#old lady voice 'it's been 94 episodes'

[firefrightfic]

Hot boi's back with a hot new do. Living, thriving; finally better at his disguise game as he greets his partner's ex-girlfriend in the most (unintentionally?) threatening manner possible. Truly, no one else is doing it like him.

[trainsandkitties]

Welcome to the North-Western! All aboard

Hello there ladies, gentlemen and everyone in between. Let me introduce you to our beloved gang of Sodor's steamies

Thomas Billinton

Age: appears 18, is actually 75

Height: 175 cm/ 5'7

Sexuality/gender identity: cisgender/ bisexual

Pronouns: he/him

Other: Thom struggles with self-esteem isses, often wishing he was bigger, stronger or faster; he lives in a house with Percy, Annie and Clarabel close to Tidmouth Station; currently doesn't have any relationships; he grew up in Brighton with his older brother Timothy as his only family; when skating became popular he'd do so with Percy; he's a huge comic book fan

Edward Furness

Age: appears to be in his early 60's, is actually 94

Height: 180 cm/ 5'10

Sexuality/gender identity: not labeled/ bisexual

Pronouns: he/they

Other: Eddie grew up in an orphanage in Barrow and Furness; he gets depressive episodes; during his first years on Sodor he had very little money and owned a tiny flat in Knapford before moving in with Gordon; he's a really good painter and can knit or crochet very complex pieces; he managed to graduate from art school; nobody on sodor can make apple fritters like him; before moving to Sodor he had a fiancé who was very toxic and left scared of relationships; he's married to Gordon (not legally)

Henry (Gresley) Stanier

Age: appears to be in his 50's, is actually 71

Height: 189 cm/ 6'2

Sexuality/gender identity: cisgender/ homosexual

Pronouns: he/him

Gordon Gresley

Other: Henry struggles with asthma and Crohn's disease; the Kipper incident left him an amputee (right arm, up to the elbow); he's considered Gordon's half-brother; he adores gardening; all of his plants have bames; he owns a small orchard and makes extra money from selling produce; he lives in a cottage around Knapford; Henry owns a little mongrel named Jackie and owned many rescue dogs before her; he's in a relationship with Hiro

Age: appears to be in his late 40's, is actually 69

Height: 195 cm/ 6'4

Sexuality/gender identity: cisgender/ homosexual /demisexual

Pronouns: he/him (she/her in drag)

Other: Gordon is on the autism spectrum, has severe depression and psychotic episodes; he has moderare h-EDS and anisocoria(uneven pupils caused by his TGR accident); he's a giant cat person and adores anything related to cats; he lives in his great grandmother's old summer house in Tidmouth; acting, drag and singing have always been his escapism; before Edward he had one girlfriend but both realised they were gay; he learned how to sew and tailor clothing and keeps this ability a closely guarded secret

James Hughes

Age: appears to be around 30, is actually 81

Height: 185 cm/ 6'0

Sexuality/ gender identity: non-binary/ pansexual

Pronouns: they/them

Other: James suffers from severe pyrophoba caused by their accident; they live in a bungalow nearby Tbomas and Percy; they have issues with upkeeping relationships so they often change partners, though they've been quite consistent with Spencer so far; James looks up to Gordon often trying to mimick him in many ways, but overtime they found their own style; James came out as non-binary around the 80's

Percy Avonside

Age: appears 18, is actually 93

Height: 170 cm/ 5'6

Sexuality/ gender identity: transgender (ftm)/ not labeled

Pronouns: he/him

Other: Percy was inicially named Priscilla but upon coming to the NWR he was able to come out and live life as his real self; he's often anxious and needs reassurance and support, but can be very brave and sometimes the voice of reason when Thomas and James start fighting; he's very imaginative and loves to hear stories from Salty and Edward

Emily Stirling

Age: appears to be in her 40's, is atually 95

Height: 177 cm/ 5'8

Sexuality/ gender identity: cisgender/ lesbian

Pronouns: she/her

Other: Emily is quite mature and kind but can be sassy and a bit impatient; she's one of James' closest friends and supports them through their ups and downs with relationships; she has a crush on Catilyn and they have a blooming relationship; She lives in a flat in Knapford;

Now some general info on the au etc. (Idk how to make titles ok? lolol)

[their-destinys-writer]

I posted 122 times in 2022

That's 103 more posts than 2021!

17 posts created (14%)

105 posts reblogged (86%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@buggachat

@frostedpuffs

@zoe-oneesama

@carpisuns

@overworkedunderwhelmed

I tagged 110 of my posts in 2022

Only 10% of my posts had no tags

#miraculous ladybug - 49 posts

#ml - 22 posts

#bakery enemies au - 14 posts

#marichat - 13 posts

#writing - 11 posts

#ml spoilers - 9 posts

#fanfic - 8 posts

#scarlet lady au - 7 posts

#adrinette - 7 posts

#miraculous - 6 posts

Longest Tag: 94 characters

#i hate been so busy that i had to get through the entire work day to finally watch the episode

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Exaltation literally revived me. I am literally sitting in front of my computer, furiously writing. I’ll be damned if I don’t have at least 90% of this chapter done!

18 notes - Posted November 3, 2022

#4

“Yes!” Ladybug punched the air. “We still have ten minutes left!”

Chat Noir landed behind her, barely catching his breath.

“We missed a whole block back there,” he panted.

“We did?”

“Uuugh, we need to go back.” Chat Noir threw his head back as he said it. “I don’t wanna.”

“Wait!” Ladybug had grabbed his tail, right as he had turned around to take a running jump.

Chat Noir looked over his shoulder, giving her a stare that sent goosebumps down her spine. She bit her lip, trying to think of a justification for her decision, but couldn’t find one.

“Let’s stay,” Ladybug resolved to say. The truth was easier anyway. “I don’t care right now. Paris will survive one night we don’t do a full sweep of the city. I wanna rest. With you.”

Chapter 6 of Rattled is up. Check out my contribution for the @mlbigbang, updated every Saturday.

20 notes - Posted February 20, 2022

#3

I have so many questions about the trailer. Like, is Master Fu DEAD? Did she just find the earrings on the FLOOR? Why does the yoyo have a mind of its own? How does it fly? Did they just break a centuries old window?

25 notes - Posted December 4, 2022

#2

You are the Music in Me: Lukanette Fan Zine

We can finally share our pieces! The Lukanette Fan Zine has finally been shipped and we are allowed to share our pieces. I had the honor to write a story in art collaboration with the awesome @edendaphne, who made gorgeous artwork depicting a scene from it. Show her some love! And thank you to the team behind @youarethemusicinme-lukanette for letting me be a part of it. Enjoy some Lukanette goodness!

Wedding Magic

No one said seeing Luka in a well-tailored tux would make life—and a confession—so much harder than it already was. But alas, there Marinette was, doing her best to not drool on her own sparkly Maid of Honor dress. Just as she let out another wistful sigh, said man tucked a stray hair behind his ear.

Oh yeah, because the handsome suit wasn’t enough, he also had his hair slicked back. For the first time in his life, according to Juleka.

The sigh turned into a noise more akin to a whimper. When did Luka become so handsome? How long had she been away for? How long had she been fantasizing with confessing her feelings for him, that he suddenly seemed ten times more attractive?

“You’re doing it again,” a voice sang next to her.

“I can’t help it,” Marinette whined, turning to Rose. “I’ve never seen him like this before. He looks so good. And the way he’s laughing…” Her eyes turned soft. “I’ve never seen him so happy.”

“He better be,” Rose laughed. “He would be a terrible Best Man if he wasn’t happy for his own sister.”

“That would make him a terrible brother,” Marinette agreed, gaze still locked on those irresistible silky strands that made her want to brush her fingers through it.

“Marinetteeee,” Rose sang again.

The lovestruck woman whimpered once more. “I need a distraction. Yup, that’s what I need.”

Marinette pushed her way through the crowd until finding a waiter carrying glasses of wine. She grabbed one and made a round around the room, stopping to chit-chat with several old classmates.

But in less than ten minutes, she was already back merely three meters away from the Best Man. She watched for a moment, as Luka laughed at something Mylène had said. Marinette let out a resigned sigh, ready to give up and leave it for another time. Yet, just as she was turning, Mylène left her spot, leaving Luka on his own.

This was it. It was the perfect moment. Marinette stood straight, squaring her shoulders, chin up high. A deep breath filled her lungs, giving her the needed confidence to take large strides to him.

“Luka, I—”

Marinette slipped on the skirt of a table, tripping her enough to spill some of her wine on the very man she was calling. Her eyes almost shot out of her eyes, as the shirt and vest of the gorgeous suit became tainted in plum.

“Marinette, are you okay?” Luka asked, his hands holding her elbows.

“Your suit,” she breathed.

“My suit is fine,” he insisted, attempting to catch her gaze, which was focused on his chest. “I’m more worried about you. Do you need anything?”

“I-I…” Marinette sighed in resignation, all confidence gone. “I’m fine. Let me help you with that.”

She lightly pulled on his arm to lead him to the doors next to the bar, into the kitchen. Once inside, Marinette sought out the first aid kit her parents always took to events they catered. Something they had learned to do after one too many accidents that ended with several scrapes on Marinette’s knees.

“I’m not hurt,” Luka said, brows furrowed.

“It’s for the shirt,” Marinette clarified. “I can mix this with dish soap to clean it up.”

She took out a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, along with a teacup, a spoon, and the soap. As she did a small chemistry experiment, her eyes remained focused, refusing to look at the object of her current embarrassment.

“Marinette,” Luka said quietly, lightly touching the hand that was furiously mixing the ingredients, making it stop. “I know I never ask you to tell me what’s wrong, but I can’t help but feel this is about me.”

Her lips pressed together. How is he always so perceptive, she thought. Shoulders slumping, Marinette let go of the spoon.

“I was gonna talk to you about something. But I lost my nerve,” she admitted. “And now I can’t find it again.” The hand that was on the spoon moved to pick up a cloth napkin instead, and dip it in the mixture. “This should help with the shirt.”

When Marinette was about to start scrubbing away the stain, Luka’s hand was back on hers, this time with more strength. As she looked up, she was startled to see how close he was. So close, she could make out the light pink color on his cheeks.

“You know you can trust me with anything, right?” he said, with a husky voice she had never heard come from him. 

See the full post

249 notes - Posted April 30, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

You know what the craziest part of Elation is? Suddenly, a whole lot of the people I have been following for years, who had moved on to other fandoms, suddenly just showed back up. Screaming Marichat at the top of their lungs.

265 notes - Posted November 3, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[meruli]

Aikatsu EPs 90-101

90

I wonder which one of the 17 backgrounds units this is.

I know she’s an idol but WHY does she have a fur suit

Why is it subbed like this

Wish they had gotten some actual back dancers instead of making 3 Aois but w/e

91

“Let’s ignore the fact that the voting wasn’t mentioned at all during the last episode!”

Does it have built in air conditioning like another anime idol’s coffin?

I hope you’re planning on singing more than 9 songs every show because that’s a huge waste of the domes.

This montage introducing members is cute and all, but it also implies that everything the girls did in the show was filmed by other people, which begs the questions “Who?” and “How?”

And it’s gonna end next episode.

92

I mean, I’m pretty sure the only reason no one managed to surpass them was because they disbanded before they could lose relevance. Simply surpassing them in terms of sales and number of fans won’t work because the times have changed, and dragging them back out form retirement is also a no-go because there’s no way they could perform like they did back at the peak of their popularity, considering.... aging.

Who’s the robotic voice introducing them. Why can’t they just introduce themselves.

The canned cheers and screams they shoved in.....

....unless they aren’t popular big names like you

93

Why are you so surprised when you’ve worn Swing Rock before

94

I wonder if the Enstars writers were thinking of Aikatsu and 2wingS when they named 2wink

95

Idk what to say about this except “I don’t agree”

You could’ve sang ANYTHING else

96

Lol, they’re starting with a recap of Akari’s story because she has been MIA for a while now. S2′s pacing is kinda messy but I like how they kept putting Akari’s episodes next to important plot points. It’s a good way to remind the audience that while the main cast is being huge and popular and stuff, there are countless others who are struggling to even get recognized. It’s like dumping dirt into a palace so that the nobles would remember the outside world.

What happened to the old lady teacher with pink hair

97

How are the two cards in the middle not falling?

98

At first, I thought this was weird because both of them wore Spicy Ageha. But now I’m like “What if Hime wore Halbmond and Miya wore Northern Mermaid?”

 I think it’s kinda boring that they’re just doing the performances one by one. Something that would’ve been really fun is if they had both units perform at the same time, and allow them to show of their appeals in the middle of each other’s performances. It’d be a mess but it’d also have a lot of impact.

Personally don’t like how babyish these coords look but you do you. I guess calling them hatchlings is appropriate.

Actually, it would’ve been fun if the coords had Ichigo and Seira’s faces printed on them.

Wish they hadn’t sang Friend here and kept it for the competition, would’ve had more impact that way.

99

Funny that both of the units Mizuki are in disbanded less than half a year after they were formed.

Little did they know, they were gonna get dragged back onto stage a year and a half later.

100

Foreshadowing...

I sure hope so

101

I can’t believe Ichigo Ai’d her last katsu...

Ik she’ll be back countless times but I need to make that joke

[rf-observer]

‘The split of the 'Fab Four' got 2020 off to an interesting start and it only got juicier from there.

This Boxing Day, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will be alone at Windsor Castle, not, as every other year, with the extended family at Sandringham. Still, Sandringham is where we’ll be picturing them all today, log fires crackling, corgis dozing, champagne coupes filled to the brim.

Season four of the Netflix series The Crown may have done the monarchy few favours, but it managed to make the Queen’s annual Christmas house party look twinkly, fun and unexpectedly warm (Princess Diana was wearing a sleeveless dress in the closing minutes of the final episode; there aren’t many country houses in the UK where you could get away with that in December). And not a bar heater or Tupperware container in sight.

Whatever your view of Peter Morgan’s dramatisation of the Windsors’ recent history, it has undeniably shunted the Royal family into our everyday consciousness.

For so long, we’ve barely given them a thought, in between births and weddings and the occasional scandal, but this year we were intrigued as never before, and most of all by the royal women. This has been the year all the royal ladies ruled, and we couldn’t get enough of them, starting with:

Princess Anne

The Queen's no-nonsense only daughter has become more popular thanks to her portrayal on The Crown CREDIT: Reuters There’s been a kind of national consensus this year that the Princess Royal is the one we overlooked and underestimated; the royal whose guts, dry wit, general chutzpah and individual style were never really appreciated because of the time and her position in the pecking order.

Looking back at pictures of Anne on her wedding day, she is every bit as dazzling as Diana was, and that Zandra Rhodes dress makes Di’s look like a dowager’s shower curtain. The silk scarf tied around her hair with that baker boy cap planted on top was one signature look that we cannot believe didn’t catch on – and still might. Anne always had a reputation for being a bit of a tough matron who was only interested in horses, but this year (with a little help from The Crown), we’ve come around to the idea that she was, and is, quite a bit more than that.

Still scary, though. (In a poll of The Crown viewers, she’s up 15 per cent, popularity-wise.)

The Duchess of Cambridge

Lockdown has been the making of the Duchess Of Cambridge who has connected with supporters via Zoom CREDIT:  Max Mumby/Indigo/ Getty Images Europe Kate had a very good lockdown, being about as Zoom-friendly as a flesh-and-blood human can be, and she’s gone from strength to strength finding her voice in the cause of supporting young parents. People like the simplicity of her approach, from the “mum to mum” message, to her MOR appearance.

This year, more than 50 per cent of her clothes were high street, including M&S, and we can say with confidence (after the “bronde” highlights makeover) that she’s got the high-low, future-queen/approachable-young mother balance spot on. We’re not fascinated by Kate. But since the Fab Four break-up, and the Sussexes’ defection to Netflix, we’re more conscious of the burden she carries. Then again, who needed all that competition? We’re betting Kate wakes up every day now thinking, “thank God I’m not going to get hassled for not giving Her a lift to Whole Foods”. (Popularity rating not polled … we guess up 22 per cent.)

Princess Diana

Diana-mania is reaching heights not seen since the Princess' heyday CREDIT: Tim Graham In 2020, we went Emma Corrin mad. We went Di trivia crazy. That Martin Bashir interview was back in the news and its impact was hashed over again. We learnt everything there was to know about bulimia and rooted out the best of the Di documentaries (namely Diana: In Her Own Words, a 2017 Netflix gem that has you on the edge of your seat, even though you thought you knew it all). Three years ago, we simply weren’t that interested. Now, we’re in the grip of Di mania the like of which hasn’t been seen since 1981.

Those clothes that are always threatening to make a comeback and never quite do – dungarees, jolly patterned jumpers, giant collars, pearl drop earrings – all turned up in women’s wardrobes and at every opportunity, however tenuous, a picture of Diana was splashed across the news. Nearly 40 years on, something of that early-1980s mood is back – the chintz, the cocktails, the disco soundtrack, the longing for old-fashioned dinner party fun. Honestly, we’re more interested now than we were the first time. (Up a whopping 30 per cent.)

Princess Margaret

A reappraisal of Princess Margaret has been building for some time now CREDIT: Anwar Hussein/Getty Images A newfound interest in Margaret, the glamorous if troubled princess, has been rumbling along for a few years, revitalised by Craig Brown’s Ma’am Darling in 2017 and Lady Glenconner’s 2019 autobiography. But on it goes, and now Helena Bonham Carter claims to take inspiration from the rudest of the royals since playing her in The Crown.

At this point, Margaret’s image has shifted from overindulged monster to sad spare sister; we’re just happy to be along for the ride wherever it might lead next. (Popularity rating not polled: we guess 13 per cent up).

The Queen

Her Majesty steadied the buffs in April with her “we’ll meet again” broadcast (even the French turned on in their droves), and her solitary appearance in Westminster Abbey on Remembrance Sunday, almost hidden under her black hat and mask, made us all feel a surge of affection and concern. Now 94 years old, and no longer bolstered by the presence of Philip, this year the Queen has felt less remote, even though she’s been out of sight most of the time.

Somehow knowing she’s been locked away with all the other great-grannies, watching The Crown in her dressing gown with a tray supper and a heavy heart (“oh, poor Margaret Thatcher”) has made us feel extra warmly towards her. Now just a screenshot of her in spirit-uplifting clashing red and pink (“our brightest and best today, Angela, don’t you think?”) is a stabilising tonic. It just works. (Up 25 per cent, ahead of all the living royals. Naturally.)

Meghan Markle

Dear, oh dear. But we did sort of see it coming, albeit not quite so fast or with quite so many toe-curling moments. This year, we went even more off Meghan for many reasons, but mainly for turning Harry into The Little Book of Calm man.

Is this sexist woman-blaming? Is Harry not an adult male, capable of deciding whether or not it’s sensible to say things like “being in nature is the most healing part of life. I truly believe that’s one reason why it’s there”?

Well, no and no. That once ramrod back has an arm up it and those words are the words of Netflix’s own documentary maker, Meghan. 🤣  She’s walked away from the greatest show on earth. (Not polled. Down… quite a bit).

🤣🤣🤣

[spongebobsins]

Everything Wrong With The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie

(Full disclosure: I actually did this before on DA a few years ago, so this is a spruced up version of that post. It’s been updated with my current standards and some new jokes but isn’t totally different. Still, hope you enjoy)

1.Viacom

2.There’s a whole opening scene with pirates, yet Patchy is nowhere to be seen

3.This guy thought it wouldn’t be a good idea to step out of the way of the door before the guy came out.

4.Because this is a SpongeBob movie, I can ignore a lot of stuff here, but there are like 50 pirates here, and only like 6 tickets.

5.These pirates are making a huge rowdy mess…and yet if I was there, it wold still be one my better theater expereinces.

6.Wait, the movie within the movie just starts with no title? There’s s no title in the credits, which is part of the movie within the movie, so what kind of movie has no title in it at all?

7.Also, the screening just starts with no trailers?

8.Why wasn’t the manager here to begin with, if the place was open.

9.They seriously called the cops about the cheese? Can’t someone else just…put cheese on it

9.“Weird sound in dream turns out be normal sound waking them up” cliché.

10.It being a dream forgives a few sins…but it’s still a dream cliche so..

11. Let’s talk about the Krusty Krab 2. How could have a hugely popular restaurant, function for this only with only ONE in existence?

12 Also, at no point do we see them hire extra employees for the other  KK, there’s just a new manager, but there’s like 2 employees in this place besides Mr Krabs. …How did a place like this ever function with only two employees, anyway?

13.Spongebob has underwear in this shot, but when his pants…open up, he’s nude.

14.Also, Butt joke.

15.SpongeBob’s teeth should not be in good shape if he only brushes his eyes.

16.Even for SpongeBob, barging in Squid’s shower is…creepy.

17.There’s nothing under this rock so where did Patrick’s pants come from? 18.All this excitement over a place that has never been mentioned before now.

19.Wait, KK 2 is next to the first one? That’s really stupid.

20.”Lord knows I’ve tried” Which lord though? Is relgion a thing under the sea?

21/know Plankton doesn’t always have common sense, but he seriously has never heard of the letter Z?! Or at least he hasn’t seen that file clearly there.

22. Plan Z seems to be Plan Porn, ew.

23.The Chum Bucket isn’t directly across the street like it should be.

24.How he does not hear his screams?

25.Also, the plankton smear vanishes in the next shot.

26.“I paid 9 dollars for this?” ‘I paid ten”. That’s racist.

27.I know SpongeBob is” immature” but Squidward is literately the worst worker ever, so why was he picked? At least SB is a good worker.

28.If you listen really closely, you near hear Mr  Krabs whispering jackass. That’s sinful because he said swearing is bad back in Sailor Mouth and got trouble with his Mom over it.

29.Another butt joke. 30.Wait, he doesn’t like people touching the crown yet he hired someone to clean it?

31.Even if this is meant to a different character than the God Neptune, why are we only just now knowing there’s a King of the sea, especially since he’s so close to a place the leads apparently go to a lot?

32.How the hell did no one notice Plankton taking the crown? Mindy is looking in the general direction of it, and while plankton is tiny, they should at least hear it moving or something.

33.There’s no guards outside to possible see the crown flying away.

34/Goofy Goober has a lollipop in this shot, but when that hand thing comes out, it’s gone

35.  There’s only one row of chairs in the nut bar here, but when SpongeBob starts to leave, there’s another corner where more chairs are over there. 36.And they’re drunk, in a family film.

37/They didn’t kick them out for getting drunk in front of kids?

38.Wait, if they’re at the KK 2, who is taking care of the first one right now?

39.”You left one DAMNING piece of evidence-” Whoa, Language!

40.We did not see Plankton bring paper with him at all so I must question this.

41.Also, Mr. Krabs could try to find some stuff he wrote to show this isn’t his handwriting. 42.There’s never a phone here but it’s now there for this joke.

43.How can Plankton hear over anything over the phone if Mr Krabs hung up?

44.Mr Krabs’ clothes magically grow back

45.Discount My Leg!

46.Everyone in the Krusty Krab magically appears before that part, and disappears right after. Hell, you can see two fish eating in the background like nothing’s happening!

47.Patrick, out of nowhere!

48.Patrick being horny for Mindy goes nowhere and is a bit creepy.

49.The wheels are made of pickles in this shot, but when they leave, they are real wheels.

50.There’s seriously no one at the Krusty Krab or even outside to see this?

51.Stereotypical hillbillies are Stereotypical, and a bit annoying.

52.”No Patrick they’re laughing next to us” Hey, only I get to be pedantic around here!

53.How did no one see that guy coming?

54.How did she get that footage?

55.I like that the airhorn from the previous scene is sitll here but it was nowhere to be seen before than so..

56.The thug doesn’t recognize Patrick from earlier.

57 No one in the bar is seen with any tools normally used for bubble blowing, and since they somehow don’t know it came from the bathroom, no one in that room should be suspected.

58.They were standing in place the whole time and everything was far away when they beat up the double dude, so how did Patrick get the key?

59.Villain asks who can stop them now and it cuts to the heroes cliché.

60.A monster having an part that looks like a talking old lady makes no sense  and you know it, so let’s move on.

61.How did the bubble soap get outside?

62.The stairs to the trench randomly appear and reappear throughout this scene.

63.Patrick has only worn those underpants once in the whole show…and it was in an episode after this movie!

64.Even with that carriage, how did Mindy get here so fast? She has no mermaid magic.

65.“Did you see my underwear?” “No Patrick ‘ “Did you want to?” …Ew.

66. The plankton statue in complete in this shot, but in the next shot it’s under construction.

67.I know Plankton wanted Neptune to fry Mr Krabs, but since he controls everyone, couldn’t he storm the castle and use the bucket on Neptune to get the job done quicker?

68.Hate to get critical, but sometimes these cuts to Dennis ruin the flow of scenes.

69.How does that seaweed stay on?

70.“Why did we jump over the edge instead of taking the stairs?” Spongebob would be great at SpongeBobSins.

71.This song is awesome until you realized they lazily reused some title card music from the show.

…But it’s still awesome, so..

71. ”Even the hideous disgusting monsters!” That’s racist.

72.“That way you’ll never found out that he stole the crown” Dennis is an idiot.

73.Man, what is with this movie and characters appearing without being heard?

74.You know, randomly walking around underwater in a desolate area with barely any fish isn’t really that efficient, given what he’s using them for as we find out in a minute.(Although it clearly worked before so this sin is debatable)

75.Why does he wear his diver’s outfit while on land?

76.“Alexander Clam Bell!” Booooo

77.Okay, so how did Plankton get the crown all the way here anyway?

78.How the heck did they not see that huge crown this whole time?

The entire scene is insanely emotional, especially for SpongeBob. I’m not made of stone so…yeah.

78.The pirates ruins it a tad though.

79.Discount Potty, which makes the lack of Patchy worse. He’s even voiced by Stephen!

80.“Tears bring someone back to life” cliché.

81.Also, these detectors do not work that way.

82..Because a bit of water will bring dead fish back to life, right? It makes sense for the duo but not the ones that have been dead for ages.

83.Poop joke.

84.The Hasselhoff cameo is funny but how many kids even know him, even I 2004?

85,I’m not even gonna ask how Dennis got here with the boot. Still sinning it, of course.

86.Hoff barely feels this epic battle going on, on his back.

87.You’ve got a time limit but sure, 10 seconds to liftoff.

88.They made a big deal out of that lock but now it’s just gone.

89.Karen isn’t there before SB and Pat show up, but now she’s here.

90. Why didn’t he put the bucket on Neptune beforehand? Would have made this a lot easier, makes my previous sin more of an issue.

91.Now the talking cheese is gonna preach to us!

92.This is amazing, one of the best things ever…but it’s also the biggest Deus Ex Machina ever.

93.”No freakin’ way!” The soundtrack version changes this because freakin’ is just too intense for kids I guess.

Eh screw it, sin removed!

93. From the looks of it, the town literally fixed itself in a matter of hours.

94.“I was just tell you that  that your fly is down!” …He doesn’t wear pants. 95,Freeze frame ending.

96.The credits feel the need to inform us that Karen is a computer wife.

97. Way too many minutes of credits for the sake of padding the soundtrack. 98.Post credits scene. SpongeBob is my favorite Marvel movie.

MOVIE SIN TALLY: 98

SENTENCE: Beaten senseless (by every able boded patron in the bar)

And after a slight delay, this is finally done. Even though I had to refurbish something I already did, this sitll took some more, to see what new sins to add and what to keep I tried my best to make sure the sins are good here and hopefully only a few are weird/filler.

This is certainly a few easy movie to sin, but is still highly enjoyable. Might do a win post for it someday, we’ll see. But for now, here are the sins of a good representation of the series.

With that out of the way come back in about mid February or a bit later as dive into Season 4 and see how sinful it ends up being. I’m judging all SpongeBob on the same level, so we’ll see how the sins are.

See ya then.

(Dedicated to Stephen Hilenburg)

[wozman23]

An Ode To Conan (AKA Conan Ode’Brien)

The year was 1995... or maybe '94... or at least sometime around then, give or take a year. I had just entered, or would be entering middle school, at age eleven... or twelve. With a new school came a later bedtime. So around that time I discovered two things: Saturday Night Live, and Late Night with Conan O'Brien. That was when my world changed.

For as long as I can remember, I've been a silly kid. My parents even used to throw an extra letter in my name and call me “Jokey.” Occasionally, they still do. But now, looking back, nearly 25 years later, I don't know if I'd have ever predicted just how much of my joking nature I'd be able to maintain at this point in my life. Today, at 37, if you ask me to sum up my personality in two words, they'd be “weird” and “funny.” As most age, they lose those traits. They'd instead define themselves as a “Personal Trainer” or a “Civil Engineer.” But I'm still just “weird” and “funny” - a goofball rebelling against the notion of “growing up.” I stubbornly keep the letter 'y' on the end of my name when most Josephs my age pick a more mature alternative. I have little interest in being anything else, and aspire for nothing more.

Much of that is thanks to a tall, freckled, red-headed idol I found on the late night airwaves of NBC, who danced as if he had strings on his hips and let people touch his nipple. I grew up watching cartoons like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Disney movies with comedic voice actors, and blockbuster movies like Ghostbusters and Mrs. Doubtfire, but I'd never seen anything as wildly experimental as Late Night. The (arguably) grown man at the helm still retained such a whimsical, silly, absurd outlook on life. He was a big kid, just having fun. It blew my mind. I was hooked. And it showed me that even if I was weird, I wasn't alone.

The absurdity of Conan and Late Night continues to be unrivaled, even to this day. There was a Masturbating Bear, who just went to town on this oddly nondescript jock strappy looking thing, Preparation H Raymond, an overly goofy looking character, with buck teeth and massive ears, who sang songs about applying a cream to irritated buttholes, and Triumph The Insult Comic Dog, who eviscerated Star Wars nerds and crashed the Westminster Dog Show. Clutch Cargo bits, where moving mouths were inserted into pictures of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Michael Jackson, and Bill Clinton, always brought the laughs in the early days, with both Robert Smigel's impressions and the disregard for making things look authentic. The In The Year 2000/3000 bits provided the rapid fire jokes of randomness that I aspire to write today, one of my favorites being: “Babies will start listening to dance music when Lady Gaga teams up with The Goo Goo Dolls to form the super group, Gaga Goo Goo.” Other recurring bits like Celebrity Survey, SAT Analogies, and Made-For-TV Movie Castings provided similar repeatable formats that brought laughs night after night, as did Actual Items, a swipe at Leno's Headline's bit. If They Mated provided us with the horrors of what the love child of two celebrities would look like, in worst case scenarios. Desk driving bits and car chase spoofs with model towns and cars always delivered. There were the silly Satellite TV Channel bits, with the standout, the Men Without Hats Conversation Channel, as well as the truly pointless – yet my all-time favorite character – Cactus Chef Playing ‘We Didn’t Start the Fire’ on the Flute, created solely to poke fun at the criticism that the show was absurd. Conan Sings A Lullaby was always some macabre fun. At one point, The Walker Texas Ranger lever swept the nation, ultimately resulting in one of the oddest clips ever to grace television. “...Walker told me I have AIDS.” Constant cameos delighted, with frequent appearances from Larry King and Abe Vigoda, who were both always willing to go the extra mile for a laugh. And occasionally, my beloved comedy worlds would combine with someone from SNL like Will Ferrell showing up, dressed as a sexy leprechaun, or engaging in some other antics. Jim Gaffigan birthed the Pale Force cartoon. Hornymanatee.com became a thing. Remote bits, like Conan playing old timey baseball, were always instant classics. Plus, the show birthed the idea of travel shows, with trips to places like Finland and Toronto - the second of which has one of my other favorite remote bits, Conan training with the Toronto Maple Leafs. So much memorable, silly, recklessly avant-garde stuff happened in those years of Late Night. And all the best moments happened when Conan acknowledged the astronomical stupidity of it all. It was always a pleasure to watch, and it all felt expertly crafted just for me.

In the end, a program that got off to a rocky start, fighting off cancellation time and time again, blossomed over the course of fifteen years into a comedy juggernaut and bastion of brilliant buffoonery for my generation. It was practically perfection.

Then the first transition happened...

Like many, I was apprehensive about the switch to The Tonight Show. It was great to see Conan inherit what was formerly known as the pinnacle of late night talk shows, but I wondered if America was ready to watch a bear play with his dick at 11:30pm, especially the demographic that had enjoyed Leno's far more traditional approach. I think we now have that answer. NBC managed to repeat their past mistakes, and fumbled another smooth transition of hosts. Things got kind of ugly, but Conan managed to land on his feet at TBS, where his show continued to run for another eleven years, giving him and his employees - who had relocated to Los Angeles at the start of The Tonight Show - steady work.

The one issue with the migration was that Conan no longer retained the rights to any of his intellectual property. Exceptions were made, but most of this bits and characters were absent from the now titled show, Conan. There was also one less show a week. However, new bits were concocted regularly, like Coffee Table Books That Didn't Sell, Basic Cable Name That Tune, and NBA Mascots That Should Never Dunk. New characters were spawned, like Minty, the Candy Cane That Briefly Fell on the Ground, Punxsutawney Dr. Phil - The best Dr. Phil bit since Letterman’s Words of Wisdom - and Wikibear. Will Forte showed up atop a stuffed buffalo as network owner, Ted Turner. Experimental stand-up sets, like Tig Notaro pushing a stool around or Jon Dore & Rory Scovel being double booked provided some of the best stand-up sets ever. Embracing a digital, web-based format, they introduced new segments like Clueless Gamer, catering to my love of video games. There was Puppy Conan, and Mini Conan. Plus, they doubled down on travel shows, creating the Conan Without Borders series, which I believe to be Conan's best work to date, and a shining example of who he is as a person. There were Fan Corrections, which allowed me to influence his show for five minutes, and throw my own zaniness into the world, and back at the man who stoked the funny fire in me. At some point in life, I may achieve greater things, or have children, but I may still always say that the greatest day of my life was the day I was on Conan.  

So Conan did have bright spots, but to me things were never quite the same. They were still good, but not amazing. Slowly it felt like things were beginning to decline. Longtime writer/performer Brian McCann left to return to New York. A while later, so did Brian Stack, finding a job with Colbert. The show was eventually cut to a thirty minute format. They spun it like it was a good change for the show. I however had my reservations. While I'd hoped for more experimental comedy, it seemed like the first half of the show was cut in favor of still getting in sizeable celebrity interviews. The band was gone, as were the options for nightly music acts. That meant no more fantastic moments like me discovering Lukas Graham with his subdued “7 Years” performance. Stand-up was pretty much gone too, which meant no more killer sets like Gary Gulman's bit on state abbreviations or Ismo's foreign take on the use of the word “ass” in English linguistics. Occasional product placement reared its ugly head. They had to keep the lights on, and they found a way to. So I continued to watch practically every show over the course of the eleven years.

When the pandemic hit, I found myself with more free time. So I decided to check out the Team Coco podcasts, cherry picking from the best guests of Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend, The Three Questions with Andy Richter, and Inside CONAN: An Important Hollywood Podcast. Never having paid attention to any podcasts, I found a love for them. And sometime amidst the pandemic, watching Conan interview some random celebrity, from some show I probably didn't care about, through Zoom, I kind of became at peace with the idea of a nightly Conan program ending.

From middle school, to high school, and then to college, I tuned in when I could. Without the luxury of the internet in its currently glory, or DVRs, I'd tape episodes on a VCR. Barring two or three episode of Conan that I missed while working two jobs, I've seen every episode of Conan, every Tonight Show, and a good streak leading into the end of Late Night. But I will admit that towards the end, it has sometimes felt like a chore.

One thing I didn't drag my feet on was attending tapings. It was one of the first things I did when I came to LA. Over the past few years I was fortunate to get to attend three tapings of Conan. In hindsight, I probably would have went more often. I brought family and friends along with me when they visited, but the treat was primarily for me. When he announced that the final few weeks of shows might have an audience, I knew I must go. I put in for two tapings, and fortunately the stars aligned for the third to last show with Seth Rogen. I was hoping for Ferrell, or Sandler, but it was great! It was the first show where masks were optional and it went recklessly off the rails. Like Conan, I've never been into pot. It's another of the things I enjoy about him. Like him, I don't really have a problem with it, but I've never tried it because I don't think it's for me. I’m the same way with alcohol. With a friend in town this week, I tried one of the beers he bought. I hated it, but I struggled through it. I’ll occasionally drink some fruity wine cooler but that’s about it. So seeing him reluctantly try the joint Seth handed him because he didn't care since the show was wrapping was great. Unseen in the TV edit was that after that segment, Conan and his producer, Jeff Ross, had a lengthy discussion as the band played. As the band wrapped up, Conan came back up and said to expect a rough edit on the show since they wouldn't be able to air them smoking. Turns out they could, which made for good TV. It was a symbolic moment where a man who's spend his entire career blazing his own trail – no pun intended - did so once more, knowing he had nothing to lose. I also put in a ticket request for the last show on the morning of because registration reopened for some reason, but I never got a confirmation. I'm excited to watch it tonight, but also sad to see things come to and end. But at least I can say I was there in the end.

For 28 years Conan and cast have delivered the show they wanted to make. Contrastingly, compared to the other late night shows, its always been far more apolitical, which I appreciate. Comedy to me is about dissociation. It's why I favor and write left-brained jokes about random subjects. No one really needs to hear another hackneyed Trump or Biden joke. Regardless of the state of the world, I could tune in to Conan for a mostly unbiased, silly outlook on the world. Conan always seemed to bring out the best in the guests too, making his show the premier show to tune into when someone was out in the circuit promoting something. Even the stereotypical animal segments or cooking segments provided ample laughs.

Most of the talk will be about Conan himself. But a very large part of what has always made Conan's shows great wasn't even him. A large cast of stellar writers and performers brought countless characters to life. Brian McCann and Brian Stack were longtime favorites. There was the No-Reason-To-Live Guy with his kayak, Hannigan the Traveling Salesman, Artie Kendall the Singing Ghost, and The Interrupter, to name just a few. Even people who had no business performing were utilized brilliantly, like original announcer Joel Godard or Max Weinberg both acting like creeps and perverts, trombone player Richie "LaBamba" Rosenberg being a dolt, and graphic designer Pierre Bernard in his deadpan Recliner of Rage segments. Jordan Schlansky was a comedy well. Andy Richter also deserves more praise. His quick wit makes him the perfect sidekick. I can't even begin to enumerate the amount of instance in which he was lightning fast with a witty response to someone or something. His more recent Sports Blast segments were absurdly stupid, and his Hillbilly Handfishing remote stands out as one of the best.

The late night talk show concept is built around volume. With 4368 episodes among three iterations of shows, there's a lot of time to fill. Things didn't always work, but most of the time they did. That's what you get when you experiment and evolve the medium. I've been thinking a lot about my history with the show, and it's amazing just how many silly bits, characters, and moments still bounce around in my noggin. I've only covered a small sample of the many great moments over the years. It's always seemed really weird to me that Conan has kind of been the underdog. To me, no one holds a candle to his brilliance. I can only liken attending his tapings to a few other experiences: the time I finally got to see Michael Jordan play as a Wizard, or Rush's final R40 tour – three great entities who may not have been at the height of their careers, but were still massively impressive none the less. Conan concluding tonight is very bittersweet. The future is uncertain. The details for his HBO Max show are nebulous. It's going to be far more small scale. I've always admired how much Conan has taken care of his cast and crew. He paid his writers during the strike, and his entire crew during the pandemic. But they will certainly fracture now. Will any of the writing staff follow? Will longtime performer Dan Cronin be there? Will Andy be back? Time will tell, but until then, television, the internet, and the world of comedy, will be a little less funny. In many ways, I wish we lived in a world we he still hosted Late Night, or a successful Tonight Show. But the late night landscape has changed a lot in the last few decades, so who’s to say this wasn’t the better timeline. If there’s one thing I cling on to that keeps me hopeful about the future, it’s Conan’s closing monologue from Late Night. Especially its ending: "It's time for Conan to grow up... and I assure you that's just not going to happen. I can't. This is who I am, for better or worse. It's just, I don't know how."

That hits me just as hard as it did in ‘09, if not harder. The more things change, the more they stay the same. The guy that started hosting in ‘93 is the same guy we see today. He’s still just as childish, just as absurd, just as brilliant, and a man of integrity. And as long as he is, so too will I be.

[papermoonloveslucy]

LUCY AND ANDY GRIFFITH

S6;E8 ~ October 29, 1973

Directed by Coby Ruskin ~ Written by Robert O'Brien

Synopsis

When Lucy meets a charismatic man (Andy Griffith) raising money for underprivileged youth in the park, Kim decides to investigate to see if he's really who he says he is.  

Regular Cast

Lucille Ball (Lucy Carter), Gale Gordon (Harrison Otis Carter), Lucie Arnaz (Kim Carter)

Guest Cast

Andy Griffith (Andy Johnson) was a former music teacher.  He began his screen career in 1948 on variety shows hosted by Ed Sullivan and Steve Allen.  In 1955 he was nominated for a Tony Award for his appearance on Broadway in No Time for Sergeants. He also appeared in the 1958 film version of the play.  In 1960 he appeared with Danny Thomas on “Make Room for Daddy” as Sheriff Andy Taylor and the character was spun-off into his own series “The Andy Griffith Show.”  He stayed with the show until 1968.  That same year he appeared on “The Tennessee Ernie Ford Special” on NBC with Lucille Ball.  He also appeared as Andy Taylor on two episodes of “Gomer Pyle: USMC.” In 1971 he starred in “The New Andy Griffith Show” which lasted only one season.  He had another hit series in 1986 with “Matlock” which ran until 1995. Griffith died in 2012 at age 86.

Sid Gould (Policeman) made more than 45 appearances on “The Lucy Show,” all as background characters. This is one of his nearly 50 episodes of “Here’s Lucy.” Gould (born Sydney Greenfader) was Lucille Ball’s cousin by marriage to Gary Morton.  

Randall Carver (Henry, left) began his career in 1969 and is best remembered as John Burns on the first season of “Taxi” (1978-79). This is his only appearance with Lucille Ball. He was 27 years old when he appeared in this episode.

Rick Kellman (Jerry, above right) played Lucille Ball and Bob Hope's son in the film Critic's Choice in 1963. He started acting at age 6 and is best remembered for playing Randy in “The Dennis O'Keefe Show” (1959-60) and Tommy in “Our Man Higgins” (1962-63).  A year after this appearance on “Here's Lucy” he left show business.  

The character's name is not spoken aloud, just listed in the final credits.

Hank Stohl (Bill Adams) began his career in 1959 and was the voice on the radio on “The Waltons” from 1977 to 1980. This is his only appearance with Lucille Ball.  

Bob Whitney (Stage Manager) appeared with Lucille Ball in The Facts of Life (1960). This is the second of his five appearances on the series.

The character has no lines. He tallies the donations on a chalk board at the end of the episode.

Marl Young (Conductor) was the musical director for “Here's Lucy” as well as making several on-camera appearances when the shows included live music.  

Vocalists: Nancy La Mar, Rosemary O'Brien, Dave Anderson Stuart, and Marvin Robinson

The musicians and others in the park and restaurant are played by uncredited background performers.

In March 1965, Lucille Ball interviewed Andy Griffith for two installments of her CBS radio show “Let's Talk To Lucy” while he was still playing Sheriff Andy Taylor on TV.  

Six Degrees of Lucy! Although none of Lucille Ball's TV incarnations ever came face to face with Sheriff Andy Taylor, they traveled in the same TV world:

In 1959, the year before Andy Taylor met Danny Williams on “Make Room for Daddy”, Danny Williams and family met Lucy Ricardo and family on a 1958 episode of “The Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour.”  

Keith Thibodeaux, who played Lucy Ricardo's son, Little Ricky, played Opie's pal Johnny Paul Jason in 13 episodes of “The Andy Griffith Show” between 1962 and 1966.  

Gomer Pyle, who lived in Mayberry, joined the Marines and was spun off in his own series “Gomer Pyle USMC” when he made a brief appearance on “The Lucy Show” in 1966.  

“The Andy Griffith Show” had a sequel series titled “Mayberry RFD” starring Ken Berry, a protégé of Lucille Ball's who had appeared on “The Lucy Show” in 1968.  

All of these shows were filmed on the Desilu backlot (formerly RKO, later Paramount).  

Don Knotts, who played Andy Griffith's bumbling sidekick Deputy Barney Fife, guest starred in “Lucy Goes on Her Last Blind Date” (S5;E6). Some other “Lucy” actors who frequently showed up in Mayberry include Hal Smith, Parley Baer, Norman Leavitt, Amzie Strickland, Dub Taylor, Stanley Farrar, Will Wright, Herbie Faye, Jonathan Hole, Byron Foulger, Tol Avery, Reta Shaw, Lurene Tuttle, Ruth McDevitt, Ruta Lee, Jay Novello, Ross Elliot, Maxine Semon, Herb Vigran, and Sid Melton.

There are some very basic similarities between “The Lucy Show” and “The Andy Griffith Show.” 

Both Griffith and Ball used their own first names, which consist of four letters ending in ‘y’ and also appear in the title. 

Both characters have spouses that died before the series' begins. 

Both have children and faithful sidekicks. 

Both started filming in black and white and eventually aired in color. 

Both shows ended in early 1968 only to be re-born in the fall as newly-titled shows: “Here's Lucy” and “Mayberry RFD.”  

The Christian overtones in this episode are unusual for this series. A few weeks earlier Kim jokingly said that they missed church on Sunday!

When Lucy and Andy are in the same shot together it becomes visibly clear that Lucille Ball is being filmed by a camera with a filtered lens to soften her look, while the other camera remains unfiltered. The contrast is especially noticeable when Lucy is standing next to Andy in the motel room and goes in and out of soft focus depending on which camera angle is used.

The show opens with Andy and his back-up singers performing “I'll Fly Away” by Albert E. Brumley. First published in 1932 it has been called the most recorded Gospel song of all time. Andy passes the hat for donations for his Right Path Youth Camp in Northern California – only getting thirty eight cents.

At a local restaurant, Andy Johnson tells Lucy that after he came out of the service he became a Sheriff. Lucy responds with disbelief: “A Sheriff!” Although he had left the role of Sheriff Taylor in 1969, Griffith would play him again in the 1986 TV movie “Return to Mayberry.” He would play another Sheriff on “Adams of Eagle Lake,” a 1975 police drama that lasted just two episodes on ABC. The two episodes were later issued on DVD under the titles “Deadly Game” and “Winter Kill.”  

Andy tells Lucy his fiancee Alice ran off with his best man Charlie.

Dressed in her downmarket blue jeans, Kim says “What do I look like? Jackie Onassis.” Jacqueline Lee Bouvier Kennedy Onassis (1929-94) was first mentioned in “Lucy Visits the White House” (TLS S1;E25) in 1963, when she was First Lady of the United States. She married Greek millionaire Aristotle Onassis in 1968.  

On Bill Adams' TV show, Andy and his singers perform “I'm Gonna Write a Song” by Jerry Reed and released in 1973. They raise $464.00 for the Right Path Youth Camp – quite a step up from their initial take of thirty eight cents!

The TV camera is labeled ‘KBEX COLOR.’  KBEX were the call letters for fictional TV and radio stations. They were used in many TV shows and films, including in Desilu’s “Mannix” and “Mission: Impossible.”  They were first used on “Here’s Lucy” in “Lucy Is Really in a Pickle” (S5;E15) and most recently in "Lucy, the Wealthy Widow" (S6;E4). Starting in 2005, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) started using KBEX for actual broadcast stations. Similarly, the 555 telephone exchange is used exclusively for fictional numbers seen in films and television.  Here, the telethon number on the chalkboard is 555-8732.  

Lucy Ricardo also meet a charity organization in a public park in “Lucy's Last Birthday” (ILL S2;E25). They were called The Friends of the Friendless.  

Recycling! The exterior plaza where Andy sings in the first scene is the same one used for the gallery courtyard in “Lucy and Danny Thomas” (S6;E1). The red booth in the restaurant also makes the rounds.  It has been seen many different restaurants throughout the series.  

Character Consistency! Lucy says that Kim works for a talent agency.  In “Kim Cuts You-Know-Whose Apron String” (S3;E24) she said she worked for a Public Relations firm.

“Lucy and Andy Griffith” rates 1 Paper Heart out of 5 

This is an unusual and awkward episode – not funny or serious. The chemistry between Andy and Lucy is given short shrift in favor of Kim's suspicions about his veracity.  When she allows Andy (an older, single man from out of town) to bring her to his run-down motel room things just get weird. Then he turns her over his knee and spanks her with his slipper, and things turn from weird to uncomfortable. This sort of thing might have passed for funny in 1953, but not in 1973. She leaves the room through a window (luckily they were on the first floor) after writing on the mirror in shaving cream “You are a nice man.”  Huh? There's also an undertone of religion (gospel songs, mentions of 'the Lord'), something that Lucy meticulously avoided throughout her television career. The only exception to this unpleasantness is the brief scene where Lucy schools Andy in how to relax on television. This must have been something that Lucille Ball did when coaching young actors as part of the Desilu Playhouse. There are so many ways Andy Griffith could have been used on “Here's Lucy,” but this seems the least satisfactory showcase for his talents.  

[soleminisanction]

(Pure, unadulterated feel-good comfort stuff, because sometimes you just need it. Post-episode 94 but spoilers are minimal.)

Vex'ahlia sleeps like the dead, blissfully free of dreams or emotions until she feels familiar, clever hands working at her armor. She groans, reluctant to return to consciousness, but can't deny the relief each time a piece of stiff, mud-caked leather is pulled from her aching skin.

So she lets Percy turn her, rolling from nearly face-down onto her side so he can reach the clasps down the front. He leans over her, bed creaking. His lips ghost across her temple and settle by her ear. "I've drawn a bath for you."

The very thought makes Vex groan again, half in longing and half in disgust. She's filthy. She knows it. Coming straight from a two-day hunt, covered in blood and debris, and falling immediately to sleep in her armor will do that. And after the fight with the Render, her body feels like one giant bruise. But taking a bath means waking up, leaving the cozy nest of her bed and walking, and right now she can barely open her eyes.

Percy makes a soothing sound, stroking grease- and blood-clogged hair from her face. "You've been asleep eighteen hours, dear."

"Don' wanna move.”

"You don't have to. Just let me take care of you."

She mumbles, permission granted, and he strips her, slow and gentle. He eases every piece of armor off her person with steady deliberation and arranges them all on the floor. The clothing beneath, sweat-soaked and crisp with blood, comes away in turn.

Left naked in the Whitestone chill, Vex curls into her sheets and searches blindly for the duvet. She finds Percival’s hand instead, guiding her arms back as he gathers her up and lifts her from the bed. Vex is hardly small for a half-elf, but she folds so easily into his arms that they might have been made to hold her. She curls against him, tucks her head beneath his chin and sighs, content.

He carries her from the bedroom, across an empty hall to the private baths, where there are multiple tubs. The first is clawed, meant for one person, easy to fill and drain as needed. The second could fit a dozen and is set into the floor, filled to the brim and flooding the room with lilac-scented steam. 

Percy lowers Vex into the clawed tub first, suds and water sloshing over the edge. The wondrous heat unknots her aching joints, leaving her limbs to tremble as they uncoil and stretch. She groans once more, this time in utter relief as warmth sinks into her bones.

She finally cracks open her eyes and sees Percy kneeling beside the tub in plain slacks and a button-down, glasses set aside as he rolls up his sleeves. There’s an intensity in his features as he picks over the arranged oils and soaps and imported sponges the same way he examines his workshop tools. To be the focus of that concentration sends a shiver down Vex’s spine.

For the next hour, Percy washes her. He massages his way down her back and arms, rubs her calves and her feet, and patiently works the knots from her shoulders. He drains and refills the tub twice to wash the grime away, pouring buckets of hot-too-hot-perfect water from the other bath over her aching form. He cycles through soaps, each better-smelling than the last, and dabs at the lingering bruises with healing infusions.

She hesitates to let him only once, when he reaches her hair, but the plait is too-thick with grease and dirt and needs as desperately to be washed as the rest of her.

(Had Vax even noticed? Or was he too obsessed with his self-imposed angst to care?)

Through it all they don't speak, except for short bursts like “Lean forward,” “Close your eyes” and “Tell me if it starts to hurt.” And that, that's exactly what she needs. All her doubts about the Hunt, her regrets and her failures and all her brother's moody pessimism are washed down the drain with the soap, dirt and mud. They’ll pile on again. They always do. But for now, she is scrubbed clean to her very soul and more relaxed than she's been since Raishan fell, utterly drained and boneless with exhaustion.

Percy drains the water, forehead damp with sweat and steam. He kisses her brow again, carding fingers through the last knots in her hair, and whispers, "Soak with me?"

Despite the heat and steam, the air in this room chills in comparison to the water. Vex stretches her limbs and back -- no longer aching, but numb with thorough relaxation -- along the slick metal tub before crooking her arms around Percy’s neck.

"Don't let me drown," she mumbles back, lips brushing his stubbly cheek.

Percy chuckles. “Perish the thought.”

He lifts her from the tub, crosses the room in three steps and kneels to set her on the edge of the sunken basin. The water, cooled now from near-boiling to warm perfection, rises to her knees. Percy steps away to shed his clothes and, despite her lazy exhaustion, Vex’ahlia can’t help but enjoy the show. He’s gone sweet-pink from the heat and work and the steam makes his pale skin shine.

He rejoins her at the edge once he’s fully nude and they sink in together, settling on the stone bench concealed below. Vex winds up in Percy’s lap with no intent to move. She feels the shape of him resting against her in a way that at any other time might be erotic. Tonight though, sex is the furthest thing from their minds.

She lays her head on his shoulder, breathing in the mixed scent of bath oils and his natural musk. Her hair pools in the warm bath, which folds in to welcome them with heat that makes her eyelids sink, then close.

“Talk pretty to me, Percy.”

He smiles, which she feels more than she sees, and shifts to bring them both close to the water’s surface without letting her head slip under. Combing fingers through her hair, he brings his lips to a pointed ear and begins whispering in Celestial.

Vex has no idea what it means, of course. It could be anything from a hymn or lullaby to old history or a dirty limerick.  But it’s hardly the meaning that matters. It’s the shape of the words and his rich, deep voice, singing through a song without notes that wraps around her brain and carries her, warm and safe, into the dark embrace of sleep.

When she wakes again, she's back in bed  Fresh, clean sheets caress her bare skin. An open window brings in a cool, sweet evening breeze. And she feels rested, almost new.

She rolls over to finds Percy on the floor, back in his slacks and shirt, steadily oiling her newly-cleaned jerkin. The rest of her armor, likewise pristine, waits beside him alongside a snoozing Trinket. She drapes an arm from the bed to stroke her lover's cheek. Percy stops his work and turns his head to kiss her fingers, soft and sweet. "How long was I out this time?" asks Vex, not daring to lift her words above a whisper lest her spell of peace be broken.

"Not very."

She raises an eyebrow, because her Percival is not known for short baths and that armor hardly cleaned and oiled itself. But he seems uninterested in elaborating and only presses another kiss to her knuckles and wrist before pushing it back towards the bed.

"It's still late. Rest, while you can."

She tangles their fingers together and tugs, refusing to let go. "Come to bed, love."

He shakes his head, but abandons the armor and oil without a fight. "As my lady commands.” 

He crawls in alongside her, shedding his shirt and putting out the candlelight as he goes. They lay together as the darkness closed in, bare back to bare chest, Vex’ahlia wrapped safe and adored in the arms of the man she loves.

Tomorrow, there will be change. There will be lessons and responsibilities and the trappings of nobility like she’s never known. Her mistakes and her regrets and her unknown future will be waiting. 

But tonight, the smell of the bath yet clings to their skin. She is safe and she is warm, and she thinks that she could take on anything, even an army of Grey Renders, so long as this is always waiting for her after.

[unendingkissnyc]

My experience one year ago was similar to many of the speakers at Huizenga Park on Sunday, June 11 who recalled that fateful day. Waking up to many of my friends in Orlando checking in as “safe” on Facebook was a heart wrenching thing to live through. Gradually, more and more information broke through about Pulse, a gay nightclub in the area. My heart sank knowing that I had queer friends in the area and I held my breath waiting for them to respond with a “safe” check-in. The idea of “safe” in these spaces I hold onto dearly for a sense of community was attacked that day.

(Source: Jon Daniel on Facebook)

In a recent report by Newsweek, a study has shown that saying “it gets better” to queer youth without giving them any guidance to make it better, actually has less beneficial, if not harmful effect. To what extent the world has gotten better since the horrific attack at Pulse Nightclub is, I cannot attest to.

https://flic.kr/p/Vx4t3n

The Equality Rally for Pride and Unity began with a light association of people that gradually gathered into hundreds in this park in Downtown Ft. Lauderdale. A mostly unassuming stage with an American flag center-stage flanked by rainbow bars in an open air bandshell served as the hub to which vendors, 97.3 FM, and the ACLU alongside other human rights organizations made their claim. One speaker lamented that even though the organizers had reached out to the local Black Lives Matter chapter, they could not send a representative to appear.

https://flic.kr/p/VJwsfz

Amongst the bevy of rainbow flags and material were representatives from important local organizations like SunServe and Stonewall Museum strewn across the lawn. Yet, with the presence of FLPD, corporate sponsorship, and a few leftover Uterus hats in the crowd, it would be apparent what kind of event this was. Serving as the emcee for the speakers was Ft. Lauderdale District 2 Commissioner Dean  J. Trantalis who would command the stage with the poise and casual ease of a politician well aware of his audience being key campaign demographics.

https://flic.kr/p/Vx3KV2

While performances were a bit on the softer side with a former The Voice contestant flail through a cover of Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way”, a track that has become a snake losing its venom in recent years as an obvious choice for the pageantry and overbearing corporate presence of modern Gay Pride rallies. As well as, The South Florida Gay Men’s Chorus’ immense harmonies and talents being relegated to performing the anthem to a nation that once refused to acknowledge the personhood of queer people.

https://flic.kr/p/VtQMZW

A Performer at The Equality Rally

https://flic.kr/p/Vx3AwH

The South Florida Gay Men’s Chorus

Moments such as Latinos Salud bringing friends and family of the victims of Pulse to the stage, in white shirts holding up images of their lost loved ones evoked a visceral reaction. These 49 people were dehumanized in life in a senseless massacre, and in their passing and seeing their faces along with their names confronts the audience with the reality of the situation. The shooter targeted the club on Latin Night. 94% of the victims were Latinx. Latino Salud drove home the importance of intersectionality within their community and the necessity of empowerment.

https://flic.kr/p/VtPjtq

https://flic.kr/p/Uv1Ex4

https://flic.kr/p/Vx2qYr

https://flic.kr/p/UrWx7j

https://flic.kr/p/UrWv2s

https://flic.kr/p/UrWy2q

https://flic.kr/p/UrWw6b

https://flic.kr/p/VEWtf7

In a scene that could not have even been written on the best episode of Veep or House of Cards, disgraced former DNC chair Debbie Wasserman-Schultz showed her face to a crowd of LGBT people on the main stage and told them how we need to unite. Wasserman-Schultz’ tenure as DNC chair came to a halt when it was revealed that she had actively undermined the presidential campaign of Senator Bernie Sanders revealed through WikiLeaks and she resigned. She drove this sense of “unity” that was reiterated well along the campaign trail as voters were now forced to decide between two harsh realities for president- A Republican, and Donald T*ump.

https://flic.kr/p/Vx3nT6

  Following her, a representative for a homeless advocacy group “Food Not Bombs” took the stage. Announced simply as Elijah (they/them) by Commissioner Trantalis, they walked on adorned with face glitter, a black tank top, and a truly sickening rose petal skirt. If you hadn’t known any better you’d swear they were at Coachella. Elijah’s speech was slow burning and as they had revealed to me, they were apprehensive at first to speak. The quiver in their voice and the occasional cracks in their presence through giggling showed not a lack of preparedness but instead a resilience to make a statement in a place where it may not entirely be convenient. Their speech explicitly called out the City of Ft. Lauderdale’s “Homeless Hate” laws as well as, anti-LGBT violence that Elijah had witnessed firsthand at the hands of the FLPD. The fact is a 40% of homeless youth in shelters nationwide identify as LGBT, many shunned from homes that could not accept them for living their true, authentic lives. From the crowd, Trantalis could be seen nervously pacing back and forth, having to prepare for a potential PR nightmare on his hands and ready a speech. As the “Wrap It Up” music attempted to usher Elijah off the stage and audience members yelling “this is a UNITY rally!” I knew that was the radical statement I had been waiting for.

https://flic.kr/p/Vx1Jh6

https://flic.kr/p/VJurLc

https://flic.kr/p/UuZrqz

So can I say that it truly “gets better”? I don’t know. But I do know that empty sentiments like encouraging people to register to vote only go so far. Change cannot come from within a system that is already corrupted. Only one year removed from the Pulse Massacre, the rise of white nationalists has gripped sections of LGBT people into supporting a movement that throws the originators of the gay rights movement under the bus.  Weak liberalism and corporate democracy has lead to one of the most openly racist, sexist, anti-Gay presidents in decades holding political office (and yes I am counting Ronald Regan). In nations like Chechnya, ethnic cleansing and less explicit forms of queer oppression are taking place and all deemed perfectly legal.

https://flic.kr/p/V9imvJ

The movement “Gender Is Over! (If You Want It)” has always been the ideological group I align myself with in queer politics. Their bold typography stated in black and white clothing makes the imperative that the ideas and roles of gender have become outdated and change must come from within a community as well as, individuals. I wore the same mesh “Gender Is Over!” tank top that day the same reason I wore it one year ago on the day of the massacre. Toxic masculinity and queer bashing go hand in hand. The only way violence against LGBT people and the recognition of personhood can ever come to be, is destroying old patriarchal views of society, sexuality, and especially gender. I remember being angry that day. I remember my heart in the pit of my stomach. I remember finally being ready to no longer feel the need to hide anymore. Maybe this is what it means to “get better.”

https://flic.kr/p/Uv2i1K

The ethos of gay pride is built on queer liberation, not pinkwashing or rainbow capitalism. I could care less for the “All Lives Matter” sentimentality in Trantalis’ speech, or pride flags made by Abercrombie and Fitch, queer resistance is existence. Corporations heralded by CEOs who fund Super-PACs for anti-LGBT legislators (i.e Coachella founder , Urban Outfitters) will willingly throw queer people under the bus until they no longer become a viable demographic to shell out $300 rainbow colored jeans to. The Stonewall Riots, were started (unlike how a certain filmmaker would like to acknowledge) by Marsha P. Johnson, a black trans woman and other queer, mostly POC retaliating against police to send a message to the world, and that message will not be bought or sold by any corporation or CEO. Queer liberation is not a party everyone will feel invited to, but if you want it, it will be a battle well fought.

View All Photos Here

Portraits of Pulse: 1 Year Later (Photo Essay and Op-Ed) My experience one year ago was similar to many of the speakers at Huizenga Park on Sunday, June 11 who recalled that fateful day.

[thatsnotcanonpodcasts]

Millicent Patrick, Mad Max & PS5

This episode we have an amazing guest re-joining us, the fantastic Shaun from Comics2Movies and XCT. So you know straight up it is going to be a great show! Also the DJ is on fire this week and makes us laugh till we cry. We begin with a look at an upcoming book release that is the biography of Milicent Patrick, the lady who designed the creature from the Black Lagoon. She has an amazing story that is sure to inspire many of us. It also looks at the harassment she faced and the ongoing issues in Hollywood today. Also discussed is the reaction of various law enforcement agencies in response to undesirable behaviours such as cyber-bullying. The topic is the 40th anniversary of Mad Max! That’s right the original movie that created a legend is 40 years old. There was a party in Victoria to celebrate with fans even coming from America. Of course this means we have to discuss the amazing films in the Mad Max franchise (even the recent Fury Road – which is suggested is not Mad Max, but you decide and let us know). Also this is when the DJ makes us laugh till we cry, listen out for it, believe me, it is amazingly funny. Next up is the Professor with some information about the PS5 and VR. Things are getting better with improved technology on the VR/AR front with arcades opening up around the place, but what is happening in the home? We then have the regular shoutouts, birthdays, and remembrances. Concluding with a chat about what Shaun is up to in terms of new projects to look forward to, so if you are planning on going to any of the comic conventions you will have to stop by and say G’Day, and check out what he has on offer. Particularly with his new graphic novels, so go along and check out his website and be amazed by the wondrous collection of artwork in the various comic books and graphic novels available for purchase alongside the extensive offering of various memorabilia there. So grab yourself a cup of tea and strap in for our latest instalment of Nerds Amalgamated.

EPISODE NOTES:

The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick

                - https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781335937803

                - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34993030-the-lady-from-the-black-lagoon

                - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1335937803/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=ll1&tag=bustle-13212013-20&linkId=4eb67e222b74ad35b9b57f4e9dda23c0&language=en_US

Mad Max turns 40

- https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-03/mad-max-40th-anniversary/10775336

                - https://www.thecourier.com.au/story/5450660/mad-max-anniversary-event-ditches-clunes-location/

PS5 VR/AR - https://gamingbolt.com/sony-knows-vr-ar-is-the-future-ps5-will-support-it-says-dev

Games Currently playing

Buck, Professor & DJ – Apex Legends - https://www.ea.com/games/apex-legends

Shaun – Star Wars Jedi Knight: Jedi Academy - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars_Jedi_Knight:_Jedi_Academy

Other topics Discussed

Millicent Patrick’s biography

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milicent_Patrick

Black Fury aka Miss Fury character bio

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Fury_(comics)

- https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-05/miss-fury-the-most-famous-superhero-youve-never-heard-of/10777988

Cyberbullying in American and Australia

- America - https://edition.cnn.com/2018/01/23/us/florida-cyberstalking-charges-girl-suicide/index.html

- Australia - https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-01-10/dolly-everett-nt-suicide-cyber-bullying-campaign-launched/9317056

MAD MAX Fan Magazine – Silver City on Kickstarter

- https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/467328161/mad-max-fan-magazine-silver-city

Mad Max Franchise

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mad_Max_(franchise)

George Miller wants to make more Mad Max movies

- http://collider.com/george-miller-new-mad-max-movies/

Amount of dialogue in Mad Max Fury Road

- https://www.reddit.com/r/MadMax/comments/4eveny/full_dialogue_for_fury_road/

Quentin Tarantino praises Mad Max Fury Road

- https://www.indiewire.com/2015/12/quentin-tarantino-says-mad-max-fury-road-was-the-best-movie-he-saw-in-2015-95821/

Playstation 5 will be backwards compatible

- https://gamerant.com/ps5-backward-compatible/

Playstation Eyetoy

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EyeToy

Wonder Boy (video game)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonder_Boy_(video_game)

Ghouls and Ghosts (video game)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghouls_%27n_Ghosts

Hungry Hungry Hippos the movie poster

- http://i.imgur.com/dU5gS.jpg

Fortnite & PubG are banned in China

- https://www.pcworld.idg.com.au/article/650828/fortnite-pubg-could-banned-china/

Kate Miller-Hidke (Australian singer-songwriter and actress)

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kate_Miller-Heidke

Shoutouts

24 Feb 2019 - Congrats to all the Oscars 2019 winners

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/91st_Academy_Awards

- https://cometoverhollywood.com/2016/02/05/hollywood-capers-stolen-academy-awards/

26 Feb 1935 - RADAR (Radio Detection and Ranging) first demonstrated by Robert Watson-Watt - https://www.wired.com/2008/02/dayintech-0226/

29 Feb 1504 - Crafty Columbus plays a Leap Year Trick, many people born on February 29th curse their luck, but it can also bring luck and benefits as explorer Christopher Columbus demonstrated over 400 years ago. - https://www.onthisday.com/articles/crafty-columbus-plays-a-leap-year-trick

Rememberances

21 Feb 2019 – Stanley Donen, American film director and choreographer whose most celebrated works are On the Town (1949) and Singin' in the Rain (1952), both of which starred Gene Kelly who co-directed. His other films include Royal Wedding (1951), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954), Funny Face (1957), Indiscreet (1958), and Charade (1963). He died of heart failure at 94 in New York City - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stanley_Donen

21 Feb 2019 – Peter Halsten Thorkelson or Peter Tork, was an American musician, composer and actor, best known as the keyboardist and bass guitarist of the Monkees. He died from complications of a rare cancer known as adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare, slow-growing form of head and neck cancer at 77 in Mansfield, Connecticut - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Tork

25 Feb 2019 - Maeghan Albach, American voice actress known for her extensive work with English dubbing. The actress worked with Funimation Entertainment for 13 years and brought her voice to dozens of titles. Most notably series such as Evangelion: 1.0 You Are Not Alone, One Piece, Fairy Tail, Attack on Titan, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood, A Certain Magical Index, Princess Jellyfish, and many more. Died on 22 Jan 2019 with no known causes of death - https://comicbook.com/anime/2019/02/25/fullmetal-alchemist-attack-on-titan-actress-maeghan-albach-death/

2 Mar 2019 – Katherine Helmond, American film, theater, and television actress and director. Over her five decades of television acting, she was known for her starring role as feisty mother Mona Robinson on Who's the Boss? (1984–1992). She also voiced Lizzie in the three Cars films by Disney/Pixar. She died of February 23, 2019, from complications of Alzheimer's disease at 89 in Los Angeles, California

- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Helmond

- https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-02/whos-the-boss-actress-katherine-helmond-dies-in-los-angeles/10864718

Birthdays

26 Feb 1802 – Victor Hugo, French poet, novelist, and dramatist of the Romantic movement. Hugo is one of the greatest and best-known French writers. Outside France, his most famous works are the novels Les Misérables, 1862, and The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (French: Notre-Dame de Paris), 1831. Born in Besançon,Doubs - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victor_hugo

26 Feb 1908 – Tex Avery, American animator,director, cartoonist and voice actor, known for producing and directing animated cartoons during the golden age of American animation. His most significant work was for the Warner Bros. and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios, where he was crucial in the creation and evolution of famous animated characters such as Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck,Porky Pig,Elmer Fudd,Droopy,Screwy Squirrel, George and Junior, and Chilly Willy. Born in Taylor, Texas - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tex_Avery

28 Feb 1901 – Linus Pauling, American chemist, biochemist, peace activist, author, educator, and husband of American human rights activist Ava Helen Pauling. He published more than 1,200 papers and books, of which about 850 dealt with scientific topics. Pauling was one of the founders of the fields of quantum chemistry and molecular biology. In his later years he promoted nuclear disarmament, as well as orthomolecular medicine, megavitamin therapy, and dietary supplements. For his scientific work, Pauling was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1954. For his peace activism, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1962. He is one of four individuals to have won more than one Nobel Prize (the others being Marie Curie,John Bardeen and Frederick Sanger). Of these, he is the only person to have been awarded two unshared Nobel Prizes, and one of two people to be awarded Nobel Prizes in different fields, the other being Marie Curie. Born in Portland, Oregon - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linus_Pauling

Events of Interest

26 Feb 1616 – Galileo Galilei is formally banned by the Roman Catholic Church from teaching or defending the view that the earth orbits the sun. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Galileo_affair#Inquisition_and_first_judgement,_1616

26 Feb 1952 - Prime Minister Winston Churchill announces Great Britain has developed its own atomic bomb - https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2019/02/26/us/ap-history.html

26 Feb 1949 – Lucky Lady II, a B-50 Superfortress begins the non-stop flight around the world from Carswell Air Force base in Fort Worth, Texas - https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/lucky-lady-ii-begins-nonstop-global-flight

29 Feb 1940 - Hattie McDaniel becomes 1st African American woman to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in "Gone with the Wind". The first Academy Award won by an African American entertainer  - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hattie_McDaniel#1940_Academy_Awards

Special message from Shaun about his upcoming works such as XCT: Breakout & Terralympus

- https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2067957354/xct-breakout-graphic-novel

- http://www.comics2movies.com.au/shop/terralympus-vol-1-graphic-novel/

Intro

Artist – Goblins from Mars

Song Title – Super Mario - Overworld Theme (GFM Trap Remix)

Song Link - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GNMe6kF0j0&index=4&list=PLHmTsVREU3Ar1AJWkimkl6Pux3R5PB-QJ

Follow us on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/NerdsAmalgamated/

Email - Nerds.Amalgamated@gmail.com

Twitter - https://twitter.com/NAmalgamated

Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/6Nux69rftdBeeEXwD8GXrS

iTunes - https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/top-shelf-nerds/id1347661094

RSS - http://www.thatsnotcanonproductions.com/topshelfnerdspodcast?format=rss

Special thanks to Shaun from Comics2Movies, they have some cool stuff such as prints, comics such as XCT and T-Shirts - https://www.comic2movies.com.au

[bethestaryouareradio]

Writing & ScreenWriting for Teens

Teens talk and the world listens every Tuesday NOON PT on the Voice America Kids Network. Produced by StarStyle® Productions, LLC and Cynthia Brian, these young adults know how to rock and express their unique views. Join the fun! “If there's a book that you want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.” ― Toni Morrison That’s why the hosts and reporters of Express Yourself!™ are writing a new book, Be the Star You Are!® for Millennials scheduled for release later this year! In the meantime, the team are busy interviewing, reporting, and gathering life skills. This week hosts Asya Gonzalez and Katie Choo interview seventeen year old award winning actress and screenwriter, Mandalynn Carlson about her meteoric career, her screenplays, and what she’s learned working in show business. Katie Lyons joins the conversation to share her love of writing indicating that she’s been crafting stories since before she could write. The young ladies greatly admire writer JK Rowlings who rose from homelessness to being the most famous writer in the world. The message is to believe in your dreams, work hard, never give up, and write on! Bio for Mandalynn Carlson Mandalynn Carlson is an award-winning American teen actress, whose first professional film appearance was a supporting role in the 2011 action biopic "Machine Gun Preacher" with Gerard Butler. Leaving Michigan for Hollywood, Carlson has found success staring in dozens of independent films and television shows, including "Grey's Anatomy," "Scandal" and "CSI:NY". Mandalynn is outspoken against bullying, having dealt with it during elementary and middle school. She started college at 15 years of age and maintains a 4.0 GPA in the film studies curriculum. A fantastic story-teller, Carlson is creating screenplays she hopes to produce and direct that deal with women and girls self-image and self-worth under her production company Smash The Glass Pictures. While she prefers to be in front of the camera, she maintains that she must always be creative and will pursue directing, to fill in gaps. Carlson cares about children and being a positive role model. www.MandalynnCarlson.com Listen at Voice America Kids Network: https://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/98014/the-gift-of-writing-and-screen-writing #StartWithaSmile at smile.amazon.com/ch/94-3333882 and Amazon donates to Be The Star You Are, Inc.. Make a DONATION through PAYPAL GIVING FUND and PAYPAL with 100% going to BTSYA with NO FEES: ! https://www.paypal.com/us/webapps/mpp/search-cause?charityId=1504&s=3 Read our BTSYA March Newsletter: http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/672296/d7e25a1009/288055965/ac7221bc2f/ Shop. Earn. Give! Listen to all broadcasts at ITUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/podcast/express-yourself!/id481894121?mt=2 Express Yourself! Teen Radio is produced by Cynthia Brian of Starstyle Productions, llc as an outreach program of Be the Star You Are! charity. To make a tax-deductible donation to keep this positive youth programming broadcasting weekly to international audiences, visit http://www.bethestaryouare.org/donate.htm. Dare to care! For all the latest news on what teens are talking about on Express Yourself! Teen Radio embed this code into your blogs and web sites <Iframe src="http://www.voiceamerica.com/jwplayer/HostPlayer.html?showid=2014" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" width="420" height="380"></Iframe> Be the Star You Are! charity. It's ALWAYS the Season of Giving. Make a donation today. http://www.bethestaryouare.org/donate.htm. Buy books and shirts at http://starstyleradio.net/Store.html . Links you can use for Be the Star You Are!® Positive Results: http://www.bethestaryouare.org/positive-results About Us: http://www.bethestaryouare.org/about_us Programs: http://www.bethestaryouare.org/programs How to Help: http://www.bethestaryouare.org/how-to-help Blog:http://www.bethestaryouare.org/blog Events:http://www.bethestaryouare.org/events Contact us: http://www.bethestaryouare.org/contact What’s happening? Want to party? Visit our Event page: http://www.bethestaryouare.org/#!events/kgh2e Talk 2: http://www.btsya.com/talk_2.html?r=20160628121151 Starstyle, Be the Star You Are, and Miracle Moments are registered trademarks of Cynthia Brian