#this was the panel i was looking for earlier when i accidentally stumbled upon the the update

[tunas-spriting]

anywho, self indulgent partially kinnie, partially headcanon heavy panel edit!!!

[derireo]

were you surprised? / all troupes

Request: Hello hello~ I just discovered your blog and I've been reading your a3 fics and I love it!! ❤️❤️ If it isn't too much trouble can I request a scenario with all the troupes planning a surprise bday party for the reader/director? the writing could be similar to steambun and be mine sorry if it's too much ._. anyways hope you're having a wonderful day 😘

Thanks, Anon, for the support! I’m really happy to hear that you enjoy reading the fics I write! Also PS. I accidentally wrote this in third person rather than second person so it might be a little... weird. >.< Thank you for the request! And also I did not proofread this lol!

「 Read full ver. on AO3 」 「 3k words 」

.・゜-: ✧ :-　　-: ✧ :-゜・．

SPRING TROUPE

"Yeah," Itaru picked at his fingernails, itching to grab his phone and play a game, "we are not doing that."

Masumi had come up with a less than original idea of popping out of a large present box to surprise their director on her birthday. He thought it'd be something that would truly shock her, and he didn't think him being the present wasn't too shabby either.

Despite the solemn, disagreeing looks on Itaru and Tsuzuru's faces, Masumi only shrugged and wrote it down on the paper that had a list of what they were going to do for the impromptu celebration.

"You know we only have a couple of hours to do something, right?" Sakuya's voice was trembling with anxiousness and he fiddled with his thumbs when he took a quick glance at the clock hanging on the wall.

They had learned it was the director's birthday when Matsukawa gleefully greeted her in the morning by placing a party hat on her head.

It was also quite the surprise for everyone in the morning when Tetsuro was seen holding a small cupcake in his large hand with a single lit candle stabbed in the centre. It seemed so uncharacteristic of such a large silent man, but it was endearing to the birthday girl.

Masumi almost crushed his glass of water when he watched her hug Tetsuro as thanks.

"We don't have to think big. Just some thank you cards and cupcakes should suffice." Tsuzuru reasoned with Masumi while Itaru and Sakuya nodded in agreement.

Citron frowned alongside Masumi, and with crossed arms, plopped down onto the sofa between him and Itaru who was fiddling around with his phone without anything on the screen.

"Doesn't the director deserve more than just that though?"

Aggressively nodding his head, Masumi dropped the pen on the table and sat back, not willing to write anything else on the piece of paper that has their plans.

Tsuzuru quickly swiped a hand down his face out of habit of stress and looked for both Itaru and Sakuya for help. The two could only shrug sympathetically.

"Itaru and Sakuya are writing cards," the university student clapped his hands decisively, "Masumi, Citron, you're helping me bake cupcakes."

And so their surprise party for the director was in full effect! It was terrifying for Sakuya considering he kept looking at the time, waiting for their director to arrive home early from work or something, but Tsuzuru gently comforted him and told him not to worry.

The cards were finished by the time the cupcakes were done cooling down and everyone helped take part in decorating them! Except Masumi had somehow escaped without Tsuzuru noticing, and he had wandered off into his room to do something.

By the time all of them were done doing their respective tasks, the director was walking up the steps. Hearing her footfalls; everyone panicked save for Itaru and Masumi (who was still gone) and tried to clean up their mess as she whistled a joyous tune. Their feet were stumbling as they tried to get the cards in order and the cupcakes lit up with some candles as the light turned on.

Quickly, Itaru used another switch to turn the light off to distract the director, and before she could question it, the boys got in position a few feet away from where she would be standing.

"Surprise!" They all shouted gleefully when she reached the top of the stairs, Itaru flicking the light switch on again. Unexpectedly, she screamed in fright, and had the business man not been there to grab her arm to keep her from stumbling back, she would have taken a small tumble down the stairs.

Suddenly, Masumi, from his bedroom, darted out and rammed himself into Izumi when she was pulled away from the staircase, a large boy wrapped around his head.

"Happy birthday." He murmured affectionately, clinging to the director as everyone sighed in exasperation.

SUMMER TROUPE

"What are we going to do?" Tenma groaned as he slumped back against the sofa with his hands sliding down his face.

The Summer Troupe had just found out it was the director's birthday just a couple hours ago from Matsukawa, and they were running out of time on what to do for her.

Yuki had complained earlier that he wouldn't have enough time to make a new set of clothes for her nor go shopping, and Muku was also panicking because he felt bad for not knowing what to give as a present.

Misumi suggested a triangle present that was gently shut down by Tenma. The only adult of the group, Kazunari, who had actual money to spend on their director, did not have money at this crucial point in time.

The Summer Troupe was at a crossroads.

"We are going to have to improvise." Kazunari murmured behind his hands that were hiding his mouth. The obvious statement could only make Tenma roll his eyes, and while everyone was brooding with how ill-equipped they were, the director was finishing up her work around an hour or two transit away from the dorm.

"Okay," Kazunari loudly clapped his hands together as he spotted a stack of used newspapers sitting beneath the coffee table, "Sakyo will hate this, but Muku, I want you to shred the newspapers to pieces. I will take responsibility." He went to grab the junk and handed it to the middle schooler who was staring at the university student in shock, his mouth falling open.

"O-okay.." The pink haired boy whispered anxiously under his breath, quickly scurrying to his bedroom to get ahold of the scissors he shared with Yuki when he wanted to cut up some manga panels or when his roommate needed to snip some threads. His feet gently padded down the hallway until he was nowhere in sight, and redirecting his attention to the other members who were with him, Kazunari grinned.

"We still have those cookies our director loves so much, right?" His eyes were glowed with hope while the rest of the troupe shrugged.

"Alright!" Kazunari began to quickly move towards the kitchen where he made a straight beeline towards the cabinet that hid all of the director's snacks, the other three members that were still with him following suit. "We're going to decorate some of her cookies. We use the pre-made icing Omi uses for Juza's desserts to spell out 'Haps BDay!' and Misumi can draw triangles on the rest!"

At the mention of triangles, the ball of energy quickly bounced towards the fridge to get the icing tubes Kazunari was talking about before while Tenma and Yuki both sent each other a dubious glance, moving to sit down at the dinner table as their second oldest member found the cookies and brought them where nearly everyone was gathered.

Everyone began to work diligently, the whole dorm quiet with the occasional tune from Misumi who was having the time of his life.

Half an hour later Muku had returned from his room with an armful of shredded newspapers in the form of makeshift confetti. Kazunari was ecstatic at the beautiful work done by the younger boy and pet his hair lovingly, causing him to beam happily.

Everyone was so distracted by their work that they didn't even notice when the director had come home with Sakyo following right behind; the older man having picked her up from her location.

Tenma and Kazunari basically screeched in terror when they saw Sakyo, but Misumi seemed to pay no mind as he threw all of the newspaper confetti into the air when the director turned her head in the direction of the kitchen. Muku shouted in shock while Yuki sighed as Sakyo's eyes widened at all the shredded up paper in the area, and the mess that the troupe made.

"Happy birthday!" Misumi sang, Yuki grumbled, and Muku squeaked.

Sakyo wasn't very happy, but the director definitely was!

AUTUMN TROUPE

"Calzones are so fun to make!" Taichi shouted as he punched his fist into a generous amount of dough while Omi and Juza were already finishing their own batch.

After Sakyo had dropped off the director at work did he tell the Autumn Troupe that it was her birthday, and upon hearing such jubilant news, everyone suggested that they make a food that she would love to eat.

Omi offered making calzones, and Taichi, not knowing what it was, demanded that they make it for her birthday.

"If you keep doing that the dough is gonna get tough." Sakyo scolded the fake redhead with a roll of his eyes while he checked his phone. He wasn't doing much to help out, considering he bought all of the ingredients with a side of party items, but Taichi poked his tongue out at the adult out of pettiness anyways.

"Move outta the way, dude." Banri complained for no particular reason. Juza was only standing at the kitchen counter trying to help the shorty make his own calzone, so, swallowing down his temper, he merely glared and went back to showing Taichi what to do.

Annoyed at being ignored, Banri opened his mouth to say something else only to have the back of his head smacked by Sakyo who had conjured himself out of nowhere.

"Stop trying to pick fights, Jackass. It never ends with you." The adult said with a steely gaze, causing Banri to snarl and put his prepped calzone beside the other ones on the baking sheet.

"Haha." Taichi laughed mockingly behind Juza who was now working on the youngest member's calzone as the redhead mocked Banri by pulling the skin beneath his eye down while poking his tongue out. It didn't happen a lot when Banri would go quiet, but today seemed like an exception considering it was the director's birthday today and they were supposed to work together to get things done.

It was Taichi's turn to get a push of the knuckles to the temple by Sakyo who was also frowning at him. "And you. Start pulling your own weight. Don't make Juza do it for you."

"Now, now, everybody. Let's focus on the task at hand." Omi chuckled and spilled out one of the proofed batches of dough onto a separate counter covered in a light sheen of oil, hands skilfully flattening it into a thin circle. The kind chiding of the tallest member had everyone else grumbling to themselves, Taichi even nudging Juza away so that he would be able to work on his own masterpiece.

Sakyo did the bare minimum by putting the ready to bake calzones into the oven, then went to wash his hands to go and get the party items he bought ready.

Everyone got into a rhythm by the time Sakyo left the kitchen to blow up like, 5 balloons and pulled out a large birthday cake out of nowhere, setting it on the coffee table as the younger members were busy finishing up in the kitchen with the food they made specifically with Izumi in mind.

There was a rattle coming from the front door not too long after Taichi's calzone made it out of the oven, and the youngest member screeched in shock when he looked out the window to see their director unlocking the door to the dormitory. Removing himself from the window, he began to slap Omi, Juza, and Banri on the back in a panic, whisper shouting that the director was coming up soon and that they needed to hurry!

Sakyo was already turning off the light switch by the time Taichi reached him and the teenager wrapped his arms around the blond's waist with a terrified whimper. Her footsteps going up the stairs were daunting as Banri and Juza stayed put in the kitchen while Omi went around to light up the candles on the cake that Sakyo left on the table.

By the time the director reached the top step, Taichi and Sakyo were already singing the birthday tune in a soft murmur as Omi started to approach her with the cake in his hands, the two other high schoolers going to grab the small confetti poppers that the blond man reluctantly decided to buy.

Taichi looked over Sakyo's shoulder with sparkling eyes as the director stood in front of all of them, frozen in shock once Omi reached her with the flames of the candles reflecting in her gaze.

When they finished singing, she gently blew the candles, effectively causing the living room to go dark. After a few seconds, Sakyo switched on the lights again only for Banri and Juza to startled everyone when they opened the confetti poppers, making Taichi squeal and the director to flinch at the loud sound.

"Happy birthday!" Each member crooned in their own special way, and she couldn't help but smile bashfully when they all came to her to either give her a hug or to pat her head.

Happy birthday indeed!

WINTER TROUPE

"A small poem to tie onto each stem." Homare said, handing thin strips of paper to the other four troupe members as they sat at the dinner table with an assortment of flowers splayed in front of them.

Tasuku and Tsumugi both gave each other a look of hopelessness, but listened to Homare anyways and poked a small string through the hole punched poems they were given as Hisoka failed to keep his head off the table. Azuma was keeping himself busy by hole punching the other poems that Homare didn't touch yet as he played a sweet song list from his phone.

The Winter Troupe had overheard the director speaking on the phone with one of her friends, laughing shyly as she thanked them for remembering it was her birthday. The five men were surprised to say the least, as she had never mentioned to them when her birthday was at all.

They thought it was their duty to make sure she came home to an exciting display, so when they saw her leave for work, they all began to brainstorm. There wasn't much any of them could do as Hisoka didn't have any ideas and Azuma's suggestion costed a lot of money, so they all resorted to picking out a bundle of flowers with the guidance of Tsumugi and his expertise.

Homare suggested that he write a few poems for the director, and as much as no one else liked the idea, Tasuku noticed that she actually liked the poems Arisugawa wrote, so reluctantly, he told everyone to listen and to trust him. Just this once.

Each and every one of them worked their best to make sure each flower had a poem connected to it, and with what little energy Hisoka had, gathered each stem and created multiple bouquets for them to give to the director once she arrived home from work. The teamwork was amazing, and it almost made Tasuku wish that his troupe would join the Mankai Futsal Club.

It wasn't very difficult for all of them to finish on time, but curious, Azuma took a look at a few of the poems on the flowers that were sitting in front of Hisoka and couldn't choose between smiling and frowning.

"Some of these have the same poems." He noted softly, causing Tsumugi and Tasuku to briefly glance at each other before looking at an indifferent Homare who was still tying a poem to a stem. The gazes that were on Homare only forced him to give them an answer, and he sighed faintly as he set down the flower that was cradled between his lithe fingers.

"My inspiration can only go so far, gentlemen." Homare frowned, gesturing towards the other members with a suggestive eyebrow. "I wouldn't mind if you all helped me produce some more. Add a little variety."

And with a collective sigh, everyone else agreed and made the necessary preparations to get their own poems put on some flowers.

Most of them had their tongues sticking out as they wrote whatever they wanted to say to the director with the most flowery of words they could muster at the time. They were taking the situation so seriously that they did not even notice how long they had been working on their present for the director; and she was to be home in a few minutes.

They were actually so focused that they didn't hear her creeping up on them, but she had no idea what they were doing at the dinner table with an ungodly amount of paper and flowers everywhere.

Tasuku jolted in surprise when he felt a small hand rest on his shoulder, and when he turned his head to look at who it was, he slightly flushed in embarrassment when he saw a soft gaze looking down at him with a curious smile.

Tsumugi was equally as flustered while Homare continued to work on his paper. Azuma merely smiled when a new presence arrived and twirled a flower in his fingers as the director stood in the space between Tasuku and Hisoka to brush her fingers through the hair of the sleeping man, head tilted.

"What are you guys doing?" She asked, still oblivious.

"Oh, you know." Azuma hummed, smiling as he reached across the dinner table to hold out the flower in his hand. "Just Troupe bonding."

Taking the stem in her fingers, the director immediately went to unravel the poem that wrapped around it to read two simple words, Hisoka grumbled at the loss of her warmth as he moved to curl himself around her waist, the other members anxiously looking at her.

With a surprised noise, the girl looked at all the men surrounding her with a bright smile, her nose scrunching up in a cute manner as cupped her cheek in her palm with the cool stem pressing into her skin, her other hand going to pet Hisoka's head again.

"You boys are so sweet." She cooed playfully, bumping her elbow into Tasuku's shoulder as the man flushed even more when she took the flower from his own hands to see what he had written, her smile only growing wider as she whispered the words to herself.

Seeing your face everyday gives me the strength to become better. And someday I hope that I can be by your side when you start to bloom yourself.

[pomrania]

Perspective

((part of the Little by Little AU))

Primary overall objective: preservation of self and CaptainHeraSyndulla.

Currently satisfied.

Secondary overall objective: preservation of mental wellbeing of CaptainHeraSyndulla.

Subset thereof: preservation of organics associated with CaptainHeraSyndulla, including particular levels of mental wellbeing.

Unable to fulfill secondary objective. Unable to fulfill subset of secondary objective.

***

The volume of conversation on the other side of the door was below that which Chopper's auditory sensors could clearly pick up. Detected patterns of pitch and amplitude were within predicted values for the expected subject matter. No noise levels had yet been detected which would indicate negative emotional outbursts, although it had been calculated as a potential occurrence in the situation.

Cessation of conversational noise, fitting parameters for the end of a discussion plus, with that duration, an awkward pause. Sounds resumed, with greater clarity. Speech able to be resolved into words within acceptable margins of error.

"...nk of anything else I should know," the door opened to reveal the current speaker, CaptainHeraSyndulla, "please make sure to tell me."

Her voice was modulated in a fashion previously noted as an item of concern, her posture was more rigid than average, and slight lines were expressed on her face, therefore CaptainHeraSyndulla was exhibiting signs of concealed distress.

"Yeah. I'll do that." EzraBridger moved past her, stopped just outside the doorway, and shifted his weight. His optics were directed away from her and his manipulators tensed, therefore EzraBridger was exhibiting signs of poorly-concealed distress.

"So... well, that's it then." EzraBridger departed the vicinity with increasing haste. When he was partially down the corridor, the middle joint on his upper extremity made sudden contact with a corner. He emitted a short high-pitched sound, stumbled, and moved beyond range of optical sensors.

CaptainHeraSyndulla sharply sucked air in through her teeth, and her facial muscles briefly contracted. Her body then relaxed -- correction, the movement went beyond normal bounds of relaxation, it was a sign of negative emotional response and lack of energy rather than release of tension.

She appeared to notice Chopper for the first time. "Were you waiting for me? Do you need help with something?"

He inquired as to the outcome of her discussion with EzraBridger.

She paused. She exhibited again signs of concealed distress. "I will need to get my thoughts straight if I'm ever to write anything helpful," she said. "We can go over what I learned in my quarters, if you're willing to help this time."

He gave a quiet beep in the affirmative.

***

Impaired functioning of optics in EzraBridger.

Maintenance algorithm: if malfunctioning, examine, then repair, else replace.

Repairs impossible. Replacement impossible. Maintenance algorithm unable to be carried out.

***

CaptainHeraSyndulla walked and turned in a repetitive manner within the room.

"That's the overview of the syndrome, prognosis and timeline, night vision, peripheral vision... had there been anything else that I told you needed to be put up front?"

Negative; she had not said anything else fitting that parameter.

She slowly exhaled through her mouth. "Cybernetic replacements," she said. "Or organ transplants. And why they wouldn't work. Why... nothing would work." Her manipulator wiped at her optics.

"Optic nerve deterioration. I'll need to get this right, so nobody will misunderstand and have false hope. Can you call up the textbook again? Start with the section on cranial nerves."

***

Comforting stimuli to organics: physical contact, nourishment, warmth within specific range dependent on species, yielding surfaces.

Intended recipient currently in motion, therefore physical contact contraindicated.

If required instrumentation for a called-upon subroutine not available at current location, relocate elsewhere.

***

"Chopper, I'm glad you're here. Listen, I think I might have accidentally broken something... can you take a look at it?”

Despite his mission, Chopper inquired as to the problem. Questions and answers occupied minimal time, and sometimes proved useful or entertaining.

KananJarrus directed his head away from Chopper. “I don't know exactly what it was; I was training, a crate slipped and hit the wall, and now it sounds like something's... I don't know, kind of 'flickering' is the best I can describe it.”

That was rather careless of KananJarrus.

"Yes, I know, and I'm working on dealing with that, but I can't see to fix whatever it was, if it needs fixing, and Hera already has enough to deal with right now. Are you going to help?"

The statement was accurate. CaptainHeraSyndulla was currently occupied and in mild distress, and examination for potential repairs did not require her presence or her awareness of such. What was the location in question?

"Follow me, and I'll show you."

On approach, optical sensors indicated that a panel was dented. Irregular high-pitched sounds were detectable at the outer boundaries of what Chopper's auditory sensors could pick up. Further analysis impossible without close inspection.

What were the circumstances surrounding the impact?

"This is... ugh, I should be beyond this by now, this is embarrassing, but I wanted to make sure I knew exactly what I could do with holding objects up with the Force, how much control I could exert over them individually, before working with Ezra on that. I guess I -- wait. You're recording this, aren't you."

Affirmative.

KananJarrus covered the upper regions of his face with his manipulators. "I remember when I thought I'd be safe from this just because I wouldn't be able to watch your videos of me looking stupid," he said in a low voice. "I was so naive back then."

The dented panel was removed, and the damaged inner workings were exposed. Repairs were impossible. Replacement was possible, but the required components were not currently available.

***

If maintenance algorithm unable to be carried out, reroute necessary functions around damaged system.

If attempt to reroute necessary functions fails, attempt alternate method. If alternate method fails, attempt another alternate method. Continue until successful or until attention required elsewhere.

***

The subroutine secondary to the maintenance algorithm applied to the current situation, but would also apply to the earlier instance of the maintenance algorithm unable to be carried out. Necessary functions of the system in front of him were easy enough to identify and address. The situation of EzraBridger was more complicated.

"Chopper? You've been quiet for a while; how bad is it? Do we have to tell Hera?"

Negative.

"Can you fix it then?"

The connector in question was unable to be repaired, but continuous flow could be preserved with a simple adjustment to bypass the malfunctioning area.

The lips of KananJarrus moved slightly upwards at the corners. "I suppose that's good," he said. "Thanks." He left. His movement did not exhibit any hesitation or uncertainty.

KananJarrus had successfully rerouted necessary sensory functions around his damaged optics. He could maneuver, identify surroundings, participate in combat, and function independently. It was possible.

In some instances a large amount of effort and/or time was required. Calculations were imprecise with regards to the duration elapsed for the adaptation of KananJarrus. A significantly shorter duration was given if only the time spent actively attempting to progress was taken into consideration. Reasoning behind the earlier inactivity of KananJarrus was unclear and likely unknowable. Organics were not sensible.

Data from how KananJarrus had proceeded would likely be relevant to the situation of EzraBridger. Previous successful attempts at a given task provided useful data, even if the circumstances were not identical.

To reroute necessary functions around a damaged system, two areas of knowledge were required: understanding of both the necessary functions, and of what other systems were available to compensate. Human and twi'lek sensory systems were similar enough that Chopper had an adequate understanding for most domains; exception: "the Force".

Unable to personally acquire data on sensory aspects of "the Force", and not enough relevant information was stored in memory, therefore KananJarrus was a necessary element of the process, despite the insufficient mental resources due to being an organic.

Supervision of lessons between KananJarrus and EzraBridger was likely required, given prior examples of both organics avoiding unpleasant necessities, to ensure that work would continue on rerouting sensory functions. Data from N0151-A indicated that they had one to three years available for the task, but ideally it would proceed as soon and as rapidly as possible, to minimize distress experienced by CaptainHeraSyndulla.

Immediate comfort for CaptainHeraSyndulla was still required. The situation of EzraBridger could improve -- it would, and Chopper would do everything in his capacity to make sure -- but it was incredibly improbable for that to occur within the next few minutes, and she was still experiencing unpleasant emotional responses.

Once the present damaged component was dealt with and no longer a problem, Chopper ran a memory search about potential comforting stimuli for CaptainHeraSyndulla, heavily weighted towards those available in the vicinity.

***

Memory: inanimate feline replica = "plush tooka" held by KananJarrus when experiencing distress after damage to optics. Memory: "plush tooka" held by CaptainHeraSyndulla when experiencing distress at the condition of KananJarrus.

Last known location of "plush tooka": room occupied by KananJarrus.

Retrieved.

Current location of "plush tooka": room occupied by CaptainHeraSyndulla.

***

"Where were you, Chopper, what -- is this Kanan's -- did you steal Kanan's plush tooka?"

Negative.

***

TheGhost is property of CaptainHeraSyndulla, therefore all objects within are property of CaptainHeraSyndulla; listed exceptions: lightsaber of KananJarrus, bo-rifle of GarazebOrrelios, armour of SabineWren, lightsaber of EzraBridger. Designated organics allowed to use property of CaptainHeraSyndulla, exception items listed "personal property": (KananJarrus, GarazebOrrelios, SabineWren, EzraBridger) = "Ghost crew".

***

Results of library search: "delivering item to its owner" not synonymous to "theft".

CaptainHeraSyndulla seated herself and directed her optics at Chopper. The "plush tooka" rested untouched on the bunk beside her. "There are so many questions, but... first of all, why did you feel the need to bring that here?"

Her confusion did not make sense. Comfort for CaptainHeraSyndulla had been required. The "plush tooka" provided comfort.

"I don't...." She rotated her head from side to side. "Even if I was having a problem, I'm sure Ezra would be feeling worse. If you insisted on stealing -- I don't care what you say, that's stealing -- Kanan's tooka to help someone, shouldn't you have delivered that to him instead?"

Chopper did not navigate against the wall in frustration. That would not aid CaptainHeraSyndulla. She was intelligent, for an organic, but sometimes she simply did not grasp the obvious.

The location of EzraBridger was often unknown in recent days, and there was no reason to believe that he was still on the ship, therefore nothing could easily be delivered to him. Additionally, CaptainHeraSyndulla was the greatest priority when all other factors were equal, and since EzraBridger was not in immediate danger, the mental wellbeing of CaptainHeraSyndulla was more important.

She slowly exhaled. "He has been going off on his own a lot lately," she said. "I guess it only makes sense though. He doesn't want to think about it, and it's hard to pretend nothing ever happened when he's with people who know."

Incorrect. That did not make sense. EzraBridger should be occupying himself with learning to reroute necessary sensory functions around his visual system, so that he could succeed as soon as possible, and his mental wellbeing would be back to an acceptable level.

"Reroute -- I suppose that's one way of looking at it." She shifted, and the side of her lower extremity made contact with the "plush tooka". She did not appear to notice. "It's not always that simple for us organics though. I...." She rested her face in her manipulators. "I don't know if I can explain it for you. Even if we know that avoiding something won't make it go away, we still try. Unless we can't. Sometimes even then."

CaptainHeraSyndulla was not avoiding anything. She was working on a resource to assist with EzraBridger.

"I've been mostly giving abstract and theoretical information; for anyone in general, avoiding as much as I can anything specific to him because I don't want to think about how he...." Her optics did not seem to be focused on anything. Chopper waited, but she did not continue to speak. Her optics became more reflective than usual, matching situations of increased tear production.

He retrieved the "plush tooka" and extended it towards her, and indicated that she should hold it. He had memory records of her doing the same for comfort. She complied.

"I guess I did need that," she said with decreased amplitude. "You should probably put it back before Kanan notices, though." She made no move to relinquish her hold, therefore the request was of low intensity.

Chopper stated that it was unlikely, as KananJarrus rarely had contact with the "plush tooka" except to share it with CaptainHeraSyndulla, and also was probably busy training at the moment.

"Well then. I should probably get back to work...." She did not do so.

On the subject of "work", he wanted to help EzraBridger and KananJarrus stay on track. If he attended training sessions, he could make sure that they were actually working, provide objective feedback, and remind them of anything they might have forgotten.

"You should ask first before doing that. They might find you distracting, or it might be really personal and they wouldn't want anyone else to be there."

That did not make sense.

Her shoulders briefly lifted, then returned to resting position. "Some things don't make sense. Many things, if you think about it. We have to work with that anyways."

He asked whether the "plush tooka" was indeed providing comfort to CaptainHeraSyndulla.

She softly dragged her manipulator against Chopper's outer casing. "I think it is, and I guess being able to talk with you also helps. Thanks for taking care of me."

She stirred. "There are probably other ways you can help with Ezra," she said. "Apparently you had given him some light when he needed it, that was useful, and if you ask Kanan, he can find something for you to help with. No tripping Ezra though, that is a direct order. I've said it before, but I'll make sure it's clear. Unless you have been specifically instructed to try and trip him, and I have explicitly confirmed that, intentionally tripping Ezra is strictly forbidden."

She paused.

"Kanan is fair game though, if you can manage it. Same with Sabine and Zeb. Once Ezra's back on the same level as the others for noticing things, then we can talk about lifting the ban."

Chopper expressed that CaptainHeraSyndulla was the best organic.

The corners of her mouth lifted. She reached for her datapad with the upper extremity not holding the "plush tooka".

"I know you don't have medical programming, and mostly just learned basic first aid with us... so if this makes sense to you, it's probably something that the others can understand. Could you read it over, and tell me what you think?"

***

Mental wellbeing of CaptainHeraSyndulla: improved.

Secondary overall objective: in progress.

***

Situational awareness had been previously mentioned as an element of using sensory aspects of "the Force". Further development of that skill was required for EzraBridger. Formal practice with KananJarrus would likely be helpful but insufficient.

The object grasped in Chopper's manipulator was soft, light, and reasonably aerodynamic. It could be accurately projected at a target. It would not cause damage if it impacted an organic at speed, but it would be noticeable and mildly unpleasant. That would provide motivation to not get hit.

It was an alternative method of helping. It was not a prank. CaptainHeraSyndulla had explicitly banned attempts at tripping EzraBridger, but had said nothing about throwing objects at him. So long as she remained unaware, the activity would not be forbidden.

Chopper subvocally expressed pleasure, and watched his projectile fly through the air towards the unsuspecting EzraBridger. Sometimes being helpful was fun.

[cass-burger]

RTX Sydney: An Experience

Ok so now the verbal part right? (This has taken so long to write I’m so sorry jfc it’s not even relevant anymore BUT THERES IMPORTANT STUFF OK)

Before the first day even started we were introduced to Sydney in RTX time by running into both Lawrence of Funhaus and Ryan of AH in the first day of being in Sydney. • We happened to be in the same group as Lawrence that did the walk around the top of the Skytower in Sydney’s CBD. • Ryan later that day organised an impromptu meetup in Hyde Park so we ventured there and gawked at his realness before taking a photo with him. He is amazing.

The second day was the first day of RTX • Our day started with a massive queue out the front in the sweltering Sydney heat. We didn’t mind that much. We were too busy being excited. • They opened the doors and we eventually got into the show floor. More waiting. • The atmosphere was great in the crowd before they Opened™ RTX to the public. A weird square inflatable was tossed into the crowd and bounced around. • As soon as they opened the doors I immediately made my way to the exit and ran to queue up for my first panel: Always Open. • We get into the panel and I’m so close it’s amazing. • Barbara, off stage, announced her presence and introduced the show by shouting in her Aussie accent “What’s up yer fuckin cunts!” • I have never cheered more loudly in my life • Always Open was an amazing panel with so many great moments with even certain (embarrassing) shout outs from yours truly. • Once the panel was over we made our way back through the halls to the show floor. On my way through the hall I slowed to see if my friend’s panel had finished yet - and saw Lindsay Jones walking towards me. • I was like “Oh hey Lindsay!” and she was like “Hey man!” I joked that I would walk with her as part of her group back to the hall and was like “Yeah man! You’re part of the gang now!” • I only died a little bit inside. • Barbara was right behind her and before I knew it she was walking alongside me. I awkwardly and nervous was like “Hey Barb” and she was like “Hi!” The following conversation went something along the lines of: Me: “I’m just gonna pretend that I’m not nervous as fuck that I’m having a conversation with Barbara Dunkelman” Her: “Nah man you’re doing great!” Me: “Oh ok cool. Well I’m totally not ok right now. And the rest of the conversation was a blur to me but I was so so so happy guys it was wild. • Me and my friend idled around the show floor for a while and then went to Ryan and Jeremy��s Streaming 101. •On the way to the panel I passed Gus and Geoff. I was too in shock to comprehend. His is fucking giant and Geoff is surprisingly tall. •My friend who was right behind me was too busy weaving through the crowd and weaved right past them, not realising who she had just brushed past as she kept her eyes to the ground. She was understandably pissed. • I didn’t let it go the whole weekend. • The panel was amazing and hilarious. Rimmulous Timmulous quickly gained a lot of followers. Good to know he’s a local. • I witnessed a live Ryan flub. I am blessed. • We rushed from the panel once it was over back to the show floor to line up for the autograph session with Jack, Michael and Lindsay. • Lindsay remembered me from earlier. Again, I only died just a little. • We gave Lindsay and Michael a baby present so look out for that. • Jack was unsure whether he was in Volume 3 of RWBY when I offered for him to sign my Tugg Screening poster from last year. • Lindsay quickly corrected him. • There was so much to take in and honestly I don’t think I talked with Michael that much which I regret because he is my fav. • After the signing we wandered around the show floor again and waited for the next panel: Off Topic. • There was a slight problem. Off Topic began at the same time I had a signing with Barb and Elyse. • My friend went to line up for Off Topic while I lined up for the autograph session. The plan was she was going to save me a spot. • I made some great friends while waiting for the session to start. The banter was great. • Barb and Elyse finally came out and luckily I was second in the queue. I insisted that Elyse signed the RWBY poster which she wouldn’t. I also said she should totally be in future volumes. • I talked with Barb, again, and I was a nervous and awkward wreck, again. • We got a photo with my Yang plushy and it was great but I’m pretty sure I annoyed Barb with my nervousness. • Then again I’m totally looking into that way too far so on the upside: Barb told me that there was no reason to be nervous and I was doing fine and to chill. • As soon as the autographs were done I rushed to Off Topic - only to be stopped by my friend right outside autographs to be informed that it had capped and there was no more space, AND that she had missed out on the cutoff by literally 3 people. • We were both equally bummed. • I tweeted the pic of me Barb and Elyse, and Elyse liked it!!! I was so happy. • We moped around the show floor for a bit and made a plan to go extra early for the line to the RWBY finale screening to secure our place there. • However the RTX queues twitter, with an hour before the screening, said that there was no line for the RWBY screening yet. So we leisurely made our way to start a line - only to find a massive crowded line going down the length of the hall. For RWBY. We barely got in to the unplanned matinee screening. So thank you for that twitter page. • After RWBY we rushed to Theatre Mode Live and due to us being late got a place right up the back. It didn’t stop our enjoyment. • Theatre Mode Live was the best experience of the day by far. And we were there for RTX history: Jeremy going to the bathroom live! • After that we left and wandered around the harbour for a bit. Somewhere in there I lost my wallet. My source of money and ID and transportation. So that was great. • In our retracing our steps and searching for my wallet, we accidentally stumbled upon the Kinda Funny meet-up with Tim Gettys and Greg Miller. We quickly got away from that for fear of intrusion. • We went home bummed, me riding off my friends charity which I hated. It was a real shitty end to an amazing day.

Our third day in Sydney: Day 2 of RTX • I didn’t sleep the Saturday night. We got home around midnight and I had been chosen to be an extra in an RT shoot the Sunday morning. That required me getting up at 5 in the morning, so I just didn’t bother sleeping at all. • The shoot was fun but exhausting. It was just running back and forth in the morning heat in torn clothing. I got a really nice view of the harbour and skyline at dawn though. • As the morning got later I realised the shoot would be going later than planned - and that if I stayed I would be late to the first panel • I still can’t believe but yes I snuck away from an RT production, one that I was in. • I then ran to the ferry that would take me across the harbour to the convention. I was still poor so public transport was the only way. • On the other side I had the option of waiting another ten minutes for the slow-as-fuck ferry to make it from one side of the very small bay to the other side, where the convention centre was, or to jump off on the other sides dock and run the length of the bay to the convention centre. • I ran the length of that bay. • Miraculously, somehow, I got into the RWBY panel on time. • The RWBY panel was alright, if not a bit disappointing, but that was expected. • I was unable to get my question asked, (so sorry to the people on here that would have liked to hear the answer, I’m equally as bummed) but the panel apparently preferred to hear shout outs and get hugs from fans. • After the RWBY panel me and my friend met up in the expo hall and hung around there for a bit, but ultimately decided that lining up for the AH panel early was the best plan so that we wouldn’t repeat the Off Topic incident the previous day. • We queued up an hour in advance and it was the best queue I’ve been in. Everyone for the full hour were just shouting Achievement Hunter references at the top of their lungs. • The Achievement Hunter panel was great but I was still bummed we missed out on Off Topic. • After that panel we went back into the expo hall /again/ and decided to hang around there until the end of the day when Gav and Michael played the Nintendo Switch. • We wandered around and looked stalls which were all very cool, but eventually we resigned to sitting down and chilling for a while. It had been an exhausting few days. • We chose to sit down next to the exit and it happened to be the best accident we ever made. • We happened to be situated right next to where all the RT people would come down from their chilling space upstairs to go to their panels and signings. • We saw many people walk past which was pretty cool, one of them being Geoff again (who waved at me mind you, yeah I’m totally fine) and I made sure my friend didn’t miss him this time. • We eventually made our way over the centre stage to watch Gav and Michael play the Switch and it was great and funny to watch, however I could feel my exhaustion getting to me by then. • By that point I had now been awake about 34 hours. • After the Switch the convention was officially over. We wandered around the hall a bit more but it felt so surreal that it had actually finished. It felt so quick. • We were leaving the centre but my friend wanted to stay on the odd chance that RT would be out in the foyer. I insisted that it was over and that we should just go. • Just as I said that Barbara walked down the steps for signings and photos. That's probably the best time I've been proven wrong. • I got a photo (and another fucking signing) and then apologised for seeing and talking to her so much jfc. She must have been sick of me by the end of the weekend smh • After we got the photos and finally felt concluded as complete at the end of the convention we headed into the city and hung for a bit, waiting for the meet-up with Jack and Caiti • We found the group waiting for the meet-up outside a very small pub. If this was where they were gonna hold the meet-up I was pretty sure it would be very crowded. • The crowd didn't actually end up being too big and there was a nice small but lively atmosphere. We made a lot of friends. • Jack and Caiti showed up and started making their way around to each table and having a decent conversation with each person. • On one hand it was quite surreal but on the other hand it was so nice and goes to prove my point that Jack and Caiti and the purest cinnamon buns on the planet. • Somehow I ended in a conversation with Caiti and about 6 other fans that devolved into very deep philosophy and talking about the way the human mind is programmed to work and at this point I had been awake about 38 so I was having my mind blown repeatedly. • I would think that's what being high would be like. • Somehow I kept up with the conversation and inputted with points but I can't remember what we talked about now. I was too tired. • Somewhere in there I asked about whether Velvet would be back in RWBY anytime soon and she said she didn't know, but that she would push for Velvet to be put back in ASAP on my behalf. That may have been the alcohol talking lol. • Towards the end of the night I got to talk with Jack and he is a funny and great dude to talk to let me tell you. • The meet-up lasted until about midnight. • Jack and Caiti personally said goodbye to each person that had showed up. I even ended getting a hug from Jack. • We made our way home and ended up in bed by about 1 in the morning. I finally got sleep after 42 hours awake. • Our RTX Sydney weekend experience was finally over.

So yeah that's my very important points about the best weekend of my life. And if you're still reading, first of all why, second of all WHY. Love yourself. This just droned on jfc. Thanks for wasting your time reading 😄

[tractionmagazine]

143. Sherman Sam

Sherman Sam, Do The Same Again, 2016. Oil paint on ply; 31.4 x 29.1 cm. Image courtesy the artist and Annka Kultys.

Following his first UK solo-show at Annka Kultys, London, Traction talked with abstractionist painter, Sherman Sam, about his process and approach to painting. Focusing on the transience and movement of colour, surface, light and intuition; whilst his painterly style can be aligned with the East-Coast Abstractionists, his work opposes typically Western notions of narrative structure altogether. With a career that has spanned the last three decades and across three continents, Sam is a vastly knowledgeable, engaged and enquiring mind in the field of Contemporary Art. A pre-eminent art writer, Sam contributes regularly to Artforum International. 

Could you discuss how you approach each painting? Do you have any rituals or particular processes which determine how the work begins and then evolves? 

I wish I could say that it’s like being a sportsman where you have your lucky boots, or cross yourself then kiss the field before you play… but it’s not quite like that. Not even lucky brushes or painting slippers… dammit!

At any one time there are some 15-20 works in progress. Some of these have just been sitting in the studio for some years. I would say that half of them are getting more attention than the rest. I move them round, glance at them. A touch of paint here and a touch there, that’s the main action, and not always every day. BUT it is the looking and trying to stumble on to a solution or way forward that takes the time. Well, sometimes it’s not a stumble, but the accidental path is always the most satisfying because it’s so much less predictable. So even those seemingly forlorn pieces sitting around collecting dust, are really still being thought over somewhere in the back of my mind.

How does a painting come together? First I cut and assemble the panels. So when I begin to paint, they already have some sort of determined rectilinear shape. Then I make some marks on the primed panel, maybe a splatter or two, or in earlier pieces a light wash. These actions determine some of the under structures of what becomes the painting. Likewise my drawings follow a similar process. They come about in a process of, lets call it, searching, working through, erasure and then finally equipoise. They too are cut from larger sheets of paper. Both drawings and paintings are the result of some kind of spontaneity and predetermination.

Sherman Sam, Installation view ‘Together We’re Heavy’, Annka Kultys Gallery, London, 17 November- 17 December 2016. Image courtesy the artist and Annka Kultys.

How has your formal language evolved with time? 

Let’s call them the things I paint and draw.... “Formal language” begs for “conceptual ideas” and I don’t believe the two are separate. I think the two are so integral to each other in the best work that one cannot speak of one without the other. When I began to conceive this work in the mid-90s, I think the forms in the paintings were very organic and biological on the one hand, and architectonic on the other. You could say that American East Coast abstractionists emerging in the 80s like Tom Nozkowski, Jake Berthot, Gary Stephan, Jonathan Lasker, offered a point of departure. The forms then were usually painted on a rough field or background. The paint itself was quite thick. I think over the years, form and ground have become more intermixed while the paint has become thinner though still layered. The nature of the forms themselves, more and more, are now more constructed through gestures. So dabs of paint come together to define or outline form.

But it is not just the visual language that has evolved; there is also the thing language. The paintings (as opposed to pictures) began as more precisely made things, nicely into having a slightly more wonky (just a bit) handmade nature. Why? Paintings are things in the world, like, well, other things in the world. However they might just sit there and be a bit more thoughtful. Their imprecise nature is a reflection of their internal logic but also the rickety world around us.

Looking at the work in your show at Annka Kultys, I found myself finding references to pattern and western language. How do you feel when these figurative readings are transposed onto the work? How would you choose to describe these forms?

When asked I describe myself as an abstractionist. But if I were a pedant, I would say they really are non-representational. Basically there is no referent, no narrative; sometimes I don’t even think there is any theory. But I like that viewers see things, and find things in them. Isn’t that your job as a viewer? To see and think. Interpret. To make meaning. So I am pleased that you see what you see. 

I do like patterns, you should have visited my knitwear collection instead, but in the art it is more about repetition rather than a contentious creation of design. If you see patterning, it is really more the movement of the hand or arm, again and again. Don’t they say that as human beings we look for patterns? As for language, do you mean western language? As opposed to Eastern language?

Sherman Sam, Just a Perfect Day, 2014. Oil paint on ply; 54.4 x 40.1 cm. Image courtesy the artist and Annka Kultys.

Yes, I found myself seeing references to the Latin or Germanic alphabet, which I know is based in my anglicised reading of certain forms.

I think in the drawings there are more graphic elements that could be construed as being derived from architectural diagrams and also graphics but less so in the paintings. But I think the element that most resembles what you are talking about can be found in do the same again, 2016, where there are four green curving marks suggesting “C C C C” the first being the largest and descending in size to the four, that is if you look from left to right. I think of it as marks emanating from right to left, like a force growing or in today’s terms, that little Wi-Fi strength signal on your phone or computer. And no, it is not derived from computer graphics, more like, in my mind at least, movement lines that you find in comic books. American comics when I was a kid inspired me to draw, you can blame them for my art. It is really mark making and repetition. Well, as I said what you see is what you see, or is that what you think you see is what you think?

You have lived in diverse geographical regions, hailing from Singapore you moved to Paris, the US and then London. What impact have these migrations had upon your practice?

Lots!  Though I think unquantifiable. First you are exposed to different approaches to art making, not to mention different scenes, people, times, thinking and cultures. Now we have better, more instant information, so in a way we are better informed. Back then you just had to go somewhere; otherwise magazines and word of mouth were the only other sources. If you grow up in a small country like Singapore, where there was hardly any visual art when I was young, you really had to travel. Then there wasn’t even a museum dedicated to art. Today I still think you still have to physically see and experience art. Sure its images are transported and transposed, but the experience of a work is still key. On the other hand this does explain why so much art is made of images and about image. 

Sherman Sam, Installation view ‘Together We’re Heavy’, Annka Kultys Gallery, London, 17 November- 17 December 2016. Image courtesy the artist and Annka Kultys.

As an artist I like to think I have a bit of Paris, Los Angeles and San Francisco in me, not to mention a whole lot that is Singaporean. However it is French and New York painting that are probably the most influential to the aesthetic journey I have taken. I would the scale is more European but the language and ideas begin on the East Coast. As for the Asian and Chinese bits, well I think its somewhere in there too, submerged but present.

Interview by Charlotte Barnard.

Sherman Sam’s exhibition, ‘Together We’re Heavy’, was on view at Annka Kultys Gallery, London 17 November  – 17 December 2016. Read more here.

Sherman Sam is nominated for the 2017 Sovereign Asian Art Prize in Hong Kong – Asia’s most esteemed contemporary art prize.

He is soon to have a solo exhibition opening in Paris, to keep up with this, and other news regarding his work, please follow his artist page here.

[daleisgreat]

Star Trek: The Next Generation: Season Three

-Welcome to the continuing chronicles of my seasonal recaps of Star Trek: The Next Generation (TNG). Today I am highlighting season three of the BluRay set (trailer), and from what I have gathered from countless interviews it is the breakthrough season with a strong majority of good-to-great episodes and where this Enterprise’s cast was embraced and accepted by Trekkies around the globe. To catch up on entries on my first two seasons, click here! I wish I can crank these out faster than every five months that I have been averaging, but I have settled into a weekly routine where after I finish the last shift of my 60-hour work week I kick back and relax with a cup of rich gas station hot cocoa and a few savory turkey sausage links while watching the next episode of TNG and it is, no lie, one of the favorite parts of my week! -I once again want to get things started with addressing some new cast changes/removals and other new constants that start to become apparent with this season. The most noticeable change is the return of Dr. Crusher (Gates McFadden) and the removal of Dr. Pulaski (Diana Muldaur). Crusher explains she is back from her assignment at teaching recruits at Starfleet and other than one or two quick references of Pulaski this season, she is not seen at all in season three. Q (John deLancie) returns for his annual hijinx in ‘DeJa Q’ in a fun episode that sees his powers stripped away and begging for acceptance by taking any spot on board the Enterprise. Whoopi Goldberg returns as the all-knowing, mystical bartender ‘Guinan’ in a handful of episodes. Whoopie shines in this role that is perfect for her and I absolutely adore the few times we are treated to her this season and she plays a pivotal role in some of the most iconic episodes of the series this season.

There are now established constants by the third season of TNG that may have appeared once or twice before, but are now more frequent or a new standard all together. The third season debuted the new uniforms for the cast and replaced the one-piece spandex-based costumes the cast detested in interviews over the years with more comfortable looking fleece/sweater-esque two-piece outfits for the rest of the series. They are an obvious improvement and still retain the spirit of the originals, but look more professional and less ‘gymnastic-y’ than the previous uniforms. The poker game makes its return for a handful of episodes this season, and I always enjoy the levity and relaxed beats whenever a friendly round of cards transpires. Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) is now a regular tea drinker in season three after dabbling with coffee last season. I wrote in all caps in my notes ‘FIRST RED ALERT SOUND EFFECT’ early on in season three, and it remained a constant every few episodes as the Enterprise more semi-regularly started to engage in brief dogfight skirmishes and engagements throughout the season. It was not every episode, maybe seven or eight at most, but it was starting to transition into becoming the new normal I originally associated TNG with from the episodes I caught in my childhood. I paused the episode and took a picture with my phone and included it here that I believe saw our first cliché ‘red-shirt death’ this season. To my surprise, it was the only one I noticed in season three and I am fully expecting to see more gratuitous over-ambitious non-credited red-shirts meet their early demise next season! Finally, I was delighted to see Dr. Crusher return to her being awful at her profession. She once again did not succeed to keep patients alive at the table this season and failed at her attempt at the ‘Pulaski Method’ of trying to erase memories. I did however very much enjoy her bitch-slapping Wesley (Wil Wheaton).

-Speaking of Wesley, he got a step up in duties and rank this season which felt well-earned and I found myself accepting him as one of the regular mainstays in the cast which is coming a long way from how grating he was in the first season. Another first season character I had issues with was Counselor Troi (Marina Sirtis). Other than two or three episodes this season where she is the focus of the primary narrative, her role is dialed back mysteriously more than it was in season two with her having only a line or two an episode. It does not help that Troi’s featured episodes are the rare clunker episodes this season that sees the yearly visit from her eccentric mother that winds up with them both being kidnapped and Troi falling for a guest negotiator that yields one of the most bizarre scenes of the series. The only other qualm I had with this season were weaker Holo-deck scenes compared to season two. One crew-member uses it for his own exaggerated fantasies by hitting it off with Crusher and Trois and successfully dueling the guys and the other is more ridiculously exaggerated takes on recreating scenes that lead to William Riker (Jonathan Frakes) being accused of murder. If there is any redemption for those scenes it is because they fall into the ‘so-bad-its good’ variety.

-Last season I referenced how contemporary TNG-homage The Orville is filled with countless parallels and tributes to TNG scenes and episodes. I spotted another one in season three that saw how Picard accidentally violated the Prime Directive and exposed himself to an uncivilized world that was the impetus for that society worshiping Picard as a god. The exact same thing happens earlier this year in a season two episode of The Orville. To repeat myself again from last season’s recap, The Orville took a noticeable leap in quality in its second season and is a terrific modern take on TNG. Do not miss it! -The weak Troi episodes and subpar Holo-deck scenes are my only nitpicks for season three. All around this is easily the best season of TNG thus far. New recurring Enterprise crew member Reginald Barclay (Dwight Schultz) is introduced in a powerful episode that saw Geordi (LeVar Burton) overcoming his original annoyances with Barclay and connecting with him upon learning of Barclay’s Social Anxiety Disorder in a moving scene. In a fun lighthearted episode Picard is forced to go on vacation, and while on a resort stumbles into his own swashbuckling, Indiana Jones-esque adventure.

A couple other favorite episodes of mine this season saw Data kidnapped and turned into a collector’s showpiece. Watching it unfold and how the resolution came to be when Data outsmarted his captor was surprisingly gripping material in what looked like was going to be a yawn of an episode going in. ‘Yesterdays Enterprise has received a ton of critical acclaim as one of the best episodes in the series. It sees the Enterprise get exposed to a time-shift and crosses paths with an alternate universe Enterprise that causes the return of Tasha (Denise Crosby) and an ambitious performance by a young Shooter McGavin (Christopher McDonald). It is a darker episode as everything is not how it is suppose to be, and seeing the pair of Enterprises restore the proper timelines was an engaging ride the entire journey with a nonstop barrage of touching exchanges and movie-quality dogfights. I agree with the critics on that one with high marks for ‘Yesterday’s Enterprise’. I would be remiss if I were not to touch the other most talked episodes in TNG history with season three’s ‘Best of Both Worlds, part one.’ This season-finale sees the devastating return of the Borg and more is revealed of their nature and purpose when they kidnap and assimilate Picard to end this breakthrough season in one of TV’s most monumental cliffhangers. I can see why this episode got all the acclaim it did, especially when watching the bonus interviews afterwards when the writer wrote this episode without an ending in mind because he thought he was not coming back to the series. An obvious way to tell this two-part special of TNG is truly outstanding is because they were the only episodes in the entire run to receive their standalone physical release outside of all the other season sets.

-For newer readers to my TNG recaps, this is my obligatory paragraph giving props to the stunning work done by the HD transfer team for the BluRay to make TNG hold up far better in HD than anyone could have imagined. I also give regular season props here to the awesome hosts, Matt and Andrew of Star Trek: The Next Conversation podcast. Their detailed work at breaking down each episode scene-by-scene is informative and entertaining and helps me get the absolute most out of every episode! -Like last season there is a boatload of extra features (just over four hours worth!) and I will try to highlight a few of my favorites once again. Four episodic commentaries are available on three episodes, two of which for ‘Yesterday’s Enterprise’ that were fascinating to take in how much the writers and other crew reflect back the importance of that imperative episode. Past DVD bonuses return, along with a few new BluRay extras. A few separate extras detail how important ’Yesterday’s Enterprise’ and ‘Best of Both Worlds, part one’ are to TNG history and how Jonathan Frakes started breaking in directing episodes this season. There is another well-produced gag reel with the highlight being a young Wil Wheaton having quite a sailor’s mouth.

There are two standout extras of the pack. Resistance Is Futile: Assimilating Star Trek TNG is a three part, 90 minute look at the writing process for TNG and how the writer’s scripts were constantly shuffled about and how some were miraculously stumbled upon for some landmark episodes. It is a fascinate look into what it takes for a script to get green-lit into production. Inside the Writer’s Room is a stellar 70 minute discussion moderated by Seth McFarlane as he interviews several TNG writers about how they got brought on board the show and their best and worst memories working on TNG in a highly entertaining watch. Some key takeaways from that panel include dealing with Gene’s TNG utopia, not realizing the success of season three at the time and using a ‘Techno-Babble Generator’ given to them as a joke for future techno-babble dialogue in later episodes. I would not be surprised to see Seth take notes for ideas from this to use a couple years later when he started up The Orville. -If you cannot tell by now, season three of Star Trek: The Next Generation is where the show becomes must-see nearly every episode. They were well on their way in that direction by the end of season two, but season three was when they started gelling nearly the entire season. I would still give the nudge to start watching the show off with season two, but for the time-deprived season three will do you no wrong with a ridiculous amount of classic moments and episodes to consume! For those interested in physical media and not just quick-binging on Netflix I highly recommend the BluRays for a tremendous HD-upgrade in picture quality, and over four hours of bonus content with most of it being must-see in its own way too. -Thank you all once again for joining me in of re-watching all of TNG! See you in a few months with my recap for season four! Past TV/Web Series Blogs 2013-14 TV Season Recap 2014-15 TV Season Recap 2015-16 TV Season Recap 2016-17 TV Season Recap 2017-18 TV Season Recap 2018-19 TV Season Recap Adventures of Briscoe County Jr: The Complete Series Baseball: A Ken Burns series Angry Videogame Nerd Home Video Collections Mortal Kombat: Legacy - Season 1 | Season 2 OJ: Made in America: 30 for 30 RedvsBlue - Seasons 1-13 Roseanne – Seasons 1-9 Seinfeld Final Season Star Trek: Next Generation – Seasons 1-7 Superheroes: A Never-Ending Battle Superheroes: Pioneers of Television The Vietnam War: A Ken Burns series X-Men – The Animated Series: Volumes 4-5

[peeringintoprague]

couchsurfing in berlin, germany: train grandmothers & bambi

Walking down the aisles of the train to Berlin, I am grateful to find relatively empty compartments - I still have nightmarish flashbacks to the train ride from Vienna to Prague which was so crowded that I had to stand in the aisle all the way to Brno before finding a seat.

   I choose the compartment in which a millennial sleeps near the window and a slender elderly woman shares a welcoming grin. I greet the smiling woman; the sleeping passenger remains speechless until she exits three platforms later.

  As we wind through the Czech Republic, the older woman - 'Trixie' - and I converse between comfortable silences staring at window scenery. She is returning to Berlin after visiting her son in Vienna, but he is much older than me and has a family of his own now. She grew up near the Swiss-German border and used to love skiing but is afraid to soar down slopes now. I share that it is my first time traveling alone and that I will be couch surfing in East Berlin; she coos that she once partook in adventures like mine when she was a young girl.

When the train café refuses my Czech korunas in lieu of the euro, Trixie insists on buying me a coffee herself. When I sniffle, she gifts me her pack of tissues, proudly proclaiming her loyalty to the same tissue brand since childhood. She perfects my pronunciation of 'please' and 'thank you' in German and giggles when I show her pictures of my family and pets; she traded her dogs for unscratched furniture and hardwood floors years ago. 

  I exclaim when I see herds of deer outside my window in the passing fields; she leaps to her feet and we sit together, noses pressed to the window, waiting for the deer to appear once more.

   On several occasions a man passes by our cabin and eyes me forcefully. Trixie notices my uncomfortable expression and subsequently throws her belongings on the empty seats of our compartment, propping her feet on the opposite chair so as to discourage him from entering our carriage. “Just let him try,” she dares. 

  As the train churns into the Berlin central station, I grow sad to leave my new friend. The passenger who had entered our compartment at the last platform must have been confused when Trixie and I suddenly fling our arms around each other and express our gratefulness for having found one another during these four hours. After exiting the train, Trixie links arms with me and we stride down the platform so as to avoid the strange man who had eyed our carriage earlier. We part ways at the escalator.

   With Trixie gone, I am suddenly alone in the massive central train station of Berlin. I stumble between several floors trying to locate an ATM and navigate public transportation. I head straight to the Neuse Museum of Egyptian art to meet up with my friend, Anna. We marvel at hieroglyphs and the elegant bust of Nefertiti; she doesn't look a day over thirty.

  The audio guide leads me to a tomb in which its owner had insisted upon the dire importance of etching all of his accolades, honor societies, and community involvement as symbols on his casket. For a moment, the decorated tomb reminds me of the gravestone that my grandmother in Arkansas has already designed and placed in our family plot. Her gravestone boasts more accolades than most people dare to garner in a lifetime, and the medals shine proudly for all who pass our meager family plot. She looms over the Delta like a Pharaoh.

  Despite the afternoon's company of mummies, I am ravenous after the day’s journey.  Dinner is at a local restaurant under the U-Bahn with a friend from Memphis, Paul, who now lives in Berlin.  We catch up on current affairs and commiserate over missing Memphis. I enjoy the best currywurst of my life; the plate of sausage and fries is bigger than the serving platter we use for turkey on Thanksgiving.

   That night I meet my couch surfing host, Lola. She is an entrepreneur from Beijing who started a vegan restaurant with her business partner but is now a Masters student living in Berlin. Her dorm towers next to the East Side Gallery and Berghain, the most notorious club in Berlin. Lola is generous, informative and adores Berlin. She tells me about the most amazing PSA I’ve ever heard of - the  marketing campaign by the Berliner Verkehrsbetriebe ( BVG ) transportation system proclaims ‘Because we love you’ with a characteristic yellow heart on their tram cars and buses. BVG released this video in 2016, in which Kazim Akboga walks through the trams and basically says ‘You can be as weird as you want on public transportation. We don’t care - we love you just as you are.’ Featuring a guy on a horse, a woman cutting onions, and a marching band, the video went viral, and people even buy merchandise in the same colorful U-Bahn seat patterns. 

For those of you who have considered couch surfing but hesitate for fear of staying with a stranger, I highly recommend the experience; of course, do your research on who you would stay with (www.couchsurfing.com), read recommendations from other couch surfers, and pour over the person’s bio to learn more about them. I enjoy couch surfing because it is an exchange based on hospitality and meaningful interactions, not monetary gain.  

Before I fall asleep on the mattress on her floor, Lola preps me for the day to come with tips and vegan donut shop recommendations. 

   In the morning, I walk to the East Side Gallery. Differing from what I had imagined, the morning-sunbathed wall stretches high over my head and serves as a canvas for a rotating gallery of art. It is difficult to imagine the division which this wall cut between the city, but the evidence persists in the communist-style architecture of the East side, which resembles parts of Prague. While this area is highly touristic, the buses have yet to arrive, and I have the panels of art and history to myself.

Afterwards, I visit the Jewish Museum of Berlin and lose myself in the Holocaust exhibit. The museum curator designed the exhibit in such a way that visitors engage in a sensory experience through the integration of lights, mirror, reflection, and void. What the exhibit lacks in the word-saturated facts of other Holocaust museums it makes up with exacting powerful reactions through its aesthetics. As this is a solo trip, I allow myself the time to reflect on the exhibits with which I connect and identify. I carve out the time to reflect, which is often missing from group trips or even excursions with friends. I need this. My experiences are similar in the Berlin Holocaust Memorial.

  Leaving the museum, I notice that Checkpoint Charlie is within walking distance. Checkpoint C was the best-known Berlin Wall crossing point between East Berlin and West Berlin during the Cold War; signs urging tourists to visit various nearby galleries and museums dominate the little while building standing in the center of the street. Viewing the structure from afar suffices for me.

  I leave CheckPoint Charlie and head towards the Brandenburg Gate - I accidentally exit the tram one stop too early and find myself in a large open field in front of the Reichstag. Clumps of people sit in the grass painting, drinking, and playing board games.  I bundle my purse in my sweater for a pillow and take my afternoon nap, eventually finding my way to the monument. 

I meet Lola at a coffee shop called 'The Five Elephants,' where the barista chastises us when we inquire about almond milk for our lattes. Did you know that every almond requires three gallons of water? No? Shame on you.

  After shopping for clothes, Lola and I visit 'Burgermeister' for dinner - a popular burger joint situated under the U-Bahn in a renovated public bathroom. Sounds grimy, but Lola proudly proclaims that this is about as Berlin as you can get.

  Later that night, we go to a house party of one of her friends from school.  I meet several different couples who share stories of traveling the globe; Margot, from Paris, and Tim from Germany teach me hitchhiking 101. 

"All you need to do is stand in the middle of the city center or near the highway with a sign that says your destination. Then climb into whatever car, truck, or wagon that comes your way. Simple as that."

Okay, Tim.

  Max from Frankfurt talks passionately about his girlfriend's artistic restoration work, drawing attention to the moral and philosophical debates involved in the process of teetering between restoring the bygone beauty of a piece or destroying it entirely.

  Lola wakes up at the crack of dawn to her alarm which rings with the song 'Guten Morgan.' Look it up - it's an overly cheerful tune which sticks in your head like gum gloms to hair. She dances around the room to the jingle, exclaiming that we need to get moving to enjoy my last hours in Berlin.

   After showering, I re-enter her room to find her applying red lipstick as rockabilly music plays on her laptop. I slip into the one dress I packed and we walk to the bus station to go to the farmer's market, where I buy rosemary cheese, fresh bread, and gifts for my sister. Breakfast consists of coffee and Nutella spilling from a crepe.

    Our final meal is at a Turkish restaurant; Turks comprise the largest minority group in the city, and Berlin is the second largest community of Turks outside of Turkey.  I will be hard pressed to find a kebab of equal quality and delectability in my lifetime. Afterwards, we part ways and I promise to host Lola if she ever treks to Memphis. 

  As I stroll down the aisles of the train back to Prague, a part of me hopes to find Trixie sitting in one of the train compartments. She isn’t there, of course - most compartments are utterly empty. I find an empty seat and press my nose against the window, waiting to find deer peering from the German forests.

[weirdlandtv]

Part... Three? Four? Where am I? Five?

The character of Melody—a naive (fine, dumb), pure-hearted blonde—basically was a continuation of an earlier comic character that Dan DeCarlo had drawn, MY FRIEND IRMA (1950). Written by ol’ Stan Lee, the comic was based on a popular radio show that had already spun off into television and the movies, launching the cinematic careers of Jerry Lewis and Dean Martin.

Rimshots. Rimshots everywhere. The comic never really took off, partly because its original artist before DeCarlo took over didn’t succeed in making Irma look appealing enough, a bad start that the comic never really recovered from. Also, Irma more or less was a one-note character, a Stan Lee female fantasy (sorry Stan), whereas I’ve always felt there was more to Melody—a kind of cosmic synchronicity. In her case, her dumbness was an antidote against the scheming evils of the world, like the light-hearted giggle of an enlightened guru. The Universe provided for her.

Melody reminds me of 1950s Dutch sect leader, Lou de Palingboer (Lou the Eel Vendor), who claimed to be God, or rather, that God was him. Before he was God, or rather before God was him, Lou could tell when his tea was being poisoned: he could sense it. But ever since he was God, or rather since God was him, things had changed. If someone now tried to poison him, he wouldn’t sense it—he simply wouldn’t feel like having tea that day.

That’s Melody in the comics.

Yes, Tumblr friends, we are truly entering the capital of Weirdland now.

Melody also is the only character who can read speech bubbles.

What I say is true though—the Universe provided for her. In one story, Pepper and Josie lose a notebook with embarrassing secrets to Alex. Desperately they try to get it back but nothing works. Then Melody comes along: she kisses Alex, who then accidentally burns the notebook, and that’s the end of it: her mere presence is all it takes to solve the issue. Other times, she accidentally stumbles upon a secret door so that the whole gang can escape from some evil castle, or she casually utters that one word that helps to solve the story’s big problem. Hidden cosmic forces constantly work through her to right all wrongs around her.

Stories would often end that way, by the way. Melody exists the stage, with that odd, dancing walk of hers, which makes her look like her torso and legs have only recently been introduced to each other, while her friends stand there in amazement, only able to blurt out some last, perplexed insults.

Sometimes Melody even seemed quite calculating, such as in the story “Mighty Tidy”, drawn by Stan Goldberg (who never got her face right I feel). In it, Josie and Valerie warn her about a pushy vacuum cleaner salesman who’s in town. When he arrives at her house, she opens the door and invites him in anyway. As her friends settle into the routine of prematurely judging her and insulting her, Melody asks the salesman to thoroughly demonstrate his product; then, after he has cleaned her entire house, she shows him the door and asks him to leave. The score: a free housecleaning.

Remember that ice skating panel of her falling that I posted a few days ago? Here’s the sting: she isn’t falling because she’s clumsy, she’s falling—mastering the art of it—because it lures boys to her, who then pamper her.

Melody, a boy magnet with casual supernatural gifts, is the Fonzie of JOSIE AND THE PUSSYCATS (boring Josie is Richie).