#poem bangkok

[evermore-fashion]

Poem Bangkok 'The Song of Sirens' Fall 2024 Ready-to-Wear Collection

[fashion-runways]

POEM BANGKOK Lunar Year Collection 2022 if you want to support this blog consider donating to: ko-fi.com/fashionrunways  

[empresspersephone]

Poem Bangkok

[eclectric-poppet]

Poem Bangkok ‘Metamorphosis of Narcissus’ Spring 2023 Ready-to-Wear Collection

[zealouscow28]

Please donate to my gogetfunding to help me achieve my dreams.

My name is Buhle, and I'm from South Africa. I'm trying to gain admission into an educational program in Bangkok, Thailand, and I've exhausted every option I can possibly think of. I've contacted banks, companies, and even relatives, but nothing has worked out. My parents don't have enough money to fund me because the program fees are in dollars, and our currency is weaker compared to dollars. Even if you can spare $5, it would mean the world to me. Thank you for your kindness. Please share this post as much as you can to help me. Thank you again. ❤️❤️❤️

My gogetfunding campaign link is: https://gogetfunding.com/help-buhle-achieve-her-dream-of-attending-the-awmun/

Paypal me at: paypal.me/calamitie17 or https://paypal.me/calamitie17?country.x=ZA&locale.x=en_US if the first one doesn't work.

Thank You Again

[missedstations]

"Bangkok, 1956" - Dipika Mukherjee

I will not be born for another nine years.

It is my father's first foreign posting; my mother is his bride. She leaves a sprawling home in Calcutta and fifteen play-mates to take his hand, crossing black seas to go where he will go. In a house as vast as her natal home there is the two of them, a maid, a gardener's family . . . only silence speaks her language through cavernous days. He has not learnt to woo her. They both married when told.

But one day he brings home a sari from the Parsi merchant. Look, he says, unfurling a shimmer of cloth on their bed. The rose color reminded me of you. He is color-blind. She sees a snot-green of silk—it reminds her of mold on damp monsoon drains.

She picks up the sari and drapes the pallu coyly over a shoulder. She looks at the ground and says, This is the most beautiful thing I have ever owned.

[nadia-mar]

Bangkok Diaries

June 17 2023

I thought of you and theorized that if I whispered your name as I climaxed I could transfer all my love. That you could somehow taste my explosion in your morning coffee, hear it in a song, or see it on the moon. My eyes have crystallized searching for stars in ceilings. This heavy heart remains tucked under a comforter thousands of miles away…

A song was playing the other day—-

It said: “I've tried to describe just

How carefully I will carry you

And maybe I'm crazy

But some part of me had to care for you

What would it take for me to be cared for, too?”

I’m not afraid of crazy.

But you called me 30 minutes later.

Maybe the Universe is crazy too.

[wintercorrybriea]

Angel Anang for Poem Bangkok

[barricadescon]

Barricades 2024 Final Schedule!

The time is near! Barricades 2024 is happening THIS WEEKEND, July 12-14 , all online!

We have the final schedule available on the website at barricadescon.com or right here, on this post! A more detailed schedule including descriptions is available in text under the Keep Reading break!

BarricadesCon 2024 Program

A full programming schedule of all the panels, their content, their presenters, their times, and whether they will be recorded. 

All times are in UTC, and can be converted to your local time zone at this link.

Key to types of Panels:

Convention Administration panels: Panels run by the Con Committee, to open and end the convention.

Guest of Honor: Special panels from our guests of honor. This year, our guests of honor are Jean Baptiste Hugo, a descendant of Victor Hugo who will discuss his project photograph his ancestor’s house; Christina Soontornvat, the author of the award-winning Les Mis retelling “A Wish in the Dark;” and Luciano Muriel, playwright of the 2018 musical play “Grantaire.” 

Fan/Academic Panel Presentations: Panels on history, fandom, or analysis of Les Mis. Scholars will share historical research, fans will share hobby projects, and the audience may get an opportunity to ask questions. 

Social Meetups: Casual unstructured time to meet up over video call and chat!

Social Games: Games and activities.

Friday, June 12th

Discord Server Opens: Friday Morning UTC

Read through the rules, explore the channels, and chat with other congoers.

Welcome Session 

Friday, 17:00-17:30 UTC

Session Type: Convention Administration

Presented by: Convention Committee 

Recorded: No

In this session, Concom 2024 will kick off BarricadesCon 2024 and welcome everyone. Concom will also walk everyone through some basic information and FAQs to help ensure a fun and interesting con for everyone.

The Cats of Les Misérables

Friday, 17:30-18:00 UTC 

Session Type: Social Meetup

Presented by: Melannen

Recorded: No

A laid-back social panel to meet your fellow attendees, share pictures of your pets (or have them join you in the panel!) and chat about pets and Les Mis fandom generally.

(Guest of Honor) From Paris to Bangkok: a Thai-inspired retelling of Les Misérables

Friday, 18:00-19:00 UTC

Session Type: Guest of Honor

Presented by: Christina Soontornvat

Recorded: Yes

Christina Soontornvat’s Newbery Honor-winning children’s novel, A Wish in the Dark, is a Les Misérables adaptation set in a magical Thai-inspired world. Christina will discuss the inspiration for the book, how she decided when to be faithful to the original, and how Hugo’s powerful themes of compassion and forgiveness resonate across age ranges and cultures.

Learn more about Christina’s work at soontornvat.com.

The Yellow Passport: Surveillance and Control in 19th Century France 

Friday, 19:00- 20:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: David Montgomery, creator of the Siecle History Podcast

Recorded: Yes

Les Misérables takes place in a France of police spies, intercepted mail, travel restrictions and other elements of a 19th Century police state. What exactly were these ways French governments surveilled and controlled their citizens? How did they work? And how did people get around them? 

Meetup: Fan Creators

Friday, 19:00-20:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Meetup

Presented by: Eli

Recorded: No

Come meet fellow fan creators! Casual unstructured time to chat with other fans. A good place for people who spend a lot of time on Ao3.

Break 

20:00-21:00 UTC

Early Transformative Works: The First Les Miserables Fanart, Fanfics, and AUS

Friday, 21:00-22:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Psalm

Recorded: Yes

This presentation will give you an overview of the earliest works inspired by Les Misérables – including illustrations, comics, poems, pamphlets, and novels. Which ones will stand the test of time? And what can these works tell us about the book’s reception and impact? Come learn about the forgotten, but fascinating first transformative works about Les Misérables.

Black and Pink International

Friday, 21:00-22:00 UTC

Session Type: Panel Presentation

Presented by: Darryl Brown Jr. (he/him), Senior Director of Programs and Advocacy, Black and Pink National. Kenna Barnes (she/they), Advocacy Manager, Black and Pink National

Recorded: Yes

This year, Barricades Con is donating all profits to Black and Pink International.

Black & Pink National is a prison abolitionist organization dedicated to abolishing the criminal punishment system and liberating LGBTQIA2S+ people and people living with HIV/AIDS who are affected by that system through advocacy, support, and organizing. Programming includes wrap-around services for those coming out of the carceral system such as but not limited to workforce development, transitional housing, newsletters to inside members and penpal matching, nationwide Chapters, youth-led research about young people living with HIV, and programming for and by people who do sex work.

Sex work as an issue sits clearly at the intersection of reproductive justice, prison abolition, and trans and queer liberation. Black trans women who engage in sex work face some of the highest rates of policing and surveillance, directly interfering with their ability to access safety and autonomy. We know that when we center the needs of Black trans women, especially those who engage in sex work, we are inherently able to address the needs of other system-impacted people along the way.

The Sex Worker Liberation Project (SWLP) is a collaboration between Black and Pink National and a network of current and former LGBTQIA2S+ people who do sex work across the country. This sex worker led group moves with the intention of building community, providing resources, and cultivating self advocacy tools.The SWLP is on a mission to tackle the urgent and multifaceted issues confronting sex workers, with a specific emphasis on the challenges faced by Black and Brown LGBTQIA2S+ sex workers.

Meetup: Brick Readers 

Friday, 22:00-23:00 UTC 

Session Type: Social Meetup

Presented by: Mellow

Recorded: No

Come meet up and hang out with your fellow Brick readers! Let’s talk about weird nonsense from the book. 

Beat by Beat: a Les Mis 2012 Deconstruction

Friday, 22:00-23:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Eli

Recorded: Yes

To quote Eli: “As an avid Les Mis fan and also someone with an MFA in screenwriting, I find the script for the Les Mis 2012 movie absolutely fascinating. The choices they made, the added brick scenes, the added song, the pacing, the dialogue, the shots selection—all of it contributes to a very interesting adaptation that our fandom owes a huge debt of gratitude to (whether we like it or not 🥲). I would like to take an audience through the 9 major beats of a screenplay, apply it to Les Mis 2012, and share my thoughts on what the filmmakers did right for this adaptation and what they did wrong. I’ll compare it to the Les Mis musical (the direct source material) as well as the Brick (the secondary source material) for insight on the choices they made!”

History Researcher Meetup

Friday, 23:00-24:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Meetup

Presented by: David Montgomery

Recorded: No

A chance for history researchers to meet up and discuss their research!

Atonement: A Theatrical Piece for One Actor, Based on Segments from Hugo’s Les Miserables

Friday, 23:00-24:00 UTC

Session Type: Panel Presentation

Presented by: Alexiel de Ravenswood

Recorded: Yes

This theatrical piece is a dramatic adaptation of scenes from Book 1 of the novel, focusing on the Bishop of Digne. Following the piece, actor Alexiel de Ravenswood will engage in q&a on the creative process and the themes explored.

Saturday, June 13th

Guest of Honor: The Photography of Jean Baptiste Hugo

Saturday, 15:00-16:00 UTC

Session Type: Guest of Honor

Presented by: Jean Baptiste  Hugo

Recorded: yes

Jean Baptiste Hugo is the great-great-grandson of Victor Hugo. He has extensively photographed Hugo’s home in exile on Guernsey, which Victor Hugo decorated following his own aesthetic philosophies–in particular, the journey from darkness into light, which we see reflected throughout Hugo’s literary career. M. Hugo will share his photographs and discuss Hauteville House as a physical realization of his ancestor’s ideas.

Reflecting on Directing Les Mis

Saturday, 16:00-17:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Cait

Recorded: yes

In Cait’s words: “I directed an amateur production of Les Mis at the end of last year, and would love to talk about how that went and share snippets from the show and behind the scenes. This will include talking about adapting Les Mis for the space and budget, approaches to certain scenes, dual casting lead roles, and probably raving about my lovely cast.”

The Fallibility of History in Les Misérables 

Saturday, 16:00-17:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Syrup 

Recorded: yes

Throughout Les Misérables, Hugo often reminds readers that what they are reading is derived from some form of documentation or hearsay. While this serves to provide credibility to the tales he is sharing, there are certain moments where Hugo opts out of describing exact details, despite his efforts at a historically-accurate record. In this panel, I will take a look at these instances where Hugo either addresses or obfuscates these events, and how by doing so, he reveals the fallibility of history, and highlights how history documentations are not always as reliable as they seem. Thesis: By crafting Les Misérables as a form of historical documentation, Hugo reveals the fallibility of history, and readers are able to understand how history and history documentation are not always as reliable as they seem.

Break  

Saturday, 17:00-18:00 UTC

What Horizon: Tragedies, Time Loops, and the Hopefulness of Les Amis

Saturday, 18:00-18:30  UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Percy

Recorded: yes

In Percy’s words: “I have directed a staged reading of the play and will have video clips to show! My play is focused on the rebellion and Les Amis; it aims to give the barricades the attention they often lack in adaptation and develop the individual characters of the insurgents. I’m working to make this episode of the Hugo novel and its historical context accessible to audience members who may not be familiar with the source material, while hopefully also bringing something new to the story for longtime fans.

One aspect of the story I’m particularly interested in examining is the persistent sense of hope associated with the barricades, despite the insurgents’ eventual defeat and the previous failure of the July Revolution. Linking the seemingly cyclical process of revolution and restoration, the metatheatrical tradition of tragedies aware of their own repetition in performance before the audience, and the nature of Les Misérables itself as a story that has been told and retold countless times, I hope to show the audience the worth of the insurgents’ struggle and the importance of their continued efforts. Many adaptations construe the rebellion as futile or as solely a tragic story, so I would like my adaptation to counter that idea, as Les Amis grapple with the meaning of their sacrifice and the impacts of their actions.

In a presentation, I would discuss these ideas with reference to Hugo’s original text and the ways in which the rebellion has been changed in adaptation, as well as other works that inspired me (namely Hadestown and Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead). I’d discuss the choices I made in my adaptation process and show clips from the staged reading, touching on the different characters and the historical setting as well as the overarching themes with which I engaged.”

Cosette: A Novel, The (Fanmade) Sequel to Les Misérables

Saturday, 18:30-19:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: IMiserabili

Recorded: yes

This presentation is  a deep-dive into the 1995 fanfiction “Cosette” by Laura Kalpakian. It will include a short background on the author and the publication, a summary of the plot, an analysis of represented historical events in the work, character analyses and comparisons to the source material and other Les Mis adaptations, and memorable quotes. 

Musical Eponine and Grantaire in song and lyric edits: Personal research on their development

Saturday, 18:00-19:00 UTC

Session Type: Panel Presentation

Presented by: Ruth Kenyon

Recorded: yes

In Ruth’s words: “I’m an older musical Les Misérables fan who has watched the show develop from its beginnings at the Palace Theatre. I have a special interest in how the lyrics and the characters have changed over time. As plenty of people know now, I am also writing a book on the musical using these experiences. I’m working on Eponine’s chapter at the moment, and while I know fans have a lot of love for as she is now, I feel quite upset to see what happened to her as she was developed from the original French version of the musical. She seems to have lost quite a lot of emotional agency along the way. Grantaire has also changed over time; he was cut before the previews and there was a big re-write of his character when the show went to Broadway, but I really like what they have done with his character. I’ll provide examples of all this detail with material from my book and (trying) to sing bits of lyrics to explain what has happened to the characters.”

Barricades as a Tactic: How Do They Work?

Saturday, 19:00-20:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Lem

Recorded: No

This session will explore the tactical and strategic uses of barricades, with an eye towards what to consider when writing both canon-era fanfiction and modern AUs. After all, the strategic goals towards which the barricades were used in canon-era urban warfare were often quite different from the strategic goals of similar-looking tactics in contemporary protest movements. Core components of the session will be a map-based analysis of July 1830, a comparison with June 1832 highlighting strategic goals and considerations canon-era characters would have, and an exploration of various parallels among contemporary protest tactics (which may or may not *look* like barricades).

Meetup: Musical Fans

Saturday, 19:00-20:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Meetup

Presented by: Erin

Recorded: No

A casual place to meet up with other fans and discuss the musical!

Break

Saturday, 20:00-21:00 UTC

Why is There a Roller Coaster in Les Mis? The Strange History of the Russian Mountains

Saturday, 21:00-22:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Peyton Parker/Mellow

Recorded: Yes

In Les Miserables there is an actual canon scene where Fantine rides a roller coaster. How did a roller coaster end up in Paris in 1817? And why did this ride, one of the world's first wheeled Roller Coasters, make a cameo in Victor Hugo’s novel?

It’s “Les Mis Meets Defunctland.”

We’re going talk about the earliest origins of the Russian Mountains, the fascinating history behind how they came to France, their many connections to the political turmoil of the time period, what they felt like to ride, why they were shut down, how they fell into obscurity, and why Victor Hugo included them in Les Miserables. It’s time for a roller coaster digression.

Fanfic Round Robin

Saturday, 22:00-23:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Game

Presented by: Featheraly

Recorded: No

Participate in a round robin to help write a fic together!

Obscure(-ish) Les Mis Adaptations To Watch

Saturday, 23:00-23:30 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Pureanon

Recorded: Yes

Les Mis has been adapted many times over the years, and this means there’s a lot of adaptations to enjoy. Because of this, a lot of adaptations are underviewed or underappreciated. I’d like to use this panel to discuss some of my favorites/the most unique — 1925, 1948, 1967, and 1995. These are all very different, and aside from all being ones I enjoy, they’re fascinating looks at how different countries and different time periods adapt this story. 

The adaptations I’ve chosen are both some of the best and some of the worst out there, but they’re all unique. 1925 is one of the most faithful adaptations out there, and it uses the medium of silent film to full effect. 1948 has Valean get shot at multiple times in the opening minutes, and the revolutionaries fight with BARRELS in the barricade. 1967 is half one of the best Anglophone Les Mis adaptations ever, and half the drunkest. 1995 is more of an adaptation of how people react to Les Mis as a story than a straightforward adaptation, and it’s one of the most beautiful and unique versions out there. I intend to show a clip from each adaptation, so people can get a little taste of what each adaptation is like.

Recovery: a Fanfic Live Read

Saturday, 22:30-23:00

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Eli, Barri

Recorded: Yes

A full cast will live read a Les Mis fanfic written specifically for the con.

Compared to Some People Grantaire is Doing Just Fine (No, Really)

Saturday: 22:00-23:00

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Ellen Fremedon, Pilferingapples

Recorded: Yes

Grantaire and Marius are the two characters on the fringes of the Friends of the ABC, connected to the group by social ties rather than sincere political belief. In this panel, Pilf and Ellen will discuss the two characters as narrative foils, touching along the way on the problem with Great Men, bourgeois inaction, what it means to have the republic as a mother, and dying for love–plus those two pistols in Marius’s pocket.

Preliminary Gaities

23:00-24:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Game

Presented by: Rare, Percy, and ShitpostingFromTheBarricade

Recorded: No

Preliminary Gayeties is the chapter where Grantaire gets drunk with Joly and Bossuet before the barricades.  It is perfect for a drinking game. 

In keeping with personal tradition, Rare, Percy, and ShitpostingFromTheBarricade will bring you a second year of our dramatic reading of the “Preliminary Gayeties” chapter of the brick. all while following specified drinking game rules (including classics such as “drink for brick quotes that appear commonly in fanfiction,” “pretentious classical references,” and “drink/eat when characters drink/eat”), and enjoying snacks mentioned in the chapter as they are mentioned. Everyone is invited to participate by reading, eating, and drinking along with this activity!

Sunday, June 14th

Publishing, Podcasting, and Promotion

Saturday, 15:00-16:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: David Mongomery, Alexiel de Ravenswood, Nemo Martin

Recorded: Yes

Whether it’s fanart, Tiktok videos or deep historical analysis, lots of us have THOUGHTS about Les Mis we’d like to share with the world. This panel discussion features creators sharing their advice on how to share your work with the world in a range of mediums.

Femme/butch: Dynamics of Gender and Attraction in Les Mis

Saturday, 15:00-15:30 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Eléna

Recorded: Yes

In Eléna’s words: “This is a presentation about parallels between femme/butch dynamics and les mis! The focus is on Marius, Cosette and Eponine and their individual gender presentation and attraction. There will be a focus on the original text, but I will also talk about headcanons & representation in the fandom space! I’m a femme myself, but I’ll try to incorporate butch and transmasculine viewpoints!”

Lee’s Misérables: Jean Valjean, Confederate Hero

Saturday, 15:30-16:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Panel Presentation

Presented by: Sarah C. Maza

Recorded: Yes

Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables (1862) was as big a success in the United States as elsewhere in the world upon publication, hailed throughout the young nation as the commanding masterpiece of modern French literature. Why would a novel that celebrates violent insurrection and radical republican ideals be so warmly received in America? One of the (many) answers to that question is that the novel appeared in the midst of the Civil War, and that it provided engrossing reading to the many soldiers stuck in place for weeks or months in camp, hospitals, and prisons. Most surprising, though, is the evidence of Les Misérables’ appeal to Confederate soldiers (who jokingly called themselves “Lee’s Misérables”), as Hugo was on record as an ardent abolitionist. My paper will illustrate and explain the paradoxical appeal of Hugo’s novel in the South in two contexts: first, I will draw attention to the ways in which Confederate nationalists likened their cause to the European Revolutions of 1848; and second, I will explain the novel’s resonance within what Wolfgang Schievelbusch has called the “culture of defeat,” the emotional resonance, in some historical contexts, of narratives of doomed causes and heroic failure.

Guest of Honor: Luciano Muriel, playwright of “Grantaire”

Sunday, 16:00-17:00 UTC 

Session Type: Guest of Honor

Presented by: Luciano Muriel

Recorded: Yes

Panel about the details of the creative process behind the show Grantaire, from the discovery of the character during the playwright’s first reading of Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables to the opening night of the staging at the Teatro Pradillo of Madrid. Why Grantaire? Why a dramatic monologue? Why include Amaral songs? What did the awards and subventions entail? All the answers to these and many other questions.

Break

Sunday, 17:00-18:00 UTC

1848 in Chile: The Society of Equality and the Siege of La Serena

Sunday, 18:00-19:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academc Presentation

Presented by: Duncan Riley

Recorded: Yes

While the Revolutions of 1848 are traditionally seen as a European event, they had a powerful influence in Latin America. In Chile in particular, university students who studied in France during the revolutions would lead a movement to oust the conservative dictatorship that had ruled the country since the 1830s. Inspired by the poetry of Alphonse de Lamartine and the ideals of utopian socialism, a group of Chilean intellectuals and artisans founded “The Society of Equality,” a cross-class political club dedicated to creating a democratic and participatory republic. Inspired by these ideals, in 1851 the citizens of La Serena, a mining town in northern Chile, declared their independence from the central government. Members of the Society of Equality transformed La Serena into the torchbearer of their vision of a new “democratic republic” that would restore civil liberties and grant greater autonomy to Chile’s provinces and municipalities. In defense of these principles, La Serena endured a months-long siege by government forces. The conflict inscribed itself within broader international dynamics of revolution and empire, as the British Royal Navy Intervened on the side of the government, while French immigrants built barricades to defend La Serena from invasion. Ultimately, then, La Serena and the Chilean Revolution of 1851 provide a fascinating window into the transatlantic exchanges of ideas that drove movements of democratic reform in both Europe and Latin America during the Revolutions of 1848.

The Unknown Light Examined

Sunday, 18:00-19:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Presentation

Presented by: Madeleine

Recorded: Yes

In the tenth chapter of Les Misérables, Bishop Myriel sets out to perform the last rights of Conventionnel G, a man reviled by all of Digne for having served on the body that voted to execute the king during the French Revolution. The bishop and the dying man debate the nature of equality, divine authority, and resistance to oppression. G’s fierce defense of the French revolution and Myriel’s staunch condemnation of political violence represent diametrically opposed philosophies, but the two men have more in common than first appears. They are both men of faith, in their own way, called to serve by their profound love for humanity. Intensely shaken by this realization, the bishop kneels before the dying sinner and asks his blessing.

What does this role reversal signify? How do Myriel and G’s conceptualizations of God and morality compare, and why does Hugo seek to reconcile them? To answer these questions, this panel investigates the thematic implications of this chapter. We’ll dissect the characters’ debate, discussing the historical and religious context that informs their moral frameworks—and Hugo’s depiction of them. Drawing on analysis by literary scholars, we’ll situate Hugo’s portrayal of the bishop and the conventionnel within this same context, evaluating the extent to which G is based on the Abbé Grégoire. We’ll also examine the impact of this chapter on Bishop Myriel’s characterization and symbolic role in the novel. Lastly, we’ll explore how “The Bishop in the Presence of an Unknown Light" serves as a political and philosophical thesis for Les Misérables.

Revolutionary Rants: “Les Misérables” Onstage from an International Perspective

Sunday, 20:00-21:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic Presentation

Presented by: Tessa, Anne, Kaja, Marie, Apollon

Recorded: Yes

What started out as an open call online to gather fans from around the world to rant about the musical version of Les Mis has turned into a group of musical fans from four countries getting together to discuss our different perspectives of various international productions of the show. Topics include our favorite cast albums, how our favorite character interactions are staged in various productions we follow (including Enjoltaire), our favorite actors from the different productions, and our favorite memorable moments from the show. And we would be remiss if we didn’t mention the major impact the 2012 movie had on us as well!

Paint & Sip

Sunday, 20:00-21:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Game

Presented by: Psalm, Potatosonnet

Recorded: No

A short presentation on the artwork of Victor Hugo, his medium and subject matter, followed by crafting time inspired by Hugo’s work.

Les Mis Letters: Building a Book Club

Sunday, 21:00-22:00 UTC

Session Type: Fan/Academic presentation

Presented by: Mellow, Eccentrichat

Recorded: Yes

There are 365 chapters in Les Miserables. Les Mis Letters is an email subscription that sends you one chapter of Les Mis daily for a year.

Rachel and Mellow have been running the “Dracula-Daily” inspired Les Mis readalong since 2023! Mellow will speak to the behind the scenes process of setting up a Substack and discord server, while other readers will speak to the experience of reading Les Mis for the first time in this format or the small projects they’ve put together while following along.

Les Mis Singalong

Sunday, 21:00-22:00 UTC

Session Type: Social Game

Presented by: Megan

Recorded: No

Let’s let loose by belting out our favorite Les Mis songs together! All singing abilities welcome and encouraged, it’s virtual after all 😀 It will be musical-heavy but we’ll be sure to throw in some other fan favorites!

Closing Session 

Sunday, 22:00-22:30 UTC

Session Type: Convention Administration

Presented by: Convention Committee

Recorded: No

Closing remarks by the convention committee, marking the official end of the convention.

Dead Dog

Sunday, 22:30-24:00

Session Type: Convention Administration

Presented by: Convention Committee

Recorded: No

 ��Dead Dog” is a fandom slang term for a laidback “afterparty” that happens when a convention has officially ended. 

[evermore-fashion]

Poem Bangkok 'Oriental Ethereal' Fall 2023 Ready-to-Wear Collection

[fashion-runways]

POEM BANGKOK Spring/Summer RTW 2022 if you want to support this blog consider donating to: ko-fi.com/fashionrunways

[empresspersephone]

Poem Bangkok

[jinitak]

Fun fact about the poem Yai is reciting

Note: I could not find a translation of the poem so everything is translated amateurishly by me

As people wanted to know, the poem came from Nirat Phukhao Thong (Voyage to the Golden Mount), one important work of great poet Sunthon Phu back in the 1800s.

The poem he is reciting is this verse,

 ไม่เมาเหล้าแล้วแต่เรายังเมารัก

สุดจะหักห้ามจิตคิดไฉน 

ถึงเมาเหล้าเช้าสายก็หายไป

แต่เมาใจนี้ประจำทุกค่ำคืน ฯ

Roughly translated as follows;

Even though I am not drunken by alcohol, I am drunken by love.

It is very difficult to stop my heart from wandering.

Drunken by alcohol goes away by late morning the next day,

But drunken in the heart is recurring every night.

My translation is probably subpar, but it gets the point across.

The historical context behind this is that Phu is travelling to the golden mount in Ayutthaya (Don't get confused with the Golden Mount in Bangkok). He was travelling from the south of Bangkok and he passed a distillery and he commented on drunkenness by love. All of this was written when he was a monk by the way. The genre of poem he is writing, Nirat is poems about voyage, usually filled to the brim with love from a man to a woman he left behind and people excuse that even if the author is a monk.

The interesting part is about Sunthon Phu's life, he was a monk at the time because he was good friends with the previous king but he embarrassed the king's son and after the previous king died, the son got to be king. Phu, not really getting along with him, decided to be ordained to avoid any persecution from him.

In this poem he wrote many verses on how much he yearned for the previous reign. He did not really enjoy the life of monkshood. Sujit Wongthes (I'm his fan, bear with me) basically summarised Sunthon Phu as an 19th century celebrity, he had girls lining up to be his wife. He probably did not enjoy the life of a monk which is probably bland for him.

Another thing of note is about the metre of the poem, Sunthon Phu is known for his skills as a Klon writer, he is known for writing Klon 8 (Klon with 8 syllables per verse) very craft fully and you can see that in the poem.

First we need to understand the structure of a typical Klon 8. The typical Klon 8 has 4 verses per stanza with each verse having 7-9 syllables, the syllables have to rhyme in this set scheme as follows,

Note: This diagram is arranged the traditional way Thai poems are written, 2 verses per line.

Sunthon Phu's style is known for using exactly 8 syllables per verse and has a lot of rhyming within each verse as demonstrated below

Note: This diagram is arranged with each verse being on a different line

This section of the poem is probably not the best part to show that he uses exactly 8 syllables, so please trust me on this one.

Note: This diagram is arranged with each verse being on a different line

But this section really showcases the amount of inner verse rhyming, in this 34 word section, he managed to put 11 rhymes into it, quite impressive

This concludes my TEDtalk on Sunthon Phu, I wanted to talk about this more but I am too tired. I will work on the historical context behind the series post soon.

[pchuaymee]

[My Hetalia Thailand Headcanon about his cat breeds in my head and fan fact some about cats in Thailand.]

(Disclaimer: This is my opinion about his cat and I'm not a cat breeds professional, I just share my fan fact about Thai cat story only.)

Hi, and Happy new year everyone! This is my first post for the year, I have my opinion about Thailand Headcanon about Thai cat breeds and Thai beliefs about cat breeds too. You can read about my Thailand Headcanon from this post:

Well~~! Lemme tell my fluffy Headcanon for healing you!

I. Thai cats breed originally have 17 breeds; those are lucky cats in Thai ancient cat book in Ayutthaya era or as known as Cat-Book Poems. Those cat breeds are popular such as Wichien Maat or Siamese cat (Thai: วิเชียรมาศ), Sukphalak¹ or Copper cat (Thai: ศุภลักษณ์), Konja or black cat (Thai: โกญจา), and Korat², Si sawat, or Malet⁴ (Thai: โคราช, สีสวาท, มาเลศ). However, in present day, you can find them are ancient cat breeds as Wichien Maat or Siamese cat, Sukphalak¹ or Burmese cat² or Copper cat, Konja or black cat, and Korat³, Si sawat, or Malet⁴ anywhere in Thailand. For other cat breeds for example Khaomanee or White cat (Thai: ขาวมณี) is existing in Rattanakosin era. In addition, these is a new Thai cat breeds in Bangkok in 2018 for 6-year ago. It called "Wila Krungthep" (Thai: วิฬาร์กรุงเทพ). However, Thai ppl who love cats, they are added Khaomanee in belief is lucky cat too. So, he might get positive energy by his cat. But he is adopted Wila Krungthep cat too.

II. Meaning for their cat breed's name that popular and ancient cat. They are meaning those:

"Siamese cat" in Thai name is "Wichien Maat" is meaning that "Diamond of moon.".

Copper cat in Thai name is "Sukphalak¹" is meaning that "the beautiful of appearance.".

White cat in Thai name is "Khaomanee" is meaning that "White diamond.".

ฺBlack cat in Thai name is "Konja" is meaning that "Crane" in Pali, or it might mean "Sound likes as peal.".

Silver-blue-gray cat in Thai name is "Korat²", "Si sawat", and "Malet", they are meaning; "Korat³" is meaning "Nakhon Ratchasima³.", "Si sawat" is meaning is "Love" and it is meaning "silver-blue" or "blue gray" too. And which words is "Malet⁴" is meaning "Flower⁴.".

Mocha cat or Brown-Gold cat in Thai name is "Wila KrungThep" is mean is "Cat of Bangkok.".

III. In ancient Thai ppl who believe in lucky cats those are popular Thai cat breeds for example on the post:

Wichien Maat or Siamese cat: wealth and healthy.

Sukphalak cat¹: Upgrading rank, wealth and fortune.

Konja or black cat: Successful and enhance power.

Korat² cat: Happiness and fortune.

Khaomanee or White cat: Support to luck.

(For Wila Krungthep that is not be sure how ppl thinks about this breed.)

IV. His boss as known as King Rama V, he was giving away his Wichien Maat cats with British ambassador in 1884 as Rattanakosin era (In my assumption it is during in 18th centuries.), in later, the ambassador jointed to cat contest at the Crytal Palace in London, England. That resulted is his cat won from that cat contest, it made they are called "Wichien Maat" that is "Siamese cat". In during 19th century, Cedar Glen Cattery who was bringing Korat cat to Oregon, USA in the first time, they were name "Nara" and "Dara" in 1959. And in 1966, People who was cat breeder in Maryland, they were used to Korat cat sent to contest. That result is their cat won, and it became to be popular from that day. Also, Korat cat is brought to Britain in British Cat Show contest, they were called "Blue Siamese cat.".

V. It is not Thailand only which wonder about Sukphalak Cat¹ and Burmese Cat² (Yep, it is me too, LOL), cause this cat breed is look as same but Burmese Cat² is not all copper and their feet are black. But Sukphalak Cat¹ is all copper body, and their feet is pink, however he doesn't care anything. Because he just wanna happy with them after he back from work. (Look at my illustration as sketch doodles below)

And the last my opinion.

VI. His Sukphalak cat¹ is named as cat called as "Thong Daeng" (Copper).

Well done, this is my Hetalia Headcanon about Thailand (Yeah, which is my country that I love and hate too. LOL) about his cats and some fan fact about Thai cat story too. However, it cannot to use in official reference. Enjoy with this cat or you can tell me about your cat story, if you are interested in belief or history about cats all around the world!

See ya!

Notes:

Sukphalak cat¹ is difference of Burmese cat² as Sukphalak cat is all copper body, amber eyes, and feet are pink. Meanwhile Burmese cat is not all copper body, gold eyes, and feet are black. (I'm wonder why foreigner called Sukphalak cat that "Burmese cat" or it maybe my data is fault, so, I'll do research it later.) Burmese cat² is not from Myanmar only, its origin from Thailand too. Because Thai Cat-Book Poems is told about this cat. (Lemme do research about it later with Sukphalak cat too.) Korat³ is ancient name is "Nakhon Ratchasima³.". It is province of Thailand; it is most popular province in North-East part in Thailand. Malet⁴ is originally word from "Malee" or "Mala" is meaning "Flower", in my opinion from Pali-Sanskrit.

[geekgirlsmanifesto]

It's going to take me a minute to get to my point so bear with me.

When I was a junior in high school I hated my English teacher because he was a gross hypocrite but he taught me something that followed me through a literature degree and years of being a fan of things.

We started learning about interpreting poetry and he gave us the poem "We Real Cool" by Gwendolyn Brooks and asked us to write a paragraph about what the poem meant and one of my classmates came up with a way to make the poem about fish. And my teacher said, though more than likely incorrect, my classmate made a point about the nature of interpretation.

It is wholly subjective.

Because to some people the poem is about fish.

And I'm really seeing this in the ways people are interpreting Only Friends. Each person is right based on their own viewpoint even if their viewpoint is in complete opposition to the view of the person making the post under them.

Like, I'm really enjoying the different interpretations of Mew's actions in episode seven. And, when I first watched the episode, I thought that he was rebounding with Ray because, at least around Ray, he felt loved.

And then my evil twin took over.

Now, I have created this Mew Revenge Plan, where Mew is taking those who he felt betrayed him that night and using their greatest fear against them.

He burned Top's picture in front of him. Setting fire again to the castle in the air he feels Top built with him.

He threatened to reveal just who Boston has been fooling around with to his father (because you know that man wouldn't care if Boston was sleeping with half the female population of Bangkok).

And Ray. Ray the messenger. The man who took away his illusions. He isn't using Ray for a rebound. He is destroying the one thing that Mew believes that Ray holds dear when nothing else seems to matter to him - Ray's infatuation with him.

Do I think that Mew is evil? Nah.

But I also think that right now the only thing he is thinking about is destroying those who destroyed his delusions.

This probably makes no sense at all but I'm going to post it anyway.

[bengiyo]

Our Skyy 2 x Never Let Me Go Ep 2 (Finale) Stray Thoughts

Okay, these Our Skyy titles are too goddamn long for Tumblr. Yesterday, we returned to Never Let Me Go to find Nueng and Palm settled into long term long distance life. Palm had secretly opened a restaurant in Bangkok so he could be closer to Nueng in anticipation of his return. They met a fortune teller who told us these two have failed to be together in multiple lifetimes. They somehow ended up in the past in a role reversal. Pawin and Marc are maybe going to make out if they don't kill Petch for laying hands on Nueng. Palm continues to flirt nonstop with Nuengdiao.

I'm having a very good time.

Palm is handling this so well. Doesn't matter what era he's in so long as he can touch Nuengdiao.

What a fourth wall break. Stop telling me you're gonna make them then your wife. Viewer discretion is about people like you.

Pond and Phuwin have fantastic visuals. They're just so pretty.

Let's discuss in the notes how attractive Pawin is.

MARC AND PAWIN REDUX HERE WE GO!!!

WE'RE GOING TO LAUNCH TWO GAY SOULMATE COUPLES. OUR SKYY IS THE GIFT THAT KEEPS ON GIVING.

Okay, but these two are basically burying their vows under this tree. That's ridiculously romantic.

Finally, paired gays helping a baby gay flirt. This is what I signed up for.

This counting over the flirting with the jeweler was fantastic. It's what we deserve. We also got Palm and Nueng being so excited that they ended up holding hands.

Okay, Nuengdiao's poem was beautiful

Time works so weird in Thai shows. Have these boys been chasing them for hours?

We're back to the present! I'm glad we get to spend a little time winding down.

Phum looks good!

PawinPahun nation how we doing??????

I like the box with their vows because it affirms that what they experienced was real.

Those letters were so sweet.

Okay, this kiss feels like a wedding kiss. These two made it, despite everything. I love them.

I like Palm going to spend time abroad with Nueng. Love that for them.

And now they're dancing. I'm gonna cry.

WELCOME BACK MY BOYFRIEND

Love that we get Pawin again next week.

I love Our Skyy. I really love getting one final outing and some closure. It's such a fun way to say goodbye to these pairs. Pond and Phuwin are really solid pair.