#thanks for the motivation to draw jessie :)

[atlasthecactus]

hes the best anxious oldest sibling to ever sibling

@jessie223 had the idea for raph wearing this jacket:

and that was a wonderful idea so i had to draw it :>

[jsands84]

tagged by @primrosey. As always, thank you.

relationship status: Single.

favorite color(s): Black (primary), green (secondary), and purple (tertiary). The signature colors of classic Disney villains like Maleficent and Ursula, and a number of early Marvel villains.

song stuck in head: "Bang Bang" by Ariana Grande, Jessie J, and Nicki Minaj. I'm not even sure why. I'm not really a fan of the song. I don't think it was playing in the grocery store. Maybe I saw the word "bang" somewhere and my brain reference-jumped to that track. Used to happen with book titles at my old library all the time.

last song I listened to: "Jackie's Strength" by Tori Amos. I was working on some art where "From a Choir Girl Hotel" felt like the vibe.

last thing I googled: "bee and puppycat concept art"

dream trip: Honestly? A stay-cation in my own space feels like a dream. I've been living in someone else's space for so long, spending time in my nest - without intrusion, interruption, or infuriation - is what I really need.

anything I want right now: I'd really like to jump-start my creativity. I've still got some time to myself and I'd love to stir up the motivation to do more drawing and maybe even some writing.

I'm feeling a bit tag-shy today, so I won't be tagging anyone but if you feel inclined to share your own answers feel free to tell them I sent you.

[oo-hazel-oo]

this is a day late, but HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

now, prepare for some extreme sappiness...

i joined tumblr almost a year ago to the day and i can genuinely say that it was one of the best decisions of my life. when i first made this account, i was feeling super disconnected from the world and was desperate for a space where i could be myself and connect with those who shared similar interests. over the past year, this platform has acted as that space, allowing me to post my writing and explore my passions; however, what has impacted me the most is the friends i've made along the way.

you all inspire me every day. you pour your heart and soul into everything you do, whether that’s writing, drawing, gif-making, cosplaying, or simply posting, and you do it not to gain money or mass recognition, but because you simply love doing it. every interaction with y'all, whether that be a silly ask game or picrew chain, a sweet comment or reblog, brings a massive smile to my face. i never thought i’d be able to form such a strong connection to people i’ve only communicated with through a screen, but i’ve really found a home here, as cheesy as that sounds, and i can’t thank you enough (though i'm still gonna try).

so, without further ado, here are some 'thank yous' i need to give out:

@cosmicghostie, by now you are well aware of how sappy i am, so it should come as no surprise when i say that you bring so much light to my life. we’ve been friends for almost half a year now, and i’m grateful for every minute. you are constantly making me laugh, whether you’re sending me late-night tiktoks, doing one of your impressions, simping over fictional characters, or recounting one of your harrowing encounters with kangaroos. i hope you know how special you are. VT + SBC forever <3

@samanthaaerynbarlowe you were my first friend on tumblr and your support has meant the world to me this year. you are such a strong, resilient soul, constantly inspiring me when my own motivation is lacking. i am beyond proud of how hard you’ve been working and am so grateful to have met someone with such a huge heart. i love ya girl!!

and next, a huge thank you to the lucky batch:

@monako-jinn-stories @just-another-dreamerr @.cosmicghostie @foxlock @namesmox @letsunity @radbatch @maygalodon @stereotypicalpicnicmat @lusiawonder @longearedowlfromouterspace @lynnpaper @generaltano @mango-peachjuice

i was super nervous when lav first invited me to the group chat, but you all were so welcoming and encouraged me to join in, even when i was a little hesitant to. i have never been a part of such a supportive, love-filled community, and am so grateful and proud to consider you friends. i can’t express how much y’all have helped me gain confidence as both a writer and a human. someday we are all gonna meet up so i can give each and every one of you a massive hug. i love you guys with all my heart!!

and i'd also like to give a huge thank you to some of the fic writers that have inspired me this year:

@yatzstar @kaydear @novemberrain221 @.samanthaaerynbarlowe @.monako-jinn-stories @filmsnroses @mariesackler @ellielikesporgs @agentmarymargaretskitz @thicctails @clints-lucky-arrow @sagedgeek @alpineglowx @paisley-print @dindjarin-mandalorian @misvet @tuskens-mando @sweetgirldjarin @jessie-writes-things @justafanficwriter @dindjarindiaries @omgreally @oloreaa @sprout-fics

and to the talented artists that put my stick figures to shame:

@.cosmicghostie @.maygalodon @nibeul @chemens @cyareclones @puirell @firehart9

and finally, to friends, new and old, whose posts bring me so much joy:

@ingloriouslittlemousey @robyntheredhead @neppy-33 @insomniamamma @shrekscoochiehair @mandolydian @thegreenkid

tumblr only allows me to mention 50 people, but if it was up to me, i'd tag the hundreds of you that grace my dashboard every day. i notice and appreciate every single like, reblog, and comment that you leave on my posts, and can't wait to see what y'all create in the coming year.

i know that 2021 has been hard for many of you, and hearing about some of the stuff you’ve have had to deal with breaks my heart, but know that i’m so, so proud of everything you’ve accomplished, and continue to accomplish, despite the less-than-ideal circumstances.

and just like you have been here for me, i am here for you. please shoot me a message if you ever want/need to chat! i don’t care if we talk everyday or have never spoken to each other, my inbox is always open. you can also find me at my chaotic sideblog @hazel-hyperfixates!

in short, you all mean the world to me. thank you for creating such a beautiful and safe space for us all to be a part of. have the happiest of new years!!

xx hazel xx

[brainyxbat]

Pokemon Team Rocket Bloopers/Outtakes Ideas

AKA, Butch bloopers ft. Cassidy, Jessie, James, Meowth, etc. Amirite? I love Butch; shut up. 😂

🎥 = Transition to different episode

🎬 = New scene, same episode

⬆ https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?547153-Pokemon-Team-Rocket-s-motivation-philosophy/page2

Keep reading for the list! 😊 Periodic updates! Suggestions are welcome and appreciated!

(Ep: Sweet Baby James)

James: (lies about his career to his grandparents)

Butch: (pops in out of nowhere) LIAR!!!!

James: AAH!!! (drops to the floor, and crawls away like a monstrous Pokemon is after him, as everyone cracks up laughing) OH, ARCEUS!!

Butch: (leans on the windowsill to keep his balance) Hey, what’s up, guys?

May: Hey, Butch!

Max: What goes on, buddy?

Butch: (greets everyone, then kneels down by Mime Jr) Hi there, Mime Jr. (it talks to him in Pokespeak while laughing) Yeah, James is an awesome guy. Wait... JAMES!!! (rapidly crawls in his direction, off the set) Come here!

James: (still laughing) Leave me alone!

(Everyone watches Butch go, trying to catch their breath)

🎥

(Ep: The Ole’ Berate and Switch)

Butch: Hey, kids! I mean, you confident young lads and lasses! It’s time to sign up for the Pok- *sticks his tongue out, and goes “ehhh”, then trills his tongue in the cone pointer, making the kids laugh*

🎬

Butch: Hey, kids! I mean, you compe- *scoffs and bursts into laughter with the kids, doubling over for a moment* Sorry!

🎬

Butch: I feel like a dork in this outfit. *the kids giggle* Glasses and a bow tie; I look like a nerd. *chuckles*

🎬

Cassidy: Hey, Patch. Earth to Patch. Will you take this box like a gentleman?

Butch: The name is Butch, not Pa- *breaks out laughing* I’m sorry, that mask is so creepy!

🎬

Jessie: To denounce the evils of truth and love.

Butch: To extend my arm with a big, white glo- *bursts out laughing, and Jessie joins him* S-sorry; that line sounds so stupid!

Jessie: *laughs* That’s the point!

🎬

Jessie: Cut! *accidentally kicks Butch for real, knocking him down to the floor* Oh! *laughs* I, I just kicked him for real! Are you okay, Butch? *tries to help him up* I can’t help you; I’m laughing too hard!

Butch: *sits up on his own, rubbing his chin with a smile* You’ve got a mean kick. *laughs with her*

🎥

(Ep: Pikachu Re-Volts)

*Butch and James accidentally bonk their foreheads together, prompting laughter out of everyone; in another take, their noses collide*

🎬

Butch: Let’s uh, try it more slowly; to avoid collision. Okay. *snickers, as he and James try to get in each other’s faces for a take, but they keep corpsing*

James: *when their noses are together, he gets into a laughing fit with Butch* I, I’m sorry, I can’t do this! *walks away, as Butch holds his stomach*

🎬

James: Reach to the stars above!

Butch: Reach to the- d‘oh! *laughs* That’s not it!

James: *pumps his fists in the air* I win!

🎬

James: Reach to the stars above! *starts to grin involuntarily*

Butch: Wrath to the- *smiles when James laughs*

James: S-sorry!

🎬

James: Reach to the stars above!

Butch: Wrath to the stars above!

Meowth: (not even a half-second later) You fellas gonna kiss now?

*Butch and James burst into laughter, drawing away*

James: Thanks a lot, Meowth!

Butch: *is out of breath, as he runs a hand over his cheek* I, I think you spit on me!

James: Sorry!

🎥

(Ep: Luvdisc is a Many Splendored Thing)

Misty: Yeah, we know who you are! Cassidy!

Tracey: And Buffy!

Butch: It’s not Buffy! It’s Butch, Butch, Bu- Woop! *slips while stomping his foot, and falls on his butt and back, making everyone laugh; he sits up, with one hand on his butt* Ow! *laughs with them*

🎥

(Ep: The Search for the Legend)

Butch: I just told you it’s Biff, weren’t you-! *laughs* Sorry, let’s go again.

🎬

Butch: I just told you, it’s Biff, weren’t you list-! *throws a goofy, playful tantrum, and cracks up harder*

Cassidy: *tries to catch her breath through laughter* He, he can’t remember his own name!

Butch: I’m lost.

🎬

Ritchie: *starts giggling when he notices Butch’s mustache is horizontal, almost vertical* Butch, your, your mustache is c-crooked.

Butch: Hm? *looks down, and adjusts it* Thanks. *laughs with him*

🎥

(Ep: Training Daze)

Butch: That does it, I am cheb- *laughs, with his forehead on the back of his hand* That wasn’t it!

🎬

Butch: That does it, I am cheb- *cracks up* One more time!

🎬

Butch: That does it, I am cheb- *scoffs and laughs, with his eyes squeezed shut, before glancing around* Why do I keep saying “cheb”?! Why?!

Producer: You tell us!

Butch: *hides his face in his hand, still laughing*

🎬

Butch: That does it, I am cha-

James: *comes dashing in, then grabs and shakes his shoulders to scare the crap out of him* RAAAAH!!!!

Butch: *spazzes out in his seat, almost falling over, but face-desking* AAH!!! *laughs with Viper and the girls, staying down*

James: Haha! Revenge!

Cassidy: *tries to catch her breath* Back to the infirmary, young man!

James: Later! *playfully, and repeatedly slaps an unmoving Butch’s back, then runs off the set*

Butch: *looks behind his back with a devious smirk* One sec. *runs after him* James! Get back here! I’m not done with you!

*Viper and the girls are left on the set, trying to control themselves*

🎬

Cassidy: Let’s do it, Butch!

Butch: It’s Biff, not-! *he, along with the rest, burst into laughter* No, Butch! It’s Butch! Sorry. *they return to their starting points*

🎬

Cassidy: Let’s do it, Butch!

Butch: It’s bitch, not-! OOP!!! *claps his hands over his mouth with wide eyes, and everyone on set, backstage crew included, breaks out in roaring laughter*

Cassidy: *leans on the wall* He, he called himself a bitch! *laughs in her arm, pounding the wall* 

Jessie: *holds her stomach, laughing with James and Meowth* I, I’m gonna be sick! *points at Butch* Potty-mouth!

Butch: *is on the floor, red-faced, with his hand on his forehead* I can’t breathe!

Meowth: *walks over to Butch* This is a kid’s show, you joik! *playfully punches his shoulder*

Butch: *hides his face in his elbow, crying with laughter* 

🎬

Cassidy: Let’s do it, Butch!

Butch: *pops up onscreen, already corpsing* It’s Butch, not- *scoffs and laughs* I, I got the giggles; I’m sorry.

🎬

Butch: (in his mummy bandages, pulling down the ones over his nose and mouth) Can I have a scene like James, where I dramatically remove my bandages like everything’s good?

Producer: Sorry, no room in the timeline.

Butch: *chuckles, as Cassidy giggles* Ah, fine.

🎬

Director: Okay, that’s a wrap for this scene!

Butch: We’re done here?

Director: Yep.

Butch: Awesome. *whips off his bandages like James* Let’s boogie!

*Everyone laughs, and applauds*

Cassidy: *laughs, as she claps* Nicely done there. Very nice.

Butch: *bows for everyone* Thank you, thank you.

🎥

(Ep: Showdown at the Oak Corral)

Butch: *he and Cassidy roam the lab in their disguises, and he bumps into a tree, making everyone laugh; he lifts the top up, revealing his smile* I can’t see where I’m going in this thing. *chuckles*

🎬

Tracey: Oh! I’ve heard of you guys. You guys are the other ones; you’re Cassidy, and you’re Biff.

Butch: *does face fault* Biff?! *ends up losing balance and falling to the ground, with everyone laughing, including Tracey calling him a klutz; he smiles, his elbow on the ground, and his cheek on his fist, before he bursts into giggles, with his forehead on his arm*

🎥

(Ep: The Breeding Center Secret)

Butch: *sees the Sandshrew crawling out of the half cage (two parallel walls), revealing the CGI effects* Oh! No! Hey, come here! *laughs, as he crawls after it* Sandshrew, you gotta stay! It’s not a real cage, buddy!

🎬

Butch: *waits for Todd’s camera flash to appear at the conveyor belt; he snickers when nothing happens, and glances at Cassidy and the crew at their side* One sec. *crawls on the belt, and sticks his head in the back room through the curtain at the belt* Hey.

Misty: *jumps* AAH! *bursts into laughter along with Ash, Brock, and Todd, with a hand over her heart*

Butch: *laughs* Where’s the camera flash I was supposed to see?

Misty: You, you gave me a heart attack!

Butch: My bad.

Todd: *wipes tears from his eyes* Sorry; the flash was off.

Butch: ‘Kay. *flinches, and yelps* Hey! Who did that? Someone just slapped my butt!

Cassidy: *laughs from the other room, as a cackling James escapes the set* James!

🎬

Cassidy: And do you know why we're so popular? It's because we believe in love. We feel every Pokemon is lovable. We believe in Pokemon love power!

Duplica: *pops up in Butch's place* Love power! Yay!

Cassidy: Ya-! What the-? *turns to see a laughing Duplica running off set* What-what the- who-who was that?! *cracks up laughing* BUTCH!

Butch: *proudly walks in with an arm around Duplica, as they're dressed alike* Cassidy, everyone, meet my stand-in, and my niece Duplica.

Cassidy: YOUR-?! *laughs harder* Oh Arceus, Butch! I thought you turned into a little girl! *wipes tears of laughter away, holding Sandshrew*

(Ep: The Fortune Hunters)

*While filming the scenes with James in his Moltres outfit, no one can keep a straight face*

🎬

Ash: And you tricked a lot of little kids into giving you their Pokemon.

Brock: How low can you guys go?

Cassidy: (with no hesitation whatsoever) Get a limbo stick, and let’s find out.

Butch: *snorts, and bursts into laughter, along with the twerps*

Cassidy: Off the cuff!

🎥

(Ep: Sleight of Sand)

Cassidy: Hootch, after them!

Butch: Come on! That doesn’t ev-! *slips up, then does a silly little dance, pumping his hands up and down with “rock on” hand gestures* Cha-cha cha-cha cha. *everyone laughs with him, as he goofily bows*

🎬

Jessie: Where’d you get that bucket of bolts?!

Butch: It’s actually a present from Prop-Prof- *trills his tongue, and snickers*

🎬

Butch: It’s actually a present from Propeller Kimba. *bursts into laughter with the rest* I, I said propeller! *answers the phone when it rings*

Namba: *cracking a grin* IT’S NAMBA!!!

Butch: *laughs even harder, almost dropping the phone, and slowly falls to his knees*

🎬

Butch: It’s actually a present from Professor Kimba. *waits when the phone doesn’t ring; he scoffs and laughs after a couple seconds* Kimba! Pick up the phone! *cracks up*

🎬

Butch: It's actually a present from Prop- *throws a goofy, playful tantrum* Ack, gah, I did it again! *cracks up*

🎬

Butch: It's actually a present from Prop- *smiles widely, trying not to laugh, as Cassidy tries to control herself; he then turns to the button used to raise or lower them from their contraption*

Cassidy: *laughs even harder when he lowers himself down* Wait-where are you going?! *goes down on her knees, wiping tears from her eyes*

[brandonshimoda]

My introduction to the Day of Remembrance for Japanese American incarceration, on the 80th anniversary of the signing of Executive Order 9066, Saturday, February 19, 2022, at Colorado College:

My name is Brandon Shimoda. I am a writer and an Assistant Professor of English and Creative Writing at Colorado College. I want to welcome everyone to this Day of Remembrance for Japanese American incarceration. Today is the 80th anniversary of the signing, by FDR, of Executive Order 9066, which authorized the dispossession, forced removal, and mass incarceration of Japanese immigrants and Japanese Americans during WWII. This is one of many Day of Remembrance events happening this week, including today, including right now. We are here in solidarity with them. I am going to introduce this gathering and our guests—Jami Nakamura Lin, Brynn Saito, Patrick Shiroishi, and Kimiko Tanabe—but first I want to say thank you to a few entities and individuals for their support: to the Arts at CC, especially Ryan Bañagale; the Cultural Attractions Fund; the English Department at Colorado College, especially Erica Hardcastle (who’s behind-the-scenes with us tonight); Tutt Library, especially LeDreka Davis and Jessy Randall. And everyone out there who is joining us tonight, thank you so much for being here.

We are joining you from four different time zones and four different lands, each with their specific relationship to history and memory. I am sitting in a room in a building on the campus of Colorado College, in downtown Colorado Springs, which is located within the unceded territories of the Ute peoples. The original inhabitants of this region also include the Apache, Arapaho, Cheyenne, Comanche, Pueblo, and Shoshone peoples. The territory of the Kiowa and Navajo also extended into Colorado. There are today, in this state, two federally recognized tribes: the Southern Ute and the Ute Mountain Ute. By naming these people, we might contemplate the ways that our presence, including through our creative and critical work, as manifest in gatherings like these—and, looking back, in the incarceration of our ancestors—is borne upon the traditions, knowledge, and resonant energies of the indigenous peoples of these lands.

Every year on February 19th we mark the anniversary of Executive Order 9066. The first official Day of Remembrance took place in 1978, and was, in part, an effort to draw attention to the movement for redress, which called for reparations and an acknowledgment of the violation of the civil rights of the Nikkei community. The movement led to the understanding that incarceration was motivated by race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership, motivations which form a lasting definition of the United States of America. Today, we remember the history in various ways, together and alone, out loud and in our minds, until the day ends and another day begins. Then we mark it again, and again the day after, until the Day of Remembrance becomes Days of Remembrance, and Days of Remembrance becomes a Lifetime of Remembrance.

Each year, the nature of the invitation, as well as the imperative, to remember, changes, is troubled or is deepened, and not because the distance between us and the past becomes greater, but because, given the ways the past remains unresolved and unrelieved, it is constantly being revealed that there is no distance at all.

I have been thinking, today, about the sites where our families were incarcerated—some of which are now memorials and museums, some of which are racetracks and malls, some of which are on native reservations, some of which exist as little more than traces—as being sites of a complex and living reality. On Monday, the Senate passed a bill establishing the Amache camp, here in Colorado, as part of the National Park System. Meanwhile, in the Topaz camp in Utah, a stone monument memorializing James Hatsuaki Wakasa, an Issei who was murdered, in 1943, by a camp guard, was removed, violently, from its resting place, and with it the sacred space of return. Protests have been taking place at migrant detention centers and along the US-Mexico border—protests led by Japanese Americans, including elders who were, when they were children, incarcerated under painfully similar pretenses and conditions.

I have been thinking, today, about the waves of anti-Asian violence that move, with mournful consistency, through the US, about the attention paid to this violence, which also comes and goes in waves, about the rhetoric— which does not come and go in waves—that makes this violence inevitable, and about the need to educate ourselves, again, about the history of Asians in America.

I say again, but I mean always, because education is not a linear achievement but a commitment to consciousness…

Maybe because we are surrounded by the unexceptional evidence of race prejudice, war hysteria, and a failure of political leadership, we are also infused with the desire to take hold of this inheritance, and shape it in new and reparative ways. Because I have also been thinking, today, about the fact that we are in the midst of an extraordinary profusion of art that limns these intersections of history and memory; that carries and cares for the heirloom of intergenerational haunting and healing; that draws from tradition—cultural, aesthetic, folkloric, synesthetic—while inventing wholly new forms of expression. Poetry, graphic novels, children’s books, music, dance, film, photography, art—of recovery and resistance, of conscience and love, being made, especially, by the descendants of those who were incarcerated

This evening we are going to spend time with four of these artists, all of whom are grandchildren of the camps, and all of whom I love: poet Brynn Saito, artist/performer Kimiko Tanabe, writer Jami Nakamura Lin, and musician/composer Patrick Shiroishi. I am going to introduce them in the order they will appear. I will also be posting their full bios, with links to their work, in the chat. They will each present their work, and then we will reunite for a conversation.

Brynn Saito is the author of two books of poetry—Power Made Us Swoon (2016) and The Palace of Contemplating Departure (2013)—and co-founder of Yonsei Memory Project (YMP). YMP awakens the archives of Japanese American history through arts-based, intergenerational, and intercultural public programming. Her poetry has been nominated for a Northern California Book Award and her work and writing have appeared in the New York Times, Vogue, and American Poetry Review. Currently, Brynn is an Assistant Professor of Creative Writing and English at California State University, Fresno. Her paternal grandparents, Alma Teranishi Saito and Mitsuo Saito, were incarcerated in Gila River.

Kimiko Tanabe is a freelance dance artist hosted on Lenape land, currently known as Brooklyn, NY. She graduated from Colorado College with a degree in Creative Writing and Dance in 2016. She is currently a 2022 Gallim Moving Artist in Residence and performs in New York City with marion spencer and glenn potter-takata. In her work, she explores the mediums of performance art, dance, writing, origami and paper, and is in a committed partnership with her .38 Muji pen. Kimiko is the granddaughter of Mas and Miyeko Tanabe, incarcerated at Rohwer, Arkansas and Topaz, Utah. She is forever fascinated with Japanese folklore and as a lover of literature she finds herself making important life decisions under the eyes and influence of fiction. For Kimiko, art is intimate and inexact.

Jami Nakamura Lin is the author of the illustrated speculative memoir The Night Parade, which will be published by Custom House/HarperCollins in 2023. As a recipient of the 2016 National Endowment for the Arts/Japan-US Friendship Commission fellowship, she spent four months studying yōkai and folklore in Japan. Her work has appeared in the New York Times, Electric Lit, and other publications. She is of Japanese, Taiwanese, and Okinawan descent; her grandfather, Tom Nakamura, was incarcerated in Amache/Granada along with his family.

Patrick Shiroishi is a Japanese-American multi-instrumentalist & composer based in Los Angeles who is perhaps best known for his extensive and incredibly intense work with the saxophone. Over the last decade he has established himself as one of the premier improvising musicians in Los Angeles, playing solo and in numerous collaborative projects. Shiroishi may well be considered a foundational player in the city's vast musical expanse. His paternal grandparents, Pat Hidemi Shiroishi and Dorothy Sayoko Shiroishi, were incarcerated in Tule Lake.

Lastly, my grandfather, Midori Shimoda, was incarcerated in a Department of Justice prison in Missoula, Montana, under suspicion of being a spy for Japan. My great-uncle Makeo and his family were incarcerated in the Heart Mountain camp. And my great-aunt Joy and her family were incarcerated in the Poston camp.

Thank you again for being here.

Photo: Ansel Adams, Burning leaves, autumn dawn, Manzanar, 1943

[46ten]

curious as to your take on the current debate going on in hamiltonia re: hamilton a slaver vs hamilton not a slaver?

Whew, this is going to be a long answer. Since Jessie Serfilippi’s “As Odious and Immoral A Thing” was first published (I posted a few brief quotes here), likely as part of an ongoing interest in the Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site with the subject of the Schuyler and Hamilton families and slavery (see here for blogposts labeled ‘slavery’ including a couple about AH specifically), there have been three versions of a rebuttal by Michael E. Newton and some people calling themselves Philo (”Love”) Hamilton, one of whom is Doug Hamilton*. The ongoing engagement on this topic also brings up issues of historiography and hagiography.

In this whole discussion there is only one new piece of evidence that Serfilippi has referenced on Twitter but is not part of her article - I’ll get into that below. Everything else is a re-analysis of known and fairly popular sources, so I don’t think going through it point by point would be helpful.

But let’s be clear about something. This discussion around AH is in large part because of this Chernow falsehood: “[f]ew, if any, other founding fathers opposed slavery more consistently or toiled harder to eradicate it than Hamilton.” Chernow also calls AH a “fierce abolitionist” and a “staunch abolitionist” because Chernow doesn’t know what abolitionism is. This lie got tons of mileage with Lin-Manuel Miranda, whose musical character AH may have personal moral defects, but not blind spots as huge and disastrous to a modern audience as a lackadaisical approach to the owning of other human beings. (That Miranda’s approach totally riled some Black artists and scholars is well-known, and I wrote briefly about it here.) Serfilippi’s article doesn’t get the media play it does without the popularity of the abolitionist Founding Father myth that Miranda put on stage. So this conflict and news-cycle interest arose from Chernow’s need to give AH the moral high ground by claiming that he was the best best best abolitionist because Chernow is interested in hagiography, not biography. Unfortunately, Newton-Hamilton seem interested in the same thing.

A brief note on word usage: an enslaver, in most current usage, is defined as someone who participated in any aspect of the slavery enterprise. Considering AH’s undisputed role as money-handler (or the more laughable ‘he was a banker’ assertion in the Newton-Hamilton essay) for members of the Schuyler family acquiring enslaved persons, AH was an enslaver.

In my opinion, on the issue of slavery, AH is damned by his extensive ties from 1780 onwards to the Schuyler family. There’s nothing that can explain away the fact that AH at times lived with, visited, and sent his wife and children for extended stays and to be educated by his slave-owning in-laws. AH did not somehow become innocently involved in slave trading and ownership. Rather, he knew what he was doing when he married into the heavy slave-trading and owning Schuyler family and when he engaged in business acts for that family, including helping them to acquire/sell enslaved persons. These were morally weighty - and abominable acts, argued even in his day - and he did them anyway. There is not any record that remains that he had a problem having his children reared within an abhorrent system/household where people were enslaved and served them; in fact, given the number of times he sent his children to his father- and mother-in-law’s home for extended periods, it could be suggested he found nothing morally objectionable going on there. Philip Hamilton even thanked his enslaver grandfather for his advice on how to “be a good man.” P. Schuyler’s wealth and trading was through the slavery economy. Moreover, AH’s economic concerns were also inextricably tied to slavery - keep in mind that every mention of tariffs on sugar is connected to the slave trade. Almost everything led back to that evil institution.

During AH’s lifetime, a number of white AND Black persons articulated that all enslaved Black and Indigenous persons should be freed, that the practice of enslavement was a grave moral failing. AH was well-informed enough to know that Black Americans were articulating how freedom should be applied to them - indeed, many of the manumission policies of the original states arose from these efforts. So AH was fully aware of the arguments. (His son was involved!) Maybe this helped inspire him and his slave-owning friends and political colleagues to form the NY Society for Promoting the Manumission of Slaves, although none of this group agreed to give up their own enslaved persons as part of the organization of this group.

Or, as Newton-Hamilton audaciously state, “[AH] was more involved in building a nation” sotto voce based on enslavement and racial distinction than he could be bothered to care about the lives of enslaved people. This shouldn’t be a surprise when it comes to AH’s major moral failings/blind spots - he didn’t care about the lives of the people affected by his whiskey tax either. If one wants to nevertheless call this a “good man,” we’re probably looking at each other from across a void.

But this is well-trod territory. Several articles post-Chernow have evaluated and summarized positions on AH and slavery that I share:

“Hamilton's position on slavery is more complex than his biographers' suggest. Hamilton was not an advocate of slavery, but when the issue of slavery came into conflict with his personal ambitions, his belief in property rights, or his belief of what would promote America's interests, Hamilton chose those goals over opposing slavery. In the instances where Hamilton supported granting freedom to blacks, his primary motive was based more on practical concerns rather than an ideological view of slavery as immoral. Hamilton's decisions show that his desire for the abolition of slavery was not his priority.” Michelle DuRoss, “Somewhere in Between: Alexander Hamilton and Slavery,” Early American Review, 2011 [part 1, part 2]

“But it does illustrate something that his primary modern biographers have been reluctant to concede: Hamilton routinely subordinated his antislavery inclinations to other family and political concerns, and he did not ever approach even a modest level of engagement on the issue in his otherwise voluminous published works.” Phil Magness, “Alexander Hamilton’s Exaggerated Abolitionism,” 2015

“He was not an abolitionist...[h]e bought and sold slaves for his in-laws, and opposing slavery was never at the forefront of his agenda.” Annette Gordon-Reed, “Correcting ‘Hamilton’,” Harvard Gazette, 2016.

Serfilippi extends this:

When those sources are fully considered, a rarely acknowledged truth becomes inescapably apparent: not only did Alexander Hamilton enslave people, but his involvement in the institution of slavery was essential to his identity, both personally and professionally.

I have no objection to her statement. We simply have no record of AH strongly challenging the institution of slavery, while several of his colleagues and friends most certainly did. Instead, we have the financial transactions, the possible use of enslaved labor, and the possible ownership of enslaved persons, alongside his strong personal, professional, and political ties to owners of enslaved persons. And the new evidence: the inclusion of the following in a list of persons dead of Yellow Fever in NYC 1798, “Hamilton Alexander, major-general, the black man of, 26 Broadway” An Account of the Malignant Fever, Lately Prevalent in the City of New-York, 1799. We cannot know if this was an enslaved man or a free Black man who lived and labored for the Hamiltons, but it should eliminate anyone confidently stating that the Hamiltons did not own enslaved persons.

Thus, Serfilippi has successfully accomplished at least one important goal: bringing to the forefront the names (as we have them) of persons, servant or enslaved, connected to the Hamiltons.

I wrote above that part of the problem here is hagiography. If his concern is with the truth, I certainly look forward to Newton’s chapter-by-chapter repudiations of books written by Chernow, Brookhiser, and Knott on AH and the AH/GW relationship.This leads to the second issue that has arisen: the unprofessional, and frankly gross, glee in trying to punch down on a young female scholar. In my own field (an ex-partner is a military historian so I’ll speak for their field too), the approach when one believes a colleague is publishing in error and one has additional information that could illuminate the issues is to contact them and seek to work together to analyze and draw conclusions. Newton and the anonymous Love Hamilton clan didn’t treat Serfilippi as if she were deserving of this respect. Moreover, Newton has never, to my knowledge - and I purchased his books! - gone this hard after Chernow, who certainly deserves it even more.

But Newton-Hamilton betray their own concerns here: “Considering the era in which Hamilton lived, the challenges he faced, and his accomplishments, it is not difficult to understand why Hamilton did not make opposition to slavery his primary focus. His attention was on building a nation.” And what kind of nation was that? At the Constitutional Convention, AH’s lengthy speeches on the formation of the government have been recorded. There is no record of him offering any statements about the slavery issue, unlike his friend Gouverneur Morris.

Newton-Hamilton continue: “Unfortunately, that meant neglecting other important matters, not just slavery but also his own financial well-being.” Wow, a comparison is made between AH’s personal finances and the ownership of human beings. Could these authors be any clearer that the slavery issue is an inconvenience that they are ultimately unconcerned about? I’m unsure if Newton-Hamilton realize just how gross their attempt at addressing this issue has been, and that it’s hard to take their interpretation and analysis of the evidence seriously when these are the kinds of statements making their way into the rebuttal essays.

Now there is an interesting discussion about how even later abolitionists did not see a conflict in the employment of enslaved labor, but that too isn’t something that Newton-Hamilton show interest in. Instead, their approach seems to be that AH needs to be celebrated at all costs, and thankfully, those days are passing into history.

*It’s ridiculous that a group of people have given themselves a stupid pseudonym to avoid attaching their actual names to a so-called scholarly article. And I’m aware that I’m writing this anonymously, but on tumblr where maybe 5 people have made it to the end of this (I’m not publishing it on my real blog).

**I will not link it, but it can be found on Newton’s blog discoveringhamilton.

[silver-wield]

body language analysis: tifa and cloud train scene!! go!

Oh, Nonny, you made my morning with this!! I mean, it's not like I haven't touched on Cloud and Tifa's body language in gif reblogs, but an actual post dedicated to one of the best moments of the game? YAY!!

Ok, spoiler warning for ppl who haven't played (I tag FF7R spoilers as final fantasy 7 remake spoilers) and it's gonna be a long one so prepare to scroll.

Also, this is one person's interpretation of the scene, so if you disagree that's cool and we'll agree to disagree.

You're also gonna have to excuse the janky quality on some of the screens, I'm grabbing them from Youtube and it's frustrating af trying to get the exact moment I want.

Other analyses if anyone's interested.

Shinra HQ vision scene (Cloti/plot analysis) 

Chapter 3 (Cloti reblog) 

Tifa character analysis 

Aerith Resolution (plot analysis) 

Train graveyard (not really an analysis, but I got some sweet screenshots of Cloti) 

Now, strap in and enjoy the ride.

So, the corkscrew tunnel scene – or clotiscrew tunnel as I've seen it called – begins with Avalanche caught by the sensors on the train. After a timed fight – which, yes, it's possible to lose, but it's also clear this is a “bad ending” where you've made Cloud look like an incompetent dick who can't even handle a few drones – we see Barret mustering his courage and leaping from the train (he's so damn cute sometimes, I'm gonna have to do a post about his development with Cloud at some point).

The action then cuts to Tifa, frozen in front of the door, too afraid to jump (you can hear her whimpering). Cloud calls her name, deals with the last drone and comes over. Now, in the OG, obviously they all jump one after the other because polygons and popeye arms would've just looked like a total mess and Square admitted they neglected Cloti to highlight all the relationship development between Clerith since she dies later.

Cut to 2020 and we get this. Damn, Square, if I didn't already love you for pretty much my entire life already I'd have fallen for you all over again. In fact, I think I probably did.

Ok, I'm done gushing. Kinda.

I think the first thing I have to point out is that Cloud, at no point, needed to do this. He could have verbally encouraged Tifa to jump without the need for physical support at all. After all, the train's slowing down and she was fine in the OG, so who's to say she wouldn't be fine now, too? By calling her name and fixing her attention on him he's actually stalling her jump.

You'll notice that Tifa doesn't take her eyes off the tracks (before this screen obvs since I can see that’s her feet, work with me here), which is fitting since she's zeroed in on that fearful moment and actually can't move without help. Cloud's face in this is displaying typical tension you'd expect in a high energy scene. He's concerned for Tifa, but he's also focused on dealing with the mechs, which he does very quickly. Now, you could argue he did that to get on with the mission, or you could argue he did that because he saw Tifa needed him and his focus shifted to her. And watching the seconds following him turning to look at her, I'd say there's evidence towards the latter because he's actually lost focus on the last mech and it attacks him first causing him to block and parry.

This is the first instance of touching in this scene, and until this point, Tifa hadn't moved or acknowledged Cloud. He needed to physically draw her from her thoughts and you'll hear a surprised exhale from her as she turns to look at him, showing she was lost within herself until he drew her out. Cloud is obviously looking at the tracks, judging his next move. He's already planning what he has to do to keep both of them safe, which is clear from his decisive nod, along with a reassuring, but grim, smile, before pulling Tifa out the door. Remember, I said he could’ve verbally got her attention. He didn’t. He chose touch.

See what I mean about janky quality? Anyway, this is clear concern about Tifa's safety, but also, remember, Cloud is on the mission because Tifa said she felt trapped and he's related that back to their promise that she needs a hero. He's being her hero.

Okay, we're getting to the meat of things now.

First, fucking ouch, he definitely looks pained, meaning that whole manoeuvre wasn't as smooth as he pretended. As they slow down, he puts a bracing hand against the ground to prevent him rolling onto Tifa (because he's a gent and also toting a sword that weighs more than Barret lol).

What's interesting is where his left hand is in this. Make a note: middle of her back. Tifa's head is tucked into Cloud's neck – safety move, so nothing big there. I've seen some people note Tifa's leg is between Cloud's, but I'm gonna discount that as the way they've locked together during the roll. It's unintentional.

Oh, but this isn't! Cloud has absolutely no reason to put his hand back on Tifa. He could leave it lying flat on the ground. You could argue he needs both to help her get off him, but she's on top. She can do that herself. He has no further need past the initial save to have his hands on her, unless that's what he wants. Obviously we can't see his face in this because of Tifa's hair, but this, combined with the next screen tell a very definite story.

He moved his hand! That left hand, he didn't need to move it up in such a caressing gesture. Coupled with the very intense gaze he gives her, I was swooning like a maiden wearing a too tight corset lol

Now, you could argue he's just concerned, it's a high tension situation. Well, I argue that every single trope using this kind of scene results in sexual tension/flustered characters and/or a kiss. Remember, right at this second, he has no reason to still be lying with her like this. In fact, him moving his hand further up her back is a bracing gesture that would keep her close, not release her. Tifa's fists are balled against his chest, which signifies she's protecting her hands – she's a hand-to-hand fighter remember -- but her face is relaxed. She's not feeling awkward or eager to escape.

Eye contact!! Can I just leave it at that? No? Cloud isn't actually the type to keep prolonged eye contact. Oh, did you think I was about to say something else? Well, for literally anyone who hasn't paid attention to him, Cloud often looks away when he feels awkward, flustered, unsure, basically any negative emotion. The only time he looks anyone in the eye is when he's confronting them or at ease. Remember, even when Jessie teased him about smiling during chapter 4 he looked away, embarrassed. Cloud doesn't handle eye contact well. Which is why this is such a huge deal. He's keeping prolonged eye contact with Tifa. He doesn't look away from her eyes when he asks if she's ok. And that question – ah my heart! So soft and tender. You can hear the care and concern in his tone. It anchors the entire scene from start to finish. Everything he just did was because he cares about Tifa and wants to look after her. He wants to make sure she's ok, even if it means he suffers for it. Pretty sure some people will disagree with this, but the damn man wore a dress and went through a humiliating dance routine – humiliating for him, I fucking loved it – just to save her. His first words in Wall Market are he wants to save Tifa, but Aerith cuts him off before he can finish the sentence.

These are the moments that I have to go back over a million times to catch. Check the tiny eye narrowing and uplift at the corner of his mouth. She said she's ok and he's happy about it. He's her hero – in not so many words. Tifa's shaky reply and pale face confirm her shock and fear, but also you can see an easing of the tension in her. There's a subtle softening of her muscle definition and facial expression that displays the trust and belief she has in Cloud that he'd look after her. This is a very mutually appreciative moment between them. Definitely not one sided.

And then the moment is over, without any flustered blushing or stammering, and thank God there wasn't because that would be so ooc I just can't with it. Cloud, despite being an awkward af dork who doesn't know how to deal with women hitting on him, doesn't turn into a flustered 14 year old trying to tell his crush he's leaving Nibelheim whenever they have contact. We've already seen smooth!Cloud giving Tifa a flower and complimenting her like a cheeky bastard. He can handle being around her because he feels comfortable. He can compliment her because of that, too. He might be slightly separated from those childhood feelings, but they're in there and they're motivating him to be outgoing towards her. To show her the cool SOLDIER he became that's worthy of being beside her.

But, yeah, back to the point. The moment is over. Or is it? Because that is some very further prolonged eye contact between them when there doesn't have to be. Tifa moves back, Cloud moves forward, they're both getting up and yet, they're both looking at each other. I don't know about you, but I find it easier to look where I'm going when I've fallen on my ass and need to get up. I sure af don't stare longingly into someone's eyes like I can't bear not to.

And now it really is over because right after this the mechs arrive. But before that, some more prolonged eye contact. There literally is no need for them to do this at this point. Tifa looks pensive, but I think that's her default tbf. Yet, at the same time, there's an intensity in her gaze like she wants to say something – maybe it's just a thank you, that would turn into a flirty conversation of some sort “you didn't need to do that,” “I wanted to” kind of deal – so it makes sense they're interrupted because Square said they didn’t want to overdo the amount of Cloti content they added and this is already a very charged scene.

Meanwhile, Cloud is looking at her like she's his entire world and he's just waiting for her to realise it. There's an aura of expectation in his pose and face. They're both crouching in mirrored poses, which as some of you may know is what you do when you're trying to build rapport with someone. It's basic body language building blocks. Toddlers do this. They're both on one knee, slightly leaning forward. Now, if there was no rapport between them, if they wanted to end the moment, one of them would stand up, breaking the mirrored pose and cutting off eye contact. This would put one above the other and show an imbalance in their relationship. This doesn't happen. They both turn at the same time, rise at the same time and fight pose at the same time.

Conclusion:

Seriously? After all that you can't draw your own?

Ok, I'll be fair to the other side. Let's take away Cloud's history with Tifa – since that's the biggest argument for them: the childhood crush trope.

If Cloud and Tifa weren't friends, just colleagues on a mission, this scene would still be hella charged with sexual tension and implication that Cloud has a thing for her. Even if it's just basic sexual attraction, that's still attraction and a marker on the pathway to a relationship.

But, they are friends, so moving on.

Tifa is the more reserved one in this dynamic. She's naturally shy – it's canon – but even with that, she's affected by Cloud. She holds that eye contact. Her voice is equally soft as his. She mirrors his pose. She doesn't try to get away the second they stop moving. Cloud is the one to move things along, without awkwardness because he's comfortable with Tifa. He's not out of sorts having her lying on top of him – which you can argue means he's not interested, but I literally just pointed out all the ways in which he is into her. Being comfortable in someone's company doesn't mean a person isn't attracted to them. If I had to stick a pin in Cloud's sexuality I'd say he's on the demi scale, meaning he needs to have a deep emotional connection to whoever he's with before he falls in love with them. He's not a love at first sight kind of guy.

This fits with the childhood crush trope. Cloud's known Tifa for years and developed an attraction to her that still lingers, making a reconnection between them easier. He's not slobbering over her because he's Cloud and very stoic – I know people say his true self isn't like this, but it is only with more insecurity and desire to prove himself. He's still a very reserved guy with a dry sense of humour. He's prone to melancholy and self doubt, which is why his friends bolster his confidence so much.

Point is, everything in this scene showcases a deep and meaningful relationship between the two of them at its best, while at its most shallow it shows Cloud is sexually attracted to Tifa, which is something that could develop into a more meaningful relationship later. Either way, it's a marked moment in their interactions that Cloud's non-optional choices led to it. There's no either/or within this. It happened.

[justjessame]

The Deal Chapter 47

The Kingdom was something that I wasn’t expecting. Well, I wouldn’t have known what to expect, but this- This wasn’t what I would have imagined. There was a corral for the horses. The brick buildings had white trim. There was a gazebo where people sat and chatted. A garden, a clothes line, and people glancing up as the men who found me rode with me through the community. Picnic tables dotted the area they took me through.

“What was this place before?” I whispered, feeling awed by the simplicity of the life here contrasting against the opulence of the buildings.

“School.” One of my companions grunted.

I nodded, thinking it must have been a boarding school for diplomats’ children or politicians and the rich. I felt a flash of curiosity about Deanna’s boys, and whether they attended school here. I was still taking in my surroundings when the horses halted. We were in front of a building with the words “Post Theater” engraved into the white wood trim. I was helped down and pushed forward, toward the steps of the building.

“Go on,” the man who’d rode behind me said, coming up behind me. “You have to be presented to King Ezekiel. He’ll decide what to do with you.”

King Ezekiel? What did you expect, my mind screamed, it’s called the fucking Kingdom after all? I walked up the steps, wondering if I looked as certain as Negan had said I had when I left the tree line that first night. And then inside, I was directed toward the actual theater, and seated on a throne with a tiger at his side was a man I had to assume was the king himself.

I bowed. What else could I do? Clearly this was some type of cosplay kingdom, yet they all seemed to be taking their roles pretty damn seriously. And if I wanted to find a place here, then I’d play along.

“Rise up, young maiden.” Dear Lord, are you serious? “I am King Ezekiel. Who are you?”

I truly hoped that this theatrical man, with his graying dreads and regal attempts didn’t expect me to go ‘Shakespeare in the park’. “Jessica Grimes, your majesty.” I answered, rising and looking him straight in the eye.

“Grimes?” Ugh, there it was again, recognition. “Are you related to Rick Grimes?” I closed my eyes and prayed for composure.

“Yes, I’m his oldest daughter, sir.” I answered, breathing through my nose, hoping that he wouldn’t send me away.

He gestured for the men who were clearly still crowding me to move, or leave. “I thought you were-”

I wondered if I was supposed to be dead? Or a traitor? Or something truly offensive? “I offered myself as a trade for Glenn Rhee’s life, sir. I had no idea that I wouldn’t die for it. I-” I glanced down, collecting myself. “I left the Sanctuary. I feel I won’t be welcome in Alexandria, and even if I am, I’d rather not return.”

I could see the questions in his eyes when I raised my head. Questions that bubbled and churned. I was surprised he fought them off. “We have two of your people here, Jessica.” Shit. Who? He nodded at the men who hadn’t left, but had pulled back. “Have a seat, please. I’d like to see what they have to say.”

Great. More people who would assume I was a turncoat. Or that I was dead. Or who knew what else I’d have to face. More expectations. More crap that I was trying to avoid.

I was surprised when ‘my’ two people arrived. Carol? Morgan? What the hell? Carol took one look at me and rushed forward, pulling me from my seat and hugging me to her. I felt myself lean into the comfort she was giving me. And Morgan met my eyes over her shoulder. I didn’t see it. The judgement. The disappointment.

“Jessi,” Carol breathed, pulling back and brushing my hair from my face. “I thought you were-” She pulled me back into another hug. “I thought you gave up, sweetheart. I thought you gave up.”

I felt the burning in my eyes warning of tears and fought them. I shook my head and she released me. “I did too.” I lost the fight, tears brimmed over and were running down my cheeks. “I can’t go back, Carol.” It was a whisper, but she heard me and nodded. She moved away from me and I heard her approach the king.

“Jessi,” Morgan was staring at me, at whatever expression had taken over my face. He shook his head, his eyes tight. “I worried,” he started, moving closer, but not touching me. “I thought that you might have-”

I brushed the wetness from my face. “That I’d traded sides?” I asked, shaking my head at the horrified look he shot me. “No? That seems to be the popular opinion in Alexandria.” I fought to regain my control. “No one understood, I guess.” Feigning a lack of concern was harder when your face was challenging it. “I just can’t-” I shook my head again. Not able to continue my sentence as the feeling of pain took over.

“Jessica Grimes,” King Ezekiel’s voice sounded powerful, but gentle at the same time, a rare talent if I’d ever heard one. “Carol has vouched for you, and so, I welcome you to The Kingdom.”

Carol insisted I come to her house. That I stay with her. And Morgan followed us, letting the two of us walk side by side, letting us have some privacy. It was unnecessary since I was silent during the walk. And Carol, knowing far better than most what I was dealing with, let me have the quiet.

Her house was quaint, on the fringes of the Kingdom, surrounded by the same type of walker warning system I knew from my time at Daryl’s side. Seeing the ring of noise making paraphernalia made my heart clench painfully at the mere thought of him, and I thought I hid it, but Carol’s hand found mine and gave it a squeeze. I’d never escape them, any of them, I realized no matter where I went. Memories would torment me until the day I finally died.

Inside was just as cozy as the exterior, and I stood awkwardly in the middle of the room that was clearly meant to be a living room, unsure of what to do. “Sit, Jessi,” Carol offered, gesturing toward her couch.

I sat, hands clasped in my lap, waiting for it. The interrogation. The questions. The curiosity that was no doubt flowing through her and Morgan. Nothing came. I heard a bit of rattling in another room, and looked up to find that I was alone in the room. No Morgan. No Carol.

I sighed and let myself sink into the sofa. I hadn’t rested since leaving the Sanctuary. I didn’t trust that I wouldn’t be ambushed by walkers or worse humans. I let my eyes shut, for a moment, and when I opened them again, it was dark outside. It took a moment for me to remember where I was, but when I did, I wondered where Carol was.

“I’m right here, Jessi.” Her voice came from my right, and I saw that she was sitting on the other side of the couch. I’d fallen asleep sitting up. “You look exhausted.”

I couldn’t even find the energy to snort. I was exhausted. Completely and totally. “It’s been a long couple of-” I stopped. It seemed like it had been a long couple of years. My entire life was just a long series of pushing forward when I should have been sitting it out, it seemed. I sighed. “Thank you.” I offered.

“Hey,” I turned to look at her. “You don’t have to thank me, Jessi.” She smiled, and I could see the guilt in her eyes. “We really didn’t take care of you, did we?” She asked, studying me far too closely for my comfort.

“I don’t know what you mean, Carol.” I deflected. I ran my hand down my face and nearly laughed. Dear God, had I picked up Negan’s habit? “I’m tired, but I’m fine.”

She shook her head, I saw it from the corner of my eye. “You’re tired, but you’re not fine, Jessi.” I started to speak, but she stopped me. “Don’t bullshit a bullshitter.” I heard her give a bit of a chuckle, but didn’t know what she found funny.

“Everyone seems to think they know me, Carol. What do you see when you look at me?” I asked, wondering if she saw a martyr, a broken woman, or a suicidal mess?

She moved over, close enough to offer comfort if necessary, but still leaving me space. “I see a woman who shouldered every single thing that life and her people threw her way without a single complaint. I see a woman who loved so deeply that people took it for granted. I see a woman who would have taken on everyone else’s loss or sorrow or pain, just to keep them from feeling it. And I see a woman who offered her own damn life in the place of someone else’s because she gave up HOPE and wanted someone who still had it to live.” She took my hand in hers, and squeezed it. “Am I close?”

My tears were falling again, even as I shook my head, trying to deny how right she was. “You all did the best you could.” I was absolving her of any type of guilt she might have had, that they might have had.

“There it is.” She said, drawing my attention to her face. Her smile was sad. “You’re doing it again. You’re trying to make ME feel better about failing YOU.” She shook her head and she brushed my hair out of my face again. “Jessi, we were a family, we ALL should have seen it. We should have seen that you were breaking, but we didn’t. Not a single one of us.” Another shake of her head. “I can’t believe I made you come to defend Rick. I should have seen it.” She meant when all hell broke loose in Alexandria, the day Dad saw a glimpse of it. “So worried about those three questions, but never worried about the real cost.”

I pulled my hand from hers to swipe my tears away. “No one needed to fix me, Carol. Not when we’re constantly fighting everything this world keeps tossing at us.” I stared at a framed print on her wall. “Everyone had their own burdens. No one needed to take on mine.”

“You took on ours.” She reminded me, voice as quiet as mine. “Jesus, Daryl-” She stopped, seeing me flinch at the mention of his name. The thought that she would dare question his motives or his love for me, that the mention of his name would now be forever linked to Negan. To his insistence that I give up Daryl and his memory. “Jessi? Have you seen him?”

My eyes stayed on the painting. “I’ve been back to Alexandria twice since-” I didn’t have to say since when I knew she’d fill in the blanks. “He stared a hole in me the first time. I doubt he noticed me the second.” I was proud of how I sounded like I didn’t care.

“I’ve seen him. And your dad.” She offered, but my eyes were following the lines of the painting. “He misses you, Jessi. He, they love you so much, honey.”

I nodded. I didn’t doubt either assumption. I’m sure they did, or they told themselves they did. That they SHOULD miss me, that they SHOULD still love me. “You aren’t going to try to talk me into going back are you?” I had to know, because if that was something she wanted, then I would leave. I would venture into the unknown. I would become completely isolated before I was forced back.

“No.” She was firm. “I can understand you needing space.” And then it came, a question I should have anticipated, but didn’t. “Negan? Did he force you to-”

“NO.” My tone startled her, I felt her body tense. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have-” I closed my eyes and turned to face her again. “He isn’t like that.” With me, I added in my head, since I wasn’t sure his wives would tell the same story. “He-” how do I explain it without giving anything too intimate away? “He helped me break free from-”

“You wanted to die.” She said it so matter-of-fact that I knew she understood. “He helped you through that?” I nodded, praying she wouldn’t pry further. “That’s one good thing he’s done.” She sniffed, and I could tell it pained her to even give him that much credit. “I made some stew, would you like some?” A change of topics was welcome, and I nodded again.

Days in the Kingdom were different. I offered to do any job that needed done, bar planning for what was to come between the Saviors and Ezekiel’s people. I had a feeling they wouldn’t have agreed to allow me to join even if I was amiable. There wasn’t the same distrust I’d seen in Alexandria here, but I knew that my last name, and my disinterest in returning to Dad’s side was enough to make some question my purpose in their community.

Laundry duty. I nearly laughed at the irony of being given laundry duty. Once upon a time, I’d become a hunter and tracker just to escape laundry duty.

I didn’t complain or talk much at all while working. Getting lost in the physical aspect of the job, letting muscle memory be retaught to do this rather menial task was a form of escape too. I spent my day washing clothes for the community. Bedding, linens, clothing I washed and hung. I folded the dried batches, and I helped sort with the other workers, who showed me their system.

When I was dismissed, I’d walk back to Carol’s. Usually she was waiting for me, but if she wasn’t, I’d sit on the top step of her porch and look out over the grass. I’d watch it bend in the slight wind. I’d let my mind pretend for a while that I wasn’t hiding and waiting.

Carol would make us dinner. We’d sit in her living room, and she’d try to get me to open up more. Not as antagonistic as Negan, she usually managed to get me to talk a bit before I’d feel she pushed too hard and I’d close down again. ANY criticism toward Dad, Daryl, or anyone I considered family or, in the case of Negan that I felt anything for, was off limits.

And then it happened. I had just come back, with our clean laundry in tow, when Carol told me to sit down. I knew, from her tone, from the way she could hardly look into my eyes, that it was time. That they were going to be heading to the first round of a war that I wanted no part in. And for once, the only time I truly remembered feeling this way, I didn’t want anyone to say goodbye to me before leaving. I didn’t want to see her go. I didn’t want to see Morgan walk away.

I also knew that I’d sit behind in the relative safety of The Kingdom, waiting, and feeling like I was hovering in limbo. And I wondered, whomever came back, what would they find in my place?

[suckitsurveys]

[created by: joybucket]

What are your goals for April? I’m going to try to work out every day, not eat so much sugar, and not drink any soda. 

How do you celebrate Easter? This year we are having a brunch and an egg hunt with my nieces at my dad’s. 

Which flower blooms first where you live? I usually notice tulips first.

In which month do the flowers bloom? I’ve seen some already in March. 

What does your umbrella look like? I have a teal one with cats and dogs on it. 

Do you use an umbrella when it rains? Depends. 

Do you like getting caught in the rain? As long as it’s warm out. 

Do you do spring cleaning every year? I have been this year. 

^If yes, do you enjoy it? I do, I just want it all donnnnneeeeeee.

What is the hardest part of cleaning for you? Motivation. 

What is the hardest part of staying organized? Laziness.

Do you have any fake flowers in your room? I do.

Do you own any succulents? I do. I want more.

What is your favorite thing about spring? The flowers. Other than that I HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE spring. 

What is the coolest corsage you’ve ever worn? I only had one.

Do you keep a sketchbook? Nope.

What is something you find hard to draw? Everything.

What is something you find easy to draw? Hearts and stars, haha. 

What is a current style that you think is horrible? Crocs. I’ll never under the appeal. 

Do you wear bright floral tops in the spring? Sure.

What is your favorite spring drink? I don’t define drinks by season. Except for pumpkin spice lattes haha. 

Was it sunny for your senior prom pictures? I don’t know. 

Does hearing others have regrets, too, make you feel better? No.

What’s a collection you would like to start? Money. Hahah. 

What’s something that makes you itchy? Nothing in particular?

Do you have any ambitions you have to keep secret from your family? No.

What color socks are you wearing? None. I never wear socks inside. 

What color is your favorite cardigan to wear in the spring? I have two and I usually wear them more in the fall. 

What color is the sweatshirt you wear the most? Black.

Have you ever seen a double rainbow? I have.

Have you ever seen a rainbow out your bedroom window? Not my current on. 

What’s one thing you have made out of duck tape? A wallet that I used for YEARS in high school. 

What’s one DIY project you’ve seen that you think will never work? Everything on 5 minute crafts. 

If you watch Niki and Gabi, which twin is your favorite? I don’t watch them.

If you were an Olsen twin fan, which twin was your favorite? Mary-Kate!

Have you ever been to New York? State, yes. 

How many pictures do you have stored on your computer? None currently. I rarely use this laptop and we just reinstalled windows on it and there’s nothing saved. 

What’s one thing you’re behind the times on? Eh.

What’s one thing you want to learn how to make? I don’t know, more food?.

What is your favorite dollar store? Does Five Below count?

Do you have stomach issues? Yeah. 

Have you ever “fired” a doctor? No.

Do you use a sunlamp? No.

Do you have a least favorite nurse? No.

Who is someone you miss from your past? My mom. 

What’s one thing you would never want to do? Vote republican. 

Do you know anyone else who has your handwriting? Not that I know of?

What is the first color you ever dyed your hair? Big red chunky highlights in 7th grade.

Do you fantasize about revenge when you’re angry? Sometimes. 

Have you ever had to cut a toxic person out of your life? Yup. 

Do you hate it when people are narcissistic? Oh yes. 

Have you ever thrown a birthday party for your dog or cat? Not a full on party, no.

What was the name of the pet you grew up with? Two kitties named Jessie and Chaos. We got them when I was 8. Jessie passed when I was 18, and Chaos when I was 23. 

What color pants are you wearing? I’m not wearing pants lol. A benefit of WFH. 

What’s one store you wish you could afford to shop at? I’m okay. 

What’s one big regret you have? None thanks. 

Do you have a lot of pillows on your bed? Yes. 

Do you own anything from Aeropostale? No.

Have you ever tried arm knitting? No.

[art-by-sable]

Artist Q & A

This is exactly the kind of artist ask meme I’ve been looking for. Thank you @cacodaemonia for making this!

1. Are you a digital or traditional artist?

Both, but mostly traditional. It’s definitely easier to fix your mistakes and manipulate stuff in digital, but there’s just something about the feel of pencil on paper that you cannot replicate with a tablet. Also, you do not have to charge your sketchbook and it doesn’t lose your work if you forget to save.

2. If digital, what programs do you use? If traditional, what media?

I mostly use Paint Tool Sai because it’s nice and simple. I had a bunch of different art programs on my Cintiq, but since the charging port went kaput I can’t use any of them. For traditional stuff, I mostly use mechanical pencil and a regular old sketchbook. I sometimes start my outlines with a woodless graphite pencil I found in my stash. It’s a 2B, so I have to use it very lightly so I don’t smudge it and that makes it much easier to erase later on. For coloring, I like markers because they are easy lol. But I’ve been using watercolor lately as well. My colored pencils have been neglected.

3. Digital artists: how many layers do you usually use in one image?

It gets up there. Like 20+. I put everything on a different layer because I like chaos. Sometimes I do merge them at the end though. Occasionally I actually label all of them.

4. Traditional artists: what’s your favorite sensory aspect (smell, texture, etc) of your medium of choice?

If you don’t say squishing your kneadable eraser then you are lying to yourself.

5. What are your favorite things to draw/paint?

People dressed in suits. Additionally, I love a good portrait/bust. I am starting to like drawing full bodies and hands because I’ve been practicing and I’m getting better at it. I also like drawing armor, mostly because it’s nice and solid and I don’t have to worry about how to draw folds.

6. What are your least favorite things to draw/paint?

Backgrounds. I have never been able to wrap my head around perspectives and using vanishing points and whatnot. Also ears. 

7. How long have you been making art?

25 years. I can remember doing art as early as age 4. My older sister was doing art as well and so I just followed in her footsteps.

8. Do you prefer to create fan art or original art?

Fan art right now is the only thing that motivates me to make art, and that’s okay. If I wasn’t doing fan art, I’d probably just be painting lots of landscapes. But since I do photography, I’m not super motivated to recreate what I’ve already captured on camera.

9. Do you listen to or watch anything while drawing/painting? If so, what?

Music most of the time. I like soundtracks (Person of Interest, The Mandalorian) because they don’t have any words to distract me. My current playlist is blues/indie rock (Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats, Rag ‘n’ Bone Man, ZZ Ward, Jessy Wilson, Paul Cauthen, The Black Keys, Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa).

10. Do you usually work in black and white or color?

Usually black and white because coloring takes effort and I work slowly as it is.

[hallmark-movie-fanatics]

Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies and Mysteries 2020-2021 Programing Announcements - Press Release

100 DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS 2020 BEGINS ON HALLMARK, CROWN MEDIA FAMILY NETWORKS ANNOUNCES ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING SLATE FOR HALLMARK CHANNEL AND HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES

NEW CASTING, MOVIES, AND SERIES RENEWALS HEADLINE AN ALL-STAR SLATE

HALLMARK DRAMA, HALLMARK PUBLISHING, HALLMARK MOVIES NOW SEE EXPONENTIAL GROWTH; BUBBLY SESH PODCAST RETURNS FOR SEASON TWO

STUDIO CITY, CA – Wednesday, July 15, 2020 – Following unprecedented success across its 2019-2020 programming slate, Crown Media Family Networks today unveiled new casting announcements, Original movies, and renewals of hit series and movie franchises on its two flagship networks, Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries for 2020-2021.  The news comes 100 days prior to the launch of Christmas on Hallmark’s channels, the most anticipated holiday program event on any network.

“The Hallmark brand on TV has always championed positivity and emotional connection, and thanks to the dedication of our development teams and producing partners, we are excited to welcome new talent on both sides of the camera, as well as, announcing renewals of all of our original series and the return of beloved stars. Hallmark Channel Original Series are enviable within the industry for their longevity and for creating one of the most winning schedules on television,” said Michelle Vicary, Executive Vice President, Programming & Network Publicity, Crown Media Family Networks.

-- CASTING NEWS --

Crown Media Family Networks casting news includes the return of fan favorite network stars such as:

Alexa PenaVega (Spy Kids)

Alicia Witt (“Our Christmas Love Song”)

Andrew Walker (“Bottled with Love”)

Benjamin Ayres (“Chronicle Mysteries”)

Brennan Elliott (“Crossword Mysteries”)

Candace Cameron Bure (“Aurora Teagarden Mysteries”)

Carlos PenaVega (“Big Time Rush”)

Chaley Rose (“Christmas Duet”)

Eion Bailey (“Switched for Christmas”)

Holly Robinson Peete (“A Family Christmas Gift,”)

Jesse Metcalfe (“Chesapeake Shores”)

Jill Wagner (“Christmas In Evergreen: Tidings of Joy”)

Julie Gonzalo (“Supergirl”)

Kristoffer Polaha (“Condor”)

Lacey Chabert (“Crossword Mysteries”)

Laura Osnes (“In the Key of Love”)

Luke Macfarlane (“Just Add Romance”)

Marilu Henner (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”)

Mark Taylor (“Memories of Christmas”)

Merritt Patterson (“Picture a Perfect Christmas”)

Michael Rady (“You’re Bacon Me Crazy”)

Nathan Witte (“Supernatural”)

Niall Matter (“Christmas at Dollywood”)

Nikki DeLoach (“Two Turtle Doves”)

Rachael Leigh Cook (“Frozen in Love”)

Rick Fox (“Greenleaf”)

Rukiya Bernard (“One Winter Weekend”)

Sarah Drew (“Grey’s Anatomy”)

Tamera Mowry-Housley (“The Real”)

Tyler Hynes (“The Mistletoe Secret”)

With several more announcements in the coming weeks, today we are pleased to announce new talent joining the Hallmark family, including:

Aaron Tveit (“The Code”)

Alvina August (“Nancy Drew”)

Janel Parrish (“Pretty Little Liars”)

Jeremy Jordan (“Supergirl”)

Krystal Joy Brown (“She-Ra and the Princesses of Power”)

Lucia Micarelli (“Treme”)

Mallory Jansen (“Shooter”)

Marisol Nichols (“Riverdale”)

Rochelle Aytes (“S.W.A.T.”)

Ronnie Rowe (“Star Trek: Discovery”)

-- DEVELOPMENT DEALS --

Crown Media is working with some of its most compelling talent in a development capacity. The company is currently in development with network stars Ashley Williams and Kimberly Williams- Paisley on a two-part movie about real sisters, with each of them playing the lead in one of the films. In addition, the company is developing projects with Holly Robinson Peete and Tamera Mowry-Housley.  

Behind the scenes, directors Catherine Cyran and Clare Niederpruem return to direct new original movies, joined by new female directors, Linda-Lisa Hayter, Erica Dunton, and Jessica Harmon.

--HALLMARK CHANNEL PROGRAMMING NEWS--

Hallmark Channel’s upcoming slate includes the return of seasonal events, Fall Harvest and Countdown to Christmas, as well as new seasons in the network’s three scripted dramas and daily, lifestyle program, “Home & Family.” Additionally, Crown Media Family Networks has renewed Hallmark Channel’s pet-centric specials, “Kitten Bowl,” “American Humane Hero Dog Awards,” and “American Rescue Dog Show.”

-- HALLMARK CHANNEL SEASONAL FRANCHISES --

Fall Harvest - Programs currently slated for this year’s autumnal event include:

“Country at Heart” starring Jessy Schram and Niall Matter – October 3

“Neverbrides” starring Chaley Rose and Nathan Witte – October 10

10th Anniversary Edition of American Humane Hero Dog Awards Show – October 19

--NO ONE DOES HOLIDAY LIKE HALLMARK --

COUNTDOWN TO CHRISTMAS 2020 – Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas – which along with sister network Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ holiday franchise, Miracles of Christmas, draws nearly 85 million unduplicated viewers each year – kicks off Friday, October 23. Hallmark Channel will premiere 23 all-new original films, including:

“A Royal Holiday”, starring Laura Osnes, Aaron Tveit and Krystal Joy Brown

“Jingle Bell Bride”, starring Julie Gonzalo and Ronnie Rowe

“A Christmas Tree Grows in Brooklyn”, starring Rochelle Aytes and Mark Taylor

“If I Only Had Christmas”, starring Candace Cameron Bure

“Deliver by Christmas”, starring Alvina August and Eion Bailey

“On the 12th Date of Christmas”, starring Mallory Jansen and Tyler Hynes

“Christmas Waltz”, starring Lacey Chabert

“Christmas in Vienna”, starring Sarah Drew and Brennan Elliott

“Christmas in Evergreen 4”, starring Rukiya Bernard and Holly Robinson Peete

“Chateau Christmas”, starring Merritt Patterson and Luke Macfarlane

“Cross Country Christmas”, starring Rachael Leigh Cook

“Christmas Carnival”, starring Tamera Mowry-Housley

“When Calls the Heart Christmas 2020”, starring Erin Krakow, Pascale Hutton, Jack Wagner, Kavan Smith, Chris McNally, Kevin McGarry, Paul Greene, Andrea Brooks and Martin Cummins

HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES HOLIDAY EVENT, MIRACLES OF CHRISTMAS -- Kicking off Friday, October 23, “Miracles of Christmas” will feature 17 all-new original movies, including:

“Christmas Tree Lane” starring Alicia Witt and Andrew Walker

“Holly & Ivy” starring Janel Parrish, Jeremy Jordan, and Marisol Nichols

“The Christmas Bow” starring Lucia Micarelli and Michael Rady

“Cranberry Christmas” starring Nikki DeLoach and Benjamin Ayres

“Christmas Doctor” starring Holly Robinson Peete

-- HALLMARK CHANNEL ORIGINAL SCRIPTED SERIES --

Returning for new seasons in 2021, are Hallmark Channel’s three original scripted programs, which are some of the longest-running and highest-rated series on cable television.

“When Calls the Heart,” Hallmark Channel’s longest-running series, will soon go into production on Season 8. The #1 series year-to-date across cable among W18+, “When Calls the Heart” stars Erin Krakow (“Army Wives”), Pascale Hutton (“Arctic Air”), Jack Wagner (“Melrose Place”), Kavan Smith (“Mistresses”), Chris McNally (“Altered Carbon”), Kevin McGarry (“Heartland”), Paul Greene (“Bitten”), Andrea Brooks(“Supergirl”) and Martin Cummins (“Riverdale”).

On the heels of its recently concluded successful sixth season, “Good Witch” has been greenlit for Season 7.  The series stars Catherine Bell, whose 13-year portrayal of Cassie Nightingale is one of the longest-running performances on television, Sarah Power (“Killjoys”), James Denton (“Devious Maids,” “Desperate Housewives”), Catherine Disher (“Abby Hatcher”), Katherine Barrell (“Wynonna Earp”), Scott Cavalheiro(“The Indian Detective”), Kylee Evans (“The Strain”) and Marc Bendavid (“Murdoch Mysteries”).

Multi-generational family drama, “Chesapeake Shores”, is set to return for Season 5.  Based on the novels of the same name by New York Times bestselling author Sherryl Woods (Trinity Harbor), the series stars Jesse Metcalfe (“Dallas”), Meghan Ory (“Once Upon a Time”), Golden Globe® nominee Treat Williams(“Everwood,” Hair), Academy Award® nominee Diane Ladd (Wild at Heart), Barbara Niven (“Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove”), Laci J. Mailey (“Falling Skies”), Emilie Ullerup (“Sanctuary”), Brendan Penny(“Motive”) and Andrew Francis (“Final Destination 3”).

-- HALLMARK CHANNEL’S DAYTIME, LIFESTYLE SERIES, “HOME & FAMILY” --

Hallmark Channel has renewed its three-time Daytime Emmy ®-nominated lifestyle program, “Home & Family,” for Season 9.  Two-time Emmy ® nominee Debbie Matenopoulos and three-time Emmy ® nominee Cameron Mathison will continue as hosts of the show that features celebrity interviews as well as a fun, fresh perspective on cooking, DIY, gardening, wellness and more.

-- HALLMARK CHANNEL’S ANNUAL PET SPECIALS --

Hallmark Channel’s annual pet specials are a component of the network’s pet adoption initiative, Adoption Ever After, which has helped more than 70,000 shelter pets find forever homes. These returning specials include:

“Kitten Bowl VIII”, slated for February 2021

Third Annual “American Rescue Dog Show”, slated for February 2021

10th Annual “Hero Dog Awards”, premiering Fall 2020

--HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES PROGRAMMING NEWS--

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries will bring back popular programming including all new installments of its highly popular mystery movie franchises and the return of the network’s highly rated holiday event, Miracles of Christmas.

-- HALLMARK MOVIES & MYSTERIES MYSTERY MOVIE FRANCHISES --

Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ movie franchises have propelled the network to be one of the most competitive in cable.

Mystery franchises returning to the network in 2020 and 2021 include:

“Picture Perfect Mysteries: Exit Stage Death”, starring Alexa and Carlos PenaVega, premiering this Fall

New installments in “Morning Show Mysteries”, starring Holly Robinson Peete (“A Family Christmas Gift”) and Rick Fox (“Greenleaf”), from Executive Producer Al Roker

New installments in “Martha’s Vineyard Mysteries” starring Jesse Metcalfe (“Chesapeake Shores”)

“Mystery 101”, starring Jill Wagner (“Christmas In Evergreen: Tidings of Joy”) and Kristoffer Polaha (“Condor”)

“Aurora Teagarden Mysteries”, currently in production on its 14th installment and starring Candace Cameron Bure (“Fuller House”), Niall Matter (“Christmas at Dollywood”) and Marilu Henner (“Brooklyn Nine-Nine”), slated to premiere in early 2021.

--HALLMARK DRAMA NEWS--

Crown Media Family Networks announces that its third linear channel, Hallmark Drama, continues distribution success most recently with a launch on Charter’s “Silver Package.” Charter is the nation’s second largest MVPD. Hallmark Drama also launched on Comcast, DISH, DirecTV, Cox, Verizon, Altice, Frontier, and a majority of NCTC members.

--HALLMARK MOVIES NOW NEWS--

Crown Media Family Network’s subscription video on-demand service, offering over 1,000 hours of commercial-free Hallmark-branded content, is nearing one million subscribers. The service includes beloved Hallmark content not available on Crown Media’s linear networks and is in high demand among consumers for high-quality movies and featured events like “Jingle In July,” a Christmas in July event only available to HMN subscribers. New on Hallmark Movies Now in October is season four of “Chesapeake Shores,” the premiere of “Home for Harvest”, and season 12 of “Heartland”. And, coming this holiday season, Hallmark Movies Now will launch its holiday franchise, “Movies & Mistletoe,” headlined by a library of Christmas content to rival any network offering.

--HALLMARK CHANNELS’ BUBBLY SESH PODCAST--

Hosted by Jacklyn Collier (Jacks) and Shawlini Manjunath-Holbrook (Shawl), Hallmark Channels' Bubbly Sesh podcast returns for a second season, giving network fans a VIP pass inside the world of Hollywood celebrities and movie-making, with a primary focus on Hallmark Channel fan-favorites.

--HALLMARK PUBLISHING--

Crown Media Family Network’s publishing division, has achieved great success in its short existence, including two USA Today bestsellers and an exclusive partnership with Walmart that brings new mass market paperback novels to stores each month through February 2021. Coming in August: two new cozy mystery novels: Behind the Frame: A Shepherd Sisters Mystery by Tracy Gardener and Dead End Detective: A Piper & Porter Mystery from bestselling author and Agatha Award winner Amanda Fowler. And new for Christmas: Wrapped Up in Christmas Joy by Janice Lynn, the sequel to the 2019 USA Today bestseller Wrapped Up in Christmas.

“Crown Media Family Networks is looking forward to entertaining viewers with all-new original programs across all of our services, all while continuing to communicate the value of the Hallmark brand on TV to consumers through other touchpoints within our ancillary businesses. Today’s announcements are only the beginning for a company that is growing exponentially in the U.S. and around the world,” Michelle Vicary concluded. 

ABOUT CROWN MEDIA FAMILY NETWORKS Crown Media Family Networks is the umbrella unit subsidiary of Hallmark Cards, Inc., housing cable’s leading family friendly networks, Hallmark Channel, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, and Hallmark Drama. Hallmark Channel features an ambitious slate of new, original content, including movies, scripted series, annual specials, and a daily, two-hour lifestyle show.Hallmark Channel is also home to the popular annual holiday franchise “Countdown to Christmas,”featuring a lineup of 24/7 holiday programming. Hallmark Movies & Mysteries is a 24-hour cable network featuring a unique mix of new, original movies and acquired series focused on the lighter side of the suspense and mystery genres. The network also features its own annual holiday programming franchise, “Miracles of Christmas”. Hallmark Drama showcases the rich legacy of the Hallmark Hall of Fame library and with zero duplication, spotlights movies and series from Crown Media’s collection of original dramatic content. Crown Media Family Networks is also home to Hallmark Movies Now, the company’s subscription streaming service, which offers wholly distinct content from the company’s linear channels. Crown Media Family Networks’ publishing extension, Hallmark Publishing, creates novelizations of previously aired original movie favorites. It also accepts author submissions for original, on-brand manuscripts that can be greenlit as a new movie or series for one of the company’s three linear networks.

    For more information, please visit www.crownmediapress.com     Hallmark Channel on Social Media: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest     Hallmark Movies & Mysteries on Social Media: Facebook, Twitter     Hallmark Drama on Social Media: Twitter       Hallmark Publishing on Social Media: Twitter 

LINK

[s4myj0]

About Me

Well just doing that so that my friend will do it too💀

My name is Joy :D

I'm currently 19 years old (02 liner)

I'm Filipina 🇵🇭

My MBTI: INFJ-T

Slytherin 🐍

I have been into Kpop ever since 2016 (grew up with the music tho)

I own 84 albums (and there's still more to come) (update: it's now 100+)

I own one (unofficial) light stick (from Stray Kids)

I own the NCT Lightstick

I attended two Kpop concerts: Jessi and Stray Kids

I'm going to attend the Seventeen concert in London! (Edit: nevermind that. It got cancelled due to the Coronavirus...)

Became an NCTzen in the end of October 2018 or begin November 2018

Jaemin was my first bias and still is

My biases from the different units are:

NCT: Jaemin

NCT Dream: Chenle

NCT 127: Yuta/Haechan

NCT U: Mark/WinWin

WayV: YangYang

But I love them all equally

One of my favorite vocals (in NCT): TAEIL!!! Haechan and Doyoung

Favorite rappers: mOrk, Jeno, Jaemin

Favorite dancers: JISUNG, Ten, WinWin

I actually really love everyone of them equally but if I had to choose, they would be it

Other groups I stan besides NCT:

Boy groups: BTS, Stray Kids, ASTRO, Seventeen, TXT, and many many more

Girl groups: Red Velvet, GFriend, Dreamcatcher, Blackpink, EXID, Stellar, ITZY, etc.

Mixed: AKMU, Kard

Solos: Chung Ha, Sunmi, Ailee, IU, ...

Favorite authors: @haechaaaaaaanssi 😔👊🏽 okay but tbh I don't have one because like I read the stuff of everyone so I don't really have a favorite author

First group I stanned: BTS (what a surprise)

Still loving them deeply tho

Well besides writing, I love to dance, sing, draw, and watch Anime-

I post dance covers on Instagram: @/saemiya._ :D

I have two older brothers

Role models: I got a lot tbh but I have to say that Jisung is a huge role model to me because he is the same age as me. Reason is because he reached so much and fought for his dreams at such a young age and since he is as old as me, he motivates me to keep going as well and I'd want to be just as strong as him

I can speak 4 languages: English, Tagalog, German and a little bit of Korean

I'm also learning Japanese at university right now

I think I can speak English the best out of all

I love watching K-Dramas

I also watch Chinese dramas (watch The Untamed btw thank you)

I'm very awkward

But you can always talk to me if you're bored :D

I can't think of anything more so I'm going to just end it here

If you want to know more about me, feel free to ask!

[for-a-better-life]

Our lifestyle during Covid-19

Yes. you, me and every single human being agree that the global pandemic is challenging. We struggled, but it fortunately made some positive impact around the world to a certain extent.

 However, since Covid-19 started to diffuse rapidly worldwide, people were overly pessimistic and were thinking about how boring and hard their life will be. In addition to the spread of social media rumors regarding Corona virus that made people get confused, stressed and anxious.

 Positive side of Coronavirus

 Individual’s lives has been transformed from the way they live to the daily tasks they accomplish. It spontaneously, took them out of their comfort zone. people started to rely more on themselves, rather than paying for some goods or services. In terms of hobbies, people spent their free time practicing their skills and abilities to improve them. Perhaps, to start their new business by taking advantage of their hobbies which will be their source of income.

Psychological and cognitive effect

Despite the ongoing threat that we face nowadays, exploring and learning odd things during corona virus lock down does not only help in acquiring more knowledge and new skills, but also relieve stress, boost self-esteem and energy level. Just like you strengthen your body by exercising, your mind can also be trained, particularly when learning a new skill or language, and disseminating what you learned to others flex your memory muscles. Research emphasized the importance of  keeping our mind active as we get older, as it can result in a better life satisfaction and optimism.

Practicing skills

 During my long vacation, lockdown was taking place from 6 AM to 8 AM. Personally I was at home all the time, scrolling through Instagram and I found many inspirational videos about Art which really encouraged me to buy acrylic colors and brushes via online store. I was really surprised by how amazing my drawing and painting was. I usually use only black pencils to sketch. But luckily Covid-19 persuaded me to use colors.

    Image credit:  Ohood

Cooking healthy food

These days, during Corona virus,  many people prefer to cook at home because it is  healthier, low in calories and safer. Whilst eating or ordering from outside food is not recommended , because some restaurant’s environment are contaminated while the staff may not adhere to preventive measures which will increase the spread of the virus and it will affect people’s health because fast food are high in calories and hydrogenated fats.

A student from University of Sharjah, Noora Hassan said:” It is very important to stay healthy during the global pandemic”. She added, “Pancakes is my favorite meal, but during lockdown I cooked it by replacing white flour with oats and banana it was healthy and tasty”.

Image credit:  Noora Hassan,UOS student 

CDC emphasized the importance of eating dark leafy greens, tomatoes and oranges because they are rich in vitamins, fiber and minerals. As a result, if someone catches the virus, his body will be able to fight against the virus efficiently and effectively.

However, since many private and public sectors were closed during the beginning of the global pandemic, some people, got affected negatively, where they stopped exercising because they only get motivated in the gym and thereby, they became extremely lazy and  obsessed with junk food ! which unfortunately, lead one in 3 individuals in the UAE to gain weight,whereas,38.5%  of residents claimed that they never exercised since the beginning of the global pandemic according to a survey conducted in April in the UAE.  

 Remote working

“Working from home was bittersweet , I love what I do and was ready to get back into it, so being told to work from home felt odd.” said Ms Jensen, 35.

 Although some people barely accepted and adapted to remote working, but it actually helped in boosting their skills and knowledge regarding technology. Thus, they will more likely to be confident in their technical abilities. Fortunately ,it has been found by Stanford study that employees who work from home are 13% more productive thereby, perform better than if they were in their work office.

Thanks to the global pandemic, it is saving the money of companies who shifted to remote working, where they don’t have to pay for office rent nor its resources or utilities. In addition, cleaning services and offering free snacks will not be required. In terms of taxes, the amount of money they will have to pay will significantly decline. 

Kids distance learning

When the global pandemic spread in the UAE in March 2020 , they implemented distance learning for all students in the UAE in private and public schools and  universities.For adults it may be easy for adults to use websites and applications for online classes.

However, kids in grade 1 or 2, might find it challenging at the beginning to use the computer or the application of their classes, because they are still young and their knowledge is limited. In addition, some of them not take it seriously and they barely focus . However, according to my observation, as the time goes by, children are capable of turning on the computer, tablet or iPad and sign in to the website or application they learn from like zoom and Microsoft teams.

Moreover, they are aware of their username, password and their class section, and able to turn on/off the microphone and the camera when needed, so they become independent and they don’t need any help anymore. As a result,covid-19 successfully left one choice for kids which is to use technology to achieve distance learning that positively affected their cognitive abilities.

Regarding concentration,some teachers,started to ask kids questions individually during online classes,to ensure that they understand the lesson.Moreover,they conduct short quizzes on Kahoot! website,to test kids knowldge about some topics.

A science and design teacher at Manila Xiamen International School in China, claims that he uses Kahoot at the begging and end of the lesson, because his students always want to play and learn using Kahoot , which is a great opportunity to refresh their mind and allow them to focus better since they are stuck at home.

Image Credit : Jessie Casson/getty images

However, UAE Ministry of Education applied some steps to guarantee that distance learning is successfully applied for school and students. Some of the procedures like  providing an online professional training for more than 25,000 government school teachers and administrators for one week. Also, train more than 9,200 private school teachers and principals. Furthermore, coordinating with Hamdan Bin Mohammed Smart University, in providing a free online course called “be an online tutor in 24 hours” for teaching and academic personnel to acquire the skills that allow them to efficiently and effectively to teach in online classrooms.

Allow private schools to implement their own e-learning system, as well as assign teams and committees to supervise an make sure that distance learning process is being applied and followed successfully.In terms of the internet,the UAE coordinated with Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA), Du and Etisalat to offer free mobile internet package for UAE families who do not have internet connection.

References:

 Mary Gaul, success magnified, the benefits of learning new information.p,1,4,5,7.(2018).

Beyond blue, ways to reduce stress during the coronavirus pandemic, Ways to reduce stress,p,3.(2020) .

Joseph Jones,Health.mil, COVID-19: lifestyle tips to stay healthy during the pandemic,p,5.(2020).

Salam Al Amir, Thenational, Coronavirus ; one in three UAE residents gained weight since outbreak began, survey finds,p,1,5,10.(2020)

 David Dun, Thenational, how companies going remote-first amid signs working from home is here to stay,p,5,7.(2020).

 Business,Does working from home save companies money ?,cost saving for allowing employees to work from home,p,3,4,5,6.(2020)

 UAE government, Distance learning in times of COVID-19, Implementing distance learning.p,1,2,3,4,5,7,10.(2020).

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Psycho Analysis: Giovanni

(WARNING! This analysis contains SPOILERS!)

Over the years, Pokemon has had a great many antagonists and a great many evil teams, but few have ever surpassed the sheer notoriety of Team Rocket. And at the very top of Team Rocket is the man, the myth, the legend: Giovanni. The Viridian City gym leader as well as the head of an international pet-stealing criminal organization, Giovanni is the original twist villain of the franchise, with his ultimate role as the final gym leader of the Generation I games likely coming as a shock to many players back in the 90s. But what is it about Giovanni that has kept him as such an enduring foe of the franchise to the point that he helped send the franchise off in a blaze of glory at the end of Generation VII, letting them transition from handheld to hybrid consoles?

Motivation/Goals: Part of what makes Giovanni so unique is that he, by the incredibly simple nature of the Generation I games, has an incredibly simple goal: make money and steal Pokemon. That’s basically all Team Rocket does, to the point they kill Pokemon and harass anyone who gets in their way. The thing is, over time and through the dozens of remakes, Giovanni’s true goal has been hinted at and reimagined in numerous ways. The most impressive reimagining is his role in the Rainbow Rocket postgame questline in Ultra Sun/Ultra Moon, in which he gathers versions of all the franchise’s villains from across the multiverse into one team and tries to conquer Alola. Here, it is revealed that he has Mewtwo on his team, which seems to imply that, at least in the timeline established from Gen VI until this point, that Giovanni’s true goal was in line with his anime counterpart’s and that he had a hand in the creation of Mewtwo for his own nefarious purposes. Whether this is true in games like the Generation I games and their remakes is pretty much up in the air and open to interpretation, but one thing is for sure: Giovanni wants power, and he’ll stop at nothing to get it.

Personality: While Ghetsis of all people describes Giovanni as pure evil, Giovanni certainly doesn’t show it. His own men view him as a benevolent boss, and in games like Yellow and the Let’s Go games he pretty much has to be somewhat decent to his employees if he allows goobers like Jessie and James to stay in the ranks despite their incessant blundering. Obviously Giovanni is tough and intense, and if you ask Silver I’m sure you’ll be told he’s not a very good father, but I think there is at least some honorable traits to Giovanni. Even after you defeat him in the Rainbow Rocket plot, he concedes to you gracefully and applauds you for defeating him, showing he is very much not a sore loser as some other villains are.

Final Fate: In Gen I, Giovanni claimed he was going to reform before disappearing, with his presence being felt heavily in the Gen II games as Team Rocket tried and failed to get him to return to lead them again. Later games and the remakes would retcon this, showing that Giovanni would never truly give up on his dreams of conquest, and at least one version of him would go on to be a dimension-hopping menace who attempted to invade the Alola region.

Best Scene: Basically any climactic battle against him, particularly the battle at Silph Co. and his gym in Gen I, his special event battle in the cave by the waterfall in Gen IV, and the final duel against him in  the Rainbow Rocket plot of Gen VII. All but the battle in Gen IV are sure to be a tough, challenging duel that will test your skills (unless you packed a Water-type, anyway).

Best Quote: After defeating him during the Rainbow Rocket plot, Giovanni has this to say: "Having a kid stand in front of me like this... Such a thing should never happen. But for some reason, it also makes me feel nostalgic."

As this line comes on the last games to be released on the last true handheld consoles of Nintendo, it feels all the more special and poignant. Giovanni was there at the start, and he was there at the end, bookending the series’ time on handhelds in a way that, yes, does invoke feelings of nostalgia.

Final Thoughts & Score: Giovanni is most definitely a simple villain. But I think that as far as simple villains go, he is a pretty impressive one. I think that because he is so simple and because a lot of his true goals are only hinted at by the games, it allows players to come to their own conclusions about what evil schemes he might have in ways you can’t with the more straightforward and unambiguous villains of later titles like Ghetsis and Lysandre, who spell out their evil plans. Meanwhile, Giovanni here straight up tells you you’re a foolish kid who could never hope to understand what he’s doing and straight up tells you nothing. What a boss.

This will sound strange, but in some ways Giovanni is similar to DIO. Look: he’s a major antagonizing force in the first part, the part that introduces the series (Phantom Blood/Red & Blue), and then his actions loom large over other parts of the franchise (Diamond is Unbreakable, Vento Aureo, and Stone Ocean/Gold, Silver, and Crystal and their remakes), until finally things culminate in a huge, climactic duel that reveals secret parts to his plan no one realized before (Stone Ocean/Rainbow Rocket in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon). He even has a son who is ultimately a better person than him, though Silver is a hell of a lot crabbier than Giorno. Obviously Giovanni is nowhere near as impressive and iconic as DIO, but for what Giovanni is, he’s still a 10/10.

I think a lot of Giovanni’s enduring appeal is because of the anime, which wisely kept him in the shadows and made him an undeniable badass due to him controlling Mewtwo and constantly be stroking his Persian a la Blofeld. Much like Slade would years later in Teen Titans, the ridiculous amounts of mystery surrounding Giovanni in the anime led to a world of speculation, with some of the more famous theories claiming that he was Ash’s father. Keep in mind, this is a character anyone watching the show would already be familiar with because they already played the games. Still, there’s no denying it was incredibly cool and effective for kids, and thanks to Rainbow Rocket drawing on some elements of the anime version of Giovanni, it’s nice to see the anime have a positive influence on the games as opposed to the stupid Ash Greninja or the numerous Ash hat Pikachus.

Bottom line: Giovanni is a cool, simple villain who does what he does with great style, honor, and intrigue, and as far as starter villains for an RPG franchise go, they don’t get much better than the Big G.

[artigas]

(1) Hi! Its the anon that asked about lizzie and tatiana, I’m currently halfway through s5 and i really like jessie! I thought she was gonna be the one to finally resist tommys advances. I liked the scene where he goes to her apartment and they have a good back and forth. But alas she cant resist and sleeps w him, and he’s essentially just using her. I love her as a character and how she manifests her ideals into actions but, so far i thought she’d call out tommys shit by now!

And specially i cant help but resent how they set up the women to compete against one another, i rolled my eyes at the scene where they are exiting the polls and jesse and lizzie size each other up. Girls, please move on. I did like in season 5 where tommy is drunk meeting w jessie and she just gets up and leaves. I think the show has good female characters it just that they prioritize the male ones more. Unlike the women, the male characters dont revolve around a relationship. and finally, And idk if im just overthinking things but i think the show has upped its sexist comments? specially w tommy and arthur. W tommy telling lizzie shes his property and arthur telling linda to just be a good wife. Meanwhile polly and ada are really well written characters for the most part! Sorry this is so long i just have a lot of thoughts regarding the women of this show. And i love your analisis!

Nope! Don’t apologize, friend, I’ve absolutely adored reading all your feedback and your experience watching the show! I think Peaky Blinders, for all its good, has a lot of space to grow when it comes to women characters who are potentially romantically/sexually available to the protagonists- it does sometimes feel like the quality of writing and the depth of character for women characters waxes and wanes, but I also think that a lot of these characters- Lizzie, Grace, Polly, Esme, etc- have these great foundations, these building blocks of characterization that make them really compelling and really promising so long as they have free reign to be written as complexly and as thoughtfully as their male counterparts. I think Grace is a really stellar example, you know? Love her or hate her, she has a history, a back-story, individual motivations, and a social/political ideology that can actually really be broken down in some pretty interesting ways! Polly, too, is another character who is probably most obviously allowed to be pointedly ambitious, sexual, manipulative and outright cruel and still someone the show clearly roots for and sides with. I love what we get with Polly, especially considering how most shows would probably limit her to being maternal, chaste, and uninvolved in the family business (likely because of her age, too). Overall, I think the show does a good job of giving women characters flaws- none of them are meant to be perfect. But I really do think Peaky Blinders could benefit from occasionally resisting the urge to have all its women have romantic subplots, primarily with Tommy almost unexceptionally. 

As far as Jessie goes, I really do love that she’s someone who has this strong ethical and political foundation. I mean, Jessie and Freddie in a room together would’ve been a sight, right? I especially adored her scenes with Ada. I think they had such interesting chemistry and so much could’ve been done if the show had the real estate to really contrast Jessie’s idealism and dedication to the communist cause and Ada’s disenchanted relationship with that same movement she once honestly dedicated herself to. The fact that Jessie and Tommy both draw together because they represent to one (or, at least, invoke the memory of) their respective lost loves was also a refreshing change in terms of the sort of “romantic” relationships Tommy has had thus far. (How authentic we want to think that ‘relationship’ was from either Jessie or Tommy’s end is a different story and definitely worthy of suspect and investigation in the funnest possible way, I think, but I don’t wanna rant).

As far as season five goes, I think the hike in misogynist language and ideology wasn’t coincidental or without thought. I think Arthur and Tommy both are progressively getting worse as the show goes on and went through separate, but equally erosive psychological processes that took out a really ugly side to them both, especially in their relationship with the women in their lives. It felt to me like both characters were scrambling for control and finding a way to express authority over women who depend on them became one of the ways that need made itself manifest. I think it’s no coincidence that Lizzie and Linda look for solidarity in each other. I think their joint decision to write those letters, advocate their needs, and then respectively find some sort of approach to the state of their lives so that they could carry on with some semblance of safety, security, or (dare I say it!) happiness was interesting and heartbreaking- Linda tried to find it by leaving the family, finding another person to speak to and find solace with, and then eventually breaking down to the decision to attack Arthur and it hurt to see it! Lizzie’s own process was so complex, I think. I could go on and on about her belief that life wasn’t about what one deserves, but what one agrees to, settles for, etc. Her sex scene with Tommy, too, really just invites so much analysis and criticism, right? Which makes it, I think, a very effective sex scene as far as writing goes, because it isn’t a pause from characterization or plot, but rather a moment of intimacy between Lizzie and Tommy that reveals a different facet of their respective character developments. Was it kinda messy for Tommy to call her his property? Absolutely! But I also don’t want to dismiss how much I liked hearing Lizzie advocate some boundaries in that sex scene, too. It’s complicated, man! It’s a scene a lot of people have interpreted different and I’ve loved hearing all the different takes, there’s so much validity to be found in the different readings I’ve already seen out there. 

I think the show made no excuses for how awful Tommy and Arthur were being through season five. I think we as the audience are meant to recognize that their conduct and their comments weren’t something to emulate or exonerate, but instead symptomatic of their downwards progression throughout the season. It’s just a shame that these condemnations probably aren’t overt enough for the real Meat-Head faction of the fandom to catch onto- reddit is a nasty place to venture off into if you’re invested in any of Peaky’s female characters, that’s for sure. But man, if you’re here on tumblr, boy does this fandom have a lot of people churning out meta worth reading! If you want some blog recommendations, let me know!!! Thank you for keeping my in the loop with your watching journey ♡

[demongamerkitty]

Getting To Know Me...

Thank you @helloheartsongs for tagging me in this interesting prompt!!!!

Well- what am I waiting for?

My Birthday: December ;3

Zodiac: Sagittarius!! We're known as one of the more adventurous and honest of the zodiacs. Also, Sagittarius is a fire element~ also may I add I love that I share a month and zodiac sign with Shingen

Last Song I Listened To: Do It Like A Dude by Jessie J . At the moment I'm really trying to feel empowered like I don't need no man. And that song really motivates me, along with others of course.

Hobbies: Playing otome games, drawing, photoshopping, and writing.

Last Movie I Watched: World of Warcraft. I absolutely loved it. I was really late to the party honestly 😂 I really think it deserves a sequel.

Dream Job: To be an author. I love writing, I really do. I get so many ideas, I've started to many projects, and I lack time to do it. And when I do I have time, my motivation is just gone.

Meaning behind url: Long ago, when I had a Quotev account..s.... Anyways, my first public oc was Zelda aka Z. And she was a gamer.. who was a demon and a cat. Technically, neko. But whatever. So my url was just describing her since I roleplayed as her. Therefore "demongamerkitty". After that it really grew on me. And to me it sounded nice, like it had a good flow to it. So I kept it.

Tagging...oh boy-

I hate to annoy people, so I'll only tag three this time💮

@ladypict , @voltage-vixen , @lxvescramble

One of these days people are going to hate me 😂 Especially if they don't already lmao

Extra

Fun fact: Sagittarius are most compatible Gemini and Aries (just overall, in general). And both the people I've dated have been Aries. 😂 Not on purpose mind you💮