremont Institute Lincoln Fellow.

In 2022, he joined the faculty of Clark Atlanta University as a professor in the theatre and communications department.

He is a Republican and he is a television and radio commentator and has written a weekly syndicated column that promotes conservative views. He has been a critic of affirmative action and same-sex marriage in the US. His book, He Talk Like a White Boy, reflects his thoughts in this regard.

His mother died when he was young. He is from Colorado. He and his wife Nicole have three sons. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #alphaphialpha

[fundieshaderoom]

Fundie Families and Adjacents I Follow: Copeland

Kenneth Max Copeland- December 6, 1936

Ivy Sandra Bodiford "Sandra"- July 5, 1937

Cynthia Davis

Gloria Neece Copeland- February 12, 1942

Kenneth married Ivy in 1955 and they divorced in 1958. He married Cynthia in 1958 and they divorced 1961. Kenneth married Gloria in 1963 and they have been together since. All together, Kenneth Copeland has 3 children, 2 sons-in-law, 10 grandchildren, 7 grandchildren-in-law, and 12 great-grandchildren.

Terri- 1957 (via Ivy)

Kellie- February 9, 1964 (via Gloria)

John David- September 20, 1970 (via Gloria)

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

Terri Copeland- 1957

George Davis Pearsons

The couple shares 2 children, 2 children-in-law, and 5 grandchildren.

1- Jeremy Davis- 1979

2- Aubrey Lin- 1987ish

Jeremy married Sarah Hart (1983).

1- Justus

2- Jessie

Aubrey married Robert Cody Oaks "Cody". They divorced in 2020. She married David Mitchell on November 26, 2022. David has two daughters named Madison and Brooklyn Mitchell.

3- Eiley Lin- September 17, 2010 (via Cody)

4- Kayelin Rebecca- October 22, 2012 (via Cody)

5- Piper Belle- June 3, 2017 (via Cody)

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

Kellie Copeland- February 9, 1964

Steve Swisher

Kellie married her third husband Steve in July 2018 (?). She has five children between her first, second, and third husbands. All together, Kellie has 5 children, 4 children-in-law, and 9 grandchildren.

1- Rachel Ward Mayer- June 10 (via 1st husband)

2- Jenny Olivia Kutz Papapostolou (via 1st husband)

3- Max Kutz- August 2 (via 1st husband)

4- Lyndsey Rae Kutz Torres (via 2nd husband)- September 17

5- Emily Swisher- January 8, 2011 (via 3rd husband)

Rachel is married to Caleb Mayer. They share 5 children (2 have passed).

1- Kenneth- 2012

2- Kate- October 21, 2015

3- Clark- 2018, d. 2021

4- Claire- 2023

5- Chloe- 2023, d. at birth

Jenny married Elias Papapostolou (June 8) in October 2019.

1- Andreas Alan- September 10, 2021

2- Phillippos Luke "Pippo"- March 16, 2023

Max married Madi (June 7, 1996) in March 2018.

Lyndsey married Alex Torres on September 17.

1- Collette Olivia- 2021

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

John David Copeland- September 20, 1970

Marty

Ali Grace Brown- August 29, 1997

John Copeland is divorced and is engaged to a much younger woman named Ali Brown. He shares 3 children, 1 son-in-law, and a granddaughter with his ex-wife Marty.

1- Courtney- April 7

2- Jonathan "Jon"- April 25, 2000

3- Alexandria- February 14, 2002

Courtney is married to Grey Acuna.

1- Mila Grey- March 12, 2018

[narcobarbies]

on this day in 1996, family and friends gathered to say goodbye to mary mae ward

general hospital

[greatell]

The water fight is one of my favorite moments & it’s great seeing old characters but these episodes aren’t showing Jasam. They should’ve showed when Jason actually comforts Sam when she wakes up from losing her baby not the last 12 seconds of the ep. or show epi when she was pregnant & they fell in love. Or the train ep they save each other I know it’s only Wed but still. I better see Mexico 09 sexy time!!! Side note I miss Emily

I know it was so cute😩! GH needs to give us those kind of moments more. And not even just for JaSam but all their couples. A better balance of fun/cute/romantic moments with the drama. But yeah the first two episodes showed a total of like 3 minutes of JaSam together and idk why they used those. Upside we’re seeing people like Faith, Zander, Ric, Justus, Emily but still if it’s JaSam week it should have a lot more of them. I would’ve swapped out their first meeting with Jason’s first proposal when he tells Sam he loves her or their first kiss or when she lost her hearing. And definitely would’ve shown the 2nd part of Lila dying instead of that one. The next two episodes are when Jason proposes with the part from his bike and Friday is when they’re married at the Chinese restaurant. I hope with the last of the collections airing next week they’ll give us some old JaSam episodes that maybe we didn’t get this week and I really hope they do more super couple weeks and a week of one family like the Q’s. I miss Emily too😭! I use to have such a big crush on Diego and I wanted to throw stuff at my tv every time he came on yesterday

[dream-beyond-the-fantasy]

Monica, I wish Alan was here for this too.  And Emily, AJ, and all of our dearly departed Quartermaines.

[superghfan]

In 1994, Mary Mae revealed to the court that Bradley was Edward’s son.

**I wish they’d bring the Ward family back into the Q fold. 

[with-a-martyr-complex]

With A Martyr Complex: Reading List 2022

Adapted from the annual list from @balioc​, a list of books (primarily audiobooks) consumed this year. This list excludes several podcasts, but includes dramatizations and college lecture series from The Great Courses, which I consume like a disgusting fiend.

Introduction to the Qur'an by Martyn Oliver with Tahera Ahmad (for Quranic recitation)

Conquistadors by Michael Wood

ROAR: How to Match Your Food and Fitness to Your Unique Female Physiology for Optimum Performance, Great Health, and a Strong, Lean Body for Life by Stacy Sims and Selene Yeager

The Guns of August by Barbara W. Tuchman

War, Peace, and Power: Diplomatic History of Europe 1500-2000 by Vegas Gabriel Liulevicius

This Is How You Lose The Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

Coup de Grâce: A Novel by Marguerite Yourcenar (Translated by Grace Fick)

Sun and Steel by Yukio Mishima (Stanford Press Translation)

Classical Mythology by Elizabeth Vandiver

Metamorphoses by Ovid (Translated by Frank Justus Miller)

Existential Kink: Unmask Your Shadow and Embrace Your Power (A method for getting what you want by getting off on what you don't) by Carolyn Elliott

Fascism: A Warning by Madeline Albright

The Enlightenment Invention of the Modern Self by Leo Damrosch

Greek Tragedy by Elizabeth Vandiver

Leviathan or The Matter, Forme and Power of a Commonwealth Ecclesiaticall and Civil by Thomas Hobbes

War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning by Chris Hedges

Natural Law and Human Nature by Father Joseph Koterski

Odysseus in America: Combat Trauma and the Trials of Homecoming by Jonathan Shay (Foreward by John McCain and Max Cleland)

We by Yevgeny Zamyatin (Translated by Clarence Brown)

Treason by Orson Scott Card (Originally published as A Planet Called Treason)

The Modern Political Tradition: Hobbes to Habermas by Lawrence Cahoon

Gideon The Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Discipline and Punish by Michel Foucault (Translated by Alan Sheridan)

Harrow The Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

History of Sexuality: Volume I by Michel Foucault (Unidentified Translator)

Madness and Civilization by Michel Foucault (Translated by Richard Howard)

Lent: A Novel of Many Returns by Jo Walton

Living the French Revolution and the Age of Napoleon by Suzanne M. Desan

The Stranger by Albert Camus (Translated by Matthew Ward)

10 Women Who Ruled The Renaissance by Joyce Salisbury

A Brief History of the Samurai by Jonathan Clements

Because Internet: Understanding The New Rules of Language by Gretchen McCulloch

The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea by Yukio Mishima

The Republic by Plato (Translated by Benjamin Jowett)

Nona The Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Davos Man: How The Billionaires Devoured The World by Peter S. Goodman

The Birth of The Modern Mind: The Intellectual History of the 17th and 18th Centuries by Alan Charles Kors

(Spooky) Litigation: The Practice of Supernatural Law (Volume 1) by Jeffrey A. Rapkin

Emperors of Rome by Garrett G. Fagan

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty

Francis of Assisi by Ronald B. Herzman and William R. Cook

Impact Winter by Travis Beacham

Popes and The Papacy: A History by Thomas X. Noble

Misery by Stephen King

The Benedict Option by Rod Dreher

The Aeneid by Virgil (Translated by John Dryden)

The Aeneid of Virgil by Elizabeth Vandiver

The Industrial Revolution by Patrick N. Allitt

[Redacted] by [Redacted]

The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas (Translated by Duke Classics)

America and the World: A Diplomatic History by Mark A. Stoler

The Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester

Hagakure by Yamamoto Tsunetomo (Translated by William Scott Wilson)

A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine

Voltaire and The Triumph of The Enlightenment by Alan Charles Kors

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky (Translated by Constance Garnett)

Incomplete books: Jacques the Fatalist, The Just City, On Killing

---

Great Courses consumed: 17

Non-Great Courses Nonfiction consumed: 16

---

Works consumed by women: 17

Works consumed by men: 37

Works consumed by men and women: 2

Works that can plausibly be considered of real relevance to foreign policy (including appropriate histories): 10

---

With A Martyr Complex’s Choice Award, fiction division: It’s a tie between Lent and Coup de Grace, I just couldn’t decide between the two. Feel free to mock me for my indecision.

>>>> Honorable mention: The Stars My Destination, Misery

With A Martyr Complex’s Choice Award, nonfiction division: The Guns of August

>>>> Honorable mention: Living the French Revolution and The Age of Napoleon, Greek Tragedy, Conquistadors, The Aeneid of Virgil

>>>> Great Courses Division: The Birth of the Modern Mind: The Intellectual History of the 17th and 18th Centuries

The Annual “An Essential Work of Surpassing Beauty that Isn’t Fair to Compare To Everything Else” Award: We

>>>> Honorable mention: Crime and Punishment (This may have suffered from me reading while quarantining, I could easily have swapped it with We under other circumstances)

>>>> Nonfiction Division: Leviathan

>>>>>>>>Honorable Mention: Discipline and Punish

The “Reading This Book Will Give You Great Insight Into The Way I See The World” Award: War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning

>>>> Honorable mention: The Sailor Who Fell From Grace With The Sea, Leviathan

The “This is Kooky Made Up Nonsense But Still Worth Checking Out” Award: Existential Kink

The “Reading This has Allowed Me To Stop Caring About Its Author Too Much” Award: The Benedict Option

---

This marks the first year where I’ve reached my goal of at least 1 book per week for the year, and I’m reasonably proud of that. I’m especially proud that I didn’t overload the list with short works to reach that goal and was able to tackle some difficult or long works while maintaining a solid pace. I did find myself reading fewer literary works than I tend to prefer, and my nonfiction that wasn’t lectures was lower than I’d generally like (however much I do love lectures). 

Goals for next year: more foreign policy reading, more literary fiction, write something of my own.

[singeratlarge]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the First American Music Concert (Boston 1731), bassist-composer Samuel Adams, Suzy Bogguss, Brahms’s 2nd Symphony, drummer Clive Bunker, bandleader/multi-instrumentalist "Charlie" Creath, Skeeter Davis, Bo Diddley, Ellie Goulding, Simon Guggenheim, artist Aad de Haas, John Hartford, Dmitry Kabalevsky, Rudyard Kipling, bandleader-pianist Vincent Lopez, Jack Lord, Jeff Lynne, Robert Quine, Henry Purcell’s brilliant 1689 opera DIDO & AENEAS, film director Carol Reed, Del Shannon, Frank Sinatra’s 1968 “My Way” single, the 1950 single “60 Minute Man” by The Dominoes, Patti Smith, Dave Stewart (Hatfield & The North), Noel Paul Stookey (thank you for the fan mail), Russ Tamblyn, Tyrese, Tracey Ullman, V (BTS), Fred Ward, Stevie Wonder’s 1981 single “That Girl,” Tiger Woods, and a pair of Monkees, Davy Jones and Michael Nesmith, born the same day (different years). Both men have brought meaning and joy to my life in different ways.

Before I began my long association with Davy Jones, I was already a fan of Mike Nesmith’s “cosmic country” and multi-genre/media work. In 1979 I was working in a San Francisco used record store, an outpost for noting trends. After years of The Monkees not being on my radar, I saw a revival of interest in them due to the HEAD film circulating on the “art movie” circuit, The Sex Pistols covering “Steppin’ Stone,” and a New Wave gestalt that celebrated the Pre-Fab 4 for their garage band template. I reappraised their records and re-discovered Nez’s solo work, which inspired me and influenced my songwriting. Years later I added Nez’s “Silver Moon” to my solo set, which caught Davy’s attention and we sang it live a couple of times. That was my “talking point” when, in 1996, I finally met Nez during the JUSTUS sessions in Nashville—at which all 4 of juggled percussion instruments around the studio like rock’n’roll Marx Brothers.

My relationship with Davy began in 1992. I was working in a recording studio in central Pennsylvania. One day he rang up and booked a meeting, asking me, “Do you understandThe Monkees?” I’m looking at this guy I used to see on the back of cereal boxes, and I must’ve given him the right answer because we went to work on a video and archival projects. We lived near to each other and started playing music together. It turned into a long and creative unfolding of recordings, tours, and friendship. I’m extremely grateful for the career doors he opened for me and the stage craft I learned from him. Of course I was devastated when he died, and I wrote a song “Like a Big Brother” (still to be recorded) that summed up our connection.

To celebrate this day I found this clip of us covering Nez’s song “Papa Gene’s Blues” with Peter Tork. Cheers! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rZf8BIUP9g

#Monkees #Nesmith #Michael #Mike #DavyJones #PeterTork #PapaGenesBlues #JohnnyJBlair #Head #SteppinStone #NewWave #countryrock #cosmiccountry #garageband #birthday

[generalhospitalopinions]

Mary Mae ward with Justus, lucky and luke

[brassikarts]

( ⌒o⌒)人(⌒-⌒ ) = Friends the character has or would like to make

Brassy would like some friends in high places. Or some high friends in places. Or really, just some more friends will do. :3 Currently, she's really friendly with Bull the Tauren (one of @edmund-valks ' ), the folks of @fence-macabre, and an elf she deems even dumber than herself. She's also totally flirted with @summysparklesprocket .

Justus is friends with @catherine-lindgren ( ;) ), and currently under tutelage of one @theodorebennas . He and Summy need to meet, badly. Also @garethlyons . He also knew @halforc-mercenary for a good looking time.

Val WAS good friends with @alyssa-ward but, well. She's on friendly terms with @dardillien-ward though it's been awhile; has been friendly acquaintances with @latildarommel and @curiouscodex . She's getting to know @glitchphil 's Vikkari, and needs to meet Fnip. Her mentor was @edmund-valks and she's friendly enough with that player's other characters, excluding a WEIRD dynamic with @mishaelle-starsong ... as she's my most active character, she also knows a ton of people NOT on here, or not on here anymore. I DO want her to meet Loira, though, and interact more with @hinahinagray on A-side.

I've missed folks, for sure, but this is what you get when I'm sitting in a Family Dollar parking lot somewhere in NM.

@ms-winford