#transatlantic sessions

[krispyweiss]

Song Review: Aoife O’Donovan, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Julie Fowlis - “Hallowell” (Transatlantic Sessions)

The pleasure of seeing and hearing Aoife O’Donovan, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Julie Fowlis singing “Hallowell” to Donald Shaw’s piano accompaniment was worth the 11-year wait.

Recorded in 2013 for BBC ALBA’s “Transatlantic Sessions” and just uploaded to YouTube, it’s a stunning contemplation of death written by Stephen Spitzer that O’Donovan first recorded with Sometymes Why.

She sings the verses and, standing in front of the piano, is joined by Carpenter and Fowlis to deliver the chorus:

The dead lift me up/in brightest sky, the clouds below me race/the dead lift me up/I see them face to face

It could’ve been morbid. But it is instead deeply moving and leaves the listener to wonder how these three have resisted the urge to collaborate in the intervening years.

Grade card: Aoife O’Donovan, Mary Chapin Carpenter and Julie Fowlis - “Hallowell” (Transatlantic Sessions) - A

6/23/24

[clivechip]

Tuesday Tunes 214: Gardens And Gardening

Today’s theme was prompted a couple of weeks ago when I was in a comments chat with Nancy on one of her posts. She won’t see this, as she is taking a break after surgery: it went well and she is now home again and on the road to recovery. I wish her well and hope to see her back here again soon. I don’t recall exactly how we got there, but remember saying to her that she had prompted a thought,…

[waugh-bao]

*

[monster-noises]

Y'ever have a song pass directly into your bones?

[imgonnagetkilledbynutstink]

The scene

Mary Jayne: when Varian finds out about this he's gonna kill me, then he's gonna kill you

Has the same vibe as

Owen: when Joan finds out about this she's gonna kill you- NO, she's gonna kill ME, THEN she's gonna kill you

[aceofthyme]

What are the songs on number 13, 27, and 39 on your 2022 Spotify Wrapped playlist?? 😉

Number 13 - Her Father’s Pride by Carbon Leaf! The first ever Carbon Leaf song that I heard, and absolutely one of my favorites. It’s on several character playlists of mine! Highly recommend Carbon Leaf to anyone and everyone, too.

Number 27 - Sugar by The Orion Experience. I’ve had this one on repeat quite a bit as of late; the ending harmony/unison bit rather tickles my fancy.

Number 39 - Vampire by The Orion Experience. Same as above, this one’s been on repeat quite a bit recently!

[hierba-picante]

I'll Be There Ch.1

Summary: You are Gregory's older sibling! :D He tags along with you to your interview for your new job at the pizza plex!

Edit: Fic is now on AO3!

A/N: GUYS!!! THE LONG AWAITED FIIIC YIPEEE!!

I'm sorry this took a while to come out- I thought today was Friday--my bad guys :'D- I did also say I was going to post this to AO3 but uhm erm,... I was unaware of the invitation and having to wait a few days to get approved..SO I POST THE TWO CHAPTERS HERE!! They will later get uploaded to AO3 once I have the account settled!!

Word Count: 6k!!

Tags!: gn!reader, many hijinks, no use of y/n, Gregory is a little shit, the daycare attendants are goofy, Moon, Sun, and Eclipse are all separate animatronics!, Daycare attendants have transatlantic accents, Alternate universe- Canon Divergence, self insert, 2nd person POV, mentions of minor injury!!

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Serene. Quiet. In the warm grasp of your peaceful slumber. Your toasty blanket completely engulfed you whole. Your face poking out just enough to let air flow into your nose for proper breathing. Your room was cozy, well, your side of the room. A desk cluttered with trinkets and paperwork. Scribbled notes on top of books. Your soft bed adjacent to said desk. Some fairy lights strung about as to not let it ever be a full dark night. Plush animals strewn about to occupy the remaining space of your bed and floor beneath it. Ah yes, one could get used to such luxury.

The other side belonged to your little brother. A handful he was, one you kept close to your heart. His own plush animals are thrown around to mingle with his light boards and remote control cars. A small desk with crayons and construction paper. Some snippets of color here and there. A small pile of markers missing their caps. No matter, you’d find them another time. His bed laid empty, his liveliness unbeknownst to you. For now.

You awoke to a plush object falling onto your face. Your little brother’s laugh rang through the room. Feeling his weight shift onto the bed as he giggled and nudged you awake. Smiling to yourself, you sat up and let the object fall onto your lap. A yellow teddy bear with a blue gingham ribbon. How cute.

With a yawn and a stretch you greeted your sibling by ruffling his hair. “Morning, pudge.” He shook his head away and lightly smacked your hand. “Hey!”

You couldn’t help the chuckle that left your throat. “Heyyy!” Mocking him with a smirk, you ruffle his hair once more. A harsh nudge of his head sent your hand flying off. Before you could react, he sent himself shooting right into your abdomen. “Oof-!” You breathed out. Minor pain aside, he curled himself up into your lap and started babbling about a dream he had.

You glanced out your window as your hand tucked his hair behind his ear. The sun hasn’t come out yet. Blue hour. Smiling, you closed your eyes with a hum. Right on time.

This was routine for you and your little brother, Gregory. He’d wake up at around four in the morning and immediately run up to your bed. Toss his plush as high up into the air as possible and let it fall onto your unsuspecting self. Of course, Gregory only wakes you up for the important things, consisting of: a glass of water, a sweet bread, some cereal, or just to talk your ear off about the wildest dream he had. This time, he chose the latter.

Normally, you’d wait for him to talk to himself to sleep, but you were particularly tired this morning. So you scooped up your little brother, interrupting his dream talk session. 

He expressed his dismay by tugging on your shirt and raising his voice. You got off the bed briefly to remove some of your plush animals. Once satisfied with the space you made, you cradled him back to bed with you. Giving him most of your pillow as he made himself comfortable. Humming a short tune as you bundled up the blankets around the two of you.

“Alright, tell me what else happened in your dream,” you said, smiling and pinching his nose. He laughed and scrunched his eyes closed.

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The bright sun is what woke you up first. You sat up with a groan. Not quite the morning person you used to be, you sat up with eyebrows already knitted together, squinting at your window with repugnance. Begrudgingly, you made your way to shut the pesky light out with curtains. Only to get cut off by a sudden crash downstairs.

Oh come now, what time is it even? You thought to yourself. The clock read 6:32 a.m. That checks out. Gregory, still being the morning person, was usually making himself some sort of breakfast by this time. Grabbing a sweater, you made your way down the stairs. Dreading what sort of mess you’d find on your arrival.

“Don’t come down!! I dropped a glass bowl!!” he warned you. You paused and looked down at your fuzzy socks. You left your slippers upstairs. Admittedly a bad habit, but one that Gregory took into account. 

“Did you get cut? Do I need to get the bandages?” you hollered back to him as you made your way back to get your slippers. 

A few seconds of silence passed by. Taking that as a yes, you made swift work of retrieving the  bandages from the mirror cabinet in the upstairs bathroom, along with some antiseptic if needed. You smiled to yourself. Remembering how clumsy Gregory had been in his younger years. Often running to you in tears after scraping his knees, or getting stung by a bee he'd been chasing. It was rare to see him without a bandage somewhere. Your thumb traced over the bandaid box gently. You yourself were rather clumsy. Often bumping your nose into something or getting cut by the most random things. Just like Gregory, you'd be seen with some sort of bandage. Or even a bruise here and there.

Laughing to yourself, you made your way to the kitchen. Gregory had already swept up the glass debris. He dumped it into an old kitchen rag before tying it with a rubber band. All while wearing oven mitts. Something you'd taught him to avoid any further injury. Whether it be you or anyone else who comes across it.

"C'mere, lemme see," you offered with a hand. Embarrassed, he made taking off the oven mitts as slow as humanly possible. Mumbling something about it not being that bad. "Gregory." Warning him as if you'd already begun to count to three. He groaned out a "hmph" and let his wrist fall onto your hand.

The cut itself was wide. About a quarter size to be exact. It looked like he peeled a sliver of skin off, enough so to have little specks of blood forming. Not a deep cut, thank goodness, but a cut nonetheless. You hummed and dabbed some of the antiseptic on. Your little brother grimacing a bit at the sting. 

"How did you get this from dropping a bowl?" you questioned as you slipped on a bandaid. Keeping your hold so he wouldn't find a way to weasel out. 

Gregory huffed, "I didn't. I got it from cutting strawberries. I didn't wanna use the cutting board, so I cut them in my hand. But the knife slipped and...yeah…” he trailed off.

You hummed, seeming satisfied with his answer. Hand hovering just an inch above his bandaged wound. You smacked it. "Ow!! What??" he fumed.

 "You couldn't be bothered to wash a cutting board? Now look. You have a quarter sized piece of skin missing," you gestured towards his wrist. 

"So?" he cradled his wrist towards his chest. 

"So?" you parroted back, "You know how easy these can get infected if you don't take care of it properly? Knowing your ass, I'm gonna have to remind you to regularly keep it clean."

Gregory's voice grew quiet. "Nooo." 

You chuckled. "Yeaaah," you said, mocking his tone. Your brother laughed as he shoved your shoulder. 

"Go back to bed, don't you have that interview at two?" he commented as he made his way back to his fruit. 

"I do. Did you wanna come with?" 

He thought for a moment, "Hmm..I guess so. Knowing your ass, you'd probably forget where you park." A knowing smile danced across his face.

It was your turn to laugh, "I mean I do—but it's also just a fun place, I think. I figured you can look around and play games while you wait for me."

 Gregory feigned his deep thought, "Hmm…wellllll.” 

You chuckled and pinched his nose, "It's either yes or I leave you here alone for three hours. I don't want an 'I guess.'" Your brother shook his face away in laughter.

"Okay, okay! I'll tag along!"

You smiled at his answer, "Alright, be ready by 1:30." You ruffled his hair before heading to the stairs. The faint sound of chopping on a cutting board could be heard once you reached your bedroom door. Your shoulders relaxed. "Good egg,” you whispered to yourself.

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The drive there wasn't too bad. Early afternoon on a weekday. People were either working or in class. Either way, it allowed you to arrive ten minutes early. You turned your car off and rummaged around in your bag before exiting your car. You looked at the massive building before you. A silent gasp fell from your mouth as you opened Gregory's door.

"I didn't expect the pizzaplex to be that big…" you mumbled as your little brother laughed. 

"Didn't you read up on the job offer before applying?" he poked at your side.

You jumped and swatted his hand away. "I did!” You exclaimed as you shut the car door. “…The important parts at least..." Your answer only gives more fuel to Gregory's laughter.

True, you had read up on the offer itself, the expectations and what not. Just not the rest of what the place had to offer as entertainment. You were there for a retail position. Specifically, a spot in the Lucky Star's Gift Shop. Expectations were: know how to manage a register, minor custodial experience, customer service, and general knowledge of the products you'd be selling. Those products being: plush toys, candies, apparel, trinkets, etc. An easy job surely.

You didn't expect the pizzaplex to be the size of a super mall and then some. Your wide eyes glued to the building as Gregory dragged you to the front doors. The parking lot was thankfully not as full. You felt comfortable in trusting your sibling to guide you to your destination.

A small chime rang once the two of you arrived. The smell of pizza and freshly cleaned carpeting wafted in the air. The ceilings were higher than the sky. Tiled floors waxed clean and carpeted floors as vibrant as the day they'd been installed. Gregory let go of your hand as he took a step ahead. Eager eyes darting around all the possible things he could do: an exciting collection of bowling, racing, arcades, and a food court, to name a few. He felt his stomach growl. His window shopping, however, got interrupted by a robot. A cute little thing. Just an inch taller than Gregory. Colored cheeks and the animation of a stiff broomstick. A colorful sunny shirt with the words "Daycare!" littered across its chest. A quick scan from your head to toe gave it all the information needed.

"Interview number 24, scheduled in 8 minutes. Early. Punctual. With a—" it stopped and gave a slight nod, "—plus one. I am one of the daycare's staff robots, greetings. Would you like me to show you to the location of the interview? Do you need to enroll the young one into the daycare while he waits?" It offered its metallic hand towards you. 

You smiled and shook your head. "Thank you! But he’s alright on his own, I appreciate the offer though!" You made quick work of fishing for your credit card in your wallet. "Alright Greg, I'm leaving you with this to use responsibly. Food and a few games. Keep your phone volume on high and with you at all times. I'll call you once I'm done, alright?"

His eager hands snatched the piece of plastic, "Alright!" And with that, he was gone. Laughter hummed through your chest as you took the staff bot's hand. Just an interview. In and out. Then you'd find Gregory and be on your way home.

The walk there helped you familiarize yourself with the layout of the first floor. You took note of a few bathrooms and emergency exits. The bright neon lights arranged in stripes along the wall caught your eye. How you didn't notice that upon first entering was beyond you. The larger than life statues in the dead center as well. The Glam Rocks, in golden splendor.

You kept making mental notes as you followed the staff bot up the escalators—a gift shop or two on the side, a few designated party rooms—just some things you'd expect to see in the pizzaplex. You almost bumped into the bot as it halted. Pristine walls were decorated with a fun blue sky and the words “Super Star Daycare!” Two painted over doors sat in the middle. The right door had a small screen on it. A small wave of the staff bot’s hand had the screen flashing a green color. The doors click open, granting you both access. You watched in awe at the interaction, smiling to yourself at the notion that kids under Fazbear care were taken very seriously. Enough so to only allow a select few during working hours.

What you didn't expect was to hear the reverb of a band. Wasn't this a daycare? You didn't recall reading about there being two bands within the facility. That or the Glam Rocks hosting shows for the smaller children.  Sensing your confusion, the staff bot chimed, "While this is a daycare, the attendants do like to offer shows to both children and family members. A sort of break from taking care of all the little ones running around. It keeps them still long enough while me and the others get nap time essentials ready—or when organizing the place during a busy day." You nodded at it's explanation. The staff bot took your hand once more and guided you into the hallway.

The glittery ivory flooring wasn't new, but the light fixtures were. Instead of intense neon, this section of the pizzaplex favored a warm light hung by chandelier. There were faint wooden walls staring back at you. It felt elegant to say the least. Catching you off guard, as you wouldn't expect this sort of appeal from a daycare. But a place to hold shows? You could picture it. 

The daycare itself was enormous. The front doors loomed over you, as did its walls. Your eyes trailed up to find a sort of railing at an even higher level. You could only assume it was to help clean and maintain the structure. While it was walled off, the daycare offered viewing windows for anyone who dropped off their kid. Or in this case, for you to peer into. 

The bot led you a bit aways from the daycare. Noticing a small fault in your steps, it offered you a small stop to look through the side window. Paying attention to your growing curiosity for the daycare attendants. You smiled in thanks and turned your attention to watch.

A bright sunny animatronic held the position as lead guitarist. His rays dancing about with little head shakes along with his background vocals. His counterpart, a sleepy night capped moon animatronic, played what looked like a bass while also taking lead vocals. Easily keeping up with the sun's guitar. Behind them, another animatronic was on drums. He resembled the sun, but had a darker color palette and a dark silhouette in his rays. He had a calmer smile to him. While he didn't sing along, he did keep up with their energy. An eclipse themed animatronic, you deduced.

Next to the moon was another guitar player, a more human looking animatronic. His color palette matched the sun's while taking the personality of the moon. Rays shooting out from his curly hair. To the sun's left was a female animatronic, another human-esque one. A violin in one hand and a wide smile and energy to match the sun's. Though her color palette resembled the moon's more than anything. Even sporting a similar nightcap.

"A Thousand Eyes, I believe that's what they're playing. It's a popular choice here. Bobby Vee?" the bot nodded, "Yes Bobby Vee, a classic." You continued looking on, impressed by their performance.

Your eyes danced across their attire: the sun sporting an exciting patterned button up shirt, bright yellow suns decorating his arms and chest. His pants were high waisted and loosely flared at the legs. Having a clown like ruffle at both ends, with cute sun's at the knees. The moon wore a red vest atop his own button up shirt. A puffed short sleeve with moons leading into a tight long sleeve seamlessly. Sporting similar pants as his counterpart, the main difference being the moons on his knees and a faint change in fabric color at the hips. As well as the buttons, which formed in a triangular pattern at his waist. Their clothing is reminiscent of both a 50s working man's attire and a 50s clown costume.

The eclipse was vastly different in clothing. An eclipse patterned button up yes, but short sleeved. No elongated pants either. Instead, he was clad in high waisted, two toned shorts with two pairs of belts. A pair of knee socks hugged at his legs before leading into his jester shoes. You couldn't help the smile growing on your face. While his counterparts had casual working man's clothing, he wore a relaxed summer outfit. 

The human leaning designed animatronics had contrasting aspects. While the male's color palette resembled the sun and eclipse, he had somber imagery: a yellow short sleeved button down riddled with rain clouds and drops. His pants flaring with ruffles. The latter being cleverly white with raindrops defying gravity and drifting up his legs. His female counterpart sporting sad blues to match the moon. Specks of happy suns littered her puffy sleeved button up. Her own vest was colored a happy yellow with four pointed stars. Her high waisted shorts were a two toned blue with similar stars dancing at the ends. A sun patterned nightcap atop her head. 

"So remember when you tell your little white lies that the niiiight~ Has a thousand eyyyyes~!", The sun and moon sang while their human counterparts accompanied with a falsetto. The eclipse excitedly hit his symbols to signify the end of the song.

The daycare erupted in cheers and you couldn't help but clap softly. The animatronics bowed as flowers and toys were thrown to the main stage. The sun was the first to rise, his smile widening as he made eye contact with you. You smiled back and raised your hands up a bit. Wanting to make sure he saw you were clapping. Only for said clapping to stop once he winked at you. You couldn't help the silent gasp you let out. The girl animatronic jumped up from her bow, waving to children excitedly. Turning to yank her other half up. Her eyes briefly caught your's, her smile growing that much wider.

“Two minutes remaining until the interview. Shall we be on our way?” The staff bot unknowingly offered you an out to your awkward expression. "Y-Yea! Let's!" you agreed. This time you took its hand in yours as you walked away. 

"Ah—I see you were familiar with the way to the Lucky Star's Gift Shop?" you stopped abruptly. 

“Uhm...nooo..." sheepishly admitting you were, in fact, not. 

The bot laughed, "Don't worry, it's a few steps in front of you."

You glanced up from your stance and saw the sign in front of you. "Oh—! Well look at that…" biting the inside of your cheek as you continued leading the staff bot there.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄

"Guys! Did you see them? The new interviewee for the gift shop?" Sun exclaimed. His fellow bandmates looked around for said interviewee. 

"I don't think we did," Moon admitted, "Brother?" 

Eclipse shook his head, "Sorry, afraid not. PeyPey?” he turned to the human animatronic. 

"Hmm...can't say I did, Caro?" his counterpart excitedly nodded.

"I did! I think they were absolutely darling, wouldn't you agree Sun?" she rested her head on PeyPey's shoulder. 

Sun excitedly nodded his head, "I do! Darling and kind! They clapped for us after we played! Oh, I can't wait to meet them!!"

Moon chuckled, "That's if they get hired, brother dear. And knowing the luck with past interviews, I'm afraid their chances look slim."

Eclipse clicked his tongue, "Well, never say never, Moon. Don't sour Sun's optimism." 

PeyPey nodded in agreement, "I think this is the first one to actually stop and watch a bit of our show.”

"Right you are! I'm sure we've more than grabbed their attention, enough so to have them really aiming to win this interview~!" Sun sang out as he began to put his guitar away. The rest of the band mates followed suit with their own instruments.

"Well, possibly…maaaybeee," his lunar brother teased as he put on his neck ruffle. 

"I just hope it all turns out okay," Eclipse added while also fitting his own neck garment on.

"Oh come now, I'm sure they'll ace it! They've already made quite the impression on Sun, I'm sure he'd be more than happy to convince the company otherwise if it all came down to it," Caro commented.

Her other half chiming in, "It'd be nice to finally open up the gift shop. The staff bots help a lot but none have what the higher ups are looking for, even with all the programming they do."

Moon hummed in thought, "What do you suppose they're looking for?" He opened his palms as if waiting for something. All eyes turned to PeyPey.

"Well...someone kind and patient, who can connect with guests, and…someone who has experience with children? Especially the younger ones. Someone who has a real knack for it," he concluded.

Eclipse twirled his drumstick. "That sounds about right. Certainly the type of person I'd want working in a gift shop right next to a daycare," he smiled.

"Speaking of daycare: our other jobs await! Come on!" Sun spun his rays as he ran off to the growing number of children waiting to get checked in.

Eclipse laughed and followed his brother. "Hold on now! Let me just wrangle up PeyPey and Caro!" Moon called over to his brothers.

He held out his arms and nodded towards the two animatronics. Both of which did a quick jump into the air. After a small popping sound and puff of clouds, they were the size of pineapples. Landing softly into Moon's embrace.

"Why they made you two as both small and tall will always confuse me," he quipped as he jogged over to the check in.

"Aww, Moon, don't you find us helpful when the kids get into small spaces? Or when you need an extra pair of hands for paperwork?" Caro asked while tugging on his ruffle. 

The animatronic rolled his eyes with a smile, "I suppose so."

"Or how about when you need us to walk around the daycare during nap time? The other two aren't aren't too great at sneaking like us three. Especially on a full day. Are we helpful then? Or how about—" PeyPey's words got cut short by Moon's hand gently patting his head.

"Alright alright! You're both helpful even when the size of fruits! Happy?" he exasperated. The pair nodded, satisfied with his answer.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄

The gift shop was pretty homey, reminiscent of a mom and pop shop, and matching the personality of the daycare indeed. Faint primary colored wooden walls surrounded you, accompanied by cartoons of the attendants frolicking about. Ivory tiled flooring at your feet, white wooden shelves with card labels for what would be set out. ‘Sun plush toys here,’ read the one. ‘Eclipse plush toys here,’ read another. The shop was well kept. No dust in sight and your reflection smiled back at you from the floor. 

Yep, well kept.

"Alright, I've got your papers all settled here. Now let's see…" What would be your manager beckoning you to the front register. You loudly gulped and nodded as you made your way to her.

She was a warm woman. Pansy was what she went by. She was average height and wore a black button up with some slacks. A pen held up her messy bun. Glasses hung at the bridge of her nose. During your initial interaction, you'd find out that not only was she this giftshop's manager, but the manager of pretty much every other shop here in the pizzaplex. How does she manage all the inventory and employees? You'd never know. Trying to think about it made your balance shift off its axis. Even with the technological advancements of staff bots roaming around, managing that many stores must be exhausting. What with customer service whilst also making sure everyone on the team was okay. 

"Your resume is nice, your experience certainly fits our criteria. We would love to have you, but you must answer one question correctly," she watched you through the rims of her glasses.

With nervous eyes, you nodded at her once more. Urging her to continue.

"When you see a child begin to cry after a fall, what do you do?" The question itself wasn't one you were expecting.

Befuddled, you recounted the times that child was Gregory. "I...I don't make it into a big deal. If I do, they learn that every little problem is a bigger deal than it's supposed to be. Help them up, make sure they're okay and point out how there's no injury. Gravitate their attention to something else," you glanced back at her and tried to read her reaction.

This was how you raised Gregory. For whatever accident happened. You made sure not to baby him as much, and to show him ways to get back up. On the off chance you weren't around. It's how your parents had raised you, so you raised your little brother the same way.

She nodded and scribbled a few things onto her pad, "Well, consider yourself hired!" She immediately grabbed your hand and shook it.

Your air left your lungs in a gasp, “Really?” attempting to match the strength in her own handshake.

"Of course! Every interview I've had failed to give an honest answer. It's always, 'cradle them until they stop crying' or 'leave them there to cry until they stop', I was beginning to doubt I'd ever open this shop up!" her laughter raised into the ceiling.

"The position you're applying for is no daycare attendant, but to hire someone without at least that sort of experience? Right next to a daycare?" she waved her opposite hand, "Don't even get me started! I know I can confidently leave you here to handle any child. After your training period of course! If you can calm a kid down before the waterworks, you've made it!" her laughter died down as did her handshake.

Your mouth hung open in a smile, "Well-thanks! I owe it all to raising one!" 

Her eyes widened a bit, and her hand stilled. "You're a parent…?" she asked as if it was the most otherworldly thing she'd ever heard.

"Oh—! No, no! I raised my younger brother!" you laughed. 

She sighed a breath of relief. "Goodness—I was about to ask you for your skin routine!" You couldn't help the happiness constantly growing on your face.

Pansy wiped a tear from her eye, "Woo! What a hoot! Alright, what day are you able to start?" she asked, readjusting her glasses. 

You stood there contemplating for a moment. In all honesty, you were ready to start then and there. You had been let go of your previous job due to seniority and having to make some cuts. Unfortunately, you were one of said cuts. A bit of worry seeped into your brain. What if they view you as too excited? Maybe a bit of a try-hard? You could wait until the shop was fully furnished. Or maybe the following day…tomorrow...yea!

“Tomorrow's good! But of course I can see the shop needs its products, so I don't mind waiting until it's all stocked up, whichever works best!"

Your manager's smile grew, "I'll notify you once the shops all settled in, we'll start easy. Just some managing the floor and customer service, how's that sound?"

You happily offered your hand, "Sounds like a plan, I look forward to it!" She matched your enthusiasm with a firm handshake. The second one of the meeting. "As do I. Welcome to the family!"

You felt something in your grasp once she let go. Your name tag. A pretty, holographic lenticular tag. Shifting it to the left would shine a sun, in the middle a calm eclipse, and to the left, a sleepy moon. You stared in awe at the exquisite piece of plastic. This was the most beautiful name tag you'd ever been given.

“We'll get this little guy properly labeled with your name in a second, love. Just need to remember where I left that pesky hand machine…” she mumbled the last sentence as she walked around the front desk to look for it.

⠂⠄⠄⠂⠁⠁⠂⠄

"Moonie I simply must know!" Sun grunted as he tried reaching the daycare's front doors. His brother held him back without much struggle.

"We'll know in due time Sun. No need to pry for information," he chuckled.

Eclipse had started a game with the kids. A classic game of cops and robbers. Such a game in the daycare proved to exercise a kid's brain. With many places to hide such as the ball pit, jungle gyms, slides, cubbies, and so on, one had to get creative in this space. This time the attendants were playing the cops and the kids were the robbers. Caro and PeyPey had more luck than the lunar and solar triplets. Their smaller size proved useful in getting the stealthiest of kids. They'd started a system of chasing the kids out of hiding and straight into Eclipse's waiting arms.

"Come on Sun, don't you want to play with the kids? It's cops and robbers, one of your favorites,” Moon tried convincing his twin. 

"But Moon! What if we never find out? What if they didn't get hired?" Sun whined in his brother's hold.

Moon sighed and reluctantly carried a protesting Sun to the game. "You had confidence earlier. Where has it gone?" The animatronic passed by the window, not thinking much of it.

"Oh hey it's the interviewee!" Caro exclaimed as she popped her head out of a jungle gym.

"Where?” Sun jumped out of Moon's hold with his eyes darting across the room.

"Out there, they're shaking hands with Pansy...I think I see something sparkly on their clothing," Eclipse added while carrying four giggling children.

His solar twin excitedly gasped and ran over to watch. What he said was very much true. There you were, talking with Pansy as if the two of you were old friends. A fresh name tag glistening below your smile.

"I can't thank you enough Pansy, thank you!" you exclaimed.

Your manager shook her head. "No, no—I should be thanking you! Two years this shop has been here—two years without a proper employee. You're doing wonders by just being you, love!" She smiled warmly.

You felt bashful and rubbed the back of your neck. "Aww, I'm glad we could help each other then! I look forward to being able to help in any way I can!"

She patted your back with vigor. "There we are! That's what I like to hear!" 

Sun failed to notice bandmates and children crowding behind him to get a look at the new hire. 

"They did it! I see their name tag!" Caro hollered from Eclipse's shoulder. 

Moon nodded, impressed. "Huh, Look at that."

All comments fell on deaf ears. You did it. Finally they found someone competent enough to run the gift shop! Someone who's genuine—kind even! Sun couldn't contain his excited rays dancing about as he watched, resembling a puppy happily wagging its tail. He could see it now: his siblings and friends all palling around, with you in the middle! Catching up and having a swell time as you take your lunch break. Sun sighed at the thought.

Pansy turned curiously at all the muffled yelling. Her laughter got caught in her throat, "Oh! Would you look at that!"

Curious, you peered towards the direction she was looking in and gasped. Not only the animatronics, but the children as well had been watching you. Not knowing what else to do, you offered a small smile and waved. The crowd waved back with a muffled "Hi!" except for Sun. He stood there with his shoulders relaxed and smile tilted. 

As you were about to take a step, he joyously screamed and launched himself away from the window. The kids erupting in laughter as Eclipse and Moon can be seen calling out to him in chase. Caro and PeyPey, still at the window, poofed themselves to their tallest height, herding the kids away from the front door.

Sun rushed out with a trail of smoke behind him. He was a foot away from you in an instant. "Hello there! My name is Sun! I'm one of five daycare attendants and a member of the Starlights band! Who might you be, dear?" he cheerily asked.

His height was alarming. You barely reached his chest. While his tone of voice was welcoming, and you couldn't help the anxious flips your stomach did when you briefly raised your eyes up to his. This was the performer who winked at you—a type of interaction you weren't used to. His charming transatlantic accent didn't do you any favors either. You quickly glanced at Pansy for guidance. The only guidance being a nod to go ahead.

Your name trailed out of your mouth awkwardly as you reached a hand out for Sun to shake. "A lovely name! An absolutely darling name!” He matched the same enthusiasm of Pansy’s.

His siblings caught up to him. "Sun! You can't just run off like that, we've got children to look after!" Eclipse scolded as he placed a hand on Sun's shoulder. 

“Yes, just look at them all wiggling about in your absence." Moon observed once he reached the small crowd amongst you.

You peered past Sun's waist. The children had been trying to weave themselves through the other two attendants. So much so that you've noticed the two sprouted a second pair of arms just to manage the lot. 

"I'm sorry…" you trailed off. You didn't mean to cause this much excitement.

Eclipse shook his head, "Think nothing of it. It's our brother's fault, truly. We really must go before they get any more restless," he admitted with a short bow. Pulling his solar brother by the arm with him to the daycare. 

"We'll be seeing you around!" Sun called from Eclipse's grasp.

"Yes, sorry for the short introduction—I'm Moon, that one's Eclipse. The girl is Caro and the boy is PeyPey, the two there at the window," the lunar animatronic gave a small bow in turn. "We look forward to working with you, dear," rushing off to help get Sun back in.

You faintly heard Moon and Eclipse scolding their brother. Who in turn could only muster up "I couldn't help myself!" Your brain wracked against your skull. All three were charming, you had to admit. What with their manners, transatlantic accents, and just the way they carried themselves with each other. 

Both Moon and Eclipse smacked Sun upside the head in a playful manner before running in through the front doors. The latter took this as an opportunity for a chase. From the window you could see the children and two human animatronics briefly pause their actions. All heads following Moon and Eclipse as they excitedly ran across from them. The crowd turned their heads to Sun. All of them caught momentum once they noticed the attendant had begun to go after them as well. The children shrilled in joy as the other two attendants joined. Scooping up any stragglers on the way.

Pansy burst out laughing once more. "Those five know how to liven things up around here. Get ready to see more of them, especially with their merchandise in the giftshop."

You sheepishly smiled, "Can't wait!” Your eyes glued to the window a few feet from you. Admittedly, you missed when Gregory was that small. Laughing at almost everything, getting excited over the smallest things. It made your heart feel warm. This must've been how your own parents felt when you yourself grew up. 

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TAGLIST WEEE!!

@cosmog-mcgee

@antwithwaffles

End of chappie ooone :]!! I hope you guys liked it! I enjoyed writing it and my friend @by-the-chapel-gates did me a huge favor and was my beta reader!! I love her very much she are my booboobear :]💖💝!!!!💖💝THANK YOOOOUS💖💝Please leave your thoughts below!

Wanna keep reading it on tumblr? Chapter 2 is here! :]

[valleydean]

Chapter 5 [Read Here]

CHAMPION Part III of Heavyweight a deancas boxing au by valleydean (emmbrancsxx0) read from the beginning | playlist | tip

SUMMARY: Brooklyn, 1933. Dean Winchester, the number one contender, trains to become the next Heavyweight Champion of the World, and this time he won't let anything get in his way. Title holder Castiel Novak has second thoughts about retiring, especially when someone from his past arrives in New York and asks for his help. Meanwhile, a new contender rises to fame and threatens to complicate both of Dean and Cas' ambitions - and their relationship.

CHAPTER PREVIEW:

Dr. Meganolopis’ voice came out staticky through the radio’s speaker: “I’m sorry, Doctor! I forgot being a head surgeon means you cut into whatever body you want, and take out whatever organ pleases you without any paperwork whatsoever!”

“Well, Doctor, I’m sorry you’re so forgetful,” came the reply of the titular character, Dr. Desire.

Castiel heard Dean’s breathless chuckle in response. From his place on the living room couch, he glanced down at the rug, where Dean was doing his pushups. The neck and armpits of Dean’s t-shirt were darkened with sweat. The shirt was riding up the small of his back, leaving a sliver of skin above the waistband of his gray sweatpants. He wasn’t wearing any socks or sneakers.

As far as training sessions went, this was certainly more casual than most. However, Dean seemed determined to get in what he could before Castiel left town next week. Evidently, that meant conditioning through Dean’s favorite radio show.

The rest of the house was quiet, with Eileen at an NWP meeting and Sam still at work despite the fact that the sun had set an hour ago. Maura was asleep in her wicker bassinet, as she had been since Dean stuck his finger into his whiskey glass and gave the baby a taste to “soothe” her. Sam hated when Dean did that, but Castiel wouldn’t breathe a word of it because it seemed to work every time.

“How much longer do I have to do this?” Dean asked, his voice strained from exertion.

Castiel took his eyes off the satisfying way Dean’s back muscles moved beneath his shirt with every pushup to glance at the clock on the mantel. It was almost half past, which meant the radio broadcast would be over soon. “Until the end of the show.”

To his credit, Dean didn’t complain. He did look up at Castiel with slyly twinkling eyes to say, “Could use a little more incentive.”

Castiel rolled his eyes for show, despite the fluttering wings in his chest. He kicked his legs off the couch and climbed down to the rug with Dean. He laid on his back, placing his head beneath Dean’s face. When Dean lowered himself down, Castiel caught his lips in a quick kiss before Dean pushed away again.

Dean laughed embarrassedly, his cheeks a little pinker than they had been a second ago. When they met in another kiss, Castiel couldn’t help the pocket of laughter in his throat from coming out.

“You’re so off the cob,” Dean teased.

Castiel narrowed his eyes at him. “It was your idea.”

���Whatever,” Dean grumbled, lowering himself back down again. That time, Castiel lifted both hands and ran his fingers through Dean’s hair. Dean laid down fully on his stomach and kissed back, parting his lips into it. One of his hands cradled the top of Castiel’s head and the other stroked Castiel’s cheek. He tipped his head slightly to get a better angle for the kiss.

Castiel let it consume his every thought. He forgot completely about the radio show. But, apparently, Dean was still listening because after a few minutes, he ripped his lips away from Castiel’s and said, “Hang on, hang on.”

Castiel frowned, annoyed.

On the radio, Nurse Piccolo was saying, “You had your chance and you blew it! I wish you hadn’t, but you did. Roger is my fiancé now, and that’s final!”

“It isn’t final until you tell me that you love him more than me,” Dr. Desire answered in his stern transatlantic accent. The torrid affair between the couple had been a central point of the story for at least a year now. “So, say it! You can’t, can you?”

The familiar outro music swelled. Then, the broadcaster said, “That concludes this week’s episode of Dr. Desire—”

Dean groaned petulantly. “Man! I hate it when they do that! Now we gotta wait a whole week to find out what she says!”

Castiel brushed his fingers through Dean’s hair, realizing that he wouldn’t find out for himself. Next week, he’d be gone. It was likely he’d miss every episode for a while. “You’ll have to tell me what happens.”

The sparkle in Dean’s eyes faded. “Or you could just not go.”

“It’s only four months,” Castiel reminded him. After Dean had come home high that night two weeks ago, Castiel had asked Michael and Gabriel to renegotiate the tour’s contract. Somehow, they’d reached an agreement of four months and seven cities, with an extra fight in Las Vegas later in the year. There would be a total payment of $500 grand, which was one hundred thousand less than what they would have gotten under the original terms—but Castiel was willing to sacrifice that amount of money to be home. Fortunately, his team seemed to agree.

It was for the best. Castiel didn’t want to be away from Dean for so long. Besides, four months of bouts seemed more manageable than a straight six.

“And you said you’d visit me in Kansas City,” Castiel said. “That’s only two months from when I embark.” It would probably feel like a lifetime. Castiel wished Dean could just come with him.

“Yeah, yeah,” Dean dismissed sullenly.

Castiel picked up Dean’s hand where it rested on his chest and thumbed gentle circles into his knuckles, not knowing what else to say.

“You gonna miss me?” Dean asked, tone light, but Castiel heard the vulnerability behind it.

“Of course.”

“Yeah? Which parts?”

Castiel shook his head, unamused. “Every part.”

“Welp,” Dean grunted, picking himself up by the arms so he could move to lie down half on top of Castiel. “That’s too bad, ‘cause I’m definitely gonna miss some parts of you more than others.”

Castiel raised a brow with interest. “Will you?”

Dean hummed. He stroked his hand down Castiel’s side, past his hip, to rest on his thigh. “Big time.”

[doctorlovepod]

Voice Actor Casting Call - Nurse Amelia & Helen Carter

The DOCTOR LOVE team is looking for a talented voice actor to play two roles in our upcoming audio drama! All talent are welcome to apply, but Canadian talent are strongly encouraged as we are an Edmonton-based team.

About DOCTOR LOVE: Two true crime enthusiasts explore an old asylum case, digging up recordings, medical notes, and news clippings to discuss a patient's mystery illness and her doctor's infatuation with her.

Want to audition but don't feel right for the role?

We have more roles available! Please visit linktree.com/appoova or our Casting Call Club page to see the full breakdown, review sample lines, and submit your audition.

Alternatively, you can request audition sides by emailing doctorlove@appoova.ca with your demo reel, resume, and the character you would like to audition for.

Voice actor flat rates vary between $250-1000 per role. Chosen voice actors must be available for live-directed sessions in December and January. For ALL inquiries, please contact doctorlove@appoova.ca.

Please do NOT contact team members directly.

NURSE AMELIA: F, 25-35, Any ethnicity.

Nurse Amelia is a 29-year-old nurse in a 1950s asylum. She is sweet, looks out for others, and is almost always putting out fires. A subtle Pennysylvanian/Transatlantic accent would be an asset!

HELEN CARTER: F, 35-65, Any ethnicity.

Helen is a 1950s reporter with a slight transatlantic accent.

Please provide varied takes for both characters. Thank you for your interest in our show! We will not be sending rejection emails. The deadline to submit is Nov 1st and all callbacks will be conducted shortly thereafter. Happy auditioning! 💙✨

[scotianostra]

On July 17th 2009 the singer/songwriter Gordon Waller and one half of the duo Peter & Gordon passed away.

Waller, the son of a surgeon, was born in Braemar, and went to Westminster school, in London, where he met Peter Asher in 1959. Asher was already something of a jazz and blues fan, but Waller persuaded him to broaden his horizons to include pop and rock'n'roll. Both were keen guitarists and soon they were entertaining their fellow students. By 1963, they were playing (initially as Gordon and Peter) in pubs and small clubs at lunchtimes and evenings for small fees or for a meal, often singing their own compositions in the close harmony style of the Everly Brothers. Early in 1964, they were booked for a two-week engagement at the Pickwick nightclub. One of the diners was Norman Newell, an EMI record producer. Newell was charmed enough by Peter and Gordon's rendition of their song If I Were You to offer them a recording contract.

At this time, McCartney was dating Jane, and Peter and Gordon badgered McCartney to provide them with a song. He obliged with A World Without Love, which he had written six years earlier in Liverpool. McCartney told his biographer Barry Miles: "Gordon was a lot of fun – he was slightly less academic than Peter. It was he who persuaded Peter to jump school to do lunchtime sessions."

By the end of March 1964, A World Without Love had displaced the Beatles' own Can't Buy Me Love at the top of the charts. In May, just before Waller's 19th birthday and Asher's 20th, it was the biggest selling record in the US. The instant stardom created by A World Without Love was the beginning of two years of frantic activity for Peter and Gordon.

For the American media, they combined the cachet of a Beatles connection (McCartney wrote several more of their hits and fans discerned in Waller a slight resemblance to John Lennon) There were numerous television appearances, occasional tours of Japan and Australia as well as North America and dozens of recordings. In the next 12 months, Nobody I Know and I Don't Want to See You Again (both by McCartney) were transatlantic hits, as were I Go To Pieces, written by Del Shannon, and True Love Ways, a Buddy Holly song the duo had performed in their early days in London.

By now, Peter and Gordon were competing in North America with numerous other British imports, including another middle-class duo, Chad and Jeremy. Their star began to wane in 1966, when their only hits were Woman, another McCartney composition credited pseudonymously to "Bernard Webb", and Lady Godiva, a novelty number that was denounced as obscene by the mayor of Coventry, which helped it reach the Top 20 in Britain and the American Top 10. By 1967, Peter and Gordon's British career was over and in America they were reduced to peddling olde English material such as the minor hit The Knight in Rusty Armour and the album Sunday for Tea. They split up the next year, with Asher joining the Beatles' Apple project as an A&R man and Waller launching a career as a solo singer.

Despite the fact that he had been the stronger vocalist of the pair, this career was stillborn. A handful of singles were issued, plus a 1970 album of his own compositions called Gordon. He left showbusiness to run a landscape gardening business in Northamptonshire until, in 1971, he took the part of Pharaoh in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.

In the 1980s and 90s Waller ran a music publishing business in America. In the last few years of his life, he reunited with Asher to play a few shows in Los Angeles, the Philippines and New York

[clivechip]

Tuesday Tunes 134: For Dad

In my most recent post, Songs For New Year’s Day, I mentioned that my father had been placed into end of life care a couple of days previously. I haven’t felt like posting since then, as my heart and brain have been a bit scrambled. Several of you have commented on that part of the post, and some have got in touch through my Contact Me page, so you will know how that has been affecting me. I’m…

[darkfictionjude]

I am so excited about the hollywood if! I love everything you shared about it and can't wait to see what you have planned next. Just wanted to say thank you for your fascinating stories Jude! Can you share some facts about the OYHS ROs please? I'm obsessed 😔 sorry for my english

If i had a dime for every time someone apologized for their English and then wrote so fluently I would have about 5 dimes 😭 you’re doing GREAT! And thank you for loving my gay babies ☺️

Greer: he was born in the south and had a thick accent that took him a while to neutralize and even know with his transatlantic accent his Louisiana accent can still sometimes be heard at the end of his sentences

Magenta: she was married once when she was 15 to a boy her parents picked out because that’s just what you did. She got enough money to get to Hollywood and later sent him the divorce papers

Jack: her grew up in the church, his father was a pastor and that’s how he discovered his voice from being in the choir. He isn’t a believer anymore but he does wear his papa’s cross

Ashley: knows how to read tarot cards because their mother was a medium who had sessions at the house that was considered haunted

[partlyironic]

thanks for the tag @marley-manson this was VERY fun <3

Put your music library on shuffle, then list the first five songs that come up in a poll to let people vote for which one they like the most!

(links to audios on YouTube below the cut)

tagging: @amrv-5 @billdecker @captainhunnicutt @philgbtqochs @crabsandlobsters @sequencefairy @seefasters @ezrasimp @fightingfuries @waywardmillennial and whoever wants to do it! consider yourself tagged by me <3

(and a bonus. I shuffled past another tune from The Transatlantic Sessions and then felt like it was not in the spirit of the game. but I wasn't sure which one it was. so here is a favourite. a v pretty instrumental from a legend.

[longitudinalwaveme]

Voice Acting for Arkham Files: Flash Rogues

These vignettes, and, more specifically, the characterization of Dr. Hugo Strange, are based on the wonderful Arkham Files YouTube videos produced by Mr. Rogues.

Here's his channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyxNOHiNclZlVpeRhYV2QRQ

Since I am a huge Flash nerd, I decided to use this idea as a jumping-off point to explore how the Rogues would respond to therapy sessions. Again, all credit to the basic format goes to Mr. Rogues.

I wrote this about a year ago, and now I am wondering if anyone would be interested in doing some voice recordings/voice acting of the sessions for the characters.

Here's the list of characters that I'm hoping to eventually cast:

Professor Hugo Strange: This is by far the biggest role, since he's in all the sessions as the psychologist. Strange has a German accent (it seems to fit the character), and he's generally calm and fairly soft-spoken. Strange is intelligent, and he's very good at his job, but there's an undercurrent of menace and obsession in his voice whenever he's discussing superheroes.

Captain Cold (Leonard Snart): Captain Cold grew up poor and relatively uneducated, and he doesn't try to hide it in his speech. He talks tough because he is tough, and those who don't know better might assume that he's a dumb thug. But nothing could be further from the truth. Captain Cold is very intelligent; he's very street smart and an excellent strategist. Bringing in some of the drawl that Wentworth Miller used when playing the character would be nice, but only if it doesn't conflict with the rest of your performance. Midwestern US accent. It's also worth noting that Cold has a tendency to drop the "g" sound from the end of words like "trying" or "calling".

Mirror Master I (Sam Scudder): Midwestern US accent. The first Mirror Master also grew up in poverty, but unlike Captain Cold, he's tried to drop some of the speech quirks that would identify his background, which he is somewhat embarrassed by. Sam is dramatic and prone to theatrics; he talks himself up and likes to present an air of being calm, cool, and collected. He's also a chain smoker (in fact, he's smoking through his whole interview), and, while he hasn't quite developed the horse rasp yet, that's something that should be reflected in his voice.

The Top (Roscoe Dillon): The Top is from the Midwestern US, like most of the Rogues, but he's desperate to sound intelligent and sophisticated, so he puts on a very posh accent that sounds somewhat like the "Transatlantic Accent" that's common in movies and radio broadcasts from the 1930s and 1940s. However, when he gets stressed, excited, or angry, his fake accent does slip a bit and he falls back into his more natural accent. He's also on the autism spectrum (like me), and due to this, he is excessive formal and grammatically correct in speech when talking to people he wants to impress (like Dr. Strange in this interview), since he hopes that this will help him avoid social blunders.

Captain Boomerang (George "Digger" Harkness): Like Captain Cold, Captain Boomerang grew up poor and undereducated, and he doesn't really try to hide it in his speech. Unlike Captain Cold, Captain Boomerang is from Australia, and his accent reflects that. More specifically, he has a "broad" Australian accent (the Australian accent that Americans usually think of when they hear "Australian accent"), and he uses a lot of Australian slang. That being said, don't play up the accent so much that it becomes a caricature. Throughout his interview, Digger is calm and relatively friendly towards Dr. Strange; he's not threatened by him since he's totally happy and content with who he is. Unfortunately, "who he is" is a thug and lowlife.

Weather Wizard (Marco "Mark" Mardon): Even though he was born in Guatemala, Mark came to the US when he was only a year old, so he probably has a Midwestern US accent for the most part. That being said, he does speak Spanish fluently, and since he grew up with parents who likely did have Guatemalan accents to at least some extent, there might be twinges of that in his regular speaking voice. Really, the most important requirement for playing Weather Wizard here is being able to speak Spanish fairly fluently. Other than that, Weather Wizard spends most of his interview in a heightened state of emotion (talking about his brother will do that to him); he's trying and failing to maintain his image as someone powerful and scary for much of the interview.

Heat Wave (Mick Rory): Midwestern US accent. Heat Wave has a very deep and raspy voice (in part because he's damaged his vocal cords due to a lot of smoke inhalation). He's friendly and affable, but he's not the sharpest knife in the drawer, and he knows it. He also has to start crying during his session, so being able to fake-cry with some degree of realism would be helpful too.

The Trickster (James Jesse): Since he grew up in the circus and moved around a lot, he doesn't have any particular accent, although he's an expert mimic of all sorts of accents. He's cheerful and mischievous, and he sees his interview as a game in which he can outsmart Dr. Strange. He's extremely clever and quick-witted, and he has a lot of energy.

Golden Glider (Lisa Snart): Midwestern US accent. Like her brother, Captain Cold, she grew up in poverty, but unlike him, she does make some effort to hide her background (though she might start sounding a bit more like him when she gets stressed). Her overall diction is probably a lot like the first Mirror Master's. Golden Glider has a very intense hatred of Barry Allen and an equally intense love for Roscoe Dillon. While she is very loyal to her friends, she is also terrifying when she's angry, and she is not nice. She also swings between being calm and being angry very quickly and with little warning.

The Pied Piper (Hartley Rathaway): Very upper-class, "posh" accent that he's trying to hide by adopting a more standard Midwestern US accent. His parents were millionaire publishing magnates, and this is reflected in the way he speaks. He's very passionate about helping the poor, but is otherwise rather quiet and soft-spoken (due in part to his extremely sensitive hearing). Pied Piper is also probably suffering from some level of depression in this particular interview, and that should probably be reflected in his voice.

Mirror Master II (Evan McCulloch): Working-class Scottish accent (more specifically, he has a Glaswegian accent). He's endlessly amused by the fact that Americans don't fully understand him and deliberately plays up his accent to confuse people. That being said, I don't want the accent to become a total caricature. McCulloch is a very strange man with a very strange sense of humor, and of all the Rogue, he seems to be the most out-of-touch with reality. He's generally cheerful, but is very dangerous when angered.

Dr. Alchemy/Mr. Element/Albert Desmond: Midwestern US accent. Albert Desmond suffers from a very fantastical, fictionalized version of Dissociative Identity Disorder. All three of his personalities have the same basic voice. Dr. Alchemy is quietly threatening; Albert is sad and horrified; Mr. Element is rougher around the edges. Dr. Alchemy is by far the least human-sounding of the three.

Zoom (Hunter Zolomon): Midwestern US accent. Zoom is prone to stretching out his vooooooowel sounds at random, apparently due to his ability to control his position relative to the timestream. He speaks very quietly and might have a slight rasp; his voice also echoes a bit. He's quietly but menacingly obsessed with his goal of making Wally West a "better" hero through suffering.

Professor Zoom the Reverse-Flash (Eobard Thawne): The Reverse-Flash is from the 25th century, so ideally he should sound somewhat different from the rest of the cast (since word pronunciations tend to change over time). He's pompous and dramatic ("HA-HAAA!!!"), but that doesn't take away from his menace.

The Flash (Wally West): Midwestern US accent. It's hard for me to not simply say "do Michael Rosenbaum's voice from the DCAU", but that's not fair to anyone, so instead I'll just say that Wally should be passionate, a bit hot-headed, and a bit sarcastic. He's a very good guy, but he's not at all happy with the fact that Dr. Strange is treating him like a criminal.

[flipjack]

Gillian Jacobs portrait session in Berlin promoting “Transatlantic”

[countrymusicandcher]

It's real. This morning the planet landed at Standstet airport and now I'm in Cambridge to attend the Cambridge Folk Festival.

On Sunday, I am seeing Peggy Seeger live for probably the first and last time ever. I will also see her sons Neil and Calum for the first time.

Leading up to that, I'm

Seeing Ralp McTell live Thursday evening. The guy who wrote "Streets of London" - a true legend.

Seeing Robert Plant on Friday Evening

Seeing the Transatlantic sessions on Saturday

And so many more exciting artists. This is such a dream come through I can't quite believe it!