#ridley augustine

[pandorafallz]

Vampire AU | New Avatars.

Fingers trailed lazily up her spine, making Ridley smile softly before she rolled over to peer at her husband in all his bare-chested glory, the rest of them were only really covered by the blankets but who cared?

“Morning.” She blinked at the voice crack before she cleared her throat.

Nathan smiled softly, “Morning, my blurred beauty.”

Ridley chuckled softly, leaning over him to retrieve his glasses from the bedside and set them onto his face. “And now?” She didn’t get off him at all, nor did he hint to sit up.

“Hm… in focus.” His hands slipped under the covers, cupping a breast and his thumb teasing over her nipple, his other hand coming to slip around to pull her closer.

It was far too tempting to straddle and ride him to bliss… and she wanted to but they were on Pandora now. She could see the time on the RDA standard clock where his glasses had been. They’d get into trouble for arriving late and the reasons weren’t yet justified; she didn’t know her mother’s working temperament yet to test that.

Reluctantly, Ridley pulled back, sitting up with an apologetic look. “Tonight, treat me.” She offered, “But we need to get to the labs. See how the avatars are and… not step on any toes.”

Nathan pouted but released her and sat up. “Like your mom?”

“Please don’t mention her when we’re both bare as babies. Some conversations require clothing.” Ridley tittered, swiftly rolling from their used sheets, hastily pulling out wipes for a quick clean down, partially between her thighs, her neck and over any of the hickeys Nathan had left last night. She tossed on some loose pants, slip-on shoes and a green tank top but with an oversized teal turtle neck to cover Nathan’s marks from prying eyes. She couldn’t find her make-up yet to cover so the turtle-neck would have to do.

Nathan changed as well, more formal than hers, casual slacks, a buttoned shirt and a nice brown cardigan. The trainers kept him from looking too smart for his job.

“So, you plan to actually talk to her?”

“Only about work topics.” Ridley deflected, leaning down to her quarter’s mirror as she brushed through her hair. “I already told her what I expect in our relationship.”

He moved in behind her. “You know you’re gonna have to get personal with her sooner or later. She’s still your mom.”

“Hm, a mom who abandoned me for thirty years.”

Nathan’s hands came to her hips, not seductive but comforting. “Valid feelings, Rid, but let’s see what this world has to offer before the judgement of her choices is made.”

Rudely pulled a face, annoyed at his reasoning but opted not to say anything as she reached for her contacts case.

“You’re gonna spend most of the afternoon asleep, do you really need the contacts in?” Nathan moved and began checking himself in the mirror as well, running a hand over his chin then redid his locks up into a high ponytail away from his face.

“I’ve still got the morning. I’ll take it out before I link up.” She opened up the blue case and slipped the blue over her brown eye, blinking a little but felt relieved to have a matching set for now.

“I’m surprised you’re not going for brown?”

“No, I’d rather not look like my mother while she’s there. At least with the blue, there’s less chance of us getting mixed up.” Blue eyes would stand out more sharply if they expected the typical Augustine brown. Was it foolproof? No, people were morons. Ridley had spent three weeks working in retail once before she got fired with no regrets.

Nathan reached down and pulled out the small case from her bag, “Your hand, my lady.”

Ridley complied, holding out her left hand as he retrieved the rings from her bag and ring box and slid both upon. She wiggled her fingers fondly. “Thank you.” She had taken them off when they had landed; in part to not out her marriage so soon to her superiors which may affect her working relationship with Nathan but she mostly didn’t want to slam dunk her mother with unexpected news and make it awkward in her interaction with Nathan. Then he just… ousted their marriage in the get-go so it seemed irrelevant to hide the rings now.

Nathan bent down, pecking her on the lip. “It’s still so weird… we’ve been married for nine years but for us, it’s been… officially two days.”

Ridley had to laugh a little at that. “Oh, so about another year and we’ll be celebrating our first ten years. Damn… another party!” She perked up a little at that. “Presents!”

Nathan’s face slit into a grin, pulling into a hug.

Ridley settled against his chest, inhaling deeply before she reached down and squeezed his ass. “Come on, we’ve got to go. Colleagues to meet and avatars to gawk at in awe.”

-

Getting to the lab was uneventful as was getting in. Ridley parted from her husband and made straight to the observation window to the ambient room where she saw Dr Patel with a tablet. But none of that was her concern as her eyes were past him and to the window.

Two avatars were laid out on gurneys. Both wearing medical gowns but she felt the familiar awe at the sight of the forms in their sleep state. Tended by two masked-up doctors inside, the hands were being checked over, she noted; the little finger particularly with the strake. The tail was longer and given thicker, so they were laid on their side rather than their back in this state; probably to stop tail or pelvis soreness. She couldn’t see its face as it the back to her. The hair was out of the braid and was pinned back by a simple tie.

Her heart swelled with excitement, rocking a little on her heel.

“How are they?”

Dr Patel looked up from his monitor to her then back. “So far, everything’s looking good. Last of the Cryo drugs have left their system and we’re just giving them some supplement to bring back some nutrient and mineral deficiency we found but once that’s up, we can get you and Dr Cortez linked up.”

“Earlier than you hoped?”

“No.”

“Damn.”

Patel chuckled softly and clearly took her remark as a light joke. “In normal cases, you’ve been here by oh-eight-hundred and have the whole day but it’s not a normal case.” He reasoned.

Ridley wrinkled her nose. “I know. Just… I’ve wanted this for a while. These two are prototype avatars. If they’re successful, the RDA will make more for marine research.”

Patel hummed in consideration. “More the reason we should make sure it’s in good health.”

“Meh.” She had no good answer to that. He had a point, unfortunately, and there was little reason to compromise the avatar’s health needlessly when all she had to do was wait five and a half hours for the go-ahead.

“While you wait, I can get you started on some of our plant studies. Get you use to the lab and where everything is. Grace brought samples back from the mountains and Dr Masterson sent a few back from the jungle.” Patel offered, gesturing back towards the lab behind them. “With them stationed away, we get more variety but fewer expeditions from Hell’s Gate.”

“Mountains?” Ridley inquired, “I thought Grace lived here given her position as head of SciOps” Didn’t make a lot of sense for the head of a department to be away from the labs and the people.

“Selfridge saw fit to move her to the mountains in an effort to bridge contact between the RDA and the local clan. She’s… not happy about it but from what I’ve heard, Grace is talking to Mo’at again. Mo’at is the Tsahìk of the Omatikaya, they used to be friends back in the day but the clan pulled back after an… incident a few years ago at Grace’s school.” Patel clarified.

Incident. Sounded like Bull for a description of a shit-show. Ridley didn’t ask for more either but she was curious as to why the locals would open up a dialogue again. Maybe she’d get to meet her? Maybe not? Unlikely unless she just so happened to visit the mountains at the same time but she saw no reason why she would. Mountains were the opposite of her training. The avatar was not built for the jungle and would be far heavier on land to navigate comfortably. The tail wasn’t for balance but for swimming.

Honestly, she was more looking forward to going to the oceans and actually exploring it once they were free to do so. With the ocean, they could practise their breath training so it wouldn’t be too hard to translate the training into their avatars. Save the groups here building them a pool for their training.

“Do… you happen to know where I’ll be stationed once the avatars are cleared for duty?”

“I’m sorry, but no. Grace is the one with the schedules and where SciOps personnel are stationed.” Patel spoke, “She’s linked up at the moment so it may take some time to get those answers.”

“Already?”

Patel just nodded so this clearly wasn’t new to him. She felt… kinda glad she didn’t have to worry about walking in on her either.

Dr Patel made a curious noise, pulling her attention away from the avatar screen. “What?”

He looked a little uncertain, pushing his glasses up his nose and seemed to fiddle with his tablet. “Just… a personal question?”

Ridley sighed deeply. “What is it?” She couldn’t help the tired tone of her voice.

“Your accent, it’s different to Grace's, did you move after Grace left?”

Her accent? In all honestly, Ridley expected him to ask about her eyes. That was the typical go-to for curious people more than anything else. She hated the question and the stares for her paternal inheritance.

“Yes,” Ridley chuckled softly. “It’s… a bit complicated. My Papaw raised me after Ma left. He lost the house so we had to move south where housing was cheaper.” To be honest, they had to live between her mother’s paychecks in the early days once they started to come in which wasn’t easy and it was the only part of her mother’s work on Pandora that she couldn’t resent; it kept her fed and housed where Papaw struggled to make ends meet given the whole divorce mess her grandparents had. Papaw didn’t go into detail about why he divorced his wife but Ridley was a creative thinker to assume it involved her and her mother.

“But you changed your accent?”

“Didn’t start off like this, I started to put it on to blend in with the folks around me and at school. Never shook it.”

“Huh, that makes sense. At least with your accent, getting you and Grace mixed up will be harder.”

“Good.” She meant it.

-

Ridley settled in the lab after that for a few hours. Did a video log and got settled at a desk with a doctor who was a Marine Biologist. From looking over his shoulder, she could see he was looking into a species called Tulkuns.

They looked like whales but significantly bigger with a hammerhead crowning but the scan on this creature showed that this one had markings; tattoos even so clearly adorned by the Na’vi.

“What are these creatures?” Ridley couldn’t help but ask.

The man jumped a little, spinning around to face her before his shoulders relaxed. “Oh, Tulkuns?”

“They like whales, Dr…?”

“Ian Gavin.” The doctor introduced, shaking her hand. “You… Dr Augustine?”

“Ridley Augustine. I’m a Marine Xenobotanist and Xenobiologist.” She said brightly

“Oh, you’re here to study the oceans as well?” He turned to face her fully.

“Yes. Myself and Nathan Cortez will be but I’ll see where Grace puts us when she’s available.”

“Probably with me, I supervise any Maritime studies,” Ian said brightly. “It’s been a while since my team have new folks. Most people tend to favour the jungle.”

“Hm, figured there were lots of eyes in the trees, less on the seas. I’d rather not fight over samples and the debates of jungle animals.” Ridley wrinkled her nose a little. “So, Tulkuns? Space whales or far more complex?”

Ian’s eyes seemed to light up with a fondness. “The latter. Look, I’ve not been able to get too close but I’ve seen surveying pods of Tulkuns off our ocean buoy scanners where we got these fantastic images.” He moved to show her his monitor, bringing up an image of the Tulkun more closely. “You see these productions from their heads, these cranial crests are actually sensors used for echolocation and—“

“Grace! There you are!”

Both of them were startled to see a short, stressed scrawny middle-aged man swoop straight into the lab and directly to her, he had a tablet in hand and was very pinked-cheeked. She could already see where this was going even before he stopped at her desk and continued to rave. Clearly someone with a high position; he had a very self-entitled attitude but his attire was clearly meant to be smart and to represent.

“…and start negotiations with getting them out of the damn tree.”

She stared at him, unimpressed.

Finally, he seemed to stop and notice her expression. “What?!”

“Parker!”

The man jumped, spinning around with a squeak, of all things and gasped as Grace stood only two feet away with a very unimpressed look as well and clearly not happy. Her eyes were narrow and sharp. Ridley startled a little at her mother’s sudden appearance; she hadn’t seen her come in either.

The man jumped into the nearest desk and haphazardly put space between them but his eyes turned down and his jaw dropped before he looked between the two of them rapidly.

“W-what the hell is this?”

Grace smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “You’ve just met my daughter, Doctor Ridley Augustine.”

The man’s eyes widened. “Daughter?!” he almost sounded outraged if he didn’t look so bemused “How …or when did that happen?”

Grace’s eyebrows rose. “Selfridge, do you honestly want me to give you the whole baby talk?”

“Didn’t your mother give the talk when your balls dropped a few millimetres?” Ridley didn’t hesitate to use a smooth upper class, British accent in her response. Honestly, it was too much of an opportunity Ridley couldn’t help herself to add to the bit because it was kinda funny. Selfridge, Parker Selfridge, was her mother’s boss. She knew the name but looking at him now, he seemed like someone who looked rather easy to mess it so why not have fun with it if he was gonna be an ass?

Ian behind her snorted into his hand, gripping his bench hard in his other hand to stay quiet.

Her mother’s lip twitched but held a very strong expression not not slip up.

“You’re English?!” the man bypassed the insult rather quickly, too thrown.

“I moved when I was a baby after my mother left for Pandora,” Ridley spoke, maintaining her British accent for now.

Selfridge stared at her, then at Grace, then back to her, then to his tablet before he swallowed thickly.  “We’re talking later, Grace. My office.” He added, more firmly before he hastily left.

Most of the lab had fallen quiet and a few were laughing at the guy's expense before it was let out loudly once the guy was out. Grace smiled, her expression amused though seemed to wince at a hard slam on the desk by Ian who had knocked over a bench lamp.

“That guy’s ya boss?” Ridley slipped back to her normal southern accent before Ian slipped and began to laugh hysterically.

“With me.” Grace nodded her away and Ridley followed without question to let people calm down. “Yes, that weasel of a man is the Hell’s Gate Head Administrator. Unfortunately has ties and ways over all departments”

“Ah,” Ridley wrinkled her nose but followed her mother back to the office. Inside, Nathan was also there, seated at the desk and clearly looking through a tablet of information and looked up once they entered.  She shot him a confused look but he just shrugged.

“So, since you two are our newest Avatar drivers, I do have to ask this part more… off the books,” Grace said, seating herself down first.

Ridley took the second seat. “Oh?”

“I’m sure you’ve heard all about Jake Sully.”

They both nodded. “The guy who first bailed from the RDA. We got a whole lecture about it.”

“Yes, He took his brother’s place in the avatar program to use his avatar. A marine. But what you don’t know if that Selfridge tried to have Sully in my department to act as a spy for SecOps to get information that can be used against the Na’vi, or in our case the Omatikaya clan. Selfridge wants a new mine and the closet one he wants just happens to be at the Omatikaya Hometree.”

Ridley’s eyes narrowed. “That’s a bullshit site.”

“I know. He seems to be under the impression we can get them to move diplomatically and is trying to use me, or any potential avatars, to see those ends met. Now that I know Selfridge is gunning for spies I’d rather not leave you to be easy pickings.”

Ridley didn’t feel bad for messing with him the first time, now she really didn’t. The bastard actually thought they’d do something shitty like that? No native clan would just…give up their land to a bunch of aliens. Ridley knew the Hometree were important; a home and cultural cornerstone for any permanent clan in a region. A symbol that was beyond a tree to live in. Generations and history.

Home.

“What do we do if we’re approached?” Nathan asked, his happy-go demeanour very serious now.

“If possible, decline or ask for time to think about it. He can’t fire you without due cause, denying a mission outside your area is acceptable and I can protect your position here. If you’re forced to agree, then let me know. A verbal agreement is not binding. Get your contracts looked into and make sure you have access to a lawyer to push back against any espionage or anything that might open you up to be taken advantage of. Don’t sign anything without consulting someone. Selfridge had been changing contracts and payment packages and not everyone is aware of what they have available to them.”

Ridley took the tablet offered but she could see this was a very smart move. If it happened once with another driver then it could easily happen again. She didn’t intend to be a puppet and she wasn’t going to be pushed around either; she knew why she was here and it wasn’t to render a clan homeless.

The RDA was pulling dirty tricks…. So she needed to keep a careful eye on what she was asked for and what they told them. So much for discovery. Maybe she needed a private data drive for studies that would be questionable in RDA's hands. Something for the genuine science.

-

When it was time for the avatars, there was little waiting when Patel gave the word. Grace led the two out of the bio lab and into the link room.

“You’re in three, you’re in two.”

Ridley followed Grace, slipping her contact from her eye and skipped past Nathan as he slipped into his designated linkbed. She grinned at him as the top of hers opened up and she pressed her hands into the gel-bedding.

“How much link time have you logged?”

“Four hundred and eighty-four,” Ridley spoke.

Grace nodded approvingly, tapping along the monitor beside the torus, kicking it into life in a gentle spin. She could feel the slight tremors through the bed before it stabilised into a soft hum.

“You, Dr Cortez?”

“Four hundred and forty-seven.”

Ridley knew it wasn’t low, the simulation had done wonders into establishing the groundwork for linking in their minds but the real one, this one would see where all those hours were spent were worth it.

“You’re above average, that’s good.” Grace remarked, “But please remember, don’t get up and leg it out of the room. We don’t need another escape before you’re cleared.”

Ridley snorted a little. She had heard the rumours but it was still… kinda funny to hear about it. She couldn’t blame the guy really for it.

She lay back in the bed pulling down the metal frame first before she reached for the lid.

“Remember, close your eyes and keep your mind blank. It’ll ease the transition.”

“Noted.” Ridley ignored her mother’s look before the darkness closed in and she found herself staring up at the camera before she closed her eyes. Her breathing was the loudest thing in her ears, the gel padding did feel very comfortable…

She felt a… low sensation pull at her mind, hazy like white noise before she felt… a rush through a white tunnel with a flickering of colour that coloured her senses…then she felt her body return.

A different body.

She didn’t open her eyes, but she could feel how…different this was. She felt heavy.. and big but the air smelt wonderful. Sensation kept in as the rest of her,

“Ridley?” The noise seemed to filter in next, from a muffled hum to a sharpening voice.

Her mouth tastes of cotton balls. She didn’t like that.

She found the strength to open her eyes, the vision taking a second to sharpen up from blurs before she focused on the first head of the guy crouching next to her only for a light to freaking near blind her; testing her pupil reflexes.

“T...tiny.” Ridley couldn’t help the remark. She blinked again before she looked down, moving her limbs slowly.

“How are you feeling?” Her ears twitched as they clipped their fingers next to her ears.

“Heavy.” She wrinkled her nose, slowly moving to sit up with the two doctors watching. She felt the tail move and flop over the back of her gurney, settling her feet to balance.

“There, let’s take it slow.” The doctor said, clearly warning her to not go further than that.

Ridley sighed deeply. Feeling the air fill her lungs, holding it for a moment to test her avatar’s lung capacity and slowly let go.

“How’s the feelings in your fingers and toes, flex them for me please.”

Ridley complied, wiggling her toes, and rolling her ankles though she paused as she noticed her ankle strake and how her leg shifted with the extra cartilage. It wasn’t bone so there was flexibility and available motion. She followed Dr Madden, touching her fingers to her thumb, rolling her wrists and resting her strake flexibility on her hand and wrists. It was a little less, in comparison to forest avatars but nothing too noticeable. She had all sensation across her skin and soon, she was cleared to stand.

She struggled with balance, but they pulled out a standing bar to grip to help and she allowed them to test her tail; making sure she could feel it and control it. There was no major movement like the forest tails that reacted in emotion, some movements but it was more from side to side rather than up and down or curling. By the sounds of it, she could piece together that her tail movement was below average and weaker.

It gave her a fair idea of what she had to do but it all relied on her now to build her avatar’s body up; to train her tail muscles faster. Her body’s weaknesses were due to being new and it needed to be developed. Still, she grinned as she sat Nathan up and about as well, an inch taller than her but he looked stunning in his avatar. it was almost a shame all of him was covered up in his hospital gown. Still, she’d enjoy the view of her husband's avatar later.

“Ha, Rid, you’ve got a blue and green eye.” He realised, waddling forward, his hand coming to her jaw. “They’re an intense shade as well. Wow.”

“Huh, here I hoped for matching.” She wasn’t surprised really.

“You’re beautiful, Ma’yawntu.”

-

Molly was babysitting, but with Paz’s son sleep on her chest and her avatar cared for today, she had the time to be away from the labs while Grace sorted out the new folks. They were all settling in but there was another person that had to be accounted for before he was moved off to the West.

So, Molly opted to be the one to get to the topic at hand for the early preparation work. She could hear Doctor Solis in his office, and he wasn’t alone either, as requested.

She knocked lightly on the door and waited until Solis called in before she popped in and smiled.

Dr Solis jumped to his feet, his heart picking up in his chest and instantly nervous but he held his expression.

“Ah, Doctor Curfman.”

“Afternoon, Dr Solis and… Dr Solis.” She added to the younger man.

Adan Solis didn’t look like his father, aside from the same hair colour and texture. He was very thin, his skin was more tanned naturally but seemed pale and red in a few patches and his eyes were a dark brown, framed with thick brows and had a small growth of scruff and a little patchy. His scent was… not that appealing but not something to pass off either if desperate but she could smell that his blood was a little off. The hormone balances and portions often altered scents and signified to them, vampires, the human was sick.

Adan had untreated cancer in his bowel and had developed a brain tumour, most likely cancer as well. Molly knew that it was in an inoperable place in his head so Mansk was to turn him if the doc wanted to live, so to speak. They couldn’t put him on chemo; they didn’t know how they’d tolerate the poisons in his system when they turned him.

“Please, call me Adan.” The doc said, coming forward to shake her hand, his eyes widened as complied, feeling his slight recoil at her skin but she dropped her hand casually and smiled softly. “Your hands are cold…”

“Did your father fill you in on what had happened?” She closed the door for privacy and took a seat unprompted to get the two to relax

“A little, not a lot but he said…” Adan hesitated, also sitting down. “People…like you could save me.” His hands fiddled with his hem, eyes not meeting hers but he clearly knew what she was. He just wasn’t willing to say it.

“Yes, that is the plan. Mansk is stationed in the West with Walker. Since there’s not a lot of us there, your presence shouldn’t affect the population as much.” Molly stated, running a hand down little Mile’s back as he slept. “But you’ll be turned there, not here. You’ll need three days to settle which we can sort out quickly. Juan, you can be there if you want but you won’t be able to stay. Supportive father won’t stick in the West longer than it needs to be.” She added to Solis who nodded.

“Will it hurt?” Adan asked.

“It… won’t be pleasant but it’s not torture. The initial phase is only two hours before you’ll be able to move and feed but the changes carry on under the surface for 79 more hours after that. You’ll be crabby, irritable and hungry in that time.” Molly didn’t sugarcoat the facts, not for him. He wanted to know what would come of him; to know what to expect. “You’ll be looked after, in part to keep you safe from revealing your new nature and to keep people safe from you.”

“I’m a doctor. A researcher too but mostly a doctor. I will be around split blood…”

“Humans?”

Adan paused. “Well, I trained in Na’vi physiology so mostly for the Avatars. Their care. Humans a little so I can help in that regard.”

“Grace can keep you in SciOps Avatar care to cater to those needs. You’ll be around blood but masked up so you shouldn’t be able to smell anything. We don’t wake up and spend weeks trying to control our thirst. We can tolerate human blood in our first few hours even, as long as we’re fed beforehand. If you’re struggling, someone will help.”

Adan’s shoulders relaxed a little. “I don’t…wanna hurt anyone.”

“I know, but you do have to come to terms that you have to feed off these people and keep them alive but also unaware. You will be taught but that is what you have to think about. Bags are currently going to Grace since she can’t feed off people in Hell’s Gate nor the humans she’s with so there’s little to spare for the rest of us.”

Adan deflated a little. “What about Pandoran animals?”

“We can’t keep it down. We’ve tried, but so far humans are our only food source.” Molly said, sadly. It wasn’t clear why, even after her three, almost four years of being a vampire, they couldn’t feed off animals but she was sure they’d figure it out. She could see a good portion of them choosing to switch to animal given they had more blood in them, more of them and they weren’t confined to a base; they could leave the RDA like the defectors and live happily. Their diet restricted their freedom. They had to be here for their food. Honestly, Molly wanted the option of her and Daniel running off, avatars in tow and just… living a life. That would be the best.

But that was the dream.

The reality was different.

“Let’s… have some time to think.” Dr Solis said, his eyes flickering to his son warily.

Molly nodded. “You’ll be sent off to Frontier West in four days with the rest of the new people.” She reminded, coming to her feet before a little in the wrap pulled her attention down. Little Miles has woken up, his blue eyes staring up at her blearily before he sniffed about.

“Ma…” his fingers came to his mouth.

Molly smiled softly, pulling them out before he could bite himself and took her leave.

-

Down in the Hell’s Gate storage, the ISV Destiny’s supplies had finally made it moonside but an open Wyvern was hastily being loaded up. Big creates from the ship were pushed onto the ramp, long creates, smaller ones but there was a necessary gentleness as they were set down and secured. Workers lay asleep, cameras on a loop and the doors secured.

“Come on, Farid. Get the cloak installed, two minutes!”

“Almost done.” The inside guy said, retrofitting the large device into the floor panel; for a machine that size, it had to be hardwired into the system. “This human tech is so outdated, it’s harder to navigate without setting something else off.”

“I don’t care. The SDED can’t have their supplies with the RDA. Any news on Chen?”

“Kinglor Forest, I believe.”

“Then we set up in the Clouded Forest. Keep a reasonable distance but we’ll need to locate either her or Salaam. The SDED want an update on Cortez. Make sure we’ve got the ABE packed otherwise, we’re dead meat. I’m far too young to die.” Farid added, finishing the last of the engineering, setting the device in and hurried to the cockpit to get it going.

“You’re a hundred and twenty-three, Farid.”

“Exactly!”

The last of the crates were added in and the warehouse swept for any last small boxes or there before the dhampyr closed up shop, tapping into the door controls from their side to open them without sounding the alarm before they activated the cloaking systems… and the wyvern disappeared from sight before exiting the bay….

[karihighman]

choose your fighter: the rookie season 7 edition

[linnielinnielinnie]

100 random songs i quite like

time lapse lifeline - maria taylor

rewind - goldspot

two weeks - grizzly bear

don't call me whitney bobby - islands

fountain - sara lov

you on my arm - leith ross

simple song - the shins

it's only time - the magnetic fields

insomniac - memo boy

forest whitaker - bad books

when the devil's loose - aa bondy

are you ok - wasuremono

hey beautiful - the solids

heaven - the walkmen

what's in the middle - the bird and the bee

if the hudson overflows - goldspot

soft shock - yeah yeah yeahs

anchor - mindy gledhill

there she goes - the la's

sunday - the cranberries

limang dipang tao - barbie's cradle

dancing in the moonlight - toploader

landslide - liam titcomb

ho hey - the lumineers

in the bosom - sweet after tears

from the ground up - sleeping at last

moral panic - y la bamba

break the rules - ruen brothers

it never stops - bad books

rebirth - vancouver sleep clinic

the gilded hand - radical face

the longest time - billy joel

call off the hunt - lowpines

lost here - fauntella crow

half light - fossil collective

tongues and teeth - the crane wives

monument - fossil collective

promised land - the milk carton kids

the fold - ivan and alyosha

freight train - sara jackson holman

broken brights - angus stone

when the morning comes - jon allen

just like heaven - the cure

harness your hopes - pavement

1983 - neon trees

close your eyes - split screens

trouble - cage the elephant

paul - big thief

overjoyed - matchbox twenty

melancholy astronautic man - allie moss

heaven knows (this angel has flown) - orange and lemons

from eden - hozier

figure me out - the cocanuts

i wake up - the glorious

july bones - richard walters

what am i - lola marsh

put it together - langhorne slim

into the mystic - van morrison

time - angelo de augustine

therese - maya hawke

pyotr - bad books

petite mort - bad books

no sides - bad books

no reward - bad books

friendly advice - bad books

ambivalent peaks - bad books

42 - bad books

lost creek - bad books

the after party - bad books

buddy holly - weezer

boys don't cry - the cure

tears over beers - modern baseball

evergreen - richy mitch & the coal miners

it's okay to think about ending - earlimart

out of the blue - john lennon

almost home - moby

baba o riley - pete townshend

street lights - the cocanuts

the afer you - miakoda

cool about it - boygenius

germany and rome - the ridleys

everybody wants to love you - japanese breakfast

handclap - fitz and the tantrums

two wuv - tally hall

my heart is buried in venice - ricky montgomery

snow - ricky montgomery

cabo - ricky montgomery

explode! - mother mother

sweet talk - saint motel

still feel - half alive

loretta - ginger roots

do it all the time - idkhbtfm

odoriko - vaundy

unti-unti - up dharma down

flowers - the red pears

after hours - the velvet underground

tim i wish you were born a girl - of montreal

this december - ricky montgomery

i'll be your mirror - the velvet underground

savage good boy - japanese breakfast

[carmenvicinanza]

Sigourney Weaver

Un giorno, si spera, non sarà necessario assegnare una serata speciale per celebrare dove siamo e quanta strada abbiamo fatto. Un giorno scrittrici, produttrici e tutte le maestranze composte da donne saranno cosa normale, e i ruoli e gli stipendi delle attrici supereranno quelli degli uomini… e i maiali voleranno.

Sigourney Weaver è la poliedrica attrice statunitense che ha impresso un segno indelebile nel mondo del cinema.

La sua capacità di interpretare ruoli complessi e di grande impatto, unita a una versatilità straordinaria, l’ha resa una figura emblematica e di grande ispirazione.

È stata protagonista in tanti film famosi, tra cui spicca la saga di Alien di Ridley Scott che l’ha resa la prima attrice nella storia degli Oscar a ricevere una nomination per un film di fantascienza. 

Nel 1989 è stata la prima attrice ad aggiudicarsi due Golden Globe nello stesso anno per i film Gorilla nella nebbia e Una donna in carriera, per entrambi era stata anche candidata all’Oscar.

Nel 1998 si è aggiudicata il BAFTA alla migliore attrice non protagonista per la sua interpretazione nel film Tempesta di ghiaccio di Ang Lee e nel 2011 il Grammy Award al miglior album parlato per Earth.

Nel 2024 è stata premiata col Leone d’oro alla carriera al Festival del Cinema di Venezia.

Capace di passare dal tragico alla commedia con assoluta disinvoltura, ha attraversato oltre quattro decenni di cinema.

Nata col nome di Susan Alexandra Weaver a New York l’8 ottobre 1949, è  figlia di Sylvester “Pat” Weaver, presidente della rete televisiva NBC e dell’attrice britannica Elizabeth Inglis.

Ha scelto di farsi chiamare Sigourney quando aveva quattordici anni prendendo spunto dal nome di uno dei personaggi del romanzo Il grande Gatsby di F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Era un’adolescente ai margini che non accettava la sua fisicità quando ha  frequentato la Yale Drama School, nei primi anni Settanta.

Il suo primo ruolo al cinema è stato in Io e Annie di Woody Allen del 1977.

Il successo mondiale è arrivato nel 1979, quando è stata la protagonista del film culto Alien e poi dei sequel Aliens – Scontro finale (1986), per il quale riceve la candidatura all’Oscar come miglior attrice protagonista, Alien³ (1992) e Alien – La clonazione (1997).

Dopo aver girato Gorilla nella nebbia nel 1988, in cui interpretava Dian Fossey, antropologa morta tragicamente dopo una lunga lotta per i diritti dei gorilla africani, è diventata attivista e ambasciatrice dell’organizzazione The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.

Sigourney Weaver ha sempre interpretato donne forti e non convenzionali, ribaltando cliché e stereotipi di genere.

È emersa uccidendo alieni ed è maturata interpretando donne cattive, sagge consigliere o dottoresse geniali.

Il suo eclettismo l’ha vista impegnata in ruoli molto diversi tra di loro come la criminologa paranoica in Copycat, la strega cattiva in Biancaneve nella Foresta Nera e la dottoressa Grace Augustine nel fortunatissimo Avatar e Avatar – La via dell’acqua.

Ha più volte denunciato il sessismo nel suo ambiente e creato una sua casa di produzione, la Goat Cay.

La sua ultima fatica, Call Jane, presentato in anteprima al Sundance Film Festival 2022 racconta la storia di The Janes, il collettivo femminista che dal 1969 al 1973, ha permesso a quasi 12.000 donne di interrompere la gravidanza in modo sicuro, nonostante fosse illegale.

La carriera straordinaria e il suo impegno a rivoluzionare i canoni hollywoodiani la rendono un’icona senza tempo.

[namenerdery]

Girls with interesting names born in Ohio between 2011-2015 [O, P, Q & R]

O Nestyh Kalise Rozionna Obsydian Rose Occieannia Nichoal Kai Diyanne Oc'Shean Shavonna Oddesty Marie

Odyssey Malaysia Oliveeha Marie Oliviayre Lucille Omega Rae On'Jeanlia Madison-Monique

Onystie Amour Orchid Catherine Osbourne Suki Lee Ottawa Augustine Ottoman Davenport

Paege Seren Pahlmer Daley Grace Paije Armonie Pai'Shynce Krystine Lou Paivyn Mallory Lynn

Pansy Miracle Paradise Sunshine Pashion Renee Marie Passions Leigh Paye'Tynn Ah'Mere

Peekaboo Annastasia Peigelynn Rose Pemberley Emma Penellipe Rose Pepper Storm

Peregrine Harper Peridot Rose Perpetua Rose Persimmon Genevieve Peyliee Amore

Peytiance Marie Phanci Lee Elizabeth Phaythe A'Mira Philomena-Celeste Cerenity-Renee Phinelope Nakayla

Phoede Stone Pistolmae Mabel Poet Mi'Angel Patrice Polyxena Therese Porphyria Styliani

Prah'Mis Ann Precieuse Ambroisine Pride Tinisha Princeton Viola Pristine Alon

Prophetess Zion Providence Anne Louise Prynncess Melodee-Laurel Psalms Elizabeth Purity Lilah-Dawn

Purpose Devine Pypper Hayze Pyxie Ann-Scout

Qaidynne Alexia Dalynne Q'Audreyana Sincere Qay'Brielle Rianne Qeymonei Jahstus Deairomarie Qraven Jo-Ryleigh

Quarry Rosalee Quay Selina Quedynce Lundynn-Skye Queencess Ai'Lille Quewyn Inez Marie

Quinndailyn Joyce Quintessence Rose Quynnzelle Richelle

Radiance Ianna Ruth Raecie Joleigh Rahazelyn Aryabella Rian Jones Raighlynn Nykole Jayde Rainbow Rose

Rain-Eve Joesie-Jean Rakenzie Mae Ranesamae Lynn Rangeley Elizabeth Raslynne Isabelle

Rave Isaiah Marchette Raycelynne Leeann Raydiance Kasyndra Reace Jordanne Reallyn Myracllerae

Re'Alyti Chanae Rebel Storm Reidleigh Raine Reighllyn Ray Relic Bellaluna Ahlowhen

Renaissance Nicole Renezzamay Raelun Addison Rha'Xzya Desirae Nancy Rhemediee Karma-Sade Rhiddlee Rhea Stevie

Rhraena Jeyne Rider Lynne Ridley-Bell Chestoria Rinzyn Drew-Iris Riot Everly

Rioux Makenzie Rob'Briella Lucy Roccxi Lynn Rogue Diamond Romance Ginger-Aleenah

Roszelynn Sahirra Rouxmer Marilyn K Blanco Rowzylin Marie Royal'Au'Brie Jordan Michelle Rozalie-Renezmee Ellamae Lynne

Ro'Zarrhea Ann Rumor Peace Ryatt Jaylynn Ryze Nidalee

[a-blade-disguised-as-a-girl]

Shadow Game Characters with Pets

(These are all post-Queen of Volts unless otherwise stated)

Marcy, obviously, has thirteen cats named after legendary street lords (but all the Spirits help out).

While Lola is writing her book and still trying to fix her relationships with Justin and Enne, she gets pretty lonely sitting in front of a typewriter all day. Tock suggests getting a pet to cheer her up, but Lola doesn’t want anything noisy or time-consuming, so she gets a little fish for on her desk while she’s working. Tock doesn’t get the point of having a fish for a pet at first, but then she sees that Lola sometimes will take a break and watch it swim around, and she looks really calm. So they get a few more and have a lovely fish tank that helps Lola feel less isolated at her desk and that Tock likes to fill with those colorful pebbles.

Narinder hires some more people to work in the Catacombs so he can have a more reasonable schedule. Once he starts spending less time frantically moving back and forth behind the bar and more time in the back of the club doing paperwork, he gets a black Labrador named Delilah. Most afternoons he ends up sitting on the floor to go through the ledger because she likes to curl up next to him and rest her head in his lap while he works. She is an absolute sweetheart and Harvey will stop by to “help Narinder with work” and end up barely paying attention to a word because he’s playing with Delilah.

(pre-series for obvious reasons) Reymond has a ball python that he found god-knows-where and that he carries around his neck to terrify people if they’re giving him or the Scarhands a hard time. He never mentions the snake’s name in public, leading most people to think he doesn’t have one and that he’s just Eight Fingers’s nameless python. Little do they know that some young Scarhand thought they were being clever and started calling him “No Fingers” after the Scar Lord. Reymond was not amused, but behind closed doors the name stuck.

Poppy really wants a few parakeets, because her father got her one when she was younger and she has a lot of good memories associated with it. Birds are way too loud and chaotic for Delaney to handle, and Poppy realizes that parakeets might complicate her busy dance schedules. She ends up getting a tiny Maltese dog named Snowflake that she can easily take with her wherever she goes. Thankfully, Snowflake is very friendly and loves meeting people at her recitals. Delaney swears up and down that he’s Poppy’s dog and she has nothing to do with it, but she not-so-secretly adores him and melts any time he looks in her direction.

One morning when Sophia goes over to Harrison’s apartment for brunch, a gray cat follows her into the building and won’t go away no matter what she tries. The poor thing is very battered like she got into a fight, so Harrison sees what’s going on and cleans her up before giving her some food and a makeshift place to sleep. The next morning, the cat won’t leave. Harrison and Sophia have to have a serious talk because he’s a busy man and she isn’t ready for 100% responsibility for a pet yet, but they work out a system where the cat (which they name Jade, as a tip of the hat to the eye color that unites their awkward family) mostly lives at Harrison’s apartment but spends time with both of them. They’re still figuring out how to be a family, but their arrangement with Jade helps.

Feel free to add on if you have any other thoughts! This is fun to think about, I love pet headcanons :D

[edencounty]

THE WEEKLY RECAP, WEEK ONE.

Our first week! We’re so excited for how the plot has developed!

Discord Leaderboard:

Leaderboard is as follows: Rachael (Level 5), Piper (Level 4), Eli (Level 1), Bianca (Level 1), Ashleigh (Level 0, XP 23), Valek (Level 0, XP 19), Max (Level 0, XP 15)

Level points have been sent to the chosen sides and reset for the week.

The Plot Recap:

Old Ashton Radio has been taken over in the cult’s first victory. Neutral civilian Lionel Mercer was in the wrong place at the wrong time, being assumed as a resistance member and taken to the Meadows. He still has not yet been recovered. Resistance communication has been reduced.

The Writing:

She'd heard the way those people spoke, the kind of judgement that slipped from their tongues so easily.  — Lucky Henderson, regarding the Chosen.

“You don't give me a choice, do you? Part of the things 'that can be done to me'? It's not just me that's getting hurt.”  — Bartek Wojcik when caught by the Chosen.

“Maybe I'll never make things right with you, Love, but I don't want to see you or Zelda in the Meadows. You have to go.”  — Ridley Albright, trying to get his ex-girlfriend and child to leave town.

He charms, it was his go too, that was how he was known, but everyone still kept their distance from him. Some described him as strange while others called him deceptive and calculated. — Oscar Venzan, regarding himself.

Most residents knew where they should and should not be, but there were exceptions. There were always lost lambs. She was not the type to steer lambs where they should not be. Unlike other members, Therese believed that all had a place in this world. But sometimes, signs pointed the lost in different directions. — Therese Toller, meeting a lost Lionel Mercer in St. Augustine Church.

Noah’s attachment to Magnolia was inappropriate. In the back of his mind, he fully believed she was gone because of his affection and devotion to her and not the Father. The Father is above all. — Noah van Daalen coming to terms with the old Mother being replaced.

“You need to realize that I am your new Mother, you listen to me and you do not disrespect me.” — Safiye Huber, scolding a captive Ridley Albright.

Meme Monday Highlights:

You just know you love them somehow, no matter how hard you try to get away from them.

That’s where we learned I got motion sick easily. Last big road trip for a while.

One time in high school I bribed the prom committee to sabotage the vote count so I could win prom queen.

Media:

Valek posted a great playlist for Oscar!

[cinemedios]

Reseña | 'Cielo de Medianoche' (The Midnight Sky)

Con 'Cielo de Medianoche', George Clooney ofrece un espectáculo que no logra enganchar al espectador con su historia.

Tras una catástrofe mundial, un científico llamado Augustine, el único humano en el Ártico intenta contactar con una tripulación de astronautas para advertirles que no vuelvan a la Tierra. Su tarea se complica cuando se encuentra con Iris, una niña que ha sido abandonada en su estación. Tomando elementos de Misión Rescate de Ridley Scott, Gravity de Alfonso Cuarón y El Renacido de Alejandro…

[sofridaschars]

‧  ˖  ❛     ꒰     💌    ꒱      belle epoque ╱    winterlist 

Émilie Baldwin - Emily Browning - Bailarina 

Alain Baudelaire - Sebastian Stan - Personal trainer 

Pyotr Antonov-Ovseyenko - Felix Kjellberg - Médico 

Aiden Takahashi - Mark Fischbach - Designer 

Emiliano Bedacholli - James McAvoy - Empresário 

Margot D’Aboville - Perrie Edwards - Cantora

Beatricie Van der Meulen - Daisy Ridley - Cantora

Nathan Moore - Harry Styles - Ator

Narcisus Wiśniewski - Matt Shadows - Cantor 

Desdemona Van Hellsing - Simone Simons - Cantora

Damien Callaghan - Colin O'Donoghue - Médico 

 Alesso Bernasconi - Leo DiCaprio - Ator 

Irene D'Aguesseau - Alissa White-Gluz - Dominatrix 

Charlie Desormeaux - Chase Hudson - Youtuber e cantor

Augustin Matthews - Machine Gun Kelly - Cantor 

Isabella Helena Alencastro - Nordlys - Streamer 

Isaac Armistead - Hayden Christensen - Chef de cozinha  

Danilo Conrado - Graenolf - Youtuber

[foodoliplife]

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[pandorafallz]

Some things were never meant to leave Earth…. or be known about. Let alone being introduced to a whole new world, new life and a species called the Na'vi that probably didn't understand that there were worse things that came from Earth than Humans with technology. Jake knows the Earth was a harsh place, well aware of the dangers it had and the monsters it had as well. No one cared, nothing would matter and….so what. If they thought of him of nothing, then why not take himself, his avatar and his friend and fuck off into the wilderness of pandora. If he can screw over the RDA and its resident parasites, then bonus points. Grace isn't thrilled.

Chapter 54 snippet

“Grace! There you are!”

Both of them were startled to see a short, stressed scrawny middle-aged man swoop straight into the lab and directly to her, he had a tablet in hand and was very pinked-cheeked. She could already see where this was going even before he stopped at her desk and continued to rave. Clearly someone with a high position; he had a very self-entitled attitude but his attire was clearly meant to be smart and to represent.

“…and start negotiations with getting them out of the damn tree.”

She stared at him, unimpressed.

Finally, he seemed to stop and notice her expression. “What?!”

“Parker!”

The man jumped, spinning around with a squeak, of all things and gasped as Grace stood only two feet away with a very unimpressed look as well and clearly not happy. Her eyes were narrow and sharp. Ridley startled a little at her mother’s sudden appearance; she hadn’t seen her come in either.

The man jumped into the nearest desk and haphazardly put space between them but his eyes turned down and his jaw dropped before he looked between the two of them rapidly.

“W-what the hell is this?”

Grace smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “You’ve just met my daughter, Doctor Ridley Augustine.”

[karihighman]

Just a few moments I’m excited for from The Rookie season 7 trailer 🙂❤️👋😅🫦👀😀

[pandajames59-blog]

Announcing ENCOMPASS: Inclusive Architecture

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS (2019):

Alexis Laing – Project Manager, Bridge Housing

Amy Pokawatana, AIA, LEED AP – Director, Development, HUDSON PACIFIC PROPERTIES

Barbara Bouza, FAIA, IIDA, LEED AP, EDAC – Managing Director, Principal, Gensler & 2019 President, AIA Los Angeles

Debra Avila – Chief Vendor/ Contract Management Officer, METRO

Dr. Giovanna Brasfield, CCA – Vice President of Diversity and Inclusion, Flatiron Construction (initially supporting Inclusivity on the LINXS team on the LAWA APM Project) & Board Member, WBEC West (Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC)

Elise McCurley AIA – Senior Job Captain, NAC Architecture

Gabrielle Bullock, FAIA, NOMA, IIDA, LEED AP – Dir of Global Diversity, Principal, Perkins+Will & President, International Interior Design Association

Gail Kennard – President, Kennard Design Group

George Davis – Executive Director, California African American Museum

Hon. Mark Ridley-Thomas – Supervisor, County of Los Angeles, District 2

Isaac Gindi – Deputy Director, Business Outreach & Technical Services, Department of Public Works, County of Los Angeles

Jose Ometeotl – City Manager, City of Lynwood

Kevin M. Holland, FAIA, NOMAC, LEED AP – Director of Operations, Senior Associate, Perkins+Will

Krisztina Tokes – Deputy Chief Facilities Executive, LAUSD

Lance A. Collins, AIA, LEED AP (BD+C), cSBA, GGP, GGA-EB – Director, Partner Energy & President, SO CAL NOMA

Lawrence Huley – Mass Cali Production, Inc. & SoCal NOMA Chapter, Community Outreach Leadership and Executive Director of CAMP NOMA

Leslie Sydnor, AIA – Director, Planning Project Manager, Cumming Corporation

Lynda McGlinchey – Senior Management Analyst, Certification, Outreach, Regulations, & Enforcement Section, Bureau of Contract Administration, City of Los Angeles

Mahmood Karimzadeh, AIA – Deputy City Engineer, Bureau of Engineering, Department of Public Works, City of Los Angeles

Mark Pestrella, PE – Director, Los Angeles County Public Works

Michael Anderson, AIA – Principal, BASE

Michael Owh – General Manager, Purchasing & Contract Services, County of Los Angeles & former Chief Procurement Officer, City of Los Angeles

Mitra Memari, AIA, LEED AP – Partner, ZGF ARCHITECTS LLP & Board Treasurer, AIA Los Angeles

Peter E. Hendrickson, AIA – Associate Vice Chancellor, Design and Construction, UCLA Capital Programs

Priscilla Chavez, CCA – Manager, Diversity & Inclusion, PCL Construction Services, Inc. & Past-President, National Association of Women in Construction, Los Angeles

R. Steven Lewis, FAIA, NOMAC – Principal, ZGF ARCHITECTS LLP & winner of the 2016 AIA Whitney M. Young, Jr. Award

Robert L. Gilbert – Chief Development Officer, Los Angeles World Airports

Roland Wiley, AIA – Principal, RAW International

Schenae Rourk – Principal, Redwood Resources (Outreach, Marketing & Business Development Consultancy Firm) & President, National Association of Women Business Owners, Los Angeles Chapter

Valery Augustin, AIA, NCARB– Principal, DNA Architecture + Design & Associate Professor of Practice, Director of Global Studies, USC School of Architecture

Ziba Ghassemi, AIA, LEED AP -  Vice President of Design, Airports, Unibail-Rodamco-Westfield Group

More about ENCOMPASS: Inclusive Architecture:

In early 2017, AIA National's Equity in Architecture Commission released “The Equity in Architecture Commission Report"  which details eleven proactive steps to strengthen AIA’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.  Shortly thereafter, AIA Los Angeles organized ENCOMPASS to serve an a forum to engage in an open dialogue that will set the parameters for how we adhere to this call to action.  What is the best framework to implement these recommendations?  What metrics of success do we want to establish? We are committed to leading the way forward and we need your participation to make this happen.

AIA|LA is fortunate to be the local chapter of one of the world’s most diverse regions in the world.  Los Angels is famous for its wealth of human resources and we are proud to be at the leading edge of diversity.  It is that diversity that gives us our leading edge on creative innovations in design.  However, we still have a long way to go to ensure greater equity, diversity, and inclusion especially when you consider the profession's urgent need to attract emerging talent and ensure younger generations seek careers in the A/E/C profession.

In a quickly evolving and thriving Los Angeles, diversity increases the promise of our design practice to deliver solutions.  Diversity adds value and benefits to our ability to deliver smart solutions to clients.  Diversity, in fact, provides the capacity to better support our own region with the improvements to ensure health and prosperity for all. 

ENCOMPASS: Inclusive Architecture serves as a forum to highlight best-practices, examine case-studies of inclusive design procedures and curate a series of genuine dialogues that underscore solutions to counter the prevalence of the inherent biases that too often continues to divide A/E/C professionals.  This conference allows us to candidly dissect the reality of the situation. ENCOMPASS will also highlight the value-add that inclusive architecture brings to society and how we all gain from a multifaceted profession. 

Source: https://urbanize.la/post/announcing-encompass-inclusive-architecture

[hellosaltysaladcollectionstuff]

WHEN I TAUGHT ancient and medieval Western civilization, at the end of the class I used to tell my undergraduate students that, for all the genius we had surveyed, if someone were to approach them with a time machine and ask what year they would like to live in, they should say, “This one, please.”

The slightest engagement with history teaches us that life is better for (almost) everyone today than it was for even the most privileged in the past. Jonah Goldberg’s Suicide of the West joins a growing library of modernity boosterism by Matt Ridley, Steven Pinker, and others, which seeks to convince us of our own good fortune.

Unlike Pinker’s The Better Angels of Our Nature (2011), however, Goldberg’s is a jeremiad, a genre with a very old history, as the name indicates. As good as things are, he suggests, they are also tenuous. Goldberg thinks we are in danger of losing many of the benefits we have painstakingly accrued, that we have gone seriously off the ideological rails. The Western world has been captured by a tribal romanticism and is neither grateful for its blessings nor concerned with how to sustain them.

Goldberg covers a lot of ground, and the weight of his argument sometimes sags under the ancillary. He wants to explain “the miracle” — the astonishing increase in living standards and freedom in the past few centuries. He offers quick summaries of the birth of capitalism, the English and American revolutions, the foundations of liberty, and everything from the explosion of government regulation to current speech codes on campus, trends in film and music, and the economic woes of Venezuela. One can nitpick about the potted histories (for example, I believe he doesn’t acknowledge the enormous contribution of Hebrew Scriptures and Jewish thought to the founding of America or of capitalism), and there is some assassination by anecdote. Granted, his wry retelling of campus blaming, shaming, and victim claiming would shock all but the most ideologically besotted. But is the atmosphere better outside of the college campus? Are communities left or right more tolerant than students? Having attended my share of conferences, rallies, conventions, religious services, and public events, I am not at all convinced that campuses are unique in this regard. And if the attitudes there are more extreme, is that a surprise? Tolerance is painless to the indifferent and wrenching to the passionate. Youth specializes in passion.

That said, the details add up to a powerful indictment. Goldberg’s larger argument runs roughly as follows: human nature is not an overflow of goodness, but a mix of selfishness, altruism, distrust of the other, and the capacity to be civilized. Therefore, how we train ourselves and our children, how we learn to discipline our emotions, how we esteem the individual even when different from us, is critical to the democratic experiment. And we are trivializing and emoting our way to chaos. All the talk of feelings and identity, the exaltation of emotion over reason, corrodes the healthy body politic with a toxic species of group-solidarity. What’s the alternative? A return to core, conservative values.

¤

“Modern American conservatism,” Goldberg writes,

is a bundle of ideological commitments: limited government, natural rights, the importance of traditional values, patriotism, gratitude, etc. But underneath all of that are two bedrock assumptions upon which all of these commitments stand: the belief that ideas matter and that character matters.

At first glance, the assertion that ideas and character matter is denied by no one. But a mild assent is not enough. “[T]he cure for what ails us is dogma. The only solution to our woes is for the West to re-embrace the core ideas that made the Miracle possible, not just as a set of policies, but as a tribal attachment, a dogmatic commitment.” Assent is anodyne; we need devotion.

Goldberg attributes our ailment to a combination of causes: exhilarated with our identities and experiences, we slight the rationalism and individualism upon which America — and the West — was founded. Reasoned discourse falls before “as a (fill in the blank), I feel”; the subgroup you belong to has come to matter more than what you think. This way, argues Goldberg, lies balkanized chaos. We must return to our traditional roots.

John Locke in particular receives a long encomium. Goldberg explains why he, and not Rousseau, is America’s guiding spirit: “Locke believed in the sovereignty of the individual and that we are ‘captains of ourselves.’ Rousseau argues that the group was more important than the individual and the ‘general will’ was superior to the solitary conscience.”

It is dangerous to enlist intellectual history in service of modern agendas. The story of mind is capacious, and condemnations should be specific. One could as easily point to the transcendentalists as America’s guiding spirits, and surely Whitman, Thoreau, and Emerson (and Lincoln, for that matter) could justly be described as romantics, or at least romantic adjacent. And while Goldberg continually extols the individual over the group, and identifies the group with romantic ideology, it is hardly clear that romanticism cannot be as individualistic a doctrine as reason. Reason is general; feelings are individual. The romantic hero was a solitary one. “Self-reliance” was Emerson’s essay, not Locke’s. That romanticism has lent itself to totalitarian ideologies is inarguable. But to prove that a militant tribalism is essentially a problem of romantic ideology would require a much longer book than this already long one.

Furthermore, Goldberg seems to be aware of the baleful social effects of the headphone-wearing, Netflix-binging, food-delivery-ordering loner whose needs are increasingly fulfilled by a series of screens. In a techno-geeking world, individualism easily slides into solipsism. Is that any more desirable than romantic tribalism?

¤

Goldberg certainly has a bone to pick with new technology. He complains of the ability of mass entertainment, music, movies, and TV to seduce us into immorality. Sure, Breaking Bad may have us falling in love with an increasingly savage Walter White, but Goldberg’s is a very old complaint, and hardly unique to new media. Recall that Plato wanted to ban poets from the Republic, and William Blake acutely commented that Milton, having made Satan by far the most vivid character in Paradise Lost, “was of the devil’s party without knowing it.” Diversions of the young have always seemed pernicious to the old. One can almost hear Goldberg shaking his head and muttering, pipe in hand, “Kids today…”

Indeed, there is much to dispute in this crowded book, but Goldberg is an expert shot and modern America is a target-rich environment. Polarization is greater than at any time in recent memory (and most of the book was written before the election of Donald Trump). Public depredations that would once seem unthinkable are routinely overlooked. As family and voluntary associations crumble, political divisions take on the coloration of religious commitments, passionate and exclusionary. Government does increasingly reach into every corner of our lives. The history of the West is far too often seen only through the prism of its crimes (which are, of course, heinous), rather than its unprecedented achievements. And we are undoubtedly victims of the skill with which we entertain ourselves. On all these issues, Goldberg’s analysis is acute, informative, and important.

His prescription, however, seems inadequate to the complexity of the problem. Is it really enough for us to become more appreciative and disciplined? Can we really turn on a dime? The same technological warp drive that has given us iPhones and streaming services has cut extreme global poverty in half. The same tsunami of data that has revolutionized medicine has, with a twist and a tweet, given us 24-hour news with its howling stridencies. We spit and get our genetic history, press a button and access all human knowledge, navigate the globe on a six-inch screen. In other words, we are in the midst of a tidal wave of change. A call for discipline and appreciation in the midst of such a maelstrom reminds one of St. Augustine’s encounter with the child who was trying to empty the sea with a spoon.

Perhaps no one can rise to the challenge of offering a prescription, but there is great value in diagnosis.

Suicide of the West has pointed to genuine problems: Jeremiah’s doom has been pronounced. Now we await the prophet who can explain how technology can aid our solidarity more than it destroys it.

¤

David Wolpe is rabbi of Sinai Temple in Westwood. His most recent book is David: The Divided Heart (Yale University Press).

The post Awaiting the Prophet: On Jonah Goldberg’s “Suicide of the West” appeared first on Los Angeles Review of Books.

from Los Angeles Review of Books https://ift.tt/2LTHiY8

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The Guana Tolomato Matanzas Research Reserve is located just north of the city

The Guana Tolomato Matanzas Research Reserve is located just north of the city

St. Augustine is celebrating its 450th anniversary this year, and during my recent visit it was hard not to get swept up in the city’s rich history.

But for The Martian, a cinema adaptation of Andy Weir’s self-published bestseller about a lone astronaut stranded on the red planet, director Ridley Scott partnered with Nasa to ensure the film was as realistic as possible.; then Alice, thinking it…

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I did an alignment chart for all of the Shadow Game’s disasters (i.e., basically every character)