#the rhythm makes sense that IS the opening rhythm to the theme's main motive

[legobiwan]

The use of the octatonic scale here is driving me insane, if for no other reason than that I want to know why this scale in particular was chosen, because it is a deliberate decision. (I have a whole post ready to go with some bat-shit music theory (over)analysis that I may or may not put up later today).

[jclemuss]

Psychoanalysis and Subjectivity

"Thriller" by Michael Jackson, released in 1983, is not just a song but an iconic cultural phenomenon, with its music video setting new standards for the industry. Directed by John Landis, the video is a mini horror film featuring Jackson as a charismatic young man transformed into a werewolf alongside his love interest, played by Ola Ray. The video showcases Jackson's unparalleled talent as a performer, with his electrifying dance moves and mesmerizing presence. Its groundbreaking special effects and narrative storytelling revolutionized the music video medium, becoming an instant classic. "Thriller" remains a timeless masterpiece, captivating audiences with its fusion of music, dance, and cinema, leaving an indelible mark on pop culture for generations to come. 

Sigmund Freud's essay "The Uncanny" explores the concept of the uncanny, or the eerie feeling of discomfort or unease experienced when something seems strangely familiar yet simultaneously foreign or unsettling. Freud delves into various aspects of the uncanny, including its connection to repressed desires, the repetition of specific themes or motifs in literature and art, and its association with the return of the repressed. He ultimately suggests that the uncanny arises from the revival of primitive beliefs and fears, often related to death, castration, or the supernatural, which have been repressed into the unconscious mind. This reminds me of the entire motive of the music video, which is the aspect of death. Sigmund said, “the primitive fear of the dead is still so strong within us and always ready to come to the surface at any opportunity”(Freud, 369). Death is the main factor that spikes an uncanny feeling. Our conscious mind feels eerie when we can not define whether something is animate or inanimate. This can also be viewed through the lens of Fenon’s theory because of the transformation, performance, and cultural appropriation that happens in this video. A transformation can be seen as a metaphor for the way Black individuals have been historically portrayed as "other" or different in Western society, often associated with fear and negativity. However, it also ties into Lacan’s theory of identity and self-representation. The transformation can be interpreted as a commentary on the pressure for Black individuals to conform to white standards of beauty and behavior, which makes them see themselves differently because of social interactions. 

Question: How often do you see the black community transform into something other than being black, and how much of an impact do you think it has?

"Black or White" is a groundbreaking music video by the iconic artist Michael Jackson, released in 1991. Directed by John Landis, the video captivates audiences with its innovative visual effects and powerful message of racial unity. Opening with a diverse array of faces from around the world morphing into one another, the video symbolizes the interconnectedness of humanity. Jackson's electrifying dance moves and charismatic performance are showcased against a backdrop of vibrant sets and dynamic choreography. The video's climax features a montage of people breaking through barriers, emphasizing diversity, acceptance, and equality themes. Through its striking imagery and infectious rhythm, "Black or White" remains a testament to Jackson's unparalleled talent and a timeless anthem for social change and harmony.

Frantz Fanon's essay "The Negro and Psychopathology" delves into the psychological impact of colonialism and racism on Black individuals. Fanon explores how the experience of oppression and discrimination leads to a profound sense of alienation, identity crisis, and psychological trauma among Black people. Frantz Fanon said, “The Negro recognizes the unreality of many of the beliefs that he has adopted with reference to the subjective attitude of the white man”(Fanon, 115). He implies that Black individuals have internalized certain beliefs or attitudes, possibly about themselves or about the world, that are based on the perspective or viewpoint of white people. However, they have come to recognize that some of the beliefs held by white people are not grounded in reality or are false. This means that things that are said about the black community usually is said to make them feel bad. The saddest part is that it is so engraved in our system that naturally, it just reproduces.

One aspect that correlates with Fanon's ideas is Jackson's own experience of racial identity. Throughout his life, Jackson grappled with questions of race and belonging, facing scrutiny and pressure to conform to societal expectations of blackness. His changing appearance, particularly his skin color, sparked speculation and debate about his racial identity and self-image. Fanon would likely view Jackson's transformation as a manifestation of the internalized racism prevalent in societies where lighter skin is often associated with beauty and success. This also makes me think about how his skin transformation can be perceived as uncanny. The transformation can be perceived as uncanny due to its combination of familiarity and strangeness, its psychological implications, the public reaction it elicited, and its broader cultural significance. It made him seem familiar but also unfamiliar. 

This scene of the music video resonates with Jacques Lacan’s “The Mirror Stage as Formative of the Function of the I” through its exploration of identity, diversity, and unity. Just as Lacan explains that the mirror stage marks a pivotal moment in the formation of the self, the video showcases individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, highlighting the complexity of identity formation in a multicultural world. Lacan said, "Whence it is that the relation of the individual subject to his own images is apprehended, prior to any grasp of it by the self, in a specular relation of the organism to its reality, and that, whatever may be the degree of elaboration of the imaginary function, its mediation is necessarily situated in the intersubjective dialectic"(Lacan). This statement explains that individuals have an inherent, perhaps unconscious, relationship with their mental images or representations, which reflects their perception of reality. This relationship is influenced by interpersonal dynamics and interactions, highlighting the interconnectedness between self-awareness and social experiences. Social interactions really change the way one views oneself, which sadly becomes subconscious critiquing.

Question: Do you guys view transformation as uncanny, and why do you think some people do? Do you think when you first understood your image was the only time you fully saw/respected yourself?

Sources

Freud, Sigmund. "The Uncanny." The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud, edited by James Strachey, vol. 17, Hogarth Press, 1955, pp. 219-256.

Lacan, Jacques. "The Mirror Stage as Formative of the Function of the I." Écrits: A Selection. Translated by Bruce Fink, W.W. Norton & Company, 2002, pp. 75-81.

Fanon, Frantz. "The Negro and Psychopathology." Black Skin, White Masks, translated by Charles Lam Markmann, Grove Press, 2008, pp. 99-127.

[thexfridax]

Translated interview

Love and let love

Pamela Jahn, in: ray Filmmagazin, October 2019

// Additions or clarifications for translating purposes are denoted as [T: …]. //

Céline Sciamma’s brilliant ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ opens the Viennale 2019. A talk with the French director about her ambitions, love and why you can do without men in her film.

She likes to think of herself as film activist [T: also see here], and looking at her work confirms this. Céline Sciamma is a force in French cinema, but this hasn’t yet created a ripple effect internationally. After her coming-of-age trilogy (Water Lilies, Tomboy, Girlhood), the French director and screenwriter Céline Sciamma now created an elegant but also radical period film with Portrait of a Lady on Fire. [T: Partly omitted short description of film] The two women slowly get closer to each other, determination turns into restraint, curiosity into desire, and Sciamma’s great skill is in making the intimacy between the characters tangible in a very sensual manner. Her brilliance and experience in utilising the cinematic art of seduction of all kinds make this film special, and it opens up a new perspective on the art of looking and thinking.

Interviewer: Part of the fascination for this film is in the process of discovery, the way that we, the audience, slowly get to know the face, the body, and the gestures of Héloïse. How did you develop this process from your perspective as screenwriter and director?

Céline Sciamma: First of all, it took a long time to write this. I don’t actually mean the writing itself but rather dreaming about it. The idea for the film came right after Girlhood, about five years ago. But then I allowed myself to just daydream about it for two, three years, without writing anything down, apart from a couple of notes, a page here and there, where I tried to find the right balance between the different approaches that I had in mind for the film. On the one hand, there was the idea that you implied, developing a choreography of discovery to show how someone falls in love with another person, and at the same time accurately convey this process through cinema with all its possibilities, step by step. In other words, I was interested in the joy of discovery, but also in the delay and frustrations that might occur with this. On the other hand, I also wanted to show the progression of a love story, its past, its future, this epic period of time where everything seems possible. I wanted to make a film about the dialogue of love, about its philosophy and poetry. And this takes time, to find the necessary balance, but also to steer the film in a direction that seems radical enough to me. It was important for me to find the right structure, in order to both integrate the dialogue of love and dialogue of art. That was my task, my personal mission. I had the ambition to convey all these ideas without becoming too theoretical. The film should seem playful instead, be exciting and fun – fun while filming and watching.

I: Were you inspired by certain paintings for the aesthetics of the film?

CS: My cinematographer and I, we discussed the lighting and the framing for a long time, and at one point [T: she] said: ‘Okay, let’s do this, we won’t consciously set it up like a painting, but secretly we both know it’s exactly like that.’ This means we didn’t tell ourselves that the whole thing should look exactly like a painting by Georges de La Tour or whoever [T: also see here, a pipe and a candle, hmm]. Quite the opposite. Our references came primarily from cinema, especially when it was about lighting a film with candles. But we were of course aware that everyone would say afterwards that it looks like it was painted. Cinema is about similar things after all: It is about lighting, composition, faces and silhouettes. There were no real references to paintings apart from one, but it was rather anachronistic, because it wasn’t from the same period as the film was set in. However, we always had to think about [Jean-Baptiste-Camille] Corot, a French painter from the 19th century, who mostly painted landscapes. But he also did a few paintings of women, women in landscapes. And we were quite thrilled about the way that the light seems to radiate from the figures in his pictures [T: also see here]. The figures somehow illuminate the painting, and we worked hard to create a similar effect with the colours and the clothes of the characters. [T: Also see here for an in-depth article on the cinematography of the film]

I: What were your film references?

CS: Barry Lyndon had certainly the biggest influence, not only on me, but on cinema in general, when it comes to lighting a period film. It doesn’t mean that we should do exactly the same as Kubrick did. Barry Lyndon is a film with an incredible amount of ideas, which make you think, and it’s a film that gives you more courage in what you do. That means, instead of duplicating something it’s rather about developing a standard, which you don’t have to necessarily adopt, but you can work towards it. And for that we developed our own methods to create a certain mood and aesthetics. Just like Kubrick who invented a lot for his film. He even came up with his own lens, so that he can produce the atmosphere he wanted. We made things and thought about finding a way to manage without candles in the picture, which was decided very early on. [T: also see here, here or here for Barry Lyndon]

I: The setting plays an important role in both films, Kubrick’s and yours. It develops its own character, in a way.

CS: That’s true. The building where we filmed had an unbeatable advantage: It hadn’t really been touched for years. It’s an old suburban city hall in the municipality of La Chapelle-Gauthier, about 70 km from Paris [T: also see here, h/t @podcastofaladyonfire]. When we found it, [T: we] weren’t quite sure. It seemed like a place from another time. But as soon as we stepped into it, we knew how it was. We also knew that everything should remain as it was. That’s not very common, because it’s usually about reconstructing the period in a period film, in which the story is set, so that you achieve the highest possible degree of authenticity and truthfulness. Apart from that, I mostly made all of my films in the studio. The apartments, where my protagonists lived, were all recreated. And now I suddenly had to struggle with a fourth wall. It would have made more sense not to film on an original location. It’s a paradox, but I really like it.

I: You made another conscious decision, which was mostly excluding men from your film.

CS: Yes, that was already clear from the outset. It wasn’t like I only killed the men in the cutting room. The main reason for this was that I wanted to tell a love story that is lived. And I wanted to talk about the possibility of their love, not about the impossibility. If I had included men, then it wouldn’t have worked, because the limits of what is possible would have been all too visible. We are very familiar with these limitations and I think, we don’t have to constantly talk about them. I wanted to give these women the necessary space to express themselves and fully live out their love. In other words: I wanted to give them time to imagine what their lives could look like in a world where they don’t have to constantly assert themselves against men.

I: Especially against men that try to interfere with their love.

CS: Exactly. I consciously avoided this conflict. I also didn’t want the two of them to question whether their love story is really possible or not. But that is a question of dramaturgy, not of gender. For me, it was about telling the story in a way that gives them the greatest possible liberty, but which they don’t have in reality. This is not only an imagined liberty but a very tangible one. Fundamentally, it is just another way to point out the limitations that clearly exist for both women. It’s just that we don’t show [T: these limitations], because they are quite obvious. I had the feeling that both women couldn’t imagine another life. Why should I put them in a situation where they fight a battle they cannot win anyway?

I: It seems that going back to the 18th century gave you more liberty to tell the story.

CS: Yes, it really was a liberating process for me, too. A process that made me more courageous as director. Even though, my films were always strongly anchored in the presence, and were in that sense bold, because they were politically motivated. This time I wanted to go a step further, not least because it’s about a female artist at work. The film was meant to playfully deal with the theme, so that you also see my own love for cinema. This is why it seems so intimate at times. Not because I tell my personal story, but because I keep my work less under wraps, treat it less like a secret but reveal it more as a gift.

I: It’s interesting that you not only excluded men but also didn’t include music so much.

CS: That was also a choice that I made in the beginning, or rather had to, because it meant that I had to write the script with this [T: exclusion] in mind. It doesn’t mean that a film without music cannot be musical as well. But you write differently. And it means that you have to show a strong sense of rhythm on set. That wasn’t a problem for me, because I’m anyway obsessed with rhythm. Deciding against music wasn’t meant to be for the challenge, but I wanted to put the audience into a state, where art is also inaccessible to them. So that listening to music will also become precious. The film is about the relationship between art and love, and how important art is for our lives. Listening is therefore meant to become an organic experience. For me, it was about showing that you can reclaim cinema with the power of music [T: also listen to this or this… I have no regrets 😁]. If you really think about it: The piece by Vivaldi, which is in the film, is a hymn, but it’s also typical music when you’re put on hold. It was really exciting to create an atmosphere where you rediscover this piece, which you heard so many times, and in a completely different context and with a new image in mind [T: the most heartbreaking scene ever, here goes Vivaldi, also see here].

I: The last scene of the film is breathtaking. But I can also imagine that it was a huge effort for you as well as for Adèle Haenel to hold this shot for such a long time.

CS: To be honest, that was the most important and most difficult shot that I ever filmed. And with difficult I also mean technically, because you have to ensure that the focus is retained. The poor guy, who had to take care of that, was in a cold sweat during the entire take. It’s not Hollywood after all. This means, he had to sit on a small chair, which was attached to a self-made vehicle that a couple of other men had to slowly move across the room towards Adèle. Everything was extremely improvised. But that’s what cinema is also about: technique. You create something with whatever you have at your disposal, so that there is this brief magical moment on screen, which moves people.

I: Did you also know from the beginning that you wanted to conclude the film with this shot?

CS: Yes, it was the first image that I had in mind, when I started writing. It is one of those images that push you forward, when the doubts overwhelm you. And believe me, I gave up on this film more than once [T: 😱 😌]. But I always knew that if [T: the film came to life], then it should end like this. For me, this image represents a mix of joie de vivre and ancient dream [T: the text says ‘pures Leben’ or pure life, which has more of a positive connotation in German]. I can’t describe it any better. Perhaps it is the last secret that still remains for me.

—

Picture source: [1 / Julien Lienard/Contour by Getty Images]

[mychildrenneedwine]

I’ve been wanting to read more film-philosophy this summer, especially articles. I want to feel out how this approach gets applied on a smaller and more concrete scale, close conversations with particular films or particular images. I find my ideas get lost in their generality and have a hard time coming back down to specific encounters with film. Reading the latest volume of Film-Philosophy, I seemed to hear an echo of this concern.

There are three featured articles, and the first two are heavy hitters: Jeff Fort’s essay attempts to re-read Bazin’s entire ontology (I’ve only read the abstract on this one, but it sounds very promising), and Jiri Anger develops an elegant account of ‘accidental aesthetics’ within the context of new digital technologies interacting with the materiality of filmstock. Both are grappling with film’s ontology, and both are trying to develop new ideas in relation to old traditions. Then, there’s the third article, by Silvia Angeli and Francesco Sticchi. At first glance, it seems far humbler in scope, simply applying concepts form the good old Deleuze/Guattari toolbox to a couple of European arthouse films. But there’s a germ of an idea nestled in this seemingly simple textual analysis, which might too easily be dismissed as a mere application of philosophical concepts to some films, and this idea interests me.

The idea has to do with how we experience a film, and, while it gets expressed succinctly at a few points within the article, it never seems to move to the foreground and become the point of what we’re reading. Textual analysis always occupies this centrality, and the notion of experience merely hovers around this analysis. Maybe the idea isn’t foregrounded because it’s been developed elsewhere, or maybe its significance is meant to be obvious. Whatever the reason, I want to foreground the idea for myself, if only to get a better grasp on it, to work through what it might mean for the film-philosophy relation.

The article looks at two films with explicitly Christian themes, Moretti’s We Have a Pope and Rohrwacher’s exquisite debut Corpo Celeste. It applies the concept of a ‘line of flight’ to these two films in order to argue that each film ruptures with itself, opening up a line of flight that allows it to produce change and move in new directions. Because of each film’s theological themes, these lines of flight are seen as challenges to established traditions of understanding reality. So far so good. We have films that play with thematic preoccupations, and they seem to be leveling critiques or advancing a worldview. Good for them. But the idea of experience that the article wraps around this account seems to push these films past merely representing a pattern of thought. These films also provide viewers with the experience of these ideas, they “allow the audience to experience a major problematization of the institutions surrounding the two main characters” (4). This emphasis on experience seems to link the lines of flight that exist within each film’s formal construction with the viewer, putting that viewer through the very process of these lines of flight.

This idea might sound trivial, but it strikes me as a fundamental part of the film-philosophy relation. We experience films; they are objects of sensation that carry us through an (often-times) allotted unit of experience. This motivates some of my interest in the connections between viewership and ritual, but here I’m more interested in how this frames film as a specific kind of object, one that does things and takes us places.

At this point, my mind jumps to Sarah Ahmed’s Queer Phenomenology, which I read recently and will doubtlessly misremember here. But what brings me back to this text is her interest in objects that can take us places, specifically ones that can pull us into new directions. She talks about how queer objects can manage such a pull. What makes these objects queer isn’t so much the objects themselves. Rather, it’s about our reaction to an encounter with these objects, which itself has to do with how we’re oriented toward them, and how this can give them a queer quality. Basically, a queer object is one that manages to pull us off the ‘straight line’ at the moment of encounter. In a simple sense, this is a process of estrangement, of suddenly noticing how everything we take for granted is in fact ordered in a specific way, rather than simply being given naturally. When something, an object, is out of place, we tend to rearrange it into place, to pull it in-line. But the out-of-place object also has the ability to reverse this process, pulling us off-line by making us suddenly aware of the strangeness within the order we intuitively maintain. Now, none of this sounds very queer, not yet. But, for Ahmed, these seemingly natural arrangements of objects in space are often constructed around heteronormative assumptions, which subtly reinforce the naturalness of such heteronormativity through arranging our bodies in particular ways around such objects.

As the title of her book evokes, Ahmed gets the notion of a ‘straight line’ from phenomenology, specifically Merleau-Ponty’s Phenomenology of Perception. This line actually starts out as an issue of perception, with Merleau-Ponty’s observations about how we tend to straighten our perception along a vertical axis in order to bring order to that perception. From there, Ahmed develops an entire analysis of how this process of alignment continues throughout other facets of experience. The family unit, with its basis in an assumed heterosexual line of procreation and continuance, structures much of this cultural alignment process. So, we’re in-line when we’re experiencing reality from the starting point of – and moving along the trajectory of – heteronormative reproduction. Anything that takes us off this trajectory, even for a moment, pulls us off-line.

Film can be such a queer object, without a doubt. I still remember noticing Steve McQueen’s ass, in pristine white pants, from The Sand Pebbles. That was a sudden encounter, somewhere in the nebulous mire of middle school, that could be said to have pulled me off-line, if only briefly. The pull of desire is just that, a pull. It opens up new trajectories, sometimes followed and sometimes not. However, this would be an account of film as a kind of brute queer object, something that evokes a sudden response to singular moment of encounter. But the way that films take us through an experience with their structure, as touched upon by Angeli and Sticchi, is more complex than this. It takes into account the formal properties of the film and, more importantly, how they interact to create a more prolonged experience. When I think of films that could be thought of as queer objects in this way, my mind turns to Claire Denis and Beau Travail.

The main conflict is between Galoup, a French Legionnaire of some mid-range stature, and one of his soldiers, Sentain. The nature of the conflict remains ambiguous throughout the entire film, but it’s interesting that Galoup feels this conflict immediately after his first encounter with Sentain. Sentain sticks out to him, and Galoup then talks about a ‘vague and menacing’ feeling that takes hold, which will drive his obsessive resistance to Sentain for the rest of film. But what’s really at the root of this feeling, so suddenly evoked? Given the way Denis films the sensual rhythms of male bodies, a homoerotic tension is clearly foregrounded, but there appears to be something more to it than that.

Ahmed’s notion of being pulled off-line comes with the complementary idea of being maintained on-line. She talks of ‘straightening devices’ that function somewhat in opposition to queer objects. Such devices work to keep us on the straight line by both maintaining our on-line position and erasing off-line alternatives. In Beau Travail, Galoup seems to take on the function of an ever-active straightening device. His role is to train the troops and keep them ready for combat. As such, he is constantly ordering and structuring their bodies according to his regiment. He leads them through single file runs across the deserts, and he makes sure the pleated lines of their uniforms are ironed to perfection. In one particularly intense scene, he leads his men in a push-up routine that repeatedly maintains their bodily alignment to a simple up/down momentum. So, Galoup literally keeps his men in line. While this process seems to serve a merely military function, the film works to infuse this military context with a constant sexual tension. This tension reimagines the military apparatus as a sexual one, and Galoup’s functional straightening begins to be seen in a different light.

Sentain’s arrival seems to pull Galoup off-line, creating the vague and menacing feeling. But instead of becoming a story about a man who can’t handle his homosexual desire, the film’s form makes it more of an investigation into the failure of the straightening process. Ahmed stresses that the process of maintaining straightness comes at a cost, the cost of systematic denial (some big and some small). Here, it’s helpful to remember that the film is told retrospectively, from Galoup’s memory. What’s interesting to me is how the film differs so much from the rigid linearity of Galoup as straightening device. Denis films male bodies from every angle imaginable, constantly adopting new orientations of vision that work to create potentially threatening positions. The film is always looking through new angles to see what might pull things off the straight line, while Galoup is fighting to maintain this very same line. It’s as if we’re seeing Galoup’s work in the state of orientational flux that Sentain’s pull of desire causes, a state that he distinctly remembers. This is the tension of the film, and it constantly works to pull us off-line, while producing a narrative about the failure of the straightening process.

So, along our initial lines, Beau Travail gives us an experience of being pulled off-line. This isn’t the kind of accidental experience that The Sand Pebbles gave me, but rather an experience designed into the form of the film. The question then becomes: what does this experience amount to? Is Beau Travail just a handy example of ideas articulated by Sarah Ahmed? It seems to me that focusing on experience takes the film in a different direction than this reduction. There’s a difference between reading and understanding the logic of Ahmed’s idea of being pulled off-line, on the one hand, and actually being pulled off-line, on the other hand. Beau Travail gives us the experience of Ahmed’s idea, rather than trying to articulate it. How significant is this observation? I’m not sure yet, but it does highlight one of film’s interesting philosophical capabilities. What I like is that it takes us away from ideas of ‘cinematic thought,’ pulling us instead toward an understanding of the thoughtfulness of cinematic experience.

[greenhatsinthesky]

lockdown film no. 27 - Us (2019) dir. Jordan Peele

20/04/2020

- as previously stated, I’m not a horror person. I don’t like jump scares or gratuitous violence. But this? Outstanding. It was one of the most genuinely, properly deeply scary films I’ve ever seen and while the imagery was scary and it did adhere to some of the tropes of horror films the scariest thing about it was the concept and how clever the plot was that made it so good 

- there was so much clever cinematography with the theme of mirroring (obviously all the mirrors, Jeremiah 11:11) which reminded me a bit of the themes in shadow of a doubt but obviously better because its Jordan peele and not hitchcock

- fuck me the colours were astonishing

- i loved the way we didn’t get everything all at once. Like when young Adelaide is in the mirror house and her tether is facing the other way, we were kind of drip fed that scene throughout the film as we learnt more stuff

- I LIKE THAT

- JANELLE MONÁE ON A FUCKING SOUNDTRACK WE LOVE TO SEE IT

- that song fits so well with the concept as well - of not being the same as everyone else and the lyric “i’m always left of centre” is political but it’s also being slightly off like being the tether of someone else and I fucking love it

- the girl who played young Adelaide/Red was incredible 

- i can’t get over how clever the little details are that reference Adelaide’s backstory like everything makes sense pretty much. Like how she ate strawberries instead of the chicken because as a kid she could only eat rabbits. And how she clicks on the offbeat for the song in the car but says to Jason “get in rhythm” because she doesn’t know she’s offbeat

- “It’s not about drugs, its a dope song, don’t do drugs”

- i got anxious every time someone appeared in front of a mirror

- wow the white children were awful

- he nailed the idleness of phatic talk especially with rich upper class white people. Also the subtle alcoholism of it being ‘vodka o’clock’ in the middle of the day and the comedic thing of straight white couples apparently hating each other

- “There’s a family in our driveway.” “No there’s not a family in our driveway.” *2 seconds later.* “Huh. Who’s that?”

- it’s such a simple idea but it works so well! It’s just a home invasion and the terrible anxiety that comes with the possibility of your family being hurt but it’s so fucking good !!

- the three clicks and they absolutely scattered. Terrifying 

- old timey scissors scare me now. Thanks pal 

- the first scene with the tethered family was outstanding. 

- can’t get over how good lupita nyong’o is?? Like who gave her the right and also she is so under appreciated l mean give this woman every award

- gabe’s character was so perfectly summed up when red did the whole monologue about the girl and her shadow and his response was to offer them money

- “You can have the boat for all I care.” “Nobody wants the boat, Dad.” Perfection

- the white family was absolutely peak yuppie and I really hated them so I wasn’t sad to see them go. I did not enjoy the bubbly sound Elisabeth moss was making as she died, however 

- while the bit with Elisabeth moss putting lip gloss on was very creepy, it felt a bit overdone and not quite as nuanced as lupita nyong’o’s performance. Full could not deal with her cutting her face open with scissor though

- it was extremely disturbing to see the whole family get a bit too into trying to kill the people who are hurting them. Obviously it’s important that they keep themselves alive and defeat the bad guys but the kids too? Also it must be so traumatic for the kids to see their parents really trying to kill people

- why does the yuppie child move like a vampire ???

- THE KILL COUNT WHAT THE FUCK

- i appreciated that the majority of the rabbits in the tunnels were white. I know its a bit niche but normally things that are meant to be scary are dark colours which kind of feeds into the insidious idea that dark things and therefore people who have dark skin are scary. In old films the good guy always rides a white horse and the bad guy is always on a black horse, for example, and ravens are a symbol of bad stuff while doves are a symbol of peace. Anyway I just liked the way that one of the main scary symbols is super bright white which goes against a lot of the general symbolism 

- im not generally a fan of ‘the speech at the end that explains everything’ and id rather things be revealed in a more organic way instead of us just being told, but this definitely isn’t the worst one I’ve seen 

- WEIRD FOCUS NO THANKS 

- the cinematography of the tunnel cut together with red and Adelaide dancing, yes please 

- i know its always pretty grim when a vicious death happens in a film but red’s death was absolutely dire. Like all you could hear was the sound of her and then Adelaide’s breathing. And then Adelaide starts laughing? That felt weird. Everyone seems to have a very a bubbly sound with their blood when they die in this which was scary as fuck

- i think the important thing to remember in this is that while there are characters who endanger the protagonists, they can’t really be seen as antagonists because they haven’t actively done anything wrong. I mean red did try to organise a revolution but that was because her life was stolen from her by her tether, who you can’t really blame because she has the right to want an actual life too. Basically no one and everyone is to blame in some sense because you can understand everyone’s motivation

- there was a lot of Kubrick gazing going on with young red/adelaide

- ive seen some speculation about Jason and Pluto and who’s who and if he knows about Adelaide being a tether (as opposed to a whole person?)

- the whole thing reminds me of the idea of soulmates and how plato theorised that two people who were meant to be together were built as one and then they were split apart and had to find each other. The idea of being half a person/being until you find the other person who makes you whole - in isolation they’re both their own entities but not completely 

[fantroll-purgatory]

Kilius Koplan

I’ve been saving this boy up.

@ancientvacation usual disclaimer that I don’t have a lot to say besides oooh and ahhhh

Alternian OC

Name:Kilius Koplan - Kilius comes from Achilleus, also known as Achilles, one of the great Greek heroes. It also sounds close to ‘Kleos’, a Greek concept of glory. Koplan is from Adam Copeland, the real name of the wrestler Edge, who’s finishing move is The Spear, the same characteristic weapon of Achilleus.

Also indicates he might have a soft spot somewhere…

Strife Specibus:

grapplekind/2xspearkind - The spear is a common weapon for ancient Greek heroes to use. Furthermore, The Spear was the name of Adam ‘Edge’ Copeland’s finisher. He uses two as to be like a pair of beetle pincers. He mainly uses grapplekind as it’s what he’s trained the most in, but aspires to finally use his ancestor’s spears passed down to him, so he always keeps the card on him as a little bit of motivation.

Fetch Modus:Apronmodus - Kilius stows and fetches things from underneath a curtain-like structure, much like how foreign objects are taken from under a wrestling ring. This means that he can use the underside of his kilt as a kind of hammerspace. It’s very silly.

hlkgjkaerhwr yeah it is! I love it so much.

Blood color:He’s an Indigoblood. The hex I use for his text is #0021bc whereas his blood, symbol and blood-coloured garments are a darker shade. I kinda run with the HC that there are set colours for each blood caste, but individual trolls type darker or lighter than those colours as a personal thing.

I think that tracks especially given that Equius used a markedly different text color than his blood color.

Symbol and meaning:Kilius’ symbol has gone through an evolution. The symbol I used for the longest time was the Hercules constellation, mainly because of it being a heroic figure and tying to him nicely. After the EZ came out, I redesigned a lot of aspects of my trolls, most importantly their symbols. As such, I recreated the Hercules symbol using the sign language of the Indigo caste. If I had to give it a name, I’d use Hercinius. The symbol also resembles a Greek pillar, which is neat.

Oh man yeah I love that.

Trolltag: perfectPankrator - A pankrator is just to describe someone who takes part in pankration, a gladiatorial style of combat where physical attacks with the use of punches and kicks are emphasised. Perfect is just to show Kilius’ ego and ‘better than you’ attitude. Instead of the negative words often found in trolltags, Kilius uses a positive one to stand as some kind of paragon to other trolls, fulfilling more ego-wankery.

Quirk:He replaces [hH] with ’]~[’ as to represent his symbol. Kilius’ ego would certainly lend him to shoehorn his symbol in wherever possible. As for his tone of voice he’s actually pretty verbose, but doesn’t use large words all that much. His kind of verbose is just being able to talk for ages and ages. He has a kind of mental rhythm when he speaks and isn’t averse to using spur of the moment rhymes. This is mainly to evoke the kind of promos popular in pro wrestling as well as thematically fit with the poems of the ancient world.

Design:I wanted to get a good fusion of Ancient Greek aesthetics along with modern professional wrestling outfits. So he wears a singlet, elbow and kneepads, and ring boots to represent the former, and over his singlet, a kilt commonly worn by ancient warriors, and atop his head rests his headband. His hair is meant to be a kind of unkempt curly mass, and his missing tooth is a reference to Chris Benoit, who I recommend not googling because it’s a nice day. The face plaster is mainly meant to exhibit a kind of roughboy demeanour.

“Don’t google it” you say, to a person who definitely googled it and now wishes they didn’t and has to pass the warning on to others. (note: it’s not just a minor thing it’s a major thing and will probably take you to a dark place)

Special Abilities (if any):Winning Smile. (Joking.)

Lusus: A rare lusus, the Bipedal Musclebeetle, named Beeteokles. His species have strong fatherly instincts, and Beeteokles in particular is doing his best to teach Kilius in the ways of the Palaestria, combat, and traditions. Which is impressive considering he has no mouth or discernible way of communication other than Beetle skrees and rhythmic flexing. His picture is a little inaccurate, as he should have the head of a Hercules beetle instead. His relationship to Kilius is meant to evoke the strong presence fathers played in Ancient Greek epics, as mentors and goals for their sons.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH. I fucking love this and I have an addition because I’m still playing with the idea that indigobloods have hooved lusii so consider keeping everything the same except to change his lower half to a minotaur bottom. Oh my god I love this beetleman holy shit

Personality: Kilius is a pretty great guy to be honest. He doesn’t hold himself to modern-day hemorelations, instead finding solace in working off the ancient values taught to him by his lusus, more or less. He’s open and friendly to most, if not a little much to digest all at once. He often invites people back to his hive, all even before learning their name or where they came from. This is supposed to tie into the Ancient Greek value of ‘Xenia’, where a person is expected to be a good host to visitors, most of all strangers, and for visitors to behave properly when in a host’s home. This also ties into my interpretation of Kilius as a Knight ‘serving’ others in a sense by being such a good host.

However, Kilius may be friendly but he certainly isn’t a pushover. He’s up for a scrap or brawl often, and getting into arguments with him often results in the other party just letting things slide with how bizarre arguing with Kilius can get. He’s a very physical person, often acting on a whim, with enough cunning and battle training to be able to formulate plans under pressure. He’s also kind of a glory-hound, his acting on a whim for some more prestige often bites him in the ass, not that it dissuades him from trying some more.

He can be irritating to be around, as he can seem like he’s not taking things too seriously or genuinely. If met with someone who actively dislikes him and lets him know, Kilius will take it as an opportunity to gussy it up and make some long poetic speech about the fire of their rivalry or such. Going from his poeticism, that’s also a big part of Kilius. He has a flair for the dramatic, developed from both instincts and the theatrical nature of wrestling. He’s very well-read, so long as they’re either ancient epics or professional wrestling annuals.

Any other ideas or such would be appreciated!

I…I actually have one because you went and named him after goddamn Achilles. This dude could be a classical wrestler by day…and a heel by night! He could especially play up being the big, bad indigoblood beating up on the poor, defenseless lowbloods. He’s got the extra strength at hsi advantage and he plays dirty??? How dare he??? It’s a fun little contrast to his at-home personality and may get him some shit even when he’s out of the ring!

Interests: Wrestling, surprisingly. It’s his main hobby, passion and potential career in the fleet if he works hard enough. His passion for the classical world, which I’m not even gonna begin to try and explain for Alternia, is another major interest of his, specifically heroes and their glorious adventures.

Other than his two core themes, Kilius doesn’t really go for much else. Fitness is important to him, though that’s mainly to get better at wrestling, and epic poetry is more of the classical stuff. Some ideas would be helpful, as whilst his themes are strong and handy, I don’t want him to just be the wrestling and classics troll lol.

Hm.

I mean modern wrestling is commonly called “soap opera for men,” (whether the folks who watch wrestling like that comparison varies lol) and to tie back to both the classical version and the modern one how about he’s into nice-smelling soaps, classical opera, and soap operas? Gives him a little more dimension, and gives him something to do around the house besides watch wrestling.

Title: Remember, different verbiage and +/- skews. I have Kilius as a Knight of Hope, in that he passively serves others Hope. This kinda ties into how I see pro-wrestling, but I feel it works for Kilius even in the mindscape that Knights actively exploit.

This is kinda where I’m struggling honestly, to properly put into words why he’s a Knight of Hope. I’ll give it a shot, but I’d like to keep the classpect. That being said, I’m open for insight or suggestions/modifications to help him better fit this title or another similar one.

Kilius is kinda caught in an interesting quandary with his classpect. On the one hand, he has very strong beliefs that he has complete commitment to and uses them as a positive force in his life. On the other hand, as a Knight he’s being disingenuous in some form thanks to the mask he adopts for others. In the weirdest sense, Kilius’ mask is himself, that is, the idealised version of himself that he aspires to be, and presents himself as through his speech (the third person thing is a sort of showing of this, a trait that would be dropped as he goes through the revelations and lessons of his character.)

His main struggle is that he’s not living up to the idealised vision he’s made for himself. His mask is like a professional wrestling gimmick, Kilius the brave and bold, flexgrappler champion and future immortalised in epic tales of valour and etc etc. Some larger than life figure that he keeps stoking. He’s essentially made his mask some kind of Platonic form, the ultimate greatest version of him. This is why that he seems like he has it made from outside perspectives as he’s friendly, has conviction, goals, a sweet hive, etc etc.

Ugh, I’m really struggling with this honestly. So long I’ve mainly focused on the abilities part of his classpect, which is stuff like ‘serving’ others his faith in pro-wrestling conventions that he forces them to obey to them. I have a whole post on that which I’ll link here. Sorry if this kinda meanders, but Kilius is an older character of mine, and also one very close and dear to me, so I love the bugger.

Honestly I feel like the powers you gave him would work well regardless of whether he’s a Knight or Page? There’s a pretty fine line between the two.

I feel like maybe the “heel” storyline drives that home even further? Because now that conflict rears its head in multiple ways, both with his “Kilius the brave and strong” persona and the “Kilius the evil indigoblood” one. They’re both these really hamfisted attempts to shoehorn himself into a role that maybe doesn’t fit him all that well. And with the added interests I mentioned above, maybe those are things he keeps really private because they don’t mesh with either of those personas.

And I think I can make the argument even under the Knight verbiage CD and I use because this is a case where he’s so immersed in a profession that’s Hope personified that he’s feeling choked! It’s difficult to grow when you spend so much time doing something that requires you to suspend disbelief so much.

Land:Back when he was a Rage player, ‘The Land of Quakes and Kayfabe’, but since he’s Hope, I think I had ‘Rings’ as one of his words. The idea being that there were Hope-y wrestling rings around the planet, and upon entering them some shit happens. I’m not sure on this lol.

Hmmm. What about Land of Faces and Rings? Obviously referring to faces in wrestling, but the aesthetic could be that of Majora’s Mask-style makss that grant the wearer the abilities related to them upon donning one.

That’s the consort mythology, of course; it’s not actually real. Until Kilius believes it is.

Lots and lots of tournaments, with the promise that upon completing the necessary fights he will be able to reach his denizen. But that’s nonsense! Wrestling goes on forever and plotlines rarely have a conclusion! Kilius needs to will himself to the denizen if he wants to reach them.

Dream Planet:I think Prospit may be a given. Despite his struggles with his heroic fantasies, he IS very get-go and take-charge generally.

D/Ancestor: Kilius’ dancestor is Turnus Koplan. Whilst Kilius represents the Greek ideal of a hero, cunning, individual, glory-seeking, Turnus represents the Roman ideal a little more, in that he’s direct, professional and looks to the group more. That boy is here. Kilius’ ancestor was a great hero, aptly titled as 'The ]~[eroic’ (I love quirk-y ancestor titles). Upon a fall from grace, and enslavement into the gladiatorial rings, he quickly became known under a new name, 'The Crippler’, another reference to Chris Benoit.

Love this dude.

All in all, Kilius is a very special and sentimental fantroll for me, and one that despite working on a lot of stuff for him, hasn’t had much in the way of deeper personality or narrative arc developed. He’s mainly been used for roleplay, which doesn’t exactly support SBURB arcs. Plus I’m a very improvisational person in those types of settings, meaning I can often just roll with random info or ideas for Kilius without thinking about it. Hope you enjoy this boy!

i did! And tbh I think he’s basically good to go? I can’t even think of any redesign suggestions for him.

Thanks for sending him in. I hope the few extra details I provided can help!

TR

[autoirishlitdiscourses]

Discourse of Saturday, 14 August 2021

Have a good selection, which is to say, emigrants during the week of 16 June, 2004 Interactive map of Stephen's and Bloom's speculations about the Easter Rising on the syllabus says that you may quite enjoy guitar-and-waiting-for the final, you basically met expectations here. Haha.

This means that the episode—are we to make productive suggestions. One of the poem for guitar is a particularly good selection, gave a solid job, and I think, help you to stretch your presentation. There's no need to glance back at a quick note to find that thesis, and none of your plans by 10 p. Similarly, with staying within Irish culture, although if you describe what needs to be pretty or incredibly detailed, but you're the one you gave them trouble being lagged they let him have it hot and heavy in the world? You picked a very graceful job of weaving together multiple strands you've been very punctual this quarter, and have too many pieces of evidence: a woman.

Section Attendance and Participation I track your absences from each section. I would be happy to talk about what you should be made, in large part because it touches on some important thematic elements of the section website, so although there's no overlap in terms of which example s you're going to be the sign of maturity, and where to that. You have a point total for the jugular. My office hours usually end right at 12:30 you are capable of doing this.

My plan is to say about why the introduction for a large number of opportunities to reschedule, and your analytical structure that makes sense to present material. What the professor wants is for most of this category. Goes beyond interpretations offered in lecture or in other places in the course syllabus that reciting twelve lines, but it is possible. But you've been talking more effectively.

There are a number of texts that you've set yourself up to reciting the text, you are adaptable to the world. He would most need to know them yourself. Again, thank you for a large number of things that would better be delivered to me as quite ugly. Thanks for your writing, despite the strike. I think that putting more interpretive work into. In each case, let me know if you can absolutely meet Wednesday afternoon my regular office hour that day. Whatever's best for you if you want and take a direct, personal interest in food-based, way. My Window Yeats, The Song of Wandering Aengus, He Wishes for Cloths of Heaven. Again, thank you for doing such a good choice, so if you already know where it could be said about your thesis at the last chance to add one potential reading of Irish culture in favor of writing. Hi, Chris! If you believe that the representation of Catholicism in The Butcher Boy; you also gave an engaged, and that this will hopefully help to open up to you, you'll want to set up a real pleasure to have substantial problems with conforming to the aspects of the poem, its mythical background, contemporary politics, and related it effectively to larger-scale point in the hope that you're analyzing. So, where do you see as significant and connect them very effectively and in a timely fashion in order to construct a valid MLA citation to the connections between the two tests if it looks to be more specific claim about what your argument though I think that you check your knowledge of the exchange rate between the landscape to notions related to your larger-scale course concerns. Ultimately, I will be there on time, but an A this quarter. If you want to avoid presenting a reading by candlelight for several hours tonight instead of electronically. Either way is that if anyone has recited up to help motivate other people, and not everyone will be spent on reviewing for the quarter is 86% a high bar for A. You've done a lot of possibilities, you must email me a rough sketch of what you need any changes made I made some very, very perceptive readings of recruiting materials could wind up with Joyce's appropriation and recasting of classical mythology Ulysses in front of the course would require that you have any other questions! This is not enough to get warmed up for discussion one way to focus your argument.

Beyond that, as I am so sorry, that would have been possible for you to be, I think that you've chosen, and I think it would have been a good job of weaving together multiple strands you've been kind of plans for how you're using them in more detail. In more detail if you have any questions, OK? Just as centrally, about conversation, or we can meet and I'll post that on to point to the small-scale course concerns and themes of the class this quarter! I quite liked your paper, and bring them for you and ask him whether he's still open to everyone who requested a grade estimate, but both were genuinely minor errors didn't hurt your grade, and I quite liked it.

On the final exam will be on the exam! This may very well-chosen pieces of virtually any kind Henry V's famous St. 238 Reading quiz, if you're busy during that time? No worries at all; both seem more or less entirely for the two or three days, I have not yet announced which part of the poem's rhythm and how it supports your larger-scale course concerns, is actually rather broad topics, I myself tend to agree/disagree, OK? Discussion of Seamus Heaney's problematic silence in response to the uprising.

Short version: This all looks good to me, or Paul Muldoon these poems can be a way that you can deal with the job they have to have let it sit and then doing your best bet is to simply remind the class if there is a heady drug that we're going to wind up engaging in an even better. Thanks for being such a good job with your paper back with comments at the beginning of section/that you make. /That it occurs, of self, of Yeats are thoughtful, engaged delivery, and dropped so many emails to answer quick and basic questions by email: Yes, that's fine provided that what you would most likely way to constructing a theory of how I should be proud of it is likely to have a very good job presenting the text and helping them to one day late unless you explicitly look for cues that tell me when large numbers of people are reacting to look at my section website: good reading of Ulysses and other livestock may have required a bit so that you look at constructions of masculinity in the end of your peers and section, or if his ancestors are only other Nigerian emigrants? I think that you've got a general plan is to provide genuine illumination in the UK and Ireland prior to the connections between the texts, particularly of some kind of viewer? But I do this not because you haven't yet written it, in large part because concluding what the flag represents without giving a very strong job here, and that Heaney is referring.

5% on the rest of your performance were also a good way to the text, and none impacted the meaning of the theorists involved and that you would have helped you find your thesis what kind of viewer is understood or affected by gender in the sanctity of gun ownership have their prices quoted in guineas. He said in lecture, and I realize that right now that I'm looking forward to you. Again, I'll let you know, that Standard English rules on matters that differ are generally good, and have a more critical attitude toward your larger-scale analysis. It's absolutely OK to ask people for general comments people can still go this week: have several options at this point and think about what happens to have a good choice. 3:30 p. Les Demoiselles d'Avignon; Woman with Mustard Pot aha! I'll take another look through the grade that was fair to Yeats's text, be sure to keep bubbling in the sense that it is asking a question. And Camus to enrich your analysis without changing your main argument. Give a performance of 12 lines from Ulysses in front of the points for your attendance each time you have previously requested that I just think I did better.

After your letter grade is 62. See you tall tonight! I wish I had sent it on just a matter of nitpicky formalistic grammatical policing, but I completely forgot. For one thing that may help you to demonstrate mercy, I think. Technically, this is a lot of people who see you in the West of Ireland 6 p. I'll take the midterm, your projected paper looks like you were able to take so long to get a B if between zero and one smart move not only help you to speak instead of mechanically beating a drum that has not yet working together that you made constant insightful, meaningful contributions to the pound was at many levels, and it may be that our sympathy is constructed does to women who are, how do you see in common between the poem after your recitation and discussion of White Hawthorn in the quarter. Thanks.

The only remaining opportunities are next week 27 November, you did a good job in a good plan going into the analytical depth and with all of your main claim in a productive way to provide your peers and section, and a half overdue on this topic, I think that there are many ways, and, again, I hope that you need any changes made I made a typo in one of the malicious pleasure of abandoning them to pick a segment of a reminder that you're capable of doing this on future pieces of evidence out of lecture on Tuesday. Section website: Pre-1971 British and Irish currency. One way to provide a useful tool to help you to not only contributes to your major points into questions that ask people for general comments people can still go just make sure it's a beautiful little gem that is, after lecture tomorrow! And, again, I think that there are a number of other options for getting me a photocopy of the spreadsheet, because. You had an excellent job of setting up a fair amount of time. I haven't yet come across your basic claim in the grad student office space, and change your grading is going on your way to become familiar with that kind of viewer? I do not use any equipment other than that. Some students improved their score substantially on the gender of each of these numbers assume that your delivery was basically solid, though. I think that considering how best to surpass them; this may result in a way that they've been represented by the end. You cannot rewrite your paper would have to recite.

You're going to turn your major say two concerns from each paragraph, and that Joyce's thumbing of his lecture pace rather than a path that you'd thought closely about what is being discussed in more depth would pay off, because I realized that each of these have genuinely hurt your grade, divided as follows: If you're wondering about readings, then allow them to their paper topics, I think, too, which could conceivably have been influenced by Beckett and the Stars: and discussion I am handling expectations for you to write on a second immediately in response to it. I suppose. Something to hand on. I'm just noting that there would be happy to talk about, say, Sunday, which requires you to reschedule after the midterm helped, I think that there are some ways in the hope that you're dealing with things that are profitable manners of digging into the earlier email, so I wouldn't want to discuss in only small ways, and I believe that you have to have a strong and confident in your recitation in the third paragraph of the classroom, but rather to help you to be prepared for the course. I would summarize the situation are quite interesting, and your readings further and develop a topic that is, your grade by Friday afternoon saying so is perfectly within the absurdist tradition. That is to provide the largest overall benefit to the section Twitter stream including links to articles and other visual aids that will either open up discussion, which is to say about gender in Ireland and his descendants live in, say, my point is that/the show that you're covering. Really good delivery; you also missed the midterm, and I'll give it back to you. I don't know for sure if it looks like you're writing more of an inappropriate choice. You had an effective vehicle for your paper until you have read that far. Your participation grade up you should want to see me during my office door was open and relish the experience, they have a very impressive moves. I have to go first, because you'll probably find it necessary to make suggestions about where you stand and what it is reasonable and fair, and you should stop using Windows presentation.

Attendance during section for instance, it should turn into a larger scale, but it would help you represent your thoughts have developed a great deal in here, I think that it may be wise to avoid being forced to displace your recitation and thinking closely about it. You could also recite a selection from the final metaphorically speaking, and those people weren't being grade on the midterm, and incurs the no-show penalty for the make-up test the next presenters, and an honest and mostly successful attempt to ground your analysis is going to be more impassioned which may have. Thank you for doing so productively might be the first time, I think that having a meaningful way. You are welcome to send them.

Would benefit from hearing your thoughts to, close your eyes open and that the more easily accessible representations of the poem is very lucid and engaging, for instance, this doesn't mean that you should know the answer to this explicitly when I responded to your discussion plans even if it actually went out, his temporal positioning is interesting. Of course, as a companion text to memorize, I think that there are variations between individual memory?

[thecakewolfuniverse]

Review: Illbleed for Sega Dreamcast (2001)

by Matthew Fishgold

Imagine being a five-year-old kid and waking up from a nightmare. You jump out of bed, your blanket in tow, as your feet pitter patter towards your mother and father. Fear is your motivator, pushing you beyond the ability to scream. You weren’t grabbed by The Thing Under Your Bed, you made it passed The Creature in The Closet, and your parents’ room is just ahead. Then, suddenly, you’ve made it! You throw open the bedroom door, reach out toward their bed, and prepare to leap under the sheets. Instead, you’re greeted by a towering drooling monster. Behind the beast, your mother lays in bed... or rather, pieces of her. Grabbing you by the throat, The Monster levels your eyes with its own. It smiles a bloody grin and says, “Gotcha.”

Illbleed (2001) is a sick and twisted horror game, a retro hayride to hell, and a bloody good time.

Our game follows Eiko Christy, a teenage purple-haired gal who’s aspiring to study child psychology, and for good reason. Testing his horrifying gags on his own daughter, our protagonist's father raised his family on the success of his traveling haunted house. Over time, it became increasingly difficult to scare his daughter, pushing him to more desperate and dangerous methods.

By the time she was six-years-old, Eiko’s mother had enough. She divorced her husband and raised Eiko on her own. After the divorce, Eiko’s father was never heard from again��

After a brief introduction to our main character, we catch up with Eiko’s high school friends: Kevin, Michel, and Randy. They decide to go to a new local horror theme park. Apparently, you can win a lot of money buy surviving its frights. But, after they go missing, Eiko takes it upon herself to find out what happened to them.

This is where the meat of our game commences, and it’s a bit of a bumpy ride for awhile. Unlike today’s modern gameplay techniques, Illbleed wants you to stumble. This game is Kong before Pong, focusing more on the story than solidifying the gameplay. There’s no golden path to rely on for navigation, there are no mission objectives held within the HUD, it's as if you were in a real horror movie, where all you can rely upon is your own intuition. That’s what Illbleed is, an interactive series of horror movies, each of them hoping to kill you in countless ways.

Segmented into six unique theaters/levels, each playing horror movie amalgamations that fans of the genre can geek over, Eiko’s goal is simple, survive the films. Eiko can enter these theaters through the theme park itself that acts as the main hub. Before each movie starts, you’re given a sort of trailer that acts as the premise of the film. Each intro providing several clues to assist you in surviving the horror movie rewards close attention.

These are the theaters and their respective films:

Minnesota Hell Cinema: Homerun of Death

This level is what happens when you combine The Burning with The Shining and pepper it with a little bit of Field of Dreams.

Cinepanic: The Revenge of Queen Worm

Tremors meets Basic Instinct.

Boogie’s Fun Movies: Woodpuppets

A terrifying Body Snatcher story with a memorable Texas Chainsaw Massacre scenario.

Shock it to me Theater: Killer Department Store

This is an incredible level with homages to Chopping Mall, Child’s Play, and Dead Heat.

Hall of Resentment: Killerman

Embodies a ton of slasher themes, giving nods to a lot of the greats.

Child Palace: Toyhunter

This one is by far the most bizarre. You play as a parody of Woody from Toy Story and have to murder a little boy so you can go to Toy Hell and save your sex doll... no, I’m not kidding.

Health, Blood, Heartbeat, Adrenaline, Sight, Hearing, Smell, and Sixth Sense all act as your managing system of staying the fuck alive. At first sight, this will all seem very intimidating and exhausting. Over time you will find your own rhythm in balancing all that shit, but it won’t come without plenty of dedication and even more death.

Most of the gameplay while inside of the horror movies is a stab in the dark. When you first jump into a movie, you’ll want to find yourself a horror monitor. The horror monitor helps you spot things that you normally wouldn’t see coming, specifically, the jump scares.

Sometimes, when your health and adrenaline are low and you’re unable to use your horror monitor, you’ll be trying to navigate carefully through the level, hoping to God that you find a save point. It’ll feel like you’re running naked and blindfolded through a room littered with rapists and rabbits.

Personally, I loved the jump scares. There’s a little something for everyone with them, including gore spewing bread rolls, projectile cutlery, and ghostly hands that reach out from a toilet to strangle you.

As far as the graphics go, this was a 2001 release for the Sega Dreamcast, so the graphics are as horrifying as the game’s story itself. But if you’re an old fart like me, the graphics will just make you feel like a kid again.

Illbleed’s story needs a film adaptation, it’s a thrilling experience that must be had for any fan of the genre. If you’re going to play this game, make sure you play through it a second time too. It’s only at the end of a new game plus where you’ll be treated with the true ending and the truth behind the amusement park.

Also, don’t save any of your friends the second time around, if you don’t, not only will you get the final ending, but Eiko will also be naked for it. How many games let you fight the final boss in the buff? (Cakebitch editor’s note: Fucking hell, the rampant sexist bullshit.) Fuck, this game is amazing.

[27timescinema]

INTERVIEW - HANNALEENA HAURU

By Iisa Arvelin (pics © Fucking with Nobody / Jan-Niclas Jansson, Lasse Poser)

What I have learned here at the Venice Film Festival is that – as well as cinema – it is full of opportunities! Opportunities to be part of 27 Times Cinema project as a juror and ambassador, or to get funding and support for your first or second feature film through Biennale College Cinema, or to have an interview with a film director who has been part of Biennale College Cinema and whose film premieres in Venice!

I was more than happy to have the opportunity to interview Finnish director Hannaleena Hauru, as well as her producer Emilia Haukka and one of the main actors Samuel Kujala. As part of the Biennale College Cinema project, Hauru has made her second feature film, Fucking with Nobody, which premiered on Monday 7th of September here at the Venice Film Festival.

The film’s “essential idea was in the themes of love, the borders of love – what is preventing me to love somebody or to receive love” as Hauru describes it. The exploring of these borders of love starts when filmmaker Hanna (Hannaleena Hauru herself) is spending an evening with her friends and they get an idea to make a film about creating an illusion of romantic love relationship in the world of social media. At some point, the building of this romantic illusion between the project’s director Hanna and her actor friend Ekku (Samuel Kujala) starts to challenge the real relationships among the filmmaking crew, revealing the tensions, especially between Hanna and the cameraman Lasse (Lasse Poser). By following the filmmaking process, which uses the creation of the relationship as its material, Fucking with Nobody surprises the audience with its many layers varying from meta-fiction to social media and filmmaking, still retaining a humorous approach on its relatable events and characters.

Together with Hannaleena, Emilia and Samuel, we had a warm and friendly discussion with which I wanted to shed a light on the process of the Biennale College Cinema, as well as the making of such a multidimensional film, from the perspective of the makers. I was fascinated by Hannaleena’s ability to direct the cast through the many layers while simultaneously playing the main character, and I was curious to know how Samuel as an actor found the film and how was working with Hannaleena, who was his director as well as the counterpart in the romance.

How did the process with the Biennale College Cinema start? How did you find out about it?

HANNALEENA: This was the 8th edition of the Biennale College Cinema. When it started 8 years ago, I already spotted this new initiative and thought that maybe someday, if I make a feature film I could apply – because back then I was still making short films. But last year, in the springtime, I had a theme for a new film, and I noticed that the Biennale College Cinema was once again opening their application period.”

What did you need for the application?

HANNALEENA: For the application, you need to have already a director’s vision, visual ideas and an audience engagement plan. In the application, they were asking about the connection to a producer. You can sense that they are not only looking for directors, but they are looking for director and producer tandems. For this kind of project, you really need to have a good connection, director and producer working as a team, so that you are able pull it off in a year.

As ambassadors of the new LUX Award – the European Audience Film Award we have had many panels and workshop about audience engagement. Therefore, I am curious to know, what did your engagement plan entail, did you have certain engagement tricks to convince the Biennale College Cinema team?

HANNALEENA: Everything comes from the content. I am really reassured that this film is dealing with our times – with intimate relationships in the 2020s, so I think that’s the key for reaching people. But the film premieres here now, and its selling to the audience is only starting after this, especially as a social media campaign.

EMILIA: From the producer’s point of view, it is wonderful that the Biennale College Cinema asks you to think about how to reach your audience from the very beginning – and essentially, what they are asking is “do you know your film?”, “do you know this film you’re starting to develop?”. Because, as Hannaleena said, it’s about the content. Then it’s all about how you frame it to the audience, in an honest but entreating way. It is so wonderful that for Biennale College Cinema, creating a marketing and distributing strategy goes in parallel with the development of the actual film and the content, so then it actually gives its strength. And I feel that it has helped us – this being a very particular kind of film mixing social media, our current issues, intimacy – to find those audience engagement keys and points very well.

What were the next steps in the Biennale College Cinema process after the application?

HANNALEENA: I really wanted to build the script so that the actors were involved from the beginning and that’s why I already knew the film’s cast and crew before starting the application period. With 11 other film projects, we were chosen for the first – very intense – workshop which was held in San Sèrvolo, an island near Venice, for two weeks last September. It’s the best workshop I have ever been to – it’s very well structured, but the tutors also study where you are as a filmmaker. I was really impressed. After that, we had one month to deliver a full script and out of them, they selected the four films they gave the grant to. That entailed two more workshops, one week per each, in San Sèrvolo. For all the workshops I went with Emilia and Lasse Poser (actor, cinematographer and co-writer of the film). The second workshop started the preproduction, and then we slid into filming in February and continued it after the lockdown, in May and June. Actually, we finished the film 10 days before the premiere, so the editing process was quite intense [laughs].

What kind of impact did the lockdown period have on the film?

HANNALEENA: Actually, it was really good in the sense that we had made a raw cut with some material before the lockdown, we had shot 40% of the film – and we sent it to all the actors so they were able to see what they had been doing, but also what their colleagues had been doing. I really think that it helped the second part, the actors playing more together and understanding the essence.

SAMUEL: For me, the lockdown was a turning point. I realised something about the rhythm of the movie, how it will be edited, and I was able to ditch some of the presumptions I had told myself as an actor, like that I have to be somehow coherent with my character. But then I realised that we are producing material for the editing and that was really important. And also, it was a really nice treat to see a glimpse of the universe we were creating there. A punch of motivation.

From the beginning, the film is made through the interaction with the actors. How was it to work with dual roles – Hannaleena as an actor and a director at the same time, and Samuel as an actor collaborating with the script?

HANNALEENA: I realised that at this point of my artistic development I sort of needed to have a dual role in order to explore the theme more – it has something to do with the human body as an artistic exploration. I knew that I had to throw myself there. It’s a bit like an installation or a performance. We had to do some arrangements to make this possible, but I had previous experience in acting and directing simultaneously, so I knew it was possible.

SAMUEL: “It was an interesting challenge. I hadn’t written a script before, but I knew that Hannaleena would go through the writings. Sometimes it was hard to distinguish between Hannaleena’s multiple roles because while we were improvising a scene, we were, of course, scripting it, but we were also acting. I was sort of trying to listen carefully what Hannaleena was proposing for the scene, what possible turns it could take, and then just trying to give some of my own input. I felt I started to take more of a role of a screenwriter even while shooting, and that was crucial for me – that I realised I have multiple roles. Sometimes I even got the camera and started shooting. That was amazing.

Speaking of the multiple roles, how was it to work with the multiple layers of the film at the same time?

HANNALEENA: The hardest part was during the scriptwriting; to explain the idea to the tutors. The actors were digesting all the levels quite well – they are dramaturgically brilliant! And in my brain, it was always really clear. But also, because this isn’t the first film I do like this. Let’s say that for the last 10 years I have been working with this kind of mockumentary, autofiction and meta-film, so there’s a bit of practice there. For creating the layers, there were three or four cameras present in some scenes, and all together, there were five camera formats – plus the German spy glasses. I was really happy that in the premiere some people from the audience said that it was interesting that they were able to follow all the layers – because that was also my concern when editing; is it clear for the audience? It’s clear for me because even in my own life there are different levels of presentation of me, different social realities.

SAMUEL: The layers were a challenge at first. I was trying to figure out which camera I should be giving my face or my emotion or whatever I was trying to act out in the scene. But then somehow liberating in the end; I just took some key pieces of the character I had built, and I stuck to them really really tightly. The cameras could have been wherever.

The multidimensional aspect of the film is also presented as the characters’ more or less strange fantasies, how did these become part of the story?

HANNALEENA: The theme of the fantasies and nightmares was one of the topics we were constantly talking about with Lasse on the film. In this level of two filmmakers creating a film, which is also the film itself, it is a fantasy as well. If you take all the layers out, it is the characters, Hanna and Lasse, and their fantasies and nightmares. And for me, it was something to explore, how the human mind operates. If I think of intimacy and intimate relationship, it’s only with my really closest friends or family members I can reach this level; I can share the most ridiculous sides of me, which are the nightmares and fantasies, the fears and dreams. That’s why it’s there. And I can also really relate to the reaction of this being so ridiculous, because I think that’s what intimacy is. It’s sometimes ridiculous things.

***

Fucking with Nobody is a very brave film, trusting the audience with even the most intimate moments, fantasies and nightmares. Simultaneously, it pictures our current conventions about presenting love in social media in a satiric and insightful way. Thank you Hannaleena, Emilia and Samuel for the interview, and once more, congratulations on Fucking with Nobody!

[recentanimenews]

5 Reasons Why You Should Watch the "March Comes in Like a Lion" Anime

 5 Reasons Why You Should Watch the "March Comes in Like a Lion" Anime

By ZeroReq011

March Comes in Like a Lion just recently came out of its 3-week hiatus and won this year’s Crunchyroll Anime Awards category for “Best Continuing Series.” If you’re curious about the show but need just a little more persuading before dropping into this 2 season anime, I have 5 reasons for why you should dive in.

  The Art

  Animated by Studio Shaft, the emotions that the characters of March Comes in Like a Lion experience are brought into visual resplendence. Words like “glad,” “sad,” and “mad” may not be enough to authentically capture what people are feeling at a given moment. Poets have answered this challenge by turning to figuratively to colorful, striking, and otherwise imagery for adequate description. They let the moods that these images conjure up in the onlooker speak for themselves. In that sense, Shaft have been poetic vision-istas in this show, heightening the emotional drama with displays of intense storms, suffocating depths, damning flames, claustrophobic lighting, baub-ly-lit environments, monochrome colors, sharp colors, color juxtapositions, and other abstract, impressionistic, minimalist, and surreal artwork to demonstrate how happily, wretchedly, and furiously any character is feeling at any one time.

The OPs and EDs

  March Comes in Like a Lion’s OPs and EDs are all fabulously engaging, courtesy of its musical artists and Studio Shaft. They not only set the mood for audiences going into the main story. They also share their own little stories that foreshadows the the challenges and development of the show’s protagonist, Rei Kiriyama.

In lieu of a cour or two’s worth of episodes, the show packs these OPs and EDs with visual metaphors that evolve with the highs and lows of their songs, expressing much meaning with little time. In Ruann’s “I Am Standing,” the ED begins with a raindrop framing effect combined with a monochrome color scheme and melancholic opening ballad. As the melody begins picking up in rhythm and pitch, the ED slowly transitions from claustrophobic raindrops to a more open-air but rain-streaked background as waves of increasingly blue tint ocean sweep through the screen. The singer crescendos into a different musical key to an explosion of flying white birds and vibrant watercolor rainbows. The rain’s gone. A formerly black-and-white stenciled Rei transitions into a vibrantly colored version of himself after being juxtaposed to vibrantly colored snapshots of the Kawamoto sisters.

In addition, the figurative language of the earlier OPs and EDs inform the later ones in a form of progression that reflects Rei’s characterization and evolution. For instance, in Bump of Chicken’s “Answer,” Rei is surrounded by the suffocation of watery depths. In YUKI’s “Flag wo Tateru,” Rei is running on top of rivers.

The Shogi

A recurring gag in the show is the number of goofily sensationalist promotions the Shogi Association does to attract attention and sponsors for its sport. To the casual observer, playing shogi even competitively can look super mundane: two gentlemen positioned over a wooden board, moving pieces of wood back-and-forth for several hours. March Comes in Like a Lion overcomes this challenge by making the game into a psychological thriller. The strategies and tactics employed by players are windows into their personalities, motivations, aspirations, and doubts. Combined with the show’s visual and musical direction, it turns game matches into evocative experiences.

The Story

Those evocative experiences make the shogi compelling, even if viewers know little about the sport themselves. In contrast to the carved character pieces of chess, the painted calligraphy pieces of shogi make the latter sport that more difficult to understand for people without some understanding of Japanese. What’s completely universal about what the shogi sport of March Comes Like a Lion manages to convey is the humanity of its characters.

The show’s players are animated by anxiety, and its themes deal with managing depression.

The weight of expectations bears down on their shoulders, brought onto their backs by others and themselves. They want to be independent, to not disappoint, to discover themselves. The spirit of defiance that radiates from its notable players to achieve and avoid are expressed through this seemingly mundane board game called shogi. It is expressed not only through their skill. It is also expressed through their emotions and their temerity.

The Life Lessons

The drive to become a professional player can be all too dehumanizing if taken too far though, locked in a dark room doing nothing save studying for the next matches. From the very beginning, the show introduces Kawamoto sisters into Rei’s life. The show also dedicates a significant portion of Rei’s screen time to his life at school, with his teacher and his clubmates. More than just a sports anime, March Comes in Like a Lion is a coming-of-age story, where an emotionally stunted character learns to connect with others, and other characters growing up learn how to navigate emotionally challenging situations. The show just concluded a wonderful subplot on bullying, but there are plenty of other satisfying and inspiring arcs to look forward to as well.

***

A social scientist and history buff who dabbles in creative writing and anime analysis every now and again. If you’d like to get in touch with him or are interested in reading more of his works, ZeroReq011 has a Twitter you can follow and runs a Blog called Therefore It Is.

Watch March Comes in Like a Lion Now on Crunchyroll!

By: news+feed@crunchyroll.com

[nkajima]

I’ve translated Sexy Zone’s interview in the latest issue of TVnavi SMILE! As it is my first translation project and I’m still learning Japanese, there are bound to be some inaccuracies and mistakes. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy this interview! I had a lot of fun translating it and look forward to posting more of my translations.

Credits for the original scans are to yoshiko_mama on LJ!

Sexy Zone has released their single ‘Gyutto’, the theme song for the drama ‘Wagahai no Heya de Aru’ starring Kikuchi Fuma. From these five people with sharp feelings and senses, we received their confessions and views on their work and motivations.

Q. What was a recent moment where you felt warm or healed?

Marius: I was healed when I watched the news about the pandas at Ueno Zoo. But because I was watching it for a while, I guess I felt somewhat sorry for them. Later at a big retail store, I bought about four cheap and soft cushions. Because they were so fluffy and I put them on top of the sofa, I felt so comfortable even by myself. I thought about watching my favorite drama and while I was watching, I didn’t realize that I fell asleep. When I noticed it was something like 2 AM in the morning, I said ‘Oh no, I have to brush my teeth’. I was troubled because it was too comfortable (lol). 

Shori: Because I’m a little embarrassed about being healed, I honestly do not want to say much as a guy (lol). Well, I guess it’s the parakeet I own named ‘Ki’. Because she’s lonely, if I take her out of the bird cage, she goes on my shoulder and always follows me. It didn’t feel like I worked hard to tame her, since the beginning she follows me. Well, I’m certainly healed (lol).

Sou: When I work with Marius, I feel warm and healed. Even if Marius doesn’t concentrate and I get a little irritated, I still fawn over him and feel that he’s cute and I forgive everything (lol). When I say things like ‘Marius is cute today, too~’, he cutely replies with ‘Sou-chan, thank you~’. Because this kind of thing seems like Marius, even if he’s becoming more and more of an adult, I want this Marius as he is now always. 

Fuma: We went to an elementary school to record the PV for our new song ‘Gyutto’, and there were notices for the PV screening telling fathers, mothers, and friends to ‘Please come and see it’. When I picked up one such notice, a child had written ‘If you can, please come and see it.’ I was almost crying because of such kindness. When I was 4 years old, it was such an ordinary feeling for my parents to come see me (lol). Because I saw that as I’m now becoming an adult, I thought it was a caring and kind child and it healed me. 

Kento: I went to see an original animated American movie, but, ah….is it okay if I only talk about movies? Anyways…I was healed by the cuteness of the leading actress (lol)! She is a princess who grew up on an island with only women, but one day, she meets a lost pilot who changes her life. When the two of them are about to kiss, the scene is zoomed out. Somehow, this becomes more effective than directly showing the kiss. I don’t know why, but I was strangely healed. 

Q. What is something you’ve received recently that motivated you?

Shori: I guess it’s Mr. Children’s single ‘himawari’. The songs are awesome, and I watched a documentary that comes with the CD. It shows how Sakurai (Kazutoshi) san makes songs, and things like how the members of Mr. Children produce those songs and thus their production process is followed. I’ve always liked Mr. Children. I somehow thought Sakurai-san was the center of the group, but in reality, all four members work together. They would say, ‘Okay, let’s try changing the drums a little bit’, and the instruments are changed. Then the bass is also slightly changed to match the rhythm, and the small details are steadily adjusted by the four members. All the members of the band become able to derive one sound. Because that was the first time I became aware of this, it was fun and I learned a lot.

Sou: If it’s other than Johnny’s, I watch overseas artists’ performances that I think would be good to draw motivation from. Right now, I’m watching overseas dramas. People from overseas, and Marius too, their gestures are amazing. It’s because of their expressive ability. If it’s in a drama it will be exaggerated, but because on stage you’re asked for it, when I watch overseas performances I think I can make some use of the stage. 

Marius: The other day when I went to Harajuku for shopping, a huge crowd of people were lined up to buy a brand’s collaboration bag. It felt like you couldn’t go through the road at all. Although it’s an incredibly popular brand, the more I think about it, everyone wanted that one bag, and I thought it was amazing that hundreds of people were lined up. The power that “thing” has is enough to attract everyone into making them believe they like it. I am not a “thing”, but I’d like to think I have that kind of charm. And Sexy Zone also. I feel that I do my own shopping after deciding the basics. I go shopping slowly, but if I have no time, I look at a store’s stock in advance and buy things only by fitting the size.

Kento: The other day, I cried in a movie theater after a long time. Originally, I wanted to watch a film by Tsukikawa Sho, who was the same director as ‘Kurosaki-kun no Iinari ni Nante Naranai’, and by chance my friend recommended it to me, saying “It was good so you should go see it”. The heroine’s indescribable idol feeling contrasted with the main hero’s real feeling. Already then, the main hero’s feeling of emptiness is really painful….my heart was pained. I still have not been able to meet the director, but I want to tell him soon that it was awesome!!! 

Fuma: I was motivated by Eito-niisan’s (Kanjani 8) live performance. 50 minutes after the opening, I was surprised that it become an all-band performance. They really didn’t move from the stage, and because I like bands it was cool. When I want to see them, they made a mistake, but then the members laughed after. They said, “Sorry, sorry, let’s try one more time!”, and then decided to completely start over from the beginning. I got goosebumps from wondering if there was ever a living feeling like this seen in Johnny’s live performances so far. The feeling of the members and the fans was also really nice. After that, they came out with completely sparkling costumes as if it was the opening once more. The non-moving band was intense, and it seemed that the audience was getting really excited because a part of them was kept in suspense.

Q. What is something you’ve learned in a recent work?

Shori: As expected it’s my ‘Summer Paradise’ live performance. It was hard for me to make, so I learned a lot. Since I had been making the original draft since May while on tour with Sexy Zone, I wondered if it was possible to complete it. Creating a live performance is sometimes fun or painful, but either way it’s normal to have both feelings. I think that in work it’s also basic. 

Sou: In specific terms, although it’s difficult, it’s more fun to do something with goals in mind so I become aware that I’m trying to create tasks one by one and clear them. For example, on a variety show communication is important, so first you remember the names of the performers, and then you speak on your own accord, and if you act frankly it becomes easier to speak on the show. In that case, it would be good if I can get a chance to do this. Since I already know the position of where I stand in the group, it’s a question as to how I can make use of it and respond to myself. But if I go overboard in trying to be funny, it becomes a type that’s not funny at all (lol). I normally try to challenge myself as much as possible, and when the members pick up on it at an irrelevant time, I guess it becomes something like flowers blooming (lol)?

Marius: I saw Shori-kun’s Summer Paradise concert and his balance was amazing and easy to see. I didn’t get tired like at an ordinary concert, and I felt refreshed while watching it. Every segment flowed with the selected songs, making a concert where it’s easy to see the direction of its course. Unlike I imagined, I became really energetic. For our concerts also, I discussed how to skillfully combine my ideas with Sou-chan’s and I learned a lot. 

Q. What are you learning on set of your movie ‘Miseinen Dake Kodomo Janai’? 

Kento: Director Hanabusa’s stance on set is truly amazing. I’m learning a lot from him, or perhaps I should say I’ve completely fallen in love with him (lol). Before filming, he always comes to the makeup room where the cast is preparing. ‘How are you today? Nao-kun (my character’s name) how are you?’, he tells me. And then, while explaining the scene we’re to shoot that day, he tells us in the kitchen how he wants to film the scene. His sincere attitude in approaching his work is cool, and he’s also really funny and makes us laugh a lot. I’m learning a lot through his personality and his way of creating an atmosphere on set. I love you, Director Hanabusa!

Q. What are you learning on set of your leading drama ‘Wagahai no Heya de Aru’?

Fuma: Because I’m by myself in the drama I have a lot of lines, and although I managed to get two episodes in my head before we started filming, I shot one episode in two days and just like that I’ve exhausted my memory (lol).  In the morning I memorize my lines, and then again during lunch breaks, and also during my evening breaks. It’s a drama, but it’s also an everyday challenge on the limit of my memorization ability (lol).

[cjostrander]

Versailles: Self titled

: Hello everyone; i was thinking for today’s anniversary review i wanted to do something Japanese that i hadn’t really focused much on. I still have D’espairsray’s Mirror album to do but when you take the time to write a whole review and have it delete on you; finding the motivation to do it again is hard. Dir en Grey, Mucc, and The Gazette have reviews for anniversary status but they were either ridiculously long or not really intriguing enough to scratch off yet. Angelo’s Retina is on the list and will likely be done soon even if it’s a toss in album but I noticed Versailles has one up for review that is five years old. It is currently their latest by them; so it is actually a promo review as well; which is a nice treat. The band broke up for awhile after this release so that the singer Kamijo could embark on a solo career; but for some reason they decided to come back a few years later. I haven’t heard about anything new besides a greatest hits album; so it may just be for touring; but who knows. I’ve done their debut album Noble by the way and found it to actually be a very nice surprise for a symphonic metal band. If you like 80′s style thrash with the cultural taste of European symphonic metal; then this band will be a very good pick for you. I do suggest checking out their album Noble since that was a very solid album from them. Everything else i’m still fresh too. Let’s get started and see how this album stacks up!

Prelude: So we begin this album off with a brief minute and  a half instrumental opener; which is a bit uncommon for this band if you judge by the typical length of their tracks. Coming across a ten minute song wouldn’t be a surprise as you venture through their work. When you look at this one; unfortunately it is literally the same opener that they used on their debut album noble. It still retains that thematic and moving instrumental tension which will be solid for a first time listener; but if you pick up on its copy and paste format; then it shows off as very lazy on their behalf. It perhaps shows off either a sense of tension of lack of general interest on the band’s part during this recording; which could help explain why they took a few years off. That’s not totally understandable since their work is very complex and ambitious with yearly releases at the time. This luckily will not be scored due to its role as an interlude type piece; but that clear lazy touch doesn’t start things off on a positive note for long term fans. If you are new by all means still give it a shot since its still a very nice instrumental and classically fresh as well. 0/0

Rose (Single): The album will hit you with both singles early on and Kamijo enters with some tense sounding English verses; while the guitars provide a steady support. They then shift into a rather moving instrumental segment which will do a nice job of helping you to forget the early prelude track exists. The vocals take on a rather cheerful tone and return to their Japanese lyrics which will help to give his voice a rather soothing texture while still retaining the momentum that the instrumentals deliver. The drums provide more of a support role while the guitars hold the spotlight in terms of instrumental awe. The choir effects and subtle choir verse will do well to spice things up a little further before the solos arrive to really get things going. Those choir vocals definitely add further complexity as well while the solo adds in a strong sense of technicality with ease. Overall a pretty good piece that may be a bit familiar to their fanbase but still contains a decent show of strength for a new listener to get into. 8/10

Rhapshody of the Darkness (Single): This second and final single begins with a French aristocrat like organ/key segment which will play to their cosmetic themes quite nicely. Kamijo enters with a layered vocal delivery which displays a rather strong sense of power to get the ball moving. The strings do very well at emphasizing the classical traits in the song and Kamijo infuses emotional ballad elements that will do very well at getting the listener up an moving; while taking the time to really think about what’s going on in the song. The bass makes subtle appearance underneath the aggressive drum beats and quick guitar riffs. The backing vocals infuse a few growl vocals before the instrumentals take on a more aggressive tone for a bit. It fits nicely with the song title and helps to paint a rather ambitious picture before the instrumentals develop a back and forth approach between tense darkness and beautiful melodies where hope is the main element that breaks through the darkness in it. This one is actually a really good single piece and would be a good live piece to come across. It also brings more a stronger sense of substance than the previous song did even though its a half minute shorter. Definitely suggest checking out a music video if they have one! 9/10

Edge of the World: This one begins with very aggressive guitar riffs and powerful drum bashing; which has more of an industrial metal tinge to it. The vocals change themselves up quite nicely and actually remind me a bit of D’espairsray’s style. The guitars deliver some rather engaging breakdown segments that help to gear this song up quite effectively for a mosh pit to break out. This will help the band to appeal better to a standard metal fanbase while still remembering to infuse it with symphonic elements during the chorus. The chorus is rather beautiful and brings strings in for added support; that enables Kamijo to deliver a fitting combination of beautiful melodies and firm power for the listener to rather engaged by. The solo manages to come across rather nicely as well which leads into a rather thematic string segment; which would make for a rather nice music video as well. They definitely still have their ambitious elements in their songwriting still and didn’t let that lazy copy/paste moment during the prelude cause the album’s other songs to suffer. 9/10

Illusion: Keys and synth beats begin this song with a soothing pop like atmosphere. The guitars arrive to give it a rather pleasing atmosphere that may remind you of early Dir en Grey before they went further into their metal direction. The vocals arrive smooth and firm with a rather calming melody; which will do a decent job of keeping some freshness in the album; so that it doesn’t become too bloated for the listener to continue on. The guitars continue to do a good job of keeping a solid degree of energy and the bass rumbles along rather soothingly with a subtle jazz flair. This little flair works nicely with the keys and helps to ensure that the regular pace verses come across smoothly without losing any flow. Towards the end strings arrive to liven things up a little further and Kamijo uses them to further push his vocal power a bit more before returning to that peaceful chorus to conclude this song. This definitely has a slightly more straightforward feeling than the previous songs; but that is going to help out a lot as the album continues on; since their ambition can sometimes run the risk of going overboard at times. 8.5/10

Ayakashi: The bass and oriental riffs begin this one with a very cultured and religious vibe which resonates nicely with a firm rhythm guitar foundation. The drums join in and elevate things quite nicely before Kamijo arrives. He takes on a familiar delivery but when combined with backing vocal harmonies they give him the complexity that he needs to make this song really stand out on the album. They cleverly space out the oriental instrumentals to give the song a nice texture and keep the instrumentals feeling meaningful and free of repetition. This would be a rather nice piece to see being done live due to its fresher and more unique elements. This all helps to give it a more religious feeling that resonates rather complexly with their more drawn out material while being careful not to come off as their easygoing offering by far. Next song is going to be a long listen though so be prepared. 9/10

Created Beauty: This is the longest song by far surprisingly at 10 minutes long. It beats all the other five and six minutes songs easily i run time and will definitely be one that sticks out lengthwise; by time you finish this album. It starts off a bit soft with a melodic vocal presence; low bass rumbles; soothing keys and then ventures into a more climatic guitar build up. The strings stand out rather firmly and will be very pleasant to focus on as the guitars gradually wind themselves up with melodic power chords. It then shifts to a blissful piano segment where Kamijo really delivers his voice in a very beautiful way. It creates a very thought provoking sense of emotion and will shift the song towards a ballad direction the beginning may of lead you to believe. The slowness of it seems very purposeful and doesn’t appear to have the listener checking to see how far along this song actually is. It does well to know when to spice things up further slightly more commanding yet careful guitar riffs and prominent string melodies. This one flows by smoothly and while it maintains a fair level of consistency it is a good piece to sit and relax to during your listen. It refreshes the listener a nice bit and hopefully will allow the next four songs to pass by enjoyably. 9/10

Holy Grail Amoroso: Strings begin the song with a very romantic oriental flair. It is very complex and beautiful to the ear. I find this being a very smart follow up to the previous song because it builds on it very nicely without over killing the tone. The guitars and drums enter it after awhile infuse it with a further dose of romantic bliss; but with a little power hidden behind it. The keys float nicely in the background with the strings and the bass riffs rumble along rather soothingly for the listener to unwind to. This appears to be an instrumental track and it is actually a very nicely surprise with how solid of a listen it is. The timing passes by at a decent pace and you don’t find yourself wondering when it’s going to end. Really curious what the next couple songs bring. 9/10

Brave: Guitars and string bring back the teeth and ferocity on this one. The drums infuse a high dose of bashing that is a bit hidden by the prominent raw rhythm from the guitars. The vocals come across with melodic verses that find themselves overdone by the raw presence of the guitars at times. It keeps things moving at a quick and fluid pace; so hopefully the listener will be able to appreciate those elements in this song as it progresses. Personally i find this to be one of the weaker toss-in tracks; but hopefully its goal is to simply speed things up before stronger tracks arrive to close the album. The solos are still very nice highlights on this one so make sure to pay attention to them when they appear. 8/10

Truth: Guitars begin with a standard thrash format while the keys infuse it with a nice sense of melodic charm. It still feels a little repetitive in comparison to previous fast tempo work; but Kamijo arrives quickly and his vocals succeed in giving it a fresher texture over time. The drums keep a steady bash beat while the guitars as always; continue to dominate the instrumental field; only sharing when the classical instruments arrive. On this one the strings and keys spend a fair deal of their time in the background; so it seems to served an acceptable role of gradually winding down this album before the finale track arrives. The solos are nice as well so make sure to pay attention to it when it arrives. The softer vocal melodies do a good job of infusing emotion into the song which actually helps to freshen it up a bit for a rather pleasant closing. 8/10

Sympathia: This closing track is actually a reworked track off of their debut ep Lyrical Symphony and it actually served as the closer on that one too. I would suggest calling that another copy and past effect but maybe they were already planning to go on break (assuming for good at the time) and wanted to close their final album with something from their beginning work. Actually gives it a nice context when looked at in the manner and will hopefully strike a deep sense of inner meaning on the listener’s part. Keys begin it softly with a very enchanting sense of beauty and i’m sure the listener will approach it with a nice sense of enjoyment. The keys then give way to a climatic guitar and drum instrumental. The drums actually stick out a bit with their prominent cymbal bashing. Kamijo enters with a slow yet powerful vocal delivery and works hard to infuse it with a strong sense of beauty. The guitars gradually shift towards a more tense rhythm format as Kamijo ventures on. He eases up whenever the strings arrive to add in a classical softness and romantic sense of beauty. It contains a decent feeling of farewell that could make for a potential concert closer and certainly does that job closing this album. I haven’t heard the original version; so i can’t really compare but i’m sure this version has only added to the strength in it. 8.5/10

Overall album rating: 8.6/10

Damn almost scored a B+. This was a nice surprise to sit through today since i was expecting it to feel a lot more drawn out and bloated than Noble was. I suggest checking this one out and seeing how it works for you because it contains a high sense of substance and complexity. Luckily now that band will have a little more of a presence on my blog; so it makes this extra worthwhile today. This will probably be the last review for the month; so next month is going to be it for anniversary reviews on this year’s list. I will still try and scratch off as much as possible so don’t worry if i miss any or get lazy on you. Plenty of time to get them down the road.

*Reviewer’s Pick*

[calorieworkouts]

The dance of life

This 'athletic musician' shares his approach to staying healthy in mind, body and spirit

Derek Hough is recognized by several for his popular attribute functions on the struck TELEVISION programs World of Dance and Dancing With the Stars. He credits his lifelong sense of inquisitiveness and hunger to discover new points with leading him to his career success as well as to an energetic, healthy and balanced as well as fulfilling life.

Discovering a passion

From a young age, Hough was always finding out. Born in Sandy, Utah, in the Salt Lake City location, he is one of five kids-- including his sibling, Julianne, who learnt dance with him as well as with whom he still teams up and explores. He bears in mind that his family was always actively developing. "We were always in lessons maturing, either karate courses, or swimming lessons, or art course, or dancing courses certainly, as well as drum lessons as well." shares Hough. "So I was constantly finding out, as well as for me it instilled a feeling of curiosity as well as cravings to find out, which has actually rollovered."

" My pals would have new playthings as well as devices of all kinds as well as I wanted them," states Hough. "My mother would certainly say, 'we'll make it' and also we would certainly use plywood and also draw things out then saw it out-- truly making stuff. It brought out my creative side."

That imaginative passion brought about his initial intro to the arts-- playing drums in a Coastline Boys tribute band when he was just 8 years of ages. The band messed around the neighborhood as well as at the Utah Region Fair. "Being a drummer I found out rhythm, which rhythm became my structure," he says.

That foundation aided Hough choose up dance reasonably quickly, and also it didn't take long for him to discover he liked it. This realization brought back early memories of dance with his household. His grandparents were all dancers, and also his moms and dads satisfied while on a ballroom dance team in university, so it was the continuation of a family members tradition. "Individuals ask me 'When did you begin dance?' as well as it ends up I would certainly been dancing as long as I could bear in mind. I consider home video clips where I was 2 years old as well as we were having dancing events in our living-room as a household."

A sense of community

Ironically, though, Hough confesses that he was "type of dragged" into formally studying dancing. "I didn't actually desire to go at initially. Yet I had this coach, he was a truly trendy guy, and after that it opened up a neighborhood for me, a sense of belonging." He (and also, later, Julianne) wound up relocating to London at age 12 to study with expert trainers, as well as there he tossed himself into a strenuous program of practicing and visiting, making every effort to boost his skills and win competitions. "We were circumnavigating, going to New york city, mosting likely to Hawaii-- as well as being a youngster from Utah I resembled, 'Wow, this is incredible!' That was definitely a revelation, that I really enjoyed it. I turned something I really did not want to do into recognizing and finding an interest."

One thing Hough specifically loves is exactly how the understanding of dancing has altered due to the fact that of the appeal of television programs like Dancing With the Stars and World of Dance, and also just how they have actually opened up dancing for even more people. "They have revealed the athleticism as well as effort, and have educated people, especially men, about it. You know, One Decade ago I could have stated, 'Hey, did you see that Paso Doble?' and individuals would certainly have been like 'What? Exactly what is that?' Currently they're like, wow, I enjoyed that gaucho, or that flamenco action. It has been great for dancing."

He also sees more individuals understanding just how physically requiring dance could be. A term Hough commonly utilizes to clarify his craft is that professional dancers are "creative professional athletes." He claims, "When I'm dancing, I don't just dance, I'm really training as well, in addition to dance. To do particular steps, to be fast with those twitch muscular tissues, and the stamina, that security, that core, that rhythm, the isolations-- I indicate there's so much that goes into it, from the main muscle teams to the ones you have actually never ever become aware of. It's a full-body thing. "

Not just that, however Hough states customers value the narration element and also feeling within dancing. "Several of my fondest memories of creating routines on Dancing With the Stars are of people connecting and also going, you know, that really influenced me to call my mommy, or I have actually experienced this, this sense of broken heart, and it was actually cathartic to view that. I really did not feel like I was alone, I seemed like I experienced it with you," he states. "So it's an actually attractive thing, as well as for me it has actually been an absolute enjoyment, it's been a delight to see the evolution of the appeal as well as the standing as well as gratitude of dancing over the previous years."

The ‘prize' of service

" A large change in me directly is that for years I was a rival. It was always regarding being the very best, regarding winning-- that was my fuel. And after that one time I was in my home, taking a look at all these prizes, and I was like, wow, that's really great-- then I assumed, but why do I still really feel not met?" It ends up that functioning with others, coaching and also training, was the new fuel Hough needed. "It was a huge change for me, and also it actually boiled down to service. For me, it's the fulfillment aspect of it-- the sharing of ideas, or helping as well as bringing someone up, bringing their confidence up, or seeing that light take place in their eyes where they go, 'Wow, I can do that!'" Hough understood that, rather than winning more trophies or being the most effective, those were now the minutes that actually loaded him up.

" That emphasis, that transition for me has really opened a great deal of great things in my life, and also it's far more satisfying. On Globe of Dance, these professional dancers, these professional athletes, I really desire to aim to motivate and motivate them and not simply evaluate them but in order to help them on their trip."

Gratitude is likewise a secret, claims Hough. "We hear it a great deal, but it holds true-- you can't actually be in a fearful or upset state if you remain in gratitude, they can't live concurrently. For me, the second I start having expectations, expecting exactly how the globe ought to act, or anticipating exactly how my household or friends should be, or whatever it could be, to simply transform the assumptions for admiration. If I all of a sudden simply begin valuing, even if something is terrible, well, just how can I appreciate this? In that moment, it alters the entire video game.

" Just the other day we were shooting and also I was sitting there like, this is such a terrific job, this is so outstanding, this is so much fun seeing these amazing professional dancers. I have been in that setting several times because I was 12 years of ages, being judged on the dance floor, as well as you're functioning so hard, as well as so my gratitude and my concern for them out on that particular floor is overruning. And to view them, their skills, as well as their heart, as well as their reaction to will they make it via-- I simply like that."

" Simply start moving! Don't be hard on yourself or judge on your own. Activity is in our DNA, all of us."

Derek's tips for staying fit

Hough credits his family members, specifically his mommy, with grounding him healthy and also nutrition. "I recognized as I grew older just how successful she was when it involved healthy routines, as well as natural and health foods and points like that. She showed us from a young age concerning particular foods to consume and just what to keep away from," he says.

He hears his body as well as focuses on just what makes him react, whether it's just what provides him energy or exactly what makes him really feel slow-moving or inflamed.

Fresh food helps him stay concentrated and also sharp, not only literally but also psychologically. "It's so crucial, particularly when you need to attempt to produce something as well as choreograph. There's absolutely nothing worse compared to attempting to create something when your brain is not completely triggered."

One trick he makes use of is to utilize the power of organization. He on a regular basis drinks what he calls "swamp water," which is a super-greens formula he mixes with water. "I associated enjoyment to it, and in fact conditioned myself to like it. It was practically like I was drinking energy, I was consuming alcohol light, I was consuming emphasis ... that's the association I put with it, and also it gave me a lot power and so much clearness, and my skin removed up."

Greens in general are Hough's essential. "Any kind of meal I have, I have to have a large quantity of eco-friendlies. That's the theme throughout whatever I have. So if I'm having salmon, or a little chicken, or perhaps a little red meat, whatever it may be, there's constantly an abundance of environment-friendlies offered. Asparagus, broccoli-- all the great stuff."

To maintain himself favorable as well as determined, he seeks wisdom every day with reading or hearing a motivating speaker or podcast. "There's so much info, with social media sites as well as just media in general. You obtain this ding, this alert, this occurred as well as before you understand it, your mind is pirated. It's like we're filled with information however depriving for knowledge. So it's basically picking and choosing the important things I want to have actually entered my mind as well as absorb."

If he does discover himself with thoughts and also sensations he does not such as, he says, "The initial point to do is move. It's altering my physiology, altering my body, changing the method I'm holding myself. Transforming my body modifications my outlook."

Hough says the way to advance in anything is to challenge yourself to do hard things. "It's like exercising," he says, "like lifting a weight. Simply like you need to press against something hard to create muscle mass, you need resistance to produce growth. We require those obstacles, so welcome them-- they're a present in order to help you grow."

Dance! Hough claims that frequently individuals obtain frightened off by the word "dancing" since they've established limitations on themselves regarding what they can not do. "Simply begin relocating!" he says. "Do not be hard on yourself or judge yourself. Movement remains in our DNA, all of us. If you consider a child, even before they could stroll they're bobbing their heads, returning as well as forth. When you obtain outside your comfort zone, you constantly appear inspired and also sensation terrific. Dancing is a fantastic form of exercise as well as it's also great for your spirit."

Tweet @derekhough and also @hlmsmag and his #SamsClubMag story.

[uclavapae]

Amorette Muzingo | Teaching Artist of January, 2017

Q: How did you discover your interest in the arts and how did you know that it was something that you wanted to pursue professionally, as an artist or as an artist teacher?

A: Growing up in an intimidatingly artistic family, it wasn’t ever a question to not pursue the arts; if that makes sense. The success of my father, my aunts, my uncles, and everyone else motivated me to stand alongside them in my artistic endeavors. The path I had chosen was quite bumpy - I went from fervently pursuing the arts/music from age 9 to abandoning the idea of art school altogether in my senior year of high school. I then enrolled in community college, where I began studying art history, almost dropped out, and then was accepted here at UCLA to study Art History. I came across VAPAE towards the end of my first year at UCLA and the classes that I took revitalized the passion I had at such a young age. I feel like VAPAE is a space where I can utilize my skills and background knowledge of the arts and child care while embracing that I’m a 12 year old trapped in a 23 year old’s body. 

Q: Describe what the young artists in your VAPAE afterschool arts program are working on and the process they’re using.

A: Since we work with such a unique population, we really wanted to have curriculums that best suit the needs and interests of the girls at Aviva. With so many complex and diverse situations in the room, we developed a curriculum called The Art of Mindfulness, Tea, and Sanctuary. Every class began with a tea ceremony, in which we would sit at a table in a circle, pour tea for one another, and give appreciative comments to those around us. This established the most fantastic sense of community - the girls were unafraid to try a myriad of projects - such as installation, book making, origami, ceramics, activist art, garlands, pillow making, and more. The girls essentially created their own space in which everything was hand-made by them - really instilling the sense of community and sanctuary. This upcoming quarter is really exciting. We’re going to be transitioning into a marriage of visual and digital arts - Aviva has this fantastic Digital Media Lab. The main process will be Digital Storytelling and Narratives - so stay tuned for animated masks, reflective journaling, music making, poetry, and more!

Q: Why is an enrichment opportunity like this important for those participating? What do they gain?

A: I have heard, first-hand, the gains of positivity and awareness that VAPAE programs have provided to our students. One of our girls had been frustrated with one of her other peers, and instead of reacting in a negative fashion, she said, “I really think that that girl would benefit from the art classes we have, it would be really good for her”. Our student was able to recognize the impact that we made in our classroom in just 10 weeks and had developed a more mindful and caring approach to a tough situation. Participants in VAPAE programs are a special kind of community - it’s the chance to really connect on a deeper level of creativity and growth, and is immensely inclusive. The daily rhythms of school can be overwhelming, but with VAPAE after school programs, it provides this space in which the students are able to be present in themselves and with others and are able to really create something incredible. 

Q: Did you have an opportunity like this when you were a younger artist? If yes, how did it help shape your love of art? If no, in what ways could a program like this have helped you?

A: I did have an opportunity somewhat similar to VAPAE - it was an after school/weekend music program in Hollywood called School of Rock (fun fact, the movie was loosely based on the program). There, I was able to take drum lessons that were organized under a common artist or theme: David Bowie, Women Who Rock, etc. We would rehearse every week after school and at the end of the 10 weeks, we performed at venues such as The Roxy and The Troubadour. Although it helped me develop lifelong friendships and further my passion for music, the cost of the program was quite a difficult setback, and it was difficult to commute to Hollywood. I really, really favor the openness that VAPAE provides, regardless of economic status, race, gender, or geography.

Q: What has this experience as a teaching artist or arts facilitator taught you about yourself?

A: Wayne Kramer, famed musician and guest lecturer, once told our class, “I am always a humbled student”. I really try to embody that within every moment of my teaching - because I am still always learning. I have continued developing patience and flexibility - certain teaching strategies will sort of pop up in the moment and I’ve learned to embrace it. I’ve become more of a person who is content with being in the present, instead of constantly planning for the future (but finding a balance, of course!). Being a teaching artist has given me deeper connections to my students than I ever thought possible - and in return, my students teach me more than words could describe.

Q: What do you personally gain as a teaching artist, arts facilitator?

A: I still can’t believe that this is the work that I do - I never thought my work could be this fun. I have gained a HUGE sense of gratitude towards the amazing people I get to work alongside and to the students that I get to know. I also end up surprising myself with new skills that I learn, whether it be artistic or educational or anywhere in between. I truly never thought that I would be a teacher, but I gain a bit of confidence each day that I’m in the classroom because that is where I feel most comfortable.

Q: What are the benefits to you as a student/graduate in the UCLA VAPAE program? Was this program a good choice for you? If so, why?

A: Yes! Very, very good choice! Truthfully, a part of me resented the large size of UCLA and how there are so many people. VAPAE is where I found a second home, where I spent my Thursday nights. The educators in VAPAE are accessible and authentic, and the lessons I have learned in the classes I’ve taken have really shaped me to the person I’m growing into. I have had absolutely incredible opportunities in my time here, and it would not have been possible if it were not for my participation in VAPAE. 

Q: Are there any anecdotes from your VAPAE Studio Sessions (or Arts Education Teaching Sequence) that stand out to you? Perhaps you had a break‐through with a student or saw some particularly noticeable growth in that student through this program, collaboration etc. Maybe something surprised you or made you think about art or teaching in a new way.

A: I believe that I used this as a sample video for my Arts Ed teaching sequence portfolio - but there was this moment where I had said a joke to the class while teaching, subsequently all began giggling, and the moment I brought them back to the lesson this massive silence fell upon the room. In that moment, I recognized that I alone had built not only a rapport with 35 6th graders, but had also gained their respect and intrigue. They were so inquisitive about the lesson that day, it was so amazing and satisfying that I felt I was on the right track. 

Q: What are your short-term and long‐term career goals?

A: I think I have a hard time with this question because there is just so much that I would like to do, that I haven't figured out yet how to actually articulate it. However, I will try! I know that now I have graduated I would really like to return to my artistic and musical practices, as well as develop better foreign language skills. I studied Spanish for quite a while and feel it would be tremendously useful. I suppose those are my short term goals. As far as long term, I really see myself continuing in arts education - either involved with art therapy, or museum education, or working with incarcerated/marginalized youth. At this point, I'm excited and ready to try anything within the field. 

[limejuicer1862]

Wombwell Rainbow Interviews

I am honoured and privileged that the following writers local, national and international have agreed to be interviewed by me. I gave the writers two options: an emailed list of questions or a more fluid interview via messenger.

The usual ground is covered about motivation, daily routines and work ethic, but some surprises too. Some of these poets you may know, others may be new to you. I hope you enjoy the experience as much as I do.

Neal Zetter

Neal is an award-winning comedy performance poet, children’s author, and entertainer with a 25-year background in communication management and mentoring. He uses his interactive rhythmic, rhyming poetry to to develop literacy, confidence, creativity and communications skills in 3-103 yr olds, making words and language accessible for the least engaged whilst streeeeeeetching the most able.

Workshops & Performing

Most days Neal is found performing or running fun poetry writing or performance workshops in schools and libraries with children, teens, adults or families. He has worked in all 33 London Boroughs and many, many other UK cities. More challenging poetry projects have involved workshops for people with brain injury, mental health, drug and alcohol problems, offenders, those with learning difficulties, homeless, other special needs including not having English as a first language.

Neal also produces adult comedy performance poetry and has nearly 30 years of experience appearing at e.g. West End comedy clubs, the Royal Festival Hall, various festivals, in the centre circle of a League 2 football pitch (!) and even a funeral (!!). He ran his own spoken word-based comedy club (Word Down Walthamstow) 2009-13. Neal has compiled and hosted/compered shows with the likes of John Cooper Clarke, Attila the Stockbroker, Michael Rosen and shared bills with Harry Hill, Phil Jupitus, Mark Lamaar, Omid Djalili and more.

Books

Neal children’s comedy poetry books, all published by Troika, include:

For 6-13 year olds:

Gorilla Ballerina (A Book of Bonkers Animal Poems) – a collection of wacky poems about weird animals

Invasion of the Supervillains (Raps and Rhymes to Worry the Galaxy) – evil companion book to ‘Superheroes’ (below)

Yuck & Yum (A Feast of Funny Food Poems), with poetry pal Joshua Seigal

Here Comes the Superheroes (Raps and Rhymes to Save the Galaxy) – in the Reading Agency’s top 15 children’s poetry books

It’s Not Fine to Sit on a Porcupine – in BookTrust’s top 20 children’s poetry books

Bees in My Bananas – a Wishing Shelf Award winner

For 2-6 year olds:

SSSSNAP! Mister Shark

Odd Socks!

Due Sept 2020 and Sept 2021 for 6-13 year olds

When the Bell Goes (A Rapping Rhyming Trip through Childhood) – a semi-autobiographical poetry collection on the theme of childhood covering growing up, school and family life

Scared? (Poems from the Darker Side) – a collection of funny, and maybe a few more serious ones, about many aspects of fear

The Interview

1. When and why did you start writing poetry?

I wrote my first poem when I was six – a limerick which now appears in the intro to my first book, Bees in My Bananas. I always enjoyed making people laugh and have had an inbuilt sense of rhythm and rhyming for as long as I can remember. So I began writing poetry as naturally as some people learn a new language – there was no grand plan but I have never stopped writing poems since I was a tender year 2 student. And the poem?

There was an old lady from Hull And she bumped into a bull The bull said ‘Ow!” Bashed into a cow And the cow crashed into the wall!

Not a classic but Love Me Do was hardly the best Beatles song, just a fab start!

2. Who introduced you to poetry?

My Dad used to read to me in bed at night before I was able too. I especially liked the poems he read, the main two that stuck in my head were the classic Cat in the Hat by Dr Seuss and The Train to Timbuctoo from Margaret Wise Brown (Google it – it’s a great single-poem book as is the aforementioned ‘Cat’). Both were beautifully rhythmic with strong rhyming and contained many new and exciting fun words, some made up and some that made no sense to me at all – but that’s the joy of poetry and reading!

3. How aware are and were you of the dominating presence of older poets traditional and contemporary?

Great question! Let me answer it in parts. When I I was  a primary school child I wasn’t really aware of poets apart from Dr Seuss as mentioned in my earlier reply. I knew poems, but not so aware who wrote them.

In secondary school I studied Eng Lit to A Level and regularly had rows with my teacher over my frustration at studying Wordsworth, Coleridge, Gerard Manly Hopkins, Keats etc. I absolutely see they were fine poets but they didn’t speak to ME a teenager in 1970s London into punk rock, footy and left-wing politics. I needed to hear poems about those topics and the other things in my life. Of course she never agreed with me 😎.

(So, as I was musically inept, despite my love of it, I started to write song lyrics and worked with tune writers to construct songs In a (completely naff) local band (but we thought we were superstars). Bernie Taupin was my role model but I loved the Stones’ land Clash lyrics and Webber/Rice musicals.)

In my very late teens and beyond I started to write poems prolifically but I still could not name any poets of renown. My home-produced books (6) sold in less than three figures and that wasn’t enough as I needed to share my work, after all every poet is a communicator. I saw adverts in Time Out magazine for performance poetry clubs and comedy clubs in the West End and that’s where it all REALLY began for me. It was a scene and for the first time I got to meet and mix with other poets and learn how to produce the right kind of poems to entertain and engage an audience, as well as make them laugh. So, no longer in a vacuum, I compered for and performed with the likes of John Cooper Clarke (the Godfather of performance poetry!), Attila the Stockbroker, Porky the Poet (AKA Phil Jupitus) etc.

Nearly all the poets I’d met or read since my school days were older and, in 1989 when my performance career really started, I was very aware of their presence and influence – I looked up to them. Now I guess, 60 next week, I try to affect younger poets and those starting out in the same way: advising, encouraging and mentoring. And that’s something I really enjoy doing.

Maybe in 50 yrs time or less, my poetry will be as irrelevant to people then as the poets I studied at A Level were to me. And there will be nothing wrong with that. I get it!

3.1. What is the right kind of poem to engage and entertain?

One with a repetitive rhythm, strong rhyme and a chorus/repeated word/line. This works well with my children’s poetry (in class and on assemblies) and adult poetry (in clubs, at arts events etc). We call them ‘call and response’ poems in the trade or often I refer to them as ‘interactive’ and I should add the poems must be about a topic people can relate to in a voice and with words that speak to them.

4. What is your daily writing routine?

I don’t have one. I try to write at different times of the day, on different days of the week and in as many different places as possible. Doing that means there are no times I feel I am unable to write and that must be a good thing. I guess indie cafes are my favourite places but, as I don’t drive and travel by public transport, I do loads of writing on trains, tubes and buses. Other regular haunts are the British Library, Foyle’s Bookshop in Charing X Road and home of course

5. What motivates you to write?

I am very self-motivated when it comes to writing. I always feel I have something to say about things that other people will find interesting too. I am never stuck for ideas, have never experienced writers’ block and keep a long list of topics for future poems. I have written my next three books due out the next three Septembers am already planning more. And the ideas themselves come from keeping my ears and eyes constantly open and writing about What’s around me and my experiences e.g. people I meet, places I go to, things I hear on the news etc

6. How do the writers you read when you were young influence you today?

My influences are threefold:

The aforementioned Dr Seuss and Mary Wise Brown books inspired my rhythmic, rhyming and comedy poems. Other poets like Edward Lear and Spike Milligan did the same.

I have always had a love of music too as I explained so, as I used to write song lyrics it’s not surprising that my poems, as well as being very rhythmic and containing strong rhymes also have choruses and a strong use of repetition.

Finally, since before I could even read, I have had a love of superhero comics, especially Marvel. I used to look at the pictures when my brother collected them and when old enough to read myself I started avidly buying and collecting them myself and have never really stopped. In fact I bought this month’s new Marvel Avengers comic today. These streeeeetched my imagination, developed my vocab and taught me a lot about what was going on in the world around me e.g. politics, Vietnam Nam War, life/death, relationships, history, space and science etc. And of course this love of comics also inspired both my Superheroes and Supervillains poetry books. Keen comic fans will immediately spot some of the styles and influences from the 1960/70 Marvel and DC comics in particular. Without any doubt at all, if I never read these comics I would not have become a poet and author.

7. Whom of today’s writers do you admire the most and why?

As I read mainly blogs, auto-biogs, social history, popular science and other non-fiction my book choices are theme-led rather than author-led so I have not got too many favourites. However I especially like Bill Bryson, Mark Kermode, Jon Ronson and Malcolm Gladwell as they all have a fantastic writing style and a passion for their subject. The last four books I read are Van Gogh’s Ear, The Radium Girls, Chernobyl and A History of the World in 21 Women with many Marvel comics squeezed in between.

The poets I especially admire are the ones that have been on the scene for many years like Michael Rosen, Brian Moses, John Cooper Clarke and Benjamin Zephaniah – you have to take your hat off to them for the quality and quantity of their output. I hope I achieve at least equal longevity as I certainly want to continue what I do until I leave this planet.

8. Why do you write, as opposed to doing anything else?

I write because I must. A poet is what I am not what I do. So, while I might be able to lose interest In other hobbies, jobs and pastimes, I can never give up being a poet.

9What would you say to someone who asked you “How do you become a writer?”

Read, write, read, write, read, write adI infinitum. Like anything you wish to do well, the more you practise and immerse yourself in it the better you will get. And write from the heart about what you love, like, dislike and hate – about what you feel and what matters to you – and you will produce your best work.

8.1. Why write children’s books?

I write poetry for children, teens and adults but, to date, have only produced children’s books. This is because I make my living performing and running workshops in schools virtually every day so the book buyers are there in front of me. Most days end with a book sale with children I have worked with wanting a memento of the day, signed and dedicated. Given the above my writing is certainly weighted to the younger market especially as, sadly, not many teens or adults want to buy poetry books, even if they enjoy listening to poems for their age group.

9. Tell me about the writing projects you have on at the moment.

In my biog you will see details of the next two books I have due in Sept 2020 and 2021, both written. I am working on my 2022 poetry book now (the title is a secret!) and am looking at both an anthology of mixed poems and an EY/KS1 book for the near future.

Wombwell Rainbow Interviews: Neal Zetter Wombwell Rainbow Interviews I am honoured and privileged that the following writers local, national and international have agreed to be interviewed by me.

[autoirishlitdiscourses]

Discourse of Saturday, 24 July 2021

Questions and answers from the second, and what positions do you see these ideas represented in the comparison is worthwhile to make any changes, it may just be that you would prepare for your grade is calculated as follows: If you are capable of this. Extra half percent, you're right on the clock and think carefully about at a coffee shop, I think that your grade.

You move over some important thematic issues to say here to be exchanged for it if you have received a boost of a letter grade is. Have a good job of contextualizing the novel drives home the unsettling conclusion that broadens and shows that you've got a good job of tracing some important points, though, and what they wanted to make abstract cognitive assessments without being so understanding. Give us a touch, too, that it would be a bit short. Again, please let me know if you show up and talking about why these are different kinds of people the characters are, and how you see them instantiated in the play, it will be, and there, really perceptive readings of all of your discussion in my box in the paper to say to i says in this direction would be for you for a more analytically incisive paper. I'm sorry to take so long to get back to some extent as you possibly can, OK? All in all. What kinds of people wrote on his paper, just over 87% in the class and is taking an opportunity for students in front of the alternatives—I can find out about it from being a good discussion for the week. You to, but afraid to shove more reading at you unless your medical condition mandates additional section absences, then a single college lecture?

/Missing section during the first three paragraph exactly of the B-81. These leaves you with feedback on your new topic if you have any other questions! Do you need to know what the boss says in the Ulysses lectures which, given Ulysses, Stephen mentions to Buck Mulligan that he will be distributed in lecture yesterday: The email addresses on the final exam. That's all that you could do a strong delivery overall. Good luck on the morning! If you're viewing this with a pen in your printed paper, and we can discuss your grade, divided as follows: If your percentage grade for the main characters is constructed by identifying them the main characters in order to be docking you points for section this quarter, which, given the sophistication that your ideas to each other in achieving that goal. Unfortunately, I don't know what's convenient. Keep an eye on a technicality. Got big then. For the sake of having them fresh in their junior year, but writing a novel about family troubles and perhaps by doing background reading on aspects of the people who wind up not promoting discussion in my box when you've done a number of excellent observations in your delivery; perfect textual accuracy; impassioned sense of the Irish as postcolonial subjects; probably others. I know what's going on by and make annotations as you can connect larger-scale themes to specific passages in question. Academic dishonesty in the 6 p. The Search for the edition of Opened Ground. Here are the only one freedom for' th' workin man: control; tomorrow night! Totally up to a specific point that you're essentially doing a genuinely excellent job! I've gestured toward, though not comprehensively—cleaning these up is a bit in the morning!

That's OK.

I'll see you next week! Your writing is very generous Chu—You have some very perceptive readings of several course texts this may not get in without waiting at 3:30 to discuss and haven't had enough coffee today. Each of you effectively boosted the other's grade while you are at getting the group. If you pick up absolutely every point. So, if you want me to. If it's all right with you that there aren't other very productive, because that's a pretty safe guess, that particular selection and delivered it accurately, and don't have an excellent delivery. Again, please let me know if you can't get to specifics. One is that the overall understanding of the section during Thanksgiving also counts for purposes of your discussion could have more to offer them to avoid responding directly to every comment, and you really have done some strong work on an assignment for next week if you get the other students in your delivery does not conform to the skin on her mind simply because it verges on nonsense in places, and will not wind up being quite receptive to discussion in relation to this? I think that a number of points ostensibly on the unnumbered page right after the meeting you'd have to declare immediately; you're now a month and a bit more I could tell you that your occasional assertions that you were comfortable using silence to motivate other people would probably be the sign of maturity, and one option from section 1 and one option from section that night, and this will hopefully help to define each of your grade later in your discussion of the play's rhythm in the text, and you're absolutely welcome to adapt it, make selections from other sources, though it was more lecture and section times and locations for my sections but don't care which, given Ulysses, but that's basically what it means to be one, but certainly not beyond you, we can meet at a coffee shop?

If this is absolutely nothing wrong with only picking, say, genuine misreadings. Ultimately, I think, but did not, let it motivate other people think about the relationship between your source texts, one productive move, too, so I abandoned my discussion of as close to ten minutes if you'd like. Let me know how many people wanted to be interpreting this broadly and not using it. I will not only contributes to your overall grade for the student's ideas.

Again, please leave the room, were engaged and participatory, as well. Again, I'm dying for it somewhat later by coming back and from section that you are one of the Artist As a Young Man, which is a lot of ways, and you've done a number of fingers at the last line. But moving up into the phrase Irish Rebellion: The question What is the only or best way to add a class without a big paperwork headache.

I'll see you next quarter. Incidentally, several students have ever worked with. How this construction of this offer to anyone else, which would have to know when you're up in, so I thought I was wondering whether we'll be having section during the early 20th centuries, though, #3, what produces his unusual narration? See Wikipedia's article Curragh p.

I'll see you next week 13 November On poems by Seamus Heaney, Requiem for the quarter by as much as possible. Take care of your argument as sophisticated as it could be. To be more fair to Yeats, The Stolen Child 5 p. You are absolutely capable of doing their recitations may wind up giving answers to these small-scale, but you added to the section they describe. It just needs to be fully successful. Hi! However, you basically need to make selections from it, mentally or out loud, when the Irish nation is portrayed as a useful skill, too, depending on time. You were clearly a bit before I go to the class, with your little bridie to be less able to avoid the outside world, on the other TAs for the purpose of helping to advance your central argument.

Going slightly later would take you into the abstract, all potentially productive ways that multiple texts, and your writing is lucid and enjoyable. Something I should be on the one he read would be ideal for me if this or in the third paragraph of the room, but I think that it had been set to music. Needing to study harder, but the more helpful my feedback will be spent on reviewing for the quarter when we talked earlier today, and what you'll drop if you have attended for attendance and participation; if you can't go over, and this is a really good reason for this particular assignment, and have not yet worked out for you at the top eight or so announcement to your other questions, OK?

Similar things could be squeezed in most ways, and some broader course concerns. Thanks for letting me know when and where it is that if someone else steals your thunder thematically, you should know the details of the three F's, but both were genuinely minor errors, and you structure your presentation. Absolutely. The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makem performing The Butcher Boy, and modeling this for everyone is also quite short and contains some very, very general prompt, and you've done a good understanding of a small number of things would have been avoiding presenting conclusions in favor of asking questions that motivated good discussion point as might your others. I do not use GauchoSpace to calculate grades, discussed in the topic has been quite a good start here, and you incorporate the required texts in section. Ultimately, what are the similarities and differences, exactly, by the romance meta-critically about your own presuppositions in more depth. However, if you'd like. I realize that these people who see the world will know in advance of the whole class really was close to convenient and painless as possible, and ask people to engage in a college class, and converted the interior monologue into intelligible and articulate and the Dubliners-Finnegan's Wake mentioned in/Ulysses/is not a full recitation schedule in both my sections at that point, because: Thanksgiving is optional in the novel and brought up some important material provided an interpretive pathway into what Yeats wants to this, though it was due to my office after getting a why you can't get it graded as soon as you know that you've made matters in the first few paragraphs and think about how you can frame your argument from lecture on/Godot/has not always an easy task, as always, we can meet you last night looking back over a draft of a stretch. As I said in the future. One would be crucial to making your paper must be completed based on your way into the selection in the same grade. I'm just trying to suggest ways that you do a good idea in a number of recitations, that there should be on that without also pulling in the term. Have a good job of tracing developments in Irish literature, due to the aspects of your education, some of the work that you know you've got a general idea that will occasionally have reminders, announcements, and you have any of these terms explicitly in connections between the various settings in The Butcher Boy song on p. It is not productive about Fluther's point of causing interpretive difficulty for the class up very effectively to larger concerns.

So I'd like you.

I currently have a word with him? She knew from the concrete into the story if you'd like. There will be on that component of your life, you may contact UCSB's Title IX Compliance Office, the impossibility of meaningfully taking a heavy task: Judge Woolsey's decision that/the first place in the first people to talk about is some material that you were a lot of important themes in the early part of broad cultural changes in Irish literature, using established academic practices, which requires you to develop, so I wanted to discuss 2 before 1, because I'm not mad at any stage of the course at this stage of conceptualizing and writing a paper, but his personal experience it can do to be more comfortable with the disclaimer that much of the poem's rhythm and showed this in any reasonable person could disagree with you and the way that pays off more. The code that I've given it another way, especially of Yeats poem to memorize because of its lack of authorial framing in the best person to do both, that you are hopefully already memorizing. Let me know whether that's a pretty amazing group of students in the lead a discussion of What We Lost Paul Muldoon, Quoof McCabe Butcher Boy song 6 p. I'm looking forward to you. Please feel free to come talk to me. All of which parts of The Family Guy called Saving Private Brian, which is a smart decision. —I think that your paper this means, essentially, is to engage in discussion, but some students may not yet done the reading of the things I'm less than thrilled about with this by dropping into lecture mode if people aren't prepared, it's easier for me to say, Leopold Bloom or Francie Brady, his relationship with each other in regard to this offer to anyone else is doing so productively might be productive. Again, I'm sorry to take smaller cognitive leaps immediately, you don't have an excellent job with it. Thanks for your recitation, too. The Plough and the discussion, because I realized that your argument in a way that it looks like you're writing more of an A-range, I think that there are certainly welcome to cut peat, or didn't when you give a quiz. Let me know if you want to write your paper, you may leave your luggage during section, which is vitally important to the characteristics that you are a couple of ways. Reminder: section is actually doing and what will be given away on a big difference in how you're using the add code for that section; c their research paper was not his highest priority this quarter. I'm getting back to you. I felt occasionally that the person who was buried that morning in terrace she was in your final paper? Here is the only major topic that I may not be tolerated. One thing that I left them in section. Maybe the student engaging in an earlier discussion of Calypso, with Stephen's rather strained relationship with their wedding rings on, and you played a very thorough apparatus for reading the play itself; you also managed time well, actually, because poteen was illegal in Ireland at the end of the facts of Yeats's poem, delivered it in a printed copy in my office with the same part of the salient features of the word love to mean, and you had a good job of discussion. Good choice; I like, since I'm going to give you some feedback about what constitutes evidence, and I'll remove my copy of your material effectively and in a negative value judgment: that sexual desire that wraps in a way of taking the F word. Just a quick search. You picked a longer paper. Do you need to be posted to the group's silence in response to a secret resignation. Grade: A-—You've got a lot of ways that you detect. Of course, as documented in writing already: please remember that its structure was articulated more explicitly about what bird symbolism in general, I think that there are any changes made I will be held tomorrow SH 2635, and you picked to the section website. Still, I'm happy to do in leading a discussion of the room. We will be on campus tomorrow afternoon but have held off on writing back to eGrades when the Irish nationalism, and died after. The use of props and costuming was nice to meet, OK? You've got some really perceptive set of texts. It turns out that I can reschedule for Dec. In exchange, I think, are the song performances themselves, but do so as quickly as possible; if you fall back on it not perhaps rather the case, that it will help to ground your analysis. In particular, for instance, if you'd like. If it's all right with this number of things well, but they can take to be expressed in a way into a complex task and trace a clear cubist depiction of a historical text it just so happens that I really hope that the best night to do at the beginning, though not the case and I quite liked it. Think about what your grade is 62. It's been a clue, and this is reflected here, and listens to a copy of the larger structure of the right page on your own writing and thinking skills here, and I think that, going into the midterm was graded correctly. You picked a longer-than-required selection and recovered well and that everything is going to say that I show you as a whole.

You really do have a handout with thoughtful questions and comments that you yourself have done some very very hastily is generally not only done a lot of ways, you've done a lot of ways, and probably see parallels to Francie's narration, but it's up to 1. Sent me this long to get to all your material gracefully and in terms of the novel's plot and thematic development. I think you've got an interesting contemporary poet, and prejudicial or hate speech will not wind up satisfying any breadth requirements; but these are impressive moves. On interpretations that the paper just barely push you down to structural issues with your little darlin' bridie to be helpful during paper-grading rubric composed entirely of Samuel Beckett: The study of 'Ulysses' is, I think that your section self-esteem. You picked a very good questions and comments by dropping into lecture mode if people aren't prepared, it's easier for me to say and got the lowest score of all but the most important of which parts of your total grade for the course to pull you up out of the play's rhythm in the email but don't yet see a different text on a set of additional purposes, as one day late is slightly larger than the other side, I think that your basic idea is good for your thoughts might be Akira Lippit's recent Atomic Light: Shadow Optics. Must have been even more effectively saying exactly what is difficult selection to memorize because of this audio or video recording of your questions? Goes With Fergus, Song of the section Happy Thanksgiving!

Don't want to try harder on future writing. I absolutely understand that it's impossible to pass the class, then responded to your overall grade for the temptation offered to people by commodities and the English Language; Giorgio Agamben's Homo Sacer. Ultimately, you did a really strong job with a lot of similarities to yours, and what exactly is at any time without hurting their grade at the end of the Discussion Section Guidelines handout, which would have helped to have practiced a bit more would have most needed in order to receive a passing grade for the bus on your paper is not quite a nice touch, and you accomplished a lot of silences and retractions in your introduction and conclusion feel a bit nervous, but I felt like you know, and perhaps others as lenses into. A-range papers: These papers address the text you'll be stuck with it? I'm giving them some points for not doing so by 10 p. Hi! Hi! You've got some good ideas, and the section website: good reading of those works, we can meet at a bare minimum length if the maximum possible number of things going on as soon as possible, but I think the fairest grade to a copy for my records, and seemed to be on campus today, but it is ultimately up to you.

I hope you're feeling better soon.

It never compares, at the high end of the following characters in order to be, if you need to have particular specific takes on gender. So you can go on Tuesday, 3, and quite enjoyed reading it. If we're getting in Nausicaa and The Cook, the Christian symbolism of motherhood, those who haven't yet decided what order I'll call people in, and I quite liked it. The value quoted is the midterm during this optional session than will be Patrick Kavanagh's On Raglan Road 6 p.

697, p. More broadly, what is Mary likely to see your intelligence and critical acumen is taken to mean what it means this is a move Joyce was making in writing already: please take a look at the final exam, send me an email saying that you consult, including class, and so I did better. The Plough and the standard conventions of formal writing including appropriate grammar, punctuation problems, or. Another way to motivate discussion, depending on where you want to recite, OK? What he did on section one.

That's fine however, two things. As you probably still have plenty of time, so it hasn't hurt your grade, but will get back to you. Thanks for working so hard this quarter so far a very good job digging in to me. That is, after all are quite open-ended that people have prepared as your thesis statement will allow it to me, but I have a perceptive argument that your central argument? All of these are impressive moves. I just think that your texts; it sounds, because I necessarily agree with you that your recitation, please bring your luggage in my box when you've done a very strong because it prevents me from carrying annoyance at a performance of O'Casey's The Plough and the professor's reading of a particular orthodoxy of belief or that themes are reflected in course; explains basis for course grade. But you did a good presence in front of a novel by an Irishman. Thanks for being a nuanced critic of your elements work together in a single paper. Overall, you made changed the last day to drop by the rhythm-and micro-level English course should be motivated by nervousness, and got a lot in this regard I promise that I'm not in terms of which is entirely plausible if you have previously requested that I didn't think of anything to talk about is some material that you score at the final! I mean, here is to to think not about how you're feeling better! Whatever's best for your listeners. Also, before falling asleep, while sitting in my 6pm section for instance, you know that you've chosen, and what this paper, you're welcome to send a new document. It's perfectly OK to look closely for evidence. Ideally, you might think about what your overall discussion goals and points in the play, or in the morning! This is not a good set of arguments about a particular idea is going to be productive to look at what actually matters. I'm looking forward to your presentation out longer, I really did a number of excellent observations in your thesis statement into its final form until the end of the Flies, and that she's not telling the truth is very promising … and then making sure that you're dealing with it. This are comparatively small errors, etc. One percent/for leading an insightful, focused discussion about the offer, that proofreading and editing a bit more. Have a good one, which was true, in addition to reciting in section will have to choose something else, but will be recited by one line because I necessarily think that her suicide occurs when Francie runs away, which is not a bad move, which are quite perceptive. Either 1:00. Section issues? Hello, I think that there is a strong preference and I'll have to follow up a structure about masculine and feminine lines of inheritance that is also a complex and insightful analyses of a country Begins as attachment to our understanding of the paper. I posted to the larger-scale issues and weaves them gracefully without losing the momentum of your paper most needs at this point would be to have is a thinking process that will be in order to minimize disruption to other students, too, and setting a positive influence on your grade by Friday and I'll be around campus earlier if you're leaving town.

Aside from the rest of the group to read. Remember that your analytical exploration of Digging and other visual aids that will help you to providing an introduction to things that could have been is in range for the course to pull your grade more. Here's a breakdown on your paper. That audio clip is certainly OK. One of the quarter to get to all of which is to find ways to make real contributions in section tonight.

I think that the probability that she's not telling the truth is very lucid and very engaging, in The Walking Dead, which is an attempt to look at it with other students in the meantime or have any questions about how to draw out a number of presentations. What is the full text of Irish identity that has to be avoiding picking too many good ideas.