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dwreader · 9 months ago

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IWTV Episode 6 Podcast Transcript

Special Guests: Levan Akin and Jewelle Gomez

"Lestat made him [Louis] a vampire. He became in a way his everything. He became isolated from his family and his friends. He has nothing. It’s classic abusive, toxic. He’s isolated Louis." -Levan Akin

“Recording a song with your side piece is not an apology”

Naomi: First, in this episode, there’s a heated discussion of whether Emily Dickinson was a vampire. What other historical figures do you think could’ve been vampires?

Levan: Good question.. I would say Tesla. He could be a vampire… I don’t know maybe I’m just thinking about was it David Bowie who played him in a movie. Maybe I just got that image in my head… I don’t know what do you think?

N: I’m not used to having the tables turned on me… Bowie and Iman.

L: And also Grace Jones.

N: Can you tell me when you first discovered Anne Rice?

L: I’d heard about her and then I saw the film I think when I was 14.

N: Wow, formative.

L: I remember that screening very well. I loved vampires and I saw that film. I was a little gay kid and there was a lot of subtext I could pick up. And then I went to the school library and found The Vampire Lestat so that was the first book I read and that was a gamechanger for me. I was obsessed…

N: Do you remember your parents having a reaction to you reading these books?

L: The thing is they didn’t really get it. My parents are from Georgia, former Soviet Republic. They had no idea about pop culture or anything.

N: You’re live with us from Sweden. Correct me if I’m wrong but IWTV is the first time you’re directing a US TV series?

L: Yes.

N: Tell me everything, how does it happen? How are you out here working in Sweden and like get me on the AR show?

L: I did a film called and then we danced, and that opened some doors. I got agents. I read from an AR fan I follow on facebook and heard they were doing a series and I told my agents, get me on that show. And then finally I met Rolin Jones and luckily Rolin thought why not give this guy a try. He’s a risk taker.

…

L: I also got to do the scene where Louis meets Molloy in San Francisco. I can’t believe it.

N: You directed ep 5 and 6 which are the most tumultuous episodes in the show and the most tumultuous time in their relationship. What is the core of the conflict, how would you describe it?

L: You know those two episodes, its essentially the darkest days. Everything comes to the end. When I was reading ep 5 I was thinking, how does Lestat ever come back from this? And then I started reading ep6, and how he slowly tears Louis down and talks his way back into their lives. And I thought it was brilliant but also you know frightening. I always tried to approach the material with like what’s the reality of this situation? You know it is a toxic relationship. It was interesting approaching these scenes as an adult, having read these books as a kid.

N: When you read these romances, its like I want someone to love me that much. And then when you’re an adult, you’re like this is sick this is twisted. We have to have boundaries.

L: Yes, of course.

N: You see the relationship change, for all the fantasy of it, the emotions are real, regardless of the time. How we stay in the truth of what the feelings are. As you said this is a tumultuous time, the darkest of days and we see Lestat begging for forgiveness over the course of years and trying to win Louis back. And he has a messed up way of apologizing. Can we talk a little about as a director, getting into the mindset? When you’re talking to Jacob and Sam, do you get them in the mindset of okay its been 6 years, you swam the Mississippi, bring me that energy.

L: Yeah, again how do you find the truth in that scene. Its at its core.. Lovers reuniting but also there’s so much frustration coming from Louis in that scene. He’s been having this stalker slowly nudging his way into his wife. I remember talking to Jacob about it over lunch, it feels as if that scene also he’s had enough. He knows he’s never going to be free of Lestat. He might as well relent. Its very sad later in the episode he says what difference does it make.

N: I want Louis to realize he can do better..

L: Me too. But you know Lestat is his prison. Its like him trying to get over a bad breakup and he’s still a hundred years later you’re sort of still trying to understand and deal with what happened in this relationship.

N: And you see here in 2022 and he’s still mad. Relatable.

L: Of course, of course. Lestat made him a vampire. He became in a way his everything. He became isolated from his family and his friends. He has nothing. It’s classic abusive, toxic. He’s isolated Louis.

Voicemail from listener: I did watch the first episode, I was very intrigued but I did not read the book. I was a little confused about why Louis’s brother killed himself and then I thought maybe Lestat had gotten into his head because he wants Louis so badly but he wants Louis to come to him. So what better way to get someone and get into someone’s head when they are in mourning for someone they loved and vulnerable. I just wanted to know if that was why Paul killed himself that Lestat put that in his head so he could get to Louis.

N: You’re asking the question that Louis asks in this episode! I thought this was such a huge moment, have you been sitting on this for 30 years? Have you been with this person wondering this all this time? Can you tell me your thoughts on this question? He says no.

L: He says no, but as you said, him having this question for 30 years and never asked before, what does that mean? Does that mean he had his doubts but he didn’t want to ask and didn’t want the truth? But now theyre standing at this threshold so he’s like Im gonna ask this question but I think Lestat did not have anything to do with it. I think he’s telling the truth.. What do you think?

N: Its tricky to me cause we know Lestat is a manipulator, thats what he does. On one hand, the way he responds, I believe that but he did get in Paul’s head at the dinner table.

L: But if he did do it, he’s irredeemable in a way. Which is why I think he did not do it.

N: Why do you think Lestat is telling his story NOW?

L: To me, its cause he know he has to give him something. It’s purely tactical. He’s very earnest when he tells it, its very down to earth and grounded and direct.

N: Was that something you and Sam talked about?

L: Yes, we talked about it and we said this has to be different. It has to feel different for you to sort of lay that final punch toward winning over Louis for real. Without doubt. I don’t want the audience to feel Louis is an idiot. You have to understand Louis like he’s finally giving me something real something vulnerable.

N: Speaking of sort of this intimacy and this toxicity of this relationship, do you think Lestat deserves forgiveness?

L: It’s an interesting question and I was thinking about it, cause when you read the books and you read TVL/QOTD, its told from Lestat’s POV and he’s manipulating the reader and you love him and you’re inside his mind and he motivates all of his bad decisions and the bad stuff he does. When you see him objectively from the outside, it becomes more complicated. And this is Louis’s retelling of Lestat. The real question to me is does Louis really forgive him? I’m not sure he does, he takes him in again but is he totally open to him or has he locked off some places?

N: You gotta lock up some places with Lestat.

L: You can see that in relationships. People who have been together too long and you wonder should they really be or is it just comfortable its easier like this to keep going.

N: Lestat will not let him go and we also see he won’t let Claudia go. I HATE HIM! WHY why won’t he just let Claudia go? The thing I don’t understand is he never wanted Claudia, he made her to appease Louis so I’m like why wouldn’t he let her go so he can have Louis all to himself again?

L: Yes, cause he knows he’s never going to be enough for Louis. He knows that Louis is going to be depressed and thinking about Claudia, he doesn’t want to rock the status quo of the situation, he just wants to keep it as is. Cause its going to be trouble for Lestat.

N: I feel like Lestat is his own trouble. If he could just be nice and stop having side pieces. Cause this is what kills me, when he mentions the Bruce thing adn knowing what we know of Lestat and how vengeful he is.. Why didn’t he go kill Bruce?

L: yeah that’s a good question.

N: Oh so you knew all this time and we know you love killing people just for fun, could you just go kill Bruce for the family please? I was mad..

L: Me too.

N: One of the things too is the idea of enduring. As Lestat says, we endure each other. In some ways, Louis is just enduring Lestat like what can I do, so I’m just gonna stay with him. Is enduring something to even be proud of? Doesn’t sound great to me.

L: I agree, its a way of suffering. I see it almost as a duty to go through these things and to endure. Being a vampire and living forever is an endurance. In this context, Louis is saying what else can I do? He doesn’t have anyone else, he doesn’t know any other vampires, why not just endure this and let this pass? Cause you see time differently when you’re a vampire, like it’s gonna be 10 bad years but then things are gonna change.

N: 10 bad years.. What’s one bad decade?

L: Yeah cause they don’t have what we do which is like its now or never. I’ve gotta get my shit together now. Hustling to try to fulfill all your dreams. He’s like whats the point? And try to make the best of this, cause this is what we have and the cards we’ve been dealt.

N: That brings me to Molloy in present day when Louis offers him eternal life and Molloy says no so quickly when we know that was not the case in the 70s. I interpret it as having heard this story, he’s like no I do not want to be a vampire now knowing what he knows hes like no thank you.

L: Also I think being older and seeing what an effed up place the world is and its all going to hell and its the middle of the pandemic and climate change and wars, I think Molloy is like I don’t wanna stay here.

N: This episode ends with Molloy having a dream? A memory? I love a camera pan and he’s there.

L: I freaked out when I was reading it too... This series is everything I wanted as a fan, there are so many cool things you’re going to see in the series from the book. And a lot of things Rolin has planted now that you will see later.

Horror Author Jewelle Gomez

N: Episode 6 did not leave me feeling good, coming off the heels of 5, it was another pummeling in a way.

J: Louis has gone through the ringer and its not that often you get to a see a vampire who has to recover. Usually in TV/movies its like bada bing bada bang and injuries are gone. This is a knitting back together and its an emotional thing to watch.

N: It’s been years, it takes like 3 years to get back to who he was like walking around. This is an episode about the family dynamic and how it is changed by what Lestat has done. What do you think is different about a vampire family? Should they even be a family? Are they forcing something not right?

J: We’re thinking like mortals, like they can get a therapist to work it through. I think it’s valuable to try to make something but it has to be as Louis say no lies and I dont think Lestat is ever capable of being fully present and fully honest even when he says he’s going to compromise or be honest I don’t know if you can trust him in particular. And then you add in Claudia who is in many ways superior to Louis and Lestat, she’s got a really strong mind a strong intellect…

N: They’re like she’s a sweet little girl, it will be fine. Have you never met a teenage girl?

J; WRONG.

N: It’s funny cause I don’t think of her as smarter but she is colder. Louis he is bound by this love of Lestat, he’s in his thrall. Then Lestat is driven by power and control. Claudia just wants to be free… she is the one who is the least attached in this trio which enables her to see clearly and this dynamic is not right and I dont have to stand for it.

J: She’s coming into her own as she goes out into the world and sees women. She’s never going to become one in the traditional scene and it engenders her anger. She is definitely chillier than Louis and that’s a surprise to them. She’s not as wedded to the value of mortals cause she’s never lived as long as a mortal. She’s chilly and ruthless.

N: Absolutely, a bit theme of the series is ht eidea of freedom vs repression and she says to Louis lets leave and go to Europe lets life our own life. But do you think you can really be free as a vampire? Do you think a vampire is any more free as a mortal?

J: Usually its the stuff you take into your vampire life before you were a vampire, but if you were not taught how to create family or what freedom really means, it would be very hard to be free of someone like Lestat. I think that’s a significant element of who Claudia is trying to be free, what it creates for her is assault. She takes that into how she feels about Louis and Lestat. Its stoked by this incident by Bruce, its something they do not understand, even reading the diary you can’t really understand what it means to a woman to have that experience. It’s a very valuable part of the story for us to understand claudia and why she wants to be free why she will go to any lengths to be free.

N: She thinks the only way to be free is killing Lestat. What are the vampire rules against killing your maker?

J: It’s like how mortals views patricide or matricide. It’s like the worst crime other than killing your child. It sentences you to death in the vampire world.

N: Can she ever really be free? If she thinks the only way to freedom is to kill Lestat but to do so would put a target on her back… there’s no way out for her?

J: The only way for her would be if Lestat turns over a new leaf and just lets them go on their European tour but what’s more likely to happen when he finally does understand Claudia is serious and powerful. The possibility of him killing her is not that slim. He might just be done with her and is not worth the hassle. She’s not in love with him the way Louis is.

N: We’ve talked a bit about Louis being in love with Lestat and in his thrall but Claudia says we’re slaves to Lestat and Louis is like that’s not true. Why does he not see do you think?

J: I’ll tell you, when she tells Louis we’re slaves to Lestat, Louis knows what slavery looks like in real life, he does not feel its true for him in this moment. Even though slavery comes in different shapes sizes and forms, he’s like little girl you don’t know what you’re talking about. He doesn’t take in himself as a slave but he’s unable to see himself as a slave but someone who treats him the way Lestat does is not healthy. We cannot underestimate he is in love, he takes the position of the battered spouse who keeps forgiving.

N: Its Claudia who gives the strength to Louis, when she says we don’t have to be like this anymore, you deserve better, we deserve better, we can start over. The young person who sees all the opportunities vs. the older person who was never given that opportunity.

J; And that gives you hope that things can change but she’s also a young person who doesn’t know the past so she doesn’t know what Louis’s been through to get where he is. So its a double edged sword in some ways, but the hope part of it is most valuable to Louis at this stage of this story.

N: If you’re vampire, where would you live and when? Preferred time period and location where you would feel the most free?

J: I would live between London and NY. London in the 1800s - number 1 the clothes, the outfits, I’m a corset queen and bloomers on your bicycle and you could go to the theater every night of the week and see something different. As a person of color I wouldn’t be invited to a lot of the salons, that’s alright I’ld have my own vampire salons.

#vampterview #rewind the tape

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krishmashah19 · 4 years ago

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9 Must-Have Pantry Staples for Quick Cooking

Work from home has posed a number of challenges in maintaining work-life balance - one of them is eating homemade meals. An increasing number of zoom calls and meetings with no help at home has put home-cooked meals on the back seat.

Stocking up on some simple pantry items & staples, you’ll never get caught off guard again. Certainly, your lunch or supper probably won't be an extravagant plate of food like a portion of your companions who are occupied with cooking and posting on Instagram. However, it will be heavenly and speedier than requesting takeout which is enormous in addition to your wellbeing and your wallet.

We have compiled a list of pantry items that we always keep on hand, or try to restock as soon as possible. But remember, these are items are uses often and we think would benefit you—but of course, if you have certain dietary restrictions or other preferences your pantry ingredient list may look a little different.

Here is our list of the top 9 pantry items that will make you delicious meals:

Canned Goods

Canned grains like Black Beans, Chickpeas, Pinto Beans, etc. are packed with protein and fibre and can make countless hearty meals. Curries, Soups, Burger Patties, Stews, and the list goes on and on. An added advantage to having canned grains is that you don't have to remember to soak them before cooking them.

Canned tomatoes are also very versatile ingredients as it can be tossed in anything - pasta, gravy, rice, etc. They can also be pureed to make an easy tomato sauce that can be frozen and used when required.

Pasta & Noodles

Needless to say, this was an obvious choice in the list of our pantry items. A hearty bowl of pasta or noodles is a super quick meal to whip up and it's delicious. Choose from the array of gluten-free pasta and noodles options available and add your favourite veggies to make it into a healthy meal.

Tortillas

Packaged tortillas are a complete gamechanger. It saves you the headache of making them from scratch at home, which not all of us are skilled to make. Fajitas, Burritos, Quesadillas, Kathi Rolls, Frankie - the possibilities are endless. You can even put your leftover sabzi and make a delicious roll.

Packaged Pastes

These are an absolute must for quick cooking. You don't have to remember to buy multiple ingredients, and peeling and grinding them. Tomato and Ginger Garlic paste are very versatile and add tonnes of flavor to your dishes

Curry pastes like Thai curry pastes are must-have pantry items for days when you crave something easy warm and comforting. Add in your favorite veggies and pair it with rice noodles or rice and make yourself a healthy and satisfying meal.

Spices and Herbs

This is the list of must-have spices in your pantry items:

Turmeric

Chilli Powder/Paprika

Cumin/ Cumin Powder

Oregano

Black Pepper

Cinnamon Sticks or Powder

Salt

Basil

Parsley

Garlic and Onion Powder

Dried herbs are perfect when you think you won't be able to finish fresh herbs. They taste delicious and reduces the stress of using it before it gets spoilt. They also last forever. With the above list of spices and herbs, you can take your taste buds on a culinary trip around the world.

Stock

Don't throw away those veggies and meat scraps. Save them and use them to make a huge pot of stock. Simply add all of it in water and let it boil away. Strain and freeze it. Use as and when you need in soups, stews, broths, etc.

Soy Sauce

If you are a fan of Asian food then a good bottle of light and dark soy sauce is a must-have in your pantry items. You pretty much don't need any other ready sauces available in the market if you have soy sauce. Dash of it in your rice, noodles, stir fry will give you all the salty umame deliciousness you need.

With these ingredients in your pantry staples and a few basic veggies like Tomatoes, Onion, Potato, and Carrots you can make a quick and delicious meal in no time even after those long zoom calls and meetings.

Honey

Did you know that honey never expires? Even if it crystallizes, just microwave it for a few seconds to bring it back to life. I try to avoid the super cheap honey since they all seem to have the same fake flavor. Once you start trying different varieties you’ll be amazed at the flavor variations! My current favorite is

Chocolate , Baking Soda & Baking Powder

Pretty much can’t bake without them! These items do have a limited shelf life, so be sure to check expiration dates before you use them. Know that while you can swap baking powder with baking soda but you can't substitute baking powder for baking soda. Chocolate chips are not made for melting. While they will work in a pinch, in situations where melted or tempered chocolate is required (brownies, truffles, etc). A good quality dark chocolate (60-70%) is incredibly versatile.

What are your top pantry essentials and your go-to meal? With a well-stocked pantry items you are armed and ready to start cooking and baking without having to constantly be running to the store to pick up a missing ingredient.

#pantry essentials #pantry items #pantry staples #kitchen essentials

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sprinkledmoonlight · 7 years ago

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I finished my 21 day agility and carb cycling program yesterday! 😄 It was tough, especially since I got sick in the last week, but totally worth it. 👍 The nutrition component was a gamechanger for me. I pretty much live off of pasta and bread. 😶 I always knew that wasn't the healthiest, but this program showed me some other options that were yummy and really filling! I don't think I ever would have believed I'd be saying this, but I haven't had pasta, bread, or rice in 3 weeks. 😲 And after the first week I didn't even miss it. I will be adding those things back in to my diet, but I learned that I don't need to eat as MUCH of them. I also learned about the process of carb cycling, which is what the nutrition component is based on and why it gives such fast results! 💪 The workouts were fun, the trainer was motivating, and there was a focus on self confidence and WHY you're showing up every day to press play. ▶ But the most motivating factor was my tribe of accountability buddies doing it right alongside me. ❤ There's nothing quite like it. These groups truly make working out and eating healthy FUN. I couldn't have made it through this program without you guys. 💕 And I have a brand new group starting September 4th - it will be a whole new group of people, so you are totally welcome to join! You could do this workout or another one like it. 😊 Let me know if you want more details by sending me a message!

#fitblr #fitness #runblr #running #run #runner #fitspo #fitspiration #weight loss #gym #motivation #before and after

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jonasmaurer · 6 years ago

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Friday Faves

Hi friends! Happy Friday! I hope you’re having a wonderful week so far. I can’t believe the girls only have a few weeks left of school! We’re in frenzy mode leading to the end of the year, and have lots of fun events in the mix. This weekend, we’ll be swimming with friends, catching up in a class playdate, doing a CF walk, and the Pilot will continue to be in airline study mode. Please keep your fingers crossed for him. <3

It’s time for the weekly Friday Faves party. This is where I share some of my favorite finds from the week and around the web, and I always love to hear about what you’re enjoying, too. Please share something you’re lovin’ in the comments section below.

Read, watch, listen:

Instant Family. This was a surprising delight of a movie. I put it on the other night because I just wanted to watch something lighthearted before bed, and was crying in the first 15 minutes (not in a sad way, but in an “omg that’s beautiful” kinda way). The cast is a gold star, and there’s a lot of sarcasm and hilarious moments to brighten up any of the more serious parts. This movie is based on a true story, and follows a married couple after they bring three foster siblings into their family.

I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a fun weekend movie.

Radium Girls. A friend recommended this a long time ago, so it’s been sitting in my Kindle untouched. I finally started the book this week and can’t put it down. The book follows the story of a handful of the “radium girls,” who worked in a factory painting the dials of military watches with this self-luminescent paint, composed of radium. In those days, radium was thought to be a miraculous health elixir, as it could burn cancer cells in the body, and so the girls didn’t think twice when they were instructed to “lip, dip, paint” – pressing their radium-laced paintbrush in between their lips in order to draw perfectly fine lines. Needless to say, they encountered various ailments from their exposure to radium and their work in the factories. While it’s a non-fiction book, it reads like a fiction novel, and has me equally intrigued and horrified that this actually happened.

5 things you can do to feel less stressed

6 more book suggestions for spring

Simple habits to love your life more

Tips to get over public speaking fears

Fashion + beauty:

This gingham dress came in my Trunk Club and I’ve already worn it for Easter brunch and a casual date night. Midi-length dresses aren’t usually flattering on me (I’m not a tall person), but for some reason, this one works, and I love it! The fabric is super light and it has just the right amount of swish as you walk.

(Shoes are on sale here)

I’ve still been loving my Trunk Club deliveries as a way to spice up my summer wardrobe. All of the pieces are incredible quality (because they’re from Nordstrom) and it gives me the chance to decline pieces before they’re sent to be replaced with alternate items. It’s also fun to message my stylist on the app. If you’ve been wanting to give it a whirl, my referral link is here!

These Athleta shorts. I went in to pick up a couple of things with a gift card and came across these lightweight, high-waisted shorts. They’re extremely flattering and made out of super light tech material. I paired them with this top and love the fit. It’s one of those mom uniform outfits that’s functional and comfortable but still looks put-together.

(Shoes are here)

This week’s Beautycounter pick is this Nectar blush, which is a dupe of my beloved Nars Orgasm blush. The color looks exactly the same (!) and is a great safe alternative. All of Beautycounter’s products are screened heavy metals, since it’s easy for those to sneak in the supply chain when you’re using materials from the earth. It’s nice to know that I can get the same color I love without heavy metal hitchhikers that are commonly found in blushes and bronzers. Check it out here.

The Sephora spring bonus event is in full force! If you’re browsing around this weekend, here are my fave picks:

These undereye bag patches. I stash these in my suitcase or carry-on bag every time we travel. They make eye bag swelling go down a ton, so they’re helpful for mornings when I’m a little tired or look swollen from traveling.

This mascara primer is a gamechanger. It adds a ton of length to your lashes – I’m often asked if I have eyelash extensions when I use this stuff – and I think it helps to condition them a bit, too.

This is my favorite cleanser.

This is a jar of pure magic.

Good eats:

I’m back on a serious acai bowl kick. I’ve been meeting up with friends at Nekter after our workouts, and they’re such a refreshing treat after a good sweat. I love the peanut butter acai bowl with pea protein added. SO good.

A recent breakfast pic:

(Siete tortillas, 1 egg, 6 liquid egg whites, spinach, Paleo chicken sausage from Costco)

Dinner from Renee’s Organic Oven: zucchini noodles, all the veggies, marinara, kalamata olives, and chicken

Officially obsessed with these bites (found them at CVS):

Cinco de Mayo is this weekend! If you’re planning your fiesta, here are some must-make recipes from the blog:

The best cheesy enchiladas

Instant Pot Mexican rice (so easy and so good!)

Guacamole or this deconstructed guacamole salad

Tequila Sangria

Fruit salad

If you’re looking for a dessert idea, this tres leches cake is a bit labor intensive, but so worth it.

Fitness:

25-minute HIIT workout

A playlist for your next intense workout

How to combine leg day with running

Happy Friday, friends!

Gina

The post Friday Faves appeared first on The Fitnessista.

Friday Faves published first on https://olimpsportnutritionde.tumblr.com/

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