#the opinions on eleanor drive me up the wall

[elviriel]

fr some people's absolute inability to empathize with eleanor re: executing vane is going to be my villain origin story

[whatdoesshedotothem]

Tuesday 6 September 1836

7 10

12 ½

No kiss fine but dull morning and F50° at 8 am    out - in the new kitchen court, and at the Low fishpond - Robert Schofield and Joseph Sharpe levelling the court, and afterwards (about 11 am) set them to chop sticks undercover of the old hen-house - Robert Mann and Matthew making out let for the low fishpond near the trough under the great sycamore - meaning to lower the pond ½ a yard, and puddle up the leaking part - Wood and Samuel filling Mark Hepworth’s 2 one-horse carts that came this morning and began carting to the bottom of the coal-pit field hall cellar stuff - Jack Green driving cellar drain under the hall front wall - Ingham and his man and boy at the court wall - 3 masons + 4 lads dressing sets (stones) arching for the hall cellar - and when the rain came on about 11 began brick walling against the cow house for new coach house - had Mr. Husband - explained my plan of the East tower - to have a watercloset on the level of A-‘s sitting room - breakfast at 9 ¼ - A- had Washington on his return from Udale N.B. Captain Sutherland’s - I did not see W- but went out - came in to A- in consequence of the rain about 11 - found her annoyed at W-‘s manner about repairs wanted at the Travellers’ Inn - sat talking and listening to Mrs. Sutherlands’ letter - an offer for 2000 yards of Farrers’ Greece field for a saw mill - 99 years lease, 6d. per yard ground rent as valued by SW- who said it was 6d. more than he should like to give for it - i.e. he would not take the ground a gift!!! talked and calculated - fancy it is Thomas Greenwood who is the applicant - SW- says, there should be no fine every 20 years as Mrs. Sutherland would like there to be - told A- I thought Mrs. S- right - and that the price would allow a fine of about £250 Mr. Walker sold Farrer in 1818, near the square, 514 yards for 999 years for £7.10.0 a year and £20 fine every 20 years - £7.10.0 a year = 3 1/2d. per yard and say the fine adds 1/2d more to the ground rent - 30 years purchase of 4d. per yard = 10/. per yard and 10/. at 5 p.c. = 6d. - but say 4d. per yard at 25 years purchase = 8/4 at 5p.c. = 4d. - told A- I would not take less than 9d. per yard ground rent - ground in Waterhouse street (belonging to Waterhouses’ charity) let on building lease for 99 years at 7d. per yard I think the low part of the field in question adjoining the road wall up to the canal-wharf, well worth 9d  a yard - Mr. Holmes  gave 15/. a yard for the ground he bought along the brook up to the North bridge - the low part of the Farrer-Greece field well worth as much - 15/. at 5 p.c. = 9d. be it remembered that a saw mill requires little outlay in brick and mortar the principal cost is of machinery removable at the end of the term ---- meant to have gone to H-x (to the bank to take my book to be settled) and A- would have walked with me but rain prevented - out, in the court and about, from about 12 ½ to 1 20 - from 1 20 to 3 ¼ wrote and copied and sealed and directed and sent tonight letter to ‘Mrs. Bull, 3 Friargate, Derby ppd.’ and to the ‘Lady Eleanor Hopwood Bensey hall near Warrington Lancashire’ to inquire the character of ---- Parker as cook and housekeeper - and to ‘Dr. Grieves, Mayfield, near Ashbourne Derbyshire’ to inquire the character of George Wood, as groom, and wrote to ‘Mrs. Myers, coach maker Little stonegate, York ppd’ to inquire for a market cart, or rather information as to where to apply for one - told Mrs. Bull that if the characters were favourable I would engage -- Parker at £30 and George Wood at £25 and livery - would rather have all arrive at once, would delay a week, and fix the 20th instant (instead of the 13th) - if anything unfavourable in the characters would immediately let Mrs. Bull know - considered Robert Chambers as engaged from the 13th instant as well as the housemaid - out at 3 ¼ still raining - sometime in the barn - then with John Booth siding bottles from the coach house into the chamber above - and with the taller of the York joiners putting door and shelf and table in the new shoe-house - came in at 6 ¼ with Holt and had him till 6 55 - he had been measuring in Walker pit - at a rough guess (cannot tell till the measuring is finished - will come again tomorrow if fine) thinks the Rawsons-trespass = one acre getting on well with the Long goit - do 3 yards a day now they have got thro’ the throw or gall - now of opinion with me that there will not be much water to pump off the low bed - and thinks they will manage the wheel-race very well and make it hold water - said this as he stood over the hall cellar close by Robert Mann - dinner at 7 5 - coffee upstairs - A- read her French - letter from Lady Stuart Whitehall 2 ½ pp. of ½ sheet and 33p. of ½ sheet from Lady Stuart de Rothesay enclosing note dated 3 August from the courier Antonion Balletti - Franked by Lord S- on the 5th instant (yesterday) and off yesterday by steam to Rotterdam - not knowing their plans - with my aunt (A- sat hemming dusters) from 9 ¼ to 10 - then till 11 10 at which hour F46° fair but dull morning till near 11 afterwards very rainy day till about 5 ½ pm

[steves-on-a-plane]

Double Trouble (Pt. 1)

Words: 2310 Pairing: Steve Rogers x Bucky Barnes (formerly & eventually) Other Characters: Betsy Sarah Rogers (oc) & Eleanor Roosevelt Barnes (oc) Other Info: Parent Trap AU Inspired by: @caffeinated--writer​‘s Post Summary: Betsy Rogers is about to be dropped off at a summer camp she doesn’t want to go to. She’d much rather spend the summer with her father and his friends moving into their new place. Ellie Barnes has been attending Camp Sunshine every summer since she was seven. This summer she’s going to finally be a Cabin Leader. But both girl’s lives are about to change when they discover a secret that ties them together forever. 

Camp Sunshine. Thirteen-year-old Elizabeth Sarah Rogers could have gagged as she read the name off the swinging wooden sign their car passed under. The sign was hung crookedly by a pair of chains that each connected to a large beam.  Camp Sunshine sounded like exactly the sort of place Steve Rogers would send his only daughter. Betsy continued to stare out the window, looking anywhere but at him. She imagined it was the type of camp that didn’t allow junk food or for the campers to be up past seven. The kind of camp that gave out patches for making popsicle stick houses or some other such nonsense.

“Why the long face, Bets?” Her father asked. He maneuvered the car into a turn and waited for her to respond, even though he already knew the answer.

“I don’t want to be here.” She mumbled to the window.

“I know, Chickadee.” He sighed, digging out an old nickname he only used when he was really trying to win his daughter over. “But we’ve been over this. You’re too big to fit in my luggage.” He joked, trying to get a laugh out of her. Betsy couldn’t help but smirk. Steve Rogers was the king of dad jokes.

“Don’t think I can’t see that smirk.” He commented, still driving down the winding camp road.” Listen, Bets I know you don’t want to go to camp, but I’ve gotta help Tony get the new compound set up and you need to be around kids your own age more.”

“I don’t like kids my own age!” She pouted. “I want to hang out with you and Tony and Natasha!”

“Well, maybe you just haven’t found the right ones yet.” He suggested.

“Well you should hang out with people your age.” She thought it was a very good comeback considering her dad was over ninety years old.

“Ha ha,” The captain feigned a laugh. “That’s different and you know it. Clint said this camp is nice. It’s where he usually sends Lila every summer.”

“Yeah, even the Bartons are going on a family vacation this summer.” Betsy complained. Steve sighed again.

“It’s only four weeks, Bets.” He added before driving the rest of the way in silence. The car didn’t go much further before stopping just outside of the main cabin. All around the manicured lawn of the main cabin girls were milling about in small groups of two to four. Some eagerly waved good-bye to their parents while others, like Betsy, looked as if they didn’t want to be there.

“Well, Chicakdee, this is where we say good-bye.” Steve told his daughter regrettably. She finally looked over at him and said the snarky line she’d been saving up in her mind for a full week.

“You mean this is where you ditch me for four weeks.” She huffed before opening the car door on her side. Betsy walked to the back of the car and waited for her dad to pop the trunk. When he did she reached in and grabbed her bags. She slung a duffle bag over one shoulder and her backpack over the other before slamming the trunk down. She then tapped on the trunk twice, so he knew she’d gotten everything, just like she’d seen the captain do when one of the Avengers dropped him off at home.

Betsy walked back towards the driver’s side and leaned into the window. She had to stand on the tips of her toes to do it, but she managed to kiss her father on the cheek. She then leaned back and offered him a salute.

“Bye, Captain Dad.” She said, bringing her arm to her side. “Promise you’ll at least write to me?”

“You’re going to summer camp, not to war, Bets.” He laughed. “But I’ll write, I promise. Stay out of trouble alright? I love you!”

“I love you too.” You answered back before he rolled up his window. It was a strange ritual that he insisted on for as long as she could remember. You should always tell someone you love them when you mean it because you never know when your last chance to say it might be. He’d told her once and the sentiment always stuck. She waited until his care had turned around and disappeared out of sight before heading inside the main cabin to check in.

“Name dear?” The elderly woman who was checking in campers asked her.

“Betsy or Elizabeth.” She added, realizing her father had probably registered her with her full name. “Elizabeth Rogers.”

“Ah, Rogers.” The woman nodded. She marked something down on the list in front of her. “You’ll be in the Cabin Five. You should find it easily enough. Your Counselor’s name is Ellie. Next!”

“Okay…” Betsy wandered outside back onto the lawn and hoped that she could find her way to cabin five.

“Ellie! El!” Betsy turned to look for Ellie, the girl who was supposed to be her cabin leader, as it seemed someone had spotted her on the lawn somewhere. But while she squinted against the sunlight a girl approached her talking a mile a minute.

“I heard you were a Cabin Leader this year! That’s so amazing! I mean it makes sense, you’ve been coming here for like ever, but what’s with the new look? I mean I’m into it but hiking boots? A denim jacket? Helllooo? Earth to Ellie!” The girl finally stopped for a breath.

“Sorry were you talking to me?” Betsy pointed at herself. “I’m Betsy Rogers and you are?”

“So so so sorry!” The girl exclaimed. “You look just like this other girl, Ellie. Have you met Ellie before?”

“I, ah, no.” Betsy shook her head. “But I’m looking for her. I’m supposed to be in Cabin Five with her. Do you think you could…”

“Oh Cabin Five!” The girl remarked excitedly, interrupting Betsy. “I can totally show you the way!” The girl grabbed Betsy by the hand and started leading her across the lawn. “I’m Joss by the way. Nice to meet you Betsy. I can’t wait to show you to Ellie! She’s gonna freak!”

Eleanor Roosevelt Barnes was in her cabin unpacking as she waited for her new campers to arrive. This would be her seventh summer at Camp Sunshine. She’d been going every summer since she was a little kid and this year, she was finally a Cabin Leader. She would be responsible for a whole cabin of campers. Sure, it would really only be her friend, Joss, and two other girls their age but she was excited anyway. Ellie put her hands on her hips and surveyed her four pieces of matching luggage.

“Maybe I’ve packed too much this year.” She sighed. She did pack an entire bag of just make-up and hair accessories.

“Ellie!!! Ellie! There’s someone you’ve got to meet!” Eleanor could hear Joss’ shouted from inside the cabin before the thin screen door flew open. “Betsy, this is Ellie.” Eleanor looked away from her luggage and over at the cabin door. The girl standing between her and her best friend nearly took her breath away.

Betsy was dragged across the camp by Joss, a girl who hardly ever seemed to stop talking. When they finally reached Cabin Five, Joss continued to rattle on while forcing Betsy inside. The cabin’s only other occupant at the time was quickly introduced as Ellie.

Ellie was, at least in Betsy’s opinion, way too overdressed for camp. Her dark brown hair was curled into perfect ringlets which had to have taken at least forty-five minutes to set. Her make-up was trendy and colorful. The kind you’d see on an Instagram model with perfect eyeliner wings. She wore a hunter green skirt that stopped just above her knees which perfectly coordinated with the camp counselor polo shirt she was wearing. Even her shoes where a pair of keds in the same hunter green.

Betsy, from Ellie’s perspective, looked like she’d just crawled out of bed and dressed in the dark. Her dark hair had been twisted into some sort of a knot that barely resembled a bun. She wore a denim jacket over a faded red t-shirt. She had on shorts of a different color denim from her jacket and a pair of brown leather hiking boots.

Despite their differences, both girls noticed that they had the same ocean blue eyes and a nose that was broad and pointed upwards. Their hair was nearly the same color except that Betsy’s was streaked with highlights from the sun and Ellie’s had the faintest remnants of bleach on the ends from when she thought balayage would be a good look on her. If they didn’t know any better, they would have said they looked like twins.

“Sorry, what did you say your name was again?” Ellie asked. She smiled wide so that she was showing as many of her perfectly white teeth as possible.

“Uh, Betsy.” She answered quietly. “Like Betsy Ross, my dad kind of has a thing for history.”

“Tell me about it.” Ellie laughed. It was a light laugh, like a bird’s song. It was the same laugh that Betsy had. That’s why her dad had called her Chickadee. He said her laugh sounded like a bird’s song. “My dad’s named after a president. So, he thought it’d be cute to name me after a first lady!”  Ellie rolled her eyes. “C’mon in and get settled. We don’t have a lot of time to unpack before dinner starts.”

“Okay, is no one going to talk about the fact that the two of you look exactly the same?” Joss asked. “Like exactly the same?” Betsy and Ellie looked at each other, neither wanted to admit that Joss was right. “I mean El, you’re always saying how you wish you had a sibling! Maybe you and Betsy are related!”

“Not possible.” Ellie shook her head. She took a stack of photos out of one of her suitcases and started pinning them to the cabin wall with thumb tacks. “My Dad doesn’t have any family. Unless you count Bill and Javier and the other guys from the shop. It’s just been me and him for as long as I can remember.”

“It’s the same with me.” Betsy agreed. She tossed her bags on one of the open beds. “My dad told me once that there were only two people he ever loved before me. He lost his first love in a really tragic accident and the second…” Betsy shrugged. “Well, we never really talk about him. It’s too hard for my dad, I think. Instead we kind of surrounded ourselves with a ton of found family.”

“What about your mom?” Ellie asked looking away from her picture collage on the wall.

“I don’t have one.” Betsy replied. She sat down on the bed she’d claimed for herself. “At least not the way that most people do. My Dads had me with a surrogate and when they split up I stayed with my Dad, Steve, because he stayed living in New York. My other dad moved away before I was even a year old. I don’t even know his name.”

“Okay that’s weird.” Ellie admitted. “Because my Dad had me with a surrogate and he used to live in New York but we live in California now. He said he left the guy that he was with because they were just too different. He said he didn’t even take much with him, just me. But there’s this picture of a blonde man taped to his toolbox at work. I always wondered if that was my other dad. Do you know what your other dad looked like?”

“I Saw a picture of him once, in a framed photo on my dad’s dresser, but when he saw me looking at it, he put it away.”  Betsy explained.

“Did he look like this?” Ellie riffled through the stack of photos she’d brought with her until she found the one she was looking for. It was a picture of her Dad standing outside of his garage. She’d taken it about two years ago when constructions was completed on the new factory. “Bucky’s Motorcycle Co” was what the new sign that stretched across the whole building read. Standing under the sign, smiling proudly was her dad. James Buchan Barnes. He had the same dark hair as Ellie and the same nose, and even, Betsy noticed as she studied the photo, the same ocean blue eyes.

“That’s him.” Betsy said, not taking her eyes off the photo. “That’s the guy I saw in the picture in my Dad’s room. Wait your dad’s the owner of Bucky’s Motorcycles? That’s so cool! My Dad has one of those, but he never lets me ride it…”

“Betsy! Focus!” Ellie commented impatiently. “Do you have a picture of your dad?”

“Right!” Betsy nodded. She sent aside the photo of Bucky and reached for her backpack. Inside her wallet she pulled out a small photo of her Dad that she’d taken with her instant camera. He’d just come back from a mission and was still wearing most of his Captain America uniform. He held his helmet in one hand, while his other was pressed to his chest. His head was tossed back on laughter. “It��s not the best,” She explained handing the photo over to Ellie. “But it’s the only one I have with me.”

“Wait, your Dad is Captain America?” Ellie asked as she studied the photo Betsy handed her. “My dad told me that my other Dad was in the military. That’s how they met.”

“Wait! Wait! Wait!” Joss gasped reminding the other two girls that she was even there. “If your if Ellie’s Dad looks like your other dad, and Betsy’s Dad looks like your other dad, doesn’t that make you both like, sisters?”

[introvertguide]

Do The Right Thing (1989), AFI #96

Our next film on the list that we reviewed was a more recent drama/comedy called Do The Right Thing (1989), directed by Spike Lee. Well, on a list with movies over 100 years old, a little over 30 is pretty new. It is the story of a single day in 80s Brooklyn and the drama that comes from frayed nerves under the boiling summer heat. The movie received a couple of Oscar nominations and Spike Lee received recognition for his directing and screenwriting. Danny Aiello also was recognized on the awards circuit for best supporting actor. There are some extraordinary aspects to this film that makes it stand out, but I also feel that it is lacking in many ways. The good strongly outweighs the bad, but I will discuss that more after the movie summary:

SPOILER WARNING!!! IT IS LESS SPOILERY THAN NORMAL DUE TO ALL THE CHARACTERS, BUT THE MAJOR POINTS ARE STILL GIVEN AWAY!!! WATCH FIRST AND COME BACK FOR THE ARTICLE TO GET THE BEST EXPERIENCE!!!

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Mookie (Spike Lee) is a 25-year-old pizza delivery man living in Bedford–Stuyvesant, with his sister Jade. He and his girlfriend Tina (Rosie Perez) have a toddler son named Hector. Mookie works at a local pizzeria owned by Sal (Danny Aiello), an Italian-American who has been in the neighborhood for 25 years. Sal's eldest son Pino (Jon Turturro) is racist, and does not get along with Mookie. Because of this, Pino is at odds with both his father, who refuses to leave the majority African-American neighborhood, and his younger brother Vito (Richard Edson), who is friendly with Mookie.

Many distinctive residents are introduced, including Da Mayor (Ossie Davis), a friendly drunk; Mother Sister (Ruby Dee), who watches the neighborhood from her brownstone; Radio Raheem (Bill Nunn), who blasts Public Enemy on his boombox wherever he goes; and Smiley (Roger Smith), a mentally disabled man who meanders around the neighborhood trying to sell hand-colored pictures of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.

While at Sal's, Mookie's friend Buggin' Out (Giancarlo Esposito) questions Sal about his "Wall of Fame", a wall decorated with photos of famous Italian-Americans. Buggin' Out demands that Sal put up pictures of black celebrities since Sal's pizzeria is in a black neighborhood. Sal replies that it is his business, and that he can have whoever he wants on the wall. Buggin' Out attempts to start a boycott over the Wall of Fame.

During the day, local teenagers open a fire hydrant and douse the other neighbors to beat the heat wave before officers intervene. After a phone call, Mookie and Pino begin arguing over race. Mookie confronts Pino about his negative attitudes towards African Americans, although the latter's favorite celebrities are black. Various characters express racial insults: Mookie against Italians, Pino against African Americans, Latino Stevie against Koreans, white officer Gary Long against Puerto Ricans, and Korean owner Sonny against Jews. Pino expresses his contempt for African Americans to Sal, but Sal insists that he will not leave the neighborhood.

That night, Buggin' Out, Radio Raheem, and Smiley march into Sal's and demand that Sal change the Wall of Fame. Raheem's boombox is blaring and Sal demands that he turn it off, but he refuses. Buggin' Out calls Sal and sons "Guinea bastards" and threatens to close down the pizzeria until they change the Wall of Fame. Frustrated and angry, Sal calls Buggin' Out a "n****r" and destroys Raheem's boombox with a bat. Raheem attacks Sal, leading to a fight that spills out into the Street and attracts a crowd. While Raheem is choking Sal, the police arrive. They break up the fight, and apprehend Raheem and Buggin' Out. Despite the pleas of onlookers, one officer refuses to release his chokehold on Raheem, killing him. Realizing that Raheem has been killed in front of witnesses, the officers place his body in the back of a police car and drive off.

The onlookers, devastated and enraged about Radio Raheem's death, blame Sal and his sons. Da Mayor tries to convince the crowd that Sal was not responsible for his death but the crowd remain where they are. Mookie grabs a trash can and throws it through the window of Sal's pizzeria, sparking the crowd to rush into the pizzeria and destroy it. Smiley sets the building on fire, and Da Mayor pulls Sal, Pino, and Vito out of the mob's way. The police return to the sight, along with firemen and riot patrols arrive to put out the fire and disperse the crowd. After they issue a warning, the firefighters turn their hoses on the rioters, leading to more fighting and arrests. Mookie and Jade sit on the curb, watching in disbelief. Smiley wanders back into the smoldering building and hangs one of his pictures on what is left of Sal's Wall of Fame.

The next day, after an argument with Tina, Mookie returns to Sal. He feels that Mookie had betrayed him, but Mookie demands his weekly pay. The two men argue and cautiously reconcile, and Sal finally pays Mookie. 

The film ends with two quotations that express different views about violence, one by Martin Luther King and one by Malcolm X. It fades to a photograph of the two leaders shaking hands. Prior to the credits, Lee dedicates the film to the families of six victims of brutality or racial violence: Eleanor Bumpurs, Michael Griffith, Arthur Miller Jr., Edmund Perry, Yvonne Smallwood, and Michael Stewart.

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I want to break this into the good and the bad (at least in my humble opinion). I want to start with the great cinematography and the director of photography Ernest Dickerson. He really brought the city to life and made the overheated neighborhood into a character. He used reds and oranges and avoided greens and blues. All of the clothes were sweaty and stained. There were also some beautiful walking shots that followed Mookie as he moved through the neighborhood. Some of the best camera work was the close-ups of Radio Raheem because the shot would tilt to a Dutch angle every time he got mad. It gave the feeling like things were going askew. 

Because it was shot on location in Brooklyn, one could use Google maps and see the actual neighborhood. It was mapped out so well, however, that I didn’t need the map and could draw out the locations of the homes and businesses from a single watch. Dickerson did a phenomenal job of setting the stage for Spike Lee’s story and has done great work on many of Lee’s other films including She’s Gotta’ Have It (1986), School Daze (1988), Do The Right Thing (1989), Mo’ Better Blues (1990), Jungle Fever (1991), and Malcolm X (1992). Great team and a great bunch of movies. Dickerson has since moved to directing and well worth following. 

I thought the short comic stories that came together were pretty great. Somebody accidently stepped on Buggin’ Out’s shoes and scuffed them. He threatened the guy who did it and got a whole group of people to help and try to coerce money out of the offender. It eventually turned out that he was all talk. But the shoes kept popping up over and over. The three men sitting and complaining while not actually doing anything was pretty funny. The hatred that Sister/Mother had for Da Mayor was pretty good as well. There were a couple pretty good laughs.

I love the character of Radio Raheem played by Bill Nunn and how he represented the underlying anger of the neighborhood. He just walked around trying to do his thing and listened to his super loud music. The black residents recognized him and knew he had become part of the landscape while other residents tried to get him to be quiet and suppress him. When he was killed, the anger that he represented was released and the group went into a frenzy of destruction. Raheem’s interaction with each of the other characters truly defined how director Spiker Lee wanted the audience to see that person. The movie really shines with any scenes involving Radio Raheem.

As far as the acting is concerned, I really liked the work of Danny Aiello, John Turturro, and Richard Edson. I don’t want to be accused of anything because I liked the work of the three main white actors, however I feel that the three characters trying to fit into a place where many felt they did not belong was the most intriguing. Sal seemed like such a good guy, but he still had some underlying hatred and fear of black community and it became apparent when he was faced with Radio Raheem, the representation of the suppressed black anger of the neighborhood. 

The six people to whom the movie was dedicated were all black Americans in the New York area who had died in suspicious and racially charged violence. I normally don’t recommend this site, but Wikipedia provides links to learn more about all of the people mentioned. It seems that a lot of Spike Lee’s characters were based on the different people mentioned. I had never realized how closely tied this film was to the history of violence in 80s New York, and it does make me like the film a lot more. 

Now for a couple of things that I really did not enjoy. The main character Mookie was not that interesting beyond just being a vehicle that walks through the day. When it got to the point where he couldn’t take any more and he smashed the window (whether it was to protect Sal by directing the anger towards the store instead of Sal and his sons is up to interpretation) seemed so out of character. Like everyone stopped and stared as he did something that his character had no motivation to do. This could just be a personal critique because I found Spike Lee’s acting so unconvincing (the guy can’t emote, he is a director not an actor) and I think giving his boring character control of the turning point at the climax of the movie was a little bit of director ego.

I also didn’t like the random white guys that were with the cops that killed Radio Raheem. Where did they come from and where did they go? The cops show up to break up the fight between Sal and Raheem and suddenly there are some plain clothed white guys that I didn’t remember being in the rest of the movie. It seemed like they came from the surrounding streets and there was one guy in particular who was in a blank tank top that helped subdue Radio Raheem that just disappeared. Wouldn’t the police want to take him into custody as well or at least not leave him on the street with a large angry mob? The sudden appearance of all these extras for the one scene has always thrown me. It feels like they took stock footage from a different movie and plugged it in, or maybe it was shot long before or after the rest of the scenes in the film. 

I did not like Rosie Perez’s character of Tina. Perez had been a professional dancer and this was her big break. I really didn’t think the opening with her dancing was noteworthy in any way, her famous ice cube scene was completely unnecessary, and the ending with her complaining was horrific. Honestly, the ice cube scene shows Spike Lee rubbing a piece of ice on Rosie Perez’s naked body and it felt pervy and inappropriate. I do not correlate all nudity in a movie with automatically meaning it is not for kids (depends on the movie and depends on the kid), but this was just dumb. This was a point of contention with the group that watched with me, some saying she was the best part of the film. I could not disagree more and I rated it 3/5 on Netflix noting that it would be 4/5 if Perez had not been in it. She really rubbed me the wrong way in the film. I liked her in White Men Can’t Jump playing a similar character, but in this movie she was not needed.

In fact, there seemed like there were many extra things that didn’t need to be there. There is about 2 minutes in which five characters make racist rants about other ethnic groups with the camera right in their face. This seems like art for art’s sake and not really needed. The character of Smiley seemed very out of place and it turns out that he was not in the original screenplay but written in so that the actor could have a part. The DJ just said the same things over and over with no real insight. He was played by Samuel L. Jackson, which is cool, but he also didn’t need to be there. I guess my biggest gripe is that Spike Lee had a great film idea with strong characters and then decided he needed to keep layering in more characters and subplots until it was superfluous. But again, just an opinion. 

I saw that Siskel & Ebert both rated the movie as one of the top 10 of the 80s. Both of them had opinions about whether or not Mookie did the right thing, which is not a question that Spike Lee intended to ask (as he stated in many interviews). I think it was (and is) refreshing to have a strong black voice in the director’s chair and this might have affected their rating. Maybe, since I was 9 when this film came out, I am not affected enough by how new and innovative this film must have seemed when it came out. I started to become aware of the world shortly after this movie was released and I was inundated with Spike Lee in films and advertisements. His work didn’t seem so fresh when I also saw him in commercials for Nike and McDonald’s. I shouldn’t allow that to take away from the importance of his voice as part of the history of American cinema. He is the only black director of any movie on the AFI top 100 films and only one of two directors of color (M. Night being the other). 

So does this film belong on the AFI top 100? Yes. It is a good story of American life in an area that was often ignored. The streets of Brooklyn are just as American as the farms in Iowa, the plains of Cheyenne, or the suburbs of California. It is great to have those stories told by a man who grew up there and knew the different life styles and the different problems. It is an important movie and I am glad it was included. Would I recommend it? Yeah, it is pretty good. I would say focus on the interactions between Raheem and the other characters and it makes for a great story. Definitely worth checking out. 

[sunnyluna]

To the One Direction Fandom,

Okay, so here’s the thing. This fandom has been here for almost a whole decade, which is a long ass time LMFAOO. But most of the time, our fandom has been divided. Why? Well here’s the thing... a lot of the fandom ship Harry and Louis together (a lot but not all). While some people think that Harry and Louis at some point were or still are in a relationship or were in love — others think they weren’t. That they were just super close friends.

I am not going to lie, I kinda am a Larry (still questioning it but that’s not the point!), but hear me out. I am not writing this post to persuade others to think Larry is real. Because I am not going to do that. I am writing this to let people know that this division in our fandom needs to come to a stop. I am the kind of Larry shipper who doesn’t push Louis and Harry’s life’s together and bashes anyone who has been or is Harry’s or Louis’ significant other. I can never come to that. Why? Because I stan Harry’s saying of TPWK. Wether Larry was real or not I do not want to ever spread hate on someone Harry or Louis have been/are in love with.

I ship Larry, yea. But I also ship Harry/Louis with HAPPINESS. I don’t care who it is, I want to see those two boys happy. If it is both of them together or with someone else, I want them to be happy. If Louis loves Eleanor (who I am 100% sure is a super nice person) then please respect that. Don’t hate on her, she’s a human being guys. She doesn’t deserve the hate she gets on a daily because she’s dating 1/2 of the Larry ship. Yes, we can in throw in jokes here and there as long as they are NOT offensive and rude towards her or the rest of the girls Harry/Louis have been associated with. Imagine if you were one of them? Would you like the hate they get? Please stop and ask yourself ‘Would I like if someone said that to me?’

But also, towards the people who don’t ship Larry. Please, don’t be rude towards the people who ship Larry, guys. Respect their opinion/beliefs. Don’t call them “delusional” or anything else, bc that was can be offensive. Hell, I find that rude when I see people tell that to Larry’s who feel strong about their ship. There’s other ways to disagree with someone like: “I respected your opinion, but...” or “I see where you’re coming from or why you believe that, but...” Yea, some of Larry’s can and will be super pushy but not ALL Larry’s are like that. Just remember we are all still human beings and we all have feelings. Treat people with kindness, even when you don’t agree with them.

Another subject I want to touch... I know this is long sorry :( but please stop sexualizing the boys. Yes, I mean ALL of them. They are not objects, they are human beings. Girls... you don’t like it when guys sexualize you... what makes you think boys don’t like it either? Yes, we all know the boys are attractive, but please don’t be disrespectful either. They are adorable human beings who also would want people to see them for their music and accomplishments rather than their looks.

Can I also talk about the hate our adorable boy Liam Payne gets? It’s getting out of hand. I understand what he did was wrong, I understand where some of you guys are coming from and why you are angry. But he has feelings. He is a human being. He has been struggling with mental health issues, guys. He doesn’t look as healthy as he used to be. Stop and think before you say something remotely rude towards someone. I hate seeing Liam getting hated on, on a daily even when he’s not doing anything wrong. Liam Payne, is an adorable human being who is 1/5 of One Direction. He is Daddy Direction, the boy who has a phobia of spoon, has been bullied before, only has one kidney, was born dead and cried when watching 1D’s old video diaries. Liam Payne, is an handsome and cute human being who deserves all of the love and appreciation in the world. Please stop attacking him for everything he does, he’s a person who needs love and appreciation, like the rest of the boys.

We love Liam, in this house.

We love Louis, in this house.

We love Niall, in this house.

We love Zayn, in this house.

We love Harry, in this house.

Talking about appreciation :))) I understand that some of you have been with the boys since 1D days, I completely understand. But please, let the boys be questioned about their music and success too, not everything in their lives is about 1D. Ask them questions about their albums or anything that has to do with their recent accomplishments. Sure, it doesn’t hurt to ask them about 1D once in a while but I also want them to have questions about their recent success that they worked so hard on. For example, I would kill to ask them:

What was your hardest song that took you forever to write?

What inspired you the most in your music?

What’s your usual environment when writing songs?

Is it hard to chose which songs to put on the album and which ones you don’t?

When are you dropping Anna and Medicine, Harry?

Which song makes you feel emotional, if so why does it? (They don’t gotta say why, but I would love to hear the reason behind it ☹️)

Niall, can we have a golf match? (I play golf LOLL, doesn’t hurt to ask 😫) also, what inspired you to write San Francisco? Do you think it would be best to listen to it during night or day? Does San Francisco have a special meaning to you? (My fav song off of his album 😫❤️! ‘There’s sum about that song that makes me wanna get up and BUST A MOVE!’)

Louis, with everything that happened in your life... how do you do it? How do you manage to stay happy, love? (He is such a strong person omg 🥺, anyways that question is too personal my anxiety could never ask such a personal question) Have you ever thought about doing a collab with someone? If so, who? Why?

Harry, how do you manage to stay away from social media? What distracts you from staying away? I want to be able to do that, but it’s like I’m sucked in and can’t let go. Also, I know you said that the perfect time to listen to ‘Golden,’ would be driving around Malibu at sunset, but what about Canyon Moon? What type of vibe does that song give you?

Liam, did you plan to have a dance routine for Strip That Down? How long did it take you to learn the dance routine? Also, how did you find yourself? How did you know what type of style your music was going to be?

Zayn, in your album Mind of Mine, why did you add the unique song, ‘INTERMISSION: fLoWer’ to your album? How did you come up with the idea of this unique and different piece?

FINAL STATEMENT, if you are a stan of one of the boys individually, PLEASE I beg you, DO NOT HATE ON THE BOYS. It hurts me to see individual stans hate on the other boys. All of them at some point were best friends and super close, they spent YEARS traveling with each other. They were all in a band together at some point. They were together for five years (Zayn four... I still cry) they were there for each other — lowest and highest moments.

And even now they all still support each other like:

Zayn saying watching Niall’s success was like a big bro moment for him.

Harry and Louis txt and congratulating each other for their successful albums/singles.

Louis and Liam mini reunions!

Louis at Niall’s concert, supporting him.

Niall at Harry’s concert, supporting him.

Liam congratulating Zayn and Gigi bc they are expecting!! (Still can’t believe it, I cry! I’m so happy for them!)

Harry stating that he doesn’t regret any moment in 1D.

Louis congradulating Niall for his album, ‘Heartbreak Weather’.

There’s probably even more moments but I can’t think of any of them right now. Anyways, they all still have respect towards each other. No bad blood between them, they are adults who were at some point friends. Respect that, don’t drag them and spread hate.

Directioners are crazy. If they see you hating on one of those five adorable beans — they will come for you.

I’m just playing... or am I??? Kidding, but for real guys. Stop with all the drama and hate. Be respectful and kind towards each other!

Anyways STREAM: Heartbreak Weather, Walls, Fine Line, LP1, Icarus Falls!!

Listen to: HS1, Flicker, Mind Of Mine, Up All Night, Take Me Home, Midnight Memories, Four & Made In The A.M

PEACE OUT! YAYEEE 😽

ALL LOVE, L

[emma-nation]

Memory Fragments - KamilahxMC Fanfiction (Chapter 1) *Debriefed Sequel*

Summary: Four years after the events of Debriefed. When a tragedy happens, Kamilah must face a second decision that will change her life forever.

Rating: T

Tag List: @begging-for-kamilah, @lulu-the-cat, @ilovekamilahsayeed

Notes:

- English is not my first language, forgive me for any mistakes.

- After so many requests I finally decided to give this fic a sequel, and closure.

- I hope you enjoy it and don't hate me yet. TVD fans will probably know what happens next (don't spoil it! 😯).

- Your likes and reviews are always appreciated. 

San Francisco, California - June 2, 2022 - 7 AM

*beep* *beep*

Kamilah stopped the alarm, barely opening her eyes. Then, she did the same routine she was forced to every morning. She opened a secret safe hiding behind a poster on her bedroom's wall. Lily Spencer gifted her that poster right before her move to the West Coast. It was from a game, named "Vampyr". She typed a password, "6-0-2-2". 

*password correct* flashed on the small led display.

She retrieved a syringe from inside. She still had enough for... two weeks, she rolled her eyes. She sat on the edge of her bed, injecting the red liquid in her upper arm. Adrian's serum had been improved to the point it lasted 24 hours. She could spend the entire day out in the sun, living a normal life. Or almost normal, she was still a vampire after all. The only side effects she had to deal with were a decrease in her special abilities, but it was no longer a problem. The Vampires in California were far less problematic from the ones in New York.

After a quick shower, she got dressed and drove to a hospital nearby. Discreetly, she walked to a small door at the side alley. She knocked three times and pronounced the secret code.

"I came for the strawberry jam."

A young looking man opened the door, with a smile on his face.

"Good Morning, Kamilah."

"Morning, Luc."

"What is going to be today? B-, AB+ or the regular O+?"

"Anything, after 2067 years they all start tasting the same."

He handed her a paper bag, containing a bag of blood inside.

"Have a nice breakfast."

Kamilah entered her car again, following to a large property in Napa. Zahra Institute of Botany, a sign hanging in the main building indicated. She parked her car at the usual spot. The spot reserved for the CEO. Inside her office, a cheerful blonde woman awaited for her with her favorite coffee in hands.

"Good morning, Kami! Did you have a good night? Did Luc..."

"Louise, I'm fine. Yes, I've had a good night of sleep and your husband provided the blood bag I needed. Thank you."

A couple of months after Kamilah decided to leave New York, her former protégé, Louise, came seeking for her help. Her husband, and bound, Jean-Luc had Stage 4 Cancer and she wanted him to be Turned. It was his only chance of surviving. As Kamilah's blood was more pure than Louise's, the chances he wouldn't turn into a feral were higher. After being Turned and properly branded, both of them decided to start a new life in the United States, which was really helpful for Kamilah at that moment. Now, after selling Ahmanet Financial, she ran a botany institute along with Louise. She'd spend most of her time doing what she loved, studying, researching and photographing different species of plants and their properties.

"Did you take our... daily medication?" Louise asked as soon as she sat on her desk, referring to Adrian's serum.

"Of course," Kamilah rolled her eyes. "Otherwise I wouldn't be here right now."

She accessed some files on her powerful computer. Her most important project was far from complete. She hoped that using natural ingredients only, she'd be able to achieve the same effects as the serum's.

"Damn it," she complained aloud. "I received the latest results and they failed. The tested Vampires were only able to stay out in the sun for 15 minutes and they got terrible sunburned."

"How much of the serum we still have left?"

"To supply all of us? Only enough for two weeks."

"Uh oh," Louise bit her lower lip, giving Kamilah a questioning look. "Does it mean you need to go back New York... right now?"

Kamilah sighed, angrily.

"Don't give me this look, okay? I'll find another way... I'll convince Adrian to ship some across the country. I'll make up some excuse."

"He'll never forgive you for missing out his wedding."

"Can we not talk about it?" Kamilah abruptly stood up, grabbing her camera.

All she needed was to spend some time alone in her gardens, with her rare flowers. The last thing she wanted to have in mind right now was Adrian's wedding. Or... Amy's wedding.

-------------------

Raines Corporation, New York - June 8, 2022 - 8 PM

Inside the elevator, Kamilah inhaled deeply for four seconds, then exhaled for another four. She was nervous, she couldn't deny it. It wouldn't be easy to face the woman she loved, her soulmate, again. Especially now she was engaged to her best friend. She couldn't just pretend it was all okay.

The elevator stopped. As the doors opened, she spotted an empty desk at the lobby. Through Priya, she learned Amy was no longer Adrian's assistant. He insisted she should go to business school, as she had a lot of potential to help him to run Raines Corporation when she became his wife.

It was so unlike her, Kamilah thought. Once she confessed she dreamed to have her own restaurant or a cafe, as she enjoyed cooking, and eating too. Now, because of Adrian, she'd be pursuing a career she didn't even like.

She knocked at Adrian's office, when he opened the door a huge grin appeared on his face.

"Kamilah," he involved her in a tight hug, "long time no see. I thought you weren't coming."

"Actually... I came here for something else. Me and my Clan in LA, we're running out of the serum."

"I'll provide you some. But aren't you staying for the wedding?"

Without an answer in mind, Kamilah swallowed dry. She wondered if that situation could've been prevented if she told Adrian Amy was her bound, or even confessed her feelings for her. But everything happened too fast, in a blink of an eye, they were already dating. 

"I-I... I've been busy," she lied. "There's this research I'm doing that cannot wait. I need to monitor the species cycle very closely."

"What about your partner, Louise? Come on, Kamilah. You're like a sister to me. All I wished for was to have you by my side in this moment. After everything I went through with Eleanor and Celia... I've finally found love again."

"But..."

Before saying anything else, Kamilah reminded of how much pain Adrian felt when Celia died. For months, she had to look after him, making sure he'd not go back to what he was before, when he was still Gaius servant.

Then, she remembered his words on that cabin, sharing his darkest secret. The trauma of losing his beloved wife and son. Now with Amy, he never felt lonely again. He was always happy and relaxed.

Upon that, she was unable to say no.

"Okay. I'll stay for your wedding."

Adrian hugged her again in pure gratitude. She almost could feel happy for him. Almost. If only he wasn't marrying her bound.

"There's one more thing..." before he could finish his sentence, the door opened.

"Adrian? You were taking so long to go home, I was getting worried."

Amy entered the office, when she noticed Kamilah was standing there, her expression quickly changed.

Kamilah hadn't seen her since her move. Everytime she had to visit Adrian to pick up the serum supply, she chose times she knew Amy wouldn't be at his office. She avoided even pictures online. 

Amy hadn't changed a bit. She was wearing worn-out jeans, a shirt and All-Star shoes. She was still that same girl, from four years earlier.

They gazed into each other eyes from what seemed like an eternity. That feeling. That same damn feeling returned. Stronger this time, as they consummated their bound. And Kamilah knew she was able to feel it too.

"Hi, Kamilah," Amy finally cleared her throat. "It's uhh... nice to see you. We thought you weren't coming, as you never confirmed our RVSP."

"Sorry, I've been too busy. I wasn't sure."

Another uncomfortable silence settled over the room. Amy didn't want Kamilah to be there, she could sense it. It made her highly anxious. She began to wonder if she actually told Adrian they had slept together, twice.

"So Kamilah," Adrian spoke. "I was saying... there's one more thing. I need to attend a conference in Chicago. I should stay there for a few days. Would you mind keeping an eye on Amy for me?"

"Adrian!" Amy complained, wrapping her arms around his waist. "I don't need a nanny, okay? I told you, I'm safe with Lily. The Baron won't be bothering us."

"I know, baby. But after I stopped providing him and his Clan the serum, who knows what he'll be capable of?"

"This is sweet of you, but... Kamilah said she's busy."

At this point, Kamilah had already stop paying attention. She wondered how many times she rolled her eyes in a row. They were so romantic, so cheesy, so... perfect. Her mouth stiffened in rage.

"She's taking a few days off, until our wedding. Remember?"

"Oh."

Amy wasn't thrilled to know she'd be forced to be around Kamilah for the next few days. Was she afraid? Did she have any doubts about her feelings for Adrian? A hint of satisfaction appeared on Kamilah's face and she forced a smile.

"Don't worry, Adrian. I'll take care of her as if she was my own bride."

-------------------

Although it was being too much too handle, Kamilah was hiding it well. She always acted supportive, calm and composed. Visiting the wedding site, checking if everything was fine with the buffet, giving her opinion about the decoration flowers... All of that was driving her insane, thinking she should be the one marrying Amy and giving her the wedding of her dreams. 

While she waited for Amy, in one of the last trials of the wedding dress, she went to her car and called Louise.

"I can't do this anymore. I seriously don't know how I'll even react when I see her in that dress."

"Relax, Kami. Do it as I told you, when the Priest asks if someone has any objections, you get up and..."

"Louise, no."

"Then why don't you just tell her? About the bounding thing, your feelings..."

"Taking another wife from Adrian's life. That sounds very fair."

"Does it sound fair that you'll spend the rest of your eternity locked inside a secluded property in Napa, researching flowers to avoid thinking of what could've been? She's your soulmate, Kamilah. Not his. She'll never feel complete by his side and... She's a mortal. She won't have all the time in the world to change her decision."

"I'll think about it, okay? I need to go now. She wants my opinion on that stupid dress. Bye."

When she entered back the boutique, her heart started pulsing weirdly. Her stomach stiffened. The view of the woman she loved in that wedding dress caused a feeling she had never experienced before, and she thought, that after 2067 years, she had felt literally everything. Amy looked back at her and smiled, she couldn't help smiling back.

"So, what do you think? I trust your fashion sense. You're always so well-dressed and elegant."

"You look..." Kamilah was still speechless, "perfect."

Amy's face suddenly changed. She sat down and started crying. Intensely.

"W-What's wrong?" Kamilah asked, sitting right beside her. "Was it something I said?"

"No... I just..." Amy took a deep breath and wiped out some tears. "I'm not sure about this wedding anymore. I'm not even sure about my life anymore! I hate college, I hate Adrian is never home, I hate his rich friends... Oh my god, please don't tell him that. I'm only confused. It must be stress."

"I won't, I promise."

"I wish I had your strength, you know? When you got fed up of that financial company of yours, you left everything behind to pursue what you always wanted."

"I've gotten used leaving things behind, I guess."

After Amy returned to her casual outfit, they were ready to leave. She still needed to speak to the band that was going to play at the party.

"I don't feel like going," she cried in the passenger seat. "Take me home. I'm not feeling well."

"I have a better idea."

Without telling Amy her plans, Kamilah drove to the nearest Ice Cream shop.

"Wasn't you that once told me Ice Cream heals everything?"

Amy let out a small laugh.

"Do you still remember?"

"Of course, I even adopted it as coping mechanism. You should see my freezer in San Francisco."

"You really have changed."

"For better, I hope."

Kamilah ordered them both the largest bowls of ice cream they had available. She asked extra topping for Amy, assuming that could help to cheer up her spirits, but she was still quiet, introspective.

"Can I ask you a question?" She broke the silence after a long pause. "Why did you really move to San Francisco?"

"I wanted a new beginning," Kamilah answered, taking a spoon of ice cream.

"Uh, you usually wish for a new beginning when something ends."

"Exactly. I had nothing else keeping me at New York anymore, so I started something new."

Amy let out a chuckle, where Kamilah noticed a hint of sarcasm.

"New state, new vampire companions, new company... What about a new lover?"

"Lover?" Kamilah rolled her eyes. "Oh please, Amy. You know me, love isn't for me anymore. I'm not capable of feeling..."

"But you were," Amy interrupted, raising her voice. "That night in Adrian's cabin, the other night in your office..."

"Then you started dating Adrian."

Kamilah looked away, avoiding Amy's eyes. It was like she was confessing somehow that she only went away because she couldn't stand the idea of seeing the two of them together.

"You finally admitted," Amy shook her head. "I knew it all along, and I couldn't even tell Adrian!"

"Of course, he wouldn't be happy to know we had sex, so you omitted it."

"What's your problem, Kamilah?! One night, you say you were searching for me, then you disappear for two weeks. You don't call me, you don't text me, we never talk about it again."

"It was an important business meeting, Amy. I had to leave the country for two weeks and when I returned, you were already dating him. You never considered how I'd feel about it."

"Now this is my fault? You never cared about me. You never showed you cared. For you, I was only a sex toy. You aren't that different from Priya, you know? Now Adrian, he's always by my side. He's supportive, loving, gentle... He brings me flowers and takes me on the most perfect dates..."

"And yet, you were having second thoughts about your wedding five minutes ago, before you start dwelling on a text I didn't send you four years ago."

Amy remained silent for minutes, staring at her furiously. Kamilah would never understand mortals, why did it still matter so many years later, when she was about to get married?

Maybe Louise was right. That was the perfect moment to open up, to tell her everything.

"Know what I think, Amy?" She spoke softly. "You don't want to marry Adrian, you're frustrated and you're blaming it on me. Blaming it on me because we still have unsolved feelings. Would you... Would you like to talk about it? I have something to tell you, I quite don't know how but..."

"Do you know what I want?" Amy slammed her fist on the table. "I want you to go away. I don't want to ever see you again, Kamilah. You never meant anything to me! You were just... a girl crush I had. Once I found true love those two nights became meaningless. I-I could never love you... you're cold, selfish, arrogant..."

"As you wish, Amy. I promise you'll never see me again."

While Kamilah paid for the order, Amy left the shop. Without saying goodbye or even looking back. 

She spent a long time inside her car, reminiscing about Amy's last words. The last time words hurt so deeply in her heart was when her brother's death was informed.

If only she wasn't scared of her feelings... If only she hadn't debriefed her all those times... If only she hadn't deleted that damn voicemail, four years before... 

Suddenly, her chest started feeling tight, her heart rate accelerated and it was getting difficult to breathe. It wasn't only that, she felt deeply sad, empty, like if a part of her had been ripped off. Maybe Amy's negative feelings for her were the key to break the bound. Now she was finally free to live a long and happy life with Adrian.

Kamilah started driving, headed back to the hotel. She'd return to San Francisco immediately. Later, she could find an excuse for Adrian. The traffic was slower than usual. It would take minutes, maybe hours to arrive at her destination. 

"I really miss San Francisco right now," she told herself while turning on the radio. Some music could help her to calm down a little bit.

When she was able to move a little, she started feeling thirsty. It should be that smell in the air, the smell of blood... fresh blood. A little further she could see the lights, police cars, an ambulance, a bus... As she passed through the accident site something on the floor got her attention, a bracelet. The same bracelet Amy was wearing that afternoon. 

Kamilah got out of the car, desperately trying to find her. Ignoring guards and paramedics, she passed through the yellow tapes. Following her advanced senses she looked around, attempting to find her. But she wasn't anywhere... Until...

She looked under the bus and there she was, lying face down in a puddle of blood.

"Amy!" Kamilah yelled, as a guard dragged her away. "Do something! Save her, please."

For the first time in centuries, tears started streaming down her face. The paramedics carefully removed Amy from under the bus. As they gave her the first examinations, Kamilah could hear them whispering:

"There isn't much to be done."

But her vampire ears still could hear it. Her favorite sound in the world. Amy's heartbeats, getting weaker... and weaker... until...

Silence.

[orthographewrites]

🍞 / to invite my muse to a holiday dinner with their family (Bellie for the verse! Thats the only place I can have them now :( )

🍞  TO INVITE MY MUSE TO A HOLIDAY DINNER WITH THEIR FAMILY: 

Chrismas was a holiday filled with oddities, seen from the point of view of someone who had never fully celebrated or embraced it. At home, a mere select few of families and people – often those that immigrated from outside the walls – cared to bring such a tradition into their new home. There was no dressing of a tree, no rush to empty their wallets buying gifts or carols in plenty sung by a majority of different people throughout generations which most knew by heart. Oliver had, at best, watched his neighbors dress up their houses for festivities as well the stores all around Rennes hurry on with their marketing; but besides filling himself in on the history of Christmas, he had never found himself needing a reason to understand it – until this year. 

This year was different. This year Oliver couldn’t simply snuggle up on his couch and wait for the holiday to pass over, dwelling on nothing else besides solitude and the laughing voices across the street that shows his neighbors in deep celebration. No, because this year he wasn’t single and it so happened that his girlfriend was one of them: a celebrator. Oliver had been quick to explain that his family had denied Christmas, although avoiding the reason why, and she had seemed somewhat accepting of his ways. A relief. Though, there was one tradition part of the holiday which was seemingly harmless and one both he, and his mother, found joy within: the food. Belle had carefully worded it as an invitation for them both to meet her dad, an eagerness for their families to meet up and feel a little less alone among these dark, chilly evenings – more so because Oliver’s mom happened to be a widow, and equally so was Belle’s dad. An unhappy coincidence.  ( @abedroomdwellers1x1 )

Eleanor had decided to ride with her son over to Maurice’s house, having picked up Belle along the way, and the two quickly fell into a light chatter in the backseat. They had done nothing besides dote on one another ever since Oliver had first introduced them, his mom visibly brighter whenever Belle was around with both demeanor and voice. 

“Remember to take a left up there, otherwise we will have to drive all the way around”, Belle eventually spoke up and pointed in the direction of a small, hidden road that had almost slipped his memory. There was an eagerness lingering around the car as they moved closer to their destination, Belle now busy dropping facts about her dad to Eleanor. Oliver had met Maurice about two times already, surprised to notice they held similar interests and strives in life. Something that had significantly eased up on his otherwise social cues when it came to meeting new people. 

Soon, the car stood parked and the group was met by the sight of a larger, humble looking man with his arms stretched out as if he was willing to pull the lot into a welcoming hug. Maurice was one of those you described as a “teddy bear”, as he did nothing else but ooze calmness and delight, cheeks rosy like he’d been bitten by the coziness of cold – a laugh to match. It wasn’t hard to figure out where Belle had gained her attributes from in terms of being able to swoop in and drag people along, neither sparing a second until they waved Oliver and Eleanor into the living room. 

“Welcome, welcome!” Maurice started, first aiming his body towards Oliver to offer his hand. “It’s lovely to see you again, kid. Belle has nothing but pleasant stories to share, you really need to come by more often. I have a thing I want to show you later, I need some opinions.” Then he turned around to face Eleanor, his eyes growing wider as he gave her a bow. “And this must be lovely Eleanor! I have some things about you as well and you can count me intrigued. Belle said neither of you celebrates Christmas, so try and view today as an ordinary family dinner. It’s about time we all get together.”

Eleanor’s lips didn’t spare a moment before they formed a smile, a soft chuckle slipping between as she tried her best to stay on his level of humble. “Such flattering already, but all I can say is thank you for inviting us over. It’s nice to leave home if nothing else. I hardly get to see my son as it is.” She patted her hand on Oliver’s arm as she spoke, a hint of truth slipping through that caused him to swallow. 

“They need their independence, don’t they?” Maurice laughed. “Oh well, I’ve already set the table so take a seat when you’re ready. Belle, you can help me carry the food.” And with that, the LeClair’s disappeared behind an archway after they had pointed in the direction of the dining area; which left Oliver and his mom on their lonesome to wander the living room, both falling into a small chatter. This evening came with a hint of change, two families finally uniting with the hopeful promise the future would keep it that way. There was yet a secret to share, another world to welcome Maurice and Belle into if things unfolded for them -- but today was a mere chance to connect and to rub away the loneliness they had been cursed by for far too long. A thought that warmed them as they took a seat around the table, whisking away at Maurice’s hard work as the hours ticked by. 

[elclaytor427]

Writing Portfolio by Erica Claytor

November 18, 2018

Dear Reader,

I have always struggled with writing I didn’t have a good system for it, therefore, it would normally bring me huge amounts of stress; I just need to get something on the paper! There were too many factors involved that made it difficult as well as frustrating. I would get my computer out, open a word document and just start typing which only worked sometimes. Staring at a blank screen waiting for the ideas to appear into my head would give me anxiety which made the paper harder to write. I needed to break down the process so I can complete the essay step by step then after I complete a step I would feel accomplished and motivated to move on to the next.

I noticed not everyone is the same what works for one person might not work for me. I tried to use other people’s techniques until I realized I can use a combination of what I learn from others and create a system that works best for me. Among these different writing assignments, my writing has progressed for the better. I have established techniques to aid myself in the process. I noticed since the writing process is complicated it is necessary to complete it in steps and not all at once so I start by making an outline.

Looking back at my first portfolio piece I see great ideas and knowledge without direction and purpose. With my knowledge on how to write I know I could make my first piece better. I would start by making a quick outline and I would jump around from paragraph to paragraph inserting more information until the paper met the length necessary. Then I will go back throughout the paper fixing grammar and spelling. If it was necessary and there was enough time I would have the paper revised by a peer or a professional. I didn’t start making outlines until my more recent papers, I think my work reflects it.

My second portfolio piece Growing up was about my parents and my relationship with them, the topic was close to me making it easier to write. Picking a topic is the most important part of the assignment. Since I was given options on what I could write about it easiest to write about something if you are interested and passionate about it. In my experience, there is more information to pull from there for it’s easier to write about. Even if the topic may seem boring I always find a way to relate or get interested that’s my method of writing.

When I pulled up my third portfolio piece I noticed it was short and incomplete. I started the assignment the day before it was due not giving myself enough time to complete the assignment in advance. My stress-free writing progress that I have established involves starting assignments as soon as I am able to. Waiting until the day an assignment is due to start it doesn’t work and most often or not it’s not worth it. There can be unexpected problems that arise not to mention it is not going to be your best work.

After Portfolio piece 5 I had my writing breakthrough when I did pieces 6 and 7. I enjoy relating tv shows back to real life as well as reviewing them in portfolio piece 6 I got to do so. After using the method I created for myself, I notice myself getting better at writing and thinking of synonyms or other ways of saying the same thing, it is begging to come faster to me.

I am most proud of portfolio piece 8 when I continued A Wall of Fire Rising although the story was heartbreaking it made me appreciate what I have. The author had an easy writing style to follow I was able to use/copy the authors writing style which I wouldn’t have been capable of in the begging of the semester. I do well with stories and interesting topics that I have an opinion on.

In portfolio piece 9 I explain both sides to the minimum wage argument and show how both sides need to come together and focus on solving the real underline problem which is poverty. Portfolio piece 9 shows how I am able to establish the point of the essay in the introduction and keep the essay on the topic and flowing throughout.

I have always done well thinking outside the box and coming up with viewpoints others don’t think of. I struggled with getting assignments done under pressure, now I just try to give myself as much time as I can. I still need to improve transition sentences, grammar, and punctuation. Throughout the semester while completing these portfolio assignments I learned my weakness and strengths for writing and I will continue to make my weaknesses into strengths.

I learned in order to write a great essay I need to find either an interesting topic or a way to relate to the topic. The essays you are about to read shows how I progressed and learned the necessary steps I need to follow to produce beautiful essays. Over the course of the semester, I have improved my writing style immensely now I am able to tackle any essay thrown my way as long as I take my time and stick to the process.

Sincerely,

Erica Claytor

Growing Up

“The only people who I owe my loyalty to are the ones that never made me question theirs” (Joe Mehl). My nana has always been there for me: helping raise me, driving me places, giving me a place to live, feeding me, and helping me get my license. She made me feel like she was always going to be there for me, even if no one else would.

One time when I was little, and my parents were already separated, they had gotten into an argument, and it started to get physical. My mom started crying, and she wanted to call the police, but my dad demanded she didn't. I had the house phone in my hand, and my mom was reaching for it, but I froze. I didn’t know what to do in the situation. On the one hand, I didn’t want the police to come and my dad to go to jail, but on the other hand, I wanted to listen to my mom and prevent her from getting hurt.

My relationship with my parents has always been strained because they had children at a young age. My dad always felt like he had to support the family, and even my mom still after they got divorced. Being pulled back and forth between my parents put a strain on my relationship with them. It only got better once I moved out and I didn’t live under their roof anymore. I love and respect both my parents, but it is easier to have a relationship with them when I can distance myself from them when necessary.

When I turned 18, my mom kicked me out of my house, and my nana was willing to take me in. My nana has been one of the most significant figures in my family who helped raised me. She has been a great role model especially when it comes to her career and money management skills. I am grateful for everything she has done for me, but I also am still experiencing a struggle between my nana and pop pop.

My pop pop feels the need to do things he shouldn’t. He sits in the house all day because he’s older and can’t do a lot, although he tries to. My pop pop takes the trash out every Sunday morning. He put a box next out to the recycling bin, and it blew down the side of Telegraph road, and my nana came home and yelled at him about it being all over the yard. I looked, but I didn't see it. Right before I left, I finally saw it all over the street and picked up the boxes. A little down the road, I saw another box and picked it up as well. I felt terrible that she was yelling at him for only trying to help. She doesn’t understand his need to help to make him feel alive at his age.

  Diaz also felt this same tug-of-war between his family and his desires. He had to choose between keeping the money or returning it to his mother. I also have experienced this internal conflict when selecting whose side I am on, whether it be my nana, my pop pop, my mom, or my dad. Sometimes you are stuck between a choice that feels like a right vs. right decision where “...you'll be criticized anyway. You'll be damned if you do, and damned if you don't” (Eleanor Roosevelt).

This picture resembles the conflict between my dad and me versus my mom and my sister.

Works Cited

A Quote by Joe Mehl.” Goodreads, Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/quotes/976944-the-only-people-i-owe-my-loyalty-to-are-the.

Roosevelt, Eleanor. “Eleanor Roosevelt Quotes.” BrainyQuote, Xplore, www.brainyquote.com/quotes/eleanor_roosevelt_109473.

“Tug of War at Sunset - Buy This Stock Illustration and Explore Similar Illustrations at Adobe Stock.” Adobe Stock, stock.adobe.com/images/tug-of-war-at-sunset/97742236.

A Wall of Fire Rising continued

The boy is turning eight tomorrow his first birthday after the death of his father, Lili’s wants to make the day special for him, it’s been harder to quiet the hunger vermin since Guy died. Most of the neighborhood wanted to show compassion to after they saw what happed to Guy, they helped Lili find a fulltime job as a maid. Even Lili’s job is barely enough to keep the house and put food on the table every night without her working late most every night. The boy goes to a friend’s house every day after school for a few hours until Lili is home from work.

“Momm” yells the boy running inside looking for his mom. He finds her asleep in the living room chair. “MOM” he screams louder! He shakes her arm to wake her up. “Oh son I’m sorry for being so tired” Lili apologizes with sadness. Lili struggles she wants to be sad and miss her husband, she does but she frustrated with Guy for being selfish for leaving her a single mom but most importantly Little guy without a father. “Guess what happened at school today,” says the boy. “Give me good news” Lili worries. “I get free lunch tomorrow at school since it’s my birthday” the boy excitingly explained. “That’s great news honey, let's go eat dinner,” Lili says.

The next day Lili’s boss lets her leave early to buy the ingredients and go to bake a cake for the boys birthday before he gets home from school. The boy comes home from school with excitement. “How was school on your birthday son?” Lili asks. “It was ok,” the boy says looking at the kitchen floor. Lili helps him with his backpack and peaks inside she notices a thick book covered with brown paper.

Erica Claytor

Portfolio Piece #9

Minimum wage the question most often asked is should it be raised? The author of In the Minimum Wage Debate, Both Sides Make Valid Points discusses the main issue trying to be addressed is poverty (Huppke). I agree with Huppke that just raising minimum wage won’t solve poverty and it may even make it worse. People need to be educated on the effects raising minimum wage; most focus on the thought of more money and are sold to the idea. Before I read this article I didn’t know the serious negative effects raising minimum wage could have on many companies. Some companies might be able to afford the additional expenses which could lead to thousands of jobs lost that’s not the intention.

The misconception with this problem is it’s going to be a short and easy fix. Wrong! Raising the minimum wage is theoretically just putting a band-aid on the situation and saying all better. Yes, the idea of making more money is appealing so peoples first instinct is to say let’s raise it. Some may feel entitled to a raise and most often those aren’t the ones who deserve one. The article argues the money should be spent on educating and teaching so there are fewer people working minimum wage jobs in the first place. A quote that best describes this is “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime” (Lao Tzu). Most people in poverty just need a chance a better way to go about it is helping people so they can help themselves. Giving money, raising minimum wage, and even hiring one for a low paying position are all temporary fixes.

Minimum wage jobs aren’t intended to support families, lavish live styles, even young teens like myself trying to move out and make it on my own that’s what careers are for.  

Portfolio Piece # 7: Option C ( Before)

The standards of life most young adults expect to achieve can be unrealistic. This important social issue affects almost every young adult and should be taken more seriously in society, the proof behind this idea is supported in this essay through research and personal experiences. It is no longer possible for young teens to afford a one bedroom apartment in a decent area while making minimum wage. Inflation has made it harder over the years for young adults to support themselves. Everything has become more expensive while the minimum wage has more or less stayed the same. Although minim wage is gradually being raised to 15 dollars an hour the cost of living is becoming more expensive. The major problems with teens today are a result of the current minim wage; teens strive for independence and confidence which can be difficult.  Young teens being able to support themselves would boost self-esteem.

Many teens struggle with their mental health, which may be caused by stress that is put on teens. Most teens are a part or full-time student so they might also have loans to pay back added onto trying to save up and move out. Young adults are given a lot of responsivity without the means to handle any serious problem that comes along the way.

                                                Portfolio Piece # 7: Option C (After)

The standards of life most young adults expect to achieve can be unrealistic. This important social issue affects almost every young adult and should be taken more seriously in society, the proof behind this idea is supported in this essay through research and personal experiences. It is no longer possible for young teens to afford a one-bedroom apartment in a decent area while making minimum wage. Inflation has made it harder over the years for young adults to support themselves. Everything has become more expensive while minumim wage has more or less stayed the same.

Although minim wage is gradually being raised to 15 dollars an hour the cost of living is becoming more expensive. The major problems with teens today are a result of the current minim wage; teens strive for independence and confidence which can be difficult.  Young teens being able to support themselves would boost self-esteem. Many teens struggle with their mental health, which may be caused by stress that is put on teens. Once high school is over teens are kicked into the brutality of the world a vast majority without any help from family members. Most teens are a part or full-time student so they might also have loans to pay back added onto trying to save up and move out. It is easy to stay at a minimum wage job because the only way to make decent money is to work almost all of the time.

Young adults are given a lot of responsivity without the means to handle any serious problem that comes along the way. More should be done within high schools to prepare teens for the tremendous struggles the real world is forced to endure. Minimum wage being raised in not nearly the answer, teens need more opportunities in career type jobs.

[wildgrave]

what do u love about ur friends

idk which one of ya sneaky bastards sent this but i’m not gonna complain b/c i will take any possible opportunity to gush about my friends.

update: this got entirely out of hand and i just wrote about like... everyone i talk to. if u talk just ctrl + f ur name (but don’t feel bad if you’re not in here b/c i’m doing this off the top of my head and can’t remember everyone!! also a lot of these are hs friends who don’t have tumblrs but u asked anon so)

i honestly love them all for different reasons tho!! i’m not going to tag everyone but: thanh is great for a straightforward answer & we have the same awful sense of humor which is basically 8 years of memes to reference (also she says no romo a lot which i find rly funny for some reason??). hannah is super loving and supportive and always looking out for me. jessie is wry and clever and honestly has every reason to get annoyed at me 24/7 but somehow doesn’t. whitten i talk to every day and is super rational about my problems which is helpful when i need solutions (also dank memes). gaby is great b/c we both have a lot of the same interests (feminism, art, fashion, shit-talking ppl, etc) and gets riled up about my problems which is great when i need someone to get angry with. colette also gets angry, usually angrier than me, about my problems and is the best person to offer to beat boys up (b/c i know if she gets drunk enough she will fight anyone). kathleen is great b/c we always end up doing something ridiculous and it’s fun and makes a good story. brooke is the fucking funniest person i have ever met and thinks she’s punk rock but is secretly boujee as fuck. amber also thinks she’s punk rock, but has the softest, purest heart of gold of anyone i’ve ever met (also she comes up with the most ridiculously hilarious ways to proposition me). claire and i can talk about absolutely anything and send each other close ups of pimples but also take nudes of eachother and honestly if thats not true friendship then what is?? sofie is honestly brilliant and always has clever comments to make and i’m lowkey in love with her to this day and i mean, if you’re not a little in love with your friends wyd?? mila is so sweet and i can have fun with her doing anything, like we don’t even need to go anywhere we can just have philosophical talks on my bed and it’s chill. sammy and i have only chilled irl once but she’s really quiet and nice but occasionally makes rly snarky comments about straight ppl which are hilarious. lucy is never on skype but when she is we have a fuckin field day and she’s so petty but like... in a funny way? i’ve only hung out with andie once (which i’m trying to change before she goes back to vegas) but she’s so into musical theatre and i love reading her tweets about it b/c i love how passionate she is! dylan makes awful decisions on the daily like... blowjob competition? rly dyn? and it’s so funny to hear about and he gives ridiculous but funny advice and is super australian and always says “bruv” which is super funny to me. jenna i’m p sure is going to be running the world in two years (also holy shit she’s graduating college?? my bb girl is growing up :’)). adja is so funny b/c i thought she was super by the rules in hs but now she’s a wild child. aidan (as in the senior in hs, not the one my age) sends me #relatable memes and even tho we don’t talk often it gets deep as shit when we do (but i lowkey don’t trust him b/c of his opinions of iron fist smh). allie is in my race & ethnicity class and is just nice all around and we DM eachother on twitter sometimes like ‘what was that awful presentation in class’). nick from polisci is so knowledgeable about politics but makes the issues funny w/o being offensive and shannon (also from polisci) dresses rly cute and we have fun conversations & the three of us have a funny group chat for our presentation. quinn is such a wannabe edgelord but is honestly so pure and a good friend. asmaa is the sweetest possible person and we always tease quinn together. ricky continously gives me a hard time about everything but in a funny way and patiently explains WoW lore to me. JT is also fun to play WoW with and makes me feel like a baby b/c he’s and old man. rebecca’s steadfast belief in drarry makes me smile and i love her writing. harri is one of my many wives and her snapchats are amazing (as are her boobs). kinzie i rarely talk to but i can still hit up sometimes like whats up bitch today i had sex while listening to wtnv. cassie, becca, and eleanor are all rly cool and super pretty and nice to chill with and i love their art and photography and general personalities. georgie gave me the sweetest poem and letter last summer when i was feeling down and we have similar aspirations and i’d love to work with her in my career sometime! marko and henry are married istg but anyway marko is such a genuine, honest person and henry is an amazing writer and i loved english with him and it’d make me happy if we were closer. lena is my protege and i am an awful mentor b/c i never see her since i graduated but she is my child. layla is the baddest bitch i have ever met, her nails are always amazing and we can be catty together and blast nicki minaj. sarah is so funny b/c everyone thinks she’s reserved and studious and stuff (and she kinda is) but once you get to know her she is the sassiest person you will ever meet. my sister and i fight sometimes over me stealing her clothes constantly but we bond over how our parents drive us up the wall and also she cooks a lot which means i can steal food. the entire volstovic cycle fandom (dani, scarlett, anna, crystal, etc) are all amazing creators of things and honestly an inspiration. rimsha is the hardest working person i have ever met and i love hearing about her succeed. brady is my fellow gay (tho tbh 90% of the ppl on this list are gay b/c we flock together) and i love him for his snarkiness. all the boys i sat at lunch with in high school (garrison, rex, arun, etc) are such memes but i didn’t realize how cool they were until we graduated and now i’m like, damn i should’ve paid them more attention even tho i saw them every day. my boyfriend is my friend and he’s the most politically active person i have ever met, and he’s such a dweeb, and he makes me smile whenever we’re together (even when i’m trying to be angry at him). feihong acts like a fuckboy but is pretty dang cool if i’m being honest; he’s rly dedicated to what he does. carly and i don’t talk but i appreciate her paintings and selfies and funny tweets from afar. morgan and i were at a fidlar concert once together and we both couldn’t survive the mosh pit (also her instagram captions are fuckin hilarious am i right or am i right?). kelly is a goddamn klepto but we always have fun together drinking coffee and talking about pens and i love and support her art and she does the same for mine. charlotte is chill and i miss just hanging out in her basement b/c she’s such a gemini but in a good way. the ppl i sit with on campus (sumaiya, alex, zuri, etc) are always having interesting convos and share food and it’s a good time. my cousin and her husband (nat and ron) are the most punk ppl in their 30s and they introduced me to the punk scene and i miss them b/c they moved back to kansas. shakey’s photography on insta makes me feel pensive and i want to go to philly just to meet her. miki i’m not super tight with but her writing is a+ and makes me cry and i love rping with her. rina is such a cool mutual and her art is dope. lea is also a cool chic and i love her hair and want her to bake my wedding cake. mousse is so nice to everyone. ellie and i only talk like twice a year at family parties but we can always dive back in and pick up where we left off. the ppl i party w (other aidan, jakob, justin, etc) are dumbasses (i use that term endearingly) but i’m 98% sure they’ve all carried me to the toilet when i’ve been puking my guts out at a party. marley was that friend that ended up going to yale and no one was surprised so i admire her success but also she was always kind to me and always asked how i was doing with my mental illnesses. renee and maria and i bonded over ib art and sga and generally being over-worked by our sponsor. alanna was another one of my proteges who i need to keep up with better b/c she’s badass and funny and has the best eyebrows ever. i don’t talk to sidney anymore but we went thru so much together and supported eachother a lot a few years ago and i still love em for that. eddie is such a dweeb, everytime i see him (which is a surprising amount considering he lives in miami) we act like nothing has changed and go at eachothers throats. rachel m & galen have both grown so so much since i met them and i’m proud of them. rachel s is so fun to talk about hoe things with and laugh at eachother. marco has the best finsta of anyone ever. danny and i talk over snapchat every so often (like every month or so) and we have the weirdest convos like?? let’s name your imaginary lizard. zamzam (from my creative writing class last semester) was super fun to hang out with when she came over and actually everyone in that class (xander, leah, olivia, will, etc) were excellent writers and hilarious and we all bonded. victor is such a bro honestly he’s funny and is very attentive (actually listens) and is fun sober or not. sandra i’ve known since i was a baby and never really talked to until recently but she’s so nice to talk to about small things. alyssa i stalk obsessively on goodreads b/c who else can read that much, istg girl you’re a cyborg (but like a pretty one). rp buds that i haven’t mentioned so far (mario, mackenzie, etc) i value a lot for their companionship and writing. there are tons of ppl from hs that i wish i had gotten to know better when i was there (julia, drea, tina, both erins, bridget, etc). 

and yeah there are more ppl but those are mostly ppl i talk to at parties or dm occasionally or wish i was friends with but admire from afar. anyway. this got long. I JUST LOVE PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!

[harryandlouisarehappilystrong]

Hi, you said you didn't think this shit would still be happening in a year... when do you think they will be free? I'm dying here xx

Oh no. Oh dear.

Ok.

Hoooooooooooooooooooooooooooonestly I’m probably THE WORST person to come to for timing reassurance because I don’t actually think we’re close to being free at all for any of them, and I say that because I don’t see very many people being honest about how they REALLY feel, they leave that to their private spaces while maintaining a positive/happy opinion publicly and that drives me up the fucking wall. So, I’m sorry that you picked me to send this message to because I can’t give you what you want, nonnie, it’s not in me.

I mean, look at Zayn, he’s been with a “new team” for 2 years now and you see how well that’s going with his Simon/Syco connections still being clear. Things are way too fucking shady rn for all 5 of them for me to even have hope in their solo music not being fuckery. Niall’s pushed his album back 3 times despite saying 3 different times that it’s ready to go, Liam’s been silent on that front except for an IG snippet despite visibly working in the studio way longer than everyone else, and Harry’s been completely ghost for a year. The only one who is even CLOSE to being normal (now that Niall’s This Town promo tour is over) is Louis and even THAT is filled to the brim with some much fuckery and sabotage it’s legitimately sickening to watch.

For every single person’s health and sanity do I want BG to be over by tomorrow morning? Hell fucking yeah I do. Do I think it will, or even that it’s ending soon? No. But I’ve been burned too many times with “it’s ending!!!!! it’s ending!!!!!!” excitement only to be let down to even hope in it anymore. But that’s just me and depression talking.

Do I want Eleanor to be gone as soon as humanly fucking possible so I don’t have an aneurysm just looking at her nasty smug ass face again? Hell fucking yeah I do. Do I think that’s gonna happen? No. I don’t think she’ll be around for a year, I fucking hope she won’t be around for a year, because I can’t watch that shitshow again and I refuse to, but I don’t think we’re all gonna get out unscathed without a few months going by at the very least tbh because they could’ve ended this all without her yet they chose to bring her back, so clearly they have plans. God help us all.

I don’t think BG or Elounor are going to end until Simon’s involvement with them is 100% proven for an undeniable fact over, and I mean that with Modest and Syco and Simon Jones as well, and we can clearly see that Louis isn’t even close to being free of them and neither is Niall. I’ve thought that since it all started and I still think that, and given that we have no idea when they’re all gonna be out of the picture, I couldn’t even give you an estimate.

I want it to be over in weeks, I hope it will be over in months, I think we’ll still be sitting here a year from now lighting Simon’s voodoo doll on fire and cursing him to Hell because we have no idea when his contractual hold on any of them will actually be up, so until then I’m honestly bone-deep exhausted of getting my hopes up only to be disappointed. Those are my thoughts anyway. We’ll see what happens, and who knows, maybe I’ll feel differently about it tomorrow, but that’s how I feel right now at 1AM. Sorry I couldn’t be more reassuring, doll. :/

[docacappella]

A Swingles Moment

My very first experience with a cappella music came when I was in 9th grade. My choir teacher, Kevin Badanes (the very same Kevin Badanes in the brilliant vocal jazz group Avante) played a recording of the Swingle Singers singing “The Theme From Superman.” That was when my life changed.

I’ve mentioned this story in a previous blog, but chances are you didn’t read that one, so I’m reiterating the point. It was The Swingle Singers who started me on the path I’m on today. Before that moment, all I listened to was Weird Al and Jimi Hendrix. After that moment, it was Weird Al and A cappella (sorry Jimi).

A cappella CD’s were hard to find in 1996. You had to order them from magazines (which seemed sketchy…though I later found out they were just run by Deke and friends of Deke). CD stores (you may not know what those are…) did not have a “contemporary a cappella” section.

Perhaps if CD stores still existed today…they still wouldn’t have a "contemporary a cappella section."

Anyway, back to the story. So I tried to devour as much a cappella as I could, which was difficult since I didn’t know where to begin or how to find the music. I was able to find “Chameleon” by Vox One and a CD by The Nylons, but not much else. Thanks to the Internet, this problem is now solved…but it’s been eclipsed by a new problem: Now there’s just too much a cappella out there and if you’re new to the a cappella scene, you could be as lost as I was in 1996.

I’ve mentioned that point in a previous blog as well, but chances are you didn’t read that one either. So far, you’re 0 for 2.

I swear, I’m getting to the point.

In 1996, life-changing a cappella music was hard to find. You had to stumble across it accidentally. The same goes for 2017, but now you have too many sources to check and too many opinions to sift through.

In the expanding world of contemporary a cappella, an a cappella nerd like me can be overwhelmed by the amount of new content. When all a cappella starts to sound the same, it can be hard to love the style as much as you once did.

But that’s when I turn to my Swingle Moments.

What is a Swingle moment? Simple. It’s a term I invented just now (yay me!) to describe a personal, life-changing a cappella moment (not necessarily from the Swingle Singers). Hearing or seeing a Swingle moment is like having a nerdy divine intervention where you suddenly know the next step of your a cappella journey. The build-up of fatigue from hearing too much a cappella is released in a glorious puff of smoke, like a big satisfying aca-fart.

Here are my Swingle Moments. (Sorry/Not Sorry for the fart joke):

The moment I realized any song could be arranged a cappella: “Steven’s Last Night In Town” by Pandemonium.

My collegiate a cappella group, Vocal Point, had dug in their heels and refused to sing any music later than 1990. This meant our repertoire consisted of *gasp* “Lion Sleeps Tonight, ” “Day-O,” and “Eleanor Rigby.” And no, we did not sing it well.

For one of our concerts, we invited a group from the University of Maryland, Pandemonium, to sing with us. At the time, I had expanded my listening tastes to Weird Al, Monty Python records, A cappella, and Ben Folds Five. When I heard Pandemonium sing my favorite Ben Folds Five song “Steven’s Last Night In Town,” I suddenly knew that anything was possible. It was at that moment that I realized our tired arrangements of burnt-out oldies were not going to satisfy me as a musician anymore. I wanted to expand our repertoire to include the off-beat songs that no one would think of and original songs that no one would dare to write.

The arrangement that taught me how to write an a cappella original song: “What’s It All About” by Five O’Clock Shadow on Wonders of the World

This song remains my favorite a cappella original of all time, mainly because how it uses so little to rock so hard. When I wrote my first a cappella original “Power A cappella,” I copied the form and style of “What’s It All About,” because I knew if I used the same mechanics that made that song successful, mine would also be successful.

Fun fact: “Power A cappella” was terrible.

The arrangement that taught me how to compose polyphonic a cappella textures: “Everlong” by The Amalgamates on BOCA 2005

That arrangement is still one of the gold standards of polyphonic a cappella arranging (in my opinion). Just listen and try to pick out the numerous intersecting lines within the overall groove. I wish more a cappella groups would create dense, driving textures like this one.

The arrangement that changed my mind about medleys: “Super Mario” by Vocal Point on BOCA 2009

Normally, I hate medleys. The medleys I’ve heard are usually clumsily-arranged song cycles that give you the “greatest hits” without any substance. Plus, they’re sooooooooooooooo long.

My attitude about medleys changed after hearing “Super Mario.” Besides the fact that I was thrilled Vocal Point (different Vocal Point) had dedicated an entire medley to a video game, I loved the concept (moving from level to level), the inclusion of sound effects, the adaptations that added new lyrics, and the seamless change from the “invincibility star” song to “Shining Star” by Earth, Wind, and Fire. If you ever write a medley, please listen to this one first and follow their lead.

The album that shaped my current arranging style: Hold That Thought by Fermata Town.

For a brief few years, a cappella music didn’t thrill me. I felt like the BOCA compilations were churning out the same types of arrangements, and I hadn’t heard anything that I truly “loved.” By complete accident, I found Hold That Thought on iTunes. And then the light bulb turned on.

The group’s merging of radio hits with extremely complicated (and often surprising) jazz harmonies threw me for a loop. And let’s be clear…this is not a jazz album. They can rock as hard as Pentatonix, but with harmonies that are much more complex. Ever since hearing this album, I’ve been trying to model their style and substance. I’ve rekindled my interest in learning jazz theory and I’m constantly trying to shock the audience with interesting chords and dense harmonies.

The performance that set my career in motion: Mister Tim at the Amplify A cappella Festival, 2012

No live a cappella performance has ever had a greater impact on me than seeing Mister Tim perform in 2012. In that performance, I learned how to operate a live looper, I learned that you can be silly in a cappella, and I learned that there was now a way for me to make the a cappella music I had always wanted to make, without interference.

I’m not a professional live looper yet (nor will I probably ever be), but I owe much of my silly Docacappella persona to Mister Tim.

The arrangement that expanded my concept of harmony: “Poor Wayfaring Stranger” performed by The Swingle Singers with Peter Hollens, written by Tom Anderson.

There’s a reason I believe Tom Anderson is the greatest a cappella arranger living today: he sees music, writes music, and hears music in a “Beautiful Mind” like way. Despite his endless portfolio of arrangements, the immediate proof is in “Poor Wayfaring Stranger” where he utilizes chord combinations I haven’t even heard of (and I’m getting a doctorate!) and creates a rich tapestry of sound I didn’t even know was possible.

It’s been 3 years since I bought the arrangement from him, and I’m still combing through it, trying to decipher what the hell he was thinking when he wrote it.

The performances that changed the way I visualize live a cappella: “Titanium” by Voices In Your Head, 2013 and “Mad Hatter” by LARK, 2016

Both of these groups demonstrated what I feared I would never see again in a live a cappella performance: innovation.

Personally, I’m tired of watching the “hey-we’re-trying-to-be-really-cool-and-hip-by-standing-in-a-double-arc-or-adding-sexy-dance-moves-to-our-set” kind of choreography that plagues many inexperienced groups at ICCA and ICHSA competitions. When I wanted someone to show me something new, both of these performances did just that: Voices in Your Head manipulated the position of the microphones to create a sonic pulse and LARK added costumes, makeup, and staging to their performance, enhancing what could have been a tired power ballad into a spectacle.

This is one of the goals of my group, Satellite Lane: To create a show out of a cappella, not a set of songs with individual choreography. We’ve achieved this by writing 10-minute short plays, making “faux a cappella commercials,” or adding thematic dance moves that re-appear throughout all three songs.

For the theatre geek inside of me, I will always prefer “innovative and wacky” over “cool.”

The album that blew my mind:  Bioluminescence by ARORA.

Sure, Pentatonix is credited with bringing a cappella to a current mainstream audience (as they should be). But within the a cappella bubble, the album that essentially "changed the game" was ARORA's masterpiece, Bioluminescence. What makes this album great isn't necessarily the songs themselves (all originals, all incredible), but the way ARORA uses so little to create so much. A group of only five singers, ARORA layers harmonies over harmonies to produce a "wall of sound" set to a tight, rhythmic groove.

My very first thought after listening to this album was that I need to work harder so that I could one day create an album like this one.

Those are my Swingle Moments. What are yours?

Marc Silverberg

Follow The Quest For The A cappella Major: twitter.com/docacappella facebook.com/docacappella docacappella.tumblr.com docacappella.com

[theultravioletcatastrophe]

Welp, @gravityeyelids​ called it, I’m gonna go through the list of questions and answer the ones I feel like answering. After the cut, as usual. If you feel like answering any/all of these, go right ahead.

1) Put your iTunes on shuffle. Give me the first 6 songs that pop up. Sithu Aye - Constants And Variables The Bloodhound Gang - Three Point One Four Scale the Summit - Willow Muse - Butterflies and Hurricanes T.M.Revolution - Resonance The Beatles - Eleanor Rigby

2) If you could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be? …hmm.

3) Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 23, give me line 17. “Hebrews for not bringing him cannabis or enough of the lavish animal sac-” (from The Pot Book, edited by Julie Holland)

4) What do you think about most? How much I’m fucking up lol

5) Ever had a poem or song written about you? I… don’t think so? Maybe.

6) Do you have any strange phobias? Nah, mostly pretty ordinary stuff.

7) What’s your religion? n/a

8) If you are outside, what are you most likely doing? gardening

9) Simple but extremely complex. Favorite band? Sithu Aye. This used to be a hard question.

10) What was the last lie you told? I try not to lie, but it’s usually inevitable. Probably my wife asked me what was wrong and I said “nothing.”

11) Do you believe in karma? Not really.

12) What does your URL mean? I’ve explained it elsewhere, but it has to do with the fact that classical physical theories predicted that a blackbody should radiate infinite power at higher frequencies, and it was around the ultraviolet range where the theory started to diverge from observations.

13) What is your greatest weakness; your greatest strength? laziness and dedication, probably

14) Who is your celebrity crush? I don’t… really have one? Maybe The Rock.

15) How do you vent your anger? …not always in a healthy way.

16) Do you have a collection of anything? Many things.

17) Are you happy with the person you’ve become? No, but I’m a better person than I was, which is all I can hope for, really.

18) What’s a sound you hate; sound you love? I hate high-pitched hums; I love the sound of rain.

19) What’s your biggest “what if”? What if I died and left my wife and daughter alone?

20) Do you believe in ghosts? How about aliens? Ghosts I’m on the fence about; gonna say probably not but you never know. Aliens, absolutely.

21) Stick your right arm out; what do you touch first? Do the same with your left arm. The wall, and… a crappy Casio keyboard.

22) Smell the air. What do you smell? Stale, dry winter air.

23) What’s the worst place you have ever been to? I can’t think of how to answer this.

24) Most attractive singer/s of your opposite gender? All of them. Literally all of them.

25) To you, what is the meaning of life? Do the best you can to make the world a better place.

26) Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed? Not really and no.

27) What was the last movie you saw? Moana (go see it!)

28) What’s the worst injury you’ve ever had? Probably the time I sliced my fingertip open with a utility knife. Lost all feeling in it for a good 6 months.

29) Do you have any obsessions right now? Sithu Aye, Stardew Valley… there’s more I’m sure.

30) Ever had a rumor spread about you? I hope not.

31) Do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong? Nah, I’m quick to forgive and forget.

32) What is your astrological sign? Pisces

33) What’s the last thing you purchased? $5 worth of diamonds in Crush Crush.

34) Love or lust? Both?

35) In a relationship? Yep

36) How many relationships have you had? Yep >_>

37) What is your secret weapon to get someone to like you? I get them to do some small favour for me. I learned this trick in university, from a psychology class; cognitive dissonance kicks in and the person unconsciously assumes that if they’re doing you a favour, they must like you.

38) Where is your best friend? In bed, and I should be beside her (it’s 3 am lol)

39) What were you doing last night at 12 AM? Playing video games, probably.

40) Are you the kind of friend you would want to have as a friend? Yeah, I think so.

41) You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you if you are late one more time you get fired. What do you do? Better work on that resume.

42) You are at the doctor’s office and she has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. a) Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? b) What do you do with your remaining days? c) Would you be afraid? a) not everyone b) try to make sure my family is looked after c) only afraid of missing out

43) What’s a song that always makes you happy when you hear it? King Missile - The Cheesecake Truck

44) In your opinion, what makes a great relationship? Trust and respect.

45) How can I win your heart? You can’t :)

46) Can insanity bring on more creativity? I mean it CAN…

47) What is the single best decision you have made in your life so far? Marrying my wife :)

48) What would you want to be written on your tombstone? “He did his best. Unfortunately, it wasn’t good enough.”

49) Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “heart.” BARRACUDA

50) Basic question; what’s your favorite color/colors? green and blue

51) What is your current desktop picture? A series of cool stylized drawings of the Inner Senshi

52) If you could press a button and make anyone in the world instantaneously explode, who would it be? Trump Nobody, I’m not comfortable with doing that.

53) What would be a question you’d be afraid to tell the truth on? Depends on who’s asking.

54) You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What is that power? Immortality. Failing that I want my consciousness to be in an indestructible robot body.

55) You can re-live any point of time in your life. The time-span can only be a half-hour, though. What half-hour of your past would you like to experience again? I’d go back to the end of high school when I was about to turn in my application for university. I’d pick a different path.

56) You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be? I can’t think of one I’d want to completely erase.

57) You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. Who would it be? Jeez man, I dunno.

58) You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go? Hawaii!

59) Ever been on a plane? yep

60) Give me your top 5 hottest celebrities. 1. you 2. I know you’re not a celebrity 3. but what’s with all these questions 4. I just wanna make you feel good about yourself 5. Idris Elba