#watch me learn to animate just to create a dancing david animation

[definitelynuwonhere]

I can’t sleep

We as a fandom move passed the fact that DAVID SHAW has got some Just Dance champion moves TOO QUICKLY

[multi-muse-transect]

V in Mortal Kombat interactions.

@aggravateddurian

Duplicate

V: If you’re me from the future, please tell me I get Johnny out of my head.

V: It’s gonna come at a price.

V: So is Jackie alive in your universe?

V: Who's Jackie?

V: So where are you from? Haywood, Badlands or Charter Hill?

V: Haywood.

Raiden

V: It’s gonna take more than just fancy fighting moves to survive NC.

Raiden: Don't judge a book by its cover V.

V: Fuck, it’s so hard to fight without combat implants!

Raiden: You must get used to a life without crutches, only then can you overcome the city itself.

V: You don’t happen to know who’s the Zen Master now do you?

Raiden: Why he’s a teacher in the Wushi Academy!

V: You’re gonna love the esoterica.

Raiden: You should show me sometime.

Raiden: Such a bleak future you live in…

V: It has its perks.

Raiden: It’s horrible that people would do things to themselves to survive such an insane city.

V: The city ends up getting them regardless.

Johnny Cage

V: Told you Alex was the best.

Johnny: The best? She is leading woman material!

V: Johnny and Solomon are actors in this universe?

Johnny: You’re talking about Keanu and Idris right?

V: No, you’re not making my life into a movie.

Johnny: Maybe a video game can work?

Johnny: So you mind telling me how brain dances work?

V: You need to chrome the fuck up first.

Johnny: Adam Smasher sounds like a lame ass name.

V: Why don't you say that to his face when you see him?

Scorpion

V: You remind me of this one guy-he was a bodyguard.

Scorpion: I wish to meet him one day then.

V: Fuck me, what kind of implants cause those?

Scorpion: Technology isn't required to learn magic.

Scorpion: You're getting more and more skilled without your combat implants.

V: It took sometime but I'm getting there.

Scorpion: Arasaka's evil must be stopped!

V: They'll learn to fear the reaper when we raid it.

Sub Zero

V: I've met plenty of gonks like you in NC. All dead in a ditch

Sub Zero: Then I will be the first to survive.

V: You just sold out your clan by working for Arasaka!

Sub Zero: A small price to pay for salvation.

Sub Zero: Adam Smasher has proven himself to be a valuable ally!

V: Don't come crying to me when he bites you in the ass!

Sub Zero: With Arasaka's tech, I will create an unstoppable army of cyber-Lin Kuei!

V: Not on my watch!

Kung Lao

V: Careful, that attitude won't get anywhere in NC.

Kung: Cybernetic thugs don't scare me.

V: A hat? Seriously!?

Kung: Don't underestimate it V.

Kung: Is Panam available for today?

V: As if she'd go out with you.

Kung: I heard about the story of David Martinez. I've had the same experience like that...

V: You should take it to heart.

Sindel

V: This isn't my first time meeting a ruler.

Sindel: Oh? Do tell...

V: Jesus Christ, what kind of chrome makes you do THAT?

Sindel: Please, I don't need machines in my body.

Sindel: Do you do this often? Asking rulers out for dinner?

V: I learned it from a gig in Dogtown.

Sindel: Our magic will help cure your condition.

V: Let's hope it doesn't turn the other guy into pixie dust first.

Shang Tsung

V: Tell me where So Mi is or you end up eating lead.

Shang: You still care about her despite everything?

V: I've known many backstabbing assholes in NC. You're not special.

Shang: But I am built different compared to them.

Shang: I assure you, my magic will make sure that Silverhand will be gone.

V: I'm not selling my principals out to a wizard!

Shang: I wonder if I will have Silverhand's soul when I take it from your body.

V: One-try it asshole and two-I don't think that's how it works.

Shao Kahn

V: I almost mistook you for an Animals member.

Shao: Do you mock me mercenary!?

V: Not my first I've fight someone big with a hammer.

Shao: Then they must've died in the most humiliating way possible!

Shao: I am not afraid of a dying mercenary!

V: You will be.

Shao: All legends fade.

V: Not mine, it will never fade away!

Reiko

V: You're seriously coming at me with a spear and shurikens?

Reiko: Unlike you-I don't need machines under my skin.

V: Many gonks like you die because of loyalty.

Reiko: Then they have died honorably!

Reiko: You aren't afraid of death. Good!

V: I pass by it all the time.

Reiko: You spared Khameleon. So weak and disgusting! Mercy is disgusting!

V: Your devotion to the roided maniac is way more disgusting.

Tanya

V (if female V): You know anything I can get for Judy?

Tanya: I recommend the flowers of the royal garden.

V: My world can use more people like you.

Tanya: Maybe there is. Perhaps you weren't looking enough.

Tanya: I don't trust Reed.

V: Good, don't!

Tanya: Takemura is so blinded by loyalty.

V: That's Goro for you.

Kitana

V: You sound...familiar.

Kitana: I don't even know who you are.

V: Fuck me, I need one of those!

Kitana: First you must learn to train with them.

Kitana: I can't believe the Mox's care about money instead of caring for others.

V: Tell me about it.

Kitana: Thank you for telling me about Hansen.

V: You're welcome princess.

Li Mei

V: I think I know a detective who would love to have you as a partner.

Li Mei: Do tell Earthrealmer...

V: If the cops acted like you then NC would have zero crime.

Li Mei: Perhaps I should teach them.

Li Mei: So much corruption in your city, I'm surprise it's still standing.

V: You can thank the mega-corps that semi-run it.

Li Mei: 6th Street are nothing but barbarians parading as protectors.

V: Lofty patriotic bullshit is all they spew out of their mouths.

Kenshi

V: Fought a guy just like you. Hunted Tigers.

Kenshi: Was he just as skilled as me?

V: You're gonna love Jotaro Shobo since you kill yakuza a lot.

Kenshi: Really? Tell me where he is...

Kenshi: Your blades are advanced but not advanced as sento.

V: No shit. None of them can summon a ghost!

Kenshi: I would love to duel Oda one day.

V: I don't think that's a smart idea...

Ashrah

V: No one is good or bad where I come from...except for Maelstrom.

Ashrah: They are beyond redemption.

V: I know a guy who needs someone like you, he's FIA.

Ashrah: I know he has a good heart but is clouded by devotion.

Ashrah: So Mi is safe with me.

V: Tell her I said hi.

Ashrah: Regina Jones heart is so pure yet full of darkness.

V: Really? She doesn't seem to have a bad bone in her.

Smoke

V: What the hell kinda name is Smoke?

Smoke: One that you will respect.

V: Thanks for taking care of 6th Street for me.

Smoke: They're nothing but savages.

Smoke: The Aldecaldos have such a beautiful culture.

V: Wanna join them one day?

Smoke: Wakako looks like she's taken a liking to me.

V: Odd, she doesn't like anyone.

Geras

V: So..how does my story end?

Geras: Your future is very...hard to tell.

V: You're a Samurai fan?

Geras: I was watching their concerts very recently.

Geras: I suggest you should side with So Mi.

V: Why is that?

Geras: I have met another who travels to other timelines.

V: Ciri? Yeah, she does that.

Liu Kang

V: I can tell you didn't create my timeline.

Liu Kang: I would never create such depravity.

V: Shit, I'm sure Viktor would love you on the boxing club.

Liu Kang: I’ll visit one day.

Liu Kang: In one timeline, you and So Mi are together.

V: That...that's kinda beautiful.

Liu Kang: I have something that will help your ailment.

V: Really? It won't fry my nerves right?

[taimio]

Unleashing the Secrets to Successful Permaculture Gardening: A Journey Towards Sustainable Harvests

Permaculture gardening is an innovative approach to creating a sustainable and self-sufficient ecosystem in your garden. The term "permaculture" was coined by Bill Mollison and David Holmgren in the 1970s, and it combines the words "permanent" and "agriculture.” The goal of permaculture gardening is to design a resilient and productive landscape that works in harmony with nature, rather than against it.In a permaculture garden, every element has a purpose and supports the overall ecosystem. Permaculture gardening is about more than just planting a few vegetables; it’s a holistic approach to gardening that encompasses everything from soil health to water management, plant selection, and even the integration of animals. By mimicking the way nature works, permaculture gardens can thrive with minimal human intervention and provide a wealth of benefits for both the gardener and the environment.As we face increasing environmental challenges, such as climate change and habitat loss, permaculture gardening offers a practical and sustainable solution to many of these issues. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the principles of permaculture gardening, the benefits it provides, and how you can transform your garden into a thriving, eco-friendly oasis.

Mastering Permaculture Gardening: A Journey to Sustainable Abundance

As I ventured into the world of permaculture gardening, I quickly discovered that it was more than just a hobby – it was a way of life. *Permaculture is a design system that aims to create sustainable and regenerative ecosystems, mimicking the patterns found in nature.* With dirt-covered hands and a newfound passion, I embarked on a journey to unlock the secrets of this ancient practice.

One of the first lessons I learned was the importance of observation. *By taking the time to truly understand my land, its unique microclimates, and the flow of energy within it, I gained invaluable insights into how to create a harmonious and productive garden.* It was like peering through a window into the intricate dance of nature, and I couldn't help but be captivated by its beauty.

Instead of battling against nature, permaculture taught me to work with it. *I discovered the power of companion planting, where certain plants help one another thrive by deterring pests, improving soil quality, or providing shade.* It was like witnessing a beautiful symphony unfold before my eyes, with each plant playing a unique role in the orchestra of the garden.

Permaculture gardening is not just about growing plants; it's about fostering a deep connection with the earth and living in harmony with the natural world.

Another key principle of permaculture is maximizing the use of space. *I found myself utilizing vertical gardening techniques, planting vibrant climbers like beans and cucumbers that not only provided shade but also maximized the yield from my limited garden area.* It was like discovering a secret treasure chest hidden within the vertical realm, where every inch of space had the potential to produce abundance.

But permaculture gardening is not without its challenges. *I faced my fair share of setbacks, from unexpected pest invasions to unpredictable weather patterns.* However, through these trials, I learned resilience and the importance of adapting to the ever-changing nature of the garden, just as nature adapts to the changing seasons.

One of the most rewarding aspects of permaculture gardening is watching the garden flourish and evolve over time. *I witnessed the transformation of a barren plot of land into a thriving ecosystem teeming with life, from buzzing bees to colorful butterflies.* It was a testament to the power of patience, perseverance, and the profound impact we can have on the world around us.

In conclusion, permaculture gardening has been a transformative journey that goes far beyond simply growing plants. *It has taught me to slow down, observe, and listen to the whispers of nature, while simultaneously empowering me to become an active steward of the land.* So, if you're ready to embark on a sustainable adventure filled with abundant harvests and a deep connection to the Earth, it's time to delve into the world of permaculture gardening.

For more insights on mastering permaculture gardening, check out the related article here.

Learn more about gardening with Taim.io!

[musette22]

Local museum volunteer Chris explaining all the items and history facts to teacher Sebastian and his 20 kids on a school trip or to single dad Sebastian and his twins (one who is really into it and ask a lot of "but why?" And the other one who just sticks his fingers up his nose and yawns lmao)

Okay so I was just on a walk and I started thinking about this ask again (I am so so so sorry for how long it took me to reply to this, I suck wow) because I couldn’t get that new pic of Seb looking like a literal DILF out of my head, but I couldn’t remember the specifics so what came out is slightly different from what you suggested but not much – hope you still like it (I personally screamed into my fist multiples times while thinking about this – I’m furious at how cute this little scenario is, thank you so so much for this!)

Disclaimer: I literally wrote this just now so it’s unbeta’d and probably riddled with nonsense, but I hope you guys like nonetheless!  <3

*********************

“Hi, guys! Welcome to the Concord Museum. My name is Chris and I’ll be your guide this afternoon.”

Chris eyes the little family – a father and two young kids – standing in front of him in the entrance hall of the bite-sized museum, then makes a show of looking around the otherwise empty hall. “Seems like it’s a quiet one today, so you’ll have me all to yourself!”

The father smiles, his sparkling, blue-grey eyes crinkling in the corners in a way that Chris shouldn’t be thinking of as ‘adorable’, but does nonetheless.

“Fantastic,” the man says warmly. “It’s nice to meet you, Chris. This is Margot,” – he gestures to the girl of about eight standing next to him – “and this little guy here is David,” he adds, lightly bouncing the three or four-year-old, curly haired boy on his hip. David gives Chris a wide eyed look before promptly burying his face in his father’s neck. “He’s a little shy,” the dad says fondly.

“That’s fine,” Chris tells them. With a smile, he ducks his head to try and catch David’s eye. “You’re not the only one, kiddo. I’m a little shy myself sometimes, you know.”  

“I’m not shy,” Margot pipes up.

“No,” her dad agrees with a chuckle, “you certainly are not.”

Chris turns his eyes back to their father’s face. “And your name..?”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” the man says, “I’m Sebastian.” He holds out his hand for Chris to shake, warm and dry with long, elegant fingers that fit nicely against Chris’s own, studier ones.

Sebastian, Chris thinks. Perfect name for a perfect guy. The term ‘DILF’ flashes unbidden through Chris’s mind – wildly inappropriate, given the circumstances, but oh so accurate. Sebastian has a sweet, charming smile, incredible bone structure, and dark, wavy hair, swept up in a quiff-like style that manages to make him look both sophisticated and a little boyish at the same time. There’s a hint of grey at his temples as well as in his beard that has Chris placing him at maybe two or three years older than himself.

“New York?” Chris guesses, as he reluctantly lets go of Sebastian’s hand.

“That’s right,” Sebastian nods. “Well, formerly, anyway. We just moved to the area, actually.”

“Oh, really? What brought you all the way out here?”

Sebastian runs a hand through his hair; a nervous habit, perhaps. “Oh, um. My ex-wife got a job in Boston last year, and I didn’t want to be too far from her and the kids, so I decided to follow suit. Only moved down here last month. This is my first full weekend with these guys at my new place, so I thought I’d take them out to do something cultural, learn a little about the local history, y’know?”

“Well, we’ve got plenty of that here,” Chris assures him. “In fact,” he adds sheepishly, “that’s kinda all we've got.”

Sebastian laughs, causing Chris’s brain to glitch, which is probably why the next thing that comes out of his mouth is – “Divorce, huh? I’m sorry, that must’ve been tough.”

When Sebastian doesn’t answer straight away, Chris wants to kick himself for running his big, stupid mouth. As usual. “I’m sorry,” he apologizes hastily. “That’s none of my business. Just tryin’ to make small talk, but I always seem to forget I’m really bad at that. Just forget I said anything.”

“No, no, it’s fine,” Sebastian assures him, flashing Chris a quick smile. “Thank you. These things are never easy, but it’s better this way, you know?”

“They’re not fighting or anything,” Margot chimes in again, from a few feet below. “Mommy and daddy only got divorced because mommy’s a girl and daddy likes boys better than girls. Right, daddy?"

Well. Chris tries not to be too obvious about glancing at Sebastian’s face to see his reaction to that bombshell his daughter just dropped, but he’s not sure how well he manages.

Sebastian closes his eyes for a moment as if praying for strength. “That's right, sweetheart,” he says with a grimace. “But I'm sure Chris doesn't need to hear about all that."

Chris begs to differ – he’s actually extremely interested in hearing about all this, but before he has a chance to say anything in reply, Margot squares her jaw and crosses her football jersey-clad arms.

“Why not?” she asks defiantly. “There’s nothing wrong with that. Some girls just like girls and some boys like boys, it’s totally normal. It’s not prola- probu –" She sighs in frustration, looking up at her dad, who’s watching her with something like pride on his handsome face.

“Problematic?”

“Yeah,” Margot concurs, “not probametic.”  

Chris hums in agreement. “It’s not, you’re absolutely right. I’ll tell you what,” he tells her conspiratorially, “I happen to like boys better, too.”

Margot’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “You do?”

“I do.”

Suddenly, Margot’s little face lights up, her shrewd eyes flitting to her dad’s face for a second, then back to Chris. “Do you like my dad?”

“Margot,” Sebastian cuts in, a hint of exasperation in his tone. “That’s enough, honey.” When he tuns back to Chris to give him an apologetic look, Chris can’t help but notice the slight blush coloring his cheeks. “I’m sorry about that. She’s gotten it into her head that she needs to find me the perfect man ASAP, or I’ll waste away or something.”

Chris laughs, throwing back his head in genuine mirth. “Don’t worry about it. It’s fine,” he assures them, then claps his hands together to change the precarious subject. “So, who’s ready to learn a little bit about what living in Concord was like over a hundred years ago?”

******

Chris always enjoys volunteering at the museum – it’s nice to give something back to the community that’s been his home for his entire life, and to chat to visitors from all over who have come to visit the land of Little Women, among other things – but what Chris likes best is when he gets to show kids around the place. Some of them need to be won over (after all, a dusty old museum isn’t quite as exciting as a trip to Disney World), but others are instantly captivated by the strange objects and old-timey atmosphere – Sebastian’s kids, fortunately, seem to fall in the latter category.

There’s one room in particular that’s an invariably a favorite with kids – the one that houses the old children’s toys. Trains, dolls and dollhouses, most of them made from wood, all arranged in a colorful parade, with a few screens set up in front of the glass display cases on which kids can watch animations of the toys being used. To Chris’s delight, Margot and David are both immediately taken with the display, David pressing his nose against the glass while Margot fires off question after question that Chris answers patiently and to the best of his ability.

“You sure know a lot about them,” Sebastian remarks, not without a hint of admiration, once Chris has finished explaining the mechanics of the miniature train set.

“Ah.” Chris rubs the back of his neck. “Yeah, I guess you could say I’m something of a toy enthusiast myself. I’ve actually got a carpentry workshop – that’s my real job,” he explains. “I’m just a volunteer here – and I dabble in some toy making sometimes, too.”

Sebastian’s eyes widen. “You’re kidding. I used to want to be a toy maker when I was a kid, you know,” he says wistfully. “Probably just saw Pinocchio one too many times, but it just seemed like the best job in the world to me, at the time.”

“It kinda is,” Chris grins at Sebastian, getting lost in his dancing grey eyes for a moment. “So what did you end up doing for a living, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“I’m a journalist. I love it, don’t get me wrong. It’s enriching, challenging. But there’s just something about working with your hands, creating something tangible, something useful…”

“Yeah, I know what you mean,” Chris nods. He bites his lip, hesitating for just a moment before deciding to bite the bullet. “Hey, I don’t know if you guys have plans after this, but my shift ends in a few minutes. I live pretty close, maybe a ten minute drive – if you want, I could show you my workshop? Maybe the kids can try out some of the things I’ve been working on, see if they’re actually any fun to play with?”

There’s an excited collective gasp from the kids, both of them immediately turning big, hopeful eyes on their father. “Oh, daddy,” Margot pleads, tugging on his sleeve. “Can we go see the workshop, pleaaase?”  

Chris tries to ignore the way his stomach drops when Sebastian visibly hesitates.

“I don’t know, guys.” Sebastian looks back at Chris. “I don't want to intrude. It’s almost dinner time on a Saturday. I’m sure you’ve got plans, maybe with your partner..?”

Oh, Chris thinks, chest expanding with hope. He shakes his head. “No partner,” he says, holding Sebastian’s gaze. “Just a dog.”

“A dog?” Margot squeals. “Oh my god, daddy, he’s got a dog. We have to go.”

Sebastian chuckles, rolling his eyes. "They've been hounding me about a dog for months, excuse the pun. I want one too, but I'm just not sure I'm home enough.”

Chris nods sympathetically. “Yeah, it can be tricky if you work full-time, but there’s usually a solution for this kind of thing, in my experience.”

“What’s your dog’s name?” Margot interrupts, bouncing excitedly on the balls of her feet.

“He’s called Dodger,” Chris tells her, unable to keep the pride out of his voice as he talks about his beloved, four legged-rescue.

From Sebastian’s other side, a small voice suddenly joins in. “Like the one from Oliver?” asks David. His big, brown eyes are wide as he stares up at Chris.

“That’s right,” Chris confirms, dropping to his haunches to level the playing field a little. “Exactly like the one from Oliver. You like that movie, huh?”

David nods, looping one arm around one of his dad’s long legs while clearly fighting the urge to hide behind him completely. “It’s my favorite,” he mutters, then quickly sticks his thumb in his mouth to signal the end of the conversation.

“Really?” Chris asks, beaming at him. “It’s my favorite, too!”

David actually smiles at that, doing an excited little wiggle on the spot. “Daddy, can we go see Dodger, please?” he asks his dad, not bothering to remove his thumb from his mouth.

From his spot on the floor, Chris looks up Sebastian too, probably looking just as hopeful as the kids are – maybe even more so.

Smiling, Sebastian shakes his head. “Sure, buddy,” he laughs, ruffling David’s hair. “How could I resist all these cute little faces, huh?”

There’s a chorus of cheers from the kids that gives Chris a much-needed moment to recover from the euphoria of hearing Sebastian call him cute. Well, sort of.

“Alright,” Chris says, getting to his feet again. “I’ll just go grab my things. Meet you guys in the parking lot?”

“Sounds good.”

Chris nods and is about to head in the direction of the staff room, when Sebastian halts him with a hand on his arm. Chris stops in his tracks, swallowing as he tears his gaze away from Sebastian’s elegant hand on his bicep, back to his face.

“Thank you,” Sebastian says, giving him a look from under his eyelashes that can only be described as coy. “I really appreciate this, you know.”

Holding Sebastian’s gaze, Chris lifts a hand to cover Sebastian’s with his own, giving it a quick squeeze. “It’s my pleasure,” he replies honestly. “Trust me.”

Smiling, Sebastian bites his lip, no doubt noticing the way Chris’s eyes flicker down to his mouth when he does. “I do.”

Chris’s foolishly romantic heart can’t help but skip a beat.

“See,” Margot says suddenly from beside them, breaking the moment and sounding awfully smug about it, too. “Not prolametic at all.”

Chris barks out a laugh while Sebastian covers his eyes with his hand. “Whatever you do, never have kids.”  

“Oh, I dunno,” Chris chuckles, giving Margot a wink and David’s hair a quick ruffle. “I kinda like yours.”

Sebastian clears his throat. “Alright, guys. Let’s go find your jackets and we’ll go see what Chris has in store for us, huh?”

[ezraspiderwick]

I'm definitely going to be doing this one too! I love you very much bestie 🧡🧡🧡🧡

Can I please have a character match up?

* clears throat *

-

what I like: theatre, music, design-oriented art, digital art, photography, reading (especially fantasy & psychology & nonfiction), watching netflix sometimes, walking my dog, dancing, skateboarding sometimes, working with certain animals, making art with kids (although I don't work with kids anymore, it was always super fun!), playing games (video games and board/card games), learning about topics I'm interested in on a whim (like thinking about a question around a certain topic and quickly reading up on it for example), hand writing things, making cakes / food for other people, having my hair brushed for me (& people running their nails along my scalp), dressing up in cool outfits even if we're just going to the grocery store

Perfect date: usually my go to answer is just that we have an experience,,, like going together to watch a musical,,, or an art exhibition,,, or we try out a new restaurant together and such,,, also if there's good food then I'm already happy from the start. I'd also be happy with "homemade" dates like building a blanket fort in the living room & watching a movie together while we eat a nice home cooked meal if we want to,,, I think the most important thing is just thought but in general I'm not too difficult to please. As long as some thought has been put into it, I appreciate any kind of date tbh.

-

Please match me up with the lincarnation of my dreams 😆

Again, thank you for doing this!!! Your 200 followers is well deserved!!! 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

Let's ignore the fact that I'm answering this so late

Okay, so I know who the love of your life is and I'm not going to match you with him. I know, I know, but bear with me. I think your perfect match would be Usnavi. That man would adore the heck out of you. He'd be so down to do whatever as long as he's with you. You want to go dancing? Usnavi's going with you. You want to chill and watch Netflix all day? He's your guy, and he'll run his nails through your scalp while doing so. And the way he'll praise you and your art, bestie this man will find a new way to tell you how much he loves you and the things you create every single day

He's the king of homemade dates, you'll come out of the studio from working on a new design, and there he is holding flowers for you, and he guides you to a very romantic dinner by candlelight he has set in the dining room

He's so soft, I think you'd make the perfect couple, he's going to be a bit shy when he first meets you but the more time you spend together the more he comes out of his shell. You are going to be best friends and then he'll ask you out (or you'll ask him out first), and on your first date, you're probably going to worry that you're the one doing most of the talking but Usnavi is going to sit there and adore every word you're saying. He loves listening to you.

And you get to live in NYC

Okay, that concludes my essay on why I think you and Usnavi would make a good couple. Thoughts?

Bonus info: not matching you with Alex coz that would be a toxic relationship, not matching you with Lee coz you'd have to spend too much time apart from each other and I think you need a relationship where you can see each other at least semi-regularly plus you don't like the anti-gravity feeling from the balloon so that's also a no. I'm not matching you with Jack coz you don't really like him that much. And finally, I'm not matching you with David because that's what's expected and because you want an angsty story for him and I want to give you your happy ending 😆

[remarkablyremy]

I saw [REMINGTON ‘REMY’ BECK] at a coffee shop in [BROOKLYN] today. I forgot how much [HE/THEY] looks like [JORDAN FISHER]. They are a [TWENTY-EIGHT] year old [COMIC SHOP OWNER] who’s been in NYC for [SEVEN YEARS] now. Every time we run into each other, they are always [UPBEAT & ZANY] but I’ve heard people say they can also be [DISTRACTIBLE & OVER-TRUSTING]. [STARMAN BY DAVID BOWIE] reminds me of them every time it comes on the radio. — [mar, she/her, 27, e.s.t.]

tw: bad parenting/child abandonment, bullying

full name: remington alexander beck

known as: remy

age: 28

birthday: july 31st, 1993

sexuality: bisexual

pronouns: he/they

occupation: comic shop owner

hometown: philadelphia, pennsylvania

family: mother, older brother [ @malicixus ]

personality: + friendly, excitable, romantic

- gullible, distractible, over-trusting

who says you have to grow up? certainly not remington beck, philly native and comic-store-owner-cum-amateur-ufologist.

at a very young age, remy decided that the world must be a more magical and extraordinary place than it appeared. he devoured anything and everything he could get his little hands on about ghosts and aliens and the like, watching reruns of the x-files with wide eyes and doodling cartoon nessies on his homework. school was tough, to say the least. between a fascination with the paranormal, a stutter, and a learning disorder, remy struggled both academically and socially. they were an easy target for bullying, and he just didn’t understand why no one wanted to be their friend. 

at least he had his family. elizabeth beck loved her children more than anything, and despite putting herself through med school (and becoming one of the city’s most preeminent physicians) she made sure to spend enough time with them to make sure they knew just how loved they were. shiloh was remy’s hero before they even knew what the word meant. he absolutely adored his big brother, who tucked him into bed every night and promised them that a better, brighter tomorrow would greet them both. shiloh was remy’s tutor, music instructor, protector, and their only best friend all in one. 

their father left when remy was ten and shiloh sixteen. remy had never felt all that close to the man to begin with, finding him too cold and distant to connect with. he figured that everything would be all right as long as he had his mom and brother. but shiloh - well, he took the abandonment hard, and seemed to lose himself in the pain. no more was he the doting sibling laughing at remy’s silly jokes or patiently teaching him how to make origami animals. their relationship quickly soured, and to this day it remains more than a little contentious. 

remy dual majored in business (to make shiloh happy) and astronomy (to make himself happy). they moved to new york after graduation and quickly fell in love with one of the very first shops they’d visited, a run-down but beloved little comic store in brooklyn. he became fast friends with the owner, and when they retired they sold it to remy for a song. he put everything he had into fixing the place up, and kryptonite comics is now a gleaming and reputable establishment, not to mention a destination for brooklynites who adore all things geek chic. 

a self-proclaimed hopeless romantic, remy’s love life is - well - hopeless. they have a tendency to fall for someone, get their heart broken, mourn a while, and then discover the next supposed love of his life - ad infinitum. standards? a type? remy doesn’t know them. but he does know that he’ll find his soulmate eventually. despite the bad hands life has dealt him, they firmly believes that you just can’t keep a good nerd down. 

random quick facts:

he has always adored baseball and dance, and still makes time for both

'the remarkable remington' is a superhero alter ego shiloh created for them when they were kids

he is owned by a tortie named roswell or ‘roz’ who can often be found in the shop

he absolutely cannot keep a plant alive for longer than a week, but makes up for it by being a surprisingly decent cook

they are, as you may have gathered, obsessed with david bowie

his music taste in general is mostly contained to the 80s - classic rock and synth pop are always playing in kryptonite

they absolutely adores painting their nails, and have an extensive collection of polish that he won’t hesitate to share with friends - or better yet, give them manicures himself!

[theexecutionerssong]

SKAM FRANCE BTS MASTERPOST

This is a master post of BTS anecdotes told in interviews, at cons, screenings and on social media. Don’t click the read more if you don’t want to lose some of the magic. I know sometimes knowing too much of how a show was shot can ruin it. Also, it’s very obvious that there was more promo starting around season 3 than for the first two seasons, don’t hold it against me. Feel free to message me if you think of something else as I must have forgotten a ton of things.

CASTING, REHEARSALS, BTS IN GENERAL

Skam France had the rights for the 4 seasons first but had to follow the original script almost to a T for the first 2 and if the audience was big enough then they would be allowed to distance themselves from OG

Skam France casted actors that were as close personality wise to their characters as possible, which made it easier for the cast to identify with their characters and made the friendships developping between the characters more believable since it was also developping off screen

They were not allowed to cast underaged actors who would have been closer to the real age of the characters due to the long hours of the shooting conditions

Most of the actors come from theatre and many had no or little previous experience with shooting for a camera before

The cast isn’t allowed to watch the clips before they air.

Most of the clothes they wear in the show are their own.

During rehearsals of the first seasons, Philippine went to the board with everyone’s names on it and wrote something funny next to Zoe’s name and wanted to send it to her but she messed up and published it on her ig stories, leaking the entire cast when it was still supposed to be a secret.

Lula’s first reaction when she got the script and “met” Daphné was “oh no I’m scared. I just want to slap her, she’s insufferable”

Assa almost didn’t audition for two reasons: the casting call didn’t specify they were looking for a woman of color and French casting calls almost always say whether they are specifically looking for a black woman. If it says nothing then they are usually looking for a white person. She thought she had no chance because of that. Second reason, after accepting the casting call, she did some research and found out OG Sana was from the Maghreb and she’s not. But her agent convinced her to go through with it, the only thing the skam france team wouldn’t negotiate was that they wanted a Muslim actress. There was no way they would have casted a non muslim actress/actor for Imane and Sofiane.

Skam France was the first TV show on French TV to have a black muslim  woman wearing a hijab as a main character

Paul, Robin and Axel knew each other before shooting, they’d met in Avignon.

Coline was still in her last year of high school when she shot the first two seasons.

Niels is the one who came up with a raccoon as Eliott’s spirit animal

They shoot about 15 minutes of usable content per day which is impressive (it’s usually 2-3 for movies released in theatres, 5-7 for TV programs)

When France TV told David the first two seasons were a success and they were renewing the show, he gave them a list of things he wanted to change so that he’d agree to come back to direct the next seasons, including a different camera, renewing the writers team (they included Niels), storylines, the ig content, etc. The new camera they got was a SONY Venice which allows them to play a lot with the focus/blur ratio and the cold and warm undertones, which made a major shift in the visual quality of seasons 3 and 4 compared to the previous 2.

David named Eliott after his son.

Having the teaser from Eliott’s POV was David’s idea. It’s the first remake to have a clip from the French Even’s POV

The bus stop from season 3 is fake, it doesn’t exist. It wasn’t even shot in Paris itself but in Saint Ouen.

Maxence didn’t watch OG - besides the towels in the bathroom clip - because he wanted to create his own Eliott without being too influenced, and he didn’t watch s1 and 2 of skam france either because he wanted Eliott to discover the characters without knowing their backgrounds.

Maxence wasn’t supposed to audition. He wanted to be done with his acting school before shooting anything but the head of the casting team came to watch a public class at his school and asked him to audition for Eliott at the end. David and Niels knew right away he was the one. Niels watched the audition tapes and was very impressed with another actor but within the first 3 seconds of watching Maxence, he knew it wouldn’t be anyone else. Maxence met Axel after the 3rd call back and they clicked right away. He’d broken his foot two days earlier so he was in crutches. They watched Even’s manic episode and had to improvise a similar scene but had to do with the crutches. They also went for a drink before shooting and they talked for hours, their connection was instantaneous. 

When he learned Maxence was cast, Axel went on his instagram and saw the model pictures and thought he was way too hot with the abs and everything and he himself would look like a potato during the nude scenes next to him. So he got a coach and for 3 months he trained and got on a very strict diet. He was disappointed that there were no shots where you could actually see his abs properly in Skam. He had also said months before that he had gotten a coach because before they started shooting seasons 3 and 4, he had met up with Marilyn to get advice on how to carry a season and she had told him to get a coach otherwise he wouldn’t be able to keep up with the pace. So what is the truth?

It leaked that Maxence was casted in July 2018 because someone on a Korean website recognized his shoes in an IG story from when he’d been spotted at the airport months earlier but it was kept mostly under wraps. Then his and Lais’s names leaked too a couple of months later but most people hadn’t seen his face before the trailer.

David asked Axel and Maxence to give up their phones and social media during the couple of months they were shooting to be really focused and not get distracted by the outside world and they mostly did. Axel bought an mp3 to still have music, he wrote “LUCAS ♥” on it with a white out pen. He created a playlist for Lucas, including songs like Run Boy Run and I love you by Woodkid, and To Build a Home by the Cinematic Orchestra.

Maxence’s process to get ready for a shot: he does yoga and dances a lot in the morning. he puts music on and paces a room while picturing himself standing on the edge of a cliff and if at some point he feels like falling and loses his balance, it means he’s got it. He asks that all the scripts he gets be printed on the right side of the page and on the left he takes notes about what the character is feeling through 7 different states: love, hate, fear, power, vulnerability, sex and i hate myself for not remembering the last one. To play a scene properly, you have to conjure up 4 states to create one emotion. He loves that David respects his method and is able to adapt to every member of the cast’s method. He also uses his body as a tool, for example if his character has to feel lonely or unsure, he will curl up into a ball for an hour without moving and then he’ll be in the right mindset because his body is telling him he’s isolated. That’s the method he used for Eliott, he created “lost scenes” that weren’t in the script, moments in between scenes with Lucas, to get more into Eliott’s mindset.

Maxence wrote a letter to Eliott, drew a picture of him, and spent hours adding notes to the script about his personality before even trying to get into his mind. 

There was a contest for the drawings in season 3. Maxence participated but didn’t get picked. Jeanne Lelièvre did!

All the social media content for seasons 3 and 4 were shot on the same day in December 2018 which is why you can see heavy winter clothing even when the content was published in May. For season 3, most ideas were Axel’s, and Maxence said no to 90%. 

While shooting for seasons 3 and 4, Axel was also on stage every night for theatre

To prepare for his role in s3, Axel watched CMBYN, Moonlight, and The Office 

They received more feedbacks from international fans than French ones at first. It was even a private joke between Niels and David, there were no comments in French on Youtube. Then the piano clip happened and David’s phone went crazy with notifications. He was in the editing room with Jérémy and the buzzing from his phone was non stop. They banned phones in the editing room after that.

Skam France owes part of its popularity to how accessible the cast and crew are, either on social media or IRL, with 6 entirely free events organized to get the fans and the cast and crew to meet, watch episodes together and have Q&As during seasons 3 and 4.

Skam France shooting locations have become extremely popular for the fans to hang out at and leave little mementos, to the point that the mayor of Paris has asked the team to pick completely untraceable locations, or make sure they are not in Paris itself for the next seasons

Skam France was the first remake to get renewed for 2 (possibly 4?) original seasons

Alexia and Daphné were supposed to have their own seasons they but couldn’t get the green light from Norway. He got the idea for Arthur’s story quite quickly after but they had to rework the scripts for seasons 5 and 6 a lot. Robin talked to David about his addiction to video games and how it could be a potential theme but in the end David chose deafness instead.

SEASONS 1 AND 2

It was Coline’s idea to make Alexia bi. There was a scene when Alexia mentions an ex boyfriend and she asked David “why wouldn’t it be a girl?” and his only reaction was “Ok. What’s her name?” and that’s how bi!Alexia was born.

It was also Coline’s idea to give Alexia’s colorful hair. She later regretted it because she had to bleach her hair twice to get the blue to stay and it fried her hair.

Assa’s worst memory of shooting s1 and 2 is when the girls have to carry Daphné, she kept dropping her and was afraid of hurting her.

Marilyn and Lula ruined the scene when the girls are having breakfast all together when they are on the countryside because they couldn’t stop laughing over carrots and the crunchy noise it was making. It was the last day of shooting and their nerves were all over the place.

SEASON 3

The first scene in the common room didn’t hit them that much, they didn’t realize the impact it would have because the whole shooting was just David yelling at them to look at each other then stop then do it again then stop etc

Nobody realized how big of an impact the “Moi c’est Eliott” line would have and then when they watched the clip, it was obvious.

The check de gang wasn’t scripted, it was Paul’s idea to make it a running gag. David wasn’t sure about it but after doing it just once, he was sold. Basile tripping over the bench was also Paul’s idea but he didn’t warn anyone he was doing it so Xavier started laughing and the camera was shaking so bad that they couldn’t keep it and had to reshoot the scene. They noticed during the editing process that Robin also tripped at the same time in the background during one take so they had to keep that one. 

Lucas playing the piano was Axel’s idea even though he didn’t know how to play properly. He sent a text to David at the end of June with different ideas for songs and David picked the most difficult one. He then practiced anytime he could until they shot the scene in october. It took him two months to learn it completely and then a little more to make it look easy.  (Niels later said it was his idea and that Axel was a cheeky little shit). Maxence had never heard Axel play the song before that moment so Eliott’s reaction is genuine. He didn’t think he’d manage to get in the right state of mind because the apartment was too small for the whole team and they were all very cranky, it was 3 am, but the moment he heard the first notes, he forgot all about it and was completely amazed.

The infiltration party: David asked that Basile pushes Daphné a bit, like shoves her out of the way when they have to run, but they hadn’t had the time to rehearse anything. After a couple of takes, Paul pushed Lula a bit too hard and she fell on her knees quite hard. He felt so bad because he never wanted to hurt her and they all had to take a half an hour break because her knees hurt. David after that was like OKAY NO MORE STUNTS EVER.

Axel got mad at the makeup department because the two lines on his face were not on the same place when they shot the outside scene and then once inside. He got so angry he could have cried that they wouldn’t believe him. So during the shooting he looked straight at the camera and wiped them away with the back of his hand to force them to draw the lines properly.

The first kiss scene: they had been shooting for 12 hours. It was raining intermittently all day so the team had to pack up the cameras often and wait it out when it was too much. They ran 4 hours late. They had a fake rain machine but no change of clothes so they could only shoot once. Below the bridge is not easily accessible, it’s a long path from the gate, so they used ropes to get things up and down from the bridge. They only had one shot. They had already shot kissing scenes but David was always telling them it had to be more passionate and kept yelling at them to use more tongue so for that shot they gave it their everything on the first (and only) take they did. 5 minutes later they were shooting the Remember scene.

They shot all the scenes in the colloc on the first week of shooting. Minute by minute was shot right before Samedi 9h17. They had to restart shooting samedi 9h17 four times because something wasn’t working between Axel and Maxence, they were clumsy and stressed. After taking 5 minutes to themselves with David to remind themselves of how pivotal the scene was, Axel and Maxence said they were ready and they shot the opening scene that made the cut.

The Phase de latence clip : Axel and Maxence felt like terrible actors because they had already shot all the big very emotional scenes and this was a bit tamer since Eliott doesn’t show much emotions. They felt that way about all the scenes shot in the school.

The Fête de trop clip: They shot the fight with the guys 8 times but it wasn’t enough for David until Robin slapped Axel on the 9th. After that they shot Chloé yelling at Lucas. Axel was still out of it due to the slap he’d gotten earlier that he hadn’t expected. At 3am, they finished with Lucas injuring his hands. Axel cracked the metacarpus in his hand and only told David two days later.

Leo has talked about the coming out bench scene and said Yann took it a bit too far and was too dramatic, he was like “i don’t know if i can say that… but c’mon… I mean. C’mon… that’s your best friend… who cares if he didn’t tell you right away, he had bigger problems on his mind, right?”He would have done it differently.

The “viens on n’en parle pas” scene was shot in 50 minutes in the middle of the night on the second day of shooting. Marilyn and Axel’s emotions were briming under the surface so it was one of the easiest scene to shoot.

The hardest scene to shoot for David in s3 was the intervention clip. It was the second day of shooting, the 4th clip of the day. Axel’s first take was not good enough and David was scared it would set the tone for the season. He had a stern talk with Axel. Thankfully, they shot a second time and it was the right one, everyone on set was crying and Axel was completely drained.  

The scene where they go get the couch from the creepy place is the one they shot last for season 3.

The paint scene: they only had one try. Axel and Maxence hadn’t shot together for a week, David had done it on purpose and they’d missed each other. It was shot on a Friday at the exact time it was supposed to happen IRL. The whole thing lasts 14 minutes long. David took their pants off because they were slipping too much. Xavier almost stopped filming he was like “is he serious? did he just take their pants off??”. They shot a part when one of them slips on the ground and the other follows but that didn’t make the cut. There were 25 people on set, everyone in a suit to protect from the paint, but Axel and Maxence forgot everyone and just got lost in their characters. When David yelled cut, Axel and Maxence didn’t hear him and kept making out. David had to separate them. Then they all were so happy that they yelled their joy but then saw all the people who were behind the camera, and everyone was crying, like they had witnessed something too intimate. They showered for an hour, emptied 2 bottles of soap and even then it wasn’t enough, Axel still had paint running down his neck at a party that evening. The music used on set was Dreamer, the Khlar remix. Maxence was upset it wasn’t the one they ended up using in the clip, it felt like a betrayal because it “wasn’t the song they had made love to”.

Maxence fought with the costume department over the briefs he was wearing in the paint scene, because they had shot the PONI scene first and he could remember which ones he was wearing for the PONI scene and he wanted to wear the same ones. He was sure people would notice.

The first scene Maxence ever shot was the PONI scene. 

The boat scene was quite special. It was a big moment for Maxence, he was extremely nervous, so David reduced the team on set as much as he could. Maxence got upset at Axel for being too present during the scene. Being used to a theatre stage, Axel is always a bit over the top, eating his ham with a flourish, stuff like that, but this was supposed to be Eliott’s big scene. Maxence asked for a break and told David that if Axel didn’t tone it down, he’d kill him. That also got resolved quickly. 

The Remember Me scene: the priest is Lula’s dad. Lula and Niels both make a cameo in the church. They forgot to warn Axel that a car was coming when he’s running so his reaction is genuine. He was running so fast, the minivan with the camera couldn’t keep up so they shot it twice. They shot Lucas finding Eliott under the bridge just after shooting the first kiss. Maxence only had 4 minutes to get into the right state of mind which was extremely challenging and during that time he had to change his clothes, dry his hair and redo his makeup. Axel wasn’t feeling very well, he was exhausted after having shot 4 clips that day, but David told him he could do it so he ran on the path to the bridge harder than ever (David thought he was going to hurt his sinews) and when he fell to his knees, he was close to passing out, you can actually hear when he says the first “t’es pas tout seul” that he’s about to throw up / can’t breathe properly. They only shot that part once and after it was done David told them they should hug each other because what they had just done with Lucas and Eliott was precious and a moment to remember.  

There was supposed to be a scene after the Remember scene but it was cut. Eliott is sleeping, Lucas brings him food and starts reading his book and then Eliott wakes up. They say hi, Eliott is confused about the time it is, it’s already late afternoon. He says he needs to leave, but Lucas tells him no. He keeps saying he has to go, he has to go to his parents. Lucas tells him it’s fine, they’ve been warned of where he is. But he says he’s got to leave anyway. Lucas asks him why he keeps insisting he needs to leave and Eliott tells him he just doesn’t want Lucas to see him like this. Lucas tells him he doesn’t mind. Then he starts teasing him, saying Eliott just wants to leave because he doesn’t want to own up to the fact that he lied to him. Eliott is confused. Lucas reminds him that he’d said there was no way he would ever be able to sleep next to a guy that hot (on the boat) and yet here they are actually taking naps. So Eliott must have lied to Lucas about finding him hot. Eliott says he’s an idiot and Lucas tells him that at least he’s not a liar at that what matters is that he is his idiot. “Congrats, you’re now the owner of an idiot… more or less hot” Eliott tells him he’s won and asks what they should do now. Lucas answers that they should start by saying hi properly and they kiss, and when they pull back they just look at each other whispering “salut”. Axel said he was upset at David for cutting the scene because it was so soft and intimate, he called him when he watched the episode to ask why he cut it, but it would have been too repetitive with the following Lundi 17h21 clip.

Lundi 17h21 is the second clip Maxence shot. Lucas’s “T’es beau quand tu rigoles” wasn’t scripted, Axel changed the script, he was supposed to say something about liking seeing Eliott smile.

The Je t’aime scene: the first shot they did was the most emotional one, it was one of the hardest scenes emotionally for Axel. He was crying so so much, he had tears and snot everywhere, and Maxence was just wiping it away so tenderly that David thought about keeping that shot but the snot was REALLY disgusting so they didn’t keep it. They shot it a few more times, except that then Maxence had to leave. So the shot of Lucas saying Moi aussi is actually to David. Axel said it didn’t feel weird because he does love David so it felt true.

SEASON 4

Assa sat down with the team before they wrote anything for the season and told them her whole life story. It lasted 4 hours and she cried when reading the script because they had included so many things she had told them, it felt like her and Imane were one.

Making Assa dance was Philippine’s idea. David asked her what she thought about when thinking of Assa, something that was really her and Philippine said “Dada, you should see her dance”

Moussa and Assa knew each other before since they had filmed together 5 years prior, a movie in which they already were siblings. They feel like siblings in real life.

The worst clip to shoot was on Lais’s first day of shooting, it was the bus clip. The shooting conditions were terrible, there was too much noise, and the crew was tired from having shot the 3 bus stop clips from season 3 earlier that day. David was convinced there would be nothing to save and they would have to rent another bus but the team worked their magic in post prod and it turned out amazing.

They shot the scene with Imane, Lucas and Eliott in class the day after Halloween. Maxence was at a party the night before and lost track of time. He had to take a taxi straight from the party to the set at 6am and showed up in full zombie costume and makeup.

Charles come back: it had been cloudy and raining all day but the moment the camera was on the girls’ faces, a ray of sunlight appeared and the wind blew in their hair, making it a real dramatic moment. Too good to pass on, it’s the shot they kept.

The fight between Lucas and Eliott that we vaguely hear in the background was just gibberish. Axel and Maxence hadn’t prepared anything and Axel just ended up shouting at Maxence things like YOU LIED TO ME BEFORE ABOUT LUCILLE YOU MIGHT BE DOING IT AGAIN ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE and Maxence NO I WOULD NEVER - BUT YOU DID - NO I WOULDN’T - YES YOU DID - NO and they kept going in circles so David was like “guys…. please, you might want to start screaming about something else or this is gonna sound very repetitive” but in the end we can barely hear anything so it didn’t matter much

When Alex comes to pick up Emma to go to the cinema, Assa had a break down and couldn’t stop laughing, hiding under a blanket and making all the girls laugh too with her. David had to scold them a bit to get them to stop.

Lais also ruined a clip by laughing for 15 minutes straight, it’s the clip at Imane’s house when they talk about the fair. It was the longest 15 minutes of the crew’s life. 

The oui oui song during Daphné’s birthday party wasn’t planned, the team just lost control of the cast. Axel started it and everyone followed. The cast are actually terrible extras. They are too dramatic and noticeable in the background so party scenes like Daphné’s birthday were a nightmare to shoot. 

Assa and Laïs rehearsed the Unknown dance clip every chance they got between every take, everyone kept tripping on them in the corridors.

The last sequences they filmed were actually the last clips at Imane’s house for the Eïd. Axel isn’t in the last shot because he had to leave for his play. He actually ruined the very last clip of season 4 by shouting his goodbyes to David from across the corner.

SEASON 5

The auditions for season 5 and 6 were held in June. Lucas was spotted through his youtube channel and asked to audition. 

Coline learned sign language by herself after an initiation class with the whole team. She started signing in July and has been practicing ever since. Robin took a one week class in September and then kept practicing by himself and with the D/deaf people on set. David and the rest of the team also took an initiation class.

Robin doesn’t like water and was anxious about the scenes in the pool. David got in the water with Xavier, Robin and Winona to reassure him and direct them better. They limited the number of extras around the pool because of that.

The place where Eliott works is where David used to work when he was younger.

Coline wrote a song for the season

They couldn’t leave the mural in the high school so they took it off the wall (it wasn’t actually painted on the wall itself) and cut it into pieces. There are a few pieces framed on the walls of Lucas and Eliott’s flat.

[watchathon]

Stitch Day Special: Lilo & Stitch

In case you’re finding this post just by browsing the tags I’ve used for this post, this is the Watch-a-Thon, a blog where I’m hoping to watch an episode of a show every one-to-two days, with a short blog post where I give my thoughts on what I’ve just seen. Each new point starts with a hyphen and a bolded first word.

- Like so. 

But today? Well, today I’ve got an extra-special post in the wings about a movie, one of my favorite Disney movies, starring my absolute favorite Disney character: Lilo & Stitch!

- I like the variation on the Disney logo. That is the kind of stuff that they just couldn’t do with their new big fancy CGI logo. 

- No clue why Jumba tried to deny that he created an experiment. I don’t much mind since it led to a funny joke, but c’mon, evil genius, you should be smart enough to plead guilty.

- “I would never, ever... make more than one.” *glances meaningfully in the direction of the series*

- “What is that monstrosity...?” He’s a cute widdle fluffball, that’s what he is!

- “Meega nala kweesta!” Canonically, this translates to “I want to destroy”, but that seems a little lukewarm for the reaction he got. Maybe a looser translation is in order...

There could be an entire aristocrats joke in those three words. The whole script to Batman v Superman. The opening notes to “Never Gonna Give You Up”...

Or maybe just “bitch”.

- Blood work is a lot different in space...

- Weird to imagine given the rest of the franchise, but Gantu was once a respected captain of the galactic federation.

- It’s easy to perceive Stitch as a dumb brute, but he’s pretty smart. He connected the dots all on his own, within minutes of his imprisonment, that if the guns are locked onto his DNA, he can use his saliva to trick them. Jumba wasn’t kidding when he boasted of his experiment’s intelligence.

- And not only was Gantu a captain, Pleakley was an expert on the planet Earth. Weird, innit...?

- “Are [humans] intelligent?” “No.” An exchange that only hurts more with every year.

- Love the implication that Pleakley was just suggesting several different relatives to assist with the capture of Stitch from when they were on the deck up until they got to the prison where Jumba was held.

- Now this is what we (or rather TVTropes) call an establishing character moment. A fish floats by holding a sandwich in its mouth, implying (soon confirming) that Lilo was the one to give it the sandwich, before rushing to the hula practice that she was late for, stopping to take a picture of a tourist along the way.

- And then after she arrives at hula practice, she explains that she had to give Pudge the fish a peanut butter sandwich because he controls the weather.

- No clue why the other girls are disgusted by Scrump. I always wanted a Scrump when I was a little lass.

- “Did you ever kill anyone?” Lilo asks the right questions.

- Nani, y’could’ve avoided this if you’d given a thumbs up instead...

- I don’t get the glare Cobra gives Nani after Lilo says that her friends need to be punished. Voodoo isn’t a failure of parenting. In many cases, at least...

- Licking Nani, growling after her capture, Lilo already has a lot in common with Stitch.

- Lucky that Lilo is such a quirky kid. The scene (semi-)explaining why she takes pictures of tourists was deleted, but it doesn’t feel like anything is missing because she already has a few habits that just plain inexplicable, like feeding Pudge, practicing voodoo with a pickle jar...

- Lilo wishing for an angel because of how lonely she is, that’s a sad moment. But also kinda funny in hindsight after she sarcastically names Stitch’s love interest Angel in the series.

- Lord give me the undisturbed...ness, of that frog who watched Stitch get run over by several trucks and only tilted its head.

- If they thought Stitch was dead, why did they keep it in the shelter? I mean, Lilo would probably adopt a dead dog, but she’s the outlier.

- I like how Jumba programmed, as part of Stitch’s destructive tendencies, an urge to steal everybody’s left shoe.

- You can just about pinpoint the moment where Stitch’s heart drops at learning that he’s on an island with no major cities.

- Just occurred to me that the badness level is red, and Stitch’s evil counterparts in the series (627 and Leroy) are both red.

- Ah, David. One of the best Disney love interests, mostly because he isn’t entirely a love interest. There is a mutual attraction, but Nani just isn’t ready for that with everything going on in her life, and David respects that and is happy to be a friend.

- I like how everyone except Lilo heavily suspects that Stitch isn’t a dog. 

- Ohhh, the thought of Stitch having drank coffee. I mean, I’d love to see it, but it’d be Hell for Nani.

- Stitch looks just plain adorable with a lei.

- Well, Lilo, you did tell Stitch he should create something. And he did, he just destroyed his creation afterward.

- Pleakley is a gender-nonconforming icon.

- The first time we see Stitch doing something without even the intention of destroying anything is when he finds the book about the Ugly Duckling. It’s clear that he’s fascinated just by looking at it. And when Lilo explains the story? It resonates with him. Or, well, perhaps he wants it to resonate with him.

- I wish I had an evil koala dog that played records.

- Are we sure that “Meega nala kweesta” means “I want to destroy”? Maybe it means “I was born to dance”, ‘cause Stitch learns about dancing and in less than a minute he’s already an expert.

- I imagine this montage, or slightly earlier, would be when that deleted scene of Lilo trolling the obnoxious racist tourists originally came into play. And I like this scene, but, I do wish that scene hadn’t gotten cut. And I wish that they fully animated it and inserted it into the movie like Warner Bros did with The Iron Giant.

- Nothing cheers me up more than this scene of Stitch and his newfound family going surfing. And especially since Stitch is aquaphobic. He’s very much aware that he cannot swim, and likely wouldn’t survive if he fell off the board into the ocean. But even he eventually gets into the spirit of it, asks Lilo himself to go surfing, and enjoys a nice bonding moment with his family. And David.

- Of course Jumba and Pleakley had to ruin a perfectly sweet moment.

- And so we transition from a heartwarming wholesome moment, to a heartbreaking tearful moment. You can just see Nani holding back tears as she says that she needs to take Lilo home. 

As for Stitch, David probably didn’t even realize that Stitch could understand him when he said that Lilo and Nani had a chance until Stitch came along. But Stitch did understand, and he’s visibly hurt by the idea. He always wanted to destroy, but in this moment, he’s ashamed of how he might have destroyed Lilo’s family.

- And the Ugly Ducking metaphor comes back, when in this moment, as Stitch is coming back to a family that he fears he may have ruined, he sees a lone duck... before that duck is followed by a big family of ducklings.

- Lilo says that Stitch cries at night. So, it would seem that even before he completely learned how to be nice, Stitch wasn’t entirely emotionless.

- This whole act of the film is heart-wrenching. First Nani gets confirmation that she and Lilo will be separated, then Stitch starts to fear that he may have caused it. Then because of that? Stitch leaves, taking only the Ugly Duckling book with him. And he can only see in himself the page of the Duckling, lost and crying.

- Then Jumba tells Stitch, who’s already in a bad place emotionally, that he was made to destroy, has no family, and could never have one.

- I don’t want to think about what happened to that chainsaw.

- There’s a certain feeling that comes up in the middle of this fight scene, where you realize that a house is being destroyed, a house belonging to a family that was very much at risk of separation. And you realize that this will only hurt their case beyond any repair.

- If the past day hadn’t been bad enough, Stitch is told by his best friend Lilo that he ruined everything, and to get away.

- And so Nani really does have her sister taken away. Now, taken away by aliens is a lot different than taken away by social services. It’s worse. This way Nani knows that Lilo definitely won’t get a loving family, and Nani will definitely never see her again.

- The confusion is visible on Jumba and Pleakley when Stitch goes and comforts Nani with a quote about family. All they know about Stitch is that he was made to destroy. And then, once he’s captured, he does just about the opposite.

- “Ih.” To this day I sometimes say Ih on reflex when asked a yes-or-no question. Guess I watched this movie way too many times as a kid, huh? ...I regret nothing.

- Originally, the big red plane-looking thing was supposed to just be a plane, and it would’ve flown through a city. And it was changed because it was too soon after 9/11. But me personally, I think the big red thing is real cool, and I like it flying through the valleys.

- “Stitch is unconscious.” I like that Jumba calls Stitch by his name here. In the series, he always calls Stitch “626″ but his name is Stitch. And I like the rare occasion when that’s respected by the mad genius who created him.

- I want to believe that Stitch dodged that laser for the sake of the frog he was holding more than for his own sake. Stitch is strong enough that a few moments later, he survives an explosion of a whole truck that he’s lying on top of.

- Stitch proudly calling himself “cute and fluffy” is another thing I just love. Might be reading too much into it, but I like that he can call himself by those descriptors and still have total confidence in his ability to kick Gantu’s patookie.

- My favorite scene in the movie, and the scene I took the picture from.

Stitch corrects the Grand Councilwoman about his name. And when he’s told that he needs to go in the ship (the implication being that he’ll be punished like he was meant to be at the beginning), he doesn’t rebel or try to escape. He only politely asks that he be allowed to say goodbye.

He explains that his family is “little and broken, but still good”, both explaining it to the councilwoman and reassuring Lilo and Nani.

This is the ultimate display of how Stitch has grown. And he grew because, despite what Jumba said, Stitch could find, and did find, the one true place he belonged: With a good, loving family.

- The Grand Councilwoman is clearly remorseful that they’ll have to separate Stitch from his family, but she can’t bend the law for this one case. And she doesn’t, but it just so happens that, legally speaking, Lilo owns Stitch. And, well, what self-respecting Grand Councilwoman would steal a child’s property?

- A lot of people (including middle-school me) say that the stuff with Stitch and the aliens get in the way of the story of Lilo and Nani. I disagree. These two stories are intertwined, both about people wanting to stay with the family where they know they belong. I just couldn’t, at all, imagine one without the other.

- Now this is the kind of ending I love. It’s become common for animated movies, sequels in particular, to end on the two main characters getting separated. But here? Stitch is now a definitive part of the family, and won’t be separated from them anytime soon. Anime? What anime?

FINAL THOUGHTS:

I guess I’ll be doing this on the rare occasion I cover movies...?

Anyway, this is a great movie. A modern classic. And one of very few things that doesn’t just hold up from when I was a kid, it gets better. When I was a tiny kid, I was only interested in the space aliens. When I was in my early teens, I thought the aliens were kiddy stuff. 

But nowadays, I can truly appreciate it. I can appreciate how both aspects are vital to the movie. Lilo and Stitch are both equally important. You can’t have one without the other.

And most of all, I can appreciate the story of Stitch (as well as Jumba and Pleakley) finding a family, and Lilo (as well as Nani) saving theirs from being torn apart.

Lilo & Stitch brings me to tears of both joy and sadness every time I watch it. And I guarantee I’ll be watching it many more times in the future.

...Does it still count as a Stitch Day special if I’m posting after midnight? No, probably not. I thought I’d only take two hours, then I took four and a half. Guess that means I had more thoughts than I thought I did!

[ms-demeanor]

I just get grumpy about it, you know?

It’s not your fault that your face is everywhere. It’s not your fault that your fingerprints are on file. It’s not your fault that your daily travel is tracked. It’s not your fault that your DNA is (almost certainly) in a database that the FBI can look at whenever it wants.

You didn’t do this, you didn’t ask for this, and it’s impossible to walk back at this point. We can’t walk back from cellphones and cameras everywhere. Saying “well you can just not have a cellphone” in response to privacy concerns is like saying “well you don’t have go to college” in response to the debt crisis - it’s technically true but creates a logistical nightmare that often makes it difficult to participate in society as an equal citizen.

I used to get really pissy at David Brin because I thought he was too accepting of surveillance. He talked about sousveillance, turning the camera back on the watchers, as the best effective response (though not a solution because it’s insoluble) and I hated that. As late as 2015 I was griping about Earth because I thought it was too resigned to the inevitability of the panopticon. Oops. My bad. @davidbrin was right. (did you know he’s on tumblr? I’m still tickled by that)

It’s still insoluble. We are social animals but we aren’t adapted to being watched like this and I think that’s at the heart of all the boomer thinkpieces about millennial selfies. I think that’s at the center of the discomfort we feel with Cambridge Analytica and the Equifax breaches and the horrifying volume of personal information we don’t have any control over. We’re social animals, we thrive on interaction with other people and now that interaction is monetized and available on demand 24/7/365.

I just missed the cutoff for my parents sharing information about me on social media before I was an adult. There was never any chance they’d make an account in my name and share photos of me like a memory book. It couldn’t have happened.

But I was on the radio once. The mayor came to visit my class and I interrupted his photo-op by telling him we had baked for him and all the adults laughed. My mom recorded it on a tape deck and loved to show it to her friends. I learned the point at which the conversation turned and would run to my room and tie on my tap shoes and dance in the kitchen to drown out the strangling embarrassment of my little voice chirping “We baked you a pumpkin cake, Mayor Bradley.”

I can’t imagine what it would feel like to be a little girl I know in seven or so years when she looks at her mother’s instagram and sees herself dressed up as a different disney princess for each month of her first year of life. I can’t imagine processing that not only are there these pictures of me that I didn’t chose to be in but that all the adults I know have seen them, seen me being tiny and snotty and dressed like snow white.

In order to be loved we must submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known - that’s the line, right?

But none of us agreed to this. I didn’t agree to let facebook collect data on me, I didn’t agree to facial recognition software in the public square. I didn’t agree to share my DNA, I didn’t agree to let my menstrual cycle data be sold to my employer. This little girl didn’t agree to be a princess, to be seen by her mom’s thousands of followers. And we’re submitting to the mortifying ordeal of being known without even the payout of being loved in return.

The camera collecting my license plate doesn’t love me.

The TSA agent asking me to step aside and remove my shirt doesn’t love me.

The company that has my family under a column of genetic predispositions doesn’t love me.

But *I* love me. I love my rage and my humor and my singing voice and my silly drawings. I have friends who love me and love to see the places I go so we can talk about what we’ve done and what we want to do.

I’m known. You’re known. We’re all known. Little corners of me are cut off and sent away to sit on servers and get pulled up for points of comparison.

If I’m so well known I want to be loved as well. So I post a picture of myself in the desert or my family in the hospital or a video of me singing.

These things can’t hurt me any more than the things that I didn’t choose to share, and at least this way I get some warmth reflected from my smile.

[couragehopelovefaith]

My favorite friendships/BROTPS (part 2)

Jack and Mr. Gibbs

It’s very possible that the bond with this two goes to waaay back when. Can you imagine how many schemes they have created together? Some of those went “according to plan”, some of them very likely didn’t. What I love about them is that they are never afraid to be direct with each other - especially when the other one is doing or planning something idiotic. Even if they would be apart for a reason or another for quite some time, they can always trust to each other to hold their ground. Their iconic line “Take what you can - give nothing back” always makes me emotional for some reason.

Donna, Rosie and Tanya

I wanna belong to this gang. Seriously. There for each other through everything, partying and performing like there’s no tomorrow, lifting each other up... It broke my heart in the beginning of the sequel when I realized that one of the three musketeers - or Dynamos - was gone. I just adore this trio. 

“Grey’s Anatomy” and “Once Upon A Time” include many great friendships that deserve some attention.

Meredith and Christina

What can I even say about these two? They are each other’s persons. Their friendship was a reallly massive part of the shows  core and I was really emotional when Christina left. Their discussions are hilarious: even though they sometimes seem to talk about a completely different things or didn’t talk at all, they were able to get some huge support from each other - or just dance it out, when they felt like it.

McDreamy and McSteamy

Even women and cheating issues couldn’t come between these two. Death eventually parted them, but I wanna believe that they reunited later. Losing Mark really affected Derek. I can’t explain why I like them so much. I just do. I love the friendship between Mark and Callie to the moon and back as well.

Emma and Elsa

I truly wish we would’ve seen more of their friendship. They really understood each other’s struggles with abandonment, anxiety and their powers. In my mind, Emma asked her to be Hope’s godmother and her and Killian get letters from Arendelle at least once a month. Even though I’m a huge Captain Swan-shipper, a tiny piece of my heart belongs to Frozen Swan. Seriously, Emma would’ve needed more healthy friendships.

Charming and Hook

These two have come such a long way, haven’t they? At first, Charming was really prejudiced about pirates and Hook’s past and doubted if Killian is good enough for his daughter. As a surprise for both of them, Killian had killed David’s father in the past, when he still was a different man. But when trust and connection between them started to develop, even this didn’t stop their bromance and they solved it out by forgiveness. David really learned to trust his “son... in-law”. When I think about OUAT, some of their discussions and funny scenes are first ones that come to my mind,  

Snow & Red, Ariel & Belle and Ariel & Hook

These three duos just warm my heart. Red helped Snow to hide from the Evil Queen and Snow taught her to accept her wolf-side and encouraged her to go after her true love. I love the consept of Belle and Ariel; Belle could’ve teach her so much about human world and they could’ve travelled together. Ariel and Hook haven’t had the easiest past considering what happened to Eric, but I always liked their common storylines. Like Emma, Ariel helped Hook to see the man he could be and encouraged their relationship. She also helped Hook to defeat Ursula and was always very honest with him. I would’ve wanted to see more scenes with AU-versions of them. I don’t know, something about the friendship between mermaid and pirate just intrigues me.

Alice and Mad Hatter (Tarrant)

There’s just something adorable about these two. I feel like a broken record, but they had so much potential to be more than friends as well. It’s so heartbreaking to think that he waited for Alice all those years. In addition, the both goodbye scenes between them are heartbreaking. But, on the other hand, he was so happy to see her again got the chance to watch her regain her muchness again.

Harry, Hermione and Ron

Oh, yes… the golden trio.. :) Such a huge part of my childhood, couldn’t leave them out. The reasons are so obvious for me that it is really hard to describe them. Even if it bugs me that the movies erased much of Ron’s bravery and loyalty and gave many of his iconic lines to Hermione, I love these three - both in the books and the films. 

Lizzie, Gordo and Miranda

Another iconic trio of my childhood.. ;) I really love their dynamic. A part of me wondered if I should just choose Lizzie and Miranda, because I really started to ship Lizzie and Gordo at some point, but it would’ve felt wrong to leave him out. This is what dreams are made of.

Nick and Judy

Dumb bunny and the sly fox...or was it other way around? Anyways, Carrot and Nick are my bromance of the animation world with Timon and Pumba and Lumiere and Cogsworth. They come from so different situations but still have so much in common. Their bickering, sassiness and emotional discussions… I freaking love it. It’s no wonder that Zootopia is still one of my favorite animated movies. “Boom.”

None of these gifs are mine. All credit goes to their respective owners.

[thecastingcircle]

‘A Goofy Movie’ at 25: An Oral History of “I2I” and the Powerline Concert Scene Posted on Friday, April 24th, 2020 by Ben Pearson

Part Two

Kevin Lima: We storyboarded the entire sequence first, so we had a very intricate sense of what we wanted from it.

Gregory Perler (Editor): Brian Pimental, who was in charge of storyboards, he and his team boarded it. The way they used to do it in those days was pin every single storyboard up, play the song, and then run with a little pointer and point out the beats. The one unique thing about that song, though, was that there was live-action reference done for it.

Kevin Lima: It was actually one of the very last sequences to be finished in the film. We found that we were up against a huge deadline with the movie. I actually asked a good friend of mine, who was a storyboard artist on the movie, Steve Moore, to go to Australia and the entire sequence was animated in Australia.

Steve Moore (Storyboard Artist and Sequence Director, Sydney): [Kevin] called and said they were behind schedule, and said the concert sequence at the end had a ton of effects and it was more than they could do to hit their deadline. So he said Disney had a studio in Australia that does a lot of their TV stuff, one of their top outsourced studios down there, and would I want to go down there and supervise this sequence? I was like, “Yeah, sure. Go to Australia for six months? What’s the problem?” (laughs) They were in such a hurry that they were like, “Tomorrow, can you meet with the choreographer?”

Kevin Lima: We choreographed the whole [scene] based on the storyboards.

Steve Moore: We met, looked at the storyboard reel, and talked for a bit, and then two or three days after that, we were in a little soundstage in Burbank. We’d hired a guy to video record [the choreographer] and his dancers, and they did the “I2I” dance. From the boards, he came up with the “I2I” dance, and that’s why you can actually do the dance – because it wasn’t left to animators to come up with, it had actual moves to it.

Kevin Lima: I wanted to create a dynamic that separated Powerline being more grounded in the choreography that he does, as opposed to Max and Goofy, who can slide across a 50-foot stage, fall from the rafters, blow up, and who can do The Perfect Cast. Which, I don’t know if you’ve ever tried it, but it is quite difficult.

Gregory Perler: In the old Disney films, they filmed the actors moving in live action and then the artists literally traced over them. If you look at Snow White, for example, who is human, she moves exactly like her live-action reference. But with Max and Goofy and Powerline, they’re not the same proportions. So you can’t do that.

Kevin Lima: We knew that we wanted The Perfect Cast to be the center of the whole thing…we used that, as a lot of animation does, to be an influence for the animators. They didn’t copy it, exactly, but they certainly used it to get a real sense of continuity and an overall sense that there was a beginning, middle, and end to the piece.

Gregory Perler: Kevin thumbnailed every single shot from the live-action reference that he wanted to include in the song, and he spaced it out in the middle of the storyboard sequence that Brian had done. We incorporated that into the shoot.

Steve Moore: I had this one animator, he kept pulling out Paula Abdul videos. I said, “We have reference.” He goes, “Yeah, but she does this really good – ” [And I was like] “The reference!” He just wouldn’t do it. I finally had to boot him off the crew because I couldn’t get any work out of him. He was so obsessed with Paula Abdul. (laughs) He was a good animator, too! But I was like, “Look, if you can’t do this, I have to move on.” I warned him, and he just wouldn’t listen to me. He thought, “Ah, what’s he going to do?” Well, I put him back on the series stuff [like Goof Troop], because the studio was doing series work for Disney at the same time. They were not so happy with me because I was getting all their best people. Once I let that guy go, they were very happy. They said, “Thanks for doing that! We got a lot of footage out of him last week because he’s so mad!”

Gregory Perler: It cuts from Max and Goofy very high up at the top of the waterfall where the little rescue has happened, and a map flies in, and the map transitions you to the concert. So then you have that music start, you have a couple of establishing shots of a stadium, and people arriving. Then these roadies throw these cases in, the cases open up, and Max and Goofy come out. And you just go with it. It may have been one of the later sequences that was boarded, so there wasn’t a lot of time. Early on in the process, a sequence can be overthought. And I’m sure if we had done this one very early on, someone would have said, “Well, how did they even get in the cases?” (laughs) But we didn’t, and it’s such a treat to watch it and you just buy it.

Kevin Lima: I was always fascinated with David Bowie, and the way that he became characters. He put on a theatrical version of himself as he performed. I thought, “How can we do this with Powerline? Is there a way to give him a visual identity that makes him ultimately super theatricalized?” That’s where it all came from. That’s where the atom came from, the electricity. It was really about creating this identity that could live within the world of Goofy and Max.

Bill Farmer (Voice of Goofy): When you do a take and they say, “OK, be electrocuted,” then you just let your mind go with it. What’s it like to be electrocuted? Sometimes you go, “Whoa!” or grab your throat and kind of shake it, like, “Whoa-oh-oh!” High ones, big yells, all that. Then they pick the best ones and put them in. But when you do those yells and things that are rough on the vocal cords, they always save those for the end of the day, because if you strain your throat you don’t have anything else to do after that.

Bambi Moé: Up until this pandemic, I think going to see live music was – there’s nothing like it on the planet. I think what Kevin and his team did was to visually animate something that we could all relate to. The experience of it. The way it was communicated. It wasn’t just seeing the character performing. I think what really makes it so special is that it felt to me that there was an intimacy. You were a fly on the wall in the middle of this unbelievable concert. You were seeing it through the eyes of the lead characters – in this case, Goofy and Max. It was less about Powerline and more about them.

Gregory Perler: You’ve got to be on certain things on certain times within the song. All the backstage stuff that involves Goofy getting separated from Max, Max being chased by a guy – they’re cut within an inch of their lives. Because you’ve gotta be back on stage when you’ve gotta be back on stage. I do a lot of movies that have songs that have performance stuff but also story stuff, and this was a great first one to do because it really works.

Kevin Lima: Because we were all separated – we were all in different parts of the world – I would do videotapes in which I acted out all the scenes. I may have gone through that scene with them. I didn’t dance it, but I did do the acting that the characters would have done. So all of the surprises, the double-takes, Goofy holding his face when he sees Trini in her dressing room, all of that stuff are things that I actually was doing on my videotapes to help the animators understand what I wanted from the scene.

Bill Farmer: The heavyset woman who sings with Powerline in that scene was a character who was in the “Open Road” scene, traveling along with a little nebbish kind of a character. She had a lot more in the movie that got cut out, except for her in the scene of “Open Road” and then as one of the backup singers that Goofy sees in the dressing room and has the most weird look on his face. (laughs) He’s all embarrassed. She’s the one that’s vocalizing with Powerline on “I2I.”

Steve Moore: It was pretty tight. We had it down to what it needed to be, and there was no time to waste on anything. The only thing that still had to be worked out when I got to Australia was how the lighting was going to work. Because there was so much concert lighting to figure out…one of the concert scenes had so many different light things going on that we had like 32 levels of animation. Because we were shooting it all in a camera back then. They had given up their conference room for me to have an office, and the entire conference room floor was covered in layers of this scene while we were checking it before it went to camera…In CG, you would just set the lights. But we had to figure it out. We had one thing where it was flashing overhead, and another thing going around the sides of them when they were dancing. So the source of light’s coming from here, and we had to draw a rim matte kind of thing, and they would paint that. It was a lot of stuff to figure out like that.

Gregory Perler: It was one of the first scenes I ever edited on the Avid, digitally. Prior to that, we were editing on film. When we started the movie, we were on 35mm film that was shot and edited on an editing table, and then after about a year, Disney said, “Hey, we’re thinking of switching to these digital editing platforms. Are you interested?” And I said no, because we were already halfway through. Then I realized it wasn’t really a question. (laughs) It was, “OK, you’re going to get an Avid and you’re going to learn how to use one.” Even though I was reluctant, I admit that “I2I” was the perfect sequence to cut on the Avid because A) you were integrating another source medium, which was 30 frame per second video of the [reference footage of the dancers], and B) you have to be able to react so quickly and extend a drawing, take away from a drawing, or repeat a drawing so much more nimbly than you could if you were working on film.

Kevin Lima: With film, you have to pull it out of the gate, cut it, splice it, and put it back into the flatbed. With Avid, you could do it seamlessly without physically having to handle anything. I remember when they told us they wanted us to do this, and we may have been the very first to do Avid work at the studio. I remember us looking at each other and saying, “Oh man, we’re in for it now, because we’re going to be working out all the bugs as we go along.” But really, it was kind of seamless.

Carole Holliday (Character Designer, Roxanne and Stacey): It wasn’t until maybe about ten years ago that I found out that people your age love A Goofy Movie. Because it was the movie of their childhood. I had a girl that I went to church with who was like, “Can you draw Roxanne and Max on my Keds?” She bought brand new Keds so I could draw them on her shoes. I was like, “OK!” (laughs)

Gregory Perler: I don’t even know how long the song is. It might only be three minutes, but there’s so much jammed in there. You’ve gotta see the kids watching them on TV.

Kevin Lima: I don’t recall when we actually pulled in the idea that they were going to be on television. The concert being on television gave us the ability to cut around the country, or cut to the different players within the movie. We knew that we wanted Roxanne to see what had happened, we didn’t just want her to hear that it happened. So that’s where this idea of being on television came into play. We knew that was really the crux of it: Roxanne seeing Max and recognizing that he wasn’t just pulling one over on her, that he wasn’t lying to her because he was afraid – he was actually there.

Carole Holliday: I was always drawing Roxanne because I [joined the production in] France hopefully to animate the character that I designed. I didn’t realize until I got there that she was popular. At one point, I had done a doodle of Roxanne with an Eiffel Tower hat on. I drew another picture over it, so I took the rough, crumpled it up, and threw it in the trash can. The next day, I came back to my desk and my desk mate had pulled it out of the trash can and put it on his wall. I was like, “What?” It was very touching…I went there, and all of the French guys were like, “I want to draw Roxanne!” I think that’s the thing: she’s innocent. She was just this schoolgirl. People like innocence. They’re drawn to innocence. Even though in her biography, her favorite song was The Police song “Roxanne,” a story about a girl who’s not innocent. But Roxanne was. At the time, I was working with teenagers through my church, and I just treated her like the kids that I knew, and I think people saw that in the character.

Gregory Perler: If I remember correctly, it’s Bobby who sees him first. It’s treated as, not a joke, because it has real importance for [Roxanne]. And it sets up the fact that [Max] has to go back and tell her the truth, even though he actually completed his whole deception.

Carole Holliday: The ending doesn’t work unless the director and his head of story and the story crew have set up from the beginning what the character’s emotional want is. The fact that Max thought he wanted one thing and was fighting the very thing that Goofy wanted through the whole thing, and at the end, gets the relationship with his father. It’s like, “I’ve missed out on everything else, but I got this one thing I wasn’t expecting.” Then the Powerline concert at the end becomes the cherry on top. It’s like, “Oh my goodness, you get your dad and you get this! You were a bad kid, but you won because you actually acknowledged your foolishness!” I think that’s why it pays off, is because he repents. He gets what’s important, and then he gets given this other gift on top of that.

Kevin Lima: I was really wanting to make a John Hughes movie in animation. That was really my goal. Can we tell a more contemporary story with contemporary characters than had been told in animation up to that point? So at every turn, I was trying to make it feel like it was happening today. Well, 1995 “today.”

Gregory Perler: I don’t remember how the whole thing with Bobby and Stacey came about, but I think the music is vamping a little bit there, so there was time to play that out. Kevin and Brian came up with that, and we made it fit as best we could.

Kevin Lima: We felt like we should wrap up all the other stories that we’ve been telling. Pete, especially, being just flabbergasted and spitting out his beer on the television screen. I think maybe we’re the only Disney movie to have a character drink a beer. But he spits it all over the television because he is just amazed that what Goofy said was going to go down, went down. The concert really gave us a way to tie everybody’s story together. It’s amazing for me how, in animation especially, you can use music or a song to tell so much of your story in a really economic way.

Gregory Perler: It really does feel like the climax to a movie. You’re putting this thing together sequence by sequence, not always in order. Everybody loved “Stand Out” at the beginning of the movie, but by God, [“I2I”] is a climactic musical number, and it has real scope and scale that maybe the rest of the movie didn’t. You’ve got wide shots with crowds and things we take for granted today.

Steve Moore: We’d hear that song every day. It was like, “Here it goes again.” But for me, it never got to a point where I didn’t like the song anymore or couldn’t stand to hear it anymore.

David Z.: It’s funny, but those songs really lasted. Actually, the whole movie has taken on a second and third generation. My kids loved it when we did it, but then all these other people, I guess it was just the time where a lot of people had kids. But it was for grown-ups, too, because we didn’t make the song as a kid’s song. We made the songs as a sophisticated, radio-friendly groove.

Gregory Perler: It’s the culmination of this little movie that people have really grown to love and become invested in. It feels like this is the most satisfying way the movie can end. It feels inevitable in the best possible way for a movie. When it takes two, two and a half years to do a movie like that, and you don’t necessarily work in order and we have other songs that we didn’t use and stuff, you just never know.

Kevin Lima: I think the scene resonates because it’s backed with a powerful emotional through line. I think you get to see the culmination of a very difficult journey for Max and his dad come to a very rewarding end. Max fulfills a dream in some ways. Not only does he get to go on stage with Powerline, but he gets the girl at the end of the day. I think those are all very powerful themes wrapped up in one big song that echoes those themes. The song truly echoes what is happening in the plot. I think that’s what makes it truly stick in a real way.

David Z.: That was one of the hippest movies to come out, musically. There hasn’t been anything as cool since maybe an old Betty Boop cartoon where they used Cab Calloway. That was some great music. But cartoons didn’t have great music until then – not that I can remember. It was sort of a brave statement for me to make because it hadn’t been done.

Patrick DeRemer: My kids, who are adults now, they still have this song in their playlists. As do their friends. This generation of millennials – late twenties to mid-thirties – love this song. It makes me very proud as a writer to be proud of, first of all, the Disney movie catalogue. But then to be a part of such a popular song that’s touched so many people, it’s really exciting to me. It’s one of my favorite moments in my career, being able to touch that many people so deeply. It’s an emotional thing. It’s that magic relationship when lyric, music, emotion, and film all comes together, and it fits. It’s kind of hard to describe exactly why or how it happens, but when it does, you know it.

David Z.: It expanded so far, and had such a big audience. And still has a big audience. I didn’t realize people were so dedicated to it. We went to a screening, a 20-year celebration, and it was packed to the gills. I couldn’t believe it. People were running on that memory for a long time. The popularity of it has exploded.

Steve Moore: For people today, they grew up with it. This was the age of the VCR, and kids watched this over and over and over again, and now they’re in their thirties, and you mention A Goofy Movie and they get gooey about it. It’s in their hearts from their childhood, and they can watch it today as adults and still enjoy it. It still holds up, and I think that has to do with the emotional quality of the film, how it draws you in, how the song was part of the story, it’s the climax of the movie, and the father and son are dancing together. It’s just a nice sentiment and a nice way to end the movie.

Roy Freeland: I’ve been watching the TikTok dance challenge. I’m OK [at it] now. I tried it. I decided not to post my attempt. (laughs) But it’s so much fun to see people get up and do it. There was a high school principal, there was a doctor in New York wearing his scrubs with an inspiring message on top of that about good news of how the curve is flattening. It’s a contemporary message, of the moment right now – that hopefulness and connection between people.

Bill Farmer: I have tried to get that [dance] down as close as I can. I’ve tried to remember how it is, and I actually found my old script. “Ten o’clock, two o’clock…” I’ll attempt it, but it’s not really a video-worthy thing. (laughs)

Patrick DeRemer: If you know Bruno Mars and any of the people at Disney live action, they should put a live stage version of this together with Bruno as Powerline. That would be great! Can’t you hear him singing this?

Bill Farmer: Over the years, many fans have come up to me – probably more than any other project I’ve ever worked on, and I’ve done close to 4,000 projects for Disney – and A Goofy Movie stands out among all of them with the fans. They always come up and say, “I couldn’t talk to my dad, but we saw this movie, and it became our movie.” They’d watch it every year or listen to the soundtrack together, and “I2I,” it encapsulates the whole theory of the movie. They can see eye to eye without seeing eye to eye on everything. A father and a son can find common ground and be buddies, even though they’re separated by one being Goofy and one being embarrassed of his dad. And everybody’s been embarrassed of their parents, so it really strikes a note that you can relate to.

***

A Goofy Movie is currently streaming on Disney+. All screengrabs are either from that presentation or from this “Making Of” documentary about the movie found on YouTube. Tevin Campbell’s representatives did not respond to our requests for an interview, but if you’d like to read his reflections on his contribution to the film, you can do so here.

The End

[ourdallasvideofestthings]

Bart Chat 10/19/20

Greetings all,

This week has made me think that we are in a new Golden Age of media. There were so many releases this week and I will discuss a few in a minute.  With the theaters mostly empty and no change in the immediate future, the future of how we see films is in flux.  But sitting at home a world (an incomplete world, but a world nonetheless) of cinematic entertainment and inspiration is a click away. This has me thinking about what this means for an organization like ours. Our show Frame of Mind surely fits into this moment. (we had a great show this Thursday, see more below) The model of the Cinematic Conversations is great and I’m trying it find a way to enhance it. (We also had a great one this week, which I will get to in a minute.) I’m trying to get a larger and more regional audience, and then hopefully national, I’m just not sure how to do this. Would it be better as a podcast? Just trying to reimagine. If you have any ideas, let me know.

So, this week on Cinematic Conversations we have the great Mark Lamster on to talk about one of everyone’s favorite films, Dr. Strangelove. (How many lines can you recite right now?) With all that is going on right now, we all need a release and this is a good one. Mark is one of the best things about living in Dallas. His writing for the Dallas Morning News helps us see our city for what it could be and shows us the many things that are wrong. His story on Joppa was powerful and Sunday’s story on the new ballpark almost made me want to go.  Join us on Wednesday at 7:30 CST.

This week on Frame of Mind we will screen the Savage Seconds, by the Danielle Georgiou Dance Group.  This mix of dance and theater and cinema was shot in the early days of the pandemic. All the actors/Dancers had to quarantine before shooting and production was carefully controlled throughout. This is a beautiful work and also a testament to how artists can pivot and create work within new limitations.  You can check out my interview with Danielle and collaborator, Justin Locklear.

I started the weekend by watching the new film The Trial of the Chicago Seven by Aaron Sorkin, which premiered on both HBO Max and in theaters on Friday. It was really great and hopefully, we will do a Cinematic Conversation on this in the near future. Speaking of Sorkin, if you were a major fan of West Wing you can see a staged reading of an episode with the now-aging actors reviving their roles. More than anything, it reminds me of what good leadership should be.

After watching The Trial of the Chicago 7, I remembered this great film about the trial that used animation and found it online for free—Chicago 10 (2007). This documentary features animated court scenes and was made by Bret Morgan, who made The Kid Stays in the Picture. One of the things watching the films back to back revealed was what Sorkin manufactured and what really happened in court.  Before you leave this era, it might also be good to watch Haskell Wexler’s Medium Cool, where he sent his actors into the middle of the protests going on at the time.

Back to the present, HBO Max has released David Byrne’s American Utopia, directed by Spike Lee. It takes some of the visual ideas Byrne used in Stop Making Sense, blended with a bit of what he learned from doing music for Twyla Tharps’s The Catherine Wheel, adds what he experienced in Contemporary Color (his film about drill teams), and mixes all that with the best of performed live on, an otherwise empty, stage. If Same as it Ever Was means something to you, you need to see this.

In other things going on, this Halloween season The Texas Theater is bringing a small number of people into the theater on October 31st to see The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, which turned 100 this year. The Invincible CZARS will provide the live score.  I would love to see this, but I’m still being cautious.

If you want to have a cinematic experience with your friends at the Angelika Theater, they have some great viewing options. This is both good for us and also a great way to help them stay open. I mean, really, wouldn’t it be great to see a film with friends in a safe environment?

CURBSIDE DRIVE THROUGH EVENT THURSDAY OCTOBER 22nd Thursday, October 22nd – 4-6 pm Studio Movie Grill Chisholm Trail, Northwest Highway, Plano, and Spring Valley 4 Free Tickets + Free Large Popcorn! One more thing, our friend Miguel Alvarez has been working on a series about voting.

And if you have not yet done so, please vote. If you vote by mail, take a few minutes to make sure you do everything by the book; don’t give anyone an excuse to not count your vote. My recommendation is to drop it off at one of the official places just to be safe.

Have a great week. Sorry for so many ()’s this week.

[marie-bluem]

   Random Entry: 07/01/20

    (Please don’t reblog, repost, etc)

        It’s been raining a lot lately, which has kind of put me in a nostalgic mood lately and given me this sudden urge to want to look back on some of my old blog posts, entries, and past years. Also the current state of our world right now and other things, especially the current state of the U.S. right now, has made me feel sad ( I am kind of feeling a tiny bit of that summer time sadness/blues ;-;)🌦📔      

  However, seeing the progress being made by everyone working together to bring more awareness to the inequalities and issues that still need to be addressed, not just in the U.S. but in the world in  general, and being able to help and take part  with my friends and just being able to keep in touch with my friends, has made me feel more hopeful and inspired as well. Overall, the past month of June had just kind of put in a reflective mood and want to reflect back on some things/ memories/ personal experiences etc and just write about and comment on some things like some of my past posts as an effort to try to write gain a bit more on here.

       Also I’m really sorry anons that I haven’t finished answering the rest of your anons. As  you saw from my last posts, these past months have been months where many have been working together to spread more awareness and info on issues like police brutality, mental health awareness, BLM movement, Juneteenth and more, that I just personally felt it was and still is more important to reblog posts on those topics in order to bring more awareness to those topics, and limit my amount of personal posts/ posts that don’t have to do with those topics. So I’m really sorry, but I have not forgotten about your anon asks! What I plan to try to do is answer just one of your asks once a week and like I said I will still post/ reblog some personal posts  but I will also try to reblog more posts containing info on more important topics. So I will still try to post/ reblog personal content and continue to answer some of your anons! ^^

Okay lol you can just ignore the rest of my text below lol (you don’t have to read what is below this ;-;) Like I said , the rest of the text will be a few of my comments/ thoughts as well as thoughts  I remember having when I reblogged some of my old entries, posts etc. ^^ . Also please don’t reblog this post (I’m sorry I just really don’t want to encounter a lot of weird tumblr bots again 😥 😭

January 2013:

      Aw My first posts and the beginning of this blog  ^^ I can’t believe it has already been more than 7 years since I created my Tumblr blog. I remember not knowing anything about Tumblr until my friend Emily told me “Marielisa, have you downloaded Tumblr, you should make your own Tumblr blog and follow mine please”. We didn’t even have proper phones back then (I had an old blackberry phone lol) since we were still in middle school. I remember only being able to log onto Tumblr when we had computer lab or got to use and take home our school’s iPads. Lol since I was way more shy back then, my friend ended up writing my first post saying hi and asking others to follow me and recommending me some blogs . My friend and I were really into 1D back then so I remember most of the blogs I followed back then were blogs about 1D, polyvore outfits, outfit mood boards, London, Paris/ traveling and quotes. Lol I remember Zayn being my favorite 1D member followed by Liam (before Liam shaved his hair lol; my friend and I were shook 😶 ) I remember Zayn being my favorite due to his introverted and shy yet playful personality. Wow a lot of time sure has passed since then. But, I guess some things never change though because traveling is still one of the things on my bucket list, I still hold this unexplainable yearning and wanderlust for visiting Europe (especially France and Italy),and also still am very fond of poetry, book quotes,  moodboards, and listening to 1D throwback songs from time to time with my friends✨ 💛.

February 2013:

Aw I think this is when The Perks of Being a Wallflower had come out. I remember being really excited to see how the movie had turned out since The Perks of Being a Wallflower was one of my favorite books at the time and held (and still does) a special meaning for me. Haha I remember ‘falling in love’ with Logan Lerman, wishing I could meet my own “Charlie” / Logan Lerman lol. Lol I remember wishing to be able to meet a some-what shy, dorky/ funny and thoughtful guy whom I could be awkward, silly and care-free with and share songs with haha. I also remember falling in love with the ost of the movie. To this day, Heroes by David Bowie aka the tunnel song is one of my favorite songs (as well as Come On Eileen and more favorite songs which just keep on accumulating ;-;) (I also remember wanting to have my own living room routine dance with someone.  Lol if anyone has read this far and gets this reference, I appreciate you 💝 )

Some extra notes (thoughts):📔✨

From looking at some of those posts I also realized that some things haven’t change like my love for strawberries lol, my love for city views, and my love for cozy, fluffy sweaters and cardigans (sweater weather).    🍓🌃  🧥

 I also still enjoy listening to some songs from The Beatles and really old songs in general.🎶

I no longer want to find a “Charlie”; I just want a thoughtful, kind, and funny guy who can be both quirky/ silly and serious depending on the situation, as well as hardworking, honest about his thoughts (is able to open up to me about his thoughts, feelings, worries so that I can do the same and so that we can both find comfort in one another and not second-guess one another) and a good listener/ someone whom I can have random, deep or silly late night conversations with lol, go on spontaneous outings with, and whom I can just be my some-what shy, awkward, random lol , sensitive, normal self around . (Also someone who preferably loves/ enjoys  Spring and Autumn (especially Autumn) just as much as I do and who loves animals/ pets ;-;)

Spring 2013: 

      The time during which I got to watch the movie “The Art of Getting By” and time during which I really did feel a bit lost in my thoughts. (The Art of Getting By also has one of my favorite indie osts ) I remember having a lot of thoughts (‘worries’’) on what might happen after I finished middle school in May and started High school in June (It makes my heart feel warm remembering the small things my younger self used to worry about) I remember wondering about what High school was going to be like, feeling kind of anxious and scared about getting lost on the first day of classes in a bigger school compared to my small middle school. Lol I remember thinking: Would I be able to make any new friends or at least have some of my middle school friends attend the same high school as me? Would I have trouble opening my locker again? Lol my middle school self didn’t have any clue as to what was going to happen and the many things my high school self would experience and overcome. (Lol the things my middle school self used to worry about 😆 🤧  

     Thinking back,  I think that if my middle school self were to have known or been able to take a glimpse at what my high school was going to be like and known how I would have to attend classes with much older college students I think that my middle school self wouldn’t have known have to feel nor believed it and might have even felt more overwhelmed about starting high school. I don’t think my middle school self would have been able to see just how much that experience and my decision to attend my high school over the other program that had also accepted me, would allow me to not only mature a bit more and grow as a person, but also learn to take control over my anxiety (little by little) and meet and befriend some of the most kindest and dear people to me who are now my closest and dear friends. 

       Because of that I can’t help but to wonder what would have happened to me if I hadn’t decided to attend the high school that I did, met the people that I did.  If I didn’t meet my friends of now back then would I, by some chance have still been able to meet them in a different place at a different time? That’s why I’m really glad I decided to attend my high school because even though it did lead me to experience some of the most difficult and mentally draining periods in my life , I would not change my decision if I was given a chance to go back and change it. I can’t imagine my life today without my friends whom I met back then and some other special people (particularly one person) because even though they might not know it or realize it they changed me in a good way and became a  very important and precious part of my life. I’m very thankful for having been able to cross paths with  them and for them having crossed paths with me 💖 .

August 2013: 

    I’m trying to think back as to what or who hurt me to reblog those posts lol 😶(wow I was so emo; My last year of middle school was filled with angst huh ;-; ) but I can’t remember. This made me realize though that there is some truth in what some people say in that: as time passes by we learn to slowly heal, let go, and forget of the things or people who might have hurt us. Before we know it, we don’t remember any of those not so happy times or those memories just don’t hurt anymore because as time goes by we begin to make  more happy and precious memories with people and friends that make us feel warm and loved. As for embarrassing moments/ memories (we all have them ^^  lol )  I found that as time goes by those memories don’t feel as embarrassing anymore but rather funny making me feel fond of those moments and smile at how funny and precious those moments actually were. So, if any of you reading this also have some not so nice memories just know that with time, and as you slowly learn to let go of them and spend more time making more happy memories rather than dwelling on those not so pleasant memories,  those not so pleasant memories will slowly heal and scatter away. As for those embarrassing memories, they will slowly blossom into something precious you might fondly look back on one day and laugh at 😆  (which is one of the best feelings).

September 2013: 

     My first full month attending  my high school (AHS) lol. I remember I had gone on a trip with my family early that summer so I wasn’t able to attend the summer bridge program that my high school organized for freshmen students. Since I didn’t go to the summer program, I couldn’t help but feel  nervous and a bit lost on the first day of classes because I didn’t know which homeroom class (cohort)  I was supposed to be in. I also didn’t know any of the teachers or anyone in my class because my childhood friend (Em) got placed in a different class. Apart from her there were only 2 other people from my middle school that were also accepted into my high school, but I wasn’t close with them/ didn’t know them that well.  I remember feeling very anxious and shy when I walked into my class, especially when I saw that most of my classmates had already become a bit more close with one another over the summer. I felt  so small and was way more shy back then. But I ended up worrying for nothing because my first day of high school ended up being very nice. 

      Even though I didn’t know anyone in my class, everyone was nice and ended up making me feel more comfortable. I will always feel thankful to my friend Amber because she was one of the first people in my class who talked to me and helped introduce me to some of the friends she had already made in the class . Because of her, I was able to make some other high school friends in my class who were all also nice and friendly and made me feel comfortable by starting conversations with me (if by any chance Karis and Kaylyn you are still using your tumblr blogs and read my post lol I just want to say thank you for understanding my shy personality and giving me time to open up, I will always appreciate that). I remember that after that first kind of nerve-wrecking month of school lol, I was also able to befriend my  current, close friends Darlyn, Yasmin, as well as meet my other current-close friends Erika, Frances, Trisha, and Nathaniel, who although I wasn’t really close to them back then (but was able to meet thanks to my childhood friend Emily) , have now all become precious friends of mine 💖 💛  I’m also thankful, because of those friends I was also able to meet you - a  little bit weird, dorky and kinda shy , blue shooting star like boy who I think will always have a special memory corner in my heart  just like my friends and everyone I love, despite you maybe never knowing that and that’s okay. I hope that maybe one day when we meet and actually see each other in person after many years with our group of friends, we can say hi to each other, talk, laugh, and smile normally and forget about past awkwardness.

Extra notes:📔✨

I remember wanting to be able to go to one of those old red phone booths in London, that people had turned into book trading posts/ spots where you could take some of your old books to the phone booth and exchange them for other book that other people had read. (I still kind of want to do this to be honest lol ;-;) 

Looking at my post of that blanket fort reminded me of how I always wanted to build my own blanket fort and decorate it with fairy lights and invite my friends and boyfriend to watch a movie while eating popcorn and baked pastries inside the fort lol (I still want to this too shh lol >.<)

Looking at that post of a drawing of an old and vintage record player also reminded me how I never want to get one of those old vintage record players or anything that’s an antique tbh due to so many horror/ scary movies that I have watched ;-;

That post of the mountain overlooking a crescent moon made me want to go on a road trip and camp with friends under the night sky while roasting s’mores after this pandemic subsides 🤧

October 2013: 

       I think this is when most of my friends read and or were reading the Fault in Our Stars lol since the movie was said to come out in 2014. I remember that particular quote really resonating with me and being one of my favorites from the book as well as the quotes: “You don’t get to choose if you get hurt in this world, but you do have some say in who hurts you”, “Some infinities are bigger than other infinities” and the quote I came across for which the title was ironically based on:“The Fault Dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, for that we are underlings”.🌃       

        I remember the quote:” My Thoughts are stars I can’t fathom into constellations” really resonating with me at that time because I remember having so many thoughts and often feeling a range of emotions and sometimes feeling more deeply about some things compared to others and my friends and not knowing how to explain or express thoughts/ feelings to others in a way that made sense to them. It’s like I had so many ideas and thoughts but I often found myself holding them back because I just did not know how to get my words or thoughts across, especially during writing/ when it came to writing essays for class etc. I remember that being one of the main reasons as to why I didn’t really enjoy nor looked forward to English/ writing class despite loving to read books, and free-writing. I don’t know, I guess the teaching style of my 9th and even 10th grade English teacher and class in general, just made me feel so restricted when it came to writing about my personal thoughts/ ideas regarding a book or topic. Due to that, I kind of started to get writer’s block more often and did not enjoy writing for a while because I just personally felt that the class’ and teachers’ preferences when it came to writing about our own personal ideas and thoughts made writing feel less free, authentic, and fun and instead made writing feel more forced and restrictive.It also at some point made me feel discouraged to try to express my thoughts and opinions about a book/ topic through writing due to those teachers not allowing me or others more time and freedom to gather and express our thoughts so that they could understand them/ try to see them from a different point of view. But it’s okay, that did not stop my love to free-writing during my own time and my love to want to capture some moments, feelings and thoughts in writing. Overtime, I found that academic writing will always in some sense feel more restrictive and forced,  but that does not mean that all English professors are the same, and will make writing and reading feel restrictive because I really enjoyed my English college classes during 11th and 12th grade. My English professor during that time allowed us to be more free with our writing, opinions, and thoughts while still helping us improve our writing skills.

     During 2013 I also remember still feeling scared and anxious to share my personal opinions and thoughts on topics a lot more during conversations with my close friends or simply during class participation in fear that I might say something wrong, not know how to explain myself in front of a bigger group of people , and that others might laugh at me for that, due to not so nice past experiences. But thanks to my friends’ understanding nature, empathy, and encouragement,  I slowly started to gain more courage, feel more confident, and slowly but surely began to open up to them a lot more about my inner thoughts, random and quirky thoughts lol, worries, and rants haha and vice versa- they opened up to me more too which allowed all of us to find comfort  within one another and I’m very thankful  and will always be thankful for that💖  💝

 Another quote that I remember being very fond of was the quote: “You don’t get to choose if you get hurt in this world, but you do have some say in who hurts you” because it’s true. We don’t really get to choose if we get hurt or don’t get hurt, but we do have some say and or power in deciding who we allow to hurt us or keep on hurting us. We have the ability to change and leave  a situation/ place/ etc that keeps hurting us and or making us unhappy.

   Another quote that I remember being very fond of was the quote: “ Some infinities are bigger than other infinities”. I remember finding this quote comforting in  the sense that although maybe my time spent with a family member, group of friends, crush, or significant other might one day come to an end and or turn out to be a smaller infinity due to certain life circumstances, my smaller infinity with them will still have been very precious and felt like a bigger infinity to me that will never cease to end in my memories. That quote was also comforting in a sense that it led me realize that although our time with someone whom we care about and love might be a smaller infinity during a certain point in our lives, we could come across that someone once again during a different point in our lives (future) and find that all that time our time with that someone was actually one of those bigger infinities made up of smaller infinities. 

        🌌 ⌛️💫

      The last quote related to the Fault in Our Stars that I remember being very fond of is: “The Fault Dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves, for that we are underlings”. I remember liking this quote because I remember thinking about how often times, our first instinct as human beings, when something terrible happens to us or something does not go the way we had hoped, some people  tend to blame forces that are bigger than us and or that are out of our control. Or sometimes we tend to hold ourselves back from doing something that we love and  trying new things, in fear of failing, something going wrong, not being able to do things at the same pace as other, fearing change, or just simply comparing ourselves to others which in turn ends up making us feel like “underlings”, when it shouldn’t have to be like that. Overall, that quote led me to think about how often our worst enemy and or greatest critic is our own self. But, we can all be like the stars and feel bright, when we begin to allow ourselves to not just love and care for others, but also slowly but surely, love and care about ourselves as well which is not easy but not impossible ,and surround ourselves with people and things that make us feel loved, happy, and motivated and not allowing others to continue to hurt us with their invalid assumptions and criticism.

Wow, who would’ve known that The Fault in our stars would have a big impact on mine and my friends’  perspectives during that time haha ;-;

Extra notes:📔✨

After looking at the quote “I want to sleep for 2 years and wake up with a degree, an apartment, and money in the bank”my high school self had reblogged,  I started to think about how sad and boring that would have been If I had been asleep and missed out on 2 years of my life and just magically woke up with a degree, an apartment, and money and not actually lived through those experiences and small achievements, as well as miss out on all the memories that I would have made with my friends and family during that time. Although some of these past years during my journey in obtaining my degree and becoming more stable and independent have been hard, exhausting and sad at times, there have also been so many happy and fun moments with my friends and family that have made up for those bittersweet ones and so I think it would be sad to live without knowing about those moments and memories. 

Ah the song “Sweater Weather” lol; I remember me and my friends Emily, Amber, Darlyn, Kaylyn, and Michelle really liking the song when it came out lol. I remember thinking it was such a perfect/ cliche song to listen to during a chilly, crisp Autumn day lol. I haven’t listened to the song since high school but I think I might add it to my rainy day/ Autumn throwback songs playlist lol ^^

November 2013: 

      For some reason, what I remember the most from November of 2013  is that my Envirothon group met together for the first time with other high school groups representing their school in the Maryland envirothon at Camp Schmidt lol aw wow I can’t believe that happened so long ago. I remember my biology high school teacher (Mr.Cordon) selecting my friend Darlyn, Amber, along with a few others from our freshmen year,  and a tenth grade group and me as the two groups to represent our school.  Omg lol I remember being assigned to represent and lead the Wildlife portion of the competition and my friend Amber being in charge of the soil  and environment portion while my friend Darlyn being put in charge of the nature/ tree information section despite her being allergic to various types of trees. I feel really sorry about that to this day because what if she had gotten a really bad allergic reaction. I still don’t know to this day how or why  Mr. Cordon decided that  😭 😭

It felt kind of nice though to get away from our Campus  for a while and being surrounded by so much nature and fresh  breeze :)   

Extra notes:📔✨

Looking back at these posts also makes me realize how some other things about me and some of my preferences haven’t changed. I still  do quite enjoy rainy days, especially those rainy days where I don’t have any important things to do and I can just stay inside while listening to the rain outside and watching movies from the comfort of my room lol or taking short walks in the rain. 

I also still have this appreciation for black and white photographs; Like I mentioned in another post of mine, I just think that black and white and grainy photos have this unique mood and just give this very soft, nostalgic feeling when you look at them.

I also still love acoustic songs and guitar covers of songs and scenery photos of different places 

I also still love the look of busy cities like Paris, New York, London, etc when they are completely covered in snow and only the twinkling lights from buildings can be seen; Idk I just like the soft and subdued feeling snow gives to those busy cities :)

I miss being able to learn a new language; I’ve been thinking about starting to  teach myself the basics of a new language over this summer break lol but I’m not sure where to start or which language to pick ;-; 🤔 So far I’ve been thinking about learning either French or Korean but we’ll see lol; If I do decide to start learning, my goal is to just at least get to just 1 level above beginner’s level 🤧

Okay I’ll stop here for today and do this again with of my other posts another day ^^.

[guynamedultimax]

My take on Brawl Stars lore

GUESS WHO IS STILL ALIVE *points at its own almost dead body injured by Avengers: Endgame, Nintendo’s E3 2019, the latest Brawl Talk from Supercell and the Stranger Things 3 Final Trailer*

MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

And I brought you my own take on what is the Brawl Stars universe!

The Old West is ancient history. Welcome to the New West.

Technology got slightly advanced here. Portals to different time periods and  and alternate universes have been created and people from all over these places join the core of the New West, Brawl Town, main residence of the Brawl Games, friendly games that are being made to decide the Ultimate Brawl Stars. Main battles are 3v3 and happen in the Nameless Desert, costantly invaded by meteors, evil Robo Bandits and mysterious shrooms and drinks.

The teams are known as:

THE BANDITS: A group of gentleman thieves on friendly terms with the Junkers.

SHELLY: The leader filled with determination. Some say she has a soft spot for the town sheriff...

RICO: Former pool bot known as Ricochet who discovered his amazing aiming skills and joined Shelly. Lost his original body in a Robo Rumble and received a new one from the Junkers.

BROCK: Gamer from the modern age who stole a rocket launcher from an evil corporation and came into Brawl Town in search of adventure.

THE JUNKERS: A family of redheads who re-use metal junk to build turrets and other robots.

COLT: Only male of the family, Sheriff of Brawl Town with an obsession with his pretty face. Unlike his family he is more of a guns guy.

JESSIE: Colt’s younger sister with a passion for pets, to the point she named her own dog-themed turret Scrappy.

PAM: Leader of the family and a real mama bear. Touch her sons and you’re in for a bad time.

THE PIRATES: A robot pirate crew from overseas who came to Brawl Town for one thing and only one thing: MONEY.

PENNY: A pirate captain who is very good at building robots and cannons, to the point she built her own crew. She is quite competitive and a bit arrogant. Hates Jessie for some reason.

BARRYL: Formerly a barrel filled with gunpowder, Penny built this silent but deadly guy and, therefore, he stays loyal to her and her only.

TICK: Formerly a giant cannon, he was turned by Penny into a metal ball of energy and happiness. He is always with his explosive head in the clouds and loves mines. Some even describe him as a “Pirate Spike” because of his personality.

THE UNDEAD: A group made of vampires, monsters and undead beings. They are on friendly terms with the Mysterious Ones.

MORTIS: A mysterious vampire known as the Bringer of Doom, who is able to resurrect the dead...often with unexpected results (see his comrades). He his quite self-centered and a bit evil, but is still loved by his team and friends.

FRANK: The one time that Mortis tried to use technology instead of his magic to resurrect an undead body, it turned into Frank, an unstoppable, brainless beast...who seems friendly and at ease when listening music.

POCO: Usually when Mortis resurrects people they are under his control. While trying to resurrect a musician who lost all of his fans, somehow, the mind control didn’t work, so Poco has free will. While he bears no ill will towards his teammates (helps Frank with his musical condition and tries to find friends for Mortis), he lives with the Junkers and has more of a relationship with them.

THE LEATHER JACKETS: A group of thugs from Retropolis, a town south of Brawl Town, who give to every challenger they come across the sweetest pain. But they aren’t actually evil.

BULL: Leader of the Leather Jackets and owner of a diner in Retropolis, Bull Blanco has anger issues and LOVES shotguns and football.

CROW: A mysterious bird man who came from nowhere in the Brawl Stars universe who asks for respect and respect only. Even if he is edgy, he is a nice guy who taught Leon his ninja ways. (Spoiler: He is actually an alien sent to study the BS universe by his species who created the Robo Bandits and conquer it from the inside, but now he loves this world and has sworn to protect it. Probably explains why Robo Bandits aremore aggressive towards him.)

BIBI: A girl from Retropolis, who is a bit childish but is brutal with her bat, properly named Mr. Bat. Before Crow arrived she was Bull’s only friend (and crush, but don’t tell her otherwise he’d kill you)

THE TRIBE: The name speaks for itself. What is left of the Indians in the world of the New West.

NITA: A girl with lots of energy and ability in fighting who received from her guardian a gift to protect her: the necklace that summons her inner animal spirit, the Big Baby Bear, to protect her at all costs. Has a crush on her foster sibling.

BO: Leader of the Tribe, who highly believes in the spirits and combines old with new by mixing his unstoppable archery skills with mines crafted by Dynamike. He is very serious and has a strong sense of justice.

LEON: Orphaned at a young age, this kid with a chameleon hoodie from the modern world came into the New West, received ninja lessons from Crow and, thanks to his new family made of Bo and Nita, he learned how to become invisible.

THE MINERS: A squad made of two miners and a bartender who highly specialize in searching gems.

DYNAMIKE: Also known as Old Mike, this former miner is not only good at building robots but also has pyromania and always has a short fuse. The bird in his head is called Birdy by him.

CARL: A knows-it-all robot miner with a childish personality, great ability in throwing his pickaxe, and a love for geology, horrible geology puns and Jessie.

BARLEY: Mike’s first robot, built when he was still a miner to serve him some moonshine. Time passes by and his circuits started fusing,so now he became a Brawler to recieve money to fix all damages done in his bar at Brawl Town.

THE MYSTERIOUS ONES: No one knows who they are or where they came from. They were reunited by their leader to fight in the Brawls.

TARA: A mysterious tarot card reader literally coming from the shadows, but no one knows that...except for Gene, probably.

GENE: A childish genie who came out from a rebellious lamp found by Tara. She sees Tara as his “mommy” and has a SERIOUS love for sweets and especially chocolate cakes.

SPIKE: Last member of the living catcus people, except for their sakura cactus siblings. He is shy and reserved on the outside, but cheerful and happy on the inside. He just never shows it because he is scared he might hurt someone with his, uh...hugs. Tara found him wandering in the desert alone and took him with her.

THE FIGHTERS: Two fighters and a sniper coming from around Brawl Town.

EL PRIMO: Originally a useless no one, Primo got hit by a meteor, receving superpowers and becoming the strongest wrestler in the New West. He is especially good with children and is searching for his brother, who is thought dead (and may actually be). He found him but he can’t recognize him.

ROSA: Primo’s number one fan, a botanist from the jungle west of Brawl Town who is also a boxer and is accompanied by her house plant. She is quite smart and built a lab in the jungle.

PIPER: The Belle of the Brawl herself, Piper de la Prim is usually a lone wolf who grew up learning how to use her umbrella gun and the proper manners. Since all teams were filled, she diced to join the Fighters.

THEIR THEME SONGS

THE BANDITS: Shot Me Down by David Guetta featuring Skylar Grey. It was more of a choice from Shelly and Brock

THE JUNKERS: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, personally chosen by Colt

THE PIRATES: He’s a Pirate by Hans Zimmer. Darryl hates it though.

THE UNDEAD: Thriller by Micheal Jackson, even though Poco prefers Remember Me by Miguel

THE LEATHER JACKETS: They are still undecided. Bull says it should be Wake Me Up Before You Go Go by Wham!, Crow says it’s In the End by Linkin Park and Bibi says it’s Karate by BABYMETAL

THE TRIBE: Nita forced them to choose Great Spirits by Tina Turner, not that Bo minded that anyway.

THE MINERS: Carl ironically proposed Heigh Ho (the one from the Seven Dwarfs). Dynamike unironically chose that.

THE MYSTERIOUS ONES: Gene asked for Friend Like Me by Robin Williams and since they didn’t have any other ideas (and he made a puppy face) they just went with it.

THE FIGHTERS: Rosa wanted to use Eye of the Tiger by Survivor but Primo just kept saying the Guile Theme was suited enough, and even Piper liked that. So they chose the best of both worlds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=edPUrkEf_ow

SKINS BACKSTORIES

BANDITA SHELLY: Her self from a dark future in which the Robo Bandits destroyed Brawl Town.

STAR SHELLY: She became a gamer after suggestions from Brock.

PANDA NITA: She usually wears that necklace on Halloween.

HOLIDAY SKINS: They come from the Brawlidays Universe.

SHIBA NITA: In another JP-based universe, she is a normal schoolgirl that summons a bear-shaped shiba to fight bad guys. So kawaii!

ROCKSTAR COLT: Karaoke Night on Friday is a big deal for Colt so he always prepares for the best.

IMPERIAL AGENT COLT: In the same JP-based universe from where Shiba Nita hails, he is literally an imperial agent.

OUTLAW COLT: Hails from the same universe as Bandita Shelly.

VIKING BULL: He dressed up as a viking on Halloween and he even customized the shotgun.

QUARTERBACK/LINEBACKER BULL: Did we mention that Bull LOVES football? Sometimes he even calls it Footbull.

DRAGON KNIGHT JESSIE: They say she hails from a “Royal Clash” universe or something like that. ;)

SUMMER JESSIE/BROCK: They just prepared for summer, that’s all.

BOOM BOX BROCK: His attire back when he lived in the modern world.

LION DANCE BROCK: Sidekick of Imperial Agent Colt.

HOT ROD BROCK: His attire when he took a vacation in Retropolis.

CHEF MIKE: He is quite the bad chef, but he makes it up with his knowledge of spicy peppers.

ROBO MIKE: Comes from the same future as of Outlaw Colt and Bandita Shelly. The problem was an incident with the Robo Bandits. He doesn’t talk about it. Birdy is all that is left of his former self, and even then, he pilots him.

MECHA BO AND MECHA CROW : They got roboticized after a bad incident with the Robo Bandits in the Outlaw Universe (the one from which Robo Mike hails too). Colro variations are made by them to make themselves look cooler. They are what is left of the official Brawl Stars tournament members, the others kidna cut the ties with the “sport”.

EL RUDO: Primo’s darker self who manifested in the Outlaw Universe as a collateral effect of the meteor who hit him and gave him his powers.

EL REY: For special occasions in the battlefield, Primo wears this attire.

GOLDEN BARLEY: Back when he was still a fresh model, Barley used to look like this.

WIZARD BARLEY: You know it.

BAKE SALE BARLEY: In what was the worst moment of his whole life, he worked at Bull’s diner and was forced by Bull to wear that.

MAPLE SYRUP BARLEY: The guy once went to Canada. Canada changed him. Now he loves maple syrup.

SERENADE POCO: He once helped Colt trying to serenade Shelly. It ended with lots of spare shotguns being thrown at them.

LOADED RICO: Back when he was a pool bot, rich people used Rico to store gems. He HATES that.

POPCORN RICO: He also worked at Brawl Town’s cinema for a month or so. He got a popcorn addiction and got fired.

DUMPLING DARRYL: From the universe in which Colt and Brock are secret agents, he is a robot who loves dumplings and supports them in their secret missions.

BUNNY PENNY: During Easter, a prank war between Jessie and her was ongoing. She received a lesson by getting her outfit and cannon modified after hanging Scrappy upside down.

ROAD RAGE CARL: To try to look cool for the Leather Jackets he started dressing up like this. His Outlaw Universe counterpart keeps wearing it.

CAVEMAN FRANK: He dressed up liek this on Halloween.

ROCKABILLY MORTIS: Karaoke Night on Friday is a serious thing for Mortis too.

TOP HAT MORTIS: He once wore a hat that is now lost in time and space.

NIGHT WITCH MORTIS: Mortis once exchanged bodies with a Night Witch from Clash Royale. It was all her fault though.

SAKURA SPIKE: She comes from a similar species to that of Spike, made by sakura catuses. She hails from the same unvierse as Shiba Nita and the Lunar New Year skins.

WHITE CROW: A condition that Crow has is that in the winter he turns his feathers white.

PHONEIX CROW: Crow’s true form.

WEWWWWWWWWWWWW ABOUT DAMN TIME I FINISHED

STICK A FORK IN ME, I’M DOOONE

[artistic-writer]

Love Finds a Way : CS Jurassic World AU : Ch 2

Title: Love Finds a Way by @artistic-writer

Summary: Emma Swan is the Head of Operations for David Nolan’s exotic adventure park, Jurassic World.  She has a son, Henry, and is loved and respected by her colleagues. Her life was perfect until a new dinosaur the park created, Indominus Rex, decided to escape.  Oh, and her one night stand, Killian Jones - he’s there to help contain the asset. Just to complicate things even more.  Jurassic World AU.

Rating: M (for people getting eaten)

Also on: AO3 - FF

A/N: Chapter two - you may have noticed I am arting this also. And so I was watching it and made an off-handed comment post about how it would make a great CS AU and @kmomof4 and @wordsmith-storyweaver have enabled me enough that I feel like this could actually be a thing.  I made art first, then I wrote some words, then I made some more art.  NOTE: I have no writing schedule for this, so whilst I do not anticipate it longer than 6 chapters or so, I have only a few written right now, and they are very out of order.  My doc is a hot mess.  Beta’d by the lovely @resident-of-storybrooke because @kmomof4 can’t see everything first ;)

Taglist: @hollyethecurious @kmomof4 @resident-of-storybrooke @cocohook38 @sherlockianwhovian @searchingwardrobes  @wordsmith-storyweaver @winterbaby89 @kymbersmith-90  @wellhellotragic @killianmesmalls @killian-whump

Want to be tagged/untagged? TELL ME HERE

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The mid morning sun shone brightly, the rays broken into tinier beams as they dispersed through the trees overhead. Light barely filled the ground below the canopy, the call of a tropical bird the only sound that could be heard in the remote part of the island. There was no wind, not a single leaf was moving, and the near silence was broken up by the sound of a pig squealing as it tore through the detritus along a narrow track.

The piglet rushed through the vibrant green grass, each blade swaying over his rounded, pink back as it scuttled through them. It squealed again, almost a call for help, as it willed its tiny, hooven feet to move faster. It was being chased, the thud of huge, reptilian feet pounding the ground behind it sending it into a higher state of panic. It cried out again as it rounded a corner, skidding into an open area where the track had opened out. It didn’t stop, rushing for the safety it knew was nearby; a small doorway less than twenty yards ahead.

“Hold!” A man called out, his British accent bellowing out from the platform he was currently walking on.

One of the beasts that had been chasing the piglet slid to a stop, her huge, curved claw tapping the ground where she stood impatiently. Her powerful legs held her weight, her glowing eyes scanning the area for the man that she, and her sisters, saw as a parent figure. She had a distinctive blue streak of scales down both sides of her body that began around her eye sockets and much lighter skin than the three other Raptors that joined her shortly afterward. They erupted through the trees, stopping behind her, all of them clutching at nothing as they flexed their forefingers and communicated with low growls and rumbling purr like sounds.

“Hey!” The man shouted, his voice assertive but with an air of kindness. He stood on the metal platform over them, one hand held out to halt them, the sun behind him almost obstructing his figure from them, but in unison the four Raptors looks up, falling silent. “Okay,” he said slowly, his words that of praise as he pressed the button of his training aid with an audible click. “Eyes on me,” he told the dinosaurs in his charge, his eyes flicking between each of them in turn to assess their readiness to follow orders.

That was his assignment after all. Research into the trainability of dinosaurs. If someone had told Killian Jones he would be training Raptors twenty years ago, he would have laughed in their face and politely told them that they had maybe consumed too much rum, but after leaving the Navy, he had been snapped up by the corporate giant In-Gen to lead their research programme. Killian had since learned that his work was for the practical application of Raptors in combat, so had, of late, been stalling his bosses with progress.

Unfortunately for him, today there was a representative watching and, for once, the pack of Raptors was behaving. Except for one.

“Blue?” Killian scolded gently when her gaze fell from him. She was searching the compound in front of her, trying to scan the area for the escaped piglet she had been so hot on the heels of. She was also the beta of the pack, in charge of the others who generally followed her lead. Killian knew training the others would be easy, if Blue would just focus. “Blue!”

The Raptor growled in her throat, frustrated with her loss, but lifted her head at her alpha. Since they had hatched, Killian had asserted himself as the alpha so that when they had become large enough to eat him, like they were now, they wouldn’t have. Killian clicked his training aid as soon as she looked up to him to reward her, but gave her a scowl.

“Behave,” he warned her, pointing in her direction. Blue yipped a high pitched sound and her frustrated sister, Charlie, began hissing at her.

“Hey, Charlie!” Killian called down to the darker coloured dinosaur, holding his hand out to halt her behaviour. Charlie gave one more hiss at her sister, testing for dominance, before looking up to Killian once more. “Don’t start with that, lass!”

Killian scanned the four strong crowd in front of him again, an ear piercing shriek coming from another of the raptors who had grown impatient. “Delta!” He shouted at the one in the back, her colouring similar to Charlie but with a less pronounced stripe pattern. Delta snorted at him angrily, her deeper toned snarl accompanied with a shake of her head. Killian glared at her, giving her the same accusatory point he gave Blue a second ago. “None of that now!”

All four Raptors were now staring up at him, their sibling rivalry done with, and just a low, steady purr sound coming from their throats as they breathed. They swayed in place, their tails constantly moving for balance as they anticipated Killian’s next order. “Good!” He sang with a hint of glee in his voice. Finally, they were getting it. He clicked at the training aid once more, raising his hand above his head and waving it to the right. “And, we’re moving.”

He stepped sideways along the mesh platform, his boots making a dull sound against the criss cross pattern underneath his feet as he made his way to a bucket that hung nearby. The Raptors followed his hand, stepping sideways in the opposing direction as he turned them in the clearing. Blue hissed a snapped at the sister beside her, taking her eyes off of their alpha for just a second once her sibling knew her place and fell back into line.

“Hold!” Killian called out and the Raptors froze in place, four pairs of eyes on him, eager to receive the rewards they knew were coming next. At his words they all straightened up, their toes pushing into the dirt as they stretched to get closer to their treat source, softer, more emphatic chirps coming from each of them. “Very good, girls,” Killian said firmly, watching each of them stay still as he clicked to re-enforce their behaviour, his heart pounding in his chest. “That’s bloody brilliant,” he muttered to himself, reaching into the bucket in front of him.

Blue’s lips curled back into a snarl as she growled, a small dribble of spittle finding the gap in her teeth and falling to the paddock floor below. They had practised this tracking game a thousand times before, losing more than a few piglets in the process, but it had only been recently that the pack had become synchronised enough that they could work together. The raptors knew what was coming and as Killian pulled his hand out of the bucket and showed them a dead, freshly thawed rat, their eyes went wide with excitement.

“Charlie,” he called softly as he tossed the dead, white rodent at the Raptor furthest left. “If you behave, that’s what you get.” Charlie half growled and half snarled as she caught the dead animal and gobbled it up.

“Echo, here you go girl,” Killian called out to the runt, her bright orange stripes clearly visible down her body. He tossed her another dead rodent and she gulped it down quickly.

“Delta,” Killian shouted to the third, the Raptor’s mouth already wide open before he had thrown the carcass her way.

“Blue,” Killian called his favourite, the leader and most attuned one of the pack. They were all animals at the end of the day, capable of tearing a man apart, but Blue was different. She showed empathy, a calm, nurturing nature that made her easy to train and even easier to love. Killian held up a larger rat, and Blue gave him the purr like sound he had come to know as affection once more. “This one is for my girl.”

Killian tossed the rat and blue snapped at the air, catching it effortlessly and swallowing it down quickly. They had barely finished their pit stop meals when Killian balled a fist and raised it above his head again, but as usual, Blue was the only one watching. “Hold!” Killian called, his tone deeper and commanding. They all looked up at him, forgetting their interactions for a second and he could see their breathing shallow. “Eyes up!” Killian commanded and raised his hand higher, all four of the raptors stretching upright and awaiting his command.

Their training was over, they all knew it, but they still had to wait for their alpha to release them from the exercise. Tails began to swish again, each of them seeking balance as their toes fidgeted in the dirt and their feet danced impatiently. It was a good days training and Killian gave them one last look over, a visual inspection for health more than anything, before he gave them the release command to signal the end of their session. “Go!”

All four of the raptors took off, their screech bellowing through the trees as they disappeared into the dense forest of the paddock. The waist high grass had barely settled back into position when the sound of Liam’s laughter filled Killian’s ears as he wiped his hands on a rag, let out the huge, baited breath he had been holding and greeted his brother with a high five.

“You did it, Killian!” Liam declared proudly, pulling his brother into a tight hug. “You finally did it!” When they parted again, Killian’s heart was racing. Liam had also been in the Navy, both of the brother’s serving at the same time, but when Killian was hired by In-Gen, Liam thought the opportunity too good to pass up. How many people could say they were doing what the Brothers Jones were doing?

“They finally did it,” Killian smiled, proud of his raptor pack as if they were his own children.

“Bloody fantastic, brother!” Liam laughed excitedly, grabbing Killian’s hand and giving it a rough handshake on congratulations. Kilian was a modest man and the applause from their team make him blush a little as he gave each of the men a thankful nod in turn.

“Jones!” A voice called out, his name on the man’s tongue like poison from a snake. Walsh was the In-Gen representative sent to assess their research today, the disgusting man like a parasite on everything that was good, sucking it dry until there was nothing left. Both Liam and Killian turned at their name but quickly turned away with heavy sighs as Walsh fought to get through the crowd of men blocking his path. “I was starting to think we’d hired the wrong guys!”

Killian inhaled hard, inspecting his hands after another rub with the rag before looking over to Walsh. The gnarled, bright red scars that littered his limb were hot in the sun and Killian flexed his hand a little to ease the discomfort there. “You came on a good day, mate,” he said quietly.

“Yeah, it’s not normally a happy ending,” Liam clarified, feeling the need to defend his brother, even though Killian was his boss. Walsh finally reached them and Liam backed off a little with Walsh’s ignorance to his comment, beelining for Killian and offering his hand.

Killian looked down at the man’s hand before offering him his own, the scarred tissue covering most of his extremity a constant reminder of why Walsh was bad news. The man was money hungry, only thinking of how he could profit from their research whereas Liam and Killian had always just wanted to find out how trainable dinosaurs could be. That was their mission brief but somewhere along the line, Walsh was hired to replace their last boss, and the lines became blurred.

“Is that why you’re not sending in your reports?” Walsh asked bitterly, his smile fading. He shot a glance down to the thick scars on Killian’s hand when he felt them in his own, his eyes lingering for a little too long of the limb. He was aware of the accident but in his point of view, Killian still had two hands and so he was still useful.

“We’ve been busy,” Liam interjected, folding his arms over his chest defensively and looking down to his feet. He had to distract himself from the cretin in front of his, else he might do something he would regret.

“Not too busy to cash your paychecks,” Walsh countered with a sarcasm that made Killian wish he had never shook the man’s hand.

“What do you want, mate?” Killian said with a clenched jaw, stepping between Walsh and his brother. Walsh adjusted his stance, planting his hands on his hips and running his tongue over his bottom lip.

“You know what I want,” he told the brothers, so far unable to convince them. Killian rolled his eyes and Liam watched his brother’s frustration with a silent stare. “A field test,” Walsh confirmed. He had said the words on every visit so far, eager to get his money's worth out this research, but the Jones brothers had always, so far, stood in his way.

Killian sighed audibly and turned away from the tall, stick like man in front of him, huffing as he began to stalk away. Liam watched his brother go, concern etched onto his features but he was confident Killian could handle a weasel like Walsh.

“Hey!” Walsh called out to him, falling into step behind him. “I’ve just seen they can respond to commands. You need to take this research and get in moving forward.” Walsh’s words were quieter now, like he was pulling the authority card and Killian didn’t want to hear it again.

“Today,” Killian corrected him. “They responded today.”

“And they will respond tomorrow, just look at them!” Walsh grinned.

“They’re wild animals, Walsh, trust me, you don’t want them in the field.” Killian turned the corner at the edge of the platform, making his way towards the steps at the end of the walkway with Walsh hot on his heels like one of the islands ever persistent mosquitoes.

“What I just saw, that bond, that was real,” Walsh implored, stepping in front of Killian and stopping his escape. If he couldn’t be persuaded with practical application benefits, maybe Walsh could buy Killian with his love of the animals. “A bond between man and beast,” he smiled, his lips curving into a sinister smile as the words left his mouth.

“You’re in my way,” Killian told him darkly.

“Come on, Killian, we are the same, you and I,” Walsh almost pleaded, the sun beating down onto his face and making him sweat. “We are military men, dogs of war, we’ve seen the same things.” Killian ground his jaw again, trying to desperately not roll his eyes. He knew, as well as everyone else in the compound, on the whole island in fact, that Walsh had been discharged from the military way before he had seen any sort of combat. The man was delusional and to compare the two of them was insulting. “We know the military needs to reduce casualties, right? Some people think that robots are the future…”

Killian had heard enough, pushing past Walsh and continuing to the end of the walkway. He was tempted to reach behind himself and grab his knife, delighting in the way it would silence the squawking bird-like man beside him if he was to slit his throat and end his miserable existence. If only.

“Look, nature gave us the most efficient killing machines seventy five million years ago, and now we know they can take orders,” Walsh tried again, stopping when Liam came up from the other side of Killian and joined them.

“We finally make progress and the first thing you want to do is make a weapon?” Liam addressed Walsh, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth in disgust. Killian raised an eyebrow, silent agreement with his brother.

“Come on, gents,” Walsh almost sulked. “You know as well as I do that drones can’t search tunnels, and they’re hackable. The minute a real war breaks out all the fancy tech we use now is going to go dark.”

Liam stifled a scoffing sound and Killian sighed again. “But that tech won’t eat them if they forget to feed it,” he said with a knowing nod.

They had paced around the entire walkway, right back to where they began in hopes of shaking Walsh loose, but it had been no use. The man was like a limpet. The roaring screech of a raptor echoed out through the air and Killian knew exactly what Blue was trying to say when she looked up at her alpha protectively.

“Look at these things,” Walsh said dismissively as he pointed to the raptors below. “Millions of years of instincts that we can program.”

“And what if they decide they’re in control?” Liam interrupted his ramble. “They are animals after all.”

“Well, then we terminate the rogues, breed only the most obedient bloodlines,” Walsh said confidently, having no single clue on how the dinosaurs were even made. None of the animals on Jurassic World were fertile. There would be no breeding of any bloodlines.

Killian gave Liam a knowing look, a smile tugging up at the corner of his lips. Walsh sounded crazier and crazier each time he visited, only now he had actually seen the raptors complete a successful command based training scenario, he was chomping at the bit to get the brother’s to agree to a field test. He might be in charge of the research, but Killian and Liam were in charge of the raptors, and without their say so, none were going anywhere. Finally, Liam couldn’t hold his laugh anymore and he chuckled, walking past both men and along the walkway amused.

“What? What’s so funny?” Walsh frowned.

“Nothing.” Killian shrugged and rested his hands on the rail in front of him, the sun burning into the scars on his left hand. “Just that you come here and you know nothing about these animals except what you want to know. You made them and now you think you own them.”

“We do own them,” Walsh said, aggravated by Liam’s laughing. “Extinct animals have no rights, Jones.”

Killian looked over the man before him one more time, Walsh’s bravado clearly a front for his insecurities. “But they’re not extinct anymore, are they, mate?”

“Exactly,” Walsh said in delusional agreement. “We have all these animals at our disposal and Nolan is using them to stock a petting zoo.”

“He’s teaching people some humility, Walsh, not making weapons.” Killian grabbed the now empty bucket from their training session and made his way down the step behind him, his feet falling heavily on the metal steps as he did so. Like a tick on a hound, Walsh was hot on his heels, another excuse on the tip of his tongue that made Killian fume.

“You think the eighth richest man in the world in just into oil, telecoms and family fun parks?” Walsh laughed as he descended the steps after Killian. “The man has so many companies he doesn’t even know what he is into.”

Killian huffed again, wishing he could let the raptors lose on Walsh. “Tell me, how long have you been practicing this little speech?” Killian tried to sound jovial, his tone jolly as he smiled to himself.

“Since we hired you,” Walsh said definitely and Killian let his anger surge to the surface once more. “You knew the end game, Jones. Don’t pretend you didn’t.”

Killian reached the bottom of the steps and made his way through a huge, metal gate into a holding area between the outside of the paddock and the raptors. He spun on his heels, slamming his hand into a bright orange button that sent out a buzz alert and electronically locked the gate behind him, trapping Walsh on the other side. Walsh continued his tirade from the outside of the fence, ranting about Mother Nature and how without the military capabilities of raptors, the animals would be stuck in an amusement park where they charge seven bucks for a soda.

“Do you hear yourself when you talk?” Killian asked Walsh with a smirk and a tilt of his head. Walsh shifted his weight, stepping onto the other foot and gave Killian that shit eating grin he always had when he knew he would win. It unnerved Killian to no end and he wondered how long they could keep In-Gen from their raptors.

“This is going to happen, Jones. With or without you boys.” Walsh gave him a nod and Killian knew he was right, but before he had time to answer, the squeal of a pig rang out through the paddock and the voice of the new guy, panicked and strangled with fear, echoed overhead.

“Pig loose!” He cried. “Pig Loose!” Killian turned to the sound of footsteps slamming the overhead grated walkway, the new guy giving up on his alert to focus on his task as pig wrangler. He threw a long pole on the barrier, ready to catch the swine as it ran his way, but just as he pulled the corded rope to tighten the noose around the pig, Echo came out of nowhere and grabbed the pig, killing it instantly and pulling the pole away from the handler so far he fell forward and over the edge of the railing.

There were men shouting, feet pounding along the walkway but they were too late to grab him and the new guy landed flat on his back in the middle of the raptor paddock. All of the wind left him and he spluttered, dazed for a second and unaware where he had landed until the walkway over his head came into view and then the unmistakable communicative bark of the raptors filled his ears.

Without a second thought for his own safety, Killian rushed the gate, hitting the open button so quickly he cursed when it opened so slowly. The new kid had shuffled backward towards him, shaking to death at the advancing raptors in front of him, Blue leading the rest of the pack as they stalked their new prey. He smelled good, fresh and tender, and Killian was sure he saw their eyes change colour as they roared out, happy to have such a prize fall into their enclosure.

“Come on,” Killian growled at the gate as it rose, the painstakingly slow mechanism pulling the heavy barred door upwards.

“Killian! No!” Liam yelled from where he had appeared next to Walsh, his face paling at his brother’s selfless decision to enter the paddock. “Bloody hell!” He cursed, opening the gate and ignoring the look of glee on Walsh’s face as he let himself through the gate and rushed to his brother’s aid.

Killian ignored his brother’s pleas, falling onto his stomach and sliding under the door as it continued to rise, dragging himself into the enclosure and never taking his eyes off the raptors. He got under the door without incident, rushing forward and shooting a glance up to where two armed guards dressed in identical uniforms were arming stun guns ready to shoot his raptors. “No, no, no,” he chanted at them, waving his hand frantically. “Hold your fire!”

The new guy was almost at the gate when Killian put himself between him and the dinosaurs, their hissing of displeasure at losing their prize now directed at him. “Hold your fire,” Killian repeated to the men overhead, not taking his eyes off the dinosaurs surrounding him. “Do not bloody fire.”

“Killian!” Liam cried out to reason with him, the gate still rising painfully slowly but enough to allow the new boy to scuttle underneath it with a panicked expression and a relieved sigh. Liam grabbed his shoulders, dragging him backward with a grunt, tossing him aside and directing his attention back to his brother. “Killian, let them contain this.”

“If you shoot these animals, they’re never going to trust me again,” he growled at the men overhead, eyes darting between Blue and two of her sisters who had begun a hunting formation. They were slowly stepping sideways, Blue the center of Killian’s vision and the diversion that would secure them their meal. Liam watched, helpless to act, his blood pounding in his ears.

“Blue, stand down,” Killian called out to his beta, the six-foot dinosaur in front of him slowly advancing still. “Stand down, there’s a good lass,” he commanded her again and in protest, she snapped her jaws in his direction. “Hey!” He growled, straightening up to appear more dominant. “What the bloody hell did I just say?” Blue hissed but stood still, her advance halted by his command.

“Delta, don’t think I can’t see you,” Killian barked to the raptor on his left, his brain fighting with his body as he held out his hand to command her to stop too. The irony was not lost on Killian that Delta had been the one to inflict the scars that so colorfully decorated his hand, and when she flashed her eyes toward the limb, he knew she knew it too. “Get back,” he told her darkly and she stopped, letting him know her anger with a high pitched roar that showed him every single one of her razor-sharp teeth.

“Good girls,” Killian soothed, eyes flicking between each of the dinosaurs in turn. Delta followed Blue’s lead, flexing her claws as she closed in on the human before her. The pig Echo had killed and was eating has filled the paddock with the scent of blood and they were eager for more. Charlie made a sideways move that caught his attention and Killian widened his arms as if holding them at bay.

“Charlie, stay, there's a good lass,” he panted, his legs beginning to shake. Charlie let out a low rumbling growl followed by the trademark raptor roar before halting, her lips curling with a snarl. When Killian was sure all three Raptors were secured if only for a second, he refocused his attention back on Blue who had crouched in front of him ready to pounce. He stared her down, his blue eyes boring into her yellow, cat-like stare, and he held her at bay with their training sign for ‘hold’ - the flat upwards palm. Blue would challenge him, he knew it, and the others would follow his lead.

He was running out of time.

“Close the gate,” he said slowly to Liam behind him. He had to time this just right, but he knew he could.

“Are you bloody mad?” Liam yelled at his brother, the nerves getting the better of his voice as it shook.

“Just do it, Liam. Trust me,” Killian said gently as not to spark an attack. The sun had risen higher now and there were beads of sweat rolling down his face but Killian couldn’t wipe his brow for a second or he would be a dead man.

“Close the gate!” The new boy repeated in a trembling voice, his body frozen in pain and panic, unable to escape the dinosaurs who could easily get to him in no time.

“Fuck,” Liam growled to himself, tearing his eyes off his brother for just a second, long enough to slam his hand into the close button and hear the buzz ring out in the compound.

The door began moving, and it was always faster to close than open, Killian knew that. He counted in his head, one, two seconds, and then spun on his heels, rushing for the gate and rolling under the door with just enough room to spare. He had only rolled into a half crouched position when the three raptors slammed into the bars of the gate, the metal vibrations with an echo and the raptor pack growling in frustration at losing their quarry.

Liam was at his brother’s side instantly, grabbing his hand and hauling him to his feet. Killian’s legs were reluctant to lift his body at first, but he let Liam pull him and managed to stabilize himself quickly, clutching his brother’s hand in a silent gesture of thank you. Liam held onto his younger brother tightly, pulling him into an embrace quickly, giving Killian no time to object.

“I’m alright,” he whispered into the collar of Liam’s shirt. “I’m alright.”

“You had me scared to death, brother,” Liam whispered back, the threatening sting of tears in his eyes receding. “Try not to do that again, alright?” Liam exhaled hard, slapping Killian on the shoulder playfully when they parted.

“Yeah, alright,” Killian nodded, letting out his own breath. He spied the quivering boy beside them, the fresh faced, skinny, blue eyed kid barely out of his teens. The kid had no colour in his cheeks and was struggling to control his heaving breathing. “You alright?” Killian asked him gently, taking a step towards him.

The new boy nodded, open mouthed and still in shock.

“You’re the new guy, right?” Killian asked him and again, the boy nodded. “Did you ever wonder why there was a job opening?” The boy frowned, his brow knitting together in thought and then his eyes going wide as he realised what Killian was trying to say. He was about to answer when snarling caught his attention and he turned, the open jaws of Charlie poking through the bars as far as she could get them, her claws gently scraping against the metal like nails on a chalkboard. The kid scrambled backward out of reach with a yelp and the raptor lost interest in her unattainable prey, rising to her feet and giving Killian one last look before sauntering off into the grass.

“And never turn your back to the cage,” he told the kid before turning back to the entrance and catching the sly smirk of Walsh.

“Nicely done,” Walsh commended him and Killian could practically see the dollar signs in his eyes.

Not only had Killian proved that raptors could follow commands, he had done it without the barriers of fences or gates, and no one had got killed. He had inadvertently given Walsh a green light and the snake of a man turned to head back to his truck with a gleeful smile.

“Shit,” Killian whispered to himself, his shoulders sagging.

[thesweetblossoms]

Blossoming Pear Trees

🎼Breakfast at Tiffanys by Truman Capote, A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith and The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, are a few of my favorite books based in New York City. In each, I learned about the charms, qualities and history of the port town bordered by rivers and saturated with hopes, dreams, ambitions, adventures and ideas, each framed within its unique time and context. These books careful plots, characters, storyline, setting and subtexts offering a sliver of knowledge, into the eras thinking, behaving, cultural nuances, as well as the animated energies and perspectives, that shaped and influenced such a complex and captivating town.

In Breakfast at Tiffany’s, I was struck by the fathomless quarters of the heart, the vivacious and inimitable character of Holly Golightly, and the sumptuous homage to the renowned Manhattan nightlife, rife with its glamorous habitués, black silk Givenchy dresses, cocktail soirées and scintillating repertee. I read The Tree Grows In Brooklyn, while living on Roosevelt Island. Within the pages of this delightful rendering of childhood memories, I was gripped by the historical flavor of Brooklyn, the memories of life as a small girl in a lively neighborhood, and the universal experience of being a child tempered heavily with the backdrop of a multicultural new land. The Age of Innocence, portrays another world within the five boroughs, it spotlights, the heady world of upper east side mansions, park avenue town homes, sea escapes to Newport and Long Island, the closely knit and highly structured world of the old New York elite, and the inevitable barriers that plant themselves, in the purest love stories. The book is strewn with references and symbolic meanings of flowers; ‘His eye lit on a cluster of yellow roses. He had never seen any as sun-golden before, and his first instinct was to send them to May instead of the lilies. But they did not look like her- there was something too rich, too strong, in their fiery beauty.’

Having studied and lived in NYC for eight years during my early twenties to early thirties, I often miss the alchemical rush, fearlessness, possibility, dreamlike and magical qualities of living and experiencing one of the great world cities. Thus, a setting in Manhattan brings back the memories of my own time in the city, whether in the faint refrain of notes of music drifting from long ago nights dancing, flirting and imbibing cocktails in Soho with my dearest friends, remembering the anticipation of getting ready for nights out, in short, white, party dresses, also sprinkled with hazy recollections of ending up at somebodies apartment watching the sunrise over the east river, or rainy, rose and iris strewn June walks in Central Park, or hot chocolate from a café near the Met Museum, or of teetering in four inch hot pink stilettos to law firms in midtown or Wall Street, or even further, back to my first night of Law School, crying myself to sleep in a dark dorm room in Greenwich Village, to the day I left, unsure of the journey as the cab carried me across the midtown bridge to the airport, Manhattan lit up behind me, my passage barely dimming its intensity or power. My first stop was to spend a few weeks in the South of France before moving to Vancouver. While those trillion and one lights in the epic skyline glittered farewell, I didn’t know that I would create homes soon, in Vancouver, Los Angeles, Toronto and in my current home in palmy, light saturated and desert bewitched Phoenix, all within half a decade of leaving New York.

Of course, when I miss the city and its aphrodisiacal properties, reading a lighthearted, expressive and engrossing book, such as Sweet Bitter by Stephanie Danler, is transportive and thoroughly entertaining. In this book, I follow the hectic, hedonistic, raucous, fast paced and party filled days and nights of Tess, the small town heroine who moves to the city with hardly any money, to work at a celebrated and iconic NYC restaurant. The most riveting elements of the narrative beyond the illuminating yet relatively common premise of being young, confused, riddled with anxiety about the future, driven to the edges of exploration and self discovery, are the careful and considered details that are painstakingly layered, by the author, like nacre accumulating on a shell, to create a picture of one persons bewildering unfurling of time and space; of developing a crush and falling in love, of connecting with other people through post work hours of heavy drinking and drugs, of everyday group camaraderie, of obstacles and of the costs of taking a chance, of being hurt by the many thorns, blind spots and fractures within reality and of times reluctance to reveal the truthful bitter notes of existence to the untried and uninitiated. Along with the protagonists evolving ability to understand her own capacity for work, of her desire to party, and to chase the object of her desire at the risk of rejection, we are gifted with a rich, informative, luscious, compelling and beautifully conveyed dialogue, steeped in knowledge, brimming with anecdotes and lush with poetic names of revered wines, sherries and champagne. Readers are granted an epicurean education into the sybaritic realms of hospitality, of torn figs, marcona almonds, black truffle laced risotto, of fine cheeses, of terroir, of perfumery and of the effervescence, of those who chase the ephemeral, whether in briny winter oysters, mornings commenced with espresso and closed with half discarded bottles of celebrated wine, in rootless love affairs and in risking everything for the intoxicating New York City moment.

Sometimes nostalgia hits in painful ways, like a cut, tearing skin when scraping against a jagged wall, yet when I see my little son who was born in the city, or my husband, whom I met therein, or my daughter, who might one day visit my favorite museums such as The American Museum of Natural History on the Upper East Side, I don’t miss it that much, I become lost in my current adventure, in baking the family walnut, chocolate chip banana bread, in cutting shell white roses from my balcony garden, in hiking in the charged desert and realizing with the grace of hindsight, the I found both heartbreak and love, from a storied place, and that it is as close to me as my breath and as dear as the Callery pear trees that bloom in the early spring along the proud avenues and reverie misted streets.

Dwelling here in the present, I vow to write more about flowers. For a petal and dew drenched reality accumulates hope, positivity, happiness, reveries, ideas and inspirations. One is potently healed by the generosity and brilliance of blossoms, from witch hazel sprays, to lavender soap, to jasmine and vanilla perfume, to dried rose petal dipped madeleines to countless other floral injections. To be among flowers, is our most natural and exhilarating state, whether it is a summer picnic by a meadow of chamomile and violets, or a October harvest of basil blossoms and cosmos, or a spring seaside hike bordering a swell of wild lilies of the valley. Yet, no matter the climate, reading about flowers provides a season-less joy and bliss to those who might stumble upon a pressed peach pink peony, laid lovingly in the pages of The Painted Veil by M. Somerset Maugham, or to the person who receives a catalog of old roses, featuring Chateau De Malmaison from David Austin, or the person that seldom tires of dreaming about flowers, lost in the liminal botanical sphere, content with the written words about these delicate creatures, no matter the coordinates of the sun, or the exact location of ones own heart, beyond the garden.

In between the hours of work and play, sleep and wakefulness, dancing and being still, writing and reading, planting seeds and cutting flowers, I conduct a search for signs from the universe, fully aware, that there may be many that we are sorely deficient in sensitivity, imagination and consciousness to perceive. Perhaps these subtle jewel boxes of illumination render themselves mute, appearing as the earliest streaked lavender, roasted sweet potato orange and bleeding pink dawn in the morning, the horizon appearing as we are struggling to rise and challenge the random slights of the work week, or it could be the jasmine flower you discover on the desk by your computer, turning striped royal purple as it dries slowly, learning later, that it was left by a fellow attorney who has knowledge of your love for flowers, or maybe, proof of grace may arrive, as innocuously as the black holographic star decals, a gift sent along with the romper room nail polish you purchased in the mail, or it could be from the positive occurrence of an overdue text message from your beautiful, talented and successful law school roommate in Los Angeles. However, they appear, the ones that please you the most, are the ones you should carry closest to you, for these may be the keys to unlock your dreams, discover your nature and decipher your heart.

Though I often encounter unbounded bliss, dwelling in my garden by candlelight, under the mist laced stars, calmed by the analgesic dance of the palms and the steady flow of the water fountain, I have discovered an equal passion for delicate, fine or potent pieces of jewelry. My earliest memories of jewels are of tiny, delicate, faceted gold bangles, from my grandmother, that I wore on special occasions or events. I remember them mostly from old pictures of when I was four or five living in Sydney, but also recently, when my mother gave them to me, collecting them from the locker, for my little daughter to wear. Other reminisces include the memories of the joy, ceremony and fanfare when my parents gave my sister and I, little opal earrings as gifts, or when my mother lent me petite ruby and diamond flower studs to wear before a party, reminding me of their preciousness and to return them to her for safe keeping later. Perhaps, just as the energy, vibrations, subtle magic, healing and alchemical qualities of trapped fire, air, water and earth exert their influences over us, working in tangent with the myriad other cosmic objects that comprise reality, the wearer of these exquisite, handcrafted and artistic pieces also alter, influence and change the mystical qualities of the jewels. For after, I wear a piece, whether an heirloom, a vintage piece, or a newly commissioned trinket, I sense a change, both in my self and in the inanimate stone and metal. The jewel and the bejeweled act in concert to chase and trap the light, the anklet bells drifting into the music, the diamond engagement ring quietly drawing two souls closer and the emeralds earrings annotating the laughter and erasing the tears. 🎹