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theoriginalladya · 4 years ago

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"Holiday Celebration" for Alexandre/Kaidan :)

from this prompt list

On AO3 here

My friend, thank you so much for asking about Alexandre and Kaidan! I won’t apologize for the length of this prompt - it’s the beginning of Alexandre’s story, and for that I am very grateful! (also pardon the extra information for that purpose! lol) I hope you enjoy it!

~~~

Title: Six Cents Dix-Neuf

Summary: 619 days ago, Alexandre Shepard received secondary exposure to eezo in an accident that killed his father. Today, he enters the hospital, room 619, and begins a journey that will change his life forever.

Characters: Alexandre Shepard, Kaidan Alenko, Nathalie Alenko

Series: Copains de Combat

Author’s Note: Many, many years ago when I was in high school, I was paired up with a pen pal over in France. For decades, he and I wrote back and forth to one another. Twice, I was fortunate enough to meet him in person. He was one of the nicest, kindest people I've ever had the fortune of knowing. We lost touch about 21 years ago, shortly after my son was born, but I always looked for him online in the hopes we might connect again. Sadly, about a month ago, I came across irrefutable proof of what I've known deep in my heart; my friend died shortly after we lost contact with one another. Now, all I have left are the memories.Alexandre Shepard is a fictional creation of the man I called friend. I can only hope somewhere, somehow he knows I still think about him fondly.

~~~

Room 619.

Alexandre Shepard stares at the number and hears his father’s voice inside his head. Six cents dix-neuf, mon fils. A tremor shakes his hand as he reaches for the handle. Either God has it in for him, or He has a very wicked sense of humor. Six cents dix-neuf. The same number of days since the eezo ‘accident’ that killed the elder Shepard and exposed Alexandre, which in turn, led to him being here, at this hospital.

Room 619.

He enters the room, sets his things by the empty bed nearest the windows before walking over to stare outside. The hospital room is like any other in any Alliance hospital. This one happens to overlook the city of London. Not a bad view by any means, particularly in winter with brightly colored and festive holiday decorations hanging, but it is not where he wants to be. Anywhere but here would be preferable; finishing his studies, preparing for enlistment, anything other than waiting for surgery, for an implant to help him control his sudden and unexpected access to dark energy. He never asked for it; he saw the faces of the crew, of the other kids in his class. His mother. His brother. Disappointment. Horror. Fear. No, he did not ask for this; apparently, what he wants out of life no longer matters.

Room 619.

The door opens behind him some time later. He isn’t in a private suite, and all Alexandre knows is that his roommate is also biotic. Though greater in number than they once were, not many come through this hospital, and certainly not enough to create a wing specifically to deal with them. What few rooms the hospital does set aside for them have to double up on occupancy if and when necessary. Alexandre swallows tightly. The fist that rests against the wall tightens, and his gaze is captured as the strange haze of blue returns to spark weirdly around it. He doesn’t want a roommate, doesn’t want anyone else to know his ‘condition.’ Maman insists he keep it quiet, to protect himself, his one chance at a future. And David? Well, he was lucky to hear from his older brother at all, and even then, the message was brief. The ship’s doctor said biotics weren’t a deadly condition. Someone needs to explain that to his family and friends.

“Six cents dix-neuf,” he mutters, the energy fading as he releases his fist. Six hundred nineteen days. Why?

Shuffling steps approach, but stop short of his position. That is something, at least. Alexandre is not in the mood for conversation, good or bad. He wants to be elsewhere, anywhere but here. No choice. But, th minute he knocked Stacey Ratzenburger from her seat in class after a violent sneeze with an added dark energy kick, his life was forever changed. It’s no longer a question of what he wants, but where he can be put so as to not be a danger, to himself or others.

“Beautiful view.”

Alexandre huffs softly but does not turn. The voice is deep, warm, comforting in a way, but he really isn’t in the mood to chat. Still, they’ll be roommates for a time, and his parents raised him to be polite. “It is … different.”

His companion chuckles softly. “Your accent suggests you aren’t from around here.”

Alexandre nods. “I was born in the colonies.” Which is true enough. His mother was on leave when he was born, and his documentation lists Terra Nova as his place of birth, even if it was his home only for a few days. Glancing to his right side, he spies his roommate standing off to the side in the shadows. Odd behavior, particularly for one who seems to be otherwise outgoing and friendly, but Alexandre does not ask. The man’s reasons are his own; Alexandre can respect that and hope for the same consideration in return. “You are from …?”

“Earth. Canada, to be more specific.”

Canada. A wild country filled with mountains, trees and wild animals in the western provinces and descendants of his kinsmen in the east. At least, that is how his father explained it once when he was young. He knows better now, of course. Half turning, he eyes the shadow. “Vous parlez français?”

A soft snort – disgusted? Amused? He isn’t certain – fills the air. “Only when I have to.”

Folding his arms across his chest, Alexandre leans back against the wall, a smirk toying with the corner of his lips. That is a mood if ever he’s heard one before. “Tu me comprends?”

This time, it’s a disgruntled sigh of exasperation. “Yes, I understand you. I would have thought that obvious?”

“When you hide in the shadows, nothing is obvious.”

There is just a moment when Alexandre thinks perhaps he’s pushed a bit too much. After all, they have only just met, and not even formally. Yet, something about this man tugs at memories of his past, at a time more comfortable for him than now.

How long has it been? Four years? Five? I wonder where you are now, mon ami, and where your life has taken you?

With a soft shuffle of slippered feet, his roommate steps out of the darkness. He is tall, at least equal in height to Alexandre himself, with a mop of dark hair and warm amber eyes. But it’s the lines of pain at the corners of his eyes that Alexandre notices and he recalls the warning at the desk; he suffers from migraines. Immediately, Alexandre reaches over and pulls the curtains to block the direct light from outside.

“Merci.”

Alexandre’s lips curl upward a tick in appreciation, but he cannot help but tease, “Was that so difficult?”

The amber eyes narrow. “Anyone ever tell you that you are impossible?”

This is what he needs; the distraction, the banter, the return to familiar times. His lips form a full-fledged grin now. “My older brother. Often. Repeatedly,” Alexandre replies. The grin fades a little. “And an old friend.” He shrugs, a gentle movement but one that apparently catches his companion’s attention as his eyes focus on it. “I have not heard from him in a long time.”

“Ah.” Sympathy? Empathy? It isn’t unwelcome, but unexpected. His roommate moves a few steps closer, nods in the direction of the curtains. “Thank you for that.”

“No trouble.” Alexandre gestures toward the beds. “Is it easier for you if we sit?” He tilts his head in some concern. “I can fetch a nurse?”

His companion moves toward his bed even before Alexandre finishes asking his questions. “No nurse,” he insists. “It’s just … results of the tests they did.”

Alexandre follows, climbing up onto his bed and making himself as comfortable as anyone can in such places. He tugs his pillow onto his lap, bunching it in his arms. Old habits offer comfort. “Tests?”

The Canadian lies down, eyes closed tightly, but he still engages in conversation. “I have an L2 implant, given to me when my biotics manifest a few years ago,” he explains. “Horrendous migraines are one of the many possible side effects. They are testing to see if there is anything they can do to help.”

The complete and utter lack of hope in his tone leaves Alexandre on edge. All he knows is what the ship’s doctor told him before leaving. You are fortunate. You will receive one of the newer implants, not one of the defective L2s. To a teenager who has no idea what that means and doesn’t want one, it did little to reassure. “Do all who have implants suffer?”

One eye opens and focuses on Alexandre. “No. Is that why you are here? For an implant?”

Alexandre’s gaze drops and he hugs the pillow close to his chest. Lifting one hand, he turns the palm up while wiggling his fingers slowly, cautiously. He still has no real understanding of how the biotics thing actually works. It takes a few moments, but the glow returns. “Yes.”

The other man pushes up a little, folds his arm and rests it beneath his head as he watches closely. “You’re worried.” It’s a statement, not a question.

Alexandre shrugs again. It’s vaguely disconcerting his reaction is so easily seen. “I have no choice in the matter,” he replies. Pulling his gaze back to his companion, he counters, “Fate has decided I need more challenge in my life.” He tosses his pillow back to the bed and flops onto it, staring up at the ceiling. He does not want this conversation.

“That’s a rather fatalistic approach, don’t you think?”

Alexandre says nothing in response, only rolls so his back is to his roommate.

Several minutes of silence pass. In the back of his mind, Alexandre hears his father chiding him gently for being rude, but he ignores it. A soft knock at the door precedes it’s opening, but he ignores that, too. No one is here for him, and he doesn’t expect the nurses to take undue interest until later this evening in preparation for tomorrow’s procedure.

Soft steps echo through the room, followed by a soft, feminine voice. “There you are.”

His roommate’s voice has a slight edge to it when he speaks, but there is nothing but welcome in it. “Hi, Mom.”

Mom. Alexandre fights back a wave of jealousy that grasps hold. It’s stupid; it isn’t his roommate’s fault; it isn’t even Alexandre’s. With another long glare up at the ceiling, he silently challenges, Why do you do this to me? Why am I such a tempting target?

When Fate does not reply, he sighs heavily and rolls over to face his roommate and his visitor. But, when his gaze falls upon the other bed, he frowns. Something about the woman, about her face, her hair, maybe even her voice, speaks to him. Or, maybe it’s the small box she carries, so brightly colored and festive looking. A reminder of happier times.

“How were the tests?” She sets the box on the rolling tray table and positions it between the beds. The response is unintelligible, which is just as well.

Alexandre loses track of time as he focuses on a ray of light coming through the curtains and shining across the room. Just a sliver, but not enough to bother his companion, he doesn’t think. Still, it’s plenty to remind Alexandre of the world outside. Timing, as is often said, is everything; Fate’s decision to throw his life all akilter right before the one holiday he associates most with his father six hundred nineteen days after losing him is ill-timed at best.

Six cents dix-neuf, mon fils. Joyeux Noël.

Alexandre closes his eyes, teeth gnashing together. “Six cents dix-neuf,” he whispers to the shadows. “Joyeux Noël, Papa. Tu me manques.”

He doesn’t notice the room go silent, or hear the sharply drawn breaths at the other bed. He doesn’t see two pairs of concerned eyes turn toward him, focused on his huddled form. Alone in his own private world of despair, Alexandre knows nothing but the pain of loss and change thrust upon him. Until a moment later when he is torn from his misery by something completely unexpected.

“Kaidan, why didn’t you tell me –?”

Kaidan.

The name is common enough, he supposes, but it is one tied to a happier time in his life, one that has been tickling at the back of his memory since meeting his roommate. Bolting upright with a sharp gasp, Alexandre half turns until he can look, really look at the man lying in the other bed. “Kaidan?” It comes out as a strangled whisper, but the other man must hear it. Their eyes meet, and Alexandre stops breathing. Dark hair, dark eyes. An older face marked by time, a few scars, but beneath it all, something so familiar and unexpected … Swallowing tightly, Alexandre chokes out, “Mon copain de combat?”

The man’s eyes widen a fraction despite the pain he suffers from, but it’s the word that passes his lips that are the true gift for Alexandre this year. “Alex?”

He has only ever allowed one person to call him by that shortened version of his name.

Alexandre scrambles off his bed to stand beside him. He glances up to the woman, the ache in his chest lessening. “Nathalie?” She nods.

Kaidan adjusts his bed. “Mom, it’s Alex. Don’t you remember? From the Lisbon.”

Nathalie Alenko blinks in surprise, but a slow smile curves her lips at the same time. “Alexandre Shepard?”

One, last tour, the final cap to a long career in the Alliance; the forging of a friendship, now rekindled after seven years separated.

Alexandre turns back to Kaidan. “I … It’s you. C’est un miracle.”

With a smile, Kaidan extends a hand that Alexandre takes immediately. “Well, it is Christmas …”

#Winter Writing Prompts #Ladya writes #Alexandre Shepard #Copains de Combat #Six Cents Dix-Neuf #Kaidan Alenko #Nathalie Alenko #biotics #migraines #Christmas #ripley95

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selkiesbittybonanza · 6 years ago

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Introducing: Bonsai Bittys! (Free to Adopt)

These bittys are the dryads or spirits that inhabit Bonsai (dwarf) trees. Bonsai is an art form that has been practiced in Asia for over a thousand years and has been adapted to trees and plants originating from outside or Asia such as the Americas. With proper care, Bonsai’s can live for decades or even hundreds of years so having a plan of inheritance for your Bonsai is important! Some caretakers have even donated their Bonsais to botanical gardens, senior centres or hospitals! The spirit of the tree, your Bitty Bonsai, will only remain active as long as they have a special bond with a caretaker. If no special bond exists they “sleep” within their trees until a new bond is formed. A Bitty Bonsai can’t be away from their trees for long periods of time, after 48 hours they start to feel weak and eventually fade away completely by the 72 hour mark - returning to their tree. However, they don’t suffer any lasting harm and just require another 72 hours of “sleep” in their trees before they reappear – completely refreshed!

Appearance: Humanoid-skeletal figures make of dark wood and black wood grain, despite the wood of the tree they come from. They have 3 fingers and a thumb and dark holes with tiny lights where their eyes would be. They have only a point at their nose and no mouths. They communicate with sweeping movements and dances that somehow anyone who watches can understand, but they prefer to be poetic rather than clear. They are completely hairless but often have leaves, flowers or branches matching their trees decorating their heads. They enjoy wearing clothes but they always leave their hands/feet uncovered. Some bittys prefer wearing masks over their faces to give themselves more decoration and colour.

Powers: These bittys can gift small boons to their caretakers/homes that are in accordance with the symbolism of the tree they come from. (For example: A maple tree is seen as a symbol of balance and the turning of the seasons. So a Bonsai Bitty of this type would be able to help their caretaker ground themselves during a panic attack or even just help them meditate more successfully.) They are unconstrained by gravity and may fly but they cannot be far away from their trees for long periods of time.

At this time I am happy to present FIVE kinds of Bonsai bittys! (If they become popular I have a few ideas for more types!)

Cedars: There are many kind of cedar trees that are plentiful all through the temperate regions of Eurasia and the Americas. They are a part of many religions from Shinto in Japan, to the Traditional Ceremonies of Native Americans. The common symbolism of these trees are protection and purification. “Smudge sticks” are made of cedar branches often used in ceremonies to purify themselves before a ritual or ceremony. Shinto priests use cedar branches to purify offerings/themselves for the same reason! A Cedar Bonsai Bitty prides himself on the protection of their caretaker and their home! Impure spirits avoid homes with a Cedar Bitty to search of easier prey, and the air in your home is noticeably cleaner than others - helping people with allergies to dust/dander. Cedars consider themselves “warriors” so they often like to carry weapons and wear armor / warrior masks. Again they are common among many cultures in the world so they are very diverse in their costuming!

Ginkgo: Ginkgo trees are famous for their hardiness; a famous tree in Japan still stands strong today, in spite of being less than a kilometer from Ground Zero in Hiroshima! They are also associated with health (think Ginkgo Bilbao supplements). They have beautiful green fan-shaped leaves that change to gold in the autumn and is considered a “living fossil” – all the other trees in it’s family have gone extinct over the millennia. A Ginkgo Bonsai Bitty likes to consider themself a healer! Their caretaker and their family/roommates under a Ginkgo’s protection can boast being skipped over when the current “plague” makes the rounds. If they do get sick, people with a Ginkgo in their life they often get better faster – or have less severe symptoms. A Ginkgo isn’t a miracle worker, he can’t cure sickness or disease, but he can help you stand up to it! Ginkgo bittys enjoy dressing up as traditional and modern health care professionals. Lots of scrubs, stethoscopes and medicine boxes! They enjoy jewelry, emblems and other decorations made in the shape of the Ginkgo leaf!

Money Tree: Money Trees are a plant from Central/South America and is often sold with a braided trunk with the leaves only appearing at the very top shading the tree - almost like an umbrella. They are a flowering tree and have the largest flowers of any kind of tree! They are called “Money Trees” after a Chinese myth and are therefore associated with wealth. A Money Tree Bonsai Bitty can’t help you win the lottery – but you might find a $20 stuck in a bush. Or find a really good deal on something you were saving up for. These little things add up! Money Tree Bittys prefer to wear the colours red, greed and gold – all colours associated with money! They enjoy jewelry, emblems or prints with coin imagery on them. They also enjoy carrying a group of money trees leaves like a parasol!

Maple: Maple Trees are famous for their beautiful changing foliage during the seasons. There are also different types maples from the slim 5 pointed leaves of the Japanese Maple to the large leaves of the Sugar Maple made famous on the Canadian flag – these trees also produce the sugar needed for maple syrup! Although the Japanese Maple is the traditional bonsai favourite, both trees have been used in bonsai before! Due to how beautiful the trees look in each season the maple tree is associated with balance and the passage of time, living reminders of the circle of life and the turning of the seasons. These peaceful Bittys help their caretakers center themselves and promote mental health. Meditating in the presence of the tree, and Bitty you’ve made a bond with, is always more fulfilling. Often they like to dress themselves as humble monks and gurus – people associated with peace, balance and faith. Although some Maple Bittys that are from the Sugar family enjoy dressing as lumberjacks or in the traditional dress of the Native Americans that populate the North-East of North America! (13 Colonies of the USA, Quebec, Ontario and Maritime Provinces of Canada)

Azalea: This brightly flowering shrub is another favourite of Bonsai artist and caretakers. The flowers of azaleas come in many colours but the most popular are the pink shades; other colours include red, yellow, orange, white or purple! Azaleas are often associated with kindness and femininity. The Victorians also used azaleas to symbolize temperance and was used by the prohibition movement. These gentle Bittys remind us that it always better to be kind and influence those around themselves and their caretakers to choose the route of kindness instead of anger. These Bittys are life savers for those caretakers who are in the service industries or deal with volatile people on a regular basis! While most Bonsai Bittys have no gender preference and wear clothes and costumes of all genders - Azalea bittys prefer to project femininity. long kimonos, sweeping dresses, delicate lace and especially floral print! They usually have a floral arrangement matching their Bonsai on their head delicately arranged to look like a hair ornament; often with beads and ribbon accenting it.

Selkie says: I’ve been working on this idea for a long time and it’s gone through a few redesigns since I decided on this one, which I’m quite happy with! These bittys were originally based on @itsladykit ‘s Atypical Papyrus Forest Spirit that I loved so much I wanted a bitty of it. And what’s a bitty tree after all...? A BONSAI! Then I got lost in learning about types of Bonsai and the different styles... Pretty much any tree/shrub can be made into a Bonsai, it really is an art using living materials! I especially love the fruit trees with a full sized fruit hanging off of it! Google it! So cool!

I’d also like to update this post with art someday. I tried making a few prototypes on my own (Maybe I’ll show you someday...) but unfortunately my artistic ability doesn’t match what I want to convey. It was also hard for me to decide on a distinctive style without being too... stiff. And I’ve totally blown my artist commission budget for a while but I hope there’s enough here for you to get an idea of what a Bonsai Bitty would be like!

#adoptable #Bonsai Bittys #Bonsai Bitty #Cedar Bonsai Bitty #Money Tree Bonsai Bitty #Maple Bonsai Bitty #Gingko Bonsai Bitty #Azalea Bonsai Bitty #bittybones #bitty bones #in progress...?#but ready to adopt!

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maslany-news · 7 years ago

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Last month, the ever-twisting Orphan Black began its final season on BBC America. Soon, there will be no more clones—no more Sarah, Alison, Cosima, Rachel, Helena, and seestras—and no more sinister conspiracies to uncover. For die-hard fans of the show—which is, really, anyone who's watched more that one episode—it's an equally sad and exciting prospect. Of particular interest is what Tatiana Maslany, who plays every adult "Leda" clone on the show, will do next. Orphan Black has been a career-defining project for the Canadian actor, who finally won a well-deserved Emmy for her performance last year. She already has several films in the works: come September, she'll star opposite Jake Gyllenhaal in Stronger, David Gordon Green's retelling of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing. Earlier this year, she screened a short, Apart From Everything, at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Curently, she is working with her boyfriend Tom Cullen on a new collaboration with writer-director Joey Klein. Here, Maslany talks to another Emmy-winning (and, as of last week, 2017 Emmy-nominated) actor, Orange is the New Black's Uzo Aduba.

UZO ADUBA: Where are you right now? TATIANA MASLANY: I'm in L.A. We just moved here three weeks ago. I'm sitting on the floor in one of our rooms that's unfinished. Are you in New York? ADUBA: I am in New York. I'm chilling out because I'm tonight I'm seeing U2 for the first time. MASLANY: Are you a huge U2 fan? ADUBA: Huge. I love U2. I just got my wisdom teeth pulled and I look like a chipmunk, but I do not care. That's how much I love U2. [laughs] MASLANY: That's amazing. ADUBA: I'll be singing and it'll be fun. I'm really excited to do this; I've never done anything like this before. Before we talk about Orphan Black, I just saw the trailer for Stronger and it looks so good. MASLANY: That was intense. You're from Boston right?

ADUBA: Yes. The accents are really good. MASLANY: Always a contentious point. ADUBA: For sure. It's hard to do, but you guys are doing it and it sounds authentic. The movie itself looks really good. MASLANY: We filmed last spring, kind of around the marathon. I'd never been to Boston before and being in the city at that time—being in the city in general—was a really incredible experience. To be telling that story so soon after it happened... people were so supportive of the film being made and really generous. When we were shooting the actual marathon scene there was this extra, who was an actor, but also a lot of his friends were affected by the tragedy and he was too, just being in the city. We shot that sequence of running over five hours, and he and I were the only ones who kept running the whole time. He just kept running to stay with me, and it was just the most beautiful gesture of commitment to being authentic. ADUBA: I was in Amsterdam when it happened, and it couldn't have been a more random place. I was visiting one of my hometown best friends, and we were watching the news and calling up family. I tried to explain that everybodycelebrates the marathon in Boston; it's Patriot's Day, but everybody calls it "Marathon Monday," and if you grow up there you know what that day symbolizes. What is it like be working on something that is history? This actually occurred, these people do exist; people are feeling it in a different way. What is it like playing a real person versus say, in Orphan Black where you're playing all these clones on clones? MASLANY: It's a daunting thing to be playing a real person and to have contact with her and meet her and be in her circle a little bit. It's an odd thing. There's so much responsibility to tell the story honestly and truthfully, and at the same time, you start to develop a friendship with this person—or I did. I felt a real kinship with her and just her generosity. Erin Hurley, who I play in the movie—who's boyfriend, Jeff Bauman, lost his legs in the bombing—was running and was a mile out from the very end [when it happened]. I think I still struggle with the concept that I was stepping in her footsteps. I took it extremely seriously, but the way I approached her was not like I was doing an imitation or an impression or a characterization of her, but more so what the conflict was that she was going through. I really focused on what she was going through more than her actual mannerisms because, for me, it wasn't about that. Have you ever played a real person who you've met in real life or read about? ADUBA: I never played anyone I've met. Suzanne [in Orange is the New Black] is a real person that Piper [Kerman] met in prison, but it's still told through the gaze of Piper. It's not Suzanne's account of her life, and I never met with her to be able to get my own personal take on who she is and to inject that into the performance. I like what you said about trying to latch onto the emotional journey of what she was going through at that point rather than do an impersonation of her. Is that typically your style of acting and how you come into characters? In Orphan Black, is that how you find a way into all of these women? When clones are playing other clones in the show, are they doing impersonations? MASLANY: Those moments are the greatest joy. I get to play with all of the things that we do as people where we see somebody a certain way, we judge somebody, we empathize with something in someone—all of the judgments, good and bad, that we have of people and how that makes us behave. If Sarah is playing Alison, Sarah's judgments about Alison, the impression that she gets and the impersonation that she does. I like playing with the artifice of it and letting the mistakes and the cracks seep through. When I do those scenes, we'll do the blocking and the rehearsal and, if I'm Sarah as Alison, I'll do it in Sarah's voice with Sarah's physicality. Once the camera starts rolling, I like to let Sarah play as Alison. It throws us all off. It's letting that character speak, letting Sarah have all of her judgments about Alison and whatever her physical and emotional experience is, which is really fun to do. ADUBA: I watch the show and it's genius, just strictly from the acting of it. Just the order and the ability to organize oneself, to have such a clear identity for each character so that Sarah doesn't become Alison and Cosima doesn't become Sarah. It needs to be super clear in the actor's mind in order for us to get it, which, I think, makes you exceptional. How did you come to find acting? I know you were a ballet dancer when you were younger. MASLANY: I've always loved performing in whatever capacity. From the age of 4, I was in hours of dance class—jazz and ballet—and loved it. I don't know exactly what drew me to it. I would force my parents to watch me and my brother Daniel perform Jesus Christ Superstar for hours in the living room. ADUBA: No way! Are you serious? MASLANY: Yeah. [laughs] I think I saw it when I was five. ADUBA: I could start singing it right now. [laughs] MASLANY: I would love to hear you do that! ADUBA: I'm not joking. One of my dream roles is Judas. MASLANY: How has that not happened? I feel like that's a no-brainer. [starts singing] ADUBA: I love that guitar. [makes guitar sounds] MASLANY: I was playing it for [my boyfriend] Tom [Cullen] the other day in the car. We were driving down the highway, and I was like, "I really need to hear the intro to Jesus Christ Superstar." He was like, "This is the nerdiest shit on the planet." But we used to dance around to that and make our parents buy tickets for our performances. ADUBA: At your house? MASLANY: At our house, in the living room. We'd cut out little tickets; we already had a business sense about it. We would have so much fun performing and making up dances. It was always part of us,. Then when I was nine, my mom saw this audition, a cattle call for kids to play orphans in Oliver at the local community theater. I auditioned for that and it was my first time singing in public. I got the part of "Orphan #43," or whatever, and that was the beginning of it. After that, I couldn't get enough of it. I loved the rush of being on stage and how fun it was to be around kids my age who were all getting to play make-believe and dress up in costumes. When you're a kid and are able to do that, it's the most fun. Before I moved to Toronto when I was 20, I'd done movies and been away filming in different provinces in Canada. I was really lucky to have fallen into it, but it was only when I turned 20 and a friend showed me [John] Cassavetes's films, that I was like, "Oh, shit. This is the possibility for what this art form can be and how it can transport people and transport actors." I really took a second look at what I was doing, because I had been doing it to get attention and for the rush of performing. It was my career, but I was 9 years old to 20, and who actually knows what their career is at that age? For the last ten years, I've been deepening my training. The last class I did was a year ago in New York—Strasberg stuff. That's my favorite place to be, back in class and studying. ADUBA: It's about the learning of the thing. That's my experience, at least. There's nothing to be gained other than a deeper knowledge of how to pursue the craft of it. MASLANY: Have you found anything new since the success of Orange is the New Black and the specific accolades you've received? Has that changed your approach to work or the way you feel about it? You're so fearless in your work and your commitment to your character is massive. ADUBA: I don't know if this is going to make me sound more sane or crazy, but when I am working, it is the most alive place for me. That statement feels louder that I intend it to, but that's the only way I know how to frame it. It's the safest place I know and definitely the most honest place I know. Maybe it's that charge that you were talking about when you were a kid. When I'm in that space, that artistic, creative space of making something, I don't think about anything else. Whether it's the show or a play, all I'm thinking about is how do I get this person from stop A on this train to stop B? I'm still a person and I have my own life timeline happening simultaneously, [but] I love to act. It's my safe space. I turn off the noise and shut the door on the world. MASLANY: That's amazing, that protectiveness of the work. I totally relate to shutting out the noise. Same as you, I feel the safest, the most vulnerable, and the most excited and alive in work. ADUBA: We've seen each other in real life, and I've already gushed about Orphan Black, but I'll gush again. We don't get to see often, or often enough, what you do played in the female form. It's pretty fucking cool. What did you feel about that when you were stepping into those shoes? MASLANY: I was very excited to read female characters like these. I was excited even at the prospect of playing one of them; I was excited to be in the audition room and to get to play a few of the characters for an hour. I was dreaming, obviously, about getting the part, but just doing the audition was a thrill enough. Just to get to stretch and work like that in an audition space, where usually you do a scene and you're out. This was four different characters, changing in front of everyone, with the process being outed and without any preciousness. I couldn't step out of the room and be like, "Give me a moment." I just walked in with a bag of crap in my hands, and was like, "I'm going to put on these glasses now and play in front of you." The response that people have had to the show in terms of the questions of identity and the feminist rhetoric, it was really exciting and sort of a surprise to me. Weirdly, the most I was thinking about gender when I was playing these characters was when John Fawcett, the showrunner, said to me, "I think Alison is the most feminine." I was like "Okay. What does that mean?" I had this block in my head: "What does that mean that she's ‘feminine'?" I was watching videos to figure it out. For some reason, the characters defy gender to me in a way: Helena is this Ukrainian serial killer who is now domesticated. Gender wasn't even a concept to her; she was beyond that almost. My favorite actor on the planet is Gena Rowlands and she plays women who, to me, somehow defy gender. They are women, they are feminine, they are masculine, they are everything. There's something exciting about that. I don't know how to articulate it exactly. I guess it's busting out of the archetypes a little bit and not feeling restricted. With Suzanne, she encompasses so many things and is such a complex character, did you understand her when you first saw her? What was your thought? ADUBA: When I first saw her, I understood it as simply a love story: this is someone who is in pursuit of love. That's what I drafted out of what I read. It's funny, because you were saying you didn't think of it so much as identity, and I didn't think of it as so much as orientation. I knew she was in love with a woman, but that did not factor, somehow, into her expression for me. I've seen her now fall in love, or attempt love, with someone else, and it still doesn't hold firm for me. How we choose to define these terms has always been fascinating and curious to me—where that Webster's definition came from. I'm currently watching and reading and playing a woman for whom that point feels so inconsequential to the action that is being asked of her. When I started, for me it was just a love story, and what I've I learned about her over the years is that she falls hard. She is a lover. If she sets her sight on someone, she is committed and that was what I got out of her. She is in, most times to her detriment. That was the thing I latched onto. We've seen her play out love in an intimate way, in a maternal way. She's not a lover or a fighter; she's a lover and a fighter. She can be both very easily. Suzanne doesn't always get it right, but she knows she's trying to do the best she can with the tools she has to make sense of life, the world, the people who love her, and the people who she feels are attacking the people that she loves. MASLANY: The way you describe Suzanne is exactly the way I would describe Helena in our show—that lover-fighter thing. She hasn't necessarily been equipped in a way that everyone deserves to be, but she's doing the best with what she has and she's learning constantly. Her heart is opening as well as her capacity to fight; the two are growing at the exact same moment. She flips between wanting to be this very socialized, "normal" person, but her instincts are more base and animal, and she has the capacity for both in her. They are in conflict and are married in her at the same time. It's so much fun to play a character who carries two contrasting things inside of them, two polar opposite drives or instincts. ADUBA: Are any of the clones going to die? I'm just asking... [laughs] MASLANY: So, here's how it ends... ADUBA: Let me ask you this question: Would you sign up for it again, having now done it? MASLANY: I would never want to do a similar thing in terms of television. I don't know if you've ever done a one-woman show, but watching that on stage is my favorite thing on the planet. I'm so drawn to people who can do that and I would love to try it someday. I think that's the closest that I'd ever get. ADUBA: That would be so cool. I would love to see you do that.

#uzo aduba #interview magazine #interview #stronger #orphan black #tat x clones #news #july17 #2017 #tat x musicals #tbc

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topfygad · 5 years ago

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10 Things Foreigners Should Know About Canada – I am Aileen

Canada has almost always been included in lists that point out the best destinations to go to for a getaway — and that’s not surprising because it is a country that is a melting pot of various picturesque landscapes and sights that could instantly take anyone’s breath away!

Now, my brother actually lives in Canada and I haven’t had the chance to visit him for years now… (I know, shame on me!); but hopefully, I get to correct that soon.

So in preparation for my upcoming Canada adventure, I present to you Lauren, a fellow travel blogger fromCanada who will be sharing with us the top 10 things that we should know about her incredible home country. ..

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My name is Lauren, and I am Canadian.

…No, I’m not writing a narrative for a beer commercial. A popular TV ad a few years ago carrying the slogan, “I am Canadian” actually rallied Canadians to feel very patriotic. With lines like, “I can proudly sew my country’s flag on my backpack” and “I believe in peacekeeping, not policing”, who wouldn’t feel the love for our country? Now, I’m not sure how much you know about Canada, but I can assure you that it simply isn’t an extension of the USA. While we do share plenty in common with our neighbours to the south, there are many distinct differences between our nations. For starters, here are 10 things to know about Canada!

Lauren is one half of Justin Plus Lauren, a travel blog that she writes with her boyfriend, Justin. She’s a Canadian part-time traveller who is slowly travelling all over the world. Lauren is passionate about veganism and seeks plant-based meals wherever she goes. She adores nature, animals, outdoor adventures, coffee, and her cats, Chickpea and Peanut.

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10 Things Foreigners Should Know About Canada

#1: Canada is a HUGE country

If you’re planning to travel to Canada, you won’t be able to see the whole country in just a week or two — Canada is just too gigantic! After all, it’s the second largest country in the world, covering 9.9 million square kilometres of space. It is also surrounded by three oceans (the Atlantic, Pacific, and the Arctic) and contains the world’s longest coastline. To add, we have 10 provinces and 3 territories.

While it’s definitely possible to drive across the entire country, give yourself plenty of time to explore each region and province.

#2: Canada is a multicultural nation

We are a fairly new country in the broad scheme of things, and most of our citizens descended from immigrants.

To give you some background, Canada was inhabited by aboriginal peoples until the British and French colonized the nation in the 17th century. Nowadays, almost 1 in 5 Canadians were born in another country, nearly 200 countries are represented in Canada, and 1 in 5 Canadians speak a language other than English or French as their first language.

That being said, it’s very common to walk around and hear many different languages being spoken, and in larger cities, you can find many neighbourhoods dedicated to different cultures, such as Chinatown, Little Italy, Little Portugal, Greektown, and so on. Many people have naturally immigrated to these pockets in the city, and you’ll find many shops, restaurants, and even cultural festivals celebrating their heritage there.

#3: Canada has two official languages

Our two official languages are English and French. About 67% of Canadians speak English and 21% speak French at home. In school, Canadians are required to take language classes for both English and French. I learned French from grade 4 up until my last year of high school (although we were only required to take it until grade 9).

Sadly, I was never close to being fluent and I mostly forget it all now — but I love languages (I’ve also taken classes for Japanese, Spanish, and even Latin!) so it would be great to pick it up again. Anyhow, many people in Canada speak multiple languages, especially if you were brought up learning two or more languages at home.

#4: Speaking “Canadian” English

Staying on the topic of languages, some people can tell right away that I’m Canadian from my “accent”. Of course, I don’t feel as though I have an accent, but the way that I pronounce words likely differs from some Americans. For the record, I don’t say “aboot”, I say “about”! With that said, the myth that Canadians say “eh” a lot is true. I don’t even notice that I say it until someone points it out. I say “eh” a lot at the end of a sentence, as an exclamation, or even to ask a question.

“The weather is really snowy outside, eh?”

“This maple syrup tastes delicious, eh.”

If you want to blend in with the locals when you visit Canada, start working the word “eh” into your vocabulary, and you’ll be fine. Also, if you visit Toronto, you have to say it properly. All of the locals don’t enunciate the second “T”. The “N” and the “T” blend together, as though you’re saying “Toronno”. It’s a dead giveaway that you’re not from around here when you say, “To-ron-to”.

P.S. There’s actually an entire article on Wikipedia devoted to Canadian English.

#5: The Great White North?

Even though we have vast areas of land in Canada, about three quarters of the population lives within 150km of the Canada/USA border in the southern regions of the country, and the major cities mostly all line this border. The weather is warmer in these areas too, which makes life easier in many ways.

#6: Canada has all four seasons

Canada has all four seasons. (I think there are some misconceptions that we all live in igloos and hang out with polar bears.) It can get quite cold, snowy, and icy during the winter, but it does get very hot in the summer. When people travel to Toronto in the middle of July, they’re often surprised at how hot and humid it can be.

But yes, Canada can ‘transform’ into a different place during every season of the year — meaning that you’ll have new experiences in the same places. We celebrate the winter with many activities like skiing and snowboarding. The spring, summer, and fall are ideal for hiking and exploring the outdoors. You can go to the beach in the summer, see many flowers in bloom during the spring, and watch the leaves change colour in the fall. And if you really want to live in an igloo, definitely check out the Ice Hotel in Quebec City during the winter!

#7: Canadians are polite

The rumours are true. For the most part, Canadians are very nice, friendly, helpful, and polite. We also say “sorry” a lot! Now, it doesn’t mean that we are apologizing for everything all of the time. It’s just most often a way of being polite.

With that said, we also like to swear, a lot. Not necessarily at anyone, but just in general.

#8: Canadians take pride in their nature

We love that Canada is such a beautiful country. We have mountains, lakes, forests, prairies, and tundra. It’s very common to go for hiking day trips close to home. We also do lots of camping in the summer.

In the Toronto area, we often say that we are planning a trip “up north” in the summer. This doesn’t mean that we are going to the extreme northern parts of Canada; we’re just travelling a couple of hours north to a lake or a cottage for a holiday. Many Canadians own or rent cottages during the summer to be closer to nature.

#9: Canadian food

We don’t really have very many national dishes. But sure, we love our maple syrup and pour it on whatever we can. Tim Horton’s coffee shops are on every street corner. Poutine comes close to being a national dish – a favourite in Quebec – French fries smothered in gravy and cheese curds.

Though, I’m actually glad that we don’t have very many distinctly Canadian dishes because we are a multicultural nation. Especially in the bigger cities, we can dine at the restaurants of many countries from around the world. In many circumstances, immigrants from these countries brought their authentic recipes with them. Rather than going out for a “Canadian” meal, it’s a choice between dining at a restaurant that’s Thai, Italian, French, Japanese, Indian, Ethiopian, Mexican, Jamaican, and the list goes on.

#10: Canadians love freedom

I am so proud that Canada is such a free and accepting nation. I truly feel so fortunate that I was born here and I am free to live how I please and we are able to express our own opinions.

As a woman, I am treated as an equal. If we don’t like something, we can say it without feeling fearful. We celebrate our differences and take pride in our heritages. Did you know? Canada is one of the first countries to legalize same-sex marriage, and we have several annual pride parades in many cities.

Overall, Canadians may have their differences of opinion, but we are free to choose our own paths in life. We all find a way to live. .

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If you’re from Canada like Lauren, do you agree with the 10 points that she wrote about your country? Maybe you have something to add too?

Anyhow, Canda is truly an amazing country and here’s to hoping that I get to visit it soon!

NOTE: This is an ongoing series so keep an eye out for the next country that I’ll be featuring.

What do you think of Canada?

Would you like to visit the country? Why or why not?

Or have you traveled here before? How was it?

Did you like this article? Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube and be notified about my newest posts and updates!

source http://cheaprtravels.com/10-things-foreigners-should-know-about-canada-i-am-aileen/

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topfygad · 5 years ago

Text

10 Things Foreigners Should Know About Canada – I am Aileen

Now, my brother actually lives in Canada and I haven’t had the chance to visit him for years now… (I know, shame on me!); but hopefully, I get to correct that soon.

My name is Lauren, and I am Canadian.

10 Things Foreigners Should Know About Canada

#1: Canada is a HUGE country

While it’s definitely possible to drive across the entire country, give yourself plenty of time to explore each region and province.

#2: Canada is a multicultural nation

We are a fairly new country in the broad scheme of things, and most of our citizens descended from immigrants.

#3: Canada has two official languages

#4: Speaking “Canadian” English

“The weather is really snowy outside, eh?”

“This maple syrup tastes delicious, eh.”

P.S. There’s actually an entire article on Wikipedia devoted to Canadian English.

#5: The Great White North?

#6: Canada has all four seasons

#7: Canadians are polite

With that said, we also like to swear, a lot. Not necessarily at anyone, but just in general.

#8: Canadians take pride in their nature

#9: Canadian food

#10: Canadians love freedom

I am so proud that Canada is such a free and accepting nation. I truly feel so fortunate that I was born here and I am free to live how I please and we are able to express our own opinions.

Overall, Canadians may have their differences of opinion, but we are free to choose our own paths in life. We all find a way to live. .

If you’re from Canada like Lauren, do you agree with the 10 points that she wrote about your country? Maybe you have something to add too?

Anyhow, Canda is truly an amazing country and here’s to hoping that I get to visit it soon!

NOTE: This is an ongoing series so keep an eye out for the next country that I’ll be featuring.

What do you think of Canada?

Would you like to visit the country? Why or why not?

Or have you traveled here before? How was it?

Did you like this article? Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube and be notified about my newest posts and updates!

from Cheapr Travels https://ift.tt/2rarQkl via IFTTT

#IFTTT #Cheapr Travels

0 notes

topfygad · 5 years ago

Text

10 Things Foreigners Should Know About Canada – I am Aileen

Now, my brother actually lives in Canada and I haven’t had the chance to visit him for years now… (I know, shame on me!); but hopefully, I get to correct that soon.

My name is Lauren, and I am Canadian.

10 Things Foreigners Should Know About Canada

#1: Canada is a HUGE country

While it’s definitely possible to drive across the entire country, give yourself plenty of time to explore each region and province.

#2: Canada is a multicultural nation

We are a fairly new country in the broad scheme of things, and most of our citizens descended from immigrants.

#3: Canada has two official languages

#4: Speaking “Canadian” English

“The weather is really snowy outside, eh?”

“This maple syrup tastes delicious, eh.”

P.S. There’s actually an entire article on Wikipedia devoted to Canadian English.

#5: The Great White North?

#6: Canada has all four seasons

#7: Canadians are polite

With that said, we also like to swear, a lot. Not necessarily at anyone, but just in general.

#8: Canadians take pride in their nature

#9: Canadian food

#10: Canadians love freedom

I am so proud that Canada is such a free and accepting nation. I truly feel so fortunate that I was born here and I am free to live how I please and we are able to express our own opinions.

Overall, Canadians may have their differences of opinion, but we are free to choose our own paths in life. We all find a way to live. .

If you’re from Canada like Lauren, do you agree with the 10 points that she wrote about your country? Maybe you have something to add too?

Anyhow, Canda is truly an amazing country and here’s to hoping that I get to visit it soon!

NOTE: This is an ongoing series so keep an eye out for the next country that I’ll be featuring.

What do you think of Canada?

Would you like to visit the country? Why or why not?

Or have you traveled here before? How was it?

Did you like this article? Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or YouTube and be notified about my newest posts and updates!

from Cheapr Travels https://ift.tt/2rarQkl via https://ift.tt/2NIqXKN

0 notes